Tag Archives: Race

Touching Base

I really need to start posting here more. I just don’t know to post about anymore. I can always do politics, but I tweet so much about that I don’t know if I really should. I work at home and other then errands and the gym, my face to face interactions with people that I use to comment on is limited.

Totally love that we finally got Osama Bin Laden….but even with that, overall it hasn’t been the best of weeks. Maybe crappy people like Cheney will quit lying about Obama not caring about national security and putting this country in danger.  It help to put that racist birther crap down.  So sad it took that and he showed his birth certificate….total crap.

Monday was a total Monday in the worst way.  And today was blah.  Put on Despicable Me for some much needed laughter  We did have one day that was totally dry and sunny and hit 70!!  Even if that was at 6pm, it was nice.

We finally got our tomato plants this week.  Went for 5 instead of the 3 we did last year.  It looks like some will mature mid summer and the a couple in late summer, my beefsteak ones.  So looking forward to those.  =)

After having a few rough winter months at the gym where we only went 4 days a week, we’ve been going 5 days for about 2 months.  BUT they haven’t been full days.  Mostly cardio.  I really need to get back to my abs and weights.  Getting some of my tummy back, doesn’t help that I’m eating a bit too much of things I shouldn’t be.  So both my eating habits and not doing the full workouts is not helping.  Need to get back on track next week.  Especially the workout part.

I have finally gotten back into  making time for reading, other then my news/political surfing addiction.  Both for magazines I can’t finish at the gym and books.  I’ve added a couple of new mag subscriptions, so now I have Time, Ms, Bitch, Progressive, Washington Monthly, American Prospect and also trying out Nutrition Action for better eating habits.  Don’t expect to totally change too much on eating, just want to be more educated about it.

On books, hubby got me Lyndon Johnson by Doris Kearns Goodwin (he was so complex) and John Paul Stevens by Bill Barnhart and Gene Schilickman (love Supreme Court stuff…lol) for the holidays, I got those read. I finally read One Soldier’s Story by Bob Dole (brought that when it came out…really liked that), Audition by Barbra Walters (learned a lot about what women went through by 1st person), True Compass by Edward M Kennedy (very interesting read), and during all that, finally finished the big one, My Life by Bill Clinton…which was good, but loaded with so much detail….wow.  Currently working on American Gospel by Jon Meacham, about “religion, the Founding Fathers and the Making of a Nation”.  How they counted on religion being in the public sphere without it being in government so not lead to the tyranny like it did Europe.

I did finally get off of my butt and took a photography composition class, wow….so much to learn.  They use so many terms for what is used on a SLR camera.  Going to have to take the class on how to learn to fully use our nikon ds70.  I actually planned on taking that class this semester, but with my luck the ONE day I actually made plans for it, we had other plans….ggeezz..  Normally we don’t do a thing…lol  Going to see about making time to go through the book we brought years ago on the camera and try to apply it. What I really want and need is better weather so I can take it out.  I have cats to take pics of, but they aren’t the most cooperative when you are learning the equipment…..lol  And that is what the stressed in class, know your equipment, know your equipment….so I really need to learn all the little things.  I have my point and shot olympus, but learning the nikon will help me with that also.

Well the day that I was going to take that class on learning the nikon, we went up to our friend’s in Seattle for a Zombie Jesus Party…..lol  I love satire.  I made deviled carbury eggs and very fudgy brownies….I must admit, I LOVE my brownies….grin…hubby made his addicting chili.  We had a great time, but I do have to admit we are old and cranky in that instead of staying overnight there, we came home that night….3hr drive back.  We just love being in our own beds and miss our cats too much.  As we have gotten older, we miss our cats even more….much harder to stay overnight without them.

I did have an issue that came up on my fb that disturbed me in their twisted logic.  Just because I’m an american feminist doesn’t mean that I’m going to hate on Islam.  One of friends on fb was from HS….and I had posted the quote from POTUS’ speech “Our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader – indeed he was a mass murderer of Muslims.”  And what she posted on it, I can’t describe as nothing but hateful and bigoted. And I simply told her that I found it to be that and not post it on my fb, those may be her beliefs but do not post hate on my wall/posts.

