Just Among Us Gals

Menopause runs early in my family, and I've been in the "peri-" stage for about 8 years.  Up til now it has not been a big deal, but dang!   For the past couple of months my so-what's-the-big-fuss-all-about hot flashes have suddenly evolved into little thermo-nuclear meltdowns!!!  Lordy am I glad it's not summer!

Oh, Look. More Gender Politics

(This was a comment I made over at Dalrock's blog)

 "Not only are we Disney Princesses, we are Smart Modern Disney Princesses(!) as well. We are destined to marry Prince Charming, and we’re magically empowered to transform any man into Prince Charming. (That’s the “kissing a frog” part of the story.) We forge a suit of armor during our childhood, and as adults we go down to central casting and grab a guy who looks the part, then cram him into that armor. We kiss and kiss and kiss for a while, but the frog never becomes a prince. When the seams start to tear out because the armor doesn’t fit, we discard the man (excuse me, the “frog who hoodwinked us”), keep the suit of armor, and go looking for the REAL Prince Charming. Oh, and by the way, this process takes work, patience and dedication, which (hello!) are Virtues! And Gosh! This IS the real world, after all. Life can be hard! How can you begrudge us a roof over our heads while we are on this epic quest to fulfill our destiny? I mean, SOMEBODY has to do it, right?

A surplus of survival resources + feminism + mass media + the emotion-dominated female brain = a sheltered fairy-tale existence for approximately 50% of the population."

And sadly, that "sheltered fairy-tale existence" is almost entirely in our heads.  It's what we're dreaming of as we struggle to make ends meet between men.  It's much less frightening to daydream than it is to end the cycle we have created.  We deny our responsibility in our failed relationships (choosing a bad mate, denigrating a potentially good mate instead of supporting his potential.)  Yes, some men are very good at hiding their lack of potential, but we do tend to ignore even the smallest red flags.  And when some men veer off the path smack in the middle of an ordinary relationship, there really was nothing we could have done to prevent it.  But for the most part, we sabotage our relationships out of impatience, instead of committing to improve them, and we can afford to do this because someone else will help pay the bills while we "regroup" to start again from scratch.  What a pathetic waste.  Feminism has been redefined, not to make us legally equal, but to allow us to be children who pretend we are "the same" as men.  Only better.


Face it.  Most mature true alphas became alphas while married to supportive women.  A smart woman doesn't go for the player who looks like an alpha, she goes for the beta who is on the alpha track.  It takes a little time to distinguish between a confirmed beta and an alpha-to-be beta, but it's worth the effort.  99% of the time, the guy you want to marry is already married to a smart girl who took a chance, did her homework on him, and did everything in her power to build his confidence and reward his progress.  Good men don't exist in a vacuum - Prince Charming doesn't ride a white horse out of your dreams and into your life.  If your hackles are raised at the thought of  "humbling yourself" enough to be a supportive wife, don't expect your beta to become an alpha, or your player to reform.  Ain't gonna happen.

Epic Cookies

I finally did it.  It was epic because it took about 10 hours throughout 3 days.  I hope the damn things aren't stale.  Tomorrow I'll vacuum-pack and send them to Lance Criminal, then I'm going to make apple jelly (cooked and strained them yesterday.)  I'm off work until next Tuesday, so I'm pretending to be a domestic goddess.


Ta daaa!   : 

A Meme! No Really!

I just gotta get in on this one.  The top 25 songs on my playlist:

1. Still the Night - BoDeans
2. Smokin' in the Boys Room - Brownsville Station
3. Thank U - Alanis Morrissette
4. Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith
5. I'm Gonna Be (500 miles) - The Proclaimers
6. Superman - REM
7. Love My Way - Psychedelic Furs
8. Silver, Blue and Gold - Bad company
9. Should I Stay or Should I Go - The Clash
10. When the Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin
11. Hourglass - Squeeze
12. Don't Break My Heart - UB40
13. Wipe Out - Surfaris
14. Desert Rose - Sting
15. And She Was - Talking Heads
16. Sausalito Summer Nights - Diesel
17. Good Intentions - Toad the Wet Sprocket
18. Totally Nude - The Wallets
19. Generals and Majors - XTC
20. Blueboy - John Fogerty
21. World in My Eyes - Depeche Mode
22. Peaches and Diesel - Eric Clapton
23. Roam - B52's
24. I Will - Brandi Carlyle
25. Biko - Peter Gabriel

No apologies.  I'm  a freak.

Circle-link

Ami. Mental.  linked my last post and has a good discussion going on.  Check it out.

http://amimental.blogspot.com/2011/12/so-i-was-pondering-this-weekend.html

Pick a Side; the Gender War is Heating Up

Throughout most of my life, I have despised women's mind games.  I've bitched about their manipulation of men and each other; it's counterproductive and wrong, sometimes flat-out evil.  For many women it has become a dominant part of their personalities, simply out of habit.  Beware, ladies.  The boys are on to you, and they're sharing their knowledge behind your backs.  And I have to admit, I'm just shallow enough to be cheering on the sidelines while your chickens come home to roost.  Decent women, stop ignoring your better angels in order to follow the herd.  Those broads are heading for a cliff, and you don't want to go with them.  I have found a community that sees women the way I do, and has figured out a way to do something about their crap.


For about a year now, I've been stumbling across links to articles from "The Manosphere," and recently I've started following a very good blog: Dalrock. http://dalrock.wordpress.com/
I'm fascinated and delighted by "men's rights" and "game" sites.  I never had much use for the way women generally think, and I find male perspectives on relationships to be refereshing and honest!  I like Dalrock because he's pretty wise, very well informed, and extremely logical.  He rarely makes ambiguous statements.  He also lets comment discussions run without  much interference.  I've only detected one bias on his part, a leaning toward Biblical morality rather than rational morality.  That said, he's plenty critical of how modern Christianity misuses the Bible, so I suspect he's pretty careful not to misuse it himself.  I see no hypocrisy in his posts.

