Friday, August 31, 2012

A letter home from a new American, 1737

In a genealogy workshop this summer I met another Lakesider (she heard me mention Manchester College and asked me if I was Brethren) whose maiden name was Studebaker, a name I recognized not just from the automobile, but from the wagon company which at one time had some intention to save the Mt. Morris College in Mt. Morris, Illinois.  Today we met again and she loaned me her huge Studebaker genealogy book, “The Studebaker Family in America,” published in the 1970s by the Studebaker Family National Association.  One of the association’s links back to Europe was a letter written by 2 brothers, which is translated, and is an interesting peek at life for new immigrants in Pennsylvania. . . with our conventions and campaign speak in full force, some of these phrases will be familiar, yet extremely foreign to us.  We don’t remember today how burdened Europeans were with taxes and assessments, how if you were born poor, you stayed poor. . . or that people actually sold their children into labor contracts if they were too poor to pay for passage to get here!

“As to your question regarding brother John, there is, thanks to God, no reason for complaint, for life is pleasant here. For we are better off than in Europe, because anyone who is willing to work can make a good living here, except for certain craftsmen.
The craftsmen are not organized here as with you. [The reference is probably to the toolmakers of the district from which the writers came]. Yet things could be better organized here, if only there were some masters here. For steel and iron are plentiful in this country. Good steel and iron and coal and grinding stones are imported from England, and the coal is for sale here as with you. Also there are many rivers.

Yet anybody who wants to work on a farm, can live a life without worries, for not much has to be paid to the sovereign, the maximum is six shillings per one hundred acres in the national currency. Some give corn and some give peppercorn and others give one shilling per one hundred acres and some don't pay anything, once the sovereign has received his money. Much that was bought from the late Count [William Penn], as indicated above, has to pay one shilling per one hundred acres.
Furthermore let me tell you how a poor man be able to come across, who lacks the money to pay the passage. There is the following agreement: If a man has children, he can put them into service. A boy has to remain in service until he is twenty one. The girl has to stay until eighteen years of age. For this, people pay a lot of money. In that way, a poor man is able to free himself and his wife.”

After praising the crops one could grow, the writers go on to say in an almost amazed tone about the honesty and integrity of the authorities, and they were just folks like the ordinary people,

“Furthermore a word about the authorities. The authorities here are good ones. You can go to a person in authority in the same way as to a peasant. You don't have to take your hat off for a person in authority. They administer justice. Nobody suffers violence or injustice from them. They live a pious and God-fearing life. They don't harm or vex anybody as they do with you. When you sell something here, e.g., inheritance or tools, it does not concern the authorities.

Also an interesting insight into religion, especially since there are progressives among us who are downplaying this today. . . (note: Dunkers is the old term for Church of the Brethren and related groups which practiced adult baptism):

”As far as religion in this country is concerned, it should be said that there are all kinds of faiths here. Firstly, where authority is as it were, within; congregations, in which they have no baptism, neither for infants nor for adults. Then there are also here whole congregations of Baptists and Seventh Day Baptists [i.e., Dunkers] who also practice adult baptism, and they keep their Sunday on Saturday, yet lead a good life. There are also many "monists" [Unitarians?] as well as Reformed and Lutherans, and also a few Catholics in Philadelphia, whom the late Count [William Penn] wanted to expel, but they insisted on the franchise granted to them by the late Lord. So he had to keep his peace. But afterwards both we and all new arrivals of the male sex must go to the town hall before the magistrates to give up and renege allegiance to the Pope in Rome [illegible] of Great Britain in England. For the rest the authorities permit all faiths. If a person lives a quiet and pious life, he may believe what he likes.”The writers continue on to discuss labor—the shortage—and the problems with slave labor which the rich used, and relations with the Indians.  Read the rest of the letter here.

My grandmother’s childhood scrapbook showing advertising for the Studebaker Wagon of South Bend, Indiana.

And still the majority of blacks will vote for failed policies of Democrats

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Democrats don’t applaud success, they apologize

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Think about it—the party you support—is it pro-life?

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Condi Rice is called Uncle Tom by Democrats

Obama supporters are calling Condi Rice and other black republicans "Uncle Toms" and pejorative, racist, ugly words. Perhaps they need to review the history of Stowe's book, how it influenced generations for good, and perhaps another story about a man who gave his life for others and then people change their lives of evil based on his life of good. Then perhaps look at the Jim Crow laws and the KKK which were arms of the Democrat party to undo the freedoms accomplished by amendments to the Constitution. It seems Democrats do a lot of that and use 19th century tactics to punish those who escape their clutches. Stowe's book was based on real slave narratives, particularly a man named Henson who after securing his own safety and freedom returned to the South to free others. Many black republicans are trying to lead their friends and family away from the Democrat plantation, but it's a tough struggle. There are some successes, therefore the name calling. Twitter and FB comments on Daily Beast are just frightening in their anger, fear and hate.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

2016 the film

It’s doing very well at the box office.  Here from Patriot Post is a summary of Dinesh D’Souza’s film.

D'Souza's film is based on his books, "The Roots of Obama's Rage" and "Obama's America," in which he asserts that Obama's worldview was shaped most directly by the anti-colonialist views of his father, and that Obama is now intent on unmaking American so that he can remake it according to his worldview.

In a 2010 Forbes Magazine editorial on Obama, D'Souza concluded: "[Obama] is trapped in his father's time machine. Incredibly, the U.S. is being ruled according to the dreams of a Luo tribesman of the 1950s. This philandering, inebriated African socialist, who raged against the world for denying him the realization of his anti-colonial ambitions, is now setting the nation's agenda through the reincarnation of his dreams in his son. The son makes it happen, but he candidly admits he is only living out his father's dream. The invisible father provides the inspiration, and the son dutifully gets the job done. America today is governed by a ghost."

Watch for it tomorrow night. . .

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Sky & Telescope magazine has traced the history of the term in at least two articles and it has even been part of the change of how the term is used.

Here is a summary of what the articles describe:

  • The original usage of the term was like the modern statement “When pigs fly.”
  • Another described an infrequent event related to volcanic eruptions. The dust ejected high into the atmosphere, can give the moon and sun and bluish hue when see through the dust. While infrequent, blue moons do occur.
  • A usage closer to the popular modern concept can be traced to the Maine Farmers’ Almanac that related the term an extra full moon during a season. The seasons normally have three full moons. When a season has four, the third one is called “Blue Moon.” Historically, the months had names, such as Harvest Moon, Egg Moon or Lenten Moon. Because those full moons were related to specific events related to the seasons, there came a time when a season had an extra full moon without a name; the third month in that series was named “Blue Moon.”
  • Sky & Telescope also stated that it contributed to the popular notion with articles in 1946 and 1950 that cited the Maine Farmers’ Almanac, but added that a second full moon in a month was a “Blue Moon.”
http://jeffreylhunt.wordpress.com/2012/08/30/august-31-blue-moon/

Does Congress know about this? 200 Marines have landed in Guatemala

"Guatemalan authorities say they signed a treaty allowing the U.S. military to conduct the operations on July 16. Less than a month later an Air Force C-5 transport plane flew into Guatemala City from North Carolina loaded with the Marines and four UH-1 "Huey" helicopters."

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LT_GUATEMALA_US_MARINES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-08-29-18-33-58

Don’t blame the Democrats for these creeps

http://redalertpolitics.com/2012/08/29/leftists-say-murder-ann-romney-via-twitter-call-mia-love-house-ner/

Whose war on women?

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Communist Party of the USA endorses Obama

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President Obama--get over it



Man up and stop blaming others for your failures.

Love from the Republican convention in Tampa

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What a great poster to replace a fading Obama poster

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The Democrats big lie about Katrina

The first line of defense in a hurricane, tornado or earthquake is the city, county and state authorities. During Katrina and Rita the mayor of New Orleans, Democrat Ray Nagin (Chocolate city Nagin) and the Democrat Governor of LA Kathleen Blanco failed in their responsibilities. Nagin thought they were prepared up to category 3 (it was a 5) and Blanco dithered about 2 days despite Bush’s urging before she did anything. So who do Democrats blame for 1800 deaths? President Bush. So far with Isaac there has been one death. Let's see if they will give Obama the credit or Governor Bobby Jindal who's been on top of this from the beginning.

How many “hot button” racialist words can you find?

“The Americas Before 1900 Working Group fosters comparative and transnational approaches to the cultures and histories of the early Americas in both research and teaching. Conceptualizing connections across the hemisphere’s cultures and languages is especially crucial for understanding the kinds of colonial encounters and transitions to modernity that proliferate from the pre-Columbian era to the advent of industrialization. We bring historians and literary scholars of both Latin America and Anglo-America together to discuss hemispheric questions such as how narratives across cultures address the legacy of slavery; how colonial encounters influence modern forms of jurisprudence; and how systems of quantification develop across different imperial spaces. Convening in Spring 2013, we anticipate broadening these questions as we create a space for ongoing dialogue about the interconnectedness of the Americas to each other and the rest of the globe. “

Spanish America [ca.1585]

It’s just a guess, but research on pre-european cultures with groups killing and sacrificing each other is probably not a part of this Ohio State University Working Group’s conceptualizing connections.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

You’ve bought a lie

Wellness exams, electronic records and preventive care do not save money or lives. But that's how Obamacare has been sold. Well trained doctors free of government red tape and payment schedules do. I know a woman who needs surgery tomorrow and is in constant pain, but it may be 4-5 months; I called in July for an appointment with a common specialty and couldn't get in until December. We are Medicare. Welcome to our playpen, all you who thought Obamacare would be so terrific.

Ask you doctor about PPACA

Go ahead, ask your physician at your next visit what she or he thinks of current Washington-directed reform and its impact on the doctor-patient relationship. What you hear will likely surprise you, because it will likely be markedly different from what you hear from Washington. The policy theorists are simply too far removed from the reality of front-line patient care. Health reform, whether via the implementation of ObamaCare or the GOP's "repeal and replace" plan, should no longer ignore the input and counsel of experienced, front-line, practicing doctors.

http://theweek.com/bullpen/column/232510/what-my-doctor-thinks-of-obamacare

Dog whistle or whistling in the dark?

Apparently dog whistle racism is when the slurs, slams or words are so subtle, so coded, so obscure, that only Republican politicians say them and only black people and Democrats understand them, if indeed they can hear them. Therefore, calling Obama the food stamp president is racist not because with his failed policies more Americans are using SNAP than ever before, but because he is black and to criticize him is code racism. Hello. He has criticized Romney for telling students to borrow from their parents rather than the government! Most people using food stamps are white. 40% of black women are having abortions.  Do the math. Americans elected him in 2008; he couldn't have been elected without the white vote. But what was historic and post racial in 2008 is now racist as millions try to abandon him because he has failed. He has broken his promises, and minorities particularly have been hurt. That's not code--that's the truth.


Sacred places

I think it's just so "special" (and transparent) that Brian Williams of NBC is so hurt that he can't go into the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake, even though he could go into any Mormon church for public worship if he so desired. It seems it's been a while since he's gone to church--any church. There are off limits and sacred places in all denominations, faiths and churches. I'd like to see Brian walk down the aisle at our church and decide he wants to stand at the pulpit and tell jokes during one of the sermons, or serve the elements during communion or crash a children's Sunday school class, or sign up to attend a women's retreat. Even the most liberal and Open churches would probably stop him. And that little aside about polygamy? Did he preface it with Barack Obama's father was a polygamist and he has a number of half-sibs and extended family members he's not taking care of?  Did Williams ever do a piece on Obama’s pastor, Rev. Wright’s, Black Theology?

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Obama is far more extreme than Akin on abortion—he supports infanticide

“Missouri has recently been at the center of the conversation on abortion thanks to controversial comments from its U.S. Senate candidate Todd Akin concerning women, abortion and rape.

But pro-life advocates say Obama is more extreme than Akin on abortion because of his record as a state senator from Illinois, when he refused to support a law that would provide medical protection for survivors of late abortions.”

http://www.lifenews.com/2012/08/28/abortion-survivor-rips-obama-on-infanticide-support-in-new-ad/

Rape discussion is good for politics, but. . .

Not much action in tracking down rapists.  But we can be sure if they do impregnate the women they violate, that the little suckers will be snuffed because feminists and politicians are really tough on products of conception.

“Rape-kit pileups [11,000] aren’t a problem just in Detroit. In recent years, cities across the country have reported mountains of kits—11,000 in San Antonio, 1,200 in Albuquerque, 4,000 in Houston—according to Sarah Tofte, who has studied the national debacle for the advocacy group Human Rights Watch. Experts estimate that hundreds of thousands of kits are languishing in police warehouses.”

“In one especially horrific case, Worthy says, a convicted rapist named Shelly Andre Brooks had raped and murdered five women after raping a woman whose kit was just recently entered into the database through Worthy’s initiative. If that rape kit had been tested and entered into the database sooner, the man could have been caught sooner—and five women’s lives could have been saved. “That’s why it’s so horrible, this whole thing,” Worthy says.”

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/08/28/rapists-beware-detroit-prosecutor-ids-21-attackers-in-rape-kit-probe.html

Romney in Michigan

Obama is hoping Michigan voters will trade religious freedom for the union bail out of the auto industry. But his lead in the polls is shrinking according to this WaPo opinion piece. " the Romney campaign has also been highlighting two other issues that have particular resonance in Michigan. One is the administration’s contraception and abortifacient mandate, which hurts the president with the socially conservative Reagan Democrats in such places as Macomb County. There are 2.4 million Catholic voters in Michigan, and Obama’s assault on religious liberty has alienated many of them. In May, the Michigan Catholic Conference filed suit against the Obama administration over the Health and Human Services mandate — and Catholic priests will be preaching against it in parishes across the state between now and Election Day. Look for Romney to underscore his opposition to the HHS mandate — and his endorsement by Lech Walesa — with these Catholic voters, many of whom are of Polish and Ukrainian descent. The second issue is welfare reform. . . . "


http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/marc-thiessen-romneys-play-for-michigan/2012/08/26/383e8a56-ef9e-11e1-adc6-87dfa8eff430_story.html?socialreader_check=0&denied=1

Monday, August 27, 2012

Sometimes it drives me crazy

that there are middle class career women who seem to know so little about food. . . about money. . . about politics.

Today I was reading a blogger discussing “food insecurity” which in government speak means that at some point during the past week or month, you were unsure about whether you’d have enough food. It doesn’t mean the gut pinching hunger that Haitian children experience unless they are eating at school.   She mentioned that there have been times in her life when she ate only cereal and milk.

Eeek!  For the same price for a box of cereal she could have made enough potato soup to feed a family, or scalloped potatoes, or maybe macaroni and cheese, or perhaps beans and rice. Cheaper and goes further.  Processed cereal in a box may be the worst buy per ounce and poorest nutrition available. 

E-books and public transportation—by Jeff at the Fluffington Post

I like to strike up conversations in coffee shops about the books people are reading, which may be a thing of the past with the e-book becoming so popular. Jeff liked looking at the covers. . .

“Public transportation has many pains and too few pleasures, but among the latter was the opportunity to anticipate burgeoning best sellers by observing how frequently certain books emerged from totes and backpacks. Books like How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Infinite Jest, Devil in the White City, Who Moved My Cheese, Freakanomics, Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

I considered it my CTA Browsing Library. Occasionally, an obscure title even prompted my next read, such as Michael Ondaaje’s Coming Through Slaughter.

