GeeeeeZ!

THAR she blows..............

2012-01-27T17:16:00.000-08:00

It's a total HONOR to post this video. An AMAZING story.....you'll love it.

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

thanks, Mustang......Semper Fi to men like this, and their mothers, who gave of themselves for our country.
z

Alan West...another reason I'd vote for him for anything

2012-01-26T14:03:00.000-08:00

Allen West on the Marines Incident: 'Shut Your Mouth, War Is Hell'

1:37 PM, Jan 13, 2012 • By DANIEL HALPER

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.), a former Army lieutenant colonel, sends THE WEEKLY STANDARD an email commenting on the Marines' video, and has given us permission to publish it. (Z: the 'marine's video' isn't a video but an article by Wm Kristol)

“I have sat back and assessed the incident with the video of our Marines urinating on Taliban corpses. I do not recall any self-righteous indignation when our Delta snipers Shugart and Gordon had their bodies dragged through Mogadishu. Neither do I recall media outrage and condemnation of our Blackwater security contractors being killed, their bodies burned, and hung from a bridge in Fallujah.

“All these over-emotional pundits and armchair quarterbacks need to chill. Does anyone remember the two Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division who were beheaded and gutted in Iraq?

“The Marines were wrong. Give them a maximum punishment under field grade level Article 15 (non-judicial punishment), place a General Officer level letter of reprimand in their personnel file, and have them in full dress uniform stand before their Battalion, each personally apologize to God, Country, and Corps videotaped and conclude by singing the full US Marine Corps Hymn without a teleprompter.

“As for everyone else, unless you have been shot at by the Taliban, shut your mouth, war is hell.” (end story)

And, from the article by Wm Kristol, who wonders why the Republican candidates aren't addressing this situation, there's this:

If they need some reassurance as to where public opinion might be, they can take a look at the results of a poll on the website of, yes, the Washington Post. The question is, “What was your reaction to the video that appeared to show Marines urinating on three Afghan corpses?”

So far, with over 20,000 votes cast, here's how the responses break down:

It's an unacceptable desecration - 11 percent
It's an embarrassment - 7 percent
It's not surprising -- things like this happen in war - 82 percent

z: Maybe all Americans haven't gone soft on America and her fighting men and women. I hope so.

(thanks, Mustang)

Gov Brewer and Mr. Obama; Can't you just hear it?

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer came to greet President Barack Obama upon his arrival outside Phoenix Wednesday. What she got was a critique. Of her book.

The two leaders could be seen engaged in an intense conversation at the base of Air Force One's steps. Both could be seen smiling, but speaking at the same time.
Asked moments later what the conversation was about, Brewer, a Republican, said: "He was a little disturbed about my book."
Brewer recently published a book, "Scorpions for Breakfast," something of a memoir of her years growing up and defends her signing of Arizona's controversial law cracking down on illegal immigrants, which Obama opposes.

Obama was objecting to Brewer's description of a meeting he and Brewer had at the White House, where she described Obama as lecturing her. In an interview in November Brewer described two tense meetings. The first took place before his commencement address at Arizona State University. "He did blow me off at ASU," she said in the television interview in November.

She also described meeting the president at the White House in 2010 to talk about immigration. "I felt a little bit like I was being lectured to, and I was a little kid in a classroom, if you will, and he was this wise professor and I was this little kid, and this little kid knows what the problem is and I felt minimized to say the least."

On the tarmac Wednesday, Brewer handed Obama an envelope with a handwritten invitation to return to Arizona to meet her for lunch and to join her for a visit to the border.

"I said to him, you know, I have always respected the office of the president and that the book is what the book is," she told reporters Wednesday. She said Obama complained that she described him as not treating her cordially.

"I said that I was sorry that he felt that way. Anyway, we're glad he's here, and we'll regroup."

A White House official said Brewer handed Obama a letter and said she was inviting him to meet with her. The official said Obama told her he would be glad to meet with her again. The official said Obama did note that after their last meeting, which the official described as a cordial discussion in the Oval Office, the governor inaccurately described the meeting in her book. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to describe a private conversation between the president and the governor. end of article.

Z: SO the White House official says Obama says Gov Brewer is wrong. So, that's that? Has any of you seen Gov Brewer in any of the interviews she's given on television over the last couple of years where she's been so frustrated with getting no attention, with being fought at the White House for trying to close the borders, by not getting Obama to come look at the situation in person, at the border? Think she gave an accurate description of the meeting at the White House? She adds that the president walked away from their encounter on the tarmac instead of finishing their conversation.

The SOTUS

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Did Mr. Obama say anything that particularly rankled you? Or anything you really liked?

How did you like Mitch Daniels' rebuttal? I think it was excellent.
z

He's leaving, he's LEAVING!!

2012-01-24T17:49:00.000-08:00

CNN and FOX both have people talking about the BIG SPEECH tonight. Meanwhile, the crawl says (at the bottom of the screen) says things like:

SOON: President Departs White House

President to leave White House for speech

As long as he starts the speech on time, who the heck CARES when he LEAVES? amazing. oh. I hear clapping from the TV in the other room.
He must have ARRIVED :-) ugh
x

Boycotting Obama..........would YOU?

2012-01-24T11:00:00.000-08:00

Have you seen this information by Billy House, from the National Journal?...

Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., said on Monday he is boycotting President Obama’s State of the Union address.

In a tersely worded statement released by his office, Lamborn said he decided instead “to pass” on attending the speech on Tuesday night, though he will watch it on television.

“Congressman Lamborn does not support the policies of Barack Obama,” the statement said.

A spokeswoman said Lamborn was about to board a flight and was not immediately available to elaborate. But his office has already prepared a further explanation for constituents if they want to know more about his decision.

That explanation states that Lamborn, who was first elected to represent Colorado’s 5th Congressional District in 2006, has never skipped a State of the Union before. But it said he believes this year “the president is in full campaign mode and will use the address as an opportunity to bash his political opponents.”

It also said that, as far as Lamborn knows, he is the only House Republican deciding to do this and that he did not make the decision in cooperation with any House GOP colleagues.

Lamborn serves as chairman of the Committee on Energy and Mineral Resources of the House Committee on Natural Resources, and is on the House Armed Services and Veterans' Affairs committees.

Here is Lamborn’s explanation to his constituents in its entirety:

“This is the first SOTU speech Lamborn has passed on

Congressman Lamborn has attended all the past SOTU addresses. As for what makes this year’s speech different, Congressman Lamborn but believes the President is in full campaign mode and will use the address as an opportunity to bash his political opponents.

As far as he knows, he is the only Republican who will pass on attending SOTU. He is doing this on his own and is not trying to coordinate this with any other Members. Congressman Lamborn is doing this to send a clear message that he does not support the policies of Barack Obama, that they have hurt our country.

Congressman Lamborn respects the President personally, and the office of the President.

Congressman Lamborn is protesting Obama’s recent 'recess appointments' to the National Labor Relation’s Board and newly-created Consumer Protection Board. He is protesting Obama’s decision to reject the job-creating Keystone Pipeline. He is protesting the President’s draconian cuts to defense.

Lamborn wants to send a strong, clear message that President Obama’s deficit spending cannot continue.

Congressman Lamborn plans to watch the speech on television.”

If you were a Congressman or Senator, would you consider doing this?

Pris's husband has passed away

2012-01-23T20:54:00.000-08:00

I know she would want me to thank you for your prayers....please continue praying for strength for Pris and her children and grandson and their extended family and friends.

This is a very sad day. Her husband was a very good guy and they were married over 50 years.
z

2012-01-23T16:22:00.001-08:00

Please keep Pris and her family in your prayers......thanks

Democrat smears

2012-01-23T12:55:00.000-08:00

Report: Former Obama Campaign Staffer Arrested for Identity Theft in Alleged Scam to Frame Iowa’s Republican Secretary Of State

By Andrew C. McCarthy

From the Iowa Republican:Barack Obama’s 2008 Iowa New Media Director was arrested Friday for attempting to use the identities of Secretary of State Matt Schultz [a Republican], and/or his brother Thomas, with the intent to falsely implicate the Secretary Schultz in illegal or unethical behavior. Zach Edwards, 29, of Des Moines, currently works for Link Strategies, a Democrat-affiliated organization with ties to Iowa Senator Tom Harkin. Edwards is the Director of New Media for Link Strategies.

The Secretary of State’s office discovered the alleged crime and reported it to authorities. Edwards turned himself in to the Iowa DCI agents Friday afternoon. He was charged with identity theft, a misdemeanor, and booked into the Polk County jail. Edwards posted $2,000 bail and was released later on Friday. He faces up to two years in prison.

The report goes on to explain that the Democratic party in Iowa has targeted Secretary Schultz since his election in November, attempting to portray him as unethical. The Iowa Department of Public Safety press release (with a link to the criminal complaint against the defendant Zach Edwards) is here.

Z: The only thing that surprises me is the tie to Tom Harkin...I think he's a stand up guy though I don't agree with him on much. I guess it's "let the fun begin...no, continue".......isn't it amazing that the Democrats are being nailed? Stealing identity is pretty low behavior in any situation, but stealing identity to make things up about unethical behavior stinks BIG TIME. Let's see how far this story goes........if the networks'll cover it, CNN, etc. Keep your eyes peeled.

(thanks for the tip, AOW)

Broccoli or Fries........is that a choice? :-)

2012-01-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

SSSSSHHHHH!!!   DON'T TELL MRS. OBAMA! But, did you see THIS INFORMATION?
A new study shows that junk food does NOT cause obesity in Middle Schools.
Nobody's for serving bad food to our kids, but most of us feel it's up to the parents, not the government, to tell our kids what to eat.

Another aspect of the article says they're going to be offering more vegetables for school lunches. Here's my fear: the kids'll be tipping their veggies from their cafeteria trays right into the garbage.   More tax dollars down the drain and the kids get none of the vitamins. It's kind of like McDonalds, which "responded to the demands of REGULATORS" and "decided" to include apples instead of fries in children's Happy Meals...(though I'm not sure that makes them very HAPPY anymore?)......Ever hear a kid say "Mom, can we go to McDonalds ....their apples are SO GOOD!"

I'm for educating parents (as if most don't know broccoli's better for kids than french fries, anyway?) and letting them suggest to their children what's best to eat.    Get the government OUT of it.

You have any solutions to getting our kids to eat better? Aren't mine better than the government's? How about veggie burgers that taste like real burgers in schools?   At least they get their taste buds happy and some veggies in them. How about whole wheat pasta? Don't change the menus, fix the recipes?

z

Sunday Faith Blog ANSWERED PRAYER

2012-01-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

Would you share a time when you, or you and others, were praying for something and it was undeniable that your prayers worked? We'd love to hear them. Thanks.

"O ye who hears all prayers, to you all men will come" Psalms 65:2

And please keep Mr and Mrs. Pris in your prayers....things are very rough right now for Pris. Thanks.

Have a blessed Sunday.

Dumb, indeed

2012-01-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

thanks, Bubba..
z

Rate this piece on a scale of 1 to 10....1, you think he's dead wrong........

2012-01-20T15:06:00.000-08:00

"The current Occupy Wall Street movement is the best illustration to date of what President Barack Obama's America looks like. It is an America where the lawless, unaccomplished, ignorant and incompetent rule. It is an America where those who have sacrificed nothing pillage and destroy the lives of those who have sacrificed greatly.
"It is an America where history is rewritten to honor dictators, murderers and thieves. It is an America where violence, racism, hatred, class warfare and murder are all promoted as acceptable means of overturning the American civil society.
"It is an America where humans have been degraded to the level of animals: defecating in public, having sex in public, devoid of basic hygiene. It is an America where the basic tenets of a civil society, including faith, family, a free press and individual rights, have been rejected. It is an America where our founding documents have been shredded and, with them, every person's guaranteed liberties.
"It is an America where, ultimately, great suffering will come to the American people, but the rulers like Obama, Michelle Obama, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Joe Biden, Jesse Jackson, Louis Farrakhan, liberal college professors, union bosses and other loyal liberal/Communist Party members will live in opulent splendor.
"It is the America that Obama and the Democratic Party have created with the willing assistance of the American media, Hollywood , unions, universities, the Communist Party of America, the Black Panthers and numerous anti-American foreign entities.

"Barack Obama has brought more destruction upon this country in four years than any other event in the history of our nation, but it is just the beginning of what he and his comrades are capable of.

"The Occupy Wall Street movement is just another step in their plan for the annihilation of America .

"Socialism, in general, has a record of failure so blatant that only an intellectual could ignore or evade it.""

Thomas Sowell

Pretty amazing rhetoric here.......pretty damning. So, what do you think? "1" for his absolutely wrong stance, or "10" for "this is so right"...or somewhere in between?

BY the way, the great Etta James has died.......I hope she's in the arms of her Maker singing "At Last......." Honestly, her recording of that song might in my top 50 favorite songs. God's probably groovin', too. Rest easy, Ms James.

z

Can someone please refute any of this? I'd really REALLY appreciate it

2012-01-19T14:59:00.000-08:00

I DECIDED TO LEAVE THIS POST UP FROM THURSDAY BECAUSE THERE'S SOME INTERESTING COMMENTING GOING ON....I'D LOVE ANYBODY TO RESPOND TO NET OBSERVER'S LAST COMMENT....THANKS!

John Drew, Ph.D. is a former Marxist-Leninist who met Barack Obama when he was a sophomore at Occidental College in California. He gave an interview to Andrea Lafferty, who wrote a long article which includes this:

As more and more information is uncovered about Obama’s childhood and his path into politics and power, it is evident that he was mentored and helped along the way by Islamists and by hard-core Marxists.
His own mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, had embraced Marxist ideology as a high school student in Washington state. She had been taught by Marxist teachers and was a proud atheist.
In Hawaii, he lived with his grandfather and grandmother while his mother stayed in Indonesia doing anthropological work. His grandfather introduced teenage Obama to Frank Marshall Davis, a black Communist, as a mentor. Davis had come out of the radical black Marxist movement in Chicago, which began flourishing during the 1930s.

According to John Drew, Ph.D., the Marxist-Leninists he attended school with at Occidental all either went into college professorships or became community organizers. Drew became a college professor; Obama became a community organizer and later a college professor.
Obama’s entrance into Harvard Law School was aided by two radical Marxist-Black Muslims. One of these men was Khalid al-Mansour, who has served as an advisor to a Saudi billionaire. (Mansour’s real name is Don Warden.) Al-Mansour was a mentor of Black Panther Party members Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, both criminals.
The other man who helped Obama get into Harvard was Percy Sutton, who was a lawyer for Black Muslim Malcolm X.
Obama’s spiritual advisor for 20 years was Pastor Jeremiah Wright, a Black Liberation theology advocate. Black Liberation theology is based on the Marxist ideology proposed by black racist Professor James Cone.
Obama’s political career was launched in Chicago with the help of Alice Palmer, a state senator who was also known to be a hard-core Communist.

