Pris's husband's service........

....was Tuesday.  Please pray for Pris and her family's peace and comfort in the difficult times ahead. Thanks.
z

The key to being safer?

Here's something I thought could be helpful........ Tell your spouse, your children, your neighbors, your parents....this could come in handy. Put your car keys beside your bed at night. If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button for your car.  The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery dies. This tip came from a neighborhood watch coordinator.  Next time you come home for the night and you start to put your keys away, think of this:  It's a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation.  Test it.  It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain. It works if you park in your driveway or garage. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your house, odds are the burglar/rapist won't stick around.  After a few seconds, all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won't want that. And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot.  The alarm can work the same way there.  This is something that should really be shared with everyone.  Maybe it could save a life or a sexual abuse crime. P.S. This could also be useful for any emergency, such as a heart attack, where you can't reach a phone.  Some people suggest the car keys stay with their loved ones while they're working in the yard or something so they know something's happened if they hear the car alarm go off. Good advice, don't you think?  I thought I should pass it along. z

Negative Newt...........is it working? And wait till you read Stephanopoulos' comment at the end

Why do YOU think Gingrich's numbers are going down in Florida?   HERE's the story.
I could see it coming the first time he went so nasty on Romney in a debate.   Newt vowed not to run a negative campaign and we all saw why.....some people can do negative pretty well, others just look real ugly when they do it, and that's how he looked...and continues to look.
Some of us loved how he pinned the ears back on the leftwing media, and he was right in what he said and how he did it, but "I don't think we like it anymore, Newt."  When he jumped on Wolf this last time, it got to looking like a running gag and the thrill was gone;   it worked a few times and now he needs to stop. (except I hope he never stops doing it, even if he's not the frontrunner....they deserve it)

Odd that the article I linked above says NBC says Obama's so far ahead of Romney, because most of the polls this last week showed them neck and neck in national polling.  But.........who believes WHAT these days?  And, after all, it's NBC.
Why do YOU think Gingrich's numbers are sinking?     I don't think it's the large amount of money Romney has to spend;  I think a lot of it's Gingrich isn't appealing in many fronts...he just isn't.   Not to me, anyway.   How about you?

I'm adding THIS article (after having posted and rec'd some great comments) by George Stephanopoulos which includes this opening paragraph:

He has called Mitt Romney a “liar” who “misled the entire country” in last week’s debate. But that won’t keep Newt Gingrich from endorsing Romney should he become the Republican nominee for president.

I like George's ridiculous slant that any Republican would not endorse another Republican against Obama because, suddenly, Republicans are the only ones who have to stick to what they say!  Remember the Obama/Hillary debates and ads?  Who was it who not only ended up supporting him but got Secretary of State? :-)  Hillary.  Here's just one little ditty from Obama about Hillary from THIS article:

She embodies trench warfare vs Republicans, and is consumed with beating them rather than unifying the country and building consensus to get things done..

As if he's not done that for the last 3 years? :-)   (there are myriad articles of Obama bashing Hillary...I"m too lazy to link more.  The one above was a 'leaked memo' from his campaign so he didn't actually have to come out and SAY it, looking negative and mean!   .....the fun just NEVER quits! :-)
z

Sunday Faith Blog ... Truth

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8: 31-32

Truth in relationships, Truth in our businesses, Truth in our communities, Truth in our churches, Truth in our hearts.  And then kindness, forgiveness, love...


Please pray for churches this morning..........that they will be led by fine, upstanding people who do believe in Truth, who believe in their people, who walk in Light and Love and not in darkness only the lack of prayer and humility can bring.  Thanks.  

Yes, okay...maybe I shouldn't end with the next image, but I saw it and couldn't resist.  This is oftentimes true, too, and why there's little truth in some places!!

Have a wonderful, truth-filled, blessed (and sometimes, even a little irreverent! God didn't give you a sense of humor for nothing!) Sunday,

Z

Fried foods not a direct heart risk! Oh, for JOY!

Any study, particularly one this big, just has to be posted here because I absolutely love fried food, fried fish in particular!    It's the OIL, folks...check this out!


A new study has found that there is no direct correlation between the amount of fried food people eat and their risk of heart disease. Instead, the research found that long-term heart risk depended more on what kind of oil was used in the cooking process — olive oil and sunflower oil are considered the healthiest.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, studied the eating and cooking habits of 40,000 people in Spain for nearly 15 years. The Mediterranean diet favored by most individuals in the study leans heavily on fried foods, particularly fried fish, but also the healthier olive and sunflower oils for the frying.
The Telegraph reports that study participants were then broken into four different groups, based on how often they ate fried foods. Over the course of the study there were 606 medical cases linked to heart disease, but those results were fairly evenly split between the four subsets. More from the study:

"In a Mediterranean country where olive and sunflower oils are the most commonly used fats for frying, and where large amounts of fried foods are consumed both at and away from home, no association was observed between fried food consumption and the risk of coronary heart disease or death."

Professor Michael Leitzmann from Germany's University of Regensburg said in the study that two similar research projects found comparable results showing no direct correlation between fried foods and heart disease.
"Taken together, the myth that frying food is generally bad for the heart is not supported by available evidence," Leitzmann wrote."However, this does not mean that frequent meals of fish and chips will have no health consequences," noting that the fried foods have higher calorie counts and are linked to obesity and high blood pressure.
Now, before you throw caution to the wind and sign a Jumbaco petition, bear in mind that not only do those fatty foods contain more sodium and calories, most Americans use less healthy oils to fry their foods. And even more damaging, re-used cooking oils reportedly contain higher levels of saturated fats, which are linked to poor heart health. (Z:  I know for a fact that many Brits use the same cooking oil, left in their frying pans for weeks....be careful, stop doing that)
As Victoria Taylor, senior heart health dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, told the Telegraph, "We currently recommend swapping saturated fats like butter, lard or palm oil for unsaturated fats as a way of keeping your cholesterol down and this study gives further cause to make that switch...Regardless of the cooking methods used, consuming foods with high fat content means a high calorie intake. This can lead to weight gain and obesity, which is a risk factor for heart disease.

Z:  Be careful what oils you use, eat fried food in moderation, but EAT IT!  It's delicious and, if you use olive or sunflower oil, most of us will be just fine........it's Saturday, go get some fish and chips :-)
z

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

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

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

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?

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.  

z

The SOTUS

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!!

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?

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?

z

Pris's husband has passed away

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

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

Democrat smears

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)

x

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

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

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.

z

Dumb, indeed

thanks, Bubba..
z

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

"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

z

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

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.........

.....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

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......

Who won last night's debate?

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?

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?

z

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

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.........

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

"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.

z

Prayers for Pris

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"

"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.

z

Saturday

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!

z

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

"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

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....

.........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.

Z

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:

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

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

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

z

Sunday Faith Post ....peace

"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?!)

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