Thursday, January 27, 2011

Sun Damage in Winter?

Yes, 90% of pre-mature skin aging comes from exposure to UV rays from the sun. UVB is what causes sunburn. It affects the outer layer of skin. You get 70% of UVB during the summer, but UVA ~which is more damaging to the deeper layers of skin~ is constant all year long.

What can you do? Experts agree that applying sunscreen on your face everyday ~even during the winter months~ is an essential practice that protects your skin. Also, if you are using skin care products with alpha hydroxy acids, it’s even more important to protect your skin because “alpha-hydroxy acids may increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun and particularly the possibility of sunburn.” from the FDA Protect your skin year round–from the cold, harsh winter to the hot, blistering summer with Cell Block-C New Cell Protection SPF 20 from BeautiControl

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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Michelle Bachmann Rocks!

Here's another Modern Day Patriot!

Another Smear Proved a Lie

The Oppressive Leftists are doing everything they can to smear Sarah Palin. Their latest attack has been on Todd Palin.

The Anchorage Police "is adamant that they have NO information connecting Sarah Palin's husband Todd Palin to an alleged prostitution ring"

The left will tell you who they are afraid of. They are very afraid of Sarah Palin.

School Choice: The Time has Come

From National Review Corner
“President Obama recognized the extraordinary efforts of some ordinary Americans who were his guests in the House chamber for his State of the Union address. One person who didn’t get his attention, though, was Virginia Walden Ford, a tireless advocate for school choice and education reform.

Walden Ford joined several young D.C. Opportunity Scholarship recipients and their parents and teachers as guests of Speaker John Boehner. Their presence in his box for the speech was a clear indication of the importance Speaker Boehner places on empowering parents with educational options for their children.

Boehner’s recognition of these families and Walden Ford’s leadership stands in clear contrast to President Obama’s omission of them and their cause from his uplifting narrative about making the best education possible to all.”

I hope that the Republicans will gut or eliminate the Dept of Education and take on the teacher’s unions. The brouhaha here in Memphis about the failure of Memphis City Schools is proof that it’s all about money, not about actually educating the children. It’s time to empower parents of all economic levels to choose where their children go to school instead of mandating them into failing schools.

Love Me Some Paul Ryan!



Video streaming by Ustream

This is what grownups sound like. Go Paul Ryan!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Having fun with Steve Cohen!

I’m having waaay too much fun on Steve Cohen’s Facebook page. Some of “his” supporters are such intellectuals and so very clever. Here are some examples:

Supporter #1: "If Republicans really believed this health care bill isn't going to reduce cost to all of us, then WHY did they exempt it from one of their new rules?

"The new rules also would streamline the process for repealing the new health care law by exempting the repeal bill from budget requirements.

"The Rule:
"...only spending cuts can be used to offset spending increases-a "cut as you go'' rule that takes tax increases off the table. It also allows taxes to be cut even if their cost isn't covered by spending reductions."

"I love how there's a principal here, but um, NO, not really. How ridiculous. Republicans don't even believe in this principle, so it's just a stupid idea altogether, and proves that the they believe the health care bill is going to reduce costs, too.

"Cutting taxes is SUCH a dumb idea right now. Most people agree with that...even the wealthy - which I am not. IF taxes are cut, Congress won't be scoring any points in this household. I'll just think they're stupid - my elementary students can do better math. Oh, and those taxes help pay for their education. We are the only country in the world that complains about having to make ourselves smarter. (???"

Me: "If cutting taxes is such a dumb idea then why did BO fold and keep the Bush tax cuts ~reduced taxes from Dem Bill Clinton's rates~ and Lawrence Summers warn of a double dip recession if taxes went up at the beginning of 2011? http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2010/12/08/summers-warns-of-double-dip-recession-without-tax-package/
History shows that lowering taxes increases revenues. The Fed government's problem is not an receipts problem, it's a spending problem. Even BO admitted in his debate in 2008 that he wants to raise taxes for "fairness."


"If you want to send in more money to the government, go ahead, but don't reach your hand into my pocket and confiscate more of mine."

Then comes this reply from an intellectual named “Clobber a Tea Bagger: "I do believe our President (Obama) addressed your question. It's called holding the poor and middle class hostage. Certainly the tax cuts for the top 1% is a loose-loose situation for the Country. If you consider Lawrence Sum...mers an expert on the American economy I recommend you seek serious economist. As for Clinton we had a much more robust economy which lead to his decision. What we have now is a complete debacle of the 8 years of the Bush Administration and policies. Brenda you sound like somewhat bright person, please consider doing a little more research. I am a firm believer with logic comes knowledge. Please don't reply as I refuse to argue with illogical individual"

My response: "Clobber, I wish I was as original and clever as you. I don't consider Summers an expert, but apparently BO does as he's the head of his economic team. So you agree that raising taxes slows down an economy? Oh, that's right, You won't be reading this. Well, just in case, spell check is your friend. Have a Great Day!"

