November Fifth

Every minute matters

2011-11-03T18:21:00.004-04:00

I colleague of mine died in an accident yesterday at work. I. am. stunned.

Teaching can be a dangerous job, but this man had an especially dangerous job teaching students how to maintain wind turbines on a two-story cell-tower-ish looking thing.

Wasn't the weather... cause of the accident is still under investigation, but the student he was up there with is okay--- physically. I have a feeling he saved that student's life. He was just that kind of guy.

Weird thing was, I was leaving a noontime faculty meeting and walked past the tower/class-area heading out to my car when I saw the cop cars and ambulance as it drove away. Offhandedly I thought: I need to email him to ask what happened and if he's okay.

An email informed me a couple hours later that he had died as a result of his injuries from the two-story fall.

Shocked and stunned.

He was 36, had an adopted greyhound, loved the outdoors, loved his job, was a teacher and a kind soul who thought our stupid world was important enough to respect with green-energy jobs and infrastructure. He will be missed.

Gone Teachin'

2011-09-29T19:15:00.007-04:00

All,
Out to lunch
Be back in two years

Sorry for my horrid and seemingly determined avoidance of the blogosphere.

I landed a full-time professorship in late July... have been doing that waving-my-arms-while-running-forward-as-fast-as-I-can-so-I-don't-trip-and-fall-flat-on-my-face thing.

My excuse for the twenty-four months prior? A newly discovered condition known as B.A. No, not Big Ass (but that's apropos, too). Blog Apathy. Just couldn't read anymore, didn't want to write, felt like a douche-y blog friend. Add to that the *18* classes I taught in the academic year 2010... yes, being an adjunct nearly cost me what was left of my sanity after I finished the hell that is known as "writing a dissertation" in 2009.

We are getting ready to move my 80 year old mother to the town where she swore she would never return after my dad left her for the lab tech with whom he had been sneaking around, 30+ years ago. (Hi, Dad's Wife, if you are reading this. Congrats on the 30 years of marriage.) *That* has been one f*ck of an epic battle. Long story. Not worth going into.

Tom's doing well. He's writing his dissertation and expected to graduate in December. And by "expected," that means he is registered as a candidate (officially, with the university, too) and he better be writing it because I will kick his furry man-butt if he doesn't.

Since I last broadcast my nonsense into the ether: we have not moved; we still have two cats; we almost moved to Australia; we got a second car; we decided 1,000% we are not having kids; we almost talked about moving to Scotland/Sweden/Munich (Tom's getting all kinds of job ads now that he's nearing the end of the 'ole doctoratino); we are about one year older, none the wiser, and still stuck in the middle of corn fields.

What has changed: I am okay with it. All of it. Really.

Except the GOP.

Not okay with those fuckers. Ever.

I'll be back for more...

I leave you with the finished product of a project I started years ago and gave my mom for X-mas last year (finally) as in X-mas, ten months ago X-mas:

I know. I am a procrastinator...

Make Them Pay

2011-07-05T23:39:00.003-04:00

Bernie Sanders, perhaps one of the only rational remaining members of Congress in terms of our debt, has a great petition for the president that you can sign at this link.

We need to send a message to our Commander-in-Chief that we middle-classers are sick and tired of paying the tab for the orgy of excess by the top 2%.

We need to make sure they pay their fair share. There is indeed *something* trickling down... it's yellow but it isn't gold doubloons...

Wednesday Wisdom

2011-06-22T12:30:00.003-04:00

Dear Financial Robber-Baron

2011-06-10T13:49:00.013-04:00

Dear Mr.-Big-Wall-Street-Eff-You-Mainstreeter Bank,

I am closing my account and taking my business to a locally owned and operated bank.

This is on the heels of many, many things that have pissed me right the hell off in the last few years about your bank (one that got its ass covered by my tax dollars). The last straw: my *two* direct deposits for May (slow month pay-wise in higher ed if you are an adjunct) didn't meet your rules for ONE minimum deposit, EVEN THOUGH BOTH TOGETHER BLEW THE MINIMUM OUT OF THE WATER! You swiftly debited my account $12 in order to show me the error of my ways. When I called about it I was told (by a disinterested and crappy telephone "banker") to: check my account daily (do) and... wait for it..... wait for it.... to ask my boss to "adjust" my pay so that it would meet the YOUR BANK'S needs.

Yes. You read that right. A telephone customer "service" rep told me to go to my BOSS and tell him/her that he/she needs to give me a raise--- to satisfy your arbitrary and uncommunicated demands. Seriously. I never was informed about this direct deposit minimum eight years and a couple hundred grand in transactions ago....

My mainstreet moolah isn't good enough for you? Fine. I just got paid $100 to open a checking account at another bank without giving them a *SINGLE* penny. That's right. I have not given them one, red cent and am a proud new customer. They don't have any fine print, either. No fees for anything.

This gal is taking everything out of your institution, will never do business with you again, and will actively tell the roughly 400 students I teach annually not to do business with you, either. And tell them to tell all of their little Facebook, twitter and other social networking friends that, too.

Sincerely,

An American Who is Sick and Tired of Getting Screwed Coming and Going by You as You Put Dancefloors in Your Third Mansion (the One with a New Helipad) and Diddle The "Help"

The Weft and the Warp

2011-06-02T12:47:00.010-04:00

Not too long ago an aged Christian predicted the end of the world... you are thinking to yourself, which one?

Seems like some folks are rapt with the notion that the end looms near. One thing being a cancer survivor teachers you: the end is always near and not just by means of illness. I could get hit by a bus, a falling chunk of twister-hail, a random act of violence.

What fascinates me these days are my inner thoughts (and now outer musings) about the juxtaposition between organized religion and non-organized spirituality. Too, I am inclined to draw attention to the fact that one distinctly relies on fear as a shuttle of control. (Guess which one?) I suppose I'd rather be on the inside looking out instead of the other way around... I'd rather be the seer than the seen.

In general, I tend to think of "belief" as a rather personal thing--- in every way imaginable. I'll try to explain.

I think that organized religion (regardless of type or leaning) tends to place responsibility for one's life *outside* of one's self. Those of the religious persuasion rely on an external source for all of their power, guidance, and choices. By proxy, it means that no one else has power either or if they do it is granted to them by this same outer-existing thing. This external source tends to be rather parental, judgmental, and jealous ---not unlike the human societies that conjure such a "being."

On the other hand, I think of reincarnation as the ultimate paradigm for personal responsibility. If one considers reincarnation then we are truly at the center of our lives and the choices that we make to create the life we have (or don't). Not only do we choose our lives, but those with whom we travel in this life.

I'd much rather think that my existence is a series of choices made on a meta-conscious level rather than a slowly unraveling destiny shaped by a grand-rug weaver (or clock-maker if you prefer a mechanistic approach). I also like the idea of approaching all those with whom my life comes into contact as teachers instead of combatants. That somehow we have all mutually agreed to join the classroom of life to learn how to play well with others instead of just running with scissors. That we dance with all partners, we learn how to say goodbye gracefully, and that we practice peace instead of just making it.

Perhaps it helps me to rest better at night thinking and trusting that I am where I have chosen to be and that thought is as empowering as it is terrifying on some levels. It's been a long, dry patch where I have neglected the tapestry of my life... slowly, deliberately, I am returning to the loom and seeing it again as a means to connect the frayed ends into a greater whole. Instead of focusing on what crosses me, I have been trying to see what tracks I am laying down. These days it seems more important to be aware of what we put into life instead of what (or how) we get out of it.

Still Here? Me, too...

2011-05-21T12:28:00.004-04:00

After reading, seeing and hearing all about the end of the world today, I just wanted you all to know I am in the boat-load of sinners still sailing the seas of life.

Not raptured and not bummed about it... I wish something like that would *really* happen so all of the self-righteous pricks and bitches would just get the hell off the planet and leave those of us who entrust our minds to science and fact (not mythiness) to get to the work of improving things around these here parts of the solar system.

Sadder still are those that believe this nonsense and do harm to others (like their children) in order to save them the end-times:

I wonder if all of those who aren't raptured today and who are devout Apocalyptics will admit that they were wrong or that maybe they aren't going to be among the chosen? Doubt it. Seriously.

Thirsty

2011-05-04T21:56:00.007-04:00

I have a confession: I am glad that Bin Laden is dead. Yeah, he was a Grade-A Fuck-a-doodle-do. No doubt about it. I am glad for any modicum of "peace" it may offer to grieving families.

*However* I am more than a little disturbed by all of the revelry going on. I can't shake the feeling that all of the *celebration* is not unlike radical parades where folks fire weapons into the sky for zealous causes.

One death will not bring back the countless *thousands* of lives lost on and since September 11, 2001. One death will not atone for all of the senseless attacks on unarmed, innocent people since then, the millions of gallons of blood and tears shed.

I shudder a bit to see so many people *rejoicing* at one death. Why all the barbaric "let's see his body" garbage? Or "show us pictures of the scene." I makes me wonder how "civilized" our society truly is in the face of these events that seem to glorify violence and justify violence as the final solution to problems. I don't have an answer to break the cycle, but we at least must try to break OPEN the meaning of that cycle...

Don't get me wrong; I am glad the prick is dead. Ten million bullets don't nearly approach the justice he so rightfully deserved. If I were religiously inclined I would offer, further, that I hope he's roasting in the inferno, balls in the hottest white spot. However, have we become so parched with revenge that we, as Americans, have turned into grave dancers?

We are the Universe Looking Back at Itself

2011-04-19T18:35:00.004-04:00

In times like these, I feel the need for perspective. (Soundtrack is nice, too.)

The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

May you laugh with a heart free from fear...

Speechless Friday

2011-04-15T10:36:00.004-04:00

One of my totally awesome graduate students emailed me this video (courtesy of MoveOn):

Happy Friday, all!

PS: Sorry I continue to be an absent-minded professor and blogger! I miss you all more than you will ever know and am so grateful for those who stop by and leave comments (in particular, sorry Paul, Diana, and Sidhe that it took me *so long* to see your comments on that really old post!)

"United We Bargain: Divided We Beg"

2011-02-28T15:47:00.006-05:00

Great pics from rallies to support labor in the U.S.

Happy Monday, all.

In case you missed how this is just another move in the erosion of our democracy brought to you by the uber-wealthy, see here.

Organized labor is the only thing standing between the rich, who create nothing and own everything, and us...

The uber rich buy our politicians...
The uber rich control our banks...
The uber rich decide whether or not we will breathe clean air or have safe water...
The uber rich decide who lives and dies because of their strangle-hold on insurance companies...
The uber rich own the media that continues to pit us against one another (*6* companies own 90% of every kind of media on *the planet.* *6.*)...

The uber rich *are* the enemy in our own midst...

PS: From a blogger at Daily Kos:

Here's a side-by-side comparison of federal budget proposals Democrat vs. Republican.
If you are a member of the GOP, how do you sleep at night?

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

How to Stump a Climate Change Denialist

2011-02-27T16:16:00.002-05:00

Wealth Distribution, Taxes, and Who's Paying for Everything

2011-02-25T17:07:00.002-05:00

For an excellent, comprehensive read (with colorful pictures!) see this story from MotherJones.

It clearly shows who has benefited and who has been damaged by the economic policies of our Government in the last 40 years+.

Happy Friday, all.

How to Make Sure Your Tax Dollars Don't Pay for Abortions

2011-02-23T16:32:00.004-05:00

This is how the defunding of a medical-provider for low-income women proves the depths to which the GOP has sunk:

The Daily Show
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

Loony logic seems about right...

PS: A bill has been proposed in the GA legislature that would make miscarriages punishable by the death penalty... yes, you read that right.

"Under Rep. Franklin's bill, HB 1, women who miscarry could become felons if they cannot prove that there was 'no human involvement whatsoever in the causation' of their miscarriage."

"What Conservatives Really Want"

2011-02-21T18:45:00.003-05:00

My words aren't there these days, so I defer to others with *much* greater talent.

For an excellent psychological and sociological deconstruction of Conservative Destructionism, see this article by George Lakoff, "What Conservatives Really Want."

Truer words are rarely written... their destruction of the middle class, women's health rights, the environment, and public media will be the end of American democracy as we have known it...

Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-12T18:03:00.002-05:00

America's Real Enemy: The Banks

2010-10-18T09:02:00.001-04:00

If there is any doubt about the sickening power the banks have over our country, this video and investigation should remove all doubt:

2010 Midterms: Brought to You by Foreign Countries

2010-10-14T06:32:00.004-04:00

From Think Progess, yesterday:

"Last week, ThinkProgress published an exclusive story about the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s foreign fundraising operation. We noted the Chamber raises money from foreign-owned businesses for its 501(c)(6) entity, the same account that finances its unprecedented $75 million dollar partisan attack ad campaign. While the Chamber is notoriously secretive, the thrust of our story involved the disclosure of fundraising documents U.S. Chamber staffers had been distributing to solicit foreign (even state-owned) companies to donate directly to the Chamber’s 501(c)(6).

We documented three different ways the Chamber fundraises from foreign corporations: (1) An internal fundraising program called “Business Councils” used to solicit direct, largely foreign contributions to the Chamber, (2) Direct contributions from foreign multinationals like BP, Siemens, and Shell Oil, and (3) From the Chamber’s network of AmCham affiliates, which are foreign chambers of the Chamber composed of American and foreign companies. The Chamber quickly acknowledged that it receives direct, foreign money, but simply replied, “We are not obligated to discuss our internal procedures.” Instead of providing any documentation or proof to demonstrate foreign money is not being used for electioneering purposes, the Chamber launched an aggressive media strategy to first, attack ThinkProgress with petty name-calling and second, to confuse the media by highlighting the Chamber’s relatively minor AmCham fundraising, which the Chamber says (also without documentation) totals “approximately $100,000” from all 115 international AmCham chapters. The Chamber and the media largely ignored ThinkProgress’ revelation about the Chamber’s direct foreign fundraising to its 501(c)(6) used for attack ads.

