An American Life. This is the title of the book that has been written for Sarah Palin and will be released November 17th. Do you think anyone actually looked up what the word "rogue" means? As a noun rogue is a dishonest, knavish person; a scoundrel; a tramp or vagabond. As a verb rogue means to cheat and as an adjective rogue is having an abnormally saucy or unpredictable disposition, or no longer obedient, belonging, or accepted.
Perhaps she and her ghost writer think this is a good thing. The "book" is being published by Harper Collins owned by Rupert Murdoch who also owns Fox News.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
ACORNs
Somehow I have missed discussing the Oak Tree that lives in our backyard. It is a huge, beautiful tree that hosts all sorts of wildlife. As we know Oak Trees produce wonderful, adorable acorns every year and in the Fall they fall to the ground with the hope of producing another Oak Tree. Since the tree is so tall the acorns fall a long way before they hit the deck, the roof, or the ground. Good ole Newton taught us about this phenomenon, but with nice soft, squishy apples. These acorns fall at the speed of a bullet and sound like gunfire when they hit the deck and roof. This goes on for several weeks before the towering Oak has shed all the cute little nuts. It is a race with the squirrels to see who can get to them first.....they try to bury them and I try to pick them up and dump them into the woods. I am not sure who is winning but you can see what fun we have here in the "Pitt".
And you thought this post was going to be about that communistic terror group that is trying to take over our country.
And you thought this post was going to be about that communistic terror group that is trying to take over our country.
Why were Civil War battles fought in National Parks????
...Pat Buchanan. (Now, doesn't that sound stupid? It was a joke Buchanan made on MSNBC this morning during a piece on Ken Burns' new series on National Parks. It was quite funny and rather clever. But when you take it out of context Pat sounds really stupid. That's what Republicans do all the time...take things out of context and make a huge deal out them.)
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
You must pay attention to know what to say.
I hope all conservatives have gotten their new marching orders......Medicare is not to be touched under any circumstances!!!!! After bashing the system and claiming it will be bankrupted sometime in the near future, they now want no cuts, no nothing! The socialistic, single payer, health plan is sacrosanct!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Climate change IS real
Exelon, one of the largest energy corporations, has withdrawn their membership in the Chamber of Commerce. They have taken this action because the Chamber, a very conservative organization, denies that climate change exists. Exelon is committed to addressing the issue of climate change and should be commended. Call them at 800.483.3220. A really nice woman answers the phone. They do not have a number to take these calls but she told me she would figure out who to get the comments to.
Sunday driving
The rain and gloom have gone and Fall is here. We decided to ramble around the roads south of the Pitt yesterday. Pat found the "House in the Horseshoe" on the map and wanted to go see what it was....well, it is closed on Sunday but is a home where a North Carolina revolutionary, Philip Alston, resided. http://www.nchistoricsites.org/horsesho/HORSESHO.HTM . Though we did not get to go in it is very typical of the "ordinary" dwelling indicative of colonial NC. Missing, for the most part, from this state are the elegant, colonial homes found in South Carolina and Virginia.
After not seeing the House in the Horseshoe we drove to Pinehurst. What a beautiful little village. Golf of course rules, but the houses are beautiful and cute little shops abound.
After not seeing the House in the Horseshoe we drove to Pinehurst. What a beautiful little village. Golf of course rules, but the houses are beautiful and cute little shops abound.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
This is a test!
Find a liberal website and a conservative website...read the comments. Which side has more misspelled words? I'll give you a hint, "obamercare wont fex anethang".
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Hey, Hey, EC, you look so good to me!
ECU 7 UNC 0. And that was the end of that....We decided to go to Chapel Hill to see if we could get tckets. Yes we did, great seats but the pirates just couldn't pull it off.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
No, No, No, No!
At some point sensible Republicans will say yes to something. There has to be something they are in favor of. No one is against everything unless they just want to be against everything to hurt the other side. Ahhhh, maybe they just want to be opposed to everything and anything the Democrats and Obama are in favor of. At some point the negativity has to become tiresome to most people.
Show him what real democracy is about!
"Joe" Wilson's website is finally back up, www.joewilson.house.gov. To his credit, you do not have to have a SC 2nd Congressional District zipcode to send him an email. Send him a message.....NOW
Peter, Paul, and...
Mary has died. The many hours spent singing along with PP&M in high school are all coming back. Went to see them at NC State when I was a junior in HS and thought I had gone to heaven. Jan, remember when you, Johnny, Carolyn, and I would sit around and sing to their music. I am sure her voice is "blowin in the wind".
