On or Off the Wagon?

Okay, today I'm feeling like I'm at my Senior Hayride again in high school. You know the one where they try to push you off so you have to run to catch up to the wagon? Well when they tried to do it to me, I didn't competely fall off so there was controversy amongst my friends whether it really counted or not.

Some said that technically since I held onto the wagon and never lost my balance was able to hop back on with out missing a step... it didn't count. Some said that since my butt left the platform, even for a little bit, it counted as being pushed off.

Well that's where I am today .... only its the Yarn Diet wagon I may or may not have fallen off of.

Herrschners had this super sale on hanks of their tapestry yarn. They came in an asst. of 5 hanks (about 43 yds each hank) ... so I ordered 10 sets. Even though its made for needlepoint, I figured it would be great for socks, especially those which have images or stripes. I thought it would work out great.

But now that they are here I'm wondering if I fell off the wagon or not.

Is it considered cheating on my diet by using a product meant for another craft?? I mean...it is yarn...but its technically for needlepoint not knitting or crocheting.

Its 100% virgin wool ... but there are no washing instructions - which makes sense, its not made to be used in garments .... it is moth-proof and color fast so I think it will be fine.
Some are twisted hanks and some are more like a skein of floss.
They are thicker than I thought ... or worsted than sport ... actually more of a DK weight, so they would make a rather thick sock.

Definately going to have to gauge it up before starting.

So here I sit amongst my colors (18 different colors) and not a white in the bunch. Which totally amazes me ... I thought for sure I'd get a ton of white, black, deep blue, etc. But I got a lot of autumn tones instead ... some lovely deep browns, crisp goldens, deep apple, and muted blues -- okay not too keen on those, but I will find a use for them.

I will have to find the color charts for these and get them into the 'stash counter' on the side bar .... "DMC Tapestry" I think would be best heading.

Well off to finish my exchange project. blew my knee out this weekend and was bed ridden so didn't get it off to my partner like I thought I would have. I'm so bummed. Even found two mistakes, one was easier to fix than the other ... have GOT to get this done and off.

Well certainly explains alot...

DRUDGE REPORT 2008®:

"CABLE NEWS RACE
NIGHT OF MARCH 13, 2008
VIEWERS

FOXNEWS O'REILLY 2,979,000
FNC HANNITY/COLMES 2,280,000
FNC GRETA 1,896,000
CNN KING 1,640,000
FNC HUME 1,530,000
CNN COOPER 1,417,000
FNC SHEP 1,392,000
CNN DOBBS 1,057,000
MSNBC OLBERMANN 1,001,000
CNNHN GRACE 605,000
MSNBC HARDBALL 507,000"

I often wondered why Olbermann hated O'Reilly so much (or at least appears to). I don't get the low ratings for Shep though ... I love his Studio B program ... I watch the 2pm program. I think a lot of his viewers left during the Katrina coverage and aftermath when he seemed to turn on some of his views.

Otherwise I love watching Shep ... but he has been looking pretty tired lately -- maybe its all the traveling for the election that he's doing. Either that or they hav a new makeup person for him (he doesn't seem to be wearing quite as much eyeliner as he used to)

RECALL: Glue Guns

Dollar Tree Recalls Glue Guns: "Dollar Tree is aware of seven incidents in which these glue guns short circuited resulting in two injuries, including electrical shock and burns.
The glue guns dispense hot glue and are intended for craft projects. The recalled glue gun is black with a yellow trigger and is approximately 4 1/2 inches from the back of the gun to the tip. Attached is a 44-inch electrical cord. 'Crafters Square' and product number 818261-72 or 818261-75 are located on the guns' packaging. They were made in China."

Medical Errors Getting a BRIGHT Light Upon It.

Dennis Quaid Recounts Twins' Drug Ordeal, Actor Tells 60 Minutes' Steve Kroft Medical Errors Kill Thousands - CBS News:

"(CBS) Hoping to draw attention to medical errors that kill as many as 100,000 Americans a year, actor Dennis Quaid gives a detailed account for the first time on television of the medical mistakes that nearly killed his newborn twins.

Quaid and his wife, Kimberly, speak to 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft for an interview to be broadcast this Sunday, March 16, at 7p.m. ET/PT.

Quaid twins Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace nearly died last November at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles when they were mistakenly given a massive drug overdose.

Quaid believes such mistakes occur too often. 'They happen in every hospital in every state in this country and…I've come to find out, there's 100,000 people a year killed...in hospitals by a medical mistakes,' he tells Kroft. 'It’s bigger than AIDS. It’s bigger than breast cancer. It’s bigger than automobile accidents and yet, no one seems to be really aware of the problem,' says Quaid."

And this is why I do not believe in 'caps' on malpractice suits.
I believe the bill in national congress would limit the maximum award to $100,000 ... well hell, that would hardly cover the hospital stay for these kids while they recovered much less pay for any future bills which might arise!

I am glad that Quaid has brought this into the public, because I believe it is happening a LOT more than we are being told ... its just that most people don't have the funds to afford an attorney to go after the hospitals.

Cancer is a good case in point. I know of three cases where people have gone in for cancer treatment, had the cancer 'removed' but then have it reoccur again ater in a place that isn't normal ... my mother was a victim of this. For 2 years they gave her monthly, then weekly, blood transfusions before they decided to finally scope her and even after she had tested 'clean' for three years they found the colon cancer cells had moved up into the stomach where they didn't NORMALLY belong.
A friend of mine's husband went in for removal of esphogial cancer ... tested clean for a year but then suddenly he started having troubles coughing and they found that the same cancer was growing along his rib where they had made the cut to operate -- agian where it wouldn't NORMALLY occur.
Both of us were told this is a very rare thing....

I'm sorry --- but it seems to me that the drs are getting careless when they are removing the tissue. And some of them need to be taken to task for their carelessness.

I applaud Quaid on his bravery ... for bringing this to such a bright spotlight!!!

Where was THIS buried???

FOXNews.com - As Obama Talks Religion, Questions Surround His Controversial Pastor - Politics Republican Party Democratic Party Political Spectrum
Geez! They knew about Obama's pastors racist/seperatist views for over 6 months ... even wrote a piece on it --- but where was it in the news? When did the major media ever grab onto it? They didn't.

