The Warpness of America

It is any wonder that the world has
such a warp sense of who we are.

They take from our television. Some
from shows that they think that is how
life is. But even the news is warped from
how we are.

Right now we have the chicken little of
the sky is falling. And yes, I do believe
that Wall Street is in trouble and it will
not tickle down to us like the economy
does, but it will flow down.. But at what
rate?

We have people talking about how it
will be just like the Great Depression.
That people will be without homes,
and without food. There won't be money
for unemployment, because there will
be so many on it.

Yet we read in the paper of how the
courts granted a 4 million dollar suit
that two people will collect for a car
accident. They won over 2 million
from the car driver and the employer
of that driver. And are insisting on
collecting almost 2 million from the
Seattle Police dept. because their
officer was chasing the driver of the
car. Which opens a whole new can
of worms on car chases and lawsuits.

We also have winners of a great deal of
money in one of the lotteries saying this
is too much money for us.. and we plan
on giving some of it away. (that ought to
bring out every person they ever knew and
every charity and etc.)

We have an organization giving away
hundreds of thousands of dollars to two
charities. And Warren Buffet buying
stock in one of the Wall Street Company
at the tune of 5 billion dollars.

Then there are the actors and the athletics
who demand and get millions of dollars...
All of this while we are saying we are
going to be ruined. Which makes some
wonder...just who is getting ruined? There
are stores, restaurants closing their doors
due to the Wall Street mess. How can that
be? Are they fortune tellers? They are on
the West coast and the true mess isn't
quite here. Yes, WaMu is in trouble but
not the people who had their savings and
checking accounts there. It was the stock
holders who lost their money. Were they
the only ones who were going to those
stores? Restaurants? Or were they in
trouble themselves, and Wall Street is a
good reason to bail now?

But as millions are still flowing around the
country with groups still giving it away to
charities, actors and alike still getting theirs,
Lotteries still enticing people to buy the
brass ring for hundreds of million... isn't
that kind of a warped sense of money?

Or is this the mentality of the 30's.
The rich get richer, the poor have more
children? Is the Congress bailing out the
rich? That is suppose to trickle down to
the ones who bought when they knew intheir hearts they couldn't afford?

Weekend Camping

Looking across the lake from the beginning of the trail....
You aren't going to leave me on this stump, are you?

Are you sure this bridge is safe?snarlly tree trunk
Looking back across the lake.... half way around the walk path
woodpeckers worked the tree over
Heading back to camp, I am wore out...

What? What is going on?

First we a have the longest run for an
election year ever.
Then, it gets down to the end stretch and
we have a military move by the Republicans.

Shock and Awe, pick of Palin.
As the glitter starts to fall, people
get to see, what a lot of us could see, from the
beginning. As the wraps come off Palin,
as the Republican think she is ready for
prime time, after their crash course of Politics 101.
We see that the emperor has no clothes.

Add to this, McCain's quick draw McGraw idea
to run to Washington D.C. Calling an end to
his campaign trail and even trying to cancel
or rather postpone the debate, so he can
save the day for his country. Guess he forgot
the 440+ congress persons there to try to come
up with the answers. And the debate is in the evening.
And the last I heard planes do travel from
Washington, D.C. to Mississippi. So why not
debate. They can be back in Washington by
morning.

McCain promise to keep the campaign clean,yet
he has ran such negative ads that even Bushes'
helpers are embarrass at how negative they are.

I get the feeling like I am at a football game and
the team is trying to run out the clock to get the
game over with quickly. Only this time it looks like
the losing team is doing it.

This has to be the craziest election ever.

The Colors of the Season...

I would be peeved....

You know I am not a Republican fan.
Not that I am a Democrat one either, but
this year, I am leaning heavily that way.

But I got to say, as a 68 year old woman,
that if I was McCain, I would be peeved.
Everything is geared with Palin in the picture.
Ever since he brought her on board it is... how
she can take over. They have him half dead,or
at least dying, in the first year or so after he is
(if he is lucky) elected. Isn't the old 70 the new
40?

Even the Democrats are running scare and act
like they are running against Palin. She should
be a bump in the road as all VP's have been in
the past. Heck most of us can't name a VP in
the past.In the past 40 years who can you name?
Johnson?, Agnew? the guy who couldn't spell potato?
Bush Sr., Gore and Cheney. But can you go back further
than that? So why are the people so concern about Palin?

I don't recall Bush Sr. being of great concern
when Reagan was President. Or did Reagan look healthier?
So if I was McCain, I would be peeved at the concern of
my health as if I had one foot on the banana peel.

