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.
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Hey Pepe how is the book thing going?
Which book thing?
I have multiple book things going on.
The one for your daughter.
Oh, the 2,000-page opus? We found out it’s just part of a bigger 12,000-page opus. Sigh.
Hey all you beautiful PlanetPeople! It’s 1am here and I’m going to sign off too. Kalima, it was great to chat with you tonight! I hope we can do this more often.
Everyone, have a restful night! I’ll see you in the morning! Love to all!
Hey Em,
I am just signing on ….. nighty night.
It was great catching up with you too. I’m usually here, have my computer on from morning until late afternoon, in and out. More out than in these days until I slay the dragon that has taken over our Junk Room. By the time I come back down to warm my frozen fingers and toes, everyone is dreaming already. Bloody silly time zones, who the hell thought of that bright idea?
Good night, sweet dreams and be safe.
Dear Friends, it’s time for kes to make a serious scientific study of the insides of her own eyelids…in other words, to hit the Memory Foam pillow in the hope that it will improve her memory.
Good night all. Hope to see you all tomorrow (or rather, later today, since it’s almost 1 a.m.)! Sleep well.
Good night, Kesmarn. I shall join you from my memory foam mattress! Night, all!
Good night to you Cher and please try to forget about the Huff poster, don’t waste another minute of your time on it. If this person starts to stalk you, I would say quite politely, “Would you be kind enough to please bugger off.”
Sleep well and be safe.
Sleep well, my friend! Sweet dreams! See ya’ tomorrow! 🙂
Good night kesmarn and I hope that you find something interesting inside your eyelids. If it’s something earth shattering, please pass it on.
Sleep well. Take care and be safe.
Nite, Kes! Sleep tight! Hope to see you here tomorrow!
Hi Kes! I’ve been trying to reply to your comment earlier about my friend’s mom on the OT thread, but for some reason, your comment won’t come up. Thanks for asking, but I don’t think there was much hope from the outset. The fact that she hung on for this long was a miracle. But I guess the brain damage was just too much. She only made it for a few minutes after the ventilator was turned off.
The worst part is the impact on my friend, Ann. She has really agonized over having to make this decision. She feels guilty about it and I hope I will be able to help her through this difficult period.
Thanks again for your kind thoughts. BTW, what ever happened to your patient who was the radio operator in WWII? Did he and his wife ever get to be in the same hospital? I have thought about him and hope he is doing better.
That must have been a wrenching decision! Again, my best wishes to your friend.
Thanks, Cher! You PlanetPeople are the best! I just love it here!!!!!!!!!!!
It would be just like me, Em, to forget to hit the “submit comment” button or something. I am getting tired.
But, yes, I mentioned in the other post that making that decision must have been terribly hard for your friend. What an awful situation: first to have such a dreadful thing happen to a parent and then to be expected to make that ultimate choice. Lord help her.
As far as my WWII radio operator goes: I never did have the chance to take care of him again! I know he’s no longer in the hospital, but was unable to get the rest of the story. I know this sounds like an odd thing to do, but, I’ve been checking the obits in the daily paper and have not seen his nor his wife’s name. So I can only conclude that they most likely did make it back to the assisted living center together. If I hear anything further, I’ll let you know.
That’s the frustrating thing about acute care nursing; you don’t always get to find out how it all turned out!
Kes, I know what you mean. I used to have to run all over the hospital to follow up on patients that I saw in the ER.
I check the obits every single morning! As long as my name is not there, things are great!! 🙂 At least, I’m still looking at the right side of the grass!! LOL
I’m so very sorry to hear about your friend’s mother Emerald. This story is so heartbreaking, did they ever catch the animal who did this?
Kalima, I’m not sure whether they have him or not. I have not been able to get in touch with her in a few days. She has been at the hospital quite a bit. I got the news from my daughter today who had been able to get her on the phone. I’m going to keep trying and will post an update when I get some information.
Thank you Emerald. I hope they catch him soon. For the surviving members of the family, it is sometimes so stressful not knowing the whole story. I wish your friend my very best.
I used to take my meds and go to bed at 8:30. And I still should! but you guys…..
good night all.
Be kind to each other and
peace.
‘Night, John-Boy!
Nighty-night, bit! Sleep tight…don’t let the bedbugs bite! 🙂
Good night bito, rest well. I promise not to sends any ninjas, ok?
