Just a thought

"This is the face of a little girl that lives in Iraq. This is how the fortunate look in Iraq. We created this situation because we believed the lies that the Bush administration told us, and we have done nothing to stop them. Just a thought."

So, that is what I wrote earlier. I've been thinking about it and that's just an easy out. It was an easy out on my part rather than really saying how this photo made me feel.
I was sitting at my desk looking at this little girl and I nearly started crying at work. This could be my daughter looking at the camera. And yes, she is one of the luckier ones because the unlucky ones are in graves. These are the same people that we went in to "give democracy to." I don't think democracy looks like this. It also makes me feel really ashamed, and like I haven't done enough to voice how much we need to end this war. I'm ashamed that I haven't pressed my Congress people harder to force the issue. It makes me angry to know that the Bush Administration is still just as intent on "winning" this war as they ever were and yet children just like this little girl are dying every day. And even saying all of this is somewhat of an easy out because I don't know what we as a collective or me as an individual can do to get us off this crazy path. I just don't know.

snippet

"I do think the Republican Party is more in keeping with the attitudes and
values of the American people," said President Bush's departing chief political
strategist.

So, is what he's saying is that he thinks that most Americans are lying agenda driven haters that put their own ideology above the good/will of the country? That seems to be what his Republican party has been all about. A government full of people who say they are Republicans running about covering up their misdeeds with pseudo-legal principal and smoke. Disdain for the American people like that is exactly what we should see in our political advisors to the President, right?

It is appalling that this criminal is making commentary about what American people are like, because he just doesn't have a clue about what hard working, honest Americans are like. He doesn't know what a mother is like that has just lost her child in this ridiculous war. He doesn't know what a father is like who is struggling to find a job because his was sent to India. He doesn't know what it's like for an immigrant who lives with 3 other families just to make sure his children get the chance at a good education.

Pardon me for my rant, but screw you Mr. Rove for thinking so little of Americans that you would align any values you hold with the good, honest people in this country.

Do the Crime, Do the Time

Just reading about "poor" M. Vick of the Atlanta Falcons.

NFL officials have been mum on whether they would allow Vick to play if he is
convicted on felony charges.
“That’s the dilemma Michael Vick faces right
now. He doesn’t know what the NFL or the Atlanta Falcons will say and he’d like
to have that information before he pleads. That’s what has him whip-sawed. He’s
in a situation where he has to cut a deal with the government without knowing
the consequences that are really important to him,” said University of Richmond
Legal Analyst Carl Tobias.

Boo fucking hoo!! This guy had a $150 MILLION deal to play a freaking GAME and he risked it all to engage in an activity that is not only highly illegal, but very, very cruel. I say send his stupid ass to jail. He doesn't deserve the football deal, the endorsements and all the other gloss that goes with it. He's just another criminal who fucked up a good thing that thousands of young, honest men would have died for.

Buh-Bye Mr. Rove!

Wow! What a headline to wake up to. Pardon me if I wait to rejoice until Cheney and Bush are also gone.

On the beach

After coming back home I’ve realized a few things we did wrong on our trip, but really couldn’t have known beforehand. First, we should have spent our first few days in NYC instead of doing the city after the beach. The city, while interesting, was stressful. Second, I should have been vigilant about planning our time in the city rather than playing it by ear. There is too much to see and do to wing it. Bad planning on my part, but you live and learn and maybe if we go again we’ll keep that in mind. Travel is stressful. Stressful enough to bring on a case of shingles which I was not prepared to deal with. I’ll be sure to pack my meds next time. You just never know. Also, I’ll always make sure that if it’s anywhere close to time for my period to start I’ll keep some sort of feminine protection products close at hand rather than having to scour somewhere like Coney Island for a flippin’ tampon. ‘Nuff said on that subject.

There is so much good stuff to share, but I think the beach stuff is important enough and was the best part of my time that I want to share it first. I’ve always loved the shore. Even though I grew up in the foothills of the Rockies the water and the waves have always been a powerful draw for me. Perhaps it’s because I grew up near the mountains that the ocean is so awesome and entrancing. I love being near it.

It’s always fun to spend time with Dan, but I think even more so when he’s in his element; that element being the beach. He loved it and was so happy. I think knowing how happy he was at the shore is my best memory. It amazing to see someone you love really doing something that makes them down deep happy. It’s just the best. It made me content to just watch him out in the water waiting for just the right wave and then he’d catch it! And just as he would jump off he would be back out paddling to catch the next one. He was obsessed and in love with what he was doing.

