The Volga Germans--still on the road after all these years

Immigration is always in the news. Borders open and then close--mostly for economic and political reasons, only occasionally for humanitarian. Ethnic minorities clash with nationals whose families arrived maybe 300-400 years ago. Somalis in Finland have to learn Swedish, the 2nd language of Finland due to the Swedish control of centuries, and returning Finns from Russia don't speak either Finnish or Swedish. It happens in all countries in all ages. In our typically self-centered way, Americans believe we are either the best or the worst at assimilating and resettling new peoples within our borders.

Several centuries ago, Catherine the Great of Russia (a German) invited Germans to resettle in Russia with their skills and thrift. Much like the European who immigrated to the United States around the same time, these Germans took their language, religion, customs and culture to Russia for a fresh start. They became known as the Volga Germans. They flourished economically and culturally, maintaining their German ways, until Stalin became worried about their loyalties to Germany (where they had never lived), and gave them 24 hours to relocate in Kazakhstan, USSR. In less than month one million were deported like animals and dumped in a strange country. They lost their possessions, and many lost their lives in forced labor camps. Most were Protestants, many were Lutherans, but a large number were Mennonites.

After the reunification of Germany in the 1990s, ethnic Germans were given the right to return to Germany, and so many Kazakhtan Volga Germans resettled in Germany. The older people who returned in the 70s still spoke high German, but recent arrivals speak "low German," or the younger Germans only know Russian. Some have now reversed this decision and returned to their "homeland" in Kazakhstan (where they are the second largest minority) rather than be outsiders in Germany who speak the language with difficulty, or don't want to learn it. The Wycliffe Bible Translators has a ministry to the ethnic Volga Germans in their own low German dialect, keeping with their mission of creating the Good News in the "heart language" of the people.

Meanwhile, in the 19th century, many Volga Germans moved to middle west and western United States to work in farming, particularly the sugar beet industry. In the 1970s before the memories and traditions of these scattered Germans whose ancestors had wandered all over Europe and Russia were lost, oral histories were recorded and are available at the Colorado State University archives in Ft. Collins. I've been reading through a few of the accounts by older members of this group (born in the late 1800s), and after you establish the rhythm of the stories, you come away with fresh appreciation for immigrant groups in the United States, who gave up everything (often very little) to start a new life (also with very little).

MAR data as of 2006 on Kazakh Volga Germans

FEEFHS stories Family Histories of Survivors of Stalin's Labor Camps

Subsidies to Fossil Fuel Consumption

Since 1981 the federal government has received $1.1 trillion in excise and sales taxes on petroleum products. It is currently subsidizing "green energy" 4 times more than fossil fuel energy. So when our tax policies and environmental regulations have managed to shut down all economic growth fueled by fossil fuels, and the return on green energy just isn't there because like ethanol, the inputs are just too high, what or who will take up that slack in tax revenue? Well, any business that has been coerced and cajoled into being green, that's who. And that really is you the consumer, because the price for being green will make you see red.

The Tax Foundation - IEA Study Ranks Nations’ Subsidies to Fossil Fuel Consumption

Podesta's advice to Obama on dealing with a divided Congress

Filtered through Eugene Robinson (WaPo) John Podesta the Cinton era lefty think tanker recommends, "Presidents can issue executive orders, the report notes. They can use their rulemaking powers, working through federal agencies that already have broad mandates under law. They can forge public-private partnerships. They can shape world events through diplomacy and command of the armed forces."

Robinson claims this is how Bush did it, but overlooks Bush's record for bi-partisan support for the War on Terror, the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the Patriot Act. He ignores that the WMD was a drum beat constantly by Kerry, Edwards and Clinton before the 2000 election. Support by Democrats in congress for Bush's policies to keep us safe was huge--and they even took time to read the bills and acts! It was only later as their left sides began to belly ache that they back peddled, crying and weeping that they were misled. Give it up, Robinson. This article is totally phony and confirms that Obama and supporters don't have "decision points," only "finger points."

Light At Night Causes Changes In Brain Linked To Depression

This doesn't look good--assuming it's accurate. I like to fall asleep with the TV on. This study says even that amount of light in a dark room can interfer with your sleep.

“Even dim light at night is sufficient to provoke depressive-like behaviors in hamsters . . ." said Tracy Bedrosian, co-author of the study and doctoral student in neuroscience at Ohio State University.


The results are significant because the night-time light used in the study was not bright: 5 lux, or the equivalent of having a television on in a darkened room, said Randy Nelson, co-author of the study and professor of neuroscience and psychology at Ohio State.

Who wants to be like a depressed hamster? Besides, didn't our mothers tell us this when we were kids?

Light At Night Causes Changes In Brain Linked To Depression

Bobby Jindal for President

Interview on 700 Club recently. He has a new book, too.


Gov. Bobby Jindal: Leading through Crisis - CBN.com
Uploaded by cbnonline. - Up-to-the minute news videos.

Again with the message? Now Pelosi

James Taranto notes: "The New York Times editorial board is displeased: "If Ms. Pelosi had been a more persuasive communicator, she could have batted away the ludicrous caricature of her painted by Republicans across the country as some kind of fur-hatted commissar jamming her diktats down the public's throat." So is the Times's Nate Silver, who notes understatedly that "Ms. Pelosi is not very popular with the American public.""

What the left doesn't get is that Pelosi, Reid and Obama communicated just fine. We didn't like what they were telling us!

P.S. to NYT: Nobody likes her. Not even the Democrats.

What else did Gore lie about? Everything.

I worked in the Agriculture Library in the 70s and 80s. I knew you just couldn't make the ethanol bio-fuel figures come out right. It was very hot research then, too. Too many inputs; especially water. And even 2-3 years ago, we were creating food shortages that caused riots in other countries.

Now Big Al has come clean. Sort of.

Gore: On second thought, I was just pandering to the farm vote on ethanol « Hot Air

Former U.S. vice-president Al Gore said support for corn-based ethanol in the United States was "not a good policy", weeks before tax credits are up for renewal.

U.S. blending tax breaks for ethanol make it profitable for refiners to use the fuel even when it is more expensive than gasoline. The credits are up for renewal on Dec. 31.

Total U.S. ethanol subsidies reached $7.7 billion last year according to the International Energy Industry, which said biofuels worldwide received more subsidies than any other form of renewable energy.

"It is not a good policy to have these massive subsidies for (U.S.) first generation ethanol," said Gore, speaking at a green energy business conference in Athens sponsored by Marfin Popular Bank.

U.S. corn ethanol was not a good policy-Gore | Energy & Oil | Reuters
Of course, the worst thing is that all the investments and venture capital that has gone up in global warming smoke and mirrors is not available to do something really good and worthwhile to restore the economy.

The Korean War back in the headlines

So North Korea shelled an island controlled by South Korea and they woke the President up to tell him. The Korean War started in 1950--60 years ago--before Obama was born. There was an Armistice (July 27, 1953), which got us out of it, but there was never a victory or a Peace Treaty, so the War goes on for Koreans to this day. But it has really taken a toll on North Koreans. A decade ago it was estimated that 3.5 million North Koreans had been deliberately starved to death by their own government. It's hard to say what that number would be now--but it's all a result of the Amistice we signed in 1953--leaving before the job was done. And many want us to do that in Afghanistan and Iraq. Winning a war is nasty stuff. Negotiating the ending and walking away is even nastier.

How many decibels at a rock concert?

Or in the ear buds of your i-pod? Rock music 150dB.

New research from Swiss scientists suggests that people living near airports exposed to high levels of noise from air crafts are at increased risk of dying of myocardial infarction. That's an average daily noise level of 60 decibels--and I suspect that's less than what the i-pod user is pumping into his/her ears 24/7. Constant noise. It's not just for deafness.

JAMA November 17, 2010, p. 2116

Recipe for Cranberry Stuffing for Thanksgiving

Recipe for Cranberry Stuffing for Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving Day Recipe Ideas | eHow.com

I've got all the ingredients for this one! Looks really simple

Update: Made it according to her directions. You'd better find a way to sweeten the cranberries, or it is unedible. I served ours with syrup, then threw the rest out!

Will Jon Stewart show up in Wilmington to ridicule?

HuffPo last spring reported that Stewart was getting 50% of his material from Beck--not plagerism, but mocking him. Then in Beck's newsletter today it was noted that Stewart's program was 66% ridiculing Beck! Beck is keeping this man alive--he has no material without him.

Now Glenn Beck has announced he will travel to Wilmington, Ohio to do a show and to support a Christian ministry/food pantry there because in 2008 Wilmington lost its major employer (9,000 jobs) DHL. On his show tonight he interviewed Sugartree Ministries Director Allen Willoughby. Originally for the homeless and street people, Sugartree has a food pantry and accepts no government money, which must be a real challenge. Everyday the staff prays for the shelves to be filled. Every food pantry I know gets government grants to keep their doors open, same with after school snack programs and summer lunch programs that are run by churches. This prevents the ministry from being able to tell the story of Jesus and his saving work.

