tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-182904032024-03-07T02:41:02.370-06:00Top of My HeadJuliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.comBlogger756125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-37226417228213912312010-07-19T07:30:00.001-05:002010-07-19T07:30:00.707-05:00Not Invented Here<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just finished reading the entire archive for the webcomic, <a href="http://notinventedhe.re/">Not Invented Here</a>. The comic is the standard at work comic, but with very unstandard humor and inventiveness. The two main characters are Owen and Desmond. Owen is your typical clueless project manager and Desmond is a developer. They are supported by a cast of characters including a robot (Marketroid) as the head of marketing. If you ever wondered about software development, this comic is a much funnier way of describing the process. If you're in software development, you will see your co-workers in every frame.</span><br />
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</span>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-6465291016722933752010-07-16T16:35:00.001-05:002010-07-16T16:35:00.172-05:00Question for Arizonia<span style="color: #000099;">Governor Brewer and Senator John McCain keep claiming that AZ has the second highest kidnapping rate in the world. Governor Brewer has even claimed that headless bodies have been found out there in the desert wilds. (A story for which she has no proof, I might add.)<br />
<br />
Here's my question -- pay attention -- it's a good one: Why would any American consider, even for a moment, taking a vacation to Arizona when the Governor of the state and one of its respected Senators has basically announced that the state is full of lawless illegal immigrants and, because of them, people are not safe? Where would you like to spend your vacation money: some place safe, like, say Maine or in the wild, wild west of Arizona where you'll be lucky to come home outside of a body bag?<br />
<br />
Why would you advertise your home state that way?<br />
<br />
Hey, I had no plans to visit Arizona this year nor next year, so it really doesn't matter to me. However; I'm sure a lot of people do have or are making plans to go there. Based on what I know about Arizona, the state takes in a lot of tourism dollars, so why would you want to discourage tourism? Especially, when you offer no proof of your claims?<br />
<br />
It seems pretty hokey to me. Is this just so Brewer and McCain can win their respective elections come November?<br />
<br />
Or, have they been sitting too long in the Arizona sun and they are suffering from heat stroke?<br />
<br />
Just asking.<br />
</span>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-90309461583612114642010-07-16T10:11:00.000-05:002010-07-16T10:11:07.676-05:00American Family Association<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'm not sure just how this happened, but I have been placed on the so-called American Family Association email list. This morning, I received one of their hate-filled emails denouncing the funding for the high-risk insurance group in the state of Pennsylvania. Not does the AFA want to stop the funding because they claim women can obtain abortions with the insurance, they want to roll back what they refer to as Obamacare.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Well, I was going to remove myself from their mailing list and then I thought - wait, let's see the email they want me to send to my representatives in Washington. So, I went to the email and thought - I can change the text. Let's change the text and have the AFA send out the email that I would support.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So, I was thinking, if I can do it -- then everyone can do it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I encourage all of my readers to go to the <a href="http://www.afa.net/">AFA website</a> and sign up for their emails. When you get asked to send an email, send one - on their dime and using their resources, but change the text to match how you feel.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Is it ethical, no probably not. But, sometimes, as I posted yesterday - I'm just a little shit.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Have a great American Day! </span>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-26075462111065628282010-07-16T06:52:00.000-05:002010-07-16T06:52:00.345-05:00What happened to Andy Taylor?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This past Sunday, Cheryl and I watched a bunch of the old "Andy Griffith Show" episodes on TV Land. They were all from the first season. Andy doles out advice to young and old. Andy puts two young lovers on the path to martial bliss by stopping the feud between their fathers. Andy teaches Opie about character and how when you give your word, you need to stand by it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And, just watching these old black and white shows made me wonder just what happened to Andy Taylor? Why don't we see sitcoms on TV where the parents teach their children right from wrong? Why don't we see sitcoms where the fathers are more than cartoonish men who fail at life, love and fatherhood?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I realize that society never was like Mayberry. I realize that many children are being raised in fatherless homes and 50% of marriages end in divorce. I do pay attention to what goes on in the world.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But, don't our children, who spend more time watching TV than playing catch, deserve to see stand up guys on TV as fathers?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Where else is a fatherless boy going to find a good role model? (Yes, Dad, I know there's still the Boy Scouts.)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Where is a child with a bad father going to learn what a father should be?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I was a kid, we had to be home at six to eat dinner. It wasn't until I reached my teens that I discovered that not all families gathered around the dinner table and ate their evening meal together. It was a shock to my system.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I realize that life has changed since 1960 - the year the Andy Griffith Show premiered. I know that women no longer wear dresses and stay at home. I get that, but did we have to sacrifice the stand up sitcom dads, like Andy Taylor, to have progress?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Someone please bring back Andy Taylor next fall. That's a show I would watch.