Obama’s campaign for the U.S. Senate was started in the home of Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, both violent founders of the Weather Underground. Ayers had been involved in bombing a New York City police department, Capitol Building and the Pentagon in the 1970s.
In summary, from the very beginning of his life, Barack Obama has been imbued with Marxist thinking – from his mother, Frank Marshall Davis, his college professor at Occidental, and his Pastor Jeremiah Wright.

Z: I'm hoping someone can refute any of the above...I'd feel a whole lot better if someone can. But, I've read stories about each of these situations above and it really gives me pause. When I say "What do we expect Barack Obama to be like?", this is what I mean. How could he not be very different than the typical American president who loves this country, respects it, believes in Capitalism, etc etc.........??

z

Newt's Ex Wife.........

2012-01-19T00:00:00.001-08:00

.....ABC's doing an interview with her, as most of you've heard.   See a noose go around that neck in the picture?

Is that fair?

Obama's grandmother said he's born in Kenya......Obama's aunt and an uncle are illegal and on the dole in this country. Any big network interviews with them during his candidacy?   There might be other examples with many other presidents.....got any?

I honestly don't mean to pick on Obama ... I'm just wondering if there's precedent with interviewing a spouse with an obvious (probable?) ax to grind days before a very important primary.
Who's behind this?   Leftwing ABC? WHY?

You tell us! Thanks.......

z

I think I agree with Wikipedia...gad, that's a first

2012-01-18T00:00:00.001-08:00

THIS Wikipedia Blackout seems right......while I'm no big fan of Wikipedia and I'm not an expert on this situation, it seems like they're protesting something that needs protesting.
Do you agree? What do you think are the pros and cons of the legislation? I'd really like your opinion. Thanks.
z

'Establish'ing bad habits......

2012-01-17T15:44:00.000-08:00

Who won last night's debate?

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

There are some comments on the debate in the post below this (from last night, which you might want to read and weigh in, too, by the way), but I'd like to see who you thought did the best in the debate last night in S. Carolina and why...........
Thanks!
z

Agree or Disagree?

2012-01-16T15:27:00.000-08:00

This was written by a 21 yr old female who gets it. It's her future she's worried about and this is how she feels about the social welfare big government state that she's being forced to live in! These solutions are just common sense in her opinion.

This was in the Waco Tribune Herald, Waco, TX, Nov 18, 2011
PUT ME IN CHARGE . . .
Put me in charge of food stamps. I'd get rid of Lone Star cards; no cash for Ding Dongs or Ho Ho's, just money for 50-pound bags of rice and beans, blocks of cheese and all the powdered milk you can haul away. If you want steak and frozen pizza, then get a job.
Put me in charge of Medicaid. The first thing I'd do is to get women Norplant birth control implants or tubal legations. Then, we'll test recipients for drugs, alcohol, and nicotine. If you want to reproduce or use drugs, alcohol, or smoke, then get a job.
Put me in charge of government housing. Ever live in a military barracks?
You will maintain our property in a clean and good state of repair. Your home" will be subject to inspections anytime and possessions will be inventoried. If you want a plasma TV or Xbox 360, then get a job and your own place.
In addition, you will either present a check stub from a job each week or you will report to a "government" job. It may be cleaning the roadways of trash, painting and repairing public housing, whatever we find for you.
We will sell your 22 inch rims and low profile tires and your blasting stereo and speakers and put that money toward the "common good.."
Before you write that I've violated someone's rights, realize that all of the above is voluntary. If you want our money, accept our rules.
Before you say that this would be "demeaning" and ruin their "self-esteem," consider that it wasn't that long ago that taking someone else's money for doing absolutely nothing was demeaning and lowered self-esteem.
If we are expected to pay for other people's mistakes we should at least attempt to make them learn from their bad choices. The current system rewards them for continuing to make bad choices.
AND While you are on Gov't subsistence, you no longer can VOTE! Yes, that is correct. For you to vote would be a conflict of interest.
You will voluntarily remove yourself from voting while you are receiving a Gov't welfare check. If you want to vote, then get a job.

If you agree...........why? If you disagree.........why?

This guy gets it every time........

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

ZO rocks...........please try to listen to the whole thing; it's only a couple of minutes and it gets better and better.

(To Pris's friends: her husband is still nonresponsive, please keep them in your prayers......she appreciates it so much)
z

The Italian Cruise Ship that went down.........

2012-01-15T14:33:00.000-08:00

Taken by Ms Z when she sailed by it just South of Mallorca a few weeks ago............eerie, isn't it.
z

Sunday Faith Blog

2012-01-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

"God's invisibility is the truest test of faith - To know who sees Him, God makes Himself unseen."

Billy Graham.

There's a lot in that statement, isn't there....... a lot.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:11

Have a good Sunday, everyone...and please keep Priscilla and her husband in your prayers (see below) Thanks so much. Your prayers mean a lot to her.

Prayers for Pris

2012-01-14T14:37:00.000-08:00

To all of Pris's friends here, please keep her and her husband in prayer.
Mr. Pris is in ICU having been rushed there by paramedics on Friday for what seems to be heart failure. He's been unresponsive and he needs prayers to come out of this and get the treatment he needs for whatever caused it, which is up in the air at this point.

Please pray for calm for Pris, too. She just called and let me know all of this and would so much appreciate your prayers.
thanks, z

"Obama challenges Republicans on Goal they Embrace"

2012-01-14T10:57:00.000-08:00

"CHALLENGES?" WHAT? My subject line is the title for the following article by Erica Werner from Associated Press:

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is promoting his efforts to make government more efficient and to persuade companies to bring jobs back to the U.S. from overseas.

He rolled out those election-year ideas this past week and used his radio and Internet address Saturday to urge Congress and the private sector to get on board.

The proposal is a challenge to congressional Republicans because it embraces the traditional GOP goal of smaller government.

"These changes will make it easier for small-business owners to get the loans and support they need to sell their products around the world," he said.

Z: Isn't this all what Republicans have been clamoring about for a very long time?! So the article title suggests Obama's about a "Challenge" instead of an "embrace"? Why? I think a better title to the article would be "Obama EMBRACES the Goals Republicans have embraced ...(for years)..." More from the article:

Obama is also promising new tax incentives for businesses that bring jobs to the U.S. instead of shipping them overseas, and he wants to eliminate tax breaks for companies that outsource.

Z: Again, he's embracing Republican goals. Where's the 'challenge?' By the way, does he know about his buddy, Jeffrey Immelt, the head of his Job's Council, shipping of jobs overseas? Yes, the Left denies it's a problem and it's okay when the Left does it, but it IS shipping jobs overseas! And now he's against it? Why now, 3 years into his office?

amazing.

Saturday

2012-01-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

When you've got a long Saturday stretching out in front of you and nothing particular to do (no job, no engagements, etc.), what DO you do?

have a good one, whatever it is!

Angry and starting the election games........?

2012-01-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

"I'm tired of being PAINTED as an angry BLACK woman." Michelle Obama.
Let the race card begin.

Have you heard any mainstream conservative or leftwing radio or television accusing her of being an angry black woman? And did you hear how incorrectly Media Matters represented O'Reilly's (who's actually been quite kind to Michelle Obama) comments regarding anger in Mrs. O and then ABC didn't vet it and ran with it? Wow.

thanks..
z

Beautiful and brainy...........and needs help

2012-01-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

I met a young girl, about 17 years old, in September. She's beautiful, bright, and black.   I mention her color because it's because of her color that I got to know her so well. I do part-time work and substitute teach at the school which she attends and so I see her on campus when I'm doing special projects or, on occasion, when I'm sub'ing one of her classes.   I'm going to call her Jane.

I was in a 'home room' kind of class when all the kids were at computers doing school work, etc., and I was at a master screen which can look in on any of the computers in the room to make sure they're not messing around on Facebook and otherwise wasting time. She was working on a paper and I started to read it but then felt I shouldn't read more unless I ask her if I may. So, I approached Jane and told her I'd seen a few words and did she mind me reading over her shoulder now? She said she didn't..........She was writing about being an 8 year old black girl being driven up to a very white, very privileged private school nearby (I have never asked how the family could afford this). She was scared, she was excited. I asked her how long she felt like an outsider because of her color and she said it took only a few days because there were 3 other black kids there and, anyhow, they treated her there like any kid; kindly, encouraging, etc.    I told Jane about when I was in Paris and had a French General insult Armenians (which is my descent) at a dinner party. When I told him that I didn't agree with him that the Armenian lobby was too strong in France and their Senate had caved by passing an acknowledgment that Turkey committed genocide on Armenians, and that, as a matter of fact, I was American with Armenian ancestors, he turned away and never addressed me again. (he actually said "I even know some Turks who speak French like FRENCHMEN!" as if that spoke for their character).

That night, after the dinner party, Mr. Z asked why I seemed happy about this snub and I said "Now I know what it feels like to be black, or Jewish, to be judged by what I was instead of who I was. Now I can relate better to racism and other prejudice because it happened to me." I told young Jane this story and she indicated that she felt close to me for having told her that....that she had a rare confidence in me because of this.
Jane and I always stop and talk when I see her between classes, etc., and Friday, when I sub'd for her Physics class, she had time to chat while the others were working on some textbook problems and she approached my desk and stood there making small talk. She asked how my Christmas was and I told her I'd lost my husband two years ago, this was my third Christmas without him, and how that colors many happy occasions for me now. This 17 year old stared into my eyes and said "Mrs. Z, I didn't know you were going through that. Two years is like yesterday. How'd you get through it?" "God, friends and family," I said. We all know that two years to a normal teenager is an eternity, but this wise, lovely girl understood how short two years is when you're grieving. Talk about a mature girl. I asked about her Christmas and she said they had family problems.

Jane's mother has a restraining order on her father, who left about 3 years ago. First, when she told me her dad had left the small family, I sympathized and said "But you mustn't ever feel it's because of you....what father could leave you?" She said it was their choice to get him out and when I asked if it was because of drugs or alcohol, all she said was "It wasn't alcohol."   She admitted that money's tight and that her mother can only work part time jobs she can manage to get because she's depressed and has chronic fatigue.......she and her mother are extremely close and I could see the hurt in Jane's face. I kept asking how she can support them on part time work and then the coin sank into my sometimes naive heart, and I said "You can't tell me how you're living, can you."   She said she couldn't, so I know they're getting aid. This girl is proud. Her mother's distraught and hurt because her family in another state hasn't helped, and they get no support from the Dad and her mother's too ill to work. So now what?

Jane wants to go to college and she's a senior this year. Though I'm really in no shape to help with anything substantial, I have offered to help if she's missing out on any senior activities because she can't afford it or would love to have a new dress to wear to a special graduation party or something. It's the least I can do and it's all I can do, sadly. I already spoke to one friend and she said she'd chip in...with enough chipping in $10, we can do anything!

This girl is beautiful, this girl is smart, this girl is wise beyond her years, caring, a girl of faith, and she deserves a future.   She deserves a healthy mother who's not so sick and discouraged at all that's happened to her and her two children, she deserves help. I'm not sure her grades qualify for any significant scholarship, by the way...she's very bright but I'd have to look into that and I will. She told me, by the way, that before coming to the private school she's in now, after having graduated from the posh Elementary School, her folks put her in a public junior high school..."Mrs. Z, I knew if I stayed there, I wouldn't get to college."   THAT is how bright and mature this girl was, even when was 13 years of age!

What do we do about someone like this? White or Black, with such high hopes of going to college, working hard, making a life for herself and her mother: what does one do to help? She is wise beyond her years, she's good to the core, and she needs help. What would you do?

z

It takes a lot of ENERGY to pull something like this off...and a lot of nerve to think nobody'd notice....

2012-01-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

.........but when you've got the media in your bag, you take chances...so far, so good for the Democrats, huh?

TELL ME we've not sunken to anything this full of corruption and that, since it's known, somebody's going to look into it. Please, tell me that!?

The Tonopah Solar Company in Democrat Harry Reid's Nevada is getting a $737 million loan from Obama's Department of Energy.
The project will produce a 110 megawatt power system and employ 45 permanent workers, costing us $16 million per job annually.
One of the investment partners in this endeavor is Pacific Corporate Group.The PCG Executive Director is .........Ron Pelosi, the brother of Nancy's husband. He is the uncle of California's Lt. Governor, Democrat Gavin Newsom.

And this is known, so what's happening because of it?

And if Republicans were pulling this crap, WHAT would happen? :-) What, six inch headlines in the NY Slimes? Ya, I thought so, too.

(thanks, Ellen).
And please check out the post below........people need to know it. ...it truly is unbelievable.

Obama's giving contracts to BRAZIL over US? WAIT till you read this; it might be THE most amazing information you haven't seen in the MSM in a while:

2012-01-10T00:00:00.001-08:00

This is long, but you WILL be riveted (and disgusted)

Late Thursday night, American company Hawker Beechcraft was informed by the U.S. Air Force that they were not going to be allowed to compete for an American military aircraft contract.

The Air Force has notified Hawker Beechcraft Corp. that its Beechcraft AT-6 has been excluded from competition to build a light attack aircraft, a contract worth nearly $1 billion, the company said.

The company had been working with the Air Force for two years and spent over $100 million to ensure compliance with the requirements for the plane and says the craft (Beechcraft AT-6) met all requirements as shown through a demonstration actually led by the Air National Guard.

“We have followed the Air Force’s guidance close, and based on what we have seen, we continue to believe that we submitted the most capable, affordable and sustainable light attack aircraft,” the company said.

Keep in mind, this doesn’t appear to be a question of being outbid or outclassed. In fact, this seems to be a classic example of a contract being awarded without any bidding process at all, something you may remember infuriated the left when the recipient of the contract was American company Haliburton.
There’s a big difference this time. The company the no-bid contract went to isn’t an American company. Worse yet, the company it did go to has questionable friends. Namely, Iran.
Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace giant which is currently under investigation for potentially making illegal payments to obtain government contracts, is essentially owned by the Brazilian government. Through their “Golden Share,” Brazil essentially has control over the company’s business operations.

According to Embraer’s website, that Golden Share provision empowers the Brazilian government with veto rights over: “Creation and/or alteration of military programs, whether or not involving the Federative Republic of Brazil;” “Development of third parties´ skills in technology for military programs;” and “Interruption of the supply of maintenance and replacement parts for military aircraft,” among other things.

But Brazil has their own explaining to do regarding their long and sordid history with the rogue country of Iran.

According to the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, “In 1989, Brazil chose to sell Tucanos, Embraer’s relatively low cost and basic military aircraft, to Iran.” Currently, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Air Force operates around 40 Embraer T-27 Tucanos, according to the Washington Institute. In fact, the Iranians use the Tucano as their primary close air support aircraft.
In recent years, Brazil has continued its troubling friendship with Iran and ruthless leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The Hudson Institute notes that, “Another area of tension between Brazil and the United States relates to Iran. In November 2009, President da Silva invited Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Brazil. In May 2010, da Silva helped broker a deal in which Iran would ship only a portion of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey for reprocessing; the rest would remain in Iranian hands, where it could be further enriched for nuclear weapon production.”

