BJean

I see that Green used past tense with reference to her snittery. For her own comfort, I hope her Omar the Tentmaker* drawers are all soft and wrinkle free. *BJean has taken liberties with the size reference.

So Gadgetlady, you are willing to take the Bible as truth, but not the theory of evolution? Isn't it really because you choose to believe the words in the Bible, not because of any proof or lack of proof? You mention several sources that you think make creationism credible. I believe they impress you because they back up your beliefs, not because they provide any real proof. When people start quoting passages in the Bible I usually realize that they have made a decision to believe in the Bible and one must weigh their arguments knowing that they have this "faith" that has little to do with scientific theories or facts as we know them. Carl Sagan believed in the concept of God. He was also a scientist. He said he believed in God because that's what he chose to believe. I was impressed with his honesty.

If any of those are the reasons that G.W. insisted on going to war in Iraq, why didn't he just say so? Is G.W. any less responsible because past events during previous administrations? The political climate in the Middle East and elsewhere should be taken into account before declaring war, no matter whose fault it is or who may have caused it. Are you just upset that we didn't go bomb somebody sooner? Would you be happy if we tried to wipe out the entire Middle East to solve the problems you listed? Is Iraq just the beginning of what you think will clean up the mess of past evildoers? Do you think that the U.S. should be the political police of the world? Have fewer Americans been killed by terrorists post 9/11? We all know the answer to that. Are terrorists active in practically all parts of the world? Well, duh. I wish you would explain why you posted the list of terrorist activities instead of me having to guess, like everyone is having to guess Bush's motives.

Sometimes it's easier to get insulting than it is to come up with a fresh retort. Especially if you have your bikini in a wad.

I leave you alone for a few hours and you get into trouble, Green. We both need a holiday! I had to get a grip thinking about white sandy beaches, coconut milk drinks, tiki torches, moonlight swims - and wearing a swimsuit around natives chubbier than me, not a bad scenario, a? That's the only way I can recover from popping off at Jack over at "...worst American President." We have cabin fever and no real cabin (with a palm frond roof).

Well that's even more brilliant than, Huh. Blind faith, yeah, that's the ticket.

Good analogy, laurend. Leave it to the pro-war people to think it's beneficial to hit things.

P.S. What's the good in saying that you think that Kerry would have been worse? If you want that to be believable or relevant, tell us exactly what you know that would have transpired under Kerry's influence, that would be specificially worse? Before you jump onto that bandwagon, please know that we're going to want to know how you have magically come up with your knowledge of that fact. Because let's face it, George W. pledged a whole lot of things during his campaign that did not happen and in some cases have turned out to be quite the opposite of what he promised. So surely you aren't basing it on campaign promises or pledges.

No, no, no, Jack. I said defend your man, not attack and blame others for their actions. Why is it that no one can really defend his actions in a way that makes any sense at all? They just say that they like "some" of his policies, although " maybe not all" of them. What about the actions that he has taken that are known to cause much of the problem today, TODAY, in Iraq? Not the ones that have been going on for hundreds of years. How have his actions in Iraq secured the peace for ANYONE? Or even led us to a path of POTENTIAL PEACE? One might try the tactic of defending his actions as they relate to the U.S. not losing out on a very important oil resource. Because right now, it is quite possibly the only thing that really makes any sense at all.

Since you didn't say what your pilot friend's response was, I imagine it to be something like, "HUH?"

Nailing a few houses together? Come on. You can do better than that, can't you? Defend your man instead of tossing out some irrelvant attack. (Irrelevant to the attack on your man, that is.)

The passport is valid and up to date on this end. If we can get TOM to join us we could bill it as a working trip. We might be able to come up with a viable plan for immigration issues near and far. I would welcome the chance to break bread over lunch or dip our biscotti in a steaming cup of java together and hash out the details. Wonder if there's a Starbucks in Bali? Silly question, of course there is. I too believe that we're about 99% in agreement. I'm sure I wandered off on a tangent and sounded like a maniac. It is all just so frustrating. I am glad that we have this venue to vent and read what others have to say. Finding like minded people here is comforting.