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
ECU v UNC...
...This Saturday! Carolyn, I think it was 1974 when we went to the game and ECU smeared UNC!!!!! That was Pat Dye time. There is a buzz in Chapel Hill, people are actually talking about tailgating.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Archie & Veronica
The invitations have gone out so it is true, Archie and Veronica are getting married.
Pay Per Click
Joe Wilson is advertising on conservative web sites to raise money.......cost him money; click on his ad, and click again, and again. His google bill will be enormous.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Why Georgia MUST beat south carolina
First Steve Spurrier's visor is sooooo out of style. Second it's south carolina (now relegated to lower case) home of Anniston Wilson, racist. Some sc history is needed (because everything comes down to history in my world). South carolina (a sentence has to begin with a capital letter) was very different from the other North American British colonies. Sugar planters from Barbados fled north for fear that slaves would revolt on the island and settled what would become Charles Towne. They brought with them the extremely harsh Barbados slave code, began cultivating rice and importing more African slaves than any other colony. Slavery in the other colonies developed very slowly but in sc it came lock stock and barrel from Barbados. It was a different mindset. For much of colonial and ante bellum history there were more African slaves in sc than Whites. Fear of Black revolt was ever present. The Stono Rebellion in 1739 was the worst slave rebellion in early America. The south carolina planters captured the rebellious slaves, had them decapitated, placed the heads on pikes, and put the pikes along a road to deter any future rebellion. Slave codes were strengthened and punishments became more harsh.
These rice planters became the wealthiest and most influential group in Colonial North America. It was this group that exerted its power and convinced Jefferson not to include a condemnation of slavery in the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution will be written to include the heinous three-fifths compromise, protection of the slave trade until 1808, and provision for fugitive slave laws without using the word slave because the Southern slave owner had so much power.
As time went on the economy of the United States changed. John C Calhoun (Senator, Governor, Vice President of the US from sc) realized that the South's representation in the House of Representatives was diminishing because their population was not increasing like that of the North. He knew the South was doomed if they did not begin to embrace industry and develop a manufacturing economy. Southern Planters resisted this because it would challenge their social, political, and economic status as well as bring in paid labor. Failing to bring about the industrialization of sc Calhoun devises the Doctrine of Nullification in the South Carolina Exposition. As sc and the rest of the South diminished in size and influence relative to the North and developing West, Calhoun felt the only way to protect their increasing minority status was nullification and interposition. The State over the nation. States should be able to declare null and void any act of Congress that went against the interests of a state. Calhoun saw this as the only way to save his beloved sc and its slave based society. It should be noted that the idea of nullification, that had been put forth in the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions by Jefferson and Madison in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts in the late 1790's, was quite different. Jefferson and Madison were concerned about the Congress passing laws that violated the Bill of Rights and putting the very nature of freedom in jeopardy. (The Supreme Court had not yet exerted its power of judicial review) Sc freaked out when the 1828 tariff was passed by Congress and surmised that if Congress could pass something so egregious to sc then it could outlaw slavery. When the tariff was lowered a bit it was not enough for sc so they NULLIFIED it. They threw around the idea of secession and Jackson had to send troops to put down the "nullifiers". Calhoun digs in, resigns the vice presidency and returns to sc.
The south and especially sc felt very secure in their position prior to the Civil War. The Presidents that served until Lincoln were either from the South or were pro south northerners (Pierce for example). the Supreme Court was dominated by pro slave justices (Dred Scott Decision) and the South was able to protect themselves as long as they were not outnumbered in the Senate. The Missouri compromise guaranteed that territory included in the Louisiana Purchase below the 36-30 latitude would enter the union as slave states. When Congress passed the Kansas Nebraska Act in 1854 negating the sacrosanct Missouri Compromise Line, not only was the Republican Party created, but it ignited a firestorm. Preston Brooks a Congressman from south carolina stormed onto the floor of the Senate during debate on the act and savagely beat Senator Charles Sumner (staunch abolitionist from Mass) over the head with a cane, That's how they do it in sc, beat the hell out you. Calhoun was dead by this time and sc was in the hands of a group called the "fire eaters" who were hell bent on seceding from the union. ( It needs to be noted that Calhoun was a very complex individual. He never advocated secession which is surprising to most. He was wedded to his state and his way of life.)
sc was the first to secede and they even threatened to secede from the confederacy during the Civil war. The state has always been a bit different. More like the colonial west indies than British North America.
