.
I'm on mine...how about you?
Find a good book and the nearest hammock and take a break.
See you back here soon.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
Health Matters...and so does Science
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This morning, I came across one of those beautiful reasons why the blogosphere matters...about far more than politics, or sports, or whatever special interest may usually send you its cyber-siren song.
This morning at DailyKos, the rescue rangers had highlighted a posting by JohnnyRook, a tribute to his wife and caregiver on the occasion of their anniversary. The posting is a poignant one, worth reading all for itself.
But in the reading, I was stopped in my scrolling tracks by one commenter's mention about the possible impact of treating leukemia with methadone. Being part of a leukemia survivor/endurer family, this kind of thing perks up my antennae.
And since google alerts hadn't yet sent this info direct to my inbox, I did a fast shuffle into google to learn more.
Would that all the health-related news from the blogosphere were so uplifting. However, a recent link from reader Melody reminded me that there are sharks in the healthcare industry and its environs as well. Not that that should come as any surprise, since there seem to be so many sharks on the loose in every section and corner of our country these days. And no I don't mean the finny ones swimmin' in the waters of Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.
I put a mental curse on those folks each time I read in our tall timber weekly newspapers the small ads promoting a benefit dinner for an area resident going thru treatment...and it's usually for some form or other of cancer.
And then there's the word today that Bob Novak got dire news about his brain tumor. As did Senator Ted Kennedy in recent weeks. As a blog commenter I read earlier on another site observed, we wish Novak better than those on the right wished Senator Ted. For each we hope for healing, and courage, and serenity to face the days ahead.
Living with a cancer endurer, I know this is one curse you wish on nobody.
Special props to Joanie McCall of the Park Rapids MN community, who's outlasted her doctor's dire diagnosis for her brain cancer [unfortunately the PR MN paper doesn't seem to keep their stories accessible long enough to link this one].
Back full circle, my wish for you, visitor, is a healthy life, the sustained resource of the Internet to educate and inform you when you need it [as we did and do about the ongoing challenge of living with chronic lymphocytic leukemia], and the hope that the good guys will live long and prosper, and the scoundrels be hoist on their own petard...and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
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This morning, I came across one of those beautiful reasons why the blogosphere matters...about far more than politics, or sports, or whatever special interest may usually send you its cyber-siren song.
This morning at DailyKos, the rescue rangers had highlighted a posting by JohnnyRook, a tribute to his wife and caregiver on the occasion of their anniversary. The posting is a poignant one, worth reading all for itself.
But in the reading, I was stopped in my scrolling tracks by one commenter's mention about the possible impact of treating leukemia with methadone. Being part of a leukemia survivor/endurer family, this kind of thing perks up my antennae.
And since google alerts hadn't yet sent this info direct to my inbox, I did a fast shuffle into google to learn more.
Would that all the health-related news from the blogosphere were so uplifting. However, a recent link from reader Melody reminded me that there are sharks in the healthcare industry and its environs as well. Not that that should come as any surprise, since there seem to be so many sharks on the loose in every section and corner of our country these days. And no I don't mean the finny ones swimmin' in the waters of Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.
I put a mental curse on those folks each time I read in our tall timber weekly newspapers the small ads promoting a benefit dinner for an area resident going thru treatment...and it's usually for some form or other of cancer.
And then there's the word today that Bob Novak got dire news about his brain tumor. As did Senator Ted Kennedy in recent weeks. As a blog commenter I read earlier on another site observed, we wish Novak better than those on the right wished Senator Ted. For each we hope for healing, and courage, and serenity to face the days ahead.
Living with a cancer endurer, I know this is one curse you wish on nobody.
Special props to Joanie McCall of the Park Rapids MN community, who's outlasted her doctor's dire diagnosis for her brain cancer [unfortunately the PR MN paper doesn't seem to keep their stories accessible long enough to link this one].
