I Could Not Have Said It Better

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning


Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees.. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people
want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went
to.


In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His
protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children
have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

The Real Meaning of the 12 Days of Christmas

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were
not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone
during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.
It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning
plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each
element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality
which the children could remember.


-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.


-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.

-The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

-The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

-The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

-The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness,

Gentleness, and Self Control.

-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.


Merry (Twelve Days of) Christmas Everyone

This has gone too far

Apparently some nut job of a mother thinks Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is a religious song because it contains the words Christmas and Santa. Someone slap her please.

This happened in North Carolina (I must call my brother and tell him they are nutso in his state) where the Christmas song "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was temporarily banned from being sung by children at a Christmas concert. A mother (Jewish) complained that the song contained the words "Christmas" and "Santa," words which she believes carry religious overtones and finds offensive. This is bad as Nobama wanting to change the Star Spangled Banner to I Want to Teach the World to Sing because the Star Spangled Banner is a violent song, ever read the words to the French National Anthem, it gets a XXX rating for the violence. Back to this nut job of a mother, Santa Claus is certainly not a Christian theme. A spokesperson for the school said the mother was afraid her daughter would hear those words which are associated with Christmas and make the connection between Santa Clause and Christmas and the birth of Jesus. Here's a thought - her daughter has probably already made that connection. When I hear Rudolph I dont think of the birth of Christ, I think of Santa trekking across the sky with a reindeer whose nose is so red you can see it anywhere. Perhaps Santa needs a GPS and then we can right a new politically correct song for this "mom."

The complaining mother is Jewish and wanted a Hanukkah song included in the program - since they were singing "Rudolph" she felt that she should have a religious song of her faith included, as well. The school board ruled that "Rudolph" is not a religious song and can be included in the program. As it stands right now, the children are supposed to be going ahead with the program, as planned, with "Rudolph" included.

Way to go School Board for telling the mother to take a hike. Honestly, some people should just be shot and not heard. Hey nutjob mother get a life.

A Poem For The Season

A Poem For the Season
>
>
> *Twas the month before Christmas*
> *When all through our land,*
> *Not a Christian was praying*
> *Nor taking a stand.*
> *The "politically correct police" had taken away,*
> *The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
>
> *The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
> *About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
> *It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
> *December 25th is just a "Holiday".*
>
> *Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
> *Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
> *CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
> *Something was changing, something quite odd! *
>
> *Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
> *In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
> *As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
> *At Lowe's the word Christmas - was nowhere to be found.*
> *At K-Mart and Staples and Penny 's and Sears*
> *You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*
>
> *Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
> *Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
> *Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*
> *On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!*
>
> *At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
> *To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
> *And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
> * Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
> *The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
> *The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
>
> *So as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Dream Tree"*
> *Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
> *Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
> *Shout "MERRY CHRISTMAS" - not Happy Holiday!*

The Night We Waved Goodbye to America

From Peter Hitchens in London:

Anyone would think we had just elected a hip, skinny and youthful
replacement for God, with a plan to modernise Heaven and Hell - or that at
the very least John Lennon had come back from the dead.

The swooning frenzy over the choice of Barack Obama as President of the
United States must be one of the most absurd waves of self-deception and
swirling fantasy ever to sweep through an advanced civilisation. At least
Mandela-worship - its nearest equivalent - is focused on a man who actually
did something.
I really don't see how the Obama devotees can ever in future mock the
Moonies, the Scientologists or people who claim to have been abducted in
flying saucers. This is a cult like the one which grew up around Princess
Diana, bereft of reason and hostile to facts. The night America changed:
Barack and Michelle Obama in Chicago

It already has all the signs of such a thing. The newspapers which recorded
Obama's victory have become valuable relics. You may buy Obama picture books
and Obama calendars and if there isn't yet a children's picture version of
his story, there soon will be. Proper books, recording his sordid
associates, his cowardly voting record, his astonishingly militant
commitment to unrestricted abortion and his blundering trip to Africa, are
little-read and hard to find.

If you can believe that this undistinguished and conventionally Left-wing
machine politician is a sort of secular saviour, then you can believe
anything. He plainly doesn't believe it himself. His cliche-stuffed, PC
clunker of an acceptance speech suffered badly from nerves. It was what you
would expect from someone who knew he'd promised too much and that from now
on the easy bit was over.
He needn't worry too much. From now on, the rough boys and girls of
America's Democratic Party apparatus, many recycled from Bill Clinton's
stained and crumpled entourage, will crowd round him, to collect the rich
spoils of his victory and also tell him what to do, which is what he is used
to. Just look at his sermon by the shores of Lake Michigan. He really did
talk about a 'new dawn', and a 'timeless creed' (which was 'yes, we can').
He proclaimed that 'change has come'. He revealed that, despite having
edited the Harvard Law Review, he doesn't know what 'enormity' means. He
reached depths of oratorical drivel never even plumbed by our own Mr Blair,
burbling about putting our hands on the arc of history (or was it the ark of
history?) and bending it once more toward the hope of a better day (Don't
try this at home).

I am not making this up. No wonder that awful old hack Jesse Jac
kson sobbed as he watched. How he must wish he, too, could get away with
this sort of stuff. And it was interesting how the President-elect failed
to lift his admiring audience by repeated - but rather hesitant -
invocations of the brainless slogan he was forced by his minders to adopt
against his will - 'Yes, we can'. They were supposed to thunder 'Yes, we
can!' back at him, but they just wouldn't join in. No wonder. Yes we can
what exactly? Go home and keep a close eye on the tax rate, is my advice.
He'd have been better off bursting into 'I'd like to teach the world to sing
in perfect harmony' which contains roughly the same message and might have
attracted some valuable commercial sponsorship.

Perhaps, being a Chicago crowd, they knew some of the things that 52.5 per
cent of America prefers not to know. They know Obama is the obedient servant
of one of the most squalid and unshakeable political machines in America.
They know that one of his alarmingly close associates, a state-subsidised
slum landlord called Tony Rezko, has been convicted on fraud and corruption
charges.
They also know the US is just as segregated as it was before Martin Luther
King - in schools, streets, neighbourhoods, holidays, even in its
TV-watching habits and its choice of fast-food joint. The difference is that
it is now done by unspoken agreement rather than by law.

If Mr Obama's election had threatened any of that, his feel-good white
supporters would have scuttled off and voted for John McCain, or practically
anyone. But it doesn't. Mr Obama, thanks mainly to the now-departed
grandmother he alternately praised as a saint and denounced as a racial
bigot, has the huge advantages of an expensive private education. He did not
have to grow up in the badlands of useless schools, shattered families and
gangs which are the lot of so many young black men of his generation.

If the nonsensical claims made for this election were true, then every
positive discrimination programme aimed at helping black people into jobs
they otherwise wouldn't get should be abandoned forthwith. Nothing of the
kind will happen. On the contrary, there will probably be more of them.
And if those who voted for Obama were all proving their anti-racist
nobility, that presumably means that those many millions who didn't vote for
him were proving themselves to be hopeless bigots. This is obviously untrue.
Yes we can what?: Barack Obama ran on the ticket of change

I was in Washington DC the night of the election. America's beautiful
capital has a sad secret. It is perhaps the most racially divided city in
the world, with 15th Street - which runs due north from the White House -
the unofficial frontier between black and white. But, like so much of
America, it also now has a new division, and one which is in many ways much
more important. I had attended an election-night party in a smart and
liberal white area, but was staying the night less than a mile away on the
edge of a suburb where Spanish is spoken as much as English, plus a
smattering of tongues from such places as Ethiopia, Somalia and Afghanistan.


As I walked, I crossed another of Washington's secret frontiers. There had
been a few white people blowing car horns and shouting, as the result became
clear. But among the Mexicans, Salvadorans and the other Third World
nationalities, there was something like ecstasy.

They grasped the real significance of this moment. They knew it meant that
America had finally switched sides in a global cultural war. Forget the Cold
War, or even the Iraq War. The United States, having for the most part a
deeply conservative people, had until now just about stood out against many
of the mistakes which have ruined so much of the rest of the world.

Suspicious of welfare addiction, feeble justice and high taxes, totally
committed to preserving its own national sovereignty, unabashedly Christian
in a world part secular and part Muslim, suspicious of the Great Global
Warming panic, it was unique.

These strengths had been fading for some time, mainly due to poorly
controlled mass immigration and to the march of political correctness. They
had also been weakened by the failure of America's conservative party - the
Republicans - to fight on the cultural and moral fronts.

They preferred to posture on the world stage. Scared of confronting
Left-wing teachers and sexual revolutionaries at home, they could order
soldiers to be brave on their behalf in far-off deserts. And now the US,
like Britain before it, has begun the long slow descent into the Third
World. How sad.

Where now is our last best hope on Earth?
In God and God alone!!!!!

