Not Obama’s standard

This should be Obama's standard for SNAP--not how many people he has added, but how many don't need it anymore.

During the last five years, the SNAP program grew by 36.8%, from $58,223,790,000 in 2009 to $79,641,880,000 in 2013. http://cnsnews.com/news/article/ali-meyer/record-20-households-food-stamps-2013#sthash.rIiq4riE.dpuf

However, the number on food stamps decreased in 2012 and 2013 as the economy improved, despite the recruitment for more participants.

In the U.S., hunger is on the list of missing, politically incorrect words; it is “food insecurity,” a much more plastic, pliable term, and it only has to occur very briefly to be included in the stats.

According to USDA Economic Research Service 11.1 percent of all US households were food insecure during some period during 2006. That percentage of food insecure households increased to 14.5 in 2010.

 

Notice the huge jump in costs in 2009—ARRA money was used to recruit more users. By government think, this “infused” money quickly into the economy, but I suspect most went to hire additional workers rather than provide improved nutrition.

From 2007 to 2010, the number of families below 125% of the federal poverty level increased by 16% (because of the recession). That's a lot of people--mostly children without fathers in the home. However, the number of households receiving SNAP benefits increased by 58%. This means that the SNAP recipiency ratio, or the ratio of households receiving SNAP to that below 125% of the poverty line rose by 37%. "The Redistribution Recession," by Casey Mulligan

Urban Institute, a progressive think tank, believes SNAP helps the poor and the economy, as does all the government reports. After all, it is a USDA program. Here’s their take. http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412613-SNAPs-Role-in-the-Great-Recession-and-Beyond.pdf

When Israel is boycotted, it hurts Palestinian Arabs

[John] Kerry, and many others in the West, understand perfectly well that boycotting Israel reduces job opportunities not only for Jews, but also for Palestinians who work for in Israeli factories, farms and settlements, inside Israel as well as in the West Bank. The Palestinians who work there often receive ten times the remuneration, as well as better working conditions, than they would find among their own people, as has been revealed recently by the workers at companies that have actually been building real bridges of peace such as SodaStream, rather than organizations that have been sanctimoniously blowing up the bridges for peace, as Oxfam has. As usual, the Europeans know what will happen if there are fewer ways for the Palestinians to earn a decent living, as they knew when they left all their colonies. In the West Bank, you lose your job, you sell you house, then you sell your car, then after a year, someone knocks on the door and says they will pay you if you throw rocks The first year you say no; the second year you say yes. The Europeans evidently care more about flagellating Israel than helping Palestinians. They are presumably happy to leave the "savages" to go jobless, hungry and at the mercies of their corrupt dictatorships. What good people the Europeans are!"

http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4177/john-kerry-europeans

Palin and Romney

The situation in Ukraine is one that needs an outside, respected leader to call together the European powers to see what can be done to save the Ukrainians from the Russian bear (which killed about 10 million of them in the 1930s and no one spoke up on their behalf). Unfortunately, the 2 we have who know world history and the role fuel plays in these aggressive actions were ridiculed and silenced by our pansy press and fumbling Democrats.

We’re in trouble when Rob Lowe nails it

Some religions are sanctioned for teaching at state universities

"Ohio State's Integrative Medicine Clinic offers acupuncture, Ayurveda, chiropractic, massage, mindfulness instruction, and yoga."  Wexner Medical Center brochure, go.osu.edu/integrativehealth

If you wish to practice the religious observances and techniques of Ayurveda, mindfulness or Yoga, should it be through a state university that probably wouldn't include Christian prayer, music or liturgy in its medical program and course offerings, even though there is enough research available to show Christians live longer and enjoy better health?

Brief definitions from Wikipedia:

“Mindfulness as a psychological concept is the focusing of attention and awareness, based on the concept of mindfulness in Buddhist meditation.”

“Yoga, from the word “yuj” (Sanskrit, “to yoke” or “to unite”), refers to spiritual practices that are essential to the understanding and practice of Hinduism.”

Ayurveda is a discipline of the upaveda or "auxiliary knowledge". It is treated as a supplement or appendix of the Vedas themselves, usually either the Rigveda or the Atharvaveda. The samhita of the Atharvaveda itself contains 114 hymns or incantations for the magical cure of diseases.

                 

A phone, a pen and a Putin

Top 10 actresses compared to top 10 actors

The ignorant right

Sometimes I can’t believe the way some conservative talk show hosts, bloggers, on-line news hounds and website owners underrate President Obama. Folks, he’s not dumb, or careless, or naïve.  He would be if he had core American values, but he doesn’t.  Why does the right continue to fall for this, putting out insipid cartoons, wringing their hands, and thus taking their eyes off the November 2014 prize?

It’s no coincidence that we’re having this flurry of gay marriage law suits and gay coming out parties.  Obama was firmly in the traditional marriage camp until he found out the U.S. Catholic Bishops finally got a spine and were going to hold the line on just who created this universe. The Catholics are leading the fight on abortion and the HHS mandate--compulsory contraceptives in insurance forced on religious agencies despite the assurances of the first amendment.  I guess they figured out from closing their adoption agencies that the thugs in government meant business, and they’d better not concede another inch. 

Compulsory abortions and euthanasia in government health plans are not outside the realm of possibility if the social thugs just use the same tactics--a few cute TV shows to soften the brain and conscience, celebrities yukking it up with Bill Maher, ridiculing people on Twitter who want to save mama or the disabled, and then calling anyone a bigot or racist who disagrees.

