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Sunday Night Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Sun May 17, 2009 at 07:35:49 PM EST
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No TV for me tonight except the season finale of Desperate Housewives. But, finally, it's in the 80's here and we've got our Colorado sunshine back again. I've had the stereo on instead of the TV all afternoon, KBCO has been playing great music. (And you can now get an iTunes HD app for them.)

The TL kid and I are going to grill some thick steaks for dinner, with corn on the cob, salad (arugula, cucumber and strawberries, avocado and mozzarella) and fresh asparagus. And a nice bottle of red wine.

So, you're on your own. This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

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    Sunday Night Open Thread | 64 comments (64 topical)

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    Just saw Angles and Demons (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by nellre on Sun May 17, 2009 at 07:49:41 PM EST
    I liked it lots.
    I wonder how many think science is at war with religion and visa versa.

    So that's a theme in the movie? (none / 0) (#32)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 18, 2009 at 09:36:24 AM EST
    We are very much into movies at this time.  They just seem to fit our current lifestyle well.

    Parent
    Sounds like a good dinner to me (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by andgarden on Sun May 17, 2009 at 07:53:17 PM EST
    I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond for a summer blanket this afternoon, and walked with about a year's supply of impulse buy kitchen tchotchkes.

    Ohh (none / 0) (#3)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun May 17, 2009 at 08:38:13 PM EST
    I went there yesterday. I didnt spend much money but I love that place. Fortunately, the one near my house isnt as large as some of the other ones. I think that might keep the spending down./

    Parent
    Most confusing one I've ever been to (none / 0) (#5)
    by andgarden on Sun May 17, 2009 at 08:47:12 PM EST
    In Manhattan, so it was multilevel.

    Parent
    Don't EVER set foot (none / 0) (#6)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun May 17, 2009 at 09:08:58 PM EST
    inside a Wal-Mart.  Despite my determination never to give them a penny of my business, I ended up having to go there last year to buy a TV because there are literally no other stores within 50 miles that carry more than a half dozen sizes, brands, etc.

    I almost didn't make it to the back of the store where the TVs were-- aisle after aisle after aisle of affordable, nice-looking stuff for bed, bath, kitchen, garden.  I resisted, but it was painful.

    BTW, Bed Bath and Beyond has an absolutely superb Web/mail order operation.  I ordered a pressure cooker from them through their Web site around last Christmas, and it was deposited on my porch out in the middle of nowhere the next day.

    Parent

    Oh I know (none / 0) (#8)
    by andgarden on Sun May 17, 2009 at 09:17:32 PM EST
    I'm a sucker for cheap gadgets, peelers, slicers, egg cookers, spatulas, and soap dishes.

    Most of that stuff I usually buy from Amazon, though. They too can get you what you order in no time. My latest gadget that I need right now is here. Recommended by David Pogue.

    Parent

    I have friends (5.00 / 2) (#16)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Sun May 17, 2009 at 10:05:56 PM EST
    who work at Amazon.  They are also a sweat shop.  If you want to keep your job, then you work very, very, very, very long hours....think "startup" but they aren't a startup, you can't get rich working there like you could at the 90's internet startups....so might as well shop at Walmart if you're worried about employee treatment.

    Parent
    Thanks for that information! I order from them (none / 0) (#25)
    by DeborahNC on Mon May 18, 2009 at 12:24:45 AM EST
    all the time and had no idea.

    Parent
    Ha-ha!! (none / 0) (#9)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun May 17, 2009 at 09:36:27 PM EST
    Great gadget!  I just bookmarked that for Christmas presents.  Consumer Reports for a while had a series of articles testing how hard it was to get into plastic packaging and ended up giving the worst one the Oyster Award.

    Now if somebody would invent a simple magnifying strip that would go around bottles of various chemical stuff so you could read the instructions and cautions in tiny print wrapped around the bottle once you're over 15 years old, I would be ecstatic.  I can read normal print in books and magazines, etc., without reading glasses, but that stuff on the bottles and cans is totally beyond me.

