XIAM007

Making Unique Observations in a Very Cluttered World

Tuesday 21 August 2012

More Than Half Of All Americans Are At Least Partially Dependent On The Government -

More Than Half Of All Americans Are At Least Partially Dependent On The Government - 




A very large segment of the population has figured out that it can use voting as a tool to get more money and benefits from the government, and that is a very dangerous thing.  Once upon a time, the free market was the one that distributed nearly all the wealth in our system.  But now the federal government has become a giant deluded "Santa Claus" that distributes goodies to the American people far beyond its actual capacity to do so.  In fact, we are borrowing trillions of dollars that we do not have so that our politicians can continue to buy votes with handouts.  Look, we will always need a safety net.  We don't want anyone in America starving to death or sleeping in the street.  However, our current system has gotten completely and totally out of control.  Today, there are nearly 80 different "means-tested welfare programs" operated by the federal government.  As I have written about previously, more than 100 million Americans are enrolled in those programs.  Sadly, that does not even count Social Security and Medicare.  Tens of millions of Americans are enrolled in each of those programs as well.  And when you add in more than 22 million government workers, you get one giant pile of people that are getting money or benefits from the government.  In fact, at this point more than half of all Americans are at least partially dependent on the government.

A recent Forbes article by Bill Wilson estimates that over 165 million Americans are government dependents to at least some degree....

New research from Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee Jeff Sessions (R-AL) reveals that this reality may already be here, with more than 107 million Americans on some form of means-tested government welfare.

Add to that 46 million seniors collecting Medicare (subtracting out about 10 million on Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid, and other senior-eligible programs already included in Sessions’ means-tested chart) and 22 million government employees at the federal, state, and local level — and suddenly, over 165 million people, a clear majority of the 308 million Americans counted by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2010, are at least partially dependents of the state.

That is absolutely staggering.

So why is this happening?

Well, for one thing our economy is not producing enough good jobs.  Millions of our jobs have been shipped out of the country, and of the jobs that remain, only 24.6 percent of them are considered to be "good jobs" at this point.

So millions of families are really hurting.  In fact, 77 percent of all Americans are now living paycheck to paycheck at least some of the time.

This week, Joe Biden declared that "the middle class is coming back", but that was a giant lie.

The truth is that the middle class is being absolutely shredded.  More Americans fall out of the middle class every single day.  Right now there are more than 100 million Americans that are considered to be "poor" or "near poor", and the number of Americans on food stamps has risen by more than 14 million since Barack Obama entered the White House.

No, the middle class is definitely not coming back.  Poverty is exploding all around us and every single day even more Americans become dependent on the government.

And that is how the social engineers like it.  They don't want us to be strong and independent.  They want us to be weak and groveling and dependent on them.

So who is paying for all of this?

Well, it sure isn't the wealthy.  They have become absolute masters at avoiding taxes.

And it sure isn't the poor people.  Most of them don't even pay any income taxes.

So who is paying for all of this?

Hard working middle class Americans are, and our children and our grandchildren are.

Both Democrats and Republicans see nothing wrong with stealing trillions of dollars from future generations so that they can shower their constituents with benefits that we simply cannot afford.

What we are doing to our children and our grandchildren is beyond criminal.  I am amazed that more people are not completely outraged by all of this.

Obama, Bush, Clinton and our Congress critters have showered the American people will trillions of dollars that have been ripped off from Americans that have not even been born yet.  They seem to think that it is really funny that they are going to stick them with the bill.

I find it absolutely revolting.

But very few of our politicians will even discuss seriously cutting back the benefits that we have promised to hand out.

Nobody wants to be the bad guy.

And more specifically, very few of our politicians are willing to risk their careers in order to do what they know is right.

We are becoming a society that is completely and totally addicted to government money and government benefits.

We expect the government to take care of us from the cradle to the grave.

In many ways, the government has actually become a god to millions upon millions of Americans.

And the social engineers like it that way.

They want the government to be as large and as powerful as possible.

In fact, they don't even want us taking care of each other.

Earlier this year I wrote about how feeding the homeless is illegal in many major cities all over the United States.

Sadly, this trend has gotten even stronger since that time.

According to USA Today, more than 50 American cities have now passed "anti-camping or anti-food-sharing laws"....

