Crimes against humanities

"The economic downturn is having a dramatic and deleterious effect on historical societies, libraries, museums and other cultural institutions around the country. A combination of plunging endowments, reduced grant and foundation support, and budget cuts on the federal, state and local levels has led to job losses, service cuts, and outright closures from coast to coast." There's more.

And with Democrats hunting down the "rich" to hound them at every turn--health "reform," cap and trade--destroying the people who create jobs, and inviting the unions to a job summit, we can expect even more institutions that depend on donations and charity to struggle, cut hours, or close.

Non-union teacher must pay union dues anyway

Darren over at Right on the Left Coast (that's California in case you didn't know) is not a member of a teacher's union, but to keep his teaching job he has to pay $1,000 as his "fair share" for the representation he doesn't want. Then he has to apply for a rebate to get back that portion of his non-dues that they spend on non-collective bargaining--i.e., political lobbying. 55% of his rebate comes from NEA--it spends over half of its dues influencing/supporting left wing politicians and 28.6% comes from CTA, and the rest from his local. What a screwed up system. Link. Many states have this "fair share" provision. I think Ohio is one of them, but don't know for sure.

Churches provide many benefits to the community; maybe non-members should be assessed for their non-participation and non-worship.

At the Freedom @ Work blog they suggest that Obama's job summit should have included more Right to Work laws:

"For many years, U.S. Labor Department data have shown that states with Right to Work laws on the books have far faster private-sector job growth than states that do not protect employees from federal policies authorizing the termination of workers for refusal to pay dues or fees to an unwanted union.

Between 1995 and 2005, private-sector jobs in Right to Work states increased by a net 20.2%. That’s a 79% greater increase than the relatively small increase in private-sector jobs experienced by non-Right to Work states over this period. Link.

But that would make too much sense. If he were interested in creating jobs instead of killing them, why did he invite the unions?

Sarah did the right thing: Dan Fagan

"Sarah Palin has within her power to bring about great change in our nation. She can do this by ushering in a Republican resurgence in Congress. . . and derail Mr. Obama’s runaway spending and his socialization of America."

"Did she make the right decision in quitting? Will she end up better serving her country on the road campaigning for others instead of being tied down to the Alaska governor’s job? Does the Republican Party have a better chance of taking back the house and senate with Palin on the campaign trail? Could Sarah Palin end up saving our republic because she quit as governor? You betcha!"

Read the whole article from Alaska Standard here.

The Lakeside Christmas Party

It's tonight. Always fun to see our old friends. We meet at Wesley Lodge, enjoy a dinner, and usually sing carols or have a program or both. Many have already closed their cottages for the year, but we don't since ours is a "real" house with plaster walls, gas furnace, storm windows, etc. We bought it from the original owners who were year around residents. If the sun is out, our porch acts as "passive solar." I'm taking along the book "Dewey," the story of the Iowa library cat because I'm leading a discussion at book club on Monday and need to review, since I read it in March. This time around I'm looking at it much more closely and enjoying some of the stories even more, like Dewey's special relationship with a handicapped girl, Crystal.

I moved my winter coats from storage (a downstairs shower we never use) yesterday. It's time. I'm hoping to get a little walking in along the lake. It actually stays warmer longer there because of the lake--but boy is it a killer walk in February or March! This will be our first road test for our new van, purchased a week ago.

I was checking a weather blog yesterday and it looks like Ohio and the eastern U.S. will be having a fairly mild winter, but Illinois and Indiana, where we have so many relatives and friends will really be blasted. My "guest blogger" Murray has already gone to his Florida home--said it got cold very early in Illinois, or maybe he's just got old bones like the rest of us.

There's an excellent letter in today's Dispatch written by Kim Pickett on the importance of libraries in hard times and how they serve the community. If you get a chance, take a look. I think they only stay up a short time. Unfortunately, she weakens her good points with the last two paragraph by moralizing. Judges the one she says is being judgmental. And closes with some phony stats that were going around when unemployment was 4.5%. Could be wrong, but I'm guessing she's left of center. But other than that, she really knows her stuff.

Update from party: Big turn out!

Water not oil is priceless and scarce--biofuels won't save us

CABS, the Ohio State bus system, received a one star green fleet certification from the Ohio Green Fleets Program on August 13, 2009 for using B20 biodiesel in all its transit buses and para-transit vans. CABS began in September 2003 with its first soy B20 fueled bus and by June 2006, extended B20 to all its fleet of 27 transit buses on 6 different routes.

The Ohio Green Fleets Program is part of CleanFuels Ohio, a non-profit funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. CleanFuels Ohio. It was created with federal money in 2002--so this isn’t a recent development, it‘s a Bush Administration program. However, V. P. Joe Biden stopped by in August to announce that this Bush era alternative fuels program was receiving stimulus funding. The CAB accomplishments preceded that announcement.

“the U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $11.04 million in economic stimulus funding to Clean Fuels Ohio's Ohio Advanced Transportation Partnership through the U.S. DOE Clean Cities Grant program. Funds will be used to support the deployment of 283 alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles plus refueling infrastructure for 26 government and private sector partners throughout Ohio. Including matching support from local partners and additional industry supporters, the award embodies an investment of nearly $30 million in alternative fuel vehicle and infrastructure projects across the state.”

So now, while millions of people are struggling in third world countries for enough to eat, and the most valuable commodity we have is water, a major input for biofuels, we worsen the condition of millions by putting soy and corn products in our gas tanks. Doesn’t anyone remember the food riots of just two years ago? It doesn’t help the environment, and we knew even before Climategate that global warming isn’t caused by humans. I’m all for a clean environment and more efficient fuels, but you don’t have to read too far into the biofuel publications to see we’re going backward with expensive inputs, more water usage and waste water, and pollution.

How to stimulate the economy--NOT

"In January 2008, the United States economy employed 138.1 million people and the unemployment rate stood at 4.9%. But the powers in Washington thought deficit spending could boost a slowing economy, so Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) passed and President George Bush signed a $168 billion economic stimulus bill made up of temporary tax cuts and increased mortgage grantees for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

By January 2009 that economic stimulus worked so well that the U.S. economy had lost 3.5 million jobs and the unemployment rate stood at 7.6%. Again the powers in Washington thought deficit spending was the answer, so Speaker Nancy Pelosi and newly minted President Barack Obama dialed up $787 billion in temporary tax cuts and permanent spending increases. Ten months later, the U.S. economy has now shed another 3.59 million jobs and the unemployment rate stand at 10%."

And since none of that worked, they'll make a third stab at it. They're rejoicing that job loss fell--and yes, that's better than the alternative, but the unemployment rate fell from 10.2 to 10 percent in part because 98,000 workers left the labor force. The bigger problem is no job creation. What employers, when faced with the uncertainty and higher taxes that the health "reform" is promising ("tax" used 183 times) wants to call back workers or expand? The only places in the USA not hard hit are the suburbs of Washington--Virginia, Maryland, etc.--where workers are needed to fill the posts required to distribute your tax money and buy bottled water for congressional staffers. In Ohio most of the "recovery" money has gone to Democrat districts. So we'll just get more of the same ineffective, high cost nonsense.

[The Foundry and Morning Bell, Dec. 4, 2009]

Climategate--it's no joke

Rex Murphy of CBC on the pettiness and turf wars of the CRU. "Science has gone to bed with advocacy, and both have had a very good time. . . The stink of intellectual corruption is overpowering."



"CRU is not the universe of climate research, but it is the star. These emails demonstrate one thing beyond all else: that climate science and global warming advocacy have become so entwined, so meshed into a mutant creature, that separating alarmism from investigation, ideology from science, agenda from empirical study, is well nigh impossible. Climategate is evidence that the science has gone to bed with advocacy, and both have had a very good time: - that the neutrality, openness, and absolute disinterest that is the hallmark of all honest scientific endeavour has been abandoned to an atmosphere and a dynamic not superior to the partisan caterwauls of a sub-average Question Period.

