See You In My Dreams

I have always had a very interesting and active dream life. I always remember my dreams and when I've had trouble sleeping over the years it's even more frustrating than just being tired, it means that I'm not dreaming!

Years ago there was an episode of the TV show, Ally McBeal that I really enjoyed and remember quite well. It was about a former teacher of Ally's, a single, older woman who was in the hospital close to death. She hired Ally to represent her because she wanted to be put into a coma so that she could spend time and say goodbye to her family, for in her dreams she was married, had children and grandchildren and lead a full and happy life. The hospital required her to have a court order because, needless to say, her request was quite out of the ordinary. Ally was quite surprised to hear about this lifelong "dream" family and initially didn't understand or want to help, but as her teacher told her of her dream life, she finally understood and, ultimately, was successful in getting the woman what she wanted.

I completely related to that story because of the variety of dreams I've had my entire life. While I don't have a "dream" family, I have several former friends and loves who have frequently visited with me in my dreams over many years.

The first is Dick Godwin who I have not seen since August, 1990. When we met at Sonitrol on 4/14/78 it was love at first sight for me. While he didn't feel the same, we did have a relationship that lasted over many years and we had a great deal of fun together. We investigated and researched many things, dreams being among them. We learned over the years how to remember our dreams; how to manipulate them to go in the direction we wanted; how to be aware of our surroundings while sleeping and dreaming; and how to continue a dream that we had the night before. We read lots of books and studied what the meanings of our dreams were. So it's not surprising that he is the one to visit me more than anyone. It's kind of nice because it has seemed like a way to keep in touch without actually having to. He's married with a couple of kids and there's no room in his life for me, which is fine - but it's nice to have him check in with me and let me know how he's doing.

Next is Bob Stevens, a co-worker from Sonitrol who moved back to his home town of Shingle House, PA about 10 years ago. He and I were/are great friends. We worked and hung out together for many, many years. He's 9 years older than I and gay. I was his first friend when he moved here from PA back in the late 70's. His family never felt comfortable with who he was and he didn't feel comfortable living as a gay man in a little town so he moved here and we met. We were often mistaken for a couple when out; whether it was dinner at a restaurant or shopping for furniture. We always had a good laugh about that because, in reality, we were checking out the same guys! Anyway, once his father got ill and then died, Bob was able to make amends with his family and he moved home. We kept in touch for awhile, but then he moved and I haven't been able to track him down since and I have looked!! He may be dead, as he was a chain smoker and an alcoholic, which may be why I can't find him. I do miss him very much, so when he visits me in my dreams it's wonderful, though I miss him even more.

The next is Mike Harrington, another Sonitrol co-worker. Mike and I sort of thought we would get-together  once he got rid of his demons, but we never did. He died in a car crash in 2006 so that aint' gonna happen!

It's kinda funny, because when I wake up from the dreams where these friends visit, I truly feel like it was a real visit.

Oil Company Profit: Billions of Dollars

Earlier today (or really, yesterday) the US Senate voted to let the oil companies continue getting 4 billion dollars a year of tax breaks (subsidies!) which was the bill to eliminate unnecessary tax subsidies and promote renewable energy and energy conservation.

It didn't seem to matter to them that the top 5 domestic oil companies have made 32 billion dollars in profit this year. That's in addition to the $130 billion dollars in profit from last year. The heads of the top 5 domestic oil companies testified under oath a few years ago that they do not want, need or ask for these tax breaks, but some of their pals in Congress want to continue with them anyway. http://www.petrostrategies.org/Links/biggest_us_oil_and_gas_companies.htm

There were 47 senators who voted to end the tax subsidies. They received $5,873,600 in campaign contributions from big oil. There were 51 senators who voted to continue with the tax subsidies. They received a whopping $23,582,500 in campaign contributions. Hmm, what does this tell us?

Here's the link to see how your senator voted:

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00063

The 5 top US oil companies control 56.3% of the domestic oil refinery capacity. A barrel of oil is 42 US gallons. It costs the oil companies $2 per barrel to get oil out of the ground in the traditional way (derrick.) It costs them $35 per barrell to get oil out of the ground where they have to go through deep water. So the price of oil that is above $45 per barrel is pure profit.

The current price of a US barrel of oil as of 2:31 am on 3/30/12 is $103.52.

You do the math!

Dear President Obama

I am writing regarding the 2012 budget that you have announced. From what I have read, you are reducing federal funding for many poor people; re: housing, heating assistance.

