Reposting: NASA Study Makes 'Amazing' Discovery: Sun Heats Earth

Read this: 'NASA Study Makes 'Amazing' Discovery: Sun Heats Earth'

This is great. It's what those of us who are willing to look at the whole picture and are aware that the earth has seasons not just 4 times a year, but of decades and centuries too have already known.

I love that NASA put this out, maybe it will get more press & people's attention. It seems like when Farmer's Almanac has made similar articles it doesn't get the press it deserves.

Man made global warming is nothing more than political fear-mongering!

Couple Ordered to Stop Holding Bible Study at Home Without Permit

PERSONAL LIBERTIES AT RISK!

According to FoxNews, 'Pastor David Jones and his wife Mary have been told that they cannot invite friends to their San Diego, Calif. home for a Bible study — unless they are willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars to San Diego County.'

This is a major infringement on personal rights! This should not be allowed to happen at anyones home in this country! Who we talk to and what we talk about on our own property should not be this kind of an issue.

From the San Diego news,
'Broyles said his clients have asked to stay anonymous until they give the county a demand letter that states by enforcing this regulation the county is violating their First Amendment right to freely exercise their religion.'

This is not right at all. I seriously doubt it's the parking matter that they say it is. If so, why are they trying to fine them for being a 'religious assembly'? This simply is an attack on faith. They wouldn't be after them if this was a community BBQ, or some other summer party. I hope this pastor and his wife are able to fight this all the way. It's a sad day for freedom when we can't have a few people over to our own property and chat about what we feel is important to ourselves!

I don't want the government to put me on steroids.

UPDATE: For further reading on this topic, read here.

OK, so that title doesn't seem all that likely, but with all this talk about socialized medicine or government checks on healthcare costs, I am concerned as to if the medical treatments I currently am afforded would someday be changed. With all the talk of potential changes to healthcare even in the private sector I'm a bit concerned. The government shouldn't interfere with my health insurance and how I and my doctor treat my diseases. The patient doctor relationship will ALWAYS be the best in deciding the best route of medical treatment.

The government wants to get involved in how the healthcare system is run in order to reduce costs. However there are times where the higher costs are the right thing. In treating my arthritis I use costly injections. If I didn't have the insurance I have I couldn't get them. In the broader scheme of things it seems more economical to treat arthritis with the older method of steroids. However, even though this is pennies in cost it's side effects cause their own set of additional problems, as well as being less effective at treating over-all disease activity. If we were to move as a nation to socialized medicine and I had to switch back to steroids because that's cheaper, I for sure would be in a wheelchair because of the reduced effectiveness of treating my disease. Steroids would cause weight gain, mood swings, and other health risks down the line. It's not to say I don't have other risks now with my injections, but of the two, that is the better option. I don't want to be fatter, stuck in a chair and moody simply because it's cheaper. Government; keep your hands off my healthcare!

It's a situation of if it isn't broken don't fix it. I don't deny that there are many with very poor insurance, or no form of health insurance, and that those things need to be addressed. But for those of us who have something good going for us, the government should not get involved. Additionally I think the following video makes a valid point about just what is proposed, and how readily 'we' accept this proposed change to healthcare. I agree, call congress to slow things down long enough for them and all the rest of us to know what it is we are getting into with all these proposals.

He just makes me livid! - POTUS Special Olympics Gaffe.

EXPANDED 3/21/09

There have been way too many things that have angered me since Mr. Change became POTUS, but this has got to be one of the worst of them! Right up there with his agenda of destroying unborn babies, in my humble opinion.

This is not cool at all Mr. President! You have not had very good approval ratings since entering office, and now you've lost any little respect I had for you. There may have been enough people to elect you into office. But don't do ignorant insulting crap like this again.

As the sister of a Special Olympics Olympian I am greatly offended that you would even think to make a joke like that let alone speak it out loud, and on national television!



There is also quite the dialog about this and other gaffes by both POTUS and VPOTUS in this article.

I've been encouraged to send a letter with the content of this blog post to the President. I think I will, and if any of my readers have anything to add post it as a comment and I'll include it too.

I've read a few reports that he called the chairman of the Special Olympics to apologize from Airforce One but even the apology sounds wrong to me. The following I read on MTV news on-line.

"He expressed his disappointment and he apologized in a way that was very moving. He expressed that he did not intend to humiliate this population," Shriver said, adding that Obama said he would like to have some Special Olympic athletes visit the White House to bowl or play basketball.

Hmm, let me insult them, and then invite them over so I can have a happy little photo op to make things look all better again.... I don't think it really works that way Mr. President!

One of the commenters on the MTV article said just what I was thinking.

URLisalreadyused posted on 03.20.09 at 12:02pm

"the White House issued a statement apologizing for it before the show aired." The show was prerecorded. They didn't have to air it. Makes me wonder why they decided to. Maybe they want us to pay attention to this "joke" and not pay attention what else is going on. Hoosier, you crack me up. You should run for office. You'd be great.

(Hoosier was one of the other commenters)

Another commenter proved that they were just as ignorant as the President, maybe worse....

brianna posted on 03.20.09 at 05:10pm

omg. i say stuff is retarded/stupid all the time, so does that mean I'm making fun of mentally disabled persons? seriously guys, get a life. this is yet another example of mtv reporting on nonsense.

