Random Thoughts

[Prairie Dawn]

Cook is a real class act.  Poor babies were upset because they were OUTSKATED and OUTPLAYED on their own turf.  They thought they would glide in, all showy and stomp all over my B's.  Nice try boys.

I would love to see the Bruins take another in PA.  A shut out would be the icing on the cake. 

Sidney wears pink mules and a feather boa.


GO BRUINS!

[ponytail]

 

Sad for my grandson today.

[Merry Prankster]

Sad for my grandson today.

Ponytail, when you're sad the Prankster is a little sad too.  I hope everything is OK.

I was away at a funeral because my 92 year-old aunt passed away.  No condolences, please.  She lived a full, vigorous life until her last few years and, given her condition, her passing was a blessing.  The service was not a mournful one (although there were a few), but rather a celebration of her life and a remembrance of what her life meant to our family.

[ponytail]

Too late, I already sent you condolences. 

My grandson is okay--as young people do, they all come together and cry, love and support each other.

[bacali]

Sad for my grandson today.

Ponytail, when you're sad the Prankster is a little sad too.  I hope everything is OK.

I was away at a funeral because my 92 year-old aunt passed away.  No condolences, please.  She lived a full, vigorous life until her last few years and, given her condition, her passing was a blessing.  The service was not a mournful one (although there were a few), but rather a celebration of her life and a remembrance of what her life meant to our family.

MP, we can still send condolences. No matter how old the person we lost is, it's still a sadness that we won't see them,this life. again.
I lost my aunt in March...she was 100 last Oct and lived a wonderful, full life...but,I still miss her every day 'cause she was the "Grandma-figure" my children grew up with.
Ponytail's grandson's loss is so much more hurting... because these were babies...really...just teens not yet living their lives.

[Merry Prankster]

I don’t often get political, but let’s review the bidding………domestic surveillance drones in the thousands going to the tens of thousands,  traffic monitoring/public area surveillance cameras multiplying like rabbits,  IRS targeting of certain groups and releasing confidential tax data,  Justice Dept. snooping into reporters’ phone calls, e-mails, etc., and NSA (a super secret agency whose existence the government wouldn’t even acknowledge until the 1980s) compiling CDRs (call detail records) on 100 million Americans and monitoring internet activities of ?whom?.    Are we far from PSAs urging us to monitor our neighbors’ activities in the name of security and patriotic?  Our society is beginning to remind me of one I once read about:

War is peace.
Freedom is slavery.
Ignorance is strength.

Big Brother is watching.

When a society gives up its freedom an inch at a time, after a while people tend to focus on the new inch or two they're giving up, not the yards they've already surrendered.

[Snowbird]

I don’t often get political, but let’s review the bidding………domestic surveillance drones in the thousands going to the tens of thousands,  traffic monitoring/public area surveillance cameras multiplying like rabbits,  IRS targeting of certain groups and releasing confidential tax data,  Justice Dept. snooping into reporters’ phone calls, e-mails, etc., and NSA (a super secret agency whose existence the government wouldn’t even acknowledge until the 1980s) compiling CDRs (call detail records) on 100 million Americans and monitoring internet activities of ?whom?.    Are we far from PSAs urging us to monitor our neighbors’ activities in the name of security and patriotic?  Our society is beginning to remind me of one I once read about:

War is peace.
Freedom is slavery.
Ignorance is strength.

Big Brother is watching.

When a society gives up its freedom an inch at a time, after a while people tend to focus on the new inch or two they're giving up, not the yards they've already surrendered.

I agree with you MP.  It is beginning to frighten me.  I wonder how much freedom my grandchildren will have. 
The majority no longer rules in this country.  We have lost our freedom of speech because we cannot offend the minority.

I heard on the news the other day that beginning in January, people who smoke, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and are over weight would be paying up to 50% more on insurance.  I object to that because some of those things are inherited through families.  Some people who are over weight have reasons for being that way. 

Years ago people came to this country, studied, and took a test to become American citizens.  Now it seems they can sneak into the country illegally, get every kind of benefits, and be handed citizenship on a silver platter. 

[Merry Prankster]

Hawthorne was right, acquisition of knowledge occurs far more quickly than the acquisition of wisdom.  Since 9/11, fear seems to be triumphing over freedom.

[Prairie Dawn]

Hawthorne was right, acquisition of knowledge occurs far more quickly than the acquisition of wisdom.  Since 9/11, fear seems to be triumphing over freedom.

Nicely done MP! 


You just reminded me of something......

“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”  Benjamin Franklin

[Merry Prankster]

Nicely done yourself, PD!

I'm reminded of something said in the 1930s by (I believe) a member of the American Communist Party:  "If you give starving people a choice between bread and freedom, which will they choose?"

In today's world the question might be:  "If you give people frightened for their safety a choice between security and liberty, which will they choose?"

I also ran across an interesting quote:  "We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security."  This was said by Dwight D. Eisenhower in the context of his warning regarding the "military-industrial" complex.  Look at what Al Qaeda has caused US government/society to become since 9/11.  Can anyone truly say the terrorists are losing?

I'll cease the polemic now.  This is not a political site.  I apologize if I have offended anyone.

