Little black lives

It's a shame that ‪#‎blacklivesmatter‬ isn't a slogan for the unborn. 78% of abortions in New York are for black and Hispanic babies, but no one is rioting. 72% in Mississippi, but no one is marching or clogging freeways. In 2010 in New Jersey 55.9%, the District of Columbia 64.8% and Georgia, 73.2% and in Texas 63.7% were Black or Hispanic, all supported and financed by white, liberal Democrats, but no days of rage are planned.

Printed group prayers

Some group prayers sound more like sermons and I have to stop after the first sentence and wait for it to end. Who writes prayers that include words like "diversity," "seeking new opportunities," "inclusiveness," and "tolerance?" A government bureaucrat?

Are we being manipulated by trending stories on social media?

I think it was either Wall Street Journal or Washington Post that posted a side by side view of what trends on Facebook on various issues. I suppose they calculate from hashtags, which I rarely use. You can check any of about 10 issues and see how we are being told completely different versions by the (mostly) on-line media which are often connected to mainstream TV and print. For instance, much on the left about bathrooms is posted by an LGBQT rights organization that probably few on the right have ever heard of.  I see I'm not the only one posting statistics about percent of white offenders shot by police exceeding black, but that news isn't crossing over. Some reporters definitely don't know the difference between percentage and rate, and believe crime should reflect percentage of population. If that were so, 50% of homicides would be by females. Although both left and right could read Department of Justice reports that homicide rate declined from 9.3 homicides per 100,000 in 1992 to 4.8 homicides per 100,000 in 2010, they disagree on why, and rarely cite it in #blacklivesmatter stories, even though blacks have benefitted the most. Unfortunately, there is something called the Ferguson affect and crime is on the uptick--again, disagreement on why.

November 2011, NCJ 236018

What if you read a story about Chicago murders and that most occur on street and alleys and parking lots, in fact that the outdoor rate of murders had gone from 61.3% in 1991 to 82.4% in 2011.  Scary, right?  But what if you read that in 1991 the outdoor murder number in Chicago was 928, and by 2011 had dropped to 435, and the streets of Chicago are safer than 20 years ago?  Both figures are true, but it depends on the slant the reporter chooses to use to manipulate the reader. Black Lives Matter will probably not tell you that most of the falling crime rate in the last two decades has been for blacks, because the white rate was low 20 years ago, and is still low.  It is the black community, the one complaining about increased police presence in the neighborhood and more black criminals in prison that has benefitted the most from the Clinton era omnibus crime bill.

Chicago murder analysis, 2011

Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell posted a drawing/cartoon of someone dressed all in black (a message?) slitting the throat of a policeman. He's since apologized for his poor decision. Sorry. That's not good enough for me. He needs to hear from President Obama and AG Lynch and lose his flying privileges and the Browns should fire him. Where was his outrage at black men being killed by black men, which is about 4,500 a year or 40— criminal or innocent — for every one killed by a cop, and where was his rage when whites, mostly committing crimes, were killed by police to protect him, his family, and job--that number is higher than blacks. He's disgusting. And the media can step up and take the blame for race pimping and never telling the truth, only reporting about blacks, and often erroneously.

Update on real and fake olive oil

I think I blogged on this years ago.  Found this today.

"The brands that failed to meet the extra virgin olive oil standards, according to this study: Bertolli, Carapelli, Colavita, Star, Pompeian. Eat Grown Local also reports: Filippo Berio, Mazzola, Mezzetta, Newman's Own, Safeway, and Whole Foods in this list; the data may be from the earlier 2010 study when more brands were evaluated.

 

The real deal: California Olive Ranch, Cobram Estate, Lucini. Kirkland Organic, Lucero (Ascolano), McEvoy Ranch Organic are also noted by Eat Grown Local."

http://lifehacker.com/the-most-and-least-fake-extra-virgin-olive-oil-brands-1460894373

How do we find the real thing? Olmsted recommends a few reliable retailers, including Oliviers & Co. in New York and New Jersey. Otherwise, look for labels reading “COOC Certified Extra Virgin” — the newly-formed California Olive Oil Council’s stamp — or the international EVA and UNAPROL labels.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/your-favorite-food-its-probably-fake-2016-07-10

Marketing strategy for Lakeside

While looking for my map of the Great Lakes (wanted to figure out exactly where Lake Superior was) I found a power point illustration for a 2010 lecture at Lakeside on marketing strategy for our little town. I found a chart showing the recession of 2000 was over by November 2001 (how often are you told Geo. W. Bush inherited a recession) but with slow job growth and the recession of late 2007 was over in June 2009 with even slower job growth, and with both, plus the one in 1991, it was the private sector, not government programs that created the recovery. Looks like we're about due, doesn't it? But government won't learn, no matter who is in office.

Advertising

How many believe the hype, labels and advertising? I just made some "bullet proof" coffee, and the coconut oil label promises that it's pure, extra virgin, gluten free, certified organic by QAI (which has USDA approval), chemical free, Hexane free (a petroleum based solvent used in some processed foods), cold pressed, no trans & hydrogenated fats, a BPA free container which is reusable, bottled to retain nutrients, flavor and color. Ah, but here's the clincher. It promised me a "healthy soul." Not even my church promises that.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/10/bulletproof-coffee_n_6424258.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/14/style/the-cult-of-the-bulletproof-coffee-diet.html?_r=0

Black lives matter

Black lives matter began on social media, was picked up and distributed by mainstream news, all about the false narrative that police kill blacks out of proportion to the population. But crime isn't committed that way. The victimization rate for Blacks (27.8 per 100,000) was 6 times higher than the rate for Whites (4.5 per 100,000). The offending rate for Blacks (34.4 per 100,000) was almost eight times higher than the rate for Whites (4.5 per 100,000). (Homicide Trends in the United States, 1980-2008 NCJ 236018) From 2003-2009 among reported arrest-related deaths, 42% of persons were white, 32% were black, and 20% were Hispanic. And crime rates for blacks is 8x that of whites. (Bureau of Justice. Arrest related deaths, 2003-2009. NCJ 235385) So Whites are being killed at a higher rate than Blacks. We don’t see it on tv.

Is voter ID racist

True the Vote released one of its largest voter-roll research findings to date this week, flagging more than 36,000 records in 16 counties for cases of duplications, death, double voting, minors registered, illegal addresses and so on. Maybe you're saying "so what," but this was Florida, the state where Democrats try to read minds in elections they lose based on hanging chads (a paper fragment when a hole is made). Every fake voter steals the right of someone who is a valid voter.

 If voter ID is racist , how was Obama able to get 99% of the black vote and the black voter turnout exceeded white voters in both 2008 and 2012? Two elections aren't a pattern, but if black voters don't turn out for Hillary, don't say it's the fault of voter ID.

Keeping college students ignorant

This could be the problem. Less than 1/3 of the top universities in the U.S. require a course in American history for a history major. Not. One.

