Collecting My Thoughts

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Intelligence Community Legal Reference Book

Sometimes I can't help myself. Not only am I addicted to reference books, I swoon over serendipity in the stacks. Yesterday I pulled off Intelligence Community Legal Reference Book, 680+ pages of unclassified documents about CIA, Homeland Security, counterintelligence, Patriot Act, detainee treatment, how to share information about terrorists, and information sharing, etc. Another thing that overwhelms me--how much Obama has to learn, if this is just the unclassified, imagine what else he's trying to take in. No wonder he's tracking to the middle, with all the Clintonistas standing around him like that TV ad for cell phone support.

Don't laugh. Have you ever read the National Security Act of 1947? You know, you go through life thinking you read, write and speak American standard English. . . and then you read a government document.

"Notwithstanding any provision of law identified in section 904, the President may stay the imposition of an economic, cultural, diplomatic, or other sanction or related action by the United States Government concerning a foreign country, organization, or person when the President determines and reports to Congress in accordance with section 903 that to proceed without delay would seriously risk the compromise of an ongoing criminal investigation directly related to the related to the activities giving rise to the sanction. Any such stay shall be effective for a period of time specified by the President, which period may not exceed 120 days, unless such period is extended in accordance with section 902."

Tipping has changed!

This morning I took a Christmas card and a $20 bill into Panera's, addressed to "The morning staff," and included a little note of thanks. It seems like a big chunk when you give it at once, but not amortized. I'm there about 4 days a week, 42 weeks of the year, so that's what, about a 12 cent tip per visit on a $1.69 cup of coffee with several refills, a seat by the fireplace, regulars and friends to chat with and 3 papers to read? Two of the staff members came over to my table later to personally thank me. That was nice--and it gave me a chance to share about "the olden days."

When I worked at Zickuhr's Drug Store in high school and a few weeks between college sessions between Manchester and University of Illinois, a cup of coffee was $.10 and the advice and kidding was free and never ending, as was the Monday Morning Quarter Backing all week long about the local sports teams. But it wasn't unusual to get a quarter tip. Dave Dillehay, the town clerk, was particularly generous. If I got on the honor roll, which was posted in the town paper each 6 weeks, I got a $5 gift certificate. And when I got married, he gave me a silverplate tea service, which now resides at my daughter's home. Yes, those were the days of tipping!

Both Dave Dillehay and Ralph Zickuhr have parks named for them, from a grateful community--they were good leaders and well liked.

Bankruptcy will be better than bailout both for Big 3 and American consumer

These points come from Don Weil, however, I've mentioned particularly the need for change in the auto industry going back to the 1970s. Ohio's economy is closely tied to the auto industry, as is my son's job, so I do have mixed emotions on the bailout, however, for the country and the global economy, a bailout is much worse than a bankruptcy. Overpaid unions, overpaid CEOs. Head-in-the-sand industry. Over regulated already with Congress trying to run the business and push cars no one wants. And who was it that allowed the loophole on gasoline efficiency so that light trucks became the rage? Congress, of course. Lame duck Bush will do nothing, although he'll get the blame either way; Obama will wait so he can be savior, and it will definitely be called a success no matter what the results. Even if we stay in a recession or fall into a depression that lasts over a decade like we did with FDR who grew it to massive proportions, Obama will be lauded and praised at least until Americans wake up a few generations from now. My generation won't live long enough to have history sort it out, and our "free press" will certain be no help, if it even survives

If the companies go into bankruptcy and come out stronger, the industry will employ about the same amount of people. If not, foreign auto makers will produce more cars in the U.S. and pick up many of these workers.
A prepackaged bankruptcy could actually leave the major auto makers in better shape than they were prior to the financial crisis. Since the mid-1990s, the Big Three made most of their money on gas guzzling SUVs and trucks. That simply won’t cut it anymore. Bankruptcy will force the auto makers to quicken their shift to smaller cars.
bankruptcy would give the Big Three an opportunity to rework their labor contracts, cutting compensation, and to jettison incompetent executives.
Plenty of companies have emerged stronger from bankruptcy. Nearly all the major airlines have gone through that process and came out stronger than when they entered.
The Big Three have had so many opportunities to change their practices since the first oil crisis of the early 1970s, yet they have been reluctant to budge. GM still has eight brands of cars, even though critics have pointed out for years that’s probably about seven too many.
this current "bailout" bears no resemblance to the rescue of Chrysler in 1980. In 1980, Congress passed, and President Carter signed, a law giving a U.S. government guarantee of a private $1.5 billion loan to Chrysler. Not one dollar of taxpayer funds was ever used in the deal. Chrysler also had a clear plan to make a comeback and the loan was relatively small.

Dan Weil - Dec 8 at Newsmax
.

For explanation of how UAW labor costs compare with other workers, see Heritage.

Monday, December 08, 2008

The CIA's art collection

Nothing about the government should surprise me, but I didn't know the CIA has its own art collection. Today I picked up the CSI's Studies in Intelligence Journal, vol.52, no.2, 2008, to read

"By the end of 2008, 52 percent of CIA’s workforce will have entered on duty since 11 September 2001. CIA’s history and museum programs provide institutional cohesion to communicate CIA’s corporate culture and identity during this demographic revolution. Recent additions to the Agency’s historical holdings include intelligence-themed paintings and sculpture that record for posterity the experiences of intelligence officers in peace and war."It was a non-circ item (from OSUL), but it is available on the web, or at least parts of it. Here's a sample of the art. The painting depicts Virginia Hall, a Baltimore native who joined the State Department in the 1930s, with many assignments abroad until an accident cost her a leg and she resigned. At the outbreak of WWII, she "joined the British Special Operations Executive (SOE). . . Her fluency in French landed her a clandestine assignment in Lyons, where she went to work developing the area’s resistance operations. Over the next 15 months, every British agent arriving in France passed through her flat for instructions, counterfeit money, and contacts. In addition, she orchestrated supply drops and helped endangered agents escape to England. Betrayed in November 1942, she had to use her own escape route out of France, just steps ahead of her now infamous pursuer, Klaus Barbie, “the butcher of Lyons.”

Hall then joined the Special Operations Branch of the Office of Strategic Services in March 1944 and asked to return to occupied France. OSS promptly granted her request and reinfiltrated her aboard a British PT boat. Disguised as a farmwoman, she carried cheese to local villages to count German troops and identify drop zones for the Allied invasion to come." After the war she received the Distinguished Service Cross—the only one given to a civilian woman during that war. "Hall later worked for the CIA, serving in many jobs as one of CIA’s first female operations officers."

