Friday, October 30, 2009

Boycott Home Depot

This is bogus... this guy wore this button for over a year and nothing was said.  It wasn't until he started bringing his bible in to read on break that the problem started.

Call his firing for what it is... intolerance for Christianity!  A violation of religious freedom!







Friday, October 23, 2009

In Memory Of Jackson... A Very Sad Day



October 22, 2009
Jackson
You Will Be Missed!

I had to put Jack down today, or I guess yesterday, since this post is so late.  Even though I prepared myself for this possibility, when he said the words... it was just too much.  I couldn't stop crying.  He's been my buddy for 10 years.  He went really quick... kind of caught me off guard.  I decided to have him cremated... mainly because of my precarious financial situation.  I didn't want to bury him out back and then lose my house... I didn't want to chance leaving him behind so soon after his death.  I couldn't take that right now.

Yes, my cats are like my kids.  I don't have kids so they are my substitute.

It was cancer.  His health diminished rather quickly.  He had lost weight, he was dehydrated, and he had abcesses (ulcers) in his mouth.  I noticed some bad breath Sunday night, by Tuesday night he was drooling.  I wanted to take him to the vet on Wednesday, but I couldn't find him... evidently he found a new hiding place to sleep.  I was afraid he had crawled off to die or something.

He was such a character, he made me laugh all the time.  He followed me around like a dog.  I would take a walk around the block with Jack and Bubba following at my heels.  He would follow me around the house and lay at my feet while I cooked or did dishes.  Somtimes he would lay on the side counter and watch me prepare meals.  I would talk to him all the time... I am going to miss him.











This is the look I got quite often, then he would nod his head slightly upwards... like he was saying, "Hey, what's up?"  Just like people do when they pass others, that subtle little head jerk upwards and usually combined with a muttered "hey".





I've been worried for some time that he had cancer.  I had another cat, Bubba James, he was Jack's buddy.  He was put down in February 2004 with cancer.  In December 2004 I was diagnosed with cancer.  In the back of my head I wondered if maybe we were all exposed to something.  But for the last few months I noticed some things that concerned me... things that reminded me of Bubba.  Although they were things a vet doesn't take too serious, especially new young vets, when I said something in May at Jack's checkup.  Well, apparently I was right.


This was my Bubba James.



I love you boys!


Monday, October 19, 2009

Casting Out Demons

I was reading my friend Beth's blog post this morning... and it was a wake-up call for me. Somehow I let a demon into my house and it's been opening the door for it's buddies.

Usually, when I sense their presence, I cast them out immediately. Many times I have been attacked, although usually in an immediate struggle.  A few times it has been a physical attack. The feeling of being held down, like someone is pushing you down or sitting on top of you... for anyone that has gone through this, you know how terrifying and overwhelming it is. The feeling of powerlessness (is that a word?).

This one snuck in slowly and quietly, then took over, almost as if it bound me before I knew it. It's like I didn't even put up a fight... like I didn't know I needed to fight or something.  Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew something was wrong, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it, I was blinded to it.  Through my friend Beth, the Lord opened my eyes and my heart which allowed me to be freed from these bindings. She named it and brought it out into the light, it was like a slap in the face.  Duh!  I already feel the sensation of a burden being lifted.

So, please, all my friends and family, say a prayer for me and keep me in your prayers. I believe I will need help with this bunch of deviant demons. Fear, dread, doom, depression, doubt... just to name a few. Causing me to want to retreat and hide from the world, almost isolating myself.

Thank you, Beth, for allowing the Lord to work through you.  And thank you, Lord, for being so persistant and continuing to knock, no pound, on this thick head of mine to be heard.  *lol*

Love and blessings to all on this beautiful Monday morning!

Thank Your Military - Must See Video



Sunday, October 18, 2009

Huckabee In The Lead



Huckabee Leads 2012 Poll
Saturday, October 17, 2009 10:49 AM

Twenty-nine percent of Republican voters nationwide say former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is their pick to represent the GOP in the 2012 presidential campaign. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that 24 percent prefer former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney while 18 percent would cast their vote for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich gets 14 percent of the vote while Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty gets 4 percent. Six percent of GOP voters prefer some other candidate while 7 percent remain undecided.

