In “School prayer bill likely to become a law” article, written on Thursday, we are seeing that many “hot button” issues are being discussed this week. Many are eager to find out if school prayer or “inspiration messages” are going to be welcomed in Florida schools. It is important to recognize that these inspirational messages are not so much about religion and conforming to religion, but about spirituality and free speech. As human beings and American citizens, we all have the right to speak our minds and our truth, and if this involves religious or spiritual messages, we should still have the right to speak them. We all need some inspiration on a daily basis, whether we receive this from a specific religion or prayer, or from a spiritual outlet. It is so important that this is welcomed in schools and allowed to be expressed, as many children may not be getting the guidance or inspiration from home. Without this expression, children and adolescents are becoming lost, feeling shame or guilt about religion, and not hearing the necessary inspirational messages that they may need to hear. We grow and learn from each other, and everyone’s personal stance and beliefs should be openly expressed, if that is their choice. We are a free country and we are in need of some comfort during a difficult time for the USA. I can’t think of a better solution than opening the door to some freely discussed inspiration and prayer. I thank you for your time.

Normally I wouldn’t run a headline like this, but I can’t claim credit for the language. In response to the announcement that CNN would cancel the Super Tuesday CNN debate in Georgia, Newt Gingrich’s spokesman R.C. Hammond tweeted, “@MittRomney spits in Georgia’s face and cancels Atlanta debate appearance. #CNN”. Why are the GOP candidates dipping out of the Georgia debate? Is this a mistake? Should GOP candidates take Georgia for granted?

Georgia carries the largest delegate count on Super Tuesday (76), and carries the largest delegate count of any state until April 3rd when the Texas primary is scheduled (though it will likely be delayed). So why on Earth are the candidates dipping out of the Georgia debate?

It appears to be a strategic decision by Mitt Romney and Ron Paul. Both know that their chances of winning a large portion of the delegates in Georgia are slim. Georgia is Newt Gingrich’s home state and Gingrich usually performs very well in debate settings. With that in mind, it seems that instead of allowing Gingrich to possibly have a stellar debate performance on his home turf, the other candidates have decided to not allow that to happen.

I think this is a big mistake. While Georgia has been a red state for quite sometime, the trend is going towards the Democrat party in Georgia for Presidential elections. Since 1996, there has been a steady increase in support for the Republican candidate. G.W. Bush got 54.7% of the vote in 2000 and 58% of the vote in 2004, but in 2008 McCain only got 52.2% of the vote. That is a massive drop of 5.8%! Another drop like that, and Georgia becomes a blue state!

That fact is something the Georgia GOP’s chairwoman is very aware of. When responding to the disappointing news that the debate was cancelled, Sue Everhart said that, “We’re a red state, but we barely squeaked through to beat (then-candidate Barack) Obama in 2008. I was hoping to do a lot better this time. I’ve still got to keep my people energized.” To summarize, the GOP should not take Georgia for granted.

With so much talk about how voters are unenthusiastic about the candidates running, you better believe Everhart is going to have her hands full here in Georgia rallying the base come November. What do you think? Should the candidates have declined the Georgia debate?

Sincerely,
David W Gray

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You have heard Rick Santorum say it many times on TV. Santorum says to look at his record. He doesn’t want to impose his values on anyone. Is this true? What does his record say?

Santorum was on Meet the Press this weekend when again he reiterated that he doesn’t want to impose his values on anyone. “Look at my record. I’ve never wanted to impose any of the things that you’ve just talked about. These are my personal held religious beliefs.” Santorum said. “There’s no evidence at all that I want to impose those values on anybody else.”

No evidence at all.

Let’s take a look at something that came up in the most recent GOP debate. At that debate, Rick Santorum was blasted by Mitt Romney for supporting No Child Left Behind. In that debate, Santorum said that he “took one for the team” when he voted for No Child Left Behind. Did Santorum really vote against his principles and take one for team Bush?

No he did not. In fact, Santorum wanted even more government intrusion in the way schools teach across the nation. As part of No Child Left Behind, Rick Santorum authored a proposed amendment, which became known as the Santorum Amendment. The Santorum Amendment was designed to do one thing and one thing only, to promote the teaching of Intelligent Design in science classrooms across the nation.

Santorum worked carefully with Phillip E. Johnson, who helped him draft the language in the amendment. Johnson is considered by many to be the father of the intelligent design movement, which began immediately after the Supreme Court ruled that a Louisiana law requiring the teaching of ‘creation science’ along side evolution was unconstitutional. After that ruling, proponents of teaching creationism in science classes needed a new term. That term became Intelligent Design, or as I like to call it, Creationism 2.0.

