PPACA aka Obamacare

or as I like to call it, Pee-pee and Ca-Ca (Spanish and French for poop). Liberals like to claim it will reduce the deficit by $143 billion the first decade, and $1.2 Trillion the second. Tell me the truth. Have you ever seen a government program, under any president or congress, actually shrink anything? Until Obama, a Democrat, the biggest spender on social programs was George W. Bush, a Republican. Obama has taken us to new heights of government control and new depths of hostility toward the market system which grew this country.

No one really believes these deficit reduction figures, not even the Democrats, Socialists and Obamacons who preach them. We know there won't be more consumer choice and that there will be millions still uninsured (the purpose of all this, we were told when Obama was in campaign mode). We know private practices will close due to increased taxes; that there will be death panels, regardless of whether you call them that. And why not, when we've elected a man who believes in late term abortion--why not early on eternal rest? The only way to cut costs is to cut services. Growing government has never saved a dime. Bailing out unions or insurance companies or automobile companies is not the government's job, and it's a given that eventually the "public option" will be the only option for Pee-Pee and Ca-Ca.

Plein air painters and wooden boat show

The lawn in front of the Hotel Lakeside was a busy place today. The wooden boat show and the Ohio Plein Air show were sharing space and viewers. Each year the show gets better and better. My husband is teaching at the Rhein Center this week, so after registration from 1-3 p.m. he changed clothes and went down to the lake to take kids out for a free sail boat ride. The water was perfect and about 100 kids participated. The temperature was in the upper 80s, but there was a cool breeze. Our friends Duke and Kinga from Indiana are here; we went to church together and had breakfast and dinner together before they returned to their camp at East Harbor State Park.

Sunrise and an unusual dog

I was standing on the dock this morning watching the sun pop over the horizon about 6:12 a.m. and then continued on to the Lakefront watching the sun reflect on the windows and fences like a raging dawn fire.  I passed a man maybe 80 walking with an unusual dog.  It had the head, ears and blue eyes of a Husky, but a Heinz 57 body with bushy gold colored hair, sort of like a Chow.  Although it didn't appear unfriendly, I know enough about dog breeds not to assume this kind of mix would welcome my advances.  I asked the man about his dog, and he said it had been thrown into a culvert as a tiny fuzzy pup and a woman found him who couldn't keep him and brought the pup to his farm. "This is the best watch dog I've ever had; it can see, smell or hear anything."  I suspect there's a bit of gratitude in this pet's loyalty, too.

Congress Overhauls Your Portfolio

I find it stunning that anyone of either party could trust a team like Barney Frank and Chris Dodd, both proven crooks and shysters, to do anything in the financial world. The small investor, the pensioner, and those wanting to build wealth for the future of their children have been scammed big time. This at a time when the boomers will begin drawing on their investments. "All the better to make you government dependent, my dearie," the witches cackled over their cauldron. The Democrats will deny any culpability, and probably blame the three Republicans who caved and voted for it.

Congress Overhauls Your Portfolio - WSJ.com

Dearborn Mayor lies about Christians arrested for proselytizing - Jihad Watch

You can get arrested in Dearborn, Michigan for praying . . . with a Muslim . . . if you are a Christian. Apparently, the first amendment doesn't apply at local Arab festivals, even though many Arabs are Christians.

Dearborn Mayor lies about Christians arrested for proselytizing - Jihad Watch

Calories do count!

This morning at Wal-Mart I stopped in the bakery section and looked at the cookies. We really don't need them, but, my goodness they looked wonderful. So I picked up oatmeal-raisin and oatmeal-raisin sugar free, which was twice as much, and compared the ingredients. Both had palm oil, which I don't think is good for us, but in small quantities, it's probably not a killer. But look at that fat and calories count! The sugar-free cookie was much higher in calories, and it would be my guess that you'd probably eat more of them too, because they don't have the same flavor and texture. The reverse is true with fat-free--usually a lot more sugar.

Americans are getting really picky about chemicals in food, sustainable and organic crops, and natural this and that. But they continue to get fatter. I think we were much better off with sugar and lard and fewer snacks and desserts than with chemically modified foods that don't satisfy, but are always at hand, so we eat more. If you really want low fat or low sugar, either add water or eat less.

Drug cartels in all states now

Senator John Cornyn of Texas says, "The time to act is now. These cartels already have a known presence in 48 states and the District of Columbia. Until Washington restores its credibility on border security more states will be forced to act much like Arizona did. Washington needs a sense of urgency, or many American families will lose their sense of security.

Border security isn’t just a border state problem, it’s a United States problem."

Today at the coffee shop I chatted with a woman from a beautiful ocean/lake/river area of Florida. She's lived there about 30 years, but originally came from this area of Ohio. In the last five years, she said, there's been a huge influx of crime from the Mexican drug cartels. She's very sympathetic with the Arizonans and believes there will be more laws like this if the federal government doesn't step up and do its job. Another customer chimed in about his area--Atlanta. It's not just Arizona's problem, folks, and we should thank Governor Brewer for bringing it to our attention.

Read more at the Washington Examiner.

No human embryo had to die for this experiment!

Remember how the left vilified Bush for not approving the expansion of the embryonic stem cell lines on the federal dollar? (It never was illegal and there was no ban--private money was OK to do so and it has never produced a single successful treatment.) Meanwhile adult stem cell research surged ahead. When Obama stepped up in 2009 he kept one of his first promises--expanding embryonic stem cell research. But it was too late even for that purely political move. It isn't needed. A hollow promise from a morally hollow man.

"Transplantation of human endometrial–derived stem cells (HEDSC) [HEDSC ARE ADULT STEM CELLS FROM THE ENDOMETRIUM] into mice with a Parkinson disease-like disorder boosted the animals’ dopamine production, according to a study funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The findings provide preliminary evidence that such transplantation may have therapeutic benefits in Parkinson disease. . .

"The authors noted that HEDSC can be easily obtained through a routine office procedure, and that women with Parkinson disease might be transplanted with their own cells." JAMA June 23/30, 2010, v. 303 n.24, p. 2464

Now admit it, NOW. Isn't that better than womb farming women for embryos?

Leftist comedians attacking daughters of Republican politicians again

They are such great feminists, aren't they? Let's go after the kids--it will get a good laugh. Oh, Letterman and Griffin--you are just sooooo funny. Where is Child Protective Services and NOW when lefty funny folk go after young women?

"On her Bravo TV show Tuesday night, left-wing comedian Kathy Griffin referred to Sen. Scott Brown's two daughters as "prostitutes," and a CNN reporter apparently thought it hysterical." Dana Bush and Griffin yukked it up--Bush's husband had the decency to grimace. Sexism and child abuse are OK if done by women, right?

Read more

NAACP and the New Racism

The new racism is charging others with being "racist" because racism is the new N-word. NAACP is the latest example charging that a group which the NAACP can't buy or extort for money is anti-black/minority at its base. Tea Party is an idea, a philosophy and a political direction, not a group, and its very young and has no national leadership to speak on its behalf. NAACP, which is a membership exclusionary group, rather elderly as organizations go with lots of infighting among its leaders, smears a lot of people.

"Expel the bigots and racists in your ranks or take the responsibility for them and their actions. We will no longer allow you to hide like cowards."

Meanwhile, not a word from NAACP about a fringe of a fringe black group calling itself New Black Panthers and recommending that blacks kill white babies, and stop having relationships with white women. Not a word about expelling the socialists and communists from the rank and file of the NAACP, or even acknowledging they are there. No, everyone else has to be pure, even those groups that aren't even a membership group from which to expell anyone!

Sure sounds like race based hate to me, and a group that says it promotes the advancement of colored people, ought to be speaking up about the New Black Panthers and the philosophies of some of its own members that Tea Party people don't approve of. Wouldn't that at least be fair?

Longest "failure to report" I've seen

When people report their research in JAMA, they are required to include any compensation or financial gain they might have received that could conceivably influence the outcomes. There was an article on obesity published in February on gastric banding in adolescents vs lifestyle intervention by Dr.Paul E. O'Brien of Australia. It seems the gastric banding group won. But in the June 16 issue, there is the "correction" for the financial disclosure agreement, he having said he had no conflicts of interest. I'd say it was a big one.

