In The Blink Of An Eye

The ophthalmic surgeon's diagnosis at my emergency appointment on Monday, September 30, 2013: You have a detachment.

Then he phoned a retinal surgeon. My dear friend S, who had fortuitously and coincidentally arrived late Saturday to redecorate my back porch, drove me to the day's second appointment a few minutes away.

By Wednesday afternoon, I was on the operating table: vitrectomy, pneumatic retinopexy, and scleral buckle. Mr. AOW has more information at his blog, including a graphic video.

A "How to" Guide

The successful politician

by Sam Huntington

If becoming a politician were difficult, if working as a politician was challenging, or even stressful, then we would not find so many people lining up to get into the politician racket. That’s right: racket. Few jobs offer the kinds of benefits we extend to members of Congress. Try to imagine working for corporate America and then telling your boss that you need to make a fact finding trip to Syria —and that he or she has to pay for it. Be sure to inform your boss that you have decided to take your wife along; or, your mistress/secretary/administrative assistant.

This “How to” guide has been developed for the individual who wants to get into the rackets more than he or she wants to gain admission to Heaven: they can’t have both. Nevertheless, there are a few things to remember in your quest for eternal damnation.

Killing Off Native Americans

by Sam Huntington

It was not all that long ago when Margaret Sanger (may she burn in hell) decided what a great idea it would be if the progressive side of the Democratic Party could in some ways reduce the Negro population of the United States beyond lynching them. Apparently, even Sanger was smart enough to know that white conservatives frowned upon such ideas. Sanger then came up with this idea of birth control.

“The most merciful thing that a family does with one of its infant members is to kill it.” —Margaret Sanger

“Negros are human weeds, reckless breeders, spawning human beings who never should have been born.” —Margaret Sanger

Commander in Hiding

by Sam Huntington

According to the United States Constitution, the President serves as commander in chief of the Armed Forces. I suppose the founding fathers placed this provision into the constitution because of George Washington’s service during the American Revolution —believing that future commanders in chief would lead from the front. Over the years, however, the amount of military detail handled personally by the President has varied considerably. America’s military structure is rooted in British tradition, with the president (as with the monarch) taking the highest military rank of all.

During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was deeply involved with devising, approving, and implementing military strategies. Overall, Lincoln earned high praise from many historians for his strategic sensibilities, and in the selection of his commanders. Here is where I may find room for disagreement. Before U. S. Grant, most of Lincoln’s senior commanders were anything but effective commanders.

Lowering the Bar

By Sam Huntington

According to Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Obama Care will be a resounding success if, by the end of 2013, 7 million people have enrolled in the program.

Seven million —that equates to about 16% of the more than 41.3 million Americans that Sebelius claims need health insurance. I wonder if anyone besides me notices that the numbers this administration claims to be uninsured shifts like the sands of the desert. Frankly, it makes me wonder if someone in the government isn’t full of “it.”

Break From Politics: The English Language

John McWhorter offers a brief history of plural nouns in the English language (hat tip to 1389 Blog):


TEDEd: Lessons Worth Sharing

Nincompoopery — And Worse

(Weekend roundup post.   For the definition of nincompoop, see THIS in the Urban Dictionary. Commenters are encouraged to post links that tell of more nincompoopery)

Links to read (more possibly added as the weekend progresses):

[UK] The state school where girls are forced to wear hijabs in classrooms AND outside school

Nigeria (September 29, 2013): Jihadists murder at least 50 agricultural students as they slept in dormitories

USC students say Obama deserves his Nobel Peace Prize because he's "mellow" — or something [video]

Iran drama obscures concerns over Obama approach to Mideast

California college bars student from handing out copies of Constitution [on Constitution Day, September 17]

Obama’s Long List of Broken Promises

Your tax dollars pay off federal workers school loans

U.S. disability rolls swell as jobs vanish

Future Barbarians At Play

Filmed in Syria and posted to YouTube on September 22, 2013 (hat tip to Infidel Bloggers Alliance):

Compassion in America

How to de-incentivize the work force without really trying

By Sam Huntington

One of the most fundamental principles of economics is that people tend to purchase more when prices are lower, and they purchase less when prices are higher. No matter, those who think that the way to stimulate the economy is through federal spending of borrowed money also think that the way to increase employment is to raise the minimum wage. There is simply no shortage of incredulousness on the political left, but they do celebrate how kindhearted they are. Sadly, and this is a trend, no one on the left considers the consequences of their poorly contrived schemes.

