1010 WINS has learned that "Law and Order" star Jerry Orbach has died of prostate cancer at the age of 69. His manager, Robert Malcolm confirmed Orbach's death this morning. Tony Award winner Jerry Orbach (“Promises, Promises”) earned a reputation as the quintessential New Yorker through his work in such films as “Prince of the City” and “Crimes and Misdemeanors,” as well as for his roles in Broadway’s “42nd Street” and on NBC’s “Law & Order.” Orbach has been honored with the Crystal Apple Award from the New York City Mayor’s Office of Film, Television and Broadcasting for his contribution to the arts, and was presented with a lifetime achievement award from the Friar’s Club of New York.
http://1010wins.com/topstories/local_story_364094126.html
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Lance happy, New Home for Nutcrackers and other stuff
So Lance, the cat, is happy here. We have bit of a routine going now. I made a place for him on the porch where his food and litter box are conveniently close by but he doesn't have to stay outside. He is in the house mostly, but I put him out regularly and at night time he can be inside, sleeps on our bed.
He is adjusting to the new routine, I think, as he will now indicate to me when he wants to go outside. Jake, our dog, still isn't happy one little bit about sharing porch space with a cat, but sullen as Jake is, he is also adjusting.
My collection of nutcrackers are Very Happy in their new home, and I love the lighted cabinet that sets them all off. They are close by my computer to keep me company, and as the sun goes down, the lighted cabinet also works as a sweet bit of night light.
Sweetie, with his new computer for Christmas, was off work an extra day. He is obsessive about the puter as I am, so we spent a leisurely day, him on his puter, me on "mine". He sits a room across from me where we can both see each other and talk to each other and it is sooooooooo coool. We really are a couple of geeks.
The tsunami news is continuing today, as the death toll rises, and it is so tragic. I was talking to Sweetie, and telling him if we get an earthquake/tsunami here in tsunami county, I'm not sure we really know what to do. From what I hear, there are sensor warnings set across the Pacific Rim = Alaska, Canada, US west coastline and the down the Pacific islands. Supposedly these will signal a problem and the Sensor Watch Center in Palmer, Alaska would send out warnings. Okay...but to whom, and how? On the radio, tv, internet, ham radio? I mean, if I don't have radio or tv on, then how would we know?
So I guess the rule of thumb is if I feel the earth start shaking, I'm to get in the car and get to one of the tsunami direction signs towards high ground. Hmmm, okay, both routes out of here go directly by the water/bay and river. Wonder if I can even get out of here if there would be a tsunami.
Then, we are likely supposed to have an emergency kit with water, raingear, blankets, food. I guess I better get busy and make us an emergency kit to keep in the car. I really think Sweetie and I ought to take this bit more serious and do some more specific planning for what to do .... in case ....
He is adjusting to the new routine, I think, as he will now indicate to me when he wants to go outside. Jake, our dog, still isn't happy one little bit about sharing porch space with a cat, but sullen as Jake is, he is also adjusting.
My collection of nutcrackers are Very Happy in their new home, and I love the lighted cabinet that sets them all off. They are close by my computer to keep me company, and as the sun goes down, the lighted cabinet also works as a sweet bit of night light.
Sweetie, with his new computer for Christmas, was off work an extra day. He is obsessive about the puter as I am, so we spent a leisurely day, him on his puter, me on "mine". He sits a room across from me where we can both see each other and talk to each other and it is sooooooooo coool. We really are a couple of geeks.
The tsunami news is continuing today, as the death toll rises, and it is so tragic. I was talking to Sweetie, and telling him if we get an earthquake/tsunami here in tsunami county, I'm not sure we really know what to do. From what I hear, there are sensor warnings set across the Pacific Rim = Alaska, Canada, US west coastline and the down the Pacific islands. Supposedly these will signal a problem and the Sensor Watch Center in Palmer, Alaska would send out warnings. Okay...but to whom, and how? On the radio, tv, internet, ham radio? I mean, if I don't have radio or tv on, then how would we know?
So I guess the rule of thumb is if I feel the earth start shaking, I'm to get in the car and get to one of the tsunami direction signs towards high ground. Hmmm, okay, both routes out of here go directly by the water/bay and river. Wonder if I can even get out of here if there would be a tsunami.
Then, we are likely supposed to have an emergency kit with water, raingear, blankets, food. I guess I better get busy and make us an emergency kit to keep in the car. I really think Sweetie and I ought to take this bit more serious and do some more specific planning for what to do .... in case ....
Monday, December 27, 2004
Kerry Files Motion to Protect Ohio Vote Evidence
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/122804V.shtml
Kerry Files Motion to Protect Ohio Vote Evidence
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t
Report Monday 27 December 2004
This afternoon, an attorney representing the Kerry/Edwards presidential campaign filed two important motions to preserve and augment evidence of alleged election fraud in the November election. The motions were filed in the matter titled Yost et al. v. Delaware County Board of Elections and J. Kenneth Blackwell (Civil Action No. C2-04-1139) with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The document is titled "Motion Of Intervenor-Defendant Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. For A Preservation Order And For A Leave To Take Limited Expedited Discovery."
The purpose of the motions is twofold: A) To preserve all ballots and voting machines pertaining to the Yost matter for investigation and analysis; and B) To make available for sworn deposition testimony a technician for Traid Systems, the company that produced and maintained many of the voting machines used in the Ohio election. The technician has been accused of tampering with the recount process in Hocking County, Ohio, though other counties are believed to have also been involved. Any officers of Triad Systems who have information pertaining to said tampering are likewise subject to subpoena for sworn deposition testimony.
If the judge in this case allows these motions, and these individuals are served with subpoenas for deposition, the information disclosed under oath could have a major effect on the case. Likewise, judicial approval of these motions will open the door to forensic analysis of both the ballots cast and the machines they were counted on. If tampering took place, such an analysis could reveal it.
The document filed in Ohio reads as follows:
Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26, Intervenor-Defendant Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. hereby moves this Court for an order preserving materials from the 2004 presidential election and for leave to take a limited number of depositions on an expedited schedule. The depositions and preservation order sought by Intervenor- Defendant Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. are the same as those sought in the motion filed on December 23, 2004 by Defendants NVRI, Cobb and Badnarik. Intervenor-Defendant Kerry-Edwads 2004, Inc. hereby adopts the memorandum and proposed order filed by the Defendants in support of its own motion.
(snip)
The filing by the Kerry/Edwards campaign is significant. The Yost matter deals with a recount of the votes cast in Ohio during the election. In order for a judge to consider such a motion, the plaintiff must be able to prove irreparable harm in the matter at hand, and must also be able to prove a significant chance that the case will succeed on the merits. The stumbling point for the Green Party and Libertarian Party in this matter has been the ability to prove that potential for success, because no recount would deliver an Ohio victory to them. A recount could very well deliver Ohio to Kerry, thus fulfilling the success on the merits requirement.
In the end, this filing amounts to a "Me, too" from the Kerry/Edwards campaign. This case would not exist in any form without the dedicated efforts of Green Party candidate David Cobb and Libertarian Party candidate Michael Badnarik. Though the inclusion of Kerry into this matter strengthens the case significantly, Cobb and Badnarik deserve the lion's share of credit for carrying the matter to this point.
Attorney John Bonifaz serves as general counsel for the National Voting Rights Institute, and is co-counsel for Cobb and Badnarik in this matter. Reached for comment on this Kerry filing, Bonifaz said, "We are pleased that the Kerry Edwards campaign has joined our motion to preserve all of the ballots and election machinery in the presidential election in Ohio and to investigate the potential tampering of voting machines by Triad Governmental Systems, Inc, prior to the start of the recount. We welcome the Bush Cheney campaign joining our motion as well. The integrity of this recount is at stake. All candidates ought to join together in ensuring the proper counting of every citizen's vote."
