Look out Illinois, here he comes

"There is a "decent chance" Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel will leave the White House as soon as October of this year to run for mayor of Chicago, a senior White House official confirmed this afternoon to CBS News, though the official stressed that no final decision has been made."

This might be your only opportunity to have the words "decent" and "Rahm Emanuel" in the same sentence. Act now if you're from Chicago.

The unintended consequences of government take-overs

This is what happens when 1) lobbyists write the bills, and 2) congress doesn't read the bills, and 3) a president puts his own leftist ideology ahead of what's good for the nation (a good economy so we can pay for health care).

"Anthem Blue Cross, Aetna Inc. and others will halt new child-only policies in California, Illinois, Florida, Connecticut and elsewhere as early as Thursday when provisions of the nation's new healthcare law take effect, including a requirement that insurers cover children under age 19 regardless of their health histories."

LATimes

Senate Republicans hold up Dream Act for children of immigrants--a lie

Republicans can't stop anything in this Congress (which is why Obama won't be sorry that some Democrats will be defeated in November--he'll be able to continue blaming Republicans for all his mistakes). And slipping the Dream Act into a defense bill is defenseless. WaPo is so biased in this story it is unbelievable that anyone buys or advertises in this yellow rag. The vote was 56-43 and 60 were needed. Arkansas Democratic Sens. Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor voted with Republicans. Majority Leader Harry Reid also voted to block the bill in a procedural move that allows the defense bill to be revived later.

The DREAM Act allows young people to become legal U.S. residents after spending two years in college or the military. I'm completely in favor of young people entering the military and achieve a fast track to citizenship--the U.S. has been doing that since the early 19th century. But why give citizenship to illegal students? Then why not any international student who is here with his/her parents for any reason?

What about all the people who have come here and followed the rules. How will the Democrats and RINOs reimburse them? Why, when a college education doesn't guarantee even a citizen a job, are we using it as a carrot for illegals to come here?

Senate Republicans hold up Dream Act for children of immigrants

Gabourey Sidibe's 'Elle' cover: Why the outrage? | EW.com

There was a photo of President Obama in the newspaper today and his skin looked lighter than mine. Must have been the lighting, because I think everyone, even Joe Biden*, knows who he is. So what's the fuss over Gabourey Sidibe? Is this a new form of racism? A black woman, can't be enhanced, can't be photographed to look glamorous, and only Oprah gets that privilege? Magazine cover editors can't make their own decision without checking with the race police? Like those white models look like that first thing in the morning?

*""I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy," Biden said. "I mean, that's a storybook, man."

Gabourey Sidibe's 'Elle' cover: Why the outrage? | EW.com

OSU's Brutus Buckeye tackled by Rufus, mascot of OU

It came as a shock that when the OU mascot, Rufus, ran on to the field he attacked Brutus Buckeye. Now after all the shock, awe and apologies, it turns out the doofus Rufus wasn't even a student at OU-- "[Brandon] Hanning, 19, is a student at Hocking College. He enrolled at OU last year but dropped out, he said. He added that he still hadn't been informed of his firing, but didn't care." Link. The only reason he tried out was so he could tackle Brutus.

"As the Buckeyes ran onto the field of the “Horseshoe,” packed with 105,000 cheering fans, Rufus spotted Brutus running out with the team, got in front of him and attempted a tackle. Brutus avoided this first attempt, with Rufus losing his head, literally. Brutus lifted his arms in a “what the hell?” gesture, and jogged away.

Rufus got up, collected his head, adjusted it and gave chase. By the time Brutus got to the end zone, Rufus caught up with him and jumped on his back, pulling him to the ground.

Brutus appeared unfazed, and made his way back up, with Rufus still clinging around his neck and striking Mr. Buckeye about his stuffed mascot head and face. The two then toppled to the painted ground again. As they got up, Rufus still swinging, Brutus pushed him off and again raised his arms in protest, with Rufus responding in kind.

A member of Ohio State security then escorted Rufus to the sideline and told him that if he touched Brutus again he would be forced to leave." Athens News

Funny? I don't think so. And after reading several accounts, it's still not clear why a non-student was their mascot. Maybe no one checked after he dropped out of school?

