Bernice: that's a bit of a problem here too. People don't really trust the Repubs and in fact, they have less trust for them than they do the Dems. But the liberal spending and runaway govt isn't flying with the majority. Obama is still strong but losing ground. AND his fellow Dems are all in trouble. It's a tough year to be a Dem.

Every year, Americans for Tax Reform calculates Cost of Government Day — exactly how many days of the year Americans work to pay the total cost of government. This includes all government spending by federal, state, and local government. It also includes the costs forced into every product and service we buy in the private sector by state and federal regulations. Some regulations are silly and destructive. Others are important and useful. But none are free.

In 2008, Americans worked 197 days, until July 16 — in other words, more than half the year — to pay for the total cost of government. As a result of the bailouts, stimulus, and increased discretionary spending in the federal budget and new taxes for health care, Americans this year have worked until August 19, fully 231 days.

Jim Dandy:

Jim Dandy: Well I hope and pray you are right.

Jim Dandy: They will find other ways to recruit. And peace will never be fully realized. History tells us that. Any peace reached will be short lived. That's because for some Arabs, the only tolerable Israel is when they are pushed into the sea.

Jim Dandy:

Jim Dandy: Dude, I've been off the edge for a long, long time now. Haven't you noticed?

August 18, 2010
Some deluge
Clarice Feldman
Arizona's Espresso Pundit makes fun of the Arizona Republic's predictions about the political affect of the state's immigration law:

I especially enjoyed the commentary by Democrats who "worried" that SB 1070 was going to lead to the demise of the Republican Party. This "concern" was coupled with the "fact" that people were flocking to Democratic Party headquarters in order to register to vote. Here's agood example of the coverage.

I love the headline. "SB 1070 Backlash spurs Hispanics to Join Democrats."

Here's the lede.

In the seven weeks since Republican Gov. Jan Brewer signed Arizona's tough new immigration law, there has been a sharp increase in the number of Latinos registering to vote as Democrats, party officials say, jumping from about 100 a week before to 500 now.

Now that we've had some time to tabulate the numbers, how is that registration drive going? Here are the latest statistics.

The number of registered voters in Arizona has increased 1 percent over the last three months. Statewide figures showed Democratic registration decreased by 530 voters. Registration for Independents rose by more than 25,000 voters and increased by more than 10,000 voters for Republicans.

Wow, down 530. That's really embarrassing...and to think, the registration forms are written in Spanish and everything...

I don't know who should be more embarrassed, the Democratic Activists who thought their SB 1070 demagoguery would lead to increased voter participation...or the naive journalists who cheered them on.

Obamacare - unintended consequences: Health care costs up 9% in big companies. But didn't Obama say that our premiums wouldn't be effected?

Next up: Tax increases to help pay for it.

Übergeek 바둑이: Some analysts suspect he's not interested in reelection and that he's setting things up for Hillary in 2012.

Übergeek 바둑이: You missed it. He's already in!

What Would a Jihadist Do?
Eileen F. Toplansky
Would a jihadist:
Cosponsor a United Nations resolution in 2009 imposing "shariah blasphemy" laws that utterly conflict with the American First Amendment's protection of free speech After all, free speech is prohibited within the Muslim-controlled world.
Appoint a sharia finance specialist to the White House to influence American banking transactions to comply with sharia law.
Increase America's debt to ensure that Americans will be interminably indebted to other countries and forced to do business with sharia-compliant banks, thus promoting the quiet takeover of the avowed enemy.
Hinder economic movement in America by setting up roadblocks for small businesses, the lifeblood of American enterprise.
Turn his back on believers in freedom and choice as they are inimical to jihadism.
Hurt Americans ability to stay well. A weakened and distracted America will not worry too much about stealth jihadist movements.
Permit sharia financing to infiltrate American banking by controlling those very banks.
Associate with the Muslim Brotherhood because the Muslim Brotherhood's mission in America is "to destroy the Western civilization from within." In fact, the Muslim Brotherhood "seeks to establish an Islamic Caliphate spanning the entire Muslim world. It also aspires to make Islamic (Shari'a) law the sole basis of jurisprudence and governance...."
Encapsulated in the Brotherhood's militant credo [is the following]

"God is our objective, the Koran is our Constitution, the Prophet is our leader, struggle is our way, and death for the sake of God is the highest of our aspirations"

Thus, "the Brotherhood since its founding has supported the use of armed struggle, or jihad. The Brotherhood supports the waging of jihad against non-Muslim "infidels," and has expressed support for terrorism against Israel, whose legitimacy the Brotherhood does not recognize, and against the West, particularly the United States."