A new ThinkProgress investigation has identified at least 84 foreign companies that actively donate to the Chamber’s 501(c)(6). Below is a chart detailing the annual dues foreign corporations have indicated that they give directly to the Chamber (using information that is publicly available from the Business Council applications and the Chamber’s own websites):

Company	Location	Money/Level
4G Identity Solutions	Hyderabad, India	$7,500
A2Z Maintenance & Eng.	Gurgaon, India	$7,500
Amarchand Mangaldas	Mumbai, India	$15,000
Apollo Hospitals	Chennai, India	$7,500
Arshiya International	Mumbai, India	$15,000
Astonfield Management	Mumbai, India	$7,500
AXA Group	Paris, France	$7,500
Avantha Group	India	$7,500
Avasarala Technologies	Bangalore, India	$7,500
AZB & Partners	Mumbai, India	$15,000
Azure Power	New Delhi, India	$7,500
Bharat Forge	Pune, India	$15,000
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP	Toronto, Canada	$7,500
Brookfield Asset Management	Toronto, Canada	$7,500
Cameco Corporation	Saskatoon, Canada	$7,500
Credit Suisse	Zürich, Switzerland	$15,000
Devas Multimedia	Bangalore, India	$15,000
DSK Legal	Bombay, India	$7,500
Dua Associates	Hyderabad, India	$15,000
Educomp Solutions Ltd	Delhi, India	$7,500
Essar Group	Mumbai, India	$7,500
Fox Mandal Little	India	$7,500
GMR	Bangalore, India	$15,000
Hindalco Group, The	Mumbai, India	$15,000
Hinduja Group, The	London, UK	$15,000
Hindustan Construction Company	Mumbai, India	$15,000
HSBC	London, UK	$15,000
ICICI Bank	Mumbia, India	$7,500
Infosys	Bangalore, India	$15,000
Infotech Enterprises	Hyderabad, India	$7,500
International SOS Assistance	Singapore	$7,500
Ireo Management	Gurgoan, India	$15,000
ITC Group	Kolkata, India	$15,000
J. Sagar Associates	Mumbai, India	$15,000
J.B.Boda Insurance	Mumbai, India	$7,500
J.M. Baxi & Co.	Mumbai, India	$15,000
Jagran Prakashan	Kanpur, India	$7,500
Jindal Power	New Delhi, India	$15,000
Jubilant Organosys	Noida, India	$7,500
Kimaya Energy	New Delhi, India	$15,000
Kotak Mahindra	Mumbai, India	$7,500
KPIT Cummins	Pune, India	$7,500
KPMG	Amstelveen, Netherlands	$15,000
Lahmeyer International	Frankfurt, Germany	$7,500
Larsen & Toubro	Mumbai, India	$15,000
Leela Hotels	Bengaluru, India	$7,500
Linklaters LLP	London, UK	$7,500
Luthra & Luthra	New Delhi, India	$15,000
Macquarie Capital	Sydney, Australia	$15,000
Majmudar & Company	Mumbai, India	$7,500
NIIT Technologies	Delhi, India	$15,000
Nishith Desai Associates	Mumbai, India	$15,000
Novartis	Basel, Switzerland	$15,000
Oberoi Group	Dehli,India	$7,500
Patni Americas	Mumbai, India	$15,000
Punj Lloyd	Gurgaon, India	$15,000
QuEST Global	Singapore	$7,500
Ranbaxy, Inc.	Gurgaon, India	$7,500
Reliance Industries	Mumbai, India	$15,000
Reliance Communications	Navi Mumbai, India	$7,500
Rolta	Mumbai, India	$7,500
Sanofi-Aventis	Paris, France	$7,500
SKP Crossborder Consulting	Mumbai, India	$7,500
SNC Lavalin	Montreal, Canada	$7,500
State Bank of India	Mumbai, India	$15,000
Sun Life Financial	Toronto, Canada	$7,500
Tata Group	Mumbai, India	$15,000
Tatva Legal	India	$15,000
Urenco Investments	Slough, UK	$7,500
Trilegal	India	$7,500
Walchandnagar Industries	Mumbai, India	$7,500
Welspun	Mumbai, India	$7,500
Wipro	Bangalore, India	$15,000
TAIB Bank*	Dubai	$20,000
Aluminum Bahrain B.S.C	Kingdom of Bahrain	$10,000
Bahrain Financial Harbour Holding Company	Kingdom of Bahrain	$10,000
Gulf Air	Kingdom of Bahrain	$10,000
Midal Cables	Kingdom of Bahrain	$10,000
The Nass Group	Kingdom of Bahrain	$10,000
Bahrain Maritime & Mercantile International	Kingdom of Bahrain	$5,000
The Bahrain Petroleum Company	Kingdom of Bahrain	$5,000
First Leasing Bank	Kingdom of Bahrain	$5,000
Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company	Kingdom of Bahrain	$5,000
TOTAL		$885,000

Again, all of these annual dues are collected in the same 501(c)(6) the Chamber is using to run partisan attack ads. The data above reflects information from public sources, and the Chamber likely has many more foreign corporations as dues-paying members — but refuses to divulge any of the funders for their ad campaign. Unfortunately, many reporters in the traditional press covered the Chamber story, but missed the entire point of our reporting. Most reporters (from the New York Times, McClatchy, the Associated Press, etc.) never contacted ThinkProgress, instead opting to only interview Chamber officials."

I wonder what the founding fathers would have thought about England dumping money into 18th-early 19th century campaign coffers?

Voter Anger

2010-10-01T20:04:00.016-04:00

I keep hearing about voter anger this, voter anger that... and it got me thinking about a few things.

Who started this anger? The Tea Bag "movement" (and I must admit, I cannot call it a "movement" without an immature grin) started to gain more media attention after the election in November 2008. Can we all say a collective 'Thanks, Dick" to Dick Armey for lining his own pockets by preying on the most feeble-minded among us?

Make the GOP squirm by voting them out of office in two of three branches on government? NO way! We'll show you how mad... we can tell people... they should be.

We'll cook up some cockamamie story about how the gubment is going to put bar codes on your bullets, and lock you in internment camps for conservatives, and convince you that *you* are paying more taxes even tho' you are not (if you only knew how to read your paycheck), and that you need to be MAD! MAD! MAD! that a group of religious people would DARE! to build a cultural center with a basketball court within 5 million light years of lower Manhattan, and convince you that returning the income-tax to pre-Bush era levels will annihilate the smoldering cinder that is our economy.

Really? Most of those baggers don't even understand how the tax code works. First, those folks in the highest brackets pay taxes only on the amount *over* their first million dollars of income. See, if you make $1,000,001 only that extra *buck* is taxed at the higher rate. Second, most of those in the highest tax bracket haven't created significant jobs in years (I need to do some research on this and post a source, but my work impedes me from doing much more than observing at the moment). But, seriously. When was the last time someone like Paris Hilton created *a* job that didn't involve her hands, mouth, and her boyfriend's sex tool?

I am *almost* as sick of hearing how mad voters are as I am about how folks want their country back. Back from what, may I ask? From the previous administration (the threat of the almighty presidential veto) and the 109th and 110th Congress' crappy policies both domestic and foreign that have crippled our economy and hamstrung our ability to house, feed, educate, and employ a rather frightening percentage of Americans?

Really? Are you mad?

When I ask myself that question the answer is simple: Yup.

I am mad that the bankers on Wall Street are back sitting high on the hog while most Americans (read 98%) fret about their savings, mortgages, health insurance, and livelihoods. Have you seen the stock market lately? It's not a barometer of how healthy the *economy* is; it tells us peons how rich the rich are.

And I am mad that I keep hearing about really fucking stoopid people (see Paladino or O'Donnell or Angle or Palin ) and knowing that the sheeple in the scared 20% are going to once again fuck the rest of us come November if we don't keep off our asses and get to the polls in a few weeks.

In my opinion, it's a good idea to ask who is *profiting* from all of this pissed-offness... and the answer to that question will tell you who the real target for all of that misplaced voter anger should be.

*Post Script* October 2: Apparently, Tea Baggers are facing some backlash about their views from neighbors and friends. They liken it to "coming out" and say they have been "persecuted" for unpopular views. Karma is a bitch, huh?

Beckerheads On Parade

2010-09-01T11:17:00.003-04:00

All Politics, All the Time

2010-08-25T10:20:00.007-04:00

It's a dreary fact about our 24-hour news channels: it's "All Politics, All the Time."

I know it's primary season, but does anyone out there in the blogosphere feel as though we *never* get a break from the "Dem said/GOP said" of the news? It's a non-stop election season and all of this garbage about the midterms is just about enough to make me hurl. I can't watch news anymore and am happy that a few years ago I took subscriptions to several online newspapers. At least there I can click on actual *news.*

I am sick. to. death. hearing what this or that politician said, did, thought...

I am sick to death of the constant back and forth, squabbling, and back-biting.

I feel jerked around, manipulated, exhausted by hearing "how upset Americans are" by Obama's vacation. By Michele's European trip. By imaginary stoked outrage over Muslims' freedom to practice religion in freakin' America.

I am an American and I don't give two shits about any of that stuff.

I care that people are out of work, need good health insurance,that we are still occupying foreign countries where Americans are *dying* overseas so we can have corporate "entities" buy our elections because their "First Amendment" rights need to be protected.

I care that a corporate oil giant is getting away with the environmental and economic rape of our Gulf Coast.

I care that thousands of teachers will not have jobs this fall and our nation's kids will suffer.

I care that it is getting hotter every summer and spring and fall are shrinking notably.

I care that it is fucking snowing in Atlanta in the winter months and that flooding and droughts are rampant worldwide.

I don't care about the petty bullshit of politics that keeps us from fixing the really fucked up shit that is wrong. And the 24 hour news media doesn't care that I don't care. Because they are pandering to some people's need to feel angry, at something, anything.

Let's blame the stupid politicians. Yeah, 'cuz we all know that their combined 535 congressional votes are the ones that really count amidst the tens of millions of Americans' votes ...

Five Myths about Social Security

2010-07-29T15:44:00.004-04:00

Don't believe the "hatriots" (people who call themselves "patriots" while spouting hate and lies).

From MoveOn.org (supported with actual facts and research):

"Top 5 Social Security Myths

Myth #1: Social Security is going broke.

Reality: There is no Social Security crisis. By 2023, Social Security will have a $4.6 trillion surplus (yes, trillion with a 'T'). It can pay out all scheduled benefits for the next quarter-century with no changes whatsoever (1). After 2037, it'll still be able to pay out 75% of scheduled benefits--and again, that's without any changes. The program started preparing for the Baby Boomers' retirement decades ago(2). Anyone who insists Social Security is broke probably wants to break it themselves.

Myth #2: We have to raise the retirement age because people are living longer.

Reality: This is a red-herring to trick you into agreeing to benefit cuts. Retirees are living about the same amount of time as they were in the 1930s. The reason average life expectancy is higher is mostly because many fewer people die as children than they did 70 years ago (3). What's more, what gains there have been are distributed very unevenly--since 1972, life expectancy increased by 6.5 years for workers in the top half of the income brackets, but by less than 2 years for those in the bottom half (4). But those intent on cutting Social Security love this argument because raising the retirement age is the same as an across-the-board benefit
cut.

Myth #3: Benefit cuts are the only way to fix Social Security.

Reality: Social Security doesn't need to be fixed. But if we want to strengthen it, here's a better way: Make the rich pay their fair share. If the very rich paid taxes on all of their income, Social Security would be sustainable for decades to come (5). Right now, high earners only pay Social Security taxes on the first $106,000 of their income (6). But conservatives insist benefit cuts are the only way because they want to protect the super-rich from paying their fair share.

Myth #4: The Social Security Trust Fund has been raided and is full of IOUs.

Reality: Not even close to true. The Social Security Trust Fund isn't full of IOUs, it's full of U.S. Treasury Bonds. And those bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States (7). The reason Social Security holds only treasury bonds is the same reason many Americans do: The federal government has never missed a single interest payment on its debts. President Bush wanted to put Social Security funds in the stock market--which would have been disastrous--but luckily, he failed. So the trillions of dollars in the Social Security Trust Fund, which are separate from the regular budget, are as safe as can be.

Myth #5: Social Security adds to the deficit.

Reality: It's not just wrong--it's impossible! By law, Social Security's funds are separate from the budget, and it must pay its own way. That means that Social Security can't add one penny to the deficit (8).

Defeating these myths is the first step to stopping Social Security cuts."

Sources:

1."To Deficit Hawks: We the People Know Best on Social Security," New Deal 2.0, June 14, 2010 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89703&id=22141-6657076-4g9LN1x&t=15

2. "The Straight Facts on Social Security," Economic Opportunity Institute, September 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89704&id=22141-6657076-4g9LN1x&t=16

3. "Social Security and the Age of Retirement," Center for Economic and Policy Research, June 2010 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89705&id=22141-6657076-4g9LN1x&t=17

4. "More on raising the retirement age," Washington Post, July 8, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89706&id=22141-6657076-4g9LN1x&t=18

5. "Social Security is sustainable," Economic and Policy Institute, May 27, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89707&id=22141-6657076-4g9LN1x&t=19

6. "Maximum wage contribution and the amount for a credit in 2010," Social Security Administration, April 23, 2010 http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/240

7. "Trust Fund FAQs," Social Security Administration, February 18, 2010
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/ProgData/fundFAQ.html

8."To Deficit Hawks: We the People Know Best on Social Security," New Deal 2.0, June 14, 2010 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89703&id=22141-6657076-4g9LN1x&t=2

More GOP Hypocrisy

2010-06-28T18:44:00.002-04:00

When a Liberal stands by her/his convictions she/he is labeled as an "activist" or "socialist."

When a Conservative stands by her/his convictions she/he is labeled as "principled" or "patriotic."

How are Scalia or Roberts to be considered any *less* activist than an appointee by a Democratic president?

So. sick. of the non-stop BS from the right in this country.

I see through it. And I think lots of smart Americans can, too.

It's called h-y-p-o-c-r-i-s-y. Don't evaluate or judge my causes because they disagree with your myopic "world view" (and I use that term *very* lightly and facetiously, since I am a firm believer that in conservatism the individual far outweighs the greater good of many).

Mad-ness

2010-06-10T20:07:00.005-04:00

We usually watch the national nightly news during dinner. I cannot watch because I cry.

Cry huge, throat closing tears for the suffering of our world, our seas, ourselves.

The ocean has always been a part of me. I was blessed to live on the Atlantic's untamed beaches in Montauk for three years. I feel so much pain right now that I cannot explain rationally.

So I will borrow words from a greater person, Chief Seathl (Seattle):
"The President in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land. But how can you buy or sell the sky? The land? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them?

Every part of the earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every meadow, every humming insect. All are holy in the memory and experience of my people.

We know the sap which courses through the trees as we know the blood that courses through our veins. We are part of the earth and it is part of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters. The bear, the deer, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the dew in the meadow, the body heat of the pony, and man all belong to the same family.

The shining water that moves in the streams and rivers is not just water, but the blood of our ancestors. If we sell you our land, you must remember that it is sacred. Each glossy reflection in the clear waters of the lakes tells of events and memories in the life of my people. The water's murmur is the voice of my father's father.

The rivers are our brothers. They quench our thirst. They carry our canoes and feed our children. So you must give the rivers the kindness that you would give any brother.

If we sell you our land, remember that the air is precious to us, that the air shares its spirit with all the life that it supports. The wind that gave our grandfather his first breath also received his last sigh. The wind also gives our children the spirit of life. So if we sell our land, you must keep it apart and sacred, as a place where man can go to taste the wind that is sweetened by the meadow flowers.

Will you teach your children what we have taught our children? That the earth is our mother? What befalls the earth befalls all the sons of the earth.

This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.

One thing we know: our God is also your God. The earth is precious to him and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its creator.

Your destiny is a mystery to us. What will happen when the buffalo are all slaughtered? The wild horses tamed? What will happen when the secret corners of the forest are heavy with the scent of many men and the view of the ripe hills is blotted with talking wires? Where will the thicket be? Gone! Where will the eagle be? Gone! And what is to say goodbye to the swift pony and then hunt? The end of living and the beginning of survival.

When the last red man has vanished with this wilderness, and his memory is only the shadow of a cloud moving across the prairie, will these shores and forests still be here? Will there be any of the spirit of my people left?

We love this earth as a newborn loves its mother's heartbeat. So, if we sell you our land, love it as we have loved it. Care for it, as we have cared for it. Hold in your mind the memory of the land as it is when you receive it. Preserve the land for all children, and love it, as God loves us.

As we are part of the land, you too are part of the land. This earth is precious to us. It is also precious to you.

One thing we know - there is only one God. No man, be he Red man or White man, can be apart. We ARE all brothers after all."

Illustrating First Amendment Rights: Truth, Widsom, and Dignity

2010-05-20T20:37:00.016-04:00

*Muhammad receiving his first revelation from the angel Gabriel. Miniature illustration on vellum from the book Jami' al-Tawarikh (literally "Compendium of Chronicles" but often referred to as The Universal History or History of the World), by Rashid al-Din, published in Tabriz, Persia, 1307 A.D. Now in the collection of the Edinburgh University Library, Scotland. (See link for all photo credits.)