Green: Your posts always provide humor and are thought provoking, which I really appreciate very much. When I think about Canada and its' lower population and the sweetness of the people I encountered when I lived there, I definitely think about relocating to the great white north. Alas, it is probably not a real possibility. When Mexicans work in the U.S. and get the low paying jobs that everyone says Americans don't want, and they live in Mexico, they can eke out a better living than without the U.S. jobs. However, if they are living on the economy in the U.S., how long do you think they will be happy working as hard as they do for the money that they get? I mean to say, if we gave them the freedom to move here as long as they are willing to take those jobs, I wonder how long we could depend on it to be mutually rewarding. So your suggestion for a plan similar to Europe's makes more sense and it appeals to me for several reasons. If only our president would make some gesture in that direction. Let's face it, that would only happen if we got some of the large American corporations interested, because that's what motivates this president. That is what makes me so mad: the greed and disrespect for people without money and power in this administration. Thank goodness we have a few people in the newly elected Congress making some noise. Our icy frigid weather lately has made me want to take a fast boat to Bali. You in?

Well I'm no Pat Buchanan, thank you very much. I do not believe that English is a superior language either, especially the way most of us speak and write it, but I agree with you that it is already the dominant language and I believe that it would help people to have the clarification that it is the accepted language of the land. I do not seek to exclude people. I seek to include them. I want us to be proactive in turning this country into a true melting pot. I specifically don't want us to be the bigoted, biased country that we have been in the past. I want us to recognize that changes need to be made and they should be made in such a way as to make it as easy as possible for everyone. I am impatient. I want to knock sense into people. I want the political machinery to work better and make sensible, user friendly laws. Like the icons on computers did (which was a good way for you to explain how what I want can actually be achieved in this country, to everyone's benefit). Green's story of related current and past events in Canada underscores to me how difficult the job is, even when people try to make it happen. In this country, it seems to me that the Patrick Buchanans, Pat Robertsons and Bushy-heads are taking us back into the dark days of segregation. They want Mexicans here for their labor. They don't seem to care if Mexicans who come to the U.S. are integrated into our society and are in a position to achieve the "American dream" but they really want is Mexicans to come here to give their profit-making corporations cheap labor. They don't care about the cheap labor so as to lower prices for all Americans. They want cheap labor so that they can make more profit. I want us to have the kind of reality check that causes us to insist that some of these problems regarding illegal aliens are solved. I want the laws that are not working to be changed. Right now those laws give power to the Pat Buchanans of this country. It's very ugly and that's what I'm ranting and raving about. I just don't say it well. I do not have the talent to write as concisely or as well as some of you do, and probably do not have the intellect either. But I am passionate. That is for sure. I care about how Americans treat each other and how they treat the rest of the world. It scares hell out of me that there are so many of us who claim to be good Christians and claim to be born again to do God's will, but who speak and behave in such a way that they must make Satan proud.

Ahhh, now I know why my husband insists on keeping all of his graduate level papers and books. You just never know when you might be tested... forgive me, it's Friday and I'm feeling silly too. Truth is, I have enjoyed reading evey entry on this twine (thicker and more important than a thread).

If people move here from all the other countries in the world (which they do) and there is no requirement that one particular language is the law of the land, are we then discriminating if we don't offer all government documents in every language that every U.S. citizen wants to use? Do you require that schools teach in the languages and use books translated into the languages of wherever the children are originally from that are enrolled in those schools? Explain to me exactly how this would work. What exactly is your proposal to be fair to all foreign speaking people who move here? Or does melting pot mean that foreigners who adopt this as their country and who become American citizens should melt into the bigger pot by giving up some of their own country's peculiarities and adopting the standards of the United States? In a perfect world in the United States, would we be required to have street signs the size of billboards so we could make sure no one is offended or inconvenienced if they move here? What's wrong with adopting a language in this country? How does that threaten the well being of any person who chooses to become a citizen of the U.S.? How does it insult or how is it politically incorrect to anyone who wants to come here and become an American? Because it is difficult to learn English? Or is it because you just don't think that we need a common language in the United States? You don't think that having a common language would be a unifying step in the process of people feeling and being accepted when they move here? Do you think that we should all live in sectors, like China Town or Little Italy or Vietnamese City, depending upon our nation of origin? We American Indians were certainly expected to dwell in such a place. So we could have "reservations" for everyone? How is this fair? Or politically correct? What exactly do you propose that is better for this country than having a common language? How exactly do we become "one big happy family" if we can't even communicate or begin to understand each other?

