What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from. ~~ TS Eliot
Monday, January 9, 2017
Season Three
Christina's operating with Burke. He moves her to the opposite side of the table. She gets blood spurted on her. We see this mask, this pattern, for a long time. She turns to leave the OR,
I spent a big chunk of my day tending VT*Grandson and his adorable little sister, VT*Grandbaby (who is now VT*GrandToddler, I guess! Ha!). They are soooooo wonderful!!! When I arrived, both were asleep. Mama (heading off to work as a first employee of a new startup that offers art experiences to children! She is an art teacher) said that she anticipated the little one would sleep a long time and the older one wouldn't sleep long at all. Turned out the other way around. Ha! Little girl woke up and I wasn't sure how she'd take seeing Grammie instead of Mama. BIG SMILE!! Same with big brother. After awhile, he asked where Mama was and I told him and he was fine with that. We'll be doing this every Monday afternoon for awhile. Then we switch to ALL DAY Tuesdays, possibly straight through Summer, and that will be a much bigger challenge. But, oh, I love them both so much!! ♡ ♡
Sorry. Grey's Anatomy. I guess I don't ever see theatrical blood as *blood*--and am way more interested in how much it "looks" like blood, lol! The Waltons blood was always dismal--too bright, and too thin. But this was about patterns--we've been watching Christina for about five minutes with the one pattern, and she turns around and has another one. For me, terribly jarring.
I'm with you on the blood, Puddle. And patterns! definitely patterns. It would have jarred me as well.
Yes, that was a good Olbermann segment. I'm not understanding why Roberts, as head of the SC can't stop this. Yes he is RW, but he has also shown some good choices. Listened to the Sessions confirmation on my way into work today. the R's treat him so special. grrrrrrr
Well, Puddle...I am mighty happy you identified the blood pattern All I could think was "what is Puddle watching now." Whew!
My young 'uns gave me some nice audiobooks...which I adore.. for Christmas. Listening my way through "To Kill a Mockingbird." What a fine book. I love audio books...or maybe just the human voice....but this is such a wonderful work.
It is finally beginning to warm up a little....high should be forty degrees today. FInally! That Sessions is slimy... I was happy to see Al Francken go after him.
Today I called not only my Senators but my Rep as well. I wasn't only calling about the issue of Medicare and Medicaid possibly being chopped, but I began there. I then registered my deep concern about each and all of the cabinet picks and, moreover, that for a P-E to declare that the CIA is wrong and Russia is right is a form of treason, that he is mentally ill and should have been more properly vetted. He should never have been offered to us as a candidate. So, in summary, I feel strongly that this Inauguration should not go forward. I know that there are technicalities and processes, and to be honest, I added, I really don't care. To Inaugurate this person is wrong and I am calling upon Congress to do the right thing and stop the Inauguration.
A commercial just came on and just as we were muting it, it began: "You wouldn't keep a cell phone for more than three years..." ROFL!! Our 4Ss are two weeks away from the 5 year mark. We both cracked up! Nice try. Didn't work. :-D
What puddle is watching now is The Constant Gardener. I'd forgotten how intense it is.
Warmed a bit more. Blessed. The river was just about to close (ice fans from either side to meet in the middle. . . .) Now a week with no freezing temps at all.
Trump Denies Allegations Of Secret Ties, Collusion Between Campaign And Russia
"NPR is not detailing the contents of the brief because it remains unverified, but it describes a concerted effort by Russian President Vladimir Putin to cultivate a relationship with Trump and his camp. The document, which describes information provided by Russian government and other sources, details behavior by Trump that could leave him open to blackmail, as well as alleged secret meetings between Trump aides and Russian officials called to discuss the campaign against Clinton and potential new business relationships."
Hang onto your hats, folks; we're bound to have a wild ride today in the USA! This comes via Liane (from the original Dean blog) and is still unverified. But it's sure going to make for an interesting news conference at 11am!!
We do have to wait on confirmation of the validity of the document, of course. But! I would think it's treasonous to be in cahoots with a foreign government to win an election, and this (at best) highlights DT's character. I suppose there's an off chance it's "just" fog from Russia, but assuming it's found to be accurate, what happens next? Wouldn't we need a whole new election? Who's in charge meanwhile? It's crazy time in the USA!
I believe that until the new is sworn in, the old is still in power. Leastways I would think so. I think the SC has a responsibility here as well. DO NOT SWEAR THAT MAN INTO OFFICE!
We watched nearly a hour of DT's press conference. He took about five questions in that time period and answered with his usual hyperbole, exaggeration, and bragging. We had to go to Estes, so we didn't see all of it, but how can anyone believe this man? He lies constantly, seems incapable of reason, is arrogant and insulting. How did he accumulate so much power? Depressing and frightening.
Some of his lies: The Trump Corporation has no debt. It has never dealt with Russia, even though one of his sons was quoted saying a lot of money comes in from Russia. And it goes on.
Well, I shared what I said when I called my Congresspeople and I had also previously written to each of them saying:
"What I need to know is, given the now-confirmed Russian interference in our election, why are we going forward with the Inauguration? Wouldn't that mean "it worked" and encourage more of the same?
"The President-elect says that the CIA is wrong and Russia is fine. How is that not a form of treason?
"I am not asking rhetorically and I am not just blowing off steam. I am truly concerned about this and need some way to comprehend why the Inauguration isn't being stopped."
Today I received a response from Rep. Peter Welch. I love his first sentence! And I appreciate his hard efforts in our behalf. But he did not answer my question. Here's his good letter:
"I share your deep dismay with November’s election results, especially in light of the fact that Hillary Clinton received nearly three million more votes than Donald Trump, yet lost the presidency due to the antiquated Electoral College.
"Equally difficult is that Mr. Trump and his appointees, many of whom are hostile to the mission of the agencies they will lead, seem intent on unravelling many of President Obama’s accomplishments.
"Here is my approach to this new reality.