 

• That means, not only do our future leaders from our elite universities not know about the Spanish, French, Dutch and Portuguese explorers and settlers; they don't know that less than 400,000 African slaves came to the former British colonies and that about 18 million went to the islands and South America.

• They don't know about the NW Ordinance of 1787, signed before the Constitution that outlawed slavery in new states and guaranteed religious freedom; they aren't taught about the horrific expense in blood and treasure of the Civil War; they don't know why we have a relationship with Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines, former colonies of Spain.

• They don't know the contribution of churches to the big 3 of the 19th century--abolition, temperance and women's rights; they don't know that whites and blacks marched together in the civil rights movement and it was Republicans that led the way for 100 years before LBJ got in the act.
• They don't know the incredible improvements in public health that our parents and grandparents paid for--they've never seen an iron lung or a person's face destroyed by small pox. Their babies don't die of measles.

• They don't know how the federal government has lied to native Americans still to this day and yet offer them cradle to grave assistance to keep them poor; they don't know why the Great Depression in the U.S. extended for a decade due to government programs instituted by FDR; they don't know how or when the military and schools were racially integrated or about the great bi-partisan efforts.
• They don't know that the U.S. government at the highest levels actually was infiltrated by Communist spies and sympathizers and it wasn't just about who could make movies. They probably don't know which came first Viet Nam or Korea or who we were fighting.

Yes, it's a shame that today's millennials learn history with social media lies or from late night comedy shows. They at least should know as much as the new immigrants do when they raise their hands to become citizens.

http://www.goacta.org/images/download/no_u.s._history.pdf

 "Of the 23 programs that do list a requirement for United States history, 11 allow courses so narrow in scope—such as “History of Sexualities” or “History of the FBI”—that it takes a leap of the imagination to see these as an adequate fulfillment of an undergraduate history requirement."

"Some strange topics can take the place of United States history. Of the schools that do not require a single course in U.S. history, majors have free-range to choose from niche courses such as “Soccer and History in Latin America: Making the Beautiful Game” (Williams College), “Modern Addiction: Cigarette Smoking in the 20th Century” (Swarthmore College), “Lawn Boy Meets Valley Girl” (Bowdoin College), and “Witchcraft and Possession” (University of Pennsylvania)."

And students and their parents go into debt for this drivel?

"Our colleges and universities, whether in the name of “inclusion” or globalism or a debased hope that they will attract more students by eliminating requirements, have created a vicious circle of historical illiteracy and the civic illiteracy that accompanies it."

I didn't major in history--I was a foreign language major, but I did have 2 or 3 courses in American history plus one in political science. This survey is just shocking, and certain explains how we've become so divided in the U.S.

People often say

Why would you consider selling your Lakeside cottage when you enjoy it so much?

Here's some photographic evidence.

 

 

Myths about blacks in prison

"Drug sentences do not explain blacks’ overrepresentation in prison. Blacks represent 39% of drug convicts, compared with 37% of all prisoners. This means that if all drug convicts were removed from America's prisons tomorrow, the share of black prisoners would drop from 37.4% to 37.2%. In the federal system, blacks accounted for 24% of 2015 drug-trafficking convictions and 6 percent of convictions for simple possession. It is blacks’ disproportionate involvement in violent street and property crimes that causes their over representation in prison, not drug prosecutions."

https://www.manhattan-institute.org/sites/default/files/IB-HM-0716.pdf

The organ concert

Yesterday I joined a lovely group of women for a discussion of a common interest, and one mentioned that she's part of a group at home where she allows 10 minutes for an organ concert then cuts it off.  One woman in the group was new to that expression, and thought she meant music.  We explained: an organ concert is when people (mostly older) sit around an compare in great detail their surgeries, diseases, or just aches and pains.

I was about 50 when I noticed.  We were at a lovely restaurant, on the porch with a view of the river, and I could overhear the ladies at a nearby table doing one upmanship on knee and hip surgery, arthritis, and cancer. Around that time I heard the expression "organ concert" and I saw my future.

Ten years ago I wrote about the three forbidden topics for a pot luck. Weight, health and age. It's worth another look, so I don't tell you about my pain level today or why can't things be like they used to be, or whether I had too many calories yesterday.

Guys Club at Lakeside

 
Guys Club at lunch on Wednesday, July 6

What James Comey said about Hillary Clinton

He concluded Hillary was “extremely careless” in handling our nation’s secrets.

He admitted no reasonable person could have believed putting these emails on a private server was at all appropriate or acceptable.

He admitted 110 emails on the server were classified at the time they were sent — showing Hillary not only lied, but knowingly endangered national security as secretary of state.

He admitted Hillary deleted work-related emails before turning them over to the State Department, despite her claims otherwise.

And, most shocking, Mr. Comey even admitted it’s likely foreign governments hacked her emails — and our adversaries could know critical secrets about the U.S. government because of Hillary’s actions.

http://www.allenbwest.com/allen/heres-why-im-delighted-about-the-fbis-verdict-on-hillary

Donald Trump has zero ads to Hillary's thousands.  He's got a lot of material--they write themselves.

Thinking of Martha Stewart today . . . and how she decorated the jail

Wall Street Journal: "For our money, the most revealing words in FBI Director James Comey ’s statement Tuesday explaining his decision not to recommend prosecuting Hillary Clinton for mishandling classified information were these: “This is not to suggest that in similar circumstances, a person who engaged in this activity would face no consequences. To the contrary, those individuals are often subject to security or administrative sanctions.” So there it is in the political raw: One standard exists for a Democratic candidate for President and another for the hoi polloi. We’re not sure if Mr. Comey, the erstwhile Eliot Ness, intended to be so obvious, but what a depressing moment this is for the American rule of law. No wonder so many voters think Washington is rigged for the powerful."

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2016/07/05/he-saidshe-said-hillary-clinton-vs-james-comey-on-her-email-practices/

http://www.wsj.com/articles/for-hillary-clinton-political-fight-over-emails-is-far-from-over-1467767839

Can a young couple live on one income?

Some young'ns think a couple needs two incomes to survive these days. Not true. You just have to rein in the gottahaves to the essentials. In the old days of the 1970s, we didn't have cable contracts, phone contracts, eating out several times a week, computers to play with, 2 or 3 cars, homes where everything matched or it got replaced (we even got by with laminate counter tops), TV in every room, college debts, credit card debt, very few people I knew were paying support for another family in another house and few took vacations except the rich (a cottage at Lakeside was $45/week). We didn't have a paid vacation or paid health insurance. And at our house, no one smoked or drank alcohol, and that is a HUGE savings. Refigure your budget with a 1970 plan, and see if you really need to go to work, ladies.

That said, today so many things are cheaper. Computers, TV, microwaves, clothing, even food are a fraction of the cost of 40 years ago. And compared to the 80s, mortgage rates are laughable. A tithe is still 10% and that's the best budgeting tool.

