September 11. 2011.
On this day, many of us are remembering a clear, crisp, late summer day in 2001. A day that saw the innocence of many taken away. A day that saw the lives of many taken away. We mourn and we remember.
Into the somberness of this occasion, Paul Krugman, a writer for the New York Times, decides to inject some small thoughts from his small mind.
His blog does not touch upon the shamefulness of the moments when Islamic terrorists attacked our nation...no, he feels the real shame occurred after those events. In, fact, he doesn't even mention the Twin Towers, the Pentagon or the field in Shanksville, PA. He would have us believe that George Bush, Rudy Giuliani and Bernie Kerik used 9/11 to gain fame and political favors. Paul Krugman brands them "fake heroes." By this convoluted logic, FDR was a "fake hero" who used Pearl Harbor for personal gain. Winston Churchill was just waiting for Hitler to come along and make his day. And what about George Washington and Valley Forge? I guess to Paul's way of thinking, history is full of "fake heroes."
You seem to have your politicians mixed-up, Paul. It was another liberal, Rahm Emanuel, who said, "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste, and what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things that you didn’t think you could do before." Now you identify yourself as a liberal so shouldn't you be aware of the unofficial slogan of your party? Really, is that too much to ask?
You start your blog with a question, "Are the 9/11 commemorations oddly subdued?'.
Allow me to answer.
What is it you expected to happen on such a somber event? Did you want to see people rioting in the streets? Looting and pillaging? Marching on Mecca?
Don't hold your breath. That's not the style of the American people. You know, the ones whose hearts you claim to know.
We are remembering in quiet, respectful ways. Church services, candlelight vigils, quiet reflections on the uncertainty of life and the need to live life to the fullest. Today is not about the terrorists. It's not about the politicians. It is about the everyday people who were quietly going about their work, living their lives, when evil reached out and touched them in, what was then, an unimaginable way.
I'm sorry you can't understand this, Paul. You labeled your blog, "The Conscience of a Liberal." I'm going to submit that you have no concience, just a need to twist facts to reflect your own warped view of the world.
Surprisingly, Paul is not allowing comments on his post. "For obvious reasons," he states. Guess he can't stand the heat.
Well, you opened your blog with a question, Paul and I'm going to close mine with one.
How do hacks like you get access to the public? Next time, do us all a favor and keep your thoughts to yourself.
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/11/the-years-of-shame/?smid=tw-NytimesKrugman&seid=auto
Dee
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
False Prophet or False God?
Harold Camping won't give up! He is now on the radio claiming that Christ did come and put the world under judgement on May 21. It was a spiritual (invisible) coming. (Someone owes me $5.00 because I called it!) He is presenting himself as a humble teacher, nothing more. There will be no more advertising, no more tracts given out, the world has been told and the end of the world is still scheduled for October 21, 2011. The world is now under an invisible judgement. All dates were correct, all proofs were correct. Family Radio's task is done.
Someone give me some bread to put this bologna on.
I started listening to Family Radio last year because I liked the music. Then, one day, I heard Mr. Camping talk about the date of the rapture. I admit, I couldn't make heads or tails out of his mathematical contortions, but he kept hammering away at it. May 21st - the Bible guarantees it. I continued to listen to this man. I wanted to know what he was saying. Sort of a "know your enemy" approach.
Anyone that called into his Open Forum would be told that if they didn't believe in the May 21st rapture/rolling earthquake/beginning of Judgement Day then God had not opened their spiritual eyes. Oh....and it meant they were not saved. This would be a recurring theme for Harold Camping. He would say no one could know if they had been saved or not, yet Mr. Camping seemed to know. Let's see, if you belonged to a church, you were not saved...if you didn't agree with his interpretation of the Bible, you were not saved...if you ate oysters in a month with "R" in it, you were not saved...quite a nice package, Mr. Camping...all lies, of course.
Despite many statements, by none other than Jesus himself, that belief in Him was the way to secure salvation, Camping insisted this was not true. He interpreted scriptures to support his version of salvation, ignoring or disparaging scripture verses that did not fit with his skewed theology.
Camping openly mocked Bible scholars, saying they spent too much time studying things like Hebrew or Greek and helping people do things like care for their children or move. He sarcastically insinuated that their time should be better used to study the Bible. And, by the way, if you haven't read every single word in the Bible, you haven't read the Bible.
He spent months telling people that no one could know if they had been saved yet in mid-April he announced that he knew he had been saved. I'm not sure how he knew this since his position was that God had not revealed anything to man since John finished the Book of Revelations.
While it's true he did not openly encourage people to sell their homes, quit their jobs and drain their savings to finance his apocalyptic vision, he also did nothing to discourage them. People would call and ask him if they should quit their job or quit sending their child to school. There were a few that wondered if they should kill themselves if they were still here on May 22. No discouragement, just a suggestion that they pray about it.
Mr. Camping and Family Radio must accept responsibility for a great deal of damage that their deliberate deceptions have caused:
"Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work."
(2 Jn. 9-11)
Some of Mr. Camping's followers insist we are still being tested by God. God is sifting through Camping's followers to see who will fall away because the prophecy was (seemingly) wrong.
I think it may well be a test. Only the tester is Satan, gauging how many gullible pigeons are out there, eager to accept false interpretations of scripture.
So, what's the answer?
Pray.
Read the bible. It is nowhere near as complex as Harold Camping would have you believe.
Join a Bible-based, faith and fellowship church. Mr. Camping wanted you out of the church because it would soon become clear that Harold was talking through his hat.
God is not vindictive, He is not deceptive. These are both words used by Campng to describe God. He did not inspire the Bible to be a trap to keep us out of heaven.
In Romans, Paul asks, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?"
Mr.Camping would have you believe that the answer is God the Father. He would have you believe that God is toying with us, like we are rats in a maze, setting us up for one failure after another.
Not true, not true, not true.
God desires for us to spend eternity with Him. If His intent was to trick us into losing any chance at spending eternity with Him, why bother to send His Son? Why set up a plan for salvation if He didn't really intend for us to be saved? Why bother to create us at all?
Mr. Camping is a self-proclaimed Bible scholar that knows very little about the Bible. The New Testament message of love and forgiveness and salvation do not fit in with his delusional interpretation of God's word.
False prophet - for sure.
At the point he proclaimed that if you did not believe his interpretation of Biblical events you were not saved - he crossed the line from false prophet to false god.
In my opinion.
You will have much to answer for when Judgement Day does arrive, Mr. Camping. You set yourself up as the sole authority on the word of God. Only you had the truth and woe to those who would not follow you. You were always quick to interrupt people that called to challenge you with an "Excuse me". No can do, Harold. What you have done is inexcusable. Your broadcast tonight was full of the ramblings of an arrogant, prideful man.
See you in November.
Dee
Someone give me some bread to put this bologna on.
I started listening to Family Radio last year because I liked the music. Then, one day, I heard Mr. Camping talk about the date of the rapture. I admit, I couldn't make heads or tails out of his mathematical contortions, but he kept hammering away at it. May 21st - the Bible guarantees it. I continued to listen to this man. I wanted to know what he was saying. Sort of a "know your enemy" approach.
Anyone that called into his Open Forum would be told that if they didn't believe in the May 21st rapture/rolling earthquake/beginning of Judgement Day then God had not opened their spiritual eyes. Oh....and it meant they were not saved. This would be a recurring theme for Harold Camping. He would say no one could know if they had been saved or not, yet Mr. Camping seemed to know. Let's see, if you belonged to a church, you were not saved...if you didn't agree with his interpretation of the Bible, you were not saved...if you ate oysters in a month with "R" in it, you were not saved...quite a nice package, Mr. Camping...all lies, of course.
Despite many statements, by none other than Jesus himself, that belief in Him was the way to secure salvation, Camping insisted this was not true. He interpreted scriptures to support his version of salvation, ignoring or disparaging scripture verses that did not fit with his skewed theology.
Camping openly mocked Bible scholars, saying they spent too much time studying things like Hebrew or Greek and helping people do things like care for their children or move. He sarcastically insinuated that their time should be better used to study the Bible. And, by the way, if you haven't read every single word in the Bible, you haven't read the Bible.
He spent months telling people that no one could know if they had been saved yet in mid-April he announced that he knew he had been saved. I'm not sure how he knew this since his position was that God had not revealed anything to man since John finished the Book of Revelations.
While it's true he did not openly encourage people to sell their homes, quit their jobs and drain their savings to finance his apocalyptic vision, he also did nothing to discourage them. People would call and ask him if they should quit their job or quit sending their child to school. There were a few that wondered if they should kill themselves if they were still here on May 22. No discouragement, just a suggestion that they pray about it.
Mr. Camping and Family Radio must accept responsibility for a great deal of damage that their deliberate deceptions have caused:
"Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work."
(2 Jn. 9-11)
Some of Mr. Camping's followers insist we are still being tested by God. God is sifting through Camping's followers to see who will fall away because the prophecy was (seemingly) wrong.
I think it may well be a test. Only the tester is Satan, gauging how many gullible pigeons are out there, eager to accept false interpretations of scripture.
So, what's the answer?
Pray.
Read the bible. It is nowhere near as complex as Harold Camping would have you believe.
Join a Bible-based, faith and fellowship church. Mr. Camping wanted you out of the church because it would soon become clear that Harold was talking through his hat.
God is not vindictive, He is not deceptive. These are both words used by Campng to describe God. He did not inspire the Bible to be a trap to keep us out of heaven.
In Romans, Paul asks, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?"
Mr.Camping would have you believe that the answer is God the Father. He would have you believe that God is toying with us, like we are rats in a maze, setting us up for one failure after another.
Not true, not true, not true.
God desires for us to spend eternity with Him. If His intent was to trick us into losing any chance at spending eternity with Him, why bother to send His Son? Why set up a plan for salvation if He didn't really intend for us to be saved? Why bother to create us at all?
Mr. Camping is a self-proclaimed Bible scholar that knows very little about the Bible. The New Testament message of love and forgiveness and salvation do not fit in with his delusional interpretation of God's word.
False prophet - for sure.
At the point he proclaimed that if you did not believe his interpretation of Biblical events you were not saved - he crossed the line from false prophet to false god.
In my opinion.
You will have much to answer for when Judgement Day does arrive, Mr. Camping. You set yourself up as the sole authority on the word of God. Only you had the truth and woe to those who would not follow you. You were always quick to interrupt people that called to challenge you with an "Excuse me". No can do, Harold. What you have done is inexcusable. Your broadcast tonight was full of the ramblings of an arrogant, prideful man.
See you in November.
Dee
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Nauseating, Pretensions, Pompous, Prevaricating, Progressive (Oops I got stuck on the “p”) Radicals Progressive (oops I got stuck on the “p”) Radicals
Yesterday, National Public Radio fired long time reporter/commentator. Juan Williams for remarks he made at his other journalist stint as a commentator on Fox news. Clearly left of center, I usually find myself in disagreement with Mr. Williams, but I have ,also, found him to be “cut from a different cloth”- a man who can at least lend his mind to thoughtful discussion, and even concede a point, or two.
But you see there is nothing truly public at NPR; free speech is dead at the nation’s national network. Thought is controlled, and those who present and comment upon the news must remain consistent and faithful to the policies of those who navigate the good ship NPR.