According to the Financial Times, building war planes is actually part of an industry that Embraer is fairly new to as they are only just “venturing into the defence industry.” Yet, the U.S. government has found them to be more capable and trustworthy than an American manufacturer that already builds hundreds of U.S. military aircrafts and would employ as many as 1,400 new workers across 20 states.
To make matters worse, Hawker was already experiencing trouble as a result of the tumultuous economy and had already announced potential layoffs. With news that they won’t be offered the opportunity to compete as the only American manufacturer for the light air craft contract, expect more bad news to come out of their offices.

Of course, the employees of Hawker Beechraft may not be on President Obama’s nice list these days anyway. It turns out that Hawker Beechcraft employees are represented by the International Association of Machinists (IAM). IAM president, Tom Buffenbarger, is one of the few union presidents without direct access to the White House. Here's why...he said:

“Barack so loved his own performance that he made Galesburg part of his presidential stump speech. That’s right, he’s damn proud of his performance. Well I’m not. All he proved is like Janus, the two-faced Roman god of ancient times. He could act like a friend to the workin’ man. Even as he danced to tune dictated by billionaires. Yes, we’ve seen this act before.”

Curious that the Obama administration would push an American manufacturing company who’d been trusted in the past in favor of a company run by a government directly involved in the continuing move towards nuclear capabilities by the nation most hostile to American interests.
Then again, with a President that is known for awarding favors to allies and punishing enemies that don’t kiss the ring, perhaps it’s not that surprising at all. From RedState

NOW HEAR THIS from :

The Obama regime sure seems to favor Brazil for some reason. It may be the fact Obama’s boss, George Soros, has many investments there. As we know, Obama gave the Soros owned Brazilian oil giant Petrobas $10 billion a couple years back, just days after Soros bought controlling interest in the company.
Whitney Pitcher found more about the connection between Petrobas, and Obama’s repeated efforts to stifle American oil exploration. Obama has told the Brazilian leaders he wants America to be their best customer for oil.
Doing some research it seems George Soros has a connection to Embraer through Harbin-Embraer Aircraft a Chinese-Brazilian joint venture, and Hainan Airlines, which Soros owns a significant stake in.
Not sure what to make of this.
By all accounts, both Hawker-Beechcraft and Embraer have a great aircraft that would fit the requirements for the mission. The Hawker is a converted trainer, while Embraer is mission specific, and already in service in Latin America.
The purpose-built aspect vs an older, reconfigured design may have been the deciding factor, with nothing sinister going on behind the scenes.
It’s troubling, however, that Hawker-Beechcraft was given no real explanation for this decision. It’s also troubling we’d buy a military aircraft from a foreign manufacturer, under any circumstances. As bad as Americans need jobs, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Never mind the national security factor.
This may be a legit deal, but Congress needs to look into this, especially since Embraer is already under investigation for corrupt practices, likely pay-offs and bribes. [Though I am only speculating here.]
Hopefully this will be examined further, and before any money changes hands. (Shamelessly stolen from GARY P, at A TIME FOR CHOOSING blog)

Z: Could all be innocent, right? Could be cheaper from Brazil, the Air Force likes the Brazilian stuff better...etc etc. REALLY? you REALLY THINK SO? :-) This is disgusting......... CONNECT THE DOTS.......what do you come up with?
z

GREAT BOOK....."CURIOSITY KILLED THE HEDONIST"

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

You will want to get THIS BOOK, believe me. Here's a review of..........

Curiosity Killed the Hedonist by Gregory D.B. Holt.........

"Curiosity Killed the Hedonist brings you 20 sarcastic adventure stories which give a glimpse of life on the wrong side of the global railroad tracks. Take a journey through the shanty towns of South America, the mega-cities of Africa, the combat zones of Iraq and Afghanistan, the dark neighborhoods of Siberia, the mysterious palaces of India, and the revolutionary streets of Egypt. If you’re looking for a critically acclaimed, politically correct, wine tasting sojourn through the South of France, then please don’t buy this book. But if you’re ready for candid, witty travel writing which blitzkriegs across six continents of chaos, then Curiosity Killed the Hedonist is the book for you."

About the Author:

"Gregory D.B. Holt has been a construction worker, a fish gut scooper, a pool lifeguard, a business consultant, an American soldier, and a traveling philosopher. He has earned degrees from MIT, Pepperdine University, and West Point. He is currently conducting research for his next book in the proletariat neighborhoods of a Ukrainian industrial steel town."

To say Greg has been "an American soldier" puts it mildly, but from what I know of Greg, that'd be all he felt important for anybody to know. He's traveled all over, to places you and I probably won't go, and apparently has great stories to relate........

Please get the book for yourself or friends.......I'm getting my copy Wednesday and will report again as soon as I can. Greg would hate for me to say this, but I'm going to; if you'd like to support an amazing patriot with a long, well recognized career in the military, buying this book might be a great way to show your appreciation. Plus, it's supposed to be terrific! Buy one for those men in your life who sit around and just watch TV; a book like this just might be a shot in the arm! What do you get your husband or father, son or brother for his birthday, or Father's Day? This is such a good idea! Thanks.

By the way....if you'd like to leave a comment, a Happy Birthday would be much appreciated by this blog owner! Hint hint! Thanks,

Your old(er) pal, Z

Sunday Faith Post ....peace

2012-01-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

"I will listen to what God the Lord will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints..." Psalms 85:8.

What do you do for peace in the midst of such economic fears, terrorism fears, fears of seeing our country turn into something the Framers and most Americans never envisioned, health fears, politics, etc.?

What's God the Lord saying to you?

Happy Sunday.

z

Mrs. Obama........tough? (who knew?!)

2012-01-07T04:39:00.000-08:00

Let's see if the mainstream media gets as critical about Mrs. Obama after hearing THIS information (from the Washington Post) as they did with Mrs. Nancy Reagan.
Maybe not, because the White House denies it. And they must be right, right? :-)

z

A NATION OF MOOCHERS

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

A NATION OF MOOCHERS..America's Addiction to Getting Something for Nothing, a book by Charles J. Sykes. I just heard this author interviewed and he's very articulate and covers so many things good Conservatives are so concerned about for America. Here's a review:

Have we reached a tipping point where more Americans depend on the efforts of others than on their own? Are we becoming a nation of moochers?

In A Nation of Moochers, Charles J. Sykes argues that we are already very close to that point, if we have not already crossed the line: from the corporate bailouts on Wall Street, to enormous pension, healthcare, and other entitlement costs, to questionable tax exemptions for businesses and individuals, to the alarming increases in personal default and dependency, the new moocher culture cuts across lines of class, race, and private and public sectors.

A Nation of Moochers explores the shift in the American character as well as the economy. Much of the anger of the current political climate stems from the realization by millions of Americans that they are being forced to pay for the greed-driven problems of other people and corporations; increasingly, those who plan and behave sensibly are being asked to bail out the profligate. Sykes’ argument is not against compassion or legitimate charity, but distinguishes between definable needs and the moocher culture, in which self-reliance and personal responsibility have given way to mass grasping after entitlements, tax breaks, benefits, bailouts, and other forms of feeding at the public trough.
Persuasively argued and wryly entertaining, A Nation of Moochers is a rallying cry for Americans who are tired of playing by the rules and paying for those who don’t. (end)

I highly recommend getting this book if for nothing else but to show your friends who don't quite grasp yet what danger we're facing in this country due to creeping socialism, class warfare and entitlement grabbers.

To which group or circumstance do you attribute the most blame for the 'shift in the American character' ? And can America shift back to the American character which wasn't expectant upon someone else to support them? Isn't it one thing to understand people may need help in their lives and a whole other thing to be raising people who expect it or who don't feel working is worth it? I'm curious in hearing what you have to say. Thanks.

z

Voter FRAUD....what's the real downside of photo ID?

2012-01-05T00:00:00.001-08:00

Before commenting to my title, leftists, please read this, it'll inform your comment. Thanks.
This is from The Heritage Foundation's "Morning Bell":

"Last night's nail-biter in Iowa marked the beginning of election year 2012. And with Americans heading to the polls -- next in New Hampshire, then South Carolina and beyond -- they will hope to rely on the integrity of the election system to ensure that every legitimate vote counts and that fraud is not the deciding factor on the local, state or national level.

Unfortunately, despite all the technological advances in our modern democracy, voter fraud still occurs, and yet there is still resistance to one very simple tool that could help eradicate it -- voter ID. Some, like The New York Times, say that voting fraud is a myth, that "there is almost no voting fraud in America." But as Heritage senior legal fellow Hans von Spakovsky explains, voter fraud is all too common in America today:

The fraud denialists also must have missed the recent news coverage of the double voters in North Carolina and the fraudster in Tunica County, Miss. -- a member of the NAACP’s local executive committee -- who was sentenced in April to five years in prison for voting in the names of ten voters, including four who were deceased.

And the story of the former deputy chief of staff for Washington mayor Vincent Gray, who was forced to resign after news broke that she had voted illegally in the District of Columbia even though she was a Maryland resident. Perhaps they would like a copy of an order from a federal immigration court in Florida on a Cuban immigrant who came to the U.S. in April 2004 and promptly registered and voted in the November election.

Even former liberal Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens agrees. Stevens wrote in a 6-3 majority opinion upholding an Indiana voter ID law: "That flagrant examples of [voter] fraud...have been documented throughout this Nation's history by respected historians and journalists...demonstrate[s] that not only is the risk of voter fraud real but that it could affect the outcome of a close election."

Given the incidence of voter fraud -- and the simplicity of requiring voters to present a valid ID in order to be able to vote -- it's not surprising that 70 percent of likely U.S. voters believe that voters "should be required to show photo identification such as a driver's license before being allowed to cast their ballot," according to a recent Rasmussen poll. Meanwhile, only 22 percent of Americans are opposed to the requirement.

Despite the fraud -- and the support for voter ID measures -- Attorney General Eric Holder intends to examine new state voter ID laws for potential racial bias. Von Spakovsky writes that the allegations of bias are baseless, and there is evidence to prove it. In Georgia, which enacted a photo ID law before the 2008 election, the number of African American voters increased after the new law went into effect. "According to Census Bureau surveys," von Spakovsky writes, "65 percent of the black voting-age population voted in the 2008 election, compared with only 54.4 percent in 2004, an increase of more than ten percentage points." (Z: and, by the way, is this more 'soft bigotry of low expectations' toward Black Americans? they can't get voter ID? Why, they're too stupid? Of course not. Why do people expect the worst from them? Ridiculous...and BIGOTED)

On top of all that, the number of people who don't already have a photo ID is incredibly small. An American University survey in Maryland, Indiana, and Mississippi found that less than one-half of 1 percent of registered voters lacked a government-issued ID, and a 2006 survey of more than 36,000 voters found that only "23 people in the entire sample--less than one-tenth of one percent of reported voters" were unable to vote because of an ID requirement. What about those who don't have photo IDs? Von Spakovsky notes that "every state that has passed a voter ID law has also ensured that the very small percentage of individuals who do not have a photo ID can easily obtain one for free if they cannot afford one."

The American people value the integrity of their elections, and they overwhelmingly support voter ID requirements to make sure that Election Day is as fair, honest, and legal as possible. Still, though, there is resistance and predictions of massive disenfranchisement if voter ID laws continue to be implemented. The evidence, however, proves otherwise." (end of article)

So, what is the downside of photo ID? Who's disenfranchised? Have at it...

Z...(thanks, Mustang)
z

"Screw you?" He might as well just say it, he's DOING it

2012-01-04T16:33:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, not often, I get to the point where I honestly feel a little teary when I read things like THIS.

Maybe it's been done in the past, but has any president been this 'in your face' about it? And hadn't Americans noticed? When Obama says he refused “to take no for an answer” and added that he has an obligation to act when Congress does not, and “I will not stand by while a minority in the Senate puts party ideology ahead of the people they were elected to serve,” Obama told an enthusiastic crowd at Shaker Heights High School. “Not when so much is at stake. Not at this make-or-break moment for middle-class Americans," what can the American people DO?

This is being called "uncertain legal territory." Will anybody care? Do you see what he does? He demeans the whole Congress because they don't like what he wants....."party ideology?" What about HIS party ideology? Maybe the Republicans wanted to see another applicant, maybe they think the position isn't worthwhile?...Then he makes it look like he's taken the high road by virtually saying "Screw YOU."

Will anybody act against this?

z

Joining Together......

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

Blogger KP said this at my blog post below yesterday : "THINGS ARE SCREWED UP! Now, how do the left and right find the compassion to work together to resolve our almost overwhelming structural issues?"

Do you think it's possible that the Right and Left can work together in the future? How do they do it? What has to happen? Got any ideas?

What do you think is the thing most holding each party back?

What do you think?

z (thanks, KP!)

Obama goes into a bar.............

2012-01-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

A good new year's illustration of what we're all feeling. Do you have ANY relations or friends who voted for Obama and are feeling more like this bar tender now? Let us know!
Thanks, Imp.

Republicans v Democrats

2012-01-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

What would you say are the most significant differences between the Republicans and the Democrats? Please be civil and constructive in your answers. Thanks.

z

Sunday Faith Blog New Year's (and don't miss the post below this one)

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

"Dear God, My wish for 2012 is a fat bank account and a thin body. Please don't mix these two up like you did this year! AMEN" :-)
I couldn't resist posting that because I thought it was pretty funny....
But, on a serious note, please let me first thank you all for coming by geeeeZ this last year. It's so gratifying to have come to know some of you better and to have such great conversations going on here. You're a marvelous bunch of people and I so appreciate you every day of the year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR and I wish you faith and love and real hope for a better 2012. I hope some of you who have been facing difficult financial times see real improvement this year and may I say that I admire your strength and perseverance through all the difficult times you've shared here. God be with you.

To read your comments really gives me a sense of the kind of people most of you are and it gives me great hope to see so many people who share my faith, and who share my love and concern for America. Thank you for that.

"Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord." Psalms 31:24

May 2012 bring you good health, good relationships, renewed and strengthened faith, and may we vote Obama out. (how could I resist?)!

God bless you all. (and do please weigh in on the post below that blogger BZ initiated..it's a marvelous idea for introspection even if you'd rather not share..thanks)
Love, Z
xx

BEST Blog Post....you've got to see this

2011-12-31T12:28:00.000-08:00

I think Bloviating Zeppelin hit it out of the park for a New Year's Post...HERE.

