Still up in MN

Well, Thursday was pretty good - I went to Fort Snelling, and now they have re-enactors, who portray people from the fort from the 1820s. Pictures will be coming when I return home, and can get my USB cord to download photos. I also got a video of the drill, loading, firing the guns of that time. It was warm, but not *hot*, but there was a good breeze. If you get to Minneapolis, I suggest you go visit Fort Snelling, and nose about there. Growing up, my parents took us there, but now that there are people telling you about life in the stone barracks, and the post commander (or his wife) telling you about the house, and family, makes it much more 'alive'. Dred Scott, his wife Harriet, were slaves of the camp physician there, Dr. Emerson, and lived in the kitchen that was below the quarters. It is a small room, and not a whole lot of space there. The soldiers quarters, each room held 3 bunks - 12 soldiers. They slept two to a bed. So "hotracking" I guess started back then. It still continues today in the military. The family quarters were also small, maybe 15x12, and 2 families would live in this space. Look at the houses of today, and how much room we have compared to then. The officers quarters were rather nice, however, usually the officers quarters are. They were not two to a room.

I also went to Minnehaha Falls, and had a bit of trouble finding it. I kept getting on the 55 highway the wrong direction! and then the signs stopped - for getting to the falls. So I drove around up & down a few roads, and then found Minnehaha Blvd. Went the wrong way for a while, and then turned around & went the other direction. FINALLY I got to where it looked like there were more cars parked (the public parking is metered, quarters and dollar coins only, a quarter is 20 minutes), the parking lots, you need a permit to park in.

There was a lovely alcove area that I walked under, with lots of birds, flowers and bees - evidently a great wedding spot! Took some pictures of flowers and bees on flowers, and then heard the falls, so I started down the stairs. LOTS of stairs. Took shots as I was going down, and got to the bottom, watched people on the side of the falls for a big, and then slogged back UP all those stairs. I was very glad for the bench that was up at the top.

Went back to hotel and took a shower, and then met a friend that I hadn't seen since high school at Mall of America. HOLY MOLY! That place is HUGE! She must have a way better sense of direction than I do, because I was lost. They have Nickelodeon Universe there now instead of Camp Snoopy in the center of the mall. The very center. That's about the only thing that I know where it is, apart from the aquarium in the basement. Yes, there's a nice, large aquarium! I went there in 2000, and it was really nice. 300 foot long tube that you go under, where fish & sharks swim overhead. And a shark (small) and sting ray petting pool. Found out sting rays feel like satin. Very soft and silky. BACK to the center of the mall - in that place is a ferris wheel, rollercoasters, and other rides. Plus a GANGPLANK that is on the 3rd floor level, that you get harnessed up, with a line holding you (in case you lose your balance), and walk out about 10 feet to the end of the gangplank. There is a net underneath in case your rope comes loose I guess. I couldn't watch, I got dizzy just watching people walk out on it!

Went to Bubba Gumps, talked for a good 3 hours, took our pictures with the person in the giant shrimp costume walking about, and then went to to Tigersushi. She hadn't had sushi before, so we had to go. hah! it was delicious. Skip the miso soup however, not very good.

Yesterday around 1, I drove out to where I grew up. the houses! I don't know what happened, but the McMansions have moved in. Housing developments galore. Went to the high school, and now they have an athletic center, the football field has moved, there are fields across the road where it used to be corn fields. At least the steps going up inside were still the same. Also I figured out waving at people is just something Minnesotans don't do. I drove past a walking path on the way back from the HS, and there was an old man walking with a cane. He was watching the car, so I waved at him. He just stared at me open mouthed, and turned to watch me pass. I guess they don't "drive friendly" here.

After that, went over to Lord Fletchers. Went down to the Wharf part, by the boats, and grabbed table, got some ice tea, and a raw veggie plate with ranch. Pretty good, they gave you lots of veggies. Watched boats go by under the bridges through the channel, gaped at the house fronts I could see across the lake (one had a 3-story glass window front), and just hung out. A friend & her husband showed up around 4:30, and we started looking at people to see if they might be classmates of ours. I don't know about you, but when I think of a classmate, I see them in my head the way they looked back in high school. There were like 4 people that I recognized instantly, because they still looked the way they did back in school. The rest it's like .. uhh.. What is your name? People started coming at 5, and then really coming in around 6 to 7. Ended up about 100 people there, from our class. Lots of beer and drinks were consumed (and when I say lots, many people were having people pick them up, or taking a cab). I was kind of surprised how many people smoked - people that never would have thought about smoking in high school, they snubbed the people that hung out in the back doors & smoked between classes or during lunch. And the language! I'm thinking 'geeze, I know I was bad in the navy, but did I used to talk that bad during high school?" One guy I talked to, every other sentence out of his mouth was "you've got to be sh****** me" I was like just :O There were very few that didn't talk like that. There was a bit of time when I sat there & was thinking 'why the heck am I here, these people are just out to get drunk and cuss up a storm". There were a few people I was very glad to see, ones that I had gone to school with from 1st grade on through 12th. Managed to get the slick lawyer's email address finally (he lives up by Dallas), and my oldest daughter lives up in Ft. Worth. Would like to stay in touch with him. Despite being a lawyer, he's a nice guy. Always smiling.

I drank WAY too much tea yesterday, and then when I had a Jagermeister and Red Bull last night the caffeine got to me. Messed with my head and my stomach. I left around 11:45 from Fletchers last night, but couldn't get to sleep until around 3 or 4, was too wired.

Tonight is the get-together at the country club, with a buffet dinner. I have to find out if it's business casual, or what. I'd just as soon go in what I'm wearing, but I did bring a dress. And not as much tea today for me! I drank decaf this morning, with my breakfast at Perkins. The internet is still sucky at the hotel where I'm staying, and I can't connect :|

Have a good evening :)

Up in MN

Well, here I sit at Perkins restaurant, as the net at the hotel where I'm staying SUCKS bigtime. I can connect to their router just fine, just not after that. I can connect just fine here, so I'll sit here & drink coffee & eat breakfast. I forgot Perkins had eggs benedict, I will try that tomorrow :P I haven't had that in YEARS. Heh. Growing up, there was a Perkins in Wayzata, and we'd always refer to it as 'pukins'. But they have always had good food.

Here is a bit from my flight up here:

Well, so far traveling has been interesting. While at the airport, Sumdood sat next to me. WHY? There were plenty of areas that had more seats vacant, and he plops down right next to me. Do I have the nut magnet? Was "sit next to me" stamped on my forehead? The vegetable spring rolls I had for breakfast were tasty, but greasy. And expensive. But the fried rice was like $5, so 2 small rolls for $2.49 wasn't so bad. The Diet Coke was about the same price, but necessary. Like Dr Grumpy, it's a necessity of life. Right up there with air and food and stuff.

Well I just figured out why my flight to MN is 5 hours. Because we head from Houston to Birmingham, AL, then over to St. Louis MO, and *finally* up to Minneapolis. Actually, I'm hoping the very front row ends up empty, and i can snag one of those seats. Lots more leg room. Its not bad, but I swear these seats are getting smaller...Flying on a 747, at least the darn engine noise is not bad now at altitude than when it was when we were climbing. At least I'll get 3 servings of peanuts *grin* rather than just 1.

Sumdood is nefarious, by the way. Usually he is not seen, as you can google 'sumdood' and find out about his previous doings at ambulance driver, and lawdog files. He's usually involved in fights, beating someone up, and slipping away unknown.

The weather up here is great. I ran 'fan only' in the room last night, and had to get up and turn it off, because it was COLD. at 10 pm last night, it was 73 degrees.. This rocks!

Headed out to the lake area where I grew up, going to drive around the old neighborhood, to see how much it's changed again. When I was here in 2000, most of the homes that were there before are torn down, and huge homes built in their place. I remember mom telling me that they paid 50k for the place in 1962, and when they sold, an architect bought it, tore down what they had built, and put a huge house there.

I went to the Mall of America yesterday afternoon, and met a friend I had not seen in 30 years there. It was great fun as we caught up on what we had been doing. It seems like many of the people I went to school with still live in the area, Minneapolis, or surrounding, and it just seems *strange* to me, living where you grew up. I haven't lived in MN since late 1980, and have lived in 9? states since then, for the longest time in Texas.

Headed to Lord Fletchers this afternoon. They have a walleye dinner there. I haven't had walleye since I left MN! Seriously thinking about getting that. It seems they have changed the interior too, I am seriously disappointed about that.

There is a Mill Museum up here, the old Gold Medal factory - the largest flour mill that there used to be. Thinking about going there today before Fletchers. Have a good one!

A Hop, Skip and a Jump

That is a short trip... I'm returning to the homeland (Minnesnowta) for my 30th class reunion. A 5!! hour flight. I'm bringing a Brad Thor book to read. Perhaps I should bring Vols. 1&2 of The Gulag Archipelago, so I don't run out of reading material, and have to resort to in-flight magazines. Hubby & youngest will have to fend for themselves while I'm gone, and I'm hoping those dishes magikally wash themselves while I'm gone (evil I know, leaving them some dishes to wash!)

I have net access while at the hotel (free wifi) and an indoor pool - so the basic comforts are taken care of.

The place we are having the Friday night get-together, used to be fashioned indoors like Ye Olde English Inn. Dark wood timbers, cream colored walls, etc. Heavy furniture. No longer. I looked at the website, and now it's insipid green interior. Bummer. I was looking forward to seeing it again. as my parents would take us there like once a month on Sundays after church, for lunch. I remember delicious steaks there. The Wharf (the outdoor dock area) has increased in size, and boat mooring capability. Now it's football-field sized, with lots of docks for boats. It would be nice, but there is some sort of swimsuit finals competition going on that same evening. Guess the male half of the class will be otherwise occupied.

I recently read a good book, titled "You Can't Say That! The Growing Threat to Civil Liberties by Anti-Discrimination Laws". Very interesting, I recommend it. See if you can get it used, as I read it in a day. Another good book is "Never Enough - America's Limitless Welfare State". That is a good question - when is it enough? When is it large enough? When has it spent enough? I think I'll take this one with me to re-read on the way up to MN. Well hub wants his laptop back, so I'm out till later on this week. Have a good one!

Haiti

Remember the earthquake? A nurse's blog that I have listed to the side, she went down there to help out. She is back now from there, and the past few posts have been about her time down there. HERE is the link to her blog. Go check out her posts. GuitargirlRN is her blog - keep up with what happened to her down there - you can see on the side of my page when she's updated it. She doesn't post daily, but she does post.

Ut oh...forced servitude coming

Slavery rears its ugly head again in the United States - bet you thought slavery was a dead dog, lying in the mire of yesteryear.

A bill, introduced by Charlie Rangel (D-NY), will turn US citizens into slaves for the government. How? By *obligatory* service, either in the military, or civilian service.

We read:

To require all persons in the United States between the ages of 18 and 42 to perform national service, either as a member of the uniformed services or in civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, to authorize the induction of persons in the uniformed services during wartime to meet end-strength requirements of the uniformed services, and for other purposes.

