It's All About Lappy

Yesterday, I had the pleasure (and honor) of meeting Ian Laperrière. (My Dad claims I turned 1,000 shades of red... )



Voted "Toughest Guy in the NHL"

...this might have to be my new profile pic.

Guest Post by Free0352

Imagine This...

Washington: Today, President Sarah Palin, declaring that the 1973 Roe Vs Wade Court Decision was "constitutionally indefensible" declared she will no longer authorize the Attorney General's office to oppose court challenges to the law that protects a women's right to an abortion. The Attorney General said today - “I will instruct department attorneys to advise courts in other pending litigation in defense of abortion, of the president’s and my conclusions that the law’s determination that a women has a right to an abortion is indefensible and to not pursue those cases."

Imagine folks if that were the headline in major newspapers across the United States today? The liberals of this country would demand the impeachment of the President. Were that to happen, I would agree with them.

However, when something exactly like this happened today, there was barely a peep from the left -

The Obama administration said it will no longer oppose court challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages for purposes of taxes, social security and other programs.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder wrote yesterday to House Speaker John A. Boehner, an Ohio Republican, to announce the executive branch’s new position on the 15-year-old law.

When I saw that today, I had to reread it several times. I just couldn't believe it.
President Obama, you are not a one man Supreme Court, you swore an oath to uphold the laws of this country. You are now derelict in that duty. As to my abortion analogy, you dear readers (and perhaps even you Democrats) can quickly see how this frightening precedent can be used and where it can go. There is no telling the ways an out of control Presidency can damage our country. I don't like Roe Vs Wade any more than liberals likely support DOMA... but it's the law of the land. Presidents have to support that, as we are a nation of laws. This is our President taking the law into his own hands. That cannot be tolerated. I hope our new House leadership votes to impeach this President should he continue this course, and immediately resolve to defund entirely both the office of the President of the United States and the Attorney General's office until he complies with his Oath of Office. This cannot be tolerated.

I don't say that lightly, until now I've never thought Obama should be impeached. This is different, this is totally illegal, and wrong.








(You can read free0352 daily at John Galt for President)

Joe Lozito Honored with Orange & Black

Last night as my 10 year old and The Man sat in the Wells Fargo Center preparing to see the Flyers beat the NY Islanders, a story of heroism played out on the Jumbotron.

Joe Lozito's story:

"As the wild-eyed serial killer drew close to Lozito, he uttered a chilling threat: "You are going to die!"

"He lunged at me," Lozito said. Thanks to his many hours of watching mixed martial arts on television, Lozito says he "took him down" with a single leg sweep.

"I wouldn't win any style points for taking him down, but it did the job," he said.

Maksim Gelman reached under his jacket, pulled out an 8-inch Wusthof chef's knife and began slashing. "I was trying to get control of his wrist. I didn't really feel anything," said Lozito, who warned Gelman that he had picked the wrong guy to fight. "You better hope that I die because I'm going to come kill you," Lozito says he told Gelman.

The cops, joined by an off-duty detective who ran into the car, pulled Gelman off and arrested him. It was only then that Lozito realized he was wounded.

"The blood was pouring out of me everywhere," he said. A good Samaritan rushed forward and helped apply pressure to Lozito's wounds.

"He kept telling me that I needed medical attention. He stayed with me," Lozito said. "I told him, 'You gotta get me out of here. I can't die on this train. I have a wife and two kids.'"

The Philadelphia Flyers took time during last night's game to honor Lozito's efforts and present him with a personalized jersey. The Man said the standing ovation roared louder than the winning overtime goal... Pretty cool.

(Picture: Lozito hangs with Richie and Prongs pre-game. Photo property of the Philadelphia Flyers)

Someone Please Explain...

...Why I keep hearing demands that banks should lower people's mortgage/loan amounts?

I understand that houses were worth more when they bought them and that many times now a mortgage is more than the house is worth...but isn't that a risk of buying?

Did homeowners give the banks more money than they owed when it was a seller's market and properties were selling for way more than they were worth?

Speaking of Bald Being Sexy...

Philadelphia's Fire and Police Departments (which get along, unlike New York's) are participating in the:

Philadelphia Police and Fire Be Brave, Get Shaved

Volunteering to get sponsors and have their heads shaved in a valiant effort to raise money for little kids with cancer. Love this charity!

