Month: December 2014
News/Politics 12-20-14
What’s interesting in the news today?
Open Thread Weekend.
Our Daily Thread 12-19-14
Good Morning!
It’s Friday!!!
6 Days Until Christmas!!!!
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On this day in 1777 General George Washington led his army of about 11,000 men to Valley Forge, PA, to camp for the winter.
In 1843 Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” was published for the first time in England.
In 1957 Meredith Wilson’s “The Music Man” opened at the Majestic Theatre in New York City.
And in 1990 Bo Jackson (Los Angeles Raiders) became the first athlete to be chosen as an All Star in two sports.
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Quote of the Day
“The whole difference between construction and creation is exactly this: that a thing constructed can only be loved after it is constructed; but a thing created is loved before it exists.”
Charles Dickens
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Today is Little Jimmy Dickens’ birthday, so we’ll start with him.
Next, some Michael Card.
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Anyone have a QoD?
Prayer Requests 12-19-14
It’s Friday, so please remember to pray for Mumsee, Mike, and the Nestlings.
Anyone else?
Psalm 11
¹In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?
2 For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.
3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
4 The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord‘s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
5 The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.
7 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.
News/Politics 12-19-14
What’s interesting in the news today?
Open Thread!
Here’s a couple to start off.
1. This first one I offer for your consideration with no comment.
From TheFederalist “Yes, Christians Can Support Torture”
“Majorities of Christians support the use of torture in some instances. And they’re not bad Christians for doing so.”
“In a recent post cited by Patheos, nondenominational pastor Brian Zahnd brashly proclaims “You Cannot Be Christian and Support Torture.”
There is no possibility of compromise. The support of torture is off the table for a Christian. I suppose you can be some version of a ‘patriot’ and support the use of torture, but you cannot be any version of Christian and support torture. So choose one: A torture-endorsing patriot or a Jesus-following Christian. But don’t lie to yourself that you can be both. You cannot.
…Any thoughtful person, no matter their religion or non-religion, knows that you cannot support torturing people and still claim to be a follower of the one who commanded his disciples to love their enemies. The only way around this is to invent a false Jesus who supports the use of torture.”
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2. Shouldn’t liberals be crying about “separation of church and state?” Oh that’s right, they only do that when it’s conservative types proposing the “faith-based initiatives.” Since it’s the Obama admin, he gets a pass because they know he doesn’t really believe all that stuff and this is just a means to an end.
FromCNSNews “Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell met with “faith organizations from across the country” last week to ask them to help people enroll in federal health care insurance plans created through the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.
“We know that the most effective voices on helping folks learn about the Affordable Care Act are voices in their community and voices that they trust,” Burwell said to reporters following the “closed press” meeting on Friday.”
“While addressing reporters, Burwell was flanked by two people who attended the meeting: Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of NETWORK, National Catholic Social Justice Lobby and Amy Cotton, senior policy manager at the National Council of Jewish Women.
Campbell supported liberal causes, including the reelection of President Barack Obama. In September, Campbell and other nun activists did their third tour to fight what they say is “dark money” from Charles and David Koch to GOP political campaigns.
According to its website, Cotton’s organization takes “a progressive stance on such issues as child welfare, women’s rights, and reproductive freedom.”
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Our Daily Thread 12-18-14
Good Morning!
1 Week To Go!!!!!
Today’s header photo is from Kim.
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On this day in 1862 the first orthopedic hospital was organized in New York City. It was called the Hospital for Ruptured and Crippled. They obviously needed a better name.
In 1865 slavery was abolished in the United States with the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution being ratified.
In 1912 the discovery of the Piltdown Man in East Sussex was announced. It was proved to be a hoax in 1953.
In 1957 the Shippingport Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania went online. It was the first nuclear facility to generate electricity in the United States. It was taken out of service in 1982.
And in 1998 the House of Representatives began the debate on the four articles of impeachment concerning President Bill Clinton. It was only the second time in U.S. history that process had begun.
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Quote of the Day
“My brothers and sisters, may the spirit of love which comes at Christmastime fill our homes and our lives and linger there long after the tree is down and the lights are put away for another year.”
