Littlestuff Weekender-4-7-2012

It seems that it’s a good thing that the market was closed for Good Friday because this has been a terrible week (and the futures for Monday aren’t looking so hot). The good news is that you probably aren’t buying any Spanish bonds which seem to be sliding in Greece. Let’s hope that this doesn’t happen to you (click link).

http://youtu.be/oMCsc4Iqvqc

Our economy shows feeble signs of recovery, but the artificially low interest rates, the excessive number of dollars created by the fed, our massive and growing debt plus a new round of anticipated mortgage foreclosures suggest a very rocky road ahead. If you watch the mainstream news, you may not be aware of our difficulties because the President is having an affair with Rosy Scenario. It doesn’t really matter because when the wheels fall off again, it will be, in Obama’s words, “Bush’s fault.” The driving motto of this administration seems to be “why tell the truth when lying is more beneficial.” All administrations and governments lie….frequently and unnecessarily…but this one is transforming prevarication into an all-consuming art form. Any astute observer cannot detect the multiple lies in any statement or announcement by or from the government. Our national tragedy is that we do not have enough astute people at this time to bring that behavior to an abrupt halt. Too many of our citizens are wandering in never-never land like this…..

http://youtu.be/FBtmaq0J2kU

It has been a glorious spring here at the Little Pat-Ch of Paradise. We have completed numerous outside tasks and are eager preparing to begin planting in about 10-15 days. We must be reasonably certain that the prospect of frost has passed and that our soil temperature is warm enough for the little plants and seeds. Ground moisture is rather good, and we’ve been getting enough showers to maintain it. Nearly all of our plantings are with heritage seeds meaning that in addition to the produce, we will harvest seeds for next year’s crop. I probably shouldn’t have written this paragraph because it may place me on another “watch list.” Oh well, the more the merrier.

http://youtu.be/OQT6piZOX7c

This past Thursday and Friday I sat in for Fred LeFebvre on the

6:00-9:00am morning show on 1370 WSPD. I will be continuing on Monday and Tuesday of this week (4/9 & 4/10). Join us at www.wspd.com then write me nasty notes as you critique my amateurism….. or not.

http://youtu.be/OQT6piZOX7c

It doesn’t happen very often, but this year Passover and Good Friday are on the same day. Christians sometimes forget that Christ was a Jew and observed the Holy Days. We together are “the people of the Book” as we share a major portion of God’s Word. To all my Jewish friends and readers I wish a very special Passover as you remember the protection provided by God when your ancestors were in bondage.

As a born-again believer, our celebration during this time is extra special. While Christmas is designed to celebrate the birth of God’s son and our eventual Redeemer, we cannot be certain of the precise dates. Holy Week, on the other hand, was the period immediately prior to the Passover. The Last Supper was a Passover feast. The week began with Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The agony of the cross on Friday was His sacrifice for our sin, and His glorious resurrection on Sunday…..Resurrection Sunday!!!!

http://youtu.be/oYoZY9AEras

http://youtu.be/8M3_p2i6bH0

http://youtu.be/jdgvIAxPV0s

Have a blessed weekend.

cearlwriting@hotmail.com

www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com

Littlestuff Weekender-3-24-2012

This amazing weather that we have enjoyed in Northwest Ohio has allowed me to complete a number of tasks rather early this year. Our Little Pat-Ch of Paradise requires a lot of attention for maintaining the grounds and the buildings, and I have relished every balmy moment so far this spring. Beginning Monday we’ll return to more typical weather for the period with one day in the high 40’s and the remainder of the ten-day forecast calling for high 50’s and low 60’s. It’s manageable and allows my indoor seedlings time to get strong before transplanting into warm soil. I’m already having visions of fresh salads, vegetables and corn on the cob.

Frosty and I are batching it this weekend as Heather, P.J., Sully and Pat traveled to Butler County to visit our daughter, Kelly, her husband, Kevin, Shaun, Erin and the two Scotties…Leo and Lizzie. We should get a lot accomplished because interruptions will be minimal, and except for a short afternoon interlude on Saturday for the Ohio State-Syracuse game, we can work steadily. If the weather is clear, we’ll work outdoors. If it’s rainy, we’ll do shop work and research-writing projects. All in all it should be a productive weekend unless I decide that a nap marathon is preferable.  

