Palin and Her Lost Younger Sister

I hate to belabor the point, but I still can't get over how a person as inept, inarticulate and so far out of her element as Sarah Palin has been asked to be the running mate of a person running for the Presidency of the U.S. In the event of the death of McCain this woman wouldn't be presiding over a PTA meeting or a church luncheon committee, she would be in charge of running the country. Running the most powerful country on earth, the United States of America. It amazes me that there are people that are still dancing around Sarah Palin as if she was sent here from God. I don't care if you are Democrat, Independent, or Republican, if you can honestly look in another persons eye and say that Sarah Palin is fit to be V.P. or is capable of taking the reins as President of the U.S. in the event John McCain happens to pass on, there is something seriously wrong with you and you should be thrown into the lake of fire.

Palin's Interview with Katie Couric

This is the transcript of the interview between Katie Couric and Sarah Palin. This is a word for word transcript. It has not been altered or modified in any way.

It is very easy to see the level of Sarah Palin ineptness in all matters related to foreign policy. It's as blatant and being poked in the eye with a stick. She talks about "good guys" and "bad guys" like she was talking about a 40's western. She states that she had had "trade missions" with Russia. This is a complete lie. Alaska has had no "trade missions" with Russia.

The most spectacular display of her stupidity is her statement that her foreign credentials have been honed by her state's proximity to both Canada and Russia. It's unbelieveable that there are people in this country who actually are comfortable with the idea of Palin being the Vice President of the United States, or worse, that she has the capacity to be the President of our nation in the event that McOld keeled over before his four years were up.

Really, what the fuck is everybody thinking?

Katie Couric: As we stand before this August building and institution, what do you see as the role of the United States in the world?

Sarah Palin: I see the United States as being a force for good in the world. And as Ronald Reagan used to talk about, America being the beacon of light and hope for those who are seeking democratic values and tolerance and freedom. I see our country being able to represent those things that can be looked to … as that leadership, that light needed across the world.

Couric: In preparing for this conversation, a lot of our viewers … and Internet users wanted to know why you did not get a passport until last year. And they wondered if that indicated a lack of interest and curiosity in the world.

Palin: I'm not one of those who maybe came from a background of, you know, kids who perhaps graduate college and their parents give them a passport and give them a backpack and say go off and travel the world.

No, I've worked all my life. In fact, I usually had two jobs all my life until I had kids. I was not a part of, I guess, that culture. The way that I have understood the world is through education, through books, through mediums that have provided me a lot of perspective on the world.

Couric: Gov. Palin, you've had a very busy week. And you're meeting with many world leaders. You met with President Karzai of Afghanistan. I know the McCain campaign has called for a surge in Afghanistan. But that country is, as you know, dramatically different than Iraq. Why do you believe additional troops, U.S. troops, will solve the problem there?

Palin: Because we can't afford to lose in Afghanistan, as we cannot afford to lose in Iraq, either, these central fronts on the war on terror. And I asked President Karzai, "Is that what you are seeking, also? That strategy that has worked in Iraq that John McCain had pushed for, more troops? A counterinsurgency strategy?" And he said, "yes." And he also showed great appreciation for what America and American troops are providing in his country.

Couric: The United States is deeply unpopular in Pakistan. Do you think the Pakistani government is protecting al Qaeda within its borders?

Palin: I don't believe that new President Zardari has that mission at all. But no, the Pakistani people also, they want freedom. They want democratic values to be allowed in their country, also. They understand the dangers of terrorists having a stronghold in regions of their country, also. And I believe that they, too, want to rid not only their country, but the world, of violent Islamic terrorists.

Couric: You've cited Alaska's proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?

Sarah Palin: That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and, on our other side, the land-boundary that we have with Canada. It's funny that a comment like that was kinda made to … I don't know, you know … reporters.

Couric: Mocked?

Palin: Yeah, mocked, I guess that's the word, yeah.

Couric: Well, explain to me why that enhances your foreign-policy credentials.

Palin: Well, it certainly does, because our, our next-door neighbors are foreign countries, there in the state that I am the executive of. And there…

Couric: Have you ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?

