Obviously people are fiercely attached to their opinions on the gun issue, one way or the other. But it seems obvious that people with known, documented mental health problems and a history of arrests for violent activity should be banned from buying guns.
It seems that if we can't even come to a consensus on that much, we're screwed.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Monday, September 16, 2013
And more on guns...some serious questions
Here are some questions nobody ever asks. And if anybody did ask, nobody would answer anyway.
1. If you don't plan to commit a mass murder, why would you need to buy a military-grade assault weapon? (What else are these things good for? Deer hunting?)
2. Why is it legal to sell weapons of war to civilians? When there is no possible legal use for such weapons outside of a war zone, wouldn't it make sense to, you know, NOT SELL THEM to the general population? We don't allow tank manufacturers and nuclear weapons manufacturers to sell their wares at Wal-Mart. Shouldn't the same hold for assault rifles?
3. Even if you support the idea that people have some kind of inherent right to have guns (which I absolutely don't) what possible reason is there not to institute comprehensive background and mental health checks BEFORE the gun sale is allowed to go forward?
4. Why for Christ's sake are those "no questions asked" gun shows legal? What possible justification is there for this, from a legal standpoint?
5. Why are we as a nation so unconcerned about the fact that stuff like this happens constantly?
I won't hold my breath waiting for answers.
1. If you don't plan to commit a mass murder, why would you need to buy a military-grade assault weapon? (What else are these things good for? Deer hunting?)
2. Why is it legal to sell weapons of war to civilians? When there is no possible legal use for such weapons outside of a war zone, wouldn't it make sense to, you know, NOT SELL THEM to the general population? We don't allow tank manufacturers and nuclear weapons manufacturers to sell their wares at Wal-Mart. Shouldn't the same hold for assault rifles?
3. Even if you support the idea that people have some kind of inherent right to have guns (which I absolutely don't) what possible reason is there not to institute comprehensive background and mental health checks BEFORE the gun sale is allowed to go forward?
4. Why for Christ's sake are those "no questions asked" gun shows legal? What possible justification is there for this, from a legal standpoint?
5. Why are we as a nation so unconcerned about the fact that stuff like this happens constantly?
I won't hold my breath waiting for answers.
Mass Shooting of the Day
I'm getting pretty tired of reading stories like this.
So, today we've had yet another mass shooting. This time at an actual military facility. (What happened to the "good guys with guns?" Somehow they never manage to show up. Even when the Bad Guys with Guns start shooting in places where everybody else is armed.)
What I want to know, as an American citizen, as a voter, as an educated person, and most importantly, as a mom, is when will this society decide that it has had enough of this shit? What will it take for people to realize that the widespread availability of military-grade firearms is one of our biggest public health threats in this country?
And when will people start calling it terrorism? Because if this isn't terrorism then I don't know what the fuck it is. And I'm sick of it.
For months now I've been thinking about the post I want to write about Newtown. All these months later I still have not wrapped my head around that. Like, I would imagine, many other parents in America, I still think about that day all the time. I still remember the crashing panic attack that ensued when I heard the news. The one that lasted a full week.
The events in Newtown, for me, were far more personally traumatizing than 9/11 even began to be. I lived in downtown Boston when the towers came down, but I didn't feel anywhere near as personally threatened on 9/11 as I did on the day when Adam Lanza killed those little children and those teachers -- those warrior women whose names should be remembered forever.
I hope that doesn't sound harsh. Of course I understood the horrible reality of 9/11 and grieved the mass slaughter, in all its incomprehensibility. But that was exactly the point. It was incomprehensible. Terrorist airplane attacks on skyscrapers haven't exactly been a commonplace event. Mass shootings by heavily-armed maniacs happen continually in America.
I don't want this to be the country my kids grow up in. We can do better than this. We HAVE to do better than this.
So, today we've had yet another mass shooting. This time at an actual military facility. (What happened to the "good guys with guns?" Somehow they never manage to show up. Even when the Bad Guys with Guns start shooting in places where everybody else is armed.)
What I want to know, as an American citizen, as a voter, as an educated person, and most importantly, as a mom, is when will this society decide that it has had enough of this shit? What will it take for people to realize that the widespread availability of military-grade firearms is one of our biggest public health threats in this country?
And when will people start calling it terrorism? Because if this isn't terrorism then I don't know what the fuck it is. And I'm sick of it.
For months now I've been thinking about the post I want to write about Newtown. All these months later I still have not wrapped my head around that. Like, I would imagine, many other parents in America, I still think about that day all the time. I still remember the crashing panic attack that ensued when I heard the news. The one that lasted a full week.
