The Borowitz Report

As a mother who works out of the home almost entirely for medical coverage, and who can't get her family approved for any individual plan, I am both laughing and crying over this one.

http://www.borowitzreport.com/article.aspx?ID=7083

Campaign 2012 Begins . . .

Finally, a conservative who remembers that small government was a key part of the platform. After so many big-spend, big-government conservatives (McCain and Obama were all hand in hand about these stimulus/bailouts) it's nice to hear some good rhetoric on the other side. I'm glad Obama won for lots of reasons and hope he is effective, but I'm very open to real fiscal conservatism if it actually exists anymore outside of speeches.

Even so, it is very, very clear from Jindal's response tonight that you just may have heard the first stump speech of the 2012 election. He'll be 41. That would be a truly interesting race, and from a strategic standpoint, possibly the only way to even try to contest Obama if his support doesn't crash.

Down with the parties. Up with good ideas. There is my random, anti/pro-everyone thought tonight.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/24/sotn.jindal.transcript/


PS I'm fine. The bed thing is getting old.

Gory Details

#1 question asked by people who read my blog but have resorted to email because I don't post enough: My surgery is now scheduled for 2/11, I'll be off of work 4-6 weeks. Putting off the surgery has had some drawbacks in the form of fatigue and pain, and the endometriosis perhaps has spread to other organs, but that wasn't the fault of the few extra months. The Dr. possibly will have me not take any hormones after surgery for a while, so I'll go into instant full-blown menopause (for the third time) to kill off all the rogue endometrial cells in random places in my body. I'm scared about that because it made me (more of a) screaming, crying, hot-flashing psychopath.

I watched the inauguration at work on some TVs they hooked up for the employees in the warehouse. I was happy and do hope as a nation we do begin to take more responsibility for the wide-ranging impact of our actions, but try to I'll spare you my thoughts beyond that. Shauna sent me Dr. Laura's comments, I can't say I've heard her (ever), but I saw some things I agreed with. I tried really hard today to avoid the sour grapes of people and bloggers and journalists who didn't vote for him. I know if today was McCain's day, I would have watched and been proud of our country and can't understand why that's so hard for some. But, I've really tried to let go of such thinking.

Anyway, I'm very tired, but we are very blessed. Strangely, I'm looking forward to surgery because it means I can lie down.

(PS, sorry if my image grosses you out, I offer it only in the spirit of amusement)

Thanks and Pics

Thanks for all your nice messages and emails. If I was fishing, which I wasn't, I surely scored many fish.

I tried to post pictures via my new magical email method last night and they didn't go through, so I posted them the old way in a few posts (below).

Today Seaworld came to my work (we sell a LOT of Sea World tickets) and they did a short presentation with a kookabura, a porcupine, a great horned owl, a baby kangaroo, a hawk, a lemur, a reindeer and a camel. I didn't plan on doing it, but my coworkers said, "hey, the boss is out, go get your kids and let them see it, it was great last year!) So I surprised all my kids and picked them all up and we saw the animals and I just went home after that, with only the permission of all my co-workers, no real permission. It was over at 3, and I couldn't see dropping them all back at care to arrive back at work at 4 or 4:30.

It was fun but bittersweet, because we all had such a nice weekend together and I could tell the kids were really bothered about the whole work thing--and so was I. It's not an optional thing, but I'm missing them more and more. Every day Noah says, "Mom, I don't want to go to school or Lincoln's, I want you." And I think about how it won't be long before this sweet little four year old won't feel that way anymore--it is such a short time, and I'm missing so much of it. I'm just really sad about it today. Sadness I guess in the air the past few days.

But again, thanks for your sweet words.

And for those of you who are asking me, "It looks like Obama will win? Are you happy?" I say no, although I will feel relieved. If McCain won, I would be wonderfully off the hook for all the negative future events which will surely be blamed on the next president, whether within the realm of his influence or not. With my being outspoken for Obama, it's like a personal liability for every dumb thing he will do, and every dumb thing that happens, whether he did it or it would have happened either way.

Yes, I think we'll be better off, but since we can never know what "would have been," and since we seem to be headed for even more difficult times, I think it will be the easy road for folks to take to comfort ourselves with how great it would have been if we'd only chosen otherwise.

And then there's the fact that he's a politician, and for all the things I like about him, he's still that. So it's a matter of seeing how he will disappoint, while believing he'll disappoint less than the alternative.

To quote Jon Stewart, "Oh Obama--how will you break our hearts?"

I've already voted, and I'm in Utah, so that's all kind of anticlimactic.

