Not a STERLING fellow at ALL........

On Donald Sterling, the bigoted, foul mouthed racist swine who owns the Clippers;  There's talk that the Basketball commissioner could keep him from attending games or even force him out of ownership.  All sorts of financial punishment's being discussed, too.  Really?  We can do that to someone who's, in private, said deplorable things?  Why not let the market decide?...let's say all the players refuse to play?  Let's say nobody attends a Clippers game till he's gone.  Isn't that what we should be doing? 

Do you think he should be officially taken down, no matter WHAT hideous stuff he said?


Can you weigh in?

Thanks,
Z

Prayer request

Hi, everybody....a friend's son is having complications with his heart after stents were put in.   Please pray that he agrees to see the doctor and that the discomfort is nothing to worry about.
Thanks!
Z

How to Ruin America

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about how it seems that this administration is doing all it can to ruin America.  Then I ran across this video at Mustang's.....

See what I mean?

z

Sunday Faith Blog...Angels??

Angels Explained By Children....with a question from me at the end!  (with an amazing true story from Z below)

I only know the names of two angels, Hark and Harold.                                            Gregory, age 5

Everybody's got it all wrong. Angels don't wear halos any more. I forget why, but scientists are working on it.
-Olive, age 9 

It's not easy to become an angel! First, you die. Then you go to Heaven, and then there's still the flight training to go through. And then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes.

-Matthew, age 9

 Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else.
-Mitchell, age 7
 

My guardian angel helps me with math, but he's not much good for science.
-Henry, age 8

 Angels don't eat, but they do drink milk from Holy Cows.
-Jack, age 6

 Angels talk all the way while they're flying you up to heaven. The main subject is where you went wrong before you got dead.
Daniel, age 9

 When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten. And when he lets out his breath again, somewhere there's a tornado.
-Reagan, age 10

 Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy.
If you lose a tooth, an angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow. Then when it gets cold, angels go south for the winter.

Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his
Son, who's a very good carpenter.
-Jared, age 8

 All angels are girls because they gotta wear dresses and boys didn't go for it.
-Antonio, age 9

 My angel is my grandma who died last year. She got
A big head start on helping me while she was still down here on earth.
-Ashley ~ age 9

 Some of the angels are in charge of helping heal sick animals and pets. And if they don't make the animals get better, they help the child get over it.
-Vicki, age 8

What I don't get about angels is why, when someone
Is in love, they shoot arrows at them.

-Sarah, age 7

DO YOU BELIEVE IN ANGELS?
-Z, age 'never mind' :-)

"For he will command his angels concerning you to guard youin all your ways"
Psalm 91:11 (NIV)

The STORY:   A dear elder friend of mine had a very rich friend who was a strong Christian believer.  She'd often tell her friends and family she couldn't move from her amazing estate here in Los Angeles because "My angels are here!"    One day, her daughter-in-law, a decidedly non believing Christia!, walked down the long driveway to get her mother-in-law's mail.  She came screeching and running up the hill, full blast, screaming "there were ANGELS down there..BIG people in huge wings..10' TALL!"   The old lady said "Of course there were...they're my angels!"
The daughter-in-law remains a non believer.
The old lady is assuredly in heaven with her angels as I type!SO, do you believe in Angels?

z

Apology to Cliven Bundy...by Z

Cliven Bundy is no racist.  
Most of you know I was on the Fed's side at first;  I didn't know why a man like Bundy wouldn't have paid his BLM fees.   I felt that was wrong and I said so.
Then I posted the article (a few posts down from here) with an article by a rancher telling us what had happened to Bundy, finally, and I knew he'd been taken to the cleaners by the BLM, CLEARLY screwed in his contracts over the years, etc.  

Then Mr. Bundy came out sounding like a racist and I cringed, as we all did.  I was also very surprised because he does seem like such a good, solid man.  

I was taken in.

Please read THIS ARTICLE.   Evidently, the mainstream media, namely the New York Times, cleverly edited what he said about "Negroes" and I felt I had to include the truth here at GeeeeZ because that's only FAIR...to him, those who supported him, and to our country.   Actually, let me paste it here:

"A new, unedited version of comments by Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy has emerged, and it sheds some light on the context of his remarks, universally condemned on Thursday as horrifically racist.
The 67-year-old Bundy, battling the U.S. government after federal agents stormed his ranch to confiscate his cattle in a dispute over grazing fees, said far more than what appeared in the New York Times and most other news accounts. While his grammar is pretty bad -- and his use of "negro" and "colored" considered politically incorrect (although they were both once preferred terms chosen by blacks) -- he actually was making a larger point, not simply deriding blacks.
In a YouTube video, he is filmed already in mid-sentence. 

... and so what I've testified to you -- I was in the Watts riot, I seen the beginning fire and I seen that last fire. What I seen is civil disturbance. People are not happy, people are thinking they don't have their freedoms, they didn't have these things, and they didn't have them.
We've progressed quite a bit from that day until now, and we sure don't want to go back. We sure don't want the colored people to go back to that point. We sure don't want these Mexican people to go back to that point. And we can make a difference right now by taking care of some of these bureaucracies, and do it in a peaceful way.

Those comments appear to change the context of the next section, which was quoted in the New York Times. One clear point the rancher made: America has progressed since the 1965 race riots and "we sure don't want to go back." 
Here are the heavily quoted comments from Bundy that followed the above section edited out by most news organizations.

