To NightListener,

Your poem is heavyhanded and tells more about your biases than it does about Sarah Palin. First of all, you'd do well to leave Bristol and Levi out of it. They're kids--and therefore sometimes do things without a lot of forethought. You surely know some good kids who have been in their situation and you've no doubt seen things turn out okay much of the time. No parent, including Sarah Palin, can supervise their children 100% of the time. And kids can get just as pregnant during an after school special as at 3:00 AM. Some of your implications are downright unkind. In addition some of what you say is just plain crude. You didn't have to stoop that low to make your point. Maybe you'd do well to think before you trash someone on MDD as you did.

However, there are some questions concerning Sarah Palin's ways of operating that deserve furth scrutiny. It does seem that she falls short of being above board and forthcoming with the American People. Perhaps you'd do better to just say that and leave it at that. When you berate someone publicly, sometimes you draw attention away from what you want to say about them and draw more attention to what you reveal about the messenger, namely yourself.

All the best to you.

To E, my Honorable Friend from Texas

It's no excuse to claim that just because you are a Texan
that when you mark your ballot, it's McCain's name you'll be X-in'.
If McCain should win, let’s hope his heart and mind will not be failin’,
‘cause if they should, we’ll wind up with a President named Palin.

Sure she’d be quite agreeable around the kitchen table
when chatting with a group of friends like Sonya, Ruth and Mabel,
but do you really want to empower that soccer mom
to be the one to call the shots when dealing with THE BOMB?

If Palin wins poor Bambi’s mom won’t even know what bopped her,
when Sarah’s dropping WMDs from a helicopter.
But have no fear, on nature Palin plans not to intrude;
out on the range, it’s just a change in drilling for the crude.

When giving answers she can be as quiet as a mouse,
especially when explaining how she came to have her house.
Apparently she got it free from a builder and a chum,
with whom she later contracted to build a stadium.

And when asked about the findings regarding that state trooper,
she reached into her bag of tricks to get her pooper scooper
to distract us from the teeth marks where a certain pit bull bit
and to fill the morning newspapers with all her pit bull$hit.

It’s 3 AM. Does Sarah know why her daughter hasn’t phoned?
“I would have called,” said Bristol, “but I was busy getting boned.
And besides, my mother dearest, as I lay there quite suppine,
I thought it best at 3 AM to not tie up the line

“in case you’d get a call from our neighbor, Mr. Putin
to ask you please to let him sleep as he can’t with all your shootin’.”
Once Sarah asked Levi “Where ya goin’?” as he was sneaking past the fridge
And when he answered “Nowhere,” she really wished she’d built that bridge.

Enough! Enough! I’ve said too much. I’ll leave the rest to Palin.
Each time she speaks the Democrats will just have smoother sailin’.
And so, dear Texan friend of mine, to keep from makin’ stinky,
please find it in your heart to cast your Texan vote for Kinky (Friedman, that is).

If you can't find it in your values to vote for Obama/Biden, please consider someone other than McCain/Palin.

if I had seven houses and could not count them all

I would worry about my mind and "my friends" I would make a call

I would call my buddy Georgie and ask him what to do

I have had enough of george, "my friends" how about you?

I am ready for a change, our country really needs one

With Prices higher& stocks lower things are not much fun

The old man has his pit bull who knows how to fix her hair

and how to fire people, even if it is not fair!

when he first named her it helped him for a while

but people noticed issues hidden behind her charming smile

The other guy isn't perfect a maverick he will never be

but at least he isn't a good old boy and that's good enough for me

He may not have years of expeirence but what good has it done Mccain

when november finally rolls around my vote won't be in vain

One thing about this years election that makes me want to smile

is that no matter who may win it will be worth while

we will make history happen no matter what we do

an african american or a woman, cast your vote and choose

[clearlycrzy]

Personally, I don't care who wins. They're all fine this year.

(That's the closest I'll ever get to caring about politics.)

a "soul" is an idealistic idea for a surreal inexplainable feeling created by your subconcious mind that you can feel throughout you. For some people it's religous and for others its a feeling for your passion (for somepeople religion is their passion) its not a particle and you wont find it smashed in atoms. its just a commonly excepted, extremely surreal, phenomenom.

