Category: Education

What’s happening to Education under the Union/Democratic regime

A Day at the Fair

Starting this past weekend, is the Washington State Fair in the Pierce County town of Puyallup (pronounced pew-allup).  We drove there from our house in Everett, which is a long drive, but it was a nice day on Sunday.  Lots of homeowners there allow their front yards to be used for parking, and local civic groups have lots they use for Fair parking too.  We didn’t even try to find a place on the street.

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This was about five blocks from the fairgrounds.  We entered at the Blue Gate.

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I had a hunch things would not be going smoothly right outside the gate.  First, the sole of one of my flip-flops separated right at the gate, so I knew I’d have trouble walking around if I didn’t get it fixed.  Also, the Fair has gone “total airline” on bag-checks at the gates, so I was required to empty my water bottle before entering.  As if I was carrying something other than water!  It did nothing to improve my disposition, I can tell you.

Once inside, we had to decide where to go first.  I figured I’d have to find someone with glue, or someone selling flip-flops!  Here’s what we saw just inside the gate.

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I knew there was a big building holding the “trade show” booths, of various businesses trying to sell you something. Well, it just so happened that the Vionic people were there, selling their orthotic-friendly flip-flops, so I bought a pair and wore them for the rest of the day.  One problem solved.

Next stop, Carousel.  This is a very pretty one, with nicely-painted horses, ridden by lots of happy kids (and even a parent or two).

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Next, FOOD!

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RushBabe decided to be somewhat incendiary, wearing the Trump garb in Deep Blue Western Washington.

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But this time, I guessed wrong!  I got about a half-dozen remarks on my shirt and hat, and every single one was positive!  I saw another lady in a pink Trump2020 hat, and got a bunch of thumbs-up and people saying they liked my shirt. Very unusual!

Well, what’s a State Fair without animals?  I, being horse-crazy, headed for that area, and I captured two very nice-looking steeds.  I was very pleased to see that the breed that has to be the most beautiful ever designed by Nature, the Friesian, was represented!  They are coal black and shiny, and very graceful. Too bad I neglected to take his picture standing up.

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Here’s another pretty guy.

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And, the obligatory calf.

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And some just beautifully-marked chickens.

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We dropped by the building with local non-profits.  I just got a kick out of these two organizations, back to back.  The Wildlife Conservation folks.

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Back to back with the Trappers!

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I wondered, did they speak to each other?

We visited the Hobby Hall, and saw all kinds of exhibits of crafts made by people all over Washington.

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A nice model of the Titanic.

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And a nice variety of quilts.  I especially loved this Hogwarts one!  See Hedwig on the shelf?  And the LEGO Harry?  Very cute!

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Very Washington!

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And birds.  These quilts are made by professionals, and this one won three awards.

And by this time, we old folks were getting tired, so we headed home.  A great day at the Fair!

 

Non-Civilization in our Civilized Country

Did you know that there are pockets of “non-civilization” within our civilized United States?  And we host them, and encourage them to continue to be not-civilized.  We spend significant federal dollars on maintenance of these pockets of non-civilization. Those pockets of non-civilization are called Indian Reservations, and they are everywhere in the United States.  One of the main definitions of civilization is people giving their allegiance to a Nation-State instead of a clan or tribe.  Out of guilt for the way the early Americans treated the natives of North America, we continue to support their tribes, when we should be urging them to get civilized, and join America.

If it were up to me, this is what I would do.  I would give the descendants of the original inhabitants of North America two choices.  First, they could choose to become sovereign nations within the boundaries of their Reservations.  Each tribe would be given title to the land on its reservations, and to no other land.  If the Cherokee wished to be the Nation of Cherokee, they would have all their reservation land for themselves.  The US Treasury would also give the Tribe all the money currently held in trust for them, recognizing that they are fully-capable adult human beings, and should be able to look after themselves and their families without the Big Brother Uncle Sam doling out the money and services.  All services currently provided by Uncle Sam (like the Indian Health Service, schools, etc.) would then become the responsibility of the Tribal Government.  Within their own sovereign territory, they would be able to have their own police, schools, banks, and public services.  They would continue to own and operate any casinos or other retail businesses for themselves, and keep all the profits therefrom for their Tribal members.  They would have no future call on the taxpayers of the United States for any goods or services in their own country.  And they would have the responsibility to take care of their own people, and would never be able to blame any other entity for their problems.

