is that I don't have to support the president any more than democrats had to support Bush. I can dislike him for ANY reason at all. That is a right that my husband fights to protect. What you are stating is something that happens in other countries--which I am a little afraid of happening here. I am VERY patriotic--more than most. I will be having a child alone because my husband is in Iraq right now. I absolutely DO NOT have to support Obama to be patriotic.
Complete Discussion Below: marks the location of current message within thread
And the intimidation of witnesses who didn't corraborate the the Boeing 77 in the Pentagon.
How about the rep. for the steel engineering company (the company that makes the steel for the Boeings) being fired after saying that it would take 3000 degree heat for it to poof go up in air without a trace.
Thank you, thank you for posting this. I've always felt in my gut that there was more to this story. I'm not saying that islamic terrorist weren't involved, but it wouldn't be the first time that our government has worked with them.
and elected an intelligent, articulate, fair minded, honest man as their leader in a time when he was needed most, after 8 years of a dishonest "it is all about me and mine and too bad for the rest of you" mentality (remember the Bush quote-"some call you rich, I call you my base"). I think if some of you would give the man some time you will find he is a great man and a very good leader. For heavens' sake, you gave Bush 8 years, even with his ever growing pile of screw ups, lies, and messes that we are having to clean up now-give Obama an honest chance instead of the closeminded, knee jerk negativity.
BTW-Kathy, keep it up, girl. A lot of people agree with you.
and elected an intelligent, articulate, fair minded, honest man as their leader in a time when he was needed most, after 8 years of a dishonest "it is all about me and mine and too bad for the rest of you" mentality (remember the Bush quote-"some call you rich, I call you my base"). I think if some of you would give the man some time you will find he is a great man and a very good leader. For heavens' sake, you gave Bush 8 years, even with his ever growing pile of screw ups, lies, and messes that we are having to clean up now-give Obama an honest chance instead of the closeminded, knee jerk negativity.
BTW-Kathy, keep it up, girl. A lot of people agree with you.
Just on this board alone, look at the amount of unadulterated, vicious hatred aimed at this man. It's palpable. Someone with hatred like this could easily take these girls' father from them forever. By writing this letter, he leaves behind a piece of himself for them that NONE of his haters can ever take away.
Beautiful! Thank you. nm
x
She's beautiful! (nm) What is not beautiful?
I do realize a lot of people are sold into the hollywood mold of how women are "supposed" to look, but, I'm not. Michelle has her own unique, natural beauty. Does everybody have to look alike in order to be attractive? She has a beautiful shape to her face, gorgeous eyes, an elegant nose and a somewhat crooked grin - she's beautiful.
Beautiful song...sm
My favorite part was when she says...
It made me tear up. My granddaughter *caught me* and wanted to know what was wrong. I just told her I heard a very sad song that was unfortunately very true. She wanted to hear it, and I played it for her, as well. Thanks for posting this. Pink is in good company. There are more and more of us every day that he can't/won't walk with.
Though, I don't know how real Cindy McCain is.
Shelly, what a beautiful answer! sm
It shows you have had time to come to conclusions, not just answering off the cuff like me. Good for you!
Beautiful posts and I agree with all of you
We need to come together regardless of our personal feelings about the outcome of this election. I believe both candidates are sincere in their desire to do what's best for our country. Something that helps me remember God is ultimately the one in control is to pray "Thy will be done."
"Obama and his beautiful family..."
He's so dreamy....*swoon*
LOL
Very beautiful, very classy lady. (nm) Portland, Oregon. Beautiful day out.
LOVE IT HERE!!! We are almost at 10% unemployment rate. People are shopping, but more looking than buying. There are still a lot of people eating out at the high end restaurants, costing anywhere from 13.00-24.00 a plate. I do not see a recession here. People still out and about and driving to places. I know lots of people who are going away out of state for spring break.
I live in the burbs of Oregon in a city of 42,000. My family is getting ready for maybe a slight depression coming in the economy. I am currently taking a CERT training course in our city. To save money, my husband takes the bus in and then the MAX (electric train) into downtown Portland to work. Basically costs him nothing for gas as the company pays for it. Worry about hubby losing his job, although he says he is stable for now. I know other families who are out of work, but yet they seem to be just going along their normal business as some say they are in shock still. Hopefully their money does not run out.
