Homeland Security Plans DNA Screening

If groping your privates and looking at your naked body weren't enough, DHS now wants a piece of you—literally!

Read more here.

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UK: Abortion Safer than Having a Baby

Image via Wikipedia

I find this appalling and amazing.  Women are being advised by doctors that having an abortion is safer than having a baby.

In the US you may take the abortion pill, or you may have an abortion at a clinic.  If the abortion pill is chosen, you will first be given a pill that blocks progesterone and causes the lining of the uterus to break down.  Then, you will be given a second drug that will cause you to bleed and cramp and expel the fetus.  You may experience such side effects as dizziness, heavy bleeding, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, and/or chills.¹

The most common type of abortion done at a clinic is an aspiration abortion.  In this procedure, a tube is inserted into the uterus and the baby is suctioned out.  Side effects you might experience are blood clots in the uterus, incomplete abortion, infection, injury to the cervix, and more.²

No matter what procedure is used, a successful abortion will result in a dead baby.

Somehow we are supposed to believe that introducing foreign chemicals and objects into a woman's body is safer than letting the body do what it was meant to do the way God created it.  It's certainly not safer for the child.  Common sense says it's not safer for the mother either.

When making a decision, we all weigh the pros and cons.  I think this is just an attempt to give the abortionists another "pro" to add to their list.

---

¹ http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/abortion/abortion-pill-medication-abortion-4354.asp

² http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/abortion/in-clinic-abortion-procedures-4359.asp

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Sheen Miffs Witches

I haven't really been following all the hoopla with Charlie Sheen, and I certainly didn't think I'd comment on it.  However, this one caught my eye:

In a week in which the embattled actor described himself as having "tiger blood" and other apparently super-human attributes normally reserved in the pages of comic books, the star described himself as a "Vatican assassin warlock" during a radio interview. 

The description evidently did not sit well with the witch community in Salem, Mass.

Christian Day, a practicing warlock -- or male witch -- and member of Salem's Coven of the Raven Moon, said he was "angered" over the statement because it's a "blatant offense against our ways and teachings."

Day held a ritual Sunday with other members of the witch community to send positive spirits in Sheen's direction.

Day said Sheen was "reckless" by singling out the group and should apologize.

"If he made that comment against the Christians or Jewish people, there would be outrage," he told FoxNews.com.

I don't know where Mr. Day gets his news, but comments against Christians and Jews these days are welcomed and celebrated.  Making comments against Muslims, however, will produce outrage.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/03/06/witch-community-upset-sheens-depiction-warlock/#ixzz1GAxQF8W8

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Florida Motorists Illegally Detained at Toll Booth

Folks, we've all got to do like Joel Chandler and stand up for our rights.  Our government has made it clear that they will walk all over us and our rights if we let them.

Thank you, Joel, for sticking to it and seeing this through.

Stand up!  Say no!

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JBF Northland Spring/Summer Sale is On!

Image via CrunchBase

 

Just Between Friends Northland Spring/Summer Sale is Finally Here!!!

 

February 26  & 27, 2011

KCI Expo Center
11730 Ambassador
KC, MO 64153

click here for directions to the sale

 

Yes, we did get some snow yesterday, but the JBF sale is on as scheduled.  If you're concerned about the roads, they are in good condition this afternoon—much better than they were this morning when I dropped my items off at the sale.

Come on out and warm yourself up with those great bargains!

Click here to view the complete schedule for the upcoming sale. This link will provide information regarding the pre-sale schedule including shopping times and hours of operation for our public shopping days.

Use the coupon below for free admittance!

 

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Can I Deduct my Homeschool Expenses From my Taxes?

Image via Wikipedia

I get asked this question a lot this time of year, "Can I deduct my homeschool expenses from my taxes?"  A tax-law change the last few years allowing teachers to deduct expenses has caused even more confusion.

The short answer to the questions is, "no."  Here's an explanation from the Homeschool CPA:

The IRS guidelines say to be an eligible educator:

"You work at least 900 hours a school year in a school that provides elementary or secondary education, as determined under state law."

To work means to get paid for your work as a teacher-employee. Homeschool parents are not employees of a school. We do not get paid; we do not get a W-2. The IRS will check for a W-2 from a school if a taxpayer takes the Educator Expense deduction. Homeschoolers would not have a W-2 from a school, even if your state classifies your homeschool as a private school.

