Prayer Requests 1-28-13

Who can we pray for today?

Or you could share a praise if you’d like.

Psalm 84:8-12

8 Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty; listen to me, God of Jacob.

9 Look on our shield, O God; look with favor on your anointed one.

10 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

12 Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.

News/Politics 1-28-13

What’s news today?

We’ve got lot’s today. Let’s start with something good, or at least pretty cool.

From TheIndependentUK

“Sergei Gaschak’s photography offers an unparalleled glimpse at animal life inside “the zone”, the area of Ukraine and Belarus that has been officially closed off to human habitation since the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe of 1986.

Using camera traps to take photographs mechanically, as well as taking photographs personally, Gaschak has captured what few have been able to see with their own eyes – the remarkable diversity of wildlife within the zone.”

“According to a book on animal and plant life in the zone, A Natural History of Chernobyl, the only abnormalities found in animals has been albino spots and deformities in barn swallows.”

Pretty amazing considering what happened.

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Horrible news out of Brazil.

From Yahoo

“A nightclub fire killed at least 233 people in southern Brazil early on Sunday when a band’s pyrotechnics show set the building ablaze and fleeing partygoers stampeded toward blocked and overcrowded exits in the ensuing panic, officials said.”

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President Obama is trying to stick it to our military yet again on their healthcare benefits.

From WFB

“The Obama administration’s proposed defense budget calls for military families and retirees to pay sharply more for their healthcare, while leaving unionized civilian defense workers’ benefits untouched. The proposal is causing a major rift within the Pentagon, according to U.S. officials. Several congressional aides suggested the move is designed to increase the enrollment in Obamacare’s state-run insurance exchanges.

The disparity in treatment between civilian and uniformed personnel is causing a backlash within the military that could undermine recruitment and retention.

The proposed increases in health care payments by service members, which must be approved by Congress, are part of the Pentagon’s $487 billion cut in spending. It seeks to save $1.8 billion from the Tricare medical system in the fiscal 2013 budget, and $12.9 billion by 2017.”

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They’ve learned nothing. These are the same flawed policies that got us in trouble the first time around.

From InvestorsBusinessDaily

“Despite new evidence the Community Reinvestment Act led to riskier lending  and played a key role in the subprime mortgage crisis, the Obama administration  is broadening the anti-redlining regulation’s authority and scope, spooking  bankers.

A recent study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, the nation’s  pre-eminent economic research group, states that the CRA “clearly” had a major  impact on the flood of subprime loans made in the late 1990s and 2000s, which  directly led to the housing crisis.

By quietly expanding the regulation, analysts say President Obama is picking  up where President Clinton left off in April 1995, when he rewrote rules for  what had been a largely toothless law as first drafted in 1977.”

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Just like with NLRB ruling against the Obama admin last week, the pattern of just ignoring the courts, laws, and Constitution continues.

From Breitbart

“Earlier this week, thanks to Horner’s good work, the EPA was supposed to produce the first installment of some 12,000 secret, previously undisclosed emails. Not because it wanted to but because a federal court order required it to.

Under the order, the EPA was to provide the first installment of 3,000 e-mails with three additional installments of 3,000 e-mails to follow. Rather than provide the required emails, however, EPA’s cover letter accompanying its production of emails said it “produced more than 2,100 emails received or sent” by Jackson on an official alias e-mail account.

All fine, well and good – except that not one of those emails was from “Richard Windsor’s” account. Not one. Yet it is certain the account exists because Horner found three Windsor emails using other means. Instead the EPA provided such absurdly silly and unresponsive e-mails as the daily news briefs published by the Washington Post, and EPA national news clippings, a pathetic attempt to avoid a contempt citation that came only after a week’s worth of unsuccessful attempts to push the official response date down the road. ”

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Meanwhile, another court has dealt a serious blow to the “green” energy scam from the EPA.

From TheDailyCaller

“A federal court delivered a serious blow to the Environmental Protection  Agency’s renewable fuel agenda, ruling that the agency exceeded its authority by  mandating refiners use cellulosic biofuels, which isn’t commercially  available.

