Month: June 2013

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Prayer Requests 6-20-13

Who has a request or praise to share today?

Psalm 105:1-7

1 O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.

2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.

3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.

4 Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.

7 He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth.

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News/Politics 6-20-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

There’s a whole lot of news on the Gang of 8 Immigration/Amnesty Plan. The CBO has crunched the numbers, take them for what they’re worth. Just remember, they always leave stuff out, they only work what they are given, and the numbers always come in worse than they predicted. First up, TheWashingtonExaminer

“If the Senate immigration bill becomes law, federal health care spending would increase by $112 billion over the next decade as more people take advantage of Medicaid, Medicare and subsidies from President Obama’s health care law, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

In a highly anticipated report, the CBO found that overall, the immigration bill would reduce deficits by $197 billion in the first decade and $700 billion in the following decade, based on the assumption that a flow of new tax revenue would more than offset increased spending on federal benefits and other provisions of the law.

That said, CBO noted that the current language in the bill leaves it unclear which  categories of immigrants would be eligible for various government benefits. Under CBO’s interpretation, passage of the bill would boost spending on subsidies to purchase health insurance on Obamacare’s health insurance exchanges by $82.3 billion from 2014 through 2023; increase Medicaid spending by 29.3 billion; and raise Medicare spending by $0.8 billion. In the second decade following passage, the law would increase federal spending on low-income health programs by $400 billion, according to the CBO.”

The ObamaCare estimates from the CBO have already doubled to almost 2 trillion. More on the numbers here.  From TheDailyCaller

“The Senate’s pending immigration bill will pave the way for the arrival of 46  million legal immigrants over the next 20 years, increase the federal debt in  the same time period and shrink Americans’ average wage, according Alabama  Republican Sen. Jeff Session’s critical reading of two new reports on the  pending immigration reform bill provided by the Congressional Budget Office.

But Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, the most prominent GOP advocate for  the immigration reform bill, says the CBO reports are good news for  Americans.

“The CBO has further confirmed what most conservative economists have found:  reforming our immigration system is a net benefit for our  economy, American workers and taxpayers,” Rubio said in a statement on Tuesday.  “The report offers encouraging evidence that the  [bill could] reduce the  deficit over the next 20 years.””

Yeah, and I have a bridge to sell you. 🙄  Part of the problem here is that their “reform” doesn’t even fix the problem. From CNSNews

“The advocates of S. 744, the immigration bill under consideration in the U.S. Senate that would legalize many of the illegal aliens already in the United States, have argued that the proposed legislation would also secure the border and prevent future illegal immigration.

However, the cost estimate of the legislation that was released on Tuesday by the Congressional Budget Office says that the legislation would actually allow the flow of new illegal aliens into the United States to continue at a rate equal to 75 percent of the current rate of illegal immigration. This will be the case, in part, argues CBO, because of people who overstay temporary work visas that will be authorized by the bill.

This revelation that 75 percent of illegal immigration would continue if the Senate immigration reform proposal were enacted is included in a section of the report headlined, “Future Unauthorized Residents.” The section is on page 23 of the 63-page report.”

I sure hope the House has a better plan than this. This one solves nothing, and it doesn’t secure the border. How is that reform?

And will this cost Rubio? One things for sure, this would drive McCain and the Old Guard nuts. From TheHill

“Former Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) said Wednesday that he may mount a primary  challenge to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in their state’s 2016 Senate primary.

West told station WMAL that he could run for Senate, “If I see people that are not taking our country  down the right path, if I see people that are not standing up for the right type  of principles and putting their own party politics before what is best for the  United States of America.”

“Rubio, a Tea Party favorite, is seen as crucial to winning conservative support  for the immigration bill. But the Florida senator has suggested he may oppose  the measure he helped write unless tougher border security requirements are  adopted.”

And I don’t get where they think conservatives are lined up with Rubio on this. The conservative position is secure the border, then we can discuss it. This doesn’t, and never will. I just don’t see it.

I guess we have our answer to the question above….. From TheHill

“Sen. Marco  Rubio (R-Fla.) is feeling the heat as potential GOP allies are now turning  against his immigration reform bill.

Republican colleagues who were previously viewed as possible “yes” votes are  keeping their distance from the 1,075-page measure.

On Wednesday, conservative activists ripped Rubio and Sen. John McCain  (R-Ariz.) — both sponsors of the bipartisan immigration measure — at a Capitol  Hill rally.”

“The crowd, which was protesting the bill’s effort to put millions of illegal  immigrants on a path to citizenship, booed at the mention of Rubio’s name during  the six-hour event.”