My husband has been laid off about 5 times in 24 years of marriage. I know what it is like for hubby to be out of work and the last time was back in 2002 for 6 months. He is in IT. All those layoffs were in the ugly desert and he** hole spot of Phoenix, AZ for 21 years of marriage and 26 years of my life. Three seasons, spring for 2 months, summer and then he** for most of the year. Talk about living in the city! We are glad to be out of there. You either like or you HATE IT! Still have lots of family living there. The housing is horrible in Phoenix. There was a lot of greed and many out of staters bought second homes in Phoenix thinking they could sell in a year or two and make money. Guess what happened? Just about everyone had the same idea and so many with subprime loans.
They were all so perfect. Warm, beautiful, proud.
nm
Beautiful psalm, written by David
This is a beautiful psalm, written by David, not by G-d, and therefore, is not part of Jewish law.
Beautiful birds...thank you very much. But, make it Mr. Peacock, will you?
The females aren't as gorgeous, and the males don't go around laying eggs.
Oh dear. I cracked myself up. See, you can't insult me, dearie. I've been insulted by experts - and you're an amateur.
Beautiful speech made a long time ago
No, this isn't a Ron Paul speech but he brought this speech to the attention of Congress, trying to make a point to their greedy sorry behinds. Just take the time to read it..... it is still true today.
Just saw them all at the RNC sitting there, so beautiful! Not sure about Cindy McCain's outfit, but she's also soooo classy, did anyone notice how she sat next to the middle daughter who was holding the baby and Cindy was stroking the baby's head and watching him soooo sweetly.
Real people, I love it :)
PS this isn't meant to be a political post, so hopefully nobody gets distressed... it was just an American Family I was saying was nice looking and it's nice to see in all the crap going around you know...
The author has strong opinions, but I think he is right on!
Simon Winchester's recap of the events of April 18, 1906.
Teddy Roosevelt was President the morning San Francisco was hit by its devastating earthquake.
We were a DIFFERENT AMERICA then, Puppies. Just read this:
1. There was no warning...ZERO...than anything was amiss. Unlike August, 2005, there was no 10 days of warning ahead of the disaster. There were no satellites, no wireless, no TV. 2. In a city of 400,000...3,000 died and 225,000 were homeless. This happened in minutes...not days. At 5:12 a.m., the massive tectonic shake brought down a city, Rich and Poor alike. 3. The military responded instantly...in 153 minutes, the troops from the Presidio presented themselves...armed and ready...to the Mayor. Unlike the appalling delays with Katrina, the General in charge took instant command and moved his troops. FEMA stalled everything, including relief water trucks from Wal-Mart! (Ask yourself what sort of people we have become...when we need to wait for a Permission Slip from Brownie to move to help our neighbors?) 4. Mayor Schmiz, commandeered a boat to rush to Oakland, to wire the news to America. (Via Morse Code):San Francisco is in ruins. Our city needs help. 9 simple words. Which was how America found out about the catastrophe. No CNN. No Fox. No Geraldo. And how America responded. 5. The first relief train from L.A. arrived that night. Packed with food and clothing. Nobody in LaLa Land had to ask. They just DID IT. And there was no FEMA to turn back the train. 6. The Navy and the Coast Guard rushed in ships and boats to help. Nobody needed to go through channels. 7. The NEXT DAY Congress had passed legislation that allowed Roosevelt to dispatch rescue trains west....including the LARGEST HOSPITAL TRAIN EVER ASSEMBLED!!!. How is it, way back in 1916, from a standing start, Congress could assemble a massive train like that...when Bush had a hospital ship offshore (the Bataan)...which was never used???? 8. The guy in charge of the Post Office issued an order...signed by him, that NO UNSTAMPED LETTER WAS TO BE HELD UP FOR LACK OF POSTAGE! Can you IMAGINE any of our functionaries in today's wimp world of CAN'T DO Americans...issuing an order like that!! The brave pilots who got relegated to Kennel Duty for rescuing civilians know better.
Winchester does not mention the wonderful story of the founder of the Bank of America...who stood on the sidewalk and made sure his depositors could get cash, even as the bank lay in ruins. That speaks to an ATTITUDE about HELPING everyday Americans, and not just the Tax Pampered rich.
IN TODAY'S AMERICA...THE PUBLIC DOESN'T MATTER. INSTEAD...AT ALL COST PROTECT YOUR JOB, YOUR SENIORITY, YOUR RETIREMENT PACKAGE. Go along, shut up and mind your business.
America..where are you?