1. He received compensation as the Natioal medical director of the American Institute of Gastric Banding.
2. He's written a patient information book on the topic from which he derives financial benefits.
3. In another study on obesity he had grants from an obesity research center, of which he is the director.
4. He "inaccurately reported" (i.e., lied) about compensation received as a speaker.
5. He regrets any lack of transparency that his failure may have created.

I think this guy has a future in politics. Also, it shows JAMA really doesn't check much on this stuff.

More Mel Tapes Coming

If I ever heard of a couple who seem to deserve each other, it's Oksana and Mel. She's a slutty gold digger, he's reinventing Catholicism, cheated on his wife, and beats up his bimbo babe. Yes, they seem to have found a special hell on earth to inhabit together.

More Mel Tapes Coming - Road Runner

At the Rhein Center this week

My husband has been teaching an "Architecture and small house design" at the Rhein Center this week, and says they kids (all teenagers) are a very talented group. They've learned basic design principles, built a model, visited a cottage, and are working in teams to design their own plan.

He also did a presentation on Haiti Monday night and had an excellent turn out, and won the Laura Werden prize in the Lakeside Art Show for best Lakeside scene.

I've been taking a watercolor class with John Behling. Today I used an old photo of the children from the late 1970s at Marblehead, and it's better than the others I did on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Harry says Republicans Want Economy To Tank So Democrats Will Be Battered In Midterms

Good old "we've lost the war" Harry, still tries to blame the Republicans for the Democrats' across-the-board failures, from slowly killing the Gulf clean-up to the ARRA funding doing diddly squat for the unemployed, to Obamacare fears that are causing doctors to flee, and cap and trade plans that are killing investment and recovery.

Where are Republicans in all this, Harry? They've been helpless as you've helped destroy a free market economy. You guys took over Congress in 2006 and have been blaming Republicans ever since. Well, it was FDR who extended the Great Depression over a decade; it was Democrat Wilson who instituted the Jim Crow laws and segregated the military; it was your beloved Byrd who got to Congress with the help of the KKK; it's Democrat mayors of the major U.S. cities that have been oppressing minorities for generations while taking block grants and urban renewal money from the federal government; it was your man Clinton who came up with "don't ask don't tell;" it's your guy Obama who thinks it's OK to dismember viable near-term babies that are inconvenient; it's Democrat controlled unions that are sending our businesses fleeing to other countries. Come on, Harry. Man up for once and accept your prize failures.

Harry Reid: Republicans Want Economy To Tank So Democrats Will Be Battered In Midterms

MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan froths and insults

I know they called Bush lots of names, including Hitler, Stalin, dumb, wimp, etc., but I don't recall the left wing media calling him "little boy." And that bend over stuff? Is that a reference to his sexuality?

MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan Froths: Wall Street Frightens 'Little Boy' Obama, Makes Him 'Bend Over' | NewsBusters.org

Rush Limbaugh's "cracker" remark

A black group (New Black Panthers) threatens to kill "crackers" and "cracker babies" (cracker is a term for native Floridians which came to be used as a pejorative for all whites, just as did "redneck" which originally meant southern tenant farmer with a sunburn), and the threat is ignored by the media, the Department of Justice and the NAACP. Rush uses it to draw attention to the deliberate oversight and the irony and they are all over it. The media are sooooo slow.

I link to a Floridian librarian who calls her blog Florida Cracker--these are people proud of the name. That's the problem with pejoratives, isn't it? It used to be unacceptable to use the word black when referring to Negroes, or gay or queer in referring to homosexuals. Now black is preferred over Negro, and everyone uses gay--the word when embraced by the group, becomes acceptable. Cracker is a pejorative when the NBP uses it, but not when a Floridian refers to a Floridian.

Rush Limbaugh calls Steinbrenner a "cracker" | HardballTalk

Obama, Bush and Hitler images

Do you remember all this outrage about Hitler images and the President when George W. Bush was president? I saw it on the blogs that tracked the BDS sites, but not at AP or MSM. Here's an example of one of the Hitler-Bush pro-communist links I found from 2003:

"a paranoid fanatic intoxicated by messianic passions and dimmer than a slug. A man drunk with power, as he was drunk with alcohol before—and legally condemned for it on 4 September 1976, for driving drunk at full speed. Admonished, too, by none other than the evangelist Billy Graham who told him, "Who are you, to think yourself God?". A militant for the Christian Right, the Texan, Southern Christian right that is. A racist in love with the death sentence, especially when it comes to African-Americans. All in all, the worst US president for over a century, the man who will unleash the greatest tragedies on his own people. The opposite of Homo Sapiens, the incarnation of Homo Demens."

As other Tea Party groups have noted, this is counter-productive for their movement. But since NAZI means National Socialism, whereby the government controls but does not own (as in Communism) private industry for its own purposes, you can see the connection to the Obama Administration.

And wasn't it Newsweek that proclaimed "We are all Socialists" now? Communist/socialist governments have killed far more of their own citizens than any other form of government in all of history. And who can forget that 2008 image of Obama speaking before the throngs in Germany during his U.S. campaign for the Presidency? Is there anything similar to cause such anger at Bush which was rampant, raging and irrational?

Trick Questions--we all know the answers

1. Why is Governor Blagojevich threatened with 415 years for a deal for Obama's Illinois seat when the Democratic aides in the White House who were manipulating the choices don't get a Congressional hand slap or even a dirty look from Katie Couric?

2. Why do U.S. liberals, particularly Christians, only care about Palestinian Arabs if they live in Gaza or Israel? Millions are in camps in Arab countries where they live in deplorable conditions and have zero civil rights.

3. Why do celebrities, like Rosie O'Donnell, who are examples of entrepreneurship and capitalism based on their own persona and image, recommend that the United States seize the assets of a private company, even one based in another country? Do they understand National Socialism (NAZI) concepts?

4. Why criticize BP for advertising on TV and other media, spending millions to justify its actions, what it is doing to correct its mistakes in the Gulf? Are you criticizing the President spending millions, maybe billions to advertise and justify what he's been doing through trips all over the country, ads, sending the minions out to talk to the press, websites, and arbitrarily changing laws to change what he says were Bush's mistakes and not his own?

5. Why do liberals and progressives in America flunk Econ 101--Daniel B. Klein. Do you think it might have something to do with why FDR extended the Great Depression to over a decade and Obama is extending the Recession with similar spending?

6. When everyone, including me, knows there are three reasons for obesity--nutrition, exercise and genes--why did I have 2 pieces of Key Lime Cheesecake and only one serving of fresh fruit at last night's pot luck?

7. Why do people who support "green" issues, cap and trade, and farmers' markets, insist on volcano mulching around young trees?

8. Do Happy Meals really make kids fat or do the parents who buy them deserve the blame?

9. Why are the U.S. boundaries with Mexico treated differently than the boundaries with Canada, which are much larger? (Or is the question really, why is anyone even asking such a dumb question? but I saw it in the "Fences" exhibit.)

10. Going all the way back to 13th century England liberty meant freedom from governmental oppression. Why have 21st century Americans bought into the idea that freedom means not to experience need or even choices and are willing to submit to more and more government at every level from local zoning to Homeland Security?

11. As more and more information is released about Kyron's stepmom, why was his father so stupid and ignorant about her behavior during all the time leading up to his disappearance?  Maybe those two deserved each other?  Like Mel Gibson and his slutty girlfriend?

12. Amy Bishop has finally been charged with the murder of her brother in 1986. How long before the law suits start by the survivors and families of those she murdered in 2010 against those authorities at the university and in her own family who knew she was off her rocker for years?

13. Why does Headline News (CNN) advertise on Fox--is it because Fox is fair and balanced, or because CNN knows they have more viewers?

14. Why are the people who gnash their teeth and weep over the lack of bipartisanship and talk show criticism on Obama's watch the same ones who criticized Bush so violently? No Child Left Behind, The middle East war, the Medicare drug plan, the Patriot Act, efforts to reform Social Security, and his amnesty plan all had support from Democrats, i.e. bi-partisan support, and some lost him support from Republicans. Liberals weren't happy then with bi-partisanship were they?

