BJean

patty: "Many people post links to other things here, and it is not right of you to advise others not to open mine for fear of getting a virus. Viruses "happen" sometimes. I could go to a link that you post and get a virus. I would not then say that I will "never" open anything you post ever again." You may not have noticed that I do not generally post any links. I figure people have computers and the ability to find stuff as easily as I do. That being said, I have no quarrel with people posting links. But if my firewall isn't sophisticated enough to block viruses that I am exposed to here, I shouldn't take the chance of opening them. I do have very up-to-date virus blocking software so I figure if I was able to get one in spite of that, the virus I picked up is pretty dang powerful. And in fact, it was! I would appreciate it very much if someone had warned me and figured others would too.

The Bush administration didn't cause the near collapse of our economy in 9 months or a year. It took years of continued deregulation and beefing up the tax incentives for huge corporations and wealthy folks for our economy to reach the point of near disaster. Likewise the move to a healthy economy will not happen in a year or even two. Fortunately our president was willing (like most Democratic presidents) to do whatever it takes to save the country from economic collapse. The people who are screaming the most about "no more taxes" are the very people who have been given tax breaks by this president. So they've now had to broaden their chants to "no more government programs." Stupid people who don't know the candidates shouldn't be expected to understand the complicated issues of a failing economy or how we might go about fixing it. Or even what caused that problem or the trillion dollar deficit..

If people actually voted for the president because of his color - with no consideration for his intellect or politics - I'm surprised. The differences between the candidates was extremely dramatic. So if they expected anything different than what they're getting from this president, then they weren't paying any attention during the campaign, for sure.

Cleo's I support you completely in this argument. I have never known you to be ugly or mean spirited in your posts. patty on the other hand gets very mean-spirited and ugly when she is caught posting something really stupid. Instead of responding with evidence or argument for her stance, she attacks the person. When we attack back she must whine to the mods because that's usually when they intervene with critical comments about us getting personal or they go so far as to close the thread. Do you think they take her side because she claims to be a "christian"?

patty you obviously identify people by their skin tones. What a shame for your daughter and all the people who come in contact with you because that's the first thing you see and it will influence your every thought when it comes to them. You don't even know how prejudiced you are. You are in denial about so many things. And interestingly, you think you're going to heaven and that you know all the answers because you can quote the Bible and because you invoke the name of Jesus in your sermons. When you go to the dictionary, guess whose picture will be shown beside the word prejudiced?

phil I'm in total agreement with you about that turn coat Lieberman. What a jackass. And Democrats listened to our too generous president when he suggested that he not be stripped of his important positions. I can understand why they did, but I thought it was wrong at the time and it's even more obvious now. The trouble with the president is that he thinks that he can be some bipartisan savior to get us back on track as a country. He's learning that there is no such thing as a bipartisan president. You have to make a choice and when you do, if you're going to be able to get anything done, you have to use your power to make it happen. Trying to convince your opponents to do something they don't want is impossible on the surface. Only back room wrangling works in Washington. Unfortunately!!!

I picked up a virus going to the websites you post links to, patty, so thanks a lot. How do I know it was one of yours? Because yours are the only ones I opened. I will never use another link you post and I'd advise others to do the same.

Finally! Some fresh intelligent, questioning and thinking people post. Yay.

Leigha, I agree. Republicans have done a number on us. Because of their campaigns to stay in control of the wealth in this country, they have made the terms "government" "universal health care" and "assistance" dirty words. So now, there are no questions asked. No remedies to be discovered that utilize any of those words. At this point, everyone has mental barriers so deeply ingrained that they refuse to consider anything that might possibly cause change and move us to a better system for the majority of people. And by the way, I think we should all have guns issued to us at age 18 and with them should be required classes on gun safety and testing on our proficiency of gun use. When we're all armed, the nut jobs would have to be afraid. Including some of the whack jobs in the NRA.

What we need in this country is to level the playing field if we want people to actually all have the same advantages: education, health, safety, etc. Because right now there is certainly not a level playing field! And while the rich keep getting richer, trust me, the poor keep getting poorer. Those of you who think that it is perfectly fine for the government to subsidize huge conglomerate corporations and to give them tax breaks, and to give tax advantages to the wealthy over anyone else, like the middle class and poor, you are completely screwed up. You create a bigger and bigger segment of the population into poor people and the demand for the "public dole" becomes greater. We shouldn't be in the business of keeping people down with free stuff. But how are you going to figure out a sensible and fair plan if all you do is go around bellyaching about not wanting to give people hand outs? And if you support giving governmental advantages primarily to the people who are wealthy, you're part of the bigger problem. Come up with a plan. If you don't want your government helping people whom you consider to be capable and able to work, then do something about it. I am sick to death of people being so obsessed with people "on the dole" but who are only willing to bitch about it - not actually be part of the solution.

phil, Leiberman is a cross dresser? Is he a she? Or are you just talking about him changing political hats like Clark Kent changes into costume?

