 |
|
  |
January 30, 2007 - STOCKTON - In what can only be termed a bizzare event, two women entered the school campus through a hole in the security fence and then walked into a classroom at Harrison Elementary School on Monday morning. One of the women then brandished a gravity knife and threatened an assistant teacher when
The River
Three men were hiking through a forest when they came upon a large, raging violent river.
Needing to get on the other side, the first man prayed, "God, please give me the strength to cross the river."
Poof! God gave him big arms and strong legs and he was able to swim across in about 2 hours, having almost drowned twice.
by Tina Gazier
This story out of Miami highlights the reasons the United States should support governments in South and Central America in moving toward democracy. News out of Venezuela in the past few months has shown Chavez to be a totalitarian style dictator and that means oppression and fear for the citizens. It means our immigration problem, too many too fast, is exacerbated. In this case, it also means a country allied with terrorists placing us in greater danger. Ordinary citizens don't flee their country on a whim or because their candidate lost...they flee for freedom and protection from tyrants.
MIAMI - Parallels in Alejandro Costa's family history are unsettling. His father, Jose Costa Moure, fled to Venezuela in 1959 after Fidel Castro seized power in Cuba. Costa fled Venezuela in 2004 after concluding that Castro's ally in Caracas, President Hugo Chavez, was turning Venezuela into another Cuba.
Those who seek asylum are claiming persecution or that communism is about to take hold in Venezuela. In 2004 and 2005, more than 3,000 Venezuelans filed petitions for asylum in immigration courts - a dramatic rise from 1997 to 2001 when only a few dozen applied each year.
Costa, 41, left in 2004 after thugs he believes were pro-Chavez beat up his wife Claudia and threatened to kill him. The couple and their two daughters and a son got asylum in 2005.
"Chavez is moving faster every day toward a Castro-style communist government. What's coming is going to be terrible. Venezuelans aren't fleeing economic problems, they are leaving because of persecution. It's not hypothetical anymore that Venezuela will be a communist country - it's a fact." Ernesto Ackerman, president of Independent Venezuelan-American Citizens.
by M. Wacker,
I do agree with Nick’s recent letter when he quoted Justice Clarence Thomas that government “is meant to protect individual liberty�. The primary purpose of our government should be to help us protect our liberty. Our founding fathers made it very clear that the purpose of our Constitution and Bill of Rights was to protect our life, liberty and property FROM the GOVERNMENT, whether that’s an outside aggressor or our own government. That’s why those founding documents repeatedly limit the government’s powers and say it shall not have any power not specifically given it. Let’s look at those European countries that we think are going in the wrong direction or are more messed up than we are. It’s not because they have more than 2 parties. Could it be that they don’t have our Constitution or Bill of Rights? Could it be that they are even more brain washed than we are to believe in the socialist approach?
I agree with Tina that the system our Founders gave us is sound but “...people and a lack of ethics, morals and adherence to the basic constitutional principles are the problem...a problem we've neglected for far too long.� Unfortunately, the “people� she refers to are in the 2 big parties who have ruled and have gotten us to where we are now.
Do the leaders of the 2 big parties really have the national interest at heart or really care what we grass roots citizens think? Wouldn’t you rather support a party that truly is committed to our Constitution? A party that believes in much less government intrusion, much lower taxes and true personal freedom. That party is the Libertarian Party. After I look at what is actually being done by the elected Democrats and Republicans and Libertarians, it seems to me that the Libertarians are by far the only ones who really have the national interest at heart for us, our children and our grandchildren.
Why do you think there are so many billions of dollars thrown at the politicians in Washington and Sacramento? Why are the corporations, unions, special interest groups in vicious battles to influence our government? It’s because we have allowed our government to become way too big, too powerful and too rich. We have allowed the stakes to get way too high. If we really had the vastly smaller and very limited government that our Constitution mandates, do you think these special interests would care nearly as much about what the government does?
Jack referred to the quote “Judge them by what they do, not what they say�. When we look at what the Republicans or the Democrats are doing, how can we have much hope that either will deliver anything but more and more of the same larger government, a bigger national debt and higher and higher taxes. We need to support leaders who really will fight for our freedoms and support our Constitution. We need to support libertarians.
by Jack Lee
Subject to agreement by the state legislature, New Jersey will vote in November on a constitutional amendment which would remove a section preventing people with mental disabilities from voting. In other words any gravely mentally disabled or insane person can soon cast a vote in New Jersey. They may not know how to read or write or which end of the pencil to use, but with the guiding hand of a helpful caregiver... they can cast a vote.
Well, New Jersey has nothing on California, this sort of voter fraud has been done here for years, only it's not done legally. I know, I've seen it while my Dad and later my Mom was in a rest home. In fact, you can just bet that come election time, you'll find lots of activists working this "disabled vote" for all its worth. Note, I didn't accuse the democrats, did I? That's because I don't have any substantial proof the dems are the people actually doing this, all I know is, it wasn't the Republicans nor have I heard of any Libertarians or Greens doing it and I have very good sources in the latter three.
Sure wish the state law would be enforced to stop this abuse...wonder why it isn't? Who would stand to benefit by such a thing?
A tidbit out of Davenport, Iowa portrays Hillary Clinton just the way she wants…as a bare knuckled politician:
Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday that President Bush should withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq before he leaves office, asserting it would be "the height of irresponsibility" to pass the war along to the next commander in chief. This was his decision to go to war with an ill-conceived plan and an incompetently executed strategy," the Democratic senator from New York said her in initial presidential campaign swing through Iowa.
Local liberals are chagrined that students attending a small private high school that has a budget 60% less per capita than their public school counterparts are turning out dramatically better students. Tax and spend libs don't understand how come their money isn't buying higher performance.
Those who made it through the entire State of the Union speech last week got to see an American hero in the House gallery, but the news was not widely covered. Here is the story that was unwrothy of our MSM:
Army Sgt. Tommy Rieman, recipient of one of the military's highest honors, the Silver Star. Rieman, one of only 35 Silver Star honorees in Iraq, received his commendation way back in August, 2004.
TIKRIT — The $31.2 million rehabilitation and expansion of a 400kV/132kV substation, along with the five feeders in the Diyala Province, will provide a more reliable power source for more than 63,000 people.
Built by local construction companies with quality assurance managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, these renovations and additions will add stability to Iraq’s electrical grid. The 400kV substation – called Baghdad East - is considered to be an important component of the national electrical system, having a significant impact on the national grid.
.
by Cato
A little known commission is being held to discuss various techniques which have been used by organizations operating under the full knowledge and with the complicity of the United States Government. While the government maintains that such “Tactics, Techniques and Procedures� are legal, many advocacy groups are furious that the government would permit such practices to be allowed, much less taught and funded both domestically and overseas by taxpayers. Below we have an accurate description of the procedures, as well as the success rate and mortality rates of some of the more popular methods used.