Find this story at
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1084111/PETER-HITCHENS-The-night-waved-good
bye-America--best-hope-Earth.html

12 Days of Christmas

So this year if you can't decide on what kind of gift to get someone there is always the gifts from the song: 12 Days of Christmas. This year the cost for all 12 days is $86,609 compared to $78,100 last year. What do you get for your money? Glad you asked.

The partridge costs $20 but what do you do with a partridge, where do you keep it? So the bird is cheap the supplies aren't. Can you eat a partridge.

The pear tree is $200, but you can't plant a pear tree just any part of the country and if you keep your partridge in the pear tree, what keeps the bird from flying away? I dont think either of these are very practical gifts.

Two turtledoves are $55, you can get them free from my deck, I must have a dozen or so, maybe I can make some money out of my backyard selling turtle doves. Again more birds and what do you do with them, I do know people eat doves.

French hens are $30, again with the birds, what do you do with them. Who wrote this song and thought they were great gifts, did this guy do drugs?

Calling birds are $600, they are canaries, do they really cost that much and what do they call out? Stop with the birds already, who asks for birds for a Christmas gift.

Five Gold Rings $350, finally maybe something someone can use but 5? Do you wear them on one hand but not the other or do you start and count every other finger including thumbs? I would want a little stone or something like tanzanite or black coral to go with those plain gold rings.

Geese a laying $240, omg stop already with the birds, was this guy a real birdbrain? Someone have a passion for birds? So how come the big birds cost less than the little birds?

Swans a swimming $5600 Wow these babies are expensive and where do you keep them, how many people have a pond to keep the geese and swan in. what do all these birds eat?

Maids a milking $52. These ladies dont even make minimum wage and what are they milking, what do you with the milk and do you have to pay their FICA, etc.

Ladies dancing $4,759. Perhaps the maids a milking should take dance lessons, that is where the money is and what kind of dance do these ladies do?

Lords a leaping $4414, apparently the skills here are not as great as the ladies dancing. What would you do with a leaping lord?

Pipers Piping $2285. I have no idea what good they would be unless you had some plumbing to do.

Drummers drumming $2475. It would appear the ladies dancing make the most. All that drumming would drive me nuts.

You know, I have sang this song I don't know how many times but never really paid attention to it until the article in the paper talking about the costs. A really weird song if you ask me.

December 1

Just months ago it was the 4th of July and here it is 30 days from the end of the year. Where has the year gone. They say as you get older, boy are they right. Black Friday was not as bad as I thought it might be but then mom and I did not get up at o dark early, we got a lot of bargains.

Saturday we had snow showers all day to turn into this by Sunday morning. Officially our first snow and for me winter is over, Spring Please! I hate winter more and more every year.

I finally also took pictures of the two knitting magazines I bought in Florence, I figure babelfish and i are going to become real close soon, there are quite a few projects I would love to make from them and my yarn purchases. There was an outlet store that I wish I had brought the gray/white yarn for a sweater, would have been about $15 for the yarn but limited suitcase space will keep you on that yarn diet. The one yarn store I went to and met Beatrice she GAVE me this beautiful needlepoint canvas of the Ponte Vecchio where the jewelry stores fold up into jewelry boxes at night. I don't know why but I recently got all my thread and plan on starting it over the holidays.

Those Crazy Europeans

I heard this morning on the way to work, England has a new chocolate bar out. It is 3.5 oz and costs $9. That must be some chocolate but wait til you hear what they put in it and they can't keep them on the shelves. The actually put applwood smoked bacon in their chocolate bars. Now I love chocolate and like bacon but together? I think I will not only pass on the cost but the fact that they put meat in chocolate. That is just...I don't know what that is.

Let me know if you try this.

Signs

Sign over a Gynecologist's Office:
'Dr. Jones, at your cervix.'
**************************


In a Podiatrist's office:
Time Wounds All Heels.
**************************


On a Septic Tank Truck:
Yesterday's Meals--on Wheels
**************************


At a Proctologist's door:
To expedite your visit, please back in.
**************************


On a Plumber's truck:
We Repair What Your Husband Fixed
**************************


On another Plumber's truck:
Don't sleep with a drip; Call your plumber!


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


On a Church's Billboard:
7 days without God makes one weak.
**************************


At a Tire Shop inMilwaukee:
Invite us to your next blowout.
**************************


At a Towing company:
We don't charge an arm and a leg: We want tows.
**************************


On an Electrician's truck:
Let Us Remove Your Shorts
**************************


In a Nonsmoking Area:
If we see smoke, we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action.
**************************


On a Maternity Room door:
Push. Push. Push!
**************************


At an Optometrist's Office:
If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place.
**************************


On a Taxidermist's window:
We really know our stuff.
**************************


On a Fence:
Salesmen Welcome! Dog Food Is Expensive!
**************************


At a Car Dealership:
The best way to get back on your feet: miss a car payment.
**************************


Outside a Muffler Shop:
No appointment necessary; We hear you coming.
**************************


In a Veterinarian's waiting room:
Be back in 5 minutes. Sit! Stay!
**************************


At the Electric Company
We will be de-lighted if you send in your payment.
However, if you don't, you will be.
**************************


In a Restaurant window:
Don't stand there and be hungry; come on in
And get fed up.
**************************


In the front yard of a Funeral Home:
Drive carefully! We'll wait...
**************************


At a Propane Filling Station:
Thank heaven for little grills.
**************************


And don't forget the sign at a
CHICAGO RADIATOR SHOP:
Best place in town to take a leak
**********************


Sign on the back of another Septic Tank Truck:
CAUTION - This Truck is Full of Political Promises

Merry Christmas

What is wrong with the country besides the idiots that voted for the next POTUS, is we no longer use the word Christmas. I saw lights up on the way to work and two radio stations started playing seasonal music the day after Halloween. The AFA website says it is ok to say Merry CHristmas along with Bill O'Reilly of The Factor. THe problem is we forgot Christmas is all about Jesus birth not trees, and gifts. DOn't get me wrong I like getting the trees out and getting gifts, but the reason our country is in such a mess is because we have forgotten who we are and what Christmas is really for.

This is America, we speak English and we celebrate Christmas and say Merry Christmas. IF you don't like it go back to wherever you came from, you can say what you like in your own country. When I went to Italy they did not say press 1 for Italian and 2 for English, if you did not speak Italian, too bad, we need to say too bad if you don't speak English, it is our native language, get used to it. Stand up AMerica and take our country back.

And oh by the way MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Lion King and Madagascar

I went to see The Lion King last Thursday. I did not know what to expect. I had not seen the animated movie and did not know the story line. WOW, what a great experience. The costumes were over the top and when the animals came on stage they walked through the audience. When they put their heads down you could see the mask. The monkey and wart hog were my favs. If you get a chance to go see this performance, do so, the costumes alone are worth the money. I would definitely go see this again.

Madagascar was hilarious. The bad lion in the movie looked a lot like the bad lion in The Lion King and acted alike as well. I think I liked this one better than the first one. If you need to laugh your self silly go see it.

Election Day

Today is a day every American should be proud of. It is still a privilege that we can vote for our elected officials. This election has gone on way too long and honestly one of the candidates has been in our face for what seems like eternity. I left the house early and got to the polls at 5:45am, it was 60 degrees and a pretty morning to stand outside waiting to get in to vote. An hour later i had voted a straight Republican ticket except for the sheriff and on my way to work. I was gonna wait til the afternoon but my nervousness would not let me wait. As I was pulling out of the parking lot I felt a peace come over me as I told God I had done my part and now it was in His hands. I can only hope America has enough smart people to vote McCain into office.

I wanted Fred Thompson but in this case there is no way I would vote Democrat especially knowing what Pelosi/Reid/Frank has done to us.

Whatever happens I hope you voted because it is still a privilege at least for this election.

From a Friend

First off, we have McCain vs. Obama for president. Not even a contest. A proven man (war hero, lifetime of service to our country), or a man that has to prove himself (what has he accomplished other than writing a book?). With all due respect to Sen. Obama, John McCain has my vote hands down. And who cares how old he is? Oh! But what if he should die? Well, we have Sarah Palin on the ticket.

All this to-do about Sarah Palin's experience. Well, numerous US presidents were governors first, perhaps representing the fact people always had known the experience that was gained in the office of governor. Has something changed that we now doubt it? Oh, she's a she. I guess that is what is being questioned since it was never questioned before. Clinton and Bush's campaign are the most recent. I don’t remember anyone questioning their experience. I mean, they were governors.

Let's be real, if a person can successfully lead a state in the US, then they can also be able to lead the country. Isn't a state just a somewhat miniaturized version of the country? Of course. but no one will admit it. Several other presidents were governors first and again, in their campaigns, no one ever questioned their experience. Oh! They were he's. Ya' think?

In all, 19 presidents were governors first. A few of them were not governors in the modern sense of the term; that is, they governed territories rather than states. Andrew Jackson acted as military governor to the Florida Territory and as governor to the Northwest Territory in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. William Harrison governed the Indiana Territory for twelve years at the beginning of the 19th century. Lastly William Taft served as Governor-General in the Philippines at the beginning of the 20th century.

