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Week-long Welcomings from Moosylvania: Jan. 4th thru Jan. 10th

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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.

/ 128 Comments

128 comments

  1. JanF

    It is 29 degrees in Madison WI, dropping to a daytime high of 23. Snow and bitter cold is in the forecast.

    Have a great day, all y’alls!!

  2. JanF

    People wear hoods here in Wisconsin to, you know, keep their heads warm.

    In Oklahoma, you might be masking your evil intentions … or be “clothed while black”:

    Oklahoma lawmakers are planning to introduce a bill this February that would make it illegal to wear hooded sweatshirts, or “hoodies,” in public, according to a report from Oklahoma’s Channel 6 News.

    Republican Senator Don Barrington will introduce the bill, which would make it a misdemeanor to “wear a mask, hood, or covering” either while committing a crime or in order to intentionally conceal one’s identity. If the bill is passed, offenders would be subject to a fine of $50 to $500, and up to one year in jail.

    Sunny Hostin, a CNN legal analyst, weighed in on this issue back in March related to an Indiana ban:


    “This is about the pretext of being able to stop young African-American males,” she said. “Hoodie is code for ‘thug’ in many places and I think businesses shouldn’t be in the business of telling people what to wear. The Fourteenth Amendment protects us from this.”

    Hostin argued that hoodie bans are similar to previous bans on sagging pants, in that both target clothing items or styles worn predominantly by black men. Because of that, Hostin said, the bans give businesses and police officers an excuse to racially profile.

    What??!!?? I’m sure they would never ever use it to target a specific race. Just goin’ after the criminals!!!

  3. Portlaw

    dropping thirty degrees.

    Am in full packing panic mode. Will check in later to see how everyone is  doing. Hope your reports will be great!

  4. DeniseVelez

    it’s snowing and 35 – then going up to 60 then dropping tonight to below freezing.

    Salt trucks are out – we are going to have a bunch of black ice tonight.

  5. anotherdemocrat

    I think tonight it’s supposed to freeze – hey, for us, that’s really cold! Actually, it’ll even be in the 20s!

    Eating breakfast, watching Up. Louie Gohmert is going to challenge Boehner for speaker, proving how truly delusional he is.

    Today, I need to figure out food for next week. I think the blackeyed pea & kale soup should be enough for lunch. Maybe the fruit & quinoa thing for breakfast. And visit my friend. Maybe take her some lunch. And prepare for the first full 5 day work week in a while.

  6. princesspat

    Despite my good intentions 2015 is following a familiar pattern…..I’m napping the day away! I did get a calendar yesterday so I’d best find all the notes to self I’ve scattered around and set it up, but my memory seems to be on vacation as well. Life gets to busy for such a lackadaisical approach!

  7. Diana in NoVa

    and then, as Denise and Portlaw have reported, the temp. is going to plummet. Ugh. Will need to wear leggings under my jeans tomorrow to walk Miss Pink Cheeks to school.

    Hoping for a quiet day in which I can focus on writing. Have tons of emails to answer and to compose, along with other writing projects.

    Haven’t looked at the news yet–was too busy preparing ham, scram, and biscuits with jam for breakfast. Feeling as full as a slug right now.

    Hope everyone will have a good day and that Portlaw will remember to pack her tablet!

  8. bfitzinAR

    Sun started playing peekaboo about 11:30 and has been more out than in for the last hour or so (current time 2:19 pm CST).  So far today’s electricity generation (3.5 KWH) is twice what yesterday’s was and yesterday’s was twice Thursday and Friday’s combined!  Not bad for a day that started with snow, none of which is still on the ground.

    So.  Back to “normal” – I’ve done my week’s baking, housecleaning, laundry, and work-clothes prep.  Just have the week’s meat/entrees to cook and wash my hair tonight and I’ll be ready to roll out the door tomorrow morning at 7:20 am. 🙂  Truth to tell, I’m happy to be getting back to work.  I’m not very good at short-term interruptions.  I like a routine.  By the time I think of what I would have liked to do with a couple of days off, they’re gone already.  Which of course is why I will have planned volunteer projects once I’ve retired, to create my new routine. 🙂  Hope everybody’s normal is a good normal.   {{{HUGS}}}

  9. JanF

    It is -6 degrees in Madison this morning with an expected high of 9. The full moon arrived last night at 11:54pm my time. I was not up to see that but because of the super clear skies that are part of this arctic blast, I did enjoy the mostly full moon during the evening. See, it is not all bad!

