Crime and fatherless homes are directly related

Heather McDonald in City Journal reports on what has happened in Chicago since the September 2009 death of  16-year-old Derrion Albert, when his attack was caught on video and spread across the internet.  The federal government and social workers responded as they've learned to do with a $40 million dollar federal grant for "at risk males."  But that's not what they need.  They need married fathers. Since Albert’s death, 78 more youth under the age of 19 have been killed in Chicago, overwhelmingly in black-on-black shootings.

In every American city, the disproportionate black-illegitimacy rate is matched only by the disproportionate black crime rate. In Chicago, blacks, at least 35 percent of the population, commit 76 percent of all homicides; whites, about 28 percent of the population, commit 4 percent. In New York City, blacks, 24 percent of the population, commit 80 percent of all shootings; whites, 35 percent of the population, commit less than 2 percent of all shootings. The black illegitimacy rate in New York is over 78 percent; the white illegitimacy rate in the city is 7 percent. The national rate of homicide commission for black males between the ages of 14 and 17 is ten times higher than that of “whites,” into which category the federal government puts the vast majority of Hispanics.

Of all the problems we face as a nation, this one seem insoluable to me. I certainly don't think the government can change this, but it sure did help create it, beginning with Johnson's War on Poverty which is when the out of wedlock birth rate began to soar for both blacks and whites. Slight reversal with the 1996 Welfare Reform (begun in 1994) intended to strengthen families and marriage, but was maligned by the press as "War on Welfare Mothers." It had a side affect of reducing illegal immigration and did increase marriage, resulting in more children living with their fathers. Gradually, other federal and state programs were added back in like SCHIP. It did result in reducing case loads for agencies and possibly some lost jobs or transfers.

White House claims it met stimulus goal of 70% spent by Sept. 30

But no one knows how, unless they really goosed it that last month, because they weren't even close. For now, "if they said, it happend" is the rule of this administration. Here's one agency that didn't get its spent--Department of Homeland Security, one that you would think (if you thought like a conservative) would have no problem.

"•The Department of Homeland Security has spent less than $500 million of its $2.8 billion allocation. When the stimulus bill was passed, the CBO estimated that Homeland Security would spend more than $1 billion by now. The slow spending comes from nearly every part of the agency. For example, Customs and Border Protection has paid out less than $50 million, even though it was authorized to spend $680 million to modernize ports of entry and deploy other border technology. That program was halted briefly last fall as news media and members of Congress questioned the plan to modernize little-used border stations in Montana and North Dakota instead of busy crossings along the southwest border." Link

So some alert news media noticed the ND stations weren't as big a risk as Arizona and NM. Who knew!

Tony's Ready to Move the Party from Las Vegas to Los Angeles with the purchase of a Hollywood Hills Vacation Home

I love to watch HGTV--programs are "reality shows" just a tad unreal if you've ever owned, remodeled or purchased a house, but they are fast paced, well-produced, and the advertising is appropriate for the programming. Some times I yell at the set--especially when a young woman is buying a home and planning to be a landlord to her boyfriend of 3 years. Oh lordy lady, how dumb can you get? If you break up, you may not be able to move him out of the house without legal action.

But last night they had the story of Tony Chau of Las Vegas on House Hunters buying a second home in Hollywood. He is a Vietnamese immigrant (name sounds Chinese to me, but there are Chinese families living in Vietnam, called Hoa ), but came to the USA at age 10 and is now 26 and a millionaire. He has some sort of marketing company on the internet. He was house hunting with his decorator who has done several houses for him. What he ended up with was fabulous--and we heard several times during the program how much he likes to party. Well, maybe so, but I do like success stories about immigrants because they are visible, physical evidence that America is still the land of opportunity and dreams if you want to work hard and have a marketable skill.

Tony's Ready to Move the Party from Las Vegas to Los Angeles with the purchase of a Hollywood Hills Vacation Home : House Hunters : Home & Garden Television

What dreams are made of--or fairy tales

Oh wow! A drastic one-year reduction in drop outs in the Columbus Public Schools "defies the odds for an urban school district." Well, why not--the Columbus Dispatch Jennifer Smith Richards didn't peek under the book covers. I'm sure it makes Columbus Superintendent Gene Harris look fabulous.

However, the drop is because of social promotion**. No one fails in elementary school in CPS. Also, a student isn't a "drop out" if he transfers--he's not tracked, and he may never return to school. In some schools serving low-income one parent families, moving on is a family tradition. That probably takes care of quite a few right there.

So that dumps unprepared students into the high school where there is no social promotion. But not to worry--instead of social promotion, they just don't flunk anyone. A student can remain a 9th grader for four years***, passing into Algebra II with DD or FF earned in Algebra I. The graduation rate is figured on students who actually enter the senior year--and since a 4th year 9th grader isn't technically senior, he doesn't graduate and isn't counted. Tricky business, isn't it.

So why is someone who flunked Algebra I taking Algebra II sitting in class with your kid who is good at math? First, because CPS doesn't have honors classes--that would be "tracking." Tsk, tsk. Second, our last 2 governors (Republican an...d Democrat) believed every child should be in a college prep curriculum. This has decimated the track for vocational education. As the current generation of people in the trades retire, more jobs will be sent out of state because many of the Ohio h.s. graduates who do make it are flunking in college after 1 semester.

The Columbus Dispatch could do some investigative reporting so the people will be informed, vote out the politicians who put this system in place and then blame the administrators, who blame the classroom teacher for a kid who'se been lost since third grade.

Every school district in the state calculates drop outs and graduation rates differently. Your mileage will differ with your school and the years your child attended. If you live in Columbus I think home schooling, a private or public charter school, or a church school would be a good alternative if you can afford it.

Teachers are extremely well paid--that's no longer a problem. The problem is they are well paid prisoners in their own system with their hands tied. It's the children who suffer, then our cities, and then our state, because what state can remain competitive in a system like this?

City schools see big cut in dropouts | The Columbus Dispatch

** Social promotion is the practice of passing students along from grade to grade with their peers even if the students have not satisfied academic requirements or met performance standards at key grades. It is called "social" promotion because it is often carried out in the perceived interest of a student's social and psychological well-being. Most schools won't admit the extent of this practice, according to what I've read.

***Repeating a class or "retention" is considered a negative experience, so the poor kid is just moved to the next level of difficulty, but not promoted a grade. Make-up classes are offered, but not required, and may be computer classes, which would require more discipline and effort than a regular class.

Dueling books about Obama's father and surrogate father

Which is it? Is he a hack Marxist because of Barack Obama, Sr. who hated the British colonial system in Kenya so he became a Communist or because his white grandfather Stanley Dunham introduced him to a buddy-dad in Hawaii also a Communist party member, Frank Marshall Davis who coached him to hate all things American? Which ever, the books of Dinesh D'Souza and Paul Kengor came out on the same day.

The American Spectator : Obama's Surrogate Anti-Colonial Father

More insanity from Chris "leg tingle" Matthews

Is this man crazy? Open mouth spew garbage?

"CHRIS MATTHEWS: Okay let’s talk about what the message to a lot of the people was. The message coming out of the Tea Party people, and lot of them are good people, is every man for himself, basically. “No more taxes, no more government, no more everything. No more safety net. No more health care for everybody. Everybody just get out there, make your buck, save it, screw the government, move on.” Right?"

Not once has a Tea Party ever said every man for himself. It's always been help your neighbor--don't ask the government to take your money to do it for you!

The miners were fortunate enough to have a strong leader, someone along the lines of our own founders! A man with a vision, charisma, and a goal--to get his men out alive. Plus it was 75% American technology and 25% Chilean guts that got them out!

Gracious goodness God almighty, please someone give that man a clue, or else he'll cost even more American jobs--his own!

Trucks Encircle ABC, CBS, NBC, Challenge ‘Liberal’ Media to ‘Tell The Truth’

"Four billboard trucks bearing the message “Stop the Liberal Bias, Tell the Truth!” began circling the Manhattan headquarters of ABC, CBS, NBC, and the New York Times on Friday. The trucks will do so for eight hours every weekday for the next four weeks as part of a campaign run by the Media Research Center, a watchdog group that analyzes the media for liberal bias."

Trucks Encircle ABC, CBS, NBC, Challenge ‘Liberal’ Media to ‘Tell The Truth’ | CNSnews.com


From Breitbart.com

I'm guessing someone will get them on EPA violations for polluting the air more than the media does.