So, by now some of you may have heard about the dust-up from recent South Park episodes titled "200" and "201" respectively. If you click on the links or try to find the episodes, *they have been PULLED*.

The episodes were about a group of religious "friends" much like the "Superfriends" who help mere Colorado mortals stave off an attacks from egomaniacal celebrities and a mechanized megamachine affectionately known in the real world as Barbra Streisand.

In reaction to this censorship of our own sovereign country a Seattle cartoonist suggested a "Draw Muhammad Da y" protest. She received many death threats, she back-tracked as have thousands of other Americans, Cartoon Network, and affiliates. The episodes at the center of this controversy aren't even being re-run.

Technically, I am not drawing anything, but have reproduced existing historical paintings. I am not condoning those who have drawn offensive and racist depictions of the Islamic figure, either. I know there are *millions* of people of the Muslim faith who are reasonable, passionate, and devoted to their culture and religion who are *not* hostile. To anyone of that disposition, please forgive the morons who cannot express themselves beyond insults.

"It comes as a surprise to find," writes scholar Alexandre Papadopoulo, "that there exists in [the Koran] not a single interdiction against images, paintings, or statues of living beings."

~And~

In 1999, Islamic art expert Wijdan Ali wrote a scholarly overview of the Muslim tradition of depicting Muhammad, which can be downloaded here in pdf format. In that essay, Ali demonstrates that the prohibition against depicting Muhammad did not arise until as late as the 16th or 17th century, despite the media's recent false claims that it has always been forbidden for Muslims to draw Muhammad. (Full text, click here.)

Museums and galleries *around the world* have been threatened, intimidated, and coerced into hiding images of the historical figure created by Muslims *themselves* throughout Persian history.

I mean no disrespect here to people of Islamic faith. But your own history, as written by your *own* scholars, attests to the inaccuracy of this visual ban.

*Muhammad's birth. Miniature illustration on vellum from the book Jami' al-TawarikhCompendium of Chronicles" but often referred to as The Universal History or History of the World), by Rashid al-Din, published in Tabriz, Persia, 1307 A.D. Now in the collection of the Edinburgh University Library, Scotland. (This image can be found online here.)

Choking on Oil in the US

2010-05-17T20:06:00.018-04:00

Please forgive this very malformed rant. I am all over the place, angry, pissed all shades of red, and generally cannot grasp the insanity of our legislators *constantly* siding with big business against the health, wealth, and welfare of common Americans.

I know at times my recovering Catholic shows here on my blog, but I cannot help but think of two major sins from catechism that relate closely to the oil disaster continuing to grow in America's Gulf region.

Gluttony and Greed.

Now, I am not equating oil prospecting with sin, because that would be:
A) Stupid, and

B) Stupid.

But the facts remain. The oil plume now threatens Florida and the southern Eastern US "Loop Current". Transocean Company which owns (well, owned) the rig paid its shareholders $1 BILLION today, leaving me with only a few simple (and rather emotional) thoughts.

American gluttony and greed for oil is going to choke our natural fisheries for decades. Lawyers are already being hired in Western Florida. Stan Fenner, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) director of conservation science, said Monday (May 3rd): "[...] oil leaking into the Gulf could affect generations of wildlife."

This does not even account for the unprecedented amount of "dispersants" being used to do whatever it is they do to the oil. "The dispersants themselves are toxic as well. [Organisms are] being exposed to a lot of toxic materials." Studies from 2007 indicate this, too.

As a cancer survivor, I cannot even imagine the impact on human health the spill and the chemicals being used to "disperse" the oil will have on generations of Americans.

What's the point? Our oil reserves are barely 1/12 what Saudi Arabia has; one-sixth of Iran (see previous link); barely a *third* of Nigeria (see previous link). And before any of you trolls start lecturing me about the purpose of the reserve, zip it. I know the difference between production and reserves.

Our reserves will never approach those of other countries in times of war.

Ever.

They win.

Poof.

Over.

Why are we kowtowing to other nations, watching our prices rise at the pump instead of developing new technologies and *creating JOBS* in our own energy sector? We 'Mer'cans have a strong appetite for energy. Seems like we could keep *a lot* of our own employed just on that greed and gluttony alone.

I am also trying to wrap my brain around this insanity of BP *not* letting outside scientists study the leak (I am looking for the source of that information Tom provided me with yesterday).

Is there any way we can move the Arizona legislature to the Gulf region? Seems like those who need a good old-fashioned Biblical smiting always get away with whatever ills they conduct...

Next post will be more coherent. Bear with me. I am out of practice and need to do more research. Perhaps next up, the cost of war (which is gargantuan compared to Healthcare Reform and I have the links to government reports to prove it).

*** To balance my insanity, I leave you with unadulterated cuteness; she looks *just* like our Bella (baby bear kitty) a mere seven months ago when we first got her (pic in link is at four months):

The "Scared" Twenty Percent

2010-05-15T09:24:00.004-04:00

For those of the Scared-Twenty-Percent:

From Real Time with Bill Maher: May 14, 2010...

Favorite lines:
"I don't want my country back;
I want my country forward."

Hell to the yeah.
Happy Saturday, all.

Liberals With Convictions=Godless, Power-Hungry Nazis

2010-05-13T09:31:00.008-04:00

I can't recall what I was listening to the other day while doing something else, but I heard an astute observation that bears mention (and discussion).

When conservative candidates run for any type of office or go through a confirmation process, they are expected to wear their "activism" like a badges of honor: pro-life (big government), pro-gun, pro cutting-taxes, pro-Christian (big government), etc.

Please see this example:

~And the subsequent press release reassuring his supporters that he is "religious enough" to represent them.

Per The Constitution, Article VI, section three:
"...no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."

Looks like a religious litmus test to me...

But when a liberal candidate goes up for *anything* he/she must divest him/herself completely of those same convictions, otherwise he/she is considered radical, progressive, and fascist (and/or socialist even tho' they inhabit *opposite* ends of the political spectrum).

As this flawed logic plays out, if you are conservative, only *your* convictions matter. If you are liberal, stuff those convictions where the sun does not shine and stop trying to be an activist.

Effing hypocrites.

Here's their biggest one, per Lewis Black and The Daily Show last PM:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Back in Black - Glenn Beck's Nazi Tourette's

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor

Tea Party

Cash, Candidates, and You

2010-05-01T15:15:00.003-04:00

Americans need to realize that we have power over what our government does in two main ways: our votes and how we spend our own money.

Indeed, recent developments in immigration "reform" in AZ has proven that when people get pissed, they take their money elsewhere.

This got me thinking about the January 2010 SCOTUS decision on corporate donations for political campaigns.

Don't like the candidate a company is supporting in the midterms?

Stop buying their shit.

This could prove to be a bad business move for corporations.

Yes, we each have one vote that gets counted. But when it comes to the power of the almighty dollar, that street goes both ways. The midterm elections will be the first test of this new "1st Amendment" right for non-corporeal corporations.

Good luck with that... really. I'll keep you posted on what company supports who. I hope I am one of many who keeps companies' political contributions in mind when heading to the checkout, buying gas, or using financial services.

Behind the Bags

2010-04-14T21:41:00.004-04:00

From Teabonics:

Apparently spelling is not in that repertoire either.

It's no shock to me that the Tea Party movement, however "pure" its origins, has become nothing more than meat puppetry for the Right Wing Money Making Machine.

You idiots deserve every lick of humiliation for your literal, ass-backwards, non-logical, mumbo-jumbo.

Hail Queen Palin! Queen of the Dipshits!

"Tough Shit" = Party of No Answer to All American Problems

2010-04-02T17:11:00.003-04:00

The GOP now can take responsibility (no worries; not holding my breath) for the expiration of flood insurance due to their own obstruction.

Please see the story here.

An excerpt:
"According to the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, there are 5.5 million flood insurance policy holders in flood plains, and as of this week, homeowners were rendered unable to renew their policies. If any of those homeowners were victims of the current flooding, they will “face complications” filing claims. As Blain Rethmeier, spokesman for the American Insurance Association, put it, “it’s unfortunate that the NFIP has fallen victim to the political process”:

Ultimately the people who will suffer the most are property owners who need new coverage or who need to renew their flood insurance policies. One can only hope that Mother Nature is kind until April 12. Otherwise, there’s not much people can do."

Yes, and I hear from friends on the EC that shit is indeed flooding the streets. Too bad, says the GOP.

Recycled Post: Hate is Hate is Hate

2010-04-01T09:53:00.005-04:00

... And I refuse to let shitheads like this and the *friends* they associate with online harass, bully, and otherwise insult me:

From April 15, 2009:

'The Welcome Mat Has Been Taken In"
To the unpleasant people who have parked on my blog's doorstep.

One of my favorite exchanges in a movie addresses the issue of saying what people want to hear.

"Do you see purple people?" the guy asks.

"No," answered the woman.

"I had a friend," the man began, "who said he saw purple people. They locked him up, but he got out."

"Yeah?" asked the woman. "Did they cure him?"

"Nope. He just stopped telling anyone about the purple people."

Yeah, I see the "purple people" but I rarely write about them.

They are bruised and scared by the changing times.

They just want someone, anyone, to listen to them.

They threaten because they feel that they have no real power.

They truly believe that they can offer nothing positive to helping their neighbors aside from "It's not my fault"-- a child's response.

Like all of you, I have been through my own set of unique challenges. One of the greatest has been to persevere in writing this blog. I had to start moderating comments a few months ago when a rather unstable mob of people descended on this webspace.

Then, I get abused and harassed here to my "face" and all over other websites by people who have spent exactly thirty seconds "reading" this blog.

All because I refuse to be bullied and I will not post comments in which people have written:

"You are a fucking retard. You commie shitheads don't know anything and if my guns get taken away, I am coming for you first"

"You think you know so much. You are a total fake. A liar. And you are the coward for not posting comments" (This one is from someone who had left me over twenty abusive comments over the course of 24 hours.)

~ Of course, here's my all time favorite~

"You are a fucking cunt and I hope someone figures out who you are and finds you and wipes you off the face of the earth"

I've been writing this blog for almost six months now.

This post marks 164 published in that time.

I've definitely covered a lot of ground and material. Most of it written believing that people are basically decent and at least have a whiff of social skills.

As a young professor, I have to believe that.

I have 15-20 people who read this little blog. Loyal and supportive blog friends that have stuck by me.

They prove to me that most people aren't like these purple ones.

So if you are here to tell me how stupid or fucked up or snobby or elitist I am you can take it somewhere else.

You were not invited here-- and you have long worn out your welcome.

One thing to take away from this commie-liberal-progressive blog: if you have safe drinking water, safe food, safe medication, clean air to breathe, medicare for elderly relatives, social security for those same folks, if you learned to read and write in a public school, enjoy having a local police station, a fire department, a federally run postal service to deliver your Mother's Day cards-- thank a liberal.

Despite your best attempts to shit all over them, you have a lot to be thankful for because of them.

****

Some things have changed. Some have not. I still have people who cannot read for comprehension trying to harass me via comments. If you do not condemn threats made against others, you may as well threaten others yourself. As I wrote in the comment thread on my last post, Delaware, back off. I am having conversations with a lawyer-relative (and another who is in law enforcement) about your harassing behavior... including *months* of comments, dates, IP addresses, etc. Back. the fuck. off.

A New Species Under Anthropological Study

2010-03-27T09:57:00.004-04:00

Another poll (perhaps a bit more credible than Bloomberg) on the Teabaggers.

See it here.

Just as long as we don't start seeing information regarding their mating habits... but one thing is for sure, we know they are a new sub-culture among the nacirema.

Interesting Blurb from _Bloomberg_

2010-03-26T09:39:00.010-04:00

Hmmmm.

"Tea Party activists, who are becoming a force in U.S. politics, want the federal government out of their lives except when it comes to creating jobs. [A personal aside... also except when it comes to women's health issues.]

More than 90 percent of Tea Party backers interviewed in a new Bloomberg National Poll say the U.S. is verging more toward socialism than capitalism, the federal government is trying to control too many aspects of private life and more decisions should be made at the state level.

At the same time, 70 percent of those who sympathize with the Tea Party, which organized protests this week against President Barack Obama’s health-care overhaul, want a federal government that fosters job creation."

~And~

"Tea Party supporters are likely to be older, white and male. Forty percent are age 55 and over, compared with 32 percent of all poll respondents; just 22 percent are under the age of 35, 79 percent are white, and 61 percent are men. Many are also Christian fundamentalists, with 44 percent identifying themselves as “born-again,” compared with 33 percent of all respondents.

The poll of 1,002 U.S. adults was conducted March 19-22 by Selzer & Co. of Des Moines, Iowa. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points."

~And~

"Fewer than 10 percent say the Veterans Administration is definitely socialist, 12 percent identify management of national parks and museums, and 36 percent say expanding Medicare for the elderly, Medicaid for the poor and Social Security amount to socialism.

Many more, 65 percent, say Social Security is either definitely or sort of socialism. Even so, almost half, 47 percent, want to keep it under government control or aren’t sure about privatization, with 53 percent in favor of privatizing Social Security and Medicare."

It has the word "social" in the name... that's their first literal thinking cue.

Here's a link to the poll for those who want to check out its methods and item wording.

PS: Sat, March 27: After having time to check out the poll, it is rather unclear *how* the pollsters consider this a survey to show information about Teabaggers. I design and research work on surveys for my scholarship and this one is too goofy to be able to draw these conclusions.

GOP: Violence Against Women Okay... Go for It!

2010-03-25T09:20:00.008-04:00

From CNN:

Anyone should be outraged by any politician who makes slapping/smacking motions or threatening gestures toward photos of other politicians. The fact that King's not-so-random hand motions specifically targeted a woman is all the more disgusting and outrageous. How about we print some photos of his wife or daughters and smack those around in effigy for the hell of it?

King: "My goal is to inspire people to stand up for the Constitution, to stand up to fiscal responsibility and to stand up for the rule of law."

Yes, and the most obvious way to do that is to stand on a balcony (in the Ivory Tower) with a photograph of the first female speaker of the House and mime smacking her around... you know, instead of, say, holding a sign that reads: "Stand up for the Constitution" or "Stand up for Fiscal Responsibility" or "Stand up for the rule of law".

Nope, get videotaped making threatening assault gestures...

Also:
Check out this post from Seeing Eye Chick and the video, too.

From Rachel Maddow, 3.23.10

2010-03-24T09:35:00.004-04:00

Interesting and sad:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Sad more than anything because it is really nothing new from the extreme right. I keep trying to remember the last time a left-wing group threatened the lives of children and elected officials?

One more gem from that show:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

So, let's just do away with representative government altogether, huh?

The Ten Question Census

2010-03-18T14:49:00.003-04:00

We received our 2010 census two days ago.

Indeed, non-invasive questions:
How many living in household?
Phone number (used only to clarify unreadable responses)
Type of housing (own, rent, stay for free)?

Info for each person living in the aforementioned household:

Name
Sex (as in, Male or Female)
DOB
Age as of April 1, 2010
Hispanic or Latino?
Race
Does the person sometimes live or stay somewhere else (such as a college student)?

Yup. The GOP needs to be very afraid of knowing how many men and women are living together, how old they are and what their racial make-up is. Deadly information. Fatal. It's all over now...