In the early years of the US, the following presidents were governors first:


Thomas Jefferson: the first president to hold the position of governor, served as Virginia’s governor from 1779-1781
James Monroe: served as Governor of Virginia from 1799-1802, and again served for a brief period as the 16th Governor of Virginia from January through April in 1811.
John Tyler: another Governor of Virginia, serving from 1825-1827

Following governors from Virginia, other presidents were governors first from a variety of other states:


Martin Van Buren: Governor of New York in 1829
James Polk: Governor of Tennessee, serving from 1839-1841
Andrew Johnson: Governor of Tennessee from 1853-1857 and then appointed by Lincoln to serve as military governor of Tennessee from 1862-1864
Rutherford Hayes: Governor of Ohio from 1868-1872 and again from 1876-1877
Grover Cleveland: Governor of New York from 1883-1885
William McKinley: Governor of Ohio from 1892-1896

Numerous presidents were governors first in the 20th century. The list begins with Theodore Roosevelt, first Governor of New York from 1899-1901. Others on this list are:


Woodrow Wilson: Governor of New Jersey from 1911-1913
Calvin Coolidge: Governor of Massachusetts from 1919-1921
Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Governor of New York from 1929-1933
James Carter: Governor of Georgia from 1971-1975
Ronald Regan: Governor of California from 1967-1975
William J. Clinton: Governor of Arkansas from 1983-1992
George W. Bush: Governor of Texas from 1995-2000
Guess what? In comparison, only 12 presidents were senators and not governors (some were both governors and senators). They were: John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Benjamin Harrison, Warren G. Harding, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard M. Nixon.

The fact that more of all U.S. presidents were governors as opposed to senators suggests the importance of the Governor' Office with respect to the presidency.

When reflecting on which presidents were senators, think of these names and their reputation: Andrew Jackson, (most degrading campaigning ever. The stress killed his wife), Harry Truman (actually not elected. He was vice president and was sworn in after President Franklin D. Roosevelt died in office in April, 1945. Truman, in fact, gave the go-ahead to deploy the atomic bombs over Nagasaki and Hiroshima in Japan), John F. Kennedy (we do remember Marylyn, don’t we?), Lyndon B. Johnson (was never elected but sworn in after the assassination of JFK and went down in history as one of the worst presidents in US history), and Richard M. Nixon (do I have to remind anyone he left in disgrace after resigning because of the Watergate scandal?).

The U.S. has had 43 presidents, and 19 of those presidents were governors first and only 12 were senators first. Think of this. What did the other 12 have for experience? Go to the history book. You will be really surprised. the bottom line is, I think history shows me that Sarah Palin is ready and experienced for the job. This is probably the first time in the history of our elections that we have had equal billing on both the President and Vice President tickets. Is there another choice?

Isn’t history such a great resource?

For those of you who still don't think Palin is qualified

49th Missile Defense Battalion (GMD)
The 49th Missile Defense Battalion (GMD) was activated on January 22, 2004 at Fort Greely. The battalion will provide operational control and security over ground-based interceptors located in Alaska to protect the nation from limited ballistic missile attacks. Alaska National Guard Soldiers will man the battalion as part of their homeland defense mission.
This is the first unit of its kind.
The battalion is part of the 100th Missile Defense Brigade (Ground-based Midcourse Defense) headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo. The battalion, which at full-authorized strength will number 110 soldiers, will provide operational control and security over ground-based interceptors located in Alaska.
Alaska National Guard soldiers will man the battalion as part of the homeland defense mission.
Here is the result of a Google search on “the Governor of Alaska”:

The Governor of Alaska is the head of the executive branch of Alaska's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Alaska Legislature,[1] to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment.[2]

Based on the above, I’d say that the information seems pretty credible.

Marx
Compare this to Biden blurting out what he learned in his first briefing and Obama who wouldn't qualify for a basic security clearance because of his associations

From A Friend

My opinion is Obama is not only inexperienced for the job (it takes more experience to become an assistant manager at MacDonalds), but there is too much in his background that seems to go against the grain of what America is all about. And his only argument about McCain that he continuously says in his attacks is McCain is a clone of Bush. So? It was Clinton's administration that has put us in this economic crisis.

The Clinton administration is the one that relieved so many of the regulations on banks and Wall Street that allowed for the creation of the sub-prime mortgage and giving mortgages to those that normally wouldn’t qualify. And then back all this up with Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac. Bush inherited this. Oh, I just remembered, Clinton, while the liberal press publicly stated that he was bankrupt when he left office, bought a 10.2 million dollar estate. Remember? Oh! He supports Obama and Obama says Bill Clinton will be his primary adviser in the White House. Wow! Wasn't Clinton under indictment for Whitewater? Except both the witnesses died in "accidents" before it came to trial? Wasn't Clinton impeached? Yeah, Obama, good adviser! What ass wipe would vote for that? Obama - a clone of Clinton. Monica, are you still available?

Think of this. Bush came into office and dealt with 9-11, wild fires in California and Florida, draughts in the Southwest, war, creating two new government agencies for security, restructuring current agencies because of 9-11, and new nuclear threats. There's probably more but I can’t remember everything - I'm an old bastard. I think he faired pretty well. But I guess the better thought is could anyone have done better? It is easy to say what he did wrong after the fact.

But his approval rating was high when he implemented everything. It dropped when the stock market slowed a couple of years ago. Now it is at its lowest since the stock market hit an all time low. Might it's just the rich bastards (and the liberal press) hate him because they are not as rich? They can't screw anyone anymore? Why not like him since oil is now at its lowest since Clinton's years. He was blamed for it going up - give him the credit for it coming down.

The office of president is not an affirmative action position. I see what affirmative action did to the government. But I can walk away from it. I can’t walk away from the US.

New Bumper Sticker

I'll keep my freedom, my guns, and my MONEY,



YOU CAN KEEP THE CHANGE!



Vote for McCain/Palin

Pictures when I saw Governor Palin

The picture of Piper is when she found a mike and told us don't forget to vote for my mom, the picture of Sarah, not sure what she was saying.

I did not get any pictures of her talking to me because the person next to me kept getting bumped while trying to take my picture with her. I did get a video of the Secret Service guy telling me to put my pin away that she would have one and her telling me she liked my shirt and her signing the guy next to me shirt. If I can figure out how to put the video in here I will.

I am still excited that she will be the next Vice President.

Barefoot Contessa

THe Barefoot Contessa (AKA Ina Garten) has a new cookbook out. So mom and I went to Unity Temple to get our books autographed. We stood in line based on our ticket number and got our book autographed. NO personal autographs or pictures with her but she just seems so real to me. I would love to be her neighbor and be invited to a dinner party at her house, her flower garden is amazing.

Happy Halloween and Happy Anniversary to My Parents

Today is my fav day of the year. It is also my parents 54th wedding anniversary. WOW 54 years togther. My little brother is getting old.

Some of my best Halloweens were in OKC in my grade school years. Dad worked for the FAA and when he needed to get certified on a new piece of equipment we packed up and went to Okey Dokey for however long the school was.

We always lived in Parkview Village, about 200 units in a U shape with 7 apartments in each section. Halloween was heaven for a kid living there. I don't ever remember what costumes we had but I think my brother went as Huckleberry HOund one year. But I do remember the candy. We took grocery sacks and that was the good old days when we got candy apples, popcorn balls, and tons of SAFE candy. What happened, why did sick bastards have to ruin a happy day for kids. We had parties at school, lots of sugar, cupcakes, candy, kool-aid (It was safe to drink kool-aid when I was a kid). We had to walk past a decrepit factory onthe way to school and there was a creek along beside it. Sometimes it was foggy and creepy, we always pretended there were trolls in the creek especially around Halloween.

So if you are middle aged like me you probably what a great time Halloween was and if not I am sorry some very sick people ruined a great day for you.

HAPPY Trick or Treating

My Funeral

I was reading the book "It Itches" and the last joke made me realize I need to rethink my funeral package. I have bought my funeral already, it made sense I got a 30% deduction so I said yes let's do it. I am going to be cremated after my body has done it's two year tour as a medical school corpse. The last joke in the book has the grave with a mausoleum that says Yarn Stash. I have my post office box for my urn but I am thinking I need to make an adjustment and add a vault to store my yarn.

BTW mom please make sure I have enough yarn in my post office box to knit on til I get to heaven. Make sure you put my Knit Pick Harmony sock needles in as well.

