lynnsrants

About Parenting: messed-up parenting

2010-03-23T09:56:00.001-07:00

The blog has still moved to http://lynnsrants.com but as some still come here to read - I want to let you know about my newest e-book and contest.

You can buy it or enter a contest to win a copy.

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Read to bottom for contest and rules for winning a copy in the

Honor your tax deduction contest

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Can you mess up in your parenting and still have great kids?

Of course you can!

Parenting is not a science but if you know about child development and read this book - you'll realize you can do it with

less anxiety and much less guilt.

Buy online at e-junkie VIA PAYPAL

Only $9.97 [USD] for an instant pdf file download

99 pages packed with useful information

Buy it here:

FYI - you do not need a paypal account to use paypal

YOU CAN TOTALLY SCREW UP AS A MOM AND STILL RAISE GREAT KIDS

If I, a Developmental Psychologist with an expertise in early childhood, messed up – why should you expect to be perfect?

And while the title is directed at mommies; all I have to say here is meant for daddies too. In most homes still, yet, whatever; mommies are the major child caretakers.

This book was written to hopefully help alleviate the guilt that parents feel before during and after raising their child.

caveats - please be sure to read

If you are a person who thinks daddy or mommy is not to be questioned - do not buy this book - you will be offended..I also have a New York style sense of humor [sarcastic and odd] so if that offends you - please do not buy my book...you'll be unhappy.

Excerpts

From the Introduction

Another parenting book? Yup!

But this one is different – why? Because I am writing it and I have great ideas that I don’t mind sharing with anyone who asks and even with those who do not ask! And at 70 years of age I am entitled to say what I want .

I’ve long been a Dr. Seuss fan and love this:

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

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For those who don't know me, I have been in the field of Developmental Psychology since the early 60's when I entered graduate school. I was a college professor, wrote a few text books and edited a life span series. Now I want to get information out in a more readable and less paper intensive fashion so I am authoring e-books about psychological development.

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Conversation with my son

My son read the manuscript, of course, and so I asked him for comments.

First he said he did not remember all that I wrote about his early years but he was sure I was accurate about them...

What he did recall was that he felt I was unique because he had a say in decision-making and some of his friends seemed not to have that say. Not that we did as he suggested but that his voice was heard. I was not a totalitarian!

He still calls me his “parental unit” and said that while he is not all that keen on my writing about parenting him, “it’s my life and whether or not I like it, you were there too.”

Yes he has known this book was in the works and has hinted that he may comments to make if I do the parenting teen one.

[not so sure I want to hear those comments again ]

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This is an honest, thought provoking, informative, inspiring book!

The exercises are great for self-reflection/examination, and the writing is very accessible. This book will help many new and veteran parents better understand their children - even if you are not a parent this book will help you understand children and their worlds.

Well done! This is amazingly awesome :)

Rabbi Shai Specht

RabbiShai.com

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You can buy it here now

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from Chapter 1

Lynn’s take on family labels

I hate the term “broken” family. No family is broken. Families are all different. Broken implies a negative that may or may not be there – much as a family that stays married can be either a positive or negative environment. Marriage and divorce are not the biggest factors that define the quality of a family.

The same goes for adopted children – they dislike being asked about their “real” parents when one means the birth parents. The real parents are the ones raising them.

I felt this way before I had a child and I certainly came to dislike the labels more after his father and I divorced. We may have been dysfunctional – but we were not ‘broken.”

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It's excellent. I wish there'd been something like it when I was raising mine.

She pulls no punches. Straight to the point. Hope parents buy it.

She deserves to be heard.

Mara

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from Chapter 6 Behaving

To behavior “properly,” that is in accordance with the rules of one’s culture,
people need to know what the rules are. Then they can distinguish right
from wrong.

But, and as they say this is a big but, they also need to want to act in
the correct way and they need the ability to control themselves.

So ask – can young children even be considered as having morality or being
capable of behaving in the adult definition of these terms?

I think not.

The start of this process of moral development and behaving is the ability to
put yourself in the place of another - and that’s a high level cognitive
concept.

I’ve written before that cognitive growth is at the root, so to speak, of all
development – and here it is again. You need a certain amount of complex
cognitive ability to behave in what we call a moral fashion.

But being moral is not the same as being well behaved. In fact many of what
we call “well behaved” children are only behaving out of fear. An older study
indicated that scaring children into behaving as the adult wishes them to
behave tends to result in the behavior only happening when that adult is
around.

For example – if a parent threatens or scares a child about crossing streets –
that child is more likely to look around for the parent – and NOT look at the
traffic. The same can be true for school behaviors. “Well behaved” children
tend to be loved by teachers but it does not mean the child is sitting there
learning academic material – they may be sitting there with all their thoughts
focused on keeping still because they were scared into thinking that was
“correct.” This behavior takes up a lot of mental energy – energy that is not
going toward learning school material.

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From Hayley in Perth

http://allthingswomen.blogspot.com/

You just never know where your words are going to end up!
I was on Twitter chatting with a friend and I told her about my daughter and something she had said when she was a young child. She'd drawn a picture of the family but her younger sister was missing from the picture. When asked where she was, she replied with a very serious face, "She's still in the pencil, silly." We all erupted in laughter because she was such a funny little thing.

Well, Dr Lynn Dorman Phd, an American Psychologist was in the process of writing her e-book, "You can totally screw up as a mom and still raise great kids!" She sent me a direct message asking if she could use that quote in her e-book.

Well, surprise, surprise, her e-book is finished and there is Sarah's quote on Page 84.

I love the thought that a 70 year old woman would take the time to share her wisdom with the younger generations. There is just something very special about our Elders and it touches my heart when they desire to reach out and pass on what they know.

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Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction
Chapter 1 Before We Talk Babies And Children Let’s Talk “Uniqueness”
Chapter 2 Okay Now Let’s Talk Babies
Chapter 3 Early Infancy
Chapter 4 Infancy 1-3
Chapter 5 Those Developmental Tasks
Chapter 6 Behaving - What On Earth Does That Mean?
Chapter 7 Putting It All Together And Taking It On The Road
Chapter 8 Those “Pesky” Other “Things” That Raise Your Children
Chapter 9 Conclusion

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You Can Buy the Book Right Here:

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Or you can enter the

Honor your tax deduction contest.

Win a free copy of You Can Totally Screw Up As A Mom And Still Raise Great Kids

How?

Write a short vignette about the ways in which you screwed up as a parent and how your kid came out okay anyway.

Or write a short vignette about how your own parents screwed up raising you and how you turned out fine.

All entries must be emailed to contest@parenting201.org and sent in by April 24^th at 9PM PDT

[This allows the last-minute tax doers to have time to write theirs]

By submitting an entry you are agreeing that what you write and submit can be posted on the website http://parenting201.org and possibly be used, with attribution, in other written formats.

A panel of judges will read all the entries and one daddy and one mommy winner will be chosen by Mother’s Day 2010 [May 9^th]

Go and have fun writing.

BLOG HAS MOVED

2009-09-25T15:05:00.000-07:00

I have moved most of my blogs to WordPress and this one can be found at lynnsrants.com

If you were subscribed to this blog - you will need to re-subscribe [I think] after I set up all the plugins

Learning WordPress was not an easy task but enjoyed the exercise when I was not frustrated by all the possibilities and forgetting to click on a few thingies.

Laughing at Job Loss

2009-09-22T08:08:00.000-07:00

It isn't just South Carolina and Minnesota that have Reps who keep us laughing - add Georgia to that fold.

That Gingrey finds it funny that 14,000 a day lose jobs [and health insurance] shows you exactly what these Republics think of anyone but themselves. See - it's the job loss that's funny and the FACT that your insurance goes along with your job is a secondary issue - not a main issue.

Why we ever tied insurance to jobs is a long story but it now needs to end - it's is a form of servitude.

Hate your job? Too bad! HA HA HA

Low wages but decent health insurance? We gotcha stuck here for life! HA HA HA

Got a health issue? Now you re really stuck because if you change jobs that's a pre-existing condition making you unrecoverable

Hey State of Georgia - you deserve better - fire this guy and find someone who doesn't laugh at your misfortunes.

Ted Kennedy; Boston and my political life

2009-09-06T15:43:00.000-07:00

I moved to Boston in 1963 when Teddy Kennedy was a new Senator. Not having been very politically active in New York, I quickly jumped in the political frays of the '60s in large part due to my friend/professor Freda, who died in July. and the Kennedys who were my President and my Senator [although I remained a registered NYer for a while.] And I lived for years on Francis Street, near where Teddy's funeral mass was recently held.

Even after I left Massachusetts I continued to write to Ted Kennedy about political issues as I felt he truly represented ME! No other Senator or Representative since has come close to being "my" person in Congress and that is a sad commentary on the current crop of politicians. [But I have ranted about the state of being a DC insider elsewhere.]

So Teddy's funeral marked a weird kind of ending in my life. My political gurus and motivators both died this summer and I am left to wonder who will take their places for the up and coming generations ready and willing to jump into a fray.

Yes we have the ideologues ready to feed lies to a new generation and teach them to yell and scream louder than anyone else - but that's not a way to solve problems; only a way to create more. We have alleged liberals who sell their souls for corporate donations and vote for legislation that their Masters wish for.

Hopefully some energized people will come into politics and become the "new" progressives.

Guns, Guns and More Guns

2009-08-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

After living in D.C. for a long time I grew to hate guns. They give their "owners" a sense of superiority in that they seem to think the gun in and of itself gives them power and makes what they say more "right" and what people like me say more "wrong." A gun does not have that power; but to hear the gun totters - might does make right - true in the sense that it's making the rabid right wingers more right [wing - not correct.]

Frank Rich has a great column today called The Guns of August. He says and quotes:

... the biggest contributor to this resurgence of radicalism remains panic in some precincts about a new era of cultural and demographic change. As the sociologist Daniel Bell put it, “What the right as a whole fears is the erosion of its own social position, the collapse of its power, the increasing incomprehensibility of a world — now overwhelmingly technical and complex — that has changed so drastically within a lifetime.”

Bell write that in 1962 - but the Republican party today is in more dire straits - it's become a white southern group of scared persons who do not value public or liberal arts education and who refuse to listen. All they know is how to cause fear and to out shout reason - and the ones who represent them in congress go along with this and give them credence.

Why I was not here

2009-08-18T09:18:00.000-07:00

A few days after my last post a good friend [actually my best friend] had a leg amputated due to gangrene. She seemed to re doing fine by the weekend and then went downhill rapidly and died on July 20th.

I then helped, with several others, to call mutual friends and tell them about her death and 2 planned memorial services. It was hard as I was re-connecting with other old friends with whom I lost contact over my last 2 moves and we had long conversations about past present and future.

Why does it usually take a death to make people who like each other re-connect? And now I am planning a trip to visit these old friends.

Of course nothing is normal weather wise this year so we in Portland where 90 is a rare event had a 10 day stretch of a brutal heat wave and I get heat exhaustion...and during those days me, the dog, cat and computer were all laying low and being very still. I don't have AC - very few in the Pacific Northwest do. Hard for me to get my political brain working under the conditions of grief and heat...

Stay tuned - I will resume as there is so much to say!

MoveOn Energy Sticker

2009-07-10T10:34:00.001-07:00

Want a free sticker to support clean energy? It's designed by Shepard Fairey, the acclaimed artist who created the iconic Obama 'HOPE' poster. And MoveOn's giving them away totally free--even the shipping's free.

I just got mine. Click this link to get your free sticker:

http://pol.moveon.org/energystickers/?id=-4096028-XO3oB6x&rc=paste.orig_email

Thanks!

The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies

2009-07-04T06:04:00.000-07:00

Note: I have posted this for the last few years and this year a different section is red because we have a new President. We need to remind President Obama and the persons in Congress about this year's red section.

I know this is not the Constitution but it is one of the founding documents upon which we all place so much reliance!

All are created equal [all colors, races, sexes and sexual preferences] and we all have rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

For me and many others - all means all - all does not mean some !! And those right? Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness ? By my accounting it includes the right to health and health care because without that - one does not have life or happiness - and it means a livable wage - again with out that one can not pursue happiness.

Yes the Supreme Court has ruled corporations are persons - but no where does that give them more and more of our resources [including human resources] and the "right" to make obscene profits at the expense of the people! If they want to be considered as persons, they need to join in humanity and help the country - not just help their CEOS and shareholders!

