I have no desire to rehash political or personal aspects of 2010.
Therefore, I give you, my readers, this rather bland New Year's post. Although only symbolic, the turn of the calendar's page to 2011 comes as a relief to the AOW household.
In these words of Tennyson (selectively edited to suit my own views and my own life situation — never mind the breaking of meter and rhyme):
Failures that will impact each of us and will be passed on to our posterity. See THIS at Gateway Pundit for more about the 111th Congress.
Nevertheless, Democrats in the House of Representatives have bragged about all the accomplishments of the 111th Congress.
The mainstream media also have done their fair share of bragging about the 111th Congress, as shown in the video below the fold (hat tip to The Lonely Conservative):
Why are Moslems forever outraged by pork and images of pigs? After all, nobody in Sweden was forcing Moslems there to eat pork, especially as these particular manifestations of pork are made out of ice.
FromVlad Tepes, citing a comment from the Tundra Tabloids:
I hope that you will join me in taking a brief break from politics during this Holy Time when our Lord became Flesh and the Word Incarnate came to a lowly stable so as fulfill the many prophecies of Redemption.
I also ask you take time to read Warren's essay "A Christmas Visitor." If only we could live this spirit of giving all the year round!
(I will be posting several musical interludes over the Christmas Holy Days. If you must have politics, scroll down to read posts of that nature — several posts down as I will not be posting about politics until after Christmas)
With a hat tip to GM's Place and guaranteed to make you smile!
(I will be posting several musical interludes over the Christmas Holy Days. If you must have politics, scroll down to read posts of that nature — several posts down as I will not be posting about politics until after Christmas)
When the 112th Congress convenes next year, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann’s Tea Pary Caucus will geta crash course on the constitutional separation of powers by Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia...in late January.
Bachmann spokesman Doug Sachtelben says the educational series is a response to conservatives’ calls for a return to constitutional principles in governing.
(Hat tip to Leticia, who gave me the idea for this posting)
These words from Michelle Obama on Monday, December 13, 2010, should sound the alarm for parents.
Parents won't heed that alarm, however, because so many Americans have bought into the idea of the education arm of the Nanny State as the protector their children's health:
If the information below the fold is correct, this post will not be a comforting one, particularly if one is planning to travel by air during the busy Christmas holidays.
Furthermore, Americans are apparently unwilling to take a stand against the TSA. Rather, we are willing to sacrifice both our rights to our own body space and our personal safety in exchange for convenience of travel.
(Hat tip to Infidel Bloggers Alliance for the link below)
The ever-growing and ever-expanding nanny state is putting a stop to certain school bake sales.
Just when one thinks the Obama administration cannot get any more absurd or intrude more into our personal lives, something like this (dated December 3, 2010) comes along (Associated Press):
Check out the trailer and the film's posters in the continuation of this post. This new Turkish film apparently emphasizes "America's paranoia with the Islamic world after 9/11."
Last week, I asked "What Next From The Department Of Homeland Security?"
Here's the next step:
Yes, indeed. It appears that the TSA is expanding those searches:
Terrorizing innocent travelers at airports is simply not enough for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The agency recently tested a new program known as VIPER (Visual Intermodal Protection and Response) which involved placing Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials at Greyhound bus stations in Tampa to pat down and grope ground travelers....
More at the above link.
The Obama administration has forced America into crisis management mode, all in the name of national security:
Crisis management has become a defining feature of contemporary governance.
What we now have with the TSA is the following, advocated by Rahm Emanuel quite a while back:
Jonah Golberg on the Obama administration back in March 2009:
...Recall that not long ago, the first item on the bill of indictment against the Bush administration was that it was "exploiting" 9/11 to enact its agenda....
[...]
When a liberal administration does it [exploits a crisis, i.e., the threat of Islamic terrorism], it's taking advantage of a historic opportunity....
The Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration are not making us any safer, and the measures cost billions of dollars (A must-read essay!). So what are the DHS and the TSA accomplishing? They are conditioning us to intrusive searches.
And Americans, thus far, are willing to trade their rights for convenience, that is, the ability to travel via public carriers.
What next? Enhanced security, electronic and hands-on, at the toll plazas? At the ramps to interstate highways? At our large shoppings malls? Where else?
Al Qaeda has won: "Death by a thousand cuts" in so many ways.
Today, I will be attending the burial of the cremains of my dearest aunt, who passed away at the age of 94 on the night of November 23 at her home, the basement apartment in her granddaughter's house. My cousin, her granddaughter and ever blunt of speech, was sitting with my aunt at the moment of passing: "Two deep breaths and off she went." Hospice had seen to it that she left this earth peacefully.
This morning, my aunt will be laid to rest in a cemetery plot which already holds her husband and her only son.
Note: If you must have politics to discuss, please scroll down.
It's now time to get Mr. AOW out of the hospital bed, which takes up a lot of space in our living room. Furthermore, living in a hospital bed promotes the invalid mentality.
We purchased the chair pictured on the left on Monday, November 22, at "Black Friday" prices. Never have we spent so much on one piece of furniture!
A Muslim girl gets a non-Muslim boy suspended for saying "Taliban." Details fromCreeping Sharia, citing this source (dated November 12, 2010), below the fold.
(Hat tip to Bob Mack for the graphic and the link below)
Look at how the Department of Homeland Security is overreaching its original parameters:
The Department of Homeland Security’s ICE has launched a major crackdown on websites enabling copyright infringement or selling counterfeits of trademarked goods. In just the past few days ICE has seized at least 12 domains, TorrentFreak reports.
[...]
...[T]he sites were seized before the site’s owner heard any charges or had the chance to submit any counter evidence in court. The owners of the sites had their property seized without being allowed to defend themselves.