Um, actually that does in fact mean they are making fun of mentally disabled people. That person needs to become better aware of the words they use and the impact it has in addition to learn how to use capitalization in their commenting.

What I want to know is why do people make these kind of jokes or comments!? Honestly, what is funny about it!? This isn't humor. Jokes at the expense of another are just ill-mannered.

This grieves me.

This boy amazes me!

4-Year-Old Boy Saves Mom With 911 Call

THORNTON, Colo. -- A 4-year-old boy was honored Tuesday for saving his mother's life by calling 911 when she collapsed while making him lunch.
Tapes released Tuesday show Thomas "TJ" Roller calling 911 on Feb. 18 and telling the dispatcher, "My Mommy's sick. Can you please come over here? ... Can you pick her up?"

You can hear the phone call here, and I'll tell you, reading the story as well as hearing this little child save his mothers life truly touched me! The four year old boy knows how to use 911 and heard and understood when his mom taught him about it. He knows too that his mommy has a chronic illness, epilepsy, and that when she is sick she needs the people from 911 to send help. I'm truly amazed at how level-headed this child was through the call and listening brought tears to my eyes. I don't cry easy.

I think it felt really real to me as my God-son is the same age as this child, and his mom has epilepsy as well. I just was thinking that could be my own family, and that really made me feel proud for that boy.

There are so many times when tragedy happens from 911 callers thinking some child is misdialing, or playing a prank. I think honor is earned for the 911 operator too who drew out information from the child when it could have been very easy to dismiss a young child. He took him seriously and did his job well. Both guys deserve honor for saving her life.

This story is truly a blessing all around. You can read about it here, and you can read more here at the Denver Post

Adoption tax credit set to expire!

As our long term readers know by now we are planning to adopt this year or next. We've started the process and are hoping things continue to progress quickly. Our biggest hinderance in expediency at the moment is financing it. We need funds to start moving forward and are currently waiting on the funds to come together just to do the initial applications.

Financial costs of adoption is the main reason it's taken us this long to get to this point. It is very unfair to both waiting children, and waiting families that the whole process costs so much. The adoption tax credit often is the only tangible thing that makes it possible for many families to grow, and we are no different as we are hoping this will still be available to help us cover the costs that the process & initial move (for the child) will incur,

The adoption tax credit was set up to aid families in adopting waiting children so that the burden is taken off the system and that waiting children would be placed with able families who can afford the additional person in there household, but not that initial expense of brining them home. The credit has been broad in it's application and is used in the majority of cases for families who are adopting abroad. Personally I think ANY adoption of ANY waiting child is a beautiful thing. However as the government tries to save face and change some failed spending there has been talk and again is renewed talk about doing away with the adoption tax credit as it's not doing what it was intended to. The case is rightly made that many children still suffer waiting a forever home here in this country as the funds meant to find them a home is often applied to bring in a child from another country,

We are very drawn to adopting and giving a new start to a child from the state foster system, and so we are aware that the type of adoption we plan on pursuing is one that falls in line with the original intent of the credit. However, as the pendulum swings and framers over-react and talk about potentially doing away with it all together this will cause the problem for many that the credit is meant to address. Our thoughts are that if the issues is to ensure that funding be used only to fund foster adoptions to then re-write the credit to work as such, but not to do away with it completely.

We are currently working on writing and sending our letters to congress to let them know what this would mean to us, and we hope that you will do the same! Please write on behalf of us and all the other families & CHILDREN who this will effect.

This year the 2009 Federal Adoption Tax credit is $12,150 but the tax credit is set to expire in December 2010 unless Congress votes to continue it. HR 213 would save the tax credit, and hopefully make it permanent. Please urge for this to be passed!

Write your representative today!
Write your senator today!

You can read details about all of this here - The Adoptive Families Action Alert: Help make the adoption tax credit permanent!.

In the United States there are more than half a million children in foster care, with more than 100,000 of them waiting to be adopted! Often the older a child is the less likely they are to become adopted. The rate of children who's lives become devastated as they "age out" of the system is horribly high. These children deserve a chance to have the home they are groomed for while in foster care, However the lack of adoptive families willing to adopt these older children often leaves them floundering in the (failing foster) system, Unless their foster parents are extremely charitable when they age out, they often end up without a home or penny to their name on their 18th or 21st birthday.This is often a struggle for the foster parents too as once a child ages out of their home their home is asked to take in more children needing foster care as there is simply a shortage of beds available in foster care too. While we were in training from the state for our upcoming adoption the trainers kept praising us all for our commitment to becoming foster and adoptive parents as they see first had the struggles and need for more families willing and able to do both. They often strongly and passionately asked us to spread the word and recruit other families to consider becoming foster, or foster adopt parents. Aside from the states urging (and I don't know of any state in the union where this isn't true.) scripture urges believers to this as well.

James 1:26-27 (English Standard Version)

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Even people of the world are starting to rise up and take notice that these children need their lives improved. Just this last week Rosie O'Donnell was on Geraldo Rivera's show on Fox News talking about her movie "America". I don't know much about the movie (or the book), and have not seen it, but many of the facts she mentioned on his show were ones that I agree more families need to be aware of. You can view the video clip of Rosie and Geraldo here. Please know that because of other views she expressed in this video I was hesitant to post this, but I think the first two thirds are a good message, and like I said, even people of the world are talking about this matter.