As many of you know, I am from a Philly firefighter family. My dad, my uncle, my brother are all members of the PFD. And my two favorite Philly bloggers represent the Fire Department and the Police Department here in the City of Brotherly Love.

This is the page for my brother's friend Firefighter Fred Licsauer who has volunteered to sheer his lovely blonde locks to help one of the 160,000 children that are diagnosed with cancer each year.

I know these are tough times and the fact that he only has $100 raised toward his goal of $1000 is proof of that.

Maybe you have a few bucks to help?

(There's even an iphone app that allows you to preview yourself bald!)

Caption It...

Teaching, Breast Feeding, DOMA and Privacy

If teachers had their facebook settings at the highest privacy level, their profile picture wouldn't even show up and no one could verify the account was actually theirs. You can even set your account so you don't come up in a search. Given that, I don't understand why 3 teachers in the past month have been fired over FB postings. Most of my teacher friends don't even have FB under their real names, but if you have one...be smart and change your privacy settings...
"My students are out of control," Munroe, who has taught 10th, 11th and 12th grades, wrote in one post. "They are rude, disengaged, lazy whiners. They curse, discuss drugs, talk back, argue for grades, complain about everything, fancy themselves entitled to whatever they desire, and are just generally annoying." (Source)

The world must be coming to an end...Michelle Obama and I agree on something while Michele Bachmann and I disagree! Breastfeeding. Yes, I agree that all women should do it. And yes, if the government uses my tax dollars for nasty formula via WIC when the woman buying it has something better and free right on her person...I should most definitely get a tax deduction for my breast pump. Since I breast fed AFTER a tumor removal and TWO reconstructive surgeries, I am certainly qualified to speak to this issue...

Bad news for the gays. Instead of celebrating the Obama Administration's announcement that it will no longer defend challenges to DOMA...you should be coming to the realization that if EITHER SIDE actually gave a crap about your rights...someone would have introduced a legitimate Civil Union Act that would grant everyone equal rights in the eyes of the LAW. Until someone does, realize you are just a political ping pong.

And, against all my Libertarian proclivities, I am 100% behind an effort to create an app that prevents kids from erasing their text messages and allows parents to view anything their child does on the phone. Until your out of my house and paying for your own bills...privacy isn't afforded to you.

CWA Union Member Hits a Girl

...and then steals candy from a baby?

Before the assault even takes place, you can tell by this guy's demeanor that he's a douche. You can read the whole sordid tale at Michelle Malkin's blog.



Unfortunately, I too have first hand experience with misogynistic union thugs. Much like this young girl, I was manhandled by a Teamster that was blocking the entrance to Sears. Unlike this girl, I wasn't at a protest entering the fray...I was trying to buy a new typewriter ribbon because I had a paper due.

We Play Their Game Better

The left is the professional protesters...and once again, their signs are pretty disappointing...



Justin Bieber? Really?

Here are the "Best" 100 Signs from Wisconsin.

MUST SEE VIDEO:



This video contains a contender for Quote of the Year: "First you take away the Unions and then you take away the Jews, and then...that's how it goes."

Col. Allen West 2012

Forget Trump, or Newt or Christie or Bachmann. Col. Allen West. Military experience seemed to be a good qualifying factor for George Washington...

Be inspired as Col. Allen West effortlessly schools Qur'an wielding Nezar Hamze, Executive Director of the Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR):

Caption It...

Better Than Any of the Superbowl Commercials I Saw...

A Cure for Baldness?

Though, in my opinion, men worry more about going bald than women care about it... A cure might finally be a reality...

Years ago a well respected endocrinologist told me he believed male baldness was caused by a hormone imbalance (i.e. an abundance of testosterone). He said (and I quote), "Aren't the bald men you know the horniest men you know?" And indeed they are. So, personally, I've always seen baldness as a bit of a male badge of honor. Like a sign that reads, 'I have much more male hormone than full head of hair guy.' I'd take Jason Statham over Matt Damon every day of the week...

So, I don't know if this new development lends credence to my doctor's hypothesis or not...

"Scientists at UCLA and the Department of Veterans Affairs were working with genetically altered mice that typically develop head-to-tail baldness as a result of overproducing a stress hormone.

The experiment wasn't focused on hair loss. Instead, it was designed to study a chemical compound that blocks the effects of stress on the gut. The researchers treated the bald mice for five days with the compound and then returned them to the cages, where they scampered about with several furry mice from a control group.