The other thing is Palin herself. If I was her, I would
be upset because they are dumbing down all of her
road to the VP. First of all, they are talking about her
lack of debate skill. Now granted I graduated 50 year ago
from high school. But we had debate teams. And there
were also times we had debates in classes. Surely some
where in all those colleges and classes they must have
had some debates. Now she might not have national
debate experience...but debating is debating. We all do
it daily. Especially right now, with every one and I do mean
everyone, debating with friends on blogs and etc. So why
not let the lady go for it. She just might
surprise everyone by dumping Biden in the dust. As he
has a history of misspeaking. Oh, well, maybe it will be
an even match with the Republican way.

Then there is the no press included in her visits to the
foreign countries. Why not? She just getting to know them,
not debating them. What is the harm. It isn't rocket science
you know. So if I were her, I would be peeved that they
didn't think I could handle talking to people. By the way,
did we have reporters there when Obama was talking to
them? Just wondering. After all, the latest dish is that
Obama was suppose to tell them not to settle things until
he got into office. If this was so, surely there was a reporter
there to say this is true or not. And if there wasn't a
reporter there, then what is the stink about for Palin?

No, I am no fan of the Republicans and they seem to
shoot themselves in the foot all on their own, but why
does the Republican find they have to control their
candidates and not let them be themselves. Who knows,
if Palin and McCain, were just themselves and not doing
what ever they need to do just to win... they might even
be liked and win on their own. But somehow, I don't think
they trust themselves and neither do the ex-Bush team
trust them either.

GOOD MORNING SCHWEITZER!!!

Can you get anything you want at.....

You can get anything you want at
Alice's Restaurant.
You can get anything you want at
Alice's restaurant.
Just walk right in
It's around the back, just a half mile
from the railroad track,
You can get anything you want at
Alice's Restaurant.
copied from Arlo Guthrie Alice's Restaurant
reprise CD booklet.

How many of us have sang that
song over the years, but really
sang it in the later 1960's?
Those were turmoil times. The
draft... and people arguing over
the use of it..Vietnam War, and
elections. Sounds kind of like
now. Except we don't have the
draft,.... yet.

One of the nice things I find about
today, 2008, is the fact there are
a lot of people interested enough
about the elections that there are
discussions about it. Some times
heated, some on the edge of heated.
Each side thinking, how can the other
side be so stupid to want that candidate.
Even hearing the saying... the stupid will
be punished. But the answer to that, if
that is so... we all will be.

This is one time I am so really glad I am
of the Cafeteria Party. And also the old
saying of never discuss religion or politics
is combined this time, as they are entwined,
whether we believe it or not.

We are getting closer, and this has been
a loooooooooooonnnnggg run, and I think
we are all getting wore out from the distance.
I just hope it doesn't get nastier as we head
downhill to the election day. Hope they will
keep focus on the real problem here.. the
economy, health, educations and etc.

The Ending of the Summer.....

Stopping to smell the flowers

Blue Skies.... and clouds

wild flowers... well kind of...

And reality...neighbor getting his firewood in.....

The Clothesline

Are you old enough to remember the clothes line? Did you have one?
I got an email about clothes lines... which I will put below. But it got
me started thinking about it. And I also got two return comments from
friends who remember them in their household. One which asked the
question... how every rule from raising kids to wash day was the same
on each end of the country and all parts between? Was it passed down
from mother to daughter? Which I am sure it was. And grandparents as
well. And as we spread across this nation of ours in the past 200+ years.

My mother had one, just as all did in the 1940's. She had it until I left in
1958. The dryer didn't come until after I left. I wonder if that was because
it was the thing to get, or because the daughter moved out of the house.
We also had a wringer type washer. Sure got my hand caught in that
enough times. Wriing it into the rinse, wring it in to the second rinse,
and then in to the basket, to be taken outside. God I hated that wringer.
And when my father told me he was going to save it for me, I thought
he has got to be kidding. If I had one now, I would use it as a planter.

Ours was attached to our house by the back door. And it went out to
a telephone pole that was in the middle of the barn yard. Don't ask me
why we had a telephone pole there, because I don't know. I don't believe
the phone wire was on it. That was all out front and across the street.

But many of years I had pin the clothes to that dang thing and then reeled
it out to the top with each piece of clothing. I remember my fingers almost
freezing, as we did it each Monday come rain, snow or shine. I do remember
getting in hot water with my mother over a sheet. It had froze solid. And I
was playing with the corner, bending it back and forth... and it broke off.
My mother didn't have much of a sense of humor. Well, at least in those
days all sheets were flat sheets, and I imagine that was used for the
bottom sheet. Knowing my mother, it was always used on my bed.