Palin: We have trade missions back and forth, we do. It's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia. As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there, they are right next to our state.

Couric: When President Bush ran for office, he opposed nation-building. But he has spent, as you know, much of his presidency promoting democracy around the world. What lessons have you learned from Iraq? And how specifically will you try to spread democracy throughout the world?

Palin: Specifically, we will make every effort possible to help spread democracy for those who desire freedom, independence, tolerance, respect for equality. That is the whole goal here in fighting terrorism also. It's not just to keep the people safe, but to be able to usher in democratic values and ideals around this, around the world.

Couric: You met yesterday with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who is for direct diplomacy with both Iran and Syria. Do you believe the U.S. should negotiate with leaders like President Assad and Ahmadinejad?

Palin: I think, with Ahmadinejad, personally, he is not one to negotiate with. You can't just sit down with him with no preconditions being met. Barack Obama is so off-base in his proclamation that he would meet with some of these leaders around our world who would seek to destroy America and that, and without preconditions being met. That's beyond naïve. And it's beyond bad judgment.

Couric: Are you saying Henry Kissinger …

Palin: It's dangerous.

Couric: … is naïve for supporting that?

Palin: I've never heard Henry Kissinger say, "Yeah, I'll meet with these leaders without preconditions being met." Diplomacy is about doing a lot of background work first and shoring up allies and positions and figuring out what sanctions perhaps could be implemented if things weren't gonna go right. That's part of diplomacy.

Couric: You recently said three times that you would never, quote, "second guess" Israel if that country decided to attack Iran. Why not?

Palin: We shouldn't second guess Israel's security efforts because we cannot ever afford to send a message that we would allow a second Holocaust, for one. Israel has got to have the opportunity and the ability to protect itself. They are our closest ally in the Mideast. We need them. They need us. And we shouldn't second guess their efforts.

Couric: You don't think the United States is within its rights to express its position to Israel? And if that means second-guessing or discussing an option?

Palin: No, abso … we need to express our rights and our concerns and …

Couric: But you said never second guess them.

Palin: We don't have to second-guess what their efforts would be if they believe … that it is in their country and their allies, including us, all of our best interests to fight against a regime, especially Iran, who would seek to wipe them off the face of the earth. It is obvious to me who the good guys are in this one and who the bad guys are. The bad guys are the ones who say Israel is a stinking corpse and should be wiped off the face of the earth. That's not a good guy who is saying that. Now, one who would seek to protect the good guys in this, the leaders of Israel and her friends, her allies, including the United States, in my world, those are the good guys.

John McCain Poll

Presidential and Vice-Presidential Choices

I've been hearing a lot of negative barbs thrown around the last few weeks. Accusations from McBush that Obama Barack does not have the kind of values and character to be President of the United States. We are told that that this election isn't about issues, it's about character; and supposedly Baracks lack of one. Now, let me see if I have this straight.....

If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're 'exotic,
different.'

Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, and it's the quintessential
American story.

If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic "Muslim."

Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, and you're a maverick.

Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.

Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well
grounded.

If you spend 3 years as a very successful community organizer,
become President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.

If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, and cook caribou/grizzly/wolf stew, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.

If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising two daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.

If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.

If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.

If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're very responsible.

If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.

If you're husband is nicknamed 'First Dude', with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated: the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.

Sorry McSame and all of you narrow minded, cross carrying Republicans who back a candidate that is so out of touch with the problems of Americans that he can't remember how many homes he has or which of his 13 cards he has to fill up with gas. The same guy who can't stop talking about being a POW for five years during the Vietnam War and believes his military service and ability to fly a jet are the pre-requisites to being Commander and Chief of the United States. The same guy who spends his time time deriding Obama when he himself has about as many ideas as an empty can of Sprite.

Do we want another eight years of Bush/Cheny/Rove politics that rewards the rich and connected and leaves the poor and middle class outside to rot?

Thanks, but no thanks.

