Search Results for 'XO'

[kootchman]

Ms. Barker I don’t care if ya parade exotic animals, use steam generated bubble machines, hand out whistles and kazoos , and fly inflatable cartoon characters and sing Kumbaya at peace rallies. Honest. I am betting that no one in the armed forces will try and force themselves into your puppet show or demand equal billing with you. You and the Seattle school board can all hold hands and recite the SAT scores of the students while strumming a ukulele. Also read out the names of the gangbangers shot dead two years after not graduating from the system and dropping out, or the ones in detention, and unemployed.

[redblack]

casaboba: interesting. thanks. in almost 20 years of internet use, i’ve never seen that acronym/abbreviation.

[edit – but it doesn’t explain this sentence, written by kootchman in the gibson guitar/DOJ thread:

“Gibson bty imported nothing…. they purchased their exotic woods from a[…]”

can you offer any enlightenment here, kootch?]

* * *

NF: while i don’t agree with the money-hungry war machine – any more than i believe in drilling our way to energy independence – i have to question the wisdom of just packing up and leaving both war theaters.

i would, however, like to see xe/blackwater find their own way home.

and that makes me think that perhaps there’s just too damned much money to be made from those wars.

i don’t absolve obama, or give him credit for ending the iraq war. but to his credit, he did telegraph his intentions as commander-in-chief during the ’08 campaign. something about being as careful getting out as we were careless getting in. and he has never claimed to be a dove.

and i never had any illusions about obama. while i regret that my country made a huge mistake in allowing w and colin powell to march us off to the middle east, it’s pretty obvious that the u.s. war machine couldn’t just pull the plug on all the disruptive behavior that was perpetuated by the cheney administration. or that it would be an easy process to drag our troops back home, especially considering how blood-thirsty and vengeful some of our fellow citizens became after 9/11.

i hate these wars, but still not enough to ever have my name associated with any kind of support for dr. paul. his hypocrisy knows no bounds.

btw, did you know that there are still something like 17 candidates on the GOP slate?

one reason why the perpetual war parties will always win, and why you will never hear about real run-of-the-mill republican candidates: money talks. and walks. and tends to crush everything that opposes it.

and it makes average citizens care deeply about people and things that don’t affect them.

[kootchman]

Gibson bty imported nothing…. they purchased their exotic woods from a wholesale broker/importer…. who is responsible for “reasonable” care. There was no intent by Gibson to commit such a heinous fraud. The DOJ can catch rosewood fret boards but not 20 million illegals? Here’s the funny part… this is why liberals are so FOS… they pee and cry about cheap foreign labor… and then, when the shaving and planing of the fret boards is given to American craftsman and workers on American machines in American plants..they pitty patty around the issue..their Messiah and his Apostles can do no wrong. What hypocrites. And you can read the retraction and backtracking as quoted by NPR…. by Andrea Johnson…

http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2011/08/31/140090116/why-gibson-guitar-was-raided-by-the-justice-department

This REQUIRED armed SWAT agents? It was that serious? Geez what is that crazy little thing … that little clause about what ya have to do before ya seize property … due process?

“We’re in this really incredible situation. We have been implicated in wrongdoing and we haven’t been charged with anything,

[Jiggers]

98% of homeless people are just that.Watch this video…Cute homeless cat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRjuxO_-ZtY

[DBP]

but using [religion] as an excuse to ridicule individuals who choose to believe is nothing more than name calling of the worst kind.

—Jo, are you still way back at post #1 on this? The rest of us moved on a long time ago. Now we’re talking about religious influence on politics generally. Do you want to join that discussion or not?

You should go back and read some of the current coverage of [the Kennedy-Nixon] race. The cartoons alone with the prominently featured evil looking pope tell the tale.

–No, Jo. Actually, I think you should go back and read some of the coverage.

Whether individuals were personally criticising Kennedy for being a Catholic is not at issue. What’s at issue is whether American voters believed Kennedy’s religion mattered in politics. Clearly, most voters believed Kennedy’s religion did NOT matter even before the voting commenced. Or they wouldn’t have voted him in. Right?

Now then, how did Americans know that Kennedy’s religion didn’t matter? Because he had told them it didn’t! That’s how.

Here’s an excerpt from a speech Kennedy made right before he was elected:

But because I am a Catholic, and no Catholic has ever been elected President, the real issues in this campaign have been obscured–perhaps deliberately, in some quarters less responsible than this. So it is apparently necessary for me to state once again–not what kind of church I believe in, for that should be important only to me–but what kind of America I believe in.

