Maisie, 2003, age 5. My niece tells me that the caption on the photo of her, above, should read: “I DONT NEED NO PRINCE IN SHINING ARMOR!”
That’s right, Maisie — you don’t. But don’t expect much help from the grown-ups in your life. Most of us have forgotten that in order for you to be free, WE have to give you the tools of independence and power, AND teach you how to use them.
Virginia Woolf wrote famously about the “habit of freedom” in A Room of One’s Own. In the crowning paragraph of her essential essay Woolf claimed that without the habit of freedom and the courage to bear witness to and live in REALITY, we women would NEVER escape our personal sitting rooms. She upbraided the educated and comfortable women in her audience (the essay was originally delivered as remarks to women students and graduates of Cambridge University) for retreating into families, personal lives, and the minutiae of trivial matters. Her anger is palpable and builds through each successively perfect paragraph. What dismayed Woolf perhaps the most was the WASTE of the women sitting before her — young, capable, upper middle class women with brilliant educations and supportive families (a woman graduate of Cambridge in those days was by definition a product of progressive and well-off parents) who, Woolf feared, would soon retreat into marriage, motherhood, and polite political discourse.
Woolf wanted to CHANGE THE WORLD! She wanted to END WAR FOREVER and overthrow patriarchal oppression — FOREVER. She was NOT encouraging middle class women to go home and start journaling. She was challenging them to hit the road and change the world. How collossally SELFISH, she said, to take all the money, time, and knowledge they had received from their families to achieve a Cambridge diploma and a monthly income, and use it as an opportunity to go back to the parlor with the ladies and embrace the suffocating meaninglessness of narcissism.
Lady literary, poetical types (myself included) often read the essay as an excuse to sit in our rooms and put our unfettered feelings to paper, childishly believing that because we are poor, obscure, and privately brave when we face the blank page we are DOING something to speed the day when a genius daughter may be born, and more importantly, but usually overlooked, LIVE TO ACCOMPLISH GREATNESS.
It’s a nice thought, but that’s all it is — nice. Actually it’s not nice at all. It’s a disaster. It is nothing short of a tragedy that Woolf’s brilliant call to arms has been misread as a call to interiority and, in some cases, materially conferred complacency. She did NOT want us to become diarists or bankers, INDIVIDUAL success stories in a permanent Man’s World — she wanted us to become RADICALS. Free and independent agents of profound change. Woolf diagnosed patriarchal power as a viral agent of eventual world-destruction. She sincerely believed that the violence of men would destroy not only civilization but the world itself. And she wanted the young women of Cambridge to use their precious knowledge and unparalleled FREEDOM (from motherhood and domesticity) to band TOGETHER and become a COUNTER-FORCE to the disease of violence, war, and oppression.
But she failed. She either failed to inspire those women (not in each case I know, but overall) or perhaps she was speaking to the wrong audience (for all her genius, Virginia Woolf WAS an unmitigated snob). The women of Cambridge did NOT unite as an army of change. They DID go back to their sitting rooms. They became authors and teachers, mothers and nurses. And Woolf despaired. Her sense of powerlessness and failure in the face of the onslaught of World War II, 20 short years after the devastation of the First War, was so strong that she drowned herself in the river rather than face another war alone.
When Woolf paints a picture for her listeners of a future Shakespeare’s Sister who MAY be born someday — a FIRST WOMAN of unparalleled GREATNESS — she is NOT speaking about poetic accomplishment, or at least not merely poetry. Not by a LONG shot. Woolf envisioned new Napoleans, new Alexander the Greats, new Jesuses — and she meant NEW, not female reincarnations of those men. She was wise enough to know that new forms would be required and the power of her own immense imagination was not strong enough to conjure an actual blueprint for this new, first woman. Like Shakespeare or Napolean or Ceasar, the first woman of true woman-genius would be original, unexpected, and radical.
That’s why she told us that we had to work and NOT worry about poverty or obscurity. Because if we made a new kind of road, in the REAL world, not in the sitting rooms, then eventually a girl would come along who would invent a new form of transportation — a new wheel, a new way to fly — as Shakespeare, Galileo, Jesus, and da Vinci did. Woolf wanted an army of bricklayers to pave the way. She wanted women who would change the landscape of our culture, make a map of the new world, and teach our daughters and nieces how to navigate it.
Instead we have orphaned four generations of daughters since then — girls like Maisie — to the old roads of marriage and motherhood, objectification and shame, loneliness and aborted dreams.
But, again, perhaps Woolf was wrong to look to the privileged daughters of bankers and businessmen for new radicals. Perhaps the freedom-dulling effects of the chauvinistic western canon were too strong for the graduates of a grand old bastion of male-hierarchical thought like Cambridge University. When all you’ve been taught is Aristotle, how can you tear down Plato? Can you use Plutarch to fight Churchill?
Maybe, finally, it will be the erratically educated women of the American working class who will take up Woolf’s call to arms. We have more freedom and comfort than the millions who really suffer, but yet we live in a toxic and oppressive culture that hates us. We have a little bit of money and not too many children, most of them grown or almost grown. We ARE free in the way those young women of Cambridge were, but we do not yet have the HABIT of freedom. We inherited the dream of freedom and equality from the 1960’s but have watched it die a shameful, slow death every year since then.
Our sisters and neighbors are lynched in our neighborhoods. We are marginalized, ridiculed, and groped. We are lonely and confused and uninsured. We can pay the rent, but we can’t make our voices heard. Our husbands, if we ever had husbands, are ineffective, indifferent, overwhelmed themselves, or long gone.
What prompted Maisie to pick up that five-year old picture of herself and send it to me, admonishing me to caption it with a defiant statement of independence? Will the urge to freedom that inspired her die this year or next, atrophying as mute vestigial longing?
Perhaps it is we, the ones no one was expecting, who will finally begin practicing the HABIT OF FREEDOM — poorly and obscurely, but strong enough to light a lamp for Maisie along a new road.
After all, as Janis Joplin said, “freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.”
What have YOU got left to lose?
{ 364 comments… read them below or add one }
Seattlegirl 12.21.08 at 5:33 pm
Repost from downstairs….
I do not believe that women need to be united in our tactics to gain equality and representation in government. We only need to be united in our most basic goals. New Agenda at least is looking toward 52% of government being made up of women because we are 52% of the population. This represents a significant improvement over NOW who had some weird goal of far, far out in the future getting to 30% women in government.
Women should not allow any political party to count on our votes. Both parties should worry endlessly about whether they will get the womens support. That is how you use your power. We probably can’t form a new political party but we can form and interest group big enough that our demands must be considered. That should be easier than making the religious right or the Black caucus or Hispanic caucus a group to be reckoned with for the simple reason that women are the majority in the population and we vote in higher percentages than men. Both political parties need to court us and be endlessly afraid of who we might endorse.
Fiona 12.21.08 at 5:34 pm
That picture just kicks ass! I want to be Maisie.
Sunshinelvr 12.21.08 at 5:40 pm
Murphy , are you asking us –or telling us–that we have to leave our comfortable little lives and start stirring the pot???
webfoot 12.21.08 at 5:41 pm
Great picture Murphy. I am eternally grateful to both my parents who told me I could do anything I wanted to do and be anything I wanted to be. Both my children (a daughter and a son) have been reared the same way. It never, ever occurred to me to think otherwise. Which is probably why, when I went to work in a male-dominated job, I was successful. Because I did the job. Never, ever crossed my mind that I couldn’t do it. I will back later; just popped in before heading out into the storm to pick up my daughter from her job. Which, when she is picking up heavy things, gets asked, if it’s too heavy and she just responds, “No. If it was I wouldn’t even try to lift it.” Yesterday I saw her loading a Christmas tree into someone’s car. And then there are the boxes of duraflame logs. The list goes on.
So, excellent point Murphy; the adults need to teach the children they succeed (my paraphrasing).
See you later Pumas
Sunshinelvr 12.21.08 at 5:41 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87yq372R4Ts
Pumas Unleashed 12.21.08 at 5:47 pm
Anyone know when Heidi-Li is actually going to post something regarding the horrific shooting of Louisa Rhodas? Seeing her blog is dedicated to the brutal victimization and hatred of Women?
So far all I’ve seen is a promotion of the chosen name for her site. The beta testing of a logo. Targeted locations for 12 donation buttons. Her Non-profit status posted allowing her to collect money from those donation buttons. Support of Terry McAuliffe for governor of VA.
Today’s headlining post about “Why Rahm Emanuel’s actual dealings with Rod Blogojevich do and will matter”.
What the Hell, you mean a site devoted to the Hatred of Women doesn’t have the good sense to Champion Louisa Rhodas as a victim? Because why? She doesn’t fall into the paradigm of Heidi-Li’s definition of brutalized women?
Another, Amy Sisskind’s “what’s init for me- blog!”
Disgusting with a capital “D”!
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 5:51 pm
Good post murphy! Gets the brain clicking.
Once again, I would like to say that Woolfe’s “A Room of One’s Own” can be found in the Norton Anthology of Women’s Lit.
I think it should be required reading for all pumas! Part of puma syllabus. It’s a must have.
Norton Anthology of Literature By Women:
http://www.amazon.com/Norton-Anthology-Literature-Women-Traditions/dp/0393968251
Seattlegirl 12.21.08 at 5:52 pm
Now relative to this post. I know I always say this but we women do not need to reinvent the wheel we need our own stories, media. Look to the ways that the best communicators in history get their messages across to the masses and use those tried and true ways to reach the next generations. I will use the Bible which has been around for thousands of years and has influenced many and obviously serves the needs of many or it would not be around as an example here. The bible provides characters people care about and shows us how to get out of common situations by following the lessons these characters offer. We will not be able to help the next generations with pure dogma. We could help them with a modern female mythology. It does not need to be dripping with otherworldliness like Harry Potter world although I find that appealing. But it needs compelling STRONG female characters featured in chronic human problems illustrating the way ahead, the path to take. This has not been possible in the past because men have controlled access to the media. You can see what kind of musician gets to perform in public, what kind of movie gets made and what type of actress gets ahead. You can see what kind of “womans magazine” gets published and they basically run the same 10 “womens content” articles over and over every month for the last 100 years. Men have treated “women’s content” as nothing but advertising venue and they have spent their energy making sure “women’s content” appeals to the men who want to advertise to women. But they can not control the internet and because of this women have a chance to promote their own stories, magazines, music, movies etc. I say stories are how we reach the young. Write them, tell them, film them, sing them. With the internet we cannot be stopped.
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 5:53 pm
Pumas Unleashed
wow, wow, wow…
wow!
Have you sent your comment to Heidi Li in the spirit of respecting her and the immense amount of work you has done? Or, is the only blog on which you deemed to trash the honorable woman?
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 5:55 pm
(from downstairs):
In my personal opinion outside of rape I don’t understand why we’d even need abortion in most cases with all the birth control measures we have available now…. If people USED the condoms, and pills, or WHATEVERS, they wouldn’t need to make that decision. My mother’s mother had over 6 abortions (before they were legal). She didn’t want the abortions, but her husband didn’t want the kids, all he wanted was the sex. She went to an abortion clinic to have mom aborted too… it didn’t “take” or else I wouldn’t be here today. Back then they didn’t have all the methods to NOT get pregnant that we have today. If they had had them I am sure she wouldn’t have gotten pregnant so many times and wouldn’t have had so many abortions. …and, I’m sure, mom nor I would be here today…. LOL.
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 5:59 pm
KarenWI: #10
Condoms don’t always work and neither does the pill. There are a hundred reasons why a girl/ woman might get an abortion, and it does not all pertain to an accident or lack of protection.
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 6:00 pm
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Ex-DemInVA 12.21.08 at 6:00 pm
HARRIET is a true PUMA! I had the good fortune of meeting her the night before the infamous VOTE on May 31, 2008 in D.C. She was a trip who spoke her mind. She truly loved Hillary and was disgusted with the route Party was taking as I. She is a passionate lady who loves this country. I admired her for speaking her mind that day and for saying what so many of us felt.
Ex-DemInVA 12.21.08 at 6:04 pm
I’m suspicious if Obama is “warming” up to the New Agenda group. He also got cozy with NOW, and the next thing you knew, they endorsed him and not Hillary after all the support she gave the group. It sounds like the “elite” are teaming up with the “elite” for President.
Pumas Unleashed 12.21.08 at 6:04 pm
DWP- Trashing?… I’m stating a fact! You have no idea how long I’ve been fuming over her hypocritical site. Just so you know… She won’t post my comments.. I am not alone with my low brow opinon of Heidi-Li. Many posters from other sites have criticized her zeal in selling her credentials as something to marvel at..She’s never impressed me as anyone special and never will!
Well you can harken this… I’ve been around too long and been through too many wars to be taken in with the “Idol” fan club. If you want to be a leader then LEAD… and don’t screw it up for others who aren’t afraid, like Harriet Christian, of breaking a few eggs..and telling it like it is when something is WRONG and making it RIGHT by STANDING UP cutting the wheat from the chafe!
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 6:09 pm
Murphy, sometimes when I read things you write, I feel as if I have been given the wonderful gift of a window opening on a grand vista.
I don’t know what it’s like to be you. and you don’t know what it’s like to be me.
Sometimes, after spending time here in the blog, I get the impression that being a ‘woman’, a ‘female’ is the lowest character on the totem pole.
But I don’t FEEL that. So I don’t believe it, either.
Other times, I am so grateful that I was created neither male nor female, but both. In my mind, in the game of life, I weigh the good and bad points I’ve learned about both. When I place it all on the scales, my choice would always to be female. But, in reality, it’s not a choice.
I loved reading about the things Virginia Woolfe wrote. However, I don’t think it was she who failed. It was her apathetic audience.
I know alot of women who SAY the things you do, Murphy. But I don’t know very many that step out of the box that DO the things you do.
I know that if I choose, I can find an excuse for every seeming inadequacy. A reason why I didn’t step up when I felt the prodding to make a difference.
I just resent when people lay that, “poor you, Ashleigh” on me. I refuse to live a life void of dignity and respect, no matter what my chromosomes may be. We pass thru this life only once and we have only this one chance to be all that we CAN be. If I’m not consciously trying to do my own part to make the world a better place, then I am a part of the mess.
Last night, as we were sharing about abuses suffered in childhood, I was really moved. Each one of us has a story. Some tragedy, something that has befallen us and, in many cases, resigns us to a life of impotency. But we don’t have to stay in that place.
One of my favorite lines from the Bible is ” A live dog has more hope than a dead lion.”
Here we have a chance to learn the habit of freedom. I read, recently, that there are more women in colleges, today, than men.
That seems like it should be a revelation, rather than an obituary.
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 6:10 pm
Pumas Unleashed 12.21.08 at 6:04 pm
DWP- Trashing?… I’m stating a fact! You have no idea how long I’ve been fuming over her hypocritical site. Just so you know… She won’t post my comments.. I am not alone with my low brow opinon of Heidi-Li. Many posters from other sites have criticized her zeal in selling her credentials as something to marvel at..She’s never impressed me as anyone special and never will!
Well you can harken this… I’ve been around too long and been through too many wars to be taken in with the “Idol” fan club. If you want to be a leader then LEAD… and don’t screw it up for others who aren’t afraid, like Harriet Christian, of breaking a few eggs..and telling it like it is when something is WRONG and making it RIGHT by STANDING UP cutting the wheat from the chafe!
—————–
If youre going to trash Heidi Li on this blog, would you mind not doing it in bold? Equating Heidi Li to the nothing new agenda is beyond low. Ys, Heidi Li raises funds, as she has for Puma PAC, and she has helped our cause by putting those funds to good use… tv commercials, newspaper ads, etc.
Did you even give her the consideration of addressing your accusations via email?
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 6:10 pm
If radical thinking is necessary…it should hurt our brains more. Gotta break through the hocus penis pocus. Do some jujutsu on imprinted thought and rewire the ole brain synapses. Power up and lift off this heavy invisible blanket. Can you push your mind to the limit?
Can you think in a way you never thought before? Can you?