The Ten Can Nots

“The Ten Cannots”
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatreds.
You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man’s initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.
~William J. H. Boetcker, 1916

“Don’t interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties. ”
~Abraham Lincoln

Sarah Palin

I had the honor and privilege to see Sarah Palin on Saturday. What an amazing woman she is, I am so glad my niece has her for a role model as she becomes an adult. I got up at 4:30am and left the house at 6am. I got to Des Moines around 9am and got my tickets and yard signs, got my parking spot and got in line at 9:30am. She was to speak at 1:30pm. They let us in at 11 and I got right up front. If you are going make sure you stand in front of the steps closest to the podium she comes donw them first. I got to shake her hand first, she loved my shirt and got her autograph and some pictures that I will post later. Aaron Tippin sang a few songs prior to her arrival. His wife has a beautiful voice. We did have the Star Spangled Banner and Pledge of Allegiance (another reason Nobama is not an American). Piper and Willow came out with her. Piper grabbed a mike and said a few words ending with "Don't forget to vote for my mom." To which Governor Palin replied I did not tell her to say that. I have to say this was one of the best days of my life to think I got to meet the next Vice President of the US.

What bothered me most about the day was the fact that two families had Down Syndrome children. They used these children to be absolutely rude like having a child with needs gives them special privilege to be rude and mean. I was watching Sarah go down the line meeting people and someone was pushing at me and swearing. I turned around and saw a small child yelling at the top of her lungs screaming Sarah. She was swearing and telling me to move she had a right to see Sarah. Then one man had a child less than a year old and demanded I move so he could see Sarah. Well if you had been nice I would have tried to move but since you were downright rude and mean, I stood my ground. Having a special needs child does not give you the right to be rude and mean.

American is Grieving

I did not write this but it sure expresses how I have been feeling lately. I do not understand why anyone would vote Democrat this year after this campaign and what Peliso/Reid/Frank have done to us.


Over the past several days, while I have been purposefully alone with my thoughts, I have felt a heaviness of heart and have been filled with an overwhelming sense of nothing but pure, unadulterated shock and dismay at what I have been seeing in our country. In those quiet moments, away from the television and internet, I’ve been overcome, at times, with a deep sense of pain and hurt that’s almost indescribable. The closest I can come to explaining what I feel is Grief. I am grieving for our country.

I am grieved when the national media is concerned about Sarah Palin dropping her g’s when she talks, is completely unmoved by the fact that the man who would lead our country hasn’t been made to tell the American people why he chose to be friends with, write blurbs for, attend panels with, sit in a church pew, for 20 long years listening to, took money from, represented in court, and paid campaign cash to all kinds of people who have either hated America all of their known lives or have actually bombed its symbols. That grieves me.

I’m grieved when I hear well-known Republicans cast aside all of their supposedly core convictions in order to jump on a bandwagon of popular feeling…even though they share not one single viewpoint.

I’m grieved when I hear of upstanding conservative leaders in my community saying they’re voting for Obama out of spite because they don’t like McCain…or not voting at all. These are people I have looked up to and admired. I wonder what they would tell their children about their decision. I wonder what kind of lesson they are teaching them, what kind of legacy they think they are leaving or what kind of example they think they are setting. Didn’t they always teach their children that no matter what the crowd might go along with, if it’s wrong, you take a stand for what’s right? Didn’t they teach them about honor and integrity? I no longer admire these people…and that grieves me.

I’m also grieved when innocent, good people I’ve known all my life are afraid to put a sign in their yard or a bumper-sticker on their car….and I wonder what kind of country we have become when the citizens who pay their taxes, work hard, own their homes and give to charity to help their fellow Americans, have to feel afraid in neighborhoods they’ve lived all their lives.

I’m grieved that a man who is looked up to by millions, doesn’t feel a responsibility to ask his own supporters and campaign workers to appeal to their better natures. I’m grieved that he has been given a national platform to make speeches to millions of Americans and, instead of calling for peace, goodwill and morality in a long campaign, he chooses to remind Americans of a tormented time in our past for his own personal gain. If that isn’t shameless evil, I don’t know what is.

I’m grieved that well-educated, well-read, worldly intellectuals in our country look down their nose on a woman who decided to run for public office to make her community better, a woman who they acknowledge ran for governor for that same reason; for the sake of her constituents. The fact that these same constituents, the ones whose opinion really matters, overwhelmingly approve of how she’s done that job for them. I’m grieved that these intellectuals don’t have the intellect to understand what a governor does to affect real people’s lives. It’s certainly not by writing a piece in the New York Times or appearing on CNN to share your knowledge of what you think “real people” need to know. I’m grieved that these people are allowed a 24/7 platform from their ivory Manhattan towers to demean millions of Americans who feel they have finally found a politician who speaks their language….g’s dropping and all.

I’m grieved that true journalism, which is the foundation of maintaining free speech in America, is dead.

I’m grieved that a man in middle America gets more scrutiny and investigation for asking Obama a straight-up question, than Obama has ever gotten about his economic plans since he started running for president. I’m grieved that there have been satellite trucks parked outside Joe the Plumber’s house since he asked that question, when Americans have nothing to fear from Joe at all, while there are no satellites outside Obama’s patrons Khalid Al-Mansour and/or Bill Ayers.

I’m grieved that pundits of the mainstream media have become the public relations arm of a national political campaign and that they daily, and incessantly, infer that normal Americans who want to know who a man is before they vote for him has to be somehow “racist”. I am grieved that that word is flung far and wide at anyone who expresses their decision not to vote for a man, for the legitimate reasons of his lack of the basic experience, achievement, record and judgment, that person in that position, and who aspires for the highest office in the land, should posses.

I’m grieved that, 12 days out, there are still so much that the American people haven’t been told, and that its been a concerted effort by people in places of authority and responsibility to conceal that information.

I’m grieved that Piper Palin, an innocent little girl who simply just loves her mother, would be subjected to such vile, sadistic, mocking treatment of her mother by adults who are supposed to set an example for children. I’m grieved at what Piper is seeing of America and what it must be telling her innocent little heart.

I’m grieved that Trig Palin, who can’t even talk or walk yet, has been the subject of more questions than a known, unrepentant domestic terrorist who is not ashamed of bombing and killing Americans.

If I were Jewish, I would be renting my garments now. As a Christian, I can only fall on my knees and pour my grief out in prayer.

Note: Substitute grieve(d) with indignant or angry and my resolve to act on behalf of a better America will be shown in it’s glory.

I am an Ornery American

We aren’t impressed by your credentials, Dr. This or Senator That. We aren’t going to take your word for it, we’re going to think it through for ourselves.

We don’t like being spun. That doesn’t mean we aren’t sometimes fooled by the way reporters slant their stories, but when we find out how we’ve been manipulated, we get a little mad and we refuse to trust that writer, commentator, that magazine, that newspaper, that news network, or that politician again.

We think America is larger and more important than our self-interest. You can’t buy our integrity with a boomtown economy, and we won’t let you shame our country just to avoid risking American lives. We Americans have never been afraid to make sacrifices for a worthy cause.

We believe that character matters – our own character, the character of our leaders, and the character of our nation as a whole. We don’t like bullies and cowards, liars and hypocrites, and we don’t appreciate it when our leaders make our nation behave as if that were what Americans are.

We’ll forgive your misdeeds, but only if you apologize sincerely and never do it again. Our trust, once betrayed, is not lightly restored.

We vote.

We know that good, wise people sometimes disagree. So we listen to the views of others, and have no patience with those who shout others down or use ridicule or coercion to silence serious arguments. Only fanatics and dictators assume that anyone who disagrees with them must be evil or stupid.

We believe in right or wrong. Individual cases may merit compassion, but the law must be respected. Along with individual freedom must come responsibility for others. Along with compassion for the minority’s needs must come respect for the majority’s will.

We believe in representative government, with the separation of powers set forth in the Constitution. Judges do not have the right to create law. Presidents do not have the right to lie to, conceal information from, or ignore the prerogatives of Congress. Congressmen must act first for the good of the nation, and only secondarily for the benefit of their constituents.

We reject violence except in self-defense or to protect the weak against aggression.

Election Day Socks

I wanted to knit something for election day and I found some red/white/blue Regia sock yarn, so I made a pair of socks. You can not wear any party stuff so I figured the socks would work. There is however a story here as well. I took the socks to Italy with me. Finished the second sock during the flight from Rome to NYC. The yarn had dropped on the floor, so I let it lay there, you know where this is going. I finished the sock, sewed up the toe and put everything away forgetting all about the yarn. As I was sitting in the NYC airport starting on another sock I wondered where the other half of my skein was, yep still on the airplane. I hope someone who found it either knits or gave it to a knitter, I would hate to think it got tossed.

An Honest Reporter

Would the Last Honest Reporter Please Turn On the Lights?
By Orson Scott Card

Editor's note: Orson Scott Card is a Democrat and a newspaper columnist, and in this opinion piece he takes on both while lamenting the current state of journalism.

An open letter to the local daily paper — almost every local daily paper in America:

I remember reading All the President's Men and thinking: That's journalism. You do what it takes to get the truth and you lay it before the public, because the public has a right to know.

