Thursday, October 30, 2008
Too sad to get angry about
So here we are down to the wire and my guys are ahead, which means that the conservative machine is getting more shrill and slanderous. Now these jerks have come up with so called evidence that Barak's birth certificate is not legitimate, among other lies. These people that email this kind of idiocy around never once stop to think that if any of this was true, that their own conservative journalists (the ones who are true intellects like George Will) would have uncovered this a long time ago. They never stop to ponder why David Brooks, Peggy Noonan, George Will, Chris Buckley, Colin Powell and the list of thinking conservatives goes on -- endorse Obama. They never question why this kind of evil blather comes from the other side, while the mainstream and the Democrats refrain from these kinds of slanderous lies and attacks. I'm on a lot of liberal list servs and never do I get this kind of nonsense from my side. Rather, these folks who will not hear, nor thoughtfully consider these facts, listen to the likes of Hannity and Limbaugh and worse. These are propogandists. And, once again, a chilling thought occurs to me. I am living through what probably happened in pre-WW II Germany. The parallels are eerie. My fervent prayer is that the thinking conservatives can help to purge their side of these dangerous loonies. They make me very, very afraid for our country. Over and out.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Racism
A commentary on the subject of racism in this election........
Interesting perspective on Obama/Biden vs. McCain/Palin, what if things were switched around?
What if the Obama's had paraded five children across the stage, including a three month old infant and an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter?
What if John McCain was a former president of the Harvard Law Review?
What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?
What if McCain had only married once and Obama was a divorcee?
What if Obama was the candidate who left his first wife after a severely disfiguring car accident ?
What if Obama had met his second wife in a bar and had a long affair while he was still married?
What if Michelle Obama was the wife who not only became add icted to painkillers but also acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?
What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?
What if Obama had been a member of the Keating Five? (The Keating Five were five United States Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s.)
What if McCain was a charismatic, eloquent speaker?
What if Obama had trouble reading from a Teleprompter?
What if Obama was the one who had military experience that included discipline problems and a record of crashing seven planes?
What if Obama was the one who was known to display publicly, on many occasions, a serious anger management problem?
What if Michelle Obama's family had made their money from beer distribution?
What if the Obama's adopted a white child?
You could easily add to this list. Would the election pol l numbers be as close as they are?
This is what racism does. It distorts, rationalizes, and minimizes positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities in another when there is a color difference.
Educational Background: Barack Obama:Columbia University - B.A. Political Science with a Specialization in International Relations.Harvard - Jurist Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude.
Joseph Biden:University of Delaware - B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science.Syracuse University College of Law - Jurist Doctor (J.D.)
Vs. John McCain:United States Naval Academy - Class rank: 894 of 899
Sarah Palin:Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semesterNorth Idaho - 2 semesters – JournalismMatanuska-Susitna College - B.A. in Journalism
Interesting perspective on Obama/Biden vs. McCain/Palin, what if things were switched around?
What if the Obama's had paraded five children across the stage, including a three month old infant and an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter?
What if John McCain was a former president of the Harvard Law Review?
What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?
What if McCain had only married once and Obama was a divorcee?
What if Obama was the candidate who left his first wife after a severely disfiguring car accident ?
What if Obama had met his second wife in a bar and had a long affair while he was still married?
What if Michelle Obama was the wife who not only became add icted to painkillers but also acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?
What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?
What if Obama had been a member of the Keating Five? (The Keating Five were five United States Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s.)
What if McCain was a charismatic, eloquent speaker?
What if Obama had trouble reading from a Teleprompter?
What if Obama was the one who had military experience that included discipline problems and a record of crashing seven planes?
What if Obama was the one who was known to display publicly, on many occasions, a serious anger management problem?
What if Michelle Obama's family had made their money from beer distribution?
What if the Obama's adopted a white child?
You could easily add to this list. Would the election pol l numbers be as close as they are?
This is what racism does. It distorts, rationalizes, and minimizes positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities in another when there is a color difference.
Educational Background: Barack Obama:Columbia University - B.A. Political Science with a Specialization in International Relations.Harvard - Jurist Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude.
