A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....12-08-05.... Bush booming, Democrats still depressed

JohnHuang2/DollyCali | December 8, 2005 | JohnHuang2/DollyCali

[DollyCali]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

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~ Billie, Dutchess, Dolly Cali, Mama_Bear, GodBlessUSA ~

Bush Boom still booming,
Democrats still depressed
by JohnHuang2

With the execution last week of convicted killer Kenneth Boyd and the killing of a key al-Qaeda leader in Pakistan, it was not a good week for the Democrats. Saddam was back in the courtroom. Democrats were back in the courtroom defending Saddam. Moreover, Bush still refuses to say he's sorry he kicked Saddam's butt. The President's speech at the U.S. Naval Academy in Maryland was superb. Yes, a roadside bomb Thursday killed 10 Marines on foot patrol near Fallujah, but that was the only bright spot for Democrats -- these wonderful patriots.

On top of that, there's growing worry that the milestone Parliamentary elections set for December 15 may go well. The last thing Democrats need. The party is broken, worn out and living hand-to-mouth as it is. Even worse for Democrats, a string of reports showing the U.S. economy is booming. The economy is so good that Democrats can't stop yammering about Iraq. But if you think I'm here to gloat, you're wrong. I'm not.

Reuters reports that President Bush "has launched a push to take credit for recent positive economic news the public has largely shrugged off." Immediately after the release of Friday's bullish employment report, Bush was on the South Lawn of the White House trumpeting the news. On Monday, he was in North Carolina. Gloating. I'm not sure that's the right approach, though.

That's why you won't hear a peep from me about how pessimists were wrong. They predicted spiraling gas prices, a string of hurricanes and the cost of the Iraq War would push the economy into recession. Surely, tightening by the Fed would. They were wrong. The Commerce Department last week reported that the "stagnant" economy surged by 4.3% in the third quarter, annualized. The pessimists and naysayers had egg on their faces, since 4.3% was the best rate posted in more than a year. We've seen 10 straight quarters of GDP growth at or over 3.3%, the best performance in 19 years. And the stock market has been on a roll. But should I rub it in? No.

In fact, you won't even hear me mention how the "jobless recovery" created 215,000 new jobs in the month of November, as reported by the Labor Department Friday. The number beat expectations. It was the biggest jump in non-farm payroll jobs in four months. Almost 2 million new jobs have been created in the past year, and more than double that since March 2003 -- but nary a word about it from me.

Here's what else my lips are firmly sealed about: The recovery in manufacturing. The economy last month added 11,000 new manufacturing jobs, after a gain of 15,000 such jobs during the month of October. We hadn't had two consecutive months of manufacturing job growth in over a year. The data shows the economy withstood the full brunt of three major hurricanes and the full fury of 7 gloomy New York Times editorials per week!

I suppose I could gloat that the overall jobless rate is 5% -- essentially full-employment -- but I won't. Not even going to mention that 5% unemployment is below the average jobless rate posted in the 70s, 80s and the 90s.

Look, if I were gloating, wouldn't I mention that gas prices have fallen by 30% since September, sending consumer confidence soaring by 13 points in November? Nationally, self-serve regular averaged just $2.13 a gallon. That's a drop of 88 cents a gallon since September. As energy costs eased, consumer spending surged by 4.2% in the third quarter and business spending swelled by 10.8%, annualized. October saw the biggest one-month spike in sales of single family homes in 12 years -- 13%!!! But, again, my lips are completely sealed.

And all this with low inflation. The core personal-consumption-expenditure prices index dropped from a 1.7% annualized rate for the second quarter to 1.2% for the third quarter.

Sure, it's tempting to mention all of this, but I haven't yet and I'm not about to start now.

;-)

Anyway, that's...

My Two Cents...

"JohnHuang2"

09-27-05 ~ Hall of Fame #13

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 12-05-05 Military Monday 12-06-05 Finest Christmas Tables, Part I 12-07-05 Christmas in New York

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

[Pistov Elf]

Pistov Salutes all our Brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coastguardsmen

[GodBlessUSA]

Thanks Pistov Elf! :)

[MEG33]

I saved your "profound" stuff..LOL! Cute!

[MEG33]

Saluting with you!

[MEG33]

Thank you for the prayer list for those who serve our country.

[JohnHuang2]

First of all . . . WOW!! Awesome job, DollyCali! Kudos to you, my friend :-)

Secondly, a MEGA THANKS to all of you for your thoughts and prayers. I may have lost my roof in the hurricane, but what matters is that we're alive. Not a scratch on us. And for that I give God thanks. Everything else -- material possessions, specifically -- are secondary.

Again, thanks y'all! Wuv ya, and missed ya big time!

[DollyCali]

WHOA! .. did we have a varmit visit? or just an "oppsy" post? wonder if anyone saw.. always a curiosity when I leave a thread that I am hostessing early for one reason or another & find a pulled post.

