Right As Usual

It's been dreadfully muggy, and in the 80s most of the day. I've been coughing (asthma flare-up), too tired to move much, and trying to intermittently work on the house. We have visitors coming, and the place, as of 2 days ago, was a wreck. It's truly amazing how much you can get done when you work for a while, sit down for a while, and then work again. I've been plugging away, and we're nearly done. It won't be Versaille, but it will be respectable.

I found this via PowerLine . It's a wickedly funny parody of a Facebook page, but for Barack Obama. I imagine he'll be steamed. Look for them to retaliate with a McCainBook page.

Megan McArdle gets it. I understand why many people don't accept that a consecrated host is sacred. If you're not a Catholic, you may well feel that "It's just a cracker". Having said that, common decency requires that you not stomp on other people's religious symbols. You don't handle a Koran carelessly, you don't litter on the Native American's sacred sites, you don't deface a Japanese ancestor's grave. I'm also completely flummoxed by the people saying a consecrated host is JUST A CRACKER, so why is everyone getting all upset? Would it be okay if I spraypainted obscenities on your mother's grave because it's just a piece of highly compressed igneous rock with some lines chiseled into it? How about if I photoshop your a photo of your now-grown child onto a piece of child porn, because after all, no one's actually hurt by this--it's just a piece of paper. If you reduce symbols to their base physical constituents, the...

I found this post , from a middle-aged man, about the role of religion in life - and death. He has an interesting perspective about changes that took place from the 1960s onward.

From Charles Martin at Pajamas Media: Given the chance to support American soldiers, and no photo op, Obama said, “not worth the trouble.” McCain, given the chance to meet with the leader of millions of oppressed people, goes out of his way, even though the visit is unlikely to win him much goodwill, much less any votes. And that’s not news. But it should be.

The Spectator has a post about a change in the housing mortgage bailout bill. The bill's language: No funds under this title may be used in conjunction with property taken by eminent domain, unless eminent domain is employed only for a public use, except that, for purposes of this section, public use shall not be construed to include economic development that primarily benefits any private entity. What the Spectator says: This new language in the House bill would give property-grabbing bureaucrats an easy way around the supposed prohibition on using eminent domain. All they would have to do is take property for any reason that Kelo allows, then come up with another project for the specific use of that property. If land were grabbed for general economic development, as Kelo permits, and then a new project were created for a city to sell this land to developers, this would likely not be a violation of the House bill. After all, the new project isn't "seeking" to use e...

Lawyers get a bad rap. Everyone knows a few good lawyer jokes: Warning Signs that you Might Need a Different Lawyer 1. Your lawyer tells you that his last good case was of Budweiser. 2. When the prosecutors see your lawyer, they high-five each other. 3. Your lawyer picks the jury by playing "duck-duck-goose." 4. Your lawyer tells you that he has never told a lie. 5. A prison guard is shaving your head. [Disclaimer: My brother-in-law is a lawyer, and he tells the funniest lawyer jokes] Jokes aside, the overwhelming numbers of that profession are hard-working, honest, and practice using the highest ethical standards. When you need a lawyer, you want one of those. Let's face it, nobody wants to HAVE to hire a lawyer. When you do, you are often: In legal trouble Facing an emotionally difficult personal crisis (death, divorce, bankruptcy) Trying to collect on money owed you (lawsuit, medical, personal injury, or other compensation) To whom do you turn? One e...

I found out about PPHN , on the linked website. What is PPHN? Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) occurs when a newborn's circulation system does not adapt to breathing outside the womb. While a fetus is in the womb, it gets its oxygen from its mother's placenta through the umbilical cords, so the lungs need little blood supply. There is high blood pressure in the lungs, so blood in the pulmonary artery is sent away from the lungs to the other organs through a fetal blood vessel, called the ductus arteriosus. When a baby is born and takes its first breaths, the blood pressure in their lungs falls and there is an increased blood flow to the lungs, where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged. The blood is then returned to the heart and pumped back out to the body. The ductus arteriosus constricts and permanently closes in the first day of life. However, in babies with PPHN, the pressure in the lungs remains high and the ductus arterious remains open, allowi...

The Money Line: Senator Obama told the American people what he thought you wanted to hear. I told you the truth. With 3 months to go, McCain is making his move. The momentum could be in his favor. The only down side is that Obama may pull a last-minute save, by selecting Hillary as his running mate. It would be hard to beat those demographics, and the Independent and Undecided voters might break Obama's way.