Protest Sign Ideas for McPalin

Bush In A Skirt
Palin Be Failin
Jesus Was a Community Organizer
Palin Failin: Thanks But No Thanks
Smearing Alaska's Good Name One Scandal @ a Time
Candidate To Nowhere
Rape Kits Should Be Free
Voted For Her Once: Never Again!
Community Organizers are the Real Patriots
Barbies for War
I Shall Not Be Pandered To
Give Palin Failin Your Vote AND Your Draft Age Child
Sarah Palin Failin: So Far Right She's Wrong
Alaska Is Not Frisco
Coat Hangers for McCain
Sarah Palin Failin, Undoing 150 Years of American Feminism
Hockey Mama for Obama (on a hockey stick)

Almost Got Ripped Off

Several weeks ago, I received an e-mail from a guy named James who was interested in hiring me to teach English to a group of five children, ages 12-15, who lived in Genova, Italy. He stated they were planning on coming in September and he wanted me to tutor them a couple of hours per week for the ten weeks they were here. I quoted him a price of $1,200.00 to which he agreed to.

In the ensuing weeks we traded about 20 e-mails and I put together a contract based on everything we had already agreed upon. I told him I would need to receive the money by the 5th of September in order to book the time for the kids. A week before James was supposed to send the contract, I got an e-mail from him asking if I could forward some money to the "Nanny" who would be taking care of the kids. In other words he wanted to send me a check, take my cut, and then send the rest of it to the Nanny for her services.

Being the cynical, pessimistic person I can be, his request struck me as being a little strange. I thought to myself, 'Why doesn't this guy just send the both of us a check?'

The 5th of September came and went and I still hadn't received anything from James. I e-mailed him a letter reminding him that I couldn't book the tutoring sessions until I had money in hand. A day or two later he e-mailed me to say "the check in in the mail."

I received a $4,000.00 check the day before yesterday . It looked legit. I thought it was odd that it was drawn on a bank in Texas, but hey we live in a global world, right? I'm not an expert on fraud or forgeries, but I thought that the check was O.K. I mean what lowlife would actually pretend to work at an orphanage in Italy and make up five students as part of a scam?

To be on the safe side I went to my bank and had it thoroughly examined. Low and behold the check turned out to be a forgery. The scam was that I would be stupid enough to cash the check, deposit my money and send the balance to the make-believe Nanny that lived in Colombus, Ohio. While they were busy spending the money and laughing hysterically for pulling a fast one, I would be left owing the bank four grand.

I contacted the police in both Columbus and here locally and the attitude was very cavalier; that it would not be worth the money or man power to try to catch these scumbags and that it would probably be best if I just ignored James and went on with my life.

I think this apathetic attitude by the police made me more angry than someone trying to rip me off. How many people have already fallen victim to this guy and the group he is probably working with? Probably quite a few. As long as nobody cares about doing anything because of the money or lack of manpower, grifters like these will continue to prey upon the naivety of others.

I hope that son of a whore James rots in hell for doing this to people.

Post Exchange with Someone I Think is Irritating.

