Even Here in the Mountains

The NC General Assembly has been very busy in this short session.  It took only three days with no open discussion (and no debate) to overturn the moratorium on fracking (hydraulic fracture of shale to obtain natural gas under pressure from chemicals) in our state.  So much for transparency.

The new law does not have a lot of specifics limiting companies wanting to extract natural gas from our shale.  Governor McCrory is fully supportive of the new law, called the "Energy Modernization Act."  The new law prohibits local governments from making restrictions on the oil and gas exploration and methods.  The law also allows for "compulsory pooling,"  allowing fracking under the property without the landowner's consent if a certain percentage of nearby landowners have sold fracking rights.  Gives new meaning to "drill, baby, drill" doesn't it?

And this from the party whose battle cry has been, "get big government off our backs."

 Prior to passing the law lifting the fracking moratorium, the General Assembly passed a law prohibiting individuals from disclosing the chemicals used in the fracking process.  The original bill made it a felony to disclose this information but the final law makes it a misdemeanor.  The law gives gas companies the ability to pursue criminal charges against persons disclosing what they learn about the specific chemicals used in the fracking process.  Firefighters and police officers could be forced to sign confidentiality statements in cases of accidental contamination and would be forbidden to disclose chemical exposure.

And yet one more insult to Western NC, the General Assembly has allocated more than half a million dollars to explore the possibility of natural gas deposits in seven Western NC counties.  It is of note that these counties are very near the Eastern Continental Divide.  In other words, they are near the very origin of fresh water; where the water begins.  You might ask why the state would pay for exploring the possibility of natural gas.  Isn't exploration part of the gas/oil company's responsibility?  Is it a coincidence that our Governor worked as an executive at Duke Energies for 28 years and received tremendous contributions from them for his election?  Our former US Representative is now a lobbyist for Duke Energies and many NC appointments went to former Duke Energies employees.



Someone sent me this and I can't recall who sent it or how to credit it.  But sometimes I feel as if the General Assembly is the mother bird, big oil/gas is the favored one, and the rest of us are being stomped in the head.

On a totally different subject, my sister-in-law was born on D-Day.  Not just on June 6; but on June 6, 1944.  She and my brother live in Oregon and to celebrate her hallmark birthday this year, she did a long zipline tour atop the trees in the Cascade Mountains.  You go, girl!

Not Pleased to be Number One

North Carolina has the dubious distinction of leading the nation in outside money influencing our elections this year.  More than 90% of political advertisements and phone calls were funded by "outside" money, not by citizens living here.  Yesterday was our primary and yes, I voted as I always do.  I was given an extensive information sheet that the 2016 elections will require voter identification and asked to sign a sheet as to whether or not I actually had "valid" identification.  I was not asked to show any form of ID.  (Our recently passed Voter ID laws are processing through the court systems.  They are far more limiting that those in other states.)

Encouraged by the recent rulings by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), money from undisclosed citizens has poured into NC this year.  Koch brothers and the Republican States Leadership Committe, among other conservative groups, poured more than a million dollars into advertising aimed at a single target; unseating an incumbent on our State Supreme Court.  Keep in mind that elections for Supreme Court Justices in our states are NON-PARTISAN.

The scene for making our Court more partisan was set by our newly bought elected governor.  More than a decade ago, the General Assembly created a fund for campaign financing for candidates for the State Supreme Court.  This funding was accepted by the vast majority of candidates and helped to diversify our Court.  One of the Governor Pat McCrory's first official acts was to zero out the funding.

It comes as no surprise that huge amounts of outside money are pouring into the State to defeat our incumbent US Senator Kay Hagan.  And that will only increase now that she handily won the primary.  It will be more vindictive and vicious for the general election in the fall.  NC is considered on of the "vulnerable" states in which the Republican Party might gain a Senate seat.  Her performance is not an issue; her political party is the driving force.  And how sad that is.

One of my favorite political cartoonists who is always right on the money

 So why target North Carolina?  The answer for 2014 is relatively simple.  One party dominates the General Assembly (made up of State Senators and Representatives) and the governor is a member of the same party.  Much of the legislation passed by this General Assembly is being appealed through the court system.  What better way to block and delay appeals than by filling the Supreme Court with ultra-conservatives with agendas far beyond justice?

As for the Senate race, we are a Red state with a Blue Senator, and a female one at that.  The republican primary winner is Thom Tillis, the current Speaker of the NC House of Representatives.  He led the General Assembly to the hard right views of government.  As for those of us who dare oppose his agenda?  His comment is "What I see from the folks who are opposing our agenda is whining coming from losers."  He has vowed to appoint only anti-abortion judges.  In a statement to a group of Republicans in 2011, Thom Tillis said that Republicans must "divide and conquer the poor."  He is very proud of stopping the Medicaid expansion in NC, leaving more than half a million NC citizens without health care.  He insists they "don't deserve it."

Many unhappy voters decided to vote blindly against any incumbent in 2010 without regards to performance.  (Akin to throwing out the baby with the bath water.)  And as is always the case, voting districts were redrawn following the census.  For NC this meant they were redrawn to favor the party in power.  And the lines are strange indeed.  Liberal Asheville was moved into a more conservative district to lessen their impact.  Gerrymandering is always common after the census, but this redistricting was worse than usual.