But the E-reader Age is shutting the curtains on this peeking-tom pastime. A Kindle, Nook or iPad means no book jackets. No book jackets mean the only way to determine if those over-pierced commuters in combat boots are reading The Goebbels Diaries or The Nanny Diaries is to – *gulp* – ask them.”

You can read the whole piece here.

Huntington Bank is going to “revitalize” an Ohio State University neighborhood

I haven't looked into this. . . so this is simply a wild guess based on what has happened in the past to revitalizing "blighted" neighborhoods close to valuable real estate belonging to a powerful entity. The poor and low income move out; the yuppies, students and professional classes move in; the former residents move to the suburbs where they have fewer services, churches, social clubs; families and friends are scattered; new non-profits and government agencies spring up to help, employing the people now living in the old neighborhood; the cycle continues requiring even more investment by the tax payer.

Just six months into the agreement — in which Huntington gets the title of official consumer bank of Ohio State and can market directly to faculty, staff, students and alumni — there are early signs of just how transformative that investment could become.

Each month, Huntington has sent out a cadre of bankers to canvas the target neighborhoods to get an idea of what interest there is in using the bank as a resource and where the need is highest. Of the $100 million set aside, $75 million is earmarked for private lending — such as small business owners or homeowners — and commercial real estate firms to revitalize those neighborhoods.

Huntington, which is working informally with Campus Partners in the University District and PACT (Partners Achieving Community Transformation) in the Near East Side, will use the other $25 million for direct equity investment in those neighborhoods via community projects or development opportunities.

With input from those living and operating businesses in the Near East Side, PACT (eastpact.org) — a partnership between the city of Columbus, Ohio State and the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority — is creating a master plan for its community that is expected to be ready by the end of this year. Having a partner like Huntington with resources at the ready puts PACT a step ahead in how quickly it can implement its plan, said Dawn Tyler-Lee, PACT executive director. As one of the PACT founders, Ohio State is committing $10 million to the revitalization project.

http://oncampus.osu.edu/2012/08/huntington-agreement-will-revitalize-key-osu-neighborhoods/

Jeremiah 29:11 prayer

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I said this to myself as a prayer for a young woman I met in the coffee shop.  I thought perhaps she was in high school, but she told me she was finished with college.  “What field are you going into?” I asked.  “Oh, I don’t know. I’ll probably start looking next week.”  “So nothing you took in college really piqued your interest?” I said.  “Not really, I sort of liked business administration so maybe I’ll work in an office.”

College is usually 4, sometimes 5 years.  If she started as the recession hit in 2007-2008 maybe she found it easier to borrow money than go to work?  Or, maybe her parents are wealthy.

Nixon was the first president to provide funding for Planned Parenthood

And all Republican presidents have continued that, including a hefty amount from George W. Bush (ca. $250 million in 2003). The Fiscal Year 2009-2010 annual report also shows that Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s net assets as of June 30, 2010 topped $1 billion, specifically $1,009,600,000.00. I’m not sure why the taxpayer needs to be supporting such a wealthy organization, the largest provider of abortions in the country, now about 340,000 a year. Forty years ago both liberals and conservatives thought this was a way to bring down poverty—by reducing welfare payments for out of wedlock babies.  But, the incidence of unwed motherhood has only increased, and as contraception goes up (also a major service of PP), so does the abortion rate.  PP also uses its funds to decrease births among the black and brown peoples of development countries.

http://www.covenantnews.com/lefemine041031.htm

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/planned-parenthood-s-annual-report-got-4874m-tax-money-did-329445-abortions

Obama campaign lies about Romney’s abortion position

"Romney’s official position has always been that there should be exceptions in cases of rape, incest, and when the mother’s life is endangered. Even PolitiFact, the left-leaning “fact checking” website, declared the Obama ad was a “Pants on Fire” lie."

The position I hold, that babies shouldn't be punished for the sins of the father, is outside Romney's position, and outside most pro-life Republicans, the majority of whom make exception for incest and rape. But it's a convenient lie for Obama, nevertheless, because most people won't check. This year, pro-choice Democrats are left out completely with no place to go. Before Obama, they were thrown a bone to keep them in the party by parsing words. The Republicans are much more "big tent" and at least for the campaign include Libertarians who like to believe morality shouldn't be legislated, although we do it all the time on other issues. [quote from Weekly Standard]

Harry Reid’s scam—NYT reports on Romney’s tax returns

The whole point of Harry's scam was to seed doubt and to reveal Romney's wealth and tax advantages--which almost all members of Congress have, because they come in middle class and leave fabulously wealthy. President Obama, Reid, Pelosi, Kerry, the Kennedys, etc. all use a clutch of lawyers to protect their wealth. We Bruces just use one accountant, and since we pay by the number of forms, I’m well aware that if you itemize, there are loopholes.

http://staging.weeklystandard.com/blogs/new-york-times-reports-romney-paid-federal-taxes-will-harry-reid-apologize_650849.html

Even the low income and welfare recipients receive tax advantages through their landlord, where they are folded into the rent, regardless of whether the county/city is paying it or the renter. There are government officials like Valerie Jarrett, Obama’s right hand, who’ve become enormously wealthy taking advantage of tax breaks for poverty pimping.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Anti-life groups go after Romney


Anti-life groups are organizing to defeat Romney. "Planned Parenthood’s Action Fund plans to spend more than $3 million in Ohio and Virginia against Mitt Romney in the wake of his pledge to “get rid” of the women’s health advocacy group. The group is one of several liberal-leaning women’s organizations planning to spend millions of dollars in crucial election states to swing undecided female voters toward President Obama. Joining them are NARAL Pro-Choice America and EMILY’s List, two abortion-rights groups who are also planning aggressive campaigns." Why does PP need our tax money to kill more black and poor babies? Couldn't they just cut back on the salaries of the directors? Or ask for more from their elitist, white Democrat wealthy supporters? Why are they targeting black neighborhoods?


Planned Parenthood’s Action Fund planning revenge on Mitt Romney - The Hill - covering Congress, Pol

Soothing salve

Earlier in the summer our herb study group at Lakeside made something called "flower salve." I've never used anything so effective for soothing and calming a bug bite. So when my bone bruise began to irritate my skin (from a fall) I borrowed a little from a friend. I could see that I would quickly use it up, so I went looking for something similar at the store and found Burt's Bees Hand Salve. Although I don't care for the fragrance (eucalyptus) it sure stops itching and soreness

. http://www.burtsbees.com/natural-products/body-hand-care/hand-salve.html

I’d tell you what was in the flower salve, but I put it in a safe place, and can’t find it.


Saturday, August 25, 2012

You’re going to feel so silly if

you’ve thrown your vote away over a fluke of contraception and a phony war on women.

A "non-partisan" Pew Research study says the American middle class faces its "worst decade in modern history" — and the first bump down starts on Jan. 1. The equally "non-partisan" Congressional Budget Office now says that the tax and budget changes due to take effect at the beginning of 2013 will put the country back in recession and increase unemployment. This is a revision of their prediction earlier this year that in 2013 the economy would contract by 1.3%. Now they say 2.9%.”

http://news.investors.com/article/623481/201208241814/democrats-make-akin-war-women-face-of-republican-party.htm?p=2

Middle class income

This is what happens when the President decides he needs to redistribute income.  He grabbed a fifth of the economy and left employers and investors in limbo, stalling the recovery and new jobs.

Loyal Democrats will vote for 4 more years of this.

 

middle class income

Friday, August 24, 2012

Friday family photo—Tampa

A hurricane is heading for Tampa.  I’m praying for my family there that they will be safe and have no damage to property.

yoders

Today’s new word—biological colonialism

When people with money for medical procedures, probably living in the West, obtain organs from the poor and destitute in developing countries, or from political prisoners in China.