</span>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-8941655954279366992010-07-15T20:03:00.002-05:002010-07-15T20:03:31.476-05:00Furthia High<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just wanted to say thanks to <a href="http://furthiahigh.concessioncomic.com/">Furthia High</a> - our new sponsor. There's one spot left.</span>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-27092237913572068722010-07-15T13:19:00.000-05:002010-07-15T13:19:00.148-05:00The Out4Immigration Blog<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">On July 13th, I wrote a blog regarding H.R. 1024 - Uniting American Families Act of 2009 and I encouraged all of my readers to make a difference and write their Congressional Representatives. On July 14th, I noticed that I have a comment from one of the members at <a href="http://out4immigration.blogspot.com/" target="blank">The Out4Immigration Blog</a>. They are a grassroots organization trying to make a difference in the lives of gays and lesbians who are affected by the ridiculous laws that do not allow a gay partner to sponsor their immigrant spouse. They're calling for people to sign their petition. Please take the time to not only check out their website, but to sign the <a href="http://www.change.org/my_change/search?content_type=Petitions&global_keyword=lgbt+immigration+rights" target="blank">petition</a>.</div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-10957282693177359132010-07-15T12:14:00.002-05:002010-07-15T12:17:09.207-05:00Disappointing Paul Ryan Response<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">See the picture? That's an untouched copy of an actual email I've received from Paul Ryan's office. (If you click on the image, you can see a larger size.) And, I'm disappointed. I don't know if it is a change in staff or what has happened, but his response used to be better than this. I'm used to receiving a letter from him that at least names the legislation I've written about. I contacted him 3 times in the last week. Once regarding H.R. 1024 - Uniting American Families Act of 2009, once on a recent vote on extending unemployment (I forget the #) and once on gay marriage. This is the response I get? This is highly unusual for Paul Ryan to not give a detailed response. </span> <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I do realize that I'm not his most important constituent, but I am surprised that his answer didn't at least name the legislation. </span> <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'm very disappointed right now. I truly am.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Do you think he or a member of his staff has read my blog and realized I won't be voting for him come November? But, if they did read my blog, you'd think they'd realize I'd blog about his answer.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhp6EDTkUfeHuRDAYNZ9YWmEMmUQ4tCDcmExgy0lB94zLG95rOvgLU3_zjLH7STwioymEiCdLYqZhjFax57D7Swie3OgYN6bMJveJ4j_deDbPEAra-4Vqdo1-9M3JjZA7961Cm/s1600/PaulRyanResponse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhp6EDTkUfeHuRDAYNZ9YWmEMmUQ4tCDcmExgy0lB94zLG95rOvgLU3_zjLH7STwioymEiCdLYqZhjFax57D7Swie3OgYN6bMJveJ4j_deDbPEAra-4Vqdo1-9M3JjZA7961Cm/s400/PaulRyanResponse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-11484988245030673052010-07-15T10:03:00.004-05:002010-07-15T10:34:18.190-05:00I believe<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I am a centralist lesbian who is liberal in social views and fiscally conservative.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that if you work hard, you can achieve the American Dream. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that we were lied to at the start of the War In Iraq and I believe that now we're in a huge mess over there that will end up causing more terrorism in the world. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that the huge tax cuts for the rich and corporations, that started until Ronald Reagan in the 1980's, proved to be ultimately bad for our economy. I believe that we need to make our borders tighter and work on keeping out both illegal immigrants and legal ones. In this economic crisis, we can't afford foreign workers to take the few jobs available for American workers.</span><br />
<div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that without the unions, we would all be working six days a week, without healthcare and without vacations. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that large companies only care about their bottom line and not the people that work for them. I believe that without high tariffs and high taxes on companies that close American plants to move them overseas, we will remain in this recession and it will only get worse, not better.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that people who only watch Fox News are missing half the story.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that people who only watch MSNBC are missing half the story.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that we could be a better nation if we all just spent more time watching what happens in Washington and our state legislatures and less time watching the train wreck that is Lindsey Lohan's life and stop paying attention to Sarah Palin.</span><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Speaking of Sarah Palin, I believe she is a "big deal" because the media tells us that she is. She sells papers, so the couple of million followers she has, appears to be greater. Fox News having no one else pretty puts her on and the rest of the media goes wild. I believe her fifteen minutes of fame are up and her base will let her down in November when the tea party Republicans run against mostly centralist democrats.</span><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that the majority of the country are centralists and if they vote in an election, the polarizing ends will lose. I, also, believe that a lot of people in this nation don't know what a centralist is.</span><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that if we don't educate our children in technology and science at a young age, we will remain 4th for technology and probably fall farther still. We need to educate our people or we will lose this country and no one will have to fire a shot.</span><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that the First Amendment still is and always will be the most important Amendment. I don't believe that the Second Amendment really means it is okay for the average person to wear a side arm. I don't believe that it makes us any safer.