What's really fun is the comments section.  I'm grateful to a commenter for referring me to "The Mysandry Bubble" on the site - The Futurist. http://www.singularity2050.com/2010/01/the-misandry-bubble.html Outstanding comprehensive article.  I'm still wading through the "required reading," comments included, so it's taking me a while, but everyone should read that article.  Men are wising up and opting out of the bullshit.  It's about time.  Anyone who doesn't pay attention to what's going on in the Manosphere, is going to be totally blindsided sometime in the next decade or so.

Anytestoserone, the vast majority of Dalrock's commenters are bright, observant and rational, but not all of them.  I'm sure in many cases it's a matter of youth (because I'm so  old and wise, you know) but I'm seeing comments that precisely mirror the feminist themes I grew up on.  Women are not made to feel welcome in the discussions, for a number of reasons.  The main one seems to be that feminine manipulation simply will not be tolerated, and quite a few women have tried it.  I guess they're tired of us, and who can blame them?  However, I wish some of them could see how much they sound like the very feminists they so despise.  A dominant myth among some of these guys is the assumption that women are not capable of non-emotional, rational thought, yet these same men get rather emotional and irrational in their expression of this assumption.  (And no, I'm not singling anyone out, just in case you gentlemen bother to read my frivolous blog...)  Uh, news flash, most of us are capable of logic, we generally just have to work harder at it and many of us would rather not.  (No consequences, why bother?) These men are angry, and with good reason, but by demonizing all women, they are ignoring anthropology and biology, just like feminism does.  Of course men and women think differently, and by and large, women let emotion get in the way of logic and foresight.  We were designed that way to complement each other, not to become enemies.  Men are beginning to make a habit of this foolishness, but make no mistake, we women started it. 

One of the dumbest things feminism ever did was to tell women that men are the enemy, because men can't comprehend the female perspective.  The individual message was: ignore men, manipulate them, degrade them, use them.  Never respect men because they just don't get it.  The political message was worse: remain "independent" of them, but don't hesitate to game the system and collect alimony, child support, welfare, food stamps, WIC, and subsidized housing from them.  I always believed that's where feminism failed.  A hundred years ago the goal of feminism was equality.  Equal rights are supposed to include equal responsibilities, but I guess that's not what most women really wanted, because feminism guilted the system into going from one type of inequality to another.  Now it's men who are under women's thumbs.  I support the backlash 100%.  For every lazy, abusive, entitled man, there's at least one lazy, abusive, entitled woman.  We all know them.  The difference is that men end up paying not only for their own bad choices, they pay for women's bad choices as well.  All productive people pay.

Many, MANY young men are "going their own way," becoming confirmed bachelors and players, and women are going to start feeling the pinch when they run out of men willing to support their watch-me-roar "independence."  Women who continue to refute their anthropological/biological role of "supportive helpmate and responsible partner,"  are going to grow old alone.  And not by choice.  I have nothing but admiration for genuinely independent women, but I don't want to be one.  Neither do most women; the desire to reproduce is very strong - who in God's name would make such sacrifices for rational reasons?  Most of us gals really REALLY want the benefits of having a family, but we refuse to "pay" for them by committing to a solid marriage, which is the primary foundation of a family.  Somebody told us we didn't have to.  It was a lie and it's going to catch up to us.  For everybody's sake, I hope these men get past their anger without doing the same damage to society that "angry women" did.  

It Was a Very Merry Christmas

I had my Christmas a couple of weeks ago, although BH is putting together a big old ham dinner for this afternoon.

                                                     This was my present:

                                                                               
         Doesn't get any better.

$7,000,000,000

Vote 'em out.


Senator Coburn released his nearly 100 page report on incredibly wasteful spending by Congress and their lackeys. In it he details $7,000,000,000 of obvious fraud and waste. Read this.... read it right before you vote... and remember.... the incumbent probably voted to spend YOUR MONEY on this crap.


http://thegregariousloner.blogspot.com/2011/12/senator-coburn-released-his-nearly-100.html

Canine Railroad

I did a dog transport yesterday, my first in a few months.  I've had to turn down a few recently, since they fell on My Saturday At Work.  Red was a cool Brittany, and he really was red.  Most of his white fur had a reddish undercoat.  (Dare I call him "Pink?")  Britts have too much energy for me to keep one, but I can say without reservation that the softest thing on earth is the chest fur on a Brittany.

(not Red, but adorable anyway, eh?)

A friend once told me she thinks these transport networks are inefficient.  Horsefeathers.  Moving unwanted pets from "kill shelters" to foster and permanent homes is a huge undertaking.  Just ask Coffeepot.  For an individual to do it alone requires lots of resources that most of us don't have - a van, cages, leashes, water (and sometimes food) dishes, gas and lodging money, and time, to name a few.  Joining a cross-country network, however, is something almost anyone can do.  Some networks are oriented, but not restricted, to specific breeds.  Some of them are OTR truckers, and some of them are private pilots.  Some transports include one or two dogs, some include half a dozen or more (Kudos to Jude and Rich!)  Each leg of a transport is usually limited to a couple of hours or less.  If you include travel time to and from home, it's as little as a half day's work, plus a half a tank of gas.  It's only the route coordinators who put in huge amounts of time and effort.

This is something I can do, fairly easily, on a regular basis.  


Every single weekend, dozens of ordinary, busy people like me are saving the lives of a few hundred dogs and cats.  What could be more efficient and humane?  This is the heart and soul of grass-roots activism.  Count me in.

