December 29, 2011

How many kids are too many?

I know that it often depends on situations, such as being rural or urban setting, whether you have enough money to raise them and so on, but for the ordinary human being, does there come a point where it becomes difficult to care about all the kids in the same fashion?

Let's say you have enough money to raise a bunch, but would you love them all equally, in the same way?

Are there different levels parents have their kids on, in terms of "love?" I never had kids, but I have seen some parents favor one child over another.

I ask because I was watching something last night and there was a couple who had two kids, and then their third turned out to be a special needs kid, and all the attention turned to that one, and it seemed, even though it was only segments of their lives, that attention went less to the older two children as a result of the third one's need for more care and attention.

I was first in a family of four kids, and it seemed to me that my brother and I might have gotten more attention simply because we were around longer, but my two younger siblings seemed to have more--well, issues. My sister of course abused (and continues to abuse) alcohol and drugs, and my younger brother was arrogant and nasty (even though he suffered brain trauma in a car accident and requires care, he still has that nastiness right under the surface, and begins to strike out at everyone if he doesn't get his way).

I know some people shouldn't have any at all, but should a family realize their limitations and stop after a couple?

December 27, 2011

2011

Let us count the Democrat ways:

Gone are Ghadaffi, bin Laden, Mubarak, Kim Dong Il, and several other despots.

We have seen our own government struggle, with Tea Party politics, GOP pretenders to the throne, and conservative morals that go bang in the night.

We have seen Democratic leaders pressured to give up their posts, with concervative vitriol at an alltime high. We have seen good people go down and not get up again. We have seen the growth of a new, progressive netowrk, railing against the evils of Republicans.

We have seen the birth of the "99%"--an effort to bring people together, to curtail the greed and power of the 1% richest people and corporations in the country. We have seen the movement grow, wane, and enter the public consciousness.

We have seen the fall of influence with some, like Rupert Murdoch, and the rise of others. We have brought the tradition of protest back to the fore, and public awareness has increased.

We have seen some of our own pass away: Warren Christopher, Geraldine Ferraro, Fred Shuttlesworth, William Donald Schaefer, Sargent Shriver, John Shalikashvili, Charles Manatt, Sidney Harman, Richard Holbrooke, and Dorothy Rodham, Hillary Clinton's mother.

Whatever we hope for in 2012, we will still see the deaths of many--far too many, for political reasons and power struggles.

But we can still hope, as we do every year, for less death, for more fulfilled promises, for a time of peace.

We can disagree with our political opposites, but finding a single, clear focus of a bi-partisan goal might still be possible, if we can clarify what almost all of us want in the end.

Goodbye to all that other stuff--let's take a go at a new year.

December 20, 2011

Have people seen this article?

http://www.examiner.com/democrat-in-national/california-politician-advocates-assassination-of-obama-and-family?fb_comment_id=fbc_10150481264902206_20425890_10150485309017206


California politician advocates assassination of Obama and family
Michael Stone, Democrat Examiner


December 18, 2011 - Facebook faux pas: California libertarian and Tea Party darling Jules Manson is caught calling for the assassination of President Barack Obama and his children.

On Sunday, many Facebook users were greeted by the shocking spectacle of a California libertarian and Ron Paul supporter by the name of Jules Manson advocating for the assassination of President Barack Obama. Manson, a failed politician, recently ran for and lost a seat on the City of Carson’s City Council last March.

The following is the text of Manson’s racist, treasonous, deplorable post:

“Assassinate the f----- n----- and his monkey children”

Manson posted the disturbing and openly racist call to assassinate Obama and Obama’s children on his own Facebook wall, which was open to the public. Manson, a Ron Paul libertarian, was angry with Obama over a policy matter.
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Manson removed the obnoxious post, but numerous Facebook users, outraged by the despicable threat, captured an image of the threat before Manson had the good sense to take it down.

December 20, 2011

About Christmas. ...

I've lately been seeing some advertising, though I'm sure it's been around for awhile, that proclaims "Jesus is the reason for the season."

Okay, so here's where I am going to rant.

I don't agree--at all.

To begin with, historically, the holiday being celebrated at this time of year was NOT the birth of someone named Jesus, it was a mesh of druid/wiccan/pagan holidays for the Winter Solstice, Saturnalia, and who knows-what-else-was-thrown-in. Christians turned to those festivities to reel in the pagans and convert them.

There are a lot more non-Xtians in the country now that don't view Xmas as anything other than a celebratory time to get together with friends and family, and have a good time. And it is offensive to most of those people that Xtians try to make it into "their" holiday.

Children of people who follow no religion shouldn't have to be left out. AFAIC, Xmas stopped being about religion even before I was born, and we're talking over 50 years ago now.

The point is, Xmas is NOT just about the Xtian religious traditions. Hell, if they wanted to truly celebrate the exact day during the year that their savior was born, they would do the research and figure it out.

Let the REST of us have our own reasons to enjoy the last week in December, for whatever reason we decide to celebrate.

Go away, and TAKE BILL-O with you!!!

December 12, 2011

Schumer blisters McConnell as 'petty'

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/70270.html

By MANU RAJU | 12/11/11 5:38 PM EST

It’s not unusual for New York Sen. Chuck Schumer to spin relentlessly in order to score his political points.

But he’s now attacking Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in the most direct terms of any member of the Democratic leadership — a sign that Democrats believe bloodying the Kentucky Republican will help their agenda and that a heated rivalry is brewing between the two most political operatives in the chamber.

In a wide-ranging interview with POLITICO, Schumer launched into a scathing — and, at times, personal — attack on McConnell, accusing the GOP leader of losing his grip on his conference and acting “petty” in a personal exchange with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) during a budget debate in September. He predicted that — despite the political odds — Democrats will hold a majority in 2013 similar to how it stands today, at 53-47.

And he argues that many voters erroneously believe both chambers of Congress are controlled by Republicans, meaning the blame may fall disproportionately on them.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/70270.html#ixzz1gHGUFSFv

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Politico isn't a bastion of Dem virtue, so this is a bit one-sided, but Shumer speaking up is a good thing. It's time to fight back--completely, and finally.

February 14, 2021

Notice he said nothing directly about running...if he does that changes the money haul

And he doesn’t want that!!