Enough ranting - enjoy your day and go out and save the world [or just your little corner of it]

The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies

In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. —Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain [George III] is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us, in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

The signers of the Declaration represented the new states as follows:
New Hampshire
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts
John Hancock, Samual Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

More Beef Recalls due to E.coli

2009-06-28T18:04:00.000-07:00

CHICAGO (Reuters) – A Colorado meat company is expanding a recall of beef due to possible contamination by E.coli O157:H7 bacteria after an investigation found 18 illnesses may be linked to the meat, the company and the U.S. Agriculture Department said on Sunday.

Greeley, Colorado-based JBS-Swift Beef Co is voluntarily expanding its June 24 recall to include about 380,000 lbs of assorted beef products, for a total recall of about 421,000 lbs, USDA and the company said.

Full article: http://bit.ly/Q35sr

Will we ever again have a period of time without some food being recalled for some contamination? I'm old enough to remember the days before big agra when you knew where your food came from and what was in it. Today? One takes ones chances when buying food.

I eat kosher meat as it is least likely to be "bad." I also try to buy as local as I can so as to help independent farms and the businesses that carry their foods. Here in Portland we are lucky that we have such places - coops, farmers markets and stores that carry locally produced food. We can also go directly to some growers to pick our own or buy directly.

Big agra does not want us to know what is in our food or where it comes from - because we would gag! It's not food anymore - it's engineered "stuff."

It's bad enough that we killed the soil and food is less nutritious than it ever was - but we contaminate it with fertilizer and who-know-what and it's literally killing us.

From Color of Change

2009-06-25T18:30:00.000-07:00

Color of Change website: http://www.colorofchange.org

Dear Friends,

President Obama is trying to reform our broken health care system, which has left more than 45 million Americans uninsured^[1] and millions more with insurance that won't provide the treatment they need.^[2]

Some in Congress are with Obama. But the insurance industry, with help from Republicans^[3] and so-called centrist Democrats,^[4] is leading the charge to kill a key part of his plan -- a government-run insurance plan that would increase the number of Americans covered, called the "public option." Industry groups are spending millions -- $35 million in lobbying costs alone^[5] -- to convince people that they won't be able to choose their doctor, that government will be making their medical decisions, that they'd be forced to take the government's plan, and that the plan is part of some socialist plot -- all lies. In reality, the insurance industry is trying to protect its enormous profits on the backs of everyday people.

For Black folks, the stakes couldn't be higher: we are twice as likely as Whites to be uninsured, we have more than double the rate of infant mortality, we face more than twice the rate of diabetes-related deaths than Whites -- and the list goes on.^[6]

While the fight rages in Washington, our voices are simply not at the table. That's why I've joined ColorOfChange.org in telling Congress that every person in this country should have equal access to affordable health care, regardless of race, income, or any other factor. Will you join me? It only takes a moment:

http://www.colorofchange.org/health/?id=1649-602884

Americans understand the idea of the public option and overwhelmingly support it -- three out of four people want the federal government to offer insurance coverage.^[7,8] But powerful lobbying groups like America's Health Insurance Plans, Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America, and the American Medical Association -- representing the insurance industry, the drug industry, and doctors -- are doing everything in their power to maintain the status quo.^[9]

Several organizations have pushed back, including MoveOn.org -- a key partner of ours in this fight -- but it will take all of us standing up if we want to win.

A public option makes sense for the country as a whole, and it makes particularly good sense for Black folks. Many of us make too much to qualify for Medicaid but either aren't eligible for or aren't adequately covered by private, employer-based plans. Overall, 21% of Blacks are uninsured, compared to 12% of Whites.^[10]

We need a public insurance option, but that's not the only thing we should be fighting for. We need to push for equity in all aspects of our approach to health care. Every community deserves quality medical treatment, research and resources. That's not what we're getting now, and the numbers prove it:

22% of Black women say cost keeps them away from the doctor's office, compared to 15% of White women ^[11]
Black women have the highest rates of new AIDS cases, cancer mortality, obesity and low-weight infants of any ethnic or racial group ^[12]
There are 13.6 Black infant deaths per 1,000 live births, compared to 5.7 White infant deaths per 1,000 live births ^[13]
There are 47 Black deaths from diabetes-related illness per 100,000 people, compared to 22.5 White deaths per 100,000 people ^[14]
There are 60.1 new AIDS cases per 100,000 people among Blacks, compared to 6.7 new cases per 100,000 people among Whites ^[15]

Our opportunity to address the disparities that keep too many of us from enjoying long, healthy lives is now.

Please join me in telling our lawmakers that the first step toward improving our health care system is including a public plan that makes good health something everyone can afford:

http://www.colorofchange.org/health/?id=1649-602884

Thanks.

References:

1. http://www.kff.org/uninsured/7806.cfm
2. http://tinyurl.com/n2f3k7
3. http://tinyurl.com/l4ndwv
4. http://tinyurl.com/m5h8y7
5. http://tinyurl.com/m59ur5
6. http://www.kff.org/minorityhealth/upload/7633-02.pdf
7. http://tinyurl.com/mpo97j
8. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/06/19/opinion/polls/main5098517.shtml
9. http://tinyurl.com/lxpm3v
10. See #6
11. http://www.kff.org/minorityhealth/upload/7886ES.pdf
12. Ibid.
13. See #6
14. Ibid.
15. Ibid.

Additional resources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/us/politics/14cong.html?_r=1
http://www.slate.com/id/2220534/pagenum/all/

Iran, USA and Twitter

2009-06-23T07:31:00.000-07:00

In the past weeks much has happened on Twitter with and about the Iranian elections.

if Many of us greened our avatars in support of Iranians and we also commented on what might have happened if Twitter had existed in 2000 or 2004. Imagine the outpouring of tweets about the stolen election in Florida, the lack of backbones in democrats who refused to stand up to boss bush and his legal threat team in Florida.

If we had had more support and a way to communicate quickly - maybe the world would be very different right now [or maybe not] - we'll never know.

And 2004 - what if we had been able to tweet about Ohio all day - the election problems there - missing ballots, early closing, lack of machines when it was known they would be needed, long lines and hacked black boxes - with UberRepug Ken Blackwell in charge of the Ohio voting!

We would not have wanted interference from other countries - but we would have welcomed the emotional support and proxies had the bush admin shut down some ISPs or whatever it is the Iranian government is doing!

We could have take the the streets and still been in touch via our cell phones - limited as they were back then.

So why is Iran happening? I think the citizens there saw what happened here with 8 years of bush corruption, cronyism and lack of oversight of anything.

They saw the havoc that bush wrought with his additional 4 stolen years and they don't want 4 more years of Ahmadinejad...

The USA serves as an example of what happen you calmly accept fraudulent elections and allow corruption and illegality to go on unabated. Negative examples are as powerful learning tools as positive ones.

The world is still paying for our 8 years and Iranians look at us and do not wish to add to the mess in the world.

Comments?

Sen. Pat Leahy at UDC School of Law

2009-06-13T20:28:00.000-07:00

Sen. Pat Leahy is giving this year's Joseph L Rauh, Jr. Lecture at the UDC School of Law.

The lecture is Tuesday June 16th at 9:30 AM [breakfast at 8:30 AM]

Window Room Building 38
4200 Connecticut Ave. NW

Metro Red Line

RSVP 202-274-7349

Or - you can register online until June 14th http://www.law.udc.edu/events/event_details.asp?id=63526

Traditional Marriage

2009-06-06T20:41:00.000-07:00

History of traditional marriage:

[warning - don't drink coffee or anything while watching or protect your keyboard:D]

In D.C. On June 16th? You are invited!

2009-06-04T11:51:00.001-07:00

Please Join us for the 17th Annual

Joseph L. Rauh, Jr. Lecture by

Sen. Pat Leahy

Chair, U.S. Senate Judiciary

Committee

Introduction by Wade Henderson, President,

Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and

Rauh Professor of Public Interest Law.

Tuesday, June 16

8:30 am Breakfast; 9:30 am Program

Admission is free

UDC David A. Clarke School of Law

Window Room, Building 38, 2nd Floor

4200 Connecticut Avenue, NW

Underground Parking off Van Ness St.

Metro Red Line: Van Ness/UDC

R.S.V.P. 202-274-7349 or at

http://www.law.udc.edu/event/RauhLecture2009

Home Grown Terrorism

2009-06-01T08:33:00.001-07:00

During the 8 years of the bush/cheney fear mongering about Al Qaeda and Iraq - we took our eyes off the home grown terrorists. Why? Because they are of the same ilk as bush/cheney and so were not looked at as serious threats - besides the home grown terrorists had allies in the white house and congress.

Now that Obama is President - the American terrorists feel free to terrorize. They inhabit spaces like twitter and send out nasty comments on sites and blogs. They feel very free to spew their terror - which basically is to threaten to maim and kill anyone who disagrees with them. And yesterday one of these terrorists assassinated a physician in Kansas.

These terrorists need to be called terrorists because that's what they are. Yesterday and today they are cheering the fact that Tiller was assassinated - this from terrorists who call themselves "pro-life." What gall.

The terrorists who don't understand that we still have separation of church and state would have us all follow their version of religion - distorted as it is with ideas that killing is pro-life.

Sorry but you can not force your religious views on me or on any one else....You, of course, are entitled to your own religious views - but your freedom to follow as you choose stops where my freedom to chose my own views begins. We can differ and discuss - but only if you are willing to do so.

Assassinating people who disagree with you makes you a terrorist like the Taliban and Al Qaeda - who by the way, like you, use terror to force people to their religious and political points of view.

Lastly - In spite of your choice of words there is no such thing as an abortion doctor. There are health providers who perform abortions and they do so for medical reasons. And IT IS LEGAL!

Maybe you all ought to go to Guantanamo since you seem to think it's such a neat place to be.

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

It's been too long since I have posted here but that does not mean the brain has shut down. In fact it's been busy on other writing projects and I have learned that I can't finish all at the same time...my brain just is not like that...and so politics took a back seat to psychology.

What got my brain back to politics was a torrent of tears last night as I watched the Memorial Day concert from D.C. The story of the family whose son lost most of his brain got me and from that point to the end I sobbed.
When we lived in D.C., my son and I, along with friends, always went to the Memorial Day concert - ditto the 4th of July and Labor Day concerts. They were picnics on the lawn, kids climbing trees, music and good food.

We left D.C. in '96 and things have changed since then and last night's concert was certainly an example of that. It was more somber than any I have seen on tv since I left D.C. and also in that period of time I was a military mommy for 8 years.

I think all women and most men cry at the loss of a child - it happened in the 40's 50's 60's and 70's during WWII, Korea and Vietnam - and it still happens. I have been weeping for those lost in war and other conflicts since WWII when my dad was in the military. Both my dad and son were fine and were never in harms way - for which I was/am selfishly happy. But I had a stomach ache/ongoing worry for 8 years when my son was in and wondered on a daily basis if he'd be sent into war - especially after Sept 11, 2001. We, as parents, are never supposed to outlive our babies - it's not part of our psyches.

And so last night and still today - I weep for those mommies and daddies who have lost their children and for those children who have lost their mommies and daddies...and for those who lost husbands, wives and partners.

I hate that those who never served are so fast to send other people's children off to die in undeclared wars. This has been true since WWII - the last war that was actually declared by Congress. And not only did they never serve - death personified cheney got many deferrals - he really really actively did not want to go...but he's still making the media rounds with his war mongering.

To quote George McGovern: "I'm fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in."

Do not spend the day celebrating war or conflict - spend it in sober reflection about those who died and those who are wounded....and hug your kids.

Two must watch videos: Obama and Sykes

2009-05-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

These are from the 2009 White House Correspondents' Dinner via C-Span [thank you thank you]

PRESIDENT Barack Obama http://cli.gs/SR7A01

Comic Wanda Sykes http://cli.gs/HYZ6m2

Save the links - you'll want to listen to Sykes again and again

How nice to have a president with a real sense of humor - who can poke fun at himself, his staff and at Republics :D

And kudos to Wanda Sykes - who hits it out of the park with her edginess!

Mustard Lovers - Unite!

2009-05-09T11:20:00.000-07:00

I can not believe the amount of nonsensical blabbering the wingnuts are dong about Obama's preference for Dijon mustard instead of ketchup.

