Stingball

KARMA IN LARGE DOSES

2005-09-30T01:22:00.000-07:00

Did I not say keep watching this is going to get interesting? Well I believe this is just the beginning of what is going to be a very interesting and for some of us a very fun race into 2006 and beyond. When your opponent is shooting himself in the foot you don't have to take aim.

Watch how things unfold early next year, but in the meantime keep watching the ball of unethical yarn unravel.

That reality sandwich is getting bigger, must be a Republican Party Sub by now.

KARMA KARMA KARMA

2005-09-17T00:28:00.000-07:00

All I can say to the Republicans and Bush....Karma Karma Karma.

Seems some people are finally getting a bite of the Reality Sandwich they have needed for decades.

Keep watching folks, this is only going to get more interesting.....

KARMA IS TRULY A BITCH

2005-07-18T00:19:00.000-07:00

What can one say these days watching the truth start to come out? Karma is truly a bitch for all of us, it is not limited to anyone. I believe that even the Republicans seem to be feeling the towel snapping back at them from the wonderful balancing act of karma.

A shout out to Al Franken and Katherine on AAR (Air America Radio) keep up the great job and we love watching you on Sundance Channel!!

Also it has been great to see Rachel Maddow on Tucker Carlson's new show, she brings some much needed perspective to MSNBC. I was getting tired of seeing Tweety Bird lose his spine. This is called stingball, not hardball as Tweety seems to only know how to play softball with the right.

Keep watching the big show unfold, the great balancing act is beginning. And of course myself and ramman will be happy to add a few comments here and there.

A very special thought for all of our brave men and women in Iraq. After watching my best friend see her love off to Iraq and knowing she may be next I must say that I admire all of you who serve and those who are left at home who carry on. When a soldier goes off to serve his or her family serve right along with them.

May we all be blessed with love and understanding and find peace wherever possible. Maybe we can work on evolving as human beings.

STINGY IS BACK

2005-07-18T00:15:00.000-07:00

Finally back after a long break! I must say that I am very fortunate to have health insurance though I haven't used it much. But, I didn't have to worry about that as I have been recuperating after I had been sick. Being sick on and off for awhile took its toll and I am just happy to be back and able to write a sting here and there.

The cats took good care of me, don't they always know just how to purr and snuggle and make one feel better?

Ok on to my next post....a little reminder about Karma.

A BREAK

2005-04-15T14:53:00.000-07:00

As much as I want to jump into the discussion of all the crazy things going on now, unfortunately a break is at hand due to illness. Don't worry the cats are busy taking care of me and hopefully soon I will be back to blogging.

I will say this, keep watching because it is just starting to get really interesting, some politicians are setting themselves up for some "instant" karma in the next election.

A good thought for Scorpy this way is always appreciated as I am mending.

FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING - TOO CUTE

2005-04-01T18:03:00.000-08:00

Too cute isn't she?? She gets away with being a trouble maker because she is so adorable!! Friday Cat Blogging

A CULTURE OF (RUNNING YOUR) LIFE

2005-03-31T22:34:00.000-08:00

Ultraconservatives can probably attribute much of their political success in recent years to manipulation through language. They have become adept at taking words and short phrases that seem to indicate broad things that almost everyone supports, but are actually code words for their narrow agenda. For instance, "freedom" and "liberty" actually stand for invading foreign countries for no just cause to help the ideological and economic interests of a very few. "Family values" stands for the denial of basic rights to gays. And then there's "the culture of life". I mean, who in their right mind doesn't like life?

Of course, "culture of life" is right-wing code for support of governmental and religious limitations placed individuals' freedoms in the most personal areas of life, particularly concerning its beginning and its end. All based on the limited so-called Christian morality of a relative few. It's a shame that the "culture of life" concept is so narrow so as not to include other real life issues, such as seeing that working people can earn a living wage, that everyone has sufficient health care available to them, that poverty around the globe is addressed and that when we make a decision that will result in the taking of lives abroad, we are damn sure that it is either the only way to protect our national security, or that it will save many more lives than will be lost.

But, no. The phrase "culture of life" is meant to do only one thing: Manipulate the majority of people in the country into allowing a shrill irrational minority to run their lives the way that minority sees fit.

Now, who in their right mind would want that?

LETTING GO

2005-03-31T10:50:00.000-08:00

Ultimately all of life is letting go. Until the ultimate letting go, dying. It takes great courage to let go of someone you love, be it in life or their death. It is selfish to want to hold to someone when everyone should be free to live and be who they are and yes, to choose when they also die. May we all remain free to make our own decisions without government interference or parental also.

As adults we enter into relationships and sometimes marriage and we put our trust in our spouse, telling them things we would never tell our relatives or Mother or Father. Respecting the sanctity of marriage doesn't mean only respecting it when you like the decisions made by the ones in the marriage.

Letting go is the hardest thing we do, but in the end it is the most loving selfless act of all.

POLITICAL KARMA

2005-03-26T11:30:00.000-08:00

Everyone has to deal with what they create. I have always been a big believer in karma, and now you are just starting to see the political karma start to become evident. So many of us do not ever want the government to have any say in our personal lives. What about the pursuit of happiness & of course freedom?

Freedom also means the freedom to enter into a marriage knowing that your spouse will take care of you and make the best decision they know how about even yes, your death if they have to. There are things I would only share with my husband that I would never share with my "relatives" even parents....may times especially parents. You do not own your children.

There is a reason when you marry you become a family and your birth family becomes "relatives". A husband and wife are the family and of course their children if they have them. This is just another example of why gays should be allowed to marry, to let them have the same protections under the law that straight couples have when making medical decisions and of course financial and all of the other decisions we take for granted as married couples. But, I digress....this is supposed to be about political karma.

Seems that playing to an ultra religious base may not be the best thing in the world. You see, even many of my Republican religious friends are appalled at what the congress and President did in getting involved in what should of been left private and in the courts. We have a separation of powers for a reason and thank heavens for our judges, the conservative and liberal ones who understand the constitution. Many of my Republican friends are seriously questioning their positions now, saying that they don't want to have someone speak for them in the most personal of decisions. Well, then don't try to do that to the rest of us in other matters. I believe in the separation of church and state for many reasons, not the least of being what you have seen in this terrible, appalling and disgusting abuse of power this past week.

The political fallout from this past week will be long lasting, as it should. Do we really want anyone telling us how we have to live, do we want to be run as a theocracy as the religious right is attempting to do? When we forget the following we head down that slippery slope into complete chaos:

Freedom requires eternal vigilance.

Freedom means everyone's freedom.

Freedom of religion means freedom from religion.

Know thy place politicians.

FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING - WHO ATE THE FEATHER??

2005-03-25T15:24:00.000-08:00

All right who ate the feather?? Only the string is left!! A naughty day here in the southwest desert!!

A SAD NIGHT

2005-03-20T23:59:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday evening the GOP-led U.S. House of Representatives made a shameful mockery of some dearly held principles in their successful quest to pass a bill to have a federal court review the decision reached in the Florida courts that allowed the removal of the feeding tube that has been keeping Terry Schaivo alive (at least nominally so). However one feels about that issue, it is an outrage for Congress to have involved itself in this matter. They made a mockery of our Constitution, which forbids Congress from making laws pertaining to individuals. They made a mockery of the concept of states' rights, something that Republicans fervently supported in the relatively recent past when it was convenient for them. But, most shamefully, they mocked life and our individual freedom as to how to live it, and how to end it when it can no longer be lived to any real degree. They used this poor woman and the people close to her as a political football, dragging all of the Democrats in the Senate and many in the House along with them to rub their so-called "Culture of Life" in all of our faces.

