If everything is going to be labeled as racist, how can we even have a discussion?
I am so disappointed in the ridiculous statements by Congressman John Lewis.
Rep. Lewis compares McCain to Wallace
WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 (UPI) -- U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a Democrat that Republican presidential nominee John McCain has hailed as a hero, has compared McCain to segregationist George Wallace.
Lewis was elected to Congress from Georgia after years as a civil rights activist. McCain praised him in his book, "Why Courage Matters," and said in an appearance at an evangelical church that Lewis is one of "three wise men" he would seek advice from if elected president.
In a posting on Politico, Lewis, who supports the Democratic nominee, Barack Obama, accused McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin, of "sowing the seeds of hatred and division."
"George Wallace never threw a bomb," Lewis said. "He never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights."
McCain called Lewis' posting "shocking" and "beyond the pale."
"I call on Sen. Obama to immediately and personally repudiate these outrageous and divisive comments that are so clearly designed to shut down debate 24 days before the election," McCain said.
An Obama spokesman said the Illinois senator does not believe McCain is in any way comparable to Wallace. But he said Palin's rhetoric is "baseless and profoundly divisive."
Saturday, October 11, 2008
On My Way To Bed
It's Girl's Weekend. Grace, Deb, Jen, Kelly, Diane and my Mum are down at the cottage. We went antiquing in Buzzard's Bay near Mass Maritime. I was bored silly, but Grace likes it. Jen bought a painting but she needs my father to refinish the frame. The girls had a good time, we found a penny candy store and I bought candy cigarettes.
The weather was absolutely perfect for strolling down by the canal and a stroll was all I could manage.
We never got around to playing hearts. I set up the board and the cards and the pennies when we got in from dinner. But by the time we scratched all the stupid lottery tickets, I was too tired.
It's a good thing the company's worth the effort.
I've been feeling them out about something and so far it seems to be going pretty well. I am thinking about ditching this treatment plan.
The weather was absolutely perfect for strolling down by the canal and a stroll was all I could manage.
We never got around to playing hearts. I set up the board and the cards and the pennies when we got in from dinner. But by the time we scratched all the stupid lottery tickets, I was too tired.
It's a good thing the company's worth the effort.
I've been feeling them out about something and so far it seems to be going pretty well. I am thinking about ditching this treatment plan.
Friday, October 10, 2008
This Makes The Post Below Even More Baffling
OPEC War against America’s Economic Independence?
By Walid Phares
According to economic analysis the severe financial crisis ravaging the US and hitting the international community on all continents has its economic roots in two major realms: One was the overbearing political pressure put on Wall Street to release loans into unprepared sectors of society and two, was the miscalculation -some say the drunkenness- of Wall Street in accepting these immense risks. But according to Political Economy assessment, there may have been a third player in the crisis: OPEC, or more precisely, radical circles within Oil Producing regimes in the Peninsula. The thesis argue that combined Salafist-Wahabi and Muslim Brotherhood circles in the Gulf -with consent from the Iranian side on this particular issue, used the escalating pricing of Oil over the past year to push the financial crisis in the US over the cliff. The “high point” in this analysis is the timing between the skyrocketing of the prices at the pumps and the widening of the real estate crisis. In short the “Oil-push” put the market out of balance hitting back at Wall Street. Basically, there was certainly a crisis in mismanagement domestically (with its two above mentioned roots), but the possible OPEC economic “offensive” crumbled the defenses of US economy in few months.
Read the rest here.
By Walid Phares
According to economic analysis the severe financial crisis ravaging the US and hitting the international community on all continents has its economic roots in two major realms: One was the overbearing political pressure put on Wall Street to release loans into unprepared sectors of society and two, was the miscalculation -some say the drunkenness- of Wall Street in accepting these immense risks. But according to Political Economy assessment, there may have been a third player in the crisis: OPEC, or more precisely, radical circles within Oil Producing regimes in the Peninsula. The thesis argue that combined Salafist-Wahabi and Muslim Brotherhood circles in the Gulf -with consent from the Iranian side on this particular issue, used the escalating pricing of Oil over the past year to push the financial crisis in the US over the cliff. The “high point” in this analysis is the timing between the skyrocketing of the prices at the pumps and the widening of the real estate crisis. In short the “Oil-push” put the market out of balance hitting back at Wall Street. Basically, there was certainly a crisis in mismanagement domestically (with its two above mentioned roots), but the possible OPEC economic “offensive” crumbled the defenses of US economy in few months.
Read the rest here.
Why Isn't There More Talk About This?
3 to 4.3 Billion Barrels of Technically Recoverable Oil Assessed in North Dakota and Montana’s Bakken Formation—25 Times More Than 1995 Estimate—
Released: 4/10/2008 2:25:36 PM
Reston, VA - North Dakota and Montana have an estimated 3.0 to 4.3 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil in an area known as the Bakken Formation.
A U.S. Geological Survey assessment, released April 10, shows a 25-fold increase in the amount of oil that can be recovered compared to the agency's 1995 estimate of 151 million barrels of oil.
Technically recoverable oil resources are those producible using currently available technology and industry practices. USGS is the only provider of publicly available estimates of undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas resources.
New geologic models applied to the Bakken Formation, advances in drilling and production technologies, and recent oil discoveries have resulted in these substantially larger technically recoverable oil volumes. About 105 million barrels of oil were produced from the Bakken Formation by the end of 2007.
The USGS Bakken study was undertaken as part of a nationwide project assessing domestic petroleum basins using standardized methodology and protocol as required by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 2000.
The Bakken Formation estimate is larger than all other current USGS oil assessments of the lower 48 states and is the largest "continuous" oil accumulation ever assessed by the USGS. A "continuous" oil accumulation means that the oil resource is dispersed throughout a geologic formation rather than existing as discrete, localized occurrences. The next largest "continuous" oil accumulation in the U.S. is in the Austin Chalk of Texas and Louisiana, with an undiscovered estimate of 1.0 billions of barrels of technically recoverable oil.
"It is clear that the Bakken formation contains a significant amount of oil - the question is how much of that oil is recoverable using today's technology?" said Senator Byron Dorgan, of North Dakota. "To get an answer to this important question, I requested that the U.S. Geological Survey complete this study, which will provide an up-to-date estimate on the amount of technically recoverable oil resources in the Bakken Shale formation."
The USGS estimate of 3.0 to 4.3 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil has a mean value of 3.65 billion barrels. Scientists conducted detailed studies in stratigraphy and structural geology and the modeling of petroleum geochemistry. They also combined their findings with historical exploration and production analyses to determine the undiscovered, technically recoverable oil estimates.
USGS worked with the North Dakota Geological Survey, a number of petroleum industry companies and independents, universities and other experts to develop a geological understanding of the Bakken Formation. These groups provided critical information and feedback on geological and engineering concepts important to building the geologic and production models used in the assessment.
Five continuous assessment units (AU) were identified and assessed in the Bakken Formation of North Dakota and Montana - the Elm Coulee-Billings Nose AU, the Central Basin-Poplar Dome AU, the Nesson-Little Knife Structural AU, the Eastern Expulsion Threshold AU, and the Northwest Expulsion Threshold AU.
At the time of the assessment, a limited number of wells have produced oil from three of the assessments units in Central Basin-Poplar Dome, Eastern Expulsion Threshold, and Northwest Expulsion Threshold. The Elm Coulee oil field in Montana, discovered in 2000, has produced about 65 million barrels of the 105 million barrels of oil recovered from the Bakken Formation.
Results of the assessment can be found at http://energy.usgs.gov.
For a podcast interview with scientists about the Bakken Formation, listen to episode 38 of CoreCast at http://www.usgs.gov/corecast/.
Released: 4/10/2008 2:25:36 PM
Reston, VA - North Dakota and Montana have an estimated 3.0 to 4.3 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil in an area known as the Bakken Formation.
A U.S. Geological Survey assessment, released April 10, shows a 25-fold increase in the amount of oil that can be recovered compared to the agency's 1995 estimate of 151 million barrels of oil.
Technically recoverable oil resources are those producible using currently available technology and industry practices. USGS is the only provider of publicly available estimates of undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas resources.
New geologic models applied to the Bakken Formation, advances in drilling and production technologies, and recent oil discoveries have resulted in these substantially larger technically recoverable oil volumes. About 105 million barrels of oil were produced from the Bakken Formation by the end of 2007.
The USGS Bakken study was undertaken as part of a nationwide project assessing domestic petroleum basins using standardized methodology and protocol as required by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 2000.
The Bakken Formation estimate is larger than all other current USGS oil assessments of the lower 48 states and is the largest "continuous" oil accumulation ever assessed by the USGS. A "continuous" oil accumulation means that the oil resource is dispersed throughout a geologic formation rather than existing as discrete, localized occurrences. The next largest "continuous" oil accumulation in the U.S. is in the Austin Chalk of Texas and Louisiana, with an undiscovered estimate of 1.0 billions of barrels of technically recoverable oil.
"It is clear that the Bakken formation contains a significant amount of oil - the question is how much of that oil is recoverable using today's technology?" said Senator Byron Dorgan, of North Dakota. "To get an answer to this important question, I requested that the U.S. Geological Survey complete this study, which will provide an up-to-date estimate on the amount of technically recoverable oil resources in the Bakken Shale formation."
The USGS estimate of 3.0 to 4.3 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil has a mean value of 3.65 billion barrels. Scientists conducted detailed studies in stratigraphy and structural geology and the modeling of petroleum geochemistry. They also combined their findings with historical exploration and production analyses to determine the undiscovered, technically recoverable oil estimates.
USGS worked with the North Dakota Geological Survey, a number of petroleum industry companies and independents, universities and other experts to develop a geological understanding of the Bakken Formation. These groups provided critical information and feedback on geological and engineering concepts important to building the geologic and production models used in the assessment.
Five continuous assessment units (AU) were identified and assessed in the Bakken Formation of North Dakota and Montana - the Elm Coulee-Billings Nose AU, the Central Basin-Poplar Dome AU, the Nesson-Little Knife Structural AU, the Eastern Expulsion Threshold AU, and the Northwest Expulsion Threshold AU.
At the time of the assessment, a limited number of wells have produced oil from three of the assessments units in Central Basin-Poplar Dome, Eastern Expulsion Threshold, and Northwest Expulsion Threshold. The Elm Coulee oil field in Montana, discovered in 2000, has produced about 65 million barrels of the 105 million barrels of oil recovered from the Bakken Formation.
Results of the assessment can be found at http://energy.usgs.gov.
For a podcast interview with scientists about the Bakken Formation, listen to episode 38 of CoreCast at http://www.usgs.gov/corecast/.
I Got One Thing Accomplished
That's it.
Now I am going to go home and nap until the Sox come on.
I feel drunk. I hope it doesn't effect my driving.
Now I am going to go home and nap until the Sox come on.
I feel drunk. I hope it doesn't effect my driving.
Draggin'
Another lost day.
I called the doctor yesterday about an ache in my throat. I stress that I have no chest pain. I can take a full breath. However, I have an ache in my throat. Have you ever gone outside on a cold day and your throat aches from the cold air? That's what it's like. If I climb stairs or move quickly it hurts. Once I sit down, it goes away.
I slept for 10 hours and called the doctor at 1055. I had left a message for them yesterday and they had left one for me to call them. They were upset with me for not calling at 0800 because they had scheduled a CAT scan for me. Oh well. I didn't know and I would have slept through it.
So they ask me to stay by the phone and they will call me back. I shower, I do laundry, I wait. At 1145 they call back. Can I come right now? Have I eaten? Yes and no. I am on my way. Halfway to the hospital, they call again. Relax, eat something and try to be there at 1230. They can't do a contrast CAT scan because of my diagnosis. Shit, I knew that. What's the point of all this reading and educating myself on my diagnosis if I am not going to retain anything. Contrast is tough on the kidneys and with MM you have to do everything to protect the kidneys.
So I run to the office tell them what's going on, eat a half a tuna sandwich, take all my pills and vitamins and then go to the Jordan. I walk in the door of the clinic at 1227, pay my copay and sit. I sit for 45 minutes. I am getting peeved. Apparently there was some miscommunication about who was putting in my IV. But by 0145 I am in nuclear medicine and the test begins. It's followed up by a chest XRay. Then it's back to the clinic. There is some question of a possible EKG but that is ruled out.
No clot. No pneumonia. No pleuritis. I tell them I am sleepy and full of fluid. They nod.
That's it.
I'm in work and fairly useless.
Another lost day. Somebody send me a winning lottery ticket.
I called the doctor yesterday about an ache in my throat. I stress that I have no chest pain. I can take a full breath. However, I have an ache in my throat. Have you ever gone outside on a cold day and your throat aches from the cold air? That's what it's like. If I climb stairs or move quickly it hurts. Once I sit down, it goes away.
I slept for 10 hours and called the doctor at 1055. I had left a message for them yesterday and they had left one for me to call them. They were upset with me for not calling at 0800 because they had scheduled a CAT scan for me. Oh well. I didn't know and I would have slept through it.
So they ask me to stay by the phone and they will call me back. I shower, I do laundry, I wait. At 1145 they call back. Can I come right now? Have I eaten? Yes and no. I am on my way. Halfway to the hospital, they call again. Relax, eat something and try to be there at 1230. They can't do a contrast CAT scan because of my diagnosis. Shit, I knew that. What's the point of all this reading and educating myself on my diagnosis if I am not going to retain anything. Contrast is tough on the kidneys and with MM you have to do everything to protect the kidneys.
So I run to the office tell them what's going on, eat a half a tuna sandwich, take all my pills and vitamins and then go to the Jordan. I walk in the door of the clinic at 1227, pay my copay and sit. I sit for 45 minutes. I am getting peeved. Apparently there was some miscommunication about who was putting in my IV. But by 0145 I am in nuclear medicine and the test begins. It's followed up by a chest XRay. Then it's back to the clinic. There is some question of a possible EKG but that is ruled out.
No clot. No pneumonia. No pleuritis. I tell them I am sleepy and full of fluid. They nod.
That's it.
I'm in work and fairly useless.
Another lost day. Somebody send me a winning lottery ticket.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Doodad Pro????
H/T ConcreteBob
Obama's funny money: Good Will & Doodad Pro
Serious questions from credible quarters are being raised about hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign donations to Democrat presidential nominee Barack Obama. But too few alarm bells are going off over a Camp Obama said to be so confident of victory on Nov. 4 that it's having visions of White House curtain-measuring.
In the most ignored story of this political season, veteran investigative journalist Kenneth R. Timmerman of Newsmax reports that more than half of the nearly $427 million raised by the junior senator of Illinois (through Sept. 29) comes from small donors whose names his campaign will not release.
Indeed, Mr. Timmerman notes that federal law does not require presidential campaigns to identify donors who give less than $200 during the election cycle. It does, however, require publicly disclosed running totals for each donor once they exceed $200.
"Surprisingly, the great majority of Obama donors never break the $200 threshold," Timmerman writes. That's nearly $223 million coming from, supposedly, individual contributions of $200 or less.
Is this truly a testament to Barack Obama's grass-roots popularity, as is the spin? Or is it something nefarious?
It's a valid question given what Timmerman discovered about a strange series of reportable contributions from one "Good Will" of Austin, Texas, who lists his employer as "Loving" and his profession as "You."