The second alternative would be for all Indian Tribes to be immediately disbanded, and reservations done away with.  All the money currently held in trust by the United States, and all reservation land would be divided up among all tribal members.  All Native Americans would become full US Citizens, with no allegiance to any entity other than the United States of America.  Old Tribes would simply become social clubs, where tribal members could celebrate their heritage in any legal way they wished.  Tribal property like casinos and commercial land would also be divided up among the current owners, and they would become independent businesses, subject to the rules of the area in which they operated.  All businesses would be subject to the tax and laws of their respective jurisdictions, as would individuals.  Without the tribe to hold their allegiance, Native Americans would be able to become truly civilized.

Do I think this could ever happen?  Probably not!  But it’s been over 150 years since the Europeans conquered the Natives, and it’s time they surrendered.  They just might find it a pretty good deal to become real US Citizens instead of pockets of non-civilization in our very civilized country.

Who’s the Racist Now? Rapper spotlights Black Racism

I found this story on Fox News, about a mixed-race rapper who pulled out of a music festival when she found that the festival was charging white ticket-buyers more than they were charging “people of color”.  I had to applaud her good sense, not wanting to be associated with that sort of behavior.

However, my applause were somewhat less enthusiastic when I read the complete article, where the young lady described what she did and why.  She seemed to tie herself in verbal knots, trying to avoid calling the situation what it was.  Here is a quote from the article-see if you can figure out exactly what she was trying to communicate.

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I have family members that would have, under those circumstances, been subjected to something that I would not ever want them to be in … especially not because of anything that I have going on.”

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What?

Now, this is how the organizers of the AfroFuture fest described what they were doing by charging whites twice as much as blacks to get into the festival.

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AfroFuture explained their policy and rationale for it on their Eventbrite page. Organizers cite “equality” and “equity” in their ticketing, and state their structure “was built to insure that the most marginalized communities (people of color) are provided with an equitable chance at enjoying events in their own community (black Detroit).”

“Affording joy and pleasure is unfortunately still a privilege in our society for POC and we believe everyone should have access to receiving such,” organizers wrote.

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So, they created inequality to promote equality?  Did they even think about what they were doing?  Speaking of tying yourself in verbal knots!  It’s just another example of Black Racism.  Good for Jillian Graham (Tiny Jag) for calling them out.

Independence Day Salute to America

Independence Day Salute to America

 

The Greatest Country on God’s Green (and getting greener) Earth.  I am proud to be a Citizen of the United States of America.

The United States is the most Prosperous nation in the history of Mankind.  People who come here from elsewhere know that, if they work and save, they can aspire to be wealthy, and their children will do better than they did.

The United States is the most Free Nation on Earth.  Why else would hordes of people from most other parts of the world travel thousands of miles, across oceans and deserts, to come to America?  Why are thousands of Africans, South Americans, Europeans, and Middle-Easterners clamoring to come to America?

The United States has the most polyglot, diverse population on Earth.  People here in America speak hundreds of languages, and our governmental units, from local to national, accommodate them with ballots, signs, and government forms in so many other languages it boggles the mind.

Despite what detractors say, America has the best, most-advanced medical care system in the world.  Our scientists and medical professionals bring to market more new, life-saving drugs and procedures than any other country.  Americans earn more Nobel Prizes than any other country.  America has non-profit organizations that, with donations from private American individuals, fund vital research on all sorts of genetic and communicable diseases, improving the lives of millions of people, both Americans and foreigners.

The US Military literally protects the World from Tyranny.  After World War II, and the Marshall Plan, America rebuilt Europe, and allowed their countries to spend less on their own defense and more on their vaunted social programs.  And We Protected Them, and still do.  NATO is still predominantly funded by the United States of America.  Would Germany be quite so prosperous today if it had had to fund its own defense?  Probably not.

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And the US Military is the largest benefactor in the world, when natural disasters happen.  Any time there’s a bad earthquake, a tsunami, a devastating hurricane or tropical storm, the US is there, with food, infrastructure, and other supplies to help the suffering.  Some people like to say that they don’t want America to be the world’s policeman, but just hear them scream if the US is not there within 24 hours after a disaster somewhere.