Make no mistake about it. Santorum not only supported No Child Left Behind, he wanted it to go further. Santorum wanted to impose his values on everyone that goes to public schools by promoting the teaching of Intelligent Design, which is nothing more than religious doctrine that says that life was created by God. It would be one thing if Santorum wanted this to be allowed in an elective class. No, Santorum wanted this to be taught alongside evolution. Why? Because Rick Santorum wants to impose his values on everyone in America.

So that no evidence at all statement from Rick Santorum is a pure, unadulterated lie. The Santorum Amendment is only one example of Santorum wanting to impose his values on the people through the power of government. Don’t be fooled by what he is saying today. Rick Santorum has in the past and will in the future try to impose his values on everyone that he can.

Sincerely,
David W Gray

About the Author:
David W Gray invites you to join The Political Zealot’s community at http://thepoliticalzealot.com where we bring independent analysis of politics from a Millennial’s point of view. The goal of The Political Zealot is to strive to find ways to bridge the gaps of both sides of the political aisle and bring solutions to the table to solve the problems facing the nation today. Join the Political Zealot community and post your comments at http://thepoliticalzealot.com

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There was a time in our country’s history when hard work and perseverance were valued above all else. These values inspired (and it can be argued helped to create) many of our greatest citizens. In 2005 a competition was conducted by the Discovery Channel and AOL to determine the “Greatest Americans” in history for a four part television series hosted by Matt Lauer. Here is the list of the top 25 according to that competition:

1. Ronald Reagan

2. Abraham Lincoln

3. Martin Luther King, Jr.

4. George Washington

5. Benjamin Franklin

6. George W. Bush

7. Bill Clinton

8. Elvis Presley

9. Oprah Winfrey

10. Franklin D. Roosevelt

11. Billy Graham

12. Thomas Jefferson

13. Walt Disney

14. Babe Ruth

15. Albert Einstein

16. Thomas Alva Edison

17. Bob Hope

18. Bill Gates

19. Eleanor Roosevelt

20. Lance Armstrong

21. Muhammad Ali

22. Rosa Parks

23. The Wright Brothers

24. Henry Ford

25. Neil Armstrong

Granted this list is skewed toward the present day and far from definitive, but now that you have read the list, pick out all the overnight sensations on it. Now look at the list and take out all the people that never had to overcome any obstacles or suffered any setbacks. How many names remained on your list? I was able to whittle the original list of 25 names down to just 25 names.

Many of us today would prefer to rely on ponzi schemes, get rich quick propositions or a lottery ticket rather than hard work

Many of us today would prefer to rely on ponzi schemes, get rich quick propositions or a lottery ticket rather than hard work and determination. We often reward flash in the pans over tried and true. Look at the Oscars, if you are lucky enough to be the flavor of the month and are up for your first award, you are much more likely to win than the people that have been around for a while and are nominated against you. Most people in the major categories that win out of nowhere never win another, while the people that win multiple Oscars generally failed to win on their first nomination.

The latest overnight sensation the media is fixating on is point guard Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks. Like many people, I am both intrigued and impressed by his recent accomplishments, but calling him an overnight sensation is a disservice to him and to us. The truth is it took Jeremy Lin about seven years of hard work to become an overnight sensation. He didn’t just drop out of the sky and start playing for the NY Knicks.

In 2005-2006 Lin led his Palo Alto High School team to a record of 32-1 and upset nationally ranked Mater Dei, 51-47, to win the California Interscholastic Division II state title. He was first team All-State and Northern California Division II Player of the Year. Despite his accomplishments he was not offered a single division I scholarship. One of the ugly truths in sports is that many coaches and general managers still focus on ethnicity and pure athleticism over production, while failing to measure a player’s heart and mindset.

Lin went on to play at Harvard University where he earned All-Ivy League honors his last three years and was one of 11 finalists for the Bob Cousy award (awarded to the top point guard in college basketball) which went to Greivis Vasquez of the University of Maryland. Again despite his accomplishments, he went undrafted by the NBA. After playing on the Dallas Mavericks summer league team he was offered a spot by them as well as three other teams, eventually signing with his favorite team from his childhood the Golden State Warriors.

