What Is Your Take On The AARP?

Read this article.

AARP’s Non-Profit Status Under Fire Over Insurance Income

I have been wondering about the money they have been making on insurance for awhile. $657 million a year.

I've also wondered about their political advocacy.

In my mind they have become like most other advocacy groups, raising money and spending it not on what they claim but primarily for the sole purpose of paying to raise more money and spending it on political advocacy.

Further, this is not an attack on their politics. I don't agree with them but I see the same thing in Right to Life. I haven't had any real respect for them for years.

What is your take on this? Should something be done about it.

What Do You Think About This?

Children Conceived After Death of Parent Face Uphill Battle for Inheritance Rights

Melissa Amen conceived her 3-year-old daughter, Kayah, seven days after Kayah's father died of cancer.

"It's my miracle," the 28-year-old Nebraska resident told FoxNews.com. Melissa and her husband, Joshua, struggled for two years to have a child before she conceived through intrauterine insemination. Joshua had stored his sperm in a bank in case treatments for his cancer rendered him sterile. They were planning to raise a family together despite his three-year battle with cancer.

Now Amen faces her own battle: Winning Social Security benefits for Kayah from a federal government that, in essence, doesn't recognize Joshua as the father.

The Social Security Administration denied Melissa's application seeking survivor benefits for Kayah because she was conceived after the death of her father.

Continue reading

Let me be very clear. I feel bad for this woman, as I would anyone who has lost a spouse. One of our blogging friends herself lost her spouse and it is a horror none of us would want to face.

I also understand her wanting to have a child with him. The inability of them to be able to have a child is one of the things she was robbed of by his death from cancer.

With that said, should someone in this circumstance be able to get Social Security benefits for the child?

Is the child, as a biological heir of her father, entitled to his survivor benefits?

Or is this a case of a woman making a decision and now having to live with it, morally and financially?

Does it matter if it were, as some of the cases mentioned, the child of a man killed in combat?

What about a police officer or fireman killed in the line of duty?

What about other benefits?

What do you think about this?

Quote Of The Week

"Obviously that involves kinetic military action, particularly on the front end."

Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Adviser

Source

This is what the action in Libya is called, a kinetic military action, not a war.

Anyone wonder why Obama is seen as a strong and decisive military leader by 17% of people polled?

Why Do Liberal Protests Have To Turn Violent?

Anarchists blitz the Ritz and occupy Fortnum & Mason: Yobs break away from anti-cuts demo as HALF A MILLION peaceful protesters march on London

Continue reading and credit for picture

Basically people were out protesting budget cuts in what was effectively a march for organized labor. During the protest, in which the vast majority were peaceful, a bunch of the protesters became violent.

They smashed windows, assaulted police, and generally caused mayhem. Sound familiar?

I have two questions.

Why is it that every time you get more than a few liberals together in one place a riot breaks out?

Why don't the police break some heads and disperse these crowds?

Maybe send in the National Guard to disperse the crowd. If every time these little bastards show up to riot there is a contingent of soldiers with attitudes and permission to break up the crowds by any means possible, we won't be seeing pictures like this anymore.

Is There Something Odd Here?

My first reaction when I heard this is that this is just another example of local liberal idiots using their position to push their political agenda.

Iowa Safety Drill Portrays Mock Shooter as 'Anti-Immigration' Pro-Gun Student

An emergency drill set to take place in an Iowa school Saturday is drawing outrage after organizers revealed the mock scenario involves an “anti-immigration” pro-gun student shooting dozens of students in a racially-motivated shooting spree.

Continue reading.

Read the rest of the article for the full scenario.

As I said, I quickly jumped to the conclusion that this was nothing more than a slam at gun rights and a chance for liberals to push their theory that anyone that is against illegal immigration is an angry white racist.

To be clear, I did not know the political persuasion of the people putting on this scenario but it was an easy assumption because it is done over and over again in local governments across the country.

So when I originally read this on DesMoinesRegister.com via Drudge I dismissed it as just more nonsense.

Going back and re-reading the original article and reading the above Fox article, it also did not appear as if anyone knew about the scenario until just the last couple of days. So if it was an attack on conservatism, it didn't appear to be a coordinated one. Maybe a few people at most.

Then I read the above article again at Fox and saw this:

In a follow-up memo distributed Wednesday afternoon, Doug Reed, the lead exercise planner for the county’s Emergency Management Agency, said the scenario was only constructed for the purpose of securing Department of Homeland Security Grant funding, which requires the drill simulate a terrorism scenario.

So this is the question. Is this a case of idiots pushing a liberal agenda or is it something else?

Think about the current inhabitants of the White House and the Department of Homeland Security. Think about the fact that our director of Homeland Security views any of us on the right as potential terrorists.

Think about their stance on illegal immigration and their refusal to work towards putting a stop to it. Their refusal to secure the border or capture and deport the illegals already here.

Think about their stance on racism. Think about the Holder Justice Department and the NBPP case from Philadelphia of 2008.

