tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post115078435251823986..comments2023-06-18T10:44:57.096-05:00Comments on Bread Crusts: Purple Thread 2.0Christopher C. NChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15621322814577793080noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1157088290107951542006-09-01T00:24:00.000-05:002006-09-01T00:24:00.000-05:00Christopher,I'm looking forward to seeing your new...Christopher,<BR/>I'm looking forward to seeing your new design for our blog. I'll <I>try</I> not to stay up too late just so I can see it before morning. Reminds me of waiting up for Santa Claus...christin m p in massachusettshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17286830884358791544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1157086935830689082006-09-01T00:02:00.000-05:002006-09-01T00:02:00.000-05:00Deb,I read the Keith Olberman commentary on Rumsfe...Deb,<BR/>I read the Keith Olberman commentary on Rumsfeld that Marilynn sent you. This particular statement grabbed me:<BR/><BR/>"<I>And yet he can stand up in public, and question the morality and<BR/><BR/>the intellect of those of us who dare ask just for the receipt for the<BR/><BR/>Emporer’s New Clothes.</I>"<BR/><BR/>especially after just having received that email from democrats.org regarding the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006. I did sign the petition, because it's <I>our</I> money that pays <I>their</I> salaries, and it's also <I>our</I> money they're all spending, so we have the right to know where and how it's being spent.christin m p in massachusettshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17286830884358791544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1157085109329131742006-08-31T23:31:00.000-05:002006-08-31T23:31:00.000-05:00I am working on the beginnings of new threads now....I am working on the beginnings of new threads now. By tomorrow your folks time it will be fresh and rearranged slightly.<BR/><BR/>Links in the sidebar will come a few at a time I think.Christopher C. NChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15621322814577793080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1157082506951927392006-08-31T22:48:00.000-05:002006-08-31T22:48:00.000-05:00Oh, and I absolutely want the Mother Jones Timelin...Oh, and I absolutely want the Mother Jones Timeline on the link column!!!debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06659187165382944735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1157082435247567342006-08-31T22:47:00.000-05:002006-08-31T22:47:00.000-05:00The Mother Jones Timeline contains the crucial inf...The Mother Jones Timeline contains the crucial information that so many of us have been trying to share since before the war in Iraq started. Long ago I quit believing that mainstream media would get that information out, but kudos to Mother Jones for their investigative journalism and getting that information in one place. Thanks Cheryl!<BR/><BR/>Speaking of mainstream media...have you noticed a "left" shift? (still far right of center, but perhaps inching toward reality) <A HREF="http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/08/30/keith-olbermann-delivers-one-hell-of-a-commentary-on-rumsfeld/" REL="nofollow">Keith Olberman</A>...Marilynn sent me this along with a note saying "Maybe there is hope"debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06659187165382944735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1157072041769588322006-08-31T19:54:00.000-05:002006-08-31T19:54:00.000-05:00I would like to have Tragos in our links list. Wo...I would like to have <I>Tragos</I> in our links list. Would that be okay with all of you?christin m p in massachusettshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17286830884358791544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1157067907940565272006-08-31T18:45:00.000-05:002006-08-31T18:45:00.000-05:00Cheryl/Christopher, thank you both for finding and...Cheryl/Christopher, thank you both for finding and sharing some powerful posts.danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17241205542202429287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1157046587804600562006-08-31T12:49:00.000-05:002006-08-31T12:49:00.000-05:00I found this guy via Anonymous Liberal. Very liter...I found this guy via Anonymous Liberal. Very literary type, sometimes a bit obscure but always interesting. This post is excellent.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.tragos.org/2006/08/reality-will-be-televised-updated.html" REL="nofollow">Tragos</A>Christopher C. NChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15621322814577793080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1157039846680991072006-08-31T10:57:00.000-05:002006-08-31T10:57:00.000-05:00Mother Jones has a new feature:Lie by Lie: Chronic...Mother Jones has a new feature:<BR/><BR/>Lie by Lie: Chronicle of a War Foretold: August 1990 to March 2003 <BR/><BR/>http://www.motherjones.com/bush_war_timeline/Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12367467798229082341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1156991981731251392006-08-30T21:39:00.000-05:002006-08-30T21:39:00.000-05:00Nah, he knows enough not to sip the denatured alco...Nah, he knows enough not to sip the <I>denatured</I> alcohol... Anyway, at this point, I <I>would</I> replace it all with water, except I don't have access to his cabinets. He lives in a separate apartment and he locks up his workshop at night.<BR/><BR/>I think I might have gotten through to him this time, though. I told him -- Look, if this house catches fire and the fire department finds those little soda can stoves next to that can of alcohol, your homeowner's insurance won't cover you. Besides, doesn't it make more sense to practice lighting them outside, since you're going to be using them when you're outside camping this weekend?<BR/><BR/>He agreed that what I said made sense. Now I just have to keep my fingers crossed until the weekend...christin m p in massachusettshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17286830884358791544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1156965890262377082006-08-30T14:24:00.000-05:002006-08-30T14:24:00.000-05:00Not that kind of lurid: just the everyday "tragic ...Not that kind of lurid: just the everyday "tragic fire" kind of lurid.