Suspended Probing. This method requires the subject to be suspended in darkness by the ankles or feet. Questions are generally asked while a sharp instrument is inserted at the base of the posterior of the skull where the spinal cord meets. The subject is restrained so as to not interfere with the procedure. Depending on subject cooperation the instrument is adjusted so that it in effect damages various parts of the brain until the subject is no longer viable. The instrument is then removed along with the vast majority of brain matter. The success of such a procedure, being measured in the quality and quantity of intelligence gathered, is fairly high. 85% of subjects who did not respond to other forms of interrogation were responsive to this method. The mortality rate is 100%.
Another popular method with such interrogators is a form of sodium chloride immersion referred to as a saline drop. This technique requires the subject to be placed in a container where they are afforded limited ability to move. The
by Tina Grazier
Hugh Hewitt offers a great way to let our congressmen know we will not tolerate their support of resolutions against the war!
What does it mean to “encourage the enemy?� It means to increase their will to fight on, and their courage to do so even in the face of the arrival of reinforcements.*** In response to a direct question from Senator Lieberman, General Petraeus testified under oath that any resolution denouncing the strategy in Iraq would encourage the enemy.
General Petraeus was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday --which has to mean that the senators who voted for him have confidence in his military judgment.
by Mike Wacker
I think it would be a great idea to allow the third party candidates at least a few minutes in at least the early debates. As Jack mentioned, the Libertarian Party for instance is really in a Catch 22. It has been a party for over 25 years and has consistently run candidates in elections from President on down. And, believe me, they have fought many battles just to stay on the ballot.
But still, the 2 big parties have successfully excluded them from practically all debates and media coverage. A very recent example happened right here in Chico when the League of Women Voters announced they would only allow candidates from the 2 big parties to participate in the debates for Congress and state Senator. They quickly reversed themselves though when they heard that they would be picketed by members of the “other� excluded parties. I, for one, think the debates were a lot more interesting and thought provoking when the audience had a chance to hear the views of candidates who really want liberty.
I know, it can be said that the third parties should do more to promote their cause. Unfortunately, as you have observed, our numbers are small and each of us only have so much time to devote to politics. Like a lot of the rank and file members of the 2 big parties, we have jobs and families and a life. But, I would think that if freedom loving Republicans and Democrats really do want to stop the definite movement of our country towards Socialism, how about giving the libertarians a little help? Remember, when we support libertarian ideals like our founding fathers did, we just might be helping ourselves, our kids and our grandkids.
By IBRAHIM BARZAK
In the non-Iraq, non-US involved GAZA CITY:
"Gunmen armed with mortars and grenades fought in several areas of Gaza City on Saturday, killing two men on the third straight day of factional clashes linked to the power struggle over the Palestinian government.
For the 17th year in a row, the Labrador retriever is once again America's favorite purebred dog, according to registration numbers tallied by the American Kennel Club. The AKC released the figures and, as in past years, the Labrador far outstrips the other dogs in the top 10. #2 is the Yorkshire Terrier.
>
>
>
>
by MURRAY BREWSTER
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CP) - Canadian efforts to pacify a swath of parched farmland west of Kandahar city have received a boost from a powerful tribal leader and former warlord. Mullah Naqib, a grey-bearded former mujahedeen commander widely respected since he fought the Soviet occupation in the 1980s, told The Canadian
By Jack Lee
Durham, Ca., it's 7:30 a.m. on the 26th of January in this sleepy little town,. Most of the streets don't have sidewalks and it's still legal to keep chickens in the back yard. It's a safe bet that a majority of the men folk are hunters and/or fishermen.
So in this backdrop of rural Americana, a lady sees a white male adult walking in the morning sun beside a paved road and she freaks out because of what he is carrying. (I suspect she must be from San Francisco or New York City, given what happens next. ) Anyway, she spots this guy casually carrying a shotgun with one hand. People do that all the time in the rural areas. But, the ripples of paranoia have spread across the land, thanks to the anti-gun crowd that exploits a any illegal gun related event, so this lady filled with concern calls 9-1-1, "Man with a gun...and he's near a school!"
(By the way, everything in Durham is near THE school. It's a very small town.)
NEW UCLA STUDY - A study conducted by UCLA's Department of Psychiatry has revealed that the kind of face a woman finds attractive on a man can differ depending on where she is in her menstrual cycle.
For example: If she is ovulating, she is attracted to men with rugged and masculine features. However, if she is menstruating, or menopausal, she tends to be more attracted to a man with duct tape over his mouth and a spear lodged in his chest while he is on fire.
No further studies are expected.
GRANDVIEW, Texas - Wynonia Pallmeyer never lived in Grandview. But once a month for more than a decade, she drove 35 miles from her home in Fort Worth to this small town she'd grown to love. Few here knew the unassuming and sometimes tenacious silver-haired woman, other than those from the nursing home where her husband Edward lived the last years of his life. Now Pallmeyer has left a lasting mark on the town, leaving it nearly $4 million, almost a third of her $14 million estate.
KHARTOUM, Sudan The Sudanese government signed a peace deal Saturday in Eritera with a group of rebels from the mountains of eastern Sudan ending a deadly strife that has been overshadowed by the conflict in Darfur.
Eighty-two percent of last year's fourth-graders couldn't read. This year, 73 percent of that same group are reading proficiently. "It should be obvious why a teacher would want to go into a needy school," says Betsy Rogers, National Teacher of the Year in 2003. "I don't see this as being a big sacrifice or a big thing. I just think it should be the norm." (CS Monitor)
Executives of Murphy Oil Corporation thrilled their hometown of El Dorado, Arkansas when they announced to students in a packed gymnasium their intention to offer college scholarships to everyone graduating from El Dorado High School over the next 20 years. The $50 million fund will dole out college money for any institution in or out of state equal to the tuition at an Arkansas public university...
"This is a huge day. As of today, El Dorado High School graduates will have an unprecedented opportunity to continue their education," said Bob Watson, superintendent of El Dorado Public Schools. "For some students, this is life-changing. Those who have worked hard, but would not have been able to attend college because of financial limitations, now have the means to do so."
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sales of existing homes fell in December, closing out a year in which demand for homes slumped by the largest amount in 17 years. The National Association of Realtors reported that sales of existing homes were down 0.8 percent last month, a bigger decline than had been expected. For the year, sales fell by 8.4 percent, the biggest annual decline since 1989, when existing home sales fell by 14.8 percent.
The sales figure underscored the sharp contraction that is going on in the once high-flying housing market, which before last year had set sales records for five straight years. Even with the sharp drop in sales last year, the median price of an existing home sold in 2006 managed to rise a slight 1.1 percent. But that was far below the double-digit gains during the boom years. The median home price had risen by 12.4 percent in 2005.
