recession fallout

domestic abuse on the rise

poverty has lasting effects on the brain

government offers website for 'suicide warning signs' for recession effected

and never one to miss out on a business opportunity- eharmony launches gay matchmaking- proving that economic hardships can make any whitebread, straitlaced, capitalistic corporation change it's mind for a buck.

fingers crossed, fingers crossed...

Undeniable Liberalism: Scared Cheney puts his head in the noose

cheney left policy mole behind to effect obama's policies

feith 'i was a major player'

hersh: u.s. carried out assassinations worldwide

pnac revives itself- with new name of course

limbaugh tells nyc to 'drop dead'

pistachio recall

no comment other than to say- don't throw them away as the fda is investigating.

some notes on stuff

i have a hodgepodge in the google reader- but these coincide with some thoughts i have been having.

firstly, the economy. obama is taking flak from the left on his handling of the situation- most notably the car companies versus the bankers. the quick answer is this- he is dealing with the car companies- the bankers already received their bailout UNDER BUSH. he certainly doesn't have to give them more and he can try to attach strings when he can- but the bottom line is- what they get is perfectly legal under the LAW PASSED BY CONGRESS AND SIGNED BY BUSH IN OCTOBER. these asshats knew everything was crashing down and cashed in on it-- again.

also, aig is feeling the wrath of citizens and the faux wrath of congress critters but it's scapegoating. most of those financial institutions got bonuses and whatnot- and they were all legal (see above). the msm is attempting to distract us again. don't fall for it. do i believe that this is all right and ethical- no. but it's legal. let's give obama and the congress an opportunity to change the system. if they don't come elections, we'll (hopefully) vote them out. but don't get distracted and not see the forest through the trees. apparently, most aren't.

remember when i told everyone not to get complacent simply because we voted many neocons out of office? well, delay is in washington at a 'think tank'- i mean institute; santorum writes a column for a pennsylvania news rag; rove is on fox; and gingrich means to run for president in 2012. provided that the pope oks it i guess. a cheney aide is out there trying to do damage control and spin away the fact that the military unit that is supposed to report to the president (ala chuck norris in 'the president's man') apparently reported only to him. oh... right.

and in technology news, america is set to test out a new laser- and kindle is taking folks by storm. both give me pause.

and for more of me- i am at the peace tree today---- namaste.

internets and crochet

had a spot of internet troubles this morning- so i had to just have my morning cuppa sans google reader. yeah. bit of withdrawal there for me. well, after my cuppa, i had chores and whatnot and since the issue with the computer is because our router for the xbox sucks- and my keyboard stops working for no reason and i have to restart in order to type (2 separate issues you see) i decided to give it up for the day. i shut 'er down and finished my chores and went to crocheting. yep.

gray, damp and gloomy here today- and decidedly chilly. does nothing for my head and sinuses. but tea and a hot shower does. that's where i am headed. perhaps i will be lurking later- or not. at the peace tree tomorrow- i will link it up directly then. namaste.

here's the thing

mitch- and all ya'll other right wing morons who apparently aren't getting the fact that most folks are not at all interested in you-

we aren't interested in you.

it isn't simply that one of the most corrupt administrations in our history almost destroyed the country and the globe- they had help. it is about dismissing an entire mind set. it is about looking at your 'ideas' and platforms and ideology- and saying "no thanks." see, most folks are tired of the greedy, grasping, hate filled, fear mongering rhetoric. we are looking at reality square in the face and we see what you have done and why- and we realize, to a certain extent, that we don't like your small minded, rich comes first attitude.

so, let me break it down for you mitch- you have no new ideas. it was your set of ideas that we have lived under for almost 40 years and the only things to come out of them are poverty, war, fear, exploitation, and a ruined planet. we don't want your hypocritical 'family values' or your tax cuts that only benefit the rich. we don't want your 'trickle down' bullshit with unbridled capitalism- that never trickles down but sure as hell trickles up as the wealth gap is the largest in history.

if you cared at all about human beings in general, you wouldn't have put us in this situation in the first place. you put politics over country- and for 12 years plus- and you can't blame george w. for that.

earth hour

if you are interested, tonight at 8:30pm est- folks will be turning off their electric for an hour. you can read a nice write up at

truthout

you can read a rebuttal at

the christian science monitor (that name with christian and science in the title always makes me chuckle)

and the main website is here

earth hour

folks in other hemispheres already participating

hope i don't have- but i do like turnabout

"In decaying societies, politics become theater. The elite, who have hollowed out the democratic system to serve the corporate state, rule through image and presentation. They express indignation at AIG bonuses and empathy with a working class they have spent the last few decades disenfranchising, and make promises to desperate families that they know will never be fulfilled. Once the spotlights go on they read their lines with appropriate emotion. Once the lights go off, they make sure Goldman Sachs and a host of other large corporations have the hundreds of billions of dollars in losses they incurred playing casino capitalism repaid with taxpayer money. "