Mr. Williams was part of a larger discussion of a controversy involving Bill O’Reilly's appearance on a recent episode of The View. O’Reilly was excoriated by the female hosts for emphasizing that Muslims killed Americans on 9/11. O’Reilly felt that by now most American’s should know that it is given he meant radical Muslims.
Mr. Williams admitted to feeling nervous on occasions when he was on plane with Muslims that were obviously Muslims from their attire and behavior, he became nervous and uneasy. He, also, commented that he felt people would have been upset if people started referring to right wing radical terrorists who blew up the Oklahoma City building as the Christian bombers. (Personally, I can’t see how that analogy holds. We don’t have any taped farewell from McVeigh saying he did this for the glory of Jesus Christ, as we do for many Muslim terrorist who dedicate their acts to Allah.)
In other words, while Williams was gently chiding the host for a poor choice of words, he was man enough to admit to a new reality in this country. Shame on NPR for denying his right to speak the truth! The true measure of a man is not that he would have such thoughts. The times we live in stir them up. The true measure of a man is that he honest about them, and that does he controls them, so they do not control him and so that the fabric of our society remains intact.
When more budget austerity measure are taken in the next congressional sessions, let the axe fall on NPR. To all of you who flock to get your news from NPR, because you like it commercial free, calmly delivered, without anger and any confrontation…..just what exactly have you been getting? Selected news, and now manipulated commentary. Eliminate any voices that sing a different key, and we will all sing the same song. We don’t need its tyrannical reign over what was supposed to be the public’s radio.
"D"
But you see there is nothing truly public at NPR; free speech is dead at the nation’s national network. Thought is controlled, and those who present and comment upon the news must remain consistent and faithful to the policies of those who navigate the good ship NPR.
Mr. Williams was part of a larger discussion of a controversy involving Bill O’Reilly's appearance on a recent episode of The View. O’Reilly was excoriated by the female hosts for emphasizing that Muslims killed Americans on 9/11. O’Reilly felt that by now most American’s should know that it is given he meant radical Muslims.
Mr. Williams admitted to feeling nervous on occasions when he was on plane with Muslims that were obviously Muslims from their attire and behavior, he became nervous and uneasy. He, also, commented that he felt people would have been upset if people started referring to right wing radical terrorists who blew up the Oklahoma City building as the Christian bombers. (Personally, I can’t see how that analogy holds. We don’t have any taped farewell from McVeigh saying he did this for the glory of Jesus Christ, as we do for many Muslim terrorist who dedicate their acts to Allah.)
In other words, while Williams was gently chiding the host for a poor choice of words, he was man enough to admit to a new reality in this country. Shame on NPR for denying his right to speak the truth! The true measure of a man is not that he would have such thoughts. The times we live in stir them up. The true measure of a man is that he honest about them, and that does he controls them, so they do not control him and so that the fabric of our society remains intact.
When more budget austerity measure are taken in the next congressional sessions, let the axe fall on NPR. To all of you who flock to get your news from NPR, because you like it commercial free, calmly delivered, without anger and any confrontation…..just what exactly have you been getting? Selected news, and now manipulated commentary. Eliminate any voices that sing a different key, and we will all sing the same song. We don’t need its tyrannical reign over what was supposed to be the public’s radio.
"D"
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Glen Beck's Great Awakening
Glen Beck , who I admire, for exposing socialist/Marxist corruption in the current administration and for his passion in educating the public on the Republic, the Constitution, and U.S. History, has taken an unfortunate turn. Armed with a values centered theme of Faith, Hope, and Charity, he seeks to restore America to its foundational purity. On the surface, this seems an admirable and necessary goal.
Beck ties the ability of the Founding Fathers to undertake the American Revolution to the effects of the first Great Awakening. This position has strong historical consensus. It is an undeniable fact that the Great Awakening was an inherently Christian movement based on a salvation and sanctification through Jesus Christ resulting in a personal relationship with Him.
Currently Beck calls, as he did in Washington D.C. on Aug. 28, for a third Great Awakening. (Just calling it a third might be a matter of dispute, as some historians claim there was already a third one beginning in 1857.) Whereas, I can ignore an occasional exaggeration, historical misinterpretation, or even set aside Beck's irritating dismissal of the President's birth status controversy, to listen to him speak on the many areas where we agree, he has placed in my path a critical divide-an essential matter of faith.
Beck's pseudo-Awakening is not a Christian movement, and therefore, cannot be a Great Awakening. Neither could it produce the desired effects of the genuine movements. Beck's is man-based and universalist concept that calls for every man who cherishes the core values to call on his own god and look to that divine spark that each man carries within himself for guidance.
True works of the Holy Spirit, the Great Awakenings were purely Christian. I do not swallow that each of us has a "divine spark". Unsaved, each of is a depraved sinner, separated from God. You, also, cannot have a Great Awakening led by a Mormon. A Mormon might be a constitutionalist, moral, sincere, and any number of desirable things, but he is not a Christian, as defined by Scripture.
In fact, the Bible has provided us with the a very succinct guideline to check out the whole of Mormon theology. Paul was having his own trouble with individuals preaching another gospel and wrote in Galatians:
Gal !:6 I marvel that you so soon are being moved away from Him who called you into the grace of Christ, to another gospel,
Gal 1:7 which is not another, but some are troubling you, and desiring to pervert the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from Heaven preach a gospel to you beside what we preached to you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we said before, and now I say again, If anyone preaches a gospel to you beside what you have received, let him be accursed.
Joseph Smith the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints (Mormon) reputed to have received the other gospel, the Book of Mormon, on golden tablets from the angel Moroni. Amazing that centuries before, we had been left a warning against a future, powerful deception. Believing Christendom has become very complacent and accepting of Mormons, because they are an appealing group. They are a moral, patriotic, clean-living,family-oriented, and charitable. Yet, they are not just another Christian denomination; they are heretics, because they have embraced a radically changed gospel.
Faith, hope and charity are not just "values" people!!! They are gifts of the Holy Spirit to true believers. In the regenerate heart of a believer, these life-changing gifts impact others in ever widening circles-family, friends, neighborhood, community, city, state, nation. That is how the first Great Awakening resulted in the founding of our Republic and its parallel in Great Britain saved that country from a bloody "French-style" revolution. The Second Great Awakening produced the anti-slavery movements and missionary movements on both sides of the Atlantic.
Beck's movement is doomed. A movement based on values will collapse on itself, because unlike the true gifts, mere values can be eroded. Beck is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Sadly, I could believe that he may not even realize that he's been hiding the sheep pen dressed in disguise. Fellow believers, pray that the Holy Spirit reveal the truth to him and that he repents and that Glen Beck experiences a personal and genuine great awakening.
For the present, believers cannot choose to invest their time, effort, and money(even indirectly) into a man who is misdirecting us from the truth of God's Word no matter how much his words tickle our ears, or stir our hearts. Be led by the Spirit of God and not the spirit of a man.
"D"
Beck ties the ability of the Founding Fathers to undertake the American Revolution to the effects of the first Great Awakening. This position has strong historical consensus. It is an undeniable fact that the Great Awakening was an inherently Christian movement based on a salvation and sanctification through Jesus Christ resulting in a personal relationship with Him.
Currently Beck calls, as he did in Washington D.C. on Aug. 28, for a third Great Awakening. (Just calling it a third might be a matter of dispute, as some historians claim there was already a third one beginning in 1857.) Whereas, I can ignore an occasional exaggeration, historical misinterpretation, or even set aside Beck's irritating dismissal of the President's birth status controversy, to listen to him speak on the many areas where we agree, he has placed in my path a critical divide-an essential matter of faith.
Beck's pseudo-Awakening is not a Christian movement, and therefore, cannot be a Great Awakening. Neither could it produce the desired effects of the genuine movements. Beck's is man-based and universalist concept that calls for every man who cherishes the core values to call on his own god and look to that divine spark that each man carries within himself for guidance.
True works of the Holy Spirit, the Great Awakenings were purely Christian. I do not swallow that each of us has a "divine spark". Unsaved, each of is a depraved sinner, separated from God. You, also, cannot have a Great Awakening led by a Mormon. A Mormon might be a constitutionalist, moral, sincere, and any number of desirable things, but he is not a Christian, as defined by Scripture.
In fact, the Bible has provided us with the a very succinct guideline to check out the whole of Mormon theology. Paul was having his own trouble with individuals preaching another gospel and wrote in Galatians:
Gal !:6 I marvel that you so soon are being moved away from Him who called you into the grace of Christ, to another gospel,
Gal 1:7 which is not another, but some are troubling you, and desiring to pervert the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from Heaven preach a gospel to you beside what we preached to you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we said before, and now I say again, If anyone preaches a gospel to you beside what you have received, let him be accursed.
Joseph Smith the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints (Mormon) reputed to have received the other gospel, the Book of Mormon, on golden tablets from the angel Moroni. Amazing that centuries before, we had been left a warning against a future, powerful deception. Believing Christendom has become very complacent and accepting of Mormons, because they are an appealing group. They are a moral, patriotic, clean-living,family-oriented, and charitable. Yet, they are not just another Christian denomination; they are heretics, because they have embraced a radically changed gospel.
Faith, hope and charity are not just "values" people!!! They are gifts of the Holy Spirit to true believers. In the regenerate heart of a believer, these life-changing gifts impact others in ever widening circles-family, friends, neighborhood, community, city, state, nation. That is how the first Great Awakening resulted in the founding of our Republic and its parallel in Great Britain saved that country from a bloody "French-style" revolution. The Second Great Awakening produced the anti-slavery movements and missionary movements on both sides of the Atlantic.
Beck's movement is doomed. A movement based on values will collapse on itself, because unlike the true gifts, mere values can be eroded. Beck is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Sadly, I could believe that he may not even realize that he's been hiding the sheep pen dressed in disguise. Fellow believers, pray that the Holy Spirit reveal the truth to him and that he repents and that Glen Beck experiences a personal and genuine great awakening.
For the present, believers cannot choose to invest their time, effort, and money(even indirectly) into a man who is misdirecting us from the truth of God's Word no matter how much his words tickle our ears, or stir our hearts. Be led by the Spirit of God and not the spirit of a man.
"D"
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Traffic and Weather
Have you ever noticed how radio stations lump traffic and weather forecasts together on their broadcasts?
"Traffic and weather together on the 5's."
Wonder why this is? I think I've figured it out.
The weatherman and the traffic reporter are in competition to see who can pull off the biggest hoax on the radio.
If a weatherman says, "dusting of snow", be prepared for at least 3 inches.
If a weatherman says, "sunny day", take your umbrella.
If he talks about the latest super-duper technology that they just purchased, it means the 2010 quarters have finally arrived.
The traffic reporter is no better.
I have sat in a 3 mile back-up listening to the traffic reporter describing a light traffic morning with no delays.
I've heard that there are major delays due to an accident at Exit X only to find no accident and no back-ups in my commute.
What about their traffic cams? I'm convinced they arbitrarily pull up archival material and use that as the basis for their traffic reports.
On I-95, the overhead signs now give you an estimate of how much time it will take to get to the Capitol Beltway. I guess this is supposed to give us the feeling that we are in line for a ride at DisneyWorld. It doesn't. It's also wrong most of the time.
Some days the weatherman wins the contest and some days the traffic reporter wins. But, most days, I'm the loser.
"Traffic and weather together on the 5's."
Wonder why this is? I think I've figured it out.