Beck isn't the only celebrity to show up to help Rachel Ray remodeled their kitchen. They are now serving 150-200 people 6 days a week.

Everyone knows that unemployment checks and food pantries aren't the answers to our economic problem--the government needs to get out of the way and allow businesses to thrive. In past recessions, new businesses sprung up; not so much this time. Regulations, energy requirements, insurance rates, and inability to get bank credit are stifling the small business man.

Maybe Jon could do something funny about that?

There's a college in Wilmington. My uncle J. Edwin Jay was the president from 1915-1927.

The cries for civility from Democrats

Where were these guys two years ago when Obama began blaming President Bush for all the ills of the world, when he was demeaning over half of the American people a few weeks ago during the campaign, when he traveled abroad bowing and scraping to foreign despots? How civil was he and his supporters in the press and Congress? Isn't he the one who said "I won" when asked about cooperation with Republicans?

Jay Rockefeller wants to shut down your news sources

"I hunger for quality news. I’m tired of the right and the left. There’s a little bug inside of me which wants to get the FCC to say to Fox and to MSNBC, “Out. Off. End. Goodbye.” It’d be a big favor to political discourse, our ability to do our work here in Congress, and to the American people, to be able to talk with each other and have some faith in their government and, more importantly, in their future."

Yes, I just bet that would really help political discourse a lot and getting work done in Congress. So what does he consider "quality?" Katie Couric's opinions and water carrying passing as news? WETA, D.C.’s public television and radio stations where his wife is CEO?

Obama signs order to reform faith-based office

"President Obama signed an executive order Wednesday (Nov. 17) that reforms the White House's faith-based office in a bid to improve transparency and clarify rules for religious groups that receive federal grants.

The nine-page order reflects numerous recommendations made more than six months ago by a blue-ribbon advisory council charged with streamlining and reforming the office created under former President George W. Bush."

This certainly bears watching. During the 2008 campaign, Obama alluded to "fair hiring" in faith based programs, taking some religious freedoms by strangling churches ability to preach the gospel through what was once a popular Bush I and Bush II program--the 1000 points of light and the office of faith based initiatives. In 2008 I wrote a number of blogs about the dangers churches were facing with the Faustian agreement to take government support and grant money for everything from food pantries to housing rehab in distressed neighborhoods to after prison work programs to immigrant resettlement. I thought he had launched it when in 2009 he had Georgetown University remove all religious symbols when he gave a speech, but he became so embroiled in the healthcare debacle and the financial industry problems, that he wasn't able to turn his attention to it until . . . after the Democrats lost the House in 2010.

Once churches take government money, the administrators of that program by law, law suit, regulation or political pressure can tell them

1. who to hire
2. pull their tax exempt status
3. which in turn can destroy other funding
4. can hold up building plans that need to pass code
5. can deny the retirement plan set in place for employees
6. can affect the Medicare and Medicaid funding for the nursing home the church might run
7. can restrict the adoption agency supported by the church plan to only place children with married couples
8. and most importantly, can dictate what is said from the pulpit on any topic deemed politically sensitive, like marriage, abortion, environment, health, stem-cell research, euthanasia, war, etc.

RNS: Obama signs order to reform faith-based office - Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life
Ten years ago City Journal (Winter 2000) reported that Catholic Charities had lost its soul by promoting government programs rather than traditional church teaching, and the author tosses in Jews and Lutherans for good measure because their charitable acts had also been compromised. "Catholic Charities—and the same could be said about the Association of Jewish Family and Children's Agencies or the Lutheran Services in America—has become over the last three decades an arm of the welfare state, with 65 percent of its $2.3 billion annual budget now flowing from government sources and little that is explicitly religious, or even values-laden, about most of the services its 1,400 member agencies and 46,000 paid employees provide."

I believe if we are to fulfill the Great Commission, we'll have to disentangle ourselves from the federal and state government.

Saving the world, one cat at a time

Bandit
I often quote my mother who said, "I can't save the whole world, but I can save four acres." And she did, and she shared those acres with others by turning her family home into a peaceful, attractive retreat center. There are people in Powell, Ohio (northwest Columbus) who are saving the world one cat at a time at the Cozy Cat Cottage. What can you do to help. Of course, there's always money, but if you'd like a more fuzzy, hands on position, there are also volunteer jobs. I spend a lot of time on the internet so I might look into that good search click thing which provides CCC with benefits.

Mission Statement: Cozy Cat Cottage Adoption Center is a non-profit organization that provides refuge; aid and care for abandoned, injured, abused or lost cats and kittens. We refuse to euthanize cats or kittens simply because they are unwanted.

We are committed to the keep and care for these unwanted animals of all ages while attempting to find permanent, responsible, loving homes for each and every one of them.

We are dedicated to promoting respect and compassion for all animals through humane education and vigorously promoting spay and neutering to reduce, and eventually to eliminate the animal over population.

Right now this no kill facility can't accept any new residents, but if you are looking for a nice pet, perhaps one that's had a rough start in life, why not stop in at 62 Village Pointe Drive, Powell, Ohio 43065.

California's Destructive Green Jobs Lobby

"All the so-called "renewables" programs waste and desecrate the precious resource of arable land that feeds the world. Every dollar of new wages for green workers will result in several dollars of reduced pay and employment for the state's and the nation's other workers—and reduced revenues for the government."

George Gilder is just about the smartest guy I know. Read it. The Greenie's intent is to kill the economy. Their agenda long term has nothing to do with saving Planet Earth. Everyone should be environmentally responsible, including the lefists.

George Gilder: California's Destructive Green Jobs Lobby - WSJ.com

Human rights and the UN

"Saudi Arabia now has a seat on the women's board at the United Nations. That's right, a regime where it's illegal for women to drive or leave the house without being accompanied by a male guardian, where girls were pushed into a burning building because they were trying to flee without covering their 'obscene' female faces... will be a key player in the international effort to empower women.

. . . Chilean leftist Michelle Bachelet, who heads up UN Women, praised Sudan for its commitment to gender equality in her opening statement. Yes, Sudan, a genocidal state which uses mass rapes as part of its ethnic cleansing campaign. And it's already clear that the focus of UN Women isn't to promote gender equality, but to intervene in conflict areas. Which means the odds are excellent that UN Woman will be used to crank out an endless stream of condemnations of countries that fight Muslim terrorists, while cloaking those condemnations in the name of the rights of women in the affected areas. And the Saudis are perfectly positioned to guide UN Women down that road."

George W. Bush freed more women (from the Taliban) than Lincoln did slaves, but that's not enough for the left. Will American Communists point out the inconsistency of Saudis on the women's board? American leftists don't actually approve of Islamic law and codes anymore than they do Christian, however, they are useful comrades in bringing down the common capitalist enemy--The United States.

Sultan Knish a blog by Daniel Greenfield

Eid al-Adha--no English class today

Today is an important holiday (3 days beginning last night) for Muslims. Just like our Easter gets overshadowed by Christmas, but is the more significant of the Christian holy days, so this one gets overshadowed by another Eid which follows Ramadan. Eid al-Adha commemorates Abraham being willing to sacrifice his son Ishmael. That's a very different story than the one Jews and Christians see as the establishment of God's people Israel, the Jews, and in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.

Good works and service with the poor are part of this holiday, so there will be no English conversation class today.

ALA Banned Books Week Hoax

I just browsed through a very attractive on-line display of banned books at a college library website--NCSU--based on the ALA hoax. Yes, BBW, Banned books week is a hoax. You can get these books anywhere. What the ALA banned lie really means is someone complained about a book--it wasn't banned or burned. No American author in the USA was threatened--that's for Europe and the Middle East. We have the right to complain, too. We pay for our public libraries--should we be thrilled with every selection? Can we say, "Why so many Martha Stewart?" What about poor quality binding or illustrations? Is that OK to complain about? Or price? Or disrespect toward a race, gender or religion? Or new books on the occult outnumbering new titles for a religion a bit more common in the neighborhood, for instance, Christianity?

I complained about "Little Black Sambo" being read aloud to children (1970s) during story hour. Was told it was harmless. What about the not-selected, not-purchased books? After looking over the shelves, and finding more on the Amish than on Lutherans, I left a note that our Public Library's newest book on Lutherans was 40 years old. Then I sent a suggestion with author, title and ISBN. They bought it. Woot! One. And we may have the largest Lutheran church in Ohio in our community. If you complain or suggest, it's often "no demand" or "no money." Especially for conservative titles. So then it's off to the book store. Fewer requests are made; fewer people vote to pass tax increases to support libraries.

