Speak Out September 21 to November 06, 2009

Hey Eric any chance we could get a new speak out section it's getting slow my friend.

Thanks

yeah, us too - but we have a lot more than some of the kids that this project serves, so I can do without that extra cuppajava ;>D

1OFTHEGALS - the folks are all at 4-way stops - which means EVERYONE is supposed to come to a full and complete stop before proceeding safely thru the intersection. One must assume that THAT means that you are paying attention to the other 3 corners, road conditions, other drivers, and potential hazards.

I seriously doubt that anyone actually 'jumped on' you or your vehicle. Unless YOU are the one being 'unsafe', they were clearly marked as supporting the 'HOLIDAY PROJECT' with Santa hats on, in broad daylight. Smile, wave, and go on.

1ofthegals-- wow you are a scrooge.

Just leave your window up wave and smile-- you don't have to give-- I gave on my way to the store but went back thru the intersection and just left my window up and smiled and waved.

These people standing in the street-- giving their time are collecting money for the HOLIDAY PROJECT that services many many families in our county-- I hope you never have to ask for help but just remember-- I'LL BE THERE TO SMILE AND WAVE AT YOU WITH MY WINDOW UP

I AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT IT BEING THE DRIVER'S FAULT. LIKE I SAID... THESE MAY BE WELL WORTHY CAUSES BUT PANHANDLING FOR MONEY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET IS FIRST AND FOREMOST NOT A VERY SAFE THING TO DO FROM THE PEOPLE STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DRIVING. THERE ARE CERTAINLY BETTER WAYS OF GETTING DONATIONS, BUT MAYBE THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THESE PEOPLE CAN GET DONATIONS. YOU BET I CAN AND DO SAY NO THANKS WHEN I DRIVE ON BY.

Sorry to interupt... but I have once again while driving in Marshall been jumped on by some body wanting me to donate money for their "cause". How lovely this is to have people standing at intersections waving their buckets, cans, Christmas stockings or what ever, expecting you to give. Where these may be worthy "causes" I really don't believe this is the proper way of getting donations. Traffic backs up, or worse you have someone quickly turn off a block before to keep from getting hit up. And by the way...who the heck are you people? Obviously your mothers didn't warn you to stay out of the street.

Perhaps wtf could provide the "entertainment"? ; )

Gal,

I think that is a great idea. I will let you know the next time I will be in Marshall...which will be sometime probably next summer (American Summer). I think it would be great if a bunch of us get together.

As far as agreeing, I have never met 2 people who agree on everything. Also, it may surprise many to learn that Democrat Tip O'neil ( former Speaker of the House)...a well known liberal...and Senator Bob Dole...a well known conservative...were best friends. I saw an interview with Bob and Tip and they asked them about that. The interviewer asked Tip and Bob how they could be best friends even though they were on opposite poles of the political spectrum. Tip laughed and said, "there is more to life than just politics and Bob has the best fishing tips." Their deep and long friendship lasted the rest of Tips life.

Its ok if we don't all agree. What matters is that a person is of good character, and I have no doubt, gal, that you are a fine human being who is doing the best she can in life. I try to do the right things too. It may also surprise you to learn that not only am I a Marxist but I am also a very devout Christian (Church of England...member of Saint Andrews in Sydney...right next to Town Hall). I say that it may surprise you to know that because many people think liberals and Marxists like me are all athiests. We aren't, but a lot of folks think we are lol.

The following link leads to a thought provoking commentary by a Conservative who is a Progressive.

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7499

News thank you very much for the link to the information on the American Democratic-Marxist movement.

NanaDot I know this statement "so many let the 'labels' get in the way of the idea..."

fits me very well on this subject, but please understand I know the system we have now is not working that is why I asked for the information.

I am a lot better now at looking at new ideas with an open mind than I was in my younger days I guess that is a product of growing older and I hope wiser.

News you and I both know we dont see eye to eye on most subjects but I do enjoy talking to you and I would like nothing more than to set down with you and talk when you come back to Missouri I really think we could draw a good group of people somewhere from the speak out section.

Gal66,

For more information on the American Democratic-Marxist movement I recommend going to this site:

http://www.cpusa.org/article/view/758

momaster: I didn't change it and my position remains the same. It's Eric's editorial decision that it doesn't fit.

Seagarr-

I meant to type comedian not man. Sorry this upset you but people like you spread hate. Why not try kindness in your next posting, life's too short to be hateful so GIT-R-DONE :)

GIT-R-DONE

momaster: I don't think we have anything to be ashamed of at all. Some people routinely vote no on school bond issues for that very reason.

Really Marshall Dem News? A pole question about why you didn't vote and an answer option of "I hate kids"??? And you want us to take you seriously? Of course people are going to check that...just to be stupid.... and you gave them the opportunity.....and look which answer leads. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

In reference to the poll question..I voted other because I don't live in Marshall and hence could not vote for it if I wanted to, which I would have

countryman: You said "Additionally, I am pretty confident we can re-roof all the buildings and replace the boilers in addition to adding enough class rooms to each building to remove the trailers for way less than 20 million."

You could be right, but where will that money come from? The bond we just kicked under the bus could only be used for new construction. And somewhere I saw a dollar figure of around $350 in the capital improvements budget, which isn't going to cover your listing of options.

So - whence comes the money?

Eric,

To those board members who think Northwest school is too old and outdated to be worth adding on to I say, "What???"

Additionally, I am pretty confident we can re-roof all the buildings and replace the boilers in addition to adding enough class rooms to each building to remove the trailers for way less than 20 million. Of course, I am sure that any good 21st century bureaucracy can make the numbers say just about anything. Especially at the proposal phase.

Another fact that I think is being overlooked. Are we expecting a big population boost in Marshall? I feel we should provide classrooms to replace the trailers, but new school buildings generally indicate population growth. When last I checked there are no more people or students in Marshall than 30 years ago. If memory serves me correctly, the class of 1972 held the record for the largest ever until the class of 2011 came along.

Fundamentally, the tax base of Marshall has not changed in size, just valuation, for decades.

Eighteen per cent of respondents to the school bond poll said, "I hate kids". Gee whiz, please tell us at what age you arrived on this earth, "bright eyed and bushy-tailed" ready to take on the real world?

Thanks Eric. I too am curious about the 'other'. ;) Also thanks for the tip for getting the results, I shall tuck that away in my memory.

Hey news across I guess you missed this when I asked the question before.

Can you give me a country that is run by the Marxist economy you think we need to use here so I can read up on it?

Thanks

I would like to clarify a few things that I believe are misunderstood by some.

1) We are not "punishing" our kids by not building a new school. Teachers and curriculum make a school, not buildings. Are home schoolers punishing thier kids by not living in new houses? Has throwing money and new buildings helped the Kansas City school district?

2) The existing buildings are not falling down, and I am not sure that new buildings will be as well constructed as what we have now. Even new buildings will need a roof every 20 or so years and new paint every 5. Maintenance cost will be there with new or old.

3) Most all people in the area support getting rid of the trailers, but we never seem to get that option. The elementary schools have plenty of room to add classrooms, but we seem stuck on this "we have to have a new school, or else" mentality. Anybody think of adding a few classrooms to each building?

4) Country people do not traditionally support bond issues that raise property taxes as farmers pay heavily for every property tax increase. Look at the bond results for Ward IV, where most rural voters vote.

And finally, an opinion, if the Marshall School Board, and those citizens that are sure we need a new school building keep up the "ram it down the voters throats" verbage by stating that we will just keep shoving this on a ballot until the voters submit, then I think they are dooming future support.

A little free political science education here. It is easiest to get a measure that has a small but dedicated and passionate support base passed in a cycle with low voter turnout. Elections where there is only one issue on the ballot obviously result in low turnout. The theory being that voters that care deeply about the issue will vote, but those who are not passionate will not bother if there is no "big" issues at question. So, if the ballot measure did not pass in this election, good luck with the same measure with normal or high turnout.

I would like to finish by saying that I think we have a top notch school system in Marshall. We have some great teachers and administrators, and my kids have done well in the system. I believe they are being prepared to be educated, productive citizens. However, Marshall is not a rich town, in fact quite the opposite. Not saying that is bad, just a fact. So our school system will always reflect the socio-economic status of the community, not much to be done about that one, unless we can create a bunch of upper middle class incomes somehow, and that is not likely.

And to those who are ashamed of sending your kids to such a poor and dilapidated school building, life's tough all over. There are many kids that live in poverty, in homes that are in worse shape than our schools, so to those families, those old buildings look pretty good.

Sorry, rant's over now.

I think the school board keeps rewrapping the same plan, the people vote no and then here it comes again. Some one commented that it would be sad to wait until our building fall in before we do something....perhaps we should be taking better care of what we have. The most recent plan was being devised a month and a half before election. Start planning now. I think the people of Marshall are generous and will support what they want. We want our school board to take care of what we have! Our buildings and our children! Neither are disposable or broken beyond repair.

I bet that if the k-8 rural schools and Malta Bend consolidated with Marshall you could pass a bond issue. Country people always support schools. Consolidate NOW!

oneofmany,

Swing and a miss. Try again? I mean a NEW school. Yes, they are falling apart, so REMODEL! It's not rocket science.

ieatsuperglue (a very fitting name, by the way) you ARE paying for a school. In fact, you're paying for four schools that are falling apart! You're also paying for several rickety trailers. It's the gift that keeps on giving.

Here's some information on drug testing in the workplace:

http://www.dol.gov/elaws/asp/drugfree/dr...

When are the pictures from trick or treating on the square going to be put online?

The twenty third district of New York race for the United States House of Representatives has been touted by conservatives as a bellwether election, that is one that would portend the future of elective politics in our country.

The district has gone Republican for one hundred and thirty eight years. This year a Conservative threw his hat into the ring, running against the Republican, and the Democratic candidates. In stepped Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, and Rush Limbaugh throwing their considerable weight behind the Conservative candidate, Hoffman.

It scared the Republican candidate into withdrawing from the race. It scared the people of the district into electing the Democrat.

Keep up the good work Sarah, Glenn, and Rush. http://www.openleft.com/diary/15776/why-...

Environmentally friendly Mercury filled light bulbs are another joke... many locations and cities and maybe states require any spill of Mercury to be treated as a hazardous material's spill.

Now we all know how lazy American's are... they ARE going to land fills... it is only a matter of time before we see the results of this liberal brilliance...

What are we suppose to do with our energy saving light bulbs when they burn out? They have MERCURY in them. I hope we don't throw them in the landfill. That would be one step backwards for the environment they were intended to improve. Maybe our recycle center could add a bin for them. Wonderful place by the way, more people need to use it.

Stimulus report: Those deficit-financed government checks worked because in the second quarter of 2009 Americans bought 1.14 BILLION dollars worth of firearms and ammunition.

http://www.ammoland.com/2009/11/02/usa-b...

Look what the cuurent administration is doing for the good of the people.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/02...

"Our children are our future. Unless we stop them now!!" -- Homer Simpson

Hey I was wondering if anyone had checked out the new drive thru at Pit Stop? Is it as great as it was? I haven't made my way there to check it out myself...so I was just wondering.

wtf posted: "Maybe the story originated from the AP but who is to say that FOX might leave a little something out. It wouldn't be the first time."

PROOF, please.

WTF, you are sounding like a broken record. Two baseless ad hominem attacks on Fox News stories in the same week. Both times you are shown to be in error.

Like this. The story "came from" the Associated Press (look in the upper left corner of the page). If AP has a bias, it certainly isn't rightward. The article was merely reprinted by Fox News. Just like the D-N reprints content originating with other journalistic sources. It's a common industry-wide practice.

You could have verified this if you'd gotten past your prejudice against Fox News and looked.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/arti...

BTW, ad hominem arguments are a sign of weakness.

Sorry AF Brat,

I would take anything, absolutely anything that came from a FOX news source with a huge grain of salt.

-- Posted by What the f...... on Tue, Oct 27, 2009, at 2:56 PM

You just proved that you are completely biased and unopened minded. This report was not a report generated by Fox News but a story on a report reflecting what the insurance companies have reported as their profit margins.

Have a read of this upcoming PBS program description and tune in Monday night, if your feeder PBS station is carrying it:

http://www.pbs.org/thepeoplevleofrank/

B-n-r...totally agree. They need a stop light at that intersection. They also need one at Odell and Morrow. Flashing light at 240 and Odell. Ur right though someone will have to die to get it done.

Congratulations to the Marshall Owls Football team who beat Kirksville tonight. Good game, Owls! Good luck to the seniors.

Heard we had some local places robbed last night, one for the second time. Any reports?

I can't tell by my calender and haven't heard--do we turn our clocks back Saturday night or Sunday night? Thanks

I'm not taking children, I was ask to help. Don't want anyone hit by a car.

Does anyone know, if they cancel trick or treat on the square for tonight?

notgvnasht:

When I was growing up my parents owned a rented out houses. There were many good tenants and many bad. My dad spent a lot of time going somewhere to fix a plug in or a pipe and even unclogging toilets.

You would be one of the good renters and there are plenty of them.

My parents made the decision to sell all their rental properties because of the constant destruction.

I remember walking into a home that had been newly remodeled less than a year earlier. There was not one room where the carpet had not been trashed from the dogs that they were not suppose to have. Two walls had permanent marker on them with obscenities sprawled across them. The closet doors had been ripped off in the master bedroom, and were in the back yard being used as a ramp for the kids to ride their bikes over. My mom said we can't keep this up, my dad agreed and the properties began to get sold one by one as the tenants moved out and we fixed them up one more time.

I don't know anything ,other than what i hear from People who has to rent these Place's. But don't the Government subsidize some of these Rental's? They hand over Money with out seeing what these People are having to Rent? I can see the help to one's who need it , but to have a land lord through a bucket of Paint on four wall's and do nothing else,is kind of screwing the Tax payer again, "Plus the Tenant! If they can do People that way,and get away with it.We need to be screwed ! This go's right back to the Government wasting our Money,that could be used for Health Care, or for the good it could do for people if done right! And Rent for what it's worth, not for what the Landlord thinks it's worth Responsibility to keep thing up on Landlord & Tenant ! This would work! Other-wise it's just a waste of our Money! It's no different than the Bail Out with no rule's on how they spend it!

Hey - Heat that works? Safe electrical? Plumbing that doesn't leak? What a waste! Who needs it? And do you KNOW how much it COSTS to fix that stuff??!!@!! THOSE people who rent those places will just tear'em up anyway - why throw good money after bad?

Tear 'em DOWN???? Who'd pay for our lost slum -uh- investment?

You don't have to pay your physician or hospital more than the health care insurance companies. Bargain first. Here's how to beat them at their own game.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424...

Good night. I am obviously too tired to post in a grammatically acceptable manner. Sorry.

