The Unaffordable health insurance act

Shannon Wendt of Michigan details her problems with “affordable.” She’s in an Americans for Prosperity ad, one of those that Obama and Reid say are lying. Link

Their 2013 plan: $221 monthly premium, deductible of $5,000, 20 percent coinsurance, $10,000 out-of-pocket maximum, and no lifetime or yearly maximums. The plan did not include maternity care, because the Wendts decided it was cheaper to pay those expenses in cash. It did cover any complications involved in pregnancy or childbirth, such as an extra tests or procedures.

Their 2014 plan: $381 monthly premium, $10,000 deductible, 30 percent coinsurance, and $17,000 out-of-pocket maximum. The plan could cost nearly $10,000 more than the previous plan, Wendt says. Also, the plan does not meet ACA standards and will be canceled at the end of 2014.

An ACA-compliant plan that fits the family’s needs: $981.49 monthly premiums, $2,800 deductible, 20 percent co-insurance, and a $12,000 out-of-pocket maximum. The plan, quoted to her by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, would raise premium costs more than $8,000.

This is legal in Ohio in late 2nd trimester (23-24 weeks)

A needle is guided to the fetus’ heart with the aid of an ultrasound, and poison (often digoxin or potassium chloride) is injected directly into the beating heart of the fetus, causing an immediate heart attack.  Another method is to sever the umbilical cord essentially destroying its lifeline to the mother—but the cord is part of the baby, not the mother. Did you know that the baby has a sense of touch at that age and can grab the umbilical cord? When the baby is dead, either from a heart attack or lack of oxygen, it can then be cut up and removed.

Democrats support this. Feminists support this.  Progressives support this. Even some Republicans and Libertarians support this.  It’s called “reproductive health.”  No reproduction. And definitely not health.

What Democrats call this

Protecting “A Woman's Right to Choose” The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to make decisions regarding her pregnancy, including a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay. We oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right.  2012 Democratic Platform

                 

Just the facts, please.

It’s just a movie, but . . .

G’nite

Hutterites from Canada looking for roots in Ukraine

Interesting story of a group of Hutterites from Canada who go to Russia to display their hog equipment for sale and then go on the Ukraine (Hutterthal and Johannesruh) to look for their roots.  German Mennonites were moved to Ukraine in the 18th century because they were such good farmers, always keeping their language (Plattdeutsch), which caused them a lot of discrimination during WWI and WWII.  Many fled to U.S., Canada and South America.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k3ga8jbmuA

The milking scenes are interesting—the women just go into the field, the cows are not restrained. Then deliver it.

Gorgeous scenes of farms and villages in Ukraine (2007).  Wonder what is happening there now?

Some history of the Hutterites and Jacob Hutter. How Lutherans became Hutterites after being banished for not converting to Catholicism.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERBHXGUkcXM

                  

Tina Brown wants to empower women

After 40+ years I'm awfully tired of hearing that women are oppressed victims. Their college graduation rate is higher than men and has been since 1982, and salaries given the same life choices are the same or higher. Brown supposedly is looking at poverty. For that, I suggest a smaller government and a freer market so women stop looking to Uncle Sam as their Sugar Daddy. Very few children grow up poor if Mom and Dad are married.

From 1999–2000 to 2009–10, the percentage of degrees earned by females remained between approximately 60 and 62 percent for associate's degrees and between 57 and 58 percent for bachelor's degrees. In contrast, the percentages of both master's and doctor's degrees earned by females increased from 1999–2000 to 2009–10 (from 58 to 60 percent and from 45 to 52 percent, respectively.)

http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=72

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/02/01/no-women-don-t-make-less-money-than-men.html#url=/articles/2014/02/01/no-women-don-t-make-less-money-than-men.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2014/04/01/tina-brown-aims-to-fire-up-the-womens-empowerment-movement/

Affordable, affordable, affordable

Listening to Obama jive talking today about the glories of the ACA reminds of the time about 20 years ago I ran in a marathon. Well, not exactly running--within a few blocks I was walking--even stumbling because I wasn't in shape and hadn't prepared, and everyone else finished way before me, but finally (after cutting and cheating a little bit) I did make it across the finish line. There were still a few people there to cheer--or maybe waiting to take down the barricades and go home. I still have the t-shirt.

He was only kidding.

Common Core Concerns

Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs contemplates the Hoover Dam

[He read] an article about the men who maintain the Hoover Dam - one of the greatest engineering and architectural wonders of the modern era. Apparently, a big chunk of these men are about to retire. And guess what? There’s no one to replace them!

This is potentially unfortunate news for the many millions of Americans currently addicted to the electricity provided by The Hoover Dam. For that reason, I suggest you read the attached, or at least watch the video. It’s illuminating.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/03/31/wave-retirements-hitting-hoover-dam-workforce-as-government-scrambles-to-fill/

Probate in Ohio—Elder Law

The executor or administrator takes care of the following tasks:

• caring for all property of the decedent;

• receiving payments due the estate, including interest, dividends and other income;

• collecting debts, claims and notes due the decedent;

• determining the names, ages, addresses and degree of relationship of all heirs;

• determining the names, ages and addresses of all beneficiaries, if there is a will;

• investigating the validity of all claims against the estate and paying all outstanding obligations including federal, state and local estate and income taxes;

• planning for federal and state taxes and preparing and filing estate tax returns when required;

• carrying out the instructions of the probate court pertaining to the estate and distributing the assets of the estate to the heirs.

The probate court judge and support staff supervise the work of the executor or administrator.

