Uncle Sugar Needs To Meet Aunt Flo

Posted by: Helen Philpot | January 24, 2014

Uncle Sugar Needs To Meet Aunt Flo

From Helen:

Margaret, as sure as the sun is going to come up tomorrow, some Republican peckerwood is going to say something stupid about a woman’s baby maker. I’d say “uterus” but that just confuses them even more. In this case, it’s Mike Huckabee attempting to redefine the war on women. Of course, with a name like Huckabee, need I really say more? (My sincere apology to any Huckabee’s out there who can walk without dragging their knuckles across the floor.)

Mike said:

“If the Democrats want to insult the women of America by making them believe that they are helpless without Uncle Sugar coming in and providing for them a prescription each month for birth control, because they cannot control their libido or their reproductive system without the help of the government, then so be it.”

Now, Michael, Dear… Let’s talk a little about the reproductive system. I’ll try to use simple terms so as not to talk over your tiny little head (the one on your shoulders and not in your pants). I don’t know much about Uncle Sugar, but during a certain age that can be shorter for some and longer for others, we women get a monthly visit from Aunt Flo. She’s fairly predictable that Flo, but sometimes she can throw you for a loop just for the hell of it. It’s certainly far from foolproof, but if you are very careful you just might be able to time your “relations” around Flo’s visit and avoid a pregnancy. Pay no mind to those large Catholic families. They might just be bad at math or maybe they thought Aunt Flo was a heavy sleeper. (Think about it.)

Now for some women, sex is something they would prefer to avoid. Just look at Janet Huckabee with her three children. But for most women – and most men – sex is something that happens more than just the third Thursday after the second Friday of odd-numbered days in months that end in R. Like I told you, it can get a little tricky. In fact, most women don’t equate having sex to getting pregnant at all. Why? Because we don’t have to. Birth control gave women the freedom to be planned mothers (or not) rather than livestock existing simply to grow the herd. Come to think of it, maybe Janet Huckabee didn’t tell Mike about everything that was in her medicine cabinet.

Most women use birth control for… well, birth control. But some women actually use it for other reasons like less painful periods, PMS relief and relief from endometriosis. Yes, Mr. Huckabee – medical reasons beyond just limiting the number of unwanted pregnancies and children. God forbid that birth control be covered by health insurance companies. What could be worse than that? I don’t know… maybe a prescription drug commercial ending with the phrase “if an erection lasts longer than 4 hours seek medical attention”? But that is what this is really all about. It’s not about fighting for women’s rights. It’s not even about fighting for the life of the unborn. It’s about sex. Specifically it’s about sex being ok for men but not women. And honestly, Mr. Huckabee, that makes it even more difficult to understand why Republicans hate the gays. Hell if it were up to me, I would have insurance companies pay for condoms and early pregnancy test sticks too. One would reduce the number of STDs and the other would save those Palins a lot of money. Poor things up there in Alaska just waiting for Aunt Flo to fly in on a bomber from Russia…

Now if Mr. Huckabee would like to redefine the war on women, I’m all for it. But let’s call it what it really is – the hunt for Red November Voters. So I have a solution. If you believe women should have the freedom to decide when and how often to bring children into the world, vote for your friendly Democrat – preferably a female. If you would prefer that sex exists simply as a means to procreate, vote for Huckabee or any other old, white Republican.

Now, if you actually believe that men will abide by that no-sex-rule, please don’t vote at all because the new computerized voting machines might be too difficult for you to understand. I mean it. Really.

From Margaret:.

Aunt Flo? Now I haven’t heard that one in many a year. Nowadays, the kids call it Shark Week. And if you ask me, that’s what has Mr. Huckabee so scared.

Click here to support Margaret and Helen’s website.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Aunt Flo, Birth Control, Huckabee, Janet Huckabee, Mike Huckabee, reproductive system, Sarah Palin, The War on Women, Uncle Sugar

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By: Adderall Abuse on September 13, 2014
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please block UAWtradesman…what a bunch of useless ranting

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By: Tara Crowley on July 13, 2014
at 1:48 AM
Hi, Terri – Are we the only two left on the porch. Well, if so, please pass the lemonade, and put some serious s**t in it, okay?

As somebody, on some blog, somewhere, said, “I’ll believe a corporation is a person when one of them comes back in a body bag from Afghanistan.”

Damn straight! I “incorporated,” myself, a bunch of years ago, to “protect” myself from (primarily) the financial responsibilities of a real human being. That’s what the damned thing was set up to do. Interestingly enough, when my husband and I divorced, and I wanted to buy a house on my own, that whole idea came back to bite me: I’d saved plenty of tax money for a bunch of years, by making my personal income less than $20,000 a year – even though my corporate “self” pulled in quite a lot more than that.

HTG, if anybody’d ever asked me what my “corporate religion” was, or if I had any “corporate beliefs” that were contrary to the very laws that had allowed me to “incorporate” in the first place, I wouldn’t have known WTF they were talking about. And I don’t to this day.

No, Mitt… Corporations are NOT people. They are fabricated entities. Period. They have no “rights.” They have no “religious beliefs.”

Let’s just start with that concept, shall we?

And god bless Justice Ginsburg, who calls it like she sees it, and her direst prophecies are already coming to fruition…

LikeLike
By: gatodicima on July 11, 2014
at 8:30 PM
Hey Gato,
You provided quite a menu of topics! I have to say, the Hobby Lobby decision really surprised me. I could not believe the highest court in the land has actually decided corporations now have religious beliefs (wtf?) which they can use to deny some forms of healthcare to their employees! However, incredibly, their religious scruples somehow do not apply to the companies they invest in, some of which manufacture and sell the very contraceptives they can now deny to their employees. This a one of the worst SCOTUS decisions ever.
And where do we start with half-term governor Sarah Palin? She is truly one of the dumbest, most crass, shrillest people in the public sphere. Why, oh why, does the media pay any attention to her? Sorry, John McCain, she is one reason no one takes you very seriously anymore.
Boehner’s lawsuit? A waste of taxpayer money, and a colossal waste of everyones time. How pathetic.
Meanwhile a new report shows almost 20 million people are now enjoying having health insurance thanks to Obamacare. We have now had more than 50 months of job growth and a current unemployment rate of 6.1 per cent. What was that the GOP was saying about the ACA being a “job killer”? Wrong again.

LikeLike
By: Terri in NY on July 11, 2014
at 5:49 PM
Hi, Terri – Well, where the heck do we even START these days…? Hobby Lobby? Citizens United (still)…? Boehner’s “lawsuit?” Dinesh D’Souza’s and Todd Akin’s new “books”…? The ever-astounding Princess Dumbass of the North Woods’ call for impeachment? The Keystone “pipeline”…? Guns/mass shootings/”stand your ground”/guns, guns, guns…? “Illegal” children warehoused at the border? The absolutely most pathetic and frustrating House of Reprehensibles that has ever existed in this country, far as I know…? Israel’s never-ending aggressive “settling” of Palestinian lands? (Weren’t some other people “settled” there already…?)

Pick your favorite; I’ll jump right in, whatever it is, promise!

Gato

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By: gatodicima on July 11, 2014
at 2:54 PM
Oh Geez, I was hoping for some new conversations to start up, but not the UAW kind (insulting remarks pulled from right wing websites– no original thought required.) Been there, done that. Ho hum. BTW, Hi Gato.

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By: Terri in NY on July 11, 2014
at 12:33 PM
Oh – I forgot to be pissed off… And now I’m starting to forget that you’re “here,” too… Must be a senior moment.

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at 8:02 AM
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at 9:47 PM
and to piss you off(remind you I’m still here)

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By: uawtradesman on July 10, 2014
at 9:46 PM
just wondering why Obama was shooting pool and drinking beer instead of checking out the border crisis…and it wasn’t even a natural disaster …..and why no photos

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gatta love Mike Rowe

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By: uawtradesman on July 10, 2014
at 9:13 PM
Well, my goodness, Tradesman – Here you are again! How nice, or, at least, “nice-ish”…

Still got that “Monica” thing going though, eh? Ever think of changing that up to something more contemporary? I think what she’s been doing recently, last I heard, is selling handbags. But that could be so 2010…

Gato

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By: gatodicima on July 10, 2014
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just wondering if Trey Gowdy should run for Prez

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and another typ lib

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LMFAO

http://youngcons.com/liberal-logic-diane-feinstein-says-turning-away-illegal-immigrants-is-the-same-as-turning-away/

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used to called a taxpayer….now

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By: rolling 401k to ira on July 1, 2014
at 4:07 AM
Hey, Lurker, and all – Well, now we are really beginning to see what the accursed Citizens United was all about: The nose of the proverbial camel sticking into the tent of democracy. And now the dung is beginning to be quite apparent… And it stinks.

First, you get the “premise” in: Corporations are “people.” Then you can base a whole bunch of other decisions on that thing you just ruled. Sure, if corporations are “people” with “rights” to “free speech” (and money is a form of “speech”), then we cannot possibly deny these FABRICATED ENTITIES their “rights” to the other things actual humans have enjoyed in our country: their “religious freedom,” their “right to bear arms” (can’t wait for THAT to get going – and trust me, it will), their “right” to marry… So long as they’re not gay, of course. I’m sure they’ll figure out a way to define the “sexual orientation” of a corporation, any minute now. (Headline: “GM Comes Out as Transgender at Annual Board Meeting.”)

And I’m looking forward to the first demonstrations about saving the “pre-born corporations.” (“Life Begins at Incorporation, SCOTUS Rules.”)

Yessiree, gonna be a fun bunch of years coming up… Unless we GET OUT AND VOTE!! And throw Citizens United, and McCutcheon, back in the trash pile from which they came…

Gato

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By: gatodicima on June 30, 2014
at 7:55 PM
Oh – that one worked. Then I’ll try again. I’m surprised there haven’t been comments on the supreme court rulings today.

Single payer, baby! Medical decisions and access to coverage shouldn’t be based upon a corporation’s religious beliefs. Slippery slope, people. Very slippery slope.

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By: delurkergurl on June 30, 2014
at 4:41 PM
‘Sorry, this comment could not be posted.’ Maybe that’s why there haven’t been comments today? testing…

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By: delurkergurl on June 30, 2014
at 4:39 PM
Hey Gato,
As usual your rant is on point in every way. Apparently President Obama has had it too. If you listen to the comments he made today, he’s fed up with the GOP obstruction as well. Democrats must get out and vote in the fall, otherwise the gridlock will just increase. I truly do not understand how any thinking middle class American can vote Republican. They say no to every attempt to help the middle class–no to raising the minimum wage, no to food stamps, no to helping with student loans, no to improving our infrastructure. Grrrrrr… It’s maddening.

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By: Terri in NY on June 27, 2014
at 6:37 PM
Thank you Gato! I could NOT have said it better myself. I would like to add to the pile of BS, our latest decision from the SCOTUS. How in this world is it consitutional to have to keep away from them and their place of business, but it is against the constitution to keep threatening bullies away from women trying to be responsible for their own lives??
How about the decision that POTUS could not make those appointments? Do you know any place of business, any real job, where you can work for 10 seconds then leave for a week and that is considered IN SESSION? How can they justify these outrageous decisions?
I am mad, and I am not going to take this lying down. Get out and vote, get out and do some community work, get people registered to vote, help how ever you can!

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By: Mikat on June 27, 2014
at 10:33 AM
Hi, all porch-dwellers whom many of us recognize…

All those “garage door experts,” people who want to know who designed this blog, who want to start their own blogs, and the machines that crank out their incomprehensible drivel, can just go and get f***ed, far as I’m concerned…. (But I do love some of the really funny stuff…)

We now have another juicy subject… The Boehner “Lawsuit”… Have any of you had a toddler who behaved this way? And, if so, what did you do with him/her? Into the corner for a time-out…?

Fer chrissakes, these people admit to “working” maybe twenty-two weeks a year (and we pay them for that); the Congressional approval rating is somewhere around 18%… And they really think the American people are going to “support” them as they spend OUR money on this garbage?

No decent care for veterans; cut back on food stamps and unemployment benefits; vote to “repeal” the ACA more than forty times, even after it was law; attempt to disenfranchise as many non-white voters as possible; allow Teepeeps to “open carry” assault weapons into restaurants (Oh, yeah, I’ve always felt I needed to protect myself when ordering a couple of nachos or a double-meat pizza, haven’t you…?); and even “interview” Sarah (no English sentences permitted) Palin, because she has “important views,” or ever let John McCain open his mouth again…

DAMMIT! Time to get serious… Battleground Texas. The petitions to repeal “Citizens United.” The DCCC. Everytown. Truthout. Daily Kos. Charlie Pierce. Stonekettle Station. And, of course, Jon Stewart, Steven Colbert, and Rachel Maddow. And so many more… They’re all out there, begging, BEGGING, for our support. Pick your favorite(s), and help them.

Gato, the Ranter

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By: gatodicima on June 26, 2014
at 11:28 PM
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By: Corine on June 25, 2014
at 11:29 PM
Hello Terri and Gato,
I think, much like myself, we are all still here, lurking in the shadows. Since there is not much dialogue happening we move on quickly. I am always thrilled to see familar names drop in and leave a comment. As you said, we have the “porch” to continue our discussions.
Hi Lori, Lurker, Pi, both Terry’s, Auntie and all you other porch sitters! I hope you are all having a wonderful summer.

As for Darth Chaney and his spawn, The sooner they STFU the better, he is long past any relevance in today’s world.

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By: Mikat on June 25, 2014
at 9:50 AM
Hey Gato,
Yes, I’m well, thanks for asking.
I miss the lively conversations we used to have. Not sure what changed that, but politics have been particularly disturbing lately. Agree about Cheney, that man needs to go away, and take his daugter with him! Why anyone care about his opinion escapes me, and don’t get me started about the fact his monumental ego tells him he is still relevant. Sheesh! Stay well, hope your garden is thriving.

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By: Terri in NY on June 24, 2014
at 7:00 PM
Hi, Terri – And that guy got someone else’s heart, which is now beating within his chest, so he can continue to do this stuff…?

Glad to see that a few of us, who consider ourselves “real,” still show up around here every now and then.

If “Margaret and Helen” did nothing else, they gave us a porch…

Hope you are well!

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By: gatodicima on June 23, 2014
at 10:01 PM
Lots going on these days, but the situation in Iraq is the most disturbing to me. All of this could have been predicted 12 years ago. Most galling of all is listening to all the Bush-era chicken hawks opining on the conflict. Why, oh why, is anyone interested in hearing what Dick Cheney has to say? The man who is always wrong, and always ready to criticize others. The same goes for his daughter and Bill Kristol and all the know nothings whose cheerleading got us into this in the first place. The media needs to stop giving these people a forum. They truly sicken me.

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By: after Effects animation tutorial on June 14, 2014
at 1:47 AM
Hi, Lurker – Charlie Pierce had an interesting take – as he inevitably does – on this on his blog this morning: The hard-core TeePeeps are SO anti-gummint that they couldn’t stand to elect someone who even occasionally, rarely, or even lying-through-his-teeth-ly, ever gave the the slimmest appearance of “trying to make something happen in Washington.”

They are so consumed with their single-minded focus on their belief that “the gummint,” in any way, shape, or form, can – or should – ever actually DO ANYTHING, that the whole idea of even the possibility of some actual accomplishment drives them into a blinding frenzy. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve seen this same kind of thing happen here in our community. We elect a Board of Directors, and the minute they’ve been elected, even those who voted for them are convinced that some dire transformation has taken place, and everyone they just elected has suddenly been overtaken by alien forces, and is now out to screw all the rest of us. And no force of reason, no consideration of the possible “dire consequences” of having no government whatsoever, nor any appeal to logic, ever stops them. Ever.

It will be interesting, to say the least, to see how Mr. Brat (and I do love the name) gets on should he arrive in the halls of Congress – and how quickly his “supporters” turn on him the instant he utters anything, on any vote, other than “present.” (Of course, he will be expected to blather on about “liberty,” “the Constitution,” “government overreach,” “out-of-control spending,” and so on, and I’m sure we’re all confident that he will… And Roger Ailes, the Kochs, and their like, will just laugh their heads off, knowing that this moves THEM ever closer to total domination of just about everything… Because some of us are so effing STUPID, and they know it! Not only do they know it, they’re countin’ on it…

Why don’t they just “elect” one of those “life size” inflatable dolls, sit it in an office, and let it go at that…?

“SCOTUS Ruling on ‘Trixie, Boopsie, et al, vs. John Doe’ Expands Scope of Previous Rulings: Inflatable Dolls Are People, Too”…

“Justice John Roberts, in an important swing vote, ruled in his opinion that since inflatable dolls are very similar to ‘humans’ in almost every respect, they should not be discriminated against in the area of basic human rights simply because they have been artificially ‘created,’ just as corporations, created in the same fashion, have been previously judged by this court as ‘people,’ and granted those rights. In his opinion, it is ‘inconsistent to deny to any of the artificially-created those rights we have ruled apply to similar artificially-created entities. In the opinion of this court, any other ruling in this case would correctly be construed as inconsistency on the part of this court, and that we cannot abide.’ Full coverage of this breaking story on Faux News at 6:00; PBS has recently experienced numerous unexplained technical difficulties, and is expected to resume broadcasting, perhaps, at some time in the future. Maybe.”

Gato

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By: gatodicima on June 11, 2014
at 4:59 PM
Delurker as conservative as Cantor is there is a faction of his Party that is MORE conservative. Canton ( and the establishment ) gave wayyyyy to much leeway to that faction. He didn’t stand up to that force. He allowed the Republican gerrymandering to occur so his district was the redest of the red so he could win in generals. Hence gave the keys to the crazy. In a district race with small dollar donations & a motivated grassroots faction that was all it took for Brat to be successful.

I understand you think that is counter intuitive. In Washington , especially in the House, where small segments of the population determine a seat, dynamics are easily manipulated.

Don’t confuse NATIONAL elections with PRIMARY district elections. two veryyyy different dynamics.

LikeLike
By: lori on June 11, 2014
at 4:24 PM
Well, Lori, if this is a referendum on Cantor’s catering to the extreme right wing of his party, it’s strange that they voted in someone farther to the right than him. That would be like electing Romney because Obama isn’t liberal enough. Hard to imagine that Cantor thought calling Brat a ‘liberal’ professor was going to stick. Begging for the single-bullet-point uninformed voter vote I guess.

Sounds like an “anyone but Cantor” vote, which I’m happy about regardless of the reasons. Smug, arrogant jerk.

LikeLike
By: delurkergurl on June 11, 2014
at 2:29 PM
Where are Margaret and Helen? Could something have happened to one or both of them as they are “of an age”? I check back here, but mostly rely on getting new posts directly to my inbox. Is everything now on Facebook or “twoots”… which I’m not? Even Gato hasn’t posted on her blog recently. Oh well, fortunately there’s still Bad Girl Chats to enjoy. Cheers…

LikeLike
By: Lady Di on June 11, 2014
at 12:45 PM
Well Cantor has spent the last 3-4 years catering to the extremist faction (also know as tea party) in his Party. He paid the price.

This isnt unique to the GOP or even a new problem. When ANY political Party gives that much legitimacy to the crazy uncles in the closet, it is the beginning of the end. The ” establishment” of the GOP kept propping the TP up , rationalizing their racism, religious agenda, marginalization of women & minorities, & all around loonitic behavior by at the least turning a blind eye while the loons ran wild. Welllllll last night Cantor got smacked right between the eye with a 2 x 4.

A political Party can not give the keys to the club house to the crazy uncles.

My Party has made that mistake a couple of times in its history with similar results.

It appears the GOP is content running the Southern State houses& (they hope ) the House for the foreseeable future.

It won’t work, it never does. Last night was the beginning of the end.

LikeLike
By: lori on June 11, 2014
at 12:07 PM
Don’t you love it that his name is “Brat”?

I think the GOP – or maybe just a couple of its members – is seeing the truth of that old adage, “Be careful what you wish for…” Oh, yeah; they courted the “Tea Party” big time, all the while deluding themselves into thinking the Tea Peeps would be easily “controllable,” even though an inestimable number of wing nuts reside in the House of Tea, along with any others who may actually have “principles.”

In my little Community, I have seen, again and again, how just one or two persistent cranks can throw the whole place into a maelstrom of suspicion, anger, accusations, paranoia, and so on. They inevitably surface around just one or two issues (usually the community budget), go on and on, nonstop, for a few days… And then disappear back into the woodwork and are not heard from, in any capacity, for months, until they fix on their next “issue.” And then the whole thing happens all over again. The fact that they NEVER accomplish their stated “goal” seems to have no relevance to them, whatsoever. It’s causing the ruckus that they seem to love.

It’s all SOOO familiar!

Gato

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By: gatodicima on June 11, 2014
at 9:00 AM
It is fun, savoring Cantor’s shock. I know he’s widely despised but with the VAST money differences between the campaigns he must be wondering if something shady happened!

Now to beat Brat! Should be easy but can’t be taken for granted!

LikeLike
By: delurkergurl on June 11, 2014
at 8:39 AM
Cantor lost his primary!!!! Poppin the champagne !!!👍👍👏👏🍸💃💃

LikeLike
By: lori on June 10, 2014
at 7:10 PM
OMG another school shooting. We’re averaging more than one per school week.
http://everytown.org/article/schoolshootings/
I guess since we can’t count on guns being secured, we’ll have to secure our kids instead. Schools are going to start to look a lot like prisons, huh? Too bad 2nd amendment trumps 1st!

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By: delurkergurl on June 10, 2014
at 6:43 PM
Hi Congenial Gang,

Anonymous here, AKA Auntie Jean. Gato et al, I’ve passes the torch to other blogs, e mails, phone calls and the myriad sources of communication. Even face-to-face sessions over coffee, my famous spiced (not spiked!) iced tea and drinks. Whatever works. Please check the comments on your own site, Gato.

Aloha! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Namaste. Shalom. Saalam. Peace.

Auntie Jean

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By: CraftyLadyinIllinois on May 30, 2014
at 11:37 AM
Consider me number four (alaskapie, gatodicima and Cynthia). I have checked this site every day for years and am so disappointed. Where are you Margaret and Helen. You are greatly missed.

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By: Anonymous on May 30, 2014
at 11:35 AM
And me three!

M&H has been a great place all these years and I hate seeing it become a garbage dump.

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on May 30, 2014
at 8:30 AM
Hey, Pi – ME, TOO!!!

Gato

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By: gatodicima on May 29, 2014
at 8:00 AM
Dear Helen and Margaret,
Miss you so…

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By: alaskapi on May 28, 2014
at 9:18 AM
Ohhh I know Gato it is tooo funny.

A friend of mine Face Book status mid day yesterday read ” So how that #Americanspring rolling out? Are we free yet?” I JUST HOWLED!

SOoo many funny tweets & statuses. I know it is like picking low hanging fruit mocking these people buttttttt #sorrynotsorry! 😜

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By: lori on May 17, 2014
at 9:10 AM
Hi, Lori – Too funny! I hadn’t heard about this “event,” and it looks like I didn’t miss much. I really enjoyed all the posts on their site about how, “Well, maybe this wasn’t the right time, but it doesn’t mean the storm’s not coming,” and, “I’m glad nobody was hurt”…

Oh, my goodness, yes… Me, too!! … 🙂

Gato

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By: gatodicima on May 17, 2014
at 8:10 AM
Its a real pisser when you host a coup and no one shows up.

I guess the modern day patriot doesnt like to over throw Governments in the rain. Oh well … Drier days ahead I guess. 🙂

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By: lori on May 17, 2014
at 5:47 AM
Operation American Spring – 20-30 million people projected. Couple dozen showed up, I think. I wonder how Fox will be able to manipulate the camera angle to make it look crowded? Looks like they threw a coup and nobody came. 😮

https://twitter.com/search?q=%23OperationAmericanSpring&src=hash

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By: delurkergurl on May 16, 2014
at 4:16 PM
Hi girls. 🙂

Margaret & Helen, we miss you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For God’s sake!!!

http://www.gvnews.com/news/local/unsecured-guns-found-in-house-where-toddler-shot/article_1c5facb8-d965-11e3-bba4-001a4bcf887a.html

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By: delurkergurl on May 13, 2014
at 7:57 AM
Hey, Lori – Gettin’ more “back” by the day! Almost four hours out working in the yard today (BEAUTIFUL day here in the NE; maybe it’s Summer, finally), which is more time than I’ve spent doing anything for about seven months. Felt good.

Your undaunted enthusiasm and commitment is an inspiration to us all. I love “If we vote, we win.” So true! Our community is about to have its annual budget meeting and, as seems inevitable, one or two community members are just sure that there’s no point in voting, to approve the budget, or not, because our Board is going to do whatever it wants, no matter what…And I’m SO not there. Where do people get the idea that doing nothing – withdrawing – is a “statement”…? (Hmm… I guess I’m forgetting about the Dems who don’t want to take part in the gazillionth “special committee” on Benghazi, Benghazi, Benghazi…)

It just seems to be so obvious to me that the “Obamacare isn’t working” meme has been a total bust for the GOP (because it IS working, best it can, given that it’s a hybrid bred of “compromise” and – sorry to say – a bit of naiveté on the part of our POTUS)… And so now they’re on to Benghazi, yet again, and “Chelsea’s having a baby just so Hilary can look grandmotherly,” and Monica Lewinsky’s tell-all, and anything else they can pull out of the bottom of the trash can they call their “platform.”

But we must always remember that the fear-biter is the most dangerous dog of all…

I know you do. You go, girl!

Gato

Oh… And Happy Mother’s Day!

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By: gatodicima on May 11, 2014
at 5:37 PM
Hi Congenial Gang,

Happy Mother’s Day! Many of us here are mothers. Everyone has or had one.
Lots of memories there.

Aloha! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Nameste. Shalom. Saalam. Peace.

Auntie Jean

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By: Jean on May 10, 2014
at 6:46 PM
Happy Mother’s Day to Margaret and Helen and all the other moms here!
Lori, you’re right as ususl. Liberals MUST vote. Imagine Barack Obama’s final two years if the GOP wins the senate. On another note, count me as one of the many who are sick to death of hearing about Obama’s “weakness.” He is demonstrating the strength, coolness, thoughtfulness and carefulness that this country needs to stay out of yet another senseless, endless war.

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By: Terri in NY on May 10, 2014
at 9:39 AM
Good to hear your health is improving Gato 🙂 I have missed you!

Yeah Mikat imagine that! Obama has managed to eradicate 85 percent of Syria ‘s WMDs , calm Putin down & begin some serious nuclear dialogue with Iran, without firing a shot! Hun go figure!

A new gallop poll has Obama’s numbers nearing 50 percent. As I alwYs caution, especially with gallop , its not the number thats important its the TREND & Obamas trajectory is on the rise. 🙂

As we listen to the all to familiar yammering of pundits insisting we are in for a blood bath come November, remember, if we vote we win. Its as simple as that! It is often said Democrats fall in love, Republicans fall in line.

THEY WILL VOTE I promise you.

That is what all this BENGHAZI BENGHAZI BENGHAZI nonsense is all about . Rallying their base to get to the polls. If they can hurt HRC in the process all the better.

Personally I think they are over playing their hand, as usual, & it will backfire on them in Nov as it did in 98. But we HAVE to get out our vote!

Keep fighting! Xoxoxo all.

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By: lori on May 10, 2014
at 8:23 AM
Thanks for the shout-out, Mikat – The porch population seems to have dwindled somewhat… And, oh dear, do we still believe that Margaret and Helen are still on the planet? Bigger question: Does it matter whether or not we believe that? SOMETHING has been created here, no matter what.

Like so many of us, I’m about as good as I can be. (These days, more and more time is devoted to sheer “maintenance,” is it not?) That’s okay, too.

In truth, most of the big stuff seems to be under control, and I’m not wallowing in medical mysteries any more. That’s a good thing!

Must say that I do occasionally get a laugh out of the spam posters. I think they’re all generated by a bunch of machines somewhere, just throwing words together. You gotta wonder what they hope will happen with this… The machines, of course, don’t “hope” anything (or do they?), but I keep thinking that someone, somewhere, is watching, looking for some kind of response… But toward what end? Selling pool cleaners? Roofing?

These are the Friday Night Mysteries around here!

Hope you’re well, too…

Gato

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By: gatodicima on May 9, 2014
at 8:35 PM
It’s an awesome article in favor of all the web people; they will
obtain advantage from it I am sure.

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By: Captain America 2 Full Movie on May 9, 2014
at 7:22 AM
Hi Gato,
Good to see you back. I hope you are feeling better. The discussions on the porch are always livlier when you are here!

Looks like the POTUS sanctions are working on Putin. Some good news in a dreary news week!

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By: Mikat on May 7, 2014
at 10:43 AM
The same people who pick and choose what to use in the Constitution are the same people who pick and choose what to use from Leviticus.

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By: delurkergurl on May 6, 2014
at 3:34 PM
Hey, Lori – and Jean, PENOM, Terri, Mikat, and others who’ve been posting here recently – Yep; the OK “execution” was a travesty; I happen to agree that I think all “executions” are a travesty, whether committed by a terrorist with a scarf over his face or a sheet over his head, or by someone in a government uniform. The only difference is the outfit – and, in the case of the latter, it cannot be argued that it was not “premeditated.”

And McCutcheon coming on the heels of the accursed Citizens United, and the possibility that we will allow the Keystone pipeline to go ahead, with no conceivable benefit to most Americans, but plenty of juicy profits for those who always get the juicy profits these days…

But, HEY, the White House has just announced that GLOBAL WARMING IS A ‘PROBLEM’! (No s**t, Sherlock… Really? It IS?) That “news” was sandwiched in somewhere between the 6,472nd announcement that nobody yet has found the wreckage of MH370, and that continuing the search will cost another 6 million or so… And the definitive resolution of that perpetually nagging question of how all those great big dinosaurs fit on the Ark: Noah just took the baby dinosaurs! Now we know. (God; that’s a relief…)

If I weren’t so convinced that throwing in the proverbial towel is precisely what “they” would most like us all to do, I’d probably do it! (BGTX hasn’t, so – dammit – I’m not going to, either!

Gato

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By: gatodicima on May 6, 2014
at 11:17 AM
I agree with you about the botched execution in OK Auntie Jean. The time has come for us to step into 2014 and do away with that barbaric practice .