chris hedges

wonder how the rethuglican brain trust is going to deal with the latest pew poll? seems the majority of americans are 'just not that into them'

far be it for me to say

but i don't think this is the way it works

china deploying its own lama in battle over tibet

hmmmm.... forcing a lama on the tibetans isn't going to go over big. just sayin'

know your congress critters

seriously. there is a democratic majority in both houses of congress-- but not really. the self proclaimed 'blue dog democratic coalition' is made up of what amounts to lieberman style democrats- aka republicans. here in new york state, my congressman is maurice hinchey- and he is pretty consistent with voting how i like- so i vote for him. my senators are chuckles shumer and kristin gillibrand (who took over for madame clinton who vowed she would fill out her senatorial term. oops, that was the first one. my bad.) now, i have nary a clue about ms. gillibrand but the new york times has very kindly done a story on her. if you are a new york voter, learn about her.

if you live in a state that has one of the blue dog dems, strongly consider a third party alternative when available and help that person out campaiging and whatnot. we need to send a message that congress is not off the hook. they are the ones who were so very helpful to bushco on many issues- voting for his legislation time and again--- after the so called democratic majority of 2006. obama is going to make mistakes but we need to hold the right people accountable. we need to watch our state and local elections because that's where the rethugs are going to focus.

trust me.

quick blurb on president obama worship

most of us don't. we simply respect the intelligence and leadership abilities of this man.

'only the good' friday

wrapping up another week- never a bad thing. i am on the mend from the cold i had last week and just having the ability to breathe without sneezing is a blessing :) the weather today will be nice- near 60 degrees before raining all weekend- so i intend to open the windows and let some fresh air in for a bit. with so much depressing news out there, it's often a challenge to feel positive. especially if the state of the world directly effects you. not easy. but i look at it as- this is the only life i have and i need to live it as fully as i can no matter the circumstances.

so, i am going to commune with my gardening today- i intend to take the compostables out to the bin and i have to replant seeds in my little seed cells as some of them did not sprout. and i will turn my attention to what i am going to need to jump start my own little victory garden revolution :) seriously- if anyone wants any info on patio gardening, container gardening, backyard small gardening, non traditional landscape ideas for veggies and flowers- email or leave some questions in the comments. i have lots of info on my bookshelves. i will be boosting the garden posts just to give you the head's up :)

the usda is changing the hardiness zones soon and there's a site that predicts where drought is going to hit this year- i will be putting those out there too. until then- have a great weekend and think about starting your own garden or window box garden-- and your own 'only the good fridays'- namaste. :)

interesting links

giving up the lawn for survival- imho

blue dogs- the fact that they are separate from dems means they are not equal- they are indeed the rethugs' best friend

credit as a public utility- interesting

hot beverages may lead to throat cancer- sorry, i'll take the risk

ahhh... the rethuglicans. what can i say? they obstruct, and proselytize on the floors of capital hill and in front of any camera that will film them. they rolled out their idea of a 'budget'- which just underscores why we are in this fiscal mess in the first place- and now, their 'leaders' skip a crucial briefing on our wars (which they started) in the middle east. no one could ever accuse them of being intellectual heavyweights that's for sure.

he is seriously thinking of running in 2012

as is evidenced by this latest bloviating and stupidity

"President Barack Obama has been in office just over three months, yet former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is already forecasting a looming "political dictatorship."

and no, he is probably serious.

and this from malkin- fyi michelle, most papers are going under and subverting the constitution and free speech seems to be more in the rethug line anyway:

"Conservative columnist Michelle Malkin told Fox's Gretchen Carlson and Brian Kilmeade that she feared a bailout of newspapers would lead to government control of the news."

these folks are one hit wonders- fearmonger, fearmonger, fearmonger

anybody else hear this?

israel bombs iran--- via sudan

anyone on the planet interested in, oh, stopping these asshats from continuing?

sometimes i think

it's ok to hate folks. yep.

party of no ideas

mom saw gingrich on tavis smiley the other night- and when smiley asked him why the gop hasn't delivered any solutions to any issues and just seemed to be griping about stuff- gingrich referred him to american solutions. i should have known better... sigh.

"The structure is now in place to advance a core set of “tri-partisan” (i.e. majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and independents), principles and solutions that will unite a majority of Americans and effect real change now and beyond the 2008 elections.

That blueprint for real change is codified in the “Platform of the American People” - a solutions-oriented agenda that represents a fundamental break from the red-versus-blue status quo. This unique political document validates our belief that the scale of change required is so large that a new approach (e.g. a Red, White and Blue Platform) to public policy is necessary and should be implemented across all levels of government, in all 513,000 elected offices.