The weatherman and the traffic reporter are in competition to see who can pull off the biggest hoax on the radio.
If a weatherman says, "dusting of snow", be prepared for at least 3 inches.
If a weatherman says, "sunny day", take your umbrella.
If he talks about the latest super-duper technology that they just purchased, it means the 2010 quarters have finally arrived.
The traffic reporter is no better.
I have sat in a 3 mile back-up listening to the traffic reporter describing a light traffic morning with no delays.
I've heard that there are major delays due to an accident at Exit X only to find no accident and no back-ups in my commute.
What about their traffic cams? I'm convinced they arbitrarily pull up archival material and use that as the basis for their traffic reports.
On I-95, the overhead signs now give you an estimate of how much time it will take to get to the Capitol Beltway. I guess this is supposed to give us the feeling that we are in line for a ride at DisneyWorld. It doesn't. It's also wrong most of the time.
Some days the weatherman wins the contest and some days the traffic reporter wins. But, most days, I'm the loser.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
The Second Temptation
People rush to see a movie that outlines major catastrophes that they believe are foretold by the Mayan calendar. They aspire to interpret quatrains written hundreds of years ago by the French seer Nostradamus. They look to the heavens for deliverance by aliens in UFOs.
Yet, these same people scoff at the prophecies given to us in the Holy Bible...even though they can see the fruit of these predictions on an almost daily basis.
What exactly did Jesus tell us to look for? Earthquakes, famines, pestilences, fearful sights and great signs in the heavens, the seas and the waves roaring. I sit here typing and listening to the reports of Hawaii preparing for the tsunami generated by the 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile early this morning. The signs are on your television news and the front page of your newspaper.
In Mark 8:18, Jesus asks his own apostles, "Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?" He could just as easily have been addressing the current population. I often wonder how people can embrace the false prophets and reject the word of God that spells out SO CLEARLY what is going to befall our world. Then I remember there is another player in this drama.
Satan.
In 1 Peter 5:8 Satan is described as "a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." The sad thing is that his victims are willing victims. They would much rather embrace a lie that casts them as all-powerful than surrender themselves to the true Prince of this world. Not only do they accept the lies of Satan as truth, they seek to recruit others to the cause.
Isaiah 59:14 says, "For truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter in."
Let's consider global warning. In the face of growing scientific evidence that reduces the global warming "evidence" to the level of a hoax people still hold fast to the claims of Al Gore and his ilk that we are responsible for global warming which in turn is responsible for all of the ills of mankind. Pretty handy when you think about it. This is Satan's lie to explain all the natural catastrophes that Jesus told us were coming our way. Like one size fits all, one lie fits all.
Earthquakes? Global warming.
Famines? Global warming
Pestilences? Global warming.
Insomnia? Global warming.
Stupidity? Global warming.
I can imagine what Satan plants in the minds of people:
"It's not God's hand, it's man's hand. After all, didn't I tell you that if you ate of the fruit in the garden, you would be like God? Well, the proof is in the pudding....man is causing all these problems because man has become like God with control over the very elements of nature."
He slithers into our lives to tempt us yet again with the illusion that we can become God-like under his rule. All we need to do is disregard God and subscribe to his empty promises.
You have heard the truth. Believe what you will. As for me, I know that my redeemer liveth and I will lift up my head because I know my redemption draws near.
Dee
Yet, these same people scoff at the prophecies given to us in the Holy Bible...even though they can see the fruit of these predictions on an almost daily basis.
What exactly did Jesus tell us to look for? Earthquakes, famines, pestilences, fearful sights and great signs in the heavens, the seas and the waves roaring. I sit here typing and listening to the reports of Hawaii preparing for the tsunami generated by the 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile early this morning. The signs are on your television news and the front page of your newspaper.
In Mark 8:18, Jesus asks his own apostles, "Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?" He could just as easily have been addressing the current population. I often wonder how people can embrace the false prophets and reject the word of God that spells out SO CLEARLY what is going to befall our world. Then I remember there is another player in this drama.
Satan.
In 1 Peter 5:8 Satan is described as "a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." The sad thing is that his victims are willing victims. They would much rather embrace a lie that casts them as all-powerful than surrender themselves to the true Prince of this world. Not only do they accept the lies of Satan as truth, they seek to recruit others to the cause.
Isaiah 59:14 says, "For truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter in."
Let's consider global warning. In the face of growing scientific evidence that reduces the global warming "evidence" to the level of a hoax people still hold fast to the claims of Al Gore and his ilk that we are responsible for global warming which in turn is responsible for all of the ills of mankind. Pretty handy when you think about it. This is Satan's lie to explain all the natural catastrophes that Jesus told us were coming our way. Like one size fits all, one lie fits all.
Earthquakes? Global warming.
Famines? Global warming
Pestilences? Global warming.
Insomnia? Global warming.
Stupidity? Global warming.
I can imagine what Satan plants in the minds of people:
"It's not God's hand, it's man's hand. After all, didn't I tell you that if you ate of the fruit in the garden, you would be like God? Well, the proof is in the pudding....man is causing all these problems because man has become like God with control over the very elements of nature."
He slithers into our lives to tempt us yet again with the illusion that we can become God-like under his rule. All we need to do is disregard God and subscribe to his empty promises.
You have heard the truth. Believe what you will. As for me, I know that my redeemer liveth and I will lift up my head because I know my redemption draws near.
Dee
Sunday, December 6, 2009
An Advent Meditation 1
Recently on my Facebook Account, I've been posting comments about my favorite Advent hymn, O Come O Come Emmanuel. Since my musings are more expansive then their character allotment , I'm switching to the blog format. In modern times, the pieces has curiously become known as a Christmas carol. Yet this is not a song of celebration, but of intense and exquisite spiritual longing, coupled with a joy anticipated, but unfulfillable before Christ's birth.
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel.
The reference in the first verse written above to "captive Israel" hearkens back to the Babylonian captivity of Israel. The nation born away in chains and dispersed throughout Babylon, which then was subsequently overtaken by Persia, longed for her deliverer, for her Messiah to restore her to her former glory. In a foreshadowing of the redemption that God offers His chosen people, He has a daughter of Israel, Esther, made queen of Persia. When an evil government official, Haman, manipulates the king to arrange the extermination of the entire Jewish race within his kingdom, Mordecai, Esther's uncle and guardian prods her to act on her people's behalf.
Esther requests her uncle to call on their fellow Jews to fast and repent, and then, at peril of her own life, pleads for her people. The King's law is immutable, but a way of mercy is provided. The slaughter is averted. The true evil is purged. The Jews are delivered and later under Cyrus their exile is ended and they begin their return to Israel.
But Israel remained captive to its own sin. Time and again, she had fallen into apostasy and separation. A remnant of righteous believers, some of them spoken of in the Book of Hebrews, remained true, stirring up the faith, igniting the flame and fanning the hope in the promised by the Ancient of Days: O Come.. O Come Emmanuel.
Several years ago, I attended a church where an interpretative dance was performed to this hymn. The dancer began the number swathed in sheer black veils, hands in chains. The visual impact was stunning- Israel, captive without the freedom to move physically, or spiritually clothed in garments of mourning.
Sometime, as Christians, despite having received the Promise, we still fail to walk in own deliverance. Instead of embracing our freedom in Christ, we allow ourselves to be taken captive by sin. Though we have Emmanuel, God with us, and by the Holy Spirit, we have the power to do as Paul admonishes us in 2CO 10:5 and take even "every thought captive to the obedience of Christ."
Traditionally, Advent has always been a time for inward reflection. Once the province of the liturgical churches, the keeping of Advent is now found in a broad spectrum of Christian denominations, non-denominations, and fellowships. As we make preparations to celebrate Christmas, take time to consider the state of your walk. Are you captive to the world, or are you experiencing freedom in Christ?
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel.
The reference in the first verse written above to "captive Israel" hearkens back to the Babylonian captivity of Israel. The nation born away in chains and dispersed throughout Babylon, which then was subsequently overtaken by Persia, longed for her deliverer, for her Messiah to restore her to her former glory. In a foreshadowing of the redemption that God offers His chosen people, He has a daughter of Israel, Esther, made queen of Persia. When an evil government official, Haman, manipulates the king to arrange the extermination of the entire Jewish race within his kingdom, Mordecai, Esther's uncle and guardian prods her to act on her people's behalf.
Esther requests her uncle to call on their fellow Jews to fast and repent, and then, at peril of her own life, pleads for her people. The King's law is immutable, but a way of mercy is provided. The slaughter is averted. The true evil is purged. The Jews are delivered and later under Cyrus their exile is ended and they begin their return to Israel.
But Israel remained captive to its own sin. Time and again, she had fallen into apostasy and separation. A remnant of righteous believers, some of them spoken of in the Book of Hebrews, remained true, stirring up the faith, igniting the flame and fanning the hope in the promised by the Ancient of Days: O Come.. O Come Emmanuel.
Several years ago, I attended a church where an interpretative dance was performed to this hymn. The dancer began the number swathed in sheer black veils, hands in chains. The visual impact was stunning- Israel, captive without the freedom to move physically, or spiritually clothed in garments of mourning.
Sometime, as Christians, despite having received the Promise, we still fail to walk in own deliverance. Instead of embracing our freedom in Christ, we allow ourselves to be taken captive by sin. Though we have Emmanuel, God with us, and by the Holy Spirit, we have the power to do as Paul admonishes us in 2CO 10:5 and take even "every thought captive to the obedience of Christ."
Traditionally, Advent has always been a time for inward reflection. Once the province of the liturgical churches, the keeping of Advent is now found in a broad spectrum of Christian denominations, non-denominations, and fellowships. As we make preparations to celebrate Christmas, take time to consider the state of your walk. Are you captive to the world, or are you experiencing freedom in Christ?
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Happy Anniversary
Today, dear friends and gentle-people, marks the 39th anniversary of the infamous invasion of the eastern half of partitioned Poland by the Soviet Union. And to mark our solidarity with the Polish people; to take a stand against tyranny; to remind the world of the criminality of the Lenin-Marxist government that was imposed on the Polish people against their will; to recall once again the blood spilled by Stalin; what is it that President Obama does?
Today, this Chicago politician, whose claim to fame is an ivy league education and the work experience of a community organizer, merely pretended to be an American president. He acted like a Frenchmen, or at best, like someone channeling Neville Chamberlain. Gambling away the freedom of Poland and other Eastern European countries, Obama reneged on commitments made by President George W. Bush to provide a missile shield for these countries, offering them protection from Russia's reawakening expansionist appetites and Iran's nuclear capabilities.
Instead, President Obama licked the boots of Russia's Vladmir Putin. Hoping to, maybe, if possible, if everything works out, this is what I'd like in return: Putin to agree with the US about sanctions against Iran at the UN, and have the Russian leader st Betrayal. I do not believe that intelligence has changed all that much in a year-only the man in charge.
"D"
Today, this Chicago politician, whose claim to fame is an ivy league education and the work experience of a community organizer, merely pretended to be an American president. He acted like a Frenchmen, or at best, like someone channeling Neville Chamberlain. Gambling away the freedom of Poland and other Eastern European countries, Obama reneged on commitments made by President George W. Bush to provide a missile shield for these countries, offering them protection from Russia's reawakening expansionist appetites and Iran's nuclear capabilities.