But there were some bright moments during the evening that came in the form of some impassioned speeches against the bill by a few principled Democrats. Lately, I have been quite frustrated by the flaccid response of the Democrats to many extreme Republican initiatives. But these brave souls reminded us of the blatant intrusiveness, disingenuousness and unconstitutionality of this bill, and did so with much more zeal than that of most of the bill's supporters. I finally feel, once again, proud to be a Democrat. The success, perhaps even the future existence of the party lies in a passionate opposition to the Republicans' grab for more and more power, including that over our personal lives.

It sets a pretty frightening precedent when the U.S. Congress gets involved in people's personal business to this degree. What's to stop them from doing it again?

2005-03-19T00:07:00.000-08:00

fcb

FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING - CAT'S MEOW TREE

2005-03-18T13:50:00.000-08:00

Above you will find the new picture with a few of our kits enjoying their new cat tree!
Here it is their new Cats Meow Tree!! In my next life I want to come back as a pampered cat in a house like this!! They sure are enjoying checking out all of their new sleeping places.

FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING - FURRY ALARM CLOCK AGAIN

2005-03-11T18:16:00.000-08:00

A repeat just like Atrios today! Wait till you hear why!! Their new cat house is here and we just had to put it together!! It is an amazing piece of artwork and cat fun! We will be showing it here on our next Friday Cat Blogging. For now we are way too tired to even pick up the digital camera! So here is a repeat....

Here he is in all of his glory!

Now we are forced into being morning people as our little Furry Alarm Clock pictured here has decided that we must get up around 6:00 AM!!

He is quite self assured that he knows what is best!

FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING - OLDER IS BETTER

2005-03-04T12:09:00.000-08:00

Friday Cat Blogging - Older is Better He may be one of the oldest at 14 going on 15 years, but he says he is only getting better with age, like fine wine!!

THAT OTHER L WORD - LIBERAL

2005-03-02T10:52:00.000-08:00

So a friend of mine mentions to me that isn't Al Franken a liberal? I am not sure you call someone a liberal who believes in everyone's rights like I do but I am happy to be known as a liberal myself. :) I admire Al for telling the truth and for all he does for the service men and women like his USO tours. I am happy that we donate to the USO and we go through www.booksforsoldiers.com and send books, CD's & DVD's to soldiers. I am liberal who supports the military, one of my closest friends has been in the military for over 20 years. Can you be a liberal and also be a fiscal conservative like I am? You bet!

I was thinking last night how happy I will be when I am really really old and I did something to help people fight for their rights.

I also thought about how wonderful Ellen is, like yesterday her having that boy on that had that tumor where his parents sold bumper stickers on eBay to get his surgery. She gave him different things and interviewed the family then she had arranged for his favorite band to be there, KISS. The guys flew themselves in and it was so great. I kept thinking isn't it sad that people enjoy her, loved Finding Nemo, etc but yet she doesn't have the same rights as everyone else? Kind of reminds me of what they did to African Americans in this country, they were ok to work for them and entertain people but give them civil rights or the same rights as whites?

Someone is always fighting for their rights. What side will you say you were on years from now? How proud will you be that you either were for progress or against it? For enlightenment or against it? For everyone's civil rights or were you judgmental. If you are a "Christian" then I suggest you re-read your bible passage about "Thou Shalt Not Judge". Good luck explaining to the creator why you thought you could judge his children.

Yes, I am a social liberal, a fiscal conservative and choose to be open minded. I will leave the judgment up to a higher authority as was asked.

AL IS COMING BACK!!

2005-03-01T21:26:00.000-08:00

During last years election season Al Frankens show from Air America was broadcast on The Sundance Channel and we never missed it, ah the beauty of DVR. We are thrilled to see that his show will be back starting in June and on 5 days a week!

"The Al Franken Show" premieres Monday, June 6, 2005, and will air weeknights (Monday-Friday-Time: TBA); the series is slated to run through the end of 2005.

A lot of happy people here even in this "red" state!! It will be nice to have some balance back!

FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING - STRETCH

2005-02-25T16:32:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING - Stretch & Relax

Ah to be like a cat and just sit back & relax and watch the show!

FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING - FRIGHTENED

2005-02-18T18:26:00.000-08:00

Bush's policies frighten him so!!

CRISIS? WHAT CRISIS?

2005-02-16T21:58:00.000-08:00

Or, when it comes to George W. Bush the question should be what is the crisis?

To him, a crisis is not a serious problem that poses a dire threat in the not-to-distant future. Not a problem like our nation's exploding fiscal and trade deficits, or the shrinking value of the U.S. dollar, all problems that threaten to turn our once great economic powerhouse of a country into a shell of its former self. Not global climate change, which could have have crippling effects on this planet and its people in our lifetime. Nor the state of our environment. Nor our over-extended military. These are all things that potentially affect all of us.

No, to Bush a crisis is an entirely manufactured situation he uses to sell his blustering foreign policy and his ultraconservative domestic agenda. WMDs in Iraq. Social Security about to go bankrupt. The real beneficiaries of these policies are the privileged few, but they also do affect all us -- just not quite so positively. In fact Bush's phony crises and their 'solutions' only threaten to exacerbate the existing real ones. More debt. More poverty. More ill-will toward our country from around the world.

What a leader defines as a crisis clearly indicates which people whose interests he is actually looking after. In Bush's case it is plain to see that those people are not all of us.

DEAN IS OFF TO A GOOD START

2005-02-16T11:23:00.000-08:00

I was impressed to see Howard Dean's first email as the new DNC Chair! He gets it and acknowledges those of us, out here who make a difference, who stay engaged who are not in Washington. He understands truly that the power is always with the people, and you know what? I think he likes us a whole lot! :)

It is a wonderful feeling to feel appreciated by your own party that you have been working for and loyal to. We might not always agree on everything but I would rather have a big tent full of people that don't always agree than to ever become a stepford Republican!

Have I ever voted for a Republican, you bet, when they were truly the better candidate and I agreed with them more than my own party or another. Maybe I shouldn't admit that but I think fair is fair. Most of the Republicans I know this year actually voted for Kerry. But I do know a few who didn't , but alas I will just have to chalk that up to some sort of mental problem (joking?). Funny how some of them are having buyers remorse right now wondering why they believed what they were told and are now not happy with the results. I suspect there will be a lot of that.

Anyway, I digress....so easy to do when getting me started on political issues.

I am happy to be donating today to the dnc. You know why? Because you can't just be involved in an election year. Let us continue the good fight, have the courage of our convictions and continue the path towards making life even better in the is great country of ours.

You have to be and contribute to the change you want to see.

FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING - CUDDLE ME

2005-02-11T14:47:00.000-08:00

Here he is in his new kitty bed! Round him Up! Someone loves to cuddle up!

You would never guess he is the crazy cat who used to harass the others. Now doesn't he look so sweet?

A happy rainy day here in the desert southwest!

WHY I LOVE HOWARD DEAN FOR DNC CHAIR

2005-02-04T23:15:00.000-08:00

Yes, I said it I LOVE HOWARD DEAN FOR THE DNC CHAIR!

Dean says what he means, no B.S. I think that scares the heck out of the Republicans. You know where Dean stands and that is how the Democrats need to be! Have you actually read about what Dean did as Govenor? This man is logical, compassionate and is budget minded. The Republicans are spending us into bankruptcy and I see no morality in that whatsoever!

