A Bit Of A Departure ** OPEN THREAD **
By Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy on June 27, 2009 at 9:01 AM in Current Affairs
From talking about the governor of SC – i just don’t know that I would have anything new to add to that whole discussion at this juncture…That might change, but not for the moment…
But it’s a departure mainly from the political realm to the personal (oh wait – the personal IS the political, isn’t it? Ahem.). I am heading back up to my hometown to see my mom, and to take her dog to visit her in the nursing care center (yes, they allow that – how cool, huh?). Here’s Mom’s dog, Dorothy:
Isn’t she adorable?? She’s even cuter in person.
And while I am speaking of dogs, on Tuesday, Sweetie had a surgical biopsy performed under anesthesia as the fine needle aspiration was inconclusive. Well, it showed spindle cell carcinoma, but wasn’t conclusive enough to provide adequate information. Hence, the surgical biopsy). Thursday, the vet said she had anaplastic carcinoma, a VERY aggressive cancer, but still, not enough information on which to go for a treatment plan, so they are doing a culture of the biopsy. Sweetie has to have a chest x-ray on Tues. to see if the cancer has metastasized to her lungs, which will further inform any potential treatment.
Meanwhile, Sweetie is definitely still in post-op pain, and we are having to use a harness with her to help her get up and down the stairs (to go outside – here in the Lowcountry, most of us have to build up), as well as while walking out in the yard. Should she trip, it could result in a pathological fracture, so we are working hard to make sure that doesn’t happen.
And the wait continues.
Here’s Sweetie modeling the new look courtesy of the vet:
And finally, I received this video from a friend recently, and thought it was fantastic, a nice respite from the news about Sweetie. Especially since some of the same lyrics are in this song, as are in one of Michael Jackson’s very earliest hits (when he was a child), this seems appropriate for the moment. Oh, I might add, speaking of Michael Jackson, I cut a rug a number of times to his music, especially while in seminary when I could still kinda, sorta dance (I’ve had these bad knees a lot of years).
Anyway – get ready to smile big at the following. They only rehearsed this twice:
Nice, right?
So, what’s on YOUR mind today?
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Amid everything that is wrong in this selfish and unpredictable world, it’s encouraging to witness decent people caring about their parents and their needs. Best wishes to Sweetie for a full recovery too. Hi there, Dorothy, ya cutie you.
well, I think the cap and tax bill the house rammed through yesterday is the final straw for moderates and independents that voted for democrats last election cycle…some of the things they put in the bill at 3:09 in the morning are quite telling…did you know that in the bill, some companies will be able to sell their caps to foreign companies in china and india and brazil….and guess what…the average electric bill on american families will jump up almost 50% thats a regressive tax….and I know a lot of people that are disgusted with it!!!! the bill doesnt include anything for new nuclear plants….doesnt include anything for more drilling for our own oil….and is a complete and utter failure when it comes to doing anything about foreign oil we import….I pray to god it dies a fast death in the senate…..I see no need to make al gore a billionaire….do you?
Nice summation Mark.
Here is what I have been projecting about cap and trade… I know the defenders will deny any of this, but here goes. It isn’t about carbon, the carbon is just the vehicle for income redistribution. Companies with large union workforces such as GM are going to get more carbon credits given then than they are using, because they aren’t making cars right now. GM will sell these credits to companies that actually do make things and the union workers will forever from now be paid not to make cars… just like we now pay farmers not to grow crops. Also, families who live in housing projects that currently don’t have personal utility bills… will now instead get utility checks to make up for the carbon that middle class people are using to heat and cool their homes. Forget that the project dwellers use electricity the same as everybody else. I wish I was confident that people will wake up, and further if they do that they would have the resolve to fight. I am not so confident. It is time to plan, not to stand out or to revolt, but plan to blend and appear to be one of the hapless sheep without actually taking in the kool aid. People who stand out are going to find themselves in camps together before this is done. I wish I am wrong, but I don’t think so.
O boy! Camps! I love to camp. I hope they have archery and tennis and water slides and checker tournaments!
Seriously: you raise some ominous prospects, Doc. I’ve been trying to read the bill, but I tend to nod off after a paragraph of that officious jargon.