Joseph Biden:University of Delaware - B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science.Syracuse University College of Law - Jurist Doctor (J.D.)
Vs. John McCain:United States Naval Academy - Class rank: 894 of 899
Sarah Palin:Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semesterNorth Idaho - 2 semesters – JournalismMatanuska-Susitna College - B.A. in Journalism
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Twins
So, these are the twins. Are they not adorable? Such happy little peanuts!
I am having so much fun with all of the grandkids, much more than I did with the kids; although I had a ball with my kids. I reflect on why we have so much fun with grandbabies and have decided there are a few reasons besides the usual things that people say (i.e. you can give them back). I think there are primarily 2 reasons. One is that I never had the kind of relaxed time that I have the luxury of now. When the kids were little, I had no household help, no money, and Brian was away all the time. Occasionally, I would work a day or so. Now, I have TIME to enjoy every delicious second. And everything I observe is CUTE. Even when they throw up on me.
The second is that I have age -- and that has taught me what is truly important in life and that every second is precious. I think I always had my priorities straight, but they get straighter with age! I love this grandparent thing.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Enough is enough, professors fight back
Over my years of teaching I have noted a gross incivility from students toward professors. This seems to be particularly prevalent under two sets of circumstances: 1) online classes, 2) foreign students from SubSahara Africa. The two seem to have a greater effect than one alone. Students in class face to face do not dare to be uncivil to me more than one time, because they simply get tossed out or I call security. This has not happened in a long time as I teach grad students, the classes are small, and most of my grad students think I walk on water. Undergraduate students were different. But I could control them with a whithering look for the most part.
The last 5 years has seen an influx of these SubSaharan immigrants to my universities graduate programs and the incivility, rudeness, and entitlement is unbelievable. Some of them, when brought before the dean, try to explain it away as cultural and that the professor is the one who is arrogant. Hey, ya know what, if you're in my culture (the US) you learn how to act in my culture and you know that the proper role here is me - professor and you - student. Not that respect shouldn't flow both ways. When I go to Liberia or Nigeria, I will be as subserviant to you princesses as the culture demands.
My African American colleagues have noted this behavior as well, and it drives them crazy; only they say that actually the behavior is intensified because they perceive that the SubSaharans think that they are better than US blacks.
One of my students complained to the dean that my posting my CV on the first day of class by way of introduction in my online advanced psychopharmacology was an example of MY arrogance. Only this group sees it this way, regardless it is not an excuse for the way that they treat us.
Today, one of my colleagues, who has had it with these students, suggested that we start bringing the students up to the Student Affairs committee to censure on grounds of incivility. His is a grand suggestion and I am going to start doing this. It is high time that it got around the student community that this behavior will not be tolerated, and since I have several nasty emails in my inbox right now, I'm ready to go. Stay tuned for the results! It is time faculty stood up for themselves and sent a message to their colleagues, as well as to students.
The last 5 years has seen an influx of these SubSaharan immigrants to my universities graduate programs and the incivility, rudeness, and entitlement is unbelievable. Some of them, when brought before the dean, try to explain it away as cultural and that the professor is the one who is arrogant. Hey, ya know what, if you're in my culture (the US) you learn how to act in my culture and you know that the proper role here is me - professor and you - student. Not that respect shouldn't flow both ways. When I go to Liberia or Nigeria, I will be as subserviant to you princesses as the culture demands.
My African American colleagues have noted this behavior as well, and it drives them crazy; only they say that actually the behavior is intensified because they perceive that the SubSaharans think that they are better than US blacks.
One of my students complained to the dean that my posting my CV on the first day of class by way of introduction in my online advanced psychopharmacology was an example of MY arrogance. Only this group sees it this way, regardless it is not an excuse for the way that they treat us.
Today, one of my colleagues, who has had it with these students, suggested that we start bringing the students up to the Student Affairs committee to censure on grounds of incivility. His is a grand suggestion and I am going to start doing this. It is high time that it got around the student community that this behavior will not be tolerated, and since I have several nasty emails in my inbox right now, I'm ready to go. Stay tuned for the results! It is time faculty stood up for themselves and sent a message to their colleagues, as well as to students.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Socialism?