This was introduced, and was given to the Committee on Armed Services. Right now I wish I had Cspan-3, as they cover the committees.

further:

(3) The term ‘national service’ means military service or service in a civilian capacity that, as determined by the President, promotes the national defense, including national or community service and service related to homeland security.

And he's bringing back the draft. Fun, ain't it? The civilian service is for 2 years, but that can be extended, for compensating any time lost for training for any cause. Also by the consent of the member, in case of emergency. Lovely, isn't it? What if they give you a year's training time? that is THREE years spent in gov't service.

You would be mentally and physically examined to see if you are fit for service, either military (normal) or civilian service.

You're a conscientious objector? Tuff bunnies. You're out of luck. There is *no* objector status for the civilian slavery. You can in the military, then they will put you in a non-combat job. When I was in the Navy, a guy said he was a conscientious objector, said he would not work for the military. Last I knew, he was picking up trash on base.

The bill says:

SEC. 109. CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION.

(a) Claims as Conscientious Objector- Nothing in this title shall be construed to require a person to be subject to combatant training and service in the uniformed services, if that person, by reason of sincerely held moral, ethical, or religious beliefs, is conscientiously opposed to participation in war in any form.

(b) Alternative Noncombatant or Civilian Service- A person who claims exemption from combatant training and service under subsection (a) and whose claim is sustained by the local board shall--

(1) be assigned to noncombatant service (as defined by the President), if the person is inducted into the uniformed services; or

(2) be ordered by the local board, if found to be conscientiously opposed to participation in such noncombatant service, to perform national civilian service for the period specified in section 104(a) and subject to such regulations as the President may prescribe.

There are no co-sponsors to this crazy bill. Here is a link to the Committee on Armed Services. See if one of your congresscritters are on there, and contact them to get rid of this nutso bill.

Hey, maybe Obama is going to do something about (the real rate) of unemployment, and just make people work for the government. And! how do they propose to PAY these people that are working for the government in civilian service? By higher deficit? 2/3 of all monies going out of the gov't are for entitlements...just what we need. More government, and more spending, and more spending MONEY WE DON'T HAVE.

Funny, I spend money I don't have, and the bank levies a $35 charge on my account. The government overspends, and there is no consequence whatsoever. Flogging! that's the answer. Any deficit spending, the congress/senate/president gets flogged.. publicly. 39 lashes. EACH.

The 13th Amendment proscribes what Rangel is proposing, as far as a civilian force goes:

Amendment 13 - Slavery Abolished. Ratified 12/6/1865.

1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

a long day...

I've been doing alot of reading since getting up so early. Found lots of good reading on this "tax" that is coming out of the Obamacare - or is it a tax? First, they said it was constitutional under the Commerce Clause - *however*, they are trying a different tack, so they trotted out that it's a 'tax'. But then again, is that Constitutional? I found an interesting abstract about this very subject.

"Willis and Chung demonstrate how I.R.C. § 5000A – the HEALTH CARE ACT penalty – is an unapportioned Capitation Tax, violative of U.S. CONSTITUTION ARTICLE I, Section 9. As they demonstrate, the "penalty" is – at least on its face - a tax. To be a Constitutional tax, it must be an Excise Tax, an Income Tax, or a proportional Capitation Tax. Through the process of elimination, they demonstrate the penalty is none of these.

Others convincingly demonstrate the "penalty" is unconstitutional under the Commerce Clause. They argue the "penalty" is indeed a penalty and not a tax. Willis and Chung pick up where that argument leaves off: if that argument fails and the Court finds this is a tax, it is an unconstitutional unapportioned Direct Tax."

Doesn't that make you smile? I wonder how Obama et al will try to wiggle out of this one.
Its flat-out Fascism - one of those lovely children of collectivism - that things are pubicly owned, and a facade of privately run. That's what the Obama administration is going to turn insurance companies into.

I found an an interesting article at www.bannedbooks.com/, that states:

"Government-business partnerships. A third defining characteristic of economic fascism is that private property and business ownership are permitted, but are in reality controlled by government through a business-government "partnership." As Ayn Rand often noted, however, in such a partnership government is always the senior or dominating "partner."

Darn, this is a good article. It's definately recommended reading! Even though it was penned in 1994, much of this is coming true in today's administration.

On another note, I've been told I'm horrid for merely saying the word "fag". To me, they're mis-using the word, by *only* accounting it as slang. I guess I should "look at her queerly". Not that I would *try* to tweak someone's nose that way, but the misuse of words, and the abuse of them, just drives me loco. But then I'm intolerant that way. I hold people to the meaning of the words they say, and from what I've seen, that is not popular.

Oh yes - yet another ADD minute for you:

Sen. Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican, proposed yesterday that people seeking unemployment benefits or welfare undergo drug tests before they can receive benefits.

But of course, this would make *way* too much sense, so of course we can't do that. The ACLU is against drug testing for recipients. I think, although our civil liberties are something to be prized, if you're going to take money from the government, you'd better be prepared to give up something to the government (your urine). A bill was started in Lousiana about this, however, it was not gone over, and just died. Liberals probably think "good riddance to bad rubbish", however, I know there are Democrats out there that support drug testing for welfare/unemployment.

And now for something completely different:

(Cut to Inspector Praline.)

Praline: Hello again. I am at present still on film, but in a few seconds I shall be appearing in the studio. Thank you.

(Cut to studio. A door opens. Inspector Praline looks round door. )

Inspector Praline: (to camera) Hello. (he walks in followed by Superintendent Parrot and goes to desk) Mr Milton? You are sole proprietor and owner of the Whizzo Chocolate Company?

Milton: I am.

