James L. Paris's Blog, page 110

Donald Trump���s Inauguration Speech Invokes God, Scriptural Reference

Donald Trump���s inauguration speech has been both highly praised and torn to shreds, but, whatever one thinks of it, there���s no denying one thing: His first address as the chief executive of the United States was strongly oriented in what he has long claimed is his strong Christian faith, saying that Americans are a ���righteous people��� and ���protected by God.���

The Christian Post took a careful look at what he had to say, and noted the various references the new president made to elements of faith and Scripture.

���At the center of this movement is a crucial conviction, that a nation exists to serve its citizens,��� said Trump. ���Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their families, and good jobs for themselves. These are just and reasonable demands of righteous people and a righteous public.���

���We are one nation and their pain is our pain. Their dreams are our dreams. And their success will be our success. We share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny. The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans.���

Continuing, Trump said, ���We are protected and we will always be protected. We will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement. And most importantly, we will be protected by God.���

Additionally, when the new president said ���how good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity,��� he was quoting from Psalm 133:1.

Religion actually played a prominent role throughout the entirety of the inauguration events, including with regard to the number of faith leaders who took part in the ceremony; six members of that community participated, a number that far exceeds the one or two who have been a part of inauguration ceremonies since George H.W. Bush���s swearing-in back in 1979.

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

Cherub-Faced Youngster Admits to the World He Set Protest Fire to Say ���Screw Our President���

If you happened to watch much inauguration coverage, then you surely saw the heavy airtime given to pockets of especially destructive protesters in the nation���s capital.

By now, the social narrative over the last few years has been so heavily characterized by vitriol, vile speech, property destruction, and physical assaults that many, sad to say, have come to take in stride behaviors and events that once would have left most of us entirely dumbstruck.

That said, there are still moments that manage to leave a great number of us stunned. One of those occurred Friday night, outside the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., where a group of Trump protesters had assembled and started a fire.

It was not, however, the igniting of the fire that was so notable. It was the profile and demeanor of the person who openly took credit for starting it.
A young boy, likely between 10 and 12 years of age.

Correspondent Griff Jenkins was covering the events for Fox News��� Tucker Carlson Tonight when the boy approached him on camera to say that he had ���kind of started the fire.���

When Jenkins asked him why he had done it, the young man responded, ���Because I felt like it and I���m just sort of saying, screw our President.���

Lacy MacAuley, a spokeswoman for the group DisruptJ20 that was behind so much of the Inauguration Day protests, told Jenkins that ���we have to really be concerned about this dangerous direction our country is going in.���

Do you suppose she was including a young boy���s proud, public declaration that he had just started a fire to say ���screw the president��� as a sign of that ���dangerous direction?���

Right.

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

And Just Like That, WhiteHouse.Gov Site Wiped of All References to Climate Change

Donald Trump is not known for his affection regarding the issue of climate change, and the new version of WhiteHouse.gov appears to be a reflection of that outlook.

Trump has come under attack for his views on climate change, which he has previously written off as a ���hoax.��� Well, if the makeover of the 45th President���s official website is any indicator, it looks as though he has not changed his opinion on the subject to any discernible degree.

In point of fact, according to a number of outlets, including Mediaite, there is now no reference to climate change at all on the website.

The closest that White House.gov now comes to saying anything about ���climate��� is at the page dedicated to the ���America First Energy Plan,��� where a sentence there reads, ���President Trump is committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the U.S. rule.���

Of course, many on the left, as well as others who see climate change as a serious issue, have been practically apoplectic over the scrubbing of the subject from the site, but it seems hardly a surprise that it such has happened, given the new president���s historical view on the topic.

The reality is that the issues on which a winning presidential candidate campaigned will be those that are prominent at a platform such as WhiteHouse.org. As for the web page devoted to climate change that could be found at the previous administration���s version of WhiteHouse.org, that is still safe and sound, along with all of the other issue pages, over at obamawhitehouse.archives.gov.

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

 

MSNBC���s Chris Matthews Suggests Trump Inaugural Speech was ���Hitlerian���

Donald Trump delivered an inaugural address that apparently MSNBC���s Chris Matthews heard as Adolph Hitler���s 1939 speech before the Reichstag.

Or something.

As The Hill pointed out, when Matthews was prattling on with his cohorts over at MSNBC in the course of providing inauguration coverage, he made the following comment about something Trump said during his speech to the assembled.

���When he said today ���America First,��� it was not just the racial ��� I mean, I shouldn���t say racial, the Hitlerian background to it, but it was the message I kept thinking,��� Matthews said.

Once again, Trump is Hitler. Once again, any message that suggests even the most benign posture of nationalism is evocative of Der Fuhrer.