Let me tell, talk to you about the Mexicans, and these are just things I know about the negroes. I want to tell you one more thing I know about the negro. When I go, went, go to Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, and I would see these little government houses, and in front of that government house the door was usually open and the older people and the kids -- and there's always at least a half a dozen people sitting on the porch. They didn’t have nothing to do. They didn’t have nothing for their kids to do. They didn’t have nothing for their young girls to do.
And because they were basically on government subsidy -- so now what do they do? They abort their young children, they put their young men in jail, because they never, they never learned how to pick cotton. And I’ve often wondered are they were better off as slaves, picking cotton and having a family life and doing things? Or are they better off under government subsidy?
You know they didn’t get more freedom, they got less freedom -- they got less family life, and their happiness -- you could see it in their faces -- they wasn't happy sitting on that concrete sidewalk. Down there they was probably growing their turnips -- so that’s all government, that’s not freedom.

But Bundy went on after saying that -- and again, his comments were edited out of most reports.

Now, let me talk about the Spanish people. You know, I understand that they come over here against our Constitution and cross our borders. But they’re here and they’re people -- and I’ve worked side by side a lot of them.
Don’t tell me they don’t work, and don’t tell me they don’t pay taxes. And don’t tell me they don’t have better family structures than most of us white people. When you see those Mexican families, they’re together, they picnic together, they’re spending their time together, and I’ll tell you in my way of thinking they’re awful nice people. And we need to have those people join us and be with us not, not come to our party.

So, Bundy thinks Hispanics are hard-working family people, and laments the current plight of American blacks under the federal welfare system while saying there has been much progress and that "we sure don't want to go back." As always, there's more to the story than what the New York Times says."   (end of article)

I obviously, couldn't have known what the NY Times did;  you'd think I'd recognize what I called "Sarah Palin-ing" the other day when I realized there was a contingent of people so eager to make Bundy look as hideous as he possible could...........but I'm sorry I was taken in.

I think the New York Times should be forced to apologize, too, don't you?

Z  and thanks to my dear friend Elmer's Brother for always keeping it truthful.

z

Democrats....beatings, shmeatings...

A friend of mine, two months ago, had a problem with the police in regard to her driving;  I think she ran a red light.  Of course, this was two days before an amputation of her left arm, so she was 'slightly' diverted from paying good attention.
When she went to court, a month after the amputation, she approached the judge when called up, and agreed that she'd done wrong.   She told me she suddenly started crying so hard with fear and embarrassment to have to discuss her arm in public like that she couldn't speak .  The judge caught on and asked "was this situation soon before your amputation?"   She shook her head "Yes" and he gave her community service hours....30 hours, instead of 60, because he felt so bad for her.

So, when I see THIS, it gives me pause. Here are important bits from the link:

"A multi-millionaire tech-entrepreneur, who was once named one of America’s ‘most eligible bachelors’, has avoided jail time despite allegedly beating and kicking his girlfriend 117 times in a 30 minute attack.
Gurbaksh Chahal, 31, was charged with 45 felony counts over the incident, which took place in his San Francisco apartment in August last year.
Police obtained CCTV which allegedly show Chahal, who ironically describes himself as ‘die hard’, kicking his then-partner in the head multiple times and attempting to smother her.

Chahal faced 45 felony charged and two misdemeanour charges based on the security footage San Francuisco police pulled from his bedroom.
The 45 counts also included Assault With a Deadly Weapon (not a fire arm), which in this case is cited as a pillow.
However, as the court case proceeded, a judge ruled the video inadmissible as the San Francisco Police Department had obtained it without a warrant. Chahal’s girlfriend also withdrew her testimony and refused to cooperate

In the end, on April 16, Chahal pleaded guilty to one charge of domestic violence battery and one charge of battery and was sentenced to just 25 hours of community service, three years’ probation and a 52-week domestic violence training course."

From The Daily Caller:

"Chahal is a prominent donor to Democratic causes and has visited the White House on two occasions since 2011 to meet with Obama.
According to Open Secrets, the California-based girlfriend beater has given over $108,000 to Democratic campaigns and causes since 2011. For the 2012 campaign, he gave a whopping $61,600 to the fundraising arm of the Democratic National Committee and $5,000 directly to the Obama presidential campaign.
For the 2014 election cycle, he has given $20,000 to the DNC and $6,200 to Ro Khanna, a Democratic candidate for California’s 17th U.S. House seat who strongly supports the Violence Against Women Act. In the part of the website that exclusively deals with “Women’s Issues,” Khanna outlines his plan to stamp out violence against women."

Wasn't he lucky the girlfriend refused to cooperate with the court?  And isn't it great that the cops obtained the video without a warrant so he got so little punishment?  :)

To be fair, The Daily Caller does mention that the DNC gave the money from "this last 2014 cycle" back when they heard about this.  Or when the media did, I'm not sure :-) 

What a guy, huh? 

Think his punishment was weighted correctly considering my friend's driving infraction?    Of course, my girlfriend couldn't pay anybody off.

Z

Rich Leftists are fine... but don't be a Koch! :-)

Take a look at THIS ARTICLE.  You'll be amused.  Here are 'high points':

"On a crisp morning in late March, an elite group of 100 young philanthropists and heirs to billionaire family fortunes filed into a cozy auditorium at the White House.

 

Their name tags read like a catalog of the country’s wealthiest and most influential clans: Rockefeller, Pritzker, Marriott. They were there for a discreet, invitation-only summit hosted by the Obama administration to find common ground between the public sector and the so-called next-generation philanthropists, many of whom stand to inherit billions in private wealth.

 

“Moon shots!” one administration official said, kicking off the day on an inspirational note to embrace the White House as a partner and catalyst for putting their personal idealism into practice.

The well-heeled group seemed receptive. “I think it’s fantastic,” said Patrick Gage, a 19-year-old heir to the multibillion-dollar Carlson hotel and hospitality fortune. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.” Mr. Gage, physically boyish with naturally swooping Bieber bangs, wore a conservative pinstripe suit and a white oxford shirt. His family’s Carlson company, which owns Radisson hotels, Country Inns and Suites, T.G.I. Friday’s and other brands, is an industry leader in enforcing measures to combat trafficking and involuntary prostitution.

