Category Archives: Current Events

Motivation, Where Art Thou?

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Dear Readers,

I am going to be frank with everyone. The point has come where my well has run dry in terms of ideas. I have grown tired of politics, and along with that my motivation has gone out the window recently. I find myself blankly staring at the computer trying to come up with topics that I’m passionate about, only to be distracted by other things. Perhaps, this is just a phase that I will need to shake out of, and I know it might involve focusing on other topics, like marathon training, baseball, or technology. If you are interested in cooking/food, please visit my other blog, Charm Offensive Cooking.

At this point, I have decided to post weekly (if not, don’t worry…I’ll post something). Right now, I have other things on the plate. If you are libertarian leaning, please feel free to shoot me an email regarding guest posting. I will try to include your post. Also, I will have a review on Ken Cuccinelli’s book, “The Last Line of Defense: The New Fight for American Liberty.” I just started reading it, and I look forward to writing about the book.

Thank you for bearing with me. It has been a blessing to write interesting posts over the course of five years. I’ll still be here, just in a different format.

For Liberty,

Krystle

What Really Grinds My Gears (2012 Edition)

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I think it is time to start a new CCC tradition. One that may find many of you laughing at my list of complaints. You see, I have always had a goal to limit my complaints, eye rolling, and of course, my “bless his heart” type of moments. In the five year history of CCC, I have never had a chance to really reflect on what truly grinds my gears, as it might drive away readers. However, the loyal of my fifty or so followers may notice that I rarely complain about personal stuff on this site, partially because I want you to continue reading. With 2012 drawing to a close, I want to start a new tradition of a top ten list of what truly grinds my gears each year.

1. Laundry. Okay, it may sound like a common complaint of what grinds the gears, but it is hard to contain the number of clothing items that enters the basket by the end of a week.

2. Talk Radio. Listening to other people complain (i.e., Mark Levin), only drives me to complain much more…especially when it comes to politics. It may be great for the blog, but for my husband and others, it only drives them closer to the escape route. When it comes to sports, it always spurs conversation of a different variety. At this point, I’ll stick to 106.7 The Fan for Redskins sports and WTAM 1100 for Cleveland athletics.

3. Wedding Spam. If I didn’t use your services in planning my wedding, then I’ll never use your services. So, David’s Bridal and The Knot should leave me alone. There are millions of brides you can bother now.

4. The Fiscal Cliff. They knew about this a long time ago. Instead, they decided to play musical chairs and forget about the pain this was going to cost the taxpayers. Congratulations! You go on with your bad self, Congress.

5. The Battery Life on my Samsung Galaxy SII. Yes, I traded my iPhone 3GS in for a Samsung Galaxy SII, and now, I regret it. Why? The battery life sucks. I can charge my battery and fifteen minutes later, it will be dead again. A trip to Sprint is now in order and hopefully, I can come back to the Apple iPhone again soon.

6. The Disarray known as my Closet. Okay, I have not seen my closet floor since I moved into my place two years ago. It may not seem like something that might grind someone’s gears, but for someone who prides herself on being organized, it made me feel like I was walking on the set of “Hoarders.” It is now clean, especially since my husband needs some room for his belongings.

7. Bad Drivers. Need I say more…

8. Facebook asking you questions. Okay…Facebook must be the extension of big brother. Although, it is one of the commonly used social networks, Facebook still finds a way to exude creepiness by asking “How are you doing?”; “What’s going on?”; and “How are you feeling?” I say, “Stop the insanity,” and I’ll tell you how I feel about you prying into my privacy…geez.

9. Receiving multiple emails per day from political candidates. Need I say more…

10. Tareq Salahi for Governor. There’s a reason why Journey is so popular, eh? Come on, you crashed the White House party, and expect to be elected Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. That’s quite a resume…NOT!

Happy New Year! Please let me know what grinds your gears in the comments, and may you have a wonderful 2013.

Eleven Years Later…

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I still get angry when I look back on the events that took place eleven years ago.  It felt like a sense of security was taken from us on that beautiful September day.

Eleven years ago, I was a sophomore at a college in Maryland.  I was getting ready for class, when my Mother told me to come into her room.  I walked into her room, only to see a plane hit the World Trade Center.  Originally, I thought it was a pilot error, until I saw the other plane hit.  Then, I knew this was not an ordinary plane crash caused by pilot error.  I left home that morning, only to be stuck in traffic on Maryland Route 140, hearing that a plane had hit the Pentagon.  Upon parking my car in front of the Psychology building, I ran to the sociology department for class.  I found out there would be no class that day.

