I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

alexandria58

Kam - I remember the see no evil, hear no evil, and evil joke from a picture of three ex-presidents, Ford, Carter, and Nixon. 

     i love the black cat sneaking up.

1Athena1

Rofl!

Jackie, nice to match a face with a name!

Wabbit

What passes for news today ... did Beyonce sing live or not?  Discuss endlessly.

On TV a little bit ago.  Some guy trying to eat 9 lbs of food within 40 minutes as some kind of challenge.

Humans are nuckin futz ...

Love the pictures!  In my next life I want to be a house cat. 

RetiredLibby

Hi, all - brief check-in here. DH and I had to take an emergency trip to Wisconsin last Saturday when his step-mother died. We came for the funeral and to support his 87-year-old dad. They were married for 10 years, so DH and I didn't really know her well. We are leaving tomorrow and flying back home. It has been interesting, and since the funeral was exactly the same time as the inauguration, I missed it. I have only seen little bits (haven't even been able to watch the news because of family things). Looking forward to seeing it on YouTube or C-Span reruns.



Briefly saw a bit of Hillary smack down Ron Johnson - what a jerk he is. (he is the one who was going to "educate" Tammy Baldwin on the fiscal "stuff" in the Senate).



I just want to remind everyone who complains about the president and his actions that HE WON. He won with an absolute majority of votes from everyone who cared enough to vote. If they didn't care enough to vote, they didn't dislike him enough to vote him out. Therefore, understand that he got a majority of votes because a majority of voters LIKED HIS POLICIES AND WANTED HIM TO PUT THEM INTO ACTION. Put on your big-person pants and deal with it. Get over it!



Now off to bed to get up at horrible o'clock to drive to Milwaukee to catch an airplane. Wish I had a Xanax or Ativan or something ... I really, really hate flying. Does a panic attack feel like someone is squeezing your heart in the middle of your chest? That's what I had the last flight. *sigh*



L

GatorGal

E - loved seeing Sampson with a rider. Can't wait til you're up in the saddle! I think HRC rocked! Was very proud of her. Re today's t.v. Programming .... I often wonder who watches some of these weird shows .... HL - good luck with your flight!

Enjoyful

Thanks, Glenna!  I can't wait to ride him, either.  My fun bubble will be full to bursting!

Hugs and virtual Xanax to HL today.  

E

IllinoisLady

Paula, hope you are reading here.  I did see that you are starting to come up from tx #3 and it has been difficult.  I did have the breathlessness you talked about.  It wasn't pleasant but just part of ( my) ( your ) reactions to what you are doing.  It gets back to normal, but I felt a certain amt. of dread.  I don't recall that the same thing happened on # 4.....it has been a fair amt. of time.  Chemo being a cumulative thing means there may be challenges with each one and each one 'seems' to take just a tiny bit longer for you to "get" back to yourself.  Glad you are moving up though. 

Thinking about you and wishing you well.

Peace & love,

Jackie

IllinoisLady

Hoping today is a "quiet" news day. Not happy with some of yesterdays for sure.  Thanks Harry. 

Jackie 

gardengumby

OK.  I am REALLY disturbed about the voting law change that Virginia is attempting to make - as well as the possibility that Repubs would/will attempt to make those same changes in other states.  This move disenfranchises people who live in cities in favor of those who live in more rural areas. 

IllinoisLady

GG.....I have felt a lot of concern over that as well ---- the Republican party is in tatters, but seems to be not totally interested in repairing themselves.  I hope there are a great many second thoughts here, by everyone.

Jackie

alexandria58

GG: absolutely agree!!

Republicans are trying to make this country into what South Africa used to be - a government ruled by a minority through tactics that disenfranchise the majority.  Their ideas are unpopular and they face a demographic shift that will ensure even less popularity, so they resort to gerrymandering to try to keep a grip on the power that they see slipping away.