...see more...http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/122804V.shtml
Kerry Files Motion to Protect Ohio Vote Evidence
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t
Report Monday 27 December 2004
This afternoon, an attorney representing the Kerry/Edwards presidential campaign filed two important motions to preserve and augment evidence of alleged election fraud in the November election. The motions were filed in the matter titled Yost et al. v. Delaware County Board of Elections and J. Kenneth Blackwell (Civil Action No. C2-04-1139) with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The document is titled "Motion Of Intervenor-Defendant Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. For A Preservation Order And For A Leave To Take Limited Expedited Discovery."
The purpose of the motions is twofold: A) To preserve all ballots and voting machines pertaining to the Yost matter for investigation and analysis; and B) To make available for sworn deposition testimony a technician for Traid Systems, the company that produced and maintained many of the voting machines used in the Ohio election. The technician has been accused of tampering with the recount process in Hocking County, Ohio, though other counties are believed to have also been involved. Any officers of Triad Systems who have information pertaining to said tampering are likewise subject to subpoena for sworn deposition testimony.
If the judge in this case allows these motions, and these individuals are served with subpoenas for deposition, the information disclosed under oath could have a major effect on the case. Likewise, judicial approval of these motions will open the door to forensic analysis of both the ballots cast and the machines they were counted on. If tampering took place, such an analysis could reveal it.
The document filed in Ohio reads as follows:
Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26, Intervenor-Defendant Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. hereby moves this Court for an order preserving materials from the 2004 presidential election and for leave to take a limited number of depositions on an expedited schedule. The depositions and preservation order sought by Intervenor- Defendant Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. are the same as those sought in the motion filed on December 23, 2004 by Defendants NVRI, Cobb and Badnarik. Intervenor-Defendant Kerry-Edwads 2004, Inc. hereby adopts the memorandum and proposed order filed by the Defendants in support of its own motion.
(snip)
The filing by the Kerry/Edwards campaign is significant. The Yost matter deals with a recount of the votes cast in Ohio during the election. In order for a judge to consider such a motion, the plaintiff must be able to prove irreparable harm in the matter at hand, and must also be able to prove a significant chance that the case will succeed on the merits. The stumbling point for the Green Party and Libertarian Party in this matter has been the ability to prove that potential for success, because no recount would deliver an Ohio victory to them. A recount could very well deliver Ohio to Kerry, thus fulfilling the success on the merits requirement.
In the end, this filing amounts to a "Me, too" from the Kerry/Edwards campaign. This case would not exist in any form without the dedicated efforts of Green Party candidate David Cobb and Libertarian Party candidate Michael Badnarik. Though the inclusion of Kerry into this matter strengthens the case significantly, Cobb and Badnarik deserve the lion's share of credit for carrying the matter to this point.
Attorney John Bonifaz serves as general counsel for the National Voting Rights Institute, and is co-counsel for Cobb and Badnarik in this matter. Reached for comment on this Kerry filing, Bonifaz said, "We are pleased that the Kerry Edwards campaign has joined our motion to preserve all of the ballots and election machinery in the presidential election in Ohio and to investigate the potential tampering of voting machines by Triad Governmental Systems, Inc, prior to the start of the recount. We welcome the Bush Cheney campaign joining our motion as well. The integrity of this recount is at stake. All candidates ought to join together in ensuring the proper counting of every citizen's vote."
...see more...http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/122804V.shtml
Kerry Files Motion to Protect Ohio Vote Evidence
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/122804V.shtml
Kerry Files Motion to Protect Ohio Vote Evidence
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t
Report Monday 27 December 2004
This afternoon, an attorney representing the Kerry/Edwards presidential campaign filed two important motions to preserve and augment evidence of alleged election fraud in the November election. The motions were filed in the matter titled Yost et al. v. Delaware County Board of Elections and J. Kenneth Blackwell (Civil Action No. C2-04-1139) with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The document is titled "Motion Of Intervenor-Defendant Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. For A Preservation Order And For A Leave To Take Limited Expedited Discovery."
The purpose of the motions is twofold: A) To preserve all ballots and voting machines pertaining to the Yost matter for investigation and analysis; and B) To make available for sworn deposition testimony a technician for Traid Systems, the company that produced and maintained many of the voting machines used in the Ohio election. The technician has been accused of tampering with the recount process in Hocking County, Ohio, though other counties are believed to have also been involved. Any officers of Triad Systems who have information pertaining to said tampering are likewise subject to subpoena for sworn deposition testimony.
If the judge in this case allows these motions, and these individuals are served with subpoenas for deposition, the information disclosed under oath could have a major effect on the case. Likewise, judicial approval of these motions will open the door to forensic analysis of both the ballots cast and the machines they were counted on. If tampering took place, such an analysis could reveal it.
The document filed in Ohio reads as follows:
Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26, Intervenor-Defendant Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. hereby moves this Court for an order preserving materials from the 2004 presidential election and for leave to take a limited number of depositions on an expedited schedule. The depositions and preservation order sought by Intervenor- Defendant Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. are the same as those sought in the motion filed on December 23, 2004 by Defendants NVRI, Cobb and Badnarik. Intervenor-Defendant Kerry-Edwads 2004, Inc. hereby adopts the memorandum and proposed order filed by the Defendants in support of its own motion.
(snip)
The filing by the Kerry/Edwards campaign is significant. The Yost matter deals with a recount of the votes cast in Ohio during the election. In order for a judge to consider such a motion, the plaintiff must be able to prove irreparable harm in the matter at hand, and must also be able to prove a significant chance that the case will succeed on the merits. The stumbling point for the Green Party and Libertarian Party in this matter has been the ability to prove that potential for success, because no recount would deliver an Ohio victory to them. A recount could very well deliver Ohio to Kerry, thus fulfilling the success on the merits requirement.
In the end, this filing amounts to a "Me, too" from the Kerry/Edwards campaign. This case would not exist in any form without the dedicated efforts of Green Party candidate David Cobb and Libertarian Party candidate Michael Badnarik. Though the inclusion of Kerry into this matter strengthens the case significantly, Cobb and Badnarik deserve the lion's share of credit for carrying the matter to this point.
Attorney John Bonifaz serves as general counsel for the National Voting Rights Institute, and is co-counsel for Cobb and Badnarik in this matter. Reached for comment on this Kerry filing, Bonifaz said, "We are pleased that the Kerry Edwards campaign has joined our motion to preserve all of the ballots and election machinery in the presidential election in Ohio and to investigate the potential tampering of voting machines by Triad Governmental Systems, Inc, prior to the start of the recount. We welcome the Bush Cheney campaign joining our motion as well. The integrity of this recount is at stake. All candidates ought to join together in ensuring the proper counting of every citizen's vote."
...see more...http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/122804V.shtml
Kerry Files Motion to Protect Ohio Vote Evidence
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t
Report Monday 27 December 2004
This afternoon, an attorney representing the Kerry/Edwards presidential campaign filed two important motions to preserve and augment evidence of alleged election fraud in the November election. The motions were filed in the matter titled Yost et al. v. Delaware County Board of Elections and J. Kenneth Blackwell (Civil Action No. C2-04-1139) with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The document is titled "Motion Of Intervenor-Defendant Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. For A Preservation Order And For A Leave To Take Limited Expedited Discovery."
The purpose of the motions is twofold: A) To preserve all ballots and voting machines pertaining to the Yost matter for investigation and analysis; and B) To make available for sworn deposition testimony a technician for Traid Systems, the company that produced and maintained many of the voting machines used in the Ohio election. The technician has been accused of tampering with the recount process in Hocking County, Ohio, though other counties are believed to have also been involved. Any officers of Triad Systems who have information pertaining to said tampering are likewise subject to subpoena for sworn deposition testimony.
If the judge in this case allows these motions, and these individuals are served with subpoenas for deposition, the information disclosed under oath could have a major effect on the case. Likewise, judicial approval of these motions will open the door to forensic analysis of both the ballots cast and the machines they were counted on. If tampering took place, such an analysis could reveal it.
