Thanksgiving has come and gone. This year was especially notable because the food was all hot when we sat down to eat. Brink and Em were here and it was wonderful to have them just hanging around. There were several movie clashes...Star Trek or Sandra Bulloch, but we got through them. You can be sure that we took no part in the so called "Black Friday" madness...no saving money in this household.
We are thankful for so many things...the list is just too long.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
oops
Roy, they need to watch the Syracuse tape every night until they get it!!!!!!!!
There seems to be a disturbance in the Force.....Carolina Football looks better than Carolina Basketball. UNC over BC!
There seems to be a disturbance in the Force.....Carolina Football looks better than Carolina Basketball. UNC over BC!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
UGA VII has died of a heart attack.
Pat, upon hearing this news said, "this years team broke his heart".
The person who answers the phone at Secretary of Defense Gates' office is really nice!
I am very upset that Sarah Palin is being allowed to appear at Ft Hood and Ft Bragg to sell her book. She has called the Commander in Chief a terrorist, she has criticised the people at Ft Hood about being more concerned about political correctness than the safety of the Post. This is not a matter of free speech....there is no free speech on a military installation. If you think there is, go to one and try to give a speech calling the President a terrorist.
I phoned the Department of Defense and when prompted to say who I wished to speak with, I paused and my brain said "what the heck", I replied, "Robert Gates". A voice answered Robert Gates office. Yikes! So I explained why I had called, the wonderful person told me that my concern would be given to Secretary Gates. Maybe it will not, but it made me feel better.
I phoned the Department of Defense and when prompted to say who I wished to speak with, I paused and my brain said "what the heck", I replied, "Robert Gates". A voice answered Robert Gates office. Yikes! So I explained why I had called, the wonderful person told me that my concern would be given to Secretary Gates. Maybe it will not, but it made me feel better.
The World has Gone Mad
Virginia Foxx, US Congresswoman from the 5th Congressional District of North Carolina, has taken the floor and proclaimed that the Republicans were responsible for passing civil rights legislation in the 1960's with little help from the people across the aisle. Are you kidding!!!!???? This is a member of the Congress! Civil Rights legislation was proposed and pushed through Congress by John F Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson!!!!! Southern Democrats were opposed, but guess what party those people are now members of???!!!! The few Republicans that did support the Civil Rights Act of 1964, such as Everett Dirksen of Illinois were LIBERAL Republicans and would not be welcomed in the Republican party today. The Republican nominee for President in 1964, Barry Goldwater, voted against the bill. It is absolutely unbelievable that a member of Congress could actually make this statement.
Call her office and set her straight. 202.225.2071
Call her office and set her straight. 202.225.2071
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
I do not want to pay for your vices!!!!
I do not want to pay for illnesses caused by smoking! I am vehemently opposed to smoking and believe it should be banned. I am passionate about this issue and do not believe these illnesses should be covered in the health bill before Congress. I want coverage removed immediately. Why should MY tax money go to these people who took up this habit knowing it would lead to illness and death. Aren't you thinking that this is stupid? Well the people who are so ridiculous about abortion and the health reform legislation before Congress sound really stupid to me.
And people who are injured on motorcycles shouldn't be covered either.
And people who are injured on motorcycles shouldn't be covered either.
boo hoo
If Newsweek wants to put a picture of Sarah Palin in shorts on their cover they can...and they did with a warning about the danger this person poses. This was a photo that Palin posed for and had previously been printed. Is it okay for the right wing maniacs to flaunt posters portraying the President as a witch doctor, a clown, or the joker? Is it okay for these images to be broadcast or printed? It may be distasteful, but that's life with the 1st Amendment. I am sick of the whining by Palin and her imbecilic followers every time the press does or says something they do not like.
Do not buy the magazine or read the article if you think Sarah has been wronged.
Do not buy the magazine or read the article if you think Sarah has been wronged.
The Kiss that Brought about the Two Party System
How dare the President of the United States bow to the Emperor of Japan. Just because it is a tradition in Japan to bow when meeting anyone, why should Americans sink to such a level? We should just insult a three thousand year old culture as Dick Cheney did when he visited Japan.
