Eid al-Adha--no English class today

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

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

ALA Banned Books Week Hoax

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

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

ALA | Banned Books Week

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

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

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

Her ears aren't pierced--big deal!

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

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

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

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

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

No dog in this fight

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

The library as amusement park

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

Governor-elect Scott Walker, Wisconsin

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

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

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

And justice for all

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

Now in an unrelated, but related story . . .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Labeled an extremist for common sense

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

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


Hal's Blog

Christians and George Soros

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bush book, Decision Points, flying off the shelves

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

Important Players – Doctrine-unfriendly

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

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

Important Players – Doctrine-unfriendly « The Berean Watch

No, No Newt

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On repealing Obamacare--expand the target

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

Article at Claremont Institute

Eat all the colors, but

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

Anyone laughing with Bill Maher now?

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

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

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

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

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

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