Wow.   He asks "In retrospect, what would you tell yourself at 16?"    Go back, see where you were then, and tell yourself what you might like to say to 16 year old you today.   BZ included things like    "Go with your gut" "Buy stock in Google whenever you first see that name." Buy stock in Apple whenever you first see that name." "Hug your father more"...etc. WAY better ones than those are there, too....amazing insights and it takes a LOT of courage to be as honest as he is with other points he makes and then publish them, too. I'm actually hesitant to do it but will try here. I hope you go see his and that you chime in on the comments.    "What would YOU tell yourself at 16?"

Z's list: Believe in yourself
Your opinions count
Don't judge, everybody pretty much means well and they didn't mean to hurt
Sex is for adults; keep saying no!
Drugs are stupid
Don't have that first cigarette, it's a killer and you'll probably like it.
Exercise like you want really good arms when you're sixty!
Put ALL your faith in God and never be embarrassed to talk about Jesus
Yes, your folks are as good as you think they are and they'll continue to show you that as you age
You're going to lose your loved ones, keep telling them you love them
If you don't do as well as you could in high school, you'll be stuck at a JC for 2 years
Your health will never be better than it is today; do things you won't be able to do later
Ignore your grandfather's sister, just be cordial
The world will start falling apart sooner than you thought. Stand firm on your conservative values and never let down on them......
             You won't BELIEVE what your next years have in store for you! One is you'll be living in Paris and Munich, Imagine?
             You'll marry late but you'll marry good.

I guess I could go on but they'd be more and more personal and..........that's that!

"What would YOU tell yourself at 16?" Share it in comments, please!

thanks...Z
xxx (Rita, I SAW THAT! Do I do that so much!?)

Another year's over

2011-12-31T00:00:00.000-08:00

2012 is as nearly here as it could be. "Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy ride." Don't you think?
z

Did you see THIS? :-) HA!!

2011-12-30T16:25:00.000-08:00

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — One of Mitt Romney's sons has an answer for those who say his father should release his tax returns. He jokes that President Barack Obama should go first and release his birth certificate and other records. (Z: What's funny about that??)

Matt Romney's wisecrack came before an audience in New Hampshire on Friday. In response on Twitter, the Obama campaign tweeted, in part, "Guess he doesn't have one of our mugs?"

The Obama campaign sells mugs with a picture of Obama's birth certificate.

Matt Romney was appearing with three of his brothers when he said in regard to the tax return question: "I heard that someone suggested that as soon as President Obama releases his grades, and birth certificate, and a sort of a long list of things, then maybe he will."

Brother Tagg Romney jumped in and said, "That was not my dad who said that."

Matt Romney later tweeted regret that he'd repeated what he called "a dumb joke."

Mitt Romney has refused to release his tax returns but says he'd reconsider if he were the GOP nominee for president. Obama released his tax returns during the 2008 Democratic primary and in each year of his presidency.

The Romney campaign took a different kind of swipe at Obama, calling via a new website for $18 donations as a response to Obama playing golf while on vacation in Hawaii — a dollar a hole. (end of article)

Z: See the words I highlighted in red? !! Ya, Obama released tax returns during the primary and each year of his presidency, as ALL presidents do, right? Yes, ALL. What made me laugh is that the AP writer opened himself wide for the very obvious... "But, Obama has NOT released.................."

Anybody want to fill that list in!? And, truly, they sell mugs with 'the birth certificate' which only Donald Trump could get them to finally exhibit after THREE YEARS and even that's called into question by the die-hards who still don't believe it's real (you've all seen the font problems, language that wasn't used back then, etc., but they wore us down with denials, and now WHO CARES?!)

Ya, Obama's been transparent, why can't Romney, infers the Yahoo/AP headline! You can't make this up.

I'm glad the media's not biased :-)

Correction

2011-12-30T15:02:00.000-08:00

THIS ARTICLE I posted where Walter Williams said Obama can't be beat in 2012 was wrongly accredited to him. A friend emailed me this morning that Williams was on talk radio saying that he did NOT say that. I don't know how somebody could quote someone like that, but the author did and the author got it wrong.
While I think Obama will still win (media, money, fraud like 2008), I'm glad Williams doesn't feel that way!
Just had to update that.
z

Jan's and others' hopes....how do we go about these excellent suggestions?

2011-12-30T00:00:00.000-08:00

The other day, I asked my readers for the one thing they hope for .... on a personal level or for our country. Jan's answer was so compelling I asked her if I could use it for a post. She agreed, and I've shamelessly quoted other of my commenters here, too, without their persmission; I hope they don't mind.
Please read these and tell me if you think any of this is possible........and HOW CAN WE MANAGE ACCOMPLISHING THESE HOPES AND DREAMS? Thanks...Z

BY JAN:

Z..your question is thought provoking, and as I think about it, many things come to mind.
I, of course, want to see good health, and happiness, for the people I love, and I would like for them to have everything they need...but there's something else I'd like to see happen, and it's something that I never thought I would have to wish for.
I would like for our country to be sane, again. I really mean that. It is as though we, many of us, have gone completely insane.

Just look at the behavior of many of the Christmas shoppers. And the utterly chaotic, uncivilized, behavior of those trying to buy the latest sport shoe, endorsed by a sports star, was beyond the pale.

Getting what you want, any way you can get it, even if it means through violence, seems to be the norm, now. Common courtesy, and the regard for human life, have fallen by the wayside.

And what about having to watch every single word out of your mouth, for fear that it could be taken the wrong way, and having to kiss your job, or career, goodbye? That's happened more than once, just in the past year.
To become a serious, political contender, now, is like offering yourself up for public humiliation, and having your reputation shredded, and your dignity put through a meat grinder.
Of course, that is ESPECIALLY so in certain circumstances, and we all know what those are.
I wonder when the present leader will ever be vetted as much as the others, and the ghosts in his closet exposed, and dragged through the mud, the way they tried to do with Mr. Cain?
Nobody knows for sure whether, or not, all those charges were exactly true about him, and it didn't matter...which is the point I'm trying to make, I guess.
I want us to be really equal, in every way, and especially when it comes to the welfare of our entire nation.
When I say, "equal in every way" I mean equal in having the same opportunity to succeed, through our own efforts, and abilities, and not having it taken from one, to give to another...or to be made ashamed if we have succeeded, and someone else hasn't.
I want everyone to be able to worship as they see fit, to believe in God, or not, if that is their choice. I don't want my rights taken away, for no other reason than to appease another's, if that makes any sense.
I am sick of having the name of the God that I believe in, and serve, trampled underfoot, while being told that I must respect the beliefs of others, and say nothing they might find offensive.
I could go on, and on, Z, but I will just say that I hope the coming year will bring some kind of stability to our country, and that no more damage is done, than what it has already suffered.

LISA: what I would like to see is the public school system and our universities stop trying to use their platform to spew their liberal beliefs on our kids

LETICIA: See Obama gone, immigration laws enforced, and making English the national language. No more hand-outs and no more political correctness. No more acquiescing to radical demands and bring God back into our schools and government.

SILVERFIDDLE: I would hope that every American could reacquaint himself/herself with our constitution and the founding principles, and judge politicians by them. It would disqualify over 95% of them.

I wish the more small government libertarian types would take over RNC headquarters, rout the country clubbers and put their heads on pike poles (figuratively speaking, of course) out in front, while simultaneously building a wall of cannon balls and hoisting the Gadsden flag.

CHAKAM: We deserve better than politics being the ruling mindset of this Nation. I am hoping for a return to Constitutional governance.

You can see why I wanted to post on this .... so, tell me.....how do we accomplish these worthwhile dreams?

thanks, Z
x

South Carolina...........it's a great day?

2011-12-29T00:00:00.001-08:00

Have you heard about THIS? from the AP?

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Two South Carolina legislators say state employees shouldn't have to answer the phone with Gov. Nikki Haley's mandated cheery greeting unless it's truly a great day in South Carolina.

Democratic state Reps. John Richard King and Wendell Gilliard have filed legislation saying no state agency can force its employees to answer the phone with, "It's a great day in South Carolina," as long as state unemployment is 5 percent or higher. Their bill also would prohibit requiring the greeting as long as all South Carolinians don't have health insurance.

At a September meeting, Haley ordered her Cabinet agencies to embrace the greeting, saying it could help change the mood of state government. A Haley spokesman says the Republican governor stands by the greeting.

I'm not sure how I feel about mandating a cheery greeting .... I think the Democrats mandate that they must have low unemployment and everybody must have health insurance before it can be used is even weirder, don't you? Is it another case of "if everybody's not happy, nobody's going to be happy"??

Gad, you'd think a happy greeting might go over well in tough times like these..........a happy attitude can change things around and they're not greeting with "It's a PERFECT day in South Carolina!" What do you think?

Helen Frankenthaler

2011-12-28T11:56:00.000-08:00

I was a fan. May she rest in peace.

We need more people like the Stones

2011-12-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

I HOPE YOU ALL WEIGH IN ON MY POINTS BELOW...there's more to this story than you've heard:

Shannon Stone's Mother Makes a Request of Josh Hamilton

(Z: This is directly taken from an article by a writer called 'Duk)

With 2011 drawing to a close, the Shannon Stone tragedy at Rangers Ballpark is appearing on most, if not all, of the year-end retrospectives.
And while many of those lists will simply note the accident that led to the 39-year-old father falling to his death after trying to catch a ball thrown by Josh Hamilton, the New York Times Magazine scored an interesting interview with Stone's parents. Though neither Al or SuZann Stone get into the details of the fall or its effects on young Cooper Stone — a public stance that has been m.o. since the tragedy — they relate a story about how Al once caught a foul ball from Buddy Bell when Shannon was young.
Shannon Stone liked Bell as much as Cooper likes Josh Hamilton now and the foul ball quickly became a family treasure. Because of that, Al and SuZann knew exactly why Shannon made the effort he did — and why Hamilton shouldn't think twice about continuing the practice of throwing baseballs into the stands as souvenirs.
From the NYT Magazine:

SuZann: Shortly after the accident, there was some discussion about whether foul balls should be thrown into the stands to the fans. I wrote to Josh Hamilton, and I said: "Please, don't stop throwing those balls. Because that's so important. That's why daddies bring their little boys to the ballgame is for memories like that. Please don't stop."

As someone who immediately identified with this sentiment, I like that SuZann Stone wrote that letter to Josh Hamilton. If someone that close to Shannon Stone can identify that it was a freak occurrence, the cynics that predictably surfaced after the accident should be able to, as well. *(end of story)

Z: I post this for two reasons: One is the beautiful 'absolution' of Josh Hamilton, who just might still be feeling pretty awful about what happened, and two, and almost most importantly, the ATTITUDE: I'm very often writing about how we can't make things better all the time or protect everyone all the time, that human nature is what it is and accidents will happen no matter what. This seems to be something the Left can't or won't grasp in their supposed hopes that everybody's always healthy and happy. For example, it's not much of a stretch to believe that some would forever prohibit the lifelong tradition of ball players throwing balls into the stands because of this tragic story. The Right grieves every bit as much as anyone else for Shannon Stone and his family, but wouldn't dream of prohibiting all the fun future children will have for having had a daddy catch a ball from their favorite player. Yes, I hate to make something political out of a story like this, but Mrs. Stone's words resonated with me and I thought they might with you, too. It shows a LOT about her and it should make us cautious about what we ban in the future for the sake of one tragic accident.
z

Ugly is as ugly does.......Bill Maher

2011-12-27T11:47:00.000-08:00

Bill Maher may be the saddest, emptiest human being on the planet. But, I always have...at least since he stopped being really funny and started thinking he was right about faith and anything conservative. Check THIS out.........an article on his having tweeted about Tim Tebow.

"Wow, Jesus just [screwed] #TimTebow bad! And on Xmas Eve! Somewhere ... Satan is tebowing, saying to Hitler "Hey, Buffalo’s killing them," Maher tweeted.

That's the tweet.....the word "screwed" wasn't the one he used, of course. You can see the link, verbatim, in the link behind "Maher tweeted." Neither I nor the writer of the link under "THIS" had the bad taste to publish the actual word Maher, as ever, had the bad taste to use. I think the owner of the blog I'm linking to only makes one rather silly conclusion, and that's that even Tebow has 100,000 less tweeters than Maher's 872,000. The fact is that Maher's been known for thirty more years than Tebow, so I'm grateful Tebow's goodness is catching up to Maher's..................ugliness.

I think there really are people who believe Jesus is our butler and, if things go bad, He's not there. This is a misconception that's so immature, shows such a lack of having read or understood Scripture, and which obviously demeans and mocks everyone who does understand the complexities of faith, that it shows me more about Maher than I ever wanted to know.

I can't hate the man; he's not worth hurting myself for. I will ask for prayer for him, however. The things I have heard, first hand, from people who know him here in Los Angeles, are all bad. He's a very hollow man. He needs prayer.
thanks.
z

This coming year..........

2011-12-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

What is the ONE THING you most hope will happen, to you or to our country? I know we all will say "vote Obama out", and I get that (I certainly do), but is there something else you'd like to discuss for the coming year, be it personal or on a bigger scale?

Christmas....the day after

2011-12-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

Okay...what was the one thing that was THE BEST part of your Christmas?

(Food may play a big part in this answer if you would like....you know we love to hear about food!)
Was your church service particularly fabulous (Mine was, on Christmas Eve!), did you see a favorite old Christmas movie, did you beat a liberal cousin in a political argument?!!, did your child thank you as only a child can do? Did your honey surprise you with a gift you didn't expect?
We'd love to hear!

I hope you all had a beautiful Christmas and that you find the time to read my posts below, listen to me sing, listen to me on Always On Watch's radio show, or whatever else you find below that interests you!

So, tell us about your Christmas! Thanks!
Z

Sunday Faith Blog....MERRY CHRISTMAS

2011-12-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

This Christmas, I wish you a joyous, songful time like the characters on my piano (picture above).......may you enjoy your family, good food, and presents given in remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Also, I wish you peace and fulfillment from your choice of priorities in your life. God and Country, as illustrated on the top of my 2008 tree above, are so important to so many of us. Christmas seems to me to be a great time to get back to that, don't you think? ....remembering what's really important and spending this Christmas Day not only by having great fun but remembering why we celebrate it at all, and how much the acknowledgment of His presence in our country has mattered over the years.

"Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled either by a power within them or a power without them; either by the Word of God or by the strong arm of man; either by the Bible or the bayonet." Robert Winthrop

"Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy." 1 Peter 1:8

By the way, here is a flash mob of singers you will not want to miss; it'll really make your day!