And she part of her reply : “I find it difficult to believe that any feminist would ever deem to support a religion that will put women to death for the crime of their own rapes”  I’m like, I don’t support that, hell I do not support any religion.  EVERY religion has been used to justify rape, beating, abuse and slavery….they all suck on that and that is why I don’t like them.  They never follow their positive and good lessons of their religions, but their books are written by men and totally screwed up due to that.

Just because of my dislike of religion and the majority of their leaders, doesn’t mean I’m going to hate on them as a people.  That is no better then what Hilter did the Jews…..and I told her that, she didn’t like that and did one long post accusing me of attacking her beliefs.  I’m just too old for dealing with that…..it is my fb, which has far as I’m concern is my house and I won’t tolerate what I find is hatred and bigotry towards one type of people….so I unfriended her, I don’t need the drama.  I’m sad in that she has so much hatred built up in her.  And I’m not the most positive person in comments about society.

I can’t say that I’ve ever really known any Muslims, I’ve maybe encountered a few in my years of work but my husband served with some and we all know that every religion and race has both good and bad in it.  I did ask one woman about how do you keep the head wraps on and she seemed very happy to share her culture with me.  But I’m not going to judge a whole group of people based on bad ones, most things are cultural…not religious when it comes to things that are done in the name of Islam.  And I go on about the crimes and stuff of Christianity all the time.  But I also know that there are a lot of good people that actually try practice the teachings of Christ, which are good and get lost.  So individually I have no issue with people having their different faiths when it is not twisted to hurt, abuse or mistreat people or forced on me.  But I do have a MAJOR issue with all the evil and bigotry done in the name of religion.

Now hubby will say I’m dwelling on it, maybe I am….but not in the way that I’m upset in the standard sense of the word.  More like it makes me examine things and want to break it down about human nature and myself.  I think if I’m upset about anything it is that horrible generalization she made about being a feminist….like there aren’t Muslim feminists.  It was insulting to me to think that being a feminist meant that I should hate on them…wtf?  I guess I will never get that way of thinking…..maybe happier not to.

If you hadn’t seen, I became a great aunt in Jan.  =)  Very cool……the closest I will ever to being a grandma and that is as close as I want…grin  I will say that I’m not too please about some of the decisions my niece has been making.  Believe she is making them for all the wrong reasons and doesn’t want to work for anything.  Wants everything now and expects it to be easy.  Her sperm donor father coming out in that.  =(  But it is her life to screw up, just worried about my great niece.

Wow after not posting in awhile, this is a long one.  Maybe I’ll do more of it, probably more social commentary.  =)

Hello World!

Well, been a long while since I updated last.  I’m not even sure if I want to go back and look……lol

Lets start with the gym.  Still hitting it Mon-Fri….so that is good.  =)  I’ve hit 3.75 within 30min and maxed out at 8.0 in speed for 25.5 min.  I’m no longer trying to push the distance/speed other then maintaining it.  I want to work on my back thigh muscles so I’m working on the inclines.  So if I can increase those while maintaining speed/distance it would be a good thing.

I’m still getting my abs in, needing to push it more.  I haven’t been pushing it much due to me somehow pulling/twisting my back on the 8th.  I have no idea how I did it. I was in bed, just woke up and was sat up to adjust my pillows….doesn’t make sense.  My back is feeling better, but still get twings.

We picked up new Star Trek Tues.  Took a bit to get to the different actors playing the main characters, but they did really good on the casting.  The actors really picked up the mannerism of Spock, Kirk, Scotty, Sulu, Chekov, Uhura, and specially Bones.  I don’t want to give up the story line, but it did throw me for a loop.  I need to see it again a few more times for it all to sink in, but I did enjoy it.

