Cyber Bullying from Behind the Social Media Curtain

I notice posts on young people's FB pages that I would consider to fall into this category.  It appears to be way too easy to say nasty, mean and cruel things to people when those people don't have a face that is right in front of you.

Now granted there are plenty of bullies who use personal, blatant and in your face tactics without the use of social media but this medium seems to have almost made the bullies feel justified in what they are doing with all the "Like" tags and comments that may support their nastiness.

I was very happy to see the female news anchor yesterday let this particular bully have it but I think in his Republican-demented brain he refused to hear what she was saying and continued to stand by his bullying message even after the whole debacle went national.  Can you say dense?

And do you suppose he would have written a similar message to a male news anchor with a similar body shape?  Do you suppose he's Mormon and expects all women to be Barbie?

It would be really nice if others would pick up on this message and stop these abhorrent practices but only time will tell.

The Best of the Worst

In so many cases these days, it seems we are forced to vote for the best of the worst candidates.  We were talking about the mayoral race last weekend and that was what it boiled down to, neither of the candidates represented what we really wanted so we simply have to decide which would be the worst choice, as in take Portland backwards, and vote against him (yes, both candidates are men which is indeed unfortunate).

I'm hearing more and more about the need to allow more parties, for instance the Independent, the Libertarian and the Green parties to name a few, into our mainstream politics and I have to wonder if that might not help to alleviate the constant stalemates we see in Congress and in many state legislatures.

We've got to figure something out because with just the two represented, we are getting nowhere fast and it just isn't good for the country today or in the future.  Too many programs and people are suffering while Washington, D.C. languishes in their hatred of the other party and absolute refusal to compromise.

If Obama wins but we don't elect a House as well as a Senate Democratic majority, I would have to expect four more years of the same opposition, inactivity and indecision.  I know the President is frustrated with this and has tried to bend on some things but the Republican leadership has been blatant in their refusal to support any program or bill the President or the Democrats back, just because.

This isn't the only election where this has happened but unfortunately the polarization has become much more obvious and absolute.  Something fundamentally has to change, I hope it happens soon.  And no, that doesn't mean electing a Republican president and Congress; going backwards at this point in time is just what we don't need .

Resurrected Playlist

My thanks to my daughter who successfully salvaged my 8 hours+ long retirement party playlist which I love.  It includes my favorite music from the last 43 years that I painstakingly put together last November and I have been desperate to get it back from the mysterious depths of  iTunes ever since.  I'm enjoying it "as we speak."

Thank you, Kara!

Banana Belt aka Oregon

It's times like this when I remember why I don't live anywhere else in this country.  No wildfires, no tornadoes, no flash floods, no blizzards, no dust storms, no hurricanes, no severe weather, no drought just beautiful, mild summer weather continuing on and on and on.

If we had the climates found in the rest of the country, we would never be able to make such a reasonably priced purchase of corn on the cob as noted in the photo above.  It was sweet and delicious.  If only I hadn't forgotten 3 of the 5 ears at the beach when we left :(

Free Speech Can Be Questionable Speech

Now, when there is so much tension surrounding the Middle East, MR is accusing the President of being a liar.  Well you could say it takes one to know one, but MR is so blinded by his own self-image, he wouldn't know the truth if it hit him right between his eyes.  In fact, he doesn't have to speak the truth, all he has to do is say that whatever comes out of his mouth is the truth.

Isn't free speech grand?  It truly is but the abuse of it really brings us down sometimes.

Gag Order!

This is my outlet for frustration so I'm using it.  Mitt Romney is continually demonstrating his inability or lack of willingness, I don't know which, to observe the proper decorum for dealing with all things foreign.  His holier than thou demeanor and attitude anger and disgust me.

There is enough tension in the Arab world now that the last thing President Obama or we as a country need is for him to set off another firestorm because he is so damn clueless when it comes to foreign affairs (or much of anything else from what I can tell).  In other words, Mitt, once and for all "shut the fuck up"!  You are not now, and hopefully never will be, the President of the United States.

Repeat

Wow, I just read my last post which was almost a year ago and I could literally copy the same post now, in 2012, and be accurate.  Disgusting.

Is This the New Reality?

Overcast, grey, rainy, cloud cover day after day, rarely above 70 degrees, mold on all the roses...
We have had exactly one day above 80 since last October and that was a week ago. It has been overcast ever since.







It's just warm enough that the snow on the mountain is melting and now the rivers are approaching flood stage. I guess you could actually say it would be good if it didn't warm up in the foreseeable future until we get beyond that flooding danger zone.

Not much of a summer to look forward to from a weather perspective. It's a good thing I've got so many great family members and friends to replace my need for sunshine. And they can't give me melanoma!