Why am I ranting so once again?  Because I am FURIOUS that more voters from my state don't bother to find out where candidates stand on the issues.  I am FURIOUS that North Carolina was once known as a progressive moderate state and is now extremely conservative.  I love North Carolina but truth be told?  I would not have returned to retire here had I foreseen the political climate we are now facing.

I grew up here and came back here for my retirement years.  I love North Carolina and I want my state back.

Fridays Are Golden

August.  Summer is flying past us.  We continue to have sunny days and afternoon thunderstorms.  When the weather predicts "pop-up" or "scattered" showers, they invariably pop up right over our house.  And this weather has been especially favorable to the ticks and mosquitoes.  They are everywhere!

In the warm weather, we don't take the Golden Girls for long walks like we do in cooler temperatures.  We do let them romp around in the woods.  That way they can judge just how much running they want to do.  My husband took the following photographs.

 

 

Lucy loves the laurel and rhodo tunnels

 

 

 

Ellie patiently waits on the stoop for the go ahead

 

 

 

Lucy always looks at you to see if you are following along.

 

 

 

She really does not like a sit/stay.

Our lives go along peacefully despite the onerous actions of our General Assembly and Governor.  Our governor signed the new abortion restrictions into law last week despite repeated pre-election promises that he would never sign any law making further restrictions on abortion rights.  And he maintains that he did not.  He signed the recent laws to "protect women's health."  Never mind that it effectively closes all abortion centers in the State except for one.

A group of women protesting his actions gathered outside the governor's mansion.  They were dressed in retro fashion styles of the early '60s.  As they silently protested, Governor McCrory came out with two armed guards and DELIVERED A PLATE OF CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES TO THEM!!!  He smiled as he handed the plate to a surprised woman and kept saying to the group "God bless you, God bless you."  He did not take any questions from the group.  Just handed over the cookies and walked back inside the gate.  As one newspaper columnist wrote,  "The governor doled out sexism, chocolate, and a side of condescension."

The women placed the cookies at the mansion gates with a sign that read:  "Governor McCrory, we'll take women's health over cookies."  In response to massive complaints sent to the governor about his actions, his office issued this statement, "Sometimes a plate of cookies is just a plate of cookies."  Yeah, right.



Our timely quote for the week comes from Kahlil Gibran.  I try to keep it in mind.

"I have learned silence from the talkative, tolerance from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind;  yet strangely, I am ungrateful to these teachers."

HAVE A WONDERFUL AND SAFE WEEKEND, EVERYONE!!!

 

 



What Do These Have in Common?

A city playground;

A public park;

A hiking trail in State or National Forests;

A crowded bar*;

A quiet restaurant*;

A public recreation area;

A summer festival;

A carnival or county/State fair;

A funeral procession;

A Fourth of July parade;

A protest rally;

 

What do all these places have in common?  They are some of the places you may legally carry a concealed weapon in North Carolina with the newly passed legislation from our General Assembly.  You may also bring a gun onto public school property or government parking lots, but you must store it in a locked car.

*Bar and restaurant owners can prohibit guns in their establishments with prominently displayed signs.

Schools may use armed volunteers as safety officers to patrol their schools.  There are no specifics for required training.

The new gun legislation is likely to be signed into law by our governor who so far has danced with the ones who bought brought him.

Our General Assembly has been hard at work this session, working late into the night with hastily called votes to ensure passage.  Voice votes in committees have been challenged but over-ruled by the chairs who refused to honor requests for a vote count.  Bills severely limiting women's health services are added to a motorcycle law.  Large contributors have been given plum jobs and the voices of the people are being hushed.  More than 900 people have been arrested for peaceful and lawful protest in Raleigh and the good ol' boys are determined to control their "little ladies" health.

The next time you complain that your congress is doing nothing---take a look at what the NC General Assembly has  done this year.  Sometimes you get what you asked for and it is uglier than you imagined.

What do Sharia Law and Motorcycle Safety Have in Common?

 

 

 

Remember the Miller Analogies Test you took for grad school?  If presented with the words, "Sharia Law" and "Motorcycle Safety" what might you determine the two had in common?

 

That's a difficult one, so I will give you the answer.  Both of these words were "covers" for bills in the NC General Assembly to which abortion restrictions were added.

 

Two weeks ago the Senate passed a bill regarding Sharia Law to the effect that NC does not honor Sharia Law.  (Duh!)  Without notification to the public or interested parties, severe restrictions on the rights of women to obtain abortions were added to the Sharia bill.  The bill included such severe restrictions that it  would effectively shut down every reproductive health provider providing abortions in the entire state except for one provider in Asheville.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The governor (who ran on a platform that he would not support ANY additional restrictions on abortion) indicated that he was not pleased with the manner in which the bill was rushed through the Senate.  He called for discussion and stated that he would veto the legislation if it came across his desk as written.

 

So the NC House of Representatives brought forth a motorcycle safety bill last week.  Western NC Representative Joe Sam Queen was really surprised when he opened the folder regarding the motorcycle safety bill.  The bill contained seventeen (yes, 17) words on motorcycle safety!!!  The remainder of the bill was about abortion restrictions.  Again, no notice to the public.  Apparently not even any notice to the Representatives on the committee.