Northwest Ordinance--Happy Anniversary

July 13, 1787 is probably as important as July 4, 1776, and the adoption of the Constitution on September 17, 1787, and the later addition of the Bill of Rights (which appear in part in the NW Ordinance).  The Northwest Ordinance passed the Continental Congress on July 13, 1787 and with the Constitution which was ratified in 1788 was critical to the infant United States' form of government. By 1783, the colonies had achieved independence, but Continental Congress was broke and couldn't pay the soldiers--and it had no power to levy taxes. Land west of Pennsylvania had been promised to soldiers. Several ordinances and plans were floated and private investors (like the Ohio company) formed companies to buy and sell the land and bailed out the new federal government.

Interestingly, the Northwest Ordinance which was passed, contains much of what later became our Bill of Rights, and guaranteed the individual freedom of religion, right to a trial by jury, no cruel punishment, and claimed religion was necessary for good government and that slavery was not be a part of the territory or states to be formed.

Article 3: Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.

Article 6: There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said territory, otherwise than in the punishment of crimes, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted. . .

Five states were formed by the Ordinance--Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. Ohio's entry into the Union was a bit bumpy, but after that things went pretty smoothly, and most states that followed used the same procedures outlined in this important document.

Both liberals and conservatives can take pot shots at the NW Ordinance--it shows the federal government has a role in local education and also in providing land and homesteads for its citizens. They also argue over the separation of church and state and what the religion article meant. And for that, you can argue forever.

Ahhhh. . . That feels better!

When I noticed my legs were waking me up at night before the cat did, I knew the problem this time--my shoes. Fortunately, I had purchased an extra pair of Nike Women's Steady VI cross trainers earlier this year, so my husband brought them with him after his last trip to Columbus. Almost instant relief. This is my fourth pair since March 2009, and for someone who isn't very athletic, that doesn't sound like a lot of wear and tear. However, I turned my old ones over and looked at the tread and compared them with the new ones. I definitely roll my feet to the outside, and the tread there was worn down which would cause my body to be out of alignment, just like a car with worn tires.

I originally purchased these because they weren't as fat, ugly and pretentious as most athletic shoes. They have a bit of fabric trim and grosgrain ribbon for shoe laces. But once I wore them and got relief from hip and shin pain, I'll keep buying them, looks or no.

Dow Kokam Receives $161 Million U.S. Department of Energy Grant

Why does this story smell, even though it's not "news?" First, I was checking out the Michigan GM plant that was outsourced, not to a foreign country, but to Delaware, Biden's home state. Second, while doing that I kept finding stories about South Korea and green technology (with all the hoopla for the last 40 years about green this and that, we don't have any of our own?) and various small plants in Michigan, all receiving the nod from the Veep.

Then I came across this one about Dow Kokam receiving $161 million in ARRA funds to "create" jobs in Midland, MI. That's an odd name--didn't really sound "American" to my ear. So I did a few Googles and found out this is Dow Chemical (yes, that Dow), Townsend Capital (a venture capitalist LLC) and Kokam, a South Korean battery company with an American subsidiary.

Now, I'm not so naive as to believe our own fossil fuel companies--petroleum, coal and natural gas--haven't been heavily snogging the federal government for many administrations, Republican and Democrat, nor as government gifts go is this a huge amount. But I do get a bit perturbed that the current Obama administration tries to paint their lovers as loose when in fact BOAd is their pimps and uses its own duplicity and lies to destroy America's belief in capitalism. This is called, "crony capitalism," whereby only the biggest bully gets the free money. What home-grown American green company could go up against a giant like Dow with a South Korean partner?

Dow Kokam Receives $161 Million U.S. Department of Energy Grant

The ‘Twilight’ Phenomenon: The Kids Are All Right

The Vampire craze has a thing or two to teach young Americans.

"From Disney Channel tarts to YouTube to MTV to their public school health education classes, young girls in this country are bombarded and constantly out-flanked with the toxic message that if they want to be ”in” and ”liberated” and “strong” they must become the useful and willing objects of sexual gratification manipulative men have always wanted them to be. Trust me, no one’s benefited more from left-wing feminism than than shallow, sexist men who use, abuse, objectify and discard women like empty beer cans.

In our world of popular culture, the romance between Bella and Edward is unlike anything these young girls have ever been subjected to outside of Turner Classic Movies. Edward cherishes Bella, and he protects her, not only from physical harm but from his own appetites and desires that would strip away her dignity. His love for her is what love is supposed to be: completely selfless and understanding.

As weak as these films have been in the storytelling department, they’ve become money machines because a majority of young girls don’t want to be Lady Gaga, they don’t want to monologue about their vagina with Jane Fonda, and they simply don’t understand why the very same adults charged with protecting them use classroom time to roll Trojans on cucumbers."

Big Hollywood » Blog Archive » The ‘Twilight’ Phenomenon: The Kids Are All Right

The Truth About Illegals--The Russian spies

A former spy, Ion Mihai Pacepa, the highest Soviet bloc official ever to have defected, tells how it's done:

"The term "illegal" has nothing to do with the idea of law breaking. . . An illegal assumes a non-Russian identity and appears abroad as someone who has no connection whatsoever with Russia. In any Western country, an illegal looks and acts just like your next-door neighbor. . . IT IS VERY DIFFICULT to identify an illegal living in the West under a new biography. I approved many such biographical legends. All were supported by Western birth certificates, school diplomas, pictures of alleged relatives, and even fake graves. In some important cases, we also created ersatz living relatives in the West by using ideologically motivated people, who received life-long secret annuities from us. No wonder the FBI needed ten years to document the real roots of the Russian illegals recently arrested.

The American Spectator : The Truth About Illegals

Failure to register as foreign agents

Who knew? Maybe Arizona could use that as a speedy excuse to send the illegals home. This Russian spy swap is really odd. These are not clowns or the Keystone Cops. These are spies and they are going home with their American kids who probably don't speak a word of Russian. Remember those? The ones the sanctuary cities weep over and say that's why we can't send their Mexican mamas and grandmamas home? This had been going on for 11 years, that's 3 administrations that have watched them. Apparently all in agreement. Their names and documents were all false.

As far as the New York Times is concerned, it's over. Once again we'll probably have to depend on bloggers and talk radio to find out what really happened. You sure can't expect the press to do any original investigation. And the Russians? They aren't too concerned.

Andrei Fedyashin of RIA Novosti writes: "Today's spy scandals seem far too prosaic to get a novelist's creative juices flowing. But the latest U.S.-Russian spy standoff has led to some interesting fiction in the U.S. media, at least. Republicans have taken to the Internet to denounce Obama as the "12th Russian spy," and right-wing radio show host, Rush Limbaugh, said: "Why do [the Russians] have to spy on us? Obama will tell them anything they want to know."

Remember, the MSM said there was nothing to the John Edwards baby rumor and nothing to look for in the Gore divorce. If philanderers can put up a smoke screen of lies, imagine what trained spies can do.

Sarepta Henry, evangelist, writer, poet

At one time, Mrs. Henry lived in Mt. Morris, IL as a student at Rock River Seminary. There she came under the influence of John Heyl Vincent, a real dynamo in the Sunday School movement, who later moved on to Chautauqua, NY and Lakeside, OH. She was the daughter of a Methodist minister, but is known as a 7th Day Adventist teacher and evangelist, and a licensed minister, having converted in the last years of her life (1839-1900), and a powerhouse in the WTCU, one of the most influential women's organization in United States history.

I came across her name for the first time today while searching JH Vincent in Google. Now, if you google Sarepta Henry, you'll find a fascinating book called "Unanswered Prayer; A mother's treasury of wisdom." It was first published by SDA in 1910, and was still printed and available by Review and Herald Publishing Association in 2002. If you have a teen or adult child being destroyed by alcohol or drugs despite your Christian home and time on your knees in prayer, this might be the book Mrs. Henry wrote for you.

