Object Lessons: Rantings of a Lone Pamphleteer |
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(0) comments Butcher's Bill RevisitedWhen and where will the police action in Iraq and Afghanistan end? And how do the Republicans plan to define "victory?"How we declare loss is clear: Current number of U.S. soldiers dead in Iraq: 4119 Casualties among U.S. Troops in Afghanistan: 555 (0) comments Wheaten in 08!It's been all over the news that Obama is looking to fill that all-important position of Presidential Pet. Most Presidents just bring along their present pets, but it seems that the young ladies Obama are allergic to dogs. Nonetheless, they want one.The AKC has begun an online poll where you can vote for some hypoallergenic breeds, dogs with either no hair or which do not shed, including the Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier.  Poodles are currently leading the AKC poll, but Wheatens are a close second.Extra Credit: Vote here.  Chunk Sherwood Allen (left), or "Teddy" is a Wheaten, and Jon's done well with him despite a severe allergy to dogs. Usually Wheatens have a beard and "fall" over their eyes. Teddy has been "puppy cut" for a different look. In his senior years, I think it's more important that he can see. Although both Poodles and Wheatens are among the most intelligent breeds, I don't believe poodles are as good with children. Wheatens love them, especially when the children are dribbling crumbs. I've seen Wheatens rarely, more often in California. I think they're about to become a lot more popular. Check out this rescue site for Wheatens. Originally bred from the Kerry Blue line (note the similar build), Wheatens are hunters and farm dogs. They can be great jumpers and enjoy fetching; therefore, I think they would enjoy frisbee games. They love to sit their bums on stairs--striking a very cute pose. As puppies, they resemble teddy bears (which is where our Teddy probably got his common name), and are very appealing to children. They are family dogs, trainable, muscular, active, and friendly. Teddy weighs on the high end, averaging 43 pounds at his heaviest. Although the Wheaten lifespan is usually 12 years, our Teddy hits his 16th birthday in August, an uncommonly long life for the breed. That's 95 to you and me! (Don't give them human food.) Although he wears a belly band to prevent leaks, even at his age he is still fastidious about going outside for other necessary events. He also takes heart meds. On another note, McCain already has four presidential dogs lined up, but the AKC reports that he has 24 pets in total. I'm not sure the American public should rent the White House to someone with that many pets. Perhaps Cindy McCain can fork over a hefty deposit to cover all those antiques and rugs. Labels: 2008, AKC, American Kennel Club, dog, Obama, presidential pet, Soft coated Wheaten terrier (0) comments Open Letter to the SenatePlease VOTE AGAINST the FISA changes. Republicans have tried to push it through thrice, hoping beyond hope that voters aren't paying attention. I am. We are.If you approve this legislation, you open the door to allowing President Bush to use his expanded powers over corporations (again) as well as the Congress. Approving FISA effectively approves illegal and immoral acts of both the Telecom industry and the President, who expands his powers unto totalitarianism. Further, both would be allowed to continue acting unconstitutionally into infinity. Prove that fascism can't happen here. Vote against FISA. (0) comments Words and RulesToday's Lessons: Redefining "News." The intrinsic value of words.