Here’s another:
Supporter #2: "Watching C-span right now, When i hear the right wingers talking about employers being forced to provide insurance for employees that some bureaucrat has to approve, I hear them saying "that we can't just whip up some **** and call it insurance but have to meet some standard for insurance."‘

Supporter #3: "I wish people could see the good in eachother, then we could get along. Steve you sure do give it your all!!! I hope you can get through to these people who need to hear the truth!!"
Why can’t we all just get along?????????


Supporter #4: "Thank you Rep. Cohen for reminding people that the new healthcare legislation is a good idea. Thank you."

Supporter #5: "I've been saying this all along about this fringe party, thanks for being the first brave voice!"

Supporter #6: "You are a hero! Telling it how it is...the right wing and TP are brownshirts waiting to wear black shirts with yellow arm bands. Just saw you again on CNN...just awesome!"

Supporter #7: "I wrote my masters thesis on Nazi propaganda, and Mr. Cohen is correct that the republican rhetorical tactics are very similar to those used by Goebbels.

"Unfortunately, most seem to be saying that the congressman is comparing the republicans to Nazis, which is not the case. He is comparing the two types of political rhetoric."

Midsouth TeaParty: "Government Ruined Health Care versus Citizen Controlled Health Care?

"Or maybe there are some 'D.C. ELITES' who believe THEY can decide what's best for 90% of us...

"Take your money...Spend your money for you...then tell you what to do after THEY spent if for you...THANK YOU SIR MAY I HAVE ANOTHER"

To which another bright supporter replied: Why are people with educations and doing well for themselves called "elites" or "elitists"? It's like you want to hate them for being educated. As if being educated and being comfortable is a bad thing."

My reply: "Being an "elitist" has nothing to do with being educated or being comfortable. It's an attitude of 'I know better than you' and 'You are too stupid to make your own decisions.' Maybe you would understand the term 'ruling class' better; it's a synonym. It describes liberals like Steve Cohen to a T. He doesn’t respect people; he looks down on us “average” Americans. We’re seen as someone who needs someone smarter ~like him~ to think for us and make decisions for us. No Thank You! I don’t need a bureaucrat in some government office telling me how to run my life or what medical procedures I need or that they will pay for. I believe you have the same ability."

This same bright ~and apprently elitist~ supporter answered with this: "I am better than you. Period. I have enough confidence in myself to know that. I'm an American. I am better than most people worldwide. You will NEVER find me calling myself "average"! I consider myself to be well above average. I respect you as a fellow citizen, and I would HOPE you would find yourself to be better than status quo too, but clearly you don't. You just said you're personally "hovering above sub par"-- it's a synonym (ha!)... for "average". You are what you say you are so hear me say: I. AM. AWESOME-- AND IN AN ELITE CLASS of American citizens! I wil never be told what to do. Slavery is over. I choose to let civility rule. And civil countries take care of their own so that united we thrive in thought, actions. We've spent the last 2 years fighting over dumb s**t like, 'Should we take care of our health'? Elite people have other things to do. Let's move on..."

My reply to the elitist: "@elitist: I am in awe of your brilliance and superior intellect. I am unworthy to be in the presence of such greatness. /sarc

"Actually, your reading comprehension could use some sharpening. I never said that I considered myself “average;” I was explaining to you the term “elitist.” Thank you for illustrating my point so eloquently.

"Oh and about “I will never be told what to do” and “slavery is over;” you should use your awesome intellect to ponder the 2000+ pages of the Obamacare bill. You will find that it’s all about government control. For starters, you are mandated to buy health insurance ~health insurance that the government deems suitable for you.~ See if you can find the 2 dozen new/or higher taxes in the bill. Have a Great Day!"


The same supporter who didn’t know what “elitists” were had these words of encouragement for Mr. Cohen: "You're from Memphis. Shake the haters off. :) I saw you in a commercial for now-governor Christie in NJ last year when I was living in NYC. I loved the way you ripped him a new one when he was testifiying"

And then there’s this jewel: "First of all, thank you for serving your constituents and our nation in the the United States House of Representatives. You must have made many personal sacrifices in order to fulfill the duties of your office. I respect your passion for public service and your loyalty to the nation.

