tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12401323754145591592024-03-13T11:39:34.683-07:00YELLO DOG DEMOCRAT RANTSUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-18723637673146271192016-12-16T22:50:00.000-08:002016-12-16T22:50:13.474-08:00FOR SHAME!To the Republican legislature in North Carolina: How can you sleep at night??? Have you no sense of decency? For SHAME! What a disgrace. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-68292566294080800602016-12-15T13:44:00.000-08:002016-12-15T13:44:04.730-08:00FAREWELL-AMERICAThis is a long but extremely important read. Please take the time to give it your attention.<br />
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<a href="http://billmoyers.com/story/farewell-america/#.WE74-BBZKN0.facebook">http://billmoyers.com/story/farewell-america/#.WE74-BBZKN0.facebook</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-33260766569190889182016-11-10T19:39:00.000-08:002016-11-10T19:39:10.499-08:00HERE'S WHY WE GRIEVE TODAYPlease take time to read this thoughtful, wise article by John Pavlovitz.<br />
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<a href="http://johnpavlovitz.com/2016/11/09/heres-why-we-grieve-today/">http://johnpavlovitz.com/2016/11/09/heres-why-we-grieve-today/</a><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-4378740993697327432016-11-04T20:38:00.003-07:002016-11-04T20:38:43.140-07:00GROUND ZERO FOR VOTER SUPPRESSION!My anger is giving me heart palpitations! North Carolina has become GROUND ZERO for voter suppression. Breaking the law (violating the now unconstitutional Voter ID law which targeted people of color "with almost surgical precision" ) according the the judge who overturned it last July, seems to now be the modus operandi for our Republican controlled state. <br />
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Below is an article from today's <i>Chicago Tribune</i> about the latest voter suppression scheme attempted here. Thankfully, the NC NAACP, under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. William F. Barber, filed suit and won! As a believer in justice, fairness and equal rights, actions like this send chills up my spine. From the day he took office, Gov. Pat McCrory (R) and his gang of out of control congressional members, have run roughshod over the Constitution, overturning rights of citizens at every turn, instituting a list of atrocities a mile long. <br />
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If you believe, as I do, that this kind of action MUST BE STOPPED, vote McCrory and his Republican cronies out of office! My choices who I believe will restore justice to North Carolina, are ROY COOPER for Governor and DEBORAH ROSS for Senate<br />
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Here's the <i>Trib's</i> outline of what has occurred, and thankfully, been overturned.<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_1503458089"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-north-carolina-voter-purge-ruling-20161104-story.html">http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-north-carolina-voter-purge-ruling-20161104-story.html</a><br />
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NOTE: Polls in Mecklenburg County NC are open tomorrow, Nov. 5, from 9-1, for the last day of early voting. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-11410506941456851822016-10-11T14:08:00.000-07:002016-10-11T14:08:40.713-07:00VOTE!!!Are you registered to vote? In North Carolina, the <b>deadline</b> to register is this<b> Friday, October 14, 2016.</b> If in doubt about your status, call your local Board of Elections to make sure you're on the rolls. The upcoming <b>Nov. 8</b> election is vitally important! Your vote counts now more than ever.<br />
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The information below may be helpful to you. Please remember that the controversial "Voter ID" law was declared UNCONSTITUTIONAL by the federal courts in July, 2016.<br />
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<a href="http://www.ncvoter.org/voting-in-nc/#ElectionDates">http://www.ncvoter.org/voting-in-nc/#ElectionDates</a></h2>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-71191030692163023502012-11-04T12:20:00.001-08:002012-11-04T12:20:05.761-08:00VOTER SUPPRESSION IS ALIVE AND WELL<a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/11/04/3081614/florida-democratic-party-files.html">http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/11/04/3081614/florida-democratic-party-files.html</a><br />
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This is the kind of thing I'm worried about. Click on the link to read about what's happening in Dade County, Florida. Voter suppression is an outrage!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-70326248152712907702012-10-12T07:46:00.002-07:002012-10-12T07:46:44.041-07:00October 12 is the last day to register to vote in North Carolina for the Nov. 6 election. If you're not registered, get it done today! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-29446746578836641822012-05-08T18:36:00.000-07:002012-05-08T18:36:05.846-07:00My Oh My Oh MyI've lived in the south for over 40 years. I love it dearly and call it "home." But I am saddened, shocked and dismayed that the voters of North Carolina today chose to violate the tenets of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States by passing Amendment One. Not since 1875, when the state voted to disallow interracial marriage, has NC chosen to take away the rights of a minority. Welcome to the 19th century.<br />