My first attempt to surf was not so successful. The waves were really choppy and the way the shore broke it went really deep in this one spot and I couldn’t get past it. At one point the waves snatched me up and just rolled me and rolled me and rolled me and I ended up back on the beach. I am a good enough swimmer to not drown in a sitch like that, but it was really funny. Really, really funny. Then after we got back to the house I found that I had sand in every crack and crevice- even up my nose!! Haha!! My second attempt was a couple days later and while I didn’t actually get up standing I did ride a wave or two in on my belly. Even though I love being on the shore, the idea of how big the ocean is and how deep it is really unnerves me (phobia time) and so I was really proud of myself for even getting out to where I couldn’t touch on a board. I was afraid, but I did it! That made me feel good, too.

I had fun along the beach as well as in the waves. I took a lot of photos of everything. I sat and wrote a lot about my thoughts and took time to catch up with myself. I sat and stared into the water watching each wave and noticing how they were all different from one another and how they rolled in and where they would end up along the sand. And I observed a lot at things like Larry the albatross (I think he was just a seagull), a crab that was left on shore when the tide went out (he was little and crabby), and then watching the silly sandpipers run back and forth. It was all very entertaining in a way that I’m not sure I can describe. I want to say it was playful, but that isn’t completely accurate because it wasn’t as if I was frolicking on the beach. Yet, it was playful and sedate and interesting and relaxing and funny and thoughtful and so many things just like the way sand is made up of a lot of little particles you can’t fully detail.

I suspect that if things go as Dan and I like we will end up with a house on the beach someday. Which beach I don’t know, and I don’t suppose that at this stage it would matter. I just want to wake up to the waves and the sand and whole indescribable bit of it.

Initial thoughts on an East Coast vacation

We got back early this morning from the East coast. It was probably around 2 by the time we got to bed. We got up around 9:30 and began getting things in order and recollecting ourselves from an 8 day trip. Eight days is long time to be away from home, and the comforts that are taken for granted. It was a long time for me to be without a computer to write down my thoughts, communicate easily with friends and just check on the world. I think it was what I needed though. Time to unplug and think outside of this little box and get some clarity about things in my “real” non-vacation mode life.

On our second full day of vacation we woke up and went right down to the beach. I began watching the waves, the sand, the birds and the sky. I spent a lot of the next 4 days doing the same thing. It’s funny how when the waves roll in they sort of wash away a lot of the fluff that hides truly important things in life. I found that to be so on this trip.

Here is a little of what I wrote while watching the waves.

“As I sit among the pieces of broken seashell, washed up seaweed and kelp watching Dan in the distance I realize how incredibly important he is to me. …Surfing takes a lot of skill that non-surfers take for granted. It’s not a sport for the impatient. The sea is powerful so it’s also not a sport for the weak or timid. Dan is a surfer from head to toe. He is strong, patient and not timid. I love him.”

Mostly, I just watched the ocean and took into every pore. It was like a painting. Something that you can’t really wrap words around, but rather you just have to see it.

I have a lot more to say about the trip, but I’m tired. This will have to be enough for now.

Last day in NYC

We leave tonight for home. I'll probably take some time on the plane to organize my thoughts around this trip and write a couple of blogs about "things" but suffice to say I'm happy to be returning home. I miss a lot of things about it. My garden. My dogs. And a whole lot of missing my children, who will be back on Wednesday night. Yes, it's time to go home.

Still on Vacation...sort of.

If I were still at the Jersey shore I would count myself still on vacation, but New York has been anything but relaxing. I doubt I will ever come back to the city. I've seen enough. On the other hand I cannot recommend the Jersey shore high enough. We had fantastic food, great friends, and really fun waves to surf. It was lovely.
One more day until we head home. I cannot wait to be back in Denver. I miss it, and for that I'm glad I came to NYC. Just to know how much I love my little house in Baker.

Brooklyn!

I don't know how much I'll be able to post in the next week since we are headed to Brooklyn and the Jersey Shore for a week. I'll try and send postcards. ;)

"F" is not a passing grade

F

The Iraqi government met less than 50% of the goals that they were supposed to. Where I come from that's an "F." So, what's the good news, Mr. President? I don't hear it.

