Wikileaks

From CNN. Part of the sensitive information published suggested Saudi donors remain chief financiers of militant groups like Al Qadea. Another document states that the King of Saudi Arabia in a document, urges the US to bomb Iran.

Jon Stewart. Wow that's confusing. So one of our main allies in the war on terror is also one of the main funders of our war on terrors enemy. So if we give them money for oil, that allows them to buy weapons from us, with a little left over to fund terrorist groups, that we must then send our military over to fight, which costs a lot of money in fuel, which we buy from them. It's like we're the comissionless middle man in a war we are waging on ourselves.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving. It's about 65 degrees, not exactly Thanksgiving weather, but nice. My yams are cooking and pies are made. We are headed out to my in-laws house today at noon for Thanksgiving lunch.

Things I am thankful for this year include:

Our great place in Milton. Peaceful and beautiful.
My family. That covers a lot. The best mom and dad ever, sisters I love so much.
Great in-laws that love my kids. Sisters in law (Amy and Abby), brothers in law (Jon, Scott,Chris,Stuart and Allen), three cute nephews and a darling niece. Great extended family and friends.
My husband and kids, to which I added a wonderful daughter in law this year, she is fabulous!
Our health and happiness. Great memories and the ability to make more.
More than we probably deserve.

Barbara Wallace for telling me to be a nurse and then encouraging me to finish my BSN.
A really fun job, that can be very rewarding at times.

Superficially I am thankful for:
A DVR, a car, sleep, MSNBC, hair color, coffee, college football (RTR), down time, a comfy couch with blankets, my great front porch, that I am finished with MTSU, low cholesterol, date nights, down comforters, a man who does his own laundry, my iPhone, music, my stack of magazines I can't wait to read over Christmas break, the horses, that Bristol lost, sushi......I could go on!

Hope everyone has a great TG and gets to see the ones you love this weekend!

Take a chicken to the doctor......

Well today is the big day many people have been waiting for since 2008. Finally, WE get to take our country back. I had not realized anyone had taken it from us besides the big banks, mortgage institutions, and insurance companies. But I guess some communists, socialists, and Marxists have wheedled their way in, thank God someone was there to let me know. In the last couple of years we have been bombarded with the most amazing fear mongering I have ever seen. Glenn Beck is possibly more popular than ever with his vast and overly dramatic conspiracy theories, his crazy Nazi uniforms and symbolism, and his magical chalkboard. Rush Limbaugh is thought to be the tail-wagger of the Republican party with his bigoted hate messages broadcast throughout the airwaves on a daily basis. Not a day goes by that someone doesn't post a warning of Marxist America on their facebook page (why am I friends with these people??) Preachers have even gotten into the mix. Billy Graham's son Franklin is very vocal about fearing Muslims, James Dobson's Focus on the Family has done much damage to any chance a gay teen has to feel like a real person who deserves a good life, and we won't even go into Pat Robertson, it's too crazy to touch on. To me this is sad and a waste of their calling. These people should know better, they really should.

As for the President, I have to say I have been slightly disappointed in him. I am disappointed that there is no public option, I am disappointed in his stand on gay rights, DADT and marriage, and GITMO. I am disappointed in how he, trying to work in the bipartisan fashion he promised, has let the Republicans run all over him. To me, nothing better could happen than for the Republicans to take the house and finally have to take some ownership of this mess they call Washington. The "party of NO" will have to finally do something besides say no. They have already said "we will not compromise". Yes, that would make me feel good about voting for someone.

