Speaking of architects

Our exercise leader, Christine, has challenged the class to count calories track the food we eat for one week. My husband is a little new at this. He was shocked to learn that although 1/2 cup of chicken, a cup of tossed salad, and 1/2 cup of cooked carrots, was only 315 calories, the one Klondike bar he had for dessert was about 450. Just didn't seem fair. Tell me about it.

The internet makes this tracking much easier than in the past.

Architects have no jobs without the wealthy--but some don't know that

Was just reading through a rant by a young architect/partner about how today's Occupiers are in a class with the poor of the French Revolution, or the northern Irish, or the riots of Arab Spring and other oppressed masses. So I viewed his firm's portfolio. Seems they do quite well with the rich and powerful and well connected. He seems to have a problem distinguishing between dictators/kings and private individuals. Even so, he'd be out of work if the Occupiers have their way--plus they'd be redistributing the wealth of his firm.

In the French Revolution people were in the streets with pitchforks and axe handles because that is the only way they could arm themselves. Today we have electronic pitchforks and a powerful surge of connectedness that Fox News and all the right wing Reaganomic spouters will not be able to shout down. One never knows exactly what triggers a movement such as this, as the freedom from Arab Spring could have been the genesis in the same way that the American Civil Rights movement helped birth uprisings in Northern Ireland back in the 60's. Like it or not we are a globally interconnected world and this appears to be the dawning of the Noosphere as predicted long ago by Teilhard de charadin. You can bet that this is all being blocked on Chinese monitors, but even oppresssive regimes like that that we are beholden too will eventually fall, as this is much larger and moving on. I encourage architects to join the fun. Just imagine the tarring and feathering of bankers and their ilk and how it could lead to a more egalitarian society. So yes, join the fun of it all and be inventive with your slogans and costumes

A Columbus man began a project in June to raise funds for a neighborhood clean-up ($1,500). He found out that it would cost $1,660 for permits and fees. Doesn't have his ducks in a row yet. So how did all these Occupy groups get their permits and approvals so quickly? In a lot of cities, they didn't, even though Tea Parties were charged and even had to get insurance. The leftists who organized these were hoping for the violence that erupted in Oakland, and the arrests in other cities. And the more violence (which the young architect thought would be fun to see), the more over-time for police.

Richmond Tea Party Sues City: Charge #Occupy Protesters Or Refund $10,000 For Rallies at Plaza

Why charge patriots $10,000 for permits, portable toilets, police presence and emergency personnel for three rallies held at the same plaza where the Occupy Richmond squatters set up their camp? The group also had to purchase a $1 million insurance policy.

Richmond Tea Party Sues City: Charge #Occupy Protesters Or Refund $10,000 For Rallies at Plaza | The Gateway Pundit

“When we were applying for our permits, did the city say, ‘Oh never mind, we’re children of the 60s, we believe in the First Amendment’? No, they didn’t tell us that,” she said. “We’re almost being punished for following the law. We do have a problem when others are protesting in the same exact park and they don’t have to follow the same rules.”

Calls and emails made by CBS Washington to “Occupy Richmond” officials and Jones’ office seeking comment were not immediately returned.

Tea Party to Mayor: Make ‘Occupy Richmond’ Pay Up « CBS Washington

In each of those cities where the Occupy Forces have not paid for permits and extra police and toilets, but other groups have, they should be required to pay.

The same thing happened in Boston.

Occupy Boston Gets Free City Services The Tea Party Paid For » American Glob

Ask a librarian

The site meter at my blog shows the question that sent the searcher to my site. I was amused by this one, "if i defalted on student loans 20 years ago how does obama's plan help me"

Figures.

Those Demonstrators in the Park

"The Occupy Wall Street misfits are actually in the minority even along Zuccotti Park, where my agents found them outnumbered by tourists and police. The same is true in Washington, D.C.'s McPherson Square. Yet you need not take my word for it. Consider the polling done by Douglas Schoen, a pollster who served President Bill Clinton and is doubtless still a loyal Democrat. He polled the Zuccotti Park patriots and found "the movement doesn't represent unemployed America and is not ideologically diverse. Rather, it comprises an unrepresentative segment of the electorate that believes in radical redistribution of the wealth, civil disobedience, and, in some instances, violence." As for Americans in general, they are not so high on the folks in the park. A USA Today/Gallup poll taken between October 15 and 16 found 22 percent approved of the movement's goals, 15 percent disapproved, and 63 percent said they did not know enough about the movement to make a judgment.