My guess is that with Obama's ratings so high they need to invent faux news for their faux noise network in an attempt to keep a frenzy going among the wingnuts.

But seriously people - mustard ? ketchup? get a life....go do something useful.

These fundits support a group of white christian men who can only look backwards - so they latch on to any trivial excuse to knock Obama and his supporters. They remind me of the ugly American tourist who thinks that by screaming English at someone who does not understand the language is the way to make them understand the language. I once saw this in action in Mexico and I see it now with the wingnuts. They say the group is not conservative enough, the tax cuts for the wealthy were not big enough and that if they yell longer and louder for their principles - all American will come to understand what they are saying - mustard and all :D

Hey wingnuts - we had an election about those ideas you look back upon YOU LOST ! [and you'll lose the mustard war too]

Belated opining on non-dialogues

2009-04-30T13:21:00.000-07:00

My last post was the day before "teabagger" day. I think the rhetoric I saw and read that day turned me off and made me ponder if there was any reason to post what was in my mind.

It usually doesn't take much for me to speak or write my mind but I was trying to give more serious thought about the non-dialogue between most Republicans and the rest of us. I am still conjuring and writing that essay on my computer and want to do more work on it before posting it here. I want to choose my words more carefully than do the teabag crowd...

To be continued...

Unfair and Unbalanced - Definitely

2009-04-14T09:52:00.000-07:00

Saw this on DailyKos and decided it needed posting here - not just because it shows Faux Noise at their most feverish "hate President Obama" pitch - but in watching a few times - I've noticed the "looks" on the face of Beck...[and well the stupidity of Gingrich which he just keeps documenting]

Either he is auditioning to be the clown of Faux Noise and competing with Falafa Man for something - or he is having some mental issues - or maybe both?

It is worrisome that at least a portion of people still think this is "news" and that it is correct news.... they won't admit to the possibility that they are being lied to and used - more serious mental issues here?

[disclaimer - I am not a licensed professional and am only stating a personal opinion] :D

Faux Noise has Faux Outrage [over an IPod?]

2009-04-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

I wish the unfair and unbalanced "whatever you call them" at Faux Noise did their own google checking like they suggested President Obama should have done - but faux noise are too full of faux to even do that amount of "work." After all - it's much easier to make it up and repeat it all day and get your followers to start yammering about it :D

PS - I'll give you a big hint about the ending [ the Queen asked for the ipod]

Colbert Takes on Beck

2009-04-01T13:37:00.000-07:00

No additional commentary needed - sit back and enjoy

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

The 10/31 Project

comedycentral.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

NASA Name Contest

More from the group of NO

2009-03-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

Same old; same old. All they really wanted to do was make the media swing away from PRESIDENT OBAMA [:-)] this morning.

The group of NO does it again! NO plan, NO anything -just some tired getting old white southern men who like to criticize because they have nothing to say that is worthwhile.

M. Bachmann - No Commentary Needed

2009-03-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

Just watch - especially the faces of those being questioned :D - how they kept from giggling I do not know

[ht Kos/Time

More on D's and R's and Thinking

2009-03-19T15:49:00.000-07:00

Continuing with the discussion of R and D language and thinking styles.... an email to my Twitter pal David Sonnen

Yes Dems are more likely to aggregate - and that is why twitter is so popular among those who quickly get past the what are you doing nonsense. One thought can cross country and political barriers in a mini whatever - [a nanosecond? ] and get reflected and returned. I am learning so much on Twitter - chatted with a guy in Chicago and we discussed WWII and rivers. At the same time I was helping another friend with an attorney referral and making jokes with yet another. Some I know are Dems - some I guess are Dems and the others? It doesn't matter - we communicate well and that's important to me.

The R's are also on Twitter but they still mostly post their bumper sticker thoughts on need only to go to #tcot and laugh.

McCain posted re his 10 worst pork projects and most treated it as a joke. There was an outrage about AIG bonuses and it gathered thoughtful steam on Twitter and on FB solely because we understand aggregation and two-way communicating that is not just shouting at each other - it's real people having real feelings and real thoughts and being able to express them succinctly - a mark in my opinion of intelligence [says she who wrote a very short thesis]

There are R's who "follow me" on Twitter and I ask why. Most then unfollow - but one said she felt we had much in common and we could learn from each other. At least she posts other than bumper sticker thoughts so we have communicated about no -political matters.

Now we have the group of NO telling Obama he ought to stay in DC and tend to the economy instead of going around talking to real US Citizens and I find that funny. The group of NO still has zero idea that D's can walk and chew gum so to speak or multitask and delegate - and then trust those to whom ones delegates...

The group of NO is used to doling out tasks to cronies who are not competent - how odd this new fangled thing called competence must seem to them. But when oyu bow down and worship a drug addict or a dry drunk - your thinking is hampered.

And that's again why Dems can aggregate and R's do sound bites.

The Group of NO

2009-03-08T18:21:00.000-07:00

This group used to be the GOP - Grand Old Party - now they are just old - they are not grand and they are not a party. They are mostly white, mostly southern and mostly addicted to Rush and to the word NO.

Every time President Obama [I'll never get tired of writing those words] has an idea - the group of NO goes on the air and yammers about nothing.

They lack ideas and when you lack ideas you are like the ugly American tourist who feels that yelling loudly in English will get you somewhere when you do not fathom the native language.

The current group of NO is is now saying President Obama should focus on the economy and not stem cell research. Huh? Like they can not be related? Why does one preclude the other?

Only the group of NO can come up with illogical conclusions - maybe that's due to their having lived for so many years under a pResident who could not hang two thoughts together at any one time let alone act on two at the same time.

Lest anyone forgets: democrats believe in education, research, science, citizens, rights, and the ability to think independent thoughts.

The group of NO can only say NO and so we will hear this again and again from the white male southerners in congress who have the letter r by their names.

But Dems are the party of YES - YES WE CAN and YES WE DID and YES WE WILL

Who Controls the R's? A Fun Fight

2009-03-02T16:40:00.001-08:00

Michael Steele, aka the head of the Republican National Committee said that Rush L... was an entertainer..and that he, Steele was the head of the Republican Party.

Ah - but Mr L. called him out on that claim and said he was not - he was only head of the Committee....not the party.

Guess who hung the white I give up flag first? yEs - Mr. Steel called Mr L and apologized...

Now we know definitively that Rush IS the head of the Republican Party and that his dittoheads will continue to make sure that we all know who is in charge !

Talk about internal fighting - the alleged media is not that interested in this - they only pay attention when D's have internal strife...

But I?- I plan on laughing at how they will all kowtow to Rush who will now be calling the shots for the next election cycles....[using that 22% of the population to scream loudly that they represent the American public :D:D:D]

Update with videos: you can't make this stuff up : -)
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19517.html

Guest Post: About communication

2009-03-01T18:51:00.000-08:00

I started a conversation on Twitter with David Sonnen - but as you might know, Twitter only allows 140 characters - so we continued the conversation in emails.

I had asked him, as I have asked you here, why R's behave as they do and continue to advocate their same failed policies to the 22% who still follow them...and ignore the rest of the country.

Comment away readers....

His reply:

Communicating has gotten complicated: Internet, blogs, Twitter, social nets, email, cell phone, eArticles, eJournals, and the occasional face2face... We've just started to fathom the impacts on culture, social structure and cognition. Can we make sense of all this new stuff? Maybe a little.

History, I think, is instructive. Every time folks invent a significant new way to communicate or a significant new way to perceive, human culture changes significantly. Examples. Communications: written language, paper, movable type, telegraph, telephone, radio, television, Internet. Perception: telescope, microscope, chronometer, oscilloscope, x-ray, various tomographies, radar, sonar, genome processing, and a much, much longer list.

Each time one of these new phenomena comes along, a new class of experts arises (E.g.: Scribes for written language and paper). Then, if the invention proves broadly useful, it eventually blends into the invisible cultural infrastructure. Experts become less relevant or change roles. The new exciting/threatening invention becomes "normal". We adapt our common myths and rituals to the new normal, and go on.

Digital communication/ Internet is maturing to the point it's blending into our normal infrastructure. So, we use it to do things that are just normal -- chat, exchange ideas, form communities, gossip, explore each other. (Note: these are all very much 2-way communications.)

We can do these normal, 2-way things with just about anyone, anywhere, any time at velocities close to the speed of light. And, we can use information generated by all manner of extended perceptions. Example: Check out the video at http://www.deepastronomy.com/hubble-deep-field.html .

I think that the next generation will probably have a pretty good handle on all this, but right now, I feel like I'm the other side of Alice's looking glass. (It is quite an interesting and exciting place, but weird.)

This ramble might bring us to the R's situation. Seems to me, that the R's mastered the use of 1-way broadcast media to polarize groups of people around perceived issues. They were quite successful at a simple technique: Stay on message, Ignore problems, Crush dissent. While the technique is ancient, the R's refined the use of broadcast media to appeal to a large mix of people with their simple message -- Regulation is bad, Tax cuts are good, Individuals are better than government at everything, People with other values are evil. They were successful at creating a perceived reality for a long while.

Folks like Rush and Ann Coulter have mastered the R technique and all of its deep cultural appeal. The R message has proven to represent a failed philosophy to about 75% of the people, but that doesn't matter to folks like Rush and Ann. They still have 22% or so who are true believers. And that's one of the R's big problems: 22% is a huge number of customers.

Rush, Ann and associates can whip their 22% into a frenzy over just about anything they want with what you've titled, "vile commentary". Those folks will rant, demonstrate, and contribute to the R cause. They will also listen to the ads on Rush and Ann's programs and buy stuff. Rush and Ann make literally millions selling ads and the R's get an audience that affirms their (failed) philosophy. Everybody is happy and homogeneously on message.

Except, of course, the 75% or so of the public that thinks the Rs and their friends are, at best, irrelevant and at worst, dangerous nut cases.

Now, the D's are starting to understand the powerful difference between 1-way and 2-way digital communications. Also, an important minority of the 75% majority are getting really involved in digital, 2-way politics, quite independently of the D's or the Government. One result, so far, seems to be that the diverse, off-message majority is marginalizing the R gang. Another result is that a bunch of smart folks have risen from apathy to activism.

Bob Dylan sums it up nicely: here
*******
Your thoughts readers? Post a comment

Portland Oregon Readers - Watch POTUS w Friends

2009-02-23T18:37:00.000-08:00

If you enjoyed Inauguration morning - join together again for watching Obama's Speech tomorrow

The President's speech to the joint session of Congress starts tomorrow (Tuesday) at 6:00 PM
(Doesn't it feel good to say "The President" these days?)

Join with other Democrats 5 PM to 9 PM to watch the speech at Krakow Cafe, 3990 N. Interstate Ave, 503-954-2200 www.myspace.krakowkoffee.com

Party-goers can fortify themselves from the televised Republican response, by playing State of the Union "Bingo." After Obama's speech, revelers will get bingo cards to mark any time the GOP speaker refers to "health care," "education," "environment," "HIV-AIDS," or Haliburton."

First ones to scream "Bingo" win prizes.

War on Greed

2009-02-17T10:04:00.000-08:00

From BraveNew Films:

What would you do with an extra $18,000 in your pocket?

That's the amount of extra cash each and every Burger King employee in America would have received last year if Goldman Sachs (one of the fast-food chain's largest owners) had shared its bailout billions with rank-and-file workers. Instead, Goldman Sachs squandered 6.5 billion of our taxpayer dollars on bonuses for their financial staff. These were some of the highest bonuses on Wall Street! Meanwhile, Burger King workers earn wages averaging just $14,000 a year -- well below the federal poverty line for a family of three.

Goldman Sachs has been having it their way with Burger King workers for too long. It's high time you had it your way with Goldman Sachs. Tell the Wall Street giant how they could have used the $6.5 billion blown on bonuses. We're looking for the most creative, constructive, or comical ideas to curb corporate greed and help fix the financial crisis. We will send all ideas to Goldman Sachs as a reprimand for their wastefulness. The winner of the Have It Your Way with Goldman Sachs contest will have their idea featured in our next video. The contest ends March 3.

Portland Area Persons

2009-02-16T11:07:00.000-08:00

Top reasons to go to the Celsi Dinner

7. Suspense: Will John Vandermosten shave his sesquicentennial beard (Oregon's sesquicentennial, his beard) before the Celsi award?

