My friend Joan sent this today

The Supreme Court has ruled that there cannot be a Nativity Scene in the United States' Capital this Christmas season.

This isn't for any religious reason. They simply have not been able to find Three Wise Men in the Nation's Capitol.

A search for a Virgin continues.

There was no problem, however, finding enough asses to fill the stable.

Think on this

"America is not perfect," says Dr Singh, a refugee from Burma, from whence he fled with his family because "there are no human rights in Myanmar, no human rights."

"But to my mind," he continues with genuine feeling, "it [America] is the best place, bar none, the best place to live in the world."

And Why Not?

I wonder if sales of pepper spray have jumped in the last week.

Everybody's using it of late. Campus police, Black Friday shoppers, off-duty policemen.

Maybe I need to get some.

Sickened

The Penn State mess breaks a person's heart. It is truly sickening to know there are people like that. No need to go into detail here. Details are everywhere just now. Turn on your TV or radio or internet.

Three scriptures have come to mind, all saying the same thing, and they echo what has been circulating in my brain.

Romans 3:10, Psalm 14:1, Psalm 53:1-3. In essence, there is none that doeth good, none righteous; no, not one.

That's how I'm feeling, looking at college football today, wondering, worrying. Thinking of my boys and my girls and their boys and girls, with their sweetness and innocence. Yes, I pray for a shelter over all of them.

Proud of him? Not

Sarkozy and Obama in private conversation about Israel's Netanyahu:

Sarkozy: I cannot bear Netanyahu. He's a liar.
Obama: You're fed up with him, but I have to deal with him even more often than you.

Only, turns out the mikes were on.

Beyond awkward, beyond unwise, beyond stupid.

These are our world's leaders.

Am I Wrong Here?

Is it my imagination? Or is Obama becoming more and more irrelevant?

Libya

Why must we see pictures of Ghaddafi's death face on every online news source? One site offered a slide show of 31 shots of it.

Heavens.

And Secretary Clinton's assurance to those folks over there a few days ago (before we knew of Gadhafi's death) that "We're on your side" scares the heck out of me.

How can we know that? What is their side? Democracy maybe? Along with what?

How do you spell Qadhafi?

This is America, remember

Toos told stories Sunday of life as a child in The Netherlands during WWII. She was nine years old when the Germans invaded in 1940. Before very long, there was no food; many people were starving.

Stealing a few potatoes from the German supply boat was a life and death endeavor. Toos and her little brother each had a stick with a nail fastened to the end for piercing a potato. "The German guards were there, always ready to shoot. We watched, and when the guard went around the other side of the boat, we ran and stuck a potato. We got four." Not much, but the family had four potatoes to boil that night for dinner.

People ate their pet rabbits. "You had to bring your rabbits in the house at night or they would be taken." Soon, there were no rabbits left. Then if you could get a rabbit from someone, you would pay dearly for it. Some folks would sell a rabbit, for as much as $75, and you would end up with a cat, head and tail and hind legs cut off so you couldn't tell. After a while there were no cats.

Toos's neighbors had a kitten, Mimi. On a desperate day, the mother went to her neighbor and asked, "Will you please kill Mimi for me?" Those children ate well that night and said, "We must save these bones for Mimi."

I'm about ten years younger than Toos. I was born in 1940 and not in Holland, so I knew nothing of these things.

We lived in West Los Angeles. I became aware of rationing--sugar, gasoline--and of our need to save tin. I remember hearing big guns being fired for practice. I remember some childhood apprehension now and then about war, but that would have been between rides on my scooter or playing Let's Pretend with other children in the front yard. I do remember VJ Day, September 2, 1945, my fifth birthday. I remember the newspaper my Aunt Allie brought to show us. Victory in Japan, a happy day.

I knew the name, Hitler, but knew little else of the German part of the war.

That's what I remember. But this is what I know: If my mother gave me a quarter, I could walk to the corner cafe and buy a bowl of chili or a hamburger. Potatoes? I had all I wanted, if I wanted any. I could choose what to eat and even had the luxury of being picky. I did not need to steal food, but I once stole a 5-cent candy from the nearby drug store--because I liked chocolate and did not have my usual nickel.

Yes, I had a nickel nearly every day, being so very far from starving and from the kind of fear Toos knew every one of her days.

Uh-oh

Protesters. Do they all know what and why they are protesting? I don't think so. You know there are "joiners" who just come in for the excitement of it. Or something like that. I mean, is protesting fun?

Do they have a purpose? A hoped-for end? If they do, I don't know what it is. I know the original protesters gathered to express dissatisfaction with the rich fat cats on Wall Street. But what did they hope to achieve? Hmmm.