On how bad Trump is

I have never cared for Trump. I always suspected he was a plant by the Clinton-Soros machine to take out the candidates they feared because it was such a stellar group. However, as he continued to win, he began to stab his mentors and creators in the back, until he began to believe he could do it. And even if I'm right (or if I'm just into conspiracy theories), on his worst day he's better than Clinton.

Crimes and misdemeanors, but no intent

"FBI Director James Comey announced that the FBI will not recommend charges against Hillary. Although he said that there was extreme "carelessness" in handling classified information, the lack of intent to violate the law precluded prosecution. That's a bit of a surprise given that the Department of Justice is currently prosecuting Petty Officer First Class Kristian Saucier for a similar crime where no inten...t was involved. This gives rise to suspicions, verging on certainty, that the law is different when your name is Clinton, that laws are for the "little people" and not those in charge. As Kurt Schlichter has recently warned, the sense that there's no such thing as rule of law in today's America is likely to be quite corrosive. If Hillary can do this much damage to America's fabric now, how much worse will things be with her in the White House?"

https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/statement-by-fbi-director-james-b.-comey-on-the-investigation-of-secretary-hillary-clintons-use-of-a-personal-e-mail-system

http://www.9news.com/news/nation-now/glenn-reynolds-about-that-clintonlynch-accidental-meeting/264670390

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/fbi-recommends-no-charges-against-clinton-in-email-probe-225102

Explosion at the Bruce cottage

I decided to fix the last two eggs for breakfast this morning.  So I took out a heavy, deep, ceramic cereal bowl, sprayed it with non-stick spray, and cracked and dropped in the two eggs.  I covered it with a damp paper towel so I wouldn't have egg to clean up inside the microwave.  Zap for 1 minute.  Took a peek, then zapped for another minute.  I carefully removed the bowl (very hot).  Hmm. A slice of cheese would taste good on that, so I took the package out of the frig and removed a slice and placed it on the eggs, hoping it would melt.  It just sat there.  So I walked to the opposite side and took out a fork and knife. When I poked my wonderful egg/cheese meal with the fork it exploded.  And I mean, everywhere, including my nice light teal shirt that matches my teal and yellow summer slacks and all around the coffee pot and microwave.  Plus the steam scalded my right forearm. So, it wasn't cooling while I did those other tasks, it was building up steam.  There's a message here, and I'll figure it out.

A great story by a guy I don't know about another guy I don't know

This story by David Lester (don't know him) appeared on Facebook about the clean up in West Virginia after the recent flooding.

"On Thursday I was up to my ankles in every imaginable kind of waste helping a 70 some year old lady throw away every single one of her belongings. Then I look and another truck pulls in and this guy jumps out and says in a deep British accent "My name is Anthony...how can I help?"

That day we tackled every job that required no brains and lots of brawn and also strong stomachs. Came to find out Anthony heard about the flood devastation through friends in WV and international medi coverage and decided to fly in from London and help. He flew into Charlotte, rented a truck, loaded up with supplies and drove to Clendenin. I invited him to stay with us and he agreed. We shared military stories and he was a great guest. He returned every day back to the floods.

On Sunday (July 3) I didn't accompany him and he wound up putting a displaced elderly woman up in the Motel 8 in Dunbar for two nights on his dime. On this day of celebrating our Independence Day (which he calls traitor day😜) I wanted to give a shout out to this great guy that my family adores. Thanks Anthony for your kind heart and British wit!! And he doesn't do Facebook but I thought his efforts should not go unnoticed."

A wonderful July 4 story, don't you agree?

Looking for links I see a socialist web site is blaming funding cuts for disasters.  Really? For some people always look for political advantage.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/25/us/west-virginia-flooding-deaths/index.html

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/06/30/west-virginia-faces-new-reality-after-deadly-flood/86555454/

Did Thomas Jefferson read St. Robert Bellarmine

 There is no way to know if Thomas Jefferson ever read the original works of St. Robert Bellarmine. Chances are very good Jefferson knew of the writings of the 16th century counter-reformation Catholic who was extensively quoted in a book that was in Jefferson's library--a book that spoke out about the right of kings to rule. The Congressional Library still possesses a copy of Patriarcha, a book which once stood on the library shelf of Thomas Jefferson.  Patriarcha, was written by Robert Filmer, the privage theologian of James I of England in defense of the Divine Right of Kings and principally in refutation to the Jesuit Cardinal Bellarmine’s political principles of popular sovereignty.”

Jefferson's words echo that of a man who wrote two centuries earlier, and whose work itself echoes St. Thomas Aquinas.

With regard to the equality of men:

Declaration of Independence:  “All men are created equal; they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights.”

Bellarmine:  “All men are equal, not in wisdom or grace, but in the essence and nature of mankind” (De Laicis,” c.7).  “There is no reason why among equals one should rule rather than another.” (Ibid.)  “Let rulers remember that they preside over men who are of the same nature as they themselves” (De Officus Princ.” c.22).  “Political right is immediately from God and necessarily inherent in the nature of man” (De Laicia” c. 6, note 1).

With regard to the function of government:

Declaration of Independence:  “To secure these rights governments are instituted among men.”

Bellarmine:  “It is impossible for men to live together without someone to care for the common good.  Men must be governed by someone lest they be willing to perish” (De Laicia,” c.6).

With regard to the source of power:

Declaration of Independence:  “Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

Bellarmine:  “It depends upon the consent of the multitude to constitute over itself a king, consul, or other magistrate.  This power is, indeed, from God, but vested in a particular ruler by the counsel and election of men” (De Laicis, c. 6, notes 4 and 5).  “The people themselves immediately and directly hold the political power” (De Clericis, c. 7).

With regard to the right to change the government:

Declaration of Independence:  “Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new government. . .Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient reasons.”

Bellarmine:  “For legitimate reasons the people can change the government to an aristocracy or a democracy or vice versa” (De Laicis, c. 6).  “The people never transfers its power to a king so completely but that it reserves to itself the right of receiving back the power” (Recognitio de Laicis, c. 6).

https://fellowshipoftheminds.com/2013/09/17/st-robert-bellarmine-and-the-declaration-of-independence/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellarmine-Jefferson_High_School

http://supremacyandsurvival.blogspot.com/2016/07/st-robert-bellarmine-and-declaration-of.html

https://suburbanbanshee.wordpress.com/2013/07/04/thomas-jefferson-and-st-robert-bellarmines-natural-law-teachings/

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=6607&CFID=27181055&CFTOKEN=86110878

Let's not forget about Nigeria

Nigeria was the first mission field I heard about as a child.  Church of the Brethren missionaries would come to our church in Mt. Morris and talk about their work. The Church of the Brethren in Nigeria is now larger than the mother church denomination, but is experiencing terrible persecution from Muslims.  What follows is from The Catholic News Agency and is the most recent I could find, a report of June 9 of a meeting at Heritage Foundation.  It will take more than a hashtag to solve this.  Boko Haram is more lethal than ISIS according to the Global Terrorism Index and the number of displaced people is second only to Syria.