Slater,

HA, HA! No, I wasn't that privileged! And, most people didn't go the "cash" route. If they didn't have insurance, and weren't on medicaid basically, they couldn't afford the 80.00 all at once. SAD!

NB,

Now we know how your back was injured - carrying all those heavy money bags to the bank.

Scarpetta posted: "Example: I wonder if...when I go to the doctor in Marshall if the insurance company and I pay the same office visit price."

For most of the past thirty years, my wife saw a dentist who was outside of my health plan's coverage so she paid her own bills. The dentist gave her a "cash" discount of 25% because he didn't have to do billing and he got paid immediately (If he'd billed her, which happened once or twice, he gave a "patient pay" discount of 15% anyhow).

Maybe you should ask to pay the same as ... for example, Blue Cross because the physician doesn't have to mess with billing and wait to be paid since you've got cash in hand. Gosh, it might work.

To Scarpetta et al per health costs. Did you folks per chance see "60 Minutes" on Sunday? It was absolutely appalling and something I wasn't aware was going on. And, for the life of me, I don't see an easy correction to the problem. Perhaps some one there can offer some idea.

BTW, the first segment of the show was all about fraudulent billing of billions of dollars to Medicare and others for non-existent health in the name of folks who weren't even aware their names were being used to collect huge sums of money. I assume this is the area Obama is alluding to in regards to reducing costs while expanding coverage. WT

I picked out one part of what that said:

"Ledgers tell a different reality." Where exactly did this information come from? What 'ledgers'? I only ask because I can make my 'ledger' say what ever I want you to know. I mean did this information come from Corporate Tax Returns? Or...? I didn't notice any sources cited.

For the record I don't think insurance companies are solely to blame for the health care situation. I think it falls more on other resources...the way I make sense of it is...the insurance company charges a price based on what they are charged. So based off what the hospital/doctor/clinic charges. The reform needs to come before the insurance company...yet also ensure once other aspects are altered...they can't keep their same prices.

Example: I wonder if...when I go to the doctor in Marshall if the insurance company and I pay the same office visit price. It cost me (un-insursed) $110 for an office visit...how much do you think the insurance company is billed for those with insurance.

Wtf - Try this one and see if it makes you more comfortable.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33470129/ns/...

Sorry AF Brat,

I would take anything, absolutely anything that came from a FOX news source with a huge grain of salt.

NB,

Sorry to hear about the pneumonia. Is your back better w/the enforced rest caused by the pneumonia? I have no back pain after a night's rest. I walk over a mile each morning. By 2:30-3 p.m. It's "back". Cuppa tea, a rest in the Back Saver chair and it's better. If it is really bad, one Aleve. When the flare-up is really bad, my doctor usually prescribes water aerobics under the direction of trained physical therapists in a warm pool. I lift weights for upper body strength. Cannot use machines--they are so easy to use I overdo and make the back worse.

I'm w/your daughter--watch your step on that roof, especially if it is wet, icy or snowy.

Slater, hope you noted the Miami bridge web cam photo on this page. Great photo--reminds me of Monet's painting.

Tommob:

I agree I have had a job since before I was 16. I have never left one job before I had another one to go to, with exception of one lay-off I had no idea was coming. Even then I beat the bushes and was working in less than a month. I thought we were going to starve to death, in that month. My mom told me to go get food stamps. I applied and got some but couldn't go through with using them. I was too embarrassed. I mailed them back and sold my wedding ring and some furniture to get by.

Howdy NB,

You all set for Halloween? I went to get a pumpkin, but it was too big to fit in the pickup. :)

So it's been stormy up there, eh? We've been receiving a fair amount of rain in recent weeks, for a change. The area lakes are still suffering (one is 48' below full).

I had a look at the viaduct dismantling video. Your old nemesis. I'm going to check out the MoDot site and see if there's a webcam link for the Miami bridge demolition. I watched the one at Glasgow, but, because of the railroad bridge running close to the auto bridge, I couldn't tell what was taking place.

Haven't been doing any star gazing, for a couple of reasons - one is that it's been overcast around here for a while, and the other is that I can't see the stars anyway. I guess it was clcudy yp there, too, during the big meteor shower the other day. The old neck is better and I might be fit to travel before too much longer.

How's the foot? Can you get it into shoes yet? I wonder if stem cells would improve your spinal condition any?

So you got out the soon-to-be-hot pink pickup for the parade, did you? You know, I didn't get a single report from any of my classmates about the parade. Maybe that wagon that was supposed to be available, wasn't. :)

Did your community menu project take hold this time, or are the citizens still thinking your place is for kids only?

That's exactly how it works...Instead of helping people that are working and trying to make it on their own, they encourage you to quit your job, and live off of the taxpayers. I would much rather help someone that is trying, instead of giving it to the deadbeats that sit on their butts and just wait for the check in the mail. Something has got to give!

Hey news across I guess you missed this when I asked the question before.

Can you give me a country that is run by the Marxist economy you think we need to use here so I can read up on it?

Thanks

Hey there Slater.

What's up down your way? Has been stormy today, here. Been catching up on some paper work. How about that video of the Eastwood Bridge coming down? Also, I think they're going to implode the Miami bridge this coming week.

Those pesky economists.

"Defenders of a broad health insurance mandate argue that it will lower average costs in the health care market. The claim is that many of the uninsured are young, healthy or both, and that [forcing] them into the insurance pool might lower average premiums by spreading risk across low-cost groups. Yet Massachusetts has had a health insurance mandate for several years and this cost-saving mechanism does not appear to be kicking in.

"At this point, it seems more plausible that the cost of health insurance will keep rising, just as the costs of health care services have continued to climb. The upshot is that the burdens of mandatory purchase, the subsidy costs and the associated implicit marginal tax rates will all increase, eventually to the point of unsustainability. . . .

"As it stands, we're on the verge of enacting a policy that is due to explode, penalizing many of the very people that it was ostensibly designed to help."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/25/health...

Thanks Eric. I will zip you an email.

According to the CDC, on Average.. 36,000 Americans die each year from the Common Flu. Only 477 have died from H1N1, which is more of a Spring time Flu bug.

http://www.empowher.com/news/herarticle/...

A quote from MSNBC: "Because of swine flu vaccine production delays, the government has backed off initial, optimistic estimates that as many as 120 million vaccine doses would be available by mid-October. As of Wednesday, only 11 million doses had been shipped to health departments, doctor's offices and other providers across the country, CDC officials said."

The rest of the article can be viewed here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33459423/ns/...

Asia plans to 'lead the world' by 2015 with EU-like bloc of nations

http://rawstory.com/2009/10/asian-leader...

I'm not surprised, News, that you will lower yourself to a point of gloating over other peoples' deaths to prove your own point. I find it disgusting. To start with, many people do not have the option of getting a vaccination. The vaccine isn't available. My own kid is in the age group where they must have pre-existing conditions in order to qualify for the vaccine. So you make an outrageous comment like that and there are people that have lost their children to this virus and they never had access to the vaccine.

"1,000 in U.S. have died from swine flu so far"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33445376/ns/...

I bet that 1000 sure are glad they didn't get that swine flu shot!

Reckon I've stirred the pot enuff tonight. Seems all the others in the Geezer Group have signed off for the night, s'pose I will too.

By the way NanaDot I'm thinkin that I'm usin the term Geezer very loosely when I include you. There oughter be some solace in the fact that you are so much the junior of mosta us. :)

NanaDot speaking of Thanksgiving it is my understanding that the White House turkey is at peril this year.

Obama mentioned in some puff piece interview that yes he was going to pardon the Turkey this year, no change on that. Senate Republicans heard that, and countered that they were definitely going to say no to that.

You gotta give it the Republicans in that they are consistent on wanting to turn back the clock. I haven't heard so many "just say no" declarations since Nancy Reagan, and her astrologer had everyone in the party saying it in regard to the WAR ON DRUGS.

A lot of us are concerned that the twin wars in Iraq, and Afghanistan have lasted so long with so little success. I can't understand our lack of patience. After all we have been patiently accepting the War on Drugs which has hardly changed the percentage of people using illegal drugs in fifty years. Talk about lack of success.

Thank goodness it is so easy to get a prescription for mind or mood altering drugs or there would be even more self prescribing the illegal ones.

Hi Slater and Nanadot: Still moving plants in from the cold, I'm looking for beasties before I pick them up:) It was a big mantis, but not big enough to carry me off:)

NC lost:(

Switched to Charlie Rose, he's interviewing a very smart man--an OLD man--Lee Kuan Yew, former prime minister of Singapore.

His goal was to give every Singaporean a good life, a good education.

Nanadot I've enjoyed your thoughts on health care, thanks for sharing your keen mind.

upsedaisy - glad to see you are well ;>) time flying by - OMG!!! - it's almost Thanksgiving!!

OKR & Slater: Thanks for your concern. I am alive and well. I've kept up w/the commentary, but have been busy. "Time flies--whether you are having fun or not."

No snow, but last week's temps provided nearly record breaking lows. The temps were so low going to bed well before midnight as Slater reminds us seemed especially wise. I live in the Southeast now so the eastern time zone has me checking out at 9:30 p.m. CDT.

Speaking of Florida, Mr. Bowden is up here w/FL state. For someone who will be 80 in November, his team is still in the game at the beginning of the 4th quarter. FL 20-NC 24. Go Heels.

Hope the Tigers make a dream come true and whup TX. Mr. Brown left Carolina 'bout 12 years ago and we have not forgotten.

As reported in MDN --

MU's Gregory finalist for national award

http://www.marshallnews.com/story/158099...

University of Missouri guard Kurtis Gregory of Blackburn is among 10 finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.

The finalists are placed on a nationwide ballot for fan voting. Votes can be cast until Dec. 6 on the award web site at http://www.seniorclassaward.com or by texting FOOTBALL to 74567.

Please vote for Kurtis!!!

Does anyone know why Upsedaisy has dropped off the blog? I hope that all is well with her, and that she is just on vacation. Perhaps she is snowbirding in Florida?

I understand that condos there are unusually cheap this year. The thought occurs to me that the condo owners might be so desperate that they will even lease to a vagrant as along as he contractually agrees to not start fires on the condo floor. Others may be even more desperate, agreeing to lease to a vagrant only if he promises to start fires on the condo floor.

B-N-B

Ho, Ho, ho. What you are shown by the candidate, isn't what you get from the victorious politician. Don't they ALL lie?

SOME of the reasons current sick-care is so expensive have been mentioned here:

Hospitals have to raise rates to cover what the insurance companies deny, what the insurance companies refuse to cover, the uninsured, the underinsured, and law suits that may have merit but will not be settled until insurance company A sues insurance company B, etc.

Billing errors, duplication of services, repetitive tests, unnecessary procedures, etc. are another huge chunk.

Pharmaceuticals are a GIGANTIC cost - like charging over $250 for a $5 scrip. They charge 'research' costs several times over, pay for huge advertising campaigns to convince people that they NEED 'this new drug', ad nauseum

Insurance and Big Pharma overcharge to cover huge buildings, gigantic advertsing campaigns, 'free' stuff so doctors will prescribe 'new' drugs and enormous salaries, bonuses, vacations and benefits for inflated CEO's ....

Lordy! If we could just get rid of the FLUFF, we'd save enough to PAY for universal health care OUTRIGHT!

I can tell you part of the reason Healthcare is so expensive. I found out yesterday that we have inmates receiving HIV medicine to the tune of 20,000 dollars a month at the Boonville Correction Center. THere are 8 of them so that adds up tp 160,000 dollars a month for the 8 inmates. That is something law abiding citizens would have to do without. What is up with that? AND..why do the elderly have to choose whether they want to eat or have their medicine?

Scarpetta,

You hit the nail on the head. Instead of "how do we pay" for health care the real question should be "why is it so !@#$%^! expensive in the first place"?

I encourage everyone to take a drive/walk down Eastwood Street. It's so gorgeous right now! The trees are splendid!

I am very dissappointed with Ike.

From his site:

"the government option could have the unintended consequence of forcing private health insurance providers out of business."

So what? Why should we worry about them when they are clearly not worried about us. We have to change our healthcare provider at work almost every year because one of our coworkers had the audacity to need thier services. In return they jack our rates through the roof and we have to look elswhere to maintain some sort of affordable "coverage". I use the term "coverage" with tounge placed firmly in cheek.

Ike also said:

"I cannot support a reform measure that allows federal funding for abortion services"

Is that in there? I remember the president specifically mentioning that federal funding will not be used for abortions.

Ike old buddy, I've voted for you since I have been voting but that may come to an end. I always thought you had our back but your concern about insurance companies would have made me sick but I can't afford it.

OK Reader nailed it. Everyone only gives a **** about themselves. I'll even admit that there have been times where I have been guilty of that as well. I'm not proud of it and I am willing to try to change that. Anyone else with me?

I don't know. Maybe the only way to get good coverage is not to buy insurance policies, but to instead buy insurance stock and use the dividends to pay for your healthcare. At least they can't deny your dividends.

This is shameful. If it has to be about politics why hasn't the GOP offered a single worthwhile alternative? That would go along away next election cycle and it would at least have the appearance that they give a ****. This should be about the health and well being of our fellow man. WHERE ARE ALL THE CHRISTIANS? We have been reminded ad naseum that this is a "Christian" nation. Where are you? Why are you not banding together with a massive movement to demand healthcare reform? Are you being told that all reform will do is fund abortions? Who would Jesus deny?

NanaDot: I read it. He says it. It is obvious Ike is either in the pocket of the health industry, or is swapping his vote agin it for a return back scratch from another Blue Dog.

It is too bad that some one doesn't run as an Independent, or an Independent Democrat against the candidates of both major parties. Although I haven't lived in the district for over forty years I would gladly send such a candidate (one who was flat out for single payer) some of my chump change. Why? Because I still care about the health of the people in my old home; something not indicated by either candidate.

Why can't people see that it is an embarassment that this rich nation does not provide universal health care when others with half our material resources do? Is it because no one gives a **** about anyone but themselves? How else could a morally virtuos person say I will not vote for someone who says that we must have unuversal health care?

Check out good old Ike's website - he's more worried about the insurance companies going belly up than people in his district dying for lack of health care...

It's a sickening thought that the only competition is from Stauffer - another corporate Republican is NOT what we need on the Hill, IMO.

If any of you is an astronomy buff, tomorrow night will be an excellent night for viewing celestial propagation. We're passing through the tail of Halley's Comet, and plenty of activity is anticipated. Here's a good info file on the meteor shower coming tomorrow night:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/...

Another photo of the Quarry Men: Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Rod Davis, and an unidentified person, taken around 1958 or 1959, possibly by the brother of Paul McCartney:

http://www.beatlesource.com/savage/1950s...

Here's the other link to the Quarrymen for the period 1960-1961 for anyone interested:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/jwg1wl

BNB,

Check out this photo :)

http://www.dmbeatles.com/pictures/0004.j...