Have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Love, Z

"Mary Did You Know?" by Z , I hope you enjoy it

2011-12-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Eve, dear GeeeeeZ readers...This video was created by the very talented (and kind) Miradena of the now closed THE DEFIANT INFIDEL BLOG, which she shared with the amazing patriot, Defiant Infidel. The singer is me. I accompanied myself on the piano and Miradena used music from a different key to lead my music in and out, in case you wonder what happened at the beginning. The recording was done with a cell phone, but some of you have asked to hear me sing, so I remembered that I'd posted this a few years ago, and here it is again.
I hope you enjoy it.
z

Z on the radio today...........listen at your own risk :-)

2011-12-23T13:20:00.001-08:00

This is a podcast of Always on Watch and WC's weekly radio show. I think this was my sixth guest 'appearance' and I want to thank them; it's "always" fun!
This sound is rough for the first few minutes; there's an echo, then there's a mischeduled guest, but then you'll hear my interview if you're at all interested. Why you would be, I don't know :-) Anyway....enjoy!

Listen to internet radio with WC Always On Watch on Blog Talk Radio

Christmas..........

2011-12-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

...........what's your favorite custom? Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Do you have a special meal? Do you celebrate with a tree or forgo a tree for some reason?

Christmas is such a special time and I'm getting so tired of hearing story after story in the media about the stresses of Christmas and family. Every single day for weeks, they've had all sorts of reasons to stay in bed starting December 15 and only getting out of it on Dec 31. Instead of focusing on the shopping and the cooking and the cleaning and all the preparations, I hope you're all enjoying the lead up and would like to share some customs. Thanks.

z

Uncle Onyango and Ron Paul........questionable media?

2011-12-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

What do you all know about THIS? Ron Paul walked off CNN for their asking him about how he " he made money and won fame with the help of a sometimes racist series of newsletters back in the 1990s."?? This sounds bad to me; who'd allow that kind of stuff to be printed on a newsletter he's associated with? Bad, bad, bad.......

And the headlines are saying "Romney says he'd deport Obama's illegal Uncle Onyango"? isn't that the LAW? How could a president not either deport or do something to see if he merits legality? Why hasn't Obama done something? This illegal uncle was arrested for drunk driving. Wasn't there an illegal Aunt, too? She's been living in a Boston public housing project. MAN. Why shouldn't Romney have an illegal drunk deported?

By the way, the news was big on Ron Paul's situation, but the way they reported on ol' Uncle Onyango wasn't that he was a problem with a drunk driving arrest and also illegal, but that "ROMNEY WOULD DEPORT..." No bias, RIGHT?!! :-) Hey, it's ROMNEY'S FAULT! heh heh.. The fun just never stops.

z

Michele Bachmann

2011-12-21T13:47:00.000-08:00

Does ANYBODY think she's got a ghost of a chance to win the Republican nomination let alone the national election?
Just curious.
z

The OBAMA VICTORY: Please read and inform your friends

2011-12-21T08:43:00.000-08:00

"Harsh realities of an Obama victory in 2012"

By Dwight L. Schwab, Jr., for the Bay Area Moderate Conservative Examiner

Dr. Walter Williams, noted commentator, educator and author has made a startling prediction about Barack Obama's possible (imminent to the doctor) re-election next year. As a noted black conservative economist, he has taught at several universities and currently teaches at George Mason University.
Here is Dr. William's rationale by sheer numbers to support his reasoning:
The media won't talk about a one-sided victory that is assured because a hard fought election means hundreds of millions (or in Obama's case – billions) to them in advertising.

The simple truth is, there is simply no conditions under which Barack Obama can be defeated in 2012.

The quality of the Republican candidates doesn't matter. Obama gets re-elected with nine percent unemployment as the first president to do so since FDR. No problem - Obama will win. Gas prices moving toward $5 a gallon? He still wins. The economy sinks into the gutter? Obama wins. War in the Middle East? He wins a second-term.

America's role as the leading super power disappears? Hurrah for Barack Obama! The U.S. government rushes toward bankruptcy, the dollar continues to sink on world markets and the price of daily goods and services soar due to inflation fueled by Obama's extraordinary deficit spending? Obama wins handily.
Critics argue that Dr. Williams is crazy. He doesn't understand volatile politics and world conditions that are declining. Williams responds with a simple, “Sure I know. That's why I know Obama will win. The American people are notoriously ignorant of economics. Economics is the key to why Obama should be defeated.”
Williams continues, “Even when Obama's policies lead the nation to final ruin, the majority of the American people are going to believe the bait-and-switch tactics Obama and his supporters in the media use to explain why it isn't his fault. After all, things were much worse than understood when he took office.”

Obama's re-election is a very simple math problem according to Dr. William's calculations:

Blacks will vote for Obama blindly, period. Doesn't matter what he does.
College educated women will vote for Obama. Though they will be offended by this, they swoon at his oratory. It's really not more complex than that.
Liberals will vote for Obama. He is their last great hope.
Democrats will vote for Obama. He is the leader of the party and his coattails will carry them to victory nationwide.
Hispanics will vote for Obama. He is the path to citizenship for those who are illegal. Hispanic leaders recognize the political clout they carry in the Democratic Party.
Union members will vote overwhelmingly for Obama. He is their key to money and power in business, state and local politics.
Big business will support Obama. They already have. He has almost $1 billion in his re-election coffers gained largely from his connections with big business and is gaining every day. Big business loves Obama because he gives them access to taxpayer money as long as they support his social and political goals.
The media love him. They may attack the people who work for him, but they love him. After all, to not love him would be racist in their world of liberalism.
Most other minorities and special interest groups will vote for him. Oddly, the overwhelming majority of Jews and Muslims will support him because they won't vote Republican. American Indians will support him. Obviously homosexuals tend to vote Democratic. And lastly ….
Approximately half of independents will vote for Obama. And he doesn't need anywhere near that number because he has all of the groups previously mentioned. The president will win an overwhelming victory in 2012.
One man's opinion in December, 2011, 11 months before the election.
Professor Joseph Olson of Hamline University of Law in St. Paul, MN points out some interesting facts concerning the last presidential election:
- Number of states won by Obama: 19 - McCain: 29
- Square miles of land won by Obama: 580,000 – McCain: 2,427,000
- Population of counties won by Obama: 127 million – McCain: 143
- Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by Obama: 13.2 – McCain: 2
According to Professor Olson, “In aggregate, the map of the territory McCain won was mostly land owned by taxpaying citizens of the country. Obama territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in low income tenements and living off various forms of government welfare ...”
Olson believes the United States is now somewhere between the “complacency and apathy” phase of Dr. William's definition of democracy, with some forty percent of the nation's population already having reached the governmental dependency” phase.
If Congress grants amnesty and citizenship to 11 million criminal invaders called illegals – and they vote – than we can say goodbye to the U.S.A., as we know it, in fewer than five years, according to Professor Olson.
A dismal future of the Republican Party from two learned opinions. A warning that should be heeded seriously by whichever Republican wins the nomination next year indeed."

I look forward to comments, but please don't criticize or waste our reading time with "Not ALL Blacks vote for Obama"....We all know this is an article and he is generalizing to make his points. No, not ALL of any group mentioned will vote for Obama; the majority? Yes. For the reasons above. Also, I know that some of my liberal readers will question saying "Goodbye to the USA" Take heed to the next words..."as we know it." BIG consideration..........especially for those of us who remember what America was like when everyone, natural born and naturalized, here put her first. BIG difference.

After writing this post on Monday, I was in the car listening to Michael Medved who quoted from several polls..........Obama's losing a lot in demographics he'd won over in the last election. I hope Williams sees those and writes again. I still agree with Williams in that I think it will be nearly impossible to beat Obama (particularly if Ron Paul is chosen, which he will not...remember McCain was LAST in the Iowa Caucuses), but I have to veer toward Romney because the reasons most of those in the once-Obama, now-more pro Republican voters are giving is THE ECONOMY.
z

Christmas trees, Cuts, and Coincidences

2011-12-20T15:31:00.000-08:00

I bought my Christmas tree this morning, the latest I've ever bought a tree, but it's taken a lot for to get myself in the decorating mood this year....
While I was at SHAWN'S CHRISTMAS TREE LOT, I saw across the street a FOX NEWS truck with a dish on top and wondered what it was doing there.
I got the tree home and turned FOX on and, within five minutes, there was the Christmas tree lot I'd been to about an hour earlier. And there was Adam Housley doing a remote on people who are buying trees on line...standing in front of Shawn's Christmas trees, palm trees swaying in the background!
In the WHOLE COUNTRY there are HOW many tree lots open today? But there was FOX at MINE? And I happened to catch the coverage though I only watched for about ten minutes? Weird.

By the way, did you know how sharp a broken Christmas ball is? I DO! I may have to get stitches for the top of my right ring finger but the bandaid seems to be containing the blood now! But, I'll bet I can type faster than some even only using my index finger of my right hand! (Did you know you can type the word "faster" with only the left hand?...good word!) It's times like this, when you cut yourself and are trying to get a bandaid on the same hand you cut that you miss your dear husband.

On the other hand, no, it isn't..... it's Christmas time.

xxx Z

Eric Holder signals to end career?

2011-12-20T00:00:00.001-08:00

THIS is an excellent piece on Eric Holder's situation today.
Above all the things the article well describes which support the idea that it might be better for him to go is this statement of his from the article:

Eric Holder was quoted in the NYT article stating ... "This is a way to get at the president...because of the way I can be identified with him.
Both due to the nature of our relationship and, you know, the fact that we’re both African-American .”

Is he NUTS? Do you think he believes that? Is this about color or incompetency? Has his color ever even become an issue when you've thought about how he gave a pass to the Black Panther voting intimidators? Has it been an issue for you when you learned about Fast and Furious's operation which led to a death? Do you even think of his color when you think of Holder? I certainly don't. Sometimes I forget who's black and who's white, frankly. Shouldn't we all? And, of course, if he blames his troubles on whites going after his race, he can walk away looking like he'd done nothing wrong, right? Blame his woes on us. WOW, brilliant; what a weak, weak man. I heard he had a fairly good reputation as a judge in D.C...what happened? What a wimp.

For him to pull this race card is so low. It shows a kind of level of thinking which I think speaks loudly enough to give a reason for all Americans to think he ought to resign. Today. Don't you? Think he'll leave?

z

Like DOLPHINS?

2011-12-19T21:36:00.000-08:00

These were taken in the Mediterranean by Ms Z on the sailing trip I've been telling you about...aren't they wonderful? She's in the Canary Islands now and ready to fly back to Munich. She's so sad that the trip is over and has plans to sail to Brazil next year! Yikes.

2011-12-19T19:02:00.000-08:00

PLEASE pray for Rebecca, just one quick silent prayer before you keep reading below. She's having gall bladder surgery Tuesday having been brought to the States from her Peace Corps job. Pray for a good result and growth in her faith. I thank you and my very, very dear friend who asked for prayers for Rebecca thanks you. xxx
z

Didn't plan to blog this, but.......

2011-12-19T11:54:00.000-08:00

.. I'm just hearing that approximately sixty energy plants are probably going to be closed due to the EPA. Experts are saying that this is probably going to cause rolling blackouts, lose people their jobs, and raise electrical costs. Why NOW?
The reason I'm quickly blogging this before leaving for a few hours is that it dawned on me that it's like these agencies don't have a grip on our economy, what America's going through, the BIG PICTURE. There is a time to rehab plants, fix infrastructure, etc., but to lose jobs and raise costs NOW?

Is it true Obama doesn't stay in touch and could these agencies really have no grasp on the problems in America? Or is it an attempt to really bring our economy down even more, which some people think's going on? Or is this the case of a bunch of people doing anything to boost their agency's power and protect their own jobs by keeping busy doing SOMETHING....while Americans are hurting?
What do you think about all of this?

z

2011-12-19T10:27:00.001-08:00

Please pray for a dear friend's nephew, Thomas, with a dangerous and very painful abdominal condition that requires very unusual care....thanks so much. Z

Obama is the 4th Best President?

2011-12-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

CBS's 60 Minutes edited the part of Steve Kroft's interview with Obama where Obama alludes pretty strongly to being the fourth best president in American history........the part they cut is in the above link.

He flatters himself, of course......His exact words are "I would put our legislative and foreign policy accomplishments in our first two years against any president -- with the possible exceptions of Johnson, F.D.R., and Lincoln -- just in terms of what we've gotten done in modern history."

Wait...JOHNSON is one of the TOP THREE presidents? ANDREW JOHNSON? Surely he can't mean LYNDON JOHNSON! (but he does) And FDR? YIKES!

Well, I'm glad Obama has such a high opinion of himself ! I guess I'm really less troubled about that (and less surprised about it), than I am that Sixty Minutes edited it out...(not that I'm surprised about that, either, of course.) Oh, I know..my liberal commenters will remind us that TV shows only have so much time per segment so they can't show everything (though we all know that) .....but wouldn't anybody think it's pretty big NEWS that a president rates himself so highly, particularly when he's so low in the opinion of the public?

But the media's not biased, right? :-)

Sunday Faith Blog

2011-12-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

This is THE best FEEL GOOD story we could hear, especially at Christmas......People are paying off layaway bills for families who can't pay the final amounts for childrens' toys and other things for Christmas! Read about one woman who did an astonishing thing!
You will REALLY love the linked story........I sure did.

I am sworn to secrecy about who it is (and you don't know her, anyway, though her brother was well known), but after Mr. Z died, someone I barely knew sent me a Christmas card with $300 in it....with a note to "spend this on a gift as if your dear husband was buying you something....it's from him" She does this for new widows every Christmas she hears of someone having lost their husband.

Contemplate gifts like this.... like the gift I got for my first Christmas as a widow, or paying off layaways or just dropping some food at the door of strangers you know are having trouble, or put some toys in a bag by the door of families going through hard times.....Do you have ideas like this you could share with us?....God is alive and well and using His Angels in America!
Put some wings on and and do something wonderful for someone!
"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:13-14 AMEN

xxx Z

YOU are PRESIDENT starting January, 2012 (okay, 2013.....somehow, we have to survive a whole other year)

2011-12-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

First, let me congratulate you on your amazing victory!

Now that the revelry has died down........What would be the FIRST THING you would do to get this economy rolling again?

z

VOTERS GUIDE TO REPUBLICANS......Show this to a student you know.........open their eyes to the TRUTH

2011-12-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

Bill Whittle's done it again with this video......please watch it all the way through and send it to students you know, or show it at home over the holiday to captive kids in your house :-)

Interesting how the Left's spun things around, isn't it? See what happens when indoctrination's succeeded over a couple of generations and the media's part of that indoctrinated group?
Keep fighting, folks....thanks to Joe for posting this at his place and to Bill Whittle who keeps fighting the good fight.

z

Christopher Hitchens has died..

