gratitude

As we prepare for Thanksgiving, it can mean many things, depending on who you talk to.  To some folks, it marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season.  To other folks, it means a weekend of football.  To others, it is a time for traditional cooking as well as a time to try out new recipes.

Still others hate cooking and will gather with family and friends at local restaurants so someone else has clean up duty.  Where are the good Thanksgiving Day dinners?

Then there are the leftovers.  Some people enjoy the day after far more than the official day.

100 Thoughts to “Open Thread……………………………..Thursday, November 21”

  1. 50% of the nation’s teachers will be eligible to retire in the upcoming decade.

    Only 9% of those at in the top 1/3rd of their class plan to teach.

    I have been predicting a huge problem on the horizon. Something must change. Why should really smart, successful people plan on a career that kicks you around, has stagnant pay, and makes sure you are vilified because you have a pension and just might belong to a “union?”

    There are just other ways to make a living.

  2. Ivan

    On an unrelated issue, Harry Reid and the Dems are getting ready to drop the “Nuclear Option” bomb. This will require a simple majority vote to confirm all presidential appointments with the exception of Supteme Court nominations.

    1. I think that is going to have to happen. None of the judges are getting through. It’s obstruction, rather than real reasons.

    2. Update–the Republicans have threatened to do the same thing when they get in power including going nuclear for Supreme Court appointments if the big bad Democrats dare to bring in the nuclear option for presidential appointments.

      So they want to play dirty pool….

  3. McDonnell took the high road regarding Cuccinelli who threw him under the bus.

    Chuck Todd put the skewers to McDonnell just a few minutes ago. As a Virginian, I resent that.

    There is a lot to talk to McDonnell about that doesn’t involve the scandals. You don’t have a guest on to humiliate them.

    Just shoot me, I am defending McDonnell.

    Chuck Todd was a real D***!

  4. Ivan

    Republicans using the Nuclear Option when they are in control? That means a Republican would have to be president and the R’s would control the Senate. This is a very far fetched bluff.

  5. Carlos Danger

    Moon-howler :
    McDonnell took the high road regarding Cuccinelli who threw him under the bus.
    Chuck Todd put the skewers to McDonnell just a few minutes ago. As a Virginian, I resent that.
    There is a lot to talk to McDonnell about that doesn’t involve the scandals. You don’t have a guest on to humiliate them.
    Just shoot me, I am defending McDonnell.
    Chuck Todd was a real D***!

    Are you feeling okay today Moon? 🙂
    I checked outside and didnt see any pigs hurling thru the sky, as far as I know the tempature hasn’t changed in hell. Just pinched myself and I’m not dreaming… what the heck is going on today? Full moon maybe?

    1. I am feeling fine. Thank you for asking. I don’t like luring people on to shows to play “gotcha.” No matter what McDonnell said, Todd just wouldn’t leave it alone.

      Perhaps you missed it but I have always said I didn’t want McDonnell removed from office. I think he made some very unwise decisions but I don’t think he did anything illegal. There was a time to expose, and a time to let it alone. This is the time to let it alone. The man is going out of office in January. Let him do his job.

      Most people who know me think I am fair. I will defend people whose opinions I disagree with if I think they have been wronged. I felt Bob McDonnell was wronged today. For the record, I don’t disagree with ALL his opinions…just some of them.

      He was invited on Todd’s show to speak about Creigh Deeds. That should have been the extent of it. I don’t like Todd much anyway.

  6. @Ivan
    Senator Obama told the chamber in 2005,
    “The nuclear option was not what the Founders had in mind. It will poison Washington.”

    Unless, of course, it benefits HIM.

    1. WaPo:

      Elder Democrats, like ex-Sen. Chris Dodd and Sen. Carl Levin, have told these newcomers they will rue the day they do this, that the Republicans will be more ruthless when they get into the White House and Senate majority.

      Cargo, sometimes people do things they wish they didn’t have to do. You might want to ask yourself why he changed. How long can you back a person in the corner?

  7. Carlos Danger

    Lets play a game, can you match the person with the quote? the winner gets a prize!

    “The President hasn’t gotten his way. And that is now prompting a change in the Senate rules that really I think would change the character of the Senate forever…what I worry about would be that you essentially still have two chambers the House and the Senate but you have simply majoritarian absolute power on either side, and that’s just not what the founders intended.