Obama White House vs Chamber of Commerce

I've never donated to the Chamber of Commerce, but I will now. Obama's attacks (can you prove they aren't taking foreign money) is just one more way to try to destroy our economy since he knows most new jobs come from small business, and they tend to be Chamber members. And does he include the Black Chamber of Commerce in this smear?

Obama White House vs Chamber of Commerce – A New Low of Fear & Smear » Right Pundits

Copy of the Chamber's response at NYT.

Those libs and dems who are "deeply troubled" that the Chamber has foreign members, didn't care a twitting twitter over the foreign money that poured into Obama's 2008 campaign against Hillary.

Cole's survivors angry over case

"The 10th anniversary of the bombing of the USS Cole on Tuesday conjured up painful memories for the families of the 17 Navy sailors who died in the terrorist attack, but it also revealed simmering anger at the Obama administration over the lack of concrete progress in bringing an alleged perpetrator to justice."

Cole's survivors angry over case | POLITICO 44

Tiresome political ads

As noted earlier, on our trip to Illinois and Indiana this past week, we heard a lot of political ads on the radio--most for candidates and issues we knew nothing about. But here's a refrain I just don't understand, and it seems to sprout (excuse mixing my idioms) at all levels of government. Republicans ship jobs overseas. Really? I thought it was unions and over regulation from everything to emissions to pollution to green space to finances that did that. And if a business moves from Mt. Morris to Rockford or to Missouri or Florida, it might as well be overseas for all the good it does for your local economy. (You can get a good deal on the beautiful and historically significant "Old Sandstone" in Mt. Morris, former home of Watt Publishing which has moved down the road to Rockford.)

Until the White House began directly taking over various segments of the economy with czars and new laws since January 2009, the government had little to no say in whether a company went global. Business in a market economy is about profit--they need to pay back their investors and their stockholders. Period. The benefits to the government and society should stem from that, not from the government stealing from the owners.

US midterm elections: Volatile forces shape US vote

A new angle to smear the Tea Party candidates and conservative Republicans--anti-science! Whoop! Now which threatens real scientific research more, back breaking deficits and killing the golden tax goose (a thriving market economy which brings in more tax dollars), or Tea Party candidates? Obama worsened the gulf oil spill mess by destroying more jobs and shipping money and jobs to Mexico and Brazil so they can mess up the oceans with drilling.

This editorial in Nature reflects the continuing support among academics and eggheads for the failed Obama administration. They've still got the guilt glitter in their eyes and are seeing Obama through rose colored hopey changey glasses.

"In the face of fiscal constraints to come, making decisions on where to cut and how that will affect our research and innovation effort is a very serious issue," says Anne Solomon, a senior adviser on science and technology at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, a think tank based in Washington DC. An issue paper co-authored this year by Solomon calls for a "science and technology-enhanced Congress", in which legislators are broadly knowledgeable about science and have better access to technical expertise on the complex issues they face — from energy policy, to education, to economic and security matters. In fact, the opposite is likely to be true of the next Congress.

Obama's promise to "restore science to its rightful place" was no promise at all--it was just one more whiny childish slam at George W. Bush, and I'm surprised the editors of Nature fell for it. And hopping on the embryonic stem cell band wagon? Oh please! Is that the best you have to offer? This piece resembles the new WH charges about the Chamber of Commerce--just accusations, no facts. I concur with the reader who left this comment:

"Nature editors use weasel words and constructions that they would scarcely countenance in something placed rather deeper inside the covers of the magazine.

The fighting is now "hyper-partisan" (with no reference or supporting evidence--maybe a Lexis-Nexis comparison?) compared with past US elections. This makes progress "virtually" impossible so that "Voters on all sides sense that too many privileged Americans, including the politicians for whom they end up casting their ballots, are engaged in reckless behaviour that leaves a mess behind." Really? You've got some parsed polling data to support this assertion somewhere?"

US midterm elections: Volatile forces shape US vote : Nature News

EPA Funnels Taxpayer Money to Dozens of Liberal Community Activist Groups

An Acorn by any other name is still a nut. Community activist groups, ah, let me count the ways they can spend our money. The $2 million EPA will send out in environmental justice grants will probably go to pay more salary and administrative costs. Spread among 76 groups that's just "get out the vote" money.

educate senior citizens on climate change

community bike rides

increase awareness about the dangers of sun and heat exposure

investigate the environmental impact of practices such as idling automobiles and buses at school entrances

Kinda makes me wonder what they were doing before the money infusion.

EPA Funnels Taxpayer Money to Dozens of Liberal Community Activist Groups | CNSnews.com

Private vs Public School teachers assessment of their schools

Public school teachers have unions and all the perks. They are well paid and have terrific pensions awaiting them after 30 years, some in their 50s, young enough to start a new career or go back and teach. You can check at Buckeye Institute for your district (in Ohio). [I checked someone who teaches half time for $43,000 for 184 days, and her life time pension (based on 18 years average) is worth $638,400 at this point.] However, private school teachers seem to have in their schools more of what we want for our public schools according to a new AEI study on civics and citizenship.

•While just under half (45 percent) of public school teachers say social studies is considered an absolutely essential subject area in their district, two out of three private school teachers (68 percent) say this is true for them.

•Private school teachers are almost twice as likely to report having a great deal of control over what topics they choose to cover and how quickly or slowly they move through the curriculum (86 percent versus 45 percent).

•Private school teachers report significantly higher levels of confidence that most students in their high schools learn what they are supposed to before they graduate. This confidence differential is especially stark on items pertaining to the implicit curriculum, such as teaching good work habits and respect for authority. For example:

◦"To have good work habits such as being timely, persistent, and hardworking" garners 31 percent "very confident" responses among private school teachers, compared with 6 percent among public.

◦"To be tolerant of people and groups who are different from themselves" garners 43 percent "very confident" among private, compared with 19 percent among public.

•Private school teachers are also more likely to report an overall more positive school atmosphere for conveying the importance of citizenship:

◦Their high school has a community-service requirement for graduation (82 percent versus 37 percent).

◦Their administration maintains a school atmosphere where adults are respected (88 percent versus 65 percent).

◦Their high school encourages involvement in student government and other issues-oriented clubs (91 percent versus 73 percent).

Komen for the Cure Donated $7.5M to Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz in 2009

"The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation has long denied that abortion plays any role in elevating the risk for women of contracting the deadly disease.

That's despite a wealth of research over decades showing an average increased risk of about 40 percent for women having abortions compared to those who carry their pregnancy to term.

But the contributions Komen affiliates make to Planned Parenthood, which does more than 25 percent of all abortions in the United States and aggressively promotes abortion abroad, provide another sources of frustration for pro-life people who otherwise would support the group."

The excuse that this money goes to poor women without insurance for mammograms is pretty lame. That just means it frees up more of PP other money for abortions!



Komen for the Cure Donated $7.5M to Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz in 2009

Congressional staff gain from trading in stocks overseen by employers

The Wall Street Journal on October 11 looked at congressional financial disclosures and found 72 staffers of both Republicans and Democrats who held shares in companies overseen by the staffers' employers.

"Unlike many Executive Branch employees, lawmakers and aides don't have restrictions on their stock holdings and ownership interests in companies they oversee. Congressional rules say that requiring employees to do so could "insulate a legislator from the personal and economic interests that his or her constituency, or society in general, has in governmental decisions and policy." An analysis of financial-disclosure forms for 2008 and 2009 compiled by the website LegiStorm shows that several hundred congressional aides bought or sold stocks. At least 72 traded the stocks of companies their bosses write laws for."

Congressional Staffers Gain From Trading in Stocks - WSJ.com
While the rest of us piddle around in 4-5% gains, they're doing 90%+, but hey--no conflict; husbands and wives don't even discuss what's going on--the money just keeps on rolling in. And if you believe that. . .

Obama and Palin 10th Cousins

I guess it's nothing to blog or brag about that while in Illinois in the parking lot of the Mexican restaurant I ran into my first cousin once removed, Margaret, her daughter, Sharlein who is my second cousin (we share great-grandparents Leanor and William Ballard), and her son Bryan and wife, my second cousin once removed, and his daughter, my (?) second cousin twice removed. I've checked my database and I don't have their names, but Bryan is 30 and this was the first time we'd met.