Instead, President Obama licked the boots of Russia's Vladmir Putin. Hoping to, maybe, if possible, if everything works out, this is what I'd like in return: Putin to agree with the US about sanctions against Iran at the UN, and have the Russian leader st Betrayal. I do not believe that intelligence has changed all that much in a year-only the man in charge.
"D"
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The Democratic Potty
Long have I thought that certain members of the House and Senate were better suited to serve in a preschool than in an official governing capacity. I come to this conclusion based on 25 years of experience as a preschool teacher. Now it seems these members have found a voice in our President.
Recently at a health care forum Mr. Obama made this stunning declaration:
"There is something about August going into September where everybody in Washington gets all wee weed up."
Now, at first, mindful of the fact that he had visited France in June, I thought perhaps he was showing off his linguistic skills. However, it soon became obvious that his choice of words had nothing to do with the French language.
Good Lord, is this the great orator I keep hearing about? If potty words make for a skilled orator then I have a classroom full of them. Better than our President, really, because they have also been heard to say poo-poo.
Since this is the level of communication our president aspires to I have decided to make a list of other effective phrases heard in my preschool classroom. I'm sure these will come in handy, not only when addressing the American people, but in dealing with the leaders of other countries.
1. I'm not your friend anymore.
This is a proclamation sure to cause great concern to those sycophants who need you to be the sun to their solar system, the Jack to their Jill, the green eggs to their ham. They cannot envision functioning without you by their side and subsequently will do anything to regain your favor. Crying and pouting is the typical reaction among my 3 year olds so have a box of tissues at the ready.
2. You can't come to my birthday party.
This is guaranteed to stop anyone in their tracks. It doesn't matter if you just celebrated your birthday and cannot follow through on this threat for 364 days. The mere suggestion of being out of the loop is a powerful persuasion to tow the line and remember who is the leader and who is the follower.
3. I'm going to tell the teacher.
This is a little harder because technically there is no one in a higher position than you. I'm pretty sure threatening to tell the vice-president would be met by anything from smiles to outright belly laughs. Perhaps you could use Rahm's name. After all, who wants to find a dead fish in their mailbox? I had a boy in my class who drew pictures of dead spiders to terrorize the girls. Same idea.
4. You're a poopeyhead.
Any insult that contains a reference to a bodily function is a sure fire crowd pleaser. You will hear yourself quoted for the rest of the day until a grown-up gets tired of hearing it and predicts dire consequences for the next person who utters that phrase. I mean it.
I hope these suggestions prove to be helpful in future speeches, Mr. President. If I hear one of them I will consider it a shout out to me. One caveat, though, they don't work on grown ups. But considering the level of people you have chosen to surround yourself with I think you'll find these childish attempts at intimidation to be very well received.
Dee "The Disruptor"
Recently at a health care forum Mr. Obama made this stunning declaration:
"There is something about August going into September where everybody in Washington gets all wee weed up."
Now, at first, mindful of the fact that he had visited France in June, I thought perhaps he was showing off his linguistic skills. However, it soon became obvious that his choice of words had nothing to do with the French language.
Good Lord, is this the great orator I keep hearing about? If potty words make for a skilled orator then I have a classroom full of them. Better than our President, really, because they have also been heard to say poo-poo.
Since this is the level of communication our president aspires to I have decided to make a list of other effective phrases heard in my preschool classroom. I'm sure these will come in handy, not only when addressing the American people, but in dealing with the leaders of other countries.
1. I'm not your friend anymore.
This is a proclamation sure to cause great concern to those sycophants who need you to be the sun to their solar system, the Jack to their Jill, the green eggs to their ham. They cannot envision functioning without you by their side and subsequently will do anything to regain your favor. Crying and pouting is the typical reaction among my 3 year olds so have a box of tissues at the ready.
2. You can't come to my birthday party.
This is guaranteed to stop anyone in their tracks. It doesn't matter if you just celebrated your birthday and cannot follow through on this threat for 364 days. The mere suggestion of being out of the loop is a powerful persuasion to tow the line and remember who is the leader and who is the follower.
3. I'm going to tell the teacher.
This is a little harder because technically there is no one in a higher position than you. I'm pretty sure threatening to tell the vice-president would be met by anything from smiles to outright belly laughs. Perhaps you could use Rahm's name. After all, who wants to find a dead fish in their mailbox? I had a boy in my class who drew pictures of dead spiders to terrorize the girls. Same idea.
4. You're a poopeyhead.
Any insult that contains a reference to a bodily function is a sure fire crowd pleaser. You will hear yourself quoted for the rest of the day until a grown-up gets tired of hearing it and predicts dire consequences for the next person who utters that phrase. I mean it.
I hope these suggestions prove to be helpful in future speeches, Mr. President. If I hear one of them I will consider it a shout out to me. One caveat, though, they don't work on grown ups. But considering the level of people you have chosen to surround yourself with I think you'll find these childish attempts at intimidation to be very well received.
Dee "The Disruptor"
Thursday, August 20, 2009
God Has Children Not Partners
I started my morning believing that I would be attacking the meaty topic of David Axelrod, another one of President Obama's staff's that has made my scoundrels list. However, Mr. Obama stopped me in my tracks.
I still remember the campaigner Obama's flip remark dismissing a certain area of voters as being only concerned with God's and guns. His disdain did not win him votes among that constituency. (Though, he managed some sort of apology.) Now he evokes the assistance of faith to get his political job done. He held a teleconference with 30 faith based groups and 140,000 people. Hmmm. I can just imagine, President George W. Bush having called faith based teleconference, whose agenda was to get a bill pushed through Congress. The cries of separation of church and state from the Dems and the rush of ACLU lawyers to file lawsuits would have been akin to tornado ripping straight up Pennsylvania Avenue.
Now could it be something as crass as which faith leaders, Mr. Obama leaders were called that makes the difference? Here's the list: National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.; Progressive National Baptist Convention; Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism; NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby; United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society; The Episcopal Church; Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference; Jewish Council for Public Affairs; Gamaliel Foundation; Faithful Reform in Health Care; Unitarian Universalist Association; African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME); The New Evangelicals; National Council of Churches in Christ; Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; United Church of Christ; The Latino Leadership Circle; Christian Community Development Association; Islamic Society of North America; Washington Office of Women’s Divisions, General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church; Jewish Women International; Islamic Medical Association of North America; Presbyterian Church (USA), Washington Office; Disciples Center for Public Witness; Disciples Justice Action Network; Catholics United; Faith in Public Life; Faithful America; PICO National Network; Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good; Sojourners.
I recognize many of these names as representing the liberal side of American Protestantism, Catholicism, and Judaisim. I went to the website of two of the lest identifiable names, the Gamaliel Foundation and the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Foundation. My personal opinion is that former has very little faith represented on its website other that a belief that their political objective are ordained by God and they organized based on studying the epistles of Paul for his skills as a leader. (They are named for the Rabbi Gamaliel due to the reference in Acts where he speaks on how to handle the Sanhedrin's "Christian" problem.) The SDWP Foundation showcased a message of support for the controversial Rev. Jeremiah Wright from one of the elders speaking for the "Village". They, too, are highly involved in litigation and activism. Others, such as the Latino Leadership Group, are part of the emergent church movement, which is a highly controversial redefining of Christian though with emphasis on social justice.
What's scary is what this group of thirty has united to do. They have founded the website www.faithforhealth.org specifically to promote the passage of Obama's health care reform, using the resources of organizations, access to membership, advertisement, etc. concentrated into a 40 day blitz. They hoped to give Obama's plan the sanction of legitimacy and divinity redubbing it "health reform".
Do I go to far by claiming divinity? I think not. Ben Smith's Blog reported that Rabbi Jack Moline, an attendee at the conference twittered that Pres. Obama said, "We are God's partners in matters of life and death."*
Note to President Obama: GOD HAS NO PARTNERS! He has sons; He has daughters. I don't know of even any junior partners being let into the firm. We can be children by adoption, according to the Bible, but I don't see any right to run the Universe. In the end, we get to work and rule, but strictly under Him.
The way I see it, the responsibility for the poor, the elderly, and the uninsured rest with their families and the church. If the government, federal and local stopped taxing us to death, we would have the funds to live up to our responsibilities and live free from fear and government entanglement. Hey! Isn't that a novel idea.
We do have responsbility in matters of life in death. We must uphold the unborn's right to live. God knows the unborn in the womb; He fashions them there; He knows their lenghth of days before they are even yet born. We can give our Creator, obedience in preserving life. Stop abortion now. If we can't overturn Roe v. Wade, let us surely do everything we can to impede it! The right to abortion should not be the right to goverment funded abortion. Partial-birth abortion must be banned forever. Most of all stop abortion by changing as many hearts as we can. We can value the life of our elderly. Give them the proper care they deserve. Stop relying on the goverment to provide everything for your parents. Maybe the money for that drug they need needs to come from their kids and not Uncle Sam. Exo 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you. Let dying die good deaths when they choose-and I'm not talking slowly dehydrated to death. Withdrawal of liquids is a horrendous way to die. I have seen it. Stop worrying that the terminally ill are going to be addicts and let them have the pain medicine. On the other hand those who are up for the fight and battle for life have the right, because in the end only God knows the number of their day.
So, Mr. President, I really don't trust you and your faith squad to have the best interests, or God's interests at heart. You guys have a tendency to make Him over into your image when ever the spirit-whatever spirit it is -moves you. This country doesn't need your kind of faith based health reform!
Moline - Has removed his tweets regarding the conference. Jml548 My lack of tech literacy results in a huge mistake -- apologies to all for my tweets this afternoon. They have been deleted.
I still remember the campaigner Obama's flip remark dismissing a certain area of voters as being only concerned with God's and guns. His disdain did not win him votes among that constituency. (Though, he managed some sort of apology.) Now he evokes the assistance of faith to get his political job done. He held a teleconference with 30 faith based groups and 140,000 people. Hmmm. I can just imagine, President George W. Bush having called faith based teleconference, whose agenda was to get a bill pushed through Congress. The cries of separation of church and state from the Dems and the rush of ACLU lawyers to file lawsuits would have been akin to tornado ripping straight up Pennsylvania Avenue.
Now could it be something as crass as which faith leaders, Mr. Obama leaders were called that makes the difference? Here's the list: National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.; Progressive National Baptist Convention; Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism; NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby; United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society; The Episcopal Church; Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference; Jewish Council for Public Affairs; Gamaliel Foundation; Faithful Reform in Health Care; Unitarian Universalist Association; African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME); The New Evangelicals; National Council of Churches in Christ; Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; United Church of Christ; The Latino Leadership Circle; Christian Community Development Association; Islamic Society of North America; Washington Office of Women’s Divisions, General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church; Jewish Women International; Islamic Medical Association of North America; Presbyterian Church (USA), Washington Office; Disciples Center for Public Witness; Disciples Justice Action Network; Catholics United; Faith in Public Life; Faithful America; PICO National Network; Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good; Sojourners.
I recognize many of these names as representing the liberal side of American Protestantism, Catholicism, and Judaisim. I went to the website of two of the lest identifiable names, the Gamaliel Foundation and the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Foundation. My personal opinion is that former has very little faith represented on its website other that a belief that their political objective are ordained by God and they organized based on studying the epistles of Paul for his skills as a leader. (They are named for the Rabbi Gamaliel due to the reference in Acts where he speaks on how to handle the Sanhedrin's "Christian" problem.) The SDWP Foundation showcased a message of support for the controversial Rev. Jeremiah Wright from one of the elders speaking for the "Village". They, too, are highly involved in litigation and activism. Others, such as the Latino Leadership Group, are part of the emergent church movement, which is a highly controversial redefining of Christian though with emphasis on social justice.