Philadelphia recently banned outdoor feeding of people in city parks. Denver has begun enforcing a ban on eating and sleeping on property without permission. And this month, lawmakers in Ashland, Ore., will consider strengthening the town's ban on camping and making noise in public.

And the list goes on: Atlanta, Phoenix, San Diego, Los Angeles, Miami, Oklahoma City and more than 50 other cities have previously adopted some kind of anti-camping or anti-food-sharing laws, according to the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty.

So what are we supposed to do?

If it is illegal to help the homeless and it is illegal to be homeless, what is left?

The answer is obvious.

We are supposed to let the government take care of everything because the government is our super-powerful nanny that always knows what is best.

In the end, however, this system is going to collapse.  It is unsustainable by nature and the weight of our 16 trillion dollar national debt is absolutely going to crush us.

Millions of Americans realize that the system is failing, and that is why so many of them have started to prepare for the worst.

This even includes members of Congress.  For example, just check out the following excerpt from an article about U.S. Representative Roscoe Bartlett....

Deep in the West Virginia woods, in a small cabin powered by the sun and the wind, a bespectacled, white-haired man is giving a video tour of his basement, describing techniques for the long-term preservation of food in case of “an emergency.”

“We don’t really think of those today, because it’s so convenient to go to the supermarket,” he cautions. “But you know, you’re planning because the supermarket may not always be there.”

The electrical grid could fail tomorrow, he frequently warns. Food would disappear from the shelves. Water would no longer flow from the pipes. Money might become worthless. People could turn on each other, and millions would die.

Remember, this is a member of the U.S. Congress that is saying these things.

Any rational person can see that our current system is unsustainable by any definition.

Many of our politicians continue to insist that it can be "fixed" if you will just allow them to "tweak" it a bit.

Sadly, they are all lying to you.

A few small changes here and there is not going to change anything.

We need radical reconstructive surgery in this nation, and unfortunately that is not even being presented to the American people as an option in 2012.

We are just going to keep doing more of the same and we are going to keep expecting different results.

And that truly is insanity.

Read more -
http://www.blacklistednews.com/More_Than_Half_Of_All_Americans_Are_At_Least_Partially_Dependent_On_The_Government/21142/0/38/38/Y/M.html

Does Paul Ryan's Black Ex-Girlfriend Matter? -

Does Paul Ryan's Black Ex-Girlfriend Matter? - 



Shortly after it was announced that Rep. Paul Ryan would join the Romney ticket as this year's Republican vice presidential candidate, I wrote a piece titled,  "What We Know About Paul Ryan and Blacks."

Well, I recently learned of another significant addition to this list.

As reported on Twitter by CNN's Pete Hamby, Ryan said he has a black sister-in-law, but perhaps even more interesting, his "college sweetheart" was African American.

So here is the million-dollar question: Is the fact that Ryan has dated interracially a noteworthy detail to consider when analyzing his politics and policies?

Here's a well-known phrase that has virtually become a punch line: When someone finds himself on the ropes facing an allegation of racism, the go-to reflex defense is usually something along the lines of "But some of my best friends are black!" Translation: "I can't possibly be racist or racially insensitive because there are black people I like and they like me. So there." Many of us are so used to hearing this -- and, frankly, dismissing it (remember George Zimmerman's media-friendly pal Joe Oliver?) -- that we long ago stopped asking, What if it's actually true?

For years Lou Dobbs was the face of the anti-illegal-immigration crusade. As a result of his seeming obsession with the issue, he became in the eyes of many the face of xenophobia and racism, not to mention public enemy No. 1 of Mexican immigrants. There's just one hitch to this narrative: Dobbs is married to a Mexican-American woman, meaning that he is the father of Mexican-American children. (His Mexican-born mother-in-law even lives with his family.)

When I discovered this I was surprised, and not for the reasons you may think. While I was somewhat surprised to learn of his wife's heritage, given his own politics on issues that overwhelmingly affect a community of which she is a member, I was even more surprised that I'd never heard him mention it on his program or prominently in interviews. He certainly didn't hide it, but my point is, if anyone could have benefited from a "But my best friend -- in fact, my wife -- is Latina, so I can't be bigot" defense, it was Dobbs, and yet he chose not to hide behind that.