Top 10 Reasons YOU Should Support the Platform

1. English should be the official language of government. (87 to 11)
2. We want our elected leaders in Washington to focus on increasing the energy supplies of the United States and lowering the costs of gasoline and electricity. (71 to 18)
3. The option of a single rate system should give taxpayers the convenience of filing their taxes with just a single sheet of paper. (82 to 15)
4. Every worker should continue to have the right to a federally supervised secret ballot election when deciding whether to organize a union. (79 to 12)
5. Keeping the reference to “One Nation Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance is very important. (88 to 11)
6. Congress should make it a crime to advocate acts of terrorism, violent conduct, or the killing of innocent people in the United States. (83 to 12)
7. We should dramatically increase our investment in math and science education. (91 to 8)
8. We believe that if research indicates we could build clean coal plants in the United States with no carbon emissions, it would be important to build such plants as rapidly as possible. (71 to 8)
9. Illegal immigrants who commit felonies should be deported. (88 to 10)
10. We support giving a large financial prize to the first company or individual who invents a new, safer way to dispose of nuclear waste products. (79 to 16)

so, this is the 'core ten' ideas. guess they should have proofread the website because in the page i linked to there's a place to download the ten---- en espanol. yep. whatever newt.

the platform- is in pdf format- and from what i have read- it's 12 pages or so- it looks like a goddamned rehash of the last 8 years under bush and a retread from when newt led his 'republican revolution' in 1994. nothing new- same god bullshit, illegal immigrant bullshit- what he doesn't get is that there are already laws on the books and in the constitution to handle just about all of this platform. bush and cheney were too busy looting our life savings to be bothered.

poor sarah palin

she actually thinks she will get the rethug nomination in 2012 with friends like these

she just doesn't realize that she has been used and thrown under the bus.

thinking of pawning your jewels?

Don't Get Fooled by Cash4Gold

the corporate press goes hostile

UncommonSense: 'It took us a couple of days because I like to know what I'm talking about before I speak.'

on the mend

but still sub par- i am at the peace tree today- and am leaving glenn greenwald here with a good article on rational thought and president obama in salon. namaste- and achoo!!!

speaking of germs...

as i sit here with still watery eyes and a yucky nose

love thy germs

i don't buy antibacterial stuff on purpose either. if i have to really clean something, regular cleaning supplies do well. basic soap, etc. i am actually trying to get back to using basics- vinegar, baking soda, etc. haven't taken the big plunge yet- but that's on the to do list.

i watch commercials for bacitracin and neosporin and i say to hubby- christ, these kids are namby pamby. i just wiped the blood off and kept playing- unless it wouldn't clot. then, in i would go to wash it out and slap a bandaid on it. soap and water and did it sting like a mofo! i grew up in florida and when you ride your bike on an unpaved, limestone road- and fall- odds are you are going to take the skin off of your leg. which i did. i promptly limped home and jumped in the shower and let's just say- it hurt. and it was my pre-swearing days as i was a kid.

anyhoo, the sickness is making me ramble- and my last thoughts- dirt isn't horrible. dust isn't horrible. needs to be cleaned but not to with an inch of its life. germs aren't the baddies- viruses are and i doubt that there's much on the market to fight those. just sayin'

hey minnesota folks

could you please get rid of michelle bachman? she is an embarrassment and disgrace to minnesota and the female gender. i know you have your hands full with norm coleman at the moment but hey- could she be next on the list? basically, she's calling for an insurrection. that's walking the fine line of treason. but, since it's washington and we have nancy pelosi calling the shots- the best we can hope for is the good folks of minnesota to vote her the fuck out. thanks.

BACHMANN: And really now in Washington, I’m a foreign correspondent in enemy lines. And I try to keep everyone back here in Minnesota know exactly the nefarious activities that are taking place in Washington. […]

I want people in Minnesota armed and dangerous on this issue of the energy tax because we need to fight back. Thomas Jefferson told us, having a revolution every now and then is a good thing, and the people — we the people — are going to have to fight back hard if we’re not going to lose our country. And I think this has the potential of changing the dynamic of freedom forever in the United States.

sensing a trend

first diebold changes its name to premier election systems; then blackwater follows suit with the trendy 'xe'.

now, aig has decided it's name is so very besmirched that it has to be changed. aiu holdings, ltd. not very auspicious. could halliburton be next? can't wait. do these asshats really think that we won't memorize the new name too? that we will all of a sudden believe that these new companies are doing such a great job- since all they changed was the name- not the people or methods? sigh.

sore nose and sneezy

i am fairly certain i have an uri- viral in nature as it follows a pattern with which i am all too familiar. i used to go to the walk in thinking it might be a sinus infection to be told- 'nope- clear mucuous. it's viral. ride it out' and so i am sans medical advice. going to make some hot tea and watch jim gaffigan on comeday central. he makes me laugh. hopefully, i will be on the mend tomorrow. this sucks. can't complain as it has been a couple of years since i have been sick. trust me--- get a neti pot. just google it.

can't we do something?

about these sub humans? i mean really- can't someone somewhere give them a permanent blanket party?

good lord!

guess these bible thumpers were so busy bashing and banning consensual gay sex- they neglected to see what their relatives were doing out back.