Praline: Superintendent Parrot and I are from the hygiene squad. We want to have a word with you about your box of chocolates entified The Whizzo Quality Assortment.

Milton: Ah, yes.

Praline: (producing box of chocolates) If I may begin at the beginning. First there is the cherry fondue. This is extremely nasty, but we can't prosecute you for that.

Milton: Agreed.

Praline: Next we have number four, 'crunchy frog'.

Milton: Ah, yes.

Praline: Am I right in thinking there's a real frog in here?

Milton: Yes. A little one.

Praline: What sort of frog?

Milton: A dead frog.

Praline: Is it cooked?

Milton: No.

Praline: What, a raw frog?

(Superintendent Parrot looks increasingly queasy.)

Milton: We use only the finest baby frogs, dew picked and flown from Iraq, cleansed in finest quality spring water, lightly killed, and then sealed in a succulent Swiss quintuple smooth treble cream milk chocolate envelope and lovingly frosted with glucose.

Praline: That's as maybe, it's still a frog.

Milton: What else?

Praline: Well don't you even take the bones out?

Milton: If we took the bones out it wouldn't be crunchy would it?

Praline: Superintendent Parrot ate one of those.

Parrot: Excuse me a moment. (exits hurriedly)

Milton: It says 'crunchy frog' quite clearly.

Praline: Well, the superintendent thought it was an almond whirl. People won't expect there to be a frog in there. They're bound to think it's some form of mock frog.

Milton: (insulted) Mock frog? We use no artificial preservatives or additives of any kind!

Praline: Nevertheless, I must warn you that in future you should delete the words 'crunchy frog', and replace them with the legend 'crunchy raw unboned real dead frog', if you want to avoid prosecution.

Milton: What about our sales?

Praline: I'm not interested in your sales, I have to protect the general public. Now how about this one. (superintendent enters) It was number five, wasn't it? (superintendent nods) Number five, ram's bladder cup. (exit superintendent) What kind of confection is this?

Milton: We use choicest juicy chunks of fresh Cornish ram's bladder, emptied, steamed, flavoured with sesame seeds whipped into a fondue and garnished with lark's vomit.

Praline: Lark's vomit?

Milton: Correct.

Praline: Well it don't say nothing about that here.

Milton: Oh yes it does, on the bottom of the box, after monosodium glutamate.

Praline: (looking) Well I hardly think this is good enough. I think it would be more appropriate if the box bore a large red label warning lark's vomit.

Milton: Our sales would plummet.

Praline: Well why don't you move into more conventional areas of confectionery, like praline or lime cream; a very popular flavour I'm led to understand. (superintendent enters) I mean look at this one, 'cockroach cluster', (superintendent exits) 'anthrax ripple'. What's this one, 'spring surprise'?

Milton: Ah - now, that's our speciality - covered with darkest creamy chocolate. When you pop it in your mouth steel bolts spring out and plunge straight through-both cheeks.

Praline: Well where's the pleasure in that? If people place a nice chocky in their mouth, they don't want their cheeks pierced. In any case this is an inadequate description of the sweetmeat. I shall have to ask you to accompany me to the station.

Milton: (getting up from desk and being led away) It's a fair cop.

Praline: Stop talking to the camera.

Milton: I'm sorry.

(Superintendent Parrot enters the room as Inspector Praline and Milton leave, and addresses the camera.)

Parrot: If only the general public would take more care when buying its sweeties, it would reduce the number of man-hours lost to the nation and they would spend less time having their stomachs pumped and sitting around in public lavatories.

Announcer: The BBC would like to apologize for the extremely poor quality of the next announcement, only he's not at all well.

Parrot: We present 'The Dull Life of a City Stockbroker'.

Washington Journal

This morning, the idiot Rep Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) is on. According to her, Obama has created *more* jobs than were created during the previous 8 years, and he hangs the moon each evening. The *horrible* military contractors are giving incentives to top producers, and so that is eeeeeeeevil, because they are 'being paid with taxpayer dollars'. She is the subcommittee chair in the Intelligence Oversight & Investigations. They are busy looking at contractors, and the US has been safe since 9/11 because of Obama. GAH why do I persist in watching this show? At least she is off now, and the airwaves are safe.

Woke up at 1 am, laid in bed till 2:45, got up, a whole lot of nothing on television. There is a Cspan 3, but we don't get it. Wish we did.

On another note, the world's largest gummy bear. Sure, you need one..get several! "This five-pound beast is the equivalent of 1,400 regular sized gummy bears and packs a whopping 12,600 calories." wow. Imagine the sugar rush.

Ok another ADD minute. Was reading over at Overlawyered about disabled rights. Actually, (and this will not be a popular opinion), is that the ADA, and other acts should not apply to private businesses. Government operations, sure. Does the government have the right to tell you who you should do business with? That's basically what it comes down to.

Check out the book "You Can't Say That! The Growing Threat to Civil Liberties from Antidiscrimination Laws". Very good book, compelling evidence to show that our freedoms are being infringed upon.

Being I have been up since 1 am, I'm headed back to bed & get some sleep :)

Just another day

in south Texas, HOT, muggy, and today, rainy. Well not hard rain, but the sprinkling type of rain that is just annoying. Got soaked yesterday heading back to church from lunch - it was POURING cats & dogs. Of course it let up after I get in the building, but if we had waited at the restaurant till it stopped, we would have been late for afternoon service.

Afternoon service? yes, instead of people driving back to town for an evening service, the preacher just arranged it to be slid up to 2 p.m., being people come from other towns. We live out of town a good 20 minutes, so just avoiding all that driving, either we bring lunch, and eat there, or go out to a restaurant in town & eat. Makes it fun, as we go out to lunch with friends and have a nice time. Preacher yesterday said when he wanted to change it to 2pm, he was being told it was because he wanted to get home & watch the football game. hah!