Well here we are in capitalist land having bailed out Ford and GM and thinking about bailing out Wall Street. This from the bunch who think that universal health care is creeping toward socialism. My, Marx must be spinning around and around in his grave.
Friday, September 26, 2008
What happened to my country??
So, here we are in a near financial meltdown. And this is whose fault? Who has been in charge of this country and economy for the past 8 years? And now we get to bail out the people who contributed to this mess. Let me get this straight. If I screw up at work, I get fired. If I am the head of Fannie or Freddie or all the investment banks that are in death throes, the American taxpayers bail me out.
It is so sad, really. We wasted all this money and lives on a war that was not necessary, started by people who lied to us; went from a surplus to a deficit and now the policies of the Bush bunch have us on the brink of financial Armagedon. And what will we use for money to bail us out? We will borrow. What will be decimated because we have no money to fund them -- NIH, NIMH, CDC, EPA, FDA, education, health care, social security? The legacy of the Bushies will be felt long after everyone forgets that arrogant jerk and his condescending smirk.
When I came to the states in the 1950s, it was a land of opportunity and times were good. We had moral direction, people respected the U.S. around the world. My parents would not recognize what has become of it.
Now Sarah Palin may be our next prez, if the wrinkly white haired dude kicks it. Omigod, the interview with Katy Couric was just plain embarrassing. I don't like Couric that well -- news reporter lite is what I call her -- but she is bright. She could barely keep it together talking with this empty suit. Empty suit. A fine metaphor for what has become of the greatest country in the world. Michael Moore ---- HELP!
It is so sad, really. We wasted all this money and lives on a war that was not necessary, started by people who lied to us; went from a surplus to a deficit and now the policies of the Bush bunch have us on the brink of financial Armagedon. And what will we use for money to bail us out? We will borrow. What will be decimated because we have no money to fund them -- NIH, NIMH, CDC, EPA, FDA, education, health care, social security? The legacy of the Bushies will be felt long after everyone forgets that arrogant jerk and his condescending smirk.
When I came to the states in the 1950s, it was a land of opportunity and times were good. We had moral direction, people respected the U.S. around the world. My parents would not recognize what has become of it.
Now Sarah Palin may be our next prez, if the wrinkly white haired dude kicks it. Omigod, the interview with Katy Couric was just plain embarrassing. I don't like Couric that well -- news reporter lite is what I call her -- but she is bright. She could barely keep it together talking with this empty suit. Empty suit. A fine metaphor for what has become of the greatest country in the world. Michael Moore ---- HELP!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Revenge
Ok, so for whatever jerk put me on McCain's listserv, you are not funny and you are trivializing the political process and my right to free speech. Not that the Bush/Cheney/Rove bunch did not do that already. Did I ask for this? I have now gotten 8 emails from that wrinkly old dude's campaign cluttering my mailbox that is SPAM -- read unwanted email. I would never have so little disrespect for someone as to put them on a listserv with which I obviously know they would disagree -- i.e. Obama, Clinton, etc. As my cleaning lady asked of her son once -- have you no honor? The answer is obvious.
Spin talks - truth walks
THE SPIN:
A. Black teen pregnancies? A 'crisis' in black America.White teen pregnancies? A 'blessed event.'
B. If you grow up in Hawaii you're 'exotic.'Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, you're the quintessential 'American story.'
C. Similarly, if you name your kid Barack you're 'unpatriotic.'Name your kids Trig and Track, you're 'colorful.'
D. If you're a Democrat and you make a VP pick without f ully vetting the individual you're 'reckless.' A Republican who doesn't fully vet is a 'maverick.'
E. If you spend 3 years as a community organizer growing your organization from a staff of 1 to 13 and your budget from $70,000 to $400,000, then become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new African American voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, then spend nearly 8 more years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, becoming chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, then spend nearly 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of nearly 13 million people, sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works, and Veteran's Affairs committees, you are woefully inexperienced . If you spend 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, then spend 20 months as the governor of a state with 650,000 people, you've got the most executive experience of anyone on either ticket, are the Commander in Chief of the Alaska military and are well qualified to lead the nation should you be called upon to do so because your state is the closest state to Russia. If you are a Demoratic male candidate who is popular with millions of people you are an 'arrogant celebrity'.
