The New Thompson Library at Ohio State

My husband's e-mail this morning offered him a place in this afternoon's tour (no open shoes, and long pants, please). He thought about it, then said no. I suppose I eventually will get an invite--although I never got one for the new Veterinary Medicine Library (which I spent my last 2 years on) when it opened. And now they're talking about closing it less than a decade later. Anyway, here's the photo. It seems to be real, not a mock-up--looks like construction equipment there in the front.



I have no idea, not having been inside, what all that glass is about. It's death and destruction for paper materials, causes glare on computer screens, blinds the staff, and makes a building very hard to heat and cool. But, oh well, the tax payers will get the invoice--and since the planning was started in the 90s, we won't put this one on Strickland or Obama.

George Carlin on caring for the Earth

The language is a bit rough, but he certainly nails it.

Vote No on Issue 4 (Library) of $25 million

This information comes from the letters in the UA News, April 22

If a school levy fails, people lose jobs, children's education is strained and communities suffer. But the library levy is not one of those. It is an overpriced, ballooned request upon citizens in a challenging economic climate.

This is the third time the library tax has increased since 2001, and should it pass, UA taxpayers will be paying nearly five times what they paid to the library just 8 years ago.

Of the 3 plans presented to the library board, the most expesive was chosen, and added to.

Operating costs are not included in this request. Therefore, we can expect more down the road.

No library employees will lose their jobs if this levy fails.

Over half the UA library patrons live outside the city of UA and do not pay UA property tax.

One letter writer counted 18 chairs in the atrium, 4 in the video area, 3 being used. Saw children using study cubicles for coloring books. [Actually, I applaud the parent for bringing something to keep the children busy, rather than letting them run loose disturbing others.]

A $25 million dollar levy is over the top for unnecessary expansion. Most seats are vacant. There are a dozen DVD copies of the movie Elf. [And 15 copies of anti-Bush books, and every movie Michael Moore ever made.] Proponents arguments are not for literary or educational need, but for more free entertainment.

People are losing their jobs. Why gold plate the library? Does it really need a cafe, a gathering place, fireplaces--after an outcry these perks were removed, but do they think the taxpayers have forgotten? A $25 million levy goes far beyond "improvements" and is empire building.

If issue 4 passes, UA tax payments to the Library will rise from $996,000 in 2001 to almost $4.7 million annually.

Of the proposed 35,000 sq. ft. Tremont (main) expansion more than 1/3, 14,000 sq. ft. is for the library's staff/mechanical storage space, and the entire lower level will be off limits for patrons.

Two of the library's trustees voted against the levy, citing the bad economy.

Critical repairs are needed: the library has $3 million+ on hand for that.

Other details at changeinua.org.

The recent Miller Park (south of Lane Ave.) branch totaled about $1 million--administrators said no public funds would be used, but records show otherwise.

Residents opposed the "cafe" originally proposed; now it's called a vending area.

Advice from a resident: rein in tax increases, budget for necessary maintenance, prioritize services, heed board members Magill and Perera; be accountable to voters.

And imagine what is to come!

"During the Democratic Convention in Denver last year, Julia Giacopuzzi, age 15, was rushed by a police officer, had her arms twisted behind her back, lifted up off the ground and then cuffed. Her crime? Sidewalk chalking that Obama is a pro-abortion candidate.

Three Pro-Lifers were arrested and thrown in jail for this heinous crime, even though they had a permit issued to them by the police and the city of Denver."

Now, why is it a crime to tell the truth about a candidate? He was/is pro-abortion; the most pro-abortion elected official in the entire United States. He approves of infanticide if it was the mother's intent to kill the baby before birth, and something went wrong in the procedure (wrongful birth).

And that was before the infamous document from Janet Napolitano (remember, Obama wasn't even aware of the tea parties, so it was all her fault) warning police departments to be on the look out for pro-lifers, recently returned veterans, and others who didn't vote for Obama.

When the fox guards the hen house

the chickens all go into hiding. When the weasels suck the eggs, there's no new generation to object. When the affable, day-dreaming farm wife goes out to check on her small business efforts, she'll find the coop blew away in the Obama tornado of 2009.

The latest threatened probe of former president Bush and his administration officials is a cover-up of the mess Obama's made his first 3 months in office. His sucking up to fascists, dictators, Communists and socialists in his global trots; his campaign promises now turned into real threats to life, limb, freedom and the economy as patriotic citizens become "threats" because they didn't vote for him; his unheard of trillions of debt beyond anyone's imagination even in October to sink us with inflation what hasn't been stolen from us; his take over of major segments of the economy; his conciliatory words to North Korea's nose thumbing; his hiring of tax cheats and crooks for his cabinet; his friendships and alliances with Ayer-heads; his bizarre love affair with a teleprompter formerly mistaken to be the ability to be an orator; the hostage taking and sentencing of an American reporter; the piracy off Somalia where he diddled and fiddled for 4 days before allowing the Navy Seals to handle it (a brief preview of things to come); the hacking of the $300 billion joint Strike Fighter project; his complicity as a senator in the current recession (budget was controlled by a Democratic congress since 2006, but the housing mess goes back to the Carter years); and the growing concern even among the main stream press who carried his water for 2 years of campaigning, now choosing words to describe his administration and problem solving like "uncertainty," "confusion," "unclear," "lack of clarity," and "frustration."

Only Democrats elected since 2003 are safe in this probe, because Bush had their full support and the war effort was built on the Clinton era intelligence. We have all the speeches from pre-2001 of Hillary and Ted, John Boy and Kerry. They'll need to be disposed of too, because no one but Obama can be in charge and they, particulary Hillary, are a huge threat to his power. But don't look at Obama for any of the blame. He was safely hiding out in Illinois voting to kill born alive babies.

Chavez blame game

I won't be reading his book, the one Obama accepted as a gift after listening to a despot denigrate his country for 50 minutes. Curiosity seeker-buyers have pushed it to the top of the Amazon list. Man, does this guy know how to market, or what? Too bad his politics aren't democracy and capitalism. I'm sure he's more than happy to take the profits and store them out of his country. The book appears to blame Latin America's failures on white Europeans. So what is Chavez' ethnicity? According to one census account I read (for 2000) Venezuela is 34% mulatto (African European mix), 10% black, 21% white, 34% mestizo (European Indian mix) and 2% Indian. Now, in the United States that would mean 44% black, 21% white, and 36% Indian. Also, the Venezuelans have long played loosey goosey with their own racial designations--according to the report I read (sorry I didn't note the link--I usually do). Looking at Chavez, who in photos appears to be darker than Obama, I'm guessing he's part mestizo and part mulatto, which would make him a big part European, right? So we've got one big boss, the son of a white teenager who had an affair with an older married African, hobnobbing with another big boss ridiculing his own ancestry. Where are their manners? It's not nice to dis your mama. Or your country.

President sensitive to our concerns

After the tea parties, Obama really wanted to show the American people how serious he was about cutting government spending.

President Barack Obama ordered his cabinet to identify and shave a collective $100 million in administrative costs from their budgets (less than the Murtha airport which has almost no customers). . . However, since President Obama’s inauguration, $270 million has been spent on television advertisements designed to influence public-policy decisions. Morning Bell, April 21, 2009

Here's a graphic of what a trillion looks like. Compare it to 100 million.

Remembering the Seventies--Monday Memories

I first heard the details about the modern women's movement in my living room. A neighbor/friend with whom I worked on a fair housing committee mentioned she was losing interest in civil rights, but had become interested in women's rights. Not the one from the 19th century, not getting out the vote of the early 20th century, but Equal Rights Amendment, equal pay stuff. Neither of us were employed, although we both had advanced degrees, and that wasn't unusual in my neighborhood near Ohio State University. I think her teenage daughter had run away from home; shortly thereafter she did too, and I never saw her again. Not too long after that I remember attending “consciousness raising” groups on the OSU campus--women sitting around in dumpy duplexes, usually on the floor, discussing the various ways society or more specifically men had kept them from their potential or dreams, and how things would be different if women were in charge. More collaborative. Kinder. More team work. We were so radical we didn’t even serve snacks like church ladies.