The court sided with the country’s chief oil and gas lobby, the American  Petroleum Institute, in striking down the 2012 EPA mandate that would have  forced refineries to purchase more than $8 million in credits for  8.65 million of gallons of the cellulosic biofuel. However, none of the biofuel  is commercially available.

“[W]e agree with API that EPA’s 2012 projection of cellulosic biofuel  production was in excess of the agency’s statutory authority,” reads the court decision.”

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And here’s some more on that NLRB ruling. From CNSNews

“In his opinion, Chief Judge  David Sentelle systematically analyzed the actual constitutional  language in question and what it meant to the Framers.”

““When interpreting a constitutional provision, we must look to the  natural meaning of the text as it would have been understood at the time  of the ratification of the Constitution,” wrote Judge Sentelle.

“Then, as now, the word ‘the’ was and is a definite article. See 2  Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language 2041 (1755)  (defining ‘the’ as an ‘article noting a particular thing’ (emphasis  added)),” said the judge. “Unlike ‘a’ or ‘an,’ that definite article  suggests specificity. As a matter of cold, unadorned logic, it makes no  sense to adopt the [National Labor Relations] Board’s proposition that  when the Framers said ‘the Recess,’ what they really meant was ‘a  recess.’ This is not an insignificant distinction. In the end it makes  all the difference.””

You would think a supposed “Constitutional Scholar” would know this stuff, but no. Maybe that’s why we can’t see his grades, thesis, or publications.

😉

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News/Politics 1-26-13

What’s news today?

Let’s do an Open Thread.

Here’s a few from me.

First, some good news. And a fine example of why they’ve been termed the “greatest generation”.

Well done Donna. Thanks for “introducing” me to this gentleman. It’s a great story, and I hope they make this movie.

🙂

From TheDailyBreeze

“Louis Zamperini’s epic life may finally get its Hollywood movie.” 

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Here’s another good news piece.

From TheWashingtonPost

“March for Life seen through social media (photos)”

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And then we go downhill.

But really, it’s not like we didn’t see this coming. It’s the only way they could meet “standards” in some military occupations. Not to bash the ladies, but there are some jobs they are physically unable to meet the requirements to perform at an acceptable level. It’s not because they lack the will, desire, or technical knowledge.  

From CNSNews

“Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint  Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday that with women now eligible to  fill combat roles in the military, commanders must justify why any  woman might be excluded – and, if women can’t meet any unit’s  standard, the Pentagon will ask: “Does it really have to be that high?”

“Dempsey, who is at the pinnacle of the military’s top brass, was  asked by a reporter: “You indicated that — well, at least it sounds  like that there may be certain combat operational forays that women  might be excluded from still. I mean, what would be the reasons for  that? What sorts of operations?””

“He added: “Importantly, though, if we do decide that a particular standard is  so high that a woman couldn’t make it, the burden is now on the service  to come back and explain to the secretary, why is it that high? Does it  really have to be that high? With the direct combat exclusion provision  in place, we never had to have that conversation.””

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A Federal Appeals Court has reminded President Obama that he is not allowed dictator like powers, no matter how much he wishes it were so.

From TheWashingtonTimes

“In a case freighted with major constitutional implications, a federal   appeals court on Friday overturned President Obama’s controversial  recess appointments from  last year, ruling he abused his powers and  acted when the Senate was not actually in a recess.

The three-judge panel’s ruling is a major blow to Mr. Obama. The judges ruled that the appointments he made to the National  Labor Relations  Board are illegal, and hence the five-person  board did not have a quorum  to operate.

But the ruling has even broader constitutional significance, with the  judges  arguing that the president’s recess appointment powers don’t  apply to “intra-session” appointments — those made when Congress has  left town for a few days or weeks.  They said Mr. Obama erred when he  said he  could claim the power to determine when he could make  appointments.

“Allowing the president to define the scope of his own appointments power would eviscerate the Constitution’s separation of powers,” the  judges said in  their opinion.”