But POTUS Barack Obama is the 7th cousin 3 times removed of Warren Buffett and 10th cousin of Sarah Palin and 11th cousin of George W. Bush (and all the other Bushes are assorted cousins, too). Rush Limbaugh is his 10th cousin once removed as is his brother David. The ancestor he shares with Buffett was a slave owner who came to the continent in the 16th century. No word on whether his Kenyan ancestors helped round up fellow Africans to sell to the European slave traders.

Obama and Palin: Cousins? - NATASHA LENNARD | POLITICO CLICK

I used to think it was really odd that people took photos of grave markers, but now I do it. I was able to walk through the back yard while visiting in Mt. Morris, stroll through the school track field to Plainview cemetery and visit "the old folks at home (with Jesus)" to spend some quiet time with them. Someday at the resurrection we'll all be together again.

Great grandparents who were born in Tennessee, but lived most of their lives in Illinois

Cousin Phil, grandson of the above, and his wife who were killed in an auto accident near Oregon, IL.

Little Alma Fay, my grandmother's sister who died in 1908 as a baby, first child born after they came to Illinois.

Driving with the radio

On long trips like the 9.5 hours to northern Illinois I like to listen to a.m. radio. We like our favorite talk shows, but there's a time change to account for, so we have to listen through all the drive time chatter about traffic, whether it's in Chicago or St. Louis or Indianapolis. I think music on the radio is being wiped clear by people using i-pods, because I really didn't find much. And the political ads--they were excruciating. Not only have we already voted (mail in), but we didn't know any of the names or issues. They all sound alike--everyone running against candidate so-and-so is crooked, or let someone out of jail, or has taken special interest money, or shipped jobs off shore. I did find a familiar Cincinnati voice, Mike McConnell, but he was on a Chicago station--WGN. He's got an incredible voice and style. . . but didn't seem as loosey goosey as his former gig. And the women! Oh my, oh my. Such nasel, whiney, harsh voices. Found very few I could listen to more than a few minutes. And twirling the dial, I decided no one sounds better or is more talented than our own Bob Connors, right here in Columbus WTVN 610.

Night Time is the Right Time--the Huxtable family

October 10, 1985, the Huxtable family entertained Cliff's parents with lip-synching the Ray Charles classic, "Night Time Is the Right Time." Episode #27. Never was another consistently good show on TV for the whole family. Loved the clothes.

Cosby Show sing Night Time Is The Right Time by Ray Charles
- Watch more Music Videos at Vodpod.

Obama loves a teachable moment

". . . and there’s no better one than Obamacare’s six month anniversary (September 23). Pay attention, class: The central piece of Barack Obama’s presidency is a law that was passed by a narrow partisan margin over a public outcry—a law that increases dependency on government and will do untold damage to American health care. Repeal of that law will presumably require a Republican president in addition to a Republican Congress, so the homework assignment for 2013 is tough but worthwhile. Repeat after us: Don’t let Obamacare reach its third birthday." Matthew Continetti

Obama's Reading List

Where is it? The media ridiculed President Bush for being such a dunce--until they learned about his reading list which was primarily history, biography and political science, but included Camus. Then the non-reading reporters chastized him for not reading topics more liberal, or not a different title by an author. Here's the stunned Richard Cohen of WaPo:

"Bush read 95 books in 2006 alone. In 2007, he read 51 books and as of last week, he had read 40 in 2008. . . [Karl] Rove appreciates that he's written a caricature-buster. "In the 35 years I've known George W. Bush, he's always had a book nearby," he writes. "He plays up being a good ol' boy from Midland, Texas, but he was a history major at Yale and graduated from Harvard Business School. You don't make it through either unless you are a reader.""

So today we get "Obama's Rap Palatte " and Thomas Chatterton Williams questions why he's being praised for his "updated" selection, referring back to a Rolling Stones article, although even 2008 articles featured his i-pod so he'd appear "with-it."

Hip-Hop. Jay-Z, little Nas and Lil Wayne, to name three. Rapping about pornography and drugs, violence and murder, and of course, dissing women.

But yes, bloggers say Obama does read. (I googled it), although not as much or as widely as Bush. He can list his favorites (including his own titles) and his current reads, which don't overly impress me, but hey, it's better than my TBR list. But I refuse to listen to music that disses women and for a wife and 2 daughters, it's not a good idea for him either.



Thomas Chatterton Williams wrote Losing my Cool about how reading helped him escape many of the negative aspects of black culture.

The Kirwin Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity

I've been looking through the programming, publications and propaganda put out by the Kirwin Institute here at Ohio State University in Columbus and find nothing but hopelessness, divisiveness, anger, and hatred. Why are we employing people to constantly be stirring the pot? Were there not enough academics in the Black Studies, Women Studies, Social Work, Public Health, etc. departments to do this? I read one heart breaking piece on the black women, forgotten, being pulled out of the Anthony Sowell property in Cleveland a year ago. No mention that the killer was a black man--just condemnation of a racist society that cares so little when a black woman disappears. No mention that a few had never been reported missing by their families.

Some samples, just in case anything were resolved, to continue the employment of the staff:

Social justice issues are never static and new challenges and issues are constantly emerging [so we can keep our grant money flowing?].

In addition to our core research areas, the Institute has several emerging research initiatives that are responsive to new issues that have profound impacts on racial and ethnic groups. . . Our work operates on the premise that opportunities exist in a complex web of interdependent factors, and that to alleviate inequities in any single area, we must first consider the entire structure that supports these inequities. [We're on a roll--let's see how far we can go with this web!]

Inequality has a geographic footprint. We have pioneered the use of maps to communicate the history and presence of discriminatory and exclusionary policies that spatially segregate people [Let's draw in academics from geography and urban planning.]

You get the idea. This is a funding scheme that will never end.

Cal baseball's demise is Title IX fallout

This is happening because of Title IX, but that isn't mentioned in the article.

According to Saving Sports, a blog devoted to Title IX:

Five teams eliminated at Cal. Baseball, Men's and Women's Gymnastics and Women's Lacrosse will be eliminated at the end of the season. Men's rugby, the only varsity program in the entire country, will be downgraded to "varsity club" status -- which in essence is an accounting device to get the team's players off the books to help with Title IX enforcement.

Cal baseball's demise shocks big-league alums

As seen on TV--terrorists for global warming

Children are executed in a British global warming terror commercial which has to be the most evil, most cause-defeating ad ever created. After 2 children do not agree with the teacher to encourage their families to reduce their carbon footprint, they are blown up, splattering the other children with body parts. Hard to imagine any ad agency this stupid. It's British, not USA, but the hard sell for global warming is about the same.

I guess it's true--you can't fix stupid.  It's called the 10:10 campaign.

Whatever happened to Shirley Sherrod?

Is her 15 minutes of fame over? The last news I can find about her is dated August 24 and she'd turned down a new job at the USDA and was going to lie low for awhile. I don't know if Obama ever apologized to her or not, but I doubt that firing her was Vilsack's idea. As it turned out, or turned up after her name kept appearing, she and her husband were involved in some payout from the government that needed further investigation, so I think she's smart to disappear for awhile. And consult with her lawyer.

Some new regulations came out of this, and number one is, well, I'm flummoxed that it wasn't in place: "1.) The department should follow existing resignation protocol and review all relevant facts before making a decision." I mean, even political appointees deserve some fair play.

The rug

There's a lot to think about in this simple video.

Helping Wisconsin stay competitive in the global market

Somebody needed to help--might as well be me. Yesterday I bought an 8 oz tub of Rondole spreadable cheddar with horseradish. My goodness that is yummy on Ritz crackers. Not everyone enjoys reading the genealogy of American companies--but I do. Even the companies the libs love to hate, like McDonald's or Wal-Mart started out small with a better idea and better product until they were hated by competitors and socialists.

But what about Rondole Cheese? Here's what I found out and have pieced together in a few minutes.

At around the turn of the 20th century, three cheese factories were established in Wisconsin's rural North Central region--the Hamburg Cheese Manufacturing Co., the Cornbelt Cheese Factory and the Riverside Cheese Factory. These were known for producing outstanding bulk cheeses.