The document filed in Ohio reads as follows:
Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26, Intervenor-Defendant Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. hereby moves this Court for an order preserving materials from the 2004 presidential election and for leave to take a limited number of depositions on an expedited schedule. The depositions and preservation order sought by Intervenor- Defendant Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. are the same as those sought in the motion filed on December 23, 2004 by Defendants NVRI, Cobb and Badnarik. Intervenor-Defendant Kerry-Edwads 2004, Inc. hereby adopts the memorandum and proposed order filed by the Defendants in support of its own motion.
(snip)
The filing by the Kerry/Edwards campaign is significant. The Yost matter deals with a recount of the votes cast in Ohio during the election. In order for a judge to consider such a motion, the plaintiff must be able to prove irreparable harm in the matter at hand, and must also be able to prove a significant chance that the case will succeed on the merits. The stumbling point for the Green Party and Libertarian Party in this matter has been the ability to prove that potential for success, because no recount would deliver an Ohio victory to them. A recount could very well deliver Ohio to Kerry, thus fulfilling the success on the merits requirement.
In the end, this filing amounts to a "Me, too" from the Kerry/Edwards campaign. This case would not exist in any form without the dedicated efforts of Green Party candidate David Cobb and Libertarian Party candidate Michael Badnarik. Though the inclusion of Kerry into this matter strengthens the case significantly, Cobb and Badnarik deserve the lion's share of credit for carrying the matter to this point.
Attorney John Bonifaz serves as general counsel for the National Voting Rights Institute, and is co-counsel for Cobb and Badnarik in this matter. Reached for comment on this Kerry filing, Bonifaz said, "We are pleased that the Kerry Edwards campaign has joined our motion to preserve all of the ballots and election machinery in the presidential election in Ohio and to investigate the potential tampering of voting machines by Triad Governmental Systems, Inc, prior to the start of the recount. We welcome the Bush Cheney campaign joining our motion as well. The integrity of this recount is at stake. All candidates ought to join together in ensuring the proper counting of every citizen's vote."
...see more...http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/122804V.shtml
Friday, December 24, 2004
Lance is Back! Sitting on my lap as I type.
Well, we "placed" the cat Lance, who was "fostering" with us about 2 months ago with my other daughter's family. The "placement" just didn't work out so she brought him back here to us. I'm not disappointed either, as I got quite fond of Lance, so here he is sitting on my lap again as I type.
The trouble with the placement was that my daughter's family has another cat, Georgette, who is kind of a mean cat, but not to them and she and Lance just never did hit it off. So ol' Lance developed some bad behaviour problems, ie, not using cat box at all and staying in his safe zone which was a very limited space. He got fat cause he wasn't running around, just staying in his safe zone under the kitchen table.
I'm gonna have to break him now of his bad behaviour with not using kitty litter box plus run him around outside to work off some of his body weight. They tried, bless their hearts, they tried everything they could think of to get Lance comfortable, but he just wasn't "taking" to the placement at all.
Since they were coming here for a holiday visit, they brought Lance along on that 7 hour trip. And I knew they were bringing him. But I didn't tell Sweetie, cause I knew Sweetie would not want him back and I was trying to figure out a way to tell him I agreed to take Lance back. I couldn't find a good argument or logic for my case, so when the kids arrived and Lance came bounding in, Sweetie was pleased to see Lance. Cause he thought Lance was just along for the ride and they were going to take him back home with them.
They were sorta surprised at how receptive Sweetie was, until he learned Lance was staying, then they were surprised at how Sweetie lost his composure and couldn't find the words. I had to explain to him that I knew but hadn't told him, and they thought I would have told him. Sweetie went off to bed, he just didn't know what to say!
Now it's been 2 days and nites, and we set Lance up on the porch till his cat box behavior can be corrected. Jake, our dog, is very unhappy about it and is pouting big time now. But Lance is so happy to be "home" again and bounding about the house. They told me that he is a completely different cat here than when he was at their house and it is very apparant that he likes it here much better. And I like having him "home".
The trouble with the placement was that my daughter's family has another cat, Georgette, who is kind of a mean cat, but not to them and she and Lance just never did hit it off. So ol' Lance developed some bad behaviour problems, ie, not using cat box at all and staying in his safe zone which was a very limited space. He got fat cause he wasn't running around, just staying in his safe zone under the kitchen table.
I'm gonna have to break him now of his bad behaviour with not using kitty litter box plus run him around outside to work off some of his body weight. They tried, bless their hearts, they tried everything they could think of to get Lance comfortable, but he just wasn't "taking" to the placement at all.
Since they were coming here for a holiday visit, they brought Lance along on that 7 hour trip. And I knew they were bringing him. But I didn't tell Sweetie, cause I knew Sweetie would not want him back and I was trying to figure out a way to tell him I agreed to take Lance back. I couldn't find a good argument or logic for my case, so when the kids arrived and Lance came bounding in, Sweetie was pleased to see Lance. Cause he thought Lance was just along for the ride and they were going to take him back home with them.
They were sorta surprised at how receptive Sweetie was, until he learned Lance was staying, then they were surprised at how Sweetie lost his composure and couldn't find the words. I had to explain to him that I knew but hadn't told him, and they thought I would have told him. Sweetie went off to bed, he just didn't know what to say!
Now it's been 2 days and nites, and we set Lance up on the porch till his cat box behavior can be corrected. Jake, our dog, is very unhappy about it and is pouting big time now. But Lance is so happy to be "home" again and bounding about the house. They told me that he is a completely different cat here than when he was at their house and it is very apparant that he likes it here much better. And I like having him "home".
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Merry Kerry Christmas, my christmas present has arrived !!
My long awaited Christmas present this year has arrived. I wanted nothing this year..nothing but one thing and one thing only...and it looks like I'm gonna get it, after all. John F. Kerry, President-Elect, and he's back. This election is a long way from over. See the article below, news today, Dec 23, and you likely won't see it on mainstream media till next week....but you heard it here first. Merry Kerry Christmas everyone!
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/122404Y.shtml
Kerry to Enter Ohio Recount Fray
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t Report
Thursday 23 December 2004
Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry will file today, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, papers in support of the Green Party/Libertarian Party recount effort. Specifically, Kerry will be filing a request for expedited discovery regarding Triad Systems voting machines, as well as a motion for a preservation order to protect any and all discovery and preserve any evidence on this matter.
Triad Systems has come under scrutiny recently after Sherole Eaton, deputy director of elections for Hocking County, swore out an affidavit in which she described her witnessing the tampering of electronic voting equipment by a Triad representative. Rep. John Conyers, the ranking minority member of the House Judiciary Committee, has requested an investigation into this matter by the FBI and the Hocking County prosecutor.
Truthout will have more on this specific Triad allegation later in the day.
Previously, the Green Party and Libertarian Party have not fared well in their efforts to get emergency orders regarding this matter in Ohio. In order to pass muster with a judge, the individual or group requesting an emergency order for such a recount must show both irreperable harm as well as a substantial chance for success on the merits. While Green and Libertarian representatives could theoretically be able to show irreparable harm, they could not establish a substantial chance for success on the merits, because no recount would deliver Ohio to either party.
Kerry's entry into this recount effort changes the math on this matter dramatically. He can likewise show irreparable harm, and unlike the Green and Libertarian candidates, he can also prove a substantial chance for success on the merits because he lost the Ohio vote by a statistical whisker.
It should be noted that Kerry's filing of these requests does not indicate his complete entry into the recount process, but does clearly indicate that he is moving decisively in that direction. His previous stance on the matter was based simply on his desire to defend the right to have a recount in the first place. The evidence of election tampering in Ohio, specifically surrounding Triad, has motivated him to actively join the fight. The Democratic Party is also quietly putting financial resources into the Ohio recount effort.