Night, b’ito! Sleep well.
I’m off to bed soon myself. No anxiety dreams tonight, now that you’ve checked in with all your fans here at the Planet.
I just made the mistake of reading a reply to my comments over there. Actually, I had just “quadruple fanned” a poster who was valiantly defending Obama. I want to share with my friends here the reply I got because I have never gotten such a reply before and am at a loss as to what or if to respond. I also want to point out that, although critical, it is an illustration of how politeness and even flattery works better than vitriol:
nice2blucky replied on Jan 14, 2010 at 16:20:55
You gotta’ be kidding!! Cher, what does all that gibberish mean? I take exception to the comment and hope, with all my heart, that this troll never finds the URL for the Planet! If he/she does, we’ll make mince meat out of him/her! Don’t give it another thought!
Addendum: I would not give this idiot the satisfaction of a reply. The more I think about it, the more it pisses me off that he would be so critical without knowing you in the least!
But you see, he claimed to have read my other posts. So in a sense, he/she does know me somewhat. The thing is, I feel the need to try to explain why I am accepting of Obama’s centrism, even though I am at heart a leftie. I guess i just took this person more seriously than I usually do because s/he was sincere.
I would have to agree with Kesmarn on this one. I don’t understand what people get out of insulting someone they don’t know. Just because he read your previous posts does not qualify for “knowing you”. You don’t owe this creep any explanation for anything! It’s creepy people like this that become stalkers. They try to engage you by saying outlandish things.
Thanks Em. I’m going to take your advice.
Good girl! I went back and read it again…and it’s even more weird the 2nd time around. Really creepy! I guess I had forgotten just how nasty some people are over at HP.
After reading your responses– Kes and Kalima’s too, I re-read it with new eyes. And it IS creepy! What was i thinking?
And you know what REALLY makes it creepy? All I did was fan someone and got this response! That should have quivered my antennae!
Cher, I thought the person’s sincerely was far outweighed by his/her condescending and dismissive message. One hundred percent jerk, in my humble estimation.
That makes the consensus of awesome women practically unanimous, e’cat! And I only say “practically unanimous” because a few are absent. Thank you for your input, my friend!
Cher, I would be at a loss as to how to respond to this, too.
My initial, intuitive reaction is one of strong distaste and a little wariness. I think I would avoid engaging this person because he/she comes across as a sort of bipolar sadist. It goes kind of like: insult-compliment-insult-insult-compliment-insult-compliment-compliment…ad nauseum.
The tell-tale quality that pervades this disjointed response is that there’s not one suggestion of a better option. Apparently to this person, Obama and optimism are ‘naive.’ Okay—so what’s his/her grand program for fixing this mess? To echo Sergeant Schultz: “I see nothing.”
Lord, HP can be a depressing place, no?
PS You are both a better person and a better thinker than this person will ever be.
Kes– that was really insightful– the bi-polar part especially.I didn’t catch that. Thanks to both you and Emerald. I won’t reply. but what fascinates me is how much more effective this person’s approach was to me. I didn’t immediately dismiss him/her.
I would beg you to ignore this person, in their dismissal of your opinions and the sweetness of the delivery, I see this poster as looking down their nose at you. They are insulting without making it obvious, the need to control you, what you think sounds almost sadistic and on the edge. I really don’t think for a second that they have your best interests in mind, it sounds as if they are quite unstable. How extremely rude and obnoxious of them.
Well, that seals it. Thanks, Kalima. My boundaries must need some structural repairs. I have never gotten a response like this, but now that you point it out, there is definitely something sinister here. Thank you!
Hey Cher, I don’t think there’s a thing wrong with your boundaries! This person, for whatever the reason, tried to cloak the insults in some pretty stilted language, building you up and then cutting you down. I would have been as puzzled as you were if it were me. The fact that you brought it over to the Planet to discuss proves that your boundaries are just fine! 🙂
Addendum: The language used by this person reminded me a little bit of ol’ Flossy who used to drive me to the brink over there. He loved to use big words and lots of “isms” to impress everybody. What a twit!
Floosy was/is a lightweight. I used to pay him a little bit of attention once in a while. But at some point he wrote about how smart Palin was, and that was it for me. I never even read his posts after that– just scrolled. He’s not a bad guy, just utterly unimpressive.-ISM!That’s gonna be my new scoff word– ism!