Oh, and Gina, on the gay marriage thing, I read an interesting article about that last week:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/01/us/politics/01marriage.html?_r=2&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1225511260-d/kZUCg84l1R8pwJ7/1QTw&oref=slogin

Personally, they both are against it, Obama for religious reasons, McCain in the name of tradition, and it sounds like both of them are mired in federalism, state issues, and policy technicalities on why they will or won't support various laws surrounding it. But when it comes to respect for the family, I think Obama has shown much clearer support of it personally with one wife whom he shows respect. McCain has shown very little concern for family matters in his treatment of his ex-wife and shockingly misogynist statements toward women in general.

But blah blah blah. It's all over tomorrow. Thank heaven for that.

My Favorite Quagmire of Partisanship

Like my friend Lisa, as much as I vent my thoughts out here on the blog about the election, I am in knots over it and also can't wait until it, and its forboding aftermath, is over. I am not sure, but I think I may have finally got all my political angst out of my system in all these long-winded posts and hopefully now I can go back to whatever else it is I use my blog for.

But before I make a lame attempt to swear off of politics, I'll introduce you to www.realclearpolitics.com as a fun place to go if you are a politico-junkie to any degree. It cumulates all polls, both state and national, it gives you the interactive maps and it has loads of featured articles that will make lefties and righties both scream "bias!" The articles are from papers and online sources all over the web from varying viewpoints--left, right and center. It's good stuff if you are willing to read both sides.

DISCLAIMER: Although I think it is obvious, I somehow feel the need to make the disclaimer that I am stating entirely my own opinions here on this blog--the facts I choose to share are the ones I personally believe to be true. I reserve the right to rant, to assume, to speculate, to be angry, sometimes be irrational and snarky, and sometimes be wrong all together. This blog is cheaper than therapy, although not much less self-indulgent, and heaven knows I need a little therapy these days.

You're in for it III (read previous posts first)

Ok, I really feel like I have it all almost worked out now. Soon we'll be back to talking canning and kids, and posting pictures. But not yet.

Rant, part three and final:

A quick word on judges—as I know this is an enormous point of concern for many of my friends. I'll just say this--both sides will tell you scary stories about the kind of judges the other candidate will appoint—these fortune tellers love to keep you up at night with all the things the candidates will do to destroy America and your life once elected.

But after all I've taken in on this, my consensus is that with either of these guys, you are likely to get a moderate swing voter appointed, like an O’Connor. I won't list all my reasons now, but in brief, if McCain returns to his old real "maverick ways" (the kind that doesn't have to say it to make it true), and if it’s true he won’t likely run for a second term and will have nothing to lose, he’ll do whatever he wants, and that won’t be to appoint a religious ideologue.

As for Obama, he understands better than anyone else the enormous divides in this country. He is not a defender of corrupt behavior who will put judges in that will overturn Roe v Wade, etc.—people continually listen to the pundits on this instead of seeing what is right in front of their face when Obama is talking policy—he is a boring, painstaking pragmatist.(And seriously, if you believe the crazies when they tell you he'll try to put Hillary on the bench--she isn't even a practicing attorney, which is required--you need to turn off the Hannity and start learning things for yourself).

Do I differ with Obama on policies? Heck ya. Does he say things that bother me? Yes sir. But in both cases, this is less the case with him than the differing and bothering that goes on between me and McCain these days--we, who once were almost idealogical friends before he let Rove take over his campaign after the primary—so yucky!

And, really for another post, is the enormous issues of respect for life that is trampled by war, preventable sickness and death related to quiet corporate license to poison air, water, soil and food at will and grinding the faces of the poor around the world. The quickly expanding disparity between rich and poor in this country can easily be laid at the feet of a Republican administration—and study after study shows that increased poverty impacts abortion rates.

Here are the boring facts: We have two flawed people to choose from, neither of whom can be called a defender of life or the family, but one of whom has sincerely thought about the issues from multiple perspectives, and that he empathizes, respects and understands with those who disagree with him, and the other merely wants to give the “right” answer that will get him in power. The candidate that agrees with everyone on every issue does not exist. I believe Obama is not only smarter, he is wiser. He is a more consistent, thoughtful leader and communicator—even in his campaign management he is exponentially better than his rival.

(And sorry, but I fundamentally dismiss the “he’s secretly something else” theory, in part because the Republicans have openly discussed that tactic as being part of the campaign strategy—it’s pure marketing. But mainly I don’t believe this theory because I've read and thought myself to death over it, reading both men's actual words wherever I could. And as I’ve said before, I love a conspiracy theory and suspect them practically everywhere—but on this one I just see marketing.)