These numbers reflect an improvement for Huckabee since July when the three candidates were virtually even. Huckabee’s gain appears to be Palin’s loss as Romney’s support has barely changed.

The numbers for Huckabee and Romney look even stronger when GOP voters were asked which candidate they would least like to see get the nomination. Pawlenty came on top in that category with 28 percent. Palin was second at 21 percent while 20 percent named Gingrich. Romney and Huckabee were in the single digits with 9 percent and 8 percent, respectively.

Huckabee and Romney are viewed favorably by 78 percent of Republican voters, Palin by 75 percent. Gingrich earns favorably reviews from 69 percent while Pawlenty is less well known and gets a positive assessment from 45 percent of Republicans.

Republican voters are very confident their nominee could be the next president of the United States. Eighty-one percent of the GOP faithful say that it’s at least somewhat likely the Republican nominee will defeat Barack Obama in 2012. Fifty percent say it’s very vikely.

Romney leads all prospects among voters who attend church once a month or less. Huckabee leads among more frequent churchgoers. Huckabee holds a huge lead among Evangelical Christians with Palin in second and Romney a distant third. Huckabee and Romney are essentially even among other Protestants while Romney has the edge among Catholics.

Romney leads among Republicans earning more than $75,000 a year while Huckabee leads among those who earn less.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Thank You... and God Bless The Soldiers

This was forwarded to me by my dad, a Marine that served in Vietnam. The honor and respect shown to this fallen soldier by his community touched him.

Freedom isn't free... it is paid for by the blood and sacrifice of our brave soldiers, the real heroes of this nation! If this doesn't cause you to at least tear up, well then, there's just something wrong with ya.


A Hero's Salute: Staff Sgt. John Beale

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

And.... It's A Snake!

I'm a little late getting this post up... oh well. Been tired lately, by 8:30 PM I can hardly keep my eyes open. This is so not like me. I'm the night owl of the family. Always have been. I keep drifting off while I watch tv, and napping that late left me up most the night afterwards. So I quit letting myself drift off, forced myself to stay awake and went to bed about 11:30 PM (which is usually really early for me). Problem is... I wake up at 6:00 in the morning, then by 10 AM I'm ready for a nap. I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON!

So here I am, 9:30 PM and trying to keep myself from falling asleep.

Okay... the thing I am late blogging about! Sunday night I was laying in bed, half asleep, watching tv when I heard a bit of a commotion by my bedroom door. Simon and Missy were playing or something... well so I thought! Come to realize they were kinda fightin' over something! When I saw it I was hoping to god it was just a big worm... NOPE!

It was a snake! A baby snake, but a snake none-the-less! They finally went and did it! They dragged a snake in through the cat door. I've been dreading this moment! What a wake-up! My blood was pumping now! I grabbed a jar; one of those short squat jars you get minced garlic in, so my hand had to get pretty close and I was waiting for it to jump at me. Slowly I put the jar over it as I fought the cats off. I was trying to keep the cats from knocking the jar over, and at the same time, trying to figure how to get the jar flipped over with the snake on the inside. So I gruffly yelled and stomped at the cats scaring them off temporarily while I ran to the kitchen to get a spatula. Perfect! Mission accomplished.

It was shell pink or soft coral pinkish color on the underbelly. Light brownish/coral pinkish color on the top. Never saw anything like it before as far as snakes go.

Then I made the trek out across the back yard, in the dark, in my nightgown, carrying my jar with the snake in it. I took the top off and dumped the contents into the wooded field... hoping it went into the wild and not in the direction of my house. Lordy, lordy!

Okay, ya'll can stop laughing now!

Monday, October 5, 2009

Rep. Boehner Accuses Obama of Subverting Constitution



Rep. Boehner Accuses Obama of Subverting Constitution

Friday, October 2, 2009 10:27 AM
By: Jim Meyers and David A. Patten

House Minority Leader John Boehner is accusing President Obama of subverting and circumventing the Constitution by appointing so-called czars who are not subject to Senate confirmation or scrutiny.

In a wide-ranging interview with Newsmax.TV on Thursday, the Ohio Republican discussed issues ranging from healthcare reform to President Obama’s refusal to engage the GOP leadership in bipartisanship.