The White House response is much the same as with other laws (DOMA) and constitutional issues they don’t like. Just ignore it.

From TheWashingtonExaminer

“Mark Gaston Pearce, chairman of the National Labor Relations Board, issued the following statement in reaction to today’s DC Appeals Court decision that President Obama use of recess appointments to install three people on the NLRB last year was unconstitutional. The action renders the board without a quorum to act and potentially invalidates a year’s worth of actions and rulings by it. Pearce indicated that the NLRB will attempt to continue on regardless:”

“Pearce, in short, is indicating that the NLRB’s strategy is to act as if the court’s ruling that the appointments were unconstitutional somehow only applies only to the particular case that went before the Appeals Court and hope that the White House can get the Supreme Court to quickly review the case.

It’s a pretty brazen strategy, but consistent with a broader administration strategy to simply ignore the court’s ruling.”

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What have you got?

Our Daily Thread 1-25-13

Good Morning!

It’s finally Friday. 🙂

Quote of the Day

“I  think at the heart of the pro-life movement is the idea that all people are  created equal, endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, starting  with life.”

Mike  Huckabee

Anyone have a QoD?

Prayer Requests 1-25-13

Who can we pray for today?

I would also like to make a request. Today is The March For Life in Washington D.C., at noon. Would you please take a few moments and pray for all involved? And that their message would be heard, hearts would be softened, and that ears that need to hear their message will do so. Prayer is necessary if we’re ever going to turn the tide in this. Thanks.

Allen

March For Life 2013

   This past week we marked the 40th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. A very sad milestone to mark because of the cost involved to our nation. Over 55,000,00 Americans have lost their lives to this horrible decision. Who knows the great minds, leaders, cures, and inventions we may have robbed ourselves of in the name of so-called choice. Selfishness has robbed us of so many potential benefits that these missing people may have brought to this world. So much potential, never realized, never given a chance. It saddens me a great deal.

   But there is still hope for those to come. We need to concentrate on the future. We need to end this. Public opinion is shifting, despite a recent poll to the contrary. We are making ground with pro-life legislation efforts on the state level. Limitations and restrictions are on the rise. That’s why you see efforts like in NY to try to give the appearance of success for the pro-abortion side. The abortion lobby has millions in blood money to fight with. They have politicians all too willing to take that money, and push their goals. But they do not have the majority of people behind it. That’s where they lose, and we can win. By changing hearts and minds, and offering loving alternatives, and of course along with the blessings and grace of God, we can win. As medical technology advances the lies about what they are doing, and that they’re doing it to a child not a clump of cells, becomes more difficult for the country’s consciences to ignore. There’s no hiding the barbarity of it anymore.

   So I tip my hat to the marchers today, and all who will support them in prayer as well. Keep fighting the good fight. And a huge Thank You!

   The link below will have updates, photos, and schedules of things as the day goes on. I’ll probably post some updates as the day goes on, and some photos if I can get them. Here’s the link to the MarchForLife site.

“January 22nd marks the 40th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade, and on the 25th we will commemorate that solemn occasion with the 40th anniversary of the largest human rights demonstration in the world, the MARCH FOR LIFE.  With the passing of the pro-life leader and visionary Nellie Gray, a change in leadership has occurred, and with this new leadership comes big plans for the March as we go forward.

This year in particular we aim to raise awareness in the minds of all Americans of the 40th Anniversary and the toll this has taken on these United States. Our theme includes an equation–40=55M, to signify that in the forty years since Roe v. Wade, 55 million of our fellow human beings have lost their lives to abortion. Fifty-five million is nearly the population of California and New York combined.  Clearly, abortion truly is the human rights abuse of today and our theme this year reflects this reality. ”

UPDATE

You can watch it live streamed from the Catholic Television Network.

https://www.ewtn.com/live/ewtnplayer/jwplayer.asp?feed=domeng

CSPAN has live stream as well.

http://www.c-span.org/Events/39th-Annual-March-for-Life/10737427369-1/