Well, here is the email... and see if you remember the rules. And
how you could tell what was going on in the inside of the house,
but what was hanging on the outside.


Do you remember?
The clothes line...a dead give away.
Do the kids today even know what a
clothes line is? For all of us who are
older, this will bring back the memories.

THE BASIC RULES
1. You had to wash the clothes line
before hanging any clothes. Walk the
length of each line with a damp cloth
around the line.
2. You had to hang the clothes in a
certain order and always hang whites
with whites and hang them first.
3. You never hung a shirt by the
shoulders, always by the tail. What
would the neighbours think?
4. Wash day on a Monday...never hang
clothes on the weekend or Sunday for
heaven's sake!
5. Hang the sheets and towels on the
outside lines so you could hide your
'unmentionables' in the middle.
6. It didn't matter if it was sub zero
weather...clothes would 'freeze dry.'
7. Always gather the clothes pins when
taking down dry clothes. Pins left on the
line was 'tacky'.
8. If you were efficient, you would line
the clothes up so that each item did not
need two clothes pins, but shared one of
the clothes pins with the next washed item.
9. Clothes off of the line before dinner time,
neatly folded in the clothes basket and ready
to be ironed.
10. IRONED?????????? Well, that's a
whole other subject.

A POEM
A clothes line was a news forecast
To neighbours passing by.
There were no secrets you could keep
When clothes were hung to dry.
It also was a friendly link
For neighbours always knew
If company had stopped on by
To spend a night or two.
For then you'd see the 'fancy sheets'
And towels upon the line;
You'd see the 'company table cloths'
With intricate design.
The line announced a baby's birth
To folks who lived inside
As brand new infant clothes were hung
So carefully with pride.
The ages of the children could
So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed
You'd know how much they'd grown.
It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung.
It said, 'Gone on vacation now'
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, 'We're back!' when full lines sagged
With not an inch to spare.
New folks in town were scorned upon
If wash was dingy gray,
As neighbours carefully raised their brows,
And looked the other way..
But clotheslines now are of the past
For dryers make work less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody's guess.
I really miss that way of life.
It was a friendly sign
When neighbours knew each other best
By what hung on the line!

I don't know the author of this..but it sure tells the
truth of it.
Do you remember?

Real Farmers

I was watching Good Morning American.
They have where they are traveling by
train across the USA.

Today they were in corn country. There
was acres and acres of corn. As they
showed it, it reminded me how we
get feelings that all is good with the
world. At least all of us who have
ever farmed in anyway or size.

With pictures of Wall Street and banks
closing or in trouble, of floods and hurricanes
it is nice to see that middle American is still
doing well. But one wonders for how long.

A lot of people don’t understand farming.
Even as a kid we had differences. I am from
a large island called Aquickneck. It has Newport,
Middletown and Portsmouth. And near by is
several little islands, and one other large one,
Jamestown. We all started in our own little town
schools, but all went to the same public high school.
There were the city kids, from Newport, the clammers,
from Jamestown and Middletown and Portsmouth were
the farmers, as the kids would call each other. My parents
had a small horse farm.

In high school, even with Future Farmers of America,
(they had cool jackets) farmers were looked down on. You
became a farmer, was the general thought, because you weren’t
smart enough to do another job. Which is a very sad state of affairs.
Because rarely is there anyone who works as hard as a farmer.

They are thought of making up their own hours. Get up
whenever, go out and dig dirt and chase cows. Ride tractors.
You know fun stuff…
When the truth of the matter is, the animals are what
rules the hours, which can be 4am. And calving time,
and a brood mare can have you in the barn all night long.

I am talking real farmers. Not the business that buy
up farms and run them like a corporation. Not the
big ones who are paid not to grow a product. I am
talking about the farmer who is struggling each
day. The family farmer. Some who even have to
have a second job, to keep it going.

Another thing that I noticed here local is the 4-H.
While going to the 3 local fairs of our area, I noticed
that the animal parts were lacking. Where there had
been barnful of cattle, pigs, and etc. That this year,
Each barn, at each fair was only a 1/3 full. What
has happen? Lack of interest? Fewer farms?
Fewer farms due to more selling out to housingprojects?

Cowboy up or wait???

When my kids were young and got into fights, I would
drive them nuts. Because instead of running into the
room and jump the kid that wasn't crying, I would sit
them both down, and ask the crying one... what did you
do? Why did he hit you? And many times the crier
was the trouble maker. Not the hitter. I never ok'd
hitting. If there was bickering siblings, I would separate
them. If it continued.. then both children had to go do
some work. So they learn quickly to settle their own
problems quietly.

