iralarry's Comments (88)

“I would say that covers the majority of decent parents. I happen to be an RN as well. I do not feel recognized as an RN. I do as a parent, but isn't this my job?

If I were a military spouse, I could care less about recognition and would like to see the government care as much for the TBI/PTSD victims as it does to wage war in the first place. It always comes down to money here. The right thing done the right way is always part and parcel with the economics of it. These people need jobs upon recovery ant this should be a priority. Good grief, they offered their bodies and lives for the government. They are owed everything.

BTW, the same thing occurs in families dealing with Alzheimer's. If you do not have the money or the insurance to get the supportive care you need for your loved one with this devastating affliction, you are doomed to be a caregiver till the person dies or returns to the hospital-a bit of respite.”

“Then in the immortal words of Roseanne Roseannadanna: "Never mind." Guess it just goes to show how fed up with this I/We have become. And in the less than immortal words of the band, Orleans, "It's just business as usual watching as the world ends."”

“Isn't the point of responsible parenting to provide safety to protect both lives and health-physical and mental? The children in the orphanages in Afghanistan, there because they saw their parents shredded by car bombs or raked with machine gun fire have no need to be scared. They are not safe even in these new facilities but they are still scared. They live with fear, real fear of death. Scared of a reality that few children here can imagine. I am sure they do not like the feeling of being scared. When the fear dies down, there is no real safety for the fear pervades every bite of food, every game played, every giggle of laughter. The difference in being scared here is the fear gives way to a real sense of safety for most, not for all. So maybe you have a point but without expounding on your point, you leave the reader with a sense of ambiguity about what you mean and leave it to the imagination of the reader to fill in. Here is my fill.

Too safe implied for me a flaw. But I would prefer that to being inured to acts of violence and gore. I believe this facilitates a child's ability to commit these same acts. Not a good thing at all.”

“Untainted? Christmas? Where have you been? I imagine the only way you can perceive Christmas as untainted is to never leave church for the entire span of the holiday which is 1 day. (When did Christmas ever become an entire season?) Never mind the ceaseless marketing and promotion of present buying straining the budgets of people meant to feel guilty if they do not participate in this economic ritual now starting earlier and earlier. Never mind the droning of redundant Christmas music from all corners of car radios to elevators. Never mind the increase in suicide as people feel unloved even by God on a day when all God loving children should feel at one in the fold.

Christmas is only about Christ for the enlightened. For the rest of us victims of it, it is about capitalism. Churches fill and the spirit now soaring for the real celebrants soon wanes. Then it is business as usual. Counting the cash-was it a good season for us? The irony is that Christmas can make or break a business and that is the report from our camera hogging newscasters at the end of the day. When retailers go to church it is to pray-for people to spread their money about, not so much spread good cheer.

Christmas, bah humbug.”

“Michael is an intelligent man. However, like us, his limited insight into complex world events does not allow him to offer any advice to President Obama with any more worth then the opinions of myself or anyone else here. We are removed from the situation room and the conversation that takes place, blind to significant information. This allows us a different perspective and one which should be taken into consideration.

I have come to appreciate the Prize committees decision. Mr. Obama is a beacon of hope, an inspiration for change. His heart is in the right place. However, peace is a most elusive prize, much more so than the actual award itself.

When he provides more than just the inspiration to attain peace, but serves as its instrument for the actual change, this award will mean more to him and the people of the world than it does right now.

A prize awarded for inspiring peace in many is no prize should peace never come to fruit on trees planted with nothing more than ideas of peace and watered with nothing more than hallowed words. The hard part is in the doing and doing it together is paramount to its success.

Obama cannot do this alone. If we were to vilify him for failing, then it is us who should take the blame. Peace begin within each and very one of us. An individual can unify but it is in unification that change is brought about.”

“Interesting commentary. War has always been a modality promoted as a way to promote peace. Kill the aggressors so we can go back to watching TV and eating our McDonald's. And isn't it a wonderful oxymoron?

This is what I think of President Obama's receipt and acceptance of the NPP.

I am curiously ambiguous about this most prestigious award given to my president for whom I eagerly voted. My first and most honest reaction was, "Why President Obama?" Might even have been his own initial reaction. I am convinced he did not expect it nor revel in it either.

Now I have come to better appreciate the reasoning for the Prize committees decision. Mr. President, you are a beacon of hope, an inspiration for change. Your heart is in the right place. Just a few of the cliches apropos to this situation. Peace is a most elusive prize, much more so than the actual award itself. Wouldn’t you agree?

When he in fact, in time, provide more than just the inspiration to attain peace, but serve as its instrument for the actual change which needs to come, this award will mean more to him and the people of the world than it does right now.”

“I am curiously ambiguous about this most prestigious award given to my president for whom I eagerly voted. My first and most honest reaction was, "Why President Obama?" Might even have been his own initial reaction. I am convinced he did not expect it nor revel in it either.