Mujibar was trying to get a job in India. The Personnel Manager said, "Mujibar, you have passed all the tests, except one. Unless you pass it you cannot qualify for this job." Mujibar said, "I am ready"
The manager said, "Make a sentence using the words Yellow, Pink and Green." Mujibar thought for a few minutes and said, "Mister manager, I am ready" The manager said, "Go ahead." Mujibar said, "The telephone goes green, green, and I pink it up, and say, 'Yellow, this is Mujibar.'" Mujibar now works as a technician at a call center for computer problems.
by Jack Lee
Recently NPR's award winning journalist, Nina Totenberg (see photo), did a story about the economic devastation the recent citrus crop freeze has wrought and this incorporated a tender story about a woman facing a layoff at a produce packing plant. A story that no doubt evoked a great deal of emotion and compassion from her audience.
Because the interviewee spoke only Spanish, she spoke through a translator as she expressed her concerns that the safety nets government has was going to provide her, including unemployment benefits and a large utility tax credit would not kick in for at least 30-60 days. She wondered how she would make ends meet till then? Just another sad story of the toll the citrus freeze has taken on everyone, right? Well, not exactly, there was a "PS". See, there's pretty good evidence to indicate the woman in question was here illegally and now we have her and her 4 kids that need support during the layoff. Unfortunately Totenberg was more focused on implying here's another Bush failure in the making, just like Katrina. Another case of, "Never let the facts get in the way of a good story".
by Tina Grazier
I got the newest issue of Imprimis in the mail a few days ago and as I read it, I found myself being treated to a contrast of systems; a contrast that brought a new depth of appreciation to my experience of freedom. The adaptation was taken from a speech given by Andrei Illarionov at Hillsdale College and was entitled, "Freedom vs.
Non-Freedom: A View from Russia". Dr. Illarionov first described genuine constitutional government:
Three Top Thoughts for 2007
Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day. Teach a person to use the internet and they won't bother you for weeks.
In the 60's, people took LSD to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.
We know exactly where one cow with mad-cow-disease is located among the millions and millions of cows in America, but we haven't a clue as to where thousands of illegal immigrants and terrorists are located. Maybe
we should put the Department of Agriculture in charge of immigration.
by Tina Grazier
A recent New York Times article reports a change in policy that signals greater
cooperation in the drug war:
United States law enforcement officials have long complained about Mexican reluctance to hand over drug traffickers indicted in crimes north of the Rio Grande, as many drug kingpins have continued to operate their deadly
by Tina Grazier
Apparently the number of lives lost is staggering now. In fact, the numbers of dead and maimed make it a matter too horrible for any heart to bear and certainly not worth the price we pay. The media has participated, waging its own war of words, hammering away, hoping to bend and shape the will of the people. There’s is a strategy designed to create confidence of legality and correctness of cause. It is a strategy that has served to work against those who would stop the atrocity. So I have to ask the obvious:
In this long and horrible war, would it make a difference if we called it a quagmire? If we said that the judgment that got us into this mess was a BIG mistake, would it then become a terrible thing that had to be ended? If we said the people who made the judgment were incompetent and unwilling to admit mistakes would that change minds? Would the public begin to cry out, demanding that the House of Representatives pass legislation and de-fund it? Would Cindy Sheehan, and other aging hippie gals, take to the streets to spread the word garnering fawning media attention along the way? Would the public be treated to nighttime memorial vigils…people gathered together…swaying back and forth and singing softly with flickering candles…tiny points of light to be snuffed, one by one, to mark the death of each and every lost life?
I’m talking about a gruesome useless war; a war of terrible shame. Does it not deserve the same kind of media hype and public outcry that other recent wars have received? This war destroys the lives of our young, killing and maiming them before they have a chance to experience the good things in life…marriage, children, career. This war is shamelessly and enthusiastically sold, to young women in particular, to prepare them for the inevitable promiscuous life they must and will lead, if ever they are to experienceequality. It is a war that is defended as a right; a war that has been waged for thirty-four years.
Today marks the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, a decision that has resulted in rampant thoughtless abortion. It is a war that was innocuously sold as an effort to make it possible for abortion to be safe, legal and rare. Forty-seven million babies denied the most basic right (life) and treated as waste speak truth to the lie that abortion is a rare occurrence. This is a war of dishonor waged for purely selfish ends; a war waged without moral underpinning or honorable cause. It lacks even the most basic heartfelt justification.
Overturning Roe v. Wade would not make abortion illegal. It would take the issue once again back to the individual states and the people of those states.
.
The following demonstrate support, some from unexpected places, to end this war on the unborn. There are other sites of interest as well:
godlessprolifers.org
When Do Human Beings Begin? Scientific Myths and Scientific Facts
On the Abortion Issue -Technology Works Both Ways
Pro-life.liberals.com
Pro-life Liberal Essays that defend life:
Kyle Eller: "It's not that there aren't others like me. In fact, according to the National Pro-Life Democrats Committee, a national poll from 1998 showed that 38 percent of Democrats -- and 40 percent of Democrat women -- took a pro-life position on abortion, to one degree or another. It's that these voices are ignored. Don't expect 38 percent, or 5 percent, of Democratic candidates to endorse those views. The hypocrisy of the Democratic party, which poses as defender of the weak but sanctions the slaughter of more than a million of the most defenseless people on Earth annually, appalls and sickens me." -- Surprise, surprise -- another election spoiled by abortion (originally published in the Duluth Budgeteer News).
Norah Vincent: "The "pro-choice" lobby assumes that people, especially those living in poverty, are no more capable than stray cats of exercising control over their reproductive habits. Among such creatures, goes the theory, unplanned pregnancies are as inevitable as they are in a barn. Thus, preventing the births of unwanted children means "keeping abortion safe and legal," or, to put it less euphemistically, resorting to fetal disposal after the coital fact." Village Voice-Aborting Crime
The following 2 websites contain graphic content and photos:
The Genocide Awareness Project
... [Pro-abortionists] cannot look at their handiwork or the handiwork they defend. Across the country, they shrink from photos of the babies killed in abortions. Through their mighty political groups, the pro-abortionists compel TV stations to refuse advertisements showing partial birth and other abortion artifacts. They will not even allow viewers (or themselves, I suspect) to see what their policies have wrought. They are, at least to my mind, like the Germans who refused to think about what was happening at Dachau and then vomited when they saw -- and never wanted to see again. Ben Stein, May 1989 issue The American Spectator magazine
I found the website protectchoice.org
to be typical of the feminist pro-choice point of view:
Where abortion is illegal, unsafe abortions take the lives of tens of thousands of women every year. The World Health Organization estimates that 20 million unsafe abortions take place each year in countries where abortion is restricted or prohibited. The likelihood of a woman having an abortion is similar in developed and developing countries, although abortion is more likely to be illegal in developing countries. A woman is hundreds of times more likely to die from an illegal abortion than a legal one [17].
Women have abortions for a variety of reasons, and commonly, for more than one reason. Inability to afford a child--or another child-- relationship problems, school and work constraints, for example, are common factors in a woman's choosing to end a pregnancy. Just as no two women's experiences are the same, no one woman's choice is the same as another's [19].
State sanctioning of abortion is a tragic error of humanity with ramifications yet to be realized. An “illegal unsafe� abortion describes an act of desperation by an individual woman, a double tragedy of human ethics, standards and heart.