I am 54 years old and was raised middle class. I am now disabled and get a monthly Social Security check. While it's not a great deal, with a lot o work and going without, I am able to make do and get by from month to month. My 16 year old car no longer runs and I've not been able to save up to get it repaired. But I'll get it done because it's necessary.

George Bush and his administration came as close as possible to ruining our country. The housing crisis, unemployment, the lack of regulation, the corruption and lies that took place have caused our country much harm. I appreciate why you have already done to fix what has been fixed and understand there is much more that needs to be done.

But why should the vanishing middle class - now - poor continue to pay the price? We must stop all subsidies to the oil companies! We must get our troops home and stop the hemorrhaging of millions to wars that we cannot and will not win! The military has to stop spending millions on overpriced equipment and start paying better salaries to the men and women who serve this country!

Between your budget and the GOP House, poor people and women are being disrespected in ways that are unimaginable.

There are other areas where spending can be reduced. I beg you to find other ways to save money - we've all had to go without and make do - please don't further the decline of people who don't have any more room to fall.

Too Young At 61

So Elizabeth Edwards died today. Very sad news. She was pretty brave in her fight against cancer, but ultimately, cancer won (as it does far too often!)

It's also sad that the last few years of her life were not totally happy ones for her and that every article I've read today refers to her (ex) husband's philandering and the child.

Finally!!!!

President Obama will address the nation tonight from the Oval Office and will announce the formal end to the war in Iraq. "Ending this war is not only in Iraq's interest - it is in our own," the President will say, according to prepared remarks. "The United States has paid a hug price to put the future of Iraq in the hands of its people. We have sent our young men and women to make enormous sacrifices and have spent vast resources abroad at a time of tight budgets at home. We have persevered because of a belief we share with the Iraqi people - a belief that out of the ashes of war, a new beginning could be born in this cradle of civilization."

Very well said and long overdue! Now kindly send our men and women home!

Still Pissed

I haven't blogged much lately. Mostly it's because I am too lazy. I'd rather be on facebook or playing games on Pogo.

Also, it's because I am still pissed off. I'm especially pissed that there is a republican in office where Ted Kennedy was. Really, what were those voters in Massachusetts thinking?

The polls all say that the Masshole voters are upset with the slow process of getting us out of the mess from when that Idiot Bush was in office.

What I want to know is this: Why weren't you people pissed off for the 8 years that Bush was ruining our country and the world?

So, I'm still pissed. Not at Obama, I'm giving him as much time as he needs to get this effing mess fixed. I think he's doing all that is humanly possible seeing that our economy was on the brink of collapse when he was elected.

Warning, I'll probably post on the blog again soon and I'll still be pissed.

MLK Day

Happy Birthday Dr. King

Some Interesting Facts

Wrapping paper -

The global packaging market is worth $429 billion.

Nearly 1/3 of Americans' waste is packaging. Just 43% is recycled after use.

In 2007, Americans threw away 78.5 million tons of packaging - 520 pounds per person!

Between Thanksgiving and New Years, Americans produce more than 1 million tons of additional garbage per week.

If every family reused the wrapping from 3 gifts, it would save enough paper to cover 50,000 football fields.

Last year, clam shell-type packages sent more than 5,700 Americans to the ER.

Americans annually buy enough plastic wrap to cover Texas.

A Daughter Holds On

This image breaks my heart. The soldiers were deploying and this little girl would not let go of her father's hand when it was time to line up. She was allowed to join him and held on until he had to go.

Bridge Woes

Talked to an engineer with the town today and, unless there is a miracle of money, the bridge will be completely out until sometime next spring. The town has started working on the steel frame, but the decking will not be put on until after April 15th of next year.

Yes, that means Patrick won't be able to walk over it to get to work. So now he will have to ride his bike over a mile in the dark both ways to work because of a 20 foot span.

I'm pissed about this. Finally, finally I had him in the perfect location. This took years and many moves and much money (mine, not his) and now he's back to riding his bike on dark windy roads with no lighting.

Tomorrow, I will go over and check this bridge situation out and see what the options are! There has to be a better, safer way for him to get to work besides me taking him and picking him up each day, which would be impossible to do on some days. Geez, I'm really pissed. Just about takes all the enjoyment out of the fact that we've had a dead end for months.

Bridge Work

I knew this day would come, but I was sure hoping it would be later.

They're fixing the bridge! The wonderful, broken bridge that has made my road a dead end since May 1st!!