“What is unfolding in Northern and Central Nigeria is one of the worst, most neglected humanitarian crises in the world,” Elijah Brown, executive vice president of the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative, stated at the Heritage Foundation on June 9, introducing the report.

Attacks on villages and schools by the terror group Boko Haram– most known for its April 2014 abduction of over 200 school girls in Chibok – have displaced millions in the last few years. Other problems that have arisen are attacks by militants of the Fulani herdsmen in the fertile Middle Belt region, destroying entire villages."

http://www.heritage.org/events/2016/06/nigeria

http://europe.newsweek.com/boko-haram-splinters-isis-over-child-suicide-bombers-us-general-473004

http://www.standwithnigeria.org/

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/17/world/global-terror-report/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/11/africa/nigeria-suicide-bombing-boko-haram/index.html

13 foods to avoid at the grocery store

With the exception of potato chips (which I have trouble resisting), I avoid most of these foods--they are very high priced (per oz.), full of fillers, HFCS, and, just stuff bad for you. I switched to real butter years ago, never drink pop, bought almond milk once before seeing what a rip off it was, avoid most processed meat (have an occasional hot dog for old time's sake), eat only old fashioned oatmeal (90 seconds in the microwave), buy regular yogurt and add fruit at home. You do become addicted to flavors and textures, so keep this junk away from kids even if it sounds healthy.

http://thestir.cafemom.com/healthy_living/198850/13_grocery_store_staples_experts?

"Many foods seem harmless and appear to be healthy with labels saying "natural" or "low fat," but these items aren’t what you think. You can create the same product or buy a true healthier alternative."

Sounds of the early morning walk at Lakeside

When the city walker starts out for a morning walk in a small town along a large lake (like Lakeside, Ohio where we have our summer home) at first she hears silence.  But the sounds begin to roll in the ear soon.  At first it is the disgusting crunch, crunch of the Mayflies underfoot at every intersection with a street light. An experienced Lakesider just reminds herself--it means the Lake is healthy.

Then she hears the birds--sparrows, black birds, robins, cardinals, jays, mourning doves--and all the others that she's been told about on the morning bird walks provided by Lakesiders but can't identify. It's a beautiful cool morning, but some people are running air conditioning window units unaware, something I don't hear at home because everyone has whole house AC.  Then if the windows are open, I hear some muffled talking, probably from rumpled beds, and a baby, very young is crying.  Maybe a wet diaper? No sleeping in for the new mom and dad.

Now there's something I never hear at home--a screen door slams as the resident walks to the porch with a hot cup of coffee.  I can hear the boats patrolling the shore, probably from the Customs and Border Protection from a near by port.  Other noises, like the tiny business district waking up and getting ready for customers. Someone needs to take vacations at another time so this tourist area can be served. If it weren't for the fact I need to stay on the flat streets, I'd head for the lakefront for other sounds--almost like a different place, but just two blocks.

      

The Bill of Rights and our precious freedoms

There is no right to abort (aka kill) another human being in our Constitution or Bill of Rights. SCOTUS "found" that right in the 14th amendment--made it up. Fragile as a spider's web. We ARE absolutely guaranteed that the government won't deny us our religious rights, our speech, our right to assemble peacefully, our right to a "free" press, and our right to petition the government. If you know anything about western civilization* (which probably isn't taught anymore, you know why these are treasured freedoms).

And there's that 2nd amendment, which comes 2nd because it defends the first. It's no accident that while liberals whine about the 2nd and try to undo it, a much larger group of them are organizing against the first, particularly religion.

I have no problem with more checks on potential gun buyers, but that isn't the goal--destroying the 2nd amendment is the prize. And then those pesky freedoms outlined in the 1st.

*1215 (England) Magna Carta, somewhat evolved, from the unwilling King John by his rebellious barons, is signed. It will later be regarded as the cornerstone of liberty in England even though it was not for common folk.

1689 (England) Bill of Rights grants 'freedom of speech in Parliament' after James II is overthrown and William and Mary installed as co-rulers.

1787 Northwest Ordinance for new states and territories guarantees  trial by jury, habeas corpus, due process, and religious freedom. Excessive fines and cruel and unusual punishments were banned. Slavery was also banned in new territories.

1791 The First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees five freedoms: of religion, speech, the press, right to assemble and right to petition the government.

The zombie or the joker?

I won't share the photo, but I saw a poster with Hillary as a zombie (half of her face melting and bloody and a staring eyeball, and The Donald as the Joker. That's pretty close to our choices. Except. She's a long time politician who has accomplished nothing, and he's a non-politician who's done a lot, some stuff better than others. She's running based on her female parts, saying it's our (women) time. But we've learned from this administration, that means nothing. Body parts can be changed with surgery and hormones, or just with a feeling.

The recent loss for Texas women and children in the Supreme Court: "And once again, it was the flip of Anthony Kennedy that managed to produce this decision. In the ledger, unseen, chalk up another accomplishment for Joe Biden: Kennedy’s appointment came as a result of the malicious blocking of Robert Bork to the Court, with Biden as the chairman in charge. Bork died, but Kennedy is the gift that (for Democrats) never stops giving." Hadley Arkes, The Catholic Thing.

A Supreme Court appointment is always "the gift that never stops giving" and even those you think are strong on the constitution have been known to flip. That is why the upcoming election is so important if you want to keep your country.

Of Democrats and dogs

In today's program at Lakeside Chautauqua about Cuba in the 1950s after the revolution, the Cuban born American lawyer Jose Mas mentioned the nationalization of all businesses, not just that owned by foreigners (Americans). Musing, I wondered if that's like stealing bakeries, flower shops and pizza parlors because the owners don't cotton to the government party line, so thus the jailing or fining of the owners. It's also why you see major corporations supporting pride parades--hush money and blackmail, or rainbowmail. Little businesses can't afford that, or have too many scruples.

In the afternoon I attended a delightful program at the Lakeside Women's Club, Officer Josh Young and Joe Joe of the Danbury Police K-9 Unit.  What a beautiful dog (born, raised and trained in the Czech Republic) and a terrific bond between officer and dog.  He is trained to find 5 drugs, and any derivative of those drugs.  And if you try to hurt Josh, he will probably tear you apart. There many children there, and I loved seeing how wonderful he was with the kids.

http://www.tactical-life.com/news/danbury-township-police-department-k-9/

What's in a name?

 "American society lavished scholarships on the upper-middle-class prep-school graduate Barack Hussein Obama but perhaps would not have done so much for just another Barry Dunham. It is not surprising that when George Zimmerman had been in a fight with Trayvon Martin, his scars were photoshopped away and his 911 call racialized. Would that have happened had he chosen to go by the name of Jorge Mesa?" Victor Davis Hanson

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/429215/anti-westernism-hypocrisy

Waiting

A Clinton Warren ticket?