Here is an interesting fact: nations with minimum wage laws almost always have higher rates of unemployment, compared to those without minimum wage laws. One of these is Switzerland, which in 2003 reported a five-year unemployment high of 3.9 percent. Ten years later, the unemployment rate is 3.1 percent. You will not find such low numbers in the United States since the administration of Calvin Coolidge, and there is a reason for this: when the cost of labor to employers is low, unemployment is low. When the cost of labor to employers is high, unemployment is high.

Mark Levin: "I Think Obama Is Unstable"

Worth your time (hat tip to Will of MFS - The Other News):

Don't Make me Kill You

by Sam Huntington

According to a news report yesterday, MIT scientists may have stumbled on a way to construct an actual light-saber. Until recently, photons (mass-less particles) that constitute light thought not to interact with one another, but rather simply pass through each other—two beams of luminescence.

Well, according to the Harvard Gazette, this isn’t so. Scientists have improbably coaxed photons into hardened molecules that you could whack against each other—in a duel to the death in the well of the Senate.

I would like to have one of these. I would probably walk through downtown Chicago in the middle of the night daring some a-hole to start something. After all, isn’t light faster than a speeding bullet? 

No?

No matter; just day dreaming.  With the economy in its present shape, who could afford it? Just wondering, though … would you want one of these if they were available and affordable?

Next week: the inside scoop on the X-Wing fighter.

Volvo Bashing

A story told by Rod Whitacker

Years ago, the man sought a vehicle that would suit the purposes of a country gentleman. Upon the enthusiastic advice of a long-time friend, he ultimately decided on a Volvo. His decision was predicated on the assumption that any automobile that cost so much, lacked beauty, comfort, speed, and fuel economy must at least be dependable and last many years.

Break From Politics

I don't recall exactly why I found myself perusing the web page List of poliomyelitis survivors. In any case, I found some surprises on that page. Take a look!

A history of poliomyelitis is HERE. 

Polio has not been eradicated worldwide.

BTW, it recently came to my attention that Franklin Delano Roosevelt may not have been crippled by polio, after all.

Nincompoopery — And Worse

(Weekend roundup post.   For the definition of nincompoop, see THIS in the Urban Dictionary. Commenters are encouraged to post links that tell of more nincompoopery)

Links to read (more possibly added as the weekend progresses):

Why can't the BBC use the word terrorist? Guidelines force reporters to describe Kenyan mall attackers as 'militants'

Tears of Lee Rigby's widow as pair appear in court via videolink to deny murdering soldier near barracks

DHS Muslim Adviser: ‘Egyptian Coptics attacked by Muslim Brotherhood deserved it’

Kenya terrorists may have rented space in mall [in Kenya]

Obamacare Will Increase Health Spending By $7,450 For A Typical Family of Four

[UK] More than 1,500 women victims of genital mutiliation in shock statistics compiled by ONE hospital

[United States] National Park Service Produces Videos Praising Islam's Contributions To Women's Rights

Kerry refuses to permit Benghazi victims to testify, subpoenas to be issued

Inside The Mall Massacre In Kenya (With Addendum on September 28)

(Two post today. Please scroll down)

Horrific atrocities!

Victims of Muslim Mall Massacre Found Castrated, Their Eyes Gouged Out, Left Hanging From Hooks in the Ceiling

Pastorius of Infidel Bloggers Alliance makes an important point in the post linked above:

Out Of Jail And Talking

Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, the filmmaker blamed for the September 11, 2012 attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi, that is. Nakoula is a Coptic Christian.

Please make time to watch the 14-minute film Innocence of Muslims (Sorry about the brief commercial at the beginning):

[VIDEO REMOVED BECAUSE BLOGGER WILL NOT ALLOW THE VIDEO TO REMAIN IF THIS BLOG POST IS PUBLISHED BECAUSE OF NOT FOR PUBLICATION UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT ORDER ISSUED ON FEBRUARY 19, 2014: No. 12-57302 D.C. No. 2:12-cv-08315-MWFVBK. AS OF NOW, APRIL 10, 2014, THE VIDEO IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING HERE]

Excerpt from the article, published this week:

Promo: Sharia Law and Order

Recommended Reading

See The Forgotten Man, written in 1883 by William Graham Sumner (hat tip to Stogie of Saberpoint).