As these factories were handed down through generations of family ownership, competition became increasingly fierce, but not from one another. Family-run cheese companies were under pressure from cooperatives and large processors that had taken cheese production to new levels. Modern manufacturing facilities, huge investments in research and development, and even larger investments in marketing and distribution were challenging the capabilities of many family-operated companies.

In 1969, in an effort to remain competitive, Hamburg, Cornbelt and Riverside merged to create Wisconsin River Valley Cheese Inc. The new concern constructed a manufacturing plant on 80 acres in central Wisconsin, where production would continue on the high-quality cheese products for which the three predecessor companies had become known. Production began in 1970, but just two years later, Wisconsin River Valley Cheese was purchased by Connecticut-based Anco International. In 1974, the company was renamed InoFoods and the Rondele brand was born.

In 1974, InoFoods introduced its first product, a soft spreadable gourmet cheese named Rondele. Soon after its introduction, Rondele began competing favorably against the European imports that had long dominated the spreadable category. Kraft acquired InoFoods in 1990 making enhancements to the production facility, but in 1996, its focus on gourmet cheeses changed and sold InoFoods to Vermont-based Waterbury Specialty Foods.

Waterbury's interests were then acquired by the independent Rondele Specialty Foods, which re-established the product line, refocused distribution and initiated manufacturing initiatives, while driving brand equity. Facilitator Capital Fund, a Wisconsin-based private equity fund, and a group of private investors acquired rondelé in 1998. In late 2004 Lactalis USA, a subsidiary of Groupe Lactalis, the world's 8th largest dairy manufacturer, which included President’s brand, acquired Rondole Specialty foods.

In August 2010 it was announced that Lactalis American Group, which operates manufacturing plants south of Merrill and in Belmont, Wisconsin, received $57,000 in Dairy Manufacturing Facility Investment credits for the $2.7 million expansion at both locations.

“Agriculture and dairy are the backbone of Wisconsin’s economy – contributing more than 10 percent of the jobs in Wisconsin and about $59 billion to our economy every year,” Governor Doyle said. “The Dairy Manufacturing Facility Investment Tax Credits we are announcing today are helping Lactalis stay competitive on the global market, so that it can continue to thrive and support jobs here in Wisconsin.”

To support breast cancer research--the pink glove dance

This is a great video. St. Vincent Medical Center in Providence. Love the final shot with the janitor.



When you donate for any disease cause, just be sure it really is for research and that the sponsoring agent isn't taking a huge cut. Education and information is nice, it's important, but it doesn't cure anyone.

Not even close

Glenn Beck Restoring Honor, August 28, 2010

Tides supported One Nation rally, October 2, 2010

The One Nation Working Together demand more rally on October 2, had both required attendance and paid transportation and it couldn't even come close to Glenn Beck's Restoring Honor Rally on August 28, 2010. This is an aerial shot--you could have flown in a few Tea Party rallies and still had plenty of room. Obama just can't draw a crowd anymore, and besides, he left town.

Sweden's Political Landscape: In Muslim Neighborhoods, Firemen and Emergency Workers Refuse to Enter Without Police Protection

We are in the midst of being innundated with political ads by phone, TV, radio and internet. How would you like to live in Sweden which has 7 political parties and governs with alliances that can fall apart quickly. The Sweden Democrats party isn't very old (although I don't know how old any of them are) and appears to be more nationalistic than the others--looks to me like this is their Tea Party. Sweden now has about 1/9 of its population as immigrants, so I'm guessing the politically incorrect nationalists are starting to look a bit better to the liberal Swedes.

"During the last several decades, massive immigration-flows to Sweden have transformed the country to the point where immigrants, many of whom refuse to learn Swedish and integrate into Swedish society, now make up almost 20% of the country's total population. Of the 9.4 million Swedes, roughly 1.5 million are foreign-born. In addition, there are an estimated 1 million children of immigrants, 100,000 illegal immigrants, and 50,000 more asylum-seekers awaiting clearance. Further, about 100,000 additional immigrants enter the country each year.

In Malmö, Sweden's third-largest city, almost 40% of the population is foreign; and some immigrant neighborhoods in the city have unemployment rates exceeding 60%. In Malmö's mostly Muslim Rosengard neighborhood, fire and emergency workers refuse to enter without police protection. An immigrant-fuelled crime wave affects one of every three Malmö families each year, while the number of rapes has tripled in 20 years.

Highlighting the increasing assertiveness of Sweden's Muslim community, the Muslim Council of Sweden recently dispatched letters to each of the major political parties in Sweden demanding special legislation for Muslims in Sweden. The demands included: the right to specific Islamic holidays; special public financing for the building of mosques; a demand that all divorces between Muslim couples be approved by an Imam; and that Imams should be allowed to teach Islam to Muslim children in public schools."

At least in Finland the immigrants learn Swedish, just like the Finns do. I wonder if on her next trip with 40 of her closest friends, Michelle might want to be a guest of Sweden? Might open her eyes. Then she could talk to her husband.

Sweden's Political Landscape: In Muslim Neighborhoods, Firemen and Emergency Workers Refuse to Enter Without Police Protection :: Hudson New York

Happy Blogiversary to me

This is my 7th blogiversary. Yes, been blogging for 7 years. Began October 3, 2003, then back filled to October 1, because it just didn't look tidy.  Do you realize how hard it is to find an image of a blogiversary cake with a candle shaped like a 7?  I guess not very many people make it this far--especially not if they have 12 blog.

Now that I've changed my template, all the colors are wrong for the headings, links and side-bars. Sighs. Too bad. Why should my blog be better coordinated than my closet?

Obama and Afghanistan

Remember when Democrats were trying to destroy Bush's credibility with our allies by showing the lack of a unified commitment in Iraq by claiming Afghanistan was the good war, the right war, the war of necessity, the central front in the war on terror? Yes, and Candidate Obama jumped on that train, until the surge worked, and the war became a non-issue during the 2008 election. He can go all over the country, from backyard barbeque to left wing campus, complaining about Republicans blocking his brilliant ideas, but can't deliver a decent address on the War in Afghanistan--his war of choice, a war where's he's told the enemy his plans for withdrawal. He's left it up to Rolling Stone and Bob Woodward to fight his battles for him. Is there any doubt about his plans for our country?

Charles Krauthammer - Why is Obama sending troops to Afghanistan?

For the common good--a progressive health plan

Our current Democratic administration has had to apologize for another Democratic administration (FDR, Truman)--the infecting of a brown race, Guatamalan Indians, with syphilis for research in the 1940s. And why was the researcher combing the archives surprised? Have you seen what the Woodrow Wilson administration ("I will keep us out of war") did to women who wanted to vote? Or what FDR did to loyal Americans of certain ethnicities (Italians, Germans, Japanese)--putting them into camps or spying on them? How the Democrat administrations beginning in 1932 continued to experiment on black men with syphilis until 1972 even after penicillin could have cured them?

And don't you believe it when Francis Collins, NIH, says there are strict prohibitions in place today to prevent this. Oh really? There is a lot of HIV testing going on in the U.S.A. on poor women, mostly black. They don't give them the retroviral drugs--they refer them for that--they use the data they gather (funded by fat gov't grants) from them to study poverty, parenting, relationships, etc. Vaccinations for HIV is being tested on African women--probably can't do that in the U.S.A.

And what about withdrawing DDT from the market before there was a viable alternative because a novelist, not a scientist, (Rachel Carson) testified before Congress? Environmentalists and their fellow travelers in the various progressive administrations have killed more African children and adults with malaria than the 18th century slave trade.

So why do progressive politicians, both Democrat and Republican, do this? It's for the "common good," which means, what do individual lives or individual freedom of choice matter as long as you (the government, the academic) have a better plan for the larger group. So what if a few hundred or thousand poor African women die or infect their children during experimentation--it will help Africans in the long run. So what if penicillin could have cured those black men. It would have interrupted the data set and researchers' published articles in peer-review journals, which surely would help the larger population. And what does the life of an unborn child, or 50 million unborn children, mean if you can bring more women into the board room and the university?

Economists: Extend Bush tax cuts for wealthy, middle class

Someone agrees with what I said 2.5 years ago. Keep the Bush tax cuts--don't let this man further destroy our economy through take-overs, bail-outs, and shut-downs. If you want to change things, Mr. Obama, how about having everyone pay at least some taxes? There are 70+ programs already to redistribute money from the middle and top to the bottom--and no one ever got out of the bottom quintile by depending on the government.