What's scary is what this group of thirty has united to do. They have founded the website www.faithforhealth.org specifically to promote the passage of Obama's health care reform, using the resources of organizations, access to membership, advertisement, etc. concentrated into a 40 day blitz. They hoped to give Obama's plan the sanction of legitimacy and divinity redubbing it "health reform".
Do I go to far by claiming divinity? I think not. Ben Smith's Blog reported that Rabbi Jack Moline, an attendee at the conference twittered that Pres. Obama said, "We are God's partners in matters of life and death."*
Note to President Obama: GOD HAS NO PARTNERS! He has sons; He has daughters. I don't know of even any junior partners being let into the firm. We can be children by adoption, according to the Bible, but I don't see any right to run the Universe. In the end, we get to work and rule, but strictly under Him.
The way I see it, the responsibility for the poor, the elderly, and the uninsured rest with their families and the church. If the government, federal and local stopped taxing us to death, we would have the funds to live up to our responsibilities and live free from fear and government entanglement. Hey! Isn't that a novel idea.
We do have responsbility in matters of life in death. We must uphold the unborn's right to live. God knows the unborn in the womb; He fashions them there; He knows their lenghth of days before they are even yet born. We can give our Creator, obedience in preserving life. Stop abortion now. If we can't overturn Roe v. Wade, let us surely do everything we can to impede it! The right to abortion should not be the right to goverment funded abortion. Partial-birth abortion must be banned forever. Most of all stop abortion by changing as many hearts as we can. We can value the life of our elderly. Give them the proper care they deserve. Stop relying on the goverment to provide everything for your parents. Maybe the money for that drug they need needs to come from their kids and not Uncle Sam. Exo 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you. Let dying die good deaths when they choose-and I'm not talking slowly dehydrated to death. Withdrawal of liquids is a horrendous way to die. I have seen it. Stop worrying that the terminally ill are going to be addicts and let them have the pain medicine. On the other hand those who are up for the fight and battle for life have the right, because in the end only God knows the number of their day.
So, Mr. President, I really don't trust you and your faith squad to have the best interests, or God's interests at heart. You guys have a tendency to make Him over into your image when ever the spirit-whatever spirit it is -moves you. This country doesn't need your kind of faith based health reform!
Moline - Has removed his tweets regarding the conference. Jml548 My lack of tech literacy results in a huge mistake -- apologies to all for my tweets this afternoon. They have been deleted.
Friday, August 14, 2009
"Dirty Dancing"
Rahm Emmanuel serves as President Obama’s chief-of-staff and as part of the Clinton administration acquired a tough, no-holds, enforcer reputation. Little attention is paid to the period of time he resigned as Clinton’s aid in 1998 until 2001. Then, he successfully made a bid for the House Seat in the Illinois 5th District in 2002 elections.
It appears Mr. Emmanuel took the plunge into investment banking. I find this very interesting. After hearing this information, on Glen Beck’s program on Fox News (Aug. 13, 2009), I checked out some basic facts.
· Rahm Emmanuel graduated from Evanston School of Ballet, turned down a scholarship to the Joffrery Ballet to attend Sarah Lawrence College, a school with a strong dance program. There he received a B.A. in the Liberal Arts, followed by a M.A. in Speech and Communication. (Northwestern, University, 1985).
· With no background in business, or banking, he lands a plum job at Wasserstein Perella from 1998 –mid 2002. In 1998, he becomes director of the Chicago office.
· During this stint, he was involved in 8 deals and reaped a 16½ million dollar profit.
· One of those deals generated almost all of the profits. The sale of Southwestern Bell Company’s Security Link unit to GTCR Golder Rauner in order to facilitate SBC’s purchase of Ameritec. (Today through further morphs and mergers SBC has become AT&T.)
· In 2000, Pres. Clinton appointed, Emmanuel to the board of Freddie Mac for a salary and later stock sales of almost $320,000. He is not known to have attended board meetings, or to have been assigned to any working committees.
· Rahm Emmanuel headed the GTCR Golder Rauner investment group that picked up the bargain priced Security Link. *
· Who head SBC at the time of the Security Link Sale? Edward Whiteacre
· To what was Mr. Whiteacre recently appointed? The Treasury Department selected him to become the new chairman of GM.
· Emmanuel’s group sells it for over $1 billion*
*These items were the only one’s that I have not been able to cross check as of today:
1. That Security link was purchased by GTCR for a bargain price. 2. That GTCR group sold Security Link for between 1 and 1.5 billion dollars.
Remember these things:
· Rahm Emmanuel made almost all of that 16 ½ million from a deal that involved Mr. Whiteacre
· Mr. Emmanuel served during the time Freddie Mae was cooking the books and creating some of the most horrendous indiscretions in accounting and lending ever seen in the mortgage industry.
· In the House. Rep. Emmanuel sat on the Financial Service’s Committee, but recused himself from the subcommittee investigating Freddie Mac to supposedly avoid the appearance of impropriety, or conflict of interests
· The Obama administration, rejected a request by The Chicago Tribune under the Freedom Information Act to go over the board meeting minutes and correspondence of Freddie Mac during the time Emmanuel served there. The request was denied.
Well, it looks like while Rahm Emmanuel was studying ballet, he, also learned to the fine art of the political two-step in the heart of Chicago.
Mr. Emmanuel to you, I say that for someone so concerned about the appearance of impropriety you seem to like shutting the barn after the cow has escaped. For the administration to appoint Mr. Whiteacre as GM’s Chairman when you have had financial dealings that benefited you personally with him appears improper to others and me. There are other great businessmen that don’t have financial ties to you, or others, in the administration. (Not to mention this man has no automotive industry experience.)
You are a dirty dancer, Mr. Emmanuel, in an administration of dirty dancers. As for transparency, you and your crew would like to be wearing lead suits, the kind that Superman can’t see through. You have no intention of being transparent; but your deeds still find you out…the trail of slime is always left behind when you dance in the muck and mire.
“D”
It appears Mr. Emmanuel took the plunge into investment banking. I find this very interesting. After hearing this information, on Glen Beck’s program on Fox News (Aug. 13, 2009), I checked out some basic facts.
· Rahm Emmanuel graduated from Evanston School of Ballet, turned down a scholarship to the Joffrery Ballet to attend Sarah Lawrence College, a school with a strong dance program. There he received a B.A. in the Liberal Arts, followed by a M.A. in Speech and Communication. (Northwestern, University, 1985).
· With no background in business, or banking, he lands a plum job at Wasserstein Perella from 1998 –mid 2002. In 1998, he becomes director of the Chicago office.
· During this stint, he was involved in 8 deals and reaped a 16½ million dollar profit.
· One of those deals generated almost all of the profits. The sale of Southwestern Bell Company’s Security Link unit to GTCR Golder Rauner in order to facilitate SBC’s purchase of Ameritec. (Today through further morphs and mergers SBC has become AT&T.)
· In 2000, Pres. Clinton appointed, Emmanuel to the board of Freddie Mac for a salary and later stock sales of almost $320,000. He is not known to have attended board meetings, or to have been assigned to any working committees.
· Rahm Emmanuel headed the GTCR Golder Rauner investment group that picked up the bargain priced Security Link. *
· Who head SBC at the time of the Security Link Sale? Edward Whiteacre
· To what was Mr. Whiteacre recently appointed? The Treasury Department selected him to become the new chairman of GM.
· Emmanuel’s group sells it for over $1 billion*
*These items were the only one’s that I have not been able to cross check as of today:
1. That Security link was purchased by GTCR for a bargain price. 2. That GTCR group sold Security Link for between 1 and 1.5 billion dollars.
Remember these things:
· Rahm Emmanuel made almost all of that 16 ½ million from a deal that involved Mr. Whiteacre
· Mr. Emmanuel served during the time Freddie Mae was cooking the books and creating some of the most horrendous indiscretions in accounting and lending ever seen in the mortgage industry.
· In the House. Rep. Emmanuel sat on the Financial Service’s Committee, but recused himself from the subcommittee investigating Freddie Mac to supposedly avoid the appearance of impropriety, or conflict of interests
· The Obama administration, rejected a request by The Chicago Tribune under the Freedom Information Act to go over the board meeting minutes and correspondence of Freddie Mac during the time Emmanuel served there. The request was denied.
Well, it looks like while Rahm Emmanuel was studying ballet, he, also learned to the fine art of the political two-step in the heart of Chicago.
Mr. Emmanuel to you, I say that for someone so concerned about the appearance of impropriety you seem to like shutting the barn after the cow has escaped. For the administration to appoint Mr. Whiteacre as GM’s Chairman when you have had financial dealings that benefited you personally with him appears improper to others and me. There are other great businessmen that don’t have financial ties to you, or others, in the administration. (Not to mention this man has no automotive industry experience.)
You are a dirty dancer, Mr. Emmanuel, in an administration of dirty dancers. As for transparency, you and your crew would like to be wearing lead suits, the kind that Superman can’t see through. You have no intention of being transparent; but your deeds still find you out…the trail of slime is always left behind when you dance in the muck and mire.
“D”
Sunday, August 9, 2009
"Ooops Your Sith Is Showing"
Mr. President, somebody in your entourage has been dropping the ball. They haven’t been playing it straight with you. Lately you’ve been walking around with your Sith nature hanging out, and J. Q. Public is starting to see it, but nobody has told you to hike it back up.
You know, back in the day, you could fake the Jedi thing pretty well. You would stand up in front of that teleprompter and mesmerize them with “change”, “believe”, “ hope”, “reform”. No, wait… you were actually just like Senator Palpatine. And now that you’ve got the job of president, well the analogy just seems to continue.
You achieved what you could through legislation having the gift of “party ownership” of Congress, but you have soon realized that this has not brought you true control. So eighteen times (or more depending upon the reference source one uses) you created offices and made appointments of czars to oversee them, who are accountable to no one but you. Congress did not confirm these appointments. The czars were given broad powers and funding to do their jobs with no public accountability. Other presidents have appointed czars, but never so many and for such a variety of reasons.
Then, there is the quality of your appointees. Here are three examples. Green jobs czar Van Jones is a self-avowed communist, black-activist and a radical green environmentalist. He has stated, in the past, that he will use any methods accessible to him to achieve his Marxist agenda. Your science czar John Holdren wrote about the constitutionality of required abortion to maintain population growth on a worldwide scale. Carol Browner, Clinton administrations retread and your energy czar comes to this position under a dark cloud. During her final day of running the EPA for President Clinton, she ordered the deletion of her computer records despite a court injunction to the contrary.
You keep company with people who voice chilling ideas-ideas that are shaping our future and will divide our nation and change its very nature. One of your top advisors in health reform, bioethicist Dr Ezekiel Rahm, expressed his belief that the Hippocratic Oath was an impediment to health reform. The “do no harm” section of the oath supposedly is responsible for unnecessary medical tests, and undo prolonging of life that drive up health care costs. He is the man recommending the compulsory end of life evaluations, which you would be required to have with your primary care doctor that would begin at age 65 and would continue at five-year intervals.