A lot of folks can't understand how we came to have an oil shortage here in our country. Well, there's a very simple answer. Nobody bothered to check the oil. We just didn't know we were getting low. The reason for that is purely geographical. Our OIL is located in Alaska, California, Coastal Florida, Coastal Louisiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Texas. But, our DIPSTICKS are located in Washington DC! Any Questions?
by Jack "Cynic" Lee
Have you ever noticed that our best...our most inspired legislation... seems to come AFTER a voters revolt? They toss out the errant party and they become the minority legislators desperately trying to win back control with grandly idealistic legislation. The GOP is in that situation now and they are scrambling to come up with attention getting legislation that was absent in their previous reign.
Both sides play this game and it comes about every six to eight years, which is the typical time it takes for you voters to come to a boil and make a change in leadership. But, do you really think that such radical minority legislation will succeed in a miraculous bi-partisan effort here-to-for not seen? Nah, of course not. The payoff is in the good press they get. It's an opportunity to step onto the soap box and say, "Oh, if it were not for those (fill in the name) now in the majority we could have done such great things! Look what we've proposed and they blocked!"
If all works as it should, the demographics begin to change and edge back to the favor of the outcasts in the next big election cycle. They (both sides) count on voters having short memories, and I think they must be right... after all, we've rarely held either party accountable for some political faux paux that's more than 6 months old. We just move on and out attention becomes focused on the current crisis du jour.
by Tina Grazier
Those guys! Now that they have no power to speak of, good ideas are popping up like pop tarts on the first day of school. The Patriot Post reports four new bills that republican legislators are proposing:
Rep. Steve King (R-IA) seeks co-sponsors for his Sunlight Act (HR 170), which would require greater transparency in the legislative process.
Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) will introduce the Tax Code Termination Act, which would sunset the entire federal tax code in 2010 and require the implementation of an entirely new code. If only!
Rep. John Carter (R-TX) introduced legislation to prevent the Social Security Administration from paying benefits on unauthorized or illegal work.
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) introduced the Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act, which would make permanent the $10,000 child-adoption tax credit, set to expire in 2010.
Way to go guys...
Sooner would have been better. I can't help thinking these are the kind of bills that are proposed just to refer back to at election time...the "we tried and they voted against it" bills that no one expects will pass but "sure will make us look good to the voters."
Tell you what guys...get one of them to the floor and get it passed and then we'll think about offering kudos ...and VOTES. And by the way, my preference would be the "Tax Code Termination Act" just in case you're truly interested. Pass that one and the "Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act" would be unnecessary...in fact a lot of bills would be unnecesary.
By E-R Staff and posted by Jack Lee
Article Launched: 01/19/2007 03:01:52 PM PST
Vandalism done Thursday night to the bathrooms and tennis court area at Community Park could cost up to $30,000 to fix. The bathrooms will be closed for a week, according to Frank Savage, a supervisor at the Chico Area Recreation and Park District. He said damage included metal stalls ripped from the walls, and dented sinks and toilets.
Metal awnings over benches next to three tennis courts were ripped from their supports. Savage said awnings slightly damaged playing surfaces when they hit the ground, but the courts are still playable.
Police were called to the park by a neighbor at 8:44 p.m. and quickly arrested two of the three juveniles suspected of inflicting the damage.
Both of those under arrest are 17-year-old white males from Chico.
"Necessity hath no law. Feigned necessities, imaginary necessities É are the greatest cozenage that men can put upon the Providence of God, and make pretences to break known rules by." Oliver Cromwell 1599 - 1658
Contributed by Tina Grazier...
"Not only do American high schools fail to educate students about U.S. history and civics, but by the time many students finish college they know even less. That's the conclusion of 'the largest statistically valid survey ever conducted to determine what colleges and universities are teaching their students about America's history and institutions.' That study, conducted for the Intercollegiate Studies Institute by the University of Connecticut's Department of Public Policy, surveyed 14,094 college freshmen and seniors at 50 U.S. colleges and universities from Massachusetts to California. It found a stunning ignorance. Seniors scored an average of 53.2 on the 60-question civics test.
That's a big, fat F. More than half of college seniors could not identify the correct century in which the Jamestown colony was founded or name the battle that ended the American Revolution. Truly frightening, more than half also did not know that the Bill of Rights forbids the federal government from establishing a national religion. These are college seniors. Among the institutions whose students were surveyed: Dartmouth, Yale, Harvard, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of Michigan. It should go without saying that in a republic, civic education is a fundamental necessity. If even our elite college graduates have no idea what the First Amendment does, the country is in trouble." -- New Hampshire Union Leader
by Jack Lee
Lets talk about earmarks for a moment. This is the new buzz word for government "pork" and I think just about everybody knows what pork means, right? For as long as this government has existed, Congress in some measure has engaged in some "pork" spending for their favorite constituencies, like bridges to nowhere, waterless urinal studies, or even a new Elvis museum.
Thanks to decades of rampant earmark spending, the climate in Washington is such that nobody dare vote against any bill with an earmark. Why> Easy...you will lose your "earmark" when it 's politically advantageous to get it in for your political career. Yes, it's a form of extortion and it's also a sign of personal greed and ambition runamuck. But the bottom line is, uh, well you're paying for the, uh, bottom line.
In a report by Proffesor Ronald D. Utt, Ph.D., Utt pointed out an alarming growth in earmarkings, "The number of earmarks in five of the 13 annual appropriations bills doubled between fiscal year 1998 and FY 1999." Utt pointed out this growing propensity to micromanage local affairs through pork spending has in effect undermined state and local authority. "Over 1,000 pork-barrel projects are buried in the 13 appropriations bills for FY 1999".
According to the PIG BOOK for 2006, This year’s list of earmarks includes: $13,500,000 for the International Fund for Ireland, which helped finance the World Toilet Summit; $6,435,000 for wood utilization research; $1,000,000 for the Waterfree Urinal Conservation Initiative; and $500,000 for the Sparta Teapot Museum in Sparta, N.C. Spenders of your money stuffed 9,963 pork projects into the 11 appropriations bills.
The 375 worst pork spending projects, totaling $3.4 billion, in this year’s Congressional Pig Book symbolize the most egregious and blatant examples. See the list of pork on the following pages:
by Jack Lee
ALERT: Severe ice storms sweep across the nation and threaten a shutdown to major airports, utilities and regional commerce. Great Lakes snowfall will be very heavy, while strong winds are due for New England and another storm forms in the Southwest. Oklahoma braces for the worst as yet another ice storm of major proportions is headed their way. Frigid arctic air has sent temperatures into the low 20's in many parts of Nevada, Idaho, Montana and temperatures into the teens are seen in Nebraska, Illinois and as far south as Kansas. Severe cold weather storms have been blamed for as many as 40 deaths so far this season and the toll is expect to rise as new storms bear down on the east and southwest. Europe is faring a little better with the UK and France experiencing more or less typical winter cold weather. With one exception, severe wind gusts. As one weather watcher puts it, "not many people, including myself, expected the kind of devestation that is occurring over much of Northern Europe Thursday. I have seen some wind reports of over 105 mph, and waves with this storm are crashing onshore, and even a few ships are having problems with the waves. As of this writing, some 15 people have died from this storm, and the winds are likely to continue through the night."
