Collecting My Thoughts: 07/01/2009

Friday, July 31, 2009

The Lakeside-Mt. Morris connection

One of the most famous Lakesiders has a connection to Mt. Morris, Illinois, where I graduated from high school, and my parents, paternal grandparents and great grandparents lived most of their lives, and where my parents and maternal grandparents attended college. John Heyl Vincent, one of the founders of the Chautauqua Movement (adult education, Sunday school teacher education), a Methodist bishop and author of many books, was once the pastor of the Methodist church in Mt. Morris, and attended the Methodist Rock River Seminary, which was located in Mt. Morris (later changed hands and became Mt. Morris College, a Church of the Brethren school when the Methodists established Northwestern). He and his wife began their married life in Mt. Morris shortly before the Civil War.

elsewhere

Lakeside was established a year before Chautauqua NY, but the name of the movement to provide a cultural, moral and spiritual education for adults comes from that camp meeting. In Vincent's 1886 book he listed 38 "other Chautauquas," some former camp meetings like Lakeside, and some formed expressly for that purpose. So the movement grew very quickly, although it had no central organization and each location was independent. By 1891 there were 51 independent Chautauquas and by 1907 there were 97. (Figures from David T. Glick, "The Independent Chautauquas then and now" Herald, V. 13, no. 2, 1984). John Heyl Vincent's brother, BT Vincent, was the Superintendent of Instruction at Lakeside.

When my parents were young, traveling Chautauquas were popular, and there were tent Chautauquas in both Franklin Grove and Dixon, Illinois which provided plays, operas, monologues, speeches, and music for several weeks in the summer for rural people. Movies, radio and the Great Depression pretty much killed the tent Chautauquas. Today there are 12 permanent Chautauqua communities.

The other Chautauquas

Andrews, North Carolina
Bay View, Michigan
Chautauqua, New York
Colorado Chautauqua Association
DeFuniak, Florida
Monteagle, Tennessee
Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania
Ocean Grove, New Jersey
Ocean Park, Maine
The Florida Chautauqua
Waxahachie, Texas

Democrats didn't read it; Republicans did

The House Republican Conference has compiled a list of the new boards, bureaucracies, commissions, and programs created in H.R. 3200, “America’s Affordable Health Choices Act.” These bureaucrats will control every aspect of our nation’s health care system – and these bureaucrats will destroy the best health care system in the world. Here is what the Democrat’s health care bill monstrosity will create (HT Traditional Values Coalition):

53 new federal bureaucracies

Health Benefits Advisory Committee (Section 123, p. 30)
Health Choices Administration (Section 141, p. 41)
Qualified Health Benefits Plan Ombudsman (Section 144, p. 47)
Program of administrative simplification (Section 163, p. 57)
Retiree Reserve Trust Fund (Section 164(d), p. 70)
Health Insurance Exchange (Section 201, p. 72)
Mechanism for insurance risk pooling to be established by Health Choices Administration Commissioner (Section 206(b), p. 106)
Special Inspector General for the Health Insurance Exchange (Section 206(c), p. 107)
Health Insurance Exchange Trust Fund (Section 207, p. 109)
State-based Health Insurance Exchanges (Section 208, p. 111)
“Public Health Insurance Option” (Section 221, p. 116)
Ombudsman for “Public Health Insurance Option” (Section 221(d), p. 117)
Account for receipts and disbursements for “Public Health Insurance Option” (Section 222(b), p. 119)
Telehealth Advisory Committee (Section 1191, p. 380)
Demonstration program providing reimbursement for “culturally and linguistically appropriate services” (Section 1222, p. 405)
Demonstration program for shared decision making using patient decision aids (Section 1236, p. 438)
Accountable Care Organization pilot program (Section 1301, p. 443)
Independent patient-centered medical home pilot program under Medicare (Section 1302, p. 462)
Community-based medical home pilot program under Medicare (Section 1302(d), p. 468)
Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research (Section 1401(a), p. 502)
Comparative Effectiveness Research Commission (Section 1401(a), p. 505)
Patient ombudsman for comparative effectiveness research (Section 1401(a), p. 519)
Quality assurance and performance improvement program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 1412(b)(1), p. 546)
Quality assurance and performance improvement program for nursing facilities (Section 1412 (b)(2), p. 548)
Special focus facility program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 1413(a)(3), p. 559)
Special focus facility program for nursing facilities (Section 1413(b)(3), p. 565)
National independent monitor pilot program for skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities (Section 1422, p. 607)
Demonstration program for approved teaching health centers with respect to Medicare GME (Section 1502(d), p. 674)
Pilot program to develop anti-fraud compliance systems for Medicare providers (Section 1635, p. 716)
Medical home pilot program under Medicaid (Section 1722, p. 780)
Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund (Section 1802, p. 824)
“Identifiable office or program” within CMS to “provide for improved coordination between Medicare and Medicaid in the case of dual eligibles” (Section 1905, p. 852)
Public Health Investment Fund (Section 2002, p. 859)
Scholarships for service in health professional needs areas (Section 2211, p. 870)
Loan repayment program for service in health professional needs areas (Section 2211, p. 873)
Program for training medical residents in community-based settings (Section 2214, p. 882)
Grant program for training in dentistry programs (Section 2215, p. 887)
Public Health Workforce Corps (Section 2231, p. 898)
Public health workforce scholarship program (Section 2231, p. 900)
Public health workforce loan forgiveness program (Section 2231, p. 904)
Grant program for innovations in interdisciplinary care (Section 2252, p 917)
Advisory Committee on Health Workforce Evaluation and Assessment (Section 2261, p. 920)
Prevention and Wellness Trust (Section 2301, p. 932)
Clinical Prevention Stakeholders Board (Section 2301, p. 941)
Community Prevention Stakeholders Board (Section 2301, p. 947)
Grant program for community prevention and wellness research (Section 2301, p. 950)
Grant program for community prevention and wellness services (Section 2301, p. 951)
Grant program for public health infrastructure (Section 2301, p. 955)
Center for Quality Improvement (Section 2401, p. 965)
Assistant Secretary for Health Information (Section 2402, p. 972)
Grant program to support the operation of school-based health clinics (Section 2511, p. 993)
National Medical Device Registry (Section 2521, p. 1001)
Grants for labor-management programs for nursing training (Section 2531, p. 1008)

Note from Norma: GW Bush was certainly no slouch when it came to expanding the federal government, but Obama's current cycle makes him look like he was in training wheels. Have you ever wondered why, if the government can deliver such great health care at a reasonable cost that 1) Congress and the White House aren't going to use it; and 2) why is Medicare and Medicare which are gov't plans are in such terrible financial shape?

Friday family photo--reunion at the Pines

If you know my family, you'll know who these people are. And if you don't, well, you probably don't care. L to R: Gene, Joyce, Janet, Stan and Lois.

What's the proper greeting?

Bill, a senior citizen who grew up where I did, asks in an e-mail list, some I know, some I don't

What sort of a greeting would you use in advising a Blue Dog Democrat or a moderate what you think of Obama's treatment plan for seniors?

Dear . . . .fill in the blank. Bill suggests "Dear Senior slayer" or" Dear death deliverer". But Rusty chimes in with "Dear Asshole." And Richard agrees with Rusty.

Clunker cars

Do you suppose this Bentley loves Obama gets 18 mpg? Could the owner qualify for a tax break from me who drives a 2002 Dodge Van that gets 26 mpg on the road, is a real workhorse, and doesn't hurt my back? (As near as I can tell from the model, this one gets about 10 in the city, 17 on the road).

Clunker schools?

Now that we're getting all those "clunker" cars off the road (destroying their engines so that the young, poor and entrepreneurial will not be able to use them, many of them newer than what I and millions of Americans drive everyday), to meet a specific social agenda of the Obama administration, what else can be declared a "clunker" so that we tax payers can bail out a specific industry, class, union, lobbyist group, or academic field and sink deeper in debt? How about schools?

"In February, the AIA [American Institute of Architects] led a coalition of more than 80 organizations and companies to press Congress to include funding for green, high-performance schools in the stimulus bill, and the AIA has advocated for legislation that passed the U.S. House to invest in school facilities." The Angle, July 30, 2009

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Priorities for swine flu vaccine

Usually the elderly are told to get flu vaccines. Maybe we're at no risk for this one--after all, older people die in great numbers in any year from the flu and no one except the family gets too concerned, certainly not the media. However, the Obama health care plan promoted for older Americans pretty much writes them off as not worth anything. At least as recently as 2003 JAMA reported that vaccinating those over 65 was a high priority because it was so successful in reducing morbidity and mortality. Oh well, those were the Bush years and values were different. People mattered. (In 2009, CDC published additional estimates of flu-related deaths comparing different methods, including the methods used in the 2003 JAMA study. The seasons studied included the 1993-94 through the 2002-03 flu seasons. Results from this study showed that during this time period, 36,171 flu-related deaths occurred per year, on average. CDC

non-elderly adults

Young ladies protest Obama and health plan

From left to right

Tarhill Pundit says, "I spoke to these ladies for a bit until we got seperated. They are big Sarah Palin fans, like myself, and were very educated on the issues. Some might call them radicals but I prefer to call them realists. . . Planned Parenthood was out in full force, petitioning for “Women’s Health Care Rights.” Because unlike preventive screening for cervical cancer, breast cancer, and STDs we just can’t get enough abortions these days!"

Lakeside Cottage architecture, pt. 4

Side gable houses with shed dormer to the street, pt. 3

I'll wrap up this topic about shed dormers on cottages at Lakeside with a few more photographs. This by no means finishes the topic, but here's a few that have had several second and third chances or do-overs in their 70-80 year life near Lake Erie.

This house on 2nd street faces Central Park and when built probably had a fabulous view of the lake. Now with all the mature trees, you would only see it in the off seasons. It has so many additions, roof styles, and replaced windows I'd probably need a photo to figure out how it began. I noticed at least one old window that hints it may have even been a traditional 19th cottage in it's embryonic stage.

Update: I checked with a man who had remodeled this cottage about 15 years ago, and he estimates it was built around 1880 and has had multiple updates. So the shed dormers were probably an early 20th century update to make it look "modern."

I think this one is for sale. I've attended a yard sale here--looks like it is in good condition with the usual 3/4 century updates and add ons. I think there is a garage on the other side and a decent yard, unusual for this little town of summer residents.

I like this photo because it shows 3 distinct cottage styles all in a row. On the left a cross gable with a wrap around porch, which is highly valued now, but many were so remodeled in the 40s and 50s they are hardly recognizable. The front windows appear to be remodeling ideas of about 50 years ago--remember when people were putting "picture" windows everywhere? The shed gable style in the middle would be more attractive with the porch restored, but like many Lakeside houses, most additions and remodelings are just folded into the next era or skills of the local homebuilders. Also, the Lake Erie storms can be brutal. On the right is one of the many hip roof, double porch styles which I wish had a shorter name, because they are ubiquitous here. This one has had the top sleeping porch filled in with small windows. These cottages face the lake--one of the best views in town.

Someone or ones loved this one to death. The worst of the 50s updates--aluminum siding and jalousie porch windows--the gal wearing her cheerleading outfit to the nursing home. And bushes out of control to cover the sins of the past.

I think this cottage could be a show piece. My husband and I disagree on what is original--I've looked very closely at the roof line of the side portico, and I think it fits, although it is sagging badly and looks like the front screen door might not open. If it mattered, I'd go to the archives and check. There might even be an old photo. He's the one paid to redo these cottages, not me. Those concrete molded blocks haven't been used in many years. There's a tiny little "house" added to the back with some creative trim and woodworking--probably not original, but someone tried to make it work. With the thick, stubby columns, and windows in three, it definitely wants to be a real arts and crafts bungalow, even if someone's messed it up a bit over the years.

But I have been to the archives and checked on my next topic, which will be the "Ross Hips" at the east end of Lakeside.

Lakeside cottage architecture, part 1

Lakeside cottage architecture, part 2

Lakeside cottage architecture, part 3

Eight reasons to just say NO

Some people have a problem saying or hearing the word NO. I think it is the first word children say, either because they hear it so often or because it is short and easy to say. So why is it, that people have such a problem with it later in life? My mother, God bless her, had a problem with that word. Her favorite phrase was, "We'll see." That just put off the inevitable, but she didn't get into trouble with it. I didn't follow her example. In fact, it drives me crazy when people aren't honest about wanting to say NO, so they just lead you on until it is too late to make other plans, or you've moved on only to find out later something else was about to happen.

So here's how I'd do it--how to say NO, a rerun from a blog of two years ago.

1. To a request to bake a cake for a fund raiser/good cause. I say, "NO, if you needed a pie, I'd gladly help out, but I don't do cakes. If you'll accept store-bought or bakery, I'll do it." I never say, "Let me get back to you on that." I'm 67 years old and I think I should know the answer to this one--you'll love my pie, and pass on my cake. Update: I've been asked to donate a cake for the hotel ice cream social this coming Sunday, and I asked if I could purchase one. "Of course," the volunteer said. See? I didn't even have to say NO.

2. To a request to join yet another organization. I say, "NO, I already belong to two small groups and that's about my limit. I don't want to add anything else to my calendar." However, I do say YES if it's a short term task with a beginning and end in sight, but that has to be clarified. Also, I can spot "empire building" from 50 yards, so don't even ask if that's your intent.

3. To a request for a dinner date with my husband for Thursday if we already have plans for Friday and Sunday. I say "NO, sweety, those extra calories don't bother you one bit, but I don't want them." I'm probably the only wife who says NO to a dinner out, but you gotta do what you gotta do, or else walk an extra 5 miles a day! Update: These days, I have to say NO if we've eaten out anytime during the week.

4. To a request for a donation. I say, "NO, we tithe to our church and contribute to several community organizations we believe in. We have met our limit for this year." Update: After listening to 3 presentations from the Great Lakes Historical Society this week and hearing they've had all their state money ($100,000) cut, I've decided to join. They do good work.

5. To a request to help in my professional area of expertise. I say "NO, I believe that level of support deserves an employee and not a volunteer. Have you considered hiring someone?"

6. To a request to join a committee. I usually say NO, but there are exceptions. You don't ever want to appoint me Chair, because I'll dissolve the committee. Update: I'm removing myself from a committee of 10 years.

7. To a request to borrow money. Usually this is NO, but we have helped out our children occasionally, and other relatives if we know they haven't been irresponsible. My parents loaned us the downpayment for our first house, loaned me money to finish college and financed a car for us, so I had help, too--in my early 20s. Dad would set up payments with interest. However, don't ever loan money that you can't offer as a gift, or you might be disappointed and don't use it as a means to control behavior. The relationship is more important than the money. You just create hard feelings by making people indebted to you. Once we gave money to one of my husband's relatives because we knew a loan was out of the questions--he would have never paid it back.

8. To a request to babysit or help in the church nursery. Can't think that any one would ask this today, but in the past, I always caught a cold. Babies and toddlers are crawling with germs for which I have no immunity. Wording this NO is tricky, however, or you do sound like a meany. Honesty would be best so they can call the next name on the list.

My mother did give me some advice on saying NO, although I don't usually follow it. She suggested, in her dear, nonconfrontational way, that I at least look like I'm thinking about the request before I say NO.

When my daughter was in elementary school, the teacher sent home a grade report that said something to the effect that she had an overdeveloped sense of NO. Good girl. A woman after my own heart.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Anything going on with illegal immigration?

If we had to rely on the press for accurate reporting about illegals coming here to work, we'd be hard pressed. The war in Iraq (Bush's war) has dropped out of sight so they can cover Obama's war in Afghanistan, and the only thing I've read is about how poor villages in Mexico are suffering from our unemployment, since less money is being sent home. Around here, I see many local Ohioans/Americans doing those jobs they used to tell us Americans didn't want--housekeeping, maintenance and groundskeeping. President Bush lost a huge amount of support from conservatives with his "guest worker" nonsense. No one believed Congress would come up with anything that didn't import millions more for the rolls of our social programs along with many willing hard workers. Here's what I wrote about illegal immigration three plus years ago when Bush was fast unraveling the Republican party, never to get it back.