Yes, I remember when the professional schools of medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy and law weren't over 60% female. I just stared in amazement when the female student vet walked in to look at my 5 week old kitten in 1976. I remember when suburban neighborhoods weren't expensively furnished ghost towns during the day. People were around and children were playing in yards unsupervised. I remember when most pastors in Protestant mainline churches were male seminary graduates. I can even remember when people only went out to eat (unless they were fabulously wealthy) on special occasions. I can count on one hand the number of times I'd been in a fast food restaurant before 1970. I remember when I knew no one who homeschooled and no one sent their children (except Catholics) to private school. Grover and Big Bird were just a few years old and quite innocent; Phil Donahue was leaving Dayton around 1970, as I recall.

I didn't read a lot of medical literature in the early 1970s (except baby stuff), but it seems it was more about disease, cures and epidemiology and not so much about poverty, ethnicity and gender in those days. Children played in their own neighborhoods, or mothers organized play groups and supervised each others children. I didn't see a Wal-Mart until about 1978, or later,--in Bradenton I think. I used disposable diapers only on car trips, held the babies in my lap not car seats, their toys and clothing were made in the U.S.A. (or by me), and I never took my children to grocery stores or church. Like most of the people we knew we had one TV, one car, and one telephone.

That's sort of how I remember the 70s. The women's movement changed everything and brought us many of our current social, economic and health problems. More on that later.

[Sorry, this missed the deadline for Monday. There's no one to blame, but me.]

Obama and infanticide

All Democrats at the federal level said induced labor abortions which resulted in later killing the born alive aborted babies was wrong (Born alive infants protection act). Only one elected man in our government, in the Illinois legislature at the time, believes in infanticide. Barack Obama.

How to have a dialog with a liberal--Shut Up!

Andrew Klavan, HT Pauli.

Why is a political organization in the public school?

Upper Arlington Progressive Action began as a John Kerry fund raising organization in 2004 and a way to thumb a nose at UA conservatives, then flexing its muscles moved on to Barack Obama's enthronment in 2008. Now it is "sponsoring" Earth Day at Wickcliffe School in Upper Arlington, which is supported by my real estate taxes, state taxes, and federal taxes. I can't think of any similar conservative organization (by name), political or religious, but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be allowed in one of our public schools (or the library--remember that group that wanted to pray!) to promote a conservative agenda of free markets, capitalism, Constitutional interpretation, party candidates, and the economic fight against environmental regulation and cap 'n trade which promises to hurt children most. Nor would they be allowed, if it was part of their mission statement, to tell the children the story from Genesis about how God created the earth and that he loves them. So why does UAPA get to do this?

"Please join the Wickliffe Progressive School community, UAPA and Sustainable UA for an Earth Day Event on Saturday, April 25, 2009, at Wickliffe School, 2405 Wickliffe Road. These groups will be working together to get volunteers, Ohio-native plants and monetary donations for a community beautification event in celebration of Earth Day."

Also at the UAPA website is support for the Library levy, something we just went to the bank for 2 years ago, Jennifer Brunner, Democrat, and a tirade against Rush Limbaugh. He's the current go-to-guy-for-hate since Bush left to write his memoirs. Also he's on 610 and they are promoting a different AM station on their web site.

Too much salt, Americans?

In today's health column in WSJ, Melinda Beck writes about America's unfortunate love affair with sodium. She says we have increased our salt intake by 50% since the 1970s. I'll go a bit further and say since 1970, the real beginning of the current women's movement. I think on Thursday I'll write about 13 social, political, spiritual, economic and health problems we can trace to the modern women's movement. But I digress.

Beck says we (average Americans) get 15 times the sodium the body needs to function. Guilty as charged. I salt my breakfast--an apple, some sliced carrots and walnuts. I salt restaurant french fries. I salt canned soup. I'm bad. But I have very low blood pressure. Still that's no excuse, and those things can change overnight. So this morning I'm eating my apple, carrots and walnuts without salt. I noticed Beck mentioned osteoporosis, which of course should always be a concern to fair skin Caucasian women living with little sunshine (for vitamin D) and who don't like exercise. When I Googled "osteoporosis + sodium" I got a mixed bag, so that will take a bit of research. It seems very primitive societies have almost no salt in their diets, have very low blood pressure, but not a terrific advantage on life expectancy.

Even so, until further research, I'll eat my breakfast without salt.

I don't qualify, but maybe you do: "HYPERTENSION STUDY. The Department of Family Medicine at The Ohio State University is currently enrolling for a research study for people with stage 2 hypertension. This study is looking at how effective a combination pill of valsartan and aliskiren works versus valsartan alone. Participation will last up to 12 weeks and participants may receive up to $700. If you are interested in learning more about this study, please contact Paula Smailes at (614) 293-3644 or paula.smailes@osumc.edu."

Who the heck is Peter Heck?

Don't know, but he sure has this one right on the arrogance of our President. Obama sounds like a poor loser instead of a proud winner as he does the global trots defecating on our former Presidents (even Clinton in apologizing for Hutu-Tutsi problems) and besmirching our patriotism and history. Nobody's perfect; no country always gets it right. But he can't take the stance that "this happened when I was 3 years old, so don't blame me," and turn around and throttle the people who elected him for things he doesn't like in our Constitution or history. Read Peter Heck here.

When abusive monarchs repressed the masses, Americans resisted and overthrew them. When misguided policies led to the unjust oppression of fellow citizens, Americans rebelled and overturned them. When millions of impoverished and destitute wretches sought a new beginning, Americans threw open the door and welcomed them. When imperial dictators were on the march, Americans surrendered their lives to stop them. When communist thugs threatened world peace, Americans bled to defeat them. When an entire continent was overwhelmed with famine and hunger, Americans gave of themselves to sustain it. When terrorist madmen killed the innocent and subjugated millions, Americans led the fight to topple them.

This is the legacy that generations of Americans have left. If President Obama seeks stronger relations with the world community, perhaps he should begin by reminding them of these very truths, rather than condemning his own countrymen on foreign shores.

One can only hope that the liberals and progressives among us, who outnumber the hardened marxists and socialists, will wake up and demand that he represent the whole country, not just the Soros and Moore and Ayers types that put him in place and pull his strings. There is still time for him to change before Americans rise up and say,

ENOUGH.

Just start a blog

Today I received an e-mail from someone (don't remember--they might have scooped my e-mail address from another FWD list) which extolled the wonders and benefits of their workshop--and I'd only have to spend a few hundred dollars and leave the country! I was told I could. . .

+ Believe in your creativity
+ Stimulate your perceptive abilities
+ Find inspiration in the world around you
+ Get over creative blocks and the fear of failure
+ Engage your curiosity
+ Recognize and use your creative instincts
+ Give yourself the time, permission, and nourishment to do creative work
+ Develop a daily practice to accomplish these goals
+ Work collaboratively
+ Use your memories to engage the imagination

I can do all that for free by blogging. I post my memories, my poetry, my paintings; I comment on my volunteer activities and promote programming that I admire; I research the topics pretty carefully--after all that was my profession--information; I pull a lot of material off my own bookshelves or go to the library when I don't trust what I find in pixel dust; I leave a lot of material in "draft" until it has time to settle and percolate a bit.

