Amiel's Journal p 317: All the epochs of decadence When beauty of form hid poverty of thought and exhaustion of feeling. henri-frederic amiel (peeroma, sacerdotal)
big ag's myths see FoodMyths.org
from Michigan Farm News oct 15:
p 2 article against Food and Chemical Toxicology Journal report about a diet of biotech-enhanced corn causing tunoirs in lab rats. kevin richards director of am. farm bureau federation specializing in biotechnology has 5 pts:
1. "genetic modification of food is not new...today's biotech is actually more precise and predicatable than cruder yet less regulated methods from the past 2. the overwhelming scientific consensus on the safety of modern biotechnology is unequivocal 3. agriculture products derived from biotech are the most thoroughly reviewed and strictly regulated in history 4. the benefits of ag biotech are vast and undeniable 5. farmers and ranchers have been feeding literally billions of livestock genetically engineered corn and soybeans for almost 2 decades w/out any evidence of health risks.
from the oct 30 issue p 1: laments selling the MSU's purebred beef barn cattle blaming unions for MSU cuts and layoffs. cattle and 2 men lost jobs both "who both lost their employment due to seemingly ubiquitous budget cuts and union rules. ken and cody are well-respected.....to force out good people because of union rules baffles farmers because they know very well that farms cannot be run the union way. but that's the university system, ad while we nay not like it, that's the way it is." How interesting to know that cuts have been coming for years (both w/Granholm and Snyder) and the extension service has been hard it. we will blame unions for state cuts and reorganizations?
following this article on p2 is the guest opinion bny rich studley Mi Chamber of Commerce urging a no on prop 2 (did get a NO) because a yes out eliminate gov employee pension reforms (i get to pay 100/month now) adding another 312$ million burden to Mi taxpayers each year. and prop 2 would overturn 300 million in savings achieved through reforms that allow public school districts to hire Mi job providers to provide cost-effective support services (PRIVATIZING).. . .prop 2 would send a crystal clear signal to investors, job creators and the rest of the nation that gov employee unions will stop at nothing to prevent meaningful economic reform."
I hope the defeat of the tiny millage in genesee county (extension, 4-H, master gardener) makes the farm bureau happy.
In This Issue / Nov. 15, 2012
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Legislature poised to jam through bills to create statewide takeover district
Legislature poised to jam through bills to create statewide takeover district
Legislation that would eliminate a local community's ability to guide education policy by creating a statewide "takeover district" appears to be headed for quick action in the Legislature after the Thanksgiving holiday.
House Bills 5923 and 6004 expand the authority of the interlocal agreement between Detroit Public Schools and Eastern Michigan University that created the Education Achievement Authority, a virtual school district. The legislation would expand the EAA's current reach from Detroit to the entire state, allowing Lansing bureaucrats to assume many of responsibilities currently entrusted to local school board members, parents and educators.
This statewide takeover district would oversee schools deemed by arbitrary and flawed ratings to be in the bottom 5 percent. Creating a cold, impersonal statewide school district would eliminate time-honored "neighborhood schools," further eroding the public school system.
Proponents of the legislation tout the Detroit EAA's alleged effectiveness, despite the fact that it has only been in place since the beginning of the 2012-13 school year. The Detroit EAA has not existed long enough to be ripe for fair evaluation, much less statewide implementation.
House Bills 5923 and 6004 represent a drastic change in how we fund education, as it would create a voucher system that inhibits school districts from properly managing resources for students of their local communities. This new voucher system would be much more extensive than any other that's been previously proposed.
Moreover, the legislation does not provide any control to establish standards, create missions and goals, monitor performance, or audit finances of these new schools.
Finally, the legislation should also be of concern to local taxpayers, because it would allow a new state authority to confiscate local school buildings that have already been paid for by local tax dollars.