"Where Mr. Trump, as president, resurrects the alarming, inflammatory, and threatening rhetoric of his campaign, I will fight back fiercely. I hope you will too. We cannot condone incitement to violence, the targeting of religious or ethnic minorities, or a curtailment of civil liberties. Doing so would, in my view, threaten the foundation of our democracy.
"Where he proposes policies that intensify income inequality, deny climate change, or shred the social safety net, I will vigorously oppose them while proposing constructive alternatives that rebuild the middle class, fix the Affordable Care Act, protect our environment, and shore up Medicare and Social Security.
"And where he follows through on campaign promises that I believe are good for the country and the middle class—an ambitious infrastructure program, cutting prescription drug costs, or eliminating wasteful Pentagon spending – I will work with him to get the job done.
"You and other Vermonters can join me in this approach. And you can also do something else extremely important to the well-being of our democracy. You can act locally. Be engaged in your community and its challenges. Listen to your neighbors. Find ways to resolve disagreements and ways to cooperate that make our state stronger. We can renew our faith in our democracy by acting to protect and strengthen it.
City of Joy is good. Very good. Constant Gardener is GRAND. Ralph Fiennes is astonishingly good. Didn't remember him from The English Patient. How odd is that?
Edwin was shocked that I'd never seen either Casablanca or Citizen Kane. Shocked, in fact at how many movies I *hadn't* seen, and Educating Julie became a project, left unfinished. Think he'd be tickled now. . . .
I often thought that had I just stayed in theatre rather than jumping to English, I might well (likely would have) met him 30 years sooner. (Thought of being out of work three or four times a year had NO appeal for me. . . .) But it prolly wouldn't have worked, he was doing some hard drinking then, and was much angrier than when I knew him. I'm not much of an enabler. Better when we did meet--he'd calmed both his peaks and his crashes. We seemed to fill each other's empty spaces.
It's nearly 3am and I have to get to sleep as we are leaving tomorrow to go see littlest Grand who turns 1 on Saturday!
But, I could not sleep until I wrote back to Peter Welch. So, hang onto your hat, here's what I just sent:
Part 1:
"Dear Peter, "Your beautiful letter was warmly welcomed in my email Inbox. I very much appreciate your understanding about the way the election turned out and the "antiquated" electoral college. (Excellent adjective!) Please know that I never doubted your resolve or wisdom in choosing what issues to tend for us. You have my utmost esteem, as ever. "There is one thing, however, that I felt you did not address. You spoke of the coming Administration simply in terms of this "reality." But I must ask again WHY this nation is going forward with this Inauguration. I am not just being a sore loser, there are grave concerns and it seems each day we have more of them. Given the evidence of hacking and interference by the Russians in our election, we are we not nullifying this election and holding a proper election? Speaking as an election official (albeit in rural Vermont), I believe we could make this happen in less than a month. What's more, I strongly believe that the President-Elect was not properly vetted by the RNC, and should not have been presented as a candidate. Simply to be ordained and take on a leadership role in a mainline faith community, a person is required to have a psychiatric workup in addition to studies and other preparations. Is a psychiatric examination required for Presidential candidates? If not, why not and when will this be rectified? "Even setting aside my concerns about the mental health of our President-Elect, there remain too many unresolved issues to go forward with this Inauguration. What of the conflict of interest concerns, the possibility of compromising information being used by Putin, the cavalier manner in which the President-Elect uses Twitter and whacks various beehives, such as China? These are grave issues of national security!! Add to this the most reprehensible cabinet nominees in American history and we have the recipe for true and swift disaster. "This Inauguration must be stopped! If there be no mechanism for this, it is only because we haven't needed one before. But we need one now. Let's bring together creative, wise leaders and find a way.
"I have been trying to muster enthusiasm for joining the causes, making the calls, and speaking out to demand good legislation and planning, for the well being of our great country. But, honestly, Peter, I cannot condone allowing this person to become our President. It is simply WRONG! This is me, speaking out. No one has explained to me why this Inauguration is going forward when it is dangerous for our nation. I hold the DNC, the RNC, the Russian government, and the President-Elect accountable for this mess, and must include Congress if this goes forward. I am losing respect for our election process and losing faith in the democratic process itself. I never thought I would say such a thing, but, as you know all too well, we are in an unconscionable situation. "There are just too many dangerous possibilities stemming from the single action of Inaugurating a person who was not properly elected, because the validity of election itself is in question. We could solve so much at once by simply refusing to do so. Rallying is wonderful, but the stresses this Administration will cause are far too much to ask of our people. Vermont's wonderful contingent in Congress would surely work hard, but to what end when the Republicans have full control? "Cannot the Judiciary be prevailed upon? Could they demand that the Inauguration not go forward until issues of conflict of interest are resolved and an independent investigation of the relationship with and influence of Putin takes place? "Please know I support you very much in the good you are trying to do. I just don't think I can believe in our process anymore if it can lead to such a scenario as this, with no wise recourse to stop such a grave and obvious wrong.
Very Sincerely and with Prayers for Well Being..."
Went to sleep last night with no heaters on, after a day of no heaters. Was 62º this morning on waking. Heaters on, up to 72º in two hours. Odd winter. . . .
Missed a visit from grands--Sam had a physical arranged by the ROTC, so. Maybe not this break. Summer's soon.
No heaters, Puddle for those temps. Oh my ...I mostly keep my thermostat at 82 with an additional Heater in the bedroom that pretty much stays in the 70's. This old building can be a bit air leaky...plus I get cold easily.l
As of Tues next week I will be having a physical therapist in to work on my wonky knee. As of now approved for four weeks by doc....same agency I have had several times since moving here. They have always fixed me up....hip, knee, shoulder problems.
Several women from Greensboro are going to D.C. fot the Women's March. Apparently there are 400 bus spaces reserved for people going to the inauguration, but the women have reserved space for 1300 busses. In addition there are marches planned for cities around the country....Including Greensboro......expect to watch from my large bedroom window.
Take heart, Listener...Trump may become President.. will be interesting to see how long he lasts....he will get bored, have a major health problem, get angry because some of his plans get squashed. or any number of annoyances that his childish personality can't/won't accept.
