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Friday, February 15, 2008

Thoughts

My dear old computer decides to flip out and I lost my address book and email yet again. I don't know why it likes to do this but obviously, Outlook Express doesn't like me too much. With some tinkering I got my address book back but my emails went to that happy hunting ground in the sky. I sure hope I didn't get an offer to give my bank account information to a Nigerian prince who will repay me with millions. You know I'd jump right on that if I had my emails restored.

Water Boarding. I hear it on TV all the time; it's in the headlines in today's local paper. Every time I hear the word (words?) I think they are talking about a new sport. I can see a new popular sport that is a cross between snow boarding and water skiing. I picture myself searching the net for the latest water boarding gear from Nike. Water torture would be more appropriate and seem less sporty and fun, but water boarding is the term they use, much less offensive to hear or read while drinking your morning coffee.

The talking heads hate Hillary and give Obama a free pass. I translate that to talking heads hate smart successful older women but really, really like any man and scared to death to say anything negative about a man of color.

I've heard so many people say they hate Hillary and when pressed to give a reason they fall back upon...I don't know why I hate her I just do. Some people say she wants the presidency too much...like McCain and Obama don't want it?

She is ambitious...hmmmm I thought that was a good trait. Or "Bill will be advising her if she becomes president." So having an adviser that held that office for 8 years is a bad thing? I'd love him to advise her on balancing the budget -- it was nice when we were financially secure as a nation and I wouldn't mind having that again. Just having other countries feel neutral about us would be better than having other countries hate us because of our arrogant, inept and stupid male president.

I find it amazing that we reward politicians who can act like Reagan or the Guvernator - geesh how many more actors made it to political positions? Since when did thespian excellence become important to the electorate?

I feel we're being cheated when it comes to Obama. So much is made of his oratory and so little about his ideas and abilities to make things happen. I don't know the guy or what he stands for because his message has been reduced to sound bites about hope, alliterative speeches with MLK overtones and gaga-eyed fans with an almost religious adoration for the guy.

Yes, he's attractive and he can be funny; he seems comfortable in front of the camera; but I also think his eloquence is over stated. He should be saying you not yuh and he can when he isn't orating. I do not like his switch to preacher-like sermons complete with some speech writer's idea of what he should be saying or sounding like. I do like his normal voice when he's talking and not giving a speech. I think you can be inspirational without being theatrical; I think you can use your normal way of speaking even in front of large, rowdy crowds.

That said, of course I will repeat myself over and over on this matter, if he gets the nomination he will certainly and gleefully get my vote.

I just am tired of the Hillary bashing and sad that women don't support women like blacks support blacks almost universally. Why is it that gender takes a back seat to race? Race is an issue in this election just as gender is. And how racist is it to always describe Obama as an African American with few nods to his white genes, his mother, Stanley Ann who raised him and was described as "the original feminist" by one of her high school friends. (Having the first name of Stanley must have been a cross to bear for Obama's mother, but I wonder how it formed her character and views as she grew up with girls who were named Debbie and Lisa?)

I think rather than treat race as something dirty to sweep under the rug, or select one race out of two to identify yourself is wrong. Just as wrong as those people that see women as less than men; the people who find ambition great in a male and horrid in a female; the white men who detest Hillary because deep down inside they don't want their white, male world shook up in any manner that would make a woman a true equal and beyond an equal: President of the United States.

Okay, off that soap box and onto the next issue.

My cat is too long and his ass is too big for his litter box. Yet he insists on pooping in his kitten box which is the size of a tissue box. Help...how do I transition him from the tiny pooping box into the bigger all purpose litter box? Now this is a real issue that hits home.

11 Comments:

Blogger Jeni Angel said...

My thoughts on Hil C (as I like to call her) and BaOb are this:

I have a ral problem with women who vote for Hilary just because she is a woman (with virtually no other reason). I have a real problem with people who vote for Barack based on his race. But I have the BIGGEST problem with people who vote for Barack based on Hilary's gender.

In a perfect world, people would vote for people based on who would do the job best. However, if recent history has taught us nothing, it's that nobody votes that way (ok, the majority of people don't vote that way).

To be honest, because I think Both Hil C and BaOb would be GREAT, I cast my vote for Barack, not based on the gender or race, but based on who I think can beat McCain. I am not bashing Hil C-I like her, but not enough people do and I fear she can't win against grandpa.

But on to the real issue-have you tried just taking the kitten size litter box away? That's what I did for Jake. He watched me pour out the litter, clean it and put it outside. The I brought him over to the big Cat Litter Box and put him inside. never had a problem. Good Luck! I know that Finbar is a rascal!

12:16 PM  
Blogger mary bishop said...