Minimum wage, no benefits temps hired by union to picket Wal-Mart

The UFCW of Nevada pays temporary workers minimum wage to demand fair treatment and wages from Wal-Mart. Doing the same thing it claims Wal-Mart does.

Working stiffed, the Jon Stewart show.

Bad kitty

Summer at Lakeside

Old habits die hard. Ours is a rescue cat. She was turned in at Cat Welfare, but had clearly been a pet--was declawed and spayed. However, she'd been living by her wits for awhile, possibly inside an apartment where we speculate the owner had died or gone to a nursing home. She was very adept at digging food out of the garbage disposal or trash, and would gobble all her meal in a matter of minutes instead of nibbling through the day as our other cats.

This morning when I walked in the kitchen I stepped on a chicken bone, which she had dug out of the trash.

The street easement mowing and care is a home owner's responsibility

Construction during 2009

We have "new" sidewalks in our neighborhood. The easement, which belongs to the city, is narrow and when walking you're probably within about 6' of cars and trucks whizzing by, drivers on cell phones, moms talking to kids, stuff blowing off trucks. But most of us are happy to have them, and I see a lot of people getting out to walk. It's supposed to be near 90 today, so I went out at 8:10 to take advantage of the shade walking north.

The residents at the corner of Kenny and Millcreek do not take good care of their property in general, but the easement along Kenny is a disaster. Horizontal weeds grow out on to the sidewalk 12 to 18 inches. Vertical weeds are 2-3 ft tall. Plastic bottles and bags snuggle up to the weeds.

If the owners won't take care of it, the city should give them a warning and then charge them for the maintenance.

Then on Regency Dr. a bit east of Kenny the driveway ribbons and curbs that connect to the street are crumbling and dangerous--chunks of concrete are in the street. The other streets aren't that way. Whose responsibility is this? All the houses through there are very expensive, some are for sale. I wouldn't want to purchase a home where taxes are high and maintenance and pride are low.

Sickle cell testing of athletes stirs fear of discrimination

Nothing like a helping of ignorance to assist young athletes in dying on the field.

This must be the worst case of race based discrimination I've heard in a long, long time. Don't allow the testing so you can make money on black athletes.

Sickle cell testing of athletes stirs discrimination fears

Clean the kitchen week

No, you won't find it on any calendar, but I'm declaring this as "Clean the kitchen week." Pretend your mother is visiting; or that you are moving to a new place and you don't want to take anything you won't use.

Monday: Refrigerator; toss the frosty frozen stuff; make vegetable soup from the tired left overs. The photo above is chicken broth, tomatoes left from summer (peeled), a quarter of a green pepper, some celery tops, chopped onion, and some left over brown rice. Consolidate or pitch. Wipe down the shelves. Clean the cabinet above (if you have one) and the floor below. Don't forget to vacuum the dust.

Tuesday: Gunky, sticky stuff--Stove top, oven and microwave.

Wednesday: Hard to reach stuff--get out a step stool. Shelves in cabinets, both wall and base; pantry if you have one; bookshelves if you have one in the kithen. Look at past due dates on staples; resort your can goods so you know what you have; toss discolored or old food items.

Thursday: Hidden away stuff--Drawers, including that junk drawer where you toss everything you don't know what to do with.

Friday: Shiny stuff--Counter tops, sink, faucets, pictures and mirrors (if you have them) floor.

Saturday: If you're employed, I guess you have to do Monday-Friday all in one day. Otherwise, take the day off.

Democrats spend on anti-health-reform advertisements

Where were these brave Democrats (that's a joke) when 70% of the American people let them know we didn't want ObamaCare? Politico's Sarah Kliff notes:

"Democratic candidates are spending three times more advertising against the health reform law than they are in support of it.

Since the beginning of Congress’s August recess, Democratic candidates have poured $930,000 into ads deriding the health overhaul but just $300,000 in pro-reform spots, according to Evan Tracey at Kantar Media."

Politico is a liberal site--insists on calling it "health care reform." Sounds better I suppose than health care swamp, health care sop, or health care boondoggle bill which no one read.