    “So this president has come to the majority here in the Senate and basically said ‘change the rules.’ ‘Do it the way I want it done.’ And I guess there just weren’t very many voices on the other side of the isle that acted the way previous generations of senators have acted and said ‘Mr. President we are with you, we support you, but that’s a bridge too far we can’t go there.’ You have to restrain yourself Mr. President.”

    “We are on the precipice of a crisis, a constitutional crisis. The checks and balances which have been at the core of this Republic are about to be evaporated by the nuclear option. The checks and balances which say that if you get 51% of the vote you don’t get your way 100% of the time. It is amazing it’s almost a temper tantrum.”

    “Mr. President the right to extended debate is never more important than the one party who controls congress and the white house. In these cases the filibuster serves as a check on power and preserves our limited government.”

    “The nuclear option if successful will turn the senate into a body that could have its rules broken at any time by a majority of senators unhappy with any position taken by the minority. It begins with judicial nominations. Next will be executive appointments and then legislation.”

    “This nuclear option is ultimately an example of the arrogance of power. It is a fundamental power grab.”

    “But no we are not going to follow the Senate rules. No, because of the arrogance of power of this Republican administration.”

    “I’ve never passed a single bill worth talking about that didn’t have a lead co sponsor that was a Republican. And I don’t know of a single piece of legislation that’s ever been adopted here that didn’t have a Republican and Democrat in the lead. That’s because we need to sit down and work with each other. The rules of this institution have required that. That’s why we exist. Why have a bicameral legislative body? Why have two chambers? What were the framers thinking about 218 years ago? They understood Mr. President that there is a tyranny of the majority.”

    “If the Republican leadership insists on forcing the nuclear option the senate becomes ipso facto the House of Representatives where the majority rules supreme and the party of power can dominate and control the agenda with absolute power.”

    “You’ve got majority rule and then you have the senate over here where people can slow things down where they can debate where they have something called the filibuster. You know it seems like it’s a little less than efficient — well that’s right it is. And deliberately designed to be so.”

    “I say to my friends on the Republican side you may own the field right now buy you won’t own it forever I pray God when the Democrats take back control we don’t make the kind of naked power grab you are doing.”

    “They want their way every single time. And they will change the rules, break the rules, and misread the constitution so that they will get their way.”

    “The Senate is being asked to turn itself inside out, to ignore the precedent to ignore the way our system has work, the delicate balance that we have obtain that has kept this constitution system going, for immediate gratification of the present President.”

    “This is the way Democracy ends. Not with a bomb but with a gavel.”

    Choices:
    Barack Obama 4/25/05
    Hillary Clinton 5/23/2005
    Charles Schumer 5/18/2005
    Harry Reid 5/18/2005
    Dianne Feinstein 5/18/2005
    Joe Biden 5/23/2005
    Harry Reid 5/18/2005
    Chris Dodd 5/18/2005
    Dianne Feinstein 5/18/2005
    Hillary Clinton 5/23/2005
    Joe Biden 5/23/05
    Charles Schumer 5/23/2005
    Hillary Clinton 5/23/2005
    Max Baucus 5/19/2005

    1. Yawn. Too partisan for me.

  8. Lyssa

    Moon-howler :
    50% of the nation’s teachers will be eligible to retire in the upcoming decade.
    Only 9% of those at in the top 1/3rd of their class plan to teach.
    I have been predicting a huge problem on the horizon. Something must change. Why should really smart, successful people plan on a career that kicks you around, has stagnant pay, and makes sure you are vilified because you have a pension and just might belong to a “union?”
    There are just other ways to make a living.

    We Americans only value those who generate money. But we’re very god-like.

    1. I guess that no one sees that education is empowerment any longer?

      I have sounded the alarm. Its going to get ugly.

      What will happen is that some areas will attract very second rate teachers. Teachers with excellent credentials will demand large salaries. They will get them also in areas that need math, science, foreign language teachers.

      Perhaps things will get bad enough that teachers might be valued 1/10th as much as athletes.

  9. Pat.Herve

    Yup, just like when the House changed the rules around the budget and CR – only the Majority leader of the House could bring up a vote on a CR or Budget – what is the difference.

    It should not change – but also what should happen is that if one is to be filibustered, they should be filibustered, not just an idle threat – and that is what we have today. How many Obama choices have been left to linger without a vote including SecDef and others?

    Problem with the House today is that they do not bring votes to the floor unless the Majority of the Majority want it – it is called the Hasert Rule – that is not what the founders intended.