The events in Newtown, for me, were far more personally traumatizing than 9/11 even began to be. I lived in downtown Boston when the towers came down, but I didn't feel anywhere near as personally threatened on 9/11 as I did on the day when Adam Lanza killed those little children and those teachers -- those warrior women whose names should be remembered forever.
I hope that doesn't sound harsh. Of course I understood the horrible reality of 9/11 and grieved the mass slaughter, in all its incomprehensibility. But that was exactly the point. It was incomprehensible. Terrorist airplane attacks on skyscrapers haven't exactly been a commonplace event. Mass shootings by heavily-armed maniacs happen continually in America.
I don't want this to be the country my kids grow up in. We can do better than this. We HAVE to do better than this.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Writing, once again, to please myself
Well, that was a bit of a long hiatus. Once again I find myself at a career and mommyhood crossroads. A ton -- and I mean a ton -- has changed since I last posted here. Not the least of which being my little Peanut achieving Big Sister status. I somehow need to catch up on the highlights from the three years since our latest addition, the Cutie Patootie, was born.
It was so long since I logged into this site that I wasn't even sure it would even still be here. But I'm glad it is. I have a lot to talk about, and time on my hands now to do it. As I said when I started this blog in 2005, I intend to write to please myself. Once again.
It was so long since I logged into this site that I wasn't even sure it would even still be here. But I'm glad it is. I have a lot to talk about, and time on my hands now to do it. As I said when I started this blog in 2005, I intend to write to please myself. Once again.
Friday, October 16, 2009
The World Stops When Bizarre Things Happen
Posted by Broadway CarlHow else do you explain the nonstop coverage of today's story about a runaway balloon allegedly with a six-year old boy along for the ride? Once the balloon landed, and no boy was found, the very first thing I thought was that the boy let the balloon go and realizing how stupid it was, decided to hide for fear of getting in major trouble. If I were six years old and did something as asinine, I'd hide too!
The story has a "happy" ending. Despite horrid thoughts and speculation by bearded CNN pundits of a box or basket that was attached to the balloon in which the little fly boy hopped in and eventually plummeted to his death while 10,000 feet high, he was eventually found hiding in his attic, scared shitless of the Major League trouble he would be in.
And yet, hours after the homemade weather balloon landed two counties away sans kid, we were forced to watch speculators and and pseudo-pundits trying to figure out how high the balloon got, if it could handle the weight of a child and the basket he was supposedly in, all while watching the same 30 seconds of footage of the flying balloon, followed by 30 seconds of the balloon landing, followed by 30 seconds of the flying balloon that we'd just seen.
The world stopped while this balloon was in the air. Nothing else was happening. At least not according to the 24/7 news media outlets. And even after the boy was found, they kept talking about it! Nothing happened on the health care front. Everyone forgot to criticize President Obama's trip to New Orleans. Yet we were mesmerized by the balloon story. That silver, mylar, flying saucer shaped balloon put most of us in a trance even when there was NO NEW NEWS to report for hours.
This is the problem with 24 hour news outlets. When does breaking news stop becoming breaking news? Even when the story is long over, it's still "Breaking News" and real news gets ignored. Sensationalism is only sensational when something sensational happens, whether it be the balloon boy, or Natalee Halloway or Anna Nicole Smith or Michael Jackson. I wish someone would let cable news producers in on that little tidbit of information.
UPDATE: SURPRISE! (Not.) Balloon Boy Hoax
Falcon Heene: "You guys said that we did it for the show."
When I found out about Balloon Boy, my first instinct after I heard he wasn't on the balloon after it had landed was that he had untethered it, and fearing the wrath of mommy and daddy, decided to hide out. When I found out that these people were on ABC's Wife Swap, my cynical side immediately took over and I thought mom and dad might be attention hounds or that it might be a publicity stunt. Luckily for us, six-year olds are too honest when under pressure, you know, like during a live TV interview.
I wonder if Mr. Heene is going to get a nice, fat invoice for the emergency resources that were used in searching for a child that wasn't lost?
Monday, October 12, 2009
Obama Wins Nobel Prize, Wingnuts Crap Cages
Posted by Broadway Carl
Anti-Obama all the time. America loses 2016 Olympics and "WOOHOO!" Obama sucks! He couldn't seal the deal! This only proves that the world really hates him. Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize and "WHAAAA?!?!!" Political fallout! What will the right say? What will Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity and *gasp!* Rush Limbaugh say about it?
