As the Climate Change Global Warming Inconvenient Truth Doomsday summit in Copenhagen kicks off this week, I thought I'd post this video of British Lord Christopher Monckton interviewing a Greenpeace protester on global warming.  The exchange is refreshingly polite given the level of disagreement.  I believe this woman typifies the degree of actual knowledge and faith many have in what is being fed to them by mainstream media and political organizations.

The video is approximately 10 minutes long and I give the woman credit for hanging in there despite the facts.

Has there ever been a president who has spent as much time and effort complaining about his predecessor and counterparts instead of implementing his agenda than President Obama?

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10 months into his administration we still have to hear about what he inherited and how the Republicans continue to stand in his way.  Mr President,  do you need to be reminded about Constitutional powers?  You have ALL THE POWER!  There is not one single Republican who can stop you from enacting any legislation brought to your desk.  If you want a public run healthcare system, do it,  If you want cap and trade, get it, if you to end global warming, end it, if you want the troops out of Iraq, get 'em out.  The only power Republicans have right now is the power to verbally disagree, and as we all know, talk is cheap, especially in Washington.  So stop painting Republicans as obstructionists, stop blaming President Bush for the predicaments you find yourself in now and exercise the unprecedented powers granted you by our Constitution and make it all happen.

I hope for the sake of our country that you continue to seek bipartisan solutions, but make up your mind which way you're going to play it.  Remember this little rant from two months ago?

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We can stop talkin' and we can even start moppin', but one thing we cannot do is stand in your way.  So stop the bloviating and get something done.

It has just been announced that the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to President Barak Obama.  Let's analyze this from a factual standpoint.  What has President Obama tangibly accomplished on the international scene that merits the global standard for peace?

Alfred Nobel the benefactor of the award wrote in his will that the peace prize should go "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses."

Let's take a brief look at the facts (and it has to be brief since he has only been President for 9 months).  Troop levels in Afghanistan are actually higher(although slightly) under his administration.  He has continued the policy of indeterminate detention without trial for certain terror suspects.  Gitmo is still open.  His foray into nuclear negotiations has resulted in North Korea and Iran snubbing their noses at the world by launching numerous short and long range missle tests.  Isreal stands on the precipice of being forced to rightfully defend itself before it is erased from the map.  Other than Chavez, Castro, and Qhaddafi, no other world leader has come out and swooned over the President like one would expect for a world peace initiator.  Even the IOC didn't recognize the accomplishments and reward the great global uniter with a shot at the Olympics, booting us out in the first round.  We don't even have peace in our own country as we find ourselves more politically, racially, and socially divided as a nation then we have been in decades.

Even though I pointed out that he has only been in office 9 months, it must be noted that nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize must be submitted by February 1st.  Therefore the President was nominated for this prestigious award just twelve days into his administration.

Take a look back at the quote from Alfred Nobel's will and decide if this prize has been reduced to a shred of what it was originally intended to be.

The Oakfield Community Bible Church would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Oakfield Fire Department for their generous support in allowing our new and growing congregation to utilize their facilities for our weekly worship services. As with all of our great volunteer fire companies, when we need them, they are there. When God opened a door for us to begin a new work, The Oakfield Fire Department was there.

Our last service at the fire hall will be Sunday, October 4th at 10:00 a.m. We encourage everyone to come and worship with us.  As always, when God closes one door he opens another and on Sunday, October 11th we will begin worshipping in our new home at the Oakfield Rod and Gun Club located at 3199 Maltby Rd. in Oakfield.  In the meantime support your local volunteer fire company because when crisis arises, no one exemplifies a neighbor like volunteer firefighters.

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In an attempt to get Americans to turn against the health insurance companies and to the Presidents plan, MoveOn.org has paid for and produced this PSA starring Will Ferrell and other celebrities sarcastically mocking insurance company executives as overpaid and pampered.  Does MoveOn really not see the hypocrisy in using overpaid, pampered celebrities to deliver the message?  Do I think health insurance executives are overpaid, yes I do, as are most CEO's in this country.  But using high-priced actors can't be the best use of spokespeople.  Notice also that they rehash antiquated statistics like 80% of Americans support the public option when the true number is almost half of that, and yes we have put that argument to rest previously.