Appoint someone who seeks to promote sharia law throughout America.
Not object to the enforced segregation of Muslims and non-Muslims in the Islamic world since jihadists regard anyone not a Muslim as a second class citizen, at best.
Maintain a double standard concerning freedom and civil rights when it applies to Jews because the Jews are infidels.
Bow to the king of Saudi Arabia to show homage
Show indifference to people seeking independence from a fanatical tyrant.
Ignore the plight of gay people living under Islamic rule; after all sharia law mandates stoning of gays.
Try to undermine a democratically held election in a foreign country as democratic choice runs counter to Islamic belief.
Offend countries that have democratic beliefs.
Disregard the destruction of Christian holy places by jihadists, since Christians are also the infidel.
Lie about issues because taqiyya is an accepted method of jihadist policy in order to spread Muslim rule.
Accept linguistic euphemisms to hide the true intent of jihadist action.
Show disdain for American democratic values and commemorations of American bravery in the fight against totalitarianism, especially since Naziism shares many similarities to jihadist belief.
Bully the only democracy in the midst of all those sharia-compliant countries in the Middle East in order to defeat this outpost of freedom.
All of the above have been done by our 44th president.

Again, I ask, what would a jihadist do?

Nancy Pelosi calls for investigation into opponents of Ground Zero Mosque
Thomas Lifson
The most powerful woman in government "join[s] those who have called for looking into how is this opposition to the mosque being funded." KCBS radio in San Francisco interviewed the Speaker. Listen here.

Pelosi made a fool of herself calling the tea parties "Astroturf," and this remark is, if anything, even stupider. On Planet Pelosi, the only way a political movement happens is with funding and direction from above -- as in the case of the vast network of Soros-funded organizations, and the Axelrod-sponsored Astroturf groups. The concept that ordinary people stand up and protest because of their convictions is alien to her.

So much for her respect for the will of the people. They are but sheep on Planet Peloisi, objects to be manipulated.

Bernice: who me?

Pedro Martínez: I can imagine it to some extent. But Einstein certainly understood it. We know that time is relative to the observer. And we certainly know that time is not infinite.

Pedro Martínez: God couldn't be "created" because you end up with the problem of infinite regress. An infinite temporal regress of causes cannot exist.

Pedro Martínez: every effect that we can study we can identify that it had a cause. We know of no uncaused effect. It's more reasonable to believed the Big Bang was caused than it "just happened." That "just happened" scenario takes a huge leap of faith.

Here's something else we're certain of: Time had a beginning. Time is not infinate and in fact, it's an impossibility.

Even the language you use gives it away. You say "creation" of time and space. In my view, an all knowing all powerful First Cause created. In your view, it created itself.

Pedro Martínez: I'm not sure we fully agree. I say that proof of the existence of something can take many forms. In the case of God, the kalam cosmological argument comes to mind. We know from science that this universe had a beginning in time. We can trace events back to the singularity. We can't go farther back than that. And we know that the universe is expanding. To expand, it must have necessarily come from a starting point. (scientists can back up the process mathematically and they come up to a single point - the singularity). That singularity contained in it all the matter and energy that is now contained in our universe. Before the "Big Bang" there was likely nothing. We can't know. But something set off the Big Bang. You don't get an effect without a cause. God is that Uncaused Cause.

Jim Dandy: I like it. But I do think both tell us something. For example, we now know maggots like dead people.

Pedro Martínez: Not so. It's impossible to prove the non-existence of anything.

Jim Dandy: It's impossible to engage in the world of ideas without engaging in some sort of conflict from time to time. Take religion out of it and you would still have conflicts.

Pedro Martínez: in what way?

Pedro Martínez: what kinds of proof would you expect to find?

Jim Dandy: then likely religion is not the root of the problem but something else is.

