A Quick Picture Post!

The view from our friends' back deck in Placerville, CA. I don't think you can see the mountains over Lake Tahoe in this one, but they are there!

        Us in front of the American River, not far from where gold was found. 

 Apple pie wine? BRING IT ON! Can you tell that this is not our first stop of the day? 

  He looks natural there, doesn't he? This was at the Train Museum in Sacramento. I am the only one who wanted to go, but we ALL had a blast! 

How do I look at a school marm? 

Obligatory self-portrait in front of the Golden Gate! I LOVED San Francisco and would go back for the entire summer, every summer, if I could! 

But He Will Get Their Vote!

Of course, by now, we've all heard or read the words spoken in May by Mitt(ens) at a fund raiser in Boca Raton, FL. He obviously has no understanding of what I would term "real" life or "real" people and he certainly has no respect for those of us who were not born with a silver spoon in our mouths. That's who he is and it certainly has not come as a shock to me... did I really think he liked or respected ME? (Yes, female - so no, he doesn't). The part that I find shocking is that MANY of the same people he denigrated will still vote for him.

I, of course, am the protagonist, the Super Hero, the Cool Kid in my own story of my own life. That story that we all have churning around in our heads just waiting for a moment to share our adventures with new friends (or old ones who may be kind enough to listen again). I am certain that there have been bits and pieces of my personal history that I have accidentally re-written - I think many of us do. But, for the most part, I think that my version is closer to true than most of the people I know, personally. I've made mistakes. I've been mean or petty. I am human and I am OK with new friends (or old ones) knowing that. But maybe I have just convinced myself that the story in my head is true through a wonderfully convincing way with words? And pictures?

Maybe.

However, I know, right this minute, where I am in life. I can look back and be appreciative of the times when I needed a helping hand and received one. I can be thankful that I do not need a helping hand right this minute, but appreciate the fact that it should be available if I DO need it in the future.

I can appreciate the fact that I am covered by health insurance that is paid for by the tax dollars of others and wish that it was better and wish that everyone had this option!

I can say that if Social Security is not available when I turn 65 (or is 67? I am so confused), I will probably be working until it is available, even if it's only part time, because I started my retirement plan very late.

I can say that I have made mistakes, but that I am OK with them.  Some of them were pretty stupid and some of them were very stupid, but they have all combined to bring me to this exact time and place and it's a pretty great place!

What I do not understand, however, is how it is possible to have NEVER worked - not a single day - and complain about government handouts. What I do not understand is a disabled person who has not worked in YEARS, drawing social security disability, and still complaining about those nasty people who 'suck off the government.' What I do not understand is a person who lives off those so-called "entitlements" who thinks it is wrong for others to live off those so-called "entitlements."

The hypocrisy of the American people is astounding.

I had someone on Facebook tell me recently that yes, she is on Medicaid, but that is better than Obamacare! What?!?!!?

I have a cousin who has a degenerative eye disease who has not worked in YEARS complaining about the "those lazies who suck off the government teat."

What the F*CK?!?!

Work and life and life and work have taken it's toll on me this week, even to the point of  putting me behind in my schoolwork. So I shall do school work this weekend and will hopefully have another 'blog post up soon!

Will It Ever Stop? ***EDITED***

Let me answer my own question - NO!

Yesterday a group of anti-American terrorists breached the walls of the American consulate in Benghazi in Libya. The American ambassador and three others were killed.

There was also violence in Egypt at the U.S. Embassy where the U.S. flag was removed and the flag of Islam was put in its place, although I cannot find any mention of murder being committed there.

Why? Why now? Didn't we just help the Libyans to freedom? Didn't we stand beside them (or, fly our planes over their heads) so that they may be free? Why the sudden onslaught of violence?

"The mobs were set off by Egyptian media reports about a 14-minute trailer for the video, called “Innocence of Muslims,” that was released on the Web. The trailer opens with scenes of Egyptian security forces standing idle as Muslims pillage and burn the homes of Egyptian Christians. Then it cuts to cartoonish scenes depicting the Prophet Muhammad as a child of uncertain parentage, a buffoon, a womanizer, a homosexual, a child molester and a greedy, bloodthirsty thug.

The trailer was uploaded to YouTube by Sam Bacile, whom The Wall Street Journal Web site identified as a 52-year old Israeli-American real estate developer in California. He told the Web site he had raised $5 million from 100 Jewish donors to make the film. “Islam is a cancer,” Mr. Bacile was quoted as saying."

The Wall Street Journal identified this man as an Israeli-American, but according to NPR, Bacile identifies himself as "an Israeli Jew." And he is in hiding in case someone wants to come after him!! The worst kind of coward who can hide behind a camera and his alleged God and get people killed. Now he runs away with his tail between his legs.

I am sick over this. Wanton death and destruction. And of course there are those who blame the President.

Before the violence (according to MSNBC, although I cannot find corroboration) the U.S. State Department issued a press release stating:

"The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims – as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others."

So now the President is on another "apology tour" (Romney's words, not mine)

Let me tell you what I think of all of this.
#1. If Bacile (no, Mr. sorry that is a term of respect) wants to identify himself as an Israeli Jew, then he needs to move to Israel. Do not live in my country, cause the death of others using the Bill of Rights that many have died for and not identify yourself as an American.

#2. I cannot find proof that Terrie Jones (alleged preacher) of Gainesville, FL had a hand in promoting this film, but if he did, he needs to be jailed. His complete disregard for the lives of others (and this goes for Bacile also) should not be covered by the First Amendment's Freedom of Speech. That was never the point.

#3. I believe in our Constitution and I appreciate the Bill of Rights that allows me to have this 'blog and to make my thoughts and feelings known to the few of you who actually read it. It also allows me to look back over the last 6 years of my life, kind of like a journal, but I do not believe in absolute free speech.