We have tea party candidates like Rand Paul, Christine O'Donnell, Sharon Angle, Meg Whitman, Carl Paladino, Linda McMahon, that may show up in Washington next year. This is what should scare us to death. This is not Saturday Night Live, these are people that will be making the decisions that change our lives, people that won't talk to the press or answer any questions, people that vilify gays and say that should not be a lifestyle option, yet send pornographic emails to their friends, own two gay bars, and has a second family with his mistress. People that don't have a fourth grade knowledge of what the Constitution says, people that want to deport all the illegal immigrants (ohhh 'cept the ones that work for them), people that think civil rights are ok, BUT business owners should be able to turn blacks away, cause it's their business. Sharon Angle said she would answer questions from the press when she is elected. Is this ok? Christine O'Donnell will only go on Fox, because that is where sister Sarah sent her. "It's safer there for me and I have Sean Hannity in my back pocket." One GOP senate hopeful actually suggested we go back to bartering livestock for healthcare....all righty then. They are going to change this country. They have yet to be able to say how. I am still waiting on Palin to let us know how she will "cut taxes and shore up the economy and create jobs"---maybe we will see in 2012, because it seems she is twittering her way to the White House. I mean Bristol said she thinks it would be awesome! How can you argue with that?

Maybe I am jaded, maybe I have political rhetoric burnout, or maybe I am really ready for one politician to have the audacity to do his/her job. The amount of money these candidates spend on negative attack ads could feed a small country, it's sad, really. The bloat of overspending is mostly in defense, that will never be touched, not even a percentage. Do we ever even hear anyone talk about how much money we are spending in a war that is suppose to be over? Of course not, how un-American would that be?

So we will see, it ought to be interesting. I voted, I did what I could. You probably did too, possibly differently, but I bet we all want the same thing....results.

Know what?

I am so sick of Sarah Palin.

That's it.

Angel's underwear

It's been such a nice week in Milton. The weather has been warm, the warmest March on record, they say. Blooming trees and flowers, lots of grass to mow....sneezing, nice.
Kate is safe, yet another week on DWTS....how does this happen? She had another meltdown, brought Jon into it somehow. Jake is still not connecting with the "high five"...misses it every time and then has this quizzical look like, what just happened?? Lots of high leg kicks, full body waxing, dramatic makeup, and skimpy outfits, and that's just the guys. Seriously, Aidan, who just stands there looking pretty was the one to go...awww, sad really. He was much better than Kate, but I have to say, I will be glad to see her one more week. I know, I know.....

Loved this from my reading this morning. I have been dealing with some major hospitality issues lately and it is heartbreaking to me that we are so unlike Jesus sometimes. I always remember in Sunday school as a little kid, this verse about entertaining "angels unaware".......of course we HAD to make it angel's underwear. Where did that go? When did the Christian nation we are suppose to be start this hate fest with anyone unlike us? Anyone different, who is in need? I am baffled really.

Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured.
- Hebrews 13:1-3

I know that black is beautiful and white is beautiful. But the most beautiful color of all is black and white together.

We hate each other because we fear each other. We fear each other because we don't know each other. We don't know each other because we won't sit down at the table together.
- Rev. Ralph David Abernathy

Pour your Spirit into our hearts so that we might bear your welcome to all around us, that we might love our neighbors as ourselves and in so doing live out our love for you. We confess our own welcome is limited, that we tend to care for only those we like or who care for us. Challenge us, God, to love more and to welcome more. Amen.

A Covenant for Civility (Jim Wallis)

Help Dawn Save Wildlife

There will be dancing, there will be (bad, bad) dancing.....

This is my first year to really watch Dancing with the Stars. There is one reason, and we will get to that in a minute. First, stars, what stars? I don't know half of them, who they are, why they are stars, what they have done, I could go on. I am watching it for one reason, and one reason only...that's right, Kate Gosselin. Wait! Before you judge me, I am not necessarily saying I am a Kate fan, although in the Jon vs. Kate turmoil, I would say I have to side with her. OK, I know she was horrible to him. A control freak, rude, mean, angry, sadistic, demeaning, shall I go on? But come on, he is a total tool. I'm not saying she was justifiably mean, but....