Did you hear the reason we are now needing to experiment with the drugs that are being used in these procedures? Get this – We use to buy the drugs from European countries but they stopped supplying us because of the manner in which they were being used! So that left us to devise our own cocktail of death potion. I saw a couple Drs on the Sunday talk shows discussing the use of ANY drug for that purpose. Apparently that method of execution, no matter the drugs used, is NOT painless or quick as is widely believed. Not to mention 4 percent of the people we put to death are innocent of the crime they are accused of committing. Just seems to me until we figure about a way to be 100 percent accurate we can’t even begin to discuss ” death penalties “.

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By: lori on May 5, 2014
at 8:40 PM
When are people going to finally be outraged at Republican lies? This is maddening:

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By: Terri in NY on May 5, 2014
at 10:32 AM
auntie: as for oprah bidding on the l.a. clippers…no one should bid. sterling may not have a team in the n.b.a. done. that team can go defunct, rebuild under another name with a new owner and sterling doesn’t make a s**tload of money for being a racist.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on May 5, 2014
at 7:41 AM
ok, auntie: cruel and unusual punishment is not only illegal it is immoral. when the congress spent time discussing torture on the very floor of that chamber, i threw my hands up. what’s to discuss? torture? ur not serious. there’s no discussion. NO TORTURE, period. to kill is illegal so we kill the killer? i mean, folks, where is the sense of this? if u steal from me, i should then steal from you? what do we teach when we, as big adults, hit a small child. for anything. for any reason at all. so there u are. sick, it’s all so sick

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By: PENOM@aol.com on May 5, 2014
at 7:39 AM
Hi Congenial Gang,

I don’t want to name names, but there have been some really, really enlightening comments here of late from people who have been doing their homework.

I want to sound off on a couple of recent events that have me bugged. First, I’m talking about the unholy botched execution in Oklahoma. What is it with this medieval thinking in some places in our “civilized” society? A return to burning people at the stake, the rack and the guillotine? The spectacle of the public viewings of hangings? On this site a few years back, for the first time in my life I read a conservative viewpoint, using the word, “schaudenfreude”. I had to look up the meaning. It sounds more like sadistic punishment to me. I have no idea what the crime was the Oklahoma man committed to warrant the death penalty in any way, shape or form. Further, the more I learn about the track record of the so-called governor of Oklahoma, the more I object to the leadership of the “Right” there.

Did anyone ever hear of the U. S. Constitution prohibiting “cruel and unusual punishment” for no matter how heinous the crime. It puts the “State” in the very same category of premeditated murder as the perpetrators of vicious acts. When it comes to social justice, we are way, way past due to utterly prohibit the death penalty – period.

On a somewhat lighter note, then there is the unfolding drama of the Sterling affair. (“Quel figlio di mignotta.” That sounds nicer in Italian than in English.) I feel the NBA did the correct thing by banning him for life from their club. The, (what, 1.5 million dollars?), fine is probably a drop in the bucket for him sitting on top of his pile of money. And it’s doubtful if any of this exposure will change his thinking about anything, but he is facing public disgrace. That’s enough.

I think there is some poetic justice in Oprah Winfrey stepping up to join in the bidding to buy the L.A. Clippers.

To paraphrase one of my favorite authors, ‘official and legal information always move with glacial majesty while gossip and innuendo travel at the speed of light’.

Aloha! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Namaste. Shalom. Saalam. Peace.

Auntie Jean

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By: jean on May 4, 2014
at 6:16 PM
Penom, Roz and Lori,
I agree, if Hillary does run and gets the nomination I will vote for her whole heartedly. I would much prefer Elizabeth Warren, A fresh face who has not been bought (I suspect this is one women who will never be bought).
My friends are in their early 30’s and as you said, seem very bitter and frustrated with our Government. Who the heck insn’t?! The right has been taken over lock, stock and barrel by the RWNJ and the religious Tea-liban. The left, though their heart is in the right place most of the time, caves too often and moves right to “work with” the Nut Jobs.
I am discouraged and angry as well. It seems there is nothing “We the People” can do except, buckle up, because it is going to be a bumpy ride. Heck, I would flee this country myself if it weren’t for my children and soon to be grand Daughter.
It is up to us “common Folk” to come up with ways to get people excited again, to think outside the box and make some noise. I really do think the next revolution is on it’s way. People are getting down right sick of the Koch’s and their ilk, taking over our Government.

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By: Mikat on May 2, 2014
at 10:42 AM
Yep Pheom that is a trend with a certain demographic. The world is their oyster & they are using all means to find their little slice of happiness.

I see a time in the not to distant future that political Parties , as we know them, will not exist. Its a fun and intetesting time to be political wonk. 🙂 I can’t wait to see what awaits us!

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By: lori on May 1, 2014
at 1:45 PM
my youngest grandson, almost 20, says that this govt is so fouled, that he wants nothing to do with. he works within his community to make life better. that’s it. he will not vote. his bro who is 30 couldn’t care less. my other two are abroad, doing their PhDs and are going to settle there, not return to live in the USA. how do i argue? they have free, good public transport; free medical care; free education and lot of opportunity. like we used to be re opportunity. i have not one intelligent argument for them to come back and live here.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on May 1, 2014
at 1:01 PM
well if my 4 grands, all voting age, all under 35 are any indication, the youth of this country r so discouraged, so disconnected that they won’t vote. unless there is a major concerted concentrated effort made to get to them

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By: PENOM@aol.com on May 1, 2014
at 12:55 PM
I am all in with you on campaign reform Roz!

I am going to go out on a huge limb & say I don’t think Hillary will be our nominee. Its just a gut feeling I have. I have no facts to back it up- in fact all things point to the opposite… Just a feeling.

Hillary, although to the left of Bill is another centrist. She is a wonky , super smart, policy nerd. Don’t get me wrong, I admire Hill & would vote for her & I think she would win! but you’re right she isn’t the most exciting candidate to take the stage. Time will tell 🙂

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By: lori on May 1, 2014
at 12:04 PM
Hi Mikat!

Gosh thats the 10 million dollar question isnt it?

Its true, out of the 206,000,000 eligible voters 146,000,000 are registered & out of those people only 134,000,000 voted in the 08 election! Whats that 58 – 57 percent? Not great is it?

You don’t mention how old your friends are but in the 18-24 yeR old demographic only 50 some percent are registered & thats WAY up! The more education a person has & more money &whiter , the likelier they are to vote regularly. Is it any wonder many of our laws are skew towards the rich, older, white citizens? No cowinkies there !

We haven’t done a very good job of connecting the dots for people ( especially young non white) in the past . BUT I have seen significant progress from our side in the last 8 years. Since we have begun ” micro targeting ” & using social media we have made significant strides in illustrating to normally hard to reach potential voters just how vital it is to register AND vote. We still struggle in midterms when our candidates aren’t visiting college campuses or dominating the internet with our views as much. Our electorate is young & busy so we have to be quick, clever & concise when delivering our message. We need to make it relevant to THEM personally & try and hit their hot button . Which is exactly what micro targeting does. 🙂 but ultimately, I Think just like anything else, until it hits them personally , & maybe not even then,many just can’t be bothered. Early voting, longer precinct hours, easier or AUTOMATIC registration , Saturday voting, are all things that will help, but we all know the GOP is driving that bus on the opposite direction! Sigh…

Anyway, good news is we are getting better. Our outreach is better and getting better every election. We still out number the GOP, although the non affiliate ‘s are increasing in numbers stats show the majority of them are either moderate or left leaning. The GOP is a dying breed- literally … So there’s that! Keep talking & tweeting ! We can do it!

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By: lori on May 1, 2014
at 11:52 AM
Mikat, I understand your concerns! I may be well clear of your young friends’ (and my children’s) age group, but I share their concerns as well. Much as I feel the need for a woman to finally become the president of our country, I have deep doubts about Hillary. I would vote for her… I know that a Repug in the WH would make things far worse yet..if that’s possible. Yes, Hillary is intelligent and capable as we saw during her tenure as S of S. But, she and her husband were almost DINO’s during Bill’s terms as president. Their decisions about banking and welfare were right of center for Democrats at that time and proved wrong for this country. Also, she voted for the Iraq war…HUGE red flags IMHO! I’m afraid she’ll just too much a part of the political machine…
It’s not only that Hillary is part of the political machine…it’s how powerful that machine is….so few of our politicians can steer clear of it…they become part of it….remember hope and change!
I’ve gone on about public campaign finance reform before on this porch. It’s the only way I see to reverse the corruption in our government. All our politicians…Repugs and Dems are bought and paid for…that’s the (lucrative) game in town. Hopefully, enough Dems still adhere to some degree of social, environmental and financial conscience but the distinction pales evermore. Unless money is removed from the political arena, the game is rigged and will remain that way.
And who will take up the cause of removing money from politics…who will lead in that direction? Those in office using their time there to create division and to rake in the all too available monies?
I certainly don’t know the answer and take no pleasure in feeling frightened about our situation. As I’ve said here before… I no longer have the energy/stamina to be in the forefront of such action, but would be all to happy to join/support such a movement. And, I believe that would be true for many more of us.
Perhaps it’s up to the young’ns …the Millenials or the Gen X’ers … Perhaps organizations like Common Cause or the ACLU or People for the American Way can be prevailed upon by their members to join forces to begin such a movement….let’s write them!
I do still (obviously) lurk here and along with my hope for change is hope you’re all doing well …and feeling feisty! Roz

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By: roz on May 1, 2014
at 11:49 AM
Hi Lori,
I sure hope you’re right. I had some young friends over for dinner the other night and as usual politics came up. They both agreed that “to many people hate Hillary for her to run in 2016″ and ” Why vote, the president has been picked years in advance by corporations and the uber rich”
On the first comment, I disagreed whole heartedly, I think People are very pro Hillary, at least right now. I think we are ready for a women at the helm!
On the second comment, I am both shocked and dissapointed. If this is, infact how the under 35 crowd feels, then we will see the Republicants take over the Senate and worse get some a$$wipe like Romney elected in 2016.
How, do we get them motivated and keep them motivated?

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By: Mikat on May 1, 2014
at 10:22 AM
Afternoon Friends!

I come bringing more tidings of great joy! LOL

As predicted Obama’s numbers have begun to creep upwards. As this happens so do the chances in our Midterm! LA is +24 AK +2 MI & IO are both on the + side! As we all know if Obama’s numbers creep just a tad higher & hold, which all indications point in that direction , & our fundraising remains strong, we hold the Senate. 🙂 pollsters have us at 51 now – basically a coin toss. I ll take it for May 🙂

Again, if we vote we win! Let’s all do our part and make sure not only our own registration is current but that of our friends & family!!!!!!

Hope all is well with everyone!

PS – A Jean check your email spam folder, I don’t think you are receiving my e-mails?

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By: lori on April 30, 2014
at 2:03 PM
Which Donald said it? (Trump or Sterling – much harder quiz than I expected.)

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/04/donald-sterling-donald-trump-quiz

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By: delurkergurl on April 28, 2014
at 6:40 PM
Exactly!

http://thinkprogress.org/sports/2014/04/28/3431434/donald-sterling-isnt-just-racist-hes-sexist-too/

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By: delurkergurl on April 28, 2014
at 6:19 PM
the president, despite the opposing opinion, is not all powerful. he cannot control congress, certainly not this congress. it is congress which decides every penny spent by govt…including the tons of money spent on how many attempts to repeal a (scotus approved) medical care bill? i think we need national govt classes.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on April 28, 2014
at 1:09 PM
Hi Congenial Gang,

Way to go Texans for Wendy Davis!!! Your hard work and pounding the pavement is paying off, lori. Up against such a firmly entrenched big oil cartel and money, it is going to be uphill all the way but I am convinced in the end Wendy will make it into the governor’s mansion.

On a national level, PENOM, I have followed Elizabeth Warren’s career for some time. I think she is imminently qualified and above all has one quality, integrity, essential in a politician. That is, without bringing a whole lot of baggage from the past like Hillary Clinton for the right wing to dredge up. Bill LOVES politics and she would have a hard time reining him in from thinking this would be his third term.

Your ideas about education are along the same lines as mine. Young kids are like little sponges when given a chance to learn. Examples: My husband is bi-lingual in French and English from birth. He THINKS in French when he is speaking it. I have studied and/or have been exposed to a number of languages but I still have to mentally translate. I can read them pretty well though. I grew up with bi-lingual kids, especially in Spanish and German. I remember one holiday season I was at the home of a close friend. Her father was holding her baby sister in his arms near the Christmas tree. As he pointed to various ornaments he was naming them in first German and then English. In later years our immediate family had a reunion in Quebec City. The ages of our grandkids were from 3-5. In only one week they were picking up French right and left. They were asking grandpa, “How do you say thus and that?” Learn another language and you learn about people and their culture.

I had two years of Latin in school then Spanish and French. I rue the day that Latin has been dropped from the curriculum. As we know, many of the Romance Languages have their roots in Latin. It was a BIG help for me in my science courses, especially in learning terminology in chemistry and biology. But too often by the time kids take foreign languages in school they get bogged down conjugating verbs and the declination of nouns. Full immersion in SPEAKING it some of the class time would be helpful.

In my first life I was a Music Major. There is a great deal of Italian in music, especially in the expression marks and tempo. Music is very much like another language once you learn to read and write the notation. Then you can hear it in your head. (Sorta like when you get an “ear worm”, a tune that gets stuck in your head and you can’t get rid of it!) But to see a page of WRITTEN music, it is just a piece of paper with a bunch of unintelligible symbols all over it. You have to HEAR it too.

Did you know that Beethoven was totally deaf when he wrote the score for his most celebrated masterpiece, “The Ninth Symphony”? Remember the “Ode to Joy”?

Aloha! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Namaste. Shalom. Saalam. Peace.

Auntie Jean

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By: jean on April 28, 2014
at 1:03 AM
UAW– The difference is we all know which party has blocked every bill or policy which would advance pay equity for women. And just in case you don’t remember, the very first bill signed into law by President Obama was the Lily Ledbetter act. There is a serious systemic problem which he at least acknowledges and has tried to address. As for why he didn ‘t solve every problem facing the U.S. In the first two years of his presidency, it’s because he was pretty busy cleaning up the huge financial and foreign relations mess that Bush and Cheney left him.

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By: Terri in NY on April 27, 2014
at 5:02 PM
Wendy Davis is just 7 points down in latest poll! This is the 3rd one Ive seen in the last month that has her under 10 and falling! That proves they aren’t outliers!!!!!!

Our hard work & $$$$$s are working!!!!

Yay! team blue!

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By: lori on April 27, 2014
at 1:37 PM
interesting jeanne…i have always said, IF there is a panacea, it is education. i shudder when i hear youngsters today mangle the language; who are totally unaware of their role in government and what can and cannot be done by them (the youngsters) because they didn’t bother to pay attention in govt. class. at one time my late dh was involved in ed. equipment and met a guy at yale (musta been over 60 years ago) who was doing a study. he took 4 kids, ages 3 and 4, i.q.’s from 90-ish to well over 100…for a year…an hour a day, 5 days a week, using all the most modern equipment of the time…at the end of the year they ALL comprehended, composed, touch typed and read at what was then the 3rd grade level. if we would give our kids mastery of their (native) language by the time they are, let’s say, 6…there is nothing they cannot learn. by the time they’re 8 we start another language in addition to the sciences and arts. shorten recess times. they don’t need 2 weeks at xmas, 3 months in the summer, and teach them in greater depth so they understand. there’s much more to my ed. plan. lol. but no one listens. o, well

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By: PENOM@aol.com on April 27, 2014
at 9:27 AM
Hi Congenial Gang,

It’s always good to see your name pop up, PENOM. I can relate. Walkers, wheel chairs, you name it. It is all relative. We can still make our voices heard one way or another though, can’t we. We just had a stair lift installed. It’s great! For both me and my husband with his various infirmatives. It’s fun to “ride the trolly” up and down the stairs. It should buy us some more years of independence. There are plenty of older people here so word is getting around, wanting to come check it out. Our son says we should put a coffee can out and charge 50 cents a ride.

Your years of scuba diving in the Caribbean sound delightful. It must have rubbed off on your son with his academic oceanic background. There is plenty of that going on here too. Scuba is a big activity.. I had only two regrets when we retired 23 years ago, that we were a little too over th hill for two things – to learn how to surf and to hike the 11 mile rugged Kalalau Trail over the Na Pali Coast. Snorkeling’s my speed. Breathtaking!

Don’t worry about spelling or punctuation. People intrigue me with their texting. Abbreviations have always been with us. It is important to KNOW the difference between the NRA and the EPA

Anybody can sit around and nit-pick such. What’s important is to make ourselves understood in a cogent manner. You do that superbly! I would be interested in reading the books you published. I am a voracious reader! I won’t ask you for the titles however. As we unfortunately well know by now, hacking and cyber stalking can follow when too much personal information is put out there. We learned that the hard way – twice. As an English Major, that should tweak your “Rictus Scale.”

Politically, there is plenty of blame to go around from the ultra right wing to the extreme left. Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Tea Party, whatever. Ever since we humans crawled outta our caves, we have been messin’ up the land, the air and the sea in search of what? The greed for power, money, prestige, you name it. We do have a responsibility to speak up and call a halt now and again in any way we can. There have always been capable people on this site to do just that. My personal opinion is that the key to solutions is EDUCATION, from pre-school through college and beyond. Well informed people recognize and will not stand still for bullshit no matter what the political stripe. We can refuse to elect ‘em in the first place or deny their return to office.

Stepping down from my soap box – for now.

Aloha! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Namaste. Shalom. Saalam.

Auntie Jean

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By: jean on April 27, 2014
at 12:40 AM
i agree uaw…i was a lifelong dem but left that party some years ago when they sat in congress trying to look like electable wuss repuglicans. i am an independent now. i got just as mad, more ’cause that’s not what the dems r sposed to stand for, when the dems lined up against the ‘common man’. (equal pay/equal work, etc) however the repugs r still worse. how did they allow the small tea party to gain the power they have now? what idiocy is that? like giving the tantrum throwing child the whole box of cookies. i am in despair. the scotus has become a political toy. that’s the end of the constitution. there is hardly one elected person who has gonads (either gender) and, for the most part, they are all bought and paid for. where are the people? why aren’t they in the streets? i did my share (i’m in my 80’s, in a wheel chair) and cannot do that again. the govt is us. we hired em we can fire em. but we have to work at it, vote, stand up and proclaim, take the time and energy to fight for a ‘good’ candidate. like elizabeth warren, so far anyway. we used to have civil debates. that’s gone, too. i resign from life. i’m goin’ off the grid. off. the grid.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on April 26, 2014
at 11:02 AM
Hey Jean…
I’ve been coming here 5-6 years now. Back then I said I kicked the tires and tried to keep things in perspective.If pointing out that Democrats doing the same things you accuse Republicans of doing makes me a troll.OK. But it also makes YOU a HYPOCRITE for not seeing it.You complain about paycheck unfairness but give Obama and other Dems a pass when they do it. You should be pissed at both sides.
How come the Dems didn’t pass this bill when they had control of both the house and senate and the presidency. Maybe they didn’t need it for a campaign issue then? Apparently it wasn’t important then.

“But that’s just the beginning. As the Washington Post reported, many vulnerable Democrats have a pay gap, too:

Sen. Mark Udall of Colorado pays women workers 85 cents for every dollar he pays men.

Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana pays women 88 cents on the dollar.

Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia pays women 75 cents for every dollar he pays a man.

Rep. Gary Peters pays women 67 cents for every dollar that a man makes.

And Sen. Mark Begich of Alaska pays women in his office 82 cents for every dollar that a man makes.

If I were the GOP, I’d start running attack ads in these legislators’ home states, quoting President Obama and asking why these Democrats hate women. It just might work — and it would certainly drive home a useful lesson about bogus statistics. Which President Obama — who is now even attacking unequal dry cleaning bills — could use.”

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/04/14/war-women-obama-democrats-equal-pay-column/7670105/

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By: uawtradesman on April 26, 2014
at 10:23 AM
o, good lord, i’ve gone dyslexic or whatever you call someone who cannot spell. the word is wreak…since i’m on the computer, i’ve forgotten how to spell. i thumb my nose at grammar, punctuation, etc. would u bleev i was an english major and have published 3 books? lolllllllllllllllll

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By: PENOM@aol.com on April 26, 2014
at 8:11 AM
well i’m glad you’re healing jean. the ocean. when i lived in the virgin islands for 20 years i did a lot of scuba diving. what a wonderful world, peaceful and beautiful. my older son has some degrees in that area…oceanography, marine biology…and i am fortunate enough to share some of his knowledge but could hardly be considered ‘knowledgable’. i do know that we have done, over the years, irrepairable (sp?) damage, some of it forever incurable. and we continue to do it. all the chemicals we use in horticulture, for instance, finally run into the oceans. species die off daily, wreeking disaster w/the natural balance of ocean life. and that doesn’t begin to address the oil drilling and spills. and garbage dumping. and fussing with natural shorelines and their littoral growth.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on April 26, 2014
at 8:06 AM
Hi Congenial Gang,

It is soooo heartening to see some familiar, friendly and smart names here once again.

I’m home! After my two months saga with a fractured hip and replacement; one week in the hospital and the rest in its physical therapy rehab facility. I have made a full recovery – sorta. Thanks to so many fine knowledgeable, skilled and above all kind, caring medical personnel. I’m still hobbling around though with walkers both upstairs and down. Even managed to go shopping three times in the “Big Cities” as long as we went to the “big box” stores and I could use the shopping carts as walkers. I have about a six inch incision on my right hip. It looks like a centipede. Those are the only nasty critters we have out here. Whenever I put weight on my leg, he bites me! But it is healing slowly and nicely. The ischemic ulcer on my right foot (and its “keiki”), have FINALLY healed after 9 months. Being off my foot so much in the hospital, helped. Never underestimate the power of geriatric homeostasis!

$$$$$$! If it weren’t for Medicare and retirement supplemental insurance, there is little doubt but what I would be dead by now. I have a pre-existing condition – age. Fortunately, neither insurance plan denied coverage on account if it.

And so it goes. The trolls seem to have departed M&H’s except for an occasional UAW dropping but the product peddlers have moved in. I wish Helen would put up a new post so we don’t have to plow through so much ancient history comments to get to anything current. But like most of us, I know she has a life and family. In my convalescence I have had more time to ponder the news and read a LOT. The incessant detailed coverage of the downed Fight 370 and now the sunken ferry has sparked my interest in ocean exploration. I have some ideas about that topic to maybe breathe a little life back into this site. Obamacare wrangling has worn pretty thin. Besides, the Affordable Care Act is working! And the right wing must know it, much to their dismay and still getting livid about it.

What we are getting mostly from the media are grim reports of the underwater glitches and frustration. Still, there are plenty of ultra savvy people in universities and other scientific facilities around the world that are and have been quietly plugging along, working to unravel the mysteries of the deep seas. I have a couple of ideas to consider on how little we know really about that realm and the potential impact on international politics along the lines of the “Space Race”. (Hey! It cooled down the “Cold War” from getting hot, didn’t it?) Whenever there is an excess of testosterone leading to competition and rivalry, it is always best to channel it into constructive activities rather than the alternatives of war – death and destruction.

So much of all that water is a mystery as to life forms and terrain. I don’t know diddly squat about it. However, the opportunities are out there to learn! Anybody interested in discussing it? A good place to start is with the “Nareus, the world’s most capable unmanned deep-sea diver.” It will be going down into the “Kermadec Trench”. I found out that there are a bunch of those trenches in the depths of the oceans called the “Hadal Zone”. Peas, as the resident computer genius on tracking stuff down, are you out there?

Aloha! 🙂 :–) 🙂 Namaste. Shalom. Saalam. Peace.

Auntie Jean

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By: jean on April 25, 2014
at 6:20 PM
Hey Lori,
That op ed certainly covers all the points I have been thinking about. I admit I am, however, enjoying watching Hannity (that ass) et al backpeddling as quickly as they can. They really look like the idiots they are. The anti-government sentiment that the right has embraced has really gone off the charts. Things are starting to look up for the sane among us!

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By: Terri in NY on April 25, 2014
at 6:10 PM
Hi guys! I apologize on advance if this opinion piece has already been shared. Thought it was a goodin! ( but yinz know how I LOVE Paul… Sooo LOL)

http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/25/opinion/begala-racist-rancher-conservatives/index.html

Waving to Mikat… I have seen Helen ( or whomever ) on twitter, employing her normal amazing wittiness, so I am pretty sure she is doin ok. 🙂

Have a great weekend all… ❤️❤️

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By: lori on April 25, 2014
at 11:41 AM
He doesn’t know he’s done though. 😉

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/25/cliven-bundy-racist-mlk_n_5212526.html

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By: delurkergurl on April 25, 2014
at 11:00 AM
Hi Delurkerm Gato Teri and all,
It is really good to “see” you all again. I have been worried that the spambots have ruined the porch. We used to get out there and fight for our “place”, but it looks like most everyone has jumped ship. Shame, I really loved it here on the porch. Lots of back and forth discussion and receipes too!
I am starting to get concerned about Helen and Margaret, I hope their health is well. Maybe Matt can drop a quick note and let us know.
I hope you are feeling better as well Gato and Auntie ( I know you’re out there, like me reading but not commenting).
I think this Bundy guy is just about done now. He has no place to go now but back into his dark bunker from 1953. What a maroon!

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By: Mikat on April 25, 2014
at 10:27 AM
i wonder where the water he drinks comes from…or the roads he drives on…does he take medicare?

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By: PENOM@aol.com on April 25, 2014
at 8:18 AM
Hi, Lurker – And everybody who’s still hangin’ on the porch, even just from time to time, including myself these days…

Yeah; he sure is a piece of work. Nice GUT on ol’ Cliven, too, dontcha think?He must do a hell of a lot more grazin’ than even his freeloading beef.

And, oh boy, now he gets to be “famous,” and we get to listen to his opinions on EVERYTHING… Hope his moment of Conservative Stardom is even more short-lived than Joe the Plumber’s. (Remember him?) LOL!!!

Gato

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By: gatodicima on April 24, 2014
at 4:05 PM
Isn’t this Clive guy charming? I hope he keeps talking and talking and talking… could get a little awkward for the right. 😛

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/24/cliven-bundy-racist_n_5204821.html

This guy has been freeloading for decades and that’s just fine with him since he’s not ‘the Negro’ I guess.

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By: delurkergurl on April 24, 2014
at 12:55 PM
Hi Terri. I hope your Easter was jam packed with blessings.:) We did our usual thing – coloring eggs, hiding baskets, fantastic church service, and a feast with family. It was a gorgeous day!

Margaret and Helen, we are still here and still eager to read whatever you care to share!

Matthew, thanks for taking care of this place. The spambots are relentless!

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By: delurkergurl on April 23, 2014
at 7:28 PM
I know this is controlled so I’m writing for the owner…I almost kick myself for spending any minutes on this full of shit place but I’d like to say since your mother decided not to have an abortion here you are alive and big mouthed lefty preaching the pil, the “choice” and a load of other liberal crap…

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By: John Doe on April 23, 2014
at 6:42 PM
Happy Easter everyone!

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By: Terri in NY on April 20, 2014
at 8:41 AM
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By: เครื่องดักยุง on April 18, 2014
at 9:01 AM
Just wondering when Obama and most Dems practice what they preach….(paycheck fairness)
“even an administration that prides itself on having made its first priority signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law, hasn’t achieved equal pay for equal work demonstrates the complexity in reaching complete parity”
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/08/politics/white-house-fair-pay-disparity/

and will a man be able to sue if he is unfairly paid?????
“This bill allows trial lawyers to make big bucks suing for copious amounts of punitive damages due to so-called gender discrimination. And since litigation such as this is basically a lottery – that is, a host of circumstances must align for a winning case (such as the right judge, right victim, etc.) – Senate Democrats are essentially trying to pass a bill that will harm business just to maybe help some victims who may or may not have actually been discriminated against.”
http://www.conservativeactionalerts.com/2012/06/women-and-the-paycheck-fairness-act/

“mostly political ploy”
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/16/obama-equal-pay-myth-77-cents-gop-bill

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By: uawtradesman on April 16, 2014
at 1:15 PM
More good news today for Obamacare:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/04/14/lower-premiums-yes-really-drive-down-obamacares-expected-costs-cbo-says/

How will the GOP run against it this fall when the news looks like this?

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By: Terri in NY on April 14, 2014
at 2:25 PM
Anyone in San Antonio intetested in interning @ Joaquin Castros office this summer TODAY is the last day to apply! http://castro.house.gov/services/internships

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By: lori on April 14, 2014
at 2:23 PM
Now that the Republicans have blocked the Fair Paycheck bill, anxiously awaiting Margaret and Helen’s thoughts on the matter.

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By: Terri in NY on April 13, 2014
at 10:51 AM
We need to keep Kay Hagan’s seat. Please urge your NC friends and relatives to vote. Koch money is pouring in here.

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By: merriebreeze on April 12, 2014
at 4:10 PM
I think you’re exactly right Terri! I have seen a MI poll that has us up by 5+ and today I saw an AK Poll where we ate up by 3! ( Senate generic) Both of which we were expected to lose 2 weeks ago. Look for Iowa to flip next .
😉

If we vote we will win!

I just received the Wendy / Willy info today ! I am going !!! :)))

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By: lori on April 11, 2014
at 3:13 PM
Hey Lori,
I think now that the initial sign-ups for the ACA have exceeded expectations (7.5 million! Yay!), the GOP’s predictions of “Armageddon” have not been realized and it will lose some of its potency as an issue. I think things are starting to look up. And yes, we must get people out to vote. I hope all the Republican voter suppression efforts will backfire big time and will encourage people to get out and exercise their right to vote.
On another note, I hear Willie Nelson is going to perform for Wendy Davis’s campaign. Good news–who doesn’t love Willie?
Have a good weekend.

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By: Terri in NY on April 11, 2014
at 3:05 PM
Terri & JSRI I thought of you while reading this http://m.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/10/1290812/-Dems-lead-generic-congressional-ballot-but-Obamacare-may-decide?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailykos%2Findex+%28Daily+Kos%29

We need a 6 point + popular vote to have a 50-50 chance to retKe the house & a 9 point to make it happen. We are more than 1/2 way there , if we do toe things . 1- VOTE 2- Celebrate ACA! 🙂

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By: lori on April 10, 2014
at 1:25 PM
BTW Helen, I have been wanting to tell you how much I enjoy seeing you on twitter lately. 🙂 I’ve missed your biting wit. ❤️

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By: lori on April 3, 2014
at 12:24 PM
Morning Guys!

Here I go being devils advocate again… 🙂 First let me say I whole heartily believe in publicly funded elections & 100 percent disGree with Citizens United… Having said that , one can argue the ” campaign finace reform law ” i e limiting individual donations, are what drove the money underground & created Citizens United in the first place. Right?