April 2006 blog about immigration

The government and obesity

Here's what the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) has written about our expanding girth in this country:

"American society has become 'obesogenic,' characterized by environments that promote increased food intake, nonhealthful foods, and physical inactivity. Policy and environmental change initiatives that make healthy choices in nutrition and physical activity available, affordable, and easy will likely prove most effective in combating obesity."Notice which comes first; not our choices, not our habits, not our genes, but policy and environmental changes. In other words, inviting more government bureaucrats and regulations into our restaurants, our schools, and our dining rooms and kitchens. This is not new to the current administration. You can go back into the early 90s and read things from the CDC on this fact. And it was always alarming.

If there were a model community for losing weight and being fit, I'm here and blogging about it. Lakeside, Ohio. I'm here most of the summer this year, and even if I only lost one pound a week of the weight I've picked up in my interesting travels since September 2007 [Ireland (3 lbs.), Italy (3 lbs.), Greece, Israel, and Egypt, 3 lbs.], I'd be thrilled. But this morning I weighed exactly what I weighed six weeks ago. I buy at the local farmers' market and small grocery store in town; I walk 4-6 miles a day; I ride my bicycle; if we eat out (rare) there are no "fast food" restaurants; I eat 5-6 servings a day of freshly prepared fruits and vegetables--mostly raw; I eat nuts and yogurt; my brain is engaged everyday in interesting seminars, classes, art instruction and music programs. There's not a reason in the world why I shouldn't be able to get into the size 6-8 slacks I wore two years ago. Except my age, my metabolism, and my genes. My desires, my tastes, and my lack of will power. My delicious rhubarb pies, my crackers layered with butter, peanut butter and cheddar cheese, my glass of red wine with dinner, my pancake with real syrup at the Patio Restaurant on Sunday after church.

Yes, it's all becoming clear to me. No matter what the federal, state and local governments do at the policy and environmental level to make my life easy, active and low calorie, they will still have to deal with me.

So I'm wearing size 10 this summer, the CDC be damned.

If you would prefer the CDC telling you all this instead of me, go here to hear.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

The Cambridge Police

Officers white and black, male and female, stand behind Crowley. There was no racism.

"He [Obama] should have recused himself."

Remembering Gates' book: "I'm praying fervently that we will be spared a national Teachable Moment arising from the Gates Affair. But at least one good thing (for me, at any rate) has come out of the brouhaha: it prompted me to go to my bookshelves for the first book I read by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., The Signifying Monkey: A Theory of Afro-American Literary Criticism, published by Oxford University Press in 1988. Whether or not Professor Gates said to Officer Crowley "I'll see your mama outside" (as Crowley insists he did, and Gates denies), there's no mistaking Gates' relish for "Signifyin(g)" as a "pervasive mode of language use" among African Americans. What I found most interesting when I first read the book (probably the only one in my library that features a conjunction of blurbs by Jacques Derrida and Ishmael Reed) was its insights into parody in black literature. Those insights are still worth pondering, despite the high proportion of sentences like this one: "It is indeterminacy, the sheer plurality of meaning, the very play of the signifier itself, which [Reed's novel] Mumbo Jumbo celebrates." Did someone mention parody?" John Wilson, Editor, Books & Culture

The tapes are being released. Looks like Gates was in the wrong all the way around, from his posturing, pomposity, and prejudging the Cambridge police to blowing everything out of proportion, to bringing one more disaster to the White House.

How we got here

Speed, ignorance, and power. Or why no one bothers to read the bill.

AHA Vantage Point

Well, I guess there's hope, if we can just slow them down until the midterm elections, even then we're just nibbling around the edges. Until Obama, no President had spent more on social programs than George Bush. Obama makes him look like a beginner in throwing money around.

Monday, July 27, 2009

A few more things in week 6

Tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. is the bird walk and Wednesday morning at 8:30 is the herb class and the topic will be camomille. During the last birding event I learned that Europeans are anxious to see our cardinals and blue jays, which we hardly notice, because they aren't native to those areas. I'm still trying to find a time to get to the archives to research some of the cottages that I write about. It was closed today. Tuesday and Thursday evening the community theater group is doing Cheaper by the Dozen, and we've got tickets for Thursday. The play almost had to be cancelled because they didn't have a "father," and obviously, he's a key player. But Joe Day came to the rescue. He was supposed to be in South America this summer, but his backpack with his passport and plane ticket was stolen, so he's spending the summer with his parents, and the talented young man was available to take on the challenge. Some of the kid-actors were hawking tickets the other night--really cute. On Friday I may skip the Great Lakes lecture and instead do the tree walk with our neighbor Bill.

Today was the first watercolor class of five with Bob Moyer. He'll be doing a fall watercolor workshop on Tuesday and Wednesday September 22-23, 2009 at the Idlewyld Bed and Breakfast. The Workshop with lodging and Wednesday breakfast is $140. Although I've never stayed there, it's a lovely B&B. The hosts are Dan and Joan Barris. (Don't miss the recipes on their site.)

Here's today's class work, an iris. Bob did a demo, and then we dabbed around and copied what he did. Everyone in the class took home a good first effort.

A few minutes into the class, I became aware of a really irritating sound that just wouldn't stop. I said, "What's that awful noise?" "Oh, that's the children's rhythm and drumming class." And it went on, and on, and on, and on, for about an hour and a half. Glad we don't live close to the Rhein Center!

Obamagates

"[Obama’s racist error in the Gates arrest] allows us Joe and Jane Voter Americans to see him more clearly than we could see him before. Barack bumbled into an area in which we regular Americans have expertise. “Cops” plays 10 times a night on cable TV. We understand the lack of reasoning behind the rash Gates Assumption. We understand the racial agenda behind the Gates Assumption. We understand men who are too vain to see their mistakes and apologize for them. We GET this. Barack is unmasked in our eyes. And, if he’s unreasonable, agenda-driven, and unwilling to admit error here: WHERE ELSE is he unreasonable, agenda-driven, and unwilling to admit error? The End Zone" and this . . .

Positive things will come from the haughty "Black American Princess" attitude of Professor Gates being publicized. It's not just at Harvard, you know. Students are exposed to this marxist, sexist, elitist, racist nonsense at the overpriced ivy colleges and state universities alike, and not just in Black Studies programs. The constant harange against our history and particularly white males, or anything good and decent in traditional values like marriage or religion is in literature class, American history class, biology, sociology, and education. From the experience of an OSU student I met last October and recorded in this blog:

He told me that he has seen every one of Michael Moore's movies in his college classes! It was required. One was a biology course, one was a political science course, and I've forgotten the other two. For one class final in a Latin American history course the only question was to write an essay on the seven best things Fidel Castro had done for Cuba. In another course where the students needed to write a persuasive paper, he chose "Why the U.S. needs to drill in ANWR." His instructor, an honest but not particularly ethical woman, told him at the outset he'd need to choose another topic. She'd have to flunk him because he'd never be able to persuade her, no matter how good his argument or bibliography, she said. He says the ridiculing and trashing of the Bush administration has been relentless in all his classes.

Joys and Concerns

Many Protestant churches have a time during the service to express "joys and concerns." I believe our ELCA Lutheran church did in the pre-Wessel days 25 years ago (he was LCMS), but when the time was shortened to fit in 6 or so services on a Sunday morning, that was dropped, and never returned when the new locations were added (we now have 9 or 10 services in 3 locations). I can still get teary remembering my father, who became an orphan when he was 70 years old, standing up in church after his mother's funeral thanking everyone for their kindness and God for blessing us with her wonderful life.

We have such a time of sharing here at the lakefront 8:30 service. All prayers are recorded and mentioned during the pastoral prayer if the list isn't too long, plus they are prayed another time during the week. Yesterday after various joys (reunions, young people attending camp, being back at Lakeside, a 50th wedding anniversary) and concerns (stroke, cancer, liver transplant, aneurysm, surgery, etc.), my husband brought a little levity to the list with, "We are asking for prayers to find a daughter-in-law." People laughed, but several have spoken to us of answered prayers. One mentioned a prayer for 6 years for their son-in-law; one who asked Jesus for a baby brother and got one by adoption.

The sermon, which came later in the service, was on persistence in prayer.

Shower rules

My husband and I have discussed this many times--rules for taking a shower. Not how to get clean, mind you, but how to keep the cottage bathroom from becoming a playground for mold. A disaster of peeling paint and drooping wallpaper. Sticky floors and standing water. If you click on this photo, you'll see what we'll have to repair this summer--two years after we repaired it.

So, after 21 years of thinking people would follow our cheery suggestions (our adult children, our guests, our relatives and strangers), I 'm going to write and post some rules. I haven't firmed these up, but for starters:

small

I may never post this in a frame in the bathroom, but I sure feel better. Most people 50 and under have never known a life when showers weren't enclosed and tiled. Coming to the lake and using a 65 year old bathroom which was remodeled in 1985 has challenges.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

The viral wedding video

But why do they wear sun glasses?

We're planning our 50th. Maybe we could jitterbug into the reception? Our first date was a dance.

Obamacare--doesn't save, doesn't stretch, doesn't strengthen

Check out the FactCheck.org analysis and number crunching of Obama's prime time address on health care on July 22. Summary:

It's too bad we can't get a REAL figure on the REALLY uninsured American--the one who either doesn't want insurance, or who doesn't sign up for the aid that is available. I've heard reports of 10% or less. Why can't he go to work on that group? Rhetorical, of course. If he did only that, then he couldn't take over another segment of the economy! When Congress went to work on S-CHIP (after welfare reform they wanted their dependants back), the minimum family income incrementally was raised to around $80,000 to qualify, and that was under Bush (Congress does it, not the President).

FactCheck broke down the 46 million uninsured figure this way in 2007 (would be higher now due to higher unemployment, which Obama is exacerbating):

Twenty-one percent of the uninsured are immigrants

unknown

Forty percent of the uninsured are young, according to KFF. But speculation that they pass up insurance because of their good health is unjustified. KFF reports that many young people lack insurance because it's not available to them, and people who turn down available insurance tend to be in worse health, not better, according to the Institute of Medicine.Occasionally I talk to a young man (40) who has been on either unemployment or disability for the last 3 years or so. He is college educated, owns a house which he partially rents to people with similar problems, has sold all his investments, and is scrambling to cobble together insurance for his multiple medications and his bills. Believe me, when the government takes care of you, it's no easy life! Fortunately, he has a mother and father (divorced, living in different states, but well employed) who can help him. When I listen to his tale of woe (often and repeated because it's his obsession), I realize that government programs, even those that are essential for the very needy, keep a person in perpetual poverty and tied up in red tape.

Dawn of the 6th week

Walking out the door at 5:45 this morning I could see a bright star in the east. Very different than the first week when it was much lighter. I also met a skunk and a raccoon checking out the tent on the hotel grounds. Today was actually the Raccoon Run, a 5 mile run. I did this once--walked after the first 2 blocks. This year's t-shirts were mint green. I used to buy one if they had extras, but we have drawersful of t-shirts from travels, VBS and Lakeside, plus our son used to be in the business and he designed some for us.

By the time we got to the Patio Restaurant for breakfast after church on the lakefront, things were pretty much over. My husband has an art display at The Patio, and has sold four paintings this summer, which will certainly help with the expenses.

Throwing gasoline on a small fire

The president made this minor heated exchange between the Cambridge police and Henry Gates a major conflagration, and it's only right he should fix it. As I noted in an earlier post, the police stopped by our house once after a neighbor's report about a strange car in the drive-way (our daughter's). She didn't get abusive and charge the police were harassing young people with sporty cars. The Gates incident was a local issue concerning an arrogant man full of self-importance, who is a friend of the president, harassing a police officer who was called to the scene by a neighbor, who noticed someone trying to break in to Henry Gates Harvard house. If the president had first asked to see the police report, he might have wisely counseled his friend to tone it down, instead he chose to ratchet it up.

More proof the president can't talk off teleprompter! First he says he doesn't have the information, then he offers an opinion anyway. He spoke stupidly and pompously, without "calibrated words." (When running for Illinois Senate, he had to drop the pompous, erudite speech after he was beaten by a fellow black Democrat, but he has lapses into what is normal for him.) What kind of example is that to the folks on the apology tour? Can only speak nonsense to long standing tensions here at home.

But even that counsel to Gates would have been unwise, because he campaigned as a non-racial, non-racist healer who would lead this country to hope and change. Many liberals and moderates had hoped by electing a black man, the U.S. could set aside some nasty things of the past. A first woman president would have some meaning that we've moved beyond misogyny and sexism, but nothing like that, so they threw Hillary over. They weren't counting on the number of people who are invested in keeping the fights going. The disappointed voters are Barbara Boxer Liberals and have found out not all blacks will do their bidding. Obama's handlers, all of whom know his credibility is already on the line and his poll numbers below Bush's at 6 months, have had to tell him to back off--the health insurance issue is more important than your buddy.

You wanted it; now own it!

Aren't we all just so sick of the whining, apologies, snipes and darts of this current administration? Is it the victim mentality we've become accustomed to? Blame the other guy? Bush inherited a mess too; he got a technology bust and I'll show you my old accounts from 2000 in case you're too young to remember. He got one heck of some bad intelligence reports, at least according to the Congressional investigations after the fact, after all the warnings of the late Clinton years about WMD and the dangers of Saddam. I don't ever recall hearing Bush blame Clinton for anything. Yes, the talkers, bloggers and media did, but President Bush was, well, Presidential. He followed the tradition, which he continues to follow, of not criticizing former presidents, not besmirching the reputation of the other guy, knowing someday he would be yesterday's news. I think Al Gore started it, even though he was never President. He thought he should have been and opened the door.

Today we hear Biden making excuses for the non-stimulating stimulus. He just might be an old Democrat who believes Obama's handlers had some intention to save the economy, rather than just use it as an opportunity to float his own agenda. Maybe if he'd been serious, we would have seen some action. We have the 1930s as a template. Both Hoover and Roosevelt made things worse with their meddling, but FDR contributed most by trying to change society rather than the economy.

Here's the nonsense on "Organizing for America" Obama's personal song of glory on the internet:

President Obama inherited a terrible mess: a $1.3 trillion deficit, two wars, rising unemployment and unprecedented crises in our banking system. The Obama Administration has worked tirelessly to address our immediate problems of rising unemployment, falling home prices and limping credit markets, while taking a longer view in laying a strong foundation for future economic growth that benefits all Americans. We are fighting for economic recovery on all fronts.He probably doesn't write this any more than his speeches, but he knows that "fighting for economic recovery" is total nonsense. You don't burden the country with cap and trade or government trillions for health care when only 10% need it, if you are serious about restoring the economy!

But Bush did have one advantage Obama will never have. A vigilant, critical press and media. We may not even have a media by the end of Obama's terms. You couldn't miss a single mistake or thought or vacation of Bush. And it was always wrong. Poor Bo. Think what he could have accomplished if he just believed in us.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Week 6 at Lakeside

We're back at the lake after a week in Columbus. Tonight's program looks great -- Ohio State Alumni Band --always a big favorite. There's a lecture series this week in the mornings on the Great Lakes, shipwrecks, passenger travel, WWII Coast Guard, and the storm of 1913. Celtic Spirituality is in the afternoon, however, if I get in the watercolor class at 3:30, I won't attend that. The Symphony's 46th season starts on Wednesday, the tradition being to open with "light classics."

Friday, July 24, 2009

Obamaman sung by Greg Morton

Friday Family Photo--Party Time

I'd better get going on this cleaning. We're having a bunch of people (Cursillo team) over tonight. We're providing the meat, otherwise it's pot luck. Do you know what this hostess' nightmare is? The woman who brings a "salad," still in the grocery bag and needs about 10' of counter space, your sink, utensils, and frig to put it all together! Ladies, puleeeze. Pot luck means you bring it in the pot, not in 6 baggies with contents that need to be washed, cut up and mixed!

De Colores!

Update: I'm also saving the environment. Today I used one of those "friendly green" concoctions that cost triple the usual. Cleans like crap. I looked at the label and it is vinegar and water. Then I sewed a button on my husband's favorite summer shirt rather than throw it away the way rich politicians do. It had been in the back of the closet since 2007. Then on my walk I pulled weeds along the curb and didn't spray an herbicide.

