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

Turns out I'm not the oldest living species after all.  A couple of surprises in here like the pelican and eel.  Lots from other continents. 

http://famous101.com/famous-oldest-living-species-of-common-animals

Jackie

Got it now and I am with you sunny alllllllll the way about Blue.  Once in a great while I take a peak around because I find the overall predictability almost laughable.  Most of so much of it is in fact it seems directed at destructive remarks which do absolutely nothing but I guess enable someone to let off steam to each other about selected individuals.  Are they saving the world from something......I think not.  Most of the time I just feel some growing up will take place at some point and hope it is not too late.  You know...many things can be done in haste but you have eons to be stuck with it. 

Love is the only thing that will cure some of this idiocy ---  if we don't learn to be able to co-exist without having to be degrading to some ones spirit almost constantly.  We can always have different ideas --- in fact, I truly doubt ( at least on this Earth ) we could survive at all well without enough differences but some things seem to be cruel for cruelty's sake......so someone can be smarter and bigger and lead.  You can have opinions, ideas, lots of feeling but when you bring someone into those things on a rather cruel, jeering level.....I think the destruction is not to the other person who does not have to accept it, but to the person saying it and behaving in such a venomous fashion. 

It would be nice ( though some are not religious ) to take heed of this time of year and maybe think of displaying 'good will towards others'.   It costs nothing and if given a chance lightens the heart and gives the soul a boost. 

Personally, I try not to have too many original thoughts about individual people if they are not basically in-offensive.   Though I may not like what I hear at times.....it is not on my head.  I may think that person is asking for bad karma at some point and I do with all my heart think things end up back with you.......so the negative things will find their way HOME.  So, I try hard ( if I can't find something positive ) to not think too much about someone and just resolve to let it stay with them.

Anyway Blue......many hugs and much appreciation for who you are.  There was a time....when I first starting reading here that I was almost intimidated by you, but you are a loving, caring woman.....and in truth I was intimidated by many.  I don't always express myself well and felt that I couldn't keep up here.  No one seems to mind here about that and as for any others....eh, your problem. 

Jackie

P.S. Hope I am allowed to voice all the opinions on this thread and will not be deleted.

EDITED TO SAY:  Love all the pics and graphics

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/12/09/racist-right-mandela/  This was so predictable but you'd like to think rather than the deep, deep, critic of a MAN'S actions and reactions towards his fellow men and the world at large, these same folks might choose the high road.  Disparaging to snakes, but why would you show just how low you can be and what little scope you possess.  Tch. Tch. 

Jackie

Cheryl - PERFECTION. thanks for the "reminder" - how soon we forget, in our JOY JOY JOY and respect for the First Lady, all she does, and the President of the United States, and his basic GOOD NATURE, and work to have all of us listen to the HIGHER ANGELS around us. Two wise, energetic, always working, did I say WISE, GOOD PEOPLE, who deeply understand what the word community really means. We are all in this together.

I was in tears listening to Maya Angelou on MTP, speak of her friend, President Mandela. Will keep HER WORDS in my heart, and not listen to any of the junk now sprouting on the internet. The comments section seem to me to be the 21st century version of the trash barrel.

Blue - not worried, just want you to do better things with your energy, time, rub Wendell's warm silky tummy, for example

Ok - maybe the weather people go this one right - whoa, this is ICY.....not even thinking of going outside....

To think, I use to think they couldn't recognize the eminent qualities of our POTUS, incredible intelligence, ability to look at the long game over his own popularity, caring for the peace over the usual knee-jerk "let's go to war," because they were so ignorant of these as possibilities over the likes of Bush/Cheney and just plain shallow thinking, when in fact, it could just be about the color of his skin.

Blue - love love love your graphic on Socialism / Capitalism. I definitely do not want to live a feudal society, which is exactly where we are headed with an American style Capitalism - unrestrained, and government's role, in part, is to offset the power elite who could conceivably grab 99% of the wealth, while only being 1% of the population. We do that with progressive tax rates, free education, good healthcare for all, public services, help for the needy, etc., etc.. One way we can affect it a bit is by having a minimum wage be a living wage.

Saw this story from the NY times about the minimum wager on CNBC this morning:

Chardé Nabors, a mother of two who works as a $9-an-hour cashier at Sears in the Chicago Loop, feels left behind by the holiday festivities, partly because she was scheduled to work from 7:30 p.m. Thanksgiving to 6 a.m. Friday. "I'm here watching shoppers buy all these items, and I'm working to help these people, and I can't even buy my children the same products," said Ms. Nabors, whose 3-year-old son wants a Spider-Man doll she cannot afford.

Bill O'Reilly - this is the true war on Xmas, not the words that are used to celebrate Xmas. There is a war against those at the bottom and that "bottom" is getting larger every day. Congress, full of the 1%, millionaires, are only representing themselves, these days. Flat tax rates, ignoring the minimum wage, etc.

Sorry, all over the place....just a rant today.

Good Monday Afternoon Friends,

It's cold here, but warmer than yesterday. The ice is beginning to melt off the trees. It was so pretty this morning with all the icicles hanging from the leaves. Of course the ice on the ground is treacherous. Tim was stuck at home yesterday due to the icy roads in northern Virginia and points northeast.

I've been busy with two large reports ... sure wish I had this much work on a daily basis. This has been a slow time for me and it makes me anxious ... too many freakin' bills!

Blue ... love the pictures of Wendel and Lilah. They are adorable! Your Christmas tree is beautiful .. love all the decorations.

It doesn't seem to be raining right now .. think I'll run out for a quick walk with the dogs. They are really antsy being stuck inside.

hugs,

Bren

Something I happened across just now:

HMMMMMM.

Cut and Dried....right to the point.