Hillary Health Care?

March 31, 2008 at 2:13 pm � Filed under News Items

In a recent headline at Drudge Cash-strapped Clinton fails to pay bills, I may have raised an eyebrow or two, and I even scanned the article quickly, but nothing surprising really struck me.

Just like with other businesses, it’s common for campaigns to carry unpaid bills from month to month, but in Clinton’s case, it also could serve a strategic purpose.

The New York senator’s presidential campaign ended February with $33 million in the bank, according to a report filed last week with the Federal Election Commission, but only $11 million of that can be spent on her battle with Obama.

The rest can be spent only in the general election, if she makes it that far, and must be returned if she doesn’t. If she had paid off the $8.7 million in unpaid bills she reported as debt and had not loaned her campaign $5 million, she would have been nearly $3 million in the red at the end of February.

It’s not just the size of Clinton’s debts that’s noteworthy. It’s also that her unpaid bills extend beyond the realm of high-priced consultants who typically let bills slide as part of the cost of doing business with powerful clientele whose success is linked to their own.

Some of Clinton’s biggest debts are to pollster and chief strategist Mark Penn, who’s owed $2.5 million; direct mail company MSHC Partners, which is owed $807,000; phone-banking firm Spoken Hub, which is waiting for $771,000; and ad maker Mandy Grunwald, who’s owed $467,000.

Ho,hum…
But wait. Today’s Drudge gives even more insight.
It seems not only is her campaign struggling to pay some bills, in one interesting instance, it’s the HEALTH INSURANCE!!!

Among the debts reported this month by Hillary Rodham Clinton’s struggling presidential campaign, the $292,000 in unpaid health insurance premiums for her campaign staff stands out.

This just can’t be from the woman who wanted once upon a time to be the CHAMPION of America’s Health care!
Not the presidential canditate with a platform of Universal Health Care!

Clinton had unpaid bills that were two months old with the excuse, “Sometimes invoices are not paid immediately because we need additional information for our records, or to verify expenses.”

Sounds reasonable I guess.

But Arizona Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, did not report any unpaid bills to insurance providers at the end of February. And the only insurance-related debt reported by Obama, an Illinois senator, was $908 to AIG American International Group for “insurance.”

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Barbara Means Stranger

March 31, 2008 at 11:28 am � Filed under General, Personal

I never thought that the name Barbara was any kind of popular, but it seems in the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s it was.

Check the popularity of your name HERE

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In The Name of Tolerance?

March 31, 2008 at 11:09 am � Filed under News Items

When you hear the word “jihad” what do you think of?
I can guess what most think of, and it only takes one Danish cartoon to conjure up all kinds of unpleasant images on our newspapers and television news reports.

After looking the word up, it has many significances, but there is a disturbing class in California giving it attention with only one meaning.

 An Islamic “jihad” is an effort by Muslims to convince “others to take up worthy causes, such as funding medical research,” according to a middle school textbook used in California and other states.

And even at its most violent, “jihad” simply is Muslims fighting “to protect themselves from those who would do them harm,” says the “History Alive! The Medieval World and Beyond” book published by Teachers’ Curriculum Institute.

This textbook gives a lot of positive muslim chapters (7 out of 35), and the World Net article goes as far as to say chapters 8 & 9 are pure indoctrination of Islamic propaganda going to California middle school students.
I know this would never happen in reverse. Tolerance isn’t accepted in their countries. They even arrest people in Iran for western haircuts. Where we have mosques here, but Christians are forced in hiding (or worse) in their countries.

Based on the article, I think faking history, and meanings to words is tolerance going a bit too far.

Why? Why would the educational system of California do this?
World Net Article 

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Quotes for the Week

March 30, 2008 at 12:47 pm � Filed under News Items

On The Campaign Trail…

Behold the Democratic choices for president: One candidate whose 20-year spiritual guru has an adversarial relationship with America, and another who has a life-long adversarial relationship with the truth.”