 

“I was a little worried they were going to get a bunch of rich kids in the room and fund-raise for the Democratic Party,” Ms. Simmons said. “But they didn’t.”"

 

Z:  Isn't that wonderful!  Glad you didn't have to worry, Ms. Simmons, because the Obama crowd would never ask for contributions to their party or their ideology. (Smile)  Psssst...um, Ms. Simmons....the TRUTH IS that they can't ask you outwardly at the White House.  It's illegal.  :-)      And I'm SO SURE they won't ask you ever. :-)

 

I'm surprised no Koch kids/heirs were there, aren't you?   After all, this isn't about Democrat causes, it's just a bunch of rich kids being shown how to give back...........right?     hilarious.

 

Were YOU invited? !

 

z

Conservatives: the anti-morons

by Z and Mustang

If we wanted to prove the absurdities of the American political left, all we have to do is study the things they say, and when we finish laughing, demand that they show us their proof. It is in their proof where we win the argument. Here’s an example: Leftist Greg Sargent pronounces “Tea Party Politics” a long-term loser. He makes this prediction based on the notions of another leftist by the name of Ed Kilgore, who says this is true because “... economic issues and polices that would strengthen the safety net are looking increasingly like effective wedges to use against Republicans over the long term.”

In other words, Americans aren’t working due to leftist policies, and so we need a safety net to save Americans from leftist policy. Let’s review:

• The American left elected politicians such as Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, and our country has taken a severe downturn.

• The American left then elected a community organizer who became a politician as the result of a robust affirmative action commissariat in the greater Chicago area (and who knows what other alien powers were involved), and everything turned even worse.

• By the term “turning worse,” we mean to suggest that Americans who were working suddenly weren’t, and that Americans who had health insurance suddenly didn’t. That can’t be too hard to grasp, can it?

The above examples of leftist policies and their results created a demand for a safety net which, as is most often the case, any program designed for people who vote for progressives, paid for by individuals who actually work for a living and are more often than not, conservative voters. Essentially, they are hard working people who don’t buy in to the hope and change meme favored by leftist morons.

We do not use the term “moron” as an ad hominem attack on anyone; it is rather a precisely accurate description of anyone who thinks that socialist nations ever actually succeed, socially, or economically, or that a minority of any population can long support a majority of that population. Doesn’t the money finally run out? If not, could you let us know how and we can apply that to our households, please? Clearly, then, one has to be a complete moron to accede to the above kinds of arguments, but it does get even better.

Here is a quote attributed to Ed Kilgore, a man whose parents were obviously siblings: “These are by any definition ‘wedge issues’ which divide Republicans and counter GOP advantages among independents. They also force Republicans to counter-arguments that expose the underlying radicalism of conservative ideology. There’s absolutely no reason on earth Democrats shouldn’t talk about them at every available opportunity.”

Forgive us as we continue to struggle with the proposition that conservative ideology, which is to say, the tenets of classical liberalism, can be regarded by anyone as radicalism —unless that person is a bona fide bonehead. Kilgore was joined by another of his persuasion named Jonathan Chait, who offered this inane connection: “I believe this because the virulent opposition to the welfare state we see here is almost completely unique among major conservative parties of the world.”

This could be true of course, maybe conservatives in other countries are just nuts about the welfare state but, given that the United States is unique in the world —and while it is true that we do have too many idiots (which is to say, those who identify with and support progressive programs), we have far fewer within our borders than at any other place in the entire world. And we wonder if Sargent, Kilgore, or Chait have noticed that socialism (e.g., the welfare state) is unraveling throughout the entire world. We suppose they didn’t get that memo. Still, the incongruity of the argument is this: just because leftists keep repeating in the popular press that conservatism is radical because we don’t support and champion the welfare state doesn’t make it so. By the way, contrary to the leftists in the popular press, conservatism also doesn’t champion having the truly needy and sick dying in the streets. But, that’s another post.

You with us?

Z and M

*

Affirmative Action and the Supreme Court/a Win for Black America?

Eight states have outlawed affirmative action at public schools. Among them are some big states, like Florida, California and Arizona.  (Z: believe it or not)  I'm sick of hearing the lie that the Supreme Court just plain voted out affirmative action. Not true.  They ruled that States can ban it and that's Constitutional.  Both MSNBC and FOX are saying "Affirmative Action out"...both wrong.  I checked CNN, but they're still hearing pings.

What Tuesday’s Supreme Court ruling means is that those laws banning affirmative action, some of which have been on the books for more than a decade, will stay on the books. It gives the green light to voters in other states who might be considering changing their laws to ban the use of affirmative action in public higher education.

HERE IS THE CASE:

How did the case come to the court’s attention?   In 2006, three years after the University of Michigan Law School decision, Michigan voters changed the state’s constitution to outlaw public colleges and universities from taking account of race in admissions policies.
The state challenged the constitutional amendment, called “Section 26,” in court. A lower court upheld Section 26, but a federal appeals court reversed the lower court an in an 8-7 ruling, setting up the case before the nine justices.Voting 6 to 2, the high court said Michigan’s Proposal 2 did not violate the US Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause as charged by various groups favoring the use of affirmative action in college admissions.

I echo Mr. Richard Kahlenberg's statement (He's a senior fellow at the Century Foundation in Washington):

“When universities are banned from using race, they don’t simply give up on diversity. Instead they try to find ways to creatively promote diversity by reaching out to economically disadvantaged students of all races, which is something I think they should have been doing all along,” says Kahlenberg. “Today, obstacles students face are more closely aligned with class than with race.”

I think that last line is exactly true.  Recently, I've been involved with high school seniors desperate for their college of choice and I've seen some White students overlooked for minorities who didn't have the same grades.  Some of those minority kids went to our same school and had the same classes but did worse (some did better, by the way) than some White students.