Larry Kudlow, at National Review, has a post lauding McCain's position on shoring up Fannie & Freddie - McCain is against the practice of bailing out non-government instititions who screw up: Americans should be outraged at the latest sweetheart deal in Washington. Congress will put U.S. taxpayers on the hook for potentially hundreds of billions of dollars to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It's a tribute to what these two institutions — which most Americans have never heard of — have bought with more than $170-million worth of lobbyists in the past decade. This is vintage McCain. We are stuck with the reality that they have grown so large that we must support Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac through the current rough spell. But if a dime of taxpayer money ends up being directly invested, the management and the board should immediately be replaced, multimillion dollar salaries should be cut, and bonuses and other compensation should be eliminated. They should cease all lob...

It looks like the parent publisher is running scared. The "McCain" spouse cover makes fun of John's age (can't imagine that will hurt him with the likeliest voters), and Cindy's pain killer addiction. I'm betting this is an attempt to deflect criticism for the New Yorker ("we're just having good fun with ALL the candidates") cover of the Obamas. Click this link to judge for yourself - I think the cover's humor is kinda lame.

Mark Shea has a post about efforts to expand the Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) laws in that state. Just one reason for the bill to be voted down: there is word from Oregon that some of those who asked for the lethal dose of pills were being manipulated by adult children wanting their inheritance sooner. Not one of those requesting PAS was evaluated for depression in the latest 2007 statistics. And as to the rest, who knows--the Oregon law does not allow investigation of assisted suicide cases and requires the destruction of all records within a year, so it is nearly impossible to track who is requesting PAS and how people actually died. This next part is horrifying to me, as some of my ancestors were Dutch: In Holland, which is the pioneer of the pro-euthanasia movement, doctors euthanize patients without permission. One physician told how he had killed an elderly nun because he knew that her religious scruples would never have allowed her to request this herself--so he did it for ...

Who does he think he is - Clay Aiken?

Over at The Next Right , there's a heated discussion of voting patterns. The poster, Sean Oxendine, believes that voting patterns are stable over time. While it's true that the coastal region of SC has not changed much, as the following popular joke indicates: How many Charlestonians does it take to change a light bulb? CHANGE? (horrified face) nonetheless, this year will be different. Why? The incredible growth in the Piedmont area, particularly in Rock Hill and surrounding locations. Every day, there is major road building, house raising, and office construction going on. The distinctive Southern speech of most of SC is fast disappearing, as the Northern newcomers move in. And nowhere is the growth faster than in the Piedmont region. By sheer numbers, the Reds will gain a majority of the state's votes. The newcomers are educated, liberal-leaning, and likely to vote.

For $ 5 million, Obama's ads will reach a young audience. The trouble with that thinking, is that the audience includes many who will not vote: viewers from other countries, unregistered residents, under-18s, and, well, the young, whose record of turning out is not stellar. I'm wondering when the commercials will be aired, and whether the timing will be for major sports, or for the ping-pong semi-finals. This has the potential to turn into one of the bonehead moves of this campaign. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

Would someone yank this guy's law license? He obviously missed the classes on what constitutes a crime. Meanwhile, let's here it for Postville, IA citizens, who will be demonstrating this Saturday (July 27), for enforcement of the immigration laws. It may be hard for citizens of other countries to understand, but Americans take laws seriously. As we, through our constitutional processes, have a say in what laws are enacted (usually!), we have a stake in their enforcement. In other countries, laws are felt to be an impediment to one's life; unimportant, and arbitrary. Violation of a law is to be dealt with, not by fines, imprisonment, and public disgrace, but by payment of money, to "make it go away". Good! I'm increasingly concerned, as a science teacher, about the extent to which unvaccinated aliens may jeopardize the American health. Not that American chuckleheads who refuse to vaccinate their children aren't a problem, but I'm happy when the reg...

Few people have to be told that home ownership is no longer an easy ride to financial well-being. The news headlines are filled with gloomy reports of falling home prices and rise in home foreclosures . Think you won't be affected by foreclosure? That's probably what THIS man thought. It's hard to imagine yourself needing to get out from under debt so large that your home ownership could be in jeopardy. Yet, it's not that uncommon, as evidenced by the video of Ed McMahon. What causes the problem? Sometimes it's a mortgage that was beyond the owners ability to pay from the beginning - and, if you've got an interest-only loan, that may well be your situation. Sometimes it's unexpected financial reverses due to change in life circumstances - unemployment, health issues, or divorce. I know - after an auto accident this spring, I found that I was personally liable for all the bills; eventually, the insurance company will make a settlement, but, in the mean...