I also love watching Reid from Nevada tell it like it is. I have no problem with his Right to Life stand even though I am pro Choice.

I want to see our party stand for what we mean and invite others of different opinions to find our common bonds.

Yes, I am a proud liberal, but I still love my friends and others who are not as liberal. I believe in a balanced budget, in everyone's rights and for the freedom for all to believe as they choose to, & for the right not to believe! I believe in science and how anyone can't see God in science baffles me. But I respect those who don't want to believe like I do, all I ask is for the same darn courtesy. Don't try to write laws based on your beliefs and I won't try to write laws that will put restrictions on yours.

So with Dean, Reid and Pelosi....I am finding once again hope and faith in the great Democratic Party....and Republicans, hey we need them around too....you can't have Yin without Yang....you figure out which is which!

Feeling: Elated & Hopeful!

FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING - SECURE CALICO

2005-02-04T15:32:00.000-08:00

Calico cutie pie.

She isn't worried about her social security, she is secure in her social status!

We on the other hand have to wonder how to keep her in the style she has become a custom to!

She thinks the administration is made up of mean old dogs, we need more cats in charge!

SOCIAL SECURITY DEFICIT OIL REALITY

2005-02-04T15:20:00.000-08:00

Seems like the people who don't have to worry about their "Social Security" are the first ones to try and dismantle it. This is such a distraction from the real problems this country is facing.

Our deficit is going to bankrupt us if we don't get a handle on it. We are not sitting on trillions in dollars of oil like the people of Iraq are so by now it would seem if they want us to stay they need to pay the bill.

I am all for freedom but they have to be willing to pay the price, why is the US shouldering almost all of the costs of this? In blood and treasure and reputation? I could almost run screaming from the room knowing that I am agreeing with Pat Buchanan but heck we need to start looking at the issues facing our own nation before we go invading any other countries. One place I wish we would use military power is in Darfur. How anyone can look at the horrible atrocities going on there and not be sickened or outraged is unimaginable. Oh yeah, but there is no oil there is there??

Social Security, another great administration diversion from the reality of life.

Feeling: Amazed at how easily people are distracted!

FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING - NAP TIME WITH THE CALICO!

2005-01-21T23:58:00.000-08:00

Time for a nap! Our calico girl on a pink towel, how cute is that?

WHAT I DID TODAY ON THIS BLACK THURSDAY

2005-01-20T21:04:00.000-08:00

Because Eternal Vigilance is the only way the freedom can be assured. Today I donated to the DNC. We have a fight on our hands to protect social security, defend our borders, care for our elderly, and not allow those who are so greedy to put more of a tax burden on the middle class.

Don't give up, don't tune out for if you must be the change you want to see in this world. I am a very spiritual, moral person and I refuse to let someone else define my beliefs or my morality. Write your congressman or woman when you have an opinion, take control by doing something not just complaining.

And remember to continue to contribute wherever you can to make a difference. For me today that was www.democrats.org . Some tell me they are libertarians, some progressives, and I even have some Republican friends, but I myself am a true blue liberal and I love that I am! No de-evolving here, liberation for all and from all.

Feeling: Invigorated!

TIME TO TUNE BACK IN

2005-01-17T19:18:00.000-08:00

I would be lying if I were to say that the results of the 2004 elections did not get me a bit down. I spent well over a year of following the primary and general election campaigns very closely and participating by contributing money, posting to blogs, etc. I had hope that the Democrats would recapture the White House, and maybe even the Senate. Cautious hope, yes, but hope just the same. After all, the Republican stranglehold on our government has been a disaster in my opinion, and I desperately wanted to see it come to end. So, I had hope up until the very end, and even a little bit beyond that.

When things turned out pretty much the opposite of how I had hoped for so long, I actually became pretty depressed. I kept donating money, this time to recount efforts, but the attention I paid to politics and the news in general dropped off drastically until it was next to nothing. Sure, after following politics so closely for so long I needed a break. But, the post-election letdown was big. I was angry that the voters had made what I felt was so clearly the wrong choice. In my frustration I wanted my break to last indefinitely.

But the world doesn't come to an end with just one election. We must all be vigilant over those who govern in our name if we voted for them and, especially, if we didn't. And there are lot of things to follow. Iraq. Social Security privatization. Overreaching by social conservatives. How big a fight the Democrats, as a party, choose to put up. And, in less than two years, another chance for the Democrats to take back one or both houses of Congress.

The fight against the Republicans and the damage that they are doing to our country for the sake of the narrow interests that they serve won't just happen by itself. We progressives need to wake up from our funk, tune back in, and stay focused and committed. And stay tuned -- I think things are going to get interesting.

Break's over.

FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING - JUST HANGING AROUND

2005-01-14T16:51:00.000-08:00

Here he is just hanging around being that perfect being, a cat!

Everytime you scoop their box you have to wonder who the more evolved being is!

GOD & THE TSUNAMI

2005-01-08T22:30:00.000-08:00

As I write this it amazes me how insensitive some "men of God" supposedly are. I am outraged at people who think God is punishing people. Really? So, your version of God is a vengeful hateful deity that kills children for sport and to get our attention? Really? Then to your God I say no thank you.

Did anyone ever think that so many of these beautiful and innocent souls knew before they chose this life that they were doing something in their life that would bring so much of a chance to others to learn that we are all part of one family? That we are all connected in this universe that has been created larger than any of us can envision? I honestly believe that we know before we enter or are born here on earth what lessons we are learning or providing for others. Some of those people were truly already angels here on this earth.

Maybe it is just easier to find blame than to find the greater lesson in this tragedy. Maybe it is harder to believe that the Earth is a living planet that we are inhabiting hurling through space and time and sometimes it is very violent.

A lesson to be learned, to love each other, accept each other and take care of each other for what we are. To abandon judgment of color, race, creed, orientation, and any other ridiculous prejudice we have just to make ourselves feel superior to another.

To face the uncertainty of life is harder than to find blame. This is an opportunity for us all to grow and learn, but will we?

FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING - COLD RAINY DESERT

2005-01-07T18:51:00.000-08:00

A Cold Rainy Day in the desert southwest!

But I am still the Alpha Top Cat Around here!!

IT'S IN WHAT YOU GIVE

2005-01-02T23:04:00.000-08:00

The tragedy of the tsunami has at the very least shown the immeasurable compassion of human beings in this world. For if you look at the number of people, individuals and companies helping those suffering your heart is filled with a deep respect for the goodness in most people. We should all insist that our governments do as much as they can for they represent us and don't forget what they do when you go to vote in a few years.

We all have so much to give. In the end will anyone care what it was that you acquired? Or will it be what you gave of yourself, your time, your resources and ultimately of your heart? This disaster shows us all how vulnerable we are to the whims of mother nature. We must respect her as well as each other if we are all to survive, live and thrive.

Treasure each moment for none of us know when it might be our last.

FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING - HAPPY NEW YEAR BONUS

2004-12-31T15:28:00.000-08:00

Ah one of our more elusive kitties caught here hanging out in their spiffy cat trees.

Happy New Years Everyone & that includes all of our pawed friends too!!

FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING - HAPPY NEW YEAR YAWN

2004-12-31T15:25:00.000-08:00

Apparently our big black cat doesn't really care that it is New Years Eve!
He has more important things to think about!

SADNESS

2004-12-30T06:53:00.000-08:00

I haven't written for the past few days as I have been watching the devastation from the recent Tsunami. Having a sponsor child in Sri Lanka and of course all thoughts turn to her and the safety of her and her family. It will take a long time before we will know of her condition and the waiting is quite frankly excruciating.

