George Soros into the light of day

Van Helsing asks, "Wouldn't it be interesting to learn what Soros knows about the financial collapse of 2008 that ushered his minion B. Hussein into power?" Glenn Beck is fearlessly and ferociously going after Soros.

Biden is disappointed

Where else, but from my friends at The Looking Spoon

Illegal immigrant found guilty in murder of Chandra Levy

via Bloviating Zeppelin, which has more details

A War on the West?

This is how much of the West is already owned by the federal government. Michelle Malkin reports that Obama, through Ken Salazar, is stealthily grabbing more land, which she calls Obama's War on the West.

Illegal immigration is ultimately about moral issues.

Finally, someone has said what needs to be said about illegal immigration. Victor Davis Hansen explains that it is often debated on issues of costs and benefits, but that ultimately it is about moral issues. He outlines those moral issues here.

What Sarah Palin is thankful for

In case you missed this, here is what Sarah Palin said she was thankful for on Thanksgiving 2010.

"I am giving thanks for so much this Thanksgiving. I’m grateful that we enjoy the “blessings of liberty” secured by our Constitution. I’m grateful for the protection of America’s finest, our men and women in uniform — many of whom will spend Thanksgiving far from their loved ones so that we might celebrate with our families in peace and security.

I’m grateful that America’s children can look forward to a hopeful future because their mothers and fathers will make the sacrifices generations of American parents have made to safeguard freedom and opportunity.

I’m grateful that our land is rich in resources — all that we need to sustain ourselves and secure our prosperity.

I’m grateful that all Americans have the equal opportunity to earn, contribute, create, produce, perform, and succeed by our own merits and through the application of a sincere work ethic. I’m grateful for the ingenuity, innovation, and optimism that still animate the American spirit.

Most of all, I’m grateful that the steadying hand of Providence that guided the Pilgrims to Plymouth Rock continues to guide us toward a better future."

— Sarah Palin, former governor of Alaska and Republican vice-presidential nominee, is author of the new book, America by Heart.

No Guilt Whatsoever

George Soros has no guilt whatsoever about his role in sending fellow Jews off to their deaths during the Holocaust. Here is a partial transcript of a 60 Minutes interview with him.

"Not this Mitt again!"

This post is up at Pajamas Media, and it is not at all favorable to Mitt Romney.

Photos of North Korea's artillery attacks on South Korea

Go here to view more photos of North Korea's artillery attacks on South Korea.

News of the day

Here is the story and picture of the latest would-be-terrorist caught by the F.B.I.
Then there is this post, which points out, among many other interesting observations, that the young man has a "Mohammed Coefficient of 200%."
Update: The New York Times is reporting that it was a Portland Muslim who tipped off the F.B.I. Now that is really good news, indeed!

Clarity from a Brit

This fellow from Britain seems to have a knack for clarity!
via Dr. Sanity

TSA harasses woman over breast milk

What happens when a woman with a bag of breast milk asks the TSA not to put the milk through Xray screening? She is detained for over forty minutes and misses her flight home, where her 7-month-old child awaits for the arrival of her and her breast milk.
via The Looking Spoon

The Most Boring Day In History Was April 11, 1954

The weekend after Thanksgiving/Black Friday is definitely relaxing but also a little boring. But it's not the most boring day in the 20th century. That'd be April 11th, 1954. A scientist developed software to determine that as the boringest day ever.

Why was it so boring!? Well, first of all it was uneventful. Usually in other days, someone famous was born, someone notorious died, or something significant happened. On April 11th, 1954, a Sunday in the 1950's, apparently none of that went down.

The scientist who came up with that date, William Tunstall-Pedoe, used his sophisticated search engine, True Knowledge, to search for the day where no result really popped up. With True Knowledge users can find out what happened on a particular day in history. Here's what he did:

"It occurred to us that we are able to objectively measure the importance of every day in history. Some days are highly eventful and on some days far less happens and we can also objectively estimate the importance of these events.
"For fun we wrote the program and set it going. When the results came back the winner (or perhaps loser) was April 11, 1954 – a Sunday in the 1950s. Nobody significant died that day, no major events apparently occurred and although a typical day in the 20th century has many notable people being born, for some reason that day had only one who might make that claim: Abdullah Atalar – a Turkish academic.
The funniest thing is that the most boring day ever is now somewhat interesting, because of its status as the most boring day ever. So does that mean the 2nd most boring day ever is now the boringest?
[From Gizmodo via Cambridge News via Neatorama]

Man's Best Friend

Why don't we have more drug- and explosive-sniffing dogs working security at airports? Dogs can be trained to recognize many, many different kinds of dangers.

I sure would rather be sniffed by a dog than man-handled by a TSA agent who doesn't change gloves between gropings.

Oh, and if you're a Muslim who doesn't like dogs? Then YOU can get the gropings and the X-rays. I'm tired of having my life violated because of your beliefs.

I believe I've had enough of this kow-towing to people who want us dead.

Give me my America back!

Blair and Hitchens keep the gloves on

Christopher Hitchens

Tony Blair

The former prime minister, Tony Blair, has defended the role of religion in global affairs in a debate with the prominent British-born atheist intellectual, Christopher Hitchens before an audience in Toronto. Our correspondent Paul Adams was there.
It felt like the event of the season.
Organisers said tickets were selling for inflated prices, and the 2,700 seat Roy Thomson Hall in downtown Toronto was packed.
The subject could not have been more weighty. "Be it resolved", read the motion, "that religion is a force for good in the world."
In the blue corner (actually green, on the organiser's website), the former prime minister and famous Catholic convert, whose foundation promotes "faith as a powerful force for good in the modern world."
In the red corner (yes, red), one of the intellectual world's best known and frequently controversial atheists. This is the man who once called Mother Theresa a "bitch". He's also criticised Blair's "sickly piety."
But anyone expecting verbal pugilism, or a blood-soaked gladitorial contest, with Tony Blair as the Christian thrown to the hungry atheist lion, might have walked out into Toronto's chilly night a little disappointed.
It's not that the two men didn't debate with conviction, but the format, with statements, rebuttals and carefully moderated questions, engendered politeness (this is Canada, after all) and somewhat stifled argument.

