Off-Topic Discussion

Fable of the Porcupine It was the coldest winter ever. Many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realizing the situation, decided to group together to keep warm. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions. After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began to die, alone…

So with all the budget cuts, the cuts that only affect people that really need the help, well after being at my Dad's today, I am ticked. My Dad used to have this great nurse that took care of all his meds. Due to budget cuts, all the competent people at the VA have been re-positioned, and all the idiots are taking over. In checking my Dad's pill boxes, this person that is supposed to know what they are doing had screwed them all up. Double doses of this...zero doses of that. And, for the past 2-3 days my dad had told me he wasn't feeling well. Could not eat. Etc. Now I know why. To think this is how the US treats their veterans. Party on at the White House!

So my Dad is a veteran. He is 85 and relies on having a visiting nurse help him out and the maid service that they also provide. Now he finds out that the government is cutting those services. He has no idea if or when anyone will show up. Also, this government has cut funding for Section 8 housing. So now, people that can't afford rent, have to come up with more money. (Guess they could stop eating.) And now Obama wants to cut the yearly cost of living increase for people on Social Security. All this while both the president and vice-president take million dollar vacations every month. On tax dollars of course. I find this sickening!!

www.wisconsingazette.com

By Beth Greenfield, Shine Staff | Parenting – 03.15.2013 "“It’s actually sad so many people are excited about it,” Mongtomery said. “And what I think that says is, one, it’s rare, and that’s really bad. And two, people are really craving this kind of reaction.” The website founder, a 39-year-old gay man who has a strained relationship with his Christian fundamentalist parents—especially since he drove around the country in a “Legalize Love” campaign in support of Obama last fall—was personally touched by the note’s simple, powerful message." --shine.yahoo.com Dad's Love Letter to Gay Teenage Son Goes Viral

Gay Star News interviews Gian Paolo Vanoli, an Italian scientist and journalist who made the headlines in Italy for his theory 26 March 2013 | By Daniele Guido Gessa " He told GSN: ‘Being gay is a disease, but we have to love everyone, gays included, because it’s not their fault. The vaccines they had made them homosexuals.’" --gaystarnews.com Meet the scientist who claims 'vaccines made you gay' ________________________________ According to wikipedia, the first vaccine ever developed was the smallpox vaccine in 1796. I wonder how this scientist explains homosexuality before that point? -Mike

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2013/03/20/20669736.html?cid=rssnewsworld finally someone got it right and tormented them..lol

I start anew job next week,I work as a paralegal.The lawyer I work for is too cheap and cuts corners.I was not too happy and finally sent out my 2 weeks notice to him 4 weeks ago.I went in for an interview last week Friday and I nailed it good.Called me yesterday during my lunch break and said I was hired.It is another lawyer,pays me much better and treats his employees like family.I start on Monday and told my current boss this morning my last day is Friday.Gave me a raise offer and I said no,raised it by a dollar.My husband Alex saw I was stressed out and behind me for support.I told him the news and told me good job.

One more reason to be wary of social networking - Mike What you 'like' on Facebook can reveal more about you than you might like, including your race, religion, and sexuality 12 March 2013 | By Joe Morgan " Using the algorithms, published in the journal PNAS, proved 88% accurate for determining if a man was gay or not." --gaystarnews.com Facebook 'likes' can out you as gay

Anti-gay German mayor loses seat to gay candidate Sven Gerich, of the pro-same-sex marriage party Social Democratic Party, won with a small majority of 50.8% 11 March 2013 | By Joe Morgan " An anti-gay German mayor has lost his seat to openly gay candidate Sven Gerich, of the Social Democratic Party (SPD)." "Some German political experts are saying this win is symbolic of the public becoming tired with the [Christian Democratic Union]." --gaystarnews.com

Posted: 05/15/2012 5:45 pm Updated: 05/15/2012 5:45 pm "Using a small sketch pad, he wrote out his message in pencil and held it out while he stood across from the picket line." Nine-Year-Old Josef Miles Stages Counter-Protest Against Westboro Baptist Church Protesters

OK. So as most of you guys probably know...When you fall and crack your chin open, it makes it really hard to shave. So, I now have all these long hairs on my chin. What do you think? Chin braid? Or maybe i am just starting a new fashion trend. Just thought I'd give you all a chuckle.