While Obama has attempted over and over to abide by the rules, agreed to follow the DNC’s decisions, and has continued to succeed whether his campaign benefited or not, she has always angled for the best position, including counting the votes in such a way that she can claim to have the most votes ever received in a presidential primary (that’s if you only count the primaries, and not the caucuses). To justify and re-justify her position, she has consistently gone back on her word, changed her verbiage, or set a surrogate loose. This conspicuous dishonesty says to me that she cannot be as effective a diplomat as Obama, because she lacks understanding of how spoken words work. Obama has not made retractions that I recall, except where he acknowledges errors of fact. He stands on his beliefs, making us see again that the Constitution and our revolutionary ideals are in fact a fine foundation on which to stand. A good beginning. Even with all my cynicism, I’m unable to find flops, flips, or flaws, in Obama's various speeches. He’s steady. It seems he believes what he says, and therefore I feel confident believing in him. (0) comments No Angels in Crawford If you look up the Jenna Bush wedding, or saw advance "news" about it on CNN (as Jon and I did), perhaps you saw a photo of "an angel wearing a bridal veil and carrying a bouquet. According to Jon's web research, and his blog, the metal angel cut-out is a 9/11 memorial. "Freedom's Angel of Steadfast Love," by Lei Hennessey-Owen, is one of four 9/11 sculptures she created in 2004. Per the Star Telegram, "Even the 9/11 angel memorial on Crawford’s Main road is dressed up for the wedding party. The Steel cut-out has a wedding veil on top and a bouquet of flowers. The wedding is a party that just may be Crawford’s last hurrah." Let's hope so, if the townsfolk of Crawford (such as Marilyn Judy, president of the Crawford Chamber of Commerce--pictured here--who in one article is seen adjusting the veil with a pole) are more interested in drawing a crowd than in respecting the dead of 9/11. (2) comments The lady's got cojones?Now I'm sure I can't vote for her. Not because she was painted as having "testicular fortitude" by a supporter (and labor leader), but because she continues to try to paint Obama as elitist, which implies the stigma of being effite as well.Anti-Feminists have often used the argument (that women in power have an emasculating effect) to defeat women in power. In this they are partly right, as there is nothing pleasant about a woman who attempts to emasculate any man; it's as unattractive as the excessive masculine pride which overly feminizes women. If we cannot stay in our own bodies and be whoever or work at whatever we desire, then we're still trapped in an unequal society. On that note, what's wrong with an elegant man? Nothing. Perhaps we are habituated to ignore well-mannered splendiferousness , perhaps spoiled by the machismo of Reagan and Bush Jr. There is obvious display of force, there is quiet strength, and then there is weakness. Obama appears full of the quiet strength of an eloquent, self-possessed diplomat who does not need to gun a V-12 engine to prove his foot works. I also find it really funny that the Hillary tries to plug into local stereoptypes no matter where she is. In Indiana, she's gassing up a pick-up truck. Ridiculous. More ridiculous than the fact that she made that working man and his family drive 65 miles (per CNN) to meet her at her hotel. [I wonder if she reimbursed him for his gas.] The point is she'll compose herself in what she thinks is the best light for the state that's voting next. I doubt we'd see her propose a Lincoln-Douglas style debate off a pickup in New York State. Obama is himself, always himself or at least he presents the same public face in every state where he campaigns. I'm really bothered by her playing the simpering woman who admits she hasn't gassed up a vehicle in at least 15 years, "because of the Secret Service." It's not clear whether she is prohibited from doing it for her safety, but it sounded more like she "has people," suited men on the public payroll. However, I doubt gassing up the motorcade is in their job description, either. There's probably a fleet storage lot with its own gas pump somewhere in DC; who knows what they arrange elsewhere, rentals maybe? Not only did Clinton miss the point of pumping her own gas (the Hoosier pumped it yesterday, heaven forbid her nail polish become smudgy), she probably has no idea who actually does gas up her cars. [Parenthetically, her attitude recalls Shirley MacLaine's character in Guarding Tess, where former first lady Tess orders around her Secret Service staff, led by Nick Cage. Tess all but made them do her nails.] But hey, she doesn't own the motorcade cars, she just uses them at the publics' expense (we pay for Secret Service and ancillary expenses). We probably paid for the $63 that half-filled the SUV in the photo op yesterday. Painting herself as the people's candidate is not truthful. She's got 105 million in the bank, she graduated from two ivy league schools, and she hasn't even pumped gas in over a decade. Now she's again trying to claim that Obama is "out of touch" with the middle class. She's projecting again. He is elite. He should be. Rather than schmoozing his way to the top with soft-money donors, he worked for it. Today's Lesson: From the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online: Elite:
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