Thanks for the additional information April. Sounds just awful. I've been so upset that I didn't get another fill when I asked for one a couple of weeks ago. Now I'm thinking that I shouldn't be in such a darned big hurry. I sure hope that everything works its way back into proper position and you will be fine. We're all keeping our fingers crossed for you!

I wholeheartedly agree with both Wheetsin and TOM on this. I do think that what Wheetsin said, that very few theologians try to prove that their theories are right because let's face it, they mostly cannot. TOM speaking to the fact that many people accept books or sermons as the only possible interpretation is, I think, why some of us take exception to people who say that they "know for a fact" that some belief they have is true. I guess that narrow mindedness is what some call "blind faith". If one is to believe with all their heart and mind that their interpretation of the Good Book is the only possibility that makes sense, then it is vital that they also understand that it may only make sense to them and not to everyone else. The fact that others have their own interpretations and beliefs shoots down the whole idea of one person making the decision to not allow the use of stem cell research or abortion for someone else. There is no scientific way to determine when a soul enters or leaves a body so that aspect at the very least, is based on an individual's beliefs. Too bad that there are the Pat Robertsons and George Bushs who think it is perfectly okay to choose to curtail stem cell research and abortion for all of America and the rest of the free world.

Well I get your point Wheetsin, but thinking about your analogy of the weatherman's predictions, our weathermen are pretty accurate because they have some science behind their predictions. I'm afraid I don't give some of those folks that much credibility. In other words, their guess is as good as mine. I really enjoyed reading some of Shirley McLaine's books. They were very entertaining and if you are open to it, her concept of reincarnation makes a whole lot of sense. But her guess is as good as mine too.

Btw, April did you only have 2 PBs and this happened? Or did you actually throw up? I could have misunderstood. I thought you said you threw up. Gosh I am sorry it happened, whatever the reason. We're all still trying to learn how to peacefully co-exist with our bands. It's a real wake-up call!

Amen, Wheetsin!

You know just because someone preaches or writes a book that is widely accepted because people like the ring to it or because it is easy for them to understand and use to support their beliefs, doesn't make it true. It's just a theory or one man's way of explaining why people should live a good life. Or just one man's way to make money from publishing a book. All this all-knowing faith that people conjur up is put into perspective for me when I hear someone pray that God will help them win a game. They pray before everything and then declare that God has "answered their prayers" if things turn out their way. If they don't win, the prayers are soon forgotten. Or they say, God has a bigger plan. We don't know what it is right now, but one day it will be revealed to us. That's the way they explain why God would allow an innocent, beautiful 2 yr. old die from a cancer. It's God's plan. And the baby will be in a better place, next to God. We don't have to understand why, God has a plan for all of us. Or if you listen to T.O.M's point, God knew it was going to happen long ago and there is simply nothing we can do about it. I'd rather think he's busy winning games for his favorite team than to think that he takes beautiful babies away with horrible diseases because of his bigger plan, but both of them make me less of a believer, not more.

Jodie you are a hoot! I know you're just pulling my chain with those comments. You surely can't be serious. I know, I know... I am serious and don't call me Shirley. Yuk, yuk. Btw, lisah25: Nancy Reagan was criticized tremendously for spending tons of money on redecorating, buying china, crystal, etc., just about the minute she moved into the White House. Hillary caught H-E double L for trying to find a way to improve the lousy health care system we have and our lousy, filthy, stinking rich medical insurance industry, the same one that has us by the nads today.

April, our hearts go out to you! It could have been any of us and it could always still happen to any of us. The fact that it happened is to you is a good lesson for us to learn to be very careful, eat slowly and don't get too much fill. Not that you could have prevented the slippage. But none of us should think we are immune to it happening. We will keep you in our thoughts and hope that it resolves itself over the next couple of weeks. Stay strong! We're sure pulling for you!

TommyO: That response will sustain me for the rest of the day! Thanks!!