Back full circle, my wish for you, visitor, is a healthy life, the sustained resource of the Internet to educate and inform you when you need it [as we did and do about the ongoing challenge of living with chronic lymphocytic leukemia], and the hope that the good guys will live long and prosper, and the scoundrels be hoist on their own petard...and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
McCain in Sturgis
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Here in Prairie Country we look with some bemusement on the annual weeklong mega-motorcycle rally/orgy/boozefest/naked bootython that is Sturgis, SD... so news that John McCain will make an appearance Monday, August 4 at a Tribute to American Veterans and Active Duty Servicemen leaves us, well, speechless.
Except to note the site is Buffalo Chip.
Fitting, that.
.
Here in Prairie Country we look with some bemusement on the annual weeklong mega-motorcycle rally/orgy/boozefest/naked bootython that is Sturgis, SD... so news that John McCain will make an appearance Monday, August 4 at a Tribute to American Veterans and Active Duty Servicemen leaves us, well, speechless.
Except to note the site is Buffalo Chip.
Fitting, that.
.
Ends Reflect the Means
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Bob Schieffer is the gold standard of teevee reportering. CBS on Sunday mornings is the gold standard of substantive broadcasting. All else is dreck.
All else is pro wrestling in chairs.
Pundits and surrogates talking past each other to score talking points without paying attention to contradict lies and bullshit. See: Meet the Press depressing...nevermind. Go over to Huffington Post and read Linkins instead.
Meanwhile, Schieffer is asking serious questions on serious issues. The state of the economy this morning. Worth viewing over at the CBS FTN site, if you missed it.
Schieffer closed his program this morning with a commentary on the Machiavelli style of campaigning [ends justify the means, so we'll deal with collateral damage after--see: McCain campaign] vs. the Gandhi meme: the ends reflect the means.
Chiming in with Schieffer, I'll observe that last week's barrage of crapola from the McCain campaign serves nobody well. And reflects the sorry state of these untied states these days. But I'll bet BushCo's "our man" Ailes and Limbaugh are lovin' it.
I'll go with Schieffer and Gandhi, thank you very much.
Bob Schieffer is the gold standard of teevee reportering. CBS on Sunday mornings is the gold standard of substantive broadcasting. All else is dreck.
All else is pro wrestling in chairs.
Pundits and surrogates talking past each other to score talking points without paying attention to contradict lies and bullshit. See: Meet the Press depressing...nevermind. Go over to Huffington Post and read Linkins instead.
Meanwhile, Schieffer is asking serious questions on serious issues. The state of the economy this morning. Worth viewing over at the CBS FTN site, if you missed it.
Schieffer closed his program this morning with a commentary on the Machiavelli style of campaigning [ends justify the means, so we'll deal with collateral damage after--see: McCain campaign] vs. the Gandhi meme: the ends reflect the means.
Chiming in with Schieffer, I'll observe that last week's barrage of crapola from the McCain campaign serves nobody well. And reflects the sorry state of these untied states these days. But I'll bet BushCo's "our man" Ailes and Limbaugh are lovin' it.
I'll go with Schieffer and Gandhi, thank you very much.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
John McCain = Cynical
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In a press conference this a.m. in Florida, Barack Obama responded to a reporter's question by saying he doesn't think the McCain campaign's attacks on him this week were racial. He thinks they are cynical.
Hmmm, take the max in contributions from a wealthy contributor like Paris Hilton's father and then make a mockery of her in an ad. Yeah, I'd call that cynical.
Mock and make fun of people who are supporting a candidate who offers policies and plans that will make their lives better. Yeah, I'd call that cynical.
Whisper in the ears of your BBQ media buddies to change the subject from the reality that all you have to offer is another four years of BushCo America. Yeah, I'd call that cynical.
Tell a reporter it's all just good clean fun...yeah. I'd call that cynical, too.
Then go and take the weekend off at one of your eight homes and put up your $520 Ferragamo-shod feet while the people of America are facing job cuts and downsizing and loss of job benefits and shorter pay hours and rising food costs, and higher fuel costs, and worry about how to heat their homes this winter, and loss of health insurance and weaker schools and roads and bridges...
Yeah. I'd call that cynical, too.
.
