Jabberwock Words

2012-01-23T12:57:00.000-08:00

The State of The Nation......not good

You'll have to forgive my self indulgence today, but after reading a few prominent news stories this week I've completely lost faith in the "exceptionalism" that those active in American politics love to brag about. Or rather, it was the comments offered by readers of these stories that got my blood boiling.

What has happened to us?

Gabby Giffords finally decided to resign her office and begin concentrating on her complete recovery after an almost-fatal shooting last year.She was one of the lucky ones..... She gave it her best, but can no longer serve her constituents as she knows should. Comments on SOME of the news sites were racist, hateful, mean, partisan, juvenile and downright awful. WHY was this called for?

A former great coach, reputation ruined, Joe Paterno passed away from lung cancer. Posters, safe in their anonymity pounding away on their computers, tore the man to shreds. They did not personally know the man or his family. They were not privy to ANY information, other than "in the media," concerning the sex-scandal case that he was second-handedly involved in. Who are we to judge? What would we REALLY have done in the same situation at the time?

The Republicans are having their nonstop presidential caucuses and primaries. Not one candidate has offered any positive plan for moving this country forward. The back-biting, name-calling, racist, crowd-baiting, money slinging and down right nastiness is out of control......but it's being played as "The Patriots Have Arrived." I'm sure there have been more civil tag-team wrestling matches. And people are supposed to pick a future LEADER from these folks? How?

Everything from a rock star singing the National Anthem, a celebrity couple splitting up, the President doing his job, concerns for the environment in oil pipelines, or which team is going to the Super Bowl is cause for emotional, reactionary, and mostly unintelligent "opinion posting." It also seems to be the way that the "media" is letting everyone else (competent or NOT) do their job for them. It is getting their "hits" for them. What happened to honest, well thought out, thoroughly researched reporting? Every story is presented in a particular slant guaranteed to produce the wanted results, it seems. And there are TOO many people willing to add to the negativity.

Where has the civility and compassion gone? Have the principles and good graces of our earlier generations been tossed to the way side? It has been said that it is better to lead by example than simply mouth platitudes. When are we going to start?

HAVE ACCENT: NO NEED TO APPLY

2010-04-30T10:45:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm so glad that Arizona was able to get that "non racist" law concerning illegal immigration passed. You know the one where on suspicion of "doing an illegal act" a person who "looked illegal" (brown, black, yellow, non white, wearing funny clothes, speaking a non English language) could be stopped and asked where his papers were, and arrested if they were not on his person.

You knew where this was going, didn't you? In this melting pot of races, creeds, nationalities that we call America opportunity is open for all...unless, of course you apply for a position in education in Arizona and have an accent. A class TEACHING these studies in other languages, no less. And they are worried about teaching classes about the overthrowing of government and the subversion of the United States?? Have you been to a Tea Party lately, or watched Glen Beck on Fox news or listened to Rush Limbaugh or Lou Dobbs?

The people who run that state must think the rest of us are all complete idiots. We can see what they are doing. And they certainly don't want anyone who's not conservative, white and preferably male even living or voting in that state. And of course, take your American born children with you. (They certainly forgot about the Constitution on that one!)

For a better perspective, please check out this blog: http://tinyurl.com/339x5cw

A comment from HuffPost says it all:

"The veneer that the political correctness movement created is curling up at the corners to reveal the ugliness hidden underneath. People advocating for things as this article mentions ARE BIGOTS to the nth degree. The civil rights movement in this country did not occur in some obscure past where we only learn about the struggle from dusty history books with pictures of statues and oil paintings. You don't have to be too old to have been present during that great movement. The same people that wanted segregation and second class citizenship for minorities at the time are still with us today. There was no change of heart for racists when they lost the civil rights battle. What happened is that when their point of view became so unpopular, that it was no longer considered socially appropriate, people with racist tendencies mostly kept quite in public, until Obama became President that is. Now it appears that they feel it is okay to once again show their true colours. They feel comfort in numbers and believe that they can hide behind organizations with false motives. They scoff at people who call them out for what they really are and ridicule the truth with slogans like "playing the race card". The glue that held that veneer down in the past has come undone and I, for one, can clearly see the ugliness that lies underneath. Do not re-glue those corners down. Instead tear it off altogether and never use it again."
// Averred
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The veneer that the political correctness movement created is curling up at the corners to reveal the ugliness hidden underneath. People advocating for things as this article mentions ARE BIGOTS to the nth degree. The civil rights movement in this country did not occur in some obscure past where we only learn about the struggle from dusty history books with pictures of statues and oil paintings. You don't have to be too old to have been present during that great movement. The same people that wanted segregation and second class citizenship for minorities at the time are still with us today. There was no change of heart for racists when they lost the civil rights battle. What happened is that when their point of view became so unpopular, that it was no longer considered socially appropriate, people with racist tendencies mostly kept quite in public, until Obama became President that is. Now it appears that they feel it is okay to once again show their true colours. They feel comfort in numbers and believe that they can hide behind organizations with false motives. They scoff at people who call them out for what they really are and ridicule the truth with slogans like "playing the race card". The glue that held that veneer down in the past has come undone and I, for one, can clearly see the ugliness that lies underneath. Do not re-glue those corners down. Instead tear it off altogether and never use it again.
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WE'RE ONLY PROTECTING OUR BORDERS

2010-04-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

It looks like the party of "keep the government out of my business" is at it again. Arizona, which I'm sure you know by now, has passed a very close- to-racial-profiling law to clamp down on all the illegal immigrants in their state. (I started to write "aliens" but that is another story.) Yes, there is a problem with immigration in the border states. Yes, there is law on the books at the federal level addressing such matters. Yes, several administrations have avoided enforcing such laws to any degree. But here seems to be another side to this story, one that has been going on for several years, and the Republicans want it to continue in the shadows.

First of all, for all those Constitutional scholars on the right (those in the Teabag Party), the ones that carry a copy of it in their back pocket: this is a free country--for everybody, not just them. People do not have to carry papers around proving they belong here just because they are brown, black, yellow, wear "different" clothes, "might" be doing something "suspicious", or might want to vote. Yes, you heard me: vote.

Seems like Jan Brewer and a few other officials of her mindset have done this before, and it's been done in other states too, as in Florida. They tried to "purge" voter rolls of thousands of people for the 2004 election, in hopes of scaring Hispanics and Blacks away from the voting booth. They could only find a handful of cases to prosecute after annoying several thousands of voters, and then fired the man they picked to do their dirty work because there was no dirty work to do. Sound familiar? And they want to go full-tilt on ACORN?

As usual, money talks and the Republican party listens. The usual "follow the money trail" applies here as in the healthcare debate and now financial reform. I'm not insinuating that there is only blame on one side: I'm still not sure that once a person gets into a hight level of government that his top priority is on his constituents, where it should be. But I'm sick and tired of the holier-than-thou, family values, guns-and-bible crowd trying to put one over on this country. Do they think we're all stupid?

Read this article on the history of their tactics:

http://tinyurl.com/2v49ygy

Here's an interesting background on the Arizona immigration law authors:

http://bit.ly/97v62w. (not for the faint hearted, tho)

And more food for thought:

http://tinyurl.com/35cdfrl

ANOTHER TEA PARTY BOONDOGGLE

2010-04-14T10:34:00.001-07:00

Well, looks like the Tea Party people have a problem with taking attendance, among other things. The group was being addressed by Alan Keyes here in my fair town last night. (OH JOY.) The newspapers reported a count of 8000 people there. Hmmmmm....

Nutter Center (aptly named, yesterday) at Wright State University holds 3000 comfortably (according to their website) and can be made to hold 12,500 if needed.

Now, look at these pictures: http://projects.daytondailynews.com/cache/galleries/News/Local/041310teapartyrally

I'm so sick of their pathetic lies. That's all I have to say.

PARDON ME

2010-04-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

I was just taken to task by someone I don't know, but what else is new these days. Every little thing has become politicized, polarized, plagiarized, and Palinized.

I'm learning that it's OK for someone ELSE to voice their opinion, but it's not when I do it. Yep, you've gotta love the modern twist on freedom of speech....

I try very hard to keep my personal life and my professional life separate, for obvious reasons. (Thank God I'm not in the political arena.) But somewhere the "twain did meet" and I've had to retrace my steps to correct the matter.

"Ms. Judi might do well to keep her political affiliations to herself and not degrade those who speak out. Reading her blog certainly influenced my opinion as to why I will not contact you regarding my daughter's wedding photographs."

Jackie/BellSouth

You certainly wouldn't want an independent-thinking couple armed with cameras in a church taking pictures of a once-in-a-lifetime, romantic occasion, now would you? I'd probably degrade the whole affair.

REPUBLICANS VS NICKELODEON. and the winner is........

2010-03-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

Well, this has been an interesting week. Health care reform passed, much to the chagrin of the right wing element in this country. Instead of the adult, mature response of "OK, we must work harder," or "let's see if we can make this bill even better for our constituents " we have threatening phone calls, coffins on a representative's lawn, bricks thrown though windows, gas lines cut, racial slurs, spitting on Congressmen, cars with Obama/Biden stickers run down on highways, and work stoppages (Republicans refuse to work past 2:00 to clog up the works of our governmental body.)

The news arm of the Republican party (FOX) of course did their bit to further enrage and justify such carryings-on by 24 hour coverage of Eric Cantor's office window shooting (later reported by VA police to have been a random "up-in-the-air shooting" similar to Lou Dobbs'. And it wasn't even his window...) Trying to distance themselves from the Tea Party that they shamelessly encouraged and supported for the last year, they reached out to their viewers to dismiss the behavior of some "crazies" and "nut cases" which furthermore, must have been left wing plants to disgrace honorable Republicans, anyway..... Glenn Beck gave some ill-conceived and rambling monologue on his show to that effect. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black, or "blame the victim."

