Grizzly Mama

Moving

2010-07-05T22:38:00.001-04:00

I will be moving to a new place:

Grizzly Mama.

Gearing Up

2010-06-21T08:34:00.003-04:00

I've got the outline for the affidavit. I've got the special ed teacher ready to sign off on the curriculum for the little one because she needs speech therapy. I've got the goals outlined. We're meeting a group of homeschoolers this coming Friday in our area.

I've decided against a co-op. I need more of a supportive network type thing for a homeschoolers group. The families that we're going to meet know awesome evaluators. Some are using Seton curriculum, some are more eclectic. It sounds like a good mix to me.

I've got the placement testing lined up for this week. We got the shelving up to hold all of the curriculum materials. The girls each have a laptop. We're thinking of all of the cool stuff that we can get involved with now.

Right now is crazy with swim team practices and meets, tennis lessons, basketball. The older daughter just went through training to teach swimming to little kids - she will be great. Plus, it's a nice little summer job - she gets a free pool pass, a t-shirt, a little money and a lot of good experience!

I'd say that we're almost ready to go.

Memorial Day

2010-05-30T05:45:00.002-04:00

Happy Memorial Day.

God bless all those who died in service to our country. God bless all veterans, and all those who presently serve. You are the absolute BEST.

We have a brand, spanking new stars and stripes flying. On the other column, we now sport a Gadsden flag. They both fly every day at our house. I feel lucky that in our little town, most houses fly the flag.

Obama Press Conference

2010-05-27T23:13:00.003-04:00

What is with that UGLY GOLD CURTAIN?? Where is an American flag??

That material looks like something some Saudi king would stand in front of.

YUCK!!!!

Rasmussen Daily Presidential Approval Index

2010-05-26T10:04:00.003-04:00

I think it'll go lower. The guy is totally out of touch - a little prince jetting around the country playing golf. Shame on him for being such a crappy President.

Everybody Draw Mohammed Day

2010-05-20T08:15:00.042-04:00

Facebook took down the Everybody Draw Mohammed page just a few minutes ago. It had about 90,000 fans. (**Note - the Facebook page is once again available - with more than 100,000 fans**)(**Another note - Facebook page is gone again!!**) A lot of them were moslems threatening to kill people who would dare draw a picture of mohammed. Which - as we all know by now - is their prophet. I will be adding links to this posting of other bloggers who put cartoons up of 'mo'.

Free speech can be offensive. Being offended is no reason to kill another person. You would think that in the United States of America everyone understood that.

Jihad Watch
IMAO
Comics Alliance.
The Godless Monster
Laughing in Purgatory (No actual stick figures of mo here - but they're pretty damn funny!)
The Friendly Atheist
Zombietime Zomblog
Everybody Draw Mohammed (Dude! You should see some of the death threats there! Moslems true to form...)(**UPDATE - website down!!**)
Texan2Driver
Because No One Asked
Free Colorado (YAY Colorado - my home state.)
Saber Point
Reason.com
Below the Beltway
Big Hollywood
FulloseousFlap's Dental Blog archive of Mohammed caricatures
NewsReelBlog's Fatwa Worthy Twitter Avatars
A Conservative Edge
Take A Stand Against Liberals
People's Press Collective
Blazing Cat Fur
BigGovernment.com
Answering Muslims documents the sheer insanity in the moslem world.
Happy Jihad's House of Pancakes
The Blogmocracy
Razor Sharp Claws
Michelle Malkin
Atlas Shrugs
Politically Incorrect News
The Amboy Times
Looking at the Left
Urban Infidel
Sermons From Seattle
Center of Mass
Blogmakezine
MohammedAlien
Resource for the Hesperado
Bug
Living Engine
Robert Graham
The Raw Deal
The Jawa Report
Gateway Pundit
Mind Numbed Robot
Tilting Suds
At the Point of a Gun
The Pirate's Cove
The Infidel Blogger's Alliance
Gates of Vienna
Anthroblogogy
Another Gun Blog
Snarky Bytes
Lucrative Pain
The Transmogrifier Files
Looking for Lissa
The Browsack Gazette
Dead Man Dance
The Breda Fallacy
Just Another Missouri Rebel
Gun Free Zone
Non Original Rants
NeanderPundit
The Objective Standard
Kristen
Rock and Roll Stu
Pharyngula
Chain Bear
Going on a Bear Hunt
Greta Christina
ER
Bottomlining the Rev
Rambling On
Sexy Redheaded Nuns
An Apostate's Chapel
One Minion's Opinion
Randi
Decrepit Old Fool
The Drunken Humanist
Izzy
Struck by Enlightning
Jesusfetusfajitafishsticks
William
Jesus and Mo
Abe of Lincoln

The People's Cube with a HILARIOUS 'draw a positive mohammed' day.

Must not miss IowaHawk's lofty explanation as to why he is exercising his Freedom of Not Speech.

When I have more time and energy I will add more.

Sayonara Turncoat

2010-05-19T09:09:00.005-04:00

FINALLY - He's gone!

Although they were joking at the polling place yesterday that they wouldn't put it past Specter to switch to independent just so he can run again.

Toomey won on the Republican side. It will be interesting between Toomey and Sestak. I think Toomey will blow Sestak away. Time will tell.

The gigantic news is that Rand Paul rode to victory in Kentucky on the back of the Tea Party movement. The odds were WAY against him, with experts predicting that he had less than 10% chance of winning against Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson. They underestimated the Tea Party movement.

PA-12 is not good news in my opinion. The seat formerly held by Murtha has gone to one of Murtha's former aides. Not sure what the hell is happening over there - but something is seriously WRONG with those people! Republican Tim Burns lost by a surprisingly large margin. Mark Critz takes the seat. The voters adored Murtha in that area and, from what I've read, believed that they lived off of his earmarks. This goes against all libertarian thought. They perceive themselves as dependent upon the government? Hmmmm. Wonder if Critz will be able to deliver the goods.

In Arkansas, Jim Boozman (R) won without the need for a runoff. Polls show him handily beating whoever wins the runoff on the Dem side. Arkansas voters don't like Obama very much - I think around 35% approval rating there. So Boozman looks like he's in good shape. Boozman voted for TARP - so he's going to have some 'splainin to do.

Oregon, anyone? Not much news out there for the Oregon primary. Apparently it's a big yawn.

The Decision to Go Back to Homeschooling

2010-05-02T05:07:00.004-04:00

Here I gather my thoughts together on the many reasons for the decision to go back to homeschooling.

1. Sibling rivalry has increased since school.

* They used to get along famously. In every single homeschooling family that I know, the relationships that the siblings enjoy is markedly different than those of 'regular' schooling families. It will actually blow your mind. Get to know a homeschooling family - you are likely to be amazed! We don't expect perfection in our relationships and of course people living together will clash occasionally and we are no exception. That intense sibling rivalry stuff? Doesn't need to be there.

2. Unhealthy attitudes in kids since school.

* Listen - I know all about adolescence and how kids go through those mental changes. This is different. It seems that most parents take for granted that they will eventually become the equivalent of a mere acquaintance to their kids as they grow up. Well. It doesn't have to be that way, and it shouldn't be that way. I'm all for respecting individuality - I'm what could be called unconventional in many ways. But our family is that - a family - and it IS more important than a lot of people seem to think.

3. Academic standards are crap. We have a lot of making up to do.

* I don't know what to say. I'm horrified. From the 3rd grade class last year not even able to finish the math curriculum by the end of the year, to the rushing through the Civil War, to the almost complete SKIPPING of science for both. It's a disgrace. (We finished the math curriculum over the summer at home..)

4. Inability of school to adapt to kids' individual levels of abilities.

* The little one didn't get into the advanced math because there 'wasn't enough room'. The big one is 97th percentile on the ACT for literature/writing, yet stuck doing 8th grade work. Third year for the oldest in Pre Algebra. Terrible in every way.

5. Favoritism in school is a big problem.

* This was really gross. Just gross. Not much left to say, except that we were lucky enough to get the kids involved in other stuff (when we could find a spare moment..) where they were atleast recognized and given the opportunity to participate in activities without being forced to sit on the sidelines while the less talented, more favored kid got all the good stuff. This didn't just happen to my kids - it happened to any kid who was new to the school, or just wasn't liked by certain teachers. Sick. Out in the REAL WORLD, participating in community activities, we never had a problem with this.

6. Unhinged teacher.

* Finally went to the principal about this. Scary whacky. Don't know what's going on there, but it's obviously a personal problem and the kids in that particular class are suffering for it. Not only that, but the kids are essentially held hostage - not in any position to confront the situation themselves. For one, they're kids. For two, in the hierarachy the kids are bottom of the totem pole and therefore have no say. It has been up to me and other parents to attempt to confront this situation and quite frankly - I'm just waiting until it's over and we're out of there. Although we had a meeting with the assistant principal and we have a meeting with the head principal this coming week. At home, they have no problem speaking up - or going to another authority if they don't like what's going on. They may still have to do those chores they don't like, or have to finish schoolwork before TV, but they will be heard!

7. Large, no HUGE, blocks of wasted time.

* Dang. I don't think there is a fix for this in a school/classroom type of setting. Another reason that the model just doesn't work well.

8. Emphasis and importance placed on silly things.

* Points off for not having the red line perfectly straight in the composition book. Points on for being able to do 50 equations in 30 seconds. Doesn't even matter in my book. (Is the writing legible and formatted in a way that makes sense? Are the answers to the equations accurate - even if it might take a minute? That's what is important to me...) Also, the kids got crap for the fact that we don't go to Mass every Sunday. They go to Mass every single frigging Friday, but NO. That's not enough. The teachers took it upon themselves to give my kids crap for the fact that I don't make it to Mass as often as they like. We dealt with this by telling the kids to inform their teachers that they need to call me if it ever comes up again. They did, the teachers didn't call, end of B.S.

9. Arbitrary scoring of work in several cases.

* One day it's okay. Another day it's not. One teacher it's okay. Another it's not. I guess there is something to be said for finding out what people want and giving it to them. But the larger, more important issue is to find the standard and keep it consistent. This arbitrary stuff just confuses people and leads to either apathy or defiance and that is not constructive.

10. Inability to be involved in community, or to partake in otherwise enriching activities, due to time constraints.

* Would much rather get the schoolwork done, and have time to get out there in the world. There is a lot to learn out there, a lot of important stuff to learn. I didn't learn the important stuff until I was free from the educational institutions.

11. Lack of direction in many areas with my older daughter.

* Possibly comes under unhinged teacher category. When help was requested, she was turned away. This is what I paid thousands of dollars a year for? I don't think so.

12. Unnatural hours, resulting in lack of sleep for everyone.

* Face it - this just blows. Not only is it full of wasted time, but for us that early morning crap just didn't work. Not enough sleep. Did you know that studies have shown that most of us are sleep deprived? There's a whole 24 hour a day, 7 day a week world out there.

Being in school this last two years has not helped them in many, many ways. I will concede that it was probably time well spent in that we ALL now "know,know" that educating the kids at home is absolutely the right thing to do for us.

It did create an avenue for the younger daughter to get involved in basketball. (Which I now find out that she doesn't even need to be in school to have participated, anyway..) Both girls also were able to learn new musical instruments, although I have been paying separately for the lessons.

One area that I have been struggling with in my anticipation of homeschooling is getting them into some sort of musical instrument group program. The Archdiocese does not allow homeschoolers to take part in the school's programs, and I really have no desire to send them to the local public school for that. There are a couple of other options that I am pursuing right now. One involves traveling to Delaware - and I'll do it if the other doesn't pan out.

We will also be responsible for paying for the younger daughter's speech therapy. This is fine, as she is almost where she needs to be. The only PITA about it is documenting that properly in my affidavit for the superintendent. It's a small PITA, though.

I am counting the days until school is over, and we can get back to doing it right.

Philadelphia Tea Party - 4/17/10

2010-04-19T20:56:00.004-04:00

Skye at Midnightbluesays represented at the TEA Party in Philly on Saturday, 4/17/2010. (My little brother Rich's birthday - Happy Birthday Rich!) It looked like a chilly, damp day - but our intrepid citizens who refuse to stand by silently made it out. Thanks you guys. See the full report at Skye's blog.

Here is my favorite sign from that TEA Party:

Amen, sister!

Washington DC Tax Day Protest Link

2010-04-18T13:19:00.003-04:00

Via Donald at American Power, I present this link to the Washington DC 2010 Tax Day Protest from Looking at the Left:

DC TEA Party.

Looking at the Left also has links to other TEA parties at the above link. There are some GREAT images - take a look!

God Bless America!

Philadelphia Tax Day 2010 Updated with links and pics

2010-04-15T17:32:00.016-04:00

Just got home from Philly. Beautiful day in Love Park. Not a huge turnout, but I think that most are planning on going to Philly this Saturday for the big protest. There were a few hundred people there - quite an 'angry mob' if you ask me! ;-)

Best part? We finally met aLa (and her husband) of Blonde Sagacity!!

I will have pics and video up later. Have to pick the kids up from track and choir and then they can show me how to upload video to 'the YouTube' on 'the Google'. :-P

Some prime observations overheard of passersby:

"They're crazy. Who would ever think that you could trust rich people to take care of poor people?"

Can I just say - Jerk Off?! I really wanted to slap that guy upside of his head. Swear to God. It's NOT ABOUT RICH PEOPLE 'TAKING CARE' OF POOR PEOPLE!! It's about providing the opportunity for anyone willing to work to rise to any level of economic prosperity that they WANT. It's about recognizing that we are entitled to what we WORK FOR! It's about NOT RAPING ME every time I put in an honest hour of work.

Not only that - but does this dickhead even understand that Americans give to charity far and above ANY OTHER NATION ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH? We DO take care of people who need help. Every goddamn day we take care of people who need help. Does he understand how much Bill Gates gives to charity - how much Rush Limbaugh gives to charity? Not to mention providing JOBS for people who are willing to work and take care of themselves and their families?

*GAWD* Frustrating!

Here's another:

"This is a disgrace and disgusting! Coming out here with flags and yelling and making all this noise!"

This one we actually talked to. This young man was out of work. We shared that our husbands were out of work, too. My husband just lost his job about 2 weeks ago. We just told him that we are Americans and it is every American's right to speak up, to stand in public and say what we think. I told him - we don't have to agree all the time. But we can stand up and say what we think in America. I also told him that higher taxes will not create jobs and, in fact, will kill jobs.

One last thing overheard:

"F@#king RACISTS! You're nothing but a bunch of f#@^king RACISTS!"

Everyone just ignored him. He looked like a frigging lunatic. Eventually the speaker and the crowd just drowned him out and he went away.. I should have videotaped him, but I wanted to hear what the speaker was saying.

*Update with pics and links*

My video came out TOTALLY suckish! It looks great on the camera, and has sound - but on YouTube it looks horrible and has no sound! So - here is a link to a video from the local Philly news:

Daily News video of event.

There is a woman on the video who talks about being scared - where else is there to go in the entire world? Girl - I'm am right there with you. Costa Rica's no good anymore...or so I've heard. I'm thinking Honduras. They have a legislature, a judiciary and a military in place NOT afraid to defend and protect their constitution! I got nothin' else. It's either that or continue to fight here for America. I don't think that the battle is lost just yet. We are getting close, though.

