During the day, do you read a story and you feel it is worth sharing?  Where to place it? I don’t like to disrupt someone’s thread or thoughtful post and it is not worthy of posting a lengthy article, do you?  Let’s try to leave this up in speakers corner and we can share some news!

From the Afghan  Women’s Writing Project

Colorful Days after Black Nights”

I remember the Taliban were searching houses ten times a day with different groups to find a book, cassette, picture, TV, or video game. If they found any of these, they shot the whole family. After we returned home, my mom burned books that my older sister and brother had collected over many years. She burned most of the books in our mud-brick oven, then threw the rest away in sacks very far from the house so the Taliban would not know they were ours. My heart was broken and I was at a loss……

I wove carpets for four years and forgot everything about studying or getting an education. We were stuck at home, and never allowed to go outside. When the Taliban were removed from power in Afghanistan after almost five years, most of the schools eventually reopened. My siblings returned to school, but I did not, because I was so afraid of everyone, still thinking that Taliban were close.

Read More…..

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boomer1949
Member

Dear bito,

If you are reading this, please know you are and have been in my thoughts and prayers for weeks now. No need to try and answer; just I, boomer, want you to keep on fighting. All of us are here for you dear.

You can email, just check with AL, K, or KQ for my address.

javaz
Member

Hey B’ito!

A gazzillion bajillion times on what Boomer said!

We are all sending you positive thoughts, prayers and hoping to see you back on the Planet again!

We all miss you.

PatsyT
Member

Ditto all of that!!
Sending you all the prayers and positive thoughts!!

javaz
Member

For anyone in need of a laugh –

The Pastor’s Ass

The Pastor entered his donkey in a race and it won.
The Pastor was so pleased with the donkey that he entered it in the race again and it won again.

The local paper read:
PASTOR’S ASS OUT FRONT.

The Bishop was so upset with this kind of publicity that he ordered the Pastor not to enter the donkey in another race.

The next day the local paper headline read:
BISHOP SCRATCHES PASTOR’S ASS.

This was too much for the Bishop so he ordered the Pastor to get rid of the donkey.
The Pastor decided to give it to a Nun in a nearby convent.

The local paper, hearing of the news, posted the following headline the next day:
NUN HAS BEST ASS IN TOWN.

The Bishop fainted.

He informed the Nun that she would have to get rid of the donkey so she sold it to a farmer for $100.00.

The next day the paper read:
NUN SELLS ASS FOR $100.

This was too much for the Bishop so he ordered the Nun to buy back the donkey and lead it to the plains where it could run wild.

The next day the headlines read:
NUN ANNOUNCES HER ASS IS WILD AND FREE.

The Bishop was buried the next day.

boomer1949
Member

javaz,

Off topic or otherwise…this is inappropriate here.

PatsyT
Member

That was great Javez!

Kalima
Admin

Now what??

‘Top kill’ BP operation to halt US oil leak fails”

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/us_and_canada/10191622.stm

boomer1949
Member

I have no idea what theme tonight’s music thread will be. However, I would like to dedicate this to my very dear and best friend ever; left this week for a 2-5 year non-military stint overseas. Be safe my friend, this one’s for you:

And no, I’m not syndicated “Delilah” undercover. 🙂

AdLib
Admin

Coincidentally, tonight’s music theme encompasses traveling, an appropriate send off for your good friend!

javaz
Member

YAE! It’s FRIDAY!

Here’s a hilarious story that should brighten your day –

Marine gets Palin tattoo on left butt cheek, saying she

boomer1949
Member

Most of you have probably heard about the abhorrent animal cruelty at the Conklin Dairy Farm in Plain City, Madison County, OH. Well folks, Plain City is just a stone’s throw from me, and I’m appalled by the goings on at this place. Here is the link to Change.org and the petition to shut the place down. Please DO NOT watch the video, it is beyond unpleasant and will literally make you sick.I believe the goal is 7,500 signatures, and I would like nothing more than to send every single one of these assholes, including the owner, to jail! Thanks — boomer

javaz
Member

Done.

And no, I have not heard about it, nor do I want to hear about it, Boomer.

My husband and I cannot stomach any stories on animal cruelty.
We quickly change the channel when those commercials come on asking for donations to prevent animal cruelty, even though we do donate to animal shelters and animal rescue.

It’s just heartbreaking and that’s another reason that I cannot view pictures of the Gulf, because I cannot stand to see the birds, fish and other wildlife.

We’re big animal lovers in this house and when we go onto the next horizon in 100 years or so we’ll leave whatever we have left to help animals.

(Yes, we are planning to live well into our 150’s!)

boomer1949
Member

Thank you javaz. Every “signature” counts.