Throw in some romance (Branjelina?) and this would be a great movie. She married her husband, Paul, in 1950 who was also an OSS officer. Her story was told in The Wolves at the Door : The True Story of America's Greatest Female Spy by Judith L. Pearson, The Lyons Press, 2005. That left leg looks pretty real to me in the painting. Maybe the artist didn't know?

Manna Storehouse raids in Ohio

Usually, I wouldn't cite a Daily Kos entry for anything, but I think this one on what happened in Ohio to a small organic co-op (private membership) Manna Storehouse, is worth looking at. It provides a lot of links that I won't go into. Both left, libertarian and right seemed alarmed by big government interference in legal, but non-licensed, activities. I suspect the raids happened because we have no serious crime in Ohio, and all the authorities who protect our great state from the bad guys need to go to the rural areas and farms because things are so peaceful in the cities. Ya think?

Here's the story as it appeared in The Morning Journal:

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Ten big lies

I've been watching Michael Medved on Book-TV talk about his newest book, Ten big lies about America in which he discussed the most pernicious persistent America-bashing that we hear almost daily from the media and the children and college students learn about the economy, race, religion in politics, the Iraq war, and other issues.

These include:

Fact: The colonies that became the United States accounted for, at most, 3 percent of the abominable international slave trade; the persistence of slavery in America slowed economic progress; and the U.S. deserves unique credit for ending slavery. [America-bashers try to say slavery here was unique--it wasn't--it was universal. And still exists today in many countries.]

Fact: Corporations played an indispensable role in building America, and corporate growth has brought progress that benefits all with cheaper goods and better jobs.

Fact: Even after ratifying the Constitution, fully half the state governments endorsed specific Christian denominations. And just a day after approving the First Amendment, forbidding theestablishment of religion, Congress called for a national “day of public thanksgiving and prayer” to acknowledge “the many signal favors of Almighty God.”

Fact: Familiar campaign rhetoric about the victimized middle class ignores the overwhelming statistical evidence that the standard of living keeps rising for every segment of the population, as well as the real-life experience of tens of millions of middle-class Americans."

He also reminds us that what made the Great Depression "great" was its unprecedented length, caused by the bumbling foolishness of our two presidents, Hoover and Roosevelt. No other recession/depression in our history had ever had such interference, nor had lasted as long. Medved has a great radio show--and if you can't get it in your area you can listen via the computer. The Book-TV program will be repeated tomorrow and next Sunday.

P.S. Bush never said, "Mission accomplished," but I don't think that was covered here. He did a radio show on that myth/lie which is constantly repeated.

New Notebook Time

The "latte" journal I started October 28, and used the last page December 5.

The new one should be cheery. It's published by Legacy Publishing Group, the artist is Teresa Kogut. I bought it at the Shade Tree at Lakeside this past summer. The old one (I bought a bunch of these) was $1.00 at the Discovery Shop. The artist is Deb Strain, an Ohio artist (according to the back inside cover) who left the classroom in 1994 to devote herself to her family and art.

Lots and lots of notes here I never used. So here's what I didn't write about--but will briefly note it here.

That's a lot of not writing.

About to go to press

You would think a person who can churn out 5-6 blog posts a day, keep track of 11 blogs, and write other, non-web related things could at least put together a Christmas letter before December 1. Our cards have been ready for about 3 weeks. I wrote the letter on my lap top up at the lake, but we'd brought the printer back to Columbus, and I couldn't get a wireless connection, so when I got home, I e-mailed it from the kitchen to my office, copy and pasted it into word processing, and I think we're good to go to Staples this morning. My husband did a special watercolor--and I didn't like it. I'm his biggest fan, and biggest critic. So he substituted a wonderful painting from our Alaska trip in 2001. But the original one may show up next year. When he photographed and printed it to 4 x 6, it looked fabulous. Sometimes reducing a painting hides the little defects. I thought about offering to send one to some blog readers not on the list, but realized we'd only made 200, and who knows how many read this regularly enough to see the offer. Thousands? Ha.

This is a photo of the painting on this year's card, not a scan, so you're seeing a bit of the mat, plus I've had to reduce the whatevers to get it to load--it was too large. And the letter--well, it was the most uninspired, boring thing I've ever written--"we did this, then that, and so on." Blah, blah. So you're not missing much if you missed the list. I must say, I have friends who do some incredible things--both in travel and service. We used to get photos of the children, now it is the grandchildren. Sometimes it's a pet with no people at all!

I don't think anyone will beat Marie and Wayne's Christmas letter. Marie and I became friends living in McKinley Hall at the University of Illinois 1958-1960. We haven't seen each other since graduation in 1961, but have continued to exchange Christmas cards over the years. I still have the baby pictures of her kids. I'm always worn out by the time I finish their letter, but in 2008 I think they are going to out-do even Nelson Jr., the valedictorian of my high school class who is married to a librarian and is a Professor at the University of Nebraska.

This year Marie and Wayne had

Really, even with a trip to Italy in June and a mission to Haiti in February, we look pretty stodgy compared to Wayne and Marie. Still, we're so very grateful to hear from far off friends at Christmas. I love Christmas letters and catching up, even though some people make fun of them. Isn't there a song to spoof* the Christmas letters? Our church is having a special "Blue Christmas" service for people who are having a hard time being joyful or thankful.

We know a couple who lost their daughter in October. It's going to be a tough time--worse than the day-to-day grief--getting through this. I've been there and remember. Holidays can be pretty awful when someone is missing--especially a child. As an adult I probably didn't spend more than 10 Christmases with my parents, but this time of year I miss them a lot. Probably will do a Monday Memory tomorrow about Christmas 1945, if I can scrape up the memories.

Time to head for Staples. Times's a-wasting.
---------------

*Looked it up--Ray Stevens' album

"Well, we still live in the double-wide,
but Bubba's added on,
A bass-boat shed and a workshop,
and new flamingoes for the lawn,
We took down the front yard tire swing,
now that Junior's in the pen,
But it looks like a happy new year:
they moved him off death row again!

Saturday, December 06, 2008

Happy Holidays from Fred Thompson

Go ahead and spend--he's got it all figured out!