ALA | Banned Books Week

Don't Be Such a Wimp and don't try to be fair

Readers give the expert on finances advice on his parenting skills. And it's good--especially from the kids. I'd say throw out the word "fair" when parenting. It only creates jealousy. Plus it's a kid's weapon. What's fair for a social butterfly doesn't fit the geek, and what's fair for an A student without cracking a book won't work with one who hates school. My mother was a saint, but she put great stock in being "fair." What that meant was, if one of the four of us was really great at doing something, praise was soft pedaled because it wouldn't be fair to the others who didn't have that talent. We were all talented in different ways, and believe me, life isn't fair. If it were, everyone would have had my terrific mother!

The Readers' Advice: Don't Be Such a Wimp - WSJ.com

Her ears aren't pierced--big deal!

At her blog she wrote a very long entry about her non-pierced ears--longer than any of my stories about the government, about housing, about health, about family memories, about retirement, etc. And she got 46 comments. FORTY-SIX!!!

Well, I never had my ears pierced either, and probably couldn't write two sentences about it. So there. And yes, people have noticed. Comments anyone?

Left Greeting Bookstore Release of Bush’s ‘Decision Points’

It may be awhile before your local library has more than one copy of Decision Points by President Bush, and at the bookstore you might find Bush shelved in unusual places. The solution, of course, is to complain both to the library, and the store manager. They are there to serve you.

Michelle Malkin » Left Greeting Bookstore Release of Bush’s ‘Decision Points’ With Level of Maturity You Might Expect

No dog in this fight

"To hear librarians tell it, video games are high-church, intellectual endeavors. Today, nearly 2,000 libraries across America will host National Gaming Day, a massive video game tournament and celebration." Daniel J. Flynn

The library as amusement park

"Only those who haven’t checked out a book in the new millennium would be surprised that the public library is now making video games available. The image of the urban public library as a citadel of culture and quietude shielding patrons from the noisy, dumbed-down, digital world outside has taken a hit in recent years. Anyone who has logged significant time at the library has noticed an environment at odds with what Andrew Carnegie had in mind when he bankrolled the construction of 2,811 libraries—roughly 1,000 more institutions than will be participating in National Gaming Day on Saturday. It’s not uncommon to see Internet porn on library computer consoles, and for those not satiated by simply looking, library bathrooms have become popular rendezvous points. Most conspicuously, the library has been transformed into an unofficial homeless shelter during those daytime hours when the official homeless shelter shuts its doors. Libraries have become comfortable hosting many activities unrelated to the life of the mind."

Governor-elect Scott Walker, Wisconsin

"Wisconsin Gov.-elect Scott Walker urged the federal government Tuesday to give up on high-speed rail and instead use the money to repair roads and bridges he said were "literally crumbling." "

I thought Obama promised ARRA funding would repair our crumbling infrastructure--it was supposed to be shovel ready funds, right? What happened? I saw a lot of torn up roads and streets in Ohio with those bright orange ARRA signs. In fact, it looked as though ARRA street repair was going to ruin every business in downtown Bucyrus!

I didn't know Wisconsin had elected a Republican--but he's strongly pro-life and small government, he's against rail boondoggles and embryonic stem cell research, so I guess that's what they've done.

And justice for all

Last night I recited the Pledge of Allegiance at a political meeting in my community. Can't remember when I last did that. "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Now in an unrelated, but related story . . .

"The USDA Special Milk Program started in 1955 [when I was in school I think we paid two cents for a carton of milk] with the purpose of providing milk to children in schools, child care institutions, and summer camps that do not participate in other Federal child nutrition programs. The program reimburses sponsors for the milk they serve."

Believe it or not, this program is still going, but buried in the updated rules is the requirement that where the milk is distributed there MUST be a poster that states, "and justice for all".

The original pledge was much shorter and didn't specify the United States and didn't include God. "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." And I have no idea what the original milk program was for!

Buried on p. 12--Muslim killing Muslim in Karachi

The Pakistan Taliban strikes again--blew up a very secure area in Karachi, Pakistan, of top government officials and 5-star hotels, according to the Wall Street Journal today on p. 12. So I dug a little further and found Al-Jazeera's account:

Around 3,800 people have been killed in suicide attacks and bombings, blamed on homegrown Taliban and other armed groups across Pakistan, since government troops stormed the Red Mosque in Islamabad three years ago.

The Karachi bombing came less than a week after a suicide bombing on a mosque packed with worshippers killed 68 people in northwest Pakistan.

Karachi has already suffered its most serious bout of political violence in years, with 85 people killed after a politician was shot dead in August.

The city is Pakistan's economic capital, home to its stock exchange and a strategic port where Nato docks its supplies ready to be transported overland to support the war in Afghanistan.

Although I don't believe George W. Bush's nation building ideas worked in 7th century Islamic countries, I think the American leftists, and that would include our President, are blind and deaf about who is killing whom in the Middle East and the Asian continent which is home for millions of Muslims, adherents of the religion of peace.

Labeled an extremist for common sense

Minnesota State Representative-elect Glenn Gruenhagen offered this at a statewide school board association meeting and the blog writer Hal thinks he's an extremist. The school board reps didn't like it (doesn't surprise me), but apparently voters saw something in him they liked.

Resolutions:
Stop labeling and drugging students - 2 for; 103 against.
Emphasize rote learning - 2 for; 130 against.
Implement phonics reading - 8 for; 94 against.
Teach principles of patriotism - 13 for; 88 against.
Implement abstinence - 7 for; 95 against.
Separate classes by gender - 16 for; 86 against.
Teach fallacies of macro evolution - 7 for; 100 against.
All children are gifted - 12 for; 89 against.


Hal's Blog

Christians and George Soros

Many Christians refuse to watch Glenn Beck. They think he's an alarmist, a kook libertarian, or don't like his Mormon faith.  In recent weeks, there are two very good reasons to be watching and listening--his story about inflation (read articles on today's WSJ on inflationary prices on A5 and C7*), and his story about George Soros infiltrating many Christian organizations and the media, essentially buying them up. 

The Christian Left, and even many evangelicals who have become really sloppy in aligning themselves as "emerging" or "emergent" are involved in promoting pro-choice, illegal immigration, gay marriage and anti-Israel movements. Last night, using his typical high-tech, high touch methods to illustrate a point, Beck rolled out an enormous sheet of brown butcher paper on which were written the names of all the "charities" George Soros, an atheist, supports, most of which are the antithesis of the Gospel and the basic concepts on which the United States was founded.  Soros is working hard behind the scenes to get Beck off the air.  However, there are many Christians now wise to his tricks and are providing some balance and research to fight him. Even a little blog like mine gets the hit and run socialists posting in my comments or sending me e-mails(removed if they get nasty) if I speak out about Soros.

Jim Wallis is probably the best known of the Evangelical Left (although the evangelical part of him has certainly been starved  as the left of him swells and gets ever more pompous) who has taken Soros funding to support his left wing agenda.  Two years ago our Vineyard Church here in Columbus invited him as a major speaker at its rally for peace and justice (I'm paraphrasing here), and I suspect this would not happen today as Wallis' links to radical movements and marxism become more clear to even the most obtuse, warm and squishy Christian.  Also, the Christian left has been quite alarmed by the Tea Party strength, as it eats away at its own power base, so it is fighting back.

How far left have the Evangelicals swung?  Richard Cizik, the former head of the National Association of Evangelicals, now works for George Soros funding organization called the Open Society Institute.  This is beyond teetering on a cliff--he's completely fallen off the mountain top.

It's time to not only carefully read the "we believe" statement, but the mission statements, and the board of directors or trustees of any Christian organization you've been supporting or plan to support. We are at war.

*A5--11/11/10 article on new method to figure inflation--19.7% since last October; C7--article on commodities volatility, cotton, silver and soybeans.

Bush book, Decision Points, flying off the shelves

At least in book stores. It will take much longer in public libraries, whose librarians vote 223:1 for Democrats. Random House says it's the highest first day sales in 6 years, and that doesn't count independent book stores or grocery stores like Meiers or Krogers. (It's $21 at Meier's.) I live in a heavily Republican suburb, but our UAPL has carefully taught us that if we really want to read something with a right of center viewpoint, we'd just better go out and buy it. Then with fewer requests in hand, it can justify not purchasing in a timely fashion the books we'd like to read.

Important Players – Doctrine-unfriendly

I've been trying to work my way through the tangle of terms like "emergent church" "emerging church" and "Emergent Village" and although I'm usually pretty good at detecting clues for movements and understanding divisions within Christianity, this is a MESS.

I just hate it when people change the language, especially Christians. I'm thinking they are soft and squishy on important fundamentals and theology, and warm and fuzzy on social issues. If salvation were about a nice home and full tummy, why would there need to be churches in suburbia?