BillieJo 12.21.08 at 6:10 pm
I am just checking in after reading the overnight posts of so many PUMAs that experienced child abuse and abuse by their ex’s like I did. My heart goes out to them and I am proud to know them now as such wonderful women.
I wonder if some time there should be a national website where abusive people’s names, addresses and phone numbers could be posted, along with the type of abuse they inflicted and the date they did it. Maybe if it became a serious website, women could not only expose their abusers, but also alert women in the future that met and wanted to date these people.
Sounds like TNA is just another click and have a very small playhouse that won’t let the other kids play in. What trite bs.
I think it is a wonder that PUMAs have bonded in the past year and are still here and on PUMA sites working out the bugs of their future.
((((Murphy and all PUMAs))))
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 6:13 pm
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 5:59 pm
ashleighgrace@yahoo.com would love to hear from you.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 6:19 pm
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 6:10 pm
“Can you think in a way you never thought before? Can you?”
Ah, I LOVE that line.
One of those guys, Lao Tzu or Socrates, or Confucius said, “As a man thinketh, so he is.”
If true, then it stands to reason we need to be thinking outside the box. and I think that’s what is going on here with PUMA. We don’t always all agree on certain things, but we’ve found a way to overcome the differences and nurture the similarities.
That’s just HUGE!!!
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 6:21 pm
BillieJo #19
Yes, I like there being a website for that sort of exposure. As long as it is all *true* then it would not be libel and it could thrive.
I also have a secret wish that women would leave their houses after a beating–not just leave the man, but just go OUT with all the bruises.
No one really talks about how the cuts, bruises, and swelling keeps women shut in–calling out from work–cancelling hair appointments–cancelling visits with friends and family. For as much as a beating is horrific, the healing portion is truly a preoccupation.
One night of a beat down is two weeks of healing time in general, and that means recoiling from the world half the time.
I saw a woman on a bus, with a black eye and a busted lip and she was holding groceries. I thought she was extremely brave. To come out into the world, a world that would bombard her with pity stares and unending advice and pleads for her to Leave The Man.
It shocked me. She didn’t even have cover up on or sunglasses. I just thought, “ohhhh-my sister. oh.”
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 6:22 pm
Mountainsong, I believe it was Solomon in the bible in the book of Proverbs who stated “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he”…. Proverbs chapter 23 verse 7.
murphy 12.21.08 at 6:22 pm
that makes no sense Pumas Unleashed.
Lordy — the value of the internet is its scalability, its enormity. For goodness’ sake, there’s no centralized agenda. Individual voices focus on what interests them, what their expertise is, what their readers want/need.
why SHOULD heidi write about Louisa? Is there some kind of rule?
for crying out loud — if what she writes doesnt interest you or you consistently disagree with her, don’t blog there.
If you dont support or care for her causes, dont contribute.
why the harsh insults?
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 6:28 pm
mountainsong:
Thank you for email, yes, I will email soon.
And yes! I think we need to think way outside the box. We are getting there.
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 6:29 pm
I think one of my favorite tv shows was “touched by an angel”… there was one episode where someone had treated someone else rudely… and the episode followed how that person was rude to someone else, and all the way down the line to someone who was committing suicide at the end. Then they showed that same scenario where the first person in the story was extra nice to someone and complimented them…. and all the way down the line the “being nice” was handed down until it got to the one who was committing suicide in the first scenario… and in this one it showed a different ending. The “angel” was talking to the first person in the scenario, who started the chain by being rude and showing him how much of an impact his one sentence had all along the line. My point? A couple actually. The first is that perhaps Pumas Unleashed is having a really bad day. The second is that it is up to US… that WE, by bonding together, can show that the “lion and the lamb” CAN lie down together; that the repub independent and dem CAN work together… and that, by us working together a small thing can be – like a tiny snowball started rolling down a snowy mountainside, become a huge avalanche…
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 6:35 pm
Pumas Unleashed, you are really upset. Write down all your thoughts carefully and send thoughtful letter to Heidi Li explaining how you feel maybe.
Pumas Unleashed 12.21.08 at 6:37 pm
Calling a spade a spade is not a harsh insult unless you chose to perceive it as such. Heidi-Li’s Fundraising has nothing to do with what I’ve written. Many PUMAS here have been faithful as fundraisers.
Alls I’m saying is if you’re going to Talk the Talk, Walk the Walk.. What Heidi is offering is well documented info for Violence Against Women thats been around for ages…she’s labeled it as Hatred.I find the dissimilarities unremarkable. If she can’t at least mention the tragedy of Louisa Rhodas as an example of her quest…then..I leave it to you to figure that one out..
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 6:38 pm
Eight years ago, I went back to school to study Human Services. We had a clas on “Transitions”. We were required to write a paper on this subject after reading a book entitled, “Making Sense of Life’s Changes”, by William Bridges, 1980. And, at the end of the Quarter, we had to write a second paper, on the same subject, but about what we had learned. I received an ‘A+’ for the first one, and was at odds how I might equal it in the second one.
I began it with this from Alice in Wonderland:
“Cheshire Puss,” she began, rather timidly, as she did not know whether it would like the name; however, it only grinned a little wider. “Come, it’s pleased so far,” thought Alice, and she went on.
“Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.
“I don’t much care where—,” said Alice.
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.
“—so long as I get SOMEWHERE,” Alice added as an explanation.
“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”
So…we are transitioning from oppression to freedom. Freedom is a heady thing, and doesn’t come without labor and responsibility and sacrifices. Many people who desperately desire freedom, willingly relinquish it when the get it and find out that freedom isn’t free.
Since most of our hurts come through relationships so will our healing (PUMA is a relationship), and i know that grace rarely makes sense for those looking in from the outside.
gay gal 12.21.08 at 6:38 pm
#24
I found this quote yesterday, in response to something Murphy said.
“Killing the Buddha insists that if religion matters at all it matters enough to be taken to task. We believe it’s high time for a new canon to be created, and that the Web is just the place to collect it. We refuse to accept the internet as a world wide shopping mall. We know intuitively it can be a sort of Talmudic cathedral, a tool of transcendence made of words. We’re here to build it. If the end result looks more like Babel than the City of God, so be it. Babel, after all, came close.”
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 6:48 pm
@ #29 mountainsong
http://www.tyukanov.com/gallery/Watercolors/cheshire%20cat.jpg
http://www.ebbemunk.dk/alice/31cheshire_cat.jpg
Oh here, you can print out this pic and put your dialogue in right side empty portion:
http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/c/carroll/lewis/alice/images/alice23a.gif
la la la
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 6:49 pm
I also did a research paper on ‘Gender Inequality’.
I would like some feedback on my first Causality Assertion:
Although the words, “male” and “female” are sex-related terms, gender, like sex role, refers to learned patterns of behavior EXPECTED of males and females in society. A key issue in the analysis of sexual inequality is how we learn to be masculine or feminine and how this development processes to dramatic sexual differentiation and inequality. The process itself is known as “socialization”, and is the birthplace of labels, stereotypes and roles with attendant characteristics. (1) Gender differentiation is a SOCIAL CONSTRUCT rather than a natural occurrence and inequality is reinforced through negative gender specific language, discriminatory interpersonal behavior, sexist mass communication, laws, politics and religion. (2)
I guess you could say change is going to require some effort.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 6:52 pm
We have a pretty big damn box to be thinking outside of.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 6:55 pm
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 6:48 pm Thank you. I think what I wrote fits best with the last one.
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 6:56 pm
mountainsong #32
Yes, I think “genderizing” is in large a social construct. I think some of it is natural though, for sure.
We can really work on the social constuct part first through mothering, I think. The older generations are leaving us now, and we can embrace the newer generations. Embrace?…well, attack. Need as many women on board as possible though.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 6:56 pm
gay gal 12.21.08 at 6:38 pm Close only counts in Horseshoes.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 6:58 pm
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 6:56 pm Does this mean you’re going to become a Mother, soon? LOL
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 6:58 pm
Pumas Unleashed
No offense intended, and not trying to start an arguement with you…
I clicked on your name (website link) and, guess what? Not one word about Louisa Rodas.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 6:59 pm
Must be dinnertime where the sun comes up. Or early bedtime.
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 7:00 pm
For Maisie: You look great, Maisie, in your outfit with your gun…You are right…You do not need a Prince Charming.
You have what you need…YOU…and I love your picture very much! I hope you have a great Christmas…
Your friend,
New Orleans Puma
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 7:00 pm
mountainsong:
lol. I’m starting to wonder if I might need to do it. I think I could raise seriously powerful and good people. Not sure if I should pass that up. lol.
Nah, I don’t know. Too big to think about now.
Dhyan 12.21.08 at 7:04 pm
Murphy, I must disagree with this statement:
“Most of us have forgotten that in order for you to be free, WE have to give you the tools of independence and power, AND teach you how to use them.”
This statement is a fallacy, imo. Individuals are born with all the tools and power to keep his/her independence. Nobody has to teach us about how and when to use those tools because we’ve used them since we were children. We give up those tools because we make conscious and unconscious bargains with parents, teachers, government, and society at large. We make sure not to ruffle feathers. When we decide that our independence is more important, we must be ready to face the consequences. I’ll give you an example of someone who went for her independence: Murphy, the founder of Puma Pac. But we know that Murphy’s path was full of heartburns and not the easiest.
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 7:05 pm
Murphy: I love that picture of Maisie…if she comes around Ihope you will let her read or read her my note to her!
When I was about 7, I told my mama I wanted a cap gun for Christmas..and she asked me didnt I want a baby doll..and I said well..yeah..that would be good too but I really want Santa Clause to bring me a cap gun with a holster…
I got both…the baby doll watched me from the shelf shoot my cap gun!
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 7:06 pm
IMHO, all the other puma type blogs should come under the aegis of this PUMA, where it all began. We already have a Chief. Now we need a tribe to follow her.
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 7:06 pm
But I would just like to say about V. Woolf’s “Room of One’s Own”…
I don’t want to miss her call for women to also write.
Women writers and artists are extremely crucial for our gender’s progress. The writers and the artists keep the record and embolden people to Move.
Mustn’t be selfish with talent. It’s a gift and a burden because it ought to be shared.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 7:07 pm
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 6:22 pm hmmm, sometimes I wonder about this solomon guy. He had all the money…and all the women. So we know what was in HIS heart.
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 7:08 pm
Hmmm… didn’t know I could put a website with my name. I put in one of the websites I created regarding the eye disease that I own the support group for… let’s see if it’s put on with my name now if I click on it. LOL….
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 7:09 pm
There is a LOT of writing talent here, not the least of which is yours, Kat. Every day I learn something new here, or am reminded what I already ‘know’.
taggles1 12.21.08 at 7:09 pm
#44
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 7:06 pm
IMHO, all the other puma type blogs should come under the aegis of this PUMA, where it all began. We already have a Chief. Now we need a tribe to follow her.
______________________________________
I agree!!!!!
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 7:11 pm
KarenWI Yep, it goes right to your website when I clicked on it. The wbsite seems very well put together.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 7:12 pm
Hi Taggles
taggles1 12.21.08 at 7:13 pm
hey mountainsong!
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 7:15 pm
Thanks for the compliment Mountainsong! I use a website that’s basically “websites for dummies” (bravenet.com) because I don’t know HTML and all that stuff… but I managed to put together quite a few…. on that website are links (on top) of other ones I put together. That doesn’t count our HUGE Library for the members. I haven’t had time to spend weeks going through that the past year to clean out the “dead” links in there and replacing them with new ones… been too busy with health,mom, and… the PUMA’s… LOL. Oh well, there are probably over 1,000 links in there and even if 200 of them don’t work anymore that would still leave about 800 for the members to use, LOL!
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 7:16 pm
Hah! There ya go KarenWI, ya did it.
mountainsong,
thanks…and that’s why I badger you to write out your herstory! lol. badger. badger.
puma.sf1 12.21.08 at 7:19 pm
Taggles, I couldn’t make the conference call. Could you send me any updates or action items?
Pumas Unleashed 12.21.08 at 7:23 pm
DWP… #38
I don’t know where you clicked,, but I will excerpt two separate pages for you here at Hillary Unleashed and Pumas Unleashed below- my reference to Betty Jean Kling’s ordeal.
“PS…Please keep Betty Jean Kling in your thoughts… She has had a terrible unthinkable tragedy happen to her daughter. Betty Jean’s Blog and Tragic Story.”
Hillary Unleashed
And earlier today at Pumas Unleashed:
“Gender Based Violence” is an important priority which stands bare naked in a category all by itself. Not including it in my thoughts today in no way diminishes it’s importance and relevance in RL situations. My offerings to this tragic problem would be considered radical and in the eyes of the law, criminal, and thusly will be saved for another day, period.” here:
Pumas Unleashed
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 7:25 pm
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 7:16 pm LOL Having never seen you, I’m not sure which animal I would associate with you. I would never have thought of ‘badger’, though. I’m quite sure.
I am starting to write it. But, as I’m sure you are well aware, it’s about focus. I’m trying to write it as a novel, with observations made along the way. and to write it, I am forced to confront some painful memories, which usually ends the writing for the moment.
So it’s prolly a ood thing ur a Badger. hahaha
Seattlegirl 12.21.08 at 7:25 pm
I agree with mountainsong. I Sense a lot of writing talent here. And I sense that something profound is gestating. You can’t nourish the present or future generations with dogma. But humans have always had a primal need for stories and mythology. I like the way the bible is arranged because it is the most successful stories of a number of groups which persisted over many years. So the stories that succeed or resonate were included. But it is time for a femalecentric work.
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 7:27 pm
Just a few minutes ago I put in another member of my group from Ireland. Last I counted (a year or more ago) I think we had 15 countries represented in there. More from the U.S. than anywhere else. Hmmm… come to think of it I haven’t heard anything from Ronald in Singapore or Doreen in England for a few months. I should post a shout-out on the support group board for them. Although, I AM a bit hesitant of what we’ll hear from Ronald. The last I heard from him he was renting out… the other side of his bed. Didn’t matter if it male or female, and he SAID it wasn’t for anything except to rent it out to people who needed a temporary place to stay… but… well, he’s an interesting character. BTW, he’s sleeping on his side even when the other side is rented out. I think he’s in his late 40’s or early 50’s and divorced. (sigh)… I haven’t from him lately, so I’ll put out a shout-out on my group board.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 7:28 pm
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 7:15 pm Well, you know more than I do. and your efforts serve your community well, so you are very successful in your endeavor. I admire and encourage that.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 7:29 pm
WAIT!!! I once, briefly, lived on a mountain called Badger Mountain, named for obvious reasons. Those things can be MEAN!!!
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 7:32 pm
Whoa!!! hahahaha lmao~~~he RENTS half his bed? Now THAT’S an entrepreneur!!!
gostrumcat 12.21.08 at 7:32 pm
#43 NOP
How come I can just see that clear as day… you as a tyke with a cap pistol! Someone to be reckoned with even then, I’ll bet.
sue66 12.21.08 at 7:34 pm
KarenWI
That’s a good website. I’m going to have a good read of it later. I’ve heard you mention it, glad to be able to check it out.
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 7:36 pm
mountainsong # 57
yes, I know the process is difficult. aye, can even be cathartic.
Take your time but bust through it all, babes.
And yes, badgers are really vicious little critters. lol
I am more like a selkie. But shhh…
murphy 12.21.08 at 7:37 pm
“We have a pretty big damn box to be thinking outside of.”
very true mountainsong.
good thing we have such big minds!
Headclunker 12.21.08 at 7:38 pm
What the FECK? – Still Complaining
I have some complaints for the FEC (in case you have not noticed). This is from the letter I am sending this week:
Complaint of Over Limit Contributions and Request for Audit – Obama for America (C00431445) and Obama Victory Fund (C00451393)
No USA State Designation, Post-General Exceedances (Update to MUR 6142)
Dear Sir or Madam:
This is an update to complaint, MUR 6142, pertaining to the Presidential Campaign Funds of Barack Obama. These are funds that are not listed as being one of the 50 United States or Washington DC. They are contained in the electronic FEC file for the Obama Campaign, Other.zip and were not part of the Pre-General analysis for exceedances of the $4,600 limit.