But Boehner’s most pointed comments came when Newsmax.TV's Ashley Martella asked whether he is concerned that Obama has appointed so many czars – special advisers or envoys who have relatively few restrictions on their authority or salary – most of whom do not have to win confirmation in the Senate, as Cabinet secretaries do.

To see the video of Minority Leader John Boehner's assessment of President Obama's proliferation of czars and the status of the healthcare debate, Click here.

"I think this whole issue has gotten way out of control in terms of the number of czars that he has and advisers around him," Boehner said.

While acknowledging that Obama has a right to domestic and international policy advisers, he contends that the president crossed the line with his czar appointments.

"He clearly is circumventing the Constitution, in my view, and I think the heat continues to build on the administration to deal with this," Boehner told Newsmax. "It's one thing to have domestic policy advisers or international policy advisers, but to have this many people at the White House who have really more control than the Cabinet secretaries, I think is a subversion of the Constitution."

Since taking office, the Obama administration has appointed about 33 of the so-called "czars," although the precise number depends on the definition used. Some czar positions, such as the cyber security czar, have been created but not filled.

Though past administrations have used czars — the most famous being the drug czar — Obama appears to have carved out much wider policy and executive roles for his appointees. So far only two of his czar appointments passed through the Senate's constitutional advice-and-consent confirmation procedure.

Obama’s czars are well compensated with six-figure salaries, and many of their budgets are buried within Cabinet or executive branch budgets. Of major concern to Congress are the unconfirmed czars who operate beyond Congressional oversight and appear to have authority beyond even that of some Cabinet secretaries, at least in their special fields of expertise. Health-reform czar Nancy-Ann DeParle and global-warming czar Carol Browner are two examples.

There is little doubt many of the czars wield enormous power. The czar appointments have raised eyebrows on Capitol Hill, including among some Democrats. Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., wrote Obama a letter warning: “The rapid and easy accumulation of power by White House staff can threaten the constitutional system of checks and balances. At the worst, White House staff have taken direction and control of programmatic areas that are the statutory responsibility of Senate confirmed officials.”

Senate Democrats Dianne Feinstein of California and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin also have expressed misgivings.

Obama has appointed six special envoys who act as czars internationally. Obama's foreign-policy czars have not been confirmed by the Senate.

Afghanistan-Pakistan Czar Richard Holbrooke and Mideast Peace Czar George Mitchell both technically report to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, according to the State Department. But press reports suggest they can bypass her easily by communicating directly with the White House.

Some Republican members of Congress have gone so far as to suggest that the czars represent establishment of a "parallel government."

The use of such czars has come back to haunt Obama. His choice for the "green jobs" czar post, Van Jones, resigned after a spate of inflammatory remarks, as well as his participation in "9/11 truther" activities that seek to somehow blame former President George W. Bush for the 9/11 attacks. This drew criticism that some czars have not gone through the proper vetting that occurs during Senate confirmation.

Boehner has other major concerns that transcend the czars. The Ohio Republican also took aim at Democratic proposals for healthcare reform and said the United States needs to reform medical malpractice laws to deal with the "healthcare junksuit lottery" prevalent today. He wondered how Democrats could say "with a straight face" that they're protecting Medicare.

Martella asked Boehner about the healthcare reform plan the Democrats are trying to "ram through" Congress. Boehner has referred to the plan as a "garlic milkshake."

"The American people don't want the government to run their healthcare — 83 percent of Americans like the healthcare they have, 80 percent think it's too expensive," Boehner said.

"So what we really need to be doing is working within the current plan to make it work better.

"Having said that, the more the president and Democrat leaders talk about their government-run plan, the less popular it becomes. That's why I think it's as popular as a garlic milkshake."

Martella asked what Boehner thinks will be the final outcome if the Democrats insist on including the public option in their reform plan even though a Senate committee has voted it down twice.

"I don't know how they're going to find the votes, in the House or the Senate, for their so-called government option," Boehner said.

"There's a lot of moving parts here, but they're going to have a very difficult time with this.

"If the American people stay engaged in this fight over what's going to happen with our healthcare, the American people are going to win. At the end of the day, when the American people get engaged with their government, they speak up, Washington listens.

