Month: July 2013

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Our Daily Thread 7-9-13

Good Morning!

On this day in 1776 the American Declaration of Independence was read aloud to Gen. George Washington’s troops in New York.

In 1808 the leather-splitting machine was patented by Samuel Parker.

In 1868 the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified.

In 1922 Johnny Weissmuller became the first person to swim the 100 meters freestyle in less than a minute.

In 1968 the first All-Star baseball game to be played indoors took place at the Astrodome in Houston, TX.

And in 1997 Mike Tyson was banned from the boxing ring and fined $3 million for biting the ear of opponent Evander Holyfield.

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Quote of the Day

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Winston Churchill

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Not many birthday choices to choose from today, so it’s Random Selection Day. Seriously, I scrolled my Favorites list real fast and just picked wherever it stopped. You’re lucky though, it could have been a lot worse. 🙂

First up, Mr. Keaggy covers the Beatles.

Next up, The Refreshments/aka Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers.

And for the last one…..

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Anyone have a QoD for us?

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Prayer Requests 7-9-13

Who can we pray for today?

Psalm 119:41-50

41 Let thy mercies come also unto me, O Lord, even thy salvation, according to thy word.

42 So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.

43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.

44 So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.

45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.

46 I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.

47 And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.

48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

49 Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

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News/Politics 7-9-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

First up, an American has been arrested in the UK for calling homosexuality a sin. From FoxNews

“An American evangelist said he was arrested and interrogated about his Christian faith after he was caught on a London sidewalk preaching that homosexuality is a sin.

Tony Miano, a retired deputy sheriff and former chaplain with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept., was charged with “using homophobic speech that could cause people anxiety, distress, alarm or insult.””

“I talked about women addicted to romance novels, men addicted to pornography, people with lustful thoughts, heterosexual fornication and homosexuality,” Miano told Fox News. “When I mentioned that the Bible was clear that homosexuality is a sin, a lady walked by and she glared at me and hurled the f-bomb.”

Miano said the woman came back a short time later and began to videotape his sidewalk sermon. Then, she called the police.”

Don’t think this isn’t coming here soon.

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Another scandalous development in the ongoing State Dept. sex scandals. From TheDailyCaller

“A State Department officer has been accused of selling visas for sex and  money in what may have been a massive human trafficking operation, The Daily  Caller has learned.

The State Department acknowledged last week that one of its officials is  the target of a probe over “allegations of improprieties relating to a Consular  Officer formerly assigned to Georgetown, Guyana” without providing further  details. Local media are also claiming the official, who was recently withdrawn  from normal duties pending completion of an official  investigation, associated with drug lords as part of his visa scam.

The scandal began when executives and tourists complained that their visa  applications were being held up, and local media began reporting that a visa  official was demanding bribes and sex in exchange for visas.”

This is in addition to another where an ambassador is alleged to have solicited underage prostitutes.

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This one isn’t shocking. Most of the media has been in the pro-abortion camp for a long time now. They certainly don’t want people seeing the truth about what a 20 week old baby in the womb looks like. Because it looks human, and exposes the lie that it isn’t yet. The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Act goes against everything they’d like you to believe. From LifeSiteNews

“A national pro-life organization is outraged after three major American newspapers rejected a pro-life ad as “too controversial.”

The Chicago Tribune, USA Today, and the LA Times refused to run an advertisement created by Heroic Media.

The ad features a hand holding a 20- to 24-week-old baby with the quote, “This child has no voice, which is why it depends on yours. Speak Up.”

Heroic Media Executive Director Joe Young said he was shocked and angered that the media outlets were willing to talk about the issue but were unwilling to show the reality of life at 20 weeks.”

Here’s the ad in question. You can click it for a larger version, or visit their website https://www.heroicmedia.org/20weeks

Heroic-Media-628x550

So what’s so “controversial” about it?

Nothing, except the truth.