F. If you are a popular Republican female candidate you are 'energizing the base'. If you are a younger male candidate who thinks for himself and makes his own decisions you are 'presumptuous'. If you are an older male candidate who makes last minute decisions you refuse to explain, you are a 'shoot from the hip' maverick.
G. If you are a candidate with a Harvard law degree you are 'an elitist', 'out of touch' with the real America. If you are a legacy (dad and granddad were admirals) graduate of Annapolis, with multiple disciplinary infractions you are a hero.
H. If you manage a multi-million dollar nationwide campaign, you are an 'empty suit'. If you are a part-time mayor of a town of 7000 people, you are an 'experienced executive'.
I. If you go to a south side Chicago church, your beliefs are 'extremist'.If you believe in creationism and don't believe gobal warming is man-made, you are 'strongly principled '.
J. If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years with whom you are raising two beautiful daughters you're 'risky'.If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
K. If you're a black single mother of 4 who waits for 22 hours after her water breaks to seek medical attention, you're an irresponsible parent, endangering the life of your unborn child.But if you're a white married mother who waits 22 hours, you're spunky.
L. If you're a 13-year-old Chelsea Clinton, the right-wing press calls you 'First dog.'If you're a 17-year old pregnant unwed daughter of a Republican, the right-wing press calls you 'b eautiful' and 'courageous.'
M. If you teach responsible age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society. If you teach abstinence only in sex education, you get teen parents.
Spin Talks - - Truth Walks
A. Black teen pregnancies? A 'crisis' in black America.White teen pregnancies? A 'blessed event.'
B. If you grow up in Hawaii you're 'exotic.'Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, you're the quintessential 'American story.'
C. Similarly, if you name your kid Barack you're 'unpatriotic.'Name your kids Trig and Track, you're 'colorful.'
D. If you're a Democrat and you make a VP pick without f ully vetting the individual you're 'reckless.' A Republican who doesn't fully vet is a 'maverick.'
E. If you spend 3 years as a community organizer growing your organization from a staff of 1 to 13 and your budget from $70,000 to $400,000, then become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new African American voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, then spend nearly 8 more years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, becoming chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, then spend nearly 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of nearly 13 million people, sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works, and Veteran's Affairs committees, you are woefully inexperienced . If you spend 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, then spend 20 months as the governor of a state with 650,000 people, you've got the most executive experience of anyone on either ticket, are the Commander in Chief of the Alaska military and are well qualified to lead the nation should you be called upon to do so because your state is the closest state to Russia. If you are a Demoratic male candidate who is popular with millions of people you are an 'arrogant celebrity'.
F. If you are a popular Republican female candidate you are 'energizing the base'. If you are a younger male candidate who thinks for himself and makes his own decisions you are 'presumptuous'. If you are an older male candidate who makes last minute decisions you refuse to explain, you are a 'shoot from the hip' maverick.
G. If you are a candidate with a Harvard law degree you are 'an elitist', 'out of touch' with the real America. If you are a legacy (dad and granddad were admirals) graduate of Annapolis, with multiple disciplinary infractions you are a hero.
H. If you manage a multi-million dollar nationwide campaign, you are an 'empty suit'. If you are a part-time mayor of a town of 7000 people, you are an 'experienced executive'.
I. If you go to a south side Chicago church, your beliefs are 'extremist'.If you believe in creationism and don't believe gobal warming is man-made, you are 'strongly principled '.
J. If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years with whom you are raising two beautiful daughters you're 'risky'.If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
K. If you're a black single mother of 4 who waits for 22 hours after her water breaks to seek medical attention, you're an irresponsible parent, endangering the life of your unborn child.But if you're a white married mother who waits 22 hours, you're spunky.
L. If you're a 13-year-old Chelsea Clinton, the right-wing press calls you 'First dog.'If you're a 17-year old pregnant unwed daughter of a Republican, the right-wing press calls you 'b eautiful' and 'courageous.'
M. If you teach responsible age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society. If you teach abstinence only in sex education, you get teen parents.