Sharing! Warning: political rant

...Because I'm so damn tired of the Republicrat Demopublican Party.  This nation will fall apart if they stay in power.  We have three choices:
1.)  Stand by an watch this unprecedented acceleration of a corrupt government stealing our rights and our resources, which will lead to...
2.)  Armed rebellion.  Don't kid yourself; has anyone alive seen this nation as out of control as it is now?  We. Are. In. Uncharted. Territory.
3.)  Stop violating the Constitution and vote the incumbents out of office.

No matter what your party tells you about that bogeyman called "the other guy," your party is the exact same thing.  Your party is the bogeyman.  Nothing is going to get better while the bogeyman is in power.  If you don't take your nation back, someone else will take it over.  That someone will be a mutant form of the current bogeyman.

http://www.dailypaul.com/192613/this-video-is-the-deal-changer-urgent-message-from-the-troops-revised-help-this-go-viral


I personally take issue with Paul's views on abortion laws, but even that is no longer as important as breaking up the government's deathgrip on it's own corruption.  As far as I'm concerned, we can no longer afford the luxury of partisan issues.  We can sort that shit out later.  It's us against Washington.  Period.

The Rabid Independent has spoken.

Upon Further Investigation...

I do not have macular degeneration!!!!!


It appears I had "Central Serous Retinopathy,"  and the remaining scars look like MD.  "Central serous retinopaty generally occurs in young men, causing distortion of central vision due to fluid under the macula and typically resolves over several months without treatment," according to the flier the specialist gave me.  I'll have to do a bit more reading, but this is GREAT!!!  All my news seems to be good these days...I hope this trend continues!

( I also had a nice lunch out with Lance Criminal, and he gave me some "small arms" advice.  He's going to give me some formal training on his next leave.)

The Quality of Young Men These Days

So.  In case you ladies are wondering where all the good ones are, try driving through through the passenger pick-up area at an airport at 11:30 on a Friday night.  'Cause, WOW!  You just would not believe what I found!  And hell yes, I brought him home!

You know, we have been communicating regularly via phone and Facebook, but it's been almost a year since I have hugged Lance Criminal.  I'm truly amazed at the change in him.  OK, maybe not "change," so much as "maturity."  He seems taller, for one thing, and he has developed that calm, innate confidence that drew me to his father so many years ago.  You see, I was a little concerned that The Corps might bring out some unattractive traits in him.  Cockiness.  Rule-playing.  Some Marines are assholes after all, and they do influence their peers.  I see a lot of potential for becoming an asshole simply as a defense mechanism.  Also, since he enjoys his solitude and likes to think for himself, I wondered if the highly structured environment in the military might beat down his spirit.  (He has certainly experienced his fair share of disillusionment, as he has learned the reality of Marine life.)

Hasn't happened.

I'm still not thrilled that he volunteered to change units so he could go overseas, but so far I like the results.  He's learning and doing tasks well outside of his MOS, and he is surrounded by more mature, experienced Marines - better role models.  This is an ideal environment  for his personality; even in his old unit, most of his friends were a little older - he was the "young guy."  He is now even less likely to be held back by the shenanigans of kids for whom responsibility does not come naturally.  Not that he's an uptight sticker or a prude, he just doesn't have much interest in pursuing pointless or counterproductive behavior.

I have to admit I was a thirtysomething married mom by the time I had developed the relatively steady maturity he is showing at 19.  Again, wow.

(Yes, I'm biased.  So sue me.)

As for me, I'm a little PO'ed over my health.  I haven't slept well this past week, and I've been doing a lot of extra housework.  Yesterday my legs started feeling a little weak.  With Lance Criminal home, Christmas fast approaching, and Better Half preparing too move to D.C, this is NOT a good time for me to have another bout of fibro-fatigue.  Maybe I'll call the doctor to see about upping the Cymbalta and getting a scrip for Ambien.  I haven't needed it for a couple of years, but realistically, this is probably a bad time to try to skate by.  Why do I always second guess myself when it comes to being proactive on my own behalf?

December 2

11:30 p.m.  I will be at the airport.

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!


Ican'twaitIcan'twaitIcan'twait!!!

I'll be taking a few extra days off during the two weeks Lance Criminal
will be home - gotta make some cookies and lasagne and pork roast and steak and Christmas candy...

Quote of the Day

Celia Rivenbark, from "Belle Weather: Mostly Sunny with a Chance of Scattered Hissy Fits"

"Men get a lot of things wrong, but one thing they all excel in is their absolute total commitment to never adding a bunch of useless crap to their day just because "it sounds cute!"

Chuck Wins!

According to his facebook page, Chuck the dog's travel expenses have been covered, by the folks over at S.W.A.T Magazine.  It'll be tricky getting him through the war zone to the shelter; if they can manage it, he's USA-bound.  Somebody's battle-buddy will have the loving home he has earned.

And on a related note, a plug for one of the other "Big Airlines:"  Tomorrow, American Airlines is transporting (for free) one feline and 14 canine battle-buddies, to the US, for the warriors who love them.  This bunch was rescued with the help of NOWZAD.

By the way, these are not merely strays rescued off the streets, just for the sake of rescue, taking potential homes from American strays.  These animals are already beloved and loyal pets of our own service men, some of whom broke a few rules to keep and transport them.  Kudos to those commanding officers who never saw a thing.

His Name is Chuck

...but when he gets to the US, he will think it's "Ohmygodyou'resocute!" because that's how he'll be addressed.

You all know I already donate regularly to Nowzad and Puppy Rescue Mission, but when I saw this little dude, How could I not click on the ChipIn link?
http://bringchuckhome.info/

 His peeps have been linked up with a number of groups who should be able to help with the logistics; mostly now they just need cash.