— Michelle Malkin, Author, Syndicated Columnist

“In the days leading up to the March 4 Ohio primary, Barack Obama’s presidential campaign aired a TV ad that featured a man named Steven Schuyler standing in front of a Delphi Packard Electric plant in Warren, Ohio. In the ad, Schuyler says he worked for Delphi, an automotive supplier, for 13 years until NAFTA enabled the company to ship his job to Mexico. ‘Barack Obama was against NAFTA,’ Schuyler says, adding, ‘We need a president that will bring work into this country.’

“The Delphi ad might qualify as the most deceptive of the 2008 race. First, Delphi did not exist as an independent company when Congress passed NAFTA in 1993. It was part of General Motors until it was spun off as an independent supplier in 1999. Second, foreign competition did not drive the company to eliminate American jobs. It declared bankruptcy in 2005 because the legacy labor costs it inherited from GM made it impossible to compete against other U.S.-based suppliers. Third, workers at the Warren, Ohio plant were offered generous buyouts and early-retirement packages. Its employees were not just kicked to the street.”

— Stephen Spruiell, National Review Online

“WASHINGTON - With eight months to go before the U.S. presidential election, the candidates have raised almost $1 billion to fund their campaigns — more than the size of the economies of several African countries.”

- Deborah Charles, Reuters Correspondent, On the Price of the U.S. Presidential Nomination Process

About Hillary’s False Memory Problems…

“You know, we have soldiers overseas now who are getting shot at by real bullets from real enemies who really want to kill them.

“Getting shot at by snipers is not something you forget - or make light of.”

— Unnamed Former Army Analyst

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Silas and his Dad

March 29, 2008 at 7:27 pm � Filed under Personal

“Every father should remember that one day his son will follow his example instead of his advice”

I couldn’t resist sharing this photo Miranda took.
Silas is getting so big. I just love how he is looking up to Enric in this picture. It would be great if he played guitar and piano like his dad.

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Obama and Rev. “Wrong” (part 2)

March 29, 2008 at 12:38 pm � Filed under News Items

I hadn’t intended to make a part 2 to this particular blog. However the issue of Obama’s worthiness to office and items about his pastor of 20 years, won’t die out. In fact, new revelations are more disturbing each day.

First disturbing item came to my inbox.
As usual, I did my Snopes check and it is a true image.
Here is Obama refusing to place his hand on his heart while national anthem is being played:

Now where this custom isn’t often done, and I am not saying “Mrs dodge the sniper fire Hillary” is a better person, however, one has to wonder if a man who wants to be president wouldn’t respect the Flag Code (below).

(b) Conduct During Playing.— During a rendition of the national anthem—

when the flag is displayed— 

(A)all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart; (B)men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold the headdress at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart

There is just something very wrong with this picture for a man wanting to be our president. 

Next disturbing item.

Obama’s hasn’t really sold me that his pastor and even himself isn’t racist.

According to the Sun Times, “NBC reported Thursday that bulletins published by Wright’s Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago’s South Side included “anti-Israel” material and a piece calling Italians “garlic noses” and references to “White supremacists” who “run the U.S. government.” 

After all that has been reported on what the “reverand” Wright has preached from his pulpit, on the particular sermon that Obama based his own book on, Wright talks of the “greedy white man”.
Explain to me then why the church gave to their Rev. Wright a home worth 1.6 million in a gated high class community upon his retirement?
Interesting real estate for the outspoken Rev who doesn’t like the greedy white man. Now I don’t have anything against a person who owns a nice home. I just question this man having one, funded by his former church through a series of questionable buy-back and loan schemes, according to Fox News.

FOXNews
March 27, 2009
Jeff Goldblatt 

This was supposed to be the week that the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. returned to the pulpit to preach for the first time since his anti-American sermons generated nationwide outrage and drew condemnation from his longtime parishioner, Barack Obama.

But, citing security concerns, Wright canceled his speaking engagements in Florida and Texas. A spokeswoman at his former church in Chicago said his schedule is pending.

A two-week FOX News investigation, however, has uncovered where Wright will be spending a good deal of his time in retirement, and it is a far cry from the impoverished Chicago streets where the preacher led his ministry for 36 years.

FOX News has uncovered documents that indicate Wright is about to move to a 10,340-square-foot, four-bedroom home in suburban Chicago, currently under construction in a gated community.