</span><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Speaking of Amendments, I believe that if you asked anyone on the street to name the ten that makes up the Bill of Rights, most people probably couldn't name more than five. (I could only name 9 a few days ago.) </span><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that the NRA is one of the worse organizations in this nation. I was a member back in the 80's, so I should know. Any organization that supports armor piercing bullets really only cares about their own agenda and not what is best for the nation.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that if we keep listening to the fringe wingnuts on the right and left, we will fight ourselves into oblivion.</span><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that people who believe the world will end in 2012 need to be pitied. We've had a lot of end times and they haven't happened yet.</span><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that gay people should have the right to marry whomever they want and the country will not collapse.</span><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that people should have the right to make their own decisions about end of life decisions. I don't believe anyone has the right to tell them what the decision should be. I believe that when I'm old, in pain and become incontinent, that I will want to be put down. I believe that it is too bad doctors can't just give you a shot, like we do with animals.</span><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that God loves me, but He doesn't give a rat's ass about who is president and, He certainly doesn't give a damn about this country.</span><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Speaking of God, I believe that one nation under God was only added to the pledge in the 1950's to combat the godless communists. I believe that it doesn't matter to most Americans that it is there or not. I believe that if you don't want to say it, you shouldn't have to say it. I, also, love to tell right-wing Christians that it should be removed, just to watch those veins pop out of their neck and their faces to turn red. I believe that I can be a little shit every once in a while.</span><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that we waste a lot of money on our nation's drug war. I believe we should legalize pot and, possibly, legalize cocaine. I believe that would cause the drug lords south of the border to financially collapse. I believe it would cause Americans who weren't good for much anyone to do themselves in (the coke users). I believe we could tax the hell out of these drugs and pay for healthcare.</span><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Speaking of taxes, I believe that President Obama should allow the tax cuts for the rich to expire next year. I'm not that rich, so they won't affect me and they won't affect most Americans.</span><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe that we have a lot of problems in this country and they won't be solved overnight. We have a long way to go and we need to work together.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">But, despite our differences and our problems, I believe that we still live in the greatest country on earth.</span><br />
</div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And, I believe I'd like to hear what you believe. That's what the comments section is for.</span></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-45130440135660279512010-07-15T06:10:00.000-05:002010-07-15T06:10:01.010-05:00Living the Straight Life<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This week, I read a quick post somewhere that mentioned how gays are always shoving their lifestyles down straights' throats. And, I thought about it for a little while and it dawned on me that the writer must not realize how "straight" the world is.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I mention that I'm married, to someone I've just met, they usually ask me about my husband. Most people do a double take when I mention that I have a wife. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Recently, when I filled out an online form for work, I entered Cheryl as my spouse. The system filled in her sex as male. HR had to fix it. A computer system assumed that I was straight.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We get phone calls asking for one of us that the other will take, when I say Mrs. _______ isn't here, I'm asked if the caller could speak to Mr. ______. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> From insurance forms to phone calls and even those dreaded taxes, as a gay person, I'm constantly reminded that t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">he world is geared for straight people.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This isn't a complaint, I get it. There's more straights than gays. It's like being left handed. I read somewhere that 10% of the population is left handed. The world is geared for right handed people.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But, no one tells someone who is left handed that they are shoving their lifestyle down a right handed person's throat.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gays are 10% of the population, why is it when we want to be treated as full members of American society, we're shoving our lifestyle down society's throat?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't have an answer. I just don't. I just live in a straight world. It's getting better, but we could improve it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-41169666436654773582010-07-14T09:31:00.000-05:002010-07-14T09:31:25.883-05:00Iowa Tea Party Billboard<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLabBFu0eecp96JAvEpwu93WxxMP78fj4a8LjMfKNKJgD-23fWlTJKCp38H2m2s6p9x3p9m7QyaJ3lJRxbl0VjEMbcPMpOoZ1hPn2gc-bdZlaa5HK0ktZwVHWeVy23jBOGsr7/s1600/teapartybillboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLabBFu0eecp96JAvEpwu93WxxMP78fj4a8LjMfKNKJgD-23fWlTJKCp38H2m2s6p9x3p9m7QyaJ3lJRxbl0VjEMbcPMpOoZ1hPn2gc-bdZlaa5HK0ktZwVHWeVy23jBOGsr7/s320/teapartybillboard.jpg" /></a></div>The North Iowa Tea Party put up a billboard in Mason City, Iowa last week. The billboard compares President Obama to Hitler and Lenin. <br />
At the bottom of the billboard, the statement is: "Radical Leaders Prey on the Fearful & Naive." <br />
I find that humorous. Isn't that what the Tea Party group that put out the billboard is trying to do - prey on the fearful and naive? Isn't that what the entire right wing has been doing for the last ten years in this country?</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">That said, the best part of the billboard is the fact that even members of the Tea Party... find it to be wrong: "That's just a waste of money, time, resources and it's not going to further our cause," said Shelby Blakely, a leaders of the Tea Party Patriots, a national group. "It's not going to help our cause. It's going to make people think that the tea party is full of a bunch of right-wing fringe people, and that's not true."<br />
