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Week-long Welcomings from Moosylvania: Oct. 12 to Oct. 18

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Welcome to The Moose Pond! The Welcomings diaries give the Moose, old and new, a place to visit and share words about the weather, life, the world at large and the small parts of Moosylvania that we each inhabit.

In lieu of daily check-ins, which have gone on hiatus, Welcomings diaries will be posted at the start of each week (every Sunday morning) and then, if necessary due to a large number of comments, again on Wednesday or Thursday to close out the week. To find the diaries, just bookmark this link and Voila! (which is Moose for “I found everyone!!”).

The format is simple: each day, the first moose to arrive on-line will post a comment welcoming the new day and complaining (or bragging!) about their weather. Or mentioning an interesting or thought provoking news item. Or simply checking in.

So … what’s going on in your part of Moosylvania?

…


Categories: Uncategorized.

/ 122 Comments

122 comments

  2. JanF

    And great reply by Mary Burke. This was from their debate Friday night:

    “It doesn’t matter if there’s one, 100, or 1,000,” Walker said during the debate. “Amongst us, who would be that one person who would like to have our vote canceled out by a vote that was cast illegally?” […]

    Burke countered, citing studies that found hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites don’t have the proper identification to vote under the voter ID law but those Wisconsin residents still aren’t trying to commit voter fraud.

    Exactly! Not having an id does not mean you intend to commit fraud. It just means you don’t have an id!! Voter id is a poll tax, pure and simple, and I hope that when we get Congress back we can revisit the entire voter rights issue. We need a new Voting Rights Act that clearly establishes, in plain terms, that the right to vote goes with your status as a citizen (either a birthright or by virtue of naturalization), NOT a right granted by states for those who meet rules they invent. It should not require id, it should not require standing 4 hours in line, it should never be permanently revoked because of a felony conviction (especially in light of the skewed rates of conviction related to the misguided “war on drugs”). I think the time is right (we know the cause to be just) and I would hope that such a law would gather bi-partisan support.  

  3. DeniseVelez

    drinking coffee – getting ready to hunker down in Sunday comments at orange.

    Sun is out – lovely day – happy to be off on Monday and Tuesday.

  4. anotherdemocrat

    Eating breakfast, watching Up. Making interesting stuff this afternoon: breakfast greens, a garbanzo bean-almond spread & a Vietnamese noodle dish, all from my new Thug Kitchen cookbook. All 3 dishes are vegan, so only my snacks will have dairy.

    They discussed the Wendy Davis ad. My feeling is that yes, if the point of the ad was Abbott’s massive hypocrisy, they should have used another image, But that doesn’t change the fact that once Abbott sued & got his millions he’s spent his career making it harder for others to get justice.

    Got to ask lots of folks at church today for donations, the Walk is next Sunday.

  5. princesspat

    After spending most of yesterday in the rain hauling gravel and mud around both Ron and I can barely move this morning. Just a couple more hours of digging and re graveling and the (newly barren) part of the entrance patio will drain as it should. I saved as many plants as I could but it’s going to take more and some time before it looks “right” again.

    Oh well, gardens are always a work in progress. I’ll rest today because Monday the landscape firm is sending a strong young man with a shovel and a truck load of mulch so the beds we’ve been reclaiming will be ready for winter. I need to work with him to remove some deeply rooted ferns and do some pruning. It’s good to have help this year.

  6. bfitzinAR

    thanks to my younger son who is on the road back to Austin as I type (in fact is probably just short of Dallas about now).  He’s set me up to skype to their “family” computer so I can keep in touch with my grandbabies – and they’ll actually remember who I am the next time they see me. 🙂  

    As far as the people are concerned it was a lovely visit.  As far as the weather is concerned, it sucked.  Over 4″ rain, flash flood watch, and so overcast my PV system didn’t come out of night mode for most of Friday and Saturday (I got 1/2 KWH Friday!  And less than 2 Saturday) it’s still overcast and drizzly – and “much warmer” at 62 degrees – but today my system has generated as of 1:20 pm CDT more than the last 2 days combined.  So we just basically hung out together and visited – 5 y.o. Jensen absolutely loves his older cousins who all sort of “gathered him in” on whatever they were doing.  2 y.o. Flynn kept trying to grab the cats (he’s allergic to cats, sigh).  And unfortunately my DiL ate something that disagreed badly, but she was part of the gathering anyway – she just slept on the couch at my 1st DiL’s house and let the party flow on around her.  They are seriously talking about making this an annual trek – hopefully next year the weather will be better.

