Preparing for summer

Most of my on-line subscriptions come to my OSU mail box, which doesn't have a very large cache. Since I can't always get to it in the summer through webmail, last night I went in an began "unsubscribing." I must have cleaned out 15-20 things that appear with some regularity. Some I don't remember subscribing to--I think they must have sent out cookies if I visited their sites. Hopefully, this will help with the crush.

What Lake Erie looks like on my morning walk in the summer.

Weiner Fights to Control Lewd Photo Scandal

I don't care for Weiner at all--his attacks on Glenn Beck were just silly. However, I don't think he's stupid enough to send a photo of his arousal (or a stock photo of one) to a college co-ed through his Twitter account, and if making that mistake, would make the keystroke mistake also and send it to all his followers. These hackings are not impossible to track down, and in the meanwhile, I'll just say it couldn't happen to a more deserving creep.

Dem Weiner Fights to Control Lewd Photo Scandal

Will they survive?

When these flowers were planted I think it was about 50 degrees (on Saturday) and we were running the furnace. Then on Sunday we had 2 hours of thunderstorm warnings and strong wind. On Monday the temperatures soared into the 90s. I hope they can survive our no-Spring Spring.

"Scooping up the useful idiots"-- or "free Palestine"

Too bad if you missed Glenn Beck this evening. He had some great video of a Socialist/Communist speaking at a conference explaining why they were joining forces with Muslim radicals. Why slogans about pushing Israel into the sea were useful, but they believe they will in the end come out the winners in the struggle for the globe--not the Muslims (good luck on that one). They will use the Muslims to defeat capitalism, and then when that is achieved, dump on them. But even Glenn admits he missed the Palestinian flag appearing in all the various riots that have been occurring from Greece to Scotland to Egypt this Spring (he then showed the photos, and there they were, hiding in plain sight). That is the one rallying cry, the socialist explained with a smile. This is how we will defeat capitalism.

Yes, this is what sucks in the western liberals. Such tender, foolish hearts. Especially church types. Oh my, how they weep for Palestine. What fools. Useful idiots, opined Glenn, being scooped up by the Marxists.

Sports Illustrated investigation on Jim Tressel, Ohio State

Not a flattering story. This is apparently what prompted OSU to dump Jim Tressel, and why it appeared on a holiday. The magazine was coming out late on the 30th.

Sports Illustrated investigation on Jim Tressel, Ohio State - SI.com - Magazine

How Lutherans define God--from the Augsburg Confession (1530)

"Our Churches, with common consent, do teach that the decree of the Council of Nicaea concerning the Unity of the Divine Essence and concerning the Three Persons, is true and to be believed without any doubting; that is to say, there is one Divine Essence which is called and which is God: eternal, without body, without parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, the Maker and Preserver of all things, visible and invisible; and yet there are three Persons, of the same essence and power, who also are coeternal, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And the term "person" they use as the Fathers have used it, to signify, not a part or quality in another, but that which subsists of itself.

They condemn all heresies which have sprung up against this article, as the Manichaeans, who assumed two principles, one Good and the other Evil: also the Valentinians, Arians, Eunomians (extreme Arians), Mohammedans (Muslims), and all such. They condemn also the Samosatenes, old and new, who, contending that there is but one Person, sophistically and impiously argue that the Word and the Holy Ghost are not distinct Persons, but that "Word" signifies a spoken word, and "Spirit" signifies motion created in things." Book of Concord, (1959, translated from German)

The Roman Catholic Church and all orthodox groups of Christians accept this without qualification, although if you really investigate today's seminaries, the teaching of Jesus as a separate created being lingers in academe and there are priests and pastors alike who are playing word games, speaking with forked tongues and crossed fingers.

The Augsburg Confession's teaching of the Trinity has been held throughout all the generations of the Church. But after this point, Christians start to diverge. And if there is a sect today that gains popularity and is considered heretical by other Christians, this statement is usually the problem.

There's a reason the church needs creeds and confessions; error and heresies just keep repeating themselves in each generation. Arianism, whether lite or extreme, is an attack on the diety of Christ, and that along with Gnosticism (attack on his humanity) seem to be at the root of most of today's false teachings. Either way--whether you're marketing the church's message of good works and personal growth ala Rick Warren type stuff never mentioning the saving work of Christ or you're caught up in DiVinci Code type speculation and titillation, you're just repeating the old problems foretold in the New Testament, particularly Jude. The early church fathers had today's emergent/emerging church trends in their sites.

Although Lutherans and Catholics link arms in many areas of politics, social justice, abortion, euthanasia, prison ministry, health issues, disaster relief and care of the poor and homeless, they are as divided today as they were in the 16th century on doctine--grace, faith, justification, the role of (Peter) tradition in the church, the sacraments, indulgences, purgatory, and the role of the priesthood.

Memorial Day--Poppy Day--Monday Memories

The Junior Auxiliary was selling poppies in Forreston, Illinois--probably 1950. My dad was the 13th District Commander of the American Legion, which had a total membership of 6,500 when he was membership chairman, and he was post Commander of Forreston in 1950.