Climate science has been shown to be - in part - a sub-branch of climate politics."

Common sense skeptics want to know

Gradually, the scandal in the U.K. over the hidden and doctored climate data is slowly swimming across the ocean to lap up on our beached media whales. Wall Street Journal, the most liberal of our news sources, had an article on p. A-16 today. Not ready for prime space yet--it's only been 2 weeks.

"The East Anglia institute that Dr. Jones headed has become a key player in building evidence for the U.N.'s argument that humans are behind global warming.In statements released by the institute in recent days, Dr. Jones has defended the integrity of the institute's scientific work, while saying that he and his colleagues "accept that some of the published emails do not read well."

On Tuesday, Penn State University confirmed that Michael Mann -- a climate scientist on its faculty who figures prominently in the emails -- was under "inquiry" by the university. In one email, Dr. Jones suggested to Dr. Mann that they should try to keep out of scientific journals the research of scientists who challenge the idea of manmade global warming.

The U.K. probe, to be completed next spring, will also review the climatic research unit's policies and practices on disseminating data and research findings and subjecting them to peer review, and look at how the unit handled requests under Britain's Freedom of Information Act."

Our media have been totally consumed with the couple who strolled into a White House party without an invitation, and the Tiger Woods' semi-private party. Apparently, scientists, reality show wannabees and celebrities can all be bought for the price of a dream--be it money, power, fame or sex. They've all turned out to have clay feet firmly resting on the pedestal we've built for them. The White House party crashers, Michaele and Tariq Salahi, not a climate/economy scam scheme, are worthy of a congressional hearing. I'm in complete disagreement with Glenn Beck on this one. He thinks the President was in danger. They were security screened for weapons just like all the other guests, so I doubt that; and someone on Obama's staff got them in. They might be stupid, but they love the guy.

Let's think about it. Tiger couldn't have pulled off a couple of long term affairs without his staff and friends helping him and bringing the women to him; the Salahis couldn't have made it into the party without their connections with NBC (which owns Bravo) which has been drooling over Barack Obama for 3 years; and the climate data people couldn't have pulled off what they've been doing for 10 years without a lot of backing--probably from people in the "green" industry, and a second guess would be those who want all western governments and cultures to fail, or maybe they were colluding with both. That one definitely has the money/power smell to it. Tiger's mess just smells like soiled sheets.

The U.K. probe won't be completed until next Spring; by then Obama should be ready for another economic coup if we don't stop him. He told us during his campaign that our energy costs would skyrocket. He didn't tell us that the fuse was a complete phony and might blow up in his face. 1) Manipulating peer review journal publication of anything that dissents with the AGW religion; 2) denial of requests under the freedom of information act; 3) "losing" the data on which the whole AGW scare is built.

Friday family photo--the baptism

Why do people bring tiny babies to the coffee shop--especially with it being flu season? Maybe it wasn't the same baby I wrote about at my coffee blog on Nov. 20. The mother said it was 30 days old, and the one I saw two weeks ago was 24 days. Anyway, too tiny to be out and about.

Yesterday packing away some things I came across my son's immunization and well-baby pediatric booklet from Dr. Batterson. I think at first it was once a month, then every 6 months, then once a year. They do grow up, and I do mean up (over 6'), very fast. I doubt that I took him anywhere except to the doctor when he was an infant. Might have had a few people stop by the house to admire him, but I didn't have a car, so we probably stayed home until it was stroller weather in April and May. We put a lot of miles on that red plaid stroller with a rumble seat.


As I noted before, because I was raised in a tradition (back to the 18th century) that didn't baptize babies (Church of the Brethren), we had no sweet little outfits to pass around at baptism time, so this little double breasted suit was practical. I can tell from his position he's trying to squirm out of my arms and get down on the drive-way to crawl.

When they quote costs, what do they do with this?

Here's a scan of my flu shot "This is not a bill" notice. Does the government say it paid $45 per person or do they use the $31 figure? For several million seniors, that might make a huge difference. And if I'd paid cash, it would have been $25.00. So is this just monopoly money?

Use Lasik surgery as the model for health care

A few months ago my daughter had lasik surgery--she paid for it with her health savings account. It's much cheaper, safer, and with a quicker recovery than 10 or 20 years ago. Why? Competition. Improved technology. No insurance coverage.



HT Taxmanblog

College student sees problems with cohabitation

Paige Vigil of the University of Minnesota advises her fellow students not to mimic marriage and to wait--don't settle:

"While moving in with your significant other may seem like the perfect solution to help stall the big walk down the aisle, it isn’t. In fact, it will eventually have the opposite effect on your relationship, and more than likely you’ll end up old, alone and unhappy. Your beauty will have faded, and the fellow singles in your now middle-aged category will be seeking younger, more nimble models. You’ll wish you could have done something to save your marriage. . .

I do believe that couples who move in together before marriage can find ways to make it work, but the odds are against them. I was raised in the nuclear insulation of a Christian home. I have since come to form my own beliefs and do not believe my upbringing influences this decision. What does influence my opinion is not only the dream of sharing my first home with my loved one after marriage, but also objective proof all around me. It is easy to spot the unhappy couple stuck in a marriage because of children or for financial reasons. I can only hope that my future marriage will not mirror that of others and that I will indeed have the fairy tale ever after I have dreamt of. . .

Waiting to discover your predominant annoyances about one another in the home setting is best left until after marriage. A study published in the February issue of the Journal of Family Psychology reported that 70 percent of couples live together before marriage. In the same study, couples living together pre-marriage reported not only a lower quality of marriage but a higher divorce rate. These statistics don’t lie.

Read the whole article, "Cohabitation makes courtship more complicated" here. And of course, she's slapped down in the comments probably from fellow students who must know everything about commitment, stability, relationships and breaking up. I know marriages that have survived that "live-in, shack up" period, but not because of the trial period. Statistically, if you want your marriage to last, don't "play house" or "Let's pretend." And you really make holidays awkward for your family!

Robot, puppet or paper doll--who was that masked man?

I didn't watch the President's speech on Afghanistan. Nothing against him. I didn't watch George Bush's speeches either except after the fact. Other people write the speech and the presidents use telprompters--so what's the point? Might as well listen on radio or read it. But I have seen clips and excerpts and critiques. He was wearing his angry face. He had no goals, especially not victory. What a snooze! And this is the guy you Democrats were swooning over for his elegance and rhetoric? Oh my! I support him on the troop build up, but since he cut the request in half, what was the wait about? Maybe if he'd acted promptly on the advice of his general, chosen by him, the troops could have had this mopped up (without a socialist mop) and come home for Christmas. Violence went down when they got reinforcements a few months ago. He said Afghanistan and not Iraq was the place to be when he was campaigning. On this issue he has more support from Republicans than he does his own party, but even they aren't happy with the cuts he made. He might find out just how nasty the lefties can be--or they may realize he's not the one making the decisions.

The Anchoress wrote: "The president is doing the right thing, and he deserves props for it. Good on you, Mr. President, for listening to your generals.

In his speech last night, though, he seemed like a man very unhappy to be doing the right thing, and rather testy about it. There was a defensiveness, and others have noticed, as I did, the scolding tone. As Althouse says, “he seemed annoyed at us.”

Yes, that’s what I got too. The speech didn’t soar, fly or inspire; it actually kind of plodded. Obama delivered it with the passion of a 14 year old forced to do the dishes after Thanksgiving." Link

On to the job summit. If he'd been interested in saving the economy instead of making war on it, he would have hit the floor running on January 20. Nothing was shovel ready; nothing has created jobs; they've lied and manipulated the numbers from the beginning. Only about 1/3 of the stimulus money has been assigned, and probably not spent--waiting for the next election so he can buy more votes while you line up or serve at food pantries. The Senate health bill is really a tax bill, and nothing kills investment faster than taxing the people who create the jobs. Confidence in him is plummeting; he was inexperienced, never held a real job, and doesn't like being an American.