I watched Al Sharpton on his MSNBC show a little about this yesterday.  He was outraged, of course, as were all his guests (God forbid he should welcome diversity himself).   What's sad is that some universities in states where affirmative action was banned HAVE seen a drop in Black student participation.  One of them is Berkeley, in Northern California, where the enrollment of Black students dropped 6%.    That's not good to see.

My question is this:  Do you agree that it's more about class now than race?  And what's a fair way to protect White students and Black students?   Why can't it be strictly on grades?    A lot of other criteria is looked at by college entrance people, including clubs memberships, sports, etc.  Perhaps that should change since lots of minority kids might not have the money to participate in those extra curricular high school requirements.  That's an idea, no?

On the hypothetical level playing field of high schools across this country,  can't all teens succeed who want to succeed?  Yes.  We've seen plenty of great Black Americans who graduated from great school before Affirmative Action, haven't we.  Should Black students be given easier entry to the college of their choice than White students?  Why? 

I believe the end of Affirmative Action is a win for Black graduates who don't have to wonder anymore if an employer's interviewing them because of their color or because of their having graduated from a great college.  They'll have entered that school on their own and earned their degree fair and square.  And I believe EVERY BLACK STUDENT who wants an education CAN succeed any bit as well as ANY White student.

Why don't all people?  Affirmative action worked at one time;  I have no doubt about that.

Do we still need it?

let's talk..

Z

Fabulous lines by Leno....take a look...it's worth it

These  one liners might be why NBC retired Jay Leno!

NBC was upset  by the fact Leno's comments were ALWAYS right on target.

"I  was going to start off tonight with an Obama joke, but I don't  want to get audited by the IRS."

On NSA surveillance:  "We wanted a president who listens to all Americans - now we  have one."

On a new IRS commissioner: "He's called 'acting  commissioner' because he has to act like the scandal doesn't  involve the White House."

On closing the Guantanamo prison  for terrorists: "If he really wants to close it, turn it  into a government-funded solar power company. The doors will be shut in a month."

Concerning the Benghazi , Associated  Press, and IRS scandals:
"Remember in the old days when  President Obama's biggest embarrassment
was Joe  Biden?"

On Obama saying he didn't know about the IRS  scandal: "He was too busy not knowing anything about Benghazi  to not know anything about the IRS."

"The White House has a  new slogan about Benghazi : Hope and change the  subject."

"It's casual Friday, which means that at the  White House, they're casually going through everybody's phone  calls and records."

"It is not looking good for President  Obama. Today his teleprompter took the fifth."

"Fox News  has changed its slogan from 'Fair and Balanced' to 'See, I told  you so!'"

On Obama's commencement address: "He told the  young graduates their future is bright unless, of course, they  want jobs."

On a Chicago man who set a record for riding a  Ferris wheel: "The only other way to go around and around in  a circle that many times is to read the official report on  Benghazi ."

On White House claims of ignorance on the  scandals: "They took 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' out of the  Pentagon and moved it into the White House."

"These White House scandals are  not going away anytime soon. It's gotten 
so bad that People in  Kenya are now saying he's 100 percent  American."

I hope you enjoyed them!   Z

xx

 

Cliven Bundy: FINALLY; THE TRUTH

Constitutional Insurgent linked me to this and it is SO important that I knew you should read it.  Please not only read it but pass it to friends.  It's important to make note that we are NOT HEARING this stuff in our media and it's important for us to finally be getting all of the truth in any way we can.  I felt there was a missing piece of the puzzle because ol' Cliven seems like such an honest, good man who just wants to make a living for his family and I knew he'd not cheat or make a stink if he could avoid it.  As shown below, he COULD NOT:

Why Cliven Bundy Is Not Wrong- From A Fellow Rancher

April 13, 2014       

          

There have been a lot of people criticizing Clive Bundy because he did not pay his grazing fees for 20 years. The public is also probably wondering why so many other cowboys are supporting Mr. Bundy even though they paid their fees and Clive did not. What you people probably do not realize is that on every rancher’s grazing permit it says the following: “You are authorized to make grazing use of the lands, under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management and covered by this grazing permit, upon your acceptance of the terms and conditions of this grazing permit and payment of grazing fees when due.” The “mandatory” terms and conditions go on to list the allotment, the number and kind of livestock to be grazed, when the permit begins and ends, the number of active or suspended AUMs (animal units per month), etc. The terms and conditions also list specific requirements such as where salt or mineral supplements can be located, maximum allowable use of forage levels (40% of annual growth), etc., and include a lot more stringent policies that must be adhered to. Every rancher must sign this “contract” agreeing to abide by the TERMS AND CONDITIONS before he or she can make payment.

In the early 90s, the BLM went on a frenzy and drastically cut almost every rancher’s permit because of this desert tortoise issue, even though all of us ranchers knew that cow and desert tortoise had co-existed for a hundred+ years. As an example, a family friend had his permit cut by 90%. For those of you who are non ranchers, that would be equated to getting your paycheck cut 90%. In 1976 there were approximately 52 ranching permittees in this area of Nevada. Presently, there are 3. Most of these people lost their livelihoods because of the actions of the BLM.

Clive Bundy was one of these people who received extremely unfair and unreasonable TERMS AND CONDITIONS. Keep in mind that Mr. Bundy was required to sign this contract before he was allowed to pay. Had Clive signed on the dotted line, he would have, in essence, signed his very livelihood away. And so Mr. Bundy took a stand, not only for himself, but for all of us. He refused to be destroyed by a tyrannical federal entity and to have his American liberties and freedoms taken away. Also keep in mind that all ranchers financially paid dearly for the forage rights those permits allow – - not rights to the land, but rights to use the forage that grows on that land. Many of these AUMS are water based, meaning that the rancher also has a vested right (state owned, not federal) to the waters that adjoin the lands and allow the livestock to drink. These water rights were also purchased at a great price. If a rancher cannot show beneficial use of the water (he must have the appropriate number of livestock that drinks and uses that water), then he loses that water right. Usually water rights and forage rights go hand in hand. Contrary to what the BLM is telling you, they NEVER compensate a rancher for the AUMs they take away. Most times, they tell ranchers that their AUMS are “suspended,” but not removed. Unfortunately, my family has thousands of “suspended” AUMs that will probably never be returned.

