Since the 1960s, academic freedom has been decreasing and censorship increasing on our college campuses.
Read this account of what happened to a tenured Twain scholar almost 25 years ago when he questioned the politicization of an upper level English course at the University of Texas at Austin.
Heterodoxy article on Alan Gribben 
Clayton Luckie, Democrat, Montgomery County, Dist. 39, Ohio, “was indicted last month on 49 criminal counts accusing him of raiding $130,000 from his campaign account and spending it at places such as casinos, and furniture, jewelry and clothing stores.
Luckie, who declined to comment for this story when reached by phone, has been a no-show at state functions since July 9, when he last attended a bi-monthly meeting of the state controlling board. Since then, Luckie has been paid just over $21,000. He is slated to receive another $11,000 in salary before he leaves office at the end of the year, when his term will expire.
Luckie agreed after July 9 to stop attending controlling board meetings while his attorney negotiated with FBI agents and prosecutors, who unsucessfully sought Luckie’s resignation.”
Luckie’s trial is December 20. So who is representing the people who elected him?
Food stamps. Hit hard by the 2008 financial collapse, more Americans are using food stamps to help buy the basics this Thanksgiving than ever before. Average participation has increased 70 percent since 2007, with costs reaching $72 billion, according the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and is a major stalling point in the farm bill legislation. The Senate version, which passed last summer, cuts the program by $4 billion over 10 years, while the House version, which has not yet seen a floor vote, cuts $16 billion over the same time period, with some GOP members complaining that amount is still too low. With powerful lobbies like the defense industry rallying against the automatic budget cuts that will take effect if Congress doesn't agree on other spending reductions, food stamps are a juicy target.
Turkey. The National Turkey Federation, as a member of the newly formed Coalition to Promote U.S. Agricultural Exports, urged Congressional leaders earlier this month to pass the farm bill with strong export programs. "With the expiration of the 2008 Farm Bill on September 30, FAS [Foreign Agricultural Service] currently has no authority to run market promotion and development programs..." reads the letter, which was signed by dozens of powerful agriculture trade groups. The Federation also is part of another coalition pushing Congress to quickly normalize trade relations with Russia, pointing to $300 million in annual poultry exports to that country.
Stuffing. Whether you put bread or cornmeal in your stuffing, you can bet there's a faction of farmers behind that ingredient lobbying hard, and that the federal crop insurance program is a big issue. Both the House and the Senate reform but also expand this program. Its cost is expected to rise to $15 billion this year for taxpayers in the face of this year's drought. "Federal crop insurance provides an effective risk management tool to farmers and ranchers when they are facing losses beyond their control," wrote a group of growers trade associations last spring, including the American Farm Bureau, the American Soybean Association, and the National Corn Growers Association. Meanwhile, the Environmental Working Group, along with conservative group such as the Heritage Foundation and the budget watchdog Taxpayers for Common Sense criticize the program a subsidy that benefits wealthy growers at taxpayer expense. Also decried is the secrecy built into the program: Congress in 2000 prohibited the release of information of who benefits from crop insurance, writes the Heritage Foundation. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., has introduced legislation to require release of crop insurance beneficiaries.
Cranberry sauce. Like many an agricultural group, cranberries have their own caucus. This one, however, is new, formed in June by Massachussetts Sens. John Kerry, a Democrat, and Scott Brown, Kerry's soon-to-be former Republican colleague. "Senator Kerry has been a long-time supporter of the Massachusetts cranberry industry," notes the press release from Kerry's office. "Over the last 12 years, he has worked to secure millions of dollars in funding for important cranberry projects and research in an effort to keep Massachusetts on top as an industry leader." Cranberry growers such as Ocean Spray are on the defensive as the U.S. Department of Agriculture considers standards for sugary drinks in public schools; executives say adding sugar to the juice is necessary because of the fruit is naturally tart. The company also lobbies on issues ranging from sugar taxes to pesticides.
Pumpkin pie. Dairy price support programs expired along with the farm bill in September, leaving dairy farmers in a bind. The Dairy Famers of America has called on Congress to pass the Farm bill quickly and bring "some relief to farmers suffering through weather-related disasters and unfavorable market conditions." Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., spoke for his state's dairy industry on the Senate floor on November 14, calling for passage of the bill. Meanwhile, a coalition of sugar users--the candy and beverage industries among them--pushes yet again for reform of the sugar industry, which has beat back such attacks on sugar support programs for years. Most recently, the Senate voted during the farm bill debate to table an amendment by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., to eliminate the program.