it's the best i could do- my eyes are watery and my nose hates me.

sickly

i have an upper respiratory virus. sneezing, wheezing, runny nose, etc. feel like crap- will be back when i recover. thanks for all of the kind words- i will respond when i can. achooo....!!!!

march madness indeed

and no, alas, my binghamton university bearcats did not beat duke in their freshman foray into march madness. they had two left feet when it came to dancing i guess :) whatever that even means. i know nothing about basketball. but i have come to know blogging. i started this blog 3 years ago this month (i had forgotten the exact date) and i always like to take a peek back to where it all began :) oddly enough, i still get comments to my very first post and i have a feeling it's because it originated in an email that is probably still circulating out there somewhere. some things never change :)

so, 3 years ago on this day- this is the post i posted- to small acclaim :)

'only the good' fridays

wow- another week down. inching closer and closer to the elusive season we call spring :) i actually like early summer better- less mud here. but hey, dirt washes off so it's all good. thought i would spread some positive today- don't forget, you can join in good fridays anytime. friday has 24 hours in it :) the particulars are at sherry's blog- this eclectic life. good stuff.

anyhoo, i am almost done with the second cuppa- thought i would clear out a couple of the links in the google reader. i really must start to post on some of these links- so here goes:

create a bag garden- now, i read the article and aside from the fact that well meaning westerners continue to ship cows to lactose intolerant african folks- it's a good idea. it can either be a fun project to start with your kids- or you can actually make it your own vertical garden. either way- feel free to let me know if you try it out.

ithaca, ny is about 40 minutes or so from me and is home to cornell and ithaca college. it's a neat little town that is part hippy part hillbilly in a weird, upstate new york way. but those folks are not shy about being who they are- and cornell did produce the likes of she-who-must-not-be-named. well, now, they want to be the first american podcar city. maybe it's because of all those hills.

gainesville, florida is about 30 minutes from the bucolic small town where i lived in the early part of my youth (and one of my grade school buddies still lives :) and they are the home of the university of florida fightin' gators!!! of course, when i lived there, i rooted for the florida state seminoles. i liked their colors better ;) anyhoo, gainesville is leading the charge in florida to jump start homeowners converting to solar. and i think that's a win-win situation. the homeowners are getting compensated and ultimately saving money and the city's energy grid is being boosted by individuals- and helping to save the atmosphere. capitalism and socialism co-existing without blowing up the world. who knew?

and finally, i stole this widget from my buddy thorne- who snagged it from di over at forks off the moment. i think it's great.

secret memos revisited

um- ok. it seems many of the the things i had been bitching about for years- was true. apparently, and who knew?, i am not a conspiracy theorist. yeah me!!! i guess since what was in the yoo memos and whatnot was not a surprise, i went back to see what president obama has done about it.

well, so far, nothing.

folks, it isn't rocket science. you either want a democracy or you don't. i don't believe that it is simplistic to say so- the desire for absolute safety is rooted in fear. look, we now have military deployed here in america. still. we have mercenary security forces 'assisting' local law enforcement. we still have craptastic homeland security. i am willing to give the obama administration the benefit of the doubt until the 100 days are up- but then, there had better be some reversals or this small blog is going to be raising some holy hell.

water wars and others

who owns water rights?

want a hint? not you.

this may be an issue in upcoming years- as we are reaching peak water in some parts of the world. since water is probably the biggest necessity for life- you can go a few weeks without food- things could get a wee ugly.

oh- and incidentally, according to the israelis- palestinians' lives aren't worth as much as theirs. huh, who knew that palestinian folks weren't really people?

racy

i love finding good music from others- and i shamelessly bring it over here to share :) but i would be remiss if i didn't say that i snagged this from my buddy the pagan sphinx- who apparently snagged it from sherry. loretta is great in her own right- i grew up on her solo stuff and her duets with conway twitty. apparently, she has up-to-date ideas ;) i think it's great :)



oh- and along with southern fried- jon 'the daily show' stewart highlighted this product a few weeks ago and i keep forgetting to share :)

potpourri from the reader

i know- this is the lazy way out. if i don't share in a timely fashion, the links go into the reader and rot. i have to figure out a way to write posts and incorporate the links into them- but i haven't wanted to spend that much time :) and i am sheepishly grinning. anyhoo, i have a feeling i am getting spring fever early so i will leave you with these thoughts:

artists build up downtrodden urban blights

100 agents of change in america

big pharma hushes up studies

an american tragedy that has played out before and i fear will over and again. i have worked with and known kids like that. there are plenty of what ifs- but no real hard answers.

leading by example

don't know who is going to tend it. i doubt michelle or barack will have much time- but the sentiment is there.

