HOW TO POST A COMMENT AND FIND PREVIOUS BLOGS

HOW TO POST A COMMENT AND FIND MY PREVIOUS POSTS - Your thoughts and comments are important. To post a comment on any or all of my posts, simply click the title of the blog entry, go to the bottom of the blog and post your comments in the "comment" box. Be sure to click "post comment" to save. My previous posts are on the right side. Scroll down to find them. I look forward to hearing from you. But if you don't have time to comment, please continue reading my posts. Stay Informed.



Monday, May 30, 2011

MEMORIAL DAY - WHAT IT MEANS TO ME

MEMORIAL DAY

Memorial Day began shortly after the Civil War and commemorates U.S. men and women who died in military service. With the celebration of the recent success in capturing Bin Laden and our continuing War on Terror, it is easy to forget the price many heroes have paid to secure our freedom. But we must always honor those who have died to keep us free. Their sacrifice is the greatest of all.

No group of Americans better demonstrates what sacrifice means than those fighting and dying across the world for man's freedom. Regardless of your political viewpoint, you must support and respect the Americans engaged in wars and conflicts in the defense not only of our free country, but also in support of oppressed people across the globe. With instability and uprisings worldwide there's no more important time to stand for freedom. Men and women in the U. S. armed forces live on The Freedom Train every day.

I am strengthened by each and every soldier, veteran, and military family sacrificing for this great country, and I grieve for every fallen soldier who returns in a wooden box. I pray for the day when military conflicts worldwide are a thing of the past and all countries live in harmony alongside each other.

But until that time, our military makes sacrifices many of us would not make. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.

UNION THUGS OCCUPY WI COURTS

Transparency in our government institutions and accountability among its employees are great ideas that when acted upon allows voters and tax payers to make the appropriate decisions when it comes to election day.

Unfortunately, Judge Elliot Levine (LaCrosse, WI Circuit Judge) recently ruled that LaCrosse's public schools should ignore the requests for information from tax payers who would like to know how their tax dollars were wasted on teachers who called in sick when they went to Madison to protest Gov. Walker's budget bill a few months ago.

On May 11 Levine ruled that the school district should ignore an open records request for this information. Seems like the teachers who "ditched school" are afraid of harassment if their names become public. Well, pardon me! How quickly the teachers forget what WI's Senators had to endure at the hands of union thugs. And yes, many of these thugs were teachers. Did they forget about the death threats, the harassment, the shouting, screaming union members mobbing their homes, union morons throwing nails in their driveways, union letters to businesses threatening to boycott them if they didn't back the unions? Where is the media's outrage about transparency? Why isn't this front page news and on radio broadcasts every hour, on the hour? The answer is obviously because the media is an extension of Left Wing union progressives.

The taxpayers of Wisconsin are losing the battle against big labor unions and government corruption. The unions already own the public teachers and pretty soon they may own the entire political apparatus because of their attempted recall elections. If you are interested in conservative principles and if you are as concerned as I am, please get out and help us fight to keep the power in the hands of the people of this state. The voters spoke in 2010. If the unions don't like it they can go to the polls in 2012. That's what we do in America. But no, instead they organize a witch hunt called "recall" to replace Senators who were just doing what the public elected them to do.

If you care about the direction of WI you must write letters to the editor, volunteer at the GOP headquarters, walk with the recalled candidates in parades, or just help convince your friends and family that this attempted recall is all wrong. Do not assume the unions will not be successful in their recall attempts. They have power and money that none of us can even conceive of. Do not stay home from the polls when the recall election is held (currently scheduled for sometime in July). If you sit it out, the union mobsters will win and completely take over WI.

And if we let that happen then God only knows what kind of permanent damage they might do. I have not surrendered in the past and I am not willing to do so now, but it's going to take ALL CONSERVATIVES GETTING TO THE POLLS AND ENCOURAGING YOUR NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS, AND RELATIVES TO DO THE SAME.

THE WORDS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN

November 19, 1863…

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate -- we cannot consecrate -- we cannot hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

THE LAST FLIGHT HOME

This came to me in an email. You may have already seen it, but here it is again. I thought you might be touched by it as I was. Doesn't make any difference whether or not it's true. It's a great reminder of what the military does for us.