Perhaps the most significant aspect of all this, from the activist point of view, has been the effectiveness of the telephone calls and letters to Kerry. The activist push to get him involved had a very significant effect on his decision to enter this effort. Likewise, calls to other Senators in order to convince them to join House members in challenging the election have likewise had significant effect. If such an effort continues, the activists involved will very likely see the desired result unfold.
William Rivers Pitt is a New York Times and internationally bestselling author of two books - 'War on Iraq: What Team Bush Doesn't Want You to Know' and 'The Greatest Sedition Is Silence.'
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/122404Y.shtml
Kerry to Enter Ohio Recount Fray
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t Report
Thursday 23 December 2004
Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry will file today, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, papers in support of the Green Party/Libertarian Party recount effort. Specifically, Kerry will be filing a request for expedited discovery regarding Triad Systems voting machines, as well as a motion for a preservation order to protect any and all discovery and preserve any evidence on this matter.
Triad Systems has come under scrutiny recently after Sherole Eaton, deputy director of elections for Hocking County, swore out an affidavit in which she described her witnessing the tampering of electronic voting equipment by a Triad representative. Rep. John Conyers, the ranking minority member of the House Judiciary Committee, has requested an investigation into this matter by the FBI and the Hocking County prosecutor.
Truthout will have more on this specific Triad allegation later in the day.
Previously, the Green Party and Libertarian Party have not fared well in their efforts to get emergency orders regarding this matter in Ohio. In order to pass muster with a judge, the individual or group requesting an emergency order for such a recount must show both irreperable harm as well as a substantial chance for success on the merits. While Green and Libertarian representatives could theoretically be able to show irreparable harm, they could not establish a substantial chance for success on the merits, because no recount would deliver Ohio to either party.
Kerry's entry into this recount effort changes the math on this matter dramatically. He can likewise show irreparable harm, and unlike the Green and Libertarian candidates, he can also prove a substantial chance for success on the merits because he lost the Ohio vote by a statistical whisker.
It should be noted that Kerry's filing of these requests does not indicate his complete entry into the recount process, but does clearly indicate that he is moving decisively in that direction. His previous stance on the matter was based simply on his desire to defend the right to have a recount in the first place. The evidence of election tampering in Ohio, specifically surrounding Triad, has motivated him to actively join the fight. The Democratic Party is also quietly putting financial resources into the Ohio recount effort.
Perhaps the most significant aspect of all this, from the activist point of view, has been the effectiveness of the telephone calls and letters to Kerry. The activist push to get him involved had a very significant effect on his decision to enter this effort. Likewise, calls to other Senators in order to convince them to join House members in challenging the election have likewise had significant effect. If such an effort continues, the activists involved will very likely see the desired result unfold.
William Rivers Pitt is a New York Times and internationally bestselling author of two books - 'War on Iraq: What Team Bush Doesn't Want You to Know' and 'The Greatest Sedition Is Silence.'
Merry Kerry Christmas, my christmas present has arrived !!
My long awaited Christmas present this year has arrived. I wanted nothing this year..nothing but one thing and one thing only...and it looks like I'm gonna get it, after all. John F. Kerry, President-Elect, and he's back. This election is a long way from over. See the article below, news today, Dec 23, and you likely won't see it on mainstream media till next week....but you heard it here first. Merry Kerry Christmas everyone!
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/122404Y.shtml
Kerry to Enter Ohio Recount Fray
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t Report
Thursday 23 December 20042004
Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry will file today, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, papers in support of the Green Party/Libertarian Party recount effort. Specifically, Kerry will be filing a request for expedited discovery regarding Triad Systems voting machines, as well as a motion for a preservation order to protect any and all discovery and preserve any evidence on this matter.
Triad Systems has come under scrutiny recently after Sherole Eaton, deputy director of elections for Hocking County, swore out an affidavit in which she described her witnessing the tampering of electronic voting equipment by a Triad representative. Rep. John Conyers, the ranking minority member of the House Judiciary Committee, has requested an investigation into this matter by the FBI and the Hocking County prosecutor.
Truthout will have more on this specific Triad allegation later in the day.
Previously, the Green Party and Libertarian Party have not fared well in their efforts to get emergency orders regarding this matter in Ohio. In order to pass muster with a judge, the individual or group requesting an emergency order for such a recount must show both irreperable harm as well as a substantial chance for success on the merits. While Green and Libertarian representatives could theoretically be able to show irreparable harm, they could not establish a substantial chance for success on the merits, because no recount would deliver Ohio to either party.
Kerry's entry into this recount effort changes the math on this matter dramatically. He can likewise show irreparable harm, and unlike the Green and Libertarian candidates, he can also prove a substantial chance for success on the merits because he lost the Ohio vote by a statistical whisker.
It should be noted that Kerry's filing of these requests does not indicate his complete entry into the recount process, but does clearly indicate that he is moving decisively in that direction. His previous stance on the matter was based simply on his desire to defend the right to have a recount in the first place. The evidence of election tampering in Ohio, specifically surrounding Triad, has motivated him to actively join the fight. The Democratic Party is also quietly putting financial resources into the Ohio recount effort.
Perhaps the most significant aspect of all this, from the activist point of view, has been the effectiveness of the telephone calls and letters to Kerry. The activist push to get him involved had a very significant effect on his decision to enter this effort. Likewise, calls to other Senators in order to convince them to join House members in challenging the election have likewise had significant effect. If such an effort continues, the activists involved will very likely see the desired result unfold.
William Rivers Pitt is a New York Times and internationally bestselling author of two books - 'War on Iraq: What Team Bush Doesn't Want You to Know' and 'The Greatest Sedition Is Silence.'
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/122404Y.shtml
Kerry to Enter Ohio Recount Fray
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t Report
Thursday 23 December 20042004
Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry will file today, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, papers in support of the Green Party/Libertarian Party recount effort. Specifically, Kerry will be filing a request for expedited discovery regarding Triad Systems voting machines, as well as a motion for a preservation order to protect any and all discovery and preserve any evidence on this matter.
Triad Systems has come under scrutiny recently after Sherole Eaton, deputy director of elections for Hocking County, swore out an affidavit in which she described her witnessing the tampering of electronic voting equipment by a Triad representative. Rep. John Conyers, the ranking minority member of the House Judiciary Committee, has requested an investigation into this matter by the FBI and the Hocking County prosecutor.
Truthout will have more on this specific Triad allegation later in the day.
Previously, the Green Party and Libertarian Party have not fared well in their efforts to get emergency orders regarding this matter in Ohio. In order to pass muster with a judge, the individual or group requesting an emergency order for such a recount must show both irreperable harm as well as a substantial chance for success on the merits. While Green and Libertarian representatives could theoretically be able to show irreparable harm, they could not establish a substantial chance for success on the merits, because no recount would deliver Ohio to either party.
Kerry's entry into this recount effort changes the math on this matter dramatically. He can likewise show irreparable harm, and unlike the Green and Libertarian candidates, he can also prove a substantial chance for success on the merits because he lost the Ohio vote by a statistical whisker.
It should be noted that Kerry's filing of these requests does not indicate his complete entry into the recount process, but does clearly indicate that he is moving decisively in that direction. His previous stance on the matter was based simply on his desire to defend the right to have a recount in the first place. The evidence of election tampering in Ohio, specifically surrounding Triad, has motivated him to actively join the fight. The Democratic Party is also quietly putting financial resources into the Ohio recount effort.
Perhaps the most significant aspect of all this, from the activist point of view, has been the effectiveness of the telephone calls and letters to Kerry. The activist push to get him involved had a very significant effect on his decision to enter this effort. Likewise, calls to other Senators in order to convince them to join House members in challenging the election have likewise had significant effect. If such an effort continues, the activists involved will very likely see the desired result unfold.
William Rivers Pitt is a New York Times and internationally bestselling author of two books - 'War on Iraq: What Team Bush Doesn't Want You to Know' and 'The Greatest Sedition Is Silence.'