At least it wasn't MY money they wasted. </div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-55953953596992414282010-07-14T09:28:00.001-05:002010-07-14T16:37:03.264-05:00A Train Wreck Waiting to Happen<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston have not only patched up their differences, but they've become engaged. Now, while I normally wouldn't say anything about someone else's relationship, I am truly worried about this young couple. They had a child out of wedlock in front of the entire nation - that can't be easy. According to the article, they've been engaged for two weeks and they haven't even told their parents. I could see not telling Sarah Palin, she hasn't been home much, but they haven't told his parents? That doesn't bode well for a good start to a relationship.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And, then the cynic in me pipes up and wonders, are they being pressured by Sarah to get married? She's ramping up for a run at the Presidency - no matter what she says - and having an unmarried mom for a daughter doesn't do much to shore up her base.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">While I hope Bristol isn't being pressured into marriage either by her own parents or even Levi, I hope she knows what she's doing. Marriage is a 50-50 crap shoot in excellent circumstances and with the huge spotlight that is following her, the chances for failure go much higher.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I hope they've both thought long and hard about this. They're both minor celebrities due to no fault of their own and marriage is a tough road. Being a divorced single mom isn't any better than being a never married single mom.</span>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-81505677731808655052010-07-14T06:53:00.002-05:002010-07-14T07:45:16.457-05:00Cut spending, cut taxes - solve unemployment and debt problem - Really?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Republicans want to convince America that cutting taxes (especially those taxes that affect the rich) and stopping spending will put an end to our growing national debt and deficit problems.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, the numbers just don't add up.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Placing less money into the government coffers is not going to make the debt go away. We have to cut spending and leave our taxes the way they are. The money we save from spending cuts needs to go to pay off our huge government debt. Putting less money into the coffers isn't going to solve anything. It will most likely put us in worse shape, not better.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Republicans love to tell the public that tax cuts help the economy. It simply is not true. The 2010 <a href="http://www.moneychimp.com/features/tax_brackets.htm" target="blank">tax rates</a> are the lowest they've been since 2000. I believe they are the lowest since 1960, but I couldn't find the data to back that up, so we'll just go with 2000.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A married couple earning a net income of $45,000 paid 28% of their income in taxes in 2000. In 2010, they will pay 15% - a difference of 13%. A single person earning $45,000 in 2000 paid 28% in income taxes. In 2010, they pay 25% - a savings of just 3%.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not that any politician would put their political life on the line to say to their constituents, we need to stop cutting taxes, but it is the truth. We need to stop.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In case you're wondering, I'm in the 25% bracket. I pay 10% more in taxes than a married couple for the same amount of money. Between Cheryl and I, we will pay 40% of our 2010 income in federal taxes and you don't hear us complaining about it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Enough with the phony cut taxes talk. I want to hear that what we stop spending will be used to pay off our debts. <br />
Who's with me?</span>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-89727896960880787252010-07-13T17:22:00.000-05:002010-07-13T17:22:00.412-05:00This Week at Top Of My Head...Here's what I'm reading and playing this week at Top Of My Head...<br />
<br />
<center><br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=topofmyhead-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0609603876&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=topofmyhead-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B001O9CGYE&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=topofmyhead-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B002ELCUUG&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=topofmyhead-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000WS97QI&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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</center>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-40498135861322955072010-07-13T09:49:00.000-05:002010-07-13T09:49:00.442-05:00Battlefield: Bad Company<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I purchased <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WS97QI?ie=UTF8&tag=topofmyhead-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000WS97QI">Battlefield: Bad Company</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=topofmyhead-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000WS97QI" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />over the weekend. I got a fantastic deal, since I traded in some games to gamestop. But, now, I'm stuck, so I'm looking for help. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'm on mission 3 right after you take out the communication towers and go AWOL. I can't seem to get pass the tanks. Anyone have any ideas?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I do know this much, it's a good thing I never served this country in war time. If this game is any indication, I don't think I would've been good at it!<br />