While it is not uncommon for an accomplished clergyman to live in luxury, Wright’s retirement residence is raising some questions.

“Some people think deals like this are hypocritical. Jeremiah Wright himself criticizes people from the pulpit for middle classism, for too much materialism,” said Andrew Walsh, Associate Director of the Leonard E. Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life with Trinity College in Hartford, Conn.

“So he’s entitled to be tweaked here. So the question really is, how unusual is this? Somewhat unusual,” he said.

According to documents obtained from the Cook County Register of Deeds, Wright purchased two empty lots in Tinley Park, Ill., from Chicago restaurant chain owner Kenny Lewis for $345,000 in 2004.

Documents show Wright sold the property to his church, Trinity United, in December 2006, with the proceeds going to a living trust shared with his wife, Ramah.

The sale price for the land was just under $308,000, about $40,000 less than Wright’s original purchase two years earlier.

Public records of the sale show Trinity initially obtained a $10 million bank loan to purchase the property and build a new house on the land.

But further investigation with tax and real estate attorneys showed that the church had actually secured a $1.6 million mortgage for the home purchase, and attached a $10 million line of credit, for reasons unspecified in the paperwork.

There is apparently nothing wrong with that, according to non-profit tax expert Jack Siegel of Charity Governance Consulting, who examined public documents FOX News obtained from the Cook County Register of Deeds and the Village of Tinley Park.

“At least looking at it from a public document standpoint, there’s clearly not a problem that jumps out or some sort of wrongdoing,” Siegel said.

Siegel characterizes the transaction as unusual, however, because of the way Wright sold the property to Trinity and the way the deal was financed, with the attached $10 million line of credit.

Because churches are classified as private businesses, Trinity isn’t required to reveal its intended use for the line of credit. Nor, because it’s a non-profit entity, is it required to provide that information to the IRS.

A spokesman for ShoreBank, the Chicago-based financial institution that secured mortgages for the loans, said the deals were aboveboard.

Wright did not respond to repeated calls for comment, and Trinity United refused to discuss the specifics of the home it is building for him and the way the deal was financed.

The church referred FOX News to its denominational headquarters in Cleveland, which provided a statement of support:

“It is customary and appropriate in many Christian denominations, including the United Church of Christ, for local churches to offer housing provisions for retiring clergy, especially in cases where pastors have served long-term pastorates. We support efforts by our 5,700 local churches to ensure that retiring pastors and spouses have continuing housing, adequate pension and health care, as an expression of our continuing appreciation for their years of service. Each local UCC congregation is free to honor a retiring pastor in ways it feels most appropriate to address the needs of that clergyperson’s circumstances,” wrote the Rev. J. Bennett Guess, spokesman for UCC’s national office.

“This is about how these kinds of churches work,” notes Walsh. “These pastors who made big successful churches are real valuable commodities. Is it morally wrong? Well, Protestants don’t have the idea that their religious leaders should live modestly or aesthetically. We’re not talking Buddhist monks or Catholic priests here. There’s no tradition that says they have to live poor.”

Tradition at Trinity United centers on a congregation that’s unashamedly black and unapologetically Christian, according to the church’s website. There are also no apologies from the church for the home it’s building for its former senior pastor, who nurtured a religious empire that grew to have more than 8,000 congregants.

From Right Pundits:

Like the church lady at Saturday Night Live used to say, “isn’t that Special?”
Wright was wrong about America, and Wright is wrong about his role as a retired pastor. Living in a 1.6 million dollar home along with a secured $10 million dollar loan account, paid by the working poor and the elderly that he served is not only wrong, it is immoral and corrupt.

Nobody denies a pastor a decent life in retirement. The problem is that Rev. Wright has joined the ranks of all those white televangelists who used their pulpits to live in luxury.

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Tintin at the Movies!

March 28, 2008 at 11:21 am � Filed under News Items

I read today that Steven Spielberg will be making a trilogy movie of Tintin, one of my favorite comic book characters!

I have already enjoyed the HBO special cartoon movies, and already thought they were a treat.