I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute–where no Catholic prelate would tell the President (should he be Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote–where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference–and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the President who might appoint him or the people who might elect him.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/JFK-and-the-Church

—So you see, even BEFORE the election, Kennedy had taken pains to assert that, as President, he would not be taking orders from the (officially infallible) Pope. Interestingly, this speech alone could have gotten JFK excommunicated; by denying the absolute authority of the Pope and the Church, he was openly declaring his heresy.

In any case, my point is that even before the election, voters knew Kennedy wasn’t a devout Catholic. At least, not in the sense of obedience to the Church. So you’re clearly wrong on that.

************************************************************************************

But this brings up another question and that is: What about now? After 52 years, do we finally live in the kind of secular America Kennedy was dreaming about in his speech?

I would say no.

Do we live in a country where “no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote”?

—Oh, please!! Don’t make me laugh.

¶ In fact, we still do live in a country where ministers and priests tell their parishioners how to vote all the time!

¶ In fact, we do live in a country where one church just got done funding a ballot measure to keep gay people from getting married, solely on the grounds that gay marriage was a sin according to that church’s tenets.

¶ And in fact, we do live in a country where one of the (likely) Presidential contenders belongs to the same church that funded that ballot measure.

—And you’re gonna sit there and tell me that we shouldn’t even be discussing this candidate’s religion . . . because it’s some kind of personal insult to that candidate?

C’mon Jo!!! What planet are you living on?

This discussion is not about whether candidates believe in God or not. This discussion is about whether a candidate’s religion would have a bearing on his decisions as President. And in Romney’s case the answer is: ab-so-LUTE-ly!

 

[anonyme]

Part of the problem is an obsession with facade and status. These are the same folks, regardless of actual income or social status, who MUST have a Louis Vuitton bag (or a knock-off). I’ve actually heard many people state that a “good” dog costs a lot of money. Good for what? If status is that important to you, just get a weird looking mutt and tell people it’s a very rare, exotic breed that cost thousands of dollars.

Unfortunately, many people are not concerned with facts. Pedigreed animals, even those from “responsible” breeders, tend to have more health issues than non-pedigreed animals, may be less intelligent, and tend to live shorter lives. And (this is just speculation) I’m guessing that people who adopt or rescue animals are more likely to be responsible about keeping that commitment, as opposed to someone who has simply made a “purchase”.

On the other hand, I also agree with DP that everyone likes a certain look or temperament in the companions they choose, whether they be human animals or others. I have nothing against preserving breeds, but I do think that there should be strict breeding limitations. (Of course, I have the same view of humans…)

[kootchman]

It’s a simple concept. You respect the rights and the philosophy of the people you work for. Or, you work for someone else. That’s not a hard concept. You expect to work for Exxon and drive to work with bumper stickers decrying the role of fossil fuels? If I wanted massage on my health insurance, it was “that” critical.. I would shop around until I found a job that had it. Or, take a job that doesn’t have it, and pay for it myself. The church is not telling you what or what not to do… they just won’t pay for your politics as it relates to the issue of contraception and abortions. It’s not new ya know… they never have. Funny, two of Seattle best “non profits” to work for…. Catholic High Schools. There is a reason for the first amendment heading the list. We were largely founded on freedom of religion. So, on one issue they don’t follow the doggerel lamentations of the far left as their conscience dictates. It’s a fair bargain. You PCisms don’t trump freedom of religion. I suppose it’s ok for you to attend White Supremacists rallies and work for the Urban League? Of course not. Take your philosophy and work where it is shared. If you are that rabid about getting abortions and birth control services.. why would you want to work for an organization that doesn’t support them? The only one doing any imposition here, is Obamacare. “Pass it first, then you can read it” Amazing…. over 32 states are in litigation with the federal government for usurping issues of constitutionality …. unprecedented power grab by the nanny state. Making every facet of your life a federal concern. You are being subdued.

[kootchman]

OK JoB your smokescreen … PP “spends” only 3 per cent on abortion services. What percentage of its for service revenues are derived from abortion services? It’s all in the counting isn’t it? Note the term unduplicated services… 12% of PP patients are seeking life terminations. Given the financial boost to the bottom line….right to life advocates are reasonably suspect of the emphasis of promoting alternatives to terminations. Get real… this is a multi-billion dollar enterprise and employer of hundreds of thousands of left wingers. They are as defensive of revenue streams as Exxon.

http://www.sba-list.org/suzy-b-blog/top-12-reasons-defund-planned-parenthood-now#_edn6

{Planned Parenthood clinic director Abby Johnson has written that she was given an “abortion quota” and was even told by her superiors to double the number of abortions in order to bring in more revenue.[v] Abortion patients constitute 12 percent of Planned Parenthood clients — 332,000 of 3 million unduplicated clients in its most current report. 37 percent of all Planned Parenthood clinic income revenue is from abortion procedures, according to conservative estimates. Planned Parenthood has issued a directive instructing that all affiliates must have at least one clinic that performs abortion by 2013″.