Old Time--my time--recipe collection

As we dashed out of the cottage this morning to return to Columbus, I grabbed my "Home Builders Treasure Chest" recipe collection of the Ogle County, Ill. Home Bureau. The group was formed in 1939 and the book was published in 1957, so I thought it would be fun to post some items on my class reunion blog. It was one of my mother's recipe books that I inherited after her death in 2000. She had joined Home Extension after all her children were grown and gone. I'm not sure what the group was doing by then, she could have "written the book" on being a good homemaker, although I think she did learn some crafts. This group changed its name in 1962 to Ogle County Homemakers Extension Association.

I enjoyed looking through it reading the names of the ladies from Mt. Morris and Forreston I remembered. Then I came across a recipe by Fran Babler, mother of one of my classmates, who died about two weeks ago at 95. I have pleasant memories of Fran and her children, and as it turns out I learned on this trip, that my husband and my classmate Mike were in the Air Force ROTC drill team together. Mike went into the Air Force after the U. of I. and later became a commercial pilot. So here's his mom's recipe for Oatmeal Cake.

Reading through this, it was clear ideas about good nutrition have changed in the last 50 years. Many of these recipes were probably family favorites and reflect an earlier time--like pie crusts made with lard--even by 1957 Crisco was probably preferred, at least that's what my mom was using. Scrambled brains and eggs; stag dinner (broiled t-bone, french-fires, french fried onions, chef salad, cheese-apple pie); parsnip casserole; and all manner of fish held together in a gelatin goo. Also, you can hardly find a vegetable that isn't potato or corn. There are over 50 pages devoted to sweets and desserts--but only 10 to vegetables--and those were mostly potato or cabbage casseroles. I could almost feel my arteries hardening as I read! Although crisp, cut vegetables were suggested for snacks and garnishes. I saw almost nothing using rice and very little on beans.

There was one recipe for pizza in this collection--under "foreign foods." Both my husband and I remember trying pizza for the first time when we were seniors in high school and didn't think it was too special, but by the time we met 2 years later, we were both fans of this "foreign" food.

And yet, people weren't as overweight in the 1950s as they are today. Probably they were just picking, cleaning and cooking right out of the garden and didn't put those dishes in the recipe collections figuring everyone knew what to do with a panful of green peas or fresh cut asparagus. This food wheel was published in the back of the collection (not in color), and was produced by the USDA in 1943, apparently still in use 15 years later. Pasta and rice aren't listed, although it would be in group 6.

Considering the obesity problem we have with the USDA pyramid, maybe we should go back to the wheel--or maybe the government doesn't have all the answers--ya think? Here's the dedication:
Here's to the Homemaker,
The mother, the cook
Who firmly believes
In a cookery book.

Assembled within
Is a very small part
Of secrets we've shared
Some close to the heart.

But sharing a secret
Or sharing a care. . .
The Best Part of All
Is learning to share.

Cover Title: Home Builders Treasure Chest
Inside title: Favorite recipes. Compiled by Ogle County Home Bureau, printed by R. Wallace Pischel, Marceline, Mo., 1957

Why they won’t change their ways--the big three

In July 1987 National Geographic published a map of the Great Lakes, 15th in a series of 17 maps, “The Making of America.” It is has very interesting information and we keep it at our lake house on Lake Erie. From 1890-1960 it reports that the “lake ports of Hamilton, Cleveland, Detroit and Gary emerged as steel making giants in the heart of one of the world’s greatest concentrations of heavy manufacturing. Lake side mills devoured iron ore shipped south from the Gogebic, Mesabi, and other Lake Superior ranges, as well as coking coal brought by railroad and lake boat from the coalfields of Illinois and Appalachia.” But there were hard times--some 225,000 were forced to leave the north country of Minnesota--the farms and mines--between 1940 and 1950 alone.

However, for the 1970s and 1980s, we see a turn down for this region--the area of the big three that now comes to Congress hat in hand, asking for a bailout. It says “in the 1970s U.S. manufacturing ran afoul of global economic ills, foreign competition, poor management and extravagant wage pacts (the pensions they are now worried about). Tens of thousands left the so-called rust belt for the Sunbelt. “Japan quick to adopt the latest technology, forged ahead of the U.S. as the world’s largest steel producer. The substitution of lightweight plastics and aluminum for steel hammered the industry harder. Meanwhile U.S. automakers floundered under an invasion of fuel-efficient foreign cars; in Michigan car and truck output halved between 1976 and 1980.” . . “Detroit’s population shrank from 1,514,000 in 1970 to 1,203,000 a decade later. . . Many migrated to the South and West, were the booming service and high-tech economy required them to learn new skills.”

So here we are, more than 20 years after this was written, 30 years after our auto industry and the UAW were put on notice that they absolutely had to change, to streamline and reduce wages. Did they learn? No. They survived making light trucks and SUVs with huge management and union salaries, wages and benefits and big profits for shareholders. Now they sit in front of sour faced congressmen, berating and ridiculing them, babbling about sharing rides, people with no business expertise such as Barney Frank and Nancy Pelosi who haven’t a clue how to get us out of this mess, people who owe their own jobs to unions and big business both for more benefits and higher salaries. Those of us who didn’t make a fraction of the union wage or the CEOs salary, or a Congress salary, are expected to save them.

Friday, December 05, 2008

If you want to podcast

There's a neat little, easy to install thingy/widget for your written blog that turns it into a podcast. I don't listen to podcasts by amateurs because most people write better than they speak. But this feature is really amazing. It sounds almost like a real person--better than I could do if I read my own blogs aloud. Except. . . I can't get it to work correctly. I'm on my way out the door so I won't have time to fiddle, but if you find a blog that has one take a listen to that writer clicking on odiogo link. My problem specifically was that he/it would only read about 20 seconds, and also read some encoded huge number that I didn't know was there like 5 million 4 hundred thousand and 82. It could be because I html my topic headings with out of date code and it is trying vainly to read them. I don't think I have any fans who want my blogs on their i-pods, however, listening to the rhythm of your writing (I think) can make you a better writer. One of the reasons the KJV Bible is so elegant compared to today's plodding, English-as-it-was-never-spoken translations and paraphrases, is that it was written to be listened to--many people didn't know how to read.

Poking through the trash

Occasionally I look through spam/trash filter to see if I've missed anything. My osu address trashy writers apparently know I'm retired.