http://www.examiner.com/article/tennessee-dog-dies-thursday-because-he-is-gay

Fifteen-year-old Laurel posted a photo of a cake she made for her parents as a way of announcing that she is a lesbian. Loud and proud in bright green frosting, the cake reads, "I'm gay." ... http://news.yahoo.co...-225145896.html

The commentary is by a gay contributor, about gay people...but throughout the commentary, the word "gay" can easily be replaced by "trans." -Mike Barb Hamp Weicksel - SDGLN Contributor, February 5th, 2013 "There was a whole lot of discussion in our home this week about whether or not we have the right – or as some would say – the responsibility -- to “out” someone. Is this something we in the gay community are required to do? And are we especially required to do it when the person in question is a closeted gay and works against the gay community?" --Weicksel, sdgln.com COMMENTARY: Given the chance, would you or could you “out” someone?

Florida’s School-to-Prison Pipeline is Largest in the Nation More than in any other state, students in Florida are being arrested for incidents that once would have merited a trip to the principal's office. February 13, 2013 | Like this article? Join our email list: Stay up to date with the latest headlines via email. Reprinted with permission of Colorlines.com. For more news from a racial justice perspective, sign up to receive weekly Colorlines Direct. It used to be that getting in a schoolyard fight meant a trip to the principal’s office—detention, maybe. But in Florida, more than any other state, that schoolyard fight…

22 hours ago ""The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, but they are not how I feel," Culliver said in a statement." --sports.yahoo.com Niners CB says openly gay players would not be welcomed on the team ____________________________ While Culliver's statements were inappropriate, it appears that he was being egged on by Artie Lange. The article crucifies Culliver, but says nothing about Lange. -Mike

While the US's president made history being the first to mention gay rights in his inaugural speech for his second term, Brits may be paving the way to make sure their next king or queen will be so, whether gay or straight... U.K.: Law Proposed to Accommodate a Gay King or Queen

Saw my Dad today, and I love to hear him talk about how things were when he was growing up. I think about how much history is being lost because the old stories are not being passed down or people are too busy to listen. My Dad was telling me about a relative that had a big farm on the border between Vt and Canada. How he used to take a big horse team through the woods into Canada, load up with booze and then bring it into VT and NH to sell. And how the local sheriff used to try to catch him. I enjoy hearing all those stories.

Heard this on ABC news. Everyone should disable Java. here is the news info. http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wirestory/us-government-tells-computer-users-disable-java-18195912 Thought i'd padss this on. I disabled it on my computer. Rather be safe then sorry.

My thinking was....as 2012 ends, man i hope 2013 is a good one. But, then, i started thinking about all i have to be thankful for. For all the good things that happpened in my life in 2012. For all the good things that i so often overlook. And, in knowing there are so many hurting people in the world, even in my own community, I realize, i have nothing to complain about. Life happens. Some good, some bad. I am going to try my best to hang onto the good, and do my best to deal with the bad, and then, let the bad go. Tall order given the fact i am human. I am just deciding for myself, to spend more time thinking about the good in my life, and when the bad happens t…

Hasbro, are you listening? Natalie Hope McDonald, 12-13-2012 at 11:29am "A few famous foodies are hoping to help persuade Hasbro to manufacture a new gender-neutral Easy Bake Oven in a new video series. For years now, the kitschy toy has been on the wish lists of kids everywhere. But these little helpers only ever seem to come in two colors: purple and pink." phillymag.com Chefs Want Gender-Neutral Easy Bake Ovens (w/Video)

What resolutions, if any, have you made for 2013? Personally...I've not really made any. Least ways, none I've definitely committed to. I have this knack of absently thinking about things in the back of my mind...things I want to do. But, it's like I leave it open for various possibilites. Sorta like a [horror] movie that, toward the end, it appears that everything is resolved and the creatures have all been killed. But while everyone walks off into the sunset, a creepy kinda music builds, and you wonder.... Interesting reading: History of New Year's Resolutions New Year's Resolution

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Was it just for laughs? Did John Basedow make more out of it with his comments? What did Basedow mean by his opening comment, "ooooo, dude looks like a lady!" And halfway throught the vid, "granted, some sex-swappers came out a little more attractive than others." And then his closing comment, "after seeing the results of bending genders, one thing's clear to me - maybe we shouldn't mess with Mother Nature." Were there some personal biases slyly intertwined with what was intended as just fun? Gender-bender Photo Competition