Islamic Mosque Near Ground Zero

We must not fool ourselves in the true intent of this "religious" mosque. If it is built at this location, at some point it should come down. As an American senior student of Islam, I have concluded that just as in Germany, Italy, Japan, the Balkans, Somalia, Pakistan, India, Iran, etc., most of the citizenry did not nor do they want war. Nor do they want the destruction of certain ethnic groups. But the radical elements, though much smaller in numbers, seize power through forcing their ideology on the largely unsuspecting and sometimes fearful inhabitants of these countries.

Among the dozens of books I have read is a book of "real" fiction; "American Taliban" by by Pearl Abraham that is best described in the cover as 'provocative, unsettling' in describing how a typical upper-middle class family became snared by the forces of history, politics and faith and whose son finds his destination in Islam destructive web.

As liberal Columnist Leonard Pitts writes on November 12, 2009, "Not fair to judge U.S. Muslims by Nidal Hasan, the Ft. Hood Killer", it is not fair to believe that all Muslims believe in the writings in the Quran such as 'O ye who believed! Take not the Jews and Christians as friends. They are friends to one another. He among you who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Lo! Allah guideth not wrongdoers.' Pickthall translation, Quran 5:51 and "Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that what Allah has forbidden by his messenger, and follow not the religion of truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low' (9.29).

Islam preaches an intolerance of non-believers. My grandson, who is in the Armed Forces and has served in the Middle East says most Muslims will smile at you but beneath the surface, they do not like non-believers. Of course, not liking and killing non-believers is a gap bridged by millions of radicals of Islamic faith.

All countries have native born radicals. We moderates do not tolerate them and take action to remove them from our street without nearly enough success. We rail against their cowardly actions.

I have blogged "What's Happening in the Muslim World," 2/01/08 and "Geert Wilders Trial", 2/19/10. I refer you to hundreds of articles such as about the terrorist Yousesf who is quoted as saying, "The problem is not in Muslims," "The problem is with their God. He is their biggest enemy. It has been 1400 years they have been lied to."

On July 10, 2007, R. James Woolsey, then Co-chair of the Committee on Present Danger, Director of Intelligence from 1993-5 and Nina Shea, then director of the Center for Religious Freedom of the Hudson Institute, wrote in the WSJ, "What about Muslim Moderates?' Yes, what about them? We hear from them far to seldom and without much conviction despite the liberal press in this county. Yes, what about the Muslim Brotherhood whose motto is "Allah is our objective, the Prophet is our leader, the Koran is our law, jihad is our way, dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope."

Mixed up Priorities in the U.S.

Forwarded to me by a friend.

Real news



Lindsay Lohan, 24, gets her name and face all over the news because she went to jail.



Justin Allen, 23, Brett Linley, 29, Matthew Weikert, 29, Justus Bartett, 27, Dave Santos, 21, Chase Stanley, 21, Jesse Reed, 26,Matthew Johnson, 21, Zachary Fisher, 24, Brandon King, 23, Christopher Goeke, 23, and Sheldon Tate, 27, are all Marines that gave their lives for YOU this week. Honor THEM by forwarding this.

Obama Propagandist - Keith Olbermann

I listen to him just to see how crazy this guy is. A couple of years ago I blogged that he would have made a good propagandist for the Nazi regime. My opinion hasn't changed. No, I don't read or listen to Rush, either.

Find more about his nuttiness by emailing THeditor@TownHallmail.org and Membership@MyHeritage.org

Stephanie Aaron is Back in the Area

Hey there everyone -
Hope you are all keeping cool as we round the last lap of summer. It's hot as blazes up here in Chicago, but we're moving the heat downstate as I join Larry Harms for what will be my last regularly scheduled appearances in Central Illinois for awhile. Don't miss me with the Larry Harms Trio at Basta O'Neill's Restaurant on Cummings Lane in Washington this Thursday, August 5 from 6 - 9pm - we love this place with its great food and wonderful people. On Friday, August 6, I will be at the Contemporary Arts Center on Water Street from 5:30 - 7:30 in Peoria...this will be a very special night for Larry and me as we get back to basics with some duo work, plus we're bringing along some of our old and dear friends that we started out with! Bring a nice bottle of wine with you, maybe some cheese and crackers, some friends, etc. This is going to be a lovely evening and we want to pack the house. On Saturday, August 7, we'll hit Swinger's Grille in Bloomington from 8 - 11pm - we want to make sure we don't leave out our Twin Cities fans! Again, I won't be scheduling regular gigs outside of Chicago in the immediate future, so don't miss this chance to come and hang out and swing with me!! Over the next few months I'll be working on my next recording and revamping my website, pictures, and gigs, so make sure you bookmark my website (www.stephanieaaron.com) and check in with me to see what's happening.
Hope to see you all this weekend!!
~Stephanie

