All aboard the crazy train..

Apparently, someone's going to need to keep Ann Coulter in a separate car. The GOP has a new character to their ever growing list of freaky freaks. Orly Taitz has zoomed past Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, Joe the Plumber, and a whole LIST of odd characters. It's so insane that it amazes me that anyone admits that they are Republican anymore.
Watch:
I have to admit, the article I read this morning talked about the GOP just going for the white vote. Stop pretending to be open to any kind of civil rights issues or minority headaches. Just get a white man back in office and send Obama back to Kenya where he was born. It's frightening but true. It's the best they've got right now.. Pretty much all they've got.
On the bright side, today is a holiday in Birthersland. It's the day that Obama was born... Or WAS he????

Life.. And death.

My oldest daughter is gorgeous. Model gorgeous. She looks nothing like me and she's far more intelligent and obedient. In our faith, our kids can't date until they are 16. Even then it's recommended they date in groups. It's a huge load off of the parents of kids who are gorgeous and get asked out every single day. She's never had problems telling them no but she misunderstood my rules. We finally got it straight that the young teen "going out" where they call themselves a couple and then pass messages through friends isn't really dating and it's okay with me. She shot a lot of boys down and her explanation is usually that they have a fun friendship and to become boyfriend/girlfriend would ruin it. Make it awkward. If they persist, she usually avoids them altogether. Some take it better than others. I noticed months ago that she did seem interested in one particular kid. She had quite a crush and apparently he'd asked her to be his girlfriend and she'd said no. Now with my permission she reluctantly agreed to be his girlfriend. It was exactly like she expected, it made things awkward and uncomfortable. It didn't last long and she tried to salvage the friendship, but I told her it would take time. It would be forgotten in time.
Sometime before July 28th she started getting messages that something bad had happened to him. After calling some friends she found out he'd tried to hang himself. He was discovered before he was dead, but he was brain dead. He was life flighted but there was nothing that could be done his family was able to say goodbye before they took him off of life support. Today I took her to the funeral and I realized that I hadn't even seen him, just heard her talk about him. He was a very good looking kid and popular. He would have started high school this month (as she will) and played on the junior varsity football team. His team mates came in their football uniforms and lined each side of the sidewalk as we left the memorial. It was a beautiful service that didn't do a lot to make us understand why he felt he only had one option. The church was full of people who cared about him. People he could have talked to. We did come away knowing that he wasn't very good at admitting when he was scared or needed help and very, very, likely didn't grasp that life is a fragile thing. That he probably didn't mean to end his life but to send a message. Most importantly we came away knowing that it's not really our life to take. God gave it to us, and we shouldn't underestimate or fail to appreciate this gift. God loves us and he will be the one to judge these things that we don't always understand. He loves us and He is merciful. Mostly we came away looking at our children a little closer. That we remember how overwhelming teenage problems were to us and to never make light of them. That we make certain that we understand them and that they understand there are other options and this one isn't the best one.
It's just the most permanent.

Somethings are sacred...

And the music of George Michael is one of them. Some covers make me cringe, but I gotta say I'm love, love, LOVING Seether's cover of Careless Whisper~

The Birthers

There are various conspiracy theories, some more whacked out than others. Some nag at me a bit, others are embarrassing and silly. But I am astounded by this tenacious group of people who are insisting that President Obama isn't an American Citizen, "The Birthers". It's amazing the people who are willing to lend their names to something as lame as this group of extremists. Sean Hannity, Liz "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" Cheney and Lou Dobbs have defended this group of people and Alan Keyes is happy to lead the Tin Foil Hat Brigade, with his attorney, Orly Taitz is a professional at spotting a foreigner a mile away, at least I think that's what she said. Her accent is so thick I can barely understand her. Obviously a case of sour grapes on Keyes part and some of the other right wing extremists. It appears that most of Congress is as embarrassed by the total nonsense as the rest of us. But they have gotten their foot in the door.
A recent poll showed that 28% of Republicans don't think that Obama is an American citizen. A big portion of that 28% were southern voters (which, in my opinion, implies racism) and many are older people who tend to believe rumor rather than investigate it for themselves. The Independent party has it's fair share, but Alan Keyes DOES need the face time since Ron Paul made such a splash in the recent movie Bruno. Incidentally the shooter in the Holocaust Museum is a Birther as well as anti-Semitic.
In any case, these people will never be satisfied by evidence that disproves their wild accusations and while it seems amusing, it's also dangerous. It fosters divisiveness and it wastes our time and resources. Even more frightening? Which one of these people will be our next Republican President?

Oh, and this is the evidence:




I am no fan of Stephen Colbert, but this gives you a sample of Orly Taitz:

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Womb Raiders - Orly Taitz
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Tasers

On the bright side, the GOP has a new plan. Making the elderly believe that President Obama is going to appoint Dr. Kevorkian to a very special place in the new health care plan.
I think we could eradicate the financial crisis if these people started trying to sell bridges... In Alaska.