Hey Cher, yes Flossy was a light-weight, but he used to get on these rants about socialism, communism, Marxism, etc. ad nauseum. I don’t think he really knew much about any of it, but he liked to throw out the terms to impress. I just hate someone who is just a pompous ass! He lit into me a few times.
Emerald and Cher, I have some really strong suspicions about “Flossy.” First of all, I think he has many, many, many sockpuppets at HP … some of which might really surprise people … and that he spends 12-16 hours a day, 7 days a week on HP with his various socks.
Secondly, I’ve reached the conclusion that he doesn’t really believe his own codswallop. I think he just likes to engage in sophistry to infuriate and exasperate people. He will make ridiculous sweeping pronouncements of fact, and when people ask him for substantiation for his facts, he will not provide any. It’s all a game to frustrate. And he does it in a coy, cutesy way in which he’s getting other people to call him names and attack him and melt down. That’s the whole point of his posts. I think of all the manipulative trolls on HP, he’s the most manipulative.
Huff has all sorts of posters, but this response to you, made my spine tingle and that is rare for me. I’ve lived the best part of my life through my own intuition, it has served me well. No need for thanks, I think that we are all here to look out for one another, that’s a beautiful part of the Planet. 🙂
The Planet population is awesome– there is no other way to say it!
That sums it up perfectly. 🙂
I totally agree with you, Kalima! The longer I live, the more I trust my gut! There was definitely something weird about this one.
Yes, Cher, there’s a sort of semi-intelligent slyness there that, frankly, worries me. I may be over reacting here, but the word that comes to mind is halfway-charming sociopath. This person knows how to pull people in before slipping the ol’ stiletto between the ribs so deftly you hardly even feel it.
Run, girl!
Cher, this was interesting and I want to weigh in.
I went there are checked luckys profile and comments…since 2006, less than 500 comments, mostly to the right and negative (don’t worry, I only skimmed and didn’t hurt myself)
not too many replies but noticed a few did tell lucky to seek help, only recently started posting every day, which leads me to believe they recently came upon more free time or they had another profile they used more. It all seems to stay the same over the 3 years. The positive then negative theme is strange,
but what I found intriguing about this particular comment was the ring or bit of truth that was actually good to hear The reminder to check our selves and our intentions. Not because we are doing something incorrect but more just like a political reality check, and I do like to look for the positive in situations…..
The personally directed insults and negativity should just be disregarded and this only serves as an excellent example of what we all are moving away from.
There is something different about this one though, best to leave it alone!!
I guess they didn’t get the memo to read your latest master piece about the House and Senate, then they’d really blucky and know what a great thinker as well as a kind and compassionate person, you really are!!
I just came in from work, I hope this makes sense?!
OMG!! Jon Stewart’s take on Beck’s interview with Ms. Mooseburger! Priceless!!!!
Maybe I’m the only one who sees this as possibly significant, but Keith Olbermann just introduced Lawrence O’Donnell — for the first time that I’ve noticed — as a FORMER contributor to the Huffington Post.
I caught that! Wow! Maybe there is trouble in paradise!
Hehe. I hope so!!
Hmm, I missed that– good catch. Why do they introduce him as that, I wonder? I mean, he seems more accomplished than someone who’s only claim to fame is a “former contributor to Huffington Post!”
I know. I think that HP has enjoyed a reputation as a progressive force when in fact it was only a really popular blog for no other reason that it was NEW (with the comments technology that Drudge didn’t offer).
Remember when Obama called on Sam Stein in that early news conference? That made waves. Now, I don’t think that sort of thing happens any more.
Good morning Dear Kalima, always brightens my day to see you here. How did you get up and answerer my question about the crows? And what is your solution?
Good evening bito, I hope that you are well rested after your trying day of tests, they are so exhausting I know.
To answer your question, I drink a huge mug full of cocoa before I sleep, it’s so darned big that I need both hands to hold the heavy thing. My early morning answer to you was because I was returning from the “little girl’s room” and decided that I needed a cup of tea to warm me up.
My solution for the pesky crows, everyone should buy some castanets and do a Spanish foot stomping dance in the street while playing them like I do. It works for me and the neighbours already decided years ago that I’m stark raving bonkers, so what’s the harm? 🙂
I always love your replies, Kalima.