Why?

I believe its because they were afraid if they mentioned it they would be accused of being a 'racist media' .... but really its just news.

they even have an audio clip of the preacher on the YouTube (recorded in a car so it must have been broadcast over a radio?) Oh My Gods!! This man is a PREACHER OF GOD?????

Obama has been listening to this guy for over 20 years .... 20 years!! .... you don't stay there that long if you're in politics unless you agree with what they say. In fact he was going to have this man speak at his announcment of his intent to run for president -- but then changed his mind when the public (not the media) began to question the preacher's words and whether that was what this country really needs right now.

....“Wright’s preaching does promote a sort of racial exclusivity,” said Michael Cromartie, vice president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington.
“Statements that suggest you cannot truly understand God unless you are black or poor are exclusive.”
Remarks attributed to Wright that were posted on audio files on the Internet and cited in press accounts earlier this year may have prompted the criticism.

“Fact number one: We’ve got more black men in prison than there are in college. [Ginger asks: and that's society's fault?]
"Fact number two: Racism is how this country was founded and how this country is still run. [Ginger asks: you did hear of the Mayflower right?]
"We are deeply involved in the importing of drugs, the exporting of guns and the training of professional killers. [ginger asks: WHAT? When did this become policy?] ... We believe in white supremacy and black inferiority and believe it more than we believe in God. [not touching this one] ... We conducted radiation experiments on our own people. ... We care nothing about human life if the ends justify the means.
"And ... And ... And! God! Has got! To be sick!
Of this s***! ....

Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a good charismatic speaker, there is nothing wrong with conspiracy theories. But this man is plopping all the problems of the world onto the government and absolutely none of it onto the people who cause it.
Listen to the youtube clip .... it will really worry you.

It makes me wonder what Obama will really be like if he gets into the office of President. Even scarier is what will happen if he isn't elected -- will we have another race-riot like when the Rodney King verdict came down?
Man I wish I could find the transcript of the 'Donahue' show in the 70's (I think it was Donahue ... it may have been someone else though ... but it was one of the serious shows, not the Springer-type) where they had several leaders of radical groups on. One from the KKK, one from a different white supremists group, one from the Grey Panthers, and the leader of the Black Panthers.
One group is just as scary as the other!!!

Tax time blues.

My Way News - Budget Would Torpedo Bush's Tax Cuts:

"The House passed its $3 trillion budget plan by a 212-207 vote. It would provide generous increases to domestic programs but bring the government's ledger back into the black, but only by letting all of Bush's tax cuts expire at the end of 2010 as scheduled."

And before people start going "well those only help the rich" no they don't .... this includes things like the extra tax credits for people with children, the penalty relief for being married, and finally it will re-inact the death tax - you know the tax where the government will get almost 1/2 your estate when you die leaving your grieving family quite the tax bill to pay when you die.

If you think that this will cost you less -- you better think again.
If you think that they are only going to let this effect families with incomes of $150,000 you better think again.

Under this plan you can bet that the new lower-upper class will become the current middle-class, and the new middle class with be the current lower-middle t0 upper-lower class.

It is all a numbers game and the politicians know how to manipulate them to make their side look the best.

"...Democrats argued that when the time comes, they'll renew tax cuts aimed at the middle class by closing billions of dollars worth of corporate and other tax loopholes. They also say billions more can be raised by cracking down on tax cheats...."

Translation: when they get their candidate into office and the dems hold both houses, they will make it look like they are helping the people but tax the companies they work for so much that the companies will pack up and move to another country.
Now another way to read this is that the Democrats know that the tax cuts they are doing away with HELP THE MIDDLE CLASS now but they are using them as pawns in their politican games! That's worse in my mind than the republican taxcuts for the rich---it means the democrats don't really care about the people, we are all just pawns in their games.

"...In the House, Democrats defeated a GOP plan that would have extended Bush's reductions. The Republican plan also would have eliminated the alternative minimum tax, which was originally designed years ago to make sure rich people pay at least some tax but now threatens more than 20 million additional taxpayers with increases averaging $2,000..."

Yes because it was designed to help MORE people OVER TIME, not just for the moment .... but the media wouldn't tell you that would they? No because it would mean that the Bush administration actually did a good thing by looking more forward. And if the cuts remain in place they will continue to help millions more. And admitting the others are right and you were wrong, just isn't good 'politics'

"...The first year of an administration is typically when heavy lifting on the budget is done, but all the candidates' campaign plans seem to promise more than they can deliver. McCain's tax cuts would require applying a meat cleaver to spending, while the Democrats promise spending that would enlarge the deficit or require large tax increases...."

So they openly admit that McCain will be the better tax plan for the average American over those of Clinton or Obama. Of course it will never happen if we don't have at least one of the houses of congress controlled by the republicans this round as well.

Obama's Pastor: God Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11

Obama's Pastor: God Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11:

"Sen. Barack Obama's pastor says blacks should not sing 'God Bless America' but 'God damn America.'
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama's pastor for the last 20 years at the Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago's south side, has a long history of what even Obama's campaign aides concede is 'inflammatory rhetoric,' including the assertion that the United States brought on the 9/11 attacks with its own 'terrorism....
... An ABC News review of dozens of Rev. Wright's sermons, offered for sale by the church, found repeated denunciations of the U.S. based on what he described as his reading of the Gospels and the treatment of black Americans.
"The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people," he said in a 2003 sermon. "God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme."
In addition to damning America, he told his congregation on the Sunday after Sept. 11, 2001 that the United States had brought on al Qaeda's attacks because of its own terrorism.
"We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye," Rev. Wright said in a sermon on Sept. 16, 2001.
"We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost," he told his congregation ... '"

Okay so you can be a member of a church but you don't stay there unless you LIKE the message you are hearing! you don't refer to him as "an uncle who says things you don't believe".... not when you are a public official -- no way -- you walk out, you speak out, something .... but you DON'T sit there and let it pass.

