Showing posts with label My Essays and Reports. Show all posts

Just another hoax: Money Bags

by Glenn Littrell (archived from www.glennlittrell.org)

This one gets re-circulated every month except with the month changed…just look at your calendar to verify its a hoax and stop circulating this. We’re like a bunch of ‘monkey see, monkey post’ idiots. This hoax may seem harmless, but we do the same thing with untrue religious diatribes, political lies, and just plain hateful, ignorant, crap. Fact check something every now and then before you post. Being gullible isn’t an excuse for spreading lies. GlennDL

URBAN LEGENDS:     FALSE         “This phenomenon is not called "money bags." It's not unusual at all, let alone something that happens only "once every 823 years," for a given month to have 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays, and 5 Sundays. It's true of any 31-day month that begins on a Friday, in fact. The last time it happened was July 2011. The next time it will happen is August 2014. On average it occurs once a year. And it has nothing whatsoever to do with Feng Shui…”    http://urbanlegends.about.com/b/2013/03/19/enough-with-the-money-bags-nonsense.htm
SNOPES:        FALSE       http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/trivia/fivedays.asp
WAFFLESATNOON:         FALSE        http://wafflesatnoon.com/2012/09/20/does-this-month-only-repeat-every-823-years/
FARMERS ALMANAC:        FALSE           “…But the problems don’t stop there. Every month that has 31 days will include three days of the week five times. For those three days to to be Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, all it takes is for the first day of the month to fall on a Friday. This happens far more often than once every 823 years. Since the days of the week cycle forward one day each year, it would theoretically happen once every seven years for a specific month. Leap years throw that model somewhat into disarray, though…”     http://www.farmersalmanac.com/blog/2011/10/03/will-october-mean-money-bags/

Cell Phones Go Public This Month: HOAX

by Glenn Littrell
(archived from www.glennlittrell.org)

It’s A HOAX:

reposted from August 7, 2011

from SNOPES.com

“Washington, DC -- For several years there has been a rumor circulating, mostly by e-mail, that a nationwide directory of cell phone numbers will be made available to telemarketers, and that consumers will start receiving telemarketing calls on their cell phones.
There is no truth to this rumor. Cell phone numbers are not being released to telemarketers, and you will not soon be getting telemarketing calls on your cell phone. FCC rules prohibit the use of auto dialers and prerecorded messages to call cell phones without the consumer’s consent.
Thus, most telemarketers are barred from contacting consumers on their cell phones.” source: News Media Information FCC

Usually the phone number for calling the “Do not call list” is legitimate, so why does this hoax get perpetrated [circulating and updating since at least 2004]? Read my articles on “Spam & E-Mail Hoaxes”
Sources & References:

Cell Phones and The Do Not Call Registry: “Despite viral email, there is no new cell phone database. Consumers may place their cell phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry to notify marketers that they don't want to get unsolicited telemarketing calls. The truth about cell phones and the Do Not Call Registry is: 1]The government is not releasing cell phone numbers to telemarketers…”
FTC FACTS for Consumers “The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) puts consumers in charge of the number of telemarketing calls they get at home. The..”
National Do Not Call Registry “Scammers have been making phone calls claiming to represent the National Do Not Call Registry. The calls claim to provide an opportunity to sign up for the Registry. These calls are not coming from the Registry or the Federal Trade Commission, and you should not respond to these calls. To add your number to the Registry you can call 888-382-1222 from the phone you wish to register, or go click on “Register a Phone Number” in the left column of this page. Your registration will not expire. Telephone numbers placed on the National Do Not Call Registry will remain on it permanently due to the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, which became law in February 2008…”
Q&A: The National Do Not Call Registry

Glenn Littrell

The above was in response to the following e-mail:

----- Original Message -----REMEMBER THIS IS A HOAX-----

Cell Phones Go Public This Month:

Opt Out Information
all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls.
YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS
To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone:
888-382-1222.It is the National DO NOT CALL list -It will only take a minute of your time. It blocks your number for five (5) years. You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number.
HELP OTHERS BY PASSING THIS ON.
It takes about 20 seconds

Tax on all bank transactions: HOAX

by Glenn Littrell
(archived from www.glennlittrell.org)

Gary,

this is a hoax... it has nothing to do with Obama or Pelosi. read about it here: http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/debtfree.asp This proposal has been around since 2004 and is one of many that are suggested as an alternative to Income or payroll taxes, not in addition to. This particular bill has been introduced every congress by the same Rep. from Pennsylvania. He never gets anyone to sign on to it, it always dies and he resubmits it again and again. Harkin and DeFazio have nothing to do with it. The 'copied from Snopes...' reference is a copy of the summation of the hoax in its different forms not a copy of the truth about the hoax.