Certainly, having a relationship with someone of a different race does not automatically make someone more racially sensitive and enlightened. Throughout his lifetime, Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina financially and emotionally supported the daughter he fathered with an underage black servant. In addition to paying for her education, he was also known to play the part of proud parent by visiting her college campus and make inquiries to faculty about her educational progress.

Yet at the same time he was doing this in private, he was publicly advancing policies that would have rendered his daughter's education virtually useless. If those policies had succeeded, she and her children, with whom he also maintained a relationship, would have remained second-class citizens. Does this mean that Thurmond's relationship with his daughter was not genuine? From her recollections regarding the lengths he went to in order to remain a part of her life, I doubt it. 

So then, how could he genuinely care for his black daughter and promote policies that would harm African Americans, and therefore harm her? Research has shown that those who hold stereotypes about a particular group of people are unlikely to have those stereotypes altered merely by encountering someone who defies that stereotype. Instead, they are likely to view the individual defying said stereotype as an exception. In other words, it is possible to have a black friend, Asian friend, Hispanic friend or Muslim friend or wife and still exhibit prejudice toward that group. The friend or wife is simply viewed as the exception who is not like the others.

For the record: No, I am not calling Ryan a racist. I am saying, however, that if you want to know where a politician's heart lies when it comes to a particular community, it may be best to look at that person's policies -- such as his or her record on civil rights --  rather than personal relationships. What do you think? Please share your thoughts in the comments below. 

Read more - 
http://www.theroot.com/blogs/paul-ryan/does-paul-ryans-black-girlfriend-matter

Robot To Throw First Pitch At Baseball Game... -

Robot To Throw First Pitch At Baseball Game... - 
Members of FIRST Robotics test "Cy-ber Young," a robot that will throw out the first pitch as the Detroit Tigers take on the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday, Aug. 22 at Comerica Park. (Credit: Dan Ernst)


A robot developed by Detroit-area high school students will toss out the ceremonial first pitch at Wednesday night’s Detroit Tigers game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Colm Boren, an engineer and mentor for the FIRST Robotics organization, said a team of about 30 teenagers spent the summer designing the robot — Cy-ber Young – from the ground up.

“It’s a robot designed to throw out the pitch. It’s about the size of a shopping cart and uses a big scuba tank as the main source of power. So, we use that as basically a big pea shooter to blow the ball through a piece of PVC pipe. There’s a camera that’s used and the robot actually travels out to the mound on its own. The kids are steering it with joystick controllers that you’d use with a video game and they have a laptop,” said Boren.


It will be the first time in Major League Baseball that a robot built by kids gets the game opening honor. Behind the plate will be the Tigers’ beloved mascot PAWS, who will try to catch the pitch.

“The robot will drive onto the field just behind home plate and we’ll drive over the first base line out to the front mound, turn and aim toward the plate and PAWS will be standing behind the plate,” said Boren.

While Cy-ber Young might look a little intimidating, Boren said the pitch is very controlled so PAWS should have nothing to worry about. He said the students are able to manipulate settings such as velocity and trajectory.

“We haven’t actually measured the farthest distance yet but I’d say at least a few hundred feet. We actually were considering asking the Detroit Tigers if we could throw the first pitch from the outfield, which we’re confident we could do, but they, for the sake of PAWS’ safety, they didn’t want us to try that,” said Boren.

“We’ve clocked it at upwards of 85 miles per hour. We could probably go a bit higher so it’s definitely more than the average person can throw, but not as much as a professional baseball player,” he continued.

Read more - 
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/08/21/robot-to-throw-first-pitch-at-detroit-tigers-game/

Vaginal Tightening Gel '18 AGAIN' Goes on Sale in India... -

Vaginal Tightening Gel '18 AGAIN' Goes on Sale in India... - 



Talk about medical progress. There's hope for women who want to regain the sensation of being a virgin again. A drug manufacturer in India has introduced a vaginal tightening gel called "18 Again" and produced a weird commercial to promote it.

The topic is covered by The Young Turks network and their opinions can pretty much be guessed. The woman, Ana Kasparian, scoffs at the concept, while male host Cenk Uygur pretends to go along. But near the end of the piece, his rolling eyes tell the real story.


It's all about a new medical product being sold in India which claims to tighten a woman's vagina in order to reproduce the experience and sensation of having an unbroken hymen. Sounds goofy, right?