There are 1,000 separate campaign disclosure entries for Mr. Will, most for $25, totaling $17,375. The per-cycle, per-person primary/general election limit is $4,600.
And then there's somebody named "Doodad Pro" from the mythical "Nando, N.Y." Funny, but Mr. Pro also is employed by "Loving" and his occupation is "You." Newsmax's Timmerman found 786 separate donations, most again for $25, for a grand total of $19,500.
When questioned by the Federal Election Commission, the Obama campaign credited credit cards whence some of the money came -- but not enough to meet the legal limit. And, most curiously, multiple additional donations from credit cards linked to both were made after some of the clearly illegal donations were credited.
But there's more. Timmerman details information that suggests the Obama campaign raised illegal foreign cash by, among other things, laundering donations from those living in the Gaza Strip through the bulk purchases of T-shirts shipped to the Gaza Strip.
And an FEC auditor tells The American Spectator magazine that he can't get his bosses to seek a formal investigation? What does it take to get somebody to notice? Barack Obama wearing a paper hat made of this funny money? Barack Obama smoking a cigar rolled in funny money?
Something smells. And it behooves the FEC to pull its head out of the sand -- and, obviously, elsewhere -- before next month's election. The American people have a right to know who's really bankrolling Barack Obama.
A Doodad Pro complaint
The RNC says it plans to file a complaint about Obama's low-dollar fundraising, based on two incidents, reported by Newsmax and then Newsweek, in which clearly fictional donors gave thousands, which were then returned. There's no evidence that this is widespread, but Obama's campaign doesn't disclose the small contributions publicly (though it does to the FEC), so there could be other instances, and it could be possible to funnel a lot of money to a campaign in small chunks this way.
By Ben Smith 12:38 PM
Obama's funny money: Good Will & Doodad Pro
Serious questions from credible quarters are being raised about hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign donations to Democrat presidential nominee Barack Obama. But too few alarm bells are going off over a Camp Obama said to be so confident of victory on Nov. 4 that it's having visions of White House curtain-measuring.
In the most ignored story of this political season, veteran investigative journalist Kenneth R. Timmerman of Newsmax reports that more than half of the nearly $427 million raised by the junior senator of Illinois (through Sept. 29) comes from small donors whose names his campaign will not release.
Indeed, Mr. Timmerman notes that federal law does not require presidential campaigns to identify donors who give less than $200 during the election cycle. It does, however, require publicly disclosed running totals for each donor once they exceed $200.
"Surprisingly, the great majority of Obama donors never break the $200 threshold," Timmerman writes. That's nearly $223 million coming from, supposedly, individual contributions of $200 or less.
Is this truly a testament to Barack Obama's grass-roots popularity, as is the spin? Or is it something nefarious?
It's a valid question given what Timmerman discovered about a strange series of reportable contributions from one "Good Will" of Austin, Texas, who lists his employer as "Loving" and his profession as "You."
There are 1,000 separate campaign disclosure entries for Mr. Will, most for $25, totaling $17,375. The per-cycle, per-person primary/general election limit is $4,600.
And then there's somebody named "Doodad Pro" from the mythical "Nando, N.Y." Funny, but Mr. Pro also is employed by "Loving" and his occupation is "You." Newsmax's Timmerman found 786 separate donations, most again for $25, for a grand total of $19,500.
When questioned by the Federal Election Commission, the Obama campaign credited credit cards whence some of the money came -- but not enough to meet the legal limit. And, most curiously, multiple additional donations from credit cards linked to both were made after some of the clearly illegal donations were credited.
But there's more. Timmerman details information that suggests the Obama campaign raised illegal foreign cash by, among other things, laundering donations from those living in the Gaza Strip through the bulk purchases of T-shirts shipped to the Gaza Strip.
And an FEC auditor tells The American Spectator magazine that he can't get his bosses to seek a formal investigation? What does it take to get somebody to notice? Barack Obama wearing a paper hat made of this funny money? Barack Obama smoking a cigar rolled in funny money?
Something smells. And it behooves the FEC to pull its head out of the sand -- and, obviously, elsewhere -- before next month's election. The American people have a right to know who's really bankrolling Barack Obama.
A Doodad Pro complaint
The RNC says it plans to file a complaint about Obama's low-dollar fundraising, based on two incidents, reported by Newsmax and then Newsweek, in which clearly fictional donors gave thousands, which were then returned. There's no evidence that this is widespread, but Obama's campaign doesn't disclose the small contributions publicly (though it does to the FEC), so there could be other instances, and it could be possible to funnel a lot of money to a campaign in small chunks this way.
By Ben Smith 12:38 PM
He's Mad!
He's mad. Sit down. He's not done yet.
Watch this guy at a McCain event.
And this guy gets McCain to respond on Ayers more forcefully than the ad below.
Watch this guy at a McCain event.
And this guy gets McCain to respond on Ayers more forcefully than the ad below.
FM 3-07
LTG Caldwell was on the Pentagon channel and I missed it.
1100 - Foreign Press Center Briefing: Wednesday's coverage of LTG William Caldwell, Commanding General of US Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, speaking with reporters at the Foreign Press Center in Washington, DC about "Stability Operations: A Road Map from Conflict to Peace - A Preview of the New Army Field Manual 3-07." (69 min)
Encore presentation at 0600hrs.
Because I had a doctor's appointment, I missed it. This better be on podcast later. You know there's no way I will be up at 0600! And I need all the help I can get.
1100 - Foreign Press Center Briefing: Wednesday's coverage of LTG William Caldwell, Commanding General of US Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, speaking with reporters at the Foreign Press Center in Washington, DC about "Stability Operations: A Road Map from Conflict to Peace - A Preview of the New Army Field Manual 3-07." (69 min)
Encore presentation at 0600hrs.
Because I had a doctor's appointment, I missed it. This better be on podcast later. You know there's no way I will be up at 0600! And I need all the help I can get.
A Lost Day and Lost Money
The skin doctor who I have to see to get refills of my roscea cream had an opening this morning. I thought they said 0900, they meant 0800.....oh well. After my solid, refreshing seven and a half hours of sleep, I was still late to work for no reason.
That's fine, they can fit me in at 1110. So I do a little work and head back over. They want to talk about my new meds and my new DX, yada, yada. I leave there at 1215.
I run to Bath & Body Works because I have a coupon for free room fragrance and I want to have lavender for my bedroom. Many people have suggested that.
Then I grab a quick soup and sandwich for lunch.
I'm back at my desk but I have another doctor's appointment at 1500.
Wasted day.
If someone knows anyone who is buying out/bailing out Citifinancial mortgages.....hook me up. This is really starting to impact my life. I have always lived paycheck to paycheck. But that was never a problem. I have a good job with available overtime. When something came up I just worked extra. But last week I only worked 19 hours. This week, I will barely hit 40. And that's only because I was smart enough to work 9 and 10 hours on the two days that I felt good this week.
That's fine, they can fit me in at 1110. So I do a little work and head back over. They want to talk about my new meds and my new DX, yada, yada. I leave there at 1215.
I run to Bath & Body Works because I have a coupon for free room fragrance and I want to have lavender for my bedroom. Many people have suggested that.
Then I grab a quick soup and sandwich for lunch.
I'm back at my desk but I have another doctor's appointment at 1500.
Wasted day.
If someone knows anyone who is buying out/bailing out Citifinancial mortgages.....hook me up. This is really starting to impact my life. I have always lived paycheck to paycheck. But that was never a problem. I have a good job with available overtime. When something came up I just worked extra. But last week I only worked 19 hours. This week, I will barely hit 40. And that's only because I was smart enough to work 9 and 10 hours on the two days that I felt good this week.
Perspective
The last time my aunt Ann and my uncle Frank saw me was 4th of July. Rested, going to the gym several times a week, a little tan, looking forward to parties that day and the next, still not formally diagnosed with cancer.
Then when they saw me on Tuesday, 20 pounds heavier, sleep deprived, pale, shaky.....
Well the look on their faces. De-press-ing.
Last night my friend Kathy was at my Mum's. She equates chemo with bald, wasted, mouth sores. So when she saw me, even though my hair needs to be dyed and I was clammy and shaky.....the relief on her face was huge.
LOL, so expect the worst from me......I will look better that way.
Then when they saw me on Tuesday, 20 pounds heavier, sleep deprived, pale, shaky.....
Well the look on their faces. De-press-ing.
Last night my friend Kathy was at my Mum's. She equates chemo with bald, wasted, mouth sores. So when she saw me, even though my hair needs to be dyed and I was clammy and shaky.....the relief on her face was huge.
LOL, so expect the worst from me......I will look better that way.
Clarification on Health Care
Here's is the quesiton from Tuesday night's debate and the candidates answers.
Brokaw: Quick discussion. Is health care in America a privilege, a right, or a responsibility?
Sen. McCain?
McCain: I think it's a responsibility, in this respect, in that we should have available and affordable health care to every American citizen, to every family member. And with the plan that -- that I have, that will do that.
But government mandates I -- I'm always a little nervous about. But it is certainly my responsibility. It is certainly small-business people and others, and they understand that responsibility. American citizens understand that. Employers understand that.
But they certainly are a little nervous when Sen. Obama says, if you don't get the health care policy that I think you should have, then you're going to get fined. And, by the way, Sen. Obama has never mentioned how much that fine might be. Perhaps we might find that out tonight.
Obama: Well, why don't -- why don't -- let's talk about this, Tom, because there was just a lot of stuff out there.
Brokaw: Privilege, right or responsibility. Let's start with that.
Obama: Well, I think it should be a right for every American. In a country as wealthy as ours, for us to have people who are going bankrupt because they can't pay their medical bills -- for my mother to die of cancer at the age of 53 and have to spend the last months of her life in the hospital room arguing with insurance companies because they're saying that this may be a pre-existing condition and they don't have to pay her treatment, there's something fundamentally wrong about that.
So let me -- let me just talk about this fundamental difference. And, Tom, I know that we're under time constraints, but Sen. McCain through a lot of stuff out there.
Number one, let me just repeat, if you've got a health care plan that you like, you can keep it. All I'm going to do is help you to lower the premiums on it. You'll still have choice of doctor. There's no mandate involved.
Small businesses are not going to have a mandate. What we're going to give you is a 50 percent tax credit to help provide health care for those that you need.
Now, it's true that I say that you are going to have to make sure that your child has health care, because children are relatively cheap to insure and we don't want them going to the emergency room for treatable illnesses like asthma.
And when Sen. McCain says that he wants to provide children health care, what he doesn't mention is he voted against the expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program that is responsible for making sure that so many children who didn't have previously health insurance have it now.
Now, the final point I'll make on this whole issue of government intrusion and mandates -- it is absolutely true that I think it is important for government to crack down on insurance companies that are cheating their customers, that don't give you the fine print, so you end up thinking that you're paying for something and, when you finally get sick and you need it, you're not getting it.
And the reason that it's a problem to go shopping state by state, you know what insurance companies will do? They will find a state -- maybe Arizona, maybe another state -- where there are no requirements for you to get cancer screenings, where there are no requirements for you to have to get pre-existing conditions, and they will all set up shop there.
That's how in banking it works. Everybody goes to Delaware, because they've got very -- pretty loose laws when it comes to things like credit cards.
And in that situation, what happens is, is that the protections you have, the consumer protections that you need, you're not going to have available to you.
That is a fundamental difference that I have with Sen. McCain. He believes in deregulation in every circumstance. That's what we've been going through for the last eight years. It hasn't worked, and we need fundamental change.
Brokaw: Sen., we want to move on now. If we'd come back to the hall here, we're going to shift gears here a little bit and we're going to go to foreign policy and international matters, if we can...
McCain: I don't believe that -- did we hear the size of the fine?
******************************
Now I took that one way and based on his answer, I think McCain took it the same way I did.
Is access to health care a right? Certainly. I don't know anyone who disagrees with that. Is it a responsibility, which I view to be more than a right? Yes. Do you have the right to obtain quality treatment when you are hurt or sick? Yes. Is that available for most Americans right now? Yes. Do we need to work on it? Yes.
Now, what about the responsibility part. Do you have a responsibility to attend to your own health to the extent that you are able? Certainly! Do you have a responsibility do obtain health insurance coverage when you are not sick so that the pool of available insured is a good mix and the system can work? Yes Do you need to obtain wellcare when and where you are able so emergency rooms are not overwhelmed? Yes.
To me a responsibility doesn't mean it's not a right, it means it's more than a right. I also don't believe every problem needs to be solved by that federal government. Sometimes they, sometimes they don't.
I live in Massachusetts where we have mandatory healthcare and believe it's no cakewalk. The one thing they said this would go a long way toward solving was people using the ER for primary care. The number on this came out the other day and so far it is not a success.
Brokaw: Quick discussion. Is health care in America a privilege, a right, or a responsibility?
Sen. McCain?
McCain: I think it's a responsibility, in this respect, in that we should have available and affordable health care to every American citizen, to every family member. And with the plan that -- that I have, that will do that.
But government mandates I -- I'm always a little nervous about. But it is certainly my responsibility. It is certainly small-business people and others, and they understand that responsibility. American citizens understand that. Employers understand that.
But they certainly are a little nervous when Sen. Obama says, if you don't get the health care policy that I think you should have, then you're going to get fined. And, by the way, Sen. Obama has never mentioned how much that fine might be. Perhaps we might find that out tonight.
Obama: Well, why don't -- why don't -- let's talk about this, Tom, because there was just a lot of stuff out there.
Brokaw: Privilege, right or responsibility. Let's start with that.
Obama: Well, I think it should be a right for every American. In a country as wealthy as ours, for us to have people who are going bankrupt because they can't pay their medical bills -- for my mother to die of cancer at the age of 53 and have to spend the last months of her life in the hospital room arguing with insurance companies because they're saying that this may be a pre-existing condition and they don't have to pay her treatment, there's something fundamentally wrong about that.
So let me -- let me just talk about this fundamental difference. And, Tom, I know that we're under time constraints, but Sen. McCain through a lot of stuff out there.
Number one, let me just repeat, if you've got a health care plan that you like, you can keep it. All I'm going to do is help you to lower the premiums on it. You'll still have choice of doctor. There's no mandate involved.
Small businesses are not going to have a mandate. What we're going to give you is a 50 percent tax credit to help provide health care for those that you need.
Now, it's true that I say that you are going to have to make sure that your child has health care, because children are relatively cheap to insure and we don't want them going to the emergency room for treatable illnesses like asthma.
And when Sen. McCain says that he wants to provide children health care, what he doesn't mention is he voted against the expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program that is responsible for making sure that so many children who didn't have previously health insurance have it now.
Now, the final point I'll make on this whole issue of government intrusion and mandates -- it is absolutely true that I think it is important for government to crack down on insurance companies that are cheating their customers, that don't give you the fine print, so you end up thinking that you're paying for something and, when you finally get sick and you need it, you're not getting it.
And the reason that it's a problem to go shopping state by state, you know what insurance companies will do? They will find a state -- maybe Arizona, maybe another state -- where there are no requirements for you to get cancer screenings, where there are no requirements for you to have to get pre-existing conditions, and they will all set up shop there.
That's how in banking it works. Everybody goes to Delaware, because they've got very -- pretty loose laws when it comes to things like credit cards.
And in that situation, what happens is, is that the protections you have, the consumer protections that you need, you're not going to have available to you.