The Governor of Arizona is SO RIGHT

Forwarded to me by a friend. I wouldn't walk accross the street to see those over paid, mostly non-voting, jocks play.

The owner of the Phoenix Suns basketball team, Robert Sarver, opposes AZ's new immigration laws. Arizona's Governor, Jan Brewer, released the following statement in response to Sarver's criticism of the new law:

"What if the owners of the Suns discovered that hordes of people were sneaking into games without paying? What if they had a good idea who the gate-crashers are, but the ushers and security personnel were not allowed to ask these folks to produce their ticket stubs, thus non-paying attendees couldn't be ejected. Furthermore, what if Suns' ownership was expected to provide those who sneaked in with complimentary eats and drink? And what if, on those days when a gate-crasher became ill or injured, the Suns had to provide free medical care and shelter?" -Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer

News Media Sources - Three of the Best

Wall Street Journal - my top source of information
Fox news medias
Newsmax.com

All conservative to offset the liberal and left-wing press.

An Educators Attack on Our American Capitalistic System

As of 2004, there were over 7,000,000, that’s seven million corporations in the U.S.A. and if they were all run like the public school system, they would all be bankrupt. I allow this letter on my blog site to show how well educated people like Jerry Becker have empathy for the populist bent that is destroying a large part of the educational system in this country. Or maybe Dr. Becker is just publishing another teacher's opinion.

Yes, I agree, that many large Corporations had and have boards made up of "good old boys and girls" but what would one expect out of 7 millions corporate businesses? Most anyone also realizes that many school boards make decisions that are detrimental to our system. But many of these board members are elected because better qualified people do not want to put their established reputations attacked by unqualified journalists and liberal editorial boards. Unfortunately, people are elected who are not qualified to run large school systems. Especially in non-community based schools like School District #150 in Peoria.

This 28 year union member teacher, tries to defend the promotion by seniority that seldom works in more than 7 million corporations in this country, many of these corporations being small businesses and not at all like the few large corporations that sometimes abuse the system. He tries to defend the ugly, lengthy and costly legal process to fire teachers. A system that allows many teachers who should not be teaching others to make more money every year and accumulate more retirement and health care benefits.

He is absolutely opposed to incentives which are the backbone of the private sector. The private sector overall does not support tenure nor promote on tenure. They do support performance and loyalty as long as economic conditions permit. That some large corporations with "tort" CEO's went bankrupt for failing to perform. Hand picked boards failed to ask the right questions yet picked up their "tort" pay. But to brand the more than 7 million corporations and their boards; most of them do not have boards, as incompetent is extreme populism and ignorance. This man taught kids for 28 years. No wonder this country IS on a downward slant to socialism.

Since much of the problems in society, both public and private, are the result of incompetent but well meaning Board of Directors. The question here is how to correct the public school system, the foremost priority of all communities. Here is an idea that I've pointed out in numerous blogs:

Elected school boards should be small, maybe as few as three. If three was the number decided by a volunteer committee, redistricting would be necessary to allow all of the citizens to be represented. The positions should be full time and and elected board members must be well paid. They should each have a small office and share a common secretary. Elected terms should be 3 years with a 9 year limit of consecutive service. Three years after the first election, one board member must leave the board; I suggest that member be the one who drew the least number of votes. This would leave two experienced members on the board. In the sixth year or 2nd election; possibly by lottery or least number of votes, a six year or 2nd term member must leave the board and a new member elected. This process would then continue with 2 experienced board member serving at election time. This system would allow new talent to come aboard. Any board member could re-run for office three years after completion of their elected term.

Under no circumstances should this board hire an educator to administrate systems the size of Peoria with a budget over $150 million. Look what education administrators have done to Peoria Public School District #150 financial system and business administration. Superintendents must have a background based on business administration, marketing and finance. Educators would be hired as Associate Administrators.