GOD BLESS THIS AIRLINE CAPTAIN:

He writes: My lead flight attendant came to me and said, "We have an H.R. on this flight." (H.R. stands for human remains.) "Are they military?" I asked.

'Yes', she said.

'Is there an escort?' I asked.

'Yes, I already assigned him a seat'.

'Would you please tell him to come to the flight deck? You can board him early," I said.

A short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier. He introduced himself and I asked him about his soldier. The escorts of these fallen soldiers talk about them as if they are still alive and still with us.

'My soldier is on his way back to Virginia ,' he said. He proceeded to answer my questions, but offered no words.

I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I told him that he had the toughest job in the military and that I appreciated the work that he does for the families of our fallen soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his hand. He left the flight deck to find his seat.

We completed our preflight checks, pushed back and performed an uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight I received a call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin. 'I just found out the family of the soldier we are carrying, is on board', she said. She then proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home. The family was upset because they were unable to see the container that the soldier was in before we left. We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was going to wait four hours for the connecting flight home to Virginia .

The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to see him was too much for him and the family to bear. He had asked the flight attendant if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see him upon our arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the soldier being taken off the airplane.. I could hear the desperation in the flight attendants voice when she asked me if there was anything I could do. 'I'm on it, I said. I told her that I would get back to her.

Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of e-mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. There is a radio operator in the operations control center who connects you to the telephone of the dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the dispatcher. I explained the situation I had on board with the family and what it was the family wanted. He said he understood and that he would get back to me.

Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We were going to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family. I sent a text message asking for an update. I saved the return message from the dispatcher and the following is the text:

'Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is policy on this now and I had to check on a few things. Upon your arrival a dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft. The team will escort the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to load the remains with a secondary van for the family. The family will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the terminal where the remains can be seen on the ramp. It is a private area for the family only. When the connecting aircraft arrives, the family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to watch the remains being loaded for the final leg home. Captain, most of us here in flight control are veterans. Please pass our condolences on to the family. Thanks.'

I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good job. I printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to pass on to the father. The lead flight attendant was very thankful and told me, 'You have no idea how much this will mean to them.'

Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing. After landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area. The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway. It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to enter and exit. When we entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp controller, we were told that all traffic was being held for us.

'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft, we were told. It looked like it was all coming together, then I realized that once we turned the seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once and delay the family from getting off the airplane. As we approached our gate, I asked the copilot to tell the ramp controller we were going to stop short of the gate to make an announcement to the passengers. He did that and the ramp controller said, 'Take your time.'

I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake. I pushed the public
address button and said, 'Ladies and gentleman, this is your Captain speaking I have stopped short of our gate to make a special announcement. We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and respect. His Name is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life. Private XXXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold.. Escorting him today is Army Sergeant XXXXXXX. Also, on board are his father, mother, wife, and daughter. Your entire flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain in their seats to allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.'

We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our shutdown procedures.. A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit door. I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you just do not see. I was told that after we came to a stop, every passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the family to exit the aircraft.

When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly started to clap his hands. Moments later more passengers joined in and soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of 'God Bless You', ?I'm sorry?, ?thank you?, ?be proud?, and other kind words were uttered to the family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane. They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved one.

Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I had made. They were just words, I told them, I could say them over and over again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.

I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our freedom and safety in these United States of AMERICA .


Foot note:

I know everyone who loves America will gain something from reading this.

Prayer chain for our Military.... Don't break it!

Please send this on after a short prayer for our service men and women. Don't break it!
They die for me and mine and you and yours and deserve our honor and respect.

Prayer:
'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen.'


Friday, May 20, 2011

FLIP-FLOPPING AGAIN

Mr. Obama last week stated that to gain peace with the Palestinians, Israel would have to accept the borders of their country as they were in 1967. Our best and only ally in the Middle East and Mr. O. pushes a stick right in their eye.