    I have no idea of what horrendous things have been going on in the world and I’m not going to look until tomorrow.  I’ve got QC anyway so it will be all of a piece.  Actually, I’m not going to stay online as I still have lots of “weekly prep” to do even though I’ve finished my baking, I need to make 2 pots of soup (which will make 3 weeks’ worth of lunches), finish my laundry, finish cleaning…  But since I’ve actually logged in/on and commented, I promise I’ll check back in a few hours just in case somebody is still around 🙂

  7. Diana in NoVa

    Missed talking to you all. Tomorrow I’ll log on from the doctor’s office–if they have Wifi. Gad, if they don’t I’m sunk, as I was planning to use those hours for research.

    Will be waiting for hubby’s outpatient surgery to take place, after which I believe he has to rest for an hour before I can drive him home.

    Hope to see you tomorrow!

  8. Diana in NoVa

    Sitting here at the medical facility at an ungodly hour on a dark October morning. Hubby’s “procedure” will take about 3 hours, or so they allege.

    Haven’t checked the news yet. The TV in this waiting area is set to CNN, which is hysterically denouncing the nurse in Dallas for allowing herself to catch ebola.

    Gods, sometimes I’m glad I live in an ivory tower that consists of Baby Pink Cheeks and me.  

  9. Diana in NoVa

    Sitting here at the medical facility at an ungodly hour on a dark October morning. Hubby’s “procedure” will take about 3 hours, or so they allege.

    Haven’t checked the news yet. The TV in this waiting area is set to CNN, which is hysterically denouncing the nurse in Dallas for allowing herself to catch ebola.

    Gods, sometimes I’m glad I live in an ivory tower that consists of Baby Pink Cheeks and me.  

  11. JanF

    The temperature is 53 degrees in Madison on its way up to 64. Rain is in the forecast for today and the next few days. Tha will probably knock a few more leaves off the trees which are shedding furiously now.

    Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day!

    This year’s Columbus Day holiday will have a slightly different, more Native flavor in the city of Seattle. Thanks to a unanimous vote this summer by the city council, the federal holiday will now be known by a different name: Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

    The name change comes after activists pushed for a day to honor indigenous people instead of Christopher Columbus, the most recognizable figure linked to European contact with the Americas.

    “This is about taking a stand against racism and discrimination,” Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant told the Seattle Times. “Learning about the history of Columbus and transforming this day into a celebration of indigenous people and a celebration of social justice… allows us to make a connection between this painful history and the ongoing marginalization, discrimination and poverty that indigenous communities face to this day.”

    I like it. When people tried using “Founders Day” instead of “Columbus Day” (after there was some question about who exactly discovered America) that was better but still wrong. The native lands of a people being “found” by conquerors is hardly a day to celebrate. Good for Seattle … I hope others follow suit.

    Busy day here as another week starts with me behind because I got pulled off to unscheduled projects at the end of last week and could not find the energy to work on them this weekend.

    See all y’alls later!!

  12. DeniseVelez

    Happy Indigenous People’s Day…the truth on Columbus Day


    Quick – what does the word “Taino” mean to you? Most Americans are unfamiliar with the name of the Caribbean tribe that believed their island was the earliest part of the creation, and therefore the sun and the moon every day rose up out of a cave on its northernmost coast. On the other hand, most Americans know today is Columbus Day, at least in forty-seven states, although Hawaii has renamed it “Discoverer’s Day” after the original Polynesians who populated that island thousand of years ago; South Dakota calls it “Native American Day”; and Alaska just ignores it. But what we’re really celebrating today is Happy Taino Genocide Day – the day when Christopher Columbus began to wipe out an entire indigenous population in a way that would make even Pol Pot blush

  13. Diana in NoVa

    Sorry about the long rainy spell, Jan. Yesterday when I went to meet “JG in MD” for lunch I heard leaves falling to the street with a clatter. It’s been so dry here for so long all the leaves have dried up too.