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I wish everyone in NC could have heard this eloquent argument by The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II prior to voting today. <br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywImcNViPtc">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywImcNViPtc</a><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-15618008108596612522011-02-12T14:53:00.000-08:002011-02-12T15:00:16.011-08:00Salute to Black History Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jRmE5tRUpxQ/TVcN5WUVXlI/AAAAAAAAFaY/TO6t3X_NmSk/s1600/Meehan+1st+Cousins183+PS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWtxCW9stNk&feature=fvsr">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWtxCW9stNk&feature=fvsr</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jRmE5tRUpxQ/TVcN5WUVXlI/AAAAAAAAFaY/TO6t3X_NmSk/s1600/Meehan+1st+Cousins183+PS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jRmE5tRUpxQ/TVcN5WUVXlI/AAAAAAAAFaY/TO6t3X_NmSk/s1600/Meehan+1st+Cousins183+PS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jRmE5tRUpxQ/TVcN5WUVXlI/AAAAAAAAFaY/TO6t3X_NmSk/s320/Meehan+1st+Cousins183+PS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i> First Cousins </i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Standing in front of their grandparents' sod house.</i><br />
<i> Overton, Nebraska, Christmas, 1913</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">My father is the toddler being held by his older brother, 3rd from the left.</div><br />
February is <i>Black History Month.</i> As one who learned my true racial heritage late in life, I take great pride in singing along to the words of the Black National Anthem, <i>Lift Every Voice and Sing! </i><br />
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These are MY people. This is MY family. Celebrate diversity.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-90942392110905618692010-08-30T16:28:00.000-07:002010-08-30T16:45:32.859-07:00Wise WordsBelow<i> </i> is a small excerpt from an op/ed piece written for CNN. Julian Zelizer recalls the midterm elections for presidents Reagan and Clinton, and how each was able to bounce back from miserable polls. As a Democrat frustrated by the lack of screaming and yelling coming from others in my party, I found the words hopeful and rational. I also think Mr. Zelizer is absolutely correct.<br />
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</i> <br />
<i>"But Obama must also do a better job at telling voters what he is about. While the president has a large legislative record to boast of, it remains unclear to many voters, including Democrats who support much of the record, what it all adds up to.</i><br />
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<i>It's time for Obama to state his agenda and lay out a set of governing principles that will guide him in his next two years as president. It's likely that the pressure of the 2010 midterm elections will compel Obama to present an argument to the public to build a case for his presidency."</i><br />
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<div class="cnnInline"><i>The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian E. Zelizer.</i><br />
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Julian Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. <i>To read the complete article, click here:</i><br />
<i><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/08/30/zelizer.obama.agenda/index.html?iref=allsearch">http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/08/30/zelizer.obama.agenda/index.html?iref=allsearch </a></i><br />
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<i><br />
</i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-49155101482909009522010-06-15T17:39:00.000-07:002010-06-15T17:39:41.341-07:00FAIL!Sorry, Mr. President - but your speech tonight was lame. Don't make me wish I'd voted for Hillary!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-51410444876242212262010-04-26T15:02:00.000-07:002010-04-26T15:02:49.011-07:00And Now They're Mad?Christian Struzan, in a message to the tea party, penned these very insightful words. He graciously granted permission for them to be posted here. My thanks to him.<br />
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Christian is an artist living in LA. <br />
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"YOU WANT TO GET MAD? We had eight years of Bush and Cheney, but now you get mad! You didn’t get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President. You didn’t get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate energy policy. You didn’t get mad when a covert CIA operative got ousted. You didn’t get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.. You didn’t get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us. You didn’t get mad when we spent over 600 billion(and counting) on said illegal war. You didn’t get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in Iraq. You didn’t get mad when you found out we were torturing people. You didn’t get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans. You didn’t get mad when we didn’t catch Bin Laden. You didn’t get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed. You didn’t get mad when we let a major US city drown. You didn’t get mad when we gave a 900 billion tax break to the rich. You didn’t get mad when, using reconciliation; a trillion dollars of our tax dollars were redirected to insurance companies for Medicare Advantage which cost over 20 percent more for basically the same services that Medicare provides. You didn’t get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark, and our debt hit the thirteen trillion dollar mark. You finally got mad when the government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all okay with you, but helping other Americans… oh hell no. AND NOW YOU’RE MAD !" <br />