Despite its myriad flaws, the legislation could be taken up in the final three weeks of the 96th Legislature. Lawmakers got a jump on the action Tuesday by holding a House Education Committee hearing on the legislation.
www.votesmart.org -- voting records, bios, issue positions, campaign finances, interest group ratings, public statements also 888-votesmart
http://www.sunelco.com/ interesting ad in hobby farms but catalog $3. no info on line
http://www.snaplockchickencoops.com/ one i viewed $450 --too much but looked nice
dividing perennials = www.hobbyfarms.com/divideperennials
water saving tips + drought = www.hobbyfarms.comfarmdrought
noxious weeds in states = www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov
from prevention 4-12 = foods to avoid that may contain GMO
soybeans, canola, corn, cottonseed, sugar beets, hawaiian papaya, some zucchini and yellow squas
the FDA deputy commissioner for food was once a vice pres at Monsanto. in 92 the fda rules that there's no material difference between genetically modified and traditional crops. monsanto = "there is no need for or value in testing the safety of gm foods in humans"
june 2012 ACRESUSA p. 9 ---- global justice ecology project, a field trial of genetically modified radiata pine trees had trees destroyed in new zealand. trial by SCION a NZ crown research institute (CRI) that specializes in tech for forestry. scion working w/arborgen, a consortium originally formed by Monsanto, international paper, meadwestvaco and NZ based rubicon. arborGen has headquarters in summerville SC. 250,000 eucalyptus trees are in field trials across the southern us, genetically engineered in NZ
2013--international year of quinoa by UN, protein, fiber, calcium, phosphorous, iron, magnesium
ACRES USA june 2012 ------ Stewards of the Land by mallory mcduff
"...robert kennedy jur who is a devout catholic, was asked by an interviewer why so many conservative christians are against the basic environmental agenda. he stated flatly that the trouble was rooted in dominionist theology, which he regarded as a christian heresy, an extreme misinterpretation of scripture". have to say i agree. one candidate for gop pres i believe said there is nothing man can do to harm the earth (god's in control)
thyme, marigold, and myrrh tinctures treat acne. thyme was the most effective
GMO myths and truth: earthopensource.org/index.php/reports/58
movie to see: better this world about erosion of civil liberties and the creep of domestic surveillance. trailer at motherjones.com
american teacher -- a film about
exxon mobil spent more on money in 2009 lobbying (43 million) than it paid in taxes (ZERO)
aarp tutorials -- using a tablet, genealogy, facebook, ipads etc see www.aarp.org/bookstore
national asso of consumer advocates naca.net --- help when the collector has the wrong person
state's statute of limitations on debt see: bankrate.com
book to read (the nation) by mike lofgren subtitle of newest is "how repubs went crazy, demos became useless and the middle class got shafted"
The Torture Report larry siems what the documents say about america's post 9-11 torutre program
from aug 1 washington spectator: p2 ..."because dismantling environmental protections is where repub members of congress can provide the largest savings for their corporate underwriters"----to destroy all the good environmental work done? i bet there is no conscience or moral thought involved--these people are evil
187,722 pensioners in MI for public school retirees. average benefit of 21,189. 38.9% of pension benefits go to individuals w/annual pensions of 12,000/year or lower (for fiscal year ending 9-30-1 office of retirement services):
uner 4,800 = 18.3%
4,801 to 9,600 = 15.1%
9,601 to 14,400 = 10.3%
14,401 to 19,200 = 8.4%
19,201 to 21,600 = 4%
21,601 to 24,000 = 4.1%
over 24,000 = 39.8%
emergency # worldwide for mobile is 112. supposedly can be dialed even if keypad is locked
remote open car when keys locked in if someone can hold your second set remote by a cell phone
hidden battery power--if very low hit *3370#. phone should have reserve usable
to find mobile phone's serial # key in *#06 a 15 digit unique # should appear. keep this # and if phone stolen service provider can block it w/this number. even if sim card changed the phone should be useless.
for directory help don't pay cell phone co. dial 1-888-FREE411 = 1-888-373-3411
There are 47% of the people...who are dependent upon gov, who believe that they are victims, who believe the gov has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing...I'll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives." mitt romney
gm fed rats developed tumors and died sooner than rats fed standard diet. (food and chemical toxicolgy un of caen molecular biologist gilles-eric seralini)
epa phaseout of AZM used on apples azinphosmethy or guthion. used on apples, cherries pears and blueberries mostly in wash, mi, ca, new york, oregon
book = the esdentials of economic sustainability by john ikerd former prof of econ at u of missouri "everyone knows that if we continue to pursue the policies we've been pursuing, particularly for the last 30 yrs, that econ and social inequities are going to continue to grow"
as long as we allow economic values to dominate what we do individually or what we do in our conmnmunities or what we do through public policy, we will continue to live in an unsustainble society.