After seeing some playing time with the Warriors and being sent down to the D-league and performing well there, the Warriors decided to let Lin go on the first day of training camp this season. The Houston Rockets quickly signed him but were already stocked at his position and had to let him go the day before the season started, and a few days later the New York Knicks signed him. Finally all Jeremy’s hard work is paying off as all his preparation finally met up with an opportunity and he’s in the midst of riding that wave right now.

Far from and overnight sensation, this is a classic story of how the power of belief coupled with perseverance can lead to great accomplishments. A few good/great games do not make a career, so Jeremy still has a ways to go and will likely face a few more hurdles, but with the strong foundation he has built for himself, I would certainly be more than comfortable betting on his future.

As Calvin Coolidge famously said “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘press on’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

Sincerely,
Sam Obitz

About the Author:

Sam Obitz is a leader in the use and development of mental skills that help you achieve peak performance. You can follow Sam on Twitter @SuperTaoInc or Visit his Mind Side Blog at http://supertao.com/category/the-mind-side-blog/

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Social Media - Thumbs up and down

Social Media has become an integral part of our everyday life and conversation in America and around the globe, with many people spending the better part of their day passively or actively participating on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social network connectors. And Corporate America has picked up on this trend… Big Time.

IPO offerings by LinkedIn (LNKD) and Zynga (ZNGA) gave everyday investors a hint that social media was on the rise, but the recent Facebook (FB) IPO filing, and word that the company could be valued at $100 Billion, brings it all front and center.From media coverage to investment dollars, this sector is pushing its way onto Wall Street and into the mainstream of Corporate America. On Wall Street, LinkedIn was valued at $4.3B for its 5/9/2011 IPO and has since soared to $7.79 Billion. Similarly, Zynga was valued at $7 Billion with its 12/15/2011 IPO and that has since risen to $9.36 Billion (both valuations as of Friday’s stock market close). Note as well that Zynga stock is up almost 30 percent since the Facebook IPO news. Okay, so you get the picture. There is a lot of frenzied money flowing into this sector.

As this trend continues, I expect corporate America to spend time and money trying to figure out how to maximize the business side of the relationship.

I expect corporate America to spend time and money trying to figure out how to maximize the business side of the relationship.

The eyeballs are just too alluring. Whether it’s corporate influence, ad dollars or just creating a news outlet with a personality, businesses are signing up. And this trend stands to benefit big boys Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn quite a bit.

But with all the hype comes scrutiny. Privacy questions continue to dog the sector. Because of the personal nature of the business, this comes as no surprise. And it is an issue that will probably linger on for some time. Privacy advocates focus much of their attention on Facebook, but the sector as a whole will have to find a healthy medium and storyline if it wants to keep the star shining bright during the initial growth phase.

Other questions focus on valuations. Many look at the paltry earnings of these companies and scoff at their present valuations. But Wall Street is forward looking and focused on potential. Investors are looking out on the time horizon and seeing huge growth possibilities. However, with hype comes expectations, and no doubt investors will expect public companies like LinkedIn, Zynga, and soon-to-be public Facebook to outperform.

The combination of money inflows and growth expectations should fuel employment opportunities while providing additional ways for entrepreneurs to make money. Furthermore, hiring demands for social media positions are likely to land square in the lap of many corporate HR Managers. Additionally, I can see this increasing the need for advisors and consultants in the field.

The movement is gaining steam. And the best part for the industry is that it’s just now starting to take off.

Sincerely,
Andrew Nyquist

No positions in any of the securities mentioned at time of publication.

Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author, and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of his employer or any other person or entity.

About the Author:

Andrew Nyquist is the creator of See It Market, http://www.seeitmarket.com, a website that provides an entertaining, educational, and well rounded take on investing, economics, and everyday life. Visit See It Market, and sign up for free news and updates.

Andrew has been actively investing for over 13 years. His blogs, articles, and contributions have been published by highly respected Minyanville, and syndicated to sites including Minyanville and Yahoo! Finance. He has also been interviewed and cited by Dow Jones & Company owned SmartMoney.

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I have a love/hate relationship with the grocery store. I love the grocery store when I have time to wander the aisles, find new products, and scrutinize labels. Unfortunately, those times are few and far between. Most often, I’m rushing through the store with a half-written down list and about a half hour of time.

So what’s the hate part?

It’s been my opinion for a long time that grocery stores are breeding grounds for inconsiderate behavior…

I have found that the grocery store tends to pull out the worst in me – or at least my brain. I’m so very easily irritated while grocery shopping. It’s been my opinion for a long time that grocery stores are breeding grounds for inconsiderate behavior; loud talking on cell phones, standing just right where I need to be for what seems like endless minutes, and my personal favorite – the shopping cart parked in the middle of the aisle so nobody can get through.