This housing crisis didn't come out of nowhere. It was not a vague emanation of the evil Bush administration.

It was a direct result of the political decision, back in the late 1990s, to loosen the rules of lending so that home loans would be more accessible to poor people. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were authorized to approve risky loans.

What is a risky loan? It's a loan that the recipient is likely not to be able to repay.

The goal of this rule change was to help the poor — which especially would help members of minority groups. But how does it help these people to give them a loan that they can't repay? They get into a house, yes, but when they can't make the payments, they lose the house — along with their credit rating.

They end up worse off than before.

This was completely foreseeable and in fact many people did foresee it. One political party, in Congress and in the executive branch, tried repeatedly to tighten up the rules. The other party blocked every such attempt and tried to loosen them.

Furthermore, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae were making political contributions to the very members of Congress who were allowing them to make irresponsible loans. (Though why quasi-federal agencies were allowed to do so baffles me. It's as if the Pentagon were allowed to contribute to the political campaigns of Congressmen who support increasing their budget.)

Isn't there a story here? Doesn't journalism require that you who produce our daily paper tell the truth about who brought us to a position where the only way to keep confidence in our economy was a $700 billion bailout? Aren't you supposed to follow the money and see which politicians were benefiting personally from the deregulation of mortgage lending?

I have no doubt that if these facts had pointed to the Republican Party or to John McCain as the guilty parties, you would be treating it as a vast scandal. "Housing-gate," no doubt. Or "Fannie-gate."

Instead, it was Senator Christopher Dodd and Congressman Barney Frank, both Democrats, who denied that there were any problems, who refused Bush administration requests to set up a regulatory agency to watch over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and who were still pushing for these agencies to go even further in promoting sub-prime mortgage loans almost up to the minute they failed.

As Thomas Sowell points out in a TownHall.com essay entitled "Do Facts Matter?" ( http://snipurl.com/457townhall_com] ): "Alan Greenspan warned them four years ago. So did the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers to the President. So did Bush's Secretary of the Treasury."

These are facts. This financial crisis was completely preventable. The party that blocked any attempt to prevent it was ... the Democratic Party. The party that tried to prevent it was ... the Republican Party.

Yet when Nancy Pelosi accused the Bush administration and Republican deregulation of causing the crisis, you in the press did not hold her to account for her lie. Instead, you criticized Republicans who took offense at this lie and refused to vote for the bailout!

What? It's not the liar, but the victims of the lie who are to blame?

Now let's follow the money ... right to the presidential candidate who is the number-two recipient of campaign contributions from Fannie Mae.

And after Freddie Raines, the CEO of Fannie Mae who made $90 million while running it into the ground, was fired for his incompetence, one presidential candidate's campaign actually consulted him for advice on housing.

If that presidential candidate had been John McCain, you would have called it a major scandal and we would be getting stories in your paper every day about how incompetent and corrupt he was.

But instead, that candidate was Barack Obama, and so you have buried this story, and when the McCain campaign dared to call Raines an "adviser" to the Obama campaign — because that campaign had sought his advice — you actually let Obama's people get away with accusing McCain of lying, merely because Raines wasn't listed as an official adviser to the Obama campaign.

You would never tolerate such weasely nit-picking from a Republican.

If you who produce our local daily paper actually had any principles, you would be pounding this story, because the prosperity of all Americans was put at risk by the foolish, short-sighted, politically selfish, and possibly corrupt actions of leading Democrats, including Obama.

If you who produce our local daily paper had any personal honor, you would find it unbearable to let the American people believe that somehow Republicans were to blame for this crisis.

There are precedents. Even though President Bush and his administration never said that Iraq sponsored or was linked to 9/11, you could not stand the fact that Americans had that misapprehension — so you pounded us with the fact that there was no such link. (Along the way, you created the false impression that Bush had lied to them and said that there was a connection.)

If you had any principles, then surely right now, when the American people are set to blame President Bush and John McCain for a crisis they tried to prevent, and are actually shifting to approve of Barack Obama because of a crisis he helped cause, you would be laboring at least as hard to correct that false impression.

Your job, as journalists, is to tell the truth. That's what you claim you do, when you accept people's money to buy or subscribe to your paper.

But right now, you are consenting to or actively promoting a big fat lie — that the housing crisis should somehow be blamed on Bush, McCain, and the Republicans. You have trained the American people to blame everything bad — even bad weather — on Bush, and they are responding as you have taught them to.

If you had any personal honor, each reporter and editor would be insisting on telling the truth — even if it hurts the election chances of your favorite candidate.

Because that's what honorable people do. Honest people tell the truth even when they don't like the probable consequences. That's what honesty means . That's how trust is earned.

Barack Obama is just another politician, and not a very wise one. He has revealed his ignorance and naivete time after time — and you have swept it under the rug, treated it as nothing.

Meanwhile, you have participated in the borking of Sarah Palin, reporting savage attacks on her for the pregnancy of her unmarried daughter — while you ignored the story of John Edwards's own adultery for many months.

So I ask you now: Do you have any standards at all? Do you even know what honesty means?

Is getting people to vote for Barack Obama so important that you will throw away everything that journalism is supposed to stand for?

You might want to remember the way the National Organization of Women threw away their integrity by supporting Bill Clinton despite his well-known pattern of sexual exploitation of powerless women. Who listens to NOW anymore? We know they stand for nothing; they have no principles.

That's where you are right now.

It's not too late. You know that if the situation were reversed, and the truth would damage McCain and help Obama, you would be moving heaven and earth to get the true story out there.

If you want to redeem your honor, you will swallow hard and make a list of all the stories you would print if it were McCain who had been getting money from Fannie Mae, McCain whose campaign had consulted with its discredited former CEO, McCain who had voted against tightening its lending practices.

Then you will print them, even though every one of those true stories will point the finger of blame at the reckless Democratic Party, which put our nation's prosperity at risk so they could feel good about helping the poor, and lay a fair share of the blame at Obama's door.

You will also tell the truth about John McCain: that he tried, as a Senator, to do what it took to prevent this crisis. You will tell the truth about President Bush: that his administration tried more than once to get Congress to regulate lending in a responsible way.

This was a Congress-caused crisis, beginning during the Clinton administration, with Democrats leading the way into the crisis and blocking every effort to get out of it in a timely fashion.

If you at our local daily newspaper continue to let Americans believe — and vote as if — President Bush and the Republicans caused the crisis, then you are joining in that lie.

If you do not tell the truth about the Democrats — including Barack Obama — and do so with the same energy you would use if the miscreants were Republicans — then you are not journalists by any standard.

You're just the public relations machine of the Democratic Party, and it's time you were all fired and real journalists brought in, so that we can actually have a news paper in our city.

This article first appeared in The Rhinoceros Times of Greensboro, North Carolina, and is used here by permission

Is there no end to what the libertards wont do to cheat us out of this election?

Dead Goldfish Offered the Vote in Illinois
Voter registration material was sent to Princess Nudelman, a dead goldfish

AP

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

The only "agent of change" Princess ever supported was the person who freshened the water in her fishbowl.

So election officials in Chicago's northern suburbs want to know why voter registration material was sent to the dead goldfish.

"I am just stunned at the level of people compromising the integrity of the voting process," said Lake County Clerk Willard Helander, a Republican, who said she has spotted problems with nearly 1,000 voter registrations this year.

Beth Nudelman, who owned the fish, said Princess may have landed on a mailing list because the family once filled in the pet's name when they got a second phone line for a computer.

"There was no fraud involved," said Nudelman, a Democrat who supports Barack Obama. "This person is a dead fish."

The paperwork sent to a "Princess Nudelman" likely came from the "Women's Voices, Women Vote" project, which sent nearly 1 million mailings to Illinois households in August using a list that mistakenly included some pets, said Sarah Johnson, a spokeswoman for the not-for-profit group that encourages single women to vote.

The mailing list, purchased from a vendor, included names from warranties, magazine subscriptions and other sources, Johnson said. The group attempted to screen out obvious pet names.

"Fido's not going to be left on there, but if a cat is named is Polly, she may be," Johnson said. Princess could be a person's name, she insisted. "I went to high school with two Princesses."

Nudelman said the only address on the registration card was the Lake County clerk's office. She said she wrote election officials a humorous note explaining why the fish was ineligible to vote.

The Illinois mailing generated 63,500 returned voter applications, Johnson said. Applicants were instructed to fill in a driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number so election officials would be able to validate their identity.

"We obviously don't want to add more work for any election official," Johnson said. "At the end of the day, our goal is same as theirs: To give as many people as possible the chance to make voices heard in our democracy."

Steve Sturm, legal counsel for the Illinois State Board of Elections, said the mailing generated numerous complaints from residents throughout the state.

Lake County election officials contacted Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office Monday afternoon, said spokeswoman Robyn Ziegler. The sheriff's office and state's attorney's office were "already working on it," she said.