The commercial for the product is skimpy on details, but it's the setting which causes the most consternation. In it, a woman dances in her home, presumably with her husband, in front of family members, including what look to be her grandparents.

The cause for all the newfound joy is a topical vaginal tightening gel. As the man and woman dance around the house, she proclaims she feels "18 again" and that she's "like a virgin" once more. Who knew Madonna was psychic?

At the end of the spot, Grandma and Grandpa go to the website listed, both with gleaming eyes. So it seems this product is not just for the younger generation.

The Young Turks are suitably disdainful of course. But Uygur looks at least intrigued. The real point is, does it work? And, will women buy it? Who is it really for, anyway?

It seems this may be a product that's surreptitiously for men. How long until it's marketed in the US and Europe? Is it dangerous?

At least Grandma and Grandpa don't seem to think so.

Ain't love grand?

Here's the video:



Three Daycare Workers Arrested For Holding Toddler 'Fight Club'... -

Three Daycare Workers Arrested For Holding Toddler 'Fight Club'... - 



Three daycare employees were arrested on Monday for allegedly watching and encouraging toddlers to fight each other while under their care.

According to Dover Police, three employees from the Hands of Our Future Daycare in Delaware were arrested after a cell phone video showed employees watching and encouraging two 3-year-olds fight each other.

Tiana Harris, 19, Lisa Parker, 47, and Estefania Myers, 21, were charged with Assault, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Reckless Endangering and Conspiracy for the incident, which occurred in March of 2012 and was captured on cell phone video.

In the video, police say one child can be heard crying and yelling, ‘He’s pinching me,’ while a daycare worker responds, ‘No pinching, only punching.’”

“Clearly one of the children is crying and does not want to continue on and he is pushed back into the fray by one of the adults,” Dover Police Captain Tim Stump said.

Cristyl Slack says her four-year-old daughter was in the room when the fight happened in March.

“That pissed me off just because I feel if my daughter is around anything I should have known that day,” Slack said.

The fight video is not being shown to parents or the public because police say it is evidence.

“I can’t ever believe in a million years. I mean I would have to see the proof to believe it,” parent Amy Bickling said.

Hands of Our Future Daycare, located at 868 S. State St., has had its City of Dover Business License suspended pending a hearing.



Read more - 
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/08/20/3-delaware-daycare-employees-arrested-for-encouraging-toddlers-to-fight/

Dental health 'linked to dementia'... - those who brush their teeth less likely to develop dementia -

Dental health 'linked to dementia'... - those who brush their teeth less likely to develop dementia - 


People who keep their teeth and gums healthy with regular brushing may have a lower risk of developing dementia later in life, according to a U.S. study.

Researchers at the University of California who followed nearly 5,500 elderly people over an 18-year-period found that those who reported brushing their teeth less than once a day were up to 65 percent more likely to develop dementia than those who brushed daily.

"Not only does the state of your mind predict what kind of oral health habits you practice, it may be that your oral health habits influence whether or not you get dementia," said Annlia Paganini-Hill, who led the study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Inflammation stoked by gum disease-related bacteria is implicated in a host of conditions including heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Some studies have also found that people with Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, have more gum disease-related bacteria in their brains than a person without Alzheimer's, Paganini-Hill said.

It's thought that gum disease bacteria might get into the brain, causing inflammation and brain damage, she said.

Paganini-Hill and her team followed 5,468 residents of a Californian retirement community from 1992 to 2010. Most people in the study were white, well-educated and relatively affluent. When the study began, participants ranged in age from 52 to 105, with an average age of 81.

All were free of dementia at the outset, when they answered questions about their dental health habits, the condition of their teeth and whether they wore dentures.

When the researchers followed up 18 years later, they used interviews, medical records and in some cases death certificates to determine that 1,145 of the original group had been diagnosed with dementia.

Of 78 women who said they brushed their teeth less than once a day in 1992, 21 had dementia by 2010, or about one case per 3.7 women.

In comparison, among those who brushed at least once a day, closer to one in every 4.5 women developed dementia which translates to a 65-percent greater chance of dementia among those who brushed less than daily.

Among the men, the effect was less pronounced with about one in six irregular brushers developing the disease, making them 22 percent more likely to have dementia than those who brushed daily. Statistically, however, the effect was so small it could have been due to chance, the researchers said.

Read more - 
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/21/health-dementia-teeth-idUSL4E8JL00020120821