</span>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-41525747847893121592010-07-13T06:52:00.000-05:002010-07-13T06:52:00.664-05:00H.R.1024 - Uniting American Families Act of 2009<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">H.R. 1024 - Uniting American Families Act of 2009 - is languishing in the House. The poor bill is just sitting there in the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We need to work together, fellow citizens, to get it out.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's the deal: There are literally thousands of American citizens who are separated from their life partners because they can't sponsor them to become American citizens or even to receive their green cards. Does that even make sense? A company can obtain a green card for someone to have a "highly skilled" job that takes the job away from a U.S. citizen, but life long partners cannot keep their families together. It is a disgrace that we allow this to happen.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, here's what I want you to do. I want you to send a letter to Congressperson and ask them to address this situation. There's an organization who is working on grassroot efforts called <a href="http://www.change.org/">Change</a>. They have a letter posted on the <a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/view/urge_rep_driehaus_edwards_foster_halvorson_holden_to_support_an_inclusive_immigration_reform?widget_fb=1">site</a> that you can use if you don't know what to write. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let's all join together and make a difference!</span>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-73405963412278720932010-07-12T14:24:00.000-05:002010-07-12T14:24:42.347-05:00Use the AFA to support gay rights!<h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span class="UIStory_Message">The <a href="http://secure.afa.net/afa/activism/TakeAction.asp?id=375">AFA</a> (Amercian Family Association) is at it again. Their hatred for gays and lesbians is beyond belief. They're calling for their followers to send emails via a form they provide. So, I used their form to send the following email and I encourage all of my readers to do the same:</span></h3><h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span class="UIStory_Message"></span><br />
<blockquote><span class="UIStory_Message">Dear Mr. Bell and NBC:</span><br />
<span class="UIStory_Message"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="UIStory_Message">Your decision<span class="text_exposed_show"> to recognize homosexual "weddings" as akin to that between one man and one woman is an absolute brilliant idea and one that is very much appreciated!<br />
<br />
Please count me as one who will always consider watching NBC's "Today" show and I applaud your attempt to engineer the social acceptance of political correctness.</span></span></blockquote><span class="UIStory_Message"></span></h3><h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span class="UIStory_Message"><span class="text_exposed_show">Click here to go to their site and bring up the form. Don't forget to change the actual letter. I stuck pretty close to the AFA's original text so the changes would be hard to notice.</span></span></h3>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-69860216813009464602010-07-12T06:29:00.012-05:002010-07-12T06:29:00.243-05:00Lego Harry Potter Years 1-4 DS<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When I read that a release of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BSC5HA?ie=UTF8&tag=topofmyhead-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002BSC5HA">LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 DS</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=topofmyhead-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002BSC5HA" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> was on the horizon, I pre-ordered a copy. I don't pre-order very often. I was thrilled. I loved <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QRJ7VY?ie=UTF8&tag=topofmyhead-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001QRJ7VY">Lego: Battles DS</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=topofmyhead-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001QRJ7VY" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000R4GF94?ie=UTF8&tag=topofmyhead-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000R4GF94">Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=topofmyhead-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000R4GF94" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. A Lego Harry Potter is going to ROCK, right?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">WRONG!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Since the game represents four of Harry's years at Hogwarts, I'll give you my top four reasons for not liking this game.</span><br />
<br />
<ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The controls don't always work. You think you're aiming at an enemy and you shoot a wall. I'm pretty proficient in using the stylus on the DS, but it is really difficult to control Harry and the other characters.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There's only one character on screen at a time. When you're controlling Harry, you only see Harry. I liked the two character set up of Lego Star Wars and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015Z1I78?ie=UTF8&tag=topofmyhead-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0015Z1I78">LEGO Batman DS</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=topofmyhead-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0015Z1I78" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
. If a character is conversing with you, I'd like to see who is speaking.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The game difficulty. The game goes from ridiculously easy to ridiculously hard. You can be stuck in one spot for what seems like a long time, but the next six puzzles will be a breeze to solve. There's no consistency. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Finally, did I mention controls? I did, well, I'm mentioning them again. Your main control is the stylus. The other buttons do not do much. There's a lot those buttons in the DS can do. They were utilized for the other Lego games, so I'm not sure why they were neglected here.</span></li>
</ol><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I've read reviews for the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BS4JDS?ie=UTF8&tag=topofmyhead-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002BS4JDS">XBox</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=topofmyhead-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002BS4JDS" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BRZ712?ie=UTF8&tag=topofmyhead-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002BRZ712">PS3</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=topofmyhead-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002BRZ712" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> versions of the game, I would recommend buying one of them rather than the DS version. Total disappointment.</span><br />