The McCain-Palin campaign has lately raised questions about the voter registration practices of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. ACORN is accused of submitting false registration forms for some of the voters it has registered. The FBI has joined nearly a dozen states in investigating.

Nobama Scare Tactics

The Democratic plan on election day. 10-20-08 By Mike Moseley
Posted by MikeMoseley on Monday, October 20, 2008 12:00:00 AM
The MSM, the entire Democratic party, and the Pumas know that the polls are fake. They will try to advance Obama any way they can and try to dishearten every single person that will vote for McCain/Palin. Obama already knows this election is going to the supreme court. They are, and will plant the seeds of racism at any cost. Acorn has added millions of false votes into the system for the purpose for taking this election after the polls are closed. When the counting starts the fascism will be in full display primarily to GOP election officials. They will be literally shoving people into the backroom and away from the ballots. The fascists will add the fake Acorn ballots to the pile and start counting. The same acorn people will be out on the streets screaming that they have been disenfranchised. The Democrats and the Main Stream Media can not accept another loss and clearly have made plans to steal this election.

The puma, or Clinton supporters, know what's going to happen. http://wewillnotbesilenced2008.com/video/index.htm Because they have lived this nightmare before. Clinton supporters were disenfranchised by the Obama camp and the Democratic party.
The Obama team will attack innocent people and people will be hurt or killed, if necessary. They have been trained for this exact moment in time for one reason alone. Terrorist William Ayers, Bernadine Dohrn, Maoist hardliner Mike Klonsky, Acorn’s co-founder Wade Rathke, and the many radicals in the United States have there entire belief system staked on this election. Not only do the Marxist radicals have everything on the line, but the entire Chicago political mob does too. http://www.suntimes.com/news/watchdogs/757340,CST-NWS-watchdog24.article. Add to this exciting lineup of Communist and Marxist radicals and criminal elements the unapologetic voice of black radical anti-white racist Rev Jeremiah Wright and his cohorts. These are the people that have “God Damned America” for this moment in time.

The Muslim's messiah, as Louis Farrakan describe Barack Obama, http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=77539 knows that they can't win this election on the votes alone. No less than terrorist Hamas and Hezbolla have voice words of support for Obama-Biden. Campaign funds from the middle east have poured into the Obama teams coffers despite American election laws that say it is an illegal activity. Obama traveled to Kenya and openly campaigned for violent radical Muslim Raila Odinga, Barack’s alleged cousin. Expect any and everything that a third world country could experience. I would expect riots that start in Chicago to spread nation wide and to spread throughout the world.

Every Communist and Marxist radical will see their lives work at this pinnacle of time play out, this is the moment they have been waiting for. Every black power anti-white radical knows that this moment is what they have been waiting for. Every radical Muslim worldwide knows THIS could be the great day of Allah and the moment they have been waiting for. The main stream media have their entire future and their history at stake in this election. Nothing less than complete victory by America’s enemies will be accepted. To say that this could be an explosive situation seems to be an understatement.

Thank You Stephen Fortunato

The following is a blog entry written on Aug. 30, 2008, by Army Specialist Stephen Fortunato, who was killed Tuesday in Afghanistan when the vehicle he was riding in was blown up by an improvised explosive device. This entry was forwarded to the Globe by his mother, Elizabeth “Betty” Crawford.

If I may …
I’d like to say something….Just to get it out there so it is clear.
To all the pampered and protected Americans who feel it is their duty to inform me that I am not fighting for their freedom, and that i am a pawn in Bush’s agenda of greed and oil acquisition: Noted, and [expletive deleted] You.

I am not a robot. i am not blind or ignorant to the state of the world or the implications of the “war on terrorism.” i know that our leaders have made mistakes in the handling of a very sensitive situation, but do not for one second think that you can make me lose faith in what we, meaning America’s sons, daughters, fathers, and mothers in uniform are doing.

I am doing my part in fighting a very real enemy of the United States, i.e. Taliban, Al Qaida, and various other radical sects of Islam that have declared war on our way of life. Unless you believe the events of 9/11 were the result of a government conspiracy, which by the way would make you a MORON, there is no reasonable argument you can make against there being a true and dangerous threat that needs to be dealt with. i don’t care if there are corporations leaching off the war effort to make money, and i don’t care if you don’t think our freedom within America’s borders is actually at stake. i just want to kill those who would harm my family and friends. it is that simple. Even if this is just a war for profit or to assert America’s power, so what? Someone has to be on top and I want it to be us. There’s nothing wrong with wishing prosperity for your side.

I am a proud American. i believe that my country allows me to live my life more or less however i want to, and believe me, i have seen what the alternative of that looks like. i also believe that our big scary government does way more than it has to to help complete [expletive deleted]-ups get back on their feet, a stark comparison to places where leaders just line their own pockets with gold while allowing the people who gave them their power and privilage to starve. I have chosen my corner. I back my country, and am proud to defend it against aggressors. Also, if you dare accuse us of being inhumane, or overly aggressive because we have rolled into someone else’s country and blown some [expletive deleted] up and shot some people, let me remind you of just how inhumane we COULD be in defending ourselves. Let me remind you that we have a warhead that drops multiple bomblets from the stratosphere which upon impact, would turn all the sand in Iraq to glass, and reduce every living thing there to dust. Do we use it? No. Instead we use the most humane weapon ever devised: the American soldier. We send our bravest (and perhaps admitably craziest) men and women into enemy territory, into harms way, to root out those whom we are after and do our best to leave innocent lives unscathed.

…One last thing…a proposal. i know it has been stated time and time again but i just think it is worthy of reiteration. If you find yourself completely disgusted with the way America is being ran, and how we handle things on the global stage, you can leave. Isn’t that amazing? No one will stop you! If you are an anarchist, there are places you can go where there is no government to tell you anything. That’s right…you are left solely to your own devices and you can handle the men who show up at your door with AKs in any way that you see fit. Just don’t try good old American debate tactics on them because you will most likely end up bound and blind-folded, to have your head chopped off on the internet so your parents can see it. However if you insist on staying here and taking advantage of privilages such as free speach and WIC, keep the counter-productive [expletive deleted] to a minimum while the grown ups figure out how to handle this god-awful mess in the middle east.

Hey Nodopey

I did not write this, it came from a member of my McCain Ravelry group but I felt it was sooooo good I have posted it.


I implore you to review the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers, etc. Revisit the intentions and words of our Founders (Jefferson, Franklin, Madison, Adams, Mason, Washington, etc.). What makes the United States so different from other countries is that citizens are assumed to be able to discern for themselves the best way to educate their children, take care of the needy, and spend their own hard-earned money. It is incumbent upon the citizens of the U.S. to take care of themselves, to take prudent decisions in order to truly enjoy the blessings of liberty. To assume that a large number of people are unable to support themselves and incapable of improving their situations is to do an enormous disservice to those people. Are they not men? Do they not have the same dignity, drive, and desire that others do to fulfill the human need to feel productive and to be independent? A large overbearing government that levies and forcibly collects punitive and confiscatory taxes to the extent that hard-working, law-abiding people are unduly constricted economically sounds the death knell for a free nation of independent people. A government that extracts the lawfully and hard-earned income from some citizens in order to subsidize the unproductive and often illegal behavior of other citizens is the killer of liberty, self reliance, invention, and decency. You must understand the immorality of socialism and communism, that it is the murderer of the American Dream because it is incompatible with human nature. Please, do not kill that dream for those who might achieve it if the incentives were there; don’t steal that dream from those of us who attained it through hard work, economic responsibility, and diligence; and don’t delete the potential for achieving the American dream from the futures of our children. When unhindered and unfettered from gratuitous government intervention, representative democracy works, the free market works, and an electorate comprised of citizens who know that they ultimately are responsible for themselves, their families, and their communities, works.

Florence

I went to Florence Italy October 4-12. It is a beautiful country and one I could easily see myself living in except for the Socialism and Communism springing up. I would have to live about an hour outside of Florence in the Tuscany countryside.

I often wish I was Elizabeth Montgomery in Bewitched so when I have these long ass plane rides I could wiggle my nose and be there and wiggle away the jet lag.