Keep in mind that the tax-law changes from year to year.  Just because you are not able to deduct your homeschool expenses at this time doesn't mean that you won't be able to sometime in the future.

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Debunking the Homeschooling Naysayers

Image via Wikipedia

I think that all homeschoolers have at least one friend or family member that gives them a hard time about homeschooling—at least in the beginning.  In most cases, those that question your decision to homeschool are genuinely concerned about the children.  Some may truly be seeking information.  My experience has been that those that are against homeschooling are those that don't know anything about it.

I recently found a website giving tips on how to defend yourself to your loved ones that are questioning your decision to homeschool.  It does have some good tips, but fails to say that you don't have to defend yourself if you don't want to.  If you like you could let everything go in one ear and out the other and then go on.  You will know best how to handle your friends/family.  If necessary, you may have to visit said friends/family less often.  It's unfortunate, but you have to do what's best for your children.

Be aware that you will be asked questions.  Taking the time to think some questions through and how you want to answer them will make you better prepared and more comfortable in answering these questions.  You may also want to talk with your children about the questions they might be asked and how they might answer them.

As you continue to homeschool successfully the naysayers will come around.  You may be surprised to one day find your biggest adversary complimenting you on a job well done.

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The Craigslist Congressman

When I see things like this, I'm amazed to think that people, especially those in the public eye, think that they can do something like this without anyone else finding out about it.  According to Gawker, Congressman Lee lied to the wrong person.  Once the woman Congressman Lee contacted on Craigslist realized that he lied about his age, occupation, and marital status, she forwarded their emails to Gawker.  This has put the brakes on this man's career, and I suspect has caused problems in his marriage even though the article claims that they are "happily married."

Below are some tips.

The Ways of the Internet:

1.  Anything you put in print, especially something risqué in nature, can and will be forwarded to lots and lots of people.  Some of those people you will know, some you will not.  No matter what efforts you put in to deleting this information, it will always be somewhere.

2.  If you are promiscuous, you will be found out.

3.  If you are in the public eye, news will travel twice the distance at twice the speed.

4.  There will be consequences.

5.  You are not the exception to all the rules.

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Claire McCaskill Throws Missouri under the Bus/Snowplow

Yesterday the NY Times reported that Charlotte, NC was selected for the 2012 National Democratic Convention.  Several cities, including St. Louis, were under consideration for this mega event.

The NY Times also reported that Senator McCaskill (D-MO) argued that having the DNC in St. Louis could complicate her re-election in 2012:

Ms. McCaskill, one of the president's closest friends in the Senate, took her concerns directly to the White House, according to party leaders familiar with the selection process. She argued that her re-election could be complicated if the convention was held in St. Louis, because the Democratic gathering will almost certainly attract protesters and compete for fund-raising.^*

The only comment I've been able to find from Claire is this Tweet:

I don't know what could make your re-election more complicated than ticking off your constituents.  To think that she may have lobbied against an event that would've brought thousands of jobs, even if only temporary, to the state is repulsive.  The last thing Missouri needs in D.C. is a career politician like Claire McCaskill that puts her wants/needs above the good of those she's supposed to be serving.  If you don't have a servant's heart, Claire, this job is not for you.

*via Democrats' 2012 Convention Will Be in Charlotte - NYTimes.com.

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Deep Reading a Thing of the Past?

With the Internet, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media; there is a concern that children are not learning to "deep read."  What is deep reading, you ask?

"Deep reading," or slow reading, is a sophisticated process in which people can critically think, reflect and understand the words they are looking at. With most, that means slowing down -- even stopping and rereading a page or paragraph if it doesn't sink in -- to really capture what the author is trying to say. Experts warn that without reading and really understanding what's being said, it is impossible to be an educated citizen of the world, a knowledgeable voter or even an imaginative thinker.