<ol></ol><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> <br />
</span>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-76860052091942804652010-07-10T08:15:00.000-05:002010-07-10T08:15:47.221-05:00The Queen of No<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There's a lot of talk that the Republican Party is the party of No. They have no ideas, no solutions and they vote no on everything. And, now, if Nevada doesn't vote for Harry Reid, they will send the Queen of No, Sharron Angle, to Congress. According to a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/09/sharron-angle-faces-tough_n_629327.html">Huffington Post</a> entry from July 9th, "Democratic assemblywoman Sheila Leslie recently told the New York Times. "She [Angle] took great pride in voting 'no' for everything." </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is this really who Nevada wants to send to a National office?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why is it that the only message I hear from the Republicans is "Stop spending! Obama's a socialist! Lower taxes!" ? They don't explain how they plan on stopping the spending. The Obama's a socialist remark is plain ignorant. They don't explain how they plan on lowering taxes.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The truth is that they have no plan in place for when they "take over". The truth is, they can't lower taxes. The truth is they have no idea where to cut spending - except, of course, when it will affect real people who can't find jobs.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Right now, in any state, we don't need a party of no. We need a party of yes. I urge Nevada to not send the Queen of No to Washington.</span>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-87673826483140829482010-07-09T07:54:00.002-05:002010-07-09T08:05:18.838-05:00As American As An Apple iPhone?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Sometimes I wonder just how my brain manages to function with the eclectic thoughts and interests I have rummaging around in there. On the day that my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005NIPX?ie=UTF8&tag=topofmyhead-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00005NIPX">Vanity Fair </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=topofmyhead-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00005NIPX" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />magazine arrived (yesterday) so did my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00026EFR6?ie=UTF8&tag=topofmyhead-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00026EFR6">PlayStation </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=topofmyhead-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00026EFR6" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />Magazine. And, then, I was left with a decision: which one do I read first? The one that holds the last interview with Dennis Hopper or the one that has a huge article on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002I0K780?ie=UTF8&tag=topofmyhead-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002I0K780">LittleBigPlanet 2</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=topofmyhead-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002I0K780" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ah, were every question in life as meaningless as deciding on a magazine. But, then, life would be boring.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Anyway, being the intellectual I am, I opened Vanity Fair first and flipped through the pages. I read The 60 minutes/Vanity Fair poll which asked 960 adults the following question:</span></span></div><div><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">If we wanted to update the expression "as American as...," which of the following would be the best replacement for "apple pie"?</span></span></blockquote></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The choices were Apple iPod, NASCAR, Triple bacan cheeseburgers, S.U.V. and Going to rehab. 23% of the people polled said the Apple iPod and 23% said NASCAR. I find this funny. NASCAR is truly American. It's stockcar races are direct decendants of the races held by moonshiners for very small purses. It's first drivers were moonshiners - not that the corporate image of NASCAR wants to remember their "bad boy" days, which makes it more American, as re-writing history seems to be the favorite pasttime of the right wing, but I digress.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">However; the Apple iPod couldn't be further from the American as. They're not made here and as I mentioned yesterday, Apple only employs 25,000 Americans in this country. That's not very American.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">But, then, not many companies or corporations truly care about America and Americans. It's all about profits. And, I guess that's the way of the country now.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Perhaps, Vanity Fair missed the mark. The updated phrase should be as American as layoffs and corporate profits.</span></span></div><div></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-30250139243178369672010-07-08T06:26:00.002-05:002010-07-08T06:26:00.799-05:00An Economic Truth<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For months, I've been telling my friends that the bad economy cannot be fixed by the government alone, nor is it the government's sole fault that we're in this mess. Yes, the deregulation that started under Ronald Reagan and continued through Bush I and Clinton before it imploded on Bush II has to take a lot of the blame. The tax cuts on big business have hurt the economy, as well, even as we hear the battle cries from the far right to cut them some more.</span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However; the bigger slice of the blame game needs to be laid at the feet of the companies themselves. Our government is in their pockets and have made it easier for the companies to only look out for themselves in the last thirty years, but We the People have elected them. As long as companies don't hire American workers to work in American plants and as long as the American government doesn't place a high tariffs on non-American made goods coming into this country, we will continue to have high unemployment.