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

To clarify my state's gun laws:

My state does not regulate rifles or shotguns and no permit is required to own a rifle or shotgun.  While possession of a regulated firearm is prohibited by persons convicted of a disqualifying crime, or, among other things, has a mental disorder and a history of violent behavior, rifles and shotguns are not regulated firearms.  Hence, Crazy gets to keep his guns and shoot up the neighborhood.  Lovely.

Our ex Prime Minister gives obviously unwanted advice:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/howard-explains-gun-control-to-america-in-new-york-times/story-fncyva0b-1226555854759

Guns scare me. They always have. My DH and I would never have one in our home. Yet my oldest son has 3 guns that he says he needs to protect his family. An alarm system would work better IMO. Youngest son (the one with all the problems that I have spoken about) wants a semi automatic weapon before they are banned. Fortunately he doesn't have the means to get one. They both have always had a fascination with the "killer" video games which I never allowed in our home. Their friends all seem to be gun rights activists. My step-father is one of those survivalist nuts who has guns hidden all over his house, along with food for 5 years and drums of diesel stored in his barn. He is 82 and scary. Luckily he lives wayyyy off the beaten track in rural Florida so no chance of running into him. He makes my mom take a gun to church with her when she goes at night. Bring on the gun laws. There are too many crazies out there who put the rest of us in danger!!

Bah, deleted. Will rephrase more openly.

Last time I looked, it is pretty difficult to move to Canada....much more than in the 1970's, when I actually got as far as meeting with the Canadian Consulate in SF.  Then, I just needed a sponser.

On another topic:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/nov/08/animalrights.sciencenews

I've always had to avert my eyes and could never dream of throwing a live "animal" in boiling water, but so many don't have a problem with it.  

Paula, hope Mary is wrong, but I have to admit that I was happy to read your entry.  I think it is the one thing -- other than perhaps our President to be able in time to get agreement on his proposals and executive orders,to have our Conservative sisters and friends see that we are for the sensible regulations. 

I saw it over and over and over again yesterday and it seems to me to boil down to just a couple of things:

1.  You can't tell me what to do, because I have my own ideas......and that could be ok but they are so extreme as to be totally out of touch.

2.  There is big money to be made and if many of the reports are true...ang gun stores are doing the business they say, there should be some very happy people ( way upper level ) in the NRA.

In watching my favorite un-named program last night it was pointed out how the upper level echelon are put into place in the NRA.  They are not actually elected but chosen....turning up to be VERY big wing-nuts.  I hope I do not have this wrong, but that is the way it came across to me.

All that being said, I am in agreement with the article Belinda cited.  No matter how discouraging it may seem at times, the extremists will not be able to carry it all.  They will cause enough ruckus to be confusing ( that indeed is how they often get much of their power ) and may do well in the short run of time.  Their platform --- built on the backs of innocents now, does not and has not had a solid foundation.  It is good common sense ( not the hysterics of it is the criminals doing the damage ) that will have the foundation to carry us through.  There is room for everyone -- but no man is a law unto himself as is no NRA.  There are some good people in the NRA.  It is too bad they don't break free of the extremists and temple money makers, and put something in place where they would have a real voice. 

It was wonderful to hear the voice of reason, sense and sensibility yesterday during the Presidents' speech and to see our hard-working VP. Biden as well.  What a great team.

Jackie

My DH is a liberal, but has been upset with Obama for a long time. If it hadn't been for nutcase Ryan being on the ticket, he would have voted for Romney. Instead he wrote in Paul Watson, the Sea Shepherd captain! Hahahaha, I loved it! We are big SS supporters. Anyway, President Obama's stance on gun control has completely turned him around. He's very proud that we finally have a president willing to stand up to the NRA terrorists. Good news for me is that I can openly watch a lot more pro-Obama programs like Maddow and O'Donnell. 

I had a weird night. I woke up this morning and told my DH I was so happy that I hadn't coughed all night and thought the cold was over. He looked at me like I was crazy. Seems I had a giant coughing and gagging fit in the middle of the night. I went into the bathroom coughing uncontrollably. He was so worried that he stood outside the bathroom checking on me. But I don't remember any of it! I had some kind of black-out! A little later I'm off for some Mucinex. Been blowing for hours and the congestion just doesn't stop.