my seed potatoes will be shipped april 15th- and i will begin planting the garden the second week in may. some things can probably go in sooner depending on the weather but the last frost date is supposed to be the last week of april for my area. i planted seeds for transplant the other day- tomatoes- paste and general purpose for canning and eating fresh, peppers- sweet and hot, celeriac, onions- green and all purpose. the garlic was planted last fall. hopefully, i will remember to start taking pics and posting more regularly. these are skills we will all need to develop. please trust me on this.

pre cuppa observations

firstly- i can't think of one good thing that comes out of skiing for pleasure. i understand there was a need for skiing and snowshoeing pre-modern times and still in some remote areas. but the vast majority of skiiers today are pleasure skiiers. i suppose it's like any other risk taking venture but i really think most find it innocuous. it isn't. it has killed many- sony bono leaps to mind and now, natasha richardson. very sad. even sadder- the folks i don't hear about because they aren't rich and famous. unless that's all who can afford to ski these days.

mmmm...... new poll finds that americans fear losing their quality of life. no kidding. so do i- but you adapt and learn to live life anyway. we have to let go of the fear. it is what controls us so that our corporate overlords can keep control overall. what's the cliche?- 'if you love something set it free- if it comes back, it's yours. if not, it wasn't meant to be'- or something like that. look, no one wants to lose their home, car, job, family, etc. it's devastating and stressful and scary. but if you haven't, take the time to let your mind go there and process what you would do if it did happen to you. you may find that your fears are worse than reality and that's the real secret to control.

anyhoo- on to morning cuppa. i ramble more incoherently prior to my 2 cups of the nectar of the gods. namaste.

leonard cohen

ya know those organic brands we like?

the ones that make us feel good about supporting the environment? whoops- who knew?

a little environmental news

i didn't realize that there was a lawsuit in the works to get companies to 'come clean' about what exactly is in their cleaning products- but apparently, there is. sc johnson voluntarily complied and has a new website where they are going to list the ingredients of their products over a 3 year period.

an innovative approach to farming here in new york state- an organic dairy farmer in ghent, ny is offering a 6% return on a loan of $1,000 to anyone who wants to invest in organic dairy farms and their expansion. my personal thought is that one day soon- money will not make the world go 'round anymore and folks will go back to bartering. but i also think that he has the right idea.

justification bible style

my buddy- who's an expert in things evangelical- emailed me this site. he warned me that these folks can twist and turn and justify anything- and he was right. this particular passage made me laugh out loud and the whole article is amusing. please, feel free to browse and learn at

sexinchrist.com

"Second, for a young woman who has never engaged in sexual intercourse, having anal sex allows her to preserve her virginity (i.e., maintain an intact hymen) until marriage. There is no greater gift that a bride can give than to offer her pure, unsullied maidenhead to her husband on their wedding night."

hahahahahahahhahaahaa.....

'only the good' friday

i adore clara canucciari- her videos on youtube are priceless. i am grateful that her grandson is sharing her with the world- and if you need something good and real- rather than doom and gloom- take a few moments- or alot- to listen to clara.

she has a website and her grandson is taking preorders for her dvd- he also wants to have a recipe book out by the holidays. the dvd link takes you to her youtube videos. i think there's like 8 or so each a few minutes long. i put her in the youtube subscriber :)

clara's website- great depression cooking with clara

clara's blogspot- depression cooking with clara

only the good fridays at sherry's

PAWS

h/t to lisa allender at lisa allender writes for this info on american humane

paws aims to keep women and their children AND pets safe from harm at the hands of the abuser(s). take a peek

i love satire

love stewart, colbert and swift:

swift on bristol palin

"Why is Bristol Palin different? She is different because she is a conservative.

It's different when unmarried teenage mothers come from conservative, wealthy Christian families. Although it would be preferable if her child had a father, even a white trash one, she will still be able to raise her child with the kinds of values that liberals, poor people, gays and non-Christians would not be able to give to their little bastard children who are destined to become our future criminals. Why are conservatives so reluctant to point out this obvious fact?"

more guessing on my part

my guess is- cheney, et al, looted the federal government agencies and apparently, wall street looted the taxpayers again- and madoff, stanford, and unnamed others in the 'ponzi' schemes, as well as, halliburton and its subsidiaries and countless other contractors- laundered it. certainly makes sense to me. i read that almost half of the WORLD'S wealth 'disappeared'- but the gap between rich and poor has widened. where did that money go? i realize much of it wasn't really there to start with- speculation and whatnot- but that's an awful lot of moola to go missing. and blackwater- i mean xe- don't come cheap.

google reader roundup

i will attempt to make full posts on other stuff in the reader- i still have much to read. my typical pattern is to scan the new stuff and mark it to read for later- and well, later never comes. so, here are a few older links- january through recent- the info is valid though :)

visionary outrage: piercing the blue smoke on the potomac- chris floyd mixes it up with words

glenn greenwald and a real discussion on israel and american policy

is the bush family still actively engaged in pulling strings in dc? obama should worry

world sees israel as a 'monster' regarding the gaza genocide

why is jimmy carter vilified by right wingers who view him as anti semitic over his criticisms of israel?