That is a fundamental difference that I have with Sen. McCain. He believes in deregulation in every circumstance. That's what we've been going through for the last eight years. It hasn't worked, and we need fundamental change.
Brokaw: Sen., we want to move on now. If we'd come back to the hall here, we're going to shift gears here a little bit and we're going to go to foreign policy and international matters, if we can...
McCain: I don't believe that -- did we hear the size of the fine?
******************************
Now I took that one way and based on his answer, I think McCain took it the same way I did.
Is access to health care a right? Certainly. I don't know anyone who disagrees with that. Is it a responsibility, which I view to be more than a right? Yes. Do you have the right to obtain quality treatment when you are hurt or sick? Yes. Is that available for most Americans right now? Yes. Do we need to work on it? Yes.
Now, what about the responsibility part. Do you have a responsibility to attend to your own health to the extent that you are able? Certainly! Do you have a responsibility do obtain health insurance coverage when you are not sick so that the pool of available insured is a good mix and the system can work? Yes Do you need to obtain wellcare when and where you are able so emergency rooms are not overwhelmed? Yes.
To me a responsibility doesn't mean it's not a right, it means it's more than a right. I also don't believe every problem needs to be solved by that federal government. Sometimes they, sometimes they don't.
I live in Massachusetts where we have mandatory healthcare and believe it's no cakewalk. The one thing they said this would go a long way toward solving was people using the ER for primary care. The number on this came out the other day and so far it is not a success.
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
From The DomestikDiva Sherri
Well, I wouldn't say better......but they are interesting. And not all are mutually exclusive.From Pia
Pia of FateKisminy
Dean Reynolds
From The Road
NASHVILLE, TENN.) - After most of the previous 12 months covering Barack Obama's campaign for the presidency, it was interesting, instructive and, well, relaxing to follow John McCain for the last few days. The differences between the two are striking.
Obama is the big time orator, McCain is the guy who struggles with a teleprompter or even note cards strategically placed nearby. Obama's crowds are larger, more enthusiastic. McCain's events are smaller, but to my eye, better choreographed. And now with the addition of Sarah Palin to some of his events, McCain can boast of crowds that match Obama's in energy.
There is an urgency to the McCain campaign now that I don't think was there before. Due to the fact that he is running second, no doubt, but it may also be because McCain has a finishing kick. Whatever the case, he is sharper on the stump than he was before. (Though I would suspect a candidate running behind would want to schedule two or three appearances per day, instead of the one McCain usually does.)
Read the whole thing here.
Thanks Pia - Happy Anniversary! Go sox!
Dean Reynolds
From The Road
NASHVILLE, TENN.) - After most of the previous 12 months covering Barack Obama's campaign for the presidency, it was interesting, instructive and, well, relaxing to follow John McCain for the last few days. The differences between the two are striking.
Obama is the big time orator, McCain is the guy who struggles with a teleprompter or even note cards strategically placed nearby. Obama's crowds are larger, more enthusiastic. McCain's events are smaller, but to my eye, better choreographed. And now with the addition of Sarah Palin to some of his events, McCain can boast of crowds that match Obama's in energy.
There is an urgency to the McCain campaign now that I don't think was there before. Due to the fact that he is running second, no doubt, but it may also be because McCain has a finishing kick. Whatever the case, he is sharper on the stump than he was before. (Though I would suspect a candidate running behind would want to schedule two or three appearances per day, instead of the one McCain usually does.)
Read the whole thing here.
Thanks Pia - Happy Anniversary! Go sox!
It's 2300 & I Should Be Asleep Soon
Jen & I drove in for Mrs. Campo's wake. Frankie & Bill are going to the funeral tomorrow. Frankie is lucky his grandfather can direct him to Powder House Square tomorrow otherwise I don't know where he'd end up.
After the wake, Jen & met Grace & Deb at my parent's house for a completely inappropriate dinner of pizza, chicken fingers, fries and chocolate ice cream sodas. I called Kath and told her to come down to my parents. That conversation quickly into a contest of who did the most stupid stuff when we were young. Ummm, I think I won. I told Debbie never to do this stuff. But I was wrong. She should do all this stuff and then just call me for a ride, that's all. We had a lot of fun.
When Kath & I ran the streets it was before my Navy period.....it was my policeman, firefighter, state trooper period. It was fun. Kathy had a taste for the bad boys and had introduced me to a guy who turned out to have low level mafie connections. That freaked me out so bad that the next guy was Tommy & Frankie's Dad, a former Army MP/Sarasota police officer. And that was that for a good many years.
Anyway, I am home and I have taken two "Simply Sleep", a hit of Nyquil, and a valerian.
I have no original thoughts. So I will reprint stuff from my email.
After the wake, Jen & met Grace & Deb at my parent's house for a completely inappropriate dinner of pizza, chicken fingers, fries and chocolate ice cream sodas. I called Kath and told her to come down to my parents. That conversation quickly into a contest of who did the most stupid stuff when we were young. Ummm, I think I won. I told Debbie never to do this stuff. But I was wrong. She should do all this stuff and then just call me for a ride, that's all. We had a lot of fun.
When Kath & I ran the streets it was before my Navy period.....it was my policeman, firefighter, state trooper period. It was fun. Kathy had a taste for the bad boys and had introduced me to a guy who turned out to have low level mafie connections. That freaked me out so bad that the next guy was Tommy & Frankie's Dad, a former Army MP/Sarasota police officer. And that was that for a good many years.
Anyway, I am home and I have taken two "Simply Sleep", a hit of Nyquil, and a valerian.
I have no original thoughts. So I will reprint stuff from my email.
Seriously, I Don't Think I Can Survive
I don't know if I want to.
So the achiness and pain on my right side has greatly eased. But ever since I took the steroids at noon I have wanted to cry. I am not upset, but I want to cry.
I told Bette and Nic. Nic said to Bette "I bet if we hug her right now, we can make her cry!" I left for the kitchen, Nic chased me. I was laughing so hard I was defenseless. Fortunately at the last minute, Nic pulled back. She doesn't like hugging anymore than I do.
I gave up on Atkins after a whole 6 hours, lol. Mark's evil wife Kathy sent in cookies and she makes good cookies. Besides I wanted comfort food and I need crackers for my soup.
I have a great boss who is also my friend, so when I yelled I needed milk.....she went to get it.
So the achiness and pain on my right side has greatly eased. But ever since I took the steroids at noon I have wanted to cry. I am not upset, but I want to cry.
I told Bette and Nic. Nic said to Bette "I bet if we hug her right now, we can make her cry!" I left for the kitchen, Nic chased me. I was laughing so hard I was defenseless. Fortunately at the last minute, Nic pulled back. She doesn't like hugging anymore than I do.
I gave up on Atkins after a whole 6 hours, lol. Mark's evil wife Kathy sent in cookies and she makes good cookies. Besides I wanted comfort food and I need crackers for my soup.
I have a great boss who is also my friend, so when I yelled I needed milk.....she went to get it.
My Bum Hurts
My whole right side aches, my bum, my hip, my back, my shoulder. I needed to be in work early this morning because Rachael and Pat are in a seminar. I was afraid of oversleeping so I skipped the Simply Sleep pills. Well if you scroll down, you know that resulted in my being up until nearly 0400. That made me anxious so I slept all clenched in a ball.
What the eff?
What the eff?
What's Brokaw Running For?
And who asked for his opinion?
Brokaw: We've run out of time. We have this one-minute discussion period going on here.
There are new economic realities out there that everyone in this hall and across this country understands that there are going to have to be some choices made. Health policies, energy policies, and entitlement reform, what are going to be your priorities in what order? Which of those will be your highest priority your first year in office and which will follow in sequence?
Sen. McCain?
McCain: The three priorities were health...
Brokaw: The three -- health care, energy, and entitlement reform: Social Security and Medicare. In what order would you put them in terms of priorities?
McCain: I think you can work on all three at once, Tom. I think it's very important that reform our entitlement programs.
My friends, we are not going to be able to provide the same benefit for present-day workers that we are going -- that present-day retirees have today. We're going to have to sit down across the table, Republican and Democrat, as we did in 1983 between Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill.
I know how to do that. I have a clear record of reaching across the aisle, whether it be Joe Lieberman or Russ Feingold or Ted Kennedy or others. That's my clear record.
We can work on nuclear power plants. Build a whole bunch of them, create millions of new jobs. We have to have all of the above, alternative fuels, wind, tide, solar, natural gas, clean coal technology. All of these things we can do as Americans and we can take on this mission and we can overcome it.
My friends, some of this $700 billion ends up in the hands of terrorist organizations.
As far as health care is concerned, obviously, everyone is struggling to make sure that they can afford their premiums and that they can have affordable and available health care. That's the next issue.
But we can do them all at once. There's no -- and we have to do them all at once. All three you mentioned are compelling national security requirements.
Brokaw: I'm trying to play by the rules that you all established. One minute for discussion.
Sen. Obama, if you would give us your list of priorities, there are some real questions about whether everything can be done at once.
I thought we wanted to get answers from Obama and McCain....not Brokaw. Or was he just lending Obama a hand?
Brokaw: We've run out of time. We have this one-minute discussion period going on here.
There are new economic realities out there that everyone in this hall and across this country understands that there are going to have to be some choices made. Health policies, energy policies, and entitlement reform, what are going to be your priorities in what order? Which of those will be your highest priority your first year in office and which will follow in sequence?
Sen. McCain?
McCain: The three priorities were health...
Brokaw: The three -- health care, energy, and entitlement reform: Social Security and Medicare. In what order would you put them in terms of priorities?
McCain: I think you can work on all three at once, Tom. I think it's very important that reform our entitlement programs.
My friends, we are not going to be able to provide the same benefit for present-day workers that we are going -- that present-day retirees have today. We're going to have to sit down across the table, Republican and Democrat, as we did in 1983 between Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill.
I know how to do that. I have a clear record of reaching across the aisle, whether it be Joe Lieberman or Russ Feingold or Ted Kennedy or others. That's my clear record.
We can work on nuclear power plants. Build a whole bunch of them, create millions of new jobs. We have to have all of the above, alternative fuels, wind, tide, solar, natural gas, clean coal technology. All of these things we can do as Americans and we can take on this mission and we can overcome it.
My friends, some of this $700 billion ends up in the hands of terrorist organizations.
As far as health care is concerned, obviously, everyone is struggling to make sure that they can afford their premiums and that they can have affordable and available health care. That's the next issue.
But we can do them all at once. There's no -- and we have to do them all at once. All three you mentioned are compelling national security requirements.
Brokaw: I'm trying to play by the rules that you all established. One minute for discussion.
Sen. Obama, if you would give us your list of priorities, there are some real questions about whether everything can be done at once.
I thought we wanted to get answers from Obama and McCain....not Brokaw. Or was he just lending Obama a hand?
The Sword Cuts Both Ways
Every politician running for any office from selectman to President of the United States plays the endorsement/association game. You go to any rally and the candidate will have local luminaries. He will speak of other politicians and civic leaders that he or she has worked with.
Why? Well, they want you to associate their name with other successful, likeable people.
Obama has appeared on stage with many popular politicians. He seems particularly proud of his 30 retired generals and admirals.
But that sword cuts both ways. If you want us to take into account the people who support you or have worked with you.....we have to count them all.
You want people in America to know that Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg supports you, fine. But then people have to consider that for 20 years you sat and listened to Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
For once...........we agree.
Why? Well, they want you to associate their name with other successful, likeable people.
Obama has appeared on stage with many popular politicians. He seems particularly proud of his 30 retired generals and admirals.
But that sword cuts both ways. If you want us to take into account the people who support you or have worked with you.....we have to count them all.
You want people in America to know that Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg supports you, fine. But then people have to consider that for 20 years you sat and listened to Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
You want people in America to know that Oprah supports you, fine. But then people have to consider that Tony Rezko got you a nifty real estate deal.
You want people in America to know that the NEA endorses you, fine. But then people have to consider that ACORN endorses you.
You want people in America to know that General Merrill "Tony" McPeak supports you, fine. But then people have to consider this.
Your political career was launched in the living room of a pair of domestic terrorists.
Ayers & his wife Bernadine Dohrn (“Dig it! First they killed those pigs and then they put a fork in their bellies. Wild!”) associated with you and helped you. I realize that this connection is a few years old, but I find it very telling that you tamped it down as you began your Presidential run. That tells me that you looked around and thought "Hey, these two could hurt me, I think I'll have them step out of the picture."For once...........we agree.
Revlimid Boosts Blogger Output
It's 0323 and I am posting and surfing.
Gotta look for the silver lining, kiddos.
I hit 75,000 visits yesterday. Like Jen says "Too bad everyone didn't leave a tip."
Gotta look for the silver lining, kiddos.
I hit 75,000 visits yesterday. Like Jen says "Too bad everyone didn't leave a tip."
Gerson's Take On McCain's Health Plan
Health Insurance For Everyone
by Michael Gerson
WASHINGTON -- It is a shame that a discussion of health care policy has come near the end of the presidential campaign, when the level of discourse is at its lowest.
In the midst of assailing John McCain's mental health -- he is diagnosed as both "erratic" and "out of touch" -- Barack Obama and Joe Biden have pressed an attack on McCain's health care plan that is deceptive in almost every detail.
McCain has proposed to replace the current government health care subsidy for employers with a tax credit that would help all individuals and families purchase coverage. Biden terms this the "largest tax increase in the history of America for the middle class." He is off by -- well, by even more than the norm of Biden hyperbole. In fact, the McCain trade-off would result in a significant tax cut for nearly everyone (except those with the highest incomes).
Obama breathlessly reveals that the McCain credit "wouldn't go to you. It would go directly to your insurance company." Since the credit is intended for the purchase of health insurance, where else should it eventually go? Is it a scandal that a child care credit eventually goes to child care centers?
"At least 20 million Americans," charges Obama, "will lose the insurance they rely on from their workplace." As Yuval Levin of the Ethics and Public Policy Center points out, this is a distortion. He cites a Tax Policy Center estimate that the McCain plan would result in 21 million people entering the individual insurance market by 2018 -- many because individual ownership of insurance will be more attractive. In every mainstream analysis, McCain's plan would result in a net increase in the number of the insured.
Obama terms the McCain plan "radical" -- which is its main virtue. It goes to the root of the problem -- a system that depends mainly on businesses to provide health coverage. Over the last few decades, the rising cost of health coverage to employers has eaten up pay increases, acting as a wage cap and leaving many incomes stagnant or falling. Business-based health coverage leaves many workers afraid to change jobs -- a handicap in the constant employment churn of the new economy. It discriminates against the self-employed and places unique burdens on small businesses. And it insulates workers from decisions about health care costs. Few in the current system benefit from searching out the best health care prices and results.
There are really only two visions of health care reform: using government to increase private insurance coverage, or using government to provide health care on a larger scale. McCain takes the first approach. Obama takes the second. Under Obama's plan, medium and large employers would be forced either to give coverage to employees, or pay into a new government program, modeled on Medicare, which would provide public insurance. This may sound like a fair competition between public and private, but it isn't. Unlike private companies, government can cut costs through imposing price controls and shifting costs to others (just as Medicare does).
Over time this would give the government an unfair price advantage over private insurance, causing more and more businesses to pay into the public program.
Obama's health plan is really slow-motion Medicare for all. And the problem with Medicare-like price controls is that they reduce the number of people willing to provide medical services, which always means longer lines and rationing.