Like this camp?
Well, Teak, that’s not precisely what I had in mind. Doesn’t look exactly like they’re out there having fun in the warm California sun. Sad to say, that camp isn’t all that far from my present whereabouts . . .
Come out to the wine country or the coast. Watch the abolone divers.
oh…by the way…cute doggie!!!!!
another thought….guess who stands to make billions on the bill…..GE the payoff for their glowing coverage of obama during the election and primary’s….is this the “hope and change” moderates voted for? hell no!!!!!!
Dogs are Good.
Agreed.
My cats? not so much. lol but I still luv em.
I rarely watch TV anymore. NOTHING of interest. I am a NET surf queen. Much more fun and interactive than channel surfing.
Tv faux & b.o. news can just start packing to go home now (for people like myself)
Thanks Amy for getting OFF the lemming news wagon for a short! (nice)
Dorothy is such a cutie! Have a wonderful visit with your Mom.
Dorothy is a darling! How great that you can take her to visit your mom. That will make them both happy.
Thanks for the Antwerp Sound of Music video. I’ve seen it multiple times, but it never fails to bring a smile.
Prayers for Sweetie.
Thanks, y’all. Mom got to see both dogs last night and we are getting ready to take Dorothy over now (and let Sweetie stay home and rest). Dorothy brought smiles to others, too – she’s pretty darn cute, I have to say!
Mark – good catch on the Energy Bill. Yes, they are busy stealing us blind while we’re focused elsewhere…
Thanks again for the kind words – Al, I appreciate it!
awwwww- those 4-legged babies are precious!!!
Meat the O-boss, same as the G-Boss.
Will the ‘Bots ever learn?
Doubt it.
Loved the video, heard about it but never seen it before, thank you.
Dorathy is a gem, you can just see the sweetness and good nature in her face.
Lots of love and healing to your Sweetie, she’s beautiful and in great hands. Our 14 year old dog passed away a few weeks ago and we miss her, she was such a lovely girl and got on great with our kits. I keep wondering where the years went.
Keep us all updated on Sweetie and your mum.
Sweetie looks content! Thanks for the video – that was a nice break.
Awww, good dog!
Whats on my string today you ask Rev Amy?
Out here in California K-12 education budgets are looking like something that came from a meat grinder.
Our school district has to cut 10 million from a budget that is very much cut to the bone. already. In speaking to a principle of one of our schools he stated ” We have been using donations to keep the doors open. Theservices and programs we can offer will be fewer and families that would send kids here will look else where.”
.
It is not being addressed nationally as it is a crisis of epic implication for the future of the nation.
.
Over 50% of my state taxes go to education. Education’s bloated budget could be slashed to the benefit of learning: elimination of excessive bureaucracy; acquiring old textbooks of quality & reprinting them, then using same books from year to year in all subjects that are informationally static, eg calculus; elimination of all after school activities that are in reality socialized daycare for parents at others’ expense; elimination of preschool programs, same; removal of all illegal aliens from the education system.
I went to school when there were no computers, larger classrooms (@ 40-45 kids/ class), we reused books, there were almost no after school activities, there was no public preschool: we were given far less and we performed significantly better.
Finances are tight: the education system needs to cut the waste, quit whining, and move on.
Counties could also be mandated to buy up land for schools at a given acreage whenever the population rises by a specific percent to keep the costs down, instead of the clowns waiting until the last second.
Schools could also follow set building plans (different foundations, different roofing depending on region, minor variation for local materials); one could have a 600 student school, a 1000 student school etc. Stopping with the excessive building costs would also help the budget. Every freaking school doesn’t have to be designed by an award winning architectural firm (crap, it should be designed by engineers who know what the hell they’re doing) or have a 30,000 square foot gymnasium either. Standardization could go a long way in improving security as well.
Quit Whining, NomNomNom? Porque? ..oops Why? Sorry there was no money for ensuring that I speak English.
While I happen to agree that cutting waste is a worthy enterprise. You miss my point.
The economic morass this country is in will permanently damage our ability to compete in the global economy if we can not provide the education required to do so.
You do not say what state you are in. After school “activities” are not what I am concerned about. It is the BASIC K-12 education that is suffering.