Rick Warren says religious freedom comes before all the others

Rick Warren, like a lot of other pastors and priests, was in Obama's pocket in 2008, but he has wised up, and now agrees with his Catholic brothers and sisters and other Evangelicals that without religious freedom, the others don't matter. Another pastor, Bishop E.W. Jackson who is African American, has called on Christians to leave the Democratic party.

Read here

10 cheapest U.S. cities to live

I don’t plan to move—I already own 2 paid for homes in Ohio, but I do like to browse the real estate market.  It’s sort of like watching HGTV, only this is Kiplinger’s list.  Most of the places on their annual list of the ten cheapest U.S. cities to live in are located in the South or Southwest. Four are in Texas.  None of them have my friends or children residing there. I was a little surprised to see Springfield, IL, and although it may be cheap, Illinois is going broke due to bad governance.


Read more: http://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/cheapest-cities-to-live-in-the-united-states/1.html?cid=32#ixzz24TRJgWvH

Pill and knife can take my life, but words will never hurt me

"People with intellectual disabilities" is the current, upgraded, government approved term for "retarded," a simple word now out of favor everyone understood and which wasn't a pejorative in the 1950s and 1960s. It evolved to mentally handicapped and developmentally disabled, but many thought "disabled" offensive and "handicapped" implied charity (cap in hand to receive alms).  The definition has expanded a bit. "An individual is considered to have an intellectual disability when: (1) the person's intellectual functioning level (IQ) is below 70-75; (2) the person has significant limitations in adaptive skill areas as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills; and (3) the disability originated before the age of 18.  "Adaptive skill areas" refers to basic skills needed for everyday life. They include communication, self-care, home living, social skills, leisure, health and safety, self-direction, functional academics (reading, writing, basic math), and work."

It's ironic that we're so careful about words implying a low IQ when society approves of the abortion of over 90% of Down Syndrome babies, like Trig Palin, who do meet the new higher, loftier, politically correct terms. Remember the old comeback for bullying? Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.     "Pill and knife can take my life, but words will ever hurt me."

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Potty mouths

Here at Lakeside I see only broadcast TV, much more than I would see in Columbus. I've seen some talk shows (Kelly Live) and some fall previews. What I'm noticing is what potty mouths the writers are creating for women. They are saying things to other women that would not be allowed for male characters. It's demeaning, disgusting, and I'm guessing about 90% male created, just like fashion. Since I also get to see the comedies and dramas from the 60s and 70s it really underscores the poor taste and poverty of thought of today's writers, producers and actors.  I think since Regis left Live, Kelly has let her writers put more edgy stuff out there.  It’s not attractive, my dear.

In Ohio you can’t teach school

if you don’t join the union.

right to work

And then the union will send your dues to the Democratic Party.

Women have been finding ways to control their fertility since the beginning of time, but it’s a fairly new action for governments.  In the early 20th century it was lauded as a way to control or eliminate minorities and poor people, and now it’s promoted as a way for women to be free to pursue careers or to not be burdened with raising a child.  Communist countries and Nazi Germany excelled at this, although abortion, not contraception was the primary means to control population.  For as long as they’ve been keeping track in the U.S., as the use of contraception goes up, so do abortions. You can probably figure out why.  Contraception may be a health issue to the president, but it is a behavior issue for women. Also, the chemicals in contraceptives make a woman’s skin more susceptible to UV rays, and could make her a better candidate for skin cancer.  Of course, a pill can’t protect a woman from an STD, but did you know it can actually make her uterus more susceptible by changing the uterine lining?  The chemicals in contraceptives go through a woman into her urine and are flushed into our water system.  The jury is still out on how that is affecting men. Keep in mind, any health problem that goes against prevailing political goals will be labeled a myth or at least will be downplayed.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/11/15/prostate-cancer-may-be-linked-to-birth-control-pills-in-water-supply/

http://www.nature.com/jid/journal/v129/n12/full/jid2009168a.html

http://www.healthguideinfo.com/birth-control/p93773/

http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/2900603.html

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Crinolines and camp

Yesterday at Lakeside (Civil War Week) we had a lecture on Crinolines, corsets and cravats.  During the question and answer period, I discerned that there are some gray haired ladies who don’t remember the crinolines of the 1950s. As they stood up in their shorts and capri pants, they pondered the restrictions.   I’m not sure how long those crinolines of the 1950s were in style—looking at photos of me in 1953, my dresses are hanging straight, but by 1955, I had a hoop with crinolines underneath, and by 1959 the chamise style with a baggy waist and straight skirt was all the rage.  I can even remember playing softball in high school wearing crinolines; we just scooped up our skirts and ran like the devil for first base (I never got much further).  When Priscilla and I went to camp on Lake Geneva in Wisconsin around 1956, we took dresses to wear to dinner, even though we were staying in log cabins.  So I must have taken some crinolines to camp.

 

 

.crinoline1




What not to wear

Along with HGTV’s House hunting shows in foreign countries, TLC’s What Not to Wear is always a good time burner.

 

wntw-922-rebecca-before-1

A campaign about Fluke and Akin

The wars are expanding while our soldiers still die in Afghanistan, Muslim extremists are replacing the "Arab Spring" Pelosi and Obama swooned over, our debt is ballooning to $16 trillion, our religious freedoms are being threatened by the HHS Mandate, the unemployment rate isn't budging after 42 months above 8%, we were suckered into a stimulus that failed and now he wants another one, Obamacare is the biggest middle class tax increase in history, our President is proud to be the "food stamp president," and the Democrats are trying to say don't look there, we've got bigger issues, contraception and rape? Fluke and Akin. Really?

Fat Cat at his right hand has very sticky fingers

Valerie Jarrett became a millionaire after serving only three years as a Commissioner for Planning and Development in Chicago under Mayor Richard Daley. In just the past few years she has acquired an 11 percent interest in the $100 million Kingsbury Plaza, a 46-story luxury apartment complex developed by Habitat Company her landing pad after leaving the Planning Commission.  . .

http://www.lucianne.com/thread/?artnum=697000

http://freebeacon.com/jarrett-towers/

Obama’s executive orders show a disorder

I think Richard Nixon had one executive order to circumvent our representative form of government (Congress) and Obama has had over 900.  They started increasing under Clinton, GW Bush ran with it exceeding most of our living presidents, and then Obama just went crazy. He has a "We can't wait" campaign. Now it's the ports.

That's how he got around the stalled DREAM act and went for DACA. Anyone fooled by the roll out right before the election?  Only Democrats and minorities. I don't think he was born in Kenya, but I suspect a banana republic that has known only dictators. You don't need to be a college student or even have a GED for DACA--"currently enrolled" also includes an education, literacy, or vocational training schools, and education program leading to a GED!!!

Educators at any level getting more paybacks as well as pulling in more Hispanic voters.  It’s a 2-fer.

Hillary Clinton’s assistant

Huma Abedin served for a dozen years as the assistant editor of the Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, publication of which was the main business of the Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs. Both the institute and the journal were founded by Abdullah Omar Naseef, a wealthy and influential Saudi academic who became a financier of the al Qaeda terror network as well as the secretary-general of Muslim World League – one of the most significant joint ventures of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Saudi government in terms of spreading Islamic supremacist ideology. Naseef recruited Huma Abedin’s parents to run the journal when it started in the late seventies, and it has been an Abedin family venture since that time, with Naseef remaining closely involved.

So why is it Islamophobia to ask questions about a woman with close ties to the U.S. government’s secrets?

http://frontpagemag.com/2012/jamie-glazov/huma-abedin-islamist-connections-and-willful-blindness/

Stimulus funds spent to promote Obama plans

Payback in politics certainly isn't unique to Obama's team.  Obama’s use of stimulus funds is being questioned—stimulus funds for his media buddies.  And who watches MSNBC?  Not very many.  For a President who complains about fat cats, half a million is no big deal.  But for one who promised things would be different, yes, it is the Chicago way. I did check out the PR firm.  Some reporters who formed a company in the late 80s.  Al Gore was an early client.

