The New Orleans School Voucher Program

I love the city of New Orleans. It's been a second home to me since my first trip there 62 years ago... which I really "do" remember! I have watched New Orleans go from a vibrant, world-class, commercial center, the largest port in the World, to a bureaucratically moribund excuse for a third-world banana republic. I lived there for 10 years during the 1980s, and loved every minute of that time. I also cried as I watched it's deterioration. Deterioration of a city ALWAYS, AND WITHOUT EXCEPTION, begins with the abdication of control of the local educational system by parents to the federal government.



Then came the collateral, flooding damage of the failed levees after Hurrican Katrina... and please remeber that Hurrican Katrina DID NOT hit New Orleans... it hit THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST! The infrastructure of Eastern New Orleans, including the existing bureaucratic, educational system, was esentially destroyed by corruption... and the parents, who have remained or returned to the city, have had to step forward and take their God ordained responsibility for their children's education. I am so happy for and proud of them.




This video will explain why I have more hope (that is, hope with real basis) for the future of my beloved second home. God bless the parents and teachers who are fighting for excellence in education for their children, the hope of the city and nation.

Frances

NewsBusted 8/20/10

Good morning everyone. I couldn't resist passing on a little snark when there are so many opportunities out there. Clear your mind. Start your Monday with a laugh.




Never take anybody's word for the truth. Do your own homework. Verify!

Frances ;-D

My Secret Garden: How Doeth It Grow?

Like a jungle, of course!

But, I don't EVER remember my Secret Garden being as beautiful as it's been this Summer. No exceptions.

I intended to write about my July/August garden last year, but time and direction prevented me. I've been writing elsewhere, and, even this time, it's taken me several weeks to put this post together. Anyway, I am NOT going to let the days slip away again. It'll be yet another year before my garden reminds me to write about it if I don't do so now. Even now these beautiful blooms are fading. However, it will only be a few weeks before the next wave of color begins. Enjoy.

To understand my "justifiable" (cough, cough) pride, you must be aware that an immutable Law of the Universe is that Summer in the South is hot as Blazes, humid as a steam bath, and rain is never dependable. There are very few plants which can survive, let alone bloom, under these stresses, with zero pampering. After the day lilies, during the first two weeks of June, there simply isn't much happening in the Southern Garden. By July, the crepe myrtles are almost the only thing still blooming... but not in my garden. The rains came when needed this year, and we have been the beneficiaries of God's bounty. Beautiful flowers during the day and heavenly fragrances to enjoy during late night constitutionals with Pasha Zack and Harem Kitty Maxie.

Long, long ago, I started collecting heirloom plants for each month. I wanted color throughout the year... the gaudier, the better. My idea was that if a plant had survived and thrived for a hundred or more years, and had been passed down through my family or friends' families, I'd give them an opportunity... they could root hog or die! They rooted. They thrived. And recently I received the gardener's greatest accolade. A friend came down my drive and exclaimed, "It's a wonderland!" What more could I ask?
　
Generally in order of appearance, these are the bloomers in my July/August garden: Crepe Myrtle; Garden Phlox; Lycoris Squamigira (aka Naked Lady Lily); Philippine Lily; Cashmere Bouquet; Confederate Jasmine; Pink and Blue Buddlieas, New Gold Lantana and Homestead Verbena. July/August is all pink, white, yellow and purple, and the butterflys and birds have been going crazy.

Happy writing, and gardening.

God bless,

Frances

Who will eventually return to writing Science Fiction Romance...

I promise!
　
　
　

Happy Independence Day!!!

I wish you all a wonderful Independence Day Celebration. On this day, do something radical. Re-read the Declaration of Independence. Then, thank God for the wisdom, courage, and devotion to Almighty God of our Founding Fathers. They were truly a "light unto the World".

In Congress, July 4, 1776.

A Declaration

By the Representatives of theUnited states of America,

In general Congress assembled.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. –Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.

He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.

He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature.

He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states:

For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing taxes on us without our consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury:

For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses:

For abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule in these colonies:

For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments:

For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare, is undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.

We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts: John Hancock, Samual Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton
Source: The Pennsylvania Packet, July 8, 1776

Let us never forget that this document is the most complete embodiment of what it means to be an American. Our fore fathers made this contract with God that they and their descendents would be responsible to the God of the Universe as individual citizens, and would hold their government responsible to God and the citizens. If we have not done so, we can only ask God for forgiveness, do our best to return to His ways, and ask Him to honor His promise,

"If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." - II Chronicles 7:14

God bless

Frances

The Greatest Scam in the History of the World...or "The Sky is Falling"

Science and politics seem to be inextricably entwined... because science is rarely fully understood by most people, and consequently, is often feared, even if subconsciously. Politicians find this lack of understanding and supposed fear to be ready made tools to gain power… for power is the one thing above all others that any politician desires. "The Climate is CHANGING! Oh my! Oh my! Panic! Panic! PANIC! But, never fear, WE, the smiling politicians can save you. Trust us. We’re the experts. Just do as we say. Give us your freedom. "We" know what’s best for you."

