When I first become sick with my fibromyalgia condition, it was a nightmare panic. Doctors would treat various symptoms with mixed results. I was shipped from specialist to specialist, given tests after test, tried a myriad of medications (many of which compounded my health problems.) Finally, I zeroed in on a good general physician. Specialists & urgent care doctors actually recommended him for his clinical & diagnostic skills.
At first, he was just as stumped as everyone else. A young, 30-something male is a rare candidate for my condition. The diagnosis came through a series of events that I initiated by making a journal of my symptoms & sketching a diagram of my pain-centers. When my doctor looked at my sketches, I could actually see the light bulb go off. He quickly ordered a series of blood tests and a visit to a rheumatologist for a second opinion. After months of misery, I wasn't out of the woods. Heck, that diagonosis was over 2 years ago and look at me now.
Together, my doctor and I worked hard. He already had experience with fybromialgia & chronic fatigue syndrome and as evident by yesterday's visit, continues to inform himself. My job was to make hard choices about my diet, exercise more, keep track of symptoms for him & stay informed. I have spent hours upon hours reading online, wandering the stacks at my local library & even listening to audio books.
When I go to my doctor, I give him data, in writing, about my symptoms. I have a list of questions to be answered. I talk. He listens. He takes notes (often on the pages I've given him.) Somewhere mid-visit, he takes over. I don't let the visit end until I get answers to the key questions. He always gives me a plan and goals for our next visit.
This is how all doctor, patient relationships should work. This is especially true for people with chronic conditions. My doctor regularly encorages me that it's my efforts to exercise, eat right and give him data that is making the difference. His job is to support me by finding the right medications and dosages to help me get even better.
Yes, there are times when this just plain sucks. But, I continue to thank God for the people in my life who help and support me, including my Doctor. I wish more people could find that kind of doctor/patient relationship.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
My Lyrica Challenge
For months now, a number of my friends and family have been asking me "have you seen the Lyrica commercials?" Every time, I politely say yes and thank them for their concern. Forgive my skepticism about commercials with middle age women talking about their fybromyalgia pain.
More than the inability to work, I've struggled with that irrational discomfort about having a "woman's condition." (That's not me being sexist, that's me being honest.) Men represent a small portion of known fybro sufferers. In the past, the few studies that included men also showed little to no help for men from the typical medications. And when it originally came out, I thought saw an article suggesting that Lyrica was in that category as well.
Today during my six month check-up, my doctor told me some exciting news. He found a study that specifically targeted men with fybro. The results are apparently encouraging enough for us to try it. He warned me that the initial side-effects can be rough and we're starting on a low dosage. I suppose the "high" feeling could be fun, but I don't like the idea of blurry vision. The big thing is that I'm not supposed to drive for a few days. (Luckily, all the gas stations in town are out of gas anyway.)
I'll report back after my follow-up visit next month.
It's just very encouraging to have a doctor that actually reads medical journals with you in mind.
More than the inability to work, I've struggled with that irrational discomfort about having a "woman's condition." (That's not me being sexist, that's me being honest.) Men represent a small portion of known fybro sufferers. In the past, the few studies that included men also showed little to no help for men from the typical medications. And when it originally came out, I thought saw an article suggesting that Lyrica was in that category as well.
Today during my six month check-up, my doctor told me some exciting news. He found a study that specifically targeted men with fybro. The results are apparently encouraging enough for us to try it. He warned me that the initial side-effects can be rough and we're starting on a low dosage. I suppose the "high" feeling could be fun, but I don't like the idea of blurry vision. The big thing is that I'm not supposed to drive for a few days. (Luckily, all the gas stations in town are out of gas anyway.)
I'll report back after my follow-up visit next month.
It's just very encouraging to have a doctor that actually reads medical journals with you in mind.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Running On Empty
Today on our daily walk, we saw a fresh tanker truck at the station down the road. By the time we passed the station again on our loop, there were already 20 cars in line to get gas. Last week, our area got 1/2 of it's usual supply of gas. News reports suggest that it could take days (or weeks) before new shipments make up for the missed supplies.