To highlight the hypocrisy of the ad, I've attached links to Forbes list of healthcare CEO salaries as well as the net worths of the same politicians who are trashing CEO's and their salaries.  Will Ferrells yearly income is estimated in ther $31 million dollar range and I'm sure each of the other celebrities net worths equal or surpass many of the executives they feign outrage towards.

What's next, overpaid athletes in commercials demeaning the salaries of oil company CEO's?

www.opensecrets.org/pfds/overview.php

www.forbes.com/lists/2009/12/best-boss-09_CEO-Compensation-Health-Care-Equipment-Services_9Rank.html

I wanted to squeeze this in before the Presidents address to Congress tonight on healthcare because of the difference a long holiday weekend makes in news cycles.   In early August the July unemployment statisitcis were released and the unemployemnt rate slipped from 9.5% to 9.4% and the White House and the media hailed it as proof the impact the stimulus package was having on our economy.  The fact that "only" 247,000 jobs were lost as compared to an average rate of 331,000 in previous months was touted as progress, the "less bad" is actually "good" mantra.  Fast forward to the August jobs report with the unemployment rate surging to 9.7% and "only" 216,00 jobs lost............that sound is is the crickets in the mainstream media newsrooms and the White House press briefing room.

When we compound the monthly numbers, can we look past the spin and simplify the jobs crisis and say that  the companies that are still running are bottomed out?  That there are simply not that many more jobs TO LOSE before they are forced to ask for a bailout or close their doors.  Why is the 9.7% unemployment rate not sounding more alarms?  Or are we going to let ourselves be distracted by the healthcare debate, the school speech, and any other story that takes our eyes off the crippling economy?

George posted last night that he had taken advantage of the Cash for Clunkers program. It pains me to see good cars crushed and taken off the market when many could be rehabilitated and passed on to deserving people and it got me to thinking about a local organization

I was a founding board member of Men of the Harvest, a local 501C3 charity started by Judge Robert Alexander of Corfu.  This ministry takes donations of cars and with the help of local volunteer mechanics, rehabs them and gives,yes I said gives them to deserving local families and individuals.  The ministry gets by totally on donations from the public and assistance from area churches of all denominations.  Every dollar given to Men of the Harvest stays in out local community, helping local people.

It also got me to thinking about Howards tremendous support of local businesses.  We also need to consider giving and volunteering local as well.  Men of the Harvest is but one of many local organizations, charities and ministries that support themselves on the gifts, donations and volunteer time of local citizens.

My family and I are currently volunteering with Care-A-Van ministries.  You see regular updates here on the Batavian from Robin.  Care-A-Van is another locally founded and run ministry that relies solely on donations for support and again every dollar given stays in our community.

Other locally "founded and funded" organizations are:

Crossroads House - compassionately taking care of those with terminal illness

All Babies Cherished - assisting local moms and infants in need.

Genesee Cancer Assistance - coming alongside local cancer patients with much needed support both physical and emotional.

I know there are more, but I have highlighted the ones that I have either volunteered with or support.  There are many great national organizations that do a tremendous amount of work for people in need, but I want to promote organizations that with very little overhead, return almost every donated dollar back into our local area.  Help me out fellow Batavian readers by testifying to other local organizations that you know of that could use our support or if you can share a story about one of the ones I've already listed and how they've impacted our community (please remember to honor the privacy of recipients).  The unfortunate by-product of a weak economy is that charitable dollars are directed towards other necessary expenses.  These and all local helping agencies need our support now more than ever.  Remember, I'm looking for locally "founded and funded".

This is a legitimate challenge to all critical thinkers.  Watch the two youtube videos below (a total investment of less than 3 minutes of your time), then without the filter of partisanship, without claiming "out of context" since the videos are completely in context.  Using only critical thinking skills, explain how the statements in each of the videos can be reconciled.

This is a quote from our President speaking on those who attempt to expose the realities of the healthcare plan.

“There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end-of-life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain e-mails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an e-mail or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.”

What exactly is the White House going to do with the information they gather on these e-mailers and website creators?  This is not about clarification of the facts, this is about building a database of dissenters.  This should put to rest all the talk about former presidential abuses of power.  This president has overreached his authority more in 6 months, than any other president in history.  Mr. President, members of both houses, please stop the rhetoric and give the American people the transparency promised during the campaign.