The current system in Peoria School District #150 elects school board members to 5 year terms with no pay, no office, and with little secretarial help. The new system would allow a member to serve as long as nine years but that member could be removed as could any elected official in the public sector who fails to perform as per contract. Public officials in say, Peoria County or City, can be voted out of office so admittedly there is only job security for the term for which they were elected.

These high paying positions would attract a better quality of board members. This is no insult to current board members or superintendents. The current system in place for a couple of centurys must be changed similar to the change made in D.C This system established a couple of years ago appears to be working as best it can under extremely difficult conditions.

A volunteer committee appointed by the Mayor would oversee the whole system and would appoint someone to fill the unexpired term of any board member leaving their elected position before their term of office was completed. This committee would also be composed of rotating members to here again bring fresh ideas to the system.

Sounds impossible to change laws and systems because resistance to change? Sure, but better to try some well thought out and planned changes than to continue on our path to mediocrity. Change has to start with new ideas. Has this country run out of innovation in our public sector as some intellects believe?

Here is the widely circulated letter.

Merle

----- Original Message -----
From: Jerry Becker
To: JERRY-P-BECKER-USA-L@listserv.siu.edu
Sent: Monday, July 19, 2010 12:59 PM
Subject: Corporate Criticism of Teacher Pay Is Sheer Hypocrisy


*************************
From Education Week [American Education's Newspaper of Record], Monday, July 19, 2010. See http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/walt_gardners_reality_check/2010/07/corporate_criticism_of_teacher_pay_is_hypocrisy.html
*************************
Corporate Criticism of Teacher Pay Is Sheer Hypocrisy

By Walt Gardner


Corporate leaders have repeatedly demanded that teachers be paid strictly on the basis of the performance of their students because that's how the "real world" works. Yet even when they miss their goals, top executives continue to receive fat paychecks, including generous bonuses. Curiously, this double standard is given short shrift in the debate over school reform.

In the summer and fall of 2007, the Securities and Exchange Commission sent letters to 350 corporations to gather information about how executive pay is determined. The SEC expected full cooperation in light of of public anger over the issue. But instead, it had to send second letters to a majority of the same companies because of the unsatisfactory replies it received. Their lackadaisical response raised some eyebrows at the time, but nothing much beyond that reaction. What has emerged since then, however, is a three-part pattern of hypocrisy about corporate remuneration that can no longer be ignored.

First, corporate leaders reluctantly admit there are unquantifiable elements that determine their individual compensation packages. This, of course, is precisely what teachers have maintained all along about teaching. But teachers are accused of making excuses when they argue that non-cognitive outcomes, for example, are not as easily measured as numeracy and literacy.

Second, the same corporate leaders claim that linking their remuneration to earnings and stock prices would force them to excessively focus on short-term results, which are bad for stockholders. But when teachers say that judging their effectiveness disproportionately on standardized test scores would be bad for students because this metric narrows the curriculum and turns classrooms into test preparation factories, their claim is met with utter disdain.

Third, corporate leaders finally play their trump card. They huff that they can be ultimately fired when they don't deliver, whereas public school teachers cannot because of union rules. What they don't admit, however, is that in the boardroom, symbiosis exists on a scale rarely seen elsewhere. As a result, it's the exception, rather than the rule, that ineffectiveness leads to dismissal.

Here's why: the pay of the CEO is set by the board of directors - usually the compensation committee. Although the directors are elected by the stockholders via proxies, most are not returned. Therefore, the board is chosen essentially by the CEO. Once directors are on the board, they don't leave. Why should they? They get handsome pay for sitting in meetings, generous insurance, and a comfortable pension. Moreover, they fly on private jets to luxury resorts to attend conferences. Even if a CEO is finally fired by the board, he/she can walk away in one year with more money than 50 teachers earn in a lifetime. It's not called a golden parachute for nothing. As Mel Brooks quipped in The History of the World, "It's good to be the king."

Stockholders, of course, are free to turn to the courts for a remedy, but the odds are stacked against them. Big business has deep pockets and wears down plaintiffs. Yet the same coddled executives are quick to attack teachers unions for trying to protect their members' right of due process. It's enough to make any fair-minded person sick.
---------------------------
PHOTO SIDEBAR: Walt Gardner taught for 28 years in the Los Angeles Unified School District and was a lecturer in the UCLA Graduate School of Education.
*******************************************
--

Yes, May God Bless Our Troops

Forwarded to me by a friend.