"So it's critically important that the American people not forget what they did in June and July and August. They have to stay involved. They have to keep in touch with their members of Congress and keep the pressure on, and if that happens I do think it will be impossible for them to pass a very unpopular bill."

Martella noted that the Democrats' plan includes $500 billion in cuts to Medicare. Boehner responded:

"Yesterday was rather interesting. I walked by a Democratic press conference where the Speaker of the House and other Democrat leaders [were] talking about how there were going to be no cuts for seniors, how they were protecting Medicare. Now I don't know how they can do this with a straight face.

"They're the ones offering some $500 billion in cuts to Medicare, and yet they say it's not going to affect seniors."

Boehner told Newsmax that the Republicans have countered the Democrats' reform efforts with several plans of their own.

"You can go to healthcare.gop.gov and look at the various Republican plans that are out there," he said.

"All of them are fairly consistent in terms of making our current healthcare system work better. We don't want to rely on the government. We don’t want government officials getting between patients and their doctors. And we do think we need to do something about cost, which is the big issue that the American people care about.

"But there is really nothing done about cost in any of the Democrat proposals that we've seen. . . No tort reform, no junk lawsuits. It's not just the tort reform, it's the defensive medicine that doctors practice as a result of this healthcare junksuit lottery that goes on today.

"We could save over $100 billion a year in less medicine being practiced if in fact we were to have real reform of medical malpractice laws."

When Martella asked Boehner whether he wanted to take any action against Florida Democrat Alan Grayson, who alleged that the GOP health plan is to hope sick people "die quickly," Boehner said simply:

"You have to remember an old political adage: When your opponents are committing suicide, there's no reason to murder them."

Incredibly, even though Boehner is the leading Republican in the House and the president has spoken of his desire for a bipartisan approach to issues, Boehner says he has not been to the White House in five months.
Martella said: "Minority Whip Eric Cantor says Obama has cut off all communication with Republican leaders. Is that so, and if so, how can he possible use the word bipartisan in anything he says?"

Boehner answered: "I don't know, because I've not talked to him. We haven't been to the White House since late April, early May. No discussions about healthcare. No discussions about Afghanistan. No discussions about all their spending and debt.

"And so there's nothing bipartisan coming out of this White House, and there's nothing bipartisan that's come out of the Democrat leadership here in the House. Nothing."



To see the video of Minority Leader John Boehner's assessment of President Obama's proliferation of czars and the status of the healthcare debate, Click here.

Post Office + unions = millions for idleness

Post Office + unions = millions for idleness (OneNewsNow.com)

Jim Brown - OneNewsNow - 10/2/2009 10:20:00 AM

Many Americans may be outraged to find out that while the United States Postal Service is facing a $7 billion deficit this year and receiving a $4 billion bailout from Congress, the government agency is spending more than a million dollars each week to pay thousands of employees to sit in empty rooms and do nothing.

The Federal Times reports the Postal Service is paying out 45,000 hours of "standby time" every week -- the equivalent of having 1,125 full-time employees sitting idle, at a cost of more than $50 million a year. Postal union officials estimate that 15,000 employees have spent time this year holed up in so-called "resource rooms" where they read books, do word puzzles, or sleep -- and get paid for it.

Tad DeHaven, a budget analyst at the Cato Institute, says the Postal Service is experiencing serious financial woes in large part because 80 percent of its cost is tied up in labor.

"The Postal Service labor force is heavily unionized," he points out, "and the fact that they can't set aside these people or fire people, or reduce wages or time, or furlough [them] or anything, is all a function of the union contracts that they operate under."

DeHaven says the American Postal Workers Union, with government protection, is extracting excess wages, benefits, and privileges that other people in the country do not get.

"Now in the private sector, businesses have to adapt. They have to change their model; they have to unfortunately get rid of workers sometimes and rebuild their business model and adapt to the times," he explains. "Well, the Post Office is hamstrung -- and I almost feel bad for the management. They know what they need to do, to some degree, but they can't do it because of collective bargaining and unionism."

DeHaven says what is "doubly insulting" is that idle Postal employees are earning a paycheck from hard-working citizens who are struggling through the current recession.


Shared via AddThis