    Parent

    That's actually a pretty good idea (none / 0) (#10)
    by andgarden on Sun May 17, 2009 at 09:41:49 PM EST
    But you might just be better off with one of those rectangular magnifying glasses. I think the as-seen-on-TV people made a killing off of one that goes in a credit card holder.

    Parent
    lol!~ (none / 0) (#14)
    by nycstray on Sun May 17, 2009 at 10:03:50 PM EST
    I was thinking of getting a small magnifying glass to hook on my key chain so I could read ingredient/country of origin labeling. Looking for that little "product of xxxxx" on a individual juice bottle is worse than a needle in a haystack!!

    Parent
    I know for contest rules (none / 0) (#18)
    by nycstray on Sun May 17, 2009 at 10:13:25 PM EST
    the type has to be a certain size (I've been stuck trying to abide by those rules with very little space, lol!~). It's still pretty small, but I do know that I've seen labeling that has smaller print. I could always read the print I did, even with tired, allergy eyes. I also made sure I used fonts that read easily at small sizes as there can always be a challenge by someone who didn't follow said rules (it's America after all!). Obviously, big producers aren't as concerned. I've literally asked people in stores to look at a label for me. Other times, I just walk away if I can't read it.

    Parent
    I am too. I don't know why I find those (none / 0) (#26)
    by DeborahNC on Mon May 18, 2009 at 12:30:56 AM EST
    types of small items so fascinating, but I really gravitate to them. Around here, TJ Maxx has all types of little goodies at very good prices. Give me a combination of gadgets and bargain prices and I'm a goner.

    That's why I'm always reading articles like, "How to Get Rid of Clutter." On top of all that, I really hate to throw things away. I know, I'm hopeless!

    Parent

    it looks like (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun May 17, 2009 at 08:39:06 PM EST
    Obama isnt going to repeal the conscience rule instated by Bush. The 30 days expired in March and nothing has been done. I guess he's hoping that everyone forgets about that.

    Smart move if your analysis is correct (none / 0) (#13)
    by ProudTroll on Sun May 17, 2009 at 10:01:34 PM EST
    He's a politician and he reads polls just like everyone else.  The polling trends are undeniably swinging towards the pro-life direction.

    New Poll Shows Strong Support for Conscience Rights in Health Care
    http://www.marketwatch.com/story/new-poll-shows-strong-support

    "A nationwide poll conducted on March 23-25 found that 87 percent of adults surveyed believe it is important to 'make sure that healthcare professionals in America are not forced to participate in procedures and practices to which they have moral objections.'"

    Parent

    In fact (none / 0) (#15)
    by ProudTroll on Sun May 17, 2009 at 10:04:29 PM EST
    Obama's least popular decision to date has been allowing funding for overseas family planning groups that provide abortions.  Only 59% of the respondents from your own party approved of Obama providing federal taxpayer dollars to such organizations.  Independents overwhelmingly disapproved of his actions with respect to the measure.

    http://www.gallup.com/poll/114091/Americans-Approve-Obama-Actions-Date.aspx

    "Further, Obama's decision to reverse the prohibition on funding for overseas family-planning providers may be the least popular thing he has done so far. This was an executive order that forbade federal government money from going to overseas family-planning groups that provide abortions or offer abortion counseling. Fifty-eight percent of Americans disapprove of Obama's decision to lift this ban, while only 35% approve of it. The ban on federal funds to these groups was put in place by Ronald Reagan, but lifted by Bill Clinton. George W. Bush re-instituted the ban after taking office in 2001, but Obama has once again lifted it."

    Parent

    I've asked you before and I'll ask you again: (5.00 / 4) (#23)
    by Radiowalla on Sun May 17, 2009 at 10:47:53 PM EST
    Since you are in favor of criminalizing abortion, what penalties do you advocate?  Who will go to jail?  Doctors?  Nurses?  Women who have abortions as is the case in El Salvador?