  14. anotherdemocrat

    Awake before the alarm again. How can the same body that wants me to sleep all day Saturdays keep waking me up between 4:30-5 on weekday mornings?

    It is supposed to rain this morning – we’ll see. And I have a happy hour for the Walk to go to this evening. The timing is awkward for me, it’s at 6 here in the downtown area, so I have to figure out what to do for most of an hour after work. But first, I have to get through Monday.

  15. princesspat

    Yesterday was an easy day in the garden. My son helped me put the twiggy outdoor furniture away, we re potted some plants, I made two big arrangements using the last of the dahlias, rose hips and hydrangeas, the hoses are drained and all the sprinklers and sprayers are in one place, and the muddy patio pavers all have new gravel around them so they are  draining and on their way to being clean again. It was a nice day.

  16. bfitzinAR

    generating in the 2-digit watts at the moment, but at least it’s generating.  Younger son and family got home safe and sound.  Not sure what the 5 y.o liked best – playing with his big cousins or playing in the puddles and streamlets the rain produced (which says something about how much rain they’ve had in Austin in the last few years).  My son and DiL have decided, having successfully made this experimental road trip with the boys, that they’re going to do it annually which is very good indeed.

    Life is back to my current normal – QC tonight – I had to drive in as my carpool person was out this morning – not good as it wasn’t full daylight yet and the rain made it darker.  I’m not safe driving in uncertain light.  But I obviously made it and even found a parking place only 2 blocks from my building.  If QC runs after 6:30 I’ll have to leave early.  I’m not that much of a gambler by nature as to try driving in uncertain light twice in the same day!  {{{HUGS}}}

  17. anotherdemocrat

    I figured y’all could relate:

    Pat Rothfuss ‏@PatrickRothfuss 14m14 minutes ago

    My current plan is to make a blanket fort and hide from the world forever. Anyone care to join me?

       Favorite

    John Scalzi ‏@scalzi 13m13 minutes ago

    @PatrickRothfuss I’m already in there with graham crackers and a GameBoy. What’s kept you?

    Pat Rothfuss ‏@PatrickRothfuss 11m11 minutes ago

    @scalzi I needed to get more ramen. I don’t plan on leaving here for a while.

  18. JanF

    It is 61 degrees right now in Madison on its way down to 54 for the daytime high. We are in the middle of a swirling low that brought a lot of rain yesterday and appears to be bringing just light showers today.

    The news feeds have a lot of interesting election related stories. There was more on the Wendy Davis ad (its working), discussion of the Emily’s List ad that has Scott Walker nervous about his already double-digit gender gap (and has his fans wondering why he is using pro-choice language), people wondering just how Mitch McConnell’s “plan” to keep Kynect but ditch the Affordable Care Act would work ((website portal to nowhere?)), and the brutal new ad by the Agenda Project (makers of “Throw Granny Off The Cliff”) that will run in battleground states. The ad (described here I won’t embed because it is graphic at the end) is causing major butthurt by the GOP who do not like to take responsibility for their actions; they have chosen instead to blame the lack of funds for Ebola research on $3 million directed to research on obesity in a group they don’t particularly care for. Yes, $3 million dollars would have led to a cure for Ebola! And when the poors are hungry they can buy a 5 cent loaf of bread and a 10 cent gallon of milk! GOP: Dangerous and Delusional.

    See all y’all later!

  19. DeniseVelez

    Happy to be home from school today. Gives me more time to catch up on paper grading and writing. 60 degrees here in the Catskills, going up to 73 and sunny.

    As usual I’ve had my eyes on North Carolina, to stay fired up.

    I like this woman’s spirit.