The Roman Catholic Church is the largest provider of social services in the world, the only organization/entity that can compete with a government—any government. The Protestants, totally fractured and disorganized into thousands of competing groups, are a push over for Obama. He talks and walks their language. Learned it in Chicago.  They’ve already got divorced pastors, gay choir directors and “committed partners” teaching Sunday School.  They are not even worth worrying about in the social/cultural battle.  He will have to take on the only church that still stands for something and has some power—and unfortunately there are enough squabbling, petty Christians around who will help him do it.

It’s worked for Benghazi

Holodomor

Some background on U.S. ignoring problems in Ukraine--the Holodomor of the 1930s--80 years ago. Stalin starved 6-10 million Ukrainians to death. The U.S. was silent--there were Communists in the FDR administration. http://www.holodomorct.org/history.html

Romney and Palin

Mitt Romney was so right; Obama ridiculed him and the main stream press yukked it up.  Palin was right in 2008 and the press ridiculed her.

"Gov. Romney, I'm glad you recognize al-Qaeda is a threat, because a few months ago when you were asked what is the biggest geopolitical group facing America, you said Russia — not al-Qaeda. And the 1980's are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back — because the Cold War has been over for 20 years. But Governor, when it comes to our foreign policy, you seem to want to import the foreign policies of the 1980's, just like the social policy of the 1950's, and the economic policies of the 1920's."  Barack Obama

Notice Obama skipped the failed socialist policies of FDR in the 30s which extended the Great Depression in that snarky comment. And what social policy of the 50s was he referring to? When Ike wanted to desegregate the schools and Democrats fought him? And the 1920s was an era of unprecedented economic prosperity. The foreign policy of the 80s, the President (Reagan) along with the Pope and Prime Minister led to the collapse of the USSR in 1991. But these victories don't last forever, Mr. President. Someone has to show leadership.

"Yes, I could see this one from Alaska," Palin posted on Facebook, saying she said "told-ya-so" in the case of her "accurate prediction [in 2008 campaign]  being derided as 'an extremely far-fetched scenario' by the 'high-brow' Foreign Policy magazine. (that guy is now editor of Politico)
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/sarah-palin-predicted-ukraine-russia/2014/03/02/id/555549#ixzz2uw52IDeE

I don’t want another (failed) military involvement, but I’m just sick that Obama looks so weak and pathetic. Even if I think he is, I’d like the world to see him differently.

The world laughs at our President

Reaching those with Alzheimer’s Disease

Touch, talk and singing. Many can remember songs and hymns and liturgy from childhood.

The last runaway by Tracy Chevalier

                  

The book for tomorrow’s book club at Panera’s in Clintonville  is "The last runaway," by Tracy Chevalier, author of “Girl with a pearl earring." I'm not a huge fan of fiction, but I know a little about American history (Ohio in 1850), women and Quakers.  (I did a lot of research on women writers in Ohio for agriculture magazines in the 19th century.)  And I must say, this is the dumbest plot and poorest character development I've read in recent years. The author has created a female, 19th century immigrant who puts hiding slaves above her safety, her family, her pregnancy and her religion, but she isn't brave enough to return to England because she got seasick on the trip over.

The only thing comparable in our era to this kind of devotion to a cause would be an anti-abortion non-feminist who suddenly sees the light, or perhaps a tree hugger Baptist who burns down her grandmother’s house in order to make a point, and even then it wouldn't be believable. And as is customary in a plot that has both black and white characters, only the blacks have any sense and can walk and chew gum at the same time.

There are also a couple of love scenes as believable as romance novels—not exactly bodice rippers, but unnecessary and unrealistic if you’ve ever tried to walk through a corn field, let alone make love in one.

Are you sick of winter yet?

BurkaChick writes for Politi-chicks

“BurkaChick grew up in the lovely town of Detroit, Michigan. She remembers a time when the city was booming because of the greedy capitalistic car companies. But now is thrilled the city has finally come into it’s democratic own. BurkaChick says, “Who needs a home or a job in this liberal paradise? All you need is one good bullet proof vest to live in this union-filled utopia! BurkaChick’s idol in her early teens was the President of the United States, Jimmy Carter. She admired his fortitude in all things liberal, but was highly disappointed when Reagan came in and rescued the hostages in Iran after only 444 days in captivity. “What a show-off” she was quoted as saying. She wanted to campaign for Jimmy’s reelection, but there was no gasoline to get to his headquarters. Which was a real bummer since she was living in her car since the mortgage interest rate was at 22%.

BurkaChick then went on to…well, she doesn’t really remember much since she was wasted through most of the eighties and nineties. Today she is an avid fan of Obama. She can’t wait till George Clooney remakes a film about the life of Michelle Obama in the Whitehouse called, “The King and I”. She is a huge fan of “The View”, Susan Sarandon, MSNBC, all things uber-liberal and of course,  Occupy Wallstreet.  BurkaChick loves what Occupy stands for and has volunteered to help decorate their rape tents and paint all porta-potties to resemble police vehicles.”

http://politichicks.tv/column/dr-jen-arnold-wife-mother-doctor-hero-burkachick/

I’m saving for the next time I wrestle with a scarf

 

http://www.freebeautytips.org/tiescarves.html

They laughed and ridiculed

It’s finally March, but more snow on the way.

The team for 2016

If Republicans continue down the road they’re on, they’ll give the election to the Democrats rather than run true conservatives.

Rand Paul.  Ted Cruz.