Friday, May 09, 2014
Thursday, May 08, 2014
DeBlasio and the teachers’ unions
Will Cain has made a film about a charter school, Success Academy, in NYC where his son is enrolled. He's thrilled with the school--Will is from a small town with one school, he had no idea that public schools in NYC could be so bad. This school has the highest test scores in the state--a school of underprivileged, black and brown children (32% Latinos and 38% African-Americans) with single parents, bad living conditions, you name it, and these kids overcame what the research said was impossible given their economic and family status. They are testing higher than the kids of the one percenters! And Mayor de Blasio, a Sandanista supporter who honeymooned in Cuba, has decided the charter school must be closed as, "not in the best interest of the children." Ha! Not in the best interest of the teachers unions. http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/07/opinion/cain-charter-de-blasio/
It’s just us—the gay lobby
HGTV has withdrawn (aka fired them) a new program hosted by two Christian brothers (twins, it looks like) who had the audacity to speak of the "homosexual agenda" along with a long list of sins of heterosexuals specifically listed in the Bible—abortion, infidelity, adultery. And their father protested at abortion clinics! It seems they believe marriage is about more than “love.” One brother had actually led a prayer rally outside the Democratic National Convention in 2012. How awful—the party that booed God and voted for abortion in its platform had people praying peacefully outside.
Homosexuals have successfully built a TV and literary image of "just folks like the rest of you, give us a chance" and now they are becoming their own worst nightmare of bigotry and anti-Christian assaults. HGTV has had a very strong gay presence in all its programs both with hosting and in their real estate shows. It has contributed to the "just folks" image, but are losing it fast.
Think of the filth, violence and silliness you can see on TV—but gays object to this? You know no script about abortion or gay lifestyle would be on the show, but it is their private beliefs that can’t be tolerated by this lobby.
“The Benhams, who are graduates of Liberty University, said they were saddened to hear about HGTV’s decision.
“With all of the grotesque things that can be seen and heard on television, you would think there would be room for two twin brothers who are faithful to our families, committed to biblical principles, and dedicated professionals,” they wrote.”
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/05/08/ex-hgtv-hosts-if-our-faith-costs-us-tv-show-so-be-it/
Remember—he promised to make fossil fuel too expensive to use
Obama is desperate to energize his base who believe he hasn't gone far enough to the left, and Democratic Senators who have to run on his Obamacare record in 2014. Thus, the new, scary climate report.
'The current bad science is all based on a theory that the increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from the exhaust of the burning of fossil fuels leads to a dramatic increase in “the greenhouse effect” causing temperatures to skyrocket uncontrollably. This theory has failed to verify and is obviously dead wrong. But the politically funded and agenda driven scientists who have built their careers on this theory and live well on the 2.6 billion dollars of year of Federal grants for global warming/climate change research cling to this theory and bend the data spread to support the glorified claims in their reports and papers.'
Distracted driving, teens and cell phones
A well known TV personality in Columbus is promoting awareness about distracted driving. His beautiful teen daughter was killed last year. Statistics are already grim for teens and driving, but add in a smart phone and we're all at risk if we're sharing the road with them (as I was yesterday). "Currently, 77% of drivers talk on their phones while driving, 81% of young adults write text messages while driving, and 92% of young adults read text messages while driving. Drivers are 23-fold more likely to crash if texting while driving." But it's not just teens. I see a lot of moms chatting on the phone with kids in the car, watching her behavior. http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1745570#WhatParentsCanDo
Other distractions about which older people need to be reminded: eating and drinking, changing channels on the radio or disc player, hands free phones, passengers in the car talking, checking the GPS, adjusting seats, taking off jacket or other clothing, looking for sun glasses, adjusting the visor to keep out glare, finding a tissue . . . keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road and the other drivers.
We need to revise our unfair tax system
“At the beginning of the 20th century, federal taxes accounted for 3 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product, and federal tax rules filled just a few hundred pages. But for the past sixty years, federal taxes have averaged about 18 percent of GDP, and today, federal tax rules and regulations span over 60,000 pages.
The federal government extracts over $2 trillion in federal taxes from families and businesses each year, which imposes a huge economic cost. The key problem with current federal tax laws is that high rates and the unequal treatment of economic activities create enormous distortions that reduce economic growth.
The reduced growth leaves people with less money to buy food, clothing, and other needed items.
The federal tax rules impose other costs too. The complexity of federal tax rules creates compliance and administrative costs, and it makes financial planning more difficult for individuals and businesses.