I have watched Jon and Kate plus eight since the get-go. She has always fascinated me. She has to be the biggest control freak I have ever seen. It's like Broke Back Mountain, I can't quit her. What will she do next? Will she freak out because one of the kids squeezed their juice box too forcefully? Will she scold Minnie Mouse on her free trip to Disney for not eating all her organic cheese? Will she flog Jon in the middle of the Barbie section of Toys-r-us? NO! She will be on this season of Dancing with the Stars, of course! I was so excited, seriously, I was counting down the days!
So this is week, oh I don't know, 4 or 5, and she is the worst dancer I have ever seen. She never improves, it's almost like she gets worse each week. She always has a meltdown, which adds to the drama, but never gets any better, can I get a witness?
The word robotic does not do her justice. (OK, this is when, as a southern woman, I insert a "bless her heart", so as not to seem too cruel). Bless her heart.

This week she "danced" to the song "paparazzi" and stomped and frowned and stomped and frowned....excruciating! Her outfit, oh the horrors, her make-up, wow. Her hair extensions, yeowch! She has reinvented herself, but I don't know who she is trying to be.
Anyway, even Carrie Ann didn't know what to say....weird, uncomfortable, strange....that about says it all. Buzz is a dream to watch compared to Kate.
Maybe next week will be better, but I'm not betting the farm on it. Bless her heart.

Happy Easter

I am having my family over for Easter lunch tomorrow. It's one of the first times, both sides have been here together and we have the best house for this. It's sort of "potlucky"....everyone kinda of has their "thing". My sister-in-law does a mean corn casserole. I was just introduced to this phenomenon a few years back. Sort of cornbread, sort of corn pudding, sort of creamed corn. 100% southernly delightful.
We are grilling out (in the south we do NOT call it BBQ)...grilling or cooking out only. My oldest son is our "griller". Mom makes potato salad and desserts, my mother-in-law does desserts and deviled eggs (although she calls them "dressed eggs"as not to give the devil any credit for something so yummy).
I started out with just a few guests, and it kept growing in numbers. The more the merrier, I say. Traditions are important, I think, so I am trying to start some of our own.

We are so blessed to have a beautiful place to share on this special day, I am hoping this wonderful weather holds out. 80 degrees?? where did Spring go? Hope your family has a great Easter Sunday too!!

Here's that recipe:
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can cream style corn
1 stick of butter, melted
8 oz carton sour cream
1 1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
1 box "Jiffy" cornbread mix
Mix together
Bake at 350 in a 9x9 greased casserole dish for 30 minutes or until done.
Enjoy and Happy Easter!

File under Duh......

General McChrystal: We've shot 'An Amazing Number' of innocent Afgans.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/02/mcchrystal-weve-shot-an-a_n_523749.html

At least they wished him well.....

Fox news has dropped the LL Cool J portion of an interview set to air on a Sarah Palin special. Evidently Mr. Cool did not want to be associated with the show. Here is how Fox responded, "As it appears that Mr. Smith does not want to be associated with a program that could serve as an inspiration to others, we are cutting his interview from the special and wish him the best with his fledgling acting career." Wow, passive-aggressive much?

OK, so I guess we can.

Historic House Vote

Just a quick blog, then I am off to church with my sister. Today is the day that our elected officials will decide on health care reform. It has been a long road, a contentious one, one filled with scare tactics, hateful rhetoric, and downright lies. Death panels, total government takeover, and oh, socialism, yeah, we are on the road to socialism (this is the sound of my eyes rolling).

If I hear one more Republican congressman (you know who you are John Boehner) say we have the "best health care system in the world" I am going to go to DC and shove the World Health Organization's report on where we really rank down that spray tanned face of his. Take a look at our infant mortality and maternal mortality rates. I wish politicians would just be honest and say "I" am happy with MY health care, because "I" have health care. Hey fellas, we are talking about the people who don't.

The bill is flawed, sure. No public option? I think that is a bad thing. I am certainly not worried about insurance CEOs not receiving their 110 million dollar bonuses next year.
So it will be an interesting day. Hopefully when health reform passes and people realize that Hitler mustaches aren't sprouting out all over and granny, in fact, will live to face another day, some of the rhetoric will cease...then we can move on to immigration reform and play nicely, yeah right!

New political term of the week

"cramming" a bill through: voting on a bill