    1. Founders by convenience???

  10. blue

    @Moon-howler

    What is your opinion of retired professionals going into teaching, with earned benefits. What could be done to make it more apealing or to otherwise facilitate having these retired professionals enter the classroom? I think they did it for retired military back in the 8os, but not any did it.

    1. It is still done. I know a lot of retired military (mostly men) who became teachers. Its a great idea. Well seasoned leaders who know crowd control.
      I think Old Dominion used to have the best program. Not sure about GM. Certainly its a good idea in this area as well as in Tidewater.

      The experience is invaluable. I would guess that free or inexpensive retraining would be used to lure. Retired people should be able to transport some of their benefits or at least get a couple of credits for years of experience in other fields.

  11. blue

    I think it should be technical skill specific so that mathmaticians who enjoy and can find the wonder of math teach math, science or biology research teach science, historians history and government officials …. writing 🙂 I lost you on the retraining ???

    An off-sett of a higher salary for no new benefits might be enough.

    1. There are certain courses that one must have for certification. That would be part of the retraining.

      The retrainees would already be double and triple dipping. I think they get a couple years credit. Pay is based on time in. I would think the time in teaching would have to be earned.

  12. I found a great local brain trust in the Lifelong Learning Institute, hosted by NOVA-Manassas. The presenters are brilliant, the attendees are, at times, experts with decades of experience themselves, and the classes are extremely mobile — taking you behind the scenes or exploring rich mines of further knowledge and experience. For $100 you can take as many classes as you want over 2 semesters. Even better — these retirees are mentoring youth in robotics, etc. In just the past three months I got a detailed tour of the catholic church in Manassas, two courses on climate change and behavioral economics, and found out about and attended a vision series lecture on sea turtles and a reading by an award-winning horror story writer. All for half of that $100. They just celebrated 10 years! http://www.lli-manassas.org/

  13. Thanks for that info, Cindy.

  14. Creigh Deeds has been released from the hospital. Thank goodness he survived.

  15. punchak

    @Moon-howler
    That’s good news BUT I can imagine what a hell he’ll have to go through, coping
    and go on. I don’t pray, but I sure send the best vibes I’m able to create in my mind.

  16. Recovery and mourning. How sad.

  17. And now we may have THIS to look forward to:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/21/world/asia/afghan-pact-kerry-apology-.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&hp&
    Excerpt:
    WASHINGTON — Secretary of State John Kerry announced on Wednesday that the United States and Afghanistan had finalized the wording of a bilateral security agreement that would allow for a lasting American troop presence through 2024 and set the stage for billions of dollars of international assistance to keep flowing to the government in Kabul.

    Why in the hell are we doing this?

    1. We should be leery of anything called the Grand Council of Elders. It sounds like Lord of the Rings or Star Wars. Then there is the Loya Jirga.

  18. Wolverine

    I’ll be darned if I would want to be one of those American troops left behind to help contend with the coming mess.

    1. I believe the alternative is to have to go back in and clean up the original “mess” all over again.

      I don’t think kicking their ass in the first place was ever an option on the table.

  19. Wolverine

    I’m negative on the future in that place. I’ve seen too many instances in my life where our training efforts have gone for naught in the end, including Vietnam.

    1. So the Afghantis, Vietcong and NVC simply outmanned the USA? It’s obvious that they didn’t out weapon us. Afghanistan is pretty much a stone age culture as far as weapons go, other than what we supplied them with.

  20. Wolverine

    None of them beat us in the field — that is, the USA under arms. They tend too often to fare better against what we leave behind after providing training and equipment. I would suggest that it depends on which side has the most intense motivation and is willing to fight hardest and to the death, as well as the public respect and loyalty level toward the government we leave behind. I hope Kabul can play it right and pull it out. Unfortunately, I think we are going to see long civil wars continue in both Iraq and Afghanistan, with the ultimate outcomes a tossup.

  21. Pat.Herve

    We announce plans on ending the war and withdrawing from Afghanistan and the right wing jumps up and says you cannot announce the withdrawal dates. Now we announce that we are not leaving as we said we would and the same jokers jump up and complain that we are going to stay! Which is it that they want? We do need to clean up and finish what we started.

    Same as Iran – how does one expect to get an agreement if ones refuses to talk to their adversary? Now we have them talking – no firm agreement yet, but talking. Ignoring them over the past 35 years has not gotten us any closer to an agreement.