" .... "I wouldn't call it radical. I call it being black in America," said one congregation member outside the church last Sunday.
"He has impacted the life of Barack Obama so much so that he wants to portray that feeling he got from Rev. Wright onto the country because we all need something positive," said another member of the congregation.
Rev. Wright, who declined to be interviewed by ABC News, is considered one of the country's 10 most influential black pastors, according to members of the Obama campaign... "

This should scare the shit out of EVERYONE no matter the race or social level. If this were said by the pastor of David Duke's church could you imagine the up-roar??
To me this is very very much 'Black Panther' language, KKK language, and this is Domestic Terrorist language!!!!

Obama better denounce this man FAST ... retirement or not .... before it totally damages his reputation.

You know those commercials that say that kids learn from the enviroment they are raised in? Well the same thing happens with adults too. And remember that Obama and his wife have been raising their children to attend this church with this message.

Pretty scary.

Since when is CANDY an Illegal Substance?

School clears kids in contraband candy caper - CNN.com:

"Michael Sheridan, an eighth-grade honors student who was suspended for a day, barred from attending an honors dinner and stripped of his title as class vice president after he was caught with a bag of Skittles candy in school will get his student council post back, school officials said.
Superintendent Reginald Mayo said in a statement late Wednesday that he and principal Eleanor Turner met with student Michael's parents and that Turner decided to clear the boy's record and restore him to his student council post.
Michael was disciplined after he was caught buying a bag of Skittles from a classmate. The classmate's suspension also will be expunged, school officials said"

Okay now first -- there is a drug out there that the kids call "Skittles" but this isn't about that. This is about the same bag of skittles you can get at any grocery store, convenience store, movie theater, etc. But apparently in New Haven, CT its punishable by 'life'.

Just think what this little incident could have done to this boy's plans for college and career because he has a suspension on his record. He could pretty much count out an Ivy-League school ... so what would be the point of his maintaining an Honor's GPA???

This is just STU---PID!!!! I'm glad they reversed their decision!

Another Mayor of Questionable Morals

Nation & World Puppygate ensnarls mayor in Texas town Seattle Times Newspaper:

"... their mayor has admitted — without a smidgen of remorse — that for months she's been harboring Puddles, her neighbors' cuddly Shih Tzu.
At first, Mayor Grace Saenz-Lopez lied to the family, telling them that the dog had died while they were vacationing. Now she's refusing to return the pooch, which she calls Panchito. She argues that the dog's owners have forsaken the right to keep such a tender animal because they failed to shower him with loving care when he was ill and needed them most. That's triggered a bizarre custody battle that has both sides howling for sympathy...."

Okay as Mayor she should know the proper way to go about this. Just because you are Mayor doesn't mean you can circumvent the law or interprete it in the way they suits you best.
But to lie to these people is just plain cruel.

"... The Puddles-Panchito feud started in the summer, when Rudy Gutierrez and Shelly Cavazos asked Saenz-Lopez to dog-sit their sickly black and white pup while they took their four children to an amusement park.
Puddles had gotten trapped under their home weeks earlier, and by the time he emerged had been ravaged by fleas. He was deathly ill when the family decided to go away, Gutierrez and Cavazos admit ..."

Okay so they weren't so irresponsible to leave the dog without care -- they just need to be a little more careful who they chose to dog-sit. While they may be guilty of being poor pet owners -- the punishment was NOT to be handed out by the mayor in this manner.

"... After one day, the mayor called them with terrible news: Puddles was dead.
"We broke the news to the kids on the way home, and they cried," Cavazos said. "Everyone was very upset."
It was easy to believe, given the dog's condition ..."

So the mayor punished the children along with the parents ... actually probably more so. Shame on her!

" ...by small-town happenstance they learned it was a lie. On Halloween, Cavazos' aunt went to a local groomer to scout a potential breeding partner for her Shih Tzu; she was struck by the male dog's uncanny resemblance to Puddles. Then it hit her: It was Puddles.
"I asked who the owner was, and the groomer said [the city mayor]," the aunt, Sylvia Trevino, recalled... "

What a way to find out!

".... Authorities initially considered criminal charges, but Jim Wells County Attorney Jesusa Sanchez-Vera declared it a civil matter..."

Well this could go either way, actually. Since dog's are concidered property there is a criminal case here, but being the worth is under $3000 it would be concidered petty theft in many places.

But either way, the mayor blatantly broke the law and needs to be impeached!

Oh it should also be said that Jim Wells County has been linked to several 'questionable' acts in the past.

Check out the graph

Fed takes boldest action since the Depression to rescue US mortgage industry

"The Fed's dramatic step came after an emergency conference call by governors on
Monday night. It followed the melt-down of the US chartered agencies -- Fannie
Mae, Freddie Mac, and other lenders -- which together guarantee 60pc of the
entire US home loan market. Fannie Mae's share price fell 19pc in panic trading
on Monday after Barron's magazine said it may need a rescue package"

Okay, but if you look at the graph they have on the page about the rise & fall of Fannie Mae, you will notice that it was completely strong until around November -- about the time the candidates started all their retoric of how 'bad' the economy was ... they CAUSED it. Think people. If you hadn't heard of it on the news all the time, would have ever thought the economy was bad? I mean other than gas prices?

Its like the food prices. Remember how every one said that the food prices were going to go up because of Ethonal? But people had been using ethonal for years without a problem ... until the news media latched onto it!!!

I remember in the 70's when President Carter (or was it Ford?) put a ceiling on milk prices to protect the consumer (especially the little consumer) ... I often wondered if it ever really helped people, but I know it hurt the farmer in the long run.

So what will this bail out do for the housing industry -- my guess is its going to still hurt people because now they have mortgages that they got during the inflated housing market but their houses weren't really worth that much .... lets just hope the banks don't get the bright idea to start asking for the difference in

She Said, He Said

Clinton and Obama split over Florida and Michigan - International Herald Tribune:

"....Clinton, in an appearance before a Hispanic business group in
Washington Wednesday morning, argued that the delegates should be seated based on the results of the Michigan and Florida primaries, which were held in January in violation of Democratic Party rules....
...Obama, speaking on MSNBC Tuesday evening, ruled out any solution that accepts the January results. 'We were told that Michigan and Florida wouldn't count, and so we said we wouldn't campaign there,' Obama said...."