Preface: I have interstitial cystitis, which is a chronic inflammation of the bladder. Unfortunately, for men it also is closely associated with prostatitis, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, pelvic floor dysfunction syndrome and a couple of other labels, which mean little because there is no cure. True IC is seen mainly in women, although about 10% of sufferers are men. It's a brutal disease and after dealing with it for 17 months, I've become someowhat of an expert on how to manage it. I like to write and often post on support sites for people suffering with this and other similar diseases. Although I am far from cured, I have learned through trial and error what works for me and periodically make suggestions that I hope might help others. Symptoms for people vary wildly as do the things people do to manage their flares. My purpose is just to throw out a few things for peoples consumption. If something workds, great, and if it does not, well, something else probably will in the person's quest for the right cocktail. I posted something recently that really seemed to upset somebody. I'm not sure why, but I found out later that my post was deleted. Of course that seriously pissed me off because nobody likes to get censored when they speak their truth. After some terse e-mail exchanges I was able to re-post what I had originally written. The italicized paragraphs are from my original post. The regular black fonts are the response I received and the font in red is my rebuttal response. Luciano, I read this post the day you posted it and it has been on my mind since...I have been juggling how to respond and even whether to respond or not. Honestly Briza, I found your post very negative. And honestly, you probably were better off not responding because you obviously skimmed through my post or chose to see it in a way that was not intended. I am very happy that you have a very optimistic outlook on life and your illness. Actually, really, the majority of us do! I know I do That is, once we find appropriate treatment, figure out the diet, find a good team of drs, and get our symptoms under control. I would think that you were not so optimistic in the beginning. Who is? Probably not many when they find out they have a condition that has no known cause and no known cure. I'm sorry, but what is your point? The majority of people who suffer with this are anxiety prone individuals who think too much and are prone to catastrophic thinking. Exactly how do you know this? Can you provide any scientifc studies to back this up? No Briza, I have no scientific evidence, but based on the number of people who are on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication, the number of people I know whose symptoms started at very stressful times in their lives and who have a tendency of obsessing about their feelings, leads me to believe this. I have also read many articles on IC and CPPS and how people with nervous/anxious/worrisome personalities are predisposed to these conditions. Based on the above I am comfortable stating that the majority of people who have this disease feed into into by virtue of their personality traits. I also believe that just about everyone can benefit from PT as most people have a tight pelvic floor due to not only the anxiety inherent in their overall personality, but the fact that they clench their pelvic floor due to the pain and stress of daily living. However, not all PT's are the same. You have to have one that specializes in pelvic floor dysfunction. From everything I have read and researched it seems that men especially have issues with their pelvic floor, particualrly when they have pain in their testies,penis, perinium, and other localized area pain. Yes, many of us deal with pelvic floor issues and yes PT may be appropriate for some. But "just about everyone" who has IC is female, and PT for women is drastically different than PT for men. I agree, not all PTs are the same and not all are trained in PFD PT...I will leave out the details, but the PT for PFD in women can cause multiple other issues. Yes, some women respond well to PT, but like I said, I am leaving out the details of the unfortunate side effects that many women w/ IC and related conditions can get as a result of PT. I'm sorry, but I posted this in the men's forum so I'm not sure what bothers you about my statement. In addition, I mentioned many body parts that I believe wouldn't be part of your anatomy. At Dr. Wise's clinic at Stanford there are both men and women that have done his particular protocol and although PT may not help everyone, there are plenty of people of either gender who might benefit from this. Nobody knows until they actually take the time to have the treatment done. Based on the outcome would determine how effective PT would actually be. The spiritual side of a person also has to be addressed. I have met more truly