Iran

I've been following the Iran upraising for the past couple of days. At first I would almost get goosebumps hearing about what the people in Iran were doing. I've been wondering though, what the differences are between I'mADinnerJacket (the current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) and Mir Hossein Mousavi. From what I gather the only real difference is that Mir Hossein Mousavi is (or so he says) for more women's rights. The interviews I've seen of Iranians living here and giving interviews agree with the Islamic Rule over the land, they just disagree with the name of the person representing them. Which is by all means reason to protest, but is it reason enough for the U.S. to get involved any more than we have?

Hubby mentioned, and it seems to be agreed by the press that I'mADinnerJacket and Mousavi share the same basic principles and values. They have both worked for the Ayatollah freely. Seems Mousavi is in a great position to keep the people riled up and stage a takeover of the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Sounds great from a people point of view right? The problem is that it's the same regime. Only the names change. Just because Mousavi doesn't say death to America doesn't mean he doesn't think it, ya know? If I'm right and this Mousavi guy gets all the power what will that be like? I hope I'm wrong but it's starting to look like Mousavi just might use the people of Iran to gain control of the Country and continue with the same old, same old.

Something is smelling fishy. Distraction? Revolution? A planned takeover? I don't know but something is starting to feel very odd in all of this. I'm not so sure the people are going to come out any better for anything in all this.

For the first time I think I agree with BO in keeping the words of the United States to a minium. For now at least.

Nestle recalls Toll House cookie dough products

Nestle recalls Toll House cookie dough products - Yahoo! News

NEW YORK – Nestle USA on Friday voluntarily recalled its Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products after a number of illnesses were reported by those who ate the dough raw.

The company said the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control are investigating reported E. coli illnesses that might be related eating the dough.

In a statement, the FDA said there have been 66 reports of illness across 28 states since March. About 25 people have been hospitalized, but no one has died.

The FDA advised consumers to throw away any prepackaged, refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products in their homes. Retailers, restauranteurs and employees at other food-service operations should also not sell or serve any of the products.

Nestle spokeswoman Roz O'Hearn said "this has been a very quickly moving situation," adding the company took action less than 24 hours after hearing of the problem.

O'Hearn said the company will "cooperate fully" with the FDA's investigation.

The recall includes refrigerated cookie bar dough, cookie dough tub, cookie dough tubes, limited edition cookie dough items, seasonal cookie dough and Ultimates cookie bar dough. It extends to chocolate chip dough and other varieties, including gingerbread, sugar and peanut butter cookie dough. It does not affect any other Toll House products, including ice cream that contains Toll House raw cookie dough.

The FDA also said consumers should not try to cook the dough, even though eating cooked dough would be safe, because consumers might get bacteria on their hands and on counters and other cooking surfaces.

E. coli is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and, in the most severe cases, kidney failure.

U.N. Protocol Used to Regulate Homeschoolers

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=101371

U.N. protocol used to regulate homeschoolers
New Brit report: Authorities have 'right to access of the home'
Posted: June 16, 2009
9:53 pm Eastern
By Bob Unruh
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

A British plan to allow local authorities "the right of access to the home" and "the right to speak with each child alone" in order to evaluate homeschooling families and make certain they do what the government wants is a warning about what could happen in the United States, according to the world's largest homeschool advocacy organization.

"On June 11, 2009, a report on home education in England by Graham Badman, a former Managing Director of Children, Families and Education in the County of Kent, was accepted in full by the British Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families," according to today's report from the Home School Legal Defense Association.

"The report makes the case that homeschooling should be extensively regulated in England," the HSLDA continued. "Aside from registering with the state and mandating reports by homeschoolers, the Badman report makes references to balancing the rights of parents with the rights of children. This idea is expressed in the UNCRC."

That is the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, a document that the HSLDA has been warning about for a number of years already.

It has been adopted in the United Kingdom, and it is on its way toward approval in the United States, lacking mainly the approval of two-thirds of the U.S. Senate.

The document, however, grants dozens of "rights" to children, sometimes running roughshod over conflicting parental rights, the organization said.

For example, under the international document parents no longer would be allowed to administer reasonable spankings to their children, children would be granted the authority by the state to choose their own religion, the "best interest of the child" would govern all decisions and give the government the authority to override any parental decision, children would have a legally enforceable "right to leisure" and parents would be required to have their children attend state-sponsored sex education courts.

There is a ParentalRights.org website that notes if approved, the treaty would supersede "the laws of all 50 states on children and parents."
The HSLDA now is sending a very gentle "I told you so" message.

"Ever since the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly and opened to nations across the world for ratification in 1989, HSLDA has been deeply concerned about the implications of this treaty for U.S. homeschoolers, if the U.S. were to ratify the treaty," the organization said today. "We have consistently warned that this treaty could be the vehicle opponents of home education could use to effectively ban or severely regulate homeschooling."

If the U.S. Senate ever approves it, "the UNCRC will automatically supersede all state laws and U.S. judges will be obligated to follow the provisions of the treaty. Currently, family and education laws are state-based; however, ratification of the UNCRC would transfer the jurisdiction for making family and education law to the U.S. Congress. Congress would, in turn, be obligated to follow the U.N. mandates contained in the CRC," the HSLDA said.

UNCRC supporters have scoffed at such concerns, saying, "There is no language in the CRC that dictates the manner in which parents are to raise and instruct their children," the HSLDA said.

But now, with the adoption of the Badman report in Britain, "Sadly, HSLDA's position has been proven to be correct. Contrary to what proponents like the Children's Rights Campaign claim, UNCRC will be used to significantly restrict the freedom to homeschool in England."

According to the report now awaiting legislative action in Britain, Badman concludes, "I am not persuaded that under the current regulatory regime that there is a correct balance between the rights of parents and the rights of the child either to an appropriate education or to be safe from harm. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) gives children and young people over 40 substantive rights which include the right to express their views freely, the right to be heard in any legal or administrative matters that affect them and the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas. Article 12 makes clear the responsibility of signatories to give children a voice:

"'Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.'

"Yet under the current legislation and guidance, local authorities have no right of access to the child to determine or ascertain such views," the report finds.

Therefore, authorities not only must have access to homes and private interviews with children, they should, "secure the monitoring of the effectiveness of elective home education," Badman wrote.

"In short, the Badman report recommends that the state should have the authority to choose the curriculum for homeschoolers and he used Britain's treaty obligations under the UNCRC to justify this intrusion," the HSLDA report said.

"Remember, the Badman report has already been accepted by the British government. It is now only a question of time before the legislation is introduced and a vote occurs in the British Parliament. Not surprisingly, the estimated 80,000 British homeschooling families are outraged at the Badman report. The Badman report is a stark reminder of how government officials in an English-speaking democracy have interpreted the UNCRC. It's clear that the right to homeschool in America will be negatively impacted if the U.S. Senate ever ratifies the UNCRC," the HSLDA said.
Among Badman's recommendations:

o At the time of registration parents/carers/guardians must provide a clear statement of their educational approach, intent and desired/planned outcomes for the child over the following 12 months.

o That the government review the current statutory definition of what constitutes a "suitable" and "efficient" education.

o That all local authorities analyze the reasons why parents or carers chose elective home education and report those findings to the Children's Trust Board.

o Authorities should regard the move to home education as a trigger to conduct a review and satisfy themselves that the potentially changed complexity of education provided at home, still constitutes a suitable education.

Michael Farris, founder of the Home School Legal Defense Association, a college and a church and now a dedicated leader in the effort to change the U.S. Constitution through the amendment process to restore and protect parental rights, has told WND even U.S. courts in recent years have refused to acknowledge parental rights in many case.

Stand By Me

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2539741

Well worth the time.

National Level Exercise 2009

FEMA: National Level Exercise 2009 (NLE 09) Very interesting stuff.

National Level Exercise 2009 (NLE 09)

National Level Exercise 2009 (NLE 09) is scheduled for July 27 through July 31, 2009. NLE 09 will be the first major exercise conducted by the United States government that will focus exclusively on terrorism prevention and protection, as opposed to incident response and recovery.

NLE 09 is designated as a Tier I National Level Exercise. Tier I exercises (formerly known as the Top Officials exercise series or TOPOFF) are conducted annually in accordance with the National Exercise Program (NEP), which serves as the nation's overarching exercise program for planning, organizing, conducting and evaluating national level exercises. The NEP was established to provide the U.S. government, at all levels, exercise opportunities to prepare for catastrophic crises ranging from terrorism to natural disasters.

NLE 09 is a White House directed, Congressionally- mandated exercise that includes the participation of all appropriate federal department and agency senior officials, their deputies, staff and key operational elements. In addition, broad regional participation of state, tribal, local, and private sector is anticipated. This year the United States welcomes the participation of Australia, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom in NLE 09.

EXERCISE FOCUS

NLE 09 will focus on intelligence and information sharing among intelligence and law enforcement communities, and between international, federal, regional, state, tribal, local and private sector participants.

The NLE 09 scenario will begin in the aftermath of a notional terrorist event outside of the United States, and exercise play will center on preventing subsequent efforts by the terrorists to enter the United States and carry out additional attacks. This scenario enables participating senior officials to focus on issues related to preventing terrorist events domestically and protecting U.S. critical infrastructure.

NLE 09 will allow terrorism prevention efforts to proceed to a logical end (successful or not), with no requirement for response or recovery activities.