Without further ado, I present my lot of photos:

We start the day in beautiful Lancaster County.

Nearing Philadelphia!:

(We had a TOTALLY cool shot of driving into the belly of the beast from the Vine Street Expressway - but *poof* - it's gone. I don't know where..)

Here we go into LOVE park - where a statue of most obnoxious, yet beloved, Philly Phanatic greets any innocent person who happens to walk by:

Here we are! Troll and Grizzly - I shall heretofore and henceforth for the remainder of the posting refer to myself as 'The Hunchback of Lancaster County'. Damn! I look like crap in these pics. I look even worse next to aLa - of which pic will be put forth presently for your scorn and ridicule!!

Yes - that LOVE sculpture is considered art. I know. I know. Only a good communist could think such a thing.

Here is a pic of the Liberty In America bus. We signed it. Yep. That's me right there siging 'Grizzly Mama' with my sweaty and shaking hand. If you see the bus - sign it and look for me. I'm right by 'We the People'. It's in red. Of COURSE!

And here it is! What we've all been waiting for! A picture of the lovely aLa and the Hunchback of Lancaster County! ;-)

Here is the sunny person manning the Tea Party Patriot's table. I neglected to get her name, but did get permission to post her pic on my blog. Watch out Pelosi - We're SUCH A SCARY AND ANGRY MOB!!!

There were no infiltrators. The only opportunity to use my specially made sign was with this young man wearing a 'communist' t-shirt. Nobody accosted him, everyone ignored him except for me and Troll! He looked like he was pretty pleased that we were taking a picture of him. He might have been, oh, 15 years old?? Young and stupid - what can you say? Atleast he has the excuse of being too young to know any damn better!

Jamal Greene, amongst others, was speaking today. Here is the speech that he made - he hits the nail right on the HEAD, baby! LISTEN TO HIM!

Still think we're RACIST? Check this out and then shut your mouth! Our tent is big - we don't CARE what color you are, what your economic status is, we only care that you love America and will fight for our freedoms! Freedoms that many don't understand or take for granted. People died for those freedoms and it is our duty to stand up and hand the recognition of those freedoms intact to the next generation. Our fathers and mothers did that for us!

Oh! Old Grizzly Mama is tired now. Thanks for visiting!

Philadelphia Tea Party - April 15th, 2010

2010-04-05T22:11:00.011-04:00

Troll and Grizzly will be on the scene. We'll have our cameras, a sign, a flag and our voices.

**UPDATE**

Our representatives make an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America. LoBiondo DOESN'T HAVE A CLUE!!! The young man in the 'Don't Tread on Me' t-shirt has something to say and we all need to listen.

*UPDATE* The guy in the 'Don't Tread on Me' shirt is a 'truther'. *sigh* Oh well - I was almost in love until I saw that. He still gets props for knowing the Constitution and for calling LoBiondo out as far as I'm concerned. *End of UPDATE*

Did you get a load of the old guy at the end? He made a snarky remark about needing monitors. WHY?! You old fart! WHY would you need monitors? To shut us up?! It isn't going to happen.

*UPDATE 2 - 4/14/10*

Starting in on our signs and the cams are charging.

WE ARE THE MOB!!

Let the Purging Begin

2010-03-23T10:51:00.003-04:00

Or should I say, 'Let it continue?'

The purging started when McCain lost his presidential bid and the Republicans lost Congress.

CODE RED! D.C. Rally NOON TODAY

2010-03-20T11:47:00.010-04:00

Robert Stacy McCain and his trusty sidekick Smitty have updates, updates, UPDATES!! The Rally in Washington DC is going strong, and so are the dirty dealings in Congress. It's NASTY, folks. I have seen at least one person begging for no violence. Why? Who is threatening violence? I tried to warn my representatives that they should only push us so far. I don't advocate violence, but I don't think that our Congressional majority leadership understand just how fed up we are. I would wager that the only violence we will see today will be from the anti-war 'peace' protesters. (They're always the most violent at these little shindigs.)

Robert and his trusty sidekick Smitty have a link to Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput's article at First Things. I seem to recall that some of the readers at A Tangled Web had attempted to portray the Catholic Church as advocating for Obamacare - even if it included language in support of federal tax dollars being used for abortions, and also no provision for doctors who would conscientiously object to performing abortions. Well - worse than no provision. I'm sure that somewhere along the way I had read language that would require them to perform abortions - - - or else! (We won't know for certain what version we're going to end up with until after Pelosi/Reid slam it through, will we?)

Here is an interesting tidbit from Archbishop Chaput's essay entitled 'The Captivity of 'Catholic' Witness'

On March 18, the advocacy group Catholics United, which worried so earnestly about Republican faith partisans controlling Catholic thought in the last election, rolled out an attack-ad campaign against Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak in his home state. Why? Because Stupak insists—along with the U.S. bishops and every major national prolife group—that the Senate version of the reform bill now being forced ahead by congressional leaders and the White House fails to exclude abortion and its public funding from the legislation.

On the same day, writer E.J. Dionne lamented the nation’s “viciously politicized battle over health care” in his syndicated column. Then he showed how it got that ugly by savaging the bishops for their alleged defection “from a cause they have championed for decades” and discarding “the flag of social justice . . . under increasing right-wing influence.” He claimed that the president of the U.S. bishops’ conference, Cardinal Francis George, had distorted the views of the Catholic Health Association, which voiced support of the legislation last week.

Dionne’s column came just days after Network, a Catholic “social justice” lobby founded by women religious, also broke ranks with the bishops and endorsed the fatally flawed Senate version of health-care reform.

...the captivity of some Catholics to the agenda of current congressional leaders and the White House proves that faith partisans are not a monopoly of the political right, and that some Catholics have an almost frantic unwillingness to see the abortion issue for what it is—a foundational matter of social justice and human rights. It can’t be avoided in developing our public policies without debasing the whole nature of Christian social teaching. No rights are safe when the right to life is not.

Oh - there's more in that article of Archbishop Chaput's. Lots more. And if you've been one of the ones yelping about how Catholics are for this legislation - even with the abortion provisions - then you really must read it all. The Archbishop will show you exactly where you can stuff that crap.

Enjoy watching the sparks fly - RS McCain won't disappoint.

Cross posted at A Tangled Web.

Monica

̿̿̿ ̿' ̿'\̵͇̿̿\з=(•̪●)=ε/̵͇̿̿/'̿'̿ ̿ KILL the BILL!!! ̿̿̿ ̿' ̿'\̵͇̿̿\з=(•̪●)=ε/̵͇̿̿/'̿'

2010-03-18T14:24:00.008-04:00

Still looking into this CBO report on Obamacare. It sounds strange. It appears to be using 10 years of taxation and only 6 or 7 years of actually providing services.

UPDATE:

**The CBO Score, As Reported by Steny Hoyer - Kathryn Jean Lopez - The Corner on National Review Online

The CBO Score, As Reported by Steny Hoyer [Kathryn Jean Lopez]

House Budget Committee Ranking Republican Paul Ryan responds to an NRO query about the news this morning: “The Congressional Budget Office has confirmed that there is currently no official cost estimate. Yet House Democrats are touting to the press — and spinning for partisan gain — numbers that have not been released and are impossible to confirm. Rep. James Clyburn stated he was 'giddy' about these unsubstantiated numbers. This is the latest outrageous exploitation by the Majority — in this case abusing the confidentiality of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office — to pass their massive health care overhaul at any cost.”

This CBO reporting this morning really is remarkable to me — the news is simply what Steny Hoyer says it is. **

Did you see the story about Walgreens refusing new Medicaid patients? Because the government reimburses at a ridiculously low estimate of drug cost, it is impossible to stay in business and continue to invite new Medicaid patients. Refusing to pay the cost of the service does not lower the cost of that service.

I have heard whisperings of a rally this Saturday to KILL THE BILL. Could it be true that our representatives will refuse to listen to us? Their phone lines are jammed for the last 4 days with people calling in to voice their opinion that this bill SHOULD NOT PASS!

I have also heard whisperings of several states considering what they can do to protect their citizens from being subjected to this latest abuse IF the bill actually passes.

Things are hetting up. It could get nasty - and nobody wants it to get nasty.

Thanks to Mike for turning me on to the NRO..

Happy St Paddy's Day!

2010-03-17T15:34:00.003-04:00

I'm out on the porch, enjoying the 65 degree weather and bright sunshine. Trying to kick that Vitamin D production into high gear. Hard to believe that a month ago we were up to our rear ends in snow. It's all gone, now. Nothing but grass, budding trees and geese flying back north.

Have a great Saint Patrick's day, and don't forget to wear the green!

If they could talk

2010-03-11T20:02:00.002-05:00

The people in my life who have passed on want to tell me something. I can feel them close to me and they urge: all that matters is love. There is nothing else but love.

It is the most important, the only important thing.

I think that they must be correct.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

What You Can Do

2010-03-09T11:13:00.006-05:00

To stop Obamacare now.

Obama is really quite determined to shove this legislation through. He, Reid and Pelosi WANT THIS BAD!! They simply don't care what you want. They KNOW that millions of Americans don't want it. They don't care. They KNOW that they can't get this bill in its current form passed with bipartisan support. They don't care.

The checks and balances built in to our government are a bit of a pain to them. So inconvenient. Consent of the governed - what is that? The democrat majority in Congress might want to consult with the father of our constitution, James Madison. They might want to stop for a moment and answer this question that Madison posed to Thomas Jefferson - when "a majority... united by a common interest or a passion cannot be constrained from oppressing the minority, what remedy can be found...?"

What remedy then?

It's time to stand up, like, right now. If you oppose this takeover of the healthcare system in the United States of America then stand up now. There are more constructive ways of confronting and fixing the problems in our current system. Government administration of healthcare will be a disaster. Just as Social Security is a disaster, Medicare and Medicaid are a disaster. The NHS in the UK is a disaster - bankrupt and citizens traveling to Eastern European countries just to see a dentist. Canadian government healthcare is a disgrace that is also bankrupting the country and finds Canadian citizens crossing the border to America to avail themselves of lifesaving and timely care.

One thing you can do is fax a minimum of 15 key lawmakers via Grassfire Nation. Fifteen bucks will get your personalized fax sent(or hand delivered). Grassfire also provides contact information for your representatives and they urge you to call, which won't cost you a penny.

From Grassfire's website:

Capitol Hill Switchboards "Lighting Up" in Support for ObamaCare. Grassfire Urges Team to Turn the Tide Against This Latest Effort!

Radical leftist and progressive groups are coming to the aid of ObamaCare deluging Capitol Hill in a flurry of phone calls urging lawmakers to support the reconciliation process and a vote as soon as the end of March! Grassfire Nation has countered urging the more than 1 million grassroots members who oppose this legislation to FAX and PHONE Congress NOW demanding Congress "Cease and Desist" efforts to pass ObamaCare. Click below to schedule your faxes for fast delivery.
Schedule your personalized faxes to Congress now

Stand Up!

Confirmation

2010-02-28T01:22:00.004-05:00

"...be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit."

My oldest daughter received the Sacrament of Confirmation yesterday. This is a pretty big deal. All of the sacraments are a big deal, really. They are important rites of passage. The sacrament of Confirmation is a sacrament of initiation - closely tied to the sacrament of Baptism and to the Eucharist as well. Confirmation means all that Baptism means. As the Bishop explained to the Confirmands, in Confirmation the Holy Spirit comes to you in a new way. In Confirmation, one is anointed with oil. In addition the Bishop lays his hands upon their heads - each individually - and names them. In all of my growing up, everyone I know who was Catholic picked a Confirmation name. This is studied in the months leading up to the reception of the sacrament. The name picked is a Saint's name. Someone whose life you can relate to, or who overcame hardships in a way that has meaning for you. You draw inspiration from the Saint that you pick.

"All powerful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by water and the Holy Spirit you freed your sons and daughters from sin and gave them new life. Send your Holy Spirit upon them to be their Helper and Guide. Give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence. Fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence."

This enumerates the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Right Judgement, Courage, Knowledge, Reverence, Wonder and Awe.

Most of the time the minister of Confirmation is the Bishop, as it was for us this year. The Bishop can delegate these duties to the priests of the parish, and for most sacraments the priest will minister. For Confirmation, it's the Bishop. The Bishop - from what I understand - is the only one who can consecrate the oils as well. Apparently this is done on Holy Thursday every year in a special mass called the Chrism Mass. There are three types of holy oil. The oil of catechumens, the oil of the sick, and the oil of chrism. The oil of catechumens is used for adult catechumens and infants, the second for anointing the sick, and the sacred oil of chrism is used for Baptism, Confirmation, the ordination of priests and for consecrating the altar.

Not only is Holy Chrism involved - but there was plenty of incense to go around. I'm a sucker for oil and incense. I can't get enough of them. The symbolism is deep.

Oil is a symbol of strength, healing and agility. I personally feel that it has a strong protective property as well. The word 'Christ' means 'anointed one'. When we are the recipients of the holy oils, we are anointed as well. This again - as so often I have observed - ties us symbolically to a community. To be a part of something bigger is important to humans.

The smoke of incense ascends like our prayers. It helps us to focus on the invisible realities. For me, it also carries suggestion of purification.

My ties to the Catholic Church seem to be inseverable. The Church remains the same. My arguments with it continue to challenge. I am not perfect, but the meaning that I am able to extract from my sometimes tumultuous inner struggle with the Church keeps me tied to it.

God bless my little girls, who are growing into beautiful young ladies.

The Mount Vernon Statement

2010-02-17T19:56:00.002-05:00

Conservative leaders released a statement of conservative principles. The left seems to be doing its best to pooh-pooh it. I think it's a good statement, and I think that it's one that conservatives/libertarians can all agree with. Will the tea party movement rally behind it? Will the Republican leadership take it seriously? Will it make any difference at all?

As seen as American Power.

Somewhere In Lancaster County, PA

2010-02-12T13:47:00.007-05:00

Me --- trying to smile after shoveling. Next major purchase? A snow blower...

The car is buried:

The flag took a beating and will have to be given to the Boy Scouts to be disposed of properly:

The girls with the ice-encased rose bush:

The 'car cubby' - which I shoveled out the old fashioned way. OUCH!

What Personality Is Your Blog?

2010-02-09T19:47:00.003-05:00

The analysis indicates that the author of Grizzly Mama is of the type:

ESTP - The Doers

The active and playful type. They are especially attuned to people and things around them and often full of energy, talking, joking and engaging in physical out-door activities.

The Doers are happiest with action-filled work which craves their full attention and focus. They might be very impulsive and more keen on starting something new than following it through. They might have a problem with sitting still or remaining inactive for any period of time.

Kind of interesting. I saw this at Why Homeschool.

We're Getting Slammed

2010-02-05T23:50:00.006-05:00

***NEW UPDATED WEATHER MAP!!***

*******************************

You can see that in Southeastern PA, they are predicting 12-24 inches of snow. THAT'S a snowstorm! I heard a reporter say 'the worst in history'. Bull - we had 3 feet of snow in Philly in 1996. I remember it well because 8 months later our oldest was born! (She was a little early..)

I made it into work, and will be here until noon Saturday. So, here's hoping that the plows will be working well before noon so that I can get home. I've got a shovel, my outdoor broom and a bag of kitty litter in the car. The girlies are once again safely put to bed at Mom-Mom's house, and Troll is preparing for a possible all nighter at the airport tomorrow night.