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Holiday Slideshow instead of Holiday Letter or Card
Tx to Bree, I found this great new blog n slideshow space today. So I spent the entire day creating a Holiday slideshow of our life, family and friends out here in the Village on the Bay where we live. It was a pleasure to build it and a very user-friendly site. I know I already sent out emails to share it with family, and just once more here is the url to go visit the slideshow with now 246 pics in it. Just click on the link below.
Village View
Once you see the Holiday Greeting slideshow from the Ruger's, I'm sure you will want one of your own and I'd love to hear about it if you make one. To see Bree's, as she has included some great family pics in hers, click on link below.
Gurlz Wanna Have Fun
Gonna keep this short, have been painting again, and have done 4 in the last week. Feels good to be painting again after this long dry spell where I focused on election and after election heartbreak. I've worked in the blogger communities now for 6 weeks since election trying to help move along the vote fraud information. But you all know that already.
Sweetie has a better computer than I do, with a bigger screen and it downloads the digital pic card, and now he has the vibrating computer chair. Oh sure, he never checked out why the vibrating chair stopped working and then I give it to him and he makes it work again. I want it back! So he's over there now in his corner working on his own computer with all his projects and we don't have the tv turned on, we have the relaxing Souncscapes music playing which is always nice to have as background when working on the puter.
Tomorrow I need to get some stuff done around the house and have a nice welcome for Lisa's family...they are making the long trip to come spend a day or two with us and I want to make them feel welcome
Village View
Once you see the Holiday Greeting slideshow from the Ruger's, I'm sure you will want one of your own and I'd love to hear about it if you make one. To see Bree's, as she has included some great family pics in hers, click on link below.
Gurlz Wanna Have Fun
Gonna keep this short, have been painting again, and have done 4 in the last week. Feels good to be painting again after this long dry spell where I focused on election and after election heartbreak. I've worked in the blogger communities now for 6 weeks since election trying to help move along the vote fraud information. But you all know that already.
Sweetie has a better computer than I do, with a bigger screen and it downloads the digital pic card, and now he has the vibrating computer chair. Oh sure, he never checked out why the vibrating chair stopped working and then I give it to him and he makes it work again. I want it back! So he's over there now in his corner working on his own computer with all his projects and we don't have the tv turned on, we have the relaxing Souncscapes music playing which is always nice to have as background when working on the puter.
Tomorrow I need to get some stuff done around the house and have a nice welcome for Lisa's family...they are making the long trip to come spend a day or two with us and I want to make them feel welcome
Sunday, December 19, 2004
Weekend before Christmas
Weekend, and we went up north, to see Karl's gallery art showing. Stayed overnight with Mom n Charlie. Got there in time to watch PBS Now, Bill Moyer's last broadcast. He is retiring and this was his last show. He laid it on the line, and it is worth viewing as he outlines the growing merging of mainstream media under fewer and larger umbrella corporations. He indicates his fear of loss of journalism and lays out the challenge to the future for media and integrity in journalism. I will find and save the transcript to one of my other blogs.
Saturday morning, sister, Nita, came over with gift she had for us and we had a YaYa morning, with coffee and sweets, and had her make her hat, inducted her into the Ya Ya sisterhood. I will post the photos on the family site. The gift she had for me is quite unusual, it is a Native American creche which fits well my spirituality in religiosity. She was tickled with herself in having found it at a collectible shop.
Then we went up north, stopping to pick up Cheri, and we went to Karl's gallery. Well it's not his gallery, but he does have a show there once a year and he invited us to come last year and again this year.
We wanted to stop by a Walmart afterwards as they have very good sale on computer. Now we're boycotting Walmart, so this was crossing the line to go there, but the price on computer was too good to miss out.....yep, we didn't hold to the courage of our convictions. We have needed a second computer for months now, as both Sweetie and I use the puter extensively, and we have to save deliberately and carefully when we want to make such a purchase. This was my Christmas present to Sweetie this year.
I've never been fond of going into Walmart, as my daughter can tell you and I took her and kids to Walmart many, many times this past year as she does like to shop there. I find it just too frenetic and have to adjust myself to the huge parking lot, the tons of people in the store and they are always short-handed with help, but the prices are great and there is plenty of all the items families need and use. I just happen to be among those that object to how they are corporatized, and how the short-hour and short-benefit their employees...deliberately. As well, many of the items they do carry come from the third-world countries where labor is exploited at great human expense.
We got into the store, I had my usual disorientation and Sweetie could see it. Found our way over to electronics, and of course, they were "out" of the model we went for and we went for the slightly more spendy model. The help didn't want to help..what's new about that and especially at holiday season. Sweetie knowing my discomfort was ready to leave, but I encouraged him to finish the purchase.
After all we'd already crawled at a snails pace on the ramp to exit the freeway, navigated the parking lot (no fun) and navigated the busy shoppers so it made no sense not to finish what we came for and he wound up carrying his own big box to the counter to check out. So much for the "help", but shrug, it goes with the territory, I guess. I really did want him to have the puter, and he's so reluctant to spend on himself.
We aren't really having Christmas this year, no decor, gifts or presents going out this year. It's an extension of the keen disappointment with the election outcome and spending money in Bush's America doesn't quite fit for us right now. Usually we get gifts for all the kids and grandchildren, and wind up with not much left over to get for each other, so I am happy to see Sweetie get something he really wants and will use this year. He never complains and always remains upbeat, and I so much wanted to gift him this year. Glad we could do this. Now he can work without interruption on his op-eds, his online activities towards trying to preserve our democracy on his very own computer.
We've worked out a sharing of the one puter, and I get it day time, he gets it night time and weekends we share. I spend a large amount of time on puter in my own blogging, op-eds, and family stuff but this last 6 weeks, I've had a full-blown intense project following vote fraud. It has become more difficult for each of us to have satisfying and adequate time with sharing one computer. Needless to say, we've assessed the need to get a second computer, and I'm happy we were able to do so as our Christmas gift to ourselves this year.
Today, then, Sweetie, set up his new puter (it's just like yours, Bree, remember last year at Christmas when you got yours ... same for us this year). He is just tickled with it. He helped me make some slight modifications to our front room where I decided to move my painting studio from upstairs cupola to downstairs. My "studio" has been set up in so many different places in this house, and I haven't been able to get quite comfortable so we are trying yet another place to set it up.
The light in the upstairs cupola is fantastic for paining, but there is inadequate and little ventilation, which doesn't work out as well. The painting paraphanalia is messy and doesn't lend itself well to the home decor, and I've been reluctant to incorporate it into the main areas in the house. We'll see how this works out, and Sweetie is so attentive to accomodating my painting (more so than I am myself). He arranged for good lighting for these short days when the daylight evaporates so quickly.
I painted 2 paintings last week, kind of trial and error on a new project and I can see I will need to work more to get the hang of the new project. Today, after we made the change-over, I painted a new painting taking on a different subject as I knew I didn't have time left in the day to concentrate on the learning curve I need for the new project I'm working on teaching myself.
Sweetie keeps me in coffee and makes dinner when I paint, so we had pizza and are wrapping up the evening with him on his New computer and me on "mine" (guess now that he has his own, this one becomes mine, how about that).
And that wraps up the weekend, except for the call I got from my daughter and they had an unkind holiday experience..... the kind you read about in newspaper or hear on the news every holiday.... they got mugged, wallet and paycheck stolen....there won't be Christmas for them this year. Rotten, rotten, rotten.
Saturday morning, sister, Nita, came over with gift she had for us and we had a YaYa morning, with coffee and sweets, and had her make her hat, inducted her into the Ya Ya sisterhood. I will post the photos on the family site. The gift she had for me is quite unusual, it is a Native American creche which fits well my spirituality in religiosity. She was tickled with herself in having found it at a collectible shop.
Then we went up north, stopping to pick up Cheri, and we went to Karl's gallery. Well it's not his gallery, but he does have a show there once a year and he invited us to come last year and again this year.