    I scanned the news quickly and noticed that John Boehner has a challenger for the House Speakership, the man called the stupidest person in Congress, Louie Gohmert of Texas. While it might be tempting for Democrats to vote for him as a poke in the eye to the House Republican leadership, I hope they resist. You do not want that vote on your resume.  

    And look what I found on the Washington Monthly, in a post by Nancy LeTourneau (aka Smartypants)!!

    On its 92nd anniversary, Denise Oliver Velez asks us to both remember and contemplate the lessons from the massacre that occurred in Rosewood, Florida. 9/11 was certainly not the first time that terrorism reached our shores.

    Two NYC policemen refused to turn their backs on Mayor de Blasio at the funeral yesterday. Good for them.

    TheObamaDiary.com @TheObamaDiary

    The police officers on the right refused to turn their backs on Mayor de Blasio at funeral of Wenjian Liu. Respect.

    See all y’all later!

  11. DeniseVelez

    Thanks for the link to Nancy’s mention Jan.

    Portlaw – safe trip!

    Just finishing up Black Kos for Tuesday – we’ll be back from vacation. Jan – your hoodie story – Oklahoma was the inspiration.

    Ugh – just finished reading the news – am already sick of

    Ludmya Bourdeau “Mia” Love, who hasn’t even been sworn in and is already getting mucho airtime for supporting Klan-speaker Scalise

    Mia Love supports Steve Scalise despite David Duke controversy

    http://thegrio.com/2015/01/04/…

    Sigh.

    They will always find black faces to support white racists – I know it shouldn’t irk me – but it does.

    Same way women irk me when they support misogyny – so they get a two-fer in Love.

  12. anotherdemocrat

    29 degrees! Brrrrrr!!! Glad I didn’t set the alarm for walking before work, I’d have been miserable.

    Eating breakfast (fruit & quinoa), drinking tea, sneezing my head off. Stupid cedar trees. Ooooh – but I just checked the calendar here & this Friday starts the long weekend I’m taking off for my birthday. 4 day workweek. Yeah. And I have none of our rotating duties on Thursday. Not saying I’m planning anything, just an observation. cough. cough.

    So I’ll kick off fundraising for the AIDS Ride with a birthday diary. I think Friday is a better day for it than Saturday – what do y’all think?

    Earworm is I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight

  14. princesspat

    I’ve resisted watching the season 5 Downton Abbey videos, but now it’s officially time to enjoy! The story bumbles along, but I love watching the setting and the costumes.

    A behind the scenes show featuring the Edwardian manners expert was interesting as well. I didn’t understand the importance of correct posture and perfectly aligned table settings in polite society, but now I know better!  

  15. Diana in NoVa

    Currently it’s 35 F., going up to 36 F.–big deal.

    Didn’t wake up until 7 this morning–screeched–got up, made the EMT (early morning tea), took it in to Dearly, who has been battling a cold.

    Got Miss Pink Cheeks off to school, hubby is now at work, and Baby is having a little nap in his cot. The wind is blowing smoke through the chimney into our woodstove, which keeps emitting little puffs of greyness, so I’ve shut it off. Can’t have Baby getting cancer of the lungs. The ancient Egyptians, I understand, had black lungs from sitting around their cooking fires. Ag.

    Gotta run and do chores while he’s still asleep. Have a good day, all!

  16. bfitzinAR

    heading for 36.  Got almost 4 KWHs yesterday and looks like as good or better for today.  If this keeps up, I might not have anything but the maintenance charge for next month’s electricity bill.  Even with Lodger’s “help”.  Back at work – just finished the 1st pass on my email and taking a break to check in while waiting for responses.  Haven’t looked at the news and I may not until somebody assures me there’s some good news out there.  {{{HUGS}}}

  17. JanF

    It is -4 in Madison on its way up to 10. Partly sunny skies in the forecast. Tomorrow the -4 will be the HIGH temperature.

    weatherdude talks about the cold snap at TheVane Here’s What You Need to Know About This Week’s Dangerous Cold Snap

    The upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and interior sections of the Northeast are catching the brunt of today’s cold snap, where temperatures are struggling to climb above zero even during the “heat” of the day. The temperature in Minneapolis as I wrote this sentence was -5°F. Tonight will be even colder, with lows of -15°F to -25°F possible, especially across the border states.