These actions may require the preparation and filing of numerous legal documents, the provision of notices, hearings in court, an appraisal of the assets of the estate, an inventory of the assets, completion of final income tax returns and possibly gift and estate tax returns, an accounting of funds, final transfer of all assets to beneficiaries, termination of the probate proceeding, and discharge of the executor or administrator by the probate court. Because of the complexity of these procedures, the assistance of an attorney usually is needed.

If the total value of all property in the decedent’s individual name is $35,000 or less, the estate can be relieved from some of these administrative requirements. Where the decedent’s spouse is entitled to receive all of the estate’s assets, the amount that can be relieved from formal administration is increased to $100,000.

Non-probate assets include: insurance policies, IRAs and pensions that are payable on death to a beneficiary; and a home, car or bank account that the decedent owned jointly with rights of survivorship. In many cases, the bulk of a decedent’s assets may be non-probate assets. The administrator must identify non-probate assets for tax purposes, but these assets are not otherwise included in the estate for which the administrator is responsible.

Duties of the Executor

What are the duties of an administrator (executor)?

The basic duties of an administrator and an executor are:

1. Inventory and appraisal. The administrator must identify and determine the fair market value of all financial assets and property that were owned by the decedent at the time of death.* The administrator must file an inventory listing all of the decedent’s probate assets and their date-of-death values with the probate court within three months of the administrator’s appointment, unless an extension is granted.

If the value of an asset is “readily ascertainable” (for example, shares of stock in a publicly traded company or the balance in a bank account), then no professional appraisal is required; however, items such as jewelry, art objects, antiques, real estate and any other possessions whose value cannot be readily established must be appraised by a qualified person.

2. Collecting assets. The administrator must collect all assets of the decedent. This is very important (especially to prospective heirs) because it is these assets that will be distributed to the heirs after debts and taxes have been paid. Complications can arise in this process if assets legally owned by a decedent are in the possession of someone else at the time of death, or if property belonging to the decedent has been concealed or misappropriated by a third party. [. . .]

3. Payment of debts and expenses. Creditors (people to whom the decedent, or his or her estate, owe money) have six months from the date of death to present their claims against the estate. In most cases, any claim not submitted within six months is barred forever. Claims must be in writing and sent directly to the administrator or mailed to the decedent’s address, and must be received by the administrator within six months. In addition to ordinary bills the decedent owed at the time of death, other debts typically include expenses to keep up property; local, state and federal taxes; hospital and funeral expenses; and expenses of administration including probate court costs, bond premiums and fees charged by appraisers, attorneys and the administrator. [. . . ]

4. Distribution of assets. When all debts, taxes, costs and expenses of the estate have been paid, the administrator must distribute the balance of the estate to the decedent’s heirs according to a strict formula spelled out in Ohio’s statute of descent and distribution. Because an administrator may be held personally liable for an error or excess distribution to an heir that cannot later be recovered, legal advice should be obtained before making a final disposition of estate assets. Sometimes an administrator will make a partial distribution of certain assets before all claims have been received. In such cases, it may be prudent to advise persons receiving early partial distributions that they may be required to return money or property to the estate if it is needed to satisfy valid claims.

 

Welcome April

Happy birthday, Cesar Chavez

Cesar Chavez, founder of the United Farm Workers union, was a fierce opponent of illegal immigration and supporter of tight border controls. He organized U.S. farm workers, not illegals who would work for less than Americans. http://www.nationalreview.com/article/374564/happy-border-control-day-mark-krikorian#!

Time to think outside the Bush box

I know nothing about Jeb Bush, perhaps he's better than his father and brother, but if Republicans can't find anyone other than a Bush when the party has some great leaders like Paul, Cruz, Jindal, etc. then perhaps it's time to throw in the towel.

Spinach/kale corn chips

Today I bought a bag of spinach/kale corn chips. Mainly out of curiosity. Lots of vitamin K and vitamin A, and fat and salt to make it palatable. Still tastes like your lawn smells.

All the buzz words. Non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan friendly, nut-free environment.   And I had to break my rule—no food from Mexico.

Intolerant gays on the left

Only about 2% of the population is gay--and most of them haven’t taken the steps to insure their partners (at Ohio State you can buy insurance for your gay domestic partner, but not straight), put their names on a mortgage, include them in a will, or have a joint checking account. Many males have the same motive as their straight colleagues--protect their money and estates (some have children and grandchildren and have been in multiple relationships).  And gay men are among the wealthiest demographic, in part because up until now they’ve been able to keep it all ($61,500 compared with the national median of $50,054, lower unemployment, more education).  A lot of the ridiculous show of gay intolerance comes not from gays, but from heterosexuals, disappointed with their own relationships and failed marriages, so of course, it's society's fault, or the institution of marriage.

Employees at Mozilla, the organization that created the Firefox web browser, has shown their warped sense of commitment to “tolerance” by demanding the termination of Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich because he dared to oppose gay marriage.

http://www.tpnn.com/2014/03/28/liberal-tolerance-mozilla-employees-demand-ceo-step-down-over-his-support-of-traditional-marriage/

http://money.cnn.com/2012/12/06/pf/gay-money/

http://nogaymarriage.wordpress.com/2008/11/11/why-i-oppose-gay-marriage/

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/02/26/gays-who-dont-want-gay-marriage.html#url=/articles/2011/02/26/gays-who-dont-want-gay-marriage.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/27/style/gay-couples-choosing-to-say-i-dont.html?pagewanted=all

The left never allows tolerance or bi-partisanship, cooperation or acceptance.  They always need to be stirring the pot.

Alabama doctor excoriates EMR damage to patient health care.