The first paragraph is below the fold.

Day Four

(Image below from Tammy Swofford)

This image posted...on a major AQ jihad portal.  The image was noted as "a gift to Muslims."

The Islamic terrorist attack on Westgate Premier Shopping Mall in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, continues as I publish this post.

Non-Muslims were shot and killed. Muslims who could provide the name of Mohammed's mother were released.

According to the Daily Mail:

Islamic Terrorism Attack On Kenya Mall

(Two posts today. Please scroll down)

Terror raid led by convert-to-Islam Samantha Lewthwaite, widow of 7/7 jihadist?

Additional information about Samantha Lewthwaite HERE and about 7/7 HERE.

Photo of Samantha Lewthwaite:

Honor This American Hero

(from Fix Bayonets!)


Woody Williams is the last surviving recipient of the Medal of Honor from one of the most important Pacific campaigns (Iwo Jima). He will celebrate his 90th birthday this year.

Honor this American hero by sending Mr. Williams a card in time for his birthday on 2 October 2013. Please forward the card in time to arrive before that date to:

Woody Williams, Medal of Honor
c/o Gary Alexander
1109 Hillcrest Blvd,
Gainesville, TX 76240

Additional information about Woody Williams HERE.

Giving

(If you must have politics, please scroll down)

This video has had over 9,000,000 views (hat tip to Brooke):

Nincompoopery — And Worse

(Weekend roundup post.   For the definition of nincompoop, see THIS in the Urban Dictionary. Commenters are encouraged to post links that tell of more nincompoopery)

Links to read (more possibly added as the weekend progresses):

US Military Bases are ‘Gun Free Zones’ Because Democrats Decreed Them To Be

New report says only one-third of Syrian rebels are "moderates" -- and those "moderates" burn churches

Unregulated dinner parties! The horror!

In Fairfax County, protests over dumping of [250,000] library books...

Your iPhone uses more energy than a refrigerator

A 47-Story High-Rise Has a Tall Problem: They Forgot the Elevators

Obama Says Insurance Will Be 'Significantly Cheaper' Under Obamacare, But That Isn't True

Obama claims gov’t healthcare will cost less than the average monthly cell phone bill

Walgreens Changes Health Care Plan for 160,000 Workers Because of Obamacare

Cleveland Clinic to Reduce Budget by $330 Million Due to ObamaCare, Layoffs Inevitable

A Nation of Laws

By Sam Huntington

Why must we accept the authority of government? There are actually three reasons: fear, tradition, or philosophy. If we refuse to obey the law, government will punish us. If we refuse to obey the law, we violate religious teaching (Give unto Caesar). If we refuse to obey the law, we break faith with our fellow citizens. Therefore, it is possible to postulate that government has a stake in maintaining its power over its citizens, even to the extent of fooling us into believing that we the people actually govern. We do not.

If this is true, then what must we think about this notion of natural law? There is actually more than one form of natural law: Divine, secular, and historic. Divine law is revealed to us from an all-powerful being. Secular law is the consequence of man’s understanding of physical, biological, and behavioral factors. Historic law has evolved over the course of human history, either because of accumulated understanding, or well-established practices and experiences. Of these three, historic law is most flexible.

Danger Signs Ignored

According to Reuters, the police in Newport, Rhode Island, were so concerned by the bizarre behavior of Aaron Alexis that they notified the Navy Police weeks ago.

Life Is For Living!

(If you must have politics, please scroll down)

The biggest purchase we've ever made and now the fourth vehicle in the AOW household's "fleet":

Mr. AOW has more information about the van, as well as an anecdote about our maiden voyage last week.

BREAKING! Headquarters for the Naval Sea Systems Command breached!

Active shooter(s) at the Washington Navy Yard, less than a mile from the U.S. Capitol. Multiple people shot there, and all inside have been ordered to shelter in place.