spiritual people on this board than I ever have in person. That said, some people are not spiritual at all, in the religious sense or otherwise. And that should not be considered a flaw in their character nor does it affect their ability to heal or their likelihood to become ill. Forcing spirtuality in any form down anyone's throat does no one any good. To each his own regarding belief systems. That is way too personal for someone to say that you gotta be spiritual otherwise you will become sick, stay sick, never get better. Wow! I must have really pushed a button on this one. I don't remember saying anywhere that you have to be spiritual or you will stay sick and never get better. You are reading what you want to read and perceiving what you want to perceive. All of us as human beings are multi-faceted and when we are weak in one area, it will affect us in other areas as well. This has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with the spiritual side of a person. Meditation, getting quiet and centered, being in the moment is what spirituality is. Spirituality can be yoga, prayer, deep breathing, anything that centers a person. When a person is off balance, filled with negative voices and emotions this can and will affect a person in other areas of their life. Our spiritual - emotional - physical - mental parts of ourselves all work in tandem. The Chinese have practiced this type of mind/body connection for centuries. If you don't think that spirituality is an important aspect of a person's treatment, all I can tell you is that you are doing a disservice to yourself and others who read your statement. I'm sorry, but on this subject you are in the minority. The last thing I want to point out is that you are your own doctor. Too many people depend on their doctor as if they were their personal savior. They should be your ally and support, not the one making decisions for you. Most of us actually probably know more than our physician when it comes to this disease. Yes, we all need to be advocates in our own healthcare, and if we are too ill to do so then hopefully we have a family member or close friend who will take that place. But we are NOT doctors. I understand that and I never alluded to that. What I stated is that I got better when I started working on myself and learning to depend on myself. The purpose in making my statement is to empower the hundreds of people who feel like nobody cares, nobody understands and nobody can help them. It's to demonstrate to those people that success in treatment ultimately is theirs and theirs alone. A doctor cannot heal you. They can only offer suggestions (what they know) and sign scripts. We make the decision on what we are and are not comfortable with. For most of us, we have had to advocate for ourselves and the more we read and educate ourselves, the more we learn, the better we are going to feel because we have given ourself some semblance of control. If you have a doctor who actually listens to you and is willing to try new things and actually spends more than six minutes listening, than I salute you. I agree, many of us have made it a full time job on educating ourselves about IC. We can take what we have learned and share it with our dr(s) and if we are not comfortable with what our drs want to do or treat us with, then we can discuss those concerns with our dr or seek other professional medical help. But we are NOT doctors. I, for one, truly value my drs opinions, advice, etc., but I know when to say no to something I am not comfortable with. The last uro I saw stated, "You know more about this disease that I do. At this point I really don't know what you have. It might be prostititis, IC or a bladder spasm. Just get back on the Elavil and I'll see you in six weeks for another cystoscopy." (I already had one and nothing was found.) The uro before that stated, "I can't help you anymore" The one before that stated, "I think you should see a psychiatrist. You come here too much." There are dozens, if not hundreds of people of both sexes that live through this every day. That's why I stated that your doctor is not your savior. Although there are some exceptions, the vast majority of doctors only know what they were trained to know. From the standpoint of IC they know Elmiron, Elavil, and instills; at least that has been my experience. It wasn't until I took control of my treatment that I started making real progress. At this point I am 90% better than I was a year ago. I have had three days or so this month when I was actually completely normal. I am glad that you are feeling much better now. But as I hope you know, each and every case of IC and its related conditions is different and responds to different meds and therapies. Just like the diet, each med may or may not help or agree with an IC patient. I had excellent success with Elavil and just a few other meds and treatments taken