Dear Congressman Brooks,

As a practicing family physician, I plead for help against what I can best characterize as Washington's war against doctors.

The medical profession has never before remotely approached today's stress, work hours, wasted costs, decreased efficiency, and declining ability to focus on patient care.

In our community alone, at least 6 doctors have left patient care for administrative positions, to start a concierge practice, or retire altogether.

Doctors are smothered by destructive regulations that add costs, raise our overhead and 'gum up the works,' making patient treatment slower and less efficient, thus forcing doctors to focus on things other than patient care and reduce the number of patients we can help each day.

I spend more time at work than at any time in my 27 years of practice and more of that time is spent on administrative tasks and entering useless data into a computer rather than helping sick patients.

Doctors have been forced by ill-informed bureaucrats to implement electronic medical records ("EMR") that, in our four doctor practice, costs well over $100,000 plus continuing yearly operational costs . . . all of which does not help take care of one patient while driving up the cost of every patient's health care.

Washington's electronic medical records requirement makes our medical practice much slower and less efficient, forcing our doctors to treat fewer patients per day than we did before the EMR mandate.

To make matters worse, Washington forces doctors to demonstrate 'meaningful use' of EMR or risk not being fully paid for the help we give.

In addition to the electronic medical records burden, we face a mandate to use the ICD-10 coding system, a new set of reimbursement diagnosis codes.

The current ICD-9 coding system uses roughly 13,000 codes. The new ICD-10 coding system uses a staggering 70,000 new and completely different codes, thus dramatically slowing doctors down due to the unnecessary complexity and sheer numbers of codes that must be learned.

The cost of this new ICD-10 coding system for our small practice is roughly $80,000, again driving up health care costs without one iota of improvement in health care quality.

Finally, doctors face nonpayment by patients with ObamaCare. These patients may or may not be paying their premiums and we have no way of verifying this. No business can operate with that much uncertainty.

On behalf of the medical profession, I ask that Washington stop the implementation of the ICD-10 coding system, repeal the Affordable Care Act, and replace it with a better law written with the input of real doctors who will actually treat patients covered by it.

America has enjoyed the best health care the world has ever known. That health care is in jeopardy because physicians cannot survive Washington's 'war on doctors' without relief.

Eventually the problems for doctors will become problems for patients, and we are all patients at some point.

Sincerely yours, Dr. Marlin Gill of Decatur, Alabama

This kind

Choice, n. the opportunity or power to make a decision

Choice to kill the unborn, but no choice in health insurance. Choice for "reproductive freedom," but no choice to send children to charter schools. Choice to marry, but no choice not to participate in the marriage ceremony. Choice to abort, but no choice to abide by your religious beliefs. Choice to make your boss pay for your contraceptives, but no choice for the boss not to be involved in your sexual choices.

That's Obama and the Democrats--the most anti-choice administration in the history of the country.

Synonyms

alternative, discretion, druthers [dialect], election, liberty, option, pick, preference, selection, volition, way

Do you shop at Whole Foods?

"In 1978, 25 year old college dropout John Mackey and 21 year old Rene Lawson Hardy, borrowed $45,000 from family and friends to open the doors of a small natural foods store called SaferWay in Austin, Texas (the name being a spoof of Safeway, which operated stores under their own name in Austin at that time). When the couple got booted out of their apartment for storing food products there, they decided to simply live at the store. Since it was zoned commercial, there was no shower stall. Instead, they bathed in the Hobart dishwasher, which had an attached water hose." . . fast forward through various mergers and acquisitions, and you have Whole Foods, where I know many of you shop. I bought 50 shares this week. That's how ordinary people like me can be part of the big vision of those more ambitious and talented in the U.S. Let's not lose that through a greedy government that punishes small start ups. There's a brand new Whole Foods in my community--I'll have to stop in and check out my investment. http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/company-info/whole-foods-market-history

Chris Matthews to be Ohio State graduation speaker

Chris Matthews is going to be the speaker at the OSU graduation. This is probably appropriate given the politics of academe (left), but I doubt that the parents who have gone into debt to shell out the $50-60,000 are pleased. Their children have already endured years of political indoctrination in the classroom which may take years of the "real" world to undo--they really don't need this final word from a man who spouts such trash about conservatives. He's called half the nation intolerant morons, he joked about Christie's weight (during sex no less!), called Ted Cruz a zoo animal and a racist (picture a Republican getting away with this about an Hispanic), commented that Republicans would like to see Obama executed, said that if you didn't believe Hurricane Sandy was a result of Global Warming you were a "pig," called the press too even handed (!), depriving women of birth control (which no one is doing) is being a Nazi, he said a year ago that the economy was bustling and job growth was booming, he calls Tea Party members terrorists and racists, he actually called Biden the best vice president in history, gave advice to the Catholic Church on birth control (accept it),  he referred to opposition to Hillary as a psychosis (including Obama in 2008?), and he speaks of Obama in reverential, Biblical tones worthy of someone moving toward sainthood. I won't go to the campus and carry a sign, but the next time OSU asks me for money, I'll tell them where to put that appeal.

Friday family photo—Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow is worth $60 million (her husband $90 million), has an $14 million home with heated floors, an ocean view, tennis courts, landscaped gardens, yoga studio, etc., and numerous staff to meet her needs. She thinks her job (making movies) is more tough than the ordinary working 9-5 mom. And I'm guessing she's a Democrat just from the whine and cheese. Also, she's a distant relative of mine through the Danner family (my great grandfather's grandmother Rachel was a Danner).