Watermelon gum, or why I hate coupons

You just can't win with a coupon. I received a plastic, looks-like-a-credit-card coupon from Staples for $10. (Paper coupons are the size of a dollar bill; the original coupon was a wooden nickle--it's inflation.) First I went to the wrong store--it was store specific and apparently they were only sent to certain zip codes. Then the item I wanted, rechargeable batteries, was $19.99, and the minimum amount was $20. I asked the floor clerk about that, and he said Yes, it would count because of taxes. Nope. The check-out clerk said I had to buy something else. So I grabbed a pack of gum, which turned out to be $1.49 watermelon flavored, sugar free, with pieces so small it will get lost in my ample mouth. (I have all my wisdom teeth.) But I did win, in a way. I left the store with only what I came in to buy. Coupons aren't about reducing prices; they are about bringing you in. Or taking you in. Who, but the government, could stay in business by giving stuff away?

Should Senators be paid to promote stimulus spending?

Sounds like a conflict of interest to me. This is a "webinar" announcement received today.

"How the Stimulus Funds impact commercial real estate" is the subject of John Sununu's presentation on Tuesday. John is a current member of the Congressional Oversight Panel charged with the distribution and earmarking of the stimulus funds. This is a live webinar broadcast and you will be able to participate in the Q&A that follows. Because of the generosity of our sponsors, we are able to bring this first in the stimulus series to you for free. We want to help you make smarter decisions relevant to the design, construction, modernization, management, and operation of your buildings. By attending this webinar, you'll be able to do your job better, and will be prepared for what's ahead in your field. Listen in as former U.S. Senator John Sununu offers an in-depth look at the stimulus package and answers the questions weighing on your mind."

Obama's cost cutting measure--recommending death

The scariest thing in the whole bill, if you're over 65 or disabled by an accident or disease (others are included in Medicare, not just seniors) is this

For more fun and games read McCaughey's entire article, and check the link to the 1018 page bill. It's zipping around the internet via e-mail (thanks Charlie), but it's always a good idea to check the original source, rather than a forward. After the Terri debacle my husband and I wrote up all our end-of-life instructions, and even after 45 years of marriage and knowing each other longer, we disagreed on what certain terms meant and delved into the medical literature. Don't assume someone you know well understands your values and beliefs or your tolerance for pain. Put it in writing. And certainly don't leave it up to the government to counsel you when you're ill and vulnerable.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Requirement to buy health insurance

Some people are screaming about this in the Obamacare. Not me. I think it makes perfect sense. Nothing else about the federal government insurance taking over the industry does. We are required by law to carry automobile insurance to protect the other driver. We are required to carry mortgage insurance to protect the bank who loaned us the mortgage. When you buy or lease a car I think the company that loans you the money will require full property coverage until its paid for. I don't know any home owners who don't have fire and theft coverage, and many renters do, but it may depend on where you live. If there were really a free market for health insurance, and you didn't want it, there could be a law that you carry something to protect the hospital and staff who might be called on to treat you during a catastrophic event or illness (because they pass that cost on to me, so if you don't carry it, you're expecting me to pay). If employers hadn't gotten into the business of health insurance after WWII to attract better workers, I think we'd all have better choices and better coverage. We had private health insurance probably 10-15 years early in our married life and careers. That chunk they take off the top of your salary could have been in your hands with you deciding if you wanted well-care, pregnancy, vision or dental, or whatever. The government could have been there for the 10% who would be too high a risk for private plans (mental illness, inherited problems, catastrophic, etc.). We are in this cost situation because of government care--there's fraud, lack of oversite, and burdensome regulations. And lawyers, of course. Don't forget the law suits.

Nor do I agree with many people my age who say it's just terrible that Obama wants to rein in the costs of Medicare. I really question that I needed to be hospitalized last summer (bill was well over $5,000, but I have no way of knowing what it really was, because by the time if filtered down to me it was something like $300 out of my pocket). I know other seniors who have experienced the same--without the insurance, would they have needed that "level" of care? Unfortunately, once you start down that road--emergency room, intensive care, intubation, surgery, dialysis, and then maybe complications from bacterial infections after surgery plus all the misery and anxiety of being hospitalized, then the follow up, yes, I'd say someone needs to really look at this. I wonder sometimes if elders are being used as guinea pigs, considering that the billions of dollars spent in those final weeks and months of life often don't extend life.

I tried to look up the percentage of income that goes to health care, but unfortunately that figure depends on the political views of the writer. I saw everything from 5.7% to 15%. And if they say it costs more than housing, they aren't factoring in all the costs of housing, and they are adding in the employer's contribution for health care. Apples. Oranges. But it is a lot and it's going up fast. And it will be more if the government does it, with worse care. Folks. We know that from experience. Medicare is out of control BECAUSE it is a government program. Why would it be different if you had it too?

Now no homeowner in Massachusetts is safe

A report is called in to police that someone is trying to break into a house. So they go there. Unfortunately for Massachusetts, it's a black man trying to get into his own house, and he gets very testy with the police expecting them to know he's someone very important, Professor Gates of Haaavard.

Now even the President, who didn't comment for days on a Muslim terrorist killing one of our soliders right here in the United States, has decided to weigh in.

Good luck, Cambridge. It's open house in your neighborhood from here on out. He wasn't arrested for trying to get in his own house as the media has reported, he was arrested for disorderly conduct--accusing the police of racism. And Obama was right--he didn't have all the facts. But he did have them about the murder of his soldier and he chose to keep quiet.

"Why don't we all just try to make the best of it."

Words of an Obama supporter and campaigner on his handling of the economy, taken from my comment window. I'm not willing to "just try" because I can see he has no intention of doing anything about the economy. He is using it and the fear mongering the Democrats have thrown at us for 8 years about "this economy" to put his social programs in place. If he were really serious about the economy and getting people back to work, he wouldn't be doing things that destroy jobs and discourage investment, which thicken the books of regulations on existing businesses, and taking over massive segments of the economy to burden us further. Complete take over by the government is his goal, and that is impossible to do when people aren't frightened, brow beaten and discouraged. He promised his followers and the true-believers that he would fundamentally change America, and that is a promise he can't keep if we go back to 4.5% unemployment.

I'll believe he's serious about improving health insurance when he says, "I know this can work, and we'll start with all federal, state and local officials, elected and appointed, me and my family, Congress and SCOTUS included, and civil service staff, run it as a model for 5 years to tweak and improve it, just to show to you it can work."

40 years of modern feminism and we've still got this

It's British TV and comedy, but spot on. Increasingly, men (if white) are depicted as equal opportunity morons, and it's still open season on older people, Christians, Sarah Palin and well dressed CEOs. Oh wait, that's the news.

HT Reclusive Leftist, good writing with some great wacko commenters

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Terrorist Attacks on Religious Figures, Religious Institutions, and Military Targets

News from START, Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, based at the University of Maryland.

The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terror (START) is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence, tasked by the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate with using state-of-the-art theories, methods, and data from the social and behavioral sciences to improve understanding of the origins, dynamics, and social and psychological impacts of terrorism. START, based at the University of Maryland, College Park, aims to provide timely guidance on how to disrupt terrorist networks, reduce the incidence of terrorism, and enhance the resilience of U.S. society in the face of the terrorist threat.

Let's all thank the people in our government who continue to protect us against terrorist attacks, and continue to challenge, advise, and/or vote out of office, those who won't.

Going down a God-Awful Road

Barbara Boxer is such a racist! She thinks if a black man speaks on energy, she needs to trot out what another black says. Oh! lady. Are some of your best friends black? Like your cleaning lady? Your gardener? The only transparency in government today is the liberals' motives.

Alford on the O'Reilly show last night: "It was pure race. It was like down there in Mississippi, back in the bad old days, when one Black preacher would rise up against the big boss, he'd go find another black preacher to fight against that black preacher. Yeah, it is — it was ugly. And she jumped — she opened up a pit, a mud pit that I wasn't going to jump into. . . I think it's her persona. I don't think she can help herself. When she gets caught up in a rut like that or against the wall, race comes out. . . the brainchild of Anita Hill attacking Clarence Thomas was Barbara Boxer. You go back to the election 2004 and all of that garbage against Ken Blackwell, secretary of state of Ohio, saying he rigged the election, that was Barbara Boxer." Oh yes, we remember dear Barbara in Ohio.

Bad idea all the way around

Gov. Ted Strickland, who has been quite two faced about gambling (outlawed cash-paying video games in bars and taverns, opposes casinos, but calls Keno just part of the lottery), and the state legislature last week approved a plan to install up to 2,500 video slots at each of Ohio's seven tracks as a way to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for the state budget. So gambling’s OK as long as the state’s raking it in for social and education programs, but not if private parties get their cut by competing with the state. When Ohioans voted down casinos do you suppose that meant they wanted slots in their place?

No, Mr. Governor, Mr. former-preacher-man. It’s bad for people, bad for Ohio and bad for horses. State run gambling is a tax on poor people and stupid people and then we have to raise more taxes to help them out of the hole we helped them dig. Horses are thrown away like the racing greyhounds, over medicated, over raced. Who would adopt a has-been thoroughbred today? Good for dog food or to be shipped to Asia as steaks. There is just nothing good in this scenario.

Although it’s one of the few issues where I’d stand with the Council of Churches and the Methodists on their liberal social agenda. If the Lutherans have commented, I’ve missed it. The Methodists have got this one down cold. They put up a valiant fight against the state lottery--which was supposed to bring in all sorts of money for education, but it didn’t. Cleveland is probably lower now than it was then (just 28% of the class of 1998 earned a diploma; 23% of white students graduated -- far lower than any other district studied -- while 26% of Latinos and 29% of blacks graduated. Stats from Manhattan Institute

Cincinnati.com

Invasion of privacy

ABC News and the Obesity Police have gone too far in bringing up Regina Benjamin's weight. What else can the media do to discourage women from running for public office? The biggest topic on the anti-Hillary blogs wasn't her politics, it was her legs. So far, I think Benjamin's the best of the bunch of all the Obama appointees. At least I don't think she has evaded her taxes, been a lobbyist or hired an illegal. And OMG! She has actually worked for a living--owned her own medical practice! It's not a position with power, but she will have some visibility and like Clarence Thomas who also came up from poor, southern rural roots, she exemplifies the best in our society. And she'll be a role model for young women who don't fit the rah-rah cheerleader mold. Women like Sarah Palin who played on the team instead of cheering for it and didn't run on the reputation of a husband or father. You go girl. Now, some of the male members of Congress on the other hand, Murtha, Dodd, Kennedy, Frank. . . that's a lot of fat cat flatulence in the atmosphere. Didn't Dodd and Kennedy sponsor some anti-obesity legisation?

Retiring minds

Twice this week I made a mistake with my maturing CD. On Monday I went in to the bank to retrieve it. Wrong day. One day too soon and I hadn't read the small (or even medium) print. So yesterday I parked between Huffman's (grocery) and the bank, intending to shop, then retrieve the CD. Forgot. Here's an item from my 2005 blog about Sally Kriska's teaching at Lakeside.

One of the tips that Sally passed along was the 10-24-7 tip. She said that in order to incorporate something into the long term memory, review it 10 minutes after hearing/reading it, then review in 24 hours, and then a week later. Then it is much more likely to make it to the long term memory, because most things drop out of our memory very quickly." Today I'm doing Fran's mail run and she'll do mine next week. I tell myself every day, "don't forget the Wednesday mail run." But retiring minds are forgetful. Now, what was I saying?

Impatience with the messiah analogy

At first it was tongue in cheek--referring to Obama as "the messiah" during the campaign. After all, it was so far beyond the pale it made a point. And that ridiculous Soviet realism style art on the posters and buttons--glinting eye, jutting jaw. It all fit. A leftover from an era when God had been kicked out of the public square. But I'm tired of it. Yes. It disturbs me. I think he and his true-believer followers have internalized it at some very deep level of consciousness. We're not helping them clarify their thinking by repeating and cheapening the word messiah. So Christians particularly might just stop joking about it. 'Taint funny anymore, folks.

This morning I was reading a 100 year old sermon by G. Campbell Morgan on the resurrection with reference to Romans 1:4, the centerpiece of our faith, looking forward to the final resurrection of the saints. He says he dreams of unborn ages and new creations, and marvellous processions out of the being of God, through the risen Christ and the risen saints. Then he tells his congregation (in London) to go away rejoicing in the resurrection of Jesus because it is the message of a great confidence.

King, Priest, Warrior

Builder

Son of God

That others have sneaked another name into those titles, responsibilities, and 3rd person pronouns is indeed a shame, but let's not encourage them.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Malaria, DDT and children who are dying today

Westerners must look like the most evil, inhumane specters of death to 3rd world peoples. We tell developing countries not to spray their swamps and villages or wait on industrialization so we won't breathe their dirty air, so we can continue on our merry way in pursuit of climate control. I'm surprised they didn't boot Hillary right out of India with her pandering about clean air and global warming sop. We don't have enough wind mills to even power the electric cars being built, nor do we have a dump for the batteries or the mercury filled light bulbs made in coal fired plants in China.

And then there's the Boston Globe reporter who writes that DDT makes him shudder. Really? Has he ever seen children dying of malaria or adults disabled by it? Now that should make him shudder.

Obama hasn't read the bill?

Is that why he doesn't know that private insurance will be regulated or driven out of business under this plan he's trying to railroad through? I doubt it. He truly believes that too much knowledge killed Hillarycare, so he's trying to see that as much of this remains in the dark as possible. It's easier to lie or say he doesn't know than to allow an open, honest discussion. When asked about Section 102 of the House legislation, he said he wasn't familiar with it, but he keeps telling us Americans we will be able to keep our own plan if we like it. Not so, and here's why, according to Heritage Foundation Morning Bell, July 21

A very small percentage of American citizens do not have health insurance, and most of the misuse and outrageous spending on health that we do have is in government programs. So what's the big rush? It's not like he's got a bottom line or anything.

And in another act of transparency, Obama has decided not to release the mid-July economic forecasts. Wouldn't want the Congress making decisions on health care based on anything but his obombastic promises.

It's working

Congressman Chris Lee of NY said, "Since the stimulus was announced, we've lost 2 million jobs, so it hasn't done what it has proposed to deliver." Not so fast young man. I was watching a Toledo station last week and they were ecstatic that the area had landed 50 jobs for road repair. They said it was the stimulus money. And, Ohio had to pay half, but oh well. There were probably more government workers than that through whose hands it passed, so don't tell me it's not working! Gas is down to $2.20 in Columbus and that's probably put more money into people's wallets than anything.

Health care myths, pt. 2

Can the government do health care cheaper. No, that's a myth, or just a bald face lie. I was really puzzled by a report on rare and neglected diseases (TRND). Seems it costs private drug companies 2-4 years and $10 million to get a candidate molecule through preclinical development. Big hearted Congress is going to appropriate $24 million to work in this preclinical area and then pass it on to the drug companies for clinical trials. Maybe I'm math challenged, but even if the government could do something less costly (costs are probably high due to gov't regs), isn't that 2.5 molecules? Plus it wants "some funding from licensing." Sort of like owning a car company, heh?

And remember you won't pay higher taxes? Well, what is a user fee passed along to the consumer, if not a tax? In the omnibus spending bill for 2009 signed March 11 by Obama, Congress appropriated $1 billion for the FDA to regulate human drugs and biologics, which is made up in part from new user fees paid by the industries (google PDUFA). And I'm only guessing, but we'll still be getting our generics from India and China without the quality controls in order to "cut costs." (Have you forgotten pet food and lead in paint of children's toys?)

Also, a part of the big lie about costs is that what they shave off the federal ledger for health will be shifted to the states--and we all know what great shape Medicaid is in! States pay half of Medicaid now. How far back in time are they planning to go to recover those costs from surviving family members? Five years? Ten years? Also, if there is a profession with more garbled, obfuscation in its flowing prose than politics, it has to be medicine. Please translate into English or dollars

"accessible, comprehensive, integrated care based on healing relationships"But perhaps the biggest problem with the "cost" lie is that cost is all Americans care about, and it's the most critical measure we have against some mythical, socialist industrialized nation with rationed care. Americans really do care about safety, timeliness, respect, quality, choice, outcomes and efficiency. Also, for every life we save with surgery, new drugs,chemo, or new technology, that's a life that is going to require even more care--very expensive, monitored and lab test care--than before the life-saving event. The person who dies on a waiting list in Europe saves their government a lot of money. Unfortunately, that's the sort of community spirit Obama wants for us.

