I remember a politician who famously proclaimed: “I feel your pain.” Where are the champions of the “little guy” now. Does anybody feel our pain? Oh, I forgot! The administration told us a while back that this higher level of pain and unemployment rate is the “new normal.”
And now that gas and food prices are going through the roof, these “statesman,” according to Will Rogers, want to raise our taxes to pay for the huge deficit they created in the first place.
“Long-sighted” politicians claim that they want to raise taxes only on the rich as if that’s going to help the rest of us. It’s like the government raising the rich man’s feed price, forcing him to sell his cattle and lay off his workers to pay the increased cost. The rich man looses business, and the “little guys” loose their jobs.
Talk of raising taxes in the midst of a recession has got to be the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard of. Common sense would tell you that, but common sense and this administration go together like rednecks and bathwater.
If the administration really did feel our pain, they would understand that we are over taxed, over regulated, over burdened and over governed. Next election, perhaps these “long-sighted” statesmen will feel some pain of their own.
Image Information: This is an image of Will Rogers on the fateful August, 1935 Alaska trip. Within just a few days he would die in a plane crash with famous aviator Wiley Post at Point Barrow, Alaska. The entire nation would mourn his loss.
The image was taken directly from pictures at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1920s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
Will RogersBack in 1934, Will Rogers indicates that folks were concerned about sensational advertising. Today, they’ve just about run out of sensational things to use. It all seems pretty boring, and nothing is shocking any more.
I have to disagree with Will on his statement that “You can’t make a picture as bad as the ads lead you to believe it is.” How do you explain movies like “Aliens vs. Cowboys?!”
It makes you question the theory of evolution. Are motion pictures evolving to a higher, more noble art form, or are they deteriorating into random collections of moral depravity?
There are some bright spots in the motion picture offerings these days however. Perhaps the viewers will choose the more noble and uplifting movies and leave the “sensational” ones to the dust bin of motion picture history.
Image Info: Will Rogers and Dizzy Dean at the 1934 World Series. Jay Hanna “Dizzy” Dean (January 16, 1910, Lucas, Arkansas – July 17, 1974) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the last National League pitcher to win 30 games in one season. Dean was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.
The image was taken directly from pictures at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1930s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
Will RogersI don’t know much about banking, bailouts and loans, but when I read that a country is repaying a loan to the U.S. it does seem mighty strange. It was strange in Will Rogers’ day too. We had loaned vast sums of money to European countries after WWI for rebuilding, and we never saw most of it again.
We’re still giving away money – taxpayer money. We learned that money went to bail out foreign banks recently by the billions. Will we ever see any of it again? Will it produce jobs here in the U.S.? Will it help the U.S. get out of debt?
Will Rogers was a guy that believed in common sense. We can only hope (and vote) for some common sense to return back to Washington.
Wait a minute! Did I just put “common sense” and “Washington” in the same sentence? Folks, we’ve got a lot of work to do!
Image Information: Will Rogers was a frequent flyer. When he discovered that air transportation was the fastest way to get places he was constantly in the air. He started in open cockpit airplanes and became a part of the birth of commercial aviation.
The image was taken directly from pictures at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1920s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
Have you ever been in the right place at the right time to see something special? A few weeks ago, after a late afternoon thunderstorm, I looked outside to see the most magnificent rainbow. In fact, there were two rainbows. The colors of the dominant one were so bright and vivid – it was breathtaking. A few minutes later it was gone.
As I think about my life, I can see that God has led me with love and precision. He has placed me at the right time in the right place to accomplish his purposes. One step to the right or the left would not have accomplished his purposes and would have led to disaster.
When I look at the image of the mountain goat perched on a ledge, I think of the precision of each foot placement and how one misstep can lead to disaster. Yet they live and thrive in the high places.
I know it’s not my skill, strength or intelligence that sets me on high places. To God alone be the glory for leading me every moment of every day.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 18 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NASB iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Sometimes is doesn’t happen right away – turning mourning into dancing. A deep grief, difficult situations, or failure can take a while to work through.