We're making due and thus far it's more annoying that a problem. We skipped our planned weekend errands and trip to the outlets. Slick will simply have to pick up groceries on the way home from work. It's going to be nice this week, so I can walk to the bank, & the doctor's office.
Eventually, I'll need to put gas in at least one of the cars. Eventually, I need to go to Sears to get a new belt for the broken vacuum. Until then, we simply have to ignore the build-up of dog hair.
I can't imagine what some of my neighbors who work in Charlotte are doing. I've also wondered how my neighbor the landscaper is handling this. All and all, it's just one more reason to be glad I don't have my 30 mile commute anymore.
We're making due and thus far it's more annoying that a problem. We skipped our planned weekend errands and trip to the outlets. Slick will simply have to pick up groceries on the way home from work. It's going to be nice this week, so I can walk to the bank, & the doctor's office.
Eventually, I'll need to put gas in at least one of the cars. Eventually, I need to go to Sears to get a new belt for the broken vacuum. Until then, we simply have to ignore the build-up of dog hair.
I can't imagine what some of my neighbors who work in Charlotte are doing. I've also wondered how my neighbor the landscaper is handling this. All and all, it's just one more reason to be glad I don't have my 30 mile commute anymore.
Friday, September 26, 2008
A Few Opinions About the Bailout
Instead of reading my rants about the bailout or waiting for NothingKnew to get home to tell us why I'm wrong, here are a few opinion pieces from actual economists. They don't all agree with me, but they all agree that it's a problem.
Where Are the Grown-Ups - Paul Krugman, NYT Op-Ed
The $700 Billion Question - NYT Op-Ed
What is the Money Even For? - Daily Kos
Main Street Needs the Treasury Plan - WSJ Op-Ed
Note: this was written by Kenneth Lewis, CEO of BoA. So, grain of salt with it.
Robert Reich has a number of reservations about the bailout and makes a number of good points in the last several posts in his blog.
There's a lot of panicky sky is falling crap being said and my last post has that same feel. This isn't 1929. Evoking the ghost of the Great Depression perhaps only serves to stir the pot. Still, it is unnerving that we have gotten to this point.
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Where Are the Grown-Ups - Paul Krugman, NYT Op-Ed
The $700 Billion Question - NYT Op-Ed
What is the Money Even For? - Daily Kos
Main Street Needs the Treasury Plan - WSJ Op-Ed
Note: this was written by Kenneth Lewis, CEO of BoA. So, grain of salt with it.
Robert Reich has a number of reservations about the bailout and makes a number of good points in the last several posts in his blog.
There's a lot of panicky sky is falling crap being said and my last post has that same feel. This isn't 1929. Evoking the ghost of the Great Depression perhaps only serves to stir the pot. Still, it is unnerving that we have gotten to this point.
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Torn
William Buffet believes that this current Wall Street Meltdown is bad and is expecting a government bail-out. Robert Reich hates the proposal, but seems to be begrudgingly accepting it. He hopes that there will be REAL restrictions and safeguards placed on the deal. I'm not holding my breath. I keep reading, dumbstruck, as Nancy Pelosi & Prez Bush are fighting for the bail-out while conservative house Republicans work to block the deal. Did hell freeze over and I missed it?
I've studied enough macro-economics to know that I don't know shit. Most people understand less. I do see all this as a domino effect that started years ago. My economic position is almost entirely informed by the Jack Bogle conservative philosophy of diversification. Risk comes in many forms. You can be too aggressive and too timid. A happy middle which matches your needs is almost always the way to go. Unfortunately, our economy has been way too agressive for way too long.
So, now what? Now, agressive action is needed. At one extreme, We the People can bail-out Wall Street. On the other hand, we can let them sink. Either way, we're going to feel this for years, perhaps decades to come.
All of this is coming in the face of an impending Presidential Election. I'm tempted to be excited that this situation hurts McCain. We got into this mess with deregulation & agressive protections for corporations. These are core elements to McCain's fiscal policy. That temptation quickly gives way to the sick feeling in my stomach that people are hurting, that my family and friends could be hurting, that this could hurt me!