When the bridge was first closed, I was upset. But after a day of realizing that barely any cars were coming down the road, I was in heaven.

I heard some noise from there today and thought that maybe work had started. Patrick confirmed it when he got home from work. He had to ride all the way around. Probably over a mile instead of just a few feet.

Let's hope now that they fix the bridge quickly so that Patrick won't have to ride the loooong way to and from work in the dark! Because, yes, of course, now that we've moved the clocks back it's dark in the morning when he goes into work and dark when he gets out of work.

And the whole reason for moving here was so that he would no longer have to ride his bike in the dark!! So much for the best laid plans.

A Gun In The House

Here's the best reason I can think of to not have a gun in your home:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33251920/ns/us_news-life/

From Michael Moore

Friday, October 9th, 2009

Dear President Obama,

How outstanding that you've been recognized today as a man of peace. Your swift, early pronouncements -- you will close Guantanamo, you will bring the troops home from Iraq, you want a nuclear weapon-free world, you admitted to the Iranians that we overthrew their democratically-elected president in 1953, you made that great speech to the Islamic world in Cairo, you've eliminated that useless term "The War on Terror," you've put an end to torture -- these have all made us and the rest of the world feel a bit more safe considering the disaster of the past eight years.

In eight months you have done an about face and taken this country in a much more sane direction.

But...

The irony that you have been awarded this prize on the 2nd day of the ninth year of our War in Afghanistan is not lost on anyone. You are truly at a crossroads now. You can listen to the generals and expand the war (only to result in a far-too-predictable defeat) or you can declare Bush's Wars over, and bring all the troops home. Now. That's what a true man of peace would do.

There is nothing wrong with you doing what the last guy failed to do -- capture the man or men responsible for the mass murder of 3,000 people on 9/11. BUT YOU CANNOT DO THAT WITH TANKS AND TROOPS. You are pursuing a criminal, not an army. You do not use a stick of dynamite to get rid of a mouse.

The Taliban is another matter. That is a problem for the people of Afghanistan to resolve -- just as we did in 1776, the French did in 1789, the Cubans did in 1959, the Nicaraguans did in 1979 and the people of East Berlin did in 1989. One thing is certain through all revolutions by people who wish to be free -- they ultimately have to bring about that freedom themselves. Others can be supportive, but freedom can not be delivered from the front seat of someone else's Humvee.

You have to end our involvement in Afghanistan now. If you don't, you'll have no choice but to return the prize to Oslo.

Yours,
Michael Moore

www.michaelmoore.com

Very well said. acdc

WoW

President Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize - that is something!

Priorities

Being a news junkie (though I wish I weren't) I check the home pages of all the networks a few times a day. Listed on CNN's page tonight in the following order is:

Students can't name the first President http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2009/09/20/holmes.perry.dumbkidz.cnn

Kid scores 1,019,000 on Guitar Hero http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2009/09/15/dnt.guitar.hero.record.king


You think maybe one has to do with the other?? Hmmm...

Is This Less True Now?

I was watching VH1 Classics tonight, which is something that I do quite often. They show concerts and I watched a John Lennon concert from the early 70's.

One of the songs that he sang was his "Woman Is The N-word Of The World" and the audio cut out when he sang the N-word. He stated before he began to sing and play that "Yoko had said this to me in 1968 and it took me until 1970 to dig it" or something to that effect.

I honestly don't know what to think about that. It's such an awful word. I think I remember that the song was banned in some places...

Mostly I wondered what John Lennon would think of that? Would he be upset that his artistic message was changed by the omission? Or would he be glad that his song about women's subservience to men was still making people think, and who cares that it's been changed?

Either way, I thought many years ago that it was a song with a powerful message and I still feel the same way.


Woman is the Nigger of the World
John Lennon

Woman is the nigger of the world
Yes she is...think about it
Woman is the nigger of the world
Think about it...do something about it

We make her paint her face and dance
If she won’t be slave, we say that she don’t love us
If she’s real, we say she’s trying to be a man
While putting her down we pretend that she is above us

Woman is the nigger of the world...yes she is
If you don’t belive me take a look to the one you’re with

Woman is the slaves of the slaves
Ah yeah...better scream about it
We make her bear and raise our children
And then we leave her flat for being a fat old mother then
We tell her home is the only place she would be
Then we complain that she’s too unworldly to be our friend

Woman is the nigger of the world...yes she is
If you don’t belive me take a look to the one you’re with
Woman is the slaves of the slaves
Yeah (think about it)

We insult her everyday on TV
And wonder why she has no guts or confidence
When she’s young we kill her will to be free
While telling her not to be so smart we put her down for being so dumb

Woman is the nigger of the world...yes she is
If you don’t belive me take a look to the one you’re with
Woman is the slaves of the slaves
Yes she is...if you belive me, you better scream about it.

