i cleaned my pantry this week and it took about four hours to get it done.  it fit conveniently into mabelline’s two morning naptimes and it made my life feel so much better.  all that yummy food organized like a grocery store- snacks to the right, sweets up top, canned goods on the floor, nutella immediately past the door at arms’ reach.  the gross thing about the whole ordeal was that i had to stop and wash my hands three times during those four hours because they kept turning black and sticky.  it took two washings and a few sneezes to figure out i was washing pure pollution off my hands.  it filters in through the screens on the house and settles in places that aren’t moved often such as the bran cereal box and the rice cake bag.  the nilla wafers box is pristine, of course.  

this morning on my walk with baby mabelline and the dog it hit me square in the lungs where all that pollution is coming from.  the nasty diesel trucks in town.  they’re the kind you don’t often see in america anymore- the ones that toot massive black clouds from the exhaust pipes when they accelerate.  when you’re hoofing it behind a stroller you can’t avoid the smog so you part it like the red sea and pray your baby isn’t breathing in at that moment.  then she usually sneezes and you pray she expelled it all.  it also comes from all the trash they burn, the untold zillions of toxins they dump in the street from any and everything, and the general filth of the third world.

 the same day i realized my pantry was experiencing a toxic fallout i also saw a taxi driver clad in a tennessee volunteer sweatshirt that i know was from the late eighties.  i remember it from when i was a kid and that made me laugh.  it didn’t make me forget about the sludge coating my lungs but it did lighten my mood about it.  who knows the route that old sweatshirt took to land on that guy’s back?

i’ve been to other third world countries before uganda and i’m sure i’ll go to others after this post but i’ve never lived in one.  it’s one thing to go on a vacation or a mission trip to somewhere impoverished but it’s a whole other thing to set up camp and plop yourself down in the middle of the mess.  in one sense, we’re protected from it because we’re behind a six foot wall with a guard.  on the other hand we’re surrounded by abject poverty at every turn after we pass through our six foot wall.  on some days the poverty reaches us on the inside- our guard and maid have both lost children in the past year.  both kids were over two years old and neither knew why their child died.  ”that’s just africa” they say when you ask.  my maid was holding baby maybelline when she told me about her son’s death and she said “don’t worry, madame.  white babies eat well – she will see her old age.”

i grocery shop at kissimente, a collection of stores you could loosely term a shopping center although it’s really nothing more than a filthy, open-air strip mall.  before you open your car door there are two or three barefoot, hungry kids begging you to buy some of their rotting produce.  it doesn’t matter if you smile, if you refuse, if you ask their name… they don’t care what you do as long as you hand over some money.  it’s pure desperation on the lowest of levels.  there’s one guy in particular who’s so miserably destitute that he’s known by everyone in town as “that poor guy at kissimente”.  he has severely deformed legs that don’t work and he gets around by walking on gnarled up hands that are holding worn out flip flops for protection from the concrete.  he’s dusty, threadbare, and bone skinny from hunger.  his only means of survival is begging but for every one of him there are five hundred cuter, faster, more charming kids that get to your car before he does.  it took me three months to have the courage to look him in the eyes but when i finally did it, there was nothing there.  that kid is dead inside, beaten to death by his poverty.

when i get fussy about the heat and inconvenience of africa, i sometimes think about that guy at kissimente.  he lives every waking moment of his life on the steamy pavement of that rotten shopping center in uganda.  i’m not trying to dish out a guilt trip, i’m maybe just putting it out there that america is insulated from true poverty.  you have to search it out if you want to see it and even then it’s sort of soft poverty.  the american government hands out loads of opportunity to anyone willing to make use of it.  in uganda you are either related to the president and therefore can do anything you want or you are not related to anyone of consequence and there’s no ladder for you to climb.  you’re stuck at the bottom.  or maybe you’re stuck below the bottom like the guy at kissimente.

we don’t take america for granted anymore.  there’s no final lesson here, i’m just saying this is what it looks like to work through some of the culture shock.

So, he’s bowing out. Good for him and US. The very second I heard the news that Judd Gregg was withdrawing his name for nomination for Commerce Secretary, I thought  ’YEAH! Somebody up there has a BRAIN.’ As a matter of fact it brought to mind a scene from my all time favorite movie “It’s A Wonderful Life”. Remember when George Bailey was in Mr. Potter’s office and Potter offers him a lucrative job?  George initially thinks positively about the prospect, then shakes hands on being able to “talk it over with the wife”. . . then realizes he just shook hands with one of the dirtiest scoundrels in town?

This whole commerce/Obama/census thing is like watching a train barreling down the track about to crash. What do you do when you see such a catastrophe coming? . . . Get as far away from it as possible.

As crazy as these times are, it’s nice to see somebody making the right call on character alone. I don’t know anything about Gregg, or what kind of man he is. He may be just as smarmy as the next politician, but  . . .This decision, today . . . was the right one for more than just him.