And I say, "Who gives a shit what the nutballs have to say?" They are preaching to their ever shrinking choir. They will tell their audience of 30 percenters what they want to hear. So why is this any different than any other day, other than the fact that the rest of the reasonable, sane population should feel a sense of pride that their country's leader, only the third sitting President in the history of the nation, should receive such an honor?
When Limbaugh gets himself into such a lather to the point of agreeing with the Taliban, and lumps his audience in with that assertion while calling President Barack "Nobel Peace Prize" Obama a "worldwide joke," and saying it's "a greater embarrassment that losing the Olympics bid," then you know you're on the right track. Really? Winning the Nobel Peace Prize is an embarrassment? How does he rate getting busted with illegal Viagra prescriptions at the airport?
So let them fling their feces. They do it every day. It only proves their simian intellect. What difference does another reason make when every day we sit in a front row seat at the viewing of Glenn Beck dirtying his underpants? Just another a day in the life of the disinformers and the misinformed.
ADDING... Rachel Maddow dissects this situation perfectly.
Obama Derangement Syndrome
Originally posted October 9th
Anti-Obama all the time. America loses 2016 Olympics and "WOOHOO!" Obama sucks! He couldn't seal the deal! This only proves that the world really hates him. Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize and "WHAAAA?!?!!" Political fallout! What will the right say? What will Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity and *gasp!* Rush Limbaugh say about it?
And I say, "Who gives a shit what the nutballs have to say?" They are preaching to their ever shrinking choir. They will tell their audience of 30 percenters what they want to hear. So why is this any different than any other day, other than the fact that the rest of the reasonable, sane population should feel a sense of pride that their country's leader, only the third sitting President in the history of the nation, should receive such an honor?
When Limbaugh gets himself into such a lather to the point of agreeing with the Taliban, and lumps his audience in with that assertion while calling President Barack "Nobel Peace Prize" Obama a "worldwide joke," and saying it's "a greater embarrassment that losing the Olympics bid," then you know you're on the right track. Really? Winning the Nobel Peace Prize is an embarrassment? How does he rate getting busted with illegal Viagra prescriptions at the airport?
So let them fling their feces. They do it every day. It only proves their simian intellect. What difference does another reason make when every day we sit in a front row seat at the viewing of Glenn Beck dirtying his underpants? Just another a day in the life of the disinformers and the misinformed.
ADDING... Rachel Maddow dissects this situation perfectly.
Obama Derangement Syndrome
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Originally posted October 9th
Monday, October 05, 2009
Other people's sex lives
Ever since then-President Clinton was practically burned at the stake by our highly-principled news media for his affair with Monica Lewinsky, I've been fascinated by the pull that this type of adultery story seems to exhibit. I totally understand the concern that a person in a position of power could abuse that position to demand sexual favors from staff members. If that had been the case with Clinton, then yes, my journalistic instincts tell me that would have been a story. But with a willing, adult-age partner, where is the story? A guy cheated on his wife? These things do happen. Dog bites man. Not a story.
I've been reminded of all this in reading the tons of ink spilled on the David Letterman adultery story. Unless I’ve missed something, it doesn’t seem that any of the women Letterman apparently slept with have accused him of demanding sex in return for job perks or promotions or continued employment. Nobody is saying he preyed on underage staffers. So why the hell does anyone care? Did the guy break any laws? If not, why does the media feel inclined to beat this story to death? I guess in this case the answer is the same as it usually is: this story is being over-covered because it’s an easy story to cover. (Our media is nothing if not lazy.) There’s ready-made video with Dave’s noteworthy on-air discussion of the events, in an effort to take control of the narrative from the guy trying to blackmail him. And as much as we love our celebrities in America, we love seeing them beaten down even more. A humiliated celebrity is far better news fodder than a famous person on top of the world.
That said, I find the Associated Press’ hand-wringing in the above-linked story quite interesting. What must Dave do to keep women viewers, the AP wonders? Speaking as a (sigh) middle-aged married woman, I have to say that nothing about this whole thing bothers me, aside from the media’s over-reaction to it. Letterman’s sex life concerns me precisely as much as Bill Clinton’s sex life concerned me back in the 1990s: not one goddamn bit. Why shouldn’t I keep watching Letterman’s show? Don’t I have more pressing things to worry about? How immature am I supposed to be, exactly?
The last thing I want to waste time worrying about is other people’s legal, consensual sexual activities. Period. I’m pretty sure I’m not alone. But the media will never admit that most people simply don’t care about this stuff.