Debate: Palin Style

2010-03-17T16:54:00.002-04:00

I feel icky just typing that name in the title of this post but I cannot stop myself from a wee comment.

Palin's favorite "dodge and parry" in terms of the limits of her debate style boil down to one simple move: a familiar retreat behind the vague "patriotism" she and her ilk are so loud at professing.

Problems with her nonsensical position:
1. She thinks that if people attack *her* they are attacking the U.S.

2. She equates her consistent ineptitude with "down-homeyness" instead of idiocy.

3. This country was founded by people who fought for the right to express their own ideals however they saw fit and that includes each's own definition of what it means to love one's country.

4. She presses the fanatic/panic button before a threat even arises. (Defensive much?)

Hope all have a happy and safe St. Patty's.

Healthcare Summit: Ben Stein Style

2010-02-25T14:34:00.005-05:00

Just watching the commentators on CNN discuss the core issues about the healthcare summit and this little gem popped out of the mouth of that nob Ben Stein:

[Paraphrasing here]
Republicans *pay* more in taxes than Democrats and therefore don't want their tax dollars to pay for something that *only* Democrats will benefit from.

So, let me get this straight.

The *minority* party (check for yourself in terms of people who identify themselves as (R)epublican) have more money to tax, own more stuff, therefore they should get to decide who gets to live and die in this country?

Rich vs. poor?

Who does he think does the work in this country to put food in the grocery stores, teach our kids, deliver our mail, put out our fires, and protect our citizens? The CEOs and CFOs? And that parties can be drawn upon purely economic lines?

Despite the fact that this is one of the most asinine claims I have ever heard, there's more than a few problems with this whitewash.

Sounds like a monarchy to me, Benny boy. King George would have really liked that one.

Stoopid Valentine's Day

2010-02-12T14:49:00.008-05:00

The women in my family have always had a weird relationship to undergarments.

I went through a stage where I wore only g-strings (now called thongs, which used to be what I called plastic open-toed shoes on my feet) when my tush was a twenty-year old's tush and I lived out of two suitcases and needed to travel light. In 1995, it was the day of my brother's wedding and my oldest sister saw my drawers in the dresser drawer of the hotel and with an index finger and a thumb, plucked one from the bureau and asked: "Ewwww. What is this? Do you actually wear this thing?" She has always been the responsible, good, oldest child who can, with a word, make you feel like there is something naughty about the most normal of things (like wearing cheap, portable panties when you are a nomadic single person without a washing machine and an actual piece of furniture in which to store said undergarments).

When I was getting married a couple of years ago, my mom tried to give me *her* negligee from *her* wedding night fifty some odd years prior (that's a really big 'eww'; add to that the fact they have been divorced for over 25 years now). I know I am safe writing this on the interwebs because my mom refuses internet access and has no idea what a blog even is. I have awful memories shopping for bras with her at that painful age of oh-so-embarrassed-by-everything-my-mom-does-says-breathes. She used to drag me to the department store where I would immediately flee into the relative safety of the racks of girdles and push ups and nylons and she, inevitably, would find me across the store and thousands of shoppers, yelling: "Who-hoo! What about this one?" while waving a rubber-band with two peanut shells on it.

The horror.

So today, I've been thinking about the "outfit" I bought for my husband for the Hallmarketday BS Valentine's Hoopla. We were out buying him boxers and socks a couple of weekends ago and walked past the ladies "foundations" department. I asked him if he was into that sort of thing (not a conversation we have had in the last almost six years we have been together; I just assumed my Fruits of the Loom were fine).

"Sure," he said with a grin.

Great, I thought.

So when I had three hours to kill a couple of days ago I went to the mall and spent a ridiculous amount of money on a red "bra" matchy thing. It's bejeweled and itchy and pinchy and totally impractical.

And I will feel totally stoopid wearing it.

But not nearly as stoopid as I felt buying it in the department named for the cement blocks that support most structures, after wandering around for an hour trying to find something tasteful, crotched, age appropriate, with actual fabric that would cover my cheeks and not give me an intentional wedgie (re: what is it with those "boy" shorts? If I want my ass to look ginormous, I don't need a pair of underwear to do it). The sale assistants were two of the youngest, thinnest, like, chicks in the world. I had to sheepishly ask for a bra in my size and they climbed on a ladder and stripped the three display torso mannequins to find the one that would fit me.

I bought a set in black, too. As I walked past the nekkid, plastic, headless boobs, I wondered when, exactly, did I turn into my oldest sister?

Hope you all have great weekends.

(And to my sissy, if you read this, I love you and get. it........ now.)

Just Kill Me Now: Part Deux

2010-01-30T09:18:00.007-05:00

So, it's the end of the third week of classes...

At this point, students should have it pretty much figured out by now.

"Should" being the operative word.

I make it a habit to ensure students have access to course materials in numerous places: Blackboard (online interface for those unfamiliar), course webpage, handouts. I provide them with *all* of the assignments for the whole semester the first week of class and continuously incorporate discussions about said assignments in relation to readings they are *supposed* to be reading. The calendar (hard copy handed out first week, read through with the class, and posted in BB, webpage, etc.) lists due dates; the classrooms and schedule of classes are in at least four different places. The syllabus has thorough directions for submitting writing assignments, checking email, online addresses for course resources (repeated in Blackboard).

This week I had at least a full third of my students *still* confused about where classes met; two asked if we were going to have any writing assignments...

At that point I almost tore my hair out.

Seriously?

Not only do they have assignments due all semester long, those assignments are posted everywhere but on my forehead and ass and one was due yesterday.

Oh, and did I mention that I have been repeating due dates, going over rough drafts, and um, even had, like, a peer review session and everything?

Are we going to have any writing assignments?

Just fucking kill me now...

K-cup number three on the way. Thank the whales it's Saturday.

To My Knowledge: One Does Not Equal Fifty

2010-01-20T23:20:00.007-05:00

Last time I checked, 1 in 100 equals 1%.

Not exactly revolutionary. Nor major. Just... you, know. One.

So why is the right collectively circle-jerking over *one* senate seat? One?

Really?

My dare to the GOP; go ahead and filibuster.

Do it.

Reconciliation has happened more often in recent history than the GOP cares to recall.

A big one that cut Medicaid funding: Bush's 2005 "Deficit Reduction" bill.

Yeah, when the going gets tough, cut off the poorest laborers in the nation.

Why not add a side of health care coverage denial with that? It's low-cal and oh-so-cost-effective.

When the flu season fires up and those who cannot afford to take sick days because they have no health care (or sick days) go to work sick and prepare food, or clean hotel rooms, or drive cabs, or harvest produce, and use public transportation... then will that *one* vote really matter?

I suppose when you are down, every scrap of a mote of a hint of a lint of a whiff of a win counts.

Go ahead.

Stick with that 1%... or 41%... still not a majority. But I suppose when you have a huge group of pusspusses like the Dems, one really does equal fifty.

Keurig Rocks: Or; Why I Don't Go to Church

2010-01-17T08:57:00.007-05:00

Preachers.

Preachy people.

Self-righteous people who think they are better than other people because they go to a building where they sit in pews and pray memorized prayers and look at a dead guy on a cross (is my post-traumatic-Catholic showing?).

I am currently hopped-up on decadent, brewed grounds easily accessed via pre-measured, self-contained K-cups of caffeinated bliss. Thank [insert external force of personal choice here] I did not try to blog on the second cup... it may have gotten ugly.

Despite the title of this post, I am not blogging today about church. For those readers who find solace and a sense of community and purpose in church: I am happy for you and mean no insult.

The focus of today's screed is preachy people.

The same types who go to blogs, or professional list-servs, snark, and post opinion and then complain that no one wants to *engage* them.

Fuck. NO, no one wants to engage you if you conduct yourself like this.

Why should they?

When people sense that a person's only purpose is to insult, disrupt, and belittle, they will not engage said person and back away.

Slowly.

As if from a wild, wounded animal that does not *want* help but merely wants to let you know how HURT! MAD! RIGHT! they are. There is no reasoning with someone whose only lines of thinking are "You are wrong because you suck" or "You are going to hell because this book says so" or "You atheists are the reason our country is suffering" or "Haitians are dying and suffering because they made a pact with the devil."

No. I am only interested in "conversing" with those who are respectful and have a modicum of social skills. I don't respond well to preachers. Those who claim to have the capital-T Truth figured out and no one else is entitled to an opinion or a point of view. People who cannot listen. They want to monologue.

Good luck with that.

And so I will close today's brief blogologue* (cuz that's really what a blog is unless you have faithful, good commenters like I do *hint, hint*) by simply saying:

People are a bag of contradictions. And if you haven't figured that out yet, you do not live in reality and/or have not reached maturity equal to a college freshman.

I am off to go have another cup 'o joe to which I recently became addicted after purchasing the evil Keurig. Or maybe a Chai Latte. Another bit of ammo for the trolls: I am a librul, chai-latte-drinkin', edumakated, eleetist who won't play with you. Go to church; those folks will be nice to you in order that they score metaphysical points for some collective delusion of an after-life. I'd rather go to hell; all the fun people are there.

* Copyrighted term by Tom, my patient, brilliant, and magnificent husband.

OMFG: Or; Why Cats Can Make Even the Suckiest Day Better

2010-01-14T20:50:00.003-05:00

Can't. resist. the. cuteness.

Must. post. kitten. video.

At Least Watch the Video at the End

2010-01-04T15:43:00.007-05:00

So I have been tuned out for quite some time now.

Sorry to have neglected you, dear reader. I find I either have too much to say or nothing at all and both at the most inconvenient of times.

As I gear up to start the new semester, I am looking forward to a year of monumental changes (again).

Tom is working on his last push toward his degree. We will both be on the national job market this coming fall... and we both want to be the spousal hire. (If you are in higher ed, the primary hire tends to have more pressure for tenure review, I believe. This means we are both scared shyteless about the whole prospect of academic and scholarly scrutiny.)

I will be teaching six classes (150 students roughly, give or take the ten or so I intend to scare off the first week of class; kidding [kind of]). (*UPDATE: In my pure insanity, I agreed to take on a 7th class in April; add 30 graduate students to that total.)

Plus, I landed a gig as a subject matter "expert"--I still cannot type that or say it without cackling-- for a university starting a Master's program in my area of "expertise".

It is colder than frozen hell here. Yet, our old chimney is leaking beneath the litter boxes in the laundry room. The plague continues to plague us (me, mostly). I am working up the strength to return to a workout routine after a couple of weeks of "bed rest" (read: sleeping until 10AM) and holiday "merriment" (read: gorging on everything naughty and fattening. Might as well just rub it on my ass, 'cuz that's where it goes...)

Thanks to all who sent holiday greetings: family, friends, bloggy companions. I would resolve to be better at keeping in touch this new year of the second decade of the second millennium but I am a terrible liar, even in print. I miss you all and miss this blog thing... I will try to post at least once a week. I will try. And I have been reading along with your blogs.

I leave you with a video sent to me by one of my students from last semester with Happy 2010 wishes to all:

Hump Day: Thanks For the Sex Toy Links

2009-12-09T09:52:00.004-05:00

I am in deep denial.

Deep.

Bottomless.

It is indeed the holidays, but I refuse to participate this year.

120 students have officially sucked every ounce of x-mas spirit out of me. I have been baking cookies; stockings have been hung; we strung lights on the maple in the front yard (photos forthcoming); we cannot have an indoor tree because our two kitty babies discovered the third dimension we call "up".

So rather than concern myself with the impossible challenge of trying to write something meaningful, I will just say: "Hi. How ya doin'?" and welcome any comments not linked to sex toy sites. Really... I am getting loads of those in the moderation screen; thanks to those who are so thoughtful. Seriously, 40 posts in five months does not warrant such specialized attention... but thanks. Er. Thanks?

Happy hump day all.

Eyeshadow For Lazy Asses

2009-11-23T16:56:00.008-05:00

Had to share this with you all...

I laughed so hard I almost fell out of my chair.

For only $1-$3 a day you, too, can have that smoky, sultry look appropriate for office/home/school wear. Available in animal prints and camouflage, too (not kidding).

Be sure to have the volume on.

Peace!

The Blog Days of Fall

2009-11-11T09:51:00.005-05:00

While I have been on my hiatus, a flowery way to say that I am up to my armpits in grade-grubbing students*-- it seems that the wingnuttery continues to obfuscate and obstruct (much like an unpleasant colon-ary blockade). SS. DD.

They still lie about the most basic of all things: Math. I wonder why they always want to gut education first?

No one says it better than Johnny S:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Sean Hannity Uses Glenn Beck's Protest Footage

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Health Care Crisis

Thanks, John, for pointing out yet more shyte from the "mouthpiece" of the right. That's just gross. Sorry.

I suppose if you want to argue that the "Earlier" in the upper left hand corner is sufficient, think about the average critical thinking skills of a Hannity viewer. Earlier is indeed earlier-- two MONTHS earlier.

On a lighter note, only four more weeks in the semester... I don't think I have read this much bad prose, tortured English, and terrifyingly bad syntax since I stopped reading the Freeper back in February. If the future of the world depends on whether or not people are able to construct a simple declarative sentence... it's all over. Trust me.

*Literally, I gave one graduate student *1* point just to shut him up. He's "concerned" because he has a 90.1% in the class... an 'A'. WTF?

Thank You, Thank You, Thank you!

2009-11-02T21:11:00.002-05:00

Wanted to send a quick thanks to themom over at Attentive Aphorist for this very sweet blog award. I am grateful to her for her support and encouragement.

I've been too busy lately to write very much... I'll pay this forward hopefully by the end of the week.

In the meantime, hope all are well, staying warm and snuggling in for the cool fall days...

A Halloweek Haiku

2009-10-29T21:52:00.004-04:00

Voila: from the deep archives of skyewriter journals, I give you [flourish of oranges, reds, and yellows]:

A Halloweek haiku:

Scattered scraps of thought
For a few moments time falls
Whispering from trees

And it is no wonder I teach for a living instead of writing.

Please feel free to leave your own haiku... (no pun intended).

Happy Samhain one and all.

Fill in Your Own Comparison

2009-10-27T14:46:00.003-04:00

Caught sight of this little morsel on HuffPost; draw your own connections and conclusions. They eat anything, including their own kind...

As the weather here fell to a chilly 49 degress with drizzle and clouds, that beach is positively cruel in its dangerous beauty.

Secret Service Under Unprecedented Strain

2009-10-20T13:13:00.005-04:00

An article just published on Huff Post supports what I have been concerned about for many months now.

"An internal Congressional Research Service report says that the Secret Service does not have the resources to deal with the unprecedented number of death threats against President Obama, along with a rise in racist hate groups and anti-government fervor."

Those anti-tax people ought to pay attention to tax payer money being spent to protect our president and high profile leaders from *their own country-people*.

Great panel from Tom Tomorrow at Salon.com:

The Downside to Working in Education

2009-10-15T19:29:00.002-04:00

The Plague.

What was I saying about being so heartily employed a few days ago?

Oh, right, job security and nonsense.

That is all for now as I return to my fetal, fevered curl under blankets, and curse the sick, germ-ridden students who care so much about writing that they came to class sick yesterday and Tuesday.

"Busy" is Booming

2009-10-12T11:43:00.003-04:00

While our economy continues to contract and college graduates find fewer and fewer opportunities for work, I have three jobs... and I am adding a fourth in two weeks' time.

I had two offers for full-time employment: one in August and one in September. I was wary to accept either since I already committed to three courses at two different schools. I added a fourth class two weeks ago. Two weeks from today, I will begin teaching a month-long graduate seminar in Composition Pedagogy for a university out in San Diego (class number five).