Health care myths, pt. 1

Let me count the ways we're lied to by politicians. There has been a bunch of lies in Obama's recent lectures, but just let me point out the biggie--reduced costs if we go to universal, government owned health insurance. Name one thing the government does more cheaply or which hasn't mushroomed in costs beyond what was promised/predicted, whether it's a war, education, or social program. It is not in politicians' nature to ever, ever cut back--they only know how to spend more because it isn't their money. Also, it's what keeps them in power. Medicare, a government program originally intended to insure retired people formerly insured by employers (a bad private system from the get-go right after WWII) has incrimentally become the biggest boondoggle in government, with no one to blame but Congress and past and present presidents. I wonder if anyone has ever checked Congressional districts by higher-costs per-capita for Medicare or Medicare based on number of repeat terms in Congress by their representatives?

The June 24 JAMA reports that Medicare is expected to operate at a deficit this year and is projected to exhaust its reserve funds in 2017--2 years earlier than previously predicted (http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/TRSUM/index.html). That doesn't sound like news to me, but maybe the years are different. All I know is that after I retired from the University, my health insurance costs soared under my pension plan (state), and then when I went on Medicare (federal) I needed to buy a pricey supplement with a high deductible to control costs, plus I really couldn't find out the real cost of anything because the bills are so confusing. (I think that's intentional so you just stop looking at them and think it's "free.")

Essentially, Obama is saying we haven't been able to control costs or tests or lawyers or end of life care or expansion of coverage with a plan for a limited population, so give us a larger group and more bundles of money, and then we'll show you what we can REALLY do. Republicans, even the non-RINOS--just nibble around the edges--they don't really have much of a contribution and are no help at all.

A private system not tied to employers with incentives and competition is the only way to truly bring down costs, with a government safety net for that 10% who will never be able to manage on their own, and requirements to be covered, just like car insurance or house insurance. Yes, some 19-year-old might have to give up his pizza, tobacco and beer to have money for insurance. Unfortunately, that window of opportunity closed a long time ago when I was a young woman not paying attention, pushing a baby stroller with a trundle seat and washing cloth diapers, owning one TV, one car and one phone with a mortgage that fit our income. I'm older than dirt.

Monday, July 20, 2009

They've ruined The Closer

Whenever there's a good series and it runs a few years, the writers run out of ideas. The Closer is in its 5th season. So some hot shot comes along and says, let's bring in a new character to the ensemble. I know, let's have two females battling and at the same time let the new character say negative things about police in her role as a victims investigator. Oh goodie. I just turned it off in mid-program. I watched that gal once, and once is enough. Bring back Irene Daniels if another woman is needed.

Intimate Partner Violence

An "intimate" in sociologist lingo is a current or former spouse, a boyfriend, or a girlfriend, same or opposite gender. An intimate by definition is not a relative, friend, co-worker, neighbor, in-law, casual date or a stranger. The latest violence report from the Bureau of Justice has some interesting . . . well, quirks you'll probably never see reported in the MSM.

A 1994 study reported 2.8 percent of men and 1.4 percent of women identified as gay or lesbian. Estimates from the 1990 census indicate that 1.63 percent of people aged 15 and older nationwide reported themselves as unmarried partners of the householder. HealthyNJ.

Since most personal nonfatal violence is intraracial and the rates seem high among gays and lesbians based on their representation in the general population, what is going to be achieved with hate crime legislation (suggesting that mean words lead to violence against the person), except demonizing white straight men?

The most important thing, however, is that intimate partner nonfatal violence and homicide both are going down. You probably don't hear that on the news either.

Monday Memories--Lakeside in the mid-70s

We're back in Columbus this week, with a reasonably full agenda (for us) including hosting a large group for the Cum Cristo team (Cursillo) of which my husband is a member for the September event. I did walk at dawn this morning, but it's not quite the same when you can't see anything over the trees. Don't get me wrong--I love the trees--but you don't see much sun in the early a.m.

Lakeside lakefront cottages on July 18 reflecting the morning sunrise. These were all built around 1915-1920, I think. We rented the one on the far right (a 4-family) in the mid-70s when the children were small. I don't remember how we got into our apartment, but I don't think it was the front door. I think this is the spot where our son caught his first fish.

35 years ago, there were still flat rocks on which you could walk out into the lake to wade, or fish, or just sit on a park bench secured with bolts. As the lake rose to record heights, huge bolders were brought in to protect the housing along the lakefront. The lake has now receded, but the old beauty is now gone, replaced by immigrant bolders, with no work to do.

Abstinence never fails; condoms do

If it weren't so tragic, it would be funny. President Bush is being blamed for a rise in teen-age pregnancy and STDs. He was roundly criticised on the basis of NO evidence, even back when he was governor of Texas. In his first administration he was ridiculed for his plan. Now that couldn't possibly bias the research, could it? Would you ever hear a pro-chastity program on NPR, or see a report in JAMA advocating it as a way to protect young girls? I think not. I know this for certain; Bush wouldn't be getting the credit in the media if the research had gone the other way. His holding the line on stem cell research saved us from countless years of ethical wrangling, and indirectly led the way for a cheaper, easier, safer method. But he's still being criticized and Obama, the most anti-life, anti-child president ever, given credit.

I don't know how many schools implemented "chastity" as a policy (to receive federal tax money), but since that's hard to do, I'm guessing darn few did it with much enthusiasm. It would be like me instructing children in tennis. Every organization, union and association even remotely connected with education were lambasting him on this one (or anything), from the beginning of his career in politics. Perhaps he should have gone the route of another President (OSU). Gee's daughter got a lot of publicity for forcing Wal-Mart to carry Plan B--her fame got her an appointment to the Obama medical team. Although she didn't rise as high as the Alabama MD (Regina Benjamin) running the free clinic. Accessibility to birth control and quicky abortions only increases risk taking among teens, that's been shown countless times, it doesn't decrease it; and none of that removes the risk of an STD. Or emotional trauma or abuse.

Whatever was spent on chastity programs (which I'm guessing looked like the anti-alcohol programs we got in the 50s), it couldn't come close to the trillions in the entertainment field pointing the other direction. Glamorizing trashy, female-demeaning sex in entertainment, gaming and crotch grabbing videos and music is all the rage. However, can blame that on the President? Every method to clean up movies and TV has failed (remember when Tipper Gore led a crusade?) since Frank Sinatra crooned and Elvis thrust his pelvis on the Ed Sullivan Show. Teenagers and old ladies fainted, but for different reasons. In fact, those entreprenuers making the big bucks trafficking in women, teen girls and young boys may be libertarians when it comes to personal values, and Democrats in the voting booth where they can fight regulation. In 2006 the Democrats even pledged a "family values" direction, because they thought it was working for the Republicans.

The current generation of parents of teens has done a reversal of the parenting styles of previous groups--from the 50s-80s. Now, the style is "be best friends," and welcome them home instead of tough love when there's misbehavior. We've got the helicopter parents. Do they say NO to anything? Are they remembering their own youth of the 70s and 80s? What have they communicated? Probably much more than the President or the schools or the churches.

No way to know, of course. Terrorism, the threat of STDs that kill, a long war, a consumer culture out of control just may create an "oh, well" mentality in kids. And let's not discount meaningless technology fads that include e-mailing sexy photos, parents who disrupt children's lives with divorce, recouple, and live together to save on rent. But in the heat of the moment with the hormones raging, I truly doubt that any teen thought to ask, "I wonder if President Bush will be disappointed?."

Banana Republic

Yesterday we had brief catch-up discussions with two different Columbus couples who had recently returned from Washington DC. They'd done some interesting tourist things, but the only location both saw was Arlington Cemetery. And this wasn't their first visit. Both commented on the trash and clutter--one said the area they were in still hadn't had the trash picked up from July 4 celebrations, and public restrooms were the worst they'd seen. But Obama posters were everywhere. Benevolent. Ubiquitous. Omnipresent.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

She didn't say income, she said wealth

Many Americans, particularly Democrats, think that these figures of $250,000 or $350,000 for raising taxes mean income, and therefore, they are safe. Maybe they don't own a business; just work at a cushy GS job for $120,000 with bonuses. But income isn't wealth. Having a nice income that you can husband and use wisely, is nice. That's how most people become wealthy. But some people, like Ted Kennedy, inherit wealth and have never held a "real" income producing job, but they sure are wealthy. Because I was a librarian at a state university, my father once said I was on the "dole."

Appearing on NBC "Meet the Press," Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said a tax surcharge on wealthy Americans is "a legitimate way to go forward" and beginning with people who make $350,000 is just a mark on the beach with a very hungry tide, in my opinion. She's really talking about taxing wealth, not income. Sebelius grew up in Ohio (governor's daughter) and vacations in Michigan, but she doesn't seem to grasp basic economics about wealth--another one who's never had an income producing job. Kansas, her state, was in tax trouble before the current melt down and she was the governor.

In fact wealth, not income, has always been behind this administration's health plan. There is such a tiny percentage of income earners paying the biggest portion, and such a huge group paying nothing in federal taxes, that there is no way to pull this off by returning tax rates to their Jimmy Carter days (about 70% for the big earners). ERTA, aka Reagan Tax cuts, dropped rates but "the share of the income tax burden borne by the top 10 percent of taxpayers increased from 48.0 percent in 1981 to 57.2 percent in 1988. Meanwhile, the share of income taxes paid by the bottom 50 percent of taxpayers dropped from 7.5 percent in 1981 to 5.7 percent in 1988." JEC Report 1996.

There's a tiny article in the June 24, 2009 JAMA on "insurance affordability." Essentially, it says that even if everyone had insurance (about 15% don't, and many of those aren't citizens, or are very young adults in part time jobs, or are unemployed, or don't use the government programs available to them) there would still be inequitable health care--the reason being wealth.

So you see how this works? If you have decided to be one of the millions to start your own business or go into farming or become an entertainer or film maker or become a consultant using your savings, or inheritance, or capital from friends or family, opting for a lower income in hopes of a better future, you are living on your "wealth" and buying your own insurance. But in the government's eyes (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality), you are rich and obviously the problem, not the solution--or that's how it will come down. You wait and see. "Wealth, income, and affordability of health insurance," by Drs. Bernard, Banthin, and Encinosa, in the May/June 2009 Health Affairs 28(3), pp. 887-896.

Disclaimer: If you are currently out of work and have lost your health insurance, Obama says, "That's the way the cookie crumbles. Getting my programs rammed through Congress is more important than restoring your pitiful job." (A paraphrase based solely on his behavior.)

What you can expect with government health care

After Obama succeeds in destroying your current health insurance plan by making it too expensive for small and midsize businesses, what can you expect from the federal government when your employer catches on? It won't be what our elected officials, or civil servants, or even Medicare recipients currently get (although that's about to end). Or even what 3.3 million Native Americans and Alaskan First People get, who have cradle-to-grave care and yet have the highest disease burden and the lowest life expectancy of any U.S. group (how's that plan working). We're about to see one of the biggest give aways to any special interest group (medical technology) from ARRA (stimulus package)--$20 billion--and I know that's just the beginning price tag. I don't know as I'd call those "shovel ready" stimulus jobs or not--the tech field was doing just fine, I thought, with entrepreneurs like Bill Gates and the Google Guys. If you've ever worked with computers, you know the constant upgrading, not talking to each other, and screw ups that can happen. Especially if the government is doing it (I've lost track of the times my identifying information (state of Ohio) has been lost to a hacker or someone taking home a gov't computer that shouldn't and having the computer stolen out of the back seat.)

But back to the Indians and their care givers--I wonder how the IHS will be able to squander the ARRA funds?

the executive in charge

And although the government disapproves of businesses giving out bonuses to executives for incentives if the business is losing money, it doesn't mind giving bonuses through its own agencies and programs which are notorious spendthrifts and seem to have gotten us into this pickle, which the government now claims it is going to solve by throwing more money into the laps of the same people! This is not new to the Obama Administration. Before, Obama Bush was the all-time big spender President--Obama has made him look like a penny pinching piker.

Government technology

I'm all in favor of incentives--but only in private hands. But guess what else is wanted with that $20 billion from the tax payers? Your patient data. Ah, yes. They are salivating over that--and not for you, oh no, but for the "common good" . . . "the collection of aggregate patient data that could vastly improve patient safety, public health monitoring, and medical knowledge. Kind of HIPAA in reverse, I think. There is also a proposal being floated that we not have a choice about participating in medical research (as a control, as a donor, etc.) "The Obligation to Participate in Biomedical Research," JAMA, July 1, 2009 p. 67. I thought it was about the scariest thing I'd ever read combined with the med tech rec threat. The authors, Schaefer, Emanuel and Wertheimer, called reluctance or refusal to participate, "free riding." In other words, your DNA, your experience, or your sick child are just so much gravel to pave the road to losing your freedom. It could be a trade off for the charitable deduction which will probably be taken away (Biden and Obama really didn't use those much anyway)--donate at the lab instead of church.

Another medical boondoggle in the ARRA is $1 billion to support comparative effectiveness research. I'd call that a jobs program for researchers who didn't get medical degrees comparing this device to that device, practice A to practice B, therapy Y to therapy X and then filing for more grant money when no one pays attention.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Lakeside Cottage architecture, pt. 3

Side gable houses with shed dormer to the street, pt. 2

It's difficult to find a cottage that hasn't been modified, filled in, or covered in aluminum or vinyl siding. But this one, which the owner thinks was built around 1910, seems to be almost original, except for an addition in the back which she added after she purchased it in 1974. Here the shed dormer roof doesn't go to the roof line and the windows extend out over the porch.

This one is very similar, with the tapered columns, shed dormer over the porch which doesn't extend to the roof line, but the cottage is wider. The front windows look very similar to the one above.

This home on the west end (older) was built in 1911 according to a plaque. It seems to have the original siding, and the dormer doesn't go to the roof line. The porch has been screened. It is just a block from the lake.

This also has a dormer that doesn't extend to the roof but is over the porch, and has a little extra awning roof over the porch.

This one is a new cottage, designed to look like the style popular 1910-1930 or so. I think it was quite successful. It has a very shallow dormer, and chunky columns with no railing. However, the front doors are double, which I think detracts from the basic style, at least as we see it in Lakeside, and those don't look like 1920s window styles. The new code requires off street parking for two cars which is why you see some odd arrangements, even for new homes. For summer homes people don't worry so much about having a 3-car garage.

I still haven't had a minute to get to to the archives and check out the history of what I see. However, if you are interested in cottages, the 53rd Cottage tour sponsored by the Women's Club is this Thursday, July 23. Two of them are new--one designed by my husband, and just a fabulous house with a great feel, beautiful design, and great attention to the view. We attended a "house blessing" there two weeks ago. Some day I'll blog about that--there are many house blessings on the internet, mainly Lutheran and Episcopal. Three of the cottages on the tour are old and older--from the early 20th, and late 19th centuries.

Side gable, shed dormer, pt. 1

Friday, July 17, 2009

No Respect for this wise Latina

What's most upsetting about the Sotomayor hearings is her lying. I'd actually feel better about her if she had stuck to her beliefs that Latinas (females who claim a genetic link to a Spaniard, rather than some other European) are better at being judges than some male of English, Irish, African, Asian, East European, Scandanavian, German, Russian, or Italian ancestry. And let's face it--some leftists probably aren't happy to hear her make the switch, even though they know she'll reverse it once on the bench. They can be purists, too. She's said it numerous times over a number of years--she will judge based on her feelings and personal experiences, not the law. Why switch horses now? This pony has served her well. Identity politics and the diversity dance got her to a SCOTUS nominee hot seat, and we all know she'll be confirmed. Obama "owes" them--women and Latinos. This is not about her. Why can't she just be honest? That goes a long way with me.