[bacali]

MP, please don't feel like you ever have to apologize for giving us your thoughts and deep ideas to ponder.
In our hurried life today, we seldom take the time to really "think" anymore ...so many things are done by rote.
So rather than just be silly when we take the time to sit down here... we really do have the chance to delve into these different ideas....

[Prairie Dawn]

Nicely done yourself, PD!

I'm reminded of something said in the 1930s by (I believe) a member of the American Communist Party:  "If you give starving people a choice between bread and freedom, which will they choose?"

In today's world the question might be:  "If you give people frightened for their safety a choice between security and liberty, which will they choose?"

I also ran across an interesting quote:  "We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security."  This was said by Dwight D. Eisenhower in the context of his warning regarding the "military-industrial" complex.  Look at what Al Qaeda has caused US government/society to become since 9/11.  Can anyone truly say the terrorists are losing?I'll cease the polemic now.  This is not a political site.  I apologize if I have offended anyone.

They win with each and every little freedom, so hard fought for, that we give up. 

I did not find anything you said offensive at all.  Quite the contrary, it was thought provoking.  I ageee with bacali, we do not take time to ponder things.  We are all moving so fast, all of the time.

[sherylk]

I agree that we don't take the time often to ponder things- mostly because alot of it is beyond our control or "for our own good". We are made to believe that our government is doing what is best for the American People...in reality government is doing what is best for whom??? idk the answer to that???  We are watched, monitored and TOLD...yes I said TOLD what to do in every aspect of our lives. There is NO freedom of speech, NO freedom at all if you think about it. Oh, they may make us think that we do..its all a lie. Goverment is now in schools telling you if your child is overweight! A letter gets sent home after they weigh your child??? (When the heck did this start happening?!?) Even your french fries have to be cooked in what oil they say. (all for our own good mind you). They also have their noses in which medications have to contain less tylenol, because I guess there is a big epidemic of liver failure among tylenol users (which is an over the counter med). Oh, and in Massachusetts you are fined if you don't have health insurance- but more and more companies are hiring per diem people so they don't have to offer health coverage! And I have been reading about police taking DNA samples of people they have in custody- well heres a better one...I went to the doctor the other day and he takes out these swabs to check my DNA, because supposedly there is a new technique out now that will tell doctors (by your DNA) which meds will be most useful for you and which ones they think may not work on you specifically. Waiting to hear the results when I go back to him. IT WAS JUST CREEPY....although I did do it.  I just wonder if this is the government getting everyones DNA through "innocent" means, because I'm sure it will be stored in some data bank somewhere..then it will eventually lead to increased payments in insurance because they will be telling you that you are pre-disposed to diabetes, heart disease..etc. I think some of these "crazies" that believe the goverment has a secret agenda...aren't so crazy after all. Hurry up and delete this post...they may be watching!!!! 

[Prairie Dawn]

I agree that we don't take the time often to ponder things- mostly because alot of it is beyond our control or "for our own good". We are made to believe that our government is doing what is best for the American People...in reality government is doing what is best for whom??? idk the answer to that???  We are watched, monitored and TOLD...yes I said TOLD what to do in every aspect of our lives. There is NO freedom of speech, NO freedom at all if you think about it. Oh, they may make us think that we do..its all a lie. Goverment is now in schools telling you if your child is overweight! A letter gets sent home after they weigh your child??? (When the heck did this start happening?!?) Even your french fries have to be cooked in what oil they say. (all for our own good mind you). They also have their noses in which medications have to contain less tylenol, because I guess there is a big epidemic of liver failure among tylenol users (which is an over the counter med). Oh, and in Massachusetts you are fined if you don't have health insurance- but more and more companies are hiring per diem people so they don't have to offer health coverage! And I have been reading about police taking DNA samples of people they have in custody- well heres a better one...I went to the doctor the other day and he takes out these swabs to check my DNA, because supposedly there is a new technique out now that will tell doctors (by your DNA) which meds will be most useful for you and which ones they think may not work on you specifically. Waiting to hear the results when I go back to him. IT WAS JUST CREEPY....although I did do it.  I just wonder if this is the government getting everyones DNA through "innocent" means, because I'm sure it will be stored in some data bank somewhere..then it will eventually lead to increased payments in insurance because they will be telling you that you are pre-disposed to diabetes, heart disease..etc. I think some of these "crazies" that believe the goverment has a secret agenda...aren't so crazy after all. Hurry up and delete this post...they may be watching!!!! 

Nicely done, sherylk! As a Massachusetts resident I am disgusted by this whole "fine" idea (no pun intended).  It is time once again to renew my insurance and surprise, surprise my premium just jumped up another fifty dollars a month.  Higer premiums, higher deductibles, higher co-pays, less services.  I am wondering when it will stop, when I am working just to pay for insurance? I am a fee for service contractor and I do not get my insurance from my employer this does not leave me with a lot of choice when choosing a plan.  It is very frustrating.   

The DNA test....spooky! Really makes you wonder.

Sorry about the rant. 

[ponytail]

It's not only that we don't take time to ponder things, it's that many of us have the 'as long as my life is still the same, I am not going to get off my butt and do anything about it' attitude. We are a nation of excuses, justifications, becauses and buts...as long as we and those we love are comfortable, that is all that matters.