Questions? We Don't Need No Blanking Questions!: Obama's Refusal To Answer

This from Chip Reid at CBS News. Remember CBS News? These are guys who took the forged papers on Bush II and couldn't wait to present them as the real McCoy! The same folks who carried the water for Himself in 2008, and hoisted Him upon their humble shoulders across the finish line. They've been the shills for every hare-brained Democrat politician since forever. They were positively breathless about such luminaries as the Clintons, John Edwards, John Kerry, and Tennessee's Favorite Son AlGore.

Suckahs!

There was some rich irony at the White House today -- President Obama signed the Press Freedom Act, and then promptly refused to take any questions.

The new law expands the State Department's annual human rights reports to include a description of press freedoms in each country. It seemed a good opportunity to showcase press freedom in this country.

Recall that last Friday the president refused to take any questions after delivering his angry statement on the oil spill in the Rose Garden. And he has not held a prime-time White House news conference in many months, despite much pleading from pundits and members of the media.

So after he signed the bill, and as the press "wranglers" began aggressively herding us out of the room, I asked if he still has confidence in BP. He ignored the question so I tried this: "In the interest of press freedom, would you take a couple questions on BP?"

That did elicit a smile, and he told me I was free to ask questions. Someone else shouted, "Will you answer them?"

He said he's not holding a press conference today as we were escorted out the door.

And He won't be holding one tomorrow, or the day after that, or...

At least ole' Chip is beginning to tumble to the fact that he was scammed, and his editors at CBS News, by allowing him to publish, are acknowledging the same.

Wonder if they'll ever locate their bollocks, and actually start telling the truth about this White House, before the last shreds of their credibility melt away? It may, finally, be about their own self-preservation.

Is This University Necessary?: Lambuth University Seeks Purchaser

Via Inside Higher Ed (a great resource, by the way, for families as they peer over the precipice toward university life for their children), news that a small Methodist university in Jackson, Tennessee is about to close its doors.

Lambuth University's president said Friday that the financially struggling private Methodist college's future will be decided next week as school officials continue to seek a buyer.

In a brief statement Friday afternoon, Lambuth President Bill Seymour said: "There's a higher risk of closure if a deal is not done by next Friday, but we are doing everything possible to get a deal in place and things will be decided next week in a (board of trustees) meeting."

Meanwhile, Jackson and community leaders said Friday they were preparing as best they could for Lambuth's future and praying the school survives.

School officials said Thursday there was no viable purchasing deal ready and that they would not be able to make payroll on time for May. Seymour said then that negotiations with potential management companies will continue and the school has until May 28 to cement a deal and submit it to the Southern Association of College and Schools, which accredits Lambuth.

Not knowing the details, OS hesitates to comment directly about it. But a few thoughts come to mind:

Some (probably many) institutions have a shelf-life, especially in the United States, where change is our only constant. As Lambuth is inspected one last time for signs of life, perhaps it's better to dispense with sentiment, and ask: Is this university necessary? Has its shelf-life expired? Is it doing anything uniquely valuable that isn't being better done by someone else in this part of the world?

Unless there is a compellingly good answer to that question, it's probably time to wind the institution down in an orderly fashion. Liquidate what will turn to cash, turn the archives over to worthy hands for safekeeping, distribute the parts of the library that can find a good home elsewhere, make sure the pensions of the oldest and most loyal employees (especially the custodial staff, groundskeepers, cooks, and the like) are safely in place, and walk away. Leave the buildings and grounds in saleable condition, and if there's any cash, use it to prevent physical deterioration.

Once everyone knows the patient indeed is dead, some clever soul or souls can look at it with fresh eyes, and think of a worthy use for it. It's happened before, and will again, if allowed to happen.

Secondly, it's a good time ask: What are the common traits of the institutions that haven't gone extinct, like Harvard, Yale, Duke, Princeton?

How did they do that? How do they re-invent themselves while remaining deeply connected with a strong tradition?

More importantly, how do we do that, here in our more humble circumstances?

'Ripples': Some Hopeful Words From John Thomas Dodson

OS, wired from a long drive, runs across this inspiring post.

It tells the story of how someone most readers here never have heard of, one Prince Esterhazy, living in the mid-18th century, changed the course of history for the better, for us all.

He deeply loved music, and spent a portion of his wealth hiring an unknown kid from Vienna named Josef Haydn. This works out well, to say the least, as over the next 30 years this kid becomes the most formidable musician in Europe, week in and week out doing his job. Haydn nurtures the genius of Mozart, and Beethoven learns much of his craft from Haydn as well.

Dodson makes a wonderful point:

During his lifetime, Haydn will compose over 100 symphonies, develop the new genre of the string quartet, and set the standard against which Mozart will be measured. He'll be the most famous musician of his age, and all of this because of you.