Amidst all this chaos . . . God loves me . . .

Do they listen to us? Do they care? Do they know how to fix this mess? Are they patently stupid? Are they egregiously arrogant? Are they in their own elitist fantasy world?

“They” are the social leaning liberals in the Congress.

The answers to the questions are NO, NO, NO and YES, YES, YES!

Chuck “Prince of Pork” Schumer (D-NY), confirmed these answers on the floor of the Senate yesterday when he told his “esteemed colleagues” (when translated means “someone in the club with me who has their hands in the pockets and checkbooks of all Americans”) and all of us presumed idiots in the boondocks the following.    “And let me say this to all of the chattering class that so much focuses on those little tiny…yes…porky amendments…the American people don’t care”

I am incensed, appaled and angry beyond belief.”  Hear it for yourself….it has more impact when you see his smarmy face as you listen to his words said with the disdain of someone who thinks he and his colleagues know way more what we want and need than we do.  Further, in their infinite (or minute) wisdom they sell our country into debt and socialism.  WHAT EGREGIOUS ARROGANCE!

ALERT!!!! We are about to be saddled with the largest Spending Bill in the history of the Republic.  It is bloated with pork as payback to Democratic supporters and laden with enormous elements which will cause significant changes to our culture, moving us closer and closer to a socialistic nation. In summary it is a fraud.

ECONOMISTS, THINKERS, STATESMEN AND THE PUBLIC  AT LARGE ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT IT WILL NOT DO WHAT IT IS INTENDED TO DO…….STIMULATE THE ECONOMY AND PRODUCE JOBS!

Additionally, the House version of the Bill is 1434 pages for a total of $819 billion.  The Senate version is 736 pages totaling $838 billion.  They are trying to ram this thing through without clear vetting and understanding of the “unintended, far reaching and perpetual consequences” of the elements of this gluttonous bill.  Most of those voting on the bills do not know what is in them.  They can’t……they are too big for adequate consideration in such a short time even if they had the ability to understand the bills……which they do not!  Virtually every interview I have heard shows the lack of detailed understanding of the bills by those voting.  The NIV Bible on my desk has 1334 pages in the Old Testament and 396 in the New Testament.  Can you imagine reading it cover to cover in 2-3 days?

A medical analogy might be worthwhile here.  When we go to a doctor they analyze our symptoms, gather data such as blood work, temperature, possibly X-rays, CT scans if required, etc.  They put the information into context which includes our medical history as well as that of our family.  Current illnesses and epidemics are also considered.  Only then do they PRESCRIBE medication.  To prescribe any antidote or medical procedures without this DIAGNOSIS would be MALPRACTICE.  This describes what we have with this bill……MALPRACTICE!

No one can answer how each item was vetted as to its value and efficacy in meeting the stated goal of the bill.  The money attached to each of the items is arbitrary.  We were told that the bill would be TARGETED, TIMELY and TEMPORARY.  It is none of these!  It is anything but targeted, with slabs of pork that have  nothing to do with current jobs.  It is not timely in that only 20% of the money would be spent in the next 2 years, a figure determined by Congress’ own budget office.  It is not temporary in that many perpetual changes are included that have negative economic effects that continue for years.  The intrusion into our medical care by the government is chiefest among them.

I will list a number of the elements of pork that are included in the bill in the next paragraph.  But first let me ask you to do something NOW.  If you agree with the above in large part I ask you to click this CONGRESSIONAL LINK and this SENATE LINK which will take you to a site from which you can get the e-mail address and phone number of your own Senator, Congressman and those of Olympia Snow (R-ME), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) as well as those of Democrats who you might like to contact.  E-mail and call them to voice your strong disapproval to the direction they are leading our country.  Ask them, respectfully but forcefully, to stand in the gap for common sense and fiscal responsibility.

Also, contact all of your e-mail lists and ask them to do the same.  Give them this link for their convenience.

Now here is a partial list of pork in the bills……sit down, it’ll astound you! OINK! OINK!

The “Green” movement…$6 billion to turn federal buildings into green buildings….$100 million for reducing the hazards of lead based paint…..$10 million to inspect canals in urban areas…..$600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees (including  green type golf carts called “neighborhood electric vehicles”)….$2 billion to re-start FutureGen, a near-zero emissions coal power plant in Illinois that the Department of Energy de-funded last year because the project was proven inefficient….

Entertainment….A $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film….$650 million for the digital television (DTV) converter box program….$150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities ……$ 2.8 billion to expand broadband internet service in rural areas….