Furthermore, the hidden nature of many federal taxes imposes a cost in transparency. In particular, it is difficult for citizens to figure out the overall burden of taxes they are paying under the current system. “
Wednesday, May 07, 2014
Sean Astin, Christian movie star
I was watching Sean Astin on Fox this morning discuss the new Christian movie, "Moms night out," so I checked out his faith, and found out that after a long journey with many twists and turns, he is a baptized Lutheran and serious about his faith.
Interview comments on The Blaze.
The minimum wage as a campaign issue
The Ohio Food Assistance Program (federally known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP) is designed to raise nutritional levels, to expand buying power, and to safeguard the health and well being of individuals in low-income households in Ohio. A household may consist of an individual or a group of individuals who live together and usually purchase, prepare, and eat their food together. The minimum wage in Ohio is $7.95 and in a 2 person household full time employment at minimum wage would put them $13,000 above qualifying for food stamps/assistance. Very few people stay at minimum. Studies show that low wage earners do better if they change jobs, which would mean having a good record at the first job.
Why don't the Democrats want something better than minimum for workers? Where are their demands for less regulation and a freer market which creates good paying jobs?
Cool or cruel?
Recently an abortion clinic worker posted a video of her own abortion. No way to know if it was real or just a way to get attention. But when I saw the video of the kidnappers of the Nigerian girls spew hate for Western culture, I think he must have that in mind--when a woman calls killing her own baby, "Cool."
Tuesday, May 06, 2014
Obama hits the dusty trail . . . again
The White House has nothing. And it's campaign season again. So . . . roll out climate change, racism, income inequality, and rape. Of course, there has always been climate change; Donald Sterling has always been a racist; in the same position with same life choices, there is no inequality; and the definition of rape keeps getting redefined. Never you mind. I know some voters who will fall for this.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/may/6/obama-hits-campaign-trail-wary-democrats/
http://www.firstthings.com/article/2014/03/the-public-square
http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/06/politics/white-house-climate-energy/
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/29/living/campus-sexual-violence-report/
Did you vote?
I voted today. Showed my ID, just as I do when I pick up a prescription, see a doctor, board a plane, cash a check or enter a government building. If I used a food pantry, I would show it; if I went to a free medical clinic, I would also show it.
“Stopping voter ID laws is crucial to Democrats who argue college students, the elderly and minorities will be prevented from voting under the new laws.
“It’s no surprise that these voter suppression efforts are being pushed by Republicans in key swing states,” said Democratic Governor Association spokeswoman Lis Smith.” http://dailycaller.com/2011/07/07/democrats-continue-fight-against-voter-id-laws/
So the elderly and minorities don’t need ID to get free medical care or government food, and students don’t fly or buy prescriptions drugs?
Book club selections for 2014-2015
Our book club has been meeting for 35 years with some of the original “founding mothers” still with the group, and which began in the Clintonville area of Columbus. I joined in 2000. I don’t read a lot, and it it weren’t for this wonderful group, I wouldn’t probably be reading any fiction. Yesterday we voted on the selections for next year, first Monday at 2 p.m. except where noted (we don’t meet in the summer).
September 8, Monuments men by Robert Edsel, led by Bev, co-meeting with the night group, private home
October, Snow in August by Pete Hamill, led by Carmen, private home
November, The book thief, by Markus Zusak, led by Marcie, at Panera’s
December, Citizens of London, by Lynne Olson, led by Carolyn, at private home.
January, The mother daughter Book Club, by Heather Frederick, led by Marti at Panera’s
February, Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver, led by Adrienne at Panera’s
March, My name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira, led by Letha at Panera’s
April, Cain at Gettysburg, by Ralph Peters, led by Carmen at private home
May, Dirty Life, by Kristen Kimball, led by Courtney at private home
Monday, May 05, 2014
Liberalism and liberals
About once a day, I hear (or read) about the hypocrisy of liberals who are not accepting of other views or who don’t allow conservatives the rights guaranteed in the constitution or demonstrate a lack of compassion. Most recently it was about Condi Rice and the shameful behavior at Rutgers University, a school that in 2011 had the performer known as “Snooki” Polizzi as an invited speaker.
However, in my opinion, there is no hypocrisy—liberals have never been open to the ideas of others or respected those they don’t consider part of their class.