    [the second phase] will arrive on Wednesday night and stick around through the day on Thursday. Low temperatures on Thursday morning will drop into the single digits as far south as Alabama, with teens likely as far south as the Gulf of Mexico. This is cold – almost as cold as the Great Polar Vortex Panic of 2014 – but surprisingly it won’t break records in as many spots as you would think.

    A quick scan of the news made me sick to my stomach. The Republicans have always found self-loathing women and self-loathing gays to say “hey the GOP is awesome!!!” … and now they have found a black woman (yay, double token!!! check two boxes!!!) who has no sense of history and is willing to give her party cover. Mia Love,  “the new racial conscience of the GOP” doesn’t get what the big deal is with Scalise because “he was nice to her”. It is not Steve Scalise, it is this part which Colin Powell pointed out:

    … the  “dark vein of intolerance in some parts of the party” – a strain not checked enough by party leaders, according to Powell.

    Until the party cuts all ties with the racists – all of them – they will not be able to start getting the stink off. To the extent that the Republicans win low-turnout midterm elections with the votes of low information white voters, it does not harm them much. But time is not on their side. Young people are not drawn to the party of exclusion like their parents and grandparents were (and they are less willing to believe the lies about The Other that binds the party together); their coalition will simply die off. Period.

    Have a great day, all y’alls! Back later if I have time.  

  18. Diana in NoVa

    It’s 19 F., going up to 34 F. and the snow is falling thick and fast. We already have twice as much snow as predicted. I’m furious with Fairfax County for announcing at the very last minute that the schools are open–they should have announced that early this morning. No one is sure what to do–telecommute or what. Oh, well–Daddy Pink Cheeks just texted that he is taking our little girl to school and will bring the baby around.

    We rarely see a gray, snowy winter morning like this one.

    Does anyone really believe the “Republic” party will die off? How will it die off if the middle-agers adhere to their parents’ prejudices and denialism? My sister-in-law writes from Australia that their denialist prime minister doesn’t believe in climate change, but in the meantime bushfires are consuming more and more land. It’s high summer Down Under.

    And along those lines, I see people still driving cars the size of boats. How much gas do those use? And even if oil prices are dropping, they’re not going to stay low.

    Oh, well, time to get dressed and have breakfast. Hope everyone will have a good day!

  19. anotherdemocrat

    Less cold today, but I’m leaving the plants covered because an “arctic blast” is coming later in the week. Freezes Thursday night & Saturday night. They’re starting to get excited about freezing precipitation, but probably not.

    We were so busy yesterday. People having trouble with the concept that we don’t mail stuff out when we’re closed. Also, our warehouse’s heat is broken, so they’re only working in there in super short shifts, so again, not much stuff is going out. When I told one lady yesterday that the temperature in the warehouse was 55 & people can’t really be expected to work in that, actually said “Well, I’ll bite my tongue”. Seated in comfort in her heated residence. Ugh, people.

    Earworm is the bouncy California. I’m off my Christmas mix & back to my race day mix.

  20. bfitzinAR

    Just finished entering the May Intersession classes and taking a breather before I start entering the Summer classes.  Have a few things still needing to be done before I can start entering Fall classes.  (So far nobody’s volunteered to do an August Intersession.)  Hope everyone’s day is good.  {{{HUGS}}}

  21. princesspat

    I awoke to see the full moon shinning through the branches of my old maple trees this morning, a most welcome sight! The fog has settled in again bringing a peaceful stillness with no rain.

    Warm wishes to all!

  22. JanF

    It is -2 in Madison with a windchill of -19. The temperatures is expected to drop to -11 with a windchill of -35 at 7am, just before the sun comes up. I am on No School Watch as the -35 windchill is the cutoff to stay home but the decision will be made between 5:30 and 6:00 when it will only be -33 windchill.

    Bob McConnell goes to prison for 2 years, a Maryland politician threatens legal action for a reporter using his name in a story, fracking induced earthquakes in Ohio and Oklahoma just fine with residents because Oil is King.

    And the newly sworn in House of Reprehensibles has taken aim at people who live on Social Security Disability Benefits by voting in a rule that could result in a 20% cut in benefits. Thank you, low information Fox voters, for making it more difficult for those in need to survive. I hope you never need a social safety net because it will soon be gone.

    See all y’all later!

