Bethab's Comments (237)

“I'd rather have Chicago even in Feb/Mar than LA year round.

You know, we have public transportation in Chicago -- just for starters. Then, you know, our city is walk-able. Not only do we have a downtown, but from downtown, you can walk to Grant Park and from there to Lake Michigan -- all without ever having to step into a car.

And our neighborhoods are walkable too -- something like New York without the cramped quarters -- with a variety of populations as different (here) as Lincoln Sq. from Little Village.

So go ahead, stay in L.A.! We just laugh.”

“Your reaction is not unusual. It took me 2 years of iiving here back in the 60's to decide I loved it and that it is where I am most at home. If you are stuck here then I hope you see the good parts of the city. Start by thinking of it as a region of 14 million people with a thousand fascinating neighborhoods to explore. Also, I agree with Mr. Broad that the #1 advantage is that more than almost any other city, LA is open to new ideas, people and trends wherever they come from as long as they have merit! We don't care who you are back wherever, who your parents were or what club they belonged to. We will accept you for who you are now -- Furthermore, a Chicagoan would never say that after only 18 months I was a "native"-- happens all the time in LA. But if you decide to leave, don't think LA will care-- people come here all the time and leaving because they can't make it is a part of our culture-- look at all the songs about leaving LA!! Good luck and hope it works out for you.”

“Enjoy Feb/Mar in Chicago”

“It may be time to go and get an apt. guide and start looking at what you can afford because it sounds like you have come to the end of the process. You're bad luck doesn't mean you have to be homeless.”

“I'm not having kids either....­I understand!”

“Not really. Even browsing through the choice of lesson plans online, may give teachers new ideas re/ teaching a specific concept. It is like reading comments on HuffPo or any other site; I find people presenting ideas in a different way and it changes my thinking. I think that this makes me a better thinker, not a lazy one.”

“What's wrong with breastfeeding, sister?”

“I agree. Not to 'rag' on Kim, but when I'm watching TV with family, the Viagra, Flomax and now vibrator commercials are awkward. Can't there be a private forum for these discussions? Doesn't good taste exist anymore?”

“Having children so that you can leave a legacy and share your life and wisdom is a bad thing?
hahahahaha­......spok­en like a true independent feminist.
Good luck with that mentality.
Reality will suck for people like you.
As far as I see, there are millions of women in the U.S. with your thinking; You'll be in good company in the nursing home.”

“I don't think she's trying to shame you. I think she's trying to share her experience with the majority of women who do want children.”

“Bravo! I am one of them as well.”

“You should absolutely feel no shame. I applaud women who don't want children and don't cave into societal pressure to have them. While I love my daughter and always wanted a child, I have many friends who are Child Free and fulfilled in their lives. We should be way past the days when people are judged by their history of procreation.”

“Hear hear! The race to beat the biological clock can wind up being a terrible choice for all involved.”

“And who is going to visit you in the hospital or nursing home when you are old?
oh, yeah, you're going to leave everything to charity, right?
maybe if it's a large enough donation, they will send someone to your funeral.
friends, employers, and the government don't take of people when they are old and dying.
Only family will stand by someone in their old age.
Who will stand by you?
your nieces and nephews? they will be busy with their parents.
maybe your dog or cat will take care of you.
hahahahahaha”

“Gender discrimination is not possible with this issue. Men cannot get pregnant, therefore cannot have an abortion. If they could, your argument would be correct.”

“Yes, I've been thinking lately about joining a credit union myself. It seems that the only way to send a message to these monster banks is to close out your account and bank with a smaller, local branch.

I'm currently weighing the pros and cons, and there are a couple of decent credit unions in my area I'm looking into. I was a patron of Washington Mutual for years, and now of course it's Chase. What a nightmare. I went in the other day to obtain a cashier's check, and not only was the line ridiculously long; not only were there other customers complaining about the lack of efficient service, but when I finally got to the teller, I was informed that, although Wamu never charged for a cashier's check, Chase would be charging my account $8.