You’ll get no disagreement from me on the “fuzzy” methods used in education today.
If your education system is anything like that of NC, then whining sums it up. These clowns here just pass bond issue after bond issue, I mean a billion at a time. They are never satisfied. Every year there is a new extortion racket, and they pretend that they’ll have to cut the school year short or some other lie if they don’t get more money. They are freaking bloodsucking parasites, and the bureaucrats in charge of our education system ought to locked in a cow barn where none of them come out.
Every year when the state budget comes out it’s immediately followed by the whiny televised parent brigade, usually comprised mainly of people who’ve lived in this state less than 3 years, who proceed to piss and moan about their school choice, busing, etc., and how “our” children need the “best” (like computers for 3 year olds) to compete. In reality if their kids were so f#cking smart they’d be able to compete no matter what.
I just hate them. I wish there was a way to deport em all back to NY, CA, and wherever the hell else they come from, and drop any similar locals in a well or something.
Sorry wasn’t more clear, I am by no means singling your state out as whiners; jeebus, they reign supreme here in NC: in speaking of schools here, K-12 is also suffering: but only because of the stupid wasteful policies they enact, like everything I mentioned above, plus probably a thousand different idiotic experimental curricula statewide overseen by a bazillion bureaucrats and taught by moron teachers.
There was some report I saw long ago comparing the Japanese model of learning compared to ours.
It hits on what NomNomNom has suggested about text books. The program showed the thin text books they use compared to our thick ones. How they go over and over and over a subject rather than breezing by many subjects within math class, for example.
Basically they built a better foundation with their knowledge and mastered them throughout the year with different techniques such as games at the chalkboard.
As far as the school administration goes. I have seen things like them making cuts at the school level and then open a brand new administration building in Sacramento. When the old one was perfectly fine. No one was working with buckets of rainwater next to their desks like students were. And this is when the economy was doing great by comparison. Unfortunately, I think many in the state can site a local example of that type of mismanagement.
So, I don’t have much sympathy for the school administrators. The students are another matter, but they are at the bottom of totem pole when you listen to all the special interests whine about whatever.
‘We really need that building with brand new furniture……in order to serve the children.’
Ugh
God yes–something needs to be done about the cost of textbooks: for one thing, they have been getting bigger and bigger and heavier and heavier. Nowadays kids tote around backpacks full of very heavy textbooks that weigh, well, much too much. Lockers are being eliminated in many schools. Let’s lighten up the textbooks!
Thank you, Teak, NomNomNom, and Karma, for this information, y’all. It is very important, indeed.
Agreed–this is a serious crisis. I am not sure how California schools are going to be able to give kins anythihg resembling an education.
Our group is gathering up gently used books for classrooms because the school library is being closed.
How will our country be able to maintain any competitive advantage in the future???
P.S. Cute dogs. Hope Sweetie recovers.
i cant believe no quarter is ignoring this story.
By Dafna Linzer and Peter Finn
ProPublica and Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Obama administration officials, fearing a battle with Congress that could stall plans to close the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, are crafting language for an executive order that would reassert presidential authority to incarcerate terrorism suspects indefinitely, according to three senior government officials with knowledge of White House deliberations.
Such an order would embrace claims by former president George W. Bush that certain people can be detained without trial for long periods under the laws of war. Obama advisers are concerned that an order, which would bypass Congress, could place the president on weaker footing before the courts and anger key supporters, the officials said.
After months of internal debate over how to close the military facility in Cuba, White House officials are increasingly worried that reaching quick agreement with Congress on a new detention system may be impossible. Several officials said there is concern in the White House that the administration may not be able to close the prison by the president’s January deadline.
White House spokesman Ben LaBolt said that there is no executive order and that the administration has not decided whether to issue one. But one administration official suggested that the White House is already trying to build support for an order.
We’re not ignoring it – trust me. It may not be up yet (I guess I should check first, but I’m running back over to the nursing center), but we are aware of it! Thanks for putting it in here, though – would love to see what y’all think of it!
salon has an article describing this
These officials, as well as others interviewed for this article, spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about internal deliberations. .
OK then…why are they talking at all???
Oh yea thats right deep backround. errrr
Just once I would like to see someone put a name to these “officials”.