We make her paint her face and dance
We make her paint her face and dance
We make her paint her face and dance

Blah

blah

Seasonal Flu

Here are some healthy habits that everyone can follow to avoid the spread of germs this flu season:

- Frequently wash hands with soap and water, or an alcohol-based cleanser

- Refrain from touching the eyes, nose or mouth - the virus can only be caught in the membranes of these body parts

- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze and dispose it in the trash

- Cough into your elbow or tissue

- Avoid contact with people affected with cold and flu

- Use a germ-killing disinfectant to clean surfaces

- Stay home from school or work if you become infected with the flu

This info should also help to keep the H1N1 swine flu away.

Ted Kennedy

Driving through Warwick today, I was happy to see that flags were at half staff in honor of the life of Ted Kennedy. He deserves the fuss being made over his passing.

Rest in Peace, Teddy. You did more good than most.

A Sad Loss For America

Sgt. Bill Cahir

As I have posted before, I am particularly fond of our military and veterans. One of my favorite bloggers is Jon Soltz, Co-Founder and Chair of VoteVets.org, is a leader of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans community and is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

From May to September 2003, Soltz served as a Captain during Operation Iraqi Freedom, deploying logistics convoys with the 1st Armored Division. During 2005, Soltz was mobilized for 365 days at Fort Dix New Jersey, training soldiers for combat in Afghanistan and Iraq.

He also served his country with distinction in the Kosovo Campaign as a Tank Platoon Leader between June and December 2000. Soltz is a graduate of Washington & Jefferson College with dual degree in Political Science and History. He has completed graduate work at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.

Here is some sad news from Jon:

This week brought tragic news that particularly hit hard for the VoteVets.org family. Among the painful and heartbreaking losses of those Killed in Action was Bill Cahir, a Marine Sergeant, killed in Afghanistan.

Bill epitomized what is so great about so many who serve our nation in uniform. At the age of 34, he enlisted, motivated by the September 11th attacks. But, his first action wasn't taking on al Qaeda in Afghanistan. He was deployed twice to Iraq, from 2004-2005, and again from 2007-2008. If Bill, a political progressive, thought Iraq wasn't the war we should be in at the time, his willingness and readiness to go and stand by his men sure took precedence over his personal feelings. Then, this May, he was sent to Afghanistan, serving in the Helmand Province, which is one of the most violent areas in the region that very few Americans know about.

Between his time in Iraq and his service in Afghanistan, Bill ran for Congress. It would have been incredibly easy - and everyone would have said advisable - to come back and rest after two tours in Iraq. But Bill, whose line of work was journalism, saw that Capitol Hill needed more leadership. His own comfort took a backseat to his sense of responsibility.

The seriousness with which he took that responsibility is why VoteVets.org PAC endorsed him in his primary race, which he ultimately lost.

And though he will never be able to make a run for office again, we at VoteVets.org are not done talking about him, or the people like him all over America who are still alive, and mix patriotism, progressivism, and sense of duty. Continuing to remember Bill and what he stood for, and standing up for the people like him, is the best way to honor his memory.

It's essential that everyone know about people like Bill Cahir, whose overriding purpose in life was to help and defend others. That's why we were heartened to see Chris Matthews devoted a segment to Bill's memory on Hardball the other day.

We're hopeful that other news shows took notice, and remember that as we debate health care or energy or stimulus funds (all of which ostensibly are meant to improve America) there are real American lives being risked every day in Iraq and Afghanistan. They want to make America better, too. It doesn't take much for the news to put a talking heads segment aside for the day (including any that I might be called to do) to tell amazing stories like Bill's.

Note: Bill left unborn twin daughters and a wife. A memorial fund has been established to help provide an education to the daughters who will never be able to meet their amazing father. You can help by making checks payable to the "Bill Cahir Memorial Fund" and sending them to: Burk and Herbert Bank, c/o Mark Ragland, P.O. Box 268, Alexandria, Va., 22313.

Crossposted at VetVoice.com and http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

Bill Cahir will be buried at Arlington Cemetery. Funeral plans at this time are incomplete.