Then my commercial e-mail address, although it has an excellent filter sends me the "extender/members" offers plus the items about work, diets and debt

What's in your trash?

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Curses to use for those who might misuse a gift or endowment

At lunch today a group of retirees were discussing what becomes of gifts and endowments to universities and cities whether they be for a building, a library or landscaping. I for one wouldn't give a penny to any institution to name or build something, because as soon as the last relative who could object has faded from view, it is bulldozed, moved, renamed, or merged.

In the 10th century the Abbey of Cluny was established with donations from William I the Pious, duke of Aquitaine and count of Auvergne and his wife Ingelberga. You can see the charter at Medieval Sourcebook. It has some magnificent curses on those who might misuse the gift for anything other than his intent. Perhaps when you donate land, houses, or memorials to honor a loved one or yourself, you might throw in some of these curses in the agreement.

Mama Linda’s Filipino Style Spaghetti

If you liked yesterday's recipe, you might try this one from Gerry Alanguilan, a Filipino cartoonist who has drawn for the X-Men, Wolverine, X-Force, Fantastic Four for Marvel, Superman and Batman comics. I saw this at Belmont Club (Richard Fernandez). It’s really funny. I don’t think I’d ever heard of banana catsup, although hot dogs with spaghetti sounds downright midwestern. Banana catsup apparently was developed during WWII when tomatoes in the Philippines were in short supply. I'll watch for it next time I wander into the international aisle at Meijer's.

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Baked Orzo with Gruyere and Peas

I've been a bit under the weather today--had to skip the Advent noon services so my husband served Communion in my place. I've had ONN on, a channel I don't think I've ever watched because I don't get it in my office. I walked through the living room and saw Robin Davis of the Columbus Dispatch explaining how to make BAKED ORZO WITH GRUYERE AND PEAS--which is sort of macaroni and cheese, orzo being rice shaped pasta. It looked awfully good--but don't they always when the TV cooks make them? Here's the link. And I'm going to write out the ingredients since I print my blog:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 2-quart serving dish. Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add orzo. Cook until almost tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer orzo mixture to a large heat-proof bowl. Add milk, Gruyere, mozzarella and peas. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in same skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs. Toss to moisten with butter. Stir in cheese and thyme. Sprinkle over orzo. Bake until mixture is bubbling and topping is golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes.

PER SERVING: 374 calories; 19 g protein; 48 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 12 g fat (7 g saturated); 36 mg cholesterol; 231 mg sodium

Looks like a great dish for a pot-luck. She said the cubed mozzarella would melt but remain in cubes--offering a surprise when found by the eater. You can also use broccoli flowerettes in place of the peas.

Not much has changed in a thousand years

When you have access to a library of a few million books and journals just two miles away and freedom to browse in the stacks, it is easy to come home with topics about which you never gave a thought, such as The reformation of the 12th century by Giles Constable (Cambridge University Press, 1996). So far, I've only made it through the preface and introduction, the extensive bibliography and index, and skimmed a few chapters, but I've seen so much that looks familiar in the religious and secular life of the 11th and 12th centuries that reminds me of the 21st. Other names, titles, and concepts are totally unfamiliar like names of monasteries, phrases in Latin that don't translate well into English, places, and Roman Catholic theology. Even when I get out the dictionary, or check the extensive index, I don't have a frame of reference to understand. A Cluniac is not someone obsessed with movie star George Clooney, nephew of Rosemary, for instance. And black and white monks have nothing to do with race. And then there's the internet problem, always there when I read a book, finding things like The Medieval Sourcebook, which I didn't know I needed until I started browsing.

But before I run off on another tangent about medieval times I'll just note a few phrases that caught my eye, that reminded me that everything we (or at least I) think is contemporary, happened before, because human nature really doesn't change that much.

. . . reform and revival was seen as a result of the increasing population and approaching end of the world. Whether you're a global warmist fanatic follower of Al Gore, holy Cap and Trade, robed in the vestments of green hype or a Christian dispensationalist scanning the headlines to compare with the Books of Daniel and Revelation--this should sound familier
whether the reformers were from wealthy or humble origins, their followers were often well off [and from my cursory reading, feeling a bit guilty about it], but since it is the writings of the reformers that are available, the diversity and equality that is described may be the exception rather than the rule
charismatic preachers [politicians] recruited actively for converts to their reform movement--transfers from one house or community to another created personal, legal and political problems
rules circulated in written form, such as manuscripts and letters, but were carried out mainly through associations, personal contacts and visits--personal influence and connections were paramount
opponents of reform were not necessarily bad men, but they were set in their ways and opposed to change in principle as well as in practice
when faced with change, they resisted both passively and actively
resistance to change has been recorded by the reformers, not the resisters so is distorted or left out of the record
it was easier to start a new house than reform an old one
reforms of existing institutions and communities almost always involved some pain and difficulty, occasionally with activie resistance and open violence
an involuntary reform or change of order was a blow to the self-esteem of members and resistance was not always selfish or unreasonable
even the poorest monastic community needed land, buildings, books, vestments and other supplies, thus it needed patrons as well as spiritual founders, and these patrons often claimed rights over the community so the interests often clashed
even the most generous patrons hoped to get away as cheaply as possible
some reformers removed existing settlers
recruiting the next generation [of the reformed group] was always a problem when the first generation died out--newcomers didn't share the memories and ideals of the early years. The second generation was often the most dangerous period of institutional development
almost every new, reformed house that survived and flourished later went through a painful period, even a crisis as it grew in wealth and numbers
the new orders and reforms created diversity in the 12th century, with unforeseen consequences of competition and eventually greater uniformity and traditional solutions, so that as the age of experiment drew to a close, the traditional ideals and institutional patterns reasserted themselves within the monastic order and brought the period of change to an end.

Ah, change. It's an interesting concept, isn't it?

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Other People's Children

A review of two books at Books and Culture.

“Population control carries the implication that it would be preferable for some people not to be. Whether these undesirables are defined as a Yellow Peril threatening to sink the West, hordes of the hungry ready to kill each other or you, or even just slovenly neighbors bullying your babies or absorbing welfare checks, fear of other people's children has been a powerful engine of public policy.”