Tens of thousands, both American and Iraqi, have died for NOTHING..and when the truth is told finally, we will see the war was based on lies. Bush and his crew need to have something done to them, stand trial, impeachment, imprisonment, whatever..we cannot let this crime against humanity just slide by. I am outraged by it all and deeply saddened but I did not lose a loved one in this immoral war..I cannot even begin to think how I would react if I had lost someone to a war that did not have to be waged..I know, for sure, I would be one extremely rageful person..Give me a president who has had love affairs because of his weakness of loving women anyday over a president who loves to kill and wage war. I cannot believe what America is becoming..There are truly bad times..
America's war on the web
America's war on the web
While the US remains committed to hunting down al-Qaeda operatives, it is now taking the battle to new fronts. Deep within the Pentagon, technologies are being deployed to wage the war on terror on the internet, in newspapers and even through mobile phones. Investigations editor Neil Mackay reports
IMAGINE a world where wars are fought over the internet; where TV broadcasts and newspaper reports are designed by the military to confuse the population; and where a foreign armed power can shut down your computer, phone, radio or TV at will.
In 2006, we are just about to enter such a world. This is the age of information warfare, and details of how this new military doctrine will affect everyone on the planet are contained in a report, entitled The Information Operations Roadmap, commissioned and approved by US secretary of defence Donald Rumsfeld and seen by the Sunday Herald.
The Pentagon has already signed off $383 million to force through the document’s recommendations by 2009. Military and intelligence sources in the US talk of “a revolution in the concept of warfare”. The report orders three new developments in America’s approach to warfare:
Firstly, the Pentagon says it will wage war against the internet in order to dominate the realm of communications, prevent digital attacks on the US and its allies, and to have the upper hand when launching cyber-attacks against enemies.
Secondly, psychological military operations, known as psyops, will be at the heart of future military action. Psyops involve using any media – from newspapers, books and posters to the internet, music, Blackberrys and personal digital assistants (PDAs) – to put out black propaganda to assist government and military strategy. Psyops involve the dissemination of lies and fake stories and releasing information to wrong-foot the enemy.
Thirdly, the US wants to take control of the Earth’s electromagnetic spectrum, allowing US war planners to dominate mobile phones, PDAs, the web, radio, TV and other forms of modern communication. That could see entire countries denied access to telecommunications at the flick of a switch by America.
Freedom of speech advocates are horrified at this new doctrine, but military planners and members of the intelligence community embrace the idea as a necessary development in modern combat.
Human rights lawyer John Scott, who chairs the Scottish Centre for Human Rights, said: “This is an unwelcome but natural development of what we have seen. I find what is said in this document to be frightening, and it needs serious parliamentary scrutiny.”
Crispin Black – who has worked for the Joint Intelligence Committee, and has been an Army lieutenant colonel, a military intelligence officer, a member of the Defence Intelligence Staff and a Cabinet Office intelligence analyst who briefed Number 10 – said he broadly supported the report as it tallied with the Pentagon’s over-arching vision for “full spectrum dominance” in all military matters.
“I’m all for taking down al-Qaeda websites. Shutting down enemy propaganda is a reasonable course of action. Al-Qaeda is very good at [information warfare on the internet], so we need to catch up. The US needs to lift its game,” he said.
This revolution in information warfare is merely an extension of the politics of the “neoconservative” Bush White House. Even before getting into power, key players in Team Bush were planning total military and political domination of the globe. In September 2000, the now notorious document Rebuilding America’s Defences – written by the Project for the New American Century (PNAC), a think-tank staffed by some of the Bush presidency’s leading lights – said that America needed a “blueprint for maintaining US global pre-eminence, precluding the rise of a great power-rival, and shaping the international security order in line with American principles and interests”.
The PNAC was founded by Dick Cheney, the vice-president; Donald Rumsfeld, the defence secretary; Bush’s younger brother, Jeb; Paul Wolfowitz, once Rumsfeld’s deputy and now head of the World Bank; and Lewis Libby, Cheney’s former chief of staff, now indicted for perjury in America.
Rebuilding America’s Defences also spoke of taking control of the internet. A heavily censored version of the document was released under Freedom of Information legislation to the National Security Archive at George Washington University in the US.
The report admits the US is vulnerable to electronic warfare. “Networks are growing faster than we can defend them,” the report notes. “The sophistication and capability of … nation states to degrade system and network operations are rapidly increasing.”