My concern about the gullibility and indifference among my fellow citizens is growing. President Obama spews a lie a minute about his ‘commitment’ to a sound energy policy. He takes credit for private sector initiatives (Keystone Pipeline) and deflects blame for colossal failures (Solyndra). His brazenness is appalling, but I suspect that detailed polling will indicate that significant numbers of people will accept his statements at face value…..although that is difficult because he’s so two-faced.

Today (Saturday) the GOP of bayou country, Louisiana, choose their preferences for the Republican presidential nomination. It appears that for all intents and purposes the Romney camp is on a glide path toward victory. With each caucus or primary the challenge for Santorum, Gingrich or Paul becomes more daunting. Every day they need a higher percentage of the uncommitted delegates to grasp the nomination or to prevent Romney from reaching the magical 1144 number. The GOP and the Libertarian Party are both in better shape than the Democrats who are tethered to the current occupant of the office. They are stuck with a lying, socialist, ego-maniacal, incompetent, arrogant liar….and most of them know it. The Libertarians will choose their candidate at the National Convention in early May. Stay tuned for more information in the next month or so.

It is not my intent to pick on the President…..Oh, why not? I’m already on several “watch lists.” He throws like an effeminate girl. No offense intended to girl athletes because I umpired high-level fastpitch softball games for several years, and nearly every girl on or near the field could throw better than that jock wannabe. He’s petty, pouty, petulant and unprincipled. He is a lying, low-life, lackadaisical, lame-brained ideologue. He is untrustworthy, unreliable, unrepentant, and under handed. Obama is a twiddling, two-faced, tone-deaf, tiny tyrant who has torn our national fabric into tatters. He is a contemptible colossal conveyor of cancerous calumny. Finally, he is a demonic, dim-witted, despotic dilettante. And no……I would not wish to have a beer with him. I can’t imagine how much worse he could be when he’s drunk and stupid.

On the economic front: The IMF has bailed out Greece for another short interval while Portugal and Spain are dangling on the edge of the precipice. Italy is still treading water, and the rest of Europe is engaged in high-intensity hand wringing. China is having economic issues with high inflation and rumblings of political discontent. When all this finally shakes out, I expect the Fiji Islands or George Soros to own everything.

Recent discoveries and new technologies suggest that our untapped oil and gas reserves in the United States exceed the potential BTU’s of Saudi Arabia. Add to those numbers our massive deposits of hard and soft coal, and we have unlimited potential for increased industrial production. There are three major factors that limit our ability to exploit our wealth of natural resources. They are extremely high labor costs compared to other nations, an excessive over reaching government and bureaucracy and a population that has lost its will to succeed without government assistance. There are probably numerous applications for solar, wind and other “green” energy sources that are competitive, but if our national policy is to continuing forcing them into unwise uses, we’ll never recover.

Have a great weekend. I’ll be back on the air on Tuesday (6-7pm) and will be sitting in for Brian Wilson Friday the 30^th from 3:00-6:00pm. Tune us in if you can, or stream the station. The Talk of Toledo 1370 WSPD. www.wspd.com

cearlwriting@hotmail.com

www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com

  

Littlestuff Weekender-3-17-2012

We have an abbreviated Weekender today as farm work beckons (plus there’s that little mid-afternoon break for Buckeye basketball). The GOP contest moves to the Land of Lincoln (and corruption) on Tuesday. It appears that as of this weekend, Romney has a slight lead in the polls and is trending upward. Illinois Republicans generally lean toward moderates more often than their Midwestern neighbors, so a Romney victory there would not be too surprising. Plus Santorum cannot win all of the delegates even if he sweeps the entire state because he failed to file a full delegate slate. He appears to be about 10 shy of a complete ticket.

Greece has been propped up again (temporarily) and the fingerprints of the International Monetary Fund are all over the loan. You know who the primary underwriter is of the IMF, don’t you? You are via the generosity of the United States Congress….using your money…of course. Here’s the scenario: IMF loans money in return for Greek promises to implement austerity measures. Greece’s public employees and welfare recipients violently protest, and the government caves. Nothing changes until we do it again. Meanwhile….Spain, Italy and Portugal are watching closely for clues about how they should react when they finally slide into the massive holes of debt they have created.

After reviewing my basketball bracket this morning, I now know why it’s called March Madness. It is still March and I’m going mad. Ohio University, a 13 seed, defeated the University of Michigan, a four, last night.

Today (Saturday) is St. Patrick’s Day. I wonder if the Obama Administration may change the name of the holiday to something like “Global Contraception Day.” Big Government wants the presence of the church to be limited to behind closed doors, and recognition of a “saint” may be going too far.