    “If You Don’t Vote, You Can’t Complain!” | Ernestine H. McGee

    GOTV!

  20. Diana in NoVa

    67 F. at the moment, going up to 73 F. Had a somewhat better night’s sleep after  Sunday night’s fiasco, thank goodness.

    Wonder if the Dallas medical staff caring for Duncan sprayed themselves with hydrogen peroxide or a Clorox solution before they removed their hazard suits. Saw a video of that technique being used in Liberia.

    Hoping that the young nurse will survive this disease and go on with her life. There was horrible weather in what newscasters seem to refer as “the heartland,” implying that the East and West Coasts are peopled by the heartless.

    Does anyone have any GOOD news today? Inquiring minds would like to know.

  21. anotherdemocrat

    Brrrr – it’s 53 degrees this morning! I had to wear long sleeves. I think the high is supposed to be 80. Eating breakfast – greens, tempeh & quinoa – drinking tea. Was awake at 4:33. Sigh.

    Leaving work early. I was in a fender bender Friday & there’s a tiny dent & scratch on the hood of my car. Going to a body shop to have it looked at. Then I’ll walk this afternoon.

  22. bfitzinAR

    I may actually get a few KWHs generated today 🙂  Seriously low energy today – don’t know if it’s letdown after my kid’s visit, work, QC (not too bad last night as the Rs had to be somewhere at 7 so we adjourned at 6:30 – but tonight is supposed to be a marathon), the chilly weather or a combination thereof – all I want to do is sit by a fire and pet kittehs.  

    Tonight we’ll hear the last of the department presentations, recess for dinner, then start the “finalization” process with the argument of just how much we want to “keep in the sock” for emergencies.  That argument could take hours since our “sock” has been depleted by $14 million over the last 3 years between new building, like the animal shelter, and augmenting Jails and Roads – and will take another $5 million hit for Jails and Roads in 2015.  sigh.  I wish the Budget Committee Chair weren’t so determined to wrap this up before the election.  Partly because I promised I wouldn’t talk about tax increases until after the election – and we really need to raise taxes. Not by much – the half a mil we shouldn’t have rolled back 3 years ago at the very least and a full mil at the most is all it would take.  The half mil would give the County some running room until the state quits stashing its prisoners in our jails or starts paying more than half of the cost of keeping them (or both).  The full mil would take care of augmenting both Jails and Roads for the foreseeable future.  And even the full mil for somebody with a $150K assessment would increase the tax burden by about 8 cents a day.  But all you have to say is “increase taxes” and everybody has a freaking fit about bankrupting people, closing businesses, etc.  As someone in the (top edge of the) income bracket who actually could be seriously impacted by raising taxes, I don’t buy it.  I’m going to try anyway – after the election.  My last gift to the County.  {{{HUGS}}}

  23. princesspat

    I’m very weary this morning, but my garden is looking quite tidy! We worked hard yesterday morning, keeping up with a strong young man and his shovel. He dug out the ferns and other plants the birds have planted wherever they wanted to, and the shrubs the deer have munched past a recovery point, and Ron and I weeded and raked, and then he spread mulch in the newly cleaned beds.

    After the leaves fall and the plants are dormant he’ll come back to do the same on the other side of the garden and we’ll move and replant a few large plants. I’m so glad I decided to hire some help, and Jeanne and her crew have been great to work with. Now the garden is looking like it did before BCH disrupted my life.

    I’ve got another disruption coming though. A follow up scan from the kidney stones I had last spring shows a large cyst growing into my right kidney and it has to come out, kidney and all. It wasn’t there in April so the fast growth is worrisome. The first surgery will happen tomorrow, and based on what they find and the tests results a second surgery will be scheduled. Needless to say I’m worried and will be very relieved to get it all over. All the waiting and testing has been long, but muddy garden therapy has really helped me cope.

  24. JanF

    It is 49 degrees in Madison with an expected high of 52 degrees. Rain is still lingering in the area.

