So I pressed "1" and I was transferred to my rep's office where I urged him to vote for the expansion.

Before the Circuit Court was whether to issue a stay that would put on hold a US District Court judge's  decision last week requiring Alabama to recognize and permit same-sex marriages  The Appeals Court rejected Alabama's request for a stay and marriages may begin as of Feb 9.

However,  European leaders in Brussels are mostly opposed to sending lethal arms to Ukraine. War and corruption have essentially bankrupt Ukraine. Arms to Ukraine are only a part of the issue, boots on the ground are as well--that is, getting and keeping  Ukrainian boots in the fight.  Apparently, the idea (as opposed to a strategy that seems to have gone missing) is to make the war more costly for Russia (i.e., the internal unpopularity of killing more Russian soldiers),  avoid Chamberlin-esque caving and invasion of Europe, all the while playing chicken with a nuclear power.  

NATO was put in place for such purposes, if needed.  Although, Ukraine is not a member of NATO and, indeed, Ukraine's potential to join was a fundamental part of Russia's paranoia.  The "Idea" appears to over-estimate Russia's territorial ambitions as well as under-appreciating the history and the appeal of separatism by the ethnic Russians as well as the importance of a ring of security to Russia.

Militarily arming Ukraine might make some sense if so doing would result in retreat by Russia, decrease tensions, stave escalation of the violence, and promote stability in the area.  Lot's of luck on that.  

The Obama Administration has been smart, up until now, in dealing with Putin by use of sanctions and economic squeezing, aided and abetted, recently, by falling oil prices.  If the idea is that this is the time to use military muscle, based on an assessment that  Russia is politically and economically on the ropes, that seems misguided.  Nothing like some good old anti-Americanism and threats to the motherland to propel Putin to the top of the charts.

Not being particular close to my parents, I have no idea what is acceptable in regards to kissing as we never really kissed, but is a grown father kissing a grown daughter something worthy of ridicule ?

I was alone - in New York City - in the lower part of Manhattan.

There was a child in the middle of the street. I saw an approaching car, and, abandoning all thought of self I whirled across the intersection , dived, swooped up the child, and rolled us both to safety as the car whizzed by.

And then I, ... what's that you say? I wasn't actually in New York at that time, and I didn't save anyfkingbody? I was in Ohio?

Oh.

First, the uptick in measles cases in 2014 resulted from an outbreak among the Amish, not liberals in California: LINK

Second, the majority of the measles cases in the recent outbreak have been among adults, people who were too old to have missed vaccinations because of the recent scares; or the very young who wouldn't have been vaccinated anyway (between them: 70% of the cases).  LINK

When we got off the plane in Phoenix, I grabbed a paper, and told my friend, we have to look into selling out tickets, look at what they are going for.  We simply could not justify going holding tickets worth that kind of cash for a game that neither of us really wanted either team to win.  Side Note, I ended up cheering for the Pats, after two days of obnoxious Hawk fans, I was sick of them.  I am in now way a Pat fan either.

The problem is how, I am not soft, but I was not ready to make a deal like that on the street or in public, in a town I do not know.  So I looked around and it turns out Stub Hub has a Last Minute Service in which you list the tickets, then take them down to their building, they validate and hold, then post your ad.  The problem, they hit the buyer and seller each with 10% fee, yes they were making 20% on those ridiculously priced SB tickets.

We listed and they sold in about 6 hours.  We made out like bandits and got a free trip out of the deal.  Our package had all kinds of things to keep us busy, including the pre-game tail gate party.  We found a sports bar after and watched the game like everyone else.

But even today, I am still somewhat saddened that we didn't go, numbers in an account is much less satisfying than going to the greatest game on the planet.  Maybe that will change when I treat myself.
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On the Carol call, it is what it is, two weeks ago the guy is genius for beating the Pack, this week a leper because Wilson threw an interception and Butler made the play of the year.

What no one is talking about, what I would consider the real genius behind the play is Belichick not calling a time out and, more of less, forcing the Hawks to make an instantaneous call that seems unlikely had they the Pats taken a timeout to leave Brady a little time to get into field goal range.  Whatever you think of Carol's call, the fact is they would not have been forced to throw had the pats used a time out.  I think it's a damn shame that Belichick isn't getting any props for letting the clock run and forcing Carol to throw on at least one down to stop the clock.

He pleads to having been "confused" after 12 years have passed.

How sad. I have always rated him as one of the best talking heads and now this.

We are shooting the breeze and I bring up the whole measles controversy. My tech says yeah I can't believe people wouldn't get the vaccination, but my actual nurse is very quiet. As we keep talking she starts saying things like well you can't be sure, and that's not absolutely proven, so finally I say do you not believe we should vaccinate our kids?   She says no because the current vaccinations have too many chemicals for her child, she has two older children that are vaccinated her young surprise four year old child is not.

Needless to say that was a record stop moment.  She said that the epidemic is being hyped up by the media and was armed with data about how the vaccinations have changed over the years and obviously was prepared to defend her opinion and she has probably had to do so in the past. Since she's my nurse and I'm always nice to them I said well we all have our opinions so let's just agree to disagree on this one.

I would describe her as religious but very into the organic food lifestyle as she lives on a farm and does a little bit of organic dairy farming.

Off the top of the head, the names Harriet Beecher Stowe, Alcott, Willa Cather, Isak Dinnesen come to mind as writers who had tremendous success in getting their work published and appreciated before Jackie was a twinkle in some sugar daddy's eye..

My techie friends are very excited about this.  VERY.
Making it an official public utility really is a big deal.

Now, I'm not saying Ms. Pascal is a good person, or that she didn't royally screw up, or that her head shouldn't roll for this.  I just find it not a single bit surprising that the only big head (or at least the first) to roll over this mess is one of their only high-profile/high-paid female employees.

220,000 jobs added
Rate ticks down 0.1%

Administration takes credit etc...talks about how we've finnaly turned the corner.

Republicacns point the participation rate dropped again and we are again at historically low level for that figure while wages also remained flat: