Ebola vs. mystery virus—where’s the hysteria?

The country had a melt down over Ebola which killed or sickened a few people and got us an Ebola czar with no experience for a few weeks. But there wasn't much said about the mysterious virus that has killed 12 children, left 94 with polio like paralysis, and sickened over 1,000. Lots of unanswered questions. We've finally got a new name: Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), but the experts are not sure how it is related to EV-D68 virus. CDC is unable to answer whether the EV-D68 epidemic is connected to the tens of thousands of illegal immigrant children allowed to enter the U.S. from Central and South America in the last couple of years. EV-D68 is known to have circulated in El Salvador and Nicaragua.

 http://sharylattkisson.com/two-mystery-illnesses-linked-to-…

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6340a6.htm?s_cid=mm6340a6_w

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6336a4.htm?s_cid=mm6336a4_w

http://www.cdc.gov/ncird/investigation/viral/sep2014/index.html

Covered in prayer for many months

This little guy’s family are members of our church.  He was born premature, and we prayed for months.  So happy to see him on Facebook.

BalletMet Nutcracker—a real delight

We enjoyed the matinee performance of the Nutcracker at the Ohio Theater on Sunday. Our 10 year old Lakeside neighbor who has been in several of Bob's paintings was performing in a small part. The devotion of the parents to exposing their children to this type of culture is admirable--her mother was probably there 8 hours Sunday because another child became ill and she will also do the evening performance. I did the football, baseball, track, cross country, soccer, cheerleader, Campfire, sports lunchroom, Jones musical gigs, UA high school choir--but I never told my kids about dancing lessons. It was fun to stand at the stage door after the performance to wait to see her. Bob gave her a Twinkie—other dancers got bouquets.

“We open on Christmas Eve, in the Stahlbaum house. There's music and presents and food, and the three Stahlbaum children are beside themselves with joy at the wonder of it all. There's danger on the horizon though, heralded by the arrival at the door of local magician Drosselmeyer. He brings bearing gifts for the children, including a wooden nutcracker. This is just the start of an adventure which will lead our characters into a war between mice and gingerbread men and through the Land of Sweets. “

We were pretty high up for $58/seat—not exactly nosebleed territory, but close.  Managing that many stairs was very difficult for me, and on Monday my legs felt like I’d been in a box for 2.5 hours—seats are pretty small.

Putting on my “fashion police” cap, I was so pleased to see that younger women are rejecting their mothers' idea of fashion (sweatshirts and jeans) for nice events in classy theaters. I was just amazed at the well turned out young ladies in dresses! and heels at this event. How refreshing. The "protest march" look was really getting old.

This photo is from the Internet and we think that is Lillian in the front (red hair). She was a “page,” and appeared in the 2nd act.

Taliban kills over 130 children in Pakistan

Just an awful, awful sight.  Such beautiful kids.

When I have trouble finding the right word, I try Google. Obama can't seem to say, "Taliban." The left never runs out of names for the Tea Party.  Must be something political.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/obama-fails-blame-taliban-mass-school-murder-pakistan_821714.html#!

http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/16/politics/obama-pakistan-attack/index.html

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-30491435

This child lost his mother who was a teacher at the school.

Being a Democrat is easier

Tax more.  Spend more. Take away more personal freedoms.  Kill the unborn and weep over the condemned killer.  It’s easy, and they all seem to agree.

I’m so tired of listening to these conservative talkers tear apart the various possible candidates for 2016.  Ted Cruz—now there’s a guy with guts (or something else).  Ted Cruz—he’s just crazy, only concerned about advancing his career.  Rand Paul—best thing since sliced bread.  Rand Paul—what a loser.  Really?  Republicans couldn’t agree on where to go for lunch.

It’s not too late

Father Mark Yavarone, O.M.V. (Oblates of the Virgin Mary) humbly and prayerfully offering himself to those in need at Planned Parenthood, Boston, Massachusetts.

Posted by Kelly Thatcher at her blog.

New York Times corrects its correction with a correction

This correction in the New York Times was appended to an article about tax evader and chief presidential consultant on race Al Sharpton's march on Washington. The reporter mixed up Michael Brown and Darren Wilson, got the Trayvon Martin story wrong, and even misspelled his name in an earlier correction. This is what the most famous newspaper in the land uses for reporters?