Important Players – Doctrine-unfriendly « The Berean Watch

No, No Newt

Just watched him being interviewed on Fox--about his rather messy, unfaithful-to-wives personal life, and being a hypocrite about it besides. Let him stay on the side lines as a king/queen maker, but don't, please don't, put us through another Clintonesque presidency.

FDA: Obamacare’s Calorie-Count Mandate Now In Effect—But Not Enforceable

The individual items in a vending machine have a nutritionlabel--except the fresh items like an apple or orange--now Obama wants it also on the outside of the machine. One more way to destroy small businesses. One more reason someone would with an ounce of sense and a month of business experience should have read the bill. Look at all the cigarette packages that are labeled with a warning, and has he stopped smoking?

FDA: Obamacare’s Calorie-Count Mandate Now In Effect—But Not Enforceable | CNSnews.com

Fried Librarian Giblets Awakens ALA Council to Take On Yet Another Non-Library Issue

I got a chuckle out of the title of this blog--Fried librarian giblets. I wonder if ALA will look into the San Francisco Happy Meal melt down? The ALA spends so much time on non-library issues. I suppose that's a sign that everything is super duper OK in library land. Salaries are up; bond issues aren't failing; and the political balance is improving.

SafeLibraries: Fried Librarian Giblets Awakens ALA Council to Take On Yet Another Non-Library Issue

On repealing Obamacare--expand the target

"The case for abolishing Obamacare has three parts, based on its awful effects (a) on health care, (b) on our political system, and (c) on our character as a people. The first of these, Obamacare's deleterious effects on health care quality, cost, innovation, and accessibility, has been well made already by conservative policy analysts and, less well but still effectively, by conservative politicians. On their merits, these arguments should have been enough to defeat Obamacare, and almost were. Floating in the debate's background so far have been anxieties about the legislation's effects on our constitutional system's balance of power and on the American character. These concerns will need to be more thought—through and clearly articulated in the days to come, because to clinch the argument conservatives need to show that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is not merely bad or mistaken policy but somehow dangerous to our way of life. Legislative mistakes can be corrected, after all. Their pollsters are already warning Democratic congressmen to keep claims about the law "small and credible," to stick to "personal stories" of people who will benefit from it, and above all to promise to "improve" it. They're trying to shrink the target. Conservatives need to expand the target, and to emphasize that the stakes of Obamacare include nothing less than the future of self-government in America."

Article at Claremont Institute

Eat all the colors, but

be careful. I've been making wonderful chili soups the past few weeks. I grill lightly in olive oil about 4-5 vegetables chopped up, add Progresso Hearty Tomato, and then maybe black bean with bacon flavoring for some protein. Well, today I decided to use up the fresh cooked spinach I had in the frig. Nope. Not a good idea. Red and green make a sort of yucky brown. It didn't exactly change the basic color of the soup, but the green floating in the red is not pleasing to the artist's eye.

Anyone laughing with Bill Maher now?

This is Bill Maher's trashing of the Nine Twelve movement around the time the reports of ACORN assisting a sex trafficking ring came out, which didn't give him concern. Oh, you are such a riot Bill, and so with egg on your face after last Tuesday.

Glenn Beck’s army of zombie retirees are marching on Washington in protest of, well, everything. It’s the Million Moron March, although they won’t get a million of course, because many will be confused and drive to Washington state. But they will make news, because people who take to the streets always do. They’re at the town hall screaming at the congressmen, we’re on the couch screaming at the TV.

I was going to look for a photo, but you all know the face, all 10 of you who watch his show.

Conan is back — all is right with the world - TODAYshow.com

Now that's an amazing headline--ripped right off the internet. Conan is back--all's right with the world. So that's all it took. Obama doesn't need another term, and Jesus didn't need to return. What a relief.

Conan is back — all is right with the world - Entertainment - Television - TODAYshow.com

5 myths about George W. Bush

The only ones who believed the dumb cowboy stuff were the media and their Democratic supporters who just kept passing it along because it made them feel superior. I didn't. I saw his reading list. But over all, a good assessment. Don't know if I'll read the book.

5 myths about George W. Bush

Who's crazy now?

It's OK in a movie to take the Lord's name in vain, which is offensive to probably over half of all movie goers, but a fake, made up conversation by two teenagers can't use the word "gay" as a pejorative ("The social network")? Come on, guys, even gay kids use the term gay that way! Ten years ago they were using "retard" the same way. Look at any slang and it's either incomprehensible so adults won't catch on, or comes via the prisons, or has a sexual connotation. The word JAZZ, after all, originally meant sexual intercourse, as did rock 'n roll, so is that what you're saying each time you use those terms?

Stop treating gay teens like they are a fragile piece of glass. You are sending mixed messages for a political agenda, and it's the kids who will suffer. First of all, you're talking them into being a victim, and you just might be designating someone as gay when he isn't. There are lots of reasons for a teen to have problems, and a few teen-agers do commit suicide for a wide variety of reasons. But not as many as the macho soliders we're sending to Afghanistan and Iraq, and not as many as white men over 60.

When I was a teenager, I'd never heard of homosexuality--was probably a sophomore in college before I was even aware of it. That doesn't mean there weren't just as many gay teens in the 50s as there are today. Somehow, they managed to get college degrees, find partners, and succeed in their careers, because I've met them, worked with them, and am now retiring with them. One dear lesbian friend died in a house fire trying to save her pets; her partner was devastated, and she later died in an auto accident. None of this had anything to do with their sexuality; Pauline and Dora were outstanding advocates for young people of any make and model.

Today gay teens have support groups, "young adult" gay themed books in the library, gay movie stars and athletic figures to idolize, web sites to go to, special counselors in their schools, and politicans who are equal opportunity idiots like Barney Frank for a model. If none of this is working, why are we funding these programs?

Please, stop with the urban legends!

All Saints Day--first Sunday in November

Today is All Saints Sunday, the day Christians remember those called to sainthood (all believers) and espcially particular individuals. My husband and I were communion servers, always a wonderful experience. However, it's also the day the pastor reads from the pulpit the names of the congregation's members who have died since October 31, last year, and the names of loved ones we submit. It's very moving. And Oh! the singing! We get to sing all the verses of "For all the Saints."

Unless I'm morphing some memories (easy to do at my age) I can remember the first time I heard and sang "For all the Saints," and it was interestingly enough, not in church, but at Camp Emmaus near Mt. Morris, Illinois. I wasn't even a camper--I was the cook's assistant, and had come upstairs after clearing tables and washing pots to sit in the back of the lodge main room to observe the campers (older teens). They were learning a "new" hymn, "For all the Saints," being led I believe by a gorgeous young woman from Chicago with a fabulous voice named Carol Hiller. (It's possible that I've morphed her into the hymn, but this is how I recall it.)

The lyrics seem to be much older than the music, having been written by Bishop William W. How in 1864, but the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams died in 1958, so it's possible that in the mid-1950s, we were learning it as a "new" hymn. However it came to my attention, it has always been a favorite, and the older I get, the more departed saints I have to remember and look forward to seeing again at the resurrection.

The greatest of human adventures

If you want to read a history of America that isn't biased, isn't academic and yet is tremendously optimistic while revealing all our warts, please read Paul Johnson's "A history of the American people." Here's his opener:
"The creation of the United States of America is the greatest of all human adventures. No other national story holds such tremendous lessons, for the American people themselves and for the rest of mankind." p.3

Johnson doesn't have to answer to a tenure review committee in the hopelessly left sided university community, and he's not a part of the notoriously liberal American media.  He's a British journalist who has been visiting and researching the U.S. since his first visit in 1955.  Despite its 3.5 lbs and 1000+ pages and  about that many footnotes, this book is for the ordinary reader, not a scholar.  You can tell, however, that he is a conservative in that as a former Socialist familiar with socialism's failures, he is solidly in favor of a free market economy as the system that brings the most people up out of poverty and enslavement; but also he is incredibly optimistic, which liberals almost never are.  He's not snarky or dark in his evaluations even when explaining (and footnoting) John Kennedy's or Lyndon Johnson's numerous affairs and sexcapades, or finding the one really good thing about Jimmy Carter's presidency. He outlines rather carefully the media making the presidency for us in 1960, and although in 1997 he'd never heard of Barack Obama, the same template was used again in 2008.

I found this wonderful Booknotes interview with Johnson in 1998.  Loved that show.

Johnson notes that left wing liberals and academicians will hate this book--they won't actually read it, but will find factual errors (he encourages that you report these so he can correct them in the next edition but also notes that even sources he cites disagree on details).

Hitler learns the Republicans have taken both the House and Obama’s Senate seat

This film clip has been used so many times in parodies, but this one is incredible. "Bush got C's but Obama failed lunch."