THE SIX DAY WAR OF 1967 - a condensed version:

In 1967 Egypt and Syria took steps which led Israel to believe an Arab attack was being planned. Egypt ordered the removal or all U.N. peacekeeping troops. The two countries blocked shipments of supplies and food into Israel. Both countries mobilized their armies and shelled areas of Israel. Against this backdrop, Israel said Enough. They launched a pre-emptive strike against Egypt, capturing the Sinai Peninsula. Israel asked Jordan to stay out of the fight, but Jordan attacked anyway, and they lost the Gaza Strip to Israel. Israel also took the Golan Heights from Syria. The war lasted 6 days. Since 1967 Israel's borders have included these areas. They were fought for, and Israel won.

Now Mr. Obama tells Israel that peace talks with the Palestinians have to start with the idea of Israel adopting the borders that were in place prior to the 1967 war. Adopting those borders is sure suicide for Israel. It would make their country 8 miles wide. With enemies on all sides it would be impossible for them to defend themselves.

This isn't the first time that Obama has tried to force Israel into not defending itself. In Dec. 2010 Obama publicly demanded that Israel "freeze" all building of settlements and all construction in the West Bank. Obama backtracked when it became obvious that the Israelis would do what they had to for their national security.

While Israel is trying to "exist," the Palestinians have joined forces with Hamas, Israel's most fervent enemy, whose Charter calls for the destruction of Israel. And what does Hamas have to say about Obama's "back to 1967" plan? They have condemned Obama, stating that they will not recognize Israel no matter what the U.S. wants. The Palestinian/Israeli conflict will continue.

Egypt's Mubarak maintained peace with Israel, and he had to go. Libya's Gaddafi never directly threatened Israel, and he has to go. Syria's Assad hasn't not threatened Israel since 1967, and he has to go. But Hamas can stay and Israel is supposed to negotiate with them?

I guess wishy washy border policy is appropriate behavior for our Chief. He can't protect our borders, why should he care about Israel's borders?

Here's the throw-up-now part. The U.S. GIVES AWAY over $600 million a year in aid to the Palestinian Authority. The PA accepted Hamas into its lair. That means $600 million of our tax dollars go directly to an organization that willingly allows known terrorists into their ranks. And this is the organization that Obama is trying to force Israel to go to coffee with.

And yesterday the Great Flip-Flopper tried to back peddle from his very specific "1967 border" comment. He figured out pretty fast that his remarks would hurt him in his re-election bid, so he tried to explain it away with some gibberish that the whole world is laughing at. In one sentence, he said that Israel couldn't be expected to negotiate with Hamas, while in the very next sentence he said not negotiating wasn't an option. WHAT??

But never fear, Obama's in charge! And he's got more flip-flops than the State of Florida. No chance he'll run out.

Is it 2012 yet??

Monday, May 16, 2011

THE YEAR? 1910 - WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DECADE MAKES

Saw this and thought it was interesting. Decided to share it with readers. Wonder how much control the government had over Americans in 1910?

************ ********* ***********
The year is 1910
One hundred years ago.
What a difference a century makes!
Here are some statistics for the Year 1910:
************ ********* ************
The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.
Fuel for this car was sold in drug stores only.
Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!
The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.
The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year,
A dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian $1,500 -- $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME .
Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!
Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard.'
Sugar cost four cents a pound.
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.
The Five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
The American flag had 45 stars ....
The population of Las Vegas, Nevada , was only 30!!!!
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented yet.
There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write.
Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores.
Back then pharmacists said, 'Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health.' ( Shocking? DUH! )
Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help ....
There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A. !

I have posted this today. From here it will be sent to others all over the WORLD - all in a matter of seconds!

Can you imagine what it may be like in another 100 years?

Sunday, May 15, 2011

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT, IT DOESN'T WORK-OBAMACARE

FROM NEWSMAX MAGAZINE--Why I won't vote for Mitt Romney in the Republican Primary for 2012. His Mass. plan was the blueprint for Obamacare.

Mass. Medical Plan Foretells Obamacare’s Ills

Five years ago, Massachusetts’ then-Gov. Mitt Romney approved a new medical plan that requires almost all state residents to have health insurance, just as Obamacare’s individual mandate would for the entire nation.