In the above image, viewed at Wunderground.com, you can see that down south they're getting slammed, too. But it's torrential rain and I heard tornado warnings for the Outer Banks area. Nasty stuff. The District of Columbia (Washington DC), Maryland and Virginia are getting hit with snow real hard. The southern Jersey Shore is predicted to experience high winds with heavy snow - blizzard warnings. Wouldn't want to be on the boardwalk in Atlantic City right about now!

Mother Nature still has it going on, doesn't she? All we can do is batten down the hatches and ride it out.

No Obama - no SOTU...

2010-01-27T22:40:00.003-05:00

I can't stand listening to or watching the guy anymore. We watched the New Newlywed Game. How lame is THAT?! And I wonder how many Americans actually tuned into it tonight? I know that I should watch it. I just can't stand him and his lies and his blaming all the time. His clueless, moronic arrogance. Blech and retch!

Mike had an interesting suggestion for getting through the SOTU address tonight: O-BINGO.

And of course VodkaPundit does it the only way it SHOULD be done: Drunk Blogging it. And after reading that - I have to say that the SOTU exceeded my expectation of horrible-ness.

It gets worse! Obama disses SCOTUS to the entire world - Alito mouths 'not true'. See it at Hot Air.

Do you see why I have ZERO respect for this president?

Massachusetts

2010-01-19T12:13:00.006-05:00

**UPDATE**
Coakley concedes. Brown wins in Massachusetts.

****

Or as my husband says: Massa-two-shits. Or we could refer to the citizens of that state as their New England neighbors do, and call them: "Mass-holes".

I am not overly fond of the state myself. Boston is a fun place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. I have visited several times, and I have relatives there - so I know what I'm talking about!

The big election for 'Ted Kennedy's seat' is today. I am keeping a close eye on it between washing curtains and being stuck in Farmville harvesting my virtual crops. As Brown would point out, it's NOT Ted Kennedy's seat - it's the people of Massachusetts seat. The Dems believe it is their birthright to own the seat though - so the result of this election will be a very interesting one.

Brown has been called a 'right wing teabagger' by some of our more vocal (and more far left) representatives in Congress. From what I can see, he is a solid fiscal conservative and moderate social conservative. Just like me! If he is propelled to the halls of Congress by the voters of MA, then what does that mean?

I believe it means that the so-called (and vulgarly so!) teabaggers are a force to be reckoned with. I am a member of the tea bag movement - - sick of gimongous federal government with their high taxes and intrusions into my life. It will signal a change - a MAJOR change - in American politics that will be felt over the next few election cycles.

Will the Dems in Congress (and the White House) get it? I think they already get it. They are willing to ram this Obamacare down our throats, using unconstitutional means to do so, before they are swept away like the cockroaches that they are. They want to do as much damage as they can before their imaginary scepter is wrested from them by the righteously angry American voters.

Plus - is Brown Mr. Hottie, or what??!

Cross posted at A Tangled Web.

Haiti Earthquake

2010-01-13T15:03:00.002-05:00

The USNS Comfort, and the USS Carl Vinson have been given their orders and are gearing up to head for Port-au-Prince, Haiti. I want them there yesterday.

Like me, I am sure that you are upset by the news of the massive earthquake in Haiti. It has laid waste to the capital of Haiti.

The United States of America once again rises to the occasion. Who else? Who else on earth has the resources to help others that we have? I am sure that private donations will be pouring in as well - millions upon millions of dollars and tons of food and supplies - - all given by people like me who will do what I can. Put together, it will be a considerable amount. I agree with doing it, too. It's the way I was raised. You help people who need help. No matter how little you have, you can do something to help someone who is worse off than you.

The Euro-weenies will be looking down their noses at us - as usual. Screw them. Always I say, 'Screw The Euro-Weenies!!'

And pray for Haiti and for our men and women in the military - they are the absolute best on earth in every way.

I Dislike Even More Than Ironing:

2010-01-07T23:27:00.003-05:00

Taking the ornaments off of the tree.

Packing up all of the decorations.

Getting the tree out of the house.

Sweeping and vacuuming the mess under the tree.

Sorting through a thousand gifts for my kids - trying to find a place for everything.

Going out into the cold, cold wind and taking down all of the outside lights.

Trying to find a spot for the storage boxes in the basement. (they came OUT of the basement - - how come they don't fit back INTO the basement?)

Getting back to regular school after the holiday week off.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T15:39:00.004-05:00

May we all be blessed with joy and prosperity in the coming year.

I hesitate to ask, 'Can it get any worse?' Obama's short stay at the White House has caused more damage than even I thought he was capable of. We have 3 years of 'challenge' ahead of us. May we remain strong and may God bless the United States of America.

It's Back

2009-12-29T01:41:00.007-05:00

Trigeminal Neuralgia.

After several years remission, the pain is back. Just like the old days. This artwork, done by a sufferer of TN, is a pretty good representation of what the pain is like for me:

My pain is on the right side only, and mainly affects the lower jaw, upper teeth - occasionally the side of my nose. My lower jaw has been taking a beating with pain over the last week. At its worst, it feels like someone is taking my jaw bone and breaking it in half, while at the same time ripping out every tooth. Lightning bolt pain doesn't even begin to describe it. Sometimes my right ear feels like it's on fire.

The pains have been lasting several minutes up to one half hour and then, poof! - it disappears completely. I never know when it will return and that is a part of the hell of this affliction. The fear of the pain is a factor even when you're not experiencing any pain. When the pain is minimal, the fear of the pain becoming more intense will really screw with you.

I have an appointment to see my Neurologist after the Christmas break. My medication doesn't seem to be helping very much. Wrapping my head in a scarf to cover the right side of my face helps a little. Seven times out of ten, if my nose is completely covered by the scarf the pain will magically disappear. I look ridiculous though, and explaining it can feel awkward.

Wind, even the slightest breeze, triggers pain. Chewing will sometimes bring pain on and sometimes relieve it. Brushing my teeth or washing my face has no effect.

For more Trigeminal Pain artwork click here. It is a hellish affliction.

**UPDATE**

Here are a couple of links for support:

Living with TN.

FPA support. (Formerly TNA)

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T13:15:00.004-05:00

May you have a beautiful holiday.

From Grizzly Mama, Troll and girls.

I Can't Argue With This

2009-12-20T00:24:00.004-05:00

As seen at American Power.

The Great Blizzard of '09

2009-12-19T06:21:00.004-05:00

As seen at Weather.com:

Crippling snowstorm Mid-Atlantic to Northeast
James Wilson, Lead Meteorologist, The Weather Channel
Dec. 19, 2009 6:07 am ET
The powerful Gulf Low that brought flooding rains to Georgia, South Carolina, and severe and life threatening flooding, (12 to 18 inches) from Hollywood, Florida to Miami has redeveloped along the Carolinas. This new massive Atlantic storm will continue to strengthen today and bring dangerous heavy snow and even white-out conditions from the Virginias to Washington, DC to Philadelphia to New York City to Southern New England.

A large swath of historic and dangerous December snows of 10 to 15 inches will bury many of the major cities in the Mid-Atlantic to Northeast.

The heaviest snows are forecast for northern Virginia including Washington, DC to Baltimore and Philadelphia where one to two feet of snow is possible.

Just laugh at me now all those who doubted my emergency prepardness nesting intinct. When they start using words like 'massive', 'historic', 'crippling', and 'dangerous' to describe a lil ol' snowstorm, you probably better start thinking about hunkering down. Unfortunately, I will have to hunker at work both nights of the storm. That means plenty of shoveling for me and making sure that the cell phone is charged for my trip into work and back home. Troll and the girls are safely ensconced at Mom-Mom's house. He may be pulling a couple of all-nighters at his job.

On the other hand, we may just end up with a dusting. They just don't know...

Right now it's a beautiful sight watching the snow come down through the security cameras at work. I just love snow!!

'I'm dreaming of a White Christmas.'

Monica

A Grizzly Mama's Christmas List

2009-12-04T09:28:00.016-05:00

I'm into Emergency Preparedness this year. While we have lots in the cupboards that could probably last 10 days or so if stretched, I thought that having a little extra stored in the basement wouldn't hurt.

Here in America, it's not outlandish to think that one might have to deal with some sort of emergency at some time in ones life. Blizzards, flooding, hurricanes, power outages - not to mention economic collapse!

A relative of mine had to endure 10 days with no electricity a few years ago after a devastating blizzard and ice storm. That lack of electricity meant no heat, no water(well water with a pump that relies on electric), and unable to get out of the house due to impassable roads for many days.

I know several people who maintain a Bug Out Bag. I don't think that it's overly paranoid to think about survival in the event that an evacuation or shelter-in-place recommendation is made - or if disastrous weather conditions prevent you from leaving your house for a week or more.

With no further ado - I present my list to Santa:

A case of full meal, self heating MRE's. (Meals Ready to Eat.):

A case of US Coast Guard approved 4.227 oz water pouches:

5 Person Sanitation/Hygiene Kit:

A magnesium fire starter:

A flat fold stove with 24 fuel tablets:

A box of waterproof matches:

And last but CERTAINLY not least, a couple of extra boxes of ammunition. We already own the kerosene heater with a 5 gallon jug of kero in the shed, along with plenty of flashlights, emergency candles, and a wind-up radio or two.

Santa - I've been a very bad Grizzly Mama - what with all of my criticism of 'Teh One' and my smoking, cussing and eating meat - but I still think that I should have these things! The old adage that we are only four meals away from anarchy seems plausible. Ho-Hum! If you will only leave coal in my stocking, which I admit that I deserve!, then perhaps I can just buy the stuff for about $150.00. (not including the cost of ammo...) Free Shipping!!

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T09:15:00.003-05:00

This year I am deep frying the ~~big bird~~ turkey. I've never tried it before, I usually smoke the turkey out on the Weber Grill. If I get any pics - I'll post them. We are having the in-laws over.

I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Al Gore is a Liar!

2009-11-20T09:39:00.005-05:00

From the article, which shows us just how Al Gore will profit by government intervention in the market in promoting environmental whacko ideas:

"It would be very helpful if you have government initiative. Without it, it will take longer for these to be economically viable," Patterson told Cybercast News Service. However, Bert Ely, a financial analyst with Ely & Associates of Alexandria, Va., is skeptical that the kind of green investment portfolio Gore is advocating can be profitable without government action. History has shown green companies to be risky ventures, he says

"Wind power, solar and bio-fuels all operate on tax subsidies or purchase requirements," Ely told Cybercast News Service. "The government stimulates demand. The most notorious subsidy is the 51 cent gas credit for ethanol."

"To the extent that you got some kind of government mandate here, whether it is cap-and-trade or a purchasing requirement, a taxpayer subsidy, to me that's a dicey way to look for a return on a venture because what the government giveth it can taketh away -- and often does," Ely said. "You're making a political bet, not an economic bet."

(A cap and trade system would set limits on the amount of carbon a company can emit. The limits are called a "cap." If a company has to exceed the limit, it would be allowed to buy credits from companies that pollute less. This transfer would be the "trade.")

In public statements, KPCB (Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers - a firm in which Al Gore has become partnered with) has pointed to the likelihood of new government policies as a selling point for investors.

It looks like a good turnout of intrepid Americans in Portland, Oregon. They were there protesting Al Gore and his scandalous and shameful promotion of the lie of 'global warming':

Portland, Oregon??!! That bastion of liberals and lefties? Gore is in trouble if the Portland, Oregonians are assembling against him!

HT Mr. Grey Ghost.

Cross posted at A Tangled Web

A 'Photo Op'

2009-11-19T11:14:00.004-05:00

As seen in the Washington Post, Obama's words of encouragement and wisdom, nay: caring, 'You guys make a pretty good photo-op.'

This said right after he informed them that they won't be getting the reinforcements that they so desperately need right now. Coalition casualties are on the rise, but tough tooty. Obama needs another photo op.

Can I share the despicable feelings that I have for BHO? Every single day, he does something even more stupid than he's done before, and every day I think to myself, 'He surely can't beat this, can he?' But every single day, he does! He beats it!

I was lucky enough to serve under Reagan. I always knew that he cared about the men and women in the armed forces. I feel bad for the men and women in the military today. I have 1 nephew serving right now. If I could reach in and pluck him out, I would do it right now.

Obama is a disgrace.

Moslem Aggression in the US

2009-11-12T09:38:00.008-05:00

A moslem man ripped a crucifix from a customer's neck, starts screaming and yelling about how great his god is, rants and raves anti Christian junk. This happened in a California mall, the day before the Ft. Hood massacre, perpetrated by yet another member of the 'Religion of Pieces'.

He scared the crap out of a bunch of people. Many people called 911 - some hid in fear.

I'm trying to imagine what I would do if someone did this to me - or if I witnessed this incident. I think that I would be totally shocked, and would probably stand there with my mouth hanging open in disbelief.

What do you think that you would do?

Let's make a pact: Let's determine our course of action for future reference - just in case. Sort of like a fire drill, or having your plan ready for if someone tries to knock your front door down while you're watching the late show. I know what I would do in the fire drill and attempted break-in. We have put things in place, and thought about it, and in the case of fire drills - have even practiced it.

If a moslem were to rip my crucifix off of my neck and start screaming at me - or if I witnessed such an action happening to another, I have determined to act.

Without a plan, and depending on the time of day and how I'm feeling at the moment, I would normally: 1) Scream and freak out - possibly attempt to physically restrain the object of my ire, or 2) start crying and run.

With my newly found determination, I have decided that, no matter how frightened I may be, I will confront the aggressor verbally and loudly. If the aggressor is physically threatening, I will jump on his/her back (piggy back style) and cover their eyes with my forearms and hang on for dear life - all the while screaming at the top of my lungs.

Are you with me??

A list of moslem terrorist attacks on US soil since 2002 can be found at Bloviating Zeppelin.

Here is another list, looking at moslem terrorist attacks on US soil since 1972.

HT: One of my favoritist bloggers Always on Watch.

Cross posted at A Tangled Web.

Veteran's Day - Wednesday 11/11/09

2009-11-10T10:25:00.004-05:00

Thanks to our military men and women - past and present. God bless you all and God Bless America. We honor and miss those who have died.

Want to help our military men and women in the theater of war? Send them something to let them know how much you support them at Any Soldier.

Did Michael Ramirez Get it Right?

2009-11-05T08:57:00.005-05:00

I think that he did. Especially with the NY-23 election, a message was sent loud and clear. The Republican Party - the party that is SUPPOSED to represent conservatism in America - has fallen down on the job. In fact, I have had a problem with the GOP ever since they begged me to vote for Arlen Specter over Toomey. Dede Scozzafava in New York pulled an Arlen Specter, and she was quick to do it.

Although the media and leftists like to paint conservatives demanding their party back as 'extremists', they are wrong. The party went off the rails a long time ago and no - conservatives are not going to follow or finance them in their errant way.

I have heard leftists screech about big spending Republicans under Bush, and now that they've finally noticed that conservatives don't like big spending Republicans - they screech that we are extemists.

Scozzafava was no 'moderate'. Scozzafava was a eugenics prize winning, union loving, universal health care supporting, high taxing whack job. She was farther left than the Democrat who ended up winning.

Will the GOP leadership listen? If they don't, they will continue to lose.