I'm sitting out on our patio (used to be a carport, but now it's a patio), and it's dribbling bits of rain here and there. I can hear it dripping off our roof, and the fig tree by the shed. The first fig crop is almost all gone - there are a few really ripe figs, and a few overripe figs squashed on the leaves. We have three fig trees, and one is huge - taller than our house. I haven't done anything with the figs this year, and I kept missing the guy that picks up our trash, that his dad could come get all the figs he wants. This fall, when the main crop is in, will let him know. We are too far out for regular trash pickup, but this elderly guy whose kids/grandkids live with him, runs an old sided truck to pick up trash from rural areas. Nice guy, have talked to him about the area when he was young.

My fancy hibiscus is blooming again...here is a picture from earlier this spring:


Its a very sultry evening here, barely a wisp of a breeze. The smoke from the barbecue is curling up straight, with only the occasional flare-up of flame. sultry = TOO DARN HOT AND MUGGY! I'd go sit inside, but then the chicken would be perverse and start on fire.

I'm looking forward to fall.

Self-Esteem/level playing field

From an article at Jihadwatch.org, comes this nugget of gold:

We live in the Age of Ekwilism in this country, in an Age of Levelling that in matters of intellect, and the transmission of knowledge, rivals - though prompted by different reasons - what the Soviet or Chinese Communists at their most malevolent sometimes managed to implement.
And part of the Ekwilism of the Age is the growth of Self-Esteem studies. The Self-Esteem in question does not come from any effort or perceived merit on the part of those who are encouraged simply to believe in their natural wonderfulness.

I didnt know what Ekwilism was, so I had to Google it. The National Review has this about it:
Paduk took possession of this theory, called "Ekwilism," and made it the basis of a national movement which proclaimed that social and economic equality were nothing without an equality of consciousness. That was to be achieved by enforcing spiritual and mental uniformity upon his native land "through the medium of the most standardized section of the inhabitants, namely, the Army, under the supervision of a bloated and dangerously divine state."
Ekwilism was probably the only triumphant fascist movement that comic strip as one of its chief inspirations.
Source
Sooo... being we ARE in an age of Progressivism/Socialism/Communism (all children of Collectivism!), the term Ekwilism fits.

As for the self-esteem that is put as the utmost to be taught to children today in schools, ranging from preK to 12th grade, and beyond, it is pure and total CRAP.

Self-esteem comes from accomplishing things, and doing well. Self-esteem should *not* come from being told you are great, good, whatever. Self-esteem does not come about from who you are, but what you do.

Not scoring kids baseball games, so that one team does not lose, or banning some schoolyard games because someone "might feel bad". We are so worried about kids' self-esteem, that we short them in life experience, and the real world, instead of the fake world created for them - the 'safe' bubble where nothing will ever go wrong, no one ever loses, or fails.

In Ottowa, a soccer league made the rule that if a team gets 5 points more than the other team - THEY automatically lose, the losing team WINS. Is this stupid or what? The full story is HERE.

"According to the league’s new rules, coaches of stronger teams are encouraged to deter runaway games by rotating players out of their usual positions, ensuring players pass the ball around, asking players to kick with the weaker foot, taking players off the field and encouraging players to score from farther away."

I guess soccer players like Pele would have gotten no play at all with these rules. The 'leveling the playing field' theory doesn't work well in sports, and it doesn't work well in life, being no one is equal to another in ability, in brains, in anything like that. We are equal in the sense that human beings are valued equally, but no one is equal in regards to what we can do/think up. I guess MENSA members must let DENSA members in :P as it would be too bad to keep out those of lower IQs. (I have no idea if there is a DENSA, but it would be the opposite of MENSA).

The leveling-the-field effect is going on today, in everything - from schools to money, to the workplace, etc.

From the "Level the Playing Field" organization, on the "about us" tab

"Work hard, get ahead. This is the way it's supposed to happen; it just doesn't happen this way for everyone. That's the part that's unfair. No one should have to work twice as hard to get half as far. "

No one should have to work twice as hard, to not get as far as someone else? The Progressives want equality of outcome - No matter your talents or ability.
I really don't know what to say in reply to this...I'm speechless, that someone can be *so stupid* as to believe in equality of outcomes, and the 'self-esteem must be taught at all costs' stuff. They're not just misguided, they are deliberately flouting common sense, and actual life, to bring about the Utopian view.

Actually, I am glad everyone is not equal in stuff - it makes for interesting blog readings ( like The Lawdog Files - a hoot!), or someone's scribblings online, or innovations in science, the arts, etc. We all can't be Rembrandts, it would be a very dull world if it was, and the awe they inspire in our lives would just *go away*. Life would be rather hum-drum without those bright stars in life, and history.

Banana Akbar!

I was going to go on a bit about the self-esteem being the main thing taught today in schools, but then I was reading Facebook, and found this instead...another ADD moment!

Taliban training MONKEYS for jihad

The Taliban in Afghanistan is evidently tired, and want to sleep in, or do something else like rape little boys (google 'dancing boys of Afghanistan atlas shrugs' and check out the news story + read comments)

Anyway, back to jihad monkeys - the official newspaper of the Communist regime in China, they have this news story, about that.

They quote an unnamed British news agency as the source, and

"Reporters from the media agency spotted and took photos of a few "monkey soldiers" holding AK-47 rifles and Bren light machine guns in the Waziristan tribal region near the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The report and photos have been widely spread by media agencies and Web sites across the world."