In a way its excepted the same way people except the fact that there's water in their body.

They can "feel" it seep out sometimes but they aren't going to cut thierselves up and just expect it to leak out into a puddle on the floor.   Thats why scientist arent smashing atoms in search of "soul" (well some of them might be but thats just self-expression)

I don't know what I'm talking about.

No.. it doesn't make me think. I'm pretty sure that the moon was long before man developed any form of measuring distance. also the number of the beast is 666 not 6 6 60 or even 6660 (and i think fearing a number like 6, 666, 13, 23,etc.ridiculous). Unless the original bible had a written typo (writo?) or something. I don't know alot about it. 

 Also if there's a God and he feels so threatened by the accomplishments of man then why would he tease us with developed minds and tempt us with high goals (like reaching the moon)? If that's the way it is he sounds pretty fucking manipulative to me.

[TreeHugging]

You are the oracle of a god! (All bow and worship E!)

So. Having this view from above (and beyond) could you tell me why only two?

Why there could be only two of each animal (aside from humans) on the ark. What did all the others do to displease the god??? Can animals even sin? Given that sin is something man came up with I'm having a difficult time seeing the other animals on this planet as committing sin let alone doing anything other than what they were "designed" to do so why only two of each with all the other millions condemned to death??

And given that the god, who is judge, jury and executioner (three in one), has the power to make a planet (nay, a universe!) I don't buy that the ark couldn't be built big enough to house every living creature (except for 99.9999999999% of humans, though -- why not?) and their poo.

I'm thinking the ark could have been large enough to hold 666 of each kind --

It do! It do!

I suspect you are a prophet sent to earth to reveal God's will as expressed through number codes and interpreted through the language of mathematics. I believe in you and your message. Anyone who walks as much as you do knows how to sidestep doggie poo.

You can be very methodical at times without ever shortchanging yourself with regard to your passions. Thanks for making us all part of your journey over the years. A number of us are excited for you and are looking forward to "being there" when you announce you've reached your goals for the year.

I appreciate your example because as you push yourself toward accomplishment, I find myself wanting to follow in your footsteps even when as tonight, I'm too tired from travelling to sit down and practice piano or read a book. Just the thought of you getting so far one step at a time, helps me to value a few minutes of progress here and a few minutes there in my own life. Some of those steps you are taking are for more than yourself. Thanks.

Perhaps we are fishtanks. When my dog died in my arms, as her head struggled for breath and then collapsed, an amazing weight lifted. I could feel it rising out of her.

To sanctify anything requires concentration and intent and an awareness of a higher ground. If one truly sanctifies one's own marriage, that sanctity cannot be threatened by any outside influence. Anyone who thinks that concepts like gay marriage can diminish the sanctity of marriage does not understand marriage nor do they understand sanctity. We must concentrate on living the values we wish to instill in others because our own actions speak for themselves. It is the sanctity we bring to ordinary moments that adds up to living one's faith. Sanctification and prayer precede faith. If one prays when one is not in the mood, one will be in prayer when the mood strikes.

Which god? None of them are real, though it would be nice to have one like Thor in your back pocket for those times when you want to smite someone, like an idiot driver. Faith is belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. This is why I don't have faith in my husband's ethics and morals; I have proof and material evidence for them. Faith is a last-ditch grab for something to take the place of mommy and daddy, and santa; to remain a child who's taken care of and of which nothing is expected except unwavering adulation and adoration. It is really a rather sick relationship, especially since the skydaddy doesn't exist but many claim to see him, talk to him and do his bidding (like start wars, kill their children, etc.)

Science is something man developed and while it does have it's problems, it's by far the better choice -- though a hover car would be nice so what harm to pray to allah or jehovah or thor for one, eh??

I think the soul exists and that it has no physical form, so it has no size and it's undetectable by science.

But I agree with you on the other stuff. Science wins. God sucks. End of story.

You're brilliant!

Can you now turn your intellect to finding:

Cheap and safe alternate energy sources

A way to bring this country back to the republic it once was with our rights restored and a vigorous, stable economy

A viable candidate for president

Thank you!