From Mediaite, re last night's Daily Show:

Stewart mocked the NRA ad calling out Obama for hypocrisy due to his kids having security guards, adding to their concerns “Why does he get to veto bills and command an army when we don’t?” He credited the organization for giving the national conversation on guns a “deplorable start,” surmising that the organization is either Joaquin Phoenix-esque performance art or a Michael Moore-run covert operation to make gun owners look stupid.

Stewart contrasted Obama’s measured response to the NRA ad with what he should have said: “if you bring up my kids again, I will drone strike you to kingdom come.”

Despite the fact that Obama supports the same school security plan the NRA wanted, his announcement was widely panned by the pro-gun crowd. In particular, Stewart highlighted one former Republican congressman named Todd Tiahrt saying that the nation already has the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms to go after criminals.

Stewart went through all the reasons why this was an absurd statement, from the fact that the Senate hasn’t approved a director in six years, the fact that the current acting director has another job and running the ATF is just a “side gig,” and how the ATF is prohibited from creating a federal registry to track gun sales. Stewart asked incredulously, “was it getting too easy to police illegal guns?”

And which Republican congressman pushed for an amendment to strip the ATF of the powers the NRA would like it to have? None other than Todd Tiahrt. Stewart remarked that his amendment “couldn’t be worse if the NRA wrote it themselves.” Well, guess what.

Oh, if they only knew how crazy we Canadians are!   (Written in our secret Canadian code so that the Americans will not understand the message.  Our secret will remain safe)

That's why they call you Canucks - and your feds "Mounties"

I'd be happy to learn ALL the words to Oh, Canada...

Kay - I've been reading the same thing about natural sleep cycles, and I definitely can see the 4 hour cycle sometimes.  LOVE going to sleep early ( 8:30) reading for a long time, until my eyes are closing, waking up with day light.  Well, a little earlier now that sun sleeps in til 7:15.

Garden - I know my SE's lessened mainly because of a few things: ACUPUNCTURE, monthly massage, getting my Vitamin D up from low teens to 63 ( yeah,me) NO SUGAR, NO DAIRY, calcium/magnesium, no processed foods, lotsa green tea all day every day, and keeping moving...even paint standing at an easel now.  Hope you find the same thing.  My first year, almost into 2nd year were, well, worse than awful, wrist splints 24/7.

Haven't been to Canada in about 40 years - but rememer loving Toronto when I visited.

PRESIDENT OBAMA I love hearing him speak, know he thinks and THEN speaks, and honor his thoughtfulness.  Smile at folks who criticize his use of teleprompters, HE IS A WRITER, poor Jon Favreau, or who ever is drafting his speeches now, have you even SEEN them after President Obama gets done with editing one   More handwriting than original typing.  He is SPEAKING HIS OWN WORDS from a teleprompter, he is thoughtful, KNOWS the impact of his words, and when he's extemporaneous, he's still SO intelligent.  OK, and there's that SMILE.  Oh, that smile. PRESIDENT OBAMA.

Yes, E, the President of the United States.  So easy to be Patriotic now...excited about the new people who will be serving in the cabinet too.

Thanks, Sunflowers.  I eat pretty well for low inflammation (no grain, no dairy (other than plain yoghurt on occasion), only sugar from fruit (though when I was in Hawaii I was eating ice cream.... so go figure.... ), never eat processed foods or fast food), take D3 religiously, do massage every other week.  I need to start acupuncture.  I move around quite a bit, but, of course when I'm at work (sitting in front of a computer screen) I don't move nearly as much as I'd like.  I'll add calcium/magnesium to my morning ritual.  I drink a ton of tea, but simply cannot abide green tea.  Though I did find a jasmine/green that I like just fine, so I think I'll give that one a shot for awhile, and see if I can stand it over the long haul.

As for President Obama, yes, I am so very very glad he was re-elected.  I think he is a fine leader of our country, and am looking forward to the next four years.