VISCIOUS PALIN

I am Christian. As a Christian, I learned that we have responsibility to all living things across gender, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, nationality, species, etc. I learned and I will always believe, that if a person persecutes one group then they will also persecute other groups that are "different" from them.

Palin presents herself as embracing a "culture of life". What culture of life was she embracing the June morning when her hired guns pulled 14 sleeping baby wolves from their den and put a bullet through each and every tiny head. Her hired guns were Alaskan state employees paid with tax money. Other Alaskan state employees had already that morning run the pups' mother and her entire pack to exhaustion in state-chartered helicopters and then shot them with bullets (purchased with state tax money). They were allowed to die in the frigid cold of the snow---writhing in pain and chewing at their backs were the bullets entered their bodies.

So far, 800 wolves have been shot from state chartered helicopters by Alaskan state employees this year. Another 2,000 have been killed by other methods. That's the reported deaths. Palin tried to put a $150 bounty on each foreleg of a dead wolf. Thankfully, her wolf bounty was ruled illegal by the courts. The Friends of Animals, Alaska Wildlife Alliance and Defenders of Wildlife worked very hard to stop the $150 bounty. Unfortunately to date nothing has been able to stop the aerial hunting or the "denning" (pulling of infant wolves from their dens and shooting them through the head).

This behavior does not represent a "culture of life". This woman is cruel, viscious and represents savagery at his height. Do you want a Vice President with this level of savagery? If McCain/Palin are elected, this woman would in all probability become President. Do you want a President with this level of savagery? Aren't we fighting a war to get rid of a dictator who ran her a good race for savagery?

If you want to help, the first thing you need to do is
1) Vote against McCain/Palin. Without a doubt, that is the most important vote you will ever cast in your life.
2) Contact and join Friends of Animals, Alaska Wildlife Alliance, and Defenders of Wildlife. They need donations. They need you to sign petitions. They need you to write to Congress. They need you to write to the media.
3) The national media is not covering the slaughter of wolves and polar bears led by Palin. I suspect they are afraid of being accused of partisanship. If this story is to be covered by the media, we the people are going to have to force them to cover it. WRITE AND CALL THE MEDIA!!!! DEMAND THAT THEY COVER THE CRUELTY AND SAVAGERY OF THIS WOMAN!!!
4) We need to find ways to send her back to Alaska and REMOVE her from power. Ideally, she'll be tried and put in prison where she belongs.

SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER

Go to http://www.grizzlybay.org/HelpSpreadTruth.htm

I'm 62 today, and grieving baby wolves

Big day! I've made it to 62. I've been away for a time because I've been dealing with work and medical tests.



I'm pleased to announce that I don't have to have surgery now. I have to be inserted into that dreadful coffin tube with noises that sound like jackhammers and machine guns while radioactive dye is dripped into my arteries every three months until it's time for surgery. But, today I am alive and I don't have to have surgery right now. The medical profession calls that coffin tube an MRA. Hate it, hate it, hate it!!!!



Eric and I have a new grand nephew. Jenny and Ryan's son (Kaden) was born October 1, 2008. Beautiful baby boy!



The privacy fence is up and sealed with wood preservative and the new furnace, AC, air cleaner and humidifier is in. It's too hot to use it, but winter will come and we'll be warm. The system was Eric's birthday present from me. Yes, I know it wasn't romantic or sentimental. But, we've been together a long time. He'll appreciate it this winter.

On my 62nd birthday while I'm thanking God that he has allowed me to live this long, I grieve the slaughter of baby wolves at the behest of our Republican VP candidate. The cubs were 4 weeks old. They were sleeping peacefully in their den. Unfortunately, the mother had made the grave mistake of giving birth to them on state owned land. So, Sarah Palin and the great white hunters (Alaskan state employees) she helicoptered into their habitat pulled them one by one from their natal den and put a bullet into their brain. Their mother was slaughtered by the same state employees by bullets from a low flying helicopter. She pays $150 for each forepaw of a dead wolf.

Do we really want a woman capable of such savagery as Vice President of the United States? If you want to help the fight for the survival of American wolves, please visit Humane Society of the United States and learn what you can do. Clearly, the most important thing you will ever do in your life is vote against McCain/Palin. There won't be a wolf or polar bear left alive anywhere if McCain/Palin is elected. Vote against McCain/Palin. Save the world!!!!

SONOGRAM RESULTS

While I was in trial this morning, the doctor called and left a message to call him. I did. He got the results of my doppler sonogram and said that both my carotid arteries are significantly blocked. He said that this is not an emergency and he doesn't think I need emergency surgery--like tomorrow. He did, however, want me to contact a specific cardiovascular surgeon. So, I'm trying. Not having a lot of luck getting through, but I'll keep trying.