In other news, this video is enlightening. Not that I'd vote for Giuliani anyway, but this ensures that I will fight even harder to make sure that a Republican won't win. I give him an F, too.

thoughts

Bush has conceded today that the leak of Valerie Plame's identity to the media probably came from his Administration, but wants to move on. He is clearly not bothered by the fact that this is a federal offense, but rather would like to just brush it under the rug along with whatever other crimes his Administration has committed. Can he be so blind to the fact that he's admitted that someone in his administration (other than Libby) has committed a crime? Am I the only one who is just appalled at his blatant disregard for harboring a felon? You know, that's impeachable. Does he get it? For that matter would he even care if he did know?

A second thought on my post yesterday. Sarah Taylor is just now 32 years old. That's a baby in politics. Honestly, what kind of candid advice would the President be seeking of someone with so little experience? "Sarah, how to I log into this RNC e-mail without anyone knowing?" Again, we are faced with asking why someone with so little experience was placed in such an inside position. The only conclusion is that she's a yes-girl put in place to take the heat if and when the time comes. Too bad she seems so willing to go along with it.

Another stupid question maybe

Again, I'm no political analyst so from time to time I have questions that seem simple enough to me, but aren't adding up with what is going on. Right now I have some questions about things that don't add up to what experience and education I have.

Here are my simple questions:

• If an aide to the President is giving honest, law/Constitution based advice to the Commander in Chief then why would he (the Pres) later need to claim executive privilege to hide that advice? If it was good advice shouldn't that be touted as well-given advice?
• Does speaking to the President with candor also require it to be so secretive that it can't later be disclosed to other representatives of our government? Why?
• Lastly, if someone supposedly never discussed an issue with the President then why can't they speak openly about the fact that they never talked about it?

These are pretty simple questions. It seems to me that if someone has given frank, legal, and honest advice even if others don't agree with it that is their word and that they should stand behind it. If they aren't standing behind it and are too ashamed to say it publicly in the face of the law then maybe they shouldn't have fucking said it to begin with. When I was a teen one of my teachers said, "If you want to be treated like an adult then act like one. An adult doesn't do or say things that they wouldn't mind having on the front page of the paper. You can do whatever you want, say whatever you want. However, to be an adult make sure these are things you are willing to take credit for."

So, what are these "children" hiding?

Welcome home, Mr. E!

That's right! I got Mr. E back! I had given up all hope and was searching the Dumb Friends League site for adoptable cats and what do you know!? There was my Mr. E! He's a little worse for wear, but he's back! What a funny cat. I wonder what kind of adventures he had. Play with the words on that as you will. Yay for my kitty being home!

Well, well, well...I am certain that no one is really surprised that AG is in hot water for his lack of knowledge again. I wasn't when I read about him telling Congress that the FBI had not abused the power given to them in the US Patriot Act when in fact he had received documentation to the contrary. Nope, not surprised at all.
Again, here we have a man in a very high powered position that is required to take information supplied to him (like a queen bee) and digest it. That's it. He is given reports. He is briefed on what the reports say. He sits in meetings that discuss various information and reports. He doesn't even have to work that hard for the info. All he has to do is understand what he's told, process it and act on it. If asked about it then all he has to do is regurgitate what's been reported to him. In the case presented today there is evidence that he had information that discussed violations on the part of the FBI and yet he testified that there were none. Hm...so either he forgot, which is a problem since again this is his JOB or he lied which is an even bigger issue.

So, which is it AG? Are you so incompetent that you can't even remember how to do your job or are you just a liar? You can choose both and none of us will be surprised.

Juvenile humor coming to haunt me

O.K. I try to be mature. No, stop laughing. I really do try. It doesn't help that I have an eleven year old son who thinks farts and poop jokes are hilarious, and a boyfriend that enjoys making fart and poop jokes. It also doesn't help that puberty has also made bums and boobs pretty darn good targets for humor too. So, when I saw this video maturity went out the window and the new thing (behind the 11 year olds back, of course) is the silly finger screwing gesture that they do. I'd totally forgotten about that gesture until we watched the video.

On Independence Day

Independence Day. The day that we take to celebrate the founding of our country and honor those that have embraced the truths that were written in the Declaration of Independence all those years ago. We sing the National Anthem, hang our flags and burn millions of dollars worth of fireworks. We have symbols and words and songs to express the love of our country, but what are we doing to ensure that the basic ideals that they are all founded upon survive? Here are to examples of what I mean.