 It is not yet known which of the 23 Tintin stories will be filmed.

More on the story HERE » Blistering barnacles! It’s Spielberg’s new Tintin

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Cooking Class #6: New Duchess Spice Cake

March 26, 2008 at 6:31 pm � Filed under Personal

As I mentioned in my Easter blog, Laura made Spice Cake for the occasion of our family holiday dinner.

Here is the recipe for the Spice cake recipe I have been using for years.

2 1/2 c Sifted cake flour
2 1/3 c Sifted all-purpose flour   
1 c Sugar   
1 ts Baking soda  
1 1/2 ts Cinnamon 
3/4 ts Nutmeg   
3/4 ts Cloves   
1 ts Salt 
1 c Brown sugar 
1 c Buttermilk
3 Eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour 2-9″ layer cake pans or one 13×9″ oblong pan.

Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt together.

Add the brown sugar, shortening and buttermilk.

Beat 2 minutes. Add eggs. . Bake layer pans for 30 to 35 minutes, oblong pan 45 minutes until cake tests done. Cool.

Frosting

Beat together

3 cups Confectioners Sugar
1/2 cup presoftended butter (1 stick)
3 t. vanilla
2 Tablespoons Milk (or as needed)

Laura’s cake was delicious and almost gone by the next day!

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Lies

March 24, 2008 at 6:37 pm � Filed under News Items

“Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it”
~Adolf Hitler
 

I am not a Hillary Clinton supporter, I have never liked her ever since her “staying home baking cookies” remark, and gee, it went downhill from there. She has a record, along with Bill, of seeing things in this deceptive bubble they have created for themselves.

It came as no surpise that on FOXNews today she was shown recalling a time she was off to Bosnia and was met with gunfire, where she had to run for her life. I remember hearing this before, and everyone putting it down to her invention. Seems she is continuing with the same lie.

During a speech last Monday on Iraq, she said of the Bosnia trip: “I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base.”

According to an Associated Press story at the time, Clinton was placed under no extraordinary risks on that trip. And one of her companions, comedian Sinbad, told The Washington Post he has no recollection either of the threat or reality of gunfire.

When questioned later, her representative said she “misspoke”.
Well gee, how many times can she get away with “misspoke” excuse?
CBS Video HERE

Story on Yahoo News HERE

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Easter (part 2)

March 24, 2008 at 12:19 pm � Filed under Personal

Well Easter at our house is ever changing of late. We’re getting kind of used to Linda and George not being here, and we have come to realize that Stacey could show up with just about anyone, but for me, this year, Miquel was truly a missing piece. However after a nice morning in church, and spending part of the early afternoon relaxing, watching Across the Universe, my neices and nephew arrived with Aiden and Conner. We had a great dinner, mom did another outstanding job, and it was a good family time.

Laura baked her very first cake ever. Spice Cake with frosting from scratch.

Conner has grown so much since we last saw him at Christmas!

Aiden kept us ALL busy. He remained a blur to my camera all day!

The ham was perfection!

But the mashed potatoes just seemed to cry out….Where is Miquel?

Hope you all had a blessed day!

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Easter (part 1)

March 24, 2008 at 11:56 am � Filed under General, Personal

Did you make it to church this Easter?

If not, can I invite you to take a listen to my Pastor from Anchor Baptist Church in Millersville, Maryland? Listen HERE

“…He became sin for us, He was the only One who could do it.

Have you ever thought to yourself, I am a pretty good person, I keep the law…
I think I’ll make it [to heaven]. No. ‘By the deeds of the law shall no deeds be justified.’ the Bible says. That’s the truth. You can’t keep the Ten Commandments, I can’t keep the Ten Commandments. We all have a common disease, it’s called sin. Christ had to come to make a payment for that sin debt.

Now folks, I am not pointing anyone out, we’re all in the same boat with this one. We got the disease. And the disease is going to take us to death. And if we die without Christ, we are in a terrible place because  we’ll pay for the sin debt ourself. Now if you’re here today, and you think, I should pay for it myself, I deserve that, the result is a separation from God in a place called Hell-and it’s fire and brimstone. Oh, there you go, fire and brimstone preaching.

