Ed Morrisey of Hot Air points out that 80,000 jobs were created in June while 85,000 people left the workforce that month to enroll in the Social Security Disability Insurance Program. He notes that 3.1 million workers signed up for disability benefits since June 2009.
An aside: I heard a radio news report saying that the June job growth was “unexpectedly” low.
Answer me Grasshopper: Can what is always less than expected be unexpected?
Due to an infestation of bee mites and white moths, there will not be a “honey harvest” at the Historic Grange Estate this summer.
However, the Grange beekeepers will hold a “Bee Demonstration,” 1 p.m., July 21, that will include the six new hives — two Russian and four Carniolan hives — recently built and relocated on the property, a visit to the “bee house” to see the tools and clothing used by the beekeepers and observing live bees in a plexiglass box to see how they operate in the hive.
For questions or more information, call the Grange office at 610-446-4958 or e-mail grangeest@verizon.net.
A doctor had his TV on in his office when the news of the military base shootings at Ft. Hood, TX came on. The husband of one of his employees was stationed there.
He called her into his office and as he told her what had happened, she got a text message from her husband saying, “I am okay.” Her cell phone rang right after she read the message. It was an ER nurse, Im the one who just sent you a text, not your husband.
I thought it would be comforting but I was mistaken in doing so. I am sorry to tell you this, but your husband has been shot 4 times and he is in surgery.”
The soldier’s wife left Southern Clinic in Dothan, AL and drove all night to Ft.Hood. When she arrived, she found out her husband was out of surgery and would be OK. She rushed to his room and found that he already had two visitors there to comfort him.
He was just waking up and found his wife and the visitors by his side. The nurse took this picture:
What? No news crews and cameras? This is how people with class respond and pay respect to those in uniform.
I sent my cousin in Fayetteville , N.C. (Retired from Special Forces) that picture of Geo. W. visiting the wounded at Ft. Hood . I got this reply:
What is even better is the fact George W. Bush heard about Fort Hood, got in his car without any escort, apparently they did not have time to react, and drove to Fort Hood. He was stopped at the gate and the guard could not believe who he had just stopped. Bush only asks for directions to the hospital then drove on. The gate guard called that “The President is on Fort Hood and driving to the hospital.”
The base went bananas looking for Obama. When they found it was Bush, they immediately offered escort. Bush simply told them it was okay and to let him visit the wounded and the dependents of the dead.
He stayed at Fort Hood for over six hours, and was finally asked to leave by a message from the White House.
Obama flew in days later and held a “photo opportunity” session in a gym, and did not even go to the hospital.
This Bush/Obama/Ft.Hood story is something that should be sent to every voter in the US . Those who wanted “change”. You certainly got it.
Jim Vanore of Good Writers Block has written an excellent article on bullying. Here’s an excerpt:
Bullying seems to presently be our culture’s “cause da jour.” Barely a week goes by without someone writing a book about this problem or starting a charity to combat its consequences. And that’s admirable. As far as it goes.
But as is the case with so many of our difficulties, no one I’ve heard thus far is attacking the root cause. If this is a cultural malady, then there’s something festering in our culture. That fester needs more than a Band-Aid. It needs an antibiotic.
Bullying has always been prevalent. But why does it seem so much more common today? Well, I’m going to blame the same culprit that I see as having a bad influence on most of our society—Television, or more broadly: what passes for entertainment today.
Watch most any sit-com long enough and there will be an episode wherein there is an attempt to joke about some poor young soul having to systematically give up his lunch money to the school thug. Anyone who’s ever been in that position knows that’s not funny.
But what do you expect when children rule the roost? That’s exactly what has happened. Before the 1960s, most bullies were eventually dealt with sternly by the adults in their lives: their parents, their teachers, their neighbors…and even some of their victims. Now, sternness (however deserved) of any degree is interpreted as brutality.
There is an episode of the old Dick VanDyke show, that could never be aired today. It’s episode 20 of the first season, broadcast February 7, 1962, and entitled, “A Word A Day.”
Dick asks a clergyman how his father disciplined him as a child, and the clergyman answers, “With an understanding smile and a rap in the mouth.” The line got a big laugh—back in 1962.
It has developed the “deskless” office which is being pioneered at its Philly area facilities.
The plan is to make cubicles a thing of the past. The floor plan is open with floor-to-ceiling windows and features angled tables and shared workstations for collaboration. Just plug your laptop into one of the monitors. Each employee, by the way, gets a laptop with a built in phone. There are glass-walled rooms for ad hoc meetings, and special no-talking zones.
There is not even an office for U.S. chief Deirdre Connelly.
Employees get lockers for personal possessions.
The company says there has been a 45 percent increase in the speed of decision making.
HB 254 allowing red light cameras to be used outside Philadelphia has become law and is now Act 84.
The cameras require that PennDOT approve their installation and the signals must have warning signs that cameras have been installed. The cameras are prohibited from being used to take frontal shots and the system must be “incapable of automated or user-controlled remote intersection surveillance.”
Records will be destroyed 30 days after final disposition of cases.
The law also prohibits the display of license plates in which they are obscured from red light cameras and makes changes to the learner’s permit process regarding motorcycles and declaring that “submission of a certification for (a leaner’s permit) shall not subject the parent, guardian, person in loco parentis or spouse of a married minor to any liability based upon the certification.”
The Philadelphia Inquirer on Independence Day carried on its ever-less-read front page a story proclaiming “Voters Without PennDot ID: 9.2%”
It noted 750,000 registered voters in the state did not have driver’s licenses or other approved photo identification required for voting this November.