Oh my goodness, you’re STILL reading this?? Okay, I’ll reward you by finishing. Yes, we should vote for life and the family, ESPECIALLY in the state elections, which actually have jurisdiction and greater relevance in these matters. But please, don't vote for a party simply because they say these two issues are part of their platform—because their performance shows exactly the opposite is the case, and they’re only pulling it out now to get your vote.

An attempt to resurrect coherent political discourse for just a minute (or 30)

Oh, you are so in for it now. I’ve got the blogging back into my veins and months of unspouted rants have backed up and are ready to erupt.

I kid, of course, but seriously, this is going to be a very long post. I hope you’ll read it anyway, because I know there are lots of my friends who are still puzzling over my apostasy from the Republican Party (yes, did you know I used to be a registered GOP’er?).

Sweet Pam, this one goes out to you. Thanks for your email—let’s begin.

Pam is one of my favorite people and she and the sweet Picketts, who sent it to her, both sent me this video today: http://www.catholicvote.com/ “

The Picketts said: If you want something to think about look here and see what the Catholics have done to encourage their 67 million people on election day. They don't tell them how to vote but they sure do get their message across. I believe this is an inspiring message for this coming election, so I'm sending it out to everyone I know.

Go ahead and watch it now. I’ll wait.

OK. Although my sweet and gentle Pam proffered this video to me as “another view,” I want to start by saying that I agree 100% with this video. (And I’m sorry to break your heart, my sweet and socially liberal Natasha, I hope you’ll take some consolation when I actually post my epistle on marriage that I posted to the NY Times in response to the CT ruling a few weeks ago, I’ll do it here one of these days. If you don’t take consolation, then love me anyway, OK?)

It is the assumption people take from this video (and likely the intended assumption of the video itself) that I take very strong issue with. It is the assumption that there exists a pro-family, anti-abortion, defender of marriage candidate in the presidential race. It is the assumption that because these issues are included in the Republican platform that they have something to do with what Republicans actually do in office, although years and years of evidence prove that on the presidential level, these principles are not for performance, but are merely used for election purposes to get people who care about them to think they have to vote Republican or they will be instantly killing babies and destroying the family.

Then they will put these issues away until the next election when they need you again to stay in power.

Let’s look at the past for a minute: Abortion rates and the political advancement of gay marriage (both state issues) have only advanced under a Republican president in the last eight years, at breakneck pace in fact, and this was under a more evangelical president who may have actually cared about this issue at some level beyond election rhetoric—not so for McCain. (Ironically, other Republican mainstays like smaller spending/government, avoiding sweeping financial socialism, right to privacy, etc. also became irrelevant once everyone was comfortably seated).

We had Bush I, Clinton and W—20 years!—and only saw an increase in all of these problems relating to the family, under both blue and red banners. The last eight years have seen greater blows to the family than we’ve ever witnessed before. Were those in power alarmed? Did they change laws? Did they care? No. Unless there was an election involved.

Yes, John McCain has a better voting record on this than Obama. But that is not where it stops – as we’ve seen again and again, people act differently as President, and we need to know the ideology there--based on their own words. In looking into that, it was made it clear to me that McCain’s stance is far more seated in political imperative than in personal ideology. (And relating to the definition of marriage, I can tell you right now that McCain couldn’t care less—unless it means your vote).

With Obama, I saw in his discussions on the topic that he has actually spent time on this issue, has thoroughly and personally explored the causes, aftermath and implications of abortion in a way that gave him an understanding of all the full ramifications, causes and effects involved. He is very clear that abortion is a bad thing--something that Dems have been afraid to say for fear that it meant "women are not equal." He sees it as his mission to deter abortion at its roots.

His approach to this issue reflects his ability to think through the implications and complications of difficult issues the people are divided on--which will only be an asset as he handles the many, many other crises we are facing right now in the same pragamatic way.

How not to rant

Here are 14 very interesting comments about the government socializing our banks. 

 

See, we can't afford nationalized healthcare, we can't afford nationalized education (I'm not really for that anyway), but, it turns out, we CAN afford nationalized trillion-dollar banks. Who knew?

 

So I'm just passing on various thoughts of other people, some of which I agree with.  The last one was very interesting, and at first I didn't know if I agreed:

 

 Perhaps our country is too concerned about having a growth economy. We are obsessed with the notion of having more everything including money but, do we really need it? I think both our planet and ourselves would benefit from a zero growth economy. Perhaps now is a good time to learn to make that work and consider what we can do to reduce our patterns of consumption.