These rice planters became the wealthiest and most influential group in Colonial North America. It was this group that exerted its power and convinced Jefferson not to include a condemnation of slavery in the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution will be written to include the heinous three-fifths compromise, protection of the slave trade until 1808, and provision for fugitive slave laws without using the word slave because the Southern slave owner had so much power.
As time went on the economy of the United States changed. John C Calhoun (Senator, Governor, Vice President of the US from sc) realized that the South's representation in the House of Representatives was diminishing because their population was not increasing like that of the North. He knew the South was doomed if they did not begin to embrace industry and develop a manufacturing economy. Southern Planters resisted this because it would challenge their social, political, and economic status as well as bring in paid labor. Failing to bring about the industrialization of sc Calhoun devises the Doctrine of Nullification in the South Carolina Exposition. As sc and the rest of the South diminished in size and influence relative to the North and developing West, Calhoun felt the only way to protect their increasing minority status was nullification and interposition. The State over the nation. States should be able to declare null and void any act of Congress that went against the interests of a state. Calhoun saw this as the only way to save his beloved sc and its slave based society. It should be noted that the idea of nullification, that had been put forth in the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions by Jefferson and Madison in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts in the late 1790's, was quite different. Jefferson and Madison were concerned about the Congress passing laws that violated the Bill of Rights and putting the very nature of freedom in jeopardy. (The Supreme Court had not yet exerted its power of judicial review) Sc freaked out when the 1828 tariff was passed by Congress and surmised that if Congress could pass something so egregious to sc then it could outlaw slavery. When the tariff was lowered a bit it was not enough for sc so they NULLIFIED it. They threw around the idea of secession and Jackson had to send troops to put down the "nullifiers". Calhoun digs in, resigns the vice presidency and returns to sc.
The south and especially sc felt very secure in their position prior to the Civil War. The Presidents that served until Lincoln were either from the South or were pro south northerners (Pierce for example). the Supreme Court was dominated by pro slave justices (Dred Scott Decision) and the South was able to protect themselves as long as they were not outnumbered in the Senate. The Missouri compromise guaranteed that territory included in the Louisiana Purchase below the 36-30 latitude would enter the union as slave states. When Congress passed the Kansas Nebraska Act in 1854 negating the sacrosanct Missouri Compromise Line, not only was the Republican Party created, but it ignited a firestorm. Preston Brooks a Congressman from south carolina stormed onto the floor of the Senate during debate on the act and savagely beat Senator Charles Sumner (staunch abolitionist from Mass) over the head with a cane, That's how they do it in sc, beat the hell out you. Calhoun was dead by this time and sc was in the hands of a group called the "fire eaters" who were hell bent on seceding from the union. ( It needs to be noted that Calhoun was a very complex individual. He never advocated secession which is surprising to most. He was wedded to his state and his way of life.)
sc was the first to secede and they even threatened to secede from the confederacy during the Civil war. The state has always been a bit different. More like the colonial west indies than British North America.
Anniston Graves Wilson...
....not sure where the Joe comes from. Let it be noted that this racist, yes, I have decided unequivocally that much if not most of the bruhaha is RACIST based, is not in any way sorry he called the President of the United States a liar. He is using the supposed spontaneous scream to raise money! He is now the hero of the "lunatic fringe"!
On August 19th a fundraising event was held at the home Darla and John Oldham in South Carolina and guess what? It was sponsored by the South Carolina Medical Equipment Association!!!!!!!!! "Joe" Wilson has received more than $428,000 from the healthcare industry according to opensecrets.org. In addition, he and his entire family are recipients of TRICARE, a government run heathcare program for military personnel. He benefits from what he doesn't want anyone else to have.
It is difficult to find numbers to call "Joe" and the numbers you find are always busy, his Congressional website is down. You CAN however easily give him money. I did speak with one person, Sunny Philips. She is a fundraiser for "Joe" and other fine SC Republicans. She will hang up on you but you can call her at 803.377.3734. She claims he is VERY popular in the 2nd District of SC.
Rob Miller was his opponent and garnered 46% of the vote against "Joe". He has reportedly raised a million dollars since the slipped, spontaneous, scream.
Support Rob Miller! He is a veteran and a reasonable person.