  24. anotherdemocrat

    I walked! 35 minutes, heart rate monitor says 215 calories. It’s in the 40s, so this was the only day this week this was going to happen. I only needed a sweatshirt. Today’s another upside-down day, we’ve already reached the high. Hard freeze tonight – 12 hours below freezing.

    I’m listening to local radio because they’re giving away Hozier tickets. If you haven’t heard Take Me To Church, be prepared to have your socks knocked off. And Jackie & Wilson is really fun. So, I’m eating breakfast, drinking tea, sneezing my head off & waiting for a chance to win tickets.

  25. anotherdemocrat

    this is, sadly, the tweet of the day:

    @LibyaLiberty: Insult to the Prophet? I can think of no greater insult to God than to have the temerity to end the life of His creation.

  26. bfitzinAR

    But it’s actually 4 degrees warmer than what our projected high was supposed to be so that’s good, right?  snort.  And the political “winter” is colder and harsher than the physical one.  Definitely time to hunker down somewhere warm and hope we can ride it out.  I don’t mean not do anything, but this is an occupation situation (rather than an Occupy situation) – our warm hunkering down spaces need to be sally ports, our actions that of the Resistance.  Your mission if you choose to accept it…  Oh well, been there, done that, guess we’ll do it again.  {{{HUGS}}}

  27. Diana in NoVa

    today. It’s been like a party in this house this morning with a child and a dog running around shouting. Miss Pink Cheeks stayed the night with us. The original plan was that we’d go to Daisy troop meeting Tuesday evening, then come back here, and I’d take her to school this morning. Fairfax County cancelled all evening activities after its spectacular mismanagement of the snow situation yesterday. For one thing, it wasn’t a “light dusting” amounting to one inch–this was up to five inches and coming down thick and fast in rush hour.

    Anyway, school starts two hours late today, so I cooked breakfast–ham and baby pancakes with strawberry jam for her, ham and scram for Dearly. Now she’s dressed and waiting for Grandpa to drive her to school. Grandpa will pick up Baby from Mommy, who is telecommuting, and so my day will begin.

    Was saddened to learn of the tragedy in Paris. I thought we were the only country with mass shootings (well, there have been a couple in England and Australia, but they’re very rare). When will stupid people learn that you can’t kill ideas, even if you kill the people that have them?

    Agree with bftiz–just gonna hunker down and Occupy, all the while wondering how much stupider some people can get. One nice thing happened yesterday–an empty seat in the Virginia legislature was won by a DEMOCRAT, a nice woman who will balance the invidious testosterone in our lege.

  28. princesspat

    In a way the fog bank we are living in feels sheltering, keeping the noise of the world muffled. I have been enjoying the evening MSNBC programs, even though a sense of outrage probably isn’t then best way to end the day.  

  29. JanF

    It is -7 degrees in Madison with an expected high of 15. Yes, 15 above zero … the first time over 0 in the last 36 hours or so. Snow is in the forecast but I don’t see it on the radar. It can stay away.

    The news is awful. Not just the attacks in Paris but the blame being assigned. President Obama’s fault? Really?? The right-wing is simply insane and my new years resolution is to put them on mute.

    The (in)famous councilman from Maryland Kirby Delauter has relented and said that news organizations can print his name without his permission after all:

    On Wednesday, Delauter said he’d had a change of heart. In a news release titled “Frederick County Supports Transparent Government,” he said he’d posted his legal threat in a moment of anger. [..]

    “Of course, as I am an elected official, the Frederick News-Post has the right to use my name in any article related to the running of the county — that comes with the job,” he continued. “So yes, my statement to the Frederick News-Post regarding the use of my name was wrong and inappropriate.

    House Republican leadership fumbled on the first hand off (maybe Stevo was too busy ironing his white hoods?) and presented for a vote a bill with gifts to Wall Street. The bill was presented under the rules of suspension (not having passed through committee) which means it needed 2/3rds to pass. It did not get enough votes. Apparently they had press releases all ready. Oops!! I hope to be able to say oops a lot with this Congress.

    See all y’alls later!!

  31. Diana in NoVa

    going for a high of 22 F. Fairfax County first said that school would open two hours late, then changed its mind and said school would be closed today.

    The news is terrible, and I am feeling very depressed because of technology. Experiencing acute buyer’s remorse, fear of the new hub being installed, etc., etc. Dearly did not consult me about upgrading the home wi-fi, and I fear the worst. Nothing ever works as it is supposed to.