It was found that there are 27 exceedances totaling $35,549 (Table I) based on the Post-General Report that includes $6,052,337 in total contributions.
During review of these files it became apparent that some of the listings were actually USA cities, as confirmed by zip code. This may impact calculations of donor totals, when the analysis is done by state. There were 300 listings including $92,631 in donations. The corrected state listings are shown in Table II for your reference.
The American People need an audit of the Obama for America (C00431445) and Obama Victory Fund (C00451393). We are depending on the FEC to assure compliance with fair practices. Please audit the Obama Presidential Campaign Funds. Thank you for your time and consideration.
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 7:38 pm
I am off to go do the usual Sunday ritual. Clean and organize for the week ahead.
Take care pumas.
bbl.
xo
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 7:45 pm
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 7:36 pm I think I know who you are. The Badger part is just a front. But I only THINK I know, so I’m not gonna bet any money.
You can transform to human from seal, and back and forth? WOW!!!
LOL I had to go look up ’selkie’.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH_Zk_jYi7k
murphy 12.21.08 at 7:46 pm
gay gal #30, nice quote. do you know who said it?
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 7:47 pm
LOL she wait’s til 8:00 Sunday evening to clean and get organized.
Better late than never. lol
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 7:48 pm
63gostrumcat: Good…According to my mother over the years, that was the case…Gostrumcat! I played cathcher on a hard pitch underhand soft ball league in grammar school so called ponytailed league where one could also attempt to steal bases..I would drive the other teams’ batters crazy with my mouth to them from behind home plate…In one game, some lady sitting next to my mother who had heard me and watched me arguing about a call the Umpire had made…and who did not know the woman next to her was my mother ..said..oh that catcher really is a flip one, isn’t she? My mother told her:
Youre tellin me? You ought to hear her at home!
I am forever grateful that my mama encouraged my feistiness…
Pumas Unleashed 12.21.08 at 7:51 pm
NOP.. #43
Yes, of course! I had my cap gun too! My paternal grandma lived in KY and knew I always watched the old Westerns on tv.. and how I fell in love with horses in the first place. I would fill out coupons to WIN This horse” and was determined to keep it at Grandma’s house.. of course, we lived in RI and that would have been quite a feat!
To this day, I remember thinking while sitting in my 4th grade classroom, when I get home I’m taking a nap.. Well, I did just that. I pulled the covers back on my bed ready to cat nap and found a set of Roy Rogers cap-guns, gun-belt and all hidden under my pillow. Mom thought she needed an extra day before hearing the caps going off..and gave up when I discovered them.. ha! funny.. now we look for the real thing as a matter of protection from the unGodly!
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 7:51 pm
murphy 12.21.08 at 7:46 pm Yes, that quote got my attention, too. Instead of going back 3 times, like I did, this time I just copied and saved it.
My problem with the Internet is that it was given to us by the US Government, CIA specifically. And it can be taken away. So, while the Internet is a wonderful communication medium, is it trustworthy?
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 7:54 pm
Did Thomas Jefferson build the first university (non-religious) in the US?
gostrumcat 12.21.08 at 7:54 pm
#72 NOP
We should all be grateful for that because we all got a gift through her encouragement! Cool mamas are the best! I wish everyone could have had one like yours sounds like and mine definitely was.
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 7:55 pm
73PumasUnleashed: Excellent..by the way I hope you finally found my email to you…the other day.
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 7:57 pm
You mention badgers and how rough they can be…. did you know the WI state animal.. and the mascot of the University of Wisconsin Madison?… Badger. Hmmm…. maybe that’s why I’m so mean? LOL. And, YES, Ronald is very interesting…. RENTING the other side of his bed out. I remember last time he posted and we asked him what was new.. and he said he said he a new renter. Well, we knew he rented houses out so we asked if he had a new house he was renting out. When he said he was renting out his bed, I had to go and ask if he was renting a room out or not… he said NO.. his bed. When I “tongue in cheek” asked him if he was out of his side I never expected him to answer that he was in his side, and renting out the other side… like you said, he knows how to make a buck. He lost his job lately… guess he found a new way to make money…
murphy 12.21.08 at 7:59 pm
pumas unleashed, I think dwp’s point, and it is a good one, is what’s the idea here — policing other people’s sites and disparaging the writers at other sites here?
why?
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 7:59 pm
#76Gostrumcat: Thank you Gostrumcat. Those who are mothers here will do that and those who are not whereever they meet young girls in classrooms or as Aunts or whereever can and should encourage that..I always did and will continue to do that…I do that with my grandniece, although she does not need much encouragement…Hurray..the gene continues!
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 8:00 pm
Who said?
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you NOT to be?
You are a child of the Creator.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people wont feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of the Creator that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And, as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 8:01 pm
No, it wasn’t Barack Obama. lol
murphy 12.21.08 at 8:02 pm
headclunker!!
thank you for your persistence and unrelenting focus.
you are not being ignored — please keep posting.
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 8:03 pm
Mountainsong: Who is it?
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 8:05 pm
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 7:57 pm I am from Michigan. Michigan’s ’state animal’ is the Wolverine. So, talk about ‘mean’!
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 8:06 pm
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 8:03 pm Nelson Mandela~~1994 Inauguration Speech. Let’s remember it~~~in case BO tries to steal it, too.
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 8:07 pm
Mountainsong: Excelent! Glad you posted it for itself and for the record if Bos wonderboycardboardgroperman cops it without citation!
pa dem 12.21.08 at 8:09 pm
Chicago reaches everywhere..
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/12/21/obama_friend_takes_over_jewish/
For Malcom, push had to come to shove. And now it has. A close Obama friend from Chicago, Alan Solow, is taking over the Presidents Conference. Hoenlein now works for a guy whose loyalty is to Barack Obama. In fact, that is why Solow is being elected.
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 8:09 pm
Does any state have puma as the state animal? Maybe we should be the next state and have Puma as the state animal…
TexasTigress 12.21.08 at 8:09 pm
I think Mandela was quoting Marianne Williamson’s “Our Deepest Fear”
bmw60 12.21.08 at 8:10 pm
And then we get to be MOMS… sometimes…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMhuAtyFCrw
we do it right!
TexasTigress 12.21.08 at 8:11 pm
I am almost positive it was written by a woman , MTN….
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 8:11 pm
90TexasTigress: Damn..I literally not even 30 seconds ago was thinking where is TexasTigress? So the quote is from Marianne Williamson..ok… Hey there, TT
TexasTigress 12.21.08 at 8:12 pm
(NOP)
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 8:12 pm
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same day …within hours of each other, 50 years to the day of the signing of the Declaration of Independence… July 4!!
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 8:14 pm
Dances: What a shapely way to go…
TexasTigress 12.21.08 at 8:14 pm
Dances is wandering into dangerous trivia territory .
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 8:16 pm
I have to go away for a while..perhaps I can be back later…tonight…
Hugs to all…
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 8:19 pm
TexasTigress 12.21.08 at 8:09 pm YES!!!! You are RIGHT!!! I forgot that part. My bad!!! I’m sorry. She really should get the credit. But everywhere I find the quote, her name is sadly absent.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 8:20 pm
(((((( NOP))))))
gay gal 12.21.08 at 8:20 pm
Seattlegirl 12.21.08 at 7:25 pm I feel the gestation too. I wrote a narrative poem several years ago, an intuited piece. I spent several years researching it to try to figure out what I wrote. I determined that I tapped into some kind of Matriarchal Consciousness, a fleeting glimpse of what is to come, a fleeting glimpse of what has been here all along…a story, a myth that only women share that is deep within our DNA, a genetic memory or genetic consciousness, perhaps, for lack of a deeper understanding. That glimpse has become a blinding flash at times during this election cycle.
TexasTigress 12.21.08 at 8:22 pm
Mtn . That’s how they do it … Sneaky credit taking bastards.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 8:25 pm
gay gal 12.21.08 at 8:20 pm You should share your glimpse with us.
gay gal 12.21.08 at 8:25 pm
Murphy and Mountainsong, I found that quote on a random website after I googled “If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.” I also cut and pasted. Some random big brain who lives outside of a big box, I suppose.
turndownobama 12.21.08 at 8:31 pm
gay gal 12.21.08 at 8:25 pm I googled “If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.”
============
That’s said to be from a Buddhist scripture. If I met that scripture on the road, I would burn it.
bmw60 12.21.08 at 8:32 pm
Thinking about Love tonight so here they are—quotes to make us laugh or cry or … remember what love means and live it.
Top 10 Love Quotes:
1. Mark Twain
Love is the irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.
2. Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thou art to me a delicious torment.
3. Mother Teresa
If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
4. Aristotle
Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.
5. Helen Keller
The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.
6. Roy Croft
I love you, not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you.
7. Ingrid Bergmen
A kiss is a lovely trick, designed by nature, to stop words when speech becomes superfluous.
8. Rabrindranath Tagore
He who wants to do good knocks at the gate: he who loves finds the door open.
9. Sir Winston Churchill
Where does the family start? It starts with a young man falling in love with a girl – no superior alternative has yet been found.
10. Kahlil Gibran
It is wrong to think that love comes from long companionship and persevering courtship. Love is the offspring of spiritual affinity and unless that affinity is created in a moment, it will not be created for years or even generations.
thecatsmeow 12.21.08 at 8:32 pm
Murphy, thanks for “The Habit of Freedom” post.
Once I attended a Franklin Covey workshop called “First Things First.” The presenter advocated giving priority to what we truly believe is important in our life — while, of course, trying to sell us the company’s planners.
One statement used in that presentation I’ve always remembered: “Twenty-one days makes a habit.” I am wondering what PUMAs could do if we took the first 21 days of 2009 to live into the “habit of freedom.” REALLY lived it — wondering what New Year’s resolution that might be…wondering how the world would change because of it. (The timing would work well too.) Just wondering…
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 8:34 pm
#56 Pumas Unleashed…
thanks for the links.
This is what I read when I clicked on your name:
And earlier today at Pumas Unleashed:
““Gender Based Violence” is an important priority which stands bare naked in a category all by itself. Not including it in my thoughts today in no way diminishes it’s importance and relevance in RL situations. My offerings to this tragic problem would be considered radical and in the eyes of the law, criminal, and thusly will be saved for another day, period.” here:
Pumas Unleashed”
I thought RL was your only reference, and I thought you had transposed Louisa’s initials, before I realized you were referring to Real Life.
TexasTigress 12.21.08 at 8:34 pm
gaygal – that line was a title of a book I read along time ago that was a studt of psychotherapy , but it’s based on the Zen principle that if you meet Buddha and you don’t kill him , he will always stand in your way of personal achievement because you will be idealising HIM …. For what it’s worth.
TexasTigress 12.21.08 at 8:37 pm
gaygal – I just found your full quote on this website – last paragraph .
http://www.killingthebuddha.com/manifesto.htm
gay gal 12.21.08 at 8:43 pm
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 8:25 pm During my research of the piece, I found a Hindu concept that I think best describes “the glimpse”. I think women are on the cusp of owning that this is our reality:
Matrikadevis is the “Hindu term for the primal matriarchs who governed ancestral tribes. Matrikadevis corresponds to the dísir or Divine Grandmothers of Norse myth, the Celtic fairies, the pre-Hellenic Goddess-worshipping titans, etc. According to Tantric tradition, the matrikadevis were the true parents of humanity. The pitris, ‘fathers’, were products of an entirely different creation.”
DeadGirl 12.21.08 at 8:44 pm
Excellent post Murphy.
I am waiting for this book to arrive in the Library, I am first in line to check it out
Author : Gilligan, Carol, 1936-
Title : The deepening darkness : patriarchy, resistance, and democracy’s future / Carol Gilligan , David A.J. Richards.
Published : Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2009.
gay gal 12.21.08 at 8:49 pm
TexasTigress 12.21.08 at 8:37 pm Thanks so much for that link. I had found the quote on some blog. I will go check out the website. Night all. My brain hurts.
turndownobama 12.21.08 at 8:50 pm
Heidi’s blog is the smallest part of what she does. She’s a professor and iirc administrator at a university. She also does a lot of fundraising and highbrow PUMA work. Often I make a comment that never gets up. I just assume she’s too busy or it was a distraction from the point of her entry (which it usually was).
Blogs are different. When a blog is like a community, then I think there are fairness issues. Heidi’s isn’t that kind of blog.
pfinnert 12.21.08 at 8:56 pm
I don’t want to stir up any controversy, but I’ve always considered PUMA to represent those of us who are protesting the corrupt behavior of the Democratic Party during this year’s primary and general election. I look to PUMAs to voice my outrage over the DNC’s (and Obama’s) successful attempt to silence the voices of Democratic voters from Florida and Michigan and to allow “bought” superdelegates rather than average, everyday voters, to determine the outcome of the Democratic primary. I look to PUMAs to hold the main stream media accountable for their unfair treatment of Obama’s political opponents – the favoritism, bias, and outright manipulation of American voters by this corrupt media is shocking and threatens the core of our democracy. I lost complete faith in the Democratic Party this year and I look to PUMA to express my outrage and disappointment. As far as I’m concerned, the Democratic Party died on May 31, 2008 – the day the DNC let Obama throw away our votes.
Although I can appreciate that many of you are outraged by the sexism that occured in the MSM during the Democratic primary, I’ve never considered PUMA to be a “feminist” movement, but rather a movement of Americans who demand fair representation and fair elections. I was outraged at the media’s bias against Hillary, but I was equally outraged at the media’s bias against McCain and Palin. America’s “unbiased” media has become Obama’s prostitute. I am a male PUMA and consider myself only to be an American – an American who believes in the concept that all of us have a right to vote…and all of us have a right to have our vote counted.
Obama and the DNC violated our rights – that is why I’m a PUMA.
freddiebrown 12.21.08 at 8:57 pm
BillieJo –
I wonder if some time there should be a national website where abusive people’s names, addresses and phone numbers could be posted, along with the type of abuse they inflicted and the date they did it. Maybe if it became a serious website, women could not only expose their abusers, but also alert women in the future that met and wanted to date these people.
I think you are the perfect champion of this project – it is a good idea as you have said above. All you need is a domain name, a company to host your website (probably $20 a month) and the ability to design a simple website – which you could learn as there are templates available or get some like minded knowledgeable person to set it up. I wanted to show you a website that someone has created to diss and inform designers and manufacturers to watch out for stores that don’t pay their invoices or who resort to all sorts of unacceptable tricks that are not condusive to honest business.
http://www.retaildish.com Click in the window to see all the stores where people have complaints against. It is a really useful site for designers or wholesalers that keep getting stuck with unpaid invoices. You can use the same idea for your database. Everyone that posts is anonymous.
murphy 12.21.08 at 8:59 pm
catsmeow — yes!
we need to practice the habit of freedom and support each other in the effort.
when taggles confronted that pharmacist the other day, THAT was practicing the habit of freedom.
when freddiebrown mentioned that she’s now starting to think differently about the cooking she does for her husband and uncle — THAT is practicing the habit of freedom.
when dead girl says she’s going to be first in line for Gilligan’s new book — THAT is practicing the habit of freedom.
Dont laugh (not that YOU would, I know) these small things may seem insignificant, but they’re NOT — by braving new actions, new thoughts, and sharing them with each other we ARE practicing the habit of freedom and inspiring other women to do the same.
thank you for an EXCELLENT idea.
(texas t! was just thinking about you and southerngal a little while ago)
also hello to gostrumcat!
which always reminds me of hihat — hi hihat if you’re out there!
turndownobama 12.21.08 at 9:01 pm
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 5:55 pm In my personal opinion outside of rape I don’t understand why we’d even need abortion in most cases with all the birth control measures we have available now…. If people USED the condoms, and pills, or WHATEVERS, they wouldn’t need to make that decision.
=================
So we need some research to find out WHY women aren’t using the current birth control measures — and/or why they sometimes don’t work. Then we need to develop better measures that WILL be used and will work.
This is a medical problem. Some politicians try to keep it as a wedge. I bet Sarah would get the drug companies to do their job just like she has the oil companies, I betcha.
TexasTigress 12.21.08 at 9:02 pm
Murph – Southern’s computer crashed last week .