Look , the money is going to find its way into campaigns one way or another. I’d rAther know who & how much as opposed to ambiguous PACS & “action groups” that wealthy individuals have been using since ” reform “.

Sooooo my opinion is nuanced. No I don’t like – believe money = free speech , no I don’t like companies = individuals, no I don’t like money = winning, but until we as a country find the appetite to change , not ” reform” the Way we campaign and elect our officials we will ALWAYS have money = power AND a two Party system. Imho

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By: lori on April 3, 2014
at 10:32 AM
Hi, jsri – Not sure to which “Mr. Moneybags in CA” you are referring; there are plenty, all over the place. And now we will be able to experience their virtually unlimited influence everywhere, thanks to the Foul Five…

Now that corporations have been ruled to be “persons,” the floodgates are open even wider. (I know; I know; we’re all aware of that.) Oddly, these Corporate Personages have not yet been held to any of the OBLIGATIONS of the rest of us mere mortals – things like responsibility for breaking the law, the willful elimination of others of their kind (delicately referred to as “mergers,” in CorpSpeak), or even, as far as I know, being subject to potential charges of slander, harassment, stalking, or anything of that nature. (And wasn’t the whole idea of making corporations “distinct legal entities” originally to “protect” actual humans from such potential liabilities…?)

If only I could get the SCOTUS to rule that my car, or my toilet, or my dog, is a “person.” Just think of the possibilities!

Gato

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By: gatodicima on April 3, 2014
at 9:21 AM
Gato:

The door is now wide open thanks to the latest SCOTUS ruling and it’ll be Mr. Moneybags in CA buying elections all across the USA.

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By: jsri on April 3, 2014
at 9:08 AM
Gato,
Hope you continue to feel better. Boy, I’m with you on the Supreme Court. These 5-4 decisions are disgraceful. What our politics don’t need is more money pumped into the system!

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By: Terri in NY on April 2, 2014
at 4:30 PM
Thanks, Lori – Things are going along pretty smoothly these days, health-wise. I’m grateful that everything (at least so far!) has been either “fixable,” or “deal-withable”…

WOULD THAT I COULD SAY THE SAME FOR THE ACCURSED FIVE ON THE SCOTUS!!! Having made that abominable “Citizens United” ruling, they are now using their own precedent to continue taking this country down the lucrative-for-a-few, disenfranchising-for-the-many, road of legitimizing the plutocracy we already have.

And NONE of this is based on ANYTHING in the Constitution – even though my dear husband keeps insisting it is, and that all these rulings are “laws.” They’re not; they are just rulings, and laws are sometimes changed to reflect them. Period. The Constitution granted certain rights and responsibilities to “citizens,” and, as the years went by, SOME of these were extended to legal entities, as well. Citizens United was a huge step in that direction, and has pushed us into an ever more rapid descent down that slippery slope…

One great quote, unattributed, from some of the political blog post comments: “When money is speech, ONLY money is speech.”

I’ll pass on your greeting to my friends. Austin sounds like a town even this Yankee, née Midwesterner, would like!

Gato

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By: gatodicima on April 2, 2014
at 3:21 PM
Agh sorry to hear about your recent health challenges Gato! Hope Spring is kinder to you!

Yes, I agree, gerrymandering is an obstical for taking back the House ( one of many) . It has nothing to do with the Senate or State wide elections. OR the GOP totally losing their National significance .

We are the data driven Party and use science ( political & otherwise) to our advantage . We’ve got this . 🙂

Please send your friends my personal ” welcome to TX – keep Austin weird” greetings. 🙂 I love that city ! Hope I see them at a rally soon. :)))
Xoxoxo to all…

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By: lori on April 2, 2014
at 2:42 PM
Yay, auntie Jean! Sleeping in your own bed again very soon! You and your husband are both going to be so happy to have you home!

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By: delurkergurl on April 2, 2014
at 7:21 AM
Yay Auntie Jean!!! So happy to hear you are going home Thursday! 😘❤️👍👏👏👏

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By: lori on April 1, 2014
at 5:28 PM
Hi, Auntie Jean – Sorry you’ve been having first-hand experience with our medical system. Me, too, for the last six or seven months, starting with insomnia, then a detached retina, and then congestive heart failure, and now about to embark on PT again, for “frozen shoulder.” Fortunately, things now seem to be under excellent “control,” and I’m – FINALLY – feeling like a human being again. (An old human being, but what the heck…)

And, like you, I’ve found plenty of wonderful caregivers and have learned how to be my own best advocate AND a “good patient.”

Agree with your points about how, once the med people and big pharma figure out how much money they can get, they’ll suddenly be all supportive.

As I am about to once again consign myself to the frozen shoulder workouts, which are like being on a medieval torture rack, I thought I’d send along a set of rules my therapist gave me the last time we did this. Good for a chuckle, IMHO… Number 7 is my favorite.

The Top Ten Rules for Physical Therapy, by Your Therapist

1. Never say “I can’t,” because you’ll do it anyway.
2. Never say “It’s easy,” because we’ll just make it harder.
3. Never say “I want to go home,” because you’ll stay longer.
4. Never lose count because you’ll start at “one” again.
5. Never complain, because we never listen.
6. Never argue, because you’ll never win.
7. Never scream or cry, because it just encourages us.
8. Never look like you’re enjoying it, because we’ll put a stop to it.
9. Never hold your breath, because if you pass out and die, we have to fill
out the paperwork.
10. Never lie or cheat, because we know the truth and you will live to regret
it.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on April 1, 2014
at 5:10 PM
Hi, Lori – I’m sending down two new very blue CT pals who have built a house in a suburb of Austin. (I know; it’s already pretty bluish there, already!)

Well… They’re moving there; I just like saying I’m “sending” them…

Think jsri’s and Terri’s concerns about gerrymandering are certainly legit, and I LOVE Terri’s comment about how we’ve gone from voters choosing their pols to pols choosing their voters! Ain’t that the truth.

Keep your enthusiasm going; it’s contagious! (A blue Texas will give my bro-in-law, somewhere in the plains between Godley and Joshua, a serious fit of apoplexy. Frankly, I think he deserves it, after all the right-wing/birther/fascist dictator crap he’s emailed me for so many years!)

Gato

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By: gatodicima on April 1, 2014
at 4:56 PM
aha! newt gingrich…all i needed was time

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By: PENOM@aol.com on April 1, 2014
at 4:47 PM
Hi Congenial Gang,

Nice to see some familiar names here once again. Things are lookin’ up all around I think but you would never know it from the usual BS the right wing is putting out. It’s hard to believe they are still carping about Obamacare. Well, actually not, considering that they are still carping about Medicare after it was enacted how many years ago and has generally been accepted as being successful for countless people. If only Obamacare were a single-payer program. Perhaps it will sometime morph into one in the future. Medicare evolved along the way. In fact, it was an offshoot of Social Security. But of course, the conservative politicians will never permit that as long as they can find ways to bamboozle people. Just wait a little while though. As soon as even big pharma and some of the insurance corporations get a whiff of some hefty profits to be made off the results of Obamacare, they will jump on the bandwagon. In the end, they will claim it was all their idea in the first place! As long as they have tunnel vision and lively imaginations, they don’t need to pay attention to reality surrounding them.

Still, I would like to remind them of this little insight since they are so enamored with wrapping themselves in the flag and the constitution. We all firmly believe that “we the people” are guaranteed the RIGHTS to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. (That includes Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and people of either gender of any ethnic or racial origin. As long as we’re splittin’ hairs, blue-eyed and brown-eyed people qualify too!) However, without HEALTH, those basic rights are hardly feasible. So it seems to me that access to healthcare that all of we the people can expect to have in our lifetimes is also fundamental. Now, is that a concept too hard to comprehend for even the most hard-nosed-born-and-raised-dyed-in-the-wool Republican?

I am bringing this up now knowing full well that the “Obamacare battle” will have to be refought before the mid-term election campaign get fully underway. I don’t hear of any other legs they can hobble around on, do you?

This happens to be a subject rather dear to my heart right now. I have learned the hard way recently much more about the intricacies of the U. S. health system than I ever really wanted to know. I have found out that it is efficient with the very latest up-to-date technology. It is comprised of hard working, well trained, dedicated people across the board. At least that’s how it is where I live here in my town. After two months and a few days in first, the full service hospital and then now, in the rehab facility for primarily physical therapy, I am fully recovered and going home Thursday.

Aloha! 🙂 🙂 🙂

Auntie Jean

P.S. The people here are extraordinarily kind, exhibiting the Aloha Spirit in everything they do with one exception. In the physical therapy gym, the lovely young ladies turn on a dime into cruel and heartless witches! The place looks to me like a medieval torture chamber. I keep telling them I am an AESTHETE, not an ATHLETE. I have always believed that “exercise” is a dirty word. I truly do think there is something to be said for couch potatoes.

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By: Jean on April 1, 2014
at 4:39 PM
Oops my fat thumbs hit the wrong button !

Anyway yes Gerrymandering is ONE Issue to over come when we talk about the House. It doesn’t effect National or State wide elections. we combat that by running good quality candidates at state levels. As I said people are moving towards our districts . It is fast becoming red state blue cities! We have this! 🙂

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By: lori on April 1, 2014
at 4:10 PM
The number of red & blue districts are relatively even. I think Obama took 209 & Romney what 236? Something like that? My point is, it’s not insurmountable odds & remember that only matters for Reps.

Yes both sides Gerrymander & yes its tough to wrestle power back once it flips

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By: lori on April 1, 2014
at 4:02 PM
Jsri — happy to see you here. I totally agree about gerrymandering. We find ourselves in a position where politicians are choosing their voters intead of voters selecting their pols. This is an issue that definitely need to be remedied.

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By: Terri in NY on April 1, 2014
at 3:45 PM
True JSRI, but we have a definite advantage down ballet in National election years. Its the off years where we struggle to GOTV. So theoretically we only have to minimize the damage in those years, and build in National years. Remember it is state houses & Gov that matter when it comes to redistricting.

And as Gato mentioned, their electorate is literally dying off. Couple that with the fact people are moving TO democratic districts at a rapid pace & you have a Party whose territory is shrinking.

Don’t get me wrong I don’t think the GOP will end tomorrow or next month or year even! I do think we have a fight on our hands this year to keep Senate and take back the house. But if we can minimize damage this year we only have two years until we can tKe it back. Sure we will have two years of unprecedented Vetos! LOL but The writing is on the wall IMHO. They are just on the wrong side of the demographics . We are in the cat bird seat , now we (Party) just need to stop wringing our hands and act like it!

Gerrymandering and preventing people of color & women from voting is all they got. That won’t matter one bit, especially when we turn TX blue.

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By: lori on April 1, 2014
at 3:22 PM
Lori
My biggest concern is the way the R’s have Gerrymandered voting districts across the country and are in danger of complicating, even stealing, elections for years yet to come.

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By: jsri on April 1, 2014
at 2:45 PM
Hi, Lori – You’re certainly no more “cynical” than I am, if that word can even be used in regard to something that seems so unarguably true…!

I just keep harping, endlessly, on the French Revolution… Nobody, even someone as wealthy as a Louis le Roi, or a pair of Kochs, can hide forever from the masses they have downtrodden. Keeping the unwashed hordes poor, hungry, unschooled, and half of them pregnant, doesn’t always have the hoped-for results. At least in the United Arab Emirates they’re smart enough to make sure everybody’s rich…

And, Terri, the Hobby Lobby story is just delicious – but SCOTUS probably won’t be “able” to take that into account, if it’s true, because it hasn’t been presented as a part of the case, as far as I know. Also, I’m going to let it percolate a bit because, at least so far, the only places it’s being reported are unabashedly progressive websites. I check EVERYTHING on Snopes, but it hasn’t shown up as a story there, yet. Sure as well wouldn’t surprise me, though, if it turns out to be fact. Then they’ll just say, “Oh, we had no idea…” Like Christie. Right…

Gato

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By: gatodicima on April 1, 2014
at 1:21 PM
This example of hypocrisy is just stunning:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/01/hobby-lobby-invests-in-em_n_5070279.html

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By: Terri in NY on April 1, 2014
at 12:43 PM
Morning friends!

I am afraid I am a bit more cynical when it comes to why the R’s don’t want ALL Americans healthy. The same reason they don’t want them educated or able to make a living wage. And as for us women folks they add home & pregnant to the list of things that will secure the white mans strangle hold on power, just a little bit longer. All done mind you, under the guise of “Christian” morals & values.

I am convinced, after seeing their failure to “rebrand” after their humiliating loss, that the GOP is content to just be a local Party & weild their power from the legislative branch. Clearly , their losing positions , especially on minority and women’s issues, are not something they are running from, but rather doubling down on! Opening the door for the Rand Pauls. Who is nothing more than a Repub on steroids although they like to call themselves ” Libertarians” pffff.

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By: lori on April 1, 2014
at 11:55 AM
Hi All,

If you haven’t seen the new ‘Cosmos’, it’s well worth a viewing; even if just to see what the young-earth creationist fundies are freakin’ out about.

Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey

Aaaaaaa…I always loved science. 😉

Peace ~ Δ

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By: Whirled Peas Δ on April 1, 2014
at 10:19 AM
i think what helps the anti obama people is that everyone (well pretty near everyone) has a need to ‘blame’ someone else. i gave up ‘blame’ years ago. what does it matter? what is, is and that’s where we are, let’s deal with it. but i’ve noticed that most people’s first reaction is “i didn’t do it”, then, “it’s not my fault”, then…blame…blame someone ELSE. so when a few speakers come along and tell you who to blame you don’t even have to find the one at fault…they provided him/her…so it’s accepted that this guy is at fault, is blamed. frankly, i don’t care who goofed…just let’s fix it…but that leaves us all w/some responsibility and that’s what is too hard for most people to live with. that guy, the one who isn’t as good as you anyway (color, ethnicity, nationality) is the one who did it…he’s at fault…he’s the one we’ll blame. and everyone says YEAH…(phew, i knew it wasn’t me)

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By: PENOM@aol.com on April 1, 2014
at 9:56 AM
it’s racism…simple, raw racism…given license by the likes of boehner, cruz, ryan, kantor, palin, whosits…having a senior moment, gray hair, was a senator, is married for the 3rd or 4th time…gee…not a usual name…it’s flying off the tip of my tongue…the guy who said black kids never see an example of working people…and good old rush and his like. racists. that’s what they are.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on April 1, 2014
at 9:48 AM
Hi Gato,
Yes, nice to see a little conversation on the porch.
I think the real sign that the ACA has succeeded will be when the right starts to claim credit for it. Millions of hits today on the website! Yay!
I take your point about how the insurance companies have somehow morphed into kindly entities who never cancelled policies, or denied coverage, or delayed payments priogr to the ACA. Anyone with a memory knows what complete BS that is. I read that the percentage of people who have supposedly “lost their coverage because of Obamacare” is annually virtually the same as those who would have lost their coverage before the ACA ever existed.

Have a good evening!

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By: Terri in NY on March 31, 2014
at 4:47 PM
Hey, again, Terri – What a fun afternoon we’re having, huh…? Good to see some chatter on the porch that has not apparently been generated by (theoretically) “lesser” primates shackled to keyboards… And, no, I’m not speaking specifically of the Ryan/Cruz/Santorum/Gohmert/Et Al Contingent, although I certainly could be…

I would love to agree with you 100% about the “mindless” thing… But those “minds” have been carefully fed (relentlessly and repetitiously) with lies, groundless fears, and hatred about the AC and – lest we forget – the POTUS for whom it was originally derisively nicknamed, from the get-go. And, somehow, by some miracle of smoke and mirrors, the insurance companies, hospital corporations, and big pharma have been presented as just a bunch of simple, good, honest, all-American “entrepreneurs,” who just want to help people through medical research and tireless, self-sacrificing innovation. (Of course acne is a pre-existing condition; god knows where it could lead…!)

Some day, from my mouth to God’s ears, may residents of this country look back on these first steps toward something like Medicare-for-All, and say the word “Obamacare” with nothing but gratitude.

BTW, Public Citizen (www.citizen.org) is very focused on pushing for a single-payer system, as you may already know. Check it out.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on March 31, 2014
at 3:19 PM
The most annoying thing is that this is NOT government healthcare. I wish it was, because then it would be Medicare for all! This is private insurance, where exchanges present numerous private insurance options for folks to choose from. Isn’t that what capitalism is all about? Competition for business, which supposedly keeps the prices down and quality up? Seriously, if you listen carefully, the people who oppose the ACA never give a reason, they mindlessly repeat “Obamacare is bad” or “Obamacare is a failure.” I’m not sure how they can declare it a failure since we are still in the process of signing people up!

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By: Terri in NY on March 31, 2014
at 2:56 PM
Oops – I meant UNDONE, not DONE.

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By: delurkergurl on March 31, 2014
at 1:48 PM
I know, Gato. This newest ad is being done by the ‘star’s’ own facebook and linkedin pages.

They aren’t always young, though.One I saw a month or so ago was an older guy, clearly on medicare. No way that guy is going to have any part of gubmint inshorance.

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By: delurkergurl on March 31, 2014
at 1:47 PM
Hi, Lurker – All we have to see is the “Americans For Prosperity” tag at the bottom of the ad, and we know what we’re going to get: Emotional WASPY thirty-something women, surrounded by their adorable fair-haired children, and obviously-long-suffering husband, just really crushed by how their family has been “hurt” by the ACA.

I loved it when Ms. Boonstra admitted, some time ago, that she had not, and would not ever, “go on that Obama website” (the one that outlined policies available through the ACA). You can bet that every employment contract given to any and all of these performers, from that day forward, included something about never speaking publicly, following the release of the ad, on penalty of heavy fines and/or incarceration… (Just a guess!)

The question in my mind is why the “Americans For Prosperity” apparently don’t WANT people to have affordable health care… (Are they ALL shareholders in insurance companies/big pharma/hospitals…?) Or is it just part of that delusional idea that anyone who “makes it” in this country does so solely on his or her own, without any “help” from the government? They all seem interested in purchasing a good deal of that “help,” in the form of Congresspersons, these days…

Ooooohhhh… But that doesn’t “count,” because what’s good for the AFP is good for the nation, dontcha know…

Gato

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By: gatodicima on March 31, 2014
at 1:44 PM
Hi, again, Terri – Yep; I’m pretty danged good for an ol’ broad… Even though it !!##@! SNOWED again here this morning. (All gone now, though.)

It’s a shame that the MSM can’t tear itself away from its endless and repetitive self-pleasuring back and forth about The Missing Airplane (“Best Leads Found”; “Hopes Dashed”; “Search Intensifies”; “All Lives Lost”… and on and on and on…) to just maybe MENTION some of these enrollment figures, just ONCE.

So Americans “don’t want government interfering with their health care,” eh? I guess they don’t want insurance companies “interfering” even more.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on March 31, 2014
at 1:26 PM
If the ACA is so bad, why can’t they find any true stories for their attack ads? Good grief!

This first one is very interesting to me.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2014/03/26/big-claims-few-details-in-anti-obamacare-ad-alleging-soaring-costs/

And this one has a math-denier.
http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/03/michigan_truth_squad_anti-pete.html

Thanks, WP, for the facebook link. That was incredible!

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By: delurkergurl on March 31, 2014
at 1:18 PM
Hey Gato,
Hope you are well. Here’s more good info from the LA Times.

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-obamacare-uninsured-national-20140331,0,6550360,full.story#axzz2xXi9QgVU

As for Ted Cruz, you would think he would trying to prolong the lives of all his elderly, Tea Party followers instead of thinking of ways to eff it all up! He’s such a loser….

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By: Terri in NY on March 31, 2014
at 1:02 PM
Hey, Whirled (and you, too, Terri) – You’re on a roll today, women!

I’m sure “Poco Teodoro” was a bit surprised by the responses… And is already telling everyone that it was just an email bank of disgruntled moocher/Commie “sheeple” who’ve been brainwashed by that Muslim Kenyan (b-l-a-c-k) guy who was illegally elected… Twice… Or something like that.

And, Terri, when I saw the calculation of the number of “preventable deaths” likely in states that have refused to participate, I wondered if any of the Repubs are going to get the idea that they’re killing off primarily their own Red State constituencies…

Maybe they think “voting” won’t be an issue when they finally get Lord Sheldon and the Kings Koch installed as the ruling triumvirate.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on March 31, 2014
at 12:56 PM
Thanks Whirled! Those responses on Ted Cruz’s Facebook page are priceless! Here’s more interesting commentary:
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/ezra-klein-completely-untrue-that-more-people-had-plans-cancelled-than-signed-up-for-obamacare/

You have to wonder about people who are rooting against this law. Are they really against everyone having health insurance? Or is it just because President Obama did something no other president was ever able to do and it sticks in their craw?

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By: Terri in NY on March 31, 2014
at 12:20 PM
.
GOP’s Obamacare spite =
body count for red states

[T]he math works out like this: States rejecting the [Medicaid] expansion will spend much more, get much, much less, and leave millions of their residents uninsured. That’s a lot of self-inflicted pain to make a political point.

Δ

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By: Whirled Peas Δ on March 31, 2014
at 12:39 AM
From his own Facebook page…

Senator Ted Cruz

Quick poll: Obamacare was signed into law four years ago yesterday. Are you better off now than you were then?

Peace ~ Δ ~ 😉

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By: Whirled Peas Δ on March 30, 2014
at 11:59 PM
click here. adderall helps weight loss – adderall xr and ir

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By: cyqAs on March 30, 2014
at 3:00 PM
picadillyfarm.com adderall online usa – adderall abuse college 2010

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By: gACMk on March 30, 2014
at 2:59 PM
how many of the 6 million had coverage cancelled and how many have paid any premiums….
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/obamacare-affordable-care-act-health-insurance-premiums-104602.html
http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2014/03/27/white-house-announces-6-million-obamacare-sign-ups-but-number-of-uninsured-enrollees-remains-a-mystery/

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By: uawtradesman on March 30, 2014
at 2:22 PM
Geez Anon….”untrue”…and then you use Huffpo!!!!!

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcmsimg.indystar.com%2Fapps%2Fpbcsi.dll%2Fbilde%253FSite%253DBG%2526Date%253D20130523%2526Category%253DOPINION09%2526ArtNo%253D305230080%2526Ref%253DAR%2526MaxW%253D640%2526Border%253D0%2526q%253D80%2526Gary-Varvel-President-Obama-Lois-Lerner-5th-amendment&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Farchive.indystar.com%2Farticle%2F20130523%2FOPINION09%2F305230080%2FGary-Varvel-President-Obama-Lois-Lerner-and-the-5th-amendment&h=437&w=640&tbnid=kDE4olWkqtJW5M%3A&zoom=1&docid=-GM1MFrbRjPQuM&ei=8Go4U5DOBI2oqQGe7IGAAg&tbm=isch&ved=0CFUQhBwwAA&iact=rc&dur=1718&page=1&start=0&ndsp=17

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By: uawtradesman on March 30, 2014
at 2:06 PM
Six million signed up for Obamacare! That doesn’t count the young people able to remain on their parents’ insurance until age 26. Looking good!

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By: Terri in NY on March 28, 2014
at 9:44 AM
C. Christie didn’t do nothing wrong…and his own investigation can prove it!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/27/christie-internal-report-bridgegate_n_5042911.html

Peace.

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By: Anonymous on March 27, 2014
at 1:57 PM
How about some laughs on this spring day…well somewhere it’s spring just not here…today…this year…maybe ever!

Enjoy.

http://blog.lolwall.co/content/see-need-smile/2014/03/10

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on March 27, 2014
at 9:15 AM
Anonymous on March 25, 2014

UAW’s been shoveling that sort of manure for years and his stupidity is one of the reasons a whole lot of folks have dumped this site.

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By: anon too on March 25, 2014
at 5:54 PM
UAW–Jeez, stupid pictures, that’s what you have to offer? Stupid, offensive, untrue pictures? Really? How dopey, how juvenile, how utterly devoid of thought or reason.

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By: Anonymous on March 25, 2014
at 2:53 PM
Oh, why the hell not,;you’re mad at me anyway!!!!!

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By: uawtradesman on March 25, 2014
at 12:13 PM
liked the comments on woman’s inequality…

He(Obama) also pays female White House staffers 13% less than male ones.

Equal Pay Day 2013: Democrats’ Hypocrisy on Full Display

http://www.policymic.com/articles/34209/equal-pay-day-2013-democrats-hypocrisy-on-full-display

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By: uawtradesman on March 25, 2014
at 12:01 PM
Pictures are worth a thousand words…

Go Sharpton

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By: uawtradesman on March 25, 2014
at 11:49 AM
and yet i bet he supports both patriot acts which insist that if u have a check made out to mary a jones, the account it goes into must read mary a jones…not even mary jones..or m a jones…UNLESS (splain me how this makes any sense) it is electronically wired into the account…then it doesn’t have to read as the check is made out. that’s the law now.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on March 21, 2014
at 8:41 PM
Hi Terri , I am very well . Thanks for asking. I know many of my friends here have had a brutal winter . It was an unusually cold winter here too. BUT spring has sprung and my States democratic convention is about to begin , which always feels good. 🙂 I hope spring finds you happy and healthy ?
My hubby & I are just hanging out today watching a little BB. ( and perhaps having an adult beverage or two) enjoying life.

I couldn’t agree with you more concerning the SCOTUS.

As you know I have been screaming for publicly funded elections forever! If the ” Libertarians” & Independents TRULY understood their own self proclaimed labels, they would be first on the band wagon to join me. RIGHT? Sadly they either don’t or won’t understand the way of modern day politics. It truly IS all about money .
If one HATES the 2 Party System, then the ONLY recourse is publicly funded elections OR LONGER terms for elected officials. And everyone HATES that idea. Statewide elections , especially in large states , absolutellllly need it & in district elections its important because they run every 2 years! National elections go without saying…

SMH…. And on we go

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By: lori on March 21, 2014
at 3:49 PM
Hey Gato and Lori,
Hope you’re well.
I think Citizens United will go down in history as one of the worst Supreme Court decisions ever. The damage done by Antonin Scalia et al is almost incalculable. What it is doing to the democratic process is disgusting. It also has the all too well known taint of “I, me, mine” that seems to run rampant through the right wing.

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By: Terri in NY on March 21, 2014
at 12:57 PM
I neglected to place a much needed comma in the sentence about my CU discussion.

My discussion was between a CNN anchor, a staunch Libertarian & myself. 🙂 just makin it clear …

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By: lori on March 21, 2014
at 8:54 AM
Yikes! Senate flip? Sorry I just don’t understand how anyone can conclude that yet. Out of the 12 seats that could flip none have even held their primary, so we don’t even know who is running against us.

On top of that Im not convinced we cant steal Kentucky & Georgia!

Its just WAYY to early to speculate on that – I at least need to see the match up & one poll, before I can concede the Senate.

Gato, I had a conversation about Citizens United the other day . It was between a CNN anchor a staunch ” libertarian” ( he didnt even understand the term – but I digress) & myself.

I, like you , just couldn’t comprehend why ANYONE would agree with CU. Sooooo I listened to this guys argument. Basically, the people who support the law, do so on ” freedom of speech ” grounds. He feels he should be able, as a private citizen that owns a company , to give as much money to a candidate as he wants – period and be damned with where the money comes from. He IS his company. He feels to take away or diminish his ” voice” and in this case voice = money , would be to take away his right to free speech.

I disagree on a multitude of levels butttttt that is the other side of the argument.

Oh and just to be clear RE Hobby Lobby: ACA requires the INSURANCE company Hobby Lobby uses to cover birth control deductibles not Hobby Lobby itself.

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By: lori on March 21, 2014
at 8:48 AM
Hi, Penom, and all – Speaking of ridiculousness, here’s a fun little thing to think about… The SCOTUS is evidently about to rule on a case called “Sibelius vs. Hobby Lobby.” The issue is, yet again, corporate “personhood.” Hobby Lobby is arguing that, as a corporate “person,” “it” should not be forced to violate “its” (“his”…? “her”…?) “strongly-held religious beliefs” by being forced to offer certain kinds of contraception to “its” employees.

Never mind the mind-boggling concept of having to prove how “strongly-held” any belief is (we’ve already seen what happens there with “stand your ground” laws), and shaping legal action based on that… If a corporation really is a “person,” and it is bought up by another corporation, and essentially obliterated, is the purchasing corporation essentially committing first-degree murder by ending the “life” of another corporate “person”? If not, why not…? Can two corporate “persons” of the same sex (!!!) marry? And shouldn’t a corporate “person” be arrested for defecating in public, just like the rest of us would be? You know, like when it “defecates” tons of toxic material into a public water supply, for example?

That accursed “Citizens United” ruling created a real Frankenstein – except that the good doctor’s “monster” at least had a bit of a soul in him.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on March 21, 2014
at 8:06 AM
ok, first let me assure u i couldn’t agree more on the idiocy of woman, minorities of any description and lbg’s who support the republicans. it is simply beyond my ken. meanwhile, back at the ranch, to the best of my knowledge, there is not one democrat with the cajones to stand up and repeat ad nauseum proof that what is being said is total nonsense…but there are people who support the bachmans, boehners etal…they were elected, for g’nesake…and it loox like they might even take the senate! if that’s the case, i’m retiring from life altogether. just gonna pull my little cocoon around me. i can’t stand anymore mental derangement than is going on right now.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on March 21, 2014
at 7:07 AM
Terri , I wonder iF those women gOT paid as much as their male counter parts given the Republican candidate tends to pay his women staffers 20% lower than their male counterparts.

I think Ill ask! Lol

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By: lori on March 20, 2014
at 6:51 PM
I find it amazing you could find three women to make those nonsensical statements (paid or not), and it’s even more amazing that anyone believes any woman would actually take them seriously. Sheesh!

On a more positive note, five million people have signed up for Obamacare! What will the GOP use as a campaign motto? “Vote for me and I’ll take away your healthcare”?

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By: Terri in NY on March 20, 2014
at 5:57 PM
LOL exactly Gato! And, as Ann Richards said, ” we do it all in heels” .

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By: lori on March 20, 2014
at 2:17 PM
Hi, Lori, and all – So the GOP thinks that women are just “too busy” to care about equal pay, and learn to be “better negotiators”…? Since when has anyone cared about women being “too busy” to do all the eight million things the “average woman” does in a given day? Of course, most members of Congress haven’t the faintest idea what “too busy” might actually mean, since they’ve apparently just decided that 126 “working days” should be considered a “full-time job” in 2014. (Just ask Eric Cantor…)

Are these people on drugs? Have these women been “Stepforded”? TIME TO ANTE UP MORE CASH FOR BGTX!!