    Hope that all in Moosylvania will have a good day in spite of the news.

  32. anotherdemocrat

    I’m calling in sick at work today. And then I took Friday & Monday off for my birthday. It is crazy cold — 22 degrees! And they keep talking about possible freezing precipitation Saturday morning. It’s supposed to be a 9 mile day, but I don’t know about giving myself pneumonia.

    Earworm is, weirdly, U2’s Walk On. Not one I’ve heard recently, I like it, but it just isn’t one that fits into any of my mixes.

    Will work on my AIDS Ride diary today.

  33. bfitzinAR

    I wish I could say I was shocked or even surprised at what the Rs are doing.  I’m not.  I’m appalled.  But not surprised.  I just hope we can do enough damage control to keep the Ship of State afloat – and the passengers and crew thereon alive.  At least we have sunshine.  That always helps me.  Hope it helps others.  {{{HUGS}}}

  34. princesspat

    Compared to the temps in the most of the country being wrapped in a fog blanket is relatively cozy.

    Thanks to the assistance of an energetic and very nice new housekeeper yesterday was a good day. I’ve still got some Christmas follow up to do but it’s manageable, whew! She will be able to help me for a few hours every week for the next month or two. Thanks to son #1 for helping me find some help!

    I’ve also got all the appointments in place for my upcoming surgery so the process is underway. I just have to stay healthy and as calm as I can be so I can do my part.  

  35. JanF

    It is 4 degrees (above zero) in Madison and that is the expected daytime high. Partly cloudy skies in the forecast.

    Well, “vacation” week is nearing an end and, being a glass half full type of gal, I can celebrate that I won’t have to suffer through a long trip home in airports filled with sick people wanting to cough on me. I’m already home!

    I saw a quote by Rand Paul and it makes me wonder if Republicans really don’t read history or if they are willfully ignoring it.

    “I haven’t seen any Christians or Jews dragging Muslims through the streets, but I have seen the opposite.”

    Maybe pre-Rand history doesn’t count. I am wondering who he is trying to win over with that kind of statement.

    And #FreeCommunityCollege!!! Great initiative by the president to find a way to make college affordable and stem the tide of student debt that is drowning the next generation. As one who used community college as a pathway to a 4 year degree, I can attest to the value. You can take your college credits and go to a 4 year school … or you can use your associate degree to enter the job market, trained in a technical field. I actually did both … the technical training got me a job and I finished my degree in evening school.

    I will put up a post on this.

    See all y’alls later!!

     

  36. DeniseVelez

    the snowflakes are not soft and fluffy – they are more like brittle pieces of ice – and driving is perilous.  Road crews have been out here since around 4AM but the view from my front porch to the county route doesn’t look good – hubby elected not to drive to his commuter bus as a result.

    Very happy about the Community College plan – am ignoring left-whines 🙂

  37. Diana in NoVa

    day. I’m sitting here in an office that smells like white vinegar because the dog left a poop trail across the ugly carpet. Cleaned it up, cursing vociferously all the while, and thought wistfully of a possible tax refund that will go for hardwood floors upstairs. It’s the second accident the dog’s had this week. The weather has been so fearfully cold he doesn’t want to go out.

    The Circle sisters are coming for a much-delayed ritual and lunch tomorrow. Have to get busy and bake a cake–applesauce cake with pecans and raisins, I think.

    Hope the events in Paris don’t culminate in yet more bloodshed but am not hopeful about that. My book STILL isn’t available for sale at Amazon, B&N, etc. That’s delaying my Web site update. Moan, moan, moan.

    Well, off to breakfast and to get dressed before Mr. Baby is delivered! Another two-hour delay for school today. What a weird week this has been.

    Wishing everyone a good Friday!

  38. anotherdemocrat

    Upside down day today – the 37 we have now is the high. It will cool down, and then start raining. I am not going to my workout in the morning, that’s just crazy. So I have to figure out a way to ger 9 miles in either today before things get too bad or tomorrow afternoon.

    For now, I’m eating breakfast & watching the news. Checking on my diaries, replying to comments. Hoping for a good kick off.

