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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Haruko Haruhara
Member

This is just a test.

Pepe messed up my avatar by trying to start a WordPress blog.

Pepe Lepew
Member

OK, let’s see if this works.

Mightywoof
Member

I’m afraid the conversation in Marion’s latest thread about the 7 mountain goats – ummmmm, that wasn’t right – the 7 whatevers 😆 has left me feeling very depressed. But then a friend sent me this – if you’re up for one more flash mob doing their thing (and you love Handel’s Halleluja Chorus from the Messiah) then listen to this

From a food court somewhere in Welland, Ontario

kesmarn
Admin

“Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands…”

Woof, you just saved my Christmas spirit.

You little Dickens.

Mightywoof
Member

I’ve been feeling very Bah Humbuggy recently and this really lifted my spirits, Kes, so I’m glad it did the same for you!! If I hear one more Jingle Bells I may just lose it 😆

AlphaBitch
Member
AlphaBitch

Thanks, MW. Makes me want to be a Canadian MORE – and to go to the Church of Arbys.

-AB

Mightywoof
Member

I may be biased AB but I think everybody should be Canadian – we are delightfully boring people 🙂

You may worship where you wish – me, I’m off to the Temple of Wok!!

Pepe Lepew
Member

Canadians? Where? Lemme at ’em!

AlphaBitch
Member
AlphaBitch

Hey Pepe! Congrats on your new citizenship. I’m just pea green with envy. I used to think – “hell, I’ll just go to Mexico” (I love to snorkel). Now? Not so much. Given I’d rather face a Talib than an airplane (that fear came loooonnnnggg before 9/11), I’m limited to refugee status at bordering countries. Damn! Why oh why are the countries bordering the US so damn BIG?

escribacat
Member

Very cool.

Khirad
Member

Great acoustics.

kesmarn
Admin

Dear People of Kentucky,

We just had an election. Why, why, why did you elect Rand Paul when this is going on?

http://www.wlky.com/r/25948793/detail.html

Khirad
Member

Nothing incredibly surprising here:

The Wikileaks U.S. Embassy Cables: A State-by-State Regional View on Iran
http://www.thenewestdeal.org/2010/11/wikileaks-us-embassy-cables-state-by.html

Despite de Posada voicing support, perhaps a good idea?! – with or without the politics!

Latino leaders swirl around idea of Tequila Party
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/nov/28/leaders-swirl-around-idea-tequila-party/

I skipped to my favorite page, although it’s worth noting that Obama was #3:

The FP Top 100 Global Thinkers
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/11/29/the_fp_top_100_global_thinkers?page=0,32

Oh, and the local news is doing their newscast from the Pioneer Courthouse Square, not their studio. Portland isn’t a tiny town, but this is about as big as it gets for a local news story minus the Rose Festival – and since most of you are probably unfamiliar with Portland, it is the heart of downtown (both geographically and culturally) and any local – or native, like me – likely has many memories associated with it.

But, to a positive story to come out of this:

Corvallis mosque hit by arson fire receives outpouring of community support
http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2010/11/corvallis_mosque_hit_by_arson_fire_receives_outpouring_of_community_support.html

Khirad
Member

Was reading this in the waiting room today:

Can Obama fight the GOP’s blame game?

By E.J. Dionne Jr.
Monday, November 29, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/28/AR2010112802911.html

kesmarn
Admin

A terrific article, Khirad. Paul Krugman wrote along similar lines recently. He observed that this consistently mindless, knee-jerk obstructionism on the part of the Republicans was rapidly making the country completely ungovernable.

Krugman, I believe, is not a pessimist by nature, but I sense he feels that things are seriously unraveling on several major fronts and the time remaining to come to grips with it is dwindling.

kesmarn
Admin

b’ito, I think it was you who asked, earlier, why Assange didn’t target the big, fraudulent banking system in his campaign of leakage.
Apparently, he was reading the Planet.

Early next year, Julian Assange says, a major American bank will suddenly find itself turned inside out. Tens of thousands of its internal documents will be exposed on Wikileaks.org with no polite requests for executives’ response or other forewarnings. The data dump will lay bare the finance firm’s secrets on the Web for every customer, every competitor, every regulator to examine and pass judgment on.

From a Forbes magazine interview.

Khirad
Member

I’ve been debating the wisdom of the stuff he’s leaked so far… although, the redacting is a nice touch. A tad late, but eased my qualms considerably.

But, please, this would make so much more sense. This is who really needs to be leaked. We can’t request even an FOI Act for these guys.

boomer1949
Member

Oh my goodness and here I thought it was Friday!

Dear me, I went off on a Facebook Tangent (my daughter will be sooo embarrassed), yet…I couldn’t help myself.