Occasionally the viral messages get it right

This one came through this morning. I don't pass them on usually, but this one was good, whoever wrote it.

As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. . .

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging. Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM or sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 - 70's, and if I, at the same time, to weep over a lost love. . . I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.

They, too, will get old. I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

First person, that's our President, all the time

It's all about me
It's all about me (Oh yeah)
Me, myself and I
It's all about me
It's all about me [you know it's all about me]
It's all about me, me, me me me [you know it's all about me]
Everybody knows i'm fly [you know it's all about me]
It's all about me 
Murray sent the follow comparisons of a Bush achievement and an Obama achievement. Something was very wrong with our president's upbringing. Or maybe he was born with a narcissistic personality, and all the training in the world can't undo it?

George W. Bush speech after capture of Saddam:
The success of yesterday's mission is a tribute to our men and women now serving in Iraq. The operation was based on the superb work of intelligence analysts who found the dictator's footprints in a vast country. The operation was carried out with skill and precision by a brave fighting force. Our servicemen and women and our coalition allies have faced many dangers in the hunt for members of the fallen regime, and in their effort to bring hope and freedom to the Iraqi people. Their work continues, and so do the risks. Today, on behalf of the nation, I thank the members of our Armed Forces and I congratulate 'em.

Barack Obama speech after killing of bin Laden:
And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al Qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network. Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and I authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice. Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan."

Did You Know--New York (the state)

For every American who comes to New York, roughly two depart for other states. Why? Terrible business climate, cost of living, high property taxes. Link.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's love child--and more to come?

His biographer says he's a womanizing scum bag, and many people seem to know, but the Kennedy name offered him protection.

The number of women who claim he has groped their breasts are legion, including his Terminator co-star Linda Hamilton, British TV presenter Anna Richardson, waitresses across LA and production assistants on his films. Yet despite the evidence of his womanising, sadism and sleazy past, Schwarzenegger still managed to become Governor of California and stay married to Maria Shriver for a quarter of a century.

Part of the reason for his success, and his survival, has been the protection that his marriage into the Kennedy clan has, until now, afforded him (John F. Kennedy was Maria Shriver’s uncle). In short, having the imprimatur of America’s royal family has enabled Arnold to behave as he wishes, without suffering any of the consequences.

And though I researched and documented the real story of Arnold’s infidelity in my 1990 book Arnold: An Unauthorised Biography, the majority of the American media chose to turn a blind eye.

Arnold Schwarzenegger love child: Biographer says the dark truth is still to emerge | Mail Online

Comparing Social Security with private investment for retirement

One of the better and easy to understand explanations I've seen. Especially that 100% death tax.

Christian and Jewish Leaders Respond to Obama's Attack on Israel

Probably a good thing he flew off to Moneygall--things are pretty hot here at home. Pamela Geller summarizes some of the outrage in this piece (although she didn't include me). How many of these concessions have worked in the past? Is his intention to destroy Israel, or maybe, to destroy his chances of a second term--'cause maybe he's just tired?

Christian and Jewish Leaders Respond to Obama's Attack on Israel - Atlas Shrugs

Lutherans weren't worried about May 21

The secret rapture, where some people are snatched away and others left behind for a second chance, isn't familiar to most Lutherans (or really most Protestant groups), unless maybe they've joined a neighborhood Bible study outside their tradition. The "rapture" is when Jesus returns, the dead in Christ are raised and then immediately comes the judgement of the living and the dead and the reward. See Matthew 24-25. It is also described in 2 Peter:10, but what follows is what is important: "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness . . . so make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. . . "

So, although there were a lot of jokes about May 21 (like what did you pack for the trip), at least a few people probably stopped to think about whether they were ready. In God's economy, nothing is wasted.

Netanyahu, the anti-Obama

Nine months ago, George F. Will nailed it. He compared Netanyahu and Obama. . .

"Netanyahu, the former commando and fierce nationalist, and Barack Obama, the former professor and post-nationalist."

"Netanyahu, his focus firmly on Iran, honors Churchill because he did not flinch from facts about gathering storms. Obama returned to the British Embassy in Washington the bust of Churchill that was in the Oval Office when he got there."

George F. Will - Netanyahu, the anti-Obama

10 Tips For Downsizers With Too Much Stuff from Forbes Magazine

I did a little downsizing this week. Very little. It's tough to part with stuff! In putting away the laundry, I counted my husband's pj's--12--and eliminated 3. Found some lacy lingerie I'd never worn that went into the giveaway box, and some of my own pajamas that had moved from Champaign to Columbus in 1967--still looked good, but a bit smallish, so that went into the trash. Then I found a box with my mother's tablecloths. Wrong size, wrong colors, wrong era--I'll never use them--but they went back in the box. Too many memories. The entire New Testament on cassette tape went to the library sale along with dups from my magazine collection. I seem to have lost my little Walkman cassette player.

This Forbes article is mainly about selling; that's a hassle too, isn't it? In fact, it's against our condo rules to have a garage or yard sale, and I think for a tag sale you have to go off the grounds. Even carting off donations isn't easy--each place has its own rules and own drop off sites. I usually just take it to the church bins (if clothing) and let the sorters deal with it.