The Eyes Have It. Bad News, That Is.

I'm having trouble reading the screen today, because I just got back from another eye exam, this time with dilation.  Yes, I have macular degeneration in both eyes.  A specialist in Indy will call me Monday to schedule an appointment, and I'll bet he doesn't work Saturdays, so BH will have to take a day off work.  Or maybe I can schedule it for when Lance Criminal is home, and he can be my chauffeur.  Yay.  One thing I see clearly is big changes ahead.  I hate to borrow trouble, and who knows how it will progress, but the thought of a future without reading, crocheting, or embroidery, is just plain depressing.

There is one bright spot though ("bright" in a twisted sort of way.)  We are both going to quit smoking when BH moves to Virginia, simply because we can't afford rent and cigarettes, but I was afraid that when we get settled, BH might start again.  Nope.  I can't smoke or be exposed to second-hand smoke.  Huh.  And all these years I've been concerned about heart disease and cancer.  Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Oh.  And hey, Social Security might still exist when I become disabled and can't work!  Gee.  I could also supplement my income by suing restaurants that refuse to admit seeing-eye dogs.  Speaking of which, I guess I should add a seeing-eye dog foundation to my list of weekly charity donations - might improve my chances of getting one when I need one, right?

Who the fuck wrote that last paragraph!?!

236

Umm, no.  I'm not following 236 blogs now.  The Marine Corps is celebrating its 236th birthday today, and I'm giving it a present.  An IOU.  I'm borrowing my son from The Corps for the first two weeks if December!!!!!!

It ain't Christmas, but it'll do.

Hiccup, I Hope

I had my eyes checked today and ordered new glasses.  Oddly enough, I actually like my Wal-Mart Vision Center.  The service is really good, and that's where my insurance sends me.  Of course I need a a slightly stronger prescription, but the price was right.  Same frames, same no-line lenses, 100 bucks cheaper than last time.  The hiccup is a slight abnormality in my right retina.  I am way too young for macular degeneration, I have NOT been hit on the head recently (or ever, come to think of it) and I don't have any signs of glaucoma.  Scaring myself shitless  reading on the internet wasn't very helpful. Apparently, sometimes it has no explanation at all, but there is a theory that it could be an immune response.  Funny, they have that same theory about fibromyalgia.  {Of course, my rheumatologist doesn't "like the word 'fibromyalgia.'"  I'm sure she would prescribe sleeping pills; no doubt I'm merely stressed out and it's all in my head.  (Are you sensing a little bitter venom here?)  OK.  Getting off the soapbox now.}

Anyeyeball, I'm going back Saturday so the optometrist can dilate my eye and get a better look.  She wants me to see a "real" eye doctor ASAP.  I told her about our upcoming insurance change, and she said do it now!  BH checked in with the Big Airline, though, and his new/old insurance kicks in on day one, with no restrictions on pre-existing conditions.  If there's a problem, we won't go broke.


Heh heh heh.  Tomorrow I get to tell Maxine I'm experiencing some distortion in my vision.  Should I do it first thing, or wait until we're cruising down the highway at 60 mph?

141

Dang!  No wonder I spend so much time online.  I just updated my blogroll - I'm now following 141 blogs!  "Get a life!" you say?  Nah, this is way more fun!

He Got The Call

The Big Airline called Better Half this afternoon, and offered him his old job back.  It's been almost 9 years.  He will probably report to the East Coast near the end of December.  What with his probationary period, then buying a house, I should probably be able to (just barely) finish out the school year next spring on the bookmobile.

Helloooooo flight benefits!


(Not that we'll be visiting Lance Criminal any time soon - he expects to deploy early next year.  He just joined his new unit last week.)

Common Ground?

Interesting article on Business Insider today.  Once again, liberal and conservative people aren't as far apart as the politicians want them to think they are.  Here are five real-life ideas that could solve a lot of problems for all of us*:


http://www.businessinsider.com/this-is-how-the-tea-party-can-agree-with-occupy-wall-streets-demands-2011-11

http://static.businessinsider.com/image/4e7b60d169bedd744100003e-400-300/more-from-the-christian-science-monitor.jpg

It ain't quantum physics, here.



* except the banksters, the "predators-incorporated," and the politicians.

Educating OWS

*First of all, thank you for your support during my dog crisis.  It has made a huge difference for me.  I'm sure it's going to happen again sooner or later, but for now Cal seems to be fine.  (He still won't eat dog food, but with shaved turkey available, would you?)  He's walking well enough to manage the steps from the deck to the fenced back yard, so I think I'm going to let him hang out there unsupervised for a while today.  He just loves to soak up the sunshine and sniff the breeze!*


I'm linking another great post from Oathkeepers, with a couple of excerpts.  The gist of it is this:  There are people teaching the Constitution to the protesters, and protesters are listening!!!!  Something good may well come of this movement.  We can reinstate the Constitution; all we need to really get started is a 3-5% "following."

My favorite quote:  "The Constitution is not a menu"

Our government is going to be in deep deep doo-doo if the 99% ever figures out how much it has in common with the (small "l") libertarians.  Joe Schultz is trying to tell the protesters that holding the government accountable to the Constitution is the very same thing as holding it accountable to themselves, and that government violations of the Constitution are the cause of most of their complaints.  It's an uphill battle, because the Big Money organizers in OWS aren't too fond of the Constitution themselves...
     

This is what needs to be done. The answer to communist and socialist bull being fed to the protesters is to get down there and kick their asses in an intellectual and ideological STREET FIGHT. It should be done in a spirit of teaching those who will listen, but make no mistake about it, if some communist or socialist steps up to debate, a constitutionalist who is ready and willing will dish out a royal intellectual butt kicking on the communists and socialists and that too will be a great “teaching moment” for the rest of the crowd listening and watching.