An encouraging word from my precious wife, kids or friends helps a great deal. After time, the sackcloth is loosed and I can begin to dance, like the sea otters dancing in the water in the picture.
Helping others also works its wonders in my own heart. It helps me to be clothed with gladness, as the Psalmist says. Notice that praise and thanks are products of this change from mourning to dancing.
Dear Lord, help me to dance, and help me to be an encouragement to others, so that we may sing your praise and give thanks to you forever! Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 30 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes ESV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Will RogersIt was 10 degrees F (-12C) this morning and I had to do some work on my car. After a few minutes it was becoming more and more difficult to do even the simplest manipulation with my fingers. Not only that, it was painful.
Can you imagine how difficult it must be for crap shooters when it’s that cold. Will Rogers noticed that in February of 1934. Those poor crap shooters at the NYSE had to wait until they could warm up their hands and fingers before they could roll the dice and place their bets.
Image Information: This picture is from the entrance to Will Rogers’ Dog Iron Ranch in Oologah, OK. It is a working ranch and features Will Roger’ Oklahoma home and historical artifacts. It is maintained by the Will Rogers Memorial Museum which is just a few miles away in Claremore, OK.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
Dear Friends,
There have been quite a number of posts from Systems of Merritt, Inc. over the past few months, and unlike many posts in the blogosphere, these have more of a timeless quality. Please feel free to browse back through the older posts, and share them with your friends and family. With the variety of topics, there is sure to be something that will bring a smile to someones face, or be an encouragement in a time of need.
Psalm 3 3But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. 4I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.
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Like many people, I give to my local church and other charitable organizations. My expectation is that the money will be used in the most efficient way by these organizations to further the goals of the various ministries.
Suppose it is found out that members of the charitable organization are living high-on-the-hog, buying luxury items, or engaging in inappropriate activities. Then, after that revelation, the organization demands that you continue to contribute to their “cause.” Indeed, this has been the downfall of organizations, and I’m sure several come to mind.
This also holds true for businesses that are found to lack integrity in their practices. They will not survive in the long run. We’ve seen a number of spectacular crashes of businesses that looked good on the outside, but were rotten on the inside.
And now, gentle reader, we come to our Federal Government, and the money that flows into and out of its treasury. We look at the way it spends its money and unfortunately we have little say in the internal policies and practices. Plus, some of the spending borders on criminal activity in the minds of many americans. Then there are revelations of massive fraud in the handling of taxpayer’s money.
Unlike giving to charitable organizations I don’t have any choice but to pay taxes to the government. When they demand more taxes to compensate for irresponsible spending, I get a little concerned.
I get concerned because more taxes means less money for my family and it means I have less money for charitable giving. Let’s say I’m a “fat cat” with lots of disposable income. Large gifts to charitable and other foundations are directly affected along with the ability to pass funds on to heirs (death tax). The knowledge that my desire to gift money to charitable foundations is now forced to becomes a “gift” to the Federal Government is frustrating.
Along with Will Rogers, I wouldn’t feel the taking of my tax dollars was a crime if I knew that the spending of my hard-earned money by the governenment wasn’t such a crime. Thanks Will Rogers for a piece of great insight form 1932!
Image Information: This picture was taken during the Will Rogers-Wiley Post ill-fated Alaska trip in August of 1935. Rogers was dispatching his Daily Telegram column up to the day of the crash on August 15. Famous aviator Wiley Post is pictured on the right.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
It’s not popular to directly talk about and deal with sin in our lives, but in this quote, Spurgeon admonishes us to deal with it head on. We shouldn’t even laugh at it.
The sea otter in the image is always playful and upbeat. We should be too, but it shouldn’t include dabbling in sin, even as a joke. Folks, I’m preaching to myself too! Our sinful nature tries to justify and overlook it. It’s a constant struggle, isn’t it?
We don’t have to look further than the TV or a click of the mouse to know that we are bombarded with images and situations promoting sinful thoughts and action. Movie and TV producers seem to promote compromising or sinful situations as normal or humorous.