 

 

 

 

The House version of the bill changed very little from the Senate bill.  One change was that a physician needed only be present for the FIRST DOSE of RU-487, not the entire time.  But the restrictions on providers included in the bill would still have the effect of closing all providers except for the one in Asheville.  (NC is a very long state.  The drive from the NC coast to Asheville is more than eight hours.)  The governor, contrary to his pre-election statements, has indicated that he will sign the House version of the bill.

 

Protests continue every Monday in Raleigh, at the General Assembly.  Hundreds have been arrested during these peaceful and lawful demonstrations.

 

(The following two photographs from the Raleigh News and Observer)

 



She definitely looks like a criminal in need of handcuffs, doesn't she?

 

 

Many have suggested that the peaceful protesters should receive nothing more than citations, if that.  It certainly appears that the arrests are politically motivated.  But the General Assembly Police Chief denies that they are political.  He says they are "necessary to disperse the weekly crowds."

 

Take a close look at the following photograph of a Moral Monday arrest.  Look closely at the number of people and their composition.  How many police officers does it take to arrest a single non-violent woman trying to take a legal stand against an oppressive leadership?

 

 

Oh, she looks dangerous as well.

It's not just abortion rights and it's not just me, friends.  The Editorial Board of the New York Times recently printed an op-ed titled "The Decline of North Carolina."  (You can find the July 9 editorial here)  The piece ends with the following sad words:

"North Carolina was once considered a beacon of farsightedness in the South, an exception in a region of poor education, intolerance and tightfistedness.  In a few short months, Republicans have begun to dismantle a reputation that took years to build."

This is my State and I still love it and don't want to live anywhere else.  It breaks my heart to see my State take away from the poor and disadvantaged and give more to the rich pigs who bought the seats in our General Assembly.

Humorist Jim Hightower said,
"You will never clear up the water until you get the hogs out of the creek." 

I hope that if we all speak up we might be able to do just that.

Science Be Damned...

 

 

The North Carolina General Assemby has been extremely busy making laws to address issues we do not have and defying scientific evidence.  Take religion, for example.  The Assembly has decreed that NC has a right to establish a state religion if so desired.  According to the "logic," only the Federal Government is prohibited from establishing religion but individual states are not specifically prohibited from doing so.  And if not specifically prohibited then it must be allowed.  No one suggests establishing a state religion...only that a state COULD if it wanted to.

 

And a new bill states that NC does not follow Sharia law.  (We needed that bill to attach limits on abortion rights.)

 

And in case you thought you might order a TESLA electric car, we have a law prohibiting direct sales of automobiles except through a dealership.  And since TESLA does not have dealerships, you'll have to spend your hundred thousand dollars (or more) to get another car or get your TESLA out of state.

 

In one of its first acts, the NC General Assembly voted to deny the results of a scientific study indicating the rising sea levels along the Atlantic Ocean.  The reason?  It would be bad for business development along the NC coast.

 

Our General Assembly has mandated that the school curriculum (beginning in seventh grade) MUST include teaching that one cause of pre-term birth is previous abortion.  This, despite findings to the contrary from the Centers for Disease Control and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.  So science be damned!

 

And we have a new bill that allows complete secrecy in chemicals used for fracking shale.  The companies do not have to disclose what toxins they may be pumping through the lines, and possibly leaking into the ground water.  Earlier the General Assembly voted that companies may pollute the ground water UP TO THE PROPERTY LINE without consequences.

 

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see a house bill stating the earth is flat and both the sun and moon revolve around it.

 

After the 2010 census, the General Assembly gerrymandered districts so that many of our citizens are not really represented in voting districts that are divided so as to favor one party over another.  And in response to the findings of NO VOTER FRAUD in NC, our General Assembly wants to shorten the early vote, not allowed early voting on Sundays, and require photo identification prior to voting.  To prevent a problem that does not exist?  Or to disenfranchise some voters.

 

But the true passion of the old farts  representatives in the General Assemby seems to be to deny a woman's right to make the most difficult decision of her life.  But let's call it something else.  Here are the names of some of the bills:

 

- Women's Right to Know

- Insurance and Health Care Conscience Protection

- Family Faith and Freedom Protection Act

 

The effect of these bills, if passed into law will CLOSE every reproductive health center providing abortions in the entire State except for one provider in Asheville, NC.  Regardless of your personal feelings, the State should not make this choice for women.  I am old enough to remember when abortions were not legal and I know the consequences this can have.

 

So heck.  Maybe I'm the one who is wrong.  Perhaps the world really is flat.  And at the rate we are going, our ship of State will soon sail off the edge.

 

 

A fellow Tarheel has written a song that pretty much sums up my own feelings about our General Assembly.  You can find it here.  (Apologies upfront to anyone offended by the eff word.  But sometimes it is the only one that works.)

My State is changing in ways I do not like, but I will hang on until the end.  Despite what is happening in Raleigh, most of the people are good people with good intentions.  I only hope that the voters will recognize what is going on and get rid of the worst offenders.  To steal a movie line:  WE'RE MAD AS HELL AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE.