                 
                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

PS- And note that Schulz is aware of the very distinct possibility that the organizers behind OWS will try to stifle his work there. If or when they do, that will simply reveal them for the frauds they are. They talk about being open to all views, about welcoming Tea Party people, etc. but I suspect that when it comes down to it, they will try to stop Bob. And they will have to tip their hands to do it, because Bob is himself a formidable organizer, and knows how to get it done, so unless they shut him down in a very overt way, he WILL turn the majority of that crowd into constitutionalists. 




Here's the whole thing:
http://oathkeepers.org/oath/2011/10/30/we-the-peoples-bob-schulz-at-ows/

This could get interesting....

Slight Improvement, I Think

Cal's blood work came back normal.  It wasn't the total health screen, just a short-panel CBC.  His appetite is a tiny bit better, and he hasn't puked since this morning.  Neuro signs are definitely improving, he has less stagger in his swagger.  I was afraid we were heading for euthanasia tomorrow or Monday (mood swings, remember?) but there's room for cautious optimism.  I'm holding it together with support from friends, and especially BH.  Stealth Hero, that one.

Not Thriving, but Stable

Calico-boy is hangin' in there.  The stroke was pretty mild.  He wouldn't eat anything until a little while ago; I coaxed some ice dream into him, and the vet said to give him anything he'll eat.  I blockaded him in the kitchen while I worked today, and he didn't even pee.  Now that's a good dog!  He's a little perkier today.  A friend told me this morning that she went through the same thing with her dog last month.  She'd had a second stroke a few weeks after the first, and it left her completely disabled, so of course they euthanized.

This is strange for me.  He's the oldest dog I've had and he's been my shadow for 14 years.  Losing him is going to be tough.  My mood is swinging wildly between near despair and euphoria.  His poor appetite could indicate a whole host of end-of-life issues, yet I'm rather optimistic because his appetite was fine before and shortly after the stroke.  Plus there was no "gastric distress" at either end (I sure hope he keeps that ice cream down.)  I hate the fact that I know next to nothing, but I'm sort of relieved that I really have no decisions to make as of yet.  All I can do is wait and watch, because I refuse to let him suffer.


You know, it could be a lot worse.

Butthead Boy

Yesterday when I came home from work,  my old dog Cal was having trouble walking.  He ate his afternoon meal then hid out most of the evening.  I sat with him at bedtime and noticed his eyeballs were a little twitchy, and I was wondering if he was going to live through the night.  His appetite has been good and he didn't seem to be in pain, so I thought it might be neurological - stroke or seizures.  This morning he was the same, but his ears were up and he seemed perkier.  I called the vet, but couldn't get an appointment until almost 3:00, so I went to work but I left early.  Thank God Maxine is a dog lover.  Let me tell you, when I picked up the phone to tell the vet my 14 year old dog was "partially down in the rear end," I was absolutely sick.  That is frequently the last call dog owners make.

Yep, it was a mild stroke; I was right about the neuro.  We've started him on a course of steroids to reduce inflammation in the brain, and he's resting, but he still hasn't eaten anything.  This could be the beginning of the end, but I sure hope not.  I am REALLY attached to that old dog.  We've been through a lot together.

Oops?

Hmm.  My last post is what happens when I don't do my homework.  Today I read this on "From My Position:"

http://tcoverride.blogspot.com/2011/10/that-letter-yon-didnt-want-you-to-see.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tcoverride+%28From+My+Position...+On+the+way%21%29

Although there may be a little tap dancing in it, I suspect his letter is factual.  I wish it had directly addressed the question, "Are medical responses delayed due to the unarmed state of MEDEVEC helicopters?"  But I guess the government doesn't know how not to dissemble.  "Here's my translation:  These are (some, but probably not all) pertinent facts contradicting Micheal Yon.  Draw your own conclusion, answer your own question."

It's not a difficult question.  Where do I find the answer?

Unarmed MEDEVAC Helicopters

Michael Yon is asking for signatures on a White House petition.

http://www.michaelyon-online.com/golden-seconds.htm

Here's the link to the petition.  The site can be a PITA, but it's worth it.

https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/%21/petition/stop-requiring-army-medevac-helicopters-afghanistan-paint-red-crosses-their-sides-and-go-unarmed/LdxVQTgn?utm_source=wh.gov&utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=shorturl

A Really Really Important One

"Radical Right Wing" Oathkeepers quoting that "Leftie" Bernie Sanders.  I wanted to fill space here with highlighted excerpts, but there's nothing to highlight; every word is critically important!  Please read it a and PLEASE share it.  It's the unvarnished truth, and it's coming from a living, breathing U.S. Senator.  That alone is front page news.

 http://oathkeepers.org/oath/2011/10/23/report-gao-investigation-bombshell-the-fed-audit/

Kind of a Broad Brush, But...

Dave Ramsey's not an idiot.
http://www.daveramsey.com/article/dear-occupy-wall-street/lifeandmoney_economy/

Every word is true, especially this point:

“No Government Bailouts!”

Banks and big companies should not receive taxpayer money for a bailout while their CEOs are making hundreds of millions of dollars. If that’s your gripe, then you’re protesting in the wrong location. Pack up and head to Washington, D.C., to deliver your message to the current administration. Don’t get me wrong—I totally support a company’s freedom to pay their leaders well. I just don’t believe that I, as a taxpayer, should subsidize those huge salaries in the form of taxpayer bailouts. I pay my own team members; I don’t need to pay everyone else’s too.

By the way, you may be shocked to learn that the Tea Party agrees with you on this one—and so do I.

*****************************************************************************************************************

Take it to Washington, people.  The banks are breaking laws here, and their hired government refuses to stop them.  We have the power to fire that government, if we have the sense to use it.

