Life
For those who believe Bush is pro-life, one only needs to look further than their own front porch to see that he's actually the opposite. He's pro-death and makes no apologies for it.
I still think he's trying to drum up support to bomb Iran.
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Lebanon crisis is part of broader struggle: Bush By Caren Bohan
Sat Jul 29, 11:18 AM ET
President Bush on Saturday cast the Lebanon war as part of a broader struggle against terrorism and said a strategy to end the violence there must address the threat posed by Hizbollah.
Amid mounting concern over civilian casualties in the fighting between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was headed to Israel to discuss the terms of a proposal for a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a negotiated truce.
A day after Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced they would try to offer the resolution next week, Bush used his weekly radio broadcast to highlight his goals.
"As we work to resolve this current crisis, we must recognize that Lebanon is the latest flashpoint in a broader struggle between freedom and terror that is unfolding across the region," Bush said.
Bush and Blair agreed that a multinational force for Lebanon should be formed quickly to help speed delivery of aid to thousands of displaced Lebanese and help stabilize the border.
"We will work with our allies to adopt a resolution that establishes a framework to end the violence quickly, and mandates the multinational force," he said.
"This approach will demonstrate the international community's determination to support the government of Lebanon, and defeat the threat from Hizbollah and its foreign sponsors."
BUSH BLAMES HIZBOLLAH, IRAN AND SYRIA
At least 462 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Lebanon since the conflict erupted on July 12 when Hizbollah seized two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid.
Hizbollah, which wants to swap the soldiers for Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, has killed 51 Israelis, 18 of them civilians hit by rockets fired into the Jewish state.
Bush blames the violence on Hizbollah and its foreign sponsors Iran and Syria.
But the crisis, coming amid an escalation of sectarian violence in Iraq, has put Bush on the defensive about his foreign policy agenda of trying to spread freedom in the Middle East.
Bush's approach to the Middle East came under criticism in the Democratic response to his radio address.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a potential presidential candidate in 2008, said the administration might have been able to handle the Israel-Lebanon crisis more effectively if it had a Mideast envoy in place.
"If we would have had a permanent Middle East envoy in the region, we would have been in a better position to disarm Hizbollah and protect Israel, and implement a concurrent ceasefire along with a legitimate, international peacekeeping force on the ground," Richardson said in the Democratic radio address.
Richardson also said the administration had proven inept at diplomacy. He faulted, among other things, the policy in Iraq where "waves of bloody violence push the country toward civil war" with no end in sight.
Bush cited Iraq in the radio address and repeated his goal of establishing a democracy "in the heart of the Middle East."
In Lebanon, he said ridding the country of "terrorists and foreign influence" would eventually bring about a better life there.
"This moment of conflict in the Middle East is painful and tragic," Bush said. "Yet it is also a moment of opportunity for broader change in the region."
Copyright © 2006 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
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Chicago trip
John did such a great job posting about our trip, I decided to just copy and paste the link here. He posted a couple of pictures too.
I had a great time myself. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to go. I loved Nat and Jerry's condo. I enjoyed taking the train and just wandering around. I think I lost about 5 pounds from all of the walking. I would probably be rail thin if I lived there. At least I would be able to eat all of the yummy food without limitations. It was great meeting John's dad JT. I did not expect him to be so funny and full of life. It was great to me Jerry-Natalie's husband. When I think of Jerry, I think of his perfect English, deep voice and amusing stories. It was great to see Natalie and Amanda again too.
I meant to tell Natalie that I loved the picture of her with the really short pixie hair cut. I think she was in Philly when that picture was taken.
I can't wait for you all to come down and visit us.
click on the link below:
http://genericweblog.blogspot.com/
I'm bummed
I just got 2 invitations to see my beloved Howard Dean at a gathering TONIGHT in Tampa. I'm tooo tired to get off of the sofa. Plus, the amount of effort needed to make me look professional in such a short amount of time is daunting. I need to be in bed soon because I have to work tomorrow. It will be a crazy day tomorrow too. I've already checked my job's email box and it has me a little stressed.
This quote is so relevant even today
I saw this quote posted by someone in Natalie's medical school year book and loved it:
I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason and intellect has inteneded us to forgo their use. Galileo
It made me think of the religious rights' attack on science.
I'm so annoyed
Bush doesn't want to fund stem cell research because it's morally wrong but yet he's willing to fund the butchering of thousands in the Middle East and God knows where else. I heard a lady say on the news that "Bush does not want to support murder....." I wish I could see that woman and spit in her face. Oh the hypocrisy.
not much going on
Sitting here drinking a glass of Rose' and waiting on dinner to be prepared by John. He's making yummy pork chops, potatoes and creamed spinach. We're listening to Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. It's such a nice evening. I'm so looking forward to our trip to Chicago.
my favorite summer drink
I'm about to go out and indulge myself with an iced coffee from Dunken Doughnuts with cream & sugar added. I don't usually get doughnuts but if I do, I get the ones with strawberry icing. The coconut cake ones are good too. John turned me on to those.
