~~Jeri Thompson ~~Fred Thompson ~~Marjorie Dannenfelser (President of the Susan B. Anthony list) ~~Kris Kobach (Constitutional Scholar) ~~JC Watts ~~Sarah Palin
Also, both Darla Jaye from 980 KMBZ and Chris Stigall spoke and did question and answer sessions. I have heard Chris speak many times and am a huge fan and am always impressed. Yet, I had never really heard Darla Jaye much, and I have to say I really enjoyed her.
Fred Thompson did a better job than I expected and I really enjoyed getting to see him in person. He reminds me of Dick Cheney with his dry wit and he was very endearing and had great things to say.
Kris Kobach really blew me out of the water. He has been so demonized by the left (which is what the left does when they are scared of someone) that I didn't know what to expect. He knew exactly what he was talking about (without a teleprompter) and he was so captivating that you enjoyed every minute of it. I hope Kansas is smart enough to vote him in as their next Secretary of State.
I am such a huge fan of JC Watts that I was really looking forward to getting to hear him speak. However, I was fortunate enough to snag a VIP ticket the day before the conference which enabled me to get my picture with Sarah Palin. I was ecstatic, but that ended up meaning I was in line for that while Watts was speaking. I got to hear the end of his speech and the Q&A, but it was worth it to meet Sarah and the 1st Dude and to get my picture with her.
Sarah Palin did a great job in her speech and was so encouraging. One of her best lines:
“You don’t need an office. You don’t need a title. And, you don’t need a TelePrompter to make a difference.”
Its the year of women for me, as I'm reading and doing research on inspirational women. Even at just 10 years old, Nujood is just that. I found this book so compelling that I couldn't put it down, and had finished it in just 2 days.
I first saw the book in a review that was republished from the Washington Post in the KC Star entitled, Brave Girl Sparks Change in Mideast. I had read shocking articles in the past, about girls as young as 8 being forced into marriage in the Middle East. So, when I saw the book, I knew I'd want to read it.
The reason Nujood's story is being told internationally, is because she is the first one who has successfully found a way out of her personal hell. Her father forced her to marry a a 30 year old man, who had promised not to have relations with her until she reached puberty. He broke that promise and forced himself upon her the very first night. Her screams for help went unanswered, even though her mother and sister-in-law were in the room right next door.
Nujood sought a way out, the first chance she got. When her parents refused to help her, she kept talking to others until finally someone told her to go to the courthouse.
The book talks about what life is like for a poor family in Yemen. It details their struggles and Nujood's determination not to be stuck in the misery that was forced upon her. She was able to get her divorce and was named a Glamour Magazine Woman of the Year in 2008. She is now determined to become a lawyer, who can help other young girls in the future.
Nujood's story brings hope for Yemen and the Middle East, although only a spark. As Condoleeza Rice said, "Societies that treat women badly, are dangerous societies."
My prayers are for a major transformation of how women are treated in these countries. I pray that we will see many more stories like Nujood's.
Before the show, I got autographs and pics taken with Sean Hannity and Karl Rove. They are both amazing, genuine and gracious men in person. I enjoyed all the talks, even Laura Ingraham's. She lost some of my support in recent years when she relentlessly went after Bush over the immigration issue towards the end of his presidency. Yet, she encouraged everyone on Saturday to support good, conservative Republicans instead of wandering down the 3rd party road like some seem destined to do.
Karl Rove gave an incredible talk and just amazes me with his grasp on the issues. He is so disarming that its hard to see why anyone would hate him. I then remind myself that the left will attempt to destroy anyone they perceive as a threat, and Rove is definitely that.
He also gave some specific ways to make sure Republicans win in November.
John Rich won my support when he denounced Phelp's horrible clan (that was picketing outside) by saying there was a special place in hell for them. I still cannot fathom the evil that it takes to protest at a funeral of a soldier who has died for his country.
Sean Hannitybrought the house down as usual, the crowd roared when he came out. He is definitely a Republican Rock Star for so many reasons! For one thing, he is the real deal! He started off by pointing out how bad things were and then moving onto the good news and what we could do to take our country back! I left there feeling optimistic about our country's future, and ready to get to work!
A friend and I are going, and I'm looking forward to it. I got both Hannity's book, Conservative Victory, and Rove's, Courage and Consequence at Sam's last night. Stay tuned for a post after the event!!