.
And now our featured story: Nancy Pelosi has introduced legislation to limit global warming, titled the "Safe Climate Act". Nancy tells us, “For decades, Big Oil and other polluting industries have undermined and obstructed the voices of scientists on global warming....,The Bush Administration and the Republican leadership in Congress are willing partners in this dance of lies....But the scientific evidence of global warming is overwhelming, and growing each day...."
Tips from the DNC to help us all fight global warming: Dear Comrades, it's time to board up those polluting factories in Detroit and let the world start buying Chinese cars, we've damaged the invironment long enough.
Tofu is the new meat. This sensible meat replacement will do away with the need for cows, because as we all know, cows are polluting our air with methane gas.
Electric cars are the way of the future and they will get you about 30 miles on an overnight charge. That's far enough.
Don't even think about air travel, this is a major source of upper atmosphere pollution and we're asking that you do your part and just stay home for the holidays, but if you do, don't burn any wood in your fireplace or wood stove...that pollutes. Just wear an extra coat around the house and you'll be fine.
Toilet paper is made from trees and trees provide oxygen, so please use no more than 1 square sheet from a roll per toilet trip and save our trees. Or better yet, use one of those green plastic pot scrubber pads, they're reusable, just rinse once and wipe again.
Support Nancy Pelosi and let's pass the "Safe Climate Act" before the earth become just one big tropical paradise. Now check this out.
By Nick Freitas
Well we have another “bi-partisan� congressional group that wants to take back what rightfully belongs to them, from an evil executive that has usurped them.
A new bill is being brought before the house which states that the President des not have authorization to attack Iran without congressional approval.
This is great, the thing is, somebody beat them to it by about 230 years. You guessed it, the founding fathers already had a solution for this. It was separation of powers, which gave congress the responsibility to declare war, and the executive the responsibility for prosecuting it.
When congress gave the President the authorization to use force, the President used it. Sounds like the system worked. What this really is, is nothing more than another careful attempt at separating themselves from what many of them now believe is a lost cause.
I heard the distinguished gentleman from the 14th District in Texas go off for a solid min. in what appeared to be an attempt to rewrite history. Apparently he is real upset that throughout our history we have fought people that we have once supported, and supported people whom we had once fought. Of course the examples he gave didn’t include France and Stalinist Russia. That wouldn’t have been useful for his argument. He went on to say that he was disturbed that the President would presume to go to war with Iran without the consent of congress. It sounds to me like certain self interested congressman have went ahead and made presumptions on behalf of the president, so they could then look like Constitutional guardians by opposing it.
Has congress become a haven for cowards?
That’s politics.
Kind of sickening.
by Jack Lee
Americans on the left and right are polars apart when it comes to a US withdrawl from Iraq, but has anybody asked the Iraqi's how they feel about it? Let's dare to ask...they are a democracy, let them put it to a vote, "Do you want the U.S. out, yes or no?"
If they say yes, the US should leave. Then we must do the right thing and respect the vote. At that point we tailor a mutually acceptable timetable for withdrawl and we're done. We are relieved of any further moral obligations and we have left under honorable conditions no matter what may happen later. If the majority of Iraqi people genuinely don't want us leave until they at least have a secure Iraq, then we ought to respect that as well and do our best to help them. This especially goes for our our anti-war critics in government...this gives us all the authority we need to tell them to shut up!
A vote would send a very clear signal to the American left and to the world, that we have a moral mandate to help stablize Iraq. It would be an embarassment for the UN to turn their back on the Iraqi people after such a vote and it would make criticizing the USA a lot more difficult.
A vote by the Iraqi people, whether it is a yea or nay, would be helpful to the USA and to our mutual relationship in the years to come.
I would add this caveat, if we are to stay, then we must do it with a clear understanding that the Iraqi's must become more of a partner in this stabilization process. This starts with weeding out a lot of corruption within their goverment, bringing warring factions to the negotiating table and a halt to the sectarian violence. This is only something that the Iraqi government can accomplish, unless they want us to carpet bomb a few cities for them? (I kinda feel like we should have done that one a long time ago, starting with Muktar al-Sadr's neighborhood. )
Lastly it's time to get tough with Iran. No more Mr. Nice Guy.
by Jack Lee
There has been a lot of debate about Bush's latest plan to save Iraq from itself and keep it from falling into the hands of predatory neighbors. Maybe we've had too much debate? For instance yesterday on the floor of congress this nut job from Oregon's 1st Congressional District, David Wu, (a democrat naturally) gave a terrible anti-Bush, anti-war, speech using Star Trek characters for his analogy claiming Bush advisors were pretending to be like Vulcan's, cold and logical, when in fact they were actually Klingons! He concluded saying, "It's time to get the Klingons out of the White House".
Congressman Wu's (see back row left) speech makes you wonder what sort of person would think it's ok to read something like that into the Congressional record? Better yet, it makes me wonder what's the criteria to become a Congressman in Oregon? Obviously, not much. This was a painfully long and embarrassing speech for which Mr. Wu should be ashamed, but then Oregon has a growing reputation for harboring a lot of wacky liberals and this speech sure didn't help that perception.
Meanwhile, we have another character saying absurd things, unfortunately he happens to be the President of Iraq. President al-Maliki said yesterday, "Bush has lost control of the situation" because he did not provide better weapons and training to Iraqi Security Forces early on and he takes no personal responsibility whatsoever? Fact of the matter - establishing a strong security force for Iraq was a priority of the United States and if we have failed here, it was not for a lack of trying.
UPDATE: Today when Maliki started taking flak over his comments, he went on the offensive saying he didn't all say that stuff, he's completely innocent of any wrongs...??? Well, he's learning to be politician, unfortunately it looks like he has been taking lessons from democrats.
Jack Lee
January 4, 2007, an AA flight was enroute from California to Dallas when it was diverted to Austin due to bad weather. There they sat for nearly 8 hours while they waited for the weather to clear in Dallas. Despite the pleas of the pilot, AA would not allow the plane to taxi to a terminal, even after onboard water supplies ran out and the planes toilets were at overflow. Finally, after waiting for over 8 hours, the pilot had enough. His passengers were miserable, including a 9 month pregnant female and he decided to defy the orders of his superiors and taxied to a terminal to allow them to disembark.
Most airlines have a policy that forbids holding passengers on the tarmac for more than 3 hours. American Airlines has had little comment on this, except to say the plane was delayed due to bad weather.
For more details on this story click this link.