only as needed in addition to diet, and I have been in remission, no meds needed, since Feb. I think that is awesome and I'm happy for you. If you take at look at ICN members signatures where they list meds and treatments they are using, you willl see that MANY are not taking Elmiron and MANY are not taking Elavil. They are taking things that have been prescribed to them to help with their individual symptoms, whether it be Elavil, Elmiron or any other med. None of us like taking meds, but hopefully the ones we ARE taking are the ones that help, and if they don't help we talk to our drs about discontinuing them or trying something else. I also believe, like you, that the body and bladder can heal itself, depending on the patient. But to say that we all need to do this and this and this and this and not depend on drs is very presumptuous. I'm sorry, like I said, I have thought about your post since you first posted, and after much thinking about it this is how I choose to respond. I am not trying to be divisive or argumentative, but I found your post to be somewhat too all-encompassing, considering the differences in symptoms and such in the patients who post here. I feel your post was divisive and argumentative. It might help if you re-read what I wrote instead of reading into it what you think I meant. As a courtesty, you should have e-mailed me personally. Yep, healthy diet and relaxation is important, not only for IC patients but for EVERYONE. Spirtuality...much too personal to say that someone's conditions are what they are because of lack of spirtuality. This is two times you have brought this up. Maybe you should meditate some on why this statement makes you so uncomfortable. The literature speaks for itself, chronic disease comes from an inbalance in the body and spirituality is part of it. Supplements? Yes, some people need them, but not all. Any dr will tell you that is best to get vitamins and minerals from the foods we eat. I also saw in another more recent thread of yours that you are now taking dex and trying to determine yourself what dose is best for you. I took it once just to see what it would do. I haven't taken it again. And yes I take drugs when I absolutely have to. I'm a teacher and I have to be able to function at work. If a Vic/Valium/Klonopin help then so be it. However, I don't make a habit of rummaging in the medicine cabinet every time I'm hurting. For someone who is preaching the all natural route, I find it odd that you are trying a med that is so untested in regards to its efficacy for IC, and especially given the meth family that med is in. With a med of that type I would think it best that you let your dr be the dr, and since you were Rxd dex, apparently you still have some need for drs. I'm not comfortable with your tone Briza. (Here I wanted to put you bitch, but didn't) I am not preaching. I took the time to write a post that I felt would be beneficial for the majority of people here. If you read all the threads on this subject you would find that it is helping dozens of people and unfortunately many others who would benefit from it can't get it because their doctor is still stuck on Elmiron/Elavil. To address your second point, of course I see doctors. Who else is going to sign off on my scripts? That's the only reason I see them unless I have an emergency and don't have any choice. Did your symptoms change that drastically from the time you made this post to the time you started the dex? I am confused. Few to no drs know anything about dex being used as an IC med, as it is usually Rxd by a psychiatrist for ADD or ADHD. The reason they don't is that they don't read and research cutting edge treatments. If they did, we probably would be making more headway into this disease and others like it. Best wishes and take care...hoping you have many relaxing spiritual pain free days in your sauna while going the all natural route while self-medicating regarding your dose of just a little non-natural meth thrown in. Bri Bri, I think you have a lot of issues you should explore. I had dozens of people PM me with positive feedback, but yours was the only negative one. You seem to curdle like spoiled milk where spiritualism is involved. Maybe you should meditate on this and find our what about spirtual matters upsets you so much. I also don't appreciate your sarcasm. Unlike many women on the boards, the men here don't have the luxury of staying home and taking care of outselves in the comfort of our own homes. We have to go to work and provide for our families. While you are at home with a heating pad watching Oprah, I'm in a classroom with a bunch of emotionally disturbed students, with my bladder on fire and this non-stop feeling of needing to go the bathroom, even after I just went. And it's not even lunch time yet. Meditate on that for a while (I also wanted to add here, you stupid bitch, but I didn't) lol.