That does not sound like the Occupiers are making a lot of headway with the average American. But they are making headway with Liberal Democrats." And he goes on the name names.

The American Spectator : Those Demonstrators in the Park

Apparently night vision goggles have allowed police to determine that very few "occupiers" are spending the night in their tents. Also, in New York, the kitchen crew of Zuccotti Park have rebelled and no longer want to feed the homeless--so they are switching to brown rice and something else organic. I suppose they figure the street people can get better fare somewhere else.

Occupy Wall Street kitchen slowdown targets squatters - NYPOST.com

Yams and sweet potatoes--like OWS and the Tea Party

Our Monday exercise class instructor challenged the class to track calories for one week, so I've been reading labels and checking the internet. I'm a bit bored with the usual fare of peas, beans and corn, so today at Giant Eagle I looked at sweet potatoes--or thought I did. I actually almost picked up a yam, which isn't even close in nutritional value to a sweet potato. The two aren't even related. Yam has 3% vit. A; sweet potato has 770%. Yam is inflammatory; sweet potato is highly anti-inflammatory.

Sweet potato
770% vit. A
65% vit. C.
180 Calories
Highly anti-inflammatory
This food is low in Sodium, and very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6 and Potassium, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Manganese.

Yam
3% vit. A
27% vit. C
158 calories
Moderately inflammatory
This food is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Potassium and Manganese

Sweet potatoes: Popular in the American South, these yellow or orange tubers are elongated with ends that taper to a point and are of two dominant types. The paler-skinned sweet potato has a thin, light yellow skin with pale yellow flesh which is not sweet and has a dry, crumbly texture similar to a white baking potato. The darker-skinned variety (which is most often called "yam" in error) has a thicker, dark orange to reddish skin with a vivid orange, sweet flesh and a moist texture.

The true yam: is the tuber of a tropical vine (Dioscorea batatas) and is not even distantly related to the sweet potato. The word yam comes from African words njam, nyami, or djambi, meaning "to eat," and was first recorded in America in 1676.

The yam tuber has a brown or black skin which resembles the bark of a tree and off-white, purple or red flesh, depending on the variety. They are at home growing in tropical climates, primarily in South America, Africa, and the Caribbean. Yams are generally sweeter than a sweet potato.

So, from now on, I'm buying only sweet potatoes--better nutrition and highly anti-inflammatory.

For lunch I'm having sweet potato sticks, with some fresh spinach. Not sure it will exactly this in appearance, but all the nutritional stuff should be there.

The Entitlement Trap by Richard and Linda Eyre

Glenn Beck interviewed the author of this book tonight, as well as Tony Evans, a black pastor from Dallas who has a program called Adopt a School.

Book Review: The Entitlement Trap by Richard and Linda Eyre » mommablogsalot.com

The tax payers are picking up the tab for the remainders

President Obama reported between $1 million to $5 million in royalties in 2010 for “Dreams from My Father,” and between $100,001 and $1 million for “The Audacity of Hope,” and now the State Department has spent $70,000 buying up probably what's left of Dreams. I've seen them in used book sections for about $2.00. According to a State Department rep, it's just SOP. “We also provide key library collections with books about the United States,” Noel Clay, the spokesman, told The Times. Analysis of his books--style, word choice, etc. and his lack of previous experience writing, have left some doubt as to whether he's actually the author.

It's not the money--this is pennies in government waste of tax dollars. It's the appearance of narcissism and impropriety.

State Dept. spends $70K on Obama books - Washington Times

Brian and Norma chatting on an airplane

This is fiction of course, based on a circulating e-mail and my recent experience with an atheist spammer.

An atheist (St. Brian the Godless) was seated next to a little girl (Norma) on an airplane and he turned to her and said, "Do you want to talk? Flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger."

The little girl, who had just started to read her book, replied to the total stranger, "What would you want to talk about?"