6. Opportunity: Last chance to heckle John Kroger before he gets all Attorney Generally (C'mon bloggers, you know it's more fun the old fashioned way.)

5. Thrills: A chance to hook bump with Steve Novick.

4. Amazement: KC Hanson in a pink boa. (Ok, that one's a maybe.)

3. Fun: There’s plenty of time to be serious the rest of the year.

2. Power: 2% of the entire US Senate. What more do you want???

1. But seriously, here's the top reason: We can't take for granted our successes in the election just past. “Community organizing” doesn't cost a lot of money, but it costs some. We (and by we I mean you) can be the best hub for volunteer political action in the county (maybe the state?). This fundraiser and our monthly donors will make that possible.

The ticket deadline looms. Please buy your tickets by Monday night, or place a frantic call to Susan Silodor Tuesday morning.

What?
Multnomah Democrats' Annual Celsi Dinner. Celsi Award. McCoy Award. Attorney General John (The Hammer) Kroger. Steve (The Hook) Novick. KPOJ's Carl Wolfson. Blue Oregon's Karol Collymore. Fabulous Silent and Live Auction items. Lots of beautiful (and charming!) Democrats. And...

TWO United States Senators from Oregon!! Senior and Junior. Both. All.

When?
Friday, February 20, 2009 (Day 32 of the Post Bush Era), 6:00 PM

Where?

Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder Street, Portland

How do I get tickets?

Click here: https://secure.dpo.org/cgi-bin/d6.pl/multdems/celsi09.html
Or contact Vice Chair Susan Silodor at Celsi@multdems.org

See you there!

What is a job? Reality v. Steele

2009-02-09T20:20:00.000-08:00

Michael Steele, the new head of the repugs, has no idea of what he speaks - it's what we call gobbledegook

It's work? not a job? Huh? I'll bet he has a contract that has some end date. And working for the government is not a job? I have friends who work for the government and they think they have jobs.

And as for jobs created by businesses - they aren't doing so well are they?

Here's a new chart on job losses....note the steepness of the current line

So far it is a youch year!

2009-02-08T19:38:00.000-08:00

and that is not good.....

Salmonella in peanut butter and peanut related products brought to you by a plant that did not care to whom the tainted stuff was sold. And they knew it was tainted....Murder charges please....

Schools looking to close the door because they are facing huge financial crunches. Thank you mr trickle down the toilet shrub.

More unemployed in January than ever before - and more to come as the year goes on. See the chart below for historical comparisons. But we really need to preserve tax cuts for the wealthy as it was such a good idea seeing what great prosperity it led to..

And the wingnuts yammering all over the "tubes" which their fearless leaders don't understand [note - how will they hear you since they don't know how to use the net?] And their problem? They are filled with so much hatred they can not see that 8 years of failed policy led to where we are - they want more failure - in their brain I guess if you hate so much you can't add. Failure plus more failure does not equal success...it adds up to greater failure.

I learned a long time ago that hatred is an emotion that eats away at the one doing the hating in very destructive ways. And if you add that to the wingnut projection syndrome - we will have some very vile commentary coming from the right for the next 4 years.....

I guess when one is so removed from reality it's too long a road back to even try?

For Portland, Or Area Readers

2009-02-03T17:15:00.000-08:00

This week, many of the shelves at Community Warehouse are almost empty!

We are nearly out of the following items:

Pots and Pans
Baking Dishes
Toasters
Dishes
Cooking Utensils
BlanketsTowels
Can you help?

65 low-income households in need of essential items and furniture will visit us this week for assistance. Your donations are needed and appreciated! There's no need to buy new. We accept used items as long as they are in good condition.

We are open every day 10-4 to receive donations. If you need to schedule our truck to pick up furniture, please call (503) 235-8786.

Community Warehouse
2267 N. Interstate Avenue
Portland, OR 97227
(503) 274-4750
www.communitywarehouse.org

Community Warehouse is a local non-profit organization that receives donated basic household items and furniture from individuals and businesses, and gives them to low-income people recovering from crisis such as homeless or domestic violence. Over 65 households are served each week.

Nice to have a father who cares about others kids

2009-02-02T16:13:00.000-08:00

President Obama wants to be sure his kids have safe peanut butter to eat. He does not want to worry. Neither do most of us. The last administration chose to not staff the FDA food inspectors, instead choosing to reduce the number of inspectors.

That's why it is so nice to have a caring parent in the White House - one who sees his own children as reflective of all nations' children - deserving and needing untainted food.

Here is the FDA update list - just for the peanut-related recall - it's very long! http://cli.gs/ZjeYTe

Molly Ivins died 2 years ago today

2009-01-30T21:03:00.000-08:00

We still miss your voice :(

From 1/11/07 - her last column

We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war. Raise hell. Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous. Make our troops know we're for them and trying to get them out of there. Hit the streets to protest Bush's proposed surge. If you can, go to the peace march in Washington on January 27. We need people in the streets, banging pots and pans and demanding, "Stop it, now!"

From an earlier column

Keep fightin' for freedom and justice, beloveds, but don't you forget to have fun doin' it. Lord, let your laughter ring forth. Be outrageous, ridicule the fraidy-cats, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can produce. And when you get through kickin' ass and celebratin' the sheer joy of a good fight, be sure to tell those who come after how much fun it was.

Molly - we heard you loud and clear and did just that; we kicked ass and I'm telling you and all who listen - it sure was fun! We rasied hell, we took action, we spent all year on this and Iraq will end because we have a new President - he's not from Texas - you warned us about that. And we were out banging pots and pasns on Nov 4th of 2008 and again on January 20th 2009.

We sure miss you but your words remain...

Republican Mindset: Explanation Sorely Needed

2009-01-29T16:04:00.000-08:00

In the last few days, weeks, years, and decades I have really tried hard to understand the Republican point of view or mentality and frankly I am at a loss.

For 6 of the last 8 years they controlled the White House, The Senate and the House of Representatives. for more years than that we had to endure a trickle-down theory of economics that kept promising and promoting huge tax cuts for the wealthy and zero regulation of our trade and monetary systems.

From my point of view, the only thing that trickled down was poverty, higher taxes for the middle class, higher gas, medical and food costs, and a growing sense of depression - country wide...

That is precisely why Barack Obama was elected. The citizens of this country wanted change – and they wanted it to start January 20th at 12:01 P.M. EST.

So what do we hear from Republicans? The ones who brought shame and failure to most American institutions? The ones who brought you the mess in Iraq? The ones who brought you the “rich get richer and the poor get poorer” status we now have? What do they bring to the table in Washington, D.C.? And bring in the name of being bi-partisan?

You got it: MORE OF THE SAME. More of the stuff that failed to work for the last 8 years and more - when you add in back to when Reagan started us down this path. It’s clear to me we are on a terribly wrong path. So why are they insisting on doing it their way? What as I missing in this? What have I been missing for all those years?

Are they so blinded by their own “whatever” that they can not see it did not work? Or do they not care at all for anyone but themselves? [And their wealthier friends and corporations?]

In my life as a psychology expert I have had to diagnose people and work with all kinds of issues. To this day – I have to admit – it is the Republican mindset that I still have trouble with. I’ve had Republican friends – who were able to think for themselves and had empathy for others. They would not be going along with this crowd of white rich southern men who are trying to tell the rest of us how to live our lives. If they were still alive I’d bet they would be switching their party ID.

So please – if you are a conservative republican reader here – leave a comment that explains you and your mindset.

Would You Like a UDC Law Student to Work [no cost] for You This Summer?

2009-01-29T13:47:00.000-08:00

Caveats: If you work for a non-profit, a government agency, or in the judicial system,

and would like a UDC-DCSL student to work for you full-time this summer at no cost to you - please join us for our Summer Public Interest Job Fair on Tuesday, February 10, 2009: 12:15 pm – 1:45 pm UDC David A. Clarke School of Law Room 205, Building 39, (Second Floor) 4200 Connecticut Ave NW Washington DC 20008 Red Line: Van Ness/UDC; Parking under campus off Van Ness St.)

Group representatives set up tables, meet with law students, and have lunch!

Last summer, a record 50 UDC-DCSL students provided over twenty thousand hours of service.

TO RESERVE A TABLE: Please reply to Tiffany Hagwood at thagwood@udc.edu. Be SURE to include the name of the person attending, your organization, street/mailing address, phone, fax and email, and your organization's web site. Please also attach your written internship description if you have one. If you would like to be placed on the guest parking pass list for the school garage, at a cost to you of $3.50 rather than $8.00, please let Ms. Hagwood know by COB February 3. There is no cost to attend.

And - whether or not you can attend, we have a brand new way to post jobs! Please use our new job/internship site at http://www.law.udc.edu/networking/submit.asp

This year, the following groups have already signed up to attend the Fair:

AARP/Legal Counsel for the Elderly
AFGE Local 12
AYUDA
Catholic Charities, Immigration Legal Services
Children and the Law
Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)
DC Appleseed Center for Law and Justice
DC Attorney General's Office
DC Office of Administrative Hearings
Equal Justice Works
Housing and Community Justice Project
Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center
Human Rights First
Just Neighbors
Legal Services of Northern Virginia
National Center for Refugee & Immigrant Children
Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia
Our Place, DC
Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)
State of Maryland-Office of the Public Defender
The DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence
The Institute on Religion and Public Policy
The Justice Project
U.S. Coast Guard, Direct Commission Lawyer Program
USDOJ Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management

Facts About the UDC-DCSL Summer Fellowship Program

1) Qualifying organizations include non-profit groups that serve public interest purposes, local and federal government agencies and judges and judicial organizations. The organizations can be in the District of Columbia or elsewhere in the United States . International placements may qualify. Individuals or others seeking legal assistance, private law firms and for-profit organizations do not qualify. If you are unsure whether you qualify, please check with Ms. Bauman, the career services director at DBauman@udc.edu.

2) If your organization has not previously participated, you will need to provide additional information for consideration. Contact Ms. Bauman.

3) Positions must be legal in nature and the student must be directly supervised by an attorney.

4) All first-year law students are eligible for the stipend. If funds are available, upper class students may be eligible.

5) Students must provide a minimum of 400 hours work, to be completed by the end of the summer. They are paid a stipend of up to $3000 by the DC School of Law Foundation (donations to which can be made at www.dcslf.org). Supervising attorneys provide a mid-term and final evaluation of the student, as well as certify student time records.

4) There is no cost to participating host organizations, but if it chooses, the host organization may supplement the stipend with its own funds.

The Fellowship Fair

Group representatives set up tables, meet with law students, and have lunch! There is no cost to attend.

TO RESERVE A TABLE

Please contact Tiffany Hagwood at thagwood@udc.edu. Please be SURE to include the name of the person attending, your organization, street/mailing address, phone, fax and email, and your organization's web site. Please also attach your written internship description if you have one. If you would like to be placed on the guest parking pass list for the school garage, at a cost to you of $3.50 rather than $8.00, please let Ms. Hagwood know by COB February 3.

And - whether or not you can attend, we have a brand new way to post jobs! Please use our new job/internship site at http://www.law.udc.edu/networking/submit.asp

Again, please feel free to forward this announcement to your colleagues!

Thank you!

Joe

Joe Libertelli, Director of Alumni Relations

UDC David A. Clarke School of Law
4200 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008
(202) 274-7338

How the R's are Planning to Rebuild

2009-01-26T14:20:00.000-08:00

The R's are busy these days figuring out how to rebuild the R brand.

Here's the 10 point plan they are pushing [http://cli.gs/hjjzWz] ...yup - they want to be more tech savvy and recruit on line - they want to get more small donors and more under 40 voters...Hmm wonder where those ideas came from?

Maybe they will recruit minorities and stop acing like the regional party they are...you know reach out instead of bashing? But not in this document - in it they go ahead and bash :D

YES HE IS

2009-01-20T13:18:00.000-08:00

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA.....

can't say that enough times!

photos and video from one pdx watching spot will get posted when I get it edited...

More PDX Inauguration Watching/Partying Places

2009-01-19T19:58:00.001-08:00

More places to watch and celebrate:

TV Coverage starts at 7 AM; Oath of office at 9 AM. At 9:01 AM PST we will have a new President!
Le Sorelle Cafe
8931 SE Foster Rd.
lesorelle-cafe.com
Opens at 7am
Coffee, breakfast and the Inauguration at KC's favorite close-to-home Coffee Stop!