"As you are well aware, Congressman..., the need for civility in public discourse today is critical. With respect, you should apologize to your Republican colleagues for the comparison to Joseph Goebbels and the Holocaust. Such rhetoric does not help the cause of affordable health care for all Americans, it does not help the cause of the Democratic party, and it certainly does not help the cause of the nation. The American people are weary of bitter partisan recriminations. I urge you to set a higher, more dignified and civil tone. Today, the best thing you can do for your constituents and your country is to offer an apology and set a new tone of civility."

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Steve Cohen Strikes Again!

Well, Pelosi lapdog Steve Cohen has struck again. He's comparing Republicans to Nazi'a See Here.

As my friend JRD at honeytrail states, "All liberals have control issues." Mr. Cohen has major control issues; he want's to control us. Sorry Mr. Cohen, but we are freedom loving Americans and we don't want or need D.C. pols to control us.

TN-9 Steve Cohen on Hellcare

TN-9 Steve Cohen was on Neil Cavuto on Friday, January 14, 2010 discussing the hellcare bill.



Rep Steve Cohen posted it on his Facebook page and what follows is the conversation/debate that I had with Mr. Cohen and a couple of his supporters.

Me: This so called “Healthcare Reform Monstrosity” you passed against the will of the people is unconstitutional. It's also an economics nightmare. There are better economic fixes than this "healthcare reform" bill. There's a reason that pre...-existing conditions are limiting to coverage. It's an economic issue. Let's let insurance compete over state lines. Why not let individuals deduct their premiums like business do. Let consumers decide what kind of coverage they want; Cadillac that covers everything or basic catastrophic. We need free market solutions, not top down control from D.C.

Supporter #1: Against the will of the people is quite a strong generalization- there are those for and against the bill, which is only natural, and very true regarding the health care reform since it is so new. However, there are most certainly those for... the health care reform and, like most change, it will take time, some adjustment, and patience. The act does not take away from competition nor does it take the decision away from the consumer regarding which insurance company to use. If anything, the act is meant to provide more protection for the consumer in addition to enhancing competition.

Supporter @2: You obviously have the income level and health care coverage to put down those that you're afraid might take a dollar out of your pocket. I pay for my own health care coverage with an individual policy not involving an employer, so don't worry that this is coming from someone that's trying to rob you. How would you feel if you had a family member dying from a disease they couldn't afford treatments for that could possibly save their life? Much differently, I suspect. This subject totally disgusts me. Open your eyes and join the real world.

Me: The majority of Americans did not and do not want this monstrosity. 60% want it repealed. Why do you think that the House flipped in such a huge way? Not only did the House of Reps flip, but so did governorships, state legislatures, right...t down to the counties. The only reason Steve Cohen didn't get beat is because his district is majority AA and AA's vote 90% for Dems.

We, the consumer, won't have a choice. If our plan changes in any way, we go to a government exchange. It also takes away competition because it's going to cause insurance companies to go out of business. Companies will off-load their insurance costs to the government option because it will be cheaper to pay the penalty than to pay insurance. It also takes away choice in that if the government won't pay for your procedure, then you can't pay for it yourself. Currently, if your insurance doesn't pay, you have the option to pay out of your own pocket.

Look at the Canadian and British HC systems. There are long waits, terrible conditions in their hospitals and they are going broke. There are already many doctors that are not taking new m/c patients. Why is that? It's not because they are greedy. It's because they can't pay their staff and expenses on what the government "deems" to pay them. Why do you think there's a whole cottage industry of med-sup insurance?

Above all, it's unconstitutional. Congress/government cannot mandate us to purchase something, or put us in jail if we don't purchase their product. It's a loss of freedom; pure and simple.


‎Me: @ Supporter #2; I have a daughter that is in the process of getting a kidney transplant. We spent 16 days at Le Bonheur last summer with 8 of those being in PICU. She has dialysis 3 days a week. She went from having a stomach bug, to dehydration, to HUS, to kidney failure. Yes, I am grateful that my husband has a job with excellent coverage, but he works hard for it. I also am grateful for the excellent care and the technologies that have been developed because of our current healthcare system.

I can speak from experience because I have a daughter that now has a huge pre-existing condition. I also know economics though. Insurance companies pool risk. If they pay out more than they take in, they go out of business. They are not like the government which prints money. I also know that there are many kids who are at Le Bonheur with no insurance; so don't give me that only rich people get the best care. I know different.