Now I have come to better appreciate the reasoning for the Prize committees decision. Mr. President, you are a beacon of hope, an inspiration for change. Your heart is in the right place. Just a few of the cliches apropos to this situation. Peace is a most elusive prize, much more so than the actual award itself. Wouldn’t you agree?

When he in fact, in time, provide more than just the inspiration to attain peace, but serve as its instrument for the actual change which needs to come, this award will mean more to him and the people of the world than it does right now.

The fact that the Taliban and Hamas chide him for it is indication that they WANT change and they want it now! Like a child that jumps up and down in antsy anticipation of something great, so do these people and everyone. They want change equals peace now. Something to start with. Thousands of years of incompatible ideologies clashing cannot be undone in 10 months. Wait, the best is yet to come. Have patients and hope and actually try to attain peace within yourself first. That is where all peace will emanate.”

“Well, I see you have a happy and stereotypical marriage which serves admirably as fodder for the menagerie of sitcoms that plague our network television screens.

I wish you luck, my friend.”

“One committed to the fundamental interpretation of the word of God has no room for reexamination of other ideologies or realities for that matter. There is only one way to see the world. These are the most dangerous people like those bent on murder and mayhem. You cannot change their course of thinking just as you cannot talk a person out of murdering you by talking to them in logical terms. For the fundamentalist, it is rapture-esquely emotional for them and serves as the very foundation of their existence. To deny themselves the comfort of the bible is to deny them their very existence. It is like you denying your homosexuality. It is incompatible with who you are and know to be. Why they cling to the bible is beyond me. This is a matter for discussion on another board/topic.

It is saddening that a mind can close down and refuse to see other realities. So weak the mind that so forcefully prevails in guarding against the logic of other realities.”

“I like notthistime's comment. It gives me pause to consider what the real motivation in allowing Blacks to join and fight was about. Was it as pure and simple as equality for blacks in general society, or, was it a push to give equality only in the military? That would certainly accommodate the military's need for bodies. Since I have inherent distrust for all thing governmental but without the paranoid delusion of conspiracy theorists, I would never accept H. Truman's measure on face value. There is always more than meets the eye. As notthistime derides, what better way to extend reparations to the enslaved people then by extending to them the right to go into battle and die?

Now we have minorities entering the military in record numbers, targeted in military recruitment advertising because there is still repression on a mass scale and when you are desperate, the military does provide a means to education and future employment. Now the military has an inexhaustible renewable resource for recruitment in minorities provided with equal rights to go to war. The military thanks you from the bottom of its bottomless war mongering heart.”

“I have reservations about the statement, “Even if they're not serious about pushing for their own health reform agenda, American Progress's Wonk Room has highlighted their ostensible goals (as opposed to a possible hidden agenda of simply enriching health insurers):

Republicans historically are pro-business and capitalism. ANYTHING that would discriminate, jeopardize or otherwise limit the free market within the for profit health care/insurance paradigm causes hair to rise up on their necks. For some reason, Republicans it is OK to have profit on illness and injury, even ridiculous, opulent, ostentatious profit. In some respects it is like Coca-Cola going into India, diverting or usurping local water aquifers or other sources of it and then selling it back to the populace at ridiculous capital gain when in fact it is the local populations birthright to have it in the first place. For you Trekies, Republicans are the Ferengi of the US. Their rules of engagement are self-serving. It is as if they believe if a person or a people cannot provide for themselves, they see no point in lending a helping hand. It is a drain on their pockets and their one for me and none for you mentality.

The above statement is out of line and purely sarcastic and for provocative reasons only. It should not have been included as the late add on it so obviously is.”

“The safety of a city like Chicago to host a world Olympic event is not a salient issue. I would agree with you if say for instance the Olympics were awarded to Lagos, Nigeria or Mogadishu, Somalia, like that will happen anytime soon. Chicago could easily be secured for the athletes and dignitaries who would have attended.

I doubt this was a snub of any sort. It was time South America got its chance. We are reading far to into this for our own good. But that is not a bad thing. It does allow us unbridled introspection into what we worry about and should be a force for change and mitigation.”

“This Letterman thing is all very interesting. I remember all the press preaching that if W. J. Clinton just simply admitted he had an affair rather than spouted out, "I did not have sexual relations with THAT woman", all would have been forgiven. Now, according to you, this doesn't apply. I guess in this crazy, mixed-up world, nothing passes for appropriate anymore. BTW, I could care less about Letterman and his sexual proclivities Useless fodder for "Inquiring Minds."

I liked JLC's comments above. Simply and plainly spoken. Honest and real. It suits her on and off screen persona.

Never considered the fact that a 13 y/o female went unescorted to Polanski's residence. I will check that out if possible, but if true? Our 13 y/o daughter never went unescorted anywhere, ever, PERIOD.”

“More proof of the elitist nature of Mayor M. Bloomberg. Acts like he can buy his way back into the good graces of the very public he defrauded by overturning a public referendum to limit NY's mayoral term to two.

