A very interesting climate change post with lots attached

This was on the Common Room, and it also lists such a long list of links at the bottom that I felt a need to put it here. There are so many things to post on lately, and yet I need to eat, sleep, gestate, and facebook is way easier to use than blogger, therefore more tempting.

Here is a very interesting article, which reaffirms my main point: politics and science do not mix.

Polar Bear Populations Have Increased

Like so many other controversies, we live in an age where we do not know what to believe about ANYTHING. That drives me up the wall. But I do like to point out things that appear to be common sense, especially when the political powers appear to have several things to gain from scaring people.

Enjoy!

Bursting Bubbles and other thoughts

Oddly enough, The Common Room found this beauty:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/29127316/the_great_american_bubble_machine/

from Rolling Stone of all places. It's long, but well worth reading. I really wonder what all will come to pass and how history will end up rendering it. Sigh...
On that same note, this is an awesome book I highly recommend: The Politically Incorrect Guide to Science.

I put these things up not to scare people, but to get them to notice so they can think about it, instead of being spoonfed gluttonous amounts of one-sided information. It's good to be informed, bad to be scared and decide not to learn so you can sleep at night. If all this makes a person too nervous, it might be a good time to remember who's in charge: GOD. Then, spend some time with Him in prayer, and let it go.

My political spectrum quizeroo

I'm laughing, I really am. This was on facebook.

My Political Views
I am a centrist moderate social authoritarian
Left: 0.28, Authoritarian: 1.6

Political Spectrum Quiz

A new financial "crisis"

I've seen more and more news finally in this direction, and I find it fascinating. Here is a video a friend shared with me, and I think it's worth watching. I didn't realize how it all ties in, and how many people are getting uncomfortable with the way all the money and people are tied together. This is not something that can be blamed on one political party or another, it's been going on since the Federal Reserve was created. But now, we can find out. Modern technology is indeed a double-edged sword.

This reminds me of how FDR was able to use a wheelchair most of the time because of polio, and almost no one in the country knew it, unless they worked at the White House itself. No kidding. But because tv was brand new, he could hide it rather well. Obviously a lot of people were not quite the gossip-mongers we have now, also. It's kind of fun to think how magically, he didn't look like he had any physical problems.

But it's also a kind of black magic, what the Fed appears to be doing. Oh dear. Hand caught in cookie jar, anyone?

Thanks for the video, Casey.

Two more links from that last conversation

Here is one link, which supposedly debunks Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.

http://www.expelledexposed.com/

When I read parts of it, I did agree that maybe the interviewing was misleading. But it led me to two more questions.
1. If Ben Stein had been up front about what he was interviewing these folks about, would they have allowed the interview?
2. Even if he wasn't a good interviewer, they still said the things they said. Do they believe them or not? And if they do, why are they mad they got caught?

The second link is a video about how the "science" of climate change was co-opted by politics. If government funds climatology only if there is a problem, then sometimes, people will invent a problem so they can keep their job, right? This film is AMAZING. Please watch it. It is an hour, but it raises questions. My liberal friends tell me it's been debunked. I think it's been disagreed with. "Debunked" is a very trendy word these days.

And they tell me science politics both need to be separated from religion. How about politics and science??

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=288952680655100870

See? This is why I have these conversations!

Cap and Trade news

I haven't posted in a while, since we were camping. I will wait for Rikki to send me pics before I post them. She took them all. See, she brought a husband. It kind of helps with the hands not full thing. And I was just to blasted tired to care. But the kids had a great time. The husband was sad not to see more pics. That's ok, Rikki made up for it, and unlike me, she actually downloads her pics.

I posted something or other on the Cap and Trade bill on my facebook, and it resulted in a lively discussion and a few interesting links. Honestly, I don't know what to think ultimately. I'm very leery of government control, and wonder if this kind of environmentalism has resulted in a convenient government ploy for several governments, not just ours. Since when has science, true, lasting science, been based on consensus? And political approval? And tenure and funding? If you have no idea what I mean, please watch the movie Expelled with Ben Stein, for an introduction. It poses some really good questions.