Christopher Hitchens: Religion is "a kind of divine North Korea"
And perhaps the lion is wounded. Christopher Hitchens is starting to look frail, in the throes of a cancer that he acknowledges will probably kill him.
Tony Blair, by contrast, looks a picture of well-dressed health.
But Mr Hitchens made his views on religion plain, with his familiar blend of learning and mordant wit.
"Once you assume a creator and a plan, it makes us objects in a cruel experiment whereby we are created sick and commanded to be well," he said.
"And over us to supervise this is installed a celestial dictatorship. A kind of divine North Korea."
But he never rounded on Tony Blair, adopting a respectful tone even as he displayed his disdain for much of what he said.
Mr Blair took it all in good humour, even if he looked and sounded a little exasperated at times.
"Bigotry is not a wholly-owned subsidiary of religion," he complained, striking a defensive note on several occasions.
"I do not deny for a moment that religion can be a force for evil," he said. "But I claim that where it is it is based essentially on a perversion of faith."
Clash over middle East
Inevitably, the former prime minister was asked if religion had played a role in the most important decision of his time in office: to go to war in Iraq.
"We can nail this one pretty easily," he replied. "It was not about religious faith."
"You don't go into church and look heavenward and say to god "Right. Next year. The minimum wage. Is it £6.50 or £7.00? Unfortunately, he doesn't tell you the answer."
Mr Hitchens agreed with the decision to go to war in Iraq, just as he agreed to the interventions in Kosovo and Sierra Leone.
But when asked about the role of faith in promoting a peaceful settlement between Israel and the Palestinians, the two men disagreed sharply.
Mr Blair said there were men of faith on both sides "desperately" tying to play a positive role.
But Mr Hitchens called the conflict "a failure of the parties of god."

Tony Blair: War in Iraq "was not about religious faith"
"And it's not something that happens because people mis-interpret the texts. It's because they believe in them. That's the problem."
The two men were asked which of each other's arguments they found most convincing.
"This definitely never happened in the House of Commons," Mr Blair joked, before going on to admit that it wasn't always easy for people of faith to explain the importance of scripture in the modern world.
Hitchens admitted no such intellectual difficulties, saying he preferred the awe-inspiring wonders of the cosmos to what he described as the superstition and mental submission involved in religion.
"You gain everything by repudiating that and standing up to your own full height," he declared. "And you gain much more than you will by pretending that you're a member of a flock or in any other way any kind of sheep."
The audience sat in rapt attention, frequently applauding both men.
But a random sample afterwards tended to tell a consistent story. People weren't necessarily opposed to Mr Blair's argument, but they found Mr Hitchens the more persuasive speaker.
A poll of audience members resulted in a defeat for the motion, by a margin of two to one.

(From bbc news online)

Black Friday

As I walked into the Big Box Superstore today, my first clue that things might get a little strange on this Black Friday was the message I heard on the store intercom: "Will the shopper who was looking for Harry Potter please come to the dressing room?" Then, I saw shoppers eyeing the "Prelit, pine-scented artificial Xmas trees," and a man carrying a camo Snuggie, and decided to hurry for the checkout counter with my bag of apples. At the checkout counter I saw Prevention Magazine, which featured helpful hints for diabetes sufferers. On the cover was a chocolate cheesecake which, thankfully, was only one of "24 delicious diabetes recipes." Is this a great country, or what?

Before Google said it, it was in the Bible...Don't be evil.

Questions of God: Cain, why are you upset?

Anger is part of our nature. It is the right response to threats and injustice. And even according to the Bible there is no sin inherent in it. It is perfectly fine to “be angry, but sin not.” But for the other ninety-nine percent of the time, anger and the results thereof are causing most of the ills and woes of all mankind. 


The first instance recorded in Scripture of someone dealing with anger and it’s many other siblings comes early on in the book of Genesis. Again, this scene in scripture is so iconic in our culture that it is hard to find someone who hasn’t heard something about how “Cain slew Abel.” 


I’ve heard it presented, in good American fashion, as a contest between the two brothers. Who can worship God the best? But is that really what happened? 
Genesis 4:3 says, “In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD.” No contest here. And in fact, it appears that Cain is the one who spontaneously decides to offer an offering to God on his own, without any external suggestion of such. Sounds like pure worship, so far. So can you give Cain the credit that he originally intended to bring an offering in worship to God? Could it be that he really loved God? I believe he really did love God, and that is precisely what makes what he did later so much the worse. 


Cain could have been known as the first worship leader in history, if it weren’t for what happened next. “But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast (Genesis 4:4,5). 


And so we get to the question; “Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it (Genesis 4:6,7).” This is quite a dilemma. Cain has been outshined by his little brother, and misunderstands the meaning of God’s favor towards Abel’s offering. I believe the pain of Cain is misunderstood love. He felt rejected personally when God preferred his brother’s offering over his own. 


I think I can understand Cain and his struggle. It was his idea to bring offerings in the first place. It was his sweat and toil that brought forth the fruits he offered, and so they were a wonderful offering. And that is just the point. They were a wonderful offering, but not the favored offering. Was God rejecting Cain or his offering, or his intention of worship? Not at all. 


Of course, you, being the theologically astute person that you are, know exactly why Abel’s offering had to be preferred, right? All through the early Genesis story there are clues to this. In fact there are many who see the whole gospel in the book of Genesis. The offerings that pointed to the ultimate sacrifice of the Son of God were to be preferred. The law stated that “the life is in the blood” of the animals that were sacrificed, and the blood was to be poured out, used to cleanse and make holy the articles of worship and those who would worship God in the time of the tabernacle and the temples. Abel’s offering was a prophetic symbol and act pointing to Christ, the ultimate sacrifice.  