And he had such potential. Oh well.

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And since I mentioned ObamaCare…. From TheChristianScienceMonitor

“The central feature of Obamacare – getting the uninsured to sign up for health insurance – is due to start on Oct. 1, less than four months away. But both the federal and state governments are behind in their preparations.

That’s the conclusion of two reports issued Wednesday by the congressional Government Accountability Office (GAO) looking at the status of government efforts to set up online “exchanges,” or marketplaces, for both individuals and small businesses.

“Much progress has been made, but much remains to be accomplished within a relatively short amount of time,” said the GAO report on the establishment of “federally facilitated” health-insurance exchanges for individuals. Those are the exchanges being set up for the 34 states that opted not to set them up themselves.”

And local govts are following the lead of many major restaurants and retailers. From InvertorsBusinessDaily

“When Regal Entertainment Group (RGC) in April blamed ObamaCare for the fact that it  was cutting some of its workers’ hours, backers of the law mounted a furious  backlash against the theater chain, among other things filling its Facebook page  with boycott threats.

“Greed and selfishness make me sick,” one of them said.

Darden Restaurants (DRI) felt this intense heat last year after  suggesting it might shift to more part-time work to minimize the cost of the  law’s mandate that companies offer coverage to all their full-time workers. CEO  Clarence Otis even blamed its lowered outlook for 2013 in part on “recent  negative media coverage” over “how we might accommodate health care reform.”

Yet while private companies are getting all this unwelcome and hostile  attention, local governments across the country have been quietly doing exactly  the same thing — cutting part-time hours specifically so they can skirt  ObamaCare’s costly employer mandate, while complaining about the law in some of  the harshest terms anyone has uttered in public.”

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This one, well let’s just say it worked as intended. From BuzzFeed

“What I learned from our journalists should alarm everyone in this room and I think should alarm everyone in this country. The actions of the DOJ against AP are already having an impact beyond the specifics of this particular case,” AP CEO Gary Pruitt told an audience at the National Press Club. “Some of our longtime trusted sources have become nervous and anxious about talking to us, even about stories that aren’t about national security. In some cases, government employees that we once checked in with regularly will no longer speak to us by phone, and some are reluctant to meet in person.”

After it was made public that the Justice Department took AP Washington bureau phone records as part of the Obama administration’s aggressive anti-leak operation, Pruitt said the fear among potential sources has spread to reporters from other outlets.

“I can tell you that this chilling effect is not just at AP, it’s happening at other news organizations as well,” he said. “Journalists from other news organizations have personally told me it has intimidated sources from speaking to them.””

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And lastly today, a video with some brutal honesty from a La. State Senator who has switched from D to R, and his reasons why.

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Our Daily Thread 6-19-13

Good Morning!

On this day in 1778 U.S. General George Washington’s troops finally left Valley Forge after a winter of training.

In 1846 the New York Knickerbocker Club played the New York Club in the first baseball game at the Elysian Field, Hoboken, NJ.  It was the first organized baseball game.

In 1862 U.S. President Abraham Lincoln outlined his Emancipation Proclamation, which outlawed slavery in U.S. territories.

In 1910 the first Father’s Day was celebrated in Spokane, Washington.

In 1912 the U.S. government established the 8-hour work day.

In 1934 the U.S. Congress established the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

In 1958, in Washington, DC, nine entertainers refused to answer a congressional committee’s questions on communism.

And in 1961 the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a provision in Maryland’s constitution that required state officeholders to profess a belief in God.

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Quote of the Day

“A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts,  not on marble.”

Charles  Spurgeon

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This morning we return to my childhood and something my brothers and I loved. So did Dad. 🙂

It’s Moe Howard’s birthday so000…..  Someone’s getting slapped.

It’s also the birthday of Ann Wilson of Heart. So we’re talkin’ big hair here people. 🙂

And it’s Larry Dunn’s, of Earth, Wind, and Fire.

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Who has a QoD for us today?

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Prayer Requests 6-19-13

Who can we pray for today?

And it’s Wednesday, so don’t forget the folks in Gambia. 🙂

Psalm 104:10-24

10 He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.

11 They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.

12 By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.

13 He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.

14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.

16 The trees of the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;

17 Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.

18 The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.

19 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.

22 The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.

23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.

24 O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

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News/Politics 6-19-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

First up, Reid sees public opinion turning, so he’s gonna try to ram this thru. From TheWashingtonExaminer

“With a new poll showing falling support for the Gang of Eight comprehensive immigration reform bill, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has announced an accelerated schedule in which the Senate would take a final, up-or-down vote on passing the bill by the end of next week.”