This controversy is nothing new. In 1794 John Jay was dispatched to Great Britain by Washington to settle lingering issues from the Revolutionary War. Wouldn't you know it, he kissed the Queen's hand!!!! The resulting treaty (Jay's treaty) was very controversial for many complicated reasons, (pull out your history notes or just google) but it was the kiss that captured the public's attention. It could be concluded that the differences between Alexander Hamilton's Federalist Party and Thomas Jefferson's Democratic Republican Party were cemented due to the public's outrage over THE KISS.
This controversy is nothing new. In 1794 John Jay was dispatched to Great Britain by Washington to settle lingering issues from the Revolutionary War. Wouldn't you know it, he kissed the Queen's hand!!!! The resulting treaty (Jay's treaty) was very controversial for many complicated reasons, (pull out your history notes or just google) but it was the kiss that captured the public's attention. It could be concluded that the differences between Alexander Hamilton's Federalist Party and Thomas Jefferson's Democratic Republican Party were cemented due to the public's outrage over THE KISS.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Are we ready for the swiss cheese defense!?!?
Well I am sorry.....the swiss cheese turned to gouda. Go Dawgs!
The real excitement begins!
Few of the so called experts are predicting that UNC will go to the Final Four....they are all over Michigan State. Well, where were they last year when Michigan State went to the F4? As I recall Pat predicted the UNC/Mich St final...how many of you can say that? There are probably 4 people in the country that made the call. Michigan State will not be there this year. I am aware that all their players are back but lets hear it for fresh, new players with enthusiasm! Tarheels ARE headed for the F4.
BUTLER!!!! is the team to watch.
BUTLER!!!! is the team to watch.
Harrison Barnes...
...is going to be a TARHEEL!!!!!!!! Take that Duke, Kansas, Oklahoma, UCLA, and Iowa State.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Heroines of the right
Carrie Prejean, Sarah Palin, and Michele Bachmann have become the female face of the right. How unfortunate for a political party that has, since its inception in the mid 1800's, seen talented, hardworking women make up a significant portion of its ranks. Women have been the backbone of the Party by filling the ranks of state and local committees and bringing unmatched organizational skills. It has always seemed ironic that the Democrats championed the rights of women but the Republicans gave them real power. Until 20 years ago there were as many Republican women serving in Congress as Democrats. For some strange reason the Republican Party of late has decided to embrace women who may look good, but are pure fools.
Sarah Palin will not appear on any live show. She will not allow any journalists, cell phones, cameras, recording devices, or anything that may actually provide a record of her performance brought into her appearances. She has given "speeches" in secret.
Carrie Prejean is glad to speak with Fox as long as people like Sean Hannity fall all over themselves to be really nice to her, but when Larry King actually asked her a question and had the nerve to invite callers to ask her questions as he does every night), she took off her microphone and threatened to leave the show. After making the threat she just sat there and continued to harp about Larry being inappropriate. She said "Larry, you're being inappropriate: about five times as if he were a small child saying a cuss word in church. Her behavior was childlike.
Michele Bachmann, unlike the other two, is everywhere making statements that make one shudder. She follows the press around trying to get on every news program. No one evidently has the nerve to tell her that her diatribes are ridiculous and that she might want to actually read the Constitution.
Bill O'Reilly has often made the point that the Left hates these women because they are nice looking...REALLY. These three women are ill informed. They have little historical or political perspective to make rational judgements regarding the serious issues facing our country. They repeat the conservative mantra...no taxes, no government, no abortion, no gay rights. Beyond that there is nothing. There are many Republican women who should stand up and demand that these three be subjected to real questions, real scrutiny, REALITY.
Sarah Palin will not appear on any live show. She will not allow any journalists, cell phones, cameras, recording devices, or anything that may actually provide a record of her performance brought into her appearances. She has given "speeches" in secret.