In our struggle with sin, we must understand that we are not alone. The Holy Spirit can bring us strength, help and comfort, plus we can pray with and for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Also, we must be humble enough to admit to God that we have a sin problem. Finally, we must realize what the stakes are. Spurgeon says we must “evidence the possession of holiness, without which no man can see the Lord.” Are we growing in grace each day?
Dear Lord, Come to my aid in the battle against sin in my life. Sins roots go deep, but your love goes deeper. Help me grow in grace each day. Amen
I hope you have been blessed by this quote and the accompanying image taken from the Spurgeon Daily Quotes iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Labor Day is a funny name for a holiday. It’s a day when nobody works, or wants to work. Labor unions started observing a labor day in 1882, and Congress passed an act in 1894 making the first Monday in September a national holiday.
In 1929, Will Rogers noted that: “How Congress knew anything about labor is beyond us…” I guess, not much has changed since Will Rogers’ day. Congress didn’t pass a budget last year, they spend money like a drunken sailor, unemployment is up, and the administration hires another professor from academia to advise the president on economic affairs. Do we have any confidence that anyone in Washington knows what they’re doing when it comes to business and labor?
Here’s the latest word from the genius economic advisors in the administration. Unemployment checks are good because people spend the money and stimulate the economy. The more checks, the more stimulus! I don’t think these guys can tell the difference between grits and sawdust!
As if that weren’t enough, the EPA, DOJ, INS, NLRB, and every other Federal agency is burdening business with regulations and lawsuits that kill job growth.
Well, that’s all I’ve got to say about that. Now I have to submit Form GOLB1024 to the Dept. of Communication, confirming that this blog was non-partisan and meets the kindness threshold for internet blog posts. By the way, the form states that the Office of Paperwork Reduction has cut the length of the form in half by reducing the size of the type from 12 point to 6 point.
Have a great Labor Day!
Photo Information: Once Will Rogers found out he could get places faster by flying, he was constantly in the air. In this picture, Will climbs into an open cockpit airplane.
The image was taken directly from pictures at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1920s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers Daily Quotes iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
When we see a beautiful sunset it can trigger a moment of thanksgiving and praise to God. It speaks of the order and wonder of the universe put into place by the Lord for our well being and pleasure. This simple event that happens each day also speaks of eternity as we consider its vast distances and unending regularity.
The sunset image fits well with Psalm 72 and I hope it will help us remember to praise the eternal God and “increase His name” in our lives daily.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 72 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NASB iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
The first phrase of Psalm 31 is quoted by Jesus on the cross. In fact “Into your hands I commit my spirit,” are the last words Jesus spoke before he died. They were uttered with his last breath. These words are the final act of faith as he leaves his earthly life.
When I was very young, I had complete confidence that my parents would take care of all my needs. They fed me, clothed me, protected me and loved me. If I was sick, they watched over me.
For some reason, it seems difficult to have such complete confidence in God. Probably because God isn’t flesh and blood like my parents. I can’t touch Him or see Him.
But I have God’s word, the Bible. I know that Jesus was flesh and blood. I know about Jesus life, death and resurrection. I know of his love for sinners, like me. I also know of his forgiveness and redemption of sinners. The Psalmist says God knows about my affliction and anguish of my soul.
Can I commit my spirit into God’s hands? Yes! Can I have complete confidence that God will take care of all my needs? Confidence will grow as your faith grows. Your faith will grow as you draw closer to God by reading the Bible, seek fellowship with other believers and listen to the preaching of God’s Word.
Dear Lord, Help my faith to grow so that when the end comes I can say, “Into your hands I commit my spirit. Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 31 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NIV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Until I started looking through the Navy archives, I didn’t realize that burials at sea are routinely done to honor shipmates’ final requests. This image is unique in that a son has the opportunity to honor his own father, as he carries on a proud military tradition. You can see both pain and pride in this sailor’s face.
You may not be able to see it at the bottom of the picture, but the sailor is holding a flag. It is a symbol of the sacrifice and love of country, presented to the family. Passing this heritage from father to son is an act of valor, made up of simple, every day prayers and actions.