The New 4-H Center at OSU

Nationwide Foundation and Ohio Farm Bureau pledged more than $6 million toward a new 4-H building on the Ohio State University campus in Columbus and in January 2008 the staff began moving in. From OSU Extension, Jan. 3, 2008:

“The new Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center has opened, with two dozen faculty, staff and student workers beginning their move into new offices on Jan. 2. The center was built to the specifications of the national LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program and is the first "green" building on the campus of Ohio State University. It is located at 2201 Fred Taylor Drive, across from the Schottenstein Center."

And I missed it. I think because during its building phase I was using the Ackerman temporary location for the OSU Libraries, and wasn't using Fred Taylor Drive to go to the Agriculture Library where I'd been picking up my paged books. Today I saw an item about it. Quite a change from the little office I remember on Fyffe Road for 4-H and Extension in the same building where I worked as the Agricultural Economics Bibliographer from 1978-1981 on a USAID grant to build a collection on agricultural credit in 3rd world countries.

While I was browsing all its "green" and "sustainable" features (LEED), I clicked over to the Farm Bureau site (very handsome, btw) and browsed some recipes. Here's one from the vegetarian section.

Eggplant sandwich

1 small eggplant, peeled, sliced into ½ inch thick slices
1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (6-inch) French sandwich rolls
1 small tomato, sliced
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Salt eggplant slices and let them sit for 30 minutes to let the excess water drain. Blot with a paper towel. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil, and cook on grill or under broiler for 10 minutes, until tender and toasted. Split the French rolls lengthwise and toast. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and garlic. Spread this mixture on the toasted roll. Fill the rolls with eggplant slices, tomato, feta cheese and basil leaves. Serve hot.

Years ago I made an eggplant casserole, then discovered that eggplant is good only for supporting other things like cheese and tomato sauce because it has no useful nutritional value or taste. So if you make this, and it does sound tasty, you'll have to rely on whatever is in the bread, olive oil, cheese, tomato and mayo to fuel your engine.

Ah, the 4-H memories. Were you a member? I'm sure it's very different today, and even 60 years ago was different for groups made from town, or farm or city kids. I think I joined in Forreston (pop. 1,000) because my sisters were members and I always wanted to imitate what they were doing. Not only did you have useful projects--sewing, cooking, raising animals, art, home maintenance, decorating--but you learned to give oral presentations to explain your project to your local club and leaders, far more complex than anything done in school. Agricultural extension/Cooperative extension are the original "continuing education," and should go down in history as a very useful government program which benefited many. When Congress created the Cooperative Extension Service at USDA in 1914, it included boys' and girls' club work. This soon became known as 4-H clubs - Head, Heart, Hands, and Health.

Photo from Arizona 4-H archives.

The mother in law problem--a repeat

I don't dither. Here's my response to a mother-in-law problem--this is a repeat from February 2007:

I have so many people on my prayer list with really serious, mind numbing problems, I admit I got a bit testy and talked back to the ingrate woman who wrote "Dear Abby" this week about her mother-in-law.

It seems her MIL does her laundry and dishes when she comes over to babysit. She started doing it when the complainer was bedridden and really needed the help, but she just won't stop! Really, what some people call a problem, I can fix in 3 shakes of a lamb's tail. DO THE LAUNDRY AND DISHES BEFORE SHE GETS THERE. Start picking up after yourself so Mama and others won't see your home looking like a cyclone went through as you run off for lunch with your friends, or where ever you're going. If your home looks like a federal disaster zone, don't be surprised when the volunteers show up for cleaning. Or, here's another thought. HIRE SOMEONE TO BABYSIT. Then invite your in-laws over for a non-working time with the kids (she wanted MIL to supervise the kids instead of cleaning up messes).

Now, wasn't that easy?

What are you doing with the turkey leftovers?

There was a box of Kraft Stove Top stuffing mix for Turkey in the pantry and a package of leftover turkey from Thanksgiving in the freezer. So I looked at the recipes on the box and decided to go with Turkey & Stuffing Skillet, only I'm going to bake it.

1 pkg of stuffing mix
1 1/2 cups hot water
3 cups chopped turkey
1 jar turkey gravy
1 pkg frozen mixed vegetables (I used green beans, onions, green peppers, and mushrooms)

Add hot water to stuffing mix; set aside.
Cook turkey, gravy and vegetables
Top with the stuffing mix.

Put in the oven at 350 around 5 p.m. for 30 minutes, and sit down to watch Glenn Beck. Serve with fresh strawberries and blueberries for dessert.

Too much time or too much wine

I was browsing a Christmas craft site today. I always admire these things, like ripping pockets off jeans and making a quilt out of them (I wear my old jeans), or the present we got in 1960, a piece of art made from glued macaroni pieces from my husband's aunt. This one, looked like a lot of work and a lot of drinking.

Who killed the Constitution?

I wrote that I read the Constitution while I was on my blogging vacation. So I checked the public library for some recent material. There wasn't much. I recommended a book I'd seen at a conservative think tank, and my request was denied--I was told not many public libraries had that book so I should try Ohio State's Law School library. Too bad we're such a low level, low achieving community here in Upper Arlington reading only fiction, cook books and travel books. Anyway, I did find two interesting books at UAPL (most are actually on the amendments). "Who killed the constitution?" by Thomas E. Woods Jr. & Keven R.C. Gutzman, and "America's Constitution, a biography" by Akhil Reed Amar. Notice at the Amazon site the review by Scott Turow of the second title. This paragraph in his review is quite telling--at least it explains what most lawyers in Congress, the courts and the White House have been taught:

"In college, I was taught that the Constitution was essentially a reactionary document, a view that had become standard in the wake of the historian Charles A. Beard's epochal 1913 study, An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States. Beard had contended that the Declaration of Independence contained a broadly idealistic vision of American democracy premised on John Locke's notion that "all men are created equal." The Constitution, on the other hand, was meant to serve the interests of the wealthy; it subverted democratic ideals, especially with its odious compromise providing that each slave be counted as three-fifths of a person for purposes of determining the population upon which congressional districts would be based."

Who killed the Constitution? tells us on the first page that both the right and the left killed the Constitution, and then provides 12 interesting cases from the last century, some well known, others overlooked, that show having the federal government take over health care is nothing new (in actions). I'm only in the first chapter--Woodrow Wilson and Freedom of Speech, and given all the czars and plots afoot now feared by the right, and how unhappy the left was about the Patriot Act, it's really a wonderful way to begin.

Some of the hysteria against Germans in WWI is very instructive, especially in light of the very mild prejudice against Muslims today. There was terrible stereotyping--even though probably a third of Americans were of German ancestry at that time. My family lived in a community after WWII where many people still spoke German, and I remember the suspicion and prejudice that still existed well after the war. During WWI (remember, at first Wilson pledged to keep the U.S. out of war) sauerkraut became "liberty cabbage"--sort of makes you think of "freedom fries" a few years back when sentiment against the French was running high. Germans lost their jobs, changed their names, and some were beaten and killed. In Iowa and South Dakota using German in public was forbidden except at funerals. There were volunteer enforcement organizations and neighbors were encouraged to snitch (remember Obama's request in the summer?) A movie called "The Spirit of '76" got its makers a 10 year prison sentence for portraying the British in an unflattering light (they were our allies in WWI). The authors said they could write a book just on the outrageous suppression of free speech during that period.