2011-12-15T23:58:00.000-08:00

Rest in Peace, sir. I met Christopher at a book signing/lecture/luncheon about 12 years ago. For some reason, he took me under his wing and asked me to go outside and talk so he could have a cigarette in the garden of the Bel Air Hotel. We sat on a bench in a lovely garden about 10 ft from where he was supposed to be signing books as soon as the luncheon crowd who'd heard him speak was in line. Somehow, I'd asked him something and he seemed to want to talk and that was that...........there we sat and talked and smoked. I believe he also still had with him the glass of Scotch which he'd sipped throughout his lecture. I found myself conversing with him but feeling guilty that people were amassing in that line for signatures and he didn't seem to care. He just kept asking me questions and talking to me. After 15 minutes, I was finally able to focus him on the crowd which awaited him and begged myself away, all the while thanking him profusely for his time. He remembered something personal I'd told him about when we'd first started talking and he brought it up again and wished me great luck with it. This man cared; he was articulate, caring and a good writer. He was mostly quite politically different than I was but we both respected each other's thoughts and all went well. SO, goodbye, Christopher Hitchens, it hurts me to see you go. I'm glad I got to know you a little. You could have written a lot more fascinating things .......and you were a gentleman.
I also remember hearing that when you knew you were probably going to die, you specifically asked that no one prayers for you. I broke that rule then and I've broken it now. Go with God, Christopher.........if you haven't ticked him off too much :-)

z

Catholic University and Muslim students

2011-12-15T10:21:00.000-08:00

If only Hannity would have let the Muslim representative, Ibrahim Ramey, speak more......this was ridiculous. Far more effective than talking through whatever he was trying to say would have been to let him speak and try to present any valid reasons for why Muslims are attacking Catholic University. This shouldn't even be a matter of opinion....There is NOTHING that supports the Muslim students who want Catholic icons taken down from every room so they can pray without being offended (Hint: close your eyes, that would work).
They don't even need to be accepted into a private Catholic university and are lucky to have been so. Did they enroll to create these problems? Is infiltrating and demanding and taking to court institutions, some of which might not have the money to fight, the underlying goal? If only the Muslim could have sunken himself, but Hannity and Jay Sekulow are so passionate on this subject they didn't allow him much time. SO, we only saw Mr. Ramey smugly, sarcastically smiling to himself as if he knew better, probably silently praising allah that, in the unceasing din of Hannity and Sekulow's passionate words, he'd not had to come up with support for the ridiculous claims. There IS NONE.

z

The school WINTER program?

2011-12-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

A friend whose son attended a private Christian preschool where I teach my Wee Americans class once a week approached me yesterday.   She said that her son was in his new school's program that morning. I'm not sure what the public school called it but it wasn't called the "Christmas Program." Of course, it's in December, just before school breaks for....um....winter, I guess? :-) ...Anyway, she wanted to tell me they'd sung two songs.   I knew they wouldn't be "Hark the Herald" or "We Three Kings" but I at least hoped for "Frosty the Snowman" or "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer?" But, no............

"They sang IMAGINE and LEAN ON ME," Amy said with a smile that read "can you believe THAT?". "Imagine there's NO HEAVEN... it's easy if you try!" (Oh, do try, what a glorious secular future you'll have by imaging there's no heaven...heh heh)
"Lean on me when you're not strong...and I'LL BE YOUR FRIEND"   (I'll even be forced to pay your mortgage if you play your cards right :-) WHY NOT?)

Please pay attention to your public schools, friends.........NOBODY expects overtly Christian messages at public schools, that's not why I posted this (but wait for my lefties who won't read this far...just wait for their comments :-).....I posted it for the fact that even secular, cheerful, fun ...um.........WINTER songs...aren't being sung anymore, (someone might be offended by Rudolph?) children are singing.IMAGINE and LEAN ON ME instead! (Wait, what if someone's offended that they didn't sing about Rudolph?) I said to my friend "They might as well have stuck COEXIST bumper stickers on those poor little future-secular socialist heads"

She added that two little six year old boys went back down the aisle after the show holding hands......a very natural thing for little kids to do, right?   Amy's husband leaned toward her and said "I guess that's part of their new diversity program they told us about," which cracked her up and me, too, when she told me!    Yes, it was innocent, but can't you just hear the teacher? "Johnny, do you REALLY REALLY LIKE little Gary? Well, that's nice...you can hold hands with him and you can even marry him some day if you like! That is if you haven't decided you want to wear girls clothes and use the girls room here at school by the time you're seven, but that's okay, too! if Gary doesn't mind"    God, what a world..........:-)

IMAGINE.

z

YOU are the PRODUCER

2011-12-14T08:03:00.000-08:00

If you could produce a new television show......reality (God forbid, but let us hear your reasons!), news, sitcom, talk show..............how would you like to do it? Who might you have doing the news? Would it be from both sides of the political spectrum or only one (like CNN does? heh! I just had to get that in!). What kind of format? What messages might you like to present in a sitcom and do you think they'd be welcomed by the public? Who would you like to see on any talk show, political or not?

I'm eager to see what you'd like to do.........thanks!
z

Media disses a nice job: Chelsea Clinton ..and TOPPS (Please give!)

2011-12-13T12:28:00.000-08:00

HERE is an article and a video of Chelsea Clinton's debut on "Rock Center with Brian Williams" (whatever that is) on CBS. The video below is just Chelsea's report (with only a five second ad you have to sit through before you see the video). Make sure you read the linked article to see the critics' ridiculous reviews.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I never watch the network news, but somehow I did happen on her interview with Williams about her appearances coming up on his show. She is soft spoken, intelligent, has an excellent vocabulary, and has a very thoughtful presentation as she speaks. And the critics are dissing her.

Meanwhile, the news headlines on Yahoo last night and today are all over the fact that Katie Couric has split up with the boyfriend she's lived with for the last five years. Katie, perky and bubbly and horribly biased, has been the media's darling so they think it's important that America knows and cares about her live-in lover? WHY? And they diss Chelsea Clinton?

I'm not a fan of the Clintons, and I will admit Chelsea has traits of her mother, but this is about being fair and supporting a young woman who seems to have a heart for helping others. Personally, I thought her presentation about Miss Dove and a group she founded called TOPPS was interesting, refreshingly well presented (it was about the GROUP not the journalist, imagine that?), and it helped to change my mind about sending money to a ministry group in Africa helping little children there (which I'd written a phone number down this morning for so I could call and donate) to sending money to AMERICAN children, the TOPPS program, helping little children HERE in THIS country.

Chelsea might start a trend for television news.......thoughtfully, professionally presenting information while keeping herself out of the story. What a novel idea, huh?

I think she did an excellent job and can only get better as she warms to the cameras. I just hope she keeps the demeanor of what appeared to be humility and true interest in helping others....

Help TOPPS this Christmas........give a card to your loved one and write inside how, in their name, you contributed to this outstanding, worthwhile group. (just look at those adorable faces in the video and consider only $10 if that's what you're most comfortable with. I certainly can't send much more than that. And listen to the teen aged boy whose family won't talk to him, but Miss Dove does, and see how clean cut and articulate and good a young man he seems to be because SHE HAS CARED!)

And GOOD JOB, Chelsea....let's hope you start a trend in television broadcasting. America would benefit.

z

Live from the Straits of Gibraltar!! (see the land to the left and right)

2011-12-13T09:05:00.000-08:00

My stepdaughter has been sailing on the Mediterranean for four weeks and has another week to go till they reach the Canary Islands. This has been a real sailing trip, not a luxury ride! She and another sailor have shifted four hours sleep/four hours sailing...in glorious weather and really tough weather. They've had great times at ports and three more crew members got on board their 49' Alita for their final week. They are literally passing through the Straits NOW and she emailed me this photo from her cell phone. Africa on the Left, Spain on the Right.......LIVE TIME.. How often do we get to see that!? ENJOY! Compliments of Ms. Z

z

The Duggars.........Newsworthy? Still? Or EVER?

2011-12-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

The Duggars miscarried the baby which would have been their 20th child last week. One article or another on their grief and how they are coping with it has been in the news every single day since then. Do you think that's newsworthy other than to her family? Are they being used by the media for filling ad space? Are they using the media for publicity for some reason? As sad as it is, they have 19 healthy children........for which they have so much to be grateful. Does having children already lessen the pain of a miscarriage? No.........but, to see articles on various aspects of their grief for a week afterward....isn't that unusual? Nobody wants to judge a family in grief, and their grief is as big and appropriate to them as it feels. I guess I wonder at the fact that it's still being covered even tonight. What do you think?
z

Romney's bet

2011-12-12T10:25:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to blog on this and finally will because I just heard Whoopi Goldberg agree with me (alert the media!) Yes, she did. And it's regarding Romney's offering a $10,000 bet to Perry the other night in the Republican debate. When I heard it, I thought he must be very serious about being right (and he was right) in his assertion for the bet. When I really feel right, I'll jokingly say "I'll bet you a thousand dollars!" or even "a MILLION dollars" because it shows in the large amount I'd never seriously bet that I know I'm right.

We all know Romney's a rich man. Even Whoopi said that's no surprise and why do people care? And I have to give her credit because she's right there, too. The large bet is only fodder for leftwingers who are looking for the slightest reason to demean Romney......and the rich. Even GOPers were ribbing Romney about the bet and saying he's "out of touch"...wow.

It's just another example of mischaracterizing for ideology...or for political hacks. Thanks, Whoopi...sometimes, I have to admit, you tell it like it is and are fair.

z

FREEDOM

2011-12-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

What's your definition of FREEDOM?
I'm not able to find an image for this post that doesn't influence the thinking on freedom, so....fire away, folks. You're on your own.
Thanks!

Z

Sunday Faith Blog

2011-12-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

Why in the world would any decent country ban Bibles from ailing servicemen at a facility like Walter Reed Hospital? Why deny communion or the Last Rites to soldiers who have faith and have given so much for their country? By the way, what exactly does Sandy Dean mean below? :-)

Todd Starnes of Fox News asked Sandy Dean, a public affairs officer for Walter Reed, about the policy change.

From Sandy Dean: “The instructions about the Bibles and reading material have been rescinded. It will be written to articulate our initial intention which was to respect religious and cultural practices of our patients… We don’t want there to be any misinterpretation of what we’re trying to say. We appreciate Congressman King bringing this to our attention. We don’t want our instructions to be ambiguous.”

Wait...doesn't respecting religious practices of patients include the right and ability to read religious works?!

HERE is the article which includes: Arizona Congressman Steve King spoke from the House floor Thursday blasting a policy memorandum from the commander of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center written by Chief of Staff C.W. Callahan. The September 14^th memo covers guidelines for “wounded, ill, and injured partners in care.”
“No religious items (i.e. Bibles, reading material, and/or artifacts) are allowed to be given away or used during a visit,” the policy states.

Where does America go from here? Must we ban all religious information from everywhere that government is? When UCLA bought Santa Monica Hospital, the staff were told to remove all Bibles from all hospital bedside table drawers. Is it so offensive? Were nurses spoon feeding Christianity to patients as they spoon fed them their salt-free meals? Of course not.

Where do we go from here? Why the purge? What is with our government?

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." Proverbs 18:10

z

Congratulations, Navy!

2011-12-10T15:52:00.000-08:00

Navy beat Army today....................27 to 21. Congratulations to Navy.......and to Elmer's Brother!

Z

In the TANK for Obama...................'nuff said

2011-12-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

thanks, Imp!
z

CORZINE: the truth. Rezko, whitewashed with emotion. What a media

2011-12-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

From the Chicago Sun-Times

Pale and thin, his legs shackled and bare forearms tightly crossed in a frigid federal courtroom, an unsmiling Tony Rezko on Tuesday looked a faded portrait of the man who stood trial before the same judge 3 ½ years ago.
“Just looking at you physically is evidence of the great fall that you have had,” U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve told Rezko.
At that, the pallid Rezko flushed, his eyes welling up.
And this from the New York Times

Fallen financier and former New Jersey governor Jon Corzine said he was "stunned" by the collapse of his firm MF GLOBAL but told a congressional panel that he had no idea where the missing $1.2bn (£780m) had gone.

Corzine faced hostile questioning after being subpoenaed to testify before the House of Representatives' agriculture committee on the bankruptcy of the financial firm and the missing money – some of which is owed to farmers who used the company to hedge crop investments.

The former GOLDMAN SACHS chief and one-time confidant of Barack Obama was the first former senator to be subpoenaed to appear before Congress since 1908.

An exhausted-looking Corzine said he was "devastated" by MF Global's collapse but dodged specific questions about what went wrong or where the money had gone. (Z: but seems to be of no concern to the NYTimes!)

What about.....?

Any reference to Obama's real estate deal with Rezco? Nope. Any reference to Obama's praise of Corzine as an "honorable man" and one of his "best partners" in the White House? Nope.

Any wonder why the general public isn't out demanding our Campaigner-In-Chief step down? (end)

Z: because they don't HEAR the truth. THIS is getting scary.

I posted the above information I had sent to me by a friend and then, Thursday night just after getting it ready for midnight publication, Rich Galen's column, Mullings.com, had the following article (in black below) which gives us even more information (Rich's column being by a Conservative and including a more realistic take on Corzine)........Do you think Corzine will escape his just rewards or actually get nailed for what he's done? This is astonishing....Will Obama still say he's 'honorable'?

There once was a Wall Street firm named MF Global. I'm not sure what they did to make money, but they hired a guy named Jon Corzine, a Democrat, to help them do it.

Jon Corzine had once been the head of Goldman Sachs. He was fired from his job while he was on a ski trip with his family by Hank Paulson who was also a Goldman Sachsian, and later became the Secretary of the Treasury who invented the whole TARP thing.

Don't think that Mr. Corzine and his family had to live out of an A&P grocery cart under the Manhattan Bridge. He made $400 million when Paulson took Goldman public.

Wall Street people operate in a different universe than the rest of us.

Corzine, not satisfied with having been one of what was called a "Master of the Universe" by running one of the too-big-to-fail Wall Street firms, went on to run for, and be elected to, the United States Senate from New Jersey in 2000 as a Democrat.

Talk about Masters of the Universe.

In the wake of the Enron scandal (among others) Democrat Jon Corzine was a big, BIG supporter of what became known as Sarbanes-Oxley which, among other things, forced CEOs to take personal (and criminal) responsibility for reporting what was going on in their companies.

This was to prevent investors from losing lots and lots of money due to internal shenanigans by executives at companies who had only the most passing interest in protecting their stockholders' and investors' money.

Corzine, back in Master of the Universe mode, decided that being one of 100 Senators was not as cool as being one of 50 Governors so in 2005 he ran for, and was elected as, Governor of New Jersey. As a Democrat.

Four years later, in 2009 he ran for re-election but was beaten by Republican Chris Christie of Governor Chris Christie fame.

Not one to be put out to pasture, Corzine got himself hired by a firm named MF Global which was a "multinational futures broker and bond dealer."

I do not pretend to know that that means because my major financial transactions are limited to things called an ATM and a PIN.

MF Global bet heavily on what is known as the sovereign debt of countries in Europe named, among others, Greece and Italy. For those who are into these things, Reuters described it as MF Global having "entered into repurchase and reverse repurchase transactions to maturity, which are accounted for as sales."

ATM. PIN.

