I *think* the major 500 year flooding that is taking place today is in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa area. I could be wrong, though. Whichever, my thoughts are with Tammy and everyone else going through this. How awful!! Thanks for posting this Jackie. Are you in touch with her somehow? Will you post an update if you hear one? Robin

How sad!! And shocking, too. My dh and I are in his age bracket. This is very disturbing to me. On one hand, this makes me want to get REAL serious about diet and exercise and overall health, but on the other hand it makes me wonder what for... after all you know this guy got good regular medical care (physicals, etc.). If this can strike someone like him, then who am I kidding when I think I can *really* avoid this if I only deprived myself a little more? This is very, very sad. Meet the Press won't be the same.

I gotcha... but so long as we're conversing :) ... "Obama will immediately begin to remove our troops from Iraq. He will remove one to two combat brigades each month, and have all of our combat brigades out of Iraq within 16 months." That's from Obama's website. Verbatim. I don't know... I don't think that's rhetoric. It's McCain's website that says he does "not want to keep our troops in Iraq a minute longer than necessary to secure our interests there." (just thought I'd mention that so no one would think that this is what Obama is saying... it's actually what McCain is saying, while Obama is saying we're pulling out within 16 months regardless.) The hundred years' comment is actually discussed in that lecture (which is really more a panel discussion - one guy who doesn't like McCain and one guy who does - interesting perspective (actually given by the Anti-McCain guy). The discussion I linked really is interesting for anyone who wants to sit in on a thoughtful discourse. If you don't like McCain, there's plenty there for you. If you do like McCain, you'll appreciate the criticism and the response.

Exactly, Pam. And I would argue that McCain's words are more of a vision than a plan (as opposed to OBama's "I'll have us out of there in 16 months"). An old acquaintence of mine who is a big name in polling/political strategy, and who is very much a classic libertarian, and who was discouraged by the takeover of the republican party by populist/religious right, has been onboard with McCain for quite some time - he came out of retirement and hired on with McCain about two years ago. That is probably the main (if not only) reason why I am looking at McCain closely - the respect I have for one of this one particular supporter (or perhaps I should call it trust... I really trust this man's judgment and our politics square nicely). He critiqued a book about McCain, published by the Cato Institute, and you can watch a lecture about it here (ETA my acquaintance is Tarrance): http://www.learnoutloud.com/Catalog/Biography/Political-Figures/John-McCain-The-Myth-of-a-Maverick/26615

:cheers2: Happy Birthday. Again!! (Didn't we just do this about a week ago? LOL) See, you're such a special lady, you deserve TWO birthday parties!! :D

No, what I'm saying is that since he's not advocating getting out now, it doesn't make sense to expect him to have plans *for* getting out now. What do you know? McCain's plans are on his website as well! http://johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/fdeb03a7-30b0-4ece-8e34-4c7ea83f11d8.htm

In all fairness, McCain isn't running on a "get out of Iraq now" platform.

Done, Jean.

I don't think they're overrated at all, given the context of their era. (listening to them with today's ears might lead you to think they are over rated, but you have to listen to them with 1960s ears to fairly judge them) They were cutting edge... truly unique. But, I didn't care for them that much (some songs, not many). My husband liked them a lot, but I was more of a Rolling Stones gal. So I didn't vote in your poll, because you didn't have a selection for someone like me who totally respects their talent but doesn't necessarily love them. Robin

I have never, ever seen this (memorializing on a car sticker). Have I just not been looking? Is it like a bumper sticker?

According to the Guttmacher Institute (which is who the CDC uses for these type statistics) the top ten are ordered this way for the year 2003: Nevada Arizona Mississippi New Mexico Texas Florida California Georgia North Carolina Arkansas Half are the south, but four of the top five are southwest. http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/2006/09/12/USTPstats.pdf See Page 12. I really don't consider Nevada, California, Arizona, New Mexico, the heart of the bible belt! LOL If we're going to cite coincidences, there are coincidences more compelling than religion. Look at race (the rates are highest among hispanics, so naturally, the states with the highest hispanic population have some of the highest rates). Also socio/economic opportunities such as poverty, education, etc., are factors. Just fyi.

Get with anj. She'll tell you how to adjust :).

LOL!!!

I used to work for a private school and we didn't accept SN kids. It wasn't a discrimination issue... we were simply unable to accomodate special needs. We were not required to change that policy when we went through accreditatio, so I'm not so sure that a private school MUST offer a special needs program. We also had a statement of faith that parents had to sign off on... I think private institutions are free to do this, aren't they? The way I can see this relating to the OP is the possibility of ABeka admitting this student into their program, but then still not allowing other (more serious/complicated) special needs. That is what would probably open them up to a discrimination complaint. So they have to say no SN at all, regardless of how minor... no modifications whatsoever. I'm not sure if Academies like this (who grade and offer transcripts) *ever* allow a student to opt out of any of the courses (and take those courses through other means). You're either fully enrolled or not... not much is available for anyone who wants to be partially enrolled in a program. This might be the real issue with them... they won't allow opting out of a course regardless of the reason.

Gone in what way? Sincere question here... exactly what does this mean? Gone? Gone, as in it is getting ready to collapse like the Soviet Union? Gone, as in another country is getting ready to conquer us? What do you mean by gone? Another general comment - I've been heaing the comparison to the fall of the Roman Empire for decades now. I heard this theory back in college (and I think I went to college before some of you were ever born! LOL). They've been saying this for years and years and years.