Merle

*When the Music Stopped...*


When the Music Stopped...
(For those who are unaware: At all military base theaters, the National Anthem is played before the movie begins.)

This is written from a Chaplain in Iraq :

I recently attended a showing of 'Superman 3' here at
LSA Anaconda. We have a large auditorium we use for movies, as well as memorial services and other large gatherings. As is the custom at all military bases, we stood to attention when the National Anthem began before the main feature. All was going well until three-quarters of the way through The National Anthem, the music stopped.

Now, what would happen if this occurred with 1,000 18-22
year-olds back in the States? I imagine there would be
hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude comments, and everyone would sit down and yell for the movie to begin. Of course, that is, if they had stood for the National Anthem in the first place.



Here in Iraq, 1,000 Soldiers continued to stand at attention,
eyes fixed forward. The music started again and the Soldiers continued to quietly stand at attention. But again, at the same point, the music stopped. What would you expect 1000 Soldiers standing at attention to do?? Frankly, I expected some laughter, and everyone would eventually sit down and wait for the movie to start.



But No!!... You could have heard a pin drop, while every
Soldier continued to stand at attention.

Suddenly,there was a lone voice from the front of the auditorium, then a dozen voices, and soon the room was filled with the voices of a thousand soldiers, finishing where the recording left off: *"And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave, o'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave."*

It was the most inspiring moment I have had in Iraq and I wanted you to know what kind of Soldiers are serving you.
Remember them as they fight for us!

Pass this along as a reminder to others to be ever in prayer for all our soldiers serving us here at home and abroad. Many have already paid the ultimate price.

Written by Chaplain Jim Higgins.
LSA Anaconda is at the Ballad Airport in Iraq , north of Baghdad.

Please share only if you are so inclined.
God Bless America and all of our troops serving through out the world.

--

Bill Spears is Right On

Councilman Bill Spears, in citing a constituents email to him suggesting elected officials eliminate Department heads from the city budget said, "They (the emailer) have at least come up with an alternate of keeping $1 million." Spears made his comments while Public Works Director David Barber was at the podium. "Maybe we should look at that instead." (Been paying attention to the sorry condition of so many city streets or are you so worried about the economy and a job or your job that he bumps are just another series of bad bounces for us in these times of Obama's 'Change'?)

Evidently the Sharp of the JS, did not completely cover the City Council meeting as Sharp said "he didn't return a phone call for comment".

Union workers need not worry about their jobs, if they are competent, as the private sector has to use union or at least prevailing wages on all public works. They might have to work a little harder, more efficient and a little quicker in the for-profit private sector.

After serving most of my life in the private sector and then moving into the slow and OPM public sector, I say Bill is right on. We could do the same in the County and never miss a beat. After all, Peoria County offered voluntary early retirement with other incentives to County employees and 73 accepted. As far as I have heard, the public continued to be served. (that's what we are supposed to be there to do)

How can that be? Did we have more employees than we needed? Do we have more elected officials and department heads then we need. Probably so. Is our job as elected officials to hire and guarantee public jobs no matter what indignities the private sector is suffering? If not, explain how we are still functioning without myself as an elected County Board Member never receiving a complaint? Sorry, we did. Bobby Spears indicated he was short but we rewarded his department combined with others $6+ million of more in new software, etc.

Anyway the WSJ ran an article today about how cities are turning to the privatize some of their activities. All I can say, is way to go and that may even come to pass in heavily unionized Peoria.

Coffee Filters - Lots of Creative Minds Out There

Forwarded to me by a new friend. We need to elect these innovative thinkers to public office.

Merle

Better than paper towels, and a lot less expensive...

COFFEE FILTERS

Coffee filters .... Who knew?!? And you can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Tree for almost nothing; even the large ones.

1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.

2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome.... Coffee filters are lint-free, so they'll leave windows sparkling.

3. Protect China by separating your good dishes with a coffee filter between each dish.

4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.

5.. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.

6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.

7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.

8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.

9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.

10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.

11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.

12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters..

13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. It soaks out all the grease.