So why are these delegates so important you might ask? Why is Obama so adimate that they not be counted? Because they can make all the difference in the world to the vote:

"....Clinton won both contests by sizable margins and would narrow the delegate gap with Obama by about 60 delegates if the January results are honored, but the delegations have been barred because of the party rules violation. She now trails Obama by more than 100 pledged delegates, according to most counts...."

I have to wonder what stance these two would take if it were the other way around right now. My guess is they would be changing shoes.

Personally I'm split on the matter.

After all, the state parties knew the rules and purposefully flaunted their disregard for them ... but then why does one state get to go before any other? I mean what makes Iowa and New Hampshire's votes more important than any other? With the way the schedule is set up states like Mich. and Florida are nothing more than pick up states ... I can't blame them for trying to make their states mean a bit more.

This is why so many people want to go to a straight primary system -- so all states have equal standing ... but that's not always true either. We would see the same thing that we do during the regular elections -- then small states with few delegates would never see the candidates at all.

Its a tough balance.

If I absolutely had to choose, I'd say .... revote. But then I have a feeling that the vote would be terribly tainted by the perception that Obama has this thing tied-up .... when really its up in the air.

I would like to see both states have a revote, but not in the same fortnight and I would love to see more debates {okay I just love to see a good fight} but I think Clinton at this point would really take Obama to the mat for a lot of stuff she has let slide because she didn't realize how strong the Oprah factor was .... and lets face it, if Oprah hadn't endorsed him and continued to do so with little hints on her show , he wouldn't have done quite as well in the beginning as he did.

Back off Peoples...

TMZ.com - Entertainment News, Celebrity Gossip and Hollywood Rumors:

"TMZ spoke exclusively to Beyonce's father, Matthew Knowles, who said medics were called because Tina[her mother] has the flu and began to experience shortness of breath. Paging Janet Jackson!"

Hey until you've been there you don't know what its like.

This happened to me in college and you don't usually think of it happening ... it came out of no where ... it wasn't in the middle of vomiting or anything ... it just strikes. You feel like your chest is going to explode and you can't get a decent breath.

I was lucky, I was able to send my dog downstairs to get my folks who were able to get me some help .... I wasn't even 20 yet .... I couldn't imagine going thru something like that now. I think the first thought would have been 'heart attack'.

Especially with how they say women are underdiagnosed for it.

So step back TMZ ... this is more common than you know!

FOLLOW UP: New York Governor

Well, he finally took the plunge and resigned. The gossip is that it was his wife that wanted him to stick it out and see what would become of the accussations.
Now accroding to FoxNews there will be a lot of other information to come out including threats made to other officials to keep the story under their hats over the years.

Oh this is going to get bad.
And he isn't the only official being grilled over sex .... wait until I post about Detroits mayor.

Yowzers!

Now aren't you glad we bailed them out?

Southwest Grounds 41 Planes:

"DALLAS (AP) - Southwest Airlines says it grounded 41 planes last night in the wake of its recent admission that it had missed required inspections of some planes for structural cracks.
Spokeswoman Christi Day says the move resulted in some flights being canceled Wednesday, but she doesn't have a precise figure.
The move comes as Southwest faces a $10.2 million civil penalty for continuing to fly nearly 50 planes after the airline admitted that it had missed required inspections of the planes.
Southwest also put three employees on leave after being notified of the penalty by the Federal Aviation Administration."

Now when the airlines went to the Feds and asked for money because they needed it to operate and maintain the safety in the air? or something to that effect?

Now undiagnosed cracks is what caused several tragedies. Such as lost wings in flights, dropped engines, even a case in Hawaii where the entire top of the passenger compartment came off!

If there are any major defects they should have their liscense to operate taken away.

How many lives did they put at risk just because they didn't want to pull a few planes everyday off the line??

Of course, how many people complain everyday because there aren't enough flights to where they want to go. Also they put up a stink if the plane is running late. Imagine their reaction when they get told that their flight has been cancelled.
Especially if they are between destinations .... the airline isn't about to tell them that there was a major defect with the plane and grounding it. Could you imagine the uproar???
I swear people think that the airlines have an endless stock of planes at every airport.

We will have to keep an eye on this one.

Smells as Bad as Yesterday's Diapers

Drudgereport had a link to the Detroit Mayor's 'State of the City' address where he dropped the 'n' word without flinching. Well I found that there was some sort of scandal going on but I couldn't find any articles on the local Detroit news site Drudge sent me too. So I did a bit of digging on my own.

How the heck has this man kept his job??? Here's what I found:

Mayor scandal raises concerns about broader impact on Detroit:

"When Kilpatrick took office in 2002, he was heralded as the 'hip hop mayor' and drew national adulation for his energy, ideas and diamond earring. But the luster dimmed as he became mired in miscues involving a plan to have the Police Department lease a Navigator for his wife, rang up more than $200,000 on his city-issued credit card and then was forced to cut back city services and lay off hundreds of workers."

WHAT?? A Navigator for his wife? Why? And why would the cops pay for it?
I'm wondering what he put on that credit card that he didn't get charged with embezzlement.
Then the people re-elected him in 2005 ... whoever ran against him must have been really bad because I couldn't imagine that people would want a man like that back in office!
But wait it gets better (or worse):

The Detroit News was able to track down the mayor and his family at the vacation home in a golf course community in Tallahassee, Fla. Kilpatrick bought the house in June for $430,000 with a $344,000 mortgage from Quicken Loans, which is planning to move its headquarters to downtown Detroit in the next 18 months

Somebody want to tell me how this doesn't smack of an under-the-table exchange? I would be taking a really good look at what kind of tax breaks and incentives they are getting.