As I was leaving to head home, I called my Mom, who said my cousin was supposed to be working on an IT project at the Pentagon.  Instantly, I tried calling, then texting my cousin to find out if he had made it out.  No answer, and then I called out sick to work to be with my family.  It was a daunting two hours before we found out he was okay and was not in the Pentagon during the crash.  He overslept and decided to head to the office.  Since cell phone signals were out all over the place, he could not answer many frantic calls checking in on his safety.

Needless to say, I will always remember what happened eleven years ago and how it destroyed my sense of security.

We’re going to tax you…all in the name of ObamaCare

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Today’s Wall Street Journal featured the dissent of the Supreme Court justices on ObamaCare.

I feel that you should read this before I go into a rant against Chief Justice John Roberts and his other bench mates, who decided to keep the mandate as a tax. Personally, we experienced an attack on our constitutional liberties yesterday, and this decision will go down in history as one of the worst examples of judicial overreach our nation has ever seen. Basically, this sets the precedent for the power to tax over everything. Who knows? Obama may hate red headed females and decide to tax them because of their natural (or not-so-natural) tresses. If this happens, I’m doomed.

I’ll have more on the health care case later.

Walker’s Victory Displays the True Colors of the Liberals

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Congratulations to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker! Walker (and his fellow Republicans) won the recall election last night. This means he can continue to be a thorn in the side of the public sector unions and bring true fiscal accountability to the Badger State.

However, Walker’s victory was not well received by the union workers and the Democrats. Instead, they found ways to suck up another fifteen minutes of fame by whining about their defeat and even using violence (as you can see in the clip). I feel the need to highlight some of the pathetic displays by the liberals in Wisconsin last night.

Cue 1: A supporter of Tom Barrett got a little emotional over the defeat.

The exact quote from the emotional Barrett supporter:

I’m very emotional because we all had invested in this. This was it. If we didn’t win tonight, the end of the U.S. as we know it just happened. This is it. We just got outspent $34 million to $4 million. And we don’t have any more resource left but the people you see here behind me. And if the people you see here behind me can’t get it done tonight, it’s done. Democracy’s dead.

So, you had a lot invested in defeating Walker…big whoop-de-freaking-do! However, don’t go saying the end of the U.S. is over due to the loss. Heck no, it isn’t! Rather, Wisconsin is better off under Walker’s leadership, as he has nearly eliminated the deficit and has not raised taxes. In fact, property taxes actually went down in the state. (Source)

If you think the whining was not enough, you are right. Another Barrett supporter actually took things to the extreme by slapping Barrett in the face before he delivered his concession speech.

Cue 2: A nice slap in the face really gets your point across…NOT!

Wow…this is real classy! I thought liberals represented the party of peace. I guess not. Hasn’t anyone ever told her that violence is not the answer or the way to persuade people? I guess not.

Despite the outlandish (and humorous) behavior of Barrett supporters, I have to congratulate Walker, Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, and three of the four State Senators (who were also recalled and emerged victorious).

Happy Tax Day

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It’s tax day, and it’s time you fork over your earnings to the government.  I know, I know…it’s hard work, considering that the Federal government is going to find some way to waste your money.  After all, the GSA needs more of your money to fund their lavish partying.

Well, don’t you think there should be some sort of reform within agencies before they receive any of our money?

Sad State of the Playground

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When I was growing up, one of my favorite pastimes was going to the playground.  It was a time to forge new friendships, get a break from school work, and to exert some excess energy.  Granted, there was always some sort of bullying, whether it would be this tall boy trying to take a basketball and hold it out of my reach (I was short and this was the common treatment).  Overall, it was a great experience.

According to a recent CNN article, the playground has changed into a judgment zone.  It is not harmless picking, like the treatment I experienced growing up; rather it has morphed into a place where kids are judging on the size of another.  Talk about being exposed to body image issues at a young age.

Fat is the new ugly on the school playground. Children as young as 3 worry about being fat. Four- and 5-year-olds know “skinny” is good and “fat” is bad. Children in elementary school are calling each other fat as a put-down.’’

