Muddling Toward Maturity Blog

NORWEGIAN FLAG MISTAKEN FOR CONFEDERATE FLAG

There doesn't seem to be an excess of knowledge among many people in the United States.  Kristinn  Taylor reports:

A couple in St. John’s, Michigan recently took down the red, white and blue flag of Norway displayed on the porch of their bed and breakfast after receiving continuous complaints by ignorant liberals who accused the couple of flying the Confederate battle flag.  (Video)

The Nordic Pineapple, run out of a mansion built in 1861 by a Union general, was started two years ago by Greg and Kjersten Offenbecker. The couple flew the flag of Norway from a pillar opposite the American flag to honor Kjersten’s Norwegian heritage (her grandfather immigrated from Norway.) Both the U.S. and Norway flags were taken down last week by the frustrated couple as the complaints intensified in recent months as woke liberals have embarked on a campaign of violence and intimidation against public reminders of the Confederacy, even razing tombstones of soldiers.

An ironic twist in the story is that the couple adopted two black children, boys aged 12 and 15.  (more...)

COCA-COLA ADVERTISEMENTS

These historical advertisements should warn us to be a tad skeptical about contemporary ads (of whatever sort...)

And not this from the "Cola Industry!"

 

SOCIOLOGIST: GARDENING SPREADS RACISM, FACISM

This will have to be placed on my "hard to believe" pile.   Whacky whacky whacky.  Read on:

Katherine Timpf of National Review Online reports: 

A sociology lecturer at the University of Westminster is claiming that panelists on a BBC radio show are covertly spreading racist and fascist messages when they talk about gardening.

Dr. Ben Pitcher claimed that people on Gardeners’ Question Time are really just using gardening as a covert way to talk about white identity without seeming racist.

“Gardeners’ Question Time is not the most controversial show on Radio 4, and yet it is layered with, saturated with, racial meanings,” he said on another Radio 4 show, according to an article in the Daily Mail.

“The context here is the rise of nationalism,” he continued.

The topics discussed on the show include different plant species and soil purity, which Pitcher identified as code language for racial purity. The Caucasian sociologist said radio personalities use discussions of “invasive” and non-native plant species to express opposition to foreigners. Another guest on Radio 4 — a baroness and former professor of cultural studies — agreed with Pitcher, comparing British concerns about rhododendrons to anti-Pakistani sentiments in the 1980s.

A frequent panelist on Gardeners’ Question Time, the aptly named Bob Flowerdew, called Pitcher’s claims “ridiculous.”

“Does he want us to stop using words altogether? Perhaps we shouldn’t use Latin names to avoid offending the Romans,” Flowerdew said.

WEARING GLASSES WITHOUT LENSES A BIG HIT IN HONG KONG

As I mentioned, I continue to go through old clippings.  Here's an article from last November that I found fascinating and, at first, unbelievable.   Glasses in the Far East have become a fashion accessory -- and we are speaking about plastic frames without lenses!   

Most people wear glasses to see. This city's hip young crowd wears them to be seen.

That's clear when you look closely at the people crowding Hong Kong's busy shopping streets. In many cases the glasses have no glass. The plastic frames, usually in black, tortoiseshell or bright colors, are empty.

According to the article, the trend "originated in Japan in the 1990s, mostly died away and then resurfaced recently with a vengeance among urbanites, male and female, in China, South Korea and Taiwan."  Read more. . .

As I said, I found it unbelievable at first, but fads tend to be that way I guess.

FOLK SINGER JOAN BAEZ SLEEPS IN A TREEHOUSE IN SUMMER TO BE WITH THE BIRDS

Yep, you heard right.  We know about it because she fell from her treehouse and made the news.  Fortunately she suffered only minor injuries.  But you've got to wonder . . .   Story here.

REMEMBER THE BOY WHO COULDN'T FLY A U.S. FLAG ON HIS BICYCLE?