I've never really done much research on what was known 100 years ago about prenatal affects of nicotine and alcohol on the fetus, but Mrs. Henry knew. Maybe it was anecdotal at that time, but we now know the child is strongly influenced prenatally by what the mother eats, drinks, smokes, injects, breathes and does. Whether you call that nature or nurture, it's a done deal when the kid pops out. Whatever the cause of a child being led astray by others or voluntarily bending the elbow, Mrs. Henry states at the beginning, it definitely isn't God's fault.

High School Students Selected for 6th Annual Grammy Camp

A local (Perrysburg) teen is packing for grammy camp. I wonder. Did any of the mentors or teachers at this camp get to the top this way?

High School Students Selected for 6th Annual Grammy Camp | Kidult

Federal Reserve weighs steps to offset slowdown in economic recovery

Slowdown? What recovery? Do we really need the Fed? And just what is it, anyway? Does anyone know? Do you think the "recovery" is slowing down, or do you think there really hasn't been a recovery? Bernanke thinks FDR didn't do enough! 14 years he diddled and fiddled. Bernanke loved the guy. No wonder. . .

Federal Reserve weighs steps to offset slowdown in economic recovery

Does Obama really need a "kill switch" for the Internet?

After the way Obama has handled the Gulf coast crisis (by shutting down the livelihoods of thousands, arriving late to the clean up party, plus threatening our energy sources), do you really trust this "kill switch" idea, regardless of the name they give it?

"Senator Joe Lieberman and other bill sponsors have refuted the charges that the Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act gives the president an Internet "kill switch." Instead, the bill puts limits on the powers the president already has to cause "the closing of any facility or stations for wire communication" in a time of war, as described in the Communications Act of 1934, they said in a breakdown of the bill published on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee website."

China, Iran, North Korea and other statist governments have a kill switch, why not ours? Just what are you ready to give up for "cybersecurity?"

Techworld "Obama Kill Switch Plan

Capt. Pete Hegseth on Elena Kagan

Elena Kagan is intellectually dishonest on many fronts says this veteran of the Iraq War, Pete Hegseth--she zeroed in on military recruiters, treated them as 2nd class citizens, blocking equal access to the best and brightest during time of war, encouraged war protestors on campus, and then went to work for the crafter of "don't ask don't tell."

Capt. Pete Hegseth on Elena Kagan. | RedState

HT Dave

Have they considered WMD?

Remember how the left poo-pooed WMD--like biological and virus warfare--after it was Bush's problem? They were all worried when Clinton was in office--even had the intelligence to show the dangers.

Iraq is a long way from [here], but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face." — Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998

Now physicians and scientists are struggling to understand the causes of persistent health problems reported by veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. The Department of Defense can't seem to find out what this particulate matter is.

“The U.S. Army asked the National Research Council to evaluate the Enhanced Particulate Matter Surveillance Program. The committee of experts it convened concluded that, despite the limited data collected, the Program's results clearly document that military personnel deployed in the current Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts are exposed to high particulate concentrations. The committee strongly endorses the Department of Defense's effort and recommends continuing and expanding the research.”

Report

A tax on pale (white) Americans

I have little sympathy for people who go to tanning salons to ruin their skin for a later date (on my dime), but I do feel badly for the salon owners who were doing nothing illegal and will have to pay this additional (no new taxes except for the uber rich--B.O.). Although like any business, they will pass this cost along to the customer. If customers decide to give up this unhealthy practice, the owner will need to find a new business.

People--just look at the splotches, brown spots, wrinkles and scars from surgery that your grandparents have. Whether they were addicted to indoor tanning, the beach or the garden, sun is only good for you in little doses and moderation.

Speaking of addictions, Archives of Dermatology (2010; 146(4):412-417) has reported on addiction to indoor tanning among college students. They found that those addicted to tanning also have a greater problem with alcohol, marijuana and anxiety, but were not necessarily more depressed. Bad news, good news, I guess. Maybe the anxiety stems from comparing tan lines or bikini waxing.

Federal tax on tanning salons takes effect today - Healthy Living : The Orange County Register

Less than half the stimulus spent--but more dribbles on the way as election nears

Press release

"The Ohio Middle Mile Consortium announced today that Com Net, Inc., a founding member, has been awarded federal stimulus funding that will add almost 700 new miles of broadband fiber to rural and underserved communities throughout western Ohio.

“This is a great day for Ohio. Comprehensive broadband services for the state are vital to enhancing education, retraining our displaced workforce and preparing our future workforce to drive Ohio economic development,” said Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Eric D. Fingerhut, who had called on the Ohio Academic Resources Network (OARnet), the technology operations arm of the University System of Ohio, to coordinate a unified approach for federal stimulus broadband applications.

OMMC partners Com Net, Inc., Horizon Telcom, OneCommunity and OARnet formed a public-private partnership to create a comprehensive statewide plan to expand broadband infrastructure to the underserved and unserved areas of the state. This plan will focus on community anchor institutions such as schools, hospitals, public safety and local governments to ensure the development of an affordable and sustainable broadband program.

In March 2010, the OMMC members submitted applications to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) to develop a Comprehensive Community Infrastructure (CCI). BTOP funding was established as part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), better known as the federal stimulus package.

As part of its first wave of announcements, the NTIA awarded $30 million in federal stimulus funding . . "

The ARRA stimulus, AKA Obama slush fund. . . not to be confused with the BP Obama slush fund, which is too small to even register.

Obama's not stupid, so is he incompetent or are we paranoid?

In writing about the Gulf oil spill at Hot Air, Steven De Beste ponders two possibilities:“The sane answer: they’re blithering incompetents. The paranoid answer: they’re doing it on purpose.” The comments coming in say the readers are going for the paranoid answer, because no one anywhere is as incompetent as Barack Obama. Here’s a good response and I think I agree with her, having noted a number of these things in the last 70 days or so, but with less salty language.

Steven, I have always respected you and admired you ever since I discovered your blog but I have to disagree with you concerning the Gulf Oil Disaster.

Ask yourself just how stupid, clueless and incompetent one has to be to refuse permission for the governors to build sand berms to block the oil getting ashore because those berms “might damage the environment”.

Ask yourself just how stupid, clueless and incompetent one has to halt skimmers from going out because the Coast Guard has to make sure everyone has a life vest and there are fire extinguishers on board. We aren’t talking about people in a Bass boat going out for a day’s fishing, we are talking commercial vessels and those are things that the CG inspects all commercial craft for every freaking year.

Ask yourself just how stupid, clueless and incompetent one has to allow BP to use Corexit as a dispersant. Why not just use Agent Orange or Plutonium as a dispersant fercrissakes! And where is all the “concern about the effect on the environment” that the Obama regime is showing by blocking the sand berms. Corexit is one hell of alot more damaging to the environment then a freaking sand berm.

Ask yourself just how stupid, clueless and incompetent one has to do what we have seen the Obama regime pull over the last week which is basically shut down all non government reporting and observing of this disaster and threatening those who do not comply with felony charges. Hell, even that Obamafellating jerk Anderson Cooper can figure out that something is really wrong with that.

Sorry, hun, but if it walks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck it is a freaking duck-not a hampster. The actions, words and deeds of the Obama regime concerning GOD are not the acts of stupid, clueless and incompetent people. There is an agenda behind it, then just haven’t let it slip out to someone who might leak it like they did concerning the border and the Arizona immigration law. They blatantly admitted that they will not enforce federal law and will try to destroy Arizona and other states immigration laws because they want to push their amnesty agenda. If I were to venture a guess they want to use this to ram through crap ‘n tax, shake down BP for money for their slush fund because they won’t get another “stimulus” package out of the legislative branch and they want to nationalize the oil companies. All one has to do to see that one working is to take a look at what they are doing to the refineries in Texas-so far the government has taken over 3 of them IIRC and more takeovers are on the way. 1/3 of the petroleum refining capacity is in Texas-do you really want those refineries controlled by Maxine Waters and the Obama regime. If you do I hope you enjoy paying 3 to 4 times more for everything that you buy/use because that is what is coming (just take a look around at everything you own that is made out of plastic and then triple the cost to manufacture it). BTW-we don’t have transporter technology yet so just about everything you use comes in via truck and $10/gal for gasoline will put a bit of a crimp in your “lifestyle”.  Nahanni on July 6, 2010

Did you fall in love in 1957?