Forced Altruism

With every public and private school in the country requiring "community service" hours, there just aren't enough projects for the needy--unless cleaning up your own bedroom, or sweeping out the garage for dad could get on the list. Don't bet on it. Colleges and schools are taking a second look. It's not "volunteer" if it's required, is it? Same way with companies or state agencies that require staff to "volunteer" at various community projects. It builds a "white man's burden" mentality (even if the student isn't white)--the teen version of foreign aid for Africa, causing more harm than good. Since when is the poor's responsibility to teach our spoiled suburbanites "good works?"

However, I do have a suggestion for my own community of Upper Arlington. Our city fathers years ago contracted to have the side walks built right at the street curbs, so when we get the occasional snow storm or blizzard, the plows not only cover the driveways, but they bury the sidewalks in about 4-5' of chunked snow, slush and salt. Northwest Blvd. is about a block from the high school, and many teens park their cars there. It is also a street lined with duplexes where many retirees live. It's a match made in "community service" goals heaven. Send about 10-12 students, short on service hours, over to Northwest Blvd. after the plows go by. Meet phys ed requirements and service requirements both. And the neighbors will be so happy they'll help you with the next bond issue.

HT Joanne Jacobs

I will try to resist

Today is my turn to volunteer at the lunch room at the UA Senior Center. They have great food, deliciously prepared, lovingly dispensed (by me and Harold), and quite tempting. I'm going to keep that picture of my turnip greens in my mind's eye, and try to resist the corn chips and desserts. My goal--my red jeans will fit again.

If not by Christmas, maybe Valentine's Day.

I worry about the losers in this contest

I realize that these days you have to have contests and rewards to encourage workers to do what's expected of them, but hand washing should not be negotiable!

100 Percent Hand Hygiene Club

Here's what St. Raphael says about hand hygiene

St Raphael is battling this problem at its web site on hand hygiene and bring awareness to the general public and other hospitals.

Dear Abby has gone soft

The "real" Abby would never have said, "Do not try to tell her how to live her life." She would have said, "Kick that roomie out immediately, and tell her to wise up."

Not that kind of girl writes Dear Abby to complain that

She feared for her reputation, safety and privacy.

So what does Abby suggest? A huge wimp-out. Are women supposed to be assertive and strong in the workplace but not in their own apartments?

Now, that's sure going to get the roommate to wake-up and change her ways. Explaining the obvious is sure to change her sleeping around behavior. And since when does Abby not know that reminding people with little proverbs and cutsy sayings comes across as "telling them how to live."

Run for cover

When an AP story doesn't mention the political party of misbehavior or ethical lapse, we can usually assume the people are Democrats, because if it involves Republicans, it will be plainly and repeatedly noted.

But what if it is about sex, and the gender of the perp isn't mentioned?

Supposedly there was a "culture of substance abuse and promiscuity" in the office of a Denver Minerals Management Service from 2002-2006 according to a story I read last week. During that period the Interior Department found some employees were getting drunk and having sex with oil-company personnel. The report also noted instances of cociane use in the office.

There were apparently 55 people employed in the office, so we have no idea how many were part of this "culture." But it would seem they were all women given there are only two choices, and most oil company personnel are men. Although it could be gay sex, I suppose. And what an interesting take NYT has--moving an unrelated story to the clause to introduce the story:

As Congress prepares to debate expansion of drilling in taxpayer-owned coastal waters, the Interior Department agency that collects oil and gas royalties has been caught up in a wide-ranging ethics scandal — including allegations of financial self-dealing, accepting gifts from energy companies, cocaine use and sexual misconduct.After reading the NYT account, I was totally confused about who was zooming whom, and what was Royalty In Kind--an oil company exec, a government official or a quasi-government entity. "The Royalty in Kind (RIK) Program is responsible for managing Minerals Revenue Management’s (MRM) [Department of the Interior] commercial oil and gas commodity sales activity. Currently, the RIK Program is competitively selling over 800,000 MMBtu of natural gas per day and over 150,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Revenues from sales and other dispositions of RIK oil and gas in FY 2007 were over $4 billion." Link

My take-away is that when female officials or staff, whether working for the government, industry or some sort of hybrid contractor, are involved it is "promiscuity" and "unacceptable behavior." But when males did it, there will be hell to pay, careers ruined, and probably prison.

Monday, December 01, 2008

Watching TV to get a PhD

Someone came to my blog looking for something about "Mindy orange juice suit shrank," so I couldn't resist and back tracked--never finding the episode, but did discover an interesting PhD Thesis on TV comedy theme songs. I find that amazing. That someone spent all that time and our money watching TV and listening to the theme songs, and then gets to wear a cap and gown, and call herself Dr. Butcher.

Didn't we already know that?

A lot of heavy, deep ideas in this thesis

Many of us in the United States live and grow up in front of our television sets, and television theme songs become ingrained in our minds.
While the 1960s was a decade of social upheaval and change, the 1970s appears to have been a decade of self-absorption.
The primary function of the theme song, however, is to "hook" the audience into watching the show.
Gomer joins a long-standing tradition of fools, clowns and other tricksters who, aware of their powerless position and out of fear or threat of punishment, do not voice their opposition in a forthright manner.
and so on.

Still, it is fun to read. Maybe her committee liked it too.

Back to turnip greens

Two years ago I developed a taste for turnip greens and collard greens when I was looking for something interesting to eat while dieting that wouldn't get my taste buds excited. (That's half the battle, you know.) I hadn't had any for awhile, but bought some canned today. Seasoned with tasty stuff. Usually I buy fresh, but really, if they've been sitting awhile, they probably lost more vitamins than the cooked variety. The seasoned variety has about double the calories of the plain--but still only 40 calories for 1/2 cup--and I added an onion, a little rice, and sprinkled some parmesan cheese on top. Yummy.

A wonderful source of Vit. A, and a good source of Vit. C, calcium and fiber. Still, I don't think I'll get into my red jeans by Christmas. It sure goes on easier than it comes off.

Happy Thoughts, Happy Molecules

Dorothy Rabinowitz has an excellent review of the Deepak Chopra/CNN/Larry King discussion of the tragedy in Mumbai/Bombay in today's WSJ, "Deepak Blames America." If the topic weren't so serious, it would be beyond belief. But I want to tag along on her Deepak description and qualifications

healer, New Age philosopher and digestion guru, advocate of aromatherapy and regular enemas . . .If you have happy thoughts, then you make happy molecules. . ."to launch my snark at Ohio Health Dimensions Winter Classes and Programs. It looks like a curriculum developed by Ms. Rabinowitz' caricature of Dr. Chopra it is so overloaded with new ageism and alternative eastern therapies and religions.