thanks to all who kindly invited me to join facebook as a friend. i do appreciate it. however, you won't see me over there anytime soon. aside from being a government database treasure trove- they are offering up users as marketing tools for corporates. no thanks.

no surprise here

guess this is why there weren't more leaks and whistle blowers

seymour hersh- military assassination ring reported directly to cheney

ny times special ops story

from my email

my buddy- happy in nevada- sent me this link- tumbleweed tiny house company. interesting idea. i, at one point, considered yurt living. buy a plot of land and buy a yurt. they have 'family sized' and it would be bare bones living no doubt. but in this day and age- and in this country- it is very difficult to go completely off the grid- so, i opted to embrace the grid fully.

yurt 1

yurt 2

a treasure

i encourage anyone interested in real life and interesting stories to check out this blog- i googled upon it while searching for inspiration for spring posting. i found much, much more. she is in the google reader for sure

judeness's weblog- of love, labour, and loss

love it!!!

thanks to tengrain at mock, paper, scissors

google reader day

i did not read anything for two days. it's kinda full. brief recap of my day yesterday- and why i hate bureaucracy but understand certain needs for things too:

apartment building sale + code man+ picky crap+ holding up sale+ irritation beyond belief at the hours spent calling and researching for answers to picky crap = betmo's day.

yep.

so, here's hoping today is less frustrating as hubby is going to call and talk to the code man and fax him the crap we researched. so, i only went into the google reader for a bit. but here are some of the headlines i found:

loved this byline- we are being spoon fed stupid again

um chuck- while i hope that tex-ass secedes, i doubt you would be elected president

perhaps this explains why chuck wants tex-ass- rove lunches in tex-ass capitol

mary, mary- i realize you live with a dinosaur, but this is the 21st century. your lies don't work as well as they did throughout the rest of your career.

pentagon knowingly exposed troops to cancer causing chemicals- the treatment of our troops will be a lasting national shame forever.

national peace academy launched.

not posting right now

i am over at the peace tree though- had a frustrating day with stuff- will update soon.

what kinds of parents lie to their kids?

the mormon kind. the christian kind. perhaps folks will wake up to the fact that religion kills life. religion is destroying the planet. spirituality and belief can be mutually exclusive of religion. people matter more than an archaic belief set you find comforting.

here's the thing- the christian right in this country- backed by an enormous amount of mormon money- is aiming to make america a 'moral' country in their image. they can keep their beliefs. in fact, they can shove it right up their asses. i don't want the kind of morality that lies, cheats, steals, manipulates, takes people's last dime for their own gain, engages in illicit, illegal sex with prostitutes; engages in pedophilia, engages in adulterous sex, is self righteously against gay marriages while engaging in gay sex, wipes away civil liberties for their own gain...

you get the idea.

the party of 'morality and family values'- well, let's hope that they go the way of other failed empires.

won't do a bit of good

they will dismiss him as a traitor and continue on in the same vein. hopefully though, more rank and filers will turn from the party and make a new one. as the sane of us on the left should do ( h/t to bz )

rainy monday morning

finishing up the first morning cuppa so i am not at 100 percent yet :) i checked the emails and haven't bothered to go through the google reader yet. i am thinking i may have to make a once a week installment of google reader links- perhaps the top 5 saved in the reader- and do a write up. i mark a whole bunch of things to read for later and then never get around to it. i already pass enough on to my buddies carol and fiona- and many others in the email circle :) i'll have my second cuppa and give it a think.

i really enjoy the good fridays. not to be confused with the nonsensery coming up in april with easter and what not. speaking of which- if you are interested in joining the 'blog against theocracy'- head over to blue gal's or tengrain's for more info and cool badges and stuff. i am not committing at this point because i don't know if i can say anything 'productive' about religion. i used to be a live and let live kinda gal because i figure what you believe is your business. well, the christians in america have oozed into the secular like the scum left in the bucket of stagnant water. so, i had to turn into the hose to clean it out. stay in the churches and in the pulpits and out of the secular laws of the land- and we'll be fine. otherwise, ....

nope, not capable of productive.

google and the future

mom caught the last few minutes. i watched a few- but as it's an hour long- i will go back and watch it all later. quick thought on the 15 minutes or so i caught- being 'old school' i worry about the internet being used as the ultimate propaganda tool. we have seen it with print media and tv/radio. if most of the world is plugged in- someone somewhere has the authority to determine what ends up online. i am a proponent of 'hard copies'- and while the tree hugger in me likes saving trees- i also like a paper trail. completely electronic leaves us vulnerable and being completely plugged in all of the time- well, i am suspicious. feel free to watch and let me know your thoughts- i will watch it in it's entirety later.

interesting

what will happen to your digital remains? exhibit

i'll save you the time, money and trouble

newt- it's not necessary

“Calista and I will look seriously, and we'll probably get our family totally engaged, including our two grandchildren, probably in January 2011, and we'll look seriously at whether or not we think its necessary to do it,” Gingrich told reporters in Ashland, Virginia last night, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch."