It makes me even more sick to my stomach that I've got to support the bail-out. We need to get done and done quickly. Not because it was or is the best long-term solution, but because the market expects and demands it. The mood of the market will suffer long-term effects from this falling through at this point. It would also be yet another bad sign for the American people. We are already suspicious of the ability for our politicians to get things done. If they can't come to a compromise and complete this thing, where are we then?
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I've studied enough macro-economics to know that I don't know shit. Most people understand less. I do see all this as a domino effect that started years ago. My economic position is almost entirely informed by the Jack Bogle conservative philosophy of diversification. Risk comes in many forms. You can be too aggressive and too timid. A happy middle which matches your needs is almost always the way to go. Unfortunately, our economy has been way too agressive for way too long.
So, now what? Now, agressive action is needed. At one extreme, We the People can bail-out Wall Street. On the other hand, we can let them sink. Either way, we're going to feel this for years, perhaps decades to come.
All of this is coming in the face of an impending Presidential Election. I'm tempted to be excited that this situation hurts McCain. We got into this mess with deregulation & agressive protections for corporations. These are core elements to McCain's fiscal policy. That temptation quickly gives way to the sick feeling in my stomach that people are hurting, that my family and friends could be hurting, that this could hurt me!
It makes me even more sick to my stomach that I've got to support the bail-out. We need to get done and done quickly. Not because it was or is the best long-term solution, but because the market expects and demands it. The mood of the market will suffer long-term effects from this falling through at this point. It would also be yet another bad sign for the American people. We are already suspicious of the ability for our politicians to get things done. If they can't come to a compromise and complete this thing, where are we then?
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The 70's Gas Crisis? I Don't Remember That
Long lines at gas stations! Overly inflated prices! Rationing! Police directing traffic! Dozens of stations without gas! Canceling weekend plans to save gas to get to work! I'm not actually talking about the 70's. I'm talking about this week in the Charlotte region.
We've got a quarter tank in both vehicles now, which theoretically gets Slick to work all next week. So, we're conserving and hoping to catch a break. Stations have lines with cops. You can't pump more than 10 gallons & by the afternoon all the pumps are covered and empty.
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We've got a quarter tank in both vehicles now, which theoretically gets Slick to work all next week. So, we're conserving and hoping to catch a break. Stations have lines with cops. You can't pump more than 10 gallons & by the afternoon all the pumps are covered and empty.
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Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Meanwhile in Baseball
In case you are missing it...
With 5-6 games left in the season, the Phillies & Mets are in an epic struggle (too bad they don't play each other) for their division and the wild-card slot. If both teams play hard and win games, either could be the winner. But if either team falters, one of them could be knocked completely out of the playoffs by the struggling Milwaukee Brewers. This is September baseball. Go find a TV, radio, something! Don't walk, RUN!
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With 5-6 games left in the season, the Phillies & Mets are in an epic struggle (too bad they don't play each other) for their division and the wild-card slot. If both teams play hard and win games, either could be the winner. But if either team falters, one of them could be knocked completely out of the playoffs by the struggling Milwaukee Brewers. This is September baseball. Go find a TV, radio, something! Don't walk, RUN!
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Sunday, September 21, 2008
Because My In-Laws Are Cooler Than Your In-Laws
Well, we're back from vacation with Slick's parents & their gaggle of retired teacher, baby-boomer friends. And look what the Queen left on our dresser on the first night...
That's right, it's a genuine Chase Utley bobble-head from some random fan night at Citizen's Bank Park. I'm not sure if we're unpacking it or not. It's definitely going on our Philadelphia Sport's Fan Shelf.
The week at OBX was spectacular. The house had an "ocean view" and a hot tub. The dogs (all 4 of them) liked to run around on the 3rd-floor deck barking at things. I even went in the ocean a few times (as did my dog.) The most amusing thing about the week was the laptops. Each couple had one and they used them like seasoned geeks. It was a reminder that you can teach retired teachers new tricks.
