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Audacity of Truth
Whiner-in-Chief:
"[W]hether the grumbling is about Republicans on Fox or bloggers in pajamas, there's a word for what the president and his aides are doing. That word is "whining." And nothing [...] does more damage to Obama's credibility or authority than the sense that a popular president is becoming the whiner-in-chief."
- John Nichols, Nation Magazine - 10/12/09
Calling in sick today
(Scroll down for Monday Update)
I am “calling in sick today – am not feeling well and will be bedridden probably for the rest of the day (am composing this on my laptop).
I’ll explain more when I can about what’s wrong – in the meantime, please consider this an open thread.
Sat. Update: I’m doing much better today – thanks for the well wishes 
I’ve got some things to do this morning that I’ve gotten behind on from being sick on and off the last few days but – assuming I’m still feeling ok – I’ll be back to blogging later this afternoon or evening.
Monday Update: I am experiencing more health issues today. I had wanted to explain to everyone what I’m going through over the weekend but I wanted to forget about it rather than talk about it at the time.
The short version is that back in March on my first ER visit that month I was diagnosed with a what is called gastritis. To find out more about it, click here and make sure to follow the various links like the one to “signs and symptoms.” I had two ER visits in March and none, thankfully, in April but I did have a couple of flare ups in late April after my prescription to Prevacid ran out. I was prescribed something for nausea and something else for pain and have had to utilize both drugs quite a bit in the last week. I’ve scheduled a Dr. appt early this week to get a more thorough diagnosis and discuss more treatment options (I really should have scheduled an appt. sooner, but I had the housewarming to prep for and I was really wrapped up in that and stupidly put my health issues on the back burner). The link I provided tells you in most cases that gastritis is not serious, but I fear mine is. The pain is so intense when you are going through it that the only way you feel halfway decent is to lay down – and sometimes not even then. Right now I’m going through the symptom of eating but still feeling like I’m hungry afterwards. It’s an awful feeling. The usual feeling, though, that I have from it, is feeling like I have a thick rubber band squeezing my midsection like a vice. Anyone who has gone through it will know what I mean. I have done good about avoiding foods I am not supposed to eat, but now I am getting sick off of foods I CAN eat. So now I hate to eat.
Because I’m having to change my diet completely, and because I’m afraid to eat, I’m not getting enough to eat, which is leaving me with less energy. It is all I can do to get out of bed sometimes.
I hate feeling abnormal and hate the fact that this is keeping me from being able to do things I love to do – and even simple, everyday things. Right now, walking the stairs to my house is a chore. Simple things like brushing my teeth, when I’m going through the pain, require effort. I live for the days that I don’t feel the pain. I am saying all this not to start a pity party, but because I want you to know that the reason I’m not blogging much lately is because I haven’t had the energy to blog like I normally do. I’ll be missing a few days from work this week and will be absent from blogposting and emails for at least the next couple of days (I’ll check in to release moderated messages, though, when I can) while I try to rest, get treatment from my doctor, and hopefully be able to plan a course of action for the future to recover from this.
So for the time being, please continue to use this thread as an open thread. Thank you for the words of encouragement already posted in this thread and in email. I miss blogging and chit chatting with all of you, and hope to be back to myself VERY soon.
(Originally posted 4/28/03 at 12:23 pm ET – Bumped Monday for update)
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It’s Supply and Demand Stupid..
For a body that writes law for the greatest, and most litigious nation on the planet, The US Congress seems to know very little about the law of supply and demand. With their exaggerated outrage over Gas prices and obvious envy over oil company profits our law makers in congress are attempting to interfere with market forces that they have ignored for decades.
Exxon and other oil companies with their record profits make great targets for politicians trying to score points with a public obviously not happy with $3 Gas. Simply, they are attempting to channel the public anger over Gas prices into votes in November. That and divert that anger and public attention away from where it rightfully belongs, on Capitol Hill. Congress has consistently restricted domestic production of oil, placed regulation after regulation on refining, essentially prohibited nuclear power, and demanded utilities switch away from coal in their production of electricity. In short Congress restricted the Supply of oil when the economic growth (ie demand) not only here but in China, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia etc.. Is at its greatest. The Supply of oil is further reduced by the political instability in the regions of the world with the highest oil production.
Today the House approved criminal penalties and fines of up to $150 million for energy companies caught price gouging, yet lawmakers acknowledged there is no quick and easy fix to higher pump prices. Yes Exxon made 8.4 Billion last quarter, between the income tax paid by Exxon, the excise tax collected from consumers at the pump, and a host of other taxes imposed on the oil industry, the Federal Government raked in a whopping 25 billion. Do the price gouging penalties and associated fines apply to Congress as well?
Nancy Pelosi wants to blame it all on a “Republican Culture of Corruption”… Amazing since more Dems have been indicted and convicted of corruption than Republicans.. but that is another topic.. Instead of blaming it on Nancy’s “Culture of Corruption” we should be pointing the finger at a Congressional Culture of Ineptitude.