Congratulations on your walking achievement. For the rest of this year, every mile you walk will raise your overall average.

Your explanation of the powers of 2 with regard to units of liquid measure is a simple explanation that I've overlooked all these years as I've wondered how our measurement system came to be.

As the cost of things rise, so will the weight of most people -- to eat well costs; to eat poorly (and thus gain weight) costs much less. So much for healthy Americans but then, as food becomes unaffordable most of us will lose quite a lot of weight; including the burden of our homes. Yes. Bushbaby should be made a saint ....

... *note: only the dead can be sainthooded.

I no longer wear a watch. Over twenty years ago I found a battery run plastic watch with a black plastic band for $1 at my grocery store. The battery in that watch lasted a year. A few months later I decided the watch was such a bargain that I bought five more. Three months after I had thrown away the first watch, the other five watch batteries wore out too. So much for my attempt at economy.

Around the house are a number of battery run plastic wall clocks that I bought at Wal-Mart for $3.86. Yes, I use electric alarm clocks in several rooms, but those wall clocks are easy to see in good light.

The clock in my car is 23 minutes fast. For some reason I'm generally on time now whereas I used to be habitually 10 to 15 minutes late.

I use my cell phone as my portable alarm clock.

My cell phone costs about $35 per month. I make probably about 20 minutes worth of calls on it during that period. Those are expensive phone calls, but they are well placed and allow me the portabililty I need when I travel.

When I'm in a store I look at items that might intrigue me for a moment, but then I imagine what they will look like in the box to Goodwill.

I called up to order a replacement water filter for the one I just installed in the refrigerator. The service rep asked if I wanted two. I told her that since I'm almost 62 and since water filters last 6-8 months, an extra filter might outlive me. I told her I didn't need my heirs to have to sell that extra water filter in an estate sale.

Speaking of my getting older, could you please tell me again what was the topic we were discussing?

[NightListener]

Haha, you're so clever *sarcasm*

When you said "Guess what I'm doing" I thought:

He implied that he was doing something "dirty" as a joke.

See? no dirty in my mind. I'm pretty lame.

Oh geesh, I do this every day with most everything I have to fork money over for and the worst buy is taxes. No, wait, it's what we all pay to have politicians in our employ .... I won't do the math on that or I'll have to either kill myself, or all of them.

I am not normal... my car I paid 2000 for and I have used it so far for four years

My house I paid 100 dollars for and it is paid off... I pay about 700 a year in property taxes

I spend about 1000 a year in heating cost

I spend 1600 a year in electricity

ah well!

Oh! You are a cruel, cruel person!

Nor has my dog, let's hope they can withstand our economy's bleeding rectums.

& Thankyou for completely exposing and destroying my secret self-support system. "I'm Fine" has always gotten me out of sticky situations until you so politely shoved reality in my face.

I don't need your therapy or sharp objects!

I can live with "NOT fine" or "ok" for now..

And yes, we are in a recession.

I think  therefore I AM ...

... as it did long before us. (To continue Night's comment.) It was all there, existing, way before stars blew up to cast their elements into the cosmos where they culminated in a galaxy which, in one small arm in one small system on a miniscule planet, evolved into life. The baboon in it's cage in a zoo looking to the sky may see only specs of light but his lack of comprehension does not alter what those specs of light are or the greatness which they represent. I put it to you there have been intelligent life forms on many planets at various points in time which did comprehend what they saw and that didn't change what it all was and is, and will be -- whether or not "we" are here to observe it.

Arrogance is the only reason I can see which would lead anyone to really believe that if something doesn't happen of which they are aware, it didn't happen and, is of no importance. We may be ignorant of an asteroid hurling at the planet but we will die nonetheless when it impacts. Ignorance never trumps reality. Dinosaurs were very intelligent but perhaps not "conscious of their existance" so if we were to use your line of reasoning, their ignorance should have save them as not knowing what it was, or that it was even there, the asteroid would not have existed and thus, never impacted and in the end, not have wiped out nearly all life on the planet. The collective ignorance of all life SHOULD have created a safe reality for them but, reality exists in spite of anything being aware of it or not.