Now, the owners of Zuccotti Park, which the protesters have been "occupying," have issued a statement. They, the owners, normally keep the park clean and trimmed and, most important for this issue, sanitary. They haven't been able to do their nightly power wash or any of the other procedures they normally do since September 16.

If the place is privately owned--and apparently it is--then the protesters, who are no doubt dirty and unsanitary themselves, should get out if asked to do so.

Clear? Yes, but I predict trouble.

Weary of him

Pay for the jobs bill with taxes on the rich, so says King Barack.

Well, I'm not rich, but there's something that bothers me about his repeated demonizing of those who are rich.

But wait a minute. Is he not rich? I don't quite understand. Won't that mean his taxes will increase? Does he actually pay taxes?

How Things Are

I did not vote for King Barack. I cannot look at him, cannot abide his manner of speech and mostly would like to pin him to the wall over most of what he says. I did appreciate his remarks at the gathering after Gabrielle Giffords was shot. Someone smart must have written it.

I think he came ill-prepared to the presidency and have not changed my mind on that score. I think the people who elected him had/have no idea what a mess they have got us into.

Incidentally, upon his election, my friend Wendy's friend Roxy said, "For the first time in my life I am proud of my country." I wasn't there or I would have asked "why so"? I'm pretty sure her answer would have been, "Because he's black." I believe Michelle Obama also said she was proud of this country for the first time in her life. Again, I wonder why. No doubt, beyond the possibility of the very personal reason, it was because he's black.

So here it is. Those people who have argued forever that skin color does not matter now make it clear that skin color is the thing that does matter.

And do these people understand that his blackness did not equip him to be president? No.

What We Need to Do

Vote them all out of office.

All of them.

Obama

We've got him.
Now how do we get rid of him?

Hello-o-o

Well isn't it just absolutely wonderful?! King Barack is the first US President to tweet on twitter. How social networkly advanced of him.

But here's the deal--and I hope it doesn't shock you--this does not make him a good president.

When is the election again?

Two more Republican candidates are coming in. Hunstman and Perry.

I like what Perry says. Stop apologizing for our conservative values.

Let's.

And let's allow them to truly be the core of our politics, our lives.

What say?

The Issue I've Been Reading About

I don't mind Lesbians. Let them have each other. Truly.

But I do mind when they shove their life choices (and those really are the words I want to use) down my throat and refuse to allow my objections. I do mind when they insist that I (and all of us) see them a certain way, and if I don't, I had better keep my mouth shut. And I mind their active war against heterosexuality and its benefits. Which some of us see as obvious.

So this means Lesbians the Lobby I fear. Lesbians with political power I fear a lot.

I see no reason for name calling. We are all human beings. And I see no place for denial. Homosexuality exists, has long existed, and most likely will always exist. But I don't have to accept it as the norm.

What I say here I apply also to Gay men.

But let me say this: Lucky for me no one reads this blog.

Please,

please, please. Someone decide to run for president that I can have faith in, and, by the way, someone who can beat Obama.

With the half million Republicans who think they might run or who are running or who are testing the waters, there ought to be one good one. One who meets the above qualifications.

Not so far.

ObL

Osama bin Laden killed by US forces ( Navy Seals Team 6) at his compound in Pakistan May 1, 2011.

He had lived there at least five years, and right down the street from the Pakistani police training headquarters, and yet Pakistan government knew nothing of it.

Could that be true?

Some kind of justice comes now from his death to those who lost loved ones in the 9/11 attacks on our country.

TSA

If you travel by air, you know TSA. If you're lucky, you only have to take off your jacket/sweater, shoes, remove your belt and everything in your pockets. Perhaps you'll be wanded, your carry-on baggage searched, and lately you'll need to put your feet on the foot marks, raise your arms high above your head and endure scanning.

I have never been subject to actual body searching, praise heaven, but I've seen it. The blue gloves didn't make it look any less insulting.

TSA also looks in your checked luggage. Trust me, I know this. Sometimes they leave a card saying they've been rifling through your stuff; sometimes they don't leave the card.

TSA. Pretty powerful. Pretty much responsible for taking away any joy of air travel that might remain after somebody's decision to quit feeding passengers.

Now, I hear, TSA will be unionized. Which means we will NEVER be rid of them, free of them.

I know. I know. It's all for our protection.

But here is the burning question, burning in my brain, at least:

Have they ever caught a terrorist?

I don't think so. Correct me if I'm wrong. Correct me with names, dates, places.

Federal Government Shutdown Threat/Budget Struggles

I am disgusted.

A message for our current governing folks

I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.
- Thomas Jefferson

I believe our government is wandering far from what our founding fathers intended. More is the pity. More ought to be our concern.

