Presidential Turkey Pardon
November 10th, 2012 by Magdalena Tabor
Darkness
November 9th, 2012 by Magdalena Tabor
Darkness.A tangible fear
That engulfs
Within seconds.
Just a strike
Of the match
Rids it
Of the malevolence
That was never there.
The room is
As you left it
This morning.
Darkness
Is just a cloak
Draped on a chair.
Congratulations President Barack Obama! Now Let’s Work Together
November 7th, 2012 by Michael Tabor
Mitt Romney certainly tightened the race after the first debate and made the last few weeks quite interesting. However, the bottom line is we the American people realizing we could not afford to start all over, ultimately made the right decision, and re-elected President Obama. Obviously, there is a lot of work ahead and the only way this country, the United States, will be able to finish the job of restoring this country to greatness is if we first of all recognize that this country is in a dire situation; and although we certainly still need the necessary checks and balances of the two party system the politics of partisanship is crippling this country and we MUST learn to work together. Obama won the Electoral College quite handily, but barely eked out the popular vote which was 51 to 49 percent – our country is deeply divided and this has to change.We recently witnessed how much more effective and efficiently things can get done when Governor Chris Christie (R) of NJ and pre – hurricane sandy staunch opponent of Obama, elected to put partisanship in his back pocket and embrace Obama’s administration’s effort to stabilize the ravaged state. It’s unfortunate and perhaps now a silver lining that it took a deadly disaster to open our eyes, disregard party affiliation and focus on policy that works, not whether one is a democrat or republican. The republican House of Representatives must heed Christie’s prudent actions and permit the president to finish his job and carry out his plan to make this nation prosperous and safe once again. The United States’ legislators have to get in that extreme state of voting for “whatever works legislation” and convince their constituents that this is the only path to recovery.
This is a laundry list of what we have on our collective plate:
Create jobs, jobs, and more jobs – the economy is on everyone’s mind and this is now our #1 priority.
This country is comprised of the most culturally diverse and eclectic population on the planet. What makes this nation unique and wonderful is we’re protected by the first amendment which enables each and every individual to practice any given religion, adopt any opinion and voice one’s opinion and even vehemently criticize anyone who attempts to impede this right. However, regardless of our differences we must work together as one. (As an incidental note, did you see the crowd supporting Romney when he gave his concession speech, a sea of white faces, and with Obama’s audience, what we saw was every race, creed, culture, etc. represented – it was a true microcosm of the nation in which we live).
To reiterate what I’ve written and what Obama said – Action not politics.
We must reduce the monumentally prodigious deficit of 16 trillion dollars.
We have to cut our dependence on foreign oil and continue to invest in alternative ways of energy. I know Romney continually brought up the fact that we spent 90 billion dollars on solar. Well, sorry Mr. Romney we can’t continue to extract fossil fuels, we have to stop being so selfish and start thinking about our grandchildren.
Tax the rich. We haven’t had such disparity between the haves and have nots and no middle class since the gilded age (1877 – 1893 due to industrial revolution – another blog).
Make sure Iran does not get nuclear weapons.
Syria and the Arab Spring is still crazy – we have to keep an attentive eye on this precarious situation.
We have to carefully and intelligently wind down the war in Afghanistan.
We have to ensure we keep pace and ultimately surpass China.
We all hate war, but we must somehow intelligently remain #1 militarily but at the same time cut out wasteful spending.
Immigration issues.
I personally love the arts and humanities and there is a place in our society for them (we need to cut here – big time. Do your artwork or writing after work, that’s what I do, why do you need federal funds? P.s. – just for now – another blog) but what we have to focus on and encourage our young people to get interested in is STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). The world caught up to us after so many years and one can have the greatest economic plan in the world, but if you don’t have STEM, it’s MEANINGLESS. Invest in Stem. Give federal grants to STEM. STEM creates jobs – period.
Well, WhaDaYaThink ? What do you think ? Mitt Romney was certainly very gracious when he gave his concession speech and basically echoed all of the issues I raised here about working together, but he spent almost a billion dollars on a losing cause. I’m sure he was crying and punching inanimate objects when he left the stage – if not, his investors certainly were.
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – That Chuck Lorre – what a card.
November 6th, 2012 by Michael Tabor
Written by Guest Blogger – Karl LarsonNo, seriously; what a card.