And just because we don't fully understand the level of consciousness of other life on this planet doesn't mean ours is better or more valid. Perhaps we should judge more on outcomes and see that we, with our great awareness, have put all other life at risk while, say, whales, could be as aware but chose a different, more benevolent, path. Maybe those who don't imprison other life for their own amusement have a better grasp of what reality is, and how to best exist.

Excuse me folks, but we are in a depression. My parents survived the depression. We can too. But expect hard, maybe dire, times ahead before things get better.

As for your "medical problem," try wiping your butt with aloe lotion which can be quite healing, even if the bottom falls out...of the market, that is.

Excuse me folks, but we are in a recession.

Look on the bright side: It'll be fun to cruise through Wal-Mart in a motorized chair! You could run people over! YAY! Okay, that was a stupid thing to say.

Hi. What do you do that you have to walk so much??

I love Love. I dont smoke so it is perfectly fine for me to make Love.

Instead of hating Love, try giving up smoking.

This made me laugh.  I use to go out late at night to the hen house while they were on their roost.  If you shined a flashlight you could literally see dozens of rats eating all the feed.   I would shot them with a pellet gun  but they would scury off.  I never felt like it was a success until I started finding dead rats in the morning.  Egg or no egg it was always more exciting to me to find dead rats. 

I can't imagine anyone in a wheelchair jumping.

2008: Sat 20,992,349,390 hours writing.

My ass is huge!! hehee

Since unlike lead (Pb) graphite is a benign substance, Larry ran no more risk by sharpening pencils with his teeth than you ran by balancing a broomstick on your finger--splinters. You don't run much more of a risk with wood until you ask Pinnochio what he learned in school today while he's giving you a prostate exam.

Here's my voting record.

My votes are shown in ALL CAPS

[NightListener]

I don't have any weird talents except the ability to wiggle my ears, and that's not s..xually exciting either.

What's a s..xually exciting super talent anyway?

Hey -

I don't particularly like nostalgic entries of my own. But I definately liked yours. I wish I had more interesting thoughts.

Ash

In most cases... EXCEPT TRUE LOVE!

If I get the girl of my dreams, I will be eternally happy and I will never need anything else.

Well said. It got me thinking.

But it's not just humans. I believe that there are other life forms out there that can probably think and wonder to the extent that humans can think and wonder.

I like you too much to accept your prejudices. I don't care where they came from. I don't care if you were brought up to feel as you do. You're bright and have opened your life to other people. You know your prejudices for what they are. You are capable of being quite loving, quite accepting, quite encouraging, and quite fair. I expect nothing less from you ever. Sure, you may have first responses that come from what you've been taught, but you're an adult now and you're responsible for what you think, feel, and accept about life. You have no business using the term "towel head" in my diary or in yours for that matter. It's disrespectful and hurts a lot of good people who have had nothing to do with the negativity you associate with that phrase. If you're in Texas and you feel you're surrounded with a lot of people who hold the same prejudices you reference in your comment in my diary, I don't care whether you stand up to them or not. But I do expect you to stand up to yourself to challenge yourself to be all that you can be. Smallmindedness doesn't enhance who you are.

I may be wrong about McCain. I'm pretty ignorant about a lot of things. But if you're going to dig at Obama, do so based on your sense of what the issues are or should be. Do so based on your assessment of his experience or lack of it. But don't do so as a response to prejudices with which you grew up. You're a working man. Just how do you think you're going to benefit from tax cuts being given to corporations and their top executives at the expense of the middle class as proposed by McCain? Just what is your theory? Please explain it to me because I don't understand and I'd like to. Do you really believe that Obama is a liar and filled with deceit? I'm not saying he's perfect. But I do believe he'll work to be knowledgeable and fair minded and open to seeing beyond his current point of view as he learns more. I've respected McCain in the past, but I don't trust him right now. I perceive him as having too much blind ambition. Challenge my perceptions. Change them if you can.

