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Girlfriends Christmas Party


Our Girlfriends Christmas Party is coming up on Saturday, December 18th at 6:00 p.m. at the Condreay home. Bring some goodies or an appetizer to share plus a wrapped ornament ($10 value) for our gift exchange.  Plan on an evening filled with fun and laughter as we celebrate Christmas . . . Girlfriend style!


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Is "Christmas" a Four Letter Word?


It is if you follow the City of Philadelphia's logic.

For three years in a row, the German Christmas Village has successfully set up booths and tree vendors at City Hall. Each year a festive archway with the words, "Christmas Village," is mounted, announcing its name to the public. Until this year, that is. Due to complaints, the German Christmas Village will now bare the words, "Holiday Village." The city's managing director, Richard Negrin, requested the change. In defense of the name change, Philadelphia's city spokesman Mark McDonald said, "As a city of great diversity, one shouldn't be surprised that there's a difference of views when it comes to symbols and words." To that I say, "As a city of great diversity, one shouldn't be surprised to see religious holidays mentioned on public property." As a free society we have to see different views and opinions all the time. Some we'll share, some we won't. The sensitivity over simply seeing reference to a holiday you might not celebrate is a little more than outrageous.

About a week ago I posted an article on separation of church and state, pointing out the fact that the First Amendment prohibits the establishment of religion while protecting the expression of religion. In other words, freedom OF religion and not freedom FROM religion. This Philadelphia story is a perfect example of confusing the two. Where does the Constitution state that religious imagery - or in this case, the name of a specific holiday (even more ridiculous) - shouldn't or can't be on public property?

I'd like to know when the word "Christmas" became such a vulgarity, and how in the world is it an offensive word? I suppose it doesn't matter in this case because ultimately Thomas Bauer, manager of the Christmas Village, says he was happy to change the name. "People have to go to public buildings," Baur states, "They shouldn't feel offended." It's convenient for the city that he feels this way but I think its pretty idiotic to be "offended" by a holiday most people celebrate, including many who aren't Christian. I hope those on my "Christmas Card" list will let me know in advance of any offense they may take to my use of the word Christmas. I can save myself the stamp because in this rough economy, every penny counts.

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The Senate Is Returning to Some Leftover Business

With a fridge still full of Thanksgiving leftovers, our Senators are planning to get back to work and continue their efforts in their war on food and small farmers. The Senate will be making a critical vote on S. 510, the so-called “Food Safety Modernization Act,” on November 29th. This is an awful, liberty grabbing bill that gives the FDA significantly greater authority over family farms and what you put into your body.

There’s been a lot of talk about how new provisions in the bill protect those small, family farmers but the reality is the FDA will impose costly regulations which, if not adhered to, give it power to shut down these farms. Also troubling is how Big Agra farms benefit form this bill; small farms will be saddled with additional costs that could threaten their survival while Big Agra will be able to absorb the increased financial burden.

I’m certainly no enemy of big, corporate farms. I love capitalism and all the big business it brings. Even more than this, I love competition of the free market and the choices it affords us. One of those choices is whether to consume genetically modified organisms (GMO). I choose to eat natural fish, meats, poultry and vegetables because I’m worried about the potential health risks posed by GMO food. I don’t want to eat salmon that was created in a lab. I also prefer raw milk over pasteurized because it is easier for me to digest and has more nutritional value. Additionally, dairy farms offering raw milk have much higher quality and care standards for their cows because they can’t pump them full of steroids and antibiotics like large scale, corporate dairy farms. The fact is S. 510 threatens my ability to make these choices.

The bill would raise costs for small farms that offer organic and all natural produce as well as raw dairy products. This will lead to an increase in food costs for those who eat those foods, something that could have a devastating effect on these small farms during this rough economy if we can’t afford that increase. Big Agra farms have no reason to truly “compete” if their competition is forced out of business due to the government’s intervention. It’s no wonder Big Agra farms and unions have backed this bill!

S. 510 is bad policy. It is not the sort of policy our government should be creating in a free market, capitalist system. In an attempt to offer “food safety,” the FDA threatens to strip away our ability to make our own decisions. Government exists to protect our freedom, not prohibit it; we should never support policy that aims at restricting our rights regardless of any good intentions the policy is created with.

Please go here to get information on contacting your Senators via phone, fax, or email. Leave a message for them when they get back to work on Monday. I know your weekend is hectic with family in town and holiday shopping but think of those leftovers in your own fridge. How will next year’s holiday be affected by choices made this week?

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An American Tradition


I love Thanksgiving. Of all the holidays in America, this is by far my favorite. Thanksgiving is a purely American holiday, exclusive of no citizen. Though initially a religious multi-day feast giving thanks to God for a bountiful harvest, it is at its heart of hearts a celebration of success. The original Thanksgiving celebrated the successful pilgrimage across the ocean, successful creation of a settlement, and of course, a successful harvest.

Thanksgiving is perhaps the only holiday enjoyed by Christians, Jews, Muslims, Atheists, and any one else sharing the common thread of American citizenship and the freedoms it affords us. What Thanksgiving symbolizes to each of us may vary but at its core is a uniquely American celebration, honoring the country's productive nature and the many accomplishments we've made.

We would not be such a productive and strong nation if not for the foresight of our Founders and a history full of strong leaders who've governed with We The People in mind. Our system of self-governing is often slow and frequently bumpy but it was designed to be that way in order to prevent us from changing with every political whim. As the first nation with a written Constitution, the United States is founded on certain principles and those principles have been the foundation of a productive and powerful people.

In these days of...questionable leadership...I'm thankful for those individuals and elected officials who have been vocally opposing harmful policy. Policies like The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and The Food Safety Modernization Act (The Monsanto Bill) have been met with strong opposition by people who understand and fight for the principles America was founded upon. I'm thankful for peoples' politicians like Rep. Ron Paul who has sponsored the American Traveler Dignity Act, fighting against unreasonable TSA procedure. And, slow as it is, I'm thankful I live in a nation that has provided checks and balances to prevent government from making rash decisions and allowing us time to fix what mistakes are made.

So when you're enjoying your Thanksgiving feast - whether its turkey, ham, turducken or tofurkey - remember that it is more than a day of remembrance or gratitude. It should also serve as a call to action; the rights provided by self-government also require a responsibility from each one of us. We've become this prosperous thanks to the American principles of productivity and liberty. Don't let any of our leaders pretend otherwise.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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