  22. Wolverine

    I would posit that announcing a withdrawal date has never been a smart thing to do unless you have clearly won the war already. The unbeaten foe just reverts to a waiting game. But geopolitics and domestic politics sometimes do force you to do just that against all military common sense. I would argue that we have not “won” the war in Afghanistan and that the Taliban will be back and very visible once the bulk of our own forces leave. Any remaining troops left behind as trainers or spot counterterrorist actors will be, in my opinion, in considerable danger unless the Afghan forces turn out miraculously to be A-1 war fighters with strong government loyalty and resistance to sub rosa enemy penetration. Don’t bet on that.

  23. Wolverine

    Ummph! It is not often that I agree with Charlie Schumer or Bob Menendez on anything. But those two guys appear to be nervous as cats about the new agreement with Iran over the latter’s nuclear program. If they are nervous, maybe we should be nervous. I hear and see more and more voices opining that we and our European allies got our pockets picked by the Iranians.

  24. @Pat.Herve
    “We announce plans on ending the war and withdrawing from Afghanistan”

    THAT is the problem. Obama ANNOUNCED it and stated we were leaving REGARDLESS of the conditions on the problem.

    The mission was actually accomplished. It’s over. We got bin Laden. We should have started withdrawing the next day. We are not at war with the Taliban except in the “search” for Bin Laden.

    NOW, he saying that we’re staying…..without stating a mission. We aren’t going to be “nation building.” And if the Afghanis haven’t learned how to be professional yet…they will never get it. If we can’t do it in ten years…how long should we stay? Is it just to provide a “check” on Pakistan and Iran? If so….then say so.

    1. You certainly lock Obama into more statements, adding a word here or there. Life is fluid. Things change. Don’t be so rigid.

      As for Afghanistan, I am not sure how I feel about it. I certainly don’t want us to stay there but I need to know more.

  25. @Wolverine
    I don’t think that we got our pockets picked. I think that the goal was to reach an agreement for Obama’s “legacy” regardless of outcome.

  26. I hope that this doesn’t show upcoming problems with the new governor’s administration. He should get rid of this guy as soon as possible.

    http://www.rightwisconsin.com/dailytakes/233322851.html
    In 2004, Levar Stoney was involved in covering up and lying for five Democratic campaign operatives who slashed the tires of 25 vans rented by the Republican Party for get out the vote efforts.

    1. You put up more crap from very obvious partisan publications. So what is his job in the McAuliffe administration? Let’s talk about that. How come he isn’t in jail if he did all that? Did he just know something and not report it or did he take a machete to something?

      Let it begin. Let’s see how far you all can go to tear down the McAuliffe administration before he even gets off the ground. In the case of McDonnell, he did it all on his own. Apparently you feel McAuliffe needs a little help.

  27. Furby McPhee

    On the bright side, the healthcare.gov website will be fixed in four days. Once the website is fixed we’ll be able to see what real enrollment numbers look like.

  28. George S. Harris

    An unnamed Taliban chieftain stated this morning that as long as foreign troops are on Afghan soil, jihad will continue. He posited that leaving foreign troops in Afghanistan will sound a clarion call for young recruits. We will see the killing of young Americans and the waste of billions of more $$$ and still nothing will be accomplished. When will we ever learn, when will we ever learn?

    1. The alternative is just as bad. We will have to go clean out that primitive, stone age country again. We didn’t finish this time.

      I don’t know what the answer is. Its a lose/lose situation.

  29. Pat.Herve

    @George S. Harris

    Good question George. And the answer is that we will not learn. Not while it is not painful to most of us. We went to war and there was no war tax, no draft and no change in life style. We still bought our iPhones and ate steak every night.

  30. Pat.Herve

    I talked to a thirty year old who has signed up for healthcare – he is complaining about the cost which is less than $200 per month – although he feels that he needs this coverage.

    He is complaining while at the same time he is texting on his cell phone ($100/month) or watching TV and surfing the web ($210/month) or driving his beemer ($350/month). And this was while we were enjoying a few at Bar Louie ($12/Martini) before he went out to dinner ($100). Yep, kinda hard to afford that health insurance.

    1. No pity here. Many people pay $600 for a decent policy.

      He is spoiled.

  31. middleman

    Well, the right immediately (and I mean within minutes of the announcement) denounced the proposed Iran agreement without even hearing from the president. These guys (and the Israeli’s ) want war, and they want it now! Amazing!!