...And In Local News...

Hot on the heels of my state's easing of restrictions  on open-carry, the Hooterville Library Federation lobbyists have sent out a request to local libraries.  They want us to report incidents of armed patrons "misbehaving".  Gee.  I wonder why.  Do you suppose they don't like the state telling them they must now allow guns in libraries?

Oh my God!  Think of the children!!!!!

See, here's the thing.  Or a few "things."  Most library patrons are pretty well behaved to begin with.  Most people who legally carry guns are also pretty well behaved.  In general, the people who behave badly in libraries are the very same people who behave badly everywhere else: un- and under-employed burnouts and high school dropouts who don't interact well with civilized society.   Most often, they're the "internet losers."  (While a substantial percentage of public internet users are perfectly decent folks, libraries are now host to a steady stream of filthy, chemically impaired cretins and perverts who lack online access at home.)  The others who misbehave are the marginally literate DVD addicts, but (at least in my library) we get rid of them pretty quickly.  DVD's are limited to one-week check-outs, can't be renewed, and cost a dollar a day in overdue fines.  Anyone with fines over $5.00 can't check out at all.  Since these people aren't very good with rules and such, they usually end up delinquent within about a month, and we never see them (or our DVD's) again.  Oh hell, there I go on a tangent again!  Back to the real issue.

The thing about people who misbehave in the library is that the last thing they're going to do is risk arrest while getting their internet fix!  Many of these dopes have criminal records and the new open-carry law doesn't apply to them!  They're already prohibited from possessing guns!  If they're carrying in the library, you can bet your last dollar we don't know about it.  So what the hell are we expected to report to the ILF?

Sheesh!

Complete and Utter BS

*warning: political rant*


Are people starting to notice yet?  Among living breathing human Americans, the "Left" and the "Right" are SO CLOSE on so many issues.  The news media, fed by politicians and their owners, is actively dividing us on mostly false and inconsequential issues.  And we're taking the bait.  We are swallowing it whole. Everybody except Congress & Co. hates the TSA.  Everybody except Congress & Co. hates our huge inefficient (and all but useless) government.  Everybody but Congress & Co. hates predatory practices of banks and businesses.  Everybody except congress & Co. hates the spectacular mess that has resulted from the drug war (& Co. includes the government employees who get paid to shuffle the pieces around the board.)  Everybody except Congress & Co. hates corruption in the labor unions.  Are you starting to get the picture?

Shall I continue?  Why are we allowing the power brokers and their media pets to con us into believing that we are each others' enemies?  The most dangerous enemies of this nation are the career politicians and the people who pay big bucks to keep them in control.  We have seen the enemy and it is NOT us.  It's the people we allow to "lead" us!  Why are we so damned gullible?  Has TV brainwashed us that much?

Say these words out loud.

Liberal         Tea Party      Religious Right     


Socialist   Environmentalist      Republican     


Anarchist       Democrat    

"Choose Your Prefix"-o-Nazi


Now do it again.

These are all empty words, inconsequential labels used to mislead us!  And the're effective, aren't they?  Each of these words scares the hell out of someone, or just plain pisses someone off.  But here's the truth about them: not one of the groups described by these words is a viable threat to this nation, because not one of them will ever have enough of a majority to endanger this nation.  So why are we screeching these words at each other?  Because the career politicians want us to. They just keep stirring the pot.  If we can't bring ourselves to speak civilly to each other, we will never realize that we agree about the roots of our most of our problems.  If we start talking to each other, here's what's at stake: the Republican and Democratic Parties, and the people who collectively own both of them, could lose their power.  They could lose the power to suppress competition from smaller banks, from smaller businesses, from smaller unions.  They could lose their power to control trillions of dollars!
Do you think they don't understand this?  Do you think that it's merely a coincidence that this hideously divisive political climate has grown up alongside of the wealth of information that's instantly available on the internet?  We now have easy access to all the facts we need to have at least half of Congress & Co arrested and charged with crimes.  But every time a new scandal rears its head, they blow smoke up our asses, distracting us, and overwhelming us with rumors and lies.  Congress & Co will lose everything they hold dear if the American people ever discover how much we have in common, and how small our differences really are. 


The Powers That Be have a lot to lose, and they won't give it up without a fight.

Cool!

My Better Half still gives me flowers!  He just carved this one:

                                                            (It's about 1 1/2 inches tall)

Friday Beauty Tips

(Content alert - boring but useful)


Two things I have recently learned:

Olive oil is very compatible with human skin, and it doesn't clog pores.  I've been using it for about a month,and it has almost completely eliminated the seemingly permanent goosebumps on the back of my upper arms.  And its CHEAP!

Middle aged hair?  I thought my hair was becoming more coarse as it was "losing pigment."  Apparently not really, it's just becoming more dry.  Coconut oil, olive oil, and maybe avocado oil, have been shown to actually absorb into the hair shaft.  Most conditioners merely coat and smooth the hair cuticle, weighing it down, and they wash right out.  These will actually make the hair stronger and softer.  I bought a jar of coconut oil yesterday ($13.00 for 16 ounces!) Mini spa day tomorrow!.

I snagged a new book at the library yesterday, "Can You Get Hooked on Lip Balm?"  It's written by a scientist who explains the reality behind cosmetics' advertising and label claims.  I've already figured out some of what I'm reading, by trial and error.  I'll be reading the rest of it this weekend, so I'll let you know if I find any more interesting tidbits...

Oopsie!

Sorry, wrong number.