“Reid warned his fellow lawmakers that if they want to consider amendments to the Gang of Eight bill, they need to be prepared to work virtually nonstop between now and then. “This may not be one of our normal weekends,” Reid said. “We’ve got to move forward on this legislation.””

Obama’s doing his part with some propaganda for the cause. From BarackObama.com

“As the Senate starts to debate comprehensive immigration reform, one of the groups the opposition is focusing on is the DREAMers—the children of undocumented immigrants who were brought to this country as kids and are Americans in nearly every way except for on paper.

This month, the House passed a bill that would effectively deport them.

These DREAMers’ stories show in real ways how we need to fix our broken immigration system. OFA volunteers across the country are opening up their homes for free screenings of The Dream is Now, a powerful short documentary that tells the stories of four young DREAMers.”

And this is the type of treatment those opposed can expect to receive. Some good old-fashioned union intimidation and thug tactics, including illegal aliens attempting to intimidate and terrorize a public official and his family. From TownHall

“Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is calling for a criminal investigation after a huge mob of illegal alien supporters surrounded his private home Saturday and held a rally on his front porch.

At least 200 members of Sunflower Community Action were bussed into Kobach’s Kansas City-area neighborhood on Saturday – to protest his staunch anti-illegal alien views.”

“The secretary of state said a large number of the protesters were believed to be illegal aliens. They can be seen on video chanting in Spanish, standing on Kobach’s porch, front yard and driveway and demanding that he come outside.”

“Kobach said he’s asked local police and the county attorney to investigate the incident. He believes a number of laws were violated including terrorizing a public official.”

Sounds like something a real DoJ might be interested in. But you can bet Holder and company won’t be. They have other priorities. From USNews

“The departments of Justice and State this week are holding back-to-back LGBT events in honor of gay pride month, and as the Supreme Court prepares to deliver two landmark decisions on same-sex marriage.

On Tuesday, the Justice Department celebrated pride with speeches from Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., the first openly gay member of the Senate, singer-songwriter and gay and lesbian activist Melissa Etheridge, and Attorney General Eric Holder, all on the theme “A Year of Firsts,” according to DOJPride.com, the official site for LGBT Employees at the department.

And on Wednesday, the State Department will follow suit with its own pride event in which Secretary John Kerry will deliver his first speech on LGBT policy and personnel issues.”

And if you’re against this immigration plan, it’s probably because you’re racist. A new govt. funded study from NYU says so. So yeah, more taxpayer-funded propaganda. 🙄 From TheDailyCaller

“Mixed-race people are more likely to be considered black by conservatives,  who are subconsciously attempting to “justify racial divisions,” said the  authors of a new government-funded study.

The report, originally released earlier this month, has begun attracting criticism from those who see political bias in the  results.

The study was conducted by graduate students and faculty in the psychology  department of New York University. Researchers asked participants to look at  pictures of mixed-race people and say whether they were black or white. The  study found that conservatives were more likely to think of a mixed-race person  as black than were liberal participants.”

Boy I gotta say, NYU loves to do the bidding of overbearing and overstepping govts huh? From TheWashingtonTimes

“Blind Chinese human rights advocate Chen  Guangcheng, who was allowed to travel to the United States after taking  sanctuary in its embassy in Beijing, says that New York University is forcing  him and his family to leave at the end of this month because of pressure from  the Chinese government.

The university denied Mr. Chen’s  allegations, which were reported Monday by The Associated Press.

Mr. Chen said in a statement to the AP  that China’s Communist Party had been applying “great,  unrelenting pressure” on NYU to ask him to leave, though he did not provide  details or evidence to back his claim.

“The work of the Chinese Communists within academic circles in the United  States is far greater than what people imagine,” he said. “Academic independence and academic freedom in the United States are being greatly threatened by a  totalitarian regime.”