McCain's health plan has a problem of its own. It is not too radical, but too timid. A $5,000 per family, refundable tax credit -- in addition to increased cash wages from employers no longer burdened with paying for health care -- would help middle-class workers get insurance. But for people on the lower end of the scale -- who don't qualify for Medicaid -- the $5,000 credit alone would not be enough to buy adequate coverage, which can cost more than double that amount.
To be a genuine alternative, Republicans should follow their own logic and make the ownership of private health insurance an entitlement. Fund the purchase of a basic health insurance plan completely, through a refundable tax credit, so every low income American can afford insurance. Help consumers exercise their newfound choice of health plans by requiring the disclosure of comprehensive information on health costs and outcomes.
Universal Medicare is a frightening prospect. But it may be unavoidable unless Republicans can counter the rallying cry "Health care for everyone" with a simple and superior alternative: "Health insurance for everyone."
by Michael Gerson
WASHINGTON -- It is a shame that a discussion of health care policy has come near the end of the presidential campaign, when the level of discourse is at its lowest.
In the midst of assailing John McCain's mental health -- he is diagnosed as both "erratic" and "out of touch" -- Barack Obama and Joe Biden have pressed an attack on McCain's health care plan that is deceptive in almost every detail.
McCain has proposed to replace the current government health care subsidy for employers with a tax credit that would help all individuals and families purchase coverage. Biden terms this the "largest tax increase in the history of America for the middle class." He is off by -- well, by even more than the norm of Biden hyperbole. In fact, the McCain trade-off would result in a significant tax cut for nearly everyone (except those with the highest incomes).
Obama breathlessly reveals that the McCain credit "wouldn't go to you. It would go directly to your insurance company." Since the credit is intended for the purchase of health insurance, where else should it eventually go? Is it a scandal that a child care credit eventually goes to child care centers?
"At least 20 million Americans," charges Obama, "will lose the insurance they rely on from their workplace." As Yuval Levin of the Ethics and Public Policy Center points out, this is a distortion. He cites a Tax Policy Center estimate that the McCain plan would result in 21 million people entering the individual insurance market by 2018 -- many because individual ownership of insurance will be more attractive. In every mainstream analysis, McCain's plan would result in a net increase in the number of the insured.
Obama terms the McCain plan "radical" -- which is its main virtue. It goes to the root of the problem -- a system that depends mainly on businesses to provide health coverage. Over the last few decades, the rising cost of health coverage to employers has eaten up pay increases, acting as a wage cap and leaving many incomes stagnant or falling. Business-based health coverage leaves many workers afraid to change jobs -- a handicap in the constant employment churn of the new economy. It discriminates against the self-employed and places unique burdens on small businesses. And it insulates workers from decisions about health care costs. Few in the current system benefit from searching out the best health care prices and results.
There are really only two visions of health care reform: using government to increase private insurance coverage, or using government to provide health care on a larger scale. McCain takes the first approach. Obama takes the second. Under Obama's plan, medium and large employers would be forced either to give coverage to employees, or pay into a new government program, modeled on Medicare, which would provide public insurance. This may sound like a fair competition between public and private, but it isn't. Unlike private companies, government can cut costs through imposing price controls and shifting costs to others (just as Medicare does).
Over time this would give the government an unfair price advantage over private insurance, causing more and more businesses to pay into the public program.
Obama's health plan is really slow-motion Medicare for all. And the problem with Medicare-like price controls is that they reduce the number of people willing to provide medical services, which always means longer lines and rationing.
McCain's health plan has a problem of its own. It is not too radical, but too timid. A $5,000 per family, refundable tax credit -- in addition to increased cash wages from employers no longer burdened with paying for health care -- would help middle-class workers get insurance. But for people on the lower end of the scale -- who don't qualify for Medicaid -- the $5,000 credit alone would not be enough to buy adequate coverage, which can cost more than double that amount.
To be a genuine alternative, Republicans should follow their own logic and make the ownership of private health insurance an entitlement. Fund the purchase of a basic health insurance plan completely, through a refundable tax credit, so every low income American can afford insurance. Help consumers exercise their newfound choice of health plans by requiring the disclosure of comprehensive information on health costs and outcomes.
Universal Medicare is a frightening prospect. But it may be unavoidable unless Republicans can counter the rallying cry "Health care for everyone" with a simple and superior alternative: "Health insurance for everyone."
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
War with Pakistan
War with Pakistan!
Bill Whittle
Awesome judgement there, Future Commander in Chief! Announcing that he would start a war with a nuclear power, in order to get one man, is madness. And McCain's answer is the best response he's had tonight. But he needs to HAMMER Obama on how reckless his rhetoric is, and use it as an example of the kind of Commander he would be.
And is it too much to ask that someone, somewhere mention the fact that the world is a far safer place without Saddam Hussein sitting astride the Persian Gulf? Is there no point in this campaign where McCain, in defense of the Surge, can also go head-on to this idea that Iraq was a huge mistake?
*************
I'll say it!!!! The world is a much safer place with Saddam gone!
Bill Whittle
Awesome judgement there, Future Commander in Chief! Announcing that he would start a war with a nuclear power, in order to get one man, is madness. And McCain's answer is the best response he's had tonight. But he needs to HAMMER Obama on how reckless his rhetoric is, and use it as an example of the kind of Commander he would be.
And is it too much to ask that someone, somewhere mention the fact that the world is a far safer place without Saddam Hussein sitting astride the Persian Gulf? Is there no point in this campaign where McCain, in defense of the Surge, can also go head-on to this idea that Iraq was a huge mistake?
*************
I'll say it!!!! The world is a much safer place with Saddam gone!
My Bad Boyfriend Shouts Out To Navy Chiefs Everywhere
QUESTION: Senator, as a retired Navy chief, my thoughts are often with those who serve our country. I know both candidates, both of you, expressed support for Israel.
If, despite your best diplomatic efforts, Iran attacks Israel, would you be willing to commit U.S. troops in support and defense of Israel? Or would you wait on approval from the U.N. Security Council?
MCCAIN: Well, thank you, Terry (ph). And thank you for your service to the country.
I want to say, everything I ever learned about leadership I learned from a chief petty officer. And I thank you, and I thank you, my friend. Thanks for serving.
Let -- let -- let me say that we obviously would not wait for the United Nations Security Council. I think the realities are that both Russia and China would probably pose significant obstacles.
And our challenge right now is the Iranians continue on the path to acquiring nuclear weapons, and it's a great threat. It's not just a threat -- threat to the state of Israel. It's a threat to the stability of the entire Middle East.
If Iran acquires nuclear weapons, all the other countries will acquire them, too. The tensions will be ratcheted up.
What would you do if you were the Israelis and the president of a country says that they are -- they are determined to wipe you off the map, calls your country a stinking corpse?
Now, Sen. Obama without precondition wants to sit down and negotiate with them, without preconditions. That's what he stated, again, a matter of record.
I want to make sure that the Iranians are put enough -- that we put enough pressure on the Iranians by joining with our allies, imposing significant, tough sanctions to modify their behavior. And I think we can do that.
I think, joining with our allies and friends in a league of democracies, that we can effectively abridge their behavior, and hopefully they would abandon this quest that they are on for nuclear weapons.
But, at the end of the day, my friend, I have to tell you again, and you know what it's like to serve, and you know what it's like to sacrifice, but we can never allow a second Holocaust to take place.
If, despite your best diplomatic efforts, Iran attacks Israel, would you be willing to commit U.S. troops in support and defense of Israel? Or would you wait on approval from the U.N. Security Council?
MCCAIN: Well, thank you, Terry (ph). And thank you for your service to the country.
I want to say, everything I ever learned about leadership I learned from a chief petty officer. And I thank you, and I thank you, my friend. Thanks for serving.
Let -- let -- let me say that we obviously would not wait for the United Nations Security Council. I think the realities are that both Russia and China would probably pose significant obstacles.
And our challenge right now is the Iranians continue on the path to acquiring nuclear weapons, and it's a great threat. It's not just a threat -- threat to the state of Israel. It's a threat to the stability of the entire Middle East.
If Iran acquires nuclear weapons, all the other countries will acquire them, too. The tensions will be ratcheted up.
What would you do if you were the Israelis and the president of a country says that they are -- they are determined to wipe you off the map, calls your country a stinking corpse?
Now, Sen. Obama without precondition wants to sit down and negotiate with them, without preconditions. That's what he stated, again, a matter of record.
I want to make sure that the Iranians are put enough -- that we put enough pressure on the Iranians by joining with our allies, imposing significant, tough sanctions to modify their behavior. And I think we can do that.
I think, joining with our allies and friends in a league of democracies, that we can effectively abridge their behavior, and hopefully they would abandon this quest that they are on for nuclear weapons.
But, at the end of the day, my friend, I have to tell you again, and you know what it's like to serve, and you know what it's like to sacrifice, but we can never allow a second Holocaust to take place.
Thank you very much!
OBAMA: You're doing a great job, Tom.
Look, I -- I want to be very clear about what I said. Nobody called for the invasion of Pakistan. Sen. McCain continues to repeat this.
What I said was the same thing that the audience here today heard me say, which is, if Pakistan is unable or unwilling to hunt down bin Laden and take him out, then we should.
Now, that I think has to be our policy, because they are threatening to kill more Americans.
Now, Sen. McCain suggests that somehow, you know, I'm green behind the ears and, you know, I'm just spouting off, and he's somber and responsible.
MCCAIN: Thank you very much.
Look, I -- I want to be very clear about what I said. Nobody called for the invasion of Pakistan. Sen. McCain continues to repeat this.
What I said was the same thing that the audience here today heard me say, which is, if Pakistan is unable or unwilling to hunt down bin Laden and take him out, then we should.
Now, that I think has to be our policy, because they are threatening to kill more Americans.
Now, Sen. McCain suggests that somehow, you know, I'm green behind the ears and, you know, I'm just spouting off, and he's somber and responsible.
MCCAIN: Thank you very much.
Obama Channels John Kerry
Remember John Kerry and his "Global Test"? I still have my sweatshirt - "I Don't Do Global Tests"!!!!!!
Obama speaking of avoiding another holocaust in Darfur says -
We could be providing logistical support, setting up a no-fly zone at relatively little cost to us, but we can only do it if we can help mobilize the international community and lead. And that's what I intend to do when I'm president.
We don't need to international community. It's nice to have them. We should encourage them to help....but we don't need them.
We Need that $10B a Month Here in the U.S.
We Need that $10B a Month Here in the U.S.
Andy McCarthy
Obama again runs this jive that Iraq is costing use billions that he would keep at home to rebuild our economy. He's lying. As I outline here, Obama wants to transfer tens of billions of dollars a month. to the tune of nearly a trillion dollars by 2015, under his Global Poverty Act.
That is, he only objeccts to the transfer of American wealth for foreign aid where it might actually promote U.S. national interests.
How hard is this? Why doesn't McCain lay him out on this?
Andy McCarthy
Obama again runs this jive that Iraq is costing use billions that he would keep at home to rebuild our economy. He's lying. As I outline here, Obama wants to transfer tens of billions of dollars a month. to the tune of nearly a trillion dollars by 2015, under his Global Poverty Act.
That is, he only objeccts to the transfer of American wealth for foreign aid where it might actually promote U.S. national interests.
How hard is this? Why doesn't McCain lay him out on this?
McCain Scores Another Point With Jen
McCain said health care insurance is a responsibility.
Jen agrees. That's two!!
Jen agrees. That's two!!
Jennifer Approves
MCain exposed some of the ugly underpinnings of Obama's tax policies.
Jennifer is yelling "It's about time!!!"
Obama wanted to respond but Brokaw said no we have to move on.
Obama is ignoring the next question and going right back trying to blow smoke on the facts that McCain just gave.
Michael Graham is screaming Jen's point over at the Corner
PLEASE, Not Again! [Michael Graham]
One more time: 47% of Americans pay NO federal income taxes! You can't "cut" their rates. Sen. Obama said that everyone under $200,000 will get a tax cut. Just ask Sen. Obama what the new, lower tax rate is going to be, particularly on those paying ZERO. A one-time rebate check, from people who pay taxes to people who don't, is not a tax reduction.
Jennifer is yelling "It's about time!!!"
Obama wanted to respond but Brokaw said no we have to move on.
Obama is ignoring the next question and going right back trying to blow smoke on the facts that McCain just gave.
Michael Graham is screaming Jen's point over at the Corner
PLEASE, Not Again! [Michael Graham]
One more time: 47% of Americans pay NO federal income taxes! You can't "cut" their rates. Sen. Obama said that everyone under $200,000 will get a tax cut. Just ask Sen. Obama what the new, lower tax rate is going to be, particularly on those paying ZERO. A one-time rebate check, from people who pay taxes to people who don't, is not a tax reduction.
Theora Asks What Sacrifices Will We Be Asked To Make
Obama goes back to George Bush....give it up....he's not running.
Then he got around to saying he's going to ask you to think about your energy usage.
Think about it.
Oh and he'll expand the Peace Corp.
Then he got around to saying he's going to ask you to think about your energy usage.
Think about it.
Oh and he'll expand the Peace Corp.
McCain Hits Him Coming Out Of The Shute
First question about Fannie & Freddie - McCain refers to Senator Obama....."and his cronies!"
Rare Illnesses
A disease or condition is considered rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000.
Grace has essential thrombocytosis - 2.5 in 100,000.
Jen has multiple sclerosis - 1 in 700
Multiple myeloma is 1 in 18,630
Kathy, one of my very best friends has leiomyosarcoma.......less than 200,000 have that. She had a GIST, which is very rare.
I said my parents didn't mix well......but that doesn't explain Kathy.
Grace said it's playing down the Oilies.....but my uncle Frank, a fairly healthy 73 year old said "No way" when I saw him today up at the cottage. He spread his arms in a gesture that said 'look at me!'.
Jen thinks it's the Mystic River bridge.
Grace has essential thrombocytosis - 2.5 in 100,000.
Jen has multiple sclerosis - 1 in 700
Multiple myeloma is 1 in 18,630
Kathy, one of my very best friends has leiomyosarcoma.......less than 200,000 have that. She had a GIST, which is very rare.
I said my parents didn't mix well......but that doesn't explain Kathy.
Grace said it's playing down the Oilies.....but my uncle Frank, a fairly healthy 73 year old said "No way" when I saw him today up at the cottage. He spread his arms in a gesture that said 'look at me!'.
Jen thinks it's the Mystic River bridge.
Weather Underground Documentary Trailer
If you think it doesn't matter then you either don't get it or you are willfully blinding yourself to the truth.
Sherri Wishes Hanging People Was Still An Option
Decked out military groom to be sent to the brig
by Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, The Times-Picayune
Wednesday October 01, 2008, 9:00 PM
Jerome Ticker, dressed in a captain's Navy whites complete with prestigious Navy Cross, Silver Star and Purple Heart decorations, was quite the striking figure at his wedding in Slidell.
The problem is, he never served in the Navy, or in any branch of the military.
Ticker, 42, of the Holden community in Livingston Parish, had convinced his fiancee that he was a war hero, a Navy Seal festooned with medals, and so it was only fitting for him to decorate himself to a T in his deceit for their April 12 nuptials.
While the bride may have fallen for Ticker's tale, at least one person at the ceremony didn't buy it, and notified authorities.