    There is good news from the Supreme Court on abortion rights: they stayed the 5th Circuit ruling that closed all but 8 of the abortion clinics in Texas. The clinics can reopen. Three dissenters in the ruling, the unholy trinity of Scalia, Thomas and Alito. I think this means that the court believes that the outrageous overreach of the anti-choice crowd, insisting on impossible rules regarding hospital admitting privileges for abortion providers, is finally going to be overturned at the Supreme Court level as an unnecessary restriction to a woman’s right to an abortion. There are 5 other cases pending addressing this issue resulting in stays issued by the district courts (including in Wisconsin). The TRAP laws are discriminatory, period.

    I’m running up against a deadline and hope to come back to post something on this important development.

    Have a great day, all y’alls!

  25. DeniseVelez

    Then when I get back home I’m scheduled to do a phone interview with Rev. Barber – hope it happens – he’s “on the road”.

  26. Diana in NoVa

    and guess what, a pretty decent night’s sleep, for which I’m grateful. Family matters are foremost in my mind this morning as we have to scramble to get a Daisy uniform for Miss Pink Cheeks in time for the meeting next Tuesday.

    Disconcerting news that another health care worker in Dallas has been found to have Ebola. Glad to hear about the Supremes ruling that Texas abortion clinics must remain open.

    Looking forward to hearing encouraging news about our own princesspat. Also interested to hear about Denise’s interview of Julian Barber.

    Will try to look in later, but in the meantime, hope everyone will have a good Wednesday!

  27. anotherdemocrat

    50s, they said the coolest morning since May. But warm this afternoon, so – long sleeves but sandals.

    I was in a fender bender on Friday, went to the repair shop yesterday & even with full coverage, it’ll cost me $500. Sigh. But that’s what credit cards are for, right? And a rental car is covered, so at least there’s that.

  28. bfitzinAR

    QC ran until 9:15 last night.  The Rs and the LieberDem are scaring the bejeesus out of the department heads regarding the cuts.  Finally just before we adjourned the one dept head the Court will listen to – the Sheriff – said “tell us how much to cut and let us do the cutting – we know what we can put off and what we can’t”.  So the Rs and the LieberDem responded more or less favorably and that may stave off some really serious problems in the near future.  Not that I hadn’t suggested that before and been told the dept heads had their chance and didn’t do it.  (Yes, they did – they just didn’t cut as much as we need them to cut this year.  We didn’t go back and say, “OK, you did good but we’re still over what’s safe to budget for the projected revenues.  Cut anything you can put off for at least 6 months and we can see if actual revenues are going to be as bad as projected.”  We – the Court as a whole, not including me personally – just said, “OK they won’t do it so we have to.”)

    When I got home the (screened) carport door and kitchen window were open – my lodger doesn’t like the smell of kitteh poo (who does?) but since they’re my cats she doesn’t scoop the box to get rid of it, she just opens up the house – in 50 degree weather.  It does me no good to spend 10s of thousands of dollars “sealing the envelope” and enclosing the porch for solar gain if somebody opens the door and windows.  I carefully said absolutely nothing to the woman because I was afraid I’d lose my temper.  I’m wired enough from the QC meetings.  No meeting tonight – and lodger will be in meetings til 7 or so if she runs to the same schedule as last week – so maybe my tummy will settle down a bit.  {{{HUGS}}}

  29. JanF

    It is 50 degrees in Madison on its way up to 59. Partly cloudy skies.

    I thought that the right-wing could not get any lower with their Obama hatred … but I was wrong! The latest claim, that the president won’t ban international air travel from Africa because he cares more for Africans than Americans, is the worst. It is what they have all been muttering under their breaths for 6 years but now they are saying it. Any Republican who does not forcefully denounce that talk should be ashamed of themselves. p.s. you would have to ban all air travel … just ground all the jets! … because you literally don’t know where any air passenger has been.