In The Revolt Against the Masses: How Liberalism Has Undermined the Middle Class by Fred Siegel (reviewed in First Things, June/July 2014) claims liberalism did not originate in progressivism, but instead began with a small group of intellectuals and writers, mostly based in Greenwich Village—H. L. Mencken, Sinclair Lewis, Lincoln Steffens, and Edmund Wilson. Liberals “. . . had a quarrel with the industry, immigration and economic growth that had produced unprecedented prosperity in the United State.” They developed a contempt for American culture and politics, and hostility toward the middle class, and in the 1930s many fell under the influence of Communism.
Reviewer Geoffrey Kabaservice in First Things says “Siegel makes some telling criticisms of the pre-World War II generations of left-leaning intellectuals. They often were dismissive of the heritage and unique qualities of the United States, clueless about capitalism, too ready to see small business owners as a proto-fascist petty bourgeoisie, and too prone to thinking of big business as an oppressive force.” He was, however, critical of what he saw as many shortcomings in the book and thought Siegel “lacked objectivity.”
To me Siegel seems on target--like what Democrats (liberals, progressives, socialists, Communists) say about the middle class today, especially the Tea Party, conservatives and Republicans.
Liberals, Siegel says, love bureaucracy, don’t understand the people they claim to want to help, and expelled whites from the cities which they then bankrupted.
https://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/opiate-elites_775988.html
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304434104579382882678398034
http://www.c-span.org/video/?317203-1/book-discussion-revolt-masses
Michael Barone loved it. “From the dumbing down of education to extreme environmentalism, from anti-family poverty programs to free-speech curbs on campuses, the excesses of our times are laid out like the pieces of a puzzle. It is a clear-eyed vision of how we got to this troubled place.”
http://nypost.com/2014/02/15/the-revolt-against-the-masses-reveals-liberalisms-elitist-roots/
![10277740_10152175149597690_4022361486495516502_n[1]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDIbN0Imfm35mWDQ6aTjyup_hY3OGk-pnoY5QrJSHTro5eT8hZoyWXPXuSWibNzYK9EfFAAbeo_w4_HiyCXKr7UDibK2GSbpcXL6ztcS05X7KN8yZv3xvnVVlrvLVqHsuvK2NL2Q/s1600-h/10277740_10152175149597690_4022361486495516502_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B3%25255D.png "10277740_10152175149597690_4022361486495516502_n[1]")
Monday Memories—before I was born
In the fall of 1939, important things were happening, and these little kids started first grade in Mt. Morris, Illinois. It was in their 1952 Mounder yearbook as a memory. I have two cousins in this group, and can recognize almost all of them, although I wasn’t born yet when they started school. That’s how it is in a small town.
Good morning.
Thought I'd shake up the taste buds today. Usually I have an orange or apple with almonds or walnuts for breakfast. Today I had a baked sweet potato, 769% of Vit. A requirement and 65% Vit. C. low in sodium, and very low in saturated fat and cholesterol. It is also a good source of fiber, Vitamin B6, potassium and manganese. Then I had some fresh strawberries (picked up the rest of the Vit. C) with some almond milk, higher in many nutrients than cow's milk. High in calcium, Vit. D, Vit. E.
Of course, I added some butter and salt.
Will you live past 90? New research
Last night's 60 minutes (it's really 42 minutes) had an excellent report by Leslie Stahl on being over 90 years old. It challenged many myths about aging. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/living-to-90-and-beyond/
Some findings were no surprise to me. “People who exercised definitely lived longer than people who didn't exercise. As little as 15 minutes a day on average made a difference. Forty-five was the best. Even three hours didn't beat 45 minutes a day." However, the grim statistics were—over age 65, dementia doubles every 5 years. Low blood pressure is worse than high blood pressure this age group, and being overweight, or normal weight, is better than being thin. Wine, dessert and coffee are good for long life. Much of dementia in this age group is not Alzheimer’s, but hundreds or thousands of tiny strokes. Some people seem to have something that protects them from dementia—this research will hopefully solve that puzzle.
Taking supplements doesn’t provide any protection, but being social does. So take a friend to lunch, volunteer, go to church, join a book club, help your neighbors (it’s a 2-fer).
Sunday, May 04, 2014
The death of Clayton Lockett
President Obama said the botched execution of a murderer was "deeply troubling." In 1999, Clayton Lockett kidnapped, beat, and shot 19-year-old Stephanie Neiman and ordered accomplices to bury her alive; this was after forcing the victim to witness the gang rape of a friend of Neiman. Lockett had recently been released from prison and chose his young victim at random. To my knowledge, President Obama has not called her torture and death deeply troubling.
I love stories like this
California Chrome’s dam was purchased for $8,000 and the stud fee was $2,000. Careful research on genes and good training.
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