Finally for those of you on Facebook, there is a group for those of us who care about this issue; to keep abreast of information and keep track of the progress in regards to keeping an adoption tax credit. You can view and join the group here.

More rape, hidden by PP.

Yet again another reason why Planned Parenthood and sick minded criminals utilizing it makes my blood boil! This poor scared little girl really should not have to live through this hell, and yet society and her family have ushered it in for her!

Read, here

Court of Appeals Weighs Gideon Bible Controversy Today

So a judge on thursday basically said that the bible should be discriminated against, while anything else should be freely distributed. This is disturbing! Click here to read the full article.

Mat Staver commented on today’s hearing: “The Bible cannot be singled out for special penalties like contraband. How ironic that in America, until recent times, the Bible formed the basis of education, and now its mere presence is radioactive in the opinion of some judges. The Founders never envisioned such open hostility toward the Christian religion as we see today in some venues. To single out the Bible alone for discriminatory treatment harkens back to the Dark Ages. America deserves better. Our Constitution should be respected, not disregarded.

Is this supposed to be Christmas shopping?

This is simply horrific! A Wal-Mart employee died, and a woman was said to have miscarried her baby yesterday all because of people so completely eager to get those "Black Friday" deals. (Read here)

I don't go out shopping in crowds much any more since I move so slowly. And I've never been one for these big sales. It's just things like this that make me think mankind must truly be sinking to a new all time low. This is not what the holidays are supposed to be about. Thanksgiving is supposed to be about giving thanks, not skimming the ads and planning just how much money you're going to waste at Wal-Mart. ...Not getting up early and stampeding people, just to get 'that deal' before anyone else. Dude? Ever hear of rain-checks? Go the the store later and if they're out, get the rain check and go back the next day or something. Or is that too much of an inconvenience, is that enough reason for a mob to take two lives in the name of gifts, greed, and capitalism?



I just think this is all a symptom of a greater issue. For decades Christmas has lost it's meaning with most people. It's a month long exercise in spending more than it is about reflecting about the gift God gave by coming to earth in human form to teach and save the world. It's that ultimate gift from God that should be why we share gifts at Christmas. Yes, the Wise Men gave baby Jesus gifts. But they were specific gifts, expensive, and meaningful to him as a person, they weren't a .50$ pair of knit gloves from the local discount store, or some piece of cheap jewelry that will fall apart a few months later. No, they were gifts that were to honor him as the King they knew He was born to be. I firmly believe that with gift giving, it should be what you can, and when you can. And it should be unique, and meaningful, and something the person receiving it should need, use, or appreciate. I'm not saying this because of being a picky gift receiver, I'm saying it to make people think about why they buy and give stuff? Is it simply an 'all December retail therapy shopping spree' or are the gifts being given truly meant as a gesture of kindness to the person receiving it? The other question is how much are people simply being greedy and using these sales to buy for themselves, verses getting gifts for others. I think some people might be shocked at just how much people buy for themselves verses others this time of year. There's this sense of entitlement with shoppers that I saw when I used to work retail. That 'you need to get something for yourself to reward yourself for all the hard work you're doing by being out there and shopping in the crowds to give all this stuff to others'. Honestly, that's sad!

I think this is the last straw for me. If we come across things that are the right gift for someone we'll buy it and give it, if not, I'm not going to go store to store looking for something, or buying random stuff to give. Finances are an issue this year, and yes, this plays into it. But I also can't see how any of this is worth it. I'm usually left in pain just from the longer grocery store trips, why go to the mall or other stores if I don't have to. Sure I can get a wheel chair to use while there, but it's still a question of why the gift giving in the first place, and how it's done!?

This year we are looking to refinance our home, pay off medical bills of mine (MRI's are not cheap, even with insurance, and I still need a couple more done soon!) get me a walker, pay off other bills, and work on home repairs. We need to be responsible to ourselves first. If we're able to get and give gifts along the way, that's great, and that's God's provision, but at the moment we don't see how it's really all that possible. We're trying hard to get out of debt, and to be better responsible financially. We both think this involves being rather low on any gift giving, if we are even able to. It doesn't mean we don't want to reciprocate gift giving, or that we don't love people and want to give, it's just where we're at right now.

I think a lot of people are in these kind of situations, and I think this is some of why a place like Wal-Mart was where this issue happened, and not someplace like Macy's. Most people need to find the deals to afford to give gifts, but really, should they be gift giving if finances are that much of an issue?

I'm sure I seem overly opinionated to people, and whining about my own situations here. But really, all I'm getting at is these are my reasons and proofs for why I think Christmas gift giving is so off mark anymore. Give gifts, but do it as you can, make them meaningful, don't fill a room with crap people will get rid of eventually because of not really wanting it. More doesn't mean better. If you can give bigger and better gift and more of them, and that's what works for you, than by all means, spread the merriment, but if you're just getting by, will be paying off the credit card bills with resentment for several months following, and don't really have a purpose for the gifts, then why bother?

I'm certainly not the first to come to these conclusions. Wikipedia says that it protests where started back in 1968 by an "Elie Clark". Like I said, this has been an issue for decades, this latest news is just a new low.