And so, even though these ranchers throughout the course of a hundred years invested thousands(and perhaps millions) of dollars and sacrificed along the way to obtain these rights through purchase from others, at a whim the government can take everything away with the stroke of a pen. This is the very thing that Clive Bundy single-handedly took a stand against. Thank you, Clive, from a rancher who considers you a hero.
-Kena Lytle Gloeckner

Thanks, CI...and thanks to Kena Gloeckner, who should be read by every American.

z

EASTER SUNDAY BLOG

Oh, Glorious Day!


The thief on the cross next to Jesus said to the thief on Jesus' other side "We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."  Luke 23

Jesus, Remember me


Have a really BLESSED Easter, or Resurrection Sunday, as some folks call it.  I still like EASTER because of all the joyous, happy, Spring things Easter brings us to happily celebrate the amazing message of this day.

HAPPY DAY!

Love, Z

TERRORISTS?

What's it mean....when we live in an America which allows for leaders to call good people fighting for freedom terrorists but, when it comes to a killer at an army base like Ft Hood, he can't be called a terrorist?


Weigh in, please.

Z

Good Friday.............This is Love

Why?

These are extraordinarily good...have fun!

Why, Why, Why,   Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are almost dead? Why do banks charge a fee on 'insufficient funds' when they already know there is not enough money? Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars; but have to check when you say the paint is still wet?   Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?     Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?   Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?   Whose idea was it to put an 'S' in the word 'lisp'?   If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?   Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?   Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?   Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?   Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?   Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?   How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?   When we are in the supermarket and someone rams our ankle with a shopping cart then apologizes for doing so, why do we say, 'It's all right?' Well, it isn't all right, so why don't we say, 'That really hurt, why don't you watch where you're going?'   Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?   In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?       I FIGURED WE NEED SOME LEVITY..... Right? Got a favorite? Z

Scandals and Questions............pick one

1. NSA Spying
2. Fast and Furious
3. Benghazi's unanswered questions
4. IRS' unanswered questions and the stalling on information release.
5. Affordable Care Act's never having been read and now being changed without Congress

Which would you say is the worst affront to our Constitution?

I was thinking how much the word SCANDAL is used even by the leftwing media for so much of Obama's presidency.  Weird.

Z

A MUST READ

Please treat yourself to Mustang's latest post at FIX BAYONETS.
It will show you what a real man is like....humor, humility, honor. 

I was amazed and had to share it.........GeeeeZ had to have it in its archives.

You will enjoy the read...if you read nothing else, read his numbered points.  But read everything :-)

Thanks, Mustang.

Z

Cocker..........at his best

Great intro....and it only gets better.   In 2013, in Cologne, Germany. 

We can all get by better with FRIENDS.

Thanks, Mustang, my friend.

Z

Bundy the Rancher and Bundy the Law Breaker?

I'm not even going to link to any articles here because there are SO MANY interpretations of what happened in Nevada this last week.   What I am going to do is ask the following questions:

- If Bundy hadn't paid, why is he not owing that money?
- It was definitely on federal land;  why do so many of you say it's a "State issue?", as does Bundy
- Since when is MILITIA called on and who the heck are they, really?

The more I hear/read, the more I think Bundy is in the wrong........that ought to get your hackles up!!

I'm going to say that and RUN FOR COVER!!!..................

Please comment!  Educate me!  By the way, Imp just sent me the following graphic:  No matter WHO's wrong or right, THIS no American could NOT agree with.  I hope.

Z

TAXES.......Happy April 15 (not!)

I'm supposed to get a fairly good sized refund.  Think I'll get it?   I hope so!
Do you know any grisly IRS stories?! 

Z

Powers...of the PEOPLE or the PRESIDENT?

I found this at our friend Average American's site...
Power, changing laws, decisions to selectively enforce portions of laws and ignore other portions..

He asks "What do we do?"

What do you think we can do that's sensible, effective and fair?

Z  (thanks, AA)~

Sunday Faith Blog

Happy Passover to all.  I'm honored to have been invited to a Rabbi friend's for Seder Monday night and he's having all "Christian Conservative" friends, which he's thrilled about.  "We can actually TALK,"  he said to me!   (this is L.A., and liberals come IN to any dinner party slamming the Right, so you just know you either stay quiet and nod your head in false agreement or say something and ruin the party!).

I wish all Christian and Jews a happy Passover because we all gained from Moses' words, and from the release of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. 

"Then Moses called  all the elders of Israsel and said to them, "Go and select LAMBS for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the PASSOVER LAMB."  Exodus 12:21

 Christians, please let's not forget our cherished history:       
     
"The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the LAMB of GOD, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29


Happy Passover to all believers.

Z

VOTING....are you against it?

I watched quite a bit of MSNBC yesterday afternoon.  Do you know that there are folks on there condemning all Republicans for trying to stop Black folks from voting?  I was stunned.

Apparently, it's nearly impossible for "25%" of Black Americans to get identification!  Do you know a White friend with no ID?  Do you have a Black friend with no ID?  I didn't think so.  I don't, either.