See, Karen, how much more sophisticated you are than I? The lines that pop in my head when I think about things like this is from a country western song by Travis Tritt!! LOL!! It's a great day to be alive, I know the sun's still shining when I close my eyes. There's some hard times in the neighborhood, but why can't every day be this good? It's a very unsophsticated song about simple pleasures and perspective. I particularly like the line about the sun still shining when I close my eyes. Yes, I get my inspiration from a country western song! LOL I'm leaving now... before I die of embarrassment :)

I would disapprove of that sort of music, too, but you have to be careful here... she was honest with you and the result was you took it away from her. That might discourage her from being honest with you again in the future. Would it be feasible to sit and listen to the music together, and discuss each of the lyrics, and sorta lead her to realize how ridiculous it is on her own? Can you say something like, "How would you feel if I were listening to music about killing my kids so that I can do what I *really* want to do?" and let this lead to a discussion about what a self centered life really looks like? I think at this age kids identify a lot with despair. they are so confused and having so much trouble growing up. Maybe it's time to start studying logic, and use this topic to practice logic exercises? Just thinking off the top of my head here... It might be better to start teaching her how to listen to music critically instead of simply turning the music off. My 12yo dd is totally into pop music (not the stuff you're talking about). I don't *like* it, but it's not a hill I'm willing to die on right now because she is sorta getting it out of her system on her own, and I figure I'll have larger battles ahead that I need to save for. I would like to add that when I was a kid, I hardly ever really knew or understood the lyrics to the songs I liked. And I was drawn to songs that made me cry or reflect on hopelessness, etc. Listening to them as an adult, I am surprised that I didn't catch on to whta the song was really about back then. I think that I was mostly drawn to the instrumentals. I couldmaybe sing along a few lines, particularly in the chorus, but for the most part I was clueless. For example, Puff the Magic Dragon made me cry because I was relating to a really sad, lonely animal. I say all this to suggest that maybe your dd isn't interpreting the songs the same way you are. Of course, if you think your dd is the type to be negatively influenced by the music's lyrics then step in big time. But if you let her explore music, maybe she'll find better stuff on her own. I think it's natural to get drawn to just one artist's CD because of one song. Maybe you can research the top ten or twenty, do some previewing, and introduce her to other artists that way? Play the radio together more? In five or six years she is going to be out on her own, and either she's going to feel released to do what she wants that you never would allow, or her experience with music (and hopefully her taste) will have matured under your watchful eye. Haunting, depressing, violent music effects and is listened to by college aged kids, too.... not just adolescents. Good luck with this. I'm sure you'll make the right decision. I, too, am having trouble with my dd reaching the age where she wants the freedom to express herself according to her likes, not mine. Robin

Ditto what Ellie said. Of course, she and I are old enough to have weathered downturns like this before... My dh and I said about a year ago that we needed to strap on our belts for a rough ride, with the big election coming up. Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but I think we'll all be surprised at how fine things seem by the end of November.

It looks like our thread rating bandit has struck again! I wish I knew who it was. I'd give 'em rep just for making me laugh! :)

Okay, thanks. We will do all of the above. I was hoping you'd be online and could answer this question. Yes, the kitten seems a little large to me. The mommy is up and around and chipper as can be. Yes, she will be spayed after this. I promised my dd one litter and we've been waiting and waiting! I wanted dd to experience a pet having babies once (that is one of my fondest childhood memories!). But just once :). The good news is I told her that we could keep *one* of the kittens, and I was dreading the process of adopting the others out, so if this is all she has then it has saved us a lot of trouble. :) We'll keep an eye on her today. Thanks again, Soph! Robin

"Visit Texas before it requires a passport."

My cat went into labor last night and had one kitten. Just one. It's all cleaned up and seems healthy (nursing and all). But is this normal? Just one kitten? She is a year and a half old and has not gotten pregnant before now. Maybe she's just not a very fertile cat? (which would be fine with me) I'm just curious if this is normal, or if it is likely that there are more to come (12 hours later?) Robin

Thanks, Michelle. Robin

Well, there's a big difference between a five year old and a fifteen year old. I don't think anyone is suggesting that a five year old should be taught how to handle a gun... only to obey rules not to touch them. For anyone who wants to own a gun (hunting, protection - whatever), the point is to keep them put away, under lock and key, and when the child is old enough teach them how to handle them properly and safely. A fifteen year old is certainly old enough to understand the basics of gun safety if there is a gun in the home. Most of these accidental shootings take place in the hands of young adolescents, not preschoolers. I don't know about detering crime.. the vast majority of gun ownership where I live is *not* concealed weapons... if you have a rifle at home, that's not going to deter someone from attacking you in a parking lot. You don't see many criminals mugging a cop or security office, though, so to a certain extent it does seem to work as a deterent. I just don't know how that spills over into civilian life. I don't think we need MORE guns... but I'm pretty sure that if we made guns illegal, there'd be more gun related crimes. I understand that in Baltimore the murder rate has a lot to do with the illegal drug trade. Those people will always have access to guns. But when someone's home is invaded, if they have a shotgun handy, they've got a much better chance of surviving. And if the invader is killed, then he won't offend again, and that helps bring down the crime rate too.

Thanks, Genie... I need all the help I can get! I don't know nuthin' bout birthin' no kittens :).