We also got X-Men Origins : Wolverine….that was really good.  =)

We also watched Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson & The Great White Hope, the fictional account of Jack Johnson. I know that we have progressed, but it really hasn’t been that long since that time.  Those stories happened about 100yrs ago, but even 30yrs ago it was extremely in your face. And there are still people out there with those racist attitudes in this country.  Then, of course, the rest of the world still has those attitudes when it comes to different races and even tribes.  I will never understand it.  But I don’t know what is worst an in your face racist or a closet one?

I like to watch historical things, but I when I watch things like that I wonder about the human race. I don’t understand how people can’t see each other’s humanity and how they can treat people like that.  Why and how can they do that, since it still happens?

Hubby’s jeep got egged last weekend…….gggrrr  That do pisses us off.  Luckily it has been raining, but we did get paint damage.  =(  Called the police and made a report for insurance.

If you’ve been following my tweets, we now have Verizon FIOS.  It is sweet!  We have 4 Big Ten channels, no reason for us to miss another Purdue game. =)  We got the highest internet speed that they offered in the resident bundle and with our load on it, it still maintains above average speed and haven’t had the connection issues that we have had in the past when we had 2 different internets.  So the TV and internet speed I’m totally enjoying.

The issues that we are having is that their registration SUCKS!!!!  They offer FIOS TV Central, were you can program your dvrs from online and it forces you to download some software that is OUTDATED!  Because it won’t load on to my mac snow leopard.  It SUCKS!  Then you have to deal with 2 different sites…. dot net and dot com…make up your damn mind.  I’m so frustrated and pissed at their lack of support.

I said screw it and got my vaio out and did it through there.  All the crap that it wanted to install was stuff I didn’t need anyway.  So we are registered for the TV Central, now waiting on the verification email for using it to get to me….it has already been about 2 hrs…ggeeezz

The only good support we did get was when I called to get our phone number (it came with the bundle) unlisted since we were getting sale calls and they were really pissing us off.  So they switched the number for free since they didn’t offer the unlisted when we placed the order and got us unlisted.  I also got us registered on the do not call list while on the phone getting the new number.

We have no plans what so ever to give our number out, we got it cause it made the bundle cheaper over all and I can use the unlimited US/Canada calls for business.  So I can save our anytime minutes on our cell for our own use.

Workwise, I’ve been busy as usual.  The payroll no where near as bad as it was few months ago.  We worked on a few of the issues that was increasing the size.  But it is still a beast and I get tied up in for a few days before and a few days after.

Our babies are doing good.  Alexis still likes to yell.  But the vet confirmed that cats get louder when they lose their hearing, so now we know why she is so loud….ouch….it does hurt the ears. =)  We took the wonder twin, Drew Brees & Sakura, in for their annual.  They are now updated on all their shots  and their licenses renewed.  The wonder twins are feisty as normal.  Sakura seems to like nibbling on me when she walks by and they both take over my office chair as soon as I get up….I swear, no respect…..lol  The other day Sakura walked up to me, bit my foot and calmly walked away, like it was nothing…..she is just plain evil….grin

We given up on trimming their claws after they lost some to freaking out in bags.  Our leather furniture is already marked up from them jumping on and off it, so what do you do?  So their claws are now long and evil looking.

Not sure if I’m going to put a tree this holiday.  I love having a tree and all the sparkles on it.  But I can’t use my artifical tree because, unlike all the other cats we have ever had, the wonder twins LOVE to climb.  And their big butts bend the wire branches…Sakura is over 10# and Drew is over 11#.  I was trying to get a tree from The Living Christmas Tree, but I have yet to ever get a response from them…which is annoying the hell out of me.  I’ve even played around with getting a small table top, but with those 2 it will end up knocked over and destroyed.  =(

I’m even debating on giving up on a tree this year.  But it is so hard to break from something that I enjoy so much.  =(  I just don’t know what I’m going to do.

Been watching games all day.  At least Purdue won the Oaken Bucket for another year.  Been a rough year for us, all of our own doing….int, dropped balls….gggrrr But our team shows a lot of potential for next year.