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The White House and their mouthpiece did lots of squirming yesterday. They just can’t admit it was a coup in Egypt. Why? Well because if they do, they’ll be forced to follow US law and pull all aid to the country. From Politico

“The White House is taking its time to determine whether the overthrow of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi was a coup because of the potential fallout from calling it one, press secretary Jay Carney said Monday.

“I’m being very clear with you … this is a complex and difficult issue with significant consequences,” Carney said during his daily briefing, the first since Egypt’s military ousted Morsi nearly a week ago. Calling the action a coup could cut off more than $1.5 billion in annual U.S. foreign aid for Egypt.

But the Obama administration is reluctant to cut off aid. “We think it would not be in the best interests of the United States” to change its aid program at this time, Carney said. Asked if that would mean the administration would be cutting off aid in the near-term, Carney repeated his response: “we think that would not be in our best interests.””

Oh please, since when are they ever concerned with following the law in this admin?

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Who’s up for a “Summer of Recovery II” update? From TheWashingtonExaminer

“Behind Wal-Mart, the second-largest employer in America is Kelly Services, a temporary work provider.

Friday’s disappointing jobs report showed that part-time jobs are at an all-time high, with 28 million Americans now working part-time. The report also showed another disturbing fact: There are now a record number of Americans with temporary jobs.

Approximately 2.7 million, in fact. And the trend has been growing.”

And from CNSNews

“The number of Americans receiving subsidized food  assistance from the federal government has risen to 101 million,  representing roughly a third of the U.S. population.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that a total of 101,000,000 people currently participate in at least  one of the 15 food programs offered by the agency, at a cost of $114  billion in fiscal year 2012.

That means the number of Americans receiving food assistance has surpassed the number of full-time private sector workers in the U.S.”

The Recovery is a myth.

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Our Daily Thread 7-8-13

Good Morning!

On this day in 1608 the first French settlement at Quebec was established by Samuel de Champlain.

In 1776 Col. John Nixon gave the first public reading of the U.S. Declaration of Independence to a crowd at Independence Square in Philadelphia.

In 1889 The Wall Street Journal was first published. 

In 1889 John L. Sullivan defeated Jake Kilrain, in the last championship bare-knuckle fight. The fight lasted 75 rounds.

In 1969 the U.S. Patent Office issued a patent for the game “Twister.”

And in 1970 the San Francisco Giant’s Jim Ray Hart became the first National League player in 59 seasons to collect six runs batted (RBI) during a single inning.

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Quote of the Day

“Cooking is like painting or writing a song. Just as there are only so many notes or colors, there are only so many flavors – it’s how you combine them that sets you apart.”

Wolfgang Puck

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On this day in 1958 the Recording Industry Association of America presented the first gold record. It went to this soundtrack. 🙂

It’s Jai Johanny Johanson’s birthday. And it’s the looong version, from way back.

This last one is pretty old, but everybody knows the song.

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QoD

What’s your favorite dish to cook?

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Prayer Requests 7-8-13

Who has a request or praise to share today?

Psalm 119:24-40

24 Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.

25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.

26 I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.

27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

28 My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

29 Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.

30 I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me.

31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O Lord, put me not to shame.

32 I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.

33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.

34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.

37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.

38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.

39 Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.

40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.

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News/Politics 7-8-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Open thread, as always.

Here’s a bunch to start you off.

First up, who’s in charge of the FISA court? John Roberts. From OutsideTheBeltway.com

“When it comes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which isn’t so much a Court unto itself as it is a rotating group of Federal Judges appointed to hear warrant requests and other matter designated as appropriate for secret proceedings under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, there’s nobody more powerful than Chief Justice John Roberts:

The 11 FISA judges, chosen from throughout the federal bench for seven-year terms, are all appointed by the chief justice. In fact, every FISA judge currently serving was appointed by Roberts, who will continue making such appointments until he retires or dies. FISA judges don’t need confirmation — by Congress or anyone else.