So we see that Cain was angry, and responded with a downcast look. This is what we call depression, which is defined as anger turned inward. Cain gets one more chance to see what’s going on and to change his intent towards his brother.
God even says, “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?” Cain has a chance to reject rejection and turn to God for help.


I have been in this same situation a thousand times in my life and followed the same path as Cain. I may not have killed anyone, but the bitterness and self- rejection and other poisons I have allowed in my life show me that I need to respond in a new way to the challenges I face. We all have another chance today to respond to our misunderstood love, our mistaken acceptance of rejection, and listen to the voice of the Father. His words are words of love, affirmation, forgiveness, acceptance and restoration. 


But we all know what Cain chose to do. He murdered his brother and started a bloody trend that continues to this day all over the globe. So when God asks the next question, “What have you done?”, Cain callously responds with another question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain has become so hard hearted that he can lie directly to God and think nothing of it. God then hears Abel’s blood crying from the ground, pronounces a curse upon Cain, and sends him away. But even in this God is merciful to Cain, because He puts a mark on Cain that keeps others from killing him.


I see a parallel between Cain and the older brother in the story of the prodigal son. Both of them had a great situation that they did not see because of a blindness of heart. Cain had acceptance from God, but was unable to receive because of perceived rejection, and the elder brother had his father’s love and provision but was offended because of his judgment towards his brother. 


So I’ll ask this question: Is there some blessing in your life that you are not able to see because of an offense or judgment toward someone else? May God help us to see these things before we choose the path of Cain.

Happy Thanksgiving! Unless, of course, you're flying...

Paranoia about Sarah Palin

Barbara Bush wishes Sarah Palin would just stay in Alaska. I presume Barbara feels it is now Jeb's turn to be nominated as the GOP candidate for president in 2012. New York Times theater critic Frank Rich also fears a Palin candidacy. Tunku Varadarajan tries to understand the "Sarah Palin Paranoia" problem here.

Funding the ground zero mosque with taxpayer dollars

Muslims are asking for public funds (applying for a $5 million dollar grant) to build the ground zero mosque. While New Yorkers might think that is a fine idea, I doubt if the rest of the country will be too overjoyed.
Via Moonbattery

Kanye West is no fun anymore!

At least I agree about the one that says No Hipster Hats. Hipster Hats piss me off. But hey, no blogging! That is just totally not cool. Kanye, you are no fun anymore! And you really should follow your own advice. Yeah, I'm talking about #4 from your big head. Oops! Looks like someone broke the no pictures rule. Kanye will not be happy!
(picture via Gizmodo. Go there to find out what this is all about.)

Is massive worldwide government debt and bailouts humorous? You be the judge...

TSA Funnies and one about a lame duck

Kingdom Resources: It's Your Call: What Are You Doing Here? by Gary Barkalow

Few spiritual concepts have fascinated and confused people more than understanding God’s calling. Is it a job or a role? Is it only reserved for those who work in professional ministry? The truth is amazingly profound: what we are supposed to do is what we most want to do.

In this guide for discovering God’s design and destiny for your life, Gary Barkalow shares how you can:

· Live alert and oriented to the voice and choreography of God.

· Discover and interpret the voice of your own story.

· Discern the strategic assault against your calling.

· Recognize God’s intentional training in your life’s journey.

Most of all, you’ll be inspired to let the glory of your life touch the world around you.

Everybody’s Question

Several years ago I ran across an article in USA Today in which adults were surveyed as to what they “would ask a god or supreme being if they could get a direct and immediate answer.” The largest percentage (34 percent) of adults said they would ask, “What is my purpose in life?” Second (19 percent) and third (16 percent) to that question were, “Will I have life after death?” and “Why do bad things happen?”

That most commonly asked question is very telling. It demonstrates that we were created for a specific purpose. As C. S. Lewis said, “If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe, and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know that it was dark. Dark would be a word without meaning.” So the question we are all asking—“Is there a specific purpose or calling for my life?”—is self-answering: YES!

The Barna Research Group concluded a nationwide survey with these words: “One of the most stunning outcomes was that born again Christians and non-Christians were equally likely to be seeking meaning and purpose in life.” Barna was also amazed that so many born-again Christians were puzzled as to their purpose in life: “One of the primary values of the Christian faith is to settle the issue of meaning and purpose in life. The Bible endorses people’s individual uniqueness but also provides a clear understanding of the meaning of life—that being to know, love and serve God with all of your heart, mind and strength.”

The question of purpose, meaning, and place is universal to every human heart. The answer that your life does have purpose or meaning is not enough. Instead the answer begs another question, “What specific, irreplaceable purpose does my life play?” Coming to faith does not settle the issue of meaning and purpose in life. As Pulitzer Prize winner Russell Baker said,

There is a hunger in us…for assurance that our lives have not been merely successful, but valuable—that we have accomplished something grander than just another well-heeled [well-off], loudly publicized journey from the diaper to the shroud. In short, that our lives have been consequential.

The truth is that we are here to do something, a contribution that only each one of us can make. There is an outcome that hinges on us and therefore a fear that we might miss it—our moment, our part, our potential, our purpose, and our life. This is not some peculiar fear experienced only by a certain generation or culture or religion. I believe it is a fear born out of a desire written on every human heart, a desire for meaning, to know that my existence matters to someone and something. In short, that I’m good for something.

The hunger or desire to find and live the life that we have been given, to live a life that is consequential, is good and noble. Scripture says, “[God] will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness” (Rom. 2:7–8 NLT). There is a life of glory, honor, and immortality that God offers and that we are meant to seek. But it will take God’s help for us to find and live the life we were created to live.

It’s Your Call: What Are You Doing Here?

by Gary Barkalow

David C Cook/October 1, 2010

ISBN: 978-1-4347-6439-3/220 pages/trade paperback/$14.99
(from The Cypress Times)

Chapter 1 Free Book Sample

This book is the best book I have ever read on calling, period! It is full of awesome quotes, radical, mind altering concepts, and real world wisdom that makes a difference in your life right now. Get this book, and watch out. Get ready to hear and fulfill your call. - Cliff

UPDATE: the audio version of Gary's book is available now on iTunes for $5.95! 