Cross-posted at Broadway Carl's Blog-O-Mania
I've been reminded of all this in reading the tons of ink spilled on the David Letterman adultery story. Unless I’ve missed something, it doesn’t seem that any of the women Letterman apparently slept with have accused him of demanding sex in return for job perks or promotions or continued employment. Nobody is saying he preyed on underage staffers. So why the hell does anyone care? Did the guy break any laws? If not, why does the media feel inclined to beat this story to death? I guess in this case the answer is the same as it usually is: this story is being over-covered because it’s an easy story to cover. (Our media is nothing if not lazy.) There’s ready-made video with Dave’s noteworthy on-air discussion of the events, in an effort to take control of the narrative from the guy trying to blackmail him. And as much as we love our celebrities in America, we love seeing them beaten down even more. A humiliated celebrity is far better news fodder than a famous person on top of the world.
That said, I find the Associated Press’ hand-wringing in the above-linked story quite interesting. What must Dave do to keep women viewers, the AP wonders? Speaking as a (sigh) middle-aged married woman, I have to say that nothing about this whole thing bothers me, aside from the media’s over-reaction to it. Letterman’s sex life concerns me precisely as much as Bill Clinton’s sex life concerned me back in the 1990s: not one goddamn bit. Why shouldn’t I keep watching Letterman’s show? Don’t I have more pressing things to worry about? How immature am I supposed to be, exactly?
The last thing I want to waste time worrying about is other people’s legal, consensual sexual activities. Period. I’m pretty sure I’m not alone. But the media will never admit that most people simply don’t care about this stuff.
Cross-posted at Broadway Carl's Blog-O-Mania
Friday, October 02, 2009
Rep. Alan Grayson: GOP Nothing But "Knuckle Dragging Neanderthals"
Posted by Broadway Carl
I never thought I could run for elected office because, as evidenced by my blog, I can be crass, foul-mouthed and generally tend to cast any sense of decorum out the window. (I'm not smart enough either, but judging by the current crop of GOP elected officials, I don't think that's much of a hurdle anymore.)
Now I have new found hope! Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Florida) is my new hero. Not only did he turn the tables on the Republican party's use of "death panels" and "health care reform equals dead people" rhetoric, but he refused to apologize for saying that the GOP Health Care Plan is to "die quickly" if you get sick on the floor of the House. And to top it off, while being interviewed by Rachel Maddow, Grayson added that the Republican party is "utterly unscrupulous. These are foot dragging, knuckle dragging Neanderthals."
Crack open a beer, sit back and watch what I can only dream of doing.
Originally posted on September 30th on Broadway Carl's Blog-O-Mania!
I never thought I could run for elected office because, as evidenced by my blog, I can be crass, foul-mouthed and generally tend to cast any sense of decorum out the window. (I'm not smart enough either, but judging by the current crop of GOP elected officials, I don't think that's much of a hurdle anymore.)
Now I have new found hope! Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Florida) is my new hero. Not only did he turn the tables on the Republican party's use of "death panels" and "health care reform equals dead people" rhetoric, but he refused to apologize for saying that the GOP Health Care Plan is to "die quickly" if you get sick on the floor of the House. And to top it off, while being interviewed by Rachel Maddow, Grayson added that the Republican party is "utterly unscrupulous. These are foot dragging, knuckle dragging Neanderthals."
Crack open a beer, sit back and watch what I can only dream of doing.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Originally posted on September 30th on Broadway Carl's Blog-O-Mania!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Grieving in the digital age
So it's 10 p.m. and I should really go to bed, given that I have to work tomorrow. But I decide to jump online to check e-mail. "Bad news," the subject line reads. The sister of a dear, dear friend (one of my bridesmaids in fact) who I've known, oh, what feels like forever, has been in a car accident with her husband and son, who is 7, or maybe by now had turned 8. Some idiot, or maybe a drunk, plowed into them on a Pennsylvania highway.
The little boy didn't make it. My friend's sister, who I also think of as a dear friend, is in critical condition. The husband has a broken pelvis, but will survive.
Physically, at least.
To say these people are the salt of the earth is both a cliche and a gross understatement. They are intelligent and unfailingly kind. They were the most loving parents to their son, whom they adopted from South Korea as a baby. They were so proud to be his parents--true parents, even though he was born half a world away. Now he is gone, and his adoptive mother might not make it, and I am filled with sadness and rage.
I hadn't talked to this couple for many years, but then everybody on earth (or so it seems) started getting on Facebook. So for the last little while, I've been chatting with them regularly. Getting updates on their little boy. Hearing about their lives.