Carrie Prejean is glad to speak with Fox as long as people like Sean Hannity fall all over themselves to be really nice to her, but when Larry King actually asked her a question and had the nerve to invite callers to ask her questions as he does every night), she took off her microphone and threatened to leave the show. After making the threat she just sat there and continued to harp about Larry being inappropriate. She said "Larry, you're being inappropriate: about five times as if he were a small child saying a cuss word in church. Her behavior was childlike.
Michele Bachmann, unlike the other two, is everywhere making statements that make one shudder. She follows the press around trying to get on every news program. No one evidently has the nerve to tell her that her diatribes are ridiculous and that she might want to actually read the Constitution.
Bill O'Reilly has often made the point that the Left hates these women because they are nice looking...REALLY. These three women are ill informed. They have little historical or political perspective to make rational judgements regarding the serious issues facing our country. They repeat the conservative mantra...no taxes, no government, no abortion, no gay rights. Beyond that there is nothing. There are many Republican women who should stand up and demand that these three be subjected to real questions, real scrutiny, REALITY.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
speaking of the shootings at Fort Hood....
The media seems to be ignoring the fact that this man had purchased two guns...doesn't someone in the army have enough guns around them? Once again easy access to hand guns has resulted in deaths of innocent individuals.
Monday, November 9, 2009
A great day at Tybee!!!!
Happy Birthday to my dear and wonderful friend Carolyn....have a great day!!!!
Victor Hugo would be proud.
Isn't it odd that all of a sudden, and out of no where, there appears to be an army of people who suddenly believe the President and the Democratic leadership of Congress are communists or socialists out to take over the United States and turn us into Nazi Germany? Where did these people come from? Why now?
Let's look back to the demise of Enron and the subsequent disdain for corporate greed expressed by most. Congress responded by passing Sarbanes-Oxley and the American public assumed that the SEC would once again become a watchdog protecting them from corporate abuse. There was a great deal of talk about what needed to be done to further banking reform and most Americans did not see this needed change to be socialism or communism. There was no grassroots rebellion to stop reform. There was no crusade by the financial community to stop reform. Why? Because the banking and investment industry knew that nothing was going to change. The Bush administration and Congress (many Democrats included) had no intention of actually changing anything and everyone on Wall Street knew it. Sarbanes-Oxley was never enforced and eventually was gutted. Business as usual continued and the economy became nothing more than a casino bilking the public out of their future. The economy began to crumble and the American people were asked to bail out the very institutions responsible for the malay.
Fast forward to last November when Barack Obama won a REAL grassroots victory...a REAL electoral majority and REALLY had a mandate to govern. Healthcare and banking reform as well as actual regulation of the financial sector was front and center. The American people HAD voted for change and it was in the best interest of most that something be done to ensure that the average person was protected from predatory financial institutions.
Materializing from the underbelly of American society came an army of apparently disgruntled men and women organized by none other than Dick Army and his misnamed organization, Freedom Works. For the most part these "recruits" were the very people who needed the system to be reformed. They were not Wall Street moguls, many if not most were the recipients of earlier progressive reforms that had been put into place during the 20th Century to provide a social safety net and ensure a decent standard of living for all Americans... Social Security, Medicare, education, GI Bill of Rights, regulatory protection. But they were fed the idea that Obama was a danger to their way of life. The Bush Administration was responsible for the economic disaster but it was Obama who was getting the blame. Those who had made billions from the freewheeling, unregulated economy knew that something was going to happen...they might actually have to pay taxes and follow the laws. How to keep this from becoming reality?? Create a perceived grassroots movement against change. Take advantage of the leftover racism smoldering in all corners of the United States. Use the ignorance of people who spend their free time watching Wheel of Fortune. Locate and mobilize the paranoid remnants of the John Birch Society and Militia movements... remind these disgruntled individuals that their government is going to take away their freedom and at worst kill their elderly parents. Provide buses, signs, and Fox "News" coverage...make sure the number of rally attendees is grossly exaggerated and Voila!!! you have a movement. The mainstream press is more than happy to show people screaming at elected Representatives and Senators omitting the fact that the screamers had been coached and often bussed in from "somewhere".