Ageless beauty from within: incorporate self-healing practices to support your entire being with ancient wisdom of the East
Alexander Technique--learn to rejuvenate your mind and body, enhance your thinking
Bring your soul to work--connect your natural gifts and values to the demands and sacrifices of your job
Enhance your wellness with guided imagery--create positive changes--bring a floor mat
Green living--discover how easy it is--create a sustainable future for the seventh generation (indigenous people's concept)
Learn hypnosis for a change--what? No hope too?
Natural therapies for women's health issues--alternative remedies from irritable bowel disease to mood disorders
De-stress with active relaxation
Planting seeds of wellness--body, mind and spirit, culminating in the joyful group experience of Mandala
Seasonal detoxification--season-specific herbal remedies, purifying supplments (colonics?)
A lot of Yoga classes--too many to mention--chair, Hatha, baby, fertility
Magical moves of NIA--this is yoga with low impact aerobics and a sweat
Releasing Problems--blend a mind/body relaxation session with a land/water experience
Tai Chi--ancient Chinese exercise
Tai Kwon Do--fitness for self-defense
MBSR--based on ancient practice of mindfulness--homework!
MBSR graduate program--meditation, wisdom teachings
Self-healing through classical meditation--guided exploration of techniques, Loving Kindness Meditations
Taste of Mindfulness Meditation--individual sessions for only $50 a pop

And there are useful programs too like How to buy a home, Understanding auto insurance, digital cameras and retirement planning.

OhioHealth is Riverside Methodist, Grant, Doctors, Grady, Dublin Methodist, Hardin, Marion General, etc. Since they can't get you from ER to a room in less than 11 hours (which creates massive stress), I don't understand why they are offering yoga and guided imagery to reduce stress!

Sunday, November 30, 2008

China losing luster says Business Week

"A new survey finds rising worries about product quality and intellectual-property theft. More U.S. companies are looking to Mexico and their own backyard." Not fast enough. Especially food items. I picked up a box of holiday decorated Kellogg's Rice Krispie squares--an unfamiliar product. These days I'm looking for details. If it is not made or grown in the USA or Canada and is a food or health and beauty item, I put it back on the shelf. This one had only the decorated candies "made in China." No thanks. There is no reason for the USA to be importing food items, and I don't care what the trade agreements are, when we don't have the will to hire enough inspectors. Link. "Distributed by" tells you nothing. . . except that it probably wasn't grown or made in the USA.

Media hype wrong again

So much for all the gloom, doom and disaster the media were promoting. Who are their sources? The people went out on Black Friday and increased spending by 3% over last year. And for once I'm glad. The jobs they saved may be their neighbors or their own. Now we'll get all the qualifying stories from the journalists and consultants who got it wrong. The "yes, but," excuses.

Anyone in retirement years can see we're heading for a bad time, just open your latest statement. It's not like 2004 when the Kerry/Edwards campaign continually bad mouthed the economy for over a year, Bush, new jobs, etc. and the media chimed right in. It's not 2006 when the Democrats took over Congress by campaigning on the bad economy (that wasn't) and then rode it into the ditch by making no corrections the president wanted. The week after the 2004 election it was all good economic news again. Because we don't have time for it turn around like it did in the late 80s, and the late 90s and after 9/11, it's going to be a challenge for retirees--especially if they don't fix that 70.5 age for drawing down IRAs based on Dec. 31, 2007 balances. People my age didn't grow up expecting everything, so we are probably better off than the younger boomers who thought life would always be a bigger house, or a new leased car every other year, or a vacation in Aruba.

Advent

"By the 8th century, Advent, the origins of which are apparently to be found some three or four centuries earlier in Gaul, had become an integral part of the Christmas cycle and was understood to be the beginning of the church year. The season has two parts. From the first Sunday through December 16 there is an eschatological emphasis, and the days from December 17 to Christmas Even look toward Jesus' birth. The Nativity is thus properly understood as the guarantee of the second advent; as Christ came once in humility, so he will come again in glory." . . .

"in the single word "come" (Prayer of the Day, Lutheran Book of Worship) the prayer, which is addressed directly to Christ, voices the longing appeal of the church for the advent of its Lord." . . .

"The appointed color sequence is found for the first time at the beginning of the 12th century; usage varied. . . " from violet to purple, and now the preference listed in the LBW is blue. Commentary on the Lutheran Book of Worship, by Philip H. Pfatteicher, (Augsburg Fortress, 1990), chapter 5, "The Propers," p. 207

Library snacking reflects society

When I returned to work in the mid-1980s, the big discussion, at least at OSU and I assume other academic libraries, was food in the libraries. It was a huge maintenance problem and the trash was a problem both for staff and users. I don't recall much alarm then about health, obesity, and the greening of everything. So we pretty much went to a "no food and drink" policy as a preservation plan (of materials and staff) which soon was chipped away first in Health Sciences, as I recall. You just don't tell doctors, even those in training, where they can eat, drink or sleep. So then came rules about permanent holders, lids, sippy cups, etc. There was a snack machine in the room next door to the Veterinary Library, which the librarian before me raged about (he had other problems, including borrowing money from faculty and not paying it back, and not showing up for work--but oh, he watched that machine!). I've lost track of what the current plan is--the main library at OSU has been closed for renovation for several years. My library was torn down and replaced and I've only been in it once, although I planned it.

Libraries, like churches, give in to society's cultural norms and to common business practices, and are not the moral and ethical touchstones they aspire to be. So now in the 21st century library cafes are becoming popular. Even my local public library has tried to push that one, although you can walk across the street to a shopping center and get a nice cup of coffee served to you. The book, The Survey of Library Cafes, surveyed the current trend (40+ libraries, mostly public), and although I haven't read it, here are some of the highlights:

So, libraries contribute to obesity on the one hand, then buy books on dieting and alarmist titles about an obese population on the other. I'd have to look at it to see if these cafes are subbed out to private contractors or they use library-hired staff, but either way, the building is paid for by you, the tax payer, and it competes with your business community which also has to pay taxes to support the library. Nice job if you can get it.

It looks terribly expensive for the compiled data--55 pages and 80 euros! I'm wondering if authors' intention is to provide library directors, like ours, data to convince their board and voters that they need the next bond issue to open a cafe, yada, yada:

"This report gives extensive data on library cafe sales volume, best selling products, impact on library maintenance costs, reasons for starting a cafe, affect on library traffic and many other issues regarding the decision to start and manage a library cafe."