And now, tonight, as news of the horrible accident spread, a bunch of us who were friends together in New Jersey, and later in Boston, many, many moons ago now, mutual friends, gathered in cyberspace to discuss what happened and to grieve. I had four Facebook chats going at once at one point. This, I guess, is how we gather now to process such shattering events, especially when we are separated by hundreds of miles.
I only wish there was something I could do for my friends, but I know there is nothing. There are no words you can say to parents who have lost a child. To a man who might lose his wife. God willing she will make it. But what they are going through, I wouldn't wish on anybody.
I'm not sure how I will sleep now.
MONDAY UPDATE: The little boy's mom died, too, over the weekend. Heaven has two more angels now.
The little boy didn't make it. My friend's sister, who I also think of as a dear friend, is in critical condition. The husband has a broken pelvis, but will survive.
Physically, at least.
To say these people are the salt of the earth is both a cliche and a gross understatement. They are intelligent and unfailingly kind. They were the most loving parents to their son, whom they adopted from South Korea as a baby. They were so proud to be his parents--true parents, even though he was born half a world away. Now he is gone, and his adoptive mother might not make it, and I am filled with sadness and rage.
I hadn't talked to this couple for many years, but then everybody on earth (or so it seems) started getting on Facebook. So for the last little while, I've been chatting with them regularly. Getting updates on their little boy. Hearing about their lives.
And now, tonight, as news of the horrible accident spread, a bunch of us who were friends together in New Jersey, and later in Boston, many, many moons ago now, mutual friends, gathered in cyberspace to discuss what happened and to grieve. I had four Facebook chats going at once at one point. This, I guess, is how we gather now to process such shattering events, especially when we are separated by hundreds of miles.
I only wish there was something I could do for my friends, but I know there is nothing. There are no words you can say to parents who have lost a child. To a man who might lose his wife. God willing she will make it. But what they are going through, I wouldn't wish on anybody.
I'm not sure how I will sleep now.
MONDAY UPDATE: The little boy's mom died, too, over the weekend. Heaven has two more angels now.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
"Our Awesome Post--Racial Society"
The amazing Tom Tomorrow hits the nail on the head re: right wing racial hypocricy. I would love to re-post the cartoon here but I suspect there are copyright issues with that. As with all his cartoons, it's a must-read. (Notice the Obama "African" photo in the third panel -- this is an actual teabagger poster that's been making the rounds.)
Monday, September 21, 2009
Quote of the Day
Posted by Broadway Carl
Of course, imbeciles like Chris Wallace don't get it. They don't understand why President Obama wouldn't use his time to go on their network to promote health care reform after the network decided not to air his joint session of Congress on the very same topic.
Well, somebody's crying, but it sounds like Chris Wallace.
"We figured Fox would rather show 'So You Think You Can Dance' than broadcast an honest discussion about health insurance reform," - White House spokesman Josh Earnest on the omission of Fox during the current Presidential media blitz
Of course, imbeciles like Chris Wallace don't get it. They don't understand why President Obama wouldn't use his time to go on their network to promote health care reform after the network decided not to air his joint session of Congress on the very same topic.
"They are the biggest bunch of crybabies I have dealt with in my 30 years in Washington," Wallace said on the Fox News program "The O'Reilly Factor."
Well, somebody's crying, but it sounds like Chris Wallace.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Things people have forgotten about
(Cross-posted at Broadway Carl's Blog-O-Mania)
Remember Hurricane Katrina? It's had some jaw-dropping lasting effects. That no one will talk about. Because they concern mostly black people.
But it's not like people are still racist in America, right? Just avert your eyes and carry on...
Personally I still recall the raw horror, the literal nausea, I felt watching the Katrina disaster unfold on TV while King George the Inept ate birthday cake with John McCain. I vividly remember thinking: "We've lost an entire American city due to the Bush administration's ineptitude. NOW, now he's going to get impeached for sure."
So much for that. And today, all these years later, large swaths of New Orleans are evidently still a giant hellhole, and this NEVER makes it on the news. Awesome.
Remember Hurricane Katrina? It's had some jaw-dropping lasting effects. That no one will talk about. Because they concern mostly black people.
But it's not like people are still racist in America, right? Just avert your eyes and carry on...
Personally I still recall the raw horror, the literal nausea, I felt watching the Katrina disaster unfold on TV while King George the Inept ate birthday cake with John McCain. I vividly remember thinking: "We've lost an entire American city due to the Bush administration's ineptitude. NOW, now he's going to get impeached for sure."