I've been reading of Barack Obama's latest suggestions - particularly for a civilian "security force" - and feel the oncoming chill of the F-word. I mean Fascism. Now, I know that to throw around the N-word - Nazi - is a major faux pas on the 'net. Likewise, the F-word is similarly taboo. But, in this case, no other word is appropriate. Roger's Rules (Pajamamedia.com) hits it on the nailhead. Obama is pushing for a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded as the US military. Roger asks the right questions: Whom or what would such a security force police? Whom would they protect? Whom would they intimidate? Here's what they'd look like - the civilian force of its time.

I found this post today, when looking at female tattoos. I wouldn't want one myself (I've enough pain in my life without actively seeking more), but she makes a case for the body art.

She's pretty. I can't say that I understand why she'd want to add that tat to her chest. She has the kind of chest men look at without the pictures.

I'm going to be experimenting with a new revenue source - the Sponsored Review. Think of it as another form of advertising. This review is about a medical assistant school , the St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants. It's a distance-learning school. This is a for-profit company, chartered in the Virgin Islands. From their website: St. Augustine Educational Services, inc. is an IBC in the British Virgin Islands that provides internet based virtual correspondence distance education programs, after completion of our programs we award a certificate of completion, anyone interested in our program should check with potential employers and local governmental agencies to assure that our certificate of completion will meet their needs. We are not a college or university and as such we do not award college degrees, college credits or diplomas. In addition, we award a basic "certificate of completion" after finishing our programs. We do not provide “certification” for n...

I'm putting in the link to this week's Blogburst - which asks the question, are the crime stats being jiggered with to minimize alien crime?

I knew that Obama had more money - considerably more - than McCain. What I didn't realize is that he planned to spend it all, as soon as possible, leading to a growth industry - the Obama Monster That Ate Pittsburgh! If this is a preview of what we can expect for the federal budget - anytime there's a problem, throw money at it - we're in a lot of trouble if he wins. Which is by no means a surety.

Obama made it clear that he didn't appreciate off-color humor. What was inappropriate? Apparently Mac used the word "ho" - and he wasn't referring to Obama's Farm Policy. He made a few other crude remarks - but, after all, he's a comedian, and one that has always cussed in his act. Did Obama expect him to change now? Another of his "jokes" that the women in the audience didn't find funny "Having a black first lady is different: You're still going have to do the dishes and the laundry and all that . . . you got to pick up the kids," Mac said. "'You didn't pick up the kids?' 'I just came from Korea, talking about nuclear weapons.' 'You were on Air Force One and you couldn't stop to pick up the kids?' Actually, that IS kinda funny.

The MSM is portraying Obama as a virtual slam-dunk winner, but the uncooperative voting public isn't playing along. This week, several people, staunch Democrats, came up to me and confided their unease with Barack Obama in the presidential slot. The word that came up repeatedly was "inexperienced". Few voters feel comfortable with the prospect of a rookie in the White House. Obama's thin resume isn't reassuring them.

I had to read this twice to make sure I wasn't reading The Onion. Yeah, that'll impress Bubba and the boys - "Lookie here, Gordie, that African guy that's running for president is a NASCAR fan. Wull, guess that means we'uns need to show our support by putting him in office. Maybe he'll turn that ol' Rose Garden into a track! I'd visit Washington for THAT! " Yeah. That'll happen.

Obama has another flip-flop moment. He can't decide what to do with Osama. I used to think there would never be another candidate as indecisive as Kerry. I was wrong.

I found an interesting tidbit at The NewsRoom . J-1 Visa abuse is a serious problem. By serving as an entry vehicle to the US, holders avoid the hazards of using the alien smuggling infrastructure, as well as potentially triggering suspicion at the border crossing. The abuse comes from holders who do as Masood did, and overstay their visa. J-1 visas are intended to be a temporary permit. Holders are expected to return to their home country for 2 years after expiration. Only after that, will they be permitted to apply for entry to the US. Unfortunately, waivers are available, and many use them (I'm trying to track down the exact numbers). I found some estimated numbers: From FAIR - Federation for American Immigration Reform . The most recent estimate of the INS is that about 40 percent of the nine to eleven million illegal alien residents in the United States originally entered the country with nonimmigrant visas. The GAO - Government Accountability Office has a plethora of doc...

I just found this warning about the side effects of Gardasil, the vaccine that claims to prevent cervical cancer. Raven does a magnificent job of tearing down the inflated claims about the drug's wonder status. Roughly 15,000 women a year are DX with cervical cancer. Many will catch it in it’s early stages where it can be successfully treated. Life expectancy is high for those who take care of themselves. Remember not all these cancers are caused by HPV…and the women who are DX with this have other risk factors present. Go, read the rest - it's an awesomely comprehensive answer to the scare mongers who want to force all young women to submit to vaccination.