    1. I can’t imagine why anyone wants war. How many of those people who want war have actually gone to war or have had a family member go to war?

  32. Morris Davis

    Interesting to see a poll today that shows Americans favor the Iran deal by a 2 to 1 margin. Only 1 in 5 support a military option. Glad to see the public has more sense than some of their elected representatives. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/27/us-usa-iran-poll-idUSBRE9AQ01420131127

    1. Do they know that wars cost money and lives?

      What idiot wants to go to war with Iran?

      Thanks for those stats, Moe.

  33. @Moon-howler
    Why isn’t he in jail? I don’t know?

    So…you DON’T want to know if people willing to cover up crimes may be connected to an administration or you don’t want to know if those people are only in DEMOCRAT administrations?

    I remember this story.

    Notice….I didn’t say that McAuliffe hired the guy….liked the guy…etc. I pointed out that he’s connected to the administration and has a bad history and that is not a good way to start.

    1. Its the sorta kinda connected that makes me go ho hum. It sounds to me like you are all too quick to dig up dirt on the new administration.

      I feel certain they will create some of their own dirt, if the current governor is any example.

      I hope this governor is smart enough not to piss off his chef. Geez.

      If some sleeze bag comes along and tells you that tobacco is a good drug, they need to be leery.

  34. Furby McPhee

    Afghanistan is looking at bringing back stoning for adultery. Stoning if you are married, if you are unmarried it’s only 100 lashes.

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/25/afghanistan-reintroduction-public-stoning-adulterers

    (Yes, Elena, I sometimes read The Guardian too.)

    Who wants to bet that 99.9% of the people stoned will be women. They have some crazy laws where the testimony of a woman is only counted like a childs, so in a classic he-said, she-said dispute, the man always wins.

    What’s even crazier about this is that they are bringing stoning back. It’s not some age-old law that tradition is keeping around. They got rid of stoning and are crazy enough to bring it back. I mean, we have some messed up priorities in this country, but can you imagine living in a country with as many problems as Afghanistan and having a government basically say. “You know what we need to work on? Not enough people are being brutally killed for having sex. We need to fix that instead of working on schools, the economy, health care, roads, clean water, electrical power, sanitation, hunger, jobs…”

    We should have left Afghanistan the day after we killed bin Laden. That was the only reason for being there.

  35. Lyssa

    So what on earth do we think we’ll accomplish there. We have no money for schools for our own kids, we can’t fix roads and/ or improve mass transit..

    1. Well, one thing we do know. The seagulls crap all over the playing fields in PWC. Somehow it is Corey’s fault.

      For the record, Canada geese crap all over the playing fields in PWCS. I guess that is Dr. Walts’ fault.

  36. Lyssa

    Good one – maybe feral pigs,too?

  37. punchak

    @Cargosquid
    Totally GROSS!

    I hope you’re thankful for SOMEthing!

    While griping about almost everything and hoping that Obama’s term will end in disaster,
    I believe that you do not wish disaster on our country.

    What are YOU doing to improve our situation, BTW?

  38. I think my turkey timer is poking out today. Sigh.

    Bring it on.

  39. punchak

    @Moon-howler
    What does that mean?

    1. In reference to Cargo’s cartoon. I think I am done. LOL

  40. Wolverine

    Levar Stoney is the new Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As such, he is responsible for, inter alia, managing the details of extraditions, pardons, clemency petitions, service of process, restoration of voting rights for ex-felons, authentication of foreign adoption papers, certifying of notaries public, lobbyist registrations, conflict of interest filings, and appointments to state boards and commissions.

    He worked for Creigh Deeds during the latter’s AG and gubernatorial campaigns. He spent three years working under McAuliffe as Director for Public and Government Affairs at GreenTech. He was McAuliffe’s deputy campaign manager during the 2013 election.

    In 2004, when the incident in Wisconsin happened, Stoney was probably a political greenhorn just out of James Madison University (graduated 2004), where he had been twice elected the president of student government and was the first African-American to hold that post. He went up to Wisconsin to help with GOTV for the Democrats in Milwaukee in the 2004 elections.

    Somebody slashed the tires of a whole bunch of Republican GOTV vans, causing that party a lot of cash for repairs and a lot of lost time on election day. Three young men were convicted of the crime, including the son of Rep. Gwen Moore D-WI from Milwaukee. Each got a $1000 fine and from 4 to 6 months in the slammer.