About a year ago, I got so tired of feeling that way at the store that I just had to realize that, of course, the problem of the grocery store resided with me and not the other shoppers. In fact, perhaps these very shoppers that annoy me have been placed in my path to teach me patience. So then it becomes a mind game. I pump myself up before I go to the store with all kinds of positive thoughts and thoughts of gratitude. Then, here’s the real trick – I force myself to look right into the face of those annoying me and smile.

Most often, they smile back or discontinue the inconsiderate behavior. I’m not saying I’m 100% successful at avoiding annoyance at the grocery store, but trips have been a lot more pleasant these days. We all have things that irritate us or cause us stress, but if we realize that those annoying situations actually exist to teach us some life lesson, we can learn, grow, and be stronger.

Best of all, when we change how we look at annoying situations, they disappear from our lives.

Sincerely,
Betsy McGuire

About the Author:

Betsy McGuire invites you to visit http://www.chickpeawellness.com/ and sign up to receive her mind, body, and spirit blog the day entries are made. You can also “like” Chickpea Wellness on Facebook and receive new articles on your wall.

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To the Editor:The 2012 Presidential election is going to be interesting. While the world watches, many interesting and fascinating events will occur. I know it is said every election, at least in the last 15 years, but this is the most critical election in modern time. The fate of not only the United States, but the entire free world as well,hangs in the balance.

Do we continue on the path to destruction by embracing socialism and even worse Marxism, or do we find our way back to what our founding fathers intended for this country and the world, freedom and a place where mankind could reach it’s highest potential without the interference of government.

As has already been evidenced, many individuals will play a part in this election, and each will play a major role in the final outcome.

The moment I saw Sarah Palin in 2008 I knew she would be a major player and possibly president someday.

Everyone seems to forget, John McCain and Sarah were leading the 2008 presidential polls, until the financial crisis which conveniently occurred 5 weeks before the election.(October surprise?)

She was without a doubt the first to speak out, her boldness set the way for others to follow, as a result she took much heat for this. Such is the plight for trend setters. Many see her as radical, this just goes to show how far our country has drifted from the path originally set by our founding fathers. In today’s world John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan would be labeled extreme and would have little chance of getting elected to anything.

Following Governor Palin came Michelle Bachmann, Ron Paul, Rick Perry and others, each contributing much to the campaign. Although most have fallen out of the hunt as of today, they still continue to contribute and slowly educate the American citizen as to the virtues of their beliefs.

Deep down, most people know that what they are saying is true, however, people have been so mis-educated by not only the media, but our educational system and misinformed parents as well, they have lost sight of the basic values we as human souls are all instilled with.

People have been so indoctrinated by a society that teaches many to be dependent on government and their entitlements and the misconception it creates. Many believe that life is easier if someone does everything and pays for everything for them. This may be true for a while, but sooner or later, there is a price to pay, the one with the money is the one in control of your life. Do you want the government in control of your life.

This election will determine the fate of not only the United States and it’s citizens but the fate of the world for many years to come. Do we want to continue down the path of socialism and destruction, or do we want to gradually return to the values and work ethic our country was founded on?

Do we want to take the easy way out, or do we want to return to the time tested values that have sustained generations of people throughout the ages? Do we want to put forth a little extra effort to guarantee of life similar to ours for generations of our descendants, or do we want to sentence them to a life of subjugation and poverty, a life with little freedom and opportunity?

Someday you may return to this planet, what do you want to find if and when you do.

Sincerely,
Gary Wonning

About the Author: My blog contains many articles based on the common sense of my ancestors, much of which has been lost in today’s world. I feel to survive as a country and a world, we all need to start living by some of the values that have in time been lost.

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Cranes clutter the skyline along northern Virginia. Tables in the better restaurants on the west side of Los Angeles can be booked without Hollywood connections. In places, America shows clear signs of returning to a kind of economic normality.

Not long ago, a double dip into recession seemed possible. On November 22 bureau of economic analysis revised its estimate for GDP growth in the third quarter down, though still to 2% annual rate, from the earlier reported 2.5%. According to another measure of output, gross domestic income, growth was only barely positive in the second and third quarters of the year. Yet an improved outlook for release in the future is now showing up all over the economics.