Corzine, a Democrat, who feigned outrage when Enron went down in flames, was the CEO of MF Global which went broke and became the eighth largest bankruptcy in US history.

The weekend that MF Global was going down the Wall Street toilet, the Democrat Corzine tried to sell the company. The company with which MF Global was attempting to make a deal couldn't find about $1.2 BILLION dollars that were supposed to be in customers' accounts and so backed out of the deal.

It seems that in order to cover its bad bets, MF Global (headed by former Democratic Senator and Governor Jon Corzine) took money from customers' accounts who had no knowledge of this activity and had no interest the bets' successes or failures.

This was, as I understand it, like the head of your branch bank taking money out of your checking account and betting it on a camel running in a race in Dubai.

MF Global was declared bankrupt. Trading in its shares were halted.

Thud.

Remember: Corzine. Democrat. Enron. Sarbanes-Oxley. CEO Responsibility for his (or her) firm.

Yesterday Jon Corzine was hauled in front of a Congressional Committee to explain just how he could have allowed money in customers' accounts to have been used as collateral against "repurchase and reverse repurchase transactions to maturity."

He didn't know. He didn't know what happened to the money. He barely knew what the term "Wall Street" meant or where New York was located.

I have no idea whether Jon Corzine will be found criminally liable for what went on at the firm he headed. I DO know that when he was a holier-than-thou member of the United States Senate he was an outspoken advocate of exactly that.

My guess is the customers of MF Global will be lucky to get a fraction of their money back.

I know this demonstrates my ignorance of big-time finance, but I'm having a really tough time finding much difference between Jon Corzine, Democrat; and Bernie Madoff, crook.

Fast and Furious

2011-12-08T07:15:00.000-08:00

I just heard Eric Holder say YET AGAIN something about the guns program "whether it was this administration OR THE LAST ONE." Does he not know that the LAST ONE didn't plan to have guns disappear? Hasn't he read the words of agents who were stunned that with THIS administration's directions were to drop off guns and leave, keeping no surveillance on them? Is Holder unaware of the story or does he truly not understand? The truth is HERE.........would that Americans would pay close attention to the Truth vs Lies outlined in the linked article. Watching Holder, while we know the truth, is almost painful.
z.

Rome does WHAT?

2011-12-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

"ROME TAKES DOWN UNPOPULAR CHRISTMAS TREE"

What did you think when you read that headline that was on Yahoo Tuesday evening?

Ya...you thought "even in Catholic ROME they're dissing the tree?" Who wouldn't think that?

But, it's misleading.......what Rome's complaining about is a "conical structure more reminiscent of the Egyptian obelisks that adorn the Eternal City's many historic squares than of the traditional symbol of the Christmas holiday." A picture of it is HERE. Who wouldn't take that down? :-)

Rome's mayor wants a traditional Christmas tree up instead. I guess the CHRISTMAS tree isn't actually unpopular, but it's THAT tree that's unpopular. Who'd know if they didn't click and read the story? Then, of course, some of you have heard of that idiot Lincoln Chaffee's continuance of the "Holiday Tree" term as if any other holiday's represented BY a tree? You can't make this stuff up.

Take out Rome's conical white monster and give me a tree like the one in this picture! (Oh, no need to give me a tree like that one...that IS my tree for 2008 :-)

"Bachmann CHALLENGED by 8 year old"

2011-12-07T14:52:00.000-08:00

Do you see the content in the very short video as a 'challenge' by a kid to an adult?

The little boy's put up by his mother to tell Bachmann "My mommy's gay and she doesn't need fixing"....so, this is the media, suggesting nobody can have a differing point of view on same sex marriage without their suggesting an 8 year old 'challenges' her? How's that a 'challenge?'
Michele Bachmann simply isn't allowed her opinion, or? And then the short article HERE says that Bachmann a 'bye bye' as the mother and son walk away. Well, the mother turned around so fast and dragged her son with her that nobody could have got anything else in, but it's good negative copy for Bachmann, isn't it.
And, please...I don't need any nutty leftwinger lectures on same sex marriage. I don't CARE what the left thinks; I just wonder why others can't have another opinion and not get ridiculed? The fun never stops.

z

Pearl Harbor Day Remembered.......by Mustang

2011-12-07T00:00:00.001-08:00

Pearl Harbor Day, 2011

Remembrance observations of Japan’s attack on Peal Harbor aren't about any "failure to let go” of something that happened 70 years ago. After all, if one knows his history, then we ought to conclude that the attack was no more than the Japanese behaving consistently. Have we forgotten Japan’s sneak attack against the Russians in 1904? We should recall this historical event to remind us that the world is a dangerous place —we can never be safe within this environment if we continue to choose inept leaders....leaders not unlike Franklin Roosevelt who, in spite of the liberal claims to the contrary, did everything he could to provoke the Japanese into attacking American persons and property in the Pacific. “There is no evidence that Mr. Roosevelt did any such thing,” the Roosevelt fans argue. This could be true if one ignores the totality of Mr. Roosevelt’s foreign policy from 1933 to 1945. As with the Japanese, Mr. Roosevelt was also consistent. His domestic policy was as inept as his foreign policy was. As a result, Americans suffered far more than was necessary —and for far too long.

Unfortunately, Americans have not learned their lessons. Years ago, when all Americans still officially observed Pearl Harbor Day, we attempted to place blame on Japanese fascism. Understandably, Japanese-Americans pointed to Roosevelt’s decision to round up their parents and grandparents and place them into concentration camps. This was not so much the result of the events of World War II as it was typical of the thinking among American progressives. At the time, most Americans were too easily convinced Japanese-Americans posed a real and present danger to the security of the United States. Remarkably, they didn’t have concerns about German or Italian Americans, some of whom actually conspired against the United States. Over time, we evolved into a kinder-gentler, politically correct consortium of dimwits; we decided it is better not to recall Pearl Harbor Day…Sure, there are ceremonies in Hawaii, and a few of us still remember the history, some of us might even remember that day...but ask your children if they know about Pearl Harbor Day. Ask them if it makes them angry that we were attacked like that?

There is a consequence to not teaching about and remembering the history behind Pearl Harbor Day. It didn't take us long to forget the day in "infamy" (see the plaque to the left), did it. And we too easily forget what can happen to us when we choose inept leaders to govern our country. Since Roosevelt, we’ve had the inept Truman (D) who, beyond conspiring to find homes for high-ranking Nazis, contributed to the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans in the Korean War. Then, there was Lyndon Johnson who enriched himself at the expense of nearly sixty-thousand young Americans in Vietnam. Bill Clinton opened the door to Islamic attacks, promises of the same by Al Gore and John Kerry, the not quite as dumb George W. Bush, John McCain —whose leadership inspires Sarah Palin and the idly curious, culminating with the inconceivable choice of Barack Obama, a devout communist, as our 44^th president. Electing progressives to high-ranking leadership positions has had unfortunate consequences, beginning with the election of Woodrow Wilson, who along with Hillary Clinton adored Margaret Sanger.

We should not be looking for a perfect man or woman to serve as president. Doing so is a waste of time and opens the door to distractions. I should add distractions we cannot afford. We should be looking for a man or woman who is competent to serve as president, and if this becomes our standard, we must rule out Herman Cain, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Michelle Bachmann, and Jon Huntsman.

Like the owner of this excellent blog, I will vote for Howdy Doody before casting a vote for Barack Obama. We are having this conversation because we have not learned our lessons since the election of Wilson in 1912. It means that our ancestors, who gave up their lives in previous wars, died for nothing. It gives us no joy to note that the sacrifices of our young men and women today continue to reflect the abject failure of our politicians and diplomats. How have the inept Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton made America safer for the next generation? When will the American people learn this important lesson?

Let us carefully reflect on this 70^th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor; by electing inept leaders, we have not done our duty as responsible citizens..............Written by Mustang.

Thanks, Mustang, and Semper Fi. And thanks to our troops everywhere, especially to those who gave up their lives in the sneak attack on December 7, and their families who have lived all these years without them. God bless them all.

Smack me, someone

2011-12-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

Some of you know I'm associated with a high school in my area...a private high school.
Yesterday, a young Junior told me she was nervous about a debate class where she was discussing the Dream Act of California...some of which provides, basically, for no tuition for illegals (yes, it's more nuanced than that, but not much and that's not the point of my post).   Here's the point:

I asked her "For or against it?"   "For it," she said. I gently asked her "Do you know how that feels to my sisters and friends who've worked terribly hard to provide college tuition for their children?" "Yes, I understand that side of it," she said.    She added that she was a little worried because she felt her instructor didn't agree with her.   He apparently feels like I do about it.   I took a deep breath and told her my truth:

"If you feel you have all the information you need to make a good decision on this Bill, and if you can back it up with that information and sound points which embellish that information, then GO for it........we don't indoctrinate here, we TEACH here and, if you do a good job, your teacher will grade on that, not that you didn't agree with him."    She looked at me curiously........"I do feel strong in my opinion..."

"Then, you GO GIRL.......give it all you've got. You tell your truth and do a great job of it."

Now smack me, someone :-) It was like an out of body experience, right? I didn't argue the point, I didn't make her feel embarrassed for her opinion. I heard hers and she surmised mine. Did it bother me to encourage her to give an opinion I don't agree with? No, because more important to me is that she had researched the point and could voice her truth. I wish public school students the same. But, alas.........

z

Television.... a rant

2011-12-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

I love to watch television. Though I'm a jazz singer and classical pianist, I rarely put music on when I'm home. A TV's on somewhere in the house much of the day whether I'm watching it or not.
I love old movies, I love reruns of Frasier and Everybody Loves Raymond. I watch a lot of FOX and CNN. I watch some QVC and a lot of the Food Channel and HGTV. I have always loved TV and probably always will.

AND, I think TV is the worst thing that happened to America. I say America because they don't watch nearly as much television in any other Western country I've been in and I've been in plenty and lived in two European countries. Rarely is the television on in most homes during the day. Which is a good thing, since Jerry Springer reruns are shown in Paris just at the hour high school kids come home from school. (and the leftist media wonders why Europe hates us...sob, sob)
I hadn't thought of the Springer when I'd planned to write this, but there it is, another good reason for no television. Another is a show like Maury Pauvich, which someone told me is still on since last time I actually watched a whole show maybe 15 years ago in total disgust: his show dealt then with nothing but young punks who come on and get DNA tests read so they can know who the girl's baby is.

Let's talk NEWS. Remember "News at 6, film at 11?" I think we should go back to that.   I think the cable news shows are angry, misinforming editorials pushed as truth. I don't want to hear Rachel Maddow's scathing bias toward anything Conservative presented as information. I don't want to hear a leftist and a rightist screaming at each other on Hannity's show while he butts in, adding a third pitch to an already unlistenable mess. I don't want to look at Bob Beckel or Geraldo or Wolf Blitzer or Olbermann ever again (Is he still on?). I don't want to see Joe Scarborough pass himself off as Conservative......I don't want to see people like Lawrence O'Donnell announce he's a Socialist and get his own show for it. Not in America. We don't go that far. Oh, sorry...MSNBC does hire avowed Socialists, doesn't it. Oh, and I'm tired of hearing Bob Beckel on THE FIVE wait for any chance he can possibly get to mention his alcoholism and drug abuse. Who CARES? That's a man of character? And I REALLY don't give a hoot about anything Shepard Smith says, either. Why should I care what he thinks? His little add-ons of personal opinion at the end of news stories make me grit my teeth. I turn the channel when he's on almost faster than I do when I see Obama.
I swear I think the news being on 24/7 is SICK. I don't WANT to know about yet another teen missing or another baby stolen. I feel for them, but I think it's scary that we all have to hear and digest all that CONSTANT BAD NEWS.

I don't want to see food channel competitions where 5 people are hoping they don't get CHOPPED from the cooking competition and have the cameraman hone in on the thrilled, smiling faces of other chefs as one gets excoriated. It teaches bad character and it should stop.

I don't want to see dimwitted, good looking young men and women posing as stock experts on all the cable channels. As if we need to know their reasoning for the DOW going up or down? As Kid so aptly said in his blog post the other day, why don't they just say "Market up (or down) today, nobody knows why"! They usually don't know, anyway.

I'm tired of seeing Late Night TV shows slam pretty near only Conservatives (and pretty near EVERY Conservative) and a public who thinks by now that that's normal. Late Night TV is also free DNC advertising, which bugs the $^#&@*; out of me. I'm tired of seeing Joy Behar on THE VIEW doing her DNC plugs, too. Oh, and Whoopi and Barbara Walters, and.......... oh, and then there's that lousy excuse for a conservative, Elizabeth what's her name.........she ought to marry Joe Scarborough; they're the perfect couple.

I'm tired of commercials where fathers' kids roll their eyes at them and mothers who lie about having borrowed their daughters' clothes. I'm tired of a public stupid enough to think a man's going to take Viagra and be happy sitting in a bathtub on a lake holding hands with his woman who's sitting in a matching bathtub on the lake. By the way, do YOU have a bathtub, let alone two, on YOUR lake? :-) I also ask you to notice these Viagra commercials and tell me how many have the woman leading her man up the stairs because he's apparently just taken a pill. 100%. I thought the pill was supposed to turn HIM on, why isn't HE doing the ol' Fred Astaire two-step up the stairs to the bedroom? :-)

I rarely watch Sitcoms (except the reruns I mentioned above) but the language is pretty amazing these days, only to be out-raunched by the SITUATIONS in these Situation Comedies. From what I understand, nearly every sitcom has a gay character. Do you know that many gays in your life? I don't. Nothing against gays, but there are NOT gays living next door to EVERYBODY in real life. It's just not true, so why...? And who CARES if the people next door are gay? Why's it so sitcom worthy? How about the way kids speak to their parents and get away with it, or the really debauched story lines .....well, I could go on and on, but just think ROSEANNE and remember the situations SHE put in her show. Do YOU know people like that? I don't. But, it sure lowers the BAR (pardon the unintentional pun) for society. And don't tell me it doesn't do that.....the constant drip, drip, drip of immorality and bad language and disrespect and everything else portrayed in newer sitcoms is good for NOTHING but a cheap laugh.

I think they ought to take the P out of PBS because THIS part of that P doesn't want her taxes spent on Bill Moyers-types anymore. And I don't want to be wooed into giving money to my BS station (Without the P, see what that station REALLY is? I TOLD you! HA!)...anyway, I don't want to see them wooing viewers to SUPPORT BRITISH COMEDIES on PBS, interviewing my favorite Keeping Up Appearances' cast, and then seeing they don't show that program again for months. Bait and switch ticks me off.

I like Dr OZ, though I very, very rarely watch him (though a very close friend works with him; thankfully, she doesn't read my blog!)......but I don't want to hear about REALLY personal things the likes of which I don't even want to type here so you'll know what I mean. I think you know without my having to mention them.. And I don't want to hear Dr Phil, either......who can't tell these guests of his just want to be on television? Otherwise, why would ANYBODY tell the revealing things about their affairs, financial problems, unkindness toward others ON TELEVISION???