Remember the boy who wasn't allowed to fly a U.S. flag on his bicycle to school?  Well, today he got an escort from hundreds of American Legion riders.  They all had American flags on their bikes as they escorted him to Denair Middle School.  Wow, what an amazing sight!  (HT: Gateway Pundit)

 

SCHOOL MAKES BOY TAKE AMERICAN FLAG OFF BIKE

  I find this amazing.  Story here.    (HT: Drudge)

Elissa Harrington FOX40 News  [Sacramento, CA station]

November 12, 2010

DENAIR - 13-year-old Cody Alicea rides with an American flag on the back of his bike. He says he does this to be patriotic and to honor veterans, like his own grandfather, Robert. He's had the flag on his bike for two months but Monday, was asked told to take it down.
A school official at Denair Middle School told Cody some students had been complaining about the flag and it was no longer allowed on school property.
"In this country we're supposed to be free," said Cody. "And I should be able to wave my flag wherever I want to. And they're telling me I can't."
Cody's grandfather says the school was concerned about racial tensions or uprisings because of the flag. He feels if there was really a problem it should have been brought up two months ago, not during Veterans week.
"No action should be taken. We don't want any repercussion," said Roger. "We just want Cody to be proud of what he's doing."

 

EATING HEALTHY FOOD NOW CALLED A MENTAL DISORDER

This is yet another indication of the world going mad. Mark Adams reports:

(NaturalNews) In its never-ending attempt to fabricate "mental disorders" out of every human activity, the psychiatric industry is now pushing the most ridiculous disease they've invented yet: Healthy eating disorder.

This is no joke: If you focus on eating healthy foods, you're "mentally diseased" and probably need some sort of chemical treatment involving powerful psychotropic drugs. The Guardian newspaper reports, "Fixation with healthy eating can be sign of serious psychological disorder" and goes on to claim this "disease" is called orthorexia nervosa -- which is basically just Latin for "nervous about correct eating."

But they can't just called it "nervous healthy eating disorder" because that doesn't sound like they know what they're talking about. So they translate it into Latin where it sounds smart (even though it isn't).

Lindsey Graham: Tea Party Will Die Out – Republicans Will Move Away From “The Fringe”

I'm putting this in the "hard to believe department."  Is Lindsey Graham really so out of touch?  I would wager he will be gone before the tea party is gone.  Read the report here.

SANITY IS GETTING HARD TO FIND

Examples:

-- U.N. elects Iran to its commision on . . .   women's rights.  (I am not making this up!) See also the Fox News article.

-- Navy to allow women to serve on submarines

  -- In contrast to the above, Mark Steyn exemplifies the sanity that is getting more and more rare.  Steyn is the author of America Alone.  He granted a 5-part video interview to Peter Robinson.  I am linking to the 3rd in the series -- "Civilizational Exhaustion."   I wish I had time to produce the text of Steyn's statements.  Click here.  Don't miss this six minute interview!!

SAN DIEGO COUNTY TRYING TO STOP HOME BIBLE STUDIES

- Update 6/4/09 - San Diego withdraws Bible study warning 

According to 10 News in San Diego:

SAN DIEGO -- A local pastor and his wife claim they were interrogated by a San Diego County official, who then threatened them with escalating fines if they continued to hold Bible studies in their home, 10News reported.  [more . . .]

The Family Research Council comments:

Where two or more are gathered in Christ's name, there San Diego County officials will be also. For a suburban California family, this was the shocking reality during last month's Good Friday holiday. A local pastor and his wife invited a dozen or so people to their house for a Bible study, only to be interrupted by a San Diego employee who threatened to fine the couple for breaking an obscure County land code.

People at Pastor Jones's church are stunned by San Diego's actions, particularly its investigation of the group's activities. According to the family's attorney, Dean Broyles of the Western Center for Law & Policy, the officials asked pointed questions such as, "Do you have a regular meeting in your home?" "Yes." "Do you say amen?" "Yes." "Do you pray?" "Yes." "Do you say, 'Praise the Lord?'" "Yes."

What business is it of the county's how the Joneses' worship? This is not communist China. The Joneses aren't operating an underground church in violation of state law. This is their home! And

UNBELIEVABLE: BILL CLINTON DOESN'T KNOW WHAT AN EMBRYO IS!

Bill Clinton doesn't realize that an embryo is an egg that has already been fertilized!  You don't believe me?  Check out this site providing the video and transcript of Dr. Gupta's CNN interview with Clinton (March 11, 2009). This is truly unbelievable!  What do the so-called bright and powerful people in Washington actually know?   These are people to whom we entrust decision-making powers?  Really, really scary.

(Aside: What if Sarah Palin had given such an answer?  Imagine.... just imagine...!)