"Death Prayers by Liberal Left"

Once again we have an episode of a double standard by the left in that members of a teacher's union in New Jersey called for "prayers for the death of the governor of New Jersey". Yet when caught and called to account for it, refused to fire those responsible for it. Amazing video of the encounter between the governor of New Jersey Chris Christie and the president of the Teacher's Union.

Where are the do-gooders now?

Remember when every good liberal in America and Europe proudly joined with Nelson Mandela to end apartheid in South Africa? Since then the ANC (African National Congress) has been in power for 16 years, unemployment is now 25.3%, ANC leaders have supported Robert Mugabe's African auto-genocide in Zimbabwe, there are rolling electricity blackouts, and the ANC has completely denied the country's HIV problem.

A new book detailing all of this and more has been written by R.W. Johnson of the London Sunday Times, and it is reviewed in the Wall Street Journal here by Grame Wood. Where are the do-gooders now?

Can Republicans lead on energy, or will they back renewable energy subsidies?

Kimberley Strassel wrote an excellent piece in the November 19 Wall Street Journal. She points out that although Republicans in the House are ready to fight against Obamacare, financial regulation, tax hikes, cap and trade, and unspent stimulus dollars, they are tongue-tied when it comes to Obama's stated ambition of "transforming" America's economy! No one of prominence (except Rush Limbaugh) has had the guts to speak out against Obama's "green" economy, which Strassel alleges will result in high costs and low jobs. I agree with her as to those results.

A good portion of the American people seem really to have been brainwashed on this "green" stuff. People actually think they are saving the environment when they bring their not-very-clean cloth bags back to the grocery store time and again, then drive away in their SUVs. Republicans are afraid to lose the votes of these suburban Americans. They don't want to be seen as anti-environment. So they have adopted what Strassel in her excellent article terms an "all of the above" strategy, meaning that they are for oil drilling and also for government-funded renewable energy subsidies. As Strassel notes, "Europe has already proven these subsidies destroy traditional employment, are permanent drains on state funds, and raise energy prices."

Republicans claim to believe in smaller government, freer markets, but gee, guys, it's "green!" Obama is way, way out in front of them on this issue.

Who's Nurse Ratchet and who is Mr. McMurphy?

I am reading Ken Kesey's masterpiece One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Has there been any person who has done more to influence us to treat the mentally ill humanely? The book and movie, of course, were about the sadistic Nurse Ratchet and her control of her patients. It was also about Mr. McMurphy, the Jack Nicholson character. McMurphy boasted that he could get to Nurse Ratchet. Sarah Palin is boasting to Barbara Walters that she can beat Obama. So Sarah is the McMurphy character, and Obama is Nurse Ratchet?

I saw on the cover of National Enquirer today that Sarah's 16-year-old daughter Willow is pregnant. If that is true, I think that might end Sarah's chances for the nomination.

Questions of God: What is that in your hand?

I went to a meeting once to hear a speaker, and running late, got in just in time for the beginning of the event. I went to the back row and sat down next to a guy who looked kind of familiar. He introduced himself and put out his hand and I shook it politely and then focused on the things happening in the room. A man got on a microphone and introduced the guest speaker, who (wouldn’t you know it?) was sitting right next to me. The whole time I was shaking the guy’s hand I had that vague sense that I should be a little more aware, but I just couldn’t focus enough to hear my soul or my brain or the universe giving me the clues.

Have you ever had anything like that happen to you? Or how about something like this? You are running late for work and, in a hurry, you aggressively “win” in a parking lot duel with a person who turns out to be your boss’s boss’s boss. Of course, you only realize this while you are stuck in the elevator with him, and he casually mentions your speedy driving skills while quickly beating you to your button in the elevator. “Here, let me get that for you.” You look down at the floor, and then the ceiling tiles, and then at the floor again. You’ve never noticed so much detail on those tiles before, or all the scuff marks on the floor.

Our brushes with celebrities, or authority figures, are a casual picture of what can happen with God. You can be surprised at a sudden meeting, or challenged by what He might say. Take Moses for example. He had been out in the desert for a long time. Long enough to almost forget that he had a sense of destiny early on in his life about being able to somehow help his people out of slavery and bondage.

Forty years is a long time. The seasons came and went. Summer, fall, winter, spring. Summer, fall, winter, spring, and then again times forty. And there were the thoughts, the memories of the mess that sent him out here in the first place, or the memories of family. You could imagine that occasionally Moses would look over the rocks and sand toward Egypt and wonder. How are they? Are they even alive?

And then there it was. A light of some kind, or is that a fire? Yes, by now you know this story because you’ve seen the movie, and that’s what makes it so hard to re-imagine. Let’s try it this way:

Allie was tired. It had been a long day. “Winter sucks,” she said to herself as she leaned into the door going outside. The gales of wind whipping through the office buildings sang a bitter sad song against her freezing ears. “This is a picture of my life right now, just walking along into a hard, cold wind.” For no reason at all, she pictured the day she signed her divorce papers. “I signed them with a slightly shaky hand, but with no emotion whatsoever. Why didn’t I cry, scream, yell, something. I don’t know…” That little tweet coming from her coat pocket was a text from the boys, “Where RU? Need food!” As she was planning her trip to the store and the trip home in her mind, she turned the corner into the parking garage, bracing for the usual blast of frigid air, but the expected did not happen. It was kind of a surprise. It was a blast of warm air. Actually it was hot air, and a bright light of a blazing fire. And just before her a barrel was blazing. It was not unusual for people in the city to stand around these trashcans, turned into remote furnaces. But this was entirely different. The can was absolutely incandescent, glowing more than burning. Allie walked closer, and then it spoke!