I had to pause to contemplate why deep reading might becoming a thing of the past.  Are we too involved in social media and texting 24/7 to take the time to pick up a book worth reading?  Do we think that because we're adults and not enrolled in school that learning stops or is no longer necessary?  Do the teens and adults of today think that they know it all or know all they need to know? Are we raising mindless zombies that are incapable of deep reading? Deep reading surely requires deep thinking.  More than just reading the words on the page in front of you, it is necessary to comprehend them.  Deep thinking requires contemplating and pondering what you've read and "digesting" it if you will. As a student, I did a lot of learning because it was required.  I enjoyed most subjects.  Now, as an adult, I am able to study and learn at my leisure and on those subjects that I choose.  Learning has become enjoyable, a hobby even.  I have even found that some subjects that I absolutely did not like (history) can be interesting and that I probably had a couple of teachers that didn't do a very good job teaching the subject. Most importantly, I study the Bible (what I consider the handbook of life) on a daily basis.  This requires reading the same passage more than once, thinking, contemplating, taking notes, asking what I can learn from this passage, how it applies to me, and considering any changes I may need to make in my life.  I'm saddened to think that we might have a society of people unable to do this. Deep reading, deep thinking, and learning are very important.  We will become a country of mindless zombies controlled by the government if our children are not taught to do this.  How will they understand our Constitution and be able to defend it and their God-given rights?  How will they understand the Bible, God's plan of salvation, and His plan for their lives? via Experts worry deep reading becoming a thing of the past | The Post and Courier, Charleston SC - News, Sports, Entertainment.

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Homeschooling: The Most Effective Educational Choice

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Go to Work, Go to School, Quit Complaining, and Praise the Lord!

We got dumped on about 10 days ago, and we have several more inches of snow today.  It is not uncommon here to be stuck inside for a few days during the winter.  I can certainly sympathize with this woman.

Evidently, Atlanta had the same controversy over Martin Luther King Day as this area did.  After missing several days of school, some schools wanted to open on MLK Day because they did not have any snow days built into their school calendar.

I certainly like this lady's sense of humor.

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Couple Stopped From Helping Homeless

Bobby and Amanda Herring spent more than a year providing food to homeless people in downtown Houston every day. They fed them, left behind no trash and doled out warm meals peacefully without a single crime being committed, Bobby Herring said.

That ended two weeks ago when the city shut down their "Feed a Friend" effort for lack of a permit. And city officials say the couple most likely will not be able to obtain one.

[. . .]

Anyone serving food for public consumption, whether for the homeless or for sale, must have a permit, said Kathy Barton, a spokeswoman for the Health and Human Services Department. To get that permit, the food must be prepared in a certified kitchen with a certified food manager.

The regulations are all the more essential in the case of the homeless, Barton said, because "poor people are the most vulnerable to foodborne illness and also are the least likely to have access to health care."

Yah, right.  The kitchens this food is being prepared in is probably cleaner than any restaurant or soup kitchen.

Bobby Herring said those rules would preclude them from continuing to feed the 60 to 120 people they assisted nightly for more than a year. The food had been donated from area businesses and prepared in various kitchens by volunteers or by his wife.

[. . .]

City Councilwoman Wanda Adams, who has been an advocate for the homeless during her tenure, said she planned to review the ordinance. She reiterated the importance of the city's rules but applauded the efforts of the Herrings.

"I'm very passionate about what they're doing," she said. "Somebody needs to make sure our homeless people are being taken care of. ... We have to look as a city to see if there are other ways we can partner with people like this who are trying to help."

No, the government is not the solution.  The Herrings were doing just fine handing out food to the homeless without the help of the government.  The government has now become the problem and has stopped the Herrings from doing so.  Partnering with "people like this" will only add more bureaucracy, more red tape, more expenses and in the end less people will be helped.  Or, as it as right now, no one will be helped.  As often is the case, Houston's homeless would be better off if the government would get out of the way.

Houston permit rule stops couple's effort to feed homeless | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle.

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Safe Holiday or Any Day Sweeteners

In her December 2010 newsletter, Dr. Janet Starr Hull gave a list of safe sweeteners and sweeteners to avoid.  Even though this may be something we might need to be more mindful of during the holiday season, it's good information for us to have all year.

Remember, these are the artificial sweeteners to avoid:

1. Sucralose (Splenda)
2. Aspartame (NutraSweet/Equal^®)
3. Acesulfame-K (Sunett^®)
4. Neotame^®

What are your safe natural sweetener choices?