Clarice Feldman at American Thinker says the Democrats have noticed the guillotines being rolled up to the polling places. Would you trust a flip-flopper, tax-and-spend-and-lie-about-it, incumbant Democrat/Republican or a TEA candidate?

And what about Molly?

James Taranto of the Wall Street Journal tells about Molly Norris, a caroonist who's been driven underground and forced to give up her job for suggesting something Muslims didn't like. Now we have Sharia for our newspaper staff? Taranto continues and notes that Obama has only championed First Amendment rights for Muslims:

"Where is President Obama? Last month, speaking to a mostly Muslim audience at the White House, the president strongly defended the right of another imam held up as a moderate to build a mosque adjacent to Ground Zero. The next day, and again at a press conference last week, Obama said he was merely standing up for the First Amendment. As far as we recall, it's the only time Barack Obama has ever stood up for anybody's First Amendment rights.

Now Molly Norris, an American citizen, is forced into hiding because she exercised her right to free speech. Will President Obama say a word on her behalf? Does he believe in the First Amendment for anyone other than Muslims?"

Story about Molly Norris.

Molly disappears.

People understand the Tea Party candidates

Dan Green writes in response to Peggy Noonan: "When you see tea Party folks on the tube, or see them interviewed, I see a next door neighbor. I see someone who pays their share of taxes, struggles but pays their mortgage, I see folks who helped their kids through college. When I see or listen to numerous economists, and elected legislators, I sense babble."

Now maybe that's not a political philosphy to satisfy 8 term congressmen of both parties or rich union leaders, or Karl Rove, or mainline Protestant misleaders and passive pastors, but it works for a lot of us.

Peggy whined her way through most of George W. Bush's 2nd term, and she's not quite on board with most conservatives. . . yet. But she's moving. She's moving.

Black Civil Rights Mafia Betrays Black America

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Republican says Lloyd Marcus (Confessions of a Black Conservative). Black Americans are being mislead by dinosaur Civil Rights "leaders."

"Black kids were doing extremely well in the D.C. school voucher program. Obama killed the program to appease the teachers' union. Blacks overwhelmingly oppose illegal immigration. Obama and company support illegals because of their coveted votes. Blacks oppose gay marriage. Obama and the progressives support gay marriage. . . Please allow me to set the record straight. Beck and the Tea Party patriots are far greater stewards of MLK's dream than the "sold out" Black Mob."

American Thinker: Black Civil Rights Mafia Betrays Black America

Pertussis in California

In the first six months of 2010, there was a 418% increase from the 258 cases of pertussis reported in California during the same period in 2009. But don't blame immigration from Mexico, says the LATimes article. Mexico does an excellent job of vaccinating its children. (But do illegals once they are here?) Pertussis is whooping cough, and it's a sound you'll never forget once you've heard a child or adult who's had it. According to MMWR, pertussis is cyclical with peaks occurring every 3-5 years in the U.S. But if this increase continues in California, it would be the highest since 1963. Infants die of whooping cough--there are some parents who are spooked by vaccines, but they are putting their children and other children in grave danger.

Also, your immunity after awhile wears off and you may require a booster. I actually had the disease and don't think I've ever had the shot.

Today the world stops turning

It was probably sometime during 1956 when I stopped in to chat with a very young, stay at home mom, and was shushed because she was engrossed watching a "soap," As the World Turns, whose characters Penny Hughes (Rosemary Prinz) and Ellen Lowell (Wendy Drew) were struggling with Ellen's unwed pregnancy in the fictional Oakdale. The world stops turning today, September 17, 2010 having had a long run since it began April 2, 1956. I remember a few critical episodes from the 50's and 60's, like Ellen giving her son up for adoption and then later marrying the adoptive father, and Penny losing her husband Jeff (played by Mark Rydell) in an auto accident. I wouldn't recognize any of the story lines or characters today, so I don't think I'll tune in--I'll just remember them they way they were.

People are groomed to be Marxists

says Teague Cuddeback, a former protégée of a Marxist activist embedded within the Democratic Party. She was suckered too, so she points out what to watch for--particularly among idealistic young Christians who mean well, but don't know their Bible.