The Navy Yard is an extremely secure facility! Documents with the highest classification! This facility houses the command center for naval operations in the eastern Mediterranean.

Breaking coverage at WTOP.

UPDATE @ 3:34 P.M., EDT: This screen shot appears to a photo of Aaron Alexis, who has now been named as the suspect:

At this point, 12 are confirmed dead.

Book Review: An Occasional Walker

(If you must have politics, please scroll down)

A readable and unique book!

An Occasional Walker is a modern Canterbury Tales — albeit with political twists related to the world's state of affairs today.

But do not conclude that this book is all about politics! Rather, An Occasional Walker resonates with humor, satire, and personal anecdotes, which are poignant at times. The author is clearly a wordsmith who knows how to use the English language efficaciously so as to engage the reader.

Musical Interlude

Enjoy:

Nincompoopery — And Worse

(Weekend roundup post.   For the definition of nincompoop, see THIS in the Urban Dictionary. Commenters are encouraged to post links that tell of more nincompoopery)

Links to read (more possibly added as the weekend progresses):

Syria analyst [Elizabeth O'Bagy] vouched for rebel group that depicted burning US Capitol

Obama boasts of ‘decimated’ al Qaeda undermined by intel briefings: Agencies warned administration the group was expanding, not ‘on the run’

Jeb Bush awards Hillary Liberty Medal on eve of Benghazi anniversary

Union Square ‘I hate white people’ beating...

Internet Radio: No Looking Back

(If you must have politics, please scroll down)

Today, WC and I will be interviewed on Blog Talk Radio's No Looking Back, co-hosted by Elizabeth of The Hill Chronicles and Bernie of Planck's Constant. The show airs for 30 minutes beginning at 4:30 P.M. EDT.

For additional information, please CLICK HERE.

The Power to go to War

By Sam Huntington

We once more enter the discussion of who has the power to take the American people to war. On the one side of this argument, represented by nearly every president since Harry Truman, the president as chief executive and commander in chief of the Armed Forces of the United States has the power to act unilaterally with regard to imposing hostilities upon another nation. On the other side of this argument are those who argue that only Congress can declare war, only Congress can fund war, so that no president may commit this nation to war without the authority of the Congress.

It is easy for me to dismiss the first argument as one made by those who wish to retain their power. It is easy for me to support the second argument because it is ludicrous to imagine that a nation founded on the principle of checks and balances would so easily give over to the president such unlimited powers.

Dr. Robert Turner of the University of Virginia School of Law makes a case for the former argument, stating that it was the intent of the founding fathers to give the president massive power as this nation’s chief executive. According to Dr. Turner, Jefferson himself weighed in on this very topic:

Never Forget (Updated the evening of 9/11)

Set to the music of Samuel Barber's "Agnus Dei" from Adagio for Strings:


Reflect upon the solemnity of this day:    
 

Obama, Christianity, and Islam

Please watch this short video released on August 31, 2013 (hat tip to Infidel Bloggers Alliance):


Information about ISNA (Islamic Society of North America)

Doublespeak

(hat tip to Reliapundit of THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS)

The ugly truth:

Time For Comedy

(If you must have politics, please scroll down)

As a member in good standing of the Grammar Police for the past several decades, I love the following comedic take on punctuation. Dean Martin, one of the best straight men in show business, couldn't keep a straight face throughout the segment.

Enjoy:


Laughter is the best medicine!

Nincompoopery — And Worse

(Weekend roundup post.   For the definition of nincompoop, see THIS in the Urban Dictionary. Commenters are encouraged to post links that tell of more nincompoopery)

Just one link this week because the information is so extensive and includes multiple embedded links:

What are the specific details of the Common Core Initiative Standards (CCIS)?

Folks, there is no escape from what is afoot. Not only public education but also private education and homeschooling will be affected.


If this topic doesn't interest you, please scroll down to the posts published earlier this week.

Playing Games

Senator John McCain played poker on his iPhone during a U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing related to Syria. What's more, he Tweeted about it:

Speaking of playing games:

POLITICIANS ARE A PLAGUE UPON THE LAND!