The Buy Nothing Christmas website is a great site, I highly recommend checking it out!


UPDATE: Since writing this post I've read that the woman and baby actually are fine according to a police officer quoted by the AP. I hope that's true. If so that's a blessing. The issue still remains that the child's life was put in jeopardy by the actions of this event. (See here.)

SECOND UPDATE: According to Fox News Business there were even more 'Black Friday' related deaths at a Toys R Us store! Honestly, what is this world coming too!?

Global cooling. Old Farmer's Almanac.

I first heard this on FoxNews today, but poking around I've read more about this... Global cooling theories is something I've been following for a while now. This time Old Farmers Almanac says we are on our way to global cooling.

You can read about it here.

The Old Farmer's Almanac is going further out on a limb than usual this year, not only forecasting a cooler winter, but looking ahead decades to suggest we are in for global cooling, not warming.

Based on the same time-honored, complex calculations it uses to predict weather, the Almanac hits the newsstands on Tuesday saying a study of solar activity and corresponding records on ocean temperatures and climate point to a cooler, not warmer, climate, for perhaps the next half century.

All I know is that Siggy cat has been packing on the pounds and is already working on his thick winter coat. Seems like my cat agrees with this!

There is also a discussion forum thread on the almanac's website.

Glad I'm on a private road.

Kevin and I live on a private road in our tiny community at the end of a dead end four mile country road, so for us, any speeding cars are stupid neighbors, and that's a pretty rare occurrence. Something I'm very gratefully of living her. But in the local news (Local being Seattle) some poor residences have suffered fro years as the city has ignored them about the safty issues on their street from speeding cars. Desperate they raised money to try and improve things themselves only for them to now be the ones in trouble with the city, feeling that no real solution has come of their complaints so far..

Here is the story.

It's just one of those things where I'm grateful that who I go to with an issue is the community board, or, if it's a legal issue, the county sheriff. So much of this political clutter is out of the way... And I'm pretty certain the new speed bumps in front of my house right now are the same ones these neighbors bought.

It's things like this that make me grateful to live out in the country. Yes, I had some trouble talking to my friend on the phone today, the home phone started cutting out, so she called me on my cell and then that had problems too, but I'm used to that now, I'd rather have the occasional phone issues, then fear for my life any time I tried to back out of my driveway! I hope the attention this news article will be what these people need to get this issue addressed for them.

LoL Porken's plan!

I think I like Porken's plan better. Don't eat the tainted produce, let them eat bacon!





P.S. I do like to eat my veggies. SO for me, following Porken's plan might just be a bit too tough! ;-)

(If you need to know what these videos are farcing watch the next one. But note, I'm not promoting it.)

Dish Family

So in the interest of cutting back expenses and downsizing, we ended up deciding to switch to the family package for dish network. This is $20 bucks a month, still has cartoons and such, as well as more of the Christian stations, Fox news and food Network. As I told Kevin when we switched it last night, if it has Fox and Food it works for me. So this will be another bill reduced. I guess this is progress. It'd still be nice if we could get around to buying more movies or being in a rental program... I did get Breakfast at Tiffany's a few days ago with some extra money I got for my birthday. Thank you Grandma.

We did this because it still looks like we're not out of contract yet, plus as much as I know I get the same news with web feeds as what ends up on Fox news, I still prefer to watch it on TV, I think it's like my not liking to talk on the phone thing, with watching the news instead of just reading it I can see body language and other details that just get missed in the shortened written articles. And while much of what is aired on Fox News gets posted on their site, not all of it does. I've often looked for segments to blog about only to have to search YouTube for someone who happened to record that segment and post it. It works, but takes longer. And if I didn't have the channel to watch I'd most likely miss those kind of things altogether.

So I just thought I'd post this, since I've seen other bloggers mention too that the cost of satellite or cable is too much. $20 bucks doesn't seem to be so bad. And it's a bit better programming then the average package.

Oregon wants to throw away lives!

Yet again the issues of pro life being at the end of life and not just at the start of life is being talked about! "Some terminally ill patients in Oregon who turned to their state for health care were denied treatment and offered doctor-assisted suicide instead, a proposal some experts have called a "chilling" corruption of medical ethics."
If you are interested in this article to read further click here.
It just shows how different people value life, and how no, not everyone who is at the end of life wants to just end it now.
"It dropped my chin to the floor," Stroup told FOX News. "[How could they] not pay for medication that would help my life, and yet offer to pay to end my life?" This is so sad, and is something that really needs more attention than it really is receiving!
"For Stroup, however, suicide was never an option. He fought back, and the Oregon Health Plan eventually reversed its decision and is now paying for his chemotherapy, giving him hope he'll be around a little longer for his 80-year-old mother and five grandchildren." But what a horrible thing he had to deal with to fight for his life in such a way when he is already dealing with limited health. And to basically be told by his state that his life wasn't worth continuing. What a sad situation! What a loss of ethics! What an outrage!
(Quotes in this post are from the Fox News article)

Hey science geek, you too are a racist!

In junior high I was fairly into science. So much so that I was in the astronomy club and we were building our own telescope from scratch. Those were fun days... Anyway, back then I found it kind of funny and fun to keep from being too frustrated by something being missing by saying "there must be a black hole near me" and whatever I was looking for supposedly got sucked into said black hole. I still find my nerdy side every now and then and make such comments. But apparently now I need to guard my tongue because this is supposedly hate filled and racist, and I never knew.