    How long will the sentences be?  Will parole be possible?

    I haven't yet found a "pro-life" supporter willing to step up and answer these questions.   You come to this blog all the time to publish your opinions on abortion so why not give some straight answers to simple questions?

    Parent

    Crickets N/T (5.00 / 1) (#27)
    by otherlisa on Mon May 18, 2009 at 03:20:46 AM EST


    Parent
    Good questions (5.00 / 1) (#31)
    by Natal on Mon May 18, 2009 at 08:48:54 AM EST
    You forgot to include the spiritual advisor.

    Parent
    A "must watch" Daily Show (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by NJDem on Sun May 17, 2009 at 09:16:16 PM EST
    Moral Combat

    Believe it or not, if this keeps up I think it could change the zeitgeist...

    Oh, superb! (none / 0) (#11)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun May 17, 2009 at 09:43:30 PM EST
    Thank you for linking to that.  I'd missed it.

    Parent
    My day at the farm (5.00 / 0) (#21)
    by nycstray on Sun May 17, 2009 at 10:31:57 PM EST
    is now online {grin} I haven't uploaded the actual pics of us working etc as I wanted to check for approval before I put them online. So, I just have my Farm Critter pics and some general Around the Farm pics. It was a lovely day. Sun stayed hidden, but that turned out to be a good thing as it was very comfortable working weather. I enjoyed the dirt, work and the critters, especially this lil' lamb.

    aside from the lamb link, the other 2 are slide shows. Not sure if that's a prob on dial-ups etc so here's a link to the albums

    Blaming Bill Clinton Bush (5.00 / 1) (#28)
    by kidneystones on Mon May 18, 2009 at 03:27:03 AM EST
    Remember how everything was Bill Clinton's fault? I mean, before it was HRC's fault, because, of course, everything still is Hillary's fault. Sure, there's a temporary lull in the attacks as Dems direct their misogyny at Palin, but whispers about HRC plotting to undermine Obama are never too far from the surface. Misogyny is the default mode for many Republicans so Hillary can always count on their hate. Dem hostility is NEVER gender-based cause Dems are better people, see?

    Bush and Cheney, with no small amount of help from Dems, wrecked America in the name of keeping the nation safe.

    I finally got around to reading Frank Rich, who is unequivocal in his condemnation of the current administration for not investigating the crimes of the past.

    There will, of course, be no truth commission and the Andrew Sullivan's of the world will blame Cheney for the cowardice of the current President, and possibly HRC.

    So rather than talk about Frank Rich ripping the Obama administration a new one this weekend, folks are all, in Digby's gleeful words, 'piling-on' MoDo. Wouldn't want to call it a gang-**, that would be letting things get out of hand. You know, like the President's top adviser suggesting the President name his dog after a woman who dared state the same policy as the President, but without the Chris Matthews and company to cover for her. Rachel Maddow spoke out strongly in defense of Miss California. Oh wait.

    I'm astonished, frankly, how little generosity of spirit there is in Dems these days. Digby makes the same point about Modo that Drudge does.

    It's like that.

    Where's that centrist free trader (2.00 / 1) (#12)
    by ProudTroll on Sun May 17, 2009 at 09:58:19 PM EST
    Big Tent Democrat?  Obama and his party are starting a trade war.

    Stimulating Trade Wars
    http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=327283234229879

    Anyone else polled among this group of women? (2.00 / 1) (#17)
    by ProudTroll on Sun May 17, 2009 at 10:11:55 PM EST
    Keep in mind that this poll was conducted by Celinda Lake, a female Democrat pollster presumably with impeccable credentials with the feminist crowd in which Jeralyn Merritt claims membership.