Why am I not surprised at this development?
Teak five months in and they are predictable….who knew? Pumas knew!
They will get to it!!!
Spaminator, plz release my comment: I am stocked with both Cochins and chik patties if you are vegetarian today.
Nom3, I found your comment in the spam filter and approved it. You owe me one!
I will get the Cochin, thx!
Rep. Wolf Takes on CAIR, and A US-MB Tie to Hamas; By Douglas Farah
The following is a speech given by Rep. Frank Wolf on the House floor Friday, June 12
Best wishes with the cancer doggie.
What kind of harness do you use?
Thanks, T – I appreciate that.
The harness is some green co. one the name of which escapes me this second – we put it on so that she doesn’t have to left her leg (especially her left one, thus putting too much stress on the right), but hook it so that I can use the reinforced handle to basically hold her up around her rib cage (you know, as opposed to using just a regular collar). So, I am basically carrying her up/down the stairs, and can catch her if she starts to stumble. Does that make sense? If not, it’s because I’m tired…Sorry!
DHS to Cut Police Access to Spy-Satellite Data
Democrat Calls Bush Program ‘Ill-Conceived’
Gates Creates Cyber-Defense Command
One hand giveth and the other?
This raises some intereting Constitutional questions as to posse comitatus and the internet.
Total control over the internet–where would Big Brother have been without total control over media? This certainly seems like it will put the
footboot in the door . . .there’s going to be a trial run next year in Texas somewhere to turn it into a subscription service.
?? Curiosity…need Input Input!
omg, I loved those movies when they came out!!
I’ll try and find it: I read about this maybe 6mths, yr ago?, blogged about over at he old sp; maybe I’ve still got a link somewhere
http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/canada_net_censorship.html
this isn’t the texas thing, but it’s the same plan supposedly going to be implemented in canada, uses their bell canada; article says it’s planned here too
Tek ma’tek.
still looking for texas, meantime (just add the http:// s):
news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10040152-38.html?tag=nl.e703 UN wants to end internet anonymity
http://www.upi.com/Emerging_Threats/2008/06/30/Analysis-US-military-to-patrol-Internet/UPI-83401214841029/ they’ll probably claim it’s for our own security
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct9xzXUQLuY&eurl like this! (David Rockefeller hates you)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/25/technology/25iht-nettax.4.13993470.html and they’ll tax us (like Sarkozy)
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=5689480&page=1 and limit our access (here, in America)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1161215/Internet-ad-tracking-spy-camera-homes-millions-warns-founder-web.html?ITO=1490 and spy on us through it (UK already has deep packet inspection, just like Iran)
rawstory.com/news/2008/Cybersecurity_Act_seeks_broad_powers_0413.html
or just shut it down when they want to shut us up
u worRied yit?
huh, mighty Spaminator added them wherever there was a www. i thought for sure I’d be in moderation h#ll.
NomNomNom, I am not worried.
There is NO expection of privacy on the internet and I tell my end users this. The little “lock” on the bottom of the screen is a joke.
Sir Tim Berners-Lee.
He is mistaken about the US as demonstrated by the disclosure of th installation of fiber splices installed in the ATT switch room and several dozen other locations in the USA.
The cnet article on trace back is interesting that it wants to include more than layer 3 and seeks to enter the application stack. What is interesting is that China would be able to increase it esponage activities.
Why the US military would sub out this work is crazy. You think the DIA doesn’t have this going already?
I am a comcast customer and was not happy to hear this but the proposal to create tiered access worries me more.
Thanks for the links. It reminded me that they used this Las Vegas to scan financial transactions;
the tiered system was what they were doing in Texas, it was the first trial of this, there was one in NC too. It had this incredibly low cap, 5 to 40 GB/month, and no unlimited package.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/04/get-ready-for-metered-broadband-texas.ars
(I think original coverage of this was at techdirt or burnt orange, couldn’t find where I first read about it).
imo once one service provider starts doing it as a standard practice, they’ll all start doing it, else everyone would just switch.
it will be like cable tv and satellite etc: they’ll price it out of a lot of people’s reach, quite possibly mine.
but I think its real purpose is to cut into information gathering, blogging, and just hanging out on the net forming connections.
true about the never having had any reason to believe one’s internet activities were private, but I find the spying very worrisome. AETA is already being used to charge what are essentially misdemeanor property crimes such as vandalism as federal charges such as racketeering.
