ewoman's Comments (211)

“Which is why this country's leaders have boycotted those same images from Iraq and Afghanistan today.”

“It takes "guts" to support health care? I suppose it took "guts" to recognize that the situation in Darfur was "genocide" in 2004, yet do nothing about it. I suppose it took "guts" to recognize that Walter Plecker promoted eugenics, yet allow him to leave behind a legacy where Virginia's Native Americans struggle to achieve federal recognition because they cannot prove their heritage as required by federal laws.

I suppose it takes "guts" to support health care, yet work "quietly behind the scenes"...to what end? There is a hospital in France, the Franco-American Hospital, where corporations foot the bill and medical assistance is free to anyone who needs it. Would something like that happen in this country? No - because it really does not take "guts" to admit something yet do nothing about it.

Lack of health care in this country is genocide. It is eugenics. It is weeding out anyone who cannot AFFORD to live a healthy life in this country. The health care bill is a joke - it is saying that this country's health care system needs reform, but doing nothing about it except headline-grabbing. The rich and powerful in this country are so comfortable and insulated in their world that they do not realize that they are committing genocide against their own people. Frankly, I believe that if they do realize it, they don't care.”

“Try to stay in places that don't allow smoking. The "jones" will last only five minutes, max - distract yourself with something funny/stupid/interesting.

The worst jones will be over three days after you quit.

Good luck!”

“I was with you until the remark about Washington and Jefferson. While time can heal wounds and make the past appear pink and fuzzy sometimes, I'll be the first to debate the "pure as the driven snow" concept of those two men. This country was founded on war, and it has had few decades of peace since. Vietnam showed us how barbaric war can be because it was the first televised war in a world where many people had televisions and - for all intents and purposes - the first war where soldiers had the money and the equipment to take personal photographs.”

“All they're missing is a guy in a wheel chair and it would be Glee all over. This is not original. It is a corporate attempt to appeal to a broad range of customers without trying to offend, IMO. Since when did we decide that corporations make the rules by telling us to break the rules, anyway? I surely hope that many of us are more adult than to listen to that drivel. Even my college teen recognizes that ad for what it is - a blatant stab at commercializing a holiday season.

The commercial doesn't convince me to shop at the Gap. But, then again, nothing would convince me to shop at the Gap. I have more fun looking for designer labels at the Salvation Army.”

“David - I read the article above and the one about gay marriage as well. Wanted to comment here, as I did not want to get caught up in the "original sin" debate going on over there. I wanted to thank you for being brave and articulate. I also want to thank you for your perspective, which I find very mature for someone your age (I don't get out much, though - I hope more of your ilk are alive and well in this country).

Next assignment - women can own their own bodies and make equal pay. Go for it.”

“Did his feet show it?”

“You don't get it. The point is that women's bodies have become a bargaining chip on a political crap table. Again.”

“In Virginny , especially, do not forget the power that Regents U. graduates yield. Look closer at Mac Donneyho's transition team for yet another story. If you are g a y or a woman, do not consider living in Virginny unless you want to repent and fall on your knees to the state government instead of to your G o d as you perceive him or her (unless you perceive state government as your higher power, of course).

But, this may be for the best, as who would want to live (or even visit) a state filled with u raniu m mines and offshore oil r igs. Equal rights? Viva la surrender!”

“Gore is the rich man's "Ghandi," Ingrid. You will change his habits no sooner than you can change the habits of any corporate shill. Where is your grassroots management? Why don't you let people know about H.R. 1549 and help them support that measure, for instance? If factory farms are forced to eliminate antibiotic use as anything other than medicines to help cure a disease (rather than compensation for crowded, unsanitary and stressful farming and transportation conditions), then they may realize that measures such as these could help push factory farms into more sustainable management or to die out altogether.

At the same time, local measures that can teach people alternatives to meat or that can help people understand the harm that fast food burgers do to a person's health can make this movement stronger. It also can help people understand the hypocrisy behind rich white men's agendas that are ideologically different than their own lifestyles. Walking the walk is vastly different than talking the talk, and you may discover that many who are walking aren't talking - they're too busy creating CSAs or community gardens. That group is growing, Ingrid - and the spotlight needs to be on them, not on Gore.”

“Bravo to you!”

“Chris, thank you - I was searching for a database like this just tonight while learning more about McDonnell's transition staff in Virginia. Bravo.”

“That's the issue, in a nutshell, IMO. It's about McMansion-sized facilities that, when abandoned, leave an eyesore for a small town to deal with. Additionally, locations within some small towns (such as Montrose, CO), tend to leave town councils pondering how to change zoning laws - if they even consider using them for homeless housing (which some towns would not do, simply because of property valuations).

As far as small goes, WM does not follow the argument behind 'smart growth' planning, which is to build up, not out. Their facilities are a prime example of how water waste issues, green corridors and other smart growth plans are thwarted by corporate expansion.”

“Really - hating gets in the way of viewing the forest despite the trees...Goldman Sachs is out there somewhere, too. Oops - forgot! They're everywhere, sort of like Haliburton.”

“I collected a water sample once, and a lot of people were moved. They were moved to dissolve my job and purchase a bus ticket for me to leave town.

Sometimes, water collection is a dangerous business, especially when a woman goes alone. Just a word to the wise that the more the merrier when tackling corporate environmental issues.”

“ha! Nope - no whining. Just laughing at your avoidance tactics.”

“PS - don't think you can use a split infinitive and get by with it. ;)”

“I hope I never take your writing class.”

“Bravo! One side of teaching, IMO, is to point to a subject; however, it takes curiosity (or the fear of a bad grade) for the learner to absorb that subject.”

“I think you missed my comment, "the average American would not know this grammatical term nor know how to use it or when to avoid it."”

“Dear Ms. Marsh. Do you have a crystal ball? Why are you declaring Deeds a loser before the election? Are you basing your opinion (as it is not fact) on polls? Wow, what a lousy source for culling "facts."

I may eat my words, but Deeds is far better than McAuliffe for Virginia. Amd. Deeds is far better for Virginia than McDonnell. Just because a candidate is not a 'party man (or woman)' does not mean that he or she is not worthy of leading a state out of a non-uterine mess.”

“Ari! Good to see you here.

AP does have a point in a country where journalists often write to the third-grade level (I think it was the eighth-grade level about eight years ago, if you catch my drift).

One of my professors in a graduate class marked students down a full grade level until those students removed all split infinitives from their papers. Since many students in that history class were not writers, they had to learn about split infinitives and then apply their knowledge to their writing if they wanted to maintain a good grade average. Many of those students went on to write magnificent research articles (once they also removed the adjectives).

Obama, with his history as one of 80 student editors on the law review at Harvard, is bound to be articulate. A split infinitive in his eyes would stand out, whereas the average American would not know this grammatical term nor know how to use it or when to avoid it.

Even if Americans were forced to earn graduate degrees, an attitude toward language as being "personal" abounds in this country. Obama steps over that line, forcing people to understand both his rhetoric and his every-day utterances. I think people might resent this barrier, especially following a president who could not pronounce the word, "nuclear."

What a shame - to be resented for mastery of a language that has become a major world force.”

“Unfortunately, most t r o l l s don't know how to spell facetious, let alone recognize it.”

“You have an inside scoop on this information? Citations? Links, even?”

“I read through your list and the first word that came to my mind was "genocide." Until now, I did not realize that this is what the RNC is after - ridding the country (and then the world) of anything other than rich white men. Of course, a trophy wife for president would be just one symptom of eugenics.”