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For example, according to this week's Bloomberg Businessweek (pg.50), Apple employs 25,000 Americans. Sounds impressive, doesn't it? That is until you learn that Apple's products are made by Hon Hai Precision Industry in China. Hon Hai Precision (AKA Foxconn) employs 250,000 employees to build Apple products. Do the math - for every 10 Chinese employee, Apple has 1 lone American employee.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, but Julie, that's because our unions are demanding such hire wages, I hear you say.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Uh, no. Unions aren't as powerful as they once were - for one thing - and for another, you don't believe that a worker on the factory floor deserves a fair wage for his or her work? I could get into all that anti-union rhetoric, but I'll save it up for a later article. In a nutshell, anyone who lays our economic problems at the feet of unions is someone who has never read a business magazine, gone to college or is making millions as a talking head.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The need and greed for high profits is what's causing the massive overseas drive of American jobs. And, because there is no moral hazard - such as taxes or tariffs - companies will continue to drain our population of jobs. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And, it is not just the big companies. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know of a company with less than 1000 employees - right here in southeast Wisconsin - that has a temporary need for one employee. Rather than hire an American, they've contracted a company in India and now an American employee is training an Indian employee over the phone to do this job. And, it isn't a call center job. And, there isn't a union employee in sight. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Really, Julie?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, really.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In conclusion, this economy has just been brewing for the last ten years, we've been shedding jobs for a very long time. Relaxing the regulations on the financial markets has caused the economy to implode and relaxing tariffs and taxes on corporations - especially those that have been cutting American jobs - has finally killed the American dream. And, no, the government can't fix all of it and the people who can - CEOs of corporations - don't want to fix it. They don't care. They're too busy laughing all the way to the bank.</span></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-88696180704909508042010-07-07T07:43:00.001-05:002010-07-07T07:43:00.728-05:00What I'm Reading, Playing and Listening to...<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I used to post links to the books that I am reading. I've gotten out of that habit, so I decided to start it up again.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What I'm Reading...</span><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=topofmyhead-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B001GVJBK2&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=topofmyhead-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0143034669&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What I'm playing...<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=topofmyhead-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B00269DX5W&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=topofmyhead-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B002BSC5HA&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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What I'm Listening to...<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=topofmyhead-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0000DELVK&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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</span></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-39995697621365370542010-07-06T07:28:00.001-05:002010-07-06T09:36:01.370-05:00Base8<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Do you ever wonder just who is behind an anti-gay measure? Who provides the money for the ads? Who is at the top of the anti-gay food chain? The website Base8 provides this information. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">According to the FAQ, Base8 "is an ever-growing, ever-evolving, human-edited, searchable database of donors to political campaigns and related causes, both for and against equal rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I wanted to pass this great resource site on to my readers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Have a great day!</span>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-38762434253175351832010-07-02T11:23:00.000-05:002010-07-02T11:23:00.559-05:00How will you celebrate the Fourth of July?<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On Sunday, we will celebrate the 234th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. I ask all of my readers to remember the sacrifices that our service men and women have made and are making to keep our country safe and strong.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We live in the greatest country on earth and we often take that for granted. I remember when I was a kid, we had this large book that had an images of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights in it. I remember sitting in the living room reading it over and over again. I found it all so fascinating and I still do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I've decided that this year, I'm going (try) to read the Declaration of Independence to Danny and Alex. We'll see just how long they sit still and listen. They're five, so I'm not expecting much. I just want to instill in them a love of country that Cheryl and I have. I think it is important.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So, in a nutshell, that's how I'll be celebrating this great National holiday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">How will you celebrate the Fourth of July?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For your reading pleasure, the Declaration of Independence.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <br />
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.<br />
<br />
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,<br />
<br />
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.<br />
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We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.<br />
</span><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.<br />
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Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.<br />