The surprising thing is that when Obama's name is attached to it it gets negative attention, but when Obama or the Democrats try to pass legislation to stop the banks from doing the very same thing again and again people don't get mad at the banks or complain about corporate America screwing us they get mad at Obama and the Dems for trying 'regulate', so while we are complaining about big government big corporations are sticking it to us.

The above was in response to the following e-mail:

----- Original Message -----REMEMBER THIS IS A HOAX-----

From: Gary
To: undisclosed recipients
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2011 10:43 AM
Subject: Fw: Any Bank Transaction to cost 1% fee
Good Luck with this one.

1% tax on all bank transactions HR 4646This government just cannot think of enough ways to hurt the American people!
This Bill must die
FORWARD THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!
1% tax on all bank transactions HR 4646 -
ANOTHER NEW OBAMA TAX SLIPPED IN WHILE WE WERE ASLEEP.
Checked this on snopes, it's true!
Check out HR 4646. (see below copied from Snopes)
President Obama's finance team is recommending a one percent (1%) transaction fee (TAX). Obama's plan is to sneak it in after the November elections to keep it under the radar.
This is a 1% tax on all transactions at any financial institution - banks, credit unions, savings and loans, etc.
Any deposit you make, or even a transfer within your account, will have a 1% tax charged.
~If your paycheck or your social security or whatever is direct deposit, it will get a 1% tax charged for the transaction.
~If your paycheck is $1000, then you will pay Obama $10 just for the privilege of depositing your paycheck in your bank.
Even if you hand carry your paycheck or any check into your bank for a deposit, 1% tax will be charged.
~You receive a $5,000 stock dividend from your broker, Obama takes $50 just to allow you to deposit that check in the bank
~If you take $1,000 cash to deposit at your bank, 1% tax will be charged.
Mind you, this is from the man who promised that if you make under $250,000 per year, you will not see one penny of new tax.
Keep your eyes and ears open, you will be amazed at what you learn about this guy's under-the-table moves to increase the number of ways you are taxed.
~Oh, and by the way, you receive a refund from the IRS next year and you have it direct deposited or you walk in to deposit that check, you guessed it.
You will pay a 1% charge of that money just for putting it in your bank.
Remember, any money, cash, check or whatever, no matter where it came from, you will pay a 1% fee if you put it in the bank.
Some will say, oh well, it's just 1%. Are you kidding me?
It's a 1% tax increase across the board.
Remember, once the tax is there, they can also raise it at will.
And if anyone protests, they will just say, "oh,that's not really a tax, it's a user fee"!
Think this is no big deal?
Go back and look at the transactions you made from last year's banking statements.
Then add the total of all those transactions and deduct 1%.
Still think it's no big deal???
Copied from SNOPES.com <http://snopes.com/>
1. snopes.com: Debt Free America Act<http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/debtfree.asp> ...
Is the U.S. government proposing a 1% tax on debit card usage and/or banking transactions?...It is true. The bill is HR -4646 introduced by US Rep Peter deFazio D-Oregon and US Senator Tom Harkin D-Iowa. Their plan is to sneak it in after the...
...moved beyond proposing studies and submitted the Debt Free America Act (H.R. 4646), a bill calling for the implementation of a scheme to pay down the...
...[2010] by Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.). His "Debt Free America Act" (H.R. 4646) would impose a 1 percent "transaction tax" on every financial transaction...
Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:24:58 GMT http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/debtfree.asp

Social Security Changes: HOAX

by Glenn Littrell
(archived from www.glennlittrell.org)

Fwd: Fw: SOCIAL SECURITY CHANGES(Glen what do you think of this is it a type of a scam?)

Yes it is:

This email has been circulating before Obama was elected president. Originally it contained Bush's name and Obama has now been substituted for Bush. It originated in

2006 in regards to a confusing parliamentary occurrence that happens when a motion [in this case a senate bill] has a motion to amend attached. People who vote for or against an amendment might vote the opposite on the final amendment dependent on whether the amendment passed or failed. Its not uncommon for them to be characterized as voting just the opposite of how they actually voted. It's also not uncommon for them to unintentionally vote the opposite of what they intended. Amendments can confuse the entire issue as anyone who has dealt with parliamentary processes [Union, board, legislative meetings etc.] can tell you.
The original 2006 email mischaracterized the Senate Bill at issue and listed the vote from the amendment to the bill as the vote for the actual bill since that vote tended to be more damming for Democrats. The email further muddied the water by intentionally describing the actual bill as a vote for something other than what the bill was about. The amendment was actually a motion to PREVENT former illegal immigrants from obtaining access to social security payments they had made into social security through fake social security numbers. That amendment failed and that amendment would have actually stopped what the original [and current] 2006 email is claiming congress was trying to do. So during the Bush administration the idea of the 2006 email was to taint the democratic senators who actually voted to prevent what the original email claims to be trying to prevent. The list of senators where dropped as was Bush's name and just Obama is listed now as the purpose of the current email versions intent is to misrepresent him alone and to promote xenophobia.