    Sexist media skewered Palin, women say
    http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/election/104467.php

    "A big majority - 64 percent - of the women surveyed by Conway and Lake said they felt Palin got more negative media coverage than other candidates did because she was a woman. That was more than twice as many as the 31 percent that said the same thing of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

    Sympathy toward Palin stretched across ideological and party identifications, with many women who did not vote for Palin saying she was unfairly covered because of her gender. The poll of 600 women, taken Nov. 21-24, had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points."

    Chatterer (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by shoephone on Sun May 17, 2009 at 10:23:18 PM EST
    You've hit your daily limit.

    Parent
    People see your name (5.00 / 2) (#20)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Sun May 17, 2009 at 10:29:10 PM EST
    and ignore you.  Have to wonder why you bother.

    Parent
    To take up space? (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by nycstray on Sun May 17, 2009 at 10:33:32 PM EST
    I do appreciate the name, saves me time  ;)

    Parent
    Yes, Proud Troll (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by Jeralyn on Sun May 17, 2009 at 11:17:58 PM EST
    You were declared a chatterer two days ago. You are limited to four comments a day, all in excess of that amount will be deleted.

    Parent
    how many jobs (none / 0) (#33)
    by Jlvngstn on Mon May 18, 2009 at 09:49:13 AM EST
    will be lost when GM files bankruptcy?  Not that it doesn't have to happen but all this talk of bottom is silly.  The tentacles of GM are long and the effect will be rising UE and rising continued UE.  Good news is, UE will probably reach its high by summer and while we still have no net gains each month at least the total loss will not be over 600k monthly.

    There is my green shoot.

    Well (none / 0) (#36)
    by jbindc on Mon May 18, 2009 at 10:24:57 AM EST
    I'm not sure how many jobs exactly would be impacted, but in the case of bankruptcy, according to Sen. Debbie Stabenow, 600,000 retirees will have pensions that instantly become federal liabilities (including my grandmother).

    Link

    Parent

    see my post in October of 2008 (none / 0) (#39)
    by Jlvngstn on Mon May 18, 2009 at 10:46:43 AM EST
    where i remind everyone that we are on the hook for those pensions

    Parent
    My head just spins (none / 0) (#65)
    by Inspector Gadget on Mon May 18, 2009 at 03:25:05 PM EST
    every time I hear what else I am obligated to cover so others don't feel the impact of the losses in the economy. I don't make enough money to cover my monthly expenses, let alone pay the GM retirees their lost pensions.


    Parent
    My thought too. (none / 0) (#38)
    by Fabian on Mon May 18, 2009 at 10:37:00 AM EST
    Since I live in Ohio, what happens to the auto industry will have a real and immediate effect here.  So I'm under no illusions that we've hit bottom.  Not until the whole auto industry is sorted out will the affected states "hit bottom" and it seems ludicrous to assume that the national economy can merrily ignore the job and other economic losses.

    How can any economist know that there is a significant amount of economic damage looming from the auto industry and say the economy has hit bottom is beyond me.  It just seems ludicrous and incredibly short sighted.

    Parent

    Yes (5.00 / 1) (#40)
    by jbindc on Mon May 18, 2009 at 10:48:52 AM EST
    Because, as we've said ad nauseum, it's not just autoworkers who are affected.

    Here's a snapshot of who will be affected .....

    Parent

    The money quotes (5.00 / 1) (#41)
    by jbindc on Mon May 18, 2009 at 10:50:52 AM EST
    The article is about 2 suburbs of Detroit.

    The numbers tell some of the story: A quarter of the working population, or 40,000 people, work in auto-related jobs. More than $20 million in annual property taxes from auto-related plants and businesses pay for hundreds of city resources, including police officers, firefighters and senior centers.

    With a combined population of 260,000, the state's third and fourth largest cities are bracing for the worst after Chrysler LLC filed for bankruptcy last month and GM announced it was considering the same.

    SNIP

    The top two taxpayers in Warren are GM and Chrysler. Their property taxes alone make up a whopping 13% of the city's eroding $100-million budget. Any further revenue reductions would be offset with the layoffs of firefighters and police officers, Fouts said


    Parent
    nicely put (5.00 / 1) (#44)
    by Jlvngstn on Mon May 18, 2009 at 11:03:01 AM EST
    are there bailouts for towns or just banks?