Good god… All this stuff that, for sentient beings, should be a no-brainer, and now many of these same people saying that Putin’s “manly” moves in the Crimea are justification for us to get back to nuke-making. Maybe they’re just trying to drive us nuts by taking us back several decades to a place we thought we’d left well behind…

We know who’s brewin’ up the Kool-Aid… And I’m not that thirsty.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on March 20, 2014
at 2:02 PM
Those women in that video are paid employees of the Republican Party – PAC ( basically actresses ). LOL

This all came about because their candidate made a huge gaffe when discussing his opposition to the LL equal pay issue. They had the brilliant idea to double down on his extreme anti woman message and hope that repeating the idiotic gaffe ” woman are just to busy to worry about being paid equally” would somehow make it seem more ok! LOL LOL Good luck with that!

As I said the Republican candidate for Govenor isnt whatcha would call a great campaigner !

I can only hope Auntie Jean is correct and these types of mistakes & our hard work will be enough to bring out our vote! Fingers crossed!

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By: lori on March 20, 2014
at 9:51 AM
I hate to pick on the state of Texas, but really, what’s up with all the nonsense Texan women are saying about the Lily Ledbetter Act and equal pay for women? First one woman said (in a very incoherent way) that women are “too busy” to be bothered by equal pay, another said the problem is that “women are not good negotiators”, and a third one claimed special laws to protect equal pay made women sound like “whiners.” What century are these women living in?

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By: Terri in NY on March 20, 2014
at 8:41 AM
Hi lori,

Good to hear from you as always. You are doing a good job of keeping the home fires burning here at M&H’s. It’s never easy to keep Dems focused since we don’t have the single, one-track-minds that the right-wingers do. When it gets to crunch time though, just you see. We will come together en mass and give ‘em a run for their money they won’t soon forget. There are just too many of Obama’s policies and programs that are moving right along and worki ng!

I’m working on a post for the Bin of general personal chit-chat for all our buddies..…..I can’t help but share with you (and a few select pals if you care to fwd it) of…..uh… some would say racy stuff.
..getting a chair-lift for the stairs!!!!!! Its going to be sort of a production but……..My husband can sure use it too. Just think how handy it will be for hawling groceries, etc, upstairs from the Wednesday shopping sprees. Also all other kinds of stuff that gets piled up on the landing for whoever makes the next run up or down the stairs. Sort of like a dumb waiter.

To either shock you or make you chuckle, more later.

Aloha! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Namaste. Shalom. Saalam. Peace.

Auntie Jean

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By: Jean on March 19, 2014
at 5:35 PM
Mikat, yes, we do like to wait untill fall ( after Labor Day) to start spending our real big money. BUT, we always play midterms ” not to lose” as opposed to ” play to win”. It drives me CRAZY!

As I’ve said a million times is the ONLY thing the R’s have going for them is mid term voter enthusiasm. We, on the other hand, have everything BUT mid term enthusiasm . We always always always run away from our base ( roots) & away from the President’s agenda in mid terms and consequently don’t get the turnout we need. In generals, its a different story. We are great about getting behind our National candidate , but abandon him ( her) as soon as we can. Uggggh I always want to spit nails every summer b4 midterms…

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By: lori on March 19, 2014
at 10:11 AM
hold back? wait? for what? no! NO…the lies must be ‘truthed’ out now

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By: PENOM@aol.com on March 19, 2014
at 10:01 AM
Lori,
Are we just playing the “waiting” game here? I mean it IS still early, maybe the Dems are just holding back a little and waiting for Summer to start hitting hard and fast. Lots of advertising, commercials and getting out there and speaking to the public. Calling out both the lie’s and the lyers. But really, WHY are we not out there right now screaming at the top of our collective lungs how the ACA is helping people? Or that the Corporate States of America are taking over every little piece of our world? You can wake people up and frankly I don’t know anyone who is not interested in leveling the playing field just a little!

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By: Mikat on March 19, 2014
at 9:47 AM
You’re singing my tune Penney! Ugggh ! Believe me I’ve shared exactly that point of view more than a couple times with more than a few Dem candidates recently. When will we ever learn?

I have to give credit where credit is due though . Obama is coming down to the University of TX in April and Wendy IS going to appear with him! THANK the heavens!

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By: lori on March 19, 2014
at 4:43 AM
yes, it is ve4ry hard to watch the dems shoot themselves in the feets again. man, i’d be out there explaining in short, one syllable (why have i forgotten how to sp ell?) sentences the good that has come about in this administration AND the good which this congress has prevented. simple. to the point. where it hits everyone…in the pocket. i would call a lie a lie, a liar a liar and prove it. i’m beyond angry, i’m beyond disgusted with all of them.

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By: penny abrams on March 19, 2014
at 4:32 AM
🙂 not to fear yet Terri! Let’s put a pin in predictions until Julyish…. Things will be a lot more clear then. Xoxo

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By: lori on March 18, 2014
at 7:29 PM
Hey Lori,
Your optimism has cheered me. I hope the Dems get out and vote in November. I truly believe the GOP has become the party of resentful old white men, which makes it difficult to contemplate a GOP house and senate. Lots can happen between now and then, so fingers crossed they are positive for our guys.

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By: Terri in NY on March 18, 2014
at 7:10 PM
Hi Terri! Yes! Its always great news when the good ” girls” is ahead in the polls! I hope the upward trend continues. Wendy’s opponent has a horrible horrible last week – well month actually. Begining with his Ted Nugent debacle and ending with a huge gaffe concerning equal pay for women. He is a TERRIBLE candidate which surprises me. You would think that a guy who has spent much of his adult life in and around elected officials he would be better. But then I realized, he like Perry, has never really been a tested or contested candidate being a Republican in TX. So this is really his ( and his staffs) first real rodeo .

Fingers crossed he doesn’t catch on anytime soon. My gal Wendy has made a few mistakes herself . Well to be fair, again, I think it has been more of a case of bad advice from her staff than Wendy herself.

Our challenge in midterms has always been and it looks like this year will be no different, is exciting our base enough to get out and vote. We had a TERRIBLE turnout for primaries…. That HAS to improve or we will be in a heap of trouble come November.

As I said before about the negative chatter surrounding our chances for the House & Senate , it not only is still too early to make a good guess, but the early predictions are predicated on an old metric IMHO. The pundits begin their analysis with the 6 th year of an incumbent President always spells disaster for his Party If his numbers are below 48-50. I’m Not convinced Obama #s are going to stay where they are. I think much of what we are seeing in polls now are aftermath of website fiasco .I think we will be seeing better poll numbers late spring early summer as the success of Obamacare begins to become more apparent. Add to that the Republican Party’s inner turmoil & the whack a doodle ness of the Teahaters and I just think its too early to call it – especially the Senate.

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By: lori on March 18, 2014
at 12:30 PM
I hear Wendy Davis is closing the gap in Texas! This is good news.
Hard to believe GOP will retain the house and may win the senate in November. That’s depressing news.

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By: Terri in NY on March 18, 2014
at 10:50 AM
Hi Congenial Gang,

Believe me, Cynthia, I really feel for you and your deep freeze brethren and sistahs, Our son and grandson from PA were here last week with some hair raising tales of their winter. Gawd!!! NOBODY should have to contend with such misery and for so long,

It doesn’t really matter if “climate change” comes and goes in natural cycles or is man-made (or possibly a combination of both.) Rather, it’s about time we quit arguing about it and prepared to deal with it.

Aloha! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Namaste, Shalom. Saalam. Peace.

Auntie Jean

P. S. My new computer is giving me fits!!! It’s hard teaching an old bitch new tricks.. So what was wrong with pen, paper and ink and the pony express?

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By: Jean on March 16, 2014
at 1:41 PM
I just want to say this has been the worst winter in my lifetime and it doesn’t want to end anytime soon!

Also too, we need a cleanup in aisles 1 – 4 and 7. I wish something could be done about these “spammers”. It is sad to see M&H become a dumping grounds.

Peace and Spring.

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By: Cynthia on March 14, 2014
at 9:30 AM
wot the idiots get out of their gibberish is attention and tee-hee’s. if ignored, they finally go away. frankly i don’t mind them…they r not insulting (oboy) and only take a second or two to see that they’re not worth reading. so let the children have their fun, it’s harmless and we can get on w/life.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on March 12, 2014
at 9:14 AM
Hi, Auntie J… What is it that these “people” get out of putting up these nonsensical posts, I wonder… Actually, I’m not thinking they’re “people,” at all, but just machines that keep cranking out “sentences,” over and over again… AND if an actual human hears a bell going off, of some sort, he or she will jump on it, for whatever reason. Selling something? Probably.

Some of the alleged email addresses are hysterically funny, as are the posts. Siding? Air conditioning units? Handbags? Advice for starting a website? I haven’t dared to reply to any of them, but, HTG, I’d kind of like to do it…

Okay; Here’s some “reality check,” based on just one POV from the East Coast of the US of A, not at all like where you are, for sure. Things are starting to MELT… The large snow piles, covered with dirt, are actually getting smaller. I heard a couple of birds today. And we’ve switched to Daylight Savings, so now it’s not dark until after 7:00 pm. First time my honey and I have had dinner while it’s still light out, for as long as I can remember!

Happy, happy, happy… As only those who’ve longed for Spring, for so long, can ever be…

Gato

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By: gatodicima on March 11, 2014
at 10:47 PM
Hi Congenial Gang,

Yep! gurl, there is a solid core of smart, well-informed people here ready to jump in whenever the right-wingers get out of hand with their usual nonsense. You know, the type that likes to stir things up, especially if they can invent issues with sexual overtones. We have all seen and heard them not only in our own lives and times but in the annals of history. The repetition does get to be pretty tedious though, doesn’t it.

Aloha! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Namaste. Shalom. Saalam. Peace.

Auntie Jean

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By: Jean on March 11, 2014
at 8:19 PM
Dear Helen and Margaret,
I hope that you know real people still check this blog in hope that you’ll post another gem. Sorry that the spammers have found your site. I promise they aren’t the only ones attracted here. 🙂
~dlgw

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By: delurkergurl on March 11, 2014
at 12:10 PM
First, the area must be partitioned from the rest
of the home requires containing the mold spores in the infected are must be
cleaned using HEPA air filtration and vacuuming.
In order to remediate mold, all factors the castin
craft mold builder tips mold growth, spores, and moisture must be addressed.
Preventing mold growth in other parts of the home requires containing the mold spores in the infected
are must be cleaned using HEPA air filtration and vacuuming.

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By: johnienprh.blog.com on March 11, 2014
at 7:08 AM
Paid positions open @ Wendy Davis FW campaign headquarters !

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By: lori on March 9, 2014
at 2:43 PM
TX is a big ass state! Period. Crazy things occur that don’t necessarily reflect traditional political models. This years primary was no exception.

I will leave it at that.. Everyone can read and decide for themselves what , if anything it means for November.

http://www.texastribune.org/2014/03/07/where-the-votes-landed/

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By: lori on March 7, 2014
at 4:39 PM
These GOP guys just keep making stuff up.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/paul-ryans-free-lunch-cpac-story-never-happened/

And he delivered it so earnestly! Pretty pathetic.

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By: Terri in NY on March 7, 2014
at 1:41 PM
WOW Lori,
It seems facts mean nothing to certain people. Proof, you just can’t fix Stupid!

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By: Mikat on March 5, 2014
at 6:14 PM
As if we needed more proof that arguring with trolls is useless . 🙂

http://m.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2014/03/brendan-nyhan-backfire-effects-facts

Congratulations Wendy Davis, Leticia Van De Putte, DR David, & Steve Brown !

Lets do this! #turnTXblue

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By: lori on March 5, 2014
at 4:48 PM
Hi Congenial Gang,

I haven’t been able to find out if Holly Berry wore the silver sequined sheathe to the Oscars tonight. Or was Gwyneth Paltrow decked out in her pale green chiffon. Which one was showing the most cleavage?

But the Olym[ics are barely over and Russia is iinvading rhe Ukraine or the Ukraine is invading Russia or something. To make matters worse, hoards of Syrians are fleeing across the border into Turkey. On top of that, Obama is doing absolutely nothing about any of it. Sheesh!

But Ted Cruz has issued a statement that registered 8.6 on the Righter-Wing Scale from dumb, to dumber to dumbest. It was so monumental I have aleady forgotten what it was.

Aloha! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Namaste, Shalom. Saalam. Peace.

Auntie Jean

Hi Congenial Gang,

I haven’t been able to find out if Holly Berry wore the silver sequined sheathe to the Oscars tonight. Or was Gwyneth Paltrow decked out in her pale green chiffon. Which one was showing the most cleavage?

But the Olym[ics are barely over and Russia is iinvading rhe Ukraine or the Ukraine is invading Russia or something. To make matters worse, hoards of Syrians are fleeing across the border into Turkey. On top of that, Obama is doing absolutely nothing about any of it. Sheesh!

But Ted Cruz has issued a statement that registered 8.6 on the Righter-Wing Scale from dumb, to dumber to dumbest. It was so monumental I have aleady forgotten what it was.

Aloha! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Namaste, Shalom. Saalam. Peace.

Auntie Jean

Hi Congenial Gang,

I haven’t been able to find out if Holly Berry wore the silver sequined sheathe to the Oscars tonight. Or was Gwyneth Paltrow decked out in her pale green chiffon. Which one was showing the most cleavage?

But the Olym[ics are barely over and Russia is iinvading rhe Ukraine or the Ukraine is invading Russia or something. To make matters worse, hoards of Syrians are fleeing across the border into Turkey. On top of that, Obama is doing absolutely nothing about any of it. Sheesh!

But Ted Cruz has issued a statement that registered 8.6 on the Righter-Wing Scale from dumb, to dumber to dumbest. It was so monumental I have aleady forgotten what it was.

Aloha! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Namaste, Shalom. Saalam. Peace.

Auntie Jean

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By: Jean on March 2, 2014
at 9:34 PM
Hi Congenial Gang,

A resounding YES!!!!, Penny, to your observations about EDUCATION. There is a huge chasm of difference between “Knowledge” and “Data”. Any phone book has a wealth of data in it but can hardly be considered a source of knowledge. And where do we gain the knowledge and enduring wisdom to help people find their own individual moral compasses? From data banks and instant popularity polls? Uh, I don’t think so. Anyone who has studied the science of statistics in depth can tell you how easily the results can be tweaked (if somebody is so inclined) to reflect whatever you want them to be.

I don’t know when the idea of “insurance” got started. I vaguely remember a story about how a small group of “patriots” in Boston were alarmed at the number of their friends and neighbor’s homes burning down because there were no such things as manpower and equipment to quickly put out fires. After repeated stops and starts of ideas, they finally formed a rudimentary volunteer firefighters association and co-op to buy some firefighting equipment. Everybody pitched in. Well not everybody. As we all know, altruism is usually in short supply when it comes to each one’s time and money. So it was commonly agreed that if you were not a member of the volunteer firefighters, then you either put out your house fire yourself the best you could or stood around with your kindhearted firefighting neighbors and watched it burn to the ground. Well, after all, shit happens. Too bad. God’s will. Tough luck. Ya win some, ya lose some. That’s life, right?

So if you didn’t want that to happen to you, you had better join up and pony up money and your time. Before long the insurance concept became a thriving enterprise – worldwide – branching out into other areas of potential disasters affecting life, property, vehicles, health and quality of life. Pretty soon, for the benefit of public health and safety, some types of insurance became not voluntary but legally mandatory.

Naturally, society divided into different camps on ideological grounds – some for it and those agin’ it. However, there is another camp who quietly saw opportunities for big bucks to be made from just about every aspect of insurance, especially health insurance. Simply exclude anyone from future coverage for “pre-existing conditions” that are difficult and usually expensive to treat. Then the premiums for healthy people continue to flow in and fewer claims have to be paid out. Thus more profits on the bottom line to be divided between the investors. Of course, that means getting state and national legislators to introduce and pass regulations favorable to the insurance companies point of view.

That sort of thing in politics is nothing new. It is also known as the time honored tradition of “political corruption”. “Quid lucrum istic nihi est?” again.

Somebody has to do the incredible boring grunt work of collecting and collating the data on who has what medical condition, for how long, what the prognosis is, tabulating known and often speculative possible origins of any disease or condition. Can’t you just see yourself sitting at your desk at your computer, crunching the nice impersonal numbers, compiling actuarial tables according to different demographics such as age, gender, ethnic background, geographic locations and any other possible factors anyone can dream up.

Next, crank all that seemingly personal data on thousands and thousands of people into the big statistical pot of stew, mix well with a bunch of daily “polls” and you can convince yourself and almost anybody else watching the 6:00PM news tonight of just about anything we want them to believe. That’s the foresight of the “Plague of Incompetence” that is so profitable in the near term. But…….. hindsight has born out that in the case of the insurance industry weaseling out of coverage for potentially high risk people, the numbers of the uninsured become unsustainable and impossible for society at large to handle. We currently are living with the results and trying to figure out ways to rectify the situations.

Aloha! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Namaste, Shalom. Saalam. Peace,

Auntie Jean

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By: Jean on February 26, 2014
at 4:28 PM
The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is is a really stupid dumb guy with a gun!
Sad but true.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/25/man-shoots-himself_n_4853983.html

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on February 25, 2014
at 12:06 PM
delurkergirl and Gato,
Amen to all you write. This is a particular sore point with me. Somehow the GOP has turned affordable healthcare into something evil that must be stopped. And some people buy into that crap. I, for one, have heard only positive things from people I know who have actually used the ACA to obtain insurance. Apparently the GOP can’t even find real people with real stories who have been “harmed”, but that doesn’t stop them for rushing to every microphone within a 20 mile radius to denounce the ACA whenever they can. Their phony concern about people losing their doctors or policies is ridiculous. Those things had been going on for years and it never bothered them before. The GOP has nothing to offer voters. They are against healthcare, they have obstructed every attempt by Pres. Obama to create jobs, they don’t like immigrants, teachers, women, poor people, gay people, etc. They worship “small business” at the expense of every other segment of society. I am sick of them.

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By: Terri in NY on February 25, 2014
at 9:14 AM
Hey, Lurker – I wish I could totally agree with you that this woman’s story has “bit[ten] the dust,” but it sounds more like she’s just digging in even deeper – with, of course, lots of help from her conservative “friends.” Reminds me of the woman whose story was cited in the Republican response to the SOTU, who said she “had” to cancel the insurance for herself and her workers because the alternative policy “offered” by her insurance company was prohibitively expensive. When asked, by a state insurance official, if she’d even considered any of the policies available through the ACA, she said she hadn’t, because she “wasn’t going to go to that Obama website.”

What the GOP has done, and continues to do, so successfully is to tie the ACA so closely to that uppity black Kenyan Muslim Communist who somehow got elected to the highest office in the land… twice… that some people don’t even consider it to be “health care” at all – they are told that it’s just an evil plot to separate them from their beloved doctors and charge them a whole lot more money. And, of course, death panels! Government overreach! The end of America as we know it!

Of course, we would ALL rather have an insurance company decide which procedures are “necessary,” and which doctors we can see, wouldn’t we? HTG, I have no idea why people do this kind of thing to themselves, and kiss the bottoms of those who tell them its a good idea.

I have what is considered to be a pretty good Medicare supplemental plan: Connecticare. I am still shaking my head over the fact that, when I broke my left arm really badly (major fracture in one bone, dislocation in the other, cracked radial head) that required surgery, and the installation of a nine-inch-long metal plate and several screws to hold everything together, they paid the major portion of all the surgical costs… And would not pay for the brace that I was required to wear for six weeks after the surgery. I was told they would have paid for a cast, which my doctor did not recommend, but not for the brace. Go figure…!

Gato

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By: gatodicima on February 24, 2014
at 11:29 PM
Another one bites the dust. They aren’t even trying, are they?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/24/1279971/-Subject-of-debunked-Obamacare-horror-story-finally-speaks-to-Fox-News#

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By: delurkergurl on February 24, 2014
at 10:03 PM
i know i sound like a broken record (a term which holds no meaning for my grands who see records as caveman history) but education is the closest thing there is to a panacea…for privacy/information and everything else. when we learn the constitution, the history of our nation…and others…and how society develops…we also learn what the parameters could be. the right and wrong are inculcated from infancy…by example mostly, and by teaching, at home and in the religious locale of choice. there is nothing else that compares. it’s knowledge. we need the knowledge of what came before so, if we repeat it, its by choice, not out of stupidity. i’m so tired of repeating this.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on February 24, 2014
at 10:09 AM
Hi Congenial Gang,

jsri and Penny Abrams, your cogent comments always garner more thoughts about most anything. The Privacy vs. Security issue is no exception. As soon as Power and Politics are thrown into the mix, and they invariably are, we are off and running aren’t we. Where can we draw the fine line between innocence, naivete and idealism and that of the very necessary need for protection from fraud, getting ripped off and the ever present possibilities of violence; both personally and nationally. Beats me! So what precisely are privacy and security anyway. Time was when being holed up in a fortified castle with a high wall and a moat with alligators in it provided both.

I’ll return to Jeron Lanier’s observations from his perspective as one of the initial innovators in the digital age. He said it best so I’ll quote:

“In the information age, privacy has come to mean, nakedly, information available to some but unavailable to others. Privacy is the arbiter of who gets to be in control.

Information has always been an important tool in contests for power and wealth, but in the information age it has become THE most important tool. Information supremacy becomes harder to distinguish from money, political clout or any other measures of power.

Thus privacy is at the heart of the balance of power between the individual and the state and between business or political interests.”

OK. That is one side of the more historically familiar aspect of this complex issue, but there is another that can be somewhat more sinister in the end. Surprisingly though, it comes about through what Lanier calls ”A Plague of Incompetence”. It does not begin in secrecy in some smoke-filled room of evil schemers. Rather it is the culmination of “algorithmic privacy destruction as a means to wealth and power that always seems to end in a similar massive bungle.”

The Romans spelled it out a long time ago in the greedy ole phrase – “Quid lucrum istic nihi est?” “What’s in it for me?”

Later, with two prime examples,

Aloha! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Namaste. Shalom. Saalam. Peace.

Auntie Jean

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By: Anonymous on February 23, 2014
at 6:29 PM
Some good news!

After the recent dust up over the racist, child abusing, rapist, over the hill rocker( who’s name shall remain unwritten) , appearing with Republican candidate for TX Govoner at several campaign stops. His poll number have dropped 8 points!

This is only the candidates most recent blunder. He has proven to be a horrible candidate. Handing Wendy Davis this gift just MAY prove to be the thing that puts Wendy in the Govoners mansion.

That blue hue you see rising from the south west isnt an illusion 🙂 It WILL happen!

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By: lori on February 22, 2014
at 9:25 AM
I have always thought there is someone behind the curtain pulling Snowdens strings. The story just doesn’t make sense otherwise.

Hero or villain?

Probably a little of both , however I always come down on the side of openness . Letting the sun shine on our policies & procedures is always a good thing at the end of the day. Even if it makes it more difficult for our CIA (& all other agencies). Just my 2 cents.

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By: lori on February 22, 2014
at 9:13 AM
The subterranean mind set is not exclusive to our government and some of the “heroic” ones cited are notably more subterranean than ours. My son works in computer security for a major computer manufacturer and anyone who thinks we are the only government that uses such tactics, is sadly mistaken. Also, exposure of the finer details of how our security works could easily be used against us and is probably being done as we read about it. When that knowledge turns into a catastrophe, and after all the weeping, wailing and finger pointing is over, who will be the villains and who will be the heroes?

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By: jsri on February 21, 2014
at 2:36 PM
Auntie Jean…i can understand your theory that, perhaps, the wicked spy isn’t but might be a pawn and how are they financed…the reporter and the ‘spy’…and what you say is logical and certainly possible. i would posit, however, a different scenario. spose lowden (is that right?) is a young, idealistic fellow who discovers the subteranean mind set of our present government (i did not say administration) and after weeks of tortured inner debate decides he must save his country…or the world. he cannot go to his overseers…they are part of the problem. he cannot reach anyone he trusts. he takes a deep breath and plunges into welcoming arms…chinese, russian, it doesn’t matter…they will give him the ability to tell it like it is so his fellow countrymen can gasp, rise and claim justice. in his naievete (niavete?) he makes a grave error. he exposes himself to the very people he is trying to take down. and the u-kno-wot hits the fan. the reporter smells something awry bu isn’t sharp or heroic enough to put it out there, seeing what’s happened to lowden. i think we’ll never know the truth. i think we haven’t known much truth for a verrrrry long time, since nixon if not even before then. even father reagan lied in his teeth, before he lost it; johnson lied about viet nam; they’ve all lied, with the possible exception of harry truman who didn’t give a flying hmm for what you thought of him or developing a major political career. the trick here is to ‘read lies’. we’ll be home by the end of the year means…end of some year or other. like that. i am convinced that if a politician stood up and told the truth, said precisely what he believes instead of what some whackaloons are dictating/a poll tells him the voters want, he would win in a landslide. we’re sick of the malarkey, and we can all smell it.

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By: penny p abrams on February 21, 2014
at 10:19 AM
Hi Congenial Gang,

One on-going controversy that we have been hearing and reading about right along ever since it broke is that of Snowden vs. the NSA et al that quickly gained widespread attention. If memory serves me, Snowden was a young low level techie who had worked only three months for a private company contracted by the federal government. Somehow, apparently (?) he gained access to lots and lots of info and decided to be a hero. But he had to split to first China and later Russia with his expose. He was in way over his head. As I have said before, that kind of travel jaunts would max out his credit cards in a hurry.

Next, enter another young man from Britain, a Greenwald (is that his name?) who perhaps did and still does fancy himself as an investigative journalist. I seriously doubt if either young man with his lofty career ambitions initially had the independent financial resources to launch his chronicle. Something just doesn’t compute about the whole drama. As Gato mentioned in M&H’s blog in a previous comment about the “Wizard of Oz” behind the scenes curtain, I have a hunch there is somebody in the wings, picking up the tab and bankrolling the whole operation. Who? We can only speculate. Perhaps just the usual suspects. But hey, who hasn’t revelled in the international espionage tales of the likes of master spies such as those of Ian Fleming and Robert Ludlum’s books and movies.

And then there are the recent “hackings” into Target and other retail company credit card records, during the holidays especially. We who frequent social media blogs are only too familiar with a few self-styled “sapients” on the inner workings of technology who try to use that “knowledge” to change their identities and engage in other kinds of mischief. Their style gives them away every time though.

Which brings us to “Privacy vs. Security”. It seems to me that the technology of computers is still in its infancy but developing at astonishing speed. I can’t even begin to keep up! By the same token, we discuss it with our families, friends and people we encounter in our daily lives to say nothing of learning about it from other sources of info such as the gossip cult, the mainstream media of old fashioned newspapers, magazines, periodicals, books, TV, the internet and social media. At least we can go get a snack or take a potty break during the lengthy commercials on TV, On the internet, we can quickly skip on by the “pop-up” ads. Most of the time on the social media we can scroll on by the trolls and mischief makers.

However, on a serious note, for some in-depth coverage on both sides of this issue, I would refer you to what Jaron Lanier has to say. To quote one of my sources, “He is the author of ‘You are not a Gadget’ and ‘Who Owns the Future’. He is a computer scientist, currently at Microsoft Research and probably best known for his contributions to the field of virtual reality. He has received multiple honorary doctorates and other accolades. Time Magazine has named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. His work was featured on covers of the magazine twice in the 1980’s, when he was only in his 20’s.” Beside that, he is a classical musician.

So in the meantime, let the games begin. Oops! They already have. The Olympic Games, that is.

Aloha! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Namaste. Shalom. Saalam. Peace

Auntie Jean[

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By: Anonymous on February 20, 2014
at 7:42 PM
Hey Lori,
What’s the reaction in TX to Greg Abbott having Ted Nugent make appearances on his behalf. To me it seems pretty disgraceful!

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By: Terri in NY on February 20, 2014
at 8:56 AM
Heyyyyy don’t forget my Texas friends early primary voting has begun!!!!!

You will need an ID and the name on the ID and the name on your voters registration need to match exactly .

Remember every election matters.

See you @ the polls!

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By: lori on February 19, 2014
at 12:07 PM
High 5 Gato!

Penny that is exactly why I am so grateful for people like you! It takes a village 🙂 ❤️❤️❤️ Lol

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By: lori on February 16, 2014
at 11:09 AM
i couldn’t agree more that action is what is needed. absolutely. all this dithering and waffling and peering around to see who thinks what is not only boring, it irritates the wotsis out of me.
however! in order to get others to join in the action (there is strength in numbers) they must be convinced.
my experience has taught me that short, simple, every-day-logical statements are highly successful in, at the least, opening the eyes of one who might not hold your same ideology. sometimes in the form of a question.
example: sitting next to a woman at lunch, listening to her complain about taxes and how ‘they’ want to increase taxes and her husband has worked very hard all his life to attain the financial security they enjoy…when she took a breath, i asked her…Joann, if there were a little kid who needed dental care and the parents couldn’t afford it, would you help out? o, she surely would. i took the next step. joann, if you had…o, say…a thousand dollars less per year, would you even notice it? she smiled and said she surely wouldn’t. i nodded…and if that thousand dollars were in the form of increased taxes, which would pay for the dental visits of a hundred children yearly, would that be okay with you surprised? she said of course it would, how could i ever think otherwise. well, i said, that’s what we’re talking about. now that’s a thou from you, maybe only 50 from someone else, maybe two thou from another, depending on how much you make a year. i think you spend that much at chico’s easily…right? and she grinned, right. and then went on to explain how the quality of chico clothing isn’t what it was. how could i resist? where is it made now, i asked. china. where was it made before? you could see the light dawn…now she knew…she knew i had been talking about ‘other things’ than kids’ dental care…she turned very sober…i never thought of that, she said. but she is thinking now. will she think my way? perhaps. if i hadn’t spent the time,patiently, going through daily crap, she’d never think.

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By: pennypabrams on February 16, 2014
at 11:01 AM
AMEN! Sistah Lori… And again I say AMEN, and AMEN!

Gato

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By: gatodicima on February 16, 2014
at 10:55 AM
Hiya Gato,

I am the type of person that takes a LONG time to make up my mind. I weigh and parse and pick apart EVERY decision / opinion I make. So much so , during my decision making process I appear wushu washy to most . However once I have arrived at a decision I move very quickly to action.

I decided a lonnnnnnng time ago we – Americans on a whole , value one human life over another depending on many things. One of which being the color of ones skin. The lighter the better.