This is just irritating to me because this is a real term used for the scientific anomaly. "A black hole is a region of space in which the gravitational field is so powerful that nothing, not even light, can escape its pull after having fallen past its event horizon. The term "Black Hole" comes from the fact that, at a certain point, even electromagnetic radiation (e.g. visible light) is unable to break away from the attraction of these massive objects. This renders the hole's interior invisible or, rather, black like the appearance of space itself." (as sited on 7/11/08, wikipedia.com)

The issues is that a commissioner in a meeting said paperwork was disappearing possibly from a black whole, or something equally benign, along those lines. Another commissioner there saw it as racist. And from there this kind of exploded.Click this link to read about it.

I think Michelle Malkin said it best. (To find out about this read here.)

"Seriously.

This is what the culture of victimhood and racial hypersensitivity has wrought.

Clowns."

You can also watch the video here

Apparently my vote doesn't matter to the California Supreme Court! - UPDATED.

So back when I was a California voter I voted in favor of a ban to start gay marriage in California. To me it is a matter of preserving the tradition of what a sacred marriage is as defined by God in His word. In a day and age where divorce is the biggest disaster to marriages, I didn't want to see anything more soil and ruin what marriage means. I know it doesn't change my own marriage, but I do see both as making marriage seem like a joke. I don't want my commitment to my love to seem like a joke.

I'm disappointed with Arnold Schwarzenegger who is saying he won't stop this. Back when he was running for office he had a completely different stance on this matter. Can we say "flip-flopper!?"

Here is the information from the AP as reported by FoxNews.com. Thursday, May 15, 2008.

"SAN FRANCISCO — The California Supreme Court has overturned a ban on gay marriage, paving the way for California to become the second state where gay and lesbian residents can marry.

The justices released the 4-3 decision Thursday, saying that domestic partnerships are not a good enough substitute for marriage in an opinion written by Chief Justice Ron George.

The cases were brought by the city of San Francisco, two dozen gay and lesbian couples, Equality California and another gay rights group in March 2004 after the court halted San Francisco's monthlong same-sex wedding march that took place at Mayor Gavin Newsom's direction."

Now what I find peculiar is I was actually in California this last Thursday. I don't remember seeing ANY news about this at all then. Now granted, when I'm visiting with family I'm not watching the news anywhere near as much as I do, but I would have thought the info would have come up at some point. So what does this seem to mean? Were they trying to give themselves time on the decision before making it public, kind of like the cooling off period with buying a house or a car? I'm sorry, but if you are going to change the voice of the voters don't you owe it to them to release the info right away? I'm not saying anything is shady, just that it doesn't rub me right. I suppose if I had heard the news when they made the decision I might not have left for home as soon as I did and had gone to the capitol to make my protest known. Then again, what voice does a Washingtonian who was run out of California (because of it's cost of life) have on the matter. Am I just blabbing to the breeze. It just bugs me, I take my right as a voter seriously. And now I've seen the California Supreme court basically tell me that my vote was stupid to them and they want to just ignore it.

Update:

One more quick read on the matter is here.

OK so...

My 'break' isn't going to be like I completely ignore the digital world. I was watching the news today and had a very strong urge to blog about it, but really, what I mean by my break is I know that in order to do the things I need to do in the next few weeks, I'm not going to be able to be on-line as much as I'd like to.

I feel bad when I don't make time every day to check my favorite blogs, but I also know I can get sucked into bloglandia and ignore the real world a little too much and right now I need to play catch-up.

So, that thing in the news I was thinking about blogging about was my reactions to news that an 11 year old girl passed away because her parents didn't take her to the doctors to treat diabetes and she was so sick for a month straight before she died, and it all was so simply medically preventable. The parents said they simply didn't have enough faith. I'm thinking sure, there is faith in people too, not just prayer to God. I'm not saying that God can't just make a miracle happen if we ask, but I do think he gives doctors wisdom and ability to heal. He is the great physician, but He isn't the ONLY physician.

I take this pretty personally. I know that there are lots of folks out there that think traditional medicine is evil or bad in some way, but I know that with all the things I deal with, I am extremely grateful for the help and care of my doctors. I pray that they will have the knowledge to help me during our visits, and that I'll have the clarity of mind to express correctly what I need to share so my doctors know my concerns and understand my issues. I trust that God allows me to deal with the diseases I do so that I have the interactions I do, and, quite honestly to express that this is a broken fallen world, and only in HIS glory will we be free of ailments and issues. So long as I'm on this sinful rock I'll have to deal with something. I'm OK with that. I pray God uses me.

So my heart aches that this young girl lost her life because her parents couldn't trust medicine and doctors and limited the girls treatment to only prayer. I am amazed and grateful for all the people who know me in real life, and only in bloglandia who pray for me simply because I express my health issues. But I know that isn't the only way to treat things. The power of prayer truly is amazing, I don't deny that at all, but things like this just make me think about the fleck and the plank that Christ spoke about. Sometimes things are as simple as removing the physical issues. Just make a step to do something. I guess, not everything is to only be treated with prayer.