To be ambitious to expand self development, learning, love, kindness, spiritual knowledge, connection to God, charity--now what kind of world would it be if we only sought to expand those things we can actually take with us? 

 

It made me think of the wonderful lyrics of "Simple Gifts," that teaches a principle this year's garden has really brought home to me:

 

 

 

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,

'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,

To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,

To turn, turn will be our delight,

Till by turning, turning we come round right.

 

 

 

Could it be that man's requirement to work the earth by the sweat of his brow demands just the things that get us back to God?  Humility, work, diligence, and being subject to (and working with) cycles of nature. 

 

When true simplicity is gained, to bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed.

Another epiphany and clarification II

First, I got a great email from my friend Lisa who challenged my "sins of the left" vs. "sins of the right" claim because the subtle yet dramatic sexualization of our culture and the decline of the family is worse than financial oppression. It took me a very long letter to my friend Lisa to realize exactly what I really thought on the matter.

(Sorry, my friend, but our relationship is sustained almost entirely by friendly political debate, which gives you the less-filtered email version!--oh, and I changed my preferences, FYI, so you can comment.)

I went on and on about all the abominations of the right (not the voters, the politicians) far beyond financial matters, and in my mind, more evil (think murder, violence, torture, secret abominations, hubris, grinding the faces of the poor and the destruction of millions of families at home and abroad). I'll spare you the details of that (for now). Note the fancy new quote widgets for context.

In the end, I realized that I sincerely believe the "sins of the left" -- let's just say it--abortion and same sex marriage -- simply do not have political solutions, only spiritual ones.

On the other hand, whether it is true or not, I believe that the "sins of the right" also involve murder of innocents and brutally attack the family, yet they still do have some room to be solved politically. So that's how I vote.

And a tangent: When it comes to the decline of the family, it's not just at the feet of same-sex marriage. It is at the feet of divorce, selfishness and the idea that marriage is passe. It's at the feet of people who think that the idea that a child needs a father and a mother is outdated, not a true psychological and spiritual need. People of every persuasion have come to feel that marriage is not a social entity at all, just a fuzzy happy place about love and whatnot.

The fact is, marriage, from a legal, economic, historical, social and spiritual standpoint, is an office with a function far beyond warm fuzzies and the couple itself. Because of that, the damage done on the same sex side is being handily matched by the heteros.

So, there's that. Oh, I love having a place I can talk crazy talk.

And the clarification: It was implied when I said that I knew civilation would collapse without the bailout that the flipside of that would be that I believed it would not collapse with the bailout. Not so. I think it's likely to collapse either way.

It just smells SO fishy. W, who has had no shame in making hasty and self-serving decisions in the name of urgency, has a record of this, and he is soon to be out of office. "Hurry! No questions! No time for checks and balances! Just hand me the money! Hurry, don't ask, don't wait, just hurry and give me what I want, or we will all be in breadlines by Christmas!"

Maybe he understands we will all be in breadlines by Christmas regardless, and he just wants to make sure he and his buddies get a little stashed away.

They are selling the taxpayer bad debt and telling us we'll get a great return on our investment. Put simply, if that were true, then the firms would keep those debts, wouldn't they?

The American people vastly oppose this--yet the leadership says it must and will happen. It's going to be interesting.

In other news, David's out of town and the crazy 16 hour days from day care drop off through very busy work and driving and pickups and dinner, and errands, and teaching students, and bedtime--it is seriously crazy. With this schedule, I have no license to rant to my blog or Lisa on these things, yet I also have no husband to rant to (when he's home, every night consists exchanges of, "OMGosh, did you HEAR what happened TODAY?!!", "Wow! NO, but did YOU hear . . . ")

If I don't get it out, I might head might explode. I've never been so riled up about politics in my life.

I'm off to bed to dream of crumbling economic infrastructure.

Trying for weekly, really!

Well, this is last Sunday's post. It's been for the best that I haven't posted, because almost everything in my head consists of very angry political rants. So, let's stick to the family, shall we?

David is now working 20-30 hours a week pro bono for the Utah Federal Public Defender. They petitioned to allow him a waiver to practice with his CA license for a year (he takes the Utah Bar in February). He has been sworn in by the court, has clients, has a legal assistant, and has already made appearances. He is thrilled and absolutely loves it. The whole situation is rife with opportunities for the future, references and contacts, and he's getting to do things he always wanted to. Today he got to talk to a real live bank robber! I guess that type of thing will get less exciting with time.