"We were young, impressionable, sometimes alienated but always seeking greater autonomy from anxious or overweening parents. We just knew we were changing the world for the better. It felt great to be appreciated, considered important, to be working under the guiding hand of someone older, but not too much older; someone in the know, well placed, intelligent, well-read, cheerful, always encouraging, affirming us as talented, valuable persons. We were praised for unselfishly standing for the disenfranchised, the disrespected, those without the legal power to do much for themselves. Oh, how we identified!"

She also makes this interesting comment about the Tea Parties:

"The TEA Party movement has emerged to the utter shame of the Republican Party. It is challenging the brain-dead thinking of those still surrendering their votes to Leftists whose policies are directly responsible for most of the social and economic ills we face today. They are having some impact. The Tea Partiers also have shocked and frightened Republican Party stalwarts who have been doing the same thing for so long with the same pathetic results and are threatened by voters who now demand accountability or their jobs.

Anyone who’s been to a TEA Party rally has felt the energy and desire to “get ‘er done” and know the blanket charges of racism are ludicrous. Democrats make these statements to disguise the fact they have been promoting genocide among blacks for decades and more recently encouraging Hispanics to be law breakers. The Tea Partiers – bless their souls – are attempting to demonstrate that it is the institutionalizing Democrats that block all efforts to unleash the native intelligence and skills of those kept poor by deception and fraud."

So ignore the charges of ignorance, racism, homophobia, Islamophobia, and take a good look at what you can do. You just might be able to see November from your house, your job, your polling place.

Ouch! Trees have feelings too

This afternoon I was at our city building which has a large concrete mall area with a low wall, and one round opening for a sycamore type tree--the type with the peeling, multi-colored bark. I'm guessing it's about 40 years old to judge from its girth. They left enough space in the original landscaping for it to really spread out.  The trees on the other side of the wall are spreading too, so it's getting harder to see the tree.  But up close you can see that huge hooks have been screwed into two lower limbs on which to hang "art."  One looks like it might be an elongated bell, the other a crooked globe trapped inside metal toothpicks.  They are BIG and HEAVY and in my judgement, not nearly as beautiful as a tree spreading its limbs to kiss the sky.  I'm afraid this is an example of tax supported "public" art--ugly rusting blobs of metal sitting around city buildings usually are. I have no idea why the artist didn't suggest an appropriate hanger for the art so the tree wouldn't need to be damaged and defaced.

Teachers union helped defeat Adrian Fenty

Why it's so hard to get a good education in a city school system. Did you know that even the non-union teachers have to pay dues to the union in order to teach in the system? They have a lot of money to defeat a politician who tries to change things to favor the students rather than the teachers--and there was indeed change happening in DCPS.

Teachers union helped unseat Fenty - Ben Smith - POLITICO.com

Four years ago the newly elected Adrian Fenty, mayor of DC and a man with a passion for improving education, appointed Michelle Rhee chancelor of the DC Schools.

"Rhee hit the ground running. She closed schools. She removed principals (who are not covered by a union) whose schools scored low on tests with more reform-minded replacements. She proposed to the Washington Teachers' Union a contract that sharply curtailed job protection. And as the contract worked its way through an interminable set of negotiations, Rhee terminated hundreds of teachers in layoffs she attributed to budget shortfalls. And she brought the union contract negotiations to a successful conclusion, trading higher salaries for less job protection.

Rhee got results. The year after she arrived, DCPS had the greatest gains of any state in fourth-grade math and was one of only five states to show increases in math for both fourth and eighth grades. The high school graduation rate increased faster than in previous years. And last month, the U.S. Department of Education awarded D.C. one of its highly competitive Race to the Top grants." NPR Report

Do the right thing, Craigslist

Do the right thing. Shut down the sex ads and go back to making your money on used refrigerators and spare bedrooms for rent. The alternative is for all honest, decent people to stop using this service.

"More than 250 Craigslist sites exist around the world that still feature 'Erotic' sections where trafficked children and women are being sold for sex," according to the letter signed by 100 representatives from such groups as the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, the Rebecca Project for Human Rights and the Salvation Army."

Craigslist under pressure