Deep Thoughts

Deep Thoughts

If you ever drop your keys into a river of molten lava, let'em go,
because, man, they're gone.
==========
If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them
down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason.
==========
To me, it's a good idea to always carry two sacks of something when
you walk around. That way, if anybody says, "Hey, can you give me a
hand?" You can say, "Sorry, got these sacks."
==========
One thing kids like is to be tricked. For instance, I was going
to take my nephew to Disneyland, but instead I drove him to an old
burned-out warehouse. "Oh no," I said, "Disneyland burned down."

He cried and cried, but I think that deep down he thought it was a
pretty good joke. I started to drive over to the real Disneyland, but
decided to go home instead.
==========
The face of a child can say it all, especially the mouth part of the face.
==========
If you lived in the Dark Ages and you were a catapult operator, I
bet the most common question people would ask is, "Can't you make it
shoot farther?" "No, I'm sorry. That's as far as it shoots."
==========
I believe in making the world safe for our children, but not our
children's children, because I don't think children should be having sex.
==========
If a kid asks where rain comes from, I think a cute thing to tell
him is, "God is crying." And if he asks why God is crying, another cute
thing to tell him is, "Probably because of something you did."
==========
If you ever catch on fire, try to avoid seeing yourself in the
mirror, because I bet that's what REALLY throws you into a panic.
==========
Whenever I see an old lady slip and fall on a wet sidewalk, my first
instinct is to laugh. But then I think, what if I was an ant and she
fell on me. Then it wouldn't seem quite so funny.
==========
To me, boxing is like a ballet, except there's no music, no
choreography and the dancers hit each other.
==========
I hope if dogs ever take over the world and they choose a king, they
don't just go by size, because I bet there are some Chihuahuas with
some good ideas.
==========
Instead of having "answers" on a math test, they should just call
them "impressions," and if you got a different "impression," so what,
can't we all be brothers?
==========
Probably the earliest fly swatters were nothing more than some sort
of striking surface attached to the end of a long stick.
==========
I wish I would have a real tragic love affair and get so bummed out
that I'd just quit my job and become a bum for a few years, because
I was thinking about doing that anyway.
==========
Maybe in order to understand mankind we have to look at that word
itself. MANKIND. Basically, it's made up of two separate words "mank" and
"ind." What do these words mean? It's a mystery and so is mankind.
==========
If you go flying back through time and you see somebody else flying
forward into the future, it's probably best to avoid eye contact.
==========
It's easy to sit there and say you'd like to have more money. And I
guess that's what I like about it. It's easy. Just sitting there,
rocking back and forth, wanting that money.
==========
To me, clowns aren't funny. In fact, they're kinda scary. I've
wondered where this started and I think it goes back to the time I
went to the circus and a clown killed my dad.
==========
As the light changed from red to green to yellow and back to red
again, I sat there thinking about life. Was it nothing more than a
bunch of honking and yelling? Sometimes it seemed that way.
==========
I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate.
And I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it.
==========
I hope some animal never bores a hole in my head and lays its eggs in
my brain, because later you might think you're having a good idea but
it's just eggs hatching.
==========
Whenever you read a good book, it's like the author is right there,
in the room talking to you, which is why I don't like to read good books.
==========
Instead of a trap door, what about a trap window? The guy looks out
it, and if he leans too far, he falls out. Wait. I guess that's like
a regular window.
==========
During the Middle Ages, probably one of the biggest mistakes was not
putting on your armor because you were "just going down to the corner."
==========
If I ever get real rich, I hope I'm not real mean to poor people, like
I am now.
==========
When I found the skull in the woods, the first thing I did was call
the police. But then I got curious about it. I picked it up, and
started wondering who this person was, and why he had deer horns.
==========
I remember how my great-uncle Jerry would sit on the porch and
whittle all day long. Once he whittled me a toy boat out of a larger
toy boat I had. It was almost as good as the first one, except now it had
bumpy whittle marks all over it. And no paint, because he had whittled
off the paint.
==========
Here's a good thing to do if you go to a party and you don't know
anybody: First take out the garbage. Then go around and collect any
extra garbage that people might have, like a crumpled napkin, and
take that out too. Pretty soon people will want to meet the busy
garbage guy.
==========
Sometimes I think you have to march right in and demand your rights,
even if you don't know what your rights are, or who the person is you're
talking to. Then on the way out, slam the door.
==========
If you're a cowboy and you're dragging a guy behind your horse, I bet
it would really make you mad if you looked back and the guy was reading
a magazine.
==========
If your friend is already dead, and being eaten by vultures, I think
it's okay to feed some bits of your friend to one of the vultures, to
teach him to do some tricks. But only if you're serious about adopting
the vulture.
==========
Broken promises don't upset me. I just think, why did they believe me?
==========
If you ever crawl inside an old hollow log and go to sleep, and while
you're in there some guys come and seal up both ends and then put it on
a truck and take it to another city, boy, I don't know what to tell you.
==========
One thing vampire children have to be taught early on is, don't run
with a wooden stake.
==========
If you go to a costume party at your boss's house, wouldn't you think
a good costume would be to dress up like the boss's wife? Trust me,
it's not.
==========
Most of the time it was probably real bad being stuck down in a
dungeon. But some days, when there was a bad storm outside, you'd look
out your little window and think, "Boy, I'm glad I'm not out in that."
==========
Consider the daffodil. And while you're doing that, I'll be over
here, looking through your stuff.
==========
For mad scientists who keep brains in jars, here's a tip: why not add
a slice of lemon to each jar, for freshness?

McBush, McPalin and the UnAmerican Dream

I always write my own stuff, but I found this article too well written to not add to my blog. Thank you to Chris Chafe for this wonderful article.

You have to hand it to the Republican Party for the theatrics and distractions we've seen this week in Minnesota. Try as they might to pretend that they bear no responsibility for the state of George W. Bush's America, there aren't enough smoke and mirrors and fear tactics to disguise the facts. Millions of lost jobs, the highest unemployment rate in five years, 46 million Americans living without health care, millions more facing foreclosure and the loss of their homes, $4 per gallon gas, an $800 billion dollar annual trade deficit, and $700 billion that flows each year out of our wallets to pay for foreign oil. America's working families know the real deal, and they want change.