I planned to read a lot, but had some false starts with my reading choices: The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett & War of the Worlds by HG Wells. Instead I started two other books which are both very good. The first is The Shack by William P Young. It's good, really good, but way too serious for beach-reading. So, I picked up a novel called God's Spy by Juan Gomez-Jurado. God's Spy is a thriller involving a detective chasing a serial killer in Rome who's killing off Cardinals at the Vatican during the conclave to select the successor for Pope John Paul II. Both books are really good and I'm extremely torn now that I'm home. Do I continue with my deep, spiritual journey at the Shack or do I find out if there's another dead Bishop on the landing?
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That's right, it's a genuine Chase Utley bobble-head from some random fan night at Citizen's Bank Park. I'm not sure if we're unpacking it or not. It's definitely going on our Philadelphia Sport's Fan Shelf.
The week at OBX was spectacular. The house had an "ocean view" and a hot tub. The dogs (all 4 of them) liked to run around on the 3rd-floor deck barking at things. I even went in the ocean a few times (as did my dog.) The most amusing thing about the week was the laptops. Each couple had one and they used them like seasoned geeks. It was a reminder that you can teach retired teachers new tricks.
I planned to read a lot, but had some false starts with my reading choices: The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett & War of the Worlds by HG Wells. Instead I started two other books which are both very good. The first is The Shack by William P Young. It's good, really good, but way too serious for beach-reading. So, I picked up a novel called God's Spy by Juan Gomez-Jurado. God's Spy is a thriller involving a detective chasing a serial killer in Rome who's killing off Cardinals at the Vatican during the conclave to select the successor for Pope John Paul II. Both books are really good and I'm extremely torn now that I'm home. Do I continue with my deep, spiritual journey at the Shack or do I find out if there's another dead Bishop on the landing?
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Friday, September 12, 2008
Away
Slick and I are about to make our second & last vacation trip of the year before Christmas. Oddly, it's back to OBX. Her parents and their friends have an extra room for the week and invited us to stay in it. Slick's aunt & uncle will be there. We don't get to see them for years at a time, so we're looking forward to it. The dog is also coming with us and the weather should permit me to take him in the ocean a bit. He doesn't really like to swim, but he loves romping in the waves.
We'll have internet access, but I plan to be having too much fun to post!
I'll be back in a week with more political commentary, tech reviews & general obnoxiousness. First on the agenda (after OBX pictures) will be my internal debate about asking for a new 4th-Gen iPod Nano for my Birthday/Christmas.
We'll have internet access, but I plan to be having too much fun to post!
I'll be back in a week with more political commentary, tech reviews & general obnoxiousness. First on the agenda (after OBX pictures) will be my internal debate about asking for a new 4th-Gen iPod Nano for my Birthday/Christmas.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Fall TV
Over the last few days, NothingKnew & Cats both expressed confusion about the Fall TV line-up. As luck would have it, I've been making a list. So, here it is. It's not everything. I don't have cable nor do I like "reality" TV.
Sundays
8PM Football NBC 36.1
Mondays
8PM - 18.1 - Terminator (Premiere 9/8)
9PM - 36.1 - Heroes (Premiere Sept 22 - 8PM 3hours)
10PM - 36.1 - My Own Worst Enemy (Premiere 10/13)
Tuesdays
8PM - 3.1 - NCIS (9/19)
9PM - 18.1 - Fringe (Premiere 9/9 - 8PM ~2hours)
Wednesdays
8PM - 36.1 - Bones (9/10)
9PM - 3.1 - Criminal Minds (9/20)
Thursdays
8PM - 46.1 - Smallville (Premier 9/28)
9PM - 3.1 - CSI (Premiere 10/9)
Fridays
8PM - 36.1 - Crusoe (Premier 10/17 8PM 2hours actual time?)
10PM - 3.1 - Numbers (9/22)
And yes, I noticed my apparent fascination with investigation dramas. But, it seems like all of TV is now these reality game shows or CSI/L&O shows.