Arlington Cemetery grave offenses

When I heard a story on the news about problems at Arlington Cemetery, I said to my husband, tongue in cheek, "It's probably Bush's fault." And that was the slant. Reporter said that computerization the last 8 years hadn't happened. Apparently paper records sufficed for years, but computer mix-ups (remember Obama wants this for all our health records) are Bush's fault. So I tried to google the story, first finding nothing, and it finally appeared as an "investigative report" on Salon.com, where CBS must have found it. Hmmm. That story, which draws its report from some disgruntled former employees, and the cemetery's long standing rule of cleaning out memorials like photos, flowers, notes (many cemeteries do this) reports:

Government Computer News

Ah, there is it. The magic date. OK, Bush didn't take over until 2001, but basically, it must be his fault. Every failing of Congress, all the WMD misinformation that the Democrats promoted in the 90s, it's all Bush's fault. And Higginbotham's position since 1990? Oh well. Have you ever tried to fire a government employee? You can hardly vote out an elected one.

Why they are rushing health care through

"Say this about the 1,018-page health-care bill that House Democrats unveiled this week and that President Obama heartily endorsed: It finally reveals at least some of the price of the reckless ambitions of our current government. With huge majorities and a President in a rush to outrun the declining popularity of his agenda, Democrats are bidding to impose an unrepealable European-style welfare state in a matter of weeks." WSJ Review and outlook

Looking back at what I've written since last July when he became the putative president, why am I not surprised? His handlers carefully went over Hillary's mistakes on health care government take-over of the early 90s, and decided to take a different route--speed, obfuscation and no discussion. Hit 'em high, hit 'em low; apply a twitch so they don't notice the other searing pain (farrier tool).

But perhaps the silliest thing I've seen in print in a long time in the WSJ was the next article by Ted Van Dyk (Hubert Humphrey's assistant in the Johnson White House and active in national Democratic politics over 40 years), subtitled: "The president we have is very different from the man who campaigned for the office in 2008." No he's not. Only an aging Democrat with buyer's remorse could say that. Those of us who saw through the pretty words and polished oratory knew exactly what would happen. There is no one to block him and his "ruin America" agenda. Of course, I didn't believe he was intellectually superior to Bush or that he was a graceful and spellbinding speaker, either. I listen to content, and was very, very afraid of what I heard undergirding the blatitudes and spamobams. Must have learned more in all those boring Russian history classes than I realized.

Obama's methods of take over have certainly caused me to lose faith in Bush's strong belief that democracy was needed in the Middle East. We can't even handle it here in a country where we've had a long tradition of voting and freedom.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

So you think you might own a Sears house?

Sears sold about 75,000 pre-cut homes that would arrive in 30,000 pieces at the nearest train station, and all the owner had to do was round up a few friends and family, read the instruction booklet and build his home, also financed by Sears. But according to what I read, about 80% of the people who think they have a Sears home don't. Here's an interesting film about a woman who is an expert. These homes look like many you'll see in small Illinois towns, at least to my eye.

Learn about Sears Kit Homes

Lakeside Cottage architecture, pt. 2

Side gable with shed dormer to the street houses, pt. 1

Next to the farm house and two story camp cottage style, I think the side gable cottage with a shed dormer over the porch or set back in the main house must be the most common. Some have been badly mangled; others lovingly restored. Some await a fairy godmother with a fat wallet or good architect. Here are some in excellent condition, probably looking close to the original.

This is one of my favorites--in beautiful condition. Appears to have native stone for the porch and chimney. I'd say this is very close to a bungalow/arts and crafts design because of the chunky porch columns, brackets and window panes in threes. It has a view of the lake, but isn't so close that it gets damaged in Lake Erie's storms. My recollection is that this home has been restored within the last 20 years and has large open rooms and natural floors inside. The bump-out is in the dining room, I think. A storage shed for bikes and yard equipment was added at the back a few years ago (time gets rather compressed here). The shape of the porch columns, the very low profile and the overhang give it an arts and crafts appearance. See the house next to it? That's what I'm calling a Ross Hip until I find otherwise.

Here's another one--very similar, but different. The shed dormer is taller, and seems to be in line with the main house. The porch hasn't been screened, and the entrance is to the side. There is no wide overhang like the traditional bungalow style, but has the windows in threes both on the porch and in the shed dormer. Those molded concrete blocks were very popular in early 20th c., but I don't know if they are original to the house. The roof line is steeper and there are extra peek-a-boo windows on the side to let in more light. Looks like there might be a basement--fairly rare around here because of the rocky ground.

Here's another one in beautiful condition--a real stop and stare cottage. I heard the tour guide say it is a Sears home, and if so, I didn't see a plan in the Sears archives, but not all are shown. It's different than the two above, and I'd call it a classic arts and crafts bungalow, and probably the only one around here. It has a very low profile, windows in three, a very shallow shed dormer (living was meant to primarily be first floor), wide overhangs, brackets, chunky columns, and the flat porch roof isn't a part of the roof of the main house. This has been a beautiful home for the 35 years I've been coming here, but a few years ago had a burst pipe and suffered interior water damage and mold, and had to be totally redone.

Side gable, shed dormer, pt. 2

A home is not a financial investment

This is one of the myths our government, regardless of party, has told us. That's how we got Fannie Mae, FHA, VA loans, etc. That's why the government, not the banks, gave us the subprime mess.

A home you purchase with a mortgage can be an investment in many things--your family, your neighborhood, shared values with the community, an idea, etc., but if you want a building as a financial investment, buy one and rent it. Then it's an investment.

We own two homes (until last year we owned three because we held the mortgage on our son's home). Right now, both our primary residence (a condo) and our summer cottage (on leased land) are undergoing repairs for water damage. One indication of how desperate the economy is: the Lakeside contractor we hired was 1) able to get here within weeks of calling him, and 2) when he found roof damage, he was able to get a sub here within hours. Normally, (i.e. during the Bush boom years) we could wait months, or even have a no-show.

At our condo, the guy we hired to stain the deck is also a general "handy-man" and he found that our hose connection in the rear under the deck was leaking inside the house when we watered the flowers! Well, that could certainly account for the mold on the books!

So with home values declining, our upkeep is on the incline. But your primary home really always required upkeep--but you have to live somewhere, right? A summer home, however, (or winter if you go south) is just a step above a boat, which is a hole in the lake into which you throw money.

Lakeside cottage styles

Walking through Lakeside since 1974, I've seen a lot of changes. For some of these changes I've held the end of the tape measure, since my husband is an architect, who as a sole practitioner in 1994 said he'd never do a Lakeside house, and has now done over 30. Promises. Promises.

I see these cottages/houses a little differently than an architect, or even another homeowner or renter. I see people, sort of, or at least individuals. Mainly I see older women who used to have great bones, a trim figure and hair with a sheen who now have arthritic knees, a few love handles, a hip replacement, colored hair, and an outfit that doesn't flatter their figure. But if you stop and talk (or stare) you see the same sparkling eyes and smile they had 60 or 120 years ago (speaking figuratively here of a building).

So I thought I'd write a few blogs about cottage styles. We do have an archive here and I could just go there and see if there's an original photo or deed, but for now, I'm just going to look. I'm not super terrific on architectural terms, so I'm just starting with what I do know. Hip. Gable. Gambrel. Mansard. Four-square. Dormer. Shed. Porch. Board and batten. Bungalow. Shotgun. Ranch. Modular. Eclectic. And of course, Mish-mash.

Bungalows. Lakeside doesn't seem to have Chicago bungalows (with a stoop) or a true California bungalow (sort of arts and crafty), but there are some wannabes. I've seen every imaginable definition for bungalow, and American Bungalow, the magazine, has a very lengthy, and confusing definition. I'll hold judgement on this.

Hip roofs that are built on square-shaped structures look like pyramids. Those that protect rectangular dwellings end up with two triangular slopes covering the width of the house and two trapezoids running along its length. There are cottages at Lakeside with hip roofs on an almost perfectly square house, and I'm calling those Ross Hips, because a builder by the name of Ross built many of them at the east end and facing the park and tennis courst. I've checked with the current owner of one, and she says Ross went bankrupt during the Depression. I have a 1927 Lakeside program guide with an ad for Ross Cottages. Many have been remodeled and the porches enclosed, but if you stop and look and if the roof hip seems almost to come to a point, that's probably a Ross. When I see a cottage with some funny, odd shaped gables to the side under a hip roof, I suspect it is an early 20th c. remodeling of an old 1880-1890 classic cottage. I'm just saying. . .

Gable roofs are formed from two sloping sides that meet in a ridge at the top. Gabled roofs are common in the midwest with heavy rain or snowfall because they can shed the moisture. They were the most common beginnings here because they are easy to build and allow for ventilation from the lake, with some cottages laid out like a cross, to catch the breezes from the north or south, and allow a pass through.

Since I don't know how many Lakesiders read my blog, or who might be owner or renter, I'll have to keep quiet on really ugly, bodacious, outlandish do-overs, but there are still a few my husband hasn't rescued. I'll try to stay with the good bones, and original intent.

And we're off. The first item will be "Gable to the side, shed dormer to the street."

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Broadcast TV searches for the new bottom

We thought they couldn't debase themselves any further than the 2008 campaign, and then came the 2009 death and memorializing of Michael Jackson.

“ABC, CBS and NBC are supposed to be the last bastions of sober broadcast news reporting, but the flight of viewers and advertisers to the Web and the no-holds-barred slugfests of the cable nets have thrust "real" journalism into a deep identity crisis. Like your 50-year-old moonwalking uncle, they tried to be hip with their coverage of the Michael Jackson memorial, and it was a sad sight to behold.”I heard it on the street while sitting on my porch at Lakeside. It was storming and our power was out. People were walking around surveying the damage and I heard someone on a bicycle say, “Michael Jackson died.” But millions found out via the internet (they had power).

Story at TechNewsWorld

Today at the Rhein Center

This is our watercolor class with John Behling, OWS, who also teaches in Columbus, and is retired from the Social Work Department at Ohio State. He likes bright colors in sharp value contrasts.

Other classes today near by were glass and calligraphy. The classes are mostly in one big room, with some on the stage, or the porch and some in the yard.

Social(ism) programs, not the economy, matter most

There's an excellent explanation why the "stimulus" isn't working--it was never intended to. It's sop for the voters--at least the voters who voted for Obama. I've said it from the beginning--i.e., last July when he became the actual president and began touring the world asking for the bowed knee or at least a nod and handshake if that didn't work. I jumped right over socialism and pointed to marxism. And throw in a hefty amount of narcissism, too. Others are catching on and the whispers building to shouts.

Read article here

The sooner the opinion writers, radio talkers, and academic just drop the "let's pretend" jargon and get down to basics, the faster we can get him out of office and on his way with other failed marxists. They don't belong here. Keep them in the halls of ivy and in the non-profits where they belong in their fantasies about "income redistribution."

Those damnable cooking and recipe sites

Lady-Light posted a new blog link today on kosher cooking, but I'm not going there. Fabulous recipes and cooking sites, even the ones that promote healthly, organic, globe-friendly and/or religious/spiritual recipes are really demonic. They just tempt me to leave the computer and go to the kitchen, open the fridge, and eat something, anything, because their blog or website was so tastefully designed and tempting, it made me hungry.

Sometimes, it doesn't even have to be a recipe. Yesterday after art class I rushed to the Farmers' Market before it closed: 2 ears of sweet corn (others can buy a dozen, but my husband hates corn), a bag of dark leaf lettuce, a bag of baby spinach, and a quart of green beans. All of it probably picked within the last 24 hours, grown right here in northern Ohio by local growers, and lovingly trucked to Lakeside, Ohio. So I fixed a fabulous lunch of sweet corn, and tender cooked spinach and since I'd missed my morning apple and carrots (I was out with the bird watchers where I learned binoculars 101), I also ate an apple and carrots. That was so tasty and healthy, I grazed the rest of the day on anything that wasn't nailed down.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Michigan needs more than a CYA speech

Up here where I get different radio stations and newspapers, folks have buyer's remorse big time. Even union members. Yes, folks, they can figure out that happens to water (Great Lakes leisure industry) in the north, and coal in the south, when cap and trade and green-goes put them out of work. There aren't enough green jobs in the world to replace what petroleum has contributed to jobs in Michigan and Ohio. He flies around the world giving purty speeches defending his socialist/marxist programs that can only be put in place if the economy remains in the pits. There are still those around who think he's a good speaker (I never have except for that very first one at the Democratic convention, and even that was a retread of his Illinois senate campaign speeches), but now would be the time for action if he had any intention of saving this country--and he doesn't.

Continue reading at Morning Bell

Inside story on the teleprompter failure

"My White House designated operator, Felix, clearly has to go. Today, Big Guy and I were scrolling and speaking to an interest group that supported us, and during the middle of the speech, one of my screens collapsed. Turns out Felix didn't tighten one of my screen's bracket rods, and one of my screens collapsed. It was kind of embarrassing, and the accident looked alot worse than the may have seemed on video.

All that said, I think I tweaked something. It may be my ACL, or maybe my MCL, or my "T" joint. Regardless, the Secret Service sent me first to George Washington University Hospital, where there is a special ICU and care facility for senior administration officials. But a good friend of mine, I'll call him Browny for legal reasons, ended up in a coma there after having "minor sinus surgery" if you get my drift, and there was no way in hell, I was going to put up with that."

More at the Teleprompter blog.

Pillows and Politics--the price we pay

This morning I was changing the sheets on the bed at the cottage, and realized the pillows I purchased in early June were coming apart and shrinking. They look like they are half the size they were just 6 weeks ago. Admittedly, they were cheapies. Maybe $3-$4 dollars at K-Mart. But when I bought them, they felt and looked just like the $6 (whoopee) kind. They seem to be made of layers that come apart. So I switched them with the older pillows (maybe 20 years old) from the guest room, which I think are what we used before. I used to always use a down pillow, but after my rotator cuff problems in the 90s (I'm not an athlete, but librarians lift a lot of heavy material) I found foam more comfortable.

The opposite is true in politics. There too, you get what They pay for, but it is the heavy donors and lobbyists contributing massive amounts that override your common sense when you go into the polling place. The big corporations--energy, health, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing--knew who to spend on this last go around. How do you think they became the players? They do that not out of political or economic philosophy--socialism, marxism, capitalism, etc.--but because then they can influence regulation. In order to be at the top of the heap for cap and trade, or universal health care, or wind or coal, they need to be in a position to 1) influence the administration which appears to be in charge, and 2) destroy all the smaller firms, corporations, businesses, and non-profits which might be interested in the health and wellfare of the American people. And then of course, there is the foreign ~~vote~~ money. We all know it's out there, we just don't know who, what, when, or where, and since we no longer have responsible, investigative journalism, we'll probably never know.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Monday Memories--my brother

This is the most recent photo I have, taken at his class reunion on July 5. He was president of the class and seems to be the MC. There was another photo of him wearing a crown, but there's just too much of that going around these days, so I'm not posting it.

This photo was taken at my grandparents farm, probably around 1948 because my cousin Dianne appears to be about a year old. The arrows are my sisters and me. My uncle Leslie must have taken the photo because he's the only one missing. My brother now lives on that farm after 30+ years of living in Bradenton, FL. He's the little guy in the plaid coat with the big smile.

Faith based prostitution

Gov. Strickland had a problem similar to Pres. Obama’s in finding ethical, honest officials. An earlier story I did on McFadden had a lot of hits recently, so I checked and found this and this in the July 9 and 10 Columbus Dispatch .

Who vets these guys? Does no one who advises the governors and presidents check them out? Maybe they don't need the scrutiny of SCOTUS appointees whom we'll have for their lifetimes, but usually if you've got a funny uncle, an alcoholic, or bigamist hanging around, someone knows about it. I think it's more a reflection that "faith based" offices don't really matter that much and are mainly for show and tell. Still, for $36/hour someone reliable, honest, experienced, etc. should be available. Strickland, a former Methodist pastor, ran on a "values" ticket in 2006 because the former governor's staff didn't vet some golf outing tickets properly.

Activities for Week Four

The morning seminars are on Stuggles of the Early Church and the afternoon is Hot Button Political Issues, so I'm skipping both. At 9:30 I'm in a Watercolor class at the Rhein Center, a class I think I was bumped from other summers (all classes have a limit and there is a "lottery"). The teacher paints in a style I've never tried. Then Tuesday morning at 8 there is a bird walk, and Wednesday at 8:30 is herbs, and we're learning about Vietnamese Cilantro this week. Also today at 3:30 is the nest egg talk and I thought I'd check that out--although not much left of the proverbial nest egg and not enough years left to recover from Obamanomics. Friday at 3:30 Rick Dziak a local artist and gallery owner will speak on plein air painting--that group will be out and about the grounds next week end during the wooden boat show.

