No. Not "looks like sushi" Sheesh

Bindi Irwin

Little treasusre

the patriot post View online at: http://patriotpost.us/digests/39458 Friday Short Cuts By Patriot Post Staff · Dec. 11, 2015 Insight: “[P]rudent minds have as a natural gift one safeguard which is the common possession of all, and this applies especially to the dealings of democracies. What is this safeguard? Skepticism. This you must preserve. This you must retain.” —Demosthenes (384-322 BC) Most government jobs = permanent jobs: “I’ve never encountered an organization where leadership was measured by how many people you fired. You can’t fire your way to excellence.” —VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson So it’s all just for show? “The fact is that even if every single American citizen biked to work, carpooled to school, used only solar panels to power their homes, if we each planted a dozen trees, if we somehow eliminated all of our domestic greenhouse gas emissions, guess what — that still wouldn’t be enough to offset the carbon pollution coming from the rest of the world.” —John Kerry at the Paris climate summit “The planet will be ok, there just won’t be any damn people on it.” —Han Solo Harrison Ford’s alarming prediction about man-made global warming (Of course, without warming, he’d still be frozen in carbonite…) Dezinformatsia: “[Democrats] have to speak up and just tell the American people we can’t get anything done on gun violence because Republicans are in the way. Put it on the obstructors. Put it on the people who always defend a piece of paper that was 225 old or whatever, back in a society that doesn’t even exist today. … Then maybe you might strike a nerve with the American people to get rid of some of these jackasses who live by an old document that is just totally outdated.” —Ed Schultz What could go wrong? “Ban guns. All guns. Get rid of guns in homes, and on the streets, and, as much as possible, on police. … Ban guns! Not just gun violence. Not just certain guns. Not just already-technically-illegal guns. All of them.” —New Republic’s Phoebe Maltz Bovy Non Compos Mentis: “What I’m observing is that it’s tragic that in the immediate aftermath of a series of high-profile mass shootings people feel like they have to go out and purchase a gun. … [I]t’s tragic and ironic.” —Josh Earnest (What’s tragic is how the Left stands on the coffins of innocent people to politicize shootings.) And last… “To think there is a right to bear arms because of the 2nd Amendment is to mix up cause and effect.” —Frank Fleming FYI- I've been subscribed to Patriot Post for..., like forever.  Delivered daily,  I rarely give it a look amongst the flotsam and jetsam, but whenever I do, as I did this morning, it's ALWAYS spot-on and interesting.  I will invite all of them to my next barbecue.

Mafia Mom

Oh My

Today's Obituary of Note

O

William Baur

bituary

BAUR, WILLIAM HAROLD passed away quietly on May 5, 2014. He lived quietly as well, unless you happened to mention global warming and climate change. He would then patiently explain to you that abundant evidence exists of even warmer global temperatures in recent geological history without the corresponding carbon imprint left by man.

He spent a lifetime reading and learning, always to the backdrop of classical music and opera. Most of all, he was a truly free thinker, with his own carefully reasoned opinions no matter what everyone else chose to think. He loved frappuccinos; he scorned community associations. He was never wrong, or at least not so that he would admit. He ate ice cream every day. He was a true renaissance man in the modern world he could read dozens of books about computers without the need to ever turn one on. Educated as a physicist, he spent his free time building and sailing multihulls. In fact, he could build most anything. His humor, on the other hand, could be a bit obscure. He was a great artist and sculptor, creating works of exquisite beauty that few have been lucky to see.

He was an inspiration, precisely because he never tried to inspire anyone. William Baur was born in 1932 in Michigan. He is survived by....

Published in The Capital on May 9, 2014

Chef and Farmer

Chef and Farmer “ Vivian Howard originally made a name for herself in the Manhattan restaurant world and with her own gourmet delivery service. Acclaim and potential investors poured in, but it was the offer from her own parents that called to her the loudest. They would help her build a restaurant — but with one catch. She had to open it back home in Eastern North Carolina, a place to which she swore she would never return. And so The Chef & the Farmer, located in Kinston, North Carolina, was born. Six years in, Vivian and her restaurant have won numerous accolades, including her selection as a James Beard semi-finalist, but the challenges continue. As the series opens, Vivian and Ben are juggling the restaurant, raising twins and anxiously building their own home — right next door to her parents. Note that I've posted this in the "Idyll" rather than "Food" file. Perhaps my pleasure with this PBS series is due to my family's love for Nags Head and indeed the entire East North Carolina region.  At one point we loved all of North Carolina and pondered a retired life there, but our last trip to the Raleigh region showed it had become a traffic choked hell, akin to Virginia Beach.  And then they started electing Democrats.  I avoided "A Chef's Life" for a long time because, duh, the genre has exploded, and most are the same.  But this  has a sweetness to it that I cannot get enough of.  I adore these peole and would like to be their neighbors, and spend time every day at the arster bar.  More and more I'm hankering to  head south.  This one could happen,  because seeing the kids would only require a 6 hour drive each way. For them, LOL. ”

If I killed myself tonight ..