Lots of winter wonderland here & still falling heavily. Have a holiday party tonight. Need to find a couple series & a couple "fun" white elephant gifts to wrap etc. also get my food contribution ready. this one is at church & should be fun & upbeat. Some events are not predictable with folks you don't really know well, who maybe drink too much, get carried away in one way or another etc.

church is also on Sunday after services having a lunch & movie outing to see The Chronicles of Marnia - The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

I know a lot of you are not movie fans.. BUT if you are Christian I would like to recommend TWO movies.. this one & one to see prior via video/CD.

CS Lewis wrote the children's book Chronicles.. His love story is depicted in the movie from a few years back titled, "Shadowlands".. His love interest/wife son (his stepson) is the person who produces the movie now coming out Chronicles.

Hopkins plays British Christian apologist CS Lewis & Debra Winger plays the American Jewish woman who captures this long time bachelor's heart. I guarantee you "gone with the wind" movie fans, you will LOVE this movie. Side note..FReeper Tweety in Ohio's (my niece) hubby is the first cousin of Debra Winger

Slept in warm house last night for first time in about 2 weeks.. BUT downside is that I woke up for the first time with congested head. stuffy etc. the absence of the blowing air is beneficial for me sinus/allergy wise. But it was nice to not sleep in 5 layers & under a mass of covers.

gonna dig out my Christmas Mannheim steamroller CDs .. think I will do that today rather than wall to wall talk radio, which is my daily pattern.

[DollyCali]

Older Than Dirt Quiz: Count all the ones that you remember not the ones you were told about! Ratings at the bottom.

1. Blackjack chewing gum
2. Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water
3. Candy cigarettes
4. Soda pop machines that dispensed glass bottles
5. Coffee shops or diners with tableside juke boxes
6. Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers
7. Party lines
8. Newsreels before the movie
9. P.F. Flyers
10. Butch wax
11. Telephone numbers with a word prefix (OLive-6933)
12. Peashooters
13. Howdy Doody
14. 45 RPM records
15. S&H Green Stamps
16 Hi-fi's
17. Metal ice trays with lever
18. Mimeograph paper
19 Blue flashbulb
20. Packards
21. Roller skate keys
22. Cork popguns
23. Drive-ins
24. Studebakers
25. Wash tub wringers

If you remembered 0-5 = You're still young
If you remembered 6-10 = You are getting older
If you remembered 11-15 = Don't tell your age,
If you remembered 16-25 = You're older than dirt!

I might be older than dirt but those memories are the best part of my life.

[kassie]

17. Metal ice trays with lever

I'm so glad we no longer use these things!!!

[The Mayor]

December 9, 2005

Door Of Humility

Read:
Philippians 2:5-11

God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. —Philippians 2:9-10

Bible In One Year: Philippians 1-4

Over the centuries, the entrance to Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity has twice been made smaller. The purpose in the last case was to keep marauders from entering the basilica on horseback. It's now referred to as the "Door of Humility," because visitors must bend down to enter.

As we age, bending our knees becomes more and more difficult and painful. In the physical realm, some people courageously undergo knee replacement surgery. To avoid years of increasingly painful joint damage, they endure several weeks of agony.

Like physical knees, spiritual knees can grow stiff over time. Years of stubborn pride and selfishness make us inflexible, and it becomes increasingly difficult and painful for us to humble ourselves. Seduced by false feelings of importance when others submit to us, we never learn that true importance comes from submitting ourselves to God and to others (Ephesians 5:21; 1 Peter 5:5).

As we celebrate Jesus' birth, it's good to remember the Door of Humility, for it reminds us that we all need new knees—knees that will bend. Humbly is the only way to enter the presence of God.

What better way to honor the One who bent so low to be with us. —Julie Ackerman Link

Christ's humble birth should help us see
What life in Him can bring;
It's not acclaim that we should seek
But service for our King. —Branon

The road to victory is paved with humble submission to God.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
Why Would Anyone Want To Be Holy?

[DollyCali]

boy, weren't those awful? did you ever have any of the little plastic ones that made mini cubes (about 1/2" across) or the ones that made fun shapes? I used to have those but haven't seen them for years. No doubt in on of the hundreds of boxes in several rooms or garage (or some still in dryer areas of basement.)

[DollyCali]

Like physical knees, spiritual knees can grow stiff over time. Years of stubborn pride and selfishness make us inflexible, and it becomes increasingly difficult and painful for us to humble ourselves

thanks for the word. This comment is so true rus!

we have to continually watch ourselves with this.. it sneaks up on us

the coffee cup looks good.. need to make some, or tea or something hot..

hope you aren't roofing today.

[MEG33]

I do not remember Blackjack gum..I am still really older than dirt..LOL!

Glad your heat's on..Have fun, Dolly at your gathering..I love CS Lewis.

[The Mayor]

No roofing today. Working inside of the addition we built.
Insulated yesterday and today we are taking out the front wall and putting in a big beam to support the house..

So glad to see you have your heat back on.
It is a snowy mess here in WNY.

[Billie]

The Weekend is Here ~ Finest Christmas Open House

[ST.LOUIE1]

Yep!! St.Louie1...a.k.a. Wolfie Toofums...you have earned Santa's Naughty List, again...and it's
BIG TIME!!!

Yo! Elfie!