I believe that this may be the greatest threat to the idea of democracy that our nation has faced in recent times.   This is where we really see the influence of the big money behind the Republicans, not in national elections, but in the state elections that allow Repubicans to rig the system.  This has to be fought in every state, in every court.

Anonymous

gg - just reading online about those "voting changes" in VA.  remember it was a "safely" red state for years, and is almost two states now , HL can speak to that, once she arrives back ( more Valium hugs to HL, that's how old I am ;-)

Paula - #3 was difficult for me too, almost worse than #4, by which time I was so exhausted, nothing mattered but finding a soft bed.  Please know this is all saving your life, and you WILL feel much better soon.  Also, fun to watch hair come back, and eyebrows, oh, eyebrows, I remember how WEIRD Ii felt when they left...while they're gone, try looking upsdie down in a mirror if you need a smile.

Now on to the frivolous, 10 below zero ( 20 below wind chill) is vurry, vurry cold.  Just had to poke my nose out the door at about midnight last night to check it out.  Confirmed.  Very, very cold.  Wind blowing so hard, difficult to open outer glass door. 

Stay warm everyone...except for Our Lioness - & I still can't find that Oscar green dress I loved with salmon flowers....

1Athena1

Sunny - give me the year and season if you can and I will search....

What is going on in VA is really disgusting. Virginia is also a state where police reports do not have to be disclosed to the public. And then there is the fact that gov. Ultrasound is in charge, with his Tea Party atty. gen, Cuchinelli.

In other news, Bobby Jindal made some interesting remarks at a GOP gathering the other day, saying (my bold),

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal on Monday called on Republicans to “stop being the stupid party” and make a concerted effort to reach a broader swath of voters with an inclusive economic message that pre-empts efforts to caricature the GOP as the party of the rich.

In his first interview since his party’s electoral thumping last week, Jindal urged Republicans to both reject anti-intellectualism and embrace a populist-tinged reform approach that he said would mitigate what exit polls show was one of President Barack Obama’s most effective lines of attack against Mitt Romney.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/83743.html#ixzz2J0LFkOhX

alexandria58

Sun: It's 12 degrees here on my back porch, but that's cold enough.  My DH refuses to spend winters in Vermont, and right now, I kind of agree.  We have no snow, but I'm feeling cabin fever just from the cold.

pupmom

Regarding VA's plan to disenfranchise Democratic voters, this piece is amazing. Points out that if that nefarious plan comes to pass, blacks will once again be counted as 3/5th of a person, for voting purposes! 

http://paulbibeau.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-message-to-virginia-gop-from.html

Bren-2007

Hi Gals,

We're at 18 degrees here.  And the snow just keeps coming down.  I need to start shoveling or I won't be able to get to my truck.  I just can't bear to go out in this weather.

Sunny .. That is way too cold for me.  I hate winter.

Alexandria .. I don't think I'd want to "winter" in Vermont either.

Paula .. Hope you're feeling better today.

Hugs,

Bren

crazy4carrots

From TPM:

Virginia State Sen. Ralph Smith (R) has come out against a proposal to apportion electoral votes in the state by Congressional district, warning it could set off a chain reaction of similar schemes around the country. Smith sits on the closely divided Privileges and Elections Committee that is examining the bill, meaning his opposition likely ensures the proposal doesn't reach the floor for a vote. 

“What if all states got to skewering it to their advantage?" Smith told the Roanoke Times in explaining his decision. He added that he would only consider a shift in Virginia's electoral vote rules "if every state does it that way."

Wabbit

IMHO we need to do away with the Electoral College and elect based on direct votes.  To be real about it ... my Dem vote in Indiana counted for nothing last time, and my Repub sister in California likewise. 

Waving at Bren and hoping Libby has landed safely and is now relaxing over a nice lunch!

Paula ... hope you are feeling better by now.  I got dishearted with my 3rd and 4th AC too.  Tastebuds went even more whacko and the bad effects lasted a couple of days longer than I expected.  #4 is a bit easier I think just because you know it is the last one.  Hang in there ... and pamper yourself!