Sundays
8PM Football NBC 36.1
Mondays
8PM - 18.1 - Terminator (Premiere 9/8)
9PM - 36.1 - Heroes (Premiere Sept 22 - 8PM 3hours)
10PM - 36.1 - My Own Worst Enemy (Premiere 10/13)
Tuesdays
8PM - 3.1 - NCIS (9/19)
9PM - 18.1 - Fringe (Premiere 9/9 - 8PM ~2hours)
Wednesdays
8PM - 36.1 - Bones (9/10)
9PM - 3.1 - Criminal Minds (9/20)
Thursdays
8PM - 46.1 - Smallville (Premier 9/28)
9PM - 3.1 - CSI (Premiere 10/9)
Fridays
8PM - 36.1 - Crusoe (Premier 10/17 8PM 2hours actual time?)
10PM - 3.1 - Numbers (9/22)
And yes, I noticed my apparent fascination with investigation dramas. But, it seems like all of TV is now these reality game shows or CSI/L&O shows.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Why The Sarah Connor Chronicles Are Worse Than Star Trek Voyager
Every week Cameron gets more beat up than Voyager ever did. Yet, every week she fit and polished from stem to stern. At least Voyager reasonably tried to answer this issue with the old "mine enough fuel from that planet and we can replicate a new bulk-head" strategy. Voyager even had the "Year from Hell" episodes. Granted they all went through yet another temporal anomaly so everyone (with speaking parts) lived. But I digress...
...Well actually, I have no point. Although, I could take this moment to be a complete dork and tell you that Seven of Nine would totally kick Cameron's ass! I won't, but I could.
This is the moment when NothingKnew finds this exact senerio on the web under Rule #34 only involving jello.
Sigh! Someone, anyone (J.M.S., Whedon, JJ, Ron Moore) save us from this wasteland of bland network SciFi. Actually, rumors are that Heroes will recapture some of it's season 1 magic. I won't hold my breath.
...Well actually, I have no point. Although, I could take this moment to be a complete dork and tell you that Seven of Nine would totally kick Cameron's ass! I won't, but I could.
This is the moment when NothingKnew finds this exact senerio on the web under Rule #34 only involving jello.
Sigh! Someone, anyone (J.M.S., Whedon, JJ, Ron Moore) save us from this wasteland of bland network SciFi. Actually, rumors are that Heroes will recapture some of it's season 1 magic. I won't hold my breath.
Packaging
Did you know that many town recycling programs will also take your cereal & cracker boxes? More and more of our food waste is renewable in some way. Heck, if it weren't for the fear of ID theft most of that junk mail could be tossed into the recycling. My town will take #1 & 2 plastic, newspapers, office paper & non-corrugated cardboard. Slick and I have been using recycled cloth grocery bags for about a year now and they work great.
This leaves out the dreaded #5 plastic (including most bottle caps), plastic bags & most of the boxes from Amazon.com. So, what to do?
We've cut out plastic bag use by 70-80%. I try to refuse bags at retail stores for small, easy to carry items. Unfortunately, I still haven't figured out how to carry produce without little plastic bags. I've also noticed that many disposable containers (cherry tomatoes, hummus) are #5 plastic. This got me thinking about packaging. Do people ever consider the packaging in a purchase? Should we?
I may give it a try. I'll let you know how it goes.
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This leaves out the dreaded #5 plastic (including most bottle caps), plastic bags & most of the boxes from Amazon.com. So, what to do?
We've cut out plastic bag use by 70-80%. I try to refuse bags at retail stores for small, easy to carry items. Unfortunately, I still haven't figured out how to carry produce without little plastic bags. I've also noticed that many disposable containers (cherry tomatoes, hummus) are #5 plastic. This got me thinking about packaging. Do people ever consider the packaging in a purchase? Should we?
I may give it a try. I'll let you know how it goes.
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Monday, September 08, 2008
Attention Netflix Online Users
Do not install Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2!
