Month: September 2013

http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-true-stories-behind-iconic-pictures-badass-women_p2/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=fanpage&utm_campaign=new+article&wa_ibsrc=fanpage

When Mrs. van Gorkum died eight years after husband, she wasn’t plopped down in the family plot at all; instead she was placed on the other side of the wall where her husband was buried. And the two graves were connected over the wall with a pair of hands.

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I really liked this one!

Screw the prejudices of others.

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http://zenhabits.net/changes/

The Pain & Beauty of Life Changes
By Leo Babauta

*** begin quote ***

The reason for our suffering is our resistance to the changes in life.

And life is all changes.

*** and ***

A loved one dies. One of the ultimate changes is death, of course, but what has changed? Well, the person is obviously no longer in our life (at least, not in the same way), but just as painfully, we are not the same person when a loved one dies. We have to change who we are — we’re now a widower instead of a husband, a father without his daughter, or a friend who is left alone (for example). We want life to be the way it was, but it isn’t, so we grief, we rage.

*** end quote ***

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Be like Dylan Thomas, and rage at the “dying of the light”.

Why do I always think of Rodney Dangerfield recitation of this poem?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090685/quotes

==

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

===

To which is the movie, there’s a line: “I mad as hell! And, I don’t take no crap from anybody.”

That’s how I feel.

Raging at the dying of the light!!!

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Ted Cruz Is Talking Until He Can’t Stand Anymore
“I rise in opposition to Obamacare,” the Texas Republican began. This speech may go on for a while.

By Matt Berman, Matt Vasilogambros and Dustin Volz
Updated: September 24, 2013 | 7:50 p.m.
September 24, 2013 | 2:58 p.m.

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Has to stop somewhere?

# – # – # – # – #  2013-Sep-24 @ 19:57  

http://formerspook.blogspot.com/2013/09/passing-buck.html

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2013

Passing the Buck

*** begin quote ***

Perhaps Mr. Hagel and Navy Secretary Ray Mabus will expand the official inquiry to determine who “passed the buck” on an individual who should have been booted from the reserves for his conduct and denied both a security clearance and employment as a defense contractor. As more is learned about the former Petty Officer, we seem ample opportunities for intervention–opportunities that were continually ignored, for whatever reasons.

Sadly, this isn’t the first time that commanders and supervisors have taken a pass on dealing with a troubled individual, with deadly consequences. And we’re not referring to Fort Hood, either.

Flashback to 1992. A young man from Michigan with a long history of mental illness appeared at an Air Force recruiting office. Apparently, his problems never surfaced during the enlistment process; the individual either lied to the recruiters, or the service ignored potential warning signs. With a solid score on his ASVAB, the individual was allowed to enlist and shipped out for basic training.

*** end quote ***

Sorry, but everyone in the chain of command should take a serious hit for this, these, blunders.

But, politicians and bureaucrats don’t care!

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FROM WSJ!

 

Pricing Glitch Afflicts Rollout of Online Health Exchanges
Government software can’t reliably determine how much people need to pay for coverage, as the launch of health-insurance exchanges nears.

If not resolved by the Oct. 1 launch date, the problems could affect consumers in 36 states where the federal government is running all or part of the exchanges. About 32 million uninsured people live in those states, but only a fraction of them are expected to sign up in the next year.

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U.S. Senator Kaine <senator@kaine.senate.gov>
2:48 PM (6 hours ago)

to goa
Letterhead
September 11, 2013
Mr. Ferdinand Reinke
1641 International Dr Unit 414
McLean, VA 22102-4831

Dear Mr. Reinke:

Thank you for sharing your thoughts about the Senate vote on limited military action to punish Syria’s use of chemical weapons against civilians. This is a difficult issue and an important one.

First, I applaud President Obama for bringing the matter to Congress for a vote. Given a recent history where many Presidents have acted to initiate military action without legislative approval, I have been urging President Obama and his Administration to bring Congress fully into these decisions. We are stronger in any military action when the political leadership is united and Congress must go on record on a decision as serious as this.

Second, after significant classified and unclassified briefings, discussion with military and foreign policy experts, conversation with Virginians, and much thought, I voted in favor of authorizing limited military action. It has a specific purpose – to punish the Assad government for its use of chemical weapons and strongly deter any future use. The authorization is limited in scope and time, guarantees that no American troops will be deployed inside Syria for combat operations, and requires all diplomatic options to be exhausted before the commencement of any military strikes. These actions have helped pressure Assad to consider relinquishing his chemical weapons stockpile to international control. I welcome this development and will continue to carefully examine this and any other credible offers presented by the Russians and Syrians.

I voted for the authorization for a simple reason – there has been an international consensus against chemical weapons use since 1925 that has been followed in a near universal manner. The prohibition has protected civilians, as well as American servicemembers who have fought in Europe, the Pacific, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan without the threat of chemical weapons being used against them. If we allow Assad’s use of chemical weapons to kill combatants in a civil war and also innocent civilians, including hundreds of women and children, we can be guaranteed that he will do it again. He might use them against larger groups of civilians in Syria. Or he might use them against neighboring countries – Turkey, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon – with significant populations of American citizens and servicemembers. Unless we act to stop him now, we will send the message to other tyrants that using chemical weapons–is acceptable. That message jeopardizes the lives of our servicemembers in combat both today and in the future. It’s in our national security interest to defend the principle that has protected them from these inhumane weapons for nearly 90 years.

I believe that acting now to uphold the prohibition against chemical weapons will make us safer and avoid larger challenges in the future. I recognize the risk this poses, but I believe the risks of inaction are greater. If America leads, we will have partners. But if we do nothing, I am not sure that any nation will stand up against this horrific crime. I find the gassing of innocent men, women, and children intolerable, and believe there must be a consequence.

Once again, I appreciate your thoughts.

Sincerely,

Signature

Tim Kaine

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What does one do when one’s “representatives” never listen!

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