This morning when I woke up, I actually remembered to charge my phone before it died on me.  So I went to  plug it in.  Huh.   Message from last night.  Who's number is that?  It's local, but I didn't recognize it.  I opened it and found something rather interesting.  So I texted back, "Impressive.  Who is this?"  I never got an answer, so later I decided to call the number.  The man was deeply apologetic.  He'd meant to send it to his wife and save her a trip outside to check it for herself; she does the vet stuff.  He has a new phone and he didn't yet know how to pull up her number, so he dialed from memory.  He reversed two digits and got me.  I laughed (and laughed and laughed, with tears streaming down my face) and told him I wasn't offended.  Scroll down to see what I saw at 5:30 this morning: 


























Keep going.  Trust me....

I'VE BEEN SEXTED!!!!!!!!!
By livestock!!!!!!!  
(Anthony Weiner's got nuthin' on this dude!)

Well Now I Think I Like Where This is Going

Oathkeepers just posted a bit more of the substance behind "Occupy the Fed."  Most people's opinions on OWS are based on Commercial Media portrayals of it, and biased accordingly.

READ THIS, there are no lies here (that I could find) not even vague distortions.  
2) We reject notions promoted by the mainstream media that the Wall Street protests (and spin-offs) are driven entirely by a “socialist uprising” or “Liberal Tea Party.”  Such arbitrary talking points we believe are an attempt to co-opt and divide people into false factions of “Left” and “Right.”  A 99% majority of American citizens no longer have a legitimate voice let alone any tangible influence over the decisions made by government today, and that 99% includes ALL political orientations, whether conservative or liberal, independent, libertarian, etc.  Over 80% of the American public, for instance, stood in vehement opposition to bailout programs initiated by the Federal Reserve which rewarded the thievery of criminal banking cartels while punishing taxpayers.  Our enemy is the same no matter what “side of the aisle” we might stand.  This movement must transcend preconceived notions and political ideologies and focus upon what is most important; freedom, and the truth, no matter where it may lead us.


  and

 We are not affiliated with the Republican or Democratic parties, nor will we be co-opted by either.  We are “extremists” only in that we absolutely refuse to compromise on the truth. 


Here's the whole thing: 


http://oathkeepers.org/oath/2011/10/09/brandon-smith-seven-pillars-of-occupy-the-fed-now/


Yoo-hoo!  Republicorp!  Where are your conservatives?  

(This is exactly why I could not bring myself to become a Republican after I left the Democrats.  In a couple of weeks, I'll be attending a "Constitutional Studies" meeting, where I've been told I'll find members of the independent Tea Party.  Should be interesting.)

*snerk*

Occupy The Fed???

Whoa!  OK, this looks interesting.  Very Interesting.  Not the Oathkeepers' standard MO, but dang it, they always seem to find that tiny kernel of truth that grabs me by the throat.  (The Wayseers video is, um, over the top, but kinda cool!)  I'm a little leery of my initial "Yesssss!" reaction to this article, but it bears further scrutiny.      

http://oathkeepers.org/oath/2011/10/05/oath-keepers-and-the-wayseers-to-occupy-the-occupation/

Yes, that's "Occupy the Occupation."

"Oath Keepers is not going to stand idly by and watch the Soros socialist/collectivist/Big Government crowd claim these newly-awakening Americans as their own. From Michael Moore to a host of other Big Government statists, the Soros faction is trying now to steal the people’s thunder, just the way the Republican Party tried to steal the Tea Party’s thunder by co-opting the Tea Party.

The Soros/socialist/Big Government message is that those evil Capitalists on Wall Street are the problem which now threatens to destroy America. That is an outright lie, and it is being promoted in the mass media by the way they’re covering the Occupy Wall Street movement.

Despite the fact that the “Monopoly Capitalists” are indeed present on Wall Street, and among them are serious corporate threats to America’s sovereignty, the media fails to distinguish the difference between true free-market capitalism and Monopoly Capitalism. Soros and his followers are attempting to misdirect the movement by claiming that capitalism is the problem. We shall expose that lie."

Bold italics are mine.  I think this is why I call myself a moderate; nothing's ever all one or all the other.  I just have to keep looking, past the slogans, for the real truth.  If "truth" is what I just read, let's have a little more of it.  I wonder what the commercial media is going to make of this.

 If this is totally nuts, please set me straight!

Tea: Bittersweet, As Expected

I went to the local Tea Party meeting tonight.  Maybe 150 people meeting in a conference room at the local puddle-jumper airport, and a calico cat greeted me at the front door.  (No small airport is complete without a resident mouser.)  My Gunwalker shirt  was a huge hit, and I sat with a couple of my favorite library patrons.  One of them lent me her "Agenda" DVD, and I'll be watching it Friday.

Not surprisingly, it was mostly a bunch of recycled Republicans, chasing the myth.  After a bit of campaigning from a few Republicans, the guest speaker gave a presentation on Agenda 21.  He was a good speaker and it was interesting.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzEEgtOFFlM  "Agenda 21 For Dummies"
Everything he said was true.

The thing is, that's all they do, tell the truth about what the eeeeevil Democrats are up to.  And the eeevil Democrats tell the truth about what the eeeevil Republicans are doing.  And they're all correct, because BOTH parties are eeeevil!!!  Are we seeing a pattern yet? Why can't these people see more than an inch beyond their own noses?  Do they really think that if every Democrat in congress suddenly dropped dead, the Republicans would solve this country's problems?  The Republican party ditched the real conservatives decades ago; haven't they noticed?  Do these Tea Partiers really think they're doing something different?  They're making deals with the Republican party, just to get in (and accepting its limitations) they're taking funding from the likes of the Koch brothers (whose billions came from having congress in their pockets) and they're accepting the agenda dictated to them by FoxNews (THE Republican mouthpiece.)  Dudes!  Really?

The Tea Party will NEVER change a thing in this country if it aligns itself with ANY entity that has a vested interest in maintaining a massive corrupt government!  