....rumors of wild party at the Manoogian Mansion....
....the city's finances have been jeopardized by the mayor's actions and
decisions in various court cases that have cost the city millions of dollars," [Councilman Kwame Kerryatta] said...
.....John Riehl, president of AFSCME Local 207, which represents water
department workers, said Kilpatrick should step down and that that union will hold a picket outside city hall Wednesday calling for the mayor to quit.
"He should resign. There is no excuse for what he did," said Riehl, who also
dismissed reports that heads of 17 unions would decide Friday to ask the mayor to step down or they would initiate a recall drive

So what triggered all this you might ask? A sexual affair that was lied about and then hidden with city resources and was lied about under oath.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy is expected this morning to announce how she will address the text messages, which contradict August testimony by the mayor and Chief of Staff Christine Beatty in a Whistleblowers lawsuit filed by two former police officers that resulted in the city paying an $8 million settlement.

It seems that the mayor and his chief of staff were setting up rendezvous around the country, not just around the city, and there is questions about whether taxpayers money was used for it. So of course, the police investigated ... and got shit-canned for it.

Although I do have to say that it seems like cities are settling out of court more and more these days, whether they feel they are guilty of the charge or not (1) just to get it out of the way (2) so it doesn't hit the papers (3) its more convienient. The worse are the public vs. police ones, at least here.

This will be an interesting one to keep an eye on because my understanding is that when he was elected in 2005 he promised he had "cleaned up his act" from the first term -- but at the speech mentioned already (State of the City) he got quite the round of applause from the audience, as if they didn't care that he might be neck deep into something that they could be paying for.

Hmmm. I dub this a bigger scandal than NY-Gov. right now!

And you thought Marry Ann was better than Ginger!

Mary Ann -- More Like Mary Jane!! - TMZ.com - Entertainment News, Celebrity Gossip and Hollywood Rumors

"...Wells was pulled over on October 18 after a Teton County sheriff noticed her
swerve across the center lines of State Highway 33 and repeatedly speeding up
and slowing down. A search produced four half-smoked joints and two small cases
to store marijuana -- which she blamed on hitchhikers..."

Well, she is an icon from the '60's .... I've heard of some pretty wild parties that Bob Denver used to throw -- it just makes since that Mary Ann wouldn't be as sweet as she seemed.

So the question is .... will she be able to take this and turn it into a career the way Willie Nelson did? Maybe she will land a role in "Dukes of Hazzard 2".

*****************************
FOLLOW UP:

Well's lawyer says a third party came forward and claimed full responsibility
for the marijuana. We're told the third party was in possession of Dawn's car
that day and had left the joints behind.

Well isn't that convienient. I'm sorry but if you ain't smoking it then there would be no reason to have 4 nubs in your ashtray! I don't think she is as innocent as she seems in this one, but then only DNA would tell ... and lets face it .... they aren't going thru the expense for a minor offense.

See recent photos of both Ginger & Mary Ann on TMZ.com

Time is not on my side

Okay I got a week's extension on my project from my partner. An entire week ... so wouldn't you know it, its been the week from HELL.

Saturday was 'sick kid day' and for that fact so was Sunday.

Sunday was also "Got To Get The Rest Of The GirlScout Cookies Delivered" day. it also turned into "Oh Geez we forgot to finish homework" day which included an essay my son was supposed to have done on Mahalia Jackson (you would not believe how much info you can soak up looking for info for your kid)....of course it wasn't until he was at the end of the report working on his bibliography that he announced he needed one non-on-line reference which he had but couldn't remember the name of it ---- arrrrghhhh. But he said he got it done okay. We will see.

I could double check for him but there is a time when I have got to let him do this on his own.

Anyhow back to my week. So that was Sunday. Sunday night hubby wanted attention so no time to work there either.

Monday, day ... I tried to work on the project and wound up not being able to do anything because I suddenly remembered it was SCOUT NIGHT. Aw man....had to find and make sure his uniform was clean....tried to find my Badge magic and gave up on it....It was also my daughters first Varsity Chior Concert. What to do -- both were at the same time but we didn't know how long hers would last so we could very well leave him at scouts alone, nor could we have me go to the concert just in case she got done early then we would have been stuck there until when hubby & son got done. So we worked it out...mom to scouts--dad to concert--mom with phone to call other son for ride.
So we got home late and hubby wanted to go straight to sleep. No crafting (even though I took my work with me to scouts, the other mom's kept me too busy to do anything --- ugggg)

Then there was today. i thought everything would be great. Sunny day, almost 50*F outside, it was wonderful. So I sat down to get ready. My problem was I dared to check email. My son is being kept at school for detension since he is missing homework.....uggggg.....thought we got all this straightened out! But no he had to put his head in the sand for the last couple of weeks and not write all the work he needed in his planner. So it was a morning of writing notes back to his teachers.
then hubby decided to skype me for a chat....well that took an hour...can't craft and chat at the same time. So when he finally got back to work (must have been his lunch break) I thought finally so I got out all my stuff I would need. Had everything laid out. Then the dog wanted to go out.
Okay seems easy, put the dog on her collar and throw her out the door -- except she was just as demanding as a kid ... "I want water"...."play with me"..."watch me romp thru these muddy puddles and then jump on you".
okay so I noticed I was late for lunch ... if I don't eat on time I get the shakes so there was another half hour wasted. Then it was kids home from school time.
"oh by the way mom I have to give a speech and we are having a dress rehearsal tomorrow so I need a costume for my character" .... geez thanks. Well that was going to have to wait. we had more important things -- like the work he forgot at school again. So big bro took him back to get it - again - and I dug out some gas money for him to defer the cost for all the runs he's done for us. And it was nose to the grind stone time.

But I think we did it, all late work done...but after dinner I had to go get the stuff for his costume -- at least its easy....suspenders and a good shirt (couldn't find hubby's suspenders nor could we find them in the store). Thank goodness we live so close to Hancock Fabrics.
So then we got back and kid hadn't even started his speech yet! Oh he needs to remake his research cards ... because he FORGOT where he put them. Oh man. good thing it was easier since he finished his report.
Even the speech went easy.
Now mom needs to de-stress. But man...I have to take off the entire last row I swear! ARGGHHHHH!!

I'm going to scream I swear.

So now I'm done to the wire....I've got one day -- that's it. I've got tomorrow to finish this.

I had this all worked out. Why me??? Why did I have to be sick for a week? Oh well time to stop whining about it, time to shut down the computer for the night, and time to start ripping I guess.