China: Erudite, Suave, and Clever

By Sam Huntington

It is an interesting study. On the one hand, we have Barack Obama, a man elected to the American presidency owing to his vast experience and proven diplomatic ability, who in spite of apologizing to the entire world for the United States of America, its history, and its people, managed to fall flat on his face during the so-called Arab Spring movement. On the other hand, there is a growing Chinese influence in the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) that is anything but Obama-like. Let’s take a look …

One may recall that the Arab Spring had its beginning when a Tunisian set himself on fire after being harassed by a city official. It has been shaking the Middle East ever since. Three dictators have met their end because of the Arab Spring, but we are not entirely sure this was a good thing. It takes years to record a history.

An Upside Down World

by Sam Huntington

It really is an embarrassment. On the one hand, the federal government identifies certain Islamacist groups as terrorists in federal court, and then classifies these same organizations as “moderates” suitable for Obama’s so-called Moslem Outreach Program. No, this isn’t a communist party problem: both political parties of guilty of this —treason. There has been a long succession of flip-flops, from Clinton to the present bungler. Some of these so-called Moslem moderates were advising our president even as they were being investigated for terrorism.

It begs the question: are we really that stupid? Yes, it’s true. We are now part of a circus managed by clowns. Dangerous clowns.

Back To School Today

The homeschool classes that I teach resume today. 

As a result of the anticipated work load this first week of classes, I am turning over to Sam the management of this blog through Thursday.

This term I am scheduled to teach the following middle-school and high-school courses: World Literature, Advanced Composition, English Grammar, Spanish, Latin, and SAT Verbal Prep.  I also have a heavy schedule of private tutoring and piano lessons this term.  Good-bye, Saturdays!

Labor Day Weekend Humor (With Good-News Addendum)

(If you must have politics, please scroll down)

With a hat tip to Woodsterman:


Have a wonderful and safe Labor Day Weekend! The AOW household will be concentrating on recovering from our recent vacation.

Addendum (some cheerful reading for a change): Good News from Freedom Outpost August 30, 2013.

The Meaning of Words

By Sam Huntington

Not long after the conclusion of French national elections, an American journalist asked a random citizen, “What do you think of the election of a socialist?” The older man replied, “I do not care; I refused to vote.”

The journalist persisted, “Why didn’t you vote?” The man replied, “Because both candidates are imbeciles.”


It is a refreshing insight, is it not? And thanks to the campaign rhetoric of François Hollandé, we understand the mental acuity of those who favor socialism over human liberty. Responding to a journalists question how Monsieur Hollandé’s growth agenda will strengthen the economy of France, he said, “By increasing taxes, of course.”

Of course.

Back From Vacation

AOW in search of peanut soup at King's Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg

First, a heartfelt thanks to my blog partner Sam for taking up the slack here at Always On Watch while Mr. AOW and I took our first vacation since his stroke of September 15, 2009.  We ventured forth in the Crown Vic with Mr. AOW's scooter in the trunk.

An Immoral Monopoly, Part II

by Sam Huntington

"As democracy is perfected, the office of the President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and complete narcissistic moron."

—H.L. Mencken, July 26, 1920

Caturday

(If you must have politics, please scroll down)

An Immoral Monopoly, Part I

by Sam Huntington

Our country today is spiraling into the terrible abyss of perpetual discord. For the past 150 years or so, we divided ourselves into two camps. Democrats evolved from anti-Federalist sentiments, and Republicans who sought to instill the checks and balances of a federalist system of government. By this time, one might think that such matters are long settled—and this would be true were it not for the fact that both political parties continue to redefine what it is they stand for. For the purpose of this discussion, however, what a faction calls itself is less important than how it behaves.

It's Revival Time

A Greater Share

by Sam Huntington

A few weeks ago, CNN blessed us with further examples of journalistic excellence when they suggested that an increase to the minimum wage is absolutely necessary if we love babies. No, I’m not kidding. During a discussion about minimum wage, and why an increase is necessary, someone tossed up a visual that indicated the following: according to a poll, mothers of young children can no longer afford to diaper their children after an accident. Therefore, children are not regularly changed, and this results in increases to kidney infections, and this in turn increases health care costs for everyone.

Consequently, anyone who doesn’t think we should increase the minimum wage hates babies.