Economists: Extend Bush tax cuts for wealthy, middle class - Sep. 19, 2010

Obama's plan for the economy--written June 10, 2008

"We'll be hearing a lot about the economy from Obama. Being a Democrat, he'll of course propose new taxes while rescinding the Bush tax cuts. Being a Marxist, he'll aim high (or is that low?). Marxists as you'll recall if you were schooled before 1990 (when they disappeared from every country outside the Americas and from our school books), believe there are only exploiters (capitalists) and the exploited (workers). You can view a tape of Obama's pastor if you're fuzzy on the details--Black Liberation Theology is Marxism in black face. So in a country where most people aspire to be either rich capitalists after their college daze, or taken care of after their drug haze, and there is virtually no poverty, just a gap between the bottom quintile and the top quintile, the Marxists may be entering the golden age. An age when the government will finally succeed in destroying private property, marriage, unborn babies, religion, and national borders. (We've actually got a good head start on this, so it shouldn't take much.) It didn't work in poor, uneducated countries across the pond, so maybe it will in one of the most successful and richest. It could even be Obama's secret weapon to fight illegal immigration! Who would want to come here if it's more of what they left?

It's really going to help a lot to tax the oil companies' profits and take away their tax incentives instead of deregulating, which would allow for drilling or refineries. Money in alternatives? I'm sure of it, and so are they! They're smarter than our Congress so I'm guessing they're just waiting until Congress sweetens the deal after show and tell. I'm looking forward to that wind driven car going 5 mph between battery plug-ins. And all those products we use made of petroleum--I guess we'll cut down all the trees, or make them out of cotton, or wool or dirt. Those of you sweltering on the east coast right now, get used to it. AC will definitely be out. . . except for government officials, former veeps from TN and NC senators in giant houses."

I nailed it, didn't I?

Has Rahm Emanuel ever read American history?

For some reason he thinks Obama has had "the toughest times any President has ever faced." George Washington? Andrew Jackson? Abraham Lincoln? Franklin Roosevelt? Unbelieveable!!!!

The road to serfdom with Yuri N. Maltsev

From Marx to Obama. This speech by Yuri Maltsev was given at Kenosha College in Wisconsin, the land of Bob LaFollette who said, "I saw the future and it works," although to "work" millions would have to be shot, starved, tortured or frozen to death in Siberia. The speech is about 33 minutes and quite entertaining and well paced, although very sobering, because he's talking about Marxism--a philosophy that killed 160 million people in the 20th century. Obama has not kept his Marxist ideology a secret--he's written two books, but I guess Americans don't read, or they have become so blasé they think they are too sophisticated to be taken in.

Maltsev defected to the United States in 1989, and he says today it is not the same country it was 20 years ago. Even the church he attends isn't the same--now it is the Church of Doubt. He says that in the United States first civil society must be destroyed for Marxism to succeed. That wasn't necessary in Russia because the Czars had already destroyed it, so the people welcomed Bolshevism. Religion and family has to be destroyed for Communism to work here. He points out the book, "And not a shot is fired" as the "how-to" manual for totalitarian takeover of an elected parliamentary system.



Tyranny will not come as a black shirt. It will come with an apple pie.

Trans fat in New York

In Ohio, we were told we just must have gambling because all the gambling money was going to West Virginia or Michigan or someplace out of state. Therefore, it was essential that we too rob from the poor so that the rich can play.

Well, why doesn't this apply to donuts for New Yorkers? If a New Yorker wants to get a decent donut, he has to drive to New Jersey or some other state!

"On December 5, 2006, the Board of Health approved an amendment to the Health Code to phase out artificial trans fat in all NYC restaurants and other food service establishments. It is now in full effect. The phase out of artificial trans fat in restaurant foods took effect in two stages. First, as of July 1, 2007, NYC food service establishments have been prohibited from using oils, shortening and margarine containing artificial trans fat for frying or as a spread that have 0.5 grams or more of trans fat per serving. The second and final deadline was July 1, 2008. As of July 1, 2008, all foods must have less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving if they have any artificial trans fat. Packaged foods served in the manufacturer's original, sealed packaging are exempt."

It's been over two years now--are New Yorkers healthier, or are they making underground trips to neighboring states for trans fat items they can't buy in their own state?

New York City's War on Fat
New Jersey Bakers

Echoes of the Great Depression

Phil Gramm lays out the similarities and differences between the 1930s and today, and between the American people then and their willingness to try collectivism and their unwillingness today. He's put a pretty positive spin on November's election. I'm not so sure. My generation, although we heard about the Great Depression all our growing up years, has become very careless, and the Boomers? My, they've always expected more and better, and they are the parents of the Gen-Y and Gen-X who just a few years ago needed toys, trinkets and prizes just to show up to work (I assume that has changed since 2008).

Barack Obama is a Marxist--true, not a terribly successful one, but you can see the power of his supporters, now angered by his ineffectual programs, when they show up tomorrow in Washington as One Nation of Trouble Makers Asking for More and More and More. Every Communist, Socialist and crooked union leader will be there, paying the way for their lackey workers to assemble and protest a administration which promised to steal from the rich and give to the middle-class while ignoring the poor (who already have 70 or so programs to help them stay at the bottom).

Phil Gramm: Echoes of the Great Depression - WSJ.com

Melvin remembers Floyd too

Over at American Spectator there's an article on the pay of government workers--it's established that government workers earn twice that of the public sector, and even when all variables are crunched--skills, education--it's 10-20% more. (But they will be out in force October 2 demonstrating in Washington, DC.)

Here's a comment from Melvin at that story that I noticed because he mentioned a hurricane in North Carolina, which I also mentioned today.

"Shortly after a hurricane struck NC a number of years ago, a section of a secondary gravel road had corner washed out. I still being active duty Marine Corps and had a background in construction, was asked for a recommendation by Major Zimmerman in how we could repair the small section of road that was washed out relatively quickly because since the damage was on a blind corner a military vehicle could fall into the hole without seeing it. My recommendation was a tandem load of medium aggregate rock and a backhoe could have it repaired in about 4 hours.

"OK, Ssgt. how long would it take if we ask the civilian government employees to fix it?" I replied " About a year." Flabbergasted the Major said, "Marines could get killed or hurt if their vehicles drove into the hole."

The problem with government employees is, that the bureaucracy is so large and immovable that it will take 50 government bureaucrats in all their safety regalia of hardhats, safety vests, personal GPS locating devices, holographic government ID cards, and the ever present handled communicating device in where they can communicate with fellow bureaucrats all over the world, to come out to that small washed out section of gravel road to say, "Yep, yep, there's a hole their alright," get into the caravan of pickup trucks and leave.

It actually took 11 months and change for the government civilian employees, to come out with a dump truck and a backhoe to fill in the hole. The very same thing I told Major Zimmerman that I could have fixed with Marine Engineers in a matter of hours. And the part that really annoyed the hell out of me is that they had to send out a environmentalist that had a honest to goodness Doctorate degree to come out and inspect the hole to make sure there wasn't any endangered species that had taken up residence there. For crying out loud how much did the government waste by having a doctor come out and inspect a hole in the ground? I don't know about you, but asking a lowly E-6 in the Marine Corps to see if a bunch of critters are living in a hole is much, much cheaper than sending a doctor out to do the same thing.

Oh by the way, I had the displeasure of sneaking a peak at the civilian government payroll roster one day, let me tell you everything you hear about government employees living large is absolutely true, but if you saw what I saw on that roster in terms what they were pulling in, would cause an instant revolution.

Just drive by one day and see what type of vehicles that are parked in a government parking lot (local school board), you won't find any Yugo's parked there, thats for sure."

He said it, he lied, the media sighed

Barack Obama said it. He wasn’t ambiguous and there's no wiggle room. Obama definitely said, "If you like your insurance you can keep it. Nothing changes." Everyone knew that was nonsense, but he said it then, his disinformation staff on cable and broadcast news repeated it.

And now, every day when you open the newspaper you see a change. The end result will either be exorbitant high insurance costs that few can afford, or companies will be dropping coverage (see story on McDonald's) so their employees will go for the government carrot.

Remembering Floyd and our 1999 vacation

"In North Carolina, the nearly 21 inches collected in Wilmington since rain started falling Sunday topped Hurricane Floyd's five-day mark of 19 inches set in 1999, the National Weather Service said."