<BR/><BR/>Local TV makes everything into an "ironic tragedy."<BR/><BR/>Might I suggest that you replace all the alcohol in the house with water.Richard Yarnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05507647991337952177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1156952357902351652006-08-30T10:39:00.000-05:002006-08-30T10:39:00.000-05:00No Rich,He's not like that at all. He's more like...No Rich,<BR/>He's not like that at all. He's more like the typical absent-minded professor -- kind of geeky. I think he has a slight case of Asperger's. He's just really into scientific stuff. He has too many close ties to be another Unabomber...christin m p in massachusettshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17286830884358791544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1156925176242761872006-08-30T03:06:00.000-05:002006-08-30T03:06:00.000-05:00Sounds like the kind of guy who becomes the center...Sounds like the kind of guy who becomes the center of lurid TV news stories.<BR/><BR/>There's no hope he has the paints and chemicals in metal lockers and the inevitable paint rags in air-tight cans, is there?Richard Yarnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05507647991337952177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1156913773304383572006-08-29T23:56:00.000-05:002006-08-29T23:56:00.000-05:00He says he's still going to do it anyway, but at l...He says he's still going to do it anyway, but at least not tonight. I'm especially nervous about his lighting those cans down in his machine shop in the basement, because that's also where he stores paint and paint thinner, and other volatile chemicals. I asked him if at least he'd experiment with the soda can stoves out back in the driveway (the driveway makes a horseshoe all the way around the house). He said okay, but he may just have said that to appease me. This house was built in the 1800's -- if it were to catch fire, it'd go up like a kleenex box. If he <I>does</I> do it outside, I hope he also stays away from the barn when he's lighting them -- he has a lot of volatile chemicals stored in there as well.christin m p in massachusettshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17286830884358791544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1156756320788099232006-08-28T04:12:00.000-05:002006-08-28T04:12:00.000-05:00I wouldn't unless it were an emergency. If fuel i...I wouldn't unless it were an emergency. If fuel is spilled, an alcohol flame is hard to see. <BR/><BR/>I'll admit that I don't see what's supporting the pan above the stove. I'll go back a look at it when I'm not so pooped.<BR/><BR/>One reason Sterno was developed was to avoid the danger of spilled fuel.Richard Yarnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05507647991337952177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1156742947152102162006-08-28T00:29:00.000-05:002006-08-28T00:29:00.000-05:00I didn't know which thread to put this in, but thi...I didn't know which thread to put this in, but this is for Rich:<BR/><BR/>My landlord is experimenting right now with building an aluminum can stove for camping -- one of <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverage-can_stove" REL="nofollow">these</A>.<BR/><BR/>It's making me nervous, because he's been lighting it right in the house. Is that safe?christin m p in massachusettshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17286830884358791544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1156420445837183162006-08-24T06:54:00.000-05:002006-08-24T06:54:00.000-05:00There's no doubt that people are scrambling to fin...There's no doubt that people are scrambling to find affordable health care and medicine wherever that can. The fact that insurance companies find it cheaper to pay you a bonus to fly you and a loved one to India for your treatment should be a wake up call. <BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://mwhodges.home.att.net/healthcare.htm" REL="nofollow">The Grandfather Report</A>is loaded with data and charts that show how the U.S. health care costs and results compare to other nations. If you have some time, many of the links there are interesting.danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17241205542202429287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1156358168408940312006-08-23T13:36:00.000-05:002006-08-23T13:36:00.000-05:00For the time being, we have to make the best choic...For the time being, we have to make the best choice we can both financially and medically. I think it's important to keep pointing out what is not acceptable in our health care system so that we can improve it.<BR/><BR/>Judy, if your doctor friend doesn't already know about it, he might be interested in Physicians for a National Health Program, http://www.pnhp.org/Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12367467798229082341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1156218576215779862006-08-21T22:49:00.000-05:002006-08-21T22:49:00.000-05:00Christin, there never seems to be a shortage of pe...Christin, there never seems to be a shortage of people willing to kill an elephant for it's ivory, a shark for it's fin, a tree for it's bark or even a human for the watch on his wrist. It is sad.danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17241205542202429287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1156157391623789562006-08-21T05:49:00.000-05:002006-08-21T05:49:00.000-05:00I got this link from the Mr. Brown Thumb blog, lis...I got this link from the Mr. Brown Thumb blog, listed at Christopher's blog. You'd think the mentality in the <I>herbal</I> remedy market would be different, but just as in the pharmaceutical industry, <A HREF="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060810/ap_on_re_us/stripping_trees;_ylt=Ailyvy82hzudLzwO5UQ5cxCs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MzV0MTdmBHNlYwM3NTM-" REL="nofollow">greed knows no bounds</A>christin m p in massachusettshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17286830884358791544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1156041246156923742006-08-19T21:34:00.000-05:002006-08-19T21:34:00.000-05:00Great quote Cheryl! Hopefully that is going to ch...Great quote Cheryl! Hopefully that is going to change to a gov't by and for the people.debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06659187165382944735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1156005005867317432006-08-19T11:30:00.000-05:002006-08-19T11:30:00.000-05:00It's a sad state of affairs when we have to travel...It's a sad state of affairs when we have to travel to another country in order to afford health care. I still think it's a good idea to know what you're legal rights are before deciding to travel.