Even in these hard times, I will online-commute to a campus over 2,000 miles away and will teach future teachers of Composition how to be teachers of Composition-- invaluable job experience once I am on the national job market again next Fall.

But as of January, 2010, I will be full-time employed for the first time in six years. One and a half of those years I was unemployed but collected no unemployment benefits; we lived on one graduate research assistant stipend earned by Tom. It has never felt so good getting a pay check as it did in September.

Colleges are one place where business is quite recession-proof.

In fact, institutions of higher learning are in high demand by both the supply side and consumer side of the economy. One of the schools at which I currently teach two of my four courses had to turn students away in August. Luckily, I have a doctorate in a field that nearly *every* college and university has a universal requirement: Composition.

The students have changed, too.

I have fewer teenagers and twenty-somethings than those in their 30s and 40s, returning to school for a degree to earn better pay, to start a new career, to keep up with education credits demanded by their current employers.

Smaller, accredited schools are filling the gap, too, in terms of expense. I will be teaching full-time at a school next January that is seeking better accreditation and will be the only person on campus with a Ph.D. (it is a very small school).

Tom's path to getting his degree has been a long and winding one. We have to stay here for at least another year and a half before we move (he is applying to go to Antarctica to drill an ice core next fall and has been offered a post-doc fellowship for that year).

But, it seems, that "down" time will be very helpful in terms of my own vita.

I recall a number of years ago when my Dad asked me: "Why are you still in school?"

My response: "Dad, I will have a job whenever I need one with this degree. Every school in the country has a writing requirement. Those types of classes are the ones I am learning to teach, to research, and how to contribute to the scholarship."

Turning down jobs seems like a pretty good indication to me that a job in higher education is pretty safe.

Now if I could just find time to write...

Happy Monday All

Meet the Bitsies

2009-10-10T13:25:00.008-04:00

After three months without Emma, I am proud to introduce you to "The Bitsies" (as in, the Itsy Bitsies).

Meet Bella (calico) and Pete (tiger).

They picked us at a local shelter about a month ago and although they are from different litters, they are the bestest buds-- sharing naps, and playtime, and general adorableness. We missed Emma very much and tho' no catter could ever replace her, we are very happy to give a good home to two such sweet babies. Pete was sick but is almost better and packing on the pounds. The very first night, he slept between our pillows and has been a total love ever since. Bell is a bit more reserved, but adores having her tummy rubbed. (Anyone reading this blog for a while may recall my obsession with Emma's belly.)

Sorry the pictures are late in coming here to you all.

These are from today. We bought them a nine-foot tower that is currently in our new living room:

Despite weighing three pounds each a month ago, Pete has started to grow so fast. He is going to be a beast!

We are totally in kitty heaven. They are so. freakin'. cute!

In honor of themom, Happy Caturday!

President Obama Wins Nobel as US Shoots the Moon!*

2009-10-09T07:20:00.006-04:00

*A preemptive note for all of the shitty, non-Hearts playing folks; this is not a reference to actual "shooting" but to capmangoe.

If there was any doubt as to the importance of November 4, 2008, this should hopefully dispel it.

The world has spoken.

President Obama *represents* the desire of many to move away from war, killing, and destruction toward peace, communication, and mutual respect.

Yes, I understand the Nobel nominations occurred two weeks into his administration.

Yes, I know the response from the G-NOPERS will be that the Socialist Nobel Committee is in cahoots to help Obama with his leftist agendas.

Yes, I know it hurts, G-NOPERS, that the majority of Americans voted for a nice guy, who is smart, approachable and able to multi-task instead of taking the most vacation time of any president in recent history.

Yes, I know we are still at war.

But...

To me, as an American, this is a day we should all be proud.

Only two sitting presidents (Teddy R. and Wilson) were awarded this prize. Now perhaps America can do what it has always been best at: Finding room for everyone at the table and making sure everyone shares responsibility for our world, for our peace, for each other.

Happy Friday All.

PS: From the Washington Monthly:
"This hasn't been an especially good week for the right. When the United States suffered a setback last Friday, with the Olympic decision, a few too many conservatives were thrilled to the point of giddiness. When the United States wins a great honor today, a few too many conservatives are furious.

Bad news for the country is cause for exuberance, and good news for the country is grounds for bitter disappointment.

Has the right really thought this strategy through?"

PPS: As the (R)eds in our country lick their wounds, ask yourself one question if you think this is something of which we, as a country, should be ashamed: Why isn't anyone in the GOP excited when a fellow American gets this kind of recognition on the world stage? It's a tad unpatriotic some of the blow-back from the right... keep blowin' blowhards...America chose Hope-- and apparently, so has the world.

The Audacity of Health

2009-09-30T13:49:00.008-04:00

We have a lot of nerve, us progressives, to ask that our law makers intervene to make health insurers play fair and keep up their end of the deal when we (or someone we love) gets ill, wounded, hurt. Especially after we have paid premiums out the wazoo... I believe that is the lay-term for forced-rectal-intrusion-with-a-phallic-ish-object (sans lube).

The monopoly health insurance companies have on health is sickening. Literally.

As I understand it, from a fifth grade comprehension level, we have law makers who make laws (not business deals) to step-in on our behalf and regulate unfair business practices.

What part of the word "option" don't people understand?

I suppose if you aren't about choice, you really aren't about choice. How's that for *self* determination?

Get. The. Eff. Over. It.

2009-09-28T13:59:00.005-04:00

Barack Obama is our president. Duly elected, stamped, sealed, and certified by our national congress and Supreme Court.

This fact seems lost on some people who want to get him out of office, regardless of legitimacy or reason. And by whatever means available.... including, apparently, murder.

Someone posted a poll on facebook asking "should Obama be killed?" (It has since been yanked but not before someone was able to take a screen shot of it.)

If you think it's a joke, you are seriously fucked up.

I'm not laughing and I don't think any conscious, educated, decent American (or human being for that matter) would be laughing about it either. And stop before you try the tu quoque argument... i.e., people did it against Bush therefore it's fine. Say it with me folks: "Logical fallacy."

According to Crooks and Liars, the rate of threats against the president was up 400% from the same time period in August 2008. For the full text click here.

Get. the. fuck. over. it.

The Conservamedia a Biased Group of Hypocritical Liars? NO. WAY!

2009-09-25T13:27:00.002-04:00

As only Rachel Maddow could play it, the conservative media has once again been caught with its pajama pants around its ankles... someone, please get them a bedpan so they stop crapping all over our national discourse:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Also, check out the link to the study Rachel discusses with Professor Dreier.

Generational Shift

2009-09-25T11:37:00.008-04:00

One of the most interesting things about one of my classes: My 18 year-olds are interested in so-called "liberal" agendas.

Yes, you read that right.

Eighteen year old college freshman have been suggesting writing projects that deal with poverty, health care, homelessness, education, ending war, educating people on climate change, gay marriage, etc. One student from a *very* conservative, rural area in my state is actually *reading* health care legislation... for himself. No spin. And weekly is talking to me about the disconnect he sees between the media coverage of this process and the documents he is reading. Nothing says critical thinking like self-education...

One of the things on which I pride myself most as a teacher is that my classes are about the students. I don't direct their thinking since I teach rhetoric and argument (and for all the whackadoos who have no idea that rhetoric, in a classical sense, is not empty mind control paired with bad manners: go read some Aristotle and then come talk to me about something in which I hold a Ph.D.).

We have had non-partisan class discussions on abortion and separation of church and state (these are *their* topics, not mine) and talk about these issues from a rhetorical perspective, without using pathos or theology as bases for argument.

I have had three students in the class who have told me that teachers in the past always gave them poor marks for their beliefs.

I tell them: "This isn't church. I teach students. Not faith."

I promised them pumpkin bars on the first chilly fall day. I have had one absence in five weeks; I teach at 3:30 and on Fridays when all of the fraternities and sororities are having cookouts, playing frisbee, and gearing up for tail-gating, my students are in my class. They deserve to be appreciated for all of their open-mindedness and respect they have shown each other... the Joe Wilsons and Glenn Becks and Rush Limpballs of the world could learn a thing or two from these amazing young people. They care about each other despite their differences. They care about making a difference... even tho' the naysayers call them apathetic and self-centered.

Boy, those folks couldn't be more wrong.

I get paid to watch these young people start to learn to think for themselves. Paid! Even better, I get to read their thoughts on paper, talk to them, and see how they see the world through unjaded eyes. They are so hopeful, so determined, so staid in their trust that things will work out. More importantly, they have shown me that they know *they* have something to do with it. It's not some external problem, in some BFE place, for some abstract group of strangers. The world is our world to them. It belongs to us all.

Indeed it does. Indeed it does.

Happy Friday everyone.

Hypocrites on Parade

2009-09-18T13:03:00.006-04:00

For decades since the passage of Roe V. Wade, the conservative right in this country has been *all about* government telling women what they can and cannot do about the health and state of our own bodies. Some of these same loonies who are soooo pro-life even assassinate doctors at church to prove exactly how pious and life-y they are. Because as we all know, nothing says pro-life like first degree murder.

Fertility control is not covered by most insurance plans. It's not birth control if you have no egg to begin with: see this link to educate yourself on The Pill. (No ovulation, no egg.) Birth control is a Cesarean Section, Lamaze, huffing and puffing, pushing/not pushing when your ObGyn tells you, an epidural. Ask a mom. Yours if you have one. Or yourself, if you are one.

You want government to stay out of healthcare? Quit trying to put the government between me and my right to inhabit *my* body the way *I* choose and go eff yourself, you motherhumping hypocrites.

Thank whoever it is Friday.

An Open Invitiation To All Illiterati

2009-09-16T11:20:00.015-04:00

Are you a proponent of critical-thinking yet inform yourself by consuming edukashun at the trough of the Glenn Beck/Rush Limbaugh/Sean Hannity/Redstate/Freeper Idiocracy? Please read on to see how one teeny group of the "educated elite" in this country are meeting to have [gasp] a conversation about communism in an academic context with other academics (not students, so you may not shout "programming!"). Because when people in academia have questions about something, just like normal people they ask it instead of shouting "Liar!" And when they need an answer they discover it for themselves... you know, by studying and reading and shit. Just like normal people.

Any trolls who want to go toe-to-toe with me on Hegel, Lacan or Žižek, read this post, its links and cited texts and bring it.

I just checked my university email account, and the following mass list-serv [sic] invitation was awaiting:

*******

"There will be a meeting of the Marxist/Post-Marxist reading group on Wednesday, September 30 at 5:30pm. For the next couple of sessions we will be looking at the themes of alienation and commodities.

On the 30th, we'll be reading the first of the 1844 Manuscripts, excluding the section on rent. This can be found at http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1844/manuscripts/preface.htm

In order to set the groundwork for the following session, we will also discuss, somewhat separately from the issues in the Manuscript, Brian Donahue's essay 'Marxism, Postmodernism, Žižek.' This is available through Project Muse and in the journal Postmodern Culture.

Sometime in October, we'll discuss the first chapter of Capital in which Marx introduces commodities and commodity fetishism.

Either at this session or the next, we'll move on to cover Slavoj Žižek's Introduction and first chapter of the Sublime Object of Ideology, which uses a Lacanian framework to explicate some of Marx's ideas about commodification and alienation.

If you're not familiar with us, we are interested in exploring the possibilities and limitations of Marxist thought by examining different thinkers who are identified as either Marxist or post-Marxist. The goals of this reading group would be to question, discuss, and understand these possibilities and limitations throughout different fields. We are interested in how different thinkers have attempted to pose alternative models to key Marxist concepts. We welcome all perspectives and disciplinary orientations on these ideas."

*******

This group espouses *no* ideology, only the *study* of Marxian paradigms. This is how it goes in academia. We have a civilized conversation on texts *everyone* has read first hand and on which not everyone agrees. Also, it is to start a conversation that has relevance to today's world... notions of production, manufacturing, jobs, workers, etc. Not to *worship* Marx, but to have a dialogue on what's right and wrong with his philosophies and other philosophers who either agree or disagree with him and to understand how his philosophies developed as a result of his own studies.

The following, written about Žižek, summarizes the thrust of his current scholarship: "Žižek has determined that late-modern capitalism has engendered a whole range of alternative seductions to keep the eye and brain off of the Real. The Real only exists as a fragment, fast receding on the horizon as fantasy and often phantasm intercede. These dreams and nightmares are systemic, structural neuroses, and they are part of the coordinates of the hegemonic." Žižek also critiques the capitalist notion of borrowing from the future to pay for the present (very watered down). Hmmm... a "lefty" who sounds just like the Teabaggers in this country?

This is a prime example of what the recently well-publicized mass of illiterati in this country are guilty. They have *no* idea what they are talking about when they blithely use terms like socialist and communist.

Now if only the rest of the country could follow suit on day-to-day common issues in general... Oh, yeah. That's right. Some people tried to have a civilized conversation at town hall meetings in August and to be part of the audience as the President addressed a joint session of Congress last week...

Primum Non Nocere

2009-09-15T10:17:00.009-04:00

"First, do no harm."

A professor of mine once said this in our empirical studies class. Since my dissertation involved human subjects, I took this ancient advice strongly to heart.

Many medical students take a more modernized version of the Hippocratic Oath upon their graduation from medical school (and yes, to all the smarty-pants out there-- I know the title of this post is not part of any version of the oath).

Most medical doctors are doctors because:
A) They are smart enough to handle the rigorous curricula of medical school.
B) They are disciplined enough to sacrifice many things to attain a goal few can.
C) They want to help people.

Cynics may say I am wrong. That doctors are in it for the money. Sure. Why not get paid well to do something that you are well-equipped to do? After all, I think perhaps we might agree that people's lives and health are rather important in the grander scheme of things.

Give a wealthy person the choice between saving her/his own life and saving her/his fortune and I think we can guess which one she/he might choose.

The members of our Congress take an oath, too.

The history of that oath is a compelling one. I highly recommend researching it for yourself.

In my *opinion* the latest version it is too watered down... members of Congress avow to protect the Constitution but not the American people.

In 1862, fearful of traitors on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line, congressional members were asked to swear that they had not personally engaged in illegal or disloyal conduct. Perjury was punished and the member forever stripped of access to federal employment--- we'd lose practically our entire Congress if this were part of the oath today.

The lack of "spection" whether intro or outre, is crippling our country as much as our wars, our health care system, and our economy. I hope that soon we may all take a good look at what is inside us, why we look at the world the way we do, and how we can come together to make life better for everyone instead of focusing on hate, vitriol, spite and anger. It's all about perspective.

The "I'm right and you're wrong" mentality has gotten us nowhere. And for a nation that seems to have been wandering off course for a while now, it's time for us to get our bearings again.

"That which is to give light must endure burning" Victor Frankl

Light up the darkness...

Happy Tuesday, all.

PS: It's truly sad when Tea Partiers have to lie about the size of protests to bolster support. Seems as tho' the GOP is quickly becoming the Grand Old Prevaricators. Members are starting to look like Gullible Odd People.

Live from Jupiter, It's Tea Party LIVE!!!!!

2009-09-14T17:55:00.003-04:00

No words.

Not one.

I lost count of the number of armed officers that had to protect this American from his fellow Americans...