This is exactly why our family which is in the 95th percentile of income in this country cannot afford to rent let alone purchase a two or god forbid a three bedroom apt in a respectable neighborhood in the city. This guy is not good for the the common man in NY, only for the rich and wealthy. He wanted to clean up NYC so he allowed rents to fly out of control so only the upper 1-2% can easily afford to live and play here. ("And last year the mayor tried to kill a bill "prohibiting landlords to discriminate against tenants based on lawful source of income.")

The only thing Bloomberg represent is his own self interest. I am not upset because he is indecently wealthy. We should all be so comfortable. It is that he actually believes he can hypnotize the NY voting populace into reelecting him because he can spend insurmountable mountains of cash on Madison Ave who will create smoke and mirror magic and spin his charm into a THIRD term.

I really hope he fails by not allowing ourselves to be coned by this dog and pony show.”

“Finally a voice of reason from the Right. And not because we agree this time, but because his sentiments feel right, as in correct and honest. While I may find it difficult if not impossible to mask my contempt for the right-wing lunacy that passes for conversation these days and especially for what I believe GWB did to this country, I am left to ponder the extent of the vitriol I occasionally spout out in anger and disbelief.

Joe is certain. We are too polarized to find a workable middle ground. Some sort of sense and sensibility needs to intervene and maybe our leader, B. Obama needs to alter how he approaches getting our minds to meet without bashing our skulls in. I am truly fed up with the lack of a middle any longer.”

“Chicago is beautiful. At least some parts...”

“FuNnY”

“The man pled guilty. That means he did what he was charged with, a shameful crime worthy of strict punishment. Then he fled, evidence of more guilt and that his life's work ahead is much more important than the effects of this event on a 13 y/o, who BTW had not enough experience to decide if she is a willing participant in sex with a man nearly 4 times her age. Remember, charges were brought forth.

So, now he is again back in custody to answer for his unpunished crime and the plaintiff does not want to prosecute. Well, I believe that in the interests of society and common decency, it does not matter what she thinks. The crime occurred when she was a minor and the laws applicable at that time are to be pursued fully. The requirements of the many should probably always take precedence over the few to preserve our social decency ad moral order.

So she lives through it again. Is it as if she has forgotten about it all these years? I humbly doubt that a day goes by where she does not recall this day with lucent horror.”

“Magical? There is no magic in it. It is not Fed math either. It is the same math”

“Bill, try reading some history before telling everyone that Medicare was signed and implemented in 11 months: "Medicare's Origin: The Economics and Politics of Dependence" by Charlotte Twight. Efforts to establish some form of nationalized health care for at least seniors to make them less dependent began in earnest in 1934. Sure, the bill was signed and actually started to function in 11 months, but the framework for it took 30 years. And that was with a Dem majority. Lets be real.

We will have our Public option and our insurance reform. Obama alone cannot do this. People have to want it and that takes convincing and THAT is where leadership comes in and Obama can shine. If his morals really tell him this is the way it must be, then he will find it in himself to make it so. I am a nurse and I have been convinced for years before I ever heard of Barak Obama.

Go get em, BO.”

“Sad. I have many a female superior. I like it. I feel no particular threat simply because of their gender. In fact, I feel worse if a male superior comes down on me right or wrong-usually wrong. When I challenge my female superiors, I come from a place that responds as if it shouldn't matter what your gender is. If I am in disagreement with your comments or suggestions, I tell you so. Women become more snarley, I find. Like a show of force will mean something more than,” Really, can you explain it better?, rather than, 'Is there something wrong today, (my name...)?"”

“In the United States, we pay twice as much for health care with a result that puts our so called "best health care system in the world" to utter shame. Even staying healthy cost my family $400.00 a month in health care premiums for insurance not to mention co-pays and deductibles should suffer an injury through no fault of my own. Thankfully, as an RN, I taught by example my family, with and understanding and supportive wife that food choices are EVERYTHING in gaining and keeping good health 95% of the time. Does anyone remember, "You are what you eat?" This expression just didn't come about out of thin air. Individual responsibility is one thing, but a societies message to it's masses also accounts for a lot as in, "One for all and all for one." Sound familiar?”

“The eduction is there and is doing little in the immediate. Awareness is growing but it takes generations, one at least to filter into the national consciousness. No change happens overnight, but we have to start now, iike we are attempting to do with this blog. Better set an example and risk a bit of intrusion into your work buddy who eats a cheeseburger and fries while you have a healthy salad with tofu or fruit and nuts and a multi-grain bread and ask why he isn't eating like you? He is costing us dearly in more ways then purely economic.”

“Logan's Run, baby,”

“Exactly. Profit driven medicine. The cardiologists and thoracic surgeons are laughing all the way to the bank. They are laughing at those who do not give a damn about themselves or their families-children, fat children. If we change NOW, it will take a full generation till the coffers full of profitable sick people will dry up. Then they can figure out a way to make preventative medicine profitable.”