Three months later, the scientists went back to the cage to conduct additional experiments. They were surprised by what they saw inside -- all of the mice had full heads and backs of hair. The once-bald mice, eventually identified through ear tags, were indistinguishable from their normal, furry cage mates.

Dr. Million Mulugeta, co-director of the preclinical stress biology program at UCLA, said he looked inside the cage and at first wondered why the bald mice weren't there.

"We went back to our data log, and we realized all the mice had grown hair. It was a totally unexpected finding," he said." (SOURCE)

Wellbutrin instead of Rogaine for hair loss...?

And if this is false hope? Bald man take heart...your buddies are much harder on your challenged follicles than we women are. Wear your testosterone proudly! :)

Another Sign They Can't Handle Democracy?

Egyptian Man Names Daughter "Facebook"

This Should Make Any President Proud...

I've probably posted this before, but someone emailed it to me and I had forgotten just how good it was. Anyone that's every talked smack about KISS will feel bad seeing how psyched Gene Simmons can get our troops! (The video gets even better as it goes on...make sure to watch the whole thing!)



And the MSM isn't showing much of the rallies IN SUPPORT of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker...Here is a page with some of the signs supporting the hard decisions he's making in a broke state... (If they get these concessions NO ONE LOSES A JOB. Everyone gives A LITTLE right?)

You can find the "15 Best pro-Walker Signs" Here.

Caption It...

Today is "Hockey Day in America"

"Launched by USA Hockey in 2008, Hockey Weekend Across America is a nationwide initiative to celebrate the game and those involved at all levels and to expose hockey to new audiences." (SOURCE)

Today at 12:30 EST, NBC will air the Philadelphia Flyers VS the New York Rangers. For new comers wanting to check out the sport...this game would be a great introduction. This is an age old hockey rivalry and with looming grudges (Carcillo and/or Shelley vs Sean Avery?) and promises to be a lively match up.

Here's your chance to see the Orange and Black in action before they hoist the cup!

WI Teachers Can't Do Basic Math?

Paul Ryan on the Governor-Teacher Showdown in Wisconsin:

"[Governor Scott Walker] and I are very close friends. We e-mail each other quite a bit... He's basically saying that state workers which have extremely generous benefits packages relative to their private sector counterparts, they contribute next to nothing to their pensions, very, very little in their health care packages.

He's asking that they contribute about 12 percent for their health care premiums, which is about half of the private sector average, and about 5.6 percent to their pensions. It's not asking a lot. It's still about half of what private sector pensions do and health care packages do.

So he's basically saying "I want you public workers half of what your private sector counterparts do" and he's getting riots. It's like Cairo has moved to Madison these days." (SOURCE)

You can't give what you don't have. Any teacher that doesn't grasp that shouldn't be a teacher.

Then again, the more contact I have with teachers...the less confident I am about them guiding my children's educational journey. Recently I had one tell my son that Reagan was more known for "win one for the Gipper" than "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." And I am in a Blue Ribbon, Colin Powell Best Place to Live school district.

I understand that this pension was part of some deal. That one time or another when the state couldn't give a raise or a requested perk...the pension package was sweetened as a consolation. I get it. But if I promise my kid $20 a week in allowance and I get laid off--the offer is immediately null and void. The money source has dried up by no one's fault. No one WANTS to get services/perks cut...but everyone will have to. (I also know that protests probably aren't as bad as they appear because the DNC has admitted to busing in protesters).

When I was living in the UK, the Spice girls were HUGE. I remember telling everyone how this could never happen in America. That 4, barely good looking girls that couldn't sing at all could never be that famous. Then I stepped off the plane and "If you wanna be my lover, you better get with my friends..." was booming everywhere! Agh! My country let me down.

And when the disgustingly entitled 20-somethings in first France then Greece were rioting because the retirement got raised 2 years and they were told they could only take 16 weeks paid vacations instead of 23...I said NEVER could that happen here. Americans understand that when there's no money, things must be cut. Americans know that you can't get blood from a stone.

And then I saw the protests in Wisconsin. Again, I feel let down.

(I'm now sitting here thinking of a few teachers that I've had and that my boys have had and there are some SUPERB teachers out there and if we could clone them...this world would be a better place. The ones that I am thinking of wouldn't be calling in sick and leaving the kids with no instruction...)