A Long Decade

Welcome Spring!

Congress or Cockroaches?

 

 

"Would you rather have both eyes gouged out or your tongue lopped off?"  Such were the questions we asked each other as children.  Making choices between two horrid things and then explaining our answers.

Public Policy Polling asked similar questions (all right, that's exaggerating) of more than 800 registered voters.  The voters expressed a low 9% favorable opinion of Congress.  The voters were then asked to rank their opinions about Congress and several other people or situations.  The answers might surprise you.  Or maybe not.

Traffic jams had a higher favorable opinion rating than Congress (56% to 34%).  So did root canals (56% to 32%), colonoscopies (58% to 31%) [no mention was made for the prep; just the procedure], and even lice (67% to 19%).  There were a few things that with a less favorable opinion than Congress.  The voters had a higher opinion of Congress than playground bullies (43% to 38%) and gonorrhea (53% to 28%). Congress barely won out over Lindsey (sic) Lohan (45% to 41%).

From US News and World Report

Brussel sprouts won easily over Congress (69% to 23%) and even cockroaches (ugh!) squeaked by (45% to 43%).

You can find the full report here.  This poll is no more accurate than most polling.  But the results are far more interesting.  And perhaps distressing.  This is truly a do-nothing Congress.

Four North Carolina Representatives voted AGAINST the aid for Hurricane Sandy victims. [NOTE to Virginia Foxx, George Holding, Richard Hudson, and our own Western NC Mark Meadows:  North Carolina is on the Atlantic Ocean and regularly suffers severe hurricane damage.  How'ya gonna vote when we are the victims?]

Congress is definitely unpopular and deservedly so.  We should all be disappointed when we hear the rhetoric bantered back and forth.  And we ask ourselves, "Who voted for these jerks?"  Pogo has the answer:

From Wikipedia

Fridays Are Golden

We have had a perfect week of warm and sunny days with cool nights.  The dogs thrive in this weather and we have made several trips to places where they can run and romp.

They are looking at two fishermen by the lake.

Sprinting after a recall.

Ellie sits for a breather

Lucy is all smiles

This hill is so steep that Lucy is practically crawling

I am on a mission to have a name eliminated from the press.  There is absolutely no need to ever mention, much less quote that vicious witch with the long blond hair.  You know, AC.  The one with the evil vitriolic mouth, the mean-spirited one with the cackling laugh.  She doesn't deserve to share our planet much less be thrust in the spotlight.  So while I am a proponent of free speech, let's not talk about her.  Please.

So Ann evil one...our mailbox flag is perfect for you

Elections are at hand.  And such a political season I have never witnessed.  And I hope never to witness again.  Many citizens are already casting ballots.  I urge you once again to learn as much as you can about every candidate.  Do not be swayed by political advertisements from special interest groups.  Look at each candidate over his/her life; learn what his/her priorities have been, and try to determine who will best represent the interests of all of the people.  As for President...much is at stake as the two candidates and their platforms could hardly be more different.  And keep in mind that some members of the Supreme Court are aging and will likely be replaced within the next four years.  And they are appointed for life.

Research the backgrounds of the local candidates.  And if your state elects justices of your state Supreme Court, do not vote blindly.  These judges will make a huge difference in the way you live your lives, folks.  And while I never recommend a straight-party ticket, if you so vote remember that you must also vote for President.  That office is not included in the straight-party ticket.

It is rare for me to quote such a despicable person...totally evil devoted friend of Adolph Hitler.  But take the words of Joseph Goebbels as a warning:
If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it...It thus becomes vitally important...to use all powers to repress dissent, for truth is the mortal enemy of the lie.

Our political quote this week comes from essayist H. L. Mencken:
Under democracy one party devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule - and both commonly succeed, and are right.

Several comments from my last post wanted to know if we plan to name our new bear.  Yep...we already did.  His name is Barack but we call him Barry.

HAVE A SAFE AND WONDERFUL WEEKEND, EVERYONE!

Keep an eye on the weather and think of those in harm's way.

A Matter of Civil Rights, Not Marriage

Yesterday the citizens of North Carolina voted in favor of Amendment One to our North Carolina Constitution.  I do not plan to criticize any voter, but I have plenty of criticism of the media.  This amendment was referred to as an amendment to ban gay marriage and lumped NC in with 32 other states who have already banned gay marriage.  This amendment was far more than that.  Many citizens thought this to be an amendment that defines marriage between one man and one woman (at a time).  But it was far more than that.

To set the record straight, gay marriage is already banned BY LAW in the State of North Carolina.  The amendment goes much further than that by defining a marriage between one man and one woman as the only domestic LEGAL UNION that is recognized by the State.  This applies not only to same-sex couples, but to heterosexual couples living together without being married.  These civil unions have been recognized by employers to provide health care benefits to the partners and children of such unions.  All unions between gay couples (whether married in another state or not) and unions by heterosexual couples who choose not to marry are no longer recognized as legal unions.

The results of this amendment will be far-reaching.  The faculty of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Law School published an extensively researched paper when this amendment was presented, outlining the potential legal impact of passage of the amendment as it read in its final form.  I read the entire thirty-one page document which is very frightening indeed.