And still. And yet. There are people--friends, family and total hit-and-run strangers who come in anonymity--who disagree with me. And that's fine. This is my diary (web log), and I'll write from my own perspective. Just like the paid reporters from the New York Times and Wall Street Journal that these same critics are willing to pay for. They will praise me for my memory or humor pieces, and then turn around and chastise me for caring that my country, under a new president who is trashing our former leaders and our history, destroying our economy, and high fiving and bowing to communist and despot leaders abroad, is going to hell in a handbasket of their making.

Hypocrisy and short sightedness are not in short supply. Common sense and knowledge of history are.

Apple pie, bubble gum and stained teeth

Tonight our Holy Land Cruise group is getting together to share our photos and experiences. My end of the alphabet got pies. This is my sugar free apple pie (3 types of apples) just out of the oven. My neighbor and I are going together because our husbands have a meeting (same). I hope the Greek Orthodox group comes--they really livened up our Lutheran potlucks. As I said before, I used to make really good pies, but lately (last 7 years) not so much. I'm blaming it on an electric oven instead of gas. Actually, on Abington (34 years) I had a crappy gas stove. Sometimes it wouldn't light and I'd have to get on the floor, open the bottom, and bang on the pilot light with a spatula. You could always tell when Mom was baking from the loud noise in the kitchen.

This is a photo of the wild wallpaper in my bathroom. It sort of looks like draped satin with pink tassles. Can you tell gay decorators used to live here? When I first saw this room (after the brown/gold/gray living room, orange dining room, red family room, electric yellow guest room, and royal blue master suite, I thought it was over the top (I think there was a hanging lamp on a chain over the toilet). But now we've toned everything else down several octives to beige, pale gold, and khaki, so it looks a lot better to me. The towel color, called "bubble gum," has always been a problem. It's hard to find (matches the tassles). But today I found a set at K-Mart. I didn't even hesitate.

Have you seen all those ads popping up on your computer for white teeth? I glanced through a study at Ohio State about the home teeth whiteners taking some of the enamel, but it's pretty small. I thought it probably did, but gosh, when you drink as much coffee as I do (did), your teeth start to look bad around age 50 and it's worse if you smoke (I don't). And I've had a few cups since then. I pour my refill coffee into a Rubbermaid pint bottle for the next day. I've been watching the plastic get dark. Now, I could just buy some new bottles, but I know they'd be made in China. Mine are old enough to have been born in the USA. Still, a bit like my teeth. Yesterday I filled them with water and put in a couple TBSP of Clorox. Works like a dream. Unfortunately, that won't work with my teeth. I also wonder if it's degrading the plastic. Anyone know? Cuz? Also, several years ago a dentist (I've since fired) back filled with a little bonding my front teeth because the bottom teeth were wearing on the back of my top teeth. Now when I have my picture taken, the flash bounces and it looks like I have head lights in my mouth.

Enough about illegal guns and drugs, let's talk about people

"The United States (U.S.) is a destination country for thousands of men, women, and children trafficked largely from East Asia, Mexico, and Central America for the purposes of sexual and labor exploitation. A majority of foreign victims identified during the year were victims of trafficking for forced labor. Some men and women, responding to fraudulent offers of employment in the United States, migrate willingly—legally and illegally—but are subsequently subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude or debt bondage at work sites or in the commercial sex trade. An unknown number of American citizens and legal residents are trafficked within the country primarily for sexual servitude and, to a lesser extent, forced labor."

Whether for sex or labor, it's slavery, and the U.S. has had an anti-trafficking program since 2000. In 2007, the last year for records (in the 2008 report) $23 million was allocated for domestic programs to boost anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts, identify and protect victims of trafficking, and raise awareness of trafficking as a means of preventing new incidents. Sounds like a drop in the bucket, for the size of the problem. We give much more to the children of illegal immgrants than we do stopping slavery streaming across our borders.

President Obama needs to toss some more change this direction. And the 2008 report is still up. Reports from the Bush years are fast disappearing from the web. Get them while they last, or before they've been digitally altered. Trafficking in Persons Report, 2008.

Not to be disrespectful of the office. . .

This photo brings to mind several possibilities for captions.

Buming out.

May I have this dance?

Hot (crossless) buns. (Refers to the Georgetown speech)

Mr. BO Jangles.

Shucking and jiving.

How low can he go?

Please raise the teleprompter--I can hardly see it.

Who did your nails; they're fabulous!

The original ARRA

You probably can't copyright an acronym, but ARRA also stands for Arkansas Republican Assembly: "News for social, fiscal & national security conservatives who believe in God, family & country. We seek to uphold the rights of citizens under the US Constitution, traditional family values, Republican principles / ideals, transparent & limited government, free markets, & individual freedom. The ARRA News Service is an outreach of the Arkansas Republican Assembly." Just wanted to clear up any confusion with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Obama's War against the Economy. Although I think "reinvestment" is a strange word to use when they have instituted the biggest tax grab in history and only citizens create wealth--government spends it--it certainly is more pronounceable than Bush's tax cuts, the 2001 Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act (EGTRRA) and the 2003 Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act (JGTRRA).

Why I won't be supporting the Upper Arlington Library levy

The signs are popping up in yards like daffodils. Can you imagine a worse time to ask people to raise their real estate taxes for a non-essential service? This town is getting grayer and grayer; retired people have lost bundles in collapsing retirement accounts. Our city can't figure out what to do with the little taxable property we do have (like Kingsdale) which only leaves our homes. And it approved a terrible housing experiment for Tremont Road which stands empty.

I'm not at all saying that public libraries are non-essential (although they become less so in an internet world). But this increase is definitely not needed. They just came to us. . . when? Three or four years ago so they could build a drive through book drop and then didn't get it the correct height. And although they want us to voluntarily increase our taxes, when we came to them with our concerns (pornographic and gay sex materials in the lobby) they let the gay activists who don't even live here tell us we have no right to decide what the children see because the library gets money from the county. No concerned parent told the library director that there should be no purchased and cataloged gay material in the library collection. No, the parents of UA said don't leave the free circ trashy newspapers and magazines in the lobby. Let the distributors put them in bars and clubs. This was solved by bringing the objectionable material inside, spending money on special height shelving, and leaving the lobby empty. Great use of resources and input, wasn't it?

No, this library board and director don/t listen to the people, don't buy what we want if we're conservatives, but love to pass the collection plate (oops, can't say that--they don't want church groups to meet in library space if they pray). Sorry. I'm saying NO to this one. I'd say YES to the zoo or the MRDD (or whatever the current acceptable term is) or the schools, but this librarian is saying NO to more money for the public library.

Update: I was wrong. I just checked my blog and the last levy was two years ago. All the reasons I listed then, still exist. That blog content went to the local paper but was never published.

Ten Random thoughts about Aging

1) I think I'm looking pretty darn good. Got on a new dress and the hubby says "you're beautiful" (actually, he tells me that every day no matter what I'm wearing). Then I look around the narthex at church and I'm one of two or three women under the age of 90 in a skirt.

2) I remember something in the closet that always looked good. It was fun to wear. Full of cats (not just cat hair). I pull it out. I started the mental adding machine. Hmmm. Probably bought it in 1995 or 1996, but I have an old photo and it might be even worse than that.


3) To go with that cat vest, I decide on brown jeans. They fit before Palm Sunday, just two weeks ago. But I had a lot of pizza Friday night, and a Philly cheese Saturday night, and now the zipper will barely function. Must be the salt. Couldn't be the calories, right?

4) I've got a new hi-tech thingy I thought I just had to have. It's been sitting on the desk since early February, and I've yet to download (upload?) the guts to make it work. It doesn't help that instructions are on-line instead of in the box where they should be.

5) I got a new version of genealogy software for Christmas. No matter what, I can't get it to print the wonderful lists I used to make with the old version, but it sure will wrap fancy frames around photographs.