OKR - I hope it sticks. Mountain top removal is one of the most horrific assaults on the Earth I have ever seen, and its consequences are devastating.

news - preachin' to the choir you are... :>))

Refreshing change in policy from the prior administration: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/1...

I heard a description the other day of the following situation:

A group of folks got together and decided to form their own company out of their garage. They decided they were all equal, and worked at their new jobs Monday thru Thursday. On Friday, since they were their own 'owners' and 'board of directors', they all got together and did 'owner/board' stuff.

Is that 'entrepreneurship' or 'socialism'? Does it matter? The issue is that the workers were the OWNERS and BOARD of their own work.

I don't care WHAT you call it, but if you WORK, you deserve to own the profits of your labor, and to make decisions about how to do your work. JMO.

I'll give it all the time it takes. I was simply responding to a comment from News about high unemployment being the new norm. It was in an article on MSNBC which of course makes it gospel. I firmly believe what I said. If our government is satisfied with high unemployment being the new norm then it may well be the new norm. Won't do much for getting re-elected though. I would much prefer the Obama we saw running for office saying "yes we can". It showed leadership and direction and we haven't seen it since he was elected. Too bad - we need leadership.

BNB,

What the hell did you expect? This ball started rolling long before Pres. Obama took office. We live in a microwave society and we expect everything right now. These things take time. Give it time.

correction:

in my previous comment I said "...rags to riches..." I meant "richest to rags."

sorry for an confusion this error may have caused.

Well thanks for asking mate - even though you come across as very condescending when you put it that way. You seem to enjoy that because you have posed that question to others the same way. Capitalism has worked well for me. My moniker has nothing to do with my financial condition or employment situation. I am not as wealthy as the Wall Street people think they need to be but years ago I discovered a sort of inner peace that allowed me to stop chasing money and live a simpler life without many of the imagined "needs" that so many chase. So while I am not filthy rich or even just plain rich I have everything I need and a bunch of things I just wanted and I have sense enough to know the difference between the two. Are there things I would personally change about Capitalism? You bet. (I think first off I would spell it with an "o" because I always have to go back and change it.) Seriously, there is no call for so many people making millions, even billions, while others just barely get by or do without basics like food and clothing. I don't know that Socialism would fix that but I'm not going to worry about it because I won't live long enough to see it in this country. I understand the difference but Socialism is equated with Communism here and it might as well be devil worshipping. Mate, dat dog don't hunt.

Oh. A BBA from MTSU - that's where you received the knowledge required to completely redesign the American economic system. Now I understand.

Look at what this guy has to do to afford his wife's chemo:

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/6...

Midmocat:

I couldn't have said it better myself. I wonder why Newsacross elects to live over there. Must like Socialism.

Hey there Slater,

Keep watching...MDN will probably post pictures of the Homecoming Parade and/or a you tube video might turn up. How's the star-gazing? Neck any better?

Slater, I saw the class of '59 in the parade. There were a lot of participants, more than the other 2 classes ('84 and '89) combined. I was highly impressed with their turnout.

Well, the Slater Public Schools gave up its band program, and, judging by a few of the scores I've received, perhaps it would be time to give up its football program as well. :(

I see the Owls didn't fare well against Jefferson City for its Homecoming night. Does anyone know if the MHS class of '59 reunion bunch got into the parade?

broke-n-busted

Your comments seem to refer to employee motivation. I am very pleased we have the opportunity to discuss this very important subject.

First let's update on what we know about human management in the modern work place.

The notion that only money motivates the worker is rooted in Taylor' Scientific Method of Management Theory. This was the prevailing thought amongst sociologists, most employers, and the general public throughout most of the 19th Century and part of the 20th century until it was disproved in the Westinghouse Study of 1923.

At that point new understandings in human behavior established the modern approach to management, Human Behviorlist Management Theory, which recognizes that humans are motivated by far more than money and often find value of accomplishment measured in ways defined in more intangible terms. This certainly explains why one person chooses to be a doctor rather than a plumber. It certainly can't be the money, because a hardworking, licensed plumber willing to put in the time can make as much or more than any doctor who is a practicing GP. Both are highly lucrative fields. Both provide much needed services. Both are perfectly honorable occupations. Yet the doctor chooses medicine, and most GPs and other medical professionals would probably tell you they went in to medicine motivated primarily by a desire to treat and heal disease and injuries of people in an effort to help them.

In capitalism, the Taylor Scientific method of motivation to get anyone to work at all seems to rely on the threat of slow starvation. Yet we know that the emperical evidence suggests there are much better and more constructive forms of motivations.

In a Marxist economy many benefits are paid out publically. Ultimately, the idea is the public's direct, democratic participation in how the 3 questions of Allocation, Technology, and Equity are answered. Thus most of the benefits of an increases in NNP (Net National Product) are distributed by public means such as free, or nearly free, public transportation or perhaps by low cost or even free residential power and other utilities...or some other form of public equity distrbution.

If for example, as in a case that you were...oh, say a manufactuing employee of a hypothetical shoe plant. You and your fellow employees would also be co-ownwers of that shoe company. You would have a direct say, an equal voice in every aspect of how those shoes are produced to how they are sold and what happens to any profits. That would be your right along with the other owner/employees. If you work more productively, your company would profit from the increased productivity and these profits would be distributed in a fair and democraticaly determined method by you and your co-owner/employees. You might vote to build an indoor pool and fitness club right next to your factory for free use by you, the other employee/owners, and their families, as well as the local public who also helped your factory profit indirectly.

Of course that is only one possible form of compensation for your increased productivity...in addition to being able to take pride in what you accomplished. The important thing is that it is the people there at your factory -- you and your partners -- who receive the direct benefit of your labors...instead of concentrating that wealth ito the pockets of just one person "Mr. Major Stockholder Fat-Cat Up on the Hill" who would be the main beneficiary of your hard work in a capitalist eonomy. In a scientifically planned economy, everyone benefits from increased productivity and thus everyone has strong motivation to increase productivity.

Here's the download link:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/uua9w9

I think you'd enjoy listening to them both, but if you want me to pick one, I'd rather see you have the larger file with the most tunes. What type connection do you have?

I could always copy them to a disc and maybe mail it to the newspaper office and you could drop by there and pick it up sometime if that would work better.

I only offer this because I know you're a Beatles fan. I wouldn't be trying to push stuff off on you just to be doing it. :)

I'll go ahead and upload one and post the link here, and if you want to mess with it, it'll be there, but I'd be happy to put them on a disc.

Slater thank you very much for the offer. I have heard of the Beatles being the Quarrymen and seem to recall listening to a few songs that they did years ago but it was just at a friends house in passing and I have no real memory of the songs. How about picking your favorite of the two and posting a link and I will see if my computer possesses the ability and if I have the capability (or is that the other way around?) to retrieve the tunes.

Another car accident at 240&Odell from what I heard it was worse than last Mondays accident.Now will a stop light go up.We shall see huh.

BNB, do you possess any records by the Beatles when they were known as the Quarrymen? I came across a couple of records covering the periods 1957-1960, and 1960-1961.

Most of the tunes are from home tapes, so the audio quality isn't the greatest, but they're interesting to hear.

I can put them up on a web hosting service for you if you don't have them, haven't heard these, or are interested in hearing them.

I'd then post the download links here. The file sizes are approx. 48mb and 54mb. You'd need a zip or rar extracter to open.

While on my way to Columbia yesterday, taking Highway 240, I looked into a field, and saw a rare sight. I saw a young Bald Eagle standing in the field along with 2 or 3 crows. What a time to leave the camera at home, huh? Oh well, it was an interesting sight.

Okay, don't tump over onto the floor. :) Later.

Are you talking about Snowe being viewed as a swing vote?

I heard Pelosi shooting her mouth off about it, and that automatically made me think it's all talk.

You do a lot more reading than me, so, what are you seeing about the possibility that a public option might end up in the final reform effort?

I wonder what's up with Upsedaisy? Haven't seen an appearance by her for awhile. I hope things are o.k. with her.

Yep, I'm just ridin' the storm out, waiting for the latest one to flame out, or be booted out.

There's been an awful lot of sourness displayed on here in recent weeks, and that's pretty sad.

As you say, all of us should be banding together for our own good, but I won't be holding my breath.

Slater have you noticed how things heat up on the blog when we get an antagonist stirring things? That is good...up to a point. It seems like it always goes to the antagonist's head, they burn us out, they burn themselves out, both about the same time.

Nope, no more rain here for a week or so, he says. We've had around 16-17 inches since the first of September, so our water supply is looking better.

Maybe we'll see a few snowflakes this winter, he mentioned tonight. The local forecast is for a colder and wetter winter (thank you, LaNina!)!!

I see the Cowboys are favored by a touchdown over the Tigers tomorrow night.

I won't be watching. Fair weather fan, you know. :)

MU basketball began practicing this evening at 501pm.

And there you have it! Sports in brief.

Just logged on, just got caught up. BNB, I have always respected your opinions, I think you are a good citizen, and I gladly accept your friendship. I don't always agree with you, but often do. Too bad all liberals,and conservatives can't do the same. Our country would be the better for it.

My point in posting the comments about the Republican party was not to chastise conservatives, but rather to urge them to think about where they are, and where they are going.

Evenin Slater.

BNB,

I recently sent a package from here (San Antonio) to St. Charles, MO via USPS Priority Mail, 2nd day delivery for $14.00. The parcel was something like 9" x 12" x 6" and weighed approx. 4 pounds. UPS wanted $69.00 for 3rd day delivery.

I hope you'll be doing better than I would have done had I given the package to UPS.

HEY, YOU HOOTOWLS!!!!!!!!!! :)

b-n-b - wanting it to be better for everyone is why we all keep writing, isn't it? ;>)

BTW - I believe that ABSENCE of governing structures is, by definition, anarchism...

broke-n-busted

We have socialized medicine in Australia and when we find problems in the system, which we sometimes do, government responds very quickly. The politiians prefer to keep their jobs.

When we consider how efficiently the US postal service can deliver mail from one end to the country to another for pennies...well you won't get that from fed ex or UPS. In addition, millions of Americans owe there retirement to the Social Security program since FDR first proposed it. The government owes Social Security a lot of money it borrowed under Bush, but the system has worked better than any privatized version so far.

We need single payer health care so all Americans will have access to health care at no direct cost to the patient...just like modern nations have. Its time we stop lagging 40 years behind other 1st World countries. Its time the USA moves into the 21st century. We need socialized health care in the USA and we need it now.

News I understand what you are saying. "All we are saying is give peace a chance" is a chant I grew up with too. I would just as soon get out of Iraq and Afganistan completely. It would be real nice if they would police themselves a little better where organizations within their borders don't make successful attempts at killing as many Americans as they possibly can at the expense of their own lives.

But I am not cozy with the idea of giving control to our politicians based on their performance record. Yes, we are being fleeced by the insurance companies and big business so let's put big government in the mix and make it a three ringed circus that would make Barnum and Bailey proud. I can't think of a single thing that our government has made better. Democrat or Republican. And yes What the f.... if you are out there I said that when George Bush was President too. Both of them.

Putting away my soap box but one more comment.

Oklahoma Reader, my friend. May I call you my friend? You seem a very friendly sort and I actually mean that. I have already stated, more than once, that I have conservative views and lean Republican but also vote across party lines. You asked who my leader is. My leader is President Barack Obama. He is my President. I do not need a powerless "leader" representing the Republican Party. No more than Howard Dean would have been considered The leader for the Democrats while Bush was President. I certainly would not consider Limbaugh to be anything other than an idiot that is willing to say anything to get people to tune in to his radio show - A show I have never listened to. Beck needs a straight jacket. Hannity thinks he is cute turning words every which way to get them to mean what he wants them to mean. O'Reilly? Oh really? Give me a break. As a group these people are all in it for the money. They sensationalize garbage every day and make a lot of money doing it. There are people on the other side of the isle that do the same thing. How about Olbermann and Maddow. They do the same nonsense in the name of the Democrats. None of these people are worth listening to much less following. If the Republicans put together a decent platform (and they need to start from scratch), get the right people to run with that platform (and they need to start from scratch) then someday in the future I may have a leader that came from their party. Until then my leader is Barack Obama. I am first an American. I don't speak for anyone but myself but what I see is that so many people point the furthest right they can and says look at him he is a typical Republican and it just ain't so.

I'm done.

Wow, AF Brat...I have at least 2 people in my family who needs to have surgery. I will be needing the name of your insurance company and your doctor. Wow...$200 bucks count me in.

Wait what are your monthly premiums? Is this private insurance or through an employer? What about max yearly out of pocket expenses? Had you met that yet? I need more info, because I can afford $100 bucks for surgery.

broke-n-busted

Go to the emergency room now and see what a couple of aspirins run you now with our capitalist medical system.

The fact is, we seem to be able to waste $400.00 on each gallon of gas used or the pupose of killing, but we don't seem to have one thin dime to spend on healing Americans.

Unlike the root, hog, or die capitalist, privatized health care system, we actually have a say in what our government does though our vote.

News one of the things that concerns me is I can see our government paying $400.00 for an aspirin.

I would also like to say that I consider myself a conservative and I find the comment by DeputyRapist to be ignorant and very offensive.

I find it interesting how so many on the right-wing are finally being blunt about their true values.

As Dr. King taught us, all people should be judged not by the color of their skin, but rather by the quality of their character.

Priceless answer, Eric, thanks.

NFL owners are liberals?

got⋅ten/ˈgɒtn/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [got-n] Show IPA

Use gotten in a Sentence

See web results for gotten

See images of gotten

--verb a pp. of get.

dictionary.com

AF Brat,

The main-stream Democrats in the Senate are supporting the Baucus bill.

However, we on left are only supporting single-payer, socialized medicine. Yeah you heard me...socialized as in "s-o-c-i-a-l-i-s-t," -- as in we are not afraid of the McCarthyites -- and anyone want who wants real, equitable health care, like the civilized World has, had better stop worrying about what the right-wing wacko minority wants and get on our bandwagon.

The alternative to our plan is just the same old, failed capitalist nonsense that has our Nation so screwed up now...and that is not a solution.

Sorry, News Across, the WSJ article is about the effects the mainline Democrat's Obamacare bill.

The numbers may be even worse for the middle class. Figures from the Kaiser Foundation's Health Reform Subsidy Calculator show the cost to the example's family to be higher than the WSJ article's numbers -- over $7,890. That produces an increase of more than 25% at an income of $66,000 per year. Those aren't rich folks.

Where did the promised savings go?

A public option would result in a closer approximation of a free market than what we have now.http://business.theatlantic.com/2009/10/a_free_market_case_for_the_public_option.php

One advantage of America's system of checks and balances is that delay lets the facts bubble to the surface. Unpleasant facts sometimes.