When asked specifically about taxpayer funding of abortion, polls consistently show a healthy majority of Americans, 60 to 70 percent, oppose their tax dollars funding abortion.

Simply put… abortion services are a cash cow for PP…they market the option actively. The greater public does not want to fund it. PP is a profitable foundation built on providing termination of life services… the least amount of expense for the greatest amount of return.

Even PP can’t resolve their conflicting data… they “say” abortion is only 3 per cent of their expense… but by their own admission it is 14 per cent of their revenue.. not bad eh? The procedure has a gross profit of over 400 per cent.

http://liveaction.org/blog/planned-parenthoods-revenue-comes-from-paying-non-abortion-customers/

[HSG]

Perhaps not the best solution for heat, but if you can’t find a donated wood stove, I’m sure volunteers and materials could be rounded up to build one for cooking. The plans SHI has on their site aren’t great, but I could inquire into more detailed plans if there is interest. SHI may also be able to connect me with locals who have helped build these in the past.

http://tinyurl.com/8y5nfxo

[redblack]

muchkin: but the core values of rank-and-file democrats haven’t changed. i’m not sure the same can be said of rank-and-file republicans.

since reagan, there has been an increasing – and i believe dangerous – distrust of all things government, a detestation of taxes, and the notion that half of our population are simply bums looking for handouts. this wasn’t true under eisenhower and nixon, who both championed huge government programs like the interstate highway system and the EPA, respectively.

now, conservatives will say that deficits and debt are the result of democratic leadership’s intransigence when it comes to government spending. their idea was to cut revenue – specifically, revenue that had been generated by the wealthiest americans – in order to “starve the beast” and force congressional democrats to curtail spending.

the sentiment is understandable, but i think the approach was wrong and far too heavy-handed. i.e. taxes were cut too deeply and too quickly with no time for compensation for the loss of revenue or for societal adjustments to the loss of federal programs.

and i hear the word “entitlement” thrown around like it’s a bad word. the fact is that every citizen in this country benefits from government in some way, and we’re all “entitled” simply by birth right.

i guess the upshot of what i’m saying is that the core values of rank-and-file democrats still revolve around basic notions of collectivism and asking those who can afford to pay more into the system to do so. without any kind of reasonable discussion those notions are bombarded with terms like “class warfare,” “socialism,” and “redistribution of wealth,” which do nothing more than pit american against american.

edit: and, yes, those core democratic values are often ignored by the DNC, who promote “values” that are often very similar to those espoused by the RNC. conversely, i think modern republican and conservative values are dictated to them by the RNC and the corporate media, and that rank-and-file republicans largely believe what they’re told to believe about democrats and government in general.

[wren]

I really love seeing all the bird photos. I managed to get in bird feed before the storm hit. I have seen any “exotic” birds, but the birds have been feeding at my feeder.

If the sun would come out and I can get some yak traks, maybe I’ll make it down to schmitz park.

Stay warn and safe everyone!

[wren]

I really love seeing all the bird photos. I managed to get in bird feed before the storm hit. I have seen any “exotic” birds, but the birds have been feeding at my feeder.

If the sun would come out and I can get some yak traks, maybe I’ll make it down to schmitz park.

Stay warn and safe everyone!

[redblack]

see, rich, the thing is that you have to be more reflexive and understand complex things – like context – before you go around broad-brushing liberals. for example, a lot of dixiecrats like strom thurmond, a democrat who voted against the civil rights act, became republicans after that vote. he was a democrat. was he a liberal? hell, no, and i wouldn’t want him in my party any more than i want joe manchin, ben nelson, or mary landrieu in it.

party names and planks shift with the times. the democratic party is now more conservative than republicans were in the eisenhower administration. and nixon was a flaming liberal compared to george w. bush.

i’ll read some history. i do it all of the time.

but you should stop being so rigid in your thinking and stop pretending that you understand liberals’ motives. because you obviously don’t.

i don’t claim to understand conservatives’ motives. but i’d like to know how you square this circle:

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/politics/tea-party-house-members-even-wealthier-other-gop-lawmakers

Christopher Arterton, a professor of political management at George Washington University, called the Republican lawmakers’ personal wealth unsurprising.“Because they have amassed personal wealth, or inherited it, they are much more likely to be attuned to business or investment as an issue and less friendly towards regulations,” Arterton told OpenSecrets Blog.

now, does that describe the average rank-and-file republican? are you all wealthy, and because you’ve been businesspeople, you’re more interested in business-friendly government?

i’m not being a smart-ass. i really want to know if you feel that government should favor the wealthy. because the tea party caucus evidently does.