    In good news, Mary Burke has erased Scott Walker’s 5 point lead in the Marquette University Poll … they are in a dead heat at 47-47. Early polling in the governor’s race (in January) showed that Scott Walker’s ceiling was 47%. The poll was mostly before the debate (about 2/3rds of the respondents had been polled before last Friday night). I was listening to a local radio show that was interviewing Charles Franklin, the pollster, and I found this part particularly good news: Walker can’t raise his “Cares About People Like Me” index: 48% yes, 50% no. You can’t win when 50% of the state thinks you don’t care about them. Burke is 52 yes, 37 no. Independents are breaking for Burke. It will be interesting to see next weeks poll with the debate factored in. Turns out that most people in Wisconsin think the minimum wage should be raised and Walker has made a point of saying that families can live on $14,000 a year. That shows him as both heartless and ignorant. Our progressive newspaper (paper weekly, online daily) the Cap Times endorsed Burke in a very fine editorial: “To heal Wisconsin, vote for Mary Burke”. It is how I have been feeling all year: I am weary of the negativity in my state and ready to return to days when we can all be proud to be Badgers. I have been I am hoping to find time to post something about it later.

    But NOW … I must get to work. See all y’alls later!!

  30. JanF

    This is a BHD Unanimous Arkansas Supreme Court Rules Voter ID Unconstitutional. I posted a few links on this ruling over in Dee’s poll tax post but this one made me smile:

    Late Wednesday afternoon, the Arkansas Supreme Court released a unanimous decision holding the voter ID law passed earlier this year in violation of the state’s constitution. The judges wrote: “The legislature can not, under color of regulating the manner of holding elections…impose such restrictions as will have the effect to take away the right to vote as secured by the constitution.”

    “We are extremely pleased,” lead attorney Jeff Priebe told ThinkProgress. “This decision really shows the importance of voting. The Arkansas Constitution holds that the right to vote is a fundamental right, the gateway to all others. It’s so important that we can’t erect additional qualifications that would keep people from voting.”

    This: “… the Arkansas case turned on a purely technical question: can the legislature add any more requirements to vote than those already listed in the state’s constitution? The court said today they cannot.” There, wasn’t that easy?

  31. anotherdemocrat

    mid-50s this morning, 90 for a high

    Well at least I woke up at midnight-ish, so I went back to sleep. And I was still asleep when the alarm went off.  

    Very few thoughts in my head. Loud earworm of U2’s Invisible drowning out most thoughts that even attempt to surface.

  32. bfitzinAR

    No QC last night – instead had a nice dinner and a pleasant evening by the fire with a “potato chip book” and alternating cats.  QC tonight, but not Budget just the regular monthly meeting.  Mild vindication tonight – the IT guy has been asking for – and I’ve been voting for – money to switch everything including faxing over to voip and has never been given the money (desktop fax is just for “convenience” you know, just saves somebody the minute to walk to the fax machine yadda yadda).  Now the Court has had their noses metaphorically rubbed in the AT&T landline charges and will be giving the IT guy what he asked for (for the last 2 budget cycles AND again last January) so he can effect the switchover by the end of this calendar year and we can get those over $100K AT&T charges out of the 2015 budget.  It’s going to cost us $80K in 2014 money that won’t roll into the 2015 revenue but it will still save us close to $120K across all departments in 2015 expenses.  I will restrain myself and not say “I told you so” to any of the “it’s only for convenience” TPs who’ve cost the County close to $100K in 2014 because they didn’t approve it when the IT guy asked for it.  So.  Can’t exactly say looking forward to tonight, but definitely feeling better about it than last Tuesday night.

    Hope everybody is having a good Thorsday and princesspat is recovering well.  {{{HUGS}}}

  33. princesspat

    I slept long and well last night and feel much better this morning. I’m so relieved to have yesterday behind me, and to be able to share some good news! Thanks to you all for your healing thoughts.

    The long awaited lab tests showed no cancer cells, and the surgery/exam results were good as well so the worrisome spot is no longer a concern. The cyst on the kidney will still have to be dealt with in  some way, but it’s no longer an emergency. We meet with the urologist/surgeon on Oct 24th to decide what comes next and  now I won’t be as worried. And neither is she, which also feels good to know.