"Most astounding of all [regarding the Health Care bill] is what this Congress is willing to do to struggling middle-class families. The bill would impose nearly $400 billion in new taxes and fees. Nearly 90% of that burden will be shouldered by those making $200,000 or less. * * *

"But the economics are clear. * * * The Joint Committee on Taxation indicates that... more than half [of the burden falls] on those earning under $100,000.

"Senate Democrats are also erecting new barriers to middle-class ascent. A family of four making $54,000 would pay $4,800 for health insurance, with the remainder coming from subsidies. If they work harder and raise their income to $66,000, their cost of insurance rises by $2,800. In other words, earning another $12,000 raises their bill by $2,800 --- a marginal tax rate [INCREASE] of 23%. Double-digit increases in effective tax rates will have detrimental effects on the incentives of millions of Americans."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424...

I see. I think maybe you took me some place I wasn't prepared to go.

News I don't know diddly about Karl Marx and I am also not sure that I understand why you posted your comment to me because it doesn't have anything to do with what I posted. I will say that I fully agree with the gist of what you are saying which, if I may, is that our system is far from perfect and that we should strive for perfection. Certainly all humans should be fed. All humans should have health care. All humans should have shelter. We, as a nation struggle with those basic principles while some (many) ravage the system for personal gain. I don't look for this Session of Congress or future sessions to fully resolve these issues but it would sure be nice if they would at least give the problems some careful tweaks to make things better for those of us nearer the bottom of society instead of those riding the waves of fortune.

broke-n-busted

I certainly believe a society should have an economic system that works for everyone in that society. When an economic system leaves even just one person starving, homeless, and freezing, that is a failed economic system and its use should be reconsidered.

I think Karl Marx was correct when he said that an economic system should meet the needs of all of the members of that society "... from each according to his work, to each according to his needs."

As a devout Christian, I admire this principal and they way it was put into practice in the early church.

Frankly, I have great difficulty reconciling the notion that it is somehow fair that some members of a society, mostly born into wealth, should have yachts, mansions, limousines, and servants while so many of the Worlds children go without even the most basic of needs...and in that thought I certainly am not alone.

The masses of the World are poor and suffering while a few eat from silver spoons. Capitalism has failed and the World needs a new deal.

AFB - you'd rather have an INSURANCE auditor between you and your doctor, KNOWING that the insurance guy has a vested interest in either a)keeping you sick (more charges) or b) getting rid of YOU and keeping your premiums????

The post-2001 changes in the bankruptcy laws were intended to eliminate most cases from straight bankruptcy where payback (with protections over a longer period) was practical. They had the consequence of inflating the percentage of bankruptcies due to unpaid medical expenses because the too-many-credit-card cases were eliminated. Thus, the % increase is misleading to that extent.

These are the catastrophe illness situations which should be dealt with AND can be dealt with without injecting government into every doctor-patient relationship. I doubt any politician would oppose a solution tailored to meet this need.

Scarpetta: I think there are an awful lot of people who will have to make that same calculation and come up short. But even so, having no insurance is a tough row to hoe. If you're mostly well, it works, but even just one bout of a not-so-serious ailment can put you back on your heels so far you'll never catch up. Medical costs are still a factor in the majority of bankruptcies even now, and the rules for declaring bankruptcy are tougher than ever, thanks to the Bush administration.

From a study by the American Journal of Medicine, a few statistics: In 2007, about 62% of bankruptcies were caused by medical expenses. Of the total, 92 percent had debts in excess of $5,000, about 10 percent of family income. Most were well-educated and owned a home (which had been mortgaged due to medical expenses). And 75 percent of them had medical insurance.

Go to the Community Blood Bank Web site at www.esavealifenow.org and enter our zip code (65340) and you'll find one being held Friday from 1 to 6 p.m. at Saline County Medical Reserve Corps New Life Center, 225 East Arrow Street Marshall, MO 65340.

There are three being held in December, too. I don't see anything for November.

Perhaps there could be some profit in opening a "Home For The Perpetually Offended."

Whenever someone says something not politically correct, someone will rise to extol their own virtue and sensitivities.

How's this for a dopey headline: "Health Insurors Emerge as Obama's Top Foe."

As seen in today's Washington Post.

Eric,

I just asked a question mate...based on a casual observation. I made no accusation, and no inference should be drawn from such a simple question. In all honesty, you may be becoming a bit too quick with that delete trigger. But so be it... you're the editor and its your call mate.

Oklahoma Reader,

As I am sure you already know, there will always be those few sour grapes in this World who, often out of frustration and self-perceived, personal inadequacy, are unable to deal with their own failures in a socially acceptable manner.

We can find many examples of such manifestations of this inability to cope with personal failure in an ever evolving society through out our Nation's history. Take for example the average member of the Klu Klux Klan. Such individuals, consumed by a raging internal hatred, often respond to their own inability to recognize and cope with their personal inadequacy by attacking others they perceive to be different from their errant perception of "normal." Some exhibit symptoms of psychosis often flying off into violent tantrums, while others travel down what often turns out to be a long, difficult road of self-destruction.

While often times, these types of individuals can try the patience of emotionally well adjusted folks like yourself, it still remains important for our own well being to consider the deep and complex source of their internal rage. It can be difficult to forgive them, and at times its easy to forget that they are still deserving of our pity. Perhaps our Lord Jesus put it best when he said, while dying on the cross,..." Father forgive them for they know not what they do."

But the thing that really gets my goat is knowing that Eric, who has a tough enough job running one of America's best newspapers, is so often saddled with the additional task of having to delete the comments of some folks who just don't seem to be able to comprehend the MDN comment policy.

all righty then...good nite.

Wonderjim scatology, and onanism are the provence of prepubescent boys. Come to think of it perhaps that is what you are. Am I right about that? Is it just a lark to you to fool all we old geezers into thinking you are one of us?

For those who have wondered why our President, Barak Obama was chosen for the Nobel prize this link provides the answer. At least by four of the five who chose him.

I am still amazed that so few took pride that the great honor was bestowed upon our president. What is wrong with us? http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091013/ap_o...

Note that I erred in regard to the fire fight which actually occured in 2008. The study has just been released. My use of the word recent was misleading. The study of the "recent" fire fight in which eight were killed is not yet concluded,though eerily similar circumstances to the first mentioned fire fight exist.

Looking at the Senate blue dog NON-health-care-access reform bill that looks likely to pass the Senate, one has to wonder when the Senate is going begin working on reforming health care access?

Lets take a look at what the blue dogs in the Senate have come up with.

Basically it amounts to the following:

1.) it prohibits Big Insurance from denying most (but not all) coverage for some pre-existing conditions

2.) it mandates all Americans MUST purchase one of the plans offered by Big Insurance at prices Big Insurance sets with NO REGULATION ON PRICE -- they can charge what ever they want.

3.) it sets up some government assistance with premiums for the very poorest Americans -- so if you work part-time for minimum wage you might get a little help...for now... or at least till the States whittle that down some more.

4.) it reduces some of the old folks medicare coverage and will probably result in higher premiums, deductibles, and co-pays before they finish with it. I guess Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa will just have to dig a little deeper in the ol' pocketbook.

5.) it provides for a website that will allow you to compare the rates Big Insurance will be charging you...which are all controlled by Big Insurance and set by them...and will all be a lot more than they are charging now (gotta cover those folks they used to deny somehow).

While there is probably more to it than that, I believe those are probably the high points.

Well...it looks like those Big Insurance "campaign contributions" (cash bribes) to the blue dogs have really paid off for Big Insurance, If you are an investor, now would be a great time to pick up some Big Insurance stock.

So Senator McClaskill how do you plan to vote on this and how much in Big Insurance bribes...I mean "campaign contributions"... have you taken? Oh a little side note folks, McCaskill's seat will be up for grabs in 2012...you may want to make note of that on your calendar.

What I would like to know now is when are the the Senators going to start working on health-care access reform?...seriously!

AFB - Pardon me, it was Duke University Medical System...

http://www.taylormarsh.com/2009/05/28/at...

And, BTW, NONE of the current 'reform' bills address in ANY fashion, cost containment or the ability to negotiate prices with BIG PHARMA, which will be a disaster... when some of these drugs cost less than $10 wholesale and the pharmacists are forced to charge over $250 for that same drug, or lose their license, something ELSE smells rotten, and we have to deal with it.

I agree with OKR and news that this is a giagantic set-up so that corporate controlled congress and media can later point their fingers at this hatchet-job of a plan, and say 'nany-nany-boo-boo -- socialized medicine doesn't work' - although how the sam-hill the rest of the world can make it work, while we are too stupid or brainwashed, is beyond me... if 46 other nations in the world can figure it out, why can't we?

Scarpetta: Yes, it's supposed to work. I don't know how to fix it, but in the short term, click here instead:

www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/13/senate.h...

Your welcome Jo,

By the way, American Ships still come to port in Sydney regularly and the Aussies love it. The American sailors really liven things up a bit when they are here.

AF Brat,

That is not a bad idea, but it does seem a bit complex.

I prefer the simpler approach of extending no-direct-cost-to-the-patient medicare coverage paid for by cuts to our way over-bloated military budget. After all, its worked very well in other modern, Western industrialized nations. Surely if they can do it, we can do it.

If we have money to kill with, we have money heal with.

There is a much better way to do Health Care than the Baucus bill or H.R. 3200. Thought up by a Democrat (Ron Wyden of Oregon) and pushed by Bill Clinton's favorite mouthpiece (Lanny Davis).

Here's a summary of Wyden's bill.

[quote]The basic idea of the proposal is, in effect, to "liquefy" everyone's current employer-provided health insurance policies -- i.e., require all employers to pay in cash to each employee the actual cost of that individual's insurance policy, and that extra compensation would have to be used by each employee to purchase health insurance policies. All those receiving this boost in pay would receive a tax deduction, varying in amount according to their income -- i.e., you get some or all of the tax deduction the employer currently gets for paying your insurance.

Those employers who do not insure their employees would have to make an "employer shared-responsibility payment," the amount depending on their revenues and size of their work force, as would all self-employed individuals and all those who do not have insurance and can afford to make this payment.

These new sources of revenue for the federal government, plus higher revenues owing to elimination of various currently applicable tax deductions and credits, would finance the cost of subsidizing the premiums of those who cannot afford to pay for private health insurance -- 100 percent for those at or below poverty level and a sliding scale of subsidies on up into the middle and upper-middle class. [/quote]

Read about the Healthy Americans Act (S.334) in this three-part series of articles.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009...

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009...

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009...

Oklahoma Reader,

Yes...from here it looks as if America...the Nation of my birth...the Nation I served as a soldier...the Nation I love as much as the very air I breath...has gone quite mad.

But...I still believe in her. I still believe in our people. I believe America is capable of reaching incredible heights. We can solve these seemingly insurmountable problems, but to do it we must all pull together as one. No Democrats, no Republicans, no liberals, no conservatives...just Americans who love this truly great Nation, willing to put aside our differences and come together to save this Nation we all love so much. We can do this!

...and after we get America healthy again...we can go to our separate corners and come out swinging.

NewAcross the current economic situation, and Australia's position in regard to it, brings to mind a book I read over fifty years ago. It is Nevil Shutes "On The Beach". It seems only the vector has changed from the one that threatened our world in the book.

AF Brat,

The Senate Finance Committee's health care "reform" bill does not include a government subsidized, option and, as a fully qualified economist, I agree that without a government subsidized, public option to provide competition we can expect those greedy fat-cats that are the major stockholders of Big Insurance to jerk as much cash out of sick folks as they possibly can...and the not-sick-yet folks too.

Lets just scrap that big cash give-away to Big Insurance and put everyone on medicare. After all, it worked out pretty well here in Oz...and almost anything would be better than that nonsense the conservatives in the Senate (like Senator Baucus) are trying to ram down our throats.

AFBrat the 4k figure as soon as out of their mouths was discredited.

You can cite all the sources you want to obsfucate the issue, but it is as plain as the noses on our faces that single payer, socialistic health care is the best care available, and the most economical. Otherwise the rest of the world would not have successfully adopted it. Our resistance is ludicrously absurd.

We are not going to get it because a fey, and dysfunctional Congress is trying to patch together some Frankensteinian monster of a plan that will be a disaster. Why? Because they are wholly owned by Big Health.

They do not represent the needs of the people, they represent the needs of Corporations who are the super citizens. They will throw the people a bone, or more to the point thrust it in a sensitive part of the human anatomy.

The hodge podge will be an inefficient disaster. Then we will be told "see, socialized medicine does not work." We will argue even that as ridiculously as two rubes looking at a *******, and arguing whether or not that thoroughbred can win a horse race.

AFB - that report was COMMISSIONED by AHIP, the health INSURANCE INDUSTRY:

http://www.politico.com/livepulse/1009/A...

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/...

On top of which, PWC is ALSO the group who was sued by TYCO stockholders for their multibillion dollar accounting fraud...

Oh yes, the middle class will pay (and pay and pay and ...) for Obamacare. The middle class is where the money is.

PriceWaterhouseCoopers, a business consulting firm, issued a Report today on the impact the Senate Finance Committee's health care "reform" bill will have on health insurance premiums. PWC concluded that the cost of health insurance for the average family will RISE by $4,000 by 2019, as compared with doing nothing.

Look here: http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/20...

P. S. The author is a Republican lawyer but that doesn't make him either a lier or stupid. His ideas are cogent.

jo - I agree, and there is even a good records program that was developed by the doctors of the VA that is top notch... and I would GLADLY pay into Medicare For All until I turn 65 if we can get the insurance companies out of the middle of it all - period. Health care is NOT a commodity for profit - it is as necessary as the food we eat, the air we breathe and clean water. What good is any of it if we are too sick to live - Or perhaps that is what they want us to do - work like serfs, live in hovels, sick, in debt to the company store, and die quickly and quietly...

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/100...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbWw23XwO...

Ive been listening to all these plans for health Care, and it seems that Single Payer is the only way to go! It has been tried and works for all! Of Course along the way something may have to be adjusted, but its a good start! You don't talk to the Profiteers for an answer! Here is were there should be a little Socialism injected into our Society! I trust the Government with my Social Security & the other Programs they run,so why not Health Care? I don't have much trust in private enterprise any more! And if Bush & the Republican could have sold there idea on Social Security we wouldn't have it. So i feel very secure at this point,even if i have some problem with both Parties! If News Across has more on Single Payer info, Please fill in?

Eric,

Point well taken.

Also, it is I who am sorry that I failed to communicate my message clearly to you the reader. I will work on that in future comments.