Saturday, November 29, 2008

The word terrorist returns to print

Did you notice? As early as October 2001 Reuters asked its reporters to not use terrorist when referring to 9/11 hijackers/attackers. But this week with the attacks in Mumbai (Bombay) it's in vogue again. Even Barack Obama used it. "The United States must continue to strengthen our partnerships with India and Nations around the world to root out and destroy terrorist networks." Doesn't that sound familiar, even if he wants them to do the heavy lifting? Belligerent. Bellicose. I think both Clinton and Bush said something very similar years ago. Anyway, apparently there are journalists, experts and commentators who still don't get it, that this might take some time to analyze and figure out. Maybe caution? Here's one Indian who's just telling it like it is. Smoke Signals.

For your listening pleasure

"Alison Krauss and Union Station have recorded 10 of Ron Block’s songs since 1992, including the beautiful “In the Palm of Your Hand” from the Alison Krauss and the Cox Family album (I Know Who Holds Tomorrow) and “A Living Prayer” from Lonely Runs Both Ways, which received a 2006 Gospel Music Association Dove award for the Bluegrass Song of the Year."

Thank you Sue at Inner Dorothy, a pastor of a United Church of Canada.

A Living Prayer

In this world I walk alone
With no place to call my home
But there's one who holds my hand
The rugged road through barren lands

The way is dark, the road is steep
But He's become my eyes to see
The strength to climb, my griefs to bear
The Savior lives inside me there

In Your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer, my God to Thee

In these trials of life I find
Another voice inside my mind
He comforts me and bids me live
Inside the love the Father gives

In Your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer, my God to Thee

Take my life and let me be
A living prayer, my God to Thee

Also see this link.

Good Bye Mr. President

I don’t know how long this will be on his opening web page, but Steven Curtis Chapman has a song thanking the outgoing president. All Americans can be proud of the way the out going and in coming presidents are working together.

“Whether you voted for him & love him, or you’ve disagreed with all his policies and dislike him... Could we all agree on this? We owe President Bush a sincere thank you. As the historic Inauguration of President Elect Barack Obama approaches, StevenCurtisChapman.com pauses to thank our outgoing President for his service to our great country.”

It really is a beautiful song. It looks like we’re entering a new phase of terrorism--at least I see the newspapers have returned to using that word. Now the sleepless nights will belong to the Obamas.

More jobs promised--what does it mean?

The Lex Column weighs in:

The Lex Column

Financial Times

Cutting costs at church

It adds up. Closing 2 days of the week, and eliminating donut holes. But what if. . .

Thank you, Emily, for that reminder!

What would we do without our friendly government or academic reminding us of what we already know, but somehow like petulant children, refuse to use.

dietitian

After we got back home on Thursday loaded with left overs from my daughter's fabulous meal, my husband took two walks and I took one. Noticing that my favorite slacks didn't fit, I actually stepped on the scale. I'm not even eating the pumpkin pie and cherry pie and honey baked ham she sent home. But I will also avoid chopping wood, sledding and ice skating. (Wonder where Emily lives? Between Cleveland and Buffalo?)

Story from OSU Press Release.

Burning calories after dinner

Friday, November 28, 2008

Michael Vick's dogs

Twenty two dogs confiscated from convicted felon and former NFL quarterback Michael Vick's Bad Newz Kennels now live at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in southern Utah and have their portraits on wine labels. And 92% of Down Syndrome babies are aborted, and Planned Parenthood is promoting gift certificates to do it.

This is rich

Obama has noticed the rich farmers getting government subsidies. Duh! Line by line he's going through the budget. Maybe he'll notice how much of the food support for the "hungry people" is actually welfare for farmers and the food industry?

WSJ Nov. 26

Now that he's going to be president, he'll have to leave that empty suit in the closet and show up for votes.

Why the non-profits are watching Team-O very carefully

Their jobs are on the line. The government uses non-profits* to outsource their programs--i.e., the government is really much, much larger than it looks. President Bush believed in "partnerships with private industry and non-profits." This is not the Obama plan.

For instance, the AAHSA (American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging) we read:

AAHSA [according 2002 testimony by Thomas W. Slemmer, NCR president] represents more than 5,600 mission-driven, not-for-profit members, senior housing, nursing homes, continuing care retirement communities, assisted living, and community services organizations. Every day, our members serve more than one million older persons across the country. AAHSA is committed to advancing the vision of healthy, affordable, ethical long-term care for America. Housing is a critical part of the long-term care continuum. Our members own and manage more than 300,000 units of federally assisted and market rate housing, including the largest number of sponsors of Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly.Representing close to 6,000 members, all not-for-profit and many faith-based, AAHSA does a lot of testifying on Capitol Hill. Looking through the various press releases during the campaign, it was extremely careful not to take sides or rattle any cages. That's a lot of careers, jobs, salaries, benefits, regulations, consumers (the elderly) and their families. And that's billions in government grants. Here's what Obama said in October in a letter to HUD:

Because of the fiscal mess left behind by the current Administration, we will need to look carefully at all departments and programs. We plan specifically to look at work that is being contracted out to ensure that it is fiscally responsible and effective. It is dishonest to claim real savings by reducing the number of HUD employees overseeing a program but increase the real cost of the program by transferring oversight to contractors. I pledge to reverse this poor management practice.Let's put aside the fact that a member Congress, which has oversite for the "fiscal mess" including the Barney Frank and Chris Dodd dog and pony show which precipitated our melt down, attributes the blame to Bush, he the Great O-Hope, next president, is going to fix it. How? By taking all those contracts away from the not-for-profits and faith-based organizations. He will Katrinasize the Old Age Industry in the U.S., one of the fastest growing demographics in the country. He'll Amtrak it into chaos and bankruptcy by returning these programs to the ever more inefficient federal government.

I personally think the oversite for these grants is outrageously lax, I could probably start a non-profit using calico cats to fight dementia in the elderly and wouldn't need to report how inefficient I was unless I spent more than X-amount of $$. But I wouldn't expect better from HUD if it had its sticky fingers in the pie directly from the beltway to Beaverton. Even if he doesn't return all the jobs to HUD, HHS and USDA, he'll so over regulate them that they might as well become government agencies in name if not in fact. I do not expect to see his favorites on the Left like ACORN lose their funding (hundreds of entangled in every imaginable non-profit from nutrition to housing to health), but if you're working in a faith-based agency, you ought to be very, very scared.