BTW, 70% of that profit was made internationally. Only 30% domestically. God Bless those American companies for making a profit and helping out with our trade defecit.
Wait a minute!!!!! Isn’t this EXACTLY what Albert Gore Jr. wanted in his book. Didn’t he write that it would be good if America paid 5.00 per gallon??? What is all this Democrat talk about how 3.00 per gallon is bad??? I have scientific proof that supports Albert’s ideas. The other day I was looking at my Lilacs and they have never been prettier.
Asshats – Lorica (sorry Bang, I just had to use your term) 
Why has the price of oil dropped $5.00 a barrel in the past 2 days? Manipulation. Yesterday the futures traders found 2.8 million barrel worth billions. More manipulation. No more blood for oil, get out of Iraq now. Peace
Call it what you will. It’s easy to throw stones and daggers at things you don’t understand…
Stop manipulating and learn. Even more peace.
What I don’t understand is why it is taking so long for yooooos to understand. Oh, by the way, the supply of gasoline is at it’s highest level in 7 years. No manipulation of price? Teehee. Peace
Holy Cow. I’ll say a prayer for you, Sister Toldjah. I really hope you feel/get better.
It makes me sad to read that some people wants to do bad things to the people that come to the United States but nothing else but work two and three jobs at a time to support their families in Mexico. If you will just think, before expressing hate into a web site that will be read by your kids in the future.
Think about your own family. Where did your family come from? Think about your great grandparents, where were they born? or their parents, I am sure it doesn’t say United Stetes on their birth certificate. And they came here to work two and three jobs to support their families just like mexicans are doing right now.
And you talk about building walls. How can you be such a heartless human being that will even think about doing such harm to people looking for the well-being of their families.
I am not mexican, but I am hispanic. And the places that I have worked hispanics are always more awarded for their performance than whites and blacks. Why is that? Because we come to this country to work, and when we find a job we want to give our best. When you sit on your table today to eat your dinner, remember, the person who kill that cow was probably a hispanic, the person who picked your vegatables was for sure a hispanic, the person who got on the orange tree to pick your oranges so you can drink juice was probably a hispanic.
Don’t treat us like we don’t do nothing. Don’t push us away, because we come here to help you; nothing else and in the process we are helping our families. If we had a goverment like yours we won’t be here.
(
And just because there are words that we don’t know in english and is hard to speak your language that don’t mean that we are talking about you. If you will come to us and say ” I can teach you to pronounce well english if you teach me spanish.” Instead of ” Don’t be speaking your mira mira stuff, because I don’t know what you are saying.” that will make us feel better, trying to get along. Is against the law to prohibit someone to speak their native language, discrimination is the word. When we apply for a job it ask if we know how to speak a language other than english and if we are fluent. It doesn’t say ” You are not allowed to speak other language other than english because is bad for our business” Think about it.:
Nina wrote, “It makes me sad to read that some people wants to do bad things to the people that come to the United States but nothing else but work two and three jobs at a time to support their families in Mexico.
Who are those people? What are the “bad things”?
I am one of those for the sake of national security and rule of law think that people who come here should come here legally (not illegaly) or they should be deported back to their country. If going back to their country is a “bad thing” then maybe they can come back but do it “legally”.
Nina, This country allows more LEGAL immigrants than all other countries combined. Why then wouldn’t we (a generous nation) be allowed to control our borders for the sake of national security and the rule of law.
Towns and the environment are being decimated on the southern border. “Caring” should be applied to people who legally own land down there and the ecology and the environment as well.
Nina asked, “ Think about your own family. Where did your family come from? Think about your great grandparents, where were they born? ”
Italy and Poland and they came here legally.
Nina talked about our hearts inappropriately by saying, “ And you talk about building walls. How can you be such a heartless human being that will even think about doing such harm to people looking for the well-being of their families.”
Does rule of law and national security matter? How about looking for the well-being of law abiding citizens who deserve a government guaranteed by the constitution to protect them with a national defense. How is a defense possible with a border that isn’t respected? Please do not cast aspersions about our hearts when we are very caring, very generous and just asking people to follow the rule of law.
Nina said, “And the places that I have worked hispanics are always more awarded for their performance than whites and blacks. Why is that? Because we come to this country to work, and when we find a job we want to give our best.”
That is a tad bit racist. Everywhere I work I recieve large double digit raises, lots of praise, I’m given more work because they know I can get it done. It is a factor of a capitalist nation. Capitalism is defined as – The people choosing who gets what resources. Socialism is the government choosing who gets what resources. In a capitalist nation, yes, those who work harder are rewarded. I would say hurray! if you notice that hispanics are awarded more. Great. Keep up the great work and don’t try to change this country away from capitalism. One day you might own a business and you’d want the best people working for you and you’d reward them for it. That’s the people choosing who gets what resources.
Nina diverted the issue by saying, “Don’t treat us like we don’t do nothing.”