Spin Talks - - Truth Walks
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Sunday's editorials and columns
Sunday's editorials and columns were enough to make one want to move to New Zealand or somewhere else far, far away. Daniel Rubin of Philly's Inquirer, who is covering the Fumo trial, observed that a majority of the jury pool had not even HEARD of Fumo -- ack! Their own state senator from Philadelphia. This led him to musings about the presidential race and conclusions that perhaps we deserve the presidents who we get. The Times' Frank Rich, Maureen Dowd, and Thomas Friedman were all on the same page as well.
What IS it with most of the media though? How come that nobody but a few have jumped all over Palin's inane contention that she is ready to take on the world because Alaska is so close to Russia. And I am ready to take over for Warren Buffet because I own Berkshire Hathaway stock.
Why isn't anyone focusing on trigger happy McCain instead of talking about Palin's glasses.
I think I'll consider moving to New Zealand.
What IS it with most of the media though? How come that nobody but a few have jumped all over Palin's inane contention that she is ready to take on the world because Alaska is so close to Russia. And I am ready to take over for Warren Buffet because I own Berkshire Hathaway stock.
Why isn't anyone focusing on trigger happy McCain instead of talking about Palin's glasses.
I think I'll consider moving to New Zealand.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Sarah Palin
I saw some Einstein tell a CBS news reporter that she was going to vote for Palin and how much she liked her. He, in turn, asked if she knew where Osama Bin Palin stood on the issues -- you know, those that go beyond her cute glasses and pregnant daughter. This dweeb admitted that she did not. I, as an informed voter wanted to know, and thereby distance myself from the Einsteins of this ilk. So, I watched Sarah Palin's interview with that twit, Charlie Gibson, the same twit that let some genius make an issue out of Obama's lapel pin. Here's what I gleaned: 1) She avoided answering any questions substantively, 2) She has a testy nasty streak that came through when pushed the slightest to answer a question, 3) That characteristic is a good fit with her running mate, who also has a nasty testy streak that comes out when he is challenged, 4) Gibson was too much of a woos to say: " Hey lady, ya ain't answering my questions.", and 5) She would make a great hawker on QVC or HSN. Why you might ask?
Well, one of the things that has fascinated me about those shopping shows (besides how anyone with above a room temperature IQ can watch them) is how much verbiage the hawkers can emit. Imagine waxing poetic on and on about the qualities of a cubic zirconium! It takes real talent to produce that many words and not say a hell of a lot. That's Palin.
Well, one of the things that has fascinated me about those shopping shows (besides how anyone with above a room temperature IQ can watch them) is how much verbiage the hawkers can emit. Imagine waxing poetic on and on about the qualities of a cubic zirconium! It takes real talent to produce that many words and not say a hell of a lot. That's Palin.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Someone passed this along to me
Jesus was a community organizer. Pontius Pilate was a governor. On the community organizer front, so was Gandhi, so was Martin Luther King Jr.
Food for thought, eh?
Food for thought, eh?
Academic Woes
OK. So I know that I am an old curmudgeon. But I am totally convinced that academe is going to hell in a handbasket. Our university, the biggest health sciences university in the country, has decided that we should be tuition driven. Free markets, customer service -- hey, why the heck not right? NOT wrong.
Now, not only do we have to take virtually every cretin that comes in with money and a B (usually inflated) average in their undergrad, but we are pressured to keep them. The quality of the students in grad school is unbelievable. And in my profession we issue them the means for applying for prescriptive privileges. So we have people out there writing scripts after taking one semester of clinical pharmacology.
To make matters worse, the nursing profession has this nifty degree -- the DNP, doctorate of nursing practice. This is an easy way for the faculty who didn't bother to get a PhD to be called "Dr." and means one can go to school for 18 months of grad school with a total watered down curriculum and be called "Dr." So much for my 5 year struggle with a PhD.
What a sham. And the students are flocking to these programs, presumably so that they can be called "Dr."
What is the bottom line for consumers: 1) Ask what the heck kind of Dr. is taking care of you in a health care setting; 2) if it's not a DO or an MD run, don't walk, away and ask for a real doctor.