Today in Massachusetts, the wait time to see a doctor can be as long as seven weeks, and many doctors won’t accept patients in the subsidized insurance program. That does not bode well for national healthcare reform if it is fully implemented as planned by President Barack Obama and the Democrats.

A new study by the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS), which has 23,000 physicians and student members and publishes the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, takes an in-depth look at healthcare in Massachusetts under the state program, which is often regarded as a model for Obama’s 2010 healthcare reforms. Among its findings:

• The average wait time for an appointment with an internist is 48 days, and the wait time to see a family physician is 36 days.
• The average wait time for pediatricians is 24 days, according to the MMS’s “2011 Study of Patient Access to Health Care.”
• Access to primary care physicians is becoming more restricted — 53 percent of family physicians and 51 percent of internists are not accepting new patients.
• Patients wait an average of 43 days to see a gastroenterologist, and 41 days to see an obstetrician/gynecologist.
• While 87 percent of family physicians accept Medicare, only 62 percent accept MassHealth, the state’s version of Medicaid.
• Only 56 percent of family physicians and 43 percent of internists accept Commonwealth Care, an insurance program for adults who don’t have private health insurance and don’t qualify for Medicare. Just 44 percent of family physicians and 35 percent of internists accept Commonwealth Choice, a program for uninsured adults that offers unsubsidized health insurance to people who are not eligible for Medicaid or Commonwealth Care.
• Due, in part, to a shortage of doctors participating in the program, the number of emergency room visits has actually risen under the Massachusetts plan.

This is an example of what Americans all over the country will be dealing with if Obamacare remains the law of the land.

FUZZY MATH & OBAMA QUOTE OF THE YEAR!

"We're actually producing more oil here than ever." Sounds, good, Huh? But beware, these are the words of Mr. O, a liar without shame. Here are the real facts according to EIA data.

In 1970 the U.S. produced 9.6 million barrels per day. In 2010 we produced 5.5 million barrels per day. That's a DECLINE of 4.1 mbpd. And here's a trivia fact for you. In 1970 the U.S. population was 203,392,031. Today it is 308,745,538. In 1970 we were producing 43% more oil with more than 100 million fewer people using it.

But Mr. O continues to tout the lie that his administration has increased oil production. He says that under his administration U. S. oil production from the Gulf of Mexico has increased by more than a third. FACT OR FICTION? The EIA says that it takes about 3 years to reap the reward of development drilling. And if you are starting from scratch, new leases, new wells, it could take about 5 years to get gas to the pumps.

So figure it out. Any increase in oil production from 2008-2010 is directly due to action that predates Mr. O's tenure in office. And he has taken no major action to expand offshore drilling since he's been in office. In fact, he shut it down in the Gulf with a "moratorium" and he shut it down in Alaska by refusing to issue permits. For the record Obama has done everything he could to prevent American oil production. Remember his campaign promise? "Under my energy plan fuel prices will necessarily increase." He told you what he was going to do, and he's done it. And you voted for him anyway. Do you like paying $4 per gallon for gas? Thank you, Mr. O.

And now he wants to take credit for increased production? He is fraudulently taking credit for something done by Bush, and he knows it.

The real proof of his energy policy (or lack of one) will be seen in 2011 and 2013, the 3-5 year lag. The EIA says oil production is projected to go DOWN in 2011 to 5.4 mbpd and in 2012, again down to 5.27 mbpd. This is a direct result of no coherent energy policy in Mr. O's White House.

And now the greatest bluff of all from the most dishonest president to ever occupy the White House. Mr. O is now, suddenly telling his administration to "ramp up" U.S. oil production by extending existing leases in the Gulf and off the coast of Alaska. Do you think he's doing this now because the Republicans in the House have passed 3 bills that would expand and speed offshore oil and gas drilling? The White House has already announced its opposition to all three bills, but now Mr. O has agreed to "adopt" a few of these provisions so he can take credit for "ramping up" production.