    Parent
    because they are comparing (5.00 / 1) (#42)
    by Jlvngstn on Mon May 18, 2009 at 10:57:33 AM EST
    2001-3 recession to this one.  Unfortunately, our debt load personally and nationally is astronomically higher and our asset wealth is astronomically lower.  I hear some economists talking about too much savings and how we need to spend more to stimulate the economy.  Which i agree with, provided that the gov't pitches in with an enormous jobs program starting with the retrofitting of every gov't bldg to green tech.

    Those of us who have jobs are justifiably scared about losing them or at best case having wages cut.  I think a bold and progessive jobs program would allow for more spending and more saving.  Although if Hummer production goes through the roof as a result of a bold jobs program we would be in for disaster.

    When the gov't commits to more than 1 YEAR of military spending in its stimulus package (comparatively speaking) those of us saving every penny might open up a bit.  

    The gov't can HELP now or pay later and if anyone wonders what "pay later" means, just take a look at California we are well on our way to that fiscal situation.

    Parent

    About time (none / 0) (#34)
    by Bemused on Mon May 18, 2009 at 09:52:07 AM EST
    Obama begins U.S. Attorney selections.

    Personal friggin annoyance (none / 0) (#35)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 18, 2009 at 09:52:39 AM EST
    Took baby Zoey grocery shopping last evening.  She really loves people. Talks to everyone passing by, gets a bit excited at times over people she really seems to connect with or whatever.  She is very petite and agile too so a couple of times when she gets very excited she tries to stand up in the seat of the cart.  Each time I tell her to sit down and she does.  She isn't defiant and she can tell from my voice this is a safety issue.  She sits back down everytime I ask her to.  I consider that she is learning how to express herself safely and life can very exciting and most people are truly wonderful.  I wish I still got that friggin excited seeing all of you!  A woman who knows my family sees us shopping and approaches me after hearing me ask Zoey to sit back down, she then tells me that Zoey should be strapped into the cart.  The kid only tried to stand a couple of times during about an hour of shopping.  I totally disagree.  I'm only grocery shopping and I can get the items the family needs and instruct Zoey at the same damn time, and I'm so sick and tired of this strapping of children down to every damn thing we can strap them to so that we don't have to mentor them in our daily activities and we can be a bunch of zombie zone outed airheads after we strap all the little people down.

    You don't have my kids! (5.00 / 1) (#37)
    by Fabian on Mon May 18, 2009 at 10:31:57 AM EST
    Not only have I strapped them down, but I've had to keep them from climbing merrily out of the cart AND had the youngest one tip two carts over.  Scared him a bit, minor injuries. The little carts are a lot less stable than big ones and those stores didn't have the safer large carts.  

    They like being strapped in.  Meijers has the kiddie carts which have seats for older children secured in front of a regular shopping cart.  A bit harder to handle than a regular cart, but very useful and the boys love it.  They also like using the restraining belts.  They'll take the belt off, help me select or carry something and sit back down and belt themselves in.  They have the seat belt drill in the car down as well.  The rule is they can't have their treats until they are not only sitting in their booster seats, but belted in as well.

    It's safety, not restriction.  If you use the belt when she behaves well, she won't consider it a punishment when you need to use it when she acts up.  And she will.