So much for that. And today, all these years later, large swaths of New Orleans are evidently still a giant hellhole, and this NEVER makes it on the news. Awesome.
Immune To Irony
Posted by Broadway CarlHow do these people get elected into office? Did they stop drooling on themselves long enough to convince the rubes they call their constituents that they would be of use in Congress? ANY USE?
After receiving a complaint from a rube/constituent of their inconvenience during their recent travel, Republican Texas Rep. Kevin Brady decided to write a letter on their behalf, which would be a nice gesture if it weren't for the purpose of the trip and the specific travel complaint, as the Wall Street Journal so aptly describes:
Protesters who attended Saturday’s Tea Party rally in Washington found a new reason to be upset: Apparently they are unhappy with the level of service provided by the subway system.
Rep. Kevin Brady asked for an explanation of why the government-run subway system didn’t, in his view, adequately prepare for this past weekend’s rally to protest government spending and government services.
Seriously.
This would be funny if it weren't so pathetic. But what do you expect? These people who, as Brady writes in his letter of complaint to DC's Metro system, "came all the way from Southeast Texas to protest the excessive spending and growing government intrusion by the 111th Congress and the new Obama administration" complained that said government's transit system did not spend extra money to provide extra service for the teabagger event.
Seriously.
And the newest Republican MENSA member to step into that dubious Spotlight of Superstupid decides to write a letter on the behalf of an 80-year old woman, who is most likely in that evil, socialized Medicare program, with absolutely no conception of the irony of the situation.
Seriously.
And the kicker of this whole affront to the teabagging community? In July, the House voted on a resolution for appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, HUD, and related agencies including emergency funding for the Metro DC subway system. Brady voted against the resolution.
Seriously.
Texas Republican Rep. Kevin Brady: SUPERGENIUS.
(H/T Wonkette)
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Classic Stupidity
Posted by Broadway Carl
These are the boneheads we are dealing with.
(Photo via Bob Cesca)
UPDATE (2:30pm): Update on The Stupid.
Via Wonkette:
Oh, the irony! AHAHAHAHAAHAAHAAHAAAAAAA!!!
These are the boneheads we are dealing with.
(Photo via Bob Cesca)
These are the imbeciles that "want their country back" as if it was taken away from them in the first place. I wonder how morons like these get by day to day without being killed by walking into traffic? Or walking off a cliff? Or having an anvil fall on their head?
UPDATE (2:30pm): Update on The Stupid.
Via Wonkette:
Would-be teabaggers and and other easily duped dingbats are proudly emailing each other wonderful pictures of a million teabaggers crowding the National Mall, but these pictures are actually from the Million Man March of 1997, an event attended by, ahem, colored people.
Oh, the irony! AHAHAHAHAAHAAHAAHAAAAAAA!!!
Yes, yes, yes and yes
Atrios hits the nail on the head:
When ARE the airlines (to say nothing of the people in charge of Homeland Security) going to realize that the more they crap all over people, the less people will fly? Why am I still taking my damn shoes off, for example? Why must we take our 4-year-old's shoes off? Why is it that when we finally get on the plane, we barely fit in the seats? How tall and heavy do the airlines think the average person is, anyway? My husband, around 5"8 and still as skinny as he was in his 20s -- he barely fits. Me, 5"3 and certainly overweight but nowhere near obese -- I barely fit. My knees practically hit the seat in front of me. Do the airlines think most adults are not over 5"3? I weep for these poor 6"4 guys, folding their entire bodies, origami-like, in a vain attempt to fit in the coach seats. Deep vein thrombosis, here we come!
And then, say you're going from Boston to Los Angeles. Would you like to have a drink of water over the next 6-plus hours? Well, good luck with that, if you lacked the foresight to bring your own bottle of water.
Anyway. None of these are new complaints. It's just amazing how, even in this economy when you think they'd want to encourage people to fly, the whole experience just gets worse and worse.
Obviously the recession has much to do with it, but I do wish it would occur to our great captains of the airline industry that one reason people are flying less is that the experience has become so incredibly shitty. Some of this is not the fault of the individual airlines, such as stupid security theater, but plenty of it is. I mean bag fees, what the fuck? And it isn't simply the money, it's the extra hassle and just general sense of being screwed and harassed throughout the entire process.