Image courtesy Investors Business Daily.

Homeschooling for High School

2009-10-29T12:43:00.002-04:00

Is officially on the table.

Although I kind of like the school that the girls are going to now, I cannot help contrasting the education that they are getting there with the education that they received at home for all of those years.

Science, History, Math - full (and rigorous) curriculum starting in Kindergarten at home. Reading? They were reading by the time they started first grade. As things stand now, the 4th grader gets Science once p/week - - and apparently they are incapable of finishing the grade curriculum for Math as I had to do it over the summer. (Oh - it's no big deal though! Don't worry about it!!) History? Pshaw. They call what they are giving them 'History'? Nothing about ancient history, vandals/visigoths, renaissance, kings/wars, various revolutions - all the GOOD stuff is missing!

I am newly annoyed this week, you know that the girls were home for a full week with the flu. As I had to keep them home for a full day after they were feeling well, I figured it would be a good time to get caught up on some of the things that they've missed. So I notified the school that I would be picking stuff up and have assignments ready - please. I received 3 of the missing day's assignments. For the 8th grader, three days of math apparently included 5 equations. WHAT?! And - get this - she's now in her third year of pre-algebra.

I didn't mind her having an extra year of pre-algebra. In fact, I think it's a good thing. She got pre-algebra in 6th at home - then went over most of that information in 7th in school. I like having a good, solid base. Don't get me wrong, I'm NOT all for cramming it all in too quickly. But I do believe in progress. Based on her state testing scores alone, this girl has it going on for math. Based on what I know about my kid - and I taught her for 7 years before putting her into school - she's ready. Perhaps the classroom setting is not the ideal way to teach? That could be it. I'm not blaming the teachers, I guess I'm blaming a failed model.

I have been all at odds in the last several months. She wants to go to the local Catholic High School, and of course the school that she's in now is pushing that. We could go local public high school, but that idea makes me want to vomit. I know that there will be no want when it comes to getting her involved in the community - my kids were more involved in the community when they were homeschooled than they are now. Not only that, the local school is required by law to allow homeschoolers to participate in extra-curriculars. (The high school has a pistol team!!) I have already made contact with other homeschoolers in the area.

My husband and I have talked - he is open to homeschooling her once again. The little one - as things stand now - wants to continue in regular school. The decision does not need to be made this minute - so I am just putting it out there to think about.

H1N1

2009-10-22T14:05:00.004-04:00

Okay - so it looks like the girls have it. They definitely have some sort of flu. Nasal swabs showed negative, but according to my doc they come back negative all the time when they shouldn't. (I'm not sure I understand why they even use them...)

The older one had a chest x-ray - no pneumonia! The little one is exhibiting early symptoms. The doctor has said that day2 and day3 are normally the worst days. According to the H1N1 instructions that were given to me by the doc, I am to push fluids and keep my eye out for certain symptoms that indicate further medical action:

Blue lips
Difficulty breathing
Not drinking
Not waking up
Extreme irritability
Fever with rash
Improving of symptoms - and then return of symptoms with fever and worsening cough
Pain or pressure in chest
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting

Grizzly Mama has her Grizzly Eyes on the situation.

The girls' school has had a policy since the beginning of the year: If a child has a fever they must stay home until 24 hours has passed with no fever and without the aid of a fever reducing medicine. Accordingly, I kept my oldest home yesterday because she woke up with a low grade fever. The little one had no fever yesterday but woke up with a low grade fever today. The oldest one felt pretty good until about 7:30 pm yesterday when she started coughing and fever spiked to 102 degrees. Today she woke up and her fever had spiked to 104.7 degrees and she was so totally sick and miserable that my Grizzly Instinct was seriously alarmed. A cool washcloth to the head, some Tylenol and plenty of fluids were pushed. Getting her dressed to get to the doctors office reminded me of the days when she was so little that she couldn't dress herself.

They're both feeling pretty good now, but I expect spiking fevers are in our future. I normally don't give anything for a fever, unless it gets to be over 102 or so - and also depending on how they feel. Even at 102, if they're feeling okay I won't give a fever reducer. Fever is the body's way of killing that bug and it is something that I don't mind dealing with. That 104.7 freaked me out a bit, though.

It's hard for a mother when the kids are sick. They suddenly look much smaller than normal and more vulnerable. Especially with everything being said about this flu - that the people dying are not typical for seasonal flu deaths. One can't help but think of the worst and realize that, even if we like to think that we have control, there are a lot of things out there that we have absolutely no control over at all.

Where are you on the political spectrum?

2009-10-13T15:43:00.000-04:00

My Political Views
I am a right moderate social libertarian
Right: 5.56, Libertarian: 1.13

Political Spectrum Quiz

Dirty Dealings in Congress

2009-10-07T09:10:00.000-04:00

Congress is still up to their dirty tricks. See Mike's America, where he gives us information about just HOW DIRTY our elected representatives are. They are stealthily making plans to pass this disgusting government takeover of American's health care, despite the fact that poll after poll shows that Americans DON'T WANT IT. Despite that fact that we vociferously let them know how we felt about it in townhall meetings all across the nation during the August recess. Despite that fact that over a million citizens marched on Washington and in every major city in America on 9/12 in adamant opposition of this nefarious plan.

THEY DON'T CARE. They have just realized that they have to sneak it through - all with Obama's blessing. Some excerpts from Mike's post:

Senate Dems on the Finance Committee defeated GOP offered amendments which would have strengthened bans on using federal funds for abortion and required immigrants to prove they are here legally with a photo I.D. before participating in the health plans. Like earlier defeats of GOP amendments that would prohibit rationing of health care or cuts in medicare Democrats have rejected every GOP solution which would have made this a bipartisan solution. Remember that next time Obama claims we are lying about health care reform. Joe Wilson was right!

But what is happening in the Senate Finance Committee is a sideshow to the secret back room dealings which will take place as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid takes the framework from the Senate Finance Committee and melds it with the very liberal Kennedy bill from the Senate Health Education and Labor Committeee. It is in that secret process that actual legislative language will be written and there is no restriction on what Reid and a handful of Senators and their aides can do.

Once presented for a vote - I doubt that our elected representatives, including Obama, will want anyone to actually READ the bill. They will attempt to push it through - as Obama attempted to pressure a quick vote before the August recess.

The time for us to act is NOW.

Healthcare Hell

2009-09-22T22:08:00.006-04:00

Courtesy of Mark Steyn.

Mark Steyn has received letters from citizens in countries with socialized medicine. It is not a pretty picture. Here are a couple of selections for your enjoyment:

ONLY 40 MONTHS IN THE QUEUE
"I am now in the queue for replacement surgery and have just another 7-10 months to wait! If I am lucky enough to receive the surgery in that time frame it will have taken nearly 40 months from the first referral to replacement surgery. Yippee!"

THREE DAYS ON A STRETCHER
74 year old Canadian woman dies after lying on a stretcher outside of an emergency room in Quebec for three days.

NEAREST ONTARIO HOSPITAL - IN BUFFALO NEW YORK
No Level 2 NICU available in Canada to accommodate these preemies when they were born. The babies are taken by ambulance to Buffalo, NY - where they stay for 6 weeks.

I found another interesting article over at A Tangled Web. The BBC reports that, as a result of the government demand for greater efficiency, proposals are being made to cut over 150 beds from Belfast's main hospitals. They want to put a hiring freeze on, too. The hiring freeze, of course, would affect front line workers only.

(GET RID OF THE HOSPITAL BEDS, THE WORKERS AND THE PATIENTS!!! THEY ARE TOO EXPENSIVE!!)

I cannot believe that anyone thinks this is a good idea. Billions of pounds are being poured into the NHS - who is getting all of that money? Not the front line workers and certainly not the patients. The bloated bureaucracy wouldn't think of cutting themselves out of the equation.

Socialized Medicine is a LOSER! It has NEVER worked. It NEVER will.

I Am The Mob

2009-09-17T09:47:00.004-04:00

9/12 March on Washington (and elsewhere..)

2009-09-14T11:39:00.005-04:00

WAY cool time lapse video of the March on September 12 in Washington DC. You've got to watch this one from SophiaElena. She stands in the middle of the march and records everyone walking by. It's a must-see:

I'm sure you've all seen this time-lapse - but I never get tired of watching it:

AND FROM MY HOMETOWN OF DENVER,COLORADO! Where over 2,000 people showed up to make their feelings known. GO DENVER!!!!!

I will be uploading pics of the March in Washington DC this afternoon. My oldest daughter went with friends of ours. She said it was totally awesome, and the adults that she was with said there were hundreds of thousands there, and probably close to a million.

We must not forget that the Washington DC rally was not the only rally on 9/12. There were many all across the country, in most major cities and they drew thousands at every one.

Ignore us, minimize it, try to marginalize us - you do so at your own peril. Living in denial might work for you for short while, but I wouldn't recommend it as a long term strategy. It's unhealthy. We're not going away.

God Bless America!

I Remember Gregory James Malone

2009-09-09T09:30:00.000-04:00

I'll start you off with a little haiku tribute to Gregory James Malone and to all of the victims of the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001:

We are guardians
Our hearts crumbled on that day
Etched in memory

Gregory James Malone worked on the 84th floor of 2 WTC (South Tower). He worked for Maxcor/Euro Brokers. Flight 175 hit the South Tower at 9:03 a.m. between floors 77 and 85. I watched it as it happened. My husband called from work telling me to put the TV on. He was working at the airport in the little tower, and they had heard news that something had happened. Sure enough, the North Tower was on fire. I thought, 'There's been a terrible accident.' As we were talking, United Airlines Flight 175 appeared and slammed into the South Tower. I could not speak properly, trying to grasp it.

Greg was 42 years old and has been described as a man's man. He grew up in Rumson, New Jersey and lived in Hoboken. He went to Lehigh University and was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. A bachelor(who looked like he might have been getting ready to settle down..), he loved baseball, fishing and hockey. He joined Euro brokers in 2001 and loved life in the fast lane. He loved the thrill of taking risks, and was a funny and kind man. Survivors include his parents Lawrence and Helen, his sister and brother Jane and Lawrence, and his fiancee Fiona.

Here is the guest book for Gregory at Legacy.com. He is sorely missed by many who knew and loved him.

Here is the profile that Maxco/Euro brokers has online for Gregory. They also have profiles on all of the employees that they lost that day.

Eight years on, we still feel the devastating loss. We are determined never to forget the lives of the people that we lost that day.

Project 2996

2009-09-06T00:55:00.006-04:00

I have signed up again this year to provide a tribute to one of the victims of 9/11. In 2006, DCRoe organized a massive blogburst - and more than 3,000 bloggers participated by each posting a tribute to the life of one of the victims of 9/11. They are doing it again this year. I encourage you to sign up. It was a great experience for me last time - very emotional but it is a way to connect with the fact that the people who died were innocent people whose death affected many who knew and loved them. The catch is: your tribute must celebrate their life. So far about 700 people have signed up - you can too!

I feel particularly compelled to do this now - as Van Jones has indicated his wish to make 9/11 a 'national day of service' celebration or something ridiculous like that. Van Jones, a card carrying member of communist associated groups (STORM, CCDS), also apparently signed a 9/11 Truther petition several years ago. (I see that Van Jones has resigned??)

Anyhoo - enough about that little Marxist. See what follows - an image of the new 'Arms of Project 2996' and the background on it.

Arms:
Per Pale Sanguine and Argent, a Zinnia ensigned in Chief by four Mullets in Fess enarched all counterchanged

Crest:
From a torse of the colors and issuant out of flames a Bald Eagle displayed Proper

Motto:
SEMPER (Always)

Herald (Designed by):
Sandy Turnbull

Artist:
Terry Sarros

The Story
When I decided that Project2996 needed some sort of logo I wanted something a little more dignified than a standard graphic design. I’ve been a fan of heraldry for many years, and recently have become an student of the field, it seemed a natural fit.

The Zinnia is a flower with a very specific connection to 9/11. Zoe and Dana Falkenberg were two of the youngest victims, and their surviving family has asked that people plant Zinnias (Zoe’s favorite flower) as a remembrance. My better half remembered Zoe, during the very first year of 2,996, and we have several Zinnias in our front yard to remember Zoe and her little sister. The four stars above the zinnia represent the four planes and four crash sites of 9/11. The coloring scheme where the shiled is divided into two colors with the charges inverted is called counterchanging, and is used to represent the stark change our country and world went through.

HT Always On Watch.
My tribute from 2006: I remember James Roux.

"Your Child Belongs to Us..."

2009-09-03T08:15:00.006-04:00

Cartoon courtesy of Net Right Nation, which is a blog project of Americans for Limited Government.

President Obama's Speech to American Students

2009-09-02T13:48:00.005-04:00

For those not aware, President Obama's Department of Education is encouraging schools across the nation to play a speech to our kids during class time on September 8th, 2009. I strenuously object to this idea. Here is my letter to my kid's school principal on the matter:

We spoke on the phone earlier today, and I thought that I would provide you with a more detailed explanation as to my objections to the speech that President Obama is encouraging schools to show during class time. In addition, I wanted to correct my source of information. It is not whitehouse.gov, it is www.edu.gov that has the 'menu of classroom activities' on display.

I have several concerns about this, and I will list a few of them.

1. The menu suggests reading books about Barack Obama. We don't believe that the federal government should be in the business of suggesting any kind of reading material for anyone.

2. Several of the questions bother me. One is 'Why is it important that we listen to the President of the United States and other elected officials?' My husband and I don't agree that the federal government should be suggesting to children that listening to our elected officials as if they were authority figures is acceptable. We hold a different view, and that is that our elected officials work for us - not the other way around.

3. Another question is: 'What is the President asking me to do?' Our response is this: Why is the President asking us to do anything? Our children are being raised with our values and beliefs, we are capable of imparting those values to them, and we have chosen a school that holds and promotes the same values that are important to us. Our children already know that getting a good education is important - we don't need the President to tell them.

Furthermore, our beliefs and values do not coincide with those promoted by the Obama Administration. We are pro-life, Libertarian, Christian, and family oriented. We believe that President Obama's speech is an unprecedented intrusion into our children's learning environment.

Some have suggested that this speech can be used as an opening to discuss political events. My children do not need to view this speech as an opening to such. Our family is very politically active, we have many discussions with challenges presented to many sides of one issue and our children are included in many of those discussions. In addition to that, we always encourage our children to consider many different sources of information before forming conclusions of their own.

I hope that this email has made things clearer to you than they were before. I appreciate your time and attention to my concerns. I would appreciate it if you would let me know if any of the teachers are planning on using this video during class.

Sincerely,

Grizzly Mama

When I spoke to my principal about this, she shared that the Diocese had sent the information to her and she had subsequently distributed the material to the teachers. She was quite surprised that I objected. If I hear that they are showing the video, or if I don't hear anything at all, my kids are staying home on Tuesday.

'I'

2009-08-29T03:16:00.007-04:00

"But I still wonder how it was possible, in those graceless years of transition, long ago, that men did not see whither they were going, and went on, in blindness and cowardice, to their fate. I wonder, for it is hard for me to conceive how men who knew the word "I," could give it up and not know what they lost. But such has been the story, for I have lived in the City of the damned, and I know what horror men permitted to be brought upon them.