We are in our winter weather, rain and chilly.  Nearly all of our leaves are off of the back trees.  So we’ve lost our illusion of privacy.  And it gets dark by 5pm…by 6pm it feels like it should be 10pm……lol

So I’m downstairs as I write this, just wanted out of the office.  I need to work on the holiday letter since I want to get the cards done in the next few weeks.

We get the Colts game tomorrow…..grin  But not the Saints, hopefully we’ll get them online.

Well, I’m going to close this….took me much longer then expected to write it……lol

Dear Law Enforcement officers…

Peace!

Having your actions called “stupidly” is NOT the same as being called stupid… Regardless of what was said.

Unless someone threatens to kill/physicaly harm you, you as an officer of the law, do NOT have the right to arrest someone who is in their own home even if they are saying mean things about your mommy, it’s called the First Amendment.

There is no doubt in my mind Professor Gates was a total dick who overreacted, but to arrest him and charge him with a total BS charge that is dropped the second the DA gets it just because he called you names and insulted your mommy? Puh Lease….

The second it was verified that he was in fact in his own home, the only thing left to do was say “sorry for your inconvenience” and leave, not stand there and argue cause he is cussing up a storm.

How exactly do you expect this will end? Do you think putting a man in his own home in cuffs, booking him, taking his mug shot is the reasonable thing to do for calling your mommy names?

By all means, sue the Professor, get a jury and explain to a jury why a man who was in his own home was arrested for nothing… yeah, great idea, I’m sure you will make millions.

I don’t think the cop is racist, but I do think he needs thicker skin and yes, I also think he did act “stupidly”.

What year is this????

Jonny Says FUCK YOU!

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

This is the story link…

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Pool-Boots-Kids-Who-Might-Change-the-Complexion.html

“…”I heard this lady, she was like, ‘Uh, what are all these black kids doing here?’ She’s like, ‘I’m scared they might do something to my child,'” said camper Dymire Baylor.
The Creative Steps Day Camp paid more than $1900 to The Valley Swim Club. The Valley Swim Club is a private club that advertises open membership. But the campers’ first visit to the pool suggested otherwise.

“When the minority children got in the pool all of the Caucasian children immediately exited the pool,” Horace Gibson, parent of a day camp child, wrote in an email. “The pool attendants came and told the black children that they did not allow minorities in the club and needed the children to leave immediately.”

News, History & Politics

I  almost forgot about this entry that I wanted to post about the inauguration and history, but it still fits because it is still Black History Month.

At Defining Moment, Stories of Injustice

***I really love stories that gives insight to how far we have come through people’s experiences.  I love speaking to older generations just to get perspective.  So many of our generation and younger take things for granted and that is sad.  This is the church that is gathering the stories of it’s members :  Second Baptist Church

Inauguration view an ode to U.S.’s promise

***This is a fascinating history of our nation’s capital.

White senator discovers family’s African-American roots

***I really got a kick out of this one.  How would you like to find a bunch of relatives that you never knew existed by watching TV?  It really shows how interlocked we really are.

Gov. Bobby Jindal’s volcano remark has some fuming

***This has nothing to do with history.  This is a political post….WTF is wrong with him?!?!  Hello!  I can see Mt. St. Helens from were we live…I want to know if it is going to blow.  It is still active.  We have Mt Hood, it last erupted just before Lewis & Clark’s arrival.  According to wikipedia :

Mount Hood is considered the Oregon volcano most likely to erupt,[7] though based on its history, an explosive eruption is unlikely. Still, the odds of an eruption in the next 30 years are estimated at between 3 and 7 percent,[8] so the USGS characterizes it as “potentially active”, but the mountain is informally considered dormant.[8]

It is extremely, extremely unlikely that it will go in my life time and longer….but still, things like that need to be studies

How about this…..we give up our volcano monitoring and they give up their hurricane warnings…..and I’ve been through more hurricanes then I want to remember.

What a fraking moron!!!  ggggrrrr