“Hey, Allie! Wanna talk?”
“What? Huh.”
“I said, Hi Allie, would you like to talk?”
“Yes, of course. Could you tell me where my mind went? I seem to have lost it because I’m talking to a friggin’ trashcan!”
“No need to get snippy there. I just want to talk.”
“Alright, I’m game. What about?”
“I need a favor from you. I need you to talk to some people for me.”
“Really? Why don’t you just do it yourself, Mr. Light-In-A-Trashcan…Man? ”
“ Very funny. You know you shouldn’t talk to your Creator like that. I mean, I could just zap you into a million little pieces right now. Just like that! Zzzzt! O.K., now I’m the one being funny. Sorry…”
“You could, zzzzt, just like that! I mean, wow! I’m guessing that’s not what this is about though? Who do you want me to talk to? Why me, anyway?”
“Oh, like I’ve never heard that one before. ‘Why me?’ You really are funny. I like your sense of humor.”
“My sense of humor, that’s why you want me to talk to someone for you? My sense of humor?”
“Sure, why not? Isn’t that what people like about you?”
“Well, yeah, alright…”
“I haven’t forgotten you, Allie, and I want you to tell people that I haven’t forgotten them either. What is that you’ve got in your hand there?”
“What, my key fob?”
“Sure, that’ll do. So, here’s how it’ll go. You go about your life, and when I want you to tell someone about how I haven’t forgotten them, you just reach in your pocket and touch that key fob. And when that happens, I’ll open their hearts to hear what you’ve got to say, just like your car unlocks when you press the button. Brilliant!”

When the trashcan said “brilliant!” a flash of cold air ripped through the parking garage where Allie was walking, and she shivered in the cold while the car warmed up. That night she told her kids that she loved them, and that they were not forgotten by the One who made them.

Moses just had the basic tool of his trade in his hand. It was just a simple staff, a lowly unknown shepherd’s rod. But from that point on it became the Rod of God, a tool that God used to direct and change the world forever. It may be time for us all to re-imagine the possibilities of the power that could be wielded through the simple gifts we carry with us all our lives. So what is it that you have in your hand?

Cartoons for today...

In an historic gesture of goodwill, B.H. Obama lands on American soil

via ELVISNIXON.COM

Does TSA have a new trainee?

I don't know if this is rumor or fact, but there is a news story saying that Bill Clinton has volunteered to work for the TSA. This photo would seem to lend credence to the rumor that he is currently in training.

Resentment

"As smoking is to the lungs, so resentment is to the soul. Even one puff is bad for you." from Liz Gilbert, in her wonderful book Eat, Pray, Love.

Country By Country Austerity Measures in the EU

4 November 2010 Last updated at 14:15 ET

EU austerity drive country by country

 

Romanian policemen have been among those resisting cuts

 

A new austerity drive has been sweeping across Europe, as governments struggle to trim huge budget deficits and the 16-nation eurozone races to reassure sceptical markets.

EU finance ministers have agreed rules that will automatically punish member-states which break budgetary rules.
With the EU expecting all member-states to have achieved a maximum budget deficit of 3% of GDP by the financial year 2014-15, what belt-tightening measures are the countries taking?

 

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

The government has announced it will trim the deficit by 6bn euros (£5.2bn) in 2011 - the toughest budget in the nation's history.
It had already pledged to make 15bn euros of savings by 2014. But it then decided to bring 40% of those forward to 2011 to try to restore confidence after yields on 10-year bonds soared, with investors becoming more sceptical of the country's ability to pay off its debts.
In September the government announced that the cost of bailing out the Republic of Ireland's stricken banks had risen to 45bn euros (£39bn), opening a huge hole in the government's finances.
The increased cost will see the government run a budget deficit equivalent to 32% of GDP this year.
It intends to bring that down to 2.9% by 2015.
Government spending has been slashed by 4bn euros, with all public servants' pay cut by at least 5% and social welfare reduced.
Child benefit was cut by 16 euros a month, bringing the lower rate to 150 euros a month and the higher rate to 187 euros a month.
A carbon tax has been brought in, set at 15 euros per tonne of CO2.
Bad news came in September when figures showed the economy had shrunk in the second quarter from the previous three months.

 

UK

The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government has announced the biggest cuts in state spending since World War II.
Savings believed to amount to about £83bn (95bn euros, $131bn) are due to be made over four years.
The Chancellor, George Osborne, told parliament that 490,000 public sector jobs would be cut over four years because the country had "run out of money". Experts predict a similar number of job losses in the private sector.
Most Whitehall departments face budget cuts of 19% on average while the defence budget will be cut by 8%. The retirement age is to rise from 65 to 66 by 2020.
Some incapacity benefits will be time-limited and other money will be clawed back through changes to tax credits and housing benefit. A new bank levy will also be brought in.
While there was no widespread industrial unrest ahead of the cuts' announcement, the general secretary of trade union Unison, Dave Prentis, accused the government of "taking a chainsaw" to public services for ideological reasons. The opposition Labour Party accused the government of a "slash and burn" policy.

 

FRANCE

France has announced plans to cut spending by 45bn euros (£39bn) over the next three years in order to meet the budget deficit target.
Some of this money is expected to be saved through closing tax loopholes and withdrawing temporary economic stimulus measures.
President Nicolas Sarkozy's plans to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 and the full state pension age from 65 to 67 provoked major protests and strikes.
The demonstrations regularly attracted more than a million people on to the streets. French riot police were brought in to re-open fuel depots blocked by protesters, although the demonstrations have been largely peaceful.
The government pressed on and the measures have now been approved by parliament.
As an additional austerity measure, the highest earners will also be required to pay an extra 1% income tax.