Corporate HR Test

This is a test given by Human Relations Departments at many of the major corporations today. It helps them get better insight concerning their employees and in their prospective employees. There are 10 Simple questions, so grab a pencil and paper. Record your letter answers to each question. This might be your chance to see why you were or weren't hired after that last interview!

(Remember: Answers are for who you are now and not who you were in the past.)

1. When do you feel your best...
A) in the morning
B) during the afternoon and early evening
C) late at night

2. You usually walk...
A) fairly fast, with long steps
B) fairly fast, with little steps
C) less fast head up, looking the world in the face
D) less fast, head down
E) very slowly

3. When talking to people you...
A) stand with your arms folded
B) have your hands clasped
C) have one or both your hands on your hips
D) touch or push the person to whom you are talking
E) play with your ear, touch your chin, or smooth your hair

4. When relaxing, you sit with..
A) your knees bent with your legs neatly side by side
B) your legs crossed
C) your legs stretched out or straight
D) one leg curled under you

5. When something really amuses you, you react with...
A) big appreciated laugh
B) a laugh, but not a loud one
C) a quiet chuckle
D) a sheepish smile

6. When you go to a party or social gathering you...
A) make a loud entrance so everyone notices you
B) make a quiet entrance, looking around for someone you know
C) make the quietest entrance, trying to stay unnoticed

7. You're working very hard, concentrating hard, and you're interrupted...
A) welcome the break
B) feel extremely irritated
C) vary between these two extremes

8. Which of the following colors do you like most....
A) Red or orange
B) black
C) yellow or light blue
D) green
E) dark blue or purple
F) white
G) brown or gray

9. When you are in bed at night, in those last few moments before going to sleep you are......
A) stretched out on your back
B) stretched out face down on your stomach
C) on your side, slightly curled
D) with your head on one arm
E) with your head under the covers

10. You often dream that you are...
A) falling
B) fighting or struggling
C) searching for something or somebody
D) flying or floating
E) you usually have dreamless sleep
F) your dreams are always pleasant



POINTS:

1. (a) 2 (b) 4 (c) 6
2. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 7 (d) 2 (e) 1
3. (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 5 (d) 7 (e) 6
4. (a) 4 (b) 6 (c) 2 (d) 1
5. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 2
6. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 2
7. (a) 6 (b) 2 (c) 4
8. (a) 6 (b) 7 (c) 5 (d) 4 (e) 3 (f) 2 (g) 1
9. (a) 7 (b) 6 (c) 4 (d) 2 (e ) 1
10 (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 6 (f) 1



OVER 60 POINTS: Others see you as someone they should "handle with care." You're seen as vain, self-centered, and extremely dominant. Others may admire you, wishing they could be more like you, but don't always trust you, hesitating to become too deeply involved with you.

51 TO 60 POINTS: Others see you as an exciting, highly volatile, rather impulsive personality, a natural leader, who's quick to make decisions, though not always the right ones. They see you as bold and adventuresome, someone who will try anything once, someone who takes chances and enjoys an adventure. They enjoy being in your company because of the excitement you radiate.

41 TO 50 POINTS: Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing, practical, and always interesting, someone who's constantly in the center of attention, but sufficiently well-balanced not to let it go to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and understanding, someone who'll always cheer them up and help them out.

31 TO 40 POINTS: Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful & practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest. Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who's extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expects the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you, realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you a long time to get over if that trust is ever broken.

21 TO 30 POINTS: Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy. They see you as very cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady plodder. It would really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively or on the spur of the moment, expecting you to examine everything carefully from every angle and then, usually decide against it. They think this reaction is caused partly by your careful nature.

UNDER 21 POINTS: People think you are shy, nervous, and indecisive, someone who needs looking after, who always wants someone else to make the decisions and who doesn't want to get involved with anyone or anything! They see you as a worrier who always sees problems that don't exist. Some people think you're boring. Only those who know you well, know that you aren't.


I got 47 and I found that to be pretty accurate.

The Voice of the Mulsim Brotherhood

"The term 'Muslim Brotherhood' ... is an umbrella term for a variety of movements, in the case of Egypt, a very heterogeneous group, largely secular, which has eschewed violence and has decried Al Qaeda as a perversion of Islam," Obama's Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said."

I would like to humbly recommend an article for Mr. Clapper to scan over in his spare time;

"Qaradawi, [the 'father figure' of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood], advocates establishing a "United Muslim Nations" as a contemporary form of the caliphate and the only alternative to the hegemony of the West. He hates Israel and would love to take up arms himself. In one of his sermons, he asked God "to kill the Jewish Zionists, every last one of them."