So it was that climate that gave us the Espionage Act and the Sedition Act in 1917 and 1918. The first involved promoting the success of our enemies (if Bush had had that most Democrats in Congress would have gone to jail) and the second gave the postmaster enormous powers to remove things from the mails that he decided would hamper the war effort. Of course, "intent" as in hate speech, was one deciding factor. These acts didn't come under court scrutiny until 1919, after the war was over when the Supreme Court heard 3 cases.

One of those cases was Debs v. United States. Eugene V. Debs delivered a provocative speech in which he claimed, among other things, that the capitalists were responsible for the war fever, and that as usual the common man had never had a chance to express his own preference for peace or war. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and Justice Holmes upheld his sentence. Warren G. Harding who followed Wilson, finally freed him in 1921, saying "I want him to eat Christmas dinner with his wife." It's useful to remember Holmes was a liberal, Wilson a progressive and Debs a Socialist.

Obviously, the first amendment (Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech,) can be trampled today just like 1917 and 1918. Politicians haven't changed in 100 years.

How I spent my vacation (from blogging)

Only my cousin seemed to miss me, but I was on a blogging break for about 6 days. I certainly didn't accomplish all I'd intended, partly because I didn't STOP reading other blogs--which is also very time consuming! And I continued to read in the topics that interested me. I'm a slow reader, have a few eye problems, so reading is sometimes a challenge.

1) Although I forgot to bookmark it, I read a study on NCLB that said it did indeed raise test scores of the bottom, most challenged group. But it was apparently at the expense of the top group which made no progress or even fell back. Sort of redistribution of wealth, Bush style.

2) Learned that the universe is composed 99.73% of "dark stuff." There are 3 types of dark (absence of light). Now we know of a fourth category, and it seems to be sucking in money in the area around the beltway.

3) I looked at the cheat sheet the Democrats printed up (pdf) of Obama's accomplishments to discuss over turkey. But it really was the turkey. Stuffed and expanded with lies, some created, some saved.

4) I began reading the Constitution of the United States. I may have had to pass a test on it in high school, but all I remembered was the preamble. A few weeks ago I bought a very small book from the Barnes and Noble bargain stack "The United States Constitution and other American Documents" (Fall River Press, 2009). It has almost no commentary except an introduction. I found it a fascinating read, and not at all the document that Obama claimed to know during his campaign, nor the one that conservative talkers say we're losing. It is 100% amazing in its brevity, insight into human nature and ability to see the future based on past events. And to think Congress must print 2,074 pages to fix a "system" that isn't a system, and isn't broken. I think it would be a great stocking stuffer, but I just checked the website, and it says they are sold out. That must mean other people are reading the original documents too.

5) I read an interesting comparison of the recent (Nov. 20 it was revealed about a decade of false information) manipulation and hiding of data about CO2 and its role in global warming with the "banned books" mythology and yearly event of the American Library Association at another blog.

6) I found out by following a link from ChemWeb Newsletter (in my e-mail) what makes up the dust in my house (remember--I was going to clean). Turns out 60% is made up of arsenic. Wow. That sent me right to the window blinds to remove the dust!

7) Read an article on who "invented" the global warming scare and why--it was Margaret Mead!

8) Learned by experimenting that the alcohol hand rub that is now ubiquitous is great for cleaning the bathroom. Dab a little on a cloth and wipe off the toilet flush handle, faucets, door knobs--also does a great job on the mirrors.

9) I made gift cards (I'm not very crafty) for my children's birthdays with inspirational stickers I found in my desk and attached their birthday checks to them--good at any store!

10) Attended a fabulous Thanksgiving service at UALC Lytham Road where Buff Delcamp preached and reminded us that the light of Christ is the answer to darkness in the world (see my #2) and John Stolzenbach got a standing ovation for the 25th anniversary of his ordination. That was followed by a wonderful dinner prepared by my daughter who lives over the river and through Scioto Woods, with lots of left overs to bring home and enjoy. She had alerted me to the pumpkin shortage earlier in the week, but I had a few cans, so we had plenty of pie.

Religion or Science?

Today I was looking through the online The Habitable Planet, a multimedia course for high school teachers and adult learners interested in studying environmental science. I just took a cursory look, but every topic seemed to include something about how fragile the earth's climate is and how man is contributing to its demise through global warming. So when I bookmarked it, I wasn't sure if I should file it under religion or science.

New Christmas dishes

Here's something I didn't need--new Christmas dishes. I bought a set about 10 years ago, and we use them once a year. But I was at the Discovery Shop and saw a hand painted set, priced separately. Well, I didn't want cups and bowls and tea pots and cookie jars, so 6 plates for $15 seemed a bargain. But first I looked for country of origin. I no longer buy anything made in China to use with food. There were no manufacturing marks at all. On the very last piece I turned over I found a sticker that read, "Diane's Delights, Columbus, OH," so I bought them. However, when I googled that name I found nothing, not in Columbus, not any place (for pottery and dishes). Any ideas? Each piece is slightly different, so they are hand painted. I think they are adorable.

Thanks to President Bush, Afghan women now in medical school

JAMA Nov. 18, 2009, p. 2081: "Afghan Military medical school reopens, enrolls women in first class of cadets." Obama dithers, quivers and crumbles for 10 months. Bush freed the Afghan women.

"The recent reopening [of Afghanistan's military medical school closed by the Taliban] in Kabul, in the spring of 2009, could help change the shape of medicine in Afghanistan. . . about one-quarter of students are women. Allowing Afghan women to attend medical school, or any school for that matter, was unheard of in the past [before Bush freed them from the Taliban]. . . Most Afghan women have not been allowed to learn to read and therefore cannot pass an entrance examination. However, the 9 female cadets accepted for medical training passed all entrance exainations and met all stringent scholastic and physical requirements for admission to the National Military Academy of Afghanistan. "Girls in Afghanistan sometimes have acid thrown in their faces for going to school," said CDR Gary Harrison, MC, USN.

"We're at the very beginning, but the legacy we leave here will have an influence for decades to come," said LCDR Sunny Ramchandani, MC, USN, who helped establish the medical school's curriculum.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Facebook--again

Don't blame the Secret Service. They are non-political. Political appointees are not.

"People familiar with the inquiry into how the Salahis were able to attend Tuesday's gala, even though they weren't on the official guest list, said the Salahis exchanged e-mails with Michele S. Jones, special assistant to the secretary of defense and the Pentagon-based liaison to the White House. It was unclear how well the Salahis know Jones, but Jones includes the Salahis' lawyer, Paul W. Gardner, as one of her 50 friends on Facebook.

Several people familiar with the Jones-Salahi correspondence, including some who requested anonymity because it's part of an ongoing investigation, said the e-mails support the Salahis' case that they were cleared to attend Tuesday night's gala." WaPo

I've talked to Columbus school teachers who've told me they are not allowed to have Facebook accounts. Sounds like a good idea for anyone in public education, academe, or government. Why do you want to tell nosy people who your friends and associates are? Especially reporters from the Washington Post who are good at gossip but not tracking down global warming myths and document screw ups? I looked up Michele S. Jones. She's another "first," and a two-fer, and maybe she just wasn't carefully vetted or wasn't given enough instruction and training on security and the importance of protecting the president from friends of friends. Or then again, perhaps she had nothing at all to do with this and the e-mails to her went nowhere.

Incidentally, far removed from this story but about social networks, have you heard of the book Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives, by Nicholas A. Christakis and James H. Fowler (Little, Brown, 352 pp., $25.99). It's reviewed at City Journal--go take a look. It's not about electronic social networks but the old fashioned type--like the brother-in-law of your best friend.