Last night John McCain took a page from the Obama script and pledged he would bring change to Washington. But you can't cover up the fact that John McCain rode shotgun with the president as he drove us into the ditch, voting with Bush 90% of the time. That is not a maverick, that is a copy cat.

Last week we heard the Dems talk a lot about hope, about change, and about possibility. This week we got a very clear, and familiar refrain from the Republicans. Be afraid, be very very afraid. Same fear mongering, newer flag. We heard the visionary chants of Drill Baby Drill, during a speech by Sarah Palin, who may well be the only person left in America who does not admit that global warming is in fact caused by human behavior. McCain says he is for developing alternative energy sources, but that is hardly straight talk from a Senator who has missed virtually every key vote on funding for those sources in the last several years. But let's not confuse the issue with the facts, please!

No, instead, let's take a hit at the community organizers of the world. Yes Sarah Palin, they are the real problem and must be singled out. Those crazy idealists who think you can actually improve the world if you get people together, my gosh even poor people, or god forbid, poor people, workers, and the clergy, to try to claim their rights and hold government accountable! In the real America where Republican cuts to social services have left many without any safety net, it is community organizers who rally parents to fix their schools, and families to reclaim their neighborhoods.

Enough is enough. Service, be it military, or community based, is something we should all be celebrating in our neighbors and our leaders. Like patriotism, it isn't owned by one political party, it is a valued and treasured ideal. Sarah Palin's broad brush dismissal of Obama's experience gained working as an organizer is just further evidence of how out of touch she and McCain are when it comes to the needs and experiences of working families and the institutions they create on their jobs and in their neighborhoods.

Now that the bizarro world has pulled out of St. Paul, let's take a deep breath, face our real challenges, and return to the facts. In the face of globalization and corporate influence run amok, community organizers and Unions give working Americans their greatest shot at our most treasured goal, living the American dream. Union workers make 25% more in wages, are 59% more likely to have health care benefits, and are over four times more likely to have a secure retirement package at work than non-union workers. They provide an essential, and yes, democratic, balance in their worksites and in many corporate boardrooms.

Time and again polls show that workers want to and would join a union if they didn't have to risk their livelihood to do so. They know from hard experience that workers in organizing campaigns get fired for being pro-union every 23 minutes in this country, and that government's current National Labor Relations Board takes years to settle most cases of unjust firings. The government also serves the bidding of multinational corporations who use trade deals to give your job away and then pay you an unfair wage for work that is about to be outsourced overseas anyway. Just ask John McCain, because he's never seen a trade deal that he didn't vote for. While he is voting to pass tax cuts for employers who send our jobs overseas, we'll keep on building our movement in the streets and at the worksites.

Workers in America are not greedy, they just want a level playing field and the chance to leave their kids a better life than they've had. That is why Change to Win is fighting so hard to elect Barack Obama, to pass the Employee Free Choice Act, to create universal health care for all, to stand for a new trade agenda in America that focuses on good jobs here at home, and to address climate change by advocating for rebuilding our economy around good, green, union jobs that grow the middle class and help save our planet for our children to enjoy.

Change to Win knows that the most credible voices that must be heard are those of the workers who make this nation run, three shifts a day, seven days a week. That's why we created the McCain Truth Squad, a group of nine workers traveling through nine states to spread the truth about the real consequences of a McCain presidency. These workers are starting the second leg of their tour in St. Paul this week to separate the facts from the fiction presented at the GOP convention, and talk about John McCain's Bush inspired voting record and what it means for workers.

And we are having fun too, with Real McCain of Genius, an online video series that highlights McCain's controversial housing comments and policies through parody.

That's why we launched www.worsethanbush.org, a hub for videos of workers across the country to tell their stories of what life has been like over the last seven years and to ask John McCain questions about his record and agenda.

All of these programs represent a different approach for Change to Win and for the labor movement. We're giving working families the clear facts that will cut through the noise of this convention and all its political theatrics. Check out our site, join our events, walk some precincts with us, and let's dig in together to help our working families get a real shot at the American Dream.