Honestly, the world is probably going to stay about the way it is no matter what we do, and we should stop littering, duh. But why are we punishing countries who actually try to be more environmentally sound and give a mostly free pass to "developing" nations? Someone want to send me a link on that?

This all said, we did buy a Prius. Ha ha ha!


Here are the links:

From my die hard liberal friend Scott:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emissions_trading

http://www.sightline.org/research/energy/res_pubs/cap-and-trade-101

From my nearby and conservative Ron Paul friend Casey:

http://www.petitionproject.org/gw_article/Review_Article_HTML.php

Obama's birth certificate

Strange how this just doesn't go away. Obviously he proved his citizenship to SOMEONE, or paid them off, in order to become president. But I don't know why he won't make this go away. He writes folks off as kooks instead of explaining it. I know I have to prove more than this just to drive 3 hours north of here... to Canada with my kids.

Current status report:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=101892

What I've Been Reading

I really should name a new blog that name, but I think what I will do instead is just start doing that as often as I remember. The problem is that I read at night, and I blog in the morning. But I will start with one quote from a Little House on the Prairie book.

It's the last one -- The First Four Years. It takes place in the late 1800's, when Laura and her husband Almanzo "Manly" Wilder, were first married. She had said she'd not marry a farmer because she was tired of the constant state of not knowing if they'd survive from year to year. She was 18 when they married. They had a little girl, Rose, and then a boy, who died when he was weeks old. She was never able to have more children, and Rose did not have any children either, it turns out.

In any case, there is a part of the book where they are made an offer of a herd of sheep. They figure it's a good investment, because you can always sell wool, they have a place to graze them, and they are working with a relative who will keep an eye on them. It does turn out well, but get a load of the reason why the owner of the sheep sold them in the first place! I cracked up!!!

Cousin Peter came one Sunday to tell Manly and Laura that Mr. Whitehead wanted to sell his sheep, a hundred purebred Shropshires.

A presidential election was coming in the fall, and it looked as though the Democrats were due to win. If they did, Mr. Whitehead, being a good Republican, was sure the country would be ruined. The tariff would be taken off, and wool and sheep would be worth nothing. Peter was sure they could be bought at a bargain.

They ended up splitting the cost with cousin Peter, at two dollars per sheep, and wool nearly paid for them the next year. In addition, the sheep all had lambs, and the herd nearly doubled in size in one year.

I think I'd call that a wise investment, and proof that fear is not good for anyone.

balancing out the blame game -- Holocaust Museum shooting

I think folks should read this and compare it to commentary on cable news. It's so weird how everything bad that happens is somehow connected to "right wing extremists". Who are those people, anyway? Can't we just call crazy people CRAZY?

Both this guy and the Tillman killer are NUT JOBS. But to hear the news tell it, anyone with a pro-life sticker on the back of their car is likely to do something similar. I'm so done with the news lying and lying. Teach people to educate themselves, please!!

Here's a good link to explain a crazy person.

http://www.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=35192

Peter Schiff -- Comedy Central

My DH and another friend both found this online and put it up on their facebook pages. I stole it, fair and square. I do love Jon Stewart. This is really worth watching. As much as Bill O'Reilly does not recommend getting your news from Comedy Central, well, I can see why they do! It's better than CNN, that's for darn sure. And MSNBC should just implode for pure shame.

I did, by the way, hear exactly this on NPR about 3-4 years ago. I was driving through a town near here, I remember where I was, because I thought, I have got to remember I heard this. I have to remember. I hope they're wrong, but they say this collapse will happen in about two years, starting with subprime mortgages. I can't remember who the speaker was, but she did mention Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac being in trouble.