On Tuesday, Ticker pleaded guilty in New Orleans to a federal charge of illegally wearing the medals and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jay Zainey to 12 months of home confinement, followed by two years of supervised release and a $500 fine.
"He said he was motivated as a desire to impress his wife, " U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said.
Ticker could not be reached for comment.
The Stolen Valor bill, passed into law in 2006, expanded and increased federal penalties for falsely claiming to have earned any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces.
Ticker bought the uniform online and the awards from a local military surplus store, according to Special Agent D'Wayne W. Swear, the New Orleans investigator for the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
Ticker, who works for a building maintenance company in Gonzales, posed as a Navy captain, the rank just below rear admiral. Previously, with his first wife, he had played the part of a lieutenant commander in the Navy, Swear said.
For his April wedding, Ticker mistakenly wore his lieutenant commander's hat with his captain's uniform.
The proper captain's hat has gold leafing on the bill, leafing that Navy men call "scrambled eggs."
Swear tracked Ticker down after Swear received an anonymous tip from someone at the wedding. The tip directed him to online wedding photographs that showed Ticker in his full, illegal and improperly configured regalia.
In their book, "Stolen Valor: How the Vietnam Generation Was Robbed of its Heroes and its History, " B.G. Burkett and Glenna Whitley write about the phony war hero phenomenon.
Burkett, a consultant on military fraud for various federal law enforcement agencies, said that generally, veterans are considered brave, loyal, patriotic, trustworthy and honest. Therefore people who have low self-esteem hope to get those qualities thrust upon them by alluding to heroic -- even if fictitious -- exploits in battle.
A typical motivation is to impress women or make women trust them, Burkett and Whitley said.
"And the Navy Seal is a very popular one among phonies, " said Whitley, who mentioned that other popular choices are prisoners of war, especially with all the recent attention to presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, and special forces soldiers.
"People don't want to be the run-of-the-mill soldier, who just does his job and serves his time in the military, " she said. "If you are making something up, you might as well go all the way."
In the 2005 comedy film "Wedding Crashers, " actors Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson discuss how to get free drinks at weddings that have cash bars.
"Purple Hearts, " Vaughn says, pulling out two medals. "We won't have to buy drinks all night."
"Perfect, " Wilson replies.
At the time, the scene caused an uproar among veterans groups. New Line Cinema's Web site, in a promotion of the film that instructed people on how to win attention at a wedding, had suggested that would-be wedding crashers print out a fake Purple Heart medal because "carrying a Purple Heart in your jacket guarantees you attention, admiration and plenty of free booze."
"To get one of these babies, some dudes have to prove their physical, mental and spiritual strength with great feats of bravery on the battlefield, " it continued.
Because of the controversy, the studio eventually pulled the promotion, prompted in part by intervention from U.S. Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo., who that same year sponsored the Stolen Valor Act. The name of the act was based on Burkett and Whitley's book.
"If any movie-goers take the advice of the 'Wedding Crashers' and try to use fake Purple Hearts to get girls, they may wind up picking up an FBI agent instead, " Salazar warned at the time.
Wearing, manufacturing, buying, selling or trading a Medal of Honor already was a federal crime, but the Stolen Valor bill expanded the law to include more medals and allowed prosecution of anyone who falsely claimed to have earned one.
Under the current federal law, the maximum sentence is one year in prison and a $5,000 fine.
*********************
Disgusting.
by Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, The Times-Picayune
Wednesday October 01, 2008, 9:00 PM
Jerome Ticker, dressed in a captain's Navy whites complete with prestigious Navy Cross, Silver Star and Purple Heart decorations, was quite the striking figure at his wedding in Slidell.
The problem is, he never served in the Navy, or in any branch of the military.
Ticker, 42, of the Holden community in Livingston Parish, had convinced his fiancee that he was a war hero, a Navy Seal festooned with medals, and so it was only fitting for him to decorate himself to a T in his deceit for their April 12 nuptials.
While the bride may have fallen for Ticker's tale, at least one person at the ceremony didn't buy it, and notified authorities.
On Tuesday, Ticker pleaded guilty in New Orleans to a federal charge of illegally wearing the medals and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jay Zainey to 12 months of home confinement, followed by two years of supervised release and a $500 fine.
"He said he was motivated as a desire to impress his wife, " U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said.
Ticker could not be reached for comment.
The Stolen Valor bill, passed into law in 2006, expanded and increased federal penalties for falsely claiming to have earned any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces.
Ticker bought the uniform online and the awards from a local military surplus store, according to Special Agent D'Wayne W. Swear, the New Orleans investigator for the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
Ticker, who works for a building maintenance company in Gonzales, posed as a Navy captain, the rank just below rear admiral. Previously, with his first wife, he had played the part of a lieutenant commander in the Navy, Swear said.
For his April wedding, Ticker mistakenly wore his lieutenant commander's hat with his captain's uniform.
The proper captain's hat has gold leafing on the bill, leafing that Navy men call "scrambled eggs."
Swear tracked Ticker down after Swear received an anonymous tip from someone at the wedding. The tip directed him to online wedding photographs that showed Ticker in his full, illegal and improperly configured regalia.
In their book, "Stolen Valor: How the Vietnam Generation Was Robbed of its Heroes and its History, " B.G. Burkett and Glenna Whitley write about the phony war hero phenomenon.
Burkett, a consultant on military fraud for various federal law enforcement agencies, said that generally, veterans are considered brave, loyal, patriotic, trustworthy and honest. Therefore people who have low self-esteem hope to get those qualities thrust upon them by alluding to heroic -- even if fictitious -- exploits in battle.
A typical motivation is to impress women or make women trust them, Burkett and Whitley said.
"And the Navy Seal is a very popular one among phonies, " said Whitley, who mentioned that other popular choices are prisoners of war, especially with all the recent attention to presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, and special forces soldiers.
"People don't want to be the run-of-the-mill soldier, who just does his job and serves his time in the military, " she said. "If you are making something up, you might as well go all the way."
In the 2005 comedy film "Wedding Crashers, " actors Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson discuss how to get free drinks at weddings that have cash bars.
"Purple Hearts, " Vaughn says, pulling out two medals. "We won't have to buy drinks all night."
"Perfect, " Wilson replies.
At the time, the scene caused an uproar among veterans groups. New Line Cinema's Web site, in a promotion of the film that instructed people on how to win attention at a wedding, had suggested that would-be wedding crashers print out a fake Purple Heart medal because "carrying a Purple Heart in your jacket guarantees you attention, admiration and plenty of free booze."
"To get one of these babies, some dudes have to prove their physical, mental and spiritual strength with great feats of bravery on the battlefield, " it continued.
Because of the controversy, the studio eventually pulled the promotion, prompted in part by intervention from U.S. Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo., who that same year sponsored the Stolen Valor Act. The name of the act was based on Burkett and Whitley's book.
"If any movie-goers take the advice of the 'Wedding Crashers' and try to use fake Purple Hearts to get girls, they may wind up picking up an FBI agent instead, " Salazar warned at the time.
Wearing, manufacturing, buying, selling or trading a Medal of Honor already was a federal crime, but the Stolen Valor bill expanded the law to include more medals and allowed prosecution of anyone who falsely claimed to have earned one.
Under the current federal law, the maximum sentence is one year in prison and a $5,000 fine.
*********************
Disgusting.
Commercial Paper Market
One of the best primer's I have heard to explain the "Commercial Paper Market" was on NPR's "This American Life". To really understand what is happening in the economy you have to understand how this money moves about. Then you get why it's such a big deal that it seized up.
Of course I can't share all my sources with you since my best source is my sister Jen. But listening to this show will explain a lot for people who a) don't work in this field or b) don't have access to Jen.
Listen to "Another Frightening Hour About The Economy"
Of course I can't share all my sources with you since my best source is my sister Jen. But listening to this show will explain a lot for people who a) don't work in this field or b) don't have access to Jen.
Listen to "Another Frightening Hour About The Economy"
The Secret Trick the Nuns Could Have Used
John of the Castle Argghhh!!!, CDR Salamander, Galrahn and the favorite Naval Consort have got me reading and thinking and working much harder than I ever, ever even dreamt of in school.
The latest? LTG Caldwell's FM 3-07 "Stability Operations"
These guys better be ready to lend a hand.....cause you know I am going to have questions!
The latest? LTG Caldwell's FM 3-07 "Stability Operations"
These guys better be ready to lend a hand.....cause you know I am going to have questions!
Did You Miss It?
Oh! You shouldn't miss it! Here it is.
And the Boston Globe, which has only one redeeming aspect - their sports coverage - has a good article here.
Halo, goodbye
By Amalie Benjamin
Globe Staff / October 7, 2008
For a hockey guy, a guy from Canada, there was no way a bloodied finger was going to stop Jason Bay. Nor were the holes on his left forearm, perhaps cleat marks, stinging from champagne and serving as a memory of his sweep past Mike Napoli at home plate. He stood in the infield last night, his daughter with him, and knew just how far he had come from Pittsburgh.
And just how close the Red Sox had come to heading back to Anaheim, Calif., last night. With the score tied in the ninth inning, Bay had hit a ground-rule double, then slid home as rookie Jed Lowrie singled into right field.
"I about fell down rounding third because I was going faster than my legs would move," said Bay. "I would give myself a 10 [on the slide]. When he hit that ball, I was going to score. There was no question. I was gone."
...............
and here, Dustin Pedroia respects the ju-ju.
That was why, despite having packed his stuff, Dustin Pedroia left his bag in the car. He didn't want to jinx the team. He didn't want to admit that there was a chance the Red Sox wouldn't win last night.
Read the whole article here.
Congratulations gentlemen.
And the Boston Globe, which has only one redeeming aspect - their sports coverage - has a good article here.
Halo, goodbye
By Amalie Benjamin
Globe Staff / October 7, 2008
For a hockey guy, a guy from Canada, there was no way a bloodied finger was going to stop Jason Bay. Nor were the holes on his left forearm, perhaps cleat marks, stinging from champagne and serving as a memory of his sweep past Mike Napoli at home plate. He stood in the infield last night, his daughter with him, and knew just how far he had come from Pittsburgh.
And just how close the Red Sox had come to heading back to Anaheim, Calif., last night. With the score tied in the ninth inning, Bay had hit a ground-rule double, then slid home as rookie Jed Lowrie singled into right field.
"I about fell down rounding third because I was going faster than my legs would move," said Bay. "I would give myself a 10 [on the slide]. When he hit that ball, I was going to score. There was no question. I was gone."
...............
and here, Dustin Pedroia respects the ju-ju.
That was why, despite having packed his stuff, Dustin Pedroia left his bag in the car. He didn't want to jinx the team. He didn't want to admit that there was a chance the Red Sox wouldn't win last night.
Read the whole article here.
Congratulations gentlemen.
Monday, October 06, 2008
Biden's Fantasy World
This article rocks! Is this the upside of insomnia?
Biden's Fantasy World
Sarah Palin may not know as much about the world, but at least most of what she knows is true.
In the popular media wisdom, Sarah Palin is the neophyte who knows nothing about foreign policy while Joe Biden is the savvy diplomatic pro. Then what are we to make of Mr. Biden's fantastic debate voyage last week when he made factual claims that would have got Mrs. Palin mocked from New York to Los Angeles?
Start with Lebanon, where Mr. Biden asserted that "When we kicked -- along with France, we kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon, I said and Barack said, 'Move NATO forces in there. Fill the vacuum, because if you don't know -- if you don't, Hezbollah will control it.' Now what's happened? Hezbollah is a legitimate part of the government in the country immediately to the north of Israel."
The U.S. never kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon, and no one else has either. Perhaps Mr. Biden meant to say Syria, except that the U.S. also didn't do that. The Lebanese ousted Syria's military in 2005. As for NATO, Messrs. Biden and Obama may have proposed sending alliance troops in, but if they did that was also a fantasy. The U.S. has had all it can handle trying to convince NATO countries to deploy to Afghanistan.
Speaking of which, Mr. Biden also averred that "Our commanding general in Afghanistan said the surge principle in Iraq will not work in Afghanistan." In trying to correct him, Mrs. Palin mispronounced the general's name -- saying "General McClellan" instead of General David McKiernan. But Mr. Biden's claim was the bigger error, because General McKiernan said that while "Afghanistan is not Iraq," he also said a "sustained commitment" to counterinsurgency would be required. That is consistent with Mr. McCain's point that the "surge principles" of Iraq could work in Afghanistan.
Then there's the Senator's astonishing claim that Mr. Obama "did not say he'd sit down with Ahmadinejad" without preconditions. Yet Mr. Biden himself criticized Mr. Obama on this point in 2007 at the National Press Club: "Would I make a blanket commitment to meet unconditionally with the leaders of each of those countries within the first year I was elected President? Absolutely, positively no."
Or how about his rewriting of Bosnia history to assert that John McCain didn't support President Clinton in the 1990s. "My recommendations on Bosnia, I admit I was the first one to recommend it. They saved tens of thousands of lives. And initially John McCain opposed it along with a lot of other people. But the end result was it worked." Mr. Biden's immodesty aside, Mr. McCain supported Mr. Clinton on Bosnia, as did Bob Dole even as he was running against him for President in 1996 -- in contrast to the way Mr. Biden and Democratic leaders have tried to undermine President Bush on Iraq.
Closer to home, the Delaware blarney stone also invited Americans to join him at "Katie's restaurant" in Wilmington to witness middle-class struggles. Just one problem: Katie's closed in the 1980s. The mistake is more than a memory lapse because it exposes how phony is Mr.
Biden's attempt to pose for this campaign as Lunchbucket Joe.
We think the word "lie" is overused in politics today, having become a favorite of the blogosphere and at the New York Times. So we won't say Mr. Biden was deliberately making events up when he made these and other false statements. Perhaps he merely misspoke. In any case, Mrs. Palin may not know as much about the world as Mr. Biden does, but at least most of what she knows is true.
************
H/T The Corner
The New York Post takes a swing as well.
Some, of course, were just Biden being Biden. He smeared Dick Cheney as "the most dangerous vice president we've had probably in American history."
To which we must take specific offense: After all, the founder of this newspaper, Alexander Hamilton, was killed in a duel by then-Vice President Aaron Burr. (Certainly Burr was a better shot than Cheney.)
that's a matter of opinion.
Biden's Fantasy World
Sarah Palin may not know as much about the world, but at least most of what she knows is true.
In the popular media wisdom, Sarah Palin is the neophyte who knows nothing about foreign policy while Joe Biden is the savvy diplomatic pro. Then what are we to make of Mr. Biden's fantastic debate voyage last week when he made factual claims that would have got Mrs. Palin mocked from New York to Los Angeles?
Start with Lebanon, where Mr. Biden asserted that "When we kicked -- along with France, we kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon, I said and Barack said, 'Move NATO forces in there. Fill the vacuum, because if you don't know -- if you don't, Hezbollah will control it.' Now what's happened? Hezbollah is a legitimate part of the government in the country immediately to the north of Israel."
The U.S. never kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon, and no one else has either. Perhaps Mr. Biden meant to say Syria, except that the U.S. also didn't do that. The Lebanese ousted Syria's military in 2005. As for NATO, Messrs. Biden and Obama may have proposed sending alliance troops in, but if they did that was also a fantasy. The U.S. has had all it can handle trying to convince NATO countries to deploy to Afghanistan.