"Correction: December 13, 2014. An earlier version of this article misidentified, on second reference, the person who was shot in Ferguson, Mo. It was Michael Brown, not Darren Wilson. An earlier version of this article also referred incorrectly to the shooting of Trayvon Martin. He was killed by a civilian, not by a police officer. In addition, an earlier version of this correction misspelled Trayvon Martin’s given name as Travyon."

Scroll to the end, past the opinion that passes for news: http://www.nytimes.com/.../thousands-march-in-washington...

Don’t cook much, but love to look

I bought this nice hard cover Taste of Home at Marc’s last week for $2.93.  I’ll put it on the coffee table to browse while “watching” TV. Maybe it will inspire me to try something new, but I really think I’m buying more processed or store baked foods now than when I worked and didn’t have time.

Taste of Home 2004,  Taste of Home 1998  Premiere issues 1993 Taste of Home Quick Cooking

It was announced in 2002 that Reader’s Digest Association Inc . acquired Reiman Publications LLC for US$760 million cash, and also completed US$950 million in syndicated financing that was partially used to fund the Reiman purchase. Link. Initially, there was little change in the folksy format or style, but the most recent Taste of Home I saw looked like any other recipe magazine, including lots of ads and coupons.

On the cover is Best Chocolate Raspberry Torte (p. 57)

Guess who hasn’t read the violent crime statistics of the DoJ? CNN

Or as the Department of Justice delicately puts it: “The demographic characteristics of homicide victims and offenders were different from the characteristics of the general population.”

Most violent crime is intrarracial—93% black on black, 87% white on white. But the rate of crime is much, much higher for blacks.  In fact, in numbers, more blacks are victims/offenders than whites even though they are only 13% of the population.

Blacks were disproportionately represented as both homicide victims and offenders. The victimization rate for blacks (27.8 per 100,000) was 6 times higher than the rate for whites (4.5 per 100,000). The offending rate for blacks (34.4 per 100,000) was almost 8 times higher than the rate for whites (4.5 per 100,000). Young black men are at much greater risk walking the streets of their neighborhood than they would be knocking over a minority owned store and confronted by a policemen (who would probably be black).  http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/htus8008.pdf

Violent crime has been drastically reduced in the last two decades.

1 in 4 police are members of a minority.

Black infants are substantially more at risk for homicide than are other infants. In 2011, the homicide rate for black infants was 15.3 per 100,000, while Hispanic and white infants had rates of 6.0 and 4.9 per 100,000, respectively. However, the rate for black infants has decreased greatly since 1990, when it was at 24.5 per 100,000.  http://www.childtrends.org/

The Bed Brigade of St. John’s Lutheran

A woman from St. John's told me about this vital ministry when she delivered baby gifts to the pregnancy center--the bed brigade. Watch the video. Very touching.

This is one of the most interesting and unique ministries I’ve heard about.  Church members build bed frames, supply new mattresses, and then witness to the recipient about the love of Jesus when they are delivered to homes in need.

 http://www.stjohnsgc.org/…/BedBrigade/tabid/163/Default.aspx

Our Purpose: We have been called by God to build beds and deliver them free of charge to those in our midst who need them.  In doing this, we are engaging our church family of St. Johns in a service ministry that meets a very basic need that is unmet for so many.  This allows Jesus to work through our hands to love others on his behalf.  Our purpose is to meet a real need and to point others to the love and truth of Jesus Christ.

There is also one in Circleville.

St. John’s is located at 3220 Columbus Street, Grove City, Ohio, 43123 ~ (614)875-2314.  Scott Ness is the Associate Pastor at St. John’s.  I watched him grow up; in fact I remember when his mom was pregnant.

Pastor Brodie Taphorn graduates--again

I think this is a business degree.  He’s one of the pastors at Upper Arlington Lutheran Church.

Rejoice

      

This is "Gaudete" Sunday, the 3rd Sunday of Advent. In Latin, Gaudete is a positive command that means, "Rejoice!"  St. Paul tells the Thessalonians, "Rejoice always!"  As far as I can tell that’s not followed by an under the breath,  “except,” or “unless,” or “that’s too hard,” or even, “what about the terrible news today.”