We have already donated through the Red Cross and their link is http://www.redcross.org/ of course we urge you to donate as soon as you can. You can also click the title to this post and get to the Red Cross also.

To say I am disappointed in the slow response of our President to this situation is an understatement. It fills me with sadness that we spend so much on destruction and so little on humanity. I do not in any way think that the moral compass of some is even working. This issue plays in to so many others, in the coming days, weeks and months all of this will unfold as we watch our continued response to this world disaster.

I am grateful to see so many individuals and companies from our country pitching in and helping. It warms my heart to know the true nature of a generous people who are Americans, all political associations aside. And of course we cannot forget the worlds response and how many countries and aid organizations are helping. Some of the ones we donate to like www.unhcr.org (the UN's refugee organization) and the countless others who are helping.

This would be a good time to take a moment of gratitude for all we have, to be thankful for our blessings and to remember to share with the rest of humanity, only then will peace be possible.

FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING - SANTA CLAWS IS COMING

2004-12-24T01:24:00.000-08:00

Santa Claws is coming! Here is our special Christmas Eve Kitty!

It is hard to believe she is 14 years young and still loves Santa Claws!

BUY BLUE

2004-12-23T09:48:00.000-08:00

What may send a bigger message than your blue vote? Voting with your pocketbook! Corporate America gets it when you don't buy their products, and of course when you do. Now, I have loved Amazon.com but after seeing their statistics at www.buyblue.org I would much prefer to purchase my books, DVD's, etc from www.barnesandnoble.com ! Why? Look at how heavily Amazon gave to Republicans vs how Barnes and Noble gave to Democrats!

Being Italian I have always preferred my local pizza place but after seeing how Pizza Hut donates to you got it the Red I am always going local and blue! I remember suggesting at the myDD website that we should promote American companies, and to see someone has created a place to find out how corporate America contributes to the political system! I couldn't be happier about this site it shows just how serious we democrats are! It will be a joy to keep watching www.buyblue.org grow and add to their list of corporations to see how they affect the political landscape.

I may live in a "Red State" but I am not moving, I am staying and continuing the good fight, at some point people will become more enlightened and realize that voting blue means more freedom for us all. All good things take time, enlightenment comes at a price. And for the retailers it may be coming a lot faster than any of us could of realized.

Vote with your wallet and watch what happens....better to be even handed if you are a corporation than look biased and loose customers.

CHOICE OF FRIENDS

2004-12-22T23:55:00.000-08:00

Quite frankly your choice of friends says much about your character.

Who you choose to trust, to trust the nations security with, you would think that you would want that person to be vetted thoroughly, completely. Seems our current administration thinks loyalty is more important than background, deeds or outcome.

One has to wonder what Rudy was thinking when he went in to business with his associate and highly recommended him for the top spot in our nation for security.

Is it worse that they say they knew about his problems but thought they could get him through? Or is it worse if they didn't vet him properly? Either is appalling. I wonder if any Red voters are having buyers remorse yet?

Stay tuned my fellow true patriots, you will be very surprised how history repeats itself, unfortunately over and over because those who do not read history or learn from the past as they say are truly doomed to repeat it. But, the bright spot is karma, no one gets away with dodging their own karma and some people are probably going to wish that they had listened to experts and not loyal hacks at some point in their lifetime.

Someone STILL needs to change the administrations channel to the REAL REALITY channel.

WHO'S TOP CAT - FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING ON MONDAY

2004-12-20T11:41:00.000-08:00

I am late, it is the holidays and I had hoped to have a Friday Cat Blogging picture up, but this was worth the wait so here it is your Friday Cat Blogging on a Monday!

Here he is the Alpha Cat on top of the new cat cubby made for larger cats! Him and his brother, yes they were liter mates who we adopted many years ago from a rescue group. I cannot imagine anyone bringing harm to an animal, nothing makes my blood boil than that! Rest assured they have quite the life now and have been very happy with us for the last 13 plus years! The are truly Brothers hanging out!

WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE REALITY

2004-12-15T17:22:00.000-08:00

I am still stunned after watching the Medal of Freedom winners yesterday. This is the only administration where reality is completely ignored and failing moves you upward. It is stunning actually to see the continued problems in our mess over in Iraq and one has to wonder what version of reality does the current administration see?

When you can't see reality you endanger more lives than you could ever imagine if you are a person in authority. Being clear, level headed, and an intelligent & thoughtful careful planner is essential to being a good leader.

Thank heavens for my belief in Karma! Unfortunately as a country one has to wonder what price we are going to pay because of the mounting and massive mistakes of those who do not see reality on the ground or even in merit.

Stunning is all I can say, just stunning....but this too shall pass and everyone has to deal with their own mess eventually. Also when one looks at how we continue to lose support in the world community one has to ask what is being done that is right? How sad to see our one time allies slipping away and the respect that other people use to have for us eroding.

Keep watching the show folks, may you live in interesting times, well, at least we can't say it isn't interesting! Don't you wish you could change the channel some days?

Someone needs to change the administrations channel to the real reality channel.

TO LEAD OR NOT TO LEAD

2004-12-13T15:31:00.000-08:00

How in the heck can you say you are a leader if you can't make the tough decisions? I am proud of my Senator today, (I am from Arizona) who said straight out that he has no confidence in the Defense Sect'y. For heavens sake is the commander in chief the only one that can't see he needs to fire this guy and get someone in there to do the job correctly? Someone who will be respected, be it a Democrat or a Republican?

Personally I would give the job to McCain or Gen Clark, get someone in that position who will command respect and be a straight shooter.

To lead one must know when to fire someone otherwise you are ineffective, and this case that costs lives.

I may not always agree with my senator but thank heavens he is telling it like it is on this one. I hope more will follow. But, ultimately the commander in chief needs to ask himself is this person doing his job well, is he respected and can he fulfill the goals laid out? It should not take long to come to a decision, but having the courage to act on what you know is right, that is another story....I guess we will all wait and see. The price tag keeps going up in blood, treasure and quite frankly self respect.

A real leader takes responsiblity for all that happens while he or she is in charge...always. Make sure you know who you are following if you are following.

Better yet, lead, challenge everything you are told and learn from your mistakes. Lead by example for it is the only way to be the change you want to see in the world.

A BED BUDDY! - FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING

2004-12-10T15:40:00.000-08:00

Nothing more wonderful than a bed buddy!

These cuddle cups are very popular around here. Nice to see two buddies getting along side by side. I wonder if they want to go to Canada to make it legal? Ha Ha, couldn't resist that one!

SIMPLE PLEASURES - FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING

2004-12-03T23:11:00.000-08:00

A nap on her purr pad, ah the simple pleasures in life! This is a house of cats and purr pads!

She says she may be old but this is the time in life to enjoy the simple things like a nap on a purr pad to keep you warm, snuggly & of course purring!

A LITTLE DEVIL - FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING

2004-11-26T15:31:00.000-08:00

Looks so sweet but is a little devil!!

BEING THANKFUL EVERY DAY - THANKING OUR SOLDIERS

2004-11-25T19:07:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for so much.

Every day we should all begin & end in gratitude for all we have.

Today I would like to let you know about another thing I feel very fortunate for. It is the special letters & emails that keep me connected to soldiers around the world. Think about the incredible sacrifice these men & women make, honor them by remembering them.