Good to see ya
freddiebrown 12.21.08 at 9:05 pm
pfinnert – this site is a political watchdog with an emphasis on Obama and the Democratic Party. But I think because there are mostly women on the blog, the issues tend to veer to topics that are important to them – sexism and misogyny.
You happen to bump into a series of sexism discussion. There have been plenty on the issues you care about, perhaps you did not check in when that was in session ? Just wanting to let you know, that things have not changed that much except it is not as intense as during the elections but still nonetheless important issues are discussed.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 9:05 pm
“Then said Almitra, speak to us of Love.
And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness upon them. And with a great voice he said:
When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him, Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you.
Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God’s sacred feast.
All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life’s heart.
But if in your fear you would seek only love’s peace and love’s pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love’s threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself. Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.
When you love you should not say, “God is in my heart,” but rather , “I am in the heart of God.”
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
Love has no desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires,
let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings it’s melody into the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.
murphy 12.21.08 at 9:06 pm
we’ve got tons of work ahead of us pfinnert.
it’s kind of like when you decide to repaint your kitchen and in preparation for the painting you find that there’s mold in the corners so you start to clean up the mold, but then you find termites in the studs so you pull out the frame and then you find that the sill is rotted so you start jacking up the foundation to replace the sill but then you find that water is leaking in through the foundation so you realize you gotta tear down the whole house and rebuild from the ground up
BUT
you still have to get dinner on the table by 6, SO you are still working in the kitchen.
catsden 12.21.08 at 9:07 pm
I met the Buddha during a meditation once; I didn’t kill him though, I just moved on by him. I think the point is that you can not Idolize anyone or anything because it stops you from going forward. This is what happens to most “true believers” and I do not mean just religions here. I think the problem is not realizing that truth is like a diamond – only greater – multifaceted, brilliant colors, crystal light, and every on the move. Our cut in stone opinions and perceptions of otherness are as much an impediment as the Buddha. BTW: he gave me a gift for each hand which I did not understand until years later in the Asian museum somewhere in LA, I read about “wish” crystals that the Budda had in each palm.
murphy 12.21.08 at 9:10 pm
did anyone guess mountainsong’s quote?
it’s on the tip of my brain and i am FORCING myself not to look it up.
first I thought dalai lama but then no that’s not it.
i believe it was a woman — a california person for some reason . . .
it’s not maya angelou is it?
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 9:11 pm
I didnt read the entire quote…. Gibran, the Prophet?
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 9:12 pm
murphy 12.21.08 at 8:59 pm I once knew a lawyer in Eastern Washington, who’s wife is a Pediatric Doctor.
She asked him to go with her to look at new cars one day.
So they went to new car dealer, where the salesman immediately approached the husband and asked what he was looking for. He replied that he wasn’r, but his wife was.
So this idiot asks the husband what his wife is lookin for.
What model, color, style, etc.
Lawyer says, ask my wife.
So the idiot asks the husband how much they are willing to spend.
Again, Ask my wife, she wants the car.
By this time the wife is fuming. Finally she says, Honey, neither this guy or Detroit has what I’m looking for.
The lawyer looked at the salesman and said, “You are a complete IDIOT! She was even going to pay CASH!!!. I laughed so hard.
freddiebrown 12.21.08 at 9:12 pm
Murphy – to clarify your comment ” when freddiebrown mentioned that she’s now starting to think differently about the cooking she does for her husband and uncle — THAT is practicing the habit of freedom”
__________________
A niece had messaged to ask if I was cooking dinner for “uncle”. It was a minor detail but I had to correct her and tell her that I was cooking dinner for us. She is only 21 and thinks that the wife should do the cooking FOR the husband. While it may be true, I prefer to think that I have a choice. I understand from my husbands time, that his mum always had dinner ready at 6 pm. I would hate to be obligated day after day with no choice.
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 9:12 pm
Siddhartha, Hesse?
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 9:12 pm
Yes, it’s from Kahlil gibran’s, “The Prophet.”
thecatsmeow 12.21.08 at 9:13 pm
Yes, Murphy, all of those single, seemingly small, acts by courageous individual women practicing the habit of freedom will change the world. I believe this. I MUST believe this!
It’s the PUMA butterfly effect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_effect
gostrumcat 12.21.08 at 9:14 pm
Hello back, Murphy!
TerryDo 12.21.08 at 9:15 pm
The single most daunting challenge we face as women is DIS-UNITY.
What does women’s rights have to do with whether you are a Republicans, Democrats, or Independents, is that not just another label that creates DIS-UNITY?
Our first common denominator is that we are all women and that is the big unifier.
Our second unifier is that it is our obligation as women, to further the advancements, of all women.
Women come from all regions in this world, from different races, sizes, health conditions, wealth, education, professions and sexual preferences just to mention a few.
The pertinent question is what do women WANT, NEED AND HAVE TO HAVE?
Until we find that common question of WANT NEED AND HAVE TO HAVE we will never be united.
In the sixties birth control and abortion was the unifier that every woman needed and wanted resolved.
If at least we can make a list of pertinent issues/questions, which women vote for as their top priority then there, will be a consensus upon which women can direct their energy.
Until then, we are all just floundering, making a lot of noise and blaming each other for our stagnant non-progress.
catsden 12.21.08 at 9:15 pm
freddie: glad I caught you here, somehow I lost your email addy. If you still have mine will you drop me a quick note. or you can send it to meinthecatsden.wordpress.com Thanks.
Murphy: I love Virginia Woolf and have for many years. I carry two of her novels on my Palm t/x even though I have read them both many times. She is definitely about women breaking through their barriers and becoming more than the social confines. That said, she committed suicide when another episode of bi-polar disorder struck her. After a lifetime, of treatment and episodes, she made a choice which she did not think cowardice. Here are the words of her note to her husband, Leonard, who had provided her with extraordinary love and care:
“Dearest, I feel certain I am going mad again….And I shan’t recover this time…..I am doing what seems the best thing to do….I can’t fight any longer….Everything has gone from me but the certainty of your goodness. I can’t go on spoiling your life any longer….I don’t think two people could have been happier than we have been. V.”
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 9:15 pm
murphy 12.21.08 at 9:06 pm Reminded me of the song about the woman and the crooked House. LOL Dang, woman!! Did you do your own house, too?
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 9:16 pm
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 9:12 pm
Yes, it’s from Kahlil gibran’s, “The Prophet.”
—————-
I love the piece on cChildren…
Speak to us of children…
beautiful.
Casper Cat 12.21.08 at 9:21 pm
Today in a comic strip that I get in my newspaper. Was for the first time a suttle message for women… The comic strip is “Hagar The Horrible” It shows the couple sitting on the sofa with the fireplace going…And, Hagar say’s ” The Holiday season is the nicest time of the year, Helga!” (his wife) “It’s a time to forgive your enemies…and a time to forget all petty grievances!…It’s A time to say “PEACE ON EARTH GOOD WILL TO MEN”..Helga, responds: ” That saying leaves something to be desired…. (Hagar) replies: “What”??? Helga, responded….”IT DOESN’T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT GOOD WILL TO WOMEN”…….. I just wanted to share that with all of you…..
catsden 12.21.08 at 9:28 pm
TerryDo: I think you have struck an important point in your statement about dis-unity. Women are social and unite around a need, or a familiar group, or an idea. or a problem. Sometimes, they do not cohere once the issue is resolved, but the need for social togetherness is important. My friend from Iran, whom I have mentioned here before, tells me that what she misses most is that all the women in a family would work together, whatever the task. By family, she meant any relative, in-law, friend that happened by. They would gather in the kitchen to cook (an experience she tells me did not feel like a burden) and then they would sit in the kitchen or nearby room and talk. When she came to the US, she knew no one and spoke little English. She did not understand how women in the US could retreat always to their own houses or kitchens. My friend from Africa tells me the same thing. She always has people at her home, from her church, her children’s friends, people in need. She told me when we first met that she did not understand our lack of “community.” In this blog, Murphy has created a community, but a diverse community that ebbs and flows around issues.
I expect some will start to tell me that women aren’t social by nature just by training, and I will respect that.
pfinnert 12.21.08 at 9:31 pm
I’m very thankful for all of your efforts – PUMA is a rare oasis in this vast land of Obama sheep. Your postings give me some hope for our country…just knowing that there are still other thinking human beings out there (too many of my democratic friends decided to blindly support the party despite the corruption that took place this year.)
I hope you don’t mind my participation as a male PUMA. I don’t consider myself a feminist, but do believe in equality for all. I voted for Hillary because I considered her to be the best candidate. And I am outraged that she did not receive fair treatment from the media. I am outraged more that the DNC threw away my Florida vote and our right to a fair election.
The Democratic Party that I believed in my entire life turned against what it once stood for – thankfully, PUMA was born as a result. As far as I’m concerend, PUMA isn’t just a voice for women, its a voice for all of us who have been disenfranchised by the Democratic Party.
Keep up the good work!
thecatsmeow 12.21.08 at 9:31 pm
#132 “What do women want, need, and have to have?”
TerryDo, do we not “want, need, and have to have” what all beings want, need, and have to have? Abraham Maslow seemed to have it right on that question: humans need their physiological needs met; safety; love (to love and to be loved); self-esteem; self-actualization (according to Maslow, in that order). The problem? Many women (and too many men) do not have even their basic needs met. And a patriarchal society makes it difficult, if not impossible, for women to reach the higher levels of this hierarchy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy
pa dem 12.21.08 at 9:32 pm
Caroline Kennedy’s ‘platform’.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/21/nyregion/21kennedy.html?ref=politics
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 9:32 pm
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 9:16 pm
“And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, Speak to us of children.
And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that his arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as H loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.
Kahlil Gibran~~The Prophet 1923
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 9:33 pm
thecatsmeow 12.21.08 at 9:31 pm EXCELLENT POINT!!!!!
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 9:36 pm
Dang!!! Kat’s house must be a mess!!! LOL
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 9:40 pm
I have talked, briefly, with some of the seniors here who voted for Obama. The most common thread seemed to be his mantra of “change’. They don’t see how he can do it, but they are sick of the status quo all their lives, so they just voted for Change whether they live to see it or not.
Maybe we should refresh it, feminize it, and make it our own mantra.
thecatsmeow 12.21.08 at 9:41 pm
#141 (Thank you, mountainsong, for posting these words.)
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
This is our reason – women and men here – for living the habit of freedom. WE are the bows and, if our children – daughters and sons – are to soar, we must break free from what binds us, one action at a time until freedom is a habit for us all.
freddiebrown 12.21.08 at 9:41 pm
MountainSong – are you good on the African Drum ? I don’t know what the heck to do with mine. It can be loud .
taggles1 12.21.08 at 9:41 pm
140
pa dem 12.21.08 at 9:32 pm
Give Caroline a break she answered like what 15 questions. Leave Caroline aaaaaaaaalllllllllllllooooooooooonnnnnnnnnneeeeeee.
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 9:41 pm
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 9:32 pm
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 9:16 pm
Thank you for that! I just copied it to print later.
When I was 17, I loaned someone my original copy that I’d had for a few years, and they didn’t returned it!!
I never replaced my copy because none had the same ‘feel’ to them… even though the others were exact duplicates!
So, thank you very much fo that.
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 9:44 pm
138Pfinnart: ..”As far as I am concerned , Puma isn’t just a voice for women, it’s a voice for all of us who have been disenfranchised by the Democratic Party…”
That was and is, I still conclude, still one of the three purposes of this Pac…Pfinnart…
Welcome…I hope you will post here more often.
kat in your hat 12.21.08 at 9:47 pm
bmw60:
Thank you for “Mom Song” and Love quotes.
Headclunker:
thank you for all hard work.
pfinnert:
mountainsong & Dances:
“Children” is my favorite.
The Prophet:
http://leb.net/~mira/works/prophet/prophet.html
(bb in a bit, few more things to finish!)
thecatsmeow 12.21.08 at 9:49 pm
pfinnert 12.21.08 at 9:31 pm
I hope you don’t mind my participation as a male PUMA. I don’t consider myself a feminist, but do believe in equality for all. I voted for Hillary because I considered her to be the best candidate. And I am outraged that she did not receive fair treatment from the media.
Hi pfinnert: Your description is my definition for “feminist” = “do believe in equality for all.” I love male PUMAs (and female ones too, of course!).
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 9:49 pm
What a Girl Wants
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQjUULFZoWc&feature=related
freddiebrown 12.21.08 at 9:50 pm
Caroline Kennedy will be left alone when she stands in line like everyone else who is vying for the NY Senate Seat….in order of capability and experience.
We have nothing against the powerful Kennedy name, but some of us have a problem that she is elbowing and brown nosing (literally) her way into something that she previously had shown no interest in. If answering 15 questions – not in person, mind you is all it takes to be a top Senate contender, then we are all in freaking trouble.
We are all for supporting women, but we need to consider more than their stellar last name. In my not so humble opinion..
DeadGirl 12.21.08 at 9:51 pm
Who here has read Maya Angelou’s “I know why the caged bird sings”?
thecatsmeow 12.21.08 at 9:53 pm
Cat nap time again…night PUMAs!
murphy 12.21.08 at 9:54 pm
update on Louisa:
Email From BJ:
“Just got home after a 36 hours shift but it was worth it – time for a new brain hemorrhage is passed now – and we think the brain on the left side is now in heal mode – Thank You Jesus
Now if we can keep her fever down and infections away for another full week – there is reason to hope that with prayer we might consider a possible partial recovery !
Louisa will never be the same – but 15 hours ago we were having the pull the plug discussions and now we are having a different one – so Please keep the prayers coming!
Betty Jean”
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 9:54 pm
DeadGirl
I haven’t read it… listened to it on tape… and Ms Maya read excerpts to me when I was a student… well, it felt as tho she was reading it to me… there were a few others in attendance 15 or 20…can’t recall now.
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 9:55 pm
Caroline Kennedy is not qualified to be nominated as a Senator, given other more seasoned women in House who have shown interest. This is not an occasion for homage to a fallen Senator, i.e., someone dies and wife or husband may be appointed to finish out term.
Yet, Caroline Kennedy will be nominated because Ted Kennedy wants it and Obama wants it and Gov Paterson wants to please those in power who will be responsible for giving his state a lot of help, some help, maybe some help and or other versions.
Parading Caroline Kennedy around the state is a move to elicit support from the public and to have her name before the media…and even if there is little or no support..somehow paradaing around and throwing out tidbits worked with Obama..why not with her?
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 9:56 pm
((((((((BettyJean, Louisa, Denise)))))))
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 9:58 pm
Betty Jean: Yes, thank you, Jesus. I will continue to pray for you, Louisa and Denis…May you receive some peace to sleep and rest for another day…tomorrow.
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 9:59 pm
thecatsmeow: Good night…cats meow…
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 10:00 pm
Caroline Kennedy is as qualified as obama and geo bush were when they were selected. Would it be fair to other women who are as, or more, qualified and have dedicated themselves to teh public arena for years … nope.
TerryDo 12.21.08 at 10:04 pm
139 thecatsmeow 12.21.08 at 9:31 pm
#132 “What do women want, need, and have to have?”
The problem? Many women (and too many men) do not have even their basic needs met. And a patriarchal society makes it difficult, if not impossible, for women to reach the higher levels of this hierarchy.
******************************************
Catsmeow, I believe in North America at least, people have their three lower basic need met, according to Maslow theory of needs.
Women have to fight for their higher levels of needs, after the basics such as food, bodily protection and love, we have to then strive for Self Esteem, so you see I believe that women are on a true path to self-esteem.
And it is our obligation to strive for that level not only for ourselves but for all women. For if your sisters are still suppressed and down-trodden,how free can you truly be?
The best indicator of self-esteem is freedom of speech and freedom from society’s limited roll placed upon women.
This freedom gives women confidence to take their rightful place in their private and public domains. Once women have achieved this level of freedom then the best for them is yet to be, their self-actualization.
taggles1 12.21.08 at 10:05 pm
good night puma’s i’m exhausted. and freezing.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 10:09 pm
freddiebrown 12.21.08 at 9:41 pm My Jembe Drum isn’t a very good one. And I’m not very good on it. LOL But they are awesome drums and with practice I might bet better.