<BR/><BR/>H1-B's are supposed to be used to import people with specialized skills that are not available in this country. One of the technical societies recently did a study on how it is actually used. The average salary paid to an H1-B immigrant is lower than the average salary of American workers in the same field. Obviously it is not being used to import rare skills, but instead it is being used to lower salaries here.<BR/><BR/>The immigrants are as much a victim as US born. They are a kind of indentured servant. If they lose their job, they have a very short time to find another before losing their employment status. Once they get here, they almost can't question salary, working conditions, etc. If they get laid off, they have to take anything at any pay if they want to stay.<BR/><BR/>The politicians like to carry on about our students not majoring in math, science, or engineering. They refuse to acknowledge one of the major reasons for this. There is no future in the fields. The unemployment rate for engineers is outrageous. I don't know of any studies on the underemployment rate, but I'm sure it's frightening.<BR/><BR/>I'll close with a quote.<BR/><BR/>"What the people want is called 'politically unrealistic'. Translated into English, that means power and privelege are opposed to it." Noam ChomskyCherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12367467798229082341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1155964841277353552006-08-19T00:20:00.000-05:002006-08-19T00:20:00.000-05:00Great post Cheryl. India is a 16+ hour plane ride...Great post Cheryl. India is a 16+ hour plane ride...can't you just imagine sitting in a cramped seat, riding in a tin can with wings for that legnth of time after surgery? It seems that I pick up some bug or other any time I fly...so many people in such a small area that if any one is sick all will be exposed. No thanks on medical outsourcing.<BR/><BR/>I believe that medicare for all is a step in the right direction. But, as y'all have stated, there are many other concerns with our medical system. It seems that if something isn't readily diagnosible people get the run around to a variety of doctors complete with various radioactive scans. I like teaching hospitals because the med students and their instructors actually put their heads together to come up with a diagnosis. <BR/><BR/>Lab tests are specifically stated to look for "x" instead of looking for anything out of the ordinary. I know of people who just give up on finding out what is going on and tolerate an illness for which there might possibly be an effective treatment.<BR/><BR/>Over medication is a problem. Our system is based on prescriptions whether or not the person needs them. Checking things like vitamin levels isn't the norm in the states, but adaquate vitamins stregnthen the immune system and the person's body often will heal its self when the immune system is functioning properly. <BR/><BR/>Judy, One of my favorite doctor's is a woman from Thailand. She combines eastern and western medicine and is an excellent doctor. She and her father are in practice together in Alabama. I agree that the best of medicine from all over the world should be shared and researched.<BR/><BR/>Christin, the saddest part is that those workers really don't have any access to healthcare in this country should they become ill or get injured anywhere except work.debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06659187165382944735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1155962031226713632006-08-18T23:33:00.000-05:002006-08-18T23:33:00.000-05:00Cheryl,I'm glad you posted that, because now I rea...Cheryl,<BR/>I'm glad you posted that, because now I realize I wasn't taking into consideration that people who have young children to care for can't just fly off to other countries without turning their lives upside down -- even if their employers are footing the bill. I don't know why I overlooked that aspect of families' lives, since I see how much added effort my sister has to make, because in every decision, she always first considers its effect on her young daughter. I also see my brother and his wife facing these same kinds of dilemmas.<BR/><BR/>I guess it would only be an option for single people or couples whose children are already grown up.<BR/><BR/>As for H1B's, I guess my biggest issue is with the fact that workers with H1B visas don't have to pay the same income taxes that the rest of us do -- and I'm assuming employers get out of paying unemployment insurance and probably other taxes for those employees as well.christin m p in massachusettshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17286830884358791544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20837874.post-1155936472946657092006-08-18T16:27:00.000-05:002006-08-18T16:27:00.000-05:00Great thread! keep it up all.What bothers me about...Great thread! keep it up all.<BR/>What bothers me about our present system other than what I have already posted is the uneven way it is provided.<BR/>Those who need healthcare yet cannot afford it are not receiving adequate care. Those with some sort of government assistance or good insurance and the ability to pay are over treated. It seems no one is receiving proper care based on monetary reasoning as opposed to moral ones. recipe for disaster?<BR/>John G. in Ga.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com