And some consider his views on women and the Qur'an 'enlightened'

"He also speaks out against the systematic castigation of wives. He calls the practice unwise, saying: "Blows are not effective with every woman, but they are helpful with some." In other cases, the sheikh insists on equal rights. For example, he says, a woman does not have to ask her husband's permission to blow herself up in an Israeli café." (SOURCE)

Considering this article spans the possible range of topics from Israel, Hosni Mubarak and the Qur'an to incest and breast milk...it might behoove the National Intelligence Director to have a read before he speaks again...

So, given this new twist to the Egyptian story (and all the happenings in the middle East right now), it was comforting to read that Americans still have radical Islam on their minds. Given that 72% of Americans think that religious extremists should be investigated...it would seem that complacency has not yet set in.

End Times?

"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come." Matthew 24:6

Contrary to popular talking head belief, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is indeed forming a political party (aka Taliban Light perhaps?)

Now that the Iranians have been one-upped by the Egyptians, they need the feel to stage Part II of their attempted revolution. Their outlook seems bleak.

But, Glenn Beck said something in his show last night that I (and probably many others) have been thinking about for days...

The President and the press exalting the YOUTH revolution.

Here in America, you can't sign a legal document until you're 18. You can't have a beer until you're 21. You can still mooch off Mommy and Daddy's insurance until you're 25. You can't serve as a Representative in the House until you're 25. Can't be a Senator until you're 30. And can't even run to be the President until you're 35.

Because our legal system and our founding fathers obviously understand that with age and experience comes wisdom...

We know that teens and young 20 somethings only utilize about 10% of their problem solving/critical CHANGE here or THERE? What they heck do they know? What did I know in my early 20's?

So, I can't seem to get into the spirit of celebrating the deterioration of an entire region of the world prompted by the 20-somethings...

Caption It...

Online Dating

There was a special on about online romance/dating last night and four things stood out to me as pretty interesting:

1 in 14 people in the world are on facebook.

For every inch a man is under 5'10, they need to make $40,000 more per year.

Women are most afraid an internet hookup will be a serial killer.

Men are most afraid an internet hookup will be fat.

"Women are more likely to rate men as "below average looking." Men often choose a mate based on body mass index and age.

But the sexes have one thing in common -- they both lie." (SOURCE)

I don't really know what any of that is indicative of... Just really fascinating...

I actually have quite a few friends that have met their others right here in cyber world. And my favorite of those couples is now expecting their first baby...

I'm actually toying with doing a 'Blonde Sagacity Bachelorette' for a friend that is a great catch and desperately needs to ditch their current man for a decent one...

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Coulter's 2012 Pick

CHRIS CHRISTIE

But, she also says there is no way he will run.

And she confirmed my WORST fear, by stating that if a STAR didn't step up the GOP would run Mitt Romney. Ugh. I won't vote for him. Just like many of you abstained from the McCain vote...I WILL NOT push the button for Mitt. Full stop.

"If you don't run Chris Christie, Romney will be the nominee and we'll lose," said Coulter, eliciting cheers from the crowd.

"By the way," she added, "I warned you about McCain." (SOURCE)

I have been chanting this montra since the day Obama won.

NO ROMENY IN 2012!!!!!!!!! <- That's my begging voice.

All Politics Aside...

Donald Trump 2012

With an appearance at CPAC under his belt and a trip to Iowa in the works, it seems pretty certain The Donlad is gearing up for a 2012 run at the White House.

A few years back, in the thick of Philadelphia's pay to play corruption at the hands of former Mayor Street (D), a guy named Sam Katz (R) ran. He was definitely a fiscal conservative and a social liberal (and a millionaire if I remmeber correctly). But most importantly, he was a MONEY MAN and that was just what Philly needed. He lost of course. Philadelphia is still one of the few cities left that votes purely on race. Unfortunately for Philadelphia, Sam Katz was white.

Donald Trump is a similar in makeup to Sam Katz (though Mr. Katz's personal life wasn't quite so colorful). A fiscal conservative and social liberal. But a money man. A man that demands respect in the business world.

Isn't that what the country needs? Someone that puts money above all else until our fiscal house is in order and then we can tackle the other issues. I have no doubt Trump would be tough on terror...I think...