It's not like nobody knew. It's just that nobody wanted to hear. Fingers in ears!!
And people just keep stuffing more cotton in their ears. So much important being said, but not reported. Except on really good blogs.

Sigh.

Enjoy!

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Peter Schiff
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Newt Gingrich Unedited Interview

Some people just make us look bad... :)

Happy Birthday, Mr. President. Way to inspire!

A pro-life awesome dude! ... and of course, Tianmen Square Anniversary

I saw this link on a homeschooling loop today. Wow. This guy is awesome!

http://www.catholicvoiceoakland.org/09-05-25/frontpage1.htm

Also, today is the 20th anniversary of the massacre at Tianamen Square. To this day, no one knows for sure what happened, except the people who were there. They are not allowed to talk, so we may never know, unless someday China tells us, or someone smuggles something out of the country. The fear is so great, it appears many children in China do not know what happened. 20 somethings say, "Something happened, but I don't know what. Some sort of clash about capitalism and communism maybe?" No really, I read this. I think it was in Newsweek or something.

AGH!

I was only 12 at the time. I remember that year because it was quite a year. At roughly the same time, Russia because Russia again, not the USSR I grew up with. The Berlin Wall came down, and there was once again one Germany, and not two.
ISN'T THAT MIND-BLOWING?? Seriously? I barely remember the Cold War, but it was a big deal! Now people don't even care.

It so does not surprise me how fast history repeats itself. People are just not paying attention.

When I was in 4th grade, I had a pen pal from the USSR, probably Vladivostok, since that was our sister city. We were told as a class that we should not be surprised if not all of our letter got to our pen pal, because the mail would be intercepted, and authorities would black out what they didn't want people to know. I have no idea what we could have said. I imagine a trip to Disneyland would be verboten? I don't know. We were also told that pencils with erasers were like gold to these kids. We were told how lucky we were. And we were! And still are! So far....

In any case, here is a link to wikipedia, explaining what we know of what happened 20 years ago in China.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiananmen_Square_massacre

Free speech is so important. Even hate speech. Because anything can be construed as hate speech if you start that slippery slope. We must hold tight to free speech, the right to bear arms, and work on our education. The school systems are teaching us to be ashamed of our country, and they are wrong. But people believe it and don't know history. Always check out the facts from differing points of view. It is so very important, and getting more so as people get more vitriolic in their views, and use their brains less.

God Bless America, where at least I know I'm free, to coin a phrase from a song.

interesting ideas on liberalism

I just wanted to pass this along.

I've met Jeff, and I like him, though sometimes we disagree. He has a great wife and family, and I hope to see them soon.

Here are his thoughts on some odd catch 22's liberals may now find themselves in, though I don't think they stop to realize it.

http://culbreath.wordpress.com/2009/05/31/liberalism-education-and-affluence/#comment-4705

And by the way, have a wonderful Pentecost! May God bless you and breathe the Holy Spirit into all the depths of your soul!

Strange premonition

I was sleeping this morning (of course), and at about 6am, Dominic woke me up and I changed his diaper and put him back in there. Thank goodness, it appears he went back to sleep.

Either before or after that, I had a sort of prayerful dream thingy. I guess I was wondering about the news, and I'd just had a really weird facebook conversation in which I was informed that religious people all suffer mental pain, even if they don't know it, and religion hurts everyone. That was annoying. That conversation may or may not be still running. It's taking a lot of diplomacy on my end. Sometimes that level of patience is worth it. I like to think it's always worth it. Sometimes I'm not so sure.

So this dream thing included my thought that it was somewhat odd that Obama was taking so long to appoint the ambassador to the Vatican. I thought, you know, he really should pick a university professor, but one from, say, Benedictine, Ave Maria, or TAC. Or Fr. Spitzer, who is currently leaving Gonzaga. He would have been perfect!