We had been planning a lovely NC fall vacation in 1999, and then Floyd happened and there was all sorts of flooding--especially those big pig farms and lots of yucky stuff. The photos of floating hogs sort of spooked us, so instead we went to visit people in Fairfax, VA, drove into Washington DC for sight seeing, ate at some lovely restaurants and also made some stops in Annapolis, St. Michael's and Oxford, Maryland. On the way home we visited Oglebay in WV. It wasn't our original plan, but a very nice trip.

Carl Paladino alleges Andrew Cuomo affair

Pot to Kettle. Paladino who has an out of wedlock child claims Cuomo was unfaithful to ex-wife. Really, children . . .

Carl Paladino alleges Andrew Cuomo affair - Maggie Haberman - POLITICO.com

Christine O'Donnell--I like her, but

finding a good mailing address is tricky.  Why do all these young folks working on the campaign not make it easier to use U.S. mail?  I'm still looking.  Meanwhile, here's an article to read about her opponent Chris Coons (lots of Chrises in this campaign).  Remember, the GOP wasn't thrilled that she beat out their candidate in the primary.

Her Facebook page says,

Mailing Address:
Friends of Christine O'Donnell
P.O. Box 3987
Wilmington, DE 19807
 
And the web page has no way to ask without signing in and all that, which I don't like to do.

Support Steve Stivers

Steve Stivers is running in my 15th district in Ohio.  Even if you're out of the district, you can support him. You can donate on line or the old fashioned way, which I find much more personal.  I don't really like the expensive GOP fund raisers (one campaign required me to go to the P.O. to pick up and sign for the item another sent me $1.00), so am sending support to the candidates I like.  Right now the big issues are the deficit and government spending.  If they turn out to be RINOs, turn them out.  If Steve can't do a better job than Mary Jo Kilroy and help stop Obama, then vote him out the next time.

Stivers for Congress
211 S. 5th Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: 614-358-0800

Sean Bielat running against Barney Frank

Barney Frank is a danger to the whole country, so I'd support Sean Bielat if I could, and I can. Lots of little people who are tired of tyrant Barney can send money to support his campaign. Frank can spout off on everything, so I have no idea why he's afraid of a former Marine.



You can donate on-line, but there are 3 mailing addresses, too.
Sean Bielat for Congress
Brookline Post Office Box
PO Box 1143
Brookline, MA 02446

If everyone sent even $5 to the Republicans running against the entrenched Congress people who have taken our country to this terrible state, we could give them a much better chance. Then, if they don't remember why they are there or why they got support from people out of their district, boot 'em out next time.

Also, remember to vote. It's almost November!

Why does the President hate black children?

No, I'm not referring to his stance on abortion, which kills them before birth, in higher percentage than other groups and races.  It's the DC scholarship program that he has ruined for them.

In the fall of 2008, 216 new low-income students were notified by the Department of Education that they had been selected to receive scholarships to get out of violent DC public schools and attend alternatives, like the ones the Obama girls, Malia and Sasha, attend. But the NEA and the AFT teachers' unions helped elect Obama, and now Obama has torn up their winning “lottery tickets” to a good education and has taken back the scholarship money. Most of these kids are black.

This report by the Department of Education is not exactly a page turner, and it's stuffed tables and graphs, but it does say children in the Opportunity Scholarship program had statistically significant better reading scores than students who applied to the program but were not offered a scholarship. Also, read it now, because reports that go against Obamaplans have a tendency to disappear from the internet.

All the NBC channels and cable affiliates are promoting Obama's and Arne Duncan's education plans and theories this week. Why not discuss the alternatives? Because NBC is in Obama's hip pocket and he belongs to the unions who helped him get elected (and will be appearing in full force in DC on 10-2-10 along with the Communist Party USA and other radical groups).

Sigh--That Forsyte Woman

It was on Turner this afternoon--had to give up Glenn Beck.

Equality -- or Freedom?

"On average, Asians earn more than Hispanics; blacks less than whites. Mormons earn more than Muslims; Jews more than Jehovah's Witnesses. And Polish Americans earn more than Puerto Ricans.

Does that prove America is a racist and religiously bigoted country?"

One time I asked my boss, Jay Ladd, why a male librarian hired after me, younger, was earning more. His answer stunned me. "Because he asked for more." When I had children, I left the work force. When he had children, his wife left the work force. But there are lots of reasons women's salaries differ. They take fewer risks; move less; turn down more difficult assignments; don't want to do the out of town trips and work; and there are no "good old girl" networks that even come close to the "good old boys." We tend to stab each other in the back rather than let another woman get ahead.

This article is on the new Paycheck Fairness Act passed by the House 256 to 162.

Equality -- or Freedom? - Pat Buchanan - Townhall Conservative

Return on investment of a college education

There are lots of reasons to go to college, but a nice nest egg when you retire isn't one of them. If your parents had invested your first two years of college expenses in IRAs that you couldn't raid, by age 65 you'd be well set--much further ahead than attending an Ivy League school, or even any college at all. I have a scheme that just might get you the best of both worlds, because really, I'm quite a fan of education. I'm the third generation in my family to have a college education. It's also a good place to meet your future spouse, my grandparents, parents, and my husband and I all met in college.

When your child graduates from high school insist that he/she get a job and work for at least one year--fast food, retail, construction, agriculture worker, county flagman, groundskeeper--you get the idea. It would be nice if they can live away from home and support themselves, but that isn't essential. Then take the amount of money it would cost you for a year at a state university (I have no idea what that is these days, $12,000?) and invest it in the stock market (but not in their name, because otherwise they'll take it the first time they want a car, a nice wedding or new furniture).

After a year in the trenches or behind the counter, they'll probably be better able to take advantage of what college has to offer, and by investing for them, you'll insure they have a nice retirement in the distant future. This will really help if they want to go out and save the world in a low paying job like social work or library science, positions that have lots of simple pleasures but don't pay particularly well unless you want to claw your way to the top and become a manager/director.

I know this works, because I figured it out one day standing in line at the Tremont Goodie Shop in the 1980s while grieving that my children said no to college. Unfortunately, I already had their college money (for the first year) in accounts with their SS# and name and it later disappeared for consumer goods that will be gone long before they retire. But in case you don't believe an ordinary librarian, go read this article.

College: Big Investment, Paltry Return

"Over the past 30 years, the S&P 500 Index averaged about 11 percent a year. Only 88 schools out of the 554 in the study had a better return than the S&P. Everywhere else, students would have been better off—financially, at least—if they invested the money they spent on their college educations and never set foot in a classroom." -- And I would comment that the ROI predicted for any of these colleges is far higher than the 1%-4% I've read in other sources.

Ratty jeans

When loading some of my husband's jeans and cotton casual slacks into the washer today, it occurred to me that the jeans were well past their prime and I decided to look for some new ones when I went to Kohl's to buy a watch battery. The "new" jeans are so awful, so distressed, so ripped, so wrinkled and faded, I decided we'd stay with what we have.

Neither of these were brands at Kohl's, nor did I actually see any this awful (bottom one is $350), but you get the idea.

A sadder but wiser Axelrod packs his bags

Axelrod designed the Hope and Change theme with the logo that looks like it was stolen from a Pepsi ad, and now seems surprised and discouraged that there was no there there.

"In that sense, Axelrod, who announced a few days ago that he will return to Chicago in the spring, is leaving in defeat. It's not really an electoral defeat: Though Democrats will probably experience a shellacking on Nov. 2, Obama's prospects for 2012 will surely rise with the economic cycle. Rather, it's the notion that Obama, who declared on election night that "change has come to America," has failed to change Washington, a belief shared by 53 percent of Americans in the latest Washington Post/ABC News poll."

Barack Obama, the most left of all our Presidents, the most fiscally irresponsible and the most narcissistic, has succeeded in helping to destroy the economy, but he has also succeeded in rallying the conservatives as never before. We'll see what dumping Axelrod and Emanuel do to his chances for 2012.

A sadder but wiser Axelrod packs his bags

President Obama calls his followers to DC on 10-2-10

to meet with hundreds of other communist and socialist organizations. This was planned in response to the 8-28-10 Glenn Beck gathering of 500,000+ of ordinary Americans who paid their own way to sing, and pray and listen to inspiring speakers talk about love of country and God. It was peaceful and a family event. The Washington Mall was spotless when they left.