To see a more current example of how motions and amendments can confuse things click here. [warning it gets even more confusing] The same thing is being practiced in Republican 'ROBO calls' in an attempt to make it appear that democrats are supporting raising the debt limit while opposing spending cuts. [p.s. they aren't but I do.]

To me, the amazing thing about the whole hard core anti-immigration group and the social security is broke group is they are bumping heads in regards to solving their particular grievances. In 2005 [the last year available] it is believed that illegal immigrants using fake social security numbers paid 5 BILLION DOLLARS into social security. This is money they will never get and it represents a plus for the SS trust fund. A minority use fake ss numbers yet they accounted for that much in 2005? Imagine if we legalized even less than half of the illegal's in this country. Since a majority of illegal immigrants get paid under the table and therefore do not pay either income taxes or social security payments imagine how much tax revenue and ss payments are being avoided. Legalizing even a portion of those illegal immigrants, forcing their employees to properly collect those revenues, could be a great boost to both social;l security trust fund and tax revenues. Take it a step further and think what it would do for the unemployment insurance funds if those employers paid premiums for employees that they now avoid by hiring illegal's and paying them under the table.

naturally I've oversimplified the issue, and obviously I have a slanted point of view on the issue, but if Republicans would occasionally drop the 'hard core, take no prisoner approach' to problem solving and look for solutions we might actually see bipartisan solutions instead of reoccurring long term campaign slogans [hot button issues: abortion, immigration, regulations, gay marriage, etc.,]. Identifying the problems is not the same as solving it, we can usually agree on the problem, the problem's solution is seldom obtainable by advocating an extreme or unbending position, compromise moves us closer to a final resolution while unbending stances just guarantees that the problem will continue to exist and therefore the political benefits of always having a hot button issue to whip out every four years.

GlennDL

Related links:

The above was in response to the following e-mail:

----- Original Message -----REMEMBER THIS IS A HOAX-----
From:
To: Glenn Littrell
Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2011 2:48 PM
Subject: Fwd: Fw: SOCIAL SECURITY CHANGES(Glen what do you think of this is it a type of a scam?)
SOCIAL SECURITY CHANGES
It does not matter if you personally like or dislike Obama. You need to sign this petition and flood his e-mail box with e-mails that tell him that, even if the House passes this bill, he needs to veto it. It is already impossible to live on Social Security alone. If the government gives benefits to 'illegal' aliens who have never contributed, where does that leave those of us who have paid into Social Security all our working lives?
As stated below, the Senate voted this week to allow 'illegal' aliens access to Social Security benefits. Attached is an opportunity to sign a petition that requires citizenship for eligibility to that social service.
Instructions are below. If you don't forward the petition and just stop it, we will lose all these names.
If you do not want to sign it, please just forward it to everyone you know.
Thank you!
To add your name, click on 'forward'.. Address it to all of your email correspondents, add your name to the list and send it on.
IMPORTANT NOTE: When the petition hits 1,500, it is up to you to send it to< REFERENCE DELETED gdl else, it will not be sent.
PETITION for President Obama:
Dear Mr. President:
We, the undersigned, protest the bill that the Senate voted on recently which would allow illegal aliens to access our Social Security. We demand that you and all Congressional representatives require citizenship as a pre-requisite for social services in the United States .
1. Mary PETITIONERS DELETED gdl

If you don't forward the petition and just stop it, we will lose all these names.
If you do not want to sign it, please just forward it to everyone you know.
Thank you! Just think every time that the list hits 1,500 in all the forwarded
e-mails, this petition will be sent not just by a thousand petitioners, but rather
THOUSANDS of petitioners!
To add your name, click on 'forward'.
Add your name to the bottom of the list, then
Address it to all of your email correspondents and send..
________________________________________

The movie "Corpus Christi" is due to be released this... : HOAX

by Glenn Littrell
(archived from www.glennlittrell.org)

Sorry folks, we've been duped again. This hoax/chainmail has been around since 1986. For verification check out these links:

Any time you see an E-Mail that says forward this on to:
' 10 ' (or however many) of your friends, sign this petition, or you'll get bad/good luck, you'll see something funny on your screen after you send it, or whatever, it almost always has an E-Mail tracker program attached that tracks the cookies and E-Mails of those folks you forward to.
The host sender is getting a copy each time it gets forwarded and then is able to get lists of 'active' E-Mail addresses to use in SPAM E-Mails, or sell to other spammers. Even when you get emails that demand you send the email on if you' re not ashamed of God/Jesus ......that's E-mail tracking and they're playing on our conscience. These people don't care how they get your email addresses - just as long as they get them. Also, emails that talk about a missing child or a child with an incurable disease "how would you feel if that was your child"....E-mail Tracking!!! Ignore them and don't participate!
Almost all E-Mails that ask you to add your name and forward on to others are similar to that mass letter years ago that asked people to send business cards to the little kid in Florida who wanted to break the Guinness Book of Records for the most cards. All it was, and all any of this type of E-Mail is, is a way to get names and 'cookie' tracking information for telemarketers and spammers - - to validate active E-Mail accounts for their own profitable purposes.