    The procedure itself didn’t take very long, but after 1 1/2 hrs they had to physically wake me up and I was basically out of it for the rest of the day. So no driving for 24 hrs, resting today, and back to the pool tomorrow. I am so relieved!

  34. JanF

    He has a hopeful article that he wrote for New Republic. First, there is a historical polling “bias” that seems to skew away from Democrats by about 2%. Second, there is a statistical likelihood that the close races (of which there are 6) will flip the opposite way in at least 2 of those races. Right now, the close races show 2 Democrats and 4 Republicans winning.

    He also changed the methodology he is using to “predict” the Senate race outcome. In addition to using a probability, which is a bit confusing to non-mathgeeks, he is using something called a Meta-Margin. His words:

    The Senate Meta-Margin is defined as how much the final vote would have to differ from polls in key states to create an exact toss-up for control of the chamber.

    This morning the Meta Margin is R+0.9±1.3% which means that if the polls were off by only 1.4%, R’s will not get control.

    So it is still GOTV GOTV GOTV. In at least 6 of these races, going to the polls may mean the difference between winning and losing. Let your vote count where it matters … on election day.  

  35. JanF

    It is 50 degrees in Madison this morning with an expected high of 55. Mostly cloudy.

    I am stunned by the ignorance of my fellow Americans. They are willfully ignoring the facts, some to score political points … which is simply awful.

    This!

    Steve Marmel @Marmel  ·  7h 7 hours ago

    Awesome. A group of climate change deniers are trying to figure out the science of a disease. We are doomed. #Ebola

    Fortunately, the bedwetters in Congress don’t get to decide how to handle this public health crisis. We have adults for that.

    See all y’all later!

  36. DeniseVelez

    I’m hoping that my classroom is bearable today – they had the heat on Wednesday – blasting – and we can’t open windows – had to send the kids home.  They didn’t mind 🙂

  37. Diana in NoVa

    Thank Goddess it’s Friday. Even though this was a short week it didn’t feel like one. We had a surprise heavy rainstorm last night. It constantly amazes me that the weather people get the forecast for this area so wrong.

    Glad to hear the good news from princesspat! Take care of yourself, dear. Does everyone have plans for the weekend? I’m taking Miss Pink Cheeks to a 4-H Fair at Frying Pan Farm down the road. We plan to meet her cousin and his parents there.

    Ebola has dislodged ISIL from the headlines. It’s disturbing to hear that ISIL is now at the gates of Baghdad. The election is too upsetting to think about, IMHO. How on earth can anyone vote Rethug after that shutdown last year? What in the world goes through people’s minds? I’m also mystified as to why “married women” (a category, according to pollsters) supposedly vote Rethug. Do they like having their vaginas regulated? I’m married and I don’t.

    Think I’m beginning to understand why some escape into a world of celebrity worship or gaming or whatever.

    A good day to all in Mooseland!

  38. anotherdemocrat

    but next week — there’s a couple of days with highs of 75 or so. Wow.

    Eyes snapped open at 4:50, for some reason I was convinced it was Saturday & I re-set my alarm for 5:30. I’ve obviously lost my mind. Eating breakfast of greens, tempeh & quinoa. Drinking tea.

    Earworm is the slow, dreamy Rise Up. Lovely song, but I’m so sleepy, I need to switch it to something else. Has anyone else heard Hozier’s Take Me to Church? Amazing video, and the song itself….. My boys were being interviewed yesterday, I was following it on Twitter, because no outside noise in a call center. Someone said Bono player it in the interview & called it a miraculous song. I thought they meant he played it, so now I hear it in his voice. If you like blues rock, you should give him a listen. He has a song called “Jackie & Wilson” that is just…. But my baby is right, TMTC is pretty much all that.

  39. bfitzinAR

    QC wasn’t as bad as it could have been last night although it had its moments.  For reasons known only to a power-mad LieberDem she filed an FIOA on the entire County Judge’s office regarding stuff she’d already been sent and could have just asked the secretary for another copy of.  However, we didn’t bring that up at the meeting so that particular firecracker will go off at one of the Budget meetings.  No meetings at all next week, then back to the 3/week schedule until we pass the 2015 Budget.  I will enjoy the respite.  Acupuncture again this afternoon.  Am giving this “alternative” treatment through the end of this year to see if it actually helps the sinusitis.  Not sure what I’m going to do if it doesn’t.  Oh well.  {{{HUGS}}} to everybody – have the good weekend and I’ll try to check in Sunday at least.