While I prefer using FireFox for most of my web browsing, Netflix requires IE6 or better. I've seen some good things about improved speeds and features of IE8 over IE7, so I downloaded it today. Unfortunately, Netflix is not yet compatible with IE8. I'm in the process of backtracking to IE7 now. Sigh!
Hopefully, I've spared someone a headache.
While I prefer using FireFox for most of my web browsing, Netflix requires IE6 or better. I've seen some good things about improved speeds and features of IE8 over IE7, so I downloaded it today. Unfortunately, Netflix is not yet compatible with IE8. I'm in the process of backtracking to IE7 now. Sigh!
Hopefully, I've spared someone a headache.
Reasons for My Vote On Nov 4
I have several friends (some of whom read this blog) who are Republicans, Conservatives, have Military backgrounds, or are generally not as left-leaning as I am. I've taken a number of shots here and other places against McCain & Palin. My concern is that this kind of behavior is rampant & easy. It's also the same standard politics we've been seeing. So, I thought it would be good for me to outline several of the reasons for my decision in a (hopefully) positive way.
The Environment & Energy Issues
While I might not be as "green" as I'd like to be, I strive every day to lessen my personal footprint & to encourage better energy management. My wife and I recycle, replace dead light bulbs with energy efficient ones, consider energy efficiency in our vehicle choices, compost, etc...
I am opposed to opening new areas for off-shore drilling. I do not see this as anything but a political ploy and a greedy grab by big oil. We can be energy efficient, reduce our foreign oil dependency & live greener by expanding our efforts in alternative fuels and recycling.
Economy
I watched for eight years as the 'Liberal' Bill Clinton worked to create a leaner, fiscally conservative government and then watched for seven more years as Bush's leadership created more and more unfunded mandates. The idea of tax-cut and spend makes absolutely no sense to me. It's like living on credit cards and it looks like just like the Voodoo Economics of the 80's. I have read Obama's tax-plan. I see no problem with changing the tax-structure to help the middle-class backbone of America & increasing taxes to the top 1% to cover it. I would very much like to see us return to the fiscal policies of wise and deliberate use of our resources to improve infrastructure, help our least fortunate & manage our military resources.
The War
I am deeply concerned with the process of 'Stop-Loss' and the state of our Veteran's affairs. I don't see how we can afford this continued conflict and it's cost in people, resources & money. Even if 'the Surge' has worked, it's a last-ditch effort compounded upon a series of ill-conceived failed efforts. Obama's opposition to the war is well-documented. John McCain's maverick image aside, his alliance to the current Administration's policies must be questioned as being more of the same.
I have always considered myself a pro-military democrat. For the sake of our military, I want us out of this conflict.
Social Issues
As the proud son of two parents who have waged hard-fought battles for the needs of the inner city, victims of AIDS, sheltered homeless & supported minority rights for their entire lives, I will align myself with a man who started out as a community organizer. For me it's a matter of faith & a moral imperative.
I am a firm supporter in a woman's right to choose & in the rights of all Americans to receive equal protections under the law. I know full-well that the next administration will pick as many as four Supreme Court Justices. I want to see a high court that protects Roe v Wade but that also creates a balance between the ideologies.
Conclusion
There you have it. I think these points make it obvious why I'm voting Obama without focusing on all the crap in the news.
The Last Word by Anna Quindlen
Every now and then I stumble of a commentary that just gets it. This one is worth clicking the link. As the son of a 'feminist,' I have been nurtured to respect women, question authority, and rally against hypocrisy. The choice of Palin has really gotten under my skin. I've found my inability to properly articulate my frustrations lacking. Anna Quindlen has done it for me.
Everything I've been trying to say about the Republican VP choice is right here:
Can you say 'Sexist'?
Everything I've been trying to say about the Republican VP choice is right here:
Can you say 'Sexist'?
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Weekend
My Uncle is visiting this weekend. It's been great. I've used it as an excuse to cook & sight-see.