Bipartisan Café, 7901 SE Stark
Not making it to Washington D.C. for the Inauguration of Barack Obama? Celebrate in style with us on Tuesday, January 20, starting at 7 a.m. with television coverage of the inauguration and the Bipartisan Inaugural Ball kicking off at 6 p.m. Giveaways and prizes will be featured throughout the day.

Reflections Talking Drum Bookstore
Opens at 7 AM for live viewing of the Inauguration.
Inauguration Celebration and Community Organizer 6 – 9 PM
Participate via Satellite in Inauguration Events,
Establish and Discuss Community Initiatives,
Network with your neighbors.
446 NE Killingworth
Phone: 503.288.4106
gloria@talkingdrumbookstore.com

"We've come this far by Faith and Action"
Inauguration Prayer Service
Food, Fellowship and Fun
Reception/Viewing Party at 6 PM; Prayer Service at 7:15 PM
Honoring Matrons of Motivation and Patrons of Progress (M.O.M.s & P.O.P.s) who set the tempo of Portland's civil rights movement.
Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church
3138 N Vancouver Ave., Portland

The DPO's official Inauguration Victory Ball! Celebrate with decadent desserts, a limited edition souvenir for each guest, Obama auction packages, special guest appearances, a champagne toast to Barack Obama, and more! Dance the night away to some of Oregon's finest talent *Note: Oregon Victory Ball tickets also include entry after 11pm to our 21 & over Holocene event (below) as space allows.
Online registration is closed. There may be a few tickets left; contact beth@dpo.org if you want one.
Tiffany Center Emerald Ballroom (map)?1410 SW Morrison St. Portland, OR 97205
7:30 - midnight
Attire: Formal / Cocktail or your Patriotic Finest

Change is Here Dance Party
A Community Celebration of Democracy
Featuring Glasgow's own "JD Twitch" (OPTIMO) plus NIGHTCLUBBING with DJ's Linger & Quiet.
Get your groove on, drink Obama beer, score limited edition Inauguration event posters/gear and much much more. A sure fire way to make your co-workers jealous on Wednesday.
Holocene: 1001 SE Morrison St
8 PM – Close
$10 cover at the door

Portland Inaugural Watching

2009-01-18T19:27:00.000-08:00

The Multnomah County Dems are trying to find more breakfast places so everyone who wants can watch the Inauguration with friends.

Their list will be posted and emailed tomorrow evening...we are overloading the few places mentioned :D but I'll post places here as as I find them :

AM Inaugural Events

COOPERS COFFEE [6049 SE Stark ]

All day 8.a.m. to 10 p.m.

Showing all the inaugural events on their big screen while you can have some free chips and salsa. $1 buys your first glass of champagne,
$3 micro brews, and as always, wines are under $5/glass

Message from Coopers: Now lets watch the history we created together!
Hope to see ya here!! the Coopers Crew

You can keep checking MoveOn and other organizations at link here. If you can't find one near you host/post your own.

Salmonella - an Update

2009-01-17T07:43:00.000-08:00

Salmonella has been reported in 43 states. Here is a CDC update.

As of 9pm EDT, Thursday, January 15, 2009, 453 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from 43 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arizona (9), Arkansas (4), California (60), Colorado (10), Connecticut (8), Georgia (6), Hawaii (1), Idaho (10), Illinois (5), Indiana (3), Iowa (1), Kansas (2), Kentucky (3), Maine (4), Maryland (7), Massachusetts (40), Michigan (25), Minnesota (33), Missouri (8), Mississippi (1), Nebraska (1), New Hampshire (11), New Jersey (18), New York (18), Nevada (5), North Carolina (4), North Dakota (10), Ohio (57), Oklahoma (2), Oregon (5), Pennsylvania (13), Rhode Island (4), South Dakota (2), Tennessee (8), Texas (6), Utah (4), Vermont (4), Virginia (20), Washington (13), West Virginia (2), Wisconsin (3), and Wyoming (2). Among the 437 persons with dates available, illnesses began between September 08 and December 31, 2008. Patients range in age from <1 to 98 years; 47% are female. Among persons with available information, 23% reported being hospitalized. Infection may have contributed to five deaths.

It's so wide-spread make sure you read the advice to consumers and let's make sure that the new administration places a high priority on protecting our food! the last one did not...because money and appeasing stockholders were more important than the people consuming the products.

Inauguration Morning Events for Portland Oregon Readers......

2009-01-14T19:56:00.000-08:00

The Multnomah County Democrats are gathering to watch the swearing in at:

Krakow Koffeehouse and Market
3990 N. Interstate
Portland, OR 97227

If you have not been there - it's the ground floor of a new condo building.

Swearing in is at 9 AM - so come earlier...get your breakfast and settle in with friends

One of our N. Portland PCPs owns this - so come out, eat and have fun while supporting a local dem business...

Thinking and Wrinkles - gotta love it

2009-01-14T08:49:00.000-08:00

A 2" x 3" refrigerator magnet - get yours at BuzzFlash...

Go to http://www.buzzflash.com/store/items/1453

Salmonella and Peanut Butter

2009-01-09T16:40:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: King Nut Companies issued a total recall of peanut butter that it distributes Saturday amid fears of a salmonella outbreak that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said has infected 399 people in 42 states.

More food news - the bad news stuff !

Peanut butter is once again being implicated as the source of a major samlonella outbreak in the US (Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter were the implicated sources in the previous outbreak).

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) today issued a product advisory after MDA’s preliminary laboratory testing indicated the presence of Salmonella bacteria in a 5-pound container of King Nut brand creamy peanut butter.

Read more here and here

I can't wait til we have someone in charge of food who cares about people and not profits!

A 3 minute goodbye to shrub - from After Downing Street -

2009-01-09T15:07:00.000-08:00

Goodbye to Bush in Three Minutes

By David Swanson [afterdowningstreet.org]

Cindy Sheehan asked if I could record a 3-minute goodbye message to Bush and Cheney for her radio show, so I wrote down and read the following:

Never more than in this moment, George, have you been a uniter, not a divider. The joy at your departure is world-wide and wonderful. But I don't want to fully embrace it because I don't want this to be the last we see of you. When I was four years old I watched Richard Nixon leave, and that was just about the last we saw of him, and that is what brought us you. Instead, we should have had monthly reports of regret and repentance from Nixon's prison cell for 20 years. You yourself may have longer than 20 years to live, although with your boss we may have to hurry or invest in a heart transplant. My strongest wish, George, is to give you and Dick and Rummy and Condi and Yoo and Bybee and all the gang what you have denied to so many others: a fair trial.

Your stupid smirk and Cheney's nasty grimace will thankfully no longer be omnipresent, but the damage you have done will be much harder to remove, and if we do not punish you for it, it may be repeated and never undone. I wish you no ill. If letting you go drink and golf would impose a democratic rule of law on future officials, then that's what I would favor. As it happens, of course, that would only encourage people as mean and destructive as your brother Jeb, although not specifically Jeb, of course, since nobody with your last name will be able to win an election in this country for 50 years.

If you pretend to pardon the people who committed your crimes for you, we will challenge that absurdity in court, and we will pursue state, local, civil, foreign, and international prosecutions until you are behind bars.

Washington D.C. is going to look something like a colder version of New Orleans before you drowned it this month as millions of people get drunk on the delirium of seeing you drag your contemptible carcass out of town. Two events I plan to take part in illustrate the mood.

On January 19th, we're going to gather in DuPont Circle, march to the White House, and throw shoes and boots at you. Check out http://shoebush.org to see what we have planned.

On January 20th, we have a permit for an Arrest Bush demonstration on the sidewalk in front of the FBI building along Obama's inauguration parade route. We're going to be sending a clear message to your successor. Take a look at http://www.arrestbush2009.com

We've created nice warm sweatshirts that say Arrest Bush and Cheney, and people can go to http://afterdowningstreet.org to buy them. We'll be dressing for success, George, but without the flight suit, the aircraft carrier, or the bullshit.

You've lied to us for eight years, so the truth may not catch your attention, but this is the truth: we will not rest until you are convicted and incarcerated.

A snarky report from Blumenauer - [my Rep]

2009-01-09T13:36:00.000-08:00

A New President is Officially Chosen

I was determined to attend the official report of the Electoral College to the Joint Session of Congress, if only to balance the painful, surreal memories of Al Gore presiding over the tally that made his defeat official in 2000. It seemed at the time, and we now know it to be true, that absent the Supreme Court's unprecedented intervention, a full and fair count of the Florida ballots might well have yielded a different result and history would have been profoundly changed.

But that was then and this is now, as they say. There was a small measure of satisfaction watching Dick Cheney, as President of the Senate, preside over this session with his lopsided smile/smirk for the last time. Indeed, I almost said "festivities" because there was a special air about it.

Usually, this Joint Session is so lightly attended that the Floor Staff has to pack the Chamber with staff and pages to give the TV audience a full house – no pun intended. This time it wasn't necessary; Members had to search for places to sit as they watched history being made on so many different levels.

Senators Bob Bennett and Chuck Schumer and Representatives Robert Brady and Dan Lungren served as Tellers, the officials responsible for reporting the states' electoral tallies. Initially, the Yea's were bad for the Obama camp and the Democrats as McCain took Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, and Alaska. Then the tide shifted with a run of Blue States, punctuated by the announcement by Representative Lungren—a conservative Republican from California—of his state's 55 electoral votes for Obama. Soon the President-elect's tally rocketed ahead and I found myself mentally keeping track of his votes, trying to determine which state would officially put him over the magic 270 number. (It was New Jersey, with its 15 electoral votes, for those of you keeping track.)

The Tellers announced the results from their own state. Senator Bennett, from what he termed the "fast growing state of Utah", announced 5 electoral votes for McCain. Representative Brady from Pennsylvania and Senator Schumer from New York were positively giddy at the announcement of 31 more votes for Obama, adding an exclamation point behind the already-victorious tally.

There were moments of levity as Ohio produced a Certificate of Election about the size of Delaware. As the count wound down and Dick Cheney announced the results in his monotone drone, the Democratic side of the Chamber rose, clapping and cheering at the final tally: "Barack Obama: 365." The sustained applause even brought the Republican side of the Chamber slowly to its feet until everybody was clapping, creating a pulse of excitement throughout the Chamber.

As the losing tallies were read for John McCain and then for Sarah Palin (the Constitution requires separate tallies for President and Vice President), people again stood and cheered, although with exchanged looks that were hard to decipher. Just as Dick Cheney started to bring the Joint Session to a close, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who had been sitting quietly next to him, suddenly sprang to her feet and led another eruption of applause in the Chamber, taking Cheney off guard and leaving him with an uncharacteristic look of uncertainty.

This dramatic and sometimes humorous session provided a bright note in a troubled time. After all, it was the last time we would have to endure Dick Cheney presiding over a Joint Session of Congress. As I left the Chamber, I felt optimistic and resolute. The next gathering of the US House and Senate would be to welcome our new President, Barack Obama. Finally, the ghost of the 2000 election receded a little further into the recesses of my memory.

Congressman Earl Blumenauer

Telephones Books? A Concept Whose Time Has Gone?

2009-01-08T10:27:00.000-08:00

For some unknown reason, I recently got 3 sets of phone books - each with 3 books in the pile.

I do not use phone books. No one I know uses phone books; we use the internet to look up numbers. So my 9 phone books went into the paper recycling bin. What a waste of trees.

As I have a business I keep getting mail from phone book companies telling me how great they are and how much business I'd get if I used their services. Huh! I do most business online and locally. My number is freely available and I don't really want all those annoying cold calls one gets when in a phonebook. Been there in a prior business.

I'm one who still thinks I have a phone for my use and so I am prone to not answer unless I am expecting a call or recognize the name in caller ID and am not busy. But most often I have the sound off so I am not distracted by a ring...I've often said I am the one for whom answering machines were made :D . I was the 1st in my group of friends to get one and recall how expensive they were - way back in 1978. [But then my newest cell phone has more memory and more capabilities than my 1st 3 computers combined!]

Ah technology...love it!

Poor Old McCain

2009-01-07T16:05:00.000-08:00

I had subscribed to the emails from the McCain campaign but unsubscribed on Nov. 5th 0r 6th. In spite of that unsubscribe - today I got this email from poor old mcsame...