Perhaps, in those days, there were a few among men, a few of clear sight and clean soul, who refused to surrender that word. What agony must have been theirs before that which they saw coming and could not stop! Perhaps they cried out in protest and in warning. But men paid no heed to their warning. And they, these few, fought a hopeless battle, and they perished with their banners smeared by their own blood. And they chose to perish, for they knew. To them, I send my salute across the centuries, and my pity."

I have just finished reading Ayn Rand's 'Atlas Shrugged', 'Fountainhead', and most recently, 'Anthem'. The quote above is from 'Anthem'. I have been ruminating over Objectivism ever since, and will write some of my thoughts about that philosophy in another post.

'Anthem' is very short and easy to read. I enjoyed it (I enjoyed all of the Ayn Rand books that I've read!) and will recommend it to you and to both of my daughters as well.

The two paragraphs quoted above struck me. How do we continue to find ourselves facing this same battle, over and over again through history?

It seems to me that most lives lived involve a struggle for learning, trial by error. Making mistakes - learning from them - going back at it until it's right. Hopefully we receive some guidance in our struggles, and then we probably get a few things right before we die. How is it, then, that of all the generations of struggle, making mistakes, learning from them - over and over, lives lived and knowledge passed on, how is it that we find ourselves on that slippery slope once again? Too close to the horrifying possibilities that await - barely able to (hopefully) pull ourselves out?

I agree with the paragraph following the two quoted above:

"Theirs is the banner in my hand. And I wish I had the power to tell them that the despair of their hearts was not to be final, and their night was not without hope. For the battle they lost can never be lost. For that which they died to save can never perish. Through all the darkness, through all the shame of which men are capable, the spirit of man will remain alive on this earth. It may sleep, but it will awaken. It may wear chains, but it will break through. And man will go on. Man, not men."

I agree with it, but despair at the suffering, the horror, the misery of so many if we allow 'I' to be taken from us in some collectivist's wet dream once again. Sure, if the worst happens it won't last forever. But it will last long enough to destroy an untold number of lives. The people who suffered are not nameless, faceless people - they are real and innocent people like you and me and our children. The lesson learned to be forgotten in a couple of generations. The mistake repeated.

'Defiance' with Daniel Craig

2009-08-17T00:41:00.005-04:00

I was at the video store the other night, trying to find some movies to rent for a sleepover that my daughters were having. I looked through all of the new releases, and just thought that it was SO INTERESTING that the only movie that was completely sold out was 'Defiance' with Daniel Craig. They had dozens and dozens of copies in inventory with a sizable display - all rented out for the week. I hadn't even heard of it - but I have to tell you it looks like a good one.

It's about 3 brothers in Eastern Europe during WWII - and it's based on a true story. The brothers escape the Nazis by disappearing into the woods, where they eventually assembled quite a group of like minded individuals willing to resist the Nazi terror. They end up protecting a sizable group of Polish Jews who are fleeing the slaughter.

Is it just me, or do you also think the fact that this movie is completely sold out could be a measure of the mindset of the American people?

When I rent it and watch it - I'll let you know if I like it.

There is information and reviews at Fandango Movie Review. (I haven't even read the review at this site - I hardly EVER read movie reviews.)

News From the National Republican Senatorial Committee

2009-08-12T23:24:00.004-04:00

Grizzly Mama,

This week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer published a column in USA Today in which they called those who oppose the Democrats' health care plan "un-American."

We would like to know, what could be MORE American than citizens from across the country voicing concerns about controversial legislation to their elected officials?

Perhaps opposition to the Democrats' plan for health care is so fierce because Americans don't like the idea of socialized medicine. They don't like the thought of the government being so deeply involved in their health care decisions. And they don't like the cost - $1.5 trillion over ten years. And that's on top of the President's failed stimulus plan and a bailout for failing auto companies. There is an economic breaking point, and it seems that the Democrats have found it.

We believe that all Americans have a First Amendment right to challenge their elected officials. I ask you to join me in signing a letter to Speaker Pelosi and Leader Hoyer by clicking here.

If 10,000 Americans sign on to this effort, it will send a strong message to the Democrat leadership in Washington that their strong-arm tactics are unacceptable. Please, sign the letter today, and then send this link to five of your friends: http://www.nrsc.org/unamerican

Sincerely,

Rob Jesmer
NRSC Executive Director

Paid for by the National Republican Senatorial Committee
Not Authorized By Any Candidate Or Candidate's Committee
www.nrsc.org

I'm a 'Commie', now.

2009-07-30T08:28:00.004-04:00

I learned this amazing fact about myself in the midst of a conversation with a self-described socialist.

As you know, I am an unabashed conservative. I like small government, self sufficiency, the sovereignty and strength of the USA, strong defense, capitalism, individual ownership of property - all that jazz.

I don't want to wear a 'Mao Suit' or a 'Lenin Suit'. I don't want to keep a picture of any 'Dear Leader' in my house. I don't like gulags - not one tiny bit. I don't mind paying for goods and services. I don't want to be told how much of a certain food that I should be allowed to buy. I don't think that 'it takes a village'.

I think that the accusation of 'commie' that was hurled at me was unbelievably ignorant, but it doesn't surprise me. Most lefties that I talk to have NO CLUE! It's a shame that in this day and age, after all of the prosperity and wealth that we have enjoyed in this country for decades, people still don't get a decent education. They don't know the difference between a small government conservative and a communist. They don't know that a small government conservative is not a fascist. They don't understand that statism is totalitarianism is communism is fascism and conservatives hate them all.

Here is double YUCK!:

(Mao Suit)

(Lenin Suit)

Letter To My Representatives

2009-07-20T00:39:00.005-04:00

Vote NO to nationalized health care, (first name of representative)! You represent us - and we don't want the government making health care decisions for us. We are adults and we are perfectly capable of taking care of this matter in our lives. If you want to help us, keep flexible spending accounts alive, vote NO to Obama's insane health care plan (which we CANNOT AFFORD!), and help push portable health insurance, along with laws that would allow citizens to purchase health insurance across state lines. While you're at it, you could reform the medical malpractice laws!

We DO NOT WANT a European, British or Canadian-style state run healthcare program. These programs, besides offering inferior healthcare compared to the US, are a bottomless moneypit - pulling those economies into the dirt. They cannot sustain it. Neither can we! I do not want to wait a year to see a specialist, especially when weeks may make a difference in whether I live or die. I do not want some bureaucratic hack making my health care decisions for me!

Link to find your Representative.

Link to find your Senator.

(What chance do I have that my Dem Senators (including that complete asshole Specter!) will listen to me? I don't care! They will get my opinion whether they want it or not.)

****UPDATE I****

Here is a guy who is reading the entire Bill - and posting on his blog. Lines, page numbers, a link to the Bill. Read it - it will horrify you!

Flecks looks at the Bill

Thank you Anthroblogogy.

****UPDATE II****

Mike at Mike's America noted in comments that our representatives in Congress are considering passing a watered down healthcare bill. I wrote to my reps again, reminding them that expanding the federal government in this way is unacceptable. I also reminded them of some constructive ways of making the best healthcare on the planet more affordable for US Citizens - such as passing laws enabling benefit portability, enabling us to buy insurance across state lines, and tort reform.

I took the opportunity to write to them about Cap & Tax as well. I registered my disapproval of such a scheme.

I encourage you to do the same. Let's keep the pressure on the people who are elected to represent us.

Happy Fourth of July

2009-07-04T23:50:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite holidays! This year I'm completely blasted after having worked 11 nights in a row - - but when it was time to BBQ and see the fireworks I was up and ready to enjoy.

I always take a moment during the fireworks to think of the millions of people all over the United States celebrating the birth of our nation. Small towns and big cities - mostly small towns I think. Every 4th of July at some point I tell the girls, "Thank God every day that you were born in the United States of America." And then I think to myself what happens to girls and women in many other countries.

Obama Administration Supports Dictator in Honduran Power Grab

2009-07-01T07:48:00.005-04:00

Via the Washington Post, the Obama administration has come down on the wrong side of the troubles in Honduras recently.

"President Obama said yesterday that the military ouster of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was illegal and could set a "terrible precedent.."

The facts do not support Mr. Obama's statement.

As seen in the Miami Herald, the Army arrested President Manuel Zelaya, as he was making an unconstitutional power grab.

"His actions have been repudiated by the country's supreme court, its congress, its attorney-general, its chief human-rights advocate, all its major churches, its main business association, his own political party (which recently began debating an inquiry into Zelaya's sanity) and most Hondurans..."

The Army acted on the Supreme Court's orders - and there aren't many in Honduras who would disagree with what they did, morally OR legally.

Obama has joined with Castro and Chavez in condemning the act of the Honduran people - the act of defending their constitution. Although what Obama has said doesn't surprise me, I knew he was a raving leftist, but it does really piss me off.

As Mike points out - Obama didn't have much to say in support of the Iranian people courageously standing up to a despotic and brutal government.

He was pretty quick to condemn Hondurans for exercising their duty to uphold their constitution.

Charles Krauthammer weighs in saying that Zelaya is acting extra constitutionally to dismantle a democracy and establish a dictatorship.

I am sick to death of being embarrassed by my president - he's a disgrace.

Holocaust Shooter Neither a Conservative Nor a Christian

2009-06-13T07:40:00.004-04:00

As an interesting follow-up to the small post I made at A Tangled Web a few days ago, suggesting that Von Brunn may not be a right wing conservative, I present this information:

An article on FrontPageMag.com and found at Mike's America shows that Von Brunn is neither a conservative, nor a Christian.

From the article:

A review of his lengthy associations reveals Von Brunn hardly fits the stereotype of a Religious Right, GOP precinct captain. He denounced the Christian faith as a dastardly Jewish conspiracy, a “HOAX” invented by the Apostle Paul to “DESTROY ROMAN CULTURE” from within by undermining its pagan virility. (All screaming capitalization and grammatical errors in this piece appear in the original.) Like others on the racist fringe, the shooter proclaimed clearly: “SOCIALISM, represents the future of the West.”

It appears that we can't trust most of our MSM journalists to think that the shooter's own words bear repeating in their coverage of this horrific crime.

Just as we can't trust them to report that the man who murdered Private Long in Arkansas was a moslem convert.

They also didn't get the memo that joking about raping young girls isn't supposed to be funny anymore - atleast for several decades now. I'm sure that NOW (National Organization of Women) will stand up for this cause. Well - maybe not. Maybe it's only funny if you're joking about conservative daughters being raped?

Cross posted at A Tangled Web.

The Best We Can

2009-06-06T10:13:00.003-04:00

I miss being home with my girls. They have just finished their first year in traditional school, and we are all on a track that I am not so sure that I am comfortable with. Both parents working full time, kids in school. You can't do it all - that is just a fact. This may be the way most people do it, but I don't have to like it. They are registered for school for next year and they both profess to be happy to continue in school. Troll and I need to continue working. So - we go another year.

I've just got a terrible feeling that they are being cheated out of something better. Maybe it's me that is feeling cheated. Maybe all of us. I don't know - I'm confused.

The oldest - who will graduate middle school next year - has decided that she wants to go to high school. I sit and think, 'Why?' My God, my high school years were horrible. I got nothing out of it but negatives. What we can offer is so much more than what anyone can get going to traditional high school. Homschooling offers fexibility, a much more rigorous standard, freedom to pursue interests within a framwork of necessary core classes, honest evaluation of progress without that arbitrary crap teachers dish out in class, recognition of strengths and weaknesses and responding quickly and appropriately to that, opportunities to participate more fully in the community. Oh - I could go on.

The little one only got 3 years at home. I feel bad about that - like I wasn't able to give her enough. Sure, it was a very important 3 years. Still my heart feels heavy thinking about what she's NOT getting. The rich history and science that was a part of our curriculum, and they just don't have time for in 3rd grade at school. I'm sick over it. She loves school and I admit that there are some good things for both of them there. Just. Is that the reason that we send kids to school? So they can be the class clown or something?

I'm mad that I have to work full time. We were blessed with these girls not to just foist them into a losing system. I'm a mother and I need to BE a mother - - and besides that, kids NEED their mothers. Slaving away 40+ hours p/week on nights, crashing on the couch during the day - how can I be there? How can we have kids just to never see them? It's not right.

My kids were always involved in tons of stuff - with kids and adults of all ages and backgrounds. They are able to deal with different situations beautifully. How long will it take before they're just one of the drones?

Bah! I just have to deal with this situation. I just have to deal with it. Try to find the gratitude - that's the key - and pray for guidance for all of us. That's the best that I can do right now at this moment.

New Jobs Suck

2009-05-23T00:01:00.005-04:00

I really hate starting a new job.

I was fortunate and blessed in that I secured a position very close to home, making about the same money but without the commute, working hours that suit us and doing the job that I have had loads of experience doing.

It's the initial pissing contests that I despise. But piss, we must. As a woman working in a male dominated field, I am unfortunately not exempt from playing that game. I don't know any other way around it - other than being a smiling, silent, silly fool. That's just SO not me. Well, sometimes I am a fool and silly, but usually not smiling OR silent.

I can stand toe to toe with the worst of them, but it doesn't mean that I like doing it. I'd prefer not to, but I am rarely given the choice. They and their testosterone soaked egos just can't help themselves. So it's either stand there and take it, or give it right back and I just can't seem to help but to give it right back.

It makes for an uncomfortable orientation period, though.

Guys - here's a hint. It's okay NOT to know something, and it's also okay to know something and share that knowledge with someone else. So, why, when I ask a simple question that my current trainer didn't know the answer to, did he act like a tantrum-prone two year old and ass? All I can think is that he didn't like not knowing the answer, didn't like the idea of doing something a different way, and also doesn't like the fact that I might have a little more experience with CICS than he does. And what of the young'uns these days? The P.C. techie, windows and menu addicted next generation? Smart alecks - that's what they are! Little shits. Thinking they're the gods of computers, when what they're best at is how to navigate around pretty little pictures with the little grabby hand.

My initial weeks of training and orientation are complete - and now I have 4 nights off. Thank God! Hopefully I'll be settled into my shift and comfortably running it soon.

I just wonder where all those good guys are - like some of the guys I've been lucky enough to work with in the past. (Way past - like before I had kids past.)

American Takes On British Parliament

2009-05-12T15:54:00.004-04:00

Heather Brooke, a Pennsylvanian born reporter, took on British Parliament and seems to have been the driving force behind the recent revelations in regard to British Parliament members' abuse of power.

Three points that I would like to make:

1. It is in the public's best interest to have easy access to information when it comes to keeping an eye on elected leaders' behavior in office.

2. Dishonest people will adjust their behavior if they know that the things they choose to do will come to light.

3. Apathy is a freedom killer.

I realize that MP's are entitled to a certain amount of expenditure as a part of their benefits for serving - the important piece of this is: how they spend that money IS important to the people who have put them into office, and abuse of that privilege is probable if their spending is not a matter of public record.

I also have a question:

Is apathy toward government excess a common trait amongst our British friends? I only ask because this quote from the article caught my eye. The young lady, Brooke, was heard to say, "I think there's a culture of deference here, where the public believe that people who are in power — the great and the good — still know what's best for everyone."