The amendment would remove civil rights now provided to gay partners no matter how long they may have been in a deeply committed and loving relationship.

Did we really want to take away the rights of these two women to determine the disposition of the remains of the other partner in case she died?

(photo from a anti-amendment Web site)

If you tell me there are ways to circumvent the obstacles to civil liberties contained in the amendment I must ask you why certain individuals should be forced to fight harder than others to obtain the same rights given others in the same area?  And why some civil rights are now forbidden to them by this amendment?

Did we really want to take the health care insurance from so many children of domestic unions?  (Oh, pardon me...these are no longer legal domestic unions.)

From a personal standpoint, why on earth does this matter so much to me?  After all, I've been married to the same man for forty years now.

This matters so much to me because we have amended our State Constitution to remove civil rights and not to promote them.  It grieves me to think that we are moving backward rather than forward; to limit rather than guarantee the rights of all of our citizens.

As you might imagine, the opinion pages of the newspapers have been filled with comments.  It is of interest that every single pro-amendment letter included the words "God" or "The Bible."  Honest...I looked at each one.  Every single pro-amendment television ad also included those words and many quoted scriptures.  It's always useful to find a good sound bite and "Protect the Sanctity of Marriage" was a winner.

I'm not criticizing the Holy Bible.  Remember, I was raised Southern Baptist.  I know the Bible quite well.  I can recite the names of the books of both the old and new testaments.  I was frequently a winner in the "sword drills" in church in which the quest was to find a given verse in the bible and quickly step forward.  I loved it.  I can recite hundreds of verses and can find one to contradict almost any position you might put forth.

My criticism is that religion should not have been the driving force in this vote.  And it was.  Our own church included "Vote Yes" literature in every Sunday Bulletin for the past two months.  Most of the full-page advertisements supporting the amendment were paid for by religious groups.

Tell me that all marriages and all unions must be sanctioned by God (and must be defined based on a single quote from the Bible) and I will ask you how then, can non-Jewish non-Christians have a valid marriage?  How can you have a valid marriage if it isn't performed by a member of the clergy?  My own son was married by a lawyer in his wife's firm who got a "Judge-For-A-Day" license in order to perform the beautiful non-religious ceremony in her lovely backyard.  Neither God nor Jesus were mentioned in this moving and lovely ceremony.  If their union is legal then exactly how did the Bible enter into this discussion?

Or should I say how did the Bible DRIVE the vote on the amendment?

If you are still reading, I will leave you with the words of Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, NJ.

"Before you speak to me about your religion, first show it to me in how you treat other people.  Before you tell me how much you love your God, show me in how much you love all his children.  Before you preach to me of your passion for your faith, teach me about it through your compassion for your neighbors.  In the end I'm not as interested in what you have to sell or tell as in how you choose to live and give."

Just how much does the overwhelming approval of Amendment One tell us about our compassion and how much does it tell us about our continued bigotry and intolerance?

We Need A New Ice Cream Flavor

In 2009, Vermont became the fourth state to uphold the rights of all people to marry whomever they wished.  The legislature passed a law ending the prohibition of gay marriage.

Ben and Jerry's, my favorite ice cream maker sold a new flavor to encourage passage of Vermont's "Freedom to Marry" law.  They called it "Hubby Hubby" and featured a gay couple atop a wedding cake on the containers.

Earlier this year when the United Kingdom debated legalizing gay marriage, Ben and Jerry's stepped up again with a gay couple atop a wedding cake on the containers of a new ice cream flavor.  They named the new flavor "Apple-y Ever After."

Ben and Jerry...we need a new flavor for North Carolina.  Please.  And soon.

In May, citizens of our State will vote for or against an amendment to the North Carolina Constitution.  For the record, it will be Amendment One.  It is commonly called (and it makes me sick to my stomach to even write it) "The Marriage Protection Amendment."

Essentially the ammendment states that MARRIAGE BETWEEN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN IS THE ONLY DOMESTIC LEGAL UNION THAT IS VALID OR RECOGNIZED in our fair State. (The all-caps shouting is my own.)  It is important for you to know that NC law already prohibits same sex marriage in North Carolina.  It might also be of interest to note that for the first time in over a century, both the State House and State Senate are controlled by Republicans.  I won't go into detail about how expansive and far-reaching this ornerous ammendment could be.

The House Majority Leader (Rep. Paul Stam) likens gay marriage to polygamy and even incest!!!  County Commisioners and City Councils, particularly in the conservative mountain areas have issued proclaimations in support of the ammendment.  Leaders of the Catholic Church are in favor of the ammendment and have written extensively in letters to Catholic Churches around the State.  The most recent one is a four-page "FAQ" (frequently asked questions) with such explanations as the "fact" that the ammendent is needed for the children.  "Marriage between a man and a woman protects and promotes the well-being of children by allowing the children to benefit from being raised by both their father and their mother," says the publication distributed in all Catholic Churches last weekend.  Oh, and the publication denies that the amendment promotes any discrimination against the way same-sex couples choose to live.  PULEEZ!!!