Then you have John Boehner, House Minority Leader of all things, saying a Congressman is a "dead man, and the Catholics will chase him out when he gets back home." Eric Cantor tells his tall tale of a shooting, and throws the blame on Democratic leadership for "fanning the flames of violence," just to divert attention . Members of the Republican caucus lined themselves up with signs saying "kill the bill"on the balcony in front of protesters in order to keep the agitation going. (I'm sure that all these "grassroots" throngs saw was the first word.) Sarah Palin wants everybody to "reload" on her website with the gun sites on a map. These people want their poor, misguided followers whipped into a frenzy, ( like the guy in Columbus who "got carried away" at a Tea Bag Rally against healthcare reform last week and was totally rude, arrogant, abusive, mean, and hateful to a man with Parkinson's sitting on the ground with a non offensive sign in favor of reform), and then step away to claim "don't blame us: we don't know where this came from."

I'm not against anybody speaking their mind: ask my family. Debate is good. But when others are allowed to say what they want, and I'm considered "threatening, abusive, liberal, anti-religious, un-American" simply because my views and values (and they're good ones, believe me: I have high standards.) are obliquely opposed to theirs, something is wrong. If I don't subscribe to the parochial-college educated, small town, white-bread-and mayonnaise, woman-submit-to-your-man dictums, I'm deleted from their Facebook pages. (oh, what disgrace!) They swear by FOX. I swear at it. I try to investigate both sides of a subject (OK, I still prefer mine...but I like to keep up on things.) I think the Texas educational system is a joke and the Conservative Bible Project is worse. Having done my stint in the Southern Baptist Church: Sunday school, church services, youth fellowship, revivals, choir practice, Bible brigade, and pot-luck dinners, I can quote scripture passages with the best of them,

But when you've lived as long as I have (well, not THAT long), you've seen a lot: raising four kids single-handedly, working two jobs at a time, battling cancer twice, watching your dad die of cancer, having your younger sister die, losing your life savings with a business in the wrong place at the wrong time, helping your mother live with blindness and Alzheimer's, getting ready to move out of state to start another business (in retirement, no less)--I'm insulted by all of this! All this crazy, hatefulness has to stop!

This is where NICKELODEON comes in: I watched KAI LAN today with a two-year-old

and a four-year-old. The little pet monkey was upset that he lost the game or wasn't picked or something, so he kicked his little playmate friends and went away to sulk and pout, generally making everyone miserable. The cartoon then went on to explain to its preschool watchers that this was inappropriate behavior in an entertaining way. My little two were enthralled. Hopefully, this will be reinforced by their parent's attitude and throughout their lives. One can only hope.....

These shows should be "required watching" for the right wing elements, and others, in our country today.

AMERICA THE LOST

2010-03-24T19:24:00.000-07:00

All I can say is: PLEASE read this: "And Now It's Come To This", at the linked Blog!

http://www.bobcesca.com/

Sometimes it doesn't pay to paraphrase someone else's work, especially when it's better than yours....

And all these people threatening and doing damage to Representatives, doctors, and Congressmen's homes, offices and families might want to consider the following:

http://bit.ly/bqW2Ro

Of course people like John Boehner, Michael Steele, Glenn Beck, Michael Savage, and Rush Limbaugh who are leading them on with their rhetoric will deny it ever happened.

Then there is :

http://bit.ly/aRL8AE

These three works are the summation of the feelings of the blogosphere, and me, this week. Use words, not violence to make a difference, folks.

In case you missed this, which I doubt because it's gotten reviewed by everyone. Pass it on.

http://tinyurl.com/ybxx5mk

RIGHT WING AMERICA: GROW UP !

2010-03-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

When did the United States become one enormous fifth grade class?
it started with Reagan

Posted by: eve at March 21, 2010 12:38 AM

The above comment was taken from Bob Cesca's Awesome Blog I read this morning. It's a question I've been asking myself for months now. What the heck is going on in this country? Adults, who wouldn't let their five-year-olds behave in such a manner, are behaving like complete idiotic fools. Responsibility for one's behavior and polite rhetoric have been pushed aside--thrown away in most cases. Even though it's been decried, denied, and disowned, racism and homophobia are alive and well in the right wing Tea Party movement. (It's not representative of the RNC, they sputter. But we know the reality. We followed the money trail. Don't these ignorant followers know they are doing the RNC's dirty work?)

Now to the halls of Congress where "n#%@^r" and "f#g" being shouted are cause for laughter among the crowds. Who let the teenagers out? And these same people want to be represented in a fair and balanced manner? (Sorry for that turn of phrase!) To me this is all totally disgusting, but they'll find a way to throw the blame on the opposition. "The Dems made us do it." "It was taken out of context." "Acorn set us up." "I really wanted that man with Parkinson's to go get a good hot lunch." "Photo op."

If the normal, everyday, educated, work-a-day, family oriented, thinking people of this country can't get the true picture of what's going on here, then truly, we are doomed.

UPDATE: Well, that didn't take long. A couple of Congressmen just said that while they don't condone the actions and ranting of some of the protesters yesterday, it was the "totalitarian behavior of the Democrats in office that made those people react that way." Oh, and they are going to start action to repeal the bill as soon as it passes. This should be good.....

DON'T CONFUSE THEM WITH THE FACTS!

2010-02-23T06:54:00.000-08:00

The following is an article, in full, that I came across today. It is a "must read" for all of us trying to make sense of the political world today!

Leonard Pitts Jr. / Syndicated columnist

Don't confuse them with facts
To listen to talk radio, to watch TV pundits, to read a newspaper's online message board, is to realize that increasingly, we are a people estranged from critical thinking, divorced from logic, alienated from even objective truth.

I got an e-mail the other day that depressed me.

It concerned a piece I recently did that mentioned Henry Johnson, who was awarded the French Croix de Guerre in World War I for single-handedly fighting off a company of Germans (some accounts say there were 14, some say almost 30, the ones I find most authoritative say there were about two dozen) who threatened to overrun his post.

Johnson managed this despite the fact that he was only 5-foot-4 and 130 pounds, despite the fact that his gun had jammed, despite the fact that he was wounded 21 times.

My mention of Johnson's heroics drew a rebuke from a fellow named Ken Thompson, which I quote verbatim and in its entirety:

"Hate to tell you that blacks were not allowed into combat intell (sic) 1947, that fact. World War II ended in 1945. So all that feel good, one black man killing two dozen Nazi, is just that, PC bull."

In response, my assistant, Judi Smith, sent Mr. Thompson proof of Johnson's heroics: a link to his page on the Web site of Arlington National Cemetery. She thought this settled the matter.

Thompson's reply? "There is no race on headstones and they didn't come up with the story in tell (sic) 2002."

Judi: "I guess you can choose to believe Arlington National Cemetery or not."

Thompson: "It is what it is, you don't believe either ... "

At this point, Judi forwarded me their correspondence, along with a despairing note. She is probably somewhere drinking right now.

You see, like me, she can remember a time when facts settled arguments. This is back before everything became a partisan shouting match, back before it was permissible to ignore or deride as "biased" anything that didn't support your worldview.

If you and I had an argument and I produced facts from an authoritative source to back me up, you couldn't just blow that off. You might try to undermine my facts, might counter with facts of your own, but you couldn't just pretend my facts had no weight or meaning.

But that's the intellectual state of the union these days, as evidenced by all the people who still don't believe the president was born in Hawaii or that the planet is warming. And by Mr. Thompson, who doesn't believe Henry Johnson did what he did.

I could send him more proof, I suppose. Johnson is lauded in history books ("Before the Mayflower" by Lerone Bennett Jr., "The Dictionary of American Negro Biography" by Rayford Logan and Michael Winston) and in contemporaneous accounts (The Saturday Evening Post, The New York Times). I could also point out that blacks have fought in every war in American history, though before Harry Truman desegregated the military in 1948, they did so in Jim Crow units. Also, there were no Nazis in World War I.

But those are "facts," and the whole point here is that facts no longer mean what they once did. I suppose I could also ignore him. But you see, Ken Thompson is not just some isolated eccentric. No, he is the Zeitgeist personified.

To listen to talk radio, to watch TV pundits, to read a newspaper's online message board, is to realize that increasingly, we are a people estranged from critical thinking, divorced from logic, alienated from even objective truth. We admit no ideas that do not confirm us, hear no voices that do not echo us, sift out all information that does not validate what we wish to believe.

I submit that any people thus handicapped sow the seeds of their own decline; they respond to the world as they wish it were rather to the world as it is. That's the story of the Iraq war.

But objective reality does not change because you refuse to accept it. The fact that you refuse to acknowledge a wall does not change the fact that it's a wall.

And you shouldn't have to hit it to find that out.

Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts Jr.'s column appears regularly on editorial pages of The Times. His e-mail address is: lpitts@miamiherald.com

FREEDOM OF SPEECH: A CONSERVATIVE POINT OF VIEW

2010-02-18T11:45:00.000-08:00

Did you know that you are only allowed to express your opinion, your point of view to like-minded people? Are you aware that NOT including quotes, historical references, lists of books, and having a Thesaurus at the ready renders you totally brainless, incompetent, and having nothing of any social value to say? Did you know that having a 2000 word rebuttal/comment written on one of your blogs renders you worthless and ineffective? Yep. And since a member of the opposite sex told me that, it must be true. Right.................

I ventured upon a blog the other day, having come upon a link from someone. I was reading not-very-tasteful comments about Michelle Obama's initiative on childhood obesity. I'd even seen Glenn Beck's horrible, tacky, spiteful, rant on television about it. I wanted to throw up. No good thing our First Family does is ever without ridicule. (You know, that free speech thing.) The title of the blog was stupid, racist, and the picture on the page of the Obama's was even worse. I'm sure you've seen these, or tried to avoid them. I left a short comment on the stupidity of it, figuring I would be ignored as a "commie, liberal, socialist, left wing agitator." I'm really just a mom with a point of view, a sense of right or wrong, fairness, and a bit of dry humor.