 

GREECE

The Greek government has pledged to end its economic woes to make drastic spending cuts and boost tax revenue in return for a 110bn-euro (£95bn) bail-out from the EU and International Monetary Fund.
It has started drawing on the bail-out money because a sharp downgrade of its sovereign debt rating made its borrowing costs soar.
The aim is to slash the budget deficit from 13.6% of GDP.
The country has started cracking down on tax evasion, and on corruption within the tax and customs service. It will also curb its widespread early retirement schemes. The average retirement age is set to rise from 61.4 to 63.5.
Under the plan to slash the budget by 30bn euros (£26bn; $37bn) over three years Greece aims to: scrap bonus payments for public sector workers; freeze public sector salaries and pensions for at least three years; increase sales tax (VAT) from 19% to 23%; raise taxes on fuel, alcohol and tobacco by 10%.
The harsh measures have triggered public sector strikes and violence on the streets of Athens.

 

NETHERLANDS

The centre-right coalition formed after months of negotiation on 8 October said it wanted to cut the budget by 18bn euros ($24bn; £15bn) by 2015.
But the new government will have to rely on the radical Freedom Party to enact legislation and there are doubts about its long-term viability.

 

SPAIN

The Spanish government has approved an austerity budget for 2011 which includes a tax rise for the rich and 8% spending cuts.
Madrid has promised European counterparts to cut its deficit to 6% of its gross domestic product (GDP) next year, from 11.1% last year.
Government workers face a pay cut of 5%, starting in June, and salaries will then be frozen for 2011.
A tax rise of 1% will be applied to personal income above 120,000 euros.
Smaller savings include an end to a 2,500-euro cash payout for new mothers, known as "baby cheques".
Unemployment has more than doubled - to about 20% - since 2007.

 

ROMANIA

The government proposed wage cuts of 25% and pension cuts of 15% in July in order to reduce the country's budget deficit.
Romania's economy shrunk more than 7% in 2009 and it needed an IMF bail-out in order to meet its wage bill.
It says it needs to implement new austerity measures to qualify for the next instalment of the 20bn-euro ($25bn; £17bn) IMF loan.
Angry protests have greeted the cuts and Interior Minister Vasile Blaga resigned after thousands of police officers went on strike over the 25% pay cut.

 

ITALY

The Italian government has approved austerity measures worth 24bn euros for the years 2011-2012. The cuts amount to about 1.6% of Italian GDP
Italy aims to cut public sector pay and freeze new recruitment. Public sector pensions and local government spending are also being targeted, and there are plans to crack down on tax evasion.
Funding to city and regional authorities is expected to be cut by more than 13bn euros.
For the next three years there will be a freeze on public sector pay rises and cuts in public sector hiring, replacing only one employee for every five who leave.
Progressive pay cuts of up to 10% are planned for high earners in the public sector, including ministers and parliamentarians.
Retirement will be delayed by up to six months for those who reach retirement age in 2011.
Provincial governments serving fewer than 220,000 inhabitants will be scrapped, as will several publicly funded think-tanks.

 

GERMANY

The German government has proposed plans to cut the budget deficit by a record 80bn euros ($96bn; £66bn), or 3% of GDP, by 2014.
The total deficit in 2009 was 3.1%, but is projected to grow to more than 5% this year.
"Germany has an outstanding chance to set a good example," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The plans include a cut in subsidies to parents, 10,000 government job cuts over four years, and higher taxes on nuclear power. The rebuilding of the baroque Stadtschloss palace in the heart of Berlin will also be postponed.

 

PORTUGAL

The Socialist government of Jose Socrates has announced a range of austerity measures aimed at cutting the deficit to 7.3% this year and 4.6% in 2011.
Top earners in the public sector, including politicians, will see a 5% pay cut.
VAT will rise by 1% and there will be income tax hikes for those earning more than 150,000 euros. By 2013 they will face a 45% tax rate.
By 2013 military spending will have been cut by 40% and the government is delaying the launch of two high-speed rail links - the Lisbon-Porto and Porto-Vigo routes.

(from BBC.co.uk )

Another Photo from Indonesia

via blonde sagacity

The Mystery of the Missing Donuts

Ten-year-old Jon wrote this story today.

Jim woke up on Saturday morning very hungry. He sat up in his bed and remembered he didn't eat dinner last night. He got dressed, went to his car, and drove to the donut shop. When Jim got there he saw a hole about the size of a football in the big glass door. He walked in and saw a man on the floor with a knife in his chest. "Oh my gosh, there is a dead man on the floor!" Jim said, while he ran out the door screaming like a little girl. Then he whipped out his old cell phone and called 911. He told the 911 person, "I walked in and there he was, dead! Then I saw that-that-that the donuts were gone!" Jim screamed very fast.

The police came in and asked Jim more questions. Outside in an alley by the donut store, the police found a trail of frosting and sprinkles on the wall. The police and Jim walked and walked, following the trail until the alley ended. "Whoa, whoever did this sure stole a lot of donuts," said Jim. "How are we going to find him now," asked Charlie, a very loud detective. "I think I found the answer Char. Look," a young detective said, while pointing to the ground where tire tracks were. Charlie said, "Let's follow them!" They walked and walked, farther and farther, until Charlie said, sounding very annoyed, "Okay guys, let's think about this. There is a random set of tire tracks right next to the crime scene, leading straight to the middle of nowhere." "I think you're right. This is probably a red herring," said a big policeman named Bill. The group agreed. They headed back, but this time the opposite way.

"I just figured this out," said a skinny, short-haired detective. The tracks are going exactly straight. Don't you think that's weird?" "Yeah, I guess so," said Charlie. Then the others nodded to show they agreed. "Our suspect probably put the car in gear and let it loose," said Bill. "Look! The track leads directly to this apartment," said Charlie. Bill knocked down the door and found a very small man feasting on a pile of donuts.

You're under arrest for the murder of Chou Chung, and for stealing his pastries," said Officer Cindy Lou. "Get up! What's your name?" "Hgruwphtodo," said the small, but now very fat man with a mouth full of donuts. "What?" said Charlie. The man swallowed, then said his name in a small, squeaky tone: "Greg Tolker." Okay, how about this, Greg, "Get up now or I'll shoot you," said Charlie. Greg got up. Jim, Charlie, Bill, Cindy Lou and the young detective all drove back to the police department with their prisoner in handcuffs.