Unfair and Imbalanced: Unconventional Media

2009-09-11T10:26:00.007-04:00

At the end of his appearance on Hannity last PM, Joe Wilson was told by the Hannity himself that he has a "link on his blog for those that want to support [Wilson] on hannity.com." The link is in the four-option flash box on the left side of the main body, first choice, caption "Support Joe Wilson". Anyone who wants to complain that the so-called MSM personalities do the same, my response is... the subtitle of hannity.com *ties* it to the network with "The Sean Hannity Show". I've never seen any *program blogs* from CNN or MSNBC that do the same type of promotion for a candidate (unless it was PAID advertisement space).

I think the Unconventional-Media (UM) is in the bag for the conservatives (um... duh, I know).

In case you want to watch the strange, other-worldly, wildly entertaining video of the interview, here it is:

Off to apologize to my laptop again... sorry little laptop. Don't hate me.

Happy Friday all.

No, YOU Lie.

2009-09-10T11:39:00.013-04:00

Nothing says fund-raising for a political opponent like incorrectly yelling, "You lie" at the POTUS in front of millions of Americans and the entire Congress.

Section 242 of HR 3200 specifically states that in order for an individual to receive coverage: "For purposes of this division, the term 'affordable credit eligible individual' means, subject to subsection (b), an individual who is lawfully present in a State in the United States [...]" (Some people forget that the PDF is online and word-searchable).

~also~

SEC. 246. NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS (all caps in the original). Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.

Joe Wilson has started a bit of a battle for his seat in 2010 with those two little words. His opponent, Rob Miller, has raised (at the time of this post) over $188,000 dollars since last PM. Check it out. (Update: as of 5PM EST, the donations top $450,000.)

President Obama must be doing a lot of things right to get such a strong (if not irrational) reaction from some people.

One last thing: an argument I keep hearing against this reform is that small businesses will have to pay an 8% penalty if they do not provide coverage for their employees.

Two problems with that:
A) That helps small businesses who have seen their premiums increase by 129% in the last eight years.
B) Don't we want to help small businesses with costs? Click here for a report straight from the House Ways and Means Committee on the benefits of reform to small businesses.

It's time to act. In the face of all of the evidence, at this point anyone who is against this reform is seriously underinformed, misinformed or illiterate. Read the bill. I think my August post was strangely prescient of Wilson's outburst last PM...

PS: What with all this bipartisanship nonsense? The citizenry sent a very clear message in this *Democracy*. (Princeton defines Democracy as "majority rule".) The majority of Americans voted for the Democrats... that's the team we want... not a mix of those who were in the minority. If we want bi-partisanship, we should do away with the system of representation in this country. Those who lost lost for a reason...

Pat Buchanan Can Suck It

2009-09-09T12:10:00.007-04:00

Last night Buchanan was yammering on about the "Death Panels" that (will, in some as yet hypothetical future) convene when terminal patients are given "options." Every option *except* refusal of treatment, which he neglected to add.

I have lost many dear friends to cancer. The hardest was my friend Anne; she was 40 when she died in 1998 after her *third* bout with breast cancer. She knew the news was bad at the appointment when she received her third diagnosis and the doctor (who happened to be my oncologist also) recommended experimental treatments. She had had chemo, radiation, a stem-cell transplant (the first in Indiana) and numerous surgeries. The doctor recommended teflon injections. You know, the non-stick surface in cooking pans?

She told me in our frequent conversations about the terminal state of her illness: "I want to die and my doctor won't let me."

She spent the last four months on Earth falling down stairs, in agonizing pain from the cancer which had spread to every bone in her body, not eating, vomiting at all hours of the day, not sleeping (despite the pharmaceutical soup she was served three times daily), and just generally too aware of what was happening to her.

Those fuckers kept her alive because her health insurance would pay them to. She had a cadillac plan, but she was ready for the end. The end of seeing her husband, family, and friends suffer because she was *so* sick; the end of the unbearable pain; the end of feeling dizzy and scared but acutely aware of her suffering no matter how much morphine they gave her.

She wanted to die.

The last time I talked to her was two weeks before she passed.

The final thing she said as we hung up the phone was: "I don't understand why God won't let me die."

That was Anne. A deeply devout woman who lived a short, loved-filled life and was made to suffer unimaginable cruelty at the hands of people who were trying to *save* her.

What part of terminal didn't the doctor understand?

Right now, a very dear friend of my mom's is losing his battle with liver cancer. He was hospitalized over the weekend and wants to go home to die. He wants to take a jacuzzi, feed the birds, tend to his garden, have one last fire in the hearth that forms the center of his home.

His doctors won't let him leave. They'd rather let him die in a hospital bed surrounded by machines and caregivers who are strangers.

Indeed, there are death panels... doctors who collect from insurance companies on terminally ill patients... suck the well dry. But the patient? There is no end for them until they have been bled dry and can no longer recognize family and friends.

We are fortunate to have the option to end the suffering of our pets... why can't we let those who are terminally ill end the suffering of themselves and those they love?

There are death panels... but they are not the same for everyone. They aren't government bureaucrats with a checklist of costs. They are doctors and hospital administrators who check your insurance and if you are fortunate enough to have good coverage, they will give you the longest death you can afford... and charge your family and dear friends for a ring-side seat to watch.

Are You a Better Listener than a Fifth Grader?

2009-09-08T11:14:00.005-04:00

Thanks to Seeing Eye Chick over at Apocalyptics Anonymous II for posting this (and sending me an email about it, too).

The video speaks for itself. Love the "whelp" and "woof" reference...

Fixed News

2009-09-05T10:10:00.004-04:00

Apparently, we are going to witness a repeat of Fox Network's "Fair and Balanced" reporting with another refusal to cover the President's address to a joint session of Congress next week. Has any one network picked such a bone with a president before?

Their "commentators" air lies and vitriol against the president (see any of Glenn Beck, Hannity, or O'Reilly), but will not air the other side of the argument... coming from the President's own mouth (and yes, I know that Fox "News" is going to air the speech).

Health care reform + President Obama + speech to elected national officials= Less important than So You Think You Can Dance? and some new show titled Glee.

In the meantime, we are off to attend a benefit BBQ/concert for Ronald McDonald House at my brother's home in St. Louis. Good blues, good food, good time, good cause.

Happy Labor Day weekend, all.

Be safe. Have Fun. And hug a Republican. They need it.

Background Checking the President for a School Visit

2009-09-03T19:05:00.005-04:00

The Right in this country has sunk to a low I could never imagine.

There are calls from parents and concerned citizens demanding that the President "let the school know" what he plans say to children in Virginia when he visits a school there next Tuesday.

Here's what is going to happen according to whitehouse.gov.

So... he's basically going to tell kids to stay in school and be responsible for their own learning.

Now isn't that a shitty message to send our young people? Stay in school.

I wonder what Bush 43's people told the folks at Emma E. Booker Elementary School the days leading up to this school visit:

Here's Fox "News'" take on the more recent matter.

W.T.F.

Return to Cinnamon

2009-08-27T11:23:00.010-04:00

I seems strange how change has returned in a way it hasn't in some time now.

I can feel "me" again.

I noticed a large "twin" maple in our neighbor's yard yesterday (pic forthcoming). It is h-u-g-e. Old. Steady.

I told Tom: "I want to go talk to that tree."

He choked on his coffee.

For most of my life, I had a deep connection to nature. I loved the outdoors, creatures in it, rocks, trees. I have had many times when I have felt my connection to the greater Gaia strongly.

Maybe it was easier when I was younger, living in Montauk, NY. Being close to the water. Hitch-hiking, mountain biking and living my life just as free as any young *man* would... I went out alone for happy hour and spent lots of time just writing and being. My only possessions: one suitcase of clothes, two boxes of books, and my bike. I was a nomad for a long time. People called me the Cinnamon Girl (long amber hair, free spirit, independent).

But when my mom got cancer in the mid-nineties I was called upon by my family to return to their lives and help care for her.

So began my slow process of losing my connection to myself. I have a great family; they just thought it was a bit odd that I liked to go sit in the grass for an hour and do nothing other than breathe.

Add my own diagnosis with cancer in 1997 (irrefutable proof to me that I was *not* my body; but as to what I am, what we all are, still not sure); after that, a five year abusive relationship with one of the biggest mooches on the planet, and a general stumbling around in my little life.

I fell into grad school. Waded through first years of teaching and coursework, partying a lot (until I met Tom). Feeling that the days of Cinnamon were lost forever, but chasing after them thinking that I would find her again at the bottom of a Ketel One dirty, dry martini.

It seems she's right where I left her. In the care of the trees and the grass and the earth. You may notice a change in my blog for the coming weeks. I don't know.

I feel the need to turn toward something more positive, less snarky, a small patch of peace away from all of chaos and hate of these psychotic battles over the finite "things" I see when I read or watch news.

It's time for me to spend some time outside again... outside the anger and sadness consuming so many lives. Political Skye will still be here; she just may not shout as loudly.

Happy Thursday, All.

The Changing Shape of Things

2009-08-26T11:59:00.006-04:00

*
It is only day three of the new semester and I have thoroughly enjoyed almost every moment of every class with my 65 students (three sections of Composition).

Something has changed.

I wonder if students' parents sat them down and gave them a good talking to about the expense of sending them off to school in these hard economic times and how they should study, study, study, or they will quickly find themselves back at home with a curfew, garbage that needs to be taken out, and a yard that needs mowing.

I have never had students that are more eager to learn.

We are still unpacking; I just found our digital camera (need to find the USB cord, tho') and promise to try to take pictures of our yard soon... yes we have a lawn and flowers and tomatoes (cherry, mini-yellow, and beef-steak), and peppers (green, ancho, and hot, hot, hot jalapenos).

We also successfully trapped and (humanely, instantly) killed a mouse that literally had been shitting all over our kitchen. On Sunday it ate an entire jalapeno, seeds and all. We thought that might have killed it, but then I saw it scamper across the counter-top late Monday when I turned on the kitchen lights to get a glass of water.

I screamed like a girl. 'Cause guess what? I am a girl. But I didn't scramble up a chair.

Last night... it was us or the mouse and I knew it wasn't going to be us.

I said to Tom at 2 AM this morning (after we got finished bagging up the little lifeless body) that the mouse was now free to be reincarnated as a bird that can nest in the gigantic red maple in front of our house whose branches overhang the driveway. It can continue to poop in our general direction, but at least it will be on our car and not in our kitchen.

*"Epona" by Susan Seddon Boulet; she's a beautiful artist; one of my faves. I know Epona is the goddess of horses but her horses were also considered to lead souls in the after-life. May that little mouse find comfort in her guidance.

PS: I wanted to mention the passing of Ted Kennedy, but the tone of this post didn't seem appropriate.

Wasted

2009-08-23T10:58:00.003-04:00

This week I have been having thoughts about one of the saddest and most infuriating things: people in power who choose not to do good with it.

I am sure that you can think of many such people, but one who really sticks in my craw is Sarah Palin.

Come on: she's pretty, charismatic, and seems to be able to gather a loyal following of people.

But.

What a waste that is on her.

She's gotten the things in her life and opportunities to do and have those things because she looks a certain way (sorry, folks, we all know deep down that is the case for some people) and has a charm about her.

I remember the very FIRST time I saw her talk. It was the day McCain announced her as his running mate and my thought was: Oh. Fuck.

True, her speech was short and well-rehearsed and written by a professional speech writer.

But now, I am just sad at the reality behind her glammer (and yes, I spelled it that way because of the lowness of that glammer).

She could have used her position of authority to save or improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, starting with the native Americans in the Yukon Delta who are facing another winter of starvation, freezing and no access and no money to buy basic things like diapers and baby food.

This is in our country, people.

And the person in charge who could have done the right thing for those people (even if it meant furthering herself politically) *chose not to*. She even quit before she was faced with another Alaskan winter with starving and dying constituents.

Then I think of folks like Bush, who had the chance to bring our nation together in a way seen only once in a generation. Instead, he chose anger, fear, and blind retaliation at an elusive enemy-- the pursuit of which has cost us to date 4,333 American lives. That's about 2 per day. Human beings who will never see their families again, who will never know that their sacrifice was all for a war built on lies. *So that people could profit*. See Xe and it's disgusting record on contracts or Blackwater (both former subsidiaries of Halliburton) if you have any doubt as to the scope of the war-profiteering that has lined the pockets of hundreds of corporate slugs like those we handed blank checks to last October.

Want health benefits? Join the military. Have they got a job for you.

I am not one prone to conspiracy or paranoia, but I cannot help but see some connections here.

Limit the options available for people to improve their lives and the lives of others. Add a population that needs jobs, jobs, jobs. Want some security, join the armed forces. They'll take care of you until you die in combat and your government denies press coverage of flag-draped coffins coming off of airplane transports. (I know this has changed, but our press seems preoccupied at the moment with lies about health care reform; pay no attention to the man behind the curtain).

So much waste.

Needless waste.

A White House and Congress all with a Democratic majority and they are looking to waste that, too.

And who gets dumped on? Take a wild guess...

Rantin' On: Talkin' With Yer Mouth Full

2009-08-18T10:50:00.007-04:00

Last night over dinner, I said to Tom: "The so-called 'liberal' media are morons."

But not for the obvious reasons that may pop to mind.

It seems, I told Tom (and now you, dear reader) that the so-called "right-wing" media are controlling what news gets reported... indeed the right-wing in general is controlling the media at the moment.

This has been festering in my noodle for a while now.

For example, why the eff are we paying attention to that nut-bag Michelle Bachmann, her insanity, and her son? Or Palin, for that matter?

Further, why are they still yakking about the misinformation on health care reform?

Or the attention-seeking folks not-so-subtly threatening the president at his town hall meetings by showing up strapped? Don't our "enemies" in those countries "over thar someswhere" do the same fucking thing?

Seriously, what is the purpose of that other than a child's response: "Cuz I can."

Good on you.

I can talk with food in my mouth, but don't even if I can.

It's bad manners, poor etiquette, and frankly, gross.

Instead, I posit, the national conversation should be about what's needed instead of pointing fingers, like Keith Olbermann does *non-stop* saying: "Nya, nya, nya, I'm right and you're wrong."

I am about finished with the defensive crap that has become the smorgasbord of the "news."

Everyone's a fucking critic and wants a seat at the grown-up table but no one seems to want to put forward solutions.

People are talking with their mouths full of shyte.

What this country needs is civility, not barbarism.

Some keep-your-elbows-off-the-table and chew-with-your-mouth-closed kind of table manners.

We also need the dumb-asses we elected (by a very safe margin) to do their jobs and get the things done we elected them to do.

I fear that a train-wreck is just around the bend. And the media will be sitting there, literally, on their asses saying with their mouths chock full 'o crap, "We told you so."

And I'll say, "Good for you. You were right. Now what the frick are we going to do?"

Yesterday

2009-08-16T17:19:00.003-04:00

I had a great idea for a blog post... yesterday.

Actually, last night. It was deep. Personal. Something I thought: "Wow. I really need to blog about that."

Today?

Pfft.

Gone.

No clue what deepness I was plumbing.

Back to being shallow, I suppose.

Moving is hell. (Didn't I already write that?)

HELL!!!!

Actually, I am just feeling like a drama queen (pronounced: draa-maa).

I have committed myself to one section of Comp at the U from which I recently received my degree (they *cannot* take it back was my first thought, can they?).

I am also going to be teaching several courses online for two different universities.

Wish I could remember what I was going to post about today.

It had something to do with the meaning of life or some such nonsense.

When I remember what it was, I promise to share.