I think it’s only going to get worse, the more they are allowed to spy.
it seems there is no place any longer an expectation of privacy, not even in one’s own home: my internet history is monitored, vans sweep our neighborhood looking for drugs with equipment that can see in our house, we’re buzzed by very low flying helicopters all the time; I don’t doubt it’s some sort of surveillance.
I really wonder what the long term effects of constant surveillance of ordinary citizens not suspected of having done anything will be. Remember the TruMedia thing with the spying ads at the mall? The same technology can easily be used for personalized indoctrination.
forgot to say, interesting to see Reid of all people getting worried!!
This was in the comcast link.
Posse Comitatus bit the dust when they stationed Northcom troops inside our borders; also its only a federal statute so it doesn’t carry the authority of the Constitution.
We’ve been violating it almost since it was written, eg the Coal Wars, more recently in the War
foron Drugs.There’s also the Insurrection acts of the Constitution that can be used to negate it: this is why all the legislation to label protesters terrorists, racketeers, etc (visit greenisthenewred)
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/garden_plot.htm
“it’s”
Michel Chossudovsky has good write up on this.
Unrestricted powers are granted to the White House. The President would have the authority to suspend civilian law enforcement at the federal and state levels and call in the Military, which would be in charge of suppressing “domestic violence” “insurrection”( e.g. public rallies), or “conspiracy”, meaning anybody who might express dissent, indignation or opposition to the Bush Administration for having scrapped the Constitution.
With BO seeking to retain Bush’s “Unitarian Executive” model, I wouldn’t put it past him to use these laws.
Still it appears that Janet took away an assett and Gates wants it.
It remains to be seen if DoD will be willing to support this mission. Thanks for the reminder NomNomNom that we live in uncertian times. It is very easy to drift back to the “way things should be” as a default point of reference.
Which is the way to the dark side.
I follow his writing at globalresearch, he’s very interesting
what bothers me most is that the fema detention centers are on military bases: perhaps automatically controlled via martial law; the cmus are prisons within prisons that don’t have normal access, even if they’re not high security.
imo we’ve reached the start of our own gulags, even without guantanamo, or bagram, or the rest of our internment facilities
nq needs a dark net, lol
Amy have you considered giving Sweetie shark cartilage? There is an excellent book out titled Sharks don’t get cancer. When I had my liver tumors I began an aggressive therapy with shark cartilage. When I went in for my surgery the 50 tumors were now less than 20. The theory is that taking it cuts off the blood vessels that feed the tumors. Benign or cancerous.
I convinced the vet I worked for to use shark cartilage on several dogs and cats with cancer along with traditional treatments. One capsule a day. It made him into a believer and he’s almost totally holistic now with his medications. I even got him to switch over and do physical/massage therapy on our stroke patients. Animals with strains/breaks. I’m a firm believer in both. I used it in Restorative Therapy at the Hospice center I worked for. When I worked with humans. I prefer critters, although working with both is equally painful when they have set backs.
Anyway…I sincerely hope Sweetie has a full recovery. Your mother’s dog is also precious she looks like she has a lot of Yorke in her.
I read this on TMZ:
“President Barack Obama has written a note to Michael Jackson’s family, a top White House adviser said today.”
Gag. I realize that Micheal Jackson was a famous person but let’s be real. His early death is not a big surprise to me considering what I knew about his medical and mental history. I figured out long ago the guy was an addict just by the freaky behavior and complaints of chronic pain. It makes me wonder if the family of the soldier killed in Arkansas earlier this month got a sympathy letter from President Obama too? For some reason, I doubt it. To me, PFC Long dying on American soil by a Muslim terrorist is a much more tragic and unexpected death than that of a bankrupt, drug addicted and frankly creepy pop singer.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6596689.ece
Honduras pres ousted in military coup: he had been trying to overturn prohibition on running for a second term
report that an abu ghraib captive was crucified
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=14133 has article, report is in June 22 New Yorker mgazine