Then you might like the movie Letters to Juliet, starring Amanda Seyfried, Vanessa Redgrave, Christopher Egan, Gael García Bernal. And if you're my age, the only name on that list you recognized is Vanessa Redgrave--but you may not recognize her. When you see her, you'll realize just how old we are!

Actually, I can't tell you much about the movie which came out in mid-May which we saw on a Sunday night at the Lakeside Orchestra Hall (movie theater). Between the British accents and Italian, and then the distractions of the extremely noisy ceiling fans and the two giggling 20-somethings sitting behind us, we really might as well have worn ear plugs.

But the general idea is that Amanda's character (Sophie) and Bernal's character (Victor) are engaged, but both are busy doing other things--he's a chef and she's a researcher and they are on a "pre-honeymoon" in Tuscany region of Italy (which is why I wanted to see it). She finds a group of "secretaries" who answer letters from the love-challenged. She comes across a hidden letter written in 1957 about Lorenzo, from a Brit named Claire--they had fallen in love as teenagers and she had to go home. Well, if I got the story over all the noise, the rest is a comedy as Charlie (Claire's grandson), Sophie and Claire scour the countryside looking for Lorenzo. Finally, Claire spots a young teenager working in the fields and declares that's him--and it was Lorenzo's grandson. The guy who plays Lorenzo is Redgrave's real life husband. Happily ever after ending, unless you liked Victor, who loses out, but he really cared more about food and his restaurant, so he didn't really lose.

I hadn't met my husband yet in 1957, but I did fall in love that summer. His name was Tim. No, wait . . . Jim. No . . . Jerry, or was it Terry? Anyway, it was a great time to be in love and write letters.

12 Reasons for Visiting a Farmers' Market

I've subscribed to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln Food Reflections for about 15 years, and always enjoy Alice Hennemen's articles. You can subscribe. Since I just visited the Farmers' Market at Lakeside this morning before I went to my Chaucer class, I thought this was timely--"12 reasons for visiting a farmers' market." Ours is pretty small, so some of these points don't apply--it's not festive, although I do often stop and chat with neighbors. Several of the tents do have wonderful flowers, too. Today I bought blueberries, fresh green beans, a tomato, one ear of corn (they always look at me with disbelief, but my husband hates corn), and a bunch (quart?) of freestone peaches, very sweet. Last week I bought rhubarb (which I froze for future pies), beets with tops, a head of cabbage, a huge green pepper, zucchini, and a quart of raspberries.

Yes, fresh produce tastes wonderful--and today there was a booth with home made pastries, which really didn't look like they would be good for you--they might have been free of preservatives, and locally baked, but they were just loaded with calories.

I only have to walk 2 blocks. "Locally grown" doesn't mean it's healthier or better for you, especially if you put it in the refrigerator for several days. I had some of the beans for lunch, grilled with onions, and they weren't cold, so they weren't tough. I'll probably prepare the rest for supper. Also fixed the corn on the cob in the microwave--cut off the stem, run it under water and cook on high for about 2 minutes. Strip off the husks and silks easily. Spread on the butter and salt--delicious.

12 Reasons for Visiting a Farmers' Market

Bio-medical research

Remember how Obama was applauded for his promises to pour more money into biomedical research? Well, it happened--sort of. JAMA reports when the 2011 budget is adjusted for inflation, there is no increase, and there is actually LESS because the ARRA stimulus infusion of $10.4 billion comes to an end.

In the coffee shop I saw a woman with a 30 year old face and the body of a 12 year old. Maybe she has EDNOS? That means she hasn't been diagnosed with anorexia (self starvation) or bulimia (binging and purging), but an "eating disorder not otherwise specified." EDNOS actually has a higher mortality than anorexia or bulimia, but seems to be in a limbo of medical indecision on how to classify it.

In another issue of JAMA I saw an article about race and aggressive treatment at the end of life and survival in long term acute care facilities. It seems that black patients at the end of life prefer a more aggressive treatment. They are less likely to have do-not-resuscitate orders in place at the time of hospitalization and are less likely to favor withdrawal of life sustaining measures in the ICU. Such a dilemma for a progressive, liberal publication. Is this liberal or conservative? Cultural? Religious? Racial? Moral?

The end result is African-American patients are sicker when they transfer to a long term facility and are less likely to survive--the whites who were the sickest with the poorest prognosis died in the acute care hospital! So blacks are more likely to die while ventilator dependent. But then the writers (social workers and PhD types) have to face the fact that this unplanned, unforeseen racial/cultural disparity opens up financial incentives for physician owned specialty hospitals, and home health services. Capitalism! Oh the horror! Better the government panel step in and decide their fate, right?

Eulogizing Robert Byrd--is that a white sheet over that casket?

Hearing Barack Obama and Bill Clinton lauding a former official of the Ku Klux Klan was certainly bizarre. They didn't just eulogize him, they noted with some puffery and pride found only among Democrats that he had rejected that nastiness in his past. God knows, I'm all for redemption, and so thankful that God doesn't grade on a curve, but did Byrd really change all that much? Was his (or any liberal's) objection to Justice Thomas and Secretary Rice really about their qualifications and not their race? There's a lot to overlook in this good old boy

"In a March 2005 fundraising appeal to the radical group MoveOn.org, Obama said, “Senator Robert Byrd was one of the first senators I met with when I came to the Senate three months ago. Senator Byrd understands the history, the importance, and the role the Senate plays in our government...”

Reeling off a long list of charges against the Bush Administration and Senate Republicans, all of which were either untrue or totally misleading, Obama concluded by saying, “Above all, Robert Byrd understands just how sacred the Constitution of our country truly is and fights every day to protect it.”

This is the same Robert Byrd who wrote in a 1944 letter to a Mississippi senator, “I shall never fight in the armed forces with a Negro by my side.”

This is the same Robert Byrd who wrote in a 1945 letter to that same Mississippi senator, “Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt, never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds.”

This is the same Robert Byrd who wrote in a 1948 letter to the Grand Wizard of the West Virginia Klan, at a time when Klan membership was in steep decline, “The Klan is needed today as never before and I am anxious to see its rebirth here in West Virginia and in every state in the Union.”

This is the same Robert Byrd who holds the distinction of being the only man to use the “n-word” on the floor of the U.S. Senate during the last half century, or more.

Obama’s fundraising appeal for his KKK colleague was a successful one. Within 48 hours, nearly $823,000 poured into the Byrd campaign coffers. And when Obama traveled to West Virginia to campaign for Byrd, the Charleston Daily Mail opined, “If the African-American trailblazer has any qualms about endorsing the man who filibustered the 1964 Civil Rights Act and who disdainfully referred to blacks as ‘the darkest specimens of the wilds,’ he’s keeping them to himself.” Paul Hollrah

Stuff I like--Lakeside businesses

We have a new laundromat in Lakeside, and I've used it. I took in a huge pile of bedding and was in and out in 45 minutes for $5.00. I have an apartment size washer and dryer in my tiny basement, just big enough for underwear and t-shirts, but I don't do bedding. It's newly remodeled and owned by Tom and Marcy Winkel who purchased a cottage here in 2001. We chatted a bit. Tom grew up in Upper Arlington and attended Watterson and Marcy used to work at the Worthington Public Library and the College of Medicine at OSU.

Joyce Christman and Erin Rosson have moved Artists 'N Cahoots, the art store, to the former Cokesbury location. You should see the wonderful window display of red, white and blue for this week! Jewelry, Christmas tree ornaments, hand sewn bags, stained glass trimmed mirrors, decorated pots and paintings. If you go inside you can see my husband's paintings and prints. For the most part, they represent the teachers at the Rhein Center.

On Saturday I stopped in at Marilyn's Too on 2nd Street. Always fun to browse through her lake themed gifts, cards, clothing, and furniture. Great Lakeside Cat's Meow stuff. Marilyn is a great cheerleader for all the teen campers at Lakeside. She just loves kids.