6) On our trip last week we found out about a new baby niece no one had told us about. My software can't begin to explain this one. What do you do when it's not even a "significant other" but the mother is still around--some place.

7) Has this ever happened to you? You look in the mirror and find someone else's arms (legs seem to be familiar) attached to your shoulders? The last time my arms looked toned was when Nelson Jr. and I did the egg toss at the senior picnic.


8) At the 2007 Tech class reunion, we have to ask the MC to make an announcement because my husband and one of his closest friends from the 1950s didn't recognize each other so they can meet and talk about old times.


9) And I probably wouldn't know Murray, Guest Blogger of Collecting my Thoughts, if I passed him on the street. (He's the one holding the trophy.)


10) I feel a bit smug about our clean garage--not only will it take two cars, but there is room to spare. Then I take a walk in the gorgeous weather around the grounds to photograph some spring color and see that Joan and Jerry's is clean enough to put ours to shame--and they are cleaning it again! Show offs!

Several new lady links

Sometimes it's tough hanging on to the lady bloggers--they go back to work, or get discouraged, or think they should have more comments, have health or family issues, or someone blows their cover. Today I added three new ones. Kris, Jo, and Maggie. If you think I'm tough, look out for Kris and Maggie. Jo is traveling and photographing. Lots of fun to read her stuff. The dog hair one is priceless.

Economic Recovery Payments to Recipients of Social Security

This one leaves me out. I get a teacher's pension and am subject to the Government Pension Offset. The SS on-line page sounds less sure about how this will happen. "We are currently working on the details regarding how we will issue nearly 55 million one-time payments to our beneficiaries." Bush won over no Democrats when he returned their overpayment of taxes (called a tax cut)--in fact they ridiculed him that it was so small. So I don't think this will fool any of us who see the ARRA has a huge step toward nationalizing the economy and instituting high inflation since Obama is killing those businesses that actually provide jobs and a tax base, just as he promised during his campaign. Chavez recently said he should come out of the closet (no, not that one) and just admit he's a socialist.

Section 2201 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) authorized a $250 one-time payment to recipients of Social Security, SSI, Railroad Retirement Benefits, and Veterans Disability Compensation or Pension Benefits. These payments are expected to be issued in May and June 2009.

In accordance with the provisions of Section 2201, these payments shall not be counted as income or as a resource in the month received and the following 9 months for the purposes of determining eligibility for FDPIR. Therefore, any applicant or participating household that receives the $250 payment would have the value of its total countable resources reduced by $250 in the month received and the following 9 months.

For example, a two-person household receives the $250 payment in May 2009. The $250 payment combined with the household’s other resources totals $3,158. The household qualifies for the $3,000 resource limit because at least one of the household members is 60 years or older. The $250 payment is excluded as income and as a resource in May 2009 and for the 9-month period of June through February 2010. Consequently, the household would remain resource eligible for FDPIR from May 2009 through February 2010, unless its total countable resources exceeded $3,250. Beginning March 2010, the $250 resource exclusion would no longer be applicable, so the household would not be resource eligible if its total countable resources exceeded $3,000.

So I wonder what is a "resource limit?" SS plus dividends? SS plus part time job? Plus rental income? Plus losses? It will probably generate 3 additional pages on our 2009 income tax (federal, state, estimated), and we pay by the page.

How does evolution do this?

"Desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) reveals that a simple red seaweed uses 28 different chemical weapons to defend itself against a single fungal attack." Even back in the days when I was a humanist Democrat, I didn't believe in evolution. So don't think this is confined to conservative Christians. Even when I was taught it all through 12 years of public school and college and my master's degree. Even when I was Associate Professor working in a science library. Even when people would point and laugh and loan me books to show me the error of my ways. And this DESI-MS story (which I only found today) is a good example of why at age 6 I had figured it out. So, while chemicals 5, 15 and 27 were evolving over a few million years, how did the seaweed protect itself from fungal attack (which was also evolving at a different pace, I assume). And will it die out before it can evolve #29 because the fungus is also evolving?

The Bible begins in a garden with a man and woman and ends with a city and a bride and bridegroom. You can trust it.

Susan Boyle sings Cry me a River

One of my favorites. Apparently someone found a charity compilation CD at Whitburn Academy (Scotland) . . . and the rest is history. The 47 year old sensation from "Britain's Got Talent" became a world talent when the video of her performance went viral.



HT Hot Air

How did this get into print?

The Ohio State Lantern had a reporter at the Columbus Tea Party on April 15. He apparently interviewed the

"State Auditor Mary Taylor who said she was happy to see such a large crowd, despite the rainy weather. She said the grass roots campaign showed how much the people care for America, similar to the way colonial Americans cared for America when the formed the Boston Tea Party.

"I believe in American ingenuity, and I believe that if the government gets out of our way we can solve this problem," Taylor said. "But instead of leadership, we get spending. When was the last time any of you got out of debt by going on a shopping spree?"

While a few in attendance said the rally had strong undertones from the Republican Party, most agreed that the government's spending, taxes and debt are getting out of control.

"I don't see how what's going on is capitalism any more," said Matthew Schill, a junior psychology major at OSU. "The careless spending without having a plan upsets me. Spending money we don't have, and increasing the national debt--I don't see how that will make anything better."

Unfortunately for Zach Tuggle, the student journalist for the Lantern, newspapers are going under at a fast rate, and I don't think he'll be able to save his profession which used to have a proud history. In recent years, the papers have been nothing but a collection of op-ed's and anti-business harangues, especially NYT, WaPo, WSJ, LA Times, Cleveland PD, and the Columbus Dispatch. Every "news" item was filled with anecdotes, psycho-babble, and MSW chatter. No wonder subscribers and advertisers gave up on them.

No source

Obama's doing enough bad stuff accurately reported that I don't need to add unsourced material, but if you personally want to read the Navy Seal report on what really happened with the pirates and why it took so long, and why the pirates weren't shot when the captain jumped in the water giving the marksmen a clear view, well, here's the oldest record I found--but no source, on a Baylor discussion list. That's even more poorly sourced than a blog under a made up name (I use my own). I'm just saying. . . it makes more sense than the news reports, but who really knows? Remember, because Bush sat a few seconds in stunned silence while reading to school children when the terrorists flew into the WTC, the marxists-among-us, including certain Hollywood celebs who are experts on everything, say he planned the whole thing. Obama waits 4 days to act, and they think he's god-like and brave.

The Dam

Howard whom I don't know but who is part of Bill's list (whom I do know) is sending this around. I haven't checked the authenticity to see if Mr. DeVries of PA wrote this. Because if it isn't real, there are letters out there that are--like the one my son got (after Geithner the tax cheat was hired) notifying him that he was 50 cents off in his taxes and he owed the government big time!

SUBJECT: DEQ
File No.97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Lycoming County

Dear Mr. DeVries:

It has come to the attention of the Department of Environmental Quality that there has been recent unauthorized activity on the above referenced parcel of property. You have been certified as the legal landowner and/or contractor who did the following unauthorized activity:

Construction and maintenance of two wood debris dams across the outlet stream of Spring Pond.

A permit must be issued prior to the start of this type of activity. A review of the Department's files shows that no permits have been issued.. Therefore, the Department has determined that this activity is in violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Pennsylvania Compiled Laws, annotated.

The Department has been informed that one or both of the dams partially failed during a recent rain event, causing debris and flooding at downstream locations. We find that dams of this nature are inherently hazardous and cannot be permitted. The Department therefore orders you to cease and desist all activities at this location, and to restore the stream to a free-flow condition by removing all wood and brush forming the dams from the stream channel. All restoration work shall be completed no later than January 31, 2007.

Please notify this office when the restoration has been completed so that a follow-up site inspection may be scheduled by our staff. Failure to comply with this request or any further unauthorized activity on the site may result in this case being referred for elevated enforcement action.