Many of the experts on government like Karl Rove, are applauding his "moderate choices" and retreads which will insulate him from his "change and hope" no-program ideas, but I'm not convinced. Sorry Karl, I think you're wrong on this one. I think the radical left is just waiting for all these billions currently out sourced to the faith-based and conservative/benign not-for-profits.

*Non-profit and not-for-profit are often used interchangeably, but the first seems to be an agency and the second an organization, for instance, Lutheran Social Services would be a non-profit but it might be a member of a not-for-profit like AAHSA.

** Photo from Cat Woman who rescues and finds homes for cats.

My secret fat

Today I got a warning in my e-mail, and an offer to buy a book promoting the secret to weight loss, telling me that we’re getting fat because of “MSG and other excitotoxins.” That’s not my problem, but I'm sure it will sell some books. This morning I stepped on the scale and it announced the bad, bad news. Since our trip to Italy this summer (6 months ago) I’ve put on 10 lbs. And that’s why my favorite, all wool, beautifully made, brown tweed Pendleton pants suit doesn’t fit as cold weather slips into Ohio. Now, there may be MSG in my food, but my problem is MGS, not MSG. More Gratuitous Snacking. Boxes of crackers have mysteriously made their way into my grocery cart, as have blocks of sharp cheddar cheese. I discovered an oreo cookie knock-off made with peanut butter for the filling. Three or four of those in the middle of the afternoon have given me just the MGS lift I needed. And let’s not forget my healthy breakfast of a sliced apple and ¼ cup of walnuts. The ¼ cup has grown to ¾ cup. And where in the world did those huge asiago bagels come from that I individually packaged and froze? They sure knocked out some plans to eat only 3 or 4 vegetables for lunch.

No, buying a book of diet secrets won’t be part of my plan.

Backstory: In September 2006 upon returning from my sister-in-law's wedding in California, I determined to lose 20 lbs by February 1, 2007 and I did. In the processes of giving up some favorite things (see my Thursday Thirteen), I also stopped snoring, had fewer back strains, and fewer colds (although that may be a coincidence). Just to make the personal political, let me remind you that the billions of dollars of your tax money the federal government is currently spending on programs and research to get the overweight poor and low-income quintiles to change their diets are destined to enrich only the USDA and HHS government workers if my experience changing my own habits and tastes is anecdotal evidence worth noting.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Over the river and past the golf course

We began the day with a lovely service at church with pastor Eric Waters preaching. I hope it's on the church web site, because it was certainly fabulous and worth listening to again. Our son and our son-in-law's father attended with us. Lots of wonderful hymns and seeing many faces from our scattered 9 services. Then it was off to our daughter's for a fabulous meal, two naps (turkey overload), and lots of left overs to bring home. A lovely table set with her Lenox wedding china and crystal.

Honey baked ham
roast (to perfection) turkey
baked and browned squash
fresh green beans
fresh beets
mashed potatoes
home made cranberry sauce
home made applesauce
wild rice and mushrooms
traditional stuffing
turkey gravy
rolls, deviled eggs, pickles, olives, etc.
several red wines
pumpkin pie
cherry pieWe just sort of rolled in the door when we got home. Tomorrow I'm back to the veggies and sensible eating. I couldn't get into my favorite pants suit before we went, and it will certainly be impossible now!

Praying for Obama

Of course, I will. The Bible tells me so. But today I was reading a blog about a Socialist Spanish Senator who converted to Catholicism and changed her views on abortion and is now pro-life. Wow. What would it take. . . I wondered. Then I found another blog called Obama Hears A Who.

The blog has only been around about two months but is interesting. The reference to Black Swans is unexpected events that totally change direction of a presidency burying the campaign promises--9/11 for George Bush, a man who had plans for his domestic policy but not jihad terrorists, and the September financial meltdown for Barack Obama, who was anti-war and pro-social programs, but will need to rebuild not just a national economy, but a global economy.

WSJ

As we gather to enjoy Thanksgiving

Let's remember one of the popular myths from our history--The Great Depression. Myth #4, Where the market had failed, the government stepped in to protect ordinary people.

"Hoover's disastrous agricultural policies involved the know-it-all Hoover acting as his own agriculture secretary and in fact writing the original Agricultural Marketing Act that evolved into Smoot-Hawley. While exports accounted for 7% of U.S. GDP in 1929, trade accounted for about one-third of U.S. farm income. The loss of export markets caused by Smoot-Hawley devastated the agricultural sector. Following in Hoover's footsteps, FDR concentrated on trying to raise farm income by such tactics as setting quotas on production and paying farmers to remove acreage from production -- even though this meant higher prices for hard-pressed consumers and had the effect of both lowering productivity and driving farmers off their land."

It was the poor who were hurt the most by the government's policies during the depression. We did not get out of it through benign, enlightened federal programs, taxing the people with one hand, and handing a little back with the other. Don't be fooled again!

Yes, do contribute to your local food pantry--there really are hungry people, and in keeping with a long tradition in the USA, conservative Christians will be contributing the lion's share. But keep in mind how poverty figures are juggled by bureaucrats so that it is never eleminated (they would lose their jobs). These figures do not take into consideration the huge transfer of wealth in the form of health care (Medicaid, Medicare, SCHIP), food programs (food stamps, school nutriton, etc.), housing programs (vouchers, affordable housing trusts, etc), Social Security and tax right offs, so that the 95% of us who were to get a tax break under Obama can't, because so many people don't pay federal income tax. Also, about 50 million of our 300 million people aren't citizens and probably need to go home and live on the kindness of their own governments. That would considerably reduce our expenses. If women would marry the father of their children, that could also reduce some government spending. The proportion of children living in female-headed households doubled between 1970 and 2003, rising from 11.6 percent in 1970 to 23.6 in 2003. There are a lot of women living with men who should be kicked out of the house simply for not contributing to expenses! Also, poverty figures include people who are only in that group briefly, such as college students or people just starting out, or the elderly who have wealth, but not income.

Indeed, there will always be a gap between the rich and poor, even if the bottom makes $200,000 a year and the top $200,000,000; and it is the gap and not the actual income or benefits that determines the philosophy of the party about to take over the $400 billion or 12% of our GDP we're currently spending on low-income and poor people.