Some people are quick to judge, some look at all the
facts.

You know a couple years ago, there was an email that
went around. It was how Congress was going to charge
5 cents for each email. There was numbers to call, address
to write to your Congress person. And many many people did
just that. Only to find out that the email was a fraud.

Congressmen and women wrote back and told how they
too, used email to others, and to their voters.. and they
would be the last to put a 5 cents charge on emails, as
they, too, would be broke. Plus the fact that the Senator
that was named in the email..... did not exist.

How many times have you gotten an email that angered
you, and you wanted to jump right in there and complain
about something. And you forward it to 20 friends. To have
one of them send you an email back with www.snopes.com
on it and how it was a hoax. A lot of us believe things, or
see things and want to act right away. Only to find out
there was a better way to handle it.

Kind of like Bush running over there to Iraq, with the
idea of how to fix Iraq for the Iraqi's. But didn't look in
to the facts, didn't find out about the culture of the country.
And how they believe. Just went in like a cowboy of the
movies. It didn't finally start to turn around until one
of the leaders talked to the locals, started to find out
about their culture and work with that.

That to me is the difference of McCain and Obama.
McCain is like Bush. Run in and cowboy up. Quick
decisions. Obama, seems to want to find out all the
facts of a situation. Look at it from all sides. And with
this, seems to take a little more time than McCain, so
can make a good decision.

McCain seem to think he know what we want, and
how to fix that. Obama seems to want to find out
from us, what we are concern about and how he can
work on that.

Quick draws like McCain and Palin make me nervous.

Where did the elk go?

The King has been gearing up for
elk Season.. he has his pickup
ready, and his camper. He just has a few last
touches. He has been working on this
for 2 months.. Got his tag 3 weeks ago.
He is just about ready...

But ...... the last couple weeks have been
pretty disappointing for him. As he talks
to his fellow hunters, the story is the same.
Even the Spokesman Review has a story on
it. And if the King had known 3 weeks ago,
he would not have bought his elk tag.

Wolves. The story is the same. Skittish
elk where ever they are seen and very
few are being seen. A few caresses here
and there... elk killed by wolves. No place
has been left out.

Hunters from Avery, from St. Joe, from St.
Maries, from Bonner's Ferry and Clark Fork
ridge...the high line area... Fewer and fewer
elk and more and more wolves. The ones
who are taking their campers up for early
bow and arrow, are hearing the howls at
night. Even talking to the Fish and Game,
the story is the same.

There was even a petition taken to Boise,
with no results. More and more hunters are
saying, that hunting as they know it... the
walking of the woods, camping out and
tracking, bugling, is over. More and more
are talking about not buying an elk tag next
year.

Like a salmon thrown on the dock...

Like a salmon thrown on the dock

They talked about Kerry flip flopping.
Even remarks about Obama flip-flop.
But in my humble opinion, Sarah has
them beat 2 to 1.

As Mayor and running for Governor,
she was for the bridge named Bridge to
Nowhere, by those who thought it was
a waste. She made speeches in favor
for it. Then as the media and congress
even McCain made remarks about the
waste... the now as Governor says she told
Congress, thanks but no thanks. And she
put a stop to it. (she used the money for
a road to nowhere is what the news is showing.)
Flip Flop....

Then there is the remark to Charles Gibson, when
he asked her if she agreed with McCain about
eliminating earmarks. She told Charlie," I
certainly am!" But later in the same conversation
she started to wane on the subject. Then said
she believed in reform of earmarks.
Flip Flop

Which by the way, McCain was on the show called
THE VIEW and said Palin was going to help him
reform Washington by putting a stop to funding
lawmakers pet programs through earmarking. Of
which Barbara Walters pointed out that Palin had
requested earmarks of her own. He quickly remarked
"Not while Governor she hasn't. Guess he forgot about
the $256 million she asked for last year and the $198 million
she has asked for as Governor of Alaska.. for the 2009 budget.

And what about the remark about lobbyist and how they wanted
to get rid of them. Yet, near the end of the conversation she said
that Alaska uses lobbyist because they live so far away from
Washington, D.C. I guess that means California, Oregon, Washington
and maybe even Idaho can too... after all Washington, D.C. is a long
ways for us too...
Flip Flop...

But, all of this is working very well for the
Republican/McCain campaign.
As everyone in the audience (voters)
still is watching the silver medallion (Palin) that is
being swung back and forth in front of us.