I calmly informed them right back that I thought this was BS. It's not about the 8 ruddy dollars--it's about the fact that these banks broke our backs with their horrific greed, and they continue to have the nerve to charge us on everything from cashier's checks to overdraft fees, to ATM fees, etc.

Well, the manager came over, and she waived that $8 fee. I don't know whether it was because the whispers behind me had grown into a steady rumble after my calm but clear declaration of bullsh#@, but I figured, who knows... ? You get enough angry citizens together and maybe, just maybe, they'll begin to get the message.”

“You are in great shape. San Francisco is home to a number of the the leading socially responsible community banks in the U.S. THe question you need to ask is not whether there is one, but which one you'd like to be a part of!

http://www.yelp.com/topic/san-francisco-best-bank-for-business-preferably-socially-responsible

This link has a lively (and occasionally crass) discussion of banks in the Bay area.

Enjoy!”

“I hope you give it another try. Visit a local bookstore and pick up a book on vegan nutrition, or really there are a lot of good web sites, and vegan food blogs. You do need protein, and you can get it from whole grains, quinoa, tofu, seitan and tempeh. Eating a varied diet containing the above, nuts, flax seed meal, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and a good B complex supplement, plus a good multi-vitamin (which I recommend for anyone, omni, veg or vegan) is a great start. I went vegan a year and a half ago and I am having no issues at all.

Good luck!”

“maybe you did it wrong

try not being so hard core
vegan is over the top”

“Going vegan does not mean eating only salads. You have to research your food more. Beans, millet, Quinoa are all good sources of proteins. Also you need to eat inactive yeast, which is a great source of vitamin B6, 12. that was most likely the reason for your illness. I have been a vegan 2 years now and never felt better. BTW it takes more than just stopping the eating meat to be a vegan. You need to also cut out eggs, dairy and anything else made for or by animals. Give it a go again and go to some internet communities that are for Vegans. They truly helped me a ton.”

“Bethab - Did you consult with a nutritionist who understands vegan diets? When I first tried veganism in my early 20s I was extremely tired all the time - turned out I wasn't getting enough protein and iron. There are lots of great vegetarian protein iron sources, but you have to be diligent about including them in your diet.”

“A vegan diet will only make you very sick if you eat poorly, just as any other diet.”

“Thanks Bethab, that's the first time I've been "Bingoed" on HuffPo. People can be so narrow minded, huh?”

“If the gay person was murdered or targeted BECAUSE of being gay, the crimes are different. One is murder, which is bad enough; the other is murder PLUS terrorization of a group. In essence, a hate crime is two crimes in one.”

“Bethab

Murder of any kind is unacceptable, the difference your asking about would be motive I think.

While I am very happy that this Hate Bill has finally passed congress, I am sad to think that it will do little to sway most who could be motivated to murder over the color of one's skin and/or their sexual orientation. That is where motive comes in.
Here are a couple of links for you to consider.

http://amath.colorado.edu/carnegie/lit/lynch/byrd.htm
www.matthewshepard.org
http://uwacadweb.uuwyo.edu/spectrum/matthews.htm

Another sad and very telling thing is to take note of what political party and Presidents were in office at the time of both these murders and who did what.
Republican GW Bush ( Former Texas Gov ) resfused to attend a memorial for James Byrd Jr. who was murder in June, 1998.
Democratic Pres. Bill Clinton publicly condemed the acted commited against Matthew Shepard. Makes one wonder who the 146 votes against this bill in the house came from.

As a straight white woman. I cannot begin to understand what type of mind and person it takes to commit murder based solely on color, sexual orientation, or disability of another human life.
IMHO that is the difference between murder and hate crime murder.”

“Hate crime is the beginning of having more for attorneys to do other than re-write international laws to fit their sponsors agenda”

“Hate crime laws speak of motive. They are not written to diminish the 'value' of a crime or elevate the 'value' of another crime. They speak to the message sent or attempted to be sent by the perpetrator of the hate crime and those who would follow suit.”