seriously, don't bother.

sunshine on my shoulder

makes me happy :)

obama to lift ban on stem cell research

only the good friday

i got the idea from my buddy thornie- who got the idea from her buddy shelly over at this eclectic life. shelly was the one who put together the 'share a square' project and holy cow!!! that was a lot of work for her and her intrepid volunteers. shelly has a big heart and a neat blog- go on over and take a peek for something nice for a change :)

mmmm..... this friday is capping off a week that saw hubby go out of town for a couple of days and is now home- so good for me :) i spent some time with the fam and reconnected with some blog buddies- also good. i started a new crochet project and have 2 rows done and have started making more for a different project- i have 2 at once! i like variety- and i have been listening to my jazz radio station again. one of my favorite things to do is crochet and listen to jazz. the twisting of the yarn in rhythm with the jazz. yep. i have eased up a bit on the news blackout- but only really to skim headlines. i pass many links on to others- usually carol or fiona- and i also share links in google reader if anyone else is interested or has google reader.

anyhoo, the news isn't going to be great for a long time but i have taken heart that president obama is doing his share right now. i will continue to hold my congress critters accountable- which is of the utmost importance- and keep tabs on my state and local critters too. it has to be a group effort or we will never move forward. i am looking forward to researching a bunch of new ways to be more self sustainable- and green- but survival is a wee more important to me at this point. and hey, preparing the ground for a garden is just around the corner.

rainy and warm here today- 50 degrees or so. but don't fret- snow on monday :) no, not kidding. anyhoo, have a great friday- and weekend. and start your own good friday :)

fyi

high fructose corn syrup

best to eat whole foods whenever possible. this crap is in everything

from one depression to another

check out clara's kitchen. mom saw it on tv and i checked it out. she has several episodes and is interesting to listen to. it's a shame american warehouse their elders instead of learning from them. youth is worshipped but wisdom is survival.

biofood info

just an fyi


"A 2006 USDA study (PDF) concluded that, for genetic engineering to succeed in this country, the department must be able to reassure skeptical consumers. The effort will depend on "our ability to identify and measure its potential benefits and its risks as well as their distribution," the report states. But given how widespread its adoption already is here — and how pervasive GM products are in processed foods — that may not turn out to be necessary."

ebbs and flows

i struggle each day with being the best human being i can be. there are times when i just don't feel like it. theoretically, i know that each human being is supposed to be worthy and equal to another- and i see reality is quite different to the theory. and i speak about choices and i read other people talking about choices- and how everyone has them to make in life- and i wonder about that. do we?

i don't know that i have a particular point to this post- more musings than anything. the more introspective i get- the more self centered i get- and i see that in others' posts as well. not that there is a thing wrong with it- as long as we snap out of the ego centricity. that's where i get stuck sometimes. i happened upon a blog where the person is doing some inner work and i think that's all well and good. i disagree with the person's approach- because in some ways it differs from mine and in others- it is uncomfortably similar. wanting to change others to fit our world view is common- i know i pounded the keys attempting to do just that for a very long time. i still catch myself doing it. i find it interesting and intriguing that so many people are changing now- without any effort on my part ;)

the whole last election was about change and hope- and personal responsibility. the whole last decade was about choice being taken away and creating despair and fear. i find that interesting too. and reading about the current social issues being fought and rehashed- prop 8 in cali and similar legislation in other states; rhianna's domestic abuse and the media frenzy and debate over what she should do; the octomom versus the duggars and the social inequalities in the debate; the plantation owners pulling the strings of michael steele for a facade of color in the rethug party- all interesting things to think about. all of these folks involved made certain choices in their lives- and some had to make choices based on no choice to make. if that makes sense.

anyhoo, would love to spark some discussions and have some gray matter time. apparently, the silly season is still with us.

i debated

on whether to post this- but yeah, i am going to

going after relatives of dead folks to make a buck

"Dozens of specially trained agents work on the third floor of DCM Services here, calling up the dear departed’s next of kin and kindly asking if they want to settle the balance on a credit card or bank loan, or perhaps make that final utility bill or cellphone payment."

yeah- specially trained dicks.

on top of this one

"Fed Chairman Bernanke went to the Senate Budget Committee yesterday to testify. The Senators asked him at least four times, and in different ways, where he is burying the loot that is being shovelled his way. And, at least four times, he refused to answer."

and he doesn't have to because of the bailout shit that congress passed before the last election. talk about shortsighted for us- apparently, a windfall for some.

holding judgment

there are many who are criticizing president obama- the man behaves as a president and i am happy to give him his proper title after 8 years in the wilderness- on both sides of the aisle. the rethuglicans i expect it from. the dumbocrats i do not. there should not be one dem criticizing president obama until after his first 100 days in office. the man has been in the white house exactly a month and a half.