Doubt me? Tell me how many days have YOU
gone without talking or listening
about Palin?
If they can continue it until November, they
will be a shoo in. And those who are still waiting
for the real issues to be addressed, will wonder
what happened

Hunting on a Friday afternoon

Here, birdie, birdies......

Yea, but is she tough enough?

Palin has done what the Republican Party wanted. With the girl from no where.
Even her pregnant teen worked in their favor. What is that? Shock and Awe.
Shock and Awe from announcement, thru and pass the Convention time.
If they can stall her interviews and dole out a few questions here and there..
tidbits from time to time until the debate, all the better.
Why? Because tell me, since that Friday, what has everyone, Democrats as
well as Republicans been talking about? Arguing about? McCain? McCain who?
Oh, the old guy who was a P.O. W.
And who is talking taxes, economy, war, health programs? Obama.

There is no doubt about it, Palin is one tough cookie. Don't count her out.
Joe Biden better have his facts in order. He better be on top of his game.
He will have to deliver seriously, calm and matter of fact. No jokes,
Because McCain/Bush group will have her trained well. Right now while they
are keeping her under wraps and only allow out a few questions and answers
here and there, she is cramming for the test of her political life.

What is it that pisses off us women over 50? That is not ringing true to us?
Is it the arrogance? the entitlement of her? Is it because we don't feel she has
experience or is it we don't feel like she has earned the spot?

We know of several other women who have earned the right. Senator of Maine,
or Texas. Both women are good choices. They have the experience, they have
earn the right. But they can't do the SHOCK AND AWE bit. They are women.
Like we are women. It is like sending the rookie in when it is the last quarter
and the score is even. We don't think she has earned the right.
It isn't because she doesn't have the gonads, it isn't because we don't think she
tough enough. Because she has already showed that she takes no prisoners,
she is cut throat enough. But she just has not earned it. That is why the Traveling
Pants gals are not buying into this woman.

Women are tough. Have doubts? Have you ever seen a women's wrestling show?
A roller derby show? Women are rough cut throat, who fight nastier, dirtier.
They go for the blood. That is why Sarah Palin has the nickname of Barracuda.

Does this make a good President? Not necessarily. Because they are women
who are out for themselves. Not about the cause. It is about them winning at any
cost. Will she fit in the Republican Party? Yes, The Republican party has been
known for dirty trick fights. Last minute lies that are thrown up to the media with
no time to disprove them. Remember Bushes', McCain black baby out of wedlock story,
caring less about how it would effect his adopted daughter. The Kerry Swift boats.
Nixon and his dirty tricks. The running of Perot out of the race by stories about his
daughter? The no prisoners attitude...oh, ya, she will fit in well.

As she is cramming for her big test, the debate. (why is it that the VP only do one?)
YOU, ladies and gents... hang on to your hat.. this is going
to be one heck of a bumpy ride. And it isn't going to be pretty.

Bored on Saturday

I was bored on Saturday. I had everything
I could do for the yard at this time, done.
Rest has to wait until it gets a little colder.

So I thought I would wash the cat. She was
so dirty. So I cleared everything from the sink
area. As this can get messy.

You see, Misty the dog and Rokon go back to
the days when Misty was a tiny puppy. I don't know
what the relationship is, in their minds. But they
chase each other from time to time, and race thru
the house. All in good fun. When they are playful,
well, actually when Rokon is playful. As when she isn't
into it..she sits there and glares if Misty runs around her chair.
Maybe swatting at her with that "get out of here kid' look.

Misty just does her thing...cat or no cat around.
That is mostly sleep. Unless something attracts her
mind. Like people going by or a noise. She sleeps on
her blanket or hides under it. Or with the King in his
chair. We refer to her as our kitty-cat dog.

But when Rokon gets a bath, it is different. Rokon growls,
screeches, or has this deep in the bowels noise that is
hard to describe. As you can tell Rokon hates a bath.
And the only way I can survive, is to hold her by the nap of her
neck and wash fast, if it is in the sink. I have maybe 10 minutes
tops, for washing and rinsing. While she howls.

But the amazing thing is Misty. She runs back and forth
during all of this....crying, whimpering in sympathy for Rokon.
And when Rokon hits the floor at a dead run, Misty is right
behind her. Checking her over, as surely she must be hurt
after all that howling. Then she looks at me in disgust. Then
runs away as if she thinks she might be next.