NLE 09 will be an operations-based exercise to include: activities taking place at command posts, emergency operation centers, intelligence centers and potential field locations to include federal headquarters facilities in the Washington D.C. area, and in federal, regional, state, tribal, local and private sector facilities in FEMA Region VI, which includes the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

EXERCISE OBJECTIVES

Through a comprehensive evaluation process, the exercise will assess prevention and protection capabilities both nationally and regionally. Although NLE 09 is still in the planning stages, the exercise is currently designed to validate the following capabilities:

Intelligence/Information Sharing and Dissemination
Counter-Terrorism Investigation and Law Enforcement
Air, Border and Maritime Security
Critical Infrastructure Protection
Public and Private Sector Alert/Notification and Security Advisories
International Coordination

VALIDATING THE HOMELAND SECURITY SYSTEM

Exercises such as NLE 09 are an important component of national preparedness, helping to build an integrated federal, state, tribal, local and private sector capability to prevent terrorist attacks, and rapidly and effectively respond to, and recover from, any terrorist attack or major disaster that occurs.

The full-scale exercise offers agencies and jurisdictions a way to test their plans and skills in a real-time, realistic environment and to gain the in-depth knowledge that only experience can provide. Participants will exercise prevention and information sharing functions that are critical to preventing terrorist attacks. Lessons learned from the exercise will provide valuable insights to guide future planning for securing the nation against terrorist attacks, disasters, and other emergencies.

For more information about NLE 09, contact the FEMA News Desk: 202-646-4600.

FEMA leads and supports the nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation, to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the nation from all hazards including natural disasters, acts of terrorism and other man-made disasters.

Quotes

“I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing...” Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) 3rd president of the United Statesprincipal author of the Declaration of Independence

"A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom." - Bob Dylan

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." ~ Nelson Mandela

"Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire." ~ William Yeats

"When we accept tough jobs as a challenge to our ability and wade into them with joy and enthusiasm, miracles can happen."-- Arland Gilbert

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble."-- Helen Keller (1880-1968)

"A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What a man can be, he must be." -- Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)

"The most absurd and reckless aspirations have sometimes led to extraordinary success." -- Vauvenargues

"Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are."-- Malcolm Forbes (1919-1990)

"I wept because I had no shoes, until I saw a man who had no feet."-- Persian saying, Ancient

"All big things in this world are done by people who are naive and have an idea that is obviously impossible."-- Dr. Frank Richards (1875-1961)

There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self.-- Aldous Huxley (1864-1963)

"When nothing is sure, everything is possible." -- Margaret Drabble (1939-)

"True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose."-- Helen Keller (1880-1968)

"Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person."-- Mother Teresa (1910-1997)

"It isn't the big pleasures that count the most; it's making a great deal out of the little ones."—Jean Webster

"If you have made mistakes...there is always another chance for you...you may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call "failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down."-- Mary Pickford (1893-1979)

"The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become." Charles Du Bos (1882-1939) French literary critic

"Winning doesn't always mean being first. Winning means you're doing better than you've ever done before." Bonnie Blair (1964 - ) Olympic speed skater U.S. history’s most-decorated winter athlete

Maybe It's Just Me?

Is it my imagination or did Obama say he is a Christian and then call the Koran Holy when he quoted from it this morning? Is it my imagination or did he say that Moses, Jesus and Mohammad are praying together? Is it my imagination or did he deny his Muslim roots and upbringing during the campaign and is now embracing it? I watched it live and have it recorded but haven't had the chance to rewatch it again today. It doesn't seem that anyone else either, caught it, or cares enough to bring it up?

If anyone knows of any sources online referencing the above things please leave me a link. This is some scary stuff here folks and what's worse is that no one is talking about it. I have this feeling deep within my heart and my soul that this guy is going to take down the United States and we can't stop him because no one thinks it CAN happen. I thought along those line about a lot of things prior to September 11, 2001. Maybe everyone is still picking up their jaws as I am.

If I'm right here, he is being very in your face and blatant about it in a very political kind of way and the majority of people are still in love with him. Please note, I DO NOT think that he is the Anti-Christ but I do think I need to be reading more writings of those that think he is. There is something sooooooo wrong it's not even worth debating anymore.

It's true. At least this part so far. I am reading here and there as time allows.
POTUS said...

We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning, keeping in mind what has been written.

The Holy Koran tells us, "O mankind! We have created you male and a female; and we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another."

The Talmud tells us: "The whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace."

The Holy Bible tells us, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."


It's scary to know he sat in Jeramiah Wrights church for 20 years and didn't hear what was being preached but I don't think he even ever cracked a Bible open at home. Isn't the Torah for the purpose of telling of the Savior to come? Is the Talmud man's writing? Do you know any Christians that say the Koran is Holy? Does the POTUS think that all religious books are Holy? Is Satainism a religion? Do they have a book that he considers Holy? I'm not trying to be a brat, I really am trying to wrap my mind around this.