This so called movement is not grassroots, it is a manufactured attempt to keep the economy unregulated by a cabal of wealthy, unprincipled individuals who are using people for their own gain. The tactic has worked so well. Bush et al mastered the art with the religious right; gaining their allegiance with promises to end abortion and turn the country into a Christian nation, while pushing programs and taking action that was not in their best interest. These people were used to get votes, just as the current protesters are being used to create a bandwagon effect to stifle reform.
The irony is that most of the people "protesting" are mere props for the financial, energy, mining, and healthcare industries. These are often the people who most need protection from predatory lending, high fuel costs, pollution, and an irresponsible health insurance industry. Many are so deluded that they actually think Medicare and Social Security have nothing to do with the government.
Let's look back to the demise of Enron and the subsequent disdain for corporate greed expressed by most. Congress responded by passing Sarbanes-Oxley and the American public assumed that the SEC would once again become a watchdog protecting them from corporate abuse. There was a great deal of talk about what needed to be done to further banking reform and most Americans did not see this needed change to be socialism or communism. There was no grassroots rebellion to stop reform. There was no crusade by the financial community to stop reform. Why? Because the banking and investment industry knew that nothing was going to change. The Bush administration and Congress (many Democrats included) had no intention of actually changing anything and everyone on Wall Street knew it. Sarbanes-Oxley was never enforced and eventually was gutted. Business as usual continued and the economy became nothing more than a casino bilking the public out of their future. The economy began to crumble and the American people were asked to bail out the very institutions responsible for the malay.
Fast forward to last November when Barack Obama won a REAL grassroots victory...a REAL electoral majority and REALLY had a mandate to govern. Healthcare and banking reform as well as actual regulation of the financial sector was front and center. The American people HAD voted for change and it was in the best interest of most that something be done to ensure that the average person was protected from predatory financial institutions.
Materializing from the underbelly of American society came an army of apparently disgruntled men and women organized by none other than Dick Army and his misnamed organization, Freedom Works. For the most part these "recruits" were the very people who needed the system to be reformed. They were not Wall Street moguls, many if not most were the recipients of earlier progressive reforms that had been put into place during the 20th Century to provide a social safety net and ensure a decent standard of living for all Americans... Social Security, Medicare, education, GI Bill of Rights, regulatory protection. But they were fed the idea that Obama was a danger to their way of life. The Bush Administration was responsible for the economic disaster but it was Obama who was getting the blame. Those who had made billions from the freewheeling, unregulated economy knew that something was going to happen...they might actually have to pay taxes and follow the laws. How to keep this from becoming reality?? Create a perceived grassroots movement against change. Take advantage of the leftover racism smoldering in all corners of the United States. Use the ignorance of people who spend their free time watching Wheel of Fortune. Locate and mobilize the paranoid remnants of the John Birch Society and Militia movements... remind these disgruntled individuals that their government is going to take away their freedom and at worst kill their elderly parents. Provide buses, signs, and Fox "News" coverage...make sure the number of rally attendees is grossly exaggerated and Voila!!! you have a movement. The mainstream press is more than happy to show people screaming at elected Representatives and Senators omitting the fact that the screamers had been coached and often bussed in from "somewhere".
This so called movement is not grassroots, it is a manufactured attempt to keep the economy unregulated by a cabal of wealthy, unprincipled individuals who are using people for their own gain. The tactic has worked so well. Bush et al mastered the art with the religious right; gaining their allegiance with promises to end abortion and turn the country into a Christian nation, while pushing programs and taking action that was not in their best interest. These people were used to get votes, just as the current protesters are being used to create a bandwagon effect to stifle reform.
The irony is that most of the people "protesting" are mere props for the financial, energy, mining, and healthcare industries. These are often the people who most need protection from predatory lending, high fuel costs, pollution, and an irresponsible health insurance industry. Many are so deluded that they actually think Medicare and Social Security have nothing to do with the government.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Just ignore the truth if it gets in the way.