We wanted to stop by a Walmart afterwards as they have very good sale on computer. Now we're boycotting Walmart, so this was crossing the line to go there, but the price on computer was too good to miss out.....yep, we didn't hold to the courage of our convictions. We have needed a second computer for months now, as both Sweetie and I use the puter extensively, and we have to save deliberately and carefully when we want to make such a purchase. This was my Christmas present to Sweetie this year.
I've never been fond of going into Walmart, as my daughter can tell you and I took her and kids to Walmart many, many times this past year as she does like to shop there. I find it just too frenetic and have to adjust myself to the huge parking lot, the tons of people in the store and they are always short-handed with help, but the prices are great and there is plenty of all the items families need and use. I just happen to be among those that object to how they are corporatized, and how the short-hour and short-benefit their employees...deliberately. As well, many of the items they do carry come from the third-world countries where labor is exploited at great human expense.
We got into the store, I had my usual disorientation and Sweetie could see it. Found our way over to electronics, and of course, they were "out" of the model we went for and we went for the slightly more spendy model. The help didn't want to help..what's new about that and especially at holiday season. Sweetie knowing my discomfort was ready to leave, but I encouraged him to finish the purchase.
After all we'd already crawled at a snails pace on the ramp to exit the freeway, navigated the parking lot (no fun) and navigated the busy shoppers so it made no sense not to finish what we came for and he wound up carrying his own big box to the counter to check out. So much for the "help", but shrug, it goes with the territory, I guess. I really did want him to have the puter, and he's so reluctant to spend on himself.
We aren't really having Christmas this year, no decor, gifts or presents going out this year. It's an extension of the keen disappointment with the election outcome and spending money in Bush's America doesn't quite fit for us right now. Usually we get gifts for all the kids and grandchildren, and wind up with not much left over to get for each other, so I am happy to see Sweetie get something he really wants and will use this year. He never complains and always remains upbeat, and I so much wanted to gift him this year. Glad we could do this. Now he can work without interruption on his op-eds, his online activities towards trying to preserve our democracy on his very own computer.
We've worked out a sharing of the one puter, and I get it day time, he gets it night time and weekends we share. I spend a large amount of time on puter in my own blogging, op-eds, and family stuff but this last 6 weeks, I've had a full-blown intense project following vote fraud. It has become more difficult for each of us to have satisfying and adequate time with sharing one computer. Needless to say, we've assessed the need to get a second computer, and I'm happy we were able to do so as our Christmas gift to ourselves this year.
Today, then, Sweetie, set up his new puter (it's just like yours, Bree, remember last year at Christmas when you got yours ... same for us this year). He is just tickled with it. He helped me make some slight modifications to our front room where I decided to move my painting studio from upstairs cupola to downstairs. My "studio" has been set up in so many different places in this house, and I haven't been able to get quite comfortable so we are trying yet another place to set it up.
The light in the upstairs cupola is fantastic for paining, but there is inadequate and little ventilation, which doesn't work out as well. The painting paraphanalia is messy and doesn't lend itself well to the home decor, and I've been reluctant to incorporate it into the main areas in the house. We'll see how this works out, and Sweetie is so attentive to accomodating my painting (more so than I am myself). He arranged for good lighting for these short days when the daylight evaporates so quickly.
I painted 2 paintings last week, kind of trial and error on a new project and I can see I will need to work more to get the hang of the new project. Today, after we made the change-over, I painted a new painting taking on a different subject as I knew I didn't have time left in the day to concentrate on the learning curve I need for the new project I'm working on teaching myself.
Sweetie keeps me in coffee and makes dinner when I paint, so we had pizza and are wrapping up the evening with him on his New computer and me on "mine" (guess now that he has his own, this one becomes mine, how about that).
And that wraps up the weekend, except for the call I got from my daughter and they had an unkind holiday experience..... the kind you read about in newspaper or hear on the news every holiday.... they got mugged, wallet and paycheck stolen....there won't be Christmas for them this year. Rotten, rotten, rotten.
Friday, December 17, 2004
Uh oh...Are they moving in?
News going on in our town, the things I don't know unless I get out, geesh. I finally got out of the house yesterday after 3-4 weeks. Went to office holiday party. Well, actually the Union gang holiday party. So I stop for a nice, hot vanilla breve at our favorite espresso stand and she tells me what's been going on in town. Seems there is someone who is walking about distributing flyers for a socialist group with a swatiska emblem on it. She said he freaked her out and had been by 3 different days now. She is there alone and sounds worried.
So are the skinheads scouting out our community as a place to bring in a cell and hide out, I asked her. She says, not sure, the guy didn't look the part, had on heavy old torn coat and cap, looked more like a homeless person. She said she notified the police, though, and they know.
Well I go about my business, driving to the local store to get holiday ornament for gift exchange, then out to the Res. Took ol' Jake with me for his long awaited "go for a drive" and he was in happy dog heaven. He's been kinda wondering if something is wrong with me since we haven't gone for a drive in weeks now.
I get back to town and went to the office holiday party, but I no sooner got there than one of the office staff discovered that those same flyers with the swatiska had been left in the public bathroom. So off she goes to notify the police, who come by and take posession of the flyers. Guess our local police are on the hunt now for this guy. It was in our little local newspaper that these flyers were being distributed around town. So it made the news even, locally.
See what I miss when I don't get out, my goodness, a little tempest in a teapot brewing in our towns out here off the beaten path.
It doesn't sound like the skinheads are coming here, really, but something is up as we've got some guy wandering around town distributing these swatiska flyers. "heads up" eh?
So are the skinheads scouting out our community as a place to bring in a cell and hide out, I asked her. She says, not sure, the guy didn't look the part, had on heavy old torn coat and cap, looked more like a homeless person. She said she notified the police, though, and they know.
Well I go about my business, driving to the local store to get holiday ornament for gift exchange, then out to the Res. Took ol' Jake with me for his long awaited "go for a drive" and he was in happy dog heaven. He's been kinda wondering if something is wrong with me since we haven't gone for a drive in weeks now.
I get back to town and went to the office holiday party, but I no sooner got there than one of the office staff discovered that those same flyers with the swatiska had been left in the public bathroom. So off she goes to notify the police, who come by and take posession of the flyers. Guess our local police are on the hunt now for this guy. It was in our little local newspaper that these flyers were being distributed around town. So it made the news even, locally.
See what I miss when I don't get out, my goodness, a little tempest in a teapot brewing in our towns out here off the beaten path.
It doesn't sound like the skinheads are coming here, really, but something is up as we've got some guy wandering around town distributing these swatiska flyers. "heads up" eh?
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
The Power went out, we were flung into darkness
Ahh, the black of night. We experienced it last night when the power went out and our little village was plunged into total blackness. There was no light from anywhere, not the moon, not the stars, and we literally could not see a thing, anywhere but dark blackness. I inched my way to the kitchen to find a candle and a match thinking it was going to take a good half hour to get there at this slow inching along pace. Sweetie was more adept, found our super duper Y2K flashlight (the one with the alarm, radio, and heavy duty 2 way lighting) and shone the light on my dilema.
I made my way to the kitchen then, started lighting the candles, finding all the candles about the house sprinkled into my decor and pulling out those emergency 2-hour candles that I keep on hand for just so an adventure. We had good, old fashioned candlelight all over the house and it was actually quite cheerful. We said to each other, this is what it was like a hundred years ago, when this house was built and it didn't have electricity.
Of course, all our power-operated entertainments, tv, computer, stove, microwave, dishwasher shut off all at once and we found ourselves sitting down and just looking at each other saying well, what shall we do now, with the rest of the night? Fortunately, I had completed the dinner before the power shut off, so we had a meal by candlelight instead of in front of the tv...what a nice change! Then we sat down together and began sharing some stories, and were content to relax and let the next hours unfold.