America’s trade deficit declined the third month running in September, thanks to rising exports. Industrial production rose strongly in October. Mortgage delinquencies in foreclosures continue to kick down. The microphone occupied homes remains weak, but construction of multi-family residential units which are attractive to renters may end the year over 50% from 2010. Residential building improvements are touching record highs.

In these improved economic conditions are helping to boost confidence. University of Michigan’s index of consumer sentiment has risen sharply since August. In October, growth in personal incomes accelerated. Consumers are feeling quite a bit perkier. Car sales in October to their highest level since February and are projected to recover to pre-financial crisis levels in November. Retail sales were up more than 7% in October from a year before.

The key question has long been whether growth will translate into new jobs. The signs are encouraging; payroll employment growth has accelerated from early summer, and initial claims of joblessness benefits are dropping. All told, gross domestic product is forecast to rise more than 3% per year in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, inflation is dropping. A less federal reserve with more room to focus on employment side of its mandate.

Yet the recent good news may be but a brief break in the clouds. The legislative battle over America’s finances, which contributed to America some sort of, is raging again. If Congress fails to extend key stimulative measures, it may settle a vulnerable economy with fiscal drag of more than two percentage points of growth.

Sincerely,
David Coleman

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The Syrian regime has turned against its own people. Killing, ,assacres, disfiguring and toruring prisoners, raping women, slaying children, nothing more atrocious, nothing more brutal and ugly. How far would human nature plunge into bloodshed and offer humans on the altar of a mad president and his entourage?

Nowhere in the history of Syria has been such atrocious crimes since the times of Holaco the leader murderer of the Mogols. But this surpasses all cruelty and all barabaric crimes. Crimes against humanity is a gentle expression used by the useless UN and its worth for nothing SC.

Nothing more disgusting and nausea vomitting sense than to see the Syrian people being murdered, women, men and children in their homes. Too easy to aim tank guns and mortars and heavy guns over the civil and peaceful districts of Homs, Hamah, Idleb and Daraa. Nothing more easy than to kill civilians by the thouands. No crime is more horrible than to kill ones own people. No cowardly act can be justified when mahine guns target children and bring the roofs of their houses on their heads.

As if this is not enough! Russians descendants of the cruel and savage Vikings, being well trained to savagery under the repression of the Tsars and then being well aducated by the Marxist atheist ideology, generations of the KGB, are backing up the Syrian onslaughter and heinous massacre committed by the Assad regime. Of course Russian children, women and old men are not targeted by the Syrian guns. They lose nothing by seeing the Syrians being murdered in the strretes of towns and cities of Syria.

After all the Russian bear is as cold as the Siberian snow and as ugly as the Godless regime of Moscow. The Kremlin is not new to atrocious crimes against humanity. But the Russians have forgotten the Russian revolution in October 1917 and how much bloodshed was spelt in the streets.

Their interest is not to save lives and human beings but count how much money they get for selling their arms to the Syrian regime to slaughter its people. Russia is now dominated by a dictator, another Tsar and few trillionaires feeding on the blood of the Russian people who live in appaling state of deprivation and poverty while life and survival are getting harder and harder and the Russian mafia rule the economy.

China, has backed up the slaughter and massacre of the Syrian civilians for calling for freedom and human dignity, but they have no hearts to feel, being descendants of the ruthless emperors of the tang and Ming dynasties of hundreds of emperors. They are very well trained by the Atheist Moa Tsi Tong after his godfather Karl Marx in rutheless and brutal massacre of their own people. Forty millions of respectable and honest intellectuals were masscared by the red army at the command of Mao, being accused of calling for freedom and dignity.

The Chinese regime cushed brutally and by tanks the peaceful uprising of students in the streets of Beijing. Hundreds of lives were sacrificed for the communist cause and there is nothing communist about it. It represents an authoratarian dictatorship for the ruling elite in China while the rest of the people suffer, poverty and deprivation. One billion and half of robot chinese live under the totalitarian oppression of the Chinese rulers, descendants of Mao and the ruthless emperors.

Thus, Russia and China as regimes of diciatorships have a lot in common with the Alaite regime in Syria. They are all atheist regimes, in form and essence, and this is why they have no conscience and no heart, human or otherwise. They all repress their people, They all justify their crimes against humans by proclaiming order and just cause.

Whenever God is exchanged by man and whenever religious moral codes are exchanged by ideological cheap morality serving egoist persons of the rulers, people  suffer the most.

Sincerely,
mardini

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