Nope, I wasn't that lucky. A few days later I was castigated for my small grasp on current history, had my obvious lack of political knowledge ridiculed, given a library list of books to read (recommended by Glenn Beck), and had my unicorns and fairy dust taken away. (Nah, I made that last part up.) Then I was told I had a lot of nerve coming to his website. Just to make matters "worse", I noticed he was trying to get his readers to come to THIS blog to read what garbage an ill-informed, not socially aware liberal cretin was spreading. I think I touched a nerve.

It's always amazing to me how these oh-so-patriotic Constitution, Federalist Papers, tea partiers feel the need to belittle and "re-educate" others. A debate, or an exchange of ideas is fine. But having seen "MoBama's Fat Kids Part II complete with disgusting photoshopped picture I felt I didn't need to be educated by him about anything. Besides, I felt he was in love with the sound of his own computer keyboard, if you get the picture.

If you'd like to learn something (or not...) you might want to go to my blog on Glenn Beck from January. Like it's namesake, it pissed somebody off. My work here is done.

WHY FURTHER EDUCATION?

2010-02-15T12:28:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning Tucker Carlson made a few comments on Fox News, it's been reported to me, about college students becoming more liberal as they continue their education and especially after they graduate. He then proceeded to suggest that not all people need to go to college, or at least get government help to do so, I assume. Hmmmm, I wonder what the correlation might be here.........( to see Fox News discussion http://bit.ly/bXNBLG )

At any rate, I believe this is what the outcome of THAT would be:

Lord have mercy on this country.....

UPDATE: Well, the trend continues: The state of Utah is considering abandoning the 12th grade, and the Republicans agree. They say that students "just fritter away their last year anyway." Now Colorado believes they can no longer provide higher education for their students; they'll have to go to private college, it seems. Who can afford THAT these days? Maybe these young people will just get sick, and since they'll not have health insurance to help with medical bills, they'll just forget about even trying. That'll make those on the right really happy!

WHAT'S GOING ON.....REALLY

2010-02-10T07:57:00.000-08:00

People, please forgive me. I couldn't do my usual "insightful" commentary this morning. The video below is the best thing I have seen for a while: it puts into words and images all that I think is wrong with our political process today. I'm not an avid Rachel Maddow follower, but bless her on this one!

I've forwarded this to right leaning "friends": I'm sure they won't even watch it, since Rachel is, uh,........a......you know.

WE'RE IN TROUBLE, FOLKS

2010-02-01T16:14:00.000-08:00

Yes, we are. The "dumbing down of America" is complete.

TPMDC
Poll: Republicans Think Obama Is A Socialist, And Palin More Qualified To Be President
Eric Kleefeld | February 1, 2010, 3:58PM

A new Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll, conducted among 2,000 self-identified Republican respondents nationwide, gives an interesting peek into the psyche of the minority party's base.

Kos has not yet released the full numbers, but here's some early info on the poll that he has posted on his Twitter account:

• 39% of Republicans want President Obama to be impeached.

• 63% think Obama is a socialist.

• Only 42% believe Obama was born in the United States.

• 21% think ACORN stole the 2008 election -- that is, that Obama didn't actually win it, and isn't legitimately the president, with 55% saying they are "not sure." This number is actually significantly lower than it was in a similar question from Public Policy Polling (D) back in November, which said that 52% of Republicans thought ACORN stole it. So does this mean Obama is gaining ground among Republicans? As it is, only just over 20% of Republicans will say that Obama actually won the election.

• 53% think Sarah Palin is more qualified than Obama to be president.

• 23% want to secede from the United States.

• 73% think gay people should not be allowed to teach in public schools. This position puts the GOP base well to the right of none other than Ronald Reagan, who helped defeat the Briggs Initiative, a 1978 referendum in California that would have forbidden gays or people who advocated gay rights from teaching in public schools.

• 31% want contraception to be outlawed.

The right wingers have totally outclassed (??) us on this one. I cannot believe it is even possible to agree with this stuff. Don't people check facts at all? Has the average Tea Bag Party member become the symbol of the United States today? It's bad enough that the corporations (some with multinational owners) have been given the the go-ahead by our Supreme Court recently to spend all the money they can scrounge to run the political system in this country. But these are the people that will be benefitting. Raise your hand if you're scared.

STATE OF THE UNION SUPERBOWL

2010-01-27T13:07:00.000-08:00

In days of yore when the head of a village, empire, state, country, company, organization or even a neighborhood watch committee gave a speech or addressed the aforementioned gathering, it was taken seriously, or at least the perception was there. You could complain, grumble, or ignore it afterward if you so chose. You could agree with the ideas presented or seethe about past performances to friends, co-workers, or even your boss at your convenience or risk, depending on the circumstances. It was a solemn, thought provoking occasion. Yep, those days are gone--thanks to TV pundits, internet blogging, and political come-up-man-ship. (I"m sorry if that's not a word: it should be.)

Before the President's speech tonight, his first as a matter of fact, the pre-pre-pre speeches and guesses about its content are already being thrown about. The count down clock is being aired on CNN. All topics they think should be addressed are being listed and expounded upon. FOX is tearing it apart and explaining how a more bipartisan approach is what is needed to avoid a "catastrophe", and gearing up for their post-speech rip-a-thon. Even the WAY he should say it is being examined by these folks. Liberals for their part, are manning the internet to expose the right wing's usual ignorance of the facts presented and their loose way with the truth. The opposition party has even selected someone to make a response to the President's speech. What? This isn't the debate team. Everyone wants to see who's going to be the devil's advocate to yell out some childish response, in house, as been done before, and that is done in Congress frequently. Kids will be kids, you know. State of the Union parties are being co-ordinated everywhere, even here in own city. Scorecards are being distributed, I assume.

What has happened to this country? Has everyone gone off the deep end? Is partisan politics and scoring points for the team become the sole obsession of our leaders in Washington? Is getting reelected the sole reason of being in Congress? Do they realize people in this country and the world are hurting? Do they even care? Who's right and who's left. Or who's right and who's wrong? Does the color of a person's skin make that big a difference? How can we proceed to become a better nation or world if we keep going back to the way it's always been done, with the same people? Why is it so hard to listen to a different voice? Why do we have to feel afraid to make changes? Is money everything? Why.....?

Check out this SlideShare Presentation: I wasn't far off, it seems

State of the Union BINGO Cards

View more presentations from Marc Ross.

GLENN BECK GLENN BECK GLENN BECK

2010-01-26T14:50:00.000-08:00

OK, I told myself not do it. I made a promise to myself to not do it. I was only flipping through the channels waiting for the commercials on the Food Channel to be over and then: GLENN BECK WAS ON....one of his rants, that is. It took every ounce of restraint (if you don't count the string of cuss words, some pretty inventive if I do say so myself) not to hurl my glass of Pinot Grigio at the television. My husband would not have been happy with that outcome, even if it was for a just cause.

He was on a progressive kick tonight, complete with the usual sound bites of President Obama using the word in speeches. Those evil progressives are out to change the world as we know it, and to take control of your daily lives. "The progressives are changing history as we know it, and they are good at that as we already know," spouts Mr. Beck. It's a means to their end, of course.

Hello! What planet are you on, Glenn? Who ordered the wiretaps on phones? Who is changing the educational system in Texas to suit the political agenda? Who is removing books in the classrooms and rewriting history in them? Who has forgotten the original source of the bailouts? Those wars we are involved in going on in Iraq and Afghanistan; when did they begin? That bipartisanship you guys seem to blather about at the top of your lungs--where did it go? Where did this "grassroots rebellion" really come from?
What's wrong with the bible as it is written now (even if it has been revised, condensed, and totally reworked many times)? Not conservative enough for you: too liberal in that it extolls the helping of the poor and downtrodden, and not rewarding the rich? Lord knows you don't want to have this progressive healthcare reform. Insurance companies (your corporate buddies) could have to actually treat those poor and sick people: they might reproduce! Now it's even legal for those same corporations to pour millions of dollars into campaigns that influence our political system. Didn't hear much from the conservative side on that one, Glenn.

Ok, I feel better now. But it's beyond me how any sane person could believe this crap. (I didn't say what I really wanted to say.) There are people in my family and acquaintances who are true followers. They believe the "sneaky Democrat bastards" and Obama have an agenda to take this country over a cliff. What is the point in that? Glenn Beck is already there.

UP AND AWAY....WITH B OF A

2010-01-22T12:35:00.000-08:00

I just saw George Clooney's new movie Up and Away. It was a very good movie for today's economical environment; definitely not a love story. I told my daughter she'd better not see it.

My daughter--actually two of them--has worked in the mortgage business for many years, with several large companies. She was with Countrywide which is now Bank of America. (Yes, I know the EVIL ones) But the stories you read about and what you see on TV are about the CEOs, the bigwigs, not the everyday people in the trenches doing the actual hard work, toting the company line, making the money for all those shareholders and those bonuses. It's a totally "whole nuther" world there.

She has always cared for her employees, remembered birthdays, had team events, encouraged them and scolded when needed. It is her job to give evaluations, set up and monitor new offices and their staff, hire and fire, and report to the Big Boss. She is a Regional Operations manager and goes to several states in the area to do her job. It was always challenging, exciting and rewarding for her. Now that has changed drastically. This is where the movie comes in......

She has to go to offices, evaluate, then go back to give out the "separation of employment" packets provided by BOA. She realigns regional branches, and lately, closes them. She has a "script" to follow, a time span in which to do it, and reports to file. The only problem is that unlike Up and Away where there is no personal connection: she KNOWS these people, she KNOWS their circumstances.
There's the single mom with two kids, one who needs medical attention. Or the woman in her mid-50's who'll probably not find another job soon. Or the gentleman who had a heart attack right after their discussion. Or even the people who can keep employment but at a branch 50 miles away for much less than their current salary. (My other daughter) While CEOs are getting huge salaries and ungodly bonuses, she and her employees are having their salaries "reevaluated" and their small bonuses dropped. We're not talking millions here, folks. She had to attend a meeting all last week in NC to find this out, and then received an e-mail while returning home that even those rules had changed again. Since she was a "new" BOA employee she's well aware that after doing all this, she could be dumped, too.