Ben loves school. Can you believe it? After everything we've been through the last two years? He has a great, experienced teacher, he's learning so well. He already graduated from phonics and was put in the Latin class. He loves words. He loves the order and structure of the school also. I drive him and my friend Elaine's kids in on my way to work (It's just at the foot of Capitol Hill), so I get some brief alone time with him then we all listen to and discuss a Book of Mormon Chapter. It's a great way to start the day.

Sophie is loving school also, and always carefully refers to "my teacher" (never "grandma"). She seems happy and is reading well. We've been reading Little House lately again, and she's really enjoying it. She's at the school fair with Dad, Ben and Noah right now.

Noah LOVES his preschool, which is T and TH mornings. He goes to Elaine's MWF and Thursday afternoons and Kims on Tuesday. It is a lot of juggling for a little guy, and although he loves Lincoln (Elaine's son) he's still sad sometimes about missing his family. I miss him a lot too. I was home sick yesterday from work and we had a wonderful (although horizontal) one-on-one day together with lots of books, TV, baths, and snacks. I hope my time away from him full time isn't too long, he is at such a wonderful age.

Lucy also seems to like her daycare, a few houses down the street. She loves the dog "Sassy" and has been talking up a storm all of a sudden since she started. Although her main phrase, since she has a constant diaper rash, is "Bum huwt!" She is just a sweet thing. Again, she's so young, I hope to not miss much. We really only have 2 hours a day, and on Tuesdays with choir, I don't see her for 36 hours straight.

Work is going well. I got the company listed on the Utah 100 and had a press release widely picked up this last week. I have some things in the fire, but no leads yet (I'm supposed to get 110 a month!) Were starting to make headway there on the branding side, though.

Choir is great and hard and fun. Brett and I agree seeing each other weekly is "odd." But we don't always talk, which is fine. I just started studying with the associate choir director, Jane Fjeldsted, and she's just amazing, and seems to understand what I'm trying to do with my life, as it follows a lot of what she felt like she was supposed to do. She's a blessing. The music is very cool.

On that note, I have tickets for our fall concert, which is super intense and amazing, with songs in African, Philipino, Japanese, Tongan, Latin--maybe some English thrown in. But it isn't boring stuff, there are drums and live African dancers--like I said, very intense and cool. I need to sell at least 4 season tickets (4 shows--looking at you, mom and Paw/Maw-in-Law) and 10 others for October. Donations are also needed, as this choir, although it has a very famous, talented director, lives in the shadow of a certain other large choir, which will remain nameless, but happens to be funded by a multi-million dollar organization, so expectations for choirs are high, but our funding is not quite on par with that.

See the show details here. Ticket prices are cheaper if you get them from me--$15 for one show, I think $45 for season.


So, if you live here, please buy a ticket for my choir performance in October. I have just a week or two to sell them, so call me!

Life is pretty good, so very, very busy, but with good stuff. My house is a total mess, which stresses me. And if my garden was this neglected three months ago, nothing would have grown. But I'm still getting tons of corn, squash and tomatoes, now melons even. I know yield would have been even better if I'd had the time in the last month, but I'm fine with that.

Ok, I can't help myself, I just have to get it out. Silly Paylin was making me insane, retarded political banter was making me insane, and now this bailout is making me literally insane.

This huge bailout is handily giving the taxpayer all the irresponsible institutions' bad debt. They say it's for the people, that if the stock market collapses, the people will suffer. That is true to some extent, but it isn't really for the people at all. And we will suffer anyway, both long and short term. Because of this bail out, and because of what led to it.

They are now simply printing fake money, pushing off the bubble bursting, but only making it bigger when it happens. And while the financial industry touts free market and deregulation in good times, they are now part of the most overarching socialization of our economy that has ever been perpetrated on the American people. It may put off the disaster we earned from irresponsibility, but it won't avoid it.

Meanwhile, single working moms and unemployed dads are told they need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and be responsible for themselves, yet if you are on wall street you can step right up to the free money, and the taxpayer will foot the bill.

I've never been so angry at our government in my life, and can't imagine that this sham is going to go over in the name of our protection--there should be riots in the streets--but wait--there's something good on TV . . .

A little reading won't hurt anyone

Thanks for your sweet comments. I'm excited. Choir starts tomorrow.