And that leads me to think of ripples.

Each one of us lives a life based on our values. We gradually form them, nurture them, and ultimately, become them. Behind us, we leave ripples of our having been here. Behind us, things happen: Some, because we decide to make a difference; others, the unanticipated results of the things we choose to do.

Because Prince Nikolaus recognized talent and nurtured it, Haydn found his way out of anonymity and into History. The story of music changed. Because of his stature, Haydn would find Mozart, and Beethoven would seek out Haydn. But Prince Esterházy could see none of that. He simply saw that around him he wanted music of the highest order.

Each one of us lives a life based on our values...we leave ripples behind...

The obscure prince, living out his values, changed the world, and died not even knowing he had done it.

Not too shabby.

Kinda' Gives An Entirely New Meaning To The Term 'Red State': Illinois, Obama's Home State, Is About To Melt Down

Gosh. If you spend way way way more than you take in, borrow borrow borrow the rest, one day, you'll have a several billion dollar shortfall in the ole' state budget.

From the WSJ:

Illinois lawmakers were in disarray Thursday as they groped for stopgap measures to address a $13 billion deficit equaling nearly half of the state's general-fund revenue.

The state faces one of the nation's worst budget crises, spilled over in part from the broader national economic crunch, and its current bond ratings lag only California's. But the confusion in the legislature indicates that serious steps to fix state finances won't be taken until after the November elections—if then.

Illinois lawmakers have little appetite for drastic spending cuts. An income-tax increase proposed by Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn is going nowhere. Even temporary steps, such as borrowing to make pension payments, have stalled. Illinois is months late on many of its bills and has no plan for catching up.

The legislature may push the problem to the governor's office by granting Mr. Quinn emergency budget powers and adjourning Friday, about three weeks earlier than usual.

Yeah, baby! Talk about-cher' profiles in courage!

And they don't have a Reagan or a Bush to blame for it. The One is in the White House, and if he ponies up $20 billion or so to bail Illinois out, with no chance of repayment, then Katie-Bar-The-Door on Election Day.

Does sort of make one reconsider that definition of 'Red State'.

Tennessee, on the other hand, is grappling with a shortfall of about 100 million--a lot of money, but Democrat Governor Bredesen and the Republican-dominated legislature stoked away a bunch of cash during the good times. So now the argument is about if and how much of those funds to tap versus how much to cut. They'll get through it, and won't be adjourning early. It won't be pleasant, but everyone will survive.

Read more about the knock-on effect in Illinois at Doug Ross Journal.

And Now, For Something Completely Different...

Sunday Morning at a 'Seeker Church':

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Sunday Morning at a 'Signs and Miracles Church: The Holy Ghost Hokey-Pokey (no kidding!)




And, finally, a church service with just a bit more dignity:

Chasing The Dream: CBS Plows The Ground For Golf After Tiger

It's Saturday afternoon, catching up on the work that didn't get done in the aftermath of the flood, looking for a golf tournament on the tube (Mrs. OS is a saint, enduring golf on TV as she does.)

Turning to CBS, and find a one-hour special, 'Chasing the Dream', featuring the rising generation of young golf pros like Anthony Kim and Rory McIlroy.

Someone has made recent decision to plow the ground in preparation for a PGA Tour without Tiger, or featuring a much diminished role for the former Boy Wonder for a while.

It's just bidness, after all. There are numbers to make, and bills to pay. Everyone became accustomed to Tiger showing up, being himself, and everybody carting off their own wheelbarrow of money. It worked so well for ten years, who wouldn't get fat and happy?

So, let's parade the kids who can barely shave, use handheld cameras at funny angles, no shot longer than three seconds, edit that 'grainy-film' look in back at the editing suite. Let's present them as the bright boys they are, not as legends in their own time.

Let's hope this works.

OS has mixed feelings about Mr. Woods, who has a long dark trip through the tunnel of life still ahead. Tiger showed us all what is possible, if we're willing to work hard enough. He also shows how things can go totally pear-shaped if we don't pay attention to details of life. In any case, after all the money he made for everyone around him, it seems a bit churlish to throw him completely under the bus. It can't be like the folks around him didn't approximately know what was going on in his off-hours.

As someone who has failed dramatically a time or two, and felt those wheels roll over him, OS appreciates grace--a lot.

And in honor of an athlete in the same trade who is retiring at the top of her game, with grace, class and good feelings all around, here is the transcript of Lorena Ochoa's retirement announcement.