All I know is that as I turn 62 and find myself about to be without health insurance except for that available through a special state emergency program for those who are otherwise uninsurable, I feel somewhat panicked. The insurance is very expensive (fortunately we can afford it) but the deductibles are at least 50% when a procedure is covered at all. Many are not. In addition their definitions of terms are set up to separate conditions into many categories, each with its own deductible separate from other categories which means everywhere one turns, one pays the maximum. Basically the insurance acts as catastrophic.

When John McCain talks about a $5000 healthcare credit for children, that doesn't help me. When John McCain says that the insurance industry should be allowed to determine the best programs--it's the insurance agencies that are turning us down because of our age and pre-existing conditions. Even sleep apnea is enough to exclude one from eligibility to be insured. I've never had a single day of my life when my parents or I weren't paying for health insurance on me. I've paid into the system continually. But now I'm left stranded by the insurance industry. They might as well be saying "Let them eat cake." When enough people are told to eat cake, we wind up with social chaos. The government can't possibly be any more corrupt than corporations. There's not enough transparency in the world to monitor misappropriated funds drained from the insurance system. But even so, the whole idea of insurance is somewhat socialistic--in a good sense--in that we're all in this together.

As for taxes on corporations in order to keep them in America--America is not just workers. America is also consumers. It is possible to regulate a corporation's access to American consumers to the extent of requiring certain terms in order for them to operate (sell) here. Someone will find the American market worth paying taxes to access. Of course, that could give rise to a whole black market economy, but if we're being taken to the cleaners by assorted world-wide mafias, we might as well bring that closer to the surface too.

At least Obama starts off with premises that are oriented toward preserving the middle class. If he can bring in enough new voters, that in itself will be an accomplishment.

McCain's bid for the women's vote with Palin would make a win for him a setback for the progress women have made. It wasn't that long ago that women couldn't even vote or own property. I'm opposed to abortion which is why I don't go out spreading my seed carelessly. But there isn't anything in life where I can expect everyone to see things my way. There are some areas where personal choice needs to be respected. There are terrible things that happen in the world. It's foolish to think we can legislate all of them away. As a man I feel my voice shouldn't count as much as that of women when it comes to the laws governing abortion. I hate that Roe vs. Wade has primarily been legislated and ruled on by men. If someone is opposed to abortion, they know what to do. And if they don't know what to do, maybe that says something about s..x education in this country.

McCain outwardly promotes trickle down economy, but actually what he practices is tinkle down economy. I'm tired of being pissed on by the Grand Old Posers.

You are a man of few words and much power here. The only thing you're lacking is a market for your writing. There are a number of them out there. You just have to find yours.

You should not be squirreling away writing that is so worthy of publication and that could be earning you gingerbread, nuts and all.

Roflmafao I am so sorry I love you and this entry. This just made me incredibly happy. Squirrels are amazing but one of my friend think they are worthless maybe they are who knows till they are gone. But why as humans do we want their nuts? LOL

Gingerbread men probably are screaming with flavor when you bite their head off.

LadyPrecious.

LOL...yes I'm still with my HipMonkey Dave...and all is well with him, me and Us I'm not around much, but always check your diary when I do sign in...life is busy with work as usual. So you get on it and look after your LDL's and your BP...!

*smiles*

Lily

Hi E Glad you're ok, I have been watching for updates from you and was happy to see one posted!

Take care

Lily

Hey E!

Glad you're okay. I don't imagine we'll be seeing you walking down the highway wearing an old "I LIKE IKE" button anytime soon. (I had one once although I was too young to vote and my parents supported Adlai Stevenson, but I think I got rid of all my old political buttons including my Kennedy/Johnson during a basement clearout.)

Glad you still have your job. Times is hard! Times is hard! Don't want you to have to eat the worst pies in Texas. (I guess we already have been there, done that! Now I just hope we don't have to follow it up with some Half-Baked Alaska.) 

Time to put enough money under the mattress to buy a bus ticket to Washington, D.C. When we're old (I already am) and living on the streets, they might as well be the streets outside Congress and the White House. The way things are going, however, that could wind us up with a stay at Guantanamo, with free rent and shampoo. The next bail-out may be Congress--oh wait, they bailed out a long time ago. Well, it's food for thought. Sorry it won't help replace all the spoilage in the refrigerator and freezer. But at least I'm alive...er...I mean, you're alive.

