It makes me ill.
There is nothing wrong with working hard and having some nice things, but some shit just irritates the hell out of me.
Especially in this season.
What the HELL are people doing spending $600 on a new PlayStation when there are families that can't afford to feed their children Top Ramen, let alone a "traditional" Thanksgiving meal?
When there is a "Tree of Sharing" and "Toys for Tots" at almost every store you walk in and out of, but people feel like corroding their child's brain with violent video games is somehow more important?
What has happened to us?
A list...of other things to spend $600 on....
1. Food for a family of four for 3-4 months
2. Livestock for families in 3rd world countries
3. Sponsor a child affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa for almost a year and a half
4. Bring relief to refugees in Darfur
5. A Leap Pad plus Writing educational toy....for 15 underprivileged children
6. A warm winter coat....for 20 underprivileged children
7. 600 wrist bands from The ONE Campaign
8. 200 loaves of whole wheat bread
9. 240 gallons of gas
10. 300 gallons of milk
There will be more, but I'm out of time for now.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Excellent
My friend Koz sent me this. I truly is a perfect commentary on Bush.
Tonight we got another one of Keith's special comments and this one was another top-notch job. Olbermann left no stone unturned while going through the exhaustive list of how the Republicans love to manipulate words and turn them into something they are not.
Transcripts below the fold:
And finally tonight, a Special Comment.
On the 22nd of May, 1856, as the deteriorating American political system veered towards the edge of the cliff, Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina, shuffled into the Senate of this nation, his leg stiff from an old dueling injury, supported by a cane. And he looked for the familiar figure of the prominent Senator from Massachusetts, Charles Sumner.
Brooks found Sumner at his desk, mailing out copies of a speech he had delivered three days earlier — a speech against slavery.
The Congressman matter-of-factly raised his walking stick in mid-air, and smashed its metal point, across the Senator's head.
Congressman Brooks hit his victim repeatedly. Senator Sumner somehow got to his feet and tried to flee. Brooks chased him, and delivered untold blows to Sumner's head. Even though Sumner lay unconscious and bleeding, on the Senate floor, Brooks finally stopped beating him, only because his cane finally broke.
Others will cite John Brown's attack on the arsenal at Harper's Ferry as the exact point after which the Civil War became inevitable.
In point of fact, it might have been the moment — not when Brooks broke his cane over the prostrate body of Senator Sumner - but when voters in Brooks's district started sending him new canes.
Tonight, we almost wonder to whom President Bush will send the next new cane.
There is tonight no political division in this country that he and his party will not exploit, nor have not exploited; no anxiety that he and his party will not inflame.
There is no line this President has not crossed — nor will not cross — to keep one political party, in power.
He has spread any and every fear among us, in a desperate effort to avoid that which he most fears — some check, some balance against what has become not an imperial, but a unilateral presidency.
And now it is evident that it no longer matters to him, whether that effort to avoid the judgment of the people, is subtle and nuanced — or laughably transparent.
Senator John Kerry called him out Monday.
He did it two years too late.
He had been too cordial — just as Vice President Gore had been too cordial in 2000 — just as millions of us, have been too cordial ever since.
Senator Kerry, as you well know, spoke at a college in Southern California. With bitter humor, he told the students that he had been in Texas the day before, that President Bush used to live in that state, but that now he lives in the state of denial.
He said the trip had reminded him about the value of education — that quote "if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you can get stuck in Iraq."
The Senator, in essence, called Mr. Bush stupid.
The context was unmistakable: Texas;the state of denial;stuck in Iraq. No interpretation required.
And Mr. Bush and his minions responded, by appearing to be too stupid to realize that they had been called stupid.
They demanded Kerry apologize — to the troops in Iraq.
And so he now has.
That phrase "appearing to be too stupid" is used deliberately, Mr. Bush.
Because there are only three possibilities here:
One, sir, is that you are far more stupid than the worst of your critics have suggested; that you could not follow the construction of a simple sentence; that you could not recognize your own life story when it was deftly summarized; that you could not perceive it was the sad ledger of your presidency that was being recounted.
This, of course, compliments you, Mr. Bush, because even those who do not "make the most of it," who do not "study hard," who do not "do their homework," and who do not "make an effort to be smart" might still just be stupid — but honest.
No; the first option, sir, is, at best, improbable. You are not honest.
The second option is that you and those who work for you deliberately twisted what Senator Kerry said to fit your political template. That you decided to take advantage of it, to once again pretend that the attacks, solely about your own incompetence, were in fact attacks on the troops — or even on the nation itself.
The third possibility is, obviously, the nightmare scenario; that the first two options are in some way conflated.
That it is both politically convenient for you, and personally satisfying to you, to confuse yourself with the country for which, sir, you work.
A brief reminder, Mr. Bush: You are not the United States of America.
You are merely a politician whose entire legacy will have been a willingness to make anything political — to have, in this case, refused to acknowledge that the insult wasn't about the troops, and that the insult was not even truly about you either — that the insult, in fact, is you.
So now John Kerry has apologized to the troops; apologized for the Republicans' deliberate distortions.
Thus the President will now begin the apologies he owes our troops, right?
This President must apologize to the troops — for having suggested, six weeks ago, that the chaos in Iraq, the death and the carnage, the slaughtered Iraqi civilians and the dead American service personnel, will, to history, quote "look like just a comma."
This President must apologize to the troops — because the intelligence he claims led us into Iraq proved to be undeniably and irredeemably wrong.
This President must apologize to the troops — for having laughed about the failure of that intelligence, at a banquet, while our troops were in harm's way.
This President must apologize to the troops — because the streets of Iraq were not strewn with flowers and its residents did not greet them as liberators.
This President must apologize to the troops — because his administration ran out of "plan" after barely two months.
This President must apologize to the troops — for getting 2,815 of them killed.
This President must apologize to the troops — for getting this country into a war without a clue.
And Mr. Bush owes us an apology… for this destructive and omnivorous presidency.
—
We will not receive them, of course.
This President never apologizes.
Not to the troops.
Not to the people.
Nor will those henchmen who have echoed him.
In calling him a "stuffed suit," Senator Kerry was wrong about the Press Secretary.
Mr. Snow's words and conduct — falsely earnest and earnestly false — suggest he is not "stuffed" - he is inflated.
And in leaving him out of the equation, Senator Kerry gave an unwarranted pass to his old friend Senator McCain, who should be ashamed of himself tonight.
He rolled over and pretended Kerry had said what he obviously had not.
Only, the symbolic stick he broke over Kerry's head came in a context, even more disturbing: Mr. McCain demanded the apology, while electioneering for a Republican congressional candidate in Illinois.
He was speaking of how often he had been to Walter Reed Hospital to see the wounded Iraq veterans, of how, quote "many of the have lost limbs." He said all this while demanding that the voters of Illinois reject a candidate who is not only a wounded Iraq veteran, but who lost two limbs there: Tammy Duckworth.
Support some of the wounded veterans. But bad-mouth the Democratic one.
And exploit all the veterans, and all the still-serving personnel, in a cheap and tawdry political trick, to try to bury the truth: that John Kerry said the President had been stupid.
And to continue this slander as late as this morning — as biased, or gullible, or lazy newscasters, nodded in sleep-walking assent.
Senator McCain became a front man in a collective lie to break sticks over the heads of Democrats — one of them his friend; another his fellow veteran, leg-less, for whom he should weep and applaud, or at minimum about whom, he should stay quiet.
That was beneath the Senator from Arizona.
And it was all because of an imaginary insult to the troops that his party cynically manufactured — out of a desperation, and a futility, as deep as that of Congressman Brooks, when he went hunting for Senator Sumner.
This, is our beloved country now, as you have re-defined it, Mr. Bush.
Get a tortured Vietnam veteran to attack a decorated Vietnam veteran, in defense of military personnel, whom that decorated veteran did not insult.
Or, get your henchmen to take advantage of the evil lingering dregs of the fear of miscegenation in Tennessee, in your party's advertisements against Harold Ford.
Or, get the satellites who orbit around you, like Rush Limbaugh, to exploit the illness — and the bi-partisanship — of Michael J. Fox — yes, get someone to make fun of the cripple.
Oh, and sir, don't forget to drag your own wife into it.
"It's always easy," she said of Mr. Fox's commercials — and she used this phrase twice — "to manipulate people's feelings."
Where on earth might the First Lady have gotten that idea, Mr. President?
From your endless manipulation of people's feelings about terrorism?
"How ever they put it," you said Monday of the Democrats, on the subject of Iraq , "their approach comes down to this: the terrorists win and America loses."
No manipulation of feelings there.
No manipulation of the charlatans of your administration into the only truth-tellers.
