Random Thoughts on a Thursday
We've been taking Toby and Allie to a dog park about 10 miles from home. We live in the suburbs without a fenced yard so it's not easy to let them run around and explore. The dog park has acres of openness where we can walk along and not worry about them running out into traffic or getting lost. Here's a video I took from yesterday's walk. What surprised me most was how Allie's personality changed once taken off the leash at the park. When she's on the leash and we're out for a walk in our neighborhood she can be aggressive toward other dogs. Off the leash at the park, she's not at all aggressive. Toby is very non-confrontational toward other dogs. On our first visit to the park, he was reluctant to go near other packs of dogs. He's a submissive little guy who doesn't want any trouble.
I replaced my mp3 player. My iRiver I bought three years ago still works fine but it's gotten crusty from sweat as I only use it when I'm out on my bike. I decided to stay with iRiver and ordered the T10, 1GB flash memory player. I like it because unlike an iPod, the battery can be replaced on the fly. I was very disappointed with the lack of software for uploading files to it. It relies on Windows Media Player for the uploads. With my other iRiver player, I'm able to rearrange the tracks within it so they play in a particular order. The T10 model sorts the tracks into categories based on the artist and then the album. I have to strip away all that information from the tracks so it will play them in the order I upload them to the player otherwise it plays the tracks back in its own way based on the artist name and album. I like to arrange the songs in a specific order so while I'm on a ride I'll go through periods of up-tempo stuff to hammer to then work into some slower tunes for a recovery phase.
Barack Obama just lost any chance he may have had to secure my vote in the next presidential election; not that he ever really had much of a chance nor any Democrat for that matter. Yesterday the US Supreme Court upheld a congressional decision banning the practice of partial-birth abortion. Democrats will tell you that it's a needed procedure in cases where, well, they really can't tell you any specific reasons why it's needed other than to say for the health of the mother but that's simply not so. If a baby can be partially delivered why on earth would it be necessary to stop the delivery so they can go in, crush the child's skull, killing the young life? There is no possible explanation for allowing this sort of barbaric practice to continue.
Back to Barack. In response to the Supreme Court's decision, Barack said, "I strongly disagree with today's Supreme Court ruling, which dramatically departs from previous precedents safeguarding the health of pregnant women." What about the health of young human beings developing in their mother's womb, Barack? Not to worry though, Barack, because you can still extinguish the young lives which are somehow a threat to their host. There is another procedure which is every bit as gruesome and is not affected by yesterday's decision. Dismembering the fetus in the uterus is still available and is actually much more common.
Do an image search on partial-birth abortion and see what it is these politicians are so eager to fight for. Ask yourself what sort of person would condone such a practice. It's possible that I'm simply clueless and I need help in understanding why this is a good thing and not just done out of convenience.
Barack is not alone in his position as all of the democratic presidential hopefuls used similar words to express their unhappiness with the court's decision. Too bad.
How did we get to where we are today? I don't have a lot of hope but it's my wish that someday we'll look back on this period in our history the same way we now look back on the ugliness of slavery in our country. We'll wonder how it ever was that so many in our society embraced abortion and fought for its continuance in the same way that slaveholders fought and died for their right to enslave others.
This was my entire reason for voting for Bush...the Supreme Court nominations he made. I don't like being a one-issue person but I don't see that there is any way for me to get beyond this issue. Both parties are very disappointing there is no denying that. A move to a more conservative court was my main concern and for Bush to be able to appoint two judges during his presidency was important to Tammy and me.
As for my profession, I couldn't have made a worse choice when I pulled the lever for Bush. His appointment of Marion Blakey to head the FAA was a poor one. I used to love my job but that all changed this past September when our union's (Natca) negotiations came to an impasse with FAA management and they imposed their last best offer on us...calling it a contract even though there was never an agreement. It may take a couple years to right the wrongs but now that the power has shifted in the congress and the senate I'm hopeful that our issues will be addressed and not ignored.
Divided government is a good thing. Too much power by either party has never been good for our country.
Mat Kearny is touring the country. Go see him if you get the chance as his words have some important truths.