Note when reading that is says nothing except give me $$$ - 5 times - 5 places where you can click to contribute to this whatever it is....But - wowee - you become a "Charter Member"

Maybe Rs are so used to doling out money to other Rs that they don't ask for reasons. I'd sure want to know where my $ was really going other than to this meaningless blather:

Country First will allow us to strengthen our Party, better define our Republican ideals and message, recruit and back strong, dedicated candidates and continue our efforts to bring real reform to government by always putting our country and the noble ideals she stands for first.

Ummm John - you lost the election. Rs lost seats - there was a reason!

My Friend,

In the time since the 2008 presidential campaign ended I have had a chance to reflect on many things. And as I said on election night, I truly cannot adequately express how indebted I am to you, my entire campaign team and my running mate, Governor Sarah Palin.

The road was a difficult one from the outset. Yet, your faith, your support and friendship never wavered. Just as I have proudly served my country for more than half a century I am as committed as ever to helping see our mission through.

So to continue the movement, I have decided to launch a new grassroots organization called Country First.

Today, I'm asking you as a friend and supporter to renew your commitment to our common goals by becoming a Charter Member of Country First with an online contribution.

Country First will allow us to strengthen our Party, better define our Republican ideals and message, recruit and back strong, dedicated candidates and continue our efforts to bring real reform to government by always putting our country and the noble ideals she stands for first.

Together, we can make government more responsive to today's problems and more answerable to the people. That's why I hope you will become a Charter Member of Country First and support our cause by following this link to make a generous contribution of any amount today.

With your help we can work to elect these new leaders to Governorships, Statehouses, the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives in 2010 and beyond. Once in office they will become fierce advocates for limited government, economic opportunity, personal responsibility and strong national security.

On Election Night last year, I called on all Americans not to despair of our present difficulties but to believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.

Today, I am asking you to join Country First to continue fighting for the worthy cause of revitalizing both our democracy and our Party.

Our goals will never be realized if your voice falls silent. You are the best hope for our country's success. Please stay in this fight with me; our country needs your service now as much as ever.

I know that together we can make a difference - we already have. Again, I thank you for your unwavering friendship and support.

Sincerely,

John McCain

P.S. Country First will serve as a powerful voice for the American people. It will allow us to get our Republican message out to the voters and elect a new generation of Republican leaders who can go to Statehouses and Congress to fight for all we believe in. Please join as a Charter Member of Country First by following this link to make a contribution today. Thank you.

Getting Going Again with Rant about Alleged Dems!

2009-01-06T09:42:00.000-08:00

I find it's hard to write or do anything creative when faced with a few feet of snow, 3.5 inches of rain, flood warnings and chilly weather - all coming at me in rapid succession. Harsh winter weather is why I left New England to seek and find a more "moderate" climate.

Hah..thanks to mad king george we are having very odd weather patterns all across the globe. And with mad king george's unwillingness to protect US infrastructure, the middle class, and the environment - this is a bad time for all - here in Oregon and elsewhere.

But today - before the next monsoon hits - I am writing! Yea! Can't let the worst ever resident at 1600 Penn Ave. keep me from blogging :D

So what's on my mind today - those alleged dems who are so enamored with mad king george's policies and who aided and abetted same - are now pissed that Obama did not consult with them before naming Panetta to be CIA chief..

Diane Feinstein is angry that she was not informed - she claims that the Agency needs an intelligence professional at its head. Well dear me - I claim that the citizens of California need a new Senator - not one who sells out our constitutional rights and then sits there trying to look "all-important-all-the-time." And Jay Rockefeller - well he seemed to have never met a shrub take-away-our-rights-item that he did not like [but I may be wrong - did not check out his voting record.]

Update: Missed this in the AM - from Think Progress http://cli.gs/MhvBza/lynndorman

It's titled: Feinstein And Rockefeller To Obama: We Liked Bush’s Appointees More
A bit snarky - but just right :D

I like the idea of a no-torture person who is organized and is a solid manager to be at the head of most agencies. Good people can find good others to work with - bad leaders find bad others to work with - look what the last 8 years has brought us!

So - sorry Diane and Jay - I sincerely hope you are ousted by your constituents!

Happy 2009

2008-12-31T10:17:00.000-08:00

It's been a long 8 years of bad governing....but in a few weeks we have a new president and the opportunity to straighten out this country and reclaim our good profile in the world by doing good deeds...

[and a chance to get my plumbing fixed :D]

Here's a fun video that recaps 2008

A Shoe Game

2008-12-22T08:14:00.000-08:00

This is fun. We can all throw shoes at mad king george :D

http://sockandawe.com/

Shoes and Palin are the gifts that keep giving this holiday season....

Happy Chanukkah - just one candle late....

What a Week!

2008-12-20T19:21:00.000-08:00

My ranting this week was at the weather and the plumbing configuration [looked like tinker toys] that created frozen pipes, burst pipes and a temporary fix that leaves me with running water only in the bathroom.. But that's better than the day of no water at all.

I have learned that the person who remodeled this house years ago - and is a pretty nice guy - remodels with whatever materials he has on hand...it's cheaper. Unfortunately plastic pipes that are too small with too many T's and L's and various connectors freeze when hit by an arctic blast.

When warmer weather rolls around, a major fix using one piece larger diameter pipes, well insulated and all that is on the schedule. It's no fun for anyone to play plumber when hands and fingers are working inches above a cold river :D

Thankfully the day the temporary fix got done was the one warmish day this week. Hate to think of trekking to a neighbor for a hot shower when we have 6 or more inches of snow on the decks - although I did that for a laundry chore this AM when the snow was only a dusting.

I am thankful I have great neighbors and that river living produces good friendships - when the possibility of serious weather related issues is high, like this week, everyone helps out everyone else and though I was stressed as were some others - no one got bent out of shape about anyone's stress levels...I am so glad I live here.....

George W. Bush's Nightmare Before Christmas

2008-12-16T13:16:00.000-08:00

From Brave New Films

FYI: to non-profit public interest groups seeking interns at no cost

2008-12-16T09:42:00.001-08:00

The University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law (UDC-DCSL) continues its successful program to fund law students who work full-time at public interest law jobs during the summer. Every year, our students are hard at work, providing thousands of hours of service through such groups as the ACLU, the DC and Maryland Public Defender Service, Neighborhood Legal Services, the DC Office of the Attorney General, and many others. Last summer, a record 50 students took part!

If you work for a non-profit public interest organization, government agency, or in the judicial system, and would like a UDC-DCSL student to work for you full-time this summer, AT NO COST TO YOU,

Please join us for the:

Equal Justice Works Summer Public Interest Job Fair Tuesday, February 10, 2009: 12:15 pm – 1:45 pm UDC David A. Clarke School of Law Room 205, Building 39, (Second Floor) 4200 Connecticut Ave NW Washington DC 20008 Red Line: Van Ness/UDC; Parking under campus off Van Ness St.)

Facts About the Summer Fellowship Program

1) Qualifying organizations include non-profit groups that serve public interest purposes, local and federal government agencies and judges and judicial organizations. The organizations can be in the District of Columbia or elsewhere in the United States. International placements may qualify. Individuals or others seeking legal assistance, private law firms and for-profit organizations do not qualify. If you are unsure whether you qualify, please check with Ms. Bauman, the career services director.

2) If your organization has not previously participated, you will need to provide additional information for consideration. Contact Ms. Bauman.

3) Positions must be legal in nature and the student must be directly supervised by an attorney.

4) All first-year law students are eligible for the stipend. If funds are available, upper class students may be eligible.

5) Students must provide a minimum of 400 hours work, to be completed by the end of the summer. They are paid a stipend of up to $3000 by the DC School of Law Foundation. Supervising attorneys provide a mid-term and final evaluation of the student, as well as certify student time records.

4) There is no cost to participating host organizations, but if it chooses, the host organization may supplement the stipend with its own funds.

The Fellowship Fair

Group representatives set up tables, meet with law students, and have lunch! There is no cost to attend.

TO RESERVE A TABLE

Please send your Tiffany Hagwood, at, thagwood@udc.edu. Please be SURE to include the name of the person attending, your organization, street/mailing address, phone, fax and email, and your organization's web site. Please also attach your written internship description. If you would like to be placed on the guest parking pass list for the school garage, at a cost to you of $3.50 rather than $8.00, please let Ms. Hagwood know by COB February 3.

And - whether or not you can attend, we have a brand new way to post jobs! Please use our new job/internship site at

http://www.law.udc.edu/networking/submit.asp

Please feel free to forward this announcement to your colleagues!

All the best for a happy and healthy New Year,

Dena R. Bauman

Director, Career Services

University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law

4200 Connecticut Ave. NW

Building 38, Room 237

Washington DC 20008

Ph. 202-274-5722

Fx: 202-274-5583

dbauman@udc.edu

http://www.law.udc.edu/

To post a job, internship and other employment opportunities for our students and graduates, please go to http://www.law.udc.edu/networking/submit.asp

Beware Big Pharmas and Ghost Writers

2008-12-15T14:18:00.001-08:00

From the New York Times

Wyeth’s Use of Medical Ghostwriters Questioned
By DUFF WILSON

Wyeth, the pharmaceutical company, paid ghostwriters to produce medical journal articles favorable to its hormone replacement therapy Prempro, according to Congressional letters seeking more information about the company’s involvement in medical ghostwriting. At least one article was published even after a federal study found the drug raised the risk of breast cancer.

Full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/13/business/13wyeth.html?ref=business&pagewanted=print

I won't belabor my anti-big pharma feelings but let's say I am not the least surprised by this. Pay someone to write nice stuff - hmmm...good idea - except this is not some Hollywood star using a ghost writer but a company whose products can [and do] KILL you...and in fact they used a ghost writer after knowing that an HRT drug increased the risk of breast cancer.

Nice people these suits at Wyeth - "profits above all" is the motto for most corporations..

Message to users of the products? "We don't care about you at all - except for - buy buy buy our stuff - we only like your wallet."

Shrub- the artful dodger

2008-12-15T13:17:00.000-08:00

Mr. Shrub - the most disliked pResident in our history - is a good dodger.

He dodged "real" service while in the Texas Guard.

He dodged many losses in school and business [too many to list] by using family ties and bullying.

He dodged a loss in a presidential election by having his cadre go to the Supreme court to anoint him.

He dodged another election by having his Ohio gang rig that state's election.

And the other day he dodged a shoe :D

What is your favorite shrub dodge? Comment below...

Politics Never Ends

2008-12-09T16:19:00.000-08:00

I laugh when my friends ask me why I am still so busy with meetings and such since the election is over!

For too many - politics is a once every 2 or 4 year event - and they see the in-between periods as lulls. But for many of these persons there is no connect of the personal to politics and I mentioned the disconnect in an earlier post: http://lynnsrants.blogspot.com/2008/10/is-your-neighborhood-like-mine.html

So on we go with meetings and planning - for our February fundraising event, for recruiting more PCPs, for parties where we connect not only with each other but with those whom we can interest in the process...

Because politics never ends!

Prop 8 - the musical

2008-12-04T16:54:00.000-08:00

Leviticus [Vayikra] is one of the meanest books in the bible. Why some religions opt to pick and choose which prohibitions they will try to have us all live with is mind-boggling....We had this argument in Vermont when it passed the civil union law and will be argued in each state as they come to grips with civil unions and/or gay marriage.

Here is the best funny take I have seen on this topic!

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Human Service Need High- Cash Low

2008-12-04T15:55:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I went to an advocacy planning meeting - for human services in the rough financial seas ahead.

We heard from groups concerned with or represent children, seniors, the environment, disabilities, the poor and others who rely on the vast social service networks. All these groups have clients who now need services and see their client list growing by the day! In the face of that growing need - we are facing a huge budget deficit here in Oregon and I presume in all 50 sates and the District of Columbia. It is not pretty - in fact it can be depressing ugly - but we know we need to keep looking ahead and being hopeful that a new administration in D.C. will offer some hope and help - but it will not be immediate.

In bad times more people need social services.
In bad times governments cut social service funds.

That's the ongoing quagmire faced across this country right now!

Food banks are empty as people who used to donate now need the food themselves.
Lost jobs means more need food stamps.
More kids meet the requirement for free school lunch programs and those programs are either even funded or get less money now.

More seniors need help with food, medicine, emergency money for taxes and utility bills and those funds are the same as in previous years or less - with more people meeting the criteria for those funds.