Ok. Your house is on fire. I am walking down the street and I know you’re asleep. I see the flames coming out of your roof. I don’t want to be fire and brimstone caller, I’ll just let ‘em cook. You’d say, what kind of person are you? Where is your humanity? What kind of person would we be if we let them face an eternity of fire without saying, ‘turn-turn away…turn to Jesus? He’s paid for your sin.”

Download the entire mp3 here.

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Resurrection Day

March 23, 2008 at 5:26 am � Filed under General, Personal

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. - John 3:16

For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
- Ephesians 2:8,9

 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. - Romans 6:23

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. - John 14:6

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: - John 1:12

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. - John 3:3

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. - Hebrews 9:22

And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 18:3

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. - Revelation 3:20

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - I John 1:9

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. - Romans 10:9,10,13

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; - Titus 3:5

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. - Acts 16:31

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. - John 3:36

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. - John 10:28

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Baby Barbara via Animoto

March 20, 2008 at 9:28 am � Filed under Personal

Occasionally I visit Mr. Jeff’s site and find something techie and interesting. Sometimes the content is over my head, but more than a few times, there is an item I understand and is quite fun.

Animoto I found, was right up my alley and easy to use! You grab a few sized photos, upload it to Animoto, set it to music and it creates a slide show with a lot of professional transitions.

In their own words:

Animoto is a web application that automatically generates professionally produced videos using their own patent-pending technology and high-end motion design. Each video is a fully customized orchestration of user-selected images and music. Produced on a widescreen format, Animoto videos have the visual energy of a music video and the emotional impact of a movie trailer.

Since I had a few baby pictures sized and ready in a folder, I uploaded a few of them for a test run:

Have a look: Barb (Early Years)

What I learned is if you plan to use it, make sure you have the very latest version of Flash.
A 30 second video is free, anything longer will be $3 per video or you can opt for a year membership.

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Just the “Fax” Ma’am

March 19, 2008 at 9:53 am � Filed under Personal

Yesterday, I sold my house. [add a glory hallelujah to that, as for in today's market and economy, this was no small feat].

Prior to settlement, at the advice of a friend, I acquired a copy of the settlement sheet. I saw in advance the estimated amount I would receive for the sale of the house.

When I got there, two times during the meeting, that amount became readjusted, and not in my favor, due to some mistakes or omissions. Each time, this required a new set of paperwork to be drawn and notifications to go to other offices, which then required a Fax from them, along with a new $25 fee, which was also reflected in the check I was about to receive.

$25 a fax? I am in the wrong business! 25 Dollars to send a one page fax reflecting a change in some amount on a house settlement paper. Since this happened twice during our meeting, someone made $50, for what? Basically pushing the send button?

Where do you go to apply for that?

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Obama and Rev. “Wrong”

March 19, 2008 at 9:37 am � Filed under News Items

I guess I have been waiting to blog about this subject for awhile now.
Seemed to make sense to at least WAIT and give Mr. Barak Obama a chance to explain, and give him the benefit of the doubt till as such time as he could. Yesterday he did give a speech on the actions, words, and principles of his church’s minister (among other subjects), and I am convinced that the presidency does not belong to Obama. He lied to the people when he said he wasn’t in church on the days that his minister gave such controversial sermons, and basically said so on yesterday’s “come clean” speech.

When the videos of Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s sermons were first aired, Obama did his best to disassociate himself with what was being said. It’s hard to do when this was the man he went to church to hear for 20 years, the man who married he and his wife, baptized both his daughters, the man who had been mentioned as a positive role model for his book, a spiritual mentor,  and the man who was part of his campaign until a short while ago. You can’t distance yourself with all of that, and no one believed it.

Based on the sermons I have heard, the anti-american rhetoric, the treasonous statements, the lies, and the racist things I heard, I can’t believe that one could sit by for 20 years and not have their worldview significantly affected.

As Hal Lindsey puts it:

If your pastor’s sermons dripped hatred for black people as a race and equated black people with devils, would that be grounds to question your views on racism? Suppose your pastor said from the pulpit that black people are responsible for all America’s problems?