Tomorrow
I hear a voice crying out from the bellies of their mommas
Hold on for today don't worry about tomorrow
Though the rains of today seem to fall with sorrow
Let me be and we'll see this life for tomorrow
I hear a cry going out in the middle of the night
Under the scatter of the stars from a voice cracked with fright
And as the tears stripe cheeks from pain running south
The taste of salt hits the corner of her mouth
Resting on tied tongues with no breath left to speak
Sick of throwing up with no bread left to eat
Tired and confused from disillusionment
Sunny days turn to grey and away he went
Ripping the hooks out your heart from the promises at dark
The words found their mark as the sheets came apart
Every spoken word broken
As he flipped you a token
Kiss on the cheek as his feet found the open door
What's in store for you he didn't question
Shook his burden to the floor to leave you guessing
About the future and what it will unfold
But you're still standing there rockin' it so bold like
Chorus x 2
Holding on these songs of hope
I cannot sing them without you
Holding on, holding on
You can't just point a finger and say it's alright
Make a trip downtown and put it out of sight
Because two came together so strong one night
And two wrongs don't make one right
Giving a voice to the voiceless saying it's choiceless
Cause they're priceless my princess
I feel the kicks and the churns give me a turn
And a shot at this world to fight the fight
To beat my plight and let my light shine
In this dark time with all its ways of wearing crime
And let this world drown in these ultrasounds
Hearing this heart beats speak sweet so profound
From beat down to higher ground
Where hope abounds with love that astounds
Les Miserables this ain't no miserable daughter
Calling you Cossette 'cause God will be your father
Chorus x 2
Holding on these songs of hope
I cannot sing them without you
Holding on, holding on
I replaced my mp3 player. My iRiver I bought three years ago still works fine but it's gotten crusty from sweat as I only use it when I'm out on my bike. I decided to stay with iRiver and ordered the T10, 1GB flash memory player. I like it because unlike an iPod, the battery can be replaced on the fly. I was very disappointed with the lack of software for uploading files to it. It relies on Windows Media Player for the uploads. With my other iRiver player, I'm able to rearrange the tracks within it so they play in a particular order. The T10 model sorts the tracks into categories based on the artist and then the album. I have to strip away all that information from the tracks so it will play them in the order I upload them to the player otherwise it plays the tracks back in its own way based on the artist name and album. I like to arrange the songs in a specific order so while I'm on a ride I'll go through periods of up-tempo stuff to hammer to then work into some slower tunes for a recovery phase.Barack Obama just lost any chance he may have had to secure my vote in the next presidential election; not that he ever really had much of a chance nor any Democrat for that matter. Yesterday the US Supreme Court upheld a congressional decision banning the practice of partial-birth abortion. Democrats will tell you that it's a needed procedure in cases where, well, they really can't tell you any specific reasons why it's needed other than to say for the health of the mother but that's simply not so. If a baby can be partially delivered why on earth would it be necessary to stop the delivery so they can go in, crush the child's skull, killing the young life? There is no possible explanation for allowing this sort of barbaric practice to continue.
Back to Barack. In response to the Supreme Court's decision, Barack said, "I strongly disagree with today's Supreme Court ruling, which dramatically departs from previous precedents safeguarding the health of pregnant women." What about the health of young human beings developing in their mother's womb, Barack? Not to worry though, Barack, because you can still extinguish the young lives which are somehow a threat to their host. There is another procedure which is every bit as gruesome and is not affected by yesterday's decision. Dismembering the fetus in the uterus is still available and is actually much more common.
Do an image search on partial-birth abortion and see what it is these politicians are so eager to fight for. Ask yourself what sort of person would condone such a practice. It's possible that I'm simply clueless and I need help in understanding why this is a good thing and not just done out of convenience.
Barack is not alone in his position as all of the democratic presidential hopefuls used similar words to express their unhappiness with the court's decision. Too bad.
How did we get to where we are today? I don't have a lot of hope but it's my wish that someday we'll look back on this period in our history the same way we now look back on the ugliness of slavery in our country. We'll wonder how it ever was that so many in our society embraced abortion and fought for its continuance in the same way that slaveholders fought and died for their right to enslave others.
This was my entire reason for voting for Bush...the Supreme Court nominations he made. I don't like being a one-issue person but I don't see that there is any way for me to get beyond this issue. Both parties are very disappointing there is no denying that. A move to a more conservative court was my main concern and for Bush to be able to appoint two judges during his presidency was important to Tammy and me.
As for my profession, I couldn't have made a worse choice when I pulled the lever for Bush. His appointment of Marion Blakey to head the FAA was a poor one. I used to love my job but that all changed this past September when our union's (Natca) negotiations came to an impasse with FAA management and they imposed their last best offer on us...calling it a contract even though there was never an agreement. It may take a couple years to right the wrongs but now that the power has shifted in the congress and the senate I'm hopeful that our issues will be addressed and not ignored.
Divided government is a good thing. Too much power by either party has never been good for our country.
Mat Kearny is touring the country. Go see him if you get the chance as his words have some important truths.
Tomorrow
I hear a voice crying out from the bellies of their mommas
Hold on for today don't worry about tomorrow
Though the rains of today seem to fall with sorrow
Let me be and we'll see this life for tomorrow
I hear a cry going out in the middle of the night
Under the scatter of the stars from a voice cracked with fright
And as the tears stripe cheeks from pain running south
The taste of salt hits the corner of her mouth
Resting on tied tongues with no breath left to speak
Sick of throwing up with no bread left to eat
Tired and confused from disillusionment
Sunny days turn to grey and away he went
Ripping the hooks out your heart from the promises at dark
The words found their mark as the sheets came apart
Every spoken word broken
As he flipped you a token
Kiss on the cheek as his feet found the open door
What's in store for you he didn't question
Shook his burden to the floor to leave you guessing
About the future and what it will unfold
But you're still standing there rockin' it so bold like
Chorus x 2
Holding on these songs of hope
I cannot sing them without you
Holding on, holding on
You can't just point a finger and say it's alright
Make a trip downtown and put it out of sight
Because two came together so strong one night
And two wrongs don't make one right
Giving a voice to the voiceless saying it's choiceless
Cause they're priceless my princess
I feel the kicks and the churns give me a turn
And a shot at this world to fight the fight
To beat my plight and let my light shine
In this dark time with all its ways of wearing crime
And let this world drown in these ultrasounds
Hearing this heart beats speak sweet so profound
From beat down to higher ground
Where hope abounds with love that astounds
Les Miserables this ain't no miserable daughter
Calling you Cossette 'cause God will be your father
Chorus x 2
Holding on these songs of hope
I cannot sing them without you
Holding on, holding on
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