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We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.<br />
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Don't forget to thank a Vet for their service!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-60948654853109067802010-07-02T10:07:00.000-05:002010-07-02T10:07:18.481-05:00Blog on Indian Coins<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Are you into rare coins? Are you a serious collector? Do you especially go nuts over rare Indian coins?</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then let me recommend a website for you.</div><h1 class="title" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://numismatology-abhas.blogspot.com/">numismatology@abhas</a></h1><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It is a nice looking site with a lot of information. If you're into coin collecting, I highly recommend it.</span></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18290403.post-52543553541579881662010-07-02T06:22:00.002-05:002010-07-06T09:15:54.752-05:00Get a Backbone<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I have been an out lesbian for over twenty years. I have marched, attended rallies, written blogs and lived my life with the idea that I can’t expect to get my Constitutional rights while hiding in a closet. I’m out to my family, friends and co-workers. Being out hasn’t always been all wine and roses, either. I’ve been harassed, fired and insulted because I am a lesbian. My life now is pretty well set, but there are still those on the fringes of my life who would rather I go away or, at least, pretend I’m not gay to make things easier on them.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">But, I’m not going to live a lie just to make life a little easier or make someone else happy. I don’t think that anyone should. If you’re against gay marriage, then I think you should put signs in your yard and participate openly in the political process. I know your beliefs are wrong and misguided, but if you believe it, then you shouldn’t hide it. Be proud of your narrow straightness!<br />
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Yell it from the mountain tops! Man up!<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Apparently, one of the groups that helped scare the state of California into voting for Proposition 8 – the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) – doesn’t agree with me. They think that their supporters and donors should have a right to privacy. They shouldn’t have to provide their donor lists to state election officials.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“But, Julie, why would they feel this way? What could they possibly have to hide?” I hear you asking.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Glad you brought it up – I have an answer.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">They’re scared. They’re scared that their donors might be harassed for their beliefs. They filed a lawsuit which went right up to the US Supreme Court – Doe v. Reed – to protect the privacy of their followers.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">(I went to their <a href="http://www.nationformarriage.org/" target="blank">site</a> to see what they wrote about the case, but I couldn’t find one word about it. I searched the case name, looked through their archives – nothing. I thought that was odd and I only mention it to see if any of you, my gentle readers, can find anything.)</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“So, Julie, what happened with the suit?” I hear you ask.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Well, I’ll tell you – they lost and they lost big: 8-1. Surprised? No? Well, I am – a little.<br />
Anthony Scalia, a man with whom I usually disagree, wrote:</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><blockquote>"There are laws against threats and intimidation; and harsh criticism, short of unlawful action, is a price our people have traditionally been willing to pay for self governance. Requiring people to stand up in public for their political acts fosters civic courage, without which democracy is doomed. For my part, I do not look forward to a society which…campaigns anonymously…and even exercises the direct democracy of initiative and referendum hidden from public scrutiny and protected from the accountability of criticism. This does not resemble the Home of the Brave."</blockquote></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In other words, get a backbone.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I never mind when someone disagrees with me, but when someone places an anonymous comment knocking me (someone once called me lazy, fat and white trash) it really gets me. It’s not the comment that bothers me. I’ve been called worse before and I’m sure in the future, I’ll be called worse again. It’s the anonymous part. They’ll sit behind the Anonymous title and spout things about me that aren’t true and they don’t even have enough guts to stand up and say, “My name is Robert Smith and I think you’re a bitch.”<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And, for me, it’s the same for the anti-gay crowd. If you want to say, “I don’t think you and Cheryl should be allowed to get married,” that’s fine. You have a First Amendment right to say it and believe it, but if you don’t have the guts to stand up and say, “My name is Robert Smith and I don’t think you and Cheryl should be allowed to get married” then I think you should keep your mouth shut. I have a lot more respect for someone who speaks their mind in public. I think if you give money to any organization that runs ads in support of one candidate or another; you should have to have your name on a list given over to state or federal election officials.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If you believe in a cause – any cause – enough to give money to it, you should believe in it enough to stand up and be counted or stand up and defend it. You shouldn’t coward in a corner.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">To add to Justice Scalia’s comments, America is no place for cowards. We are the Home of the Brave and not the Home of the Chickens.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One final thought, I know on this blog, you have to have a Blogger or Google Account to not post Anonymous, but nothing says you can’t put your name in your post.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If you can’t say it to my face, you shouldn’t say it behind my back.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Man up, NOM!</div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027702881739385842noreply@blogger.com1