I see the very wealthy and not so truthful Elizabeth Warren is on the war path against racism and bigotry instead of fighting lies, corruption and taking money from Muslim countries to influence our government. She's hoping to be on the most crooked Presidential ticket in the history of the U.S.

"In the wake of the UK's shocking Brexit vote, Hillary Clinton said these uncertain times call for "calm, steady, experienced leadership in the White House."

On "Fox News Sunday," Newt Gingrich said he found Clinton's statement "hysterical," pointing out that she's been wrong on foreign policy on everything from the Brexit vote to toppling Muammar Gaddafi in Libya to advocating for a "reset" with Russia.

"I mean, what has she been right about?" Gingrich said. "If we need more of this kind of experience, it’s a little bit like Casey Stengel once asking if anybody on the Mets could play the game. I mean, there’s no reason why Hillary Clinton’s experiences qualify for anything except retirement."

http://insider.foxnews.com/2016/06/26/newt-gingrich-hillary-clinton-was-wrong-brexit-libya-russia-more

Expansion of social problems for personal gain

Professor Ronald Wheeler is gay and teaches legal research (i.e., Law librarian) at Wayne State. His academic title is so long, it would fill a page. He has written about microaggressions which he expanded to include microassaults, microinsults and microinvalidations and proposes some solutions to preventing microaggressions from occurring within one's organization. Really. It makes me embarrassed to be an academic librarian (retired).

Like poverty, if this race and gender nonsense were ever to go away, so many people would be out of work (teaching, agitating, getting government grants, inforcing rules, filing hate crime claims, creating special offices that need directors), we'd have homeless academics.

An example of a microinsult according to Wheeler is: If a gay man wearing a wedding band is asked about his wife, and he says he has a husband not a wife, and the new acquaintance says, "Oh," and changes the subject, that's an insult or an aggression. See? You can't win. She didn't scream, or sneer, or quote scripture, she said, "Oh."

Hank Paulson

Hank Paulson was GW Bush's secretary of Treasury.  He has now endorsed Hillary, the crook for 2016. Hmm. If anyone can sniff out money, it'd be Henry Paulson.  Some thought he was one, too.  In 2015 he was supporting Jeb Bush. He was a partner with Al Gore in Cap and Trade because it looked like a good investment and he was on the inside.

I wrote a poem about him in 2008 during the Muslim pirates hostage crisis.

Barney, Nancy, Chris and Hank
threw us hostages in the tank
with bank terrorists taught by Acorn
just like bomber Bernadine Dohrn,
using minorities and the poor
with us as deals on the floor
of the House finance committee,
Oh Lordy, what a pity.

I also wrote a blues song during the October 2008 melt down with Henry in the refrain.

Mitigating factors, oozing out the wazoo,
Sell ‘em or hold ‘em, it’s all a rescue.
I’ve got the low down, trillion dollar
Ben and Henry blues.

A great loss for our church

This is so sad.  Two of the most talented servants of God and we've lost them both. Years ago when Mike Martin (on the right) was choir director at Lytham, I decided to join the choir. But after 50 years of not being in a choir, my soprano range was gone; I only had 4 notes, and they weren't even in a row, so after a year, I gave the gift of my silence. But spiritually, it was one of the best I've ever had at UALC. What a man of God! 

 And I can still remember the excitement when Eric first preached at Lytham in 2008. Oh the liturgy--praise God. Those at Mill Run where he leads the informal service never really got to have that. We benefitted from his special sermons rooted in his strong faith, based in his theater background and his outstanding scripture reading.  His classes were terrific. At a time when many young pastors think they must wear jeans with holes to relate, he always looked like a model. He and his wife and six children will be moving to Texas.  I'm just so sad.

Pavlo, Elvis and Noone

Wonderful program by Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits at Hoover Auditorium in Lakeside Saturday night. What a performer! He looks 45 when he comes out, and 75 when he finishes--really puts everything into it (he's 68). Noone and the Hermits had outsold the Beatles by 1965. The audience loved the sing a longs, and the impersonation of some other performers like Jagger and Cash (he's great at that).

Friday night we had a great Elvis impersonator, Mike Albert, and he'd shortened his show a bit which strengthened it. He's so great with the kids. I think he had them on stage at least 3 times.  Also his mother.

 The Saturday before we enjoyed Pavlo, (Pavlo Simtikidis) and because my husband takes guitar lessons, he was really thrilled.

Sunday there was a lecture on the Ross cottages (large, hip roof style, about 100 years old) for the archives program.  I blogged about them years ago. Learned we had stayed in 2 as rentals back in the 70s.

Art show begins this Tuesday and my husband is teaching perspective drawing at the Rhein Center this week. Day time programs are on Cuba.

Brexit--Moody Blues, Go Now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h42kzEA9l8Q  Moody Blues,

 but recorded first by Bessie Banks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prlWGe2EHro

Morning walks at Lakeside

I’ve been getting 5-6 miles a day in at Lakeside, staying on the flat east/west streets. North/south are steep hills. I don’t have the exact source, it may have been on one of the walking history tours, but Lake Erie used to be much larger, and the flat areas are the old (10,000 years or so) shore lines. So I don't get too worked up about climate change caused by humans.

But June when everything is fresh and deep green is a wonderful time to walk at Lakeside. Because of bursitis, I'm being cautious and not doing hills. I see the youngsters (60-something) marching up and down the north south streets and give them a nod and smile. Yesterday I came across a squirrel sprawled out in the street.  I thought perhaps it had been hit by a car, so I got closer and could see a faint heart beat. I thought I would call administration to have it removed before it was splattered everywhere, but a few minutes later I looked back and it was gone, crawling under a parked car. Perhaps it had fallen from a power line above and had the breath knocked out.

Always enjoy seeing what the latest shoe fashion is for athletes.  Yellow, pink, lavender, etc., all on the same pair. I'm wearing a very sturdy white pair--I bought them 2 years ago and set them aside.  Good thing, too.  Hard to find these today.

The lilies are so lovely this time of year, and now the hollyhocks are blooming. The lake provides a great back drop. This is actually an early July photo, but can't find the one from this week.

Jihad, the President and the Pope

Not a good time to be an American Catholic--both our President and Pope are messing with marriage! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLFyB-DxzmQ

If you watch the whole June 24 segment of The World Over (EWTN), it includes Dr. Sebastian Gorka, counterinsurgency expert and Distinguished Chair of Military Theory at Marine Corps University to discuss the aftermath of the terrorist attack in Orlando, the DOJ/FBI response and his new book, Defeating Jihad: The Winnable War. There is a concerted effort by this administration to disconnect the dots where the threat of Islamic terrorism is concerned. The surge of foreign born Islamic terrorists (many stopped) under Obama is frightening. Democrats can't wish it away or rename it a hate crime or refuse to name it what Mateen called it. Changing his word Allah to God the way Lynch has done is just insulting.