"Oh, I don't know," said the atheist. "How about why there is no God, or no Heaven or Hell, or no life after death?" as he smiled smugly.

"OK," she said. "Those could be interesting topics, but let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff, grass. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, and a horse produces clumps. Why do you suppose that is?"

The atheist, visibly surprised by the little girl's intelligence, thinks about it and says, "Hmmm, I have no idea."

To which the little girl replies, "Well then, -- do you really feel qualified to discuss why there is no God, or no Heaven or Hell, or no life after death, when you don't know shit?"

And then she went back to reading her book reporting him to his ISP for spamming and stalking her.

Forwarded from Rick and Kate

The lemon joke

Sally Mullihan of Coral Springs, Florida decided to take one of the jobs that Americans are not willing to do. The woman applying for a job in a Florida lemon grove seemed to be far too qualified.

She had a liberal arts degree from the University of Michigan and had worked as a social worker and school teacher.

The foreman frowned and said, "I have to ask you, have you had any actual experience in picking lemons?"

"Well, as a matter of fact, I have! I've been divorced three times, owned 2 Chryslers and I voted for Obama."

Forwarded e-mail from Bill Kientz

Protestors ‘Will Come For You, Drag You Into The Streets

Geraldo Rivera ridiculed Glenn Beck on O'Reilly a few nights ago--called him paranoid and delusional because he warned us about the potential violence in the occupy movement. But here's a video of the left agreeing with him--"Take a banker out by the tower and string him up on the town square." Where are all the alarmed Democrats who thought Sarah Palin shouldn't use the word "target" in her campaign. Glenn has had these Soros/Tide Foundation/Union supported movement pegged from the beginning. Why not just believe their words, argues Glenn. They've told us what their intentions are. Yes, why don't you?

Glenn Beck: Protestors ‘Will Come For You, Drag You Into The Streets, And Kill You’ | Mediaite

Clinton on Qaddafi: "We came, we saw, he died"

Army privates who were assigned to guard prisoners were roundly criticized for "torturing" men by requiring them to don women's underwear (sexually humilited I believe was the term) taking their photos and listening to loud music, along with the Commander in Chief, for Abu Graib for their bad behavior. How much then should we expect from an Ivy League graduate, a lawyer, a former first lady of Arkansas, former first lady of our country, and the Secretary of State. She jokes about the death of Qaddafi? My how standards change for Democrats when it's their administration.

Clinton on Qaddafi: "We came, we saw, he died" - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

Tides Foundation Grantee Was Founded by Convicted Terrorist

Keep an eye on the "Velvet Revolution," which is attempting to undermine our military and links to Van Jones, Obama's former green czar.

Tides Foundation Grantee Was Founded by Convicted Terrorist - Big Journalism

Bill Maher with Van Jones About our "Occupy Wall Street" | www.StopTheChamber.com

The New American

Obama’s ‘Green Czar’ Van Jones: ‘Green Jobs’ Goal is ‘Complete Revolution’ Away From ‘Gray Capitalism’ [update 6: 9/11 Truther and The Nancy Pelosi Connection]

This is odd--faculty already get a break on their kids' tuition

Dear Medical Center Faculty:

If you have a child who is applying to The Ohio State University College of Medicine this year, we would like to know about it.

While we do not guarantee acceptance into the program, we would like to be notified that your child is applying so that we may be sure that their application receives the appropriate attention. Your child's application will be subjected to the same rigorous review process of any other applicant.

If you have a son or daughter who has applied to the College of Medicine, please contact us by email . . .

Failed Democrat Politician Sues Critics for the truth

This needs to be watched! An Ohio congressman Steve Driehaus loses his job (representing his district) after one term, and he blames the group that publicized his voting record? And an Obama appointed judge instead of laughing him out of court, is letting the suit go forward.

"During the 2010 elections the Susan B. Anthony List engaged in a campaign to identify and call out a group of allegedly anti-abortion-rights members of Congress who provided the margin that allowed President Barack Obama's reform of the nation's healthcare system to get through the U.S. House of Representatives. The Susan B. Anthony List said their vote in favor of the law, which did not include any pro-life protections, amounted to a betrayal of their pro-life principles. . .