Sunburn update..

Still blistering and still popping. My legs are the worst right now, swollen and icky.

My sunburn..

Yes, I know I was stupid. Yes, I'm aware of the dangers of sun damage. These pictures were a couple of days ago and just of my arms. I'm still blistering and now my legs are nasty looking too. No sign of infection. It just hurts.

My holiday weekend...

The 24th of July is pioneer day. The anniversary of the day that Brigham Young and the pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley, in 1847 and declared it the place to build. So it's a state holiday. I had a rough start on the morning of the 23rd because I felt so sick in the morning. A migraine on top of the relentless creature that lives in my skull.
We went tubing down the river and it was SOOOOO fun but traumatic. My daughter fell off of her tube in the worst part of the rapids and I went into hysterics, everyone was telling me that she was okay but I need to hear it from her and it took about 10 minutes to catch up . She was okay but it's always been my worst nightmare.
I have to say the best part of the day was hanging out with my sister. I kept getting severely injured, hitting branches and rocks and there could be piranhas because there was something in my shorts biting me. But the worst part was that I couldn't deal with the obstacales because my sister kept squawking and I was laughing so hard that I couldn't contain myself. If I could, I'd push her tube to send her in the right direction until I discovered that she was shoving ME to save herself.. yeah.. It was so much fun and I haven't laughed that hard in years. I would say I laughed so hard that I peed my pants, but what happens in the river, stays in the river :P
I'll post pictures of my sunburn as soon as I can. It's so gross. The wprst i've ever had.

I just found a cool site!!!

I like the Modern Renaissance galleries best and there are definitely some that are better than others. They are photoshopped and some still look too photo-ish.
*WARNING* Renaissance artists did appreciate the nude form*

Check it out!

Here's some of my faves:







The main site is www.worth1000.com

President Monson and President Obama

WASHINGTON 20 July 2009 President Barack Obama was presented with five large leather-bound volumes today by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that detail his family history going back multiple generations covering hundreds of years. The presentation was made by Church President Thomas S. Monson and Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. They were accompanied by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, who is also a member of the Church. President Monson said: “President Obama’s heritage is rich with examples of leadership, sacrifice and service. We were very pleased to research his family history and are honored to present it to him today.”

Elder Oaks, who oversees the Church’s family history program, said, “The Church has great resources and experience in genealogy work, and we are proud to have researched such a unique and impressive family history.”

“I thank President Monson and Elder Oaks for sharing our religion’s tradition of genealogical research with the president and his family,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. “I am also glad that President Obama and Elder Oaks had an opportunity to discuss their shared passion of the law. Recognizing the president and first lady's deep regard for family, I am honored that our church can have any part in documenting their family history.”

The Church has also presented personal histories to other U.S. presidents, including Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

LDS.org


Statement from the President after meeting with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and leaders of the LDS Church

The President issued the following statement after meeting with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and leaders of the LDS Church at the White House today:

"I enjoyed my meeting with President Monson and Elder Oaks. I'm grateful for the genealogical records that they brought with them and am looking forward to reading through the materials with my daughters. It's something our family will treasure for years to come."
WhiteHouse.gov

Poor Alaska... And I mean that in BOTH senses of the word.

So in the event that a Governor doesn't fulfill their term for whatever reason (gets pulled into the Obama Administration, runs off with a chick from Argentina, falls out of a plane and get's eaten by the wolves that she was shooting at, or just up and quits) the Lt. Governor steps up to finish the term. In Alaska that man is Sean Parnell. There's a chain of command that moves into place after that, but Palin has (of course) disrupted that.

Palin announced she will turn power over to Lt. Gov Sean Parnell July 26, then unexpectedly offered a new name to take on the second-in-command job.

She said Lt. Gen. Craig Campbell, commissioner of military and veterans affairs, will fill the lieutenant governor’s job — but Campbell is subject to legislative confirmation, something that may not happen before the change of command later this month.

Meanwhile, the current successor, Corrections Commissioner Joe Schmidt, said he doesn’t want to be lieutenant governor, and has asked the governor for approval to resign as her designee.

-Renee Delbridge

So what the heck?? Everyone just quits?? Did it not occur to people that this could happen?? (BTW keep in mind what will happen if anything happens to President Obama, God forbid. Yikes.)

This is seriously messed up and to have this special session to patch up this mess is going to cost the Alaskan taxpayers... how much??? What a nightmare. When will she step down as Drama Queen?
Don't bother blaming her. Here's all the reasons why: It's Not Sarah's Fault...Just Ask Her. By Shannyn Moore (who happens to be a proud Alaskan native)