Americans are the most generous people on Earth.  Americans give a higher percentage of their incomes to various charitable organizations than anyone else.  So-called “social democracies” nurture Government as the source of all good works.  In America, it’s the People who do most good works.  Disasters here bring out the donors in minutes-the Red Cross and United Way rake in the donations when there is an appeal.  Americans volunteer more of their precious time too, working at soup kitchens, shelters, and offices to help their fellows.  Personally, I saw how generous Americans are.  One of my Ricochet friends had some very bad family problems, and was in need of support.  I started a GoFundMe campaign, and within a few days, our Ricochet Members donated over $7.500.00.

I get very angry when I hear Americans tear down their country, calling it “racist, sexist, greedy, and mean”.  There are many Americans who grew up in the relative lap of luxury, and now, from their ivory towers and suburban homes, denigrate America.  I believe every single American should appreciate how fortunate they are to be an American.

Speaking of ivory towers, most of the worst America-haters are found on US college campuses these days.  Instead of being seats of learning and exploration, they have become nests of vipers, despising and spreading lies about their own country, the country that allows them this kind of free speech (become mere liberal propaganda).  There is, however, an antidote to the modern “progressive” college campus.  That antidote is Hillsdale College, in Hillsdale, Michigan.  Named one of the best private colleges in the United States, Hillsdale accepts not one penny of government money in any form, and they have been Pursuing Truth and Defending Liberty since 1844.  RushBabe and Hubby are endowing a music scholarship at Hillsdale, and we urge followers and friends to learn about the school, and support it.  Here’s a production of the Hillsdale music department, just for Independence Day.  I have to admit that, while watching this, tears came to my eyes.  Maybe it’s the Music.  Maybe it’s the Truth.

 

 

Next, here’s a taste of my favorite march for Independence Day.  The Stars and Stripes Forever, played by the President’s Own Marine Band.

 

And here are some of the comments on that performance.  Get a feeling for how people in other countries feel about America.

Man, that’s amazing. I’m from Brazil and it’s impossible to be a patriot here. I wish there was something like this here. But this… this is awesome. Glad many of you enjoy it. The 284 dislikes are from heartless bitches. God bless America!

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My deepest respects and regards to the culture and values of the american people, my neighbours. I am from a city called Monterrey in north east Mexico and I have nothing but praise for what the US has done in a short amount of time as an independent nation. Hopefully in the near future we can solve our differences and bring our nations to the level of mutual respect and dignity. Only then we can make this part of the world the most prosperous, peaceful and free, but In the meantime i’ll still enjoy what your culture has to offer. 

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So, on this Independence Day, cheer for America!  It deserves all our praise.  And fireworks.

God Bless America.  God Bless our President Donald Trump.

Sorry, I just could not let this go…Celebrating Perverts Month…

On my dashboard, the back-end of Calling-all-RushBabes today there is a link that says “Celebrate Pride Month with WordPress”.

Needless to say, I won’t be clicking on that particular link!

For some reason, I can’t imagine anyone being proud of being a pervert (homosexual); essentially a mistake of nature.  And no, the homosexual lobby will never get me to admit that homosexuality is not a perversion of Nature, a denial of what humans should be.  Humans are designed by their Maker to reproduce, one man and one woman joining to produce little descendants, to carry the Human Race forward into the future.  The Lavender Mafia would try to make normal, heterosexual people, admit that they are the wrong to think of themselves as normal.  Try as they might, the Homosexual Lobby will not succeed in making their behavior normal, or “defining deviancy down”.

This site will never, ever celebrate “Perverts Month”.

Are you worried about how Facebook and Google use data they collect about you?

Are you worried about how Facebook and Google use data they collect about you?

That will seem like elementary school, compared to the new tie-up between two financial-data providers.  Be afraid, be VERY afraid.  You voluntarily sign up for a Facebook account, and you make a conscious decision to use Google products, like internet search, Gmail, and YouTube.  You can decline to use Facebook, and there are alternate search engines (I only use DuckDuckGo now).

But you, as a consumer, have NO say in how your bank, credit union, or credit card companies report your intimate financial data to the Big Three Credit Bureaus.  In fact, I’d hazard a guess that most Americans don’t even know that there are three, or what their names are.  I’d also hazard a guess that most people paid very little attention to the huge data-breach at one of those credit bureaus a couple of years ago.  Unbeknownst to most of the victims whose financial data were stolen, Equifax mostly notified big financial institutions, and did not suffer much reputational damage.  I read the Wall Street Journal religiously, so I was able to follow the story closely.  I’ll bet you didn’t.