I'm making this decision because all the elements are together. You know, to start, I always said that I wanted to play for some years, around ten years. And what I wanted to do is achieve my goals and to be the No. 1 player in the world. Retiring today or being at the top, you know, today is my anniversary for three years of being at the top in the Rolex World Rankings.

The second thing I always dreamed and I always wanted to finish here in Mexico. To be able to play my last tournament in front of my crowd, and in the moment of seeing them every day, and together to watch me playing my last tournament over here.

And third, well, finally, I just I'm ready to start a new life. You know, I just want to be a normal person. I just want to live like everyday things and be home, and be back with my family all the time that we lost in the last few years.

I'm ready to move on. You know, once you achieve your goals and you are at the top, it was good to me. But there are so many other things that I'd like to do. I'm really happy today, and I'm pleased. I'm 100% complete. It’s great news and I'm super happy.

I'm thanking everyone for their support and all the fans and for the LPGA, and people that have been watching my golf and following my career.

For Miss Ochoa, the really good stuff is just beginning, 'cuz she kept her head on straight all along the way.

Three cheers for this lovely young woman, who deserves to be role model.

You Mean I'm S'pozed To Actually READ A Law Before Litigating Against It?: Eric Holder and the Arizona Immigration Enforcement Bill

(Damn! Barry didn't tell me the job would actually involve reading stuff!)

Some moments are too good to pass up, and this is one of them. After all the condemnation heaped upon the heads of the folks in Arizona, and threats of civil rights action against them by the Department of Justice, AG Eric Holder admits in testimony before Congress that he hasn't even read the law!

If ever a video should go 'viral', this is one. 





This is the sort of nonsense one expects to encounter at a local zoning board meeting in a county somewhere in Appalachia. (Well, no suh', me and Bubba didn't realize that puttin' those dubble-wides on that flood plain would cause no problem. Hell, we didn't even know we wuz s'posed to get no bildin' permits, or look at no maps!)

Except this is the Attorney General of the United States. Our chief law enforcement officer. The one who is supposed render legal opinions for the Executive Branch. The one who is supposed to stand for the law and constitution, and not be a political hack.

And, lest we forget, the guy who appointed him once served as editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Shall we pause and reflect on the treatment recent Republican AG's have received at the hands of the Democrats and the MSM?

If this man is not sent on his way, then the country owes a posthumous apology to Nixon's AG-cum-BagMan, John Mitchell.

Remember, They're Not Called Food Stamps Anymore--The Growth Of The SNAP Program

Mish points to a report by Reuters that some 40 million people are now enrolled in the Food Stamp program (Dang it! They ain't food stamps, it's the SNAP program!)

Mrs. OldSouth hears the gasp in her husband's voice, and asks, 'How many were participating before Obama took office?'

Good question! So, OS does a bit of digging, and arrives at the USDA SNAP site, which provides a detailed history of the program from its founding in 1939 by Henry Wallace, then Secretary of Agriculture under FDR. (Wallace served as Vice-President from 1941-1945, but was tossed under the bus in favor of Truman for the 1944 election. Good thing, since it was discovered later that he was a Soviet agent...but back to the subject of FoodSt-dangit-SNAP!)

The First Food Stamp Program (FSP) - May 16, 1939-Spring 1943

The idea for the first FSP is credited to various people, most notably Secretary of Agriculture Henry Wallace and the program's first Administrator Milo Perkins. The program operated by permitting people on relief to buy orange stamps equal to their normal food expenditures; for every $1 worth of orange stamps purchased, 50 cents worth of blue stamps were received. Orange stamps could be used to buy any food; blue stamps could only be used to buy food determined by the Department to be surplus.

Over the course of nearly 4 years, the first FSP reached approximately 20 million people at one time or another in nearly half of the counties in the U.S.--peak participation was 4 million--at a total cost of $262 million.

Hey, it was the Depression! And 262 mil wasn't that much, right? Besides, WWII ended the need for it, although the FDA doesn't mention that per se:

The program ended (in 1943) "since the conditions that brought the program into being--unmarketable food surpluses and widespread unemployment--no longer existed.

Fast forward to The New Frontier:

...in fulfillment of a campaign promise made in West Virginia, President Kennedy's first Executive Order called for expanded food distribution and, on Feb. 2, 1961, he announced that food stamp pilot programs would be initiated. The pilot programs would retain the requirement that the food stamps be purchased, but eliminated the concept of special stamps for surplus foods. A Department spokesman indicated the emphasis would be on increasing the consumption of perishables.

Hey, it was Camelot! And there was all that food laying around, and all those votes to be bought with it. And besides, it was a temporary program.

Next stop, 1964, and Lyndon Johnson's running for the office he had lived his entire life for, only to inherit the job under the grimmest of circumstances.