No shocked outrage at the Kerry insult that wasn't; no subtle smile as the First Lady silently sticks the knife in Michael J. Fox's back; no attempt on the campaign trail to bury the reality that you have already assured that the terrorists are winning.
Winning in Iraq, sir.
Winning in America, sir.
There, we have chaos: joint U.S./Iraqi checkpoints at Sadr City, the base of the radical Shiite militias — and the Americans have been ordered out by the Prime Minister of Iraq… and our Secretary of Defense doesn't even know about it!
>
And here — we have deliberate, systematic, institutionalized lying and smearing and terrorizing — a code of deceit, that somehow permits a President to say, quote, "If you listen carefully for a Democrat plan for success, they don't have one."
Permits him to say this while his plan in Iraq has amounted to a twisted version of the advice once offered to Lyndon Johnson about his Iraq, called Vietnam.
Instead of "declare victory — and get out"… we now have "declare victory — and stay, indefinitely."
And also here, we have institutionalized the terrorizing of the opposition. True domestic terror:
– Critics of your administration in the media receive letters filled with fake anthrax.
– Braying newspapers applaud, or laugh, or reveal details the FBI wished kept quiet, and thus impede or ruin the investigation.
– A series of reactionary columnists encourages treason charges against a newspaper that published "national security information" — that was openly available on the internet.
– One radio critic receives a letter, threatening the revelation of as much personal information about her as can be obtained — and expressing the hope that someone will then shoot her with an AK-47 machine gun.
– And finally, a critic of an incumbent Republican Senator, a critic armed with nothing but words, is attacked by the Senator's supporters, and thrown to the floor, in full view of television cameras, as if someone really did want to re-enact the intent and the rage of the day Preston Brooks found Senator Charles Sumner.
Of course, Mr. President, you did none of these things.
You instructed no one to mail the fake anthrax. Nor undermine the FBI's case. Nor call for the execution of the editors of the New York Times. Nor threaten to assassinate Stephanie Miller. Nor beat up a man yelling at Senator Allen. Nor have the first lady knife Michael J. Fox. Nor tell John McCain to lie about John Kerry.
No, you did not.
And the genius of the thing, is the same, as in King Henry's rhetorical question about Archbishop Thomas Becket: "Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?"
All you have to do, sir… is hand out enough new canes.
Original Site
Tonight we got another one of Keith's special comments and this one was another top-notch job. Olbermann left no stone unturned while going through the exhaustive list of how the Republicans love to manipulate words and turn them into something they are not.
Transcripts below the fold:
And finally tonight, a Special Comment.
On the 22nd of May, 1856, as the deteriorating American political system veered towards the edge of the cliff, Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina, shuffled into the Senate of this nation, his leg stiff from an old dueling injury, supported by a cane. And he looked for the familiar figure of the prominent Senator from Massachusetts, Charles Sumner.
Brooks found Sumner at his desk, mailing out copies of a speech he had delivered three days earlier — a speech against slavery.
The Congressman matter-of-factly raised his walking stick in mid-air, and smashed its metal point, across the Senator's head.
Congressman Brooks hit his victim repeatedly. Senator Sumner somehow got to his feet and tried to flee. Brooks chased him, and delivered untold blows to Sumner's head. Even though Sumner lay unconscious and bleeding, on the Senate floor, Brooks finally stopped beating him, only because his cane finally broke.
Others will cite John Brown's attack on the arsenal at Harper's Ferry as the exact point after which the Civil War became inevitable.
In point of fact, it might have been the moment — not when Brooks broke his cane over the prostrate body of Senator Sumner - but when voters in Brooks's district started sending him new canes.
Tonight, we almost wonder to whom President Bush will send the next new cane.
There is tonight no political division in this country that he and his party will not exploit, nor have not exploited; no anxiety that he and his party will not inflame.
There is no line this President has not crossed — nor will not cross — to keep one political party, in power.
He has spread any and every fear among us, in a desperate effort to avoid that which he most fears — some check, some balance against what has become not an imperial, but a unilateral presidency.
And now it is evident that it no longer matters to him, whether that effort to avoid the judgment of the people, is subtle and nuanced — or laughably transparent.
Senator John Kerry called him out Monday.
He did it two years too late.
He had been too cordial — just as Vice President Gore had been too cordial in 2000 — just as millions of us, have been too cordial ever since.
Senator Kerry, as you well know, spoke at a college in Southern California. With bitter humor, he told the students that he had been in Texas the day before, that President Bush used to live in that state, but that now he lives in the state of denial.
He said the trip had reminded him about the value of education — that quote "if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you can get stuck in Iraq."
The Senator, in essence, called Mr. Bush stupid.
The context was unmistakable: Texas;the state of denial;stuck in Iraq. No interpretation required.
And Mr. Bush and his minions responded, by appearing to be too stupid to realize that they had been called stupid.
They demanded Kerry apologize — to the troops in Iraq.
And so he now has.
That phrase "appearing to be too stupid" is used deliberately, Mr. Bush.
Because there are only three possibilities here:
One, sir, is that you are far more stupid than the worst of your critics have suggested; that you could not follow the construction of a simple sentence; that you could not recognize your own life story when it was deftly summarized; that you could not perceive it was the sad ledger of your presidency that was being recounted.
This, of course, compliments you, Mr. Bush, because even those who do not "make the most of it," who do not "study hard," who do not "do their homework," and who do not "make an effort to be smart" might still just be stupid — but honest.
No; the first option, sir, is, at best, improbable. You are not honest.
The second option is that you and those who work for you deliberately twisted what Senator Kerry said to fit your political template. That you decided to take advantage of it, to once again pretend that the attacks, solely about your own incompetence, were in fact attacks on the troops — or even on the nation itself.
The third possibility is, obviously, the nightmare scenario; that the first two options are in some way conflated.
That it is both politically convenient for you, and personally satisfying to you, to confuse yourself with the country for which, sir, you work.
A brief reminder, Mr. Bush: You are not the United States of America.
You are merely a politician whose entire legacy will have been a willingness to make anything political — to have, in this case, refused to acknowledge that the insult wasn't about the troops, and that the insult was not even truly about you either — that the insult, in fact, is you.
So now John Kerry has apologized to the troops; apologized for the Republicans' deliberate distortions.
Thus the President will now begin the apologies he owes our troops, right?
This President must apologize to the troops — for having suggested, six weeks ago, that the chaos in Iraq, the death and the carnage, the slaughtered Iraqi civilians and the dead American service personnel, will, to history, quote "look like just a comma."
This President must apologize to the troops — because the intelligence he claims led us into Iraq proved to be undeniably and irredeemably wrong.
This President must apologize to the troops — for having laughed about the failure of that intelligence, at a banquet, while our troops were in harm's way.
This President must apologize to the troops — because the streets of Iraq were not strewn with flowers and its residents did not greet them as liberators.
This President must apologize to the troops — because his administration ran out of "plan" after barely two months.
This President must apologize to the troops — for getting 2,815 of them killed.
This President must apologize to the troops — for getting this country into a war without a clue.
And Mr. Bush owes us an apology… for this destructive and omnivorous presidency.
—
We will not receive them, of course.
This President never apologizes.
Not to the troops.
Not to the people.
Nor will those henchmen who have echoed him.
In calling him a "stuffed suit," Senator Kerry was wrong about the Press Secretary.
Mr. Snow's words and conduct — falsely earnest and earnestly false — suggest he is not "stuffed" - he is inflated.
And in leaving him out of the equation, Senator Kerry gave an unwarranted pass to his old friend Senator McCain, who should be ashamed of himself tonight.
He rolled over and pretended Kerry had said what he obviously had not.
Only, the symbolic stick he broke over Kerry's head came in a context, even more disturbing: Mr. McCain demanded the apology, while electioneering for a Republican congressional candidate in Illinois.
He was speaking of how often he had been to Walter Reed Hospital to see the wounded Iraq veterans, of how, quote "many of the have lost limbs." He said all this while demanding that the voters of Illinois reject a candidate who is not only a wounded Iraq veteran, but who lost two limbs there: Tammy Duckworth.
Support some of the wounded veterans. But bad-mouth the Democratic one.
And exploit all the veterans, and all the still-serving personnel, in a cheap and tawdry political trick, to try to bury the truth: that John Kerry said the President had been stupid.
And to continue this slander as late as this morning — as biased, or gullible, or lazy newscasters, nodded in sleep-walking assent.
Senator McCain became a front man in a collective lie to break sticks over the heads of Democrats — one of them his friend; another his fellow veteran, leg-less, for whom he should weep and applaud, or at minimum about whom, he should stay quiet.
That was beneath the Senator from Arizona.
And it was all because of an imaginary insult to the troops that his party cynically manufactured — out of a desperation, and a futility, as deep as that of Congressman Brooks, when he went hunting for Senator Sumner.