"Controlling for environmental factors and the tendency of birds of a feather to flock together—happy people prefer hanging out with other happy people—Christakis and Fowler found that we really do emulate those we care about, whether we mean to or not. Being connected to a happy person, for instance, makes you 15 percent more likely to be happy yourself. “And the spread of happiness doesn’t stop there,” they note. It radiates out for three degrees of separation, so that, say, your sister’s best friend’s husband’s mood exerts a greater influence on your personal happiness than an extra $10,000 in income would. If he gains 50 pounds, it will be that much harder for you to stay slim, as the frame of reference for what’s “normal” changes through your network. Or, on the positive side, if he quits smoking, your chances of kicking the habit improve, too, even if you’ve never met him."

Sounds like a title for next year's book club, and that maybe I've put on 10 lbs because my friend's husband can't lose weight.

Monday Memories--our 50th Christmas

We decorated the tree Saturday. As I was placing a shabby, scarred, blue flocked bulb on the tree I commented that this was our 50th Christmas, and it dropped and shattered. Well, it had a useful, long life. The tree we bought in 1993, and have definitely gotten our money's worth, but it is shedding almost as much as a natural tree, and each year, we toss 5 or 6 branches that break. The first photo below is me with the tree we had in 1969--a cut tree which we put in the dining room to keep a certain curious little boy from taking it apart (put a baby gate up). Many of the decorations are still the same 40 years later. I buy one or two new ones each year. We gave up the tinsel in the late 70s when Mystery our first cat ate them and they ended up decorating the litter box.

A Geezer Rant

Ronald Clark, a blogger who's a few years older than me, lives in Indianapolis and writes Banging the Drum. He wrote "Geezer Rant," and here's part of it.

How did it happen that manly men started replacing a hearty handshake with an embracing hug?

How did it happen that a proud free people began letting the Government completely run their lives?

How did it happen that shapely women are now kicking manly men’s butts in pop media?

How did it happen that even sailors blush when hearing mainstream movie dialog?

How did it happen that modern women have now become the sexual aggressor?

How did it happen that grade and high school students now feel free to cuss-out and physically threaten their teachers in the classroom?

How did it happen that it is now socially acceptable to scorn Christianity?

How did it happen that Governments and people are afraid to criticize Islam?

How did it happen that the New York Times changed from the paper of record to an ideology rag?

How did it happen that people who don’t want to work have now become respectable welfare recipients?

How did it happen that it is socially acceptable and celebrated to have children outside of marriage?

And there's more.

Handeling my new van

This morning after exercise class I stopped at the Lane Rd. branch of the Library to pick up a book I reserved (my last request for purchase of a title on the Constitution was denied but that's another blog). While I was there I flipped through the classic CDs in hopes there might still be a Messiah in the box. With hundreds in our congregation using the same material for Advent, I didn't think I find one (probably the largest Lutheran church in Ohio and the library hadn't purchased a new title on Lutherans in the U.S. in 40 years before I asked for one). But--there it was--Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

So on the drive home I popped it into the disc player in my new van, and now can't learn the trick to remove it. But the first 3 or 4 minutes are great. I also learned today what happens if you push the "panic" button on the key.

The "lost" climate data

"SCIENTISTS at the University of East Anglia (UEA) have admitted throwing away much of the raw temperature data on which their predictions of global warming are based.

It means that other academics are not able to check basic calculations said to show a long-term rise in temperature over the past 150 years.

The UEA’s Climatic Research Unit (CRU) was forced to reveal the loss following requests for the data under Freedom of Information legislation." Times on line

On the other hand, some very old stuff is now going to be available on line.

"Rare scientific manuscripts from Britain's Royal Society go online - 30 Nov 2009

The UK’s Royal Society has announced that historic manuscripts by scientists such as Sir Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin and others will be published online for the first time. As part of celebrations to mark its 350th anniversary, the society will make original manuscripts of papers published in its journals available to the public via Trailblazing, a new online resource.

Trailblazing contains 60 articles chosen from among the 60,000 that have appeared in the Royal Society's journals. Among the highlights from the Trailblazing site are: a 1770 scientific study confirming that composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a genius and, more recently, acclaimed British scientist Stephen Hawking's early writings on black holes. Also included are Sir Isaac Newton's landmark research on light and colour, a gruesome account of a 17th century blood transfusion and Benjamin Franklin's famous kite-flying experiment to identify the electrical nature of lightning in 1752."

My 2010 Chrysler Town and Country Van

This is a stock photo, but it's about right. I bought it yesterday. It's like marrying a total stranger you met in a bar and waking up in the morning and wondering what did I do? Actually, it's not like that, since I've only been married once, to a man I'd known for 2 years, and never go to bars, so that's fiction, just like a lot of other examples, parables, fairy tales, etc., that has confused some of my readers when I explained Neal Boortz' fictional story about Carrington Motors. But it's really odd anyway.

This morning I went out to the garage at 6 a.m. and climbed in. I wanted to be sure I knew where the lights were because I knew I'd be leaving home in the dark. When I picked up Paul (son-in-law's father) for church this morning, I didn't know which button to push to open the passenger door. When I went to Panera's after church and decided to practice in the parking lot, I managed to power down all the windows but didn't know what to do to get them back up--and it was rather nippy. Also, the key thingy is a bit sensitive and I seem to be beeping the horn.

This van is about 13" longer than my 2002 Dodge Caravan, which means my husband and I have traded sides in the garage. That means when backing out in the dark of the first day of our "marriage" I was headed for the neighbors' bushes instead of the road. Also, it seems to be wider, because I can't get out of the driver's side without bruising my left calf. The frame seems to be about 12" away from the seat in which the rest of my body is waiting for a foot to hit the ground. And I'm not terribly tall.

And junk. Oh dear. Where will I put my junk? Although Chrysler has designed lots of neat storage, some under the floor, nothing hides things quite as well as a bench seat--like the huge road atlas, my extra athletic shoes in the big orange box, the snow scrapper/brush, and a pile of JAMAs. Now the passenger row has bucket seats, not a bench. My old van had a storage net anchored between the two bucket seats in the front--this van has a tidy little box, not expandable. The T&C has all sorts of pockets and cup holders in the door and between the seats--I guess for all the people who eat in their cars. It's a 7 passenger van, but I think you could serve snacks for 12. I don't eat much while driving, but I do drag along a lot of "stuff," none of which will fit in these little compartments.

However, there's a lot to love, too. It's awfully comfortable--no complaints about my Dodge, but this T&C makes it feel like a horse cart--or my husband's Ford Explorer (a fancy name for a small truck). Oodles of positions for the seats, and the middle and back row can disappear into the floor all together if you want to carry a small pony, dry wall, or some living room furniture with you. There are dual ventilation controls and back of the van vents, but I haven't figure that out. We weren't interested in a GPS system but this does tell me which direction I'm driving and the temperature. But I really liked the price. It had about $4,000 in discounts, plus they gave me $4,000 for my van, so it was under $20,000, making it cheaper than my Dodge was in 2002.

I went a bit more high tech in this search. Because of Chrysler's financial trouble, I was afraid this style might disappear. And it still could, of course. It's not like God created it--mortals invent things like AGW. I first saw the ad in the Columbus Dispatch. I went on line and looked up all the specs and printed them out. Then I e-mailed two dealers (the one who had the ad, and a Dodge dealer) explaining what I wanted. I got prompt responses and we chatted by phone with me questioning everything on the printout I didn't understand. One salesman sent me a brochure. But the Dodge salesman wasn't even coming close to the T&C in features or price. So after lunch, we drove to the east side (that's another bad point, location of dealer) which seemed like we were going to Pittsburgh, test drove it, and made a deal.

If you've had as many minivans as I have, you'll see this one is more boxy like some of the newish sedans or even the original mid-80s minivan--maybe muscular would be the word. I hope it gets good mileage like my Dodge, which was just great on the road.