For more on washing cats... when I washed her in the shower.
http://wordtosser.blogspot.com/2008/06/pets.html

Welcome to......Sandwichville

As you watch your daughter walk across the stage to get her diploma
you feel a swell in your chest. And you remember 2 years before, as
your son walked across the same stage. You and your wife and both
grandparents are so proud. Your father smiles as does your mom.
Your father in law stands and whistles and yells, as his wife pulls on his
jacket to have him sit down. A little embarrassing, yet, you almost wish you
could let go like that.
This time he is still letting out hoops and howls.
And your dad is very quiet, even more than usual, yet a smile of pride.

Two weeks later your father has a fatal heart attack. And you and your sister
are helping your mom deal with being alone after 54 years of marriage.
Your wife becomes busy helping her mother as her dad is doing strange things.
Starting a fire in the fire place even tho it is 90 degrees outside. And walking
around in the house at 3am talking loudly. Within weeks it is determine he has
dementia. Your mother in law wants to watch over him, after
all the vows are for better or worse. So your wife checks in with them daily.

Your second daughter is a junior in high school, so it is cheerleading and
soccer games. She hasn't got her driver's license yet. So you are lining up
driving classes and you are calling your insurance agent. Your mother calls ...
she fell down. She didn't break anything but is badly bruised. You and your
sister talk nursing homes or falls alarms. Which should you do? And now you
two are checking in with her daily. Helping with work in her home.

Crazy yet? Well, welcome to Sandwichville. That is where you and your wife
are the main support system for your parents and still have a child at home.
Running in both directions. Some how dealing with your children and your
parents is more stressful than raising all your children. And some where in a
moment of peace and quiet you think about how you and your wife were
planning next year at this time to start traveling. All of which is on hold now...
Now you feel guilty because you find yourself getting angry, as you know it
could be years before you can do any of those plans. It isn't because you
don't love your parents but..............you question yourself, are you being selfish?

This picture of life "the sandwich generation" is coming into play more and
more as parents live longer, dementia and failing health enter and the
couples still have children in high school. Or even younger.

All that glitters, is not gold

Maybe it is best that the running mates are where they are at.

Because tell me... if I tell you that 30+ year ago, that there was
a great tragedy in the candidate's life that was life changing for that
person. That it made that person who they are today. That person
has been a Senator for over 20 years. Now who would I be talking
about? Would you be thinking McCain or Biden? As it is true of
both of them.

Same with the other two.. both had meager life styles when young
and brought themselves up by the bootstraps by their own hard work.
While having little experience, they are ready for the nationals. Palin
and Obama.

So the general description can be made on both sides. Maybe we
should have Biden and McCain on one side and Palin and Obama
on the other side. Then we can have the old guys against the youth of
American.

But as we have found thru even history, but also true of this election.
That all that glitters is not gold. If you have doubts about that, think
of the young man who ran last time,and who ran this time. When looking,
he seem to be a nice young man, been in the Senate for a few years,
has great promise, and seemingly his real down fall was he ran as VP
with Kerry. Now we find out he has lead feet, as his love life has come
to the front lines. And we wonder, how long it would have been before
it all came out if he was still in the running? Even for VP again.

We are only a week into having Ms. Palin in the front and center. And
the people are looking at her like a rock star. Even McCain, himself, is
touting her like she is the second coming. "I can't wait until I introduce
her to Washington", like she is the junk yard dog. Which is kind of ironic,
as who can forget his and his crew campaign ad of Obama acting like a rock
star. It always seems like remarks like that come back to bite you in
the butt. As already in that short week, the news and blogs, and emails
coming out of Alaska are not of the best. News of investigations, pregnant
teen daughter, mystery pregnancy of her own, rumors of other
not upstanding deeds. One of the most damaging is the email that has
made it to prime time internet is the person who went to all of the council
meetings, while Palin was mayor. What will we learn by October? Every one
who runs for office has enemies. So one has to look thru the dirt for the
facts. There seems to be fire where there is smoke.

Now we have been beating over the head with McCain's "I WAS A P.O.W."
speech...over and over... and we hear about Biden's family, and how Palin
and Obama have been raised... let's get to the here and now.

What have these individuals done in the past 10 years? All have been
in office of one kind or another, for most of those 10 years. What kind
of policies did they sign on for? What kind of policies did they vote against?
Palin voted against many she said... what were they? Were they of interest
to us nationally? Same with our other 3 Senators, what did they stand
up for... and against. Because in the past 10 years, I do not recall
anything from any of them. Unless you want to count the one McCain
was involved with a few years back. But he was found innocent.
Scorched a little but innocent.