We are dog sitting for our daughter’s family’s two Scottish Terriers while the clan is attending a soccer tournament in Richmond, Virginia. Apparently the Lord decided that if He gave Scotties lots of energy, He need not give them any brains. If barking were an art form, I’m sharing space with Andy Warhol and Picasso. It’s difficult to comprehend how such short little legs can create so much mayhem. Our beloved Golden Retriever, Frosty, is begging for valium.

It must be Spring because Groundhog Day was 6 weeks ago plus the official beginning of the season is this coming week (equinox). The temperatures have been exhilarating for the past few days, but rain and ground moisture limits what can be done around our Little Pat-Ch of Paradise. Our pond is overflowing and the neighborhood ditches are full.

Have a great weekend and a superb week. Monday’s column deals with funding for scientific research and is titled “Obey the Master.” Don’t buy any Greek bonds.

cearlwriting@hotmail.com

www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com

Littlestuff Weekender-3-10-2012

At 2:00am Sunday morning our ‘time” is magically transformed, and we begin to save daylight. This maneuver has always puzzled me because “saving” suggests some form of storing, and I’ve never found a system that will successfully retain daylight for more than several hours. Maybe our new emphasis on green energy development can include a daylight storage component. We can pass out billions of research and development dollars to well-placed friends of politicians who will, in turn, hire tens (perhaps even dozens of people) of people to resolve the problem. If anyone can possibly save daylight for an extended of time without its molding or rusting, our efficient government bureaucracy armed with unlimited cheapening dollars will find a way….or not.

One other aspect of Daylight Savings Time that perplexes me is why do we go back to Standard Time for such a short period? From the end of October to mid-March isn’t very long, so why bother? Perhaps it’s an extension of Obamacare as the government gurus assume that several senior citizens will tumble from ladders while changing clocks thus saving dollars for Medicare and Medicaid after they break their fragile necks. Just a tin-foil thought. Almighty God has cautioned us that His ways are not our ways, and we are incapable of totally understanding everything about Him. Obviously our government and its representatives believe they are godly because nearly everything they do is beyond human comprehension. Frankly, I trust the Original Creator, but fear and distrust the interloping copycat.

For those of us who remain transfixed by the GOP race for the presidential nomination….the Kansas caucuses are today (Saturday) and Mississippi and Alabama selections are coming this week. The three leading contenders are all predicting victory. I suspect that none of them will be correct. The mess marches on.

Greece has technically defaulted although the true default was nearly two years ago. Once again bond holders will be holding the bag. If you were one of those, you deserve your “haircut.” Greek bondholders are being transformed into “skin heads” right before our very eyes.

What a jolt as Chevy suspended production of the VOLT. Purchases by government and General Electric were not enough to prop up this latest socialist-managed-economy-government-meddling fiasco. I suggest you hold off placing your order until after the new GM-Puegot merger has been finalized wherein you might qualify for a 100% subsidy. Of course you’ll have to supply your own batteries at $12K each, your 40-mile extension cord and your very-own EPA-DOE approved charging station (roughly $275,000 plus ten years delay for impact studies). It’s really tough to top those wonderful government subsidies. Geeeesh.

So President Obama and his covey of clowns are becoming quite perturbed because the “new media” are vetting him. Andrew Breitbart’s recent death has generated more interest in his site’s recently released videos about BHO’s college years. Unlike Anthony Weiner, the President doesn’t want to be ‘exposed.’ Our modern-day Manchurian Commander-in-Chief confidently believes that he can fool all the people all the time…..well, except for those pesky right-wing zealots. It will be up to individual states to determine if Obama is qualified for their respective November ballots. Clearly….the distribution of Democrats versus Republicans will factor into each state’s decision-making process. It must be states who take the lead because Boehner is too cowardly and Harry Reid is too far in the tank for Obama to assure a fair and just Congressional effort.

http://youtu.be/lxn48wSiCzg

As the conference tournaments wrap up this weekend, we surge into March Madness next week. There will probably be enough money wagered in office pools to severely dent the national debt. Just like career politicians and bureaucrats, many of those who gamble will have little real knowledge about the vagaries of college hoops. They will generally really on the S.W.A.G. method for designing their brackets (SWAG = Scientific Wild-A$$ed Guess)….just like government only without the “scientific” part. Good luck and NEVER choose a 16 seed to win it all.