Missing the monkey badly these days. I have been dreaming about her a lot. Yesterday morning I dreamt about a dragonfly outside my window. When I touched the glass, it turned into Emma. I woke up crying. I know whatever she is doing she is doing it in a good place. And if you knew her, a dragonfly seems to really suit her personality.

In the meantime, here's some terrible cuteness. So cute it hurts.

That website always makes me laugh.

I hope you all had great weekends. I will be back with photos... we actually have flowers and a garden in our new place...

Moving is Madness

2009-08-11T11:41:00.003-04:00

Hate. Hate. Hate. Moving.

And I am generally not a hater.

Sorry to have been lax on the updates with the health care bill. Haven't had any time... Just sick about the so-called "debate" that is going on between the yellers and screamers and fucktards who obviously haven't so much as glanced at the thing.

If you are a conservative stumbling upon this blog:

Please do yourself and your fellow Americans a favor. Exercise your right to inform yourself instead of reading/listening to what *other* people are writing/saying/lying about this legislation.

No death panels. No loss of coverage you like. No getting denied coverage for pre-existing conditions. No lifetime limits on coverage. Nothing awful, horrific or bad.

You are a paranoid, sad, freak if you think this bill is a concoction of evil-doers.

The only bad guys are the insurance companies and you are helping them keep sick people sick and the bad guys' pockets lined with blood money. YOU are a death panel if you don't stop this insanity. Please click on the previous sentence for an excellent argument about the lack of ethics of the GOP and big money behind this absurdity.

Lives or money?

Says a lot about a person given which side they choose...

HR 3200: Title I

2009-08-04T18:07:00.009-04:00

Here's a quick summary (bulleted points) of the highlights of the first title of the bill.

*Sorry for some of the goofy margins and returns on this. I wrote it in wordpad while reading the bill and the format did not translate well into blogger.*

Pages 1-72:
First 14* pages definition of terms.

Title I (pages 1-72): Protections and Standards for Qualified Health Benefits Plans (QHBP)
Section 102: "Protecting the Choice to keep Current Coverage" (page 16).
Includes restrictions on premium increases during the "grandfather" period (page 17).

Subtitle B: Standards Guaranteeing Access to Affordable Coverage
Section 111: "Prohibiting Pre-Existing Condition Exclusion" (page 19).
People cannot be dropped for non-payment of premiums unless a specific course of consumer protection has been provided (page 20).
Individuals and families will all be charged a uniform rate (page 21).
Eighteen months after the date of the enactment of the legislation, a commission will provide Congress and applicable agencies a report on the study of factors affecting coverage (page 22): "To ensure that the law does not provide incentives for small and mid-size businesses to self-insure or create averse selection in the risk pools of large insurers and self-insured employers" (page 23).

Section 114: "Nondiscrimination in benefits: parity in mental health and substance abuse benefits" (page 23).

Section 115: Ensuring adequacy of provider networks; transparency in cost for in-network
and out-of-network benefits.
Premiums are to "be used for services" (page 25). *I need to study about the term "medical
loss ratio"; not sure what that means.

Subtitle C: Standards Guaranteeing Access to Essential Benefits (sets the bar for coverage for private insurers)
Choice of coverage (page 25)
Accordance with general medical standards (page 27)
No annual or lifetime limit on coverage
Is equivalent to average prevailing employer provided coverage

Minimum services to be covered:
Hospitalization (27)
Outpatient hospital, outpatient clinic, and emergency services (27)
Professional services of physicians and other health professionals (28) (they get
paid; it's not voluntary all of a sudden)
Services, equipment and supplies incident to the delivery of care (28)
Prescription drugs (28)
Rehabilitative and habilitative services (28)
Mental health and substance disorder services (28)
Preventive services (28)
MATERNITY CARE (28)
Well baby and well child care including oral health, vision, hearing etc. for children under
21 years of age

People who are using private insurance cannot pay more than $5,000/year out of pocket for
an individual; $10,000 per family

Section 123: Health benefits advisory committee (oversight)
Term limits for committee members (3 years)
Duties (pages 32-35)

Section 124: 45 day maximum for committee to review recommendations (keep 'em moving,
boys!)

18 months after enactment of legislation, initial standards for coverage will be set but will be
reviewed periodically (36).

Subtitle D: Additional Consumer Protections

Section 131: Requiring fair marketing practices by health insurers
Claims and appeals processes (37)
External review process (38)

Section 133: Requiring information transparency and plan disclosure (38) (no more fine print; no more quick changes to coverage, etc)

Subtitle E: Governance
Examination and Audits
Work with state regulatory agencies to terminate non-compliant plans (45)
Coordinating communication between state attorneys general (45) and all other overseeing
bodies

Subtitle F: Miscellaneous

Section 152: Prohibiting discrimination in health care (50)
Section 153: Whistle-blower protection (51)
Section 154: Collective bargaining shall not be restrained (53) (unions?)

Subtitle G: Early Investments

Competition (54)
Section 162: Ending health care rescission abuse (55) (fraud is the *only* exception for losing
coverage)
Third party review of rescission

Section 1173A: Standardize electronic administrative transactions
Including: Letting patient know the cost at point of service (58) (no sudden bills out of the blue)
Protection of data (62)

Section 164: Reinsurance program for retirees (65)

More tomorrow as time permits: we are painting at the new house tomorrow so I may not be able to update until the evening.

HR3200: The Bill

2009-08-04T15:21:00.004-04:00

Here's a link to the House version of the Health Care Reform Bill. It may take a few moments to load...

Now, let's all read it and try to act like adults when communicating about it (@those fucktards who are screaming at town-hall meetings like thugs and bullies).

It's called civil discourse for a reason...

I'm off to start reading...

Tyrone's Perfect Tush, Our First African-American President, and a Full Moon on Thursday

2009-08-04T00:49:00.009-04:00

It is a celestial conspiracy that there is a full moon two days after the President's birthday.

It makes perfect sense.

Thousands of years ago, wise people charted the moon cycle to coincide precisely with this period in history.

8. 3. 2009: Crazy, batshit, loonybin Orly Taitz produces the "smoking" noodle that is the Kenyan "birth certificate" for our President.

8. 4. 2009: 218th day of this year. Barack Obama's birthday as 44th President of the United States. Age:48.

8. 6. 2009: The 8th full moon of this year.

8+3+2+9+8+4+2+9+218+44+48+8+6+2+9+8=388

1054 C.E.: A powerful supernova is observed. It is so bright it can be seen in the daylight. The remnant is now known as the Crab Nebula.

"It even has a well-established pedigree since it was sighted by royal Chinese astronomers when light from the supernova arrived here in 1054. The Crab Nebula and the star at the center of it are the Rosetta Stone of modern astrophysics" (Chandra Science Center).

Well-established pedigree?

1054-388=666.

Coincidence?

I think not.

The first full moon I ever saw I was ten years old riding the bus to school.

It was early morning and my African-American friend sharing the seat slid open the window, pulled down his pants, and showed his bare bottom to the side of the road. I had never seen such a beautiful contrast of perfect, smooth, dark skin and tighty whities. Haven't since.

Tell any birther, and they will find a way to make that part of the cover-up, too.

Tyrone Washington's flawless tush, the election of our first African-American president, and a full moon on Thursday.

Anything's plausible if you persistently twist the "facts" enough in your favor...

"Let Them Eat McDonald's"

2009-08-02T18:10:00.003-04:00

For some summer reading I just finished Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution by Simon Schama. While not for a causal reader of history, I think this book is eerily prescient of current events in the U.S.

In the latter part of the 18th century, France was heading toward disaster.

Widespread unemployment, disease, and hunger lead to many French-folk being pissed (for lack of a better term) at their government.

Add to that numerous wars, including the Seven Years War, in which King Henry XV involved the French military (which almost bankrupted the government) and the expensive support provided to American revolutionaries by his successor, King Henry XVI (I'm grateful, but just sayin'). The French government was also challenged at this time to provide basic social services for the needy and Veterans.

Heap upon that an inequitable taxation system, which placed the burden of most taxes on the poorest of the French people. Food costs were out of control and the populace was gripped by what historians call the "The Great Fear" wherein scuttlebutt and paranoia fueled suspicion and crime.

Is any of this sounding familiar?

Think about the current agenda of the GOP:

Stop health care reform (i.e. let the poor and unemployed get on with the business of dying already). If you haven't read the memo, it's a must see. Really. The lowness of these political power-grabbers never ceases to amaze me.

Screw the unemployed (see the video of Michele Malkin's appearance on This Week from this morning).

Ramp up the delusion that our president is a non-citizen.

Convince middle income families that income tax deductions for the wealthiest of Americans on investments and estates (i.e., inherited wealth) are bad things and should not be allowed to expire. Because as we all know, most middle class Americans are waiting to inherit wealth from elders and are drooling to keep dividends on their extensive and useful stock portfolios, right?

Weren't these the same group of people who claimed that it was a sign of protest to stop eating "French" fries because the French would not support an unfounded invasion of Iraq?

If I were prone to think the absolute worst of people, and the congressional GOP has put me to the test this past decade, I might think they wanted a revolution...

Good thing none of the supporters of the GOP want our president to fail, for him to be torn out of office, or for America to stay on her knees from economic stress brought on by corporate greed.

I close with a great video summary that only Keith Olbermann could provide. As the great state representative from Missouri, Cynthia Davis, says: "Let them eat McDonalds"

Games Insurance Companies Play (and We Pay)

2009-08-01T21:01:00.011-04:00

So, one line of attack against health insurance reform is the claim that small businesses will disproportionately opt to dump insurance coverage if a public option is available.

I think I might be safe in saying "duh" in light of the following information:

1. Premiums for small businesses have risen 129% in the last eight years.

2. 58% are having a hard time keeping up with the cost of health care (see above link).

3. Plans for small businesses cost more for less coverage. One common excuse for the skewed cost is higher "administrative" costs. It costs *more* to manage small groups of people than it does large groups? Huh? Anyone who has ever been a teacher can say they'd rather be in charge of a small group of students rather than large ones. Smaller groups would seem, logically, to generate less work, less paperwork, less oversight, etc.

Ohio is one instance of the effect of the cost of insurance on small businesses. 69% of small businesses in Ohio, for example, already *do not* provide health insurance for their employees.

Notice anything missing from the initial claim and the three (very) basic points listed here?

How about the health insurance companies? You know, those who are responsible for telling your doctors when and how and if to treat you based solely on their own bottom line?

99% of "employer firms" are small businesses. I think if the insurance companies want to stay in business, they should try to keep providing coverage for those businesses instead of losing that business to the government.

And a public option would kill competition? Ummm, I think it might actually create some instead of the monopoly/craps/Russian roulette games the insurance companies are playing with peoples' lives.

*See this link for a great online tool to compare proposals side-by-side to be informed yourself.

Also, thanks to themom for the nod to my blog. I feel loved. I mean it. Really.

Random acts of kindness are what keep the world from crumbling into utter chaos. Well, at least my wee corner of it.

Happy 1st day of August (holy shyte I cannot believe it is August already...)

Who's Next Fox? The Dalai Lama?

2009-07-27T23:33:00.006-04:00

Fox: Full Of Xenophobia

No one is above their simpleminded attacks.

Last night we caught a snippet of a video segment by Fox's Greg Gutfield attacking physician, philanthropist, philosopher and all around gentle, non-combatant Dr. Deepak Chopra for his recent HuffPost article, "Can We Stop Being a Superpower, Please".

While I don't agree with everything espoused by Dr. Chopra, he is a leader in world AIDS treatment and awareness and peace efforts across the globe.

What assholes.

The video of Gutfield's small-minded and pathetic rant is not available for embedding from Fox, but check it out here:
http://www.foxnews.com/search-results/m/25455023/greg-alogue-7-24.htm#q=deepak+chopra

Fox News: the network with no recourse other than to call anyone remotely critical of our government "anti-American".

Isn't being able to criticize the government among the many reasons the founding fathers et. al. decided to protect that right in our federal legislation?

My apologies again to my hard drive.

Nostradamus and A Cosie

2009-07-27T13:48:00.009-04:00

Apparently, the babble, tripe, and general frivolity that have become my blog of late has garnered another Cosie from Cosa Nostradamus at Blog Me No Blogs. He is among those I count as a lifeline of support when I am feeling overwhelmed and uninspired and want to chuck the whole effing blog thing.

Again, I am honored, as Cosa is witty, informed, and at times absolutely irreverent.

Most of all, I appreciate his humor and ability to use his keen sense of irony to discuss topics as varied as the alien invasion of our solar system, healthcare, the celebrity machine, and a recent post on war.

If you haven't checked out his blog, you should.

The blogging world needs more bloggers like Cosa. He is a loyal and cool dude who in a pinch can wax hysterical on zombies, Michael Jackson, and all things in which we take ourselves *way* too seriously.

His best quality as a blogger, however, is his determination to expose morons, baffoons and boobs (not in a literal sense, Cosa :) for the detritus that they are.

Thanks, Cosa. Your humor and support have kept me bouyant in many times of near-fatal-bloggaphobotitus.*

* The recurrent fear that your blog is suffering because of an inability to make sense, to have a cohesive purpose, and a general ennui with the blathering idiots we suffer daily.

The Rorschach Test

2009-07-24T12:21:00.016-04:00

One easy way to know if you are a crazy person: ask yourself if you buy into the clinically delusional claim that President Obama is not an American born citizen, in the face of all of the evidence to the contrary.

If you answer "no" return to your normal, rational concerns over the state of our economy, health care and our foreign affairs.

Have a great weekend and enjoy this Rorschach of a chubby catter:

If you answer "yes" please keep reading.

Examine whose company you keep, go buy some tea bags, continue to use the word "fascist" as an adjective for "socialist" and hang onto the belief you know what you are talking about.

If you missed it, this was priceless on Hardball last night:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

So, if these fellow-Americans are right (oh god, I am related by my country of birth to these people), the USCIS needs to get involved and start working to deport our president.

Good luck with that.

Really.

After all, what's one more nail?

(I don't see a wedding band, Governor. And gay people are a threat to traditional marriage?)

(Nice caption, too.)

I'm off to apologize to my "C" drive for violating it with the code for these jpegs. I hope it will forgive me.

Just What I Needed

2009-07-22T13:40:00.005-04:00

Tom just sent me this video as a PS to an email a few moments ago.

I am the luckiest woman on the planet...

Reminded me of this post that I wrote a while ago.

On the heels of that first email another email with the subject "for giggles" that read (copied and pasted verbatim):

"This band has it all,
3 mullets,
1 handlebar mustache,
bell bottoms,
big fuzzy boots,
and totally inappropriate chest hair."

With a link to this video:

I hope you are all having great hump days.

Mettle

2009-07-21T12:21:00.003-04:00

Life seems a perpetual liminal state where we hover amidst many changes.

The key, and something I constantly strive for, is to remain still and not let the maelstrom engulf me.

I have been lingering in reminiscence in recent days. Looking back over my life. Seeing forgotten faces and remembering times of joy and abundance, sorrow and loss.

I'm not sure where *I* am.

I can't quite put my finger on it either.

It's not letting Emma go; it's not moving; it's some kind of unsettledness that flitters at the edge of my mind. Just beyond my ability to grasp it.

I am grateful for it, though, and I know how odd that must seem.

But the hope that is the future has always been a strong presence in my life... and I am, at most times, in it's unwavering company.

I've never been a planner. Never had a road map. Not aimless or goalless, however.

To borrow a phrase from an Indigo Girls song: I missed ten million miles of road I should have seen.

Life is going to bring many changes in the next few years.