Steve Cohen: there is no government option.Only insurance companies in exchange.It's insurance reform!children on opolicy of parents til 26;no pre-existing condition disqualification or recision on getting sick or lfetime or yearly caps ;donut hole to be filled;small business subsidies for theier health insurance etc.READ THE BILL!!!

Me: Obama, Barney Frank, and Jan Schakowsky in their own words about single payer, government healthcare.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-bY92mcOdk&feature=player_embedded
The goal is to drive insurance business out of business.

Who is going to pay for this? It's been tried. It doesn't work. It's an economic nightmare. What do you know about how a business works? How to meet a payroll? How to make a profit? You've spent all of your adult life in government. When have you run a business?

Over 250 waivers have been given to companies exempting them from the rigors of the law so that they can stay in business. If it's so good for business, why do they need a waiver?

Steve Cohen: Public option is not law;not the exchange either.Exchange is all private insurance which involves free market competition and that gets better rates for citizens.

Of course the “public option” is not the law. But we all know that as increased government regulation makes it more and more expensive and less and less profitable for private insurance companies to conduct business, competition will decrease until eventually the government is the only payer. It is insulting, disingenuous and incredibly short-sighted to suggest that market conditions will remain static as this law gets implemented. Just look at what has happened in MA since they have implemented the precursor to this monstrosity of a hellcare bill you have passed. http://wizbangblog.com/content/2010/04/06/massachusetts-health-care-system-killing-insurance-companies.php
What does the Federal takeover of student loans have to do with healthcare? If this system is so good for all of us Americans, why isn’t it good enough for you in Congress? I’d be more inclined to listen, if you weren’t being such a hypocrite about it. This is about control; pure and simple. More government control over individual American lives.

Steve Cohen: Wrong again.Congress under same law as everyone.READ THE BILL!and what we did with student lopans was fiscally wise and necessary for law,students,and colleges.Unless you like private lenders making millions off our students who need loans and do so with no risk as loans can't be bankrupted and were guaranteed then you should say halleluah...thanks..right on!And insurance is going nowhere.They'll have 32 million new customers who must buy product.

Me: Herein lies the difference between big government liberals like you and limited government conservatives like me; you believe that government is the answer to any problem. You believe that individuals can’t be trusted to make choices for themselves, but must be controlled by someone in government that knows what’s best for them. You don’t think that anyone can make it on their own, but they must be helped by government. I believe that the role of the federal government is limited by our Constitution. The main purpose of government is national security. I believe in letting individuals make choices that are best for themselves and their families. I don’t look to a politician in DC to solve my problems for me. I believe that private enterprise is more efficient than government bureaucracies and can do a better job 99% of the time ~and that includes healthcare and student loans~
We
I didn’t really expect to get anything but the left’s talking points from you on healthcare, ~and I haven’t been disappointed~ but I have been surprised by your condescending tone to a taxpayer such as myself that pays your salary. You r comments have confirmed to me that you have given no significant or intellectually honest thought to the long-term implications of this healthcare bill to our economy or our healthcare system. Forgive me for expecting more from the people who we send to Washington to represent us.

MidSouth TeaParty: OBAMACARE ROCKS!
http://www.atr.org/comprehensive-list-tax-hikes-obamacare-a5758#

I'm surprised that Mr. Cohen hasn't deleted my comments. I think it's important to ask questions of our elected officials. What is the Constitutional authority for what they pass? They need to know that we are paying attention.

Friday, January 7, 2011

A Letter to Speaker Boehner

Here is a letter to Speaker Boehner from a fellow hiker at Honeytrail asking some good questions about BO's eligibility as President of the United States. I would be very interested to see his responses.

Take the Pledge . . Pamper Yourself in 2011

As you begin 2011; make sure one of your resolutions is to take care of yourself. As women, we have many different roles and we juggle lots of responsibilities. It's easy to forget to take care of ourselves. With all of our responsibilities, it's easy to get stressed out. Stress affects us in numerous ways; ~both emotionally and physically~ but by taking just 15 minutes a day for yourself, you can lower your stress level and be able to respond better to life; your hubby, kids and work.

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Michelle Bachmann - My Hero

I love Michelle Bachmann. Her new article as referenced here at Honeytrail is awesome!

She should be the Speaker of the House. She's introducting the End Tax Uncertainty Act of 2011 to make the Bush tax rates permament, repeal the death and gift tax, and prevent a tax increase on the maximum tax rate on capital gains and dividend income. She sponsoring Constitutional seminars for Congress ~novel idea~ She's also going to introduce a repeal of the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform bill.

Go Michelle Bachmann. You are a modern day Patriot.