On a lighter note
On my way home from work today I stopped at Publix to get eggs. John wants breakfast for dinner tonight. I'm making breakfast sandwiches. I'll take an egg, fry it and top with swiss cheese (letting the cheese melt a little). I'll put the egg with cheese on toast, add bacon, sliced tomatoes and a little bit of mayo. Delicious!! There is a lot of cholesterol in this sandwich so it's only fit to eat once every two months.
So, as I walked out of the grocery store I noticed a cigarette on the pavement still lit and burning. I stepped on it to put it out. It doesn't surprise me one bit when I see smokers discard their cigarettes without putting them out fully. If they don't care enough about their bodies to quit then, why would they care about burning down a building or blowing up a vehicle? They obviously hate themselves and others too. hum, wonder if John will comment.........
Continuing on my journey home, I saw a car skid across the road a bit while making a U-turn. It has been raining all afternoon so the roads are pretty slippery. I thought about the time I slid on the road and ended up doing a complete 360 degree turn. It was quite a while ago in my younger days. I was in my 1976 powder blue Firebird. That was my first ever car and it cost me $400. I loved that car. It had a big dent in the front drivers side bumper. Regardless, I drove that car everywhere. I was headed home one evening and stopped at a red light. I was leaving from god knows where at around 3:30am. The roads were slippery from rain and I probably had no tread left on my tires. I was on MLK blvd. and waiting to make a left turn onto 40th street. When the light changed to green, I slowly took off and went to make my turn. As I turned, I started to skid across the road spinning completely around. I had to stop and catch and my breath. There happened to be a cop parked across the way doing who knows what. I don't know if he saw me or not. I did not wait around to see either. I pulled myself together then got the hell out of there.
Genocide
That's what Israel needs to be accused of. The definition of genocide is: The systematic and planned extermination of an entire national, racial, political, or ethnic group.
I see their invasion of Gaza and Beirut as the early stages of genocide. They are basically cutting those areas off from the rest of the world hoping to starve everyone to death. That's how it looks to me. It does not matter what they claim. I think that is why Israel pulled its settlers out of Gaza. Now, there's nothing stopping Israel from destroying the area. They have just been sitting back and waiting for an excuse to do it.
The US was the only country to veto a resolution by the UN that would have demanded Israel halt attacks.. This doesn't surprise me. Condemning Israel would be like the pot calling the kettle black ....I don't think this is a smart move. We need to save Israel from themselves. It's only a matter of time before some place like Syria or Iran decides to send militants down to join the fight. The whole situation has already exploded. So many people are going to die before it's over.
Here's more:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/07/13/mideast.response/index.htmlNow starts the threats from Iran. Could it be that Israel is provoking Iran so that the US will have an excuse to invade Iran? :
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060713/ts_nm/mideast_ahmadinejad_dc_1This article made me smile:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/07/13/cialeak.lawsuit.ap/index.html
Life on other planets
My co-worker Marcelo said the funniest thing the other day. We were talking about the possibility of life on other planets....We (Marcelo, Stetson and I) tend to go into these philosophical conversations from time to time. Marcelo said (while pretending to be the alien speaking), " look at them, they're crazy! they're killing their own people on their own planet! We don't need to do anything but wait"
Capital One
I've been thinking about the company I worked for prior to my current employer PwC
http://www.pwc.com/ . I worked for Capital One for about 7 years before being laid off. Being hired turned into a great opportunity for me. I learned a lot, made a good salary and gained close friendships with many of my co-workers.
When I applied at Cap1, I was working at GTE Federal Credit Union and had been for about 5 years. I was miserable in my job and felt very underpaid and at times exploited. A lot of the employees at GTE were leaving the credit union to work for Cap1 . The pay Cap1 was offering could not be beat. At the time, I had never heard of Cap1 and thought it was just a company too good too be true. They were new to the Tampa Bay area and were doing a lot of hiring for a call center they were opening. I waited about 8 months before applying. I thought they would end up laying everyone off much sooner rather than later. One day, I heard about a job fair they were having that evening. I decided to go just to see what they had to say and maybe drop off a resume. When I got there I was screened, tested and scheduled for an interview. It all happened so fast. I was hired within weeks.