On August 19th a fundraising event was held at the home Darla and John Oldham in South Carolina and guess what? It was sponsored by the South Carolina Medical Equipment Association!!!!!!!!! "Joe" Wilson has received more than $428,000 from the healthcare industry according to opensecrets.org. In addition, he and his entire family are recipients of TRICARE, a government run heathcare program for military personnel. He benefits from what he doesn't want anyone else to have.
It is difficult to find numbers to call "Joe" and the numbers you find are always busy, his Congressional website is down. You CAN however easily give him money. I did speak with one person, Sunny Philips. She is a fundraiser for "Joe" and other fine SC Republicans. She will hang up on you but you can call her at 803.377.3734. She claims he is VERY popular in the 2nd District of SC.
Rob Miller was his opponent and garnered 46% of the vote against "Joe". He has reportedly raised a million dollars since the slipped, spontaneous, scream.
Support Rob Miller! He is a veteran and a reasonable person.
Friday, September 11, 2009
So many thoughts
9/11 brings so many memories and so many raw feelings. After the second tower fell I walked out on a balcony down the hall from my classroom into the crystal clear day, and the silence was deafening.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
September 10, 2001
A hot, humid day in Tuscaloosa Alabama. Kristy and I had gone to Bid Day to be with Brinkley. It was fun and Brinkley got the sorority she wanted. Kristy and I were a bit amazed at the hoopla surrounding this event. Police were out, streets were closed, bids were given out in the stadium! It was a busy day and as we were leaving we had a flat tire, couldn't get it fixed and had to trade cars with Brink. It was really late when we finally headed back to Atlanta. Dreading having to go to school the next day and teach, I jokingly mentioned to Kristy that maybe we would have a bomb threat tomorrow........
Joe Wilson's website is still down. Be sure to look at the Republicans around him last night as he accused the President of the United States of lying. They do not look shocked or upset in any way! Today they are acting like this was bad but while it was happening they were just fine. While the country gasped they played with their blackberries. Watch it. And by the way, I LOVE Pelosie's reaction.
This morning an interesting group of right-wing individuals were waiting outside Wilson's office to offer support...Randall Terry, the anti-abortion radical for one.
In the past, members of Congress have booed or hissed when a President was speaking, but NO ONE HAS SCREAMED "You Lie"!!!!! There is a difference and if you cannot see the difference I am sorry.
All these Republicans are saying they do not know what Obama said last night.....I guess they don't, they were all too busy texting or tweeting. Perhaps if they had paid attention they would know what was said. I know what he said.
Someone on Fox said the speech was too long....Yes, too long for the 30 second attention spans of their usual audience.
This morning an interesting group of right-wing individuals were waiting outside Wilson's office to offer support...Randall Terry, the anti-abortion radical for one.
In the past, members of Congress have booed or hissed when a President was speaking, but NO ONE HAS SCREAMED "You Lie"!!!!! There is a difference and if you cannot see the difference I am sorry.
All these Republicans are saying they do not know what Obama said last night.....I guess they don't, they were all too busy texting or tweeting. Perhaps if they had paid attention they would know what was said. I know what he said.
Someone on Fox said the speech was too long....Yes, too long for the 30 second attention spans of their usual audience.
For those of you who are conservative and are reasonable, i.e you read, watch news coverage from a variety of sources, understand how the American system really works, and are willing to actually carry on a conversation with a person that does not agree with you, you need to look around and understand that you are being defined by the nutjobs that are now the picture of the Republican Party. Just as the crazies in the 1960's came to define the Democrats and brought about a dramatic change in the political landscape, the same thing is happening to you today. It is impossible for me to understand how people find no problem running up an astronomical deficit to fund a war, but are so vehemently opposed to their fellow Americans having access to decent health care. Think about it...what is really going on here? Health insurance companies make obscene profits and yet people are out screaming to protect these profits. Most people have stories...mine are few but we have been reasonably healthy. Emily had her tonsils out a couple of years ago and United HealthCare balked on paying the $1,000 anesthesia bill. This was clearly covered but they indicated that the provider had not put the correct code on the bill. My response was "give me a break!!!" get it straight, I am NOT paying the bill if you want the money fix the problem!!! United HealthCare does this all the time and many if not most people pay the bill and never see the money they are entitled to. Ka-ching for the insurer. Imagine how much money is made by doing this over and over. I did not give up and they paid the money, but why should people have to fight for their benefit?.