There is something inherently wrong with the big corporate structure we have let come into play today. We know whose side the government is on. The deck is stacked against any hard working person in this country today. Need more proof? Look at our Supreme court to see whose side they're on now. And seeing that movie would really dismay my daughter.

THIS COUNTRY, GOVERNED BY THE CORPORATIONS

2010-01-21T12:54:00.000-08:00

Ok, that's not the way it was intended to be, not the way it was written. But as of this morning the Supreme Court of the United States just handed Aetna, Cigna, AIG, McDonalds, United Healthcare, Exxon, Microsoft, Apple, Blue Cross-just to name a few-majority control over our political process. Yes, I know, they have it already, but now it's really legal. Now they can pour ungodly amounts of money into the pot of what ever political party or behind whatever profit making scheme (for them, of course) and it's OK. See, corporations are now viewed not as separate entities but as citizens, with the same political rights. For every $25 you contribute to the party or cause of your choice, they have the right to invest $1,000,000 or whatever. You work hard for that sum. They can take it from their coffers. Of course, the political party or movement is going to take that into consideration when deciding what actions they are going to take. Yeah, right.

Right wingers think everybody should work for what they want in life: no "entitlements." God, I hate that word. Everybody should contribute to society, according to their talents, work, time and ability. Sometimes situations arise that are out of a person's control and we need to be able to help them over the rough spots. Now it's those with the biggest pocket books that will be getting what they want or need to the detriment of the rest of the country. Our representatives are only in it for themselves, I'm afraid. Or they're too chicken to fight for what's right. Don't get me started on healthcare reform, women's productive rights, immigration, or fate of our global economy. Big business rules the day, and the GOP is a friend of free market, big business, and big churches.

Members on both sides of the aisle (which is one big mess, at the moment) aren't too happy about this. But a lot of them are smiling. We've just been sold to the highest bidder. And that doesn't count China, Saudi Arabia, Japan........

CONSERVATIVE COMPASSION

2010-01-14T06:48:00.000-08:00

If you have read any of my posts (polite rants) you are aware that while I am not a totally-absolutely- way left kind of person, I really don't buy into the absolutely selfish right wing, teaparty culture either. Both extremes are doing severe damage to this country and its future. But yesterday's responses to a major tragedy in the small island country of Haiti makes my blood boil.

How in the heck can you say a country doesn't deserve our help, because "they don't produce anything." But it's perfectly OK to send thousands of our young men and BILLIONS of dollars to a country (invade) to help them because they have oil? And of course, the people on Haiti are black while those in the Middle East are not. Well, they might be Muslim, but that's a another story for a different time. According to Rush, the administration will probably use this tragedy to raise its popularity with the "dark-skinned population." Not unlike the Republican in Congress using the "almost" bomber attack over the holiday to boost his campaign coffers.

Then there is the religious right, in the form of Pat Robertson. This man makes my skin crawl: a charlatan in the tradition of Oral Roberts, Jim Bakker, Rick Warren, and Benny Hinn. Apparently the Bible these guys read went out of print soon after I got mine. They preach the gospel of selfishness, exclusiveness, and racial and social division. That's not to say all church-goers are evil, they're not. It's the ones that have the public stage that seem to be preaching their own "religion." To say that these poor people in Haiti "made a pact with the devil, and deserve all their hardship" is ludicrous. I'm getting totally repulsed by all these men of god who are anything but godlike.

Someday, someway, somewhere God is going to get tired of all this hatred, too.

INSTEAD OF RESOLUTIONS....

2010-01-05T12:59:00.000-08:00

In a departure from my usual musings (rants) I'd like to offer a post for people of all political leanings, sexual orientations, religious affiliations or none, ages, and national origins.

Things to forget in the New Year:

The mean things others have said about you.
The injury any person has done you.
The mistakes you have made in the past--except as they may warn you in the future.
The kindness you have tried to do others.
The days when you were better off than now.
The promises other people have made you.
The ill-natured gossip you have heard concerning others.
The secrets entrusted to you confidence.
The worry that destroys your happiness.
The drawbacks that seem to stand in the way of your success.

Anonymous

H IS FOR HYPOCRISY

2010-01-02T11:53:00.000-08:00

You'll have to excuse me if I seem a bit perplexed: I just had a Twitter session with someone of a different mindset and I'm at a loss for words. Hypocrisy seems to be the affliction of the day and it makes me want to pull my hair out.

This person ranted on about how great our health care system was, everybody had access, and he didn't feel HE should have to pay for somebody else who was too lazy to get coverage. (No, I was NOT tweeting Rush Limbaugh.) He said when he was younger and his wife had problems (but no insurance) they received excellent care at the hospital, and didn't have to pay a dime! Therefore, he felt we didn't need to change it. I asked him who paid for it---the taxpayers? (No response.) Now after working hard, he had a business and felt he didn't need to pay any more taxes to fund other people's health policies. The government was always out to make the little guy pay for everybody else's life. And according to the constitution this wasn't necessary: everybody had the right to look out for themselves. If I worked harder I, too, could be successful (and selfish) just as he was.

Getting nowhere in that vein, after stating I felt that the constitution and the Bible were often contorted to mean whatever a particular group wanted it to mean, I calmly pointed out that we had lost $500,000.00 in the last couple years---a business that took all our savings and pensions, and a condo. Due to being self employed and major preexisting conditions, insurance was out of the question. We've been paying down $40,000 due one hospitalization. We are "starting over" at not a young age. (No sob story here, just facts for this twitter guy.) And I would NEVER deny help to anyone that ever needs it. (No response to that either, I'm afraid.)

Then the subject somehow changed to the economy. "It was the Dems in control of everything the last few years: President Bush only rubber stamped what they sent to him." This boggles my mind somewhat. Today EVERYTHING is President Obama's fault, even if it's not been sent to him to look at yet. And I won't even start on the bungled terrorist attack the other day or the funding for homeland security being vetoed....

This country is going through some tough times. Everybody has a complaint about something: he's doing too much, he's not doing enough, The Dems this, the Repubs that. But the one thing I simply cannot fathom is the hypocrisy, the complete denial of facts, and the "truth as we tell you it is." And I don't like the constitution shoved down my throat. Our founding fathers had no idea the hate and division that little document hath wrought. Lewis Carroll's "The Jabberwock" makes more sense today.

SALES SCHMALES or HOW TO MAKE A PROFIT IN TODAY'S ECONOMY

2009-12-21T11:45:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I waited a little late to do my Christmas shopping this year: I've been sick. First the flu, and then really BAD sinus infection. (Thanks. Glad you asked. I'm better now.) But where are these big sales they keep pitching on TV, hour by hour?

We went to Kohl's, which I'd say is a J C Penney type store, in Ohio to buy kids' clothes for Christmas presents. "50% off, 25% off, BUY 1 GET 1 HALF PRICE": you know the drill. I'm ready to get my bargains. The last outfits I'd purchased were this summer for birthdays. Was there a fleece shortage I missed? Has the stock gone up on denim? Was there a famine in Taiwan so that the cost of acrylic has been raised? What about cotton? The so-called sale prices were at about the same level that "regular prices" were a couple of months ago.

Now I'm not a cheapskate, but I like to get the most (and cutest) for my money. Why was this adorable embossed red cotton sweater in boys size 3T worth $30.00? What about the cute brown, pink, and jade fleece hoodie in girl's size 6 being $24.00, and don't even ask about the matching pants. A black tweed (cotton and acrylic) sweater in 8P for my mom, $50.00. When it was all tallied up I'd "saved $145.00", which is just about the amount I spent for four toddlers outfits. Pardon me, but I do believe there is something wrong here. No wonder families with kids go to Walmart (ugh) and Dollar General (great to "run in" for stuff).

Yes, I know, I got my 50% or whatever off, but I got the feeling it was no bargain. Was the old shell game of raising prices only to give-you-a-sale-price -later in effect here? My total for my purchases, while not being exorbitant, was certainly not of the we-know-we're in a recession genre. It was more like the stores want to make you THINK you're getting more for you dollar. You know: like when your cereal is in a smaller box, but the price is the same. Is it me, or did anyone else notice this?

WWJD IN TODAY'S POLITICS

2009-12-16T06:49:00.000-08:00

I overheard some statistics yesterday on CNN put forth by Jack Cafferty, as I worked my way to HGTV. He said that 49% of white people who call themselves Republicans consider themselves "religious" and 37% of white Democrats do the same. Religious means going to church once a week, he explained. A higher percentage of Black and Latino voters consider themselves very religious, and they sway to the Democratic ticket usually. Now, I find that to be very telling and a sad state of affairs today.

To me, a spiritual, religious person (member of an organized church or not) is aware of the world around him. He is in tune with the universe as a whole, and the sufferings of all its people. He does not impose his beliefs on others as he goes about his daily life trying to help those less fortunate than himself. He considers all the good in his life and family, and is more than willing to give a helping hand to build a better world for others. He uses his head and his heart to make decisions in life, and if necessary makes monetary contributions when and where it's needed. The good of the whole group is much more important than the complete satisfaction of every individual in it. He is not easily swayed by the hysteria and ranting of the unruly crowds surrounding him. He uses his head. I think Jesus was this type of person. At one time, I was a Southern Baptist.

Democrats and Republicans are two different animals. Right now I'm more than a little upset with both of groups! Repubs can motivate at the drop of a hat: get that revival feeling going, as it were. Nobody even stops to think "why", let's just go. Dems need to consider all sides, not make a show of things, and include everybody. Not much action there. Guess the better use of "religion" goes to the right wing on this count. But it's not a good thing. In a humorous book I'm reading about girls in the south (go Tennessee!) the author said 98% of Southerners said they own a Bible, but she questioned if they ever opened them.