You were doing a good job controlling the media. Why you had the major networks stumbling over each other trying to get exclusives. It was a circus! But then, you let a little lace show. You planted that question from the Huffington Post blog. You managed to enrage even the Great Granny of the liberal press, Helen Thomas.
Evidently, you feel confident enough to show more of your true nature because the Sith is continuing to slip. You arranged to be questioned about the arrest of your friend Professor Gates in Cambridge by Sgt. Crowley. Admittedly without knowing the full circumstances, you made a judgment about the police involved saying they “acted stupidly.” You are charged with representing the people, not your friends. Your remarks were incendiary and fed racist ideology, but then again you spent twenty years in the pews of Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s church in Chicago. You seemed astounded by the negative reaction and once again try to return to the beatific, peaceful, Palpatine image, delivering a weak non-apology and having a beer at the White House. You orchestrated a teachable moment, but exactly what were you teaching? Better calibration? We saw camera shots from afar of the participants. You were talking and laughing. Vice-President Biden was doing a great impression of Ed McMahon roaring at everything you said, but Gates and Crowley seemed very subdued.
You jammed TARP down our throats; and the auto bailouts, and now you expect us to swallow health care reform. The snake on the Gaddesden flag representing the thirteen original colonies was not a boa constrictor. Just as it could not swallow a cow, we cannot swallow huge amounts of debt at a time and survive. In truth, people can only swallow so much deficit spending, so much government inefficiency, so much lying, and so much betrayal. You wish to take away our individualism, redistribute our wealth and the benefits derived by our achievements, relieve us of our personal responsibility to care for ourselves and our families, tax into an equal level of misery, and tell us this is a better, more American way of life. You, your advisers, your appointees and your faithful cohorts in Congress have awakened the hibernating rattler on that flag, and the people are beginning to shout: “Don’t Tread On Me!”
Mr. President, many notice that the man in the Oval Office does not lead our country, but attempts to rule our country. You, sir, are our stealth emperor. Take note, Emperor Obama, the history of the world has not been kind to emperors, nor has the world of fantasy and fiction. Americans will not tolerate an imperial presidency!
-"D"
You know, back in the day, you could fake the Jedi thing pretty well. You would stand up in front of that teleprompter and mesmerize them with “change”, “believe”, “ hope”, “reform”. No, wait… you were actually just like Senator Palpatine. And now that you’ve got the job of president, well the analogy just seems to continue.
You achieved what you could through legislation having the gift of “party ownership” of Congress, but you have soon realized that this has not brought you true control. So eighteen times (or more depending upon the reference source one uses) you created offices and made appointments of czars to oversee them, who are accountable to no one but you. Congress did not confirm these appointments. The czars were given broad powers and funding to do their jobs with no public accountability. Other presidents have appointed czars, but never so many and for such a variety of reasons.
Then, there is the quality of your appointees. Here are three examples. Green jobs czar Van Jones is a self-avowed communist, black-activist and a radical green environmentalist. He has stated, in the past, that he will use any methods accessible to him to achieve his Marxist agenda. Your science czar John Holdren wrote about the constitutionality of required abortion to maintain population growth on a worldwide scale. Carol Browner, Clinton administrations retread and your energy czar comes to this position under a dark cloud. During her final day of running the EPA for President Clinton, she ordered the deletion of her computer records despite a court injunction to the contrary.
You keep company with people who voice chilling ideas-ideas that are shaping our future and will divide our nation and change its very nature. One of your top advisors in health reform, bioethicist Dr Ezekiel Rahm, expressed his belief that the Hippocratic Oath was an impediment to health reform. The “do no harm” section of the oath supposedly is responsible for unnecessary medical tests, and undo prolonging of life that drive up health care costs. He is the man recommending the compulsory end of life evaluations, which you would be required to have with your primary care doctor that would begin at age 65 and would continue at five-year intervals.
You were doing a good job controlling the media. Why you had the major networks stumbling over each other trying to get exclusives. It was a circus! But then, you let a little lace show. You planted that question from the Huffington Post blog. You managed to enrage even the Great Granny of the liberal press, Helen Thomas.
Evidently, you feel confident enough to show more of your true nature because the Sith is continuing to slip. You arranged to be questioned about the arrest of your friend Professor Gates in Cambridge by Sgt. Crowley. Admittedly without knowing the full circumstances, you made a judgment about the police involved saying they “acted stupidly.” You are charged with representing the people, not your friends. Your remarks were incendiary and fed racist ideology, but then again you spent twenty years in the pews of Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s church in Chicago. You seemed astounded by the negative reaction and once again try to return to the beatific, peaceful, Palpatine image, delivering a weak non-apology and having a beer at the White House. You orchestrated a teachable moment, but exactly what were you teaching? Better calibration? We saw camera shots from afar of the participants. You were talking and laughing. Vice-President Biden was doing a great impression of Ed McMahon roaring at everything you said, but Gates and Crowley seemed very subdued.
You jammed TARP down our throats; and the auto bailouts, and now you expect us to swallow health care reform. The snake on the Gaddesden flag representing the thirteen original colonies was not a boa constrictor. Just as it could not swallow a cow, we cannot swallow huge amounts of debt at a time and survive. In truth, people can only swallow so much deficit spending, so much government inefficiency, so much lying, and so much betrayal. You wish to take away our individualism, redistribute our wealth and the benefits derived by our achievements, relieve us of our personal responsibility to care for ourselves and our families, tax into an equal level of misery, and tell us this is a better, more American way of life. You, your advisers, your appointees and your faithful cohorts in Congress have awakened the hibernating rattler on that flag, and the people are beginning to shout: “Don’t Tread On Me!”
Mr. President, many notice that the man in the Oval Office does not lead our country, but attempts to rule our country. You, sir, are our stealth emperor. Take note, Emperor Obama, the history of the world has not been kind to emperors, nor has the world of fantasy and fiction. Americans will not tolerate an imperial presidency!
-"D"
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Crossing the line
There is spirit in this country. It was bought here by a group of people seeking the right to worship God in their own way. They were willing to risk everything to travel to an unexplored world and shape their own future. Not the act of a timid people. In spite of a hostile environment and extreme weather conditions they managed not only to survive but to progress and expand their colony. Throughout these times they were ever mindful of the hand of Divine Providence and continually gave thanks to God for delivering them from their persecutors.
This same spirit emboldened those who chafed under the leash of King George to rise up and call for change. Resentful of the restrictions placed on them by the Crown they sought to declare their independence and form a new union. Those brave souls placed themselves on the forefront of a revolution that would change the world. Their writings reflect a steadfast belief in God and a desire to make His laws the foundation of their brave new world.
Throughout our country's relatively brief history this spirit has been present in the undercurrent of history: a civil war, two world wars, the civil rights movement, 9/11. We are slow to anger but quick to respond. Now it seems that our own political leaders have forgotten or lack understanding of the forces that served as midwives to our great nation. Many people worked hard, some gave their very lives, to insure that we would remain a free people. To be betrayed from within is not acceptable and I for one do not plan to stand by and helplessly wring my hands .
Do we have an enviable like style in this country? Yes. Did we work damn hard to attain it? Yes. Do others have the same opportunity to work damn hard? Yes. Do some people believe this life should be handed to them on a silver platter? Yes. Is this a reasonable expectation? NO.
We were not founded by a bunch of wimps. We were founded by people who understood hard work, were not afraid of hard work and expected others to work just as hard as they did. And at the heart of their existence, with them in every struggle and every triumph, was their God.
Fortunately for them their leaders understood this, acknowledged a dependence on the will of the Almighty and girded themselves for daily battle.
Unfortunately for us our current leaders seek to remove this spirit from our country. They do not want people to be resilient and hard-working. No longer is self-reliance a virtue. Total dependence on a government that holds us in a choke hold is their goal. God has no place in this equation.
Slow to anger, quick to respond. Step carefully; scales are falling from eyes at a rapid rate. The threat to our way of life is becoming more obvious and the call to arms has been sounded. Teabag parties, town hall protests, politicians afraid to show their faces for fear of open confrontation by their constituents - sounds like the beginning of a revolution to me.
It's about time.
Dee
This same spirit emboldened those who chafed under the leash of King George to rise up and call for change. Resentful of the restrictions placed on them by the Crown they sought to declare their independence and form a new union. Those brave souls placed themselves on the forefront of a revolution that would change the world. Their writings reflect a steadfast belief in God and a desire to make His laws the foundation of their brave new world.
Throughout our country's relatively brief history this spirit has been present in the undercurrent of history: a civil war, two world wars, the civil rights movement, 9/11. We are slow to anger but quick to respond. Now it seems that our own political leaders have forgotten or lack understanding of the forces that served as midwives to our great nation. Many people worked hard, some gave their very lives, to insure that we would remain a free people. To be betrayed from within is not acceptable and I for one do not plan to stand by and helplessly wring my hands .
Do we have an enviable like style in this country? Yes. Did we work damn hard to attain it? Yes. Do others have the same opportunity to work damn hard? Yes. Do some people believe this life should be handed to them on a silver platter? Yes. Is this a reasonable expectation? NO.
We were not founded by a bunch of wimps. We were founded by people who understood hard work, were not afraid of hard work and expected others to work just as hard as they did. And at the heart of their existence, with them in every struggle and every triumph, was their God.
Fortunately for them their leaders understood this, acknowledged a dependence on the will of the Almighty and girded themselves for daily battle.
Unfortunately for us our current leaders seek to remove this spirit from our country. They do not want people to be resilient and hard-working. No longer is self-reliance a virtue. Total dependence on a government that holds us in a choke hold is their goal. God has no place in this equation.
Slow to anger, quick to respond. Step carefully; scales are falling from eyes at a rapid rate. The threat to our way of life is becoming more obvious and the call to arms has been sounded. Teabag parties, town hall protests, politicians afraid to show their faces for fear of open confrontation by their constituents - sounds like the beginning of a revolution to me.
It's about time.
Dee
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Medical Blues Pt. 2
To continue my little summer medical adventure, I ended up being admitted to the hospital that night only because my rheumatologist suspected pneumonia, even when an xray didn't confirm it. He wanted more sensitive tests including a CT scan with contrast of my lungs to eliminate a diagnosis of pleurisy or pneumonia. My primary care doctor backed him up. From this point on, no one from the hospital, ever talked to these two people again, even though, they presented information to me as if it has been discussed with them, and that decisions about my care had been made with their impute.
The CT scan showed fuzziness in t he lower right lobe and some more indications of pneumonia in an upper right lobe. An infectious disease doctor was called in. He claimed the original Xray did show indications of pneumonia. I determine was started on antibiotics. There were beau coup blood tests to a cause. The nursing staff were to determine that I needed oxygen and saw the order was given.
The house doctor said he thought I was just in an RA flare. After all, my sed rate was high. I really just needed some more prednesone, bed rest and some extra pain medication. As far as he was concerned I was taking up space.
Blood tests and cultures didn't reveal the culprit, but I was switched to a stronger wide spectrum antibiotic by the infectious disease doctor and began to improve within six hours.
When I was finally released, the two doctors were still disagreeing about my condition. The house doctor changed levels of some of my everyday meds without consulting my primary care doctor, but gave me the impression that this had her authority to do so.