In a press conference this a.m. in Florida, Barack Obama responded to a reporter's question by saying he doesn't think the McCain campaign's attacks on him this week were racial. He thinks they are cynical.
Hmmm, take the max in contributions from a wealthy contributor like Paris Hilton's father and then make a mockery of her in an ad. Yeah, I'd call that cynical.
Mock and make fun of people who are supporting a candidate who offers policies and plans that will make their lives better. Yeah, I'd call that cynical.
Whisper in the ears of your BBQ media buddies to change the subject from the reality that all you have to offer is another four years of BushCo America. Yeah, I'd call that cynical.
Tell a reporter it's all just good clean fun...yeah. I'd call that cynical, too.
Then go and take the weekend off at one of your eight homes and put up your $520 Ferragamo-shod feet while the people of America are facing job cuts and downsizing and loss of job benefits and shorter pay hours and rising food costs, and higher fuel costs, and worry about how to heat their homes this winter, and loss of health insurance and weaker schools and roads and bridges...
Yeah. I'd call that cynical, too.
.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Shark Week
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As the progression of attack ads began to spew out from the McCain campaign this week, I was bewildered. What on earth could these be doing, coming from Capt. Honor and Integrity's campaign? And the celebutante ad, he said flat out he was proud of that.
And today, he said it's all just havin' some fun. You know, like pullin' the wings off butterflies...that kind of fun. And his good buddy, L'il Joey, why he said we should all relax and enjoy it.
Guess they think we're starved for summertime entertainment.
And then, watching Mike Rowe and the Dirty Jobs crew pullin' that long cable wire out of the icy waters hoping for a prehistoric Greenland shark, it hit me. Hey, it's "Shark Week" on the Discovery Channel....
and Senator John S [for "Surrender his Honor and Integrity to the Rethuglican hate merchants"] McCain is in the mood for jumpin'.
As the progression of attack ads began to spew out from the McCain campaign this week, I was bewildered. What on earth could these be doing, coming from Capt. Honor and Integrity's campaign? And the celebutante ad, he said flat out he was proud of that.
And today, he said it's all just havin' some fun. You know, like pullin' the wings off butterflies...that kind of fun. And his good buddy, L'il Joey, why he said we should all relax and enjoy it.
Guess they think we're starved for summertime entertainment.
And then, watching Mike Rowe and the Dirty Jobs crew pullin' that long cable wire out of the icy waters hoping for a prehistoric Greenland shark, it hit me. Hey, it's "Shark Week" on the Discovery Channel....
and Senator John S [for "Surrender his Honor and Integrity to the Rethuglican hate merchants"] McCain is in the mood for jumpin'.
Vote with your Feet
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MSNBC reporting this morning that WalMart has injected its corporate self into the presidential campaign. Warning its employees not to support the Democratic candidate because that'll bring unionization.
Response expected from unions later today.
I expect the strongest response to come from Hillary Clinton, former board member of WalMart. Will she live up to my expectations?
The full force of corporatist politics are in play this campaign season, it will be an "epic battle" just trying to succeed on November 4, much less restore We, the People instead of We, the Corporations to governing policy.
But there's one easy choice I can make right now, even before election day...so can you.
Vote with your feet.
Good-bye to WalMart and Sam's Club. Good buys available somewhere else. I'm kinda partial to the same place Michelle Obama shops. Target. How 'bout you?
.
MSNBC reporting this morning that WalMart has injected its corporate self into the presidential campaign. Warning its employees not to support the Democratic candidate because that'll bring unionization.
Response expected from unions later today.
I expect the strongest response to come from Hillary Clinton, former board member of WalMart. Will she live up to my expectations?
The full force of corporatist politics are in play this campaign season, it will be an "epic battle" just trying to succeed on November 4, much less restore We, the People instead of We, the Corporations to governing policy.
But there's one easy choice I can make right now, even before election day...so can you.
Vote with your feet.
Good-bye to WalMart and Sam's Club. Good buys available somewhere else. I'm kinda partial to the same place Michelle Obama shops. Target. How 'bout you?
.
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