ASk your state why is that the most vulnerable among us are the ones who are made more vulnerable in bad financial times? Do we not value our seniors or children? Why are they rarely or never top priority budget items?

Find out what decisions are being made in your state that affect seniors and children and call your state and federal reps and senators to make your voice heard..

And get involved with your local advocacy groups...

Recession anyone?

2008-12-01T18:31:00.000-08:00

Today it was announced that we are officially in a recession and have been for a year...so what happened? the stock market tanked!

I felt like DUH!

Why is this news to any thinking person? We all know we are in recession...

Are we so stuck on an idea that we can't trust our own brains and need to hear stuff from others before we believe it?

And why is our country ruled by the stock market? It's been an obsession of late...

Wall Street is an artifact: it can be manipulated - it's ruled by emotions and power and has little to do with real lives!

And stocks going up and down doesn't create needed jobs or raise salaries...stocks don't hire !

For Portland People

2008-12-01T16:15:00.000-08:00

A good friend of mine has been involved with helping Mustafa Abed - the Iraqi boy who was seriously hurt by a US Air raid in Fallujah. Mustafa came to Portland for surgery and a prosthetic limb. It's been difficult and expensive and the organizers are still fundraising.

Mustafa and his father return to Iraq on Wednesday but the group still needs money for ongoing support and care

Here is the next event...try to go

Fund Raising Soup Kitchen

Benefit for NO MORE VICTIMS/CARE OF MUSTAFA ABED
Saturday, Dec 6th
11:00 AM to 3:00PM AND 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
$15.00 per person ~ Kids free
At Bonnie and Jim’s house
7112 SW 53rd PDX
Come anytime: 11AM to 3 PM or 6 to 9 PM
Please RSVP at: 503-245-2167

Bring friends and relations

Wonderful food~Fresh baked bread
Raffle~Silent auction (incredible items)
(Also, beautiful Guatemalan crafts for sale to benefit “Los Romeritos”, children’s day shelter in Guatemala City.)

No more victims website HERE

Oregon Food Drive

2008-12-01T13:48:00.000-08:00

You've probably seen the reports: Local food pantry stocks are running low and need is at an all time high. Food requests and lines to obtain staples have dramatically increased nationwide. At a family owned Colorado farm, an announcement that neighbors could come and get unharvested vegetables turned into a 40,000 person event.

In Oregon, we have achieved the sad distinction of becoming number 3 on the list of states where citizens are most affected by hunger and food insecurity.

The Multnomah County Democrats, in conjunction with the Democratic Party of Oregon and County Parties statewide, ask you to help address this critical problem. And unlike the economy itself, this is something upon which we can have an immediate, positive impact.

Please donate generously to local food banks. A variety of donation options are available:

1. Choose a location from the Oregon Food bank List:

http://www.oregonfoodbank.org/events_and_food_drives/food_drives/food_drop_sites.html

2. Make a monetary donation to the Oregon Food Bank

https://secure.oregonfoodbank.org/make_a_difference/donate_funds/secure_donation/

3. Drop off a donation at the Democratic Party of Oregon/Mult Dems Office at 232 NE 9th in Portland. You can drop off donations between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 503-224-8200 for more information.

4. Every time you are at the grocery store, Look for that food barrel and put something in it. Tens of thousands of Oregonians need your help. Don't just pass it up.

5. Finally, the Multnomah Democratic Party, recognizing that hunger is a problem throughout the year, will collect food donations year-round at Party meetings and gatherings. Our next Mult Dems meeting is 7pm, Thursday, Dec 11, at the Hollywood Senior Center, 1820 NE 40th. Guests and friends are always welcome..

Thank You,

KC Hanson

Chair

Multnomah County Democrats

PS: Here is what the Oregon Food Bank says about making the most of your food donations:

Most wanted foods

Oregon Food Bank needs these nutritious foods:

canned meats (i.e., tuna, chicken, salmon)

canned and boxed meals (i.e., soup, chili, stew, macaroni and cheese)

peanut butter

canned or dried beans and peas (i.e., black, pinto, lentils)

pasta, rice, cereal

canned fruits

100 percent fruit juice (canned, plastic or boxed).

Oregon Food Bank can't use:? To ensure food safety, we cannot use:

rusty or unlabeled cans

perishable items

homemade items

noncommercial canned or packaged items

alcoholic beverages, mixes or soda

open or used items

PLEASE NOTE: If you donate glass products, please box or bag them separately and label the box or bag "GLASS" on all sides.

Why both food and funds matter:? Food drives provide some of the healthiest and highest-quality food we receive. Food donations also provide a direct connection between donors and people who are hungry.

Cash donations keep our freezers running and our trucks on the road. They also support innovative programs that address the root causes of hunger through advocacy and public education.

Oregon Food Bank makes efficient use of cash donations.

Every dollar you donate enables Oregon Food Bank to collect and distribute 5 pounds of food through its food distribution program.

Portland's Moment to Remember

2008-11-30T19:44:00.000-08:00

I finally got to the video I took on election night...tho almost a month later it still feels like it happened yesterday !

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T13:59:00.001-08:00

A day of giving thanks for many things:

our country will have a new president come January 20th!

my son is happy

I have good friends offline and online

I am healthy

I live in Portland

I see ducks like this

Ah and that soon it’s time to go and eat with many of those friends mentioned above....yummmm

Chicago

2008-11-25T15:55:00.000-08:00

After saying I'll write about Chicago - I did not - was too busy helping elect a Chicago person!

I thought I knew much about Chicago and maybe I did - but had forgotten. Walking around Chicago and going to the Chicago History Museum [ http://www.chicagohistory.org/] made me do lots of thinking about the importance of Chicago to our country...

As my son has lived there for ages and shares my sense of history - he filled me in on many things Chicago...past and present....so it was a info packed few days that I spent post my meeting.

Chicago has been the home of many top notch thinkers like John Dewey, social organizers like Jane Addams, gangsters like Al Capone, architects who built the first skyscrapers, jazz musicians, manufacturers, and so many more I forget again. But a day in the museum was like a time travel trip for me - I had not remembered that so so much had Chicago origins.

Having grown up in New York, I know that cities have had major roles in the development of what was important in the USA. I know - small towns and farms are important too - but in different ways - and I can not personally speak for small town contributions.. The one I most recently lived in produced Esty Organs and that to me is not the same as a skyscraper or educational thinkers or presidents. Admittedly I have a big city bias - it's in the genes :D

Here are some photos of Chicago

A comment led me to this blog: http://chicagohistory-sharonwilliams.blogspot.com/
Check it out for more chicago info.

Three-Year Full-Tuition Advocate for Justice Scholarships

2008-11-25T14:16:00.000-08:00

From the David Clark School of Law website:

Three-Year Full-Tuition Advocate for Justice Scholarships

The University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law (UDC-DCSL) will offer up to 20 three-year full-tuition Advocate for Justice Scholarships each year, beginning with members of the class entering in Fall 2008. The award of these scholarships will be based equally upon the Scholarship Selection Committee's evaluation of applicants' academic talent and their proven commitment as advocates for justice. Toward this end, the Committee will consider applicants' undergraduate and graduate fields of study; grades; LSAT scores; publications; academic, personal and professional recommendations; as well as evidence of their professional experiences, community service and other pertinent information.

For more info go here: http://www.law.udc.edu/?page=AFJ

I went to the DC School of Law when it was the re-birth of Antioch [back in 1988] It's changed and it's better.....you can contact me for info

EPA - carbon dioxide comments needed by Friday!

2008-11-25T11:25:00.000-08:00

Friday is the last day to voice your opinion on whether the EPA -- the Environmental Protection Agency -- should regulate carbon dioxide pollution, the primary cause of the climate crisis. This is a big deal.

The EPA is taking public comment, before making a ruling.

Of course, special interests -- like the oil and coal lobbies -- are working overtime to defeat a positive ruling and have already gotten thousands of comments submitted in opposition.

Most people don't know about this opportunity for public comment, so your voice can make a real difference. And with a new president in the White House, it's likely that someone will actually be listening. Submit your public comment to the EPA here:

In April 2007 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate carbon dioxide if it is harming our health and welfare. After more than a year of delay, the EPA is finally now requesting public comments on whether carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping pollutants are endangering our health and our climate.

Join us, and send a message about how crucial it is to reduce harmful carbon dioxide pollution. That you expect the EPA to use its powers to protect our health and welfare. That we can "Repower America" by using energy sources that don't emit carbon dioxide, and make the switch to 100% clean electricity. And that the solutions to the climate crisis are the same ones needed to address our economic and security challenges.

This is our chance to go on the public record -- all the comments will be posted on the EPA's website.

For nearly eight years, the Bush administration has done nothing to address the growing threats we face from global warming. Hurricanes are getting stronger, the North polar icecap is melting, and we've suffered through intense droughts, floods and killer heat waves.

The deadline is November 28th. Let's help end the era of delay.

Thanks,

Cathy Zoi
CEO

www.RepowerAmerica.org

Comment by going to the site and finding the EPA link

Georgia Senate Race

2008-11-24T19:39:00.001-08:00

The Georgia race has gone to a run off with the election on December 2. Turnout is critical for electing Jim Martin - a good person..

Here is his latest ad.

If you have a mybarackobama site you can get a list of people to call in Georgia. If you dont have that site - get one and make calls...it's for a good person...

Did you forget what today is the anniversary of?

2008-11-22T14:20:00.000-08:00

Admittedly I did - until I read this online..

It's the 45th anniversary of the assassination of JFK.

For years I recalled the day and time and the exact feelings of that moment - where I was and who I was with....but now I forgot what day it happened. It's no longer front page news anywhere that I can see. [I saw it as a small mention on a blog.]

We are consumed with the in-coming administration and the guessing game about who gets what post...In this atmosphere it's even odder that we all collectively, it seems, forgot about JFK - weird - because for me and many others of my age the Obama campaign and the feeling of hope and a future is a reminder of what the Kennedy years brought..

Time to Seriously Plan Ahead

2008-11-18T11:55:00.000-08:00

There are DEMS and there are dems...

Having a D after your name no longer provides a safe haven! The 2008 election is behind us and many here in Multnomah County Oregon and across the country are thinking about 2010 and 2012. There are dems we might have voted for this time while holding our noses...or while selecting the lesser of two evils...

But now that we have time to plan...it's time to find candidates to run against and beat the dems who are not DEMS!

Nationwide today there begins a move to replace the dems who rewarded Lieberman for his support of McCain by allowing him to remain as chair of an important committee.

Locally we have dems who do nothing and keep expecting our support.. NO more...this election we learned again that we the people can actually do something...and we will!

The Senate in D.C. is an old boys club even with some women in it...The female senators begin to act like the men - it's all about power and staying in D.C. Is your Senator one who rewarded Lieberman? If so start thinking about finding a would-be candidate who actually listens to YOU! It's not that hard..They abound in all states...

Make An Impact

2008-11-14T13:12:00.000-08:00

● WHAT IS THE IMPACT?

Last Tuesday night was a bitter-sweet celebration. We came together to witness the first black man who will become our president, yet watched in sadness as Florida, Arizona, Arkansas, and California all voted down equal rights for all citizens.

This is not a four-state issue. This is an issue of equality across America. Stand up and make your voice heard! Visit the main www.jointheimpact.com to learn more, or read our mission statement.

If your city/town/space is not listed - form your own protest and post it on the site!

Here is the list of known events: hhttp://jointheimpact.wetpaint.com/

Watch Rachel explain why Joe must GO!

2008-11-14T09:19:00.000-08:00

I am so so glad we have Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann.

Another in the long list of "who coulda known?"

2008-11-13T12:52:00.000-08:00

Gee - the bailout person, Paulson, who told us the world would fall apart if he did not get his way and get billions to purchase "troubled assets" from banks.

Well golly gee - he's changed his mind....[in my weird head he's figuring a way to get Haliburton involved]

That's a quick turn-around for something that was so necessary he and shrub were crying chicken little the sky is falling!

The sky did not fall and it was never going to...Paulson just wanted the money to do with as he wished - and now he wishes something different..and maybe next week he'll figure out another way to spend our money on his best buds.

Can January 20th please come tomorrow!

Public Interest Law

2008-11-12T15:50:00.000-08:00

I went to the DC School of Law when it was the re-birth of Antioch - 1988-1991. It's different and better than when I was there - and, of course, it also costs more :-). You can learn more about the school at this upcoming open house.