I've taken a hiatus lately from my political junkie habit, but I did read a good article I'd like to pass along.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/opinion/17rich.html

You are well aware of the a tidy little story for the masses--that we know John McCain, the brave veteran and long-time senator, and we don't know B. Hussein Obama--"Is he even 40 yet? Who IS this guy?" People keep putting out this message to create a sense of confusion and mistrust so we can make decisions on characatures of both created by talking heads, not on careful, in-depth study.

First, they are politicians, and mistrust should be par for the course either way.

Still, it's time to share the mistrust. Maybe "POW Republican" is all you need to decide your vote, but here's a little more well-researched background on the other guy we don't know, Mr. McCain.

I have liked McCain for some time, although I still like Obama better. Until the general campaign began and everybody got to extreme pandering, I comforted myself knowing we'd be ok either way. But the man is forgetting basic facts, basic names, basic geography, let alone the details of our international relationships. It makes me very nervous.

Anyway, read it, you won't die.

I've got to get back to tetrachords!

Well, you had me going there for a minute.

I'm sure you saw this coming, and if you didn't, you hoped it would, but I need to step back from my outspoken support of my sweetie Barack today, who as of now I'm still supporting but he's officially off the blog. I can't deal that he stood next to McCain to pass the FISA issue (to give phone companies immunity for helping the government to conduct illegal wire tapping for Our Pres). I know the candidates have to move center during the general election, and I LOVE the center, don't get me wrong, but he's picking the wrong center for me. I can't get excited about it.

It's not enough to get me to support McCain, who was off partying like a frat boy and burning people in effigy at the crazy Bohemian Grove this weekend with the rest of the Republican power mongers. (I linked for you, but seriously, don't read about it too much because it will mess you up--there's some sick stuff you just don't want to know about the people who lead our country.)

So, I'm not entirely giving up hope, but can't actively support where he's going right now.

This is not a political blog

That said, I was sent an article today from my dear friend Jane that perfectly sums up why I, as a fiscally/foreign-policy-wise/socially conservative person, am campaigning for Obama. It is an endorsement from the White House counsel of two previous republican presidents. It's not very long, take a look:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/convictions/archive/2008/03/23/endorsing-obama.aspx

I am constantly adding to my political sidebar, but I will try to keep my actual blog less offensive to you people who still think McCain has deep personal ethics or cares about the unborn or the traditional family just because he has an elephant by his name--whoa, getting a little snarky there! Sorry, I'll try to keep it civil.

I'm confident he'll win. But let the record show that I fully understand that either candidate, including Obama, may completely blow it and destroy our country even more--you never know with politicians. But, can we hope a little? YES WE CAN.

Ice-cream over blogging

I'm drowning my woes in ice-cream these past two days, not blogging. Gotta go, my bowl is melting.

Back to the baal of sweets . . .

Oh, I did join Mormons for Obama today--there must be a few of my readers who will join me, (although I know you're in the minority?)

Swinging heavy right this time

If you know me, you know I love to follow politics and economics. I believe both parties are false, and I believe in some fundamental principles on both sides, even far to the sides of both sides. I went all left on you about the war, and today I'm crazy right. The dollar continued it's slide against the Euro today, which got me to more reading on the dollar. Here's your thought for today:

“The eyes of our citizens are not sufficiently open to the true cause of our distress. They ascribe them to everything but their true cause, the banking system; a system which if it could do good in any form is yet so certain of leading to abuse as to be utterly incompatible with the public safety and prosperity.” - Thomas Jefferson

“The modern banking system manufactures money out of nothing. The process is perhaps the most astounding piece of sleight of hand that was ever invented.” - Major L.B.Angus

Congressman Patman: “Mr. Eccles, how did you get the money to buy those two billions of government securities?” Eccles: “We created it.” Patman: “Out of what?” Eccles: “Out of the right to issue credit money.” - Testimony of Marriner Eccles, Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, before the House Banking and Currency Committee, 1941

“Every effort has been made by the Federal Reserve Board to conceal its powers, but the truth is that the Federal Reserve System has usurped the government. It controls everything in congress and it controls all our foreign relations. It makes and breaks governments at will.” - Louis McFadden, Chairman of the House Committee on Banking and Currency

“Most Americans have no real understanding of the operation of the international money lenders. The accounts of the Federal Reserve System have never been audited. It operates outside the control of Congress and manipulates the credit of the United States.” - United States Senator Barry Goldwater

“Some people think the Federal Reserve Banks are the United States government’s institutions. They are not government institutions. They are private credit monopolies which prey upon the people of the United States for the benefit of themselves and their foreign swindlers.” - Congressional Record 12595-12603 June 10, 1932