    Stoney knew who had done it. He overheard them bragging about it and even saw the tool they used for the slashings. But, when the Milwaukee County police “interviewed” him, he denied knowing anything about the incident, i.e. he lied to the cops. He did not confess to this lie until a couple of months later, when the FBI came calling. I guess he probably remembered what happens to people who lie to the FBI.

    Stoney had to go to court. He told the judge the following: “I wasn’t going to try and get my friends, my colleagues, in trouble. Nor was I going to get the Democratic Party in trouble as well.”

    It appears that the court appearance is where it ended for Stoney on this Class A Misdemeanor incident. As I said, he was a young guy just out of college; and I suspect the judge took that into account. It won’t have any consequences now. But I don’t think that his excuse of lying to the cops so the Democratic Party wouldn’t get into trouble is the kind of advertising of which the party wants to be reminded. So goes politics.

    1. Thanks for filling in the story in a fairly unbiased way, Wolverine.

      Stoney might have done a lot of growing up in the past decade. However, that story is well-known, especially to those who don’t necessarily wish McAuliffe lots of success. With that in mind, perhaps McAuliffe should have chosen a different secretary of state…one who didn’t have a blemished youthful political past.

      I am sure there are other jobs that Stoney could do that aren’t quite as visible. McAuliffe doesn’t need to have his judgement questioned this soon out of the gate.

    2. One more comment…people lie to cops all the time. I have seen it 100s of times over my lifetime. I never saw anyone prosecuted for it. Having said that, I am not recommending it or endorsing it. However, most people who lie to the cops don’t expect to be appointed secretary of state.

      I expect the most frequent incident of lying to cops involves driving incidents. Of course, that is where most of us have direct cop dealings.

      This brings up another subject…the misdeeds of young overly zealous campaign workers.

      I used to have pictures of a young campaign worker who went around the county stealing signs of Democrats. He was standing in someone’s driveway (mid-county) pulling all the signs out of his truck or van. The homeowner who where the signs were being pulled out of the car later worked for a PWC supervisor and has been associated with the campaign of a state delegate. The young campaign worker is now known far and wide for being a big blow-hard on the blogs.

      If I dug those pictures out some folks would be real embarrassed. I don’t even think they knew we took them because they were so busy crowing over their victory.

      You just never know who your neighbors are. I was visiting a Democrat who was furious over having all the signs he put out pulled up. He took the pictures and gave everyone copies. This was back in the 90s. I guess a certain blow hard has forgotten the misdeeds of his youth.

  41. @punchak
    Lighten up Francis.

    What am I doing to improve the situation? I’m trying to prevent any more disasters like ObamaCare by voting for commonsense conservatives.

    @Moon-howler
    The irony of that “lying” to cops…the two times that I was let go for speeding…I turned to the cop as he walked up and basically said…”ya got me.” They appreciated that I didn’t try to make them look foolish or …something.

    1. But did you get a ticket? I guess my feeling is, who cares what they appreciate or don’t appreciate?

      I had 2 try to get me on a DUI about 15 years ago. They lied. I know I wasn’t speeding or weaving. I know I had dropped off a friend at her car NEAR a local bar. I was honest and said I had had less than one beer that evening, hours earlier and not even near that bar.

      I know that I failed the field sobriety test out in 28 degree weather without a coat, standing on a slight hill on a solid sheet of ice. I know the cop was really pissed when I blew a O on the breathalyzer. I would fail that test right this minute and I haven’t had a drink in at least a week. I can’t do backwards alphabet. I also can’t heel to toe walk without wobbling. Its a balance thing that afflicts many people.

      After that experience, I have never cared much who appreciated what.

      It was snowing. Therefore the speed I was going was speeding because of conditions. Oh major bull snort!

      My kids thought I should be glad because I hadn’t been drinking. I didn’t see it that way.

    2. I am not sure that Obamacare is the disaster you think it is. I think you want it to be a disaster.

      Most people want to have health coverage.

    3. Cargo, You have not given us a Thanksgiving report.

      Did you have turkey creole or Cajun dressing?

      Tell me how to do that bacon again please.

  42. Wolverine

    Keep an eye out for those feral pigs. I understand some have been spotted in Fauquier. Those things can be nasty.

    1. They can kill, can’t they?

      Wolverine, did you know that Fr. Steve had left St. Joseph’s Indian School?