My feelings about Politic,is Controlling Peoples minds. Making people do what they wouldn't ordinarily do as thinking Human beings! Its like Cults. Jim Jones, was an example.There has been , Hundreds over the Centuries. I don't blame Jones as much as the followers.I think People get what they deserve, when they loose that ability to be independent and think rationally, and humanly,about any subject! Politic is an example of the herd Mentality. I Personally think our Government has perfected this Brain Washing Technique! our Country has learned a lot from other countries! If we loose our ability to think Rationally,for the well being of Humanity, we are doomed anyway? No Group of Politician's or Religious Leader's ,can or should make up our minds as a group! It's born in each and everyone of us ,as Human being, to know right from wrong. There is no in between! But , like i've said before what do i know,Ha. Maybe i'm getting to deep?

Ah, a great example bright and early of a Monday morning of why we tend to delete insulting or otherwise belligerent comments. Fighting4U posts an attack on liberals, so a liberal, in this case news across, has to reply in kind. There's very little hope for this thread of conversation, unless we hope it will go like this: counter attack, counter-counter attack, counter-counter-counter attack, etc., etc., along about eternity. And the only ones to enjoy the exchange (I predict) will be the combatants and a handful of spectators who believe rhetoric is a blood sport. But it looks to me like everything has been said that needs be said. Fighting4U doesn't like a caricatured version of liberalism and news across doesn't like a caricatured version of conservatism. 'Nuff said?

Maybe someday we can all be liberals then we could completely get rid of GOD, kill some babies, let the criminals go free, and have homosexual orgies all day!

mrxray

Like I said, I am not interested in Republican/conservative propaganda.

The Republican/conservative's actions have spoken much louder than their words and We the People got the shaft.

This Missourian will be voting straight Democrat ticket in 2010.

News: A side note, before you accuse me of being republican though... there are many normal every day citizens here in America that OPPOSE Obama, along with Independents and Republicans. Many Dems and Independents attended the rally in DC and the tea parties, ALL expressing the same thing that the evil republicans, as you stated it, are stating.

Go research on your OWN, the broken window theory regarding Government spending and its actual effects on the economy.

News Across: sorry that I dont fit your mould of what YOU think a republican is. You sound full of hate and irrational thought that will not you to reason around the media drive HATE BUSH BS.

But the very actions you refer to, death threats, accusations and the entire list you quoted are the EXACT things that the Democrat party base their entire campaign on. People are homegrown terrorists, racist and UnAmerican if they disagree with obamacare and any other Obama/radical left agenda. You fail to see that Obamacare is being supported by 150 million in Big Pharma and the Unions special interest money and the lawyers. you fail to see that if we were to start a big government program or crap and tax, that the Dems in effect are taking trillions of dollars away from the American economy, along with the trillions that bush and the dems took away from the economy in stimulus packages and bail outs. It is sad and funny that you can say what you did without acknowleding that corruption and economic ruin are the very platform that the Democrat party is based on....entitlements for all...at the expense of the working people and the economy. It must be hard for you to fail to understand the underlying reasons for the people that the media likes to call teabaggers. or maybe not hard, because often it easy to just accept what the media tells you instead of thinking and researching for yourself

news across said: I would say the Congressman has things pretty well figured out. Frankly, a person would have to be deaf, dumb, blind, and have a lobotomy not to see what the Republicans are all about.

Oh please do tell..what are republicans all about?

Progressive are only about increasing the size of government, pushing things like gun control to remove the fear the government has of the people. Trampling on the freedoms and rights of the individual to provide "free" entitlements that are unearned by individuals, but harmful to our economy. Spending unfathomable amounts of money to stimulate the economy, but while unemployment sky rockets, the government increases in size. Granted recent Repubs are just as guilty in their spending habits too. I dont want to hear the tired argment that "bush sucked" from you Bush Haters either...my comments have absolutely nothing to do with him.

Government spending and its effects on our economy are commonly equated to the broken window fallacy.... look that up progressives

WTF,

I m sure the Congressman appreciates your words of encouragement.

I would say the Congressman has things pretty well figured out. Frankly, a person would have to be deaf, dumb, blind, and have a lobotomy not to see what the Republicans are all about. The best thing we as a nation can do is to continue progressing, use our large majority to remove even more republicans from office at the ballot box, and also get rid of the blue dogs who have been taking Big Insurance company bribes.

Ultimately our great Nation will triumph and those who want to see our Nation fail will fall.

U.S. Congressman Grayson: "GOP wishes there were Nobel prize for 'fear, hatred, racism'"

with video

http://rawstory.com/2009/10/grayson-nobe...

notgvnasht,

Your kid is right.Guilty as charged.

evenin WTF ;>)

mrxray - please read beyond the headlines so that you understand WHY those figures are misleading - PHI's DROP people who are sick, as well as denying their claims, while Medicare does NOT... In addition, denial of claims with Medicare also includes those 'claims' that were for non-necessary, unrelated procedures or fraudulent.

wonderjim - a bit un-American of you to think that other CITIZENS should give up their rights to free speech, don't ya think...

For many years in our history, many open minded, non-racist Americans have wondered when America would finally recognize the outstanding contributions our African-American brothers and sisters have made to our Nation.

Many of us prayed and hoped that God would help us all climb from the primitive depths of racism and finally feel the warm light of equality of all American citizens.

Finally, in 2008 we saw one of our most exceptional African American citizens overcome more than 500 years of North American racism, a nasty, disgusting tradition since Columbus and the Europeans first invaded North America, and climb his way to the highest office in the land...the Presidency.

We Americans have the right to stand proud of our fellow citizen, President Obama. His tremendous accomplishment...to become the first African American to be elected to the Presidency.. was no easy task. To say the least, it was an extraordinary accomplishment by a truly extraordinary man.

Congratulations Mr. President on your recent award of the Nobel Peace Prize. You definitely earned it!

I am pleased to be able to say that 5 generations of my family have had the pleasure and privilege of reading the Marshall Democrat.

I am also very happy that the MD has fine people at the helm of our local paper.

God Bless you Eric Crump.

As an American watching America from the outside, I have to wonder...can America save America from itself?

It almost appears to me that conservatives are hell-bent on turning America into a banana republic...and succeeding!

I sure am glad I live in a sane country.

Oh well...no point in me worrying about folks who struggle against their own best interests...I have to go visit my doc for a routine check-up...my cost?...$0.00.

Thank goodness for socialized medicine and God Bless Australia!

What, specifically makes you believe that? are you drunk?

Freedom of speech doesn't apply to private newspapers and web blogs. Can you back up any of your claims?

farmerwife,

Acutally I apologize. I didn't write the comment but I do agree with it. My only statement as at the bottom in that he is our PRESIDENT and we should be proud of him.

I don't know who the author is but I did agree with the statement and here's the link I should have posted:

http://forums.kearnyontheweb.com/index.p...

Have you traveled outside the U.S. lately? Have you done so since we have had a new president? Can you tell us with aboslute accuracy how the U.S. is perceived in other countries? Probably not. The Nobel committee is probably in a better postition to judge that than you and I are so in this instance I'll take thier word for it. Keep in mind that President Obama did not ask for the award, he didn't lobby for it and was probably not even aware that he had been nomitated for it. Please tell me and everyone else just exactly what your problem is with "our" president winning the Nobel Peace Prize. More to the point what is your problem in general with the President?

As to the rest of your comment. The war over my screen moniker has been waged ad nasuem. I won. I'm not changing it so get over it. As to your comments regarding my level of intelligence do you really think that is fair? You don't even know me. Keep in mind that comments like that from you and others is exactly what prompted my choice of screen name in the first place.

"The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The Committee has attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.

"Obama has as President created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations. Thanks to Obama's initiative, the United States is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened.

"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population."

They are saying that Barack Obama has been more effective for peace in his first few months as president than anyone else. Elements in the radical Muslim world are already criticizing the award on the grounds that the United States has the largest nuclear weapons force in the world. This criticism misses the point. A president is not a dictator. He inherits his country's history.

AOL, which is notoriously right wing, already has the question framed on its lead page: "Does he deserve it?" This also misses the point. In our celebrity-obsessed culture, it's not about him personally. It is about the work he has done, particularly the effects of his work on the cause of peace.

Since President Obama took office, the United States has risen from seventh to first as the most admired nation in the world. This is directly attributable to President Obama, especially as contrasted with our last one before him. http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyle...

We Americans have reason to be proud that our President has been given this award but that is not the main point and should not our focus. Let it be a reminder what the world hopes for us and expects of us, and of our responsibilities as leader of the free world.

He is are President. We elected him and I think we should be proud of him. Isn't it nice to once again have a president that we can be proud of?

So. In order to pay for the Baucus bill, we will be taxing the medical devices... so a tax on the sick and injured is basically what that is, is it not? They were going to tax Tampons until people threw a fit.

Ultimately it wont be the device makers paying that tax, it will be the consumers, basically hurting the poor and less fortunate.

There was an article that discussed who denies a bigger precentage of claims and it showed that Medicare actually denies more. Funny that the Libs still say that the big bad private health insurance companies that are the ones who deny the most. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/10/6/...

I know that is from the dailykos... but I cannot access regular websites but it refers to the OECD information that this information comes from.

FUNNY they cannot tell the truth.

Actually, NanaDot, you need a scorecard for D. C. think tanks. The Brookings Institution is "liberal" and leans toward Democrats; the Heritage Foundation is "conservative" and leans toward Republicans; while the CATO Institute is "libertarian" and non-partisan.

And did you happen to see Greg Mankiw's 'favorite books' - they're his own as he links to his publishers.... not exactly a deep or wide reading list...

Max Baucus gets 20 - 25% of his money from the 'healthcare industry' - so who did you think he was going to shaft? The insurance companies?? Puh-leeze.

From a business aspect I understand the why behind closing Saturday mornings. However as a customer it is very annoying.

I added another letter to the New School? blog. I think the original description of that blog was a little confusing, so I tweaked it a bit. Just to clarify: Only signed letters to the editor get posted as blog entries, but anyone can post comments on those entries -- anonymously -- just like with any other blog or story.

www.marshallnews.com/blogs/1464/

Anyone who thinks being a vegetarian is safer as far as food supply is crazy just washing lettuce does not kill e coli. Now if you are raising your own food and you are a vegetarian do not use manure as your fertilizer because that is where e coli likes to hide itself.

Please keep in mind also there is not much virgin soil in our country that livestock/wildlife have not traveled across sometime in the past.

A little food for thought . . . .pardon the pun!

Evenin Upsedaisy. I'm not a vegetarian yet. That is partially because I am not in a position to grow all of my own food, particularly meat. I also know that rats, mice, and roaches crawl all over the veggies and fruits leaving their little deposits as unlisted ingredients of our purchased green groceries. You can't get away from nature microbes or mammals. It is just, whatever, take another bite, and hope that it at least tastes better than what it is.

You know there was a time during my salad days when "Hank and the Have it Alls" were called "The Establishment" and abhorred by youth across the country. Do you suppose that some of those buried emotions may be coming back to the conscious minds of Boomers, and others? If not, why not?

Goldman Sachs and others have practiced Equal Opportunity for brokerage firms for years by giving to both parties in about equal measure. "Hedging" bets?

Remember, Hank Paulsen was out of Goldman Sachs. He was cheek by jowl w/George Bush a year ago. He was jigging around on the front steps of the Treasury. Looking like the cat that swallowed the canary.

How many became vegetarians after reading the hamburger report?

Goldman Sachs, and J. P. Morgan are quietly buying up media.

Have you noticed that the media refers to Goldman and J. P. as if they were people? That is a step down for them because they have more rights than people.

There, that goes with the unattached link.

that was pretty quirky about the wtf thing...:}

WTF, just thought it funny, wasn't trying to ring your bell. What the f---, I'm notgvn a s--- what anyone wants to call his or her self.

WJ: Considering the origin of the burgers should we now consider them international cuisine?

That sounds so nasty that there needs to be a law that burgers be encased as are hot dogs, sausages, and such that contain equally unpleasant ingredients.

On Health Care, Lanny Davis (of all people) has found has a winner -- The Healthy Americans Act. Imagine universal coverage, private competition and reduced cost all in one.

Learn about it here: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009...

A good article, Pressman. thanks for sharing.

One suggestion I have is that the constituents of every elected person be the ones to decide on that person's salary. Read the Congressional Record and keep up with what the person does, and either vote for or against retention/raises.

It may be too late for the people to have any say in what happens in Washington, but if we continue to do nothing, that will be a certainty.

Sometimes about this time on Sunday morning I post a link to Frank Rich's column in the Sunday New York Times. He is a liberal columnist.

This morning I am posting a link to David Brooks' column. He is a conservative columnist.

The subject is something that I have touched on in a few posts. I thought my conservative friends might be more receptive to the point of view if you heard it from one of your own.

Fair, and balanced. This nation belongs to all of us. The more rational both major parties are, the better off ourr nation will be. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/opinio...

Interesting link WJ. Sure are a lot of angry people around. I just hope that they arm with keyboards, and microphones, not lynch ropes, and guns. BTW you wearin a white arm band?

Kathy, thanks for the recipe. Mouthwatering. The thought of how many miles I'd have to walk to work off the heavy cream keeps me out of the kitchen. (Fortunately there is only fat free milk in the refrigerator). Temptation get thee behind me! (and push:)

A health care system parody. Too good not to pass on.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazin...

Thanks for Fiore. "Dour times" lifter.

Good night all. I'm clocking out to go watch Shadow of a Doubt.

Evenin; this proves there is humor in anything. I wonder if our humor is going to sink to the levels of the mordant,cynical humor of the Russians as the USSR began to unravel? It might be something to watch in these dour times.

http://www.markfiore.com/

Isn't there a line in Birdland, when she sings "farewell and goodbye"?

You had to go and bring up butterscotch pudding! I still like it!

The two Roosevelts weren't thinking about socialism when they busied themselves w/the national parks. Interesting the reaction of people in Wyoming and Alaska when parks were proposed.

Thanks for link to Chris Connor. I checked out her obituary on The Guardian (UK) which gave her name. It was a good thing she shortened it!. I saw Stan Kenton in KC, in Jan 51. He thought she was quite good even at a time, when some critics were being critics. Here's a bit from The Guardian, perhaps someone may have known her in school in KC or Jeff City.

"She was born Mary Loutsenhizer in Kansas City, Missouri, then a hotbed of jazz activity, where her father was a telegrapher for Western Union. He took her to many live jazz performances. According to her family, she set her sights on a vocal career from the age of six. At high school, she was first clarinet in the school band and played the instrument for eight years, becoming a confident sight-reader. 'Playing the clarinet trained me in the basics of breath control, which is very important for singing,' she said. She also haunted the local record shop, listening to Peggy Lee, an obvious influence, as well as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, saying: 'I listened hard, not just to the melodies but to the words and the phrasing. Sinatra's phrasing was the best.'

Working as a secretary in nearby Jefferson City, Chris Connor (as she had begun to call herself) sang with a student orchestra for weekend campus dances at the University of Missouri. Led by the music director Paul Cherches, the band used stock arrangements of Kenton tunes, this experience only intensifying Connor's desire to sing with Kenton.'It gave me the spark and confidence to sing professionally,' she said, emphasising that she had had no formal vocal training.'