Speaking of which, Mr. Biden also averred that "Our commanding general in Afghanistan said the surge principle in Iraq will not work in Afghanistan." In trying to correct him, Mrs. Palin mispronounced the general's name -- saying "General McClellan" instead of General David McKiernan. But Mr. Biden's claim was the bigger error, because General McKiernan said that while "Afghanistan is not Iraq," he also said a "sustained commitment" to counterinsurgency would be required. That is consistent with Mr. McCain's point that the "surge principles" of Iraq could work in Afghanistan.
Then there's the Senator's astonishing claim that Mr. Obama "did not say he'd sit down with Ahmadinejad" without preconditions. Yet Mr. Biden himself criticized Mr. Obama on this point in 2007 at the National Press Club: "Would I make a blanket commitment to meet unconditionally with the leaders of each of those countries within the first year I was elected President? Absolutely, positively no."
Or how about his rewriting of Bosnia history to assert that John McCain didn't support President Clinton in the 1990s. "My recommendations on Bosnia, I admit I was the first one to recommend it. They saved tens of thousands of lives. And initially John McCain opposed it along with a lot of other people. But the end result was it worked." Mr. Biden's immodesty aside, Mr. McCain supported Mr. Clinton on Bosnia, as did Bob Dole even as he was running against him for President in 1996 -- in contrast to the way Mr. Biden and Democratic leaders have tried to undermine President Bush on Iraq.
Closer to home, the Delaware blarney stone also invited Americans to join him at "Katie's restaurant" in Wilmington to witness middle-class struggles. Just one problem: Katie's closed in the 1980s. The mistake is more than a memory lapse because it exposes how phony is Mr.
Biden's attempt to pose for this campaign as Lunchbucket Joe.
We think the word "lie" is overused in politics today, having become a favorite of the blogosphere and at the New York Times. So we won't say Mr. Biden was deliberately making events up when he made these and other false statements. Perhaps he merely misspoke. In any case, Mrs. Palin may not know as much about the world as Mr. Biden does, but at least most of what she knows is true.
************
H/T The Corner
The New York Post takes a swing as well.
Some, of course, were just Biden being Biden. He smeared Dick Cheney as "the most dangerous vice president we've had probably in American history."
To which we must take specific offense: After all, the founder of this newspaper, Alexander Hamilton, was killed in a duel by then-Vice President Aaron Burr. (Certainly Burr was a better shot than Cheney.)
that's a matter of opinion.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
It's The Thought That Counts
So I am, thanks to multiple myeloma and Revlimid, tired and rundown, fatigued and unsuccessfully fighting a two week old cold. On the bright side, my germs are not strong enough to make anyone else around me sick.
I was whining to my mother about the cold.....wah...... and wah, what if this was my life for the next four to six months, wah....... She sighed and told me I wasn't a good patient. Then I told her how everyone around me was trying to disinfect things for me. And, like the brat I am, that is starting to irritate me. She laughed, she knew just what I meant and made fun of me.
Then for fun she pointed out that if people weren't killing all those germs for me, imagine how much more sick I could be.
Shit! I hadn't thought of that. We laughed that without Rachael and Nic wiping everything in work down with Chlorox wipes and Bette and Pat spraying Lysol in the ladies room.....I might have leprosy by now.
Anyway, I came home and the boys are trying to do their part. We've switched to paper plates, etc. They are better about picking up after themselves.
Of course there was another bite my tongue moment. I came out into the living room in time to catch Frankie cleaning the finished wood coffee table with Windex. He was going to town scrubbing it. He held up the paper towel and announced "Look at all this dirt!" Ok, it's not dirt, it's the finish on the table.
Oh well.
It's the thought that counts.
I was whining to my mother about the cold.....wah...... and wah, what if this was my life for the next four to six months, wah....... She sighed and told me I wasn't a good patient. Then I told her how everyone around me was trying to disinfect things for me. And, like the brat I am, that is starting to irritate me. She laughed, she knew just what I meant and made fun of me.
Then for fun she pointed out that if people weren't killing all those germs for me, imagine how much more sick I could be.
Shit! I hadn't thought of that. We laughed that without Rachael and Nic wiping everything in work down with Chlorox wipes and Bette and Pat spraying Lysol in the ladies room.....I might have leprosy by now.
Anyway, I came home and the boys are trying to do their part. We've switched to paper plates, etc. They are better about picking up after themselves.
Of course there was another bite my tongue moment. I came out into the living room in time to catch Frankie cleaning the finished wood coffee table with Windex. He was going to town scrubbing it. He held up the paper towel and announced "Look at all this dirt!" Ok, it's not dirt, it's the finish on the table.
Oh well.
It's the thought that counts.
I Am Not Good At Rising Above
Alonzo Mourning is. I'm not. I was listening to Morning Edition on the way to CCD and this story came on.
NBA's Alonzo Mourning Touts 'Resilience' In Memoir
In the interview he discusses the first time he went to pick up his meds from the pharmacy and he asked the pharmacist how much they cost. Then he immediately set about fundraising and organizing to help people who didn't have the means to pay the thousand dollars themselves.
Yeah.....that's one way to react. Or you could just be a jackass like me.
NBA's Alonzo Mourning Touts 'Resilience' In Memoir
In the interview he discusses the first time he went to pick up his meds from the pharmacy and he asked the pharmacist how much they cost. Then he immediately set about fundraising and organizing to help people who didn't have the means to pay the thousand dollars themselves.
Yeah.....that's one way to react. Or you could just be a jackass like me.
If I Had The Time....
...I'd be stomping my feet in aggravation.
The cold is back - full blown. How!!! Why can I not kill this with Nyquil & Dayquil & Zicam? Why are the people at Vicks letting me down?
Some one in my email is being jerky - wonder what Nyquil could do for me there?
I have to get going or I will be late for Mass/CCD.
At least afterwards I get wander down to my parents house for a cup of tea. Not that there will be any sympathy....my mother was never big on that, lol. She'll just tell me to stop whining.
The cold is back - full blown. How!!! Why can I not kill this with Nyquil & Dayquil & Zicam? Why are the people at Vicks letting me down?
Some one in my email is being jerky - wonder what Nyquil could do for me there?
I have to get going or I will be late for Mass/CCD.
At least afterwards I get wander down to my parents house for a cup of tea. Not that there will be any sympathy....my mother was never big on that, lol. She'll just tell me to stop whining.
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Finally, Something Went My Way Today
Took long enough.
PBS is running the "The Searchers". I flipped on the TV just as John Wayne comes out of the canyon where he has found Lucy's body. One of the most powerful scenes in a great movie. People who say he wasn't a great actor are talking out of their hat.
So, let's see.....started off the day with this.
Still can't shake the stupid cold. Two weeks and it's still here. I understand the reasons. I understand my depressed immune system. Doesn't mean I'm not a whiny as any four year old.
Misbehaving computers and alarm at work took up a good part of my day.
Then Atkins took a swan dive.
There were other things.....but not things I'd go into here.
It's made me cranky and I was snippy at the Castle and the Phibian's place.
So now I am in a slightly better mood. Wayne does that to me.
I'm going to make some cookies and a casserole to take to my neighbor's house tomorrow.
PBS is running the "The Searchers". I flipped on the TV just as John Wayne comes out of the canyon where he has found Lucy's body. One of the most powerful scenes in a great movie. People who say he wasn't a great actor are talking out of their hat.
So, let's see.....started off the day with this.
Still can't shake the stupid cold. Two weeks and it's still here. I understand the reasons. I understand my depressed immune system. Doesn't mean I'm not a whiny as any four year old.
Misbehaving computers and alarm at work took up a good part of my day.
Then Atkins took a swan dive.
There were other things.....but not things I'd go into here.
It's made me cranky and I was snippy at the Castle and the Phibian's place.
So now I am in a slightly better mood. Wayne does that to me.
I'm going to make some cookies and a casserole to take to my neighbor's house tomorrow.
SecDef Gates at the National Defense University
This link is for a transcript of the Secretary's remarks.
So, How Will I Know.....
....when I slip off the edge?
My neighbor down the street, whose whole family my family is close to, passed this morning. A truly nice woman who was married to her husband for about fifty years and raised five children. I have known her since I was a little girl.
I knew her situation was dire. She has been ill for years. Recently she elected hospice coverage. My company supplied equipment. I was familiar with the details of her diagnosis.
I saw her with my own eyes when I would pop down with my mother's coffee cake or Jen's cookies or something I made. I saw that there was nothing left of her. I was sitting beside her on Wednesday morning.
Yet when her daughter flagged my car down this morning, I was shocked.
Why?
Was I blocking it?
Was I blocking it because of my own situation?
I was rocked back on my heels as I hugged her daughter who sobbed so hard she trembled in my arms.
How would I have taken this back in May?
My neighbor down the street, whose whole family my family is close to, passed this morning. A truly nice woman who was married to her husband for about fifty years and raised five children. I have known her since I was a little girl.
I knew her situation was dire. She has been ill for years. Recently she elected hospice coverage. My company supplied equipment. I was familiar with the details of her diagnosis.
I saw her with my own eyes when I would pop down with my mother's coffee cake or Jen's cookies or something I made. I saw that there was nothing left of her. I was sitting beside her on Wednesday morning.
Yet when her daughter flagged my car down this morning, I was shocked.
Why?
Was I blocking it?
Was I blocking it because of my own situation?
I was rocked back on my heels as I hugged her daughter who sobbed so hard she trembled in my arms.
How would I have taken this back in May?
Well, It's Something
From the NYT
Obama and ’60s Bomber: A Look Into Crossed Paths
"....A review of records of the schools project and interviews with a dozen people who know both men, suggest that Mr. Obama, 47, has played down his contacts with Mr. Ayers, 63. But the two men do not appear to have been close."
It's not the indictment it should be, but finally, someone at the "Old Gray Lady" is paying a little attention to this.
I don't care that Obama and Ayers "do not appear to have been close" and I don't care (as is pointed out in the article) that many think "But in Chicago, Mr. Ayers has largely been rehabilitated."
William Ayers is an unrepentant terrorist. Period. There is no gray area here. Ayers has asserted in his own words that he did what he did and he feels he didn't do enough.
I do not respect anyone who would have dealings with a terrorist.
Obama and ’60s Bomber: A Look Into Crossed Paths
"....A review of records of the schools project and interviews with a dozen people who know both men, suggest that Mr. Obama, 47, has played down his contacts with Mr. Ayers, 63. But the two men do not appear to have been close."
It's not the indictment it should be, but finally, someone at the "Old Gray Lady" is paying a little attention to this.
I don't care that Obama and Ayers "do not appear to have been close" and I don't care (as is pointed out in the article) that many think "But in Chicago, Mr. Ayers has largely been rehabilitated."
William Ayers is an unrepentant terrorist. Period. There is no gray area here. Ayers has asserted in his own words that he did what he did and he feels he didn't do enough.
I do not respect anyone who would have dealings with a terrorist.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Senator Joe Biden's 14 Lies
McCain’s blogger-in-chief Michael Goldfarb chronicled the 14 lies
Joe Biden's 14 Lies
1. TAX VOTE: Biden said McCain voted “the exact same way” as Obama to increase taxes on Americans earning just $42,000, but McCain DID NOT VOTE THAT WAY.
2. AHMEDINIJAD MEETING: Joe Biden lied when he said that Barack Obama never said that he would sit down unconditionally with Mahmoud Ahmedinijad of Iran. Barack Obama did say specifically, and Joe Biden attacked him for it.
3. OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING: Biden said, “Drill we must.” But Biden has opposed offshore drilling and even compared offshore drilling to “raping” the Outer Continental Shelf.”
4. TROOP FUNDING: Joe Biden lied when he indicated that John McCain and Barack Obama voted the same way against funding the troops in the field. John McCain opposed a bill that included a timeline, that the President of the United States had already said he would veto regardless of it’s passage.
5. OPPOSING CLEAN COAL: Biden says he’s always been for clean coal, but he just told a voter that he is against clean coal and any new coal plants in America and has a record of voting against clean coal and coal in the U.S. Senate.
6. ALERNATIVE ENERGY VOTES: According to FactCheck.org, Biden is exaggerating and overstating John McCain’s record voting for alternative energy when he says he voted against it 23 times.
7. HEALTH INSURANCE: Biden falsely said McCain will raise taxes on people's health insurance coverage -- they get a tax credit to offset any tax hike. Independent fact checkers have confirmed this attack is false
8. OIL TAXES: Biden falsely said Palin supported a windfall profits tax in Alaska -- she reformed the state tax and revenue system, it's not a windfall profits tax.
9. AFGHANISTAN / GEN. MCKIERNAN COMMENTS: Biden said that top military commander in Iraq said the principles of the surge could not be applied to Afghanistan, but the commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force Gen. David D. McKiernan said that there were principles of the surge strategy, including working with tribes, that could be applied in Afghanistan.
10. REGULATION: Biden falsely said McCain weakened regulation -- he actually called for more regulation on Fannie and Freddie.
11. IRAQ: When Joe Biden lied when he said that John McCain was “dead wrong on Iraq”, because Joe Biden shared the same vote to authorize the war and differed on the surge strategy where they John McCain has been proven right.
12. TAX INCREASES: Biden said Americans earning less than $250,000 wouldn’t see higher taxes, but the Obama-Biden tax plan would raise taxes on individuals making $200,000 or more.
13. BAILOUT: Biden said the economic rescue legislation matches the four principles that Obama laid out, but in reality it doesn’t meet two of the four principles that Obama outlined on Sept. 19, which were that it include an emergency economic stimulus package, and that it be part of “part of a globally coordinated effort with our partners in the G-20.”
14. REAGAN TAX RATES: Biden is wrong in saying that under Obama, Americans won't pay any more in taxes then they did under Reagan.
********************************************
Kevin McCullough sees a few more here.
Joe Biden's 14 Lies
1. TAX VOTE: Biden said McCain voted “the exact same way” as Obama to increase taxes on Americans earning just $42,000, but McCain DID NOT VOTE THAT WAY.
2. AHMEDINIJAD MEETING: Joe Biden lied when he said that Barack Obama never said that he would sit down unconditionally with Mahmoud Ahmedinijad of Iran. Barack Obama did say specifically, and Joe Biden attacked him for it.
3. OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING: Biden said, “Drill we must.” But Biden has opposed offshore drilling and even compared offshore drilling to “raping” the Outer Continental Shelf.”
4. TROOP FUNDING: Joe Biden lied when he indicated that John McCain and Barack Obama voted the same way against funding the troops in the field. John McCain opposed a bill that included a timeline, that the President of the United States had already said he would veto regardless of it’s passage.
5. OPPOSING CLEAN COAL: Biden says he’s always been for clean coal, but he just told a voter that he is against clean coal and any new coal plants in America and has a record of voting against clean coal and coal in the U.S. Senate.
6. ALERNATIVE ENERGY VOTES: According to FactCheck.org, Biden is exaggerating and overstating John McCain’s record voting for alternative energy when he says he voted against it 23 times.
7. HEALTH INSURANCE: Biden falsely said McCain will raise taxes on people's health insurance coverage -- they get a tax credit to offset any tax hike. Independent fact checkers have confirmed this attack is false
8. OIL TAXES: Biden falsely said Palin supported a windfall profits tax in Alaska -- she reformed the state tax and revenue system, it's not a windfall profits tax.