Bummer.

An Olympic tragedy in the making

Haile Gebrselassie pulls out of Beijing marathon because of pollution - Times Online:

"The marathon world record-holder said yesterday that he was unlikely to compete at the Beijing Olympics because China’s air pollution would damage his health. The Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie, 34, is a favourite for a gold medal this summer but is likely to focus instead on the 10,000 metres because he suffers from asthma.
“The pollution in China is a threat to my health and it would be difficult for me to run 42km in my current condition,” he said. “But I am not pulling out of the Olympics altogether.”"

Wow, talk about overcoming an adversity ... a marathon runner who suffers from asthma!
Some one remind me please, was China part of the Kyoto accord???

Last week, the Chinese authorities began their first census of pollution sources around Beijing as part of an environmental improvement strategy ahead of the Games. The survey will cover 90,000 sources, of which 24,000 are industrial, 45,000 residential, 21,000 agricultural and 128 treatment facilities, according to Beijing’s bureau of environmental protection. Companies failing to provide accurate information face a fine of up to 50,000 yuan (£3,500). The findings of the survey will be approved in the first half of next year.

I would think they would have asked for an enviromental report before they awarded the games to a country...after all it would be better incentive to get a country to clean up then wait and have all the Olympic stuff committed to it and put athletes into situations like this.

90 THOUSAND sources?! That sounds like an awful lot, but then maybe that's the norm for an industrialized nation.

Beijing's bureau of enviromental protection -- don't make me laugh.

I would also like to know how they can approve it if it isn't even done yet???

Nope wouldn't blame the entire British team if they pulled out (1/4 of them has asthma)....in fact it is so bad that the IOC has said it may cancel the endurance events if they feel the health of the athletes are at risk.
Well that kind of defeats things doesn't it? They are supposed to have everything up and running by the time the athlete begin to arrive. This is ridiculous.

It should be noted that 750,000 people die in China every year due to breathing problems related to pollution.

BREAKING NEWS: Adm Fallon Steps Down

Bush hopes Cheney's Mideast visit will rein in oil prices - International Herald Tribune

Okay the reason the two of these stories gets linked is because there is a preception on the news that these two activities are linked. That perhaps Cheney also had the agenda to go over and talk to Fallon about recent news stories saying he was arguing with the administration over troop strength in the middle east and posturing for war in Iran.

It also sounds like what happened was they got in a fuss and Fallon said something that equated to "fine -- I quite" and the Administration said "fine by me" so it was a mutual decision.

But I'd hate to speculate at this point because we don't really know what happened.

Slip of the lips and all that sort of thing....

The REAL reason he's in trouble .... buried unless you look for it

SPITZER HAS USED HOOKERS FOR 6 YEARS: SOURCES - New York Post:

"He's also reportedly hired a top-notch criminal defense law firm in anticipation of possible charges over his possibly illegal bank transfers."

Okay now see here is the illegal act he will have to defend himself against.

I tuned in late to 'The View' this morning so I missed what the ladies had to say about this -- I was wondering if they were going to be hypocrits and jump on his case when they didn't Bill Clinton's or if they were going to stand up for him.

After all .... call an orange an orange, and an apple and apple here.

Is it or isn't it

Minn. lawmaker part of wave to ban hallucinogenic plant - TwinCities.com:

"The plant can be smoked, chewed, or made into a tea. Its effects last for a shorter time than other hallucinogens like LSD or PCP.
The drug sells for about $8 per pound, and can be purchased over the Internet or from local producers.
No deaths have been attributed to its use, but it was listed as a factor in a Delaware teen's suicide two years ago.
Eight states have already placed restrictions on the plant"

Interesting. Its interesting. It is already being deemed a 'drug' but technically its an 'herb'. Drugs are derived from plants/herbs...but can the plant itself be the drug? hmmm. interesting.

My herb wholesaler doesn't sell this particular herb so I know nothing about it.

And even though they say that 8 states have restricted it, they don't say how its restricted. It is noted that it is not regulated by the Controlled Substance Act ... so Federally its not illegal although the DEA is pushing to have it added to the same list that has LSD on it.

It does produce hallucinations in as little as 1 minute and last as much as 1/2 hour. It would very dangerous if someone used it before driving or operate machinery.

I did not see anything that says any studies were done on long term usage.

Normally I treat banning of naturally occurring substances with caution because it is what it is. Nutmeg can be a hallucinogen as well if taken in significant quantities...but they aren't regulating that.

Actually there are plenty of things out there .... daffodil bulbs, nutmeg, sage, etc. -- stuff you can get your hands on any day.

What's Good for the Goose....

FOXNews.com - Massachusetts Teacher Resigns After Violent Lesson With Student Is Caught on Video:

"A high school teacher has resigned after video of him re-enacting a violent scene from George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” with a 14-year-old freshman surfaced on the Internet, according to MyFOXBoston.
It was supposed to be a creative lesson in a Dudley, Mass., English class, but the reenactment turned rough after Tom Reidy allegedly used the student as a prop, MyFOXBoston reported.
A student taped the encounter with a cell phone and posted the video on the Web.
Community opinion is divided over whether the man should have lost his job over the 'play' fight."

It is sad that he had to lose his job BUT if it is zero-tolerance for the kids, its only right that it's zero-tolerance for the teachers as well.

What shocks me is that a student was allowed to have a cell-phone in class! Especially one with a camera in it.
Want to see the news story/video? go Here the video of the actual incident isn't the best. I think he could have found a better scene to recreate.

Of course I'm wondering why they are reading such violent books in school.

Bad Bad Terminator

Opinion - Editorial: Air Schwarzenegger - sacbee.com:

"'I just don't have a home in Sacramento,' Schwarzenegger said to the Times.
'The question is how can I be with my family, because that is extremely important, to be with my kids. They are all growing up. They are in their teens. They need their father around. … I felt it took a toll on my family not being at home every day. So what I am trying to do is find that balance between the family and running the state.'
There's an easy solution to this homeless tragedy. It was pointed out by former Gov. George Deukmejian, one of many Southern California state leaders who managed to survive an extended occupancy in Sacramento.
Deukmejian suggests that Schwarzenegger buy a big house here, move his family into it, and then donate it to the state as a governor's mansion once his term is over."