That's right, Upsedaisy. One hour os sleep before midnight is equal to two hours after midnight. Geezeritis, OKR calls it. :)

I think it's true in my case; I've noticed that I feel more alert immediately upon arising if I get an hour or so of sleep before midnight.

Of course we may be able to induce the same effect by telling ourselves we'll be bright-eyed when we wake, much the same as we can awaken at a certain time by telling ourselves that's what we want to do when we go to bed.

Maybe it's all in my mind, and I just dream all of this. :)

Sometime overnight I dreamed that the cat (who is now 14) became a kitten again. I was in the kitchen making coffee and I heard a bumping noise coming from inside a cabinet. When I opened the door, she popped out, young once again.

What do you suppose that might imply in my own case? (heh heh)

And here's the person who wrote the song that Chris Connor and many others have sung:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1CAgSbND...

As you noted, the bottom 47% will pay very little, which is not surprising since they HAVE so little...

Today is the birthday of a friend in Kansas City. She's 39, for the 27th time. :)

AFB - this is a 'model', unproven and untested because the 'stimulus' has not hit the tax cycle yet. The authors are hypothesizing the possible results based on post-WWII figures...

I see a few problems with the model in that it relies on 'marginal tax rates' paid... Given that the top tax payers have gotten massive tax CUTS... (I have heard whining to the effect that the top 1% pay 50% of the tax dollars, which is fine since they OWN more than the bottom 95% combined. They are getting a BARGAIN!!! and we get to pay the rest, of course.)

It is NOT PROOF of anything at this point - it is an educated guess, at best.

Midmocat,

Rush Limbaugh called and wants his schtick back. Where you when when bush was ruining our country?

Brat, I may want to agree with you on this one, but first let's see the link to this "statement of empirical fact."

GET RID OF THE PUBLIC OPTION...the recommendation of a traitor to the left. Must read.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...

This link is a must for all of you that are trying to figure out the puzzle that is Afghanistan. It might be called how the Taliban got power. You will be surprised as to the depth of our role in their takeover, or maybe you won't depending on the level of your cynicism.http://www.consortiumnews.com/2009/093009a.html

Gonna sign off, I am gettin a bad case of geezeritis.

I am going to send it to my wife's work place so that she can catch it first thing in the morning. Can't resist the opportunity to stir a little s...

Got it, funny. Is that an old English Ford? I seem to remember some one in Marshall had one of those for a while... I think.

Oh yes! My mail order business is flourishing! :)

OKR, look in your mailbox in a minute and you'll see the kind of thing I had in mind to convert.

Now you have lost me on the MP3 deal.

I was trying to figure out how to turn mp3 files into hyperlinks.

Slater are you taling hyperlinking e mails, or just hyperlinks in general?

I reflected earlier this evening that this blog (for the moment) may be turning into face book for technically challenged Geezers, watcha think?

Actually this is a great outlet for us if for no other reason than to inform the youngsters (fifty, and under) that we are not all asleep by nine oclock, and that occasionally we can have a lucid thought.

I am still going to try to find a way to post that one. It is the antithesis of the loony right's (a.k.a. the face of the modern Republican Party) misinformed e mails.

How's your library card holding up? :)

Well, I really thought I was gonna turn into a pumpkin, but not tonight!

I always liked the word - Geezer. It just comes rolling right out. :)

Upsedaisy I would never seiously call a person with a mind as sharp as yours Geezer, nor Geezerette, so it is a moot point. I'm glad you enjoyed my post.

I found Wib Myer's diary two or three years ago. I didn't know any of the families, nor was kin to any of the Miami folk.

As someone else had mentioned, it gave me a better grasp of what life was like around the turn of the century for my parents, and grand parents. My Dad was born 1905 in Malta Bend, My mother was born 1907 in Harrison County near Bethany. So life was very similar for my folks, and my grands, to what Wib Meyers detailed. It is fascinating.

I recall my grand dad telling me when I was a kid that when the Missouri River froze in the winter that he, and his friends would ice skate on the river up to Grand Pass, and back.

Anyway I have enjoyed all your comments on the subject, and share the opinions of your observations.

The Christian Church is the one I grew up in.

I was just remembering a time there, I was 4 and we were having a Christmas program. I got up and recited Twas the Night Before Christmas - with the help of my brother who let me hang onto his finger as he squatted down and prompted me occasionally. :)

Aw Slater...they didn't look so old! They looked like a bunch of kids still wet behind the ears!

Foot's doing a bit better...forced my foot into a shoe yesterday for most of the day before returning to the flip flops! Sort of like a work-hardening program! HA! It is going to get cold soon....will need the shoes on the cold concrete floor. Has been down in the 40's the last couple of nights.

Upsedaisy, it's one custom the idea of which I found to be very appealing.

Hey NB!

The diaries sure are engrossing! I'm rationing them so the spell will last longer. :)

So, you drove the Chevy in the parade, eh? What's the candy-throwing about? Kind of a take-off of the Mardi Gras parades? If that's a regular feature I'll have to try and be on hand next time. Heh heh

The neck is some better, thanks. Slowly but surely.

I got a photo taken at the class reunion last Saturday, and I think there was a mix-up. Surely those can't be my "old" classmates!! HA!

How are you doing? Feet holding up?

Hey there Slater,

How's the neck doing? I have also been reading the "Miami diaries". I have been completely mesmerized! Several ancestors (relations) names and/or lives have appeared from my husbands family tree. Have yet to get a chance to talk to my sis-in-law and tell her about these links. Have spoken to my mother-in-law and she recognizes quite a few. The one family name that I'm going try and research is Burruss as that was my paternal grandmother's maiden name. However, her family came from southern MO, so don't have a clue if there is a link, but am going to have a look see. Saw "your" class float from a distance at the parade Saturday. The day turned out quite beautiful. I drove THE chevy truck in the parade, thew out two tons of candy! Was fun!

Upsedaisy, it's interesting as I read Wib Myers' entries about the social custom of note-passing asking for permission to spend time with females. Wouldn't that make the heads of today's kids spin!

I feel a pumpkin coming on, in about 53 minutes.

OKR, I did like your thoughts last night--sorry to be so long in getting back. Tonight I have been nodding off, Am I a "geezer" or a geezerette? Last night, I was watching the. National Parks epic and reading the "Miami Diaries". Like Slater, I've been exploring family genealogy again, . Hadn't looked at it for a number of years and am discovering new information.

On judging people by the color of their skin, or geographic location or economic situation: It is an injustice in a democratic republic.

A neighbor and friend taught third grade fpr 30 years in an elementary school in a Cleveland western suburb. Many of her pupils were the children of people from Appalachia.

She was always impressed by the parents' interest and commitment to their children's education. The children themselves were very supportive of one another. If one was at the board for math or in a reading group, the children would comment afterwards, "You done good." Perhaps not perfect grammar, but much better than today's attitude that being smart isn't cool.

Howdy OKR...

Is it gonna be just gray heads tonight, or is it gonna be gray heads with gray matter?

Hiya Hootowls! Everybody okay? :)

OKR, you have more faith than I do.

Upsedaisy has the steady hand on the throttle. She keeps us all in line. :)

WonderJim, When you are starving it's mighty hard to get on your feet and walk away from the only home you've known. Many of the Appalachian poor did get on the road, ( I-77) to Akron, Cleveland, and Detroit and found industrial jobs . Those jobs are gone--gone overseas for still cheaper labor. Akron, Cleveland and Detroit are wastelands. The average price of a home in Detroit is $7,500.

Without jobs, many have returned to their beloved hills. Those hills are beautiful, heating costs are much lower as are taxes. Having a garden for food is a lot easier and probably healthier too when you consider the soil contamination in any of the above named cities.

WonderJim,

Ok...after reading your "explanation," I think I see what the problem is.

I hope you will understand why I am no longer willing to read any more of your comments or associate with you in any form or fashion.

O K WJ, thank you for your response.

I have no quarrel with the premise that capitalism/free enterprise can spur innovation.

The problem with any economic system including capitalism is that egregious actions harming the people will occur unless the system is well regulated. The allowance of unfettered capitalism results in social Darwinism run amok.

Why limit the use of a better mouse trap to five percent of those who need it? A primary goal of any economic system should be to assure the well being of the greatest number of its citizens.

Pure socialism will not work because the lack of incentive destroys iniative. Pure capitalism will not work because greed will unhinge it.

A successful blend of capitalism, and socialism has historically had the greater yield. Neither in its pure form has ever been sustainable. The devil, as always, is in the details.

Ronald Reagan was the figure head that began the devolution of our economy, and it was continued by figure heads Bush/Clinton/Bush. Regulation has systematically been withdrawn. The result is the Great Recession. We must now reregulate to regain equilibrium.

Good regulation does not quell initiative, nor progress, it merely guides it in positive directions. I am certain that if mining companies had not been allowed to lop off the tops of mountains, and toss them into mountain streams, a more sustainable method of extraction of the earthbound product would have been developed. It would likely have resulted in desirable spin offs. After all, no action stands alone, and a sustainable constructive action, will have a more constructive tail than a destructive action whose tail will continue upon the path started.

I'm glad you got a laugh, for that was the intention.

WonderJim,

Please correct me if I am wrong, but sounds like you are trying to blame the former American slaves for their enslavement.

Surely you can't be serious.

Well - I guess that answers that - people don't matter. Just more 'money and things'... I think that is what the world told the Dust Bowl refugees, as the bankers snapped up the land...

WonderJim: because of the coal industries "improvements", entire mountain ranges in the Appalachians have been "removed", waterways have been cancerously polluted, giant toxic sludge ponds have wasted entire towns when shoddy dams failed, acid rain has decimated our northern forrests, and Appalachia remains one of the poorest regions in the country...

http://www.appvoices.org/index.php?/site...

Now what was it you were saying about the benefits of free-market capitalism...?

SENATE KILLS HEALTH CARE ACCESS REFORM BILL!

Republicans and Blue-Dogs vote to kill public option.

http://rawstory.com/2009/09/senate-commi...

WonderJim,

I see my questions were too abstract, but thanks for trying!

Thanks sir, it is nice to hear from people in my hometown, sometimes I forget how far away I am from there, until something like this happens. I told my friends here it reminded me of the flood we had in MO in 1993, but this time my house we right in the middle of it, guess I shouldn't have rented so close to the river, lol.

Take care,

Ricky

Hello, this is Ricky Franklin, Marshall, MO is my hometown, but I now live in the Philippines, I am sure that you all saw on the news that we just got hit hard by flash flooding here and we all lost so much stuff. It has been one of the most traumatic experiences in my life. I was able to save my cat and some of my clothes and our laptop while wading through chest deep water. My family is taking donations there in Marshall to help us rebuild our lives here. We all lost so much and need help if anyone can do it. Thanks so much for your help and take care of yourselves. If you would like contact information for my family email me at riclin1@gmail.com. I will try to post pictures and video we took with a cell phone on my blog as soon as I can find a way to get them on my computer. Thanks in advance for anything you can help with. A little goes a long way in this country. By the way, a little more about me so you all might remember me. My name is Ricky Franklin, My grandparents were Ina Mae Breshears, and Alfred Clifton Breshears who lived on Odell street most of their lives before buying a small house on Jackson street. My family lived on Cortney Ave. My mom is Deborah Franklin and my Dad is Rick Franklin. I have 1 sister named Natalie, and 4 adopted siblings as well. I used to manage the license bureau there right before Matt Blunt got elected. If you eat at Joan's Drive-in off the square, you can ask Connie about me, my mom and her are friends. This was a tragedy that came without warning, we were not prepared for it and did not expect something so bad to happen so fast. Again, you can contact me at riclin1@gmail.com if you want to help out.

Lots of illness in the Marshall schools. Yuck...the flu is among us!

Sing it, Gene!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXEZuAfxT...

Howdy Slater.

WonderJim: I have been considering your recent statements, and have been in a quandary as to whether I agree with you or not. I have even been stymied in my effort to ask you questions so that I could learn more before I made additional comment.

I finally realized that I was high centered (couldn't move) because I did not know what you meant by capitalism. Capitalism, and socialism for that matter, are both terms that are bandied about, and are percieved differently by each individual. This link will give you an idea as to what I mean. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?...

So, help me out here if you would, and define what you are propounding. Thanks

BTW - who says 'capitalists' have the corner on "creativity"? - THAT is hogwash. Creativity is a HUMAN activity and occurs in ALL conditions.

Nana Dot: Thanks for the Link. Yes, Micheal Moore has my Confidence, with his research into all the unjust, and Criminal Act's in our system!If we just had the will to correct it? I haven't seen it yet! People are still cheering for these Crook's!

Watch this - even if you don't like the guy, listen to the message, please...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEvMdjvt6...

And, BTW, the infamous 'death tax' that the GOP scared everyone with would ONLY have applied to those at the LAST 1-yard line... the American people got RIPPED OFF to protect the top 1%.

Jo, studies show that you're right on target in your thinking. The vast majority of the people below the poverty level haven't chosen to be in that situation and in fact many of them work two and three jobs just to stay afloat.

People who make a blanket statement that poor people are poor because they're lazy speak out of turn and need to learn the facts.

Tommob you kinda took it in a different direction. By lower classers I meant a part of the working class, just low wage folks. There's lots of em out there. Unfortunately more all the time as companies cut hours, and wages to avoid firing people. Can't leave out all those that have been laid off, and can't find a job. Its my understanding that there are six times as many people looking for jobs as there are jobs available. I shoulda been clearer in my description of lower classers.

We also need to be mindful that the rich will always try to stir divisiveness between the lower classers, and middle classers to keep the heat off of their own privileged selves.

I am very concerned that every single indicator shows that the middle class is shrinking. All those folks falling below middle class didn't suddenly develop a penchant for sittin barefoot on the porch all day with there biggest problem bein whether to first scratch the coon dog's back, or their own.

Mornin' OKR,

I'm envisioning a Gary Larson cartoon based on your post. :)

In eight minutes I turn into a pumpkin.

Question...

What's up with the national infrastructure work that was supposed to take place?

I understood that those jobs would be easily created.

More truth if you have the stomach for it. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/busine...

Remember Owlies, coming October 4th! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72qZZapTH...

Hey Hootowls! I'm back from measuring Sequoia's!

You bet, Slater. Burns makes everything look wonderful!

Missy, I hope you were able to take photos to share with Upsedaisy and the rest of us. :)

I attended the quilt show at the YMCA yesterday. Oh my goodness! If you have any time today, you really should go see what that guild has put together. There is a display of about 15 Gee's Bend quilts and there are three Gee's Bend quilters there! They will visit with you about their quilts and autograph your Gee's Bend "stuff". Of course, the guild has many beautiful "home grown" quilts on display too!

Have a great day!

