A Poem

for this this time and place.  I have often been told that I am an honest person and honestly, I know when I am being dishonest.  I do. And I thought Travyon Martin and Michael Brown and so many other senseless deaths were sad.  But I wasn't honestly connecting the dots. 

What finally broke my heart was hearing a peace officer say, "My first duty is to come home at night."  I don't know, that's okay I guess.  It's not how I feel every day, but then I've never been shot at -- yet.  Part of me feels that if that is your philosophy, you might want to find a safer, different line of work. Because a young boy died that night, a black man always seems to be dying.  Then you act as if it's only as if a racoon that ran out on a lonely road and  got accidentally run over.  Nothing to see, move along, these things happen.

That might just be me being "angry at the sun." Or may I don't understand the poem.  Or may I don't understand anything.

Typical Republican Ignorance and Hypocrisy

Why? Haters hate:  Elizabeth Lauten's Past

President Carter Smacks Down 'Warmonger' McCain

President Carter Smacks Down 'Warmonger' McCain

Wait For It

Inhofe and Climate Change just wait until his state is affected by it. Then see how much he relies on big government.

Why does NPR normalize racism

See what a nice guy this is -- he even plays the easy jazz. NPR Racist 

Globola

Globola

'Da Flock?

Once again, capitalism flips the birdie at its workers on the ground In the name of profits, they get their protocol box checked but no real training. Then blame the victim. Sounds like SOP GOP in the war on the working class, especially women. Go Go Gomert.

Pobrecito -- He got what he wanted

Seems a damned shame that Doocy and his Fox and Friends begged for smaller government, licked their chops as they made malicious plans to prevent Obama from governing.  Now, they're crying because there is no Ebola Czar.  What a bunch of nitwits -- Why don't we have a surgeon general when we need one?

Everything Has a Price?

Could this happen here? Oh yeah if corporations, investors and the Chamber of Commerce have their way.  Canada's been sold

That's About Right

5 Christian lies, Err, I Mean Myths

You Don't Know the Facts So Stop Jumping to Conclusions

A quick Google search resulted in several differing accounts of this awful incident. We DO NOT know that Michael Brown robbed anyone, since there seems to be a tape, one the police did not make public, showing him paying for his cigars. When you make pronouncements about this, you look dumb and racist. Stop. If you don't know, don't say anything.

Micher Rhee goes bye bye I guess she swept herself out.  Not surprised, given the disastrous and brief time she spent in the class, duct taping mouths and such. Rhee duct tapes What I have never understood is why anyone gave her credibility, much less money.

Agree

http://www.forwardprogressives.com/fox-news-fear-mongering-propaganda-machine-thats-dividing-nation/

No, You Stop Racializing

My FB friend posted that Michael Brown was a criminal and the media should stop covering the story using such a racialized narrative. But, while stupid, stealing cigars isn't a capital offense. Who is making this about race? Police Shoot Black Men

A Stab at St. Ronnie and Pesky Facts

Truth vs. PR As someone who lived, and lives, with the legacy of St. Ronnie, the decimating of our universities and mental health care, the degrading of consumer protections, safety laws and labor rights, I will look for this book.

Ron Was Right

But don't tell him I admitted it. JK. Not really. http://www.upworthy.com/1-minute-of-brilliance-on-what-it-really-meant-to-drop-the-bombs-on-hiroshima-and-nagasaki?c=ufb1

Enjoy!

http://www.upworthy.com/kristen-bell-does-a-mean-mary-poppins-impression-and-sings-about-her-cheap-jerk-of-a-boss?c=ufb1

Observation v Belief

I am still ruminating over a family conversation. I always get accused of bringing up politics, which I really don't. But I cannot tolerate talking  points or factual inaccuracies. So when talking about climate change, my little brother asserted that once upon a time, most people believed the world was flat.  Ahh, that gave me the chance to point out the difference between observation and belief.  I love science, even though I'm not anything close to being a scientist.  Here is a link explaining how some people, to justify their BELIEFS,  cherry pick science.  http://www.salon.com/2014/07/23/neil_degrasse_tyson_exclusive_i_don%e2%80%99t_know_what_kind_of_democracy_that_is_if_you%e2%80%99re_gonna_cherry_pick_science_because_it_conflicts_with_your_philosophy/