Every time you apply for any kind of credit, from a department store, to an oil company or credit card company; to a bank for a mortgage or auto loan; those companies pull your “credit report” from one or all three of the big credit bureaus (Equifax, TransUnion, or Experian).  And do they ask you if you want them to pull your report?  Or do they tell you that your information is provided to the bureaus, and retrieved from them, without your knowledge or consent?  Of course they don’t.

Those three companies are the biggest repositories of data about you, that you have never heard of, and probably don’t pay much attention to.  Well, just recently, two companies, Equifax and Fair-Isaac (the company that invented the FICO score, which determines credit-worthiness), have teamed up to SELL CONSUMER DATA TO BANKS.  Yes, that is you that they are selling to banks.  And did they bother to ask you if you wanted them to sell you?  Nope.

Because you are not their customer.  You aren’t even the end user.  You are just the product.  Now, do you have any information about the security of all this data they are selling about you?  Are you aware of any protections they offer, for your valuable financial data?  Nope, because they don’t offer any.  In this age of constant exposure of you, your family, your friends, and your accounts on social media, most people don’t give any thought to the potential repercussions from cyber-thieves getting ahold of all this information about you.  After the big Equifax breach in 2017, the company offered free “credit-watch” services for awhile, but didn’t contact everyone whose data were stolen, and the worst effect they suffered was their CEO finally resigned, months later.  Personally, I am alarmed at the offhanded way these companies play fast and loose with your data, and make lots of money off of selling you to all their real customers.  Why should I have to go through all the conniptions to freeze my credit files, and all the effort to correct errors in a file I had NO say in at all?

So it might behoove you to get more informed about who has your data, and why.  Ask who determines your fitness to be granted credit, and how.  Ask what data your bank reports to the credit bureaus, and if you can see it.  Pull your own credit score from EACH of the big three at least once a year, and make them correct any errors you find.  Just keep your eyes open, and take care with your credit, because no one else will.

I believe Islam is Evil…

I believe Islam is Evil…

…but I find myself in sympathy with a particular group of Muslims, whose culture is facing extinction.  Over the last year, I have been reading in the Wall Street Journal about how China is closely observing all its people, placing cameras equipped with cutting-edge facial-recognition software, wherever the people are.  China is building a ubiquitous “social credit” system for ALL its people, where they are continually observed at every activity, work and play, and judged for worthiness.  Those deemed unworthy are denied jobs, the ability to travel, and other benefits of life.  This horrifies me.

But the group who has been feeling these effects the most are the Uighurs, a Muslim group that lives in Western China’s Xinjiang Province.  The Communist Han Chinese government deeply fears these Muslims, and thinks of them as terrorists.  So many Uighurs have been literally placed in concentration camps; removed from their homes and detained against their will.  Their mosques that haven’t been torn down, have been abandoned, and they are not permitted to communicate with friends or family outside (and even inside) China.  The malevolent Chinese Communists call these camps “vocational education centers“.  Ha!  Uighur neighborhoods are still and silent, and the people left there are afraid to worship, or venture very far from home.

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The Communist Chinese are pretty good at this sort of thing.  Remember the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s?  Where children turned in their parents to the authorities, and intellectuals were sent to collective farms in the countryside for “re-education”.  An entire generation of Chinese was subjected to stunted development.  And how about Tibet?  Since being conquered by China, it has become a shadow of its former self, its people subjugated, their culture denied.

All in all, the Chinese Uighurs have actually been pretty peaceful, and not nearly as bloodthirsty as their Arab co-religionists.  But the ChiComs can have NO hint of difference or rebellion inside their borders, so they ruthlessly destroy the millennium-old culture of its smaller ethnic groups.  Han Chinese move into and take over the homelands of the Uighur, leaving their cities nearly unrecognizable.

I still think that Islam is Evil, but what the Chinese are doing to their Muslim minority is purely criminal, and Evil in itself.  Many in the modern world think of China as the world’s biggest market for exports, or as an exotic vacation destination.  Knowing what I do about how China treats its own people, I would never, ever go to China, for any reason.  They should not get any Western tourist dollars, which just help perpetuate the evil.  They certainly won’t be getting any of my dollars.