Illinois moment of silence ruled unconstitutional

I am filing this in the "hard to believe department."  According to Mike Robinson of the Associated Press,

A federal judge [Robert W. Gettleman] has ruled that a state law requiring a moment of silence in public schools across Illinois is unconstitutional, saying it crosses the line separating church and state.

"The statute is a subtle effort to force students at impressionable ages to contemplate religion," U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman said in his ruling Wednesday.  [more. . .]

Me:  Has it come to this?  What manner of insanity grips the radical left?  I am wondering when the sane people of the land will rise up against this madness . . .

Hard to Believe Department: Adult Women Play House with Fake Babies

Actually they're dolls, expensive dolls.  A TV station reports (click through for video):     (HT: The Corner)

WASHINGTON - Many people like to stop and play with newborn babies, but now some adult women are playing house with fake babies.

Some women are even going as far as taking day trips with the fake babies to the park, out to eat, and even hosting birthday parties for them.

Forty-nine-year-old Linda is married with no children of her own. Now, she says she feels like a mother because she has Reborns — dolls made to look and feel like the real thing.

"It's not a crazy habit, like, you know, drinking, or some sort of, something that's going to hurt you. It's like a hobby and it doesn't really hurt anybody," Linda said.

These women are paying big bucks for this hobby, from $100 to a few thousand dollars. For Reborn owner Lachelle Moore, the fake babies fill a void.

"What's so wonderful about Reborns is that, um, they're forever babies," said Moore, who has grown children and grandchildren. "There's no college tuition, no dirty diapers... just the good part of motherhood," she added.     

Me:  Sick.  Our addiction to all things virtual has reached new extremes.

ITALIAN PRIEST ORGANIZES BEAUTY CONTEST FOR NUNS

I am filing this news item under my "hard to believe department" category.

HOMOSEXUALS IN BRISTOL, ENGLAND OBJECT TO REMOVING BUSHES (Can you guess why?)

I found this news item pretty amazing.  (HT: Jonah Goldberg at The Corner)

UNBELIEVABLE "FREE SPEECH" TRAVESTY IN CANADA

Update 6/10/08 - Rich Lowry offers his comments.

- I am delighted that Mark Hemingway has written a comprehensive account of the Canadian "Human Rights" Tribunal's runaway idiocy.  It's target this time is Mark Steyn and Maclean's magazine.  I don't have time to write particulars, but please click through to see where "political correctness" leads.  Andrew Coyne, who is live blogging the trial, offers a Q&A with National Review. He offers extremely valuable comments.  (Note: I blogged on another Canadian free speech case earlier.)

CORRUPTION IN KANSAS TO PROTECT "PLANNED PARENTHOOD" AND THE ABORTION INDUSTRY

Dennis Boyles pens the story of the incredible pro-abortion machinations taking place in Kansas from the Supreme Court on down. Money and power are involved.  Surprised? It's another one of those "hard to believe" stories, that seem to be occurring ever more frequently. 

In short, it is alleged that "The state’s largest abortion providers — including Johnson County’s Planned Parenthood clinic and George Tiller’s infamous late-term-abortion clinic in Wichita — have not only performed illegal abortions, they’ve also falsified documents as part of a cover-up."  And everyone is going after the prosecutor to shut him up and close the case down. 

Read about it here.

COLORADO'S "OPEN DOOR" BATHROOM POLICY - UNBELIEVABLE!

I've filed this post under my "hard to believe" category.  Can a state legislature be so stupid -- so insane -- as to insist that all public bathroom facilities be open to both men and women?  Not only that, but violation of the law comes with a fine up to $5,000 penalty and up to a year in jail.  We live in crazy times, folks. Truly unbelievable. 

Dr. James Dobson over at Focus on the Family issued a press release last night and discussed the issue during the first five minutes of his radio program today.  Here is his press release regarding SB 200 just signed into law by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter:

“Who would have believed that the Colorado state Legislature and its governor would have made it fully legal for men to enter and use women’s restrooms and locker-room facilities without notice or explanation?

“Henceforth, every woman and little girl will have to fear that a predator, bisexual, cross-dresser or even a homosexual or heterosexual male might walk in and relieve himself in their presence. The legislation lists every conceivable type of organization to which this law applies, including restaurants, bathhouses, massage parlors, mortuaries, theaters and ‘public facilities of any kind.’ Those who would attempt to protect females from this intrusion are subject to a fine of up to $5,000 and up to one year behind bars.