I'm tired of having to be politically correct for right wing "Christianity" and yet not being able to let others observe their beliefs without being criticized. Why does the "party line" carry more weight than the needs of the people in important decisions? Why do Bible verses need to be used to score political points if you're playing a crocked game? Why does "You lie" seem to be the only thing you hear these days in any type of political discussion? What happened to common sense and the common good? Wars, inquisitions, Crusades, jihads, suicide bombings, Civil wars, and massacres have all be committed in the name of religion. What's the point?

HOLD THAT TIGER

2009-12-03T14:48:00.000-08:00

Ok, I broke my promise to myself, but the incessant coverage of this topic is driving me nuts! Why is Tiger Wood's private life-good or bad- any concern of mine or anybody else's? Has it been a slow news week? No earthquakes? No movie star death? No cure for cancer? (If there was, big PHARMA wouldn't let us know about it.) No John Boehner miscues in Washington?

Another carefully crafted persona has bitten the dust. He's a sports star, for Pete's sake, not the Dali Lama. Anybody that looks to larger-than-life stars of any kind to be role models is surely going to be disappointed. They are human beings just like the rest of us, with the same quirks and foibles, and shortcomings. This is something he has to atone for, deal with, make amends to his family for, and move on. He's young, and very wealthy, but that does not protect him from doing very stupid things. Most of the time that makes the situation even worse. What one of us here has not done something so totally stupid, irresponsible, selfish, life-altering and been found out? Or luckily not?

Why do we as the public feel let down? Why do we feel we have a say in what should happen now? Why do we have any right to even speculate? Who do we think we are? Just because the media keeps harping on "he stated, she says, the police say, the voicemail said" does that make it our concern? The media just wants to get ratings, increase listenership, sell papers, get hits, and tweets. We are only voyeurs and dollar signs.

If you really want to get involved with something, there's enough going on. Of course you have to search for real facts, check your sources, ignore partisan ranting, be willing to change, and be ready to lend a hand. There's health care reform, women's rights, food shortages, climate concerns, jobs, child abuse, cancer, Alzheimers, term limits on members of Congress (oops, sorry about that one), and poverty. Tiger Woods' problems in life seem mighty miniscule compared to all of this. A sort of diversion, if you will, so that the negative areas of your life don't seem so prominent.

Get out of his life and his family. Don't contribute to this nonsense. It's a waste of good, positive energy.

"TIS THE SEASON

2009-11-29T11:31:00.000-08:00

Let's turn away from all the political rhetoric, the increasing military troops, right wing, left wing, depression, recession, obsession, and celebrity insanity for just a minute. How about some "8x10, colored, glossy photos complete with circles and arrows on the back of each one describing what it was" to get in the holiday spirit. (My apologies to Arlo Gutherie's "Alice's Restaurant". Those of you who are of-a-certain-age will understand.) These are from Metamora, Indiana, a small old place in the middle of nowhere, where each year there is a joyous, old fashioned, friendly celebration until January. Just imagine the smell of popcorn, hot dogs, horses, evergreens, and hot chocolate. So simple.

MS. PALIN and TOUCH DOWN JESUS

2009-11-21T09:06:00.000-08:00

No, I'm not being blasphemous, folks. I just wanted to "touch base" as it were, on totally out of line goings-on in this country these days. I'm not saying that the right wingers have a lock on stupid and poor taste, but I've got to wonder about the intelligence level of some of these people.

"For at least the past 10 years, the megachurch evangelical movement has been telling its parishioners that Jesus wants them to get rich. That fit rather nicely with the triumphalism of Bush/Rove & Co. as it built its "permanent majority" with their votes, testifying that it was their all-American duty to trample the environment and the poor, and to kill Afghan and Iraqi Muslims, on the way to God's kingdom. In imitation of the way Bush paid for his wars, many of the devout simply loaded themselves up with debt, buying SUVs and McMansions in spanking new developments.
Since the capitalist collapse, of course, that debt has become toxic. Now, in their dismay and confusion over having supported Bush--one of the first governors, by the way, to declare an annual state "Jesus Day"--evangelicals are left with a terrible anger. And they desperately don't want to turn that anger inward.

And now we have the Great Unraveling. As the waters recede, what's left behind are follies like the "Drowning Jesus" (a/k/a "Touchdown Jesus"), a 62-foot-high sculpture of Christ set chest-deep in a reflecting pool at the Solid Rock Church in Monroe, Ohio, one of the non-coastal states Palin is visiting on her book tour. And who's to blame for that embarrassing excess, constructed in 2004?
I know: ACORN." (from an article sent to me)

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/9786

I hope you've gone to that link to see what I mean. I live not too far from there. It's mind boggling.

CATEGORIZE, SCHMATEGORIZE

2009-11-20T12:16:00.000-08:00

I'm getting a little overwhelmed and confused these days. Left wing liberal. Right wing conservative. GOP= Party of NO. DEMS=socialism. Sarah Palin= right wing goddess. Nancy Pelosi=left wing spawn of the devil. Bush=the decider. Obama=the ditherer. Abortion=right wing values, slap-down of women's rights. Abortion= celebration of women's rights, proof of left wing ungodliness. I'm caught in a morass of contradictions. No matter what I believe in, I'M WRONG.

I don't ever remember such vileness, divisiveness, fear mongering, truth stretching, slandering, pushing-of-religion for political purposes "in all my born days" as I used to hear said as a child. (I know, that was many years ago...) But we have been treated to a show of such lack of decorum, manners, respect, insult to intelligence, and shenanigans that would make Oral Roberts and P.T. Barnum blush. We all are not generalizations. We don't all live and die by the POLLS. We all don't swear by FOX news. Some of us actually THINK and go by our gut feelings to know what is right or wrong. Most of us are caught in the middle: we hear all the mumbo-jumbo put out by "our" side or the "opposition", and we agree with a little of both. But, NO, that's not acceptable. You're either for us or agin us, by golly!!

I believe in God, a higher being, a plan for each of our lives. I don't believe that all organized religions have a lock on goodness and yours, just because it is different than mine, is bad. I know that the Bible is a guide for leading a good and selfless life. But I also know it is a collection of writings that over time, have been rearranged, edited, added to and condensed to suit whatever purposes that particular group of scholars had in mind at the time. I believe there NEEDS to be a separation of church and state as was written by our forefathers when founding this country. I don't believe any religion-Catholic, evangelical, atheist, Jewish,-needs to be pressing their agenda into this country's politics. Nor do I believe that money from any of these organizations should be accepted for any purpose. I believe this country was built by people of all colors, creeds, nationalities, classes, education, and sexes. If it's OK to to use these same people in your factories, fields, homes, stores, and restaurants, they need to be afforded the same rights as everyone else, as long as they know what their responsibilities are as citizens. I believe NO ONE should have the right to tell me what to do with my body. I don't condone abortion as a method of birth control. I've never had one: but I don't believe any self-righteous man is going to tell me or any other woman in a dire circumstance that they can't have one. (I've worked more than 20 years of my life with OB/GYN's. This is not spoken callously.)
I believe in helping my fellow American citizen, or any person for that matter. I expect everyone to work for what they want to achieve in life: there's nothing wrong with succeeding in what you do. Money is not the root of all evil, LOVE of money is. It's when you don't use what you have (money or talent) in helping others do the same that the selfishness and greed sets in. It's when the looking down on others as "lazy, ignorant, waiting-for-hand-outs, and inferior" begins that turns me off.

So I guess I"ll continue down the road as an independent, not-so-middle-class-anymore, women's rights, spiritual, humor-loving, cancer-surviving, left-leaning, family-loving, commonsensical (is that a word?) kind of person. For those of you I irritate, I apologize. For those of you I amuse: at least I've accomplished something.

MY ENGLISH TEACHER IS NOT HAPPY

2009-11-18T08:07:00.001-08:00

I found this fascinating quote today:

OK, so, maybe that's a bit extreme; but anyone who lives in our household has probably gotten used to hearing me growl, "fewer!" when some talking head -- especially on the news -- uses "less" when the proper term would be, well, "fewer." For example, a report on the state of the U.S. economy that aired not too long ago mentioned that the economic stimulus plan had generated less jobs than expected. (It's painful even to type that...) No, no, NO!!! The plan has created FEWER jobs!!! Sigh. Generations of English teachers must be spinning in their graves...Fr. John McCuen, Observations from an Empty Well, Nov 2009

A man after my own heart! I just about lose it when I hear these so-called journalists go on in their somber tones about serious topics, and they don't have a clue that they have lessened it's effect on me because they have mangled the delivery. I'm left sitting, yelling at the television or screaming at the radio, correcting the bad grammar. I've totally ignored the message: I'm skewering the messenger. My kids are used to it by now.....they're adults, with kids of their own. But two of my daughters say that now when they interview people for positions, or have employee meetings this little buzzer goes off in their heads: "Oh, that doesn't sound right. Mom would not like that at ALL."

I know you're busy, so I'll just condense my usual rants about the Fall Of The Correct Usage Of Grammar and The Dumbing Down Of America. My family has heard it already. Several times.

1.) TROOP refers to a specific association of people (more than 1) such as a Boy Scout troop, Brownie troop NOT an individual person ie: twenty troops were killed today in Iraq.
2.) REGIME is sort of a political overthrow of government, not a REGIMEN. My exercise regimen leaves a lot to be desired, but we won't go there.
3.) Using MYSELF instead of ME or I in a statement. "Sarah Palin and myself will be at the book signing at Costco today." Of course, saying Sarah and I would be anywhere together is a fantasy and very dumb.
4.)I HAVE GOT to tell you that in English-classes-past this was a definite no-no. Any form of these two words used together was incorrect, but now has morphed into acceptable. I still cringe.
5.) As in the case of FEWER and LESS, the correct usage of MOST and MAJORITY has also taken a hit. It has to do with numbers: most of the class would agree, but the majority of the thirty students have come to accept it I guess. Did you get that?
6.) I'm not letting this one go: not only using MYSELF incorrectly, but placing it/me before everyone else you're discussing. "Myself, John, Betty, and Mary are going out for lunch today." Apparently you're hungrier than the rest of your friends or you would have said "John, Betty, Mary, and I are going out for lunch today." Of course, you're treating, aren't you?