It occurred to me that in the old days before we had instant in-home entertainment, that folks talked to each other, shared time together, listened to someone play the piano, read poetry, played parlor and board games, and spent more time in each other's company to wile away the hours. It also occurred to me that folks went to bed earlier as the long, winter dark hours stretched out. And they likely awoke earlier too, and used the daytime hours very efficiently and productively since there was so little daylight.
Just as we were settling in for a nice change of pace without electricity, the power came back on and we were actually disappointed. After being disoriented for a bit, we gradually went back to old habits, turned on the computer and tv again and resumed business as usual. But we made a note that the disruption was a wake up call and made a deal with each other to have one night a week without power....or at least a semblance of what would we do if we didn't have power. And I believe, we will learn even more about each other on those special nights. It's interesting how sometimes one has to be in the "dark" before the light goes on and illumination shines through
I made my way to the kitchen then, started lighting the candles, finding all the candles about the house sprinkled into my decor and pulling out those emergency 2-hour candles that I keep on hand for just so an adventure. We had good, old fashioned candlelight all over the house and it was actually quite cheerful. We said to each other, this is what it was like a hundred years ago, when this house was built and it didn't have electricity.
Of course, all our power-operated entertainments, tv, computer, stove, microwave, dishwasher shut off all at once and we found ourselves sitting down and just looking at each other saying well, what shall we do now, with the rest of the night? Fortunately, I had completed the dinner before the power shut off, so we had a meal by candlelight instead of in front of the tv...what a nice change! Then we sat down together and began sharing some stories, and were content to relax and let the next hours unfold.
It occurred to me that in the old days before we had instant in-home entertainment, that folks talked to each other, shared time together, listened to someone play the piano, read poetry, played parlor and board games, and spent more time in each other's company to wile away the hours. It also occurred to me that folks went to bed earlier as the long, winter dark hours stretched out. And they likely awoke earlier too, and used the daytime hours very efficiently and productively since there was so little daylight.
Just as we were settling in for a nice change of pace without electricity, the power came back on and we were actually disappointed. After being disoriented for a bit, we gradually went back to old habits, turned on the computer and tv again and resumed business as usual. But we made a note that the disruption was a wake up call and made a deal with each other to have one night a week without power....or at least a semblance of what would we do if we didn't have power. And I believe, we will learn even more about each other on those special nights. It's interesting how sometimes one has to be in the "dark" before the light goes on and illumination shines through
Saturday, December 11, 2004
Sen. John Kerry, Arlington Funeral
Former U.S. presidential candidate, Senator John Kerry (news - web sites) (D-MA), lays flowers on the casket of U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Dimitrios Gavriel during his military funeral at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington DC, December 2, 2004. Gavriel, from Haverhill, Massachusetts, died November 19 while fighting in Al Anbar Province in Iraq (news - web sites) and his funeral is the 99th 'Operation Iraqi Freedom' funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. REUTERS/Jason Reed
Penelope Gavriel (Seated 4thR) receives the U.S. flag that draped the casket of her son, Lance Cpl. Dimitrios Gavriel, from Marine Staff Sgt. Charles Dorsey, as U.S. Senators Ted Kennedy (D-MA- standing C) and John Kerry (D-MA- R) stand alongside other family members his military funeral at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington DC, December 2, 2004. Gavriel, from Haverhill, Massachusetts, died November 19 while fighting in Al Anbar Province in Iraq , and his funeral is the 99th 'Operation Iraqi Freedom' funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. REUTERS/Jason Reed REUTERS
Reuters - Dec 02 12:01 PM
Former U.S. presidential candidate, Senator John Kerry (2nd L), D-MA, and fellow Senator Ted Kennedy (L), D-MA, carry flowers as they walk to the military funeral of U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Dimitrios Gavriel at Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington DC, December 2, 2004. Gavriel, from Haverhill, Massachusetts, died November 19 while fighting in Al Anbar Province in Iraq , and his funeral is the 99th 'Operation Iraqi Freedom' funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. REUTERS/Jason Reed
Reuters - Dec 02 12:36 PM
Former U.S. presidential candidate, Senator John Kerry (D-MA) (standing, R) and Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) (Standing 2nd R) watch alongside family members of U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Dimitrios Gavriel during his military funeral at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington DC, December 2, 2004. Gavriel, from Haverhill, Massachusetts died November 19 while fighting in Al Anbar Province in Iraq and his funeral is the 99th 'Operation Iraqi Freedom' funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. REUTERS/Jason Reed
Reuters - Dec 02 12:53 PM
Former U.S. presidential candidate, Senator John Kerry (news - web sites) (D-MA) hugs an unidentified member of U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Dimitrios Gavriel's family during his military funeral at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington DC, December 2, 2004. Gavriel, from Haverhill, Massachusetts, died November 19 while fighting in Al Anbar Province in Iraq (news - web sites), and his funeral was the 99th 'Operation Iraqi Freedom' funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. REUTERS/Jason Reed
Penelope Gavriel (bottom L) kisses the U.S. flag that draped the casket of her son, Lance Cpl. Dimitrios Gavriel, as U.S. Senators' Ted Kennedy (2nd-L), D-MA, and John Kerry (news - web sites) ®, D-MA, stand alongside other family members during his honor guard funeral at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington DC, December 2, 2004. Gavriel, from Haverhill, Massachusetts, died November 19 while fighting in Al Anbar Province in Iraq (news - web sites). REUTERS/Jason Reed REUTERS
Holidays, post election, laments for America
Much as I usually love the holidays, this year I'm having a hard time revving up for festive decor and festive gatherings. Getting through the post election stunner and grave concerns for the health of our country, I'm not mustering up that good holiday cheer this year.
There is a ton of boxed holiday decor in storage and I don't have the heart to haul it all out, sort through it and set the house into a holiday mode. I remain fastened to sorting out what went wrong at election, with a huge concern that this is second stolen election. Fearing that if country doesn't feel the alarm by now, it may be a country we have permitted to be sold down the river.
I can't seem to bring myself to go about usual every day activities, until I absolutely know that the election is really over, which I don't believe it is, and if there is a glimmer of hope left that the electorate has not yet officiated the vote, then I seem glued to following the unfolding daily activity in blogosphere on what may very well be election fraud.
So Happy Holidays isn't working too well for me this year. Doesn't feel in the least bit happy with war in Iraq turning so ugly, and on a timeline now of indefinite duration, as Rumsfeld has said 4-5 to 10 years. Now the administration is looking at Iran, meantime on the homefront, legislation has passed in the Omnibus bill with it packed full of things we have yet to see in the fallout. Mandatory mental health screening not requiring parental permission is but one of those "things" that got packed into that bill.
Sigh, festive holidays to you as we pretend all is well and go about business as usual here in America. How did we lose her, how did we take our eye off the ball?
There is a ton of boxed holiday decor in storage and I don't have the heart to haul it all out, sort through it and set the house into a holiday mode. I remain fastened to sorting out what went wrong at election, with a huge concern that this is second stolen election. Fearing that if country doesn't feel the alarm by now, it may be a country we have permitted to be sold down the river.
I can't seem to bring myself to go about usual every day activities, until I absolutely know that the election is really over, which I don't believe it is, and if there is a glimmer of hope left that the electorate has not yet officiated the vote, then I seem glued to following the unfolding daily activity in blogosphere on what may very well be election fraud.
So Happy Holidays isn't working too well for me this year. Doesn't feel in the least bit happy with war in Iraq turning so ugly, and on a timeline now of indefinite duration, as Rumsfeld has said 4-5 to 10 years. Now the administration is looking at Iran, meantime on the homefront, legislation has passed in the Omnibus bill with it packed full of things we have yet to see in the fallout. Mandatory mental health screening not requiring parental permission is but one of those "things" that got packed into that bill.
Sigh, festive holidays to you as we pretend all is well and go about business as usual here in America. How did we lose her, how did we take our eye off the ball?
Friday, December 10, 2004
Rain, rain, winds, and more rain here.