Some sing in the shower

Our church, UALC, is using an Advent daily meditation based on Handel's Messiah, written by John Gugel. You can purchase a CD to go with it, or use your own. I have miscellaneous selections from the Messiah, so have been looking up the different selections on YouTube. An amazing variety. One of the most gutsy is this one (Every valley shall be exalted), by a man recovering from a bad cold who appears to be singing in the lavatory off the kitchen. But I also found some really upbeat and jazzy versions by a contemporary (well, 1989) Christian group First Call, as well as a variety of churches which had performed this classic favorite of the season. They are not as polished as the pros, but their devotion and energy is worth watching.

Herman Shuman, obituary

 

James Shuman, me and Herman Shuman (82), 1998

 Herman was the grandson of my grandfather's older sister, Sarah.  We were second cousins. I had met the family in 1949 traveling with my grandparents, and again in 1998 when we went to Pendelton, IN to visit them. James Shuman, his son who is my age, is a genealogy guide for the various Brethren groups, and we'd had discussions on the internet.  He was visiting from California, so we decided to meet and exchange information. Herman and I continued to write at Christmas, and he called me a few years before his death to let me know he'd been ill and wasn't sending cards.

"Herman Shuman, son of Luther and Florence (Miller) Shuman was born November 21, 1916, near Pendleton in Madison County, Indiana in the home where he lived for 93 years. He was baptized into the Old German Baptist Brethren Church on August 25, 1935, to which he remained faithful.

He was married to Ruby Reavis, daughter of Henry and Mary (Long) Reavis, on March 28, 1937, and together they raised four children. He passed away in his sleep on November 24, 2009, at the age of 93 years and three days.

He spent his working years as a farmer. He was a minister in the Old German Baptist Brethren Church for over 60 years.

His companion was called away on April 5, 1994, after 57 years together. He continued in generally good health for another 10 years. Then a weak heart and the accumulated problems of the years began to afflict him.

In February 2005, he fell while in Florida, and was in and out of the hospital at Lakeland, and was finally transferred to a hospital in Anderson, Indiana. At that time, his daughter Lois moved in with him and looked after him for the remaining years. For the past year, his daughter, Sara gave him the nursing care he needed, as he was in and out of the hospital numerous times.

Through it all, he remained cheerful and uncomplaining, and he gave a good testimony to those around him. He authored several books, and he working on a history of the brethren in Central Indiana at the time his health declined.

He will be keenly missed by his two sons and two daughters, James and his wife, Dorla of Modesto, California, David and his wife, Virginia, Sara Miller and her husband, Randy, and Lois all of Pendleton; five grandsons; four granddaughters; seven great-grandsons; 11 great-granddaughters; one great-great-granddaughter; and a brother-in-law, Paul Reavis and his wife, Thelma of Rossville, Indiana.
Memorial contributions may be made to Pendleton Emergency Ambulance, P.O. Box 165, Pendleton, Indiana 46064."

Herman was the author of "The Country Preacher," a biography of Elder Solomon Stoner of the Old German Baptist Brethren.  There is one photo in the book of Herman and his family with Elder Stoner in 1951 in Canada. Ruby, Solomon and Herman standing, David, Sara and James in front; Lois was born in 1952.

Update:  I received an e-mail from Cousin James in January 2010.

"I am very sorry to be the one to tell you that my father passed away at the age of 93 years, 3 days, on November 24, 2009 (I thought my sister Lois had notified you of that). He had been in gradually declining health for the past few years, and especially the past 14 months. He had been taken to the hospital many times during those months, and had returned yet again with a serious infection. He appeared to be responding to treatment, and we were hopeful. He had slept during the evening, then was awake and visiting at 11 - 11:30 pm with Sara, who was spending the night in the recliner beside his bed. She told him she was dimming the lights so they could both get some sleep and he cheerfully said, "All right!" Soon he was asleep again, and she drifted off, only to be roused in less than an hour by the nurse tapping her knee. She said, "I'm sorry to disturb you, but your father just passed away." Sara is certain there was no struggle or unusual sound at all, since she had been caring for him daily for over a year and was alert to his calls for assistance.

So his passing was as easy and peaceful as could have been hoped for. As the minister said at his funeral, "He crossed over Jordan nearly dry-shod." And although we miss him greatly, because his mind was clear and sharp to the very end, we rejoice that he was finally freed from a body that was no longer cooperating with him very well at all; it was taking most of his time and energy just to stay alive, and there were fewer "good days" in between increasing lengths of "bad days."

We are adjusting to not having an older generation to look to and care for, but it will take quite a while to finish up his estate. My brother David, who has Parkinson's, is the "surviving trustee" of his revocable living trust, which held all his assets, and sister Lois is assisting him in doing some of the legwork and making the phone calls, etc. that are required. My wife and I have already committed to spending 6 weeks or more there next summer to help distribute his personal property as we go through a houseful of "stuff" accumulated over 93 years (he was born in that house!)."

Update 2017: When I noticed that David, the younger son,  had Parkinson's at the time of his father's death, I checked for his name, and found that he had died in May 2016.

"PENDLETON- David Lee Shuman, 75, of Pendleton, died May 28, 2016 in his home while surrounded by his loving family after a 20-year-long battle with Parkinson's Disease. He was born December 28, 1940 in Anderson to the late Herman and Ruby Shuman.

He was a graduate of Wabash College and Purdue University. He worked with computers at First Savings for 15 years and then at Indiana University and Purdue University in Indianapolis for 15 years until Parkinson's Disease forced him to retire.

He enjoyed fishing, landscaping, studying the Scriptures, computer technology, and spending time with his family. He was a member of the Old German Baptist Brethren Church where he served the Lord faithfully till death.

He is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Virginia Ann (Terry); three children, Jeffrey (Tricia) Shuman, Bethany (Craig) Skiles, and Kathleen (Randy) Hufford; 11 grandchildren, Lindsay (Brad) Graybill, Brandon (Ruth) Skiles, Kelly (Rick) Land, Katelyn Hufford, Morgan (Clark) Deaton, Ashley Hufford, Mandalyn Skiles, Justin Hufford, Megan Hufford, Hallee Shuman, and Trent Shuman; �and four great-grandchildren. Also surviving are his siblings, James (Dorla) Shuman, Sara (Randy) Miller, and Lois Shuman; along with several nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m., Monday, May 30, 2016 at Wilson St. Pierre Funeral Service and Crematory, Lahm Chapel, 211 E. State St., Pendleton, Indiana 46064.

Funeral Services will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, May 31, 2016 at the Old German Baptist Brethren Church, near Pendleton with the home brethren officiating. Burial will follow in Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Pendleton.

A special thanks to Dr. Goshert, Dr. Stevens, Hospice, our church family, and Dennis and Betty Hopkins."

Friday Family Photo--the baby quilt

February 1969, patchwork baby quilt made by my mother.

"Of all the treasures I can boast
I love the patch-work quilt the most.
She pieced it in the long ago,
With patient stitches, fine and slow,
Each block devised of dark and light
Small diamond pieces, looking quite
Like piled-up boxes, or like stairs
To lead you upwards unawares.

I almost hear her voice once more
And see the quaint old things she wore,
The dolman, and the Paisley shawl,
Myself a child again, and all
My childish faith and love surge up
To fill my worn heart's empty cup;
Of all the things she once possessed,
I love the patch-work quilt the best."

"The Patch-Work Quilt," by Eve Egleston Hoyt, 2nd and 6th verses
If I'd made a few notes in 1969, I could have identified most of the fabric in this patch work quilt my mother made. Not today. The memories are gone. In fact, I lifted this photo and poem from my Memory Patterns blog written in 2005--and reading through it, if I hadn't recorded some of those items even 5 years ago, they'd be lost forever. Even if you have no interest in blogging current events as I like to do, a blog is wonderful for family memories and photos (but please, not every step they take--be selective).