This, is our beloved country now, as you have re-defined it, Mr. Bush.
Get a tortured Vietnam veteran to attack a decorated Vietnam veteran, in defense of military personnel, whom that decorated veteran did not insult.
Or, get your henchmen to take advantage of the evil lingering dregs of the fear of miscegenation in Tennessee, in your party's advertisements against Harold Ford.
Or, get the satellites who orbit around you, like Rush Limbaugh, to exploit the illness — and the bi-partisanship — of Michael J. Fox — yes, get someone to make fun of the cripple.
Oh, and sir, don't forget to drag your own wife into it.
"It's always easy," she said of Mr. Fox's commercials — and she used this phrase twice — "to manipulate people's feelings."
Where on earth might the First Lady have gotten that idea, Mr. President?
From your endless manipulation of people's feelings about terrorism?
"How ever they put it," you said Monday of the Democrats, on the subject of Iraq , "their approach comes down to this: the terrorists win and America loses."
No manipulation of feelings there.
No manipulation of the charlatans of your administration into the only truth-tellers.
No shocked outrage at the Kerry insult that wasn't; no subtle smile as the First Lady silently sticks the knife in Michael J. Fox's back; no attempt on the campaign trail to bury the reality that you have already assured that the terrorists are winning.
Winning in Iraq, sir.
Winning in America, sir.
There, we have chaos: joint U.S./Iraqi checkpoints at Sadr City, the base of the radical Shiite militias — and the Americans have been ordered out by the Prime Minister of Iraq… and our Secretary of Defense doesn't even know about it!
And here — we have deliberate, systematic, institutionalized lying and smearing and terrorizing — a code of deceit, that somehow permits a President to say, quote, "If you listen carefully for a Democrat plan for success, they don't have one."
Permits him to say this while his plan in Iraq has amounted to a twisted version of the advice once offered to Lyndon Johnson about his Iraq, called Vietnam.
Instead of "declare victory — and get out"… we now have "declare victory — and stay, indefinitely."
And also here, we have institutionalized the terrorizing of the opposition. True domestic terror:
– Critics of your administration in the media receive letters filled with fake anthrax.
– Braying newspapers applaud, or laugh, or reveal details the FBI wished kept quiet, and thus impede or ruin the investigation.
– A series of reactionary columnists encourages treason charges against a newspaper that published "national security information" — that was openly available on the internet.
– One radio critic receives a letter, threatening the revelation of as much personal information about her as can be obtained — and expressing the hope that someone will then shoot her with an AK-47 machine gun.
– And finally, a critic of an incumbent Republican Senator, a critic armed with nothing but words, is attacked by the Senator's supporters, and thrown to the floor, in full view of television cameras, as if someone really did want to re-enact the intent and the rage of the day Preston Brooks found Senator Charles Sumner.
Of course, Mr. President, you did none of these things.
You instructed no one to mail the fake anthrax. Nor undermine the FBI's case. Nor call for the execution of the editors of the New York Times. Nor threaten to assassinate Stephanie Miller. Nor beat up a man yelling at Senator Allen. Nor have the first lady knife Michael J. Fox. Nor tell John McCain to lie about John Kerry.
No, you did not.
And the genius of the thing, is the same, as in King Henry's rhetorical question about Archbishop Thomas Becket: "Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?"
All you have to do, sir… is hand out enough new canes.
Original Site
So I totally suck....
...and I understand that most of my regular readers have flown my extremely boring, having not posted for a long time, coop.
I don't have Internet at home right now, so I get on when I can, and try to catch everyone up.
Once again, I suck. Sorry.
I don't have Internet at home right now, so I get on when I can, and try to catch everyone up.
Once again, I suck. Sorry.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
School
Obviously I haven't had a huge amount of time to blog. I started school on Tuesday, took my first test Wednesday (99%) and my second Thursday (94%).
I wrote a 3.75 page paper this weekend, and now need to go study for my module final.
I'm cruising though. It's all under control......
I wrote a 3.75 page paper this weekend, and now need to go study for my module final.
I'm cruising though. It's all under control......
Please note....
I have added a new banner regarding saving Darfur. Please go there and do something.
Be an activist.
Tell your friends.
Donate whatever you can.
And if you pray, do that too.
Be an activist.
Tell your friends.
Donate whatever you can.
And if you pray, do that too.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Umm....WOW
Airline passenger told to conceal Arabic T-shirt
Human rights activist was briefly barred from JetBlue flight in Oakland
NEW YORK - An Arab human rights activist was prevented from boarding a plane at Kennedy Airport while wearing a T-shirt that read, “We will not be silent,” in English and Arabic.
Raed Jarrar was at the gate to board a JetBlue Airways flight to Oakland, Calif., on Aug. 12 when four officials from the airline or a government agency stopped him and told him he could not board with the shirt on, he said Wednesday.
One official told him, “Going to an airport with a T-shirt in Arabic script is like going to a bank and wearing a T-shirt that says, ‘I’m a robber,”’ he said.
Jenny Dervin, a JetBlue spokeswoman, acknowledged the dispute and said the airline was investigating. She noted the incident came two days after British authorities announced they had foiled a plot to blow up jetliners over the Atlantic.
Though rules banning liquids and gels in carry-on baggage went into effect at U.S. airports, Dervin said there are no specific rules governing clothing.
Jarrar, who directs the Iraq project for Global Exchange, a San Francisco-based human rights organization, said he refused a suggestion from the officials that he turn his shirt inside out. In the end, officials gave Jarrar another shirt to wear over his, and he put it on rather than miss his flight.
Jarrar said he was forced to give up his seat near the front of the plane and was issued a new boarding pass for a seat in the rear.
It was unclear whether it was officials from JetBlue, the federal Transportation Security Administration or the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport, who told Jarrar to remove his shirt, Dervin said.
Officials for the TSA and Port Authority said the agencies were investigating.
Jarrar, 28, is half-Iraqi and half-Palestinian and moved to the United States last year from Jordan, where he was studying. The slogan “We Will Not Be Silent” has been adopted by opponents of the war in Iraq.
Ummmm, I guess I don't know what to say.
That is SO FUCKED UP.
Human rights activist was briefly barred from JetBlue flight in Oakland
NEW YORK - An Arab human rights activist was prevented from boarding a plane at Kennedy Airport while wearing a T-shirt that read, “We will not be silent,” in English and Arabic.
Raed Jarrar was at the gate to board a JetBlue Airways flight to Oakland, Calif., on Aug. 12 when four officials from the airline or a government agency stopped him and told him he could not board with the shirt on, he said Wednesday.
One official told him, “Going to an airport with a T-shirt in Arabic script is like going to a bank and wearing a T-shirt that says, ‘I’m a robber,”’ he said.
Jenny Dervin, a JetBlue spokeswoman, acknowledged the dispute and said the airline was investigating. She noted the incident came two days after British authorities announced they had foiled a plot to blow up jetliners over the Atlantic.
Though rules banning liquids and gels in carry-on baggage went into effect at U.S. airports, Dervin said there are no specific rules governing clothing.
Jarrar, who directs the Iraq project for Global Exchange, a San Francisco-based human rights organization, said he refused a suggestion from the officials that he turn his shirt inside out. In the end, officials gave Jarrar another shirt to wear over his, and he put it on rather than miss his flight.
Jarrar said he was forced to give up his seat near the front of the plane and was issued a new boarding pass for a seat in the rear.
It was unclear whether it was officials from JetBlue, the federal Transportation Security Administration or the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport, who told Jarrar to remove his shirt, Dervin said.
Officials for the TSA and Port Authority said the agencies were investigating.
Jarrar, 28, is half-Iraqi and half-Palestinian and moved to the United States last year from Jordan, where he was studying. The slogan “We Will Not Be Silent” has been adopted by opponents of the war in Iraq.
Ummmm, I guess I don't know what to say.
That is SO FUCKED UP.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Gather.com
This is a way cool networking site. I got tipped off because I'm a BzzAgent. It's kind of like Myspace for grown ups. Check it out.
http://www.gather.com/register.jsp?ref=bza_78522
http://www.gather.com/register.jsp?ref=bza_78522
Monday, August 28, 2006
What have I gotten myself into?!
So I signed up for school. I start September 12th, and should be on campus for about 8.5 months, and then have a 6-8 week externship. So by this time next year, I will be done. Yay, right?
Well, only kind of....
I took a $2/hr pay cut to go to a different position part time, as the job I am in now can't be a job share and must be full time. I am moving from 40 hours a week to 24. I will leave my house at 6:40am and get home around 6:40pm. I am missing out on time with Raya 2 hours a day, 3 days a week, and 1 hour, one day a week, so that will be really hard on both of us. I'm not even going to get into the student loans.
I know it's only for a short time, and really, it's not like I am doing this for 4 years, right?