You have a gift with words.
OT on the OT thread, and correct me if I’m wrong, but I just wrote the best thing ever in my life that I’ve ever written.
LMAO
It was on the cigar thing by Keven.
If you have the time, would you and b’ito read it?
Thank you javaz, as do you. I’m actually a bit of a loon and tend to find a funny side to many things, it helps a lot when you are practically house bound like I have been for far too many years. My RA has robbed me of too many things including my freedom to do as I please and often my dignity, but one thing that it will never get it’s greedy, destructive claws on is my sense of fun and my sense of humour.
I would be honoured to read what you wrote javaz and will check it out in a minute.
I read it j’avaz. The thing is, I don’t think either side can be proven. Maybe. Go to think progress and see if they have any article on it in the wonk room. Have you ever used the “word cloud” there? You can get all the articles at one time on the subject.
That was a different style of writing for you. Very good. Now I will go back and re-read it.
Javaz, was it the first two comments at the top of the thread, if so, the first one summed it up in a nut shell, you certainly got their number and nailed it.
Oh and I don’t think that the idiots just let it happen, 9/11 I mean, they were just asleep on the job or just plain ignorant. I remember that Bush didn’t even know the names of other world leaders, I cringed, how was that for a start to his foreign policy and look how long it took him to take any interest in the ME crisis, abysmal.
Bush’s foreign policy started with the invasion of Iraq to avenge the attempted assassination of his Daddy, although for the life of me I can’t remember this. Tricky Dicky made it about robbing the Iraqis of their oil reserves. That was the weak attempt at Bush’s foreign policy as far as I could see, laughable.
Kalima,I would love to see that video of you and your Spanish dancing. I can’t even imagine why the neighbors think you are a nutter. Maybe Tipi should have tried that in “The Birds.” You are not bonkers, you’re a magician!
I saw you post from last night and you got it exactly right. A day getting my testing done wears me out. I got home, ate, drank a beer and went to bed!
Glad to read you drank a beer.
Beer.
It’s why we live because, in heaven there is no beer!
And it’s why we drink it here . . .
#1 song in the UP! 😆
Well bito it’s like this. Should you ever see a video of me, my castanets, frantic arm waving, livid foot stomping and loud shouts of “Bugger off you blighters” I’d have to kill you because it would soooooo damage my reputation as this know-it-all, cool and collected chick from Europe. I hope that you understand, nothing personal, but I’d send ninjas to sort you out!!
No need for ninjas, Kalima, I understand. I don’t even allow photographs of me. Of course a photo might do the job of scaring the crows. 😀
I should amend that to kidnap bito, I wouldn’t harm a precious hair on your sweet head.
The only ninjas I know are inside my tv and I’ve allowed very few photos to be taken of me since I became sick, have thousands of photos when I was still on my feet, it’s enough.
It is amazing how an illness steals your body away. At the “C” clinic they are kind and tell you that you look good. lol Better maybe but Good? nah.
and it wouldn’t take ninjas. A healthy jr. high school kid could worry me.
I’m quite sure that you look much better than you think you do bito.
My illness stole my dignity and my independence. I’m not used to having people do things for me, I was always a very active person and as the years pass me by, find that I can do less and less of what I need to do. It’s so frustrating, but more often than not, embarrassing and that is what hurts.
Trust me kalima– Bito is HAWT! I just feel it!
Cher, I wish that he could have read your comment before taking his meds and going to sleep. He would have slept with a silly grin on his face all through the night. 🙂
😆 that is so funny.
I’m delighted that I made you laugh, but hey, are you allowed to?
Don’t want you to break any rules now. 🙂
Attention POV authors: I have a question on brainstorming.
Just a thought…I watched the President’s statement about our aid to Haiti. Perhaps it was the lighting over his podium, but his hair is turning grey/white in front of our eyes!! No doubt, the job is taking its toll on him!
I have to share this story that happened today.
We were on our way to the vet for the dog’s annual physical, and we spotted a pickup in front of us with a huge sign in the right-hand part of his back window.
As we got closer, we could make out the first words at the top, and it was “Obama It’s Time”.
My husband sped up so we could read the rest, and it was “Obama It’s Time To Show Us Your Birth Certificate”
My husband and I burst out laughing, and then he changed lanes to pass the moron, and we looked over at the guy, and he was fairly young, and he stared back at us and gave us the middle finger salute!