All we are asking is for national security and the rule of law to be followed. If “us” are people that came here legally then there isn’t an issue. If “us” are people who came here illegally then it’s not ok.
The last paragraph is irrelevant to me. Though it is relevant that our government and corporations in CA and Texas and Arizona have to spend millions of dollars having to print, speak and display things in Spanish (not Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Arabic, etc just Spanish) due to the large amount of people who aren’t wiling to learn English. THat is a separate issue from national security and the rule of law. It is a matter of cost and the fact that those who ARE here legally are supposed to know English in order to pass the tests and those who come here illegally subvert that testing process. All that extra money that has to be spent does cause some frustration because it could be dollars spent on the poor, health, veterans, education, environment. Unfortunately we’d be called uncaring racists if we didn’t spend the money.
If going back to their country is a “bad thing” then maybe they can come back but do it “legally”.
If their country is so bad, why don’t they stay there and work towards improving it rather than running away an expecting us to pick up the slack? This country wasn’t that great a place when the British were running it, they being a tad heavy handed and such. But we fought a revolution, a revolution fought by the citizens at great cost, to throw off the oppressors and make a better country to live in. You should work to fix your own country, or if you don’t want to, petition to come here legally, and become a US citizen, and pledge your loyalty to this country as a legal citizen of it. Not come here, take advantage of the social services and opportunities, while still casting your citizenship and allegience to a foreign country. Starting out your stay in this country by willfully breaking the law is a pretty poor first impression.
“It makes me sad to read that some people wants to do bad things to the people that come to the United States but nothing else but work two and three jobs at a time to support their families in Mexico.”
If by “bad things” you mean hoping they stay in Mexico and not enter this country illegally, then yes, count me as part of that group.
“If you will just think, before expressing hate into a web site that will be read by your kids in the future.”
Speaking of the future, I don’t think a country flooded by people entering illegally has much of one, do you? I’m not sure wishing that people don’t break the law is an expression of hate.
“Think about your own family. Where did your family come from? Think about your great grandparents, where were they born? or their parents, I am sure it doesn’t say United Stetes on their birth certificate.”
My family arrived legally from places like Finland, Norway, England, and Germany.
“And you talk about building walls. How can you be such a heartless human being that will even think about doing such harm to people looking for the well-being of their families.”
So you believe that anyone should just be allowed to enter the country. Nobody is denying anyone legal entry. This is akin to saying, “How dare you lock your door and prevent me from coming into your home, taking some food from your kitchen, and sending it back to my needy family!”
“I am not mexican, but I am hispanic. And the places that I have worked hispanics are always more awarded for their performance than whites and blacks. Why is that?”
Wow, that smells of thinking you are superior. Germany circa 1930s and 1940s anyone?
“If we had a goverment like yours we won’t be here.”
Perhaps that should signal you to try to effect change within Mexico. Imagine if you put as much effort into that as you did this comment! Multiply that by everyone illegally entering the USA from Mexico. If they put as much energy as you did here, or as much energy as they do working 2-3 jobs, then perhaps there is a chance for the Mexican government and country to improve.
Sev wrote, “Starting out your stay in this country by willfully breaking the law is a pretty poor first impression.”
You are heartless…
just kidding. We are one of only a few countries you can do that and not be punished severely. When you fill out a job application most of the time you have to indicate whether or not you have been arrested. People here illegally have broken the law if they are using false documentation to get a job and could be arrested if the laws are enforced. It’d be better for the person’s FAMILY if that job seeker did things lawfully so as not to be kept from good jobs because they have an arrest record. I care about that family and so I support that father/mother making a better choice and coming here legally or changing their own country to make things better for their family.
Amen Sev. I basically said the same thing in my last paragraph. Put all that energy of working 2-3 jobs, marching in protest, and writing comments like this into working towards making Mexico a place you don’t want to leave.
So you believe that anyone should just be allowed to enter the country. Nobody is denying anyone legal entry. This is akin to saying, “How dare you lock your door and prevent me from coming into your home, taking some food from your kitchen, and sending it back to my needy family!”
Excellent analogy Ryan! It doesn’t matter if they clean the house while they’re there eating my food and breaking down my door either.
Mexicans send approximately 20 billion dollars, that’s billion with a B, out of this country, most of it untaxed. That represents a huge monetary drain on the US, without even considering the costs in social services, prisons, law enforcement, etc.
Just wanted to qualify your last paragraph for you Sev. We all know you are talking about “illegal” immigrants but others might not.
Righto Bak!
It doesn’t matter if they clean the house while they’re there eating my food and breaking down my door either.
Nice addition, Sev!
You know, all this points out another advantage of the Fair Tax. Since it’s a sales tax, it would tax the day to day purchases of illegal immigrants, many of whom are paid under the table and never pay taxes. Plus, since you’d have to have things like a valid social insecurity card in order to get the monthly payback that from Uncle Sugar that covers the Fair Tax costs on basic necessities, that would cut out payments to illegals and/or make it easier to find them if the government actually gets to where it gives a hoot.