Government Buildings (Because we need a bigger, and more comfortable government)….$448 million for constructing a Homeland Security Building and ….$248 million for furniture for the building….$500 million for state and local fire stations….$88 million for renovating the Public Health Service headquarters….$500 million for building and repairing the National Institute of Health building….$75 million for a new security training facility for State Department Security officers….$8.7 billion to promote energy efficiency at federal facilities….$5.5 million for energy efficiency initiatives at the VA National Cemetery (WHAT…are you kidding?)….

Unrestricted funds for Un-designated Purposes….$43.9 billion for Department of Energy…$4.5 billion for Army Corps of Engineers…$500 million for Bureau of Reclamation…

Social Causes.…$88.6 million for new construction for Milwaukee Public Schools, which reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, have declining enrollment, 15 vacant schools and no plans for new construction…..$1.2 billion for “youth activities”….$25 million for tribal alcohol and substance abuse reduction…..$1 billion for the 2010 census which has a cost overrun of $3 billion…$20 billion for food stamps…..$4 billion to “develop rural communities”….$2 billion for “other activities”….$8.4 billion for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRF’s)…..$400 million for the CDC to screen and prevent STD’s…..

THIS BILL IS A PORCINE FRAUD!!!!  OINK! OINK! OINK!

Please take action before it is too late!!!!!

The “_____ Bill”  currently being debated in both house of Congress is also being argued in homes, offices, on cell phones and in virtually every venue where there are two people together in our country.  I leave its name blank because I hardly know what to call it.

Spending Bill…yep that’s true.

Borrowing or Debt Bill….A trillion today amounts to a total repayment of about 4 times that much when you include interest.  Think about a 30 year home loan.  The borrower pays between 3 to 5 times the cost of the house, depending on the interest rate, in interest on that debt.

We could call it other things such as; Pork Bill, Democratic Payback Bill, Charge Our Children Bill, Wealth Redistribution Bill….we could go on and on but it wouldn’t help.  There is one way to look at it that I believe is logical, clear and accurate.  An analogy might bring the view into perfect focus.

Most of us have, at some point in our life, have sought to lose weight.  What if you went to the doctor with the burgeoning obesity problem and in his discussion asked you a few questions to gain a perspective on your condition.  “Tell me about your diet”, he asks.  You tell him that  your diet includes heavy ingestion of fats; ice cream, butter, sour cream (you hate baked potatoes but they hold more sour creme than anything you know), snacks, etc.  “What about physical activity” he then inquires.  You relate to him that you have always hated exercise and find yourself watching hours of TV.   But the changer is quite heavy so you are working the bicep on your right arm.  You haven’t walked, much less run for years.   Lift weights….you’ve gotta be kidding.

Much to your surprise  he says; “that’s great!”   “What I think you should do to lose weight, lower your choloestrol and regain a healthier physical condition is………” You hang on his every word.  He is an expert who supposedly knows the field of wellness and you know that he will give you the right answer.   “……continue to eat a high fat diet, do not add exercise to your regime, as a matter of fact you should become as sedentary as possible”, he says.   You are initially excited, even gleeful, until you realize that his plan for you is designed around the very habits that got you to your overweight, unhealthy condition.

Economically our nation got to this abysmal financial state by…..EXCESSIVE BORROWING  AND SPENDING BEYOND OUR MEANS…..individually and collectively as a nation.   Does that sound familiar?  That is the “PErpetual Spending and Obligations Bill“, that is about to be foisted upon us.   It can be called PESO for short because a peso may be all we have left when this is over.    The phoney witch doctors are doing their dance and spreading the smoke.  Tell me when we should feel better.

You can now listen to Just Talking It Up 28 in the player on the left sidebar of the blog, or on iTunes!

The political and economic debate over President Obama’s questionable appointments and the bloated spending package the House and Senate are debating is hot and heavy not only across the nation but also with Janet and Crash. Tune in and listen to their perspective on what is going on. As usual, their positions are definitive and they hold nothing back in stating them. You will not be disappointed.

Listen in, and be sure to give us your opinions at: feedback@justalkingitup.com!

From the day he announced his candidacy for the presidency in Springfield, Illinois until his inauguration as the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama has systematically and continuously compared himself to sixteenth President,  Abraham Lincoln.   For the life of me,  I can’t see even the remotest resemblance.  Lincoln was a reluctant public servant, responding to the repeated urgings of his friends to represent them in the U.S. House of Representatives before subsequently being elected to the Presidency.  Obama, on the other hand, seems to have been targeting the office since his first election to the Illinois House,  spending little time actually being a U. S. Senator after being elected to the post, choosing to spend the majority of his Senate time running for President rather than represent his constituents in Senate chambers.

A more accurate comparison to another U.S. President might well be to Franklin Roosevelt.  Rosevelt, the only president to serve more than two terms,  was first elected 1n the Fall of 1932, three years into the Great Depression that began in 1929 and served from 1933 until his death on April 12, 1945.  The stock market had declined over 90% from the high on September 3, 1929 until the low on July 8, 1932.