Matthews wasn���t finished, going on to further suggest that such postures as those assumed by Trump during his speech���which he, of course, assumed throughout his campaign and on which he was presumably elected���are similar, in general to the stances taken by Russia���s Vladimir Putin.

���What if you���re Putin? You���re probably pounding the table saying, ���That���s what I���ve been saying, Russia first! Russia first!������

In fact, it���s likely that Trump would readily agree with Matthews on the comparison to Putin, in this case. Trump has long appeared to harbor great admiration for those state leaders who have eschewed the globalist effort at demanding a subordination of national interests to global ones, and so would surely be happy to be considered a member of their group.

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

Free Birthday Meals - The 2017 Update

2017 Update - I am turning 52 on Monday January 23, so it is time for my day of free birthday meals! The list of free birthday meals in this article is by no means 100% complete. You may find many local restaurants (not chains) that offer a free birthday meal. Also, since I live in Florida, there be be chains in other regions of the country that I have not listed here. What is becoming more and more the standard is that you need to be signed up in advance through the restaurant's website and receive your free meal voucher by e mail. There are still those chains that don't require this, just walk in and claim your free meal (most notably Denny's and Firehouse Subs).

In my own case, I have found that my spam filter will often move these to my spam folder. So be sure to keep a close eye out for these vouchers. If you don't get your voucher, reach out to the restaurant through their website and they will resend it to you. Typically the e mails start coming about a week before your birthday. As noted below, many times you have a window of several days to claim your free mail, so you don't have to gorge yourself on the actual day of your birthday!

My Actual Free Past Birthday Meals

1.  Denny's - Just show up and bring your driver's license.  You are no longer limited to the Breakfast Slam, you can build your own breakfast selecting any four items from the breakfast menu.

2.  Firehouse Subs -  No need to pre-register, just bring your driver's license and get a free medium sized sub.

3.  IHOP - Go to their website and join their free club and you will receive a certificate good for a Rooty Tooty Fresh 'N Fruity or any entree of equal or lesser value for free.

4.  Moe's Southwest Grill- Go to their website and join their free club and get a certificate good for a complete dinner entree'.  Welcome to Moes!

5. Benihana's -  Go to their website and join their free club and receive a certificate good for a Free dinner Monday through Thursday (holidays excluded).  This was my favorite this year, what a meal!

6.  Shula's Steakhouse -  Join their free club and get a certificate for a free dinner when you buy a dinner (buy one get one free deal).

7. Ruby Tuesday - A free birthday burger and fries or garden bar entree. Another one that requires that you are signed up for their e mail list in advance.

(Original article) Jan 2012

I love free stuff.  For me it is more about the challenge than even the actual saving of the money.  I decided this year for my birthday to see how many free meals I could cash in on.

Breakfast

Most people already know about the free Denny's breakfast on your birthday, that is how I started my day in search of free meals.  The 'Breakfast Slam' is still free and there is nothing more involved than simply showing up and displaying  your driver's license.

Lunch

This is where my research began paying off.  I was off to Firehouse Subs for my free submarine sandwich.  I was supposed to be able to get one medium Celebrity Sub just for showing my driver's license.  The deal was even better than that, I could order any medium sub I wanted from the menu.  No hassle, and it was exactly as advertised.

Dinner

Moe's Southwestern Grill offered a free birthday entree but you must get the coupon from their website by joining their e mail list (free).  So, this step had to be done the day before to get my coupon.  The great thing about these dinner coupons (and I have more to share with you) is that you don't have to use them right on your birthday. For example, the Moe's birthday entree was good for up to one week.

Meals For Later This Week:

Ruby Tuesday's sent me a free birthday burger and fries coupon good for 2 weeks.  All I had to do was to sign up for their e mail list.

IHOP sent me a free breakfast coupon good for two weeks.  This is a complete breakfast with pancakes, sausage, bacon, and eggs!  Yep, totally free.  I simply joined their e mail list.

Benihana sent me a $30 gift certificate that is good for about 3 weeks.  The only restriction on this is that it must be used on a Monday through Thursday and can not be used on a holiday.  Again, all I had to do was to sign up for their e Mail list.

I am still waiting on my Steak 'N Shake birthday coupon for a cheeseburger and fries. For some reason that one has not shown up and am I quite upset about it as I love this place.  Oh, well... I signed up for their e mail list but still have not received anything (even checked my spam folder and still nothing). (Update: I did get it after contacting them through their website)

Free Medieval Times Ticket

Medieval Times will give you a free adult ticket to their dinner show on your birthday. Just join their e mail list.  After my day of overeating I simply could not sit through a jousting match so I passed on this one.

Added to list:

Red Robin - Free burger, just join their loyalty club (Red Card, no cost).