No other part of U.S. law works this way. The chief justice can’t choose the judges who rule on health law, or preside over labor cases, or decide software patents. But when it comes to surveillance, the composition of the bench is entirely in his hands, and, as a result, so is the extent to which the National Security Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation can spy on citizens.”

Which brings us to the next question, who watches the watchers? From PJMedia

“Eric Lichtblau of the New York Times has a shocking scoop on some of the secret decisions made by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court that would indicate that there has been a fundamental shift in the government’s attitude toward 4th Amendment protections for American citizens.

A secret body of law has been built since 2010 that gives the government vast powers — all perfectly legal — to snoop on American citizens as long as the surveillance is connected to terrorism or some other national security issue.

The rulings, some nearly 100 pages long, reveal that the court has taken on a much more expansive role by regularly assessing broad constitutional questions and establishing important judicial precedents, with almost no public scrutiny, according to current and former officials familiar with the court’s classified decisions.”

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File this one under “Things that make you go Hmmmmm…….”  From ForeignPolicy.com

“The offices of a Dallas law firm representing a high-profile State Department whistleblower were broken into last weekend. Burglars stole three computers and broke into the firm’s file cabinets. But silver bars, video equipment and other valuables were left untouched, according to local Fox affiliate KDFW, which aired security camera footage of the suspected burglars entering and leaving the offices around the time of the incident.

The firm Schulman & Mathias represents Aurelia Fedenisn, a former investigator at the State Department’s Office of the Inspector General. In recent weeks, she raised a slew of explosive allegations against the department and its contractors ranging from illicit drug use, soliciting sexual favors from minors and prostitutes and sexual harassment.

“It’s a crazy, strange and suspicious situation,” attorney Cary Schulman told The Cable. “It’s clear to me that it was somebody looking for information and not money. My most high-profile case right now is the Aurelia Fedenisn case, and I can’t think of any other case where someone would go to these great lengths to get our information.”

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Looks like the Employer regulations for ObamaCare that were put off now have company. Anti-fraud measures have now been put off too. Hey, just like Obama did with his campaign donations, removed anti-fraud protections.

But hey, what could possibly go wrong, right? 🙄  From TheWashingtonExaminer

“One of the biggest administrative hurdles facing Obamacare was the ambitious plan to verify the income and insurance status of applicants for federal health coverage subsidies. In theory, on Oct. 1 of this year, a prospective beneficiary of Obamacare was supposed to be able to visit a website like Orbitz, enter basic information, and wait as multiple state and federal government databases communicated with one another to confirm in real time the applicant’s income level, and then display the level of subsidy to which the applicant was entitled, if any. It was a level of technological sophistication unlike anything ever attempted by the government. Now, with less than three months to go before Obamacare’s health insurance exchanges are set to begin enrolling applicants, Obama’s Department of Health and Human Services is throwing up its hands. Just as it did with the employer mandate, the administration has announced it would delay the implementation of these anti-fraud procedures due to the administrative difficulty.”

“In a regulation released Friday and flagged by Washington Post reporters Sarah Kliff and Sandhya Somashekhar, the administration will now rely on self-reported data. You read that correctly. A man who earns $50,000 per year and gets insurance through his employer could log on to the new government website and say he earns $20,000 and gets no insurance through his employer, and the government would not even attempt to confirm that the information is accurate before forking over generous taxpayer subsidies. It’s a recipe for rampant fraud, which is already widespread in Medicare and Medicaid.

According to the rule as reported by Kliff and Somashekhar, “The exchange may accept the applicant’s attestation regarding enrollment in eligible employer-sponsored plan . . . without further verification” and “the Exchange may accept the attestation of projected annual household income without further verification.””

Gotta love the Friday news dump. 😉

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Since we’re on the subject of debacles from the Obama admin…….  From TheLATimes

“A high-powered rifle lost in the ATF’s Fast and Furious controversy was used to kill a Mexican police chief in the state of Jalisco earlier this year, according to internal Department of Justice records, suggesting that weapons from the failed gun-tracking operation have now made it into the hands of violent drug cartels deep inside Mexico.