Then next, Pope Francis on marriage--Fr Gerald Murray, Robert Royal and Raymond Arroyo, the host. People are very upset with what the Pope has said about marriage. And if you think it doesn't matter because you're a Lutheran or Calvinist or Methodist, think again.  The Catholics have a much higher view of marriage whether or not the couple in the pew choses to obey.  He seems to want to lower the bar. Marriage is already under attack--this isn't helping. Marriage isn't what we said or thought in Sept 1960--every day we need to renew our commitment. If he wants people to come back to Christ, this isn't the way to do it.

A little history about the Pope's visit to Armenia

"In 301 AD, twelve years before Constantine legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire, King Tiridates III made Christianity the official religion of Armenia, the first national ruler to do so. The Armenians were subsequently conquered by the Romans, Arabs, Persians, Ottomans, and Soviets. In 1915, the Young Turks government attempted to exterminate them, massacring 1.5 million. In 1988, an earthquake killed up to 50,000 Armenians. That same year, a war between Armenia and Azerbaijan claimed tens of thousands of lives. . .According to a 2012 survey, 92 percent of Armenians consider themselves religious, the third-highest percentage anywhere (in the United States it’s 60 percent)." https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2016/06/25/pope-francis-and-the-armenian-church/

If you read the whole article, you'll notice the author isn't a fan of Pope Francis.    He has dual citizenship, U.S. and Poland. Big fan of John Paul II.

http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Item/4850/how_saint_john_paul_ii_conquered_communism.aspx


 

Beets and Brexit

I'm making a huge leap here, but I'm guessing the Friday Foreign Affairs discussion at Lakeside today will be on Brexit. It's always whatever has been in the news. Although Lakeside leans left with so many pastors and academics, probably 90% who will be at the discussion live on their pensions/investments, and I think we're in for quite a ride until this settles down.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/britain-shocks-world-breaks-with-european-union-british-leader-steps-down/

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/historic-brexit-vote-sends-dow-futures-plunging-650-points-2016-06-24

I just saw this on a noon TV segment--beet butter--but she said peel the beets and cook. Really? I've never heard of peeling beets before cooking, and this recipe just says scrub them. Anyone ever try this? Really pretty.

http://www.momseveryday.com/test/homes/headlines/Beet-butter-383161851.html

Ted Strickland meets with Cecile Richards--hide the babies!

Ted Strickland, pro-abortion Democratic nominee for US Senate from Ohio, held a meeting with Cecile Richards at the Ohio Democratic Party headquarters in Columbus yesterday. On average, Cecile Richards, CEO of Planned Parenthood, rakes in over half a million dollars in annual income, all while promoting and providing abortion-on-demand over 300,000 times every year. Nearly a year ago, she apologized for the gruesome descriptions found in undercover footage of her top medical director discussing the trade of aborted fetal body parts over wine and salad. Later, she fumbled trying to explain the apology, caught in the PR scandal of a lifetime. (Ohio Right to Life).

Richards, married to an SEIU union organizer, is the daughter of a former governor of Texas (keeps that name) and is worth about $4 million. Her 3 children were allowed to live. Strickland has an M.Div and is a former Methodist minister and former governor of Ohio. Cozy.

The great divide

It's no secret that I'm on here and Facebook a lot, plus several on-line e-mail discussion groups. That said, I think social media (blogging, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter [especially] and the others) are contributing to the break down of relationships among Americans along party lines, and probably Brits who just went through the Brexit vote. But it seems odd to me that Democrats feel more threatened than Republicans. http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/majoirty-democrats-republicans-very/2016/06/23/id/735374/

The Left is winning the culture wars. They control all the major voices of the entertainment industry, news media and academe, even the public libraries, so I assume they also control the voices of social media. I can only glance at some of The Daily Beast or Huffington Post--my blood pressure goes up. But they are the more mild of the left wing internet news sources millions read and link to. And Twitter?  I only see comments of who said what to millions of followers. Here at the lake house I see more broadcast news than at home, and am always amazed at the echo chamber as though the three networks had the same writers and producers.

Our culture has practically collapsed in the last decade. Hate for all religions, not just Christianity is growing-it makes the rants about homophobia look like jokes, and worldwide Christians are being martyred by the thousands. Religion is a threat to the current administration and the governments of China and Russia, and Muslims kill Muslims if not in the right group. Catholics are terribly divided in support of the current Pope who seems to them a little squishy on church doctrine.  The U.S. government bureaucracy has redefined sex to be something called "gender" without a vote from Congress or the American people. That's the core of society--if you can't agree on basic biology and a 50 year old male with some surgical alterations and a new birth certificate is allowed to play on a college women's team, where's the hope for saving forests, or feeding the poor, or immigration? What the left says about white Americans, particularly males, would never be tolerated if said about Muslims or gays or blacks. Do they on the Left not read history?

Obama's legacy with women

There go the Title VII and IX protections for women. Thanks, Obama, for yet another legacy.

"Gabrielle Ludwig is not like any other woman on the basketball courts, or in the locker rooms, in Santa Clara Community College’s junior team. Gabrielle is a foot taller than every other player and has significantly more upper body strength.

That’s because the 50-year-old player was born Robert John Ludwig, a man. He still bears the tattoos of his service in Operation Desert Storm.

This turn at college basketball is his second. His first stint in 1980 was as a man at Nassau Community College.

After his sex change operation this summer he petitioned to change his birth certificate’s sex from male to female.

That edit allowed his previous sports history to be wiped off his record. Ludwig is now eligible to play for two full years.

Even at twice his opponents’ age, Ludwig cuts an imposing figure at 6’8” and 220 pounds, a fact not lost on his coach – or his much smaller opponents."

Maybe he can be a grandfather figure for the girls on the team.

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/50-year-old-transsexual-8216woman8217-makes-college-basketball-debut-video

My $2 beach read

I have a "beach reading" novel I purchased used for $2. Debbie Macomber, "Summer on Blossom Street." The author brings her characters together through a "Knit to Quit" class, where knitting helps them recover from an addiction or bad habit. Now what mother of a middle age adult can't identify with this:

"He felt protective toward his mother and, as much as possible, tried to spare her any worry. In return, she felt it was her duty to look after him, to enquire about his diet and whether he got enough sleep and had enough of a social life. In most instances Hutch didn't mind. Lately, however, she'd been on this marriage kick. She said it was because she didn't want him to repeat his father's mistakes and bury himself in work." (p. 110)

 Perhaps I don't read enough fiction to know about the tough subjects, but this book has a theme about adoption and foster care and the anxiety and trauma for older children in the system. Also step-parenting, widowhood, loss of a parent as a young adult, and an abusive fiancé with a sex addiction, and their pushy parents who still want them to get married.

Some dogs and cats in the story who seem to be well adjusted.

This story always makes me smile--a repeat

My dad wasn't the warm, fuzzy type, but when he died in 2002, the library of old family stories closed. This one he passed along--my grandmother who was the library of family stories before him, didn't like this story at all.