We may move to Scotland. Or New Zealand.

Regardless, I always sense I am in the right place, heading the right way, doing the best I can at any given moment.

Walking in the direction life compels me and trying to feel safe knowing that the less I struggle against that pull, the simpler my travels will be.

Iron, left in the rain
And fog and dew,
With rust is covered-- pain
Rusts into beauty too.
-- Mary Carolyn Davis

Happy Tuesday, all.

Dazed and More Than Confused

2009-07-13T11:39:00.003-04:00

It wouldn't be exaggerating to write that it has been one of the worst and weirdest weeks ever.

This morning I woke up on the couch in the living room. Despite my protests, my husband and a few friends took me out last night for my birthday. Tom assured me I did not make an idiot out of myself... I had a few G & Ts and a few shots (ew... I can't believe I used to drink like that in college). Apparently, I got up at some point last night and went to the living room. Odd.

My world seems to be moving in slow motion.

I am looking forward to getting out of town for a few days to go to a conference this weekend; stay at a nice hotel and order room service; catch up with old friends and colleagues who are scattered to the winds.

We will move in a few weeks.

A change of scenery will be good for us both. Too many memories here.

Thank you all for your condolences and kind words of support.

Hanging in like I always do...

I may not be back for a while. I don't feel like I have anything to say at the moment.

But I will check into your blogs and try to keep up with what's going on...

My very best to you all.

Saying Goodbye

2009-07-11T08:44:00.006-04:00

Yesterday afternoon, we said our last good byes to Emma after a horrible five days of fluid drips, blood transfusions and hardly any eating (despite medication).

Our veterinarian, a 35 year veteran and no-nonsense kind of guy, cried afterward with us as he hugged first Tom and then me. We thanked him for helping us keep her for the two years we did after her first diagnosis.

We love you, Em. We always will. May there be endless dishes of catnip where you are headed and a birdie to watch whenever you wish... and all the tuna your little sweet heart desires.

We miss you.

Baby Steps

2009-07-08T08:48:00.008-04:00

Emma is slowly climbing out of a hard crash right now.

At her vet appointment Monday her blood-work showed she is severely anemic. After an iron injection and several hours with the vet, he sent her home and was cautiously hopeful about the chances she will respond to the new medication we are going to be injecting her with three days a week for the foreseeable future (the same stuff I used when I had cancer a number of years ago, oddly) to help boost her red blood cell count.

She could barely walk Monday... Tom and I are both taking this very hard.

I "slept" out near the closet where she has been staying for the last several days.

She was better Tuesday AM and this morning we woke to find she made it to the litter box by herself overnight at some point. And she is eating dry food this morning.

She moved into the closet in our room, which is a regular hangout for her.

When I opened the door all the way her head popped up and she meowed at me.

She hasn't done that for a few days.

She keeps scarfing down teeny saucers of low-sodium tuna water with a tiny bit of tuna flakes when I put it in front of her.

We are hopeful.

Baby steps.

We are definitely at a cross-roads.

Tom and I agreed that if she doesn't continue to show gradual improvement by week's end, we are going to take her back to the vet.

I knew it was going to be hard.

I didn't think it would be this hard.

Never did I think it could hurt so much...

Just Kill Me Now

2009-07-07T09:07:00.004-04:00

A few gems from found.com that pretty much summarize my attitude toward the non-stop, eye-poking-inducing coverage of either Palin or Jacko.

If only every single steekin' journalist and media outlet in the country would read this...

Palin Quitting Governorship

2009-07-03T16:14:00.010-04:00

It's breaking news.

Sarah Palin is leaving her position as Alaska's governor by the end of the month. Here's the LA Times take on this story. The Times mentions an upcoming Vanity Fair article on Palin that paints a not-so-pretty picture of her.

Quitting.

Leaving in the middle of her first term.

Hmmm...

She wants to "keep progressing" the state. [sic]

One reason: lame duck politicians travel and accept their status as lame ducks.

What does being a lame duck have to do with being a mid-first-term governor?

Let the feeding frenzy begin.

The DC GOP reaction to this will be interesting.

HELP: A Potential Solution to Health Care Reform?

2009-07-02T08:55:00.005-04:00

According to an item on yesterday's Huff Post, the Democrats have come up with a new HC reform bill that would cover 97% of Americans and cost $400 million less than the previously proposed plan.

From the article:

"Additionally, the revised proposal calls for a $750 annual fee on employers for each full-time worker not offered coverage through their job. The fee would be set at $375 for part-time workers. Companies with fewer than 25 employees would be exempt. The fee was forecast to generate $52 billion over 10 years, money the government would use to help provide subsidies to those who cannot afford insurance. The same provision is also estimated to greatly reduce the number of workers whose employers would drop coverage, thus addressing a major concern noted by CBO when it reviewed the earlier proposals."

[...]

"In their letter, Kennedy and Dodd said the Congressional Budget Office 'has carefully reviewed our complete bill, and we are pleased to report that CBO has scored it at $611.4 billion over 10 years, with the new coverage provisions scored at $597 billion. ...The completed bill virtually eliminates the dropping of currently covered employees from employer-sponsored health plans.

'In addition, our bill, combined with the work being done by our colleagues in the Finance Committee, will dramatically reduce the number of uninsured _ fully 97 percent of Americans will have coverage, a major achievement.' "

Guess we'll see if the majority in both houses has the cojones to act on this change so many Americans desperately need.

Surfacing for a Breath

2009-06-30T10:07:00.005-04:00

While I clunk my way through Vista on Tom's laptop, our broadband is up for a few moments and I had to steal away to blogger to check in and say hi. [Update: as soon as I went to hit the publish button the BB went down. It should be fixed now.]

It's official. We gave notice to out landlady, who is, without a doubt, the best landperson in my long history of landpeople.

I sent an email out to the graduate list-serv on campus and already have someone coming to look at our place tomorrow. I hope the visitor likes it and likes the deep red paint in the kitchen and the pale gray paint in the bathroom. It would be nice not to have to paint before we exit.

The conference I am attending is coming up quickly. I have not started my paper, have not transcribed the interview about which the paper is to be written and hope to bejesus that the audio file of the interview is still on my laptop when it returns from the hospital. Yeah, I didn't backup my hardrive prior to taking it in and refused the $100 they wanted to charge me to make 3 cds of my computer gobbledygook.

I had a great thought the other day that I wanted to share with you all.

I am one of those people who, while an insufferable optimist, tends to anticipate the worse outcome from bumpy circumstances. And since life is jam-packed with bumpiness, I can be a bit of a spaz. But I realized the other day, for no apparent reason as I was not mid-spaz, that I have never once freaked out about something going haywire and been justified in that freakout.

Things *always* work out.

I cannot think of one time when they did not.

I hope you find the same in your life. We all deserve a little comfort knowing that no matter hard life may seem to throttle us, change for the better is always waiting while we catch our breath from our tantrum and pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and start all over again the next time.

The next time we have a day when we drop everything we pick up (numerous times), hit every red light, get behind the slowest person at the grocery store, our computer crashes when we need to pay bills online, the person at the bank needs to change the receipt tape but doesn't know how, congress continues to be shitheads, Rush Limbaugh *still* has not had his fatal heart attack, and it feels like a sauna when we step outside.

Ain't life grand?

Despite my spazzery, indeed it is.

Technical Difficulties

2009-06-28T17:39:00.003-04:00

Our computer shituation is just that-- a shituation.

Our broadband keeps crashing, our desktop keeps crashing and my laptop is in the hospital undergoing some minor surgeries.

Tom got a new laptop this week but it has Vista (*groan*) and he needs it for work. Also my laptop cannot connect to our router... so even if I did have it, I couldn't connect with you all anyway.

Riveting stuff, huh?

Can I confess something?

I have no idea how I ever lived without email, internet, blogger and google.

Ever.

We made a crazy decision to move into a new house in August.

I think I am one of those people that needs chaos in order for things to be normal... (don't tell my parents).

Nothing says "fun" like going through boxes of paperwork and junk I have been hauling around for about two decades now.

This will mark the seventh time I have moved in 17 years.

I am not in the witness protection program, either.

It is feeling pretty good to purge old photographs from eighth grade graduation, donate unused items, and pitch raging junk in general.

Hope you all are well.

Take care all.

Sorry to have been absent for so long now.

Need a Lift?

2009-06-26T09:19:00.005-04:00

I know I do...

Today, celebrate the resilience of humanity in the midst of turmoil, sadness, and uncertainty.

The oldest musical instruments were found in Germany according to a Science News article written about on Man With the Muck-Rake's blog.

Incredible.

The discovery of those flutes some how civilizes humanity in a way I hadn't thought possible. How far we've come, huh? [note sarcasm, or don't, take your pick]

Today, try to listen to something that reminds you of happy times, of better times.

And if you feel like it, shake your booty a little, too.

I could write something like "Do a little dance. Make a little love. Get down tonight" but that would be too cheesy, right :).

Happy Friday All.

PS: Don't tell any of my friends I posted this picture of us reenacting tribal dance moves from 35,000 years ago :). Sidhe, I think you were in this one.

With or Without You (Congress)?

2009-06-25T10:21:00.008-04:00

One of my professors (who just so happens is Iranian-born) said: "Americans live with the illusion of democracy. The pretense of choice. We choose between two (or three) people. That's choice?"

I was doing some dishes yesterday and thinking about the sad state of things given that we sent our leaders a pretty strong mandate last November.

I am not sure what the rest of you voted for, but I voted for these things ( short list to be sure):

1. To close Guantanamo Bay.

2. To give those inmates fair trials under US law.

3. Health care reform.

4. Education reform.

5. Ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

6. Getting American manufacturing back on track.

7. Working toward peace in the Middle East and ending bigotry against all peoples.

8. Gay Marriage and gay rights in every sense of that term.

9. Lower taxes for the working and lower classes.

10. Better environmental policies that at least *attempt* to minimize the damage that global climate change is having and will continue to have for centuries (any f*ckwad who wants an argument about that, I'm the lass that'll oblige you. My husband [a physicist] works on ice core samples from Antarctica with a group at Berkeley. Climate change is not a hoax or some political ploy to get you scared into recycling and using less carbon fuel).

So, as I pondered how slowly things change, if at all, a thought occurred to me: Why should the "powers that be" give the people *anything* they want?

Why?

What would happen if they did?

It would put them out of business and make their roles as wedge-drivers obsolete.

They would actually have to get real jobs and get in the trenches with the rest of us.

And the media?

What would they have left to do?

DING, DING, DING, DING.

Nothing.

Once they are in their ivory towers up on the hill, within the beltway, they live in a bubble that mutes all the cries of suffering and anguish and anger of their countrymen and fellow citizens of the world.

I suppose I am going through a phase of disillusionment. I don't expect our President to fix everything instantly. I did expect him to be different. To hold himself to higher standards and maintain his integrity.

Our country is having an identity crisis. Are we the moral compass of the world? (See any number of family-men-politicians who have gotten caught diddling someone other than their wife. The answer: Ummm, no.) Are we peace-makers or bullies? Do we care about our fellow countrypeople and want everyone to have a shot at a decent life beyond the worries of health care and shelter and food and a decent education? Do we give two shits about what is happening to our climate and the burden our actions are placing on generations across the world?

Why should things change?

Because its about the f*ck time things changed.

If our politicians won't wake up, Americans must recommit to making things change, with or without them. Even if we have to drag them kicking and screaming like children.

The time for the tug-o-war is over.

The "Free" Market: Death Sentence for Health Care Reform

2009-06-24T11:28:00.004-04:00

"Free" applies only to the few.

I have to admit, I am completely frustrated. Angry. Frustrated.

Polls say 72% of Americans want a public option for health care.

But Congress is dragging their proverbial entitled asses and harkening to the jingling coffers of big Pharma, insurance companies, etc.

The petition I wrote has tuckered out. I have emailed everyone I know asking for support.

I posted it to my facebook page and promoted it in every way I know how without having money to host it on a congressional email service page.

I appreciate all 44 people who signed it.

I have written letters. Made phone calls.

Spinning my wheels...

I cannot tell you how helpless this makes me feel.

The worst part is, thirty-six states have initiative systems... mine is not one of them.

I think the GOP has beaten us as the Dems beat themselves.

They've convinced too many people that things can't be fixed.

That we don't matter.

That the American people who put their asses where they are could fall off a cliff and they wouldn't throw any of us a rope even to let us hang ourselves.

They have turned their backs on us.

Again.

But have deep pockets and a big balance sheet?

Whatever you wish is your command.

Tom and I talk about moving to another country often. We talked about it a lot before the election last fall.

I don't understand this America.

And am getting more and more convinced that I don't care about it anymore than it cares about its own people.

If You Need More Proof

2009-06-22T12:23:00.006-04:00

Thanks to Seeing Eye Chick over at Apocalyptics Anonymous for emailing me the link to this article.

Some quick excerpts from the Reuters' piece:

"WASHINGTON - Americans are struggling to pay for health care in the ongoing economic recession, with a quarter saying they have had trouble in the past 12 months, according to a survey released on Monday.

Baby boomers — the generation born between 1946 and 1964 — had the most trouble and were the most likely to put off medical treatments or services, said researchers at Center for Health Care Improvement, part of the health care business of Thomson Reuters.

The study found that 17.4 percent of households reported postponing or delaying health care over the past year."

[...]

"Thomson Reuters — the parent company of Reuters news agency — used its annual Pulse survey that queries 100,000 households to get information about health behavior.

Gary Pickens, George Popa and colleagues at the Michigan-based center interviewed more than 6,000 people in March and April about job losses, what health care they had used and their plans for future treatment."

40 % of those surveyed plan to postpone medical treatment over the next three months.

Think about that for a moment.

Unemployed people, already under economic stress, are being forced to stop taking medication for chronic illnesses, like diabetes, asthma, etc.

Consumer Reports Health Blog reports that medical related bankruptcies are up 50% since 2001 according to an identical survey done by the same researchers of the American Journal of Medicine. 62% of bankruptcies in 2007 were due to illness and/or medical bills.

If you haven't yet signed the petition I created online, please sign.

I am researching ballot initiatives and am working on a post about it.

Thanks to those who have signed and to those who have passed on the link to others. I created a red button for the petition that you are welcome to download and post to your blog. Depending on your blog-platform, you may also be able to link to the petition via the button.**

We need to reclaim our national legacy of a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people" (Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, 1863).

**[For blogger bloggers, right-click on the button and then highlight and click the "save image as" option and save it wherever you want on your computer. In the layout screen of your blog, click "Add a Gadget" wherever you want the button to go. Add it as a "picture." A box titled "Configure Picture" should pop up. Upload the image from your computer using the "browse" button to locate it where you saved it. Then you can copy and paste the petition link into the "link" box and the petition will then be linked to the button on your blog.]

I'm Sick and Tired

2009-06-20T10:52:00.003-04:00

Congress gets free health care on your's and my tax dollars.

Why should they keep it and not have to pay for it themselves?

We know they won't vote to cancel their own benefits.

Today, I started a new petition to let Congress know that just because we elected them, doesn't mean they have the right to play politics with the health care of millions of Americans.

Here's the petition I created:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/help-make-congress-work-for-our-health

I signed. Please pass this on to those you think would be interested in it.

Happy Saturday all.

Kissinger Supports Obama's Neutrality

2009-06-19T15:11:00.008-04:00

My apologies for the poor quality of this video. I refuse to embed Fox links.

T he House bill passed today, which basically says: "Let freedom ring, but let America tell you how long and when and why to ring that bell."