The accompanying executive order the president signed regarding abortion was designed to provide political cover to a group of House Democrats whom he needed to win. It was no substitute for the so-called "Stupak Amendment" that would have written pro life protections into the healthcare bill but was defeated on the House floor. . .

U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Black is the former president and director of the Planned Parenthood Association of Cincinnati. As seeming conflicts of interest go this one is a real humdinger."

Failed Democrat Pol Sues Critics Over Election Loss - Peter Roff (usnews.com)

Everybody's Getting Drunk at the Holiday Party

She thinks it's the economy. It's always been pathological Ms. Casserly. I remember attending an office party 51 years ago in Indianapolis, where the host (a VP I think) had wet himself long before we got there--probably started around 3 p.m. I'll never forget what an embarrassment he was to his wife, family and company, greeting people with urine streaming into his shoes and socks trying to kiss the ladies. Out of control drinkers don't need an excuse. If it's not the economy, then it's something else.

Everybody's Getting Drunk at the Holiday Party - And Not Because It's Fun - Forbes

Rightwords... Prudent Conservatism

Check out this blog by a retired engineer--he's good.

The cries for free everything [at the Occupy sites], and down with capitalism, are so old they smell of the musty basements and ratty holes in the wall where all manner of dusty propaganda pamphlets have been stored for over 50 or more years waiting for the time to come out once again. One can almost hear Gus Hall exhorting his followers to man the streets. Or so the new generation of radicals must believe that do not realize their ancient, collectivist, anti-capitalist ideas have been thoroughly discredited, stuffed and flushed every time they have arisen in America, and will again if called for in jig time.

Rightwords... Prudent Conservatism

Slow to the gate--Ohio State students

Being a university town (Ohio State has about 50,000 students on one campus) I thought our students would be louder and rowdier about the Occupy thing, and then did finally hear that yesterday they were going to march from the campus to the state house.

Then today I read a notice about a lecture on medical disparities in the conference theater in the spiffy new $100 million union named for U.S. Bank, so I looked that up. U.S. Bank has $1.1 billion in deposits in central Ohio in 46 branches, and in exchange for the bank’s $1.05 million donation, the Minneapolis-based bank signed on for a 25-year naming rights deal to the 2,500-square-foot conference theater in the Ohio Union. Think of all the classroom buildings, theaters, playing fields, streets, parking lots, auditoriums, museums and schools that will need to give back money, if the Occupy whiners are successful in completely demonizing the banks. After all, it wouldn't be fair for some schools and cities to have the funds and not others.

Or, what if students just said NO to credit cards and used only checks or cash for their campus expenses? They could probably save even more if they said NO to beer and pizza!!!

Democrats and the Teachers' unions--Illinois

Although this story is from the Rockford Register Star in Illinois, it's business as usual for teachers' unions. Most teachers are Republicans, but they are forced to contributed to Democratic causes, candidates and scams through their unions. In Ohio, you can't teach if you don't pay union dues, although there's no compulsory membership. They just want your money. To stop these abuses so that school boards can negotiate what's best for the children, not the union officials, vote YES on ISSUE 2.

Two lobbyists with no teaching experience will be allowed to count past years as union employees toward state teacher pensions after substitute teaching for only one day in 2007, according to a published report today.

The Illinois Federation of Teachers' political director, Steven Preckwinkle, and another union lobbyist, David Piccioli, took advantage of legislation allowing union officials to get into the teacher pension fund and count previous years as union workers after quickly obtaining teaching certificates and conducting classroom work before the legislation was signed into law in 2007, according to a Chicago Tribune and WGN-TV investigation published today.

According to the report, Preckwinkle, 59, could collect $2.8 million by the time he's 78. Piccioli, 61, could receive around $1.1 million by age 78.

Illinois lobbyists qualify for pensions after 1 day subbing - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

He wants to see less of me

After my physical, my doctor nicely told me he'd like to see less of me--meaning I need to lose some weight. Our exercise class is going to keep track of calories for one week. I don't like to commit to long term (except marriage), but for one week I can do. I found a nice Daily Food Diary on the internet, and photocopied it. A number of them required saving and unzipping, and those never seems to work for me. This one just opened, and I printed it.