She and Coldplay husband also own a massive estate in London, a place in New York City and in 2012, they spent about $10 million for an equestrian estate in Los Angeles. Life is tough.

POTUS and Pope, FLOTUS and Chi-Coms

With Michelle Obama talking to the Chinese about freedom of expression and information and Barack Obama chatting with the Pope about religious freedom, the world is truly upside down and backwards. The Obamas know nothing about either.

http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/peter-roff/2014/03/25/michelle-obama-should-lecture-barack-not-china-about-internet-feedom

http://www.catholicvote.org/vatican-shocker-despite-us-ambassadors-statement-potus-pope-summit-focused-on-religious-liberty/

Cardinal Raymond Burke: “It is true that the policies of the President of the United States of America have become progressively more hostile toward Christian civilization. He appears to be a totally secularized man who aggressively promotes anti-life and anti-family policies.”

The cardinal added that “Now he wants to restrict the exercise of the freedom of worship; that is, he holds that one is free to act according to his conscience within the confines of his place of worship but that, once the person leaves the place of worship, the government can constrain him to act against his rightly-formed conscience, even in the most serious of moral questions.”

He concluded that “Such policies would have been unimaginable in the United States even 40 years ago. It is true that many faithful Catholics, with strong and clear leadership from their Bishops and priests, are reacting against the ever-growing religious persecution in the U.S.”

The James Cancer Hospital is out of network for many

“Ohio State University’s James Cancer Hospital is in the network for three of the 12 insurers selling federally subsidized individual plans on Obamacare’s Health Insurance Market in Ohio.

That’s turning out to be a common story for the 23 “comprehensive” centers designated by the National Cancer Institute, which typically draw patients from far beyond their immediate geographies, the Associated Press reported this week.”

Read more at Business First.

The New York Times carried an article by a man describing the care he got for his dog with pet insurance.  He’s jealous. He thought he’d get a better deal with Obama’s plan, but he was wrong.  http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/opinion/why-im-jealous-of-my-dogs-insurance.html?_r=1

Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood

You've heard a lot about Hobby Lobby. The other company is Conestoga Wood, owned my Mennonites. The ACA mandate includes a long list of contraceptives, 3 of which are abortifacients, which the owners of both companies object to, but they have no problem with the others (as a Catholic group might). They believe that providing drugs that can prevent embryos from implanting in the womb would make their companies complicit in a form of abortion. Obama has already exempted non-profits from this mandate, and of course has personally changed the law over 20 times to suit his Democrat supporters and those running for office this fall.  Freedom of religion for Obama means your religion stops at the church door.  He’s confused it with freedom of worship.

More than you’ll ever want to know about implantation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Implantation_(human_embryo)

American royalty deserves the best?

Bossy, aren’t they?

The pro-choicers are bossy enough to say "Not my boss's business."  But they do want the boss to be very involved in their business when it comes to paying for birth control. The two companies they are protesting today do pay for birth control in their employees' insurance plans, but object to abortifacient types which prevent a fertilized egg from implanting. There are two schools of thought on this--life begins at conception, or life begins at implantation--and each view has scientific research to support their viewpoint. http://www.lifenews.com/2013/11/18/undisputed-scientific-fact-human-life-begins-at-conception-or-fertilization/

She cried the day she realized she was a Republican

“Michelle Obama, while on her multi-million dollar "vacation" with an entourage of 70 people, tells the ChiComs How America Used to Discriminate Against People Like Her and Her Husband. - and yet it seems they have Stockholm Syndrome. I love how Rush put it today, RUSH: "I really wonder if Michelle Obama knows that you can't even move from the country into a city in China unless you have a permit and that getting a permit is dependent on many things which are discriminatory. . .  I wonder also if Michelle Obama even knows that every single one of these laws that discriminated against blacks like her and her husband were written, enacted, and enforced by Democrats, every damn one of them."

I believe it was Einstein who once said: It is easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled. - I can somewhat attest to that. I remember the day I realized I had been duped, fooled, hoodwinked etc.  I was mad but I also had to choose to accept or reject the truth. We each have the choose to dig in our heels and be stuck on stupid (or more kindly, willful ignorance) or admit we were wrong and move on. Shoot I even cried the day I realized I was a Republican, lol. After the years of conditioning it is hard to admit to being fooled but I would rather that than live my life as a fool.”  ~ Ayesha Kreutz, President, www.fdfny.org  Shared on Face Book

Putin is so frightened

I was watching Obama stammer and stutter at a news conference addressing Putin's aggression repeating the same old same old "there will be consequences" drivel, and couldn't help remembering when he had half the nation, all of Europe and Peggy Noonan swooning over how articulate and eloquent he was. He was like the visiting preacher in 2006--had one sermon in his pocket and Democrats had a come to Jesus moment. He's beginning to make GW Bush look like the most fluent engaging president we ever had.

http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2014/03/25/us-allies-seek-to-isolate-russia-moscow-shrugs

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/mar/25/obama-doubts-russian-retreat-ukraine/

Some networks edit his speeches and comments so he sounds better.

What if crosses my mind.

Gloria Steinem is 80!? When a pro-abortion feminist who has built a career on eliminating other humans’ possibilities, tiny, vulnerable and helpless, has a birthday I always wonder, what if. . .

Former Toledoan and Playboy bunny, she’s the one who said if men could become pregnant abortion would be a sacrament.  She coined the term, “reproductive freedom.”   As it is, abortion is a plank in the Democratic party platform, and for them has become if not a sacrament, at least the foundation for all their victim wailing and weeping, lying and cheating.  No rights or freedom for 56 million dead Americans, but she’s a big advocate for animal rights.