Hitler learns the Republicans have taken both the House and Obama’s Senate seat

Upper Arlington 9/12 project November 11 meeting

Join the UA912 Group on November 11 at 6:30 p.m. as they welcome Pastor Eric Waters from the Upper Arlington Lutheran Church who will present his stirring July 4, 2010 Sermon Entitled: Freedom - A Gift From God. Pastor Waters brought the congregation to their feet. Here is a link to the sermon: http://tech.ualc.org/mp3/audio/100704EWMRC.mp3
Location, Hastings Middle School Auditorium, 1850 Hastings Lane, Upper Arlington, OH 43220, hostess Catherine Hackett.



..

Possible holes? You think? Flight school arrests

"Federal officials have arrested dozens of alleged illegal immigrants connected to a flight school in Stow, including the school’s owner and students who received US government clearance to train as pilots despite strict security controls put into place after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The arrests of 34 Brazilian nationals that began in July and concluded quietly last month raise troubling new questions about possible holes in the government’s antiterrorism security net, which bans illegal immigrants from taking flight lessons and requires background checks on any foreigner training to fly in the United States.
Flight school arrests raise terrorism fears - The Boston Globe

TSA seems to be pretty good at making little old ladies take off their shoes and men their belts, but do a background check on a foreigner wanting to learn to fly a small plane? Wouldn't that be profiling? Even the owner of the flight school wasn't here legally.

Comprehensive--a word we need to strike from Washington's vocabulary

We've heard it all. But one word we hear/see too often. COMPREHENSIVE. "Comprehensive immigration reform" and "comprehensive health care;" "Comprehensive environmental response" legislation, and "comprehensive gender strategies;" "Comprehensive Financial Regulatory Reform" and "comprehensive knowledge based yada yada yada." Most of these comprehensive efforts, especially immigration, could be achieved by enforcing laws already on the books, laws that were never fully understood or enforced or funded. But that wouldn't tie up millions of tax dollars in more hearings, writing new laws and creating more agencies to suck up the billions the new laws and regulations will demand.

John Boehner remembers why he got into politics

"I grew up in a small house on a hill in Cincinnati, Ohio, with 11 brothers and sisters. My dad ran a bar, Andy’s Café, that my grandfather Andrew Boehner opened in 1938. We didn’t have much but were thankful for what we had. And we didn’t think much about Washington.

That changed when I got involved with a small business, which I eventually built into a successful enterprise. I saw firsthand how government throws obstacles in the way of job-creation and stifles our prosperity. It prompted me to get involved in my government, and eventually took me to Congress."

It's a good lead in for a speech, but power and the beltway have a funny way of changing people. We'll have to see if a traditional Republican has gotten the conservative message from the voters who are a thousand times better informed than they were in 2000 or 2004. I'm quite sure we've heard this "no more business as usual" from other pols--specifically Barack Obama, the biggest fraud of them all. We were promised that his enhanced use of technology would have us all reading the bills, when in fact these gully washers weren't even read by Congress, let alone us!

Again, Boehner: "I have maintained a no-earmarks policy throughout my time of service in Congress. I believe the House must adopt a moratorium on all earmarks as a signal of our commitment to ending business as usual in the spending process.

• Let Americans read bills before they are brought to a vote. The speaker of the House should not allow any bill to come to a vote that has not been posted publicly online for at least three days. Members of Congress and the American people must have the opportunity to read it.

Similarly, the speaker should insist that every bill include a clause citing where in the Constitution Congress is given the power to pass it. Bills that can’t pass this test shouldn’t get a vote. House Republicans’ new governing agenda, “A Pledge to America,” calls for the speaker to implement such reforms immediately.

• No more “comprehensive” bills. The next speaker should put an end to so-called comprehensive bills with thousands of pages of legislative text that make it easy to hide spending projects and job-killing policies. President Obama’s massive “stimulus” and health-care bills, written behind closed doors with minimal public scrutiny, were the last straw for many Americans. The American people are not well-served by “comprehensive,” and they are rightly suspicious of the adjective.

• No more bills written behind closed doors in the speaker’s office. Bills should be written by legislators in committee in plain public view. Issues should be advanced one at a time, and the speaker should place an emphasis on smaller, more focused legislation that is properly scrutinized, constitutionally sound, and consistent with Americans’ demand for a less-costly, less-intrusive government."

As long as presidents are allowed to appoint people who can regulate the Congress into powerlessness and the people into slavery, what legislators do and how much pork they send home to their cronies really won't make much difference, now will it?

Obama thinks he just didn't get his message out . . .

. . . but I think he communicated loud and clear.

"Republicans picked up at least a record 680 state legislative seats nationwide. That's more than even the 472 seat gain in 1994, according to the American Legislative Exchange Council, and more than the previous record of 628 seats by Democrats in the Watergate election of 1974. Not since 1928 have Republicans held so many state legislative seats. . . Voters clearly said on Tuesday that they want state leaders to control spending, reform pension and health-care benefits for state employees, and attract new job-creating businesses.

From today's Review and Outlook, Wall St. Journal

Stem cell face lifts--we're not there yet

Sherrell Aston, MD, answers some questions about face lifts, including the so called stem-cell face lift, which is apparently a new term for fat transfer. I'd like a little of that, but by the time it is perfected, I either won't care, or won't remember that I cared.

"Right now, there is no such thing as a stem cell face-lift, although the hope is that stem cells can help rejuvenate tissues and fill in volume. Stem cells are obtained with liposuction. We frequently inject fat into different areas of the face to return fat that is atrophied, or to improve the contour of the jawline, or over the cheekbones to improve contour. Stem cells show promise for the future, and I anticipate that we'll do more with stem cells as part of facial rejuvenation in the years to come."

The Modern Face-lift: An Expert Interview With Sherrell J. Aston, MD

I've been using the Medscape/WebMD site for years and have found it to be reliable. Usually go there when all I can find are the heavily advertising supported sites.

A return to the norm--I disagree

Sorry, Charlie, I love you, but you missed it on this one. The huge win on Tuesday was not a default, it was not a return to the norm. It resulted from the American slumbering giant, many the retired electorate, rising up, getting informed, going to the library and book store, going to rallies, talking to their friends, organizing small groups without any headship, and supporting candidates for smaller, more responsive government. Conservatives, not all true Republicans, have won big both at the state level and the national. I sent no money to the National Republican party, but did support candidates in about 5 or 6 other states. I've learned the hard way that how they vote, and the bills they don't read, directly affect me.

Charles Krauthammer - A return to the norm

At last, some honesty at MSNBC

Lawrence O'Donnell admits he's a socialist and chides other liberals for playing with terms.

LAWRENCE O'DONNELL: Glenn [Greenwald], unlike you, I am not a progressive. I am not a liberal who is so afraid of the word that I had to change my name to progressive. Liberals amuse me. I am a socialist. I live to the extreme left, the extreme left of you mere liberals, okay? However, I know this about my country. Liberals are 20 percent of the electorate. Conservatives are 41 percent of the electorate, okay? So I don't pretend that my views, which would ban all guns in America, make Medicare available to all in America, have any chance of happening in the federal government, okay? You can sit there and pretend that liberals should run more liberal in conservative districts. You love the loss of the Blue Dogs. The only way, the only way you have a chairman Barney Frank, there's only one way, that's by electing Blue Dogs. It's the only way. That's the only way you have a Speaker Pelosi.

Now if he could just admit that socialists are Marxists, the air would be a lot cleaner in the studio. He's also an actor, pulls down big money by selling his image and his knowledge, which is sort of like being a private company not controlled by the government, so in my opinion, he's also a hypocrite in wanting to impoverish other people.

Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/11/05/lawrence-odonnell-i-am-socialist-i-live-extreme-left-mere-liberals#ixzz14RY2LrhI

The jobs report

I'm sure Obama is taking credit for the uptick in the October jobs report, however, I remember how the econmy literally fell off a cliff when it looked like Obama would be the president after he was selected as the candidate. Business knew he would not be for them, and they were already struggling. Then in the fall of this year, the predicting of the Republican take overs not only of Congress but in the states also was gaining steam. So people took hope that the Bush tax cuts would stay in place and we could finally stop the Pelosi, Obama and Reid steamroller which was flattening the will and wallets of the American people.

A serious subject treated humorously, golf and terrorism

Second-generation Indian Americans 'Return' to India

"In 2004, The New York Times reported there were 35,000 "returned nonresident" Indians in the Indian city of Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore). In 2009, The Economist noted that between 2003 and 2005, approximately 5,000 tech-savvy Indians with more than five years' experience in America returned to India.