Suppose you attended that church, under that teaching, for 20 years or more? Would that make you a racist? If not, shouldn’t the issue of racism at least be called into question?

That is the question facing presidential candidate Barack Obama because of his long association with his pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. But Obama says his campaign “transcends race.” I am sorry, Mr. Obama, that is an impossible position in the context of this election, given your unique background – which can be both a blessing and/or a curse. It all depends on whether you condemn of agree with certain radical beliefs of your close associates. You can’t dismiss some of these doctrines with glib one-liners. The American people deserve more than that.

If these snippets are accurate, then one wonders where the two men could possibly have enough common ground to sustain a church relationship of 20 year’s standing.

One of the reasons there are as many denominations within Christianity as there are is because people tend to congregate with like-minded believers under the teaching of a like-minded pastor.

That isn’t to say all members agree on all things, but they agree with more things than they disagree, or else they move on to another church.

Before all of this, I thought Obama to be a person whose policies I couldn’t support, as it didn’t seem fiscally possible, nor did I think pulling out of Iraq now that we’re IN Iraq as a good thing either. However, I personally now view Obama as a dangerous man, and now seeing how he has put the ’spin’ on this story, just another politician as well. So, no “change” at all in the Obama camp.

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I Brake for Squirrels

March 18, 2008 at 9:28 am � Filed under Personal

Sunday mornings around here can be hectic.
Getting my two (and any of their friends spending the night) ready for Sunday School or church and then the drive there can be quite interesting.

One Sunday, unknown to me, Mr. Scott was driving behind me. Now Mr. Scott is a very nice man, seems patient and kind, and we have been guests in his home as well as we sit together often with his family at church.

This particular Sunday however, every kamikaze squirrel in Anne Arundel County jumped in front of my car. It was getting to the point of bizarre how many times this happened that morning. As always, I slowed down or had to use my brakes to avoid hitting one.

Once I arrived at church, our usually smiling, pleasant, friend Mr. Scott, seemed a little irritated. His wife Lisa, leaned over to mention that they drove behind me that morning. I had to explain that I am not a bad driver, but squirrels were going bezerk in front of my car today. I think he was really trying to tease me, but ever since, the common joke between his and our family is how I brake for every squirrel (add to that recently chipmunk and rabbits, too). 

So when Laura saw the funny papers this weekend, she was sure to share the following Zits Comic with me:

 Click here for larger version

I will be sure to share this with Mr. Scott this Sunday.

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Cameron is One!

March 15, 2008 at 8:50 pm � Filed under Personal

It’s truly a blessing to have lifelong friends.

 When the friendship just holds to the time when your daughters become as good of friends that we were at their age…..when that friendship carries on to the point when their grandchild turns one, and you get to be a part of that, it is even more special.

Today we went to Cameron’s first birthday party.
Cameron is indeed a special little boy. 
I am so glad I get to love on the grandson of the lady I care and love so much.

Happy Birthday, Cameron and you are truly blessed, Chrissie.

Pictures from the Birthday Party HERE

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iPod made in China

March 13, 2008 at 9:57 am � Filed under News Items

 “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed”
 Mahatma Gandhi

As I was reading about the probe into the iPod Nano shooting sparks while recharging, I had to think, “Are these made in China too?”

Well, of course they are. Isn’t everything these days?

I investigated that ipods are indeed made in China, and as of a particular article I read, at a 3 Billion dollar profit. This was an old article, so, the profits must be so much more now.

I am not against earning a profit. I am however, against using and abusing people to get it.

More and more these days, it seems to be the only way big companies do their business. Trying to get young people, who have been marketed to, that they are buying into companies that hire in these conditions, to understand all of this, is really hard to do. They like the latest gadgets, they like to be cool, the TV commercials and peer pressures to have this stuff is bigger than their sensibilities.

What did I learn about iPod manufactured in China?