Now, not only do we have to take virtually every cretin that comes in with money and a B (usually inflated) average in their undergrad, but we are pressured to keep them. The quality of the students in grad school is unbelievable. And in my profession we issue them the means for applying for prescriptive privileges. So we have people out there writing scripts after taking one semester of clinical pharmacology.
To make matters worse, the nursing profession has this nifty degree -- the DNP, doctorate of nursing practice. This is an easy way for the faculty who didn't bother to get a PhD to be called "Dr." and means one can go to school for 18 months of grad school with a total watered down curriculum and be called "Dr." So much for my 5 year struggle with a PhD.
What a sham. And the students are flocking to these programs, presumably so that they can be called "Dr."
What is the bottom line for consumers: 1) Ask what the heck kind of Dr. is taking care of you in a health care setting; 2) if it's not a DO or an MD run, don't walk, away and ask for a real doctor.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Grandchildren
Is there anything more wonderful than having grandchildren? You never have to agitate about being a good parent -- in a wonderful turn around, your kids do! HA!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Poisoned Brains
Most of my life I have been an independent thinker. I disagree with Democrats and Republicans both, but I pretty much vote Democrat. This is only because I can't stomach what the Republican party has become and -- so I hold my nose and vote.
I thought that the Bush years were some of the darkest in our country's history. But, one thing that has happened is that I have had an epiphany of sorts, as a result of this administration and then what is happening in the public arena today -- especially given the Palin nomination. UGH! The woman looks like Pebbles Flinstone. Remember her? Don't get me started on Cindy "Barbie Doll" McCain. But I digress.
My epiphany is that I now, after all these years understand what happened in pre- WWII Germany. Because that is what has happened to a good deal of our population. The lack of thought manifested by people in this election is astounding.
My husband has friends in west Texas -- an enclave of reactionary thought if there ever was one. The kind of nutty thinking (if it can be called thinking) that emerges from that part of the country makes my hair stand on end. Example, Nancy Pelosi wants to tax capital gains at 100%. How could anyone with an IQ above 70 believe something like that. Geez, it doesn't even make any sense from a purely logical point of view. One doesn't even have to go to the snopes website to know that is just plain stupid. Think about it, a wealthy and SMART woman, no matter what you think of her politics -- is dumb enough to want to propose financial ruin for herself and the country. But he keeps getting this one over and over. He's stopped explaining the logic or even referring people to snopes. It falls on deaf ears.
So, I now know how Hitler and his goons managed to take over the brains of an entire country. If people can believe the kind of drivel that comes out of the far right propaganda machine, no matter how implausible, they can also believe what the Nazis did. Sigh. I wish I didn't have that insight. Over and out.
I thought that the Bush years were some of the darkest in our country's history. But, one thing that has happened is that I have had an epiphany of sorts, as a result of this administration and then what is happening in the public arena today -- especially given the Palin nomination. UGH! The woman looks like Pebbles Flinstone. Remember her? Don't get me started on Cindy "Barbie Doll" McCain. But I digress.
My epiphany is that I now, after all these years understand what happened in pre- WWII Germany. Because that is what has happened to a good deal of our population. The lack of thought manifested by people in this election is astounding.
My husband has friends in west Texas -- an enclave of reactionary thought if there ever was one. The kind of nutty thinking (if it can be called thinking) that emerges from that part of the country makes my hair stand on end. Example, Nancy Pelosi wants to tax capital gains at 100%. How could anyone with an IQ above 70 believe something like that. Geez, it doesn't even make any sense from a purely logical point of view. One doesn't even have to go to the snopes website to know that is just plain stupid. Think about it, a wealthy and SMART woman, no matter what you think of her politics -- is dumb enough to want to propose financial ruin for herself and the country. But he keeps getting this one over and over. He's stopped explaining the logic or even referring people to snopes. It falls on deaf ears.
So, I now know how Hitler and his goons managed to take over the brains of an entire country. If people can believe the kind of drivel that comes out of the far right propaganda machine, no matter how implausible, they can also believe what the Nazis did. Sigh. I wish I didn't have that insight. Over and out.
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