A 2010 report by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with The Boston Consulting Group found that in 2006, 32,000 second-generation Indians born in the United States or Europe returned to India. Although the report does not define return in temporal terms, it observed that the availability of challenging job positions, strong demand for experienced workers, and the promise of economic growth were crucial in creating such reverse talent flows."
Migration Information Source - For Love and Money: Second-generation Indian Americans 'Return' to India

I don't think this is too unusual. It happened after the break up of the Soviet Union with many 2nd generation Poles, Lithuanians, Latvians, etc. returning to the country of their parents. Also, after China loosened up, a number of Americans of Chinese ancestry saw new opportunity. When Ireland had its boom economy in the late 90s, many Irish diaspora returned home. It will be interesting to see if they are welcomed with open arms, since they had so many advantages the people who stayed behind didn't.

Our most famous granny terrorist speaks again

Still spewing after all these years--Bernadine Dohrn, Bill Ayer's wife, the Obamas' Chicago neighbor and friend, unrepentent terrorist still thinks conservatives, and not her ilk, are the ones to fear.
See the video, feel the chill wind blowing.

CNN debunks the cost figures from India

. . . but doesn't have any numbers to replace them.

Story here.

Rob Portman's US Senate victory speech

One last campaign appeal--Joe Miller

It's not over until it's over.

Statement from Joe Miller “The campaign remains optimistic that Joe Miller will be the next U.S. Senator from the state of Alaska. Previous write-in campaigns in Alaska have demonstrated that as much as 5 to 6% of returned ballots have not met the standard to be counted as a valid vote. As with any write-in campaign, the burden of execution rests with the candidate whose name is not on the ballot. Candidates who mount a write-in campaign opt for an uphill battle. At this point, without a single write-in ballot counted, Lisa Murkowski has no claim on a victory. To complicate the matter, the Division of Elections has yet to adequately explain how a ballot will be marked in favor of a candidate. The current standards are extraordinarily ambiguous. We trust that officials will conduct the hand count with propriety and consistency. In short, this campaign is not over! “

Joe Miller for US Senate
PO Box 72838
Fairbanks, AK 99707-2838
(907) 452-8559

http://joemiller.us/

CAIR wants OSU Christians to be more tolerant

From OSUToday: "Join us to discuss recent hostility and intolerance facing the Islamic community in America and the appropriate Christian response to the attack of other faith traditions. Indianola Presbyterian Church welcomes representatives from the Council on American-Islamic Relations."

109 verses in the Koran command Muslims to make war against the unbeliever. The Hadith says that even the rocks behind which a Jew hides will call out for his death.

Islam teaches that the Christian Bible, the Torah and the Psalms are all corrupted, even though those manuscripts and extant copies are much, much older than Islam's holy books, and no scholar is allowed to do critical research on the Koran.

Muhammad's followers are commanded to believe in Allah and to wage war against their neighbors.

Jesus' followers are commanded to love God and to love neighbor as themselves.

Perhaps the Christians who attend this meeting could have a few words for the CAIR representative about centuries of hostility and ignorance on their side?

Bullying on social networking sites

Today's Wall Street Journal has an interesting article on the history of shaming--from the scarlet letter, to names of tax delinquents in newspapers to publicly charging for plastic bags at the grocery store to "encourage" responsible behavior. But the story lead is one of the most interesting. It involves rich, socially advantaged, well-educated young adults--the senior class at Dartmouth attempting to shame their classmates into donating for the class gift, using blogs, social networking sites, names, photos, and personal slurs. Techno-rats without a moral clue.

Oh yes, the names came from the school administration. Link.

The cost of the Civil War

From Measuring Worth, which provides seven indicators for making comparisons in US dollars between any two years from 1774 to the present (2009):

"The Civil War was one of the most devastating events in the history of the United States. It lasted from 1861 to 1865 and has been estimated to have direct cost about $6.7 billion valued in 1860 dollars. If this number were evaluated in dollars of today using the GDP deflator it would be $139 billion, less that one-fourth of the current Department of Defense budget. This would be inappropriate, as would be using the wage or income indexes. The only measure that makes sense for an expenditure of this size is to use the share of GDP, as the war impacted the output of the entire country. Thus the relative value of $6.7 billion of 1860 would be $22 trillion today, or over 150% of our current GDP.

The $6.7 billion does not take into account that the war disrupted the economy and had an impact of lower production into the future. Some economic historians have estimated this additional, or indirect cost, to be another $7.3 billion measured on 1860 dollars. This means the cost of the war (as a share of the output of the economy) was nearly $46 trillion as measured in current dollars."

Michelle Bachman's Plan for Republicans to restore America

As told to tingly leg Chris Matthews:

"BACHMANN: Well, the plan that I've been talking about all through this election is really four things. And I would encourage the new Republican leadership to take this on as the agenda in 2011. And it's very simple.

It's keep the current tax policy so no one has increased taxes.

Number two, we need to put a full scale repeal of Obamacare passed through the House, hopefully it can get through the Senate, and then

number three, we need to make sure that we secure the United States borders.

And number four, we need to make sure that we don't have a huge increase in national energy tax.

Those are the four issues that the American people want the Congress to deal with because they want to get certainty back into the economy."

Works for me.

No, Mitch. He needs to fail.

It seems that, like Obama, Mitch McConnell doesn't get it either. What is it? Is the air too thin in Washington? Why is it people don't get the Tuesday message?

"Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) said Thursday he wants President Obama to “change,” not fail, and said Republicans will force him from office in 2012 if he does not. “I don’t want the president to fail, I want him to change,” McConnell said in remarks at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington."

What good is a "changed" failure who doesn't know he failed? I do not want Obamacare, I do not want Cap and Tax which will further destroy the economy, I do not want a bazillion sneaky regulations brought to us by his appointed czars, I do not want more leftist, squishy judges on the Supreme Court. No, Obama needs to fail at trying to destroy our country. If it isn't too late.

After Bernanke's move this week--the additional $600 billion--I'm not sure any of it matters at this date. Hasn't anyone read what the Fed did in the 1920s which brought on the Great Depression? John Maynard Keynes who advocated "managed currency" and constant government interference neither foresaw that the Depression was coming, nor how long it would last.

"A country that doesn’t understand its own history is not well equipped to deal with its future. The Great Depression was not a failure of the old order. It was the failure of the new order that had just begun. The Federal Reserve is the most powerful institution of a new order that believed in the efficacy of government and its ability to do good. The same Federal Reserve caused the Great Depression when its wise men made a series of cumulative mistakes that contracted the money supply by one-third and wiped out purchasing power in an unprecedented fashion." The Fed's Depression and the New Deal

Humbled? Hardly!

What a silly concept. A humbled Obama? That's unimaginable for a narcissist.

"A conservative wave roared across the American political landscape last night, humbling President Barack Obama and instantly redrawing the landscape in Washington with a new place on the high perches of power for the flag-bearers of the ultra-conservative Tea Party movement." The Independent

Here's what Armstrong Williams wrote: "Judging by his words yesterday, Americans should settle in for more gridlock during these next two years. Yes, at times the president seemed conciliatory. His "shellacking" comment was as accurate as it was self-deprecating. But that's where the humility ended.

Phrases such as "I didn't communicate my message better" and "We should have started earlier in convincing the American people" are not admissions of mistakes or even acknowledgements that, if he'd had a chance to do it all over again, things would be done differently. No, those are remarks from a person who to this day believes in his heart he was right all along. A supermajority of the voters didn't see it that way, but doggone it, Obama sure did, and that's all that matters.

Folks, that thought process achieves new levels of arrogance, and leaves me with little hope for the next two years. "Communicating our message better" is what losers say when they're too proud to admit they lost. That's not presidential, that's pathetic. As smart as the president is, he knew exactly what he was doing when he chose those words, and that alone makes his sincerity yesterday all the more suspect."

Please! It's o-p-h-t-h-a-l-m-o-l-o-g-i-s-t

"Moisturizers are important for the skin around the eyes, which contains no oil glands. Ms. Cryer uses two eye creams, a day cream that offers sun protection and a night cream without the "extra chemicals" of sunscreen. In the winter, Ms. Cryer even applies a little extra eye cream in midafternoon to "refresh" the skin. She sticks to "opthalmologist-tested" moisturizers that won't irritate the eyes themselves."

Today's Wall Street Journal, article by Cheryl Lu-Lien

Now that ophthalmologist Rand Paul is heading for the Senate, maybe reporters will start getting this one right.

"Dr. Paul completed a general surgery internship at Georgia Baptist Medical Center in Atlanta and completed his residency in ophthalmology at Duke University Medical Center. Upon completion of his training in 1993, Dr. Paul moved to Bowling Green, Ken., and began his ophthalmology practice.

In 1995, Dr. Paul founded the Southern Kentucky Lions Eye Clinic, an organization that provides eye exams and surgery to needy families and individuals. He has also provided free eye surgery to children from around the world through the Children of the Americas Program." Becker's ASC Review.

Alice Dancing Under the Gallows

She never hated. Will be 107 this November.

Forty years ago--our dilemmas were . . .