"With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, "Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?" Jay Leno
by Tina Grazier
Negative headlines and criticism may sell "news" but the distortion they lend to current events can be discouraging. American newspapers used to tell the story of a war's messy struggle, whether bad news or good, but the tenor remained hopeful that we would win and our boys could then come home. I guess that's why I enjoy sharing stories like the following; stories that dignify my belief that the hatred for Bush and the negative outlook expressed about the war is ugly and designed to a nasty purpose. Not everyone shares the vitriolic mind set of the left. The following stories reflect a different attitude than we have had to endure of late:
Kingdom Backs US Iraq Plan by Raid Qusti :
RIYADH, 17 January 2007 -- Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said at a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday that the Kingdom "blessed" the goals and objectives of the new US strategy in Iraq which were announced by President George W. Bush last week. "We agree with the American president on the need for a new strategy in Iraq which has clear agendas that respond to recent developments and are practical on the ground," the foreign minister said. He noted that the Kingdom welcomed many elements of the new strategy, which aims at restoring security in Iraq by dealing, without ethnic distinction, with all sources of violence and terrorism. He also said that the strategy aimed at a fair distribution of Iraqi wealth as well as at unifying Iraq by encouraging participation by all Iraqi ethnic groups in the political process.
Gulf Allies Support Goals of New U.S. Strategy in Iraq by THOM SHANKER:
"Nine foreign ministers are meeting in Kuwait today to precisely prevent Iraq from sliding into civil war, and that speaks volumes," said Sheik Muhammad al-Sabah al-Salim al-Sabah, the foreign minister of Kuwait.
"The participants welcomed the commitment by the United States as stated in President Bush's recent speech to defend the security of the gulf, the territorial integrity of Iraq and to ensure a successful, fair and inclusive political process that engages all Iraqi communities and guarantees the stability of the country," said the communiqué, in
language that the Bush administration could cite to prove broad regional support for its initiatives.
Afghan civilians stop terror attack at U.S. base, January 16, 2007:
KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Two civilians thwarted an attempted terrorist attack Tuesday when a vehicle loaded with explosives attempted to crash through the front gate of a U.S. base in the Afghan capital, according to the U.S. military.
The two men, an interpreter and a security guard, dragged the apparent suicide bomber from the vehicle before he could detonate explosives, said Col. Tom Collins, the chief spokesman for U.S. forces in fghanistan. ..."Anyone's inclination would have been to run away but these guys are genuine heroes," Collins said.
by Tina Grazier
Martin Luther King's expressed dream may have been visionary but his solutions for achieving it, especially in the later years, were flawed. The Poor People's Campaign would request a $30 billion anti-poverty package that would include a commitment to full employment, a guaranteed annual income measure, and increased construction of low-income housing.
LBJ's "Great Society" carried King's methods forward with results that add only tarnish and several trillion dollars to the dream. These methods, grounded in Marxist ideas, continue to act as stumbling blocks and barriers to achievement and success even as they destroy the family unit and support racial division and enmity. They uplift government, asking of it only what the individual can do...and that is to better himself. This is true regardless of color, creed or station in life. It is true despite the circumstances in any individual life. We need not argue my assertion; there are plenty of examples all around us. We do need to tell the truth about it at last.
An old country gentleman and his wife were out driving one day, when a police officer pulled him over. "What seems to be the trouble young man?" asked the old gentleman. As the officer said, "Excuse me sir, but didn't you notice your wife fell out of the car back there?". To which the old gentleman exclaimed, "Thank you son, I thought I went deaf!!!".
by Tina Grazier
Good news is sometimes difficult to find in today's world but this story out of Mexico fills that bill and promises a chance for better relations with Mexico and an improvement in the immigration problem.
President Felipe Calderon launched a program Monday to create jobs for young Mexicans and curb the flow of millions of migrants to the United States. The program will give cash incentives to companies for hiring first-time job holders. Calderon, who took office in December, campaigned on promises to boost employment opportunities in Mexico, vowing to be the "Jobs President."
"Employment is the biggest door to get out of poverty. It is the only path to substantially raise a family's quality of life," Calderon said as he signed a decree for the "National First Job Program" in the presidential palace. "To move Mexico forward, we have to create more and better jobs."
What a concept, Huh?
"A group of Islamic clergy in Saudi Arabia has condemned the letter "X� because of its similarity to a hated banned symbol – the cross.
The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which has the ultimate say in all legal, civil and governance matters in the kingdom, issued a fatwa, or religious edict, against the "X.� It came in response to a Ministry of Trade query about whether a Saudi businessman could be granted trademark protection for a new service with the English name "Explorer.�
PG RATED - Not For Young Readers
DISCLAIMER FOR A FREE SPEECH COLUMN: This column does not necessarily agree or support the claims made within this article. It is offered only as an opposing view and it is up to the reader to determine the value of it's content.
"...Although not well-known to the general public, most American historians and scholars of the 20th century history know the following as facts regarding Dr. King:
by Tina Grazier
"Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing."
In August of 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in front of over 250,000 people andmade a speech that captured the imaginations of the American people. It was the now famous "I
Have A Dream" speech. The country has seen fit to honor his memory by making his birthday a national holiday. What better day than today, some forty-three years hence, to ask the obvious: have we managed to fulfill his expectations for the future; have we managed to make real "The Dream"?
by Jack Lee
A few years ago I bid online at a government surplus sale for a pair of used army binoculars. They were priced new at $2300, or so said the tag. Why so high, I don't know? I couldn't see that much different about them than ordinary binoculars of the same power, but then our government has never been known to be much a bargain shopper. So I kissed off that new cost price and put in a bid that I considered more reasonable...$100, an even that was probably too high for used binocs. Well, as fortune would have it I won the bid. So far so good.
by Jack Lee
A friend challenged me to show what freedoms we've lost thanks to big government. She believed that we really are just about as free now as we were 100 years ago. I disagree and submit we are nowhere near as free, but we don't notice it because we've grown up with many of those losses or we've simply adjusted over time to other losses. So I'll take that challenge and answer it right here:
by Tina Grazier
Israel exists! So says Khaled Meshaal, leader of Hamas:
"There will remain a state called Israel, this is a matter of fact," Meshaal said in an interview in the Syrian capital, where he lives in exile. Earth shattering news, right? I mean we are talking "FACTS" here, right?
Well... maybe.... only first: We must establish a Palestinian State, change the Palestinian Charter which calls for the destruction of Israel, include Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem in the new Palestinian State, and Israel should accept the right of Palestinian refugees to return to homes lost in a 1967 war and before.
Also, we must remember that, "The distant future will have its own circumstances and positions could be determined then."
And of course: "It is true that in reality there will be an entity or state called Israel on the rest of Palestinian land," said Meshaal. "This is a reality, but I won't deal with it in terms of recognising or admitting it," he added.
Witness the unworkable "reality" for a diplomatic solution. Square one has gone rock solid.
by Jack Lee
This is another case of where less is more. Less government - more productivity, more productivity - more revenue, more revenue - less taxes. This is not some pie-in-the-sky theory, it is a provable fact and I encourage you to read on before you pass judgment.
We begin to fix government by re-evaluating every government office, program and mandate that we've created within the last 219 years! If this task seems too daunting, then consider the burden of maintaining this convoluted, bloated, bureaucracy that grows fatter by the day as it eats away at your personal liberty.