SONOGRAM

Tomorrow morning I'm scheduled to have a sonogram of my carotid arteries. My doctor believes there is some sort of build up of plaque (or something) and is concerned that I may be vulnerable to a stroke. He's especially concerned because my blood pressure gets a bit on the high side at times. In truth, I've had serious problems in the past with very significantly elevated blood pressure. He hears something called bruits in both arteries. I've had this procedure done previously because two other doctors heard these bruits. Last time, I had it done the sonogram came back non-problematic.

So, here we go again.

They have a rather disgusting sounding procedure they do if the sonogram shows anything serious. It's a lot like a plumber does when your pipes get stopped up or when tree roots get in your sewer line.

FEELING LIKE A SQUIRREL

I'll be gone most of the week.

Headed way up north today for a trial tomorrow. Return tomorrow evening quite late. Tuesday, I get up very early to take dogs to VET for rabies shots, do court prep for a trial on Tbhursday and let the garage door fixer people in---the garage door won't open. A huge spring broke. Wednesday, I have the sonogram on the arteries in my neck. Thursday, I have another trial.

Thankfully, the parole board relented and changed their minds about letting a guy out of prison who was serving 300 years (this time) for murder and raping a young woman after she was dead. Finally, they listened to reason that this man was not a first time offender, but had been convicted of murder in four other states, a couple of kidnappings, a least one other rape, and a multitude of less heinous crimes. So, at least I don't have to meet with him in a room alone and evaluate him. Until a multitude of objections were registered, they were actually going to let him out.

Yesterday, the tiller man came and installed the drainage pipe I wanted installed. I wanted it to drain water away from the front of the house and towards a tree. He suggested that the addition of about a ton of dirt graded so that it slopes away front the house would also be helpful. So Tuesday, I also need to make arrangements for a ton of dirt to be delivered. Once delivered, I'll need to spread it so that it has the correct grade.

The Rose of Sharons I planted a little over a week ago are blooming to beat the band. The new fence provides a wonderful backdrop for their delicate blossoms. So far the dogs have sniffed them, but carefully avoided stepping on anything. Yesterday, I bought a 100 each of daffodils and mixed tulips and will need to get them planted within the week.

Early next week, I'm contacting the furnace man to have to furnace replaced before winter. It's Eric's birthday present--not very romantic or sentimental--but he is a major problem in terms of birthday and Christmas presents. This present will, at least, save him from spending a couple of grand. Yesterday, talked him into going and getting the materials to replace the weatherstripping and the "sweep" on the French doors. Hopefully, that will be completed this next week.

I'm beginning to feel like a squirrel preparing for the long winter and early spring.

Palin

Recently, someone I know and love commented to me that he read that Steinem "dissed" Palin. Not having read anything by Steinem in many years (or even heard her named mentioned in as many years), I replied that I did not know about it.

Personally, I was utterly appalled when Palin was put on any ticket anywhere--much less on the ticket a heartbeat from the Presidency. I understand exactly why the party did it. They needed to rouse the far right wing conservative base and religious zealots so they put a far right wing conservative, religious zealot on the ticket--however unqualified. And, they succeeded in rousing the far right wing conservatives and religious zealots.

What puzzles me is how an intelligent man can even, for a moment, believe that intelligent women (who might want a woman to eventually become the President or Vice President) would be willing to settle for any woman--as long as she's a woman. He said to me that he thought women would have been proud that finally a woman was on the ticket. Palin rejects reproductive rights and stem cell research. She supports abstinence-only programs. Palin wants Creationism taught in schools. She would completely destroy the environment and all endangered species with her focus on drilling for oil. She's been the mayor of a town of about 8,000 people and left it seriously in debt when she became governor.

She knows nothing of foreign affairs or foreign policy. And, this is my overwhelming concern. This scares me half to death! She'll be a heartbeat from the Presidency and the President will be a 72 year old man who has had repeated bouts with a highly lethal form of skin cancer. Sadly, if the Republican ticket is elected in all likelihood she'll become President.

I have always respected Senator McCain. I believe he once loved this country. He remains a true hero for his life of service. But, with this decision, he decided to put his desire to be President above his love of this country. Why else would he risk "willing" this country to Palin's unqualified hands. He didn't sell his country out as a young man, but he sold America out in his pursuit of the Presidency.

Now, I understand that the far right wing conservative and religious zealots will vote for the ticket because she's on it, but it is my greatest hope that intelligent people will see through this political gamesmanship and be able to recognize and reject the pandering to right-wing idealogues.