  39. bfitzinAR

    Yesterday I got 6 KWHs generated, the first time in 2 months!  Today will not be so good – but if the sun comes out at all, I should still get my “average usage” for this time of year.  (Well, what was my average usage before I got a Lodger and the Internet – I leave it to you to guess which one increased my household usage the most.)  Anyway, I’ve got deadlines today and even if I don’t get answers to my questions I’m just going to have to go with what I know and hope for the best.  Have a lovely day – somewhere warm if possible.  {{{HUGS}}}

  40. princesspat

    And it’s very dark outside….I welcome the sun breaks even though they highlight windows that need to be washed. Our  house has the original wood sash windows with wood storm windows as well so cleaning them is heavy work on a tall ladders. We used to do it ourselves, but those days are over.

    One of the storm windows is being rebuilt so the three windows in the upstairs bedroom will get cleaned when it is installed. The ladder will be there so why waste the opportunity!

    Today’s task is continuing the desk cleanup and and paying bills. It feels good to start to have that part of my life organized again.  

  41. JanF

    It is -4 degrees in Madison on its way up to 17 degrees. Partly cloudy skies in the forecast.

    A quick scan of the news shows that the 114th Congress has taken the weekend off and we will have three days with no new assaults on women, the environment, the sick and disabled, and the elderly. The Keystone XL Pipeline was passed in the House and will pass in the Senate next week. The Nebraska Supreme Court was deadlocked over a ruling (the vote was 4 to 3 to deny the fast track but it needed 5 votes to prevail) which essentially cleared the way for the pipeline from Nebraska’s point of view. So the only hurdle left is the State Department review. The question is whether the president thinks that standing fast against rushing the process is important. I think it is and I also hope that the State Department determines that it is not in our national interest to allow Canada to move toxic materials that provide no benefit to our country across our land. Canadian oil companies can pipe their oil to their coast and ship it to China. I haz spoken.  

    We may very well lose Sen. Joe Manchin (D?-WV) over this. But maybe he would be more comfortable as a Republican because he certainly has not read the constitution (specifically Article Two, Section 1, Clause 1).

    Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said Thursday he was disappointed that the White House threatened to veto his legislation approving the Keystone XL pipeline, arguing the president’s move was “not the way a democracy works.

    Scott Lemiuex had a reply: “Shorter Joe Manchin: “elected public officials using their constitutional powers is not how democracy works, if I don’t get my way.””

    See all y’all later!!

  42. DeniseVelez

    working on some meta I plan to post in 2 hours at orange – re Charlie.

    Need more coffee.

    Want to make sure folks read

    Nigeria: 2,000 feared killed in Boko Haram’s ‘deadliest massacre’

    http://www.theguardian.com/wor…

    I wish I had even the vaguest idea about what can be done in Nigeria to stop Boko.  

    Our eyes are on ISIL – but do we have to wait till the slaughter in Nigeria reaches Rwanda proportions?  

  43. Diana in NoVa

    The Circle sisters will arrive for the ritual at noon, so I’ve got to get cracking on tidying the place, etc. It feels weird to be having a ritual halfway between Yule and Imbolc, but our fourth member’s schedule is very tight, so there it is.

    Sigh. Awful news, as usual. When I hold my precious grandson in my arms I think of other children in Africa and elsewhere who aren’t as safe and well-fed as he is, and wish they could know lives of peace and security. If I live long enough, I want to bring up the little ones to think of others and to be socially responsible.

    Hope everyone in Mooseland will have a good Saturday!

  44. anotherdemocrat

    Slept in, watching Up and eating breakfast. Interesting discussions about free speech & the attack in France. I actually agreed with the National Review guy, but he was National Review-ish about it, so…. (he said that when the response to being offensive is murder, it is virtuous to publish, re-publish, disseminate the “offensive” thing. But when Joan Walsh pointed out that some of the cartoons were racist, he was a jerk, because – National Review). And now there’s an article by Glenn Greenwald…. also somewhat of a jerk, but the points he makes aren’t wrong: https://firstlook.org/theinter… He’s right in that we’re ok with anti-Islam cartoons, but not other stuff. And no, I don’t think those cartoons are ok (there are several of them in the Greenwald article), but — murder changes the game. No, racism isn’t ok, but the response to racism isn’t murder.

    Anyway, I’ve got to get in 9 miles today. Sigh. Later – I’ve got to eat enough breakfast now that I can have some tea. My stomach says I can’t have any tea yet.

  45. princesspat

    I’m in a sleepy fog bank this morning, inside and out. Thanks to all for another week of friendly thoughts and interesting discussions.

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