Please, everyone...don't tell me "You don't have to watch it if you don't like it." I know that, and it's so not the point; nobody has to say that to me, and I'm old enough and mature enough that I don't worry about indoctrination and debauched subject lines and I DO change the channel if I don't like something. But people (and teens) DO watch all the junk I mention above or the shows wouldn't be on. And people are influenced by those shows.

Debauched, immoral, bad taste, too personal, bad influences, nasty language........American television today.   And yes, I know "hey, Z, who's to say what's bad taste?"....as if bad taste isn't recognizable anymore in America. OH, wait...it isn't. Which is worth another whole blog post.

How do you feel about it? I love to watch television........but I think it's doing a lot of harm.   "News at five, film at eleven."   THOSE were the good ol' days.....
Do you agree? And do you have another pet peeve than the ones I've mentioned?

z

Dear Abby.........

2011-12-04T12:41:00.001-08:00

DEAR ABBY:

'I have always wanted to have my family history traced, but I can't afford to spend a lot of money to do it. Any suggestions?'

Sam in California.

DEAR SAM:

'Register as a Republican, and run for public office.'

Abby

Sunday Faith Blog.......aging

2011-12-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

Dr. Gary Fraser, a researcher with the Loma Linda University School of Public Health who is researching the community, told the BBC. "At this moment we don't really know that but there's been one interesting fact that's been known now for 20 or 30 years and that is that people that go to church regularly - whatever faith they have - live longer and there's no question about that." From the linked BBC article:

"It does certainly raise the question if there's something about spiritual life that also has an impact on longer life," says Dr Gary Fraser, who is researching the community............

It seems that regular churchgoers have significantly lower levels of stress hormones and so may be better equipped to cope with the challenges in life, say scientists.
"Religion and connection to something higher than oneself, connection to the sacred, connection to a tight-knit religious community allows you to modulate your reactions and your emotions to believe there is a broader purpose," says Dr Kerry Morton, who is involved in a longer-term study on Adventist health.
"Therefore your body can stay in balance and not be destroyed by those stressors and traumas over time."

What do you think it is which causes church goers to live longer? We celebrate only birthdays of 90 years or more at the 250-strong Bible study I'm involved with; there's a birthday about 3 times a year! And they don't just turn 90 and die, either, they continue going to Bible study. One of our substitute leaders (a very good friend of mine, healthy and sharp as a tack) is 93 and lives on her own since her 98 year old husband of 70 years died 3 months ago! She leans heavily on her faith and always has.

From Proverbs 3: 1,2 "My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity."

BY the way, I just got an email from Ms Z on the sailboat in the Mediterranean...she's doing great and I wanted to share that she tells me she's seeing shooting stars every night there and she adds "The strange feeling is that I can't think of any wishes. I am so truly happy and in peace....I would like to dedicate all the falling stars I see to the ones in need. May they bring them luck and peace" I loved that and wish you her falling stars if you need them. :-)

Have a wonderful Sunday........leave your cares with Him. It helps your blood pressure!

xxx Z

Cain and Gingrich; a friend's take

2011-12-03T12:51:00.000-08:00

I just received this email from my friend Jay:

A very classy, well executed and logical exit by Cain. A potential blessing in disguise, because there definitely is a Plan B. He will wind down for a few weeks, let the dust settle on the alleged affair and then hit the road delivering his message about all corruption inside the Belt Way, outlining his solutions and the need for very real change, not Obama type changes. He will blend financial responsibility that he takes from Ron Paul and other positions that are good for the people of this country. This man is a preacher and he can sell it big time. Then, at some point, he endorses Gingrich and starts to campaign against Romney and for Newt, and then low and behold guess who ends up with the VP nomination? A great strategy, it defeats Obama, because Cain can switch a major portion of the 88% black vote that went for Obama in 2010, the black community believes they have a voice, the religious right will buy into Cain and overlook his alleged affair, he is a great orator, he connects with the average American and people like the hell out of him. This way, his possible indiscretions are not a topics any more (old news) and they will just go away in time. His wife is classy and sent a great signal to be by his side. She makes Michelle look, shall I say...less dignified? He will make a great VP and bring some business common sense to D.C. What a great combo, a black representative of the private sector who is a self made man and a seasoned genius politician with years of experience. People in this country want solutions, they do not care who the hell slept with whom 20 years ago. Who cares if Newt has been divorced, he has a super wife at this time. If Obama gets into a debate with Gingrich, Gingrich will smile at Obama and then very methodically saw his head off, but Obama will be too stupid to know his head was cut off until he turns to the camera with is big cheesy grin and the head just drops off. I am going to love this one, wait and see, I think the deal has already been made behind the scenes. You heard it hear first. I hope I am correct. It just makes too much common sense. Gingrich and Cain have mutual respect for each other. ..Jay
Z: I'm not sure about this, BUT, I think my buddy makes a lot of very good points. Anybody want to take a side and back it up? Thanks! (and thanks, Jay)
z

2011-12-03T08:59:00.001-08:00

The post about sending a Christmas card has been deleted. I just got an email from the friend who sent it who says it's either old or a hoax. Imagine that? sorry about that.
z

Patriotism; just when I think our kids are just plain lost...

2011-12-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

Have Kleenex ready. This is worth every second!
xxx Z

Pilot Car...Follow Me :-)

2011-12-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

Got a caption for THIS? Sure you do...........let 'er rip!

Interracial marriage ban? Yahoo finds the decision of 10 creeps headline-worthy? :-)

2011-12-01T15:33:00.000-08:00

THIS might be the most dishonest, exaggerated, unfair article I've seen in a long time (which is saying a lot with our media). The title is this:

KENTUCKY CHURCH VOTES TO BAN INTERRACIAL COUPLES.

"Wow," the average American would think..."..this is really horrid. A CHURCH, a bunch of Christians, did THAT?" Why wouldn't someone think that? And the average American should think that, right? But, don't look now...it looks like ten people in the whole country voted that way :) Is that worth an article on Yahoo's homepage or anywhere else? Here's a bit from my link:

TOMAHAWK, Ky (Reuters) - A vote to bar interracial couples from a small church in eastern Kentucky has triggered hand-wringing and embarrassment.

Nine members of Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church backed their former pastor, with six opposed, in Sunday's vote to bar interracial couples from church membership and worship activities. Funerals were excluded.

The vote was taken after most of the 40 people who attended Sunday services had left the church in Pike County, near the border with West Virginia. Many members left to avoid the vote.

Most members of the church "didn't want anything to do with this," said longtime church official Dean Harville, whose daughter and her black fiance had drawn pastor Melvin Thompson's ire.

Terrible, isn't it. BY the way, here's the end of the story: "This kind of thing brands all of us so easily," said Randy Johnson, president of the Pike County Ministerial Association. "That's not who we are. From all the churches I've talked to so far, it's really not anger so much as it is shock."

IS IT WORTH THE HEADLINE ARTICLE THAT SHOWED UP THIS MORNING ON YAHOO?

of course not

Send photos to Republicans?? WHY?

2011-12-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

What the heck is THIS? "Show the Candidates what they need to see in Iowa?" WHAT? Here are the first paragraphs of the linked article which goes on to say how people can send in their pictures:

Yahoo News wants you to show us what the Republican presidential candidates need to see as they prepare for the Dec. 10 presidential debate in Des Moines.
Take a picture of what the candidates need to understand about your life. Is there a business in your town that is struggling (or flourishing)? A school that is hurting for teachers--or a group of students who should be emulated by the rest of the country? A public works project that was successfully finished with stimulus money? loved one who has been searching for work?We've set up an Election 2012 Flickr group to collect and share the photos.Please include the city and state where the photo was taken, and a short description (250 words or less) of why the candidates need to know about it.

Get the sentence I put in blue? No bias toward Obama's platform, right? :-)

I don't know who is hosting this Des Moines debate and I don't know when it is, but the people behind this photo idea don't say how the candidates will SEE the pictures they 'need to see'......are they going to be shooting them onto walls around them? giving them books of pictures? Implying every school hurting for teachers is the Republican's fault? Every loved one searching for work is their fault? Or just suggesting these are things that need fixing?
Why not send the pictures to OBAMA IN WASHINGTON? RIGHT?
z

What taught the OWS crowd their loony ideas?

2011-11-30T14:54:00.000-08:00

PLEASE watch the video HERE..........it's Morley Safer's 60 MINUTES on the liberal indoctrination of children in Britain back sometime during Margaret Thatcher's administration, to give you an idea of the year. These are the kids with OWS now, and the anarchist crowd, you know that. Now you'll know WHY. Even Morley named his segment "THE LOONY LEFT"....I doubt he'd have done it now, but it was there then. He's retired now, but the LOONY LEFT's still here, but they won't criticize themselves anymore, like Safer does here...excellent exposee..........but so sad and almost frightening.

If anyone thinks this indoctrination isn't happening here in America, and has been for a while, please inform yourself. If only we'd awakened then, but who thought freedom of thought wouldn't be welcome in America OR Britain? Who thought we'd have to be so careful that our textbooks teach real history? Who thought we couldn't trust Americans to understand Western thought and ethos?

You'll all especially be interested at around 3:35 minutes into the video, where a Black woman on a school board says that a children's story about a Black horse is racist.   Then, at about 6:43, we hear a mathematics teacher explain "nonracist MATH" (yes, imagine?)

This is why we're in BIG trouble, folks...........more damaging than our economy's problems, more than about any problems, is the damage done by the idiotic indoctrination and wussifying of our children. In the video, they show schools not allowing teachers to tell their children they've SUCCEEDED because that's "ELITIST"......

Teachers were (and are being) fired for not complying. This isn't about the freedom of thought these Leftist LOONS are supposedly promoting, TRUST ME.   Imagine the quote "Education is about values".........

PLEASE watch it and then question your children or grandchildren.....find out what they're learning, what they think. "Snow White" hasn't been read in schools for years. "Dr Doolittle" was also taken off British school lists years ago.

And we've all been sleeping.   Better WAKE UP. Do you think we can turn this around? I don't.

z

Stress: some help

2011-11-30T00:00:00.000-08:00

Some of you are shopping for Christmas and thinking about menus and repainting the spare room for guests and whatever you've got planned for Christmas, so I thought I'd post this list.......I hope it makes you smile and I hope some of them get put to use!: Z

Whatever burdens you're carrying now, put them down for a moment. Relax, pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short. These are fun and a good break from the madness and disillusionment of politics (and life in general)!

1 * Accept the fact that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue!

2 * Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.

3 * Always read stuff that makes you feel good..

4 * Drive carefully... It's not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker..

5 * If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague

6 * If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it..

7 * It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

8 * Never buy a car you can't push.

9 * Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.

10 * Nobody cares if you can't dance well.
Just get up and dance..

11 * Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late..

12 * The second mouse gets the cheese.

13 * When everything's coming your way,
you're in the wrong lane.

14 * Birthdays are good for you. The more
you have, the longer you live.

15 * You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.

16 * Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.

17 * We could learn a lot from crayons.
Some are sharp, some are pretty and
some are dull. Some have weird
names and all are different colors,
but they all have to live in the same box.

18 * A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

Cradle to Grave. Bye bye American dream

2011-11-29T08:08:00.000-08:00

This is what America's public schools have taught your kids...America's future. If one doesn't know one's history, one can be really, really dependent, stupid..........and what some would call "Progressive"..

Today's Lesson: Dream, but not at government's expense

October 09, 2011|By Jack A. Chambless | Guest columnist for The Orlando Sentinel

On the first day of class this semester, I asked my students to spend 10 minutes writing a brief essay explaining their definition of the American Dream and what they expected the federal government to do to help them achieve their version of this dream. (Z; only the strong of heart and stomach should keep reading, trust me, this is a tough one)
The first part of all of their essays was pretty standard stuff. They wanted to have a good job, a home, a family and enough money to enjoy their lives for decades to come.

It was the second part of the majority of these essays (from a population of 180 students) that left me discouraged and bewildered.

When contemplating the role of Washington, D.C., in helping them achieve their goals in life, my students — most of whom were educated in America's public schools — wrote that they wanted government to "pay for my tuition," "provide me with a job," "give me money for a house," "make sure I get free health care," "pay for my retirement," "raise taxes on rich people so that I can have more money" and so forth.
One student who thought her American Dream could be best achieved with more government regulations went so far as to say, "We all know that there are many bad side effects when regulations take place, but as human beings, we are not really responsible for our own acts, and so we need government to control those who don't care about others. It makes sense that our freedom is reduced every day with the new regulations."

Recently, The Wall Street Journal reported that for the first time in our nation's history, 51 percent of Americans will not pay income taxes this year. It should also be noted that in 1983, just over 29 percent of Americans received some form of government assistance. Today the figure is 44.4 percent.
These figures are noteworthy and arguably linked to my students' concept of what the role of government should be in their lives.
After all, it makes intuitive sense that in a nation where fewer and fewer Americans are net contributors to our prosperity, the children of those who increasingly live off their fellow citizens would develop the perception that part, if not all, of the American Dream involves taking money away from a working, productive American in order to fill the financial gaps in our lives.
On the second day of class, I asked my students to pull out their purses and wallets. In each class, I approached one student, grabbed his wallet, opened it and took out all of the cash.
I then told the shocked student that part of my American Dream is to have a cabin on a lake in northern Minnesota some day so that I can enjoy my retirement in this beautiful part of the country.
My students listened to a mini-lecture on our Founding Fathers' view of our rights — especially as it pertains to the pursuit of happiness.
Many seemed to comprehend, perhaps for the first time, that all of us have every right to pursue access to high-quality health care, a good job, a home, cars, retirement and whatever else we might want to peacefully acquire, but that no one has an inherent right to use the arm of government to forcibly take the private property of another citizen in order to obtain our desires.

Z: So, how do we teach kids the truth? How do we undo their American public school educations so that they have respect for success, set their own goals dependent on their own talents and, (gasp) hard work, don't expect handouts, and understand the self-reliance and independence which founded this country?

DRAGNET and OBAMA.

2011-11-29T00:00:00.000-08:00

There's something very satisfying about this short video.......you'll like it!

thanks, Mustang!
z

Barnie Frank.....

2011-11-28T08:59:00.000-08:00

ooks like Barnie Frank isn't running again...........I know, stop crying; you'll get over it :-)

I just saw a bunch of articles in the mainstream/leftwing media which all mention right from the start of their articles "first openly gay Congressman"...So far, FOX and its affiliates are only leading with how long he's held office but, of course, that could change. Odd that the Left has such an obsession with sexuality instead of just looking at people as PEOPLE.
Leftists here and other blogs like to call Republicans they dislike gay, too.......I never see that otherwise. Well, until today in some comments, but.......it's rare.
z