Mortgages

I was talking with someone recently about the necessity of owning a home and he said it would be impossible to save up enough to buy one outright. I personally managed to save up 20% over a couple of years fairly easily. But I do have a fairly decent paying job also.

However, I came across this article on the web recently: Understanding the Mortgage Payment Structure. It says the government created a mortgage program in 1934. "Before the creation of this mortgage program a 50% down payment was required to purchase a home." Though I couldn't answer him then, it seems fairly clear to me now that our culture recently only believes that such a thing is not possible. In fact, there are programs where you don't even need a down payment. Our culture is so "I need it, and I need it now," that people no longer believe that they can do great things financially.

Homosexuals can't marry in Washington

The court ruled that the legislature does indeed have the power to limit marriage (in favor of raising children by their biological parents).

Here's the complete ruling (not for the faint of heart). But interesting to read their statements. (I got to about page 25 or so.)

http://www.courts.wa.gov/newsinfo/content/pdf/759341opn.pdf

500 miles

Now I've passed 500 miles on my bike and can go up to 6 krpm, at least according to the manual. Which allows me to get hit by gusts of strong wind riding around the loop at 50. I think I need a heavier bike...

So much for the 1st amendment

You would think that school officials would be adverse to censorship of what ought to be free speech. They say the 1st amentment prohibits them from making religious statements, so they prohibit others from making them as well, thus not only prohibiting free speech, but also breaking the establishment of religion clause ("or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"). Hard to believe that free speech could be repressed in this country, but ever since I found out the Karl Marx advocated public schools, I haven't been surprised at what they produce.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jun-17-Sat-2006/news/8014416.html

Click

Click is the second movie to come out recently that has a really good message while being presented as a comedy (the other being Bruce Almighty). It's somewhat surprising to see good stuff come out of Hollywood, but then I guess I have a negative bias against it because everyone is always so hard on them.

black horse and the cherry tree

good song: http://projectparadox.f2o.org/entertainment/music/kt-tunstall-black-horse-and-the-cherry-tree.php