Joanns Wins

I am a crafter. I am a craft junkie. I sew, I scrapbook, I knit,  I doodle in art journals. I can't really say this has an effect on me, since there are no Hobby Lobby stores anywhere around my neighborhood. But, I will choose Joanns every time.  http://www.scrapbookupdate.com/2014/06/30/hobby-lobby-wins-supreme-court/

Bubble Wrapped

The Supremes are completely insulated from realty, or so it seems to me.Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone

if not now, when?

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/reynolds-high-school-teacher-it-s-time-put

Blame it on Bush, Again

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.%E2%80%93Iraq_Status_of_Forces_Agreement

#Not One More

Oh my lord, where do we get off calling ourselves civilized?  Oregon School Shooter

It's So Easy to Blame the Victim

Impossible Choices Faced by Families of Hostages What would you want if it were your family member?

Faux Patriots

If he need  to face justice, let him be court marshaled. AT HOME. Fox Fox Commentator thinks US soldiers should have executed one of their own.

Civilization as we know it is not very civilized

 Canadian reaction to shooting   and this:  Just another day in the United States -- it's barely news.

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally

By voting. I hope people pay attention because the local stuff isn't glamorous, but it's important http://graphics.latimes.com/calif-primary-election-results-2014/

What Does Civilized Mean?

Not this,for sure. What about the right to live in a peaceful, safe society?

Tony Strickland-- Accomplice To Mass Murder? Or Just Bad Taste?

Tony Strickland-- Accomplice To Mass Murder? Or Just Bad Taste?

I would say, sadly, this won't bother Strickland' s target audience one bit.

Luck

I guess one of the biggest lessons I've learned is this: it's not enough to work hard, you have work smart. Strategically. With focus. A good example, my mom worked a lot harder pumping gas  than she did reviewing files, but guess which job had benefits and paid well.

My mom, however, didn't exactly have the same choices as the heir to a frozen food empire. I think Carlson is smart enough to know this -- if he wanted to. She had some luck and benefited from government policies.

Plus, how many people worked on infrastructure in this country and did not get rich. What privilige did they get? White Privilige seems to me ike the consequence of being born to the investor class as much as anything else.

Why Can't We Be Civilized?

I was just thinking about this time I saw a missionary speaking at my church.  The family brought along their slide show pictures --- they were fundraising, after all.  They lived most of the year in Africa and they brought along a picture of a small, white church in the middle of a field surrounded again by jungle.  The photo showed, outside the church, carefully lined up along the side and away from the door,  about half a dozen spears. I don't have a very good visual memory, but this image just burned into my brain.  The clear message:  no weapons allowed in their church.

I remember thinking at the time, yes, of course.  Churches are sanctuaries.  No weapons should be allowed.  And that seemed good to me.  That was before the doctor was gunned down in the lobby of Redeemer Lutheran Church.  That was before 20 kids were slaughtered the week before Christmas.

This happened today -- not too far from where I live:  Santa Barbara Shooter.
I've been to that campus many times, including taking courses one summer.  It is a gorgeous location.  Isla Vista is funky and full of youthful energy -- and there's almost always a party going on.  It's a colorful, fun place to work and study.

If you go on any websites right now, there are lots of people commenting about this -- about how a good guy with a gun is the solution to crazy people.  I guess that makes a kind of sense.

I think about that picture of the spears lined up outside of the church and I wonder if there is any place left in the US that is a sanctuary any more?   Shouldn't we do better?  Shouldn't grade schools and college sorority houses be safe -- I know the world isn't perfect and there are crazy people -- but what is the minimum standard of a civil society?  Wouldn't that be a place a little safer than the OK Corral? Because I don't have any intention of getting a gun.  I pay taxes and vote and I wouldn't do any of that if I didn't live in a so-called civil society.  I don't want to live in  the Wild West any more.
Just a good article

What is this new word?http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=ammosexual

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/05/charter-schools-fail-new-reports-call#comment-1375071670
What do you know, Joe?  P

Go Away Issa

Janice Hahn is my new hero.  I will vote for her if she runs for higher office.  And you people,  Yes, you so-called Christians are the ones who convinced me.  Why do you insist upon politicizing Christianity?