My father's name was Howard William, and most of my life I thought he'd been named for his maternal grandfather, William, but late in his life Dad told me he'd been named for William Howard Taft, who was president until 1913. Taft would have just recently left office when Dad was born (inauguration was March 4 in 1913 and Dad was born later that March), but maybe my grandparents didn't like Woodrow Wilson. The doctor forgot to register Dad's birth name at the county courthouse in 1913, so when he went to file for Social Security at age 65, Dad discovered his birth certificate said, "Baby Boy" instead of Howard William. But both of his parents were still living, and when the clerk asked if anyone could confirm it, he said, "My mother and father."  So the county accepted their affidavit that he was what he'd been called his whole life. He wouldn't even crack a smile when we called him, "Baby Boy."

Mom's story isn't as funny, but is an example of the problems with birth registries.  The Lee County, Illinois, there was a court house fire when she was a child, which destroyed her birth record.  She had to have her brother Leslie , who was 10 years older, provide an affidavit of her birth.

What exactly is Daily Beast saying about President Obama?

I got a notice from The Daily Beast on Facebook that someone had "liked" something I said in 2014, so I clicked over to look. The background photo for The Beast was an artsy-fartsy collage comprised of 1) Gay flag, 2) Occupy mask (Guy Fawkes), 3) marijuana plants, very lush, 4) Communist soldiers of N. Korea, 5) President Obama, 6) a distant galaxy, and 7) can't really tell, but a guy with a stick looking into the night sky? What is the Beast telling us about the state of our country? You too can be rich, criticizing America?

The Daily Beast is a far left, on-line news source, formerly owned by Tina Brown and Newsweek, now owned by IAC/InterActiveCorp in case you don't look at it. It's become mega wealthy criticizing capitalism and rich people.

Over used idioms

There are a few phrases becoming more common by pastors, priests, politicians and professors and I sit on the edge of my seat waiting for them. They were all in this morning's lecture at Lakeside.

Let's unpack this .. .

What are the tools in our toolbox. . .

Let's have a conversation about . . .

Monday Memories along the Lakefront

I'm gradually increasing my walk time here at Lakeside (bursitis pain), and I like to walk along the lakefront and read all the memorials. It slows me down, but then what's the hurry in Lakeside?  A veteran of WWII born in 1921 who died in 1994--I wonder what he saw; a young child who died at 5 years old--would have children of his own now; a happy 60th anniversary Mom and Dad from the 1980s; a simple dedication to the trees in the park donated by a long time Lakesider. a street lamp  in remembrance of Hazel and Wendell Lutes, Sr. who may have strolled in the moonlight, and of course, the wonderful gazebo, a memorial for the Steeles who died in an auto accident, and now is the site of much happiness and music in the park and many weddings.

 

And although it's not on the lakefront, we have the wonderful Rhein Center serving thousands in the summer, a  wonderful memorial to C. Kirk Rhein, Jr. who lost his life on TWA Flight 800 in 1996.

 

About 8 or 9 years ago I asked if there was a record, but was told "we're working on it."

 

Link to 2007 blog on memorials at Lakeside

 

Other thoughts on memorials, and what might happen to your donation

 

Memorial tree is dying, too

 

Dad's name on a memorial

 

 

Sticky keys on laptop, walking the lakefront, and Father's Day

Here at Lakeside I'm using both my I-pad and my laptop, and occasionally some keys stick on the laptop.  Today I couldn't use the T or the Y so I switched to the I-pad and stated a substitution, but as soon as I did that, they started to work.

I walked 2 miles this morning, choosing the most level street (3rd) but also walked back on the lakefront, but did have to walk about half a block with an incline.  At one time the lake was much bigger, like maybe 8 thousand years ago (have you been warned enough about climate change), so the lakefront used to be much further south of here, with a gradual slope.  Even so, it was worth the extra effort.  The lakefront flowers were gorgeous, and it was much warmer than last night's prediction.

We'll celebrate Father's Day by eating breakfast at the Patio Restaurant after the Dockside church service.  Tomorrow my husband returns to Columbus for a church meeting, his guitar lesson and a doctor's appointment, so he'll have his Father's day dinner with our daughter and husband then.  He doesn't know it, but she's found the 2016 Maise Dobbs novel, and that will be one of his gifts.  Don't tell!  He has the set, but we didn't know about the latest one.   http://www.jacquelinewinspear.com/

Practical uses for leftover pickle brine

1. A Post-Workout Drink

Many sports medicine professionals swear by pickle juice as a method for staving off muscle cramps and replenishing lost electrolytes after intense workouts, according to NBC News.

Indeed, studies have confirmed that in large enough amounts pickle juice can be an effective treatment for workout-induced muscle cramps.

2. A Vinegar Substitute

One of the primary ingredients in pickle juice is vinegar, which makes it a good emergency substitute for vinegar in many recipes. Some individuals even use it for cleaning purposes – after filtering it, of course.

Pickle juice is great in marinades, salad dressings, and even bread dough! For recipes that include pickle juice, check out The Kitchn’s guide to culinary uses for pickle juice.

3. Hangover Cure

Alcohol is a diuretic. Drinking lots of it will basically leave you dehydrated. Fortunately, pickle juice can help to get your sodium levels back to where they need to be. Just take a sip before you got to bed.

4. PMS Remedy

It works the same way as it would for a post-workout cure because it helps to hydrate the body and alleviate cramping. Simply drink 1/4 cup of pickle juice.

5. Heartburn Relief

The vinegar in pickle juice can help with heartburn just like how Apple cider vinegar can help as well. Take a sip before every meal and see if you notice a difference.How To Recycle The Brine

One of the most popular ways to use leftover pickle brine is in recipes for pickling other foods! You can re-use pickle juice as a quick way of pickling more cucumbers, or other vegetables like radishes, summer squash, or even hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator. Just make sure the juice is clear and doesn’t look cloudy or murky.

 

Food In Jars recommends that you only re-use pickle brine up to three times – after that, too much brine volume as been lost, and a scum may start to develop in the brine, making it less than healthy.

 

Now that you know several ways to use pickle juice, there’s no need to throw out this useful liquid again! Whether you drink it straight up or in a cocktail, use it in a recipe, or recycle it to make refrigerator pickles, there’s plenty of use for leftover pickle brine.

http://www.healthfreedoms.org/why-you-need-to-stop-throwing-away-that-pickle-juice-such-a-waste/

The President should read the Constitution

Have you ever read what the Constitution says about the duties of the President? Article 2. Section 2. It would almost make you laugh when you see what a monarch/caesar/king position we have today if it weren't so pathetic. I think there may be more words spent on the electoral system (Section 1). The gist is, his primary job is to be Commander in Chief of the army and navy, but he can also grant pardons, appoint ambassadors, judges, etc. (with consent of the Senate) and he...'s supposed to give a state of the union message from time to time. And although everyone says we have three equal branches, it's pretty clear on reading it, (Article 1, the longest part of the Constitution) that Congress was to be the power house, especially the House of Representatives, because that's how we the people were to have a voice, a voice no one in Europe had at that time.