Anyway, each time one of these possibilities has cropped up I've loved (and been immensley informed) but all of your input. We have a tough road in 2012. To find someone that inspires and someone that is truly capable of leading. AND can beat Obama (you know the lefties will be out in FULL FORCE to keep The One in office).

If he presents as a serious candidtae, The Donald in 2012?

Caption it...

Courtesy of the Philly Wing Bowl...

Antibiotics = Abortion Pill?

"A pregnant Colorado woman may lose her baby all because of a drug mix-up.

At her sixth week of pregnancy, Mareena Silva says she went to pick up an antibiotic prescription from a pharmacy in Ft. Lupton, but was given an abortion pill by mistake.

A Safeway pharmacist gave her methotrexate, which is used to treat cancer or terminate pregnancies.

Silva says she felt nauseous and her doctor told her to try to throw the medicine up. She was later rushed to an area hospital, where doctors used charcoal in an attempt to absorb the drug.

It's not clear what will happen now." (SOURCE)

I REALLY don't want to cast any aspersions here, but WHAT?

The pharmacy gave her someone else's drug and she didn't even have the same name or birth date? She didn't have to give them an insurance card and sign a electronic statement that you received the meds... I know here in PA you do. Geez, we have to practically submit FBI clearance just to get some Advil Cold & Sinus. And then when she got home she didn't glance at the bottle to see how she was instructed to take it? She's pregnant and she's just going to pop some antibiotics into her mouth without reading the dosage protocol? And she never wondered why there was only a few pills instead of like 14? The drug she was given, Methotrexate, is normally taken 3-4 pills in one day. So how did she know to take them all (at once!) if she didn't look at the bottle?

This is one of those stories that you feel guilty questioning because if it is all true it's too horrific to comprehend --but there is just too much that screams red flag here for my liking... I hope I'm wrong about my bad feeling...

Video story on newsy.com

Pew Current Events Quiz

10 out of 12 question right. I got the last two wrong... and I think the last one was a gimme but it's not fair because I'm a Blackberry girl! :)

I'll settle with being more informed than 96% of the country...

Pew Research Political Quiz

Caption It...

Universal values? I'm confused.

Both President Obama and Hillary Clinton (along with other left-of-the-aisle talking heads) have used the term "universal values" when speaking about what's transpiring in Egypt.

That confused me. I thought there were no "universal values" or "universal rights." I thought differences (i.e. leaving girl babies on a beach to die) were cultural differences... Or has that now changed?

In college one of my uber-libby professors and I would battle to the death over this. He informed me that I couldn't impose my cultural expectations on other lands...and it was incredibly (and embarrassingly) jingoistic of me to expect others to adhere to American standards/practices...

Has that liberal idea been scrapped and I didn't get the message?

BS PSA: Vermont Teddy Bears

Fox News watchers (which I am going to assume has a higher male demographic) have been inundated over the last week with Vermont Teddy Bear ads. I am so worried that men out there will buy (literally) into this ad. The surest way for The Man to have a bad Valentine outcome is to show up with a Vermont (or any other state) Teddy Bear.

Am I 5? We are WOMEN. We are wives, mothers, lawyers, soldiers, teachers and doctors. We don't want stuffed animals. Most of us don't want Hoodie-Footies either.

Jewelry, a gift certificate to the mall, cute PJs from Victoria's Secret...or just a baby sitter so we can stroll around Center City for a few hours. Even a card with a heart-felt note inside.

Anything but a Vermont Teddy Bear...

I am suddenly feeling a sense of deja vu, as if I posted about this advise in years gone by...

Do As We Say, Not As We Do #928

What was the First Lady (you know, the ones that just told Americans to stop eating the junk food) serving yesterday at the White House Super Bowl Party?

Bratwurst, kielbasa, cheeseburgers, deep-dish pizza, buffalo wings, German potato salad, twice-baked potatoes, potato chips, pretzels, dip and a mystery salad.
Hinterland Pale Ale or Amber Ale, brewed in Wisconsin. Yuengling lager or light, brewed in Pennsylvania and White House honey ale. There was also ice cream. (source)

So, I wasted about 10 minutes of my life and calculated how many calories guests would imbibe of they sampled all the offerings and have ONE beer (we won't even get into salt content):

2970 calories.

A person's entire caloric intake for the day should be somewhere around 2000 calories and this was almost 3,000 for one party.

Sheesh Michelle.

This is what happens when you presume to tell others how to live their lives...it makes yours fair game to be under the microscope.