• The plant houses 200,000 people, they work and sleep there
• 100 people to a dormitory room
• They are allowed a few possessions and a bucket to wash their clothes
• No visitors allowed
• High Security [to thwart rivals intent on industrial espionage].
• 15 hour work days - $54 a month earnings.
• Military style drills for the boys every morning
• Forced overtime
• Another plant has 12 hours a day, $109 earmings per month, but they have to pay for room and board

An article I read explains the cost of making them and what they sell for like this:

The Nano contains 400 parts that together cost an estimated £41. The tiny flash memory card, which stores thousands of songs, is by far the most expensive part at £25.

Made in Korea, flash memory, which replays the music without skipping when the user moves, is extremely robust. That was proved when staff on a technology website ran over their iPod in a car. The screen broke, but the music played on.

The amplifier comes from Edinburgh-based Wolfson Microelectronics, whose audio converter translates the digital information into buzz-free analogue sound. This essential component, costing just 85p, makes an 8,500-mile journey to be assembled in China.

Batteries cost £2.60 each, and the headphones and the ClickWheel used to select tracks each cost 45p. Labour costs in the Chinese factories we traced are a further £4.20 per iPod.

Everything considered, the total cost of manufacturing an iPod Nano is around £41. In Britain they sell for between £109 and £179.

That’s a big profit the way I see it. However, the article does mention, “Far more money is spent by Apple on marketing the product than making it.”

Marketing. Selling the idea. More money trying to tell us we won’t be whole people without their gadget than paying the people to make them. And for what? It looks like the only rational answer is money and greed.

Question is…do we accept this as ‘the way it is’ or do we have a responsibility to our fellow man to try and change things. Even if we tried, could we?
 

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Don’t Blame Me

March 11, 2008 at 9:09 pm � Filed under News Items

(I didn’t vote for him- but I could have well predicted Martin O’Malley would do all he could to bring Maryland down).

[From MDGOP- came to my inbox today]

Following up on a Washington Times report that Governor Martin O’Malley approved over $600,000 in pay raises for his top aides, the Times has now uncovered that O’Malley has created a new pay grade to give higher salaries to staff who were capped out from earning more.  At the same time these pay raises have come to light, O’Malley is pushing for legislation that would repeal his obligation to report this information to the Department of Legislative Services.

The Washington Times is reporting that Governor O’Malley has created a new pay grade, EX91, which will pay four of his employees as much as $235,000.  High-ranking employees were previously capped out at $159,632.  Among those employees is Public Service Commission Chairman Steven Larsen, who will receive a pay raise from $118,280 to $188,700 under the new pay scale.  According to the Washington Times, O’Malley had already exceeded the pay cap for three of the four employees in question.  O’Malley spokesman Rick Abbruzzese stated that “[t]he creation of the new scale allows for more transparent and open reporting.”

At the same time O’Malley’s spokesperson is saying they are acting to make pay scales more transparent, the O’Malley administration is advocating to make executive pay kept secret.  Last month, Budget Secretary T. Eloise Foster testified in favor of Senate Bill 349/House Bill 458, which would repeal current law that requires the Secretary of Budget and Management to submit to the Department of Legislative Services on a yearly basis a list of the position, pay grade, step, and pay rate of each employee in the Executive Pay Plan.  By a vote of 46-0, the Senate passed an amended version of SB349 that would actually keep the law in place and require quarterly reports from the administration, above and beyond the current annual reports.

Dr. Jim Pelura, Chairman of the Maryland Republican Party, released the following statement:
 
“Each day, Martin O’Malley figures out a new way to offend our senses.  He has not only given astronomical raises to his top aides while state employees get the shaft, but we now learn that he has created a new pay scale as a way around pay caps.  To top it off, he is supporting a repeal of a law that requires him to report these executive salaries to the Department of Legislative Services, where members of the public can keep tabs on their government.

“The Maryland Republican Party opposes a repeal of these reporting requirements by the governor, especially in light of this governor’s zeal for giving major pay hikes at the same time he hikes up taxes.  Marylanders have had enough of government operating in the shadows, and the Maryland Republican Party calls for the rejection of the original versions of Senate Bill 349 and House Bill 458 and supports the amended versions of these bills that would create greater reporting requirements on a quarterly basis and the ability to better scrutinize our executive branch.”