most of my big bitches- he took care of-

he wiped away many of the cheney civil liberties violations against the constitution- and the doj and congress are looking into others as i type

he has wiped away many of the egregious environmental actions the cheney admin rammed through

he lifted the gag rule on contraceptives- and condom distributions throughout the world and is working on repealing the caregiver rule where folks in the medical profession have the right to not treat you based on their religious persuasion

he plans on funding stem cell research

he announced today that the no bid trillion dollar private contractors are history- and i know that at the very least that blackwater's- oops i mean xe's contract in iraq is over

the man is getting shit done. he can't do it all overnight- and there is congress to contend with. whatever his agenda, i have to go by what he promised to do while campaigning and what he is following through with. so far, his track record is pretty good. not perfect- but pretty good. i intend to give him and his administration his full one hundred days before i criticize. i hope more people in this country do.

something for the fun of it

hee

send an apology to el rushbo

courtesy of the dccc- and a big hat tip to uncommon sense

newsy stuff

mormons at it again- from sneaky support in other states against gay rights to getting mitt romney elected president. did i mention the porn?

john yoo would have tried to whitewash his memos had he known he's be exposed.

feeling sentimental

hubby is out of town and i never like it.

for you- john denver

Just to look in your eyes again
Just to lay in your arms
Just to be the first one always there for you
Just to live in your laughter
Just to sing in your heart
Just to be every one of your dreams come true

Just to sit by your windows
Just to touch in the night
Just to offer a prayer each day for you
Just to long for your kisses
Just to dream of your sighs
Just to know that I'd give my life for you.

For you all the rest of my life
For you all the best of my life
For you alone, only for you.

Just to wake up each morning
Just to you by my side
Just to know that you're never really far away
Just a reason for living
Just to say I adore
Just to know that you're here in my heart to stay.

For you all the rest of my life
For you all the best of my life
For you alone, only for you.

Just the words of a love song
Just the beat of my heart
Just the pledge of my life, my love for you.

this made me chuckle quite a bit

Jon Swift: 10 Best Conservative Movies

could someone please tell

the weather police that today it's currently 7 degrees with a negative eleven wind chill and light snow- and friday it's supposed to be 40 degrees with rain. someone needs to be arrested.

huh- and here i thought it was

porn.....

utah state senator says homosexuality biggest threat to america

my bad.

state of things

indian and chinese folks are going back home to find work

the folks who stay here from elsewhere work under slavery conditions

and the folks who are on the fringes of society or desperate- end up in jail. apparently, that's 1 in every 31 americans. or perhaps our justice system needs an overhaul

fyi cars

consumer reports top rated- 'green' cars

car talk tips on car cleaning

something in the wind

my personal opinion is that part of the remaking of the 'right wing/republican party' is to get the familiar faces out of the way and put fresh faces in- like camouflage. hence, the meghan mccains, george p. bushes, the bobby jindals and lest we ever forget she's around- the sarah palins. and you see the mirror effect in the evangelicals with the james dobson's stepping down from certain aspects of their mega church corporations. many of the online evangelicals are grooming their heirs- the first sons natch- to take over.

so, it comes as little surprise that so many congress critters are retiring or not re-running. and it is no surprise at all that everyone is ganging up on limbaugh. that's the plan. find a right winger who can take all of the anger, vitriol, hatred, loathing, etc. that most americans feel for the right wing right about now- and gang up on him. victimize him to the max- and martyr him. here's a little sample of what i have seen around- generally, i get one or two limbaugh stories- if that- in a month:

lefty- limbaugh and steele at war

lefty- cpac tells us a lot about the right

lefty- paul- 'pretty sad limbaugh leader of right'

lefty- cantor on limbaugh

lefty- limbaugh misquotes

lefty- limbaugh lashes at steele

righty- atlas shrugged dissed

lefty- limbaugh listened to

the reactionary left is being played like a fiddle. limbaugh loves the limelight and free publicity. the reason that his numbers are so good- lefties listen to him so they can bitch about him and the crazies in the republican party listen to him so he can tell them how to think. what i think folks fail to realize- the right is not going to go anywhere. all of those folks who were just in charge- not dead and gone- hence, still alive and scheming. just because they don't hold public office doesn't mean that they can't influence and shape and impose their ideology on the rest of us.

if you genuinely believe that the right is fading away and that all of this was a bad dream that we can clean up and move merrily along, you still believe in all of the illusions of the american dream. they are simply reinventing themselves and playing us and manipulating us to get there. just sayin'.

oh- and santorum hasn't gone away in two years. just sayin'

this speaks for itself

thanks to tengrain at mock, paper, scissors

'However, there are some trends to be seen in the data. Those states that do consume the most porn tend to be more conservative and religious than states with lower levels of consumption, the study finds.'

hypocrisy in motion.... and they wonder why folks are running away from the right wing in droves.

middle eastern perspective

from an american abroad- check it out