There is a wonderful site at www.booksforsoldiers.com and I would encourage everyone to visit. You can learn how to send a book, CD or DVD to a soldier abroad! It is a wonderful way to connect with a soldier and if you are lucky, like I have been, you will make a new friend(s) and enjoy knowing that you are doing something to show them how much you appreciate their service. I have been getting to know some wonderful women & men who serve our country in uniform through our correspondence. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to send some joy to such deserving human beings.

So, today is a thankful day in many ways for so many things....as every day should be.

PLAYING IN THE DESERT - FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING

2004-11-19T18:49:00.000-08:00

Playing and Hanging around, someone loves his new cat tree!!

It truly is a cats life!

PREJUDICE IS A LEARNED BEHAVIOR

2004-11-19T18:41:00.000-08:00

Prejudice is a learned behavior. I have always believed this. When you exemplify this to your kids, or others, it is what they learn. People are not born with prejudice, they learn it from others.

If this election was truly won by the "right" because of the Gay Marriage issue, it just shows how prejudiced people are. It is the saddest of times when someone is more afraid of gays than of losing their job, the security of country, and of practicing what they say they believe.

Follow me here, if Jesus said thou shalt not judge than what is it you are doing? I sure wouldn't want to the one standing in front of the holy father explaining why I chose to be so judgmental to one of his children. I though that was God's job, in judgment, not others. Or do people who judge others think they are God?

As I recall the South went to war over the slavery issue, they always need someone to bash. The intolerance of others who may be different from ourselves, just shows how un-evolved many in this society are. Oh, I can just hear that elitist nonsense starting. But as Jon Stewart put it the other night. The "moral values right" believe if you don't believe like they do you are going to hell. Hmmm, I can't think of anything more elitist myself.

The fight for civil rights was very difficult, the fight for the right for women to vote, again difficult. The fight for tolerance and protection for all seems to be a fight we will continue on with. It seems to me that this country was started because people wanted freedom to practice whatever religion they wanted, or not to practice. Seems the religious right has forgotten this. They want to create a theocracy here in America, guess what other nations have theocracies? Try Iran, Afghanistan under the Taliban and so on.

Don't be mistaken, prejudice causes more harm than it ever does good. I personally will stick with "Thou Shalt Not Judge" as a good thing and not turn my back on that teaching to justify a prejudice called homophobia. Just remember that you reap what you sow....Those who are intolerant and homophobic and prejudice may just be laying the ground work for their own hate bed. My morality tells me to love all of God's children, accept and care and turn away from bigotry and hatred.

True Morality is in abolishing prejudice.

LAZY DAY IN ARIZONA - FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING

2004-11-12T17:49:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday Cat Blogging!

Enjoying a lazy afternoon here in Arizona!

THE GREAT DIVIDE

2004-11-08T03:36:00.000-08:00

A map of the United States showing the winners of each states' electoral votes in the Presidential elections of 2000 and, especially, 2004, shows a country that is profoundly divided in its politics. Of course, political divisions have always existed here, but for much of the past century, the great political divide was largely over economic issues.

But now, the 40-year old Republican strategy of pandering to the anxiety of religious conservatives over our increasingly modern culture, and playing on the bigotry of many of those people, has finally shifted the political divide to one that is blatantly regional. In my opinion, people in the "blue" states along the upper East Coast, in the Great Lakes area and along the West Coast traditionally tend to be more open-minded and more accepting of people who are not like them because they tend to live in densely populated areas with great cultural diversity. People in the "red" states, on the other hand, tend to have much less contact with people unlike themselves in terms of nationality, religion, lifestyle, etc., and tend to have little experience in dealing with cultures other than their own. Thus, they are not generally as open-minded, and haven't had the need to learn to be as accepting of others unlike themselves. This is why the cultural divide manifests itself regionally.

The whole "red state/blue state" thing, is of course, a caricature. Not just because there are conservatives in California and liberals in Louisiana, but because, I believe, there is still a basic sense of decency, fairness and the desire for a good life that almost all of us share, regardless of where we live.

So why has the culture war recently re-emerged so heavily in our county's politics? Well, I blame the Religious Right and the Republicans who have been pandering to them to an increasing degree to the point where the two are now barely distinguishable. As a progressive, I believe that everyone should have the right to the religion and lifestyle of their own choosing, even if they're not what I would chose for myself. Unfortunately, Evangelical Christians don't share that libertarian attitude. They have very fixed ideas as to how people should live their lives: whom they should worship, with whom they should partner, what they should do in their bedrooms, what they should do with their bodies, etc. Traditionally, they have simply complained about what they see as a permissive counter-culture that embraces such freedoms. But, the Republicans have been increasingly offering the Evangelicals the power of government to impose their will on everyone else, and increasingly they've been taking the bait.

We "blue-staters", meanwhile, believe that matters of religion, lifestyle and reproductive choice are personal, and that the government should in no way be involved in them. So, we naturally respect such choices made by red-state Evangelicals, as we do with everyone, and are willing to live and let live. But the "red-staters" don't want to give us "blue-staters" that same respect. They want to tell us what we can believe, whom we can love, etc. Understandably, we resent them for trying to impose their will on us in such personal ways, and out of anger we ridicule them for their ignorance, hatred, bigotry, narrow-mindedness and their hypocrisy, That ridicule becomes a part of our culture, which makes them hate our culture even more and want to battle it even more intensely. And so on.

What will stop the ever-deepening red-blue divide? Obviously, it will be something that unifies us all. I believe it will be the realization among both progressives and conservatives that there are enough problems common to both sides of this great cultural divide that we can leave issues of personal choice to the personal realm and still have more than enough to work on. My hope is that these real problems will not have to get much worse in order for all of us to come to that realization. My fear is that they will.

This is the opinion of a "blue-stater" living in a "red" state.

YIN & YANG - FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING

2004-11-05T18:05:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Friday Cat Blogging!

Yin & Yang - Two who don't get along at all, yet somehow she decided to use him for warmth!

Cats are amazing creatures.

FEAR vs HOPE

2004-11-03T23:45:00.000-08:00

It could be argued that the election just passed, like most elections, was really about Fear vs. Hope. More so in this case, since one candidate embodied mainly fear, the other mainly hope. Unfortunately, fear edged out hope.

I think that this fear came in three forms:

Fear of terrorism

Greed (which, I believe to be really a fear of lack)

Fear of the "other" (taking the form of religious bigotry toward gay people and others with different cultural values)

Strangely, and sadly enough, the last one was a strong mover in the election -- perhaps even the deciding factor (any possible fraud in one or two states not withstanding). In a time of war and economic uncertainty, no less!! What a shame this is, especially since only the first two forms are connected with actual problems. Problems which could actually become worse as a result. For my part, I have hope that they won't.

But if our economy fails or our sense of security becomes even more compromised, then some people might be forced to question the wisdom of voting on a form of fear that serves no useful purpose for anyone, and only causes unnecessary problems for the targets of that fear.

Compassionate conservative? Somehow red and blue define compassionate very differently.

TRUE MORALITY

2004-11-03T23:12:00.000-08:00

This posting comes out of a need to open a discussion that is really lacking in our society today. Something has become quite clear to me, after watching what has happened in our country during this election. We see the blurring of the word morality into an acceptance to practice intolerance of others. Now creating a wedge and further dividing people with a perceived concept of a moral argument. How can one say that as a nation, letting so many people fall further into poverty we are a more moral nation? Somehow the religious "right" or fanatical right has decided that hypocrisy is ok as long as it serves your cause. Greed certainly seems to be what is worshipped now instead of helping those less fortunate. There is a lot to discuss and we here Stingball would like to take a look at what True Morality really is and look forward to your comments.

