Government Shutdown

We've been hearing for a few weeks that the government will shut down if the house and senate don't agree on a spending bill.

Yet, while the house has been working on such a bill which they sent to the senate, and which the senate returned (I doubt they even read it), the senate under Harry Reid took the weekend off.  The house worked on Saturday and passed a compromise bill.  The senate won't even start working on the compromise until 2:00 PM TODAY.  They wasted yesterday.

Of course, the president won't even try to work on a compromise.  He won't consider even a little change to his precious law.  He won't speak with members of the house unless they are democrats.

Maybe I'm being naïve, but it is my belief that in an emergency (as we are led to believe), the president should meet with both houses of congress to try to work out a compromise, or at least let each side offer suggestions and reasons for their ideas.  They should not be dismissed and they should be working around the clock to reach some sort of compromise.

The president, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi will make sure that their friends in the media spread the word that the republicans would not budge on the spending bill.  They will make sure that the republicans will be blamed for the mess.

It's up to us, the thinking citizens, to set the record straight.  The republicans in the house sent one bill to the senate which was rejected.  The republicans then worked until late on Saturday night to make a compromise so that the government would not shut down.  What was Harry Reid doing on Saturday and all day Sunday?  Why couldn't he call the senate in to work, that's what they are getting paid to do?

What was the president doing during all this?  We need answers.

Religion of Peace?

This morning while checking the news I saw that there was an armed siege at a Kenya shopping mall and that at last count there were 59 dead with 49 people still unaccounted for.  So that I wouldn't get only the conservative viewpoint on this, I checked the msnbc.com website.  This is where I got my report.

Some of the survivors reported that the gunmen told Muslims to stand up and leave and that only non-Muslims were to be targeted.  A militant Islamic group claimed responsibility saying it was in retaliation for the lives of Muslims killed by Kenyan forces leading an African Union offensive against that group.  Instead of fighting back against those forces, this group has decided to kill innocent non-Muslims.

In other news on this same website, there was a report of a Sunday morning bombing at a Christian church in Pakistan that killed at least 75.  These people, including women and children, were just leaving a morning service when the blast occurred.  One man reported that the police did nothing and just stood around.

The Christian population in Pakistan is about 4% of the 180 million and try to keep a low profile in a country where Islamist militants frequently bomb targets they see as heretical.

Let's also not forget about the Coptic Christians who have been killed in Egypt during the presidency of Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood friends.

Will we ever hear outrage from President Obama about this attack on Christianity by the so-called Islamist Religion of Peace?  I think not, he wouldn't want to offend his friends in the middle-East.

Problems

Tomorrow we are having an Arts & Craft show in our community.  I'll be submitting my photos.

I had thought I was all caught up and ready for the show, but I was sitting at my computer this morning and one of the pictures in the screen saver caught my eye.  I suddenly realized that I hadn't seen any of my Yellowstone pictures.  I went to the file and started printing them.  I particularly liked these

I started printing them.  Then my problems began.  The printer stopped; I checked to see the problem.  I was out of ink even though I just put in a new cartridge yesterday.  So, I changed my clothes and went to Staples to buy more toner.  Unfortunately, they were out of the kind I needed.  Oh well, I can always use my other printer which doesn't print as well, but I can use it in a pinch.

I checked the ink supplies there, replaced where needed and started to print.  After letting about 5 pictures go through I noticed that there are lines all through the pictures.

I guess I'll have to make do with the many photos already printed and save some of my favorites for next year.

Now, I better start ordering enough ink and paper for those pictures.

Now all I have to do is make some refreshments and wrap some door prizes for tomorrow.

There Should Be a Warning Label

On airline tickets, that is.

I just spent a wonderful, long weekend with my son and his girlfriend in Seattle.  Everything was great, it didn't rain, the sun shone brightly.

Then I boarded the plane for the five hour or so flight home.  I usually take connecting flights, but this time I went straight from Newark to Seattle.

There was a woman in the row ahead of me who was sniffling, but I didn't pay much attention to her, even when she picked at her meal.  It should have raised a red flag when she was leaving the plane and the flight attendant hoped she'd feel better soon. 

I hadn't thought much about it when I got home until the other day when I woke up with a sore throat and runny nose.  That progressed into much sneezing and coughing which strained my chest muscles and limited my sleep.  I now have a full-fledged cold.  I should add that I rarely get colds.

After a night of waking up every hour or so, I rummaged through my medicine cabinet and found some Nyquil.  I don't remember ever  buying, or even using, it.  I tried it last night.  That stuff is good!  I had the best night's sleep in weeks.  Can't wait to go to bed tonight and have some more.

The government and the airlines won't tell you this, but I will.  Remember, flying can be hazardous to your health if other passengers are sick.  All that time confined in recycled air can spread germs.

I can't wait until I win the lottery and can afford to have a private jet at my disposal.