Today was baby grandson's 1st birthday! His mama threw a truly sweet and fun party for him, and we got to delight in seeing 5 of our 6 grands together. (VT*Grand couldn't come at the last minute because their dog's eye got scratched and they needed to stay home and give meds 3 x / day for a week. Had we known in time, we could have brought her with us.)
Enroute home I found email from DFA asking if I'm coming to Bernie's rally tomorrow. NO, I AM NOT. Below is my response.
Actually, I haven’t been a member of DFA since the original Dean blog got canned, and haven’t received DFA emails in years, so I’m not sure why I received your message. You see, I felt it was terribly short-sighted of DFA to drop the blog of such a core group of supporters, such that they were no longer networked. But that was long ago. I had once been a volunteer on the Dean Campaign, here in Vermont. More recently, I had dinner with Jim Dean and Teri Mills and have utmost respect for Jim.
Yet, I do not feel I can join any of the rallies taking place this week. For I am very quietly and deeply angry about what is happening in our nation. I am angry that the DNC wouldn't listen to the people but pushed for a coronation of Hillary Clinton. I volunteered for Bernie and voted for him (both times) here in Vermont (where my voted harmed no one). I am angry that the RNC did not properly vet DT, who never should have been offered as a candidate. I am furious that the antiquated electoral college didn't do what the founders of this country intended, in December. As you may know, the intent was that the EC would be independent and use wisdom to ensure that no one who is unfit for office would ever be elected. I am feeling very let down that Congress and the Judiciary are allowing this Inauguration to go forward when there is high likelihood of treason, not to mention mental illness.
It just seems absurd to me to be moving forward on anything the new Administration might do, when this Administration should not be in power at all~! If Congress has a problem with the agenda being put forth by DT and the Republican majority, the swift and sweeping solution is to stop the Inauguration, rather than fight this horror piecemeal. So at this point I am not willing to attend a rally or march or gather. I am close to saying that I will no longer serve as an election official at the polls because our election process seems to me a sham. [This said, ironically enough, even though I am serving this Tuesday in Jericho as we vote on our town plan, and again on Town Meeting Day.] From the rhetoric, it is plain that the DNC and Dems in general still do not comprehend how they failed us in this past election cycle. Thus I see no indication that things will change for the better going forward, given their approach.
To be honest, I don’t even see what good it does anymore to write to my Congresspeople. Bernie, Pat and Peter serve us wonderfully and I trust their wisdom on agenda items. For the most part, they do fine without calls from me. It is the overarching issue of this unconscionable Inauguration actually going forward that simply leaves me out of the picture. At least for now. On Inauguration Day I will wear black and change the flag my family flies from Old Glory to the Vermont State Flag (stopping just short of flying the American flag upsidedown). I remain deeply concern about our National Security given the credibility, if not provability of the dossier. https://medium.com/startup-grind/evaluating-the-buzzfeed-dossier-by-a-former-intelligence-analyst-53d9611f1657#.rvfhx2dd1 Moreover, should DT be Inaugurated and continue to whack beehives via Twitter, I am shutting down my Twitter account immedately, in protest.
Thanks for all you are attempting to do, though. I truly do appreciate the caring and hope of so many. May the last light never go out.
You are a dear, Shirlee, but I am not taking heart while THAT man is anywhere near the Oval Office. My husband and I have actually had the thought now that if the Inauguration happens and this riffraff stays in power, we may well need to move to a more sane country. So sad to even have the thought!!!
We are getting a dog. It growls at people it doesn't like, often biting them, is unpredictable, undisciplined and unteachable, has a worrisome history, and it is likely to do real harm to our grandchildren. Most members of the family asked us not to do this. But we already signed the papers, so now we are getting a dog.
I appreciate your letter, Listener. It's so well written, so carefully articulated. You speak for me as well. I also received an email notification form DFA, and I just deleted it. There's no doubt the Democrats, particularly the DNC let us down badly. I wondered at the time about Hillary's running. She had been first lady, in the Governor's office and in the Presidency, had been a Senator and a Secretary of State, as well as a powerful activist. Given all the propaganda against her in the 30 years of public service, I wondered if it wasn't time for both Hillary and Bill to be retired. But, that wasn't evidently the thinking of the leaders of the DNC. Hillary really had been campaigning for two years since she retired as Sec. of State. I think they were determined she would be President, ignoring the need for new faces and new leadership.
Also, in Colorado we worked hard to elect Betsy Markey to the House of Representatives and Mark Udall as Senator. Both let us down. Betsy was not going to vote for Obamacare, and Mark Udall abandoned Obama. Neither was re-elected. It was as if the Democrats ignored their base and assumed that we would be satisfied. We weren't.
So, a new time, new challenges, the worst possible President Elect in my lifetime, and recognition of the racism and polarization in our country. I'm hoping we are up to the task of reclaiming our values as Americans and a high standard of values for the common good.
Thanks, Pat. Your thoughtful posts so often feed mine.
I should clarify that my "dog" post upthread is an analogy. I posted it on my Facebook page and my brother took it literally, poor man. Funny, I never thought of that, as he so rarely ever comments on my posts. Most everyone who knows us is aware that Bill would *never* have a dog in our house, as he's such a cat-person. The anxiety level is running high this week.
Be gentle with yourselves.
And puddle...may your lines behave!! My goodness, two lines is not intended to give you double the trouble!! ♥
BTW, ♡ Ally ♡ went to NYC with her parents this week for a checkup with the 3f8 specialist. We'll hear the results sometime this week.
Today I had a meeting with a new (to me) seeker, so that makes 9 who come for spiritual guidance. 6 months ago there were 4, and only one came regularly. Something is making people look deeper.