University of the District of Columbia

David A. Clarke School of Law

Building 39, 2^nd Floor

fall Law Day - Open House 2008

Saturday, November 15, 2008

10:00am – 2:30pm

9:30 – 10:00am Registration, Coffee & Pastries

Classroom Main Lobby & Mailbox Area

10:00 – 10:05am Welcome/Professor Introduction

Shelley Broderick, Dean – Room 201

10:05 – 11:00am Class Simulation

“Police Chases, Assaults & Constitutional Law”

Professor Tom Mack – Room 201

11:00 – 12:15pm Student Panel

“Tips for Thriving in Law School ”

Kevin Hill – 3^rd Year Student, Panel Moderator

Jennie Fein, 3^rd Year Student Rosemary Larry, 2^nd Year Student

Brandon Atwater, 2^nd Year Student Christina Bui, 1^st Year Student

Sharonda Jackson, 1^st Year Student – Room 201

12:15 – 1:00pm Lunch

Faculty Study & Room 201

(Door Prizes & Tours)

1:00 – 1:45pm LSAT Strategy Session – Princeton Review

Princeton Review Representative – Room TBD

1:00 – 2:30pm Financial Aid Counseling

Nailah Williams, Director of Financial Aid – Room TBD

1:00 – 2:30pm Admission Information & Advice Sessions

Vivian W. Canty, Assistant Dean of Admission – Room TBD

Donald D. Pritchett Jr., Assistant Director of Admission – Room TBD

RSVP: Donald Pritchett: DPritchett@udc.edu

Want a Job in the Obama Administration?

2008-11-12T14:23:00.000-08:00

The president elect has a site with a short form for expressing interest.

Go here: http://change.gov/page/s/application

In a few days you get an email with a link for a "more complete" application.

And here is a video to keep you smiling - I keep singing and humming this myself :-)

O'Bama....

Moments to Remember

2008-11-07T19:45:00.000-08:00

There are days and events that we recall forever - I think this is one of them!

To D.C.-ers

2008-11-06T14:39:00.000-08:00

If you are [or will be] in D.C. on November 14th - here's an invite for you!

Friday, November 14, 6 to 10 pm

What:

Eco/Justice Café !

Featuring music, poetry, an open mike session, good food, good beer, good people, good cheer, good info and good karma.

AND a special "Fireside Chat" with progressive businessman Andy Shallal of Busboys and Poets!

In addition, enjoy The 4.0 Lounge, (with pool and ping pong tables, chess and checkers, internet connections and more!) and an Eco/Justice Video Screening room at the Anonymy Studio!

Where:

University of DC, Firebird Inn, Van Ness/UDC Red Line West exit

Building 39, B-Level, 4200 Connecticut Ave., NW, 20008, Wheelchair Accessible

Suggested donation $15/ $10 students/$5 kids

Food and drink included. All ages event; child activities provided – and powered by kids!

Who:

An Eco/Justice BAZAAR will feature environmental and social justice organizations and businesses.

Co-sponsors and Eco / Justice Bazaar Participants: UDC David A. Clarke School of Law Office of Admissions and Community Development Clinic, DC Environmental Network--Friends of the Earth, Sierra Club Energy Committee, DC Department of Public Works Recycling Office, DC Employment Justice Center, National Council of Women's Organizations, Young Ladies of Tomorrow, Community IT Innovators, Washington Peace Center, Ecolocity DC, Can Stand Up! for Democracy in DC Coalition (Free DC), Stop Modern Slavery, Capital Sun Group, Community Forklift, Live Green, Bethesda Green, DC Statehood Green Party, Progressive Democrats of America, Peoples MEDIA Center, Green Earth Coalition, Heavier Octaves Radio

Hosted by the University of the District of Columbia David Clarke School of Law, the District's public interest law school. For more information on the law school full-tuition three-year Advocate for Justice Scholarships, go to http://www.law.udc.edu/prospective/afj.html

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Congrats Nick and Greg

2008-11-05T11:59:00.000-08:00

Nick Kahl and Greg Matthews are 2 of the hardest working campaigners that I met this year - from the primary through to yesterday!

They both won their House seats - and in East County!

Way to go to make Multnomah a better county for all!

YES WE DID - we certainly DID!

2008-11-05T09:50:00.000-08:00

YES! WE! DID!

This is a few seconds after 8PM PST when we at the Oregon Convention Center knew that the closing of our polls out just put Obama over the 270 electoral votes!

It was a madhouse - but such a joyous joyful mad house.

Got Obama's message this morning:

I'm about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first.

We just made history.

And I don't want you to forget how we did it.

You made history every single day during this campaign -- every day you knocked on doors, made a donation, or talked to your family, friends, and neighbors about why you believe it's time for change.

I want to thank all of you who gave your time, talent, and passion to this campaign.

We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I'll be in touch soon about what comes next.

But I want to be very clear about one thing...

All of this happened because of you.

Thank you,

Barack

My Chicago family was at Grant Park for this historic moment in history!

[and I still get weepy about the enormity of what we just accomplished]

Getting Ready to PARTY in Oregon!!!

2008-11-04T15:57:00.000-08:00

But 1st a funny - today at 3:38PM [PST] I got a robo call from - TA DA - the repugs!

[The phone is a business phone so they must have figured I was one of them - UGH]

Here's to a landslide of blue tonight - polls are closing back East and I'm getting nervous - optimistically nervous...my son lives in Chicago - Illinois is NOT nervous :-)

Tomorrow we wake up to the start of a new America....

One voice; one person - it all matters!

2008-11-04T11:46:00.000-08:00

We, individually, can change the world! Our voices matter!

Margaret Mead said this too and it's a quote I often use:

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

Today is THE Day

2008-11-04T07:56:00.001-08:00

I'm going to be busy today and won't be around my computer all that much - so here is what MSNBC says is a way to keep tabs on the country....

Hope you are all busy today too..make calls, text your friends to get out and vote for Obama, in Oregon bug your neighbors to turn in their ballots to a drop box or the county election office - do what you can - we are all in this together!

MSNBC is not always correct on poll closings - so don't rely on this - some states have different closing times within the state - check with your county and precinct if you still need to vote and see when your voting place closes!

How to Spot Dirty Voting/Voter Tricks

2008-11-02T19:52:00.000-08:00

A video on how r's try to stop d's from voting!

Be alert! Be prepared - bring a cell phone and stand up for your voting rights!

My sentiments exactly

2008-11-02T17:06:00.000-08:00

Election Protection Videos for "Swing" States

2008-11-02T13:49:00.000-08:00

The Obama campaign has a collection of videos for swing states - so you can know your voting guidelines, what to bring, hours, etc.....

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/stateprotection/

I wonder why?

2008-11-02T07:24:00.000-08:00

I was just looking at today's candidates schedules and see that Michelle is with Barack and Jill is with Joe.

I'm slow on the thought process this year [:-)] but I really just had that AHA moment about the fact that Jill and Michelle have had their own campaign schedules since the convention.

As they have young kids they were not on the campaign trail every day - but they were on the trail lots...and NOT as arm candy - but as the actual campaigner who gave a speech. We did not see or hear of all these speeches but we would have if either had made a big gaffe. So clearly Michelle and Jill were excellent spokespeople for the campaign.

That's what made me wonder why we get Cindy and the First Dude only as arm candy? They are never speaking on behalf of the campaign. In fact the First Dude never speaks and Cindy is only allowed to speak only until John cuts off her mid-sentence or mid-thought. [And she has said nothing of late.]

My conclusion? The repugs love arm candy in the form of trophy wives and trophy husbands and trophy veep choices. Like Faux Noise - repugs love to sell sex - but for this campaign it leaves them with only 2 persons who can rev up the "base." Hmm .... the base base?

The dems have 4 solid people who can speak English, have ideas and do not need to be silenced by spouses or campaigns...

Tells you something about values - does it not?????

cross posted as a diary at dailykos http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/2/10471/8897/74/649799

Sarah Palin pranked. If this is true...IT IS!

2008-11-01T15:39:00.000-07:00

what does it say about her egotism that she really thinks the French President is calling to chat with her?

youch!

[tnx to dailykos]

A prank by a Canadian comedy duo in Montreal......

update - it is true...she's so self absorbed she giggled thru it - not listening to the "errors"

I just heard on MSNBC that the call took a few days to set up - I thought she said she had foreign policy experience - she did not know how to verify who the callers were????? And her staff did not know?

My guess is that she did not tell McSame or the campaign this was happening...she's on her own and now we see what "her own" is - it's a disaster...[the alaska disasta] you betcha

Halloween at N/NE Portland Obama-land

2008-11-01T09:21:00.000-07:00

4 days to go and the place is hopping!

People of all shapes, sizes, ages and colors are here to get out the vote, drop off a ballot, sell swag, make phone calls....

or just dropping in because it's such a neat place to hang out!

Sarah Palin spoofs

2008-10-31T12:51:00.000-07:00

Enjoy this last weekend of electoral politics [for a while at least :-)]

Funny - but scary! Get every voter out to vote!!!

2008-10-28T09:53:00.000-07:00

Click on the video to watch - this is "my" version...

You can customize it and send it to your friends or post it on your blog, etc.

PS - we vote by mail in Oregon and mine is already at "election central :-)"

Obama in Ohio

2008-10-27T15:40:00.000-07:00

Watch and be inspired! Actually watch it a few times and then some more!

It's about HOPE!!!!! [and the future of our country!]

Our Own Oregon Grown Ad

2008-10-26T14:19:00.000-07:00

We the People - Democratic Party of Oregon

Multnomah County Oregon Voters

2008-10-25T21:24:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to ballot drop off sites:
http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/dbcs/elections/election_information/drop_sites.shtml

Vote early - avoid getting the nagging phone calls about your ballot:-)

Obama Supports Merkley

2008-10-24T18:34:00.000-07:00

No matter what GS says - Obama and Wyden support Jeff Merkley...

Here is an ad Obama made for Jeff

It's Hard to Rant Today :-)

2008-10-24T16:58:00.000-07:00

It's also hard to not smirk, smile with glee or jump for joy!

[I will contain myself and keep plugging away for Dems until Nov 4th!]

Why can I not rant ?

All those R's coming out to say they support Obama! [See http://www.conservativesforchange.com/]

All those R's who are moving down in the polls against D's.

All those R's acting like rats leaving the proverbial skinkign hisp and sendin out heri resumes!

All those R's seeing thier "emire" crumbl beofre them!

I'll repeat Ozymandias here [from a May post] as it is SO SO fitting today!

Here is Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shatter'd visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamp'd on these lifeless things,
The hand that mock'd them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains: round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

And among the last lines of Yertle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss

And his burp shook the Throne of the King!

We Dems have burped - and we Dems have shook the throne of mad king george and all the R's.

I wish them a hasty departure from Washington and I hope they never return except for trials!

Why Bloggers Rock!

2008-10-23T16:57:00.000-07:00

Up in Washington, Darcy Burner is running against an incumbent R - [ I won't give him any name recognition here.]

The local "news" paper came out screaming that Darcy lied about her Harvard degree. She didn't [Harvard has oddities no other college has] and this was most likely a faux noise/R campaign to discredit her.

But - as I've said before - I'm a psychologist and when R's start saying "someone did that" - it usually means they are projecting their own whatever onto someone else.

Well in this case - the R DOES NOT have the degree he said he had - and he quickly re-did his congressional page [oops]

So the R was caught in his own projection!!!

Your Right to Vote

2008-10-23T15:33:00.000-07:00

From the ACLU - a state by state voter's right guide....

check out your state and be prepared!

http://www.aclu.org/votingrights/gen/36695res20080909.html

Anti-American Congresspeople

2008-10-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

I am not a journalist but I thought I'd take Michelle Bachmann up on her suggestion to do some investigating into anti-American Congresspeople.

I'll start with my definition of anti-American.

1. People who do not believe in free speech or who never read the Constitution.
2. People who not understand what the role of the vice president is.
3. People who name call and us divisive tactics.
4. People who are proud of their party's sleaze campaign.

add you own criteria in the comments...

Who fits this definition? My list starts here.......and this is just off the top of my head

MN Rep. Michelle Bachmann
AK Sarah Palin [I know - she's not in congress]
N.C. Rep. Robin Hayes
AZ Sen. John McCain

add your own in the comments