But look out, he isn't finished yet. Ye wants to do away with what he calls oil company "subsidies." He obviously doesn't understand the difference between a subsidy and a tax code. The oil companies use the same tax codes used by every American company, no more, no less. If Mr. O get his way and actually prohibits American oil companies from utilizing existing tax codes, look out, America. More lost jobs, and higher pump prices. Does Obama really think the oil companies won't pass on their loss to the public? That's what all companies do. They lose money, they make it up in higher prices. The public pays one way or another, Mr. O. Where the heck are your economic advisers? And why isn't Obama chastizing GE who paid no 2010 taxes? Oh, I forgot, GE is Obama's buddy. Nice to be on the Buddy System, don't you think?

I believe Mr. O finally figured it out: NO DRILLING, NO VOTES! He is traveling the country telling massive lies, knowing that the most Left leaning ideological media propaganda machine that ever existed, won't report the truth, they'll only repeat his distortions and lies. I just hope you don't fall for it again.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

THE WAY WE TREAT PEOPLE

This information was sent to me in an email. I did not write any of it, but I want to share it with all of you who read this Blog. It has nothing to do with politics, the Left, the Right or our government. The "Lessons" are simple, yet profound.


Subject: Five Lessons about the way we treat people....

1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.
During my second month of college, our professor
Gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student
And had breezed through the questions until I read
The last one:

"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the
Cleaning woman several times. She was tall,
Dark-haired and in her 50's, but how would I know her name?
I handed in my paper, leaving the last question
Blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if
The last question would count toward our quiz grade.

"Absolutely, " said the professor.. "In your careers,
You will meet many people. All are significant.. They
Deserve your attention and care, even if all you do
Is smile and say "hello.."

I've never forgotten that lesson.. I also learned her

Name was Dorothy.

2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American
Woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway
Trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had
Broken down and she desperately needed a ride.
Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.
A young white man stopped to help her, generally
Unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960's. The man
Took her to safety, helped her get assistance and
Put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his
Address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a
Knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a
Giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A
Special note was attached.

It read:

"Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway
The other night. The rain drenched not only my
Clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along.
Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying
Husband's' bedside just before he passed away... God
Bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving
Others."

Sincerely,

Mrs. Nat King Cole.

3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those
Who serve.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less,
A 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and
Sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in
Front of him.
"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked.
"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and
Studied the coins in it.
"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the
Waitress was growing impatient..
"Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins.
"I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.
The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on
The table and walked away The boy finished the ice
Cream, paid the cashier and left.. When the waitress
Came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the
Table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish,
Were two nickels and five pennies..

You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had
To have enough left to leave her a tip.

4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a
Roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if
Anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the
King's' wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by
And simply walked around it.. Many loudly blamed the
King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did
Anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of
Vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the
peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the
stone to the side of the road. After much pushing
and straining, he finally succeeded. After the
peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed
a purse lying in the road where the boulder had
been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note
from the King indicating that the gold was for the
person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The
peasant learned what many of us never understand!

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve
our condition.

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a
hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who
was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only
chance of recovery appeared to be a blood
transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had
miraculously survived the same disease and had
developed the antibodies needed to combat the
illness. The doctor explained the situation to her
little brother, and asked the little boy if he would
be willing to give his blood to his sister.
I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a
deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save
her."

As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed
next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing
the color returning to her cheek. Then his face
grew pale and his smile faded.

He looked up at the doctor and asked with a
trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away".
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the
doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his
sister all of his blood in order to save her.

Now wasn't this all worth reading?? Mrs. Right.

Friday, May 6, 2011

THE CHARADE GOES ON

Well, here we are days after Bin Laden has been eliminated, and the Obama Charade goes on. Oh, he did it all by himself, he and his cabinet, they chased BL down and got rid of him. What a joke! I give all the credit to our incredible military, the Special Ops and especially the Navy Seals who risked their lives to get 'er done.