Yesterday I attended "Boating on Lake Erie; current issues and concerns." I'm not a boater and don't even like to ride in them, but it is critical to Ohio's economy. Even a short hop to Kelley's feels like riding in a porch swing being slammed against the wall. I learned that it adds $3.5 billion a year to our economy. The speaker from the ODNR told us the big boats and the little boats are still out there, but the mid-size (middle class) are scarce on the water this summer. I see a lot of them still in wraps in storage. It must be the boat owners who are anticipating using their boat gas money to pay the higher taxes on "the rich." Meanwhile hurting all the small businesses that depend on boat traffic in the summer and fall. The ODNR is responsible for 451 miles of Ohio River, 1/2 of Lake Erie, 605 inland lakes, and 60,000 miles of inland streams and rivers.

The other half of Lake Erie is controlled by Canada, and he told a funny story about our Congress. Apparently during hearings about border security after 9/11, some of our brilliant elected officials thought the Great Lakes were a "natural barrier" for illegals and terrorists to cross. I guess they never heard of boats. Just for the record they checked, and found in one year 273 vessels coming from Canada into U.S. waters. No one has yet figured out what to do about the new passport rules, but he said most Canadians they come in contact with do have their passports.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Slow news day

Now that Michael Jackson has been memorialized (not sure where the body is, so don't know about burial) and President Obama is in Africa telling them how to create a democracy, it is a slow news day. The big story was a barking dog in New Hampshire. Apparently that town had a rule that if a dog had barked for 30 minutes the police would intervene. That's probably to protect the owners. Yesterday I heard a barking, barking, barking dog. It sort of came and went. Later I passed one of those huge travel trailers and looked up to see the little yapper in the lap of the female passenger. Neither human was paying any attention to the dog, but even over the noise of the motor with the windows up and door closed, you could hear it. Several blocks away.

The best way to address the barking nuisance is exercise--helps the owner and the dog, particularly big dogs. Next, the owners need training in dog care--discipline, nutrition, kindness and health. It might even improve their relationships with people. Behavior problems, not disease or accidents, is the leading cause of death of pets--i.e. euthanasia.

Here are some doggie photos taken at Lakeside this week.

Lorenzo looks like he might almost be a full Lab, but he was a "rescue" dog, so I suspect not. The first year he barked at everyone, but his owner has settled him down a lot. He was getting up for a stretch as I approached.

This little cutie, a Chihuahua fawn and gray, is wearing a summer pinafore. She just had a baby in October, so maybe she hasn't got her figure back yet. She's about 4 lbs., just a snack for Lorenzo.

I don't see many fat Springer Spaniels--either they run in front of cars, or drag their owners on long runs and wear everyone out. They get their name from "springing" at their prey, or the person with the camera. This one was all over the place until she grabbed his collar.

This is a Lab doing what they love best, chasing something in the water. I don't know how she exercises this dog at home, but at Lakeside they are together at the lakefront every dawn for about an hour. The dog never gets tired of chasing that red knotted rag and eventually the owner has to go back to the cottage and get a nap. Today I also saw a golden in the water, but she was so wet I decided not to get within shaking distance.

Adirondack chair auction today

There will be an Adirondack chair auction at the Steele Memorial Bandstand this afternoon at 5:30. Approvimately 30 chairs have been decorated by various groups, businesses and individuals, some for silent auction and others a live auction. They are all very clever, but my favorite is the one done by the Beckers (Becker Marketing Group), who used various pieces parts of their old cottages, and turned their model into a chair of nostalgia and memories.

This Chair-ity will raise money for a yet unannounced recreation need. Our neighbor, Steve Bemiller, is the auctioneer.

At the auction: Huge crowd, free popcorn, lots of fun

Update: I've read that over $7,000 was raised through the chair auction.

Melissa Manchester performs at Lakeside

And what a spectacular show it was. I rarely stay for an entire performance, but hers was lively, well-paced, respectful to our heritage here (many entertainers don't "get it"), good patter, and a mix of the old and new, so that the boomers got to groove and remember and the younger set (and older) were also entertained. I went back and looked at a few YouTube performances when she was younger and racier, and I must say, I think her voice is better now that she is nearing, dare I say it, 60. She says she spent a few summers as a child at Lake Chautauqua NY because her father was a musician, so she got into the Lakeside spirit as soon as she came through the gate. (Lakeside is one year older than the Chautauqua NY community, but both are built on the same concept--a summer renewal through education, the arts and religion.) A prolific song writer, Ms. Manchester even sang to us a special song she wrote that afternoon about "Lakeside Ohio." The audience was eating out of her hand and gave her a standing ovation.

The whole week has had great performances. Last Friday (July 3) we enjoyed the Lowe Family who usually perform at Branson, MO. If you happen to be within driving distance of any of their road shows, you won't be sorry you made the effort. Then on Tuesday we heard the King's Brass, with so many trombones I thought I'd died and gone to musical heaven. I think all but the encore were Christian selections, another group that "gets it" about Lakeside and what we enjoy. Nagata Shachu, Japanese drummers, enthralled the Lakeside audience at Hoover Auditorium on Thursday night. I think the week of July 4, or its cross over, are big days here and the Vice President of Programming, Shirley Stary really pulls out all the stops.

Speaking of Hoover Auditorium, last Sunday we dedicated a Hoover Potato Digger, now enclosed in a little memorial outside the building near 4th street. The auditorium is named for A.L. Hoover, not President Hoover (although about the same era), and the Hoover family of Milan, Ohio held the patent on the Hoover Potato Digger, selling it to the John Deere Co., and donating money to complete the auditorium and thus rescuing Lakeside financially.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

It's reunion time

We see lots of reunions at Lakeside. Families. Classes. Clubs. There's a group of friends here this week who attended grade school together in Peoria, Il some 60 years ago. I've updated my class reunion blog, which had a mini-reunion over the fourth (I wasn't there), and then clicked over to see my brother's class reunion at the White Pines. Only recognized four people. And my brother was one of them. Sigh.

Yes, you can lose a kid at Lakeside

Lakeside is a safe place for children, maybe too safe, because a parent can become careless in supervision. Last night I decided to take an evening walk about 7 p.m. and headed east along the lake. About half way to the far end, I saw a little boy approaching who appeared to be alone. As he passed me and looked up with big blue eyes, I just on a chance said, "Are you alone?" He said something that was completely unintelligible--either he has a speech impediment or has delayed speech, I thought. So I knelt down, and asked him, "Are you looking for someone?" He told me he was following his mom and asked if I had seen her (at least I think this is what he said). I hadn't seen a woman alone, and I told him, and suggested he might want to go back and wait for her at home. Because I was kneeling, he then knelt too. "Do you stay in a cottage?" I asked. "No." "Do you live in a house?" "Yes." "Do you know your last name?" He told me his last name, and when I repeated it, I had it wrong the first time, and he corrected me. "Do you know what street your house is on?" He told me the name of the street and the color of the house, and then ran off to continue looking for Mom.

So I continued on my way and turned on that street and looked for that color house. The first one I came to that matched those two things had a yard cluttered with toys and bikes for a boy about his size (maybe 4 years old). I knocked on the door--the living room was dark except for the glow of a CRT--and I could see there was as much clutter inside as outside. A gray haired man came to the door. "Are you missing a little boy?" I asked. He looked puzzled, and said he had a little boy who was probably with his mother. So I told him about the boy on the lakefront. He put on his slippers and headed out the door. I turned down Third St. but kept peering through to the lakefront to see if I saw them. I never did. I'm afraid the little boy might have been punished, but that's better than falling on the rocks or into the lake. No child should be alone on the lakefront.

Health and Wellness Week at Lakeside

All the programs I attended (5) were excellent with qualified speakers, good graphics, and prepared hand-outs. The problem, as I see it, is in the audience. In most cases, they were preaching to the choir. Also, as I look around and observe people within 10-20 years, up or down, of my age, I see two really common problems that could have been successfully addressed if we'd started 20 years ago. Bones and Obesity. When I see an 82 year old woman who is still 5'10" and walking briskly, with attention to fashion, tall and proud, I want to take a photo and interview her. Is it genes? Nutrition? Exercise?

Dr. Kitty Consolo who spoke on "Exercise is Medicine" had a graphic on stroke which divided the pie into 50% lifestyle, 21% heredity, 7% health care, and 22% environment. I'm a huge believer in the importance of heredity which includes your ethnic make-up, and I think on any scale for any disease it needs to be at least 50%. After the little one pops out of the womb, the parents can only contribute a smidgen of values, and possibly access to a better life than the family next door, but even then, junior or sissy can turn their noses up at that too. After all, you inherit your personality, your intelligence, your talents, your skin and eye color, your athleticism, your body stature, and with two parents and four grandparents, you can inherit just a host of problems that no matter what your environment or health insurance says, are going to be a problem. And all that influences who you will marry, so that adds another piece to the puzzle. We have friends, neither of whom have cystic fibrosis, whose two daughters were diagnosed as adults, after very healthy, high income, athletic childhoods. Both parents were carriers.

And look at all the children born these days with a wide array of life threatening allergies--things almost no one had when I was growing up. Is it later life pregnancy (older eggs and sperm)? Good health care that has allowed carriers to survive that might have died 50 years ago? Something in the food or water? Women exposed to more hazards who work right up to delivery? Who knows? But each generation seems intent on creating a threat-free life, and I don't think it is going to happen.

Yesterday's speaker, Dr. Wendy L. Stuhldreher of Slippery Rock University spoke on supplements, and the take away was, most of them we don't need because extensive testing has shown no benefit. The speciific substance is always better ingested as food. She recommends fish twice a week, more calcium (I just may have to start drinking milk again), eating a lot of variety and color, and always, always tell your MD if you are taking an herbal supplement. She offered some good web sites: www.nof.org, www.eatright.org.

The things we can do something about--like food, alcohol, cigarettes, exercise and the marriage bed--we try to work around by buying pills, supplements or club memberships, or joining a "rights" group which can cover the guilt. Or we expect the government to do it, so we don't have to.

Every town should have a Guys' Club

As far as I know Lakeside's Guy Club has no planned activities, dues or programs. Their mascot seems to be a vintage pick-up truck. However, they are out and about bringing laughter, good cheer and fellowship. Their drill team usually performs in the Fourth of July Parade, and this year they have donated a decorated chair the adirondack chair auction to raise funds for a recreation project, something they certainly know about. Their motto is "We're working on it." They've been known to sponsor an undated tour of sheds and garages, a take-off on our annual Tour of Homes and Tour of Gardens. Occasionally they have a tongue in cheek article in the newspaper.

Friday, July 10, 2009

How ACORN hurts the poor

and scams the middle class. ACORN isn't the only non-profit accepting government money to put people in "affordable homes." They and others, including some well-meaning church groups, contributed to the sub-prime housing failure, which has its roots in the myth that "everyone deserves to own their own home," and the even bigger myth that homeownership is the key to wealth, and therefore banks need to look the other way if minorities or single parents or speculators apply. I've been a homeowner since 1962. We bought a duplex in Champaign, IL with my father's help (his grandmother helped him, and we've helped our children), and although it was a hassle being a landlord, it allowed us to afford something better and make a car payment a few years later. Even so, without his help, we would have done it eventually. But always with 20% down and no more than 1/3 of our income (a wife's income didn't count in the formula in the 1960s) in housing costs. Real income.

That's not how ACORN does it. There are very few foreclosures among people and banks who used the old rules. See the data on negative equity. Foreclosures are very high for no interest loans and accepting government benefits as income. Here's ACORN's website:

They are still using that failed formula, but now they are accepting government money to run foreclosure workshops to "help" the people they "helped" the first time around, even though it has been shown that most of those people will fail the second time around too. They really couldn't afford the home ACORN got for them, or didn't want the sacrifices necessary to own a home. But President Obama owes ACORN big time--and no one in his administration will stop this double and triple scamming.

There are many ways to make up that 3 months of mortgage payment in the bank to qualify for a decent bank mortgage--and believe me, you'll need that discipline if you want to be a homeowner--

give up smoking

and I'm guessing this is not taught to wannabe home owners by ACORN because then the people wouldn't need the hand holding and would become strong and resilient.

Ouch! That was painful

Obama's news conference was on cable at the coffee shop, in all its stammering, disjointed glory. Where is that fabulous, mellifluous orator we were promised? The story about his father coming to the U.S. from Kenya 50 years ago was told twice--I don't know if the teleprompter burped--I don't think he was using it--but possibly he was. He compared the economies of South Korea and Kenya rambling around about hunger (but not his relatives, he assured us). He tried to address why Kenya, which used to be ahead of S. Korea, had fallen so far behind. Well, Mr. President, let me offer an opinion. Kenya got its "freedom" from Britain, and through tribal warfare and political corruption (after the death of Kenyatta in 1978) destroyed much of its culture and economy, which was more free market than marxist.** England and France have poured a lot of pounds and francs and euros into those former colonies and in turn, the leaders have done little to improve either their economy, health, or education system. Those who could get out, like Obama Sr., did so, fleeing either to the British Isles or the U.S. And then there's the malaria problem. Western environmentalists, waving the Rachel Carson banner, have killed or disabled millions and millions of Africans in the last 30 years. By removing DDT before there was a suitable replacement or public health standards in place, or even decent governments, westerners have killed more Africans than were lost in the 17th and 18th slave trade.

Maybe inflicting Obama on us to destroy our economy is the revenge of Africa.
----------------
**"Kenya's first president, Jomo Kenyatta, adopted policies that improved the overall economy and land distribution, while allowing white colonial residents to retain property rights. Particularly after Kenya became a one-party state in 1969, elite members of the president's Kikuyu ethnic group received preferential treatment in the distribution of wealth, land, and offices, and corruption flourished. Under Kenyatta's successor, who took power in 1978, the economy deteriorated. Once one of Africa's economic success stories, Kenya fell into poverty. In 2006, with a growing population of nearly 35 million, Kenya had a nominal GDP of just $21 billion and a nominal GNI per capita of $580, ranked 175th in the world. Adjusted for PPP, the GNI per capita was $1,300, or 185th in the world. While the National Rainbow Coalition in 2002 drove the ruling party from power for the first time since independence, the new government's steps to improve economic performance and decrease corruption became entangled in a political conflict over changes to the constitution aimed at curtailing executive power." from Democracy Web

Final day of class--Friday family photo

My husband teaches Perspective Drawing and Watercolor at the Rhein Center for two different weeks (M-F). He likes to get the morning slots (9:30-11:30) so he can sail in the afternoon. Today is the final day of the second week of classes when the students grab their boards, pencils and erasers and go outside, spread around the grounds, and actually draw a real subject.

I don't know if all the instructors prepare as much as he does, but he is meticulous, focused and mentally thinks it all through ahead of time. Except that one day. He forgot his markers (demos on a white board) and I had to rush up there on my 40 year old bicycle. Last night he was putting some final touches on a demo painting the entire class did-one point perspective with shade and shadow--and cutting some mats. All paintings improve about 30% if you put a nice mat around them. And if you have a fabulous painting and a poorly cut, dirty, or too small mat, you subtract about that much.

I think he added an Amish buggy with a reflector (required by law in Ohio) on this one after I took the photo. Notice that kitchen table? Several years ago when we were both painting, I decided it was just too much mess in the kitchen and fixed up each bedroom with a small corner with room for supplies and good light. I think I used mine once or twice, and his is a catch-all for his class supplies. So we still use the kitchen table.

This is a student from the first week drawing one of the favorites of the class for a two point perspective.

A global crime we really can do something about

As you know if you read this blog, I’m not a true believer in “Human Induced Climate Change.” In fact, I think much of HICC aka Global Warming is just so much hooey and pantheistic drivel which is intended to bring down capitalism and destroy a Judeo-Christian ethic. Currently, every hurricane, tsunami, tornado or blizzard gets thrown in the mix. I’m sitting here where a glacier passed through not too many thousands of years ago, on land that used to be covered by Lake Erie, and let me tell you, I thank God it warmed up! However, there are some global scourges we can do something about, and slavery is one of them.