  43. Behive Barny

    A certain blogger doesn’t want someone to see my comment. I know the right people will read it because they snoop on this blog.:

    Too funny! So DW is a pseudonym for a small group of Candland haters, yet in the next breath you refer to dW as “she?” Is that the royal she?

    I am not a mouth piece for anyone other than myself.

    I don’t care about all you all’s petty infighting. I care about slander and libel. All someone has to do is ask me the right questions.
    Gives ya something to think about, doesn’t it?

  44. Wolverine

    I understand those feral pigs can kill and eat you if they are big enough or there are enough of them and you disturb them. Some real exciting hunting in Florida.

    I knew about Fr. Steve. He said in April this year that his treatments went well and that he was cancer free. I understand he was elected as the Provincial Superior for the United States Province of Priests of the Sacred Heart, with his new office in Wisconsin. He was replaced by Fr. Anthony, the chaplain of the school and also a Sacred Heart priest, who is from Brooklyn and whose dad was career Marine Corps. I’m not sure if Fr. Anthony is permanent or just filling in until a new director is named. I sent in my early donation for Christmas for the kids this year and got a personal phone call of thanks from the school staff.

    1. I missed all that. It happened when I had a lot going on in my own house with stuff.

      I haven’t decided if I am going to support that school or another cause now Fr Steve is gone. I had a lot of trust in him and I don’t trust all charities like that.

      The only reason I gave to that school is because Christianity didn’t try to stomp out their native beliefs. That was very important to me…and has been since I was a whippersnapper and got horribly offended about missionaries trying to stamp out all aspects of the culture of native Americans and pacific islanders.

      I think that Christianity needs to adopt a Do No Harm policy.

  45. Scout

    domestic pigs can kill you in the right circumstances, Wolve. Hence the common phrase among those of us who grew up in the agricultural Heartland: “Never had so much fun since the hog ate my baby brother.”

    1. Oh dear God. How horrible!!!

  46. Is anyone else watching the Garth Brooks concert?

    Every time he starts singing something I like, he breaks for commercial. Why even bother. GRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

  47. @Moon-howler
    My wife did the cooking…my job was to clean the house prior to the invasion.

    Had a lot of vegetables…one of the guest was vegetarian.

    Since its Hannukah…I held off on the bacon/ham/pork…..just didn’t feel right.

    Anyway….we had 10 or 11 people total. WAY TOO MUCH food…..

    The bacon? Are you talking about bacon candy?

    Take thin cut bacon….dredge it in a brown sugar mixture with assorted spices added in to taste.

    I use ginger, cumin (not much…goes a LONG way) nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper…. no measurements…… just add to taste.

    Bake on cooling racks placed on a cookie/baking sheet at 350 degrees until done.
    I use thin cut because its tricky to cook the thick cut fully before the sugar burns……but it does have a nice meaty flavor.

    I tend to cut the bacon into three pieces for convenience….and it goes farther when you bring it to a party…..

    1. Thanks. How long do you cook regular cut?

      re bacon

      So what all did your wife cook up?

  48. @Moon-howler
    I didn’t get a ticket those two times…..other times…..well….yes.

    I don’t want Obamacare to be a disaster….but it is.
    I even have personal anecdotes.
    My sister and bro- in law are retired.
    There insurance rate for good insurance that they’ve had for years…..about 300-350 bucks per month. Now? 1400 per month for lesser but “comparable” coverage. They don’t get subsidies. He has medical issues…the coverage never wavered.

    I told them to pay the fine until they need it again.

    1. What if one of them gets sick? You said he had medical issues? You are aware that medical issues are one of the main reasons for personal bankruptcy? The fine isn’t gong to cover them in an illness.

      I will agree that having to spend $1400 for 2 policies is absurd. On the other hand, if they are both retired, I don’t see why the federal subsidy doesn’t kick in unless they are fairly well off.

      I am not so sure how “good” a 300-350 a month really is. I had very good coverage for about between $550-$600. That’s per person. That has nothing to do with ACA.

      Maybe they need to shop around more.

  49. @Moon-howler
    I forgot…

    My wife made a turkey with a lot of orange under the skin and tangerines and vegetables around it. Added some apple cider and wine and let it roast while she made sweet potato/yukon potato latkes, kugle, green bean casserole, biscuits, and some other things…..while friends brought dishes.

    1. 1. How did she get orange under the skin? Please describe.

      2. What is kugle?

      3. I want to know more about the tangerines also.

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