We anticipate and would appreciate your full cooperation in
this matter. Please feel free to contact me at this office if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

David L. Price
District Representative and Water Management Division

Here is the actual response sent back by Mr. DeVries:

Re: DEQ File
No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Lycoming County

Dear Mr. Price,

Your certified letter dated 12/17/06 has been handed to me to respond to. I am the legal landowner but not the Contractor at 2088 Dagget Lane , Trout Run, Pennsylvania ..

A couple of beavers are in the (State unauthorized) process of constructing and maintaining two wood "debris" dams across the outlet stream of my Spring Pond. While I did not pay for, authorize, nor supervise their dam project, I think they would be highly offended that you call their skillful use of nature's building materials "debris."

I would like to challenge your department to attempt to emulate their dam project any time and/or any place you choose. I believe I can safely state there is no way you could ever match their dam skills, their dam resourcefulness, their dam ingenuity, their dam persistence, their dam determination and/or their dam work ethic.

These are the beavers/contractors you are seeking. As to your request, I do not think the beavers are aware that they must first fill out a dam permit prior to the start of this type of dam activity.

My dam question to you is:

(1) Are you trying to discriminate against my Spring Pond Beavers, or
(2) do you require all beavers throughout this State to conform to said dam request?

If you are not discriminating against these particular beavers, through the Freedom of Information Act, I request completed copies of all those other applicable beaver dam permits that have been issued.

(Perhaps we will see if there really is a dam violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Pennsylvania Compiled Laws,
annotated.)

I have several dam concerns. My first dam concern is, aren't the beavers entitled to legal representation? The Spring Pond Beavers are financially destitute and are unable to pay for said representation -- so the State will have to provide them with a dam lawyer.

The Department's dam concern that either one or both of the dams failed during a recent rain event, causing flooding, is proof that this is a natural occurrence, which the Department is required to protect. In other words, we should leave the Spring Pond Beavers alone rather than harassing them and calling them dam names.

If you want the dammed stream "restored" to a dam free-flow condition please contact the beavers -- but if you are going to arrest them, they obviously did not pay any attention to your dam letter, they being unable to read English.

In my humble opinion, the Spring Pond Beavers have a right to build their unauthorized dams as long as the sky is blue, the grass is green and water flows downstream. They have more dam rights than I do to live and enjoy Spring Pond. If the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection lives up to its name, it should protect the natural resources (Beavers) and the environment (Beavers' Dams).

So, as far as the beavers and I are concerned, this dam case can be referred for more elevated enforcement action right now. Why wait until 1/31/2007 ? The Spring Pond Beavers may be under the dam ice by then and there will be no way for you or your dam staff to contact/harass them.

In conclusion, I would like to bring to your attention to a real environmental quality, health, problem in the area. It is the bears! Bears are actually defecating in our woods. I definitely believe you should be prosecuting the defecating bears and leave the beavers alone. If you are going to investigate the beaver dam, watch your dam step! The bears are not careful where they defecate!

Being unable to comply with your dam request, and being unable to contact you on your dam answering machine, I am sending this response to your dam office.

THANK YOU,


RYAN DEVRIES
& THE DAM BEAVERS

So if you've checked Snopes, and this isn't real, you can keep your dam research to yourself and let others have a laugh. Thanks, Howard.

Information you can use--or not

When I was researching the very expensive food programs (huge increase during the Bush years) for low income, "food insecure" residents (many not citizens), I was awash in acronyms, so I started to jot them down. Then I found out by following one of my own links, that someone has already done this here. They are hot linked on that page. About 25 years ago I used to work for the Ohio Department of Aging, and I recognize a few of these. I gained new respect for career government workers in that job (although not for those who got offices because of party affiliation). When I volunteer at the Lutheran Food Pantry I meet people whose very lives are controlled by these acronyms, so show some respect. Learn what they mean. These are the methods by which people will remain low income from birth to death because there's no reason to leave if WIC feeds you as a toddler and the school feeds you for 12 years (if you finish), and SNAP (food stamps) provides the bare bones of the diet, and the food pantry goes for the extras at the end of the month, and Medicaid covers the health insurance, and TANF, PHA, FMR, LIHTC or HOME keeps a roof over your head, and AAA sends out the nutritious meals in old age. It's not luxurious living, but it pays the bills and keeps them out of higher end neighborhoods and brings votes for politicians.

AAA
Area Agencies on Aging

ACDA
American Commodity Distribution Association

AMS
Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA

ACFP
Child & Adult Care Food Program, FNS/USDA

CAP
Commodity Acceptability Progress Reports

CCC
Commodity Credit Corporation, FSA/USDA

CI
Charitable Institutions

CID
Commercial Item Description

CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DHHS

CIC
Commodity Improvement Council, USDA

CLOC
Commodity Letter of Credit

CSFP
Commodity Supplemental Food Program, FNS/USDA

ASNP
Deputy Administrator for Special Nutrition Programs (SNP), FNS/USDA

DHHS
Department of Health & Human Services

COS
Electronic Commodity Ordering System

EFOs
Emergency Feeding Organizations

FD
Food Distribution, FNS/USDA

FDA
Food and Drug Administration, DHHS

FDPIR
Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, FNS/USDA

FEMA
Federal Emergency Management Agency

FNCS
Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services

FNIC
Food and Nutrition Information Center

FNS
Food and Nutrition Service, USDA

FNSRO
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Regional Office

FOIA
Freedom of Information Act

FSA
Farm Service Agency, USDA

FSIS
Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA

FSMC
Food Service Management Companies

FY
Fiscal Year

HACCP
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point

HHP
Household Programs, FNS/USDA

ITOs
Indian Tribal Organizations

KCCO
Kansas City Commodity Office, FSA/USDA

NAFDPIR
National Association of Food Distribution Programs on Indian Reservations

NFSMI
National Food Service Management Institute

NSIP
Nutrition Services Incentive Program, FNS/USDA (formerly NPE)

NSLP
National School Lunch Program, FNS/USDA

NPA
National Processing Agreements

NPE
Nutrition Program for the Elderly, FNS/USDA (now NSIP)

OANE
Office of Analysis, Nutrition and Evaluation, FNS/USDA

OIG
Office of the Inspector General, USDA

OGC
Office of General Counsel, USDA

OMB
Office of Management and Budget

PCIMS
Processed Commodity Inventory Management System

SI
Schools & Institutions

SBP
School Breakfast Program, FNS/USDA

SC
Summer Camps

SDA
State distributing agency

SEA
State education agency

SFA
School Food Authority

SFSP
Summer Food Service Program, FNS/USDA

SNA
School Nutrition Association (SNA)

SOC
State Option Contracts [Program], AMS/FNS/USDA

SDA
State distributing agency

SEA
State education agency

SNAP
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, FNS/USDA

SNP
Special Nutrition Programs, FNS/USDA

SY
School Year

TANF
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

TEFAP
The Emergency Food Assistance Program, FNS/USDA

USDA
United States Department of Agriculture

WIC
Women, Infants and Children, FNS/USDA

Great legs

No one has ever suggested I have them. I had short, stubby legs as a kid, and still do. Fat does shift around. My waist is now larger than my right thigh, but that wasn't the case for many years. I've even tried standing on my head, but nothing worked.

Small waists and pear shape are definitely the healthy plan, but that's not how you get attention. Here's what one of those waist to hip calculators says:

Your shape puts you at reduced risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Frequently referred to as pear shape, you tend to keep fat off your midsection and more on your hips. Your body does not convert this lower body fat as readily as midsection fat, which keeps cholesterol down.

Recently I've seen a stunning blonde at the coffee shop. Don't know her age, but if she's not 40, she's at least close (either side). She has long, long legs; high high heels; short short skirts. I'm not usually a leg watcher, but I tell you, she is something else and turns a lot of heads.