9. AFGHANISTAN / GEN. MCKIERNAN COMMENTS: Biden said that top military commander in Iraq said the principles of the surge could not be applied to Afghanistan, but the commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force Gen. David D. McKiernan said that there were principles of the surge strategy, including working with tribes, that could be applied in Afghanistan.
10. REGULATION: Biden falsely said McCain weakened regulation -- he actually called for more regulation on Fannie and Freddie.
11. IRAQ: When Joe Biden lied when he said that John McCain was “dead wrong on Iraq”, because Joe Biden shared the same vote to authorize the war and differed on the surge strategy where they John McCain has been proven right.
12. TAX INCREASES: Biden said Americans earning less than $250,000 wouldn’t see higher taxes, but the Obama-Biden tax plan would raise taxes on individuals making $200,000 or more.
13. BAILOUT: Biden said the economic rescue legislation matches the four principles that Obama laid out, but in reality it doesn’t meet two of the four principles that Obama outlined on Sept. 19, which were that it include an emergency economic stimulus package, and that it be part of “part of a globally coordinated effort with our partners in the G-20.”
14. REAGAN TAX RATES: Biden is wrong in saying that under Obama, Americans won't pay any more in taxes then they did under Reagan.
********************************************
Kevin McCullough sees a few more here.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Today In the Shower I Flashed on "Psycho"
One of the things the Revlimid people told me was to give up my razor for an electric one. I dismissed that out of hand.
Then last night, on the first day of Revlimid, I experience four distinct symptoms.
Hmmmm
While I was in the shower, about to shave my legs, I flashed on the shower scene from "Psycho".
My hand was a little more shaky than normal.
But it was all ok. My legs are nice and smooth, no nics or cuts.
Then last night, on the first day of Revlimid, I experience four distinct symptoms.
Hmmmm
While I was in the shower, about to shave my legs, I flashed on the shower scene from "Psycho".
My hand was a little more shaky than normal.
But it was all ok. My legs are nice and smooth, no nics or cuts.
Id Mubarak!
Id Mubarak!!!!!!!!
Eid al-Fitr is my kind of holiday. It's about breaking the Ramadan fast.
It's about pigging out!
Eid al-Fitr is my kind of holiday. It's about breaking the Ramadan fast.
It's about pigging out!
Dennis Miller's Debate Advice to Palin
Dennis Miller suggests that Sarah Palin show up with a galley copy of Gwen Ifil's new book on "Politics in the Age of Obama" and ask Gwen to autograph it.
This should link you to the video.
This should link you to the video.
Pissa
Other Side Effects
Patients with multiple myeloma may experience some of the following side effects while taking REVLIMID® (lenalidomide) in combination with dexamethasone.
Muscle cramps - Check - back of both legs, more in calf muscles, but noticable above the knee as well.
Muscle cramps are a common side effect experienced by patients taking REVLIMID® with dexamethasone. Muscle cramps may feel like a sudden pain in the affected area that resembles a tightening or hardening in the muscle.
If you experience muscle cramps, talk with your healthcare provider immediately. Yeah, yeah.
Fatigue - Check - That's why I left work
It is important that you eat and drink enough, and get a lot of rest to build energy. Avoid unnecessary stress. Moderate, regular exercise can also increase your energy. I know, I should have gone to the gym.
Insomnia - Check - It's now 0620 - I've been awake since 0205
Insomnia is another common side effect of treatment with your therapy. Chronic sleep disturbances can cause irritability, inability to concentrate, depression, and anxiety.
Here are a few simple steps that can help you get restful sleep:
Patients with multiple myeloma may experience some of the following side effects while taking REVLIMID® (lenalidomide) in combination with dexamethasone.
Muscle cramps - Check - back of both legs, more in calf muscles, but noticable above the knee as well.
Muscle cramps are a common side effect experienced by patients taking REVLIMID® with dexamethasone. Muscle cramps may feel like a sudden pain in the affected area that resembles a tightening or hardening in the muscle.
If you experience muscle cramps, talk with your healthcare provider immediately. Yeah, yeah.
Fatigue - Check - That's why I left work
It is important that you eat and drink enough, and get a lot of rest to build energy. Avoid unnecessary stress. Moderate, regular exercise can also increase your energy. I know, I should have gone to the gym.
Insomnia - Check - It's now 0620 - I've been awake since 0205
Insomnia is another common side effect of treatment with your therapy. Chronic sleep disturbances can cause irritability, inability to concentrate, depression, and anxiety.
Here are a few simple steps that can help you get restful sleep:
If you notice any changes in your body or in the way you feel that are troubling, it's very important that you tell your healthcare provider right away. I know, I know!Create an environment that decreases sleep interruptions Reducing noise, adjusting room temperature to a comfortable level, and placing pillows in a supportive position will help you get restful sleep.
Prepare your body for a good night's sleep. Eating a high-protein snack 2 hours before bedtime, avoiding exercise before bedtime, and, of course, avoiding drinks with caffeine, will help you get a good night's sleep.
What The Efffff!! - Insomnia?
Thalidomide - which is what Revlimid is derived from - is an effing sleep hypnotic.
Why am I awake at 0425?????? Why have I been awake since 0205?
This never happens to me. If sleeping were an Olympic event, Michael Phelps would be eating out of a Frosted Flakes box with MY picture on it!
I left work and did some prep work on my chicken parmagiana. I was carefully following Bubba's recipe. He used to cook for Kath and I at the Speakeasy. He had taught us painstakingly how to cook his signature dish because he feared for our ability to catch good Italian husbands without it.
Tonight's work took a while. There were interruptions. First I had to clean the kitchen. Then I moved the laundry along. Then I had to catch the relevent parts of Bill O'Reilly (Jen would say it was all relevent). Dennis Miller's advice to Palin was awesome. I'll dig up the vid and post it. A mere transcript wouldn't do it justice.
Then Grace called to discuss my first day on Revlimid. She won't read the blog unless pressed. She feels she is deserving of her own personal update. Something about being my sister and trumping the rest of you. Her hemo doc gave her a book on multiple myeloma so it was a spirited discussion. Someone tried to beep into the phone call but I didn't dare try to take it. Grace would have had my head.
Finally we argued to a draw. Then the "Air Force" called on her heels. Same deal - he wanted a personal update. He has a connection to the company that manufactures Revlimid and I am the first person he has known who is on it.
Meanwhile I am trimming, cutting, pounding and marinating chicken. I haven't cooked seriously in a long time. There was a period of my life when I could have hung out with Martha Stewart. But it's been years. However, I am back at it for a while. I wanted to make something else for the Campos down the street. Joan's daughters were teasing my the other morning when I showed up with the chicken soup. But that's what you do, you cook stuff.
The Air Force starts to question my activities and there is much sighing and nashing of teeth over how I can do this without the proper amount of Italian direction......and he proceeds to give it. I try to distract him with the story of my new knife. Well, it's not new and it's not mine, but whatever.
My Frankie did a favor for a guy who sells fancy knives. The guy gives Frank a set of really nice knives. Nicer than anything I have ever had. Of course this was over a year ago I think. At first the boys just played Samuri with them. Now, in the past when I would cut chicken, there was endless frustration. I would throw away more than I wanted to because I never had anything that could trim closely enough. Most of the time I used scissors because things would get slippery and I like my fingers. But this knife was beautiful. I trimmed the chicken quickly and what was left after trimming was substantially less. I was very happy.
The Air Force was not distracted. There was despair and muttering. Especially when he heard me pounding the chicken and asked me if I was using a mallet. I told him not to ask questions he didn't want the answers to and continued to pound the chicken with the rounded end of a soup ladle. What is it the Marines say "Improvise - Adapt - Overcome".
Plus the Red Sox had to be monitored.
Then the boys came in from celebrating Danny's 21st birthday. Danny is one of my extras. Danny & Bill compliment my two biological sons Frank & Tom. I love them all equally. Danny is kind and considerate. I would say he was the most considerate and that's something because they are all very nice. Danny is also the most ambitious. He has always been a very hard worker. Although he is the second youngest, I would say he is the most mature. The others are just catching up with him.
I don't know what time my head hit the pillow, but it was the 5th and the Sox were down 1 nothing. But now the boys could keep an eye on it. I knew nothing would get past me. Sure enough in the sixth there was yelling and Frankie came bursting into my room to tell me about Jason Bay. I wasn't conscious of who scored in the ninth, only that the final was 4 to 1. Don't worry, I've had plenty of time to read all about it.
Why am I still awake???????
Why am I awake at 0425?????? Why have I been awake since 0205?
This never happens to me. If sleeping were an Olympic event, Michael Phelps would be eating out of a Frosted Flakes box with MY picture on it!
I left work and did some prep work on my chicken parmagiana. I was carefully following Bubba's recipe. He used to cook for Kath and I at the Speakeasy. He had taught us painstakingly how to cook his signature dish because he feared for our ability to catch good Italian husbands without it.
Tonight's work took a while. There were interruptions. First I had to clean the kitchen. Then I moved the laundry along. Then I had to catch the relevent parts of Bill O'Reilly (Jen would say it was all relevent). Dennis Miller's advice to Palin was awesome. I'll dig up the vid and post it. A mere transcript wouldn't do it justice.
Then Grace called to discuss my first day on Revlimid. She won't read the blog unless pressed. She feels she is deserving of her own personal update. Something about being my sister and trumping the rest of you. Her hemo doc gave her a book on multiple myeloma so it was a spirited discussion. Someone tried to beep into the phone call but I didn't dare try to take it. Grace would have had my head.
Finally we argued to a draw. Then the "Air Force" called on her heels. Same deal - he wanted a personal update. He has a connection to the company that manufactures Revlimid and I am the first person he has known who is on it.
Meanwhile I am trimming, cutting, pounding and marinating chicken. I haven't cooked seriously in a long time. There was a period of my life when I could have hung out with Martha Stewart. But it's been years. However, I am back at it for a while. I wanted to make something else for the Campos down the street. Joan's daughters were teasing my the other morning when I showed up with the chicken soup. But that's what you do, you cook stuff.
The Air Force starts to question my activities and there is much sighing and nashing of teeth over how I can do this without the proper amount of Italian direction......and he proceeds to give it. I try to distract him with the story of my new knife. Well, it's not new and it's not mine, but whatever.
My Frankie did a favor for a guy who sells fancy knives. The guy gives Frank a set of really nice knives. Nicer than anything I have ever had. Of course this was over a year ago I think. At first the boys just played Samuri with them. Now, in the past when I would cut chicken, there was endless frustration. I would throw away more than I wanted to because I never had anything that could trim closely enough. Most of the time I used scissors because things would get slippery and I like my fingers. But this knife was beautiful. I trimmed the chicken quickly and what was left after trimming was substantially less. I was very happy.
The Air Force was not distracted. There was despair and muttering. Especially when he heard me pounding the chicken and asked me if I was using a mallet. I told him not to ask questions he didn't want the answers to and continued to pound the chicken with the rounded end of a soup ladle. What is it the Marines say "Improvise - Adapt - Overcome".
Plus the Red Sox had to be monitored.
Then the boys came in from celebrating Danny's 21st birthday. Danny is one of my extras. Danny & Bill compliment my two biological sons Frank & Tom. I love them all equally. Danny is kind and considerate. I would say he was the most considerate and that's something because they are all very nice. Danny is also the most ambitious. He has always been a very hard worker. Although he is the second youngest, I would say he is the most mature. The others are just catching up with him.
I don't know what time my head hit the pillow, but it was the 5th and the Sox were down 1 nothing. But now the boys could keep an eye on it. I knew nothing would get past me. Sure enough in the sixth there was yelling and Frankie came bursting into my room to tell me about Jason Bay. I wasn't conscious of who scored in the ninth, only that the final was 4 to 1. Don't worry, I've had plenty of time to read all about it.
Why am I still awake???????
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Ok, Just A Quickie
From the Castle.
The perfect response to Obama's stupid email ad.
Subj: A FAIR RESPONSE TO AN OBAMA AD
Senator Obama has put out an ad that says simple-minded John McCain cannot use a computer.
Well guess what?
Barack cannot land a jet plane on a moving aircraft carrier at night.
This pretty much puts things in their proper perspective!
Yeah, baby!
The perfect response to Obama's stupid email ad.
Subj: A FAIR RESPONSE TO AN OBAMA AD
Senator Obama has put out an ad that says simple-minded John McCain cannot use a computer.
Well guess what?
Barack cannot land a jet plane on a moving aircraft carrier at night.
This pretty much puts things in their proper perspective!
Yeah, baby!
I'm Going Home
I'm exhausted.
I know it's stress. I slept nine and half hours last night.
It's too soon to be a symptom of the Revlimid.
It's one of my favorite answers to a problem......sleep it off.
Maybe if I nap, I'll be able to catch some of the Red Sox later.
I know it's stress. I slept nine and half hours last night.
It's too soon to be a symptom of the Revlimid.
It's one of my favorite answers to a problem......sleep it off.
Maybe if I nap, I'll be able to catch some of the Red Sox later.
"...besides I write with my other hand anyway"
Good grief! Way to make me stop my whining for a bit.
From Joseph Kinney at Military.com
H/T Sarah at Trying to Grok
Attitude Is Everything
Joseph Kenney / July 24, 2008
Thirty-nine years ago I was shot in an ambush while a Marine on a night patrol in Vietnam. I had potentially fatal wounds to my chest and a serious wound to my right leg. To put matters bluntly, I had never been more terrified in my life. Would I die? And if I died, would I go to heaven? I also thought about the buddies I was leaving behind. Somehow, I wanted to believe that they would be better off without me to slow them down.
The next morning I woke up at a hospital in Da Nang. The doctors told me that my days as a fighting Marine were over. Somehow, I felt that I had more to give but wouldn't get the chance.
My history is relevant only because there are huge differences between then and now when it comes to our Wounded Warriors. For the past couple of years I have had the privilege of knowing Col. Jack Cox (USA, ret.) who is a stalwart in the Wounded Warrior Program at Fort Bragg. He has been a great friend and mentor, and has taken the time to introduce me to some of this generation's wounded.
There are at least two important differences between my generation and the young men I have seen at Fort Bragg's Womack Hospital which is near where I live. For openers, the Army acts as if the wounded person is going to remain forever a soldier. That is their basic operating assumption moving forward. Second, the attitude of these kids is amazing. These brave warriors, no matter how badly wounded they are, believe that they will soon be back with their units fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Today, there are 17 Marines who are amputees fighting in Iraq. I am certain that there are as many soldiers doing the same for the Army.
Recently, I received a widely distributed email from Col (Dr.) Brett Wyrick. He was a trauma surgeon at Balad Air Base in Iraq.
He wrote: "If I ever hear (anyone) griping and complaining, I jump into them pretty quickly, now. Most people over here have nothing to gripe about compared to Marines. Marines are different. They have a different outlook on life . . .
"One Marine Private was here for several days because he was a lower priority evacuation patient. He insisted on coming to attention and displaying proper military courtesy every morning when I came through on rounds. He was in a great deal of pain, and it was a stressful to watch him work his way off the bed and onto his crutches. I told him he was excused and did not have to come to attention while he was a patient, and he informed me he was a good Marine and would address '. . . Air Force colonels standing on my feet, sir.' I had to turn away so he would not see the tear in my eye. He did not have 'feet' because we amputated his right leg below the knee on the first night he came in.