Is this a case of local idiots or is this a case of local officials who know that the best way to get a grant approved by Homeland Security is to have a scenario like this?

This Is How Christians Are Treated In A Predominantly Muslim Area

Thousands of Christians Displaced in Ethiopia After Muslim Extremists Torch Churches, Homes

Source

These bastards will scream at the top of their lungs about religious intolerance when someone says that building a mosque in the shadow of the World Trade Center site might not be such a good idea. In the meantime, they are torching churches and killing Christians back home.

Back home is exactly where they need to be IMHO.

This Worked Out Well For This Dude

Armed Beauty Queen Fatally Shoots Intruder in Florida Home Invasion

Idiot breaks into house at 3:00 am.

Idiot drags woman up stairs by nose and mouth to do who knows what.

Woman's boyfriend keeps idiot busy while woman goes and gets pink .38 special.

Idiot won't be dragging anymore women around.

Read Fox's version here.

Quote of The Week

“It’s an absolutely perfect monument to a guy whose entire history has been overspending and overpromising,”...“It would make sense [Mr. Biden‘s] name would be slapped on a bloated, over-budget train station in Wilmington.”

Leslie Paige, Citizens Against Government Waste

Source

This was in response to an over-budget Amtrak station being named after the stimulus "sheriff" VP Joe Biden.

Who says these building names are often irrelevant and have no connection to the people they are named after?

She May Be Onto Something Here

When I first read this headline I was really pissed.

Clinton pushes for jobs, reform in transitioning Tunisia

Then I read the first paragraph.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged Thursday to help Tunisia create jobs and undertake reforms to keep the momentum behind the revolution that overthrew its president two months ago.

I thought hmm, she might be onto something.

Continue reading

It Doesn't Get Any Funnier Than This

Obama flaunts openness award

President Obama’s only event at the White House that isn’t closed to the press on Wednesday is a ceremony in which he’ll accept an award for being open to the press.

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The only thing I can't quite decide is if they know how absurd this is or if they are this delusional.

I Find This Fascinating

Why is there no looting in Japan?

Read the article

Seems that Japan isn't having as much trouble with looting as we do here in the West whenever, well anything, happens.

In the meantime, this seems to be one of the more haunting pictures I have seen. I have seen countless pictures of destruction, razed buildings, and the obligatory boats on building pictures. This is a cute kid and it is easy to imagine that he will have a rough life if he is contaminated.

Seeing the pictures of kids makes the whole thing real I guess.

What Do You Think About This?

Ore. Bus Driver Fired Over Confederate Flag Pushing to Get Job Back

Source

This flag was not on his school bus but on his truck parked in the bus yard parking lot.

What are your thoughts on this?

Is there a free speech right issue here?

Does the school district have a right to regulate speech in it's parking lot? Who ultimately controls a school parking lot, the school or the public? This is an issue that is important for the constitutional issue. Is it private property belonging to the school or public property?

Finally, what do you think about this?

Phoenix-Talent schools Superintendent Ben Bergreen had demanded the flag be removed from school property, citing a policy prohibiting symbols that could be offensive to minorities.

Quote of The Week

While shar’iah means God’s law too many Muslims, the reality is that when it is applied by government it is manmade law. We must convince Muslims that governments and legal systems based in reason and the separation of mosque and state are preferable to those based in shar’iah. No matter how “democratic” a shar’iah based system is presented, its entire foundation is predicated on a supremacist ideology, familiar only to Muslims, that is incompatible with the US Constitution and universal religious freedom. The purest practice of Islam is one in which Muslims have complete freedom to accept or reject any of the tenants or laws of the faith.

Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, founder and President, American Islamic Forum for Democracy

Source for quote

Dr Jasser testified in the King congressional hearings on Islamic radicalization scheduled for Thursday.

If there is one real positive outcome from the King hearing, it is getting voices like Dr Jasser's out in the public.

I am one who, while I strongly support this hearing. does not have a lot of confidence that it will accomplish much. I do not blame this on lack of effort by Rep King, I think his desire to make these hearings count is sincere.

The issue is with the current inhabitant of the White House. In the end, Congress cannot do much more than shed light on an issue. The responsibility for enforcing the nation's laws, setting international diplomacy, and providing for national security is entrusted to the Executive branch.

If the hearing accomplishes nothing more, it may finally start a national conversation about radical Islam and put a stop to the death by political correctness that has become our national policy.

Is This A Good Thing?

US 'heartland' near historic shift from Midwest

I realize some deride Midwest values as hokey and charming. I realize we are considered "fly-over land".

I am from the Midwest and think life here is great. I think our values are definitive of what America is. And yes Obama, we do cling to guns and religion.

Read this article though and tell me what you think, especially for those of you who are not from the Midwest.

You Just Can't Make This Up

Look at these excerpts from two different articles on FoxNews.com about NPR

NPR Exec Caught on Camera Slamming Tea Party, Republicans

Schiller described that movement as "white, middle America, gun-toting," and added: "They're seriously racist people."

Source

Ron Schiller, (Former) Senior Executive of NPR

Ron "resigned" after these remarks.