Two scary things—both concerning Obamacare

1) Matt Drudge, American tax payer, seems to know more about the requirements of Obamacare than the administration--he pays taxes quarterly for his business which means 2014 taxes (including his penalty) are due this calendar year, not in 2015;

2) Obama WH staff would be so bold as to attack a private American citizen on Twitter. We all know it's a difficult law, constantly being changed by the President's executive orders, and for that reason, his staff needs to not show their ignorance. I Googled through a few pages of stories, and this does not show for the Obamedia.

Then other leftist sites piled on Drudge.  To my knowledge, even though they’ve been proven wrong, none have taken down their misinformation.

http://foxnewsinsider.com/2014/03/24/white-house-staffer-calls-matt-drudge-liar-after-he-tweets-about-paying-obamacare-penalty

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/03/21/White-House-Leads-Liberal-Media-In-Matt-Drudge-Attack

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/drudge-individual-mandate-liberty-tax

http://www.bizpacreview.com/2014/03/22/matt-drudge-pays-liberty-tax-obamacare-opt-out-penalty-wh-liberal-press-attack-him-107869

Imagining America—sounds great, but isn’t

“Imagining America was founded at a 1999 White House Conference initiated by the White House Millennium Council, the University of Michigan, and the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. Conference participants became the basis for what was to become the group’s “consortium” of 100-plus colleges and universities. The group was initially hosted by the University of Michigan. Syracuse University took over in 2007 as IA’s temporary home, and will remain host through 2017.

Radical Objectives

Like many radical groups, Imagining America (its full name is Imagining America: Artists and Scholars in Public Life) couches its goals in soothing, innocuous-sounding prose.”

Read more about Imaging America.

How the New Yorker cartoons are chosen

Monday Memories—When Dad got a job at 80

My memory may be a little hazy (my siblings will set me straight), but I think Dad retired the first time when he was about 55 and sold his fuel oil business to his cousin.  He puttered and figitted and looked out the front window for awhile, then started working again.  I know for awhile he drove an oil tanker—had to join the teamsters, which was a big family laugh since he was anti-union.  Then he was a security guard for awhile at one of the Rockford hospitals.  I recall him telling some stories, but not enough of the details to report them. 

Then he started another business, Agri-Bolt, selling equipment parts to farmers for their large equipment.  A box of bolts would be installed in the barn for easy access and Dad would periodically stop by and refill it, then bill the owner.  Eventually, probably in his 70s, he gave that up too. He would walk 5-10 miles a day and help Mom with her guest home on the family farm, but he’d run out of things to do.

When he was about 80 (or maybe 83) he noticed an ad for a salesman for a bolt company, so he applied.  By that time, it was illegal to ask a potential employee his age, so they hired him.  They found out his age because it was required on some other type of form to list his birthdate, perhaps insurance. 1913.  And then he got employee of the month (or year) for being highest in sales.  Years later I was visiting him when a young man stopped by to see him—the owner of that business who still kept in touch after he’d retired from that job.

Sometimes I think he worked just to prove a point that anyone can get a job. . . even an old man.

                      

Dad would be 101 today.

Strawberry Butter Cream Cake

We’re having our couples group on Saturday evening; might try this.

• 1 (18.25-ounce) Package white cake mix
• 1 (3-ounce) Package strawberry gelatin
• 4 Large eggs
• ½ Cup sugar
• ½ Cup finely chopped fresh strawberries
• ½ Cup milk
• ½ Cup Vegetable oil
• 1/3 Cup all-purpose flour
• Strawberry Butter cream Frosting (see below)
• Garnish with whole and halved strawberries
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat cake mix, strawberry gelatin, eggs, sugar, chopped fresh strawberries, milk, vegetable oil and all-purpose flour at low speed with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Scrape down sides, and beat at medium speed for 2 more minutes, stopping to scrape down sides, as needed. (The Strawberries should be well blended.)
2. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 23 minutes, or until cakes spring back when pressed lightly with a finger. Let cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely (about 1 hour.)
4. Spread the Strawberry Buttercream Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with whole and halved strawberries. Serve immediately, or chill for up to 1 week.
To make ahead: Prepare recipe as directed. Chill, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until frosting is set. Cover well with wax paper, and store in refrigerator up to a week.
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
• 1 Cup butter, softened
• (32-ounce) Package powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 Cup finely chopped fresh strawberries
Preparation
1. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy (about 20 seconds). Add sugar and strawberries, beating at low speed until creamy. (Add more sugar if frosting is too thin, or add strawberries if too thick.)

Racist?

20+ changes to the ACA

Governments hate competition that improves people’s lives

Michigan teachers’ union wants to hire non-Christians

The Michigan Education Association teachers’ union contract, which took effect in 2011 and was recently extended to 2017, mandates that the school district favor non-Christian teachers when making hiring decisions:

Regarding promotion to a vacant position, it states on page 22:

“Should there be two (2) or more of these applicants with equal qualifications for the position and one (1) or more of these applicants with equal qualifications is a current employee, the current employee with the greatest seniority shall be assigned. Special consideration shall be given to women and/or minority defined as: Native American, Asian American, Latino, African American and those of the non-Christian faith. However, in all appointments to vacant positions, the Board’s decision shall be final.”

Can you imagine a woman being a “minority” in the teaching profession?