I'll be working at the polls for a town vote today (Tuesday), 3:30-8:00pm (through counting the vote), so will be there as it storms. Happily, Bill is going to work from home that time of day and will drive me over so the car can be in the garage while I work. :-) Given how I am feeling about elections at the moment, I wonder if this will be my last time volunteering. I'm scheduled for Town Meeting Day in March too, and as I'm in Vermont I expect I'll be there. But no more Presidential elections for me, unless something yuge changes before then.
Physical Therapist here today...hoping to patch up this bad knee enough to let me get out and walk safely.....at least to the bookstore and other favorite places...2x -a week for four weeks.
I am glad you are continuing your work with local elections, Listener. I found that so rewarding when I was in Palacios. Was hoping to do some here...but no...mobility was worse and larger system. Ah, well!
Well, I'm home from working at the polls. Our town had a local vote on the Town Plan. The question was whether to limit what footprint new buildings can be to 30,000sq ft, instead of the current allowance of 60,000 sq ft. For reference: the new supermarket in town is 18,000 sq ft. My hope was that we would keep things in town small and not turn into some citified mess. As the townspeople voted it was good to see so many people I know and I got a good feeling that I cared about them all no matter how they were voting. At least they showed up! So how did it turn out? Of the 4098 voters in town, 23.8% voted. And guess what. The new Town Plan with smaller footprint allowance lost ... by 8 votes. =Heavy Sigh=
DSM-5 criteria for narcissistic personality disorder include these features:
Having an exaggerated sense of self-importance Expecting to be recognized as superior even without achievements that warrant it Exaggerating your achievements and talents Being preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate Believing that you are superior and can only be understood by or associate with equally special people Requiring constant admiration Having a sense of entitlement Expecting special favors and unquestioning compliance with your expectations Taking advantage of others to get what you want Having an inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others Being envious of others and believing others envy you Behaving in an arrogant or haughty manner
Thanks for the emu oil tip, Puddle...have heard it mentioned. Listener, I am sorry your small town footprint lost. Lovely blue skies today, massage therapist arrives this afternoon for work on my neck and shoulder ...leaves me totally relaxed and ready for a nap.
I am tired, tired of winter...and this is NOT Michigan or Vermont winter....
I came across Emu oil when i was having a big knee flare up. Got something called New Blue Emu. And unlike everything before it, it helped. So compared the ingredients again other blue meds. Same same except for 10% Emu oil. Figured if 10% was that powerful, 100% must be GREAT. And it was. Put enough on that it feels kinda greasy. Wait ten minutes, and no greasy anymore--it absorbs!
I have a neighbor who raises Emu for meat and oil. First slaughter day, he had several neighboring farmers come help--men in their sixties and seventies, all with achy hands. One major task is lifting these great fat pads on their backs and stowing them. End of day, farmers were astonished: their hands didn't hurt any more!
In those days, it was about @20 for 8 ounces. That's pretty much doubled, alas. But still worth it. I just buy 4 oz bottles, now.
Obama's last press conference, the last part as reported by Politico: Still, “we’ve tried to teach them hope and that the only thing that is the end of the world is the end of the world.” (He's referring to his daughters here.)
Then Obama got existential, looking ahead to the man he desperately didn’t want to be president, whom he sincerely believed and aides say continues to believe is a threat to the republic and risks bringing the country closer to nuclear war—not to mention putting America’s “core values” at risk, or the many ways the incoming administration plans to rip out the last eight years of his legacy.
By the end, he came very close to channeling Anne Frank, almost to the word: “In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart,” she wrote in her diary. “I simply can’t build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death. I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again.”
Obama’s version: “I believe in this country. I believe in the American people. I believe that people are more good than bad. I believe tragic things happen. I think there’s evil in the world, but I think at the end of the day, if we work hard and if we’re true to those things in us that feel true and feel right, that the world gets a little better each time.”
“We just have to fight for it, we have to work for it and not take it for granted,” Obama said, wrapping up quickly and exiting with a half wave.
“Thank you very much, press corps,” Obama said. “Good luck.”
Thanks for the info on emu oil, Puddle. Not sure if it would help with my knee problem..which is essentially Separation of the thigh and leg bone on the inside of the knee...causing the outside to crunch together causing the pain and weakness. PT is working on it with quad and lower leg muscle strengthening...and working back up to normal activity level. Thirty years of RA is the culprit. Will keep the Emu in mind.
Betsy DeVos is one stupid woman. West Michigan is filled with that family.....Amway company take over!
59 comments:
That bothered me the first time I watched, and each of the subsequent ten or twelve times after. Am I just extra pattern sensitive?
Warmed enough over night that Beau stayed out all of 20 minutes this morning. Still, was glad to come in when I called. Po' boy.
Kind of gross. What is this about? Who is Christiana? Season Three of what? Let's hope the patient's blood didn't' have anything scary to pass along.
I spent a big chunk of my day tending VT*Grandson and his adorable little sister, VT*Grandbaby (who is now VT*GrandToddler, I guess! Ha!). They are soooooo wonderful!!! When I arrived, both were asleep. Mama (heading off to work as a first employee of a new startup that offers art experiences to children! She is an art teacher) said that she anticipated the little one would sleep a long time and the older one wouldn't sleep long at all. Turned out the other way around. Ha! Little girl woke up and I wasn't sure how she'd take seeing Grammie instead of Mama. BIG SMILE!! Same with big brother. After awhile, he asked where Mama was and I told him and he was fine with that. We'll be doing this every Monday afternoon for awhile. Then we switch to ALL DAY Tuesdays, possibly straight through Summer, and that will be a much bigger challenge. But, oh, I love them both so much!! ♡ ♡
Sorry. Grey's Anatomy. I guess I don't ever see theatrical blood as *blood*--and am way more interested in how much it "looks" like blood, lol! The Waltons blood was always dismal--too bright, and too thin. But this was about patterns--we've been watching Christina for about five minutes with the one pattern, and she turns around and has another one. For me, terribly jarring.
Must have been a different take, puddle.
Keith Olbermann says it calmly and well:
http://video.gq.com/watch/the-closer-with-keith-olbermann-still-supporting-donald-trump-this-message-is-for-you
And I still don't get why the Inauguration can't be stopped. It is the right thing to do!!!