After reaching that conclusion I set about to change this cultural characteristic .

So for ME , ruminating about the whys and wherefores of a certain person or case or present policy is boring. That is not to say I don’t think discussion is a BAD thing or that people who engage on that practice is wrong… Quite the contrary. Just that its not my style. I just don’t have the patience to go over and over a subject once I make up my mind. 🙂 that is why I am a horrible policy person and a horrible person to discuss policy. Many here including yourself is MUCH better at that. My bailiwick has always been the political side of politics . I try very hard to stay in my lane.

Having said all of that.. I took away 3 things that need to be done to correct these terrible injustices that occur every single day in this country. An example of that being the Dunn case.

1. Implicit racial bias MUST be discussed and understood & changes need to be made in every aspect of our culture especially within our everyday vernacular & social consciousness.

2. Guns need to be taken off our streets … Period…

3. We MUST be vigilant in getting representation of ALL people into the voting booth.

🙂 and that concludes the gospell according to lori for today!

Peace all 🙂

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By: lori on February 16, 2014
at 10:36 AM
Hi, Lori – Headline today on CNN’s web page says that Dunn is “in disbelief” about what happened. Really? “Disbelief…?” I guess he “believed,” as do so many others, apparently, that you can just get off ten shots into a car, drive to a hotel, order pizza, and that’s about it. THAT is the unavoidable consequence of all this “stand your ground” crap. Since no one has spent even a moment addressing what “your ground” might rightfully be, it can be anything you decide it is: somebody else’s texting near you, somebody else’s preferences in music, somebody else’s error in thinking that it’s okay to walk on a public sidewalk at night wearing a hoodie, your psychotic belief that speaking “disrespectfully” to you is as much a “threat” to you as cocking the trigger of a nonexistent shotgun. (“Your ordering that double ranch cheeseburger and a large fries was an obvious deliberate insult to my dollar meal, and I just cannot be expected to tolerate that kind of thing.” BANG!)

(Don’t you love it that “cocking” is the word for preparing to fire a weapon? Wonder who came up with that…)

The really scary thing (as opposed to the truly awful thing – killing an innocent person) is that Dunn “admitted” that he had “tunnel vision,” or some such s**t, and momentarily lost his awareness of what was happening. That occurrence is not at all uncommon in high-stress situations. So, instead of making it more difficult for people to have easy access to a loaded weapon at hand when we go temporarily insane, billions of dollars are spent to make sure we all have the “right” to have one available even then… Or ten weapons. And ammo.) Absolute insanity.

BTW, speaking of “tunnel vision,” what did Ann Romney say now…?

Time to go shovel again, I’m afraid… (Jeez… I hope none of my neighbors have a problem with where I’m dumping the snow… I won’t be armed…)

Gato

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By: gatodicima on February 16, 2014
at 10:05 AM
Good morning friends!

Love the troll post Delurker! LOL especially the comments. Speaking of trolls I was following the #Dunntrial yesterday on twitter! Shewww some of the trolls on there put M&H ‘ S to shame! Odd lot those trolls I am just happy I can’t begin to understand their motives. The nice part about twitter is you can report and block a lot easier than the blog world.

I was spammed a couple weeks back . What a PITA! Some of the spammers are pretty good at disgusting themselves – so if the subject line looks suspicious , even from an email address that looks familiar , best to delete it and never click on links contained in the emails if you do decide to open . My spam last week was ” selling Paula Deen merchandise ” . LOL apparently the spammer doesnt know my feeling about Paula Deen! 🙂

Terri, I agree with you about Mitts wife! She is one vindictive shrew isnt she? Wowser !

Take care my friends! Spring is on its way.

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By: lori on February 16, 2014
at 8:04 AM
Hi gang. Enjoying the Olympics?

Seems like lots of spam here these days – it even outnumbers the trolls!

http://theimmoralminority.blogspot.com/2014/02/new-study-finds-that-internet-trolls.html

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By: delurkergurl on February 15, 2014
at 7:56 PM
So now we’re going from “It’s Bush’s fault” to “It’s Mitt’s fault” Geez

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By: uawtradesman on February 15, 2014
at 11:48 AM
A random observation: Mitt Romney is the most ungracious losing presidential candidate ever. He is constantly on Faux News criticizing President Obama, and his wife does her share of complaining as well. Classless sour grapes. Makes me doubly glad he wasn’t elected!

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By: Terri in NY on February 14, 2014
at 9:41 AM
scan ur computer thoroly with anything u have to protect u. it appears there’s a lot of that going on right now. i’ve just had a teck here, had to ‘go back’, all kinds of stuff and, finally, had to get a super duper anti spyware program. at least it’s alleged to be. i was also robbed. majorly. i dunno…i think i need a quiet hole to climb into to recover. wotever happened to respect? OPEN NOTHING FROM ANY SOURCE YOU DO NOT REALLY KNOW

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By: PENOM@aol.com on February 13, 2014
at 8:59 AM
Porch sitters… My curiosity led me to hit “reply” to one of those weird, and incomprehensible, replies that seem to be showing up here these days…

To my alarm, I saw quite a few alleged “replies” from many of you, and, ostensibly, from ME, that I never wrote, and don’t recall any of you ever posting, either. I think this is pretty scary…

I’ve always thought that wordpress is quite meticulous about protecting our identities; lord knows we provide plenty of ID and passwords. As it should be. Anybody have any thoughts about how to deal with this…?

Gato

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By: gatodicima on February 12, 2014
at 10:12 PM
Wavingggg to Auntie Jean !

Happy to hear from you. You had me a little concerned. Glad all is well. :)❤️

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By: lori on February 9, 2014
at 7:29 PM
Hi Congenial Gang,

Lots happenin’. Just getting caught up reading, Got a brand new computer with all the bells and whistles, #1 son is getting me checked out on it.

Everybody here is doing great work getting news and the resulting words out, Let’s keep it up!!!

Later.

Aloha! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Namaste Shalom. Saalam. Peace.

Auntie Jean

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By: Anonymous on February 9, 2014
at 7:23 PM
To: Terri in NY on February 6, 2014 at 2:36 PM

Why am I not surprised?

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By: jsri on February 7, 2014
at 2:09 PM
A little bit of news about that nice lady on the settee who gave the GOP response to the SOTU:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/06/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers-ethics_n_4738188.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

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By: Terri in NY on February 6, 2014
at 2:36 PM
Alaskapi – tell me your zip code. I will be more than happy to box up my snow and send it to you.

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on February 6, 2014
at 12:14 PM
lori- We are having a totally weird winter here.
Whilst you all are freezing and having ice storms and the like we are setting records for rainfall and high temps. We are way behind on snowfall though way over the norm for the season- heavy warm snows in Dec and nothing since.
In the last week temps have dropped back to 20s, about where they should be, and snow is due by early next week.
Time will tell whether a January in the low 40s and too many plants trying to get going too early has robbed us of the berries and so on that we and the bears 🙂 all rely on come summer.
Fun to watch the shifts in TX.
Not sure we can do it here but keepin on keepin on…

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By: alaskapi on February 6, 2014
at 10:46 AM
poppa sorry Pi I didnt see your post the other day until Cynthia pointed it out . Happy to hear your friend is meeting the challenges that face her. Please give her my warm thoughts next time you chat with her.

Hows the weather this year? I am looking at a snowy day in TX today…. Uggggg – come on SUN!

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By: lori on February 6, 2014
at 10:06 AM
Hi Guys!

Did you hear google zapped that fake GOP fundraising website? Apparently Google’s security apparatus picked it up as phishing! Hehehe The website has now been changed to a legit anti Alex site. 🙂

Sometimes good does over cone evil! 🙂

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By: lori on February 6, 2014
at 10:03 AM
Alaskapi – Thank you for the update. I wish her and her girls a happy life.
It is not just an NAK problem as we know. It still is surprises me the number of boys who are subjected to this abuse . Silence is one of the biggest problems IMO.

gato – The first big tsunami – Christmas? I read a report of two strangers, a young woman and a man, caught in the water struggling to survive. Finally they each reach dry land. After resting a bit, the man rapes the young woman and then just walks on his way. I just fail to understand this.

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on February 5, 2014
at 8:17 PM
As much as I admire Sandra Fluke I am happy to hear this news. 🙂 she has plenty of time. She will need it to assemble a team and get some money behind her.

I’ll certainly send her a few pennies. 🙂

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By: lori on February 5, 2014
at 7:34 PM
Just heard Sandra Fluke will not run for Congress, but has instead decided to run for California State Senate. Good luck to her.

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By: Terri in NY on February 5, 2014
at 7:27 PM
You’re exactly right Mikat. Keep talking, keep registering, keep making phone calls and knocking on doors. 🙂

My gut feeling if the election was tomorrow we would keep the Senate by one and lose the house by 6. As you suggest a week in politics = a year in dog years. 🙂 longgggg way to go.

Oh and I would bet money on 2016 too!

Have fun celebrating with your City- even if its at work! ❤️❤️

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By: lori on February 5, 2014
at 5:03 PM
Thanks Lori,
I knew I could count on you to help put it into focus. I know we have got a long road ahead and many hurdles to jump, but I think we can do it in 2014 AND 2016! We just have to take some of the GOP play books and use them. Keep talking, loud and clear, Do not let the GOP shout us down, repeat over and over again the GOP failings such as shut down and war on women and most of all keep talking about the Banks, CEO pay, immigration and Economic inequality.
Yes, JSRI and the “trickle down theory” that’s a big one.

It’s party city here in Seattle!!! 700,000 people lining 4th ave watching our Hawks head to the Stadium. I think most people got a case of “bird flu” today and called in sick…Wish I was one of em! Love those guys!

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By: Mikat on February 5, 2014
at 4:26 PM
I’m often perplexed as to how to counter arguments by right-wingers who boldly claim that the route to economic success is by lowering taxes, ridding businesses of complex regulations and giving the private sector free rein to rake in tons of money that will then “tinkle down” to those at lower income levels. Anyone who has suffered the same puzzlement will be encouraged by the writing of Charles Derber of Boston University and his concept of ”public goods” and the “public goods deficit”. Check out his article recently published in the Tikun Daily and go from there.

Tikkun Daily The Public Goods Deficit
https://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2014/01/10/the-public-goods-deficit/

Also check out: The Institute for Local Self-Reliance
http://www.ilsr.org/initiatives/the-public-good/

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By: jsri on February 5, 2014
at 3:56 PM
Hi Mikat! I thought about you during the entire game Sunday. I knew how much fun you must have been having. Your Hawks played a great game… Congrats!

The is answer to your question gets a little wonky but Ill try and keep it short and simple. If you want a more details Ill ” link” you to various articles.

The short answer is NOR and others are basing their analysis on three factors.

1. The 2008 Senators are up this time around. The conventional wisdom in politics is at least a few of these Dems came in on Obama’s coat tails. This far out & of course not knowing out come coat tails cant be a factor in predictions in a non incumbent election year.

2. The Rebubs , even though they didn’t take the Senate in 2010, did better in vulnerable seat than Dems. In fact if it weren’t for the loony tune Tea Pers they put up they may have taken it. I’ve said it many times the Tea Party save our Senate.

3. At the time of this conventional analysis Obamacare – website was getting beat up in the press. Obama’s numbers tanked and consequently the wisdom is , so will his Party in the next election.

There are several things to consider though . First Obama’s numbers are climbing back up. Reid ( DCCC) has told his Senators to embrace O-care not run away from it. The money is there ( so far) and we have done well in some special elections.

Second, and probably most importantly, the GOP as a Party is a hot mess. The whole Cruz – Tea Party shut down fiasco REALLY hurt the Senate campaign. It will be critical for the GOP to handle the debt ceiling deadline ( politically) perfectly in order to regain some sort of legitimacy AND to show their supporters ( Donors) there is an adult in the room.

Third, it is imperative to the GOP Senate races, to marginalize the Loony Tea Party candidates. If they run more Sharon Angle look a likes or old white men tell women that they can just ” shut that whole process down”… They are toast. The money will dry up and the GOP brand will forever LOSE national – state party viability .

But as usual the bottom line is its still to early to tell how all these things will all shake out.

Watch for Obama’s numbers to creep up to 47 or above. The HOP in fighting to continue & money to decrease . If these things happen the conventional model will go out the window.

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By: lori on February 5, 2014
at 11:55 AM
HI Gang,
I am so excited to see things are really moving for Wendy down in Texas and Now Sandra Fluke is joining the competition up north. I would love to see even more women enter the race for Congress and Senate, it would not only make it way more interesting, but more women in our Government would be a vast improvement. I have a concern though- I listen to NPR on my way to and from work. Over and over again I keep hearing that the Democrats are going to have a very hard time keeping the Senate in 2014. They keep repeating that we are most likely going to loose seats. That Pres. Obama is so unpopular now, ect..ect…How are they coming to this conclusion when we hear all over the country that people are leaning more Democraticly than ever? Yes, of course you have your hard core RED states and most likely nothing is ever going to change states like Oklahoma or Mississippi, but why is it going to be so hard to keep the Senate? As a matter of fact I thought we had a pretty good chance of getting the House back. Where is the disparity?
Hey, How about those Seahawks! We are having a HUGE parade for them downtown today as they return home!

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By: Mikat on February 5, 2014
at 10:59 AM
I should probably be more specific 🙂 about Wendy’s fundraising . She had a great December & first half of January. Her opponent, after the 6th month fundraising report came out, realized he was getting his ass kicked and called in a couple if billionaires to boost his war chest. Wendy’s supporters still outnumber her opponents by more than 2 to 1 .

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By: lori on February 5, 2014
at 7:10 AM
Gato I dont know if it is so much that as it is an awakening. Our party went into a deep sleep a couple decades ago and are just now beginning to emerge above ground. 🙂

Wendy’s campaign had a GREAT December & January pulling in more $$$ than her opponent. Not too shabby considering she is getting the benefits of the GOP national smear machine . She still has a lonnngggg row to hoe but she is working hard. She has promised to leave it all on the field. 🙂

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By: lori on February 5, 2014
at 6:56 AM
Cynthia-
The CNN story, sadly, is not news here . The person reporting did relatively well but there are things missing or not fleshed out well enough which would show the problems better.
The reporter missed something very important . It has been too easy here to just say it is a Native problem and shrug it off in the larger population even though the violence cuts across all boundaries.
The large report from the Justice Center, referred to multiple times in the article, shook up a lot of folks. We’ll see if we actually manage to do some of the things we need to do to turn it around. Also, the VAWA reauthorization of 2013 had special problems for addressing violence against Alaska native women.

VAWA 2013 – Part 1

There are 3 parts- some , most of it, mind numbingly boring in detail.
We’re not done with the series but life got too busy here for some months to give the right kind of attention to the project.

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By: alaskapi on February 4, 2014
at 10:04 PM
HI, Cynthia – I was so impressed to see that your attachment about rape in Alaska was the headline story on my new CNN home page.

I left Yahoo, because all I got there was outfits on the red carpet, and movie star junk. Probably my own doing, but now I feel I at least have a slightly cleaner slate.

Lordy… So many women suffer so much… I just can’t figure out how “men,” as a category, can do this kind of thing.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on February 4, 2014
at 8:35 PM
Cynthia and lori- She’s doing ok. First couple years were (understandably) very difficult.
Since then life is somewhat better though very busy with 2 little ones to raise on her own.

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By: alaskapi on February 4, 2014
at 8:35 PM
Way to go, Lori and all! Are you drawing in the “anybody but Perry or his ilk” crowd these days? Must be plenty of people who feel that way…

Gato

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By: gatodicima on February 4, 2014
at 5:58 PM
WTG Emmitt Smith! #turntxblue

@UniteBlueTX: Emmitt Smith gives Wendy Davis committee $10K http://t.co/Jw31J3AR3c #DallasCowboysMVP #UniteBlue http://t.co/g8aFdrtVei

Thinking bout my buddy JSRI.. ❤

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By: lori on February 4, 2014
at 5:41 PM
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-garson/if-you-want-to-play-doctor_b_4723176.html

It is amazing how people figure out how to game the system. Only these are the “big” people doing this and they make millions or billions doing it. Yet all you hear about from the right is about little people who make only a few extra dollars from food stamps or a cell phone.

We are lucky to get yet another snow storm! 7 to 13 inches. Don’t know where my plow man will put this snow. Already have 4 ft piles up my drive (300′) from the last storm. I would move back to Florida but it has turned too crazy for me. Mexico sounds like a possibility.

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on February 4, 2014
at 2:10 PM
When my wife passed away last week, I’m sure the insurance company sighed in relief because they knew we already had an understanding of how such a decision would play out. We took them off the hook when we transferred her to hospice care where the costs for her four days there were covered by Medicare. Gone were the usurious hospital room costs, and cumbersome costs for added CYA tests and medications. However, the resultant stress has been enormous and the paperwork seems endless. It could make it so much less onerous if we had a single payer system where such end of life decisions were less complicated and concerns about finances became invisible.

Gato: much of the complexity you cited only adds to the cost of insurance based plans and often does little for the patient. In fact we’ve paid for medical insurance for many years during which we had no medical costs at all and we also had car and homeowner’s insurance that we’ve never drawn from either. That’s the nature of insurance and I’d be willing to bet that most people would prefer to pay a bit more in taxes for medical protection if they were assured that it would be there when they need it. I realize it is a hard sell for younger folks who try to maintain a healthy lifestyle but they have to be made to understand that good health, despite the barrage of pharmaceutical ads that promise you can have it forever, is not a guarantee at advanced ages.

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By: jsri on February 4, 2014
at 1:56 PM
I think about that woman too Cynthia.

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By: lori on February 4, 2014
at 12:01 PM
All true Gato. Folks seem to also forget that we have insurance companies making medical decisions, sometimes in opposition to what doctors recommend. One of the most common complaints of doctors is the time and effort they have to put into dealing with insurance companies who are trying to curtail costs and in the process end up denying folks proper treatment. Our system is far from fixed, and we would be much better off a system like France, Canada, and the UK have, but of course, that would be (gasp!) “socialized medicine.” Sigh.

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By: Terri in NY on February 4, 2014
at 11:38 AM
Hi, Penom – The countries you mention have a very different attitude about health care than we do, and the opinion is shared by the government AND the citizens of those countries. They seem to be in agreement that universal health care is the RIGHT of every citizen. Here, we seem to have been brainwashed into thinking that (1) health care is a “privilege” available to only those who can afford it, and the more you pay, the better “care” you deserve; (2) that health care is a business, just like everything else around here, and so should exist primarily to benefit the executives and shareholders of the suppliers; and (3) as a business, it is duty-bound – like any business – to cut quality and services wherever possible, while still wangling ways to convince people to “buy” it, in order to maximize profits for said executives and shareholders. The actual quality of the “product” is, to put it bluntly, just something that frequently gets in the way of maximizing those profits.

Of course, government-run health care also needs to make money – enough to keep it going and to pay those who work to provide it. And maybe some extra to provide better care. But its primary goal is not profit; it’s delivery of health care.

And that makes all the difference.

Obviously, the details are infinitely more “complex” than what I’ve stated, but, IMHO, it seems that the alleged “complexity” is too often used to justify continuing the “belief” that it “is better for everyone” as a business. It’s not; it’s better for the business. Period.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on February 4, 2014
at 11:01 AM
Alaskapi – Question – I’m out of the loop but this article reminded me of a young woman I think about on occasion and wonder how she is doing. Do you know?

Palin-Mudflats-food drive. Young Native Alaskan woman helped deliver food in those remote villages. Her young husband died of a heart attack.

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on February 4, 2014
at 10:23 AM
Which state leads US in rate of rape reports?

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2014/02/opinion/sutter-change-alaska-rape/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

This is an eye opener and very upsetting to read but should be read.

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on February 4, 2014
at 9:25 AM
in the UK (i have a friend there) if you have an ostomy, you have an ostomy nurse. in florida you can barely find one let alone have that available, and free. in the UK if u have cancer, u are seen every 3 months by the specialists until declared well. all part of their nationalized health plan for which everyone pays some (taxes) and everyone benefits a lot. in canada, having a baby is the cost of the phone in your room…from beginning to end. in israel all medical care is available…to anyone living there, and to guests. in s. africa, medical care is less than half the cost of in the US. all of the above cited places have excellent medicine. so do we. but our delivery system stinks.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on February 4, 2014
at 8:11 AM
“The National Republican Congressional Committee is doubling down on its use of websites that appear to be in support of Democratic House candidates but actually direct money to the Republican campaign effort. However, the NRCC said it would give refunds to donors who were confused or misled and contributed to the organization inadvertently.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/03/republican-website-donations_n_4719196.html?ref=topbar

Just how low will they sink trying to win? Don’t be fooled!

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on February 3, 2014
at 10:32 PM
Hey, Penom – Good for your son. It does seem that the ACA is working more than it’s not working. And isn’t that a BIG PLUS??!! Of course it is. Why does the GOP want us to continue to dawdle behind every other “advanced” country in the world?

Ever looked for medical care in France, for example? Krikeys, twenty-plus years ago I was living there for a few months. One of my guests, and her toddler, joined us, and the toddler developed an ear infection. A doctor came to the house, and dealt with the issue – no charge. And, in other situations, the pharmacists knew plenty about more simple medical conditions, and were almost always able to provide something that worked, with complete instructions, and a phone number to call if, for whatever reason, it didn’t work.

Bottom line: Many other countries seem to believe that it is the right of every member of society to be as well and healthy as possible. And it is the job of medical professionals, supported by their governments, to do their best to make sure that happens.

I think that my primary care doc feels the same. The difference here is that he must do it while dealing with the insurance companies. He does a great job, and I’m sure it’s not easy.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on February 3, 2014
at 5:46 PM
my older son is now saving $400 a month for a better health plan in NY; in FL where the gov will not join in the federal plan, it is only better for those who had no ins before ’cause of prior condition or inability to pay for it. we’re hoping to get rid of him very soon.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on February 3, 2014
at 3:38 PM
Yaay, Terri – Good on your friend!

HTG, I don’t know why the GOP keeps hammering on this “all for me and screw all the rest of you” thing. (I was going to say “meme,” but I don’t know very clearly what a “meme” really is…)

In my experience, we just don’t get along very well without each other. Doesn’t this blog reinforce that? I just HATE feeling alone, in any situation. The first thing I do, when I’m unhappy about something, is call or email a girlfriend. I don’t think this means that I am weak; I think it means that I am smart and resourceful.

The cruelest punishment we inflict on anyone, short of death itself, is solitary confinement. We know it’s awful.

I can’t understand why the GOP wants to make personal isolation the foundation of its “platform.” I doubt they’ll do very well with that.

Hope you’re enjoying something about this snowy day, and the snowy days to come.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on February 3, 2014
at 3:20 PM
Hi Gato, I couldn’t agree more about the moral component of economics. What has amazed me is that the GOP cannot seem to come up with one legitimate case of someone whose premiums were raised to the point where they couldn’t afford it. “Bette’s” story was part of the official GOP response to the SOTU–you would assume they would get the facts right for this important rebuttal. And here’s my Obamacare story. My best friend had been paying $1200 a month for her health insurance. In November she went to the Obamacare website and found a comparable plan for $468 a month with a $2,000 deductible. She will be saving thousands of dollars every year!

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By: Terri in NY on February 3, 2014
at 2:27 PM
gato – It is a crazy sick monstrous parasite sucking control, money, knowledge, freedom, democracy, and the life from the people to feed it’s huge perverted ego.

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on February 3, 2014
at 12:51 PM
Hi, Terri – Reading Paul Krugman over the past several years has made me understand that there is always a moral component to economic theories.

Our Lady of the Settee (I love that) presents the story of “Bette” as an economic issue. It isn’t that. Bette and her husband have thrown themselves and their employees under the proverbial bus because SHE “won’t go to that Obama website.” Nice…

There are, apparently, a couple of kinds of people in the world. There are those who have some compassion for their fellow humans, whatever their circumstances, and feel a moral obligation to offer what help they can. And then there are those who feel that offering assistance to anyone else somehow diminishes their own security and ability to survive. I can’t think of a single culture in history that did “better” when everyone was out solely for himself or herself. Usually the rise of that attitude has signaled, and still does, the beginning of the end of said society.

Just remember the old “divide and conquer” rule: Convince people that their fellows are their enemies, and you’ll have them.

And see Cynthia’s post about the Kansas legislature’s deciding that Kansans should not have unrestricted access to the internet.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on February 3, 2014
at 11:57 AM
Hi, Cynthia – It’s hard to believe that “the market,” in its great wisdom, is not screaming bloody murder about this. A bunch of state legislators want to PREVENT an entire business sector from offering its products/services to residents of their state…? Isn’t that, you know… anti-American…?

What is ALEC getting out of this? The recent smack-down of the “net neutrality” premise already allows ISPs to now, even more blatantly, winnow out who gets what content, and for how much “extra,” so what more can they possibly feel they “need”?

It’s the absolute shamelessness of this sort of thing that just blows my mind.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on February 3, 2014
at 11:34 AM
Paul Krugman hits the nail on the head again.

Apparently the GOP can’t find any real stories of people having their healthcare premiums increased outrageously, so they concoct these fake stories. And mind you, this was in their official response to the State of the Union! It looks like our lady on the settee wasn’t being completely forthright.

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By: Terri in NY on February 3, 2014
at 11:00 AM
This is the work of ALEC it seems.

“The state of Kansas Legislatures took on a new target: Stop Google Fiber. And not just google fiber, make sure that cities cannot invest in any broadband network technologies.”

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/30/1273848/-Kansas-moves-to-Stop-Broadband-Internet-to-residents?detail=email

Living in a rural area fast Internet service has been a problem. We have been working with one company to bring broadband service. Hopefully by summer. Dial up was slooow because of old phone lines but had unlimited access. I have wireless now but need to learn how to make the most of the “limited” time/use.

Heard talk that ISP’s want to be allowed to monitor the sites you go to. Then they could charge to use news sites, shopping sites, Genealogy sites, etc. You would not have to access to sites you have not paid to use. Sounds like one could no longer surf the net or research. What’s next, charging for the air we breathe. Land of the free, eh?

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on February 3, 2014
at 10:34 AM
Hi, Cynthia – That makes sense… If you really want a bully, it’s probably better to have a BIG bully. I’m not much of a fan of bluster and swagger, but evidently many people are. And Christie is still swingin,’ that’s for sure.

The thought of how he might be behaving at home, when he gets back from the office, is pretty scary!

Gato

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By: gatodicima on February 2, 2014
at 2:28 PM
gato and all – this goes beyond Bridgegate and NJ. This is about who wants CC as president and what he could do if elected.

Wall Street & The Security Apparatus Want A Real SOB … Chris Christie

http://www.ringoffireradio.com/2014/01/wall-street-security-apparatus-want-real-sob-chris-christie/

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on February 2, 2014
at 11:58 AM
i needed time to think out the claim that mandatory insurance results in additional profit for insurance companies and nothing more. i’ve thought. it does increase the market for insurance companies while at the same time, it increases competition for that market which means that value-for-dollar must be competitive in order to gain the business. also the ACA (obamacare) provides that the ins. companies must use a % (i forgot the number) of premiums for medical care and if they don’t the insured gets a refund. my daughter gets a refund because her premiums are just too high. what the mandate does for people is even more important. forget the medical advantages…if you can. the ‘people’ advantage is that if we all chip in to buy medical insurance, it costs each of us less. stay with me here. if, at 30 i buy life insurance and hardly ever use it…after all 30, healthy, active…but older people get the advantage, the same will redound to me when i am older and my grandson is 30 and healthy, etc. it’s called paying forward. it’s called planning for the future. it’s called sharing. it’s called a community. for those relatively few who object…well there are those who object to speed limits too…and there is always eminent domain, a very reasonable approach. when we have health care from birth…actually from conception, we are healthier and need less doctoring and medications and are more productive. i didn’t make that up. there are studies from lots of countries that prove that. no, i can’t quote them…how much can i remember anyway? at 83. i’m fighting for obamacare…for improvement to obamacare and there’s ample room for improvement and it won’t help me one bit…i’m on medicare. i’m fighting for it because it is the right, honorable, just and moral thing to do.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on February 2, 2014
at 10:24 AM
As always, a witty response to the bizarre ways in which people like Huckabee express their intolerance for any social aid that they feel they don’t need so thus, by “reasonable” inferencing, they decide it is obviously not something that we as a nation should consider for anybody else. The condescension in his statement is so blatant, I find it hard to believe that he didn’t even bother to disguise it even a little better.

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By: yetanothersinglegal on February 1, 2014
at 6:19 PM
4th try…the others were too long. I guess.

As far as the Texas situation, Jim at Stonekettle Station has a powerful and moving post.

Decisions and Regret

After the post and before the comments (which contain a wealth of personal stories), Jim added this:

Since it’s glaringly apparent that evangelicals, anti-abortion nuts, and other such shrill fanatics have trouble with reading comprehension, as the roughly 200+ and counting discarded comments from such can attest…

…

2) Keep your religion to yourself. I won’t be proselytized nor will I allow you to preach at my readers, not in any way whatsoever, period. If your God is offended by something I said, he/she/it is welcome to contact me directly, I don’t need you to act as an intermediary.

…

When asked about the counter responses he has had to monitor out, Jim replied this:

I have received exactly ZERO intelligent, reasoned, and well written counters to this post. Zero.

EVERY SINGLE ONE is composed of screaming, illiterate, hate filled religious bile. I’ve been called things you can’t begin to imagine. Every single counter response – and that’s about 350 or so now – is completely nuts, disturbingly so. Frankly, given the sample, I have to wonder if religion, and particularly religion driven right-to-life, isn’t some kind of rage disorder or a cult on the order of Westboro Baptist Church. These people are functionally insane, there’s no other way to describe it.

Peace ~ Δ

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By: Whirled Peas Δ on February 1, 2014
at 4:00 PM
Hi, Penom – Of course I agree with you, and you said it very well.

It does occur to me that, in a more homogenous society than ours, there are certain cultural “norms” that are known and followed by most everyone. Someone who doesn’t adhere to that “norm” is ostracized – and sometimes punished – by society as a whole. Sometimes this is a “good thing,” in that it keeps the society together, and sometimes a “bad thing,” when the norms are devoid of compassion, and people are jailed, tortured, and stoned for their failure to comply.

We are a huge and diverse country, so we apparently must have laws in place of those norms. Historically, I think the laws were designed primarily to keep the society civil and reasonably cohesive, while allowing for a certain amount of relatively harmless deviation from those norms. More recently, though, many “laws” are passed specifically to favor the interests of one group over another – things like more restrictive voting requirements, the elimination of many women’s health clinics, the gerrymandering of voting districts, and – the most odious of all – the Citizen’s United ruling you cite. IMHO, laws of this sort are most assuredly NOT a “good thing.”