M

Comp;ete title; "The Yes men Fix The World", opening October 7th.

Upsedaisy, that Geat business was a little strange, alright. I was trying to say AFBrat, you're beating upon thy horse, although it has long since been rendered lifeless. I can't explain how it came out the way it did. :)

I've read only 1887 and 1888 so far, so I haven't gotten to the Myers family except for what was indicated during 1887, unless I overlooked some things.

I saw a family photo in front of the house where Wilbert and his sister Rettie were born. I need to look for his family information so that I'll have a better understanding of how the members got to where they were when Wilbert began his diary.

I had a chuckle about the entry of December 31, 1888, when he reported about the oyster supper at "Mrs. Dr. Edmonds."

Slater: "Great" or "get" upon one's horse?" Reference pictures in your living room. Did you read Wilbert Sterrett Myers family line?

He was the last of 9 children. His older brother, Newton married Martha "Mattie" Saufley. Perhaps, cousins or sisters of your wife's great grandmother, Anna Saufley. The Moyers/Myers family did not move to the Miami area until after the Civil War. They were Virginians. Only the last two children were born in Miami.

CONGRADS MHS FOOTBALL TEAM, FINALLY GOT THAT WIN HANG IN THERE! WERE ALWAYS PROUD OF YOU GUYS NO MATTER WHAT THE SCORE IS AT THE END OF THE GAME.

Kathy,

He said, quoting the statute, "shall ... be guilty of a misdemeanor and ... shall be fined not more than $25,000 ..., or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both...". I had earlier noted "(and other, errrr, "excise taxes")."

She said, "I knew there was something wrong with saying "misdemeanor" in conjunction with "$25,000,... ."

Nothing wrong, that's precisely (as the Congressional Staffer's handwritten note clarifies) how the Leadership intends to force compliance with the insurance mandate!

ND: Thanks for the clarification. I knew there was something wrong with saying "misdemeanor" in conjunction with "$25,000," but was too lazy to look it up. This is the kind of stuff that used to drive me nuts when I was in grade school - boy says "x is y." Girl says, "No, it's not." Boy repeats, girl repeats, etc., until finally the boy (and it is ALWAYS a boy) admits, "well, almost, kinda, close to, sorta...." ... ad nauseum.

No offense intended, AF Brat, but you do know what I mean.

ND - your link to sect. 7203 of the irs tax code raised the question of how long is the irs code of regulations, so I googled it and was amazed at the answers I saw from our elected officials.

It's no wonder there's so much confusion in the ranks over any issue or question you care to put in front of them.

IRS Code Sec. 7203

http://www.assetprotectionbook.com/irc_s...

The penalty for NOT BUYING HEALTH INSURANCE is currently UP TO $1900 (under PENDING - NOT final - legislation).

That penalty (UPTO $1900) is assessed as a TAX on IRS Form 1040.

The penalty for NOT PAYING THE (upto) $1900 TAX on your Form 1040 is provided in Internal Revenue Code Section 7203.

NOT PAYING YOUR TAXES is - under Section 7203 of the IRS code - a misdemeanor punishable by UP TO one year in jail or up to a $25,000 fine, or both.

I can't comprehend the ignorance behind such a proposal. If people can't afford the insurance how can they afford the fine? The cost associated with jailing people would be prohibitive as well.

Kathy,

I think the idea of fining anyone for failing to purchase health insurance is a bad idea no matter what the amount of the fine. I hope both Senator McCaskill and Senator Bond will not support any final bill that contains any such provision.

Also, without a public option, any health care bill will be nothing more than a cash handout to Big Insurance.

Republican senator becomes lobbyist less than two weeks after quitting:

http://rawstory.com/2009/09/republican-s...

Oh my.

Just breaking ...

Joint Committee on Taxation Chief of Staff Tom Barthold sent a handwritten note to Nevada Sen. John Ensign confirming that Americans who refuse to comply with Health Care regulations as outlined by the current Obamacare legislation, could face JAIL TIME in addition to fines (and other, errrr, "excise taxes").

$25,000 and up to 12 months in Club Fed.

The letter can be seen here: http://a.abcnews.go.com/images/Politics/...

OKR, you mean you nearly signed "Okie" to your post? :)

Craig, I'm in agreement with OKR about the link. Most interesting and informative. I know Saline County had a large contingent of slaves contributing to the county population.

My father-in-law was born and raised in Miami, and he had some pretty eyebrow-raising stories to tell about the Civil War days in mid-Missouri.

Mr. Hubbard,

Thank you for posting the link it was a great read.

Gal66: Amen. I'll reference a line in the Eagle's song "Get Over It" as an offering of support:

"You complain about the present and blame it on the past; I'd like to find your inner child and kick his little a**; GET OVER IT..."

Some rules kids won't learn in school

Text By Charles J. Sykes Printed in San Diego Union Tribune September 19, 1996

"Unfortunately, there are some things that children should be learning in

school, but don't. Not all of them have to do with academics. As a modest

back-to-school offering, here are some basic rules that may not have found

their way into the standard curriculum."

Here is the couple if you want to read the rest go here. http://urbanlegends.about.com/gi/dynamic...

Rule No. 1: Life is not fair. Get used to it. The average teen-ager uses the

phrase, "It's not fair" 8.6 times a day. You got it from your parents, who

said it so often you decided they must be the most idealistic generation

ever. When they started hearing it from their own kids, they realized Rule

No. 1.

Rule No. 2: The real world won't care as much about your self-esteem as much

as your school does. It'll expect you to accomplish something before you

feel good about yourself. This may come as a shock. Usually, when inflated

self-esteem meets reality, kids complain it's not fair. (See Rule No. 1)

This is a much better link that proves the point, or no point. Oblio lives!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqZHsVBRa...

I could not post this afternoon because I could not get through. I clicked on a few things to try to figure it out, and was told by my computer that there was a firewall between my computer, and the MDN. I was also told that there was nothing else wrong. I had no problem going to any other website.

Could it have been sabotage? I just looked around to see who is missing. Aha, now I have suspects. :)

Hey Hootowls! :)

Upsedaisy, it was 65 here today, a record low high, as was yesterday's 66. Will be back to 90 by Monday, they're saying.

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone.

What's your point Mr. Xray?

The following are lyrics that were posted on Sept 6 2009 on youtube. Two days before the Obama school "speech" I am not making a specific point really, just find it ironic.

Song 1:

Mm, mmm, mm!

Barack Hussein Obama

He said that all must lend a hand

To make this country strong again

Mmm, mmm, mm!

Barack Hussein Obama

He said we must be fair today

Equal work means equal pay

Mmm, mmm, mm!

Barack Hussein Obama

He said that we must take a stand

To make sure everyone gets a chance

Mmm, mmm, mm!

Barack Hussein Obama

He said red, yellow, black or white

All are equal in his sight

Mmm, mmm, mm!

Barack Hussein Obama

Yes!

Mmm, mmm, mm

Barack Hussein Obama

Song 2:

Hello, Mr. President we honor you today!

For all your great accomplishments, we all doth say "hooray!"

Hooray, Mr. President! You're number one!

The first black American to lead this great nation!

Hooray, Mr. President we honor your great plans

To make this country's economy number one again!

Hooray Mr. President, we're really proud of you!

And we stand for all Americans under the great Red, White, and Blue!

So continue ---- Mr. President we know you'll do the trick

So here's a hearty hip-hooray ----

Hip, hip hooray!

Hip, hip hooray!

Hip, hip hooray!

Just FYI: There's a panhandler parked in a wheelchair in front of Marshall post office this morning. I went and talked to him for a bit. He said he's from Branson but goes around to cities all over the state panhandling. He does not appear to be causing any problems that I've seen. Not saying whether anyone should give -- but I do think it's wise to exercise appropriate caution.

The atomic clock says it's time to get up from here and give the old eyeballs some rest.

Yep, NB, no star gazing for sure. Oh well, it's cloudy and rainy anyway.

Good night all.

100 per cent!

I was tempted to express my thoughts but I was afraid of SOUNDING maybe insincere, although that would be as far from the truth as it could be.

We men know where the center of the universe lies. :)

You are welcome NanaD, NouveauB, and Slater. NB I think your comment was perceptive. ND yes timeless, but yet what a beautiful hour glass it was.

It is also interesting to me that as far as I know all the paintings were done by men, or at least those among them that I recognized. Such men as those, as well as the poets, and the music makers, say to women what the rest of us try to say but we are strangled by the lumps that grow in our throats, when confronted by the beautiful essence of the women we love.

So from all of us to all of you, what he said, or painted, or sang. Would you agree with that Slater?

Thanks, Upsedaisy. Yes, I had arranged for transportation and a place to rest my weary head and was looking forward to seeing some of the old codgers I haven't seen in 50 years in a few instances.

I was almost tempted to let the quack stab me in the back, but I'm the deliberate type so I passed on the offer.

If I get up there in mid-October and the quilt display is still around I'll see about getting some photos if it's permitted.

I saw OKR's post about the rubber playground material, and I'm going to nose around to see what the board members think about it. Odd that it hasn't been banned if it is hazardous.

AFW: I am better thank you.

One other thing that I have meant to say to you for a very long time. My fervent hope is that your loved one returns from harms way none the worse from the experience. My stepson (more than that really) was stop lossed, and spent a long nasty tour in Iraq, returning with some lingering problems. There was never a waking hour, and sometimes even as I slept that he was not in my thoughts until his return. I do appreciate the strain that you are under, and my heart goes out to you.

NB,

It's a self-imposed grounding. I have a bone spur in my neck at c-5, and over the past 40 years there've been four episodes which cause a fair amount of discomfort. It came on about four or so weeks ago, and I was hopeful that I'd be in decent shape to make the trip, but I'm not ready to travel yet. My quack offered to shoot me in the back with some steroids, but I'm not a fan of being stuck in such a vulnerable area, so I'm letting it wear itself out while taking some anti-inflammatory stuff.

I did see that showers are possible for your area and wondered if your husband was going to chance having his pride and joy sit in the rain.

Your hot pink buggy should be spotted easily, I'd guess. What about the sound system? :)

My wife is soon off to Oregon to visit her sister and upon her return around 10/15, and if my neck is more cooperative by that time, I'll then be homeward bound.

Got new paint on the tables yet?

Kathy! Thank You! That's it!

You're making me homesick with all the talk about crisp mornings and the smell of burning leaves, but it happens every year at this time.

Have I missed out on a history lesson?

Hootowls... :)

upsedaisy - all I remember is the name of the island, sort of, Suribao??? It wasn't that long ago - but then time is relative to my current age, so I'm a little lost on this one...

NanaDot--was it Clark in the Phillipines that was buried? The links to the depression dust storms were interesting. Recently there have been predictions that w/o water the Central Valley of CA may turn into another dust bowl.

news across: I have a very clear memory of a sandstorm (in Arabic, ghibli) while my family was stationed in Libya - but it was nothing compared to what you're enduring down under.

AF Wife: I'll add my prayers to NanaDot's!

Kathy - Everyone is doing fine - still overseas. Thanks for asking.

what a lovely day hope everyone had one

Well put Kathy. This is getting rather monotonous.

**Everything that can be "handled at the source" has already been handled.*

Really? I have yet to hear what that is..

TC: Everything that can be "handled at the source" has already been handled.

PLEASE...click to the chill pill link I provided.

TC: If you feel my offhanded comment was a threat to you quit bellyaching to the Democrat News, call the FBI. They get calls of that nature from people every day, and I am sure will know exactly how to handle it. You don't have to make a federal case of it, but you have.

Third Child,

I'm still awaiting your personal information so that I may validate your existence and source of income.

Free speech. I'm asking. Post it. If you can make demands so can I.

Or does your fortitude stop at the "cut and paste" feature of SOMEONE ELSE'S ideals?

I'm just trying to clarify exactly what the editor found so offensive about my posts as compared to others.

No one is going to make the editor do what he doesn't want to do. That's up to them. I'm still going to ask, though. Accountability has always been big in my book.

As for Kathy saying she never deletes anything, maybe she should stop using the term "we" when she talks about all this 'editing'.

People know you don't make gun jokes at an airport, no jokes about bombs, no jokes about killing anyone.. or else you have a swat team taking you down in a New York second...

You don't go into public buildings and make terroristic threats, even if they are "inside" jokes, without great risk to to your own life.

Children, in indoctrination centers we call school, will be expelled or arrested for even mentioning guns in school or even draw a depiction of a gun on their notebooks.. zero tolerance..

It's also against the law to make terroristic threats over the internet. The posts that were removed, only reminded the editors at MDN of their legal obligations in the matter of OK Reader's comments.

That is why they deleted them, IMO. Those posts weren't offensive unless you believe professional accountability is offensive.

Third Child....no one at the MDC has to justify to you why they delete your comments. It is their perogative to do so. You are not their boss. It is their paper not yours. Don't like it? Then stop posting. I have had comments deleted in the past but I didn't demand explanation or have a hissy about it.

**If we thought Oklahoma Reader's last two posts were offensive, we would have already deleted them.*

I just checked my email and I still don't see an explanation for deleting *my previous messages.

I think they were removed for no good reason.

Did you edit those down the memory hole, Kathy?

Or was it Eric?

Wow! What an eerie effect! Kind of puts me in mind of the photos in the National Geographic of the ash clouds after Mt. St. Helens.

Looks like TC has developed yet another compulsion

Late last night I posted in regard to the choice made by the Slater schoolboard to utilize rubber mulch on their new play ground.

It has been first choice for playgrounds around the nation. It is my understanding that it is even in place on the Obama childrens playground at the White House. However there are concerns about potential toxic hazards within the substance. Apparently the EPA is currently testing it. http://www.alternativehealthjournal.com/...

It may be a darned if you do, darned if you don't situation.

I have also heard (Mike McGrath, "You Bet Your Garden", NPR) that wood chips are not a good choice because many are made from ground up pallets, from China, and that they also contain toxic substances. Some are also made from construction waste wood that could be contaminated. So, what to do? I don't know.

Of this I am certain. The members of the school board at Slater (and other places for that matter) are concerned about the welfare of the children, as am I. I am hopeful that the school board has already explored this issue, and has arrived at an informed decision.

I am also hopeful that the EPA does not find a critical problem with the materials which results in expensive removal, and disposal of toxic wastes in Slater, and across the nation.

I am not going to beat this horse to death, so I will not say more on the subject. Concerned parents may wish to contact the Slater school board to inquire regarding any concerns that they have on the subject. Before they bother that body I suggest that they themselves do more thorough research than I have done. It may answer there concerns. If not, then approach the board.

By the way, all you hootowls can rest easy for a while.

Old Slater is confined to quarters until the orthopedic troubles pass and I'm cleared to travel once again.

In the meantime, don't forget about the Harvest Moon, coming October 4th! :)

Upsedaisy, sorry I won't be able to get you some photos of the quilt display, but maybe some of our good local friends will accommodate. :) If photos are permitted, that is.