"Thank you for helping catch Greg, Jim," an old man who was the Chief said. Jim went home with the rest of the donuts, ate one, then went to bed and took a nap. The end.

Fill the seats with people who wish they weren't there!

P.J. O'Rourke isn't satisfied with the election results. He has a different idea as to how we could elect people to go to Washington: use the jury system!

Certain individuals on juries would be naïve and easily suborned by special interests. They could turn out to be thieves. This has happened before in Washington. But who is more dangerous as a burglar—the thief who knows all about your valuables and where you keep them or the thief who’s never been in your house (or Senate) before?

There are, of course, no easy reforms in a long-established political system—except this one. The principles of jury selection are simple to apply to representational democracy, at least in respect to our elected officials. We don’t have to change the Constitution, we just have to change the Democratic and Republican nomination process, which is such a mess that any change would be uncontroversial.

There’s a jury pool in every political district. Call up members of the pool for jury—that is to say, nominee—duty. Let voters in primaries act like prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges, excusing some and dismissing others. When the pool has been culled to a reasonable size, the general election voters can pick whom they like. Nothing would prevent common politicians from running on third party or write-in tickets. But they’d be easily identifiable as what they are—politicians.

Then we’ll know when we’ve won an election: We’ll know we’ve won when every candidate who is voted in begins his or her acceptance speech by saying, “Oh, #@*!”

The Beatles on iTunes and you

What's the big deal about Beatles songs and albums showing up on iTunes? It's the last bit of the old music business giving in to the new digital reality. Strangely enough, it was the Beatles' music and ethos that changed our entire culture back in the sixties. The album Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band changed the technology of recording and made studio recording the way to go with multi-track recording and many other innovations. The Beatles have made the long, winding trip from obscure cover band, to teenie bopper hit makers, to arena rock stars, to reclusive artists and innovators, to broken up band and solo artists, to music industry commodity sold back and forth for profit, to obscure old band, to re-emergent cool band again, and finally to availability as a digital download. Whew!

What's really going on here is the final baton pass from old music corporate system (think: Baby Boomers and LP records) to new music digital system(think: Millennials and iPods). This is also a cultural shift from the groupthink of the Boomers and the sixties to the wild individualism of the new digital generations. The Beatles opened the door to garage bands, Eastern mysticism, Utopian visions of grandeur, and experimentation with open systems of living(yeah, that's a nice way to say it). Their musical legacy is awesome, but their cultural legacy is lacking, but will likely be their true long term effect. The Magical Mystery Tour is finally over, and the  kids can now listen safely to the digital memory of the band that was the most idealized and idolized music group in history.

"And in the end...
they sold their souls...
they gave their lives...
for the big... bank... roll."    

America gave him the ball, but Michael Jordan he ain't

Dr. Sanity compares Obama's narcissism with George Washington's humility.

Yet it’s important to remember that our presidents aren’t always this way. When he accepted command of the Revolutionary forces, George Washington said,
I feel great distress, from a consciousness that my abilities and military experience may not be equal to the extensive and important Trust. .  .  . I beg it may be remembered, by every Gentleman in the room, that I, this day, declare with the utmost sincerity, I do not think myself equal to the Command I am honored with.
Accepting the presidency, Washington was even more reticent. Being chosen to be president, he said, “could not but overwhelm with despondence one who, inheriting inferior endowments from nature and unpracticed in the duties of civil administration, ought to be peculiarly conscious of his own deficiencies.”

Compare those words of George Washington to these of Obama.

But Obama’s faith in his abilities extends beyond mere vote-getting. Buried in a 2008 New Yorker piece by Ryan Lizza about the Obama campaign was this gob-smacking passage:
Obama said that he liked being surrounded by people who expressed strong opinions, but he also said, “I think that I’m a better speechwriter than my speechwriters. I know more about policies on any particular issue than my policy directors. And I’ll tell you right now that I’m gonna think I’m a better political director than my political director.” After Obama’s first debate with McCain, on September 26th, [campaign political director Patrick] Gaspard sent him an e-mail. “You are more clutch than Michael Jordan,” he wrote. Obama replied, “Just give me the ball.”

Beatles albums offered on iTunes

The Beatles' back catalogue is finally available on iTunes, after years of negotiations.
It will mean that for the first time consumers will be able to purchase some of the Fab Four's most popular songs via the store.
Apple and record label EMI have been in talks for years about getting the catalogue online.
Apple chief executive and Beatles fan Steve Jobs said it had "been a long and winding road to get here".
"We love the Beatles and are honoured and thrilled to welcome them to iTunes," he said.
Sir Paul McCartney echoed his thoughts.
"It's fantastic to see the songs we originally released on vinyl receive as much love in the digital world as they did the first time around," he said.
Ringo Starr added: "I'm particularly glad to no longer be asked when the Beatles are coming to iTunes."

Trademark dispute

But not everyone was convinced it was such a big deal.
Writing in his blog, Mark Mulligan, an analyst with research firm Forrester, said it was not the younger generation of digital music fans craved.
"The fact that securing the content of a band old enough to be most young music fans' grandfathers is a sad reflection of the state of the digital music market," he said.
"The digital music market needs new music products, not yesteryear's hits repackaged," he added.
For years The Beatles' music label Apple Corps was involved in a bitter trademark dispute with Apple the computer company. The dispute was finally settled in 2007.
Earlier in the year Sir Paul McCartney hinted that part of the delay in getting a deal with Apple was down to EMI.

