Monday, November 29, 2010

wikileak

The thing about the nexus of what actually ends up happening in governance, and the details of the processes that led to the creation of that reality in governing, for me is only as important as is my agreement with that policy. Republicans have an entirely different set of values and preferences.

I want to see how a lie is formed when shit happens that doesn’t make sense, like with the entire Iraq misadventure. A wingnut may want to know if Obama had a seance to contact the collectivist spirit of Karl Marx for instruction on how to pass “gubmint run healthcare”.

The point is that secrets are only malevolent as what they lead to, and their essence mitigated by things we can see with out own eyes that is relative to ideology and personal values.

I think the state department leaks of cables, and government workings, not matched up with a suspicion of a specific bad policy is at best a flailing “attack” on my country and authority in general. Leak to me the decision making and interactions that lead to torture becoming the official American policy with detailed infrastructure to carry it out. Give me names and address of those making illicit plans that made mockery out of the law. I am not interested in the scattershot fire of foreign anarchists and America haters, especially in the arena of the single agency we have that can promote peace in the world. The US State Department.

I do hope Assange and company gives us the inside skinny on the banksters, it will be a downpayment toward forgiving the bullshit released so far.



Saturday, November 27, 2010

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Liberal Heroes?

Why can’t progressives have their own George Bush or Ronald Reagan?

Progressives often stand in awe of the ability of Republicans to communicate their message in simple stories. Usually that begrudging admiration is focused on the ability of conservatives to so effectively make progressives the villain. To the extent that progressives have even attempted to use narrative, their efforts have often zeroed in on how to return the favor by demonizing Republicans

Liberals and progressives cannot have such heroes, because they are fickle and think independently. That has it’s drawbacks for sure, but if we weren’t like that, we would be republicans, and Obama would get credit for what he has accomplished. With Libs/progs, not even the perfect gets a pass, if it did in fact exist. We want things, always. It is a matter of personal nature, that doesn’t end until it’s time for the long drink of embalming fluid.

I think this is a good thing, all things considered. Without it, social evolution is not possible. But it is not painless.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

AMY DA LAURA

The Messenger

I am watching a movie on SHOtime about two soldiers informing families that their children and spouses have died in war. The movie is intense and brutal. It makes me think how insulated the majority of Americans are related to the realities of war. Ex-President Bush is on TV and in the press hocking his book. No mention of the fact that he sent Americans to war without cause. Because, again, the realities of that decision do not matter. Guess what, men and women have died. Men and women have suffered life-long injuries that you and I cannot imagine, but injuries that have consequences for them and their families. But the fact that decisions have consequences, and the decision to invade Iraq without just cause, has had profound consequences for many American families is lost in the narrative that surrounds Bush and his supposed come back. Is Obama tough enough? Was Bush so incredibly patriotic that sending soldiers to war without cause is proof of his patriotism? It is so bizarre and twisted, and emblematic of today's discourse.

Friday, November 12, 2010

My life -- Kitty Part 3

My day starts at 7:00am sitting on the floor with cat food Yuk in my hand, begging my beloved kitty to eat. I plead and plead, finding I go between telling her she is so loved and I want her to live longer to I hate you and if you don't want to eat, than I will kill you myself.

With each choice -- she rejects several -- I finally get her to eat a bit of one. At that point, I have yuk in my fingers and yuk on the floor. Her brother is walking back and forth knowing that if she doesn't eat, he will reap the benefits of what she has rejected.

Then I email our vet -- love the guy because he gave me his email. I tell him that if we can't solve this soon, I will go through several cases of wine and probably a bottle or two of scotch.

We are caught in a loop. She has a thyroid issue -- hyperthyroidism -- that has to be under control before we can deal with her eating issue -- which is more related to needing a good dental intervention. She does try to eat, but something in her mouth hurts, so when she tries to chew, she stops, her paw touches her mouth, she gets frustrated and stops.

However, apparently, they can't put her under to do the dental cleaning until the thyroid issue is controlled, which means she has to eat. She can't eat because something in her mouth hurts.

Finally tonight I figured out that if I mush her food -- making it easier for her to eat if she doesn't have to chew -- she eats a little. For how long, I don't know.

I truly love this little girl, and it kills me that she has taken to climbing in my lap, just like she did as a kitten but hasn't done for a few years and looks to me as if to say -- figure this out, take care of me, and please, please, do it quickly.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Smrda my kitty, part 2

Well for a week or so, Smrda was doing better. I managed to put the thyroid medicine in ear -- relatively easy, and she was eating again. However, last Sunday she stopped eating. Wednesday I took her back to the vet. We decided to take her off the medicine, and they gave her an appetite stimulant to get her to eat. Wednesday night she happily ate, still only out of my hand.
Well, today she stopped eating again. I tried giving the apetite stimulant in her food, but since she's not eating that tactic didn't work. Then I decided to try and squirt some in her mouth. Always difficult with her when there is only one person, but she is not an easy cat.
Anyway, while chasing her through the house, I managed to spill the remaining stimulant on the kitchen floor and to squirt myself instead of her.
So I figure in about 20 minutes I will be eating several pizzas, a steak, two hamburgers and probably a cake. The good news is that at least one of us will be eating!
:-(

Sunday, November 7, 2010

The Doors - The end

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

What we do for our darling pets

A break from political crap. Smrda our kitty who was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism is doing better. We were caught in a loop -- she went to the vet for teeth issues, but we found out that she has this condition that could kill her if not treated -- it could lead to heart failure. We can't treat the teeth until we get the thyroid under control. This has meant daily squirts of liquid in her mouth. But, as anyone who has a cat knows, even daily squirts in the mouth can be difficult and painful for the squirtee. And, Smrda does have a few anger issues. So the procedure was that I held her and her paws while my husband squirted. I became the bloodied one.

Unfortunately, as usual, my husband is off on one of his 5 week trips. No way could I hold her and squirt. So our vet -- who is one of the most awesome people ever -- gave me some cream to put in her ear daily. So far, not too bad. Once got her head instead of the ear and once got her butt.

But, we still have the eating issue. We took her to the vet initially because she seemed to have problems eating -- this from a cat who once was 20lbs. Clearly a tooth or gum issue.

We have to wait a month before we can give her a teeth cleaning. Our vet didn't want to put her under until we dealt with other issues.

Well, our darling Princess, with the anger issues, has decided that she CAN eat, but only if I put the wet, yuk food in my hand. No eating out of cans or bowels for her. Only my hand. So every morning and every evening, I sit on the floor, with wet, yuk food in my hand, and she happily eats and eats and eats.

I now have prunes for hands -- to get the smell out I have been washing my hand with dish soap. If I could put my hand in the dishwasher I would.

All for love.....

Monday, November 1, 2010