[HMC Rich]

Shucks, it is late but they have some of the history wrong.

How about the term Classic Liberalism…Here is a definition… Liberalism is a political philosophy with freedom as its core value. The term was originally applied to supporters of individual liberties and equal rights, but, in America, the term has come to represent a movement of social change that often conflicts with conservative values such as moral values and tradition.

Revisionists and time have even changed the definition, so please, a tv show written by Hollywood writers who usually are liberal is not something I can fully agree with.

But, you should be proud to be liberal just like I am proud to be a conservative.

The National Voting Rights Act of 1965. Southern Democrats had opposed this. It took bipartisan voting by both parties to pass this. In the House (Dem Majority) more Dems than Republicans voted for it. In the Senate (Dem Majority) only one Republican voted against it but 17 Democrats did, including the esteemed Mr. Robert Byrd. If not for Republicans, this would not have passed.

19th Amendment – (Women get the right to vote) Wait, what is this? More Republicans voted for it than Democrats? By Golly. From the NY Times… http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1920womensvote.html

That is just two examples of where the actor and script were wrong. I bet if I dig deeper I will find a lot more to refute that silly show.

Every day conservatives put up with intrusive liberalism creeping into our lives. Not all liberal ideas are bad but many are.

The EPA… Nixon. Ruckelshaus… A Republican Administration…. Oh, credit must be given to activists that helped put pressure on our government. A little history… http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/history/topics/epa/15c.html

1990 Clean Air Act. Bush Sr. proposes amendments and bi-partisan voting passes the revision. http://www.epa.gov/air/caa/caaa_overview.html

On the other hand, Social Security and Medicare have benefited millions of people. Yea! Good!

But they are going broke due to the mismanagement of both parties. Progressive parties.

Time for a change. Time to get back to basics and fundamentals. Time for a Tea Party.

Woodrow Wilson. Re-segregated the Government. Racist in Chief. Unfortunately the Congress did not seem to fight this abomination.

Also, Once upon a time a Young man went to Versailles after WWI and then the U.S. because he was inspired by words from Mr. Wilson for self determination for people. But he was ignored. The man’s name was HO CHI MINH.

Maybe 56,000 Americans and hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese might have survived if the Racist In Chief would have met with that young Idealist way back when. Woodrow Wilson might have been the worst President ever for this country.

And you guys believe a biased tv show. Read some history please.

[adelle1016]

Thanks to Cclarue for starting this as a ‘blanket’ drive. You are the start of a wonderful chain of events !! xo!

[miws]

WARNING: Disturbing image….

http://wxow.images.worldnow.com/images/15920181_BG1.jpg

Google “puppy mills”, then click on “images” for photos that are even more disturbing. :-(

Mike

[hammerhead]

DP,

When it comes to ferals only, the only things that are contagious to humans is ringworm(fungus), toxoplasmosis(sp) round worm, hook worms, but unless you are rolling around in the dirt and eating with your hands you are very unlikely to get those things. This is more common in 3rd world countries.

SO don’t worry about ferals spreading diseases, you will catch a cold from another human before you will ever catch anything from a feral cat.

FCAT:)

[anonyme]

Usually I’m reading rants about Comcast, so I’m a little surprised that some of you seem to like it – at least a little! All I need is phone and internet, and it looks like Comcast is pretty exorbitantly priced. I miss the good ol’ days when there was one phone company. They may have had issues now and then, but it was all pretty straightforward. You knew how much you paid, and what for. Now it seems we only have the illusion of choice; the mega corporations really have the monopoly, and consumer’s rights have gone the way of Ma Bell.

In the meantime, my blood pressure is escalating as I re-examine the Century Link bills and find even more hidden (and wildly unjustified) charges over the past few months.

[amalia]

I just paid an exorbitant amount for a new lock and the locksmith only left one key. The manufacturer’s webpage says the particular lock comes with two. The locksmith says 1) it comes with only 1; 2) I lost the other key; and 3) he’ll check into it. Really, he said all these things (in that order). Any experience with whether a single key is ever the case?