I can't believe I ever listened to this guy's advice on how to raise my child.  I'm sorry, daughter, really and truly sorry that I ever paid one ounce of attention to anything James Dobson ever said.  Dobson you don't pass the golden rule test

Charles Krauthammer Blasts Conservatives Supporting Cliven Bundy

Charles Krauthammer Blasts Conservatives Supporting Cliven Bundy

Thanks, Kochs! PBS Infested With White Supremacist Charles Murray

Thanks, Kochs! PBS Infested With White Supremacist Charles Murray

Thanks, Kochs! PBS Infested With White Supremacist Charles Murray

Thanks, Kochs! PBS Infested With White Supremacist Charles Murray

Mitch McConnell Asks If Americans Prefer Him Or Harry Reid: Hilarity Ensues (Screenshots)

Vote.  It's the only poll that counts.



Mitch McConnell Asks If Americans Prefer Him Or Harry Reid: Hilarity Ensues (Screenshots)

The Purpose Of Education

http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/index.php/encyclopedia/documentsentry/doc_470200_000/

Another Fox Fail

Fox fails 6th grade math
There is a chapter in our 6th grade math textbook that shows how graphs can be misleading.  If a sixth grader can do better, this has to be on purpose.  Pathetic.  And people look past it.  Pretty dumb.

http://feedly.com/e/lzC9ssL-

I took this personal

Since my husband has been underemployed since someone in a Corvette tried to sell his job to the Chinese government ten years ago. . paul-ryan-inner-city-constituents/

Losers Shut Up

http://feedly.com/k/1qPzSW7

Why be jealous of him?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/18/ken-langone-hitler_n_4984965.html

Told ya so

http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/koch-brothers-anti-obamacare-ads-backfire

Wait, he said what he meant

"http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/17/opinion/krugman-that-old-time-whistle.html?hp&rref=opinion&_r=1I never said thaa-at."

There is no such thing as free private school.  Someone has to pay for it. Vergara v. California  By the way, teachers with tenure can and do get fired.  The problem isn't tenure -- it's teacher turnover in poorer school districts.  Oh, and parent education.

Partisanship and Patriotism

http://www.perrspectives.com/blog/archives/002992.htm

Doesn't patriotism mean partisanship ends at the border?

So i thought hard work =financial reward = capitalism.http://crooksandliars.com/2014/03/fox-news-host-worries-overtime-changes

Sock it to me

If you are worked up over this, you're drinking too much coffee. I. Other words, SOCK IT  TO ME.http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2014/03/12/the_director_of_president_obama_s_behind_two_ferns_interview_speaks.html

http://michaelpollan.com/articles-archive/why-bother/

http://www.nationalmemo.com/poll-big-majority-wants-keep-obamacare/

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=u2M3f5Thod8

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/paul-ryan-poverty-culture-problem-031214

Well how many jobs did they create?   http://crooksandliars.com/2014/03/billions-bonuses-given-wall-street-2013

Good grief.http://crooksandliars.com/2014/03/mayor-de-blasio-has-it-right-charter

buhbye CC

http://billmoyers.com/episode/ian-haney-lopez-on-the-dog-whistle-politics-of-race/?utm_source=sidebar&utm_medium=banner&utm_content=episode&utm_campaign=dog-whistle

http://www.salon.com/2014/03/06/how_hobby_lobby_supporters_talk_about_religious_liberty_5_outrageous_quotes_that_show_its_all_about_sex/?utm_source=nar.al&utm_medium=urlshortener&utm_campaign=FB/

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/03/why-rep-elijah-cummings-was-so-mad-rep

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/03/sally-kohn-says-it-republicans- Wet Putin kisses

I am so absolutely sick of hearing people criticizing President Obama.  They go after him before they go after Putin. They go after him before they go after the terrorists in Benghazi.  It's cowardly.  It's manipulative.  And it's treasonous .
 http://huff.to/1i0VTLu