"Spending reports under the federal Recovery Act show $495,000 paid to McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations LLC, which the Labor Department hired to raise awareness “among employers and influencers about the [Job Corps] program’s existing and new training initiatives in high growth and environmentally friendly career areas” as well as spreading the word to prospective Job Corps enrollees.

The firm ultimately negotiated ad buys for “two approved spots” airing 14 times per week for two months on “Countdown With Keith Olbermann” and “The Rachel Maddow Show,” according to a project report, which listed the number zero under a section of the report asking how many jobs had been created through the stimulus contract. David Williams, president of the nonprofit watchdog Taxpayers Protection Alliance, called the contract “questionable” because it created no jobs and because of the placement of the ads on shows viewed as friendly to the administration’s policies.

Read more: Labor Department spends stimulus funds for ads during Olbermann, Maddow shows - Washington Times

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Dragging women back to the 50s—the Obama ad

The woman in the ad looks terrified.  Romney wants to drag women back to the 1950s.  I remember the years before 1973.  Abortion was not a political issue; it wasn’t even a religious issue.  It was a non-issue because as a nation we believed the pre-born deserved a chance at life, that life began at conception (all the medical texts said so), and that life was good. But in 1973 the Supreme Court decided Americans had a new right, one that had never existed before—a right to abort a living being from the womb. We’ve been thrown into a moral morass far worse than the battle against slavery, and which involves many more millions, particularly blacks who are targeted in billboards and clinic placements.  

The big issue in the ad is contraception, but we know that it will heat up to include abortion—as will the insurance clause which will eventually be free abortions included in all insurance plans. Sandra Fluke and friends won’t stop with contraception. This is the evil empire of our era.

Twenty years ago the Republicans had a very clear pro-life plank in their platform. “The unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed. . . the party affirms our support for a human life amendment to the Constitution.”   CNN suggests this is the draft for 2012.   It only seems to come up in election years.

"Faithful to the 'self-evident' truths enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, we assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed," the draft platform declares. "We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment's protections apply to unborn children."

The party will also reaffirm its opposition to federally-funded stem cell research and demand that the government "should not fund or subsidize health care which includes abortion coverage."

But even 20 years ago, Republican feminists and liberal Christians were urging a “big tent” on this moral issue, and Republicans have lost ground (I wasn’t a Republican in 1992, but I was a pro-life Democrat who have also been marginalized).  zMany Republicans are/ were willing to accept this huge evil in order to win at politics.  Pathetic.  So we can’t blame the Democrats if the old or current platforms have fallen into disuse.

http://www.wibw.com/home/nationalnews/headlines/Romney-Outdated-On-Womens-Issues-Obama-Ad-Says--165222196.html

Toss a few olives in that summer or Greek salad

  • Dozens of health-protective nutrients have been identified in olives, and recent studies have taken a very close look at olive varieties, olive processing, and changes that take place in olive nutrients. The overall conclusion from these studies is exciting for anyone who loves olives of all varieties. Greek-style black olives, Spanish-style green olives, Kalamata-style olives, and many different methods of olive preparation provide us with valuable amounts of many different antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients. While there are trade-offs that occur during olive ripening and olive curing - for example, decreased oleuropein with advanced stages of ripening yet increased amounts of anthocyanins - it's impossible to rule out any single type of olive as being unworthy of consideration as a uniquely health-supportive food, particularly in terms of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.
  • Hydroxytyrosol, an olive phytonutrient that has long been linked to cancer prevention, is now regarded as having the potential to help us prevent bone loss as well. Several recent laboratory animal studies have found increased depositing of calcium in bone and decreased loss of total bone mass following consumption of this olive phytonutrient (as well as oleuropein, another key phytonutrient found in olives). These findings are fascinating, since consumption of a Mediterranean Diet has long been associated with decreased risk of osteoporosis, and olives often find themselves on center stage in Mediterranean Diet studies.
  • In traditional herbal medicine practices, preparations from olives and olive leaves have often been used in treatment of inflammatory problems, including allergy-related inflammation. New research may help explain how olives work to provide us with anti-inflammatory benefits, especially during circumstances involving allergy. Olive extracts have now been shown to function as anti-histamines at a cellular level. By blocking special histamine receptors (called H1 receptors), unique components in olive extracts may help to lessen a cell's histamine response. Because histamine is a molecule that can get overproduced in allergy-related conditions and can be a key player in the inflammatory process, it's likely that the anti-inflammatory benefits we get from olives involve this anti-histamine pathway. It's also possible that olives may have a special role to play as part of an overall anti-allergenic diet.

From today’s newsletter The World’s Healthiest Foods

Monday, August 20, 2012

Veep choices

Biden is so weak he makes Obama look good. Ryan has wonderful strengths to balance some of Romney's weaknesses. So which presidential candidate is more secure?

The Obama economy—he owns it now, no more blame game

Obama economy

 

Until Obama came along, Bush was probably the all time big spender on social programs, not that it got him any love from the left.  But Obama long ago piled up bills enough for several presidencies.

Still, I can’t imagine George W. Bush whining and complaining and pouting like Obama has done for 4 years.

Monday Memories of the summer of 2012

From my son’s garden

Phil's jelly

Jalapeño jelly

 

Phil's salsa

pints of salsa

And there’s more on the way.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Hindsight is always 20-20

“On July 27, 2000, a first-term Congressman [Paul Ryan] from Wisconsin signed his name to the Housing Finance Regulatory Improvement Act. The 30-year-old legislator didn't have much company. Of 435 Members of the House, only 12 were willing to join Paul Ryan in sponsoring a bill to reduce the taxpayer risks at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Eight years later to the day, a federal bailout of the two mortgage giants was on its way to the desk of President George W. Bush. Almost $190 billion in taxpayer financing later, the toxic twins of the housing crisis maintain their massive role in mortgage finance.

On Friday, the U.S. Treasury said it is relieving the two government-sponsored enterprises of the requirement to pay regular dividends to taxpayers. Instead, the toxic twins will simply pass to the feds any profits they make. Fan and Fred's investment portfolios will also have to shrink more quickly, which is very good. But the deal suggests that they will continue to slap taxpayer-backed guarantees on mortgage bonds forever, or until there's a reformer in the White House.”.

Obama and Biden who were in the Senate in the mid-2000s did nothing, but later complain about the mess they inherited.  I looked through v.1 of the testimony in 2000 and see Maxine Waters was quite hostile to the idea of reforming or restricting F&F.

 

If only they had listened

The left is math challenged

“There's absolutely no use trying to explain to these crusaders for justice that Romney pays 13 percent because 1.) He reduces his taxable income with millions in charitable donations, and 2.) His income derives primarily from capital gains on investments, which are taxed at a lower rate than income from a paycheck.

Investment income gets a tax break because the government wants people to invest. Investment creates jobs, spurs development, expands the economy and ultimately reaps greater tax revenues.

When George W. Bush lowered the capital gains tax to its current 15 percent rate from 20 percent, revenue from the tax soared over the next three years and helped the nation avoid the severe economic downturns that easily could have followed the 9/11 terrorist attack, the Iraq War or Hurricane Katrina.”

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120819/OPINION03/208190307#ixzz2413So8vZ

I reduce my tax burden  because of charitable donations—although that’s not why I donate, and because I’m retired, some of my income comes from capital gains investments.  Should I have these “loopholes” but not rich guys like Romney and Obama and Buffett? How much do you want to hurt retirees by raising capital gains taxes?  How much more money do you want to chase out of the country?  I also have other loopholes that some poor people don’t have, like real estate taxes.  Some poor people don’t even have the opportunity to pay taxes so they can claim these deductions, but I’ll leave it to you to decide if that is fair.

Obama calls the bail out a success

because he expected the tax payers to lose much more. and he kept the unions happy.