I'd say this is something straight out of Weekly World News, the National Enquirer (although they were correct in the baby scandal of John Edwards), or the Sun. You know, one of those varied tabloids seen at grocery store checkouts. My vote is for the one featuring Bat Boy.

"An American official responded that the Taliban forces have started training "monkey soldiers" after suffering heavy losses, implying that they have exhausted their tricks."

From what I've seen from the news, the losses go one way then the other. And the Taliban is being supported by around 75% of the Afghan people.

Further on in this story, is this golden nugget:

"Ironically, the initiators of "monkey soldiers" are the Americans. Between the 1960s and the 1970s, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) trained massive "monkey soldiers" in the Vietnam War and dispatched armed monkeys to dangerous jungles to launch assaults on Vietnamese soldiers. Today, the Taliban forces have given the American troops some of their own medicine."

Really? Monkey soldiers used by Americans...Must be more of the super-secret-squirrel super duper black ops. Emphasis on squirrel.

According to the article, the monkey soldiers are supposed to rouse PETA, to start lobbying for us to get out of there & leave Afghanistan alone.

Which is kind of funny, as PETA said nothing when Palestinians used a donkey to carry explosives and be exploded as a suicide bomber in Israel a while ago. I even went to the PETA website, and clicked on "contact PETA" and reported cruelty to animals... figured at least THAT is a valid cruelty thing. Of course PETA does nothing, says nothing.

Check out the full article about monkey soldiers here.

Another goofy thing - remember when "glue traps" were the "animal-friendly" way of trapping mice, the 'nice non-lethal way'? Evidently they are now "evil" and you should just let the mice have free run of your house! "glue traps are now some of the cruelest products on the market". Geeze like you really want a squeaking mouse in your house, either stuck on the glue trap, (before you rap its pate firmly with a hammer) instead of the nice quick death regular old mousetrap baited with peanut butter (make sure you keep those baited traps out of places your cat or dog can get to tho!) PETA makes no sense, and I think most people can agree, that animal cruelty is to be avoided, and not something one aims for, but they take it to the level of ridiculousness.

This ADD minute is coming to a close, going to go start typing out my post for tomorrow, about the 'self-esteem' that is taking over this country.

I can't keep up...

with all the different things going on that I read online, to blog about. But this BP spill, is something... Obama is planning on taking his THIRD vacation since it started (days before the White House said it happened, according to Coast Guard logs); he says he wants an a$$ to kick...yet he does nothing, like revoke the Jones Act temporarily, so that foreign ships may come and help. He's turned down help from countries who have experience, and the needed equipment for this... On the news the other day, I heard that out of 2000 craft, only 400 were dispatched. And the White House is keeping photographers/reporters away, 20 meters. He's trying to blame Bush, however, the Bush White House issued over 800 violations to BP, the Obama administration gave BP an award. The MMS was a laugh (they were too busy surfing for porn evidently); and Obama is the #1 individual recipient of BP money. Strange bedfellows.

I read a blog post today over at Bloviating Zeppelin, (whatever a bloviating is!) about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and are we there to win or just hang in there. From his blog:

I don't doubt the American Soldier, not for a microsecond. I don't doubt his commitment, his courage, his valor, his strength, his honor, his obedience, his history. Make no mistake; it is the American Soldier that is, essentially, the savior many times over of this planet and of freedom.

But I am thinking that, if we refuse to support them logistically, if we fail to provide them with a clear mission, with clear and logical rules of engagement, with the equipment they need at the front and at home, if we fail to support them when they are injured, if we fail to support their families when they have shed blood for this country and proffered the ultimate sacrifice -- but mostly -- if we bind their arms and blind their eyes and still shove them out into a hail of fire and IEDs. . .

If we bind them politically and reign them in and keep them from winning. . .

. . . then is it not time to stop the further loss of our good young men and women in the military?

Is it not time to let what must be, be?

If we are not going to remove and ship oil from Iraq . . .

If we are not going to send Killer Squads into Pakistan to eliminate bin Laden . . .

If we are not going to kill five terrorists for every one soldier killed, and put their bleeding heads on sharpened sticks in public . . .

If we are not going to assault mosques and ventilate the Taliban and al Qaeda in what is, essentially, just another building . . .

If we are not going to tolerate collateral damage or casualties in any way . . .

If we demand perfection from our soldiers and expect lawlessness from our enemies, then prosecute our soldiers for being human . . .

Then we have committed ourselves to defeat and allowed our good men to die. And therefore, no more good men should die if we lack the political will to kill the enemy. Lots of people. People who deserve killing no matter where they be, no matter how they dress.

For Christ's sake, people, we refuse to even call the enemy "the enemy." We use euphemisms.

And then, maybe then, it really is time to pack up and go home.

My niece is a Marine LT in Afghanistan right now. She said in an email update, that her husband (a Marine Capt) is about 3 hours away from her, also in Afghanistan. My nephew (yes - another Marine) was in Iraq, with a group of MPs. Why are they over there? In Pakistan, 68% view us as the enemy. According to the Koran, Muslims are commanded NOT to take Jews or infidels (those not Muslim - and to some Muslims, those who do not believe as they do) for friends. One interesting thing about the Koran, is the doctrine of "abrogation" - "None of Our revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but We substitute something better or similar: Knowest thou not that Allah hath power over all things?" (Qur'an 2:106). The Mecca verses on violence, abrogate the earlier peaceful Medina verses. So the earlier verses of talking of 'people of teh book' peacefully earlier, are abrogated by later Suras... here is the main chapter that deals with infidels (us).