In 1973 in an introduction to Baker's Dictionary of Christian Ethics, Carl F. H. Henry wrote about the concerns of the day. We were a decade beyond Rachel Carson's misguided "Silent Spring" which has lead millions of Africans to their deaths through the resurgence of malaria, five years past the alarmist, best-seller, "The population bomb" by Paul Erlich, three years beyond the first Earth Day, and in the middle of a bunch of street people for Jesus.

So in the introductory essay Henry writes about spending too much money on the space race when millions went to bed hungry, about the exploding population, about junk and toxic waste being spewed into the environment, and of course, the blame the USA needed to accept for the world's problems. And he wrote about the disillusionment in the scientific/technological enterprise and the political arena.

"In the USA the Watergate scandal, worst since Teapot Dome, brought the world's most powerful nation to a political watershed. The disappointing performance of many modern democracies, the frustrated hopes of those who relied on revolution and growing disenchantment with world political organizations--first the League of Nations and now the United Nations--was wrapped the whole cultural enterprise in a mood of gray doom. . . Is the suppression of a clearly defined national interest a reasonable expectation when the alternative is a murky global communality? Are nations facing extinction by totalitarian superpowers likely to agree that a global police force must replace any and every recourse to military response, if such agreements may portend their own eclipse? On the other hand, if national self-interest is to reign unchecked, in what dread calamity will modern history inevitably explode? It is no secret that the present course, if unaltered, could eventuate in full-scale nuclear warfare before the end of this century."

He goes on to call on evangelicals to not ignore God's purposes through government as an instrumentality of justice and order in a fallen society, and to be salt and light in a fallen society.

When one sees the hunger of Christians of all denominations and theological bents starving their souls while nursing at the government grant teat for food pantries, housing and neighborhood renewal, job training programs, and even marriage workshops, it's obvious that churches now find their calling in meeting bureaucratic goals.

"Not since the fall of the Roman empire have social decay and political unrest been as widespread as today," he concludes. It seems to be a very human frailty to believe you have it worse than any who came before, whether you are evangelical, atheist, humanist, or spiritually eclectic.

Bucks for Charity 2010--the list

Back in the 80s I received recognition at Ohio State for my donation to their community drive/campaign (don't recall what it was called then--United Way, I think). I got a pin, a certificate and an invitation to gather at the Union with the President, various board members and maybe a coach or too. Imagine my surprise when I found out the party was paid for by a beer company. Alcohol probably destroys the lives of more young college students than bad grades, unrequited love, and over reaching professors. That was the last time I donated--but I always read the list of organization that get a percentage.

First on the aggregate list this year is EarthShare Ohio. I just clicked through a few names on the list (there are more at the web site than on the printed list), and you don't have to go far to find some fairly radical names, events, and causes. If you see "environmental justice," "just us" turns out to be blacks and they'll take white people's money. So it looks like Earthshare Ohio gets 3.5% of the total, and then each group on its list gets a percentage of that (that is not clearly explained in the book), like American Farmland Trust gets 20.1% and The Wilds gets 11.6%, etc. Just glancing quickly through the page of Farmland Trust I see it pushed with some reservations the 2009 Food Safety Enhancement Act, which should increase the numbers of government workers and the cost of our food while promoting more safety, and most of the provisions look like they will hurt the little grower/farmer. Not sure I understand water quality trading.

EarthShare: Who We Support - America's most respected environmental charities

After EarthShare Ohio there is United Way of Central Ohio (11.8%), United Way of Delaware County (19.7%), United Way of Fairfield Country (9.9%), United Way of Licking county (21.6%), United Way of Pickaway County (14.5%), United Way of Union County (19.0%), United Negro College Fund (13%), Community Shares of Mid Ohio (6.3%), which supports NARAL Pro-Choice, and Community Health Charities of Ohio (9.6%).

So here's my suggestion. Look through the Bucks for Charity book and if you see something that interests you, look them up on the Internet, check out their mission statement and the names of the people on the board and what legislation, particularly environmental, they support. Remember this when you see the hoopla about man made global warming. They didn't begin measuring the climate's temperatures until the end of the last little ice age, so yes, it is getting warmer. . . that happens after an Ice Age. Also, a lot of those temperature gauges are on asphalt parking lots near concrete and brick buildings. I'm just saying. . . When you're satisfied you've found an organization that matches your values and life mission, send a check directly.

Morgan Stanley Feeding America ad

Today in the Wall Street Journal I saw a very clever ad sponsored by Morgan Stanley about "food insecurity."  It was a large graphic of a piece of broccoli in the shape of a brain.  The text: "One out of four children in this country struggles to get enough food for their bodies and minds to develop properly."

I think it's very nice to have corporate donors for food banks (Feeding America is the new name for Second Harvest). However, let's take a look at this 1 in 4 statistic. As of July 2009, the gross income ceiling to use a government funded food pantry (and that's virtually all of them, even the ones run by churches) was $21,659 for one person. There are probably many people in their first jobs who would qualify, but do they consider themselve "poor" or "hungry?" Then for a family of four the gross income figure is $44,099, and for a family of 6, it's almost $60,000.  Link.

So you see what's happening here, don't you? If you get a raise to $46,000 a year, you might lose certain "poverty" benefits. Maybe it's a special health program for a disabled child, or a certain housing allowance, or a tuition waiver (I haven't looked all those up because I think you need a PhD in government grants to figure out all 70 programs for the poor).

The very programs intended to help people get a toe hold on the middle class, to become independent and strong, in the long run hold them back unless they are exceptionally healthy, young and educated. And that's how voting blocks are created, serviced and maintained.

Remembering what it was like

She's older than Bookworm, who didn't even remember what Democrats did to blacks in the South, and I'm older than she, so what did we think of Republicans back in the days we were Democrats?

Read it here.

Obama's $200 million a day trip to India

This man just has no class. He's like the funny hat and smart uniform dictators they elect in Haiti.  He's totally oblivious to the messages he sends out. He has thrown his entire party under the bus. He calls over half the American population "enemies" and then he flees the country in the wake of an election he claims is a vote on his agenda!! Jon Stewart's Sanity Rally obviously had no affect on the President. This really is insane. I can see the need to take over an entire 600 room hotel, especially one that could be set up to be bombed because in Moslem countries, he's an infidel, not a Christian. Maybe he doesn't want to command an army, but a battalion of secret service, that's OK.  But $200 million a day when unemployment hovers at 10%, the food pantry lines are getting longer, and his abominable tax increases are set to kick in?

Will we see long term change for these women?

Last Tuesday I heard a very inspiring talk on our local NPR WOSU station, Ann Fisher's All Sides, with Judges Paul Herbert and Scott Van Der Karr about a court program to rescue women from prostitution. Link. They talked about drug treatment, safe housing, workshops, and Johns Schools, to go after the buyer.
Saving money, changing lives | The Columbus Dispatch

While browsing resources for women involved in prostitution, I've come across many sites that as a Christian, I wouldn't support, even if they are fighting prostitution. For instance, look what the curriculum for "Sanctuary for change" (funded in part by the HHS) provided its students, whose minds and bodies had already been abused for years!

"Women identified the following components of the curriculum as the most important piece of information that they would put into practice:

•“That I will use protection if I engage in sex ever.”
•“My learning to be assertive and living without my worrying about what others think of me. Living my life as being worthy.”
•“To be able to have an open dialogue about safe sex with a partner.”
•“My feelings are valid and I am in control of my body.”
•“Taking time out for me and safe sex.” "

I hope they don't give up showers and baths!

"Ohio State is participating in the first real-time, nationwide contest among colleges and universities to reduce electricity and water use in residence halls. Starting Monday (11/1), 40 colleges and universities are taking part in the Campus Conservation Nationals 2010, which challenges institutions to see which can conserve the most during a three-week period." OSUToday, Nov. 2, 2010

Spooky Dude--The George Soros Empire

I know a lot of Democrats personally who seem deathly afraid of Glenn Beck's influence. You know, the guy who next to Oprah has probably sent more Americans running off to the library or book store than any other modern commentator. They've never listened to or watched him, but do watch broadcast and cable shows that smear him and tell lies. They seem to be in favor of reading books and information on the web, unless it disturbs their favorite biases. These Democrats and/or "Independents" aren't afraid of Ariana Huffington, or Michael Moore or George Soros, all of whom are truly frightening in their power within the media and anti-American agenda, but they fear a man who tells you to do your own research, get down on your knees and pray with your children, and read the Constitution and founding fathers. Go figure.

But Beck IS very hard on George Soros. Beck is first and foremost an entertainer, and pretty good at cartoonish voices--he does a great imitation of the heavily accented (Hungarian) Soros. As Communists go, Soros is an extremely successful Capitalist. He couldn't have become so wealthy (richer than Bill Gates) living in a Communist country where he'd have to be active in the party to be a really good crook, but could in a free-market country, so he just tries to bring about our downfall by "buying" us. He's buying reporters for NPR, Secretaries of State offices, judgeships, advocating the legalization of marijuana to further stuptify brains, and running boycotts against those news organizations who tell the truth about him. Spooky dude, indeed!