—Sigh—

We must have forgotten, or simply refuse to acknowledge the fact that increases in the cost of labor causes upturns in consumer prices. Now of course, while this trend is ultimately inevitable, proven by the fact that it is impossible to purchase a brand new Ford sedan today for $3,800.00, don’t we want to encourage purchases in our present economy, rather than discourage spending?  What is the likelihood that the cost of diapers will rise after passing a mandatory increase to the minimum wage?

Moreover, I am astounded that the cost of diapers is even an issue.  If a young working mother cannot afford the cost of diapers for her infant, should she perhaps re-prioritize her spending?  Here's an idea: given the cost of a carton of cigarettes these days, maybe this distraught mother could stop smoking.  We must also wonder whether the flustered young mother ever considered the cost of babies before one magically appeared on their doorstep ...

I have an alternative suggestion. Rather than increasing the minimum wage by fifteen cents an hour, why not reduce taxes by that same amount? I think if the government doesn’t want to do this, then we can only assume that elected officials and bureaucrats hate babies, who suffer the effects of totalitarian tax policies and are in danger of becoming leftist swine once they achieve maturation.

Better yet, why don’t the rich cats, such as Pelosi and Reid, spend their own personal wealth providing diapers to smoking mothers who never seem to know when to say no?

Our Confession

We do enjoy Kitāb alf laylah wa-laylah

Happy Days Farm

by Sam Huntington

No matter what they call it, one short visit to a nursing home (or assisted living, if you care to butter it up) is enough to convince anyone that this is no way to end their lives. Places like this is where today’s successful 40-somethings take their parents when they no longer wish to be saddled with dementia and incontinence. It is an utterly depressing existence and may help to explain why the suicide rate is so high among individuals 55 years and older.

A neighbor recently put his wife in one of those facilities; the place is a horror, and the story isn’t pleasant. She, 8 years his senior, amassed several hundreds of thousands of dollars over a career in real estate and federal service. Additionally, she is entitled to federal pension and social security payments. He, a highly unsuccessful general contractor, is not even eligible for social security payments; he lives off his wife’s income.

Musical Interlude

(If you must have politics, please scroll down)

With thanks to Freethinke...

"The Walk to the Paradise Garden" by Frederick Delius (1862-1934):



A Song of Summer, also by Frederick Delius (the story behind this piece):

Nincompoopery — And Worse

(Weekend roundup post.   For the definition of nincompoop, see THIS in the Urban Dictionary. Commenters are encouraged to post links that tell of more nincompoopery)

Links to read (more possibly added as the weekend progresses):

Police Murder WWII Veteran

Another executive order: ready for $12/gallon gasoline and $20 a box corn flakes

Vindictive: Now George Zimmerman’s Wife Faces Perjury Charge

Flashback: Oprah Makes False Racism Charges Against Store Before 2005 Movie Release

The hazards of bathing in Neukölln [Germany]

[Reggie] Love: Obama Played Cards During Osama Raid; 'I Can’t Watch This Entire Thing,' Obama Said

Obama-mask clown banned for life from Missouri State Fairs

Obama rodeo stunt leads to sensitivity training for Missouri State Fair clowns

Recommended Reading

See The Media’s Double Standard: Some hate crimes are less hateful than others.

Excerpt below the fold:

Windows Of Cheer

If the video refuses to play, CLICK HERE.

Article: "Colorful murals keep a daughter’s memory alive."

The Running Of The Bulls — Not Restricted To Iberia

(If you must have politics, please scroll down)

The Running of the Bulls — a nine-day event typically associated with Pamplona, Spain, and the Festival of San Fermín, but held elsewhere, too — dates back to at least the 14th Century. Record-keeping about the Pamplona event began in 1910.

Video:

More Serfdom Via ObamaCare

From the New York Times on August 12, 2013:

ObamaCare Doubles The Number Of Jobs

ObamaMath (hat tip to Ron Russell of TOTUS for the graphic below):

Is America moving ever closer to becoming a part time nation?