Finding Other Deals

It takes a little bit of research as there are plenty of deals out there. Doing a few Google searches will get you to quite a few great sites with lists.  The problem that I found is that many of these lists are not really up to date. You should get the details from the corporate websites directly and it doesn't hurt to call to the actual location to be sure they will honor the coupon.  There are a lot of what I consider to be tiny birthday deals, such as a free scoop of ice cream with the purchase of a dinner, etc...  I did not consider any of those worth listing here or pursuing.  My advice to corporate America is to think big when it comes to free stuff for birthdays (my inner child speaking here).

I really had a lot of fun on my birthday in search of free birthday meals.  Let's make this the official web page of record for those looking for birthday freebies.   Please use the comments section below to share your own favorites.  Be sure and bookmark this page and send out the link to your friends and family on their birthdays as well.

Helping you make the most of God���s money (even on my birthday)!

James L. Paris
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com 
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CNN Speculates About What Would Happen if Trump, Pence Assassinated at Inauguration

What in the world?

In a report that struck many as surreal, CNN decided to spend some time discussing how things might immediately play out if President-elect Donald

Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence happened to be assassinated during the course of Friday���s inauguration.

Somewhere along the line, editorially, the powers that be at CNN apparently decided that a piece by correspondent Brian Todd���speculating on what would happen should such a terrible event occur���was actually a worthwhile, relevant piece of journalism.

As reported by a variety of news outlets, including Sputnik International, Todd began by discussing all of the security measures that will actually be in place on behalf of helping to ensure the inauguration goes off without serious incident, but then decided to proceed down a rather dark road, wondering aloud ���who would be in charge if an attack hit the incoming president, vice-president, and Congressional leaders just as the transfer of power is underway.���

From there, Todd, walked the audience through the likely succession scenario:

���According to the Constitution,��� he said, ���if the president and vice president are killed or incapacitated, next in line is the House Speaker, then the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.���

���But what if something happened to them at the inauguration, too?��� he pondered. ���After that, it goes down the list of cabinet secretaries, starting with secretary of state. On the day of the inauguration, as a precaution, a cabinet secretary called the 'designated presidential successor' will not attend the inauguration, ready to step in if something happens.���

���But it won't be a Trump cabinet secretary, since none of them have been confirmed yet. It will be an Obama appointee,��� Todd said. ���No word from the White House on who that will be on Friday.���

You mean, he actually asked the White House about this?

Noteworthy in Todd���s analysis is that the scenario concludes with a member of Obama���s cabinet taking over as president.

Oh, well, THAT figures.

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

NFL���s Benjamin Watson Teaches Other Players About Gun Safety from a Pro-Gun Perspective

The country seems to be slowly making its peace with firearms in the modern era.

While guns were actually uncontroversial and apolitical components of the American landscape for most of its history so far, the last several decades have seen guns and the subject of gun control serve as an issue that has so completely divided Americans.

However, it appears that more folks are coming to the opinion that, in an obviously-dangerous world, it is not reasonable to deprive citizens of the expedient means by which to defend themselves. Evidence to this effect exists in a variety of forms, including the increasing number of demographics and realms in which the matter of the exercise of the right to keep and bear is gaining traction.

One such realm is that occupied by professional athletes. ESPN NBA analyst Jalen Rose, who narrowly survived a shooting attack years ago as he was leaving a nightclub, is a fan of the right to keep and bear, saying, ���I respect someone���s liberties to bear arms or do whatever they need to do to protect themselves.���

For its part, the National Football League has added ���mandatory training and conversations��� about gun safety to its ongoing curriculum for players. Helping to teach on the subject for the league is Baltimore Ravens tight end Benjamin Watson, who is himself an outspoken advocate for gun rights. Watson spoke to Complex about gun rights and the need for professional athletes to be able to exercise those rights without issue:

���The problem is a lot of times, dangerous places come to you. We all have the right to bear arms and that is why I have no problem with an athlete carrying a gun as long as the gun is registered. They need to understand how to use it and make sure it���s a legal firearm. Players are recognizable by their faces, cars and even body types. If you look like an athlete, you can be targeted.���

Watson expounded on his view by referencing the safety challenges faced by all law-abiding citizens, saying, ���We have a problem with violence, but an even bigger problem with people and the value of life and how we take life without remorse sometimes.���

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

���Never Trump��� Republicans with National Security Credentials Fear They���ve Been Blacklisted

According to The Washington Post, Republican members of the national security community, some with a great deal of experience who���ve served GOP administrations before, believe they have been blacklisted by Donald Trump and the Trump transition team from consideration for any appropriate jobs in the new administration because they publicly declared themselves to be adherents to the ���Never Trump��� movement at the height of the presidential campaign.

The ���treasonous act��� of which these people feel they are being harshly judged by the Trump team is the signing of one or both of two separate, public letters published during the campaign that declared the signatories would not vote for Trump, and that his prospective presidency would, in fact, represent a danger to the United States. One such letter was published by War on the Rocks, a website devoted to issues of foreign policy and national security, while the other was published by The New York Times. Some who believe they have been blacklisted signed both letters.