This should be totally worth it, and give me something to do if I leave this city, other than tell prospective employers that yes, I have been a glorified secretary for 'x' years.
It really should be fine....
But that mountain in the distance looks pretty big from here....
Well, only kind of....
I took a $2/hr pay cut to go to a different position part time, as the job I am in now can't be a job share and must be full time. I am moving from 40 hours a week to 24. I will leave my house at 6:40am and get home around 6:40pm. I am missing out on time with Raya 2 hours a day, 3 days a week, and 1 hour, one day a week, so that will be really hard on both of us. I'm not even going to get into the student loans.
I know it's only for a short time, and really, it's not like I am doing this for 4 years, right?
This should be totally worth it, and give me something to do if I leave this city, other than tell prospective employers that yes, I have been a glorified secretary for 'x' years.
It really should be fine....
But that mountain in the distance looks pretty big from here....
The babe....
The baby I've been holding my breath for is finally here! She's absolutely gorgeous, and was 7lbs. 1oz. and 19" (which, coincidentally, was exactly the size I said she'd be). Both mommy and baby are doing well, although they're both pretty tired (daddy probably is too).
And if you'll note, the baby is still smaller than the monkey.
And if you'll note, the baby is still smaller than the monkey.
Holy Crap
It's been a long time since I've posted. I've been really busy, which although sounding like a total cop-out, it also totally true.
*sigh*
Sorry.
*sigh*
Sorry.
Monday, August 07, 2006
MFH....
Is done! After killing myself to get the fingers done, I decided at the last minute that they just screamed "choking hazard", and didn't put them on. The baby shower was yesterday, and everyone (especially mama) thought it was super fun and cute, so I can breathe a sigh of relief! Here's a picture mama took with her camera phone (since I forgot), so the color is a little off, but I'll get a better one later. I think it was worth it. Keep in mind, this thing is about 2.5' long!
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
MFH Update
The monkey has paws! 4 cute little cream colored paws. No fingers, but paws none-the-less. Yay!
U.S. Probe Implicates Marines
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14150687/
Wow.
just, wow.
WHAT.THE.FUCK.
Marines, killing 24 unarmed civilians. For what? FUN?! What the hell kind of sick bastard thinks of even doing such a thing, let alone going through with it? These Marines who killed at Haditha should be charged by an international tribunal for war crimes...and then sent back to the states and charged with capital murder, since this was obviously a hate crime.
Oh, and the marines who raped and then killed a young woman and her entire family....
What in Rachel's name is going on here?!
Support our troops...?
WHATTHEFUCKEVER.
Wow.
just, wow.
WHAT.THE.FUCK.
Marines, killing 24 unarmed civilians. For what? FUN?! What the hell kind of sick bastard thinks of even doing such a thing, let alone going through with it? These Marines who killed at Haditha should be charged by an international tribunal for war crimes...and then sent back to the states and charged with capital murder, since this was obviously a hate crime.
Oh, and the marines who raped and then killed a young woman and her entire family....
What in Rachel's name is going on here?!
Support our troops...?
WHATTHEFUCKEVER.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
I didn't expect this!
Not only is Cheraya headlining the WA State Dem website...
http://www.wa-democrats.org/
She's national!!!
http://www.democrats.org/
http://www.wa-democrats.org/
She's national!!!
http://www.democrats.org/
Thanks a lot, Jill!
So, thanks to Jill, I have a fairly new passion for lip plumpers. I LOVE them! I only have 2, but I am sure to add more.
My favorite is Lip Venom, by DuWop. I love it, but it is quite spicy. I didn't get Angelina Jolie kind of plump or anything, but beautiful color, and just a little plump. Not for the faint of heart.
My other is the lip plumper from Sövage. I got it at Macy's for a pretty penny, but I love this one too. It works great, but it's not as glossy as the venom. Also not as spicy. I think this would be a good first time plumper.
My favorite is Lip Venom, by DuWop. I love it, but it is quite spicy. I didn't get Angelina Jolie kind of plump or anything, but beautiful color, and just a little plump. Not for the faint of heart.
My other is the lip plumper from Sövage. I got it at Macy's for a pretty penny, but I love this one too. It works great, but it's not as glossy as the venom. Also not as spicy. I think this would be a good first time plumper.
Its in the mail
We've all said this at one time or another, right? I know I have. It usually goes something like this:
"Hello?"
"Is Mr/Mrs. X in?"
"This is s/he."
"Hi, my name is blahblahblah and I'm calling from Comcast. It looks like your bill is past due."
"Oh, yeah. Sorry about that, I mailed off a payment a few days ago, so it should be to you now."
"Would you like to make a payment over the phone?"
"Not today. Really, its in the mail."
Now, when its a huge corporation we're talking about, and your measly $56.32 isn't going to make a hell of a lot of difference, bill collectors don't really seem to care much.
Let me tell you though, when its my child support for July, and I am still responsible for nearly $600 in day care bills alone, I don't want to hear that bullshit line from my daughter's bio-idiot!
Ugh, it just fries me. He is a waste of fucking oxygen.
"Hello?"
"Is Mr/Mrs. X in?"
"This is s/he."
"Hi, my name is blahblahblah and I'm calling from Comcast. It looks like your bill is past due."
"Oh, yeah. Sorry about that, I mailed off a payment a few days ago, so it should be to you now."
"Would you like to make a payment over the phone?"
"Not today. Really, its in the mail."
Now, when its a huge corporation we're talking about, and your measly $56.32 isn't going to make a hell of a lot of difference, bill collectors don't really seem to care much.
Let me tell you though, when its my child support for July, and I am still responsible for nearly $600 in day care bills alone, I don't want to hear that bullshit line from my daughter's bio-idiot!
Ugh, it just fries me. He is a waste of fucking oxygen.
Monkey from hell
Well, the MFH now has: a head, a body, 2 arms, 2 legs, a tail, and 2 very cute little ears. It has left to be knit: a face, 4 paws, and 20 fingers. At least all of the really big stuff is out of the way. I am sure ya'll are sick of listening to me bitch about this, hahaha.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
I only have a second....
Since I'm on my neighbor's computer, but I had to blog this.
Here's a pretty damn cute young democrat.
Here's a pretty damn cute young democrat.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Damn Monkey - Update
Well, I managed to finish 1 arm each for the last two nights. Now the tail is all I have left of the big stuff. BUT, as is Murphy's Law, I am almost out of yarn, and probably will not have enough left for the whole tail. I am getting some assistance from the smart women at FCD, so if I ever make this damn thing again, I will not have this giant thing I am trying to finish in time for a baby. *SIGH*
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
This.Fucking.Monkey....
So my best friend from high school is having a baby, yea! The little bundle is due on Labor Day (haha, how appropriate) and mommy and daddy decided to decorate her room like a jungle. So, being the fabulous aunt I am, I decide that a really great present for the baby would be to knit a baby spider monkey. BABY spider monkey.
This thing is fucking huge. If I had made the MOMMY monkey, the bitch would've needed her own room! Just the body and the head is about 12"! I had no idea that it would be so huge, and it's taking me forever to do. I only have the arms and the tail left, other than the hands and face, which are small and not evilly difficult. But damn! The baby shower is in a week and a half, and I have to do it all by then.
Next time I decide to make a monkey, I think if I cut the pattern, it might work out. Although the spots where you increase and decrease might get screwed up.... Any knitters out there?
This thing is fucking huge. If I had made the MOMMY monkey, the bitch would've needed her own room! Just the body and the head is about 12"! I had no idea that it would be so huge, and it's taking me forever to do. I only have the arms and the tail left, other than the hands and face, which are small and not evilly difficult. But damn! The baby shower is in a week and a half, and I have to do it all by then.
Next time I decide to make a monkey, I think if I cut the pattern, it might work out. Although the spots where you increase and decrease might get screwed up.... Any knitters out there?
Child Modeling
Cheraya is beautiful. As in, truly beautiful. Here are a few of my favorite pictures:
Lots of people have told me that I should try and get her into modeling. I just don't know about that. I know I wouldn't turn into one of those sick and psycho pageant moms, but I still feel weird about it. Any little bit of money I could put away for her college right now would be a good investment.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Fish whacking, and other funny office conversations....
My boss is pretty damn funny sometimes. I trust him about as far as I could throw his 6'5" ass, but he's funny none the less.
We're in the office today talking about one of our employees leaving to go work at Apollo College. We somehow get on the subject of people not getting out of your office (I think it was because I told them to get out of my office), and he starts talking about how he used to have this little wooden bat, like the kind you would use to whack a fish. HA! I didn't know fish whacking was a sport. So glad he's enlightened me.