“In a monthly report sent to Congress on Friday, the Obama administration boosted its forecast of expected losses by more than $3.3 billion to almost $25.1 billion, up from $21.7 billion in the last quarterly update.”
From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120813/AUTO01/208130392#ixzz24123vaYe

Unfortunately, he’s so pleased with it he wants to continue buying up other industries.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Fact checking the fact checkers

A biased "fact checker." Who knew?

People, especially conservatives, hate it when I use Snopes, but I’ve always found them (a husband and wife team) to be pretty accurate.  Not so all of them.   " . . . media fact checkers aren't going to be surprised by this, but Media Trackers, a nonpartisan watchdog, combed through the personal Twitter feed of PolitiFact Ohio writer Tom Feran and found he's a pretty vocal liberal. You can review the evidence here, but it turns out that he's not a fan of George W. Bush, refers to conservatives as "wingnuts" and "yahoos," and tweets out links to blog postings on the "The Cancer of Conservatism." On the other hand, Feran is an enthusiastic Obama supporter—"Go-bama!"—and supporter of Occupy Wall Street." Shocked. Not. [Weekly Standard Blog]

The Mustang, 1964 1/2

Down memory lane. As we drove to the near by Tri-Motor air museum today, on the way at a stop sign we admired an early Mustang lovingly restored and both agreed it was about the prettiest car ever (although not particularly comfortable) except for the 55-56 Chevy, to which I'm partial. Technically, there is no such car as a 1964 1/2, it was called that because it came out early, or late, I suppose depending on your viewpoint We began reminiscing about my brother's--I think it was red--a first year model. When babies started to arrive, it wasn't a good family car. Bet he wishes he had it now.


Tri-Motor Heritage Museum in Port Clinton

Today we visited the newly opened Ford Tri-Motor heritage museum near Port Clinton on Oak Lake Drive.  A very impressive building which speaks of history and risk, and not the fame of the architect. There are not many displays, yet, but I’m sure that will grow, and the Ford Tri-Motor being restored is in a number of large pieces.  While there we enjoyed an art show sponsored by the Greater Port Clinton Area Arts Council.  I bought a very nice small bowl in soft greens and blues, just perfect for the lake house from Colin Budd who summers on Catawba and winters in Oracle, AZ, and a note card from Julie Faetanini,  of Sandusky, which I’ll probably never use because it’s too nice.  Looking forward to the opening of the Tin Goose Diner which is in the building.

 http://www.colinbudd.com/page2.html

I can’t find any text to got with these photos, but they are interesting. http://www.putinbayphotos.com/TriMotor8407/TriMotor8407.htm

Job growth under Obama--the IRS

"When President Obama's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, aka "Obamacare") goes fully into effect in 2014, the American people will only then begin to see the implications of its thorough government takeover of health care, in all its glory. But what they are not expecting is the massively expanded role of the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") in our lives, as the IRS is the chief agency responsible for enforcing the Act."

The new face of healthcare

Friday, August 17, 2012

SPLC maps to hate

Which is a hate organization, one which maps to another organization on a "hate map" or one that follows the teachings of Jesus? If you support Southern Poverty Law Center, shame on you. It had FRC on a “hate map” as a destination where a security guard was shot this week by a guy carrying a bag of Chick-fil-A.  "Family Research Council (FRC) champions marriage and family as the foundation of civilization, the seedbed of virtue, and the wellspring of society. FRC shapes public debate and formulates public policy that values human life and upholds the institutions of marriage and the family. Believing that God is the author of life, liberty, and the family, FRC promotes the Judeo-Christian worldview as the basis for a just, free, and stable society."

The founder and 2 CEOs of SPLC make over $300,000 a year; the CEO of FRC earns $174,000.  Poverty pays well.

 

hate map

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/shooting-southern-poverty-law-center-put-family-research-council-hate-map

At a press conference on Thursday outside the FRC headquarters in downtown Washington, FRC President Perkins said, “I want to express my appreciation to the groups and organizations that we do not agree with on many public policy issues who have also expressed their outrage at what took place here yesterday. For that, I appreciate it. I appreciate them making those statements.”

“But I would ask them to go a step further and to join us in calling for an end to the reckless rhetoric that I believe led to yesterday’s incident that took place right behind me,” he said.

“And that does bring me to my final point,” said Perkins. “Let me be clear, that Floyd Corkins was responsible for firing the shot yesterday that wounded one of our colleagues and our friend Leo Johnson. But Corkins was given a license to shoot an unarmed man by organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center that have been reckless in labeling organizations hate groups because they disagree with them on public policy.”

In case you believe in "fairness" ala Obama

Obama and his supporters don't think he's doing such a bad job. I checked Daniel the Librarian* from Alaska, and he's loving it, and never liked being a Catholic anyway. Didn't he want fair? Isn't that what Jesus is all about? Unemployment is up; income is down; food stamp recipients are up; poverty higher; college grads not doing any better than those who didn't go; debt is soaring pushing his legacy to future unborn generations, so, . . . more people with less, more people dependent. See how it's all leveling out? That's a statist's idea of fair.

*Librarians vote 223:1 Democrat to Republican (survey from 2004, but it probably hasn't changed), which could explain some unbalanced library collections.

David Barton and left wing hate non-profits

David Barton has educated thousands, maybe millions, about the contributions of the Founders, the role of the 3 branches of government, how LBJ took away rights of churches in the 60s and fought civil rights legislation in the 50s, and especially the stunning role of African Americans in our country's history--something few of us ever learned since much of it was done through the churches. But he's been labeled a right wing extremist hater for telling the truth. He's also educated people on who gave us Jim Crow and the KKK, something the Democrats try to hide. If you're contributing to SPLC, check out the salaries of their mostly white board and executives. Hate really pays well for leftist non-profits. http://freethoughtblogs.com/rodda/2012/05/28/southern-poverty-law-center-names-david-barton-as-a-radical-to-watch/

Remember when Fancy Nancy knew more than President Bush about peace in the middle east?

Remember when Nancy Pelosi tried to undermine (with other Democrats like Obama) President Bush with playing footsie with Syria's Assad? Yesterday Assad forces bombed a children's hospital. I think this makes them extremist Muslims instead of moderate Muslims--the moderates only bomb the infidels. The Sunni Muslims are the majority and the Alawite sect to which the family of President Bashar al-Assad belongs is the minority.

"House Speaker Nancy Pelosi challenged the White House on Middle East policy yesterday, meeting with Syria's leader and insisting "the road to Damascus is a road to peace." That brought a sharp attack from the Bush administration, which has rejected direct talks with Damascus until it changes its ways.

http://articles.boston.com/2007-04-05/news/29225817_1_syrian-security-officials-syrian-president-bashar-assad-mideast-crises

Clean energy in Michigan

When Gov. Granholm signed the Clean Renewable and Efficient Energy Act in 2008 there were 4,256 jobs in the state in "power and communications systems construction," which includes the jobs for wind and solar power construction. In 2011, that number had dropped to 3,728 jobs; about a 14 percent drop.

http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/17400

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Rahm


George Obama, Barack’s youngest brother

"George has a real life brother who just happens to be the president of the United States. (George Obama is the youngest of eight children sired by Barack Obama Sr.) George’s brother is a multimillionaire and the most powerful man in the world. Moreover, George’s brother has framed his re-election campaign around the “fair share” theme that we owe obligations to those who are less fortunate.

One of Obama’s favorite phrases comes right out of the Bible: “We are our brother’s keeper.” Yet he has not contributed a penny to help his own brother. And evidently George does not believe, even in times of emergency, that he can turn to his brother in the White House for help."

You see, George is a "conservative" living in Kenya and rejects the anti-colonialism espoused by his and Barack's father - so naturally, his wealthy brother, Barack Obama, has nothing to do with him.

