Cartoon by Lisa Benson

]]> http://margesweigart.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/h1n1-national-emergency-cartoon/feed/ 0 marjories benson102909 http://margesweigart.wordpress.com/2009/10/28/ron-paul-on-h1n1/ http://margesweigart.wordpress.com/2009/10/28/ron-paul-on-h1n1/#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:14:27 +0000 marjories http://margesweigart.wordpress.com/2009/10/28/ron-paul-on-h1n1/ ]]>

Ron Paul, who is a medical doctor, discusses the H1N1 “emergency”. He makes a great point: the government has royally botched this whole swine flu immunization program (hence the need to declare it an “emergency” so that they can try to cut through the red tape), so why would anyone want to turn the whole health care system over to these guys? Food for thought.

AP story out today: Obama declares swine flu a national emergency.

President Obama and friends, we see right through you and your fear mongering.   Declaring the H1N1 “outbreak” a national emergency is just another attempt to keep attention on health care and to dupe the public into believing that only the federal government can take care of us. “The national emergency declaration was the second of two steps needed to give Sebelius extraordinary powers during a crisis, ” according to the AP.  Just what we need – Kathleen Sebelius exercising extraordinary powers.  Lord, help us!

“As a nation, we have prepared at all levels of government, and as individuals and communities, taking unprecedented steps to counter the emerging pandemic,” Obama wrote in Saturday’s declaration. “Unprecedented steps.” What’s that supposed to mean? Forced vaccinations? Who knows?

“‘Many millions’ of Americans have had swine flu so far, according to an estimate that CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden gave Friday. The government doesn’t test everyone to confirm swine flu so it doesn’t have an exact count.” Absolute hogwash! According to CBS News, “In late July, the CDC abruptly advised states to stop testing for H1N1 flu, and stopped counting individual cases.” So if they stopped testing and counting in July, how can they say how many Americans have had swine flu? Tell me that!

The CBS story, which came out just three days ago, states that “If you’ve been diagnosed “probable” or “presumed” 2009 H1N1 or “swine flu” in recent months, you may be surprised to know this: odds are you didn’t have H1N1 flu. In fact, you probably didn’t have flu at all. That’s according to state-by-state test results obtained in a three-month-long CBS News investigation.”

If you don’t believe me, go read “Swine Flu Cases Overestimated?” yourself and tell me there’s not something fishy going on here with this declaration of a  “national emergency.”

Went with Steve to my first gun show today – the Dixie Gun & Knife Show at Metrolina Expo.  I told Steve as we were going in that it made me happy to see so many people who are gun owners. Just makes me feel more secure knowing that there are lots of armed law-abiding citizens all around us. It was fun walking around looking at all the merchandise. I really enjoyed seeing all the people that were there. What an interesting mix! There were plenty of your typical white male rednecks, to be sure, but there were also black folks, Asians, ladies, boys and girls, guys in dreadlocks, executives (I know because one of them was the president of Steve’s company), and I even saw a kid in a Boy Scout uniform. We also ran into a few young folks from our church. I was pretty tired by the time we left, but all in all it was a fun outing with my honey, and we did get a couple of things that we were looking for.

I don’t know who this guy is, but it’s just soooo funny!

Look at how Steve’s long-sleeve t-shirt came out of the dryer this morning!

The view from across the pond.

According to Nobel’s will, the Peace Prize should be awarded “to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.”  (Wikipedia)

Let’s hope that our prize-winning President Obama will live up to the honor bestowed upon him by bringing our troops home from around the globe and putting an end to entangling alliances and nation building. As Thomas Jefferson said, one of the main principles of good government is “Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations – entangling alliances with none.” Wishful thinking, perhaps, but not impossible.

Something I’ve started doing recently is letting companies know when I like their products or services. Not empty flattery, but genuine appreciation for how they have pleased or served me. It always makes me feel good when I can encourage someone, and sometimes the reward I receive is actually something tangible, too. Like the other day I sent an email to SC Johnson to tell them that I like their Shout Advanced stain remover. (I scrubbed the grill with a wire brush and ended up with black greasy dirt splattered all over my light blue top. I thought it was destined for the trash, but I sprayed it with the aforementioned product before laundering and the stain came out completely.) So today I received a nice email in reply and they are mailing me a coupon for my next purchase. Nice!