Why doesn't CA have a 'Governor's Mansion'? I know what former gov. Deukmejian said about how he bought a house to live in Sacramento when he was in office and that Arnold should donate the house after his term....

So if this was such a good deal -- then why didn't Deukmejian donate his house after his term???? Because that was his money. It has to be said too that right now there is a tax-exempt fund that pays $64,000 yr for a penthouse [presumably to the same hotel] that could easily be applied to a house .... there is no mention as to whether this penthouse is exclusively for the Governor of the State or if it is only reserved if the governor needs it.

I wonder what happens in that suite when the governor isn't there. hmmm

And how do you think the people would feel about paying for a home for Swartzeneggar and his family? Not just for the property (which would then be tax free), but for the upkeep, updating, bills, staff, security system, etc.
They would NOT like that at all -- they would just find a new reason to complain.

As far as the plane --- well he could drive his SUV everyday, or pay a driver to do it for him, or a better solution would be to look at the state and how the population is spread and MOVE THE CAPITAL.

Actually if you look at many states' capitals you will see that they were centrally located to the majority of the population, which generally meant a big city ... but they aren't anymore. now a days these cities are the most crime ridden in the state, the poorest, the densest populated, dirty cities which are located in very inconveinient places for most of the 'newer' cities which up-cropped over the hundred years since state-hood.

Or what the governor could do is create a 'satellite' capital ... a secondary site where official government business can take place which is closer to his home.

Or he can get the state senate to pass a ruling much like that of "Airforce One" [that is any aircraft the President is on is Airforce One, even his heliocopter]...then he would be able to use whatever residence he is in as the 'Governor's Mansion'.

Swartzie isn't charging the state for the use of his plane (which he could do since it is being used for official state business) ... he isn't ever 'out of touch' from his duties ... I just don't see the point.

Let the man do his job and stop busting his chops.

Several problems with this study.

CDC study says at least 1 in 4 teen girls has a sexually transmitted disease; HPV most common NewsOK.com:

"Among girls who admitted ever having sex, the rate was 40 percent. While some teens define sex as only intercourse, other types of intimate behavior including oral sex can spread some infections. [ginger says: you can label this the 'Clinton Effect', anyone want to tell me again how Monica-gate wasn't going to effect the youth of the nation?]"

Okay this is an important distinction that the story glosses over ... it is NOT 1 out of 4 of the entire population... it is 1 out of 4 of sexually active teenaged girls.

They only looked for 4 diseases .... three of which can be picked up by means other than sexual.

HPV - genital warts - does NOT need sexual contact, just skin surface to skin surface, or thru thin material, or even from surfaces. This means it can be passed on in swimming pools, exchanging/trying on swim suits or cheerleader spankies, even from toilet seats where one person sits and another uses immediately afterwards (like busy public bathrooms at stadiums/concerts)

Herpes - this is the same virus that gives you cold sores. And can be passed by sharing lipstick, stealing a sip of pop from your friend, getting a kiss, sneezes from others who don't cover they're mouth -- or don't wash their hands well enough before touching that door knob before you touch it and then eat your snack.

Clyamydia - yeast infection gone wild. Also an infection that can be spread on surfaces, though tough to do and less likely. Now according to my dr. an untreated yeast infection can mutate into clyamydia the same way that strep can mutate into scarlet fever.

They assume that ALL American teenaged girls are sexually active .... their study begins at age 11 .... yes you read that correctly 11.

They do not say where they got their study pool from but the story comes out of Chicago. And as anyone knows, where you live has a lot to do with your actions/norms. More dense populations {e.g. Chicago, LA, NY, Miami, TwinCities, Atlanta} are going to have a higher incidence.

There are just too many questions about their scientific methods to take this study seriously.

It really sounds like the whole point of the study was to push vaccinations -- which seems to have tainted the study.

If there was one thing I learned in college .... its that studies of this nature can be very easily manipulated simply by the way the data is viewed, or in this case what is left out.

Pay attention people

Obama: 'If I am not ready, how is it that you think I should be such a great vice president?' - Ben Smith's Blog - Politico.com:

"“Now first of all with all due respect, with all due respect,' he said here during a town hall meeting. 'I won twice as many states as Sen. Clinton. I won more of the popular vote than Sen. Clinton. I have more delegates than Sen. Clinton. So I don’t’ know how someone in second place can offer the vice presidency to someone in first place. If I was in second place I could understand but I am in first place right now."

How can she? Because when the revote comes for FL and MI she will be able to bring up the fact that you said you would be willing to open up instant negotiations with Cuba's new dictator ... which will lose you the hispanic FL vote (which traditionally you do well in). Then there are the Union's in Detroit ... where she will be able to bring up your determination not to negotiate NAFTA which could possibly save their jobs better than simply getting rid of NAFTA all together ... and if you can't see how it could help them by renegotiating it, then you shouldn't be running for President. Getting rid of NAFTA will simply put the workers back into the same sinking boat they were in before.
Then there are those SuperDelegates -- you know the one's that she has got the majority of. Yes the majority. This means that when push comes to shove she WILL get the delegates she needs to be the candidate, where as Obama will fall short.
It won't be 'stealing' the nomination ... it is the way the democrat party works -- warts and all.

I don’t understand. If I am not ready, how is it that you think I should be such a great vice president?” Obama asked the crowd, which gave him a standing ovation during his defense. “I don’t understand.”“You can’t say he is not ready on day one, then you want him to be your vice president,” Obama continued. “I just want everybody to absolutely clear: I am not running for vice president. I am running to be president of the United States of America.”

Because you aren't ready for that position yet either, but it would be an unbeatable ticket ... it would not split the party. BUT if the ticket is Obama and ?? then McCain is going to mop the floor with them. McCain is a seasoned veteran of political wars ... Obama is going to look like a school boy in a debate with McCain!

The DNC is looking at pure numbers here. What will get them into the White House, and they don't think Obama can do it ... the only thing that has put Obama where he is today has been the media. If the media ever turned on him, that would be the end of his campaign.