Pollution arouses passions, yes; but, being lied to arouses even more passions. Case in point: the recent exposure of the falsified data from the IPCC on supposed anthropogenic global warming. As it turns out, there hasn’t been any warming of the Earth in over ten years. We are actually in a cooling cycle. They LIED! The data was deliberately FALSIFIED!

Oh, but what about that horrible CO2 that humans create, and Carbon Trading we need to save the World? CO2 hasn’t changed in a long time, and is less now than it was in the past. Claiming that there is more was just a political lie to gain power. Actually the more CO2 you have in the atmosphere, the better the plants grow. It’s called photosynthesis. We need it. And as to the Carbon Trading, let me tell you a secret. I was a commodity trader for many years. Carbon Trading is simply a grand scale commodity trading scam to transfer money from your pocket into the pockets of dishonest politicians… arguably the greatest scam yet in the history of the world. As with every good mystery...follow the money!

Writers, if you want something serious to write about, write about corruption, and the hero who exposes it, and defends truth. Our government has excellent examples of the corruption. If you want accurate scientific information, go to: CFACT. The scientists and researchers at CFACT are under the aegis of Lord Christopher Monckton, 3rd Viscount Monckton of Brenchly. He is one of the World’s great mathematicians, a real genius, and he nailed the Global Warming Creeps because he also has a cast iron pair, and is willing to go to the wall for the truth! He's the real hero!

If anyone would like for me to supply specific scientific sources, let me know. I can’t promise to be timely, but I will get back to you.

Freedom is Colorblind (open up your eyes)

America has had a complicated racial history... nothing's perfect, after all. It would be impossibe to be otherwise with people from all over the globe coming here to pursue their unique "American Dream". That's what has made America different.

As in everything, there have always been those who would seek to divide and profit from the differences, both real and imagined, of others. However, thankfully, there have also always been those who saw character rather than color. That is what this video is about. Americans are reawakening to their common rights and duties as citizens.

The only color that Freedom knows is RED, WHITE, AND BLUE! I am so proud of all my patrot friends. Some of you, I happen to know your color...but most I have no idea, and I don't care...YOU ARE MY FRIEND...AND YOU ARE A PATRIOT!!!

God bless,

Frances

Writing to Awaken Her Country

BREAKING NEWS! Hawaii Elections Official: Obama not born here! JUNE 10, ...

The Constitution of the United States of America says:

"No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution[1791], shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States."

NATURAL BORN means that the Presidential Candidate must have been born to parents who were BOTH American citizens, and the candidate must have been born within the territory of the United States. BOTH parents were to be American citizens to prevent any dual loyalties. This is not the case with the man now occupying the Oval Office of the White House. Beyond question, his declared father was a Kenyan citizen and therefore a British citizen, thus causing the present occupier of the Oval Office to have multiple citizenship and consequently disqualifying him for the office he is holding. This is not open for debate. It is established FACT. On the basis of American/Kenyan/British citizenship of his parents... Barack Hussein Obama was NOT eligable to run for the office he now occupies. He is a usurper.

The media and officials of BOTH parties had to have known this. For them to have concealed this information from the public domain is ELECTION FRAUD and is a FELONY. This is the biggest CRIMINAL FRAUD which has ever been perpetrated on the people America and of the World.

In this video, a former Hawaii Elections Official reports that, in his official capicity, he looked in the Hawaii Department of Records for the "long form" Birth Certificate, which should include the name of the hospital and attending physician of the present occupant of the Oval Office. He catagorically states, "IT DOESN'T EXIST!" There is only a short form "Certificate of Live Birth" which has been posted to the internet, and is legally different from the "long from" Birth Certificate. The "live birth" on the "short form" can take place anywhere on Earth, and consequently the short form "Certificate of Live Birth" is NOT LEGAL in even the Hawaiian courts.

This is the Hawaiian legal statute regarding Certificates of Live Birth:

“[§338-17.8] Certificates for children born out of State. [emphasis mine]

(a) Upon application of an adult or the legal parents of a minor child, the director of health shall issue a birth certificate for such adult or minor, provided that proof has been submitted to the director of health that the legal parents of such individual while living without the Territory or State of Hawaii had declared the Territory or State of Hawaii as their legal residence for at least one year immediately preceding the birth or adoption of such child.