July 5 clean up

On my morning walk today--about 6 a.m.--the sun was barely visible. A thick haze. I saw about 20 Canada geese newly arrived and honking. And although the lakefront didn't look like the Washington Mall after the Obama inauguration, it was pretty sad. I don't think most Lakesiders litter like this, but there were hundreds of guests and many, many children spreading blankets, setting up chairs, and bringing along food and drink for the long, long wait of an hour or so. [sarcasm]

I know the groundskeepers will be out to do the clean up soon, but I picked up things as I went along: plastic cups with lids, spoons, forks; plastic water bottles--some never opened; empty boxes of sparklers and exploding rocks; soft drink cans; napkins and tissues; paper coffee cups; blankets, towels, folding camp chairs; dog leash; broken fixture for in-ground watering system; battery operated something with a strap; pair of white socks. But I didn't disturb the biker in a sleeping bad at the east end or the plastic bag of dog poop at the west end.

What may be the most time consuming for the grounds staff and which is the fault of Lakesiders are the hundreds of softball size+ rocks that people bring from the lakefront to anchor their blankets in case it gets windy. Each one of these will have to be picked up by hand and thrown back into the rip-rap in order not to damage the mowing equipment. Bad, bad on the people who don't pick up and remove their rocks when they take their blankets back to the cottage.

Lakeside provides at least 4 styles of trash cans, which may be part of the problem. Some people don't know whether the container is for certain plastics, or just cans, or for paper trash, so they just leave the mess on the park benches.

The above photo is actually from July 2008--haze is haze on any days.

Kagan hearings conclude

After what the Democrats did to Robert Bork and Justice Thomas, I'm not a bit surprised that these hearings don't reveal much. We all know who she is and how she'll vote.

Among those who remain concerned about Kagan is Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama) who told a reporter that he "was disappointed in the hearings." As Sen. Sessions put it: "I felt she was less than open, less than candid with us. . . she didn't say much. I thought she obfoscated her philosophy . . ."

Asked if he would vote for her confirmation, Sen. Sessions replied: "I am going to continue to review the record . . . my comfort level with this nominee is less today than before the hearing started . . . several different aspects of her testimony worried me . . ."

ACLJ • American Center for Law & Justice

What the Earth Knows

Although I believe in creation as told in Genesis (In the beginning God. . . ), most environmentalists and global warmists don't, so they could benefit from this calm assessment in American Scholar of geologic time. The web page was pretty messed up on my screen, so I'm linking to the print version.

"The geologic record as we know it thus suggests that climate is a profoundly grander thing than energy. Energy procurement is a matter of engineering and keeping the lights on under circumstances that are likely to get more difficult as time progresses. Climate change, by contrast, is a matter of geologic time, something that the earth routinely does on its own without asking anyone’s permission or explaining itself."

The American Scholar » What the Earth Knows » Print

U.S. Budget and Economy: Long-term Unemployment

This blogger is not an economist, a politician or a partisan--he's a math major who collects and charts data. The average and median duration of unemployment have risen to their highest level since 1948 and 1967, respectively. The average has reached 35.2 weeks and the median has reached 25.5 weeks weeks, according to government data. Whatever Obama is doing, isn't working--at least not for the long term unemployed--although some believe he's not spending enough money. All of the durations are starting to trend down except for the longest, those unemployed for 27 weeks and over.

Bush and other presidents also struggled with recessions (gray band in chart), and you can see on Davis' charts where those long term unemployment figures went. We know from both Presidents Hoover and Roosevelt in the 1930s and 40s, that pushing money at it and more government interference, isn't the solution. FDR led us further, deeper and longer into an economic swamp. Even the threats (promises to redistribute through higher taxes) made by Obama in 2008 frightened investors and rocked the economy.

U.S. Budget and Economy: Long-term Unemployment (updated)

My Father's Daughter -- The Story of Hannah Pool

This title was on NRO's summer 2010 reading list. It looks really good and both the professional and reader reviews at Amazon are positive. Maybe something for next year's book club?

Hannah Pool was adopted by British parents from Eritrea and "grew up in middle-class comfort in England, missing the hardships, deprivation, and war in Eritrea. But she also grew up with the fantasy of many adopted children of someday being reclaimed by the birth family, as well as the guilt of being curious about her birth family and seeming ungrateful of the adopted family. In Pool’s case, there were the additional layers of differences in race and nationality. Still, when a biological brother contacted her, she wavered for 10 years before returning the contact. At nearly 30 years old, Pool returned to Eritrea to meet her family and reconnect with the culture of her birth.

Writers who recommend titles include Denis Boyles, Orson Scott Card, John Derbyshire, Nancy French, David Gelernter, Jonah Goldberg, Allen Guelzo, C. R. Hardy, Arthur Herman, Hugh Hewitt, Carrie Lukas, William McGurn, Eric Metaxas, Joseph Pearce, John J. Pitney, Father George W. Rutler, Hans von Spakovsky, and John Yoo.

Amazon.com: My Fathers' Daughter: A Story of Family and Belonging (9781416593690): Hannah Pool: Books

Six Months to Go Until The Largest Tax Hikes in History

Here's some good news for Obama supporters and the main stream media. The biggest tax hike in our history is just down the pike. Despite all those promises, despite all that transparency and all the hopey changy swoons. Yes, it's change all right. More statism, more government control, more freedoms lost. You didn't really believe he could get the money for redistribution of wealth just from the wealthy, did you? For starters. . . the Bush tax cuts are going to expire. After that, there will be the Obamacare new taxes--20 or so. Then the AMT, new taxes on employers, and changes in charitable deductions. Oh, you Democrats must just be popping your buttons, you're so proud of your guy. And your fall back will always be, "It's all Bush's fault."

"Personal income tax rates will rise. The top income tax rate will rise from 35 to 39.6 percent (this is also the rate at which two-thirds of small business profits are taxed). The lowest rate will rise from 10 to 15 percent. All the rates in between will also rise. Itemized deductions and personal exemptions will again phase out, which has the same mathematical effect as higher marginal tax rates. The full list of marginal rate hikes is below:

- The 10% bracket rises to an expanded 15%
- The 25% bracket rises to 28%
- The 28% bracket rises to 31%
- The 33% bracket rises to 36%
- The 35% bracket rises to 39.6%"

But read more here: Six Months to Go Until The Largest Tax Hikes in History

HT Murray for the link

The Overton Window

I bought The Overton Window for my husband for Father's Day (and 2 shirts).  So far, he's enjoying it.  We've been married almost 50 years and I can't recall ever seeing him read fiction.  I don't read much fiction myself, but thought I'd be the one reading this.

"Glenn Beck's latest bestseller is a work of fiction -- but the method of political subversion it is based on is all too real. Named after its originator, the late Josef P. Overton, "The Overton Window" is a way of manipulating public opinion so that ideas once thought of as radical become acceptable -- while ideas once considered mainstream become fringe. Move "the window" of acceptable opinion and you change the debate. Change the debate and you change the country. " NRBS

It's been resting comfortably at the top of the NYT list and Amazon, and of course has been panned and criticized by the LA Times, WaPo, and NYT. I mean, could Glenn Beck do anything well? I think he has more subscribers than the New York Times does.

Portland police re-opening Gore investigation - Road Runner

I think I preferred not knowing the sex details of the Al and Tipper marriage.

Portland police re-opening Gore investigation - Road Runner

His alleged affair with his film producer

Stuff I like--Neutrogena Age Shield Sunblock

I don't "do" sun, but my husband is a sailor and even more fair skinned than I am (and a red-head when he had hair).  So I bought this product for him, Neutrogena Age Shield Sunblock, SPF 45.  One day when I knew I would be outside at an event I used it in place of my regular moisturerizer, and it is just fabulous.  It is non-greasy, has no fragrance, makes your skin feel fabulous, and I haven't seen any reaction with my own make-up.  Neurogena also makes a product called Age Shield, so I assume this is the same product with some sun block added, but I've been fooled before.  I haven't actually tried the one called Age Shield Face, just "Age Shield Sunblock." Therefore, I use it on my arms, neck and legs, too. Maybe it's my imagination, but I think it is a bit reflective--I like that.