Not to be outdone by the previous night's meal, I severed in several stages. First we had the fire-roasted bruschetta on french baguettes. While they sipped their wine and ate their bruschette, I finished grilling the peaces for the grilled peach & mixed green salad with roasted picans & blue cheese all dressed with balsalmic & expensive olive oil. The meal was finished off with locally grown sweetpotatoes & personal-sized cuts of london broil lightly seasoned with Lone Star Steak Rub (from my BBQ Bible book.) We finished this meal off in our "theater room" watching "Stranger than Fiction." Which, I thoroughly enjoyed.
Thursday night, was a grill-extravaganza. I setup the webber kettle for indirect grilling and made some scallops wrapped in bacon, along with some jumbo shrimp, veggie screwers, and a mixed green salad with roasted picans & blue cheese. I severed a bottle of Hogue Pinot Grigio. I was a bit surprised when I realized it had a screw-cap. After quickly reminding myself that I'm NOT a wine snob, I poured it and served it to my wife & uncle. They said it was very good. I can't be sure since my current medication keeps me from drinking. C'est la vie!
We finished off the evening playing some cards and then catching the 2nd half of the Giants vs Washington game. Uncle and I watched about half of the McCain speech after the game. We worked hard to be respectful, but one of us started arguing with the screen and that had us both cracking up. He gave up and went to bed soon after.
Friday was even more laid back. Uncle and I hung out at breakfast and he joined me on the dog walk. We went to the local Bridge & Rail Restaurant for some Carolina BBQ sandwiches at lunch, chatted in our seats for a while. I only once politely reminded him that we're in a heavily republican town, but then I made my own "evil republicans" comment just after that. "Check Please!"
Not to be outdone by the previous night's meal, I severed in several stages. First we had the fire-roasted bruschetta on french baguettes. While they sipped their wine and ate their bruschette, I finished grilling the peaces for the grilled peach & mixed green salad with roasted picans & blue cheese all dressed with balsalmic & expensive olive oil. The meal was finished off with locally grown sweetpotatoes & personal-sized cuts of london broil lightly seasoned with Lone Star Steak Rub (from my BBQ Bible book.) We finished this meal off in our "theater room" watching "Stranger than Fiction." Which, I thoroughly enjoyed.
Saturday, Slick made her weekend low-fat scone recipy. We drank out tea & coffee and talked about the days activities. Those activities would see us driving to "Uptown" Charlotte. We ate at Ri Ra's Irish Pub and then went to see the Pom Peii exhibit. The exhibit did not blow my socks off the way that the Dead Sea Scrolls did, but it was impressive and I am glad I went.
Tonight, I made a simple terriaki chicken served with rice & lightly saute' veggies. We then went and watched "Croching Tiger Hidden Dragon." Uncle hadn't seen it before. Slick and I can aways rewatch it.
Tomorrow is football day. We' having a late brunch and then snacks all day while watching back-to-back football. Chips & nice salsa, cheese & crackers, fruit & veggies for dipping, and finally grilled wings. I've got seasoning for spicy, jerk, bbq & lemon pepper wings.
Good food, sports, movies, history museums, more good food. It's the perfect weekend.
Monday, September 01, 2008
Hypocrisy. Double-standards. Unfairness.
This is a response of sorts to NothingKnew's latest post about the Republican VP Nominee's Choices.
During the Clinton years, the Republican party mastered the art of character assassination and used an any means necessary approach to destroying Clinton's reputation. When "they" took party, Bush admonished Politics of Personal Destruction even though those were the politics that got him into the White House. Note: Dirty politics and personal attacks are not unique to this era or solely the purview of the Republican party. They just did it with astounding skill.
Now we find potential personal flaws in Gov Palin. Should these family matters be part of the conversation? Even Obama spoke out the press on this one. He wants family off-limits. Can you blame him?
So, what do We the People do? Does family matter? Do personal decisions matter? How far do we look at private character in a public official? Promiscuity is considered a career killer in American politics. Tax evasion, traffic citations, and even the type of cheese put on a cheese steak matter to voters. So what about parenting? How many screwed up kids can a politician have before it matters?