the social inequity will continue to grow, and the environmental problems and pollution will continue to grow because there is simply no econ incentive to do those things that are absolutely necessary for the long run sustainability of human life on earth"
bee article : 100% of of honey sampled from drug stores like walgreens, rite aid and cv pharmacy had no pollen and 77% from big boxes costco, sams, walmart, target and HEB had the pollen filtered out.
mosquito repellent: 2 cups catnip 3-4 cups mild rice vinegar. rinse, dry catnip, crush and place in clean quart jar. vover w. viegar. seal jar store in dark place 2 wks. strain liquid into clean jar refrig for up to 6 months. spray bottle
beekeeping101.psu.edu for beginners
food hub resource = www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5097957
recent study by stanford u researchers made internat news when it claimed organic foosds are no more safe or nutritious than conventional foods see tinyurl.com/stanfordstudysept2012. cornucopia and other organic policy experts recognized however that stanford's research in fact substantiates health and safty advantages in consuming organic food, including an 81% reduction in exposure to toxic and carcinogenic agrichemicals. ...resuklts of the study were spun by the stand=ford researchers and public relations staff, and accepted without thge nec fact checjibng by journalists in a rush to file stories over the labor day weekend.. . . charlotte vallaeys food and farm policy director of the cornucopia institute: "we were not surprised to find that the agribusiness giant cargill, the world's largest ag business enterprise, and foundations like the bill and melinda gates foundation, which have deep ties to ag chemical and biotechnology corps like monsanto, have donated millions to stanford's freeman spogli institute, where some of the scientists who published this study are affiliates and fellows." also discovered: one of the study's authors has a well documented history of accepting research funding from the tobacco industry ...when the scientific lit in the 70's pointed to serious health risks from smoking.
cars--best time to buy = july and aug. see truecar.com for price info (aarp mag)
tmas Tithe'
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I get it. But religious leaders tend to be judgmental about many of the wrong things; they are not making moral judgments on the important questions. So I am going to be judgmental, as a religious leader, about something I just read.
A recent Harris International and World Vision poll showed that Americans plan to spend more this Christmas season on consumer gifts than they did last year, but give less to charities and ministries that help the poor. Many say they are less likely to give a charitable gift as a holiday present — a drop from 51 percent to 45 percent. (and why a surprise here if states like MI no longer allow charity deductions? family not others will come first.)
So we will have more Christmas presents this year, but less help for the poor. While retailers, economists, and politicians may rejoice at the news about higher consumer spending this year, the lower levels of support for the ones Jesus called “the least of these” should legitimately bring some moral judgments from the faith community.
Indeed, the Matthew 25 scripture that this text is taken from is one of the few, and most, judgmental passages in all the New Testament. About some things, Jesus was judgmental. The Gospel clearly says that how we treat the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the prisoner is how we treat Jesus. That’s pretty judgmental, especially when you go on to read what will happen to those who ignore Jesus in this way.
But rather than just being judgmental, let’s do something about it. Let’s start a "Christmas Tithe.” Let’s spread the idea to our kids, our families, our friends and neighbors, and to the members of our congregations. Let’s keep it simple:
Keep track of all our holiday spending for gifts this year, and then tithe a percentage of that amount to an organization that directly serves the poor. A tithe is traditionally 10 percent, but you could decide to do less or even more. But make a decision about your Christmas tithe and pledge it to groups that are now struggling to respond to the highest number of Americans in poverty in half a century, and to those who focus on the poorest and most vulnerable around the world. This is a time to give more — not less.
Sit down with your kids and get them involved in the discussion and decision. You may be surprised at how responsive they are to doing this together. World Vision, which commissioned the sad survey, has a great World Vision Gift Catalog that concretely improves the lives of a children and families in need around the world by providing critical tools, opportunities, and animals to overcome extreme poverty!
We do this every Christmas Day at our home after we have opened our presents to each other; and our two boys often feel it is the best part of the day. Each kid gets to choose a gift for a family in one of the world’s poorest countries. (Goats are top choices!) And then we decide together what else we will give to other families. Many other organizations provide similar opportunities. We at Sojourners have launched our own Just Giving Guide for that reason. Such gifts can be given in the name of our children or loved ones.
