On another article ( Link ), it was pointed out that FEMA's new director is the same that had urged us to stockpile duct tape and plastic sheeting. Late in the thread, the discussion turned to duct tape's myriad of uses, with LW pointing out that plastic sheeting keeps you dry and dry = warm, among other things. I can attest to duct tape's potential use for survival firsthand. Some years back, on a 43 mile hike of Michigan's Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (a trek I HIGHLY recommend, if on...
When it comes to abortion, I support a woman's right to choose. But I also support my own right to call at least 90% of abortions performed in America selfish, cruel, murderous acts (free speech 'n all that). And this is where I really get into it with "abortion rights" advocates. You see, when you press MANY of them (NOT all, by a longshot), you will find that their agenda goes further than a right to choose. They support "abortion on demand"; a frightening term, to say the least. For whi...
I have lately been inundated with popunders from the sites I surf. At first, I thought it had to do entirely eith the sites I surfed via blogexplosion and blogclicker (as I run three separate windows when I surf). But as I went across another JU blogger's site, it became clear: SOME of those popups, at least, are coming from JU blogsites (before you ask, I don't have the option of downloading software to kill these pesky mosquitos...it's a library computer, 'member?). I realize that there ...
"let you win the American Dream sweepstakes and you'll be a Republican with the rest of them -- you don't care anything for the poor" This was a direct comment on my article "The answer lies not in our Czars, but in ourselves". The respondent is one that would obviously be expected to make such a comment, but I will withhold his name as it can easily be referenced. Here's the kicker: I resent that statement. I resent the obvious and glaring ignorance of which it was borne. I resent th...
After nearly a year in Texas, I have decided that the only people who don't like Texas...are people who ain't got here yet! Now I'm not talking about some of the more annoying traits. But, frankly, racism and ignorance have been around in EVERY city where I've ever lived...and, I'm inclined, exist in every corner of the globe. I'm talking about the general attitude that make Texas great. First off, I have a million stars, no waiting. On a clear night, all I have to do to see the Milky Way ...
Now, with apologies to Barbara Bush, I will have to continue in my insistence that the Houston Astrodome is NOT a good place for evacuees to be. You see, I have lived in homeless shelters. She hasn't. I know many of the dynamics involved. She doesn't. And I assumed that many of those dynamics would carry over into the Astrodome, but reserved saying so because I KNEW the backlash that would come out on this site ("You're a racist! Accusing those blacks of committing theft and violence with no ...
This week, I discovered a little bit about perseverance, and a lot about myself. Perseverance because, as of Monday night, I was alone in my attempt to bring refugees to our community. Oh, I had well wishers, no doubt, but the people who had been trying to bring them in had given up. As a rule, I'm usually a bit of a coward, but there was (and is) no doubt in my mind that this was (and is) the right thing to do. As of Tuesday night, I felt even more alone, after being threatened with being ru...
Well, this article's going to be a little less focused than others, so the title's a tad generic (unless I am later inspired, so disregard this sentence if that's the case). I hope the lack of a catchy title doesn't keep readers from checking it out, though. It's been a long week, to say the least. It started on Sunday, when we waited for refugees that Amarillo was flying in and stated the need to house. After receiving fewer than the promised number of regugees, however, they recanted, as I'...
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, only one thing is completely clear. We as a nation were completely unprepared for a disaster of this magnitude. We are no strangers to disaster. Mount St. Helens, California earthquakes, midwest tornadoes, and even category 5 hurricanes have hit this country regularly enough to keep us attuned with the possibilities that disaster presents. But strong buildings, proper planning and warning systems, and a host of other factors have prevented us from truly exper...
In my community, there's a strong feeling of fear regarding taking in refugees. Moderateman's article on his homeowner's association indicates that the feeling may not be limited to sections of the Texas panhandle. And what drives this fear, you might ask? To a person, every individual in our community has cited the concern of "looting" as the reason that they don't want OUR family taking in refugees (I could tell them how ridiculous this is, as looters weren't looting private residences, or ...
The title is, word for word, what I was told last night by a fellow townsman at the meeting of our Volunteer Fire Department. The reason? Because I persist in attempting to bring refugees from Hurricane Katrina into our home. And because those refugees happen to have more pigment in their skin than I do (this is NOT an assumption, it is what I've been told, repeatedly). Not one word was offered in my defense. When I looked at a friend, who knew better, she looked at her hands and said...
Last Friday, in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, it was announced that 750 refugees would be sent to Amarillo, Texas. A local family took it upon themselves to call and discuss what we could do within our own tiny community, not too far away from Amarillo. They were told that housing was needed for the refugees. After asking around, enough housing was immediately volunteered to house 15 refugees. On Sunday, when the first batch of 150 refugees were flown into Amarillo, we were ...
As my regular readers know, this month marks a year since we were personally on the brink of disaster. I had been laid off from my job following the birth of my youngest, whose birth had required several 60 mile each way trips due to the lack of a hospital in our community and, combined with the loss of income, had depleted our already meager savings. A comment on another thread regarding the need for public assistance brought it back, with the need to comment. Following the layoff, I did ...
Well, the libs have me convinced. Our fearless leader, George W. Bush, and his cronies, caused Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath! In a nefarious plot worthy of the likes of Drs. Evil and/or Strangelove, Bush consulted Pat Robertson and ordered him to break his prayer chain for the assassination of Hugo Chavez and boils on the ass of everyone associated with the Kennedy clan except St. Schwarzennegger. He then ordered Pandering Pat to concentrate his efforts full time on the destruction of t...
I have a memory that lasts longer than the past week. And I can recall that Hurricane Katrina had scarcely passed the tip of Florida and made her turn to the north before the New Orleans mayor ORDERED everyone out of New Orleans. Now, I admit to being a little less than thrilled with the concept of "mandatory evacuations", but that's the point for another article, not this one. The fact is, the residents of New Orleans had ample warning to get their heinies out of the city. Some may hav...