The infecticous disease doctor questioned me and came up with a theory. I had been changing out the dirt in some plant pots that had wintered outside Some standing water had collected in them. I took care of these a few days before first growing ill. He believed that I has that while in a flare I was exposed to legionnaire's disease. Fortunately, it was caught in the early stages, leading to a lack of culture evidence.
Now, that house doctor wouldn't give an inch. Refused to consider the truth-that the treatment cured me. Disregard the wishes of my doctors to be involved in my case-despite my expressed directions.
On top of all this, neither doctor has ever written a report to my rheumatolgist ( which I requested) , and as of late Nov. , none had been written to my primary care doctor.
The hospital I used had been an institution of high repute. During the past three years it has deteriorated to the point that when I can, I will choose another.
The charges for my stay were high; the amount we pay for insurance is steep. I would expect that the focus of attending physicians would be on the needs of the patients and not on competition and one-up-manship with each other. Above all, the patient has relevant knowledge and information to offer if the doctor will listen. I know body and I know when something is wrong! I know the difference between a flare and something else that's wrong -like pneumonia.
grrrr
"D"
The CT scan showed fuzziness in t he lower right lobe and some more indications of pneumonia in an upper right lobe. An infectious disease doctor was called in. He claimed the original Xray did show indications of pneumonia. I determine was started on antibiotics. There were beau coup blood tests to a cause. The nursing staff were to determine that I needed oxygen and saw the order was given.
The house doctor said he thought I was just in an RA flare. After all, my sed rate was high. I really just needed some more prednesone, bed rest and some extra pain medication. As far as he was concerned I was taking up space.
Blood tests and cultures didn't reveal the culprit, but I was switched to a stronger wide spectrum antibiotic by the infectious disease doctor and began to improve within six hours.
When I was finally released, the two doctors were still disagreeing about my condition. The house doctor changed levels of some of my everyday meds without consulting my primary care doctor, but gave me the impression that this had her authority to do so.
The infecticous disease doctor questioned me and came up with a theory. I had been changing out the dirt in some plant pots that had wintered outside Some standing water had collected in them. I took care of these a few days before first growing ill. He believed that I has that while in a flare I was exposed to legionnaire's disease. Fortunately, it was caught in the early stages, leading to a lack of culture evidence.
Now, that house doctor wouldn't give an inch. Refused to consider the truth-that the treatment cured me. Disregard the wishes of my doctors to be involved in my case-despite my expressed directions.
On top of all this, neither doctor has ever written a report to my rheumatolgist ( which I requested) , and as of late Nov. , none had been written to my primary care doctor.
The hospital I used had been an institution of high repute. During the past three years it has deteriorated to the point that when I can, I will choose another.
The charges for my stay were high; the amount we pay for insurance is steep. I would expect that the focus of attending physicians would be on the needs of the patients and not on competition and one-up-manship with each other. Above all, the patient has relevant knowledge and information to offer if the doctor will listen. I know body and I know when something is wrong! I know the difference between a flare and something else that's wrong -like pneumonia.
grrrr
"D"
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Medical Blues
"D" here and anyone who may pursue Double Talk would immediately recognize my dwindling absence as a contributor since June. For years I have suffered from complicated medical conditions-fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, migraines, degenerative disk disease, sleep apnea., obesity. But for years, realizing I couldn't be active in many of the old pursuits of my life, I scaled back maintaining home traditions,, learning news ways to do old tasks, pursuing writing, and rekindling an interest in watercolor painting.
But new symptoms began creeping up: blackouts, falls, foggiheadedness, loss of time, sleep states where I would use objects I held in inappropriate ways. Was it narcolepsy? Was it seizures? Was it both? Was it my inability to use my CPAP machine (For medical novices, this machine is used for sleep apnea and keeps you breathing at night.and your sleep uninterrupted.), because of severe nasal sinus infections. In actuality the CPAP hadn't been very helpful for a few months before the chronic nasal issues.
My neurologist, concerned ordered a battery of tests, but before anything could be scheduled, I became sick with a most peculiar illness. Afternoon chills, were followed by a fever, followed by terrible joint/muscle and pain and breathing in and I thought I was experiencing an RA flare. The fever broke around nine in the evening. The next morning, except for fatigue and joint pain I was fine. The whole cycle repeated with a fever of 102.3 degrees and pain in the upper right back when I inspire. (High for someone who's normal is 97.6-) I'm sort of convinced this is related to my RA, so I call my rheumatologist. He is concerned that being inmune compromised I have pneumonia. He sends me to the local ER even though he doesn't admit there with instructions to call him immediately. I take his number. Also, he wanted the ER staff to contact my primary physician, who had admitting authority.
My next installment will take us into the belly of one beast.
But new symptoms began creeping up: blackouts, falls, foggiheadedness, loss of time, sleep states where I would use objects I held in inappropriate ways. Was it narcolepsy? Was it seizures? Was it both? Was it my inability to use my CPAP machine (For medical novices, this machine is used for sleep apnea and keeps you breathing at night.and your sleep uninterrupted.), because of severe nasal sinus infections. In actuality the CPAP hadn't been very helpful for a few months before the chronic nasal issues.
My neurologist, concerned ordered a battery of tests, but before anything could be scheduled, I became sick with a most peculiar illness. Afternoon chills, were followed by a fever, followed by terrible joint/muscle and pain and breathing in and I thought I was experiencing an RA flare. The fever broke around nine in the evening. The next morning, except for fatigue and joint pain I was fine. The whole cycle repeated with a fever of 102.3 degrees and pain in the upper right back when I inspire. (High for someone who's normal is 97.6-) I'm sort of convinced this is related to my RA, so I call my rheumatologist. He is concerned that being inmune compromised I have pneumonia. He sends me to the local ER even though he doesn't admit there with instructions to call him immediately. I take his number. Also, he wanted the ER staff to contact my primary physician, who had admitting authority.
My next installment will take us into the belly of one beast.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Plumber Joe from O-hi-o
Poor Joe the Plumber. I bet he'd like to buy back his 15 minutes of fame.
His crime? Asking Barack Obama a serious question about his tax plan.
And because he didn't have a teleprompter in front of him with a predetermined answer the Senator from Illinois gave an honest, revealing answer.
For this crime against humanity Joe is now being subjected to the equivalency of a shark feeding frenzy staged by the mainstream media.
Could it be any clearer that the media sits snugly in the pocket of the Democratic party? Ignore the disturbing answer and go after the plumber......NOW! Don't give the public time to think about the answer. They might not like their conclusions.
As a preschool teacher, I'm familiar with this technique. It's called redirecting. Changing the child's focus from one activity to another. The Wizard of Oz tried to use it when he told Dorothy and her friends to "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain." Well, it didn't work for the Wizard and I'd like to think we're at least as smart as Dorothy.
The real focus of that exchange should be on Obama and his answer not Joe and his question.
Hang in there, Joe. You asked a legitimate question. Like it or not, you are now a representative for middle class America. I only hope everyone is paying attention to the way Joe is being treated. Because if Barack Obama wins the election in November, it's how we're all going to be treated.
Dee
P.S. I predict that's the last time you'll see Senator Obama answer any off-the-cuff questions. No doubt they have the muzzle on nice and tight.
His crime? Asking Barack Obama a serious question about his tax plan.
And because he didn't have a teleprompter in front of him with a predetermined answer the Senator from Illinois gave an honest, revealing answer.
For this crime against humanity Joe is now being subjected to the equivalency of a shark feeding frenzy staged by the mainstream media.
Could it be any clearer that the media sits snugly in the pocket of the Democratic party? Ignore the disturbing answer and go after the plumber......NOW! Don't give the public time to think about the answer. They might not like their conclusions.
As a preschool teacher, I'm familiar with this technique. It's called redirecting. Changing the child's focus from one activity to another. The Wizard of Oz tried to use it when he told Dorothy and her friends to "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain." Well, it didn't work for the Wizard and I'd like to think we're at least as smart as Dorothy.
The real focus of that exchange should be on Obama and his answer not Joe and his question.
Hang in there, Joe. You asked a legitimate question. Like it or not, you are now a representative for middle class America. I only hope everyone is paying attention to the way Joe is being treated. Because if Barack Obama wins the election in November, it's how we're all going to be treated.
Dee
P.S. I predict that's the last time you'll see Senator Obama answer any off-the-cuff questions. No doubt they have the muzzle on nice and tight.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
How Fares the Dream?
The sixties were a turbulent time. Bob Dylan told us that "The times, they are a-changin", and while this was true it wasn't easy. The decade was a crucible for violence best exemplified by the assassinations of John and Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King. Standing up for your beliefs could land you squarely in the cross hairs of some madman's gun.
The best change is a gradual change, one that has time to take root and be nurtured carefully. When change is thrust upon one it is more likely to be resisted. The Rev. Dr. King understood this. While realizing the time had come for those of color to stand up and be recognized as co-heirs to the American dream of liberty and justice for all he also realized that if this was to be a lasting accomplishment it must be pursued by peaceful means and actions.
In August of 1963, Martin Luther King gave a speech at the Lincoln Memorial. He spoke to a quarter of a million civil rights supporters, black and white, of his dream of a future where brotherhood between all men was the standard. He acknowledged his dream to be deeply rooted in the American dream. He gave voice to his faith that "we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood". He spoke of a time when his children would be judged not "by the color of their skin but by the content of their character". He was mindful of not creating an atmosphere that fostered the need for revenge against real and perceived wrongdoings. He admonished his followers, "In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred".
Dr. King was well aware of the real possibility that his dream could be twisted and exploited by those who sought only to advance themselves by drawing on the natural tendency of people to desire retribution from their adversaries. Sadly, some of those people walked by his side and pretended to espouse the virtues of Dr. King's beliefs while biding their time until they could stir the pot of racial division and bring it to a full boil.
Several months prior to his speech at the Lincoln Memorial Dr. King was arrested in Birmingham, Alabama for his role in the Birmingham Campaign, a movement to end the city's segregated policies. While in jail Dr. King wrote a letter to fellow clergymen to address their reservations about the means being used by Dr. King and his supporters. He quoted great biblical and historical figures in his argument for the need to change. He warned of a frightening racial nightmare if his white brothers did not heed his nonviolent efforts. Martin Luther King defined his position as standing between those blacks who had become complacent and insensitive and the black nationalist groups that had repudiated Christianity and were fueled by hatred and despair.
Rev. King dreamed of a day when freedom would ring out all over America for all of her people. His dream was that all of God's children would be able to join hands and sing, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"
So, what has become of the dream?
For the first time in our history an African-American stands poised to assume the mantle of the presidency. Is this a fulfillment of Dr. King's dream, the culmination of the many marches for equality that took place in the sixties? How did Barack Obama arrive at this position? Did his experience lead him to the race for the presidency? Sadly, no. He is woefully inexperienced for any position of leadership. His time in the Senate has been limited. Being a community organizer does not qualify one for the highest office in the land. Being able to produce sound bites does not qualify one for the highest office in the land. Simply being African-American does not qualify one for the highest office in the land.
However, this last point is the selling point for the Democratic Party. If you don't support Obama, you must be a (gasp) racist! If Obama doesn't win, there will be riots in the streets! (Never mind that this is fear-mongering at it's worst and insulting to African-Americans nationwide.) Democratic leaders openly accuse their own constituents of racism in anticipation of their lack of support for the Senator from Illinois. Some are poised to throw Israel under the bus to create division and gain support.