The media has already turned on Hillary and look she's still going strong.

Go Sister GO!!!!

Geraldine Ferarro lets her emotions do the talking - The Daily Breeze:

"'I think what America feels about a woman becoming president takes a very secondary place to Obama's campaign - to a kind of campaign that it would be hard for anyone to run against,' she said. 'For one thing, you have the press, which has been uniquely hard on her. It's been a very sexist media. Some just don't like her. The others have gotten caught up in the Obama campaign...."

Yes the media has been VERY biased and a HUGE factor in this race .... probably TOO huge. I have got to say, she was not my first choice -- not because she was a woman but because I didn't like the way she did things .... but I like her more than Obama, who doesn't have the background for the position yet ... YET.

..."If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position," she continued. "And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept." Ferraro does not buy the notion of Obama as the great reconciler...."

Wow, I can not believe she came out and said what so many Clinton supports and Republicans are thinking, but its very true. Although - I'm not sure I agree that he wouldn't be in this position if he were white.
If the country isn't ready for a woman, it wouldn't matter what color her opponent was, she'd still lose.

I do think though that if he were white, Edwards would have done much better; but at this point in the race its more gender based then racially based.

"I was reading an article that said young Republicans are out there campaigning for Obama because they believe he's going to be able to put an end to partisanship," Ferraro said, clearly annoyed. "Dear God! Anyone that has worked in the Congress knows that for over 200 years this country has had partisanship - that's the way our country is."

Well ... she does have a point. If we didn't have differing parties we would just be ... Cuba. USSR. China. Iran, no wait, they are becoming more democratic.
You get the picture.

Well somebody had to say it.

FOLLOW UP: When Knitters Go Wild

JafaGirlArt - KnitKnot Tree: "

For those concerned about what we will do with the yarn after the tree sweater is removed.
More than likely we will do what we normally do with our art materials, recycle and re-use in another piece of art. However for those who would like to see some of the knitted peices[sic] donated please contact us so you can collect the pieces and donate to a charity of your choice."

I was so excited when JafaBrit wrote a comment to my blog (I was beginning to think I was the only one reading it), I need to thank her for sending me the link to the page which answered by concern about the material being used for art instead of charity (see previous post, "When Knitters Go Wild" ).

I of course jumped right over to her site .... WOW, impressive photos! Much better than the ones in the news article .... you can see the tree progression.

AND they recycle the yarn -- that is so cool. Now I'm not sure if that means they take apart the bits they won't use as is, to re-knit the yarn into something else .... or if it simply means that they hang onto it until its needed again. Either way it makes for great conservation of resources.

But that is one thing I've always loved about the 'needle arts' is that the materials seem to lend themselves to recycling.

Most charities want you to use new, clean, unused yarn so the recycled yarn from their projects wouldn't be able to be used in many charitable projects for the general user. Unless it is a project that lends itself to sterilizing. {she says as she looks at the three cones of cotton worsted waiting for their turn to be changed into bandages}

This makes it much less frivolous. I really like that.

Squirrels Wet Dream

So what in the world is this you might ask:

This is what it looks like when a semitruck rolls over and it spills its load.

Its load?? SUNFLOWER SEEDS.

The real fun will come later after the emergency vehicles get out of there and all the birds and squirrels show up to collect their prizes.
There's going to be sliding, skidding, swerving cars all over the place as drivers do their best to keep the critters out of their undercarriages.

You wouldn't believe how far back the traffic is plugged ...

Missed Oppotunies

KSTP.com - Ciresi drops out of Senate race:

"Democrat Mike Ciresi is dropping out of the race for U.S. Senate, saying he doesn't think he can win the party's endorsement.
The move now dwindles the candidate pile from three to two, leaving Al Franken and Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, vying for the DFL endorsement"

Mike, mike, mike .... why? You have Franken over the fire pit with his NY fine! One of Al Franken's biggest foot hold is on the unions --- and here he did a blatant violation of employee benefits and you have let it go without comment????

I almost get the feeling that the DFL leadership is telling the candidates NOT to talk about this because other than the original news story there has been NOTHING mentioned any where else.

I can't believe this. I thought politicians were supposed to be Pitbulls, but these guys are acting like shih-tzu's .... a bit of yapping but their hiding under their chairs.

COME ON PEOPLE!!!! Where are the Union's indignance over Franken not paying for basic WORKMANS COMP???? You think they would be so quiet if it were 3M or XCel or Ford or WalMart? HELL NO!!! They would have it plastered all over the media.

And I'm sure many of them would go "well, it is just a small company thing' ....
BUT I would say that it was the laise-faire attitude he put on it that is the dangerous part of it all.

And then to push it onto someone else .... oh he thought this other company took care of it .... well that's fine but then once he was told there was an issue he should have taken care of it RIGHT A WAY .....
No he left the state {the story made it sound like he knew before he moved that he had violated the law, but the actual court judgement didn't come down until after he left -- but still, he knew it was going to court...} without keeping a close eye on things.

So of course our politicians have to practice MN-nice and not bring it up.

So we will allow yet another carpet bagger to take our voice away from us.

I know Franken was born here in MN, but I question how minnesotan his views really are, actually I question a lot of the DFLers veiwpoints .... they just seem to be so 'other worldly' , not based in the agricultural background of MN. They have become Big City people and seem to feel less for the smaller voices up north, down south, or out to the west of the state.

They seem to listen most to the UofM, the MN teachers union, the labor unions, the MTC, etc. All issues that deal with the two largest cities, and in some effects the other 4 sub-major cities of St. Cloud, Rochester, Duluth, Shakopee ... but littler town such as Eveleth, Gheen, Alexandria, Mankato .... these are pretty much forgotten about until some tragedy strikes that they need aid.

It just makes me mad!

If this were Coleman that had not paid Workers Comp the Dems would be all over it ... but they are just rolling over.

I want a Dem with some teeth ... I want a real choice .... I want someone who follows the rules, not just expects everyone else to.

Franken feels very much like "Do what I say, Not as I do".

I don't like the choice.

If it looks smells like dog doo .....