One person who served the Bush administration in a national security capacity and who presently works at a think tank in the Washington, D.C. area told the Post that he was not invited to help prepare secretary-of-state nominee Rex Tillerson for his Senate confirmation hearing, while some of his younger, less experienced staff assistants were so invited. This person, who spoke to the Post on the condition of anonymity, said that he assumes he was not asked to participate because he signed one of the aforementioned letters.

���It���s hostile,��� he said. ���It���s not just that we���re frozen out. .���.���. I was told they said there was an enemies list.���

Some who signed the letters are among the most recognizable names in the Republican national security stable, including Tom Ridge and Michael Chertoff, who were the first two Department of Homeland Security chiefs, former Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte, and former Director of the National Security Agency Michael Hayden.

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

U.S.���s Largest Muslim Civil Rights Group Tells Trump to Drop Franklin Graham from Inauguration

The Center for American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), an advocacy group for American Muslims that is, according to The Christian Post, the nation���s largest Muslim civil rights organization in the United States, has called on Donald Trump to drop evangelist Franklin Graham from participating in Friday���s presidential inauguration.

Graham, son of Billy Graham and president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, is one of six faith leaders scheduled to be a formal part of the inauguration proceedings, but CAIR strongly believes that Trump should drop him from having any role in the inauguration because he is a ���notorious Islamophobe��� who harbors ���extremist views��� about Muslims.

In a statement, Nihad Awad, National Executive Director of CAIR, said, ���If President-elect Trump truly seeks to unite our nation as he promised in his acceptance speech, he will limit the list of those offering prayers at the inauguration to religious leaders who work to bring us together, not to create divisions between faiths. Rev. Graham's ill-informed and extremist views are incompatible with the Constitution and with American values of religious liberty and inclusion.���

Graham has indeed been a strong critic of Islam over the years, previously saying such things as ���Islam can���t save anyone from Hell��� and that Islam is a ���very evil and wicked religion.��� In 2009, he told CNN that ���true Islam cannot be practiced in this country. You can't beat your wife. You cannot murder your children if you think they've committed adultery or something like that, which they do practice in these other countries.���

According to The Christian Post, while Graham has been demonstrably critical of Islam, the humanitarian organization he leads, Samaritan���s Purse, has provided food, clothing, and other forms of aid to both civilian and military victims in war zones around the world, including those who are Muslim. Writing about the efforts of Samaritan���s Purse on Facebook, Graham has said, ���Samaritan's Purse is there to show God's love. We want to show the same love and compassion for each and every one because that's what Jesus Christ would have us do.���

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

After His House Was Bombed, Martin Luther King, Jr. Was Denied His Right to Keep and Bear Arms

When Martin Luther King, Jr.���s efforts on behalf of the civil rights movement in America were gaining traction, his profile as a target rose considerably higher. And when he and his family were the victims of a bombing attack at his home in Montgomery, Alabama, Dr. King sought to exercise his Second Amendment rights by applying for a concealed carry permit with the local authorities���who said, ���No.���

As America celebrates another formal remembrance of Dr. King, Rare.us shares an important anecdote about the civil rights leader as it relates to the right to keep and bear arms.

In its piece, Rare mentions an observation made by UCLA law professor Adam Winkler back in 2011:

���Most people think King would be the last person to own a gun. Yet in the mid-1950s, as the civil rights movement heated up, King kept firearms for self-protection. In fact, he even applied for a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

���A recipient of constant death threats, King had armed supporters take turns guarding his home and family. He had good reason to fear that the Klan in Alabama was targeting him for assassination.���

King���s Alabama home was bombed on Jan. 30, 1956. Thankfully, no one was harmed, but the attack served to put him on notice that there were those lurking about who sought to kill the civil rights leader and/or members of his family, and he recognized the need to possess the means of expedient self-protection.

Dr. Winkler:

���(A)fter King���s house was bombed, King applied for a concealed carry permit in Alabama. The local police had discretion to determine who was a suitable person to carry firearms. King, a clergyman whose life was threatened daily, surely met the requirements of the law, but he was rejected nevertheless. At the time, the police used any wiggle room in the law to discriminate against African Americans.���

At the time, Dr. King lived in a ���may-issue,��� rather than a ���shall-issue,��� jurisdiction. In a ���may-issue��� jurisdiction, applications made by citizens for concealed carry permits are approved subject to the discretion of the local authority, usually a police chief or sheriff. In other words, those law enforcement agency heads can turn down the applications as they see fit, and for no reason whatsoever.

This was Dr. King���s predicament back in 1956, and it is the predicament bedeviling so many Americans today who have the unfortunate luck to reside in ���may-issue��� jurisdictions.

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large