(Did you know the new online rumor is that Shelley is preggers?) <-which I only bring to your attention because I found it amusing, not because I believe it has an iota of truth...

Caption It...

Happy 100th!

Who among us can inspire and lead like you? I wish I had a Ouija board...

Congresswoman Sagacity

You Should Be Elected US Senator

You have a strong interest in political issues - both on a state and local level. You love to debate for debating's sake. You could argue for hours. You are dignified and well spoken. People naturally want to give you authority. You are a wheeler and dealer. You are willing to compromise a little to get what you want.

What Office Should You Be Elected To?

Smoking Ban in NYC

Why should you care about the smoking ban in public areas in NYC? You might not smoke. I don't. I'm almost 3 years nicotine clean.

But what's next? I've said it 1,000 times and I'll say it again...you are incredibly short-sighted if you support bans like the current one in NYC.

New York City extends smoking ban to parks, boulevards

What habits/preferences do YOU have that are undesirable? Soda? Fast food? Fast bikes? Contact sports?

Who will stand with you when they try to take your vice-of-choice away?

I will. Because I believe treading on people's person freedoms is a TRAVESTY...even if it makes my hair and clothes smell.

MSM Silence at Schumer's Blunder

"We have three branches of government. We have a house, we have a senate, we have a president. And, all three of us are going to have to come together and give some." ~Senator Chuck Schumer (SOURCE)

As Megyn Kelley said today...just imagine it was Sarah Palin or Michelle Bachmann that had uttered this statement. She thinks it's a sexist bias and that it would have been reported if it was Hillary and I tend to think it's more of a political bias than a gender one...

Maybe Things Aren't Worse Today...

Given that we are a hockey family, an acquaintance couldn't believe we had never seen 'Slapshot.' A 1977 Paul Newman movie about a struggling minor league hockey team that resorts to on-ice fighting in the form of the Hanson Brothers.

The movie was actually available for streaming on Netflix (which never seems to happen) and though it was rated 'R' I didn't really think twice about letting the boys all watch it. I mean it was made in 1977 and was about hockey...how bad could it be?

The answer is bad. They used the P and C words throughout the entire film. They constantly talk about "fags" and "dykes" and the various acts they perform. There were uncomfortably long gratuitous naked boob scenes. And some phrases that I can't even pretty up to put here.

I realize it was my fault. It WAS rated R after all... But I guess I bought into the whole 'things are getting worse' way of thinking and just figured an R movie from the '70's would be like a PG or PG-13 movie now. Wrong.

That being said, if you're not watching it with your 10 and 12 year old boys...it's a pretty funny movie...

Speaking of hockey...I will be at the Philadelphia Flyers VS. Nashville Predators game tonight (is there ice in Nashville?) and it's Bobby Clarke banner night! Thanks to The Man for the best early Valentine's Day present ever! :)

Caption It...

Incendiary Tactics Find a Home on Facebook

I used to get moveon.org updates, but now I can gauge what's got the Left in a tizzy by my scanning my facebook homepage (I must examine why I have so many Libbie friends..)

Today's outcry reads:

Republicans want to change the law so only certain types of rape "count."

And you can only imagine the slew of incendiary comments that follow. So I went and looked up the origin of this latest of histrionics --something the other side of the aisle seems incapable of doing...

This is referring to NJ Representative Chris Smith's "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (H.R. 3)."

"[The bill] proposes making permanent some federal bans for abortion funding - including the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits health-care programs like Medicaid from covering abortions except in cases of rape, incest and danger to the mother's life. The Hyde Amendment is a provision that requires annual renewal by Congress that has been in place since 1976.

The "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act," which currently has the support of 173 House members (including 10 Democrats), also prohibits employers and self-insured Americans from using tax breaks to buy private health insurance that covers abortion.

But the provision of H.R. 3 that has drawn the most widespread criticism from advocates of abortion rights is one regarding the exemption of pregnancies resulting from rape. The bill exempts a woman from the Hyde Amendment limitations only if she has become pregnant as the result of "forcible rape."

Critics argue that specifying the terms of rape as "forcible" in the legislation qualifies as a redefinition that excludes other forms of sexual assault - including statutory rape, which is often non-forcible.