T he report says the US military’s first priority is that the “department [of defence] must be prepared to ‘fight the net’”. The internet is seen in much the same way as an enemy state by the Pentagon because of the way it can be used to propagandise, organise and mount electronic attacks on crucial US targets. Under the heading “offensive cyber operations”, two pages outlining possible operations are blacked out.
Next, the Pentagon focuses on electronic warfare, saying it must be elevated to the heart of US military war planning. It will “provide maximum control of the electromagnetic spectrum, denying, degrading, disrupting or destroying the full spectrum of communications equipment … it is increasingly important that our forces dominate the electromagnetic spectrum with attack capabilities”. Put simply, this means US forces having the power to knock out any or all forms of telecommunications on the planet.
After electronic warfare, the US war planners turn their attention to psychological operations: “Military forces must be better prepared to use psyops in support of military operations.” The State Department, which carries out US diplomatic functions, is known to be worried that the rise of such operations could undermine American diplomacy if uncovered by foreign states. Other examples of information war listed in the report include the creation of “Truth Squads” to provide public information when negative publicity, such as the Abu Ghraib torture scandal, hits US operations, and the establishment of “Humanitarian Road Shows”, which will talk up American support for democracy and freedom.
The Pentagon also wants to target a “broader set of select foreign media and audiences”, with $161m set aside to help place pro-US articles in overseas media.
Like 70% of America, I have BES sm
(Bush Exasperation Syndrome), same with Congress. I am active in trying to do something about it though. Tommy Chong has common sense, and Paris is just the art of distraction day in and day out by the media to keep people from paying attention to the real issues. Sure wish people would wake up. Real news: 3,682 dead US soliders. Very sad photo from Rosie's blog. http://www.rosie.com/blog/files/headers/53_large_4mkep2w-1.jpg
And that is what America is all about....
finding common ground. I agree also with your points here...and I am not 100% on McCain, there are some issues there too. But he comes way closer to what I think is good for the country than Obama does, and that has to be my main concern in this election. Because of the Dem stand on abortion and spending and many other things, it would be difficult to vote for a Dem anyway who was hard line. Now you take Zell Miller...there is a Democrat I could love. Old school conservative Democrat like a lot of my family. God bless'em. Their party has left them behind. :)
america first
There is no way we can put the world on our shoulders anymore.
That's what America needs!!!
To be yelled at to wake up!!!!!
Maybe you should go back to American Idol, Dancing with the Stars and Survivor and keep focused on those mind-numbing brainless shows for the brain dead while the country goes down the tubes.
As more people lose their jobs and as others' insurance premiums rise to become the most expensive monthly expense, the "majority" may find themselves unemployed, uninsured and unable to afford health insurance.
I became ill six years ago with a disease for which there is no cure, and I've kept trying to work, but over these six years, my income has dwindled very dramatically as a result of my illness and frequent hospitalizations. (As of this date, I've grossed less than $800.00 total for the year 2009, compared to the $40,000 to $44,000 I grossed prior to the onset of my illness.) I've been hospitalized twice this year, and when I'm not in the hospital, I'm trying to treat myself at home rather than be in the hospital. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't. I'm on a multitude of drugs (12 total), including a Duragesic pain patch that I wear 24/7. (This drug is 80 to 100 times more potent than morphine.) This, along with other medications I take, is very expensive. I'm fortunate enough to get most of my medications for free from the manufacturers' patient assistance programs. The others I can find on Walmart's list. The ones that I can't, I'm able to use a little card that I printed from the internet for free, and I receive a pretty substantial discount. (I believe anyone can get one of these; it's called a PS Card. In case you need one, the web address is: http://www.pscard.com/)
In addition, I've recently been diagnosed with major depression (I wonder why!), as well as PTSD (for other personal reasons), and I'm at the point where I'm eligible for and am applying for Medicaid benefits. I can't even begin to describe the shame I feel, since I've worked for 40 of my 56 years on this planet, and I know that eventually, my employer is going to fire me for my lack of production. (So far, she's been very kind and understanding and lets me work when I can.) But I've always been healthy, and I've always been easily able to pay my bills, including my health insurance. The thought that I may now be on the government "dole" is a very disappointing thought for someone who has always worked and has always been independent. Since becoming ill, I've lost my health insurance, my car and even my phone. I'm now barely able to pay my cable internet bill and am jeopardy of losing that, as well. If that happens, then my job will be gone. I certainly need that job much more than my employer needs me at this point, because that job is the only source of self-esteem I have remaining in my life, even though I know my contribution is less than minimal.