Other legislation of interest: (Oh goodie, lots of new taxes and tuition for illegal aliens!)

 SB591/HB1236
 (in-state tuition for illegal aliens)

SB302/HB512
 (property tax increase)

SB41/SB138
(repeal of tech tax)

HB187/HB253/HB326
(repeal of tech tax)

HB250
(new tax on tanning services)

HB614
(new tax on elective cosmetic procedures)

OPPOSE HB1093
(increases tax on health insurance premiums from 2% to 3%)

SB309/HB712
(global warming/job loss bill)
 

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Something in the Water

March 11, 2008 at 6:27 am � Filed under News Items

“Something in the water,” usually said as a joke. No more.

Apparently traces of 63 drugs have been found in the water supply around the U.S., including sex hormones.

Story HERE

TAP WATER TESTING

Here’s the list of metropolitan areas, with the number of pharmaceuticals detected and some examples of specific drugs that were found, or where tests were negative, not conducted or awaiting results:   Albuquerque, N.M.: tests negative Arlington, Texas: 1 (unspecified pharmaceutical) Atlanta: 3 (acetaminophen, caffeine and cotinine) Austin, Texas: tests negative Baltimore: no testing Birmingham, Ala.: no testing Boston: no testing Charlotte, N.C.: no testing Chicago: no testing Cincinnati: 1 (caffeine) Cleveland: no testing Colorado Springs, Colo.: no testing Columbus, Ohio: 5 (azithromycin, roxithromycin, tylosin, virginiamycin and caffeine) Concord, Calif.: 2 (meprobamate and sulfamethoxazole) Dallas: results pending Denver: (unspecified antibiotics) Detroit: (unspecified drugs) El Paso, Texas: no testing Fairfax, Va.: no testing Fort Worth, Texas: no testing Fresno, Calif.: no testing Honolulu: no testing Houston: no testing Indianapolis: 1 (caffeine) Jacksonville, Fla.: no testing Kansas City, Mo.: no testing Las Vegas: 3 (carbamazepine, meprobamate and phenytoin) Long Beach, Calif.: 2 (meprobamate and phenytoin) Los Angeles: 2 (meprobamate and phenytoin) Louisville, Ky.: 3 (caffeine, carbamazepine and phenytoin) Memphis, Tenn.: no testing Mesa, Ariz.: no testing Miami: no testing Milwaukee: 1 (cotinine) Minneapolis: 1 (caffeine) Nashville, Tenn.: no testing New Orleans: 3 (clofibric acid, estrone and naproxen) New York City: no testing Northern New Jersey: 7 (caffeine, carbamazepine, codeine, cotinine, dehydronifedipine, diphenhydramine and sulfathiazole) Oakland, Calif.: no testing Oklahoma City: no testing Omaha, Neb.: no testing Orlando, Fla.: no testing Philadelphia: 56 (including amoxicillin, azithromycin, carbamazepine, diclofenac, prednisone and tetracycline) Phoenix: no testing Portland, Ore.: 4 (acetaminophen, caffeine, ibuprofen and sulfamethoxazole) Prince George’s and Montgomery counties, Md.: no testing Riverside County, Calif.: 2 (meprobamate and phenytoin) Sacramento, Calif.: no testing San Antonio: no testing San Diego: 3 (ibuprofen, meprobamate and phenytoin) San Francisco: 1 (estradiol) San Jose, Calif.: no testing Santa Clara, Calif.: no testing Seattle: no testing Southern California: 2 (meprobamate and phenytoin) Suffolk County, N.Y.: no testing Tucson, Ariz.: 3 (carbamazepine, dehydronifedipine and sulfamethoxazole) Tulsa, Okla.: no testing Virginia Beach, Va.: tests negative Washington, D.C.: 6 (carbamazepine, caffeine, ibuprofen, monensin, naproxen and sulfamethoxazole) Wichita, Kan.: no testing. About the study: At least one pharmaceutical was detected in tests of treated drinking water supplies for 24 major metropolitan areas, according to an Associated Press survey of 62 major water providers and data obtained from independent researchers. Only 28 tested *USA TOODAY*

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