Jim Dandy: So are political ideologies. Do you think people need religion to find ways to disagree?

CNN Rips 'Incoherent' Obama: Even George W. Bush Had Clearer Message
By Noel Sheppard (Bio | Archive)
Tue, 08/17/2010 - 13:56 ET
When the media outlet disaffectionately called the "Clinton News Network" starts ridiculing you to such an extent that you are depicted as a worse communicator than George W. Bush, you know your popularity as a Democrat President is in trouble.

Yet that's what happened Tuesday when CNN published a piece prominently displayed on the front page of its website with the surprising headline:

Critics Say Obama's Message Becoming 'Incoherent'

For the remaining fans of our 44th President, the article that followed wasn't any better:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/08/17/obama.mosque.message/index.html

The Press Conference That Never Happened
by Bob Parks
If a dozen or so black liberals held a press conference, screaming about Tea Party racism for a couple hours, the media would be showing clips for days.
Have a group of black conservatives hold a press conference against liberal racebaiters falsely accusing the Tea Party and you have a media laughing afterward with not a clip to be seen anywhere (except online).

Ferris Bueller: I've never utilized the Bible in that way and don't know of any who do. Don't over generalize. As for "left behind," that's a school of thought in eschatology. Even so, what about it?

Ferris Bueller: examples please

What Happened to the 400,000 Jobs Pelosi Promised after Healthcare ‘Reform’ Passed?
by SusanAnne Hiller
Back in February 2010, Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised the American people that approximately 400,000 jobs would be created due to the passage of the healthcare bill.

Remember Pelosi promised this:

Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the health summit: “It’s about jobs. In it’s life, it [the health bill] will create 4 million jobs — 400,000 jobs almost immediately.”

Well, it’s almost November and the economy still hasn’t gotten any better and we have no evidence of those jobs being created. I can only assume that she didn’t mean this either:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaDtkG6afBc&feature=player_embedded

"There will be no earmarks in the bill (healthcare) that passes the house." N Pelosi

She raises her and and "swears" it.

Doesn't this just tick you Dems off to no end?

Tuesday: me too plus a couple of more

Tuesday: Yes. It's excellent and I'll bet you like it. http://www.thenakedgospel.com/Default.aspx


It's really helped a lot of people get free from old teaching of the church (traditions etc) and emphasizes how we are not under the Old but under the New. (am not in any way suggesting you need to get away from old teaching. You seem to have a firm handle on what NT teaching really is about. That's why I think you'd appreciate this book).

Tuesday: Absolutely. BTW, have you read the Naked Gospel?

Tuesday:

Übergeek 바둑이: Give some examples where Christians and the teaching of Christ are behind this "scarier" stuff.

Übergeek 바둑이:

It may not be right to have an arsenal of nuclear weapons but it does seem necessary (as a deterrent). Is it against Christian teaching? Not really. The Bible doesn't address this but it does suggest that the State carries the sword for a purpose. Still it would be better if we could all live in peace. But we know that won't happen. Has it ever? .

Government do what governments do. That has little to do with the Christian faith. Murder is clearly wrong so if what you are suggesting is actual "murder" then it's wrong. But killing the bad guys isn't wrong. We could debate all day on who the bad guys are and I'd liklely agree with you on many points. But I'm speaking generally here - as a principle.

Al Qaida has killed far more than 3000. And in retrospect, Iraq was likely a mistake. Innocents do die in war. When that happens, it's a tragedy. But just because civilians died, that does not automatically mean that it was unjust. It could be unjust, but that civilians died isn't a sufficient factor in determining if the war was justified. Show me a war where civilians didn't die.

There is NOTHING in the Bible that speaks against wealth. It's not money that is evil. It's the love of it that leads people astray. But Jesus was not against people being rich. It's when people trust in their riches that God is not pleased.

You are right that Christianity has a history that is shameful in many cases. Men do shameful things in the name of many ideas.

"Jesus was a man who praised love and kindness above all. Christians are supposed to follow the teachings of Jesus. Those teachings go out the window when it comes to wealth and power."