And here are the babies in my daughter's kitchen, just yesterday as we went over the river and through the "woods" to celebrate Thanksgiving at her house. Oh, I love having adult children who can cook for me. We had the most fabulous leftovers for dinner last night--and they sent the carcass home with me--we'll have wonderful soup and casseroles.

We had a wonderful holiday, and I hope you all did too.

Security at the White House

It's so odd, isn't it, that the media goes crazy over Michele and Tareq Salahi who went to Obama's first state dinner without an invitation? All this hubbub from the folks who totally ignored the Climategate story (except for Fox) which is HUGE and should bring down the cap and trade scam to tax us into oblivion (but probably won't with the media's complicity), and couldn't figure out if Maj. Nadil Hasan was crazy or a terrorist. ABC was just outraged. Did it even mention the release of 10 years of e-mail and data that showed manipulation in the climate change research? At least Mrs. Salahi had on an attractive dress that covered her lovely figure as would be fitting considering the culture of the honored guests. After all, they did pass the security check--they weren't armed, or a threat, they just weren't invited. Besides, with a name like Tareq Salahi perhaps Security didn't want to be insensitive and ask questions. Look how far that attitude got Maj. Hasan in the military.

Ohio has bedbugs

And so does your town, apparently. There are bedbug task forces in New York, Columbus, Cincinnati, Chicago. I just heard about it.

And there is a chemical that is 100% effective, according to the Ohio Dept. of Agriculture.

"In tests at the University of Kentucky, the chemical killed 100 percent of the bedbugs exposed to it within 24 hours and kept on killing after eggs hatched, Beal said. That compared with a 16 percent kill rate after 72 hours for a commonly used household insecticide against one strain found in Cincinnati, and 40 percent in another strain."

The department asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Oct.23 for an emergency exemption to allow the use of Propoxur in residences according to the Dispatch. From the reading I did, that doesn't sound likely.

Huffington Post article

THANKSGIVING BLOGGING BREAK

It's a mistake at my house to ever clean out a drawer. Take yesterday. I stopped to read a 1981 invitation for a reunion of McKinley Hall (University of Illinois) residents which included married names, and found my old roommate on the Internet. I've e-mailed her, but. . .I find so many things set aside for another day. Things I could finish if I weren't blogging or researching crazy health bills or reading your blog. I am up to my mascara-free eye lashes in
dust,
clutter,
halls to deck,
unread books,
unprinted files,
shirts not ironed,
buttons not sewn,
computer glitches,
recipes not tasted,
sinks not scrubbed,
decorations to unpack,
Christmas letter labels,
notes to the ill and bereaved,
good
deeds
left
undone,

holiday money appeals to examine,
walks to take before it gets too cold,
veterinarian and doctor appointments,
and to top it all off there is mold growing in the store room!

Does anyone need a dark green baby crib
just 42 years old with a few missing pieces or
wooden poles for heavy lined drapes or
a bathtub grab bar (we have no bathtub) or
five kinds of solvent and wallpaper paste?
Update for a joke:

~ A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store but she couldn't find one big enough for her family.

She asked a stock boy, "Do these turkeys get any bigger?"

The stock boy replied, "No ma'am, they're dead."

Just like the old days

Not a creature is stirring. It's the Ohio State-Michigan game today and all of Buckeye land is glued to their TVs. Except me. It was just like the old days of 1960 this afternoon. I stretched out on the couch and took a nap while my husband watched. He had a game plan. About 11 a.m. he prepared his lunch and set it aside. About 11:55 he came upstairs, warmed it up, and took it back to his favorite chair. This is one organized football fan.

Twiddle dum and Twiddle dee--"spending on things that matter"

Do you remember that phrase after the last election? "Now maybe we can spend money on things that matter," by rejoicing, teary Obama supporters. What a laugh. The welfare state grows no matter who is in office, sometimes more under Republicans, but definitely under the less-than-conservative two Bush presidencies. Once a human services program is in place, who controls the White House or Congress makes little difference in its growth.


"The most significant growth in Human Resources spending is attributable to Medicare and "Health Care Services," an OMB category dominated by Medicaid. Still using constant dollars, these two categories combined to account for 8% of Human Resources outlays under Kennedy and Johnson, 15% under Nixon and Ford, 17% under Carter, 21% under Reagan, 26% under George H.W. Bush, 31% under Clinton, and 34% under George W. Bush. Measure all the Human Services outlays from 1962 (the first year of more detailed OMB historical tables) through 2007 in constant dollars, and it turns out that Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security accounted for just under two-thirds of the total."

More interesting facts about the persistence of poverty and the corresponding growth of the welfare state at "Reforming Big Government."

Ohio’s HB 318

Late Wednesday, Ohio Senate Democrats rejected the latest Republican amendments to HB 318. The bill will attempt to fill the $851 million gap in the FY10-11 budget. The Senate Finance Committee has adjourned indefinitely--for time to enjoy a Thanksgiving Holiday while thinking this through. Too bad our federal Senators didn’t do the same--they could have used the T-holiday to read through 2074 pages commiting us to trillions of debt and the takeover of private businesses, all for the extremely small percentage of Americans who don't have health insurance (and that won't even change!). Then they could have enjoyed a turkey tryptophan stupor instead of gorging on this other turkey stuffed with pork and shredded taxpayers‘ investments.

Following are the provisions rolled into the substitute bill that were highlighted by Senate Finance Chairman Sen. John Carey (R-Wellston) during Wednesday evening's hearing. This information was provided by AIA Ohio which has a horse in this race, the Ohio Construction Reform Panel's recommendations which could determine how architects will do business with Ohio for the next decade. Notice the money hoped for from casino fees.

- Allows one-third of the scheduled income tax reduction to go into effect rather than freezing the full reduction. This nets the state $278.7 million in FY10 and $284.0 million in FY11.

- Creates a trigger mechanism by which an increased portion of or the full scheduled income tax rate reduction would occur if the governor moves forward on VLTs, or if excess casino revenues are generated within the biennium and could be used to offset GRF.

- Restores $25 million in FY10 and $35 million in FY11 for chartered, nonpublic schools that were disproportionately cut in the budget process.

- Transfers the casino licensure fees, approved by voters as 'State Issue 3,' into the GRF to offset current regional job program expenditures. This provides $200 million in FY11.

- Grants waivers for school districts regarding unfunded mandates for all-day kindergarten and class size reductions.

- Allows school districts to privatize transportation services if they choose to do so.

- Provides flexibility in state report cards for school districts that failed to meet adequate yearly progress (AYP) in certain sub groups.

- Allows broader use of joint purchasing by education service centers and school purchasing consortia.

- Includes SB190 ROTC high school credit provisions.

- Requires DAS implement paperwork reduction/cost savings strategies. This is estimated to save $10 million/year.

- Includes comprehensive sentencing reforms. This is estimated to save $20 million in FY10 and $30 million in FY11.

- Establishes an oil and gas drilling pilot program on state-owned land at Salt Fork. This is estimated to bring in $10 million in FY11.

- Removes pay cut language as it is now contained in SB209.

- Creates a privatization commission to study state functions that could be privatized.

- Specifies that future collective bargaining contracts let by the state will coincide with the state's biennial budget time frame.

- Requires that three state agencies (natural resources, education, and transportation) undergo performance audits.

- Studies a state government restructuring plan similar to those proposed in SB52 and HB25.

- Studies potential cost savings and economic benefits to Ohio employers and injured workers by allowing private insurance companies to compete with the Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC).

- Requires the auditor of state's office to determine if BWC has adequate reserves compared to industry standards and to recommend rebates if an over-reserve is determined to exist.

- Studies cost savings that may be achieved if the state were to go to a four-day workweek.

- Transfers functions of the School Employee Health Care Board to DAS and deletes GRF appropriation in the Department of Education. This saves $800,000/year.