By deduction, I'm guessing the Founders meant the President's primary job was to keep the nation safe. Given his awful, blame-game, finger pointing speech yesterday, calling for more gun control and chastising those who won't give it to him, I'd say he knows what his real job is, but he has to pretend it's not his fault that ISIS has taken center stage in the world and grown in power and become a threat here under his management. He refuses to say, the buck stops here, like Harry Truman. He hasn't kept us safe and he won't or can't.

Duplicity in the highest office

Even the gun shop owner reported Omar Mateen's odd behavior and questions, but because Muslims are a protected group in the "rules of engagement" issued by the WH, the FBI did nothing. Disney also reported him to the FBI in April. (Fox News, various interviews with store owner, and former FBI staffer, but it's also been on ABC and CBS in case you don't trust Fox). Then the president goes to the memorial service and comforts the families and uses their tragedy for his political gain. Sickening. The President confesses the Christian faith (member of UCC) with his mouth, but his heart is with Islam.

Hillary Clinton and the LGBTQ agenda

I haven't checked these amounts. You don't always know when photos appear on FB who or what is the source.  However, I do know that no country would donate to an American foundation (they don't get a tax break like we do) created by a former president and former secretary of state unless they expected payback/kickback/backscratch. We know Muslim countries have severe punishment for gays and transsexuals. Do we want that person in the White House who owes them? Why would the LGBTQ spokespeople endorse this when there has to be a time when the IOUs are called in?  What if she accepted donations from the KKK or Planned Parenthood (oh, wait, she does).

 

"Four oil-rich Arab nations, all with histories of philanthropy to United Nations and Middle Eastern causes, have donated vastly more money to the Clinton Foundation than they have to most other large private charities involved in the kinds of global work championed by the Clinton family.

Since 2001, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates gave as much as $40 million to the Clinton Foundation. In contrast, six similar non-governmental global charities collected no money from those same four Middle Eastern countries; the International Committee of the Red Cross was given $6.82 million. Since 2001, these global foundations have raised a staggering $40 billion to $50 billion to fund their humanitarian work." http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article24782695.html

http://dailycaller.com/2016/05/11/exclusive-persian-gulf-sheikhs-gave-bill-hillary-100-million/

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/business/alatheia-nielsen/2016/06/14/clinton-foundation-takes-255m-countries-kill-imprison

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article24782695.html#storylink=cpy

Women and the draft

Women may soon be required to register for the military draft. What sense does that make? We haven't had a draft for decades, but this signals the reinstatement. Small countries need women in the military; ours doesn't. Our military right now is below pre-WWII levels, and we have a president who can't or won't lead and politicizes tragedies if they involve a favored group.

So what's up? Our military probably also isn't ready to accept draftees. Today's military of volunteers, both men and women, is the best in the world. Don't make the military branches another social service agency for creating "equality."

And no, I don't think women should be in combat, either.

 http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/15/us/politics/congress-women-military-draft.html?_r=0

 http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/06/15/482168066/in-defense-bill-senate-approves-plan-for-women-to-register-for-draft

How many American citizens are on the terrorist watch list?

• Are any on the list in error? 
• What if 90% are foreign? They can't buy guns here under current laws, right? 
• How do you deprive a citizen of a constitutional right without a trial? 
• Do they go to jail or just lose their 2nd amendment rights? 
• Are we safer if they use a grenade or bomb? 
• Are there other rights we can lose for being on other lists--like being members of a church, for instance, and therefore can't exercise our religious rights? 
• Or rights to assemble? 
• Were Tashfeen Malik and Syed Rizwan Farook (San Bernadino) on a terrorist watch list?  
• Was Omar Mateen on a terrorist watch list?
•  How does a terrorist watch list work if we're afraid of Muslims or being called Islamophobic?

Farook was a U.S. citizen; Malik a permanent resident; Mateen was U.S. born. Mateen had apparently been a trouble maker since elementary school, but was able to get security clearance to work for a Homeland Security contractor and his status as a Muslim protected him from co-workers complaints.

Stop the hate

The ugly, divisive left continues to spew hate and bigotry-calling the Orlando tragedy the fault of Christians and Republicans. A gay Muslim, a registered Democrat who was probably also mentally disturbed (aka disabled according to our ADA) whose employer was afraid to fire him, waits for closing time at a club he frequented when people are crowding toward the exit and begins to kill. The left says it's about gun control, GOP and Christians. Demented. I'm sick of this tragedy being made a political gotcha game by Democrats and the President while parents and loved ones still making funeral arrangements,

We are not Mateen; don't tell that lie again

The more we learn about Mateen the more disturbed we learn he was--cultural Muslim radicalized on the internet, abusive to 2 wives, gay and/or bi-sexual, nasty personality, and the people he killed were in a club he often attended, so he may have known some of his victims, most of whom were probably Puerto Rican heritage.

The gun was not the problem, and it wasn't an assault weapon, it was a rifle, but that's immaterial. He could have done just as much damage with a handgun, or a fire bomb, or blowing himself up inside the building. People who knew him in high school 15 years ago say he was hateful then. He was a hater. He violated all laws about guns, yet he had been cleared by a security company with a Homeland Security contract and the FBI. To say more laws would have stopped him is just a fantasy. His co-workers had also tried to warn their employer, but due to protections accorded certain groups and fear of being called a bigot, they were ignored. "If you see something, say something," apparently only applies to abandoned luggage in airports.

Do not include yourself or me in your comment "USA society is just as mentally warped as the warped individual."  And I say that to conservatives also who cry that we're going to Hell in a hand basket because of Hillary and Obama. That's just a lie people tell themselves that is based on political hysteria. None of Mateen's qualities are mine, and not yours. Straighten your spine and do something nice today in memory of those who have died. And by the way, gun violence is half of what it was in 1994, and gun ownership is double.

Greek yogurt

Yogurt is a bit like coffee; it doesn't actually taste good, but some is less bad than others. Today I'm having fresh blueberries (lightly cooked to a sauce using Splenda) on top of Stoneyfield Organic fat free Greek Yogurt with cinnamon sprinkles. Yummy. Greek yogurt doesn't seem to get so weepy and runny. So of course, I looked it up.

 










Besides texture, here are some other differences between regular and Greek yogurt:

• Protein - Greek yogurt has almost double the protein of regular yogurt.
• Fat - Unless you're using the nonfat varieties, Greek yogurt has about three times the saturated fat than regular yogurt.
• Sodium - Greek yogurt contains about half the sodium of regular yogurt.
• Carbohydrates - Greek yogurt contains roughly half the carbohydrates of regular yogurt, but remember that adding sweeteners to either one will increase the carbohydrate count.

http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-between-regular-and-greek-yogurt-ingredient-intelligence-204137 

http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/greek-yogurt-nutrition-myths