The only silver lining from the World Vision survey was the high number of people who like charitable gifts like this that are given in their names. This Christmas, my own extended Wallis family, instead of just giving more things to each other, are all giving to an orphanage in Haiti that our sister Marcie and her family and church are very involved with.
All of that can be part of our Christmas Tithe.
Many of us are deeply involved in missions and campaigns to bring social justice to this world — to transform structures and policies that hurt the poor into new practices that help them overcome their poverty. But the kind of personal giving that we do is also very important, especially in teaching the lessons of compassion and justice to our children.
So let’s counter the results of the survey with a Christmas Tithe. Gather your family together around this, send the idea to your friends and fellow believers, take the idea to church, write letters to the editor in your local paper. Let’s all decide this Christmas to tithe a percentage of all that we give in Christmas presents directly to the poor — those who were given the greatest gift at the first Christmas, with a child born in a stable who promised to bring them “good news.”
from time dec 3 2012:
joe klein--socialism = dictionary def: " a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state. is that what 49% of young people favor? i don't think so. if it is count me on bennett's team. that sort of soc has been an utter failure, and regulated cap has been the greatest eradicator of poverty in the history of the world. but i suspect...that all those blacks and young people got their definition of soc from rush limbaugh and other wing nut foghorns: soc is when the gov helps people out" (william bennett citing 20122 Pew poll on young who were more positive of soc than capitalism)
this active life nov 12:
clean up on line info--use google,com or bing.com to find out about you. check first 3 or so listings and then if you want stuff out, start by cleaning up your social media like changing your pic and the about info on facebook. set stronger privacy settings. set up google.com/alerts for not when your name is mentioned in a news story. and protect passwords. use a device password if you access soc media through phone or other device
keeping lists on line use: toodledo.com
free antivirus software: windows use avast! free antivirus. MAC use iAntiVirus Free Edition
best browsers = chrome and firefox
picasa for photos (cost?)
robocalls delete==try press # key or *# and ) keys at the same time (*#0)
clogged drains= zip it tool
caps = try petroleum jelly on threads of bottle when you open. keeps them easy to reopen
dirt and odor removal = floor cleaner
1 cup white vinegar, 1/4 c baking soda and 6 drops essential oil like lavender, cinnamon, etc in pail w/hot water
this active life: the media and some politicians have falsely claimed that under the ACA 716$ billion has been taken out of the medicare trust fund to pay for the expansion of health coverage to the uninsured. the aca did find that amt in spending reductions buy they impact the insurance co and hospitals, not medicare enrollees
Nation dec 3 p.8 "philip giraldi retired career cia case officer told nation "i would not say that cia has been taken over by the military but i would say that the cia has become more militarized. a considerable part of the cia budget is now no longer spying; it's supporting paramilitaries who work closely w/ jsoc to kill terrorists and to run the drone program the cia is a killing machine now"
p 17 on "timeless whoppers" we are witnessing the worst inequality since the gilded age. the top 1% of taxpayers pocket more income each yr than the bottom 40%, and they own more wealth than 90% of americans. yet their tax rates are near the lowest in post wwII history."
average annual ss is 14,800
in these times dec 2012: p 16 "the new right's rabid watchdog"
right started in 70's w/ direct mail fundraiser richard viguerie who founded conservative digest and political strategist paul weyrich who co founded the heritage foundation and others built "the new right". in 1981 in the new right: we're ready to lead viguerie wrote that their strategy included the creation of AN ALTERNATIVE MEDIA. in 2004 viguerie new book america's right turn: how conservatives used new and alternative media to take power
p39 weak teavangelicals: interesting artickle since i saw the billy graham ad in a paper, whole page. "graham placed ads after romney meeting--the keepers of his website carefully removed a prior mention of mormonism in an entry on illegitimate non christian cults shortly after the romney meeting. HYPOCRITES aren't they?
photo from 1990 in pretoria showing how the bible supports segregation
matt 10-5
neh 13-1
josh 23-12
help w/ checking how dark money has been laundered:
http://tiny.cc/InvestigateDarkMoney-
Legislature poised to jam through bills to create statewide takeover district
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