So a little bit later (after I've finally stopped giggling), we have a contractor come up and ask to be shown space, but my boss needs to take him down because it's locked. That's totally fine. I call him and he comes out, and I explain what this nice gentleman needs, so my boss gets the key from me, and on their way out of the office, he drops this trade magazine on my desk with the single most dorky picture of a very homely man, with a not that he "wants to be my boyfriend."
I retaliate by finding another homely picture and writing that the first guy may want to be my boyfriend, but at least I didn't go on an extended fish whacking trip with the second guy. I finished it off by drawing a heart and writing Rob+Chip 4 Ever in it.
I don't have the greatest job, but it does have it's highlights.
What an HR nightmare we could be....
We're in the office today talking about one of our employees leaving to go work at Apollo College. We somehow get on the subject of people not getting out of your office (I think it was because I told them to get out of my office), and he starts talking about how he used to have this little wooden bat, like the kind you would use to whack a fish. HA! I didn't know fish whacking was a sport. So glad he's enlightened me.
So a little bit later (after I've finally stopped giggling), we have a contractor come up and ask to be shown space, but my boss needs to take him down because it's locked. That's totally fine. I call him and he comes out, and I explain what this nice gentleman needs, so my boss gets the key from me, and on their way out of the office, he drops this trade magazine on my desk with the single most dorky picture of a very homely man, with a not that he "wants to be my boyfriend."
I retaliate by finding another homely picture and writing that the first guy may want to be my boyfriend, but at least I didn't go on an extended fish whacking trip with the second guy. I finished it off by drawing a heart and writing Rob+Chip 4 Ever in it.
I don't have the greatest job, but it does have it's highlights.
What an HR nightmare we could be....
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
What a great weekend....
On Saturday, Cheraya and I got a few things done around the house, and then left and went to Riverfront Park. We played in the fountain, and then on the toys. Ran home for dinner about 5:30, and then jumped back on the bus and headed back down for some fishing. Although I wouldn't even think of eating the fish from the Spokane river, we were just doing some catch and release. We fished for a few hours, but Cheraya got antsy, so we headed to Ben & Jerry's for a chocolate ice cream cone, and then went back to the river for those good twilight fishing hours. She caught her first fish! A slimy, gross squaw fish, but her first fish, nonetheless! She was so excited.
Sunday we got a few more things done around the house and then took off for fish lake to fish and swim. I was the only one who caught anything, and it was a couple of perch to tiny to even think of eating. We did do some swimming though, and that was a blast, as always. Ever since I got Cheraya her little life jacket, she just loves the water even more. Best $18 I ever spent. We got home and had a BBQ (she ate a burger!).
Made it really hard to come back to work yesterday.
Sunday we got a few more things done around the house and then took off for fish lake to fish and swim. I was the only one who caught anything, and it was a couple of perch to tiny to even think of eating. We did do some swimming though, and that was a blast, as always. Ever since I got Cheraya her little life jacket, she just loves the water even more. Best $18 I ever spent. We got home and had a BBQ (she ate a burger!).
Made it really hard to come back to work yesterday.
Friday, July 14, 2006
I just need to bitch for a minute....
1. When swimming in the lake last weekend, I dived wrong and had a bunch of water shoot into my nose and sinuses. Ever since my ears have had issues and I've been dizzy. This is getting REALLY OLD.
2. One of the directors I work with is Cruella DeVil. She does anything and everything she can to throw me under the bus behind my back. I just hate her.
3. People on internet message boards who give first time moms really shitty advice pisses me off. Either do your research, or shut up!
4. I have filing to do. I HATE filing.
5. I have to do chores tonight when I get home. YUCK!
2. One of the directors I work with is Cruella DeVil. She does anything and everything she can to throw me under the bus behind my back. I just hate her.
3. People on internet message boards who give first time moms really shitty advice pisses me off. Either do your research, or shut up!
4. I have filing to do. I HATE filing.
5. I have to do chores tonight when I get home. YUCK!
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Oldies but Goodies
This is my new blog. I had one that was all about politics, but it got too depressing to keep up with. Before I deleted it, I copied some of my favorite posts and moved them here. The original dates are noted.
Mar. 19, 2006
How to Spot a Baby Conservative
I got this article from the EBG. Not 100% sure HOW scientific it is, but it makes my day happy, and I hope it does the same for you....
How to spot a baby conservative
KID POLITICS Whiny children, claims a new study, tend to grow up rigid and traditional. Future liberals, on the other hand ...
Mar. 19, 2006. 10:45 AM
KURT KLEINER
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Remember the whiny, insecure kid in nursery school, the one who always thought everyone was out to get him, and was always running to the teacher with complaints? Chances are he grew up to be a conservative.
At least, he did if he was one of 95 kids from the Berkeley area that social scientists have been tracking for the last 20 years. The confident, resilient, self-reliant kids mostly grew up to be liberals.
The study from the Journal of Research Into Personality isn't going to make the UC Berkeley professor who published it any friends on the right. Similar conclusions a few years ago from another academic saw him excoriated on right-wing blogs, and even led to a Congressional investigation into his research funding.
But the new results are worth a look. In the 1960s Jack Block and his wife and fellow professor Jeanne Block (now deceased) began tracking more than 100 nursery school kids as part of a general study of personality. The kids' personalities were rated at the time by teachers and assistants who had known them for months. There's no reason to think political bias skewed the ratings — the investigators were not looking at political orientation back then. Even if they had been, it's unlikely that 3- and 4-year-olds would have had much idea about their political leanings.
A few decades later, Block followed up with more surveys, looking again at personality, and this time at politics, too. The whiny kids tended to grow up conservative, and turned into rigid young adults who hewed closely to traditional gender roles and were uncomfortable with ambiguity.
The confident kids turned out liberal and were still hanging loose, turning into bright, non-conforming adults with wide interests. The girls were still outgoing, but the young men tended to turn a little introspective.
Block admits in his paper that liberal Berkeley is not representative of the whole country. But within his sample, he says, the results hold. He reasons that insecure kids look for the reassurance provided by tradition and authority, and find it in conservative politics. The more confident kids are eager to explore alternatives to the way things are, and find liberal politics more congenial.
In a society that values self-confidence and out-goingness, it's a mostly flattering picture for liberals. It also runs contrary to the American stereotype of wimpy liberals and strong conservatives.
Of course, if you're studying the psychology of politics, you shouldn't be surprised to get a political reaction. Similar work by John T. Jost of Stanford and colleagues in 2003 drew a political backlash. The researchers reviewed 44 years worth of studies into the psychology of conservatism, and concluded that people who are dogmatic, fearful, intolerant of ambiguity and uncertainty, and who crave order and structure are more likely to gravitate to conservatism. Critics branded it the "conservatives are crazy" study and accused the authors of a political bias.
Jost welcomed the new study, saying it lends support to his conclusions. But Jeff Greenberg, a social psychologist at the University of Arizona who was critical of Jost's study, was less impressed.
I got this article from the EBG. Not 100% sure HOW scientific it is, but it makes my day happy, and I hope it does the same for you....
How to spot a baby conservative
KID POLITICS Whiny children, claims a new study, tend to grow up rigid and traditional. Future liberals, on the other hand ...
Mar. 19, 2006. 10:45 AM
KURT KLEINER
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Remember the whiny, insecure kid in nursery school, the one who always thought everyone was out to get him, and was always running to the teacher with complaints? Chances are he grew up to be a conservative.
At least, he did if he was one of 95 kids from the Berkeley area that social scientists have been tracking for the last 20 years. The confident, resilient, self-reliant kids mostly grew up to be liberals.
The study from the Journal of Research Into Personality isn't going to make the UC Berkeley professor who published it any friends on the right. Similar conclusions a few years ago from another academic saw him excoriated on right-wing blogs, and even led to a Congressional investigation into his research funding.
But the new results are worth a look. In the 1960s Jack Block and his wife and fellow professor Jeanne Block (now deceased) began tracking more than 100 nursery school kids as part of a general study of personality. The kids' personalities were rated at the time by teachers and assistants who had known them for months. There's no reason to think political bias skewed the ratings — the investigators were not looking at political orientation back then. Even if they had been, it's unlikely that 3- and 4-year-olds would have had much idea about their political leanings.
A few decades later, Block followed up with more surveys, looking again at personality, and this time at politics, too. The whiny kids tended to grow up conservative, and turned into rigid young adults who hewed closely to traditional gender roles and were uncomfortable with ambiguity.
The confident kids turned out liberal and were still hanging loose, turning into bright, non-conforming adults with wide interests. The girls were still outgoing, but the young men tended to turn a little introspective.
Block admits in his paper that liberal Berkeley is not representative of the whole country. But within his sample, he says, the results hold. He reasons that insecure kids look for the reassurance provided by tradition and authority, and find it in conservative politics. The more confident kids are eager to explore alternatives to the way things are, and find liberal politics more congenial.