As our country becomes more obsessed with increasingly skinny ideals of beauty at the same time that we’re getting more obese, “Fat hatred has become so pervasive that it is part of the fabric of our language and interactions,” says Dr. Robyn Silverman, author of “Good Girls Don’t Get Fat: How Weight Obsession is Messing Up Our Girls and How We Can Help Them Thrive Despite It.” “Fat and thin are no longer simply assessments of size or weight, but rather of character. So you can imagine why adoption of these attitudes, diet talk and disordered behavior is happening earlier as well.”

Granted, it is natural for children to notice that they are different than others, and this is to be celebrated.  However, with entertainment and media focusing on the images of extremely skinny celebrities, they forget to remember that children see these images.  This is leading to children judging other children on the stigma that our society focuses on far too often.

However, there is another factor that the article addresses:  how the parent addresses his/her own body image before the child.  Is the parent focused consistently on dieting or over-exercising?   A child sees how the parent conducts themselves and seeks to emulate them.   It is natural, but it can be unhealthy for a child emotionally.  How about appreciating your looks and seeking to live a healthy lifestyle?  This is the greatest role model for children to see.

Perhaps, a child judging another child’s body is becoming the new form of playground bullying.  I hope this is a wake-up call for parents to address that each person is unique, beautiful, and destined for great things. It is time for the playground to return to its fun roots.

**Note:  As a former social worker, I worked with children in a clinical setting.**

Talk about hitting the jackpot…

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…and continuing to mooch off the system.

Why doesn’t it surprise me that people are allowed to take advantage of the welfare system in the U.S.? After all, the government gives money to those who need it (note: NEED, meaning they specifically show their fiscal status, etc.). However, need has gone a step further, as we have seen from a Michigan woman, who won the lottery, and did not take the responsibility to report her winnings to the state. With her lottery prize, she bought a new car, new house, and still remained on welfare benefits, receiving $200 a month for food. Below is the video that has caused an uproar around the country:

This makes me sick. Again, your tax dollars (especially if you live in Michigan) are being wasted by oversight. As soon as the woman won the lottery, the state agency responsible for her welfare benefits should have ended them. Clearly, if she had enough money to buy the car and a house, she could clearly provide food for herself and her family.

Thankfully, the woman has lost her benefits (not to mention that there could be legal action taken against her), and the Michigan legislature is considering a bill that would require the state lottery agency to report to the Department of Human Services if a recipient of welfare funds wins the jackpot.

Best Remark of the Day

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New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is definitely not afraid of speaking his mind. There is no doubt I agree with his comments regarding Warren Buffett. Buffett has repeatedly called for higher taxes on those who are rich, and this is coming from a man who owes taxes going back to 2002.

Christie said:

Cut a check and shut up, that’s what I say, okay? I’m tired of hearing about it. He wants to pay more taxes, pay more.

Christie is right on the money with this comment. Perhaps, Buffett should do what’s right and pay more taxes. God knows he makes enough, and if he wants to pay more, then by all means, he should pay more.

Does Rand Paul Look Irate to You?

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Just watch the video and tell me does Sen. Rand Paul look irate about being detained at the Nashville Airport.

Click here for the video.

He doesn’t look angry to me. Perhaps, the TSA officials at the airport that day might have added too much drama when referring to the incident.

Whatever the case may be, Sen. Paul’s incident has brought to light that it is time that the effectiveness of TSA be questioned. In an recent op-ed that appeared in The Washington Times, Paul wrote about TSA’s work should be on police work, instead of violating our Fourth Amendment rights.

If a federally funded TSA is going to exist, then its focus should be on police work and it must respect the rights of citizens. The TSA should not universally insult all travelers; it should however research, track, monitor and target people that are, in fact, threats to our nation.

This blatant violation of the Fourth Amendment, which protects Americans against unwarranted search and seizure, has insulted many citizens, and rightfully so. I, along with many other travelers, do not view traveling as a crime that warrants government search and seizure. In fact, I view traveling as a basic right, for Americans are free to travel from state to state as they please.

I refused an unnecessary patdown and stood up for my rights as an American citizen. This is a battle Americans face every time they fly. It is my firm belief that TSA should not have such broad authority to violate our constitutional rights in ineffective and invasive physical searches, thus I will further push for the reinstatement of traveler privacy and rights. I will be proposing legislation that will allow for adults to be rescreened if they so choose.

I couldn’t agree more with Sen. Paul’s points. As Americans, we should not be subjected to a groping fiasco before boarding our flights, rather we should be able to go through a screening process that respects our privacy.