"So much for spreading the wealth around."
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/08/16/how-became-george-obama-brother/

Trust and Obey—Doug

Obamacare what could go wrong

BO and Hillary

This would be the left's dream team. I'm guessing old Joe is suddenly going to decide he has health problems or wants to spend more time with the grandchildren. I just don't think a sex scandal would do it--it doesn't bother the Democrats, and just wouldn't be believable.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/today-day_650058.html

The housing boom

“Not only did Federal Reserve actions stoke the housing boom, but transcripts released by the Fed make it clear that they entirely missed the magnitude of the problem of the housing bubble and failed to anticipate the ensuing crisis. This occurred even with diligent and constant economic forecasting by scores of intelligent and well-intentioned Ph.D. economists, armed with all the computers and databases they could desire, and earnest discussions of the outlook by senior officials. “

http://www.aei.org/article/economics/financial-services/why-do-smart-people-make-big-financial-mistakes/

Our strongest allies. . . all . . .punching above their weight class

http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/erYpXzE9Pxs%26

Why has Obama put the Navy SEALS in danger?

(CNN) -- A web video featuring former special forces officers accuses President Barack Obama of taking too much credit for the killing of Osama bin Laden and allowing classified information about the raid to become public.

The ad also includes former Navy SEALs.

Ingredients in cat food

Several times in her 14 years our cat, who isn’t very large—about 7 lbs—has quit eating.  With an appetite stimulant and refusing expensive testing plus smearing some baby food on her mouth, we’ve been able to get her started again.  Last August, I thought we’d lost her, but we got her going again.  But I did switch to a more expensive, specialty cat food, which she’s been very happy with until recently, and now sort of sniffs. At $1.50 more per can, I prefer she lick the bowl clean.  So I keep rotating it (she doesn’t like fish unless we’re eating it).  I don’t know if it makes any difference in her health, but I feel better reading the labels: (high price) duck, turkey broth, no grain, plus the usual additives cats need like taurine.  (9-lives) meat by-products, turkey, giblets, chicken, soy protein, wheat flour plus additives Most cat food labels start with corn—this one didn’t. I don’t see much duck in the meat counters, but there’s a lot in high priced cat food.

 

lotza

The community organizers evolve

Now it’s global and rural as well as suburban and urban.  Same old, same old. . .

http://www.sustainablecommunities.gov/

“Sustainable communities are places that have a variety of housing and transportation choices, with destinations close to home. As a result, they tend to have lower transportation costs, reduce air pollution and stormwater runoff, decrease infrastructure costs, preserve historic properties and sensitive lands, save people time in traffic, be more economically resilient and meet market demand for different types of housing at different prices points. Rural, suburban, and urban communities can all use sustainable communities strategies and techniques to invest in healthy, safe and walkable neighborhoods, but these strategies will look different in each place depending on the community’s character, context, and needs.

Developing more sustainable communities is important to our national goals of strengthening our economy, creating good jobs now while providing a foundation for lasting prosperity, using energy more efficiently to secure energy independence, and protecting our natural environment and human health. Three federal agencies came together to create the Partnership for Sustainable Communities to help places around the country develop in more environmentally and economically sustainable ways. To guide its work, the Partnership developed six livability principles:”

 

http://www.sustainableworthington.org/links#COSusComm

Is Obama really incompetent?

Is he really a failure, as some Republicans say?  I don’t think so.  Look at what he has accomplished. No Republican can match his record.  He’s been the overseer of the worst economic recovery in 75 years--using every failed policy from the FDR era, a man who extended the Great Depression by a decade; the debt has increased 450% to set in place years of diminishing strength;  he backed two losers in 2011—the Arab Spring and the American Occupiers;  he’s grabbed one fifth of the economy, health care, for the federal government; he’s expanded the wars and managed the press so well that even during a campaign year no one is talking about it not even Mitt Romney; he’s brought more people onto welfare and food stamps making them dependents of Uncle Sam than any other president in our history; he’s found at least a million college age illegals right before the toughest election in his career to fold into the Democratic party; he’s dismantling the work requirement in welfare reform of the mid-90s, something that’s always been an anathema to his party; he thinks contraception is more important than jobs to women; he’s virtually castrated Congress with his regulatory czars.  Add to all those events of the last 4 years, he’s the most anti-life leader we’ve ever had, garnering praise and endorsement from Planned Parenthood, the great snuffer of black children.  For a man of his political beliefs, these are not failures, they are accomplishments.

Both parties claim this

“It’s the President who took $716 billion from the Medicare program to spend on Obamacare. That’s cuts to current seniors that will lead to less services for current seniors. We won't do that. We actually say end the raid and restore that, so that those seniors today get the benefits that they organized their lives around.” Paul Ryan

 http://mi.tt/OfwGMO

Obama says he will save Medicare and Seniors by removing waste and fraud, and taking money from providers, but he’s moving that savings to Obamacare.  Ryan is doing pretty much the same thing, but giving it to seniors.  (I do wonder since 3 of the 4 candidates are/were members of Congress, why they couldn’t have tackled the waste and fraud issues before now.)  You’ll be the judge in November.  Ryan’s voucher plan won’t affect me or anyone over age 55, but for the rest of you it sounds like a good deal.  You’ll be able to buy the same health care that federal workers get or you can choose regular Medicare. Woot!  Choices always mean lower prices.   Someone has to step up and save Medicare (I guess we’re too ingrained with this entitlement to completely dump it).  The designers always intended it to grow, always saw it as the camel’s nose inside the tent of government paid health care for everyone,  but if it keeps on going, we won’t have any money for anything else. In 1960 health care was 5.2% of GDP, and today it is 18.4%. (Keep in mind when you see U.S. health care costs compared to other developed nations that ours is for the census population, not citizens, which means over 11 million Illegals, plus many legal immigrants who come here having had very little health care in the past.)

http://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/NationalHealthExpendData/Downloads/quickref.pdf

http://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/NationalHealthExpendData/downloads/proj2008.pdf

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Iowans are such nice people

They’ll host you, even if they won’t vote for you.

Jarret Heil, farmer Jeff Heil's son, calls the president's visit "truly an honor," and describes Obama as "gracious, personable and very respectful."

But then his statement takes a turn:

"As the milestone that it is for our community with the President's visit, it is important to not get caught up in the President's glamorous re-election words and remember President Obama's first term record and rhetoric does not represent Middle America, entrepreneurs, small business owners and farmers," Heil writes.

 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/08/15/158884594/obamas-iowa-hosts-say-theyll-pray-for-him-but-they-wont-vote-for-him?ft=1&f=1001&sc=tw&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

The caterer for Obama’s event today in Iowa was wearing a Mitt Romney shirt reminding the President that HE built his business, not the government.




“Tax the rich” he says

Read her entire article. Yes, Doug, even you can learn about the damage Obama has done. https://www.facebook.com/#!/permalink.php?story_fbid=420897187956246&id=142620392450595 But only if you take off your blinders and hatred toward Christians.

Tax the rich. We hear a lot about loopholes that the rich use to avoid paying their share of taxes. Surely they exist, and no, it isn’t an honest thing to do. But allow me to give you a thought to ponder. Barack Hussein Obama wants to tax the rich, yet he depends, in fact he begs, for his rich “friends” to donate thousands of dollars to his campaign. I can’t think of anything less equitable than the obscene amounts of money that entertainers and athletes make in just a few years. Many of them squander their good fortune in disreputable ways. Are they in agreement with the raising of their taxes, when many of them don’t even pay their share?

This election is NOT about how much money Mitt Romney is worth, or how Paul Ryan invested his Social Security benefits after his father died. This election is about the economy and the lack of employment Americans have to live with. Take they middle aged man who has not been able to find employment for a year because of Obamacare. His employment possibilities in the Health Care Management field have been curtailed by the uncertainty that Obamacare presents to someone with his high degree of education.