You always seem to open my mind--make things explode inside that wouldn't have exploded had you not lit the match.

Narrow range! narrow range!
Call Life luck or chance.
But what's it called to dance in rain
while in our underpants?
Some folks around might judge us errant,
thinking us to be depraved,
as cotton briefs become transparent,
revealing natural, waxed, or shaved.
Between the dawns and twilights
we live our cans and cannots,
unaware of what may pass
for "life" on other planets.
Though we dwell in a dimension
that depends upon hydration,
perhaps in fire and ice we fail
to recognize gyration.
Perhaps in this great universe
another kind of crop
sits sizzling in a frying pan
awaiting the Big Pop!!!

You saw me for what I am and called me out on it. I'm so embarrassed, I can't show my face.

When gravity pulls the blouse of a beautiful woman to the floor, I suspect some of us guys would be defying gravity.

I like the way you presented the statistics to effectively tell the story. I don't think you could have done better with charts and graphs. Very clear concepts.

I hope your depression is lifting.

I also hope you and your wife remain safe from Gustav. He apparently fled Guantanamo and is headed your way. By the time he gets to you he may be heavily intoxicated as rumor has it he's stopping at Pat O'Brien's in New Orleans for a Hurricane or two or three. He swore he'd get you for stealing your wife from him. His rage is uncontrollable and he's out to do all the damage he can do. Please take whatever precautions are necessary lest he unleash a rain of terror on you. Whatever you do, do not hide in your attic without an axe. After all, you may be inspired to do some hack writing to calm your nerves.

If we sloshed around in mud all day and then farted, we'd be able to see the wind too.

Your

Just the thought of your walking 12 miles this morning is enough to send me back to bed. Happy trails to you. Hope your depression is temporary. (I'm never sure when you're kidding and when you're not, but since depression has become a recurring theme in your writing, I'm taking you at your word that you are depressed. Hope you're feeling good physically.)

Well, it happens.

~.Stuffage and everyfin wif it~.

-Jovonnah Rabbit

I am sure you will pull it off

hugs

Oh boy... lol

Swan.

wow ...lmao you made me laugh soo hard with that comment... nah I doubt he wants to mess the bed  with me ...he just wants something  from me  I am wanting to know what he wants next...lol

hugs

my dad died when I was 15 years old

his 3 last years werent good for us since he changed  because of his illness but he was an awesome dad when I was a little girl

I miss his protection but I know he is in a better place

you are right our happiness should never be taken away only supplemented  by even greater happiness

tight hugs

so true

we are all in search of acceptance

hugs

Hey E!

I left a comment in tiredheart's diary today which references your comment I found in my diary this morning regarding my entry "The Colors of My Life."

You saw elements I missed--the most obvious. Sure, I was aware of the feelings about my mother, but I think not as clear with myself about how much they were shaping that particular piece. In the writing I failed to communicate anything about my mother as she is now. Because you follow her story in my diary so closely and with such caring, you were able to find between the lines what someone without the knowledge of the back story could not have found, I think. You also clarified for me what the entry, rambling as it is, is all about. There are some loose threads (such as  the mention of Mary Kay and the pink Cadillac, first referenced more purposefully by tiredheart in her initial entry that had inspired mine) that could be tied in better (e.g. My mother included applying makeup as part of her preparation to go out, but I don't bring that home clearly) and there are omissions that would really add to the story--(for Mothers Day I gave my mother back her music box which I had saved when she entered the nursing home). I'm hoping to be able to bring out more clearly some of what you were able to read between the lines without clobbering the reader on the head with the information. Your close reading and your knowledge of literary techniques evidenced throughout so much of your own writing--particularly your fiction--really make a huge difference for me in my understanding of my own written piece.

What touches me too, is that you keep revealing ranges of your own genius that you clearly recognize in yourself but which you constantly strive to avoid flaunting by camouflaging your enormous talent and intelligence with self-deprecating humor.

I feel your presence in my life as a brother, a longtime close friend, an inspiration, and a spiritual guide. I love you and treasure you and your friendship and all the ways you've enriched my life through your writing and caring.

NL