I'm really starting to wonder WHY we are over there.. Saddam is toppled, Kurds are free to be killed by Sunnis and Shiites, and WHY are we sending money to Pakistan, a place where women are stoned for the great crime of being seen in public walking with a man. I found an interesting bit on Pakistan. Seems they're far and away the country with Google Trends, in searches for child sex, and other perverted stuff. The link is safe, it's a news story about it.

The democrats are not backing up our military, and our country is entranced by the morons in Hollywood, Lindsey Lohan et al. It seems lots of people really don't pay attention to what is going on in the world.

On a happy note, I acquired my latest: bottom model. Comes with a concealed carry belt bag. However, the slide lock.. Evidently my thumb strength REALLY sucks, as I cannot get it to go...TG? Any ideas? I have a box of ammo, and the youngest is anxious to get a chance to kill some diet coke cans also. Hub is like "you didn't go grocery shopping BEFORE you went wildly spending your money!". Beans and rice, and whatever's in the freezer this week :)

Law, Theory, Hypothesis...

Scientific Law: This is a statement of fact meant to describe, in concise terms, an action or set of actions. It is generally accepted to be true and universal, and can sometimes be expressed in terms of a single mathematical equation. Scientific laws are similar to mathematical postulates. They don’t really need any complex external proofs; they are accepted at face value based upon the fact that they have always been observed to be true.

Specifically, scientific laws must be simple, true, universal, and absolute. They represent the cornerstone of scientific discovery, because if a law ever did not apply, then all science based upon that law would collapse.

Some scientific laws, or laws of nature, include the law of gravity, Newton's laws of motion, the laws of thermodynamics, Boyle's law of gases, the law of conservation of mass and energy, and Hook’s law of elasticity.

Hypothesis: This is an educated guess based upon observation. It is a rational explanation of a single event or phenomenon based upon what is observed, but which has not been proved. Most hypotheses can be supported or refuted by experimentation or continued observation.

Theory: A theory is more like a scientific law than a hypothesis. A theory is an explanation of a set of related observations or events based upon proven hypotheses and verified multiple times by detached groups of researchers. One scientist cannot create a theory; he can only create a hypothesis.

Evolution cannot be a theory. It can only be a hypothesis. How's that for a can of worms? People are throwing around evolution like it's a proven fact, when it cannot be observed, nor proven by experimentation. I'm not talking about small changes in an animal or plant that is still that plant - I'm talking macro-evolution, where one creature becomes another one. According to evolution, we are related to archaebacteria, mollusks, echinoderms. All leading from the unknown base of the tree trunk. They just decided to become clams, starfish, bacteria.

I have a better idea. My ancestors may have hung from trees, but it was by their necks, not their tails.

4th of July

From James R. Heintze, and his lovely database (well goldmine!) of information:

The first "official" state celebration of the Fourth as recognized under resolve of a legislature occurred in Massachusetts in 1781. Boston was the first municipality (city/town) to officially designate July Fourth as a holiday, in 1783. Alexander Martin of North Carolina was the first governor to issue a state order (in 1783) for celebrating the independence of the country on the Fourth of July. Other proclamations by governors included Governor William Livingston of New Jersey who declared on July 4, 1787, that "the present day naturally recalls to our minds an event that ought never to be forgotten, and the revival of the military spirit amongst us, affords a happy argument of our determined resolution to maintain under the auspices of heaven, that glorious independence, the anniversary of which it has pleased God to preserve our livees this day to celebrate" (Pennsylvania Packet, and Daily Advertiser, 14 July 1787, 3). On July 4, 1832, Governor George Howard of Maryland "issued a proclamation, recommending that the Fourth day of July be observed by the people of Maryland, as a day of Prayer to Almighty God" (Newport Mercury, 7 July 1832, 1). In 1870 the first federal legislation was passed giving federal employees a "day off" from work, but without pay.

This is how the 4th started to be a holiday. Check out that site for more information than I have room for.

Take some time out to read some Founding Fathers. Their writings are things that should be taught today, learned, and emulated. We've gotten so far away from where the Founding Fathers envisioned our country, that it's pathetic.

The Founding Fathers would be unable to be elected in today's atmosphere. Although with the rise of the Tea Party, they'd get votes from them.

Read it. Read it all.

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

Screwing Over The Vets

Yep. The Democrats did it again. Think they're in it for the little guy? Newp. Think they are thinking of your best interests at heart? Newp, a BIG newp.

Medical device tax started - meaning, wheelchairs, prosthetics, pacemakers, from surgical instruments to bedpans, including tampons. That's a medical device? They're getting desperate to fund these entitlements they are handing out like Halloween candy.

Back to my point - there was an amendment offered to exempt veterans from these taxes, on their medical devices. Guess what. Only 5 Democrats voted for it. Check the list of Senators on the list below...if it's one of yours, CONTACT THEM! Their telephone number/fax number in Washington DC follows their name. Check their website for their local office phone numbers/fax numbers. Fax ALL their offices >:)

From Americans for Tax Reform:

The health care overhaul passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama earlier this year contains a new tax on medical devices such as prosthetic limbs, pacemakers, and wheelchairs. This tax, which its proponents claim will raise $20 billion over the next ten years, contains no exemption for the nation’s 22 million veterans. In fact, Senate Democrats specifically refused to exempt veterans from the tax.

On March 24 2010, Senate Democrats rejected an amendment offered by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) to the healthcare bill. This amendment (SA 3644) would have prevented the medical device tax from hitting veterans covered by the Veterans Healthcare Program or TRICARE for Life. This amendment was rejected by a vote of 44-54. All but five Democrat senators voted in favor of retaining the tax for veterans.

The medical device tax was one of over twenty new or higher taxes in President Barack Obama’s healthcare overhaul. This permanent new tax is being collected now.