Do yourself a favor and STOP adding your name(s) to those types of listings regardless how inviting they might sound!...or make you feel guilty if you don't!....it' s all about getting email addresses - nothing more!
You may think you are supporting a GREAT cause, but you are NOT!
Instead, you will be getting tons of junk mail later and very possibly a virus attached! Plus, we are helping the spammers get rich! Let's not make it easy for them! Just look at all the exposed addresses below, that without a fancy tracking cookie I could just right click on and add to my mailing list. [I counted 135]
If you must send something on then create a new email, paste the text [not the addresses] into it and send it with your name in the 'To:' section and everyone else in the 'Bcc:' section. This way you get a copy and everyone else only sees their address and yours as the rest of your email list is hidden.

GlennDL

----- Original Message ----remember this is a hoax-
From:
To:
Cc:
Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2010 10:47 AM
Subject: FW: Going beyond disrespect....
>     Going beyond disrespect .
>
>     The movie "Corpus Christi" is due to be released this June to August. A disgusting film set to appear in America later this year depicts Jesus and his disciples as homosexuals!
> As a play, this has already been in theatres for a while. It's called "Corpus Christi" which means "The Body of Christ".
>
>     It's revolting mockery of our Lord. But we can make a difference.
>
>     That's why I am sending this e-mail to you..
> If you do send this around, we just might be able to prevent this film from showing in America. Let's stand for what we believe in and stop the mockery of Jesus Christ our Savior. Where do we stand as Christians? At the risk of a bit of inconvenience, I'm forwarding this to all I think would appreciate it, too.
>
>     Please help us prevent such offenses against our Lord. There is no petition to sign, no time limit, or minimum number of people to send this to.. It will take you less than 2 minutes!
> If you are not interested and do not have the 2 minutes it will take to do this, please don't complain when God does not have time for you because He is far busier than we are. Hey, it's worth a shot!
> Apparently, some regions in Europe have already banned the film. All we need is a lot of prayer and a lot of e-mails.
>
>     JUST GET THE WORD OUT

Shock To NBC: CRITIQUE

by Glenn Littrell
(archived from www.glennlittrell.org)

The reference to an NBC poll is inconclusive. There have been over time, and in 2004 when this chain e-mail first appeared several polls taken by not just NBC but several media outlets. This particular chain mail has morphed from its original form which was in reference to the daughter of a murder victim and progressed to being about ‘In God We Trust’, ‘…under God’, ‘Do you believe in Christ’, ‘…are you religious’ etc. The reference to NBC appears to imply something that is since irrelevant and seems to imply some nefarious plot by NBC, since the ‘poll’ numbers and questions cited are not from the NBC polls in particular. As usual the information in the email, while claiming to be in favor of Christianity actually presents an inaccurate premise and conclusion that is deceptive in nature, to prove a point in an unchristian manner.
The issue of whether the word God should remain in American culture by remaining on our money is ludicrous. Culture is not defined by government. American culture is a mixture of many definable and unfathomable things. God could only be removed from our culture by us. The issue here appears to be more about separation of church and state. That is an issue that goes beyond this chain mail’s capabilities. It is also an issue better covered in a separate argument, but in the limited reference to this chain mail I would point out the the founding fathers words, beliefs and deeds point to the separation of religion from the state as being a Christian concept.
What interest me is if 86% of Americans are Christian then why is it necessary to put 'In God We Trust' on our money? Does that validate what is in our heart? Does that prove we are a Christian nation? How is that not idolatry? Isn’t that just beating our chest and gnashing our teeth in a show of piety? When Christ was asked about paying taxes to the Romans Christ inquired to the likeness and inscription on the coin. The likeness of Caesar was on the coin and Christ response wasn't that his own likeness should be on the coin. [“Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21).]
In this country it isn't supposed to be about 'majority rules' if it was then the minority would have no rights. Rights are available to everyone whether in the majority or not. Many of these rights were identified by the founding fathers as inalienable rights which mean among other things that they are NOT defined by man or governments. One of these inalienable rights protects those who wish to worship as well as those who do not want to. It isn't about catering to the wishes of the minority, its about recognizing the rights of everyone.
As for the instructions not to respond because '...I don't want to know one way or the other. By me forwarding it you know how I feel..." let me just say by me replying you know how I feel.

p.s. I realize that this is a chain mail that has been forwarded and that this quoted statement is not necessarily the sentiments of the sender directed at me, but my point is that I am always open to the ideals, thoughts, jokes etc. that are sent to me, but I always retain the right to respond. In this case this particular chain mail has been around for many years in many forms and I have many times in the past just deleted it but these chain mails go on forever and at some point you start feeling that you have to respond if you disagree with some or all of it. Thank you, GlennDL