Blues Tiger
Member
Blues Tiger

*

boomer1949
Member

bt-

“cowboybilly1984” speaks volumes, not so much the 1984, but the cowboybilly. Go figure. My thanks if you signed the petition; this dairy farm is literally less than 30 minutes from me…30 minutes!

My guess is he inherited it from his hard working parents. They must be spinning, warp speed no less, in their graves.

*Update* We have such wimpy, limpy laws:

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7018833559

So, in the same vein as the cruelty discovered in New Mexico at Holloman AFB and Coulston Research Labs, reported here, nothing will be done until something is done.

Kalima
Admin

I’m a member at this site but couldn’t sign it because I don’t live in the U.S. This is a first time where I couldn’t sign a petition, sorry, I tried. 🙁

javaz
Member

OMG.

Did anyone else think today was Friday?

LMAO

Well, at least I got the laundry done and did the dusting!

It’s kind of neat gaining a day but also kind of scary.

boomer1949
Member

Actually, today was my Friday! Woo Hoo! I’m off until Tuesday. And, tomorrow is payday. 😀

javaz
Member

Good times!

May I say that it’s so nice to see you again, Boomer.

Haven’t seen you around much and I’ve missed you.

Hope you have cracked open a bottle of Merlot and let the PARTY begin!

I think we really should do a youtube night tonight, but then again, I’ve always been one to go against the flow and buck authority in my small way.

LOL

javaz
Member

Pepe – here’s a story that might interest you –

http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2010/05/27/smoking_toddler_outrage/

Khirad
Member

I just saw this on the local teevee. If you were watching Keith today, you also saw my congresswoman (and Bito’s). Well, this is an early attack ad, and I’m more fired up than ever to volunteer:

http://azstarnet.com/news/blogs/pueblo-politics/vmix_7420a5f6-645c-11df-8c2c-001cc4c002e0.html

They would love to have this district back. Palin even put it in her crosshairs.

Blues Tiger
Member
Blues Tiger

*

Mightywoof
Member

I’ve been meaning to post this link for a while and never got around to it but Bluestatesman’s post on the loss of a friend has reminded me.

I will not presume to start a page for the Planet but, should anyone want to do so, this is a great place for private and group grieving, prayers, good thoughts

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/enter.cfm?l=eng

PatsyT
Member

This is a great question….
Why is Rand Paul a Bigger Story then Financial Reform?

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/05/why-is-rand-paul-a-bigger-story-than-financial-reform/57240/

On Friday, May 21, I checked the memeorandum.com politics website–it’s one of the best politics aggregator sites on the web–to find the important news. The dominant story involved Kentucky GOP Senate candidate Rand Paul’s comments about the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the president’s remarks about British Petroleum.

Receiving less than half of the attention devoted to Rand Paul was Senate passage of a sweeping financial regulation bill.

Now, ask yourself this question: Which event is more likely to make a large difference in your life–federal financial reform or Rand Paul’s opinions?

Khirad
Member

Georgia teacher suspended after pupils don Klan robes

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/us_and_canada/10157270.stm

I’m sorta throwin’ this one out there. What say you guys?

kesmarn
Admin

K, I wish the article had been more informative about how the Klan was represented in the film that this teacher and her class made. Did the parents see the film and react negatively? Or was this a reaction only to the costumes? What really happened?

Argh! Incomplete reporting is really annoying. There’s no way to make a judgment until we know these things.

A film that glorifies the Klan, needless to say, is simply not on. I think I’d have a problem, though, with getting the teacher suspended over something that was historically accurate and took a moral stand against racism.

I’ve never understood peoples’ objection to “Huckleberry Finn” because it contains the n-word, though, either. Twain was one of the least racist people of 19th to early 20th century America.

Khirad
Member

Precisely, Kes. I can’t myself make a judgment for the same reasons. That’s why I floated it out there, hesitant if I was still being insensitive.

I would really have to know more details. It was certainly a lapse of judgment to trust kids to be conscientious and not take the hoods off – but that too – maybe they were in a hurry?

If it was these kids dressing up as Klansman and acting like the violent racist pricks they were to prove a point how wrong it was, I say fine. This santitizing history PC crap gets to me.

As long as it wasn’t a student vignette reproduction of “Birth of a Nation” I hope this is cleared up. Unfortunately, I don’t know more about the teacher or the students, but I kinda think it was one of the BBC’s top stories ’cause it happened in Georgia.

As with Arizona, Dixie still lives on in Georgia, but to paint with a broad brush on any state’s denizens and draw snap conclusions thereof, is foolhardy. I’m not quite sure if this is up there with the lynching episodes a few years back. Of course, it could be…

I just don’t know! Aargh!