A well-dressed gentleman approached me in the grocery store yesterday and asked if he could give me a card.  The laminated card urged a "Yes" vote for the ammendment.  I gave the card back to him and stated that in fact, I planned to vote a resounding "NO."  He then asked, "Are you married?"  At this point I might otherwise have simply walked away, but I responded, "Yes, I have been married to the same man for forty years and same-sex marriage in no way threatens that."  He said, "It might not affect yours, but what about your grandchildren?"  I responded in an overly-polite tone of voice, "What I hope for my grandchildren is that they will have full and equal rights to marry whomever they wish whether that is a person of the same sex or a person of the opposite sex.  And I hope they will live in a more open-minded society than the prejudiced bigots I see before me."

And I turned and walked away.

Much to my chagrin, as I drove home I wondered if I had been too harsh on the gentleman.  But that was only for a brief moment.  After all, he was the one who approached me.  And I did use a polite voice.

Fridays are Golden

The first cue is the water bottle.  When we fill it, the Golden Girls know that we are going for a ride and a romp at the lake or hike on the trails.  At the first sight of the water bottle Lucy starts her "stress" whining.  She runs to the door, then back again, then back to the door.  I am so glad she cannot talk.

Lucy looks out the open door wanting us to get in the car and go.

Two happy Goldens, running in tandem.

Look at that smile!

Ellie sits for a minute to catch her breath.  The smile doesn't leave her face.

North Carolina is called the Tar Heel State.  (I'll have to write about that sometime.)  UNC Chapel Hill (which is the REAL University of North Carolina) sports teams are the Tar Heels.  Their team color is sky blue.

So we say around here, "You know that God is a Tar Heel because he made the sky Carolina Blue."

We have had these gorgeous blue skies and unbelievably warm weather all week (along with the occasional thunderstorm).  It looks and feels much more like late April than mid-March.  The bears have been foraging for weeks now.  The fruit trees are blooming and some of the farms in the middle of the state already have strawberries.  Our average latest frost in Transylvania County is in early May and we have had significant freezing weather in April.  A hard freeze next month will be devastating for some of the apple crop.

Speaking of politics, Newt Gingrich made a statement last week that Romney was not a certainty as the GOP presidential candidate.  He noted that he and Santorum together have a lot of delegates to take to the GOP convention.  To which Jon Stewart quipped, "Yeah.  And me and LaBron together made 36 points."

Our quote for the week is again from Marcus Aurelius:

The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.

HAVE A GOLDEN WEEKEND, EVERYONE!

Fridays are Golden

It's February.  It feels more like April around here.  We have thoroughly enjoyed the mild sunny days, but I fear they may have consequences.  Far too many plants are waking up from winter's sleep.  We really need our normal weather back or we might not have apples and peaches this year.

The Golden Girls have enjoyed our trips to run and play off lead.  When we return, they are content to nap and snooze in the sun.

Several times a day Ellie will bring tennis balls from the den.  I usually see them and take them back to the den.  Occasionallly I don't notice that she has tennis balls.

Here she is with Lucy using her as a pillow.  She holds on to her tennis balls.

 Ellie knows she is not supposed to bring tennis balls here.  So she will never look me directly in the eye when I catch her.

I wish all phases of life were as wonderful and fulfilling as our days with our two favorite dogs.  Alas, that is not true.  Every day we are bombarded with revelations that concern us.

It seems that everything in the US has become polarizing and political, even one of our favorite charities.  With ever-changing explanations the organization tries to soften the blow it has given to women everywhere, especially the uninsured.  The blow is not huge in and of itself.  The message it sends is of far greater importance.  The explanations  haven't worked for me and I have decided that I will no longer contribute to an organization that changes its practice for political reasons.  I will call my friends whom I have always sponsored in the race for the cure to tell them that I will no longer give any money to the organization.  Sorry, I know the organization does good things but so do many others who are now more worthy of my contributions.  I am not advocating that everyone do the same, but it is a small message that I feel the need to send.  [Late entry:  The organization has reversed its decision.  For me the reversal is too late.  The damage has been done and cannot be undone.  More politics, i.e., "if we lose money with this decision we will rescind it.  Sort of try to forget all the responses we made publically these past three days.  And please continue to give us money even though we have proven we can be bought."]

The 2012 election rhetoric is nasty and filled with words spoken out of context.  The Supreme Court of the United States has allowed so much more money to be poured into the candidate coffers that we are sure to have an election bought by the very rich unless we all become active.  Every one of us is obligated to find the truth and not react to one-liners.

Politics during election years and politics that now infects a worthy charitable organization both remind me of a quote from one of my favorite people, Maya Angelou.  We would all be wise to reflect on what she has said:

"There's a world of difference between truth and facts.  Facts can obscure truth."

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND, EVERYONE

Glad It's Not Our Turn

Go, Florida.  It's your turn to hear the rhetoric and see the endless attack ads.  Now that the South Carolina Republican Primary is over, the money speaks in Florida for a while.  Unfortunately, none of us will get a break from the never-ending politics.  "News" networks have twenty-four hours to fill after all.

Most of the campaign speeches are regurgitations of previous orations.  There seems to be little that is new.  On the other hand, I have in fact learned a new word.  I heard it for the first time yesterday.  I'm not at all sure how often I might be able to use it, but I'm always happy to learn a new word.