Then this morning, one of the first things I saw was that he had indeed picked a professor. He picked a liberation theologian. Oh dear. But we do need someone who can talk to both sides and be taken seriously. Maybe this guy is it, maybe he's not, but it will be interesting to see what the Vatican says. Personally, I was beginning to wonder if Mr. Obama was going to sever diplomatic ties with the Vatican or something, it was taking so long. Here's the initial news report on this guy:

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=16129

I also find his appointment for the Supreme Court very, very interesting. So far, I kind of like her, but we'll see. If she is a strict constitutionalist like she says she is, then that's better than I had hoped for from Obama. Time will tell. She is rather perplexing.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/27/sotomayor.problems/index.html

My beef lately is that he appoints quite a few Catholics to important positions, but they are all liberal Catholics. The implication for me is that we're going to teach this country that only certain kinds of morality fly, and you can only be successful if you think a certain way. If you think like a conservative pro-life religious person, someone who goes to church every week, there is something wrong with you. More and more people are seeing this as their example, and it's going to make ridicule, and dare I say, bigotry, of Christians the way to go. The irony is completely missed! I mean they just don't see it! It's so weird!

This is partly why I stay on Facebook. If there are people out there who normally have no contact with reasonable conservatives, but they know me, then they know that the talking heads on tv who regularly shout down their guests are not really the norm. I know, that should be obvious to people. But how many people really understand that? If they go to work 40-60 hours a week, are surrounded by people who think like them at work, then come home and only watch certain tv channels, why would they think any other way? So in my own way, I am also an ambassador to the Vatican. My people are important, and they have brains. They are often too busy doing good in the world to be noticed or to toot their own horn, but they are so very important to the fabric of society.

The whole point of what I'm trying to say can be summed up right here, at
Ragamuffin Studies. This lady is smart, and she gets my point completely right. And she also brings up what our governnment is up to.

It's a good thing the weather is good lately. Sometimes I really need to get out there in God's creation and remember, this life is just a blip on the radar of eternity, and eternity is what I can hardly wait for. What wonders and joy await! Sometimes that's hard to remember, but that is really the point, isn't it?

Notre Dame Response

There's been a lot in the paper about Notre Dame inviting President Obama to their commencement tomorrow. There's also been a lot of stupid commentary. Several news commentators think that some "rogue Catholics" are trying to tell the US president how to think, even though he's not Catholic. No, we are not. We are asking a Catholic University to uphold Catholic teaching. We are not asking non-Catholics to do anything. The bishops and archbishops are shepherds of Catholics, not everyone, and they know that. By keeping silent, they are letting their flock be mislead. They've been patient a long time, perhaps thinking people would come around, but it's only gotten worse. Many people think that the few students who've decided to protest and not attend their own graduation are a bunch of lunatics. They are not. They apparently went to a Catholic university on purpose, not because it was The Fighting Irish. It's not just for the football, people.

I don't know where this is going, but it's going somewhere. We are not infringing on others' opinions, we are simply asking Catholic institutions to BE Catholic, and if they don't want to be, then please feel free to leave. Flaunting the request of bishops is not at all the job of a university president. I know academia has gotten into the habit of disobedience, but it has got to stop.

Another fun thing I keep seeing in comments after news articles is that "the Catholic Church's biggest worry should be that it will be a much smaller church if all these people leave." YES! It WOULD be! I don't remember the Bible asking us to keep a certain number of followers of Christ. It asks us to be faithful. If we cannot do that, there are many other churches to belong to, and that's ok. If that's their journey of faith, let them follow it. What I'm tired of is people trying to "liberalize" the Church. It's the body of Christ! Christ isn't modern enough because he doesn't go along with what the world wants? Since when??
Anyway, I'm done with that soapbox... for now. Let us continue to be "a sign of contradiction."

Please enjoy this video from NDresponse.com

Homeland Security= Ministry of Truth?