So I am back to my old questions... how long have I been askin??. Has it
been 2 years now?... (sigh).... but I want to know... what about health care?
what about education? What about gas prices? What about economy?
These are the issues that I want to hear... and the answers...please.
Obama does have on his site a good share of his answers and how
he plans on taking care of it. Some I agree with, some I don't, but at least
I know where he stands.

Also I wish that after the convention, and as they start to run, I would love
to know who is going to be Sec. of State, Sec. of Defense and etc. I want
to know who the home team is going to be. That would make a difference
to me. You doubt that? Does the name Rumfield mean anything to you?
Or did you like him?

This is going to be one of the most important elections of our time. Do not
vote because there is a woman on the ticket. Do not vote for or against
because there is a black man on the ticket. And if you mention the
Muslin or the name thing, I am going to puke on your chest. Vote for who
you want to represent you here in the good old USA and the world.
Our reputation is so out of whack world wide. We don't need a cowboy.
We need like Teddy Roosevelt said.. an iron fist in a velvet glove.
What means the most to you? Are you against gays? Then you want
Palin. Do you want a quick draw, then you want McCain.
If you don't ... then it is Obama and Biden. What other things
are important to YOU? Where do these people stand on what is
important to your life?

So watch carefully. Look behind the words, do your research, because all
that glitters, is not gold...

In the Ripple of Life

With the subject of unwed teen pregnancy in the
media and on blogs this week, it is disappointing
to see the good unraveled.

It wasn't too long ago ...maybe a month ago,
where we saw daughters pledging or making
a contract with their fathers. In one of those
No to Sex campaigns. (why it was father's
and not parents I don't know)

Now with Juno the movie, and Bristol the VP's
daughter, this all seems to open a new can of
worms for parents.

Which brings me to the next step. In this
day and age, as long ago as 18 years ago,
more and more grandparents are raising
their grandchildren. Parents bowing out,
due to drugs, mostly, but other problems
in their lives. Some of them come back around
with in a year or so, but in most cases that
isn't true.

I have three friends who are in it for the long
haul. One of the grandparents have been in it for
17 years. 17 years of trying their best to bring
the two young men a good life. 17 years of
putting their own lives on hold. It was suppose
to be retirement time for them. Instead they
watch their retirement go down the drain. The
retirement funds went down the drain, as there
was no financial help. There were behavior
problems, bring on therapist, and other expense.

The next one has been doing it for 12 years. That
one a little better. Her life, has changed a lot. But
thru it she was able to go back to school and become
a nurse. Making a better life for her and her granddaughter.
As she was a young widow, with no pension or insurance
from her husband. Then adding the granddaughter in the mix.

The other have been doing it for 10. And the children
are now teens.

Teens years, which have drained on all of these grandparents.
Yet, they still hang in there. There are so many grandparents
raising their grandchildren with no help, that there are groups,
and sites for them to go to, to talk and help each other.

So as the drop goes in the water, and the ripple moves farther
out, teen pregnancy is not just something that happens. It has
far reaching effects.

lightening up on politics on Pushed Thursday

I watched Ms. Palin, just to see what
she would say and how she would do...
I wasn't particular impressed. More impressed
that she reads well. Takes a breather at
the right time. Puts in the right joke, when
needed. The Republican speech writer did
a good job. And she read it well...

Of course the hall, loved her, but then it was
a stacked deck. Just as Obama's was too.

And being a woman is doing so well.. I have
decided the Cafeteria Party should step up
to the plate. So here is the site to go check
it out.
http://www.inews3.com/topstory.php?id=4369737c476f7273

The Elephant in the Room...

The Elephant in the room wasn't
Bristol being pregnant, but that she
was Sarah Palin's daughter, pregnant.

Sarah Palin who is suppose to be the
answer for McCain to the direct right
wing Republicans. The Stepford Wife
Christian woman of the Republican party.

She might be Christian, but she is no direct
right of the party. She is running fast and furious
down the center isle here.

No one is really condemning Bristol. And the
fact she is keeping the baby is no surprise to
anyone. Even if she had thoughts, which I doubt
she did, her parents would never let her have an
abortion. So keeping the baby is no duh.

But some of the Republican who are direct right
wing. What are they thinking? After all, they have
to question where was her mother when this was
going. Was she at home? Was she running around
Alaska as Governor? Also wasn't this about the same
time that Sarah was having her own?

But anyway, what is rocking the boat is why, why didn't
a professed right wing Christian mother, have a better
handle on her talks with her daughter. That is the real
big elephant in the room.