In order to determine if any government program, agency or office is worth subsidizing with your hard earned tax money, we have to ask just 4 basic questions:
1. Is this fundamental to maintaining the integrity of our founding principles and our Constitution?
2. Is this something that is essential to the good order, health and security of the nation?
3. Is this a duplication of an effort already done elsewhere?
4. Can it be better done by out-sourcing to a privately owned American company?
That's it. If you expected a lengthy and complicated answer, maybe you've become acclimated to how a fat bureaucracy does things? This is a simple, common sense method that ought to be applied to whatever we do within government. If it doesn't meet these requirements, it's gone.
by Ron Acevedo
My son has just returned from most of a year in Baghdad. We sat together for a couple hours yesterday recounting his experiences and thoughts on the war. His knowledge comes from being the gunner, usually atop the lead humvee during combat patrols. His knowledge comes from working and training IPs'(Iraqi Police). His sympathies are with the majority of Iraqis who wish us well, but are afraid of the minorities who do not.
He feels we are going nowhere in Baghdad while the rest of the country seems to be a success. He feels betrayed by John Kerry, Congressman Murtha and their friends while he feels support and kinship with the IPs he trained. He feels that more troops in Baghdad will neither help nor hurt but that Iraq like the former Yugoslavia is a contrivance of history can not be held together against its will.
He feels that we are fighting against a history and tradition of enmity between groups ignorant of the meaning of civilization. The phrase Ansh Alla (I'm not exactly sure of the spelling)typifies their own feelings on the matter. It is the will of God.
He was frequently shot at, IEDs detonated around him, mortared and saw other Amercans killed. By chance at least one sniper chose a different victim instead of my son. Bodies and fires predominated the neighborhoods he patrolled, while he trained decent but mostly hapless people to protct themselves.
For myself I am glad he is home for a bit (Saturday will be Christmas for us) then back to Germany for a bit and then home for good. I am glad his worst injuries came from a smashed toe, an inept Army doctor and a little girls bite. He is fortunate and knows it having seen a number of men who were not. Our country is fortunate to have young men and women like him knowing that we also have many who are not of that caliber. Finally I am fortunate and damn glad this year is over.
Note from Jack: I am sure glad he is back...safe and sound! He is a hero and his experiences will mean a lot to shaping this country in the years to come. If we get nothing else out of this, at least we've got a whole new generation that understands the meaning of fraternity, sacrifice, honor and duty for their country in ways those who have not served will never understand.
Please pass along a warm welcome home for a job well done and thank you for sharing some of his insights with us.
by Jack Lee
Education makes up about 40% of the state budget or nearly $45 billion and this represents the largest slice of the California budget pie. The 2007-08 budget places this precisely at $45.12 billion, only health and welfare expenditures come close to education spending at $38.1 billion.
Higher education spending comes in 3rd at $14.9 billion and if you add both higher and K-12 education, we have over half the states budget dedicated to education. But, that doesn't stop democrats in the legislature demanding that we greatly increase this amount. They do this because it plays out well for the ear of the voters that only know our schools haven't been performing too well for a number of years.
by Tina Grazier
I encourage you to read The war Against Global Jihadism by Peter Weyner, deputy assistant to the President and director of the White House's Office of Strategic Initiatives. His piece illuminates the various Islamic factions and offers basic historic background, both of which are necessarily instructive to better understand the jihadists. The President's view followed by the beliefs of the enemy we face:
President Bush has said that the war against global jihadism is more than a military conflict; it is the decisive ideological struggle of the 21st century. We are still in the early years of the struggle. The civilized world will either rise to the challenge and prevail against this latest form of barbarism, or grief and death will visit us and other innocents on a massive scale.
The Islamic radicals we are fighting know they are far less wealthy and far less advanced in technology and weaponry than the United States. But they believe they will prevail in this war, as they did against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, by wearing us down and breaking our will. They believe America and the West are "the weak horse" -- soft, irresolute, and decadent. "[Americans are] the most cowardly of God's creatures," al-Zarqawi once said.
It seems clear to me that this war will continue...with or without democrat support or American military involvement. This article will help arm the reader with information to share with the "mistake" lobby.
This is a riviting must read story how the worlds most wanted man eluded capture by US forces.
TORA BORA, AFGHANISTAN - All 1,000 of the regional tribal leaders rose to their feet and shouted " Zindibad, Osama!" ("Long Live Osama!").
The Al Qaeda chief placed his right hand over his heart, the ethnic Pashtun sign for being honored, while 15 of his elite guards flanked him.
In the last public speech given at the Jalalabad Islamic studies center on Nov. 10, Osama bin Laden painted the battle lines black and white. "The Americans had a plan to invade, but if we are united and believe in Allah, we'll teach them a lesson, the same one we taught the Russians," he said, according to two tribal leaders who attended the speech.
Mr. bin Laden, with that speech, was laying his plans to stay a step ahead of the US campaign. He would travel to his favored fortified redoubt in Tora Bora, as the US expected him to, but he would also pave a way out. After his rousing speech, he bestowed cash gifts on key people who could later help him escape.
The US-led war in Afghanistan was going exceedingly well up to that point. The Taliban regime had been pushed from the northern half of the country; the capital of Kabul and much of the rest of Afghanistan would fall within the next few days.
by Tina Grazier
Her name is Hulla but she may be known as Abaya Barbie when she arrives at a toy store near you:
Glance at Fulla, and you feel sure she's Barbie's cousin...The two dolls are the same height, with the same oval face and straight hair cascading down their backs. Even their plastic high heels are about the same size. But the similarities end there. Fulla doesn't own a bikini, for example, and certainly not the supersized chest to fill one.
Instead Fulla, created by a toy company based in the United Arab Emirates, wears an abaya -- a long, black robe -- that covers her body from head to toe. Her eyes are mocha, her skin caramel, her hair jet black.
Fulla will appear at the 2007 Toy Fair in New York City in February... Named after a fragrant flower, the Fulla line includes a variety of dolls dressed in clothes that reflect different countries in the Middle East and Asia. But Fulla goes beyond the external fashion and beauty focus. She is a doctor and teacher who respects her parents and likes to read and play sports. "The message that Fulla brings ... is promoting good virtues for little girls," said Basel Kanawati, chief technology officer for NewBoy, the company that created Fulla. "It's asking girls to take pride in themselves and not dress for boys and be the sex symbols that other dolls tend to be."
Gee, it would be my hope that "Barbie" finds herself "peer pressured" by this new little lady! Perhaps somewhere in the balance...between Western Barbie and Eastern Fulla future generations will discover common values, including tolerance and understanding.
Note from Toby: If you read the fine print you will see "AK-47 and RPG sold separately".