The Soros Empire - George Soros - Fox Nation

Diversity, unity and multiculturalism

Ohio State's Board of Trustees has changed the name of the Office of Minority Affairs to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. So what do all these words mean. Let's think about crackers.

Unity is the sign that says CRACKERS above your head in the supermarket.

Diversity means there are 13 different boxes of Ritz crackers--salted, unsalted, 2 stacks, 4 stacks, mini-crackers with peanut butter, whole wheat, snowflake design, low fat, more fiber, cheese flavored, etc.

Multicultural is the section with crackers from Israel, Mexico, Canada, with different shapes and textures, sometimes in small metal boxes screen printed in bright colors.

Inclusion is everything in that aisle, including the ones that look more like cookies than crackers, animal crackers, pretzels made in a Ritz cracker shape, English biscuits, graham crackers, etc., but which the stockers just didn't know where to place.

The New Left and today's liberal progressives

This article, about why the voters are so deeply dissatisfied with Obama and his policies, plays around with terms. He left out Communists and Socialists when describing the splits in the Democratic party. There's nothing "new" about the New Left, and there's nothing progressive about a liberal. Look at any American city attempting to enact their policies and you see more poverty, more crime and more hopelessness than ever before.

Henry Olsen at AEI.

Obama Is Heckled by AIDS Protesters

It's not often I have to defend President Obama, but truly, he really didn't mean he was funding AIDS--he meant he was funding the fight against AIDS. There's a huge difference you know. Get that man off teleprompter and you just don't know what he's going to say! Many extremist groups actually believe that the USA has released the AIDS virus on innocent Africa. But twice during his speech in Bridgeport, where he was be heckled not by religion clingingRepublicans or angry Tea Partiers, but leftist radicals, he said he was funding global AIDS. Even if he had said it correctly, it was Bush's program PEPFAR that was successful beyond their wildest dreams, and Obama hasn't been able to come even close. That's what the hecklers were mad about. Their guy stinks on their one and only issue.

"Obama was interrupted by college-age hecklers demanding more funding for the global fight against AIDS. They chanted, "Keep the promise," and unfurled banners with the same message. The protesters were booed. "Excuse me! Excuse me, young people!" Obama said, trying to regain control. "These folks have been, you've been appearing at every rally we've been doing. And we're funding global AIDS, and the other side is not. So I don't know why you think this is a useful... Link

Obama Is Heckled by AIDS Protesters - NYTimes.com

However, even when Bush is acknowledged as a leader in this area, he is disparaged by the media. Obama has done next to nothing, but arouses no criticism in the press.

UALC has final vote today

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which claims a membership of 10,400 congregations and 4.6 million baptized members, accepted a task force on sexuality recommendation to remove the celebacy restriction for its gay and lesbian pastors in August 2009. This was not a vote to have gay pastors marry each other or to marry congregants--this was a vote to remove the celebacy requirement for openly gay and lesbian pastors. The old "committeed, loving relationship" routine.

This caused splits in many congregations, and not a blip in other. Under the ELCA’s rules, congregations that wish to disaffiliate themselves must take two votes passing by a two-thirds majority, with a 90-day consultation period with the local bishop scheduled between the votes. The congregation officially cuts off ties with the denomination upon passage of the second vote.

According to an Illinois paper by the end of June, 462 congregations had cast their first votes to leave the ELCA, with 312 adopting the resolution. Of these, 196 congregations have taken their second vote, with only 11 congregations opting not to leave the ELCA. Our church voted almost 92% to leave on the first vote and 95% on the second. The crowds were the largest I've ever seen in our church, outside a special musical concert.

I know members of other Lutheran congregations who will never have the opportunity to discuss it, or to vote on leaving, because either the church board or pastor won't allow it to even come up. You can have all the constitutional documents you want, you can all use the same Bible, but if no one is reading either one, it doesn't make a lot of difference.

In the ELCA homosexuals are invited to be full members, to share in the sacraments, and to be treated in all ways as heterosexuals. But let's remember the gold standard in virtually all churches is chastity and celebacy outside of marriage.

I was going through Google to see when ELCA (created in 1988) began accepting openly gay pastors, and it appears the local congregations never had a say in that. Some pastors finishing seminary simply announced shortly before ordination that they were gay, so they were told in order to have the church's blessings they'd need to be celebate. That may have been the early 90s. Maybe they (I think they were all women) didn't exactly lie when entering seminary, but they surely had their fingers crossed when the discussion of sex outside of marriage came up.

If a heterosexual, married pastor declared love for a non-spousal other, saying they have a "loving committed relationship" about which they need to be open in order to be culturally relevant for our times, and that Jesus didn't address a ménage à trois as a sin, not many congregations would swallow that line of reasoning, no matter how "normal" the sex drive is of the pastor. But give ELCA a few years, and it will be up for a vote.

21st-Century Social Media Literacies

This author writes, in part, about crap detection. I think I've found some.

Attention, and Other 21st-Century Social Media Literacies (EDUCAUSE Review) | EDUCAUSE

Morgenstern needs to get out of the East coast bubble

Joe Morgenstern wrote a review of the film "Wecome to the Riley's" in last week's Wall Street Journal. He didn't particularly like it. Sounds pretty awful to me--would I pay that much and go to a theater for that or wait til it comes to the dollar theater?

But what I noticed was this line, "Doug (James Gandolfini) speaks for unspecified reasons, in a Southern accent" although the play takes place in Indianapolis.

I guess he's never lived in Illinois, Indiana, or Ohio, just a little below the center line, because a Midwestern speech pattern here (and I've lived in all three) might just sound "southern" to someone living in the northeast or New York City. We have a heavy dose of Appalachian English around here, which by the way, is the way the Scots Irish immigrants spoke English in the 17th and 18th centuries, Mr. Morgenstern. Their English just might be more pure than yours. To my ear, most of my Indianapolis relatives sound "southern," but then I grew up in northern Illinois, and still put and R in Washington.

Welcome to the Rileys, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, and Monsters | Film Reviews by Joe Morgenstern - WSJ.com

A holy experience

"It killed my Dad that he worked the dirt to pay the taxes to pay the checks of teachers who told his kids that working the dirt wasn’t worthy work."

A beautiful love story.

In defense of food. You'll love this.

There is no Gay Teen Suicide Epidemic

This morning in a class at church a retired teacher commented on the gay teen suicide epidemic. I told her there were no statistics to back up this claim that gay teens are bullied and then commit suicide. "Oh yes," she said, "I've attended workshops on this." Now that I believe. However, the so called statistics are urban legends and are from a jumble of bad information. This was disproved 8 or 9 years ago. Ritch Savin-Williams says gay teens are just as psychologically healthy as other teens and just as resilient.

Just like the phony "death by abortion" statistics we got in the 1960s, these are politically based and biased for a different agenda. Even one suicide, for what ever reason, is too many, but there is no gay teen suicide epidemic. As a demographic, gay men and women are very successful, the best educated and highest paid group in our society. I suspect that as teens they were rather resilient, smart and brave. . . maybe more so than other groups. Also, they do their share of bullying, of each other, and straight teens.

Do you know what is killing and maiming teen-agers at an alarming rate? Automobile accidents and sports injuries. Each Year over 5,000 teens ages 16 to 20 die due to fatal injuries caused by car accidents. About 400,000 drivers age 16 to 20 will be seriously injured. These are not urban legends--these are reportable, verifiable statistics, plus they are deaths that in many cases could be prevented if we had the collective guts to raise the driving age to 18! Snowmobiling, with speeds of 90 miles per hour and vehicle weights of more than 600 lbs., causes 200 deaths and 14,000 accidents yearly. And school buses? In 2002, 26 children ages 14 and under were killed, and in 2001 an estimated 4,500 were injured in school bus-related incidents. More than 40 percent of these deaths were child pedestrians.

What about dog bites? From 1979 to 1996, 304 people in the USA died from dog attacks and 30 in 2009 alone. How does that compare to deaths by suicide caused by bullying--a statistic that just doesn't exist?

How do you know a gay teen doesn't commit suicide from unrequited love--just like straight teens--he is madly in love with someone who rejects him. Because of his youth and inexperience, life seems without value and meaning. If he was teased or bullied on Tuesday and commits suicide on Thursday after a text message from his boyfriend who is dumping him, is it the bullying, the boyfriend, or his own insecurities?

Is There a Gay Teen Suicide Epidemic? | Homosexuality, Lesbian & Gay Teen Suicide, Sexual Orientation | LiveScience