But, in order to be acceptable to the citizenry, these laws must be justified, and their real functions obscured, by hitching them to some long-standing American “value” – something like “free market,” or “national security,” or “individual liberty.” (Did we ever hear the phrase “homeland” before 9/11?)

Here’s what I think is a good example of that kind of thing: Not long ago, the “patriarch” of Duck Dynasty (a show I’ve never seen, and never plan to see) caused a momentary brouhaha by making some pretty inflammatory remarks about homosexuality, connecting it to bestiality (among other things) and calling it some kind of heavenly punishment for our sins, or whatever he said. Then, a few weeks ago, while checking out at my local grocery store, I saw the cover of one of the weekly tabloid mags featuring a smiling photo of said “patriarch” and his wife, with the headline, “Defending Our Beliefs.” Now, what real American could argue against the idea of “defending our beliefs,” no matter how repulsive those “beliefs” might be? So the issue of what he actually said was quickly obliterated by subsuming it to a premise with which one can hardly argue.

This kind of thing happens here ALL THE TIME. Corporations are ruled to be “people.” Money is determined to be a form of “speech.” Domestic spying is labeled a necessary component of “homeland security.” The unlimited ability to accumulate weapons and ammunition is called a “Second Amendment Right.” And so it goes, on and on and on…

Sometimes, when I think about this stuff, as I’m doing now, I really feel that we’re living in the Land of The Red Queen, and it gives me a headache.

It’s a bit above freezing here today, so maybe I should go out and get a bunch of firewood, so we’ll be ready for the next Big One, which is either right around the corner, or coming next week, depending on which weather service you follow.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on February 1, 2014
at 3:16 PM
the mandate for insurance is no different than the mandate for a driver’s license, a marriage license, a license to operate a business or to cut hair or to trade in raw materials or to leave/return to our country or what happens should you find gold or a wrecked ship.

I disagree. Driving is a privilege. Marriage is a choice and a license only required if you wish to gain benefit from the issuer of said license. Doing business in a place that requires licensing is cost of doing business and, again, a choice.

Mandatory health insurance enforced by government with a guaranteed PROFIT to private industry? I can’t see your point beyond all the red herrings. Don’t bring up past acts that have been made law and ask me where I was. I do not support the patriot act (and never have) or ANY of these Orwellian edicts. I do not give consent.

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By: poolman on February 1, 2014
at 2:51 PM
“An arcane Texas law allowed John Peter Smith Hospital to override a family’s decision to remove a brain-dead woman from life support––because she was 14 weeks pregnant.

After months of struggling with Texas courts and the hospital to respect her predetermined wishes, the family was finally able to put the mother and unborn fetus to rest––ending the torment this family has endured.

But this hellish nightmare isn’t over. Now the grieving husband is getting medical bills for his wife’s unwanted and contentious treatment.”

Crazy! I hope he sues the hospital for billions.

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on February 1, 2014
at 2:34 PM
Hi, Lori – Great sidebar on that article: “Texas turning blue is Republicans’ worst nightmare.” Pretty exciting work you’re doing down there!

But I think my very favorite part is the presented assemblage of “types” of Americans the GOP evidently finds dangerous: “…Hispanics, African Americans, gays, teachers, young professionals, atheists, unmarried women, even suburban married women.” (They seem to have forgotten to include Blue Texans, but I’m sure that was just an oversight.)

I’ve often noticed how all these “groups” tend to bond with each other, haven’t you? Yessiree, you just can’t keep all those atheists from hanging out with the (predominantly Catholic) Hispanics, or the young professionals (corporate techies) agreeing on every issue taken by those (Commie/Socialist) teachers… And African Americans (often urban and poor) and suburban married women – SO much in common!

That certainly explains the imminent doom of the American Way of Life, doesn’t it? I guess it does if you’re a Republican – or whatever now-hideously-disfigured remnant of that once-great party still exists…

Gato

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By: gatodicima on February 1, 2014
at 2:18 PM
the mandate for insurance is no different than the mandate for a driver’s license, a marriage license, a license to operate a business or to cut hair or to trade in raw materials or to leave/return to our country or what happens should you find gold or a wrecked ship. there are rules for civil living. there are regulations for almost anything we do…grow food, buy food, sell food, eat food…that’s pretty basic…eating. there are regulations for child care. your child could be removed from you for abuse and that abuse is decided by someone you probably never saw before, nor will you see her again. i’m sick of the cry that we’re losing our freedoms. where were you when the idiot congress passed patriot acts one and two? or the supreme court decided a corporation is a person, thereby allowing them to donate to political candidates as they wished…whatever they wished. do you speed and not expect a speeding ticket? how about paying taxes. that’s a mandate for sure, isn’t it. gimme a break. either tear down the entire govt…incuding roads, cops, fire rescuers, schools, the VA, blahblahblah or recognize we all have to do something we’d rather not do. period. finished.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on February 1, 2014
at 2:10 PM
Which makes it a tax – worse – one where private insurers get 20 percent off the top – guaranteed! I find it pretty unAmerican. Making it mandatory goes against our Constitution. But then, it’s expected nowadays. The Constitution is basically history as we’re controlled by corporations that bought our supposed leaders and we’ve deemed them all too big to fail. These people do the revolving door between industry and the governing entity that regulates them. And we keep sending them back.

We’re a far cry from single-payer.

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By: poolman on February 1, 2014
at 1:36 PM
but it’s the law…by march 31st everyone must be insured. bette is a pia

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By: PENOM@aol.com on February 1, 2014
at 11:07 AM
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/27/could-george-w-bush-be-the-last-republican-president.html

And remember the author is a self identified republican conservative! 😀

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By: lori on February 1, 2014
at 10:23 AM
Reminds me of the old facebook meme: I Dont care if you don’t like our President. I just care if its because of a lie.

People can find fault with Obamacarw. Hell its a huge piece of new ground breaking legislation . There are bound to be areas that need fixed and tweets. But spinning our wheels over lies is maddening . I am with you Cynthia , I have no time for those people.

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By: lori on February 1, 2014
at 8:56 AM
watch for a dead fish on his doorstep… is this similar to a horse head in your bed. (I met the people who prepared the head for the Godfather movie. It was put down for medical reasons).

Bette is a fool. I hope she doesn’t have a serious medical issue in the mean time. Hate can twist one’s thinking in a huge bunch. Sad. I no longer have time for these people.

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on January 31, 2014
at 7:44 PM
Hi, Cynthia – Mr. Wildstein (great name, or what???) better watch for a dead fish on his doorstep… (Further explanation available, if needed.)

And today we learn a bit more about the famous “Bette,” whose medical insurance was canceled, and her premiums were about to go up by $700 a month, thanks to the ACA, as “reported” by the enchantingly sincere Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers. (Forgive me for not including the link.)

Turns out that she was offered a replacement – and much more costly – policy by her insurance company. (Surprise!!) But, by golly, “Bette” wasn’t even going to go to that Obama website to see what else might be available because, you know, it’s Obama… And she’s not going to have her freeeeedom compromised by the gummint, gol durn it! So, in her wisdom, “Bette” has decided that she, and her small company’s few employees, will just go without any insurance at all for the time being. Now, THAT’ll show ’em, won’t it?

Well, that puts five or six of her employees out there in the hunt for something reasonable. Maybe at least a few of them WILL go to the ACA site… Unless, of course, she’s warned them that they better not.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 31, 2014
at 6:57 PM
gato – Those people CC threw under the bus seem to be speaking out.
CC should have said – No comment, next question.

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on January 31, 2014
at 4:40 PM
.
Preview: Super Bowl Commercials
.
. 😉
.
Peace ~ Δ

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By: Whirled Peas Δ on January 31, 2014
at 2:30 PM
A little Friday morning WOW. Just some talent, an idea, any kind of canvas to create a masterpiece.

http://www.viralnova.com/simon-beck-snow-art/

http://www.viralnova.com/beach-art/

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on January 31, 2014
at 11:14 AM
I think I am in love, Helen.

Peace ~ Bear

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By: Bear on January 31, 2014
at 9:28 AM
I don’t believe that Christie did not know what was going on in his office or with his people. He is a smart man, pays attention to details, knows how to work the system to reach his goals/agenda. Doesn’t seem like someone who would allow his people to have a loose rein. Too much at stake for him to allow that behavior.

I lived in NJ for 28 years about 30 minutes from NYC. Still have connects there. Now live in the Finger Lakes region – NY.

Not everyone is pleased with what he has done in NJ. I haven’t paid enough attention to have an opinion.

IMO neither side has any good candidates to run for president. The ones I do like won’t run….too smart. We are in trouble!!

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on January 29, 2014
at 8:27 PM
Hi Lori! I sure am excited about the shades of “blue” peeking through the clouds in Texas!

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By: Easier on January 29, 2014
at 7:40 PM
Oh, Jeebus, Cynthia – How is it that things might actually be so much worse than we can possibly imagine…? I’m always looking at sources. Okay, this time it’s the NY Times. Good, solid reporting, or a lib/progressive rag? (I live in the NY metropolitan area, so I’m inclined toward the former, for whatever that’s worth.)

What if our gut feelings really MEAN something…? (If they don’t, why do we have them…?) What if looking at Christie and his size, and his pursed lips, and listening to his endless mea culpas, make us feel kind of queasy? Does that tell us anything? And what if we look at Ms. Cathy last night, and her “smile” seems… kind of nauseating? Does THAT mean something?

WHEN are we going to get scared enough to start realizing that we might possibly be the frogs in the water that is rapidly approaching boiling…?

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 29, 2014
at 7:16 PM
gato – Chris Christie – have you read this?

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on January 29, 2014
at 6:24 PM
Hi, Whirled – Biden is everything we love about Jack Nicholson, and nothing we don’t. Isn’t that amazing…?

What a cool dude, in the best possible way. And, as far as I know, he has NEVER used his own personal tragedies (and there have been many) as political fodder. Now, THAT is class.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 29, 2014
at 6:15 PM
.
Meet the daughters of Wendy Davis

Δ

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By: Whirled Peas Δ on January 29, 2014
at 4:27 PM
.
BIDEN !

Peace ~ Δ

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By: Whirled Peas Δ on January 29, 2014
at 4:23 PM
http://we-can-do-better.org/rep-cathy-mcmorris-rodgers-voting-record/

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By: lori on January 29, 2014
at 4:18 PM
She definitely gave off that “Stepford Wife” vibe, but what I didn’t appreciate was the sort of lecturing tone she took, along with a big dose of moral superiority. I preferred Obama’s “let’s give America a raise” message much more!

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By: Terri in NY on January 29, 2014
at 3:45 PM
Hi, again, Terri – Let’s all get together and send her a copy of Barbara Ehrenreich’s book, “Nickled and Dimed.”

Ms. McMorris Rogers’ little chat was addressed to the very “average American family” that the GOP is doing its damnedest to obliterate in its entirety. If you’re lucky enough to be sitting at the kitchen table worrying about paying your bills, at least you have a kitchen, and a table. And if you’re kissing your kids goodnight, at least you’re there when they’re going to bed – and they have beds. If her idea of coming from “nowhere” includes growing up on a farm with orchards, barns, and livestock, then she might as well be coming from Oz, as far as too many of her fellow citizens are concerned.

And, yes, dammit, those families living in low income “housing,” six to a room, and three kids to a bed, stuffing plastic bags into the holes in the wall so the rats can’t get in, ARE her fellow citizens! And so are the people living in cardboard boxes under a bridge, who line up outside the soup kitchen between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm for their only meal of the day.

Every time I think of her prim posture, her constant “smile” that bordered so frequently on an awkwardly painful grimace as she swallowed, and that damned gold brocade settee, I just want to scream…

Her only fault, though, was her apparent failure to understand how infuriating every bit of this might be to those Americans who’ve just had their food stamps cut, their unemployment benefits cut, their kids’ school lunches cut, and even their voting rights made more and more difficult to exercise. I wonder if she even asked her “handlers” how they thought she might be seen. Did she even ASK whether or not she might be able to present any specific ideas about all those “plans” she was required to mention…?

But, as Penom has pointed out, the “handlers” don’t give a flying f**k about how she is “seen.” She’s a female, with kids, married to a person of a different sex, and sort of pleasant – that’s all they can “handle” in a woman, and that’s how they think women should be. They really seem to believe that if they can just find a nice enough lady to dole out their rat poison, people will readily swallow it. I hope to god they are not correct…

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 29, 2014
at 3:07 PM
Yup, Gato, they spared us one of their usual shrill, abrasive members and instead gave us her. She said absolutely nothing, and her story about her son was nice, but I wonder how she would talk if she was a single mother making minimum wage and trying to take care of her kid with an extra chromosome.

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By: Terri in NY on January 29, 2014
at 1:26 PM
Cecelia Israel won TX house seat 50 with 60% of the vote !!!!!! Get use to a lot more of this 🙂 TURNING TX BLUE ONE DISTRICT AT A TIME.

And on the subject of the GOP rebuttal ( i use that word lightly ) I thought this tweet was spot on!

https://twitter.com/teapartycat/status/428584822509142016

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By: lori on January 29, 2014
at 1:01 PM
From Juanitajean:

“Dish Network and DirecTV on Monday announced a plan to jointly give political advertisers the ability to microtarget their ads down to the household level. That means that any of over 20 million homes in the United States will soon start getting highly personalized campaign spots that were meant just for them.”

http://www.juanitajean.com/2014/01/29/okay-this-freaks-me-out/#comments

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on January 29, 2014
at 12:25 PM
gato – I don’t have tv and my radio station kept fading in and out so I missed parts of Obama’s speech. Oh the joys of country living!

I did catch some of the rebuttal. To be honest all I could hear/imagine was her doing an imitation of Bobby Jindal (which I had actually watched…poor man). Only way it was worth listening to her. All words little detail/action…like their health care, jobs etc.

I read Stockman walked out. Hey Texas, has ‘the crazy’ polluted your water, food, your air maybe?

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on January 29, 2014
at 12:13 PM
Exactly, Terri – “Where was her needlepoint?”

Here’s how they probably originally wanted her to appear: Sitting on that nice (old-fashioned; “gold brocade”… really?) settee, wearing a full-length snuggly and her well-worn cozy slippers, with her hair in rollers, doing that needlepoint, while two or three adorable kittens snuggle next to her, and a cup of warm cocoa steamed on the side table. But the “stylists” stepped in, and suggested that might be going a little TOO far. So what we saw last night was the GOP rendition of a “strong, contemporary woman”… Sigh…
(They evidently thought that might be better received than their only apparent alternative… The Ann Coulter model. I’ll give them credit for that decision!)

There was also the unexplained folded flag displayed behind her. As far as I know, those are only provided to the next-of-kin of a deceased member of the Armed Forces. I kept wondering whose it was, and why it was there… Did I miss something?

And finally, yes FINALLY, after the litany of cheerfulness and empty fairy bubbles, there was the unmitigated gall of her talking about her “special needs” son, and NOT mentioning the GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED HEALTH CARE THAT WE PAY FOR AND FROM WHICH SHE AND HER FAMILY BENEFIT!! (Hark! Do I hear an echoing voice from the great state of Alaska…?)

The problem is not just that the GOP is, IMHO, morally wrong about so many things, but that they are so CLUELESS about how they present even their most vaporous chimeras of the sparkly wonderfulness which so inspires them… Fortunately, the chances of this little fireside chat winning over any new converts are probably less than zero. For that, at least, I am grateful.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 29, 2014
at 11:49 AM
That was a really lame Republican response to the SOTU. I also thought the staging was weird; sitting on an old fashioned sofa, wearing an outfit that didn’t look very professional, and talking about her own family. I think that’s the GOP’s ideal woman. As someone said (I’m paraphrasing) “where was her needlepoint.” And count me in as one of those who are sick of them talking about “government controlled healthcare.” In case they haven’t noticed, we have private insurance companies who run healthcare in this country and prior to the ACA the GOP never gave a damn when they cancelled policies, denied benefits, and dropped patients. Now they care? Give me a break.

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By: Terri in NY on January 29, 2014
at 11:18 AM
well, poor woman is right. but they used her ’cause she’s a nice looking nice lady who has young children, one of them in trouble, is married to a person of the opposite gender and will never run for pres so whatever she says can’t be used in the coming presidential campaign…and she’s a woman, not the older white man who genuinely represents the repuglican party. she really didn’t say anything. ok. she had her moment in the sun. now on to business

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By: PENOM@aol.com on January 29, 2014
at 11:05 AM
You suck. Both of you.

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By: Hurny on January 29, 2014
at 1:29 AM
Hi, Cynthia – That poor Republican woman…! As David Brooks said, her speechwriters didn’t do her any favors. (She also looks to me, somewhat disturbingly, like Laura Bush…)

After several minutes discussing how well her son is doing with his Down’s syndrome, and how we ALL have a lot of potential, just as he does, and how the GOP is working on a lot of “plans” (and not giving even a hint about what those “plans” might include), she ends up with saying, essentially, that she COULD offer us a prayer. I laughed out loud!

She said, in earnest, precisely what I said, with total sarcasm, at the end of my last post here… And said it on national television. And the GOP evidently thought that was a really good idea…

The Kool Aid stand was open extra hours tonight, that’s for sure.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 28, 2014
at 11:11 PM
Gato, if anyone must pick a 3rd world country to get help with health issues, try Rwanda. Yeah, I know. They had a really, really, really bad go of it not all that long ago but they now have affordable health care. I figure if they can afford it, so can we.

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By: mageen in old virginy on January 28, 2014
at 10:12 PM
gato – I totally agree with you. I just don’t understand any positive motive/solution to their ideas. I have an ethical objection to penis pumps and Viagra. Where in the Constitution is it stated a man has a right to an erection? (He’ll have one when he dies…. that should keep him happy for an eternity.)

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on January 28, 2014
at 9:25 PM
@cecilaisrael ***

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By: lori on January 28, 2014
at 9:14 PM
@cecileisreal ( the democrat ) is up 59% with early voting!!!!!

HUGE huge huge for battlegroundtx efforts! YAY US turn TX BLUE!

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By: lori on January 28, 2014
at 9:10 PM
Waving to Easier . I have missed you. How have you been?

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By: lori on January 28, 2014
at 8:59 PM
And thats why I luv you Cynthia ! ❤️❤️❤️🙌🙌🙌

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By: lori on January 28, 2014
at 8:57 PM
You are welcome jsri. It really must be hard for you without “wonder wife”. One day at a time, and God will see you through it.

Well, you are not going to believe me when I say this. I don’t read all the comments. To keep from getting aggravated, I am selective in the comments I read. Therefore I read mostly the “old timers” comments, and the not so old timers, whose views mirror mine. The rest does not pertain to me and does not concern me at all. That is how I deal with this site. I just find it offensive that some people come to a blog and show no respect to the hostesses. They are not people I would like to hang around with, whether they are on the internet or in my living room.

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By: Easier on January 28, 2014
at 8:51 PM
Austin you still have time to vote! Don’t know your polling place ? http://www.traviscountyclerk.org/eclerk/Content.do?code=E.4

Other news 30 minutes until SOTU . some reallllly good discussion going on @ #baracktalk come join the fun! 🙂

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By: lori on January 28, 2014
at 8:31 PM
Gee, thanks, Terri!

And I’m really glad to see some of you dropping by over at partyandsoul. Come by any time!

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 28, 2014
at 8:01 PM
Hi, Cynthia – It’s hard to know where to begin with this garbage…

The GOP actually “thinks” (??) that “sensitizing” people to the costs of health care is going to help them and their doctors make “smarter” medical decisions? What the hell is the “smarter” decision when you’re told that cataract surgery will cost you $6000.00? Deciding that you just can’t afford it, so will contentedly go blind? Is that the “smart” decision…? Maybe the “smart” decision is to become a citizen of some third world country, where surgeons from a group like Doctors Without Borders will take care of your cataract in twenty minutes, either for free or maybe for $15.00, if you can afford that much… Good god…

Why the hell don’t they consider the possibility of “sensitizing” hospitals, doctors, big pharma, and the insurance companies to the fact that some of their incomprehensibly high charges are causing people to stay sick and die…? (Let me just add that I’ve had more medical treatment in the last two years than in the entire rest of my many decades. I’ve always received excellent care, and it seems to me that the actual providers themselves often are extremely sensitive to the financial burdens of their patients. And they’re frequently under plenty of financial and paperwork pressure themselves.)

And the GOP doesn’t want to “force” people to pay for someone else’s abortion when it’s against their ethical “principles”…? Really? What if you have an ethical objection to appendix removal, or flu shots (as some people do)? Do they want to ask every taxpayer to fill out a list of medical treatments they personally find unacceptable, and make sure that nobody ever gets any of those, either? Surgery for diverticulitis? Not going to pay for that because I consider eating red meat immoral. Heart attack? Not going to pay for that, either, since you should have gone to the gym more often. Fell down and broke your leg after a Super Bowl party? Sorry – Drinking is a sin. Meds for depression or ADD or psychoses…? Nope; I believe those are punishments from the devil for your sins. But I will sit and pray with you for the lord’s forgiveness and mercy…

So it’s the GOP’s brilliant idea that one group’s “morals” should determine what kind of medical treatment anyone in the country can receive – unless they’ve got the money to pay for it. This whole thing is TOTAL LUNACY, and a MUCH more alarming example of “government interference in citizens’ private lives” than ANYTHING in the ACA act.

Talk about “sick”…! This “plan” beats all…

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 28, 2014
at 7:38 PM
And it just keeps coming! No war on women. Yeah, right

Three Senate Republicans unveiled an alternative to Obamacare Tuesday, offering their party a path forward if the GOP is ever successful in its ongoing attempts to repeal the health care reform law.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/28/obamacare-replacement_n_4680142.html

The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (H.R. 7), sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), would prohibit insurance plans sold in the new health care exchanges from covering abortion, and it would eliminate tax benefits for small businesses that purchase insurance plans covering abortion. The bill would also prevent the District of Columbia from using its own locally raised funds to subsidize abortion care for low-income women.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/28/no-taxpayer-funding-for-abortion-act_n_4681743.html

One of these days these may pass if we are not careful.

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on January 28, 2014
at 6:43 PM
Easier on January 27, 2014 at 10:59 PM

Thank you for your kind words. It’s truly devastating losing the one who has been the core of your universe for more than 61 years but that’s also a part the totality of life.

If I recall correctly, you are one of the earlier commenters on this site back in the time when we came here to sample Helen’s humorously skewed view of politics and to share comments from friends in very different parts of the country, and even beyond. I keep coming here hoping to recapture those moments but I fear that they are in danger of never being restored.

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By: jsri on January 28, 2014
at 4:31 PM
Don’t forget to vote Austin! I know its cold but think of the consequences of staying home!

Popping my popcorn for SOTU! ❤️My President.

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By: lori on January 28, 2014
at 2:46 PM
I think we all know what a talented writer Gato is. I encourage you to visit her wonderful blog to read more, you won’t be disappointed.

http://partyandsoul.wordpress.com/

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By: Terri in NY on January 28, 2014
at 1:14 PM
I so look forward to your writing. You just get it better than most !!!! Keep doing it !!!!! Helen in 2016 !!!!!

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By: CO BLU on January 28, 2014
at 11:44 AM
o, yes jsri…i’m amused because when my grands tell me with careful patience and i can see they r aggravated…”but it’s quantum science…” i always respond with…”so far” i keep saying we have learned X…so far…when i was a kid buck rogers was a fantasy..now the whole world is buck rogering all over the place. there is always more to learn, things we haven’t ‘found’ yet so nothing is so absolute that there isn’t room for, at least, conjecture.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on January 28, 2014
at 9:51 AM
Pete Seeger died. There will be singing in heaven! I saw him on the Clearwater many years ago. He was part of cleaning up the Hudson River. We sang his songs around a campfire more than once. He will be missed!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/28/pete-seeger-died-folk-singer-songwriter-obituary_n_4678019.html

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on January 28, 2014
at 9:16 AM
“Poor things up there in Alaska just waiting for Aunt Flo to fly in on a bomber from Russia…” Gem-quality, I tell ya, gem-quality.

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By: Fii on January 28, 2014
at 7:03 AM
jsri, I have not been to this site for a while. Just got a hint about something awful happening to you when I read Auntie Jean’s comment and then Whirled spelled it. I am really sorry for your loss. We got to know your wonderful wife through your posts. What a big loss for you and your family. Please accept my sincere condolences.

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By: Easier on January 27, 2014
at 10:59 PM
Just about to turn in for the night and decided to check if anything new has been posted. Thanks for the chuckle Helen and Margaret! You have been missed.

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By: Easier on January 27, 2014
at 10:27 PM
Hi, Jsri – And god love you for finding the time, and the inclination, to post here these days. James is just going to continue to be James, here, enjoying this forum to convince himself that he’s right about everything, all the time. It’s apparently what he needs to do. We are tons more fun for him than some blog that would agree with him all the time!

You might want to check out my blog at partyandsoul.wordpress.com. My most recent post is based on some of my posts here, and it’s about people who must be RIGHT all the time. You might like it; I hope you do.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 27, 2014
at 9:57 PM
Whenever James starts claiming he has “proof “ supported by “facts”, stomachs churn. As one long retired from a field of science, I learned early on to question anyone who carelessly flings these words around. Scientific arguments are based on accumulated “evidence” because as soon as one lays claim to a “truth” or a “fact” such an idea is open to testing and re-evaluation and if evidence changes when new data is acquired or as new technologies come forth, these so-called “truths” or “facts” change, often dramatically. Proof, should may be reserved for scotch or hard liquor because, in the world of science, applications of these words are deemed slipshod or imprecise. Repeating identical opinions from different sources may be passed off as evidence but opinions are not proof of anything. It’s easy to deliberately misinterpret and misstate an opponent’s position and then declaring “I won”, but when using the words “truth” or “facts” as the basis of a rebuttal makes the “win” immediately suspect.

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By: jsri on January 27, 2014
at 8:36 PM
Hi, Penom – Just say you agree with whatever, and that will be an end to it. James seems to be very… focused, shall we say.

With you, and evidently Auntie Jean, in your eighties, I see that I have something to which I can look forward! (And not that far in the future, I might add.)

I consolidated a few of my recent remarks here into a new post on my own blog, and I will take the liberty of giving you the address…

It’s partyandsoul.wordpress.com. I’m not so good at linking, but I think if you type that in, you’ll find it.

Thanks for being an inspiration!

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 27, 2014
at 4:16 PM
Guess I wound Dana up….Blowing Republicans!!!!!!…..
James…James…James…don’t confuse Liberals with facts or truths…
do I need to explain the other half of the condom writing joke(when they say NO, say I didn’t think so)(implies shortness)

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By: uawtradesman on January 27, 2014
at 1:50 PM
Hi Auntie Jean,

Glad you liked Attraction.

It was actually my Mrs idea. I told her about jsri’s wife passing and MsPeas knows how I like to make brief posts with a ‘thoughtful’ link, she suggested that.

And believe me Jean, with every cold snap I think of taking you up on the invite to come and visit you out there in Hawaii. I lived in Fla for 25 years before moving back north and these bone-chilling temps are enough to make me run for the beach. 🙂

As far as everyone else (you know who you are), sorry I didn’t get back to ‘youse guys’. I had soooo much more about the TeaParty but this new post brought that thread to an end. I’m sure we’ll have plenty more opportunities to wade into that fetid swamp. 😉

Peace ~ Δ

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By: Whirled Peas Δ on January 27, 2014
at 1:13 PM
there can be five people present at the same time at the same event and one can obtain six different reviews of what happened. it’s a duplicate, so to speak, of ‘he said, she said’. have none of u ever been somewhere with a friend/partner and started telling what happened and the other looked at you and asked…were we at the same place? so, when james makes his declarations, it is thru his lens that he sees and when i make mine it is thru my lense that i see. what, to james, might be more of an attack on the democrats but to the rest of us is an obvious attack on women…is his lens. now that i’ve made such a reasonable argument…. lemme tell ya james…the republicans and the tea party are so blatantly anti female that it boggles the mind…including that moronic woman (there r some) whose name i have blessedly forgot and whose outrageous fairy tale i have also forgotten. lily ledbetter notwithstanding…every single move against choice has been repub/tp originated and pursued; the denial of food stamps, the plots to overturn any social program that helps mothers (pre school, after school, planned parenthood) has been viciously attacked by the repubs/tp: AND still they come…those old white men…to deny and accuse women, to lay fault at women’s feet. it takes two to tango and when the ‘father’ departs, who stays and fights for her child/ren? not him! no, sir. who is it that defaults on support? not her! she’s busting her tail trying to earn enuf (at less than he makes per hour) to feed her kids, do the laundry, keep the house in decent order, pay attention to the children and their medical and educational needs. where is he? out bragging he knocked her up? or hiding under a rock because the authorities r trying to find him to support his progeny. u have a grand daughter. u share in her upbringing. u share in her life. can u imagine what it’s like for one adult to try to do it all? can u possibly imagine what it is for a child to have one very tired, totally beset adult to turn to? o, james………….tsk tsk

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By: PENOM@aol.com on January 27, 2014
at 12:09 PM
Most of you realize James is just here to play games with us. This “game” makes sense only to James. Personally I think he spent way too much time by himself making huge mountains out of something he should have learned by the time he entered high school. But, of course, it couldn’t be his fault so he created his own version of the event and accepted the comfortable position of Victim.

Most of us realize we can make a freaken a$$hole of ourselves at times. We accept those times and move on trying not to repeat them. Others never realize it and continue to be one.

Uncle Huckleberry as governor required insurance companies to include birth control in their policies. So why is he blaming Dems for the same thing? Why shouldn’t it be included? It benefits both the woman and the man in her life. I needed to ask why?

“But like the original federal regulation proposed by Obama, the Arkansas law did not exempt church-affiliated hospitals and universities. It exempts only “religious employers” that are nonprofit organizations whose primary mission is “the inculcation of religious values,” and primarily employ people who share the same religion, a standard few Catholic hospitals meet.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/24/mike-huckabee-birth-control_n_4659975.html

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on January 27, 2014
at 11:53 AM
Hi Gato,
Loved your long post. Yes, I agree, Joe Biden is a national treasure. And yes, he sometimes sticks his foot in his mouth, but he is never malicious. He’s the genuine article.
I totally get your point about talking with folks with different viewpoints, and I like to think I can be open-minded, but jeez, around here I sometimes feel like I’m banging my head against a brick wall when trying to respond to a certain poster. But, that’s a mistake that is mine, and one of these days I hope I can remember to just let it go; although the condescending tone and the insistence that he is right just rubs me the wrong way.