The word is "prebuttal."  Prebuttal is a term used to describe an already-prepared response to an anticipated criticism.  Last evening the President of the United States gave the annual State of the Union Address to Congress and to the American people.  Prior to the speech, dozens of members of the opposing party gave prebuttals against what they thought the President might say.  Afterwards, many of the same people gave rebuttals.  So we had prebuttals before the speech and rebuttals following the speech.  (Would it have been a "buttal" if )someone made a response DURING the speech?"

The airwaves are flooded with misinformation and false accusations as they are in each election year.  They always seem to get worse every election but that might be a perception.  It becomes harder and harder to glean the "half-truths" contained in the advertisements.  (Actually, some of them don't have even half-truths.)  One individual has contributed (legally, thanks to the Supreme Court) five MILLION dollars to a candidate and is prepared to contribute another five MILLION dollars.  In spite of all the money, are these really the best candidates money can buy?

Enough ranting.  Let me just say that the political process has become very much like a sign we see on a trailhead in DuPont State Forest.  I will share it with you:

It pretty much sums up my feelings about politics in America today.  In truth, I am curious as to how the bin gets filled with horse manure.  And what happens to it afterwards?  Smart as they are, I don't think the horses can be trained to use a horse toilet.  I didn't see any shovels around to gather the manure.  And I know for a fact that people don't have to pick up horse manure on the trails.  While I must carry doggie poop bags, I have to walk around the much larger piles of horse manure on the multi-use trails.  (I still don't understand why I can't simply use a stick to get my the doggie poop off the trail.)

So the issue of the horse manure bin remains a mystery.  But I think I might be able to find the answer to that one.  I'll never find an answer as to how so many people can be so swayed by a television advertisement.  I want to shout to them to learn about the candidates, recognize the rhetoric, get informed, and stop letting the very rich buy our political process.

Fridays are Golden

We try to take the Golden Girls to places where they can run, uninhibited by leashes or forest.  One of their favorite places is around a lake and over the dam.  Several times during these off-leash frolics, we call them back to us.  We hold both hands in the air as a visual cue.  Often we have little treats for them; other times the treat is only praise.  The purpose of doing the recalls at unexpected intervals is to reinforce to the dogs that coming when they are called is a good and necessary thing.

Here you see the laughing girls in the shadow of my huband.  He is holding two little treats and they are waiting patiently, not yet sure but hoping there is a treat involved.

The girls really do get excited about these tiny treats.  We use them for practicing commands and during grooming because they are small with few calories.

We take water and a collapsing bowl for the girls.  One water dish is fine when we are traveling since they would both use the same one even if we had two.

Tuesday morning we put the girls in the car.  They thought we were going for a fun outing.  Well, we were indeed going for an outing.  But not the outing the girls expected.  Lucy, our drama queen, always whines in delight as we go down to the main road.  She suddenly became silent.  I know she was thinking, "That's where we are supposed to turn!  Dad!  Pay Attention.  You forgot to turn.  Oh dear, this may not be good."  There was not a sound from either dog for quite a while.  Then Lucy started to whine again; not the happy whining like before, but mournful whining as if she were heading to her doom.

Close, but in reality it was simply a trip to their veterinarian for their annual physical exams and innoculations.  We select our veterinarian with the same care with which we selected pediatricians when the children were small.  Dr. B is wonderful, kind and patient with our dogs and we are so lucky to have him.  He pronounced both dogs very healthy.

Dr. B has a dog of his own.  He trained the dog to respond to the word "dead" by dropping down on the ground, all four feet stuck straight up in the air.  He selects a sports team (for my husband he would choose "Carolina Tarheels.")  He would then ask the dog, "Would you rather be a Carolina Tarheel fan or would you rather be dead?"  You can figure out how the game works.

Whether from the excitement of the exam, or a side effect from the injections, both dogs were rather lethargic that afternoon and into the evening.  I practically had to prod them to get them to come for their bedtime business duty outside.

This is Ellie's pitiful look, guaranteed to get someone down on the floor with her.

This is Lucy's zombie, ready-to-sleep-don't-bother-me look.

Fortunately both girls were in fine shape the next morning.  All of us, human and canine, are enjoying some cooler weather with new signs of autumn appearing every day.

We are trying to rise above the constant, often stupid political rhetoric we cannot seem to avoid.  North Carolina, like many (if not most) other states is having huge problems with the state's budget.  We have heavy unemployment.  More than 15% of our population go to bed hungry every night and awaken to hunger during the day.  The numbers of people visiting the food pantries are at an all-time high.  Neglected repairs of aging infrastructure are certain to cause problems in the near as well as distant future.  Simply put, we are in a crisis mode.

So what does our first-time-in-150-years-Republican-majority-in-both-houses government tackle as its most pressing agenda item?  It goes something like this: "It threatens the sanctity of marriage. 
What are we going to do with those gay and lesbian couples who think they should be treated like everyone else?  It's already against the law for them to marry, but we must amend our State Constitution to make it harder to change."

[NOTE:  I apologize for lumping all Republicans together.  There are many Republicans who do support the same civil rights to all citizens.  But I can tell you that the previous Democrat-led State Congress struck down this proposal each time its ugly head reared.]