The above was in response to the following e-mail:

----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Friday, November 27, 2009 7:22 PM
Subject: FW: Shock to NBC

Shock to NBC

This is not sent for discussion.
If you agree, forward it. If you don't, delete it. I don't want to know one way or the other. By me forwarding it, you know how I feel.
I'll bet this was a surprise to NBC.
NBC POLL
Do you believe that the word God should stay in American culture?
NBC this morning had a poll on this question.. They had the highest Number of responses that they have ever had for one of their polls, and the Percentage was the same as this:
86% to keep the words, IN God We Trust and God in the Pledge of Allegiance
14% against
That is a pretty 'commanding' public response.
I was asked to send this on if I agreed or delete if I didn't .....
Now it is your turn. It is said that 86% of Americans believe the word God should stay.
Therefore, I have a very hard time understanding why there is such a mess about having 'In God We Trust' on our money and having God in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Why is the world catering to this 14%? The majority should rule and understand that the media is biased to sell print and video.
AMEN!
If you agree, pass this on , if not, simply delete.
In God We Trust

"The Nation Which Forgets Its Defenders Will Itself Be Forgotten"
President Calvin Coolidge

FYI: Chain Mail Hoaxes~Update

by Glenn Littrell

For years I’ve been telling Internet users to stop forwarding ‘chain’ emails, finally an endorsement of this advice from SNOPES [courtesy of Mary C. Cook]:

Advice From Snopes

By now, I suspect everyone is familiar with www.snopes.com and/or www.truthorfiction.com for determining whether information received via email is just that: true/false or fact/fiction. Both are excellent sites**. Below is their advice for us.

1) Any time you see an E-Mail that says forward this on to '10' of your friends, sign this petition, or you'll get bad luck, good luck, or whatever, it almost always has an E-Mail tracker program attached that tracks the cookies and E-Mails of those folks you forward to. The host sender is getting a copy each time it gets forwarded and then is able to get lists of 'active' E-Mails addresses to use in SPAM E-Mails, or sell to other spammers.
2) Almost all E-Mails that ask you to add your name and forward on to others are similar to that mass letter years ago that asked people to send business cards to the little kid in Florida who wanted to break the Guinness Book of Records for the most cards. All it was, and all any of this type of E-Mail is, a way to get names and ' cookie' tracking information for telemarketers and spammers - - to validate active E-Mail accounts for their own profitable purposes.
You can do your friends and family members a GREAT favor by sending this information to them; you will be providing a service to your friends, and will be rewarded by not getting thousands of spam E-Mails in the future!
If you have been sending out (FORWARDING) the above kinds of E-Mail, now you know why you get so much SPAM!
Do yourself a favor and STOP adding your name(s) to those types of listings regardless how inviting they might sound!
You may think you are supporting a GREAT cause, but you are NOT in the long run. Instead, you will be getting tons of junk mail later! Plus, we are helping the spammers get rich! Let's stop making it easy for them!

Also: E-Mail petitions are NOT acceptable to Congress or any other organization. To be acceptable, petitions must have a signed signature and full address of the person signing the petition.

What to do if you do want to send information to others: how to send information to your mailing list without exposing yourself or your mailing list.

So what do we do? If you receive something forwarded to you it is my suggestion that you don't open it, don't forward it and you tell everyone on your mailing list to do the same.

If you want to pass something along then:

create a new message
copy the text of what you want to pass along, not the addresses or "To" and "From" info.
paste it into the new message
put your address in the "To" field
put everyone else's address in the 'bcc' field, not the 'cc' field.

This way the only address you share with your mailing list and the world is yours, the 'bcc' field hides everyone else's address. Putting your email list in the bcc: field when forwarding doesn’t hide your email list because the tracker program is still in the ‘forwarded’ copy.

**additional fact checking sites are:

http://factcheck.org/
http://www.breakthechain.org/index.html
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/
http://politifact.com/
http://www.about.com/

gdl

Pictures From London, Shocking: CRITIQUE

by Glenn Littrell
(archived from www.glennlittrell.org)
This one I will not brand as a hoax, because in regards to the pictures, the signs and the protest they are true [one picture may actually be from another protest but that's of little consequence here], but I would point out some relevant information even though it might not seem to be relevant by some.
I do not have a population number for Muslims in Britain but I would suggest that the five or six hundred that were reported at this protest where not representative of the much larger Muslim population in general. To be sure most Muslims were likely just as upset by the event that led to this protest but the overwhelming majority did not participate and did not approve of the demonstration. A protest by 500 idiots in another country is only newsworthy here on a slow news day.
I point this out for two reasons:

To say these 500 protestors are representative of all Muslims, as the article states, is like saying that the members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas is representative of Christian's in America. Who is the WBC? They’re the group that pickets at the funerals of fallen soldiers, hurling epitaphs at the families and condemning their sons and daughters for fighting for their nation. Two upcoming events they have scheduled are: This Saturday [tomorrow] in Iowa, "St. Patrick's Catholic Church 4330 St. Patrick Drive WBC to picket the funeral of Capt. [name removed], cut off in his youth fighting a losing battle against the Lord his God. We will remind this nation and those yet still alive that the Lord is killing these soldiers for serving a sinful and rebellious sodomite nation..." and also Saturday in Liberty, Missouri, "Pleasant Valley Baptist Church 1600 North 291 Highway WBC to picket the funeral of Sgt. [name removed]. God hates America and is sending her troops home in body bags. We will stand outside his funeral to warn the living that there is a hell, there is a day of judgment, and the destruction of this nation is imminent. Every person going into that funeral should be on their knees thanking God that they are yet alive and have yet a little space to repent. Instead, they go worship the dead body and the limp idol that lays over the casket..." now do these people at WBC represent all Christians in America, are they any less dangerous than those Muslims? There are idiots and morons everywhere.
Now having said that I am well aware of the arguments that are put forth that if most Muslims are peaceful and not in agreement with these protestors why don't they condemn their actions? Well they do, but unfortunately when these condemnations are reported we tend to ignore them because we are so outraged at the protestors, but the sad truth is they are seldom reported. I would also point out that there is no major outcry from prominent Christian leaders in America in regards to WBC's actions, and when there is it too gets little coverage. Here is the link for some of the responses from Muslims in regards to the "Religion of Peace" demonstration in England:

http://www.snopes.com/photos/politics/muslimprotest.asp scroll to the bottom portion of the article.

I'm sure that some will point out that the WBC is nothing like these Muslim protestors. That they would never resort to violence against America, but they are just one group of homegrown nuts. There are plenty more and to that I would say:

Timothy McVeigh [Oklahoma City bomber]
visit there website: http://www.godhatesfags.com/schedule.html and http://www.godhatesfags.com/written/wbcinfo/godhatesfags.html to see the extent of their hate.
Eric Robert Rudolph [Olympic Park Bomber]: Rudolph …also confessed to the bombings of an abortion clinic in the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs on January 16, 1997; the Other side Lounge of Atlanta lesbian bar in Atlanta on February 21, 1997, injuring five; and an abortion clinic in Birmingham, Alabama on January 29, 1998, killing Birmingham Police Officer and part-time clinic security guard Robert Sanderson, and critically injuring nurse Emily Lyons. Rudolph's bombs were made of dynamite surrounded by nails which acted as shrapnel.

Hate is a terrible thing, lets oppose it not embrace it.

It’s The War On Terrorism, Not The War On Muslims.

Does anyone stop to think that our troops are fighting alongside Muslims everyday in Iraq and Afghanistan? How does widespread condemnation of the religion of the people we are supposed to be liberating affect their attitude towards our troops and our efforts in their country? All it does is raise the level of distrust. By lumping all Muslims together with the religious fanatics we just encourage the long established fears, not just in Muslim nations, that we only want to exploit, convert and rule them.

The above was written in response to the following chain e-mail [pictures have been removed because of their offensive nature]:

----- Original Message -----
From:To:Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2010 7:24 PM
Subject: FW: Pictures from London - shocking

Pray for them.

Just don't let those lamebrain idiots build that mosque near Ground Zero,,,,,it cannot happen....that would be an overt slap in the face to America,,,,,,
Darn scary stuff!

Wake Up Call!
Peaceful as long as you obey.

Pictures from London ~ this is beyond scary...

Makes you wonder doesn't it....can you imagine having a Christian, Jewish, or for that matter any other religious demonstration against Islam in downtown Baghdad !
These pictures are of Muslims marching through the STREETS OF LONDON during their recent ' Religion of Peace Demonstration. '

[pictures removed]

Why would anyone think that we should be at war with such nice, peaceful Muslims?!
You need to forward this one to everyone! These pictures tell it all!
Muslims have stated that England will be the first country they take over!

These are pictures not shown on American TV or in American Newspapers, but were forwarded by a Canadian friend who thought all Americans ought to know!

Born and Raised…this is so wrong!!! : HOAX

by Glenn Littrell
(archived from www.glennlittrell.org)

Once again this one is a hoax. It is a variation on a chain mail hoax that originated in Canada in 2004. Referring to Canadian pensioners and immigrants/refugees. The chain mail has appeared with Australia substituted for Canada and now with America substituted for Canada/Australia. It is meant to do one thing, stir up anti immigrant fear and hatred.
Refuges are different from immigrants in that they are legal and are allowed to stay on the basis of fleeing some form of persecution or oppression. They might receive a short term stipend but it is not just a matter of raising their hand and saying I'm a refugee. They eventually have to prove their status or be deported. The so-called monthly income of $2,470 for a refugee comes from [in Canada] a ONE TIME payment of $1,890 and a $580 a month stipend until they find work. A pensioner in Canada receives $1,012 a month, long term, so as you can see the refugee doesn't make more a month than the Canadian Pensioner