I worked in the call center for 2 years. I hated every day of it. I had to take calls from the most rude, combative and insensitive people for 8 hours a day. I was not allowed to do anything else. I was instructed to stick to a script regardless of the verbal abuse from the customers. I developed an ulcer in my stomach from stress. Finally, the opportunity for an accounting position came in their Human Resources department. Getting that promotion was one of my proudest moments. Working in HR was like working for a completely different company. I worked in HR for the next 5 years. I loved it.
Eventually, things changed. Outsourcing became the new norm. I was laid off along with many others. The hardest thing for me to accept was leaving the company. After being laid off, I was depressed. I had a very hard time adjusting to life after Cap1. I still feel a lump in my throat sometimes when I think about it. I don't know why my attachment to the company is so strong.
Now I'm working for PwC doing similar work. I do not feel the same connection or attachment. I guess it's understandable since I've only been with the company for about 2 years. Working there has really been one big disappointment after another. I really do love my co-workers though.
Today
I was in a really cranky mood after work today. I get aggravated with work sometimes. I'm feeling better now that I'm home eating my favorite snack (chips and french onion dip). I'm also watching Seinfeld which always makes me smile. Plus, there are people in the world with much bigger problems than I have. So, I need to just suck it up and keep moving.
Happy 4th
I have a headache. I've had a headache off and on for the past 3 days. I had a filling done at the dentist on Friday. Ever since then, I've been feeling achy (head, neck, back). Hopefully, it will pass. I'm hoping I will not need a root canal next.
Not much else going on. Work will be crazy tomorrow I'm sure.
Interesting article of the day:
http://www.showbuzz.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/04/people_hot_water/printable1774289.shtmlR&B Producer Pardoned On Drug Charge
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, July 4, 2006(AP) Dubai's ruler pardoned American R&B producer Dallas Austin on Tuesday, hours after he was sentenced to four years in prison for possession of cocaine, two of the producer's lawyers said. Dubai ruler Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum issued the pardon but Austin has not yet been released from jail, said the lawyers. One lawyer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said Austin's release was "a matter of paperwork." The lawyer said he needed to be careful speaking publicly about the pardon until the Grammy-winning producer was safe on a plane back to his home in Atlanta. A second member of Austin's five-attorney legal team confirmed the pardon, but said he had not yet received details. Austin's release could take a few days, the attorney said. The court had also ruled that the 34-year-old Atlanta producer, who has created tunes for Madonna, Janet Jackson and Sugababes, should be deported after serving his prison term, said lawyer Qays Hatem al-Zu'bi. Austin had pleaded guilty to a charge of carrying 1.26 grams of cocaine into Dubai. He told the court on Sunday that he had made an unintentional mistake and did not mean to break the law in the United Arab Emirates. Similar cases have been pardoned in the past, and the defendant is usually deported. Local media in Dubai reported that Austin was on his way to supermodel Naomi Campbell's birthday bash at the glitzy Burj al-Arab Hotel when he was arrested May 19 at Dubai's airport. Austin's lawyer disputed the reported nature of his visit, saying the producer was in Dubai to attend concerts. Since his arrest Austin has been held without bail at Dubai's al-Rashidiya Police Station. In 2003, Austin founded the Dallas Austin Foundation, which works to train youth for careers in the music and entertainment industries. Austin has several hits to his credit, including Pink's "Just Like a Pill" and TLC's "Unpretty." He won a Grammy Award for best R&B album in 1999 for producing TLC's multiplatinum "Fanmail."
2 blogs in 1 day
John has a new cell phone. It's pretty nice looking but he plays this golf game on it ALL the time. I don't understand how that can be enjoyable. You should see the tiny little screen....
I'm done
With my summer course-Microeconomics. I have eight weeks of freedom until the fall semester starts. I sort of feel guilty about taking the second summer session off. I should have signed up for another course but I kind of need a break. Plus, the fall semester is going to be a challenge (taking Statistics and Macroeconomics). I'm a finance major at the University of Tampa
http://www.ut.edu/aboutut/history-museum.html . I love it there! I have the exact same teacher for Macro as I had for Micro. I guess that's good because I know exactly how he tests but he's boring.
I REFUSE to purchase a textbook for his next class. He lectures and that's all the information I need. I spent $135 for a book we only used once during the entire course. That made me so angry. He even had the nerve to pass out handouts of a chapter from another textbook he preferred. He said, "I like the way this author explains this section better...." Textbooks are really a waste of money. I know that sounds negative but they are so expensive. Plus, teachers like to hear themselves talk and think they know more than the textbook authors anyways. They always test you on their lecture with maybe one test question from the book.
So, my goal for the next eight weeks is to do some reading. I don't read enough.