Since my initial diagnosis, I lost my health insurance when it rose from $622 to $711 a month. Before being forced to cancel my insurance, I called around to a few insurance companies and was literally laughed at and told there was no way I'd be insured by ANY company with my preexisting condition of pancreatitis. (This was before they discovered I have cystic fibrosis, the cause of the pancreatitis, so I'm now forever uninsurable by for-profit insurance companies.)
I just saw the doctor yesterday, and there's now a lump on my abdomen. He says if it's there a month from now, I need to see a surgeon. (I promised him that it WON'T BE.) That's where I draw the line. If I have no insurance, then NO SURGEONS AND NO SURGERY. Same reason I haven't had a mammogram. If they find something, I just can't deal with incurring astronomic medical bills that I can't possibly pay. We all have to go sometime, and if I'm in that position, then I'll just have to go because quality of life is an important issue, as well, and being hit with bill after bill after bill that can't possibly be paid can seriously destroy anyone's quality of life.
I used to feel like a lot of you on this board feel. However, I'm walking in different shoes now, and that has certainly changed my opinion and forced me to understand how others may be forced to live -- forced -- not through any choice of their own. Though I wouldn't wish "my shoes" on my worst enemy, if I could wave a magic wand and just have someone walk in these shoes for a very brief time, it might help others to understand that there are two sides to every story. If my application for Medicaid is accepted, I will be both relieved and ashamed at the same time, but I just might live longer.
This is the time America comes together.
We roll up our sleeves, and roll up our pant legs and we get in there and help. We know that God is great and prayer never wasted. We lend a helping hand and we volunteer. We contribute to charities. We got and help rebuild. We sink in the mud and we come out victorious. What we don't do is blame our President, make excuses for victims who shoot at their rescuers, who are now also patrolling the streets in full body armour with assault weapons raping women. What is WRONG with you? What has happened to this country that people like you are posting things like this. I must say, I am speechless at your impropriety and lack of willingness to do anything but place blame. Shame on you all!
Wake up America
America is becoming a shadow what it once was. Time to clean house from the president down to our state representative. Whether you be Republican or Democrat we need to get new blood in our government. Everyone needs to get out and vote and remember all of these tragedies. Time has a way of healing and being amnesiac at the poles, remember, always remember.
Below 40%, OMG, America is finally *getting it*
September 10th, 2005 11:57 am President's Approval Rating Dips Below 40
President Bush's job approval has dipped below 40 percent for the first time in the AP-Ipsos poll, reflecting widespread doubts about his handling of gasoline prices and the response to Hurricane Katrina.
Nearly four years after Bush's job approval soared into the 80s after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Bush was at 39 percent job approval in an AP-Ipsos poll taken this week. That's the lowest since the the poll was started in December 2003.
The public's view of the nation's direction has grown increasingly negative as well, with nearly two-thirds now saying the country is heading down the wrong track.
you are innocent until proven guilty? DeLay says it a political vendetta. Who knows, let's let is play out. And I wouldn't be so smug about wrongdoings on the right...There are plenty of those skeletons in the Democrat's closet to last us a lifetime. Remember Ken Starr? Of course THAT was an attempt to destroy a man, but of course THIS can only be wrongdoing by a Republican. Don't embarress yourselves just yet.
Hope we won't hear too much whining about innocent until proven guilty however - DeLay's indictment spells it right out and despite his predictable claims of witch hunt and fanatic partisan vendetta, there really doesn't seem to be any question about what happened. They have the check copies and they have the testimony. So yes, we have to wait for the formal sentencing after the facts have been heard by the Grand Jury - but there is no other side to the story so far as I can see, and no alternate explanation possible about what happened.
In the court of public opinion, DeLay is dead meat. Sweet.
marks the location of current message within thread
and elected an intelligent, articulate, fair minded, honest man as their leader in a time when he was needed most, after 8 years of a dishonest "it is all about me and mine and too bad for the rest of you" mentality (remember the Bush quote-"some call you rich, I call you my base"). I think if some of you would give the man some time you will find he is a great man and a very good leader. For heavens' sake, you gave Bush 8 years, even with his ever growing pile of screw ups, lies, and messes that we are having to clean up now-give Obama an honest chance instead of the closeminded, knee jerk negativity. 
