Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category

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The first 106 words of the Declaration of Independence


04 Jul

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Posted in Politics | Comments Off

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Posts…


02 May

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Posted in International Politics, Politics, Television | Comments Off

I was all set to watch the season finale of American’s Next Great Restaurant last night, but was unable to. Our regularly scheduled programming was interrupted with breaking news- Osama bin Laden was dead, and his body was inUScustody.

I’m not certain I agree with the commentator’s comment that this is the most important moment in the current Presidential term. I still think passing health care reform was pretty major. But this is the moment that pretty much guarantees Obama a second term. The timing, with scheduled troop withdrawals and movement in his cabinet, turned out pretty perfect.

There aren’t even enough McJobs


29 Apr

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Posted in Finances, Politics, Work | Comments Off

It’s a discussion I do not have the energy to be involved in this time around (and it does take energy as people are so entrenched on their side of the fence), but it is always interesting to see how other people view the current job market. There are those who believe that there are enough jobs for everyone, if people were really willing to work, and those who like to point out that McDonalds announced it would hire 50,000 people. It actually hired 62,000. That’s great, but the fact that they got over 1 million applications- not so much.

HIV Prevention Drug Trials Halted in Africa


19 Apr

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Posted in Healthcare, International Politics, Politics | Comments Off

A major trial of a pill meant to help prevent HIV infection has been halted. Given how rarely drug trials are truly successful, this news isn’t surprising, but it is sad.

Women inAfricararely have options when it comes to protecting themselves from the virus. This pill was hope that they could finally exert some control over their health and the health of their children to be. Sadly, the results show it isn’t working. The women given the real drug and the women given the dummy pill are being infected at the same rate.

On to the next study.

We’re in Libya


31 Mar

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Posted in Friendship, International Politics, Politics, Relationships | Comments Off

Have you ever stood up for a friend? When it wasn’t really your fight, but you were more capable of taking on the challenge? Because your friend had done the same thing for you? Is it wrong to stand up for your friends?

This may seem simplistic, and yet President Obama is being criticized for going in to Libya in order to aid our European allies. No, we weren’t directly at risk, but they were. And guess who has our back in other places around the world?

We have alliances for a reason. We can’t expect them to be one-sided.

In South Dakota


30 Mar

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Posted in Discrimination, Healthcare, Politics | Comments Off

In South Dakota, there’s a 48 hour waiting period before purchasing a handgun. No permit is required. Police record who buys the gun.

In South Dakota, there’s a 72 hour waiting period before receiving an abortion. Anti-abortion counseling is required before the waiting period starts. Religious groups, who are not bound by privacy laws, record all the women who come in for counseling.

I’m not against real counseling, but it should be done by healthcare professionals who are bound to protect their patients’ personal information. And I don’t think it should be easier to obtain a gun than an abortion.

Atlantis Discovered?


15 Mar

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Posted in International Politics, Politics, Science, Technology, Travel, Weather | Comments Off

It was thought Troy was just a legend until Heinrich Schliemann paid for a dig in the late 1860s. While we don’t know if the Trojan War actually happened, we do know that Troy was real.

Now, researchers believe they have found the fabled lost city of Atlantis- in Spain. As with Troy, the only mention of the city was in ancient Greek writings, but it may be time to remove “fabled” from the description. Buried under centuries of mud in the marshlands north of Cadiz, there’s a city that was wiped out by a tsunami. Have we found Atlantis?

The Disaster in Japan


14 Mar

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Posted in International Politics, Politics, Travel, Weather | Comments Off

The magnitude of the disaster in Japan is growing. I had such hopes that the number of dead would remain in the hundreds. As of this morning, 2,800 were confirmed dead, but with suspicions of 10s of thousands more.

The earthquake, tsunami, aftershocks, and explosions at the nuclear power plant are causing devastation not known in that country since the end of WWII.  Hopefully, an outpouring of aid will commence. Their government is not equipped to handle a disaster on this scale.

To my friends who have friends and family in the country- I hope your loved ones are safe.

8.9 on the Richter Scale


12 Mar

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Posted in Finances, International Politics, Politics, Weather | Comments Off

The question for insensitive me is, will individual people be sending aid to Japan? The quake was huge- 8.9. But Japan has modern infrastructure. The quake has left hundreds dead- hundreds, not thousands. Can you imagine what this would have done to a coastal area of China?

At the same time, this is likely to be the most expensive natural disaster in history. The costs to repair will be huge. So will there be an outpouring of aid via the Red Cross? Will we text to donate $5. Or do we decide Japan can afford to care for its own?

We Have a Right to Free Speech, Even When We Don’t Want to Hear it


03 Mar

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Posted in Discrimination, Gay Marriage, Politics, Religion | 4 Comments »

I hate the Westboro Baptist Church, and all it stands for, but the Supreme Court made the right decision, in their ruling that the church can not be sued for protesting outside military funerals.

No matter how much I dislike what you’re saying, our soldiers are fighting and dying for your right to say it. And while I think you’re discrediting their sacrifice through these protests, I think it would be even more greatly discredited if we took that right away.

This was as close to no win situation as the court gets. I think they went the right way.

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