Rev. Carl E. Myers

I learned today from my niece of the death of Rev. Carl E. Myers, the minister who married us in the Mt. Morris Church of the Brethren in 1960. His brother, Richard Myers, who was my high school English teacher, also played the organ at our wedding. One of the loveliest memories I have of Carl is his singing around the campfire at Camp Emmaus. He had given the meditation and then stood up and sang "Sweet Little Jesus boy." He had a wonderful voice. I last saw him in 2002 at my father's funeral, but we had a photo taken with him in 1999. His wife Doreen died about 2 years ago. The were residents in their last years at Timbercrest Senior Living in North Manchester, Indiana.

Even President Obama used to call it Obamacare. What happened?

“We passed Obamacare — yes, I like the term — we passed it because I do care, and I want to put these choices in your hands where they belong,” Obama said at a typical stop in Iowa last October.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/barack-obama-obamacare-affordable-care-act-health-care-law-100034.html#ixzz2wiqOnaIU

 

 

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/08/obama-embraces-the-term-obamacare/1#.Uy3mnLNOXjQ

Obamacare law is four years old today

On Sunday, March 21, 2010, exactly four years ago today, Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives passed the complicated legislation that established what came to be known as Obamacare. The vote was 219 to 212 to approve the measure, with every Republican voting no. Before the vote, Democrats hailed the "historic" moment, while Republicans warned their colleagues of disastrous consequences. On June 28, 2012, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the ACA's individual mandate as an exercise of Congress's taxing power

- See more at: http://cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/flashback-obamacare-largest-legislative-transfer-power-executive-branch#sthash.lneSDHuu.dpuf

Worse than it looks

Less than 400,000 of the African slave trade came to the future United States.  Most went to South America and the Caribbean Islands. But the 13 million?  Those all belong to us.

This and That Thursday

So, it's the first day of Spring. Over the noise of the furnace fan this morning I could hear birds outside calling me and when I took the trash out I found one tiny yellow flower

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My husband is enjoying the good life in California with his sister , so I made a wonderful salad of several dark greens, onions, olives, tomatoes and the left over corned beef. He's probably at some ridiculously expensive restaurant. Or on Deb's patio.

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Quantitative easing has apparently ended (it's what made the rich even richer during the Obama reign), so the stock market took a swim in the quick sand today. Good luck fellow retirees, our pensions are in for a bumpy ride.

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I heard an ad for the new Noah movie today that was really a disclaimer--"based on the book of Genesis with artistic license." I guess so since about 98% of Christians familiar with it have panned it. It's not a story about overpopulation and the environment, but the movie is. Hollywood has discovered religious people like to buy tickets for movies with sound values and non-embarrassing themes, but this sounds like a bust.

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Abortion enthusiasts are selling silver necklaces with little coat hangers.  How cute. Coat hanger abortions are a myth, and always have been. And if it were true, those who do it, are pro-choice, not pro-life.

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Our noon Lenten service at UALC Lytham Rd.  was poorly attended. Too many regulars skipped worship to watch the Buckeyes get defeated in basketball. Some even skipped the Bible study!

Conservatives can be naive

Wow! I do get frustrated with Conservative bloggers, Facebook Friends, radio talkers and media personalities for depicting Obama as dumb and ineffective (obviously some of it is racism). He has carefully presented a weak sister effeminate image to the world, and it's working. He has destroyed our health insurance system and helped weaken values and morals thousands of years old. That is not a weak man in mom jeans (another act); you'll just need to find a new name for it, folks. Stop underestimating a man who is calculating enough to go on TV choosing basketball winners and play foil on a comedy show to redirect our attention from the resurgence of the Soviet Union and the theft of our freedoms. He is a president in stage make-up playing the buffoon all the while laughing at his audience.

International pornography ring based in Louisiana

Mothers of boys, watch out who you "friend" on social media.  A large, international child pornography operation, with most of the victims boys, has been uncovered and the 27 year old ring leader arrested. "Jonathan Johnson, 27, of Abita Springs, La., has been charged with operating a child exploitation enterprise. He admitted to creating multiple fake female personas on popular social networks to target and sexually exploit children and to coaching other child predators in his inner circle to do the same. Jonathan Johnson has been in federal custody since his arrest June 13, 2013, and faces 20 years to life in prison." Of the 13 other men arrested so far, most were 30 and under. Male subscribers to the boy porn site were making them rich and selling their souls for this abomination.

http://www.myarklamiss.com/story/d/story/14-louisiana-men-arrested-in-massive-child-porn-op/12548/bYre4BUc-ES5lbbBL_d16A

Raising the minimum wage

I got an e-mail from a liberal think tank this morning: "Progressives are making raising the minimum THE top women's issue of 2014."

Oh goody. I wonder how many unemployed or underemployed women will benefit from that? Recently I read that in Illinois there were 5,000 jobs and 10,000 needing those jobs, but none of them had the skills to do those jobs. Even with a GED, most could only read at 3rd or 4th grade level, and those without a GED didn't want to spend the time and effort to get one when welfare benefits paid better than the jobs! And those jobs were above minimum wage!

Women need to finish high school and they need to be married before having children. That's what improves life for women, not an increase in the minimum, which will take a chunk of their government benefits giving them no advantage at all.

If a woman is earning $15,000/year at a minimum wage job and qualifies for SNAP, EITC, housing, Medicaid, etc., and then is raised to $20,000, and loses half of the government aid, where is her gain? $20,000 hardly improves her life and chances of moving up.

Natural gas is our weapon

On Meet the Press (Aug. 2008), Pelosi said while defending her investment in natural gas: “I believe in natural gas as a clean, cheap alternative to fossil fuels,” she said at one point. Natural gas “is cheap, abundant and clean compared to fossil fuels,” she said at another. Later she clarified that and said she meant compared to oil and coal. Yes, I'm sure, after someone explained it to her.