I don't want to offend someone who refuses medical treatment, and I am amazed that there are those who only want to put their faith in God. I admire that, and in a lot of instances I'm sure it's just as well, but as someone who knows that my life is better not just through prayer, but medical treatment, it just feels limiting, and I never want to limit God. If I'm called to take pills and this is something God wants me to go through in this life, I have to trust He has a reason for that.

I'm sure I'm going in circles, it's 2:30 in the morning and I'm mostly asleep, but I wanted to get these things out of my head.

Good morning/goodnight my blog friends!

Outrageous interview!

I was amazed enough to hear Sheppard Smith say that he was going to have an exclusive inerview with Scott Peterr... I mean Drew Peterson, but the way the interview turned out was just crazy. Click here to see for yourself.

You can also see the video in it's entirety on Fox-News' website. It's currently the top of the page.

Basically Drew couldn't handle Shep's questions and ripped the ear piece out and strolled inside!

I just hope Shep wins some awards for this interview!

VA clarifies '13-fold recital' directive

A few days ago I posted about the 13 fold recitation being banned. The directive has since been "clarified".

I haven't heard too much on this. I heard that the directive was clarified from a CBN morning show, but had to take my search to the net to find someone talking about it.

Here is the word on the clarifications;
"The key is that the family has to request this, and we would acquiesce to any family's particular religious views and/or traditions," Mondello said. "I would describe it as a clarification of a policy so that we make sure that everyone throughout our system knows that there is consistency."

Special Tupperware fundraiser

I normally would leave my Tupperware related posts for my Tupperware blog, but I know a lot of people are affected by the wildfires in southern CA and right now Tupperware is having a special fundraiser where 100% goes to helping those effected.

Here is the bulletin I got from the company. I've also made a post on the Tupperware blog and will soon post a picture of the sandwich box.

"October 27 – November 16, 2007 Only

Starting today, your customers can enjoy tremendous savings on popular Tupperware® products, and while they are enjoying those savings, they can help others in need. 100% of profits from sales of each Heartbeat Sandwich Keeper will go to those affected by the wildfires in southern California."

I hope you will all join me in helping out!

This is outrageous!

In a recent post by Michelle Malkin she pointed out to her readers that "Flag-folding recitations now banned at national cemeteries"!

This was originally reported in Military Times.

According to the articles, "The complaint revolved around the narration in the 11th fold, which celebrates Jewish war veterans and “glorifies the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”"

I think the quote at the end of the article from Military Times is important:
"Rabbi Yitzhak Miller of Temple Beth El said he understands the ban.

“It is a perfect example of government choosing to ignore religion in order to avoid offending some religions,” Miller said. “To me, ignoring religion in general is just as problematic as endorsing any one religion.”"

This is something that while it may not have been government sanctioned is military tradition, I'm sure there are many veterans who would be shocked if they knew this probably won't be recited at their service now. And all this stems from one complaint!

Scary stuff for anyone with a young daughter.

I came across this from a news blog I follow. Basically some reports are coming out about the dangers of the HPV vaccine. I've always thought it hasn't been right that there hasn't been any discussion about how if a young woman isn't sexually active she shouldn't need to be concerned about this vaccine. And in this article doctors question why it's been rushed out to the public so quick without the rigorous amount of testing other medical advances require. The article also discusses deaths and serious complications related to this vaccine.

This breaks my heart!

I understand that in a day and age where everyone is still raw about the whole Michael Vick issue that anyone who endangers animals is probably going to get it, as this cop probably will. So why is it that a mother who left her daughter in her car on several occasions, only to let her die the last time gets off scott free!? What is this world coming to when a child's life is less then a dogs life. Granted this is all in different states, but if a person can't be a mother enough to protect her child from cooking to death then there should be consequences for her! I know I'm not a mother myself. But that news made me cry. I could never imagine leaving a child in a car, regardless of the temperature outside or to make a habit of that. My heart breaks because I feel had I been able to be a mother I could protect that child so much better. All I can do is shake my head and know that someday when I am a mother I will do things different.
I know very well that if a child is sleeping in the car it's hard to want to pull them out because they're heavy and could get cranky when they wake up, but I think dealing with that is so much better then having to bury a child!
For more on this watch Shepard Smith's video

What isn't said again in the news.

I almost skipped over Michelle Malkin's post about the two suspicious men on the ferries up here. Mainly because it seemed like everyone has been saying the same thing and then running off on the tangent of "we shouldn't be racially profiling."

What caught my attention was the following quote she had in regards to the FBI bulletin.

"According to federal agents, passengers have seen the men on several occasions exhibiting unusual behavior. The FBI did not say precisely what that unusual behavior entailed."

To me the big thing is ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, as in, a pattern, a behavior, a trend, something that was easily observed!

Now let me tell you. As a Washingtonian I don't ride the ferry system anywhere near as much as the people who live on the islands and depend on them daily to commute do. For us it's more an occasional outing, a fun time. So for us there wouldn't really be any way of knowing if someone is just being your run of the mill public whacko or if they are really intending to do harm. I think it is so important that officials and commuters alike are keeping an eye out while they ride, they're really the only ones who would know if something is out of the ordinary. I truly feel safer knowing this issue went as far as warranting FBI attention. Not about it happening, but because there are those out there who truly care for the safety of the greater community.