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By: Christian Struzan<br />
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Those with similar views need to speak out - LOUDLY and CLEARLY! And NOW!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-36504776980504114882010-04-20T14:19:00.000-07:002010-04-20T14:19:35.090-07:00Words of WisdomI read with great interest John Avlon's special to CNN today. His commentary (read on cnn.com) discusses 42nd President Bill Clinton's policies, legacy and words of advice. <br />
The former president said this about the current incendiary language being used by right-wing extremists: "There is a big difference between criticizing a policy or a politician and demonizing the government that guarantees our freedoms and the public servants who enforce our laws." <br />
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Mr. Avlon ends with these wise words: "To see politics, we must view it with the broadest sense of perspective -- remembering that patriotism is ultimately more important than partisanship."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-64304677248079449282010-02-17T15:30:00.000-08:002010-02-17T15:31:35.215-08:00Great Quote"The world is too small, our wisdom too limited, our time here too short, to waste any more of it in winning fleeting victories at other people's expense. We have to now find a way to triumph together."<br />
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Bill Clinton<br />
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This great quote, found on an art site today, was in someone's signature block. We need a lot more of this type of thinking.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-50980224360129131162010-02-10T21:14:00.000-08:002010-02-12T10:47:16.238-08:00One Year AgoOK - I voted for Barack Obama because I believed he could get something done, could get us out of this terrible, horrible mess brought to these United States by noneother than Shrub, Cheney and the Bushies. I STILL believe it.<br />
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What a difference a year makes. Yes - there has been progress. One year ago we were on the verge of the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression. Check out the stock market for Pete's sake. There's been great progress on a lot of things. But who would know? <br />
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Come on Dems - be proud of what you've done. Be proud of CHIP, be proud of the Lily Ledbetter Act, be proud of Cash for Clunkers, be proud of the 1st time homeowner tax credit and a whole lot more!<br />
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A complete list of first year accomplishments is available on The White House website: <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/">http://www.whitehouse.gov/</a><br />
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Here are just a few of them:<br />
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Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009<br />
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Signed: Friday, October 30, 2009<br />
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National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010<br />
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Signed: Wednesday, October 28, 2009<br />
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Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act<br />
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Signed: Thursday, October 22, 2009<br />
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Cash For Clunkers Extension<br />
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Signed: Thursday, August 6, 2009<br />
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Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act<br />
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Signed: Monday, June 22, 2009<br />
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Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009<br />
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Signed: Friday, May 22, 2009<br />
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Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act<br />
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Signed: Friday, May 22, 2009<br />
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Helping Families Save Their Homes Act<br />
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Signed: Wednesday, May 20, 2009<br />
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Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act<br />
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Signed: Wednesday, May 20, 2009<br />
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Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act<br />
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Signed: Tuesday, April 21, 2009<br />
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Omnibus Public Lands Management Act<br />
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Signed: Monday, March 30, 2009<br />
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Small Business Act Temporary Extension<br />