They talk about this subject as if it's just a fact EVERYBODY knows;  that Republicans are pigs who are standing in the way of those pesky leftwingers voting.   There is NO TALK about voting fraud, no talk about the many buses the Democrats drove around picking people up to vote or Black section of L.A. in an eye doctor's office where, as I've mentioned before, the Doctor would ask his patients for want of conversation around voting day "So, Esther, you gonna go out and VOTE?"   No, Esther (and nearly all his other patients) didn't have to go out; according to Esther (and Kathy, who heard them), "these nice young kids come and pick up my ballot and fill it out for me, isn't that NICE?"   

Ya, and remember the lovely Black girl I wrote about here at the last presidential election who I saw bounce into my voting place on a cell phone, voted there because "Well, my office is SO far from home, I thought I'd vote here..it's OKAY, isn't it?  I'll sign the book" (The BOOK, by the way, NEVER EVER EVER gets looked at, did you know that?).   Then off she bounded on her cell phone for the next voting precinct.

Ya, the fun never stops.   It's we Republicans, we biggest fans of Democracy and freedom who are TRYING TO STOP PEOPLE FROM VOTING BECAUSE WE WANT LEGAL VOTING.

GO FIGURE.

Z

Got enough?

Do you ever look around your home and realize how much you have in comparison with so much of the world?  Even if you have a studio apartment...it's yours and it has hot and cold running water, and you can close the door and be comfortable inside.
Or, you might have an amazing five bedroom, four bathroom house on sprawling acres with a terrific deck overlooking tons of tree, a pool and a natural river. 
Let's face it, no matter how much some of us might complain, we have what we NEED.

I think of people in Africa who've literally never felt a hot shower on their backs, or never run clothes through a washing machine and dryer, or never had food at their fingertips, or clean water, or warmth when it's very cold.

I think it's important we think of these things and remember how truly blessed we are.  
I remember being on a klong in Bangkok (a canal), where people's backyards run down to the water we were passing over.   The good Thais had little Buddhist shrines in their backyards, they were very poor, and some were eating at their backyard tables with a view of the river.  I couldn't take pictures of them, though some do, I felt it was like taking pictures of animals at the zoo and these were human beings smiling shyly and waving at me and the other 3 in our small boat.  I thought of how they're sooo poor and living on the edge of a lovely waterway.  And I thought "Who's really poor?  They're happy, they're not poor!"

Do you ever get in bed with the TV right there in front of you, the clicker in your hand, maybe a pet at your feet, a glass of clean water on your nightstand, instant light from the lamp, maybe a bite to eat, lovely warm covers........and think "this is bliss."

It IS bliss.  I'm not preaching here, I'm just wondering how many of us really appreciate what we've got.

What would you miss the most if you were living in India or Kenya where the people have so little? 

This IS sounding like a sermon, so I'll quit, but I wanted to post it because I think it's so important.

What WOULD you miss the most?  DO you think of how much you have even if it's a small studio apartment?  

silly post.........just had to post it.

z

Islam, criticism, and the end of open minded debate

Brandeis University withdraws planned honorary degree for Islam critic Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Brandeis University in Massachusetts announced Tuesday that it had withdrawn the planned awarding of an honorary degree to Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a staunch critic of Islam and its treatment of women, after protests from students and faculty.
The university said in a statement posted online that the decision had been made after a discussion between Ali and university President Frederick Lawrence.

"She is a compelling public figure and advocate for women's rights, and we respect and appreciate her work to protect and defend the rights of women and girls throughout the world," said the university's statement. "That said, we cannot overlook certain of her past statements that are inconsistent with Brandeis University's core values."

 

Ali, a member of the Dutch Parliament from 2003 to 2006, has been quoted as making comments critical of Islam. That includes a 2007 interview with Reason Magazine in which she said of the religion, "Once it's defeated, it can mutate into something peaceful. It's very difficult to even talk about peace now. They're not interested in peace. I think that we are at war with Islam. And there's no middle ground in wars."

Ali was raised in a strict Muslim family, but after surviving a civil war, genital mutilation, beatings and an arranged marriage, she renounced the faith in her 30s. She has not commented publicly on the issue of the honorary degree.

In 2007, Ali helped establish the AHA Foundation, which works to protect and defend the rights of women in the West from oppression justified by religion and culture, according to its website. The foundation also strives to protect basic rights and freedoms of women and girls. This includes control of their own bodies, access to an education and the ability to work outside the home and control their own income, the website says.

More than 85 of about 350 faculty members at Brandeis signed a letter asking for Ali to be removed from the list of honorary degree recipients. And an online petition created Monday by students at the school of 5,800 had gathered thousands of signatures from inside and outside the university as of Tuesday afternoon.

"This is a real slap in the face to Muslim students," said senior Sarah Fahmy, a member of the Muslim Student Association who created the petition said before the university withdrew the honor.
"But it's not just the Muslim community that is upset but students and faculty of all religious beliefs," she said. "A university that prides itself on social justice and equality should not hold up someone who is an outright Islamophobic."

Thomas Doherty, chairman of American studies, refused to sign the faculty letter. He said it would have been great for the university to honor "such a courageous fighter for human freedom and women's rights, who has put her life at risk for those values."

Bernard Macy, a 1979 Brandeis graduate, sent an email this week to university President Frederick Lawrence and several members of the faculty saying, "Thank you for recognizing Ayaan Hirsi Ali for defending Muslim women against Islamist honor violence."

But Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation's largest Muslim advocacy group, said, "It is unconscionable that such a prestigious university would honor someone with such openly hateful views."

The organization sent a letter to university President Frederick Lawrence on Tuesday requesting that it drop plans to honor Ali.
"This makes Muslim students feel very uneasy," Joseph Lumbard, chairman of Islamic and Middle Eastern studies, said in an interview. "They feel unwelcome here."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.  (end of article)

Z:  It strikes me as so sad that students at Brandeis are less interested in the truth from one who knows, first hand, genital mutilation, beatings, an arranged marriage and a long time in hiding from islamists than they are politically correct.  Ali criticizes what she knows;  she understands the danger of islam to women around the world, she recognizes the danger of islamists to the world.   But, she cannot receive an honor because some are hurt by her truths.   The message here is that some could have been awakened to the ugly truth by their hurt but they have won their case and weakened themselves, and us, in the doing.  Instead of understanding her background, her warnings, her first hand information, the new generation would rather ignore mutilations and beatings and even murder in the name of religion and condemn Ali instead.
Good job, American professors.  You should be mightily ashamed of yourselves.