Christina Ricci for RAINN on Fox News.

I saw this earlier today and deciced to blog it after I saw they did make a video clip for it. I'm interested in knowing more about this group.

Christina Ricci for RAINN on Fox News.
Clip of Christina Ricci - RAINN spokesperson Christina Ricci on raising awareness for rape and sexual assault

Victory for life!

I am overjoyed at todays ruling. Before I go on my pro life roll please let me start by saying I wasn't always convinced to the pro-life thought. I always have taken sympathy to the camp that says "what about the mother who is only pregnant because she was raped?" It does tug at my heartstrings to think about such a situation, but for such a situation partial birth doesn't make any sense. Partial birth is a form of late term abortion, therefore it wouldn't have been the first option.

I know practically everyone I know knows by now that Kevin and I desperately want to have children and because of my infertility can't have our own children. This didn't play into my change of heart either, it's made more of a fondness for those who protect the sanctity of life in such a young and defenseless time, but my own infertility has only meant I'm looking at adoption more.

When I was in college we had to write an argument paper for English class. Pretty typical really. Believe it or not, I really wanted to do my paper on the abortion issue. I never really learned much about it from school aside from that one argument about "what if..." and just starting to really get into learning about politics I knew it was something I needed to firm my opinion about. As I was writing my paper there were different things happening in life. Every day as I drove to school I had to pass Planned Parenthood, and most every day there was a small group of protesters who held graphic photos from abortions for all who drove by to see. I was planning on going to planned parenthood to get information for my argument, but I stopped first to talk to the protesters. Unfortunately, and of no surprise the protesters were so impassioned about their cause that they made broad assumptions and started harassing me. Now if I stop there you might be wondering why I'd ever listen to someone like that. We'll I didn't, but it did all make me think. Their worst assumption was assuming I was pregnant and going there for an abortion, something that while on the fence I never would have done myself, plus I was still a virgin then... the only thing I can think of is that my belly from P.C.O.S. made me look like I was pregnant. I've known that for a while, so whenever I'm meeting people I talk about my life as a childless mother... "no, that's fat, not a growing life".

Truth

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Anyway, to get back on course here, the Internet is a wonderful thing. I took most of my research to the net and figured if I needed more I'd then, later go to the clinic... I never did. On line I was able to get all the info I needed from Planned Parenthoods website, but I also was widely opened to groups that were providing counseling to women who have had abortions. I learned about how post-abortion depression is much more prevalent and severe then post-partum depression. The personal stores of regret and permanent depression filled my screen. What particularly opened my eyes was the crusade started later by Norma McCorvey (aka "Jane Roe") of the famous "Roe v. Wade" trial. Several truths came out, such as the fact that she wasn't raped, but was heavily influenced to claim that by her lawyers, as well as did her personal story of her post depression. And what was completely staggering was seeing how completely rare that "what if?" situation is and how for the majority they would never have to comprehend such things for themselves. Of all the women I read about their choices were driven by finances or work. While I don't believe a women is only meant to create life, this seems like a selfish reason. Yes, I will never know the sacrifice a woman makes by carrying a child, but for the vast majority it doesn't impact their health, and after the child is born a new home can be found for them. I don't discredit how hard a choice that can be, but I also can't see how stopping a life because of convenience would be what is best for the woman or the child.

As I formed my paper I realized where I stood. I formed my argument for abortion, but in my heart I'd seen enough to know that what no one talks about is the regret those childless mothers carry everyday. I ended my paper sharing my journey that topic put me on, and needless to say I aced that paper!

Over our years of marriage and seeing all our friends and family able to have kids and us still waiting it just made me think more and more about adoption. Everything I read before my paper was about it being the womens choice, but what choice does the baby still developing have? Who will be their voice to save their life? With studying my options for adoption I see more and more that a child who is offered up for adoption is truly a blessing and a miracle too. There were so many options that birth mother had that could have stopped the blessing of adoption from happening and to get to that point is truly God's protecting hand.

Going to scripture we see many verses where life is seen as starting in the womb, most notably:

Psalm 139:12-14 (New American Standard Bible)

12Even the ^(A)darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day ^(B)Darkness and light are alike to You. 13For You ^(C)formed my inward parts; You ^(D)wove me in my mother's womb. 14I will give thanks to You, for ^[a]I am fearfully and wonderfully made; ^(E)Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.

other verses you can see this in are:

Ecclesiastes 11:4-6

Isaiah 49:5

Jeremiah 1:4-6

Jeremiah 20:16-18

Luke 1:15

Luke 23:28-30

Galatians 1:14-16

Now my life mission isn't to convince everyone to my way of thinking. But I do feel compelled to say that, since our home will only be shared with children through adoption, I have to look at the blessing of the child's life that brought them to that point to come to our home. The birth mom could have simply made a different choice and that child would never be able to go to a loving home.

Just on Monday Kevin and I went for our introduction to adoption class. It gave us such great hope to learn and prepare. A child's life is such a blessing wither or not they look like us is irrelevant. We anxiously await the end of this process we just started, to have the joyful sound of children in our home, that'll be a blessed day! Today's ruling gives me great hope! More lives will be saved and while it means there will be more children to go to more homes I do know there are homes for children to come to, our home being one of them!