From Books and Culture:

Stop the Traffik

Stop the Traffik

You might have to give up chocolate! Certifying that chocolate is slave-free could make it quite expensive. You might even have to step out of and break the chain that ridicules and sexualizes children--like the network that pays David Letterman.

"TRAFFICKING IS...
to be deceived or taken against your will, bought, sold and transported into slavery for sexual exploitation, sweat shops, child brides, circuses, sacrificial worship, forced begging, sale of human organs, farm labour, domestic servitude."

Thursday, July 09, 2009

I'm shocked! Shocked!

Not only is it slow, paltry and ineffective, it's being doled out on the reward system. USAToday reports today: "Billions of dollars in federal aid delivered directly to the local level to help revive the economy have gone overwhelmingly to places that supported President Obama in last year's presidential election.

That aid — about $17 billion — is the first piece of the administration's massive stimulus package that can be tracked locally. Much of it has followed a well-worn path to places that regularly collect a bigger share of federal grants and contracts, guided by formulas that have been in place for decades and leave little room for manipulation."

So does this mean that Democratic districts are in worse shape because they've relied on government hand outs for so long?

HT PUMA

Why do feminists hate Sarah Palin?

This feminist, Reclusive Leftist, attempts to figure it out. Concludes Palin is the designated hate receptacle. And when I checked, she had 486 comments.

the lies exist to justify the hate

Reclusive Leftist

Some really interesting comments:

“Perhaps what I have found viscerally most offensive about the attacks on her are the blogs and distorted photos of that baby. That he is not her natural child. That she has the nerve to give birth to a special needs child. This goes beyond sexism to something very sick in the blogosphere/MSM where such vileness can be spewed. Perhaps we are analogous to the end of the Roman Empire–any sort of spectacle to amuse and keep the masses entertained.”

“There have been 50 million abortions since 1973. That is a lot of women who have lost their children. I’m sure a lot of women are fine with it. But I know there are a lot of women out there who are suffering greatly with guilt and remorse. But feminists aren’t allowed to feel guilty about it. Because they got to choose, god damn it.”

“What has occurred to me is that the way the media and the DC elite have been so condescending is really a reflection of how they really feel about all of us out here in the real world…they think of all of us exactly the way they talk about her…and we are beneath their contempt.” [This has always been my theory--Norma]

“Various “feminists” didn’t want to vote for a woman. They didn’t vote for HRC in the primary, and pretended to think, or convinced themselves they thought, she was a racist who hoped Obama would be assassinated. This didn’t exactly bear up to reasoned analysis. Another more effective mechanism was to decide Obama was the second coming — so who could vote for a mere woman, over that?”

“Palin-hate includes an unhealthy dose of classism as well. She isn’t just a woman, she is a working class woman, a red neck woman, white trash. I know Americans don’t have a class system (they say) but there it is. The other thing is that feminism seems to have enabled women not to become powerful *as women* but to identify with and behave like men. So feminists pile on the misogynist, abusive, slanderous hatred along with the boys as a sign of their equality with them.”

HT Deb

New dining spot in Lakeside

Today we joined Wes and Sue, Jim and Marion at the new al fresco dining room at the Hotel Lakeside which opened Monday. It is located in the new courtyard area with a sidewalk accessible from Maple Avenue. Weather permitting, it will be open Monday through Friday 11:30 - 2 for lunch and 5:30 - 8.

Look who's being blamed!

"Painful but inevitable Social Security and Medicare reforms will be difficult to sell because years of partisan wrangling have clouded the public’s grasp of the programs’ dire financial problems, a former government economic adviser warns." You and I have a poor grasp of the financial problems. It's not that our Congresses and numerous Presidents for the last 40 years have failed, regardless of party, economic growth or national security. From U of I "Inside Illinois." In my opinion, health insurance should have never been tied to employment, should have always been required like auto insurance as a personal responsibility, and government sponsored only for the indigent, disabled, high risk and truly poor. It couldn't have been any more expensive, and we might have avoided this ridiculous political football, now too hot and too big to move. More incentives should have been in place for private investment in retirement, with far more warnings that SS would not, nor was it ever intended, to be the sole source of retirement funding.

I'll save the reminder that we aborted the future workers and safety net, on which both of these systems depend.

Exploring English Sonnets at Lakeside

Everyone enjoyed the sonnets of Shakespeare, Spenser, Donne, Wordsworth, Milton, Wyatt and Labe taught by Steve Ricard, a high school teacher from Perrysville.

Volcano mulching--how to kill a tree

Here at Lakeside we have a number of "healthy living" activities and organizations, from our now twice weekly locally grown farmers' market, to a no-smoking ordinance to recycling, to tree walks, bird watching events, early a.m. exercise class, posted activities for joggers in the park land at the south end, and health and wellness week. At one of the lectures sponsored by LESS (Lakeside Environment Something? Something?) I learned about the care and preservation of our trees, many of which are invasive, like the Norway Maple, some with Emerald Ash Borer, and many over 100 years old. It's there I first heard about "volcano mulching," or piling mulch so deep around a young tree, that you eventually kill it with your kindness and concern.

About landscaping

Every year there are more and more rules at Lakeside--most positive and for the good of the larger community; barking dogs; hours construction can take place; proper disposal of plastic, paper and metal; building codes for cottages; coverage of buildings on lots; number of parking places required for each cottage; no smoking; no alcohol; no parking on certain streets; quiet zones after 10 p.m.; and so on.

So I am very puzzled that if volcano mulching is known to be harmful to trees, why the Association can't explain that to its landscaping crew, because almost every young tree I see (usually a memoral plaque near-by) has heaps of mulch that will eventually cause the roots to girdle, or rodents to chew, or bark to rot. This would seem to be easier to control than calories, exercise or smoking.

Our speaker on tree care told us to think do-nut instead of volcano.

The Yardner

Biden comes around to Palin's view

According to James Taranto [July 7, WSJ], the Israel viewpoint for which Palin was attacked and ridiculed during the recent campaign, is now that of the current administration, via Joe Biden.

Gibson

Palin:

Gibson:

Palin:

Gibson:

Palin:

Reviewing Charlie's interview I wonder if he would have been so intent on tripping up a male ethnic Democrat running for president, or if race trumps gender in the diversity wars. The male dominated, owned and controlled media were certainly intent on assuring that no woman occupy the White House except as First Lady. Taranto goes on to point out that for this steady hand and unwillingness to cave, she was called stupid, robotic, repeating pro-Israel buzz words, and a puppet of the pro-Jewish Cabal. But those same critics, supporters of the Obama-Biden dog and pony apology tour, are saying Biden's response is subtle--most Americans aren't smart enough to even understand--or that he doesn't reflect Obama's thinking, or they just don't say anything in the range of stupid or robotic. Ah, freedom of the press. We folks enjoying democracy are certainly lucky we don't have a media that parrot the party in power.

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Our trip to Mulberry Creek Herb Farm

The Lakeside Herb class had a delightful trip to Mulberry Creek Herb Farm in Huron, Ohio owned by Karen and Mark Langan. Not only was the weather perfect--70s and sunny--but the hosts were great fun and very educational, with a lunch for our group that was delicious as well as healthful and nutritious.

Karen has degrees in Agricultural Research and Greenhouse Production from Ohio State University's Agricultural Technical Institute and over 20 years experience working in horticulture. Mark has a degree in ornamental horticulture from Washington State University and has been working in the horticulture field since he was a teenager. Karen and Mark also teach classes at their herb farm on a variety of herbal topics, including organic gardening, aromatherapy, herbal crafts and herbal cooking. Karen and Mark are business members of The Herb Society of America. They also have a successful mail order business, but have decided that after 11 years they will discontinue that. Too bad--the catalog is delightful--great explanations, color photos, and tasty recipes. Karen says they are too large for pencil and paper orders, and too small to computerize. She likes to have a personal relationship with her customers and not get too big.

The annual herb festival draws nearly 2,000 herb enthusiasts. In 2008 the theme was Tuscany and this year (June 27-28) it was Ireland. There were workshops on Irish soda bread, Celtic traditions and Faery Lore, traditional Irish cooking, the Irish potato, with a menu by their caterer to match.

Mark first introduced us to his miniature plants used for railroad gardens--a feature that is very popular with men, and apparently America's newest hot hobby. There is even a magazine, Garden Railways. They have more than 300 varieties. Then Karen took over and explained the care and uses of many varieties, including companion planting which puts plants together that work well together. I'll never be a gardener, but this visit might encourage me to get a bit more adventurous in using herbs in cooking.

The railroad with the miniature plants. The train is barely visible behind the fence but was moving right along.

Mark explained that mint needs to be planted in 5 gal. buckets with 3" of exposed rim above ground or it will spread and take over your yard--or a small town.

Karen explains how to do companion planting and has our full attention.

This little Irish shed had succulents planted on the roof.

A celtic cross, I'm not sure if it is always here, or is for this year's theme.

We had such a good thyme!

For a very special treat

drop by Sherry's blog, Semicolon, and view her 100 favorite hymns project. She invited different bloggers to submit their own favorites, then she researched and wrote about them. I think I sent her a list. She has video, recollections of her own, the lyrics, the melody, well, the works. What a wonderful contribution to the blogosphere.

I used to have an entire link section on book reviewers and that's where Sherry resided on this page, but apparently on my last template upgrade, it fell off. Oh my. I hate it when that happens, don't you?

Why would the White House need a blog?

They've got ABC, NCB, CBS, CNN, WaPo, NYT and WSJ pulling out all the stops and spreading the news about how great the admin is! Talk about overkill!

I love this photo of the two biggest economic screwups side by side in modern history. Ben and Barry I Scream.

Facebook vs. Google

I'm a big Google fan. The story of its founders is the American dream. I remember exactly where I was (at my desk at work) when the TN vet-ag librarian told me about it. I use it constantly. Facebook. Oh, not so much. Yes, I'm aware of it, but can't think of any reason to join. Sounds too much like junior high school--friends, constantly gossiping, not going out side the group, etc. Not for this gal. Although I have used it from time to time to track down people--like the teenage piano teacher I had when I was 6 years old.

Wired is in my first issues collection (my hobby), and I still subscribe because 1) it's incredibly cheap, and 2) I can read it in the car or coffee shop much easier than reading it online. The Facebook article in the July 2009 issue is something you all should read, whether you're in an online community that uses real identities and data, or you are a fan of Google for going outside your comfort zone for information.

Facebook has a 4 step plan to dominate the internet, 1) Build critical mass (200 million members who contribute 4 billion pieces of information every month; 2) Redefine search (members will turn to friends); 3) Colonize the Web (10,000 partner sites); 4) Sell targeted ads everywhere (from the data you've contributed which will target you for ads). And then when the government takes over like it did GM and Chrysler? Shazaam.

The Library on Mulberry Street

McGraw Hill’s Construction video library for Architectural Record has some fascinating projects (some really ugly, but most not so much)--over 100--I really enjoyed this one about a library on Mulberry Street where Rogers Marvel Architects inserted a grand stair into an old loft floor, allowing light to penetrate into two subterranean levels.

Dinner at the White House--a Parable

is zipping around the internet, and if you're on anyone's list, you either have or will receive it. I got a copy from Murray, and looked it up. It was written by Richard Gleaves on June 26 at Rebirth of Reason, and by now has probably been read by millions. I glanced through several versions, and some resenders are modifying it slightly, so it's best to go to the source.

Read the rest

I also looked through some of the comments on sites where it has been reposted; Obama supporters hate it of course, his detractors say it doesn't go far enough. One even said it doesn't fit the definition of a parable because it is true--it is happening.

100 Best Blogs for School Librarians

Never pass up a list--and this one is really a good one, although why I'm on the list, I have no idea. I do occasionally blog memories about libraries, odd reference questions (how to bake blackbirds in a pie, how to get the flesh off road kill for a science project, etc.), or criticism of crazy things going on these days (16 copies of an anti-Bush book in the UAPL), but I'm totally out of the loop on the technology end of things, being somewhat a print on paper person myself. But it's still an interesting list, useful and well thought out. Librarians love lists. Actually, bloggers do too.

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Health Maintenance class at Lakeside

Although I don't think I heard anything new about the importance of a colonoscopy, screening for osteoporosis or the value of exercise, Dr. John Weigand's talk was informative and entertaining. He noted that by 2025 over 62,000,000 persons in the U.S. will be over 65. The risk of osteoporosis is high, particularly for white women, so screening should start around age 60. Dr. Weigand recommends 1000-1500 mg/day of calcium--not sure I get that much, and also Vitamin D, perhaps 1000-2000 units a day. He also said 10-15 minutes a day in the sun would help without being a skin cancer danger (without sun screen, which blocks vitamin D). A t-score of a negative 2.5 is osteoporosis. He suggested we go to FRAX to get a 10 year risk of a hip fracture or major osteoporotic event. The good news about exercise is that even the oldest of the old benefit from a supervised program of high-intensity resistance training and weights; that aeroblic exercise helps brain synapses and possibly promotes the development of new neurons from adult stem cells.

And in the Sonnets class earlier in the day we looked at Shakespeare's Sonnet 73, which certainly seems to fit:

Monday, July 06, 2009

Retiring my Palin-Jindal pin

If she can't stand the heat and won't complete the term she was elected to, I don't want her for President of the U.S. She may have good reasons--and family and harassment from the press would certainly be enough--but that won't go away for an even tougher office and scrutiny. She is now the gal the press, both liberal and conservative, love to hate. Best would have been to get back to the job of being governor.

I doubt that she will even be useful stumping for other candidates and issues. She was even roundly criticized by the press for supporting an autism fund raising effort. They can make 'em, like Obama, or break 'em.

Tonight's pot luck--onion pie?

Looking through my new yard sale cookbook and the cupboards and the calendar, I see that Onion Pie might be a possibility for tonight's potluck at Juliann's house for this week's Rhein Center instructors.

The usual pie crust instructions for a one crust pie (I'll use my own). Bake 10 minutes and remember to prick the crust before baking.

"For the filling, fry 4 strips of finely diced bacon until done. Drain, and in the bacon fat cook, until they are transparent 2 large onions that have been diced very fine. Drain off fat, and mix bacon and onions with 1 egg and 1 egg yolk, previously beaten, a scant 1/2 cup sour cream, salt and pepper, some chopped chives and a sprinkling of caraway seeds. Pour into crust and bake at 350 until the filling is firm, about 20 or 25 minutes. This should be eaten warm, cut into narrow wedges that can be taken up with the hand." p. 137 "The wonderful world of cooking," (1956).

For another version with some cheese and advice try Taste and Tell.

Treating the Emerald Ash Borer

Emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an exotic beetle that was discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in the summer of 2002. It's now in Ohio and most of the midwest and lower Canada. It's not a pretty picture. We have some here in Lakeside. I was watching the tree trimmers work on a tree that was damaged in the storm late in June--and either they are leaving a 50 ft. tall stump, or they are hoping there will be new growth.

I attended a program on Lakeside's trees about two weeks ago, and heard there is a treatment for this pest. It reminds me of Obama's stimulus plan. It costs way more than anyone can afford, lasts only a short time, and then you are left with a sick, damaged, but alive tree, which is why most states and municipalities are choosing not to treat, but to start over with another type of tree.

The idiocy of hate crime legislation

The death of Steve McNair and his 20 year old girl friend show the bizarre possibilities of hate crimes legislation. Were they killed because someone hated them for their race and ethnicity or what they were doing? Could be! Was it murder-suicide? Possibly. Crime of passion? Obviously. He was an older married man, rich and famous; she was a powerless waitress. Maybe she found out, like many star struck girls do, that the "divorce" story was a lie. Spurned 3rd party? Could be--Law and Order plot. Maybe she had more than one boyfriend. Maybe she wasn't even a girl! OMG! This is a case for the Closer--I saw an episode like that. Was it race or gender or just old fashioned sin? Both were minorities. Hate crime investigators, go for it. The current legislation is about "perception" not fact. The idiocy of all hate crime legislation is that all the crimes are covered by other laws, and only certain Americans are protected/covered by this one. And the liberals are stumped when black on black crime, or gay on gay crime (by far the majority), just have to be plain old insult, murder or mayhem.