I had a couple friends in the post-hippie days who were so good you could hear them all over the small town of Marblemount and usually a party would get started.
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 10:10 pm
‘night, taggles1
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 10:11 pm
Just got done entertaining mom this evening and saw the good news from BJ! Thank God there is some hope left!!!
***
Re Caroline Kennedy…. one of the things that our country’s founding fathers wanted to get away from was England’s aristocracy and “ruling class”. Well… for some crazy reason we’ve developed our own “artistocracy” and “ruling class” and “Kennedy” seems to be in there! If Sweet Caroline gets the seat (as I fear she will) it will be a glaring statement that America has a “ruling class aristocracy” and she got it by “birthright”. The founding fathers would be rolling in their graves….
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 10:11 pm
162Dances: You do know my question was rhetorical, right? The same methods used by Obama are being used for her because they worked: therfore, the same methods will and are being used for and by her. They are bs, but bs sells in this country, big time…
Pumas Unleashed 12.21.08 at 10:11 pm
Murphy:
pumas unleashed, I think dwp’s point, and it is a good one, is what’s the idea here — policing other people’s sites and disparaging the writers at other sites here? why?
I think you missed my response to DWP..Policing or comprehensive reading.I think you also missed in my first post…Heidi doesn’t respond to questions or criticism. And hopefully, we all won’t need to keep silent when we air an opinion unfavorable to the blog host.
Perhaps that is why Harriet felt the need to send her opinion via e-mail. I would hope you give everyone the same respect.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 10:13 pm
I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,
When he beats his bars and would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings –
I know why the caged bird sings.
Casper Cat 12.21.08 at 10:14 pm
Hey, Freddie!!!!!!!!!! Got you email…If it is ok with YOU…After the New Year…I will gladly teach you the 101 of Real Estate… Sorry, for not getting back sooner…I am running at both ends…You know chasing my own tail!!
Wishing you a Wonderful Happy Holiday…Along, with all of the other great and terrific Pumas….. 
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 10:14 pm
Before JFK Jr died I think I’d heard that the dem party was looking at him to run for POTUS. Did any of you hear that? If so… this is a REALLY “wild and crazy” thought, but… do you think there is ANY POSSIBILITY that his crash might not have been an accident? The Chicago Political “Machine” has been known to remove competition “mafia style”….
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 10:14 pm
freddiebrown
There’s a women’s drumming circle in San Diego… I think they meet monthly. Maybe you could meet with them and learn how to drum?
TerryDo 12.21.08 at 10:14 pm
146
freddiebrown 12.21.08 at 9:41 pm
MountainSong – are you good on the African Drum ? I don’t know what the heck to do with mine. It can be loud .
******************************
Freddiebrown take you drum to the park and pound on it to your hearts content.
Perhaps you should rent this movie to inspire you once again. Movie: “The Visitor” staring Richard Jenkins and perhaps you can pratice your druming along with the drummers in that movie..
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 10:16 pm
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 10:11 pm
162Dances: You do know my question was rhetorical, right? The same methods used by Obama are being used for her because they worked: therfore, the same methods will and are being used for and by her. They are bs, but bs sells in this country, big time…
————-
Yes. I was just repsonding ot teh numerous times I’ve read KSK is not qualified.
Pumas Unleashed 12.21.08 at 10:18 pm
Thanks for posting an update on Betty Jeans daughter.It is appreciated.
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 10:19 pm
PumasUnleashed: I think you need to hang out here longer before you start raising questions of the kind you have raised. That is pragmatic advice. What I mean is..no one here can or will account for the actions of someone else’s blog.
Therefore, you or anyone else should not expect that to happen. Since that is the case, then it is it seems to me that the appropriate vehicle for your concerns re someone else’s blog is to address that with the blog owner. If that is not possible, then do not go to the blog.
These are pragmatic observations…and as a result..potentiallly useful.
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 10:22 pm
Family pit bulls kill grandfather who stepped out for a smoke.. unprovoked…
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Familys-2-Pit-Bulls-Kill-Rubidoux-Man.html
This is so hard for me to accept and understand… because I love animals so much, and think of them as being so much better than people.
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 10:26 pm
175Dances: I thought so, but just wanted to make sure..Thanks!
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 10:28 pm
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 10:26 pm
175Dances: I thought so, but just wanted to make sure..Thanks!
———————-
Thanks for making sure.
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 10:30 pm
I think I asked this once before… but… re Jan 20 inaguaration day…. we have members who have had some “ESP” revelations- do any of them have any revelations re Jan 20?? What about our members who look up the stars? If they know O’s birtday (month/day) what do the stars say for him on Jan 20? Just curious….
Casper Cat 12.21.08 at 10:31 pm
Hi Karen WI… The reporter did not report all of the FACTS…. /The Male was first the “family dog” then these people decided to make some $$$$$$$$$$$ and, brought home two female pitbulls (about 5months of age)…Then, then people caged the male and only threw in the females when they wanted puppies to sell…Well, on that day the older man went into the backyard and started messing around with the newly born puppies…the Male went nuts and broke out of his cage…Yes..Cage not a kennel…and went to see what was going on and the female attacked first to stop the man from handling the puppies and all of the dogs jumped him…Frankly, I DO NOT FEEL SORRY FOR THEM…This ia a classic story of the “Back Yard Breeder”…Our shelter’s are killing thousands and thousands of unwanted dogs and cats for no other reason than, to control the population…And, those Back Yard Breeders need to be sought out and punished to the fullest extent of the law…And, denied ever owning an animal again…
Casper Cat 12.21.08 at 10:34 pm
Sorry, ‘these’ ia, ‘is” for the typo’s …This subject just gets me going…..
invalidresponse 12.21.08 at 10:35 pm
HEY HEY PUMAS!!
miss you folks !!
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 10:35 pm
181Karen: This Puma does not need to look up to the stars to predict this: On Jan 20 New Orleans Puma will not look at one micro second of the event taking place that day or hear one more word out of the brain of cardboardgroper and the mouth of marionette Fraud Ojingo…Put that inthe Almanac for Jan 20…
Casper Cat 12.21.08 at 10:38 pm
Back at ya!! invalidresponse!!!!!!!!!!
Good to see you too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 10:41 pm
Hey Hey invalidresponse!!!
be how it you?
invalidresponse 12.21.08 at 10:45 pm
DancesWithPumas
be how it you?
___________________
lol,,, love it!!!! is it pick on dances night again??? got here just in time….
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 10:45 pm
NOP I know that about Jan 20 for myself too. If God wills that I’m still here alive then (and the way I’m feeling the past couple days that’s an “if”, LOL) I already plan on not turning the tv on from the evening before until at least the next day after. I know that will be all that all the stations are talking about, and I can’t take that. If anything really good happens (good for US, meaning the PUMAs and America) I will have to read it here on the blog.
invalidresponse 12.21.08 at 10:46 pm
I be gold as good!!!
murphy 12.21.08 at 10:46 pm
invalid!!
karenWI — animals arent BETTER than people — they’re different.
listen, there’s more to this world than what you’ve read in the famous books. good people like you, and all animal lovers, WANT animals to be better than people because people are so often so rotten — but animals dont experience existence the way we do. consciousness, memory (which NOP so brilliantly described earlier) are special human characteristics — conscience — the idea of good and evil and most especially CONSEQUENCES are concepts beyond animals.
they are both blameless and amoral.
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 10:46 pm
Thanks CasperCat… that restores my faith again. I just CAN’T believe that dogs would be born vicious… I just can’t… sorry. Thanks again for the information!
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 10:47 pm
invalidresponse 12.21.08 at 10:45 pm
DancesWithPumas
be how it you?
___________________
lol,,, love it!!!! is it pick on dances night again??? got here just in time….
————
You’re the only one who picks on me! Of course, it’s mutual… so we’ll call it a draw.
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 10:49 pm
Murphy, I see animals as being like infants in that they are innocent… and naturally loving…. who never “grow up” to know good and evil- and, unfortunately more often than people should, pick evil…
murphy 12.21.08 at 10:49 pm
January 20th is my grandfather’s birthday, my stepfather’s birthday, my mother-in-law’s birthday, Taggles’ birthday (the big Four-OH) AND
a National Day of Puma Protest
a number of us are going to Washington to protest/celebrate — ALL are welcome.
invalidresponse 12.21.08 at 10:51 pm
Hey Murphy…
Thought I better pop in and let you know I was still around…just away till after the first……
_____________
yep Dances …it is about even…but hey, If I am the ONLY ONE that picks on you I should do it more often perhaps….
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 10:51 pm
January 20 is my sister’s birthday and an old friend’s birthday.
murphy 12.21.08 at 10:53 pm
aw, I wish they were naturally loving — many certainly seem to be, but I dont think so.
I think the mammals we cherish — dogs, horses, dolphins, cats, etc. are naturally RESPONSIVE — they pick up cues and respond to human care, which is why they are so vulnerable to abuse and the effects of bad care — but I dont think they make conscious choices to BE good or BE loving.
they ARE blameless though, as you say.
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 10:53 pm
invalidresponse 12.21.08 at 10:51 pm
yep Dances …it is about even…but hey, If I am the ONLY ONE that picks on you I should do it more often perhaps….
———————
It’s always the angle with you! Sure go ahead… just stop sending me truckloads of the same bad links for the radio schedule section! ;p
invalidresponse 12.21.08 at 10:56 pm
Me an angle???? naaaaaaa I send you good links…YOU miss them up…(no one will ever believe that) …but that is my story…..and I’m sticking to it……..Someone has to keep you on your toes right???
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 10:57 pm
murphy 12.21.08 at 10:46 pm Thank you for the great response about animals. I was trying to word one when I read yours. It’s true, I think, that the concepts of good and evil are of the human realm only.
I plan to wear a black arm band on Jan 20, maybe the whole week.
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 10:59 pm
Someone has to keep you on your toes right???
———————–
There’s the angle again!
How’s the weather where you are?
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 10:59 pm
I wish Jennifer would be here… I’d love to hear her view of animals too! Somehow I feel a “bond” with Jenni when it comes to animals. I should tell you a little story about a couple who used to be clients of mine. I went to visit them (not the first time) and they locked their dog in the bedroom. I asked them why- because I’d seen their dog before and I LOVE dogs! They told me that ever since the wife had had surgery the dog was very protective of her and had attacked even their KIDS for just sitting next to her. After I got done talking to them I told them to let the dog out. They didn’t want to …. I told them go ahead…. just let him out, which they did. The dog was like it was catapulted out of that bedroom and made a beeline for me….. and… are you ready for this? Jumped up in my lap and started licking my face. They were astonished and told me “well, we know 3 people now who the dog likes… us two and you.” I should also tell you that in my business I drive to appointments at houses. One of the other agents asked me once if I were scared when I’d drive up to a farmhouse and the big farm dogs would run up to the car barking. I told them “No”… I wasn’r afraid of them. MOST of the time I’d just open the door and they’d run in circles around me barking as we went to the house. However, if one is REALLY vicious I can tell and I just open the car window a little and talk to it “hey! what’s wrong?”… and let them get used to my voice and my scent.. they almost always settle down and let me out then…
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 11:02 pm
Murphy: I agree with your comments re animals I wish to add this, although I do not know if you would concur. Animals do respond to love and abuse. They hold somewhere in their beings templates of both.
I do not know how that works of course because I am not a vetenarian and do not know about their brains but each of us knows I am sure that they are templates of how they are treated. And, they return to us what more fully sits in
either of those templates. No animal can ever be better than a human for the reasons you stated but when they are filled with a template which is the result of the love and care of a human, they certainly can feel better to be around than some humans..that is for sure!!
invalidresponse 12.21.08 at 11:02 pm
Good… I’m in Denver for a couple of weeks …we have been skiing…cold at night…not bad during the day…..really good ski conditions… can’t complain….
Casper Cat 12.21.08 at 11:03 pm
Murphy!!!! Classic example of Cause and Effect…Our Input is in exact direction to their output..Re: behavior…I have alot of rescue’s that have been to the bowls of HELL…And, yet, today with alot of love and dedication…They are truly, a wonderful friend and family member.. Yet, in saying that I do understand their nature…Human’s are the most complex…People will rape you, rob you and assult you without any cause (other than mental illness, Well, that’s another story)..But, my point is Animals base their Reality on Cause and Effect….They are Reactionary…..Pure and Simple…I would like to see how people would respond if they were in the same or similar situations as most Animals????
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 11:04 pm
I should mention one farm house I went to where the dog had been licking a cow who had just given birth and had the cow’s blood on his muzzle…that was a little disconcerting when I drove up. However the dog didn’t give me any indication of viciousness (just barking madly like usual for farm dogs) so I got out of the car. The dog ran circles around me as I went to the house door… nobody answered, so I went to the barn, the dog still running circles around me as we walked. After I got to the barn, I found the farmer and we talked in there… and that’s when I saw the dog licking the cow and calf… and that answered the question of the blood on the white muzzle….
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 11:04 pm
invalid
Sounds great!
Were you in Denver for “Denver”?
murphy 12.21.08 at 11:04 pm
oh lordy — dances is like the bionic woman — picked on and stabbed at by many, but she NEVER succumbs.
dwp was the FIRST to shrug off Nov 4th and give us hope.
she said, “eh — we’re survivors. this is what we do. we experience failure, we accept it and move on. We’ve survived worse — we’ll survive this.”
THAT was a habit of freedom.
invalidresponse 12.21.08 at 11:05 pm
DancesWithPumas
There’s the angle again!
_________________
angle = angel maybe??? lol
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 11:05 pm
“dwp was the FIRST to shrug off Nov 4th and give us hope.
whaaaaaaaaaa??? I must have been in a stupor brought on by shock and desparate disappointment.
you made that up!
invalidresponse 12.21.08 at 11:07 pm
murphy 12.21.08 at 11:04 pm
picked on and stabbed at by many, but she NEVER succumbs
___________________________________
Different kind of picking on Murphy…….
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 11:07 pm
“angle = angel maybe??? lol”
Bong! I’m sorry, inavalidresponse, wrong answer. Thank you for playing.
Next contestant please…
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 11:08 pm
KarenW: The animals must be able to sense that you owe or wish them no injury. This is always an interesting occurence, and has happened to me as well, but even so..I do not always necessarily trust that for in the end..I do not know the full weight of what has happened to them or how…which means…I do not presume ever that because I wish them no harm they will always sense that and respond accordingly.
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 11:09 pm
oops my Italian accent is showing…
not inavalid
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 11:09 pm
Dogs and cats also sense when their owner is upset about something… and do their best to give comfort, LOL.
I still have the scar on my palm where he did that. I honestly think he snapped to just “scare” me, and was surprised when he hit… he didn’t intend to, LOL.
****
We had a dachshund when I was a kid. I don’t myself believe in reincarnation, but if there was such a thing that dog would be Houdini reincarnated. If you want to know why, ask and I’ll explain in a different post. However, I was about in Jr High when this happened. Mom and dad went away for the evening and I was alone with Chester (the dog). I wanted to go to bed. I knew Chet liked going to lay on the top step of our open staircase and look down on the living room so I told him to go lay on the step so I could go to bed (he was laying on the rug by my bed at the time). He ignored me. I told him maybe 3 times… finally I reached down to pick him up and take him to the step, and he bit me. His eyetooth made a deep hold in the palm of my hand and it BLED pretty good. I was angry! I put my bloody hand down right under his nose and said “Just LOOK at what you’ve done!!!”… never thinking that he might bite again, LOL. He took one look at it and slunk off to lie on that top step. The next full week he was extra nice to me…
goofsmom 12.21.08 at 11:10 pm
Murphy
For you and all the pumas going with you to DC… Heads up they are imposing a lot of restrictions… They list some of them in this article…
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/12/21/seniors-parents-piqued-strict-inauguration-parade-rules/
invalidresponse 12.21.08 at 11:10 pm
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 11:04 pm
invalid
Sounds great!
Were you in Denver for “Denver”?