    Parent

    Still I disagree (none / 0) (#43)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 18, 2009 at 11:02:44 AM EST
    I think all children are different and if her current behavior warranted belting her in I would.  I have seen children that I would have belted in without too many questions.  My generation grew up alright though for the most part without having to be secured to everything, some children it could have benefitted but I don't think it benefits all children across the board.  My worry isn't that she considers it a punishment.  My worry is that she is not "learning" how to conduct herself and grows to consider being "strapped to things" normal.  She learns to conduct herself as the straps in life will allow her to.....and that always makes the strap administerers and controllers very happy.  If nature had intended for all kids to be strapped down though they would have come with straps.  Zoey's mom was never strapped into things outside of a carseat.  With Joshua, the last thing you wanted to do with him was discourage him from moving.  He was encourged to move around all that he could from day one by his physical and occupational therapists as his brain was learning and wiring for movement and his body was always going to be more of a discourgement to his movement ambitions in life.  If she were in real danger of hurting herself I would act accordingly, but living every second of our parenting and grandparenting life attempting to prevent our worst case scenarios seems pathetic and fear based in my opinion.  I don't understand how this nation can be so crazed with preventing every little bump or bruise our own children could experience while being so careless and callous with most of the children of the world.  It just seems so freaky to me.

    Parent
    Solution: bike helmet. (5.00 / 1) (#48)
    by oculus on Mon May 18, 2009 at 11:34:36 AM EST


    Parent
    What are you oculus? (none / 0) (#50)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 18, 2009 at 11:48:18 AM EST
    Some person who settled so many sibling disagreements that you are now our very own Queen Solomon?  When I'm shopping with Fabian and anyone else worried about Zoey's safety I can probably be persuaded to strap a helmet onto Zoey's head if she's freaking them out :)  Once though when I was standing in a group of people talking, Joshua kept getting closer and closer and closer to the street.  There was a woman in the group who was deeply concerned about how close he got to the street.  Sometimes people think that Joshua's physical limitations may also be part of some intellectual limitations too...he obviously has some sort of genetic mutation. Joshua has a fairly giant I.Q. though and was far from dim when he was four. I watched him and her......she was about to wet herself the whole time.  When he and I got in our car alone though, I asked him if what he had been doing he did specifically to pull her chain and shamefaced he admitted that it is a lot fun to jangle adults when you can :)

    Parent
    Ha. Good for him. (none / 0) (#52)
    by oculus on Mon May 18, 2009 at 12:06:08 PM EST
    BTW:  when my kids were small it was ok to leave them in the car whilst running in to pick up the drycleaning, etc.  And no seatbelts.  It is a wonder they lived!

    Parent
    The helmet is a great idea! (none / 0) (#53)
    by Fabian on Mon May 18, 2009 at 12:43:06 PM EST
    My youngest came to me when I was in the garage, messing with something.  "Hat." he said.  I was confused.  "Hat!" he insisted a few more times.  Oh! Helmet! I finally realized.  He wanted to ride his bike.  Gotta put his helmet on first.

    But yes, if you trust to providence, I'd go with the helmet.  Some kids are more low key than others, but it just takes one incident/accident.

    Parent

    I hear you on the overprotection of kids - (5.00 / 1) (#49)
    by Anne on Mon May 18, 2009 at 11:35:49 AM EST
    it made me a little nuts when mine were little, too, although I don't think we had straps on carts 20 years ago.  Mine used to like to ride underneath the cart, usually on top of a bag of dog food, but I didn't let them do it much before they were 4 or 5.

    The thing about these kinds of learning-to-behave situations is that the lesson may come as a result of an injury.  And then the response is not that maybe it will teach the child not to do whatever, but why the adult who knew the strap/helmet/whatever would prevent or minimize injury did not make sure the child was using/wearing it.  

    What would her mother want you to do?  How would she react if you had to tell her the big lump on Zoey's head, or the split and swollen lip, or the missing teeth was from falling out of the cart?  Would her first question be "was she strapped in?"  If so, I think that's your answer...