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By: Terri in NY on January 27, 2014
at 9:38 AM
James –

When someone calls you a name, whether it’s a pleasant or an unpleasant one, may I humbly suggest that the simplest, and most likely, conclusion that should be drawn from that statement is that he or she actually feels that way about you, for whatever reason. Whether or not the statement is “true” or “not true” can certainly be debated, but the only hard “fact” in the situation is that the person made the statement.

For you to come to any other conclusion may be seen as strictly the result of your own creative interpretation – an interpretation that most always seems to lead you to yet another positive conclusion about yourself. That’s fine, of course, but does little to bolster your declared position that you are purely and simply a cool-headed fact checker who seeks nothing but pure and simple “truth.” Sadly, some might just as easily find your “conclusion” to demonstrate exactly the opposite: That you are much more interested in presenting yourself as ever-omniscient than you are in any truth-seeking at all!

The same logic may be applied to your statement that some people have been “snookered.” Your simply saying that has no bearing, whatsoever, on whether or not the statement is “true.” (See first paragraph, above.) All it really tells anyone who is looking for real “facts” is that you said it.

Were I to state that the sky is always a deep magenta on a sunny summer day, and then add that it must be true because I have “proven” it (and have several other “sources” who have also stated that the sky is magenta, and could find many more if I just had the time), would that make me correct…? Would you dare to disagree…?

(And, by the way, your disagreement with my statement would not prove, in any way, that I had “won the argument”! Well, it wouldn’t, unless I were you…)

I realize that you may find my opinion disappointing. I’m sure you won’t let it ruin your busy day!

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 27, 2014
at 9:34 AM
Good to see you back. Great post. I think you mean “fool-proof” not “full-proof”.

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By: Anonymous on January 27, 2014
at 9:05 AM
Why, after reporters corrected themselves, did you not know Huckabee was ostensively criticizing Democrats and not women? Why did it take you so long to understand after the facts were presented? because, james, that’s your interpretation. it isn’t a thing to ‘know’, it is what YOU think. and i say what he said is…get a grip u females ’cause no one’s taxes r gonna pay for your libidinous behavior.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on January 27, 2014
at 8:45 AM
i’m smiling…yes…just when i’m full of pleasure at being so smart or so intuitive or so anything, God taps me on the shoulder (w/some event in my life) and whispers, “shmuck.”

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By: PENOM@aol.com on January 27, 2014
at 8:43 AM
I don’t have time to play today. When Lori calls me a boring troll, I know I have won the argument. My point was that you were snookered. The fact is that you were. So far, no one has answered these questions.

Why, after reporters corrected themselves, did you not know Huckabee was ostensively criticizing Democrats and not women?

Why did it take you so long to understand after the facts were presented?

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By: James on January 27, 2014
at 8:08 AM
Hi, Cynthia – Now that’s an interesting question: Bill the family or the State…? And you wonder how the family’s (and the hospital’s) insurance companies will come down in this… Can’t imagine that there won’t be dozens of lawsuits coming. What a shame all around.

This is a “perfect” example of how there just isn’t any “certainty,” no matter how much we humans think we can anticipate any and every possible way something could go… Whatever is ruled here, though, is bound to become precedence in the future. And then something else unforeseen will happen…

Don’t mean to be pessimistic here! We – at least lots of us – do the best we can. It’s when one single-minded, obsessive, ideology is the ONLY thing considered (in this case, “protecting unborn children”), this is very likely the kind of thing we’ll get. In my own life, I often find myself hearing the Universe saying, “Oh, year? You’re so smart? What do you think about THIS?” And, HTG, it usually makes me laugh… Sometimes with delight, at a totally unexpected wonderful something that happens, but always with the acknowledgement of having been “found out,” and surprised, by forces at work much greater, more imaginative, and more creative than I.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 26, 2014
at 8:16 PM
Cynthia, intetesting fact : the co author of the bill went public to say the hospital has misinterputed the law from the beginning. The law was never meant to be applied on this situation .

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By: lori on January 26, 2014
at 7:48 PM
The pregnant woman in Texas has been taken off the machines. This is a difficult situation for her family to have to go through. Hopefully they will find closure and peace. Very sad.

And the hospital as well I suppose. I wonder if the hospital will bill her family or the state of Texas for her care these past two months.

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on January 26, 2014
at 7:29 PM
J.J. You’re right. The troll is such a douche. He is not only ignorant, he is so boring. Is there anything worse than a boring troll?

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By: lori on January 26, 2014
at 7:26 PM
Great post Margaret & Helen!

This “James” person needs to get a life.

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By: J.J. Armstrong on January 26, 2014
at 5:35 PM
Arrrggghhhhh… James, you just don’t get it. You are twisting what Huckabee said in a concerted effort to somehow condemn the Dems. I give up.

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By: Terri in NY on January 26, 2014
at 5:07 PM
Yes, Cynthia, Huff gave the same quote my other source did because it was true. Both writers said roughly the same thing. I could have given you many more citations. The fact is that reporters inaccurately told the story, corrected themselves, and many people didn’t realize what had happened. Huckabee was dumping on the Democrats, not women. I already told you I didn’t like his statement, but he was accusing Democrats of treating women that way. He was not describing women. Something is either true or untrue. That Huckabee was criticizing Democrats, not women is true.

Check my sources, Jan. Then, do your own research. My miss- spelled words don’t change the facts.

Terri, I don’t like the term “Uncle Sugar.” Our government spends money on most of us, not just women I support birth control aid for poor women. Therefore . I can’t give you something I don’t believe. Since you want an example, I give you Sandra Fluke. I don’t know her, but she doesn’t seem to have an out of control libido. Some people do think she is a symbol of our government’s spending too much on things it ought not be doing.

With the implied presence of Sandra Fluke in the room, I think Huckabee parted the curtain on his own subconscious thoughts. He sounds like the creepy uncle who trades candy for a kiss on the upstairs landing. That’s what should anger you.

. I already wrote Huckabee’s comments were stupid. Men and woman have equally diverse lives and ideologies. The Democrats’ patronizing assumption is that they speak for all women. For example, they tend to denigrate pro – life people when the numbers of pro- choice and pro- life women are about evenly split. They also imply through “Julia” etc that their paternalism will care for women because they can’t make it on their own. .

They also take advantage of comments like Huckabee’s to portray Republicans as regressive prudes and that Democrats are their champions when the White House can’t even pay women an equal salary as of a couple of years ago.

Republicans are helping them win the PR battle through their inept heavy- handed cluelessness. Huckabee handed the Democrats a gift they will use to inflame emotions. More disturbing is that so many people didn’t realize they were duped into believing Huckabee said something he didn’t. It is another sign the Democrats are winning the debate. They are surely happy so many people are reacting to something which didn’t happen.

.

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By: james on January 26, 2014
at 4:54 PM
Hi, Terri – Let me just start by saying that Joe Biden can get his foot out of his mouth faster, and with more grace and humor, than anyone else on the planet! (I LOVE THE VPOTUS!!)

That noted, it seems somehow “unkind” to expect Huckleberry, or Christie, or Rand the Paul, or even our own James, to be able to achieve the same unassailable pinnacle. But, HTG, you’d think they might at least TRY to do a LITTLE better, wouldn’t you? Inevitably, a story about the “clarification” of remarks they made, on average, about thirty-four minutes before they started “clarifying,” follows hard upon their original utterances. (Actually, James seems to have studied more in the “If three sources won’t convince you, I have seven more just like them that certainly will” school of clarification.) If you can’t be “clear” about what you’re saying in the first place, why bother saying it at all…?

Have you ever come across anyone in your real life who just had to be “right” all the time? (I actually married someone who was much like more like that than he is these days, I can assure you…) I’m not talking about someone with a strongly-held POV, even one that is bolstered by any number of “facts” and “sources.” I’m talking about someone who makes it very clear that his or her entire view of the Universe and its functioning, and where he or she stands in that Universe, would be totally obliterated by having to say, even once, something like, “I’m not really sure,” or “You have an interesting point there,” or even, “Hey… How should I know?”

In any disagreement, two of my loved one’s most frequently summoned phrases used to be (1) “If you knew the facts, you’d agree with me,” and (2) “Everybody agrees that…” Only rarely would he fall back on, “I just can’t waste my time with you on this any more right now; I have to clip my nails/blow my nose/go see if the mail’s come yet/check my emails/scratch my backside.” After years of my reacting to any of these phrases in a loud, insistent, and distinctly unladylike fashion, he finally let them go. (For my part, I did make a concerted effort not to snort, roll my eyes, or whisper “What a revolting slime ball” under my breath, when certain pundits appeared on a certain faux news channel…) Neither concession has changed either of our opinions, but it’s certainly made for a less contentious shared life.

But we don’t always have the opportunity to put such effort into many of the more casual encounters in our lives, nor are many of those efforts really worth making, frankly. The older I get, the more comfortable I am with the notion that I actually do not know EVERYTHING (although I know plenty); that I CAN be incorrect from time to time, and that nobody dies, not even myself, when I just admit that. And it can save so much time and energy!

Real “facts” are, it seems to me, few and far between. Is the proverbial glass half full, or half empty? And, in reference to Penom’s wonderful analogy, is the person who only eats ten cookies really “on a diet,” because someone else ate thirty-four…? Yes, and no. Ten cookies can seem like a “diet” to one person, and like wanton indulgence to someone else who’s never eaten more than two at a time.

Ideologies, religions, economic theories, moralities, and a whole lot of other Big Things, are based on hunches, opinions, and feelings – and our backgrounds. But our culture gives little credence to any of those things, so we have to look for some other justification, and we seem to especially like “facts” for that purpose. These days, the number and variety of available “facts” are practically immeasurable. We happily pick and choose the “facts” we think will be most useful in supporting our points of view, or taking down someone else’s. And then we argue about whose “facts” are the best. (Of course, we don’t know any more about that than we do about any number of other things, but it rarely slows us down…)

We struggle endlessly for proof of a certainty that, it seems to me, has never existed, and never will. I have never seen any real “certainty” anywhere in the natural world. There are plenty of very likely probabilities, and a world of potentials, but I am hard-pressed to think of any “natural law” that has functioned precisely the same, without fail, in every single case. Why would any of us think that only we, in the midst of all this, would find any “certainty”?

It seems to me that life is much more like a Zen parable than it is like fundamentalist dogma…

But, as I’m well aware, that’s just my opinion, isn’t it?

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 26, 2014
at 4:24 PM
This Huckabee nonsense is just more of the same old conservative crap about putting women back in ‘their place,’ the home. We women are having nothing of it, his idiotic comment just means more votes for our candidates. And while they are trying to take us all back to the nineteen forties and fifties, I want it known, I am not giving up my automatic washer/dryer, my dishwasher, or my microwave. While the pill and IUD might have liberated my performance in the bedroom, and I don’t recall any complaints at the time, my timesaving appliances freed up my time so I could go out into the world. Men need to accept responsibility for their own lives and quit trying to gas light women, we are not the cause of your problems. And to our allies, the strong masculine liberal men we married, I want to say thank you for being a part of our lives, I love you.

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By: No One's Puppet on January 26, 2014
at 3:07 PM
[…] Uncle Sugar meets Aunt Flo. […]

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By: Weekend link dump for January 26 – Off the Kuff on January 26, 2014
at 3:05 PM
“… victims of their gender …”
Interesting choice of words.

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By: Bob D on January 26, 2014
at 2:54 PM
James,
Please provide an example of a Democrat calling on “Uncle Sugar” to assist women in controlling their out of control libidos. I’ll wait. The man’s comments were stupid and untrue, so don’t try to obscure the real issue with diversions about which media commentators misrepresented his comments.
Also, please remember that it was Obama who passed the Lily Ledbetter act in spite of the GOP’s opposition.

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By: Terri in NY on January 26, 2014
at 2:29 PM
Democrats tell women ‘they cannot control their bodies with the government
“The Huff Post “Mike Huckabee. “Democrats tell women ‘they cannot control their bodies with the government”.” – James

(We may not speed read but we know to read the article for info not just the headline. Huffpo gave the same quote your source gave.)

“Our party stands for the recognition of the equality of women and the capacity of women,” Huckabee told his audience at the Republican National Committee’s winter meeting in downtown Washington. “That’s not a war on them. It’s a war for them. And if the Democrats want to insult the women of America by making them believe that they are helpless without Uncle Sugar coming in and providing for them a prescription each month for birth control, because they cannot control their libido or their reproductive system without the help of the government, then so be it.” – Huffington Post

“Huckabee told GOP leaders on Thursday that women are “outraged” when Democrats paint them as nothing but “victims of their gender.”

“Women I know are outraged that Democrats think that women are nothing more than helpless and hopeless creatures whose only goal in life is to have the government provide for them birth control medication,” he said. “Women I know are smart, educated, intelligent, capable of doing anything that anybody else can do.” “- Huffington Post

What states/party are/is teaching “abstinence only”, no biological reproductive info, attempting to outlaw many forms of reliable bc, or making a legal procedure almost impossible in many states because women are not capable of making those decisions for themselves? The Gasping Old Perverts party that’s who.

Peace.

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By: Cynthia on January 26, 2014
at 2:28 PM
May I also comment that while the right wing is screaming about organizations or the government paying for women’s birth control, they are overlooking the fact that health coverage through their employment is in lieu of part payment for doing that job. Therefore, I would say that the company or the government is not paying for that birth control, the woman herself is paying for it. We are just saying the insurance company should not be discriminating on the basis of gender/ sex.

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By: jan on January 26, 2014
at 1:54 PM
I just discovered this blog, but I have to comment to James that if he wants to educate other readers, he should cut out the misspellings. It is hard to take someone seriously if he cannot spell a simple word. Also, some of us are obviously older than he is and has seen more history and have more perspective on these subjects. I doubt very much if he lived through the misogyny of the 70s etc. To see it rise again is very irritating to those of us of the female persuasion.

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By: jan on January 26, 2014
at 1:47 PM
HI, again, Penom – At this point, “Lawdee, lawdee” is probably the perfect response… Rather predictably, several more sources were brought to bear, before (also rather predictably) what might have been an even more detailed “rebuttal” could be mounted, due to the clarion call of grandfatherly duties. (I gotta remember to thank that little girl sometime!)

When somebody has so much personally invested in being absolutely, totally, one hundred percent, unquestionably “right” about something – or about everything – there comes a point at which looking toward the heavens and/or leaving the fray are the only reasonable options. (And, yes, you will hear that “leaving the argument” is the last refuge of the ill-informed… But, hey! Wait a minute! I don’t think you’re the one who had to “go to Omaha,” are you…???)

At any moment, I expect to be told that, according to The Daily Caller, Moses has descended once again from the mountaintop, carrying a new stone tablet that says, “James is correct. About everything, forever and ever. Amen.”

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 26, 2014
at 1:30 PM
a wrong is a wrong is a wrong. the fact that u also commit the wrong doesn’t make me right. i.e. if the dems don’t pay women equally with men, they are just as wrong as huckabee is in his statements. that always drove me nuts. if i accuse u of eating 10 cookies and claiming u r on a diet, the fact that i ate 32 cookies doesn’t change a bloody thing. u still ate the 10 cookies and claimed u were on a diet. period. it’s like if ur late to a meeting and, gasping, explain…”i had a flat tire on the way here…” and someone else says, “o, that’s nothing, i had two flat tires last week.” ok, so now there are three flat tires and not one of them relieved any of the others. what does that mean? (eyes rolling ceilingward) lawdee lawdee

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By: PENOM@aol.com on January 26, 2014
at 1:10 PM
Richard, that comment about circular firing squads is almost good enough to be posted on court house walls. I sometimes wonder how a variety of Republicans manage to find their way home at night.

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By: James on January 26, 2014
at 1:05 PM
I don’t have time to look up more citations, because we are preparing to return to Omaha and our grand daughter. Later, if you want.

You can do some research. The Obama White House, for example doesn’t pay all women as much as the men, or it didn’t in 2012. A female Colorado legislator countered a Democratic resolution criticizing the Republicans’ war on women by adding an amendment supporting equal pay for women in the White House.

Forbes “The Republican War on Women is a Fiction of the Liberal Media Elite. 11/2/2012.

You will probably disagree with its conclusions, but you can double check with other sources.

Pay attention to Huckabee’s latest tempist. See if liberal commentators use it as an other example of the Republican war on women when in reality it was a really dumb comment by a man who was pandering to conservative crowd Such people do not represent all of the Republican Party though Democrats would like us to believe they do.

The same process is ongoing when Democrats portray the Tea Party as something it is not. Republicans do the same to manipulate us into voting for them.

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By: James on January 26, 2014
at 1:02 PM
Democrats can have no greater allies than Republicans who can’t resist a circular firing squad

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By: Richard Blumenthal on January 26, 2014
at 12:58 PM
PENOM, I saw the comment too. Yes, the man is a fool.

Here is the quote.

“And if the Democrats want to insult the women of America by making them believe that they are helpless without Uncle Sugar coming in and providing for them from a prescription each month for birth control because they cannot control their libido or their reproductive system without the help of the government, then, so be it. Lets take that discussion all across America, because women are far more than Democrats make them out to be.” DC Decolder Peter Grier a Christian Science Monitor editor.

The Huff Post “Mike Huckabee. “Democrats tell women ‘they cannot control their bodies with the government”.

David Weigal of Slate Magazine was there and taped the comment which he quoted in his post.

The two reporters who misunderstood and started the uproar admitted their mistakes. Others manipulated people to inflame anger ahead of the next election.

Many of you were had.

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By: James on January 26, 2014
at 12:35 PM
james…democrats ‘also’ pander to women? who panders to women? o, wait…it must b the TP, right? i’m gettin’ really annoyed.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on January 26, 2014
at 12:31 PM
Well said, Penom – And brace yourself for an extensive reply and a detailed “justification.” Despite occasional proclamations to the contrary, James apparently builds his life on a foundation of being “right,” and knowing the “truth” about pretty much everything. Not an easy job, and one that requires constant vigilance!

And now Rand Paul is busying himself with trying to “clarify” his recent remarks about how unmarried women with one child “probably” shouldn’t have any more. It’s pretty hard to make any reasonable argument denying the interconnection among being an unmarried woman, having many children, and living in poverty, because it’s statistically clear that those things do impact one another. Of course, every woman has the “right” to have as many children as she wants; but, as we all know, having a “right” doesn’t mean the exercise of it is a good idea in certain circumstances. (See: “Gun rights,” or “Second Amendment rights,” for example.)

You’d think, given Paul’s contention, that he’d feel that easy access to affordable birth control would be a “right,” too, wouldn’t you…?

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 26, 2014
at 12:29 PM
no, james, u have not demonstrated anything other than we disagree…which is just fine. if you cannot see the total insult to women (and to intelligent, sensitive men) in huckabee’s statement(s) then we could never get together on this. i would think, i am surprised that you don’t, see the insult. u r intelligent and, i thought, sensitive. how anyone, ANYONE, can possibly believe that women are less able to make their own health choices than men are to make theirs is beyond me, frankly. the same women this society leaves the rearing of our future to, the same women who run households which includes their financial activities and health care…are considered unable to determine when to have a child and when to use birth control?

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By: PENOM@aol.com on January 26, 2014
at 12:25 PM
lolllllllllllll, no, auntie jean, i am 83…so we r the same oldth. i type as i do in rebellion. as an old english major, as an author, as one brought up by strict new englanders, i rebel…i do not spell nor do i punctuate nor will i except when it is essential (like submitting a mss or article or when it is imperative that there be no misunderstanding at all). as for texting, for me that is a dirty word. when daughter and i enjoy our weekly ‘girls’ night out’ if she takes out that terrible ithing, i glare and it gets shoved out of sight immediately. i’m here now, with you, take advantage of that or let’s go our separate ways. when ur ready to njoy my company, it will b w/o that damned iphone or ipad or iwotever.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on January 26, 2014
at 12:13 PM
u know uncle sugar pays not only for viagra but insurance companies pay for…lol, senior moment here…vasectomies. don’t u see? these men cannot conceive, carry and deliver and then sustain life. it’s the only thing women can do that men cannot. it drives some of the batshit nuts. (no pun intended)

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By: PENOM@aol.com on January 26, 2014
at 12:04 PM
whoa james. i heard what huckabee said myself. on TV. (on abc, as a matter of fact) no one had to interpret that for me. the man is a fool. uncle sugar? what the hell is that? does he deny saying uncle sugar? no, this time u cannot blame those networks u don’t like. i heard precisely what he said, which was precisely reported on msnbc programs that i watched. no, james. the man hasn’t a clue. none. u wanna point out dishonesty or mistakes in reporting? go for it, i’ll b right there w/you. but not this one, james…this one i heard myself. i turned to my partner to ask him if he heard what i did and he was still sitting with his mouth open and an expression of confusion on his face. and this guy (my partner) graduated two major universities and built a highly successful career. so he isn’t a dope. like huckabee. sheesh! u can do better than that, james.

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By: PENOM@aol.com on January 26, 2014
at 11:55 AM
Searching for Uncle Sugarman was a good (although inaccurate) documentary.

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By: Grung_e_Gene on January 26, 2014
at 11:25 AM
Mageen, we had a 50 degree temperature early this morning, and by after noon we are supposed to have snow squalls, 60MPH wind gusts, and a temperature falling to -7 tonight. We have had several fifty to sixty degree temperature swings with wind gusts as high as 67MPH this month with drought conditions..

Democrats also pander to women and minorities. They just do it differently.

At least, your genealogy shows some notables. Mine has Vikings, Sami, and witch craft trials. However,most of the women were not shrinking violets.

Tacitus wrote that a Sami woman prepared a hammock in her tent. Then she gave birth,. wrapped the baby in fur and put it in the hammock. Others were there to watch the baby, so after a few hours rest, she joined her husband in a reindeer hunt.

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By: james on January 26, 2014
at 10:14 AM
Dear porch dwellers, greeting from the frozen South. In the past few days we have hit temps that registered us as colder than Bismark!!! Believe me, that was not our ambition! As for Huck’s truly dumb comments, they are not unusual. He is following in the footsteps of certain other pols and wannabe pols in his party. There is apparently a tremendous fear of women, especially as competitors in any domain. Historical? Yes. See Salem witch trials. What the churchmen were after was really the assets these women had such as land. It was nothing more than gender genocide. We women are very aware of these historical events and in this day and age, we actually thought we would never see such attitudes again but OMG there they are! And yes, we will defend ourselves and our daughters and grand-daughters.

And what the heck is this about the French? Golly Moses! As a pup I went
back and forth with my family to my father’s hometown in Canada and I picked up the language enough to communicate my needs in a restaurant or yell for help. My geneology also revealed that on my mother’s side I am related to the wife of the Marquis de Lafayette, a women who stuck like glue to her husband no matter what he went through. Ten to one if anyone even hinted at her libido, the Marquis would have challenged himto a duel and won.

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By: mageeninoldvirginny on January 26, 2014
at 8:20 AM
Clayo, I agree. it seems Huckabee’s underlying attitude is rigid. I know little about the subject, but if Viagra is subsidized so should women who need it get help for birth control etc. Double standards are unfair.

As I wrote, the song “I shot the Sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy vaguely applies.

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By: james on January 26, 2014
at 8:02 AM
First, I don’t agree with Huckabee’s social views, and I wouldn’t vote for him. I think his comment was just plain dumb. He should have criticized the Democratic party in a less inflammatory However, for so many people to react so emotionally to an error is disturbing.

Gato, Terri, etc. I am very careful about researching something because if what I write is wrong, people will tell me. I learned in grad school and college classes to document everything from right and left. I also learned that if someone attacked one of my sources, I had others in reserve.

I have to multi- task sometimes

Had you read the Daily Caller, you would have known about the mistake. The Daily Caller quoted the Washington Post, and I later quoted the BBC. A blogger I cited posed a time line with actual tweets from the reporters as they got it wrong and then with their corrections. One was on television with Andrea Mitchel as the story unfolded.

I also heard with my own ears what Huckabee said . Two reporters did too and got it wrong. They corrected themselves. People with an agenda repeated the error for their political advantage.

I HAVE demonstrated that many here were duped because they heard what they wanted to hear.

Just like Emily Litella,

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By: james on January 26, 2014
at 7:50 AM
Hi Congenial Gang,

Penny, before I get too distracted I want to mention that it looks like you can text. I admire you for that! Our kids and grandkids do it all the time. I wish I could. I can usually read it but I haven’t learned how to write it – – – yet. But then I am much older than you. I’m 84.

Also Peas, Ole Buddy, I have always enjoyed your brief posts and fascinating links. You are one of my favorite computer geniuses here! You make it look so easy. I don’t know how or where you manage to find the links. As you know, we have invited you, your wife and cat to move in with us so we can have an in-resident technology expert, but so far you haven’t taken us up on it. The offer still stands. We will feed you and do your laundry too! Your cat can hobnob with the neighborhood felines while your wife and I do silly girl talk.

My husband and I especially loved your link on 1/23/14 @ 3:49PM of the “2013 in Review” post here. It’s about “Attraction” – The semi-finals on “Britain’s Got Talent”. If anyone here hasn’t watched it, it’s well worth tracking down. It is by far one of the most artistic expressions we have seen in a long time. Soooooo creative!!!! We have sat here and watched it 3-4 times. That’s a keeper going into our personal memorabilia file.

Thanks. It is always good to “see” you.

Lastly, jsri, I’m glad you could take a little time off from this, undoubtedly one of the most difficult experiences by far of your life. Just know we are here for you. Hang in there dear friend.

Nighty-night, everyone.

Aloha! Namaste. Shalom. Saalam. Peace.

Auntie Jean

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By: Anonymous on January 26, 2014
at 2:08 AM
Hi Congenial Gang,

penny, before I get too distracted I want to mention that it looks like you can text. I admire you for that! Our kids and grandkids do it all the time. I wish I could. I can usually read it but I haven’t learned how to write it – – – yet. But then I am much older than you. I’m 84.

Also Peas, Ole Buddy, I have always enjoyed your brief posts and fascinating links. You are one of my favorite computer geniuses here! You make it look so easy. I don’t know how or where you manage to find the links. As you know, we have invited you, your wife and cat to move in with us so we can have an in-resident technology expert, but so far you haven’t taken us up on it. The offer still stands. We will feed you and do your laundry too! Your cat can hobnob with the neighborhood felines while your wife and I do silly girl talk.

My husband and I especially loved your link on 1/23/14 @ 3:49PM of the “2013 in Review” post here. It’s about “Attraction” – The semi-finals on “Britain’s Got Talent”. If anyone here hasn’t watched it, it’s well worth tracking down. It is by far one of the most artistic expressions we have seen in a long time. Soooooo creative!!!! We have sat here and watched it 3-4 times. That’s a keeper going into our personal memorabilia file.

Thanks. It is always good to “see” you.

Lastly, jsri, I’m glad you could take a little time off from this, undoubtedly one of the most difficult experiences by far of your life. Just know we are here for you. Hang in there dear friend.

Nighty-night, everyone,

Aloha! Namaste. Shalom. Saalam. Peace.

Auntie Jean

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By: Anonymous on January 26, 2014
at 2:04 AM
Emily Litella

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By: Tina Louise on January 25, 2014
at 10:27 PM
James – “Leftists and Democcrats” have no monopoly on “feigning rage,” and THAT’s a “truth” you have NOT demonstrated. (Not all young black men can play great basketball, either, BTW…)

And I do wish you’d stop telling us how relatively careless you can be when you are not “writing for money.” Makes me wonder how careful you are in your research if you are playing with your granddaughter while putting together your broadly-documented opinions… (And that’s what they are: Your opinions.)

But maybe you consider yourself to be a fabulous multi-tasker, as well as a speed reader and fast typist… Could be! I, myself, find that concentrating on one thing at a time usually produces better, and more thoughtful, results.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 25, 2014
at 9:19 PM
James, we all heard with our own ears what he said. I, for one, don’t need anybody interpreting it or analyzing it for me. And jsri is right, the Daily Caller is a rightwing rag.

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By: Terri in NY on January 25, 2014
at 8:43 PM
to me, it sounds like he is really angry about women having the freedom to enjoy our natural libido, bodies, youth, personal private choices, and freedom to plan our families with affordable birth control. So what is his take on Viagra, its affordability, availability, insurance coverage for same? Does Uncle Sugar pay for Viagra?

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By: clayo on January 25, 2014
at 8:29 PM
jsri, I speed read and I type fast. I also rarely proof- read when no one is paying me to write.Sometimes, I am talking on the phone or when we are with her, entertaining our grand daughter.

Daily Caller is in my opinion as credible as MSNBC or Daily Kos. Maybe if people read a variety of sources they wouldn’t be duped as Emily Latella was on Saturday Night Live.

If something is true, other sources will report it also. The BBC News Echo Chambers “Huckabee draws fire, women, libidos, and conservative nazis.”

“The initial media firestorm was based on a misquote of what Mr. Huckabee said. Several news correspondents,such as CNN’s Dana Bash said that it was Mr. Huckabee who thought that women couldn’t control their sex drives. Although the record was later corrected, that didn’t stop the story from going viral.”

The Corner “Time Line of Huckabee Hysteria.”The media was quick to jump on Mike Huckabee’s remarks…quick enough to misinterpret what he said, correct it and then continue on as if the story hadn’t really changed.”

Dana Bash’s first tweet is displayed. Kasie Hunt of NBC News spoke to Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC Live from the meeting.They didn’t discuss the speech. Dash corrected her earlier tweet, but Hunt later repeated the erroneous tweet. Dash corrected her tweet three times. Hunt corrected herself a few minutes before she rejoined Andrea Mitchel on the air.

This is a fine example of manipulation. Leftists and Democrats feign outrage because they know Huckabee has given them a late Christmas present. They continue to act as if Huckabee was directing his statement toward women when he was attacking Democrats. Obviously, someone hit him with a stupid stick, but his enemies are pillorying him with a false narrative.

People should direct their anger not at his attack on Democrats but his implication that people who use birth control are slutty. At least, that is how I interpreted it.

This fits the song, I shot the Sheriff, (but I did not shoot the deputy) performed by Bob Marley and by Eric Clapton.It discusses guilt and innocence in the same context that I believe Huckabee is innocent of the charge
but guilty of what has gone largely unnoticed.

That is the truth as I have demonstrated.

I’ve already told you why I “come” here.