Z  I want to add that I wrote this on Tuesday night and it bugs me SO BIG TIME when I'm ahead of the darned cable channels but hadn't posted it in time to be 'exclusive! '  HA!!  :)  Mr. Z used to say "Look!  You wrote that blog post and the media's just commenting on the subject"   (see why I LOVED HIM!?) :)

Happy Birthday, Mom and Cath!
ZZ

Knives now forbidden

President Barack Obama has signed into being the NO MORE KNIVES LAW.  He felt he did not need Congress's approval on this because he usually doesn't.  

Because of the terrible incident in the Pennsylvania High School, where 20 students were stabbed, some critically, all knives are now banned.  Parents are up at arms because they feel some knife incidents seriously wounding people don't mean all knives should be banned.  Others, more liberal Pennsylvania folks, feel all knives should be banned because, after all, if it could happen once, it could happen again and, "Knives kill, people don't kill."

Make sure that you don't allow anybody near your cutlery drawers in your kitchen because you'll have to invoke "stand your ground laws" and most states don't have that and then you'll be in big trouble.  Also, at your dinner parties, you will have to serve soft foods that don't need cutting.  You will now have to eat your peas with your fork because that pushing knife you used will be collected with your other carving knives, eating knives and letter openers.  Scissors are suspected to be next on the government's list of weapons they will be collecting.  It is suspected that a large Naval ship will be made from all the millions of tons of metal the government will have after collecting all our knives.  It is scheduled to be named the SS BARACK OBAMA.   And the motto will be "Thar he blows."

There is no way of assuring our country that the criminals will also be turning in their knives, but we just have to count on Mr. Obama and his peoples' promises that once none of us have guns, we'll be safer.   um.......  Well, that's what he says.

Because this wasn't a shooting, the coverage is significantly, truly significantly, less on television and other media, but knives apparently aren't as dangerous...well, they can be, but........well.

Psychologists on the scene are already explaining that something happened in the suspect's life when he was four years old which pushed him to stab 20 people today.  We will hear hour upon hour on the reasons for his having done these horrific slashings even though "knives kill, people don't."  

Everyone from second cousins twice removed of the school safety guard who quit two years to the ex wife of the adult who was stabbed will be interviewed for what they think.  We will be on this so you will miss nothing.   It is suspected that many zealous meat eaters who feel they must have their knives will be buying up Oneida cutlery at a record pace.

This is Z, reporting from Franklin Regional High School. 

z

Communism or Truth?

This is a very good example of what so many of us see every day:

I was reading up on Robert Taylor, interested because I'd just watched a film with him and Stanwyck and wanted to know if they were married during the making of the 1936 film.

This caught my eye:  "Taylor also labeled screenwriter Lester Cole "reputedly a Communist", while adding, "I would not know personally".^[29] In consequence, Cole was sent to prison and was never able to write again under his own name."

Wow, makes one think "what a cad Taylor was...labeling Cole resulted in Cole's never writing again under his own name;  and Taylor said he wouldn't know personally...how awful for Cole.

So I clicked on the Lester Cole link, of course, curious about him, and found this.

"In 1934, Cole joined the American Communist Party. He became one of the Hollywood Ten, who refused to answer questions before the House Committee on Un-American Activities about their Communist Party membership. Cole was convicted of contempt of Congress, fined $1,000 and sentenced to twelve months confinement at the Federal Correctional Institution at Danbury, Connecticut, of which he served ten months."   So, wait...he WAS a Communist, but Taylor's said to have 'labeled' him 'reputedly a Communist?"

Paranthetically, Cole, as many blacklisted writers, wrote under another name and went on to produce the 1966 film, Born Free.   He did write.  He made a living.  He was a communist.  Is that Taylor's fault?   As a matter of fact, Taylor's bio includes something which might please most Americans; ""I'm afraid it would have to be him or me, because life is too short to be around people who annoy me as much as these fellow-travelers and Communists do".

Taylor, Stanwyck and Cole are all dead by now and this is such a trivial story these days;  but in the research, my having found that was so familiar, so typical of many things we all find on the internet and elsewhere.  Inferences abound.  Taylor is labeled pretty horribly when all Mr. Cole really was in trouble for was refusing to answer questions about his membership in the Communist Party.

Now we all know being a Communist today is no big deal, according to some on the Left, but some of us still do think it wasn't the best for America and we have all seen films where Hollywood attempted to influence;  films from the 40's against wars many would have found 'just,'  a marvelous film (it is good, no matter what the theme) made in the early Thirties about setting up a Socialist city  in the California Central Valley which touted this idea as such a great one!   At one point, while picking a leader, someone says "but won't we vote for it...like a democracy?"  and the hero says "No, we won't vote!  That's what got our country in trouble in the first place!"   

Yes, films did influence...or tried to.    So, let's not be naïve.

Do you think Taylor deserves that inclusion about Cole on his biography on Wikipedia? 

Just curious.

By the way, I've mentioned this a couple of times before, but there was an astonishing article in the LA Times about 25 years ago by children of suspected Hollywood Communists.  The children were adults by then and willingly and openly described their parents as definitely Communists who definitely tried to influence the world through their writings.   I have Googled many times, trying to find it.  It disappeared.   Still can't find it, but just ran across THIS fascinating piece where one of the 10 (only 10) indicted, Edward Dmytryk  "..... realized that the Communist Party had little use for him, and his principles. His only value was how the party could use him for anti-American propaganda."

z

Iowa's Rep Steven King....