When ARE the airlines (to say nothing of the people in charge of Homeland Security) going to realize that the more they crap all over people, the less people will fly? Why am I still taking my damn shoes off, for example? Why must we take our 4-year-old's shoes off? Why is it that when we finally get on the plane, we barely fit in the seats? How tall and heavy do the airlines think the average person is, anyway? My husband, around 5"8 and still as skinny as he was in his 20s -- he barely fits. Me, 5"3 and certainly overweight but nowhere near obese -- I barely fit. My knees practically hit the seat in front of me. Do the airlines think most adults are not over 5"3? I weep for these poor 6"4 guys, folding their entire bodies, origami-like, in a vain attempt to fit in the coach seats. Deep vein thrombosis, here we come!
And then, say you're going from Boston to Los Angeles. Would you like to have a drink of water over the next 6-plus hours? Well, good luck with that, if you lacked the foresight to bring your own bottle of water.
Anyway. None of these are new complaints. It's just amazing how, even in this economy when you think they'd want to encourage people to fly, the whole experience just gets worse and worse.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Reboot
This poor blog has been sadly neglected lately, for which I must apologize. You think your life is going to get less crazy, and somehow it only gets crazier. I now realize this is the permanent state of things, so I might as well get used to it!
With that, I would like to declare a reboot on my blogging activities. I'm going to start over with new posts on all things personal as well as political, because there's a ton going on on both fronts. As always, I must thank the highly talented Broadway Carl for his insightful contributions here, and you'll see my posts over at his place as well.
So stay tuned for more updates, and as always, thanks for reading!
With that, I would like to declare a reboot on my blogging activities. I'm going to start over with new posts on all things personal as well as political, because there's a ton going on on both fronts. As always, I must thank the highly talented Broadway Carl for his insightful contributions here, and you'll see my posts over at his place as well.
So stay tuned for more updates, and as always, thanks for reading!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
The People Health Care Reform Would Help...
... have no idea as to what they are protesting against.
Here is a two minute interview with a middle aged woman, the same woman who screamed "Heil Hitler!" at an Israeli man while he was extolling the virtues of Israel's national health care system. Irony of ironies, she's wearing an "Israel Defense League" t-shirt and yelled "Heil Hitler" at an Israeli Jew.
In two minutes she personified what is wrong with these town hall windbags that haven't a clue why they're against health care reform.
1 - She doesn't want to identify herself with any group except to say that she's a lifelong Republican conservative who "believes in Biblical vows." Good job not trying to box yourself in, lady.
2 - She knows reform is needed because of escalating costs but doesn't want a government take over, as if that were the case. Will she refuse Medicare when she or her husband reaches that age?
3 - She thinks reform will "support illegal aliens." It does not.
4 - Her husband works "two and a half" jobs and HAS NO INSURANCE.
5 - She hopes Obama is voted out of office because he has the audacity to try and provide health care for Americans who can't afford it.
Barney Frank is right. There is no reasoning with these people.
Here is a two minute interview with a middle aged woman, the same woman who screamed "Heil Hitler!" at an Israeli man while he was extolling the virtues of Israel's national health care system. Irony of ironies, she's wearing an "Israel Defense League" t-shirt and yelled "Heil Hitler" at an Israeli Jew.
In two minutes she personified what is wrong with these town hall windbags that haven't a clue why they're against health care reform.
1 - She doesn't want to identify herself with any group except to say that she's a lifelong Republican conservative who "believes in Biblical vows." Good job not trying to box yourself in, lady.
2 - She knows reform is needed because of escalating costs but doesn't want a government take over, as if that were the case. Will she refuse Medicare when she or her husband reaches that age?
3 - She thinks reform will "support illegal aliens." It does not.
4 - Her husband works "two and a half" jobs and HAS NO INSURANCE.
5 - She hopes Obama is voted out of office because he has the audacity to try and provide health care for Americans who can't afford it.
Barney Frank is right. There is no reasoning with these people.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Obama Kung-Fu Panda™
posted by Broadway Carl
There was a lot of talk this weekend about the perceived White House softening on the public option due to a comment made by President Obama during a town hall meeting in Colorado (which I think wasn't a softening at all if you listen to what he was trying to say in the overall context) and an interview by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in which she stated that the public option is "not the essential element" in health care reform. I was still hesitant to think that all the "president is backing off the public option" ballyhoo was actually the case considering that Congress is not in session and the MSM was hungry for something to fill their time other than Michael Jackson's brain.
In any case, the possibility that this could happen was a breaking point for the left who have started to mobilize. Whether progressives and liberals were coming off the Obama honeymoon or whether they realized that they had to be as vocal as the misinformed, gun-toting nutballs at the town hall meetings, the pushback has finally started.