The Communists among us are now fighting back. They'll be bussing them in, paid for by your tax dollars and union dues. CPUSA, is just one of many. Go to One Nation Working Together and look at the sponsors. With all this public and private money they should be able to gather a few million, not just half a million like 8-28. Check out some communist sites. You are known by your friends, Democrats.

Communism has failed in every country that tried it, and has resulted in the deaths of millions. How quickly Americans forget--at least my generation. My children's generation never even learned the facts of what happened in the Soviet Union and China and Vietnam.

Young Communist League

Are you smarter than a third grader in Ohio?

Today I was looking at a Standards Guide for Families, What is Expected in Grade Three. Some schools have a pdf to print at their website, but you can see it at www.OhioAcademicStandards.com, and select the grade you're interested in.

I found some of the questions overwhelming, and here are two examples:

1) Explain the major functions of the government. Right now we have major political parties and grass roots movements like the Tea Party trying to figure that one out. Does a third grader have the experience and the vocabulary to understand the question let alone answer it? Do they know their school is a function of the government? The snow plows? Not sure I did.

2) Describe the changes in religion in your community. Now that was part of a long list, which included among other things, architecture. Again, I think when I was in 3rd grade I knew that our little town (Forreston, IL) had a Lutheran Church (we weren't Lutheran but attended there), a Reformed Church and something across the street from the school that years later became part of United Methodist after a few mergers (I've forgotten its name), and that during Bible School, kids from country churches came that we didn't usually see. I knew our Pastor's name and that at school we each had a little Bible in our desk and took turns reading it aloud. But that's about as much as I knew and we were regular attenders. Kids today? I don't think a lot of them are even aware there are churches.

I also found some terms I didn't know. "Using a compass rose and cardinal directions. . ." What's a compass rose? Not sure I would know what a cardinal direction was either.

Are these tests written to explain to adults what children should know? The vocabulary doesn't seem very kid friendly to me.

Sliced Honey Crisp apple with walnuts--the perfect breakfast

Walnuts. I eat them everyday, and I'm sure they're good for me--omega-3 fatty acids, or something. Supposed to be brain food, I think, but I don't see any turn around in that department. However, there's way too much hype about food health benefits. It's all part of the gnosticism of the environmentalist movement. Other than scurvey and ricketts, not much is cured or reversed with good nutrition. What really works besides chosing the best genes (your parents... and their parents), are all the NO-NOs--not smoking, not drinking, not doing drugs, not being promiscuous, not eating too many "healthy" foods (good food is fattening too), and not sitting at the computer all day. The last No-No is a big weakness for me. Well, at least I got a lot of help from Mom and Dad.

I love this web site

Terrible tragedy in Upper Arlington

Last night a father in our community killed his two little boys and then himself. His wife found the bodies. There are no words . . .

Story

12 reasons Obamacare will raise your health care costs

All of us will see higher health insurance premiums with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). It imposes several costly new mandates and restrictions on health insurers and providers that will raise health cares costs and therefore premiums. This paper lists a dozen factors that will contribute to higher premium costs. Read it carefully, so that when you're accused of being a homophobic racist right wing idiot because you think it should be repealed, you'll have some ammunition.

Have your tried Radio Paradise?

Just listening to Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt sing Kisses Sweeter Than Wine from the album Where Have All The Flowers Gone.

Radio Paradise - commercial free Internet radio - modern & classic rock, electronica, world music & more - picked & mixed by real humans.

What was the Obamateurism of the Week?

At the time I voted, misquoting the Declaration of Independence was ahead (33.1%), with saying Mexico was here long before the United States (24.1%) was even an idea next. Mexico became a country carved out of New Spain in 1821, but what can you expect from a guy who's always been a bit defensive about his own country? And both comments were to the same audience, too. I don't think the 4 apples for $1.00 was an actual mistake, because that's all the vendor asked for, probably giving him a break. One of his staff stepped up and paid the full amount. $1.00 would get you about 1/3 of a Honey Crisp, but it would be worth every cent.

Hot Air » Poll: What was the Obamateurism of the Week?

As seen on TV and the Internet

Christopher Coates testimony was on C-Span, the video of the civil rights violation was all over the internet. The egg laid by the Justice Department is all over Eric Holder’s face.

“Christopher Coates's testimony before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights was the latest fallout from the department's handling of a 2008 voter-intimidation case involving the New Black Panther Party. Conservatives and some congressional Republicans accuse Justice officials of improperly narrowing the charges, allegations that they strongly dispute.

Filed weeks before the Obama administration took office, the case focused on two party members who stood in front of a polling place in Philadelphia on Election Day 2008, one carrying a nightstick. The men were captured on video and were accused of trying to discourage some people from voting.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/24/AR2010092403873.html?wpisrc=nl_headline

It seems some few in the DOJ wish to redistribute voting rights along racial lines. I don’t think the “We won, so deal with it” excuse covers this one.

The world isn’t kind to whistle blowers. Will Coates, a Clinton appointee, who resigned his position over this, ever work again in government?

Federal workers--I have relatives who are but. . .

the gravy train has to roll to a stop somewhere. And I know, I know, I was "on the dole" many times through various government grants. They were interesting jobs (USAID, FIPSE, JTPA), they paid well, I worked hard and had very committed co-workers, but hey--nothing we did mattered after the contract ended. We just have way too many people at the public trough.

"In their campaign blueprint released this week, GOP lawmakers proposed a hiring freeze on non-security federal workers to help slash $100 billion in government spending. On Capitol Hill, they've tried to block President Obama's proposed 1.4 percent pay increase, to furlough federal workers for two weeks to save $5.5 billion, to fire workers who owe federal taxes, to shrink the pool of political appointees, to freeze bonuses and even to shut down the government. None of these ideas has gotten much traction in the Democratic-controlled Congress, but the resurgence of a GOP majority after the November elections could change that."

WaPo Link

Tax Hike Prevention Act of 2010, S. 3773

Don't let Pelosi, Reid and Obama kill more jobs with a tax hike.

S. 3773 prevents nearly $4 trillion in tax hikes over the next decade. Specifically, it would:

•Keep income tax rates right where they are. That means that the lowest rate would remain at 10 percent, rather than rising to 15 percent. It also means that the top rate (at which a majority of small business profits pay tax) would stay at 35 percent, rather than rising to 39.6 percent

•Keep the capital gains and dividends tax rate at 15 percent. Under the Pelosi-Obama-Reid (POR) tax hike, the capital gains tax rate is set to rise to 20 percent in 2011. The dividends top rate is set to rise to an astounding 39.6 percent in 2011

•Keep the death tax from rising to a 55 percent top rate with a small $1 million exemption. Instead, the death tax would be 35 percent with a generous $5 million exemption to protect most small businesses and family farms

•Prevent tax hikes on families, including a return of the marriage penalty and cutting the child tax credit in half

•Index the alternative minimum tax (AMT) to inflation. Under S. 3773, the number of AMT taxpayers should remain constant, rather than the sharp rise in AMT families that the Pelosi-Obama-Reid (POR) tax hike would result in.

S. 3773, the “Tax Hike Prevention Act of 2010” is a common-sense bill. It simply keeps in place the tax structure America has lived under for the past decade. It avoids a huge tax hike in the midst of a weak economy that will kill jobs. It’s supported by the American people, and should be voted on by the Senate before the election.

Text mostly from Americans for Tax Reform

Tax Foundation Projects 2011 Tax Parameters Using New Inflation Numbers

With Obama and Congress dithering over the Bush tax cuts and probably leaving it all in limbo for the lame duck Congress when those already voted out will have a chance the push something through, I can't imagine anything worse than being a professional tax preparer, or someone who will need their services (and that's just about everyone). The Tax Foundation has prepared three scenarios (as of Sept. 17).

From news release: "Tax Foundation Fiscal Fact, No. 245, "Tax Foundation Projects 2011 Tax Parameters Following Release of New Inflation Data," outlines inflation-adjusted 2011 federal income tax parameters under three policy scenarios:

(1) All the Bush-era tax cuts expire;

(2) All the tax cuts are extended (Republican plan);

(3) Congressional Democrats' proposal is adopted, which is similar to the Obama plan but does not extend major stimulus measures or include additional limits on itemized deductions.

The report is available online at http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/26719.html."

