A teacher told me once to imagine my hand in a bucket of water. "Now remove it," he said. "Do you see how long it took the water to fill in where your hand used to be? That's how long it takes the universe to get along without you when you're gone."
We like to imagine otherwise, don't we?
Comments
Ergo ego
Over the past two days I found myself confronted by the hard edge of ego, tripping me up like a loose brick in a slick sidewalk. I had an online spat with a blogger (on another blog), and I behaved badly. I got mad and petty, and frankly, I embarrassed myself. I apologized, of course, to which the blogger said, "no apology necessary."
Maybe not for him.
Good image
I like that. Sort of a slap in the face of my latent narcissism. Reminds me of the quote (don't know who said it) about how we wouldn't worry so much about what other people thought of us if we only knew how infrequently they actually do.
I love that quote!
Hadn't heard it, but wow. It really gets to the heart of the matter. Thanks for writing that.
American Taliban alive and well...
and being aided by the California court system.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090128/ap_on_re_us/students_expelled
And the religious/Pharisees are crying about being persecuted?
One more really good reason
to oppose school vouchers. I wonder if that school gets any Federal money?
Tell me what you think, Please!
BlueNC's new "Congress" page. This is not finished. I need to add the Senate Calendar and then a section that will include reader diaries about their members of congress/senator. We will soon have a page solely for information on the state legislature as well.
What do you think? Any suggestions? I have some style things I'm working on - especially differentiating the middle column - but I'm open to suggestions.
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
Awesome, Betsy
I love it. Another thing that would be cool is to have quick links for people to contact their Representatives. I thought we had something like that at one time, but I can't find it.
That's one of the things on the list
We'll also have videos and profiles of the reps/senator and their districts. I'm having difficulty finding a good calendar module that doesn't fight with the one we already have and that will be used strictly for events from Congress and will allow for a separate calendar for state lege stuff. I will also link to the committees on the calendar when there is a live video link so folks can watch the committee meetings if they so desire. I think I might be the only person sick enough to want to do that.
Watching yesterday's rules committee meeting now as I work.
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
McHenry: "Ride a bike! Ride a bike! Ride a bike!"
Charlotte Examiner has a YouTube clip of McHenry ridiculing Democrats for encouraging people to ride bicycles:
http://www.examiner.com/x-2429-DC-Bicycle-Transportation-Examiner~y2009m1d27-Boehner-Please-refrain-...
Some stats on bike usage too.
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http://twitter.com/Jerimee
Robert J Leffer
I would ask that everyone keep in their prayers Robert J Leffer. He was the driver of the garbage truck that was hit, ran off the road, and caught fire on I40 Near Raleigh on Monday. He is currently at the Jaycee Burn center at UNC and is in critical condition. He has a wife and a one year old son.
I have been praying for 20 minutes now asking god not to take away a man who was doig his job and trying to raise a one year old son. I told God that too many great people have been called home this week.
Link to article on I40 Wreck.
http://www.wral.com/traffic/story/4411535
Heath Shuler
I worked hundreds of hours to help elect Heath the first time. Less so the second, but still actively engaged. Third time? I’m looking for a new primary contender to give considerable time and a few thousand dollars to.
This has to stop. The whole Blue Dog fetish is cute, but at a crucial time in the President’s early tenure, I would like to think that my Representative would have the intelligence and forethought to decide to be on the right side of history and not let his own early legacy be defined as Democrat in name only. We can do better and it is with great disappointment that I now pledge to work very, very hard to see him replaced with a Democrat that does not align so slavishly with the Republican party.
Rep. Mike McIntyre is voting much the same way as Shuler.
It's probably my imagination, but I think Rep. Etheridge has shifted a wee bit to the left. I heard him speak on the floor today.
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
Hogwash
Heath Shuler has voted with a majority of his Democratic colleagues 62.1% of the time during the current Congress as per WaPo.
That's a win in that District. Anything over 50% is a win as opposed to the average 95% Republican vote with the opposition party and his predecessor.
Grow up goatee guy. Glass is two thirds full. It used to be broken and raining shards of broken glass and streams of urine on NC.
I mean really. DINO?
What are we? Small tent, lock step, Republican ninnies?
I said good day, Sir.
gosh
The good day thing is "cute" and all, but we like to keep debate here at a level of at least an average 10th grader. So the whole elementary school shtick is not welcome.
"Keep the Faith"
blue
Are you sure you like debate?
Because you ignored every valid point I made, then focused on a tag line.
Is marketing what we're debating?
'Cause "Good bread Mom" and "With a name like Smuckers..." are taken.
I learned that in 11th grade, precious.
So let's hear why you and Goatee boy should throw millions more money down the rabbit hole after Shuler just like you did to defeat Lieberman?
Oh, wait how'd that whole Lieberman thing work out dollar for dollar?
I mean you did win...right?
Wow
Attacking me when you have no idea who I am or what I have done, while throwing around childish insults of people who have worked hard to elect Democrats where they live.
Your "methods" might get you fans in the comment section of your local newspaper, but around here it will leave you marginalized and ignored. So grow up if you want to be taken seriously.
"Keep the Faith"
The funny thing Will is...
I do.
And the main thing you need to know that I know about you is that you need to take a breathe and learn how to take criticism and start reasoning.
Go for it
Criticize me for a position I have actually taken and we can have a discussion.
"Keep the Faith"
Subject is: Goatees on jerks that know better!
What say you???
Grow up Will. This is about Shuler and expending scant resources to replace him. Not your petty ego.