So this week, the words "tolerance" and "courage" are running through my mind.  I cannot recall who said it, but I think it rings true:

The true test of courage comes when we are in the minority.  The true test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority.

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND, EVERYONE.  AND WHETHER YOU ARE IN THE MAJORITY OR THE MINORITY, PRACTICE COURAGE AND TOLERANCE.

And What Generation Was That?

A large sign appeared outside Bryson City in nearby Swain County.  Placed there by the Swain County Health Department, the sign displayed information about the services available to the citizens.  The department used $992 in federal funding to pay for this sign and one other advertising the services provided.  Three separate services were listed at the bottom of the sign, including the costs:  Adult Physical Exams $45.00, Family Planning at Low or No Cost, and FREE Condoms.

Can you guess which advertised service created a controversy?

Photograph from The Asheville Citizen-Times

Did you guess "FREE Condoms?"  You are absolutely right!  For the record...the Swain County Health Department has provided free condoms for more than thirty years.

This is serious business, folks.  It appears that many citizens assume advertising free condoms promotes sexual activity among teens.  [Last year a Swain County health report indicated that more than half the high school students in the county have had sex.  From 2004 through 2008, Swain County had the thirteenth highest rate of teen births among North Carolina's one hundred counties.]

Not to worry...the Swain County Board of Commissioners met and all of them condemned the portion of the sign related to condoms.  County Commissioner David Monteith says the sign "sends the wrong message."  He was further quoted as saying, "I come from a generation where you don't have sex until you get married." [ Hmmm...I wonder just what generation that might have been.]

In a very literal cover-up, the sign has now been altered and the section about condoms is a blank spot.  Commissioner Monteith was very pleased.  "As a Christian, I totally oppose sex before marriage and it was a shame to see something with Swain County's name on it advertising that."  The commissioner said he had received calls from parents who were embarrassed when they drove past the sign with their children.  (Oh, heaven forbid you might seize it as an opportunity to share your own views with your children!!!)

The Swain County Health Department will continue its practice of providing free condoms.  They will continue their practice of informing all recipients of the free condoms that the only sure way to prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases is abstinence.

Thank goodness the health departments provide free condoms...for the poor who cannot afford other methods of birth control, for gays, and straights, for sexually active teens and even the elderly.

On a related subject, North Carolina's 2012 budget cuts all State and Federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

Fridays are Golden

We have been blessed this week with beautiful sunny days.  Temperatures have been at near-record highs and the skies have truly been Carolina blue.  Time to run and play!

Lucy sprints until she is out of breath.  Ellie paces herself and could go on forever.

At the top of the dam, Lucy just decides to take off towards me.  Ellie can't seem to figure out what makes her take off all of a sudden.

The woods in back are always a good place to sniff those wonderful smells of the creatures who have passed by.

Lucy takes a moment to decide which way to go.

Ellie checks out the bench made from the trunk of a fallen tree.

It's been a grand week and while we need rain, I was happy to see such great weather.

My mother has one remaining sibling.  My Aunt Ruby is 83 years old and I call her at least once a week.  She is extremely conservative so we never discuss politics.  Well, I never talk politics...Aunt Ruby talks a lot.  She does not like President Obama (we're just not ready for a black President and besides that he wasn't even born here).  She is certain the health care reform will mean her untimely demise.  "I sure hope I don't have to go to the hospital for anything.  One of those death panels might decide I'm not worth saving."

My Aunt Ruby considers herself to be well informed since she listens to the radio and watches the "news" every evening.  Unfortunately, Aunt Ruby never exposes herself to any truly objective news sources...she has a steady diet of the conservative viewpoint with which she is in total agreement.  While I never verbally disagree with her (for heaven's sake...she is 83) I think she knows that I don't always share her political opinions.

Last time I talked with her she said, "Wait.  I want to get this paper."  After a short while she came back on the phone.  Then she said to me that the "news" reported that President Obama spent more than 200 MILLION dollars a day on his recent trip to India, China, Korea, and Indonesia.  He took an entourage of 3,000 people with him.  Forty US planes were in the air and 30 warships in the waters.  "Here we are suffering and he is spending our tax dollars like that," she said.

Aunt Ruby had been so anxious to impress me, she had actually written down all those numbers.  When I told Aunt Ruby those "facts" were not accurate, she said, "Well, they HAVE to be.  I heard it on several different programs.  They couldn't all be wrong."

Well, Aunt Ruby, yes they can.  "Someone" says this or that, then "someone else" repeats this or that, and it goes around the circles of her "news" programs.  My advice to Aunt Ruby (who would never follow it even if I actually told her) is to keep an open mind and get information from more than one tightly-knit group.  So many voters this year believe something to be true.  Why?  Because that's what they believe.

Here I am again waxing political, but we Americans cannot take for fact everything we see on television or hear on the radio, or read in a newspaper.  That applies to both liberals and conservatives.  If all you hear is Rachel Maddow and Keith Olberman, or all you hear is Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh then your views are likely jaundiced.  Keep an open mind and look at all sides.  At the very least, recognize that what you are watching or listening to is indeed biased one way or the other.

Buddha said it best:
Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.  Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many....
After observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.

HAVE A WONDERUFL WEEKEND, EVERY ONE OF YOU!