Earlier I wrote a column that briefly addressed the Sandra Fluke-Rush Limbaugh kerfluffle (“Sluts and Nuts,” 3-7-2012). This little news item is unworthy of prolonged consideration because it was a movement by strident socialist women to move the contraception debate away from Church-State-1^st Amendment issues into the realm of anecdotal downtrodden victim of the system. They chose the wrong representative. Fluke is not a sympathetic character, so when Limbaugh stepped in it and rendered his infallible judgment, the focus quickly shifted toward his supposedly misogynistic attitudes. The old line is “when you wrestle with pigs you have to get into the mud with them….and they have the advantage there.” Still it is much ado about nothing yet it has eaten up bandwidth and print space.

Have a special weekend as you “spring forward.” Monday’s column will be “The Placebo Effect”  …. Unless I change my mind.

cearlwriting@hotmail.com

www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com

Littlestuff Weekender-3-3-2012

Washington State is caucusing on Saturday, and ten states will be selecting delegates while choosing their presidential preferences on Super Tuesday. Perhaps the race for the GOP nomination will become much clearer….perhaps not.

Meanwhile….Germany announced that Greece can either accept the austerity measures mandated by the EU or resign from the European Union. If neither of those actions is undertaken, Germany says it may withdraw from the mega-state. In my view that’s unlikely and business will go on as usual until we have a severe European economic collapse followed by global economic devastation reminiscent of the sound of clicking dominoes as they tumble down.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio announced that forensic evidence proved that President Obama’s “birth certificate” was fraudulent. Obama’s defenders remarked that the ‘copy’ was not an original, therefore likely to be considered a counterfeit. The President laughed and his minions are still pursuing the sheriff for a number of “violations” of federal law regarding treatment of prisoners.

Toledo City Council decides to spend significantly more than $700 thousand to install cameras to observe perpetrators as they commit crimes in Toledo. Meanwhile there’s a shortage of police and cash in Toledo…..as well as common sense. Big Brother lives in Toledo….which is a good thing because others are moving out. The good news is that the videos can be uploaded to You Tube and people throughout the world can laugh at the brazenness of Toledo criminals and the ineffectiveness of Toledo’s finest to prevent their activity.

The conference tournaments are almost underway as we merrily trip into March Madness. As a sports fan, I typically limit my viewing/listening to teams that I care about or follow. March Madness is different. If I have time, I will watch two unknown teams from “directional” (NW, SE, Western, Eastern, Northern etc.) universities play 40 minutes of sloppy basketball. I will dutifully fill my brackets for my son-in-law’s contest and silently contribute my $10. If the pattern from previous years holds true, I will be one of the leaders in the first two rounds and will finish far out of the pack by the completion of the NCAA tournament.

Yesterday (Friday March 2^nd) Pat and I had our 43^rd wedding anniversary. I feel especially blessed that she has been so willing to suffer by staying with me all these years. I know that she could have done better, and I know that my ranting and complaining may have become tiresome for her. She has hung in there for more than four decades and deserves a medal plus the eternal reward that she has been promised and will surely redeem.

Going to an auction today (Saturday). It is 35 degrees and windy. Maybe the weather will discourage other bidders or they’ll show up because it is too miserable to do anything else.

There hasn’t been much publicity surrounding Tea Party challengers to incumbent Congress members of either old fossilized party. Has the focus on the presidential race taken the wind from the sales of local groups? Or are they finding it difficult to attract good candidates who are willing to take on the high-dollar P.R. machines of the current office holders? Given how much energy was lost following the 2010 election, I expected Tea Party, liberty and patriots groups to come back with fire in their eyes this year. Of the 83 or so T.P. candidates elected last cycle only about 20 of them held fast when Boehner and the leadership twisted their arms. Without more new people to help out, those remaining 20 may backslide because Washington D.C. can be a lonely place if your leadership is angry with you. Win the state legislatures and nullify unconstitutional federal meddling then run things constitutionally at home.

The Republican strategy is rather apparent. They didn’t initiate anything of true significance so they wouldn’t anger portions of the population. They hope to win the Senate, but I truly doubt their courage will increase. Unless there is a Republican or third-party President who is ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED to down-sizing government, massively cutting spending and restoring individual liberty, the Congress will not lead and it will be business as usual. The only appreciable change will be the rhetoric as they adjust their words to stop us from charging the Capitol with pitchforks and torches. We’ll be fooled again.

Have a great first weekend of March. Now I will enjoy my prime rib/hashbrown breakfast (leftovers from dinner) before leaving for the auction.

cearlwriting@hotmail.com

www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com