10 Tips For Downsizers With Too Much Stuff - Ashlea Ebeling - The Best Revenge - Forbes

But I did make headway on my magazine (first issue) collection, which if stacked would go floor to ceiling. We painted the upstairs hall and shelves earlier in the spring, and they all had to be moved. About 2/3 went into a wooden box, formerly the children's toy box from the late 1960s, then a box for old architectural drawings, then a box for old VHS tapes, and now the home of magazines tied up with ribbons by subject matter--life style, travel, minorities, animals, technology, wealth acquisition, women, families, children, cooking, and so forth.

This is what the hall shelving used to look like with my magazines leaning and lurching.

I had to wait about 2-3 weeks for the paint to really set before I could move anything back, but the new trim color really brightened the hall.

These colorful boxes only hold some of the magazines, most of which are now in the family room in the former toy/drawing/vhs box/coffee table. The color doesn't look very good because I took it with my cell phone which doesn't have a flash.

Mark Levin: Why does Obama hate Israel?

Listen to yesterday's audio.

Does Obama understand anything? The Turks controlled Palestine from 1291 to the end of WWI. Then the area was a British Mandate until 1948. They aren't Palestinians either. There were always Arabs there; there were always Jews there; there were always Christians (at least since the time of Christ). The Palestinian Arabs who live in Israel have it better than Palestinian Arabs who live any where else. No one wants them except for political clout and pawns to beat up on Israel.

You know, I don't doubt Obama's Hawaiian birth certificate, but I do doubt what planet he's from--he is an alien to everything that is American.

Obama's May 19 speech

The advisers, czars and minions of the Obama administration have skillfully placed dynamite in the cracks of our culture--a deteriorating, decaying hodge-podge of special interests, academicians lusting for government grants, rabble rousers of multiculturalism, diversity and feminism, greedy union thugs, weak churches of all denominations and sects, government controlled and regulated capitalist-cronyism, environmentalist green-pantheists, and voters who have become couch potatoes, slugs and voyeurs watching celebrities copulate and the obese, brides and dancers frolic on reality TV.

If there is a Jonah or Noah or Moses out there struggling with God about who he should send to warn, rescue or lead us, I hope God wins the argument, but it’s just possible He’s looked at this mess and said, "You’ve got just what you deserve," and this is the man I've chosen to blow up an interesting experiment.

President Obama’s Message To Israel: Go To Hell

Jewish donors warn Obama on Israel

Israel Expects Obama to Take Back ‘1967 Lines’ Demand - Defense/Middle East - Israel News - Israel National News

Column One: Obama’s war on Israel - JPost - Opinion - Columnists

Arkansas man first convicted under hate crime law

The wildly ridiculous act which will cause much mischief down the road, "The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act" which was tacked onto a military appropriations bill in 2009 and signed by President Obama has claimed its first headline--a 19 year old arrested for doing something that is always a crime, but somehow based on the color of the skin of the perp and the 5 targets, becomes a worse crime. I mean, a 19 year old Mexican American chasing and threatening 5 Mexicans wouldn't have been a hate crime and the U.S. Dept. of Justice would have ignored it. Same with blacks--even though most heinous crimes against minorities, particularly women, are committed by members of that ethnic or racial group.

Crimes against Euro-Americans because of their skin color will not be called "hate crimes," even though that too happens. The President can refer to business men as "fat cat bankers" or Boston police as "stupid" even though he should know from history the first conjures an image of rich Jews and the second the working class Irish. Be assured, he will not be charged with a hate crime, no matter how often he alludes to wealthy white people as being evil and encourages groups like ACORN or SEIU to threaten them with physical harm.

This act was H.B. 1913 when it passed the house in 2009, and included about 30 protected sexual proclivities as "life style choices," such as asphyxophilia - sexual gratification derived from activities that involve oxygen deprivation through hanging, strangulation, or other means; coprophilia - sexual arousal associated with feces; gerontosexuality - distinct preference for sexual relationships primarily or exclusively with an elderly partner; pedophilia - Sexual activity with a prepubescent child; urophilia - sexual arousal associated with urine, and maybe 25 others. I'm not sure all those got included in the appropriations bill.

Really, someone drunk in a bar could tell a really smarmy joke expecting to get a laugh about the ex-Governor of California and his Guatemalan mistress and someone might call the police because it was a hate crime--intended to hurt or lead to violence of a protected class--Hispanic mistresses. When bizarre expansions of federal control and power can't pass the smell test (or the House), they can slip in as an appropriation--like this one.

Arkansas man first convicted under hate crime law | Arkansas Blog

They could wait no longer

Yesterday a very wet, soggy landscape designer came to the door and introduced himself (I didn't recognize him) as the one we'd hired to cut, trim and replant our patio "garden." Rain or not, they had to do it. So here it is, with my new cheapy cell phone photo option I just learned to use today.

Looks like some azeala plants, a boxwood or two, the old dying evergreens were taken out, the stone wall rebuilt, some weeds pulled and mulch applied.