I don't know her career track, but it's somewhere at the bottom (or else she's the boss of a small company) because they send her to pick up the morning snacks. Yesterday it was bagels; today it was 8-10 cups of orange juice. I may not have great legs but I gave up being a go-fer when I was 21 and the secretary in an Indianapolis tool and die company.

Come to think of it, if she were the owner treating the staff or clients, she'd buy a gallon of OJ at the grocery store instead of purchasing individually filled cups.

You're in analysis

Most of the fodder for my green-go blogs comes from architectural publications, usually the AIA. They are young and hungry and idealistic, and one of the poorest paid professions (next to librarianship) that requires an advanced degree. So they are on the green band wagon big time. They were so excited about Obama they were crossing their legs so as not to wet themselves. Here's the lastest--a bit more subdued.

The $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that was signed into law in February has just now begun releasing torrents of tax dollars into an economy plagued by frozen credit markets, consumer anxiety, and a deepening recession. In line with the AIA’s Rebuild and Renew government advocacy initiative, much of this funding is already being applied directly to the built environment as new construction projects, renovations, repairs, and sustainability upgrades, though an emphasis on “shovel ready” projects may limit some design opportunities. Even more is yet to come. Most ARRA money won’t have been spent till next year, according to the Washington Post.

Sorry fellas (and a few ladies), it just ain't gonna happen. You people are in business. You design for other business owners (and a few government buildings to keep you going, but those bond issues aren't going to pass if we seniors with limp 401-k's have any say). Obama is a business killer, and so are green regulations. You thought he looked and sounded good (in front of a teleprompter). You thought he actually knew something. Those golden tax dollars you're lusting for are yours, you idiots! You've backed the Trojan horse; he's in the gates. Your profession is dead meat. Link to AIA Stimulus Guide.

Maybe you can get out the Sweets Catalog and brush up on commercial kitchens. While researching the USDA money I saw millions (or was it billions) for new school kitchen equipment. I'm sure it will require a trickle down to wall moving, new outlets, rewiring, pest control, plumbing, etc.

Who is this?

Fortunately, I've never heard of her or seen her. Maybe she doesn't exist?

"Liberal actress and political activist Janeane Garofalo, in all seriousness, said activists who attended tea parties are racists with dysfunctional brains in a recent prime-time television appearance.

"Let's be very honest about what this is about. This is not about bashing Democrats. It's not about taxes. They have no idea what the Boston Tea party was about. They don't know their history at all. It's about hating a black man in the White House," she said on MSNBC's "The Countdown" with Keith Olbermann Thursday evening. "This is racism straight up and is nothing but a bunch of teabagging rednecks. There is no way around that."

Olbermann did not once try to challenge her on those assertions." Link

The Left Wing Media wallows in hate, distrust, misinformation and anger. Only the Left brought up Obama's race during the campaign; and now because the fake messiah hasn't been able to deliver a new age, they've returned to the trough for more mud.

Update: And now for a peaceful demonstration on the left. They shout down a former Republican candidate for President and fight with the police. Hmmm. Didn't see any blacks in their group. Must be about hating a white man. They don't know their history, or Janeane Garofalo.

Whatever happened to Food Stamps?

George Bush's administration didn't invent "politically correct," but they certainly grew the obfuscation component of political language. Food Stamps are now (as of Oct. 1, 2008), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). However, we have the Obama presidential campaign and the loyal Democrat opposition for 8 years to thank for the myth that those mean old Republicans didn't care about poor people when in fact they were throwing money at social programs. A young woman I know who rejoiced in Obama's election and attended the swearing in said, "finally the money will go where it's needed." USDA's food assistance programs totaled $60.7 billion in fiscal 2008, 11 percent more than in the previous fiscal year-the largest percentage increase in 16 years. By cutting taxes early in his first term, Bush freed up money for investment and actually brought into the federal coffers more money than it had ever had--so Congress went a little crazy spending it. Obama plans to discourage investment with higher taxes and increased green regulations, but expand and increase government spending even beyond what Bush did. Guess who gets that bill?

What I've listed below (policy, legislation and regulations for food programs) is just a tiny fraction of what went to the low income and poor. Not for hunger, of course, but for "food insecurity." Not for hunger, but for farmers markets and obesity and nutrition workshops (I watched a training video on how to convert commodities to paper work for pizza--I kid you not). Not for hunger, but to keep huge agricultural interests afloat.** But first you send your taxes to be filtered through thousands of federal, state and local agencies to pay the bi-partisan "peace and justice" salaries, build the government buildings, pay their utilities, hire the PR people promoting the programs, change all the lines in the millions of published documents from food stamps to SNAP, and line the pockets of the various pols we voted in to bring home the federal dollars.

Legislation
School Meals Programs
Child and Adult Care Food Program
Summer Food Service Program
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Food Distribution Program
Women, Infants and Children

Regulations
School Meals Programs
Child and Adult Care Food Program
Summer Food Service Program
Supplemental Nutrition Asssitance Program
Food Distribution Program
Women, Infants and Children
Farmers Market Nutrition Program

Policy
School Meals
Child and Adult Care Food Program
Summer Food Service Program
Food Distribution Policy Database
Charitable Institutions & Summer Camps
Commodity Supplemental Food Program
Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
Nutrition Services Incentive Program
Processing Policies
Schools/Child Nutrition Institutions
The Emergency Food Assistance Program

Here in Ohio we have a "model" program (Ohio Benefit Bank) for linking Ohioans to federal benefits, and it was able to access (for a fee) almost $39 million additional dollars that weren't being used by eligible Ohioans, so imagine how much actually did go into the hands of the poor. That $39 million dollars provides extra dollars for Ohio's economy, and actually creates some local tax revenue, because locally spent money for food, medical services, fuel, and tax credits helps fuel Ohio's economy and keep Gov. Strickland's coffers full. It's important, however, to remember that it is robbing Peter Taxpayer to pay Paul Taxpayer. A taxpayer with a family of 6 is eligible for various food programs plus other services (like housing, medical, heating, education) with an income of $56,000. He's probably not paying federal taxes, but he is paying FICA and state taxes, plus a huge chunk for federal gasoline taxes and federal cigarette taxes.

Because of "public partnerships," non-profits and faith based organizations (i.e. churches) have become dependent on our tax dollar to fund their charitable activities and salaries. Second Harvest in Ohio began in 1999 as an organization (funded by the Ohio Dept. of Job and Family Services) to distribute surplus Ohio crops like apples, but now needs almost $3 million a year to run its organization for food distribution to a variety of smaller food banks.

Food programs never decrease in size, although they may get renamed and reconfigured--in fact, they actually grow during times of low unemployment and a robust economy because there is more tax money. USDA had money in the low income mortgage market. Job programs get food money, as do schools. To try to track these programs would be like untangling a plate of spaghetti from garden of weeds.

**This began under FDR to keep farmers afloat at a time when a much larger percentage of the population was rural and has grown with every administration regardless of party.

Susan Roesgen--blind, deaf and rude

CNN has a sorry reporter. Not in the sense of apologetic, but weak, poorly trained, and angry. I looked up Susan Roesgen in Google and got 43,100 hits, many of course not connected to her terrible reporting of the tea party in Chicago where she shouted down the man she'd asked for an interview when she didn't agree with him. If nothing else, she's gotten more publicity with this disaster than any story she's ever done. What a resume enhancer--if she wants to work in Cuba!

The blogger who produced the film below was at the Chicago rally and watched her do her axe job. You may not want to watch the entire 18 minutes, but if you do you'll see Americans of all ages and ethnicities peacefully gathering, singing, lifting posters, chatting with each other and having a good time. Much like the one here in Columbus (I watched the video of John Kasich speaking to the crowd without a teleprompter).