Immigration

Open letter to Rosie

I know Rosie's racial slur is old news, over a month old. But I just came across this video and thought it was well spoken so I wanted to save it.

Wendy Kaufman and Neil Cavuto are my heros!

::Update at bottom of post::



A few posts back I talked about how I was inspired by a segment on Your World with Neil Cavuto and that I hoped to find the video for it so I could share it. Today I was looking for it again and I found it, as well as some other good segments between the two of them. I'll post them here.

I'm listening to the one with the pastor again as I'm typing this and it just disturbs me so much. The Bible doesn't call me a sinner for being over 200 pounds, and it's not even my behavior that caused this. I have Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrom and THAT is what stores weight around my middle. It is so important to me that Wendy talked about how she walks many flights of stairs and can kick box. I've said things like that and yet I can still see the gears in judgmental heads thinking sure, but you'll eat an entire chocolate cake, and no, I won't, that's gross. It's a sad thing when somewhere like a church, that is called to include people and lead others to Christ would rather put first a desire to be thin over proclaiming the scriptures. It's judgemental, no one can say that I'm fat only because of being lazy and what I put in my mouth unless they truely spend time with me and see that I eat less then anyone I know.

With a little bit more poking around I found some videos and blogs from Wendy.

I also have to say I'm terribly dissapointed that the movie "Norbit" scored 3rd on the box office charts this last weekend. I'm loosing hope in humanity!

I really don't mean to rant about all this again. I've already done that before.

On to the videos...

Neil and Wendy respond to Pastor's sermon serries.


Another segment between Wendy and Neil, regarding those Fat suit shows.


Wendy and Neil discus the rediculous idea of plus size warning lables!


And finally (with the Wendy videos anyway) a segment between Wendy and Neil regarding fashion trends - skinny jeans.


Also, in respons to Wendy's segment on fat suits, a video reply by another viewer.


And finally, one of the Beauty Campaign ads from Dove.
Real Beauty

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I was able to find another great clip of Wendy and Neil. And I've found that she has her own profile on You Tube so any future apperances she'll post there too.

Britney isn't news either.

So I'm looking for real news and I see a picture of Britney Spears with a bald head and supposedly a tatoo or something. Big deal! Honetly people! Leave her life to her and those that love her. If all this is supposed to be a cry for help, why is it a photo news release and not a descrete intervention. I kind of feel a little bit sorry for her. Don't get me wrong. I'm not a fan. I only like one song out of her entire catalog, and I lost some respect for that song when I found it was hers. I greatly feel sorry for her children. Even babies know when their parents are screwed up.

At some point in everyone's lives we all hit low points, it sucks for famous people because their rock bottoms are always in the spotlight. And unfortunately with Britney it seems like she doesn't know anything better anyway. Someone needs to tell her that she as a person deserves a whole lot more then this.

This is probably my only post you'll ever see regarding Ms. Spears. I just hope she does seperate herself from her celebrity self before it completely consumes her.

I like the new Czech President!

OK, before this seems completely random, please note that I am half Czech, so when I hear of a Czech in the news I perk up, investigate and today I like what I found!

I like the new Czech President, Vaclav Klaus! He's smart, and I think he's making waves in the right way!

News bit about adoptive parents.

Basically I haven't read this article yet, but enough of it caught my eye that when I'm done with my current blogging I've been working on that I'll try to read it and write some kind of response.

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Feb12/0,4670,AdoptiveParents,00.html

'08 President.

I don't think much of Obama, not that I'm against him... more I just don't know enough about him and what is out there isn't very compelling to me. No. my vote isn't going to be swayed by getting the first minority in office, or the first women. I still vote based on learning about candidates and choosing who I think best represents my interests.

This bit of news caught my eye though. Makes me wonder if the Austrailian PM knows something I should know concerning Obama. I mean any time Obama makes a speach I happen to pick up on it just seems like crowd rallying and no meat and potatoes. Honestly, being young and a crowds person can't be all it takes to be a serious political candidate can it? I wonder if the PM really is this against him, or if it's just an attempt to rally the right (which wouldn't be such a bad thing, but needs to be done just right.)

This made me cry.

Regardless of the fact that she had broken some laws this women had quite a huge injustice put on her. When I heard this story, which only really came out yesterday, but is about a year old, I was appauld. This women was pulled over and admitted she was in the wrong but pleaded for help because she was in need of medical attention. There is no excuse for this! All the cops involved are at fault. She was pulled over by a man and women and the female cop tried to keep control of "the situation" but it is very clear she paid no attention to the real situation. I believe she should be charged with the death of an unborn child. She had even said to the criminal/victim that she "knew what a menstration was" and by that point you can tell she doesn't care that the woman is probably going to miscarry or she's too obsessed with finding every little thing wrong with the criminal to fully charge her.
The biggest problem is that she sat in jail for 24 hours and when she finally was able to get herself medical attention she gave birth to a baby boy who lived for one minute. They had to change her pants multiple times during her jail stay and that should have been a red flag for needing medical attention regardless of being pregnant or not!
I'm so sick from this! It's a complete neglect. Yes the woman had expired tags and a revoaked license, but she was also in a medical emergancy and was only trying to do the best she could to keep her health and that of her unborn child.
Here is the story.
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