We want to open up a dialogue to expose the hypocrisy and open up minds as well as hearts.

We are tired of the fanatics hijacking this word and using to advance their practices of greed & prejudice.

Remember we have to be the example of change that we want to see in our country, not only for ourselves but for the rest of our brothers and sisters in this world.

GREED & PREJUDICE

2004-11-03T13:02:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately it seems as if this country chose Greed & Prejudice over real values such as helping those most in need, creating a better future for our children by not giving them a deep inherited debt, etc.

Those of us who embrace tolerance & diversity, have a real deep connection to what is truly compassionate, honest and decent must continue to fight for what is real morality and a hopeful & bright future where all people are respected and work towards a common good, not just a bottom line.

Watch the next few years as the right pushes hard to make this country more a theocracy than a democracy and see if you are better off than you were. When fear, greed, prejudice and lies unfortunately prevail temporarily, know this, as it always is in history, a day of reckoning will come.

Eventually everyone pays for price for their blindness, but somehow the universe eventually rights all wrongs, sometimes things have to get worse before they get better.

Stingball continues on with hope for the future, to continue the discussion of what is important, and to encourage people to evolve their minds & open their hearts.

FRIDAY CAT BLOGGING

2004-10-29T18:30:00.000-07:00

Cat Blogging on a Friday afternoon, thanks for the idea Atrios!

Enjoying her day here in luxurious comfort in the desert of Phoenix, AZ.

PROUD TO BE REALITY BASED

2004-10-28T01:53:00.000-07:00

Reality seems to be in short supply these days for people who continue to stick their head in the sand.

I cannot do drugs for I get high on reality. The truth is, that the truth really is better than fiction! I am stunned how people fall for the dumbest urban legends, politicians, infomercials and so on. Have we forgotten to teach people to think? An education isn't supposed to stop when we leave college. My heavens don't we read, continue to learn? Do we just accept whatever is fed to us by the media?

If we are to continue to evolve we have to do the work that it requires.

If you go on blindly believing whatever you are told then you are too easily led down the wrong paths, you become a lemming and eventually will wake up to a big old bite of a reality sandwich.

The most interesting, and dare I say sexy people in the world are those that think deep, question, learn, & take nothing on face value. Those who embrace all sides all of an issue to form their own opinion are truly meant to be leaders.

Basic Scorpy Rule: Question Everything, only an uneducated, uninterested (and uninteresting) person doesn't question everything they read, are told, or hear!

Scorpy

VOTING & BITCHING RIGHTS

2004-10-20T01:54:00.000-07:00

Make sure you VOTE so that you can have bitching rights.

I have always had a long held belief that if you vote you get to bitch about the administration, either way. If the person you voted for won then you get to bitch, if the person you voted for didn't win then you have even more of a reason to want bitching rights.

It is so important to vote, to have your voice heard. It matters! We all have a stake in how our government represents us here, and around the world. You wouldn't let someone else make your choices for you would you?

Voter fraud of any kind, suppression, you name it makes my blood boil. I find this to be one of the most disgusting actions a person can take. I may not want a certain person to be re-elected or even elected but I would find that even one person's vote not counted reprehensible. I would rather my choice lose than have any persons vote tampered with. What kind of society do we have when we hear of all this corruption and suppression of voters? I find it sad, immoral, and shows the true character and values of a person or group that would do this.

Where I live we have early voting and I have voted as of Tuesday! I am so proud to have already cast my ballot. I encourage all of you to get informed and vote. Look at all of the issues and take the time to vote today if you have early voting available to you. Remember that we all should cherish our voting rights, as a woman I know that the women before me suffered to get this right. And think of our soldiers over fighting for freedom, you owe them to at least vote. You owe it to all of the women who don't get to vote.

Never take your right to vote for granted, and feel free to bitch after you vote!

Scorpy

THE POLITICAL PENDULUM

2004-10-15T04:55:00.000-07:00

In 1969 a political scientist named Kevin Phillips wrote about The Emerging Republican Majority. At the time, liberal politics held sway in our government. Even Richard Nixon, who was the new President at the time, would be considered a liberal, by today's standards, on some issues. (Under his administration was born the EPA, Title IX and a Constitutional amendment that gave 18-year old citizens the right to vote.) Phillips' book discusses how the Republicans sought out voters who were, regrettably, opposed to to the social progress that the liberals had been driving for many years thus far, and found those voters largely in the South. During the next decade, a surging undercurrent of conservative anger over social hot buttons like welfare, affirmative action and abortion rights grew and grew, resulting in the Republican Revolution, which manifested itself in Ronald Reagan's 1980 landslide victory and accompanying Republican Senate takeover. This brushfire of anger (only minimally justified in my own opinion) burned on through the '80s, '90s and into the new millennium, fueled by right wing ideologies such as Newt Gingrich's and fanned by ultraconservative bloviaters like Rush Limbaugh.

This tide of right-wing anger, in my opinion, has gotten us where we are today. We live under the rule of a government dominated entirely by the political right, with none of the checks and balances designed by our country's forefathers to hold any the people who are in control to account. To make matters worse, our mainstream news media has done very little to hold those people to account either. This is probably because doing much of that is not in the best financial interest of the corporations that own them. Thus we now have a situation where our leaders and their corporate cronies are able to overtly lie, cheat, steal, wage unjust wars and slowly take away our individual freedoms while we look on in amazement and disgust.

My high-school history teacher once told his class that politics is a like a pendulum. It swings in one direction until, by virtue of reaching an extreme point in that direction, it turns and starts back in the other direction, building momentum and continuing until the other extreme is reached. Then it starts back in the first direction due to having again reached an extreme.

Conservative voters must have felt that the liberal extreme was being reached over 30 years ago. (I can tell you for certain that my parents felt that way.) So, the pendulum started swinging back to the right. Now, it is reaching the extreme on the right, and it is we on the left who the angry ones. We want to send that pendulum swinging back in our direction.

I, for one, have started to see that turnaround happen. The flash point, I believe was when the Democrats realized, after their bruising 2002 midterm election defeat, that you have to fight your enemies, instead of becoming lesser versions of them, to win. Mary Landreau showed this when she won her Louisiana Senate seat that December. Soon after, Howard Dean emerged as a serious Presidential candidate, expressing the anger that many of us had been feeling, and letting us know it was OK for us to once again express it. We owe him a debt of gratitude, as we do his campaign manager, Joe Trippi, for realizing that we had a great resource at our fingertips that was going largely unused for our purposes.

As Scorpy just wrote, the bloggers on the great equalizer that is the Internet are a driving force. We are publishing our opinions, not in the rarefied editorial environments of the corporate media, but in the comfort of our own homes. We are venting our anger. And we are reporting on the numerous and widely varying misdeeds of the miscreants who run our government, corporations and media, and we are starting to hold them accountable. We flood those in power whom we feel are acting against the interest of the public good with e-mail and other communications, and, while we are at it, give their enablers a piece of our collective mind, as well. We also exalt those in positions of power who actually use their power for the good.

And, now we have progressive talk radio. For two decades or more our friends on the right have successfully rallied around this forum. They ridiculed us for thinking that we could do the same, when we finally realized that we just might do just that. These stations are popping up all over the country, and Air America Radio has over 30 affiliate stations after only 6 1/2 months on the air. Hosts and callers alike on the left are ranting angrily as have been their counterparts on the right, but this time (for the most part) truthfully and intelligently, and even with quite a bit of humor. The daily outrages brought forth by the ruling plutocrats, theocratic and neocons are making for a seemingly endless amount passionate discussion.