Thomas S. Monson
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My wife Cheryl requested some of Mr. Crosby’s work today. 🙂
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Anyone have a QoD?
Prayer Requests 12-18-14
It’s Thursday, so don’t forget to pray for the folks in PNG.
And Welcome Home! to Jo. 🙂
Anyone else have something to share?
Psalm 10
¹Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?
2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.
4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
5 His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.
6 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.
7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.
8 He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor.
9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.
10 He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.
11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.
12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.
13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.
14 Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.
16 The Lord is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.
17 Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:
18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.
News/Politics 12-18-14
What’s interesting in the news today?
Open Thread!
Here’s a few to start things off.
1. Republicans have chosen 3 new Senators for the Armed Services Committee.
From DefenseOne “A lieutenant colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard and the first female combat veteran in the Senate. A former Army Ranger and captain educated in the Ivy League. A lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves who worked on former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s national security staff. These are the three newly elected senators who will serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Republicans announced Monday.
Senators-elect Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, all post-9/11 veterans who served in either Iraq, Afghanistan or both wars, will serve on the Senate’s defense committee, according to incoming Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. The Republican conference and full Senate will ratify the picks.”
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2. Since our state SG refused to do her job because all these dirty politicians are Dems like her, some local prosecutors are stepping up.
From Philly.com “Philadelphia prosecutors announced criminal charges Tuesday against two more elected officials swept up in the undercover sting investigation that state Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane had argued could not be successfully prosecuted.
District Attorney Seth Williams announced conspiracy, bribery and conflict of interest charges against state Reps. Vanessa Lowery Brown and Ronald G. Waters, both Philadelphia Democrats, for accepting cash from an undercover operative.
In announcing the charges, Williams had harsh words for Kane, who he said had to be forced through “judicial intervention” to turn over key documents in the case.”
“After The Inquirer first broke the news of the aborted operation, Kane vigorously defended her decision. She contended the investigation was poorly managed, relied on a questionable undercover agent, and was possibly tainted by racial targeting. All five elected officials captured on tape are African American.”
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3. Obama and Clinton sure love those foreign contributions, huh? And of course Menendez’s dirty little fingers are all over this too.
From MSN/NYTimes “The Obama administration overturned a ban preventing a wealthy, politically connected Ecuadorean woman from entering the United States after her family gave tens of thousands of dollars to Democratic campaigns, according to finance records and government officials.
The woman, Estefanía Isaías, had been barred from coming to the United States after being caught fraudulently obtaining visas for her maids. But the ban was lifted at the request of the State Department under former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton so that Ms. Isaías could work for an Obama fund-raiser with close ties to the administration.
It was one of several favorable decisions the Obama administration made in recent years involving the Isaías family, which the government of Ecuador accuses of buying protection from Washington and living comfortably in Miami off the profits of a looted bank in Ecuador.
The family, which has been investigated by federal law enforcement agencies on suspicion of money laundering and immigration fraud, has made hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions to American political campaigns in recent years. During that time, it has repeatedly received favorable treatment from the highest levels of the American government, including from New Jersey’s senior senator and the State Department.
The Obama administration has allowed the family’s patriarchs, Roberto and William Isaías, to remain in the United States, refusing to extradite them to Ecuador. The two brothers were sentenced in absentia in 2012 to eight years in prison, accused of running their bank into the ground and then presenting false balance sheets to profit from bailout funds. In a highly politicized case, Ecuador says the fraud cost the country $400 million.”
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Our Daily Thread 12-17-14
Good Morning!
8 Days! 🙂
Today’s header photo is from Janice.
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On this day in 1777 France recognized American independence.
In 1895 George L. Brownell received a patent for his paper-twine machine.
In 1953 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decided to approve RCA’s color television specifications.
And in 1975 Lynette Fromme was sentenced to life in prison for her attempt on the life of President Ford.
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Quote of the Day
“Recommend virtue to your children; it alone, not money, can make them happy. I speak from experience.”
Ludwig van Beethoven
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First up today, the extremely talented Lindsey Stirling
And since it’s his birthday, some Beethoven, TSO style. 🙂
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Wandering Views 