What can I say, we live in the Rain Kingdom, and it's arrived in full force here! I don't have much to report to this blog today because I spent every waking hour yesterday on other blogs, the media news breaking stories on the un-met needs of the troops, which seem to be in a sudden abundance after next to nil reporting this past 20 months. Woo Hoo, it's way past time! Well I'm computered out after yesterday, I did literally spend from 8 am to 11pm on this dang puter. Today I think I'll go find something else to do, maybe towards holiday cheer.
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Thought the thunder was a tsunami today!
Thank you all for visiting my new blog and leaving a comment, makes me smile Big, cheers me up a lot and I appreciate it very much.
Wow!! It was raining again today, and then flashes of lightening but what followed then blew me away. There was thunder like I've never heard before and it sounded like it was coming from the water on the bay. And it rumbled so loud and so long, I had to hurry over to the windows to make sure a tidal wave wasn't coming at me. Man....that was scarey. Real scarey.
There was no change in the water on the bay though, no tsunami, and I could relax a bit, but the thunder kept rolling Loud and Long and it was unlike any I've heard before. It was awesome and frightening all at once. Jake wasn't too happy about it, so he came inside to hide under the desk where I am busy on computer.
Then it all cleared away and the sun came out for about 20 minutes, just like a summer day. Quickly the sun left though replaced by the gray, but no rain, just those heavy clouds that threaten to drop more rain.
There was windstorm last night, which tv news said was coming, and we know what to expect with windstorms here. But the thunder this afternoon was way beyond normal for around here. I thought the earth was splitting open! Really!
Okay, I declined an invitation from Sweetie today to meet him for lunch cause I knew the Conyers Hearing on Vote Fraud was going to happen today and I wanted to see it. Well geez, I checked into my morning forums, and the DU (Democratic Underground) had fresh post saying that Pacifica Radio (online) was covering it now ... 7 AM. So I quick brought up the audio and listened along, taking notes like crazy.
Then someone posted the C-Span was also covering it, and provided the link to the video/audio so I went and got that and sent out an email 'heads up' to my addy list, + posted to the family sites. And now I have to update all my serious blogs as this is important now as entered into Congressional record, part of American history.
So if you want to follow my activity on vote fraud, see one of my other blogs (links to the left; Blue Tones, On the Horizon, Bludayz...and if you want to follow the war in Iraq, troops, see my blog Dying to Preserve the Lies). I don't want to clutter up this blog with too much of the serious stuff, but it was an important day today with the Conyers Hearing and one I (along with thousands of other online bloggers in the blogosphere working our brains and fingers on vote fraud 2004) have been waiting for now for about 4 + weeks. Since we know mainstream media isn't covering it, we have become the Media. Gram's a journalist now, a reporter..how about that..lol.
Well that's it for today. Thanks everyone for visiting my newest blog here, Gram's Gems. And there are links to the left to other family blogs, Bree, Randa. How come the rest of ya aren't blogging...lol ?
Wow!! It was raining again today, and then flashes of lightening but what followed then blew me away. There was thunder like I've never heard before and it sounded like it was coming from the water on the bay. And it rumbled so loud and so long, I had to hurry over to the windows to make sure a tidal wave wasn't coming at me. Man....that was scarey. Real scarey.
There was no change in the water on the bay though, no tsunami, and I could relax a bit, but the thunder kept rolling Loud and Long and it was unlike any I've heard before. It was awesome and frightening all at once. Jake wasn't too happy about it, so he came inside to hide under the desk where I am busy on computer.
Then it all cleared away and the sun came out for about 20 minutes, just like a summer day. Quickly the sun left though replaced by the gray, but no rain, just those heavy clouds that threaten to drop more rain.
There was windstorm last night, which tv news said was coming, and we know what to expect with windstorms here. But the thunder this afternoon was way beyond normal for around here. I thought the earth was splitting open! Really!
Okay, I declined an invitation from Sweetie today to meet him for lunch cause I knew the Conyers Hearing on Vote Fraud was going to happen today and I wanted to see it. Well geez, I checked into my morning forums, and the DU (Democratic Underground) had fresh post saying that Pacifica Radio (online) was covering it now ... 7 AM. So I quick brought up the audio and listened along, taking notes like crazy.
Then someone posted the C-Span was also covering it, and provided the link to the video/audio so I went and got that and sent out an email 'heads up' to my addy list, + posted to the family sites. And now I have to update all my serious blogs as this is important now as entered into Congressional record, part of American history.
So if you want to follow my activity on vote fraud, see one of my other blogs (links to the left; Blue Tones, On the Horizon, Bludayz...and if you want to follow the war in Iraq, troops, see my blog Dying to Preserve the Lies). I don't want to clutter up this blog with too much of the serious stuff, but it was an important day today with the Conyers Hearing and one I (along with thousands of other online bloggers in the blogosphere working our brains and fingers on vote fraud 2004) have been waiting for now for about 4 + weeks. Since we know mainstream media isn't covering it, we have become the Media. Gram's a journalist now, a reporter..how about that..lol.
Well that's it for today. Thanks everyone for visiting my newest blog here, Gram's Gems. And there are links to the left to other family blogs, Bree, Randa. How come the rest of ya aren't blogging...lol ?
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Holiday Season, got to get some stuff done...
So, here it is the holiday season and I don't have a thing done yet. It's been heavy, pouring rain for several days now, no snow here. And Ash has snow, and Rans has snow. Chris does not have holiday plans, so he may come to my house, but if I don't decorate, it won't be very festive. So maybe we will meet up with him midway and have a different kind of celebration this year.
Not sure if Lica's family will be making the drive over the mountains this year, so we could wind up with just the two of us for Christmas this year. Neither of us have had the happy holiday spirit yet, we are both still working hard in blogosphere land on internet trying to help with the vote fraud of this election.
Guess we will take a break though, and try to get more into the family and the season. I better haul myself away from the computer then and get some stuff done.
I have lots of blogs, but they are all serious ones, and so I made this one to just post about my days and that way Ash and Rans can read it if they want and see what Grams is up to or not up to...lol. I hope Ash will make a blog too so I can visit her blog. I visit Randa's blog and Bree's blog and I want to visit Ashley's blog too.
Gonna go make some chicken dinner now, it's time for Sweetie to come home and I haven't started cooking yet. Jake is depressed these days, rainy and I haven't taken him for a Ride for couple weeks now, and he's not happy about it.
Okey dokey then, I'll try to make an entry in this blog often to say what's going on in my daily life.....which is not too much these days. I miss my grandchildren, every one of them and new baby Aislee will be not such a newborn next time I see her.
Not sure if Lica's family will be making the drive over the mountains this year, so we could wind up with just the two of us for Christmas this year. Neither of us have had the happy holiday spirit yet, we are both still working hard in blogosphere land on internet trying to help with the vote fraud of this election.
Guess we will take a break though, and try to get more into the family and the season. I better haul myself away from the computer then and get some stuff done.
I have lots of blogs, but they are all serious ones, and so I made this one to just post about my days and that way Ash and Rans can read it if they want and see what Grams is up to or not up to...lol. I hope Ash will make a blog too so I can visit her blog. I visit Randa's blog and Bree's blog and I want to visit Ashley's blog too.
Gonna go make some chicken dinner now, it's time for Sweetie to come home and I haven't started cooking yet. Jake is depressed these days, rainy and I haven't taken him for a Ride for couple weeks now, and he's not happy about it.
Okey dokey then, I'll try to make an entry in this blog often to say what's going on in my daily life.....which is not too much these days. I miss my grandchildren, every one of them and new baby Aislee will be not such a newborn next time I see her.
Friday, December 03, 2004
Penelope Gavriel (Seated 4thR) receives the U.S. flag that draped the casket of her son, Lance Cpl. Dimitrios Gavriel, from Marine Staff Sgt. Charles Dorsey, as U.S. Senators Ted Kennedy (D-MA- standing C) and John Kerry (news
Former U.S. presidential candidate, Senator John Kerry (news
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