"Aid to needy refugees in the U.S. is much less and is generally limited to eight months. Unlike Canada, the U.S. government doesn't pay aid directly, but instead gives grants to states for refugee resettlement. In California, for example, the maximum cash payment to a single refugee is $359 per month, according to the state Refugee Programs Bureau. Refugee families with children can qualify for welfare under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and maximum levels vary widely by state. In California, one of the more generous states, the maximum for a family of three is currently $723 per month."
-Brooks Jackson

As far as the 'anchor mom' and other claims these are usually based in little fact, or exaggerated fact that tend to rely on and further fan already stereotyped notions about immigrants of color, legal and illegal.
In regards to the Vets remarks about his financial problems I cannot comment as he doesn't provide any real details, all his references to amounts are based on comparisons he makes to figures related to anchor moms and refugee payments. Most Vets will relate their disabilities in terms of being 20%, or 40% etc., but he doesn't. I am sure however that there are many valid issues related to disabled Veterans and the rules they have to follow, but the fact that his complaints are being tied to the disinformation about immigrants and refugees makes me question whether the plight of disabled veterans is just being used as a ploy here, to further our hostilities toward immigrants and refugees. Mixing the two issues will only stir up emotions, any attempt to deal with the two problems as they relate to each other would be unproductive because they are unrelated. [Another point to, if he is part of the original Canadian version I don't believe Canada was in Vietnam? Need to check with Sarah Palin on this?]

There is an immigration problem, it needs to be fixed, but injecting fear, hatred, stereotypes, half truths and lies into the debate only pushes us further from a solution. Trying to push each others buttons with these tactics does not get us closer to a solution it pushes us further apart as for each person we convince with a lie we lose another person who recognizes that it is a lie.

Here is the reference link for more on this at TruthOrFiction.com : http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/r/refugees.htm
and Snopes.com : http://www.snopes.com/politics/immigration/refugees.asp
Here are links to three related articles at FactCheck.org :

The above was written in response to the following chain e-mail:

----- Original Message -----
From:
To:Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 2:28 PM
Subject: FW: ALMOST DIDN'T READ THIS. GLAD I DID

Please read the whole thing

Born and Raised…this is so wrong!!!