I'm with you on the blood, Puddle. And patterns! definitely patterns. It would have jarred me as well.
Yes, that was a good Olbermann segment. I'm not understanding why Roberts, as head of the SC can't stop this. Yes he is RW, but he has also shown some good choices. Listened to the Sessions confirmation on my way into work today. the R's treat him so special. grrrrrrr
be well, my bloggie family!
Well, Puddle...I am mighty happy you identified the blood pattern
All I could think was "what is Puddle watching now." Whew!
My young 'uns gave me some nice audiobooks...which I adore..
for Christmas. Listening my way through "To Kill a Mockingbird."
What a fine book. I love audio books...or maybe just the human
voice....but this is such a wonderful work.
It is finally beginning to warm up a little....high should be
forty degrees today. FInally! That Sessions is slimy...
I was happy to see Al Francken go after him.
Happy day...love to all.
How about NO INAUGURATION until the P-E reveals his tax returns and has a psychiatric workup?!!
Today I called not only my Senators but my Rep as well. I wasn't only calling about the issue of Medicare and Medicaid possibly being chopped, but I began there. I then registered my deep concern about each and all of the cabinet picks and, moreover, that for a P-E to declare that the CIA is wrong and Russia is right is a form of treason, that he is mentally ill and should have been more properly vetted. He should never have been offered to us as a candidate. So, in summary, I feel strongly that this Inauguration should not go forward. I know that there are technicalities and processes, and to be honest, I added, I really don't care. To Inaugurate this person is wrong and I am calling upon Congress to do the right thing and stop the Inauguration.
A commercial just came on and just as we were muting it, it began: "You wouldn't keep a cell phone for more than three years..." ROFL!! Our 4Ss are two weeks away from the 5 year mark. We both cracked up! Nice try. Didn't work. :-D
What puddle is watching now is The Constant Gardener. I'd forgotten how intense it is.
Warmed a bit more. Blessed. The river was just about to close (ice fans from either side to meet in the middle. . . .) Now a week with no freezing temps at all.
Keep an eye on this. Treason?
Trump Denies Allegations Of Secret Ties, Collusion Between Campaign And Russia
"NPR is not detailing the contents of the brief because it remains unverified, but it describes a concerted effort by Russian President Vladimir Putin to cultivate a relationship with Trump and his camp. The document, which describes information provided by Russian government and other sources, details behavior by Trump that could leave him open to blackmail, as well as alleged secret meetings between Trump aides and Russian officials called to discuss the campaign against Clinton and potential new business relationships."
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/01/10/509223836/trump-denies-allegations-of-secret-ties-collusion-between-campaign-and-russia
At 11am on Wednesday the 11th, NPR will broadcast DT's first "news conference" since July *and* offer live fact-checking at npr.org.
http://www.npr.org
(That's 11am Eastern)
Hang onto your hats, folks; we're bound to have a wild ride today in the USA! This comes via Liane (from the original Dean blog) and is still unverified. But it's sure going to make for an interesting news conference at 11am!!
We do have to wait on confirmation of the validity of the document, of course. But! I would think it's treasonous to be in cahoots with a foreign government to win an election, and this (at best) highlights DT's character. I suppose there's an off chance it's "just" fog from Russia, but assuming it's found to be accurate, what happens next? Wouldn't we need a whole new election? Who's in charge meanwhile? It's crazy time in the USA!
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3259984-Trump-Intelligence-Allegations.html
I believe that until the new is sworn in, the old is still in power. Leastways I would think so. I think the SC has a responsibility here as well. DO NOT SWEAR THAT MAN INTO OFFICE!
We watched nearly a hour of DT's press conference. He took about five questions in that time period and answered with his usual hyperbole, exaggeration, and bragging. We had to go to Estes, so we didn't see all of it, but how can anyone believe this man? He lies constantly, seems incapable of reason, is arrogant and insulting. How did he accumulate so much power? Depressing and frightening.
Some of his lies: The Trump Corporation has no debt. It has never dealt with Russia, even though one of his sons was quoted saying a lot of money comes in from Russia. And it goes on.
Did you know that DT's law firm has a branch in Moscow and won an award last April/May?
⚖💰⚖Russia Law Firm of the Year ⚖💰⚖ (You can't make this stuff up!)
https://www.morganlewis.com/news/chambers-partners-names-morgan-lewis-as-russia-law-firm-of-the-year
I'm with you, Barb!! I do not care what the proper procedure is, it is more wrong to swear him in than to break with procedure!!!
"The Transfer" by Clay Bennett
(Can you see this, puddle?)
http://www.timesfreepress.com/cartoons/2017/jan/11/transfer/2844/
Well, I shared what I said when I called my Congresspeople and I had also previously written to each of them saying:
"What I need to know is, given the now-confirmed Russian interference in our election, why are we going forward with the Inauguration? Wouldn't that mean "it worked" and encourage more of the same?
"The President-elect says that the CIA is wrong and Russia is fine. How is that not a form of treason?
"I am not asking rhetorically and I am not just blowing off steam. I am truly concerned about this and need some way to comprehend why the Inauguration isn't being stopped."
Today I received a response from Rep. Peter Welch. I love his first sentence! And I appreciate his hard efforts in our behalf. But he did not answer my question. Here's his good letter:
"I share your deep dismay with November’s election results, especially in light of the fact that Hillary Clinton received nearly three million more votes than Donald Trump, yet lost the presidency due to the antiquated Electoral College.
"Equally difficult is that Mr. Trump and his appointees, many of whom are hostile to the mission of the agencies they will lead, seem intent on unravelling many of President Obama’s accomplishments.
"Here is my approach to this new reality.
"Where Mr. Trump, as president, resurrects the alarming, inflammatory, and threatening rhetoric of his campaign, I will fight back fiercely. I hope you will too. We cannot condone incitement to violence, the targeting of religious or ethnic minorities, or a curtailment of civil liberties. Doing so would, in my view, threaten the foundation of our democracy.