“If the early 21st century is the “golden age of gas,” as the International Energy Agency has declared, who will be its king? Until 2009, the answer seemed obvious: Russia. But a funny thing happened on the way to the “third Rome” that Russian nationalists view as their destiny. In that year, propelled by the technological innovations of hydraulic fracturing (or “fracking”) and horizontal drilling, U.S. gas production surpassed that of Russia.”  Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/energy-environment/201003-can-fracking-save-the-world

White House Pastry Chef resigns

White House pastry chef, Bill Yosses, is resigning--FLOTUS just made it too tough to ply his trade. "“I don’t want to demonize cream, butter, sugar, and eggs,” he explained. While he called his resignation a “bittersweet decision,” Yosses already has future projects lined up for his post-White House career. 

Yosses is gay, has married his partner, but I guess that didn’t protect this baker.

Tax codes favor the rich?! Are you kidding me? Guest blogger, Kay the CPA

I see tax returns where people earn next to nothing, their choice, yet due to the great tax credits for the "lower" income earners, they walk away with over $6,000 of a "refund.” A refund?!  There was no tax payment to start with!! How wrong is that, I ask.

Those with over $125,000 (depending upon status, tax issue, etc.) have to endure those tax benefit limitations on their Schedule A, alternative tax calculation, limits on deductible IRAs, limits on student loan interest deductions, etc. ... And it doesn't take much for a married couple to get those "dings" of the upper income level to kick in. A nurse and a labor worker can bring in what I would call a decent wage, yet the tax code will not provide those couples with many benefits, other than the child credit, and again, that is limited.

The tax code does everything it can to boost up the lower income earner and brings down the "upper" income earner. That is the tax code.

And try to do some estate planning. The laws for cash poor farmers, who are land wealthy, are detrimental for any planning. How fair is that?

I wouldn't cut off the hand that feeds me (speaking to liberals). The upper income earners are those people who are paying the way for Medicaid and other handout programs. The big corporations are vital to our IRA retirement funds, and that’s YOUR retirement fund.

Two days until Spring

It was wonderful to see the grounds crew show up today and blow and rake leaves.  Let’s hope we don’t have anymore snow storms.  I remember one year we had a huge storm in April about 30 years ago.

Monday Memories, pt. 3—Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob—Frank Lloyd Wright

Sunday morning, March 16, after our tour of the Hardy Art Collection at the Chateau in Nemacolin, we boarded our bus for Fallingwater, one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most famous houses in our area of the country, and then from there continued on to Kentuck Knob.  Fallingwater had just opened for the season, and was snow free, but very chilly.   The water was running free of ice, and we could hear it even in the house. 

It was designed for the Edgar Kaufmann, Sr.  (1885-1955)  family of Pittsburgh of department store fame. Edgar Jr. inherited the property and gave it to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy to make available to the public.

Fallingwater stands as one of Wright's greatest masterpieces both for its dynamism and for its integration with the striking natural surroundings. Fallingwater has been described as an architectural tour de force of Wright's organic philosophy. Wright's passion for Japanese architecture was strongly reflected in the design of Fallingwater, particularly in the importance of interpenetrating exterior and interior spaces and the strong emphasis placed on harmony between man and nature. Wikipedia.

Kentuck Knob video, 2010.  10 miles south of Fallingwater, completed in 1956 for the Hagan family.  Now owned by the Palumbo family of England.  The trees were planted after it was built.  The land had been clear cut for farming many years ago.  Of course, we were not allowed to take interior photos which is the policy of most historical places and museums.

Pt. 1—Carnegie and Frick Museums

Pt. 2—Nemacolin Woodlands Reserve

Monday Memories, Pt 2—The Nemacolin Woodlands Resort

Between the two museum tours, the Carnegie and the Frick we had a wonderful lunch in Pittsburgh at Lydia’s of Insalata Caesar, a trio of pasta—malfatti with fresh spinach and ricotta, ziti with sausage and onion, and wild mushroom ravioli with thyme butter sauce, topped off with assorted cookies. 

In the beautiful sun room at the Chateau in Nemacolin

Then we continued on to The Nemacolin Woodlands Resort near Farmington, Pennsylvania, about 215 mi. from Columbus. At Nemacolin (named for a famous Indian) there are several elegant hotels, cottages, houses and town homes to rent; wonderful restaurants, a zoo, swimming, skiing, tennis, bowling, dog sledding, off road driving instruction, fly fishing, golf, shooting ranges, spa and fitness, special activities for children and babysitting, an RV park and wonderful shops. There are also accommodations and spa for your pets (dogs, I think). Nearby in Ohiopyle is river rafting. And, a casino.  Really there is something for everyone, and all ages.

The owners of the resort, the Hardy family of 84 Lumber, have art valued at $45 million--everything from antique cars to Tiffany lamps to paintings and prints.   After breakfast in one of the wonderful restaurants in the Chateau Hotel, our group gathered in the registration area and with docents viewed a very small piece of the collection, primarily paintings, Tiffany glass and some glass sculptures. The collection is best described as eclectic and idiosyncratic.

Monday Memories—Our Week-end in Pennsylvania Pt. 1

We had a wonderful week-end of art through Art Escapes of the Columbus Museum of Art. We visited the Carnegie and Frick museums in Pittsburgh; had an Italian lunch at Lydia's; then stayed at the Nemocolin Woodlands Resort, which has a number of art collections, and we saw only a part of it; then on to Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob homes, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

The Carnegie and Frick museums in Pittsburgh

At the Carnegie Museum of Art we caught the last day of the 2013 Carnegie International—35 artists from 19 countries. None of us were too excited by Phyllida Barlow’s sculpture at the entrance which looked like scattered steel wrapped with pink and orange ribbons, but after the tour, it made more sense.