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Signed: Friday, March 2009Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-5639367020387009332009-07-12T17:16:00.000-07:002009-07-12T17:24:28.887-07:00At Last!<div style="text-align: justify;">I'm over the moon that Minnesota at last has two senators and that one of them is Al Franken!!! Harvard educated and very smart, he will be a valuable asset to the United States Senate.<br /><br />Congratulations, Senator.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-20502347827063703612009-03-06T13:59:00.000-08:002009-03-06T14:04:50.935-08:00If We Ignore Him, Will He Go Away?For those of you who can't believe anyone actually listens to an egocentric gas-bag like the loud mouth from Florida - this is for you. Bob Cesca of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Huffington Post</span> penned it so much more articulately than I ever could.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/the-dittohead-party-how-t_b_171979.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/the-dittohead-party-how-t_b_171979.html</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-66658032871342713392009-01-31T13:30:00.001-08:002009-01-31T13:56:29.452-08:00Message to the World<span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><div><div><div><span style="font-size:15;">My DH received this today from a former college roommate. I think it is perfect. Sorry I do not know the original source.<br /><br />Dear World:</span><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:15;">We, the United States of America, your top quality supplier of the ideals of liberty and democracy, would like to apologize for our 2001-2008 interruption in service.</span><br /></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:15;">The technical fault that led to this eight-year service outage has been located, and the software responsible was replaced November 4. Early tests of the newly installed program indicate that we are now operating correctly, and we expect it to be fully functional on January 20. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the outage.</span><br /></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:15;">We look forward to resuming full service and hope to improve in years to come.</span><br /></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:15;">We thank you for your patience and understanding,</span><br /></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:15;">Sincerely,</span><br /></div><br /><div><br /><span style="font-size:15;">THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA</span><br /></div></div></div></div></span><br /><div style="font-family: Tahoma; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-7920128430778239212009-01-20T18:56:00.001-08:002009-01-20T19:42:11.094-08:00An Awesome Day!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_R41wNAW8hIc/SXaWaW50mQI/AAAAAAAADAM/0ivViWInNyU/s1600-h/ObamaStickers2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 243px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_R41wNAW8hIc/SXaWaW50mQI/AAAAAAAADAM/0ivViWInNyU/s320/ObamaStickers2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293583791589464322" border="0" /></a>From the primary..............<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_R41wNAW8hIc/SXaP1wX_N4I/AAAAAAAAC_0/3YS1Om0cPUI/s1600-h/ObamaTV.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 276px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_R41wNAW8hIc/SXaP1wX_N4I/AAAAAAAAC_0/3YS1Om0cPUI/s320/ObamaTV.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293576565701949314" border="0" /></a>To the nomination.........<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_R41wNAW8hIc/SXaP1tpd94I/AAAAAAAAC_c/M2J69_wpitg/s1600-h/ObamaCrowd.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 283px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_R41wNAW8hIc/SXaP1tpd94I/AAAAAAAAC_c/M2J69_wpitg/s320/ObamaCrowd.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293576564969961346" border="0" /></a>To the crowds in Denver..........<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_R41wNAW8hIc/SXaWDAbqGlI/AAAAAAAADAE/upgJp-t5WQ4/s1600-h/was2129879.grid-5x2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_R41wNAW8hIc/SXaWDAbqGlI/AAAAAAAADAE/upgJp-t5WQ4/s320/was2129879.grid-5x2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293583390420376146" border="0" /></a>To Inauguration Day.............<br /><br />What an awesome campaign this has been. I'm overcome with emotions - optimism, elation, pride. More thoughts on this day and the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States - Barack Obama - to come.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-81362951616150555742009-01-19T21:43:00.000-08:002009-01-19T21:49:26.546-08:00Almost OverLadies and gentlemen - our long national nightmare of the last eight years will be over in less than 12 hours. I cannot wait!!!<br /><br />Comics are in some ways sad that they will no longer have this kind of material:<br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxkpm7bH7j4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxkpm7bH7j4</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-62941513112262829502009-01-19T13:52:00.000-08:002009-01-19T14:23:18.265-08:00Brace for Impact<span style="font-style: italic;">Brace for Impact.</span> Those were the words of the USAirways pilot last Thursday just before his plane went down. Capt. Sullenberger knew exactly what he was doing when he ditched in the Hudson River, saving 155 lives. I think there is a huge metaphor here. <span style="font-style: italic;">Brace for Impact.