According to this article in Forbes:

...For every new FT job added to the economy [so far in 2013], there were 4.3 PT jobs added! In most (non-negative) years, the ratio is the reverse: that is, there are typically 5 FT jobs added for every new PT job. Even in 2004—the year with the second-highest ratio during this time-frame–there were 2 FT jobs for every PT job, yielding a ratio of 0.5. Even if growth in PT vs. FT workers reverted to its historic pattern for the balance of 2013, the year’s average monthly ratio still would be four times as large as the 2nd highest ratio from 2004....

Furthermore: Of 953,000 Jobs Created In 2013, 77%, Or 731,000 Are Part-Time.

On the other hand, perhaps ObamaCare will double the number of full-time employees in America: 21 federal agencies working to implement Obamacare.

Musical Interlude

(If you must have politics, please scroll down)

The second movement of Symphony No. 4 in E minor by composer Johannes Brahms and one of my favorite pieces of music:

Nincompoopery — And Worse

(Weekend roundup post.   For the definition of nincompoop, see THIS in the Urban Dictionary. Commenters are encouraged to post links that tell of more nincompoopery)

Links to read (more possibly added as the weekend progresses):

Here's Where President Obama Is Going on Vacation

Car boarding ferry falls into river in Va.

First Lady: Barack's Working to Free Americans from 'Any Form of Public Assistance'

Data Centers in US Double Since 2011

Say "Goodbye!" to the principles of federalism

Quotation Of The Day

From 1389 Blog:

Hello,

I am white, and was taken to USA by my parents as legal immigrants. Never saw a black person till I arrived in USA as a ten year old. Within 3 months, my mother was hit on her head with a blackjack by a black during a robbery, and I was miserable in school , little language and a lot of blacks who like piranha attacked only in groups. The whites were neutered, either acting out and imitating the blacks, or living in fear.

This was so different from the country I moved from that I was shocked. The only kids I could deal with were other recent immigrants, black and white, with a kid who recently arrived from Jamaica being one.. that is until 10th grade when all of a sudden after summer he became ‘racially aware’, returned with his hair in corn rows, pretending he didn’t know me, and calling me cracker. At that point I found a small group of friends and we helped each other survive this hellish experience.

I became a professional, never having the benefit of being of the white race, since my accent and lack of familiarity with baseball or football , and no recruiter ever gave me a wink to let me know that as a fellow member of the white race , I was in like Flynn. No license to oppress ever arrived, but oppression there was, against me. To make a long story short. Twenty five years after I arrived to these shores, I left them , now 5 years ago. No, I didn’t move back to the country I came from. I moved to a country in Asia, a continent where my white skin is not a source of shame but a source of envy by locals who consider it a sign of wealth , since it shows I didn’t spend my days in the sun working on a rice field.

Despite Americans bombing this country , nobody is angry at me , demands reparations of me, assaults me, disrespects me, and I live peacefully with my neighbors despite some people making less than $100/month. I haven’t seen an angry black or latino in years, and it feels sooooo good to be able to walk the streets free of flash-mobs, or packs of black piranhas on the prowl for a cracker to crunch. My only regret was not leaving America sooner to the insane , self-loathing, liberal progressive liars and their multicultural sheeple.

Nick

Is Nick's assessment more accurate that we Americans would like it to be?

Ample Proof

By Sam Huntington

It is impossible to have confidence in our federal government when it exhibits such incompetence and inefficiency on a daily basis. This week’s charade is the farce perpetrated by John Kerry, suggesting forward movement in the development of accords between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

In the first instance, we should refrain from telling everyone that there has been a resumption of peace talks when in fact there has never been any credible effort, by either side, to achieve peace. This latest episode offers no harbinger of good news, especially since one cannot have a diplomatic assembly when none of the rudimentary structures for negotiation even exist. All we have ever done is to guarantee both sides of the table there is more US money in the offing if they just hold out a little longer.

A History Lesson

Worth your time, so please watch (hat tip to Infidel Bloggers Alliance):


THE NAZIS AND THE PALESTINIAN MOVEMENT from FACESHIRHOME on Vimeo.

Know Islam, no peace.

The Washington Monument

(If you must have politics, please scroll down)

After a 2011 earthquake damaged the Washington Monument, scaffolding was erected.   On July 8, 2013, the scaffolding was illuminated.

This might be a good idea for a longer period of time:

The American Economy

Is it any wonder that our economy is stalled?