Cold here too with an inch or so of snow this morning.  Trying not to grump about it too much because ...

Wabbit

In other news, I saw that the teapeople are planning to go after McConnell because he is not radical enough.  They are being eaten alive by their own creation.  Fake sobs of sympathy heading their way.

Jindal is making some sense ... suppose he will end up being a target too. 

crazy4carrots

WR -- Popping into the discussion with my 2 cents' Cdn!  Seems to me that if a Presidential candidate is meant to represent all the people, he/she should be campaigning in ALL the states, and not just the ones considered swing states.  Winning the election by popular vote gives much greater credence to the win, IMO.  And, of course, it puts an end to biased judicial decisions.

crazy4carrots

The Cdn Armed Forces have been fully integrated since 1989 and, according to ret'd General Hillier (who guested on AC360 last night opposite idiot West) the physical standards actually went UP after women took on combat roles.  He also mentioned the advantages of having women soldiers dealing with Afghan women in ways that male soldiers simply cannot.

alexandria58

I tend to agree that it should be just a general election, thereby doing away with the specter of having the winner of the national popular vote actually lose.  I will say I have enjoyed not being targeted by the campaigns in past seasons, but what the heck, we should all suffer together.

Belinda44

Hello, all!  Just a quick pop in!

gardengumby

WR - I'd also like to see the electoral college done away with - however, do not say that your vote - or your sister's vote - did not count.  All votes really do count, to think otherwise would be to say that if your guy/gal doesn't win your vote didn't count.  Admittedly, it feels like it doesn't count when you are blue in a sea of red, or red in an ocean of blue, which is one of the reasons I'd like to get rid of the electoral college.  Another reason is because I do not want again for a President to be elected without having the popular vote.  I also would like to see the rules for Federal elections set at the Federal level, not the state level - including what kind of machine can be used, what the days/dates are for voting, etc.

Anonymous

Lion's got me laughing - remember year, season, I have to write down my OWN birthday or I forget....I'll try to find it online...

I don't want anything to change in the election process unless it favors the people I WANT TO WIN.

Aleandria - story on NPR, fellow working in VT, went back to car to get his cup of hot coffee, and it was frozen.  Stay in NJ

Anonymous

FOUND IT

http://valerielouvet.typepad.com/oh-la-vie/2010/09/oscar-de-la-renta-rtw-ss-2011-nyc.html

Now, ya gotta keep scrolling ( and scrolling, and...) down the page until you see a SOFT GREEN gown, with pickish flowers and she's wearing an interesting "shrug" of the same material, salmon color over it...

really LOVE that combination of colors...

;-))))

QuinnCat

Can't win at the game - change the rules.  Now that's (not) admirable.

I just heard that Hilary and Obama sat down for an interview together.  To be on 60 minutes.  Should be interesting.

Had a nice retirement lunch this week.  Nice to see my friends, but suprisingly, I don't miss the job.  I love being able to do things when I want to do them, or just plain do them.

BoulderAnn - must be a harder test than ACE Certification. Just study and take a test (that was over 10 years ago, though).

Everyone who has the cold - we had it here last week - brrr.  We still have feets of snow that turned into glacial ice, from xmas time.

pupmom

Sunny, that is one beautiful gown! Actually I liked all of them!

Anonymous

Kam, isn't it delicious to wake up & know you get to create the day for yourself!  I'll bet you have lots of things you want to do, learn, create.  Congratulations.

QuinnCat

Sun - I seem to fill up my day with a whole lot of nothing (except I do walk or exercise atleast an hour a day).  It is wonderful.  I'm toying with the idea of learning to quilt.  Not that I adore quilts so much (there are some I do), but in my last job, part of it was making "pretty maps," which I enjoyed and I think quilting might be a good substition.  It's like being a kid again!