The preceding statement deserves a paragraph all to itself.  If the Tea Party wants to succeed, it absolutely must be a completely independent third party.  It has cut off its own balls and handed them to its oppressor.  On a silver platter, no less.  If it doesn't take them back, it will be just another passing fad, unfortunately at a time when this country might actually be ready for a third party.

I think there were a few independent thinkers in the house.  If I attend any more meetings, I might just raise a little dust.  Not normally my style, but what the hell - why not?  (Menopause is a bitch; goodbye, estrogen, helloooo testosterone!)

Happy Little Newses

New washing machine bought, installed and running in 1.5 hours.  Better Half ROCKS! For the first time in two years, I  have a "delicate cycle" for my dainties.  And a kick-ass 700 rpm spin cycle for everything else.  And it's quiet.

In other news, Puppy Rescue Mission (Soldiers saving puppies * Puppies saving soldiers) won $25,000 from the Pepsi challenge!!!!!

All this and it's a beautiful October day!

Totally Stolen

...from Uber Humor...

A Cup of Tea?

Day after tomorrow, the local Tea Party will be hosting a "see what we're all about" meeting.  I think I will attend.  During the past couple of years, it has been my experience that people who identify themselves as "Tea Partiers" are among the smartest folks I've encountered.  And the dumbest.  There's diversity for ya.

I see a great deal of potential for good here, but I'm afraid the Tea Party may have already neutered itself by aligning itself with "Big Business" and the Republican Party, both of which have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.  

I'll be wearing my Gunwalker t-shirt.  The little red devil on my shoulder wants me to really stir thing up by wearing my "Love Jesus? Hate Bigotry? johnshore.com" t-shirt, but first impressions are important.   I wouldn't want any heads to explode.  Yet.  

Are You Drunk Yet?

 

How about now?

(If you stare at the black blob, the bed-spins will stop)

Awwww...

We Got Over That a While Ago...

I was pleased to see not too much hoopla over DADT becoming history.  I guess all the vitriol lost some steam in the face of  so many blank stares from people who wonder what the hell the big deal is.  It seems that most of the people who object to it are non-military, a few retired military, and church representatives within the military.  I asked Lance Criminal (in his new gray belt) what scuttlebutt says, do the rank and file really care?  (As if they don't know they've been serving alongside gays the whole time...)  His answer:

"We got over that a while ago."

Well said, young man, well said.  Do you suppose the military has finally come to the end of the list of patriotic, competent, honorable, qualified candidates to exclude?  Now, if only Churchianity had so much courage.

I Just Bought a Witch's Hat for Halloween

This photo, taken by Leigh Cummings, shows a memorial for Mary Easty that is part of the Salem Witch Trials Tercentenary Memorial (dedicated 1992) in downtown Salem. It is adjacent to the 17th century Charter Street Old burying Point.




Three hundred nineteen years ago today, my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-(count them, there should be 9)-grandmother, Mary Easty, was executed by hanging in Salem, Massachusetts, for witchcraft.  She was 58 years old.  It's an interesting link to history, but a sad one.


Of course the real story of the Salem witch trials was one of power and wealth - politically motivated people taking advantage of a disruption in the lives of ordinary people.  It started with a handful of bored teenyboppers, and it ended when the PTB's decided it was all hogwash - right about the same time that the "possibly unwarranted accusations" were making their way up the food chain and threatening the wives of said PTB's. 


I visited Salem long before I knew Mary and I were blood relatives.  My utter hatred of evil committed in the name of religion, predates my knowledge of that connection by many years.  Kind of a cool coincidence, isn't it?  Or maybe it's hereditary...  

Adaptation: Working Class Dogs

Dogs are so smart.  (Well, if they need to be, anyway.)

I totally stole this article from The Dog Files.  Good site to bookmark.
 http://www.thedogfiles.com/

Moscow’s Wild Dogs Ride Subways To City Center In Search Of Food

Each morning, like clockwork, they board the subway, off to begin their daily routine amidst the hustle and bustle of the city.

But these aren’t just any daily commuters. These are stray dogs who live in the outskirts of Moscow Russia and commute on the underground trains to and from the city centre in search of food scraps.

Then after a hard day scavenging and begging on the streets, they hop back on the train and return to the suburbs where they spend the night.

Experts studying the dogs, who usually choose the quietest carriages at the front and back of the train, say they even work together to make sure they get off at the right stop – after learning to judge the length of time they need to spend on the train.

Scientists believe this phenomenon began after the Soviet Union collapsed in the 1990s, and Russia’s new capitalists moved industrial complexes from the city centre to the suburbs.

Dr Andrei Poiarkov, of the Moscow Ecology and Evolution Institute, said: “These complexes were used by homeless dogs as shelters, so the dogs had to move together with their houses. Because the best scavenging for food is in the city centre, the dogs had to learn how to travel on the subway – to get to the centre in the morning, then back home in the evening, just like people.”

Dr Poiarkov told how the dogs like to play during their daily commute. He said: “They jump on the train seconds before the doors shut, risking their tails getting jammed. They do it for fun. And sometimes they fall asleep and get off at the wrong stop.”

The dogs have also amazingly learned to use traffic lights to cross the road safely, said Dr Poiarkov. And they use cunning tactics to obtain tasty morsels of shawarma, a kebab-like snack popular in Moscow.

With children the dogs “play cute” by putting their heads on youngsters’ knees and staring pleadingly into their eyes to win sympathy – and scraps.

Dr Poiarkov added: “Dogs are surprisingly good psychologists.”

By Elaine Furst For Dog Files

Wouldn't you think that if stray dogs can learn to get up every day and commute to a place where they can make a living, maybe humans could too?