Now, some will say “That’s horrible! Three-quarters of a million people have been disenfranchised!! For Shame!
Others, however, will point out that dead people can’t drive.
Don Adams presents a gift to Pam Geller. At the podium is Teri Adams.
Tea Party Movement Alive In Philly — Teri and Don Adams of the Independence Hall Tea Party Association (IHTPA) had another Independence Day triumph before a maximum occupancy crowd of at least 300 at the Independence Visitors Center Ballroom across Market Street from Independence Hall.
The group has held Fourth of July events at Independence Mall featuring nationally known speakers for four straight years. It was moved inside this time due to forecasts of near 100 degree heat and thunderstorms.
This year’s keynoter was the oft-vilified, always underestimated and near heroic Pamela Geller of the Freedom Defense Initiative.
Ms. Geller, a human rights activist, noted that while she is accused of being anti-Muslim, had no problem with Muslims. She said, however, she had a problem with Sharia Law and its demeaning treatment of women and religious minorities. She said she welcomed Muslims coming to America to escape the oppressive law.
Ms. Geller said that the struggle facing this generation is an old one between those who believe in the autonomy of the individual and those who believe in the supremacy of the state. This is why the left usually finds itself on the same side as Islam, she explained, a matter that sometimes confuses the right.
She said that the fight against Sharia is no different than the fight against communism or Nazis, a name that she pointedly noted stood for National Socialism.
Ms. Geller said the Sharia supporters are making surprising inroads into our nation and culture. Islamic leaders shamelessly defend female genital mutilation here, she said. She stressed the importance of voting out President Obama this November, under whose watch moderate Islamic nations have fallen to Sharia throughout the Mideast and who did not lift a finger to help courageous pro-liberty supporters in Iran.
She said Obama has been a strong supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, support which was instrumental in their takeover of Egypt.
Ms. Geller said that the establishment media is a tool of the left and is effective in marginalizing conservative’s best spokespeople specifically citing Sarah Palin. She said too often the conservatives abandon them when this happens and that conservatives must learn to stick with those who have been knocked down.
Emcee duties were handled flawlessly by Ms. Adams and the flow was kept moving smoothly by presenters WHPT talk show host Dom Giordano and WDEL talks show host Rick Jensen. Jensen pointed out that 40 percent of self-proclaimed conservatives did not vote in 2008, and that the nation couldn’t afford them sitting out again.
Sher Valenzuela, who is Delaware’s Businesswoman of the year and is the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor of that state, described the tragedy to come if Obamacare is not repealed. She said that her son was diagnosed with autism and was told he would never be able to read or write. She and her husband began a second job to raise the money so he could be treated by a specialist. The boy is now a freshman at the University of Delaware. She was emphatic that that could not have happened if the new law was in existence at the time.
Brandon Posner, the chairman of the Bucks County Teenage Republicans and the grandson of refugees from Castro’s Cuba, described the importance of freedom and the American ideal. The poise shown by someone who had just ended his sophomore year at CB East High School was remarkable.
The 2012 Patriot of the Year award was bestowed on Ryan Manion Borke of the Travis Manion Foundation. A prior commitment kept Borke from attending. The award was presented by Giordano on behalf of the late Joey Vento who was last year’s winner.
The presentation of awards by prior winners has become an event tradition.
The 2012 Betsy Ross Activist of the Year Delaware Award was presented by Kristen Sherman of Founders Values to John Radell of Faith and Freedom of Delaware.
The 2012 Besty Ross Activist of the Year New Jersey Award was presented by Bill Miller of Project Shining City to Cort Rosholt of the IHTPA.
There were two Betsy Ross awards given to Pennsylvanians. Carol Klein of numerous groups presented one to Lin DeCesare of the IHTPA and Saturday Morning in America. The other was presented by Phil Schieber of the IHTPA to Lisa Esler of the Delaware County Patriots, who is also a member of the Penn Delco School Board. Ms. Esler also played an instrumental role in Rogers Howard’s primary challenge to Dominic Pileggi in 9th District State Senate race.
The George Washington Leadership Award was presented by Carol Klein, Teri Adams, Sharon Cherubin to Rich Davis of American Sheepdogs whose successful efforts to lead a counter protest against anti-military demonstrators in West Chester that greatly helped the morale of returning veterans and their families.
Also speaking at times were Ms. Adams and Rick Eckert of the IHTPA. The invocation was given by Rev. Jesse W. Woods Jr., associate minister of the 2nd Baptist Church of Germantown. Music was provided by the 286 Band
The formalities ended with a panel discussion about how to defeat Obamacare presented by Don Adams; moderated by Gary R’nel of WPHT; and featuring Dr. Ed Turzanski of the Foreign Policy Research Institute; Arvin Cabali, M.D., of Docs for Patient Care, Pennsylvania; attorney Matt Rooney of SaveNewJerse.com; Mark A. Young, M.D. of Physicians for Palin; Sgt. Robert Mansfield (ret), Iraq War veteran and the Republican congressional candidate for Pennsylvania’s 2nd District; and Rick Jensen.
An expected counter protest by Occupy Wall Street fizzled in the sizzle. Some signs were held up during the city’s Fourth of July Parade down Market Street preceding the event. A handful of unwashed types with duffle bags were seen lounging on the lawn of the Mall, although they denied being with OWS when asked and expressed concern that the asker was with the police.
This fellow said he was not a member of Occupy Wall Street but said he came down to join their protest. He found himself trapped on the south side of Market Street during the parade, while most of the other sign holders were on the north side. His signs, which were made from pizza boxes, say “End The NWO New World Order” and God’s Voice Not Man’s Voice”.