During his presidency, Roosevelt enacted numerous public works projects, the most famous of which was the W.P.A. (Works Projects Administration).  There is quite a debate over the efficacy his actions with the preponderance of the evidence pointing to the conclusion that his actions prolonged the depression instead of solving it.   WW II, which the U.S.A. refused to enter, in opposition to the appeal of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill,  finally joined allied forces in the fight against Hitler’s Nazi regime after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.   This attack is credited with turning public sentiment regarding entering the war and providing the economic stimulus which brought about the post war boom that helped our country escape the throes of the depression.  At that, the DJIA didn’t rise to its pre ’29 Crash level until 1954, 25 years after the peak.

Obama finds himself in the precarious position of and stated desire to out Roosevelt Roosevelt.  His spending package currently being debated in both Houses of Congress and who’s public acceptance is dropping like a rock contains considerable public works components which cannot even be ready to use funds for many months.  This could serve to fuel the current decline in jobs rather than create them and also inhibit the potential turn around in the stock market.

A wise politician once said that “if we don’t learn from history we are doomed to repeat it.”  Let’s hope and pray we will not repeat the 1930′s.  It seems that hope and prayer are the only tools we have left to fight this innane bloated power grab of liberal politicians since the Democrats have the votes because “they won” as Obama asserted to Eric Canter (R-VA) in the oval office a week ago..  Prayer is a formidable tool.  Let’s use it!

If ever there was an athlete who had virtually the whole of the US population cheering for his success it was Michael Phelps in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.  With powerful athleticism and fierce determination he anihilated all comers in his successful pursuit of 8 gold medals and broke many world and Olympic records in the process.  With boyish charm and a broad toothy grin he captivated a Nation and much of the globe.  Well that was then and this is now.  Last weekend he exchanged rational thought for instant stupidity and his picture on a Wheaties box for his mug at the top of every news story in the country by being photographed in the act of taking a hit on a bong pipe.    US competitive swimming authorities have already banned him from swimming competitively for three months, Kelloggs has dropped his lucrative endorsement contract and the State of South Carolina may yet charge him with violation of narcotics law.

If the question “what was he thinking” ever fit a situation it fits this one.

Youthful indiscretion, mental lapse, acute insanity…take your pick, but he sure messed up.    He has exhibited a stand up attitude in the early days since the incident so he will probably come out of the predicament OK at some point.  But he has been tarnished and it will cost him countless millions in endorsements and public adulation.

My guess is that the bong hit cost him a cool $100 million…that’s a lot of Wheaties.

there’s only one guy in uganda who knows what quality ice cream tastes like and he’s the belgian butcher who sells it for twelve bucks a liter.  mind you, a liter is much less than a half gallon so that would be something like twenty five bucks for a half gallon like you’re used to buying.  francis and i enjoy the occasional gluttonous evening of ice cream and brownies so we used to buy the belgian stuff but  paying twelve bucks a liter for ice cream is more gluttonous than eating it so i got the bright idea to buy an ice cream maker.  we’d been making our own ice cream for about a month before i had a second bright idea to find real vanilla beans to use in my recipe.  tropical countries that grow coffee almost always also grow vanilla beans but i couldn’t find them anywhere.  you can’t find ugandan coffee in uganda, either.  they export every bit of it and only sell some pretty awful ground up dirt packaged to look like coffee.  the brand name is “good african coffee” and they clearly need a new marketing director.

anyway, while i was in the states i shopped around for cheap vanilla beans but the cheapest ones i could find were about seven dollars a bean.  it would take two beans to flavor a batch of ice cream so that would make my homemade ice cream more expensive than the imported belgian stuff so i put it back on the shelf.  as i was doing so, i caught a glimpse of a familiar flag printed on the container.  a ugandan flag.  dang if those vanilla beans weren’t grown in uganda!  and dang those ugandans for exporting everything good and holy that grows in their soil.   i shook my fist in the air and as god as my witness i swore to track down those blasted vanilla beans if it took the rest of our tour to do it.

after settling back into my african life, i dug in my heels and decided to get to the bottom of this.  someone around here is growing vanilla beans and i was hellbent on finding them- our occasional gluttonous brownie and ice cream nights depended on it.  wouldn’t you know the first person i asked said “oh, that’s easy.  go to the veggie stand lady at the belgian butcher’s shop and ask for them.  they’re never on display”.  of course they’re not.  why display something you’ve got for sale?  i immediately sent francis to the belgian butcher’s veggie stand and do you know how much they were?  about 50 cents a bean.  he bought ten beans and we’ve eaten vanilla bean ice cream every night since.  

we’ve had three dinner parties since the discovery of the belgian butcher’s secret stash of cheap vanilla beans and our ice cream is almost legendary.  people are already asking for it.