Psalm 39:12 came to mind as I thought about this moment in the sailors life. We are sojourner’s moving though life, walking with our God. We pray for peace during the tough times, but have cause to smile as we ponder God’s grace and mercy toward us.
Dear Lord, Hear my prayer, and give ear to my cry. Hold not your peace at my tears! I need your mercy and forgiveness every day so that I may smile again. Amen.
Psalm 39:12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers. 13 Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!”
Image info: PACIFIC OCEAN (June 9, 2009) Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Noel Myers holds a photo of his father, Edmond McKinley Myers Jr., and a flag moments after a burial at sea ceremony aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Commanding Officer Capt. K.J. Norton presented the Flag to Myers. Ronald Reagan is underway on a routine deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Oliver Cole/Released)
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 39 and the accompanying image taken from the Navy Psalm Daily Quotes ESV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Will RogersFinancial uncertainty is unsettling not only for financial markets, but for taxpayers as well. Tension seems to be highest whenever congress is in session because it seems you never know what they are going to do. Actually, we do know one thing, whatever they do will be bad for the taxpayer!
The same bunch that can’t control their own spending, wants to control our spending by taking more of our money in taxes. The same brilliant minds that mandated banks lend to people that couldn’t pay back the loans think they should be able to regulate any industry they want. I could go on…
How can congress sleep at night knowing all the pain and suffering they have unleashed on the country? Easy! They had good intentions.
Well folks, it looks like the only way a person can get a good nights sleep is to get elected to congress.
Image Information: The lovely young lady in the picture is Lucille Mulhall. Her father ran the Mulhall Cowboy Carnival and Will worked for him for several years. There’s no indication that Will’s relationship with Lucille was serious, and a few years later, in 1908, Will married Betty Blake.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will RogersiPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
When I was young, I was a Navy brat. My father was a career military man and we lived in a number of different places, including abroad. We also travelled across Europe, following his ship from port to port. I’ve seen the beautiful cathedrals, Roman ruins and great works of art. I’ve also observed the …
The concept of eternity is something that we just can’t comprehend as time-bound human beings. Whether the most ignorant or brilliant, everyone must ponder what happened before the ages began and what will happen after the ages to come. Are the mountains pictured in the image eternal? As unchangeable as the mountains might seem, we …
Cindy and I just became grandparents recently. She had the privilege of being with our daughter when the baby was born. The pictures of our newborn grandson are precious. The closest I can come to the concept of a shining face is that of a new mother gazing upon her baby for the first time. …
When asked about the first thing they want to do when they get to heaven, most people say something like “I want to see my mother and father,” or “I want to say hi to Uncle Bushrod – he was my favorite uncle.” Those are nice thoughts, and I’m sure we will have fellowship with …
This is one of Will Rogers’ most famous quotes, and it’s probably just as true today as in 1930. I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy …
For whatever reason we don’t seem to take notice of problems until they become a crisis. Government seems to be especially bad about this, and the news media knows that crisis headlines sell. Will Rogers makes a great observation with this quote. In fact, sometimes it seems that the government prohibits putting out the fire …
I’m always interested in contests where we are asked to guess the number of jelly beans in a jar. I might make an attempt to count some of them through the glass, but soon give up in frustration. Usually I make a wild guess, which turns out to be nowhere the real number. I’ve never …
When I was working on my masters degree at the University of Illinois I built instrumentation for their Aeronomy program. We made rocket payloads that would gather data from the upper atmosphere which would allow us to look at the nature of energetic particles that stream down the earth’s magnetic fields. I love science and …
When I visited Pompeii years ago I was struck by the suddenness and completeness of the destruction of the city by the Vesuvius volcano. People were found frozen in position. Artifacts were preserved by the covering ash. Some volcanoes move more slowly, as in Hawaii. The hot lava spews from vents as in the picture …
I love peaceful scenes like the one in the picture. A glassy lake, the ocean in the morning, fog settling over the mountaintops, a quiet evening at sunset are the times I remember. With the busyness of life we enjoy the peaceful times that God gives us. As I have time to relax and enjoy …