This surprises me if true, and underlines a large difference between American values and British values. Americans are raised with the belief that our elected leaders are probably scum and one must constantly keep an eye on them. This would include vociferously standing up to the arrogance of those in office - and also NOT judging a person based on what 'class' they may belong to. We really are not impressed by a person's pedigree - beyond that it can be an interesting conversation to see how many nationalities are scattered in our various backgrounds.

Apathy, a condition found in abundance on both sides of the pond, will only encourage the unrestrained growth of corrupted government.

Monica

Cross posted at A Tangled Web.

More Evidence That The Kids Are In Charge

2009-04-27T22:17:00.004-04:00

An Obama Administration photo-op gone awry. Apparently they wanted to update the file photo of Air Force One. The dumbasses in charge of this thing buzzed the New York City skyline in this giant jet, flying at low altitude with an F-16 fighter jet in hot pursuit.

This video, seen at Breitbart.com, shows how low Air Force One was flying and you can feel the panic in the air.

They didn't even have the decency to inform Mayor Bloomburg. In this article, found at WSJ Online, it was said that "People watched in horror as a massive aircraft, trailed closely by an F-16 fighter jet, banked and roared low near the city, in a frightening echo of the events of Sept. 11, 2001."

Just another hash mark to put in the column of 'minuses' when we take stock of how the Obama Administration has conducted itself.

It's a shame. The people of New York City have been through enough, for Gawd's sake. Some dickwanker wants a cool picture of the pretty plane, so who cares? I can't even imagine how the people who voted for Obama are feeling right now - perhaps a bit embarassed? Ashamed of the asinine choice that they made?

Have I Been Radicalized??!

2009-04-14T22:33:00.006-04:00

Perhaps I'm being watched, as I seem to fit under the new definition of Right Wing Radical Extremist. A new Department of Homeland Security report (link to PDF file below) claims that rightwing groups are gaining numbers, but has no numbers to give - or even evidence that this is actually happening. There is no specific information that rightwing groups are planning acts of violence. Here are some of the new qualifications for being slapped with that unseemly label of Right Wing Radical Extremist:

If you

* "reject federal authority in favor of state or local authority"
* "are dedicated to a single-issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration" (no distinction between illegal and legal immigration is made)
* "have applied for criminal background checks in order to buy weapons"
* are a "returning veteran"
* are concerned about the US Government as being "either complicit in a foreign invasion or acquiescing as part of a “One World Government” plan"
* wonder about things "such as the loss of U.S. manufacturing capability to China and India, Russia’s control of energy resources and use of these to pressure other countries, and China’s investment in U.S. real estate and corporations"

The thing that concerns me, and seems to concern others, is the general nature of the assessment. Past assessments seem to me to be more specific, naming groups, or characteristics of groups such as the KKK or the many known militias.

I looks to me as if the report (PDF file) is basically smearing half the citizens of America with the Right Wing Extremist accusation. There is a difference between questioning the federal government's authority, challenging it, debating it - and being a member of one of those crazy frigging militias. When Americans start bringing up the constitutionality of an issue, it's because we believe in defending the constitution - not because we're dangerous. We believe that we should all abide by the definitions and limits of our government as spelled out in the constitution. Why is that bad, and why does this administration believe that we are dangerous?

I'm just shocked that homeschoolers were not named in this report as being dangerously right wing. The foundation is laid - as homeschoolers were the choice of 'terrorist' groups threatening a school in an emergency preparedness drill recently. Uh-Oh. That makes me paranoid, and subject to the 'conspiracy theory' rule for being a dangerous thug, doesn't it? If I disagree with any policy - be it immigration, stem cell research, how involved the federal government should get with abortion or education - anything really, then I am subject to scrutiny by law enforcement agencies?

We all know about the militias, the neo-nazi groups, the islamist terror cells. THEY are extreme. Not the law abiding citizens who just happen to disagree with the policies of the current administration.

Maybe these guys are Right Wing Radical Extemists, too?

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T22:59:00.002-04:00

We all received a gift today - Captain Phillips is safe. Thanks to our military, the Navy Seals, the snipers. Thanks to the crew who resisted and refused to give up their ship - and to Captain Phillips himself for embodying everything that is right about American values. He sacrificed his own safety for the safety of his crew, and the military who rescued him sacrificed their safety as well. It came out right this time, the bad guys are dead or captured. The good guys are safe and heroes in my mind. God bless them and their families and God bless America.

This problem of pirates is one that will have to be dealt with harshly. Too many countries have paid millions to these criminals, pirating and kidnapping has become a lucrative operation. Too easy to make millions - and yes, they have been paid millions - to jump on a ship brandishing weapons and threaten those aboard. I am shocked that the crews of all of these large vessels are unarmed! The waters in that area have been dangerous with pirates for a long, long time.

And Now For Something Totally Different

2009-04-07T11:02:00.005-04:00

I received this in an email the other day. Don't know if it's true, but I have been privy to what goes on in the mind of the little ones - it wouldn't surprise me at all! Kids are awfully clever. They see things differently than we do.

A first grade school teacher presented each child in her classroom with the first half of a well-known proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb. It's hard to believe these were actually done by first graders. Their insight may surprise you. While reading, keep in mind that these are 6-year-olds! The first half presented by the teacher is in red - their responses are in blue.

1. Don't change horses

until they stop running.

2. Strike while the

bug is close.

3. It's always darkest before

Daylight Saving Time.

4. Never underestimate the power of

termites.

5.You can lead a horse to water

How?

6. Don't bite the hand that

looks dirty.

7. No news is

impossible

8. A miss is as good as a

Mr.

9. You can't teach an old dog new

Math

10. If you lie down with dogs, you'll

stink in the morning.

11. Love all, trust

Me.

12. The pen is mightier than the

pigs.

13. An idle mind is

the best way to relax.

14. Where there's smoke there's

pollution.

15. Happy the bride who

gets all the presents.

16. A penny saved is

not much.

17. Two's company, three's

the Musketeers.

18. Don't put off till tomorrow what

you put on to go to bed.

19. Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and

You have to blow your nose.

20. There are none so blind as

Stevie Wonder.

21. Children should be seen and not

be spanked or grounded.

22. If at first you don't succeed

get new batteries.

23. You get out of something only what you

See in the picture on the box

24. When the blind lead the blind

get out of the way.

25. A bird in the hand

is going to poop on you.

Tornado!

2009-03-30T08:31:00.010-04:00

A good old gully-washer hit yesterday. We were at our very first soccer game - my oldest just started in the local athletic league soccer program. She's pretty good! (I'm SO not a team sport player.) Anyhoo - it was a beautiful day. Over 60 degrees Farenheit and a bit cloudy. We all had our attention on the game and one of the mothers kept getting calls on her cell. Thunder started rumbling, they stopped the game (it was tied 1-1), and she said that the phone calls were people telling her that there were tornado watches and warnings for our area. It was pretty nice out and then I looked to the Southwest. Dang! The sky looked so nasty. The clouds were that really dark brownish-greenish color and the wisps were hanging down and the wind was just tearing them apart ferocious-like.

I hurried the girls into the car and we took off. Within 5 minutes the storm was almost on us. I kept thinking that I've been told too many times that you just can't outrun a storm in a car. I swore I saw a funnel cloud off to the left as I was driving, but it was gigantic - really fat and big and freaky looking. We got home and into the house and then it poured buckets and buckets. I was ready to run to the basement with the kids at a moments notice. I was watching the cats behavior, they weren't hiding but just wanting to stay close to us. We turned on the weather channel and sure enough the warnings are beeping like crazy. It passed very quickly and then we heard the sirens. Fire trucks, ambulances - all heading west. No damage or loss of power for us. It just missed us. A mile down the road heading out of town we saw signs blown over and some telephone poles down when we ventured out to the store.

The pictures today tell the tale. Several mobile homes destroyed - 3 people injured. A farmhouse and barn with the roofs ripped off - and in Denver borough a few miles to the northwest there is lots of damage all over town. Trees down all over the place. There was golfball sized hail in some parts - we got pea sized hail. It hit Philly a bit later with hail the size of a quarter or less - and no tornado.

The weather service is trying to ascertain if a tornado hit, or it was straight line winds that caused the damage. Many people saw the same funnel cloud that I saw.

This is what happens to mobile homes in a tornado:

Here is a pic of the farmhouse and barn that were damaged:

Lots of damage in Denver Borough:

***UPDATE***

The National Weather Service has confirmed that it was an EF-1 tornado and not straight line winds that caused the damage. The tornado was 1 1/4 miles long and 200 yards wide. Its path of destruction was 10 miles long. It destroyed eight mobile homes, and damaged 200 homes and 30 businesses or barns. Three were injured by the tornado.

Leap of Faith

2009-03-22T12:38:00.010-04:00

Letting go of the things that have defined us - the truths that we learned at our mother's knee - can be terrifying. Questioning those truths is difficult at best, and at worst can feel like dying. (What will happen when I let go?) The foundation is ripped away - the abyss that we imagine ourselves dangling above is endless. All we know is that what made us 'us' is gone. It feels like being a helpless child again, our very survival is at stake. The feeling is huge - an enormous feeling - that many cannot face.

I can imagine that being excommunicated, shunned from the Amish community, would equate to my own isolation from my family of origin. Terrifying at first. We choose to make the break, but it is not an easy break. That moment when we're hanging on by our fingertips, too afraid to let go but knowing there is no other way. It is the leap of faith. The reality is that we don't know if we will be okay, and the overwhelming feelings of fear, regret and doubt muddle our senses.

Time and experience have taught me that my faith will be rewarded. But that moment of letting go, it is a scary one. I let go all the time, now! Sometimes what is happening in my life doesn't make a damn bit of sense to me, but I just turn it over and trust.

I had a conversation with a young Amish father recently. He approached me in the WalMart - I don't know why. But he did and we talked. He shared a bit of his belief and experience, and then asked me to take a look at Trouble in Amish Paradise. I read of the struggles that some of the Amish have had with themselves and their communities. Many have been excommunicated. I will pray for them, and I ask that - if you are so inclined - you pray for them, too. Pray for them all, because the ones who can't take the questioning are lost, and the ones doing the questioning are being incredibly courageous in my opinion.

Testimony.

Happy St Patrick's Day

2009-03-17T10:15:00.003-04:00

O Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side.
The summer's gone and all the roses falling;
It's you, it's you must go and I must bide.

But come ye back when summer's in the meadow,
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow.
And I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow;
Oh Danny Boy, oh Danny Boy, I love you so!

But when ye come, and all the flow'rs are dying,
And I am dead, as dead I well may be.
Ye'll come and find the place where I am lying,
And kneel and say an Ave there for me.

And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me;
And all my grace will warmer, sweeter be,
For you will bend and tell me that you love me;
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me!

Image found here.

A New Kind of Tyranny

2009-03-11T23:01:00.002-04:00

"I think, then, that the species of oppression by which democratic nations are menaced is unlike anything that ever before existed in the world; our contemporaries will find no prototype of it in their memories. I seek in vain for an expression that will accurately convey the whole of the idea I have formed of it; the old words despotism and tyranny are inappropriate: the thing itself is new, and since I cannot name, I must attempt to define it.

I seek to trace the novel features under which despotism may appear in the world. The first thing that strikes the observation is an innumerable multitude of men, all equal and alike, incessantly endeavoring to procure the petty and paltry pleasures with which they glut their lives...

Above this race of men stands an immense and tutelary power, which takes upon itself alone to secure their gratifications and to watch over their fate. That power is absolute, minute, regular, provident, and mild. It would be like the authority of a parent if, like that authority, its object was to prepare men for manhood; but it seeks, on the contrary, to keep them in perpetual childhood: it is well content that the people should rejoice, provided they think of nothing but rejoicing. For their happiness such a government willingly labors, but it chooses to be the sole agent and the only arbiter of that happiness; it provides for their security, foresees and supplies their necessities, facilitates their pleasures, manages their principal concerns, directs their industry, regulates the descent of property, and subdivides their inheritances: what remains, but to spare them all the care of thinking and all the trouble of living?

Thus it every day renders the exercise of the free agency of man less useful and less frequent; it circumscribes the will within a narrower range and gradually robs a man of all the uses of himself. The principle of equality has prepared men for these things;it has predisposed men to endure them and often to look on them as benefits.

After having thus successively taken each member of the community in its powerful grasp and fashioned him at will, the supreme power then extends its arm over the whole community. It covers the surface of society with a network of small complicated rules, minute and uniform, through which the most original minds and the most energetic characters cannot penetrate, to rise above the crowd. The will of man is not shattered, but softened, bent, and guided; men are seldom forced by it to act, but they are constantly restrained from acting. Such a power does not destroy, but it prevents existence; it does not tyrannize, but it compresses, enervates, extinguishes, and stupefies a people, till each nation is reduced to nothing better than a flock of timid and industrious animals, of which the government is the shepherd."

Alexis de Tocqueville - Democracy in America, Chapter IV; What Sort of Despotism Democratic Nations Have to Fear.

Not bad for a French guy.

National Republican Senatorial Committee

2009-03-01T15:48:00.005-05:00

I was invited to support the National Republican Senatorial Committee - NRSC - and I think it's a great idea and agreed to be linked. I don't believe for one minute that the conservative movement is dead, and using 'new media' is the hip and happening thing to do. I applaud the committee for understanding that there is a majority in this country with conservative values - and that well needs to be tapped and it needs some energy. I believe that we are facing a crisis in America - we are losing America to idiots who believe in the pipe-dream of socialism.

I am unabashadly conservative. I believe that capitalism is an outstanding political and economic philosophy that guarantees individual rights and freedom. Capitalism creates wealth and not just for a few - for all who are willing to work for a better life. I believe that small government is the answer to our woes.

Senator John Cornyn is the new committe chairman. I will admit that I have never heard of this man. Old Grizzly Mama can only keep up with so much, y'know? It's a big world out there and things are just happening fast and furious - it's crazy. Anyhoo - he's from Texas. He's got an 'A' rating from the NRA. He voted against the Obama so-called 'stimulus' package. Good on taxes.

Where I take issue with Senator Cornyn is his statement , as reported by Politico, that "the GOP may need to recruit fewer conservative candidates in order to win in 2010." I heartily disagree with this statement.

May I suggest to Senator Cornyn and the NRSC that this attitude is what has gotten us into the shit pile in which we find ourselves today? During the Bush Administration, Republicans became the party of huge government. That pissed us off. The Republican Party pushed McCain as our candidate - I think believing that a more 'moderate' candidate would win more of the vote. Wrong. You will not get the conservative vote promoting the likes of McCain - a RINO. And what's with the love fest over Specter in the Republican Party?? Gawd - what a horrible man. I voted for him in the last election, at the behest of my party, in spite of the bile rising in my throat, and I will never do it again. The RNC - and Bush - dissed Toomey. I will vote for the Democrat who's running against Specter if he's the only choice next time. Promise.

There you have it. A strong conservative voting for Democrats. Yikes!

I will support the NRSC and I trust that a vigorous debate will take place on the direction that the party should go. Stop drifting away from conservative values. Stop it right now!

It's the only way we'll win.

My Hometown

2009-02-18T08:39:00.004-05:00

Looking at the Left has a nice montage showing a hardy band of patriots protesting the so-called 'stimulus' bill that Obama signed into law out in Denver the other day.