Very scary. To be fair, they did release a document about left-wing terrorists, too, but that one named actual groups, like the Earth Liberation Front. This document just thinks everyone who is unhappy with the Dems is going to be suckered in by extremists who bomb things. Since when? Yes, those fringe groups are out there, but they should be labeled "terrorists", not left wing or right wing. When did the government start telling us what to call our neighbors? When did we start deciding to fear everyone who disagrees with us? People are buying guns because they are afraid that right will be taken from them, and they want to do it while it's still legal. People protest abortion because it is rampant, not well-regulated, and oh yes, murder! We are not going to bomb things, but the people will organize themselves if they see enough of their constitution being stomped on.

Here is the Homeland Security document, enclosed as a pdf in the following article:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09041510.html

And here is an article about how big the Tea Party movement is getting. There were two rallies in my rather small city yesterday. My friend who took pictures confirmed for me that these are our friends and neighbors and relatives. Lots of retired people, people from all walks of life, liberal, conservative and neither. All of them dislike government bail-outs. We don't know where that trillion dollars came from, AND even our elected officials don't know exactly know where it went. Let alone those who voted for them. I can't imagine why this doesn't concern people.

This is why you NEVER let all the branches of this government get ruled by the same party. Thank goodness for the Supreme Court... for now.

Great UN news!!!!

Even the smallest person can change the course of history. -- Galadriel, The Fellowship of the Ring

ZE09040902 - 2009-04-09
Permalink: http://www.zenit.org/article-25617?l=english
Tolkien's Dark Lord at the UN; a Blessed Painter

Hobbit Alliance Brings Triumph of Hope

By Elizabeth Lev

ROME, APRIL 9, 2009 (Zenit.org).- It was an epic tale of triumph worthy of J.R.R. Tolkien. The events at the U.N. Population and Development Commission last week could have been taken straight out of his great trilogy "The Lord of the Rings."

Last week, representatives from 47 countries gathered in New York for the annual meeting of the commission on population and development of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. In view of a world population projected to hit 9 billion in 2050, the commission reviews and assesses the Program of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development approved by the United Nations in 1994.

Behind the optimistic façade of concern for the welfare of a burgeoning population, a darker, most sinister agenda loomed. A new language was insinuating itself amid the hopeful statements of the earlier U.N. documents.

The main agenda item was "sexual and reproductive health and rights" -- the terminology under which many NGOs and U.N. committees promote abortion -- and the codification of a language that would open the door to an array of demands by homosexual activists.

Like the one ring forged by Sauron in the depths of Mount Doom, this term revealed the master plan: "One Ring to rule them all" and to bring them into darkness. Changing the word 'ring' to 'agency,' the specter of the Dark Lord could be replaced by Planned Parenthood, one of the most active NGOs at the meeting.

A prescient few saw the impending menace. Archbishop Celestino Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, noted that "one cannot help but get the impression that populations are seen as the hindrance to greater social and economic development." The prelate also warned that the commission "is giving priority to population control and getting the poor to accept these arrangements rather than primarily focusing upon its commitments to addressing education, basic health care, access to water, sanitation and employment."

But the armies of darkness were strong and seemed invincible. China, Great Britain, Brazil, the Russian Federation, Spain and Germany could be expected to promote this language. The United States, under a new administration in thrall to the culture of death, would use all of its might to advance the reign of Planned Parenthood. All seemed lost.

These international giants, the leaders in economy, development and technology, were certain that no obstacle remained to their plan.

In the statement made by Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, the executive director of the United Nations Population Fund, the plan was revealed. She invoked the world financial crisis, and the subsequent difficulty in sustaining programs to improve the health and education of the world's poor. “The financial crisis was threatening to wipe out this hard-won progress."

But her solution was to ensure that "greater attention is paid to population issues and more resources are devoted to women's empowerment and reproductive health, including maternal health care and family planning."

Translating this to the common tongue, her proposal is to teach women that childbearing is dangerous and oppressive; therefore abortion is healthy and liberating. Even the Evil Lord of Mordor never tried to pass off his agenda of death and enslavement of the human race as something "positive" and "empowering."