"Where he proposes policies that intensify income inequality, deny climate change, or shred the social safety net, I will vigorously oppose them while proposing constructive alternatives that rebuild the middle class, fix the Affordable Care Act, protect our environment, and shore up Medicare and Social Security.
"And where he follows through on campaign promises that I believe are good for the country and the middle class—an ambitious infrastructure program, cutting prescription drug costs, or eliminating wasteful Pentagon spending – I will work with him to get the job done.
"You and other Vermonters can join me in this approach. And you can also do something else extremely important to the well-being of our democracy. You can act locally. Be engaged in your community and its challenges. Listen to your neighbors. Find ways to resolve disagreements and ways to cooperate that make our state stronger. We can renew our faith in our democracy by acting to protect and strengthen it.
Sincerely,
PETER WELCH
Member of Congress"
Yes, I can see it!
What a lovely letter from Peter Welsh! Vermont is lucky, indeed!
City of Joy is good. Very good. Constant Gardener is GRAND. Ralph Fiennes is astonishingly good. Didn't remember him from The English Patient. How odd is that?
Edwin was shocked that I'd never seen either Casablanca or Citizen Kane. Shocked, in fact at how many movies I *hadn't* seen, and Educating Julie became a project, left unfinished. Think he'd be tickled now. . . .
I often thought that had I just stayed in theatre rather than jumping to English, I might well (likely would have) met him 30 years sooner. (Thought of being out of work three or four times a year had NO appeal for me. . . .) But it prolly wouldn't have worked, he was doing some hard drinking then, and was much angrier than when I knew him. I'm not much of an enabler. Better when we did meet--he'd calmed both his peaks and his crashes. We seemed to fill each other's empty spaces.
listener, this is for you: http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/presidential-campaign/313776-remedy-for-russian-meddling-should-be-new-election
It's nearly 3am and I have to get to sleep as we are leaving tomorrow to go see littlest Grand who turns 1 on Saturday!
But, I could not sleep until I wrote back to Peter Welch. So, hang onto your hat, here's what I just sent:
Part 1:
"Dear Peter,
"Your beautiful letter was warmly welcomed in my email Inbox. I very much appreciate your understanding about the way the election turned out and the "antiquated" electoral college. (Excellent adjective!) Please know that I never doubted your resolve or wisdom in choosing what issues to tend for us. You have my utmost esteem, as ever.
"There is one thing, however, that I felt you did not address. You spoke of the coming Administration simply in terms of this "reality." But I must ask again WHY this nation is going forward with this Inauguration. I am not just being a sore loser, there are grave concerns and it seems each day we have more of them. Given the evidence of hacking and interference by the Russians in our election, we are we not nullifying this election and holding a proper election? Speaking as an election official (albeit in rural Vermont), I believe we could make this happen in less than a month.
What's more, I strongly believe that the President-Elect was not properly vetted by the RNC, and should not have been presented as a candidate. Simply to be ordained and take on a leadership role in a mainline faith community, a person is required to have a psychiatric workup in addition to studies and other preparations. Is a psychiatric examination required for Presidential candidates? If not, why not and when will this be rectified?
"Even setting aside my concerns about the mental health of our President-Elect, there remain too many unresolved issues to go forward with this Inauguration. What of the conflict of interest concerns, the possibility of compromising information being used by Putin, the cavalier manner in which the President-Elect uses Twitter and whacks various beehives, such as China? These are grave issues of national security!! Add to this the most reprehensible cabinet nominees in American history and we have the recipe for true and swift disaster.
"This Inauguration must be stopped! If there be no mechanism for this, it is only because we haven't needed one before. But we need one now. Let's bring together creative, wise leaders and find a way.
Part 2:
"I have been trying to muster enthusiasm for joining the causes, making the calls, and speaking out to demand good legislation and planning, for the well being of our great country. But, honestly, Peter, I cannot condone allowing this person to become our President. It is simply WRONG! This is me, speaking out. No one has explained to me why this Inauguration is going forward when it is dangerous for our nation. I hold the DNC, the RNC, the Russian government, and the President-Elect accountable for this mess, and must include Congress if this goes forward. I am losing respect for our election process and losing faith in the democratic process itself. I never thought I would say such a thing, but, as you know all too well, we are in an unconscionable situation.
"There are just too many dangerous possibilities stemming from the single action of Inaugurating a person who was not properly elected, because the validity of election itself is in question. We could solve so much at once by simply refusing to do so. Rallying is wonderful, but the stresses this Administration will cause are far too much to ask of our people. Vermont's wonderful contingent in Congress would surely work hard, but to what end when the Republicans have full control?
"Cannot the Judiciary be prevailed upon? Could they demand that the Inauguration not go forward until issues of conflict of interest are resolved and an independent investigation of the relationship with and influence of Putin takes place?
"Please know I support you very much in the good you are trying to do. I just don't think I can believe in our process anymore if it can lead to such a scenario as this, with no wise recourse to stop such a grave and obvious wrong.
Very Sincerely and with Prayers for Well Being..."
Thank you, puddle!! 💖
I sent that article along to Peter as a post scripture!
Lovely letter, Listener. Thank you.
Went to sleep last night with no heaters on, after a day of no heaters. Was 62º this morning on waking. Heaters on, up to 72º in two hours. Odd winter. . . .
Missed a visit from grands--Sam had a physical arranged by the ROTC, so. Maybe not this break. Summer's soon.
No heaters, Puddle for those temps. Oh my ...I mostly keep my thermostat at 82 with an additional
Heater in the bedroom that pretty much stays in the 70's. This old building can be a bit air leaky...plus
I get cold easily.l
As of Tues next week I will be having a physical
therapist in to work on my wonky knee. As of now
approved for four weeks by doc....same agency I
have had several times since moving here. They
have always fixed me up....hip, knee, shoulder
problems.