Obama?? Here are some facts: Obama's Attorney General Eric Holder throws out prosecuting the Black Panthers who illegally intimidated voters in the 2008 election. We all saw the video on TV. It was blatant illegal activity at a polling place. And Holder won't touch them. But wait - Holder is pursuing a number of CIA agents who were responsible for the interrogation that provided the intelligence about the location of the gopher hole Bin Laden was stashed in. These agents performed the interrogation after getting absolute, total clearance from the Justice Department, which concluded their actions were lawful. These same CIA officers have already been cleared of any wrongdoing. The investigations had been closed for 2 years with no charges filed. But enter Holder and Obama - they are going to get the CIA one way or another. and the charade goes on.

Within 2 days of being sworn into office Obama banned all interrogation techniques other than what is contained in the Army Field Manual, which is basically nothing. So he banned the exact techniques that so successfully obtained crucial information about Bin Laden's whereabouts. Two-faced??

To further hamper our intelligence efforts the Obama administration released previously classified Justice Department documents on our interrogation techniques, thereby disclosing them to our enemies and ensuring that they could never be used again, at the same time putting the lives of our CIA officers in jeopardy. And they did it without hesitation.

Obama turned interrogation of enemy combatants over to the FBI, taking it away from the CIA, but did not put any "new" policies in place, so the FBI's hands are basically tied when it comes to interrogation. They are currently under orders not to interrogate.

Now the White House, the CIA and National Security people can't agree on whether or not the enhanced interrogation methods used by the three CIA "criminals" was effective and led to Bin Laden. Are they kidding??

Oh, don't forget about the pictures of a bloody Bin Laden. Obama doesn't want to release them because they might incite violence against our troops. Now wait a minute, Mr. Obama. Have you forgotten when you PUSHED for release of over 2000 pictures of the alleged "abuse" of the enemy by their jailers at Abu Ghraib? You were warned then not to release them because they might inflame Muslims and cause retaliation against our troops. But you released them anyway. You didn't give a hoot about our troops then, so don't try to convince us you care about them now. There is only one reason you won't release the BL death photos - it's because you are so sensitive and respectful of Islam and the Muslims. Wouldn't want to insult them, now would we? They behead Christians whenever they want to, but golly, don't show bloody Bin Laden pictures. It might hurt their feelings and it wouldn't be Politically Correct. It doesn't matter to me whether you release them or not. But it would be nice if you were truthful about why you are saying no.

And tell me, Mr. O., why do you permit publishing photos of flag draped coffins of American dead returning home? Aren't you concerned that those photos might insight more violence against our troops?

Your actions are contradictory. You say you "don't want to spike the football" or "give out trophies," yet you are all over the place "spiking the football" and "giving out trophies." The only pronoun you know is I, I, I, I, I -- It wasn't you, Mr. O. It was the Navy Seals and our military--the best trained military force in the world. If you had been in charge of this country in 2007 the information spigot would have been turned off, as it was in 2008 after you were elected. For the last two years and going forward now? No interrogation allowed, Miranda rights must be given, try them in civil courts, close GITMO, hold their hands and sing Kumbaya, and the CIA, FBI and the rest of the intelligence community is demoralized. Thank you, Mr. O.!

I will give you credit for giving the Seals the green light. For once, an intelligent national security decision from you. Though I suspect you decided you had to play ball. If you had said no and the public found out you said no, that would be the end of your second term. I believe it's called "political expediency."

Thursday, May 5, 2011

OBAMA'S CAMPAIGN COMMERCIAL

Bin Laden is dead. I believe that to be true. I know our government has often lied to us throughout our history, and I believe Obama would do anything to create an "event" that portrays him favorably (he is in full-time campaign mode for 2012). But I believe BL is gone from this world thanks to our Special Ops military team. And I will give Obama credit for making the decision to go get him in Pakistan, even though there is information coming out now that Obama was reluctant and had to be dragged kicking and screaming to sign off on the "get Bin Laden" operation. But Obama in the end made the right decision.