</span><br /><br /><br />Change is coming. Hope is coming. Barack Obama is coming. Although he's been handed a platter overflowing with problems, I feel he and his very bright and capable cabinet are up to the task of solving them. Brace for impact. <br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">It's been a long, a long time coming </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">but I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will.</span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The words of the legendary musician Sam Cooke.</span><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-68798595836066179772009-01-19T13:25:00.001-08:002009-01-19T13:52:24.283-08:00Let Freedom Ring!<img src="http://img.timeinc.net/time/images/blank.gif" alt="" border="0" width="1" height="1" /><br /><a href="http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/mlk/2.html"> </a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/mlk/2.html"><img src="http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/mlk/openimage.jpg" alt="OPENIMAGE IMAGE" border="0" vspace="0" width="480" height="320" hspace="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King</span><br /></div><br />Today, as we anticipate the inauguration of Barack Obama, we stop to honor Dr. Martin Luther King. When searching for images of him, I ran across a wonderful photo essay from <span style="font-style: italic;">Time</span> combining photographs of Dr. King along with his powerful words. To view them, click here: <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><a href="http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/mlk/">http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/mlk/</a><br /></span><br />What would Dr. King would be thinking if he were alive today? I can only imagine. It seems impossible that blatant discrimination against Blacks occurred so recently in our history. Today it's more subtle but still exists in my view. This nation took a giant leap towards being a better nation and restoring our reputation in the world by electing Barack Obama. <br /><br />But it's more than that. Yes, many voted for the man because he's Black and some undoubtedly would not vote for him for the very same reason. I choose to believe most people voted for him because he was the very best candidate. Is it possible we're finally becoming color blind? Yes we are!<br /><br />Seeing the images and reading Dr. King's words brought home the awesomeness of what is going to occur tomorrow, when we inaugurate our first African American President. Below is a bit of MLK's eloquence. <span style="font-style: italic;">(Please note some of the quotes are cut off on the right. My apologies. Blogger would not let me change them in any way. )</span> ( To view everything in its proper light, click on the site linked above.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica;font-size:85%;" ><b>ON BLACKS IN AMERICA</b> (From Birmingham jail, 1963): "Before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, we were here. Before the pen of Jefferson etched across the pages of history the majestic words of the Declaration of Independence, we were here. If the inexpressible cruelties of slavery could not stop us, the opposition we now face will surely fail. We will win our freedom because the sacred heritage of our nation and the eternal will of God are embodied in our echoing demands."</span><br /><br /><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="480"><tbody><tr></tr><tr><td colspan="3" align="right" valign="top" width="520"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="555"><tbody><tr></tr><tr><td align="left" valign="top"> <!--CAPTION BEGINS--> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica;font-size:85%;" > <!-- PREVIOUS AND NEXT BUTTONS START--><br /><br /></span> <p style="text-align: left;"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica;font-size:85%;" ><b>ON THE DREAM OF FREEDOM</b> (1963): "So even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed . . . that all men are created equal. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today. And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true."</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica;font-size:78%;" > </span> <!--CAPTION ENDS--> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><img src="http://img.timeinc.net/time/images/blank.gif" alt="" border="0" width="1" height="1" /><br /><br /><!--BIG PIC IMAGE SOURCE ENDS--> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><br /></td></tr><tr align="left"><td valign="top"> <!--CAPTION BEGINS--> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica;font-size:85%;" > <!-- PREVIOUS AND NEXT BUTTONS START--> </span> <p> <span style=";font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica;font-size:85%;" ><b>ON FREEDOM</b> (1963): "So let freedom ring. From the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire, let freedom ring. From the mighty mountains of New York, let freedom ring. From the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania, let freedom ring. But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. And when this happens, when we let it ring, we will speed that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last, free at last/Thank God Almighty, we're free at last."</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica;font-size:78%;" > </span> <!--CAPTION ENDS--> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><br /><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="480"><tbody><tr><td align="left" valign="top"> <!--CAPTION BEGINS--> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica;font-size:85%;" > <!