YOU attacked a person making a point. Then said that person wasn't welcome. Then said a colossal pile of stupid donkey dung in the wake of your ignorance just to feel good about your facial hair choice.
Grow up Will. If I wanted to have a discussion about North Carolina politics with a child, it wouldn't be one from 2,000 miles away.
If you want to really replace Shuler from wherever outside North Carolina you live now, go for it. Not stopping you, just telling you that you are wasting everyone's time with this and looking rather silly with the "Go for it" Dirty Harry stuff.
Unless of course you meant to make my point about you all along. KUDOS then!
Chill
Cut out the personal insults if you want to stick around. Will was alive and well when I met him in Raleigh this week. Insults about a person's image from an anonymous poster don't cut it around here.
Jemininny
This crossed so many lines I don't know where to begin. At least, both parties to the spat were present to defend themselves.
The mental gymnastics can be fun at times, but the name calling should be left on the elementary school playground. Seriously. If you're going to poke fun at the facial hair of the people willing to own their comments with their real names/faces, then you better be willing to come out of hiding yourself. Weren't you the one making fun of Jay for bringing a facebook spat here and now you resort to petty name calling?
My advice is to learn to argue your point without resorting to petty behavior because IP bans suck.
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
I'm in favor of exterminating Gosh with extreme prejudice
I didn't see any of this last night and this morning I woke up to the smell puke all over our blog.
I'll leave the decision to cooler heads, but an IP ban wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit. I have no interest in sharing our space with a person of this ilk.
I'm just thankful that Blue South and Randallt
are grownups.
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
And a good day to you as well sir
Some of us feel the need to apply their disappointment in a wider swath than others. Some don't. Some feel that Heath should hear rumblings of discontent. Seems healthy to me.
YOu know what really gets me about Heath?
North Carolina just elected a Democratic president, Democratic senator and another Democratic congressman and Heath is still moving to the right and he's toying with the idea of running for senate. Hmmm. Doesn't sound like a smart campaign strategy to me.
I'll admit Heath isn't my favorite Dem in DC, but I know he's representing a conservative district. I would hate to lose the seat just because we got greedy and wanted to nudge too far left. I don't live there, though, and don't know the other local candidates who might be able to win.
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
I agree
He does do a good job of not being too far left for the district. I wouldnt expect or want him to take the positions of someone from a district with 80% democrats. But at the same time, a number of his votes have failed to represent the people of his district. This is one of those times, where his attempts to be a moderate have resulted in a vote that goes directly against the help that the people of his district need and deserve.
"Keep the Faith"
I can understand when he moves right on social issues.
Like guns and stuff. But, for him to lash out against the stimulus bill is just very 1990s of him. The whole idea that we have to move to the center or else the big, bad Republicans will beat up on us int he next election.
I can't imagine losing a debate over "I wanted to stimulate the economy and create jobs so I voted for the package. My opponent opposed stimulating the economy and creating jobs."
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
Don't worry about Heath
Rep. Schuler took down a powerful incumbent in 2006 and dominated his opponent in 2008 to the point where he carried every county in his congressional district (I think). In 2009 he is raising money hand over fist in anticipation of a future run for higher political office. He is treasured by national democratic fundraisers and political operatives and is loved by his constituents.
He's a pretty big guy physically and politically so I wouldn't worry about pushing him to support democratic legislation. He can take it. He needs it.
Okay! Let's REDDOG Schuler Again!
He's a pretty big guy physically and politically so I wouldn't worry about pushing him to support democratic legislation. He can take it. He needs it.*Haywood
Not Really! The Redskins got rid of his wimp like QB ass after 2 years being Bitzi two million times........
Unless Betsy plans on
Unless Betsy plans on tackling her way towards a progressive future, I don't think that's very relevant.
"I would hate to lose the
"I would hate to lose the seat just because we got greedy and wanted to nudge too far left."
You are so right, thanks for that. I should amend my statement.
I now pledge to work very, very hard to see him replaced with a Democrat WHO CAN WIN that does not align so slavishly with the Republican party.
:D
The key is finding that person.
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
:P
Anybody ever heard of David Young?
David Young
Here's what he's up to now.
:p
I forgot to put the snark tag in. Mr Young is a hot topic of conversation elsewhere on this blog.
oops
Sorry, I should read up a little! After some review, I see what you mean! Silly me and my offensive goatee ;-)
Great New Ad
"Keep the Faith"
Let's talk about this honestly, everyone
The deal is...if this becomes law...it will only take signatures on a card to get a company unionized. Here's how it works...I'm an organizer, I go around in the workplace and give "X" emloyee a card and say all the super rhetoric about unions and tell the employee I've given the card to that "everyone else is signing it, so don't be on the 'other side' from your fellow workers". Then, if a worker doesn't sign the card, there is more and more pressure put on him/her...stuff like "we're not the kind of union that condones bad things happening to employees that don't go along with us, but we can't stop it either".
Sure, companies put out all kinds of "scare tactics" about how unions will cost people jobs and how management will change if a union is initiated....I agree. Been there...seen it up front and personal...but it doesn't excuse unions for intimidation. For goodness sake, y'all, who hires the folks, pays their health care, takes care of their health and wellbeing while at work.
This is just a bill/initiative to try to help unions to turn around the HUGE losses in memberships. It's a "payback" for the union help in this past year's political elections.
It's just what it is...argue it with all the "talking points" you want. It's WHAT IT IS !
The best thinking is independent thinking.
Already refuted
I've already brought up the actual statistics on actual intimidation in the workplace.
"Keep the Faith"