“On March 24, Senate Democrats had the opportunity to exempt our veterans from Obamacare’s new tax on medical devices such as prosthetic limbs. But 54 Democrats voted against the measure. They chose to side with the tax-and-spend crowd in Washington over our wounded warriors,”said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform. “This is one of the many reasons Harry Reid and the Democrats did not want Americans to read the 2,500 page health care bill before it was passed.”

In addition to those who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Department of Veterans Affairs reports the following number of veterans from America’s wars:

World War II: 2,079,000

Korean War: 2,507,000

Vietnam War: 7,569,000

Desert Shield/Storm: 2,254,000

The following senators voted for the tax:

(Why am I not surprised at some of these names on there? How can they say they are for the military personnel, and vote against it?)

Daniel Akaka (D-HI)
Telephone: (202) 224-6361
Fax: (202) 224-2126

Max Baucus (D-MT)
(202) 224-2651 (Office)
(202) 224-9412 (Fax)

Evan Bayh (D-IN)
(202) 224-5623
(202) 228-1377 fax

Mark Begich (D-AK)
T: (202)224-3004
F: (202)224-2354

Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Phone: (202) 224-5852
Fax: (202) 228-5036

Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
(202) 224-5521
TDD: (202) 224-1792
Tollfree (in NM): 1-800-443-8658

Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
T:(202) 224-3553 (no fax.. guess she doesn't really want to hear about it)

Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
p (202) 224-2315
f (202) 228-6321

Roland Burris (D-IL)
Phone: 202-224-2854
Fax: 202-228-3333

Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
202-224-3441
202-228-0514 - FAX
202-224-8273 - TDD

Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Phone: 202-224-4524
Fax: 202-224-1651

Tom Carper (D-DE)
Phone: (202) 224-2441
Fax: (202) 228-2190

Bob Casey (D-PA)
Phone: (202) 224-6324
Toll Free: (866) 802-2833
Fax: (202) 228-0604

Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Phone: (202) 224-2043
Fax: (202) 224-7776

Chris Dodd (D-CT)
Tel: (202) 224-2823 | Fax: (202) 224-1083

Byron Dorgan (D-ND)
Phone (202) 224-2551
Fax (202) 224-1193

Richard Durbin (D-IL)
(202) 224-2152 - ph
(202) 228-0400 - fx

Russ Feingold (D-WI)
202/224-5323

Diane Feinstein (D-CA)
Phone: (202) 224-3841
Fax: (202) 228-3954
TTY/TDD: (202) 224-2501

Al Franken (D-MN)
(202) 224-5641

Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Tel. (202) 224-4451
Fax (202) 228-0282

Tom Harkin (D-IA)
# Phone: 202-224-3254
# Fax: 202-224-9369

Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
Phone: 202-224-3934
Fax: 202-224-6747

Tim Johnson (D-SD)
p. (202) 224-5842
f. (202) 228-5765

Edward Kaufman (D-DE)
tel: (202) 224-5042
fax: (202) 228-3075

John Kerry (D-MA)
(202) 224-2742

Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Main Line: 202-224-3244
Main Fax: 202-228-2186
Toll Free: 1-888-224-9043

Herb Kohl (D-WI)
(202) 224-5653
Fax: (202) 224-9787

Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Telephone: (202) 224-5824
Fax: (202) 224-9735

Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Phone: (202) 224-3224
TTY: (202) 224-2087
Fax: (202) 228-4054

Pat Leahy (D-VT)
(202) 224-4242

Carl Levin (D-MI)
Phone (202) 224-6221
Fax (202) 224-1388

Joe Lieberman (ID-CT)
202.224.4041 (Voice)
202.224.9750 (Fax)

Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
(202) 224-4843
Fax (202) 228-1371

Claire McCaskill (D-MO)
Phone 202-224-6154
Fax 202-228-6326

Bob Menendez (D-NJ)
202.224.4744

Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Telephone: (202) 224-3753
Fax: (202) 228-3997

Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
Phone: (202) 224-4654
Fax: (202) 224-8858

Patty Murray (D-WA)
Phone: (202) 224-2621
Fax: (202) 224-0238
Toll Free: (866) 481-9186

Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Phone: 202-224-5274
Fax: 202-228-2183

Mark Pryor (D-AR)
p: (202) 224-2353
f: (202) 228-0908
Toll Free from AR
p: (877) 259-9602

Jack Reed (D-RI)
Tel: (202) 224-4642
Fax: (202) 224-4680


Harry Reid (D-NV)
Phone: 202-224-3542
Fax: 202-224-7327
Toll Free for Nevadans:
1-866-SEN-REID (736-7343)

Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)
(202) 224-6472
(202) 224-7665 Main Fax
(202) 228-1610 Scheduling Fax

Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Phone:(202) 224-5141
Fax: (202) 228-0776

Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
Phone: 202-224-6542
Fax: 202-228-3027
TTD: 202-224-0420

Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
Ph: (202) 224-2841
TTY: (202) 224-4049
Fax: (202) 228-3194

Arlen Specter (D-PA)
Tel: 202-224-4254

Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Phone: (202) 224-4822
e-mail: senator@stabenow.senate.gov

Mark Udall (D-CO)
P: 202-224-5941
F: 202-224-6471
Coloradans, call toll-free:
877-7-MUDALL

Tom Udall (D-NM)
(202) 224-6621

Mark Warner (D-VA)
TOLL FREE: 1-877-676-2759 [VA residents only]
Phone: 202-224-2023
Fax: 202-224-6295

Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
202-224-2921 phone
202-228-6362 fax

Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Phone: (202) 224-5244
Fax: (202) 228-2717