I think that this relatively recent turning of the political tide is big. Too big for the right to stop, even as they fight tooth-and-nail to do so. I think that this new swell of anger and passion, if channeled properly, will sooner or later become a force for solving many problems, whether long-standing or recently inflicted by the right. The existence of a force like this is, in my opinion, much more significant than the overall outcome of next month's election. Conversely, even the most positive of electoral outcomes possible is no reason to let the tide subside. We need to keep everyone who is power accountable to us, their true clients.

I believe that the pendulum has truly started to swing our way, and that it will be a very long time before it swings back yet again.

RamMan

INTERNET - THE ULTIMATE EQUALIZER

2004-10-15T01:53:00.000-07:00

The internet will become the Ultimate Equalizer. I remember making this statement years ago to many of my friends. Seeing the potential of the freedom of expression the net would bring to so many. You cannot control the internet, nor the people who write, email, blog, etc. on the internet. No, not internets, internet.

The power of the internet, the way anyone with a connection, rich or poor, right or left, truly shows the expansiveness of true freedom of expression. Only when all can have a voice to we find true democracy.

One has to wonder if it were not for this technology would we ever of known of the Abu Gharib prison scandal? It is obvious to so many that one of the many things the current administration didn't understand was today's technology and how they would not get away with much once people were on to their games. When one can connect with people all over the world, when soldiers can email their thoughts and pictures from their life while serving it certainly puts everything into a new perspective.

The more connected we all are, the more freedom we all have the better for the world. I believe we should lead by example not by forcing our way of life on others.

Stay tuned citizens of the world, for you are living in interesting times and eventually we will all be even more connected in truth because of the great equalizer.

Scorpy

TIME FOR A CHANGE

2004-10-08T05:07:00.000-07:00

I couldn't agree more about telling lies! The upcoming election will tell us some significant things about this country. One of those things will be just how tired we, as a country, are of all of this dishonesty. And, it will tell us how much fatigue we are experiencing from all of the incompetence, greed, criminality and hubris of the current ultra-right wing leadership in the White House and in Congress, and from all of the tragedy, death, destruction and feeling of distress and hopelessness that has been brought about as a result.I sense that there is some portion of our population that is ready, to some degree, for a change -- a fresh start.

Obviously, the first order of business will be to begin the climb out of the hole that we've fallen into over the past four years, but the sooner we do that, the sooner we can heal as a nation and move on to better days. I just hope that this portion is sufficiently large, and that the degree is anything close to the degree to which I'm ready. I hope that this election constitutes a resounding call for the dawn of a new day.

IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN??

RamMan

WELCOME TO RAMMAN

2004-10-08T04:59:00.000-07:00

A special welcome to RAMMAN! This blog has now evolved to showcase not only the Scorpio female point of view but also that of the Aries male with the contributions of Ramman! Next you will see the latest comment left by Ramman before becoming a contributor! Enjoy.

Let the locking of horns, ramming and stinging begin!

Scorpy

WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE THE TRUTH EVERYONE LOSES

2004-10-07T01:18:00.000-07:00

The lies you tell says something about who you are as a person and of course ultimately your motivations. To tell a lie to someone to spare their feelings can certainly be justified, if not at least understandable. To lie about something that affects your country is a totally different matter. To lie to gain political advantage actually tells us all we need to know about your character. Watching the Vice Presidential debate I wondered if the current VP realized just how much he revealed about himself?

Was anyone shocked to see the press found so many statements that proved he lied? Maybe the current administration assumed that after our countries tragedy we would all just follow them blindly down the rose colored glass path. But now we have all had our wake up call and guess what we are awake now. It is amazing how many who have served in the current administration find themselves with diminishing reputations now. Will any of us ever look at Colin Powell with the same admiration we once had for him? What about the rest of those who surround our current leader?

When you can't see the truth of a situation the harm you do can be massive. Losing our reputation in the world because of lies, and the prison horrors, etc. say much about who we are as country if we re-elect the person to whom we should all make accountable. The buck should stop at his desk. Maybe he will pay a price by being fired by the people of this country, but who really has paid the ultimate price? People surrounding him, the people he leads or as commander and chief the soldiers he sentenced to their death, and all of the innocents who have been lost or maimed because of his doctrine.

We have lost so much, so many have paid such a high price for incompetence, lies and betrayal. Now we have a chance to cast our vote, will we let down our fellow countrymen and women and the children the future belongs to?

But, even more important will you vote? Voting is right we should all cherish, even if we don't agree we should all have our voices heard and our votes counted.

The lies we tell ourselves can ultimately bring down those around us.

Scorpy

A COOKIE COUNTRY

2004-09-25T18:26:00.000-07:00

Like a Cookie bakes so does this country learn, grow and become more accepting. My theory is that as you watch a cookie bake it starts to cook from the outside edges inward. So goes the country. It is represented by so many blue states being on the edges of our nation. It always takes awhile for fear and ignorance to be penetrated with logic and education, but it does eventually happen.

Look at any great issue, at any time in our country. The blue outer states tend to embrace more freedom, less of government telling you what to do while it takes awhile for the middle of country, mainly red states, to understand this. The cookie starts to bake in the middle only after the edges have already started. Take a look at some of the great issues of our times and see how fear and prejudice finally began to fall away. Civil rights and the issue of blacks marrying whites. Even when most people in the country were more in favor of keeping people separated, the Supreme court in its wisdom struck down the laws that kept us apart. Can you believe that it was less than 100 years ago that women couldn't vote? Can you believe that less than 40 years ago blacks and whites couldn't use the same bathrooms in parts of the country?

But, eventually the cookie baked and even the red states had to accept that freedom meant everyone's freedom.

You can't have it both ways is what I always say. You can't say you want less government and then start telling people who they can marry and who they can't. You don't get it both ways.

You can't logically believe in separation of church and state, yet base all of your political beliefs on some sort of theocratic belief that your way of thinking is the only way. To impose your beliefs on the laws of this country or any country that limits any persons freedom to express or live the way they choose, is not only wrong, it isn't even "Christian" so to speak. Or was it only my copy of the bible that said that God gave us free will, so who are you to take that away? Also my bible mentions thou shalt not judge; apparently only my bible had that line in it because so many "religious" people do nothing but judge others.

Looking in the mirror and cleaning up our own house, sweeping away our prejudices, fears, lack of understanding and so on should be the first order of the day. It seems the closer one clings to religion the less they actually nurture their relationship with the spiritual side of life. Religion in its man made form only tells you what to do. To know God and have a spiritual relationship is such a private and beautiful connection that cannot be made by going to a church, following a set of rules or imposing your beliefs on others. And we must respect others beliefs and non-beliefs if we are all to remain a free society.

One of my favorite movies is still relevant today it was called Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. One thing I remember vividly was a character telling his father something to the effect that he thought of himself as a black man, while the son saw himself as a man. I remember him saying something like, until the dead weight of your generation is gone we won't be over this. It always makes me wonder why so many older people are open minded and so wonderful, and why many others are stuck in their old tired ways of thinking and want to impose that on the next generation.

The Cookie is Baking and we are moving forward, be it slowly, but it is still happening. Challenging people to embrace diversity is a good thing. Helping educate those who would like to go back to another time in history so that they can justify their prejudice can only move us forward. Look at the polling on things like gay marriage and you will see the interesting statistic that the youth of this country accept this while it is the older population that has the most trouble with it. The youth of this country are changing things and will change things more than anyone could have ever imagined. They are embracing all of their brothers and sisters, not even seeing race as reason to judge someone, or sexual orientation, and they are seeing the world in a bigger picture.