Some numbers from other Tea Parties.

Maggie on the Tea Party in Toledo.

CNN reporter confronted for lack of fairness and balance (must belong to Fox; longer YouTube version)

Will Muslim women remove their burkas for Obama?

Will Amish women take off those prayer veils? Will conservative Catholic nuns slip out of their plain habits? The clothing for men and women members of conservative religious groups is about headship; it's symbolism, not modesty. It's about relationships and spiritual authority: God, then men, then women. It's every bit as symbolic as an IHS on a podium or window that Obama wanted draped and blacked out.

Gerald F. Seib missed it again in Capital Journal in today's WSJ. "Not a single new policy was revealed" at Obama's Georgetown speech. It was a speech of metaphors, he said. Well, Mr. Seib, you didn't see the significance of the trial balloon, did you? You got all warm and fuzzy on the "house upon a rock" thinking it was Biblical. No sir, that just comes from 20 years of Rev. Wright's turning a phrase. Obama didn't know how to speak black when he first got to Chicago, having been raised in a white, agnostic home. You need to dig a little deeper. Let me help.

Obama asked that a Christian symbol be removed, and Georgetown University, one of our oldest Catholic institutions, made the mistake of complying. Seems like a small thing unless you remember some of Obama's promises (threats) during the campaign. That he intended to rein (reign) in "faith based" groups that get government money. He's planning to have all religious symbols removed from buildings that use government money for child care, food distribution, job training, mortgage workshops, voter registration, etc. Churches are going to have to do a lot of "soul searching" and just may need to tell the government that they won't be their go-to guys any more. Remember that the request removed not just a symbol, but a tradition of separation of church and state [i.e., the state doesn't tell the church how to adorn its own buildings and property], and destroyed the historic artistic atmosphere of the room. Georgetown is as old as our Constitution--maybe its crumbling is a sign?

"Julie Bataille from the university's press office e-mailed me that the White House had asked that all university signage and symbols behind the stage in Gaston Hall be covered.

"The White House wanted a simple backdrop of flags and pipe and drape for the speech, consistent with what they've done for other policy speeches," she wrote. "Frankly, the pipe and drape wasn't high enough by itself to fully cover the IHS and cross above the GU seal and it seemed most respectful to have them covered so as not to be seen out of context."

The primary command of the church, given by Jesus himself, is

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age."

So if the U.S. government decides you can't obey what the Bible says about the primary mission of the church, or that you need to bless the weddings of gays, or that you can't have religious instruction in your schools, or that you can't have a Bible in the classroom, I guess you'll just have to turn down that Faustian compact we've had for so many years.

Ohio's unemployment rate

is now over 9%. When the Democrats and Governor Strickland took over the state in the 2006 elections it was half that. They ran on an "ethics" platform--our former Republican governor hadn't reported some golf outings. This is the state that decided to investigate Joe the Plumber because of Obama clearly telling him he was going to redistribute the wealth. This is the state of Marc Dann and Eric McFadden, Strickland's sexually and ethically challenged appointees.

And what is the Democrats' solution for a recession? Let's spend our way to prosperity! How many of us would teach our own children that? Has it worked at your house? It won't work in the House of Representatives, either. It hasn't worked in past recessions, and it certainly didn't work during the 15 year Great Depression (1929-1945) when both Hoover and FDR violated all sorts of citizens' rights and stole money from our parents and grandparents with government take-overs. Our Governor was told this week by the state auditor that building Ohio's economy on one time stimulus money (pork) won't help--it will actually hurt us. He'll either have to have a massive tax increase, or decrease spending. Duh. He's a Democrat, so we sure know where this is going. The same direction as Kilroy and Pelosi, snug, secure and spending inside the beltway.

"In just 50 days, Congress has voted to spend about $1.2 trillion between the Stimulus and the Omnibus,” McConnell says. “To put that in perspective, that’s about $24 billion a day, or about $1 billion an hour—most of it borrowed. There’s simply no question: government spending has spun out of control." Mitch McConnell, R-Ky

Think of it. A billion an hour. Where are all those voices who were so worried about the cost of the war? They don't bat an eyelash at the thought of a trillion--most likely because they can't even imagine how much debt that is, or how our next challenge is not going to be unemployment, but inflation as our government will have to print more money to cover its debt.

I never wanted Obama as my president; but I truly never thought it would get so bad so fast. I thought we'd be full blown impoverished by his second term, not his second month.

If this works. . .

"Trafficking illegal firearms, sending them across a border, is illegal. That is something that we can stop," Mr. Obama said.

"Trafficking illegal firearms aliens, sending them across a border, is illegal. That is something that we can stop," Mr. Obama said.

Thursday Thirteen Miscellany--mostly about food and finances

1) Don't be fooled by this gardening craze to save money. If you want to be outdoors, or want a sun tan, or want fresh tasting food, fine. It won't save you any money--unless you sell the produce to your neighbors. Or you have family of 12 children who will eat their veggies.

2) Last summer I was able to walk to a small farmer's market at Lakeside (about 2 blocks). By small, I mean about 5 or 6 wagons / vendors. There really is nothing like it. I think I'd forgotten what fried new potatoes tasted like. And that gal who made zucchini relish. Heavenly. I'm more than happy to pay them for their labor and equipment.


3) Even without a farmer's market, fresh vegetables and fruit are still your best buy. It really takes just minutes to prepare. Forget the fancy sauces and spices. Today I bought a butternut squash ($.99/lb, higher now that during the season) and I'm guessing we'll get 3 side dishes from it--grilled lightly a few minutes in olive oil.

4) However, fresh items lose a lot of nutrients if they sit around a few days, so frozen is your next best bet--especially for small families (2) like mine. A favorite lunch meal for me is half a cup of frozen peas with half cup of frozen corn, placed in a bowl covered with a damp paper towel for about 90 seconds in the microwave. Little butter, little salt and pepper. Fabulous!

5) If you read my Holy Land Cruise blog, you may know I got really, really sick on the flight home. Today I saw a friend (not on the trip) at Panera's that I hadn't talked to in over a year. After greeting, she asked about my health. I think our entire church (9 services, 3 locations) has heard about Norma on the floor of LaGuardia and tossing her cookies on the plane. Anyway, the old GI track is not quite back to normal, so my sister gave me a huge carton of Activa Yogurt. I just had some for lunch. We'll see. . .

6) I stopped at a little store yesterday and apples were $2.69/lb. Usually, it's cheaper to buy rather than drive, but I knew that was high, so I drove to Marc's and paid $1.39/lb. I eat a lot of apples. Then today I was up north for an errand, so I stopped at Meiers' and apples were $1/lb. I stocked up.

7) I need apples to make a pie. Our Holy Land Cruise group is getting together Monday night, and my end of the alphabet is doing pie. Fortunately, I used to be the 2nd best pie baker east of the Mississippi. Now I do it so seldom, my pies are only so-so, or else it's the electric stove instead of gas which I'd used for 35 years.

8) The reason I was north of Bethel Rd. was I'd heard from my daughter that the Merle Norman store was going out of business. I thought I'd go and stock up. I began using Merle Norman when I was about 39 and a store was near by. And now--well, it's patch, patch, patch, but I still use it, although much less. Women my age make a serious mistake by using too much foundation, or the wrong color, and it collects in our wrinkles. Less is definitely more for retirees.

9) I asked the owner about her closing. She said sales fell off during January, and although she's paying her bills, she's getting nothing. When women begin to drop their cosmetic purchases, we are in trouble! My hair dresser, Melissa at Shear Impressions, says she's seen no change.

10) I recently learned you can freeze milk. Duh. Why didn't I think of that. So when I see the "past due" date coming up, I'm going to put it in a little container and freeze.