Oh My

Found on the web

Today's Makeover

TODAY'S MAKEOVER From a sow's ear to pure silk

“ Isn't that better? ”

Great Picture Archive ..

Pssst—  Wanna see some pitchers?

“ German Wehrmacht General Anton Dostler is tied to a stake before his execution by a firing squad in a stockade in Aversa, Italy, on December 1, 1945. The General, Commander of the 75th Army Corps, was sentenced to death by an United States Military Commission in Rome for having ordered the shooting of 15 unarmed American prisoners of war, in La Spezia, Italy, on March 26, 1944. (AP Photo)                                                                          Only Bigger ”     cuzzin ricky

May-Day call for Reader's Digest

National Treasure in danger of falling into the hands of someone like Huffington.

We were on vacation once, visiting relatives in Ohio.  Out of sheer boredom I picked up a Reader's Digest that was laying about.  I was about 9 years old, and very afraid of the threat posed by the Soviet Union.  I was especially fearful about our nation falling behind in the arms race.  Srsly.  I read an article about the F-101,  America's soon to be deployed fighter jet that would wax anything the commies  threw at it.  The story also described why we would always prevail against a nation held in virtual slavery;  one forever developing new 5 year plans that always failed.  We were free, and so too was American industry to keep developing answers to any threat.  I was very comforted by that, and would continue to be by other articles in the future. I cannot begin to number all the  Reader's Digest Condensed Books I've  read.  " Books" I would never-ever have otherwise read; written by authors I knew nothing of.  Quite often I'd later check the full volume out of the library, and was always amazed by how the Digest had seemingly captured 90% of the content using just 20% of the words.  It was The Reader's Digest that picked up on a small story out of Massachusetts, ca 1987.  A story of how its Liberal governor had instituted a program allowing violent criminals unsupervised weekend leave from prison.  The story of how one Willie Horton, serving a life sentence for murder, without the possibility of parole, used it to assault  a couple in their own home, and rape the wife.  That story was picked up by Al Gore, then running against Dukakis for the 1988 nomination, and hurled at him during a debate. Did you know that? Of course it was later (and is still today) proffered as a prime  example of how Republicans used race and fear against Dukakis in 1988.  I am then really bummed to read that Reader's Digest has put itself up for sale.   I see it as  Norman Rockwell personified;  Someone looking at America and finding the best in us. What a catch this would be for, say,  some leftist bitch who just bought Newsweek, a rag only read by nutroots looking for validation.  But what if the Reader's Digest began pushing the same agitprop?  It would be like sending mom and dad to school to relearn history from the leftist  P.O.V..  I urge everyone to subscribe to Reader's  Digest today.  If enough of us do, it may be saved from such debauchery.  I just did - $10 measly dollars.

Genital San

Too late for stocking stuffers ... sigh.

A Fine Essay

Constitutional Judo

“ Many Americans ... assume that ‘the people’ derive their power from the Constitution, but the reality is actually reverse; the Constitution, in fact, derives its power from the people. Our duty (which some have forgotten) has always been to protect the rights and liberties inscribed on those pages of parchment. Not just to know those rights, or recite them, but to implement and defend them in our day-to-day existence. Without the constant nurturing cultural pulse of sound minds and courageous hearts, the Constitution dies. Death By A Thousand Cuts (Ingredients) Patriot Acts I & II: The Patriot Act is what I call “chameleon legislation”; it’s designed to be “open to interpretation” by officials and to be modified for whatever purpose they happen to deem fit at the moment.  The Enemy Belligerents Act: The Enemy Belligerents Act is a perfect example of how the leadership caste of the Democrats and Republicans (who are neo-cons, not true conservatives) work in tandem to institute globalist policy. … The John Warner Defense Authorization Act: A bill passed by George W. Bush in 2007 with very little initial media coverage. Allows the Federal Government at the direction of the president to subvert Posse Comitatus and use the military within the borders of the U.S. Establishment Of Northcom: Northcom (United States Northern Command) is, at bottom, the teeth behind legislation like the John Warner Defense Act. If martial law is declared in the U.S., it will be Northcom and its assigned military units that will stand at the forefront. Northcom’s stated mission is to “defend the homeland”, supposedly against terrorism, however ...  Presidential Directive 51:  It dissolves all states rights and places the entire country under the purview of Northcom, and Homeland Security. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA): Supported by both Bush and Obama. The word “foreign” is highly misleading. FISA allows telecom companies to supply the personal data and communications of anyone, including Americans, to the government without threat of civil retribution (lawsuit). Big Brother Technotronic Super Villain-esqe Surveillance Grid: Ever feel like you are being watched? Get used to it. Bailout Bills (All Variations): Everyone is desperate to play cheerleader for their team, not realizing that both teams are fake and almost every president since the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913 is to blame for selling out the American people to global banks.  FDA Food Safety Modernization Act S. 510: Currently being considered for passage in the House. Yet another bill written in such a way as to make it wide open for interpretation by the authorities. [full]