Rep. Daniel Lipinski, one of the Democrats sponsoring H.R. 3, said in a statement it "was not intended to change existing law regarding taxpayer funding for abortion in cases of rape, nor is it expected that it would do so." (Rep. Smith did not respond to multiple requests for comment regarding the language of the bill.)" (SOURCE)

It's things like this that rob my civility...quickly. This is meant to inflame and mislead. It is done knowing that most people will forward 'shocking' messages to their entire contact list without ever checking the news, snopes, or urbanlegends.com to even see if what they're inundating their friends with is true.

Once again, they are inflating a non-issue to obscure the real issue. No one wants to take away legal definitions of rape and they know that. But they also know that a majority of the country doesn't believe that tax payer money should be used for abortions and the HUGE money-making machine that is the abortion lobby abhors that...because abortion IS legal after all...so why can't they have their fair share of the pie. And if they need to used RAPE headlines as an end to their means? So be it. I'm just bummed that so many of my acquaintances play right into their bloody hands...

Michelle Obama Promoting Eating Disorders?

"A year after she launched the Let's Move program to end childhood obesity, Michelle Obama visited this Army training post Thursday to witness what Hertling and his staff have done.

"The military can model so many wonderful solutions," she said.

By the time many of the young soldiers-in-training get to this Army post, they've been plumped up by fast food and soda and sedentary teenage years spent indoors playing video games.

The Army makes sure that by the time they leave after 10 weeks of basic training, they are considerably slimmer and fitter. Trainers here hope they've instilled a new approach to eating that will stick with the soldiers for the rest of their lives..." (SOURCE)

Sounds good right? The Obamas actually holding out the Armed Forces as an example to our children seems encouraging on the surface...but leave it to them to pick one of the things that shouldn't be emulated.

A recent article in the Washington Post details the extreme measures troops must go through to meet often times unrealistic PT standards and measurements:

"It is no surprise that the military services require a high degree of physical fitness, and the vast majority of service members can pass those tests. But the military also has weight limits based on height, age and sex. If a soldier's weight or waistline is over the limit during twice-a-year fitness testing, he or she is given two months to lose the excess.

Thirty-five percent of male soldiers do not meet the weight standards, and 6 percent of all soldiers exceed body-fat standards, according to a 2009 report published in the journal Military Medicine. The report said that about 24,000 Army personnel were discharged between 1992 and 2007 for failure to comply with weight standards.

Pressure to meet strict requirements has led some to take drastic steps.

The Army doesn't have data on the number of soldiers using extreme measures to meet the standards, but dozens of soldiers responded to a question from Army Times, many saying they use starvation, dehydration, pills or laxatives, and some have used - or are considering using - liposuction. " (READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE)

It seems that Michelle Obama should have done a bit more digging into military weight requirements before she decided to tell American children to emulate them... And what the hell with the military? Liposuction and starvation?

Democracy = The Muslim Brotherhood?

So, now that I've read a bit more and listened more...I have decided that I think true democracy in the Middle East is a pipe dream. I know it's in our nature as Americans to want to help when we see people crying for equality and democracy in the streets (though, for me that comes only after I get over the disgust of the parading around of corpses...)

BUT, can Islam and Democracy actually co-exist?

I can see it now...

America, in it's wonderfully just and altruistic way, will support these democracy-seeking corpse carriers as they overthrow one of the only stable regimes in the ME and they will turn out to be just another al Qaeda-minded group of zealots. Did you know that the head of Chicago's CAIR chapter is amongst the protesters?

The other day I said I didn't really have any feelings about the matter...and then I heard that the protesters had a name: The Muslim Brotherhood.

So, yeah, I think my vote is with Mubarak. He kept corpses from the streets for a pretty long time.

"Some Muslim clerics are already calling the riots in Egypt simply an extension of 1979's Islamist conquests..."

And, we seem to forget that ISLAMIC DEMOCRACY isn't Western Democracy. These people would be going from bad to worse.

Islamic democracy refers to two kinds of democratic states that can be recognized in the Islamic countries. The basis of this distinction has to do with how comprehensively Islam is incorporated into the affairs of the state.[1]

1.A democratic state which recognizes Islam as state religion, such as Malaysia, Pakistan or Algeria. Maldives are examples of Islamic Democracy. Some religious values are incorporated into public life, but Islam is not the only source of law.
2.A democratic state which endeavours to institute Sharia. It is also called as Islamist democracy.[1] Islamist democracy offers more comprehensive inclusion of Islam into the affairs of the state." (SOURCE)

If you missed it last night, you can watch Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly debate the situation here.

Caption It...