"I asked a Marine Lance Corporal if there was anything I could get him as I was making rounds one morning. He was an above the knee amputation after an IED blast, and he surprised me when he asked for a trigonometry book. 'You enjoy math do you?' He replied, 'Not particularly, sir. I was never good at it, but I need to get good at it, now.' 'Are you planning on going back to school?' I asked. 'No sir, I am planning on shooting artillery. I will slow an infantry platoon down with just one good leg, but I am going to get good at math and learn how to shoot artillery.' I hope he does.
"I had the sad duty of standing over a young Marine sergeant when he recovered from anesthesia—despite our best efforts there was just no way to save his left arm, and it had to come off just below the elbow. 'Can I have my arm back, sir?' he asked. 'No, we had to cut it off, we cannot re-attach it,' I said. 'But can I have my arm?' he asked again. 'You see, we had to cut it off.' He interrupted, 'I know you had to cut it off, but I want it back. It must in a bag or something, sir.' 'Why do you want it?' I asked. 'I am going to have it stuffed and use it as a club when I get back to my unit.' I must have looked shocked because he tried to comfort me, 'Don't you worry now, colonel. You did a fine job, and I hardly hurt at all; besides I write with my other hand anyway.'
Now, please tell me that these young guys aren't the Greatest Generation that has ever lived.
From Joseph Kinney at Military.com
H/T Sarah at Trying to Grok
Attitude Is Everything
Joseph Kenney / July 24, 2008
Thirty-nine years ago I was shot in an ambush while a Marine on a night patrol in Vietnam. I had potentially fatal wounds to my chest and a serious wound to my right leg. To put matters bluntly, I had never been more terrified in my life. Would I die? And if I died, would I go to heaven? I also thought about the buddies I was leaving behind. Somehow, I wanted to believe that they would be better off without me to slow them down.
The next morning I woke up at a hospital in Da Nang. The doctors told me that my days as a fighting Marine were over. Somehow, I felt that I had more to give but wouldn't get the chance.
My history is relevant only because there are huge differences between then and now when it comes to our Wounded Warriors. For the past couple of years I have had the privilege of knowing Col. Jack Cox (USA, ret.) who is a stalwart in the Wounded Warrior Program at Fort Bragg. He has been a great friend and mentor, and has taken the time to introduce me to some of this generation's wounded.
There are at least two important differences between my generation and the young men I have seen at Fort Bragg's Womack Hospital which is near where I live. For openers, the Army acts as if the wounded person is going to remain forever a soldier. That is their basic operating assumption moving forward. Second, the attitude of these kids is amazing. These brave warriors, no matter how badly wounded they are, believe that they will soon be back with their units fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Today, there are 17 Marines who are amputees fighting in Iraq. I am certain that there are as many soldiers doing the same for the Army.
Recently, I received a widely distributed email from Col (Dr.) Brett Wyrick. He was a trauma surgeon at Balad Air Base in Iraq.
He wrote: "If I ever hear (anyone) griping and complaining, I jump into them pretty quickly, now. Most people over here have nothing to gripe about compared to Marines. Marines are different. They have a different outlook on life . . .
"One Marine Private was here for several days because he was a lower priority evacuation patient. He insisted on coming to attention and displaying proper military courtesy every morning when I came through on rounds. He was in a great deal of pain, and it was a stressful to watch him work his way off the bed and onto his crutches. I told him he was excused and did not have to come to attention while he was a patient, and he informed me he was a good Marine and would address '. . . Air Force colonels standing on my feet, sir.' I had to turn away so he would not see the tear in my eye. He did not have 'feet' because we amputated his right leg below the knee on the first night he came in.
"I asked a Marine Lance Corporal if there was anything I could get him as I was making rounds one morning. He was an above the knee amputation after an IED blast, and he surprised me when he asked for a trigonometry book. 'You enjoy math do you?' He replied, 'Not particularly, sir. I was never good at it, but I need to get good at it, now.' 'Are you planning on going back to school?' I asked. 'No sir, I am planning on shooting artillery. I will slow an infantry platoon down with just one good leg, but I am going to get good at math and learn how to shoot artillery.' I hope he does.
"I had the sad duty of standing over a young Marine sergeant when he recovered from anesthesia—despite our best efforts there was just no way to save his left arm, and it had to come off just below the elbow. 'Can I have my arm back, sir?' he asked. 'No, we had to cut it off, we cannot re-attach it,' I said. 'But can I have my arm?' he asked again. 'You see, we had to cut it off.' He interrupted, 'I know you had to cut it off, but I want it back. It must in a bag or something, sir.' 'Why do you want it?' I asked. 'I am going to have it stuffed and use it as a club when I get back to my unit.' I must have looked shocked because he tried to comfort me, 'Don't you worry now, colonel. You did a fine job, and I hardly hurt at all; besides I write with my other hand anyway.'
Now, please tell me that these young guys aren't the Greatest Generation that has ever lived.
Thank You Taylor Stockdale
Admiral James Bond Stockdale's youngest son has written a timely and thoughtful article about vice-presidential debates for the Wall Street Journal.
Debates Don't Always Reveal Character
My father was a model American
By TAYLOR B. STOCKDALE
As Sarah Palin and Joe Biden prepare for Thursday's vice presidential debate, I am pulled back to the last time an unknown candidate appeared on the national stage in such a forum. It was 1992, when my father (John McCain's senior officer in Vietnam), Adm. James B. Stockdale, appeared on stage to debate Al Gore and Dan Quayle.
Anyone over 30 will probably remember the spectacle. Messrs. Gore and Quayle were engaged in a bitter battle when, late in the race, my father accepted Ross Perot's invitation to be his running mate. That decision created a rare, three person vice-presidential debate.
In an attempt to introduce himself to the American people, my father began with the philosophical questions "Who am I? Why am I here?" But as the evening wore on, he struggled.
Watching that debate from the front row in Atlanta was a surreal experience. My father, a bona fide war hero, was trying to adapt to a format of discourse utterly foreign to him.
The debate hall was noisy, hot and nasty. My mom took a bad fall just before coming out to sit down. She, the strongest woman I know, broke into tears as she was overcome with emotion. Her four sons tried to console her.
Messrs. Gore and Quayle had arrived with armies of political handlers and were sequestered in large, lavish rooms to prepare for their one night to show each other up. My dad arrived with his family and one coach at the last minute. We were put in an RV just off the stage.
Dad entered the race reluctantly, and only due to the deep gratitude he had for the aid Mr. Perot extended to him and my mom while he was a prisoner of war in Vietnam.
As everyone saw that evening, he was not a politician. He was a fighter-pilot ace, a Medal of Honor recipient, and a wonderful dad and human being. During his eight years as a POW, he slit his scalp and beat his face with a stool to prevent his captors from parading him in the streets for propaganda purposes. He gave starving men his food rations when he himself was starving. And at home, after his release in 1973, he was a respected leader, scholar and writer. He considered himself a philosopher.
He studied the Greeks -- specifically Epictetus, an ancient slave and stoic who espoused the idea that individuals have free will and absolute autonomy over all matters within their control. He believed we must not wallow in self-pity when the chips are down, but rather recognize that we have the power to choose how to respond to everything.
My father adopted this philosophy while a graduate student at Stanford University in the early 1960s. So he never took pity on himself -- ever. Not as a POW when he was tortured, forced to wear leg irons and to live in solitary confinement. And not after the debate. He knew he had put himself into that arena.
And yet on this particular evening in 1992, the country saw someone who looked confused and weak. Without knowing who he was or what he did for his country, most Americans turned off their TV sets and formed an opinion of him based on a 90-minute debate.
So while Mrs. Palin's background and political acumen are completely different from my father's, she and her family are going through an experience I recognize. They are trying to define themselves in a short time-span, within a loaded political context.
From personal experience, I doubt if someone can really be known in this type of atmosphere, and I empathize with her family members who suddenly have to explain things that shouldn't need explanation.
As for my dad, this will mark the first vice presidential debate since he died in 2005. I've wanted to write about it for a long time, but he wouldn't let me. Now I want to set the record straight: He was an example of what this country should be all about.
Mr. Stockdale, the son of Adm. James B. Stockdale, is assistant head of the Webb Schools in Claremont, Calif.
*************
Thank you, Mr. Stockdale. Thank you for opening up this wound in the hope of educating others. I do remember this debate, vividly. I also remember the disconnect I felt from most reaction after that debate. But then, I've always been a Navy girl. I knew your father were brilliant and a bona fide American hero. I knew his questions were philosophical and not the indication of confusion. I clearly remember angrily arguing with people who made judgements about your father without even knowing who he was. Argghhh! I am getting angry all over again.
This is what people need to think about after a debate. The point of a presidential or vice-presidential debate isn't to score points. Or to come off smoothly and well-spoken. It's simply to articulate the differences between the candidates, their vision. It isn't to take home the forensic trophy. The point is for you to see what these people stand for. It's a forum to air ideas and beliefs. If on a particular issue you want "A" and not "B", you ask each candidate how they feel in that issue. If one guy wants "A", as you do, why does it matter how that answer *sounds*? Why should you care if it's *smooth*. The point is you wanted to know where he or she stood.
I'm tired of people discussing these debates in terms of style or appearance. I read one debate review that mentioned McCain's height as opposed to Obama's. WTF!! I know people out there pay attention to this. I know all about the inside baseball stuff on Kennedy/Nixon - TV/radio - win/lose. I know it and I am peeved it matters.
I want people to watch these debates and say "Who best reflects my views?", "Who articulates the bewst vision for the future?"
Debates Don't Always Reveal Character
My father was a model American
By TAYLOR B. STOCKDALE
As Sarah Palin and Joe Biden prepare for Thursday's vice presidential debate, I am pulled back to the last time an unknown candidate appeared on the national stage in such a forum. It was 1992, when my father (John McCain's senior officer in Vietnam), Adm. James B. Stockdale, appeared on stage to debate Al Gore and Dan Quayle.
Anyone over 30 will probably remember the spectacle. Messrs. Gore and Quayle were engaged in a bitter battle when, late in the race, my father accepted Ross Perot's invitation to be his running mate. That decision created a rare, three person vice-presidential debate.
In an attempt to introduce himself to the American people, my father began with the philosophical questions "Who am I? Why am I here?" But as the evening wore on, he struggled.
Watching that debate from the front row in Atlanta was a surreal experience. My father, a bona fide war hero, was trying to adapt to a format of discourse utterly foreign to him.
The debate hall was noisy, hot and nasty. My mom took a bad fall just before coming out to sit down. She, the strongest woman I know, broke into tears as she was overcome with emotion. Her four sons tried to console her.
Messrs. Gore and Quayle had arrived with armies of political handlers and were sequestered in large, lavish rooms to prepare for their one night to show each other up. My dad arrived with his family and one coach at the last minute. We were put in an RV just off the stage.
Dad entered the race reluctantly, and only due to the deep gratitude he had for the aid Mr. Perot extended to him and my mom while he was a prisoner of war in Vietnam.
As everyone saw that evening, he was not a politician. He was a fighter-pilot ace, a Medal of Honor recipient, and a wonderful dad and human being. During his eight years as a POW, he slit his scalp and beat his face with a stool to prevent his captors from parading him in the streets for propaganda purposes. He gave starving men his food rations when he himself was starving. And at home, after his release in 1973, he was a respected leader, scholar and writer. He considered himself a philosopher.
He studied the Greeks -- specifically Epictetus, an ancient slave and stoic who espoused the idea that individuals have free will and absolute autonomy over all matters within their control. He believed we must not wallow in self-pity when the chips are down, but rather recognize that we have the power to choose how to respond to everything.
My father adopted this philosophy while a graduate student at Stanford University in the early 1960s. So he never took pity on himself -- ever. Not as a POW when he was tortured, forced to wear leg irons and to live in solitary confinement. And not after the debate. He knew he had put himself into that arena.
And yet on this particular evening in 1992, the country saw someone who looked confused and weak. Without knowing who he was or what he did for his country, most Americans turned off their TV sets and formed an opinion of him based on a 90-minute debate.
So while Mrs. Palin's background and political acumen are completely different from my father's, she and her family are going through an experience I recognize. They are trying to define themselves in a short time-span, within a loaded political context.
From personal experience, I doubt if someone can really be known in this type of atmosphere, and I empathize with her family members who suddenly have to explain things that shouldn't need explanation.
As for my dad, this will mark the first vice presidential debate since he died in 2005. I've wanted to write about it for a long time, but he wouldn't let me. Now I want to set the record straight: He was an example of what this country should be all about.
Mr. Stockdale, the son of Adm. James B. Stockdale, is assistant head of the Webb Schools in Claremont, Calif.
*************
Thank you, Mr. Stockdale. Thank you for opening up this wound in the hope of educating others. I do remember this debate, vividly. I also remember the disconnect I felt from most reaction after that debate. But then, I've always been a Navy girl. I knew your father were brilliant and a bona fide American hero. I knew his questions were philosophical and not the indication of confusion. I clearly remember angrily arguing with people who made judgements about your father without even knowing who he was. Argghhh! I am getting angry all over again.
This is what people need to think about after a debate. The point of a presidential or vice-presidential debate isn't to score points. Or to come off smoothly and well-spoken. It's simply to articulate the differences between the candidates, their vision. It isn't to take home the forensic trophy. The point is for you to see what these people stand for. It's a forum to air ideas and beliefs. If on a particular issue you want "A" and not "B", you ask each candidate how they feel in that issue. If one guy wants "A", as you do, why does it matter how that answer *sounds*? Why should you care if it's *smooth*. The point is you wanted to know where he or she stood.
I'm tired of people discussing these debates in terms of style or appearance. I read one debate review that mentioned McCain's height as opposed to Obama's. WTF!! I know people out there pay attention to this. I know all about the inside baseball stuff on Kennedy/Nixon - TV/radio - win/lose. I know it and I am peeved it matters.
I want people to watch these debates and say "Who best reflects my views?", "Who articulates the bewst vision for the future?"
High Noon
Cue Dmitri Tiomkin.
Today at noon I swallowed 10 mg of Revlimid, 40 mg Dexamethasone (10 pills, I almost missed that, lol) and a low dose (81 mg) aspirin.
So we begin.
Last night I called Trish and asked if I could get the two of them to accompany me on my last carb outing for a while. We went to see "Nights in Rodanthe". I ate popcorn and M&Ms until I had a stomach ache. I also wore a lot of popcorn because my sandals slipped in the goo on the floor as I was sitting down.
This morning was an Atkins shake, a Dunkin Donuts tea.
Noon it was drugs.
How will we know if the dex, which is a steroid effects my mood? I will be a horrible bitch from sugar withdrawal.
My deepest sympathy for all those who come in contact with me this week.
Today at noon I swallowed 10 mg of Revlimid, 40 mg Dexamethasone (10 pills, I almost missed that, lol) and a low dose (81 mg) aspirin.
So we begin.
Last night I called Trish and asked if I could get the two of them to accompany me on my last carb outing for a while. We went to see "Nights in Rodanthe". I ate popcorn and M&Ms until I had a stomach ache. I also wore a lot of popcorn because my sandals slipped in the goo on the floor as I was sitting down.
This morning was an Atkins shake, a Dunkin Donuts tea.
Noon it was drugs.
How will we know if the dex, which is a steroid effects my mood? I will be a horrible bitch from sugar withdrawal.
My deepest sympathy for all those who come in contact with me this week.
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