Esta Tiera no es Tuya

Propaganda and/or education? It's a thin line, isn't it? Last night's program at Hoover was Sones de Mexico Ensemble [Chicago]. "The mission of Sones de México Ensemble is to educate, research, preserve, arrange, present, perform, and disseminate Mexican folk and traditional music and dance to children and adults of all nationalities, physical abilities, and cultural and ethnic backgrounds." The members of the group seem to all be Americans of a variety of ethnicities who focus on Mexican folk and traditional music and perform as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. I don't have a problem with that. Remember that dance group from central Ohio, Zivili, that preserved Yugoslavian, Bulgarian, south Slavic etc. folk music and dance (terribly minor key) and most were not of East European ancestry and didn't know any Serbo-Croatian except what they were taught in song? Did the dissolution of Communism and the civil war kill that group? Haven't seen them in awhile.

And possibly La Raza's [The People, The Race] strength and politics will kill this government approved, Grammy nominated ensemble. La Raza also believes "Esta Tierra Es Tuya" (This land is Your land, this land is MY LAND). Given its militancy, disturbances on Cinco de Mayo, and kids not being allowed to wear or display the American flag at schools in the SW, I think I'd remove that one from the repertoire.

I left after that retooling of an American favorite, went back to the cottage, made some pop corn and watched two ABC comedies I'd never seen before--"Cougar Town" and "Modern Family." After the docu-faux-drama of Washington DC and the media trying to whip up racism and hate, these were exceptionally funny.

Immigration laws and/or amnesty

President Bush lost support of his party in droves for proposing amnesty for illegals--I'm sure he didn't call his temporary worker program that--but that's what it was. His plan, during a booming economy, was intended to benefit employers, and I think his motives (political) were quite transparent.

"Yet even with all these steps [more border patrols and law enforcement], we cannot fully secure the border unless we take pressure off the border--and that requires a temporary worker program. We should establish a legal and orderly path for foreign workers to enter our country to work on a temporary basis. As a result, they won’t have to try to sneak in. We will enforce our immigration laws at the work site, and give employers the tools to verify the legal status of their workers--so there is no excuse left for violating the law. We need to resolve the status of the illegal immigrants who are already in our country--without animosity and without amnesty." (2008 State of the Union address)

BTW, we already have a temporary worker program--I have a friend in the landscape business and she's employed the same Mexicans for 15 years and they go home after the season. Those families and her family benefit from this, and Mexico certain benefits because it doesn't need to improve its route to opportunity within its own borders and the same wealthy class can maintain power.

President Obama is also using immigration as a political club. Without reading SB1070 he and his AG declared it racist profiling and illegal. Arizona wouldn't need this law if the federal government were able to handle the problem. In his case, it is to buy votes of minorities, not to help employers. Right now, we certainly don't need more cheap labor, but he needs more labor union members and needs to find uninformed new voters to replace the liberals and moderates he has driven away.

"Several Senators have learned of a possible plan by the Obama Administration that would provide a mass Amnesty for the nation's 11-18 million illegal aliens. Led by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), eight Senators addressed a letter to the President asking for answers to questions about a plan that would allow DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano to provide an amnesty if they can't secure enough votes for a bill in the Senate." (Numbers USA)

More on week 2

Yesterday I attended a very interesting seminar on "Identifying and Managing Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome" by Laura Schmitt and Kathy Parker of North Coast Cancer Care, Inc. I learned a lot, but then when you start from zero you can only improve your score. Only a small percentage of breast and ovarian cancer are hereditary, but the red flags are

1. breast cancer before age 50
2. Ovarian cancer at any age
3. Male breast cancer at any age
4. Multiple primary cancers
5. Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry
6. Relatives of a BRCA mutation carrier

Kathy is a patient advocate, and talks to groups about her personal story which includes three in her sibling group of 8 who have the syndrome, and many of her nieces and cousins. She had prophylactic surgery to improve her chances of survival.

This morning our herb study group painted canvas bags with herb leaves. It was challenging for this non-crafty person, to say the least. I used the "less is more" concept and chose only 3 herbs, using each 3 times. Now I have a pretty bag to take to the Farmers' Market.

My friend Nancy and I (met in 1973 I think) went to the Hotel Lakeside for lunch today to celebrate her birthday. She first told us about Lakeside in 1974 and found a cottage for us to rent.

The program this afternoon is on the Rise of Partisan Politics. I can't recall anyone worrying about this other than Democrats, can you? When they filabuster, it's just because they care and want to stop something unholy and awful the Republicans want; when Republicans do the same thing, they are being partisan and hyper-critical and uncivil. We have two parties, and most of the time they are twiddle dum and twiddle dee. Together they have made Congress almost irrelevant, turning over and playing dead for the President's Czars or the Judiciary's interpretation. The last bi-partisan support for anything that I can remember was in 2003 when Bush got a lot of support from Democrats for the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, using the intelligence on WMD gathered during the Clinton years. But then the Dems tried to run from that and called it Bush's fault. So that's what bipartisanship will get you!

Thanks, Mr. Sunil Ahuja, author of "Congress behaving badly;" I think I'll take a nap.

Ohio politics

You've got to feel a bit sorry for Governor Strickland--indeed, all governors--he's out beating the bushes for new jobs, industry and investment in his state. But what good is talking up the possibilities, lauding small business and pressing the flesh, while Obama is doing everything he can to bad mouth capitalism, demonize investors, suck up to foreign governments and shut down our economy through ineptitude or deliberately thwarting the clean up efforts in the Gulf? How many small businessmen say "I hope I never add staff or products," or "I hope I have to take a bailout from the feds, or survive on a state grant"? Business = capitalism = growth = jobs. After Obama kills the oil industry and the Gulf coast economy, coal will be next, and that's very bad for Ohioans. Fifty-four percent of Ohioans disapprove of both Obama's and Strickland's performance. Those numbers will go higher--I don't think either one can buy more popularity by throwing money our way before the election. The people are on to this scam. John Kasich has inched ahead of Strickland in the polls and 45% of Ohioans favor an Arizona type law compared to 35% who don't--and Strickland says he wouldn't sign it if the legislature passed it.

Ohio politics

Fannie-Freddie Fix at $160 Billion With $1 Trillion Worst Case

When will Congress call Fannie and Fred in for the hot seat tongue lashing?. Never. Both parties are to blame. Better to go after "big oil" or bankers or evil capitalists. Their mistakes were no accident, they are 100% the fault of the Congress which created the Federal National Mortgage Association, known as Fannie Mae, in 1938 to expand home ownership by buying mortgages from banks and other lenders and bundling them into bonds for investors. It set up the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., Freddie Mac, in 1970 to compete with Fannie.

Fannie Mae and Fred Mac will cost the American taxpayer more than the BP spill and clean up. Estimated at $160 billion and rising, possibly to $1 trillion.

Fannie-Freddie Fix at $160 Billion With $1 Trillion Worst Case « Finance Blog

Tea Party Candidate Opposes Abortion Even In Cases Of Rape, Incest

I have no idea who this candidate is or why this is pulled out of all her employment, education, social background and positions as the most critical. Will this candidate continue the degrading programs that prey on women and keep them 2nd class citizens?  Will she work for smaller government?  Does she believe in the free market? Has she lied about her positions or pretended what she said in the past doesn't matter today?  Is this inconsistent with her other views?

If you believe a fetus is a viable human being, is she less viable if the impregnation were violent or despicable? The headline is about pushing the "oh no" button rather than thinking something through logically. Why would any sane person want to compound a terrible crime with one even more violent, one that leads to death when the helpless victim has done nothing wrong?

Pasta with walnuts and Ricotta

Tonight I watched three cooking shows--Italian, Mexican (I think), and Thai. But they were all using Italian cheeses. Anyway, I just love walnuts and eat them everyday. I decided to look up Lydia's show (it was a 2009 rerun) and found a blog which described what I saw, and explained about roasting the walnuts, since Lydia's were purchased that way. I don't think the pasta I saw on the show was Fettucini, but I'm not sure she said. Check out Plated, Jessica and James, a musician and painter who live in NY and love to cook.