Despite NYU’s claims to the contrary, they certainly have something to provide motivation. From FoxNews

“New York University has reportedly booted a blind Chinese political activist  from its campus under pressure from China over a deal to build a branch campus  in Shanghai, according to the New York  Post.“

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The ObamaPhone scam has gotten completely out of hand. A good program at one time, put on steroids and turned into just another free handout loaded with fraud by the Obama admin. And once again, James O’Keefe exposes the left. From TheDailyMail

“EXCLUSIVE: Hidden camera catches wireless company employees passing out  ‘Obama phones’ to people who say they’ll SELL them for drugs, shoes, handbags  and spending cash

  • The ‘Lifeline’ free-cell-phone scheme cost  $2.2 BILLION last year alone, all of it from fees added to the phone bills of  paying customers
  • The biggest beneficiary other than  low-income consumers is billionaire Carlos Slim Helu, whose TracFone has  collected $1.5 BILLION to date
  • One company told MailOnline it will fire a  salesperson who laughed uproariously when a woman said she would sell her phone  to buy shoes
  • Conservative firebrand James O’Keefe sent  undercover actors to pose as ‘Obama phone’ seekers aiming to sell the goods; no  one turned them down
  • Legislation in Congress would remove the  cell phone component of the program, which launched in 1984 and covered only  land lines until 2008″

And yes, he’s provided the raw un-edited footage as well.

And once again, big time payback for big time campaign contributors. From HumanEvents

“While it’s true that President Obama didn’t launch the cell phone expansion of the Lifeline program, his policies have greatly increased the number of participants, since everyone in Food Stamp Nation qualifies for a free phone.  The cost of the program has more than doubled, to $1.6 billion, since the cell phone benefit was added in 2008.  It’s absolutely riddled with fraud and abuse, including individual recipients who scored multiple free telephones from the government.  And it turns out that one of the biggest companies providing these welfare phones, TracFone Wireless, is run by big Obama donors.

The Washington Free Beacon reports that TracFone Wireless CEO F.J. Pollak “has donated at least $156,500 to Democratic candidates and committees this cycle, including at least $50,000 to the Obama campaign,” while his wife Abigail has bundled over $632,000 in Obama donations during this campaign cycle.  They hosted a $40,000-per-plate fundraiser for Obama in Miami Beach this year, and they’ve made seven White House Visits.  Abigail received an appointment to the presidential “Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino.””

More from MyFoxDC

“A Mexican telecom mogul who holds the title of world’s richest man, and one  of President Obama’s top donors are both getting even richer from the U.S.  government program that supplies so-called “Obamaphones” to the poor.

Carlos Slim, who has an estimated net worth of $70 billion, owns a  controlling stake in TracFone, which makes $10 per phone for each device it  provides to poor Americans. The company, whose president and CEO is Frederick  “F.J.” Pollak, also makes money from extra minutes and data plans it sells to  subscribers who get phones and service through the government’s Lifeline  program. The program, which began in the mid-1980s, has exploded in the past  four years after being expanded from supplying landlines to the poor to  providing cellular phones.”

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And the House has passed a ban on abortions after 20 weeks. As you can imagine, Obama has threatened a veto, and Pelosi the good Catholic is having a fit, as are most Dems. They’re shilling for the abortion mills so as to keep the blood money flowing to their coffers. They could care less about the pain a victim of abortion suffers. Looks like it’s time for them to break out the War on Women meme again.

First, from Politico

“The vote is largely symbolic: The bill will be dead on arrival  in the Senate. And the White House has already threatened to veto the “fetal  pain” legislation, which is based on the controversial assertion that a fetus  can feel pain at that stage of development.

But Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), the bill’s sponsor, didn’t find that  discouraging. He pointed to the last time Congress passed a bill of this scope,  the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003. That bill fell short and faced court  battles before it finally became law.

“I think if you hearken back to partial-birth abortion, … everybody said,  ‘You know, it’s not constitutional; it can’t pass; it can’t go anywhere,’ and it  took time to do that, and it even had to succeed a presidential veto. But it  eventually did,” Franks said.”

And while the “If it saves even one life we should do it” meme is a great excuse for banning guns, it doesn’t extend to abortion victims. From CNSNews

“Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) would not answer why she  opposed a bill to ban late-term abortions after 20 weeks even if it  would “save one life,” a rationale regularly used by Democrats when  pushing for gun-control legislation.

On Tuesday, DeGette and Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), co-chairs of  the House Pro-Choice Caucus, led a press conference to oppose the  Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 1797), a bill that would  ban abortions 20 weeks post-fertilization, or 5 months into pregnancy.”

“Following the press conference, CNSNews.com asked DeGette, “Many  Democrats, when they were arguing for gun control in the wake of the  Sandy Hook shooting said even if this saves one life it will be worth  doing.  Why not support this bill then, if it undoubtedly will save  lives of babies that have been carried throughout 5 months of  pregnancy?”

DeGette said, “Well, this is, this is. … We already have laws in many  states of this country. This bill is blatantly unconstitutional.””