_________________________________
only in spirit…..couldn’t get the time off work….wanted to be though
_________________
Bong! I’m sorry, inavalidresponse, wrong answer.
murphy 12.21.08 at 11:11 pm
NOP — for sure. animals most certainly have memories/templates whatever — the cats LOVE me bc I’m the one who always feeds them and cleans their box — they “know” me, and a dog would be even way smarter than that. and lord knows animals are usually better companions than humans — they have no sense of “self” and are never narcissists.
all women should have a pet — a companion, or in witches’ terms, a “familiar.”
KarenWI — you’re BRAVE. I’m terrified of any dog taller than my knee myself. cats like me, but dogs are very mistrustful of me. Not that I blame them
but I wish they liked me.
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 11:12 pm
invaliantresponse
murphy 12.21.08 at 11:13 pm
nope I didnt dwp — hang on a sec and I’ll go get it.
jenniforhillary 12.21.08 at 11:13 pm
First of all, anyone picks on Dances is gonna have to mess with me. And you don’t wanna mess with me. Dances is the heart of this group, Murphy is the brain, and we are the soul.
Second, Murphy, while I know you are the brain and all, here is my take on animals. My parents built a working farm for us to grow up on, but we mostly did not kill the animals. One of our neighbors was Mrs. Hindi and her 50 something year old bachelor son. He had 100 cows, on 100 acres, right next door to our 3.5 acres and he would call them home every night. They each had a name, he knew them, and they knew him. Once, a mama cow died and he gave us the baby to raise. I can tell you that that baby knew us, loved us, and was smart as a whip.
From the age of 3 on I loved animals. When I was 5 I started rescuing them. Mice, birds, cats, you name it I would find a broken one and try to save it. Squirrels are darling and smart. Birds know you and are smart too. Don’t get me started on horses, because if there were gods among us they would be horses. Pigs are perhaps the smartest of all, but not as beautiful as horses or as regal. Ducks/geese/turkeys tend to be sort of mean and/or rather stinky.
One day we killed fowl (we had raised them for that). Normally, we did not kill things. Even the pig I raised for the fair was adopted at a petting farm. That day, the day the birds died, is a sad day for me. I did not stop it, and I even ate some of them later. But it was not right, and it changed me.
All animals are smart. I have been in labs rescuing animals from testing and when you see their eyes it is enough to rip your soul out. I am sobbing now because I cannot rescue them all and at night it haunts me.
I play the lottery a lot. One dollar at a time though, because it does not increase your chances to play more than that. If I win enough, I will rescue every animal from every pound and shelter. We will walk in and choose them all. And on that day I will know God.
Until then, I pray that animals go somewhere safe and beyond touch when this world becomes too harsh. I pray this because if not I would go mad.
invalidresponse 12.21.08 at 11:15 pm
#220
lol….
murphy 12.21.08 at 11:16 pm
jenni, thank god, I was waiting for you.
you must have read the Gregory Maguire books about Oz — Wicked, Son of a Witch, and A Lion Among Men. You are Elphaba.
tell me you’ve read them.
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 11:16 pm
murphy 12.21.08 at 11:13 pm
nope I didnt dwp — hang on a sec and I’ll go get it.
——————
Noooooooooooooooooo. No. It’s okay. I believe you.
Hard to believe I was so seemingly nonchalant about it.
Can’t recall what I was feeling at the time…
jenniforhillary 12.21.08 at 11:17 pm
Murphy,
I am not going to washington on the 20th because I heard that women have to walk 20 feet behind every man….something about hope and change
karen, my friend
jenniforhillary 12.21.08 at 11:18 pm
murphy–no I have not, and I have read EVERY oz book including present day versions (they keep writing them….)
I will get both of these books tomorrow (love to read…)
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 11:18 pm
I had a brother 4 years older than me. He’s dead many years now, due to getting involved in that “hanging game” to get a sexual high. He was only 39. Anyway, when we were kids he had a chemistry set. I remember him digging worms out and boiling them to death with his chemistry set just to watch them change color…. I had a little “worm graveyard” because I’d always go get them later and have a little worm funeral for each one.
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 11:19 pm
JenniferforHillary: If any human could get The Lion to play and lay down again with the sheep, it would be you, dear Jennifer…You are such an excellent steward on this earth.
jenniforhillary 12.21.08 at 11:19 pm
a worm graveyard…that is absolutely beautiful karen…truly
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 11:20 pm
Hey Jenni! Glad you could make it! Any discussion about animals isn’t complete without you in it, my friend!
invalidresponse 12.21.08 at 11:20 pm
jenniforhillary 12.21.08 at 11:13 pm
First of all, anyone picks on Dances is gonna have to mess with me. And you don’t wanna mess with me.
_______________________________________________________
lmao….. k……
it’s ok folks….Dances and I are good….she knows I love her more than my luggage…….
jenniforhillary 12.21.08 at 11:20 pm
NOP, that is the sweetest thing anyone has said to me in a long time. Honestly, i do love my pumas….
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 11:22 pm
StJenniferOfAssisi
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 11:23 pm
jenniforhillary 12.21.08 at 11:13 pm I feel that way about animals AND people. I’d ‘rescue’ them all if I could.
jenniforhillary 12.21.08 at 11:24 pm
invalid…
I wanted to say only I can mess with Dances…but she is going to kick my butt one day….
but honestly, every Puma is special in his/her own way.
Oh, and TNA can suck obie’s wand. I want to go on record as stating that any women’s movement that does not include POOR women is not a women’s movement, but a social clique.
POOR women make up the majority of women on this planet, and most of them are women are color, which also makes TNA totally fucking RACIST. And while I hate this word now (thank you kindly Nobama), this point must be made. TNA must be hung out to dry for their classist, racist, simply ridiculous comments. I will be writing them this week (YEA I have 10 days off to chill a bit)…
NewOrleansPuma 12.21.08 at 11:25 pm
Jenniferforhillary: I am glad you think it is sweet..It is true!..and I think you are dearly beloved of God for your stewardship of His creatures. If not you, then no one.
On that my dear Jennifer and all here…I will leave for the night… Peace to all and to all a good sleep…
jenniforhillary 12.21.08 at 11:26 pm
MOUNTAINSONG….I’m right there with you but many people are not worth saving (nobama, obots, rapists, assholes, etc., etc.) but yes yes yes
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 11:26 pm
jenniforhillary 12.21.08 at 11:17 pm I’d walk 20 feet behind the man~~~so I don’t get hit by grenade shrapnel.
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 11:26 pm
The one “saint” I would like to meet would be St Francis…. I wish I could be like that! …and I always LOVED Dr Dolittle talking to the animals!!!
freddiebrown 12.21.08 at 11:26 pm
TerryDo – The Visitor !! That was the movie I saw a few weeks ago and declared that I wanted a drum for Christmas.What was I thinking… but I know perserverance is a good teacher.
Dances – I think in Balboa Park..is a drum group but as I said, I think they forgot to include the rhythmn when they sent the drum to me. It is THE missing part. As soon as I am somewhat of clear mind in March, I will check it out.
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 11:27 pm
night NOP.
Jenn… 10 days off… fantastic!!
invalidresponse 12.21.08 at 11:27 pm
goodnight NOP …..
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 11:28 pm
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 11:26 pm You’re such a Sweet Heart.
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 11:28 pm
Goodnight NewOrleans… I won’t be far behind you!
jenniforhillary 12.21.08 at 11:28 pm
I think I curse too much to be a saint. But I would like to be a witch with powers so I can send some curses out and such
murphy 12.21.08 at 11:28 pm
Nov 5, 6:35am her time (california), the FIRST post on the first post-election thread, Haven:
Good morning, Puma Nation!
I’m more than disappointed in the processes and result of this election, as disappointed as I am proud of our work, and what we have accomplished in such a short period of time. We did our best on any given day. What more can anyone ask?
We owe it to ourselves to allow a period in which to grieve significant transitions, this absurd presidency being one. Once we recoup, we’ll regroup, and carry on. One way or another we will survive this error. We are survivors afterall, and that’s what survivors do.”
jenniforhillary 12.21.08 at 11:29 pm
yes, i am thriled…of course, I have to clean, organize, etc., but at least NO CLIENT INTERACTION…
FREEDOM
jenniforhillary 12.21.08 at 11:30 pm
Dances = heart
murphy 12.21.08 at 11:30 pm
oops, link in case you dont believe me.
http://pumapac.org/2008/11/05/haven/
Headclunker 12.21.08 at 11:30 pm
Correction to Sockpuppet Post #304
I have to stand corrected on the $5 million hole in BO’s pocket. It turned out to be only $1.3 million. I had to look closer at his Re’s (Refunds, Redesignations, Reattributions). Turns out there is this one set called “Reattribution/Redesignation Requested” that was getting me confused. I do believe that this is money that will cause exceedance of the $2300 (primary), $2300 (GE) limit if the requests are not granted by the donors.
The thing is that it totals $26 million.
Audit! Audit!
invalidresponse 12.21.08 at 11:31 pm
Dances you can’t argue with that….she has you there….#247
Great words btw………….
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 11:31 pm
Mountainsong… I’m not a sweetheart… you must have me confused with Jennifer! No, I’m just someone who had been so badly hurt all my life by people that I- even as a young child- just turned to animals and loved them. Plus, as I said once before I think, my great-aunt had a big empty house and took in all the animals nobody else wanted… and I think I inherited some of that from her. My 7th grade (or was 9th grade- one of the two.. I think 9th now but not sure) mandatory speech contest I spoke about the cruelty of vivasection…. and won – my ribbon’s in mom’s room and she’s in bed- I think 3rd or 4th place out of over 400 in my class… always DID have a big mouth, LOL…
murphy 12.21.08 at 11:31 pm
you ARE a witch with powers jenni.
silly puma.
night all.
murphy 12.21.08 at 11:31 pm
you ARE a witch with powers jenni.
silly puma.
night all.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 11:32 pm
jenniforhillary 12.21.08 at 11:26 pm I have to believe we are ALL worth ’saving’. If there’s not enough love in the world for all of us, it wont be long before there isn’t any love for any of us….people animals, trees, plants, fish….
jenniforhillary 12.21.08 at 11:32 pm
murphy
good night to all pumas…
invalidresponse 12.21.08 at 11:32 pm
night murph……
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 11:33 pm
Freddie, I can hear the Balboa Park drummers from my house! I love it.
I’m not sure where the women’s group meets… it’s been at different locations. When I lived on the reservation, I was invited to participate in their Friday night drum/dance gettogethers in some bare wooden hall … whew, talk about becoming one with the drum… powerful stuff. Hmmmm, Indian danvcing is the only dancing that doesnt make me break out in a cold sweat!
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 11:33 pm
Jenni I never joke about witches and curses. There was someone on my college dorm floor who was a witch… she’d cast spells on her professors on test days if she wasn’t ready for the test… and invariably the prof called in sick.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 11:34 pm
Good night, jenni, murphy, NOP, invalid….
jenniforhillary 12.21.08 at 11:35 pm
we are all sweet…some of us are just spicy too…
Mountainsong, perhaps you have love enough for them, but i’ve used up some of mine so I have to watch it closely. for pumas, for lost souls, for animals, i have endless love.
Now, Cats need brushing and eye cleaning so wish me luck (imagine girl chasing cats everywhere–they hide under bed and on top of dryer–and then cats win and girl curses)
karen, you are fine person. lots of good in you
and you don’t curse 
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 11:35 pm
Night Murphy… I’m just rambling on and I need to get some sleep too! I’m about 90% certain I’m going to be going back to my dr’s clinic tomorrow if they’ll take me. My doc won’t be in until tuesday, but I need some help….
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 11:37 pm
Nov 5, 6:35am her time (california),
———————-
That means I was late for work again!!
Also wonder if I made a contribution for being first…
details, details!
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 11:38 pm
No… I don’t curse, usually. Sometimes I catch myself doing that when I just can’t stop it, but that isn’t very often. That doesn’t make me good, though. I know some who curse who are people so full of love and genuineness who are better people than others who wouldn’t ever let a curse word past their lips. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover, LOL…
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 11:43 pm
Well, looks like everyone else went to bed huh? Sure got quiet, LOL…..
Nijma 12.21.08 at 11:44 pm
Happy Solstice–the longest night of the year.
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 11:45 pm
Nimja, that means that starting tomorrow the days are going to get longer doesn’t it? OH HAPPY DAY! I HATE it when I get up when it’s dark out, and have it be dark out by 4 in the afternoon again!
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 11:48 pm
Nijma YAY, that means tomorrow will be ‘longer’ than today. I can deal with that.
invalidresponse 12.21.08 at 11:48 pm
Ok guess I should go …in case I don’t get a chance to stop back in before …..Merry Christmas…..to all of you and yours….
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 11:48 pm
Well… seems I’m alone. Ok. Goodnight KarenWI… LOL.
mountainsong 12.21.08 at 11:48 pm
Merry christmas, Invalid.
freddiebrown 12.21.08 at 11:49 pm
So this is my pit bull story – besides the one about Fred and me being attacked by one.
A 22 year old employee with two boy kids, one 3 and one 2. Two year old is Altruistic and has trouble with speech. She said that a speaker fell on him and bloodied his head and he didn’t even cry. Long story short, she wanted a dog for the kids. First was a German shepard – got stolen. Friend who is a breeder gave them the last of the litter – a pit bull. This is after we have told her all the horror stories and she herself knows too. But this particular one she said is very timid and shy. I saw pictures, it is a huge 5 month pit bull. I really hope that when it grows up, it would be timid and shy as she now says. They are hispanic and the pit is the husbands choice of breed. She’s a nice girl but I wonder if she wants a pit for what reason ? To show her husband that she’s tough and pits don’t scare her ? I can’t believe that stupidity rules.
By the way, for those who have seen Fred, he bit the UPS man several years ago. Mario had to take the day off as his wrist had a 1/2″ broken skin. Fred thinks he is a pit bull – I have no idea why. We molly coddle him to death – its the Terrier in him.
kat in your hat 12.22.08 at 12:09 am
Pit bulls…
I’m not into them. One of my oldest best friends had to get plastic surgery on her face because a pit bull mauled her. She had a one inch scar from her lip toward her cheek–on an otherwise perfectly beautiful face.
Anyway, she was terrified of dogs when we were kids. We were always trespassing and jumping fences to go pool hopping, and of course, there are dogs in backyards. Well, one noticed us hopping into HIS fenced backyard. My friend freaked out and then the dog freaked out. We jumped the fence back out onto sidewalk–dog jumped fence as well…chased us down the block before we jumped on a van and stood on the roof of the van for 1/2 an hour as dog growled and barked at us and tried to jump at us. I wasn’t scared at all, but my poor gal was terrified. I just told her to sit down and relax before she gave herself a heart attack. You know kat would take out the dog if he reached us. Pow!
ah the good ole days of being 12. pfft.
HiHat 12.22.08 at 12:11 am
At #117, Murphy said:
“which always reminds me of hihat — hi hihat if you’re out there!”
Yep, Darragh “Prescott” Murphy, I am still here.
Mostly just keeping my powder dry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Prescott
hillstheone 12.22.08 at 12:14 am
TOPIC: MSNBC reports on Oblablah-gate
Hi PUMA’s! A few more things got checked off my holiday list today, aahhhh…need to start getting ready for work tomorrow but first, here’s an interesting post.
“Witt” is the anchor & Baird is the Republican strategist. Witt certainly did not adamantly deny anything – rawther surprising…
~ ~ ~
From the 10 a.m. ET hour of the December 21 edition of MSNBC Live:
WITT: And this week, Barack Obama is expected to release the findings of an internal investigation as to whether anyone in his ranks had improper contact with the Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Joining us now live from Washington, D.C., to talk about it: Democratic strategist Josh Gottheimer and Republican strategist Tripp Baird.
Hello, guys. Good to see you both.
BAIRD: ‘Morning.
GOTTHEIMER: Hi Alex, how are you?
WITT: I’m great. I hope you are too. As we begin with you, Josh, Barack Obama says that he is eager to release the internal investigation results. Why is that? What do you expect to hear from this report?