Sunday, July 05, 2009

Week three at Lakeside is Health and Wellness Week

At the last minute I signed up for English sonnets at the Rhein Center, which will pretty much wipe out the mornings, Monday through Thursday, but I'm still free to attend Integrative Medicine with Laura Kunze of OSU on Monday afternoon 1:30; health maintenance 102 with John Weigand on Tuesday at 1:30; an update on health policy with Weigand on Wednesday at 1:30; exercise as medicine with Kitty Consolo of OU at Zanesville at 1:30 on Thursday; and supplements from A-Z on Friday morning at 10:30. There's a fatigue seminar at 3:30 on Wednesday, but by then I think I'll be too tired to go. I'll miss the Wednesday sonnets class due to the herb farm excusion. Busy. Busy.

Morning walks

Everyday the sun is different. Now, we know that "sunrise" and "sunset" are not accurate terms, because we are the ones moving. But so far, no one has changed the language. I'm watching each day as the sunrise is later and later on my walks.

The lake was like glass and the sun was all but hidden in the haze.

Every day I see photographers who have left their sleeping cottages to go out and photograph as the sun pops up over the horizon. This guy was waiting for the 6 a.m. ferry to arrive in the sun's reflection.

And I thought that was a grand idea, so I took one too. This one travels between Marblehead and Kelley's Island. If we were to drive to Sandusky, I think we could get a ferry to Pelee Island, which is in Canada. But we'd need our passports.

The Wonderful World of Cooking and two mothers $12.00

Katherine Cornell said this book is enchanting. Maybe so, but for one dollar (Lakeside yard sale) it has some great recipes ala the 1950s when it was damn the cream, butter and cholesterol. Still it has enough herbs to make the 21st century cook smile. The Cream of Wild Asparaus uses fresh tarragon, a pinch of coriander, and a sprinkle of mace, served with crusty rolls and fresh berries for dessert.

Edward Harris Heth was a minor writer of the 1940s and 1950s who lived an openly gay life style in the midwest when that was somewhat unusual. At least one young man (then) thought so who met him in a writing class where he was an instructor. This book is autographed, and was given as a gift by the floral shop (Tom Jacks, Milwaukee) to a new bride in 1961. The bill for the flowers, still inside the book, is worth the $1.00: Brides bouquet, $12.50; 3 bridemaids $18.00; 2 altar bouquets, $10.00; Belssed Virgin (sic), $5.00; aisle runner, $10.00; pew bows and streamers $10.00; centerpiece, $15.00; 2 Mothers, $12.00; bouts 9, $4.50. Total for all the flowers for bride, attendants, mothers, groomsmen, tables, etc. was $97.00. So Jean Winzenburg and Steve Treacy of Wauwatosa, WI had quite a wedding.

There are some amusing stories in this cookbook, with Aunt Dell (a large woman who always seems to be in his kitchen), as well as great recipes for Onion Pie, Blueberry Pickle (uses molasses), fried green tomatoes, leaf lettuce and cream (a favorite at my Mother's table), string beans in drippings, Pregnant Soup, Salt pork with creamed new peas and potatoes. Now, aren't you hungry?

So what's a hundred million dead?

In last week's seminars at Lakeside we were fortunate to hear Kerry Dumbaugh and see some interesting film on the current social and economic challenges in China in 2009--much of it starting in 2008 just as ours did. 60,000 factories closing, 14 million migrants returning home, owners of factories fleeing without paying the workers, lack of health benefits, no retirement, and a "stimulus package" that is 18% of GDP. China's economic growth, she said, is shrinking--7.2% in 2009, which would be wonderful in the U.S., but China needs a minimum of 8%. Their migrant workers (traveling outside the region where you were born in China makes you an illegal migrant) work 11 hour days, 6 days a week at the lowest level jobs, regardless of their training and education. 23,000,000 have become unemployed since November 2008, and they have no unemployment benefits. In 2009, 6.1 million graduated from college and 3/4 have no jobs. Now this is all on top of all the older problems like no contract law, no health and safety regulations, forced abortions resulting in the former safety net of family being destroyed, and property seizures.

And so as we watched with heavy hearts this dismal collapse, there were hints that the rise of capitalism replacing communism and reverence for Mao might be at the root of the demise of the "workers paradise." More than one member of the class pondered whether democracy works everywhere, and wouldn't the Chinese be better off to go back to the socialist model where the government controlled every aspect of their lives from conception to death?

Sure. As long as you don't consider the lives of the millions and millions who died under this totalitarian form of government. Selective memory, these old folks (this is not pejorative--most were my age or older). Especially those peace advocates who believe war is the only way huge segments of civilians are killed. Communist/marxist/national socialist governments kill their own people. Democracies, with all their faults that come with the failed idealism of the voting booth which often gives us corrupt or spineless officials, don't slaughter their own populace. At least not in my life time.

Go read China's Bloody Century by R. J. Rummel for some sobering facts and stats.

"Such democide [death by government] has been far more prevalent than people have believed, even several times greater than the number killed in all of this [20th] century's wars. Just consider that alone 61,911,000 people were murdered by the Soviet Union, 38,702,000 by the Chinese communists, 10,214,000 by the Chinese Nationalists, 17,000,000 by the German Nazis, and 5,890,000 by the Japanese militarists during World War II. This does not even exhaust the list of this century's mega-murderers, which also would include the past governments of Turkey, Cambodia, Pakistan, Yugoslavia; nor does it include the lesser killers responsible for hundreds of thousands of corpses each, such as past governments of Uganda, Indonesia, Albania, Burundi, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia, Hungary, Romania, Spain, and Vietnam. Then there are the numerous third-class murders who have "only" killed in the tens of thousands. In sum well over 100,000,000 people have been murdered by their governments since 1900, several times greater than the 35,654,000 battle-dead from all the foreign and domestic wars fought in these years, including World Wars I and II.Yes, it's pleasant to sit in a comfortable, air conditioned seminar at the lake and speculate 60 years after the Communists killed nearly 40 million of their own people, that wouldn't the Chinese people be better off with a smidgen more totalitarianism or maybe a reeducation camp or two. I mean, why should they have what we have?

And for the life of me, I don't understand why liberals want what they have struggled so desperately to leave to the point of voting one into the presidency!

Is anyone else having this problem?

When I "Save Now" or "Publish Post" I get this message "Bad Request, Your client has issued a malformed or illegal request." However, if I go to "view blog," the piece is there. I have no idea what this means, but if you're getting it too, let me know and I won't blame my recent virus attack (Thursday). If you are getting this message, ignore it, or at least check your finished work. It just might be there.

Saturday, July 04, 2009

He meant Gore, Kerry and Bush

But when I read his article on the disadvantages of an elite education, I immediately thought of President and Mrs. Obama who seem hopelessly out of touch with the common man.

William Deresiewicz

Adams and Jefferson died on July 4

Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration in committee with John Adams and Benjamin Franklin.

Big parade for small town Lakeside

There were almost as many mommies and daddies and grandparents in the kids' parade as children! But everyone had a great time; lots of candy was thrown.

And the antique cars are now from my high school days.

Friday Family Photo--Happy July 4

Visiting for the week-end.

Friday, July 03, 2009

Down for the count!

I've picked up a virus and have no computer until I either reload the software or get it fixed. So I'm at a friendly neighbor's alerting all 5 of my readers that there will be no e-mail or blogging until this is resolved.
DON'T send photos of the reunion until you hear from me!

Jackson death is rescuing the news media

The nonstop coverage of the death of Michael Jackson is probably a shot in the arm for the TV coffers, and the reporters who are bored with the constant, blind folded building up of Team-O. There is important, critical stuff going on in Washington that will affect our lives for years, but instead of analysis or criticism or even reading the bills (God forbid the Czar of czars and the Congressional clowns should have no clothes) the coverage 24/7 is Jackson's death, his contribution to music and dance, his home, his last rehearsals, his health, his debts, his white children, his ex-wives, his lawyers, his medical team, his will, his estranged family (who suddenly miss him) and so on. I don't think anyone has interviewed his gay lovers for broadcast TV, but bloggers are talking if you care to go there. Well, there's something else dying, and that's our independent press and media. Oh, how I miss the days of scrutinizing every move and thought of George W. Bush. These folks have their jobs on the line too, and so they are grasping at anything that will increase viewship. Ghoul$.

What really caused the mortgage meltdown?

Zero money down, not subprime loans, led to the mortgage meltdown says Stan Liebowitz in today's WSJ. "The evidence from a huge national database containing millions of individual loans strongly suggests that the single most important factor is whether the homeowner has negative equity in a house -- that is, the balance of the mortgage is greater than the value of the house. This means that most government policies being discussed to remedy woes in the housing market are misdirected." Take a look at the "do you qualify" page at The Obama administration's "Making Homes Affordable" plan, and you'll see the government throwing more money after bad at homeowners with negative equity. The government is leading the way to a deeper recession with its higher taxes and poor policies.

Thursday, July 02, 2009

And we thought the media couldn't go lower

Access for a price. WaPo is now WaHo according to some sources. Not only did the Washington Post admit (after the inauguration) that it had completely caved, folded and sold its soul for Obama, but now they were selling events to meet with the movers and shakers (lobbyists and administration officials). Oops. Someone messed up.

Well, I guess in "this economy" you gotta do what you gotta do. The government claims it has made a profit on TARP, but the business class is still going coach.

Why you shouldn't keep quiet even when people leave nasty comments

There is a movement to repeal the 22nd amendment--the limit of a president to two terms. There are still those confused souls out there--we call them history-challenged--who think FDR led us OUT of the Great Depression instead of extending it a decade, so they are anticipating that we will need BHO for longer than 2 terms, since he'll probably do the same. This is the worst thinking ever. Ever. Ever. I'm sure he intends to be messiah for life. After he gets rid of that pesky 2nd amendment.

Was there an April baby?

Pregnancy Decision Health Center sends me a list of people to pray for. I've learned not to click, read, file. Best to pray right then while they (mother and babe) are on the screen. Last August I wrote this about my concerns:

"Often the request on the pregnancy list is about someone who is going to have an ultrasound. This often influences decisions. This month included situations like 4 children, single mom wants abortion; doesn't know who the father is; and victim of domestic violence. Occasionally, the woman is ill or has been raped or is actually a child herself, but that's rare. Decisions were made that resulted in a baby and now there's a problem. This is the one that really puzzles me, and shows some confusion about values.

college couple (not married); 5 wks; both come from Christian homes; want abortion because they don't want their families to know they have been sexually active; refused ultrasoundIt's like the guy who has an affair but doesn't use a condom because it's against his religion. Duh! If you think your parents don't want you having pre-marital sex, what will they say when they find out you aborted their grandchild?

In the 10 Commandments we are told to love God and our neighbor, but then instructed to HONOR our parents. That goes beyond love, and is a requirement even if we got parents who don't deserve any honor, who are mean, or stingy, or who will stop paying tuition. This is such an important commandment that it is the only one with a promise attached.

So this young couple are the ones I'll pray for on this list."

This is a parody--I hope

You just never know--the faux wackos are being out-wacko’d by the real wackos. I don’t know about you but drippy meat blood in a canvas bag has little appeal to me. And I'd hate to start buying bags for the kitty litter, book returns, garbage, shoes in the suitcase, etc.--do you think this is all a battle between the name brands and the unbrands? I prefer paper bags, but 25 years ago we were told to save the trees. Now what are we saving? China’s canvas bag crop?

Smells yummy

Many years ago we went out for dinner with Sam and Molly, Tom and Pat. New Year's Eve, I think. Molly and I went to the ladies' room. She told me something I've never forgotten. She was an RN and was told during her training that the soap dish was the germiest place in the hospital/home/office. I doubt that hospitals use soap dishes any more, but we do have them in our homes, and it does make sense--dirt, plus moisture, plus air. Here at the lake I have a cute little row boat shaped soap dish. However, I enjoy using a commerical pump soap container, too. I suspect the ones you fill from a container are probably also contaminated. My hairdresser, the fabulous Melissa, told me once not to add water to shampoo because bacteria would grow. Gosh, the world is full of germs, isn't.

Anyway, I love the fragrance of Softsoap Black raspberry and vanilla. Yes, this is an endorsement, although not paid. Bloggers need to watch out for that. Not sure which czar is coming after you, but you're going to be one of the non-rich who will be taxed or punished for product placement on your site if you don't tell your readers (Mommy bloggers, beware). Generally, I don't use anti-bacterial soap--just the suds and water and scrubbing.

Interesting article on hand sniffing monitor in hospitals to reduce nosocomial infections.

Today's new word--GONGO

It's been awhile since I found a new word interesting enough to write about. I'm currently reading The Professor and the Madman which is about the making of the Oxford English Dictionary, so words are more interesting again. Anyway, in Kerry Dumbaugh's very interesting lecture and films this week about the social and economic problems facing China, she mentioned GONGO. She briefly noted the role of non-governmental organizations in China, and then told us about the GONGO, "Chinese government organized nongovernmental organizations" which have been viewed by most China scholars and international agencies simply as extended organs of the government. And I immediately thought of ACORN, the association of community organizers for reform NOW which through the election of Barack Obama, have become an arm of the President, as he railroads through his reforms NOW with no one reading the legislation EVER or having any thought of unintended consequences. They continue to screw up the housing market with government grants and organizational pressure, and I'm sure that won't end.

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

So much for tea bags

On March 23 I wrote my representative, Mary Jo Kilroy, and sent her a tea bag (used):

"The behavior last week of Congress, particularly your Democratic colleagues, was outrageous. I was never so embarrassed to be a voting American. That Congress would propose a special tax to punish people with whom they signed a contract is beyond belief and beyond the Constitution. I suggest you all start reading all documents that affect our future and our economy. There is going to be a voter revolt."Hmm. She's so scared of the voters, she completely spinned it and promptly replied on July 1 (probably too busy reading that 1200 page cap and trade bill) that she appreciated me reaching out to her and that she shares my "outrage over irresponsible compensation practices for executives. . ." Huh? Did I say that?

She then started her own spin on executive pay--but I wasn‘t outraged about that, I was outraged about Congress' behavior in whipping up a frenzy over executive compensation. . . .

Gee, it's no wonder that Obama has turned everything over to the Czars instead of our elected representatives. They can probably read!

Glenn Beck on our incompetent government

I won't imbed them all, but he is addressing California's budget, the cap and trade, ACORN, Al Franken the comedian is now a senator, etc. A number of clips at the RBO blog (tracks Obama's stupid stuff). We don't get Glenn up here. His new book on common sense is selling like hot cakes. See a bunch of them here, including the suppressed EPA report. An additional $3,000 per household per year? No, he's only going to tax the rich. Yeah.

Common Sense, by Glenn Beck

Saving Freedom, by Jim DeMint

Leading the way to. . . ?

President Obama’s EPA yesterday allowed California to impose the toughest emission standards on vehicles in the nation, which will form the basis of new nationwide rules.

Oh goody. More wonderful economic news. We get to be like California. Let's see. Is it 30 days before it's bankrupt, or has that already happened?

EPA's approved transportation--a Bamabike

New colors on our street

Not much could be done about the ugly 80s wood panel siding that had enveloped this late 19th century cottage. So the new owners gave her a new, pretty pinafore. I think this is the happiest red house paint I've ever seen. And the new landlord is lucky too--he found a renter for the entire summer, and having been there, let me tell you, that sure saves wear and tear on your newly decorated home! It's a little hard to tell after multiple remodelings, but at some time this home probably had an open porch on both levels. But before that, it might have been a "wooden tent," with walls and roof erected over what began as a platform for a summer tent. Oak is in the "old" part of town, or the original camp ground. Many cottage owners filled the porches in years ago to use as bedrooms or living space. In the 19th c. the lake air was the only air conditioning around here. But storms make it tough to maintain, and this cottage is just half a block from the lake.

Next door is a "camp cottage" and these owners have spruced up the lower porch with purple and lavender and some brightly painted adirondock chairs. The rest of the cottage is gray. The lower porch still has screens and the sleeping porch above it is now enclosed.

Further down the street on the lakefront, our neighbors have donated hours of time, labor and bulbs to give all of us a beautiful flower garden. Their payment must be the pleasure of others. These are Asian lilies, I think, but are tastefully arranged with many other types and sizes of blooms.