14. Keep in the bathroom. They make great "razor nick fixers."

15. As a sewing backing. Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliqueing soft fabrics.

16. Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors.

17. Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in to put in soups and stews.

18. Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car.

19. Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small counter spills.

20. Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting a piece of fruit or veggies .... saves on having extra bowls to wash.

21. Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage.

22. Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.

23. Use them to sprout seeds. Simply dampen the coffee filter, place seeds inside, fold it and place it into a plastic baggie until they sprout.

24. Use coffee filters as blotting paper for pressed flowers. Place the flowers between two coffee filters and put the coffee filters in phone book.

25. Use as a disposable "snack bowl" for popcorn, chips, etc.

Obama's "Audacity of Bull Crap"

He came, he saw, he spent
By Henry Payne / The Michigan View
In the latest stop on his “Recovery Summer” tour, rock star President Barack Obama landed in Holland, Michigan Thursday, insulted its congressman, handed American stimulus dollars to a Korean corporation, and proclaimed Obamanomics a success even as Michigan has lost 94,000 jobs since his Recovery Act was enacted.

All in all, another day in the life of an increasingly unpopular president who seems to be living in an alternative universe.

That universe insists that government is the source of jobs, and so Obama was in Western Michigan to declare another victory in Washington’s mission to create a new green economy.

But the green economy looks like a lot of green for the well-connected. The president handed $150 million in stimulus money over to Korean CEO Peter Bahnsuk Kim of LG Chem. LG Chem is an $11 billion Korean conglomerate that hardly seems a candidate for the American Recovery Act. No wonder the program is so unpopular.

Accompanying Obama was Governor Jennifer Granholm - Obama praised her as “one of the best governors in America” even as she presides over the nation’s second highest unemployment rate – who has been complaining that Washington Republicans are denying her the $500 million in stimulus money she needs to plug Michigan’s Medicaid budget hole. So here she was in West Michigan celebrating $150 million for Corporate Korea. Huh?

Obama said his benevolence would create 300 jobs in Holland – but that’s $500,000 per job. At least it’s a bargain compared to the $ $1.25 million per job Obama spent on two solar companies in Arizona over the July 4 weekend.

The president cheered that LG Chem batteries will go into GM’s electric plug-in Chevy Volt "so when you buy one of these vehicles, it will be stamped 'Made in America.’” But precious few Americans will buy the $40,000 Volt (that’s BMW 3-series sticker territory) as they are targeted at well-healed consumers making over $100,00 a year in places Silicon Valley.

West Michigan is suffering 12 percent unemployment yet President “Audacity of Hope” had the audacity to suggest that the stimulus “efforts we took we are no longer bleeding jobs." In fact, since his $1 trillion Recovery Act was passed a year ago, Michigan has lost nearly 100,000 jobs.

Obama couldn’t even get his manners right. Ever the partisan, he took a shot at his host, Holland Congressional representative Pete Hoekstra who was in the audience. Despite opposing the Recovery Act, Hoekstra attended the ground-breaking ceremony, he told The View, “out of respect for the office of president.”

The respect was not returned. "Some made the political calculation that it's better to obstruct than to lend a hand,” sneered Obama at the end of his remarks. “Now that doesn't stop them from being at ribbon cuttings, but that's OK."

And then the president jumped in his 10 mpg Caddy limo and headed to the next stop on his tour to transform what Americans drive.

Henry Payne is editor of The Michigan View

GoGo Arizona

Copied from a friend's email to me.

Merle

I'm a legal American citizen and I must show my ID when:


1. Pulled over by the police.

2. Making purchases on my department store credit card.

3. When I show up for a doctor's appointment.
4. When filling out a credit card or loan application.
5. When applying for or renewing a driver's license or passport.
6. When applying for any kind of insurance.
7. When filling out college applications.
8. When donating blood.
9. When obtaining certain prescription drugs.

10. When making some debit purchases, especially

if I'm out of state.

11. When collecting a boarding pass for airline or train travel.

I am sure there are more instances, but the point is that we citizens of the USA are required to prove who we are nearly every day. Why should people in this country illegally, be exempt?

Why shouldn't we guard our borders as closely as every other country in the world does?

Widmer says, of course most of us know why. Low pay, unattractive jobs need USA citizens workers who will work; we have them in this country but they don't want to do labor, and the other major reason is the Democrats need more uneducated voters.