Day by Day Cartoon by Chris Muir, The Declaration of Independence Updated

We got a framed print of the Declaration of Independence for Christmas from our son. It's an amazing document. The Chris Muir cartoon of yesterday substitutes a few words and phrases (Obama for King George), adds in the Stimulus Bill, Health Care, immigration, czars and Cap and Trade, and the result is a very spooky caligraphic version for 2010.

"He has combined with Democrats, RINOs, Progressives, Communists, Dictators and Tyrants to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our Constitution and unacknowledged by our laws. . . "

Day by Day Cartoon by Chris Muir :: June 27, 2010 Archives

Many legislators aim to copy Arizona immigration law

Arizona's SB1070 is set to take effect July 29, 2010. "It requires police to check the immigration status of anyone they think is in the country illegally. Violators face up to six months in jail and $2,500 in fines, in addition to federal deportation.

Lawmakers or candidates in as many as 18 states say they want to push similar measures when their legislative sessions start up again in 2011. Arizona-style legislation may have the best chance of passing in Oklahoma, which in 2007 gave police more power to check the immigration status of people they arrest.

Bills similar to the law Arizona's legislature approved in April have already been introduced in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Minnesota, South Carolina and Michigan, but none will advance this year."

I'm looking at "Reporting requirements for private boat operaators in the Great Lakes Region (Jan. 2008) and I can't see how this is different. The Border Patrol can come aboard your boat and check the documents of the master and all passengers. Immediately upon arrival in U.S. waters all alien boaters must report (around here that is Put in Bay, Cedar Point, Port Clinton, Cleveland,Mentor, Eastlake, Fairport, and Ashtabula) or face a possible $5,000 fine for the first violation, $10,000 and confiscation of the boat for the next, and/or imprisonment for one year.

Where do you people from California, Wisconsin, Chicago, and even local school districts etc. get your information on the treatment of illegals at our northern borders or Arizona? Why shouldn't police, sheriffs, state patrol have the authority to apprehend people in the country illegally especially in the course of committing another crime? If you're willing to trust the government with your health care records, your banks, your auto dealerships, why are you so touchy and protective about illegals who are bringing in drugs, trafficking in humans, and taking jobs from Americans?

The Associated Press: Many legislators aim to copy Ariz. immigration law

Naughty kitty

Doesn't she look so sweet and dainty? So obedient and purrful? She's becoming a very naughty kitty--after 11 years. She has learned that if she puts her foot in her water dish, she can lick it off her dainty foot. But if she tips it over with her foot, it goes all over the floor, and woot! that's even more fun. She started this in Columbus, and it's really dangerous because of the dark marble tile we can't see the water. So we put her water in a very heavy RRP pottery "dog" bowl we found in the basement when we bought the cottage. Here at the lake we've put her water dish inside a larger bowl, but she still finds a way to see the water spread on the floor.

An even more wonderful, tasty pie

We love rhubarb pie.  But it's a bit tart, especially if the rhubarb isn't young and tender.  So you throw in some strawberries, and that helps sweeten it.  But strawberries turn to mush when baked in a pie and the texture of a strawberry-rhubarb pie isn't pleasant to the tongue even if the taste is (in my opinion).

Friday I decided to use up the rest of Tuesday's Farmers Market rhubarb which I had cleaned and frozen with sugar and flour and was ready to go. But it was not enough for a 9" pie, and I had blueberries, but not enough for a pie, so I mixed them, blueberries on top.  What a fabulous pie.  The blueberries hold their shape and burst when you take a bite.  They sweeten the rhubarb, but do not cover the flavor (they are rather bland). I think it is a much better fruit pie combination than strawberry-rhubarb.

Photo is from another summer, another pie time.

More stuff I like--Monday Memories--Merle Norman Cosmetics

Around age 40 I thought it might be nice to learn how to wear make-up.  Must have been a mid-life crisis--you know, you look in the mirror one day and say, Whodat? I had lipstick, mostly red or pink, but foundation, eye shadow, mascara, blush, moisturizer, etc. were whatever I'd picked up along the way. So, I walked into a Merle Norman shop in the Lane Avenue Mall in Upper Arlington, and made an appointment for a "make-over."  Earthtones were all the rage then, but I liked the look and the older saleswoman (about 50) was gorgeous and very low key--just my type.  So I bought the powder base, moisturizer, cleansing cream, that red goop in a bottle, blush, eye shadow, mascara, and a rust colored lipstick.  I know all about bacteria warnings in make-up, but some of those products I must have had for 20 years because I didn't use them often.

I found out from the saleswoman (consultant?) that reds and rose weren't good for my extremely fair, peachy coloring, and I learned to apply foundation sparingly in a connect the dots method and not mask-like in the jaw area. This was a good tip particularly because as women age, we should wear less, not more, to cover facial wrinkles.  The last thing you want is an orangy or rose hue build up in those crevices and valleys. I never did much with eye lid color or mascara.  Makes my eyes itch, and again, as women age, lots of eye liner gives that startled racoon in the garbage can look. And God forbid if you shed a tear--big smears!

Then I discovered that these little stores come and go!  Rents are high in the malls, and women are fickle, it seems. After Lane closed, I went to Kingsdale, and it closed and I drove to Worthington; then to Westland.  Fortunately, in her teens, my daughter became a Merle Norman user, and she started giving it to me for birthdays and Christmas. There used to be a nice Merle Norman shop in a dress store in Port Clinton, but the owner died and it closed.  The last one I found near me was north of Bethel in Columbus, and she closed up after Christmas 2008--I rushed in and stocked up.  But while checking on-line today I found one in Polaris--it's a bit far for me to drive, but maybe there's something else in that area that I'll need, or I'll stock up for another closing.

The sound of pain

The yelp of a dog in pain--you don't forget that. I rushed to the window. A golf cart had gone over the foot of a large, hound-type dog. Now, the dog hadn't run after it or got in the way. No, the two overweight dog owners were riding in the cart while "walking" the dog, on a relatively short leash. They ran over his foot. The weight of the cart plus the weight of two obese adults must have hurt. They both looked like they needed to be outside the cart, walking. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt and assuming they are disabled, but it's still a dumb way to exercise a dog. And that goes for the more svelte, buff people who think riding a bike with the dog on a leash is a smart way to exercise a dog. Especially when they get tangled up and I have to slam on my brakes.

Week 2 plans at Lakeside

Last night we enjoyed the wonderful Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats. Nothing like their show to make me feel like a slug.

Today we attended church on the Lakefront with pastor Irwin Jennings and then enjoyed breakfast at the Patio Restaurant. One of my husband's paintings has sold, so he swapped it with another one he had brought along. This afternoon I went to the Heritage Society Lecture on the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol--we have a huge border with Canada, and here on Lake Erie it is patrolled by boats but also on the highways. There was a big bust in May involving many levels of law enforcement. There is a new border patrol office in Sandusky (or reopened--it closed in 1957).

My husband plans to take children sailing today. Then this evening we're hoping to see the movie, "Letters to Juliet." I think $6 is too much to pay for a ticket to anything in Lakeside, but this one has scenes of Tuscany in Italy where we travelled in 2008 about this time of year.

I stopped at the art center to see if I wanted to sign up for drawing class, but it was a pastels class, and I really don't enjoy that. I was really looking for basic drawing skills.

This week's seminars are on Challenges in Mexican-U.S. Relationships, most of which I'll pass, but Joanna Swanger, daughter of our friends Gene and Carolyn is doing a 2-parter, so I may look into that. Another theme is "Provocative Social Movements," and that doesn't interest me. On Friday there will be a focus on Haiti, so we hope to go to that.

Tuesday Wellness at 3:30 is Genetic testing, which sounds interesting, and Wednesday in Herb class we're going to paint a canvas bag. I might do the historical walking tour on Wednesday after herb class, and the tree walk on Friday at 10:30. Friday evening is the Artie Shaw orchestra and Saturday is Capitol Steps which is usually political satire--fair and balanced we hope.

Thunder storms and tornado warnings, so I'll turn off the computer and unplug!