Today I shopped at Marc’s especially for groceries to take to church for the Thanksgiving service. I’ve volunteered there so I know what is useful (at our pantry the clients get to choose from a variety of foods, and most know what they can and should eat, like low sugar, low salt, etc.) I didn’t buy Thanksgiving type food because the holiday will be over by the time these items get to the shelves, also many of the clients are different nationalities, and what we like might not be enjoyed by them. Also, I avoided glass jars, because bags break and sometimes the clients are on foot or using the bus. Here’s what I selected. I bought about 20 items and spent about $30.00.
Pasta
Spaghetti sauce, traditional
Canned fruit
Canned vegetables
Large container of applesauce
Single serving meals which include meat and vegetables (not everyone has a family)
High quality soup, low sodium (if you don’t like watery tasteless soup, they won’t either)
3 different types of cold cereal, unsweetened (we don’t eat this, but many families with children do)
Boxed mashed potato mix (a bag of potatoes is much more economical, but you don’t know the cooking situation)
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/11/20/Food-Pantries-Overwhelmed-As-Obama-Economy
For the life of me, I don’t understand the “pantries overwhelmed” message, since record numbers are signed up for food stamps, the unemployment rate supposedly is under 8%. Food pantries are run by volunteers—mostly by churches--with some paid staff, and most of the food IS NOT DONATED, it is purchased, and farmers and producers and food processors are paid by the government—it is a huge business. Our local food bank gets a lot of support from foundations and non-profits.
http://www.midohiofoodbank.org/img/PDFs/Know-Get-The-Facts/MOF-History-timeline.pdf
A Senate proposal touted as protecting Americans' e-mail privacy has been quietly rewritten, giving government agencies more surveillance power than they possess under current law.
CNET has learned that Patrick Leahy, the influential Democratic chairman of the Senate Judiciary committee, has dramatically reshaped his legislation in response to law enforcement concerns. A vote on his bill, which now authorizes warrantless access to Americans' e-mail, is scheduled for next week.
✭ Grants warrantless access to Americans' electronic correspondence to over 22 federal agencies. Only a subpoena is required, not a search warrant signed by a judge based on probable cause.
✭ Permits state and local law enforcement to warrantlessly access Americans' correspondence stored on systems not offered "to the public," including university networks.
✭ Authorizes any law enforcement agency to access accounts without a warrant -- or subsequent court review -- if they claim "emergency" situations exist.
✭ Says providers "shall notify" law enforcement in advance of any plans to tell their customers that they've been the target of a warrant, order, or subpoena.
✭ Delays notification of customers whose accounts have been accessed from 3 days to "10 business days." This notification can be postponed by up to 360 days
“Barack Obama is neither a good man nor one who wants what is best for America. He is a bad, conscienceless man, who wants to undo America in the name of a very foreign model of social organization. . .
Allen West, who is not a coward, may just have lost his congressional seat. He is losing it in part because he had the courage to say what we all know -- that there are communists in the United States Congress -- and his supposed compatriots in the GOP abandoned him as a crank.
Michele Bachmann -- whom I strongly supported in the primaries -- came within an inch of losing her congressional seat. She almost lost in part because she has had the courage to speak out about a host of constitutional issues, from the debt to the Muslim Brotherhood infiltration of the government, and her supposed compatriots in the GOP quietly refused to support her campaign in the hope that she would disappear, and take her embarrassing hard truths with her.
Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/11/a_few_things_i_never_want_to_hear_again.html#ixzz2CnRv4r4p
“. . . a nation that embraced a vast social welfare system eighty years ago, and has expanded it continually ever since; a nation that for the past fifty years has moved inexorably towards the locus classicus of socialist egalitarianism, government-controlled health care; a nation that elected and re-elected a man who has openly self-identified as a progressive and advocated wealth-redistribution; and a nation in which the popular culture is dominated by artless harlots, pimps, and gangsters, a "centrist" is a person who embraces social disintegration and authoritarianism. To be "moderately conservative" in such a milieu simply means that one finds the latest music video about teenage lesbian orgies just a little over the top.
Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/11/a_few_things_i_never_want_to_hear_again.html#ixzz2CnR8lFRJ
This summary is from Rachel, at Thoughts of a Conservative Mom, and the revelations about Petraeus and the election cover up and the bombing of Israel hadn’t even made the head lines yet (November 7).
A flood of regulations that Obama kept on hold and the media hid until after the election will start going into effect, strangling struggling businesses.
Taxmageddon – a record $494 billion tax hike – will go into effect on January 1st, 2013, plunging us into even deeper recession.
The Left will start going after the internet, citizen journalism, social media and talk radio – any competition to the Left-wing propagandist media.
Obama and the Democrat-controlled senate will begin ceding our national sovereignty to the United Nations, one treaty at a time. Parental rights, gun rights, and internet freedom are especially under threat.
Obamacare will go into full effect, bankrupting private providers and putting America on the road to single-payer, as was intended.
Planned Parenthood will expand on the taxpayer dime, preparing to perform thousands of abortions via socialized medicine.
A direct assault on religious liberty as Obama’s HHS forces religious business owners to pay for abortions, and tries to force the Catholic church – the largest competitor to the Welfare State – out of the health care industry and other charities altogether.
With the Republicans still controlling congress, Obama will simply go around them and rule by executive diktat. Republicans will have to grow the spine needed to hold him in check.
With Democrats still in control of the senate, no budgets will be passed. All of Obama’s judges and appointments will be confirmed. And if they aren’t, he’ll go ahead and appoint them anyway.
Obama will likely appoint at least two more activist judges to lifetime appointments in the Supreme Court. The senate will confirm them.
Obama will continue to block drilling and natural gas development, driving up gas prices and making us dangerously dependent on the volatile Middle East while he dumps billions more into “green” energy subsidies.
Obama’s EPA will destroy the coal industry, causing electricity rates to skyrocket, as he imposes thousands more “green” regulations on what’s left of our manufacturing and other industries.
Illegal aliens will be granted amnesty, voting rights and welfare benefits.
Our border will remain unprotected as drug cartels and terrorists invade with impunity.
Obama will continue to funnel money to the Muslim Brotherhood and weapons to terrorists.
Israel will be forced to attack Iran to prevent it from going nuclear. Obama will not support them. The Muslim world will not be afraid of action from the United States, and will feel free to join forces to destroy Israel.
Christian persecution across the globe will intensify, as the Obama administration looks the other way.
Obama’s spending spree will continue, likely bringing our national debt to a suicidal $22 Trillion before 2016.
More people will be forced into dependency on food stamps and other government programs as the Cloward-Piven strategy accelerates.
The Fed will continue to print more money out of thin air, creating hyperinflation.
We will continue on the road towards Greece. We must be prepared to feed and defend our loved ones, and care for the needy if and when the welfare state collapses.
I noticed a close out at Marc’s today for $.89. I read the label carefully (I don’t eat or put on my skin things made in China, or with only a “distributed by” on the label.) We pay big bucks for FDA and USDA, and I intend to take advantage of that. Anyway, seems to check out fine, and it has a wonderful fragrance. Just a touch will do it—my first try I had to wipe some off. Made in Canada, and the parent company is in the UK.
“Delon skin cream line products are based upon botanical remedies. Our philosophy derives from combining the decades-old wisdom inherent in botanical, herbal and floral treatments with modern ingredients and formulations. Using natural herbs and pH-balanced, many biodegradable formulas, each product is carefully formulated to deliver all the benefits of each unique blend. All of our products reflect our ongoing efforts to preserve the earth's natural resources by being environmentally friendly and cruelty-free. “
On the internet prices ranged from $4 to $8 for this size. So I’ll probably never see it again.
“The growing gap is not between classes, but between families of married couples and unmarried women with children. Women can virtually eliminate poverty by 1) finishing high school, 2) not having babies as teen-agers, and 3) marrying the father of their children. If her husband takes a job, any job and keeps it, he will almost guarantee their success.
There is still plenty of opportunity in this country--illegals who flood over our borders seeking it is proof of that. But young women need to get smart and stop listening to musicians and boyfriends who call them "Ho" and "bitch" and get down to the business of saving their future children with some backbone and pride.”
Excerpt from a blog I wrote in 2007
I’ve taken some dialect quizes on the Internet, and usually come out north or sort of Canadian. If I'd grown up around here (central Ohio), "drug my feet" would be my preference. But I grew up in northern Illinois, west of Chicago, and there I’d look like something "the cat dragged in." I also put an R in “wash” and “Washington,” which embarrasses my children. This map is a bit different than some I’ve seen, but it does feature Ohio.