I'm again struck by how much my views have changed since 9-11 when I generally subscribed to all the new security "safeguards." proposed by Bush.  (I always did however hear the Internationale  playing when the phrase "Homeland Security" was  uttered).  Still, there are many laws & prerogatives (like the Executive Order) that have merit, but  have always carried the warning "dangerous in the hands of evil people" . In my lifetime the evil people have been democrats, like Bill Clinton and Brok. It does appear we're in the process of getting rid of them.  Prolly have to throw of few down the well though.  Tailgunner Dick

Thoughts from the past

Dear Laddie: (Storytelling by Geoffrey Lewis:)

The Train (for Christmas) More - The Sermon, The Dwarf, Dad, The Soldier; they're all good (except for the ones that are actually about celestial navigation). Grinfilledcelt

OMG - Real Economics

Breaking: Truth Printed in NYT!

Either a snoozing Professor Mankiw, or a NYT reader dropped dead from shock? Breaking: Truth Printed in NYT! is how Ann Coulter linked to I Can Afford Higher Taxes. But They’ll Make Me Work Less.  Written by Harvard professor N. Gregory Mankiw, who admits to "earning more than $250,000 a year," it is indeed odd to read this in the Times. Here's an excerpt. “ Suppose that some editor offered me $1,000 to write an article. If there were no taxes of any kind, this $1,000 of income would translate into $1,000 in extra saving. If I invested it in the stock of a company that earned, say, 8 percent a year on its capital, then 30 years from now, when I pass on, my children would inherit about $10,000. That is simply the miracle of compounding. Now let’s put taxes into the calculus. First, assuming that the Bush tax cuts expire, I would pay 39.6 percent in federal income taxes on that extra income. Beyond that, the phaseout of deductions adds 1.2 percentage points to my effective marginal tax rate. I also pay Medicare tax, which the recent health care bill is raising to 3.8 percent, starting in 2013. And in Massachusetts, I pay 5.3 percent in state income taxes, part of which I get back as a federal deduction. Putting all those taxes together, that $1,000 of pretax income becomes only $523 of saving. And that saving no longer earns 8 percent. First, the corporation in which I have invested pays a 35 percent corporate tax on its earnings. So I get only 5.2 percent in dividends and capital gains. Then, on that income, I pay taxes at the federal and state level. As a result, I earn about 4 percent after taxes, and the $523 in saving grows to $1,700 after 30 years. Then, when my children inherit the money, the estate tax will kick in. The marginal estate tax rate is scheduled to go as high as 55 percent next year, but Congress may reduce it a bit. Most likely, when that $1,700 enters my estate, my kids will get, at most, $1,000 of it. HERE’S the bottom line: I Can Afford Higher Taxes. But They’ll Make Me Work Less. Wow.  $250K+.  I coulda been a contender, but heard teachers weren't paid well.  If he starts teaching this to his students, who knows; Harvard grads might start making a positive contribution to society.

Ken Blackwell Quote of the Day

QOTD

“ Look, we have become a culture where earning money doesn't entitle you to it but wanting money does. Ken Blackwell ” Marc Miller

Up close and personal

What I Saw: Notes Made on September 11, 2001 from Brooklyn Heights

“ [What follows is a slightly edited transcript of what I saw and how I felt on the 11th of September, 2001 from Brooklyn Heights in New York City. On that day I was posting to a West Coast Computer Conferencing system known as The Well. As a result, even though I was writing from Brooklyn Heights directly across the river from the Towers, the time stamp reflects PST. Real time is +3 hours.] Tue 11 Sep 01 08:07 ” and this