Then we have an article about Vivian Schiller, President of NPR and the person who fired Juan Williams.

NPR President Says Juan Williams Firing Handled 'Badly'

And she said NPR is working to improve the diversity of its staff. At the time he was fired, Williams was the only black man on air at NPR.

Source

According to this Gallup poll, the make up of Tea Party groups closely resemble the American population as a whole. 79% of Tea Partiers are non-hispanic white while 75% of all US adults are.

So ask yourself this about the two groups, NPR or the Tea Party, which are racists?

What Do You Think About This?

Frustrated teachers say profession is losing respect, they're treated like scapegoats

Read this article and tell me what you think.

I do believe that teachers have a lot to deal with. The kids in their classes have dysfunctional parents and home lives. Some don't have parents. Kids learn at different levels. So yes, I believe it is tough being a teacher.

Is this the whole story though? Is it really a matter of teachers fighting against impossible odds? Are they blameless on the outcome in schools?

What are your thoughts?

Quote of The Week

"Think about that,"...."When you compare what people endured in the South in the 60s to try to get the right to vote for African Americans, and to compare what people were subjected to there to what happened in Philadelphia—which was inappropriate, certainly that…to describe it in those terms I think does a great disservice to people who put their lives on the line, who risked all, for my people,"

Eric Holder, Attorney General, United States.

This comment was made in testimony before Congress in which AG Holder was trying to defend the Justice Department's handling of the NBPP case of voter intimidation in Philadelphia in 2008.

I don't have a lot to say about this. Just reflect on the irony of the statement, especially thinking of the bolded portion above.

This Has Some Merit

Dem Proposes Letting People Opt Out of Health Insurance Mandate -- But There's a Catch

Read the article here.

Basically it lets people opt out of mandated coverage but they have to then be responsible for any bills they incur.

This is something I have thought all along. If people do not want to buy health insurance, let them make the decision for themselves. But, they must also live with the consequences.

What are your thoughts?

Sh!# Happens When You Go Grocery Shopping

From the ewww department.

Fecal Matter Found on 72 Percent of Grocery Carts

Read the article here.

It seems grocery cart handles are dirtier than public restrooms.

How Is Social Media Changing Our Society?

This is a follow up on my post from Monday in which a West Michigan man sang to a class of elementary students, video taped the event, and later dubbed in sexually suggestive lyrics. The question Monday was whether he should be charged with a crime.

I received some great comments from readers and they got me thinking.

The question is; how is social media changing our society and culture?

There is some thought that this man saw this as a prank and did not mean to sexually objectify the children. I wonder if this theory isn't worth examining. This is not to make an excuse for him. In fact, I find the notion that this could be true to be quite concerning.

Are we creating a society in which anything goes for a laugh or a good time?

I attended a trauma prevention conference as part of my job and one of the speakers spoke on websites that exist for people (mostly men and mostly late teens to early twenties) who do stupid things for kicks. One segment was on the practice of spraying aerosol body spray on the crotch of your pants and setting it on fire. Obviously you can see how this worked out for the kid. The problem is there is a whole underground culture of kids out there who do this very thing and other stupid acts.

I realize that we did dumb things when we were kids and many of us are likely lucky to have survived our teen years. Kids and young adults have probably been doing dangerous stunts since some idiot Neanderthal realized he could stand on a stone wheel and balance himself to impress the young ladies.

I wonder though if the availability of a world wide audience, the anonymity of the internet, and literally thousands of other people to give suggestions on what to do and how to do it is exacerbating the problem.

I wonder if we are blurring the lines between right and wrong, safe and unsafe, rational and irrational?

As I said earlier, we have always had idiots roaming the Earth. In the past they were generally isolated and could not share notes. We are now providing them a communication tool to push the limits of the extreme. Is this a good thing?

I have always given considerable credence to the theory that once an aberration becomes the new norm we then must develop new, and worse, aberrations.

Take homosexuality as a simple example. I don't have a real issue with it, I don't agree with it and think it is wrong, but I take a "leave me alone and I will leave you alone" approach to it. At one time homosexuality was actually considered deviant behavior, now it is essentially socially acceptable.

Now that we have accepted the behavior of homosexuality as the norm, the conversation is slowly turning to man-boy love. Obviously almost all of society is against the practice and it is considered deviant behavior. There are those though who argue in favor of legalizing the practice. Recently we had a national debate because Amazon.com was carrying a how-to guide for man-boy love. They were overwhelmed by protest and were forced to remove it. The reality is though that it was there. A national company felt comfortable selling it. Will I be writing a blog in 30 years that, while I don't agree with man-boy love, each to his own? (The answer is an emphatic "Hell no" btw). Will we instead be appalled at the new underground practice of sex with infants?

Sorry for the nearly pointless and disturbing digression. The point is, is this a new and concerning trend in society? Are we seeing a societal shift in which what we once considered to be in poor taste or even taboo will now be the new norm and there will be a race on to find the next, more thrilling and decadent thing?