“This Federal Reserve Act establishes the most gigantic trust on earth. When the President Wilson signs this bill, the invisible government of the monetary power will be legalized. The worst legislative crime of the ages is perpetrated by this banking and currency bill.” - Charles A. Lindbergh, Sr. , 1913

“The Federal Reserve is answerable to no one.” - Ronald Reagan

“You are a den of vipers and thieves. I intend to rout you out, and by the Eternal God, I will rout you out. If the American people only understood the rank injustice of our money and banking system, there would be a revolution before morning.” - Andrew Jackson

“When you or I write a check there must be sufficient funds in our account to cover the check, but when the Federal Reserve writes a check there is no bank deposit on which that check is drawn. When the Federal Reserve writes a check, it is creating money.” - “Putting it Simply”, Boston Federal Reserve Bank

“We have in this country one of the most corrupt institutions the world has ever known. I refer to the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Reserve Banks. They are not government institutions. They are private monopolies which prey upon the people of these United States for the benefit of themselves and their foreign customers. This evil institution has impoverished the people of the United States and has practically bankrupted our government, and it has done this through the corrupt practices of the moneyed vultures who control it.” - Senator Louis T. McFadden, Chairman US Banking & Currency Commission

“The principle we must keep in mind is that two people cannot both be the exclusive owner of the same thing at the same time. Yet fractional reserve banking operates on the theory that bank account holder A and borrower B can both own the same money at the same time. This practice is just as fraudulent as selling two buyers the same vacation home and giving them both exclusive title to the home, hoping that they don’t both show up to use it the same weekend. With fractional reserve banking, titles to money (gold) are spuriously created, meaning there are more titles to property than there is actual property. In fact, no new money is created, but the number of titles to existing money is expanded. And it is in this manner that the value of the dollar is diminished. In the absence of a gold standard, the crime is exceeded today to the point of absurdity, as only titles themselves are traded with no tie to any real property whatsoever. We have been swindled.”

“I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. Already they have raised up a monied aristocracy that has set the government at defiance. The issuing power of money should be taken away from the banks and restored to the people to whom it properly belongs.” - Thomas Jefferson

And, my favorite:

“The central bank is an institution of the most deadly hostility existing against the principles and form of our Constitution. I am an enemy to all banks discounting bills or notes for anything but coin. If the American people allow private banks to control the issuance of their currency, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.” - Thomas Jefferson.

So, you know how I feel about that topic. Join me in the information fun at mainstream marketplace.org and the subversive, sometimes-true, sometimes-crazy, always-fun Infowars.

Later this week I'll tell you about the fun school I toured this morning. I also taught a new voice student today--I love teaching voice!!

There's your indoctrination for the day. Hope you'll still come back!!

Happy Birthday to Me!

I turned 36 on Friday! We had some low-key celebrations and I tried to stretch the birthday perks into sleeping in each morning all weekend and getting a big fat nap today, which worked out pretty well for me. I never thought a nap would be such a cherished gift, but I can't think of anything I want or need more.

Yesterday was great, we went to the temple, had dinner together after we put the kids down, watched LOST (we're one episode behind still), and I finally "caught on" to Guitar Hero. (I wrote more on this new development in my life here.) I finally beat Tom Morello in battle--it only took me 10 times!

Lucy had some assessments this week. She is performing well on problem solving and cognitive skills, and physically is developmentally doing well. She's language-delayed, though. As part of this, both her teacher and the assessment person tell me Lucy's strong personality makes her difficult to work with and get to do things! She clearly knows what they want, but will stare them in the face, take the materials, and throw them on the floor with smug raised eyebrows.

Lucy and her teacher, Anaika, playing with curlers

The fact she's the baby of the family, our family is large by today's standards, and that she started out sickly they said often leads to this--she's spoiled! We also apparently infantalize her, even though she's almost two, because she's so small. We don't talk to her and interact with her like a two-year-old, but simply tote her around and live life around her like she is a baby.

She gets read to simply because she's on the lap if someone else is being read to, but there is no special time where we just sit with her and a book and ask, "Where's the ball? Show me." Honestly, when I saw the teacher trying to get her to do this, I thought, "That is ridiculous, how come they are trying to get a baby to do that?" Which tells you how duped we are.

She still wakes to nurse 1-3x a night like a 4 month old, that's how duped I am. I worked with my other kids to train them to be great sleepers by age 1 at the very latest, and we've all been the happier for it. How did I get here?