Look at the drop in disposable income (hat tip to Frankenstein Government)?

Until there is disposable income that can be spent so as to drive the economy, America will remain in the doldrums.

Also consider THIS, which recently appeared in the Associated Press: "4 in 5 in US face near-poverty, no work."

Ignore the reality at your own peril!

Meanwhile, Obama's cheery words are, at best, delusional.

This is the reality set to music (and also includes commentary regarding the recent worldwide terror alert):

The Sounds Of Summer

(If you must have politics, please scroll down)

Do certain sounds of nature bring back memories for you?

My own memories associated with this sound include the realization that the seasonal swimming days are coming to an end and that the heat and humidity are the most unbearable when these bugs sing.  The lazy, hazy days of summer — when the water in the swimming pool is like bath water!

The Scissors Grinder Cicada (Tibicen pruinosa):


Cicadas are sometimes called jar flies or dog days cicadas.

Nincompoopery — And Worse

(Weekend roundup post.   For the definition of nincompoop, see THIS in the Urban Dictionary. Commenters are encouraged to post links that tell of more nincompoopery)

Links to read (more possibly added as the weekend progresses):

IRS head: ‘I don’t want your stinkin Obamacare’ – Congress gets waiver

Hill gets Obamacare fix ["Some animals are more equal than others" - Orwell's Animal Farm]

NSA Project X-Keyscore Collects Nearly Everything You Do On The Internet [via username, no warrant required]

Obama Promises, Including Whistleblower Protections, Disappear From Website

NY food stamp recipients are shipping welfare-funded groceries to relatives in...other countries

ABC News Accused of Dishonestly Editing Zimmerman Juror to Take 'Got Away With Murder' Out of Context

EVERYTHING IS RACISM: American Idol Losers Say Judges Booted Them Because They Were Black, File $25M Suit

Pay attention! Obama is promoting civil unrest (video)

4th Trimester Abortion

George Mason University

At George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, we see the result of the slippery slope of Roe v. Wade and astounding ignorance from young adults:


Article HERE at Campus Reform.  If you have time, you might want to read some of the comments. Priceless!

Programs of study at George Mason University.

Back in the day, I attended George Mason.  When I graduated, George Mason College of the University of Virginia was in transition to becoming a university unaffiliated with UVa, so I had the option of a GMU degree or a UVa degree.  I opted for the latter.  I have to wonder, however, what kind of results this petition peddler would receive on the campus of UVa.  UVa offers pre-med courses.

Alive and well: Leftist Education

by Sam Huntington

Is there any evidence that leftist/communist/racists have overtaken our public schools?  Oh, I’m sure that isn’t true …

But I did stumble upon an interesting blog post on this topic at The Hairpin, entitled “Teaching Trayvon.”  No, it isn’t about teaching Ebonics; it’s about … well, here, I’ll let you read it for yourself:

“Another way to approach it could talk about vigilantes.  Think about the scene in To Kill a Mockingbird when the mob comes to the courthouse for Tom.  Also many of Faulkner’s short stories discuss mobs out for justice.”

Yes, indeed—that’s almost exactly what happened in the Trayvon Martin Mixed Martial Arts while high on dank assault on George Zimmerman.  But wait—it get’s even better:

“The thing is, I see Trayvon Martins everyday.  They are in my classrooms and in my neighborhood.  I worry about young black men and their prospects in a world where a man is able to kill one without being convicted of something.  Even if it isn't as simple as that, kids will see it that way.  Rednecks are holding their heads a little higher and tapping the guns on their holsters eager for a stand your ground moment.  That is what scares me most.

“I try to teach for social justice in a state where the poor are carrying the biggest tax burdens and often the victims of injustice.  Poverty motivates some people to try harder, a small group to resort to criminal activity, a large portion just try to make it and live under the radar, and it leads some to give up.  I try to encourage kids to do the most with their gifts and live life with integrity.  Stories like this makes work more difficult because it makes kids lose hope.”

Well, thank goodness for quality in education.  We are all no doubt wondering how on earth this teacher ever received his or her Alabama teaching certificate in the core subject area of English.  But none of us should doubt for even one second that he or she will one day be recognized as a teacher of the year, and maybe even become a high school principal or president of the NAACP.