    Parent

    I spoke to her mom about it this morning (none / 0) (#51)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 18, 2009 at 11:56:28 AM EST
    because it just peeved me.  It was the attitude as well and the woman......well.....she has a child with some very severe rage issues right now and she had a boat load of attitude about my grandparenting :) Honestly I didn't know what my daughter's take on it would be.  She does not automatically make the same parenting calls that I would.  I had been shopping with both of them previously but my daughter is coming out of a failed relationship situation and Zoey wasn't as bubbly a few weeks back.  I guess even little ones can be noticably affected by stressed out relationships.  Zoey wasn't buckled in by her mom then.  My daughter has been experiencing a more bubbly Zoe though too lately and she has so far decided to not strap her in either she said this morning.  If Zoey becomes uncontrollably bubbly  we'll have to get her that helmet though?

    Parent
    For Zoe and her mom's sake, (5.00 / 1) (#57)
    by oculus on Mon May 18, 2009 at 01:46:07 PM EST
    I hope Zoe become really, really bubbly ASAP.

    Parent
    Zoe's mom just got asked out (5.00 / 1) (#60)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 18, 2009 at 02:11:07 PM EST
    on a date by a flight school student who graduated from West Point with a degree in Physics.  She said he's an attractive and intelligent nerd and I told her I could stand a few more nerds in her life.  When they met the other night he spent the evening explaining his Protestant and Conservative views to her.  She just picked Zoe up and asked me how someone who has a degree in Physics squares all that with the current Conservative Evangelicalism? I told her to go on the date.  It's just a date....only a date.  If she ends up liking him she can always save him from himself as I had to do with her dad :)

    Parent
    As a good friend sd. about the man (none / 0) (#61)
    by oculus on Mon May 18, 2009 at 02:14:13 PM EST
    she married:  he's good raw material.  Marriage imploded, however.

    Parent
    ewwww (5.00 / 1) (#62)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 18, 2009 at 02:32:12 PM EST
    How raw was the material :)?  I was making terrible fun of military psychologists here the other day when two of them had argued for our brilliant torture techniques.  And as it AlWAYS HAPPENS TO ME when I open my fat yap, here comes one.  Our son and one of his friends who I will call "J" have become so close they wanted to spend a day at the beach together with their dads.  "J"s dad turns out to be guess what?  And he's very much a "bigwig" too......loves to write papers on mental military subjects.  Then he sits in on my husband's class because my husband wants him to analyze his teaching method.......gawd.....I'm already nauseated by the amount of "debriefing" that goes on in my life so nothing like injecting it into the family friendships too.  At the class Easter Egg hunt though "J" was less into trivial hunting for eggs and more into a sort of tribal ritual where he wildly swung his basket over his head and whooped something about the survival of the dominant species.  One beautiful Southern mom was quietly appalled and said under her breath, "What sort of child says something like that at an Easter Egg hunt?"  Well, I couldn't help myself.  I don't get the South.  They love the military, and they love Jesus, and they love everything to be sweetness and light and I don't know how you get all that together in the same reality.  I laughed so hard I snorted and then I told her that I speculate that the son of military psychologist is that sort of child :)

    Parent
    Easter was terribly funny this year too (none / 0) (#63)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 18, 2009 at 02:46:44 PM EST
    with my daughter.  Before I could get up to Eatons Neck to help her move we had to get through the Easter holiday.  She was trying to find small things to keep the situation is cheery for Zoe as she could, but she complained that most of the "churchs" in her area were Synagogues and none of them were advertising any Easter hunts.  I told her that I didn't think people of the Jewish faith celebrated Easter, who wants to celebrate Zombie Day?  That's sort of gross and creepy.  Then she burst out laughing realizing that Jesus is a factor in the reason why church's celebrate Easter. She hasn't had much of a "Christian" upbringing and Easter is usually celebrated as a welcoming of Spring in our family :)  I haven't gone to church for an Easter Sunday since I was probably five :)

    Parent
    Well (none / 0) (#64)
    by jbindc on Mon May 18, 2009 at 02:58:24 PM EST
    James Carville and Mary Matalin make it work, but it seems a bit off-putting that he would explain this stuff to her before they even went out.