And the most pathetic attempt at justifying abortion after 20 weeks, when a baby can feel pain, goes to the Rep. from America’s abortion leader, NY. Also from CNSNews

“Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday it is “morally outrageous” to ban abortions after five months of pregnancy.

“It is morally outrageous, frankly,” Nadler said about the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 1797), a bill that would ban abortions 20 weeks post-fertilization, or five months into pregnancy.”

““Here we go again,” he said. “Every single year we have to go through the same nonsense with the same morally presumptuous, morally arrogant attitude that we know better. ‘We know better than women and their doctors. We know better about their health care. We know better about their moral choices in very personal decisions.’”

“Nadler said Republicans pushing the bill are “morally arrogant people” who have “decided that their moral outlooks are more important” than a woman’s health.”

Says the morally repulsive little man taking cash from abortion mills who shills, slanders, and lies for them to ensure his cut keeps coming.

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Our Daily Thread 6-18-13

Good Morning!

On this day in 1621 the first duel in America took place in the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts.

In 1778 Britain evacuated Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War.

In 1812 the War of 1812 began as the U.S. declared war against Great Britain.

In 1873 Susan B. Anthony was fined $100 for attempting to vote for a U.S. President.

In 1928 Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.

In 1942 the U.S. Navy commissioned its first black officer, Harvard University medical student Bernard Whitfield Robinson. 

In 1953 seventeen major league baseball records were tied or broken in a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers.

And in 1961  “Gunsmoke” was broadcast for the last time on CBS radio.

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Quote of the Day

“The more one does and sees and feels, the more one is able to do, and the more genuine may be one’s appreciation of fundamental things like home, and love, and understanding companionship.”

Amelia Earhart

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A couple of musicians have birthdays today. We’ll start with the most well-known.

And it’s Blake Shelton’s as well.

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Anyone have a QoD?

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Prayer Requests 6-18-13

Who can we pray for today?

Psalm 104:1-7

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.

2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:

3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:

4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

5 Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.

6 Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.

7 At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.

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News/Politics 6-18-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Here’s a bunch I thought were noteworthy.

First up, something to consider before donating to charities. And as a side note, these people got away with this while the IRS wasted their time on Tea Party and like-minded groups. From HotAir

“Three charities supposedly focused on breast cancer and cancer in children raised $26 million in a single year.  Good news, right?  The bad news is that less than $15,000 of those funds got used to help victims of cancer.  CNN, the Tampa Bay Times, and the Center for Investigative Reporting found that the three charities have a lot in common — their leaders are all related to each other:”

“– The 50 worst charities in America devote less than 4% of donations raised to direct cash aid. Some charities gave even less. Over a decade, one diabetes charity raised nearly $14 million and gave about $10,000 to patients. Six spent no cash at all on their cause.

– Even as they plead for financial support, operators at many of the 50 worst charities have lied to donors about where their money goes, taken multiple salaries, secretly paid themselves consulting fees or arranged fund-raising contracts with friends. One cancer charity paid a company owned by the president’s son nearly $18 million over eight years to solicit funds. A medical charity paid its biggest research grant to its president’s own for-profit company.

– Some nonprofits are little more than fronts for fund-raising companies, which bankroll their startup costs, lock them into exclusive contracts at exorbitant rates and even drive the charities into debt. Florida-based Project Cure has raised more than $65 million since 1998, but every year has wound up owing its fundraiser more than what was raised. According to its latest financial filing, the nonprofit is $3 million in debt.”

Just wrong on so many levels….

And in other IRS news…… From InvestorsBusinessDaily

“While the IRS was hassling any nonprofit group with the word “patriot” in its  name, it was rubber stamping exemptions for “Islamic” groups, even organizations  that violate disclosure laws.

Worse, it was even finding favor with nonprofits tied to terrorism — namely,  the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations, which not  coincidentally is yoked to the Democratic Party.

Despite being blackballed by the FBI, which still suspects it’s fronting for Hamas, and despite failing to file annual tax reports as required by federal  law, CAIR apparently has found friends in high places at the nation’s powerful  taxing authority.”

And in the White House and State Dept.

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Next up, a story that should tick you off regardless of your left/right leanings. From TheDailyCaller

“Unionized local employees repeatedly harassed and intimidated non-union  workers of a private disaster cleanup firm that won a government contract to  restore Long Island, New York, in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

The vice president of the union even made threats against the wife and kids  of one of the workers. That worker felt it necessary to call the police and  pursue other security measures to protect his family, a source told The Daily  Caller News Foundation.”