GOTTHEIMER: Well, I think probably what we’ve been hearing to date is that, you know, his incoming administration had nothing to do with any kind of deal-making that was going on, and I think, you know, the president-elect has been very clear all along that he believes in transparency. And so, that — I think the fact that he ordered an immediate investigation and the fact that he’s going to bring out his findings is in line with everything he’s been saying all along. So I think this will be good. We’ll keep moving forward and focus on what we should be focusing on, which is the economy, and how we’re going to solve it.
WITT: OK, what would be good, I presume, Tripp, would be, by releasing this report, it would effectively end all the whispering that there is out there, about there could be some sort of an Obama connection to the Illinois Senate seat scandal. You think that’s what’s going to happen when all is said and done?
BAIRD: No, I think this is feeding the beast. I mean, this is the last thing the Obama administration wants to do is release an investigation report on corruption that they all have something to do with. I think for most people out there, you gotta ask yourself: What do you have to do to get kicked out of office if you’re a Democrat? I mean, this is a party that basically, you know — this is Barney Frank who ran a male prostitute ring out of his basement. Now you have Blagojevich. Bob Byrd –
GOTTHEIMER: Come on.
BAIRD: — says the n-word. These guys are all still around. I mean, Blagojevich is going to stay in there and fight this thing, and I think it kind of — you kind of ask yourself: What do Democrats have to do or say to get people out of office? I mean, at least Republicans — at least Republicans, you know, there is some –
WITT: Yeah.
BAIRD: — consequences for bad behavior.
WITT: But –
BAIRD: It doesn’t seem that way looking at the Democratic side of the aisle.
WITT: But, you know what? Tripp, I want to stay on target here with this message. And the question is whether or not Barack Obama’s office or administration had discussions with Blagojevich, which indeed they did and indeed –
BAIRD: Sure.
WITT: — they ought to, correct? I mean, they’re replacing his seat. Certainly it would stand a reason that you might have someone like his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, speaking with Rod Blagojevich. And the concept of throwing out names they might be interested in seeing appointed — I mean, how normal is that?
BAIRD: It’s very normal. I mean, Barack Obama did not win this election by just letting things happen. I mean, his staff and him do not leave rocks unturned. I am sure they had many conversations with the governor. Now, what the content of those conversations were and how they’re going to be portrayed to the press and how it’s going to be spun, that’s a totally different proposition. But I’m sure they had conversations.
Now, whether, you know, Rahm Emanuel is actually responsible or involved in putting together a package for this Senate seat or not, we’ll have to see. But look, you know, [U.S. attorney Patrick] Fitzgerald has thrown this thing out there. He — I think he assumed that Blagojevich — and everyone assumed after the indictment and the press conference — that this would all go away. He would step aside and this would all go away. But it hasn’t. And so, it’s stucken around. And so, I think more and more people as the days and months go by — this will not be a quick process — more and more people are going to get pulled into this.
WITT: Hey, and you know, Josh, for anyone that thought Rod Blagojevich might step aside, he put an end to that speculation Friday.”
~ ~ ~
I still think Blago has the “goods” on so many people, it will be next to impossible to get him to budge… I do wonder, though, what day this week will we see Oblahblah’s “report”? And, will we hear from Fitzgerald on anything that same day??
hillstheone 12.22.08 at 12:15 am
p.s. This was my favorite quote, lol…
“And so, it’s stucken around.”
hillstheone 12.22.08 at 12:16 am
Hi HiHat!
kat in your hat 12.22.08 at 12:17 am
hey hillstheone!
HiHat, good evening fine sir.
hillstheone 12.22.08 at 12:18 am
Hi Kat, how are you doing tonight?
kat in your hat 12.22.08 at 12:21 am
I’m doing pretty good. I feel like I got enough done tonight so I don’t have to worry about any cleaning or anything for Christmas time.
I am still not done with gifts though. ahhhhh!
I swear procrastination is like a sickness with me sometimes. lol.
Heidi Li 12.22.08 at 12:22 am
Well, this certainly turned out to be an even more interesting time to pop over and read Murphy’s latest. What a great post, Murphy. I particularly enjoy the post about the chance that women now have – particularly because of many of us living longer healthier lives – to use time and wisdom not available to the women of Woolf’s era to develop habits of freedom, and then to act on these habits.
I consider myself a guest here because I cannot be as involved on a daily basis as so many of you can be and are. So I try very hard not to hijack discussion threads. Seems that somebody managed to use my name to hijack part of this one anyway (smile).
One factual matter I would like to clarify: I did have a post up at Heidi Li’s Potpourri referencing what has happened to Betty Jean and her daughters. I took it down for two reasons. My friend-in-blogging, Riverdaughter, is running a constantly updated post at the top of The Confluence on what Betty Jean and her family are enduring, and I did not think my much less widely blog should in any way be a distraction from that. Also, unlike Riverdaughter and Murphy, I do not know Betty Jean, and I felt uncomfortable referencing her current personal tragedy as part of what would be essentially a writing by a stranger. I have left repeated thoughts for her on RD’s threads.
Finally, I want to thank those who encouraged the person here to communicate directly with me by email. I also want to thank those, especially DancesWithPuma, who spoke on my behalf. Turndownobama, I want to thank you for describing exactly why comments on my threads at Heidi Li’s Potpourri are both heavily moderated and rather sporadically posted. As you noted Heidi Li’s Potpourri is not an organization or even a community (although it is true that now I am trying to keep people apprised of the development of 51 Percent THAT is an organization and will soon I hope have a website of its own). It is a blog about progressivism. I believe that ending the oppression and subjugation is the overarching progressive cause of my time; but it is not the only topic of issue to progressives. Also as noted by TurndownObama, I have only limited time to devote to moderation so I err on the side of publishing fewer comments rather than more.
On the matter of whether I respond to criticism: many posts I write address critical comments I read but do not necessarily post. And there are worthwhile comments I receive that I don’t post either because of the tone or the language or because I do not want the blog to become duplicative of ones like this one where people can come and very publicly share their opinions and debate them. I like variety.
For anybody here who reads my blog and enjoys it, please know that this gives me immense pleasure and much inspiration to actively work in the political and civic sphere. For those who leave comments, please know that I read them all even if I publish selectively.
Let me begin to close by saying two things: 1) my respect for Murphy and so many of you PUMA regulars remains undimmed; 2) my heart goes out to Betty Jean, as it does to the all too many people I know, including one person very dear to me, who have been victim to base, horrid, and misogynistic treatment and who suffer the severest kinds of injury as a result. I would have hoped that even though the interacting through blogging is rather impersonal, it would have been obvious to all that this would be true. You can be sure that 51 Percent will address misogyny and femicide and violence against women because they are women – that is why I am struggling to get 51 Percent up and running.
Thank you for your hospitality on the threads here. I will continue to lurk regularly and participate occasionally.
And for those who think I have not been paying attention to some of the larger political dynamics involving how people react publicly to Betty Jean’s situation and who care to see what I have to say about it, you may find the link at the end of this paragraph of interest. If you do not like me or my blog, skip it.
http://tdg.typepad.com/heidi_lis_potpourri/2008/12/against-the-subjugation-of-women-resist-both-infighting-and-selling-out.html
Heidi Li 12.22.08 at 12:23 am
Forgive the typos in my previous comment. I’m pretty tired at the moment.
HiHat 12.22.08 at 12:26 am
Hi hills!
kat, good evening, madam.
kat in your hat 12.22.08 at 12:28 am
Heidi Li: # 282
Thank you so much for your post.
You really do not need to explain yourself or how you run your blog–not at all. It’s generous of you to post what you did here tonight. Many of us appreciate all that you do and there is no doubt that we got your back and vice versa.
Heidi Li 12.22.08 at 12:36 am
Thanks Kat. Very much.
mountainsong 12.22.08 at 12:43 am
kat in your hat 12.22.08 at 12:21 am Hi Kat
Hey, you know what they say about procrastination, right?
kat in your hat 12.22.08 at 12:43 am
Your welcome Heidi Li.
It’s ok…
Well, I am going to head out.
HiHat…uh, meet me around the corner. (lol)
Gnight pumas. Sweet Dreams xo
kat in your hat 12.22.08 at 12:44 am
mountainsong:
no…
what do they say?
lol…do I want to know?
hillstheone 12.22.08 at 12:47 am
Hi Heidi,
I don’t read your blog that much, but wanted you to know one night last week, I dreamed I was a tourist somewhere and saw a building named in your honor! ;D And I believe good things are happening in the world, and things are working together for a purpose, even if we do not always see them at the time..
mountainsong 12.22.08 at 12:48 am
LOL Procrastination is like masturbation~~It feels good in the beginning but, in the end, you’re just screwing yourself.
hillstheone 12.22.08 at 12:49 am
HiHat, I hope you dream that you write the best book of your life, and that it sells a million copies, if that is your wish..!
Well I am going to log off now, nite-nite everyone & sweet dreams.
mountainsong 12.22.08 at 12:50 am
Good night, love…..lol
HiHat 12.22.08 at 12:50 am
Aw, thank you, hills. I’d take that wish coming true!
night.
mountainsong 12.22.08 at 12:53 am
Cat playing ukulele:
http://video.yahoo.com/network/100000086?v=4021304&l=100000085
freddiebrown 12.22.08 at 12:54 am
Yuk MountainSong !! procrastination just got a worst rap. So Kat better go shopping soon !
TerryDo 12.22.08 at 12:59 am
I was just on Rumproast website and they have more pictures of Pumas in Denver than Pumapac has in their collection. They even have one of Dances with Pumas.
Why are they so mesmerized by Pumas?
http://s529.photobucket.com/albums/dd333/SouthJerseyPUMA/
mountainsong 12.22.08 at 1:01 am
Somehow, I knew that one wasn’t going over well. lol, better get that shopping done.
Nijma 12.22.08 at 1:02 am
Hihat, thanks for the introduction to Steve Gadd, he’s truly incredible
Heidi Li, Thanks for the words about in-fighting, but sometimes it doesn’t make the attacks any easier. If someone thinks something should be on a blog, they can blog about it themselves. I don’t write about politics (at least not much), that’s not my forte, and I appreciate being introduced to interesting bloggers with unique political perspectives.
Heidi Li 12.22.08 at 1:07 am
hillstheone 12.22.08 at 12:47 am
Let’s hope we all get buildings named in hour honor! Your optimism and good-spiritedness is a tonic. I think many of us are tired right now, and it is so important to remember that even with hitches and bumps we ARE moving ahead.
HiHat 12.22.08 at 1:07 am
You are very welcome, Nijma.
Yes, for many drummers – Gadd = God.
kat in your hat 12.22.08 at 1:09 am
mountainsong…lol. Well ya know, it’s true. I am only screwing myself that way.
I’ll work on it. Uh, the procrastination.
kat in your hat 12.22.08 at 1:13 am
TerryDo #297
oy. Try not to go over there. They are…ill. Sad people. Stalkers. Weirdos.
HiHat 12.22.08 at 1:18 am
Well, I gots to go.
(I got a date with someone around the corner)
Goodnight, you beautiful Pumas!
hillstheone 12.22.08 at 1:35 am
Hi PUMA’s,
Came back to post this link about the impeachment process of the Gov of Illinois.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/12/21/illinois-house-panel-stop-governors-impeachment-probe/
Be interested in anybody’s take on this & will check back tomorrow.
p.s. TerryDo, that’s very interesting about rumproast! Maybe one of their own was there taking all that video & all those photos…
Sunshinelvr 12.22.08 at 2:57 am
297
TerryDo 12.22.08 at 12:59 am
I was just on Rumproast website and they have more pictures of Pumas in Denver than Pumapac has in their collection. They even have one of Dances with Pumas.
Why are they so mesmerized by Pumas?
http://s529.photobucket.com/albums/dd333/SouthJerseyPUMA
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I don’t know if you meant that these photos are on Rumproast..If that is what you meant , that is just wrong. SouthJerseyPuma took these photos and this is HER site where she posted them.
http://s529.photobucket.com/albums/dd333/SouthJerseyPUMA/
Sunshinelvr 12.22.08 at 3:17 am
well– on the other hand–they could have linked the photos. But they certainly did not make them. I was on the blog when SouthJerseyPUMA posted this link for the photos she took in Denver.
Sunshinelvr 12.22.08 at 3:20 am
sweet dreams all Pumas. And sandipuma..hope you are doing okay, I have not read any postings from you in the last day or so. Merry Christmas, in case I miss you later!
BrianH 12.22.08 at 3:39 am
TexasTigress 12.21.08 at 8:34 pm
gaygal – that line was a title of a book I read along time ago that was a studt of psychotherapy , but it’s based on the Zen principle that if you meet Buddha and you don’t kill him , he will always stand in your way of personal achievement because you will be idealising HIM …. For what it’s worth.//
============
Heh. My immediate thought was that it was a way of permitting him to enter Nirvana, which he had generously held himself back from in order to give mankind the SevenFold Way.
Zee 12.22.08 at 5:32 am
Murphy,
Love the pic of your pistol-packin’ princess niece!
And great post on the habit of freedom. Yes, we are lacking the women artists who tried to move women to social justice. We just lost Grace Paley, who not only wrote but also spoke and met with women regarding peace measures against the most recent war of the “fathers.”
Dorothy Parker took a stand against fascism in the Spanish Civil War and traveled there to report on it…and she was arrested in Boston for protesting the day before the execution of Sacco and Vanzetti.
Mothers Day, btw, started NOT as the greeting card holiday it’s degenerated into….Mothers Day was originally an antiwar movement.
We’ve really gone backward. Meanwhile….The Boston Globe Magazine has just named Jon the Groper Favreau as one of six Bostonians of the Year.
sue66 12.22.08 at 5:38 am
Lighting a candle and praying for Louisa. Words still fail me……..
BrianH 12.22.08 at 5:43 am
Caroline Kennedy is as qualified as obama and geo bush were when they were selected. Would it be fair to other women who are as, or more, qualified and have dedicated themselves to teh public arena for years … nope.//
========
Enough with the BDS already. Bush had been a governor for 6 years when he took office, and had an actual hands-on record of achieving bipartisan co-operation (which was insufficient to overcome federal Democrats’ self-serving vindictiveness even post-9/11). Omposter has the most partisan voting record of any living federal politician. Cease with the facile and foolish equating of the two.
BrianH 12.22.08 at 6:04 am
Family pit bulls kill grandfather who stepped out for a smoke.. unprovoked…
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Familys-2-Pit-Bulls-Kill-Rubidoux-Man.html
This is so hard for me to accept and understand… because I love animals so much, and think of them as being so much better than people.//
=========
Well, they’re different — and not. Just watched a Nat. Geo. episode of a researcher who followed and studied a small hyena ‘clan’ for years. Clans are ruled by ‘queens’; females are larger and stronger and more aggressive. This clan was only 4 adult hyenas; often they are 20 or more. This one had the disadvantage of a barren queen, with a very disfunctional attitude, very selfish (ate most of the food available) and abusive to the other members. Eventually they turned on her and crippled her. She immediately fell to the bottom of the pecking (biting) order, and her deputy replaced her, to excellent effect. She and another female began getting enough food to nurse their own cubs (1 each) adequately, and subsequently she bred with a new ‘outsider’ male and produced two more cubs.
So, who’s going to cripple Pelosi?
turndownobama 12.22.08 at 6:10 am
There’s a Prowl going around on the Boston Globe’s puff on Favreau. I’m not sure where to post it here. It’s posted as a Comment at
http://pumaresponders.blogspot.com/2008/12/boston-globe-obama-speechwriter-jon.html
Boston Globe: Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau – EASY POST & PROWL
[ Some good info here as well as puff. - tdo ]
Comment box at the bottom. My name was already on it, post went right up. Less than 10 comments so far.http://people.boston.com/articles/?p=articlecomments&activityId=5536527872692665679
Thanks to the Puma who has compiled a good Prowl on this; I’ll add it as a Reply to this message.