In a society that values self-confidence and out-goingness, it's a mostly flattering picture for liberals. It also runs contrary to the American stereotype of wimpy liberals and strong conservatives.
Of course, if you're studying the psychology of politics, you shouldn't be surprised to get a political reaction. Similar work by John T. Jost of Stanford and colleagues in 2003 drew a political backlash. The researchers reviewed 44 years worth of studies into the psychology of conservatism, and concluded that people who are dogmatic, fearful, intolerant of ambiguity and uncertainty, and who crave order and structure are more likely to gravitate to conservatism. Critics branded it the "conservatives are crazy" study and accused the authors of a political bias.
Jost welcomed the new study, saying it lends support to his conclusions. But Jeff Greenberg, a social psychologist at the University of Arizona who was critical of Jost's study, was less impressed.
Mar. 9, 2006
Fun With Fundies - Volume II
Wow. Check out this site for little kids. What a bunch of hateful bullshit. Who shows their kids this crap?! Oh yeah...fundies.....
Objective: 4 Kidz with Lambuel!
Please do not open this link in front of children who can read....
For adults though, it's funny in a sick kind of way.
Wow. Check out this site for little kids. What a bunch of hateful bullshit. Who shows their kids this crap?! Oh yeah...fundies.....
Objective: 4 Kidz with Lambuel!
Please do not open this link in front of children who can read....
For adults though, it's funny in a sick kind of way.
Mar. 8, 2006
Fun With Fundies!!!
I received these links from the EBG.
All are real places.
The Creation Museum
Come...the...fuck...on....
From their website:
"The Creation Museum is an outreach of Answers in Genesis, a non-profit ministry located near the Cincinnati International Airport, in northern Kentucky, USA. This 50,000 square foot facility will proclaim to the world that the Bible is the supreme authority in all matters of faith and practice and in every area it touches on. Scheduled to open in 2007, this “walk through history” museum will be a wonderful alternative to the evolutionary natural history museums that are turning countless minds against the gospel of Christ and the authority of the Scripture."
These are my favorite questions from the Q&A section:
1. Why is this museum needed?
Our increasingly anti-Christian country must return to a belief in the authority of the Bible and be presented with the life-changing gospel message. Evolutionary indoctrination has undermined the Christian foundations in America.
(Anti-Christian? Are they serious?)
2. What is so different about this museum?
Almost all natural-history museums proclaim an evolutionary, humanistiworld viewew. For example, they will typically place dinosaurs on an evolutionary timeline millions of years before man. AiGÂ’s museum will proclaim the authority and accuracy of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and will show that there is a Creator, and that this Creator is Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:15-20), who is our Savior.
(It's great and all to 'proclaim' accuracy, but there is, or always should be, a little something I like to call the burden of proof. In addition, I could have sworn the creator was God, and his son was Jesus Christ, who is our savior. Two different entities....)
3. What kind of exhibits will I find in it?
The 50,000-square-foot museum will be filled with life-sized dinosaur models, fossil and mineral collections, waterfalls, live exhibits (poison dart frogs, fish, turtles, bugs and more) and many other first-class exhibits that will proclaim the authority of the Bible from its very first verse.
(I wonder how they fit dinosaurs into the scheme of things. I don't wonder enough to actually go there, but I will admit I am curious.)
Creation Evidence Museum
This mostly speaks for itself. I am sure I'd be breaking some law to copy and paste the picture of the 'foot print' in stone, so please do go to this site. I am awed people believe this crap!
Dinosaur Adventure Land
When a place's tag line is "The Place Where Dinosaurs and The Bible Meet!", how can you not be laughing already?!To me, the highlights of this site are the pictures of the "fossilized dog in a tree", and the section on how long it really takes things to fossilize. Again, I cannot believe people think this shit is true.
I received these links from the EBG.
All are real places.
The Creation Museum
Come...the...fuck...on....
From their website:
"The Creation Museum is an outreach of Answers in Genesis, a non-profit ministry located near the Cincinnati International Airport, in northern Kentucky, USA. This 50,000 square foot facility will proclaim to the world that the Bible is the supreme authority in all matters of faith and practice and in every area it touches on. Scheduled to open in 2007, this “walk through history” museum will be a wonderful alternative to the evolutionary natural history museums that are turning countless minds against the gospel of Christ and the authority of the Scripture."
These are my favorite questions from the Q&A section:
1. Why is this museum needed?
Our increasingly anti-Christian country must return to a belief in the authority of the Bible and be presented with the life-changing gospel message. Evolutionary indoctrination has undermined the Christian foundations in America.
(Anti-Christian? Are they serious?)
2. What is so different about this museum?
Almost all natural-history museums proclaim an evolutionary, humanistiworld viewew. For example, they will typically place dinosaurs on an evolutionary timeline millions of years before man. AiGÂ’s museum will proclaim the authority and accuracy of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and will show that there is a Creator, and that this Creator is Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:15-20), who is our Savior.
(It's great and all to 'proclaim' accuracy, but there is, or always should be, a little something I like to call the burden of proof. In addition, I could have sworn the creator was God, and his son was Jesus Christ, who is our savior. Two different entities....)
3. What kind of exhibits will I find in it?
The 50,000-square-foot museum will be filled with life-sized dinosaur models, fossil and mineral collections, waterfalls, live exhibits (poison dart frogs, fish, turtles, bugs and more) and many other first-class exhibits that will proclaim the authority of the Bible from its very first verse.
(I wonder how they fit dinosaurs into the scheme of things. I don't wonder enough to actually go there, but I will admit I am curious.)
Creation Evidence Museum
This mostly speaks for itself. I am sure I'd be breaking some law to copy and paste the picture of the 'foot print' in stone, so please do go to this site. I am awed people believe this crap!
Dinosaur Adventure Land
When a place's tag line is "The Place Where Dinosaurs and The Bible Meet!", how can you not be laughing already?!To me, the highlights of this site are the pictures of the "fossilized dog in a tree", and the section on how long it really takes things to fossilize. Again, I cannot believe people think this shit is true.
Feb. 17, 2006
Lawyer Shot by Cheney Is Sorry for Veep's Troubles
See original story here
The man accidentally shot by Dick Cheney is scheduled to be released from a Texas hospital later today, as the vice president gave his first public speech since the hunting accident.
Cheney wounded Harry M. Whittington on Saturday when they and friends were hunting quail on the Armstrong Ranch in south Texas. As many as 200 pellets hit Whittington and one lodged in a muscle near the heart causing a mild attack.
At a news conference at the Christus Spohn Memorial Hospital in Corpus Christi where he was treated, Whittington called the incident an accident. He looked wan and the right side of his face appeared bruised, but spoke graciously of Cheney, with an occasional touch of humor.
"This past weekend encompassed all of us in a cloud of misfortune and sadness that is not easy to explain, especially to those who are not familiar with the great sport of quail hunting," Whittington said.
"We all assume certain risks in whatever we do, whatever activities we pursue. And regardless of how experienced, careful and dedicated we are, accidents do and will happen. And that's what happened," he said.
"My family and I are deeply sorry for all that Vice President Cheney and his family have had to go through this past week. We send our love and respect to them as they deal with situations that are much more serious than what we've had this week," he said.
Whittington said he hoped that Cheney would continue to come to Texas and hunt.
Hospital officials said Whittington was in good health and will be released later today.Moments later in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Cheney entered the state legislature chamber and was greeted by applause from lawmakers. Cheney began his political career as intern in the Legislature in the mid-1960s.
Officials praised a sizable donation from the Cheney family trust to the University of Wyoming where Cheney went to school.
"Thank you for the kind words," Cheney said. "I want to thank you for that welcome home. It's a wonderful experience to be greeted by such warmth by the leaders of our great state. It's especially true when you've had a very long week. Thankfully, Harry Whittington is on the mend and doing very well.
After the speech, Cheney, a former congressman from Wyoming, is expected to stay for the weekend at his home.
The appearances by Whittington and Cheney will likely further dampen the furor over the shooting.
The incident was not publicly revealed until Sunday when the ranch owner contacted her local newspaper. Cheney did not personally comment until Wednesday when he granted Fox News an exclusive interview.
Cheney has defended the delay and the limited release of details, both of which angered the Washington press as well as political critics who said it was another example of the administration usual secrecy on a variety of issues.
President Bush has backed Cheney, telling reporters on Thursday that the vice president handled the situation in a fine manner.
"I'm satisfied with the explanation he gave," Bush said.
Bush described Cheney as extremely distraught since he shot Whittington.
In his interview, Cheney said he didn't see Whittington until the vice president fired his shotgun, hitting the 78-year-old lawyer and Texas Republican. Cheney said he had a beer at lunch, but that alcohol was not a factor in the accident.