No, they do not. They go out the window when those with wealth and power abuse that wealth and power over others. But wealth and power are not the enemies. I have power over my students and could abuse it. I don't. I consider myself a servant, as the Bible teaches. There are many people with lots of money that give give give. There are many people in power who actually are there to serve others. Sadly, this doesn't seem the norm. But that speaks to the evils of man and not the evils of power or money.

I really don't think you know what people think when they are in their homes. I certainly don't think the way you have protrayed people.

Tuesday: Yes they do. And that's the problem. But clearly the message of Christianity can be summed up in this: Love thy neighbor.

Übergeek 바둑이: anecdotal evidence isn't evidence.

Islam is the religion that burys a woman up to her neck and stones her for adultry while the man will go free.

Islam is the religion where it's lawful to kill the wife or children (usually the girls) where they bring dishonor to the family.

Islam is the religion where believers strap bombs to themselves and blow up innocent people in market places.

Islam is the religion that killed 3000 people on 911.

Islam is the religion that in their "holy book" it says to kill all infidels.

You fine NONE of this in mainstream Christianity.

And before you appeal to fringe groups in Islam, it's not. The mentality runs rampant in the Middle East. It's part of their beliefs and practice.

If you look at the data, you'll see something very interesting, yet odd. In many cases, Republicans are viewed LESS favorably than their Democratic counterparts. BUT, in a generic election, the Republicans swept the election. How can this be? AND, if the voters will vote OUT the Democrats even while they approve LESS of the Republicans, how much more will they vote OUT the Dems if Republicans can actually begin to win the confidence of the people?

One thing for sure, Democrats are in big trouble this November.

Here's one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTRiyirhe8Y&feature=player_embedded

Tuesday: The thing is, you can always find radicals in any group. This proves nothing.

I know a girl (I watched her grow up here) who left the comforts of the US to work with people in the Sudan. It's a dangerous place where she is. She's worked hard to get the people clean water (they need 300 deep water wells in that region) and she's making progress. She's opened a health clinic and she and another Christian volunteer care for the medical needs of the people. She recruits doctors for help (she's not a medical person and only has a little training). Still, she's learned to stitch up cuts, deliver babies, treat wounds of all kinds, and preform minor surgeries (via google and consultation from a US doctor). What she does isn't legal in the US but there is NO ONE ELSE to do this work. She's young, attractive, smart, and living in a remote part of the Sudan. THIS sort of story doesn't make the news. This kind of sacrifice (which is multiplied by the thousands) doesn't get quoted with links. The kooks get the press.

It's STUPID for anyone here to point to a fringe group and make any kind of generalization to apply it to the whole. If they think that's justified, then why don't they point out what the majority does? The majority of Christians do good works. They preform community services (here in my small town the Churches (Catholic and Protestant) work TOGETHER for the betterment of the community. We feed the hungry, visit nursing homes, care for people's needs (like clean their yard or help with painting or house cleaning etc). We do this regularly (it's called the Boaz Project. Churches throughout the US are involved in these sorts of community outreaches. There's no preaching, just service.

For every knucklehead "Christian" out there saying God hates fags or claiming they know who is going to hell etc, there are hundreds of REAL Christians living out their faith.

Übergeek 바둑이: Most Christians are not this way. But fringe groups are. And you are right as it stems from fear. But in reality, there is no need to fear other religions and certainly no justification for hate.

Ferris Bueller: Here you ONLY point to the Right: "The Mosque was already at its site before the angry responses from the right about it being expanded." but I have CLEARLY shown that the Left and the Middle also object to the Mosque.

Therefore your argument is baseless.

Ferris Bueller: You don't base your arguments on much of anything.

MSNBC: Obama 'Did the Right Thing' With 'Non-Controversial' Mosque Remark
by Matthew Balan
On Monday's Morning Joe, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski went out of their way to defend President Obama's Friday statement defending the planned mosque near Ground Zero in New York City. Brzezinski cooed that the President "did the right thing by saying what he said" and Scarborough labeled the remark "uncontroversial" and later stated the controversy over the mosque was a "wedge issue"

56% of Democrats polled say it's "wrong"
63% said they had a "right"

probably not a scientific poll :)

hahah he beat me to it lol

Bernice: they were separate questions:

http://www.foxnews.com/projects/pdf/081310_MosquePoll.pdf