You need to step back and listen carefully to what people are saying. You need to know that elected Republicans are actually supporting the "birthers" and the screamers; are those the people you want to be associated with. Imagine what you would have done or how you would have felt if a Democrat yelled at President Bush during a speech before A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS "you LIE". I would have been appalled and I am sure you would have been appalled as well. It's time to step back and be reasonable.
You need to step back and listen carefully to what people are saying. You need to know that elected Republicans are actually supporting the "birthers" and the screamers; are those the people you want to be associated with. Imagine what you would have done or how you would have felt if a Democrat yelled at President Bush during a speech before A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS "you LIE". I would have been appalled and I am sure you would have been appalled as well. It's time to step back and be reasonable.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
OOOBAMA!!!!
One of the greatest political speeches I have ever heard,. He was not petty even though a numskull called him a liar. He was great.
09/09/09
I guess I have to say something on this day of 9's....I continue to be amazed at the stupidity of a significant number of Americans. Birthers, death panels, keep government out of my medicarers...I just do not know what is going on. Where are the sane people? Someone has got to come forward and stop these maniacs. To actually not allow schools to listen to the President is outrageous. Most of this is in the South. Could racism be behind alot of the rhetoric? Before you knee jerk into no, think about it.
The very people who are most negatively affected by corporate wrongs are the ones out protecting the obcene profits of banks, health insurance companies, oil interests, etc. It is very puzzling....but then most of the people who fought for the Confederacy to protect the right of a handful of wealthy planters to own slaves never owned a slave. Go figure. (Bernie if you say something about the Civil War not being fought over slavery I will vomit)
The very people who are most negatively affected by corporate wrongs are the ones out protecting the obcene profits of banks, health insurance companies, oil interests, etc. It is very puzzling....but then most of the people who fought for the Confederacy to protect the right of a handful of wealthy planters to own slaves never owned a slave. Go figure. (Bernie if you say something about the Civil War not being fought over slavery I will vomit)
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Get rid of Medicare immediately!
All of these morons who are screaming and yelling in the so called townhall meetings, and the members of Congress who oppose the public option should DEMAND the dismantling of Medicare. If they want the government out of health care, the single payer, government run system must go.....and while they are at it, get rid of Veterans' hospitals, Medicaid, public health departments, any government grants to fund doctor and nurses training, and we certainly do not need the CDC. Why doesn't someone actually investigate who these so called protestors are. Wouldn't it be interesting if we found out that health insurance companies are paying them?
Football Season is here!
I have a love/hate relationship with college football. I hate the game with its macho grunting and not so bright players but I love the hoopla of the game...the bands, the fans, the cheering, the tailgating. It is soooo Fall. Football season in Chapel Hill is much more relaxing than Athens. This year the Tarheels should be pretty good so things may get out of control on occasion, but be assured that it will be reserved excitement. At least there is ECU coverage here. Go fighting Pirates!
Friday, September 4, 2009
What in the hell is going on?
School systems around the country are kowtowing to the lunatic fringe and either not showing Obama's speech on September 8th, or allowing parents to write letters to the school asking that their child not watch THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. Some are keeping their children at home so they will not be exposed to the elected President. What!!!???? I cannot for one minute believe this. Schools should show the speech and tell parents they can keep their brats at home and accept whatever action comes with missing school. I cannot begin to imagine what would have happened if I had REFUSED to show speeches by President Bush or Reagan. Check the policy your local school system has regarding this issue and make a call! Fulton County has adopted a namby pamby statement which acquiesces to the right.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Atlanta
I went back to Atlanta this weekend for the first time in almost a year. The traffic is still horrible and everything is still manicured. But the downtown area is really booming and that's good because the rest of Atlanta exists because of the city. That was always one of my beefs...people rarely felt an obligation to "downtown". Complaining about paying for Grady Hospital, the sewers, or anything in the city is a major pastime of OTPers (outside the perimeter) forgetting that their little enclaves would not exist if it weren't for downtown. But it was wonderful visiting with friends who I miss and it was good to get back to the land of moderate traffic and very few billboards. Funny...I did not see any double wides in the atl.
My Brink
The most recent Brinkley move has little blog material. It went smoothly with the movers coming right on time and being very efficient. See, that's not very funny. There was a small problem with her car, but even that got solved with little problem. The newest new place (number 7 since college) is great. It's in VaHi and in walking distance of many restaurants and bars. We are so glad and proud that she has a great job with people she likes. Go Roy...win one for the sane people!!!! Call her Leonard and take her to dinner.
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