Several women from Greensboro are going to
D.C. fot the Women's March. Apparently there are
400 bus spaces reserved for people going to the
inauguration, but the women have reserved space
for 1300 busses. In addition there are marches
planned for cities around the country....Including
Greensboro......expect to watch from my large
bedroom window.
Take heart, Listener...Trump may become President..
will be interesting to see how long he lasts....he will
get bored, have a major health problem, get angry
because some of his plans get squashed. or any
number of annoyances that his childish personality
can't/won't accept.
Love to all.....
Today was baby grandson's 1st birthday! His mama threw a truly sweet and fun party for him, and we got to delight in seeing 5 of our 6 grands together. (VT*Grand couldn't come at the last minute because their dog's eye got scratched and they needed to stay home and give meds 3 x / day for a week. Had we known in time, we could have brought her with us.)
Enroute home I found email from DFA asking if I'm coming to Bernie's rally tomorrow. NO, I AM NOT. Below is my response.
Dear [DFA],
Actually, I haven’t been a member of DFA since the original Dean blog got canned, and haven’t received DFA emails in years, so I’m not sure why I received your message. You see, I felt it was terribly short-sighted of DFA to drop the blog of such a core group of supporters, such that they were no longer networked. But that was long ago. I had once been a volunteer on the Dean Campaign, here in Vermont. More recently, I had dinner with Jim Dean and Teri Mills and have utmost respect for Jim.
Yet, I do not feel I can join any of the rallies taking place this week. For I am very quietly and deeply angry about what is happening in our nation. I am angry that the DNC wouldn't listen to the people but pushed for a coronation of Hillary Clinton. I volunteered for Bernie and voted for him (both times) here in Vermont (where my voted harmed no one). I am angry that the RNC did not properly vet DT, who never should have been offered as a candidate. I am furious that the antiquated electoral college didn't do what the founders of this country intended, in December. As you may know, the intent was that the EC would be independent and use wisdom to ensure that no one who is unfit for office would ever be elected. I am feeling very let down that Congress and the Judiciary are allowing this Inauguration to go forward when there is high likelihood of treason, not to mention mental illness.
It just seems absurd to me to be moving forward on anything the new Administration might do, when this Administration should not be in power at all~! If Congress has a problem with the agenda being put forth by DT and the Republican majority, the swift and sweeping solution is to stop the Inauguration, rather than fight this horror piecemeal. So at this point I am not willing to attend a rally or march or gather. I am close to saying that I will no longer serve as an election official at the polls because our election process seems to me a sham. [This said, ironically enough, even though I am serving this Tuesday in Jericho as we vote on our town plan, and again on Town Meeting Day.] From the rhetoric, it is plain that the DNC and Dems in general still do not comprehend how they failed us in this past election cycle. Thus I see no indication that things will change for the better going forward, given their approach.
To be honest, I don’t even see what good it does anymore to write to my Congresspeople. Bernie, Pat and Peter serve us wonderfully and I trust their wisdom on agenda items. For the most part, they do fine without calls from me. It is the overarching issue of this unconscionable Inauguration actually going forward that simply leaves me out of the picture. At least for now. On Inauguration Day I will wear black and change the flag my family flies from Old Glory to the Vermont State Flag (stopping just short of flying the American flag upsidedown). I remain deeply concern about our National Security given the credibility, if not provability of the dossier. https://medium.com/startup-grind/evaluating-the-buzzfeed-dossier-by-a-former-intelligence-analyst-53d9611f1657#.rvfhx2dd1 Moreover, should DT be Inaugurated and continue to whack beehives via Twitter, I am shutting down my Twitter account immedately, in protest.
Thanks for all you are attempting to do, though. I truly do appreciate the caring and hope of so many. May the last light never go out.
Warmly...
You are a dear, Shirlee, but I am not taking heart while THAT man is anywhere near the Oval Office. My husband and I have actually had the thought now that if the Inauguration happens and this riffraff stays in power, we may well need to move to a more sane country. So sad to even have the thought!!!
"deeply concern" should read "deeply concerned".
We are getting a dog. It growls at people it doesn't like, often biting them, is unpredictable, undisciplined and unteachable, has a worrisome history, and it is likely to do real harm to our grandchildren. Most members of the family asked us not to do this. But we already signed the papers, so now we are getting a dog.
Hello friends,
I appreciate your letter, Listener. It's so well written, so carefully articulated. You speak for me as well. I also received an email notification form DFA, and I just deleted it. There's no doubt the Democrats, particularly the DNC let us down badly. I wondered at the time about Hillary's running. She had been first lady, in the Governor's office and in the Presidency, had been a Senator and a Secretary of State, as well as a powerful activist. Given all the propaganda against her in the 30 years of public service, I wondered if it wasn't time for both Hillary and Bill to be retired. But, that wasn't evidently the thinking of the leaders of the DNC. Hillary really had been campaigning for two years since she retired as Sec. of State. I think they were determined she would be President, ignoring the need for new faces and new leadership.
Also, in Colorado we worked hard to elect Betsy Markey to the House of Representatives and Mark Udall as Senator. Both let us down. Betsy was not going to vote for Obamacare, and Mark Udall abandoned Obama. Neither was re-elected. It was as if the Democrats ignored their base and assumed that we would be satisfied. We weren't.
So, a new time, new challenges, the worst possible President Elect in my lifetime, and recognition of the racism and polarization in our country. I'm hoping we are up to the task of reclaiming our values as Americans and a high standard of values for the common good.
Lotsa trubble wit the new phone line today. Hope it passes soon.
Thanks, Pat. Your thoughtful posts so often feed mine.
I should clarify that my "dog" post upthread is an analogy. I posted it on my Facebook page and my brother took it literally, poor man. Funny, I never thought of that, as he so rarely ever comments on my posts. Most everyone who knows us is aware that Bill would *never* have a dog in our house, as he's such a cat-person. The anxiety level is running high this week.
Be gentle with yourselves.
And puddle...may your lines behave!! My goodness, two lines is not intended to give you double the trouble!! ♥
BTW, ♡ Ally ♡ went to NYC with her parents this week for a checkup with the 3f8 specialist. We'll hear the results sometime this week.