The Tax Foundation - Tax Foundation Projects 2011 Tax Parameters Using New Inflation Numbers

Velma and Peggy

The source of the previous political verse was Peggy Noonan reflecting on Velma Hart's comments to the President at the townhall last week, saying she was exhausted from defending him. I still believe she was a plant intended to make sure Obama looked more human in his president struggles, because really, have you ever known a politician who created a more scolding, cold image? Well, she failed, or he failed, but way too many people including Noonan and Rush Limbaugh were taken in by this exchange. I just don't buy it. He's let a lot of things slip, like the exchange with Joe the Plumber, and announcing proudly after the election that he was just a few days away from fundamentally transforming our country (to what?), but usually he's very carefully scripted by like-minded speech writers and it all scrolls across the teleprompter.

Besides, for the life of me, I can't see what Velma is complaining about, even if she's for real and not a plant. She has a cushy government job (no unemployment, only growth at the federal level); she's married and her husband has a job; she's got great perks plus veterans benefits; she's rich enough to send her kids to private school which must be about $20,000 a year per child; so what exactly was she expecting from a president who promised to transfer some wealth. She's wealthy! He was planning to take it away from her and give it to you! If she didn't crunch the numbers before voting for him in 2008, I don't feel sorry for her.

Her life, her complaints, confirm to me she's a plant. Obama's not one of us--and I'm not talking about his birth certificate. Especially he's not an American black--even Jesse Jackson complained about that before 2008. Velma's just the type of woman Obama would select for the job of poor mouthing, and trust me, she'll be blamed if this backfires.

Reflections on a phrase from Peggy Noonan's The Enraged vs. The Exhausted

"This "will be remembered as the year the American people said no" to the status quo. The people "do not trust" those who make the decisions far away. They want to restore balance." Peggy Noonan

Let this be remembered
As the year
Americans said, NO
To the status quo.

Let this be remembered
As the year
Americans with tea,
Said Don’t tax me.

Let this be remembered
As the year
Americans tossed RINOs
And Pelosi DINOs.

Let this be remembered
As the year
To media mainstream
“Stop stealing our dream.”

This will be the year
Americans will vote
And remember
This coming November.

Obama blows over wall of separation with hot air!

Will Christmas pagents reappear this year in schools? Can we decorate the public square again? President Obama has enlisted pastors to plug his health care plan. Whoopee! The man who asked Georgetown University to remove any signs or symbols of the faith, now comes crawling since 70% of us reject his ideas on a takeover of a huge segment of the economy. The president most far out on late term killing of unborn babies, now wants churches to plug his program to impoverish more Americans. If you start hearing this drivel in your church either in Sunday School or from the pulpit, I hope you walk out!

. . .on Tuesday President Obama and his director of faith-based initiatives convened exactly such a meeting to try to control political damage from the unpopular health-care law. "Get out there and spread the word," Politico.com reported the president as saying on a conference call with leaders of faith-based and community groups. "I think all of you can be really important validators and trusted resources for friends and neighbors, to help explain what's now available to them." Since then, there's been nary a peep from the press.

Jim Towey: Pastors For ObamaCare? - WSJ.com

Obama's foreign agenda

President Obama's devotion to international institutions like the United Nations is the core of the Obama Doctrine. . . The United Nations finds no moral conflict in having human rights abusers sit on the U.N. Human Rights Council; in having socialist countries sit on the United Nations' Economic and Social Council; or having terrorism-sponsoring nations block the United Nations from defining an act of terrorism."

Morning Bell: Waiting for Crazy | The Foundry: Conservative Policy News.

So the UN doctrine on human rights is now the BOUSA doctrine on human rights?

The "crazy" in the title refers to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and not Obama--just in case you don't read the article.

Congress again puts politics ahead of rescuing the economy

Obama and the Democrats find yet another way to keep the economy sinking, sinking, sinking--mass uncertainty about taxes. Yes, Mr. Obama's plan is working.

"The delay could complicate the financial planning of millions of Americans. "You're going to have families sitting there thinking about the tax consequences in end-of-life situations," said Alan Rothschild, chairman of the American Bar Association's section on estate law. "That's a horrible situation." The estate tax, which lapsed in January, will return next year at rates up to 55% unless Congress acts."

Congress Punts on Taxes - WSJ.com

Would there be a Republican pledge without the Tea Party movement?

In 18 months the Tea Party went from zero to 29% of the voters. What would Republicans be pledging or debating if it weren't for these folks nipping at their heels as they turned tail and ran?

Highlights of the Pledge include:

1. Small business income deduction of 20% of income
   
2. Permanent extension of current tax rates to avoid largest tax hike in history
   
3. Cancel unspent stimulus funds
   
4. Place a cap on all new discretionary spending
   
5. Restore spending to pre-stimulus, pre-bailout levels of 2008
   
6. Repeal and replace the health care law

For more information on the Pledge to America

Childhood memories? Where did she grow up?

One of the bottles I found under the sink today in my week of kitchen cleaning was a handsome spray bottle with a teal label called "Beach Days Surface Cleaner." I think I bought it some years ago at an eco-friendly display at Meijer's and some how it got stuck in the undersink clutter. It's made by The Good Home Co., established in 1995. The label says,

"In 1995, I began to hand-make quality products with frangrances that were based on my memories of simple, beautiful places. My own wonderful, childhood memories of perfect days by the sea inspired this Beach Days fragrance."

Whew! She must have grown up next to a solvent factory if this stuff makes her nostalgic, because a whiff of this can make your eyes burn from 20 ft. There was only a little left in the bottle, so I added water. That seemed to make it worse.

The main solvent is "propylene glycol n-butyl ether" and it's not recommended for glass, wood, marble, fabric or painted surfaces, which leaves me what exactly in the kitchen?

Glycol Ethers - General Information

And sound and look of affluence

On my morning walk today I could hear the sound of traffic roaring both north and south from Rt. 315--several miles away. I could also hear the happy sounds of the Upper Arlington High School band practicing miles away. I saw construction/remodeling signs of contractors in the yards of the upscale neighborhood built in the mid-1970s. Then I picked up a flyer from a real estate sign for 3815 Criswell Drive.

Half a million won't get you much in Huntington Beach, California, or Coolidge Corners, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts, but it buys a heck of a lot of house in a very convenient neighborhood of Upper Arlington, a community of outstanding schools and community services, minutes to Dublin or downtown Columbus or OSU, Battelle or Chem Abstracts and a stone's throw from one of the country's best golf courses.

1. Almost 3,000 sq ft
2. 112 x 150 lot
3. finished media room
4. bump out on garage for hobbies or third car
5. beautiful yard with patio and irrigation system
6. island kitchen with pantry wall and mud room
7. dining room with wet bar and built-ins
8. marble floors in foyer and kitchen
9. 2nd floor laundry
10. deluxe master bath with jetted tub and shower

So the taxes are over $10,500, but we don't have personal property taxes like some of you do; we don't have mountains and beaches near by, but there is an airport; and of course, we have football out the wazoo.

Today I got an e-mail from Bob, a high school friend warning me Starbucks prices were going up, up and away. (About 6 guys from my high school (1950s) have e-mail lists--and they say women talk. . .) I wrote back and told Bob I judge affluence by . . . kitchen counter tops. Recently our neighborhood had a home tour. You would think laminate counters are a sign of 3rd world poverty. Granite, marble, polished concrete, and the new cabinets to support them, the track lighting to shine on them, and the gorgeous art to hang above them are a sign that Americans are still doing quite well, thank you. Also, I'm a fan of HGTV, and hooked on the home buying "reality" shows (completely unreal). You would think people have seen a rat if the buyers see laminate.

Personally, I think marble is way overrated. It's hard to clean--in fact my kitchen counter never feels clean to me and it's too dark to tell. The instructions for its care read like a school exam, so now I just clean it with anything handy--usually Windex, which I've learned is just about the handiest tool around.

The point of all this is to tell all those economic experts and journalists who for the last 30 years have been telling me how awful it is to be poor in the United States and how we're all going to hell in a hand basket, that many Americans are doing just fine. And they are very, very tired of hearing our scolding, obsequious president diminish what a market economy can provide for most of us, and give hope for the rest. We started our marriage in the bottom quintile 50 years ago and never even noticed we were poor because we had so much for which to be grateful.