- Transfers $15 million per fiscal year from the liquor profits fund into the GRF.

- Transfers $15 million per fiscal year from the Housing Trust Fund into the GRF.

- Transfers $1 million per fiscal year in total from three public safety education funds (83G0, 83N0, and 8440).

- Specifies that the insurance settlement funds for the Lake Hope State Park lodge be used for the purpose of fixing that site.

- Uses half of the current scrap tire fee to provide funding to the state's soil and water districts.

- Ensures correct appropriation authority for the Department of Mental Health's 408 line item.

There are many things in here that deserve a closer look--and it's happening in all states, not just Ohio. Like that Housing Trust Fund--that's created from real estate transfer fees, but is used in conjunction with federal funds for housing programs. 20 years ago no state had this--now about 40 do. The high unemployment rate is squeezing the flood of tax money to a dribble. During the boom years, did anyone at the state or federal or local level think they should have paid down their debt instead of adding more programs?

Two Golden Ages of Television?

Peggy Noonan writes in the WSJ what she’s thankful for--the usual--friends, health, surviving. And then gets to this:

“And after that, after gratitude for friends and family, and for those who protect us, after that something small. I love TV, and the other day it occurred to me again that we are in the middle of a second golden age of television. I feel gratitude to the largely unheralded network executives and producers who gave it to us. The first golden age can be summed up with one name: "Playhouse 90." It was the 1950s and '60s, when TV was busy being born. The second can be summed up with the words "The Sopranos," "Mad Men," "The Wire," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "ER," "24," "The West Wing," "Law and Order," "30 Rock." These are classics. Some nonstars at a network made them possible. Good for them.“

Looks like I missed both golden ages. My parents didn’t have TV when I was growing up so if I ever saw Playhouse 90 (1956-1961) I don’t remember it. I was just too busy going to school, dating or working at the drug store to sit down and watch TV. And of the second group I’ve only seen Law and Order (now in its 20th season), and much of it only in reruns--miss Jerry Orbach. Hardly ever watch it these days--too predictable. The others in the second golden age I’ve never seen.

Over the years we’ve enjoyed Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1966) both when it was current and later in reruns; Mary Tyler Moore (1970-1977) and the spin-offs Rhoda and Phyllis; Love Boat (1977-1986) was great for seeing all the stars not usually seen; Cheers (1982-1993); the Bill Cosby Show (1984-1992) and still laugh and identify with the family situations and love the fashions; Murder she wrote (1984-1996) with Angela Lansbury was never missed and we enjoyed it in reruns too; Golden Girls (1985-1992) although I think I saw this mostly on reruns; Murphy Brown (1988-1998)--great ensemble cast; Frasier (1993-2004) again mostly seen in reruns; Ellen (1994-1998); some of the movie channels like TNT and AMC for the movies I never saw when they were current; Third rock from the sun (1996-2001)--hard to believe Tommy is almost 30; we enjoyed Dharma and Greg (1997-2002); Monk (still current and watching it tonight); The Closer (now in the 5th season).

And remember the great variety shows--Sonny and Cher (1971-1974), Donny and Marie (1976-1979), The Captain and Tennille (1976-1977), Hee Haw (1969-1993) and now we even watch Lawrence Welk, which we never would have done in the 1950s and 1960s, as archives were dusted off with added interviews from the “Welk family” (1986- current) for its old time slot on Saturday evenings (tomorrow will be the Thanksgiving special on PBS).

The guy leading the global warming charge

If the interior of the earth is several million degrees hot, maybe that should be the cause of global warming instead of CO2 (which doesn't increase until after the temperatures rise, btw).

In explaining geothermal energy possibilities to Conan O'Brain Surgeon, Al Gore said, ". . . two kilometers or so down in most places there are these incredibly hot rocks, 'cause the interior of the earth is extremely hot, several million degrees, and the crust of the earth is hot ..."

Close Al. Close. No one really knows how hot it is, but the experts' guesses are 4-6,000 degrees. Maybe Conan could use some of those extra Palin fact-checkers on his show. Or Al's next gig could be making up numbers for recovery.gov.

Friday Family photo--the snow horse

I'm dating these photos as the winter of 1949-1950, or 60 years ago, and I'm guessing this is before Christmas, maybe the first snow, and the horse is a bit skimpy. I did a painting from a photo of one of my snow horses with my brother and dog and I have on a lovely plaid coat, which I probably received for Christmas, plus there was a lot more snow and my ability to sculpt a horse had improved a lot. Lady the dalmatian was a replacement for Curly, a shepherd mix, son of Pretty, who had her puppies under the neighbor's porch. During the summer of 1949 Curly disappeared (I was told) while Mom, my brother and I were on a trip with my grandparents. Lady developed skin cancer after we moved to Mt. Morris and only lived a few more years.

The other little boy on the left is Buzzy Brown--the only name I ever called him--don't remember his real name. He lived down the street. I think he was an only child and his parents were rather affluent. He seems to be wearing a matching hat and coat. To show you how thrifty my mother was--I'm wearing a homemade headscarf and mittens, and the mittens were lined with my father's wool Marine uniform from WWII. The blanket on the snow horse was from my grandmother's house, and I guessing it was from her mother's house of the mid-19th century. I am wearing over-the-shoe boots, but my brother isn't--although in the photo of the other snow horse he is. Perhaps he came outside to pose after all the work was done?

He's a poor step-dad and significant other

Eighty six% of the households in the top 5% are married couple families. Only 19% in the lowest 5th are married couple families. Do you suppose this affects the income gap? You betcha! Households with two full-time workers earn five times as much as households in which nobody works. Median income for households with two full-time earners was $85,517 in 2003 compared with $15,661 for households in which nobody worked. Median income for households with one worker who worked full-time all year was $60,852, compared with $28,704 for those who worked part-time for 26 weeks or less.

Oh, the injustice of it. Two married people who work have higher incomes than people who receive government money provided by the people who work. Not only that, but the median income of working people increased by 13% from 1987 to 2003, but those who don’t work and depend on Uncle Sam only got a 1.4% increase. Indeed, marriage may actually penalize poor people while helping their children (they get fewer benefits, but studies show children do much better with married parents). Both Democrats and Republicans tossed the ball of control back and forth during that time period. And since social programs (far exceeds defense) grew faster than anything else in government during those years, especially under Republicans, do you suppose we could conclude that Uncle Sam is not only a lousy step-dad, he’s not even all that great as a lover and significant other? Source

Government acronym: CSEPP

I didn’t know we had a Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) whose mission is to “enhance existing local, installation, tribal, State, and Federal capabilities to protect the health and safety of the public, work force, and environment from the effects of a chemical accident or incident involving the U.S. Army chemical stockpile.” According to the page I read, the stockpiles are secured on seven U.S. Army installations in the continental United States. The map, which was hot linked with colored dots, had eight dots. The first location I checked said it was one of six locations in the nation where chemical weapons are stockpiled.

The chemical agents of primary concern to CSEPP are the nerve agents GB and VX and the blister agents H, HT and HD. The chemical agents are stored in three basic configurations: (1) projectiles, cartridges, mines, and rockets containing propellant and/or explosive components; (2) aircraft delivered munitions that do not contain explosive components; and (3) steel one-ton containers. Most of the stockpile (61%) is in the latter form.

So how'd you like to live in that county? So is it six, seven or eight? Did one of these guys get reassigned to recovery.gov which has bungled many of the numbers and dollars for ARRA for jobs not lost?

I also learned that in 1985 the United States Congress ordered that these weapons be eliminated in the safest manner possible. So that’s what these websites are all about, the ongoing elimination of chemical weapons. "Enhance" in government speak means "eliminate." I guess that's why the health care bill is going to enhance the lives of so many seniors. If we haven't been able to get rid of these in a quarter of a century, what's the rush on health care?