My theory: I think the Sebelius statement was a trial balloon. If the statement was used to gauge a perceived softening on the public option or an actual one is up for debate. The end result is the liberal and progressive base got tired of laying back and are now on the offensive to the benefit of the Obama administration, even though their outrage is directed at the ever-tiring Democratic capitulation.
But some are now writing that this may have been part of the plan all along; some more Obama Kung-Fu. And if you think about it, you can whip up your base into a frenzy by looking like you are softening to the GOP and losing your spine, because in the end you really aren't going to lose your liberal base. What liberal or progressive in their right mind would vote for ANY Republican?
Now, President Obama has always said that change has to start with us. On that I agree. But the way this has been unfolding, I'm finding it a little hard to believe that it's all part of a grand plan, that this administration although very savvy, is always ten steps ahead of absolutely everyone else. (If they are, then we are in for an awesome eight years.)
Ultimately, I don't think that the White House will accept a final bill without a public option, but if there had been no outrage from the left, if we had become defeatist and complacent (and I think some of us were headed that way) then who knows how horrible a compromised bill could become? Luckily, progressives and liberals, sixty and counting in the House, are galvanizing and threatening to vote against any bill that doesn't contain a public option.
So in my opinion, I don't think this was an example of Obama Kung-Fu; it was more the situation turning to fortuitously help the White House. Maybe call it Obama Kung-Fu Panda™.
There was a lot of talk this weekend about the perceived White House softening on the public option due to a comment made by President Obama during a town hall meeting in Colorado (which I think wasn't a softening at all if you listen to what he was trying to say in the overall context) and an interview by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in which she stated that the public option is "not the essential element" in health care reform. I was still hesitant to think that all the "president is backing off the public option" ballyhoo was actually the case considering that Congress is not in session and the MSM was hungry for something to fill their time other than Michael Jackson's brain.
In any case, the possibility that this could happen was a breaking point for the left who have started to mobilize. Whether progressives and liberals were coming off the Obama honeymoon or whether they realized that they had to be as vocal as the misinformed, gun-toting nutballs at the town hall meetings, the pushback has finally started.
My theory: I think the Sebelius statement was a trial balloon. If the statement was used to gauge a perceived softening on the public option or an actual one is up for debate. The end result is the liberal and progressive base got tired of laying back and are now on the offensive to the benefit of the Obama administration, even though their outrage is directed at the ever-tiring Democratic capitulation.
But some are now writing that this may have been part of the plan all along; some more Obama Kung-Fu. And if you think about it, you can whip up your base into a frenzy by looking like you are softening to the GOP and losing your spine, because in the end you really aren't going to lose your liberal base. What liberal or progressive in their right mind would vote for ANY Republican?
Now, President Obama has always said that change has to start with us. On that I agree. But the way this has been unfolding, I'm finding it a little hard to believe that it's all part of a grand plan, that this administration although very savvy, is always ten steps ahead of absolutely everyone else. (If they are, then we are in for an awesome eight years.)
Ultimately, I don't think that the White House will accept a final bill without a public option, but if there had been no outrage from the left, if we had become defeatist and complacent (and I think some of us were headed that way) then who knows how horrible a compromised bill could become? Luckily, progressives and liberals, sixty and counting in the House, are galvanizing and threatening to vote against any bill that doesn't contain a public option.
So in my opinion, I don't think this was an example of Obama Kung-Fu; it was more the situation turning to fortuitously help the White House. Maybe call it Obama Kung-Fu Panda™.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The GOP Cockroach Scurry
Posted by Broadway Carl
I find it amazing that elected officials are so afraid of reporters with cameras, they literally run away as fast as they can. Mike Stark (of HuffPo and FDL) is the light switch that makes these GOP roaches run for cover. And all because they don't want to be on official record as supporting the Birther Movement, yet giving it credence by saying there may be something there.
And Rep. Thaddeus "I'm focused on health care issues" McCotter actually introduced a resolution to get President Obama to officially apologize to Cambridge Police officer Sgt. James Crowley. A fine use of time for the state of Michigan and their tax dollars.
I find it amazing that elected officials are so afraid of reporters with cameras, they literally run away as fast as they can. Mike Stark (of HuffPo and FDL) is the light switch that makes these GOP roaches run for cover. And all because they don't want to be on official record as supporting the Birther Movement, yet giving it credence by saying there may be something there.
And Rep. Thaddeus "I'm focused on health care issues" McCotter actually introduced a resolution to get President Obama to officially apologize to Cambridge Police officer Sgt. James Crowley. A fine use of time for the state of Michigan and their tax dollars.
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