Aftermath...from a Military Family's Perspective

2009-11-13T11:02:00.000-08:00

This is a beautiful piece.
the-reaction.blogspot.com/2009/11/collateral-damage-after-fort-hood.html

Please, please read this. For me, and for your country.

OUTRAGEOUS OUTRAGE

2009-11-11T07:24:00.000-08:00

Now that makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? A bit redundant. Maybe even overkill. But that seems to be the reaction of a lot of right wing, flag waving news personalities of late. Especially those of a religious bent, speaking from their paid-for-by-me pulpits.

On his 700 Club TV show yesterday, Pat Robertson claimed that Islam is "not a religion," but "a violent political system bent on the overthrow of the governments of the world and world domination":

ROBERTSON: That is the ultimate aim. And they talk about infidels and all this, but the truth is that's what the game is. So you are dealing with not a religion. You're dealing with a political system. And I think we should treat it as such and treat its adherences as such as we would members of the Communist Party or members of some fascist group. Well, it's a tragedy. Our hearts go out to the families who suffered. But those in the Army should be held on account for the fact they let this man loose.

That is from the blog THE REACTION, which is a must-read for thinking people. Why do we condemn a whole group of people for the irrational acts of one man? Can I rightfully say that all Baptists or evangelicals are insane murderers because one blew up a clinic and killed a doctor who performed abortions? During WWII we rounded up, put in concentration camps, and tormented Japanese/American citizens because they might be spies. Yet we get extremely indignant and outraged (there's that word again) when an American citizen is singled out, ridiculed, or prosecuted by another country, rightly or wrongly. America: home of the free and the double standard.

God made man in his image, but he didn't make us all carbon copies. He made different nationalities and put us in different countries where various social and religious mores exist. He didn't leave a list stating that one was better than the other. He gave us all brains, but he didn't give us all intelligence apparently. It seems as if this great melting pot has become a boiling cauldron. Time to turn down the heat, I say.

Outlook On Life

2009-11-10T14:43:00.000-08:00

"I always take life with a grain of salt...plus a slice of lemon...and a shot of tequila."

by darthstar on Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 01:07:09 PM PST on Daily Koz

What more needs to be said?

The Wedding Rundown

2009-11-10T13:06:00.001-08:00

In our years of shooting weddings, we have come to know firsthand the stresses of the modern wedding day. The anxious bride. The overbearing (sometimes) mother. The commander-in-chief wedding planner. The clueless dad. The I'm-only-here-for-the-party groom. All the relatives with impossible suggestions and comparisons of weddings past. And sometimes the overbearing but clueless bride herself.

But you know, the hardest job of all is being the scene-stealing flower girl.

IMPENDING BACKLASH?

2009-11-06T07:22:00.000-08:00

Yesterday a horrible event took place: a killing of 13 people and wounding of 31 at a military base. The perpetrator was an American citizen of the Muslim faith, and a military officer. The exact reason has yet to be known. What is known, though, was that in the past this person had been ridiculed by fellow military men and others about his name and religion. We all know that being a person in uniform is no easy task. Sometimes the training, the mindset, the listening to horror stories of soldiers returning form Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel and Pakistan is overwhelming. Especially if people in these countries we are fighting, or even trying to help, are the people of your heritage. Americans can be cruel, also. Maybe not intentionally, but our coarseness, brusqueness, our get-to-the-point attitude has been mistaken many times for arrogance and uncaring. Oftentimes this feeling of low self worth, ridicule, and "not belonging" can be exploited by larger groups for a sinister purpose. Or we ourselves just can't take it anymore.

Right wing radio and television---ok, Fox and the 700 Club for sure---have already started the questioning. The backlash has begun. More trouble will start. It works so well for getting the teabaggers together.

"Just what makes this a "Muslim problem?" Maybe it's a "male problem." Maybe it is a "gun problem." Or an "Army problem."

Timothy McVeigh was Catholic. Was the bombing of the Oklahoma Federal Building a "Catholic problem?" Hitler was a Catholic. Another "Catholic problem?" Serial killer Ted Bundy was Mormon. Was that a "Mormon problem?" The Son of Sam was a baptist. Dylan Bennet Klebold, of the infamous Columbine shootings was Lutheran. A "Lutheran problem, perhaps?"

In reality, this is a "Bigotry problem." And those people full of hate are happy to make an issue of it."................from Huff Post.

The above response to an article this morning hits the nail on the head. Try to keep some perspective in all of this. If there are cooler heads among us, let them prevail.

SOME PEOPLE GET IT

2009-11-02T06:50:00.000-08:00

"You know, this was an interesting article and kind of at the heart of why I started voting Dem. I don't agree with every Dem program and sometimes I think they are trying to be almost too liberal (in many programs), but that's ok because I'd rather err on the side of over-helping your fellow citizens then under-helping. If I'm tagged a "socialist" because I believe in assisting people (felow Americans) in their time of need, then so be it. 40 hour work weeks, overtime pay, paid vacation, unions, medicare, social security, the EPA, clean air clean water, food inspections and a zillion other programs to benefit us, the people, initiated by Dems.

The largest benficiaries of the repubs are big business, who used to be totally connected to America, but are now multi-nationals who have zero allegience with any country, only the never ending quest for more money (regardless of the pain it causes). When this happens you have lost jobs, lower wages and basically a race to the bottom, which is the end result of free market fundamentalism. 400% and climbing is the ratio of the top pay to the average worker. Thats just sad.

I remember a day when the rich still got rich, the middle class was envied the world over and the working poor had a better than even chance of getting out."............................. by RedneckDem

This quote is in response to an article I read this morning on Huffington Post. I could not have put it as eloquently. Where have we as a nation gone wrong? Have we totally lost all compassion? Has greed become our sole purpose for living? Is it all about ME? Do we let our political leaders and big business hypnotize us into believing that they are there to look out for our well being? That it's OK for them to make all these ungodly amounts of money behind our backs, receive all these atrocious perks mostly with our money---and we're to believe it'll trickle down to us? Have we become that complacent and stupid? Are we mostly fools who put on a show for their benefit like the "tea baggers"?

If that's the case, as a once great nation, we are in trouble.

IN THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT

2009-10-30T15:55:00.000-07:00

Boo!! This is the weekend for trick or treat, costumes, ghosts, and scary beings. It's weird enough that Pat Robertson is going off today on the origins of halloween, demons, devil worshipping, bad for kids and all that. And on CNN I read a column about some group that is SURE that candy being given out to kids is cursed, "blessed" by witches, and they spin a tale that would make Stephen King envious. But the scariest thing I can think of is Glen Beck. Glen Beck doesn't just come out on halloween: he's around all the the time. If you've got the stomach or heart to watch.

I know, there's a big hullaballoo going on because a certain network can't seem to come to grips that "their party" didn't quite make it in the last election. I'm not sure if it should be causing as much a stir as it is now, but it's not unprecedented. Former administrations had the same go-rounds with the media, which with today's selective memory, they seem to have forgotten. With the invention of taping and digital recording, it's very easy to "recall" these incidents. Not sure that the administration or advisors should have taken a stance, but fair is fair. (But not Fair and Balanced.) I won't even go into the "characters" going to the Tea Parties.........but I digress.

Glen Beck surely can't take himself seriously. His viewers can't seriously believe this man represents the majority mindset or intelligence today. He can take the most far out nonsense, make faces, use funny (?) voices, use disputed facts and debunked theories, draw pictures, quote scriptures, and cry within two minutes time. He makes Rush Limbaugh seem like a Franciscan monk. (Ok, that's a stretch.) Don't they have medication for that?? He scares the heck out of me! And he doesn't wear a costume!

He's a money maker for the network, even though sponsors are getting very leery about his carryings on. Would you want your goods or services associated with that mess? What really scares me is that people ---his fans-- think he's godlike, tells it like it is, spouting the TRUTH about all the behind the scenes "conspiracies" in our government, all the freedoms in the Constitution being taken away. He loves his country: I guess he just lets the rest of us malcontents live here. (You can buy his new book, of course.) Add in Michelle Malkin, Ann Coulter, Alex Castelanos, Neil Cavuto with encouragement from Mr. Murdoch and you've got a witch's brew to be proud of. A pot ready to boil over at any minute. And Glen beck is the master chef.

Where is Emeril Lagasse when you need him??

ROAD TRIP AND ROCK N ROLL

2009-10-27T07:04:00.000-07:00

We went to Tennessee this weekend. Had to have my red-dirt-and-mountains fix. Also, we were trying to get a handle on the housing (or condo-ing) market in the eastern part of the state. When we make the jump next year, we want to know where to land. There is always so much to do in the Tri-state area, and not enough time for just a weekend. But for those who went to Asheville, they might be there a little longer thanks to the rockslide on Rt. 40, the main drag to ANYWHERE down there.

While we were in Maryville--a great town that is undergoing a rebirth of the arts, economy and social life--we stopped at a neat new eatery: Hot Rods 50"s Diner. Ashley Schwartz is the owner, and her food and staff were great. Such a good vibe. The pictures were taken at the diner. If you're in the area, just a little ways from Knoxville, stop in.
It will make you feel good.

FIX THE REPAIRS

2009-10-23T06:37:00.001-07:00

Well, not much time to write this morning. I have to take the car back to the dealer service. I have a Nissan Murano, which I absolutely love. Never any problems with it even after 67,000 miles.