My name is d'Lynn. I'm a disabled Vietnam vet. [Picture removed] I don't look too bad for a beat-up old fart, do I? And that's my ride.   She's looking pretty good also, especially when you consider that she'll turn twenty this summer. That's right, it's a 1990 with a 1990 sidecar. I can't ride a solo bike, ergo the sidecar rig. It's my sole means of transportation - rain or shine, snow or wind, and this summer also marks a milestone in both of our lives, as I will finally be able to pay her off. Twenty years old? What?   Why did it take so long? You weren't paying attention, were you? It's right at the beginning of this paragraph.
I am a disabled vet, which means I receive a veterans administration disability pension, which also means "I'm broke!" Just one step ahead of being homeless every month, and that's not an idle statement or an "Oh, woe is me" dire complaint. There’s a point to this, so hang in there a minute or two and read on.
There's a 25-year-old illegal immigrant woman living in Florida , with eight kids. Yes, eight "anchor babies" and she receives just shy of $1,500 per month per kid, plus medical, plus food stamps.
Oh, wait. I've been informed that I shouldn't call them Food Stamps anymore. That's not PC. It's all called “Social Assistance” now. You do the math on that yourself.   I'd say that she was schooled early in how to make it in the system. Twenty-five years old, eight kids . . . . . yep, she started early.
You can whip out the calculator if you want, but this woman, who never has paid a dime in taxes of any kind, (and still doesn't – she's 'illegal,' remember?) is here in this country illegally. She hasn’t paid out one cent in medical for all the “anchor babies,” makes more in one month, legally, than I receive in over a year and a half in disability payments and I can't even get food stamps! Oops, I mean “Social Assistance.”
Technically I am eligible for “Social Assistance.” I was told it would be a walk through – a gimme – being disabled. No problem, and in the very next breath I was also informed that under the law the amount I received in “Social Assistance” would be deducted from my disability pension. Let's say I take a great photograph. It was just luck, a one of a kind accident, in the right place at the right time shot. My local newspaper offers me fifty bucks to use the photo in a featured story. (I live in a small town and fifty bucks is all they could afford.)   I have to report that fifty dollars to the VA as earned income, which will immediately be deducted from my next month’s disability check. If I don't report it I’m in violation of federal law and technically they can stop my disability pension and prosecute me under a federal felony. Pretty cool, eh? For fifty bucks.
I see no point in dealing with two federal bureaucracies, so I don't bother. What's the point?
She's here illegally and with just one kid would make over twice what I receive per month. She has eight and she’s not a stand-out case.   She’s not alone. That's the way the system works. Millions of illegal immigrants know this, know how the system works and know how to use it. (Haven't you seen the pamphlet? It's handed out all along our borders, "The Illegal Immigrants' Guide to Keeping America Just The Way It Is.") and that's just the way it works.
Did you know that the federal government provides a “refugee” in this country with a monthly “stipend” of $1,890, plus $580 a month in “Social Assistance?” That’s $2,470 a month, tax-free. That's two and a half times what I’m allowed to receive as a disabled vet. And just what did they do to earn this? All you have to do is show up on our collective doorstep, raise your right hand and swear that you're a refugee and, bingo, receive $30,000 a year, tax-free. That's more than someone making $15 an hour, and they have to pay taxes to boot!
Now, in defense of the Veterans Administration, they are doing what they can with what they've got. This is precious little compared to what they should have to get the job done. At least this country has a VA.
It's the Senate that keeps passing laws, rules and guidelines, cutting their budget, denying requests for more staff and computer systems to handle the massive work flow. Their hands are tied by the very government that's supposed to give them what they need to get the job done, by the government you voted into office.   Don't scream at the VA. I have.   It's misguided anger. The point to this “story?” Just why are you paying such high taxes to support this incredibly screwed-up government? Why?   And I’m not proposing you stop paying your taxes. That's wrong. There are good programs and reasons to pay your taxes and support our government.
What am I proposing? It's quite simple.   Vote.
The government, our government, is broken and we as the voters serve as the maintenance crew.   We fix it . . . . . by voting. If your state Senator has been in office more than two terms, vote 'em out at the next election.   If your state representative has been in office more than two terms, vote 'em out of office. We put term limits on just about every publicly-elected official in the country except the House and Senate.
Why?   Believe me, they know this and love it!   Ahhh - the power!
I don't care how much you believe your Senator or Representative is doing a good job.   They're not! Look at the government you have....that we have. How can you state they are doing what you want as the voter that put them there? How?
Vote them out of office. Do it. Change the course of this country's history by what you are granted and guaranteed under the law.   Vote! And if you have the guts, the anger, the outrage, start a petition in your state for a state-wide initiative to be placed on your next state ballot. Limiting the terms of office for your state senators and state representatives to your federal government to two terms.
The federal government will never pass such a law, but you can. You can get it done.   You can force it. You can make it a law.
This is the first step in “getting it right.” Just vote. It's simple.   It's easy, dammit!
This first step will send a very clear message. It’ll work.   It’ill put “us” back in control of “them.”   As it should be. As it was intended in the first place.
Are you an American?   Born and raised? Then vote!
Side note: I sent this e-mail to a little over one hundred on my e-mail list.   If you believe I’m wrong or misguided or you simply don't agree, that's fine. Go right ahead and delete this e-mail. No problem. Sorry to have bothered you.   But if you think I just might have a worthwhile idea, something we can easily accomplish, something that could be a small part at getting this country back under “our” control, then please pass this along.

Additional Notes:

Our Immigration Problem
Profiling Is Not A Benign Event
I'm A Legal Citizen

I’m a Legal Citizen and I must Show My ID When… : FAULTY PRIMUS

by Glenn Littrell
(archived from www.glennlittrell.org)

All of these examples are OPTIONAL! In other words you show the Police officer your ID as part of the agreement you made when you obtained your drivers license. A drivers license is a privilege, not a right. But even in that case you only have to show it when you are pulled over for an infraction, not because of your color, nationality or the way you look, hopefully.
With the exception of the signing for drugs all the other examples are things you choose to do and the requirements are not law, they are established by those businesses. If you don't want to show your ID to your doctor then don't, change doctors. You can't be arrested for it. And surely you won't be detained because you left your ID at home.
In the case of the pharmaceuticals it is because you are obtaining a controlled substance, not just walking down the street.
There is a difference between these examples and the Arizona law, more legal immigrants and citizens will be stopped because of this law than illegal's.This law does nothing [new] to control our borders or stop illegal immigration. It is meant to, or at least will result in, the targeting of non-whites in general.

The above is in response to the following e-mail:

----- Original Message -----
I'm a legal American citizen and I must show my ID when:

1. Pulled over by the police.
2. Making purchases on my department store credit card.
3. When I show up for a doctor's appointment. 4. When filling out a credit card or loan application. 5. When applying for or renewing a driver's license or passport.   6. When applying for any kind of insurance.    7. When filling out college applications. 8. When donating blood.9. When obtaining certain prescription drugs.
10. When making some debit purchases, especially
        if I'm out of state.
11. When collecting a boarding pass for airline or train travel.
I'm sure there are more instances, but the point is that we citizens of the USA are required to prove who we are nearly every day!
Why should people in this country illegally, be exempt!!!!!
Why shouldn't we guard our borders as closely as every other country in the world does?
                               Go ARIZONA !!!