TexasTigress 12.22.08 at 6:48 am
The list of President-Elect Obama’s Cabinet members, those either announced or under serious consideration based on recent reporting, is as follows:
Secretary of Treasury – Timothy Geithner
Secretary of State – Hillary Clinton
Secretary of Defense – Robert Gates
Attorney General – Eric Holder
Secretary of Homeland Security – Janet Napolitano
Secretary of Health & Human Services – Tom Daschle
Secretary of Commerce – Bill Richardson
Ambassador to the United Nations* – Susan Rice
Secretary of Veteran’s Affairs – Eric Shinseki
Secretary of Agriculture -Tom Vilsack
Secretary of Education -Arne Duncan
Secretary of Energy -Steven Chu
Secretary of Housing & Urban Development -Shaun Donovan
Secretary of Interior -Ken Salazar
Secretary of Labor -Hilda Solis
Secretary of Transportation -Ray LaHood
*President-elect Obama declared this position will be given cabinet-level rank.
TexasTigress 12.22.08 at 6:51 am
Brian-
“Heh. My immediate thought was that it was a way of permitting him to enter Nirvana, which he had generously held himself back from in order to give mankind the SevenFold Way.”
I think that , if he hadn’t reached Nirvana , he wouldn’t be Buddah . Right ?
cjv 12.22.08 at 6:52 am
Good Morning PUMAS!
Sending prayers for BJ and family and lit a candle.
A quiet chuckle where I see ex New York Sate Governor Elliot Spitzer (had to resign due to a sex scandal) is now a columnist for Slate. He has written two columns so far providing his take on the car bailout:
http://www.slate.com/?id=3944&qp=49481
BrianH 12.22.08 at 6:55 am
KarenWI 12.21.08 at 10:46 pm
Thanks CasperCat… that restores my faith again. I just CAN’T believe that dogs would be born vicious… I just can’t… sorry. Thanks again for the information!//
========
Well, here’s a comment from the NBCLAT site (article moved to http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Pitbulls-Maul-Grandfather-to-Death.html ) :
So it depends on what your definition of “evil” is. unquote.
BrianH 12.22.08 at 7:08 am
jenniforhillary 12.21.08 at 11:13 pm #222
…
I play the lottery a lot. One dollar at a time though, because it does not increase your chances to play more than that. If I win enough, I will rescue every animal from every pound and shelter. We will walk in and choose them all. And on that day I will know God.
… //
================
J, your heart is maybe in the right place, but your math reeks. Your chances PER TICKET remain the same, but the chances PER PERSON depend on the number of tickets they have. One person with 10 tickets has the same total chance as 10 persons with one ticket each.
BrianH 12.22.08 at 7:18 am
hto #276;
So, the accused is also judge, jury, and CSI. Nice work if you can get it!
BrianH 12.22.08 at 7:30 am
TexasTigress 12.22.08 at 6:51 am
Brian-
“Heh. My immediate thought was that it was a way of permitting him to enter Nirvana, which he had generously held himself back from in order to give mankind the SevenFold Way.”
I think that , if he hadn’t reached Nirvana , he wouldn’t be Buddah . Right ?//
=============
No, he was ready, and on the brink, but decided to give the Way to mankind so more could get off the Wheel. Something similar with subsequent “Bodhisattvas”:
n. Buddhism.
An enlightened being who, out of compassion, forgoes nirvana in order to save others.
[Sanskrit bodhisattvaḥ, one whose essence is enlightenment : bodhiḥ, perfect knowledge + sattvam, essence, being (from sat-, existing).]
BrianH 12.22.08 at 7:35 am
freddie;
I never knew kindness could make one tongue-tied:
“Two year old is Altruistic and has trouble with speech.” !!
Of course, it could be just plain old autism.
turndownobama 12.22.08 at 7:49 am
DEMONSTRATION
Some people are talking about a demonstration outside the Boston Globe to protest the Globe selecting Favreau to be honored.
I think the demonstrators should make some cardboard figures with faces on them of the Globe editors and/or their wives.
Invite passers-by to grope the figures while you take photos to be posted in Facebook. Charge money maybe….
thecatsmeow 12.22.08 at 7:57 am
Morning, turn!
What great ideas for a protest! Do we have Boston PUMAs? Wish I could be there…
Notyoursweetie 12.22.08 at 7:57 am
The big plan where the left gets…left behind is in place:
http://edgeoforever.wordpress.com/2008/12/22/obama-gop-the-left-can-kiss-our-ass/
TexasTigress 12.22.08 at 8:00 am
“Two year old is Altruistic and has trouble with speech.” !!
___________
HA ! An Altruistic 2 year old ? Have you ever tried to pry a toy or a piece of candy from the steely grip of a 2 year old ? They are all greedy , selfish , meisers I tell you !
Altruistic 2 year old – pfft .
thecatsmeow 12.22.08 at 8:01 am
Groper Jon was featured on the front page of an area newspaper yesterday, so now I need to spend my vacation time today writing a letter to the editor.
Also, I’ll finally cancel this paper. I can’t read it anymore since the election (my husband says I get “mean” when I do). We’ve only kept it for his crossword puzzles in the morning. Now Santa will be bringing him crossword books, along with coal for the news staff.
TexasTigress 12.22.08 at 8:02 am
thecatsmeow 12.22.08 at 7:57 am
Morning, turn!
What great ideas for a protest! Do we have Boston PUMAs? Wish I could be there…
______________________
Do we have Boston PUMAS ????
hmmmmmmmmm …
IDK – Let’s ask MURPHY …. lol
thecatsmeow 12.22.08 at 8:05 am
Ooh, and what if every woman (and man!) in the universe with Facebook (or other social network) sites put up their own picture groping the Groper?!
Hmmm, would that make us Gropees? A different kind of Groupie?
thecatsmeow 12.22.08 at 8:12 am
Oops, a little too punchy this morning…sorry! Up too early and too much caffeine already.
Out-and-about for now. Have a perfectly PUMA day, y’all!
slyt2 12.22.08 at 8:50 am
good morning puma’s have that nasty 24 hour flu going around hopefully it passes through all of us before Christmas day,and I use the word passes loosely YUCK!!!!
gypsy rebel 12.22.08 at 8:57 am
Change You Can Believe In
Remember the issue over Change.Gov?? You know having a web site being used to raise funds and to continue with organizating B’s voters? I sent an email to registrar@dotgov.gov questioning the validity of the site. The email that I received failed to mention that (as usual), rules can and will be broken by the BHO camp.
Michelle Malkin: http://michellemalkin.com/ has a full disclosure of how this site became legitimized. Totally different than my email. All of the documents to how this was done are posted on her site. Worth the time to see how this was done!!
Have a good day PUMAs. My family’s prayers to Betty Jean.
DancesWithPumas 12.22.08 at 9:08 am
BrianH 12.22.08 at 5:43 am
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 10:00 pm
Enough with the BDS already. Bush had been a governor for 6 years when he took office, and had an actual hands-on record of achieving bipartisan co-operation (which was insufficient to overcome federal Democrats’ self-serving vindictiveness even post-9/11). Omposter has the most partisan voting record of any living federal politician. Cease with the facile and foolish equating of the two.
————————-
Your lackwit bush was a C student… high school on… couldn’t pass the LSAT to get into law skool… is an F presidunce. If your fuckwit guy was qualified to become governor, CKSK is abundantly qualified to be a senator.
HP Boston 12.22.08 at 9:40 am
Happy Chanukah to all celebrating Pumas.
May your holidays fill you with happiness and love.
murphy 12.22.08 at 9:50 am
Boston Puma reporting for duty.
morning puma nation!
Heidi Li 12.22.08 at 9:59 am
turndownobama 314
For once, I had time in the a.m. to do a “prowl” – left a comment on the site you referred to at your post at 314.
Love the idea of a physical protest.
DancesWithPumas 12.22.08 at 10:17 am
Maybe we could get Northeast region to send out the alert for the Boston Globe action?
admin 12.22.08 at 10:27 am
that’s an EXCELLENT idea dwp —
brb.
HP Boston 12.22.08 at 10:54 am
a “prowl” – left a comment on the site you referred to at your post at 314.
_———————————
Site is now unavailable!
HP Boston 12.22.08 at 11:02 am
The stench of Jon Favreau, aka “THE GROPER” will never go away no matter how many media BOTS excuse him as only indulging himself in “child’s” play!
The boy from North Reading Massachusetts is a boy who will grow up to be a dangerous man!
He is disgusting!
I will be very busy today, will write to ALL the advertisers in the Boston Globe MAG and tell them WHY I will never go to their store or buy their products!
Mary Puma 12.22.08 at 11:05 am
pfinnert:
Obama and the DNC violated our rights – that is why I’m a PUMA.
—————–
yes, exactly!
DancesWithPumas 12.22.08 at 11:10 am
sooooo, here I am at work… with my laptop and lovely AIR CARD… my supervisor is off, as are several others…
’tis indeed a happy holiday work week.
NewOrleansPuma 12.22.08 at 11:13 am
Dances: Good morning! Does this mean you are playing “hookie”
in place????
DancesWithPumas 12.22.08 at 11:16 am
NOP
LOL! Playing hookie in place… egggsardouzactly!!
NewOrleansPuma 12.22.08 at 11:17 am
Dances: I used to love it at work when that happened..people not there! Have fun!
DancesWithPumas 12.22.08 at 11:19 am
What are you up to today, NOP?
LJSNAustin 12.22.08 at 11:20 am
Heidi Li, I just want to thank you for your tireless efforts on behalf of all of us. Murphy, I want to thank you, too. I consider the two of you (plus Riverdaughter) to be the leaders I look up to most. I will continue to take in every word you all write and take it to heart as we find our way together. Murphy, your post about the kitchen falling apart was a VERY good analogy and, for anyone who owns a home, sooooo true!! Happy Holidays to all PUMAs!
NewOrleansPuma 12.22.08 at 11:24 am
Dances: I have just thought that Murphy has to do something about this blog….too many interesting people here for me to get anything done other than this! But I have to get some other things going..like clean this house, which if anyone came in here, they would call for one of those three day take her away and examine her. orders.because this place is one mess..so I need to do that boring stuff..,
KarenWI 12.22.08 at 11:29 am
PAINPAINPAINPAINPAINPAIN…. the backpain is much worse so I went back to the dr today. Hurts to breathe too. Still getting those spasms in my heart and lung area too. He did another EKG and chest Xray and everything there is ok. However, since I saw him saturday I’ve blossomed out in a rash… I have shingles. It’s under my left breast and curving around my left side to my left shoulder blade. He said when it’s in that area it’s not uncommon for it to have those heart-like spasms… He also said it may get worse before it gets better…. oh, just great……
madjuana 12.22.08 at 11:34 am
Murphy,
As usual I’m a day late in reading your post but I had to let you know that your writing is incendiary in the best sense and your anger is constructive and lights the way. Your thoughts and words ring true and steer us through the quagmire of petty differences. You have a touch of the poet and in politics that’s a tricky thing to maintain. Sending you inspiration and joy this holiday season with many thanks for all that you are doing for all of us.
NewOrleansPuma 12.22.08 at 11:35 am
349KarenW: So sorry to hear that..shingles are painful…My mother found her own intervention for shingles…Go to healthfood store and buy Vitamin Bs…pill with all the Bs and at percentages beyond the so called normal level in each pill and take them religiously every day…as indicated..on bottle..This supports the nerves and helps to tone down over time the virus which causes this. Perhaps as well they have found some other interventions to literally put on the areas of the rash.
KarenWI 12.22.08 at 11:37 am
NOP I take a B100 multiple vitamin every day… still got the darn shingles, LOL. I also take a multi vitamin that has even more B in it, plus an addional B6 pill a day. In fact, I take such a hndful of vitamins that I SELDOM get sick… my mom says I shouldn’t even bother to eat I take so many pills!
KarenWI 12.22.08 at 11:37 am
When I say B100 multiple I mean it has ONLY all the B vitamins, dosage 100 for each B vitamin….
NewOrleansPuma 12.22.08 at 11:37 am
Karen: Bs are not stored in body like A so you will not overdose on them..they are flushed out..those not taken in ..
NewOrleansPuma 12.22.08 at 11:40 am
Karen: I understand but I am talking about taking in more than the recommened 100% requirement..thus, the label might say something like 500% of each or even higher…and if you can find the Schiff brand from brown rice that provides even more …
murphy 12.22.08 at 11:40 am
thank you madjuana — what a nice comment to read. love your name!
PROWL Posted,
take it upstairs!
DancesWithPumas 12.22.08 at 11:41 am
oh god… be back after the medical whatever
bqueen 12.22.08 at 12:34 pm
after flying thru a lot of these posts seems like everyone left the original topic, but I’m coming back to it!
“What prompted Maisie to pick up that five-year old picture of herself and send it to me, admonishing me to caption it with a defiant statement of independence?”
She knew that pic was landing “on fertile ground” or…she knew she had a captive audience? It speaks for both of you and your relationship!
And what a stark contrast her image is to the horrifyingly indescribable barbaric genital mutilation “ritual” I read today:
“When a girl gets circumcised they take the clitoris, powder it with sugar and attach it to the upper arm with a thread,” says Mahmoud.
“They say the girl has to be ’sweet’ when she gets married. In our culture that means the girl will be able to have a lot of children.”…
After having the clitoris tied to the arm for a week, the family performs another ritual by throwing the dried remnants into the Nile.
whole story in aljazeera english (surprisingly, altho they’ve also interviewed Martina Navratilova so I have to give them credit):
http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/humanrightsun/2008/12/2008121491241799575.html
btw, pig-misogynist-assholeFavreau’s offensive pic is still posted:
http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=34012273446&view=all
What a great inauguration that will be: Pig favreau’s speech with Bigot Warren smiling on swearing wheres-my-BC-bama in…an HUGE insult to women & gays everywhere.
and in case anyone missed RD’s facebook bans breastfeeding fotos:
http://riverdaughter.wordpress.com/2008/12/21/facebook-bans-breastfeeding-photos/
BrianH 12.22.08 at 12:35 pm
DancesWithPumas 12.22.08 at 9:08 am
BrianH 12.22.08 at 5:43 am
DancesWithPumas 12.21.08 at 10:00 pm
Enough with the BDS already. Bush had been a governor for 6 years when he took office, and had an actual hands-on record of achieving bipartisan co-operation (which was insufficient to overcome federal Democrats’ self-serving vindictiveness even post-9/11). Omposter has the most partisan voting record of any living federal politician. Cease with the facile and foolish equating of the two.
————————-
Your lackwit bush was a C student… high school on… couldn’t pass the LSAT to get into law skool… is an F presidunce. If your fuckwit guy was qualified to become governor, CKSK is abundantly qualified to be a senator.//
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GWB’s SATs and college marks all equal or exceed Gore’s AND Kerry’s. So what does that make them?
BDS. Severe.
bqueen 12.22.08 at 12:36 pm
oh yeah…the irony of favreau’s grope-breast allowed but feeding breasts banned!
but would women get it together to BOYCOTT FACEBOOK????
bqueen 12.22.08 at 12:38 pm
More than 58,000 people have joined a Facebook group called “Hey, Facebook, breastfeeding is not obscene!” to complain about the censorship.
Organizers will conduct a cyberprotest Saturday, asking every supporter to change his or her profile picture to an image of breast-feeding.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/12/21/2008-12-21_protest_flares_up_on_facebook_over_breas.html
brad mays 12.22.08 at 1:33 pm
bqueen -
I remember years ago hearing repeated gunfire from directly across the street where i lived. I called the LAPD, who took almost two hours to arrive. When they DID finally arrive, I quipped “maybe I should have reported a woman breast feeding in public – you might’ve gotten here sooner.”
The cops were NOT amused.
BrianH 12.22.08 at 2:08 pm
bqueen -
I remember years ago hearing repeated gunfire from directly across the street where i lived. I called the LAPD, who took almost two hours to arrive. When they DID finally arrive, I quipped “maybe I should have reported a woman breast feeding in public – you might’ve gotten here sooner.”
The cops were NOT amused.//
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Even more fun, you should have called in separate reports of each, and then asked the first responders what they were there for.
ipotter 12.22.08 at 4:31 pm
AP says Caroline Kennedy missed voting in several elections. Guess it just isn’t that important to her. Winning the votes of the people doesn’t matter. Getting handed an elected position does.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2008/12/20/caroline_kennedy_missed_voting_in_several_elections/
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