Luis Lucio Rosales Astorga, the police chief in the city of Hostotipaquillo, was shot to death Jan. 29 when gunmen intercepted his patrol car and opened fire. Also killed was one of his bodyguards. His wife and a second bodyguard were wounded”

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Continuing with the debacle theme…… From TheHill

“Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) called the ouster of Egyptian President Mohammed  Morsi a coup d’etat and pressed the Obama administration to suspend aid to the  country on Sunday.

“It was a coup and it was the second time in two and a half years that we  have seen the military step in,” McCain said on CBS’s “Face the  Nation.”

“Reluctantly I believe that we have to suspend aid until such time as there is a  new constitution and a free and fair election,” McCain added.”

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And lastly, does Zimmerman walk? We should know by the end of the week. From ABCNews

“Analysis: George Zimmerman Probably Won’t Be Convicted of Murder or Manslaughter — Here’s Why”

“I drew a legal conclusion on “Good Morning America” Saturday that would have surprised the Dan Abrams who covered the George Zimmerman case leading up to, and shortly after, his arrest.

Now that the prosecution’s case against Zimmerman is in, as a legal matter, I just don’t see how a jury convicts him of second degree murder or even manslaughter in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.”

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Our Daily Thread 7-6-13

Good Morning!

Happy Saturday! 🙂

I do love long weekends. I just wish it wasn’t too hot to go outside. 😦

On this day in 1777 British forces captured Fort Ticonderoga during the American Revolution.

In 1885 Louis Pasteur successfully tested his anti-rabies vaccine. 😯

In 1905 fingerprints were exchanged for the first time between officials in Europe and the U.S. The person in question was John Walker.

In 1933 the first All-Star baseball game was held in Chicago. The American League beat the National League 4-2. 🙂

In 1942 Anne Frank and her family took refuge from the Nazis in Amsterdam. 

In 1945 President Truman signed an order creating the Medal of Freedom.

In 1983 Fred Lynn of the California Angels hit the first grand slam in an All-Star game. The American League defeated the National League 13-3. 

And in 1988 several popular beaches were closed in New York City due to medical waste and other debris began washing up on the seashores.

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Quote of the Day

“So, I’m lying on the couch and Laura walks in and I say, ‘Free at last,’ and she says ‘You’re free all right, you’re free to do the dishes.’

So I say, ‘You’re  talking to the former president, baby,’ and she said, ‘consider this your new domestic policy agenda.'”

George W. Bush

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This gentleman was born on today’s date.

On this day in 1973 Queen released it’s first single.

And on this day in 1978 Eddie Mahoney changed his name to Eddie Money.

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Who has a QoD for us?

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Prayer Requests 7-6-13

Who has a request or praise to share today?

Psalm 119:13-20

13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

17 Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.

18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

19 I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.

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News/Politics 7-6-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Open thread, as always.

First, a story on the 28 people injured at a fireworks display. From APNews

“More than two dozen people were injured when a wood platform holding live fireworks tipped over, sending the pyrotechnics into a crowd at an annual 4th of July show northwest of Los Angeles, authorities said Friday.

Between 8,000 and 10,000 revelers were settling into their seats for the fireworks extravaganza at a Simi Valley park Thursday night when the spectacle of lights that were supposed to be launched in the sky never took off. A bright plume of red and white bursts spread across the ground, injuring 28 people and sending others fleeing for safety.”

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Things are escalating in Egypt as Morsi supporters attack those celebrating his ouster. From TheNYTimes

“Egypt’s bitter split over who should be ruling the country exploded into violent clashes in the streets of Cairo and elsewhere on Friday as masses of demonstrators celebrating the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi battled crowds of Islamists who wanted him reinstated.”