1. Stevia*
2. Raw, unprocessed sugar (Sucanat^®)
3. Brown Rice Syrup
4. Barley Malt
5. Date Sugar
6. Honey
7. Maple Syrup
8. Molasses
9. Sorghum

*Safe for diabetics. Use Stevia sparingly or it is bitter - otherwise, it's naturally delicious and a much healthier choice! These are the secondary natural sweetener choices to use with discretion:

1. Fructose
2. Fruit Juice Concentrate
3. Juice Concentrate
4. Sugar alcohols (Polyols)
   • Isomalt
   • Lactitol
   • Malitol
   • Mannitol
   • Sorbitol
   • Xylitol
5. Turbinado Sugar
6. Tagatose

Safe Holiday Sweeteners.

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KCMO 2010 Top 20 Crash Sites

The Kansas City, Missouri police department has identified the top 20 crash sites for 2010.  If you live north of the river in Kansas City, you will be interested in this as there seems to be a high concentration of accidents in that area.

There is a simple solution:

A study conducted by Texas A & M University found that adding one second of yellow decreases crashes 35 to 40 percent and violations by 60 percent.

Image source:  http://kcpdchief.blogspot.com/2011/01/top-20-crash-locations-of-2010.html

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Nixon Urges Cooperation As Mo. Legislature Begins

You gotta love how the dems want to ram everything down your throat when they're in power.  But, now that they're not, we need to all learn "to get along."

The Missouri Legislature is convening with its largest Republican majority in decades and its largest freshmen class in several years. Lawmakers are to begin their 2011 session around noon Wednesday. And Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon says their first order of business should be simply learning to get along.

via Nixon Urges Cooperation As Mo. Legislature Begins - Kansas City News Story - KCTV Kansas City.

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Obamacare is Not About Healthcare

Dr. Susan Berry at Big Government does an excellent job explaining what Obamacare is really all about.

In reality, the Healthcare law is a liberal power grab that is gradually permitting the federal government to control more of our lives, making more people dependent upon the government and continuing the culture of dependency among minority groups who, up until now, have mostly voted liberals into power. The symbolism of the repeal will ring loud and clear.

[. . .]

For those who do not have adult children in the 21 to 26 age range, would it surprise you to know that these adult "children," who are now covered, are not required to even live with their parents to remain on their plans, and that they may even be married and still be covered under their parents' health plans? Through the new Healthcare law, liberal Democrats have gradually introduced the concept that adult children should remain dependent on their parents, and when their parents are not around, perhaps the government can take over in that parental role? Of course, this new rule comes at a time when the economic decline made it difficult for young adults to obtain jobs. This is how the gradual creep of dependency begins: introduce a law which creates dependency on the government at a time of crisis, so that uninformed Americans will see it as a caring and positive intervention to help them in their time of need. This is how every entitlement legislation begins, and why none has ever been totally eradicated thus far, mainly because people have come to expect these benefits.

[. . .]

In addition, as a result of the left's encouragement of this culture of dependency, those who are truly in need will no longer have to seek voluntary assistance from neighbors and communities. Conversely, neighbors and communities will not be encouraged to voluntarily reach out to others because the knowledge that the government will provide for their friends' needs may cause them to think twice. As such, dependency on the government creates more distance, and less connectivity, among members of a community.

» The Healthcare Law Is Not About Healthcare: It's About Making Us Dependent - Big Government.

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Rep. Giffords Fatally Shot at Public Event

Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was fatally shot in the head at close range by a gunman Saturday morning outside a grocery store in Tucson while holding a public event, Fox News has confirmed. via Rep. Giffords in Critical Condition After Being Shot in the Head at Public Event - FoxNews.com.

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41% of New York City pregnancies end in abortion

Eye-opening statistics about the rate of abortions in New York City have been released by the Health Department. [. . .] 41% of all New York City pregnancies end in abortion.

Ugh!  This is so discouraging and so disgraceful.  We're supposed to be civilized, moral, and the greatest nation on earth.  Yet, one of our largest cities is killing 41% of its babies. Another sad note is that the abortion rate is down from 46% in 1998. via 41% of New York City pregnancies end in abortion | 7online.com.

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NutraSweet: Pretty in Pink

We've all sat at the restaurant table with the container of various types of sweeteners:  white, sugar; pink, saccharin; yellow, Nutrasweet, blue, Equal.  We've all done it—reached for the packet we want based on color and poured it into our drink without even paying much attention to the label on the packet.

Artificial sweetener users beware!  Nutrasweet is now claiming to be the "new pink" and is now using a pink package!

Read more about this stunt from Dr. Janet Starr Hull.

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