In Schenck v United States, the Supreme Court held that:
"Words which, ordinarily and in many places, would be within the freedom of speech protected by the First Amendment may become subject to prohibition when of such a nature and used in such circumstances a to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils which Congress has a right to prevent. The character of every act depends upon the circumstances in which it is done."

Which means you can't yell "Fire" in a crowded theater and you cannot (without penalty) create movies depicting the Prophet Muhammed as a whore.

This country loses its mind when Americans desecrete our own flag (if you remind me, I will try to share what I learned earlier this year in my art class re: the US flag). Who remembers the outrage over "The Last Temptation of Christ"? And the comdemnation over "The DaVinci Code"? Because both portrayed Jesus as non-celibate. How many people would lose their minds if Jesus were portrayed a whoring drunk of uncertain parentage?

No, we would not fire bomb someone's embassy.. well, most of us wouldn't. But a lot of that has to do with the fact that we are lazy. And D.C. is far away.

I do believe that those who created this nightmare should be charged with whatever we can throw at them. And Bacile does not want to endure an American prison, he can go to Israel and spend his old age there.

****EDITED*****

OK, I've calmed down and understand that we all have access to the First Amendment and this should probably be covered under it, even when it makes me mad. But I don't think that YouTube has to actually carry the movie and there is no reason for any company to distribute it!

Are You Going To Forget?

Today is Tuesday September 11, 2012.

Of course you know where you were the moment that you heard about a plane crashing into the World Trade Center eleven years ago today. I was carrying a computer down the hallway to return it to the office where it belonged after I had fixed it and someone told me. I called him a liar. I then walked into the office where the TV was on one of the morning programs to see the second airliner hit. Luckily I had already placed the computer on the desk or I probably would have dropped it.

There were not a lot of televisions around and the internet was flaky because everyone was trying to figure out what was wrong. We were all called together, told to go home, and call over the next few days to see when we could come back to work (I work on a military installation). As the systems administrator for the small network, I was almost the last to leave - there were things to do, to secure.

I wanted to take my son out of school and just hold him. I called my parents to tell them that I loved them (forgetting that my father had undergone surgery that morning, can you imagine waking up to that news?). I watched hours of TV that afternoon and long into the night.

It was a horrible, awful thing. The worst thing that has happened in my lifetime. Can anyone ever forget those horrors?  The rumors that were not true (I heard someone on the radio say that the FBI building in D.C. had been hit by a car bomb) and, worse, those that were?

This is a wound that probably will not heal for quite some time.

Yet, haven't we forgotten? Not the images of those who jumped, of the Towers falling, of those in NYC running away from that wave of dust, of the firemen raising the flag, of that giant, gaping wound in Manhattan. But everyday, we get up, go to work, move on, move forward, many of us lost no one, knew no one, sacrificed no one. And most of these United States has not sacrificed for what came afterwords.

The mourning gave way to war. The joy of coming together, of standing (metaphorically) shoulder to shoulder gave way to lies about Saddam Hussien. And instead of being asked to build a victory garden and given gas coupons we were told to go shopping and take vacations.

It was a horrifying day, but the months that came after were beautiful. Now that beauty (for me) has been tainted by the lies, the dead military members, the fact that this country could send men and women to war without any idea how to care for them if they returned home. And it has been further tainted this election year by the fact that no one seems to be able to admit wrong doing on the part of those who DID wrong.

So for the past two days I've seen that there are 9/11 retrospectives on TV and most of my friends have posted "I will never forget" pictures on Facebook - most of which are truly haunting and beautiful - and all I can this is, "What are you remembering?" Because I remember a country that stood, for just a brief, inspiring moment, together.

Bill Nailed It!

"In Tampa, the Republican argument against the President's re-election was pretty simple: we left him a total mess, he hasn't cleaned it up fast enough, so fire him and put us back in."

- Bill Clinton http://huff.to/RMIhV8

 

 

How many of us can agree that going BACK is not our idea of a good thing?

 

The Democrats took God out of their platform? OMG! Why was God IN their platform?

 

Tel Aviv is the capital of Israel, folks.

 

And, oh, didn't my First Lady look and sound like $1,000,000? Class comes from within and she has it by the bucketloads!

 

I hope that the President does a fine job tonight. I will be watching!

Halfway Through The First Class!

Happy Labor Day everyone! I am taking today completely off... I swear, I am NOT opening that text book... well, maybe for a minute!

Due to Hurricane Isaac (OK, due to the fact that stupid is everywhere!) we did not work last Tuesday. Keep in mind that seven years ago when Katrina was barreling through the Gulf it was business as usual because she wasn't heading HERE!! Neither was Isaac, but someone panicked! So I wasn't working, I had a mid-term to do, I figured I would knock it out and be able to enjoy my three day weekend.

I turned it in at 5:00 last night (Sunday). OMG! Fifteen questions. Essay questions. NOT short essays, mind you, FULL essays. Intro - 3 paragraphs - conclusion. That is a total of 75 paragraphs! And I was unable to work on it Thursday night because it was DSD's birthday. My brain still feels like mush!

But it is completed. And I am officially halfway through the first class of Grad school.

Obviously I was a little busy and did not watch the Republican Convention. Why bother? I can catch the important LIES the next day on the internet and "The Daily Show." I don't need to waste my time actually listening to the bozos speak. But I appreciate all of you who do so that I can read your commentary later.

Just over 60 days until the election. It's looking like a close one. I cannot imagine anyone except for rich white guys voting for R&R, but many will. Let's do all we can to ensure that Mitt fails at least as big as his father did!