Jeni -- I blabbed and blabbed but you said it best and without so many words!!

No, didn't even think about showing him the demise of his kitten box...that just might work as I can't get near his boxes without him being right at my side ready to dirty them up as soon as they're perfectly cleaned.

He's separated his "liquids" from his "solids" for so long now, I hope he can reconcile doing both in one place hahahhahaha.

12:25 PM  
Blogger The Egel Nest said...

Interesting thoughts on the contrasts between Obama and Clinton...we've talked about this mucho before though :)

I have a new feature I am starting over at the nest, please come check it out!

Bradley
The Egel Nest

4:24 PM  
Blogger mary bishop said...

HI Bradley! Wow what a cool idea. If you go to Bradley's blog, you'll see he's starting a Dear Bradley column for his blog. Send him a question (not in comments but to he email address he provided) and he'll get you an answer with a male point of view. This should be lots of fun for your readers!!!

5:40 PM  
Blogger Bradley's Mom said...

Hi MB!

I really just came by to say that I miss you, and that I hope you had a nice Valentine's Day.

Sorry you had computer problems. I HATE when that happens!!

Love ya,
Linda

9:53 PM  
Blogger Thomas Forsyth said...

Well, my distaste about Hillary is due to what I recall about her past; that she clerked for a law firm with Communist ties, the Children's Defense Fund, and her views on health care (granted I am not a big fan of the abuses of HMO, but I trust big daddy government even less).

I also have heard that she spoke at College graduations and instead of some fluffy pep talk, she promotes herself (I have a left-leaning friend who was angry at Ben and Jerry for preaching at his graduation for a similar reason and he would agree with the stance only he didn't like how it was done). I also have very different ideological differences with both Hillary and Obama, but I see Hillary less willing to include people who oppose her. I see Obama more likely to seek advice from a Dick Lugar or a John McCain.

Now as to the gender issue, I have no problem with a woman candidate I agree with. I like Elizabeth Dole (and she has a very impressive background), plus I think Bob is extremely funny, but I'd like Liddy even without Bob. I also like Christie Whitman, especially after I became much more socially liberal in College, and I have heard nothing bad about Jodi Rell. I also like Condoleeza Rice though I don't like how the US is selling out Israel and she is Secreatry of State. I still like her and would ask her out if she were not 25 years older than me.

I would also consider Jane Napolitano as a good choice, as she is Governor of Arizona, tough on crime, and as Demcoratic Governor of a red state (and home to the late, great Barry Goldwater), she has good experience at working with both parties.

I also admit that one factor favoring Obama and McCain is that they aren't baby boomers. Obama will beat McCain, but it may be close as McCain is both likable and very respectable.

Now as for the actor thing, it's about charisma. Reagan, Kennedy, Clinton all had that (and good hair). Arnold has it, too, plus he's an atypical Republican, which makes him electable in California, and if I recall Gray Davis was worthless (he only won a plurality running for re-election against a social conservative, showing his weakness).

Now, with your cat situation, Attila (I guess a 12 year old who names his kitten after Attila the Hun is a definite mark of a conservative) used the outside after he was a year old, though if he was angry he'd use my mother's plants inside :)

4:34 PM  
Blogger mary bishop said...

All your commentary Thomas is interesting and educating - but I think I liked the good hair comment the best.

Live in CT and you won't find Rell as sweet and kindly as she appears. On a personal level though, I've met her a few times at different meetings or dinners and she is quite personable, but we need more than personality in our state or in our country! Be safe!

9:23 AM  
Blogger mary bishop said...

Hey Linda!! I had a great Vee day and I hope you did too. I was looking at photos at Bradely's place and I see Sammy's curls are coming back!! I loved his big boy haircut but I do love those curls...adorable!!

9:33 AM  
Blogger Nilbo said...

I think you're fortunate to have both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to choose from, and frankly, although I would probably never vote Republican, I am not repelled by John McCain as I am by most Republican candidates. All in all, you stand a good chance of improving your government come November.

Hard to get worse. I understand that George Bush was terribly upset when he heard that three Brazilian soldiers had been killed in Iraq. His aides were surprised that he was so emotional about it, until he stopped crying long enough to ask "Wait ... how many in a Brazilian?"

6:41 PM  
Blogger Gavin Elster said...

put the tiny box inside the larger box and transition him out after a few weeks.

6:44 PM  
Blogger mary bishop said...

Nilbo, yes I agree - the Dems have two great candidates in my view - McCain, if he didn't want to stay in Iraq forever might also do. ABB Anybody but Bush is ok with me. Funny joke too.

Gavin, you win the award for the box problem. I need to get some type of storage box big enough for his fat ass and will do just what you said.

8:38 AM  

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