I have some amazing stories, but on the off chance these people read my blogs, I’ll restrain myself.
"It is amazing to me how much Poland is becoming, God help us, like the United States. I thought they would be much more willing to hang on to their strong Catholic heritage, given what they have gone through in the last century. But instead they too associate 'freedom' with sexual license and radical feminism, and also are becoming more materialistic."
"Conservatism can thrive without progressivism. Progressivism cannot survive without conservatism. In short, a progressive worldview built on redistributionism, must have something to re-distribute. Without the efforts of the makers, the takers and their enablers are dead in the water. The most remarkable aspect of this last election is that Democrats ran on a platform that amounted to biting the hand that feeds them, and still prevailed. . . “
Anyone with an ounce of common sense knows the President knew. He just didn’t have enough faith in his supporters that they would stick with him if they knew about all the lost weapons and running guns to Syria. Oh man of little faith. There’s no way to dislodge your loyal, true blue lackies.
Both my sister and my brother and their families moved to Florida in the late 1970s, thus giving all of us a destination for winter vacations. My parents weren’t exactly snow birds, but in the early 80s they did get the hang of spending a few weeks and renting an apartment. Recently a post card has surfaced from my Aunt’s estate, probably mailed from a shorter visit, and so we have a 25 year old account of what they were doing in Florida in March 1987 written by my mother to her sister.
“Had a good trip down. Stan, Casey and Heather met us at the Sarasota airport. The weather is quite cool, but sunny. Carol will take me to the spa for swimming several mornings. Howard has browned up at the ball park with Stan. Attended Church of the Brethren again with Greg, Cindy and Ron.
String concert Sunday Eve. My old cello is back from repairs and Heather ready to take lessons.
We will be home Thursday nite. Having a great time.”
Posts
All Comments
![553772_461086940604217_1337781355_n[1]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVffD_AHOdjJCAUaEgJ_oPYJayK-jEy0ypPo-dC_XMl6WM-ib-UGCcwr8kUvghNRmUh2_mJG3vIBYvAFVTbGbvmXujwtONbLn-lESTfFeZPN356Stw5OmDr1OssNsjwermdmH0w/s1600-h/553772_461086940604217_1337781355_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg "553772_461086940604217_1337781355_n[1]")
![483617_10151338072462650_1884106996_n[1]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNAkcwN4Jz_ra2fP5N5t4Wd4pAq9zJB0ZaPF32JMhYXMzsgjgCjRse_ls-Q0HoYGbg11awCACsTn5o-KcPJyY8aaCldzxiYJDqDxmsnGF56hLiZOV1uV_L205Kbpn0FPmjD9s6A/s1600-h/483617_10151338072462650_1884106996_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg "483617_10151338072462650_1884106996_n[1]")
![402547_10152256047455427_1453004749_n[1]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ccp0TDptMiY8B4MRjgpfympo7_YPmDPjU_Gn0puOUudlo6I1DRJKA7_8z2bxcAZjC6GMXOfmcncJCrCd07N7YCe591r7_vnWNx1weqE4lPa5rPzvSEhAG6qR9nW2O-PN1mMdEw/s1600-h/402547_10152256047455427_1453004749_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg "402547_10152256047455427_1453004749_n[1]")
![644048_4927571745704_1625160903_n[1]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvN_gWwQ-sSlx7po8BIdvS8QV8PYGr-hASKir0bYuR8OZdg9nrJtPDEWWy2YRAsDuwa7bsXMngWZA1jH6BTP0hVq3TNKxfzweghRS66Cc2dHK1iYe04VPEXr_-OQMpOzWGSOgP3w/s1600-h/644048_4927571745704_1625160903_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg "644048_4927571745704_1625160903_n[1]")
![15242_10151335976042650_448570054_n[1]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK6mrfskfuCZKsm8gyLrl4AJkvSeAmnGaIDOp11bSHKbUEeE_BtJSYvPzl_R8dFPJy_ecxcavZwjzVTyaKT6N8x4ul1IzeJG-hkZgAtTQ2u6EI2xGooOrieTPtQUuz5eL5Ico0RA/s1600-h/15242_10151335976042650_448570054_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg "15242_10151335976042650_448570054_n[1]")