    Parent
    My husband was this strange (none / 0) (#66)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 18, 2009 at 05:48:01 PM EST
    sort of knee jerk Conservative when I met him.  Very intelligent though.  Nothing stands in the way of being all you can be like having some gray matter addicted to reasoning and a girlfriend who likes to ask hard questions :)  He isn't a Liberal but he isn't a Conservative now either.  We talk about everything from all sorts of aspects with our kids around, eventually they join in sometimes too.  Carville and Matalin though, I don't know how you do that.  The make up sex must be great :)

    Parent
    P.S. Am I capable of raising or (none / 0) (#46)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 18, 2009 at 11:11:32 AM EST
    encouraging a child to not question authority?  Probably not :)  I've raised my children to be their own authority as often as they are able and capable to be that.  My father completely ruined me from my own childhood onward into adulthood several times with his ideas and notions.

    Parent
    I think (none / 0) (#54)
    by jbindc on Mon May 18, 2009 at 01:02:14 PM EST
    I don't understand how this nation can be so crazed with preventing every little bump or bruise our own children could experience while being so careless and callous with most of the children of the world.  It just seems so freaky to me.

    Because many people would sue the store for not having "safe enough" carts (for example).

    Parent

    Yes, I realize this must be a factor (5.00 / 0) (#56)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 18, 2009 at 01:42:22 PM EST
    as well for the safety craze.  And it probably always will be too.  We have cases of manufacturing negligence and other types of negligence that few of our peers would dispute defining as such and that's we have juries.  I often wish that people were less sue happy and yet the ability to sue is one of the few consumer protections against blatant negligence that we have....bleh

    Parent
    MT, its about safety pure and simple. (none / 0) (#45)
    by coast on Mon May 18, 2009 at 11:09:54 AM EST
    My first fell out of a cart while shopping with my wife.  She, my wife, was hysterical.  I told her to calm down, heck it couldn't have been more than a two to three foot drop.  She took him to the doctor and nothing was broken, but they said to look for any signs of a concussion.  I got home and was amazed at my sons face and the damage such a short fall had done.  From that point on, we always have strapped in our children.  Strapping them in is just safer than not strapping them in.  Pure and simple.  Its not any reflection of ones parenting skills.

    Parent
    Soooo much "safety" is fear based living (none / 0) (#47)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 18, 2009 at 11:22:30 AM EST
    Babies R Us is a paradise of strapping down that has newly sprang up in my culture:)  Never mind that the globe is experiencing a giant population explosion of human beings.  The babyhood and childhood of the species is in constant deep dark danger in America. Just doesn't jibe with me.  I suppose this fits into my current feelings about death and how poorly Americans deal with it.  It is as if we spend our whole lives lying to ourselves that it won't happen to us.  It only happens to a few unlucky people or sinners.  When something does come along that challenges our existence we then "fight" that horrible aweful thing, as if we weren't ever going to have such things come along........every single one of us if we are lucky enough to get to be that old.  The whole focus becomes "fight and fear" and our culture thinks that is a functional approach to living.  We strap all of our kids down because we are afraid.......afraid.....afraid.  Do we ever really live when we are so paralyzed by our own fears?

    Parent
    Fear based maybe, but (none / 0) (#55)
    by coast on Mon May 18, 2009 at 01:12:22 PM EST
    better than the guilt my wife or I would have had to live with if something did happen to one our kids all because we didn't take the time or the effort to simply click a belt.  Just providing you with one experience.

    Parent
    Oh Dear, and I lost my whole (none / 0) (#58)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 18, 2009 at 01:47:12 PM EST
    family in an accident.  They all died....all of them.....and when we all got tired of blaming everything and everyone we realized that very often stuff happens and very often it doesn't.  I will never be able to fully protect myself from "bad things" and sometimes I make my constitution weaker by believing I can control instead of teach and instruct.

    Parent
    Sorry to hear about your family. (none / 0) (#59)
    by coast on Mon May 18, 2009 at 02:11:05 PM EST


    Parent
    Sunday Night Open Thread | 64 comments (64 topical)

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