Eric Crump,

I know how busy you are editing but when you have the time, I do expect a note of explanation. I also request that you remove the last two posts from Oklahoma Reader. It shouldn't be a problem for you.. you're on a roll so just keep trimming a little more please..

Eric Crump

I expect to get an explanation on that last edit.

Send an email if you wish.

What's this about guns? What a coincidence! I just started a mail-order business called Guns 'R Us. Fax me a copy of your NRA card along with your choice of weaponry and I'll fix you right up.

upsedaisy,

You are so correct!

I have been referring to it as "The Great Sydney Dust Bowl" all day.

We have been told to expect another dust storm later this week.

Newsacross, BBC America covered the "red dust" in Sydney tonight.Stay inside! Reminded me of pictures of the dust storms of the 30s in the Midwest. Lived in Wichita in '56-'57. Dust storms did occur. We used to say "OK blew North today" or "NE blew South."

I'm sure if you had told dad a sad story,you would have gotten the Gun for Five Dollars or even a gift, Ha, he was a sucker for hard working Kids! Hope your over the flu.

In regard to my previous post: And lest we forget, many of the tires that are ground up for rubber playground mulch were made in China, the place that can't even ship us little children's toys that are not toxic.http://landscaping.about.com/od/compostandmulch/f/rubber_mulch.htm

I note that the Slater school board is considering the use of rubber mulch on their new buildings playgrounds. They may wish to reconsider the use of that product because there are toxicity problems with the mulch. There is a lot of literature available on the subject. Here is one link just for starters. http://www.natureswayresources.com/DocsP...

ND - you bet it is! I know what my life's work would be if I'd been born about 40 years later.

Thanks for the book reference! :)

Hello friends and neighbors,

A freak dust storm hit Sydney today.

Its made the air dangerous to breath and the authorities are recommending Aussies stay indoors. But I have to tell you, it looks very cool. Everything appears to be encased in an orange hue and every exposed object outside is covered with a film of orange dust. Apparently there was a big Outback sand storm and this is the same storm now pushing the left over dust. They are saying it has never happened before.

One thing is for sure, it sure looks cool.

Guess what, TC. I answered you and I got censored. Please stand aside and make way for the flood of tears...

Now to answer your question: Yes, this man had a name. You're asking, no doubt, so that you may satisfy your curiosity and hopefully make me to be a liar. So let's make a deal:

I'll give you the man's name, age at T.O.D., D.O.B., the schools he attended, his last known physical address, and the latitude and longitude to his headstone if you wish....as soon as you provide your full name, address, D.O.B., and social security number. Like you, I am curious. I am curious to validate the authenticity of your existence. And, I am curious to know whether or not a portion of my tax dollars arrive in your mailbox in the way of a monthly subsidized stipend, enabling you to sit on your backside all day long and terrorize this site.

We've already established an equal distrust of one another, so I'm afraid your "word" will not suffice. Once my sources validate your existence, and once my questions about your sustainance are answered, then we will mutually proceed with this discourse. Agreed?

It's all about proving claims, right? That *is* your mission, isn't it? Seeking the truth?

**the lives of our grandparents - the air they breathed, the food they ate, even the things they saw - could have directly affected us, and that what we do could, in turn, affect our grandchildren*

But Monsanto, mixing, altering and engineering new forms of DNA, on to and literally into God's beautiful creations on the planet Earth, are nothing to be concerned about, right?

Topic #4 = PBS NOVA tonight in my neighborhood:

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

In a provocative report from the frontiers of biology, NOVA explores new findings that call into question the long-held belief that all inherited traits are passed on by our genes. The fast-growing field of epigenetics investigates hidden influences that could affect not only our health today but that of our descendants far into the future. It now seems that our environment makes small chemical changes to our DNA without affecting the gene's overall makeup. To put it another way, epigenetics adds to our DNA another layer that acts as a control system of "switches." Experiential factors such as nutrition or stress may trigger these switches and turn genes on or off. These subtle changes can then be "remembered" and passed on from generation to generation, altering inherited traits. This means the lives of our grandparents - the air they breathed, the food they ate, even the things they saw - could have directly affected us, and that what we do could, in turn, affect our grandchildren. NOVA explores this fascinating new idea, interviewing top scientists in the field and following what could be a paradigm shift in the way we think about inheritance and genes.

You know folks. I got my flu shot on Saturday, and Shock of all I'm going to have salmon loaf for dinner tonight.

I guess I'm a gonner...

I feel the big one coming on....

Oops, I'm sorry but has everyone lost their sense of humor. I'm mean I'm to busy living to worry about dying from this or that! Someone needs to get TC a beer or something to chill out!

Detriment of objective journalism

Former CBS anchorman, warns of corporate influence over news

On September 16, Dan Rather, the former anchor of the CBS Evening News, warned that today's news is shaped by very powerful corporate network owners who "are in bed with powerful political interests" that are influenced by government regulatory interests.

Rather spoke at a National Press Club remembrance of his colleague Walter Cronkite, his predecessor in the CBS Evening News anchor chair, and Don Hewitt, the late producer of 60 Minutes.

Rather revealed that in his conversations with Cronkite, the late anchor also believed that corporate interests were shaping the news to the detriment of objective journalism.. more..

http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/...

The weather here in San Antonio today is soggy and cool, the kind of day that can encourage one to get out a book and do some reading, and that's what inspires Topic #3, the Library of Congress' National Library Service for people with disabilities (see information site):

http://www.loc.gov/nls/

I have a certified visual disability which qualifies me for the program, and I with the aid of a machine. Actually, it's an advantage for people like myself, because we can do other things with our hands as we "read" by listening.

I have a machine issued by the state library, and also I'm able to download books to my computer and listen that way.

It's a great way to keep up, especially on those dreary days when being outside is impractical.

Third Child,

What do you expect? This is still a private board. Censorship only applies to the government infringement of your 1st ammendment rights. You constantly hijack this discussion board with your cut and paste hack jobs. Instead of posting a subject, giving a link and letting those here decide wheter they want to investigate further, you thrust it upon them, ad naseum and force us all wade through your latest obsession. When people grow tired and complain about your complusion then you become a victim. You are the Bully Third Child, not the editors.

I don't post here very often but I read it daily and TC, you are wearing me out. It's beginning to sound more like you're the bully than Eric or the MDN.

Well now TC what is your next conspiracy theory to pound into the ground since Eric has spoken on the flu vaccine topic.

Thank you very much Eric

Just for the Record:

Now it looks like two more posts are disappeared.

One was about the benefits of vitamin D against swine flu and one was about health care professional's concerns over untested experimental flu vaccines.

I'm detecting a pattern here but then I have been called a conspiracy theorist..

An email from my daughter prompts Topic #2 - Otsuka Pharmaceuticals and Tuberculosis.

My daughter works for Otsuka Pharmaceutical, a Japanese-owned company with a U.S. presence (see information site):

http://www.otsuka-us.com/

She's the on-site coordinator and monitor for clinical trials being conducted to determine the efficacy of a new drug designed to treat patients with the tuberculosis strain resistant to the standard multi-drug treatment method.

Contrary to popular belief, tuberculosis has not been eradicated and in fact is fairly common in certain locales and in certain populations (like homeless people). Another misconception is that TB is a lung-related disease. While this is true, it can also infect other parts of the body, like the liver and the brain, as examples.

Tuberculosis, like other diseases, is one of those that can change its makeup to become immune to ordinary treatment. Otsuka has developed a drug that is currently being tested for its effectiveness in curing the mutated form of TB.

It's currently raining here at my house, and that offers up Topic #1 - The South Texas Drought.

Our water supply comes from an aquifer, the Edwards Aquifer (see information site):

http://www.edwardsaquifer.net/

The last significant rain to fall in our area was two years ago this month (or maybe last month), and the dry conditions have negatively impacted our potable water supply, obviously. The current drought, spanning the prior 24 months, is being reported as the driest in recorded history, and I can tell you the trees in my yard are living? proof (one is suffering considerably).

I suspect the Fall Foliage Feature will be a very dull color this season.

Today I'll post 14 comments (if I can think of 14 different topics), and this one doesn't count in the total.

Also, each succeeding post will be one paragraph longer (even if I have to repeat myself).

OKR 13 TC 12

Good night.

Parting in peace for the evening TC with something for you to contemplate, compliments of W. B. Yeats.

And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,

slouches toward Bethlehem to be born.

Eleven posts, and counting. Run TC run. You are lucky that Slater didn't show tonight for he would have out posted you. As it is you have only beaten a sick old man...and more's the pity, one that has the flu because he followed your advise, and didn't get a flu shot...not much pleasure in that huh?

"I could conjure up a flu story tomorrow"

That's not what "we the people" were really looking for.. were you making a joke or were you trying to tell us something else?

con·jure (kĽn"j...r, k...n-j‹r") v. con·jured, con·jur·ing, con·jures. --tr. 1.a. To summon (a devil or spirit) by magical or supernatural power. b. To influence or effect by or as if by magic. 2.a. To call or bring to mind; evoke. b. To imagine; picture. 3. Obsolete. To call on or entreat solemnly, especially by an oath. --intr. 1. To perform magic tricks, especially by sleight of hand. 2.a. To summon a devil by magic or supernatural power. b. To practice black magic. 3. Obsolete. To conspire.

OKR - best wishes for a speedy recovery! Elderberry jelly, on toast, helps, too.:>)

I am not against vaccinations, per se, particularly single dose, spread out over time. The problems began to surface when they started to use thimerisol in multi-dose vaccinations, and shortly thereafter, the incidence of diagnoses of autism began to climb geometrically. It is AT LEAST worth a precautionary approach.

I do not regret the vaccinations I have had because I have also seen first-hand the ravages of polio and small pox and rubella, and they were terrible scourges on the children of the world.

HOWEVER, I do have serious reservations about the preservative thimerisol, which is ethyl mercury and NEVER goes away, and the adjuvant, squalene, which is used to 'jump-start' the vaccine, and has been implicated in the onset of all kinds of autoimmune disorders among Gulf War I vets. If they would just use a basic vaccine, that's one thing, but these additives are NOT my idea of a "good thing"...

Kathy I do have a mild case of the flu (self diagnosed). Thank you.

Slater: Are you out there with critters appeased? You are getting a late start my friend.

Thank you Eric for the new speak out

OOPS, make that 46 years later. My, how time flies when you're having fun. WT

Okay folks, a little personal experience with the flu and flu shots. In late October of 1963 I was slated to go into Cuba to pick up some intell. The Marine Corps insisted I must get a flu shot before going which I did. Made me unbearably sick for 3 or 4 days and my mission was scrubbed (or possibly assigned to someone else, I never was told, (no "need to know).

All I know for sure is that I have never been that sick before or since and I have sworn off flu shots to the point I was threatened with disciplinary action the next time, a year later, when I refused. Fortunately, I had a friend in the unit doctor, Dr. Jim Bones, who logged me as getting a flu shot. Now, some 36 years later I have never had so much as a cold, never missed a flight assignment with the Corps or 25 years with Pan Am. Who knows? Maybe that flu shot made my body unappealing to the rest of the germs and viruses of the world. WT

PS: Yes, Dr. Bones was/is his real name.

Bright futures are not built on debt and consumption, but on savings and production.

Eight to six, TC's favor.

*reporting that I am on my death bed was greatly exaggerated*

http://www.twainquotes.com/Death.html

What journalists decide what to publish by waiting on people to come in the doors with requests for a story on this, a story on that?

No real ones that I know of..

http://cme.medscape.com/viewarticle/7079...

AUTISM!!!!

VACCINES???? ADVERSE REACTIONS!!!

MERCURY???

OMG!

Quote:

"I said our readers didn't appear to be interested in the subject - and I still believe that's true." MDN Reporter 9/21/09

I believe this is an incorrect assumption based on the reporter's limited perspective.

I am interested and I'm sure others would like to have some real information on the whole flu issue.

So far all that has been reported here has been CDC handouts to fan the flu hysteria when there was not so much to it. People are being herded into taking these dangerous toxins.. no questions, no discussions and no real info from the local paper of record..

Maybe Oklahoma Reader might not be sick in his death bed today if the MDN had run some info about how to stay healthy in the first place.

If you don't want to hear it or report it, fine.. that's your choice.. but you shouldn't take it on yourself to choose what others are allowed to hear or say.

As someone once said, lead, follow or get out of the way.. stop impeding the free flow of information between others, please..

Flu info and analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by Dr. Russell Blaylock. (September 5, 2009) Here:

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig5/mercola...

I was delivered by Doc Warren right there on the square in the back of his little clinic. My parents too bought a buick and had buicks for many many years to come.

"I've supplied enough links and info that people that care enough to do the research know that I am correct."

Yes, Third Child,

You have proved links. Over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.

We get it. We got it a long, long time ago.

Could you please, for the love of sanity move on to your next great conspiracy?

"I'm so glad you posted something about flu shots"

Well someone sure needs to speak up!

I can't be the only one that knows how dangerous these vaccines are.

The paper is too busy to cover the issue, according to one star reporter..

I've supplied enough links and info that people that care enough to do the research know that I am correct.

Those that don't care can only gripe that THEY DON'T WANT TO KNOW cause they're chicken.. they can't handle the truth..

Well Third Child despite your protests that you are being censored by the dark forces that control this blog you had, by my count, one hundred and fifty eight entries survive from 8/23/09 to 9/21/09. There were a total of one thousand and eight entries. I believe that is something like sixteen percent of the entries were yours. When you take into consideration the considerable number of responses to what you said you sure enough were Big Dog this month. Dude you dominated, awesome.

Pepsid AC, anyone?

So Saline County Health is doing a dozen or so 'Flu Clinic Test' in the county and the there hasn't been one single article in the paper educating the public about the risks and benefit ratio, or the gambling odds... of these un-tested, un-proven vaccines..

Fast cars and fast Doctors in Marshall

Dr. K.E. Warren, drove my parents and little sister to Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, from the Marshall Square back in the 1950's.

My dad talked about it quite a few times. Ol' Doc made an impression with his driving skills as much as his doctoring skills.

Doc Warren, saved my sister's life that day by taking extreme measures at great risk to himself. (and possibly others) but it worked out like it does in the movies.. the good Doctor saved my sister's life against some very bad odds of doing so.. epic..

A Buick Roadmaster, Straight 8, as I remember.. my dad always had Buicks after that..

anyway, Doc Warren's, driving impressed him as much or more than what that big old Buick did at over a hundred miles an hour, up 24 hyway.

24 wasn't the road you know today. Thru Lexington and up the old river trail.. that Buick probably weighed about two and a half tons.. flying over rough, narrow, crooked roads, thru every town and country stop sign, Doc Kenneth Warren, and Buick Motorcars, thoroughly impressed my folks that day and for years later..