“Soon thereafter, representatives of Local 138, a union representing heavy  equipment operators, began visiting construction sites, demanding that the  company hire unionized employees to help with the job.

But LGS was paying its workers — some of whom came from out of state —  market-based wages, rather than union wages, in compliance with federal law  regarding disaster recovery jobs.”

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Next up, a couple of pieces from Pew. Looks like 70% of the country is smarter than our govt. From PewResearchCenter

“Broad majorities continue to oppose the U.S. and its allies sending arms and military supplies to anti-government groups in Syria. Last Thursday’s announcement that the U.S. would aid the rebels has not increased public support for action, and majorities of all partisan groups are opposed.”

“Overall, 70% oppose the U.S. and its allies sending arms and military supplies to anti-government groups in Syria; just 20% favor this. Opinion is little changed from December of last year (24% favor) and support is down slightly from March, 2012 (29% favor).

The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center, conducted June 12-16 among 1,512 adults, finds a major factor in overall attitudes about Syria is the impression that the U.S. military is already stretched thin. About two-thirds (68%) say the U.S. is too overcommitted to get involved in another conflict, and just 27% disagree. The public also has questions about the opposition groups in Syria: 60% say that they may be no better than the current government.”

And also a study from Pew that seems to state what we already knew. Mostly it’s activism and agenda, not news. From Politico

“News outlets’ coverage of gay marriage tended to be significantly more  favorable than unfavorable, according to a new survey Monday.

Stories focusing on support for same-sex marriage were five times more  frequent than those focused on opposition, the analysis conducted by the Pew Research Center found.

Of the stories Pew focused on, 47 percent concentrated on supportive viewpoints,  while 9 percent concentrated on opposition. Forty-four percent of stories were  neutral or presented a balance of opinions.”

“While the stronger showing of support was seen across the 58 news outlets Pew  analyzed, the range varied outlet to outlet. On cable news, Pew found 64 percent  of MSNBC stories were supportive, to 30 percent mixed and 6 percent opposing.  Fox News’s coverage was 29 percent supportive, 63 percent mixed and 8 percent  against. CNN aired 39 percent favorable stories, with 57 percent neutral and 4  percent opposed.”

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Last up, Hollywood just loves to honor the sexual predators and perverts among their stars. From Breitbart

“Disgraced former “Sesame Street” puppeteer and producer Kevin Clash won three Daytime Awards in Los Angeles this weekend.

Clash lent his voice to the fuzzy, red monster Elmo for nearly three decades, but resigned last year after several men came forward and said they had sex with him when they were minors. Although no criminal charges have been brought against Clash, several men are suing him for his alleged abusive behavior.

Clash earned a trio of prizes at the Daytime Entertainment Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony Friday at Westin Bonaventure. In addition to his win for outstanding performer in a children’s series, he shared trophies for outstanding pre-school children’s series and directing in a children’s series for his collaboration with the show’s creative team.”

Again, just wrong on so many levels.

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Our Daily Thread 6-17-13

Good Morning!

On this day in 1775 the British took Bunker Hill outside of Boston.

In 1837 Charles Goodyear received his first patent.

In 1856 the Republican Party opened its first national convention in Philadelphia.

In 1872 George M. Hoover began selling whiskey in Dodge City, Kansas. The town had been dry up until this point.

In 1876 General George Crook’s command was attacked and defeated on the Rosebud River by 1,500 Sioux and Cheyenne under the leadership of Crazy Horse.

In 1885 the Statue of Liberty arrived in New York City aboard the French ship Isere.

In 1928 Amelia Earhart began the flight that made her the  first woman to successfully fly across the Atlantic Ocean.

In 1950 Dr. Richard H. Lawler performed the first kidney transplant in a 45-minute operation in Chicago, IL.

And in 1963 the U.S. Supreme Court banned the required reading of the Lord’s prayer and Bible in public schools.

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Quote of the Day

“I know that the twelve notes in each octave and the variety of rhythm offer me opportunities that all of human genius will never exhaust.”

Igor Fedorovich Stravinsky

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Stravinsky had a point. 🙂

It’s also the birthday of one of my favorites. Here’s just one of his #1’s. And this one was written by former Beach Boy Bruce Johnston.

If you need a lounge singer, Barry’s the man. 🙂

We’ll let Eric Clapton introduce the next one. It’s this guy’s birthday too.

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Anyone have a QoD?

by

Prayer Requests 6-17-13

Who has a request or praise to share today?

Psalm 103

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;

18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

20 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

22 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.