(b) Proof of legal residency shall be submitted to the director of health in any manner that the director shall deem appropriate. The director of health may also adopt any rules pursuant to chapter 91 that he or she may deem necessary or proper to prevent fraudulent applications for birth certificates and to require any further information or proof of events necessary for completion of a birth certificate.

(c) The fee for each application for registration shall be established by rule adopted pursuant to chapter 91. [L 1982, c 182, §1]”
See the actual Statute on the Hawaii Government website

Do you understand that?

As long as an adult can walk into Hawaii’s version of the Department of Records and provide proof that they are a legal resident of Hawaii one year preceeding the birth, the document is issued.

The child, on the other hand, could have been born in Hawaii, Kenya, or a back-alley in Budapest. (Thanks to Tom O'Halloran)

Pray for America. Pray for the World.

Frances Drake

Today is the NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER...

Today is the NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER...as must be every day henceforth... IF we are to survive. For the first time in U.S. history we are facing the destruction of every freedom which we hold dear.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." — Ephesians 6:12


Our Father in Heaven,

This is our fault. We have not been vigilant. We have lost our first love, and committed every sin known to man or to You. Forgive us, Lord. Cleanse us and our nation. Bring us back to You. Make us the people and nation which You meant us to be. From the depths of our souls we cry to You... Bring us back to You! Put Your Spirit in us to pray without ceasing... to listen and hear what You want us to do... and give us Your Strength to then do as You command...Without reservation,

In Jesus' Name I pray.

“And My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 NASB

Elections of November 2008: Reprise

As I am sure that you are aware, I am an unashamed patriot. I love my country desperately. But it is a country in distress. That is the symbolism of the upside down flag which you see above. The literal meaning of the upside down flag is "Save Our Souls". Perhaps you have heard the term as "SOS". Today is our National Day of Prayer...but more on that in a few minutes. First I would like to revisit November 5, 2008, so that you may understand the source of the distress.

Voting, the Rule of Law, and Election Post-mortem

America is a country under law. I'm proud of that. It has just gone through one of the unique processes in the history of world politics. It has decided to have a complete change in its government, without a single shot being fired. We do this every four years. There has been a hard fought election campaign and record voter turnout. People have exercised their right... and their duty to vote. We can all only hope that we've voted wisely, for ultimately we are responsible for the government which we choose.

The American government was designed with multiple layers of checks and balances. The three different branches of the government, the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial, are designed to serve as restraints upon each other... in an ideal situation. The two main political parties, along with the minor parties, prevent any one group from gaining total control over the rest of the populace... in an ideal situation.

We are not now going to have an ideal situation. This would be the case no mater the winning party. The caution that we face is that one political party can now control almost all legislation and appointments with little restraint. Regardless of anyone’s political belief, this is not good for the future of our country, or the world. Other countries have had similar situations, and none have been happy for long.

Voters, of America and the entire World, it is imperative that we understand the issues of our governments, and inform our representatives of how we think that they should vote and conduct themselves. Then we must hold them accountable.

This is the reason that I haven't been active on Frances Writes. I have been informing myself of the consequences of our new administration's actions, and informing as many others as God has given me the power to do so. My Friends, America did NOT choose wisely. The administration which was elected has systematically set about destroying everything which has made America a "light to the World". Inspite of an overwhelming disaproval of the voters for this disasterous course, the administration has ignored our wishes.

The American Dream is in danger...and with it, the rest of the World is in DANGER!

God bless you all,

Frances Drake

Writing to Save My Country
If you want to know more please join me at,
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A Blessed Passover To My Jewish Friends...Let Freedom Ring!

As of sunset this evening, one of the world's great religions will begin observing possibly the oldest feast to freedom that we know of, Pesach, or as is more commonly known, Passover.

For almost four thousand years the Jews of the world have been asking, "Why is this night different from all other nights?" It is the night on which they remember the joy of gaining their freedom after four hundred years of slavery to Egypt, and the sorrow of the cost of that freedom to their former masters. Freedom is never free.

Through these people, the world has been given the inestimable gifts of the concepts of freedom with responsibility, and the rule of just law rather than the rule of might. We can only say, thank you to our Jewish friends.

Happy Passover
Let Freedom Ring
Shalom aleichem

Frances

Wishing You a Happy and Blessed Resurrection Sunday...

Good Morning My Friends.

Joy to the World! Resurrection Sunday is the most joyful day of the year for a Christian. It is the celebration of the guarantee that we will live forever with the God who loves us enough to die for our freedom. My post last Easter gives a full explanation of what this means and how you can experience it for yourself. Please accept my invitation to read and think about this here:

Frances Writes: He Is Risen

This morning I want to share with you a video of one of my favorit hymns, CHRIST THE LORD HAS RISEN TODAY. Now, this is the way that this should be sung. May God be with you all.

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He Is Risen.

Frances

Wishing you every blessing.