This election is about ousting a president who has not kept a promise that he made. Some might call him charismatic, some might be fueled by “white guilt” and feel a responsibility to have a minority president. Some truly believe the rhetoric that “we will take from the rich and give it to the poor.” This is where my objection is strongest. People like Barack Hussein Obama and his socialist ideology have stifled the young Americans’ desire to succeed. “Why?” they ask, “If it will be taken away from us.”

21,000+ retired federal workers receive lifetime government pensions of $100,000 or more per year

How long before the country goes under from bloated government pensions? The secular world maxes out at about $28,000 on social security, so hopefully they have some private investments to keep up with the government employees.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/retirement/story/2012-07-19/federal-pensions-in-excess-of-100-thousand/57059716/1

Nothing to run on, no record to talk about—Guest blogger Murray

Obama is on his 4th year in a row of campaigning and he has NOTHING to campaign on. At least nothing he wants to talk about! Normally that would stop a candidate in his tracks, but with Obama, it's different. Different you say? Well, just look at his entire political record. He has NEVER had anything to run on. But how has he won and made it to the Presidency, you ask? Well, he got to the Senate by attacking and smearing his opponents. (Look it up) He won the Presidency by promising hope and change plus, with the help of the Liberals and the MSM, smearing and blaming Bush for the financial crisis that the Democrats basically manipulated. (Look it up) The Obama team has learned that attacking and smearing an opponent does two important things. With the help of the MSM, it influences the people who aren't paying attention to what he is really doing and it forces his opponent to spend time defending himself rather that staying with the issues. It's ugly but it has worked for him. You see, as far as the Obama team is concerned, they have no positive positions that they can bring into the campaign so it leaves them with what they are best at.... attack and smear the opponent. Who is this Obama team you ask? For the basic team try Valerie Jarrett and slime ball, David Axelrod. Axelrod is an expert at destroying a person's reputation and character by conjuring up any kind of dirt on a person by lying, exaggerating or false innuendos. I don't care who you are, if you take an honest look a Obama's campaign, he and his team have attacked EVERYONE who opposes HIS ideas. He does not have to answer to anyone as he will not allow interviews nor any questions at his news conferences. Whereas his opponents get bombarded with "hard" questions at most interviews from the MSM. This makes for a huge difference and advantage.

When Obama speaks he customizes the message specifically to the particular audience at the time. He does this because, contrary to what he campaigned on, he has divided the people into various groups rather than unifying them. Lately there have been two subjects that dominate his speeches. First, he hammers the the wealthy claiming they are not paying their fair share even though he counts on them to attend his $40,000 plate fund raisers. He knows his audience envies the rich so it's easy to get them clamoring to take their money. They ignore the fact that the rich already pay most of our great country's taxes and many consist of the needed small business owners while 50% of the citizens pay no taxes. They ignore the fact that if they would raise the taxes of the rich based on Obama's plan, the result would amount to only 8 1/2 days of government spending.

Second, he goes after Romney's tax returns with help from the little weasel Harry Reid. Gee, how many in Obama's cabinet or Democrats got caught not paying? Reid said at a news conference that "somebody" told him Romney hadn't paid his taxes. A few days later ON THE SENATE FLOOR (like the idiot he is) he said "there's a rumor going around that Romney hasn't paid his taxes". Well Harry, if there's a rumor who started it? Only you have been quoted as saying it! Harry lies and Obama grins. A Fox News analysis asked Margie Omero ( President of a Democratic public opinion research firm ) what she thought of Harry's statements. Her response was "Well it "could" be true so why doesn't he show his tax returns?" Could be true??? Fox said there are a lot of things that COULD BE true about Obama or anyone. And then there's the ever so dense Nancy Pelosi who stated "Harry isn't lying because "somebody" told him". Oh, well that's different then.  (I wonder if she's read the Obamacare bill yet?) Anyway, Obama keeps hammering at these ever so important issues in every speech like a union boss attacking another business. This is the strength of Obama's campaign? They distract from the real issues like the economy, jobs, budget, and the National Debt because they're not doing well there. They will not deal with the facts. A huge factor in Obama's bid for re-election that has been ignored is the stock market. You see, many people consider the market a measurement of the economy and if their 401-k's and IRA's are up, they are happy and think everything is hunky-dory. It's a shame that so many people fail to pay attention to what is happening to our great country and are only concerned about themselves. They won't like what their grand children have to say to them if Obama continues.

Obama hasn't been using the Senate or House. Doesn't need them. He has written 924 executive orders in 40 months. He has his various departments doing his dirty work. Everything from welfare, loan guarantees, tight fossil fuel regulation, expanding the war, stopping pipelines, immigration etc.. etc. Why... gee, just think, you need not bother to vote anymore. Obama will take care of everything. Your legislators can go home. An example of this is the fact that weasel Reid has 35 bills on his desk that passed in the house that he refuses to put on the Senate floor for a vote. This weasel should move them rather than shoot his mouth off. Obama has threatened that if they were to somehow get through the Senate he would veto them anyway!!!! Yet, in one of Obama's recent speeches he was yelling that the House wasn't doing anything. Then he added that they should pass HIS jobs bill which was loaded with spending and about as popular as his budget that EVERYONE shot down in flames. Speaking of spending, did you know the Obama administration blew 3.4 BILLION dollars on green companies that went bust? 3.4 Billion!!!! He did this WITHOUT Congress. That's YOUR money and you not only didn't get a thank you note, you probably didn't even know it. It's Obamaism at it's worst.

We have seen how the Obama team works and yet there are people who stick with Obama because they think he's cool and a macho guy. Why? Well, at any speech he just might crack a joke, sing or disrespect the opposite party to the delight of his hand picked audience. He also worked the talk show circuit for the last 3 1/2 years all the while our great country is drowning in debt, with a suffering economy and millions out of work. But, if you have been paying attention you will easily conclude that Obama will lie to you about anything to get what he wants. Why...he even exploited his mother's illness and death when he was trying to sell Obamacare. He claimed he watched ( he wasn't there) his mother die while she was fighting her insurance company for claiming her condition was pre-existing. It was totally untrue as she was covered and most all of her expenses were paid. But this is the Obama way. Lie and slander on anything they can dig up to avoid the issues or to sell their brand. They milked Bush for 2 years and when they get backed into a corner today, they start reaching for tits again. They started on Romney saying he bullied someone back in elementary school. They milked Baine Capital for all it's worth ignoring the fact that Romney wasn't even on board when they made their claims. Their super PAC ad is now trying to claim Romney is responsible for a woman's death which proved to be the ugliest lie yet. This was a new low for the Obama campaign. Here are the facts:

** Mitt Romney left Bain in 1999 to work on Olympics.
** GST Steel in Kansas City was shut down in 2001.
** Top Obama bundler Jonathan Lavine was in charge of Bain Capital at the time. (Hmmmmm?? Who would be responsible if it were true?)
** Soptic was offered a buy-out.
** Soptic took another job but declined to purchase their insurance plan.
** Soptic’s wife had her own health insurance plan through 2003.
** In 2006, Soptic’s wife was diagnosed — diagnosed! — with very late-stage cancer.
** She died 22 days after diagnosis.
** The pro-Obama PAC Priorities USA cuts an ad blaming Romney for her death. ( In spite of these facts, the Obama team continues to allow the ad to run and some even profess Romney IS responsible) That's continuing a known LIE!

Now folks, it can't get any worse than that can it? It shows how ugly your President will get to win the next election and that he and his team are liars. Oh, it's OK to call him that because that's what he does best. People hesitate however for fear of being labeled a racist. You can bet the Obama team would label you quickly but I'll take my chances! This is the kind of stuff that you can't just wipe off the slate and say "that's politics". It's more than likely it will get worse since they now have two people to slander and destroy. If, after you see stuff like this and you still support Obama, you will deserve what you get and you know what that will be. More trashing of our great country, more sharing your wealth, less people carrying the load and total destruction of the greatest Democratic nation ever.

Murray