Pawprints From Space

The more things change the more they stay the same.   The mid-term elections are over. The Republicans have a majority in the Senate, but not a super majority, and they retained control of the House. On the surface you might think this will mean that things will now get done.   Nope. Without that super majority the factions will have to work together. The House knows this finally and bipartisan legislation has actually passed over there. But on the other side of Capital Hill ... well that's where bills went to die. The Democrats had a majority but not a super majority and the Republicans didn't feel like cooperating. The table has flipped around now. Does anyone really think that the Democrats are going to be inclined to play nice with the Republicans?   Get ready for more filibustering, more nominations being blocked and more of the same old stuff. The only difference is going to be who is doing the finger pointing. Well, that and the President's first ...

Somewhere along the line we all had an adult (or two) in our childhood who gave us a very simple life lesson: "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all". This went hand in glove with the axiom known as The Golden Rule: "treat others as you would wish to be treated" or at a basic level: "be nice" and practice "good manners". These lessons make for a polite society.  "Polite" doesn't have to mean bland, it doesn't mean we can't have lively discussions and differences of opinions. It doesn't mean we have to like everyone we work with or come in contact with ... but it does mean respect. "Respect" means although we may disagree I have a right to my opinion and you to yours and I respect your opinion. I don't have to agree with it. I can state my opinion and trust that you respect me enough not to stomp all over it, call me names, make threats, point fingers, try to bully me int...

Yeha!! Finally got into this account. Curse you Google!! I swear it is getting as bad as Microsoft snapping up all the apps I am accustomed to using and forcing me to Google-ize them. Yikes!! Presently I am at my usual "watering hole" for Mondays: The Met . You see on Mondays this wonderful gentleman behind the bar comes up with a theme and creates a martini "flight" (three versions) to tempt the senses. Let me tell ya, after a "Monday from hell" (fess up we all have them) this is THE place to be - good food, great conversation (especially with the retired gentleman who can quote every Shakespeare sonnet and then some) at the bar.  Tonight I have had the amazing bread and herbed butter - should have had more food but what the hey. The theme tonight is "When Life Gives You Lemons" a flight of three lemonade inspired martinis. I didn't go for the whole flight - I do have to drive home after all - but tried the basil lemonade. Wow. Just w...

I love science! I adore it, there is SO much to learn about life, the universe and everything. And I am Catholic, so there's the whole belief in God thing going on.  Here's the thing: I don't buy the whole Bible-must-be-taken-literally hooha. In fact I was taught by the brothers in Catholic high school NOT to take the Bible literally -- especially the Old Testament. I was taught that the books of the Bible were written at all different times and that the stories recorded therein are teaching stories -- the way that Jesus taught by parables. Based on oral traditions handed down through generations with a probable bit of truth here and there (since every culture has a flood story that probably happened for example) but not these stories are not literal verbatim archives of what happened down to the minute. I mean come on really did people live to be 900 hundred years old? Seriously? In my classes that notion was one of wisdom not actual years. I was also taught ...

I may have hit my limit today. I say "may" because overall I am a forgiving sort. Not naive - I am no sunshine and roses everything's peachy all the time sort of person. I don't forget but I do forgive and empathize and understand because I can get into another's head and see where they are coming from and why they say and do what they do which leads to forgiveness. But even I have my limits. I am tired. Tired of the sniping, the negativity, the mindset that finds "evil" in the intellect, in being from the East Coast (or West Coast), in believing that caring for the less fortunate is somehow not appropriate for our culture/society, that might makes right and not might for right, that their version of religion is the only right version and that people who are different - that is: not white, not upper middle class, not Christian (their version mind you), not heterosexual, whose first language isn't English, who have piercings or tattoos etc. - hav...