I took it in for a complete tuneup, which was over due. This cost a lot of money. Now only 2 or 3 days later I have an annoying hum on the passenger side, up under the hood. Sort of like when you used to put playing cards in the spokes of your bicycle wheels so that you sounded fast. (Or so we thought.) This had better not cost me a thing.

Update: Did you know that leaves caught in an air filter can be very annoying? Duh....but I'm glad that's all it was. The guys were very nice, as always. But more interesting was talking with a feisty gentleman who also had his Murano in for service. His name was Ron and he lives in Yellow Springs. (Hey there, Ron.) Such an interesting conversation: we had a lot in common and talked about politics, religion, and people. But in no particular order. How very JABBERWOCKY.........

Convenient Amnesia

2009-10-21T16:54:00.000-07:00

"I have spoken of a thousand points of light, of all the community organizations that are spread like stars throughout the Nation, doing good. I will go to the people and the programs that are the brighter points of light, and I will ask every member of my government to become involved. The old ideas are new again because they are not old, they are timeless: duty, sacrifice, commitment, and a patriotism that finds its expression in taking part and pitching in."

—George H. W. Bush, 1988

It seems like the right wing news "journalists" like Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Michele Malkin, Charles Krauthamer, and Bill O'Reilly are having a heyday with President Obama's community organizing and efforts to promote more volunteerism in our country. They are promoting it as "government enforced" or subsidized programs akin to socialism, of course. Another way to gain government control of the masses and have them do the government's bidding of undermining our Constitution.

They seem to have forgotten that the American way, the right way, the only way to help our country is to help each other. They also seem to have forgotten The Thousand Points of Light program of George Bush, their Republican president. Hmmm........

Indian Summer

2009-10-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

At least that's what it feels like today. Unfortunately, it's also time to get the patio furniture put away and the fountain drained until next spring. I hate that! I want to sit outside everyday. I want a glass of wine in the evening, sit and listen to relaxing music. Where did the summer go? It's true, I'm sad to say, but it goes by faster each year. Either we're too busy and need to slow down, or maybe not shoot so many weddings on the weekends. Maybe it's global warming making our seasons all wonky. Maybe I'm just getting lazy.......

2009-10-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

BIBLE RE-DO: PART TWO

2009-10-19T11:46:00.000-07:00

"So I guess they'll have to take out most of the gospels, eh? after all, Jesus fed the multitudes for free, raises lazarus from the dead without a copay, heals the sick and blind again without a copay or a specialist's note, defends a prostitute, etc etc. sounds like a raging socialist to me, i guess all of this will be deleted?"

It seems as if there are others who feel the same way as I do about the Conservative Bible Project. The quote above is from a comment made in a Tennessee newspaper in response to an article about the same subject. Remember people, the south has the reputation for being very bible-based. Whether this is true or not remains to be seen. The teachings of Jesus, and the stories of the old testament may guide us to lead a full, honest, giving, sharing, and selfless life. The world is not all about ME, folks. We are all in this together.

I don't believe a lot of these conservative religious folks like to think of Jesus as a rebel, or even a liberal. But he was. He lived and worked, and recruited from among the everyday common folks. He shared food and lodging; he went against the organized religion of the day; he gave away his belongings to the poor, and he asked that everyone be treated the same. Sounds very democratic to me, too. Can you imagine what the health insurance, oil and energy, and big business lobbyists would do if he was around (in the flesh) today?

THE BIBLE THE RIGHT WAY

2009-10-18T07:10:00.000-07:00

Would someone please tell me what in the heck is wrong with people today?? Is Fox Opinion Television putting something in the water? In the air? Is it emanating from the television screen in your living room?

The Conservative Bible Project run by the son of Phyllis Schlafly, a conservative rights activist, wants to change the current version of the bible. (Conservapedia.com/Conservative_Bible_Project) It's too liberal for him and his group. Granted the bible has been updated, condensed, retranslated, added to, and messed with for centuries. Several books have been left out. Some were books written by women: they didn't add to the true message of what Jesus was trying to say, I guess. Well, at least not according to the priests and other male scholars who were parsing together the King James Bible that is used today. Let's see: Jesus associated with women, worked with women, trusted women, helped women, defended women. And as far as we know he couldn't have been gay---the conservatives would have THROWN OUT his words, not printed them in red.

Yep, these people feel the need to make the bible less liberal, more masculine, and generally more to their liking. To me it fits right in with their usual "keep women in the kitchen, barefoot, and pregnant" theories that have worked so well for decades. The conservative party, or whatever, is no place for an intelligent, forward thinking woman today. Unless you like being the token Barbie, forgiving your errant spouse when he "strays, but loves his wife, and begs forgiveness" publicly. And if you happen to have been born gay and are politically minded, forget it.

Well, it probably won't make much difference anyway. They've forgotten about the separation of church and state somehow. And they only quote bible passages when they want to twist them to mean what they say against someone else with a different point of view. So, I guess it already says what they want it to.........

IQ OF A CREDIT THIEF

2009-10-14T12:17:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm ticked off: some guy in Illinois was having a high old time on my dime. Actually he was using my Chase debit/credit card numbers. I've got the actual piece of plastic in my hand...or I did until I cut it into a million pieces. Ok, maybe only twenty.
Got to give a big "high five" to my bank though: this happened Saturday, and as of today (Wednesday) they can't even manage to get a faxed report from headquarters for me to sign to say "yeah, that's what happened to my money." It's not their money that was stolen, and not their money that won't be there when the automatic payments come out in the next few days. As a matter of fact, I just read on Huffington Post that J PMorgan Chase made umpteen kazillion dollars profit this quarter. Glad that stimulus money could help you out, JP. Now about my $354.00..........

Seriously, I don't know how these guys do it. The credit card thieves, I mean. (I know how the other big guys do it.) If you're going to be big and brazen in your attempt to get something for nothing (again, the thieves) why not do something big? Go buy some nice clothes, jewelry, have a fabulous dinner----on me. Rent a nice car for the weekend, and maybe a rendezvous in a swanky hotel, complete with chocolates on the pillow. Live it up.

What's with the purchases at Walmart? Did you get the car and the motorcycle filled up at Exxon,too? Hope the pizza at Stella
Albino's was good? Beers to go with that? Who needed the gift from the hospital gift shop, and I hope the surgery went well. If I'd known, I would have sent flowers.............

NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

2009-10-09T11:20:00.000-07:00

Well, there's no peace in the blogosphere......or any other form of media today. Our president is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and two-thirds of this country goes bonkers! No punch is pulled. No heartfelt congratulations are offered. Right-wingers are aghast and spewing forth the usual poison. Lefters are saying it's too early in his career. Some folks are rooting for that career to end quickly. Teabaggers are planning their next disruption. Whites are shouting "affirmative action" prize. Blacks are high-fiving each other. Bloggers are making the usual crass remarks about Michelle Obama and her looks. Twitters are wishing they could use more than 140 characters today.

What is wrong with this country? For being such a supposedly "Christian" country, or at least one based on the morals and ethics of such, we suck. We have no respect for anyone. We have no values. We can only hope for the worst for others, because then we feel better about ourselves. We relish others' misfortunes, laugh at others' mistakes and foibles. We are voyeurs in the lives of people on television and movies: people that are shallow, selfish and who wouldn't even be noticed if they weren't shoved in our face constantly. Political figures, supposedly of good character and working hard for our concerns in government, are living the "do as I say, not as I do" lifestyle of charlatans. Talk show "journalists" push their agendas brashly and unquestioned.

President Obama stated that he was humbled by this award, and that he was undeserving. It was an award not just for him, but for all those people who are trying to make this world a better place. (Ok, not a direct quote, I know. But the message is the same. I'll leave the parsing of words to the pundits.) Yes, it does seem too soon on one hand. He's not been in office a year yet. He's getting opposition from so many people on what he wants to accomplish: people that are steadfastly partisan in their views. Any form of change from the status quo is the end of the world to them. "The way it's always been is the way it should be. Anything else is socialism, ungodly, sending the country off a cliff, galavanting around with foreign devils, showing the world we're just a bunch of wusses!"

Wait a minute: this Nobel Peace Prize.......it's winners are chosen from the world stage, correct? And I know there are many people just as or even more deserving than our president. His accomplishments are not fully written yet. Maybe that's not the point. It's the EFFORT to achieve this peace, or the coming together of the world at this time that is the point. Someone is actually trying to do something without taking over every other country forcefully, leaving those people with a sense of dignity whether deserved or not. Someone recognizes that America is not the only country in this wide world, but does have a leading role to play.

If only the people of America understood that peace is not something we go in and demand. It is something we work for, and not by ourselves. This is the message that our president is trying to get out. It is something that we at home need to get into our heads, too. All this right wing hostility and left wing condescension, all this "we said, they said" needs to stop. This country is a glaring example of what the world at large should not be. I'm not being pollyanna-ish here. Just realistic. Maybe, that too, is a good reason to award the Nobel Prize to our president: what can be accomplished on the world stage HAS to be done here a home, regardless of all the opposition. There has to be change.

OCTOBER: WEAR PINK............for whom?

2009-10-08T06:19:00.000-07:00

October, as you all know by now, is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Pink is everywhere: pins, soup cans, headbands, sweaters, NASCAR cars, sports figures, purses, food containers. I've personally known two wonderful people who've died from breast cancer--a nurse in our office as well as the wife of the doctor I worked for. This is serious business.

It is also big business. A well-funded, organized, high profile, years' long campaign involving all sorts of businesses, entertainers, media, and political figures. You'd think that with all the money and attention being focused on this disease we'd be further along in its eradication. The medical establishment, as well as its branches in the drug and medical supply industry, should be pretty close to a cure by now. Wouldn't it be great business and political strategy to be the first to come up with a cure for breast cancer? Or any cancer, for that matter. Just think of the financial reward for that development!

Just think, no more women having to suffer with breast cancer surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, harmful drugs, wigs, prosthetics, long hospital stays and doctor visits. The cost savings alone (whether insurance or out-of-pocket) to patients would be tremendous. Then there would be no need for the big Pink Push every year, all the commercialized fundraising. The drug companies and related entities would not have to produce and market all those drugs and....................oh, sorry.