The other question they got to be asking is what does this
do for the just say no to sex programs? What does it do to
the contract with parents, of no sex? All these things that
were done to lower teen pregnancy? And she is going to
marry her sweetheart. When, they have had 4 months to do
this. Or is this one of those things, that you can get married
anytime after the pregnancy... or even birth of the child? Must
be the new thing... as it happens in happens in a heck of a lot
of them... even mine. It must be the times.

But having a Vice President ... who has a pregnant teen
who is not married, has got to sit in the craw of those right wing
Republicans that McCain was trying to win with this Christian,
direct right wing, woman he chose.

And now they are talking about having Bristol's boyfriend Levi,
at the convention, as a stand tall, with family... I don't know
about you... and I don't really think of myself as a prude...
but isn't that kind of like flaunting? Isn't this kind
of like "look at here, we have a teen girl pregnant and her boyfriend..so
what is the big deal? To me, the big deal is ...it is bad taste.

And surely not someone who I will vote for.. And surely the DIRECT
RIGHT WING REPUBLICANS of past are spinning in their graves. It
seems to me, Mr. McCain is thumbing his nose at the public.

But she is a nice girl...

They say she is a nice girl... or more to the point.. a nice woman..
but nice finish last as the old saying goes..

The political scene has gotten interesting to say the least.
And once again we have a woman put up in the offer of a
Presidential election office. First Geraldine Ferrero,
then Hillary Clinton and now Sarah Palin.

Why, oh, why, do these men keep putting up the wrong
ones. Because you know it is men who make these choices.
There are women out there, who are strong and
Responsible, without husband who drag on them. Ferrero,
if you recall, there was some investigations going on with
him and his business. Clinton, had bad boy Bill, as an
albatross around her neck. And Palin, we are just getting
started and we see all kinds of flags going on.

We have the Red flag. That one of her jobs, before she
was Mayor, was on a commission board for the Gas &Oil
Commission. Of which her husband's family business
has something to do with oil.
She wants to open up the sea for oil drilling. Not for the
good of United States but for the good of Alaska and their
people. Not there is a lot wrong with that… when you are
a Governor. But we have had our fair share of oil business,
Presidents and Vice Presidents. So this seems to be more
of the same old stuff, of the last 8 years.

Then we have the Pink flags. Abuse of power of the office,
that she is being investigated for now. As she allegedly,
(that is what is called now instead of accused) helped
the head of the State Police to decide that he wanted to
work else where, after she had requested heavily that he
fire her brother in law, and he refused to fire the young
man. Who happen to be going thru a custody case with
her sister. She even allegedly sent out an investigator of her
own, to see what the Investigation committee would find.
Like how her husband allegedly, had a meeting with this
Chief of the State Patrol in her office when she was not there.
This is not good for election year.

The other Pink flag is... The Bridge To Nowhere...
while running for office of Governor, she told the town of
Ketchikan that it was a wonderful idea to have this bridge
and how it would help them. But after being elected in to
the office of Governor, she turn around and pulled the
plug on the thought, because the media was riding high
on the very thought of it, and then of course the Karina
situation came along and the money when south. In more
ways than one. But ah, I am sure there will be those who
will say, a lady has a right to change her mind.

And all of this before we even get her out of Alaska. Now
we have her out front and center. She calls Hillary a whiner.
Well, if the McCain's brought her on board to win the Hillary
votes, they went out of the window right there and then. No
one calls Hillary a whiner, and gets votes from the Traveling
Pantsuit Bunch. I don't even like Hillary, but she has way
more going for her than Palin has. Hillary has forgotten more
than Palin knows.

If McCain brought her forward to ward off Biden during
the debates, that is sad.. Biden can not go lightly on her,
because she will have to stand up to tougher than Biden
if she ends up in office. When you play with the big boys,
you play by the big boys rules. And the world is full of
the big boys for rulers and officials.

So being a Mayor of a town that looks like it was out of
Northern Exposure (remember the show on TV), and Governor
of a state that doesn't seem to have much in common with
the lower 48 (by their own admission), should know how to
run the United State, if McCain falters, mental, or physically?
I don’t think so.

Has she dealt with Canada? Has she dealt with Russia? Has
she visited their nations and talked to their officials? After all,
these are her neighbors. Does she have a clue how to get
things in order for a Karina situation? Last one I knew of up
in Alaska was a earthquake about 30 years ago. What about
another 9-11? So what does she know about running a country?
I see nothing in her Alaskan experience that will ready her.
And frankly, I don’t see McCain training her in the meantime.

Saying because she was Governor of a State for 20 months,
that she can run a country.... is kind of like saying you can
drive a semi truck, when you know how to drive a pick up.
Not a pretty picture.