Obaid then reminded the commission that the Cairo conference had agreed that "every person has the right to sexual and reproductive health," and exhorted the commission "to keep the promise to ensure universal access to reproductive health by 2015."

The great nations nodded and applauded, much like the ring wraiths whose will had long been bound to that of their wicked overlord. The culture of life braced itself to take another loss among the many it had already suffered.

Then help came from an unexpected quarter. Iran took the floor and protested that the "right to sexual and reproductive health" could not be substituted with "sexual and reproductive health and rights."

The Iranian delegate pointed out that this phrase had never been included in any negotiated U.N. document before and urged the commission to revert to previously agreed upon and carefully negotiated language from the original 1994 Program of Action, which is understood not to create any right to abortion.

Immediately four Catholic countries -- Ireland, Peru, Chile and Poland -- picked up Iran's call to strike the wording. It was an unusual alliance, not unlike the dwarves and elves overcoming their differences to fight the common enemy.

Although the Christian community and Iran find themselves opposed on many issues, it was a heartening vision to see the diverse nations cooperating in defense of alliance and dialogue through the culture of life.

But as in Tolkien's great adventure of the fellowship of the nine, it was the smallest of all that saved the day. Like the four indomitable hobbits of Tolkien's epic, the Holy See (a tiny 104-acre state), Comoros (which I had to look up on Googlemaps -- it's in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar) Santa Lucia and Malta all joined the fellowship to break the stranglehold of the forces of evil.

These four hobbit-like states, whose collective national products probably don't equal the operating budget for Planned Parenthood, spoke loudly and convincingly. Malta decried the consistent attempts by the commission to expand "reproductive health" to include abortion.

The delegate from Santa Lucia saw to the heart of the proposed wording and stressed that her delegation understood that this provision did not threaten the right of health care providers to refuse to perform or be complicit in abortions as a matter of conscience.

As Galadrial said to the wavering Frodo, "even the smallest person can change the course of the future."

At the last moment at the close of the meeting, the ring of power was thrown back into the fires of Mount Doom from whence it came. "Sexual and reproductive health and rights" was struck from the text.

In these days of imminent conscience coercion, massive government funding of abortion and other gloomy signs on the horizon, this little fellowship at the United Nations demonstrated what Tolkien's characters whisper during the darkest hours and Pope Benedict XVI exclaims from nation to nation: "There is still hope."

Couldn't resist

I have to say, my mom's been getting some beauty forwards lately. I cracked up at this one.

I recently asked my friend's little
> girl what she wanted to be when she grows up. She said she
> wanted to be President some day.
>
> Both of her parents, liberal Democrats,
> were standing there, so I asked her, "If you were
> President what would be the first thing you would do?"
>
> She replied, "I'd give food
> and houses to all the homeless people."
>
> Her parents beamed.
>
> "Wow, what a worthy goal," I
> told her, "but you don't have to wait until
> you're President to do that. You can come over to my
> house and mow the lawn, pull weeds, and sweep my yard, and
> I'll pay you $50. Then I'll take you over to the
> grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, and you can
> give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house."
>
> She thought that over for a few
> seconds, then she looked me straight in the eye and asked,
> "Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and do the
> work, and you can just pay him the $50?"
>
> I said, "Welcome to the Republican
> Party."
>
> **Her parents still aren't speaking
> to me.**

Reagan vs. Obama... this spells it out.

I wondered what all the fuss was, then I watched this.
Wow is all I can say...

Don't say you weren't warned. If only it were as simple as Obama makes it sound. Freedom! Doesn't anyone still remember what that is? Yeah, so things don't always come easy when you are free. Does that mean you'd rather not be free? Really??

We don't have a free market, and maybe never have.

Shocking, I know.

I think this was on The Common Room, but I'm not sure. See sidebar of favorite websites. This explains what kind of economy we have. Hint: It isn't a free one.

Cafe Hayek