LMAO
I guess he caught us laughing at him in his rear view mirror.
Rednecks don’t like folks laughing at them, I guess.
I’ve put Obama stickers on these yahoo’s trucks. Guess that makes me a Progressive terrorist.
Damn proud of it!
Cause I was born an American,
And I am an American,
In A-mer-i-ca!!
What a great idea!!
Thanks, escribacat. I do it under stealth in shopping center parking lots. Might have gotten a couple of soccer moms in the crossfire.
Q, that is brilliant!
I saw one smart (?) guy today with a bumper sticker that said “Buck Fama.” (Or maybe he was a sports fan and was referring to ‘Bama? Just thought of that. Good thing I didn’t “salute” him as I passed.)
At least he’s consistent in his classy mindset! 😆
j’avaz, You are here. Hello, Girl!
Hiya B’ito!!!!
Hope you are well.
We all missed you yesterday!
((((((((HUGS)))))))
We had to take the pooch to the vet for his annual exam and then we dropped off several old computers, scanners, and printers at a trade school that teaches computer classes and electronics.
And then we dropped off clothes, books, and household items I don’t use anymore at the Salvation Army.
The hubby cleaned out the garage, and I cleaned out closets and cupboards after New Years.
It was time to get rid of our stuff and hopefully someone will put it all to good use.
Wow! Javaz, that’s almost eerie! I did exactly the same thing yesterday! Got rid of a bunch of stuff to the landfill, re-cycled some old electronics and plastics. It does feel good to clean out!
Two great minds…working together! LOL 🙂
I love cleaning out the closets. There’s a Thrift center nearby that operates as a free store for the homeless. It’s such a good feeling to know that things I never wore or barely wore can go on a rack and someone who needs them won’t even have to pay for them.
I know you feel good, javaz.
I do feel good.
I’m anal when it comes to cleaning and organization.
I’m a list maker.
You should have seen me when I worked.
I always had rubbing alcohol, Windex, and paper towels.
I would not only keep my computer and area clean, but I’d clean everyone’s cubicle around me!
LMAO
When I left, so many coworkers said how they’d miss me for keeping their monitors and keyboards clean!
One guy actually asked for all my cleaning stuff and I gave it to him, but I doubt he cleaned more than his area.
j’avaz, missed being here. Test days can sometimes wear me out. “Go here, move there, lie down ,get up, wait wait wait…
Looks like you guys had a party here last night. This post went from 360 comments to 700! and you drank all the beer! 🙂
That was nice of you guys to donate all that stuff. I’m sure someone will make use of it. I use Viet Nam Vets, they come and pick every thing up from the house.
Didn’t drink the beer last night, but am having a few right now!
Did you get the thunderstorm late last night/early morning?
We live off dirt roads, and can only open our windows after it rains because of the dust.
So, I have every window open to air out the house and it’s a bit chilly with drinking cold beer – 😆 – but it’s so nice to open up the house.
I hope your tests come out okay and I’m so glad to see you here today!
Isn’t it awesomely cool how AdLib gave your great TO/OT thing a button on the main page?
That’s got to mean something for next year’s award program!
Hope you like Wheatena!
j’vaz,I wasn’t sure if AdLib would be happy about this post. I just wanted a place to put up things without interrupting some one’s post that they worked hard on for days.
My folks teached me that stuff about interrupting. 🙂 A button!
that’s better than Wheatina!
This is one of the MOST popular threads on the site!!!
Bravo!
You did good.
I completely agree with you on that, Javaz! This is almost like our own brand of “chat room” and I really like being able to touch base with friends here!
Good work, bit!
I’ve got to get to work, but before I go I want to share a web site that has some very positive reporting on veterans issues. I find myself spending a bit of time there everyday and it’s always informative!
Here’s a little something from today that seemed like a step in the right direction, Special Report: Schakowsky Prepares Legislation to Ban Blackwater
http://www.veteranstoday.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=10145
Wish I didn’t have to leave, but I am grateful I’ve got somewhere to go!!!
Hope, As soon as I saw who the author I knew I had to read it. Jerry Scahill. He has been doing a number on Blackwater!
Have a good day!
Good day, lab and a warm welcome to the PlanetPOV. A home for the civil!