-- PREVIOUS AND NEXT BUTTONS START--> </span> <p> <span style=";font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica;font-size:85%;" ><b>ON HIS OWN FUTURE</b> (April 3, 1968): "We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. I won't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And he's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the Promised Land. So I'm happy tonight. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. "</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica;font-size:78%;" > </span> <!--CAPTION ENDS--> </p></td></tr></tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-19034028499239408242009-01-13T16:50:00.000-08:002009-01-13T16:52:00.766-08:00Second Favorite Quote of the Day<dl><dd style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;" class="dek">"As the Current Occupant (of the White House) imagines his legacy emerging golden and shining in a hundred years after all of us are deceased, you and I go on."</dd><dd class="byline"><br /><span></span></dd><dd style="text-align: left;" class="byline"><span>By Garrison Keillor</span> <span class="date">Jan 7, 2009</span></dd><dt><br /></dt><dt><a href="http://www.salon.com/opinion/keillor/2009/01/07/self_esteem/">The cheerful idiot </a></dt></dl>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-86896318465864701952009-01-13T16:39:00.001-08:002009-01-14T11:42:42.715-08:00Favorite Quote of the Day<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"George Bush is like the dinner guest who will not leave." </span><br /><br /></div>Ed Rollins, Republican strategist, commenting on George Bush's last news conference yesterday. To read the complete story, go to:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/13/rollins.obama/index.html">http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/13/rollins.obama/index.html</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1240132375414559159.post-66103365545144988852009-01-13T16:15:00.000-08:002009-01-13T16:46:26.807-08:00Revisionist HistoryOK - it's been proven that if you say something over and over, people begin to believe it. Thus is the history of the Bush administration. Have you noticed Shrubby making the rounds giving interview after interview? I cannot image why, with all the damage his administration has done to this country. Why would he want to bring any of that up? Oh wait - he's not bringing up the facts, he's playing the revisionist game.<br /><br />The number one accomplishment of the Bush administration - according to 43? They kept us safe. WHAT???!!!??? Kept us safe? They must be joking in some evil, maniacal way. They were the ones who ignored intelligence which said, "Al Queda determined to strike inside US" and then went after the wrong guy! The incredible intelligence failure resulted in the deaths of over 3,000 people.<br /><br />If that was not horrific enough, Shrub then totally took his eye off the ball by ignoring Osama Bin Laden and the Saudis responsible for the attack. Instead, he began making a case for war against Iraq - which had nothing to do with 9/11. We invaded a sovereign nation without cause, completely destroyed its infrastructure, killed or maimed thousands of its citizens and executed its leader! That really helped.<br /><br />Kept us safe??? Bush 43 has put the United States at greater risk now than at any time in its history. Do you feel safer now - now that we've pissed off much of the world and caused the number of terrorists to grow by staggering numbers?<br /><br />Intelligence experts agree that we are in much more danger from terrorists now than we ever were on 9/11. Why? Just look at our bully attitude - look at W who had to "cowboy up" and push his weight around, through the irresponsible use of our military whose KIA numbers continue to rise.<br /><br />How many times have we heard Shrub say, "We do not torture." Right. We do not torture so much that we have members of the military in prison for having done so. Isn't it interesting, as in predictable, that only the lower ranking enlisted personnel have to pay for obeying orders from higher ups? What went on at Abu Ghraib was a complete violation of the Geneva Convention and an absolute outrage.<br /><br />We have kept prisoners locked up for years at Guantanamo, without charge and without access to attorneys. This is the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! We DO NOT behave that way! This administration shredded the constitution and ignored the law of the land by having an attorney general who got around all that 'legal stuff' by simply changing the law, by in essence pronouncing that interrogation methods being used by Shrub and his gang of Soprano thugs (with apologies to The Sopranos) could do anything they damn well pleased, including extraordinary rendition.<br /><br />I would so like to just move on with the hope and optimism that Barack Obama promises. But to forget about the last eight years would be doing a tremendous disservice to what was once the greatest country in the world. By ignoring the abuses we would be condoning them. We must not forget, we cannot forget what has happened. This administration must be held accountable for its actions!<br /><br />In my view, George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and Condi Rice are war criminals and should be in jail.<br /><br />For more details on the abuses at Abu Ghraib, click here.<br /><a href="http://http//www.salon.com/news/abu_ghraib/2006/03/14/introduction/">http://www.salon.com/news/abu_ghraib/2006/03/14/introduction/</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1