Our Cookie Country is ever evolving; you can't stop it as much as the radical right tries.

It continues to bake into a delicious experiment called democracy for all.

Scorpy

THE WAR WITHIN OURSELVES

2004-09-18T17:02:00.000-07:00

In today's world it would be difficult to ignore the wars that are ongoing, and the one we are still fighting about after 35 years. In all cases these Wars come down to the War Within Ourselves.

First, for those who served in Vietnam or any war for that matter, and did not follow the rules of engagement, better get right with themselves over their participation in such acts. So much of what is going on politically now is so obviously about the guilt of either going, not going and the true cost of a War that was not winnable in so many ways. There is no doubt that some war crimes were committed. This is a sad truth that those who went and saw what happened or participated in such crimes do not want to acknowledge. For if they do, they have to face their own participation or complacent attitude about the subject. For those soldiers who served honorably while following the rules, they are the true heroes.

Say what you want about John Kerry, but at least he went, and he earned the right to come back and protest against the war. He saw what happened and could not in good conscience say nothing while young Americans lost their life for a war that was never going to be won. The men who criticize him now might want to get it right within their own soul before they get to old to reason and forgive themselves for not speaking out against a war that was an atrocity not only of human life but the very essence of the human soul. Whenever I see the lost souls of that war it saddens me to think that this still ravages their very spirit so many decades later.

Are we making the same mistakes we made decades ago with Vietnam because our leaders have their head in the sands so to speak? Do they have an ideology that pits one part of the world against another? We need to ask these questions so that we do not continue to make the same mistakes over and over again. Those who do not study history have a very narrow view of the world in its totality.

So, onto today, the wars going on throughout the world. We are at war within ourselves. Many fighting for their own freedom, others fighting for their right to be to live. We cannot kill everyone in the world who is a terrorist or is against us. So, why do we not ask ourselves how to prevent terrorism? How to prevent War in the first place? All of the firepower in the world cannot win the war within ourselves, all of us. It is apparent that we are creating more hatred in the world by our involvement in the Middle East. When we are seen as even handed and a broker for peace we win more hearts and minds.

We must all see the world in a much broader light if we are to continue living in it. We as Americans no longer have the luxury of ignoring what is happening anywhere in the world and blindly believe it won't affect us. But, leading through example and outreach is a better way to win hearts and minds than through bombs. All of the bombs in the world will not solve the problems of poverty, oppression, racism, and the close minded zealotry of any religion that doesn't include respect for all beliefs in this world.

Do I believe we need a stronger military, you bet. Walk softly, carry a big stick. Do I respect men and women who are soldiers, more than you could imagine. Some of my dearest friends are military and I support them 110%! They along with firefighters, police and so on are the real heroes in this world. Think about that the next time you purchase expensive tickets to a professional sport and the money that lines the pockets of the owners and players. Seems as if we pay lip service to what a hero is and then don't pay the real heroes nearly enough in praise or otherwise, but that is a different rant all together.

I love my country enough to criticize it. A real patriot speaks out on what is wrong, and embraces what is right. Is there room for different opinions? Of course there is, and the only way to find the truth of anything is to look at all angles. We all need to look in the mirror and ask what do we need to change inside ourselves to make life better for all. We must exercise our right to free speech, our right to vote, our right to be who we are.

We will never be a world at peace until we win the war within ourselves.

Scorpy

YOUR CHOICES SHOW YOUR TRUE VALUES

2004-09-11T23:58:00.000-07:00

Choices. The choices we make create the reality, the world we experience, share and prepare for. We can no longer chase the elusive God of the Green, money and expect everything else to fall into place. For too long almost a century now, we have been taught that we want our children to do better than we did. But, what does this really mean? Does working long hours really provide them a better future? If a parent can't be there for their child to be an example of compassion, generosity and sacrifice then what do they impart in their actions? That working longer and longer hours buys the latest sports shoes, but robs them of the time to see a game with their child.

Don't get me wrong, I realize that many parents have to work long hours, two jobs just to get the basic needs of life met. It does make you wonder why we don't have a true, real living wage in this country. Parents can be a wonderful example to their children, but for those who have to live in gated community, drive an expensive car, but don't make the time to spend with their kids what values does this teach?

You may think this is a discussion about parenting, but it actually isn't. My thoughts today are wandering towards the larger world picture. Where are our own priorities when it comes to our own spirituality, or a sense of community with the rest of the world? I see a real struggle now here in America between the greed people have disguised in theocracy & the truly compassionate, spiritual people trying to make a real difference in the lives of real people.

Is it really a Christian thing to do to let 4 million, that is 4,000,000 people fall into poverty? What about denying health insurance to more than 44 million, that is 44,000,000 American workers, children, parents, grandparents and so on. I hear people speak of values and I think to myself who the heck are they kidding?

Seeing this younger generation get it gives me great hope for the future of the world. So many younger people valuing giving, charity, seeing and being so much more aware of the reality of how most of the rest of the world lives. I believe that right now you are seeing the split between the old material values of generations of misguided principles being challenged by a new spirituality.

This spirituality isn't about a denomination or religion, it is a sense of our place in the world among all of our human family. Yes, the world is struggling right now, but at the root of what is extreme ideology on too many sides may in the end be the beginning of the shedding of misplaced priorities. Valuing ourselves, each other, differences and all is the only pathway to peace, ever. Do I believe in defending ourselves, of course, but how we do it will be the real test of this generation. All of the firepower in the world cannot heal a world in pain, it never has, just become a student of history.

Your choices show your true values.

Scorpy

THOUGHTS ABOUT OUR COUNTRY & BEING PATRIOTIC

2004-09-10T17:22:00.000-07:00

We live in an amazing country. I love my country enough to point out when I believe it is wrong. Like a parent to a child, trying to teach & instill a sense of right and wrong. You have to love your country enough to withstand the pressure from being called unpatriotic to make our country stronger.

This concept seems to get lost on many people. They think if you are critical of the President or of the government that you are somehow not a patriot. Of course that point of view has no real logical basis. If what we are doing was wrong or is wrong than we have to admit, fix it and move forward.

By retricting our freedom, such as in a few areas of the Patriot Act we give up more than just our freedom we are giving up what it means to be an American. I believe the Patriot Act needs to open for debate so that all sides can be heard. This Act was an emotional reaction to what happened to us, which is understandable but to make it law without revision is not logical and quite frankly idiotic and certainly not patriotic.

The price of freedom my friends in times of war or in times of peace is truly vigilance. We must speak out against those who would take our freedom away in the name of safety, for otherwise we will have neither.

Scorpy

Stingball is Created

2004-09-10T03:37:00.000-07:00

Hello & Welcome to Stingball!

This is the opening blog to welcome you and yes your opinions to Stingball! Let's Sting with Logic!

Mainly this is a place to vent intelligent thoughts about the current state of our political process as well as discuss the issues of our time. Adding some logical questions, thoughts and maybe a few rants with some stinging questions. Sometimes I think Chris Matthews plays softball, and I really enjoy it when he actually plays hardball.

I welcome intelligent questions, thoughts, rants, logic, etc. This seems to be lacking in our current discussion of world affairs lately.

Again, welcome to Stingball where you don't have to agree just back up your thoughts, say why you feel the way you do. What led you to that opinion, no dittoheads need apply! Dittohead = lemming.