October 4 and 5: Started with breakfast at mom's house (thanks mom cos breakfast after that sucked big time). We had coffee, juice, fruit and muffins. Plane ride to Chicago was uneventful. There was a lady in the Chicago airport with hair to the floor and she did not hit 5'. PLane ride from Chicago to Brussels. Does American Airlines think I am a side of beef to hang in a meat locker, cos the plane sure felt like one. Note to self always get bulk head row when traveling to other countries. I was by the door and when I saw it was -60C when we crossed the ocean at night I understood partly while I froze to death. We did have chicken and rice around 6pm for dinner followed by the Mrs Pettigrew movie, it was ok. Then I watched Enchanted, nothing else to do and got my fill of sugar for the day. I tried to sleep but no, then at 10pm we got breakfast, it was really 7am in Brussels. Landed at Brussels with lots of cold wet wind from the rain, there was someone at our ramp so we unloaded in the middle of the ramp and were bussed to the back door of the airport. Through customs and security again. They don't post the gate until 45 minutes before departure (not a smart thing considering how large the airport is). I was so tired and hot I felt sick. Got on the plane to Brussels, laid out and slept as best as I could. The brat behind me and his mother were screaming the whole flight but I must have been tired. I missed the Alps but I needed the sleep. The little creep finally shut up when we landed. Death taxi ride to the hotel past a Blockbuster, where was Wal-Mart? Room is nice, and had a nap before we were to meet at 3pm in the lounge. Met the tour guide and rest of the group, we got rules for the week, no politics. Tell that to the Italians. We saw David first thing, this is one of 3 Davids we will see this week. We then wandered around and got acquainted with Florence. Group dinner was bruschetta, wine/water, pumpkin and gorgonzola pasta, stew and tiramisu. Oh my tummy was one happy camper. The government regulates public utilities, so no heat in the room. There was a towel heater but it did not work either.

October6: up for breakfast of bitter coffee (last coffee I had for the week), juice, dinner rolls, and yogurt. They think coffee is all you need for breakfast. Wandered around the city and ended up at the Duomo Museum. LUnch was pizza which is only thin crust and I dont care for the taste of their tomato sauce on their pizza. They put corn in their salad but it is good. There was a large protest while we were at the Bapistry. We got our train tickets to Rome for Saturday and went to the outlet store for yarn. It is behind the Duomo Museum. The city closes down from about 12/12:30-2:30 for lunch and siesta. Their store hours are odd, how on earth can you shop if you work there? I could have bought tons of yarn but no room in the suitcase. I did pick up some, pictures will be posted later. I then went to a yarn store I had seen online and recommended by our tour guide, who was also a knitter. Beatrice did not speak much English and I only know quanto costa (how much) but I had a great time talking to her. When I left she gave me a needlepoint canvas of the river we crossed to get to her shop, I was touched. Will post a picture of the canvas later. We were close to the Point Vecchio bridge and on the bridge there are jewelry stores that close up to look like a jewelry box at night, very cool. Sat on the bridge and people watched and then off to Happy HOur with the group. My first taste of gelato, pistachio, oh my I could become addicted. At their gelato stores they sell one square of waffle with nutella, I always though waffles were for breakfast but here they are like cookies. Dinner was at Nella's around the corner of the hotel, after that we walked to Groms for caramel gelato.

October7: Breakfast if you can call it that was late, so grabbed some bread and off we went. Walked to a monastery with a beautiful garden, could have sat inthe garden all day away from the city life. Had lunch at a cafeteria and had to have a salad. Then off to the market, they eat every scrap of meat here, brain, tongue, tripe, intestines, etc etc etc, I was grossed out. Afternoon was the Ufizzi Museum, I was more intriqued by the paintings on the ceiling than all the hundres of pieces of art, there were way too many people and it was hot. If I see one more painting of Mary/Jesus. Tried to get in the Feragammo museum but it is closed on Tuesdays, the lady actually ushered us out the door. Had chicken and potatoes with rosemary for dinner. The rosemary grows wild here like a tumble weed and is a huge bush.

October 8: Our tour guide took us across the river to an open air market. YOu see the little old Italian ladies arm in arm with their dress, sweaters on and their red and beige plaid bags to carry their groceries for the day back home. We also went to a palace. After the market we went to a chapel. Wandered around the other side of the river for awhile and then went to the Feragammo Museum. He made shoes for lots of movie stars and many of his shoes were just plain hideous. Group dinner was bruschetta, wine/water, 3kinds of pasta, roasted rosemary potatoes and pork, chicken, roast beef and pork ribs, tiramisu and puff creme pastry.

October 9: I have caught a cold and today was the one day I most wanted to experience of the trip, a bus ride to the Tuscany countryside. We trekked to the train station to catch our bus. We went about an hour outside of Florence, lots of vineyards, olive tree groves and rosemary. Our first stop was San Gimignano, it was market day. Walked all the day through the city and sat for awhile looking at the beautiful scenery. Off in the distance you can hear children playing, must be recess. There are people on cell phones which seems odd to me because I don't picture them as normal everyday people like me. Smack dab in the middle is a yellow cream Bentley, way cool. If I was going to pick a country to live in other than America, it would be here away from the major cities in the little cities in the country. I picture myself sitting on my veranda sipping a glass of Chianti knitting or reading or spinning. I would have a pashmina around my shoulder listening to the quiet of the evening. I envision getting up in the morning reading the paper, having my coffee and working in the garden, spinning wool for market day and picking tomatoes for lunch for bruschetta with mozarella. In the afternoon I would nap and perhaps spin more wool for market day. What a life of luxury it would be and a simple life at that. Meals here are a social event, they last 2-3-4 hours with several courses of people just sharing food and life. At home we scarf down our food in 30 minutes and never really take the time to enjoy it or our companions. Sad isn't it? We left San Gimgnano and went to a B&B for lunch. The lady there is a Countess and the winery has been in her family for over 400years. They make wine and olive oil there. We had bruschetta/white wine, cheeses/red wine, pancetta/red wine, and salami/brunella, and for dessert a very sweet wine with biscotti. We also went to a very teeny city behind a wall of stone that would take 5 minutes to walk from end to end. It was a beautiful day with just a light breeze and good drugs from the Pharmicia.

October 10: I stayed in and slept. I have not slept but the first night we have been here. The room is like a meat locker and the noise, oh my it is way too much. The rest of the group went to the Bargello Museum to see the queer David. The fake David is in a square that is being reworked. This was our last group dinner: Ribolatti(bread and bean soup), gnocchi and ravioli, beef flamed in cognac and rosemary roasted potatoes and caramel flan.

October 11: On the train to Rome, the first part of the trip was in a tunnel but the countryside was beautiful. I never saw what I could call a residential area, tons of apartments and small at that. They put their washer/dryers on the decks, I guess if you don't have room inside put them outside, heck they do in Arkansas, so...This hotel is smaller but nicer and much quieter. There was a protest just outside the train station, apparently the Communist party is trying to take over Italy again. Took the metro to the Coliseum. Ate McDonalds for lunch, I needed some American food, not all the heavy pasta I have consumed for the week. Wandered around Rome and then came back and went to dinner around the corner. I had a pear, parmesan cheese salad, that was one of the best meals I had or I was just hungry for some greens.

October 12: This was a 31 hour day with the 7 hour gain from Italy to America. The plane ride from Rome to NYC was 10 hours with Speed Racer and August Rush for the movies. I was beginning to feel claustrophobic about hour 5. Had two meals and finally got off the plane at NYC. A four hour layover and then to Chicago and then home about 11pm.

All in all it was a great trip but very tiring and the cold on top of that. If you ever get a chance to go to Italy do so, I loved Florence, Rome was ok but not first choice. I will post pictures later when I get them all sorted out.

Rallies

On television today a Democratic operative pointed out that when Obama holds a rally 25,000-30,000 people show up, whereas when McCain holds one he only draws 10,000-15,000.

The Republican spokesman replied,

"That's because McCain's supporters are at work."

Sheeple-Quit Drinking the Kool-Aid

Obama and the “Professional Black-Victims Cartel”
By Tom Deweese Wednesday, October 15, 2008


Americans beware. In the future, should you disagree with “President” Obama, apparently you will be labeled a racist.

As has been highly reported, Democrat Representative John Lewis of Georgia said McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin were “sowing the seeds of hatred and division...” In the same breath, Lewis then made a comparison to George Wallace. The reference to Wallace can only mean one thing - racism.

It seems the attacks were made because McCain and Palin have started to comment on known associates of Obama who have questionable backgrounds. Obama has tried to get people off the trail of these associates by saying it was a long time ago, not relevant, and so on. When that didn’t work, Obama’s troops played the race card even though John McCain has made no reference to Obama’s race.

The fact is Obama’s relationships to known communists do matter. They speak to his character. They show who influenced him in his political choices. And they tell us something about what an Obama Administration may be interested in pursuing as policy.

Could Obama, himself, be a communist? Is it a fair question when discussing his qualifications and deciding how to cast a ballot? Obama says no - it’s racist.

Is it fair to look at the statements and records of those around Obama - those who openly support him, those being paid by his campaign? Obama says no - racist. But that doesn’t prevent Obama and his group to look at who surrounds and supports John McCain - right wing fringe - they tell us. Isn’t that another term for racist, according to them?

There are lots of questionable characters in Obama’s immediate circle, including Bill Ayers. Bill Ayers still travels to communist countries in support and praise of policies which rob individuals of their rights and personal possessions. For instance, in November, 2006, Ayers traveled to Venezuela to attend an education forum. That’s a nation quickly falling behind a new curtain of tyranny under President Hugo Chavez. With the great dictator by his side, Ayers proclaimed his support for “the profound educational reforms under way here in Venezuela under the leadership of President Chavez. We share this belief that education is the motor-force of revolution… I look forward to seeing how you continue to overcome the failings of capitalist education as you seek to create something truly new and deeply humane...”