Note from Jack: Thanks Toby, that was too funny, I had to put it on page 1.
by Tina Grazier
The heart and soul of our country will be uplifted or continue in decline depending on how we respond to issues involving our moral obligations. Case in point: the "stem cell" debate. Despite the good news that research is moving forward with stem cells derived from umbilical cords, there are those who insist that only cells from fetuses
will do. A new discovery reported by the AP offers continuing good news on the stem cell front:
Scientists reported Sunday they had found a plentiful source of stem cells in the fluid that cushions babies in the womb and produced a variety of tissue types from these cells -- sidestepping the controversy over destroying embryos for research. Researchers at Wake Forest University and Harvard University reported the stem cells they drew from amniotic fluid donated by pregnant women hold much the same promise as embryonic stem cells.
The intention of all researchers to continue to discover a way forward that does not depend on the destruction or exploitation of human beings is supported by our refusal to dishonor human beings.
However, many people, including President Bush oppose the destruction of embryos for any reason. The Bush administration has severely restricted federal funding for the embryo work since 2001,
Read the story Amniotic
fluid yields stem cells on Yahoo news.
You won't believe how stupid this guy is...you may have to use the reduce size key at the bottom to see the series of pics View image
A moment that comes in every dog's life.
View image
by Tina Grazier
I was reading another blog recently in which a very logical but contentious discussion on the legality and correctness of the war in Iraq slogged on and on without "progress" despite the veiled contenion by one side that if only the world would fall in line with his thinking the yellow brick road would burst into being, complete with a magnificent field of brilliantly colored flowers and a certain guarantee that we would soon find the way back home to live out our days in peace and harmony. I say "veiled" because of course, he didn't say that. But when assessing his arguments and trying to imagine an outcome, a direction, or a method of "progress" I found none.
by Jack Lee
Don't be duped by internet chain letters and email hoaxes. I was just sent a "missing girl" notice for Ashley Flores. The email was suspicious for a number of reasons, so I checked it out and sure enough it was a fake.
Whenever a forwarded email with lots of email addresses are attached asks, "Please forward this to everyone you know" the odds are it is a fake. Don't do it until you check it out first! In the case of the missing girl email it was too easy...just type her name into google and see what happens! lol
Here are a few websites where you can investigate that suspicious email.
http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/
http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/internet/a/current_netlore.htm
Want to test your ability to spot a hoax? Try this site: http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_quiz.htm
View image
Police ponder charges against local senior citizen for transporting pot and being on pot while driving.
See photo of suspected pot vehicle.
by Jack Lee
Isn't it about time we asked how effective our taxpayer supported social programs really are? Don't we deserve to see the evidence to justify their funding year after year? I think every program ought to be evaluated after the first year and if the results fall significantly below it's predictions, then it ought to be shut down and the money shifted in favor of those that are meeting expectations. Another way of looking at this is to give a "sunset clause" to every new program bill and if at the end of its funding cycle, either they show us a favorable cost to benefit result or it dies.
It's also about time we take a hard look at the millions of jobs in government and then determine if those jobs could not be done cheaper and better by those in private industry? And if they can be, why don't we? Afterall, there are very few government occupations that we absolutely need, that can't be done more effectively by the private sector.
Think of the efficiency and cost savings we could have IF our representatives made every government program quantify its effectiveness or be retired! The money we're wasting could be put to more useful and sensible
If you think I'm about to make another tasteless blonde joke, uh, I could, but I think this pic says all that needs to be said.
Our thanks to TinmanB for sending in this great true story...
I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights to pay For their text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots. But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.
Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in Marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a Wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and Pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day.
Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back Mountain climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. On a bike. Makes Taking your son bowling look a little lame, right?
by Jack Lee
In 1938 the Democrats passed a "minimum wage" law and since that time we have collected volumes of evidence to prove that it doesn't help, in fact it hurts! The vast majority of our economists agree, yet we persist in this delusion.
The facts tend to prove that a minimum wage increases the unemployment rate, particularly on the bottom end of the wage scale where it was intended to help. Evidence also shows that by increasing the minimum wage, inflation increases proportionately, because virtually all other wages become adjusted in kind to keep basically the same spread with minimum wage and then the costs of goods go up to offset the higher cost of labor (see consumer price index - CPI).
This across the board adjustment in costs hurts our economy that must compete in the global market place because US businesses are forced to be less competitive by adding to our overhead without making any other adjustments. In effect, we're trying to defy a basic law of economics that says,
Church Bulletins for the end of `06. Thank God for church ladies with typewriters. These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced during church services:
Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
The sermon this morning: "Jesus Walks on the Water." The sermon tonight "Searching for Jesus."
by Tina Grazier
Another restrictive trend is popping up in European cities, a trend that could easily find favor with all the regulation maniacs in America. Al Gore, the Big Green machine, and liberal city councils far and wide may soon be peeking into your garage to check out the vintage of your car. I'm talking about a vehicle ban, a "scheme" that forces people to junk older cars. If you own a vehicle made prior to 1997 it could easily be a candidate for the junk heap.
Edinburgh council is set to impose a blanket ban on the oldest, most polluting cars using its roads.
Stuttgart's tough rules will result in many cars sold before 1996 and virtually all cars sold before 1992 being banned.
Stuttgart city spokesman Egon Mohler explained that the regulations have come about in part because of EU regulations allowing only so many polluting days each year but that some exceptions would be made:
"...some exceptions would apply, such as for older fire engines, ambulances and police cars, and for specially licensed historic cars."
Sure, that seems fair...reasonable. Everyone knows that a CITY might have some difficulty replacing old emergency vehicles, police cars and such...but what about someone's old grandma living on a pension, or a student on a strict budget? Heck, the city's got that covered, all they need to do is cut back on fast food or something...maybe just skip meals all together. Or hey, I've got a great idea. How about if they go without power...all power! That way they could do even more to save the planet...yeah! And if they go without food and power for long enough they won't need another vehicle at all...'cause they'll be DEAD!
And that's the real gripe about STUPID, INTRUSIVE, UNIMAGINITIVE solutions meted out through government regulation and control. This method for solving problems ignores the effect on the everyday lives of ordinary people. That it's intrusive is pretty obvious, but why do I say it's stupid and unimaginative? Because all of the big problems mankind has faced for centuries have been solved again and again and again by brilliant creative minds...not through government regulation and control.
The article that turned my crank,"Cars over 10 years old face scrapheap under plan to crackdown on pollution" by Murdo Macleod can be found Here
Another year has passed
and we're all a little older.
Last summer felt hotter
and winter seems much colder.
I rack my brain for happy thoughts,
to put down on my pad,
But lots of things that come to mind
that make me kind of sad.
by Tina Grazier
Politically, and socially, we have a lot to look forward to in 2007. I plan on doing my looking with optimism, determination, and a sense of humor. I hope you will join Jack and me as we puzzle and ponder over current events and events in the making. We might even take a stroll down memory lane now and then just for drill.
One change I see on the horizon is that the left will now be forced to play defense. No more will they have the luxury of rock throwing from a distance! No more the freedom to merely launch back-stabbing barbs tossed with maniacal glee; now they must make sense of all the nonsense their side has planned! And since Ms. Pelosi has
World welcomes 2007 with calls for peace. See story here.
Recent Comments