The only way to get the message across and into the thick skulls of these bigots is to NOT let up, we must keep reminding ourselves and others that their agenda has absolutely nothing to do with making this country better for all of us.

Yet we must increase the pressure on these Yahoos to produce SOMETHING in the short term, the same as they’ve DEMANDED from the Obama Administration. Period.

They just want to see President Obama fail. Go figure, but it isn’t rocket science either.

Now wouldn’t one think the “majority” party would want to make all things fair and square? Don’t bet on it; it has never been a priority or on their agenda.

The GOP/TP/Flannel-Shirt/Pick-Up Truck/Gun Rack/Bigoted SOBS have been getting off on the prospect of bringing the first African American POTUS to his knees since November 2008.

No time to take a breath or analyze. PRODUCE SPEAKER BOEHNER! PRODUCE!

WHERE ARE THE JOBS?

What are you going to do for the unemployed Tea Partiers you seduced into voting for you. WHAT?

Why are you holding the unemployed hostage to prove the point of your bigotry and to get this administration to cave to your “demands.” Sorry John Boy, but you really don’t like the fact that an African American is living in the White House…now do you? BTW…JB…I live in OH-IO. And, don’t become complacent…many of us see you for what y’all are; bigots and racists. John Boy, you remind me of a long deceased Uncle. You JB, are as much of an asshole as he was when I was 11 and that was 50 years ago.

None of these “white guys” (okay I realize John Boy has issues) could give a rat’s ass about anyone other than themselves and the corporations padding their wallets; oh, and some lobbyist MUST be paying for John Boy’s trips to the tanning bed, his Jergen’s Bronzer or, at the very least his propensity to enjoy Happy Hour on a daily basis.

Very disconcerting that there are Ohioans who can not even put food on the table much less have a Jack Daniels on the rocks, a straight up Martini, or freaking Bud Light because THEY CAN’T AFFORD IT!!! Yet, John seems to be able to…what’s wrong with this picture?

And…none of these Republican White Guys are happy. Why? Think about it. An African American family is living in “their White House.” Give me a freaking break and get a clue folks.

http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=111073562295535&id=138529979532186&ref=notif&notif_t=like

What can I say? Way beyond annoying (and as I stated before, the daughter will be totally embarrassed). So be it. I refuse to have my tax dollars pay for a freaking faux tan and the health care benefits of a BIGOT and someone who wants to deny the same for any other Ohioan or American Citizen.

John and his “compatriots” need to be called to task, not given any breathing room, and should be able to produce ON DEMAND by God, ON DEMAND!! Fix it John Boy, fix it!!

Yet, today? He admitted he/they probably wouldn’t be able to. Jeeze, what a fucking surprise!

kesmarn
Admin

boomer, your daughter should be — and I’m sure is — very proud of having a mom who feels passionately about what’s happening in the world and about fighting bigotry and injustice when she sees it.

After all, you are the mom who raised a daughter who cares a lot about little kids and making sure they get the best possible start in their educational careers. That would have to make you a pretty good mom…and citizen.

😀

boomer1949
Member

Thank you kes, thank you. It just seems so simple, but “they” make it so darn complicated. Why are some humans so selfish?

And…somehow I just can’t picture Boehner, Cantor, or McConnell purchasing clothing for a family whose home burned to the ground a couple of weeks ago. Yet, this is what my “overpaid, teacher daughter” did last weekend. And, not because I’m looking for kudos, I did the same. Did I have the extra 50 bucks to spare? No, but I could not stand by and see little kids without warm clothes, food, or Christmas gifts.

I also wonder how these selfish assholes are able to sleep at night.

We really should refuse to pay for their HC insurance. They should be required to sacrifice the same as what they expect from everyone else. Selfish bastards…are you sure this isn’t Friday? 😆

kesmarn
Admin

boomer…I’m at a loss for words. (Unusual for me.)

You and your daughter! What generosity. And I know that you’ve mentioned that your son-in-law is still looking for work…so obviously, they are not rolling in cash.

You are doing the Lord’s work.

Our church is having a benefit dinner on December 10 for our (rockin’) music director, who needs to have an MRI to find out the cause of her hand tremors (always a problem in a musician). She must have $750 with her when she goes for the test, or they will not do it. (A charitable group is picking up the rest of the fee, beyond the $750.)

THANK YOU, REPUBLICANS AND T-BAGS!! For making life so hard for so many good people.

👿

AlphaBitch
Member
AlphaBitch

Aw, boomer! What gals! That warms my heart, and I’m sure it warms their hearts, hands, toes, etc. How sweet.

there is a saying in the Qur’an – which I will paraphrase here, although I know it’s a no-no to do so with Muslims (but hey! I’m a Christian) – that goes something like:

If God had wanted, He would have made us all the same. But He didn’t, so that we could compete with each other for good works.

You won.