Reading the New York Times, Washington Post, and the LA Times online this morning I found out that the alleged gunman in the Fort Hood shootings yesterday was a devout Muslim, had recently been very upset about being deployed to Iraq, and that the FBI had been investigating online posts credited to a person using the shooters name lauding suicide killings. Googling The story I came across a conservative blog that was ranting about "big media", especially the LA Times not reporting the previously mentioned items. Wondering if I had misread the articles I went back to the LA Times article and yes. the points were clearly made regarding the shooter's religion, ethnicity, and the FBI investigation. ?????
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Did I hear a big thud last night?
"We've got trouble, right here in River City"; but not in the "Pitt"...Randy Voller won reelection as mayor of Pittsboro. The Republican opposition was weak to say the least and people who cast their vote in his direction were most likely voting against Randy just because he is Randy.
Is the country shifting right? No! Those on the far right are deluding themselves and will be very surprised when the next "go round comes round". The Democratic candidate in Virginia ran a ghastly campaign and was a poor choice; Corzine in NJ had baggage; the defeat was all about Corzine. Those who are contending that these two races were a referendum on Obama are off base. NY 23 is probably more indicative of the country than most of the races last night. A moderate Democrat defeating a wingnut conservative in a Republican district that went for Obama. The electorate is in flux and cannot be easily explained.
Is the country shifting right? No! Those on the far right are deluding themselves and will be very surprised when the next "go round comes round". The Democratic candidate in Virginia ran a ghastly campaign and was a poor choice; Corzine in NJ had baggage; the defeat was all about Corzine. Those who are contending that these two races were a referendum on Obama are off base. NY 23 is probably more indicative of the country than most of the races last night. A moderate Democrat defeating a wingnut conservative in a Republican district that went for Obama. The electorate is in flux and cannot be easily explained.
Monday, November 2, 2009
There is soooo much happening in the world and right here in the "Pitt"
...that I just do not know where to begin.
The Pittsboro Mayoral race is tomorrow; I'll let you know how it turns out.
Georgia Bulldog fans (especially those who went to Jacksonville) are all in treatment this week. I think they've dropped out of the top 50.
Democrats are going to get slaughtered tomorrow and its their fault. Virginia will be bleeding red. NJ may escape but it will not be pretty.
The UNC Tarheels (basketball) are ranked #4!!!!!
Bruz, Pat, and I watched Friday the 13th (the original) Halloween night. We had never seen it, and thought it was perhaps the worst movie we had ever seen. Emily was shocked that none of us had experienced this cinematic milestone and informed me that it is the template for all the slasher movies that followed...well, that makes it worth watching.
The leaves are beautiful...driving 15/501 is akin to a Fall paradise.
The Pittsboro Street Fair this year was quite nice. The Castaways were playing (Carolyn, remember them?) There was great food, interesting crafts, lots of people that we knew, and a great time.
The Pittsboro Mayoral race is tomorrow; I'll let you know how it turns out.
Georgia Bulldog fans (especially those who went to Jacksonville) are all in treatment this week. I think they've dropped out of the top 50.
Democrats are going to get slaughtered tomorrow and its their fault. Virginia will be bleeding red. NJ may escape but it will not be pretty.
The UNC Tarheels (basketball) are ranked #4!!!!!
Bruz, Pat, and I watched Friday the 13th (the original) Halloween night. We had never seen it, and thought it was perhaps the worst movie we had ever seen. Emily was shocked that none of us had experienced this cinematic milestone and informed me that it is the template for all the slasher movies that followed...well, that makes it worth watching.
The leaves are beautiful...driving 15/501 is akin to a Fall paradise.
The Pittsboro Street Fair this year was quite nice. The Castaways were playing (Carolyn, remember them?) There was great food, interesting crafts, lots of people that we knew, and a great time.
I knew things were too quiet.
My time will now be spent learning Chinese because Millie dug a hole in the backyard to CHINA.
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