One of my favorites was the neon sign pieces by He An, or at least it was until I learned how he had made it—stole the signage from various fast growing cities in China.

While we were observing Erika Verzutti’s strange forms and objects assembled on the floor, we saw a delightful little girl about 7 or 8 with her notebook, trying to copy the imagines.

There was some interesting art made from confiscated guns by a Mexican artist and an abstract sequence of “film frames” by Sadie Benning. Cubes by Lara Favaretto made of confetti were fascinating, although the docent explanation wasn’t clear. There was a large exhibits of photos of lesbians of South Africa by Zanele Muholi. I didn’t find anyone who liked the soft sculpture by Sarah Lucas—sort of stuffed panty hose in very suggestive positions which was supposed to represent the oppression of women, I think. I spent the most time (up close) examining the photos by Taryn Simon of women of the James Bond movies. There are just too many to mention all of them. I’ve not been a fan of contemporary art, but I thoroughly enjoyed the Pezzuti collection we saw last month, which I enjoyed much more than the 2013 International.

“An American Odyssey” is showing at the Frick Museum from March 1 to May 25, 2014.  There are many other things to see there like the Frick home and a car collection. This is from the Warner Foundation, the private collection of Jack Warner, who believes American history can be told through its art.

“The Warner collection is one of the most important collections of American art formed in recent decades, and the breadth and variety of works represented are both artistically and historically illuminating. Portraiture, still life, landscape, and genre painting are all represented with major groups of works by Hudson River School artists and American Impressionists, as well as significant groups of work by individual artists like Winslow Homer (1836–1910) and Mary Cassatt (1844–1926).“  http://www.thefrickpittsburgh.org/eventlist/events/index.php?eID=7881

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20110227/NEWS/110229628

The unaffordable care act

“The actual number of Americans who were involuntarily uninsured was, at worst, somewhere around 13 million [not 47 million as claimed] And it is a myth that these people were ever denied care. This is why HHS isn’t keeping up with the number of uninsured who are signing up through the exchanges. The plight of the uninsured was a phony issue. A genuine issue, on the other hand, was increasing insurance premiums. And, perversely, the authors of Obamacare never addressed the underlying causes of this problem. In fact, the ironically named Affordable Care Act actually exacerbated the cost problem.”

Obamacare is unaffordable

Research you can use. . .

Enjoying Jack Benny 60 years late

I enjoy watching The Jack Benny show on my "rabbit ears" TV--I rarely listened/watched when it was one of the most popular and long running radio/TV shows in history (1932-1955 radio; 1950-1965 TV). I was looking at the FaceBook page and noticed that the wife (4th) of his announcer and side kick Don Wilson was Lois Corbett. That's the same name (not person) as my aunt.  But also the photo on the page shows a different Don Wilson, an Asian martial arts guy.  Considering what Don Wilson (rotund) looked like, that's hilarious.

Cornelius the Centurion, Acts 10

Interesting passage in Acts for Bible study today (and Sunday sermon) which included Cornelius the Centurion. He was an Italian gentile respected by the Jews, a Roman soldier of high rank, over 30, literate, with administrative skills necessary for his rank and position. He was a spiritual leader of this family and staff. Big cultural divide here between him and Peter. He was not a Christian, but is described as righteous, God-fearing, devout, generous to those in need, prayerful, and had a visit from an angel who said, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God." How often Christians think they can't pray or work together with those whose theology or practices are different than their own, who are Mormon or Catholic or Muslim. God apparently has other plans.

The latest change in the law

Obama finally sees the solution for those who can't afford the Affordable Care Act--prioritize your expenses and buy less of optional items like cable and shoes. Would you ask this over spender for advice on your budget?

The most recent change he's made in the law without Congressional approval is to say if it creates a hardship, you don't need to sign on (until after the 2016 elections to save the Democrats). Ironically, he has finally admitted that Obamacare IS THE HARDSHIP for millions.

 http://hotair.com/archives/2014/03/12/oh-by-the-way-obama-just-quietly-suspended-obamacares-individual-mandate-until-2016/

[T]he individual mandate is probably done for.

I would now assume that no one will pay the individual mandate fine for 2014. The administration may give up on the mandate in the course of the ongoing enrollment period if the political pressure is great enough, or they may keep up the pretense of it through the end of the enrollment period in March (when it will have finished its work, so to speak, since its purpose is to influence choices made during that period) but then exempt everyone from it as they did with the employer mandate for this year. Having now exempted from the fine people whose policies were canceled and who haven’t spent the money to get more expensive and less appealing new coverage, the politics of still applying the fine to everyone else who is uninsured this year will probably just not be sustainable, and the politics of exempting people from it (especially if they can hold out on doing so until after March 31) will be far too appealing for this White House to resist. They may claim the mandate will be back in 2015, but if they do exempt everyone from it in 2014 it will be hard to bring it back. http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/366853/pounding-panic-button-yuval-levin

http://dailycaller.com/2014/03/12/krauthammer-obamacare-hardship-exemption-essentially-cancels-individual-mandate-video/

http://www.thewire.com/national/2013/12/obama-issues-hardship-exemption-those-cancelled-health-plans/356359/

Not NSYNC

Lance Bass of the boy band NSYNC gets the name of the health web site wrong.  It’s HealthCare dot gov.  He plans to help the President flog the health insurance site that has flagged so badly.