The Democratic Party slogan now seems to be, "By hook or by crook". They have never gotten over their double loss to George W. Bush. To listen to them today you would think they are still running against George W. and I suppose in a way they are. They are stuck in the year 2000 still trying to claim a victory that the Supreme Court declared was not theirs. They want to reclaim the presidency (as if they are the sole heirs to it) and undo any policy that has Bush's name on it. If they could strike his name from the records, I'm sure they would do just that.
What does this have to do with the dream?
It shows the mindset of those who promote Obama. His virtue lies not in the fact that he is a qualified black man but that he is a good front man for their agenda. Any objections to his candidacy are immediately met with cries of racism. This is the club that will be used to beat back any challenges to his qualifications to run for president. This is the crutch they extend to those who cannot win by their own merit. It has nothing to do with content of character and everything to do with the color of skin.
Dr. King dreamed of hearing freedom ring out across the land in proclamation of the brotherhood of all men. Instead all we hear from the Democrats is the maniacal laughter of the power hungry as they seek to take our rights away and impose their will on us.
Is the dream dead?
No but it is proper poorly. The dream is not partisan, it is not political, it is not a means to an end. And shame on those who treat it as such. It is either a dream for all to fulfill or it will forever fall short of it's mark.
Please, America, do not let this vision fade. Push off those who would seek to hijack Dr. King's dream for their own limited agenda. Restore the dream to it's rightful place, a place that transcends party politics and encourages humanity to be ever mindful of the fact that we are all God's children.
Dee
The best change is a gradual change, one that has time to take root and be nurtured carefully. When change is thrust upon one it is more likely to be resisted. The Rev. Dr. King understood this. While realizing the time had come for those of color to stand up and be recognized as co-heirs to the American dream of liberty and justice for all he also realized that if this was to be a lasting accomplishment it must be pursued by peaceful means and actions.
In August of 1963, Martin Luther King gave a speech at the Lincoln Memorial. He spoke to a quarter of a million civil rights supporters, black and white, of his dream of a future where brotherhood between all men was the standard. He acknowledged his dream to be deeply rooted in the American dream. He gave voice to his faith that "we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood". He spoke of a time when his children would be judged not "by the color of their skin but by the content of their character". He was mindful of not creating an atmosphere that fostered the need for revenge against real and perceived wrongdoings. He admonished his followers, "In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred".
Dr. King was well aware of the real possibility that his dream could be twisted and exploited by those who sought only to advance themselves by drawing on the natural tendency of people to desire retribution from their adversaries. Sadly, some of those people walked by his side and pretended to espouse the virtues of Dr. King's beliefs while biding their time until they could stir the pot of racial division and bring it to a full boil.
Several months prior to his speech at the Lincoln Memorial Dr. King was arrested in Birmingham, Alabama for his role in the Birmingham Campaign, a movement to end the city's segregated policies. While in jail Dr. King wrote a letter to fellow clergymen to address their reservations about the means being used by Dr. King and his supporters. He quoted great biblical and historical figures in his argument for the need to change. He warned of a frightening racial nightmare if his white brothers did not heed his nonviolent efforts. Martin Luther King defined his position as standing between those blacks who had become complacent and insensitive and the black nationalist groups that had repudiated Christianity and were fueled by hatred and despair.
Rev. King dreamed of a day when freedom would ring out all over America for all of her people. His dream was that all of God's children would be able to join hands and sing, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"
So, what has become of the dream?
For the first time in our history an African-American stands poised to assume the mantle of the presidency. Is this a fulfillment of Dr. King's dream, the culmination of the many marches for equality that took place in the sixties? How did Barack Obama arrive at this position? Did his experience lead him to the race for the presidency? Sadly, no. He is woefully inexperienced for any position of leadership. His time in the Senate has been limited. Being a community organizer does not qualify one for the highest office in the land. Being able to produce sound bites does not qualify one for the highest office in the land. Simply being African-American does not qualify one for the highest office in the land.
However, this last point is the selling point for the Democratic Party. If you don't support Obama, you must be a (gasp) racist! If Obama doesn't win, there will be riots in the streets! (Never mind that this is fear-mongering at it's worst and insulting to African-Americans nationwide.) Democratic leaders openly accuse their own constituents of racism in anticipation of their lack of support for the Senator from Illinois. Some are poised to throw Israel under the bus to create division and gain support.
The Democratic Party slogan now seems to be, "By hook or by crook". They have never gotten over their double loss to George W. Bush. To listen to them today you would think they are still running against George W. and I suppose in a way they are. They are stuck in the year 2000 still trying to claim a victory that the Supreme Court declared was not theirs. They want to reclaim the presidency (as if they are the sole heirs to it) and undo any policy that has Bush's name on it. If they could strike his name from the records, I'm sure they would do just that.
What does this have to do with the dream?
It shows the mindset of those who promote Obama. His virtue lies not in the fact that he is a qualified black man but that he is a good front man for their agenda. Any objections to his candidacy are immediately met with cries of racism. This is the club that will be used to beat back any challenges to his qualifications to run for president. This is the crutch they extend to those who cannot win by their own merit. It has nothing to do with content of character and everything to do with the color of skin.
Dr. King dreamed of hearing freedom ring out across the land in proclamation of the brotherhood of all men. Instead all we hear from the Democrats is the maniacal laughter of the power hungry as they seek to take our rights away and impose their will on us.
Is the dream dead?
No but it is proper poorly. The dream is not partisan, it is not political, it is not a means to an end. And shame on those who treat it as such. It is either a dream for all to fulfill or it will forever fall short of it's mark.
Please, America, do not let this vision fade. Push off those who would seek to hijack Dr. King's dream for their own limited agenda. Restore the dream to it's rightful place, a place that transcends party politics and encourages humanity to be ever mindful of the fact that we are all God's children.
Dee
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Same old, same old
Yet another "talking head" from CNN weighs in with the opinion that racism is a major factor in this race. Jack Cafferty opines that the fact that Barck Obama is a black man is the only reason he is not leaps and bound ahead of John McCain.
Well, Jack, you're half right. Racism does play a role in the presidential campaign but I assert that the only reason Obama is a player is because he's African-American and the Dems have decided that the time is ripe for a president of color. Not someone with experience, God forbid, or someone who could stand up to the machine. No, someone woefully inexperienced but with enough of an ego to think he's the person for the job. Someone who will willingly parrot the standard party line but isn't really capable of thinking for himself.
"Tag, Senator Obama, you're it!"
Of course, I'm not the first person to arrive at this conclusion. Former Democratic VP candidate Geraldine Ferraro voiced a similar opinion and was duly chastised by her party for daring to break ranks and voice an opinion that didn't show "nothin' but love" for the Senator from Illinois.
Today's Democratic Party is yesterday's Republican Party. Remember Richard Nixon and his Dirty-Tricks Gang? Where do you think the fill-in-the-blank gate phrase came from? Tricky Dick and the Watergate escapade. People were so desperate for change after this fiasco of a presidency that we ended up with 4 years of Jimmy Carter. 'Nuff said.
Now Senator Obama is urging his supporters to argue with McCain supporters and "get in their face". Truly, Senator, I don't recommend this strategy. As a preschool teacher, I assure you I can more than take out anyone who thinks they can intimidate me into changing my vote. I've studied with the masters. However, the Senator assures us he's been schooled by Chicago politics so I guess the arm-twisting and intimidation practices are deeply ingrained in him. I'm just surprised he admits to it so freely.
Unlike MSNBC's Chris Matthews, Senator Obama does not send a tingle up my leg but rather a cold chill down my spine.
Dee
Well, Jack, you're half right. Racism does play a role in the presidential campaign but I assert that the only reason Obama is a player is because he's African-American and the Dems have decided that the time is ripe for a president of color. Not someone with experience, God forbid, or someone who could stand up to the machine. No, someone woefully inexperienced but with enough of an ego to think he's the person for the job. Someone who will willingly parrot the standard party line but isn't really capable of thinking for himself.
"Tag, Senator Obama, you're it!"
Of course, I'm not the first person to arrive at this conclusion. Former Democratic VP candidate Geraldine Ferraro voiced a similar opinion and was duly chastised by her party for daring to break ranks and voice an opinion that didn't show "nothin' but love" for the Senator from Illinois.
Today's Democratic Party is yesterday's Republican Party. Remember Richard Nixon and his Dirty-Tricks Gang? Where do you think the fill-in-the-blank gate phrase came from? Tricky Dick and the Watergate escapade. People were so desperate for change after this fiasco of a presidency that we ended up with 4 years of Jimmy Carter. 'Nuff said.
Now Senator Obama is urging his supporters to argue with McCain supporters and "get in their face". Truly, Senator, I don't recommend this strategy. As a preschool teacher, I assure you I can more than take out anyone who thinks they can intimidate me into changing my vote. I've studied with the masters. However, the Senator assures us he's been schooled by Chicago politics so I guess the arm-twisting and intimidation practices are deeply ingrained in him. I'm just surprised he admits to it so freely.
Unlike MSNBC's Chris Matthews, Senator Obama does not send a tingle up my leg but rather a cold chill down my spine.
Dee
Friday, July 18, 2008
A Tiny Glimmer
This Presidential election season drones on and on dragging us along into a dark and dreary future. Having no one that I can support with my heart and mind leaves this voter cold. At least I am cold when I am not offended, angrered or brought to despair by the crop of candidates that 2008 has produced.
But just when I am deciding whether it would be better to slam my head against the wall, or lay across the nearest train tracks to end this unbearable pain (I rate it right up there with passing a kidney stone, childbirth and a triple root canal.), the creative fraternal forces of JIB JAB rescue me from the morass.
Time for Some Campaigin' set to the tune of Dylan's The Times They Are a Changin' is an animated production which encapsulates the Presidential election season -nominees, the other major political players, the respective political parties, the whole campaign process, and the voters themselves.
No matter which side of the aisle you sit on, you are a boor, if you cannot enjoy good satire, even if it is directed at you personally. So to all of you who were only offended by having your guy, or gal, party, or position made the target of their rapier wit, get over it and learn to laugh.
For those who think the whole thing is appalling unAmerican and unpatriotic, you haven't got a clue! Political satire is a part of our American political heritage that can be traced to out colonial roots.
We need good satire. It provides me a glimmer of hope that from time to time, we can actually look at the political "realities"without shutting our eye our eyes and clenching our teeth and denying they even exist.
"D"
But just when I am deciding whether it would be better to slam my head against the wall, or lay across the nearest train tracks to end this unbearable pain (I rate it right up there with passing a kidney stone, childbirth and a triple root canal.), the creative fraternal forces of JIB JAB rescue me from the morass.
Time for Some Campaigin' set to the tune of Dylan's The Times They Are a Changin' is an animated production which encapsulates the Presidential election season -nominees, the other major political players, the respective political parties, the whole campaign process, and the voters themselves.
No matter which side of the aisle you sit on, you are a boor, if you cannot enjoy good satire, even if it is directed at you personally. So to all of you who were only offended by having your guy, or gal, party, or position made the target of their rapier wit, get over it and learn to laugh.
For those who think the whole thing is appalling unAmerican and unpatriotic, you haven't got a clue! Political satire is a part of our American political heritage that can be traced to out colonial roots.
We need good satire. It provides me a glimmer of hope that from time to time, we can actually look at the political "realities"without shutting our eye our eyes and clenching our teeth and denying they even exist.
"D"
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