I think it is remarkable that I haven't noticed that she's hard. The teachers tell me that this is a credit to me, that I'm not high-strung, I am used to not getting enough sleep, I am juggling a lot of things and people, and that my idea of "hard" has adjusted since I have other children that, we'll say, are "challenging." (Meaning that they care always challenging me!)

They say that if I were a first-time mom and Lucy was my only one, I'd be pulling my hair out over her. Which is funny, because as far as parenting goes, this is nothing in comparison.

I'm glad to have this perspective, though, and after we move (we all agreed we should wait until then) I need to teach her to sleep and welcome her more to the independence and excitement of toddlerhood, along with more age-appropriate books and materials.

It's so funny how overprepared I was with my first, and how behind the ball I am now. I think some middle ground must be the best place to be. I see people at the store stressing out over their toddlers' behavior and I just think, "Oh, honey, let it go, you have no idea what's ahead of you if THIS freaks you out."

Anyway, so there's Lucy.

Noah needs Joyschool or something. I need to figure out how to occupy him in the next month. He still has that half-sick, out-of-sorts thing that comes and goes. Sweet as ever, and into everything.

Ben is doing great on his schoolwork. We are really drilling math facts right now, and we won't go on in our curriculum until he can do 100 multiplication problems in under 6 minutes. He is now doing 50 2-digit plus 2-digit addition problems in almost 5 minutes. We use this website to drill.

Sophie is actually really excited about what she says will be her "whole new life." I know there will be apprehension with the upheaval, but she seems to be going forward with a really great attitude. She is surprisingly unattached to school, although she's going to miss 2-3 of her friends.

David has more long-distance work coming up, but, in today's economy, I'm starting to feel grateful for a job that actually grows more secure with the economic problems (foreclosures can increase his workload).

David sent me this great article that I found very motivating about the potential of frugal living. Now is definitely the time for it!

And now for a very small soapbox:

I have found myself getting more involved in the election process this week, and want to encourage all my friends and loved ones out there to not let the talking heads do all your thinking for you. Seriously, the talking heads should never be your primary source of information on anything.

Get the facts about all the people (not just your people) from the people themselves. If you want to hate somebody, do it smart by knowing what it is you don't like about them.

Here's your assigned reading for the week!

http://origin.barackobama.com/issues/
http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/

And, as I said before, let hope direct your vote.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Tim. 1: 7

PS: Finally we're back into our Sunday routine of chore charts and blogging, so blogs for Ben, Sophie, and Suburban Harvest are updated.

Let Hope Direct Your Vote

With the understanding the vast majority of this blog's readers will think I'm, at best, misled, and at worst, hell-bound, I'd still like to say that I had completely given up hope on so many things relating to American politics until I started taking a closer look at Obama. I hope today goes well for him.

Val writes her congressman (and the newspapers, and all the candidates)

Here is my beef with the state of the nation for today. This is my letter I wrote to pretty much everyone today (this copy went to the presidential candidates). Agree with me or not, whatev. But if you do happen to agree, write your representative! If you don't, love me anyway.

---

A New York Times article today about increasing foreign investment touched a nerve that has been getting more raw for me over the past months which I feel should be part of the election debate:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/20/business/20invest.html?hp

I am an independent, and I actually am fine with most immigration, as most of us got here that way one way or the other, and the land we're protecting once belonged to many of those we're protecting it from anyway.

But we are so distracted by concern about Mexicans coming over the border to pick our fruit and clean our houses that we are failing to notice thousands of non-citizens buying up land and homes in the US, taking advantage of a weak dollar and an ailing economy.

While working Southern Californians like me can never hope to own a home here, wealthy investors from foreign nations are snapping up (even over-priced) property with ease, making the American dream even more distant for regular American families like ours.

At the same time, we allow investment firms operated by Arab nations to "save" our nation's banks and corporations, assuming the benefit of propping our tumbling stocks will outweigh the long-term impact. Our government continues to borrow money from some of these same nations, even those with vast idealogical differences, to support our spending habits. The years ahead will show how short-sighted this is.

THIS PROBLEM WILL HAVE MUCH MORE LONG-TERM IMPACT on Americans' lives than illegal immigration of low-skilled and migrant workers doing our unpleasant work. This needs urgent attention. If Americans were aware of the extent and the pace of this investment, they would be alarmed, whether they leaned left or right. Action needs to be taken to protect our ability to have our own home, and not just rent our American homes from foreign and immigrant landlords, however nice they may be.

As a candidate, as a senator, and if you win the White House, please protect American land for American citizens and start now to set strict limits on the purchase of American property by non citizens. Please don’t wait until after the election, but help make this a needed part of the election discussion.