“The mayhem capped a day full of massive and defiant protests by Islamists demanding that Mr. Morsi be returned to power. At least four people were killed and many were wounded when security forces fired into a protest near the officers’ club of the powerful Republican Guard, where many believed Mr. Morsi was detained.

With clashes breaking out late into the night, it was impossible to estimate the full extent of casualties and damage. But early Saturday, security officials said at least 30 people had been killed nationwide and hundreds wounded, many of them in Cairo.”

Meanwhile the Obama admin is advocating for Morsi and his supporters to be included. He always sides with the Islamists. From Bloomberg

“The Obama administration’s call for an “inclusive” political process in Egypt with a role for the Muslim Brotherhood has been overshadowed by deadly clashes between security forces and supporters of the Islamist group.

Violent protests yesterday in Cairo and elsewhere over the military’s ouster of President Mohamed Mursi raised doubts about prospects for an eventual accommodation that would allow the Brotherhood that supports him to compete in new elections.

While President Barack Obama’s administration has stopped short of condemning the July 3 military takeover, it has called on Egyptian leaders to pursue “a transparent political process that is inclusive of all parties and groups,” including “avoiding any arbitrary arrests of Mursi and his supporters,” Bernadette Meehan, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council, said July 4 in a statement.

The administration has urged the Egyptian military to stop using heavy-handed tactics, according to two U.S. officials who asked not to be identified commenting on private communications. They said the administration is concerned that some in the military may want to provoke the Islamists to violence and provide a rationale for crushing the movement once and for all.”

Oh no, we can’t have that, can we? 🙄

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And the next bunch are on the just released jobs report. Obama would like you to know that it proves the recovery act worked, or something. From TheWashingtonExaminer

“It’s to be expected. Every month the White House claims that the economy is improving despite evidence to the contrary. On Friday, Alan Kreuger, chairman of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, said, “In the four years since the recession ended in June 2009, the economy has added 5.3 million jobs, thanks to the resilience of the American people and policies like the Recovery Act, which helped bring the recession to an end and put us on the path to recovery.”

That rosy outlook disregards the numbers behind the jobs report. While the media reports that 195,000 jobs were added in June and that is better than expected, they neglect to mention that if the economy added 195,000 jobs a month consistently, it would not return to pre-recession employment levels until 2021, according to a nifty interactive chart developed by the Brookings Institute.”

“Furthermore, the rest of the jobs report is even worse. The reported unemployment rate remained unchanged at 7.6 percent despite the increase in jobs, but the real unemployment rate, the U-6 rate (which is the total unemployed, including all part-time workers) jumped from 13.8 percent in may to 14.3 percent in June. The unemployment rate looks worse when broken down into demographics:”

A closer look at the numbers only makes it look worse. From Breitbart

“The release of the June Jobs’ Report Friday was something of a relief for the markets. The Labor Department reported that the economy gained 195,000 jobs in June, which beat economists’ expectations. The Department also reported that the economy gained 70,000 more jobs in April and May than it originally estimated. The report, however, also provides clear evidence that the nation is splitting into two; only 47% of Americans have a full-time job and those who don’t are finding it increasingly out of reach.

Of the 144 million Americans employed last month, only 116 million were working full-time. Friday’s report showed that 58.7% of the civilian adult population of 245 million was working last month. Only 47% of Americans, however, had a full-time job.”

Even more details here, from ZeroHedge

“As a reminder: jobs have quantity and quality components. The quantity component was good enough to convince the 10 Year the taper is imminent (if not stocks, which continue to trade dislocated from any and all fundamentals). But how about the quality? In a word: not good. In June, the household survey reported that part-time jobs soared by 360,000 to 28,059,000 – an all time record high. Full time jobs? Down 240,000.  And looking back at the entire year, so far in 2013, just 130K Full-Time Jobs have been added, offset by a whopping 557K Part-Time jobs. And there is your jobs “quality” leading to today’s market euphoria (if only for now).”

Summer of Recovery II anyone?

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