I was about to feel sorry for you patty for someone calling you a slow learner then I read your last paragraph and it's just rude. You are not a slow learner, that's for sure. You aren't a learner at all. You're a preacher. You don't allow anything, like the real truth, stand in your way or slow you down. You're a typical tea bagger. Only worse because you think you know stuff and most of them kniow that they're just followers and will admit it. You think you're a leader. Like a lemming, you're a leader. And sister, you asked for it. If you don't want people directing insulting comments to you, then you shouldn't insult anyone yourself!

Good luck. We didn't have much luck getting them to move either us or the other sad tiny babies. They finally shoved our NICU cribs a bit further away from them when some others left. We turned our rockers with our backs to them and that helped a little.

Now that's a fact. It's so much easier when your kids are in school and you're in contact with so many other parents. It always seems to take me a couple of years to get to know people in a new town. But I learned that I have some card playing neighbors who are a blast and I am very happy in this particular neighborhood. Friends are very important to me. I've read that they are very important to most women. Once your nest is empty, I think they become even more important.

elcee, you've left yourself wide open for conversion when you admitted that on some level you wish you believed. I respect your views and I believe that there is certainly merit in what you and btreiger have to say on the subject.

rodriquez, when our twins were in the NICU we were postitioned next to two babies who were addicted and who were going through terrible seizures and constant crying. It was breathtakingly painful to watch! I wish you had a quieter place to nurture your sweet little girl.

patty on adoption: "Too bad there is soooo much red tape involved. " Thank goodness that there is so much red tape involved. Baby trafficking, abuse, snuffing and a whole gamut of bad things can happen to babies who are not wanted. They need to be protected from those who would appear on the surface to be simply people who wish to become parents, but who are actually very bad, bad people who are a threat to the lives of unwanted children.

airbus: you have forgotten to cite whom you're quoting in these just previous posts. I can tell they aren't your words. There aren't as many misspelled words or words used incorrectly as when you're posting from your heart. Please reveal your sources, or don't expect folks to bother reading the stuff.

Leigha, I too noticed that there were some obvious gaps in logic with regard to this thread and the person who was ranting. It sure looks like someone isn't as tuned in as she would like for everyone to believe. And that explains a lot and it also goes to the decision that I will no longer try to engage in debate with her. At least some of the opposition is courteous and it is with them that I will continue to exchange thoughts and ideas.

Cleo's, I admire your ability to read through the drivel and actually try to respond to it. I tried too, but was met with ridiculous assumptions, misrepresentations and fudging of facts. Typical. It isn't worth the trouible that's for sure. But on the upside, it makes for a good opportunity to restate your case and you sure look brilliant by comparison! (Which I am sure that you are.)

It was quite an adventure living in Quebec. One of the most fun times of my life but equally perplexing because of the Quebequois obstenance. I respect them for standing up for what they believe in, but I don't think they're very smart. Work there was very revealing. Nice to meet fellow adventurer.

phil: "All those million dollar mansions still standing in the English Westmount section of Montreal, were families that were either still loyal to the Crown or at the very least, sympathizers who wanted to make sure that they would be on the Victors side, regardless of the outcome! Sounds like modern day rich Republicans to me!" We lived in Westmount for a couple of years. I know those very mansions very well. And the English sympathizers are still alive and well. (Thank goodness. They're the reason our stay there was so great!)

Yep, Cleo's I had everything handed to me and now that I'm looking toward retirement, they're wanting to just hand me more. What a joke. Except it isn't funny! I'll be lucky if I can sell my house for anywhere near what we've invested. Because of the lousy stinking Republicans, and their deregulation and "gifts" to the wealthy, we've lost a bundle in our 401k that we worked so hard and long to get set up for our retirement. No telling when we'll be able to afford to retire. Right now our health insurance costs us well over a thousand a month and we get denied coverage nearly everywhere we go so we have to pay for stuff out of pocket. Yeah, it's a great country eh, comrad?

phil, "There you go again..." in the dumps with your down-low self-esteem. Poor baby.

By the way, I noticed that you posted a link to some assinine comments that Glenn Beck said about our president. And this from someone who isn't familiar with Glenn Beck and doesn't watch him on TV? By the way, I didn't have to listen to the video to know that whatever Beck said was assinine. If his lips are moving, or the tears are flowing, Glenn Beck is being a drama queen and playing the tool that he is.