11) Be careful about reusing glass and plastic containers. Mold can grow on the lids and on the tiny residue inside the jar. It's awfully hard to get these as sterilized as the factory product.

12) Pass on those deals for cheap paper towels. Oh Yuck! on having those squares turn to mush as soon as they hit water. Buy Bounty. That's a brand that really holds up and you'll save money in the long run.

13) On our trip to Illinois for the Easter holiday our Dodge van got 26 mpg going and 28 mpg coming back. Don't let the global warming hysterics force you into an uncomfortable car at pirate ship prices. Although now that the government is starting to buy up the auto makers, you may not have a choice on model and size.

Meanwhile, by diverting grain and oilseed crops from dinner plates to fuel tanks, biofuels are jacking up world food prices and endangering the hungry. The grain it takes to fill an SUV tank with ethanol could feed a person for a year. Harvests are being plucked to fuel our cars instead of ourselves. The U.N.'s World Food Program says it needs $500 million in additional funding and supplies, calling the rising costs for food nothing less than a global emergency. Soaring corn prices have sparked tortilla riots in Mexico City, and skyrocketing flour prices have destabilized Pakistan, which wasn't exactly tranquil when flour was affordable. Time Magazine, Mar 27, 2008

She's so afraid, she doesn't even have an e-mail address!

So much for Obama being the 2.0 President. The e-mail I sent to the DHS website notifying them that the Head has no e-mail was returned to me to use the U.S. mail address. So if you want to write to her, use that.

How many millions of veterans do you think have mustered out of the armed forces over the life of this country? And Janet Napolitano manages to insult them all by comparing them to Timothy McVeigh.

"The primary mission of this department is to prevent terrorist attacks on our nation. The document on right-wing extremism sent last week by this department’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis is one in an ongoing series of assessments to provide situational awareness to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies on the phenomenon and trends of violent radicalization in the United States. I was briefed on the general topic, which is one that struck a nerve as someone personally involved in the Timothy McVeigh prosecution.

Let me be very clear: we monitor the risks of violent extremism taking root here in the United States. We don’t have the luxury of focusing our efforts on one group; we must protect the country from terrorism whether foreign or homegrown, and regardless of the ideology that motivates its violence."

Note, we don't use the word "terrorist" when referring to Muslim extremists, only to conservatives who didn't vote for Obama, those dangerous Americans who don't believe in killing babies, or who own guns, or who are concerned about the economy, or who believe in end-times prophecy. What left wing groups is she monitoring? What are her criteria? Were they the Bush haters? Were they people who read Karl Marx? Recruit out of state voters to come to Ohio? Who join ACORN? Who are they monitoring on the left? Will that be part of the series? Why is she worried about veterans and not La Raza who want her home state returned to Mexico? Is she watching Asian male minorities on this anniversary of Va Tech shootings? Inquiring minds want to know.

My Message to Janet

(This was sent to the web site e-mail comment form, because she doesn't have one.)

Dear Secretary Napolitano,

You have no e-mail link on your web site.

Your recent document on the dangers of home grown terrorism insulted about 50% of the American voters who did not support the current president. Is this finally the president’s transparency promised us?

I don’t own a gun--never have. I do not support abortion--our president is the most pro-abortion official we’ve ever had, willing even to kill a viable child as it emerges from the mother’s womb, if that is her wish. That was my primary concern about his presidency. Fortunately for him, his mother, a teen involved with a married man, did not believe as he does. That the baby would be too much of a burden and deserved death.

I think immigrants are the back bone of this country. The inventor of Google is an immigrant. My ancestors in the early 1700s were immigrants from Germany and Ireland. Illegal immigrants will break the bank--what’s left of it--and in case you didn’t notice when you lived in Arizona, LaRaza wants your state returned to Mexico. Our illegals who send money home are propping up a failed, unfair economy on our border. For your records, I didn’t support President Bush on his “guest worker” plan, either.

I am not an Iraq or Afghanistan veteran, but you have insulted all veterans, including those deceased veterans of the greatest generation, smearing them all with the crime of Timothy McVeigh. Are all Asian immigrants guilty of the New York recent massacre or the VA Tech massacre? Are all husbands and fathers guilty of the crimes of that father who killed his family a few weeks ago?

I am a Christian, but not a dispensationalist, I care nothing about "end times." But you intended to smear all conservative Christians who believe the Bible. I doubt that you care about end times either, but you do care about millions having an allegiance to something other than the government.

Yes, I am concerned about the economy. You should be too, if you are a real American. We have a president raising taxes and demonizing capitalists when he should be cutting taxes and supporting business to stimulate the economy. You madam, by accepting a position in this administration, are the extremist. Not me.

The worst anti-Semites are on your side, the left, the communists, the marxists, not on the right. All during the Bush years they were spreading lies because it fit your goals. They were all over the place during the campaign--and they certainly bring up the Jew question whenever Israel defends itself.

Madam, you owe all Americans an apology. The left has run rough shod over our rights for years, every demonstration they had since the 1960s was nasty and violent, and now the right has a peaceful, logical response to trillions and trillions of future debt, and you call us terrorists.

Now Christians will have to choose

The problem I had with "faith based" agencies (like our church, Upper Arlington Lutheran which is an ELCA church) accepting government grants for housing, employment training, child care, and after school and summer lunch programs was that they were not allowed to preach the gospel to any of the recipients because taxpayers were footing the bill. Not even distribute literature--although it could be put out for pick up. But worse, it caused these churches to become dependent on the government, while they were providing the free labor for government programs.

Barack Obama during his 2008 campaign PROMISED to have any visuals and symbols removed from religious sites in order for them to receive government money for social programs. This will be no problem for mainline "peace and justice" Christians--they wouldn't know the gospel if it dropped on their pulpit in the form of a Bible (it's pretty clear if they'd just preach from that Bible). For evangelical Christians, such as UALC, it's a bit less clear. Now we've made a pact with the devil and the invoice has come due. What will the churches do? Apparently what Georgetown did. Founded in 1789, the same year the U.S. Constitution took effect, Georgetown University is the nation's oldest Catholic and Jesuit university. IHS, the symbol in question, is a monogram of the name of Jesus Christ.

(CNSNews.com) - Georgetown University says it covered over the monogram “IHS”--symbolizing the name of Jesus Christ—because it was inscribed on a pediment on the stage where President Obama spoke at the university on Tuesday and the White House had asked Georgetown to cover up all signs and symbols there.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the “IHS” monogram that had previously adorned the stage at Georgetown’s Gaston Hall was still covered up--when the pediment where it had appeared was photographed by CNSNews.com.

American freedom of religion, rest in peace

Does CNN hire real reporters

or just Obamamas?

"CNN correspondent Susan Roesgen could barely get through her live shot at the Chicago tea party this afternoon. Over shouts of, "You're not a reporter," Roesgen quickly wrapped up an interview with an attendee, then said, "I think you get the general tenor of this. It's anti-government, anti-CNN since this is highly promoted by the right-wing conservative network Fox."

This reporter was so biased, she's become dead meat on talk radio, because this interview is being played over and over--and much more than this left of center site quoted. Observers started chanting "You're not a reporter," because she kept interrupting the father with a small child she was interviewing and inserting her own left wing agenda. It was one of the worst wing-nut interviews I've heard--there was no way she was going to let that guy tell America what the tea party was about. On CNN and other stations I've heard these tea parties attributed variously to Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, the Republican party, conservative Christian end-timers, and now to Fox. Will the real organizers please stand up and wave the flag. There are thousands of you.

But, also apparently Obama knew nothing about the tea parties. His Homeland Security Department head, Janet Nutpoliano, decides we need to be watched and investigated (remember Janet Reno thought a compound filled with children was dangerous), and he knew nothing? Maybe he should pay attention if we're all a threat to his administration.