I can't say that I like this amendment - it releases companies from responsibility for what their subcontractors do - if they use illegal immigrants, the contracting company is not liable. It allows companies to bypass immigration laws, and claim they don't know what their subcontractors are doing. Yeah, right. Expect to see more attempts to bring in illegals, and immunize employers from the legal consequences. I'm against this - if you break the law, throw your scheming butt in jail.

Recently, both presumptive Presidential candidates have been addressing immigration. It's not clear who has the edge.

The Strata-Sphere provides convincing evidence that the certificate of birth shown on the web is a genuine document. What does genuine mean? Not photoshopped. That it exists on paper, not just electronically. However, that doesn't negate the possibility that the document is still a phony. I recently had to submit paperwork for a teaching certificate, and EVERY document had to be sent from its source, even though I had gone through the procedure before, in SC. Why do the agencies do that? Because it's all too easy to get genuine-looking documents, even using official paper, seals, et al. You think these official papers aren't available? You think a determined faker can't bribe an underpaid state or county employee? Please! The only way to be sure is for a REPUTABLE news organization, like the Pajama Media, to hand-carry a request to see the original documents (signed by Obama) to the actual place where the document (or it's microfilm copy) is. Or, find a resen...

The flap about Obama's birth certificate is, perhaps surprisingly, still a roiling issue. Check out the latest at Israelinsider. One issue about Obama I've not seen addressed is what happened in the years he was in Indonesia - is there a chance that his stepfather adopted him? Making him Indonesian (for the purposes of the Presidential election)? What I see about all this hocus-pocus birth certificate stuff is: SOMETHING is being concealed - and it's not necessarily the birth. By focusing on the birth in Hawaii, the rest of the story is not being investigated. His official story is missing many pieces, and I don't see them being filled in by reporters in the MSM. Which leaves us bloggers.

Those of us who are concerned about illegal immigration need to keep a close watch on lobbying efforts in our states. I'm going to mark my state site (SC), and keep up-to-date on any proposed changes in state law or regulation. Also, check out this chart - it shows what your state's position on granting unemployment benefits to illegal aliens is.

I read this, and flashed back to the late 70s, when locking gas caps were introduced. With the size of SUVs and RVs, the theft of a tankful would be, at today's prices, grand theft.

News is slow this month.  Television and cable seem to be gearing up for the summer's end events: The Summer Olympics in China The conventions - Democratic and Republican I don't expect too many topical issues to suddenly arise, so I will be creating some blog posts, to be published at determined intervals.  Some of these posts will relate to immigration. In this light, I'll add a link to the Blogs4Borders Blogburst. Hope your Celebrating Freedom weekend is everything you hope for. Blogged with the Flock Browser

I've been reading the electronic version of Bill Sammon's "Misunderestimated", and it's utterly fascinating. I highly recommend it. I've also been thinking about the upcoming election. Conventional wisdom is that Obama is a shoo-in. I'm wondering whether this is one of those times that the conventional wisdom is dead wrong. Obama comes from the leftist tradition of scorched-earth tactics. His previous background of community organizer is widely viewed, by the general public, as a kind of guardian of Boys & Girls clubs, community gardens, and clean up the streets efforts. Nothing could be further from the truth. The community organizers are an offshoot of leftist radical theory. These organizers were trained to go back into the 'hood, and deliberately fan the flames of discontent. They were told to frame every dispute, not as a problem that could, with existing systems, be resolved, but as a way of digging a trench between the people and the ...

I joined Facebook, at the invitation of a friend in the Pajamas Media , with which I am associated. My kids thought it was cool, and, for a time, it mostly served to get in contact with friends and cousins I had lost touch with. Yes, my friends & family are mostly as geeky as I am. Recently, I've been playing around with the Blog Networks app, and it occurred to me that people could use some introduction to the ways of using it to improve your blog's stats. You want to claim any blogs you have. To do this, sign up for the app, and Add a Blog (yours). Search for blogs with similar characteristics - you will want to join their network. At first, I just looked at the Top Blogs, but what you want to do is specifically look for blogs like yours. The Browse Blogs feature allows you to zoom in on the topics you want, then check them out. This brings up the Top 50. My strategy is to go down to the bottom of the Top 50, and, methodically, take a good look at them. Using this...

I've been running around this week, trying to clear up loose ends before we head out on the road next week. I'm playing around with the Post-Dated Post feature. My goal is to set up some posts to be published in the future; with luck, I'll be able to attend the conferences/workshops without having to peek at the blog. Almost like a vacation.

It appears that the evidence against tomatoes may be flawed: I've long wondered about the direct cause & effect relationship. I suspect that the culprit may, in fact, be the food preparers - who fail to wash their hands. Too many people rely on hand sanitizers, and use them as a replacement for washing, rather than a supplement to it.