I want to know how to feel about this!

javaz
Member

Can someone answer this?

What does it say about a country when the largest private employer is Walmart?

PatsyT
Member

We are moving closer and closer to lower expectations.

javaz
Member

Remember when Walmart first started under Sam?

The stores sold everything ‘made in America’ except for produce, and they flew flags in their stores proudly.

Then Sam died, and now his kids and grandkids forgot the pride of made in America and sell crap made in China and other countries.
You can’t find much made in the USA any longer.

I’m not sure what it says that our largest private employer is Walmart, but it does mean lower wages and a lower standard of living.

Tea Party people shout about attitudes being against business, but corporations such as Walmart put small businesses out of work and people who work for Walmart usually need government assistance to support their families.

I remember when General Motors was one of the biggest employers of Americans.

There is good news for Michigan in that GM is reopening 2 plants for their electric cars and one of them from where I lived before moving – Sterling Heights.

Regardless what the Tea Party people say, bailing out GM was the right thing to do as it is putting Americans back to work.

I’m still rooting for Chrysler to pull through.

As Americans we should never let our automotive companies fail, and yes, I know that they mismanaged and were out-of-date and behind, but they’ve got their groove back now and we must save them.

Then again, being from Detroit, I’m sort of biased about that!
LOL

PatsyT
Member

I do kinda remember that Javez.
I remember the Sams dog food and dog treats.
I wonder if we could create a big, I mean really big, label on stuff.
Made in the USA
or
Made in China
or where ever
One unified label right on the front of stuff that sticks out like a searchlight.
Of course have both items next to each other.
Make stores carry both.
Would they go for the USA stuff?
Will people be good patriots then?
Put their money where their mouth is?
Would that help?

boomer1949
Member

javaz,

It’s an oxymoron to go to Walmart, buy an American Flag for the 4th of July, and it’s been made in China.

I really try to avoid Walmart. Sometimes I can go for months, not setting foot a store; then for some reason I fall off the wagon. I need a 12 Step Program.

Khirad
Member

So, my internet was on the fritz yesterday and today – but oh, I actually got through a bunch of trip photos and was productive and stuff (calling blogs anonymous!).

I thought I might share this with my fellow Arizonans up yonder. You know that painful McCain ad?

Wondered who the bald guy was and why the hell I’m supposed to care what the Pinal County Sheriff has to say? Okay, so Pinal is affected, but, McCain couldn’t get Pima’s Clarence Dupnik, Santa Cruz’s Tony Estrada, or even Yuma’s Ralph Ogden? You know, counties actually on the border?! Oh right, they’re all against SB 1070! That leaves Cochise’s Larry Dever, who apparently doesn’t have the same ambition or screen presence.

[County map for non-Arizonans]

This guy is Arpaio-lite and a piece of work.

In Babeu’s office, a vintage Ronald Reagan poster hangs above the desk and a copy of Sarah Palin’s “Going Rogue” lies on the coffee table. But his hero is McCain, who, like Babeu, made military experience the foundation of a political career.

Read the whole article. 😉

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/border/article_afbd68ba-df01-5193-a47e-56dd944677dd.html

My thoughts go to Bito. I read the funny first-part in the hike throughout Tucson series by David Fitzsimmons and thought of him [Fitzsimmons is our cartoonist and hated socialist of the paper often told to take a hike and worse by angry conservative readers!].

javaz
Member

Khirad, is that not the most embarrassing commercial?

Babeu is our sheriff and he won the election because he promised to take down all the speed cameras, which he did, except he does not have the authority to take them down on the highways.
Those are state controlled.
But we even had a speed-camera in our area and we are rural!
Where we live there are only 4 roads that can come up into the foothills, and there had been a camera on the one paved road.

I do think we need them cameras, though, because people drive like maniacs here and if they drove the speed limit, the dust from the dirt roads would not be a problem.

There’s some very bad things about Babeu – nepotism and his friendships with bad cops that were fired from other parts of the valley for bad behavior and even one officer from Chandler who had at least 3 investigations for killing people, and the last time that cop shot a woman in the back of the head for prescription-drug fraud. And she wasn’t fleeing.
Babeu hired him for Pinal County since they were buddies.

He’s not as bad as Sheriff Joe, but he’s got dirty hands.

Khirad
Member

javaz, there was a letter to the editor down here that opposed the cameras because it would cause accidents from people looking for them.

Right, it’s you looking for it, not you trying to get away with running the red light that is the problem.

I swear. What is it with the firestorm over this? On the one hand, it’s one area where Arizona remains libertarian. But it also shows how childish that philosophy is.

As if these presage an Orwellian Arizona. Wait! Don’t they already have that in Maricopa?

Hullo?!