Heart disease is the number one killer of women, but a woman's breasts are better marketing. A very personal and emotional subject. Breast cancer to a woman and also her family is devastating. I thinks it's time for businesses to stop playing on those emotions for some sort of financial gain. That's right.....a woman just said that. Who's really getting the best end of this deal? I don't believe for one minute it's the women suffering from breast cancer.

ALZHEIMER'S Can be Jabberwocky

2009-10-05T07:22:00.000-07:00

Lewis Carroll created memorable stories and poems around nonsensical, strange beings. Silly words and situations were his forte. I love the way the make-believe words roll off my tongue. " Twas brillig..."

Alzheimer's patients find themselves in strange situations, making nonsensical statements not of their choosing. Their words do not come easy, if at all. It pains me.

My mom has Alzheimer's.

She still gets around, considering she broke her left hip in January which necessitated surgery and rehabilitation. She walks with a walker now. Due to macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts she is blind: no sight in her right eye and almost none in her left. All those eye surgeries in the past can only do so much. She used to be five foot nine, with dark brown hair. She took pride in the fact that she always had a slim figure--thin almost. Now at about five foot four, with her thinning grey hair, she barely weighs one hundred pounds. She just turned eighty-nine.

Now in a very nice Assisted Living Center, we've not bothered to mention the Alzheimer's to her: it would serve no purpose. Everyday she's up and about as best she can be. Always dresses for the trip to the dining room: slacks, blouse, sweater, earrings, necklace, lipstick. No nightgowns or robes there, folks. She loves bright colors, especially red. Even though I try to organize her clothes closet, the outfits she chooses are of her making. She can't see, remember?

Alzheimer's alone can be a cross heavy enough for someone to bear, but the blindness to her is devastating. To not remember where your matching earring is can be annoying, but not see it to retrieve it is maddening. When she can't remember what she had for breakfast (or even if she had any), she can't readily see the snacks and fruit we keep stocked for her in her small refrigerator or shelf. Alzheimer's is cruel, but blindness is torture. She tries to go play bingo..... She has to listen to shows on television that have some sort of narration......She tries to recall her grandchildren's names by the sound of their voices. I have to tell her who I am.

And so it goes. Alzheimer's has it's own little path through a person's life. Right now everything is OK, not great but OK. Things are worse than several months ago, but we'll appreciate that for as long as we can. She downsized from a two room apartment to a large studio. Things are easier for her now. As easy as they can be. Alzheimer's can be an unruly roommate over the long run.

RED DIRT

2009-09-21T07:39:00.000-07:00

Have you ever felt a connection to a certain place, an almost psychic bond. No, I'm not talking weird here, folks. Just that feeling that maybe you've come home----and it's hundreds, maybe thousands of miles from where you actually live.

For me, it's red dirt. That iron-rich, rusty colored, badly staining clay. Eastern Tennessee is loaded with it. I can't wait to get to that red dirt, green mountains, beautiful lakes, slower pace of life, foggy mountains in the morning, great food, and sociable people, whenever I can. Lots of relatives there, so I've gone there forever. That's where we plan to live in a year or so. We now live in Ohio..............

I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, but I was only there for 2 or 3 years. I went back for a visit a few years ago. I found that I loved the red dirt, green mountains, beautiful water all around, slower pace of life, foggy mountains in the morning, wonderful food, and great people. We now live in Ohio.............but we're moving to Tennessee.

Hmmmmmmm.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE?

2009-09-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm showing my age.......or at least my generation: flower-child, almost.

I was a folkie: a follower of Bob Dylan, Arlo Gutherie, Joan Baez, Kris Kristofferson, Ritchie Havens, and Peter, Paul, and Mary to name a few. I loved the pictures their music painted and the stories their lyrics wove. "Where have all the flowers gone?" I loved the tight harmonies, but also the subtle, hard driving guitar beat in the background. I felt uplifted and hopeful even if they sang of hardship and freedoms hard won.

Later, I watched Laugh In. It was a beautiful, zany, politically-tinged, irreverent show. It was witty and quick: no preaching, just thought provoking and humorous. It pushed the bounds of propriety for it's time. It had a resident poet.....a sweet, funny soul always carrying a flower, by the name of Henry Gibson.

Where have the flowers gone: Good bye, Mary Travers and Henry Gibson.

LESS IS MORE, More or less: TODAY'S VERSION

2009-09-16T14:15:00.000-07:00

We're all familiar with that old saying "less is more." How does it relate to today's society?

Stylists have always told women to look in the mirror as they leave to go to go on a date or attend a social function, and then remove one piece of jewelry: less is more, don't overdo it. Home stagers will stress to their clients: remove all clutter and personal items to achieve a sense of space and balance to sell their homes more quickly. Every women knows (or SHOULD) that a light touch of make-up to hide flaws and enhance your appearance is much better than looking like a painted-up cartoon character. A little less will achieve more of a result.

Somehow this message has gotten garbled in today's world. The less you know, the more you have to say. The less of an accredited authority, the more you will be called on to state your opinion. The less you delve into a subject or investigate its veracity, the more believable you want to be. The less grip you have on honesty or sanity, the more you'll host your own show. Oh, wait.....I guess less is more....attention getting, in some sense.

People, I find, are using less common sense and becoming more easily led. They are becoming less civil and more seditious. Instead of striving for the truth they are becoming more strident in their condemnation. Instead of being examples of wisdom and truth, they are becoming more like the people you've cautioned your kids not to be. Religion has become less a spiritual guide by which to live your life, and become a convenient talking point to battle your opponent. Less about you and more about me.

The world is always changing, hopefully evolving. Change is never easy: you never know if it's going to be good or bad. Sometimes it affects us and we didn't really ask for it. But usually we have a hand in the final result. It's not the state of change itself that is most telling, it's our reaction to it.

We've got to get over this "my side right, your side wrong" mentality so prevalent today. A little less use of overworked labels and more courtesy. Less knee-jerk reaction and more thoughtful discourse. I'm not talking pollyanna rhetoric here, folks, but just a stepping back for a moment. Turn off the television for a while. Quit looking at those crudely written signs on display, whether we want to see them or not. Give your brain a chance to regain its composure, as it were. It's all a carnival anymore, and I'm getting dizzy from the merry-go-round.

THROUGH MY LOOKING GLASS

2009-09-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one here who's beginning to feel like Alice Thru The Looking Glass? Has the world turned all topsy-turvy on me, and I didn't get the memo? Or has it always been that way, and I have spent all my time down the Rabbit Hole? Help me, Alice.

Once upon a time, it was good and right to help those less fortunate than you, to give a helping hand to others in trouble. Once upon a time, it was "my brother's keeper", but now it's "I'm keeping mine." Once upon a time, it was "give us your tired, your poor" but now it's building walls to keep everybody out. Once upon a time, it was "we're all in this together and now it's "socialism" and welfare.

I long for the good ol' days. You know those days when everything was peaches and cream. Casseroles for dinner and dad wore a fedora (that's a kind of hat, for all you GenX'ers). Ozzie and Harriet. The Brady Bunch----not Jon & Kate with their 8. People bought cars that didn't cost as much as their first house. But I only want to talk about the 70's and 80's here folks.........

I remember those days: I was a single mom raising four kids. Nope, sorry: I was a college educated, full time employed, home-owning mom. (Where did that white picket fence go?) We did have casseroles, and hamburgers, and scrambled eggs, and hotdogs, biscuits and gravy, koolaid instead of pop, and frozen waffles. The kids went to school (OK, 95% of the time and they got caught the rest of it) had friends to run around with, yelled at each other (they could voice their opinions, but I made the house payments!), and generally lived our life. The good and bad of it. Especially the bad cancer part, or parts, since it came again. I had surgery and radiation. Then 18 months later chemo and radiation. (Highly recommended for weight loss, if you can put up with the side effects...) We survived: kids graduated one by one and went on to college or jobs. Well, there was one that wanted to prolong this "growing up and being responsible process." But I held my breath, gave him a check for the first month's rent and shoved him out of the nest....

I'm sure millions of other families went through the same lives and rituals. Most of us in this country have the same values and beliefs. We've all had triumphs and tragedies.

Where did we go wrong, or better yet, why were we led in the wrong direction? Are the "kids" finally taking over the "household'?

The slogan that "what was good for GM is good for the country" turned out to be wrong. Your hometown, friendly bank somehow morphed into a monster ready to eat you alive. Your locally elected officials are always looking for that next "job upgrade" instead of concentrating on now. Mom and pop stores were shoved aside to make way for superstores of all sizes and stripes. Even your water and foods are bad for you--not to mention the air your breathe, if you believe everything you hear today.

The operative word here today is "believe." I don't believe screaming and shouting to get your point across during a civil debate is productive or intelligent. I don't believe representatives elected by us are allowed a "free pass" for bad behavior and indiscretions because they are "important." I believe that there, but for the grace of god go I, in many situations. I believe everyone should work, or volunteer, or barter, or teach, or toil, to the best of their ability to help their families and neighbors in their daily lives. I believe in a god, a sense of religion, and a sense of spirituality, but I don't believe everyone has to adhere to those same exact beliefs. If we did, why did this same god make so many "variations on a theme?" I also believe that this same all-knowing being gave us brains and minds to use for the purpose of knowing right and wrong, and when to do it. I also believe this universe is millions of years old, still evolving, and it's all according to a greater plan. We are the one's who aren't following directions.

So, I guess I'll go back to my tunnel, snack on some magic mushrooms, wait for Alice, and hope for the best. I 'll stay away from news journalists, politicians, talking heads, and rabble rousers. No, I'm not ignoring the world of today. I just need a break, a time to find my center, and it can go on without me. Life is usually what happens when we're so busy making other plans, or trying to get others to change theirs.