But for me the problem boils down to the perception of hypocrisy & unfairness. The Religious Right feel like hypocrites to me. The Republican party is the party that impeached Clinton for Oral Sex and hounded him for White Water yet Larry Craig & Ted Stevens are still in office. They are also the party that regularly denied global warming and kept CAFE standards from rising.
I could go on, but my point will get lost.
The Democrat base is angry (but not angry enough.) Liberals are frustrated that the "political" moral high-ground was essentially stolen from them. We don't want to stoop to "their" level, but we don't want to keep losing either. It's just plain unfair!
So, we must absolutely NOT attack Gov Palin for her daughter. Nor should we allow baseless and cruel internet rumors smear anyone even if we don't want them to win. Yes, at the same time, Nothing Knew is onto something here. And it's a bit of a catch-22. We can't attack Gov Palin's family but we unfortunately should look at it and discern if her family life and personal decisions are indicative of our political character. If a politician holds themselves up as some sort of moral authority, then they must be held to that standard.
We also need to be mindful of the apparent & frightening lack of vetting by the McCain camp. Do we really want 4 more years of leadership that simply goes with their gut? It's fine if Gov Palin was about consensus & compromise. It's not cool if after months of time to search, they suddenly grabbed her at the last moment as the article suggests. How is that experienced leadership? Sure Biden was a dull choice & has his image problems, but he's a known quantity and he's not one for hiding his skeletons. (He'd rather air all his problems to the press in DEL.)
End Note: I still want to give a thumbs up to McCain & the Republican party for the way they handled the Convention in light of Gustav. It was the right thing to do and it was smart politics. Pray for the people of Louisiana, especially those hurt by this latest storm.
During the Clinton years, the Republican party mastered the art of character assassination and used an any means necessary approach to destroying Clinton's reputation. When "they" took party, Bush admonished Politics of Personal Destruction even though those were the politics that got him into the White House. Note: Dirty politics and personal attacks are not unique to this era or solely the purview of the Republican party. They just did it with astounding skill.
Now we find potential personal flaws in Gov Palin. Should these family matters be part of the conversation? Even Obama spoke out the press on this one. He wants family off-limits. Can you blame him?
So, what do We the People do? Does family matter? Do personal decisions matter? How far do we look at private character in a public official? Promiscuity is considered a career killer in American politics. Tax evasion, traffic citations, and even the type of cheese put on a cheese steak matter to voters. So what about parenting? How many screwed up kids can a politician have before it matters?
But for me the problem boils down to the perception of hypocrisy & unfairness. The Religious Right feel like hypocrites to me. The Republican party is the party that impeached Clinton for Oral Sex and hounded him for White Water yet Larry Craig & Ted Stevens are still in office. They are also the party that regularly denied global warming and kept CAFE standards from rising.
I could go on, but my point will get lost.
The Democrat base is angry (but not angry enough.) Liberals are frustrated that the "political" moral high-ground was essentially stolen from them. We don't want to stoop to "their" level, but we don't want to keep losing either. It's just plain unfair!
So, we must absolutely NOT attack Gov Palin for her daughter. Nor should we allow baseless and cruel internet rumors smear anyone even if we don't want them to win. Yes, at the same time, Nothing Knew is onto something here. And it's a bit of a catch-22. We can't attack Gov Palin's family but we unfortunately should look at it and discern if her family life and personal decisions are indicative of our political character. If a politician holds themselves up as some sort of moral authority, then they must be held to that standard.
We also need to be mindful of the apparent & frightening lack of vetting by the McCain camp. Do we really want 4 more years of leadership that simply goes with their gut? It's fine if Gov Palin was about consensus & compromise. It's not cool if after months of time to search, they suddenly grabbed her at the last moment as the article suggests. How is that experienced leadership? Sure Biden was a dull choice & has his image problems, but he's a known quantity and he's not one for hiding his skeletons. (He'd rather air all his problems to the press in DEL.)
End Note: I still want to give a thumbs up to McCain & the Republican party for the way they handled the Convention in light of Gustav. It was the right thing to do and it was smart politics. Pray for the people of Louisiana, especially those hurt by this latest storm.
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