“This is your government in action. It represents a payback to Tim Gill and two other billionaires who have essentially ‘bought’ the state Legislature with enormous campaign contributions. Coloradans deserve better!

“And by the way, because of the way this bill is written, it is not subject to the initiative process. There is no recourse.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Read previous CitizenLink coverage.

DUTCH TO LEGALIZE GAY SEX IN PUBLIC PARK

From Lisa Schiffren at The Corner:

The famously tolerant Dutch, whose nation has the highest emmigration [sic] of any European country as the native born flee the effects of multi-culturalism, Islamization, and the after effects of legalizing everything, have come up with a new line to cross. Public sex in Amsterdam's city parks will now be legal. But only for gays. And henceforth dogs will no longer be allowed off their leashes. Read about it here. But I am wondering why the government won't let the poor dogs run free while the gays are "having uncomplicated relations." What are they afraid of?

Baby tax needed to save planet, claims expert

Oh my...  This item would go in the "hard to believe department" if I had such a category. (HT: Drudge)

A WEST Australian medical expert wants families to pay a $5000-plus "baby levy" at birth and an annual carbon tax of up to $800 a child.

Writing in today's Medical Journal of Australia, Associate Professor Barry Walters said every couple with more than two children should be taxed to pay for enough trees to offset the carbon emissions generated over each child's lifetime.

Alison Jaggar - Radical Feminist/Marxist University Professor

Click here for a synopsis of a radical feminist/Marxist university professor's views on humanity and the sexes.  As they say, "you can't make this stuff up."

The Next Great American Education Fad: In-School Yoga Classes

Michelle Malkin doesn't take kindly to the introduction (at taxpayer's expense) of mandatory yoga for high school seniors:

According to the piece, “Less Homework, More Yoga, From a Principal Who Hates Stress,” the head of Needham High School in the Boston suburbs is pushing “stress reduction” through better stretching and breathing. Principal Paul Richards, who last earned nationwide mockery when he ditched publishing the honor roll, is part-Oprah, part-Deepak Chopra, part-Richard Simmons, and all edu-babble.

Malkin asks:

Why stop at yoga? Tantric chanting, here we come. And, hey, Kabbalah has done wonders for Madonna. Let’s add hypnotism and acupuncture classes while we’re at it. Hot stone massages? Bonsai tree-clipping? No Relaxation Technique Left Behind!

Who pays?  Guess.

The Yoga Ed. program, created by Hollywood spouse/socialite Tara Guber, was funded with taxpayer grants from

Welsh Cell Phone Salesman Sings Opera

I love this. You've got to see this video. It will move you. Someone else wrote the following with which I entirely agree:

Take a minute and watch this....makes your heart feel good!  Watch the faces of the judges as this guy walks out on the stage.   

You can almost see what they are thinking as they pre-judge this guy based on his looks and the fact that he is a cell phone salesman.  

So much for first impressions. I think you will enjoy this.

Britain and the "Culture of Coddling Kids"

Michelle Malkin on coddling kids.

British educators have now determined that "asking pupils to put their hands up when they think they know the answer to a question in class could make quiet children fall behind," according to the London Telegraph. To spare students from this awful terror, the British Department of Education is now recommending that children be given 30 seconds of "thinking time" before being asked to answer or told to discuss questions in pairs before answering. Instead of teaching students to conquer their shyness and stand up for themselves, educators will be encouraged to pamper them in emotional bubble wrap.

In the Hard to Believe Department: Sex Education in the UK

William Keenan writes:

British authorities promote sex education programmes that would make a sailor blush - and achieve record rates of disease and pregnancy.

We have just learned from a United Nations’ report that Britain is the worst place in the developed world in which to be a child.

. . . Not very long ago the Daily Telegraph ran a whole-page story headlined, Outrage over explicit sex lessons. Education correspondent John Clare described parents’ anger at 12-year-old children being given explicit sex lessons. In these lessons they were taught sodomy, oral sex with reference to “blow jobs” and mutual masturbation.

After carefully investigating the matter John Clare said he had come to three stark conclusions: “First the use of these crude and explicit materials is apparently widespread. Second, the school has not told parents precisely what their 12 year olds are being taught. And third, parents everywhere have virtually no hope of discovering the content of their children’s sex education lessons.”   (more)