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By: James on January 25, 2014
at 7:47 PM
Thanks Auntie Jean. Its actually a button designed for “The unruly mob: ” TXprojectcounter.org rally being held in Austin today. I’m sorry I can’t give props to the designer, but hopefully they won’t mind if I spread the word! LOL

You might remember when Wendy Davis was filibustering the anti choice bill being pushed through the TX congress , the Republican caucus referred to her supporters as ” the unruly mob.” Wellllll they are back in Austin this weekend holding a rally to highlight the problems this legislation has caused women …. Especially poor women.

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By: lori on January 25, 2014
at 5:50 PM
Mais, non! Pas du tout!! I love France, and my best ancestors were from Alsace. (I’m sure they always leaned toward the French side of things, rather than the German… Although I have German ancestors, too.)

I think the frogs are related more to the frogs we (so heartlessly) “dissected” in high school science class…

Més amitiés!

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 25, 2014
at 5:14 PM
Hi Congenial Gang,

Gato, are you by any chance taking a swipe at people with a French heritage with you frog analogy? For shame.

lori, LOVE your new Avatar. I’m one of those too.

Aloha! Namaste. Shalom. Saalam. Peace.

Auntie Jean

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By: Anonymous on January 25, 2014
at 5:06 PM
Hi, Poolman – The recent shoot-down of “net neutrality” is another step along this slippery path. It will now be painfully obvious that the ISPs, honoring the wishes of their sponsors, of course, can pick and choose what we should be accessing on the web. They don’t even care about trying to be “subtle” any more… Perhaps that fact is the most disheartening of all.

You know the story of the two frogs in two pots of water? One frog was tossed into a pot of boiling water. Naturally, she jumped right back out immediately. The other frog was put into a pot of tepid water. The temperature was slowly… very slowly… increased, and the frog didn’t even notice any change until it was too late, and she was thoroughly boiled.

The temperature is rising…

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 25, 2014
at 3:39 PM
Thank you Helen and Margaret!

While I think the uncle-sugar crap and the swipe at cannot-control-their-libido horsepunky deserves the Pffft!s it is getting here and elsewhere, some of the rest of what Mr Huckabee said is of as much interest as what was included here.

“Our party stands for the recognition of the equality of women and the capacity of women. That’s not a war on them; it’s war for them.”
http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/24/mike-huckabees-war-for-women/?hp&rref=opinion

“Republicans don’t have a war on women,” Huckabee said. We’re having a war for women. To empower them to be something other than victims of their gender.”

Read more: Huckabee: GOP Waging ‘War For Women’ | TIME.com http://swampland.time.com/2014/01/23/huckabee-gop-waging-war-for-women/#ixzz2rQfJZVZk

Soooo…he’s proposing that the GOP is a meaningful ally as relates to issues faced by American women? Really?
Am I seeing this correctly- that the GOP sees them as victims of their gender if they have insurance which has to cover birth control? Even if they choose not to avail themselves of this insurance benefit, they are victims of their gender merely because the benefit is available?
Ignoring his gratuitous swipe at Dems, aren’t we looking at the age old Madonna and the whore dealie right here?

And no, Poolman- this is an important and relevant divide, not a pretty bauble to keep folks’ minds off other things. Mr Huckabee may be a doof , along with so many other so-called conservative voices on this set of subjects, but the set itself is fundamental to our community existence.

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By: alaskapi on January 25, 2014
at 2:40 PM
Apparently the Mike Huckabees of this world DO fulfill their intended purpose, one of keeping us occupied arguing among ourselves regarding known divide issues always brought on by corporate media shills in order to distract the population from present and real threats by the state. ‘Hot button’ issues garner plenty of attention and have amassed devotees

Not too many are getting real news from the popular media outlets to chew on, and there is plenty of real to be had. But you won’t find much real truth among these corporate ~~media~~ propaganda sources. Their corporate allegiances and biases are well-documented. Their record’s abysmal and rife with lies and censorship. ALL of it has to be government approved before it can be broadcast. Obviously the fourth estate has been hijacked long ago.

It is a most depressing thing to watch this once great nation slowly rot from the inside. Folks are in denial or reluctant to realize that there is no political solution to be had.

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By: poolman on January 25, 2014
at 11:48 AM
Hi, Sue – I don’t believe Medicare pays for oral “ED” medications, unless the “dysfunction” is proven to be a side-effect from taking some other drug. Different insurance policies may well have different policies, perhaps depending on the number of male “adjusters” it employs…

Now that I think about it, one could just as easily make a case that the state of erection itself is the actual “dysfunction,” since it is not the prevalent condition of the male apparatus, at least not in a majority of cases, no matter what some guy may tell you. The equipment is designed primarily, biologically, to “rise to the occasion” (so to speak) of possible procreation, not just to make the possessor of said organ feel good. Or, at least that seems to have been the original intention. Were it not, one would think that a permanent state of erection (or at least one lasting more than the famous and often secretly-desired “four hours”) would be the goal, rather than an alarming situation that should be brought to the immediate attention of a medical provider.

(Oh, dear… I hope I haven’t given anyone any ideas…!)

I’ve never understood the “two people in separate bathtubs” campaign, either. And I can’t help but notice that, inevitably, the ads suggest that it is practically a man’s god-given DUTY, as a REAL MAN, to be always “ready” to respond to any shyly expressed desire for that erection – a self-sacrificing and noble act of permanent preparedness and the ability to comply with someone else’s uncontrollable libidinous yearnings, whenever they may appear… It’s really just an act of generosity and compassion, isn’t it?

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 25, 2014
at 11:37 AM
what a great post! it really is about punishing women for enjoying sex. i am 64, one of 10 kids in an irish catholic family. my mother almost died with her last pregnancy , a placenta previa, but because it was a catholic hospital no abortion. so that would have left 9 motherless kids. but huckabees and their ilk don’t care about children. they really don’t care about unborn children. they care about keeping their boots on the necks of women.

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By: maura on January 25, 2014
at 10:23 AM
By: catseternalp on January 24, 2014 at 10:02 PM – That idiotic meme was beaten to death by right wingers following the hearing involving Sandra Fluke and her testimony regarding Conscience Clause exceptions. The case Ms. Fluke cited, for which she was roundly pilloried, was similar to the one about your daughter you referred to in your post.

By: James on January 25, 2014 at 8:29 AM – I’m not sure how you “site” sources, I thought siting was how you positioned property. Also, to use Tucker Carlson’s rag, The Daily Caller, as a source of support may work on some websites you frequent but is a red flag on this one. I still don’t understand why you come here.

By: gatodicima on January 25, 2014 at 7:55 AM – Great idea for as bumper sticker. Seeing one might get me away from grinding my teeth every time I see one of those irritating ED commercials on TV.

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By: jsri on January 25, 2014
at 9:43 AM
I believe Viagra is paid for by the insurance carriers. I’ve never understood why that’s okay but birth control isn’t. If God intended for men to have an erection there would be no need for Viagra.

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By: Sue on January 25, 2014
at 9:30 AM
i rightly or wrongly sense criticism from Gato because I site sources which support my views when others do not or can not.. Here is another. The Daily Caller “Media blames Huckabee (Not the media) for mix-up. Jan 24. Matt K. Lewis compared an Obama statement during the campaign with Hucklbee’s. The Romney campaign edited Obama’s comment to make it look worse than it was. A similar thing happened with Hucklbee.

Dana Bash and Kasie Hunt got it wrong. “You might expect a politician like Romney to play fast and loose with the truth in his campaign ads, but journalists are supposed to hold politicians accountable when they to that–not contribute to the confusion themselves…In fairness, both reporters eventually tweeted corrections, but as the Post notes, Democrats distributed the comments far and wide, rehashing the so called GOP ‘war on women’, and accusing Huckabee” of being like Todd Aiken.

Male politicians need to be careful when discussing such issues, and Hucklbee stupidly put his foot in it. He clumsily accused Democrats of doing what the reporters wrongfuly put on him. Democrats turned it against him because it makes a good campaign issue.

However, ” We all make mistakes, but I’d like to see a little more coverage about the perils of mainstream media outlets getting it so painfully wrong on Twitter. What about their responsibility?”.

Jean rhetorically asked if this has anything to do with the next elections? It is one of the best questions on the thread, because its true. Both sides and the press are trying to manipulate us.

I am too busy to check in today,So long.

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By: james on January 25, 2014
at 8:29 AM
Great post and very humorous.

Uncle Huck and his wife planned the number of children they were bringing into this world. Otherwise, they would be the Duggars. He hasn’t any credibility because his beliefs change to remain aligned with the Tea Party.

Mike time to sit your old butt down.

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By: Rhondayes on January 25, 2014
at 8:22 AM
Hi, Auntie Jean –

Or, to put it another way:

YOU WANT YOUR ERECTION?
YOU PAY FOR MY PROTECTION.

(I sense a bumper sticker coming on…)

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 25, 2014
at 7:55 AM
Dear Helen and Margaret,

I kinda thought Huckabee’s remarks would get a rise out of you. Yep. This is one of your best posts ever! And a kajillion other people think so too.

I think “libido” is a pretty big word for such a little man as Huckabee. Most Real Men beyond the age of puberty may or may not eat Quiche, but only the Huckabees of the world consult their friendly neighborhood politician or clergyman before embarking on their sexual adventures into adulthood. That is in order to see – (how does the saying go?) – “if it’s right for them”. Real Men are mature enough by then to think beyond the bulge in their wallets or in their pants.

However, to my knowledge there is only one instance of a Virgin Birth on record. I understand it takes two to produce a pregnancy. But then I have not read the Bible nor the U.S. Constitution lately with their myriad later interpretations and/or Amendments. Excuse me while I go get caught up on what they have to say about “Birth Control.”

Uh, none of this would have anything to do with the 2014 or 2016 elections, would it?
Naw.

As always, thank you M&H for your thought provoking posts.

Aloha! Namaste. Shalom. Saalam. Peace.

Auntie Jean

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By: Anonymous on January 25, 2014
at 1:30 AM
No doubt F***abee enjoys his insurance coverage for penis pumps.

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By: Brooke Doris on January 24, 2014
at 10:48 PM
Great post, as always. Shared it on FB, and glad to read you again.

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By: zyxomma on January 24, 2014
at 10:31 PM
WRT B&H Infanticide: Where are the Billy Goats Gruff when you need them?

Shark week–I love it! Although not enough to wish I had to worry about it again. Been there, done that.

Soooooo tired of the “free birth control” meme….all I ever wanted was to be able to merely pay a copay for it, like my antibiotics, blood pressure medicine, statins, etc. instead of having to pay through the nose. During the 90s when my family was existing on one inadequate salary, I took my daughter to the doctor because I thought she was suffering from a hormonal imbalance. The doctor said she was, and prescribed the Pill, but it was very expensive, especially for our budget. She realized what a chunk it was carving out and eventually said that’s ok, Mom, I can get along without them. Years later she was diagnosed with PCOS, and takes oral contraceptives so that one or both of her ovaries don’t blow up. Fortunately her employer doesn’t care what prescriptions she gets with her quite adequate insurance coverage.

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By: catseternalp on January 24, 2014
at 10:02 PM
[…] Here’s a taste: […]

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By: Check Out Margaret And Helen | Library Grape on January 24, 2014
at 7:56 PM
Margaret and Helen, you are darlins’! Now will somebody tell me how to clean the spilled coffee completely out of my brand new keyboard!

Keep on keeping on!

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By: mageen in old virginy on January 24, 2014
at 7:35 PM
Hi, Dana – We always want to respond to the cantankerous ones, even though we know it never does any good, don’t we? I have NO IDEA what someone like UAW might be after, other than attention – and, lord knows, I’ve done my share of responding. And it was always a bad idea on my part, no matter how clever I was.

It’s so hard to just hit “Delete” when we want to rail…

Well, rail away… There will always be someone here to hear you. UAW, and some others, are only here to provoke. They generally provide nothing much more than some web stuff that makes them look reasonable.

There’s an old saying about kids… “Children would rather be praised than reprimanded, but they’d rather be reprimanded than be ignored.”

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 24, 2014
at 5:51 PM
I love everything you post.

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By: Aja on January 24, 2014
at 5:44 PM
Oh and UAW? I don’t know what planet you’re on, but on mine, Earth, condoms break, and stupid men sometimes refuse to use them and plow right on in anyway. Is it all right with you if we have some backup without having to pay $80 a month or so? Especially if we’re that one unfortunate individual who has to get the special new formulation because none of the other ones work?

Oh wait, why am I asking a man for permission to police my own lady-bits. I bet he’s got no problem with other people paying for his heart attacks, though.

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By: Dana on January 24, 2014
at 5:24 PM
I blew some Republican’s tiny little mind today (no, not that way) when I pointed out that if you buy insurance, you are NOT just paying for yourself, but for everyone in your insurance pool. Because they tried telling me that when you buy insurance it’s only paying for your own care. If this is what’s voting in elections, I don’t wanna play anymore, Mommy.

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By: Dana on January 24, 2014
at 5:23 PM
Love your blog!! This post is awesome.

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By: Gretchen on January 24, 2014
at 5:16 PM
Wonderful! I’m going to pass this one on!

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By: Anonymous on January 24, 2014
at 4:53 PM
That’s all ya got UAW? You’re just gross. I don’t think you need to worry about anyone’s libido, at least vis-a-vis you. What are you doing here anyway if you think Margaret is stupid? Go away, moron!

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By: Anonymous on January 24, 2014
at 4:34 PM
another day and another stupid post by Helen….
wondering if she ever got the hang of “installing” a condom or did he have to do that…..and has she ever read the writing on the end…..Muslims started using goat intestines before the 16th century—–in the 18th century the British improved on this practice by butchering the animal first…..

Didn’t know that the government ever paid for Viagra, but if it was for Raynaud’s Syndrome I don’t see a problem…..let me know if the government does cover it and is it something that is just starting with Obamacare that the Dems voted for and the Repubs voted against..(Damn that Harry and Nancy for giving out free viagra)

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By: uawtradesman on January 24, 2014
at 2:34 PM
The way I read his remarks, he was suggesting that women control their libidos… and say NO to sex. Does that include wives saying no to their husbands?

And what about men controlling their libidos? Will they be understanding when their womenfolk say no, not tonight, not tomorrow, not any time soon. I have to control my libido because we don’t want any more kids, right? And birth control is bad and unRepublican.

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By: MimiB on January 24, 2014
at 2:27 PM
Awesome!

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By: DiatribesAndOvations.com on January 24, 2014
at 2:22 PM
M&H – thanks for keeping us laughing under the circumstances, always! Here in Ft Worth, I am definitely in the minority with my liberal-ness. I am so hoping that we can vote Wendy in so she can bring some reason to our poor poor State of/in Texas. Pretty Boy Rick and his minions – some of which are running for his office now – are hoping to continue to keep us girls barefoot and pregnant, their only way to try to control us. Gato and others, y’all keep on talking too….you are so much better at it than me.

As to the poor pregnant woman here in FW, wow, I am just glad it is not me or my family having to make such a decision. It must have been gut-wrenching to even try to carry out her wishes to begin with much less have it become a public political issue. In Texas of all places! Sad, sad, sad. We lost our son 18 mos ago. After a life time of kidney disease and thru 2 transplants, he died at home all alone. I say of a broken heart. By the time his wife got home from being out with her boyfriend and the kids all day, Son was gone. What if she had arrived a few hours earlier to catch him just before he died? Would we have had the courage to unplug him later? I don’t know. Our lives are irrevocably ruined by his death, but maybe the black widow could have handled that decision just fine… she was “in a relationship” just 3 weeks later and “engaged” within 5 months to the new guy. Poor sucker – him, not her. And, she’s much better off financially than if she had merely divorced him!

It is a cold cruel world out there as my Daddy used to say. So, thanks M & H for your humor in trying to keep the Ree-pubs out of our bedrooms. Although, I kinda do like the term Uncle Sugar. Just wish I had one! Shark Week, I love that one too….much better describes what happened to me back when.
Joan

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By: Joan M on January 24, 2014
at 1:32 PM
Yes Margaret, another day another stupid ignorant comment by a Republican.
Women, we must VOTE every election in your city, state, country to forever get the hateful Republican men/women out of office. Women we must SECURE our rights before it is to late.
Thank you Margaret and Helen for a “job well done” as always, keep up the good work.

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By: Pat on January 24, 2014
at 1:32 PM
Dear GOP–Please continue to talk about contraception, women’s libidos, and abortion. Soon your membership will only consist of Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, and “Tex.” Looking forward to that.

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By: Terri in NY on January 24, 2014
at 1:22 PM
Darling Helen- In apologizing to other Huckabees out there, you have inadvertently insulted all the chimpanzees of the world. They have better sense than Mike!

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By: Cher Tanner on January 24, 2014
at 12:49 PM
Hi, Octopus – Love “Gee-Ohh-Pee”… So à propos…

WHY IS THIS TOPIC EVEN AN “ISSUE” IN A PURPORTEDLY “ADVANCED” COUNTRY IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY? The same pale males who want to control the use of all the lady parts in this country are only too happy to send national treasure to any other country to liberate them from suffering under the Medieval oppression of fundamentalist religious governments… Do they want the US to be the only one left – is that the “plan”?

Good grief…

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 24, 2014
at 11:35 AM
How do we get this to the attention of Republican women voters everywhere?

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By: knittergran on January 24, 2014
at 11:30 AM
What Shakespeare was thinking when he wrote Hamlet:

What a piece of work is Huckabee! How quashed in
reason, how clogged in faculty! In form and moving
how waddling and simian! In action how like a dung rat!
in apprehension how like a pillock! The ugly of the
world! The refuse of animals! And sure to me, what is
this quintessence of dust? Huckabee delights not me; no,
nor Woman neither; …

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By: BobD on January 24, 2014
at 11:29 AM
Thank you ladies!

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By: Pam E on January 24, 2014
at 11:09 AM
“Editor”–

Let’s say we are asking the government to cover birth control just as they cover other drugs. As Helen says, those drugs do more than “just” prevent pregnancy, so you might want to support them for those other functions. And you might be pleased that with them we have fewer abortions (and less demand for abortions) because we have fewer unwanted pregnancies. We also have fewer unwanted kids, fewer children in poverty, fewer children of homeless parents–and all of those save the government money (in more ways than just direct welfare).

At the same time, where is your outrage against government support for treatment for “erectile dysfunction”? If we can’t pay to help make women (and our nation) healthier, where do we come up with the money to be sure hundreds of men are feeling good about their penises? Are you protesting those, too?

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By: djw on January 24, 2014
at 11:07 AM
Hi, I love that you are back. I am so angry! No abortion, no contraception, what next burkas? Thank you for your wonderful posts.

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By: Denise Spillane on January 24, 2014
at 10:47 AM
question for M&H: do you really believe that what huckabee said is true? that he uses science for anything? that women who object to what he said (again) are anti male? it is people like you who accuse others of bias but ignore the topic or its content who add to the misinformation being spread about.

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By: penny on January 24, 2014
at 10:44 AM
I laughed right out loud at “without dragging his knuckles across the floor”. I’m still grinning. What a turn of phrase. Hee hee hee, oh, my. As for Huckabee, waddya gonna do? How does one live that long and be so stupid? And he has propagated his gene pool. Sheesh. (oo, there’s a bright red cardinal all puffed up in the gardenia bush outside my window…poor thing must be frozen). I really get furious at the totally idiotic, biased, misleading, hate-filled anti female declarations. I try to meditate, deep breathe, rationalize, but finally I steam and yell bad words…even at the TV. I try to understand that the raging jealousy within the breast (ooo) of the chauvinist male is painful for him; that the idea that the one thing women can do that men cannot is deliver and sustain new life drives him nuts; i can even smile when the (usual) male leaves a trail of eyeglasses, newspapers, shoes, socks, snack plates, empty glasses because, after all, he is marking his territory. i mentioned that to my late husband and he didn’t smile. nope. not at all. lol. ok. i like men, i like the male presence, i like the male point of view and his very being…when he isn’t a moron…which most aren’t i grant you. i would often go along with my husband’s opinion even if i disagreed so that our children would feel his presence totally.i am not anti male. i am most definitely opposed to anyone who tries to control what a woman does to her body and what choices she makes for her life. keep yer filthy paws off’n me!!!

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By: penny on January 24, 2014
at 10:37 AM
Re: Uncle Sugar and Aunt Flo… For a moment I flashed on sugar and flour and then cookies. Sweet, delicious, blood-flavored sugar cookies. But then I remembered I’m diabetic and can’t have any.

Sorry about the digression.

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By: PDiddie (@PDiddie) on January 24, 2014
at 10:23 AM
Inspirational, funny, and spot on! Thank you, ladies, and keep the commentary coming!

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By: Lorie McGraw on January 24, 2014
at 10:21 AM
OMG, you nailed it yet again. Good on ya!!

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By: Susan on January 24, 2014
at 10:21 AM
Reblogged this on Big Blue Dot Y'all.

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By: Kristen Chapman Gibbons on January 24, 2014
at 9:52 AM
If I had a Mike Huckabee in my life, that would be enough birth and libido control for a lifetime.

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By: Irma Sohnchen on January 24, 2014
at 9:49 AM
Ah, the National Organization of Manhaters has made it’s arrival. Woman, have you landed at the right place! 😈

NOW is one of those groups that actually have two three qualifications in the Venn Diagram of life: (1) Female; (2) Liberal; (3) Abortion on Demand proponent.

You only qualify for admission if you meet all three.

How about federally assisted tubal ligations by Dear Leader Obama for anyone that can show a NOW membership card? Prorated by age…

The younger, the less expensive. Before 21, it’s all free!

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By: M&H Infanticide Inc. on January 24, 2014
at 9:48 AM
Love it!!!

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By: Becky D on January 24, 2014
at 9:45 AM
Thank you for the reference to Viagra! For the GOP, a man’s right to a boner (and at an advanced age is it really about procreation or is it about pleasure?) isn’t questioned but a woman’s right to not get pregnant is.

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By: Lorraine Jacquard on January 24, 2014
at 9:39 AM
On the upside, these guys provide an endless supply of material for comedians and commentators. LOL! Love you Helen.

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By: Mom in Georgia on January 24, 2014
at 9:33 AM
Hi, Lurker – Wonderful to hear from Margaret and Helen again, for sure!

Don’t mind your “hijacking” at all; this is such a disturbing story, to say the least. It reminds me of the awful premise in the film “Aliens,” where humans are captured and forcibly cocooned, barely alive, in some kind of alien slime so they can serve as living incubators for unborn aliens… (It’s worth noting that in the film the “hosts” in the film were both male and female.) I don’t know anyone who didn’t think that was absolutely and positively the most repulsive concept they could imagine…

And that is EXACTLY what’s going on in this heartbreaking Muñoz situation, IMHO. There doesn’t seem to be any indication that she would have wanted to be kept “alive” in the event of her being pregnant. (And, at least medically, Mrs. Muñoz is NOT “alive” at this point, and her gradually deteriorating body is slowly and agonizingly destroying the fetus, as well…)

HTG, I am at a loss to explain how the “value” of this particular fetus is somehow more precious than the “value” of a living and breathing three-year-old child who dies of starvation or malaria or diarrhea because we don’t think anybody “deserves free handouts” of food or medicine… Or children who are blasted to bits in the “collateral damage” we are willing to inflict on their countries, in order to bring them “freedom” and “democracy”…

(I already know what the arguments against this POV are likely to be, and I don’t plan on arguing about any of them with anyone, thank you very much!)

Go figure… And I don’t give a damn what Mike Huckabee thinks about it, either.

Gato

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By: gatodicima on January 24, 2014
at 9:27 AM
You nailed it again Helen. If we have healthcare that covers prescriptions it should cover all legal prescriptions. It’s no ones business except the patient and his or her doctor and certainly not the patient’s employer. To everyone who is wondering what my doctor wrote for a prescription I say “mind your own business” and I won’t ask you what you’re taking.

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By: Annie in Maine on January 24, 2014
at 9:22 AM
Since yesterday, another pale male from the Gee-Ohh-Pee has dribbled onto the public toilet seat: Rick Santorum Defends Huckabee. Being a devout Catholic does not turn Frothy into an expert on Catholic women, who do not always follow the teachings of their own church. An estimated 98% of Catholic women of childbearing age use contraception. What Huckabee, Santorum, and other social conservatives are trying to accomplish is to turn government into an enforcer of religious doctrine. Has any spokesperson for the Gee-Ohh-Pee ever read the anti-establishment clause! Uncle Sugar or Uncle Inquisitor? Funny how you can re-frame an argument.

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By: Octopus on January 24, 2014
at 9:14 AM
Right on! How about the idea that abortion rates go down when birth control is available?

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By: Marilyn on January 24, 2014
at 9:11 AM
OUTSTANDING post Helen! You’ve inspired me to write about this today.

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By: KCMJournalist on January 24, 2014
at 9:04 AM
Cage wrestling between Aunt Flo and Knucklebee in the sanitary protection aisle at Walmart. With a Uteri cheer squad.

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By: Jan on January 24, 2014
at 8:45 AM
Until women’s birth control options become as safe, cheap, and readily available as men’s, we have to subsidize.

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By: ann-marie on January 24, 2014
at 8:24 AM
I do get Margaret and Helen Jo, LOVE that blog. I always reprint it on my fb page. Thanks for sending me that just in case, however.

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By: Stephanie Kuebler on January 24, 2014
at 8:07 AM
“Editor” should stick to “editing” “patriot” blogs. They don’t require any knowledge of history, intelligence, compassion, insight, humor, or for that matter even the ability to read and understand verbatim quotes.

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By: Suz on January 24, 2014
at 7:54 AM
Shark Week. lol.

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By: Annette on January 24, 2014
at 7:24 AM
BeverlyB exactly! Geeeze you would think if someone takes the time to troll they would at least know the facts concerning the subject they are trolling about. OH wait…

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By: lori on January 24, 2014
at 7:23 AM
Editor, when you’ve had your morning coffee and put your brains in gear, you’ll note that NO ONE IS ASKING THE GOVERNMENT TO BUY ANYTHING.
You should try reading the post like an editor.

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By: BeverlyB on January 24, 2014
at 6:52 AM
We call her aunt flo around here, too. But shark week? Now that’s funny!

Sorry to hijack, but this is important and distinctly unfunny.

http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/01/22/5506250/fetus-in-munoz-case-is-distinctly.html?rh=1

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By: delurkergurl on January 24, 2014
at 6:51 AM
Ladies you have outdone yourself!

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By: ooosillyme on January 24, 2014
at 6:10 AM
I’m all for women using birth control but I wouldn’t expect the government – with dollars collected from my fellow Americans- to buy it for me. That is what Governor Huckabee is referring to. I’m not looking for the government to take care of my every need like Democrats expect them to.

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By: editor on January 24, 2014
at 5:49 AM
This is just too funny.

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By: Melinda Roth on January 24, 2014
at 5:34 AM
When I first heard that stupid remark from Huckabee, my mouth dropped open and then I yelled at the TV. Good thing I was the only one home. So, I still want him to explain what birth control has to do with women’s libido. Can he be that ignorant that he thinks there is some connection? I’m waiting for the republicans to start spouting the nonsense of 50+ years ago that it’s a woman’s fault if she gets pregnant or that it’s her fault if she is raped. They are currently dancing toward that cliff – and I hope they fall off and we never see them again.

Thanks, ladies, for giving us all a laugh. We need it whenever the idiots start trying to talk about women.

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By: eeyore on January 24, 2014
at 5:33 AM
Did someone say “shark week”?

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By: Cedwyn on January 24, 2014
at 3:41 AM
Way to go M&H.

Another winner!

Please keep ’em comin’.

I luv the way Helen tee’d it up…

…and Margaret knocked it outta the park!

‘Shark Week’ !!!

Too funny Mags.

Peace ~ Δ

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By: Whirled Peas Δ on January 24, 2014
at 3:26 AM
Right on, as usual!

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By: emilievardaman on January 24, 2014
at 2:59 AM
Well, republican good ole boys must rely on the Palm Sisters for birth control, if not, I recommend it to them.

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By: suburbanlife on January 24, 2014
at 2:33 AM
Great GREAT post. I grew up thinking like Mike Huckabee a little. I ask forgiveness. This man is a jackass of the first order.

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By: Lloyd Arriola on January 24, 2014
at 2:32 AM
He’s fascinated with women having libido but he’s obviously never engendered any and hasn’t got a clue how the lady parts work or how medications can be used for more than one reason.

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By: TexasEllen on January 24, 2014
at 1:50 AM
Good Ole Mikey the gift that keeps on giving!

Well done M&H- thanks for calling him out.❤️

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By: lori on January 24, 2014
at 1:24 AM
I tweeted this to Rachel Maddow and told her she needs to start reading this Blog. I adore Margaret and Helen, right up there with Molly Ivins for telling it like it is.

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By: dmcrane1 on January 24, 2014
at 1:20 AM
Women’s libido? What about men’s libido. How many women rape or pressure men for sex? Keep your libido in check girls and see how happy these smug republican men are.

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By: Janet Profit on January 24, 2014
at 1:20 AM
Oh my, I am so glad you blogged about this. You gave me a much needed laugh on a very upsetting incident. Love you gals!!

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By: Anonymous on January 24, 2014
at 12:55 AM
That Huckabee sure is a piece of work! I thought the GOP had given remedial classes to all the “good ol’ boys” on how to talk to the wimmen-folk. He musta been absent, or up in the back row playing with his … smartphone.

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By: ~Sil in Corea on January 24, 2014
at 12:41 AM
Brilliantly logical – as ever!

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By: Scruffer on January 24, 2014
at 12:32 AM
Great post Margaret! Great put-down of Huckabee, but somehow I doubt that he will even understand it as he is delusional at best, stupid at worst, and I fully believe the latter. These GOP only want to control women and I don’t think that is going to happen. You are wonderful; keep up the excellent work.

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By: 1smartcanerican™ on January 24, 2014
at 12:23 AM
We always said Aunt Tammy was coming for a visit and she’s wearing red. You are too funny. Write more please.

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By: Helen Too on January 24, 2014
at 12:11 AM
Didn’t think it was possible to love you more, but I do. So much.

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By: Gianna on January 24, 2014
at 12:11 AM
Reblogged this on Central Oregon Coast NOW and commented:
You have to love these women!

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By: Central Oregon Coast NOW on January 24, 2014
at 12:09 AM
So very glad you are posting again, Helen. Huckabee is one piece of very dim work. You ripped him a well-deserved new one.

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By: AlisonS on January 24, 2014
at 12:07 AM
So good to see you post again! When you are off living your real life you are sorely missed here.

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By: Kevin M on January 24, 2014
at 12:03 AM

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Margaret and Helen