Having recently visited Independence Hall in Philadelphia, having seen the rooms where Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and the many others sat to work out our founding documents, I come away renewed in my love for those men. For their foresight and courage. For our blessed freedoms because of them. They are my heroes.

Hear, hear

Thomas Sowell on the Constitution:
We are seeing "the slow but systematic dismantling of the Constitution. The idea that 'We the People' are self-governing is being eroded at every opportunity."

Dallin H. Oaks on the Constitution and religious freedom:
The constitutional guarantee of the free exercise of religion "is weakening in its effects and in public esteem."
Further, "We must never see the day when the public square is not open to religious ideas and religious persons. The religious community must be united to be sure we are not coerced or deterred into silence by the kinds of intimidation or threatening rhetoric that are being experienced."

Thomas Sowell on "gay marriage":
"There is no gay marriage. There is marriage and then there's the redefinition of marriage. And if you're going to redefine marriage for the gays, why in the world not for the polygamists? And for others?"

Dallin H. Oaks:
Religious persons should insist on their constitutional right and duty to exercise their religion, to vote their consciences on public issues, and to participate in elections and in debates. . . . These are the rights of all citizens and they are also the rights of religious leaders and religious organizations. In this circumstance, it is imperative that those of us who believe in God and in the reality of right and wrong unite more effectively to protect our religious freedom to preach and practice our faith in God and the principles of right and wrong He has established.”

* * *

And, on another subject, namely, the rise of China's military power, Thomas Sowell: "I think it is just criminal--criminal negligence at a minimum--that the Obama administration is cutting back the American military while the Chinese are going full blast ahead."

Oh Boy

I've heard people say it, that Donald Trump ought to be President. You know, of the United States.

It's because of the economy. Right? Because we're in an economic mess, and because he knows how to--what?--make money? handle economic messes? I guess both because I guess he's done both.

Whatever.

Well, now he's decided those folks are right, and he's serious about running. For President of the United States.

So that would be President Trump. President The Donald. And his current wife ( is that third? fifth?) would be, if she lasts that long, First Lady. (That's supposed to be mildly funny.)

I can't say it would never happen. No, I can't say that. And maybe, if he got in there and fired some people (not joking here) it would help the economy.

As to the rest of running the country, there are advisers to tell him how do that, as we all know because of our present president. Besides, Mr Trump has views on what's happening--beyond the economy--in this country or to this country. Calls it shameful, calls America a laughing stock, says we get no respect from the nations of the world.

Well, I think he's not so far off there. But can he fix it?

I know of people--not kids, these, in their sixties, in fact--who, upon the election of Barak Obama, said that for the first time in their lives they were proud of their country. Yes, I know Michelle Obama said that, but these people were not Michelle Obama. They were people who had been in my home. I can't think why.

And I can't think why they would feel that way about that particular election. Unless it was skin color. His, not theirs.

I wonder what they might say if we elected The Donald.

Might they have something to say about his hair? I mean, really, it's noticeable.

And oh, it just occurred to me, I can hear world leader and political intellectual Rosie O'Donnell now.

Politics. How strange.

Do I Really Need to Know?

I do not take a single newspaper, nor read one a month, and I feel myself infinitely the happier for it.
- Thomas Jefferson

Me too. And I've just about given up watching television news broadcasts.

Now, if I could just stop reading the news online.

Who said it? No news is good news.

Wouldn't I, Though

Someday I want to be rich. Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
- Rita Rudner

Me, too, although I think it may be too late.

And go ahead. Judge me. I can take it. And besides, whatever.

It's kind of like me wanting a car for every day of the week.

Never happen.

It's What I Think Too

The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it always to be kept alive.
- Thomas Jefferson

Amen.

I was thinking just this morning that I call myself a Republican because I want small government, people to be strong and independent, government to serve and protect the rights of the people but to stay out of their way, out of their lives.

But.

I do not currently like the Republican Party. The party politics, the debt, the movement of many in the party towards the left, the "go along" mentality. And I understand the birth and growth of the Tea Party.

Of course, I don't currently like the Democrats either. I mean, what they espouse, what they see as the place of government. Like, it can and should fix EVERYTHING.

But again.

Some of my very best friends are Democrats.

And.

I appreciated President Obama's speech Wednesday night in Tucson. I felt he was sincere. Okay, I know, it didn't hurt him politically. But I thought it was what he needed to do, needed to say.

Still.

I do not and will not believe in what he believes in about government. I will always resist that.

Get it?

Hmmm

Women want mediocre men, and men are working hard to become as mediocre as possible.
- Margaret Mead

And women? What are they working to become?