How many people each year go to the Statue of Liberty and read the words imprinted there? Hundreds of thousands is my guess. And what does it say?

“Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe
free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.”

Yet we can’t even figure out how to welcome those that work our fields, clean our houses and do jobs that most native born Americans are not willing to do. It’s shameful. We embrace Lady Liberty and in the next breathe curse the very people she beacons.

We look to our Constitution to provide a clear avenue to provide Justice to our Nation. In fact the very beginning sentence calls for Justice. It says-

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Yet our very own President who is sworn to uphold the Constitution calls it a “piece of paper.” He and Mr. Cheney have done everything they can to avoid the checks and balances that the Constitution outlines and yet turned around and used it to protect their cohorts. Why is it o.k. for others to go to jail, testify when subpoeaned, but not o.k. for them?

I could go on and on. My point here is to urge all Americans to take a step back from the barbeque, the fireworks and all the other schwag that we have encased our American Pride in and think about the simple principles that our country was founded on to insure life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for ALL. Reflect, think and then challenge and demand our government to be what we believe it to be and praise it to be every Independence Day. In closing I leave with a hero and true Americans words.

“Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them.” -Frederick Douglass

Well said...

I was getting my early morning reading in and came upon this little gem on the DailyKOS. It's got a lot of good points about the whole Libby debacle. Read it.

Our President Likes Criminals

Today I. Scooter Libby received the gift of a lifetime. President G. W. Bush commuted his sentence that would have had him behind bars for 2 1/2 years because he felt that the sentence was too harsh. I, along with many others, am outraged. I encourage everyone who feels that criminals should do their time write or call their Congress people. I wrote. Here's what it said.

"What do you call a man who has lied under oath and blatantly obstructed the
U.S. Justice system? I call him a criminal. The judge that oversaw
the I. Scooter Libby trial agreed and sentenced Mr. Libby to time in
jail for his crimes. I doubt that he took his duties as a
judge lightly. Most judges don't take their jobs lightly and that
is why we trust them to apply the law with an even hand. So,
how is it that the President, who has no legal background, can decide
what is a fair sentence with regard to one of his friends? As an
American I am outraged that this criminal has had his sentence commuted
simply because of his political ties. It's a slap in the face of
Lady Justice herself. I implore you as a representative of the
State of Colorado to stand firm and raise your voice on this
injustice. A crime was committed and the criminal sentenced.
Please do NOT let him walk free."

This is just another example of the current Administrations blatant disregard for the law and for the Constitution that we, as Americans, live by. They are not in it for Justice. They are not in it for the people. They are in it for themselves and by commuting this sentence it is clear that their buddies can break the law and go free.

IMPEACH CHENEY AND BUSH NOW!!!!

And they're off!

My children left today to visit their father for the month of July. We left for the airport at 7:15 and it's now 12:45. Right now it feels like they are just over at a friends having a play date. I think it will sink in either tonight or tomorrow morning when I wake up and don't get the hugs and kisses I'm used to. I have to say that I'm fairly proud of myself for not crying this time. I held it together and only used a couple of tissues (allergies) and not even one tear! WooT! That is a first. They'll be back August 1. I can't wait to see their smiling faces again.

The Politics of Politics

I’ve been reading about politics and the corruption of our government for some time now. Years in fact. Sometimes I’m more involved and watchdog-like than others. Sometimes I stay on the fringe. During both phases of involvement I’ve always been sort of perplexed when I hear elected government figures (a.k.a. politicians) refer to a differing a opinion or an opposing party accusing the one party of doing something as “Political.” A good example is the recent inquiry into why the VP of our country hasn’t allowed his documents to go through the proper oversight process. Part of the response I’ve heard is that it’s a “political move” on the part of the Democrats. Well, here’s my perplexity. If you are in politics exactly what part of your job isn’t “political?” Isn’t keeping the other guy in check part of the politics of the United States and wasn’t it designed to work that way? I believe this is called “Checks and Balances” and maybe it’s political, but that’s how we’ve kept from getting a dictator until now. Maybe…no, probably it’s naïve of me to think that politicians deal in politics. It’s been that way. I think right now it’s one of the only lines of defense that the Bush/Cheney administration have other than “I can’t remember” or “Because that doesn’t happen in MY government.”