Colorado is a bad case of Red gone Blue. Is it all the damn transplants that moved to Denver from the East and West coasts? Even some of the natives have turned to socialism - as is evident in certain members of my very own family. Others haven't lost their minds, though. I have a few siblings - and atleast one parent - remaining who hold fast to their patriotic, American Republic loving principles.

Since I didn't see any news of protests in our MainStreamMedia, I had thought there was no one left willing to stand up in Denver. I was wrong - and thank goodness for that!

It looked like a typical, beautiful, winter day in Denver. Just like I remember - skies so blue and sun so bright that it would hurt your eyes. Miss those mountains - miss 'em something terrible. Although - even the mountains aren't the same as when I was a kid. Crowded. Graffiti. Traffic jams. Shame what's happened to Colorado... In more ways than one.

Well - I say to my leftist relatives ===> He's your guy. Watch and remember what you've done to our country. Things are going to get nasty, but it will be a slow, painful kind of nasty - until it's just so damn nasty that we may never come back from the brink.

A man after my own heart. God Save the Republic!

Image courtesy of Looking at the Left.

Pittsburgh Wins It

2009-02-02T08:01:00.006-05:00

Totally exciting game. We were rooting for the Steelers - naturally!

Harrison's 100 yard interception return for a touchdown had us out of our seats and yelling real loud!!

Holmes' touchdown catch - tippytoes in the endzone - was heart attack material.

Good job, Steelers!

Images from FoxNews.

Obamicon me

2009-01-19T21:50:00.006-05:00

No Resolutions Here

2009-01-06T09:01:00.003-05:00

I never make New Years resolutions. It's just a set up for failure. I figure if I want to do something, I'll just do it.

We are just making it through at this point. I worked a bunch of overtime and holiday to make up for time lost with the pneumonia. The doctor just informed me that it can take weeks and weeks to clear that crap out of your lungs. I never want pneumonia again - - EVER. The long, hard week is over. Onto the next two long, hard weeks. Three, actually.

Phase one: complete. Cleaning up the Christmas stuff.

Phase two: Not complete. Clearing out stuff we don't want to move. *UPDATE* Complete with a full dumpster.

Phase three: Not complete. Packing. *UPDATE* 2/3 complete

Phase four: Not complete. Painting finished attic in new abode, moving and cleaning old abode. *UPDATE* - painting attic room complete.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year. God bless.

Languishing

2008-12-21T22:41:00.002-05:00

My cookie dough languishes in the fridge - I languish on the recliner.

I have pneumonia, the first time in my life that I have ever had pneumonia. I hate it and it's awful. Terrible to breathe. Can't move much. Feeling a bit better after nearly a week of antibiotics with herbal support, but still quite sick. The house is a mess. Only about 1/8 of what I wanted to get done actually got done. Face it - Troll can't keep the house properly. He just can't. Going to bed now. Sorry about the late Christmas cards (if they even get out this year...), and the late packages. Got the kids done, the in-laws done, each other done - as far as presents go. Got the tree up, but the decoration storage box still sits in the middle of the room. That's going to have to do it. Christmas is almost here. It'll have to be good enough.

Merry Christmas to everyone! Say a little prayer for recovery for me and thanking you in advance for that...

Victory in New Orleans

2008-12-07T13:21:00.003-05:00

Anh 'Joseph' Cao (R) rides to victory in New Orleans. He will be the first Vietnamese-American Congressman. William Jefferson, the guy with the cash hidden in his freezer, is out and will be facing trial in 2009 along with several relatives who also happen to be 'public servants' in the NO area.

The bio of Mr. Cao is a shining example of the American Dream. He was born in Saigon, Vietnam and fled at the fall of Saigon - he was 8 years old. His father spent several years in a North Vietnamese prison. This guy knows what tyranny is all about, and it aint Amerikkka - as an associate of Obama likes to call the United States of America. He has earned a bachelor degree in physics from Baylor University, a masters in philosophy from Fordham University, and a Law degree from Loyola. He has volunteered with the Boat People SOS and opened a local office to help Vietnamese refugees in his area. He was selected by Archbishop Alfred Hughes of the Archdiocese of New Orleans to be a member of the National Advisory Council to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He and his family fled Hurricane Katrina, and upon their return to N.O., they found everything they owned destroyed. They have rebuilt, and he has helped his community rebuild, fighting against plans to make the community a local landfill. America isn't about suckling off the teat of big government, it's about working hard and realizing your dreams. Mr. Cao knows all about that and he is a testament to what anyone living in the United States of America can achieve.

I would really like to sit down and have a cup of coffee with this guy. He is red, white and blue all the way. God bless him and his family in their newest endeavor, and God Bless America!

Hat tip: Mike's America.

We Have to Move Again

2008-12-03T09:36:00.003-05:00

Good thing I didn't completely unpack.

We are aiming for mid-January, but have until end of February. I really hate moving. The 85 acres that this house sits on is going to be developed, though. It was a good old house, but not one I felt that I could really dig in and get comfortable with.

We are on a house search now.

If You Had to Pass a Test to Vote...

2008-11-23T16:36:00.001-05:00

You Should Be Allowed to Vote

You got 15/15 questions correct.
Generally speaking, you're very well informed.

If you vote this election, you'll know exactly who (and what) you'll be voting for.
You're likely to have strong opinions, and you have the facts to back them up.

Should You Be Allowed to Vote?

As seen on Blonde Sagacity.

Time to Bake the Cookies

2008-11-21T09:23:00.002-05:00

It's that time of year again. We have friends coming over on 'Black Friday', and we will be baking cookies instead of dealing with insane crowds at the mall. Oh yeah - we let the kids decorate 'em. I am looking forward to it, even though I will be short on sleep.

It's snowing here - looks like about 2 inches built up on the deck railing. Love it. The fire is cracking in the fireplace in the kitchen, and the cats are curled up close to it with smiles on their little faces. (Yes - we have another cat. She somehow fell through the trap door into the basement and her mother never claimed her. She was 2 weeks old at the time, but is growing into a fine young lady.)

I will have to break my diet - just a wee bit. I've lost 21 pounds, so I'm almost at my goal weight!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday weekend!

Voter Turnout

2008-11-09T14:19:00.004-05:00

Voter turnout was virtually the same as 2004 when looking at percentage of population. It was a decent turnout, but guess what? Republican turnout was lower than the last election, while Democrat turnout was higher.

It is my personal opinion that McCain's choice of Sarah Palin helped him to win more votes than he would have won with a less conservative choice. It is true that conservative Republicans were not happy with McCain - he's a RINO.

If a Republican candidate cannot get Republicans to the polling place, they will never win.

What was the strategy behind propelling McCain as our candidate? Did the RNC believe that a RINO would attract the center/left vote? I will admit that I thought it might work at first, but after hearing hundreds of conservatives voice their dissatisfaction with McCain I thought he was toast. Then he picked Sarah Palin as his VP. A true conservative, and an unabashed conservative, she attracted many of the voters that were feeling lackluster aboutMcCain.

It wasn't enough. The RNC, and the Republicans in Congress, need to heed the lessons that we learned in 2008. Hold fast to your conservative principles or your time in office will be short.

McCain was no gem, but he was a damn sight better than the extreme far leftist Obama.

Photo from Abe's blog.

November

2008-11-06T18:23:00.002-05:00

November in my neighborhood. We're still America.

Yea, Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death..

2008-11-05T08:31:00.003-05:00

You didn't do it, did you?? You didn't get out there and vote for McCain like Grizzly Mama told you to, did you??

Now we're stuck. We're stuck with a frigging Marxist. Worse than Hillary could ever be. Damnation.

Tuesday is the Big Day

2008-11-03T08:41:00.004-05:00

Troll will be working the polls - we like to get involved. Seeing as we were disenfranchised at the primay, we need to have a few more people keeping an eye on things at the polling place. (Our write-in votes were not counted in the primary..)

Get out there and vote!!!

P.S. Don't vote for the guy who has promised to bankrupt coal companies and tax you to kingdom come. (That would be Barack Hussein Obama.)

Go McCain-Palin!!!

'Hope' and 'Change' in the Grizzly Household

2008-10-28T09:08:00.005-04:00

Besides working nights and dealing with mountains of laundry, Old Grizzly Mama has been making some changes in the hope of making us a bit healthier and happier.

Three weeks ago, I instituted some dietary changes for Troll and myself. We have embarked upon an adventure in the form of an eating plan called Protein Power. We have severely limited our carb intake and upped our protein intake. Keeping in mind that we must also get as close to 20 grams of fiber p/day as well. No - it's not all red meat and fat, in fact, we are eating MUCH more fresh veggies than before and attempting to increase the consumption of good fat over nasty fats.

Before starting on the new eating plan, I was 30 lbs. + overweight, and so was Troll. Blood pressure for both of us was creeping up. Cholesterol was so bad for both of us that our doctor was considering putting us on cholesterol lowering meds. Although Troll's ability to deal with sugar is comparable to some sort of super-heroic power in my mind, my body's ability to do so had almost completely broken down. I was consuming sugar like some sort of junkie and although my body produced copious amounts of insulin to deal with it, my blood sugars continued to rise. Insulin resistance, I believe, is what they call that.

It's bad, and as I especially have a family history of diabetes, heart attack and stroke - something needed to be done. I am a big fan of dealing with physical disorders without the use of pharmaceuticals. If possible. I like using herbals for illness. (Although, for the record, I do make sure the girls get traditional medical care for illness - supplemented with herbals to help in healing...) And now I am attempting to deal with this myriad of problems using diet. Oh - and exercise.

So - while most Grizzlys are in the process of fattening up and preparing to rest for a long winter sleep, we are dieting and starting to exercise. I have considered the government pushed 'food pyramid' to be a bunch of crap for many years. The incidence of obesity, diabetes and heart disease becoming what is desribed as 'epidemic' in America is a result (in my opinion) of citizens attempting to follow that diet plan. I have had friends over the years harping on me constantly about no fat this, and no fat that, all in the face of my insistence that the proper amounts of the right kind of fat are necessary for the proper functioning of our bodies. Did they listen to Grizzly Mama??! Ohhhhhhhhh Noooooooooooo. It's okay, though. It's part of what makes America great. We have a difference of opinion and although my opinion seems to be in the minority, thankfully I have the freedom to follow my own path. Atleast for now. I am very disgusted by all of the 'no fat' 'low fat' labeling of food out there in the world. No fat - sure. Carbohydrates? Through the frigging roof. That's NOT good for you. Period.

I had fasting bloods done in March of 2008, and fasting bloods done 2 weeks after instituting our new eating plan - which was done October 6th. I have lost 12 pounds. My blood pressure went from 125/85 to 102/60. (Back to my younger days' normally low BP) My total cholesterol went from 252 to 215 - with only a very slight improvement in the ratios after 2 weeks on the diet. LDL dropped 18 points - although HDL dropped a bit, too. My fasting blood sugar went from 119 to 106. My triglycerides went from 125 to 99. Ratios of total cholesterol to HDL stand at over 4, and LDL to HDL stand over 3 still. It's improving though - and I am quite happy with the improvement after just 2 weeks on the diet. My after meal blood sugars are in the range of 100 - 115, which is expected as I only eat 10 to 12 grams of carb per meal.

Not only have we changed our eating habits, but I have started to exercise. Not much. Only a little - I HATE exercising. I think the Army did it to me, and I especially hate running. So - I'm swimming laps once a week and I took up Yoga. Yes - Yoga! This is my favorite pose:

NOT! LOL. I think I like the 'dead-man' pose the best. ;-)

It takes a lot of planning ahead to stay on this eating program - and in that sense we aren't in the best of shape yet. On those days, we throw some meat on the fire, eat a cup of steamed broccoli and some lunch meat rollups - throw a salad together, too. I haven't cheated with sugar yet, although I have eaten a couple of peanut butter crackers here and there - putting my daily total carbs up to 45 grams or so. I'm not kicking myself, though. It's a hell of a sight better than the 300 to 450 grams of carb p/day I was eating before.

I have found some excellent recipes and will be happy to share them in the future. My favorites involve the use of heavy cream - of course! Don't be shocked - it really won't kill you. It's the excess consumption of carbs that you should be concerned with.

Wish us continued luck. The holidays are coming up - lots of candy and sweets will be around. Although no matter what time of year we start the program, there is always some sort of candy/food/eating holiday just around the corner.

Barack the Plumber

2008-10-17T15:58:00.002-04:00

'Joe the Plumber' is a phrase that is on everyone's lips these days. Well - everyone who follows politics anyway. This cartoon is courtesy of Get Liberty. Get Liberty is Americans for Limited Government, aka: ALG.

As far as I can tell from a google search, ALG is a Libertarian think tank that seems to be reviled by the left. Hey! That must mean that they are effective in promoting freedom from socialism here in the USA.

What Barack Obama said to Joe the Plumber is very revealing. Barack Hussein Obama is not committed to defending the Constitution of the United States of America. Whether McCain is your favorite guy or not, he is head and shoulders above BHO.

****

I have not been blogging for awhile. More huge changes here. I will blog about that in the next few days.

Viva McCain/Palin!

9/11/01

2008-09-11T08:43:00.005-04:00

I will never forget.

Obama Jokes

2008-09-07T20:16:00.003-04:00

One of my very first blogging friends, Abe of Lincoln, has opened up his 'Strategic Joke Reserve' and unleashed some very funny stuff. He's damn clever, I think! Here are a couple to whet your appetite, go visit to see some more.

'As part of the "Spare Change America Can Believe In" program, the Obama campaign today announced a plan to increase the number of states to 62. According to the press release, the plan would add five additional states, "We're going to bring in all three Canadian provinces, plus Alaska and Idahoe."'

'Unnerved by a tough question from a 7-year old about whether or not war is ever justified, Obama struggled to come up with an answer. Finally, he allowed that he would probably have supported World War II, reluctantly. "After the Germans dropped The Bomb on Pearl Harbor, President Truman really didn't have much choice but to declare war," said the Senator.'

My favorite so far:

'Poor John Edwards has gone from VP nominee to non-person in just a few short weeks after admitting he was lying and the National Enquirer was telling the truth. Sen. Obama, showing his Heart of Gold, expressed sympathy for Edwards. "The man has suffered enough," said Obama, "He's already been punished with a baby. Based on the smell of that baby, I'm calling for a Change We Can Believe in."'

Do you have any good ideas for an Obama joke? If so, drop by Abe's and share them.

McCain/Palin Position: Education

2008-08-31T09:53:00.002-04:00

Here are the first three paragraphs of their position:

John McCain believes American education must be worthy of the promise we make to our children and ourselves. He understands that we are a nation committed to equal opportunity, and there is no equal opportunity without equal access to excellent education.

Public education should be defined as one in which our public support for a child's education follows that child into the school the parent chooses. The school is charged with the responsibility of educating the child, and must have the resources and management authority to deliver on that responsibility. They must also report to the parents and the public on their progress.

The deplorable status of preparation for our children, particularly in comparison with the rest of the industrialized world, does not allow us the luxury of eliminating options in our educational repertoire. John McCain will fight for the ability of all students to have access to all schools of demonstrated excellence, including their own homes.

Click the title to read the rest.

Here is a link (warning - pdf!) to HSLDA's legal analysis of Alaska's homeschooling law: Alaska.

According to HSLDA, Alaska is a state with no regulation on homeschooling. There is no state requirement for parents to initiate any contact.