In his comments to the Kenedy County Sheriff's Department, Whittington agreed that none of the hunters were under the influence of alcohol.
The department ended its investigation without charging anyone and released the incident report on Thursday. According to the document, a deputy interviewed Cheney on Sunday and Whittington on Monday at the hospital.
Whittington was hit with shotgun pellets in the face, neck and chest. He was treated at Christus Spohn Memorial Hospital in Corpus Christi where he suffered a mild heart attack caused by a shotgun pellet that traveled to his heart.
Cheney said it was "one of the worst days of my life," while accepting full blame for the accident and defending his decision to delay the public disclosure until the next day.
You have GOT to be kidding me! The Daily Kos called it 'Operation Switch The Victim', and I don't think I could possibly come up with anything more fitting myself.... This is an outrage, and yet more proof that the right will stoop as low as it can to cover it's own ass. I have an extremely hard time believing that this poor old man would think it necessary to come to the press and apologize for his injuries hurting the VP's feelings. Come on now...is there actually anyone who thinks he did this on his OWN?
Also, Dicky boy said he had "one beer at lunch"? How many lunches did he have?!
See original story here
The man accidentally shot by Dick Cheney is scheduled to be released from a Texas hospital later today, as the vice president gave his first public speech since the hunting accident.
Cheney wounded Harry M. Whittington on Saturday when they and friends were hunting quail on the Armstrong Ranch in south Texas. As many as 200 pellets hit Whittington and one lodged in a muscle near the heart causing a mild attack.
At a news conference at the Christus Spohn Memorial Hospital in Corpus Christi where he was treated, Whittington called the incident an accident. He looked wan and the right side of his face appeared bruised, but spoke graciously of Cheney, with an occasional touch of humor.
"This past weekend encompassed all of us in a cloud of misfortune and sadness that is not easy to explain, especially to those who are not familiar with the great sport of quail hunting," Whittington said.
"We all assume certain risks in whatever we do, whatever activities we pursue. And regardless of how experienced, careful and dedicated we are, accidents do and will happen. And that's what happened," he said.
"My family and I are deeply sorry for all that Vice President Cheney and his family have had to go through this past week. We send our love and respect to them as they deal with situations that are much more serious than what we've had this week," he said.
Whittington said he hoped that Cheney would continue to come to Texas and hunt.
Hospital officials said Whittington was in good health and will be released later today.Moments later in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Cheney entered the state legislature chamber and was greeted by applause from lawmakers. Cheney began his political career as intern in the Legislature in the mid-1960s.
Officials praised a sizable donation from the Cheney family trust to the University of Wyoming where Cheney went to school.
"Thank you for the kind words," Cheney said. "I want to thank you for that welcome home. It's a wonderful experience to be greeted by such warmth by the leaders of our great state. It's especially true when you've had a very long week. Thankfully, Harry Whittington is on the mend and doing very well.
After the speech, Cheney, a former congressman from Wyoming, is expected to stay for the weekend at his home.
The appearances by Whittington and Cheney will likely further dampen the furor over the shooting.
The incident was not publicly revealed until Sunday when the ranch owner contacted her local newspaper. Cheney did not personally comment until Wednesday when he granted Fox News an exclusive interview.
Cheney has defended the delay and the limited release of details, both of which angered the Washington press as well as political critics who said it was another example of the administration usual secrecy on a variety of issues.
President Bush has backed Cheney, telling reporters on Thursday that the vice president handled the situation in a fine manner.
"I'm satisfied with the explanation he gave," Bush said.
Bush described Cheney as extremely distraught since he shot Whittington.
In his interview, Cheney said he didn't see Whittington until the vice president fired his shotgun, hitting the 78-year-old lawyer and Texas Republican. Cheney said he had a beer at lunch, but that alcohol was not a factor in the accident.
In his comments to the Kenedy County Sheriff's Department, Whittington agreed that none of the hunters were under the influence of alcohol.
The department ended its investigation without charging anyone and released the incident report on Thursday. According to the document, a deputy interviewed Cheney on Sunday and Whittington on Monday at the hospital.
Whittington was hit with shotgun pellets in the face, neck and chest. He was treated at Christus Spohn Memorial Hospital in Corpus Christi where he suffered a mild heart attack caused by a shotgun pellet that traveled to his heart.
Cheney said it was "one of the worst days of my life," while accepting full blame for the accident and defending his decision to delay the public disclosure until the next day.
You have GOT to be kidding me! The Daily Kos called it 'Operation Switch The Victim', and I don't think I could possibly come up with anything more fitting myself.... This is an outrage, and yet more proof that the right will stoop as low as it can to cover it's own ass. I have an extremely hard time believing that this poor old man would think it necessary to come to the press and apologize for his injuries hurting the VP's feelings. Come on now...is there actually anyone who thinks he did this on his OWN?
Also, Dicky boy said he had "one beer at lunch"? How many lunches did he have?!
Feb. 15, 2006
Many of my posts will contain opinions from the EBG, of which I am a member. The EBG is an exclusive group of people from all walks of life, who have come together to discuss current news and politics. I can assure my readers that this is no joke, and although quotes from EBG can be satirical, even hilarious at times, the deeper meaning is clear. I hope everyone enjoys what EBG, as an elite brain trust, has to say.
Feb. 4, 2006
So I had a conversation with a conservative the other day. I know, I know, never a wise decision, but I actually really like and respect this person, although I am willing to admit he must be grossly under-informed. Regardless, we had a chat about Iraq.
How do people still believe Saddam was making nuclear weapons? I thought this had been refuted enough that finally people were going to let this go. Then, of course, we get into the "he was slaughtering his own people" part of the argument. What kind of bleeding heart liberal would I be if I didn't care? I do, honestly I do...but not enough to wage a pre-emptive strike without the backing of the United Nations, on false pretenses.
I guess that part of the argument doesn't hold water for me. If the Shrub had gotten up in front of the American People and said "I believe something needs to be done to stop the atrocities committed against the Iraqi people. We, as the most powerful nation in the world, need to stand up, and protect those who cannot protect themselves", I might feel a little better about it. Instead we got the Saddam-9/11 connection (that never existed), and "Hussein is a danger to the American people. He's building nukular bombs to kill us because he hates our freedom". I mean, come on people. Don't most Americans see through this crap?
I get really sick of people who throw the "mean Saddam" argument at me, and you know these are the same people who were ripping Clinton for bombing Yugoslavia. I don't get this "war on terror". It seems to me that, thanks to Dubya and his ilk, the US is spending a hell of a lot more time pissing off the international community than doing anything to help anyone.
Which brings me to Sudan. What the hell are we wasting our time in Iraq for when hundreds of thousands in Darfur are dying of starvation and easily curable disease?! Does it make me a horrible person to be angry the Georgie picked Iraq (OIL) over Sudan (starving women and children, genocide)? Millions are affected by this conflict, and yet we do nothing. Nothing....
How do people still believe Saddam was making nuclear weapons? I thought this had been refuted enough that finally people were going to let this go. Then, of course, we get into the "he was slaughtering his own people" part of the argument. What kind of bleeding heart liberal would I be if I didn't care? I do, honestly I do...but not enough to wage a pre-emptive strike without the backing of the United Nations, on false pretenses.
I guess that part of the argument doesn't hold water for me. If the Shrub had gotten up in front of the American People and said "I believe something needs to be done to stop the atrocities committed against the Iraqi people. We, as the most powerful nation in the world, need to stand up, and protect those who cannot protect themselves", I might feel a little better about it. Instead we got the Saddam-9/11 connection (that never existed), and "Hussein is a danger to the American people. He's building nukular bombs to kill us because he hates our freedom". I mean, come on people. Don't most Americans see through this crap?
I get really sick of people who throw the "mean Saddam" argument at me, and you know these are the same people who were ripping Clinton for bombing Yugoslavia. I don't get this "war on terror". It seems to me that, thanks to Dubya and his ilk, the US is spending a hell of a lot more time pissing off the international community than doing anything to help anyone.
Which brings me to Sudan. What the hell are we wasting our time in Iraq for when hundreds of thousands in Darfur are dying of starvation and easily curable disease?! Does it make me a horrible person to be angry the Georgie picked Iraq (OIL) over Sudan (starving women and children, genocide)? Millions are affected by this conflict, and yet we do nothing. Nothing....
Feb. 4, 2006
Why Do I Even Try?
So I had a conversation with a conservative the other day. I know, I know, never a wise decision, but I actually really like and respect this person, although I am willing to admit he must be grossly under-informed. Regardless, we had a chat about Iraq.
How do people still believe Saddam was making nuclear weapons? I thought this had been refuted enough that finally people were going to let this go. Then, of course, we get into the "he was slaughtering his own people" part of the argument. What kind of bleeding heart liberal would I be if I didn't care? I do, honestly I do...but not enough to wage a pre-emptive strike without the backing of the United Nations, on false pretenses.