Beatles USB

The Beatles catalogue has been a noticeable absence from the iTunes store despite the fact that solo works of members of the band are on sale there.
There have been forays into the digital world for the band.
Last year EMI released limited edition apple-shaped USB drives containing The Beatles' studio albums as digital files.
And in September 2009, The Beatles: Rock Band video game was released.
Even though the group formed around 50 years ago, they remain one of the top-selling bands in the world.
Neilsen SoundScan reported that they have sold more than 30 million albums in the past decade.
EMI has said that with worldwide sales of one billion albums, the Beatles are the top-selling band in music history.
The deal with Apple comes amid uncertainty at EMI.
The company's owner, private equity firm Terra Firma Capital Partners, owes millions in debt payments to Citigroup, which helped bankroll the purchase of EMI in 2007.
Ben Rumley from Enders Analysis says the Beatles' arrival is as important for EMI as it is for consumers.
"EMI will make some money selling The Beatles once again," he told BBC 6 Music.
"The Beatles were about 10% of their sales in the US last year, excluding digital, so having The Beatles available online can clearly be a good thing. They're very good at exploiting them."
The iTunes music store opened in 2003 and is now the largest music retailer in the world.
The Beatles albums are available for purchase and download for £10.99 each, double albums for £17.99 and individual songs for 99p.
A box set, containing all 13 remastered studio albums is available for £125. It includes the Beatles very first US concert in its entirety.
(from bbc.co.uk)

Cody gets some support

Remember the thirteen-year-old boy in Sacramento who likes to ride his bike to school while flying an American flag, but the school told him he couldn't continue? Here's an update.

More absurdity from the United Nations

One of my favorite blogs, Betsy's Page, has an excellent rundown on the latest idiocy from the United Nations. Saudi Arabia has been selected to sit on the board of the new U.N. agency to promote equal rights for women. Betsy cites reports from several sources that show that Saudi Arabia's treatment of women is anything but equal to that of men.

Government Motors: "Rubbish"

George Will hits a home run with his latest column. He writes about GM and its new Volt car. He points out that the government (we, the people) so far has lent GM over $50 billion, but GM CEO Ed Whitaker says in expensive ads on television and in a Wall Street Journal column that "we have repaid our government loan, in full, with interest, five years ahead of the original schedule." That refers to a TARP-funded $6.7 billion escrow account, with no mention of almost $50 billion in other loans.

Then, there is the ludicrous Chevy Volt, charged by coal and gas-fired power plants to give the driver 40 miles before the gas engine kicks in, or, when the car is moving 70 mph. The federal government will give tax credits of $7,500 to every purchaser, but it will not be available in 44 states, for which George Will expresses gratitude on behalf of us taxpayers.

Stuffed Brain Syndrome

Ten-year-old son Jon, after showing me his science homework, literature homework, lesson on verbs, and his math, says to me tonight, "Dad, I think I need to stay home from school tomorrow. I have too much stuff in my head, and I can't afford to put anything else in there."

Concise

Dennis Prager explains "the middle east problem" concisely.
Via Theo Spark

Mysterious Contrails and All I got was this lousy t-shirt

Eat. Pray, Love

I am enjoying Liz Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love. Yes, there have been a couple of Republican-bashing remarks, but we can't always limit ourselves to people who have the same political beliefs, can we? Liz has a great sense of humor, and writes about grappling with life issues that most of us have to deal with at one time or another. She goes through the excruciating pain of divorce, then another failed love relationship, and decides to spend four months each in Italy, India, and Indonesia. Italy was where she pleasured herself eating. Now I am at the part in the book where she goes to India and lives in an Ashram.

One of her comments about life in the Ashram, quoting someone else, was that "prayer is where we talk to God; meditation is where we listen to God." She had problems with the meditation part, and so would I.

McConnell Changes Mind On Earmarks: "the American people have spoken"

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.), Senate Republican Leader, has reversed course on a proposed earmark ban, saying in a floor speech just now that

“. . .on the issue of congressional earmarks, as the leader of my party in the Senate, I have to lead first by example. Nearly every day that the Senate’s been in session for the past two years, I have come down to this spot and said that Democrats are ignoring the wishes of the American people. When it comes to earmarks, I won’t be guilty of the same thing.”
(from National Review Online)

George Bush reflects on faith

And Democrats did well among female voters?

Barry and Michelle go for a walk in a Muslim country. Clarice Feldman has the commentary here.

Beware the praise of liberals in the media and academia

Sara Palin has some advice for the incoming freshman Congressmen and women. Much of it is what you would expect in terms of policy, but she also had some advice for them in dealing with the media. Clarence Thomas also had something to say about the same subject.

Undo it!

Michelle Malkin has the story on the hundreds of waivers to Obamacare being given to businesses, unions, and states.

Ordinary People Do Supernatural Stuff

News Report on The Bay Of The Holy Spirit Revival

Are miracles happening in Alabama?

While flipping through emails this morning I saw this video of a woman coming out of her wheel chair after over twenty years of paralysis, the result of a tragic car accident. This is the short version that is time compressed, but you can watch the situation in real time(about 14 minutes) here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p39UZ6aR5Ms&feature=related

Can you believe this?

A boy in Sacramento, California, home of the Democrats who are running the largest budget deficits of any state, likes to ride to school with an American flag on his bike. The middle school he attends has told him he can no longer do that. Read the story here.

A stupid military decision?

Amy Goodman writes here about President Obama's stupid decision to support Indonesia's notorious Kopassus, the Indonesian military's special forces commando group. As Obama landed in Indonesia, a journalist named Allan Nairn released several secret documents which revealed how the government of Indonesia, through Kopassus, has murdered tens of thousands of Indonesian citizens, Obama's old neighbors.

Palin email hacker gets one year in jail

The lefty creep who hacked into Sarah Palin's email during the presidential campaign has been sentenced to one year in jail. Here is Sarah talking to reporters outside the courtroom after she testified last April.
via Gateway Pundit

The Obama/Pelosi/Reid Legacy

In order to help us comprehend what is happening to our economy under Obama's presidency, Gateway Pundit posted these graphs.

"Something big is going on at the center of the galaxy"

This New York Times article tells about the photo above. Two huge "energy bubbles" in the core of the Milky Way have been discovered. No human knows what they are.
via Finest Kind Clinic and fish market