The “Big Bang Theory” and “Two and a Half Men” honcho – who’s used the vanity cards at the end of his shows to expound on everything from former “Men” star Charlie Sheen to the humilities of aging- used Thursday night’s “Big Bang Theory” card to rant about presidential candidate Mitt Romney and the current state of the Republican party.Unfortunately for fans of political mud-flinging, the card never made it to air. Lorre published the card on his website instead, noting that he’d opted for self-censorship.”I’ve decided to save everybody a lot of unhappiness and not submit this week’s vanity card to the CBS censors (I know when I’ve crossed the line with these things and don’t need a bunch of corporate lawyers getting their cotton blend panties in a bunch),” Lorre wrote.Kind of a shame, really, because it’s quite a doozy.The card takes shots at GOP politicians’ recent stances on everything from rape to FEMA, along with a dig at the reality series “The Bachelor” and a not-so-veiled reference to Romney’s Mormonism.The card ends with a wholesale condemnation of modern American society.The text of the vanity card is presented below in its entirety, to preserve flavor and flow:CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #397
CENSORED BY ME
What does it say about us when we are simultaneously pro-life and pro AK-47’s? What does it say about us when God’s will would allow a rapist to ask for shared custody and child support payments? What does it say about us when a black guy’s in charge and we say things like “it’s time to take America back”? What does it say about us when we think the institution of marriage is threatened by gay people who love each other, but not by idiotic game shows like “The Bachelor”? What does it say about us when we export democracy with Hellfire missiles, then restrict the right to vote here? What does it say about us when we build nuclear submarines to defend against exploding vests? What does it say about us when we think a guy who doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, keeps his money offshore, stubs his toe and says “H-E-double hockey sticks” and wears magical underwear can feel our pain? What does it say about us when we demand less government and more FEMA? What does it say about us when we completely forgot the colossal shit storm we were in four years ago?
The answer, my friends, is not blowing in the wind.
The answer is, “We are f***en crazy.”
It’s just a shame that Lorre has trouble sharing his feelings.
The answer, my friends, is not blowing in the wind.
The answer is, “We are f***en crazy.”
It’s just a shame that Lorre has trouble sharing his feelings.
Sent from Orange, CA
Cold Comfort
November 4th, 2012 by Magdalena Tabor
The effects of Hurricane Sandy hit our shores on Monday, October 30th, when at 5:38 pm the power that thrice taunted me with the tampering of electrical devices suddenly made good on its threat. Five days later, I write this by candlelight on a placid November night accompanied by the steady hum of neighboring generators providing access to heat and hair dryers for a fortunate few. Nearly a half million Long Islanders still without power curse them in their envy.The harrowing winds that bent and uprooted tress and utilty poles too numerous to count, are stacked up like firewood here and there but in the forested preserve across the way they lie like gentle giants gone to sleep. There they will stay, their remains to either decompose or petrify, barring a favorite path to serve as a place to bench instead. Perhaps to reflect on these unsettling circumstances years from now.
I wonder that I don’t feel angry at the slow progress of the 21st century in restoring us back to the modern world. I am at home with book and candle, bulky sweaters to ward off the chill. Grateful for the hot water with which to shower which has been my sole comfort, yet why and how it functions is beyond me. Food is prepared on the BBQ grill powered by propane, thanks to Jetmore for taking our last $7.00 between us for a $20.00 tank with a $13.00 IOU to be mailed off tomorrow. There were no ATM machines to serve us without power, likewise no gas to fill up the Jeep without the aid of electricity. Therefore trips to the supermarket for essential canned goods and non perishables are carefully planned to include trips to the pharmacy and petco enroute.
My patience is unwavering only because I know it’s just a matter of time before everything returns to normal. Meanwhile the battery operated radio reports of a drop in overnight temperatures with a Nor’easter in the wings to deal with next week; cold wet rain with wind and possibly some snow. On Monday my battery operated alarm clock will wake me at 5 am for the 20 minute walk to the train station, flashlight in hand (skirting any downed wires) to wait for the hourly service into New York City. Or with any luck, trains will be back on schedule. I can charge my cell phone and sip hot tea at my desk while perusing the news via internet. Ahhhh…….. Simple pleaures.
In case you’ve been wondering how I happen to have posted this, we have been graciously catapulted into the land of the living by our next door neighbors who have just returned from their week long stay in Ireland. They connected us to their generator for heat and computer access only. At 9 pm the service will be cut. So until LIPA (Long Island Power Authority) does their job (or lack thereof, which is being hotly debated on both sides of the party line), it’s Roger, Over and Out.