Is it fair to wonder if Obama might consider Ayers’ ideas on education and Capitalism as his own? And if they share those ideas, would it be too far fetched to wonder if perhaps Obama could even consider Ayers, or someone like him, to be his Secretary of Education? Personal relationships matter.

Obama is upset that McCain crowds are calling him a terrorist. How absurd, says his campaign. Just mean spirited. But Ayers was/is a true-life terrorist. He was a founder of the Weather Underground. They planted bombs in the Capitol Building. They killed cops. They called for the overthrow of the United States as they sided with our enemy in Vietnam - the same communists who, at the time, were holding John McCain prisoner. And Ayers held a fund raiser for Barack Obama. Does it matter?

How about Obama’s relationship with ACORN. Obama’s campaign paid them some $800,000 to register voters. Fraud has been found in several states as ACORN has turned in voter registration forms with multiple addresses and social security numbers for the same name. ACORN has endorsed Obama. But to question the possible connection to ACORN’s vote fraud and Obama’s campaign is just racist.

Finally, there is Louis Farrakhan, the head of the Nation of Islam and one of the most documented white-haters in the nation. Farrakhan, by the way, is associated with Obama’s minister, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, but that would be racist to point out.

But let’s look at what Farrakhan said on February 24, 2008 to a Nation of Islam Savior’s Day gathering. “You are the instruments that God is going to use to bring about universal change, and that is why Barack has captured the youth. And he has involved young people in a political process that they didn’t care anything about. That’s a sign. When the Messiah speaks, the youth will hear, and the Messiah is absolutely speaking.” Farrakhan had earlier suggested he would keep a low profile in the campaign, despite his enthusiasm for Obama. Does it matter that Obama attracts the support of the man who openly hates whites more than any other? What does Farrakhan know about Obama’s positions that attract him?

Here is something that may provide some insight into Obama supporters’ use of the race card. In 2007, it was learned that the University of Delaware has a mandatory program that requires residence hall students to acknowledge that “all whites are racist.” The program went on to offer misguided whites “treatment” for incorrect attitudes regarding class, gender, religion, culture or sexuality they might hold upon entering a school.

Now, why did the school think all whites are racist? Because this is their definition of racism: “A racist is one who is both privileged and socialized on the basis of race by a white supremacist (racist) system. The term applies to all white people (i.e., people of European descent) living in the United States, regardless of class, gender, religion, culture, or sexuality. By this definition, people of color cannot be racists, because as peoples within the U.S. System, they do not have the power to back up their prejudices, hostilities, or acts of discrimination.” The school’s policy deserves mention because it is advocated by most self-appointed black leadership.

There you have it. Blacks can’t be racist, because they don’t have power over anyone. Only whites can be racists. So for Obama and his people to call McCain or anyone racist is simply a way of saying “Hey, Whitey!”

Pity the struggling middle class black Americans who simply work to better themselves with nice homes in the suburbs, nice schools for their kids, nice cars and clothes - all the things any of us want. Unfortunately for them, the “Professional Black Victims Cartel” run by the Jesse Jacksons, Al Sharptons and Barack Obamas accuse them of selling out - indicating they are “Uncle Toms” who are just trying to be white - turning their back on their ghetto brothers. There is no win for these folks. By their definition of racism, they become racist themselves, oppressing their own kind. And for lower income blacks who may have dreams of their own, the “Cartel’s” message is clear: their destiny is to be victims for life.

For the record, before we completely lose the English language to such gibberish, the true definition of a racist is one who hates another simply because of the color of his skin. Funny, wasn’t it Martin Luther King who dreamed of the day when people would be judged, not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character? Apparently Barack Obama is no Martin Luther King.

So get ready America. If we get “President” Obama, any opposition we voice against his “compassionate” policies to redistribute our possessions to the “victims” will be met with charges of racism. As Louis Farrakhan has told us, the Messiah has spoken.

The Sacraments of Knitting, Let Me Drink The Yarn

2008/04/22/the-sacraments-of-knitting-a-simple-tract

I can not take credit for writing this, check the link above. I can not figure out to link properly but it will take you to lumpysweater.wordpress.com, she really does some creative writing on her blog.

The Sacraments Of Knitting: A Simple Tract

Knitting is a religion—no joke. Like all religions, there are the spin-offs and cults. We talk about the outside world not understanding the tempting call of yarn. We scoff at their ignorant assumptions, and laugh when an innocent passerby refers to ‘crochet’ project.

However, there’s never been a tract for this religion. You can print this out and give it to your friends and your neighbors. You can put on your tie and go door to door to spread the gospel of knitting. Whatever you do with it, I’d love to know how it goes; I want to rack up convert points.

Knitting: A Simple Tract For The Curious

“Why Should I Knit?”

There are various reasons to knit, but the best reason to knit is because you will enjoy it. Sure, you’ll have some difficulties, but knitting is one of the simplest religions out there. You don’t have to buy a loom, assemble thousands of quilt squares or surrender your soul to the scrapbooking gods. All you have to do this make some loops with some sticks, and you’re instantly part of a growing community of other knitters.

“Isn’t Knitting For Grannies?”

Of course knitting is for grannies-and it’s for grandfathers and teenagers and children and middle-aged women named Tina. Not only are there hundreds of teen knitters out there, even men are picking up the sticks at a remarkable pace. Knitting isn’t a weird reclusive cult based in a Texas compound, it’s a weird cult that is rapidly overtaking the entire world!

“Do I Have To Follow Certain Rules?”

I’m going to be honest here. Yes, there are some rules to becoming a proper convert to knitting. People may say that it’s great to knit with chopsticks and twine but they’re secretly laughing at you. Get some proper knitting needles, preferably anything but metal (it’s too heavy and slippery for most beginners) and acrylic. Acrylic is cheap, and it’s a common bonding moment for knitters to remember their conversion experience with Red Heart or Caron Simply Soft.

“Are There Knitting Gods?”

A hotly disputed topic among believers, many would answer in the affirmative. How else would you repeatedly lose that 5th double-pointed needle, or make the exact same mistake 14 times in a row? Others scoff at this childish belief and point out that if you weren’t trying to watch television, drink vodka and knit at the same time, you wouldn’t have so many problems. Either way, it’s tempting to believe in a knitting devil when your pet repeatedly attacks the best (and most expensive) yarn in your stash.

”Is There Some Kind of Knitting Bible or Book?”

There is no official Bible—a collection of sacred writings—but the most popular books hallowed by the community include any of Elizabeth Zimmermann’s writings (paticularly Knitting Without Tears) any of the Yarn Harlot’s books, and among the natural knitting crowd, The Sweater Workshop by Jaqueline Fee.

”Are There Religious Leaders In Knitting?”

Certainly, like most religions, there are people that hold a certain status within the community. The aforementioned Elizabeth Zimmermann (sadly deceased, may her soul rest in Peacefleece) the Yarn Harlot, Casey and Jess of Ravelry, Clara Parkes of KR, and that nice lady who dyes the Wollmeise yarn.

Other community leaders include yarn shop owners, prominen designers and independent yarn dyers. Speaking of religious leaders, that brings me to my next topic.

“Knitting Evangelists: Who Are They?”

A knitting evangelist probably gave you this tract! Knitting evangelists are people who are so enthusiastic about their chosen religion that they want to spread the Good News everywhere. They will post amazingly helpful tutorials on their blogs on how to knit or even just how to execute a paticular technique.

One evangelist actually sent me a free package of sock yarn because I mentioned that I didn’t have much to knit with! The added plus is that they almost never show up on your doorstep at 7 on Saturday morning, and even if you never join, they might present you with knitted gifts in hopes of persuading you to do so.

”This Knitting Thing Sounds Like A Cult!”

Well, if you count a loving, close-knit community who will initiate you into the wonderful world of Stash, WIPs, and FOs as a cult, then yes, we are a cult. The only reason that we make it so hard to leave this religion is because we really believe that knitting will not only improve your life, but it will make you a better person.

”I’ve Already Tried Knitting And It Didn’t Work Out.”

Obviously, you’ve had some traumatic experiences, but you’ve obviously never been a True Knitter if you’ve given it up. Or, maybe you’re an Apostate Knitter who has a few projects stuffed into the back of the closet. I’m here to say that we love you, we want you back, and we will do everything to help you overcome your fears. A little cashmere could go a long way in your reconversion.

”OK, I’m Convinced, What Do I Do?”

Put your hand over your heart (doesn’t matter which) and simply say, “I dedicate myself to the craft of knitting, and I promise to persevere even in the face of mocking unbelievers” and you are a full-fledged member.

What, you say, I don’t even know how to knit to be a believer? Naw. Too much like a cult