McCain/Palin - I'm In 150%

2008-08-29T16:42:00.003-04:00

As you know, I was not very enthusiastic about voting for John McCain. I would have, but only because Obama is such a leftist, and Biden just makes it worse.

McCain's choice of Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska, has sent a chill down my leg!

Mike's America has a typically well written and thorough entry up about Sarah Palin. This woman is it. She is an outstanding choice.

I am 150% in support of the McCain/Palin ticket.

God bless America. God save the Republic!

Grizzly Report - Cubs Reports About School

2008-08-27T22:45:00.002-04:00

The girls are doing great. They love it. I have been hearing some very interesting stories, though. One of them came out at bedtime tonight. My older girl talks a lot about the girls she hangs out with - and I noticed that nothing is said about the boys. I got curious tonight and asked if the boys in class ever talk. She said that they never seem to talk to the girls - not even hello. Don't you think that's interesting?

I do. I wonder about it as I compare the homeschooling experience to traditional schooling. The homeschool kids don't do this. The boys talk with the girls and vice-versa. The kids of all ages interact and play together.

I think what makes it even more interesting is that most of the kids in her class have been together in the same class since kindergarten or first grade. Why don't the boys and girls talk to each other? I asked my daughter this question, and then it came out that the boys and girls do not sit together at lunch. It's not a choice. It's a school rule. There is a girls section and a boys section. I then asked the little one if the boys and girls sit seperately at lunch. Yes - they do. I put my finger to my chin and told them that I thought that was interesting...and then looked at them kind of sideways-like.

I'm flabbergasted. Did anyone else ever have this kind of experience in school??

I think it's odd. Very odd. Another example of how socialization at school might not help kids deal with the real world. I'm sure Troll is happy about it - lol. I don't think it's necessarily a good thing, though.

Another thing that they are having a hard time with is the bells. I told them, 'Girls. In school your life is ruled by bells.' There's something else that isn't very 'real-world' like, either. Hmmm? They almost jump out of their skins when the bell rings. Poor things.

First Day of School

2008-08-24T23:08:00.003-04:00

Oh my God. I can't believe that this day is here. Tomorrow. Just a few scant hours from now.

They are a bit nervous - and I am a frigging wreck. I have this entire week off - thank goodness. The first day of school is a half day. Then they are off this coming Friday and Labor day Monday. They are easing the kids into the school routine, I guess.

I will post pictures of the momentous event.

***** UPDATE *****

Here are my big school girls:

Grizzly Mama isn't doing as well as they are!

We got them unloaded and off to their respective areas at school. Then I went to the local hardware store and got a free fly swatter. Wooo-Hooo! Next stop - WalMart.

What Olympic Sport are You?

2008-08-18T00:17:00.002-04:00

You Are Archery

You are a bit of a traditionalist. You like old fashioned things with deep traditions.

You also like to see the result of your accomplishments right in front of you.

If practice makes perfect, that's fine by you. You like to practice a skill.

What Olympic Sport Are You?

I saw this over at Blonde Sagacity, and realized that we haven't watched one second of the Olympics. I am interested in the swimming and gymnastics - probably because my girls are involved in those sports. I think it would be neat for them to see. Archery? Interesting. It doesn't involve aerobic activity (which I hate), it doesn't involve sit ups (which I hate), and it does involve quiet contemplation and precision (which I like).

Gratitude

2008-08-13T23:46:00.003-04:00

We laid an Aunt to rest today. She died within several months of her cancer diagnosis. This event, along with my middle age changes, has finally impressed upon my mind the certainty of my mortality. I felt quite indestructible until I had my first baby, but that was nothing compared with what I am facing now. We looked around at each other today, and realized with a shock, "We are getting to be the old ones now." There is a host of young ones growing and becoming adults - and we - well we are showing the grays and the lines. What must we look like to them? Pretty soon we'll be the doddering old people who they will be sure to sit together at the same table at the wedding. They'll have some soft food on the menu for us. I am afraid that this feeling is only going to get worse. Time is moving faster and faster.

We were the bad kids not too long ago. The ones the Aunt who just died yelled at for acting like a bunch of asses. Holy Crap.

And my brothers and sisters - which one of us will be putting the others to bed? Who will be the last? How will we face this momentous occasion - the big sleep? When it's breathing down our necks? It's our turn now, to be the ones to send our Mothers and Fathers and Aunts and Uncles safely on their journey. That was THEIR job, but not anymore.

I must remember the gratitude. I must remember to savor every moment with my husband and my children and my friends and family. What a lot of blessings and mostly ignored while I complain about car problems and money is tight. So many people in my life who have been so good to me. Such a beautiful world that I am living in. So much good health and prosperity that we have enjoyed, living in America. I must remember to pass that on. I must remember to stop, think, and understand - to be grateful.

I Will Miss Homeschooling

2008-07-24T08:53:00.002-04:00

We are now preparing to start traditional school. Uniforms must be bought, backpacks, school supplies. School bus schedules obtained, proper notebooks, the summer literature project for the soon to be 7th grader. Review of math facts for the soon to be 3rd grader. New haircuts and only one set of earrings allowed for each.

I will miss homeschooling my girls. I will just plain miss my girls. Home education has been a very rewarding, and mostly very enjoyable experience for us. The girls have blossomed in every way over the past 7 years. Socially, physically and mentally. It has been a joy to be such a huge part of that. What a privilege to know intimately their abilities, strengths and weaknesses.

I want their experience in school to be a good one, however I would also like it to be a brief one. No matter how great the curriculum and the teachers and the school, they can never get as much there as they can get working with their mom and dad - one on one. The freedom to explore their unique interests is limited in a traditional school environment. The material offered is not as rich as what can be had with the K12 curriculum that we love so much. The opportunities to interact in their community is also limited with traditional schooling.

Why the hell are we doing this, again? They want, and I believe need, the experience. There have been many times in my life that being told something is so cannot substitute for knowing by experience that something is so. They are pining to go to school - so we found the least abhorrent school that exists in my part of the world. It is a nice little school.

Wish us luck, and perhaps after a year (maybe two..), we will be back at it again.

Pew News IQ Quiz

2008-07-21T13:21:00.004-04:00

Your Percentile score for
the average adult:

| 97 Grizzly Mama
|
|
| 50 National Average
|
|
|

Percentile Rank

This chart and the charts by gender, education, and age show your percentile rank. The percentile rank shows the percentage of the public who scored below you on the quiz. By definition, the average person scored at the 50th percentile (half of the public did worse, half did better). You scored better than 97% of the general public on the quiz.

The percentile rank sorted by gender shows women at 39th perentile.
The percentile rank sorted by educaton level (some college for me) at 48th percentile.
The percentile rank sorted by age (30-49 for me) at 48th percentile.

Go! Take the quiz! I'd be willing to bet that you ace it, too.

I found this at Little Green Footballs.

Small Town Stuff

2008-07-06T18:31:00.002-04:00

We are very excited about the upcoming festival in a nearby community called Terre Hill. You just can't find stuff like this in Philly...

* Chainsaw Carving

* Outhouse Racing

* Mountain Man Encampment

* Skydive Bingo

Along with pie eating contests, a good old fashioned tug-of-war, rides and games - amongst other things.

Totally different mindset out here. It's like living on a different planet. I love it.

God Bless America

2008-07-03T18:14:00.008-04:00

Happy 4th of July!

Troll and I actually have a day off TOGETHER. We will be partaking in a host of activities with the girls. We have traveled back in time. Life is simpler and a bit more wholesome here in the land of cornfields, horse-pulled carriages, and Harley-Davidsons. Less complicated. It's all about growing food, working hard, families taking care of each other, and helping your neighbor. Drying the clothes out on the line, wading in the creek, and running across the grass barefoot.

God Bless America.

Memorial Day

2008-05-26T02:17:00.003-04:00

We honor our fallen. They were our most precious treasure.

1st Communion, a Personal Struggle, and the Pope.

2008-04-20T23:53:00.006-04:00

The little one has been preparing for her First Communion. Not only is it a photo-op, but more importantly shows that she has reached the age of discretion. She understands about God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit. She understands the respect that the consecrated bread and wine deserves, that the Catholic Church teaches that the spirit of Christ resides in the consecrated bread and wine. That spirit of Christ is taken into the body when we receive the Eucharist. The Eucharist is 'an outward sign of of an inward grace instituted by Christ'. The Eucharist is not necessary for salvation, according to the Roman Catholic Church.

She is able to state 'yes', when asked if she wants to continue in the way of Christ. This is always a choice for us, every moment of every day: We can say 'yes', or we can say 'no'. For now she chooses 'yes'. Both girls are quite amazingly spiritual - - even though the example provided by old Grizzly Mama is not always the best. I have my doubts and struggles and what with my cussing, spotty Mass attendance, and none too happy thoughts at times, I'm just not sure where they got it. I separated from the Catholic Church for many years - over a decade. Troll and I were married in the Catholic Church - - much to my dismay. He insisted and he is a good Italian Catholic - 'Just do what the Father says and don't ask questions' type of Catholic. When it came to baptising the girls I was in the middle of a full blown spiritual crisis. I always believed in God, and yes, Jesus. The Catholic Church? Not so much.

I couldn't proceed with the little one's baptism until I had this resolved in my mind. We didn't send the girls to Catholic school for a reason. That reason being I didn't want their heads to be messed up about God the way mine was as a child. The Church in my day was more of a punitive place for me. I was scared of God, scared of the Devil - and for good reason. Put one foot out of place and BLAM! Struck down on both sides. You were just screwed, y'see? You could never be good enough, God was never going to be happy with you. Nothing about forgiveness, love, grace and redemption. Nothing about a personal connection with the Creator and protection or the powerful forces of pure truth, love and rightness. It was all rules, rules, rules and regulations - - - and you're bad. So, anyway, I had to get this off of my chest so I spoke to Father down at the local Parish back in the old neighborhood. He was great. He didn't excommunicate me like I feared. (I was told by one priest in my childhood that doubt was a grave sin...) In fact, he understood. He shared that his experience of the Church was nothing like mine and we talked for a long time about it. Years ago, someone had heard that a child's perception of God is colored by their perception of their father. It made a lot of sense to me when I compared my perception of God to how I felt about my father. Perhaps my experience of the Church was all mixed up with my insane family and the fear, terror even, of growing up in that abusive environment. So I am approaching the Church from a different angle now. Did something change in the last 30 years? Because I now experience the Catholic Church in a completely different way, one that aligns with my understanding of God. People criticize the Church, that's okay, but many have a terrible misunderstanding of it. I've even had people say to me that the Catholic Church has nothing to do with the Bible. That's a lie, as we hear three scripture readings at every Mass. We contemplate the Bible, and meditate on Jesus as the Lamb of God.

Anyway, I have a renewed committment to attend Mass and take in the spiritual aspect of it all. I love the incense, holy water, familiarity with the order of Mass, and the rites of passage. Rites of Passage are important. My little one will be experiencing one this coming Saturday. She's got her white dress and veil, a new rosary and will be receiving her first communion. The entire parish will be there to help us celebrate this important moment.

As for the Pope, well. He's no John Paul II, is he? He is the Pope, though. The leader of my church. I am actually pretty excited that he came to America and had a taste of American Catholicism in action. He saw many tens of thousands of American Catholics who came from far and wide to see him. I am glad that he went to Ground Zero and said that prayer.

Our Friend, Skye, Was Physically Assaulted

2008-03-31T00:39:00.003-04:00

By a peace protester. I told you those peace protesters were violent. That this happens at all is a disgrace - that it happened to Skye, who is always pleasant and reasonable, is a double disgrace. That it was a male striking a female is just even worse. We're behind you Skye - and so angry that this happened. We know that you have the support and strength of those who stand with you weekly in West Chester. We want you to know that you have our support as well. The perpetrator is not the sharpest knife in the drawer, as he committed this assault while obviously being filmed. I know that is small comfort to our Skye, who had to experience the abuse - recorded or not.

Troll and I have witnessed the nastiness and violence of the peace protesters. We have also heard some horror stories. Nothing has ever happened to us personally. Violent peace protesters are an interesting, if sometimes dangerous, breed. The irony of their actions is not apparent to them. This is what we face. Stupid-asses who can oftentimes be violent while screaming how they are for peace. Stupid-asses who will rip your sign to shreds while screaming how they are for freedom of speech.

Well - it is a free country and they can scream all they want. We do live in the United States of America, afterall. Our right to offend is still recognized (thank goodness), but we certainly have no right to physically assault another for no good reason. Thank goodness for that, too.

Thank you Skye - and thanks to all of you brave souls standing together in West Chester. Thank you for showing up every week to let the world know that many of us support and love our troops.

Cross posted at A Tangled Web.

Grizzly Mama

Moving

Gearing Up

Memorial Day

Obama Press Conference

Rasmussen Daily Presidential Approval Index

Everybody Draw Mohammed Day

Sayonara Turncoat

The Decision to Go Back to Homeschooling

Philadelphia Tea Party - 4/17/10

Washington DC Tax Day Protest Link

Philadelphia Tax Day 2010 *Updated with links and pics*

Philadelphia Tea Party - April 15th, 2010

Let the Purging Begin

CODE RED! D.C. Rally NOON TODAY

̿̿̿ ̿' ̿'\̵͇̿̿\з=(•̪●)=ε/̵͇̿̿/'̿'̿ ̿ KILL the BILL!!! ̿̿̿ ̿' ̿'\̵͇̿̿\з=(•̪●)=ε/̵͇̿̿/'̿'

Happy St Paddy's Day!

If they could talk

What You Can Do

Confirmation

The Mount Vernon Statement

Somewhere In Lancaster County, PA

What Personality Is Your Blog?

ESTP - The Doers

We're Getting Slammed

No Obama - no SOTU...

Massachusetts

Haiti Earthquake

I Dislike Even More Than Ironing:

Happy New Year!

It's Back

Merry Christmas

I Can't Argue With This

The Great Blizzard of '09

A Grizzly Mama's Christmas List

Happy Thanksgiving

Al Gore is a Liar!

A 'Photo Op'

Moslem Aggression in the US

Veteran's Day - Wednesday 11/11/09

Did Michael Ramirez Get it Right?

Homeschooling for High School

H1N1

Where are you on the political spectrum?

Dirty Dealings in Congress

Healthcare Hell

I Am The Mob

9/12 March on Washington (and elsewhere..)

I Remember Gregory James Malone

Project 2996

"Your Child Belongs to Us..."

President Obama's Speech to American Students

'I'

'Defiance' with Daniel Craig

News From the National Republican Senatorial Committee

I'm a 'Commie', now.

Letter To My Representatives

Happy Fourth of July

Obama Administration Supports Dictator in Honduran Power Grab

Holocaust Shooter Neither a Conservative Nor a Christian

The Best We Can

New Jobs Suck

American Takes On British Parliament

More Evidence That The Kids Are In Charge

Have I Been Radicalized??!

Happy Easter

And Now For Something Totally Different

Tornado!

Leap of Faith

Happy St Patrick's Day

A New Kind of Tyranny

National Republican Senatorial Committee

My Hometown

Pittsburgh Wins It

Obamicon me

No Resolutions Here

Languishing

Victory in New Orleans

We Have to Move Again

If You Had to Pass a Test to Vote...

Philadelphia Tax Day 2010 Updated with links and pics