“That's impossible, what he's saying is impossible, it can't be done,” you're right, from the human viewpoint. It is not natural. It is, however, supernatural joy, and that's the kind of joy we're talking about. We're not talking about happiness which comes from happenings, or happenstance, or because something just happens to be good. We're not talking about a shallow, superficial, emotional response to positive circumstance. We're talking about not a natural joy, but a supernatural joy. It is a joy at another level. It's a divine level. That is why it says in Galatians 5, “The fruit of the Spirit is love” – what's the second one – joy.” That is why in Romans 14 you have in verse 17 that marvelous statement that “the Kingdom is made up of joy in the Holy Spirit.” It is a spiritual joy. It is a Holy Spirit joy. It is a supernatural joy.”  Grace to You

Today’s date

Mia Love and Ted Cruz know more about the Constitution than the President

The president said about 22 times in public (according to John Boehner, a great flip flopper himself) that he lacked the constitutional authority to enact amnesty for illegal aliens without permission of Congress. [Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. ]

"Every senator in this body should be put on record whether he or she believes it is constitutional for a president to disregard, to ignore federal immigration laws, and to grant blanket amnesty to millions in defiance of both the laws on the books and the voters" - Ted Cruz, son of Cuban immigrant.

"It is Congress’ job under Article 1,Section 8, to create a uniform rule of naturalization, a way in. It should be done line by line, section by section with the input of the public instead of being done by one person. It looks more like a dictatorship when a president is unilaterally making decisions for the American people." Mia Love, daughter of Haitian immigrants

The slippery slope of words

Michael Smith writes: "What does it say about a society that has grown comfortable with cursing so ubiquitous as to be a normal part of conversation while being uncomfortable with words like "illegal alien", "gay" or "Merry Christmas?""

I like the term "undocumented Democrat" as a replacement for "illegal alien" which offends the sensitivities of people in Cleveland, Ohio, who don't live near the Texas/Mexico border.

"Gay" used to be a pejorative (addicted to pleasure and dissipation), but has come into its own, and now even "queer" has become quite acceptable, as is "trany."

I think, since the word "holiday" comes from holy day (hāligdæg, hālig "holy" + dæg "day"), we could compromise with "Blessed holy days" as an acceptable substitute for Merry Christmas, bringing in Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, and any others who want to join in on pleasant greetings of the season. The Bible used the Greek word makarios, which means to be happy or blissful. So why not have a happy blissful holy day?

Agonizing over the Democrats’ CIA torture report?

Abortions cut off legs and arms, suck out brains, or vacuum contents

Sometimes it’s the same people worrying about our “values” that allow torturing a terrorist suspect who think “choosing” to end the life of an unborn child is OK because it’s up to the woman.

“Surgical abortion empties the contents of your uterus and is usually performed within 12 to 14 weeks from your last normal menstrual period (first-trimester). However, the procedure can be done up to 20 weeks (mid-trimester). The procedure involves "vacuum aspiration" of the contents of the uterus.”

https://www.optionsforsexualhealth.org/birth-control-pregnancy/pregnancy/surgical-abortion

Suction pulls apart the fetus’ body and out the uterus. After suction, the doctor and nurses must reassemble the fetus’ dismembered parts to ensure they have all the pieces.

http://www.birthmothers.org/extras/types-of-abortions.htm

Finding bin Laden

Heads and apologies are rolling at Sony

Hollywood hypocrisy? Fake kissy face? Oh surely not! The Sony hack shows you should never say in an e-mail what you wouldn't say to the face. . . of the president.

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/12/11/a-sony-exec-cracks-jokes-about-obamas-race-and-eight-more-bruising-revelations-from-the-sony-leak/

Only 9% consider race an important news topic--the economy and terrorism are at the top. But if Hollywood is joking about Obama, maybe that should be a little higher.

Outraged

Highlights of prisoner statistics of the Bureau of Justice, 2013

• U.S. state and federal correctional facilities held an estimated 1,574,700 prisoners on December 31, 2013, an increase of 4,300 prisoners from yearend 2012.
• The 3-year decline in the prison population stopped in 2013 due to an increase of 6,300 inmates (0.5%) in the state prison population.
• The federal prison population decreased in size for the first time since 1980, with 1,900 fewer prisoners in 2013 than in 2012.
• The number of prisoners sentenced to more than a year in state or federal prison increased by 5,400 persons from yearend 2012 to yearend 2013.
• The number of persons admitted to state or federal prison during 2013 increased by 4%, from 608,400 in 2012 to 631,200 in 2013.

In 2012, the most recent year for which offense data were available, 16 percent of state prisoners and 51 percent of federal prisoners were serving sentences for drug offenses. Violent offenders equaled 7 percent of the federal prison population, compared to 54 percent of state prisoners.

http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=5110