Well, it still left open the one thing I didn't try--switching lines, lol!
Got an email from Scotty late last night that he and Sam were driving down for the afternoon. Feeling loved and put upon at the same time, lol!
Happy MLK Day!
Yes, Happy MLK day to all. We have had great leaders in the past
and will have more.....we just need to get through this BAD patch!
Have a good day with your surprise visitors, Puddle.
Love to all.
Gone. Lovely day, altogether.
Trying again...
Today I had a meeting with a new (to me) seeker, so that makes 9 who come for spiritual guidance. 6 months ago there were 4, and only one came regularly. Something is making people look deeper.
I'll be working at the polls for a town vote today (Tuesday), 3:30-8:00pm (through counting the vote), so will be there as it storms. Happily, Bill is going to work from home that time of day and will drive me over so the car can be in the garage while I work. :-) Given how I am feeling about elections at the moment, I wonder if this will be my last time volunteering. I'm scheduled for Town Meeting Day in March too, and as I'm in Vermont I expect I'll be there. But no more Presidential elections for me, unless something yuge changes before then.
Physical Therapist here today...hoping to patch up this
bad knee enough to let me get out and walk safely.....at least
to the bookstore and other favorite places...2x -a week for four weeks.
I am glad you are continuing your work with local elections, Listener.
I found that so rewarding when I was in Palacios. Was hoping to
do some here...but no...mobility was worse and larger system. Ah, well!
Repubs in DC have gone CRAZY!
Take care and love to all!
Shirlee, DO get and use Emu oil. It does help. And blessings on your therapist, too.
Gave in at 11:30 least night--the very end of my energy. Still sleepy today, lol! Beau, too.
I feel like there's not enough oxygen in the universe to get us through the next four years. . . .
Well, I'm home from working at the polls. Our town had a local vote on the Town Plan. The question was whether to limit what footprint new buildings can be to 30,000sq ft, instead of the current allowance of 60,000 sq ft. For reference: the new supermarket in town is 18,000 sq ft. My hope was that we would keep things in town small and not turn into some citified mess.
As the townspeople voted it was good to see so many people I know and I got a good feeling that I cared about them all no matter how they were voting. At least they showed up!
So how did it turn out? Of the 4098 voters in town, 23.8% voted. And guess what. The new Town Plan with smaller footprint allowance lost ... by 8 votes. =Heavy Sigh=
BTW, it's called Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
https://qz.com/852187/coping-with-chaos-in-the-white-house/
This has been confirmed by two friends of mine who are licensed counsellors.
DSM-5 criteria for narcissistic personality disorder include these features:
Having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
Expecting to be recognized as superior even without achievements that warrant it
Exaggerating your achievements and talents
Being preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate
Believing that you are superior and can only be understood by or associate with equally special people
Requiring constant admiration
Having a sense of entitlement
Expecting special favors and unquestioning compliance with your expectations
Taking advantage of others to get what you want
Having an inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others
Being envious of others and believing others envy you
Behaving in an arrogant or haughty manner
Bingo!
Thanks for the emu oil tip, Puddle...have heard it mentioned.
Listener, I am sorry your small town footprint lost.
Lovely blue skies today, massage therapist arrives this
afternoon for work on my neck and shoulder ...leaves me
totally relaxed and ready for a nap.
I am tired, tired of winter...and this is NOT Michigan or
Vermont winter....
That isTrump exactly!
Love to all.
I came across Emu oil when i was having a big knee flare up. Got something called New Blue Emu. And unlike everything before it, it helped. So compared the ingredients again other blue meds. Same same except for 10% Emu oil. Figured if 10% was that powerful, 100% must be GREAT. And it was. Put enough on that it feels kinda greasy. Wait ten minutes, and no greasy anymore--it absorbs!
I have a neighbor who raises Emu for meat and oil. First slaughter day, he had several neighboring farmers come help--men in their sixties and seventies, all with achy hands. One major task is lifting these great fat pads on their backs and stowing them. End of day, farmers were astonished: their hands didn't hurt any more!
In those days, it was about @20 for 8 ounces. That's pretty much doubled, alas. But still worth it. I just buy 4 oz bottles, now.
Obama's last press conference, the last part as reported by Politico:
Still, “we’ve tried to teach them hope and that the only thing that is the end of the world is the end of the world.” (He's referring to his daughters here.)
Then Obama got existential, looking ahead to the man he desperately didn’t want to be president, whom he sincerely believed and aides say continues to believe is a threat to the republic and risks bringing the country closer to nuclear war—not to mention putting America’s “core values” at risk, or the many ways the incoming administration plans to rip out the last eight years of his legacy.
By the end, he came very close to channeling Anne Frank, almost to the word: “In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart,” she wrote in her diary. “I simply can’t build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death. I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again.”
Obama’s version: “I believe in this country. I believe in the American people. I believe that people are more good than bad. I believe tragic things happen. I think there’s evil in the world, but I think at the end of the day, if we work hard and if we’re true to those things in us that feel true and feel right, that the world gets a little better each time.”
“We just have to fight for it, we have to work for it and not take it for granted,” Obama said, wrapping up quickly and exiting with a half wave.
“Thank you very much, press corps,” Obama said. “Good luck.”
$20
Thanks for the info on emu oil, Puddle. Not sure
if it would help with my knee problem..which is essentially
Separation of the thigh and leg bone on the inside of the
knee...causing the outside to crunch together causing the
pain and weakness. PT is working on it with quad and lower
leg muscle strengthening...and working back up to normal
activity level. Thirty years of RA is the culprit. Will keep the
Emu in mind.
Betsy DeVos is one stupid woman. West Michigan is filled
with that family.....Amway company take over!
Love to all.
DeVos has done a whole lot of damage to Michigan's education system. Her voucher schools test lower than the non-voucher ones. . .
The Emu oil is not so much for fixing the *problem" as pain relief that's totally harmless. . . .
New thread at midnight.
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