  40. princesspat

    It’s so good to wake up and not have my own scary health concerns be the first thought of the day! Now I can go back to the pool with a smile…yay!

    The news of the day and my concerns re the upcoming election are as always alarming, but I’m going to ease into focusing on the bigger picture and try to hold onto a feeling of well being for today.

  41. JanF

    It is 48 degrees in Madison with an expected high of 52 … partly sunny skies. I will be outside freezing enjoying the fresh air most of the morning.

    So now everyone, not just Republicans who we know don’t understand science, are calling for a travel ban to “contain” Ebola. ::sigh:: Most travelers from West Africa come to the United States via Europe … there are only a handful of direct flights and keeping them open is critical to combating the disease at its source. I hope our Portlaw makes it home before the idiots shut down all international air travel.

    And is Democrat Martha Coakley about to blow it again … this time after having a 25 point lead over her gubernatorial opponent in Massachusetts???!!??

    There was a Wisconsin gubernatorial debate last night and the main topic was saving the Milwaukee Bucks NBA franchise. ::sigh:: The panel was four white dudes … not a single question about reproductive rights, the minimum wage, or the environment. I am glad the debates are over. I think they are really only to show people that their chosen candidate does not drool and to watch for their opponent to commit a gaffe. Time to start voting (Monday) and elect a new governor.

    See all y’all later!!

  42. JanF

    SCOTUSblog (just minutes ago)

    In a stinging defeat for the Obama administration and a number of civil rights groups in a major test case on voters’ rights, a divided Supreme Court told the state of Texas early Saturday morning that it may enforce its strict voter ID law for this year’s general election, with early voting starting next Monday.  Three Justices dissented from the ruling, which was released a few minutes after 5 a.m. after prolonged study.

    This apparently was the first time since 1982 that the Court has allowed a law restricting voters’ rights to be enforced after a federal court had ruled it to be unconstitutional.

  43. Diana in NoVa

    To strike down the part of the Voting Rights Act that says no one has to produce a photo ID? THIS is why voting is important. If–well, I won’t go into the Supremes handing the election to Boosh. I despise Sandra O’Connor to this day.

    We are not living in a democracy. We live in an oligarchy and have been for some time.

  44. Diana in NoVa

    And tomorrow the high will be 57!

    A day crammed with activity–sending items to the Web site designer for the Web site buying a domain ( whatever that is), signing up for an e-mail addy just for the Web site; then a few hours of fun with Miss Pink Cheeks, followed by a visit to the car place. Hubby is so excited about the possibility of a newer (used) car!

    Tomorrow we’ve got to pack for the trip to Texas because we can’t during the week. Yesterday the Littles and I were out on the screened porch, admiring the beautiful warm October afternoon with its flawless blue sky. Baby Pink Cheeks was lying on my chest so he could see out to the backyard. All of a sudden he sat up and grabbed his toes! I didn’t know he could sit up.

    The marvelous moment was photographed for posterity. Mommy arrived during this and was as amazed as anyone. He’s only four and a half months, so I didn’t expect this so soon.

    A happy Saturday to all purple meeses!

  45. princesspat

    I can finally see more colored leaves than green on my old maple trees, but the colors aren’t going to be very pretty this year. It’s been to wet and warm to trigger what ever the leaves need to perform at their best.

    My long lists just grew longer while I was ignoring them so today will be busy. I may just re write the lists……might be easier than actually doing something and crossing it off!

    Our ballots arrived in the mail yesterday so we will be voting soon. Voting my mail has increased turnout in Wa. State, which is good. But I miss seeing friends and neighbors at the local church where we used to vote. Visiting by the inevitable bake sale table created a nice feeling of community.

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