On Jan. 31, 1964, President Johnson requested Congress to pass legislation making the FSP permanent. Secretary Orville Freeman submitted proposed legislation to establish a permanent FSP on April 17, 1964. The bill eventually passed by Congress was H.R. 10222, introduced by Congresswoman Sullivan. Among the official purposes of the Food Stamp Act of 1964 were strengthening the agricultural economy and providing improved levels of nutrition among low-income households; however, the practical purpose was to bring the pilot FSP under Congressional control and to enact the regulations into law...

[A]ppropriations for the first year limited to $75 million; for the second year, to $100 million; and, for the third year, to $200 million.

The Department estimated that participation in a national FSP would eventually reach 4 million, at a cost of $360 million annually.

Hey, it was The Great Society! We were gonna-by-gum eradicate poverty from the land, while running a war in Asia and keeping the lid on Europe, Japan, and Korea. No way we were gonna screw up the economy, right? Besides, we're helping 4 million poh' folks, and it'll only cost us $90 a head. What could go wrong?

OS will let you read the rest of the grim tale, if you care to.

But there are a couple of obvious items to note: We didn't eradicate poverty, and we did screw up the best economy in history.

And, if that many people are eligible for food aid, we don't have an economic recovery underway.

BTW--in answer to Mrs. OS's question:

By August 2008, participation had reached an all-time (non-disaster) high of 29 million people per month.

Sort of makes one's head, well, snap!

Ya Think?: The Guv'mint Debt Balloons, And The Spending Continues

Just as the states and counties are seeing tax receipts crater, the Federal government is seeing a shortfall in income, just as Congress and the White House gleefully ramp up spending in preparation for the European-style welfare state envisioned for us all.


From Reuters, yesterday.

The United States posted an $82.69 billion deficit in April, nearly four times the $20.91 billion shortfall registered in April 2009 and the largest on record for that month, the Treasury Department said on Wednesday.

It was more than twice the $40-billion deficit that Wall Street economists surveyed by Reuters had forecast and was striking since April marks the filing deadline for individual income taxes that are the main source of government revenue.

Department officials said that in prior years, there was a surplus during April in 43 out of the past 56 years.

The government has now posted 19 consecutive monthly budget deficits, the longest string of shortfalls on record.

Charmingly, at the very bottom of the article, is this quote:

White House budget director Peter Orszag told Reuters Insider in an interview on Wednesday that the United States must tackle its deficits quickly to avoid the kind of debt crisis that hit Greece.

Hey-thar', Mister Orzag! Don't tell us! We're already aware of the situation.

Tell your !!!****!!! boss!

The Great Middle Tennessee Flood: May 13 2010 Morning

OS is up to his kiester, catching up on work neglected last week in the aftermath of the deluge.

So, quickly: For readers in the Nashville area, the distribution center at Coleman Community Center, at the corner of Thompson Lane and Nolensville Road, is struggling to keep up with the needs of the neighborhood.

From WKRN News, posted yesterday:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Food, water and cleaning supplies are still available at disaster centers around Nashville, but demand is so high a the Coleman Community Center keeps running out of aid.

The Coleman Community Center is located on Nolensville and Thompson lane.

The center serves a large immigrant population that has numerous needs.

The center is handing out items like water and cleaning supplies, but they already ran out of food.

However, the center is expecting a new shipment.

"Sometimes we're slow, sometimes jam packed and out of everything," Volunteer Jared Reynolds told News 2. "We're out of everything right now."

Reynolds said working at the center can be heartbreaking.

"The ones with children, breaks my heart," Reynolds said. "These are people who didn't have anything before they lost everything, and now they really don't have anything. That's been tough.

Most of the donations come from organizations like the Red Cross or Second Harvest Food Bank, but volunteers at the Coleman Community Center said they'll take donations from private citizens and they're especially in need of diapers.

Much of the population of that area is immigrant, refugees from chaos overseas, like Egyptian Coptic Christians, Iraqis, Somalis, etc. OS got to know a family of Iranian Christians in the 1990's, who endured a particularly hair-raising experience at the hands of their Shia culture and government. Nashville has long been a resettlement destination for refugees, and there are good programs in place by a number of churches and groups to assist in the transition.

However, in this extraordinary circumstance, more is needed. As tough as it is to leave everything behind just to have a chance to live, it has to be doubly hard at a time like this.

So, if you can, please help out. Coleman Community Center is not difficult to reach.

384 Thompson Lane
Nashville, TN 37211-2453
(615) 862-8445

From I-440, take Nolensville Road South exit, and the center will be at the corner of Thompson lane in about 1.5 miles. You can't miss it--major intersection, softball fields, car dealership across the street from the center. Turn left onto Thompson Lane, the center is on the left.