I guess that part of the argument doesn't hold water for me. If the Shrub had gotten up in front of the American People and said "I believe something needs to be done to stop the atrocities committed against the Iraqi people. We, as the most powerful nation in the world, need to stand up, and protect those who cannot protect themselves", I might feel a little better about it. Instead we got the Saddam-9/11 connection (that never existed), and "Hussein is a danger to the American people. He's building nukular bombs to kill us because he hates our freedom". I mean, come on people. Don't most Americans see through this crap?
I get really sick of people who throw the "mean Saddam" argument at me, and you know these are the same people who were ripping Clinton for bombing Yugoslavia. I don't get this "war on terror". It seems to me that, thanks to Dubya and his ilk, the US is spending a hell of a lot more time pissing off the international community than doing anything to help anyone.
Which brings me to Sudan. What the hell are we wasting our time in Iraq for when hundreds of thousands in Darfur are dying of starvation and easily curable disease?! Does it make me a horrible person to be angry the Georgie picked Iraq (OIL) over Sudan (starving women and children, genocide)? Millions are affected by this conflict, and yet we do nothing. Nothing....
So I had a conversation with a conservative the other day. I know, I know, never a wise decision, but I actually really like and respect this person, although I am willing to admit he must be grossly under-informed. Regardless, we had a chat about Iraq.
How do people still believe Saddam was making nuclear weapons? I thought this had been refuted enough that finally people were going to let this go. Then, of course, we get into the "he was slaughtering his own people" part of the argument. What kind of bleeding heart liberal would I be if I didn't care? I do, honestly I do...but not enough to wage a pre-emptive strike without the backing of the United Nations, on false pretenses.
I guess that part of the argument doesn't hold water for me. If the Shrub had gotten up in front of the American People and said "I believe something needs to be done to stop the atrocities committed against the Iraqi people. We, as the most powerful nation in the world, need to stand up, and protect those who cannot protect themselves", I might feel a little better about it. Instead we got the Saddam-9/11 connection (that never existed), and "Hussein is a danger to the American people. He's building nukular bombs to kill us because he hates our freedom". I mean, come on people. Don't most Americans see through this crap?
I get really sick of people who throw the "mean Saddam" argument at me, and you know these are the same people who were ripping Clinton for bombing Yugoslavia. I don't get this "war on terror". It seems to me that, thanks to Dubya and his ilk, the US is spending a hell of a lot more time pissing off the international community than doing anything to help anyone.
Which brings me to Sudan. What the hell are we wasting our time in Iraq for when hundreds of thousands in Darfur are dying of starvation and easily curable disease?! Does it make me a horrible person to be angry the Georgie picked Iraq (OIL) over Sudan (starving women and children, genocide)? Millions are affected by this conflict, and yet we do nothing. Nothing....
Feb. 4, 2006
I Love CafePress
I want these things. A CafePress.com wish list, if you will.
Go forth and buy lots of stuff from these people. They're funny and entrepreneurial! Site links are as follows:
"Stop Using Jesus..."
"Episcopalian Top 10"
"Christian Right"
"Mr. Left"
"Latte Sipping Elitist"
I want these things. A CafePress.com wish list, if you will.
Go forth and buy lots of stuff from these people. They're funny and entrepreneurial! Site links are as follows:
"Stop Using Jesus..."
"Episcopalian Top 10"
"Christian Right"
"Mr. Left"
"Latte Sipping Elitist"
Feb. 3, 2006
It's All About Quality....
MSNBC is reporting that the Dutch city of Gröningen is set to open the first Netherlands pharmacy dedicated strictly to high quality pot. Although cannabis is relatively easy to locate in coffee shops, the "quality often suffers". Even the local police are backing the idea. I wonder if they're going to sell Easy-Mac, and candy, and maybe chips too...and sodas. You'd think, since it would all be marketed to the same crowd, right? Right.
MSNBC is reporting that the Dutch city of Gröningen is set to open the first Netherlands pharmacy dedicated strictly to high quality pot. Although cannabis is relatively easy to locate in coffee shops, the "quality often suffers". Even the local police are backing the idea. I wonder if they're going to sell Easy-Mac, and candy, and maybe chips too...and sodas. You'd think, since it would all be marketed to the same crowd, right? Right.
Nov. 17, 2005
What a stupid, long, infuriating day. I am surrounded by complete idiots, I swear it.
It leaves me to wonder where people like this come from. Caves? Crawford, Texas*? When did this seeming movement of anti-intellectualism (I don't actually know if that's a real word, but you know what I mean) become a good thing? When did being well read become a bad thing? When did the theatre become passe? When did ballet become something for 3 year old girls??
I look around me every day, and I can only say "fucking Americans. No wonder everyone else hates us." What's worse...I don't blame them for a single minute.
Do I love this country? You're damn right I do. But I am disappointed and embarrassed at it right now. I am embarrassed at the decisions America is making for not only it's own citizens, but around the world! I am embarrassed that so many of my countrymen won't stand up and shout from their rooftops "we want change!" I love my country, but I don't think I'd make the leap to say "I'm proud to be an American." Hopefully, one day, I can.
*For those in Crawford, this was a joke about how stupid G-Dubya is. If you're offended, then I am guessing you can't take a joke, which leads me to believe you're a Republican, which then leads me to not give a flying hell if I offended you anyway.
It leaves me to wonder where people like this come from. Caves? Crawford, Texas*? When did this seeming movement of anti-intellectualism (I don't actually know if that's a real word, but you know what I mean) become a good thing? When did being well read become a bad thing? When did the theatre become passe? When did ballet become something for 3 year old girls??
I look around me every day, and I can only say "fucking Americans. No wonder everyone else hates us." What's worse...I don't blame them for a single minute.
Do I love this country? You're damn right I do. But I am disappointed and embarrassed at it right now. I am embarrassed at the decisions America is making for not only it's own citizens, but around the world! I am embarrassed that so many of my countrymen won't stand up and shout from their rooftops "we want change!" I love my country, but I don't think I'd make the leap to say "I'm proud to be an American." Hopefully, one day, I can.
*For those in Crawford, this was a joke about how stupid G-Dubya is. If you're offended, then I am guessing you can't take a joke, which leads me to believe you're a Republican, which then leads me to not give a flying hell if I offended you anyway.
Cheraya is so damn funny
Cheraya has an imaginary friend. Sleeve has been around since Raya was about 21 months old. Sometimes Sleeve is a baby, sometimes she's 2, and sometimes she's 5. She's invisible (of course!) and she can fly.
So Cheraya's new whine when I tell her she can't do something is to complain "but Sleeve gets to do it all the time! It's not fair!" as if Sleeve is someone she thinks she can use to support an argument. I just tell her that it's my responsibility to make choices for her, and she, in turn, may make whatever choices for Sleeve she sees fit.
She cracks me up sometimes.
So Cheraya's new whine when I tell her she can't do something is to complain "but Sleeve gets to do it all the time! It's not fair!" as if Sleeve is someone she thinks she can use to support an argument. I just tell her that it's my responsibility to make choices for her, and she, in turn, may make whatever choices for Sleeve she sees fit.
She cracks me up sometimes.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
A little about us....
My name is Amanda, I'm 24, and I am a single mother. My daughter's name is Cheraya and she's 4 (5 in September). We live in Spokane, WA. No, that is NOT near Seattle. I work as an admin. and Cheraya goes to preschool every day while I am at work. She generally really enjoys herself and her little friends.
For a bit of background, I had my daughter when I was 19. Her father became an abusive drug addict, and I took Cheraya and left when she was 3 months old. We've been on our own ever since. Her DNA donor isn't really involved. His mommy usually pays his child support (since he has no job and she pays all his other bills), and he is allowed to call Cheraya once a week. The last time he had a visitation was April 1st, 2004.
We are totally happy with out little family, which also includes an orange tabby cat and uncountable amounts of dolls and barbies(I am sure every parent of a girl can empathize).
So this is my blog on our lives, politics, shopping, and whatever else I feel the need to talk about.
Enjoy.
For a bit of background, I had my daughter when I was 19. Her father became an abusive drug addict, and I took Cheraya and left when she was 3 months old. We've been on our own ever since. Her DNA donor isn't really involved. His mommy usually pays his child support (since he has no job and she pays all his other bills), and he is allowed to call Cheraya once a week. The last time he had a visitation was April 1st, 2004.
We are totally happy with out little family, which also includes an orange tabby cat and uncountable amounts of dolls and barbies(I am sure every parent of a girl can empathize).
So this is my blog on our lives, politics, shopping, and whatever else I feel the need to talk about.
Enjoy.
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