Kudos to Iowa and Representative Steven King.  I watched the Holder hearings this morning (if you could call it that...it wasn't a hearing, it was good questions and evasive answers) and Steven King was so good in running down what DoJ cases were approached with immediate action (anything by Conservatives in any way) and how long other cases were stalled and delayed (anything by Liberals in any way).
It was a fascinating list.............He could barely get it all in before he had to "yield," so Holder didn't need to say anything, but, it felt good to get the truth aired.

I admire him very much.

z

Soros...to be arrested?

Finally, something Conservatives honestly DO agree with Russia on!   The Russians want George Soros arrested.  Yes, they do.

Had you heard about this?  NO?   Is it doable?  Probably not;   "the IMF and EU have put an official stop on the arrest of Soros. ":-)   Wonder why...if it's true that Soros’ use of  cross-collateralized compounded derivatives utilizing Luxembourg banks violates the terms of the Basil II European Union banking agreement, why wouldn't he be arrested?

What do you think of Soros?  Do you know the story about his youth as a Jew in Europe and how he turned Jews in to the Gestapo?  Do you think he'd allow himself to be arrested now? 
What are your thoughts?

It's probably silly to even post this since the man is so obviously protected by the media and whatever kinds of shields he has around him$$$.......but I've always been sort of curious about him and haven't ever heard anything good.   Yet, he prospers.  


Z

Mickey Rooney

I didn't know Mickey Rooney died yesterday.  My gosh, what a huge star he was for so many years.

I couldn't NOT mention it here today because he was a huge presence in American film and so well loved for so many years.

And 9 children among 8 wives...imagine?

Rest in peace, Mr. Rooney.....and thanks for everything.

Z

Waterboard Feinstein??

What do we DO when Feinstein says things like she's saying in public?   Everything we have in the news is instantly ALL over the world.  The world is watching and our news is making it possible for them to see ALL of our messes here in America and, brother, we are A MESS.  EVERYTHING that happens here, division like we never had before, is broadcast into Putin's bedroom TV, Iran's TV, everybody's TV.  The laughter must be amazing.

How can we not be a complete laughing stock?  What other countries air their dirty laundry like we do?  Answer: NONE, trust me.  I've lived in other countries;  they don't dump their own in the mud, at least not on international subjects.

Then there is Nancy Pelosi saying that Cheney's to blame for 'enhanced interrogation' of the three people who were interrogated 'enhancedly'.   

How do we walk the fine line of openness and "be QUIET, for goodness sake, our enemies are listening, you MORONS?"   What do we do to fix that?

Any ideas?    Is it a good idea to run ourselves down?  Why is it the leftists who'll probably agree with Feinstein and Pelosi and we on the Conservative side who feel something must be done to NOT make us laughing stocks, to NOT allow us to look in SUCH disarray, to NOT make US as weak as we've become in worldview these last five years?

HELP!   Please comment............I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts.

Z

Sunday Faith Blog

I wondered what to do for today's Faith Post and I suddenly ran across THIS ARTICLE  about Sally Jessy Raphael and how she says her worst interview was Woody Allen because "he smelled.....lots of celebrities smell."

I couldn't help but think how unkind it was to say that;  how seemingly out of character for people who still remember and admire her.  Is it important to mention?  Please let's not get into what Woody Allen's reputation seems to bear out...we all know the rumors, but pretend it's not someone you know.   Pretend it's you.  You smell?  And many know it now?  Was that KIND?

Can we all be kinder?  I think so.  Should we?   I'm not sure we can say "should" in today's PC America, but yes, I'd say we should be kinder.  I'd also add that we could do with a lot more "should" and "shouldn'ts,"  you know, the type we heard when people were living lives of better moral character?  Ya, those.    

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."  Ephesians 4:32           (I think Aesop was right, too, don't you?)

Be kind to yourself, too.  It's then waaaay easier to be kind to others.  Waaaaaaaaaaaaay.  Ever noticed that?

Happy Sunday,

Z

Own a Home = Own a GUN?

I got the following from a dear friend on Thursday....I found it interesting and thought you might, too:

See below.  It’s about the city of Kennesaw, GA, close to where I grew up.

 

They passed the ordinance in response to an ordinance passed earlier that year in a town in Illinois banning all guns.

 

What’s amazing about the drop in crime after the gun law below passed is that, if I’m not mistaken, the population of the town has gone up considerably since 1982.

Gun law[edit]

The town is noted for its unusual gun legislation. In 1982 the city passed an ordinance [Sec 34-21]^[19]

(a) In order to provide for the emergency management of the city, and further in order to provide for and protect the safety, security and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants, every head of household residing in the city limits is required to maintain a firearm, together with ammunition therefore.


(b) Exempt from the effect of this section are those heads of households who suffer a physical or mental disability which would prohibit them from using such a firearm. Further exempt from the effect of this section are those heads of households who are paupers or who conscientiously oppose maintaining firearms as a result of beliefs or religious doctrine, or persons convicted of a felony.

Gun rights activist David Kopel stated that there is evidence that this gun law has reduced the incident rate of home burglaries citing that in the first year, home burglaries dropped from 65 before the ordinance, down to 26 in 1983, and to 11 in 1984.^[20] The overall crime rate had decreased by more than 50% between 1982 and 2005.^[21] Another report observed a noticeable reduction in burglary from 1981, the year before the ordinance was passed, to 1999. A 2001 media report stated that Kennesaw's crime rates continued to decline and were well below the national average, making citizens feel safer and more secure.^[22] The city's website says that the city has the lowest crime rate in Cobb county.<sup>[23

So...pretty interesting, huh?   what do you think?

Z  (Thanks, Hal!)</sup>