But let's not lose sight of some important facts. During the 2008 campaign Obama promised to "bring the troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan." He swore he was going to "close GITMO" in his first days in office. His focus was not on getting BL, but rather closing down the War on Terror. This is a president who won't even call it a War on Terror. This is a president who wants to be friends with the terrorists. This is a president who ordered our military to wash and wrap and bury BL at sea after 45 minutes of prayers in Arabic, supposedly according to Islamic burial tradition, while thousands of people who died in the World Trade Center are in a garbage dump on Staten Island. Now I ask you, does anyone think BL was a true Muslim, practicing Islam? If BL was an example of what Muslims believe, God help us. But Political Correctness reigns in the White House.

Obama wants to take all the credit for "getting" BL. He doesn't mention the fact that in 2007 under Bush a connection was made to a BL courier that took 4 years to cultivate and ultimately led to the resulting raid and death of BL. This event isn't something that just happened in the course of a few months. Bush-era decisions led to Bin Laden's elimination. If Obama had gotten his way he would have done away with all of Bush's National Security practices. What a hypocrite.

And now Obama is going to Ground Zero. Did you know he hasn't been there since the last photo op during the 2008 campaign? New Yorkers who died there have not been important to him until now. He has barely acknowledged what NYC went through, and now he's meeting with the families. All the times he's been in NY to raise money for his presidential campaign, he has never stepped foot at Ground Zero since becoming president. So why is he going to NY now? Call me just a little suspicious. It's because he would never waste an opportunity to further his reelection chances, and this is a nothing more than an opportunistic photo op.

The real heroes here are our military. I give great credit to them, especially the Navy Seals, for executing a mostly flawless take down of BL. I find satisfaction in the fact that the last face Bin Laden saw was the face of a Navy Seal, the face of America. I pray that the ceremony today brings further closure to those who lost loved ones on 9/11 and to all Americans who have continued to mourn the murderous event. May we all move on in unity so we can resolve the very important economic issues we face.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

SUBSIDY VS. GRANT - AN EASY EXPLANATION

Have you heard the left and even the right yowling about taking away the oil company "subsidies?" Here's an explanation of what a subsidy is. I believe the government is purposely redefining the term "subsidy." They are creating confusion over what the word "subsidy" has historically meant. A "subsidy" is something GIVEN to companies, like outright grants, a gift of money. That is what the green energy companies are getting right now from both federal and state governments. GRANTS, GIFTS, HERE IT IS, SPEND IT TO PUSH A POLITICAL AGENDA, GREEN ENERGY.

The oil companies, and hundreds of thousands of other big and small companies, do not get "subsidies" or "grants" for the production of fossil fuels. They get nothing more than accelerated depreciation, and the oil companies also get depletion breaks. The "subsidies" are nothing more than tax breaks, not gifts. And the government has forever used them to mold public policy like pushing wind and solar and green cars. By the way, ALL U.S. COMPANIES qualify for the depreciation breaks made available by tax law. And if you believe "these big companies do NOT pay their fair share of taxes," remember, Obama's pal, GE, has admitted they paid nothing. They took advantage of available tax breaks.

But Exxon oil, according to their first quarter filed reports, had a net profit of 10 billion dollars on 114 billion dollars in gross revenue. That is a profit margin of 9%, up very slightly from their last report. About 3% of Exxon's oil business is in the U.S. For every gallon of fuel they manufacture in the U.S. they earned 2 cents. That's not a typo. It is two cents. So while Exxon Mobile gets 2 cents from each gallon of gas, the federal and state governments take in between 40-60 cents in taxes. See who gets the biggest share of the fuel "pie?" It isn't the oil companies.

The real reason we have $4 per gallon gas and rising is the Feds printing money and monetizing the U. S. debt. That action, which I believe has never been done in the U. S., causes intense out of control inflation. That and the fact that Obama has virtually shut down oil production in the Gulf and Alaska. Do you remember during the campaign when Obama said because of his energy policies "energy prices would necessarily skyrocket." Looks like he meant it.

There is no one to blame for the price of gas except Obama and the Federal Reserve puppet Bernanke. But don't expect the increase in the price of fuel and food to show up in the "accurate" inflation figures coming out of Washington. In case you didn't know, the Washington number crunchers responsible for reporting the real inflation number don't include fuel and food in their calculations. What does that tell you about the accuracy and intelligence of the Washington calculators?