The week of March 21-28th is being set aside to pray for Sudan. Samaritan's Purse is joining with churches to pray, here are the details:
As Sudan prepares for historic presidential and parliamentary elections, Samaritan's Purse and church leaders in Sudan are calling on believers across the nation and around the world to participate in a week of prayer March 21-27, culminating with a Sudan Global Day of Prayer on March 28.
“Churches nationwide are mobilizing prayer,” said Pastor James, a church leader in Khartoum. “We are praying that everything will run smoothly. We are praying for the nation of Sudan.”
More than 2 million people died in Sudan's civil war before the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed five years ago. The 2005 accord ushered in an uneasy truce, tied to a promise that the people of southern Sudan would be allowed to participate in national elections in 2010 and vote in a referendum on independence in 2011.
Free and fair elections in April could help lay a foundation for lasting peace. However, if violence erupts it could start a chain reaction that plunges the nation back into civil war.
Government and church leaders in both the North and South agree that prayer is the key for maintaining peace in Sudan. Please join us in praying daily for Sudan the week of March 21-27, concluding in the Sudan Global Day of Prayer on Palm Sunday, March 28.
Samaritan's Purse has specific prayer requests for each day, go here to sign up.
Lee Dewyze and Casey James are my 2 favorites right now on American Idol. If you forced me to pick between them, it would be Lee, he reminds me of David Cook.
As we all remember, Obama attacked a Supreme Court decision during his SOTU this past January.
During the address, Alito mouthed the words, "not true" and Thomas said that Obama's attack was an example of why he stopped attending the annual SOTU. Well, now it was Chief Justice Roberts' turn to weigh in:
“The image of having the members of one branch of government standing up, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, cheering and hollering while the court — according the requirements of protocol — has to sit there expressionless, I think is very troubling. And, it does cause me to think if it makes sense for us to be there.”
The killers showed no mercy: They didn't spare women and children, or even a 4-day-old baby, from their machetes. On Monday, Nigerian women wailed in the streets as a dump truck carried dozens of bodies past burned-out homes toward a mass grave.(Associate Press)
UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Washington led calls for restraint on Monday after the slaughter of more than 500 Christians in Nigeria, as survivors told how the killers chopped down their victims.
Funerals took place for victims of the three-hour orgy of violence on Sunday in three Christian villages close to the northern city of Jos, blamed on members of the mainly Muslim Fulani ethnic group.
While troops were deployed to the villages to prevent new attacks, security forces detained 95 suspects but faced bitter criticism over how the killers were able to go on the rampage at a time when a curfew was meant to be in force.
Media reported that Muslim residents of the villages in Plateau state had been warned by phone text message, two days prior to the attack, so they could make good their escape before the exit points were sealed off.
Survivors said the attackers were able to separate the Fulanis from members of the rival Berom group by chanting 'nagge', the Fulani word for cattle. Those who failed to respond in the same language were hacked to death.
In 2008, I joined a group vowing to read 50 books. I was able to accomplish that goal by reading 36 books and listening to 14 on CD. Last year in 2009, I failed miserably. So, this year I'm getting back on the wagon and vowing to do even better than in 2008. My goal is to read 40 books and to listen to 10 on CD.
A lot of the books that I read this year are going to be on the lives of women. Since, I'm going to be teaching a class on remarkable women. I started with Sarah Palin and now I'm moved on to Margaret Thatcher. Right now it is all things Thatcher, because I am fascinated with her life.
I started out reading some easy books on her to get an overview. Now, I am reading one of her two biographies, The Path to Power. It is huge, over 600 pages, but it flows well and is interesting. While searching, I found this review of it.
Here are the books that I have read so far:
1) Going Rogue: An American Life~~Sarah Palin 2) 365 Ways to Live Cheap!~~Trent Hamm 3) Sarah~~Kaylene Johnson 4) Margaret Thatcher, Britain's "Iron Lady"~~Doris Faber 5) Madam Prime Minister~~Libby Huges 6) Margaret Thatcher~~Bernard Garfinkel
Here are the books on CD that I've listened too:
1) Feminist Fantasies~~Phyllis Schafly 2) Blue Skies, No Fences: A Memoir of Childhood and Family~~Lynne Cheney