[KBear]

It sounds like your brother is into “comfort food”. One of my favorite cookbooks is Don Mauer’s “Lean and Lovin’ It”. He has a web site: http://www.theleanwizard.com. I’m sure much of what makes these recipes good for weight loss applies to heart patients’ needs as well. The recipes are mostly simple, not a lot of exotic ingredients or tedious techniques. I really like how he takes common, well-loved dishes (meatloaf, burgers, fries, mashed potatoes, fried chicken, etc.) and re-makes them so that they are low-fat and can be part of one’s regular diet. If your brother wants to eat “regular” food and is not interested in vegetarian or other cuisines that may be naturally healthier than what he’s used to, he may enjoy this book.

[kootchman]

First. e coli is more virulent today. Meat processing involves massive amounts of antibiotics injected, and laced in feeds. E coli is a disease of congestion and frequency of exposure. In meat plants that can process 1000 tons a day, a small contaminant can be a massive recall. E coli is evolving to live amongst us in the face of antibiotics, hand cleansers etc. You may be fine with it. But young children as you readily point out are little incubators..they bring home all kinds of crap from school… precisely because they have an underdeveloped immune system. Their first e coli attack could be their last. Add immuno compromised, diabetics, AIDS, hepatitis and the aged and you are putting unacceptable number of people at risk. I didn’t think you would metro… that’s why you vote for these things. So the bag industry defends their record of a less polluting, more sanitary. product? Beats a teeny weenie little cabal of rabid dog eco stooges with their little “progressive: meet ups to defy the will of the people behind the scenes with our city council. People like metrognome are typical… they choose not to understand a lot.. and metro. ask any pregnant women..how many DO avoid cats during pregnancy to minimize exposure to taxoplasmosis…quite a few. Water from restaurants treated by UV, chlorine, and ozone processes is not the same as raw organ secretions and blood product from an IBP meat processing plant with cattle from a confined feedlot. And my dear JoB IT WAS a tax initiative.. a very clear message was they wanted to screw us with a bag tax..they just happened to find a way to make it sound “progressive”…and used plastic bags as the medium. Proof of that? Easy…. they sure didn’t put a plastic ban on the ballot again did they? With or without tax… but you know what every voter was thinking when they turned it down? You are pissed at the bag industry because they also pointed out your gospel had flaws .. one being junk science….and the people chose them as more credible. Everytime I start to question the ethics of lobby and PACs …. then I remember.. ya gotta have that counter balance and alternate sources of information and access…cause there is no truth like the truth of a believer…right?We voted the initiative down… that was the expressed will of the people…cheap politics..

[kootchman]

I believe you are right…it is a conspiracy. But let’s take a look at how police powers are REALLY used around the world. They are a force for suppression of dissent, enforcement of government fiat. The very very first thing modern dictators do is form a police state. The police are given immunity, and special privileges. As you watch your increasingly more socialist government tax and regulate every aspect of your life.. and provide police powers to enforce those regulations… did it ever occur to you that they are there to protect the political system not the economic order? Myanmar, North Korea, Venezuela, Nazi Germany, Iran China, etc. My esteemd friend…the communists of the old Soviet Union did just fine…no problems with vacation dachas on the Black Sea, no shortage of western goods, wines, travel, fine foods…now the citizens..they lived in abject misery as the state owned and confiscated every shred of wealth generated. The political system is trying to transfer wealth and privilege to itself… not you. What makes them so potent is… Exxon can’t deploy thousands of armed troops to get you to shut up and go home… your mayor can. You don’t know who your enemy is. Ever stop to wonder WHY there are so many in prison instead of who wants to privatize it? Which is the more important question? Why do we incarcerate at such astonishingly high rates? How can so may people run so afoul of the law? May I suggest you ponder this quote… “we are either the most evil people in the world, or the most oppressive”.. ma’am it’s one or the other. who guards them is less important then who put them there. Amen?

[DP]

Pro sports is a form of idolatry.

Drive past Seahawks Stadium right now and you can see jumbo-sized posters of professional athletes all ready for us to go and worship on any given Sunday.

     

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them . . .

Exodus 20:4-6

Sorry guys. You might be very good at what you do, but you’re no better than anyone else in God’s sight.

[arborheightspals]

Reflections Dental Centre in Westwood Village is hosting West Seattle’s own Rodger Clement, an extraordinary artist whose medium is vessels fabricated from exotic, rate and beautiful wood. All pieces are available for purchase. Affordable memeories that will last a lifetime and be passed down from generation to generation. Come and see! Open every weekday except Wednesday. 206.923.3684

[kootchman]

If you fill up your car anywhere in the PNW Sonoma … you are a loyal Exxon customer. Ya think those tankers going to the Anacortes refinery are special ones? The crap is sold by the tonnes, barged to any refinery anywhere, and then resold once cracked to any distributor anywhere. The same stuff is re-labeled whatever gas station it goes to. Follow a distribution tanker some day…. see how many different places it stops.