Elizabeth and John Edwards - THEIR decision

When John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth held their press conference the other day I was desolate thinking that he/they would pack it in. (The other Dems just don't excite me and I would have had to have prayed for Al Gore to change his mind.) But the two of them are determined to meet the challenges as given and to persist, day by day. I am outraged that there are those who are rather adament and vocal that the Edwards should drop everything and spend quality time with their kids and each other. Hey -- we all should do that!! The main difference between "healthy us" and the Elizabeth and John Edwards is that they know that Elizabeth has a health problem. Yet any of us could die or be killed any day.

Most of the critics are on the right, some even claiming that the Edwards are using this to jumpstart the campaign (Oh, really, O'Reilly?) But I was positively shocked to see that one of them was Matthew Rothschild, the editor of the The Progressive magazine. Most of the people responding to the post of his podcast are, like me, taken aback with his position. But click on my title link and read it for yourself.

I am happy to report the continuation of the campaign jumpstarted me to check on the status of my Ann Coulter remark donation(s). (It didn't go through and didn't go through and after my third attempt I stopped because what if were being recorded and I wasn't being told?!!) It hadn't. Instead, then, on Thursday I doubled the donation and I will admit there has been a lot of activity on ActBlue for John Edwards. You can read my retort to Matt Rothschild either on his site or below, but please consider joining me and making a donation to the man who really cares about the Middle Class and working people. Please go to ActBlue and then say a prayer for the Edwards and our country. (And consider buying and reading Elizabeth Edwards' Saving Graces, which I have just picked up again to read during my commute.)

My Response to Matt Rothschild's Essay
"Edwards Should Quit"

Seeing this podcast downloaded to my computer, I was flabberghasted. Matthew Rothschild spouting right wing talking points? Listening to it didn't make it better. My reaction? "Judge not that ye be not judged." But am I not also judging Matt? Still, good God! We are given challenges in our lives and these challenges have purpose. John and Elizabeth choose life and continuing what they see as their shared work. There is meaning in that. Indeed, there is life in that. And it is their choice. And I bless them and pray for them and I allow them and thank them for their choice.

To Elizabeth, don't give up, don't give in, do what matters to you and brings healing to your soul and meaning to your life.

To John, God grant you peace and healing, too.

To both, strength and grace and vision. Do the work that God has given you to do and God help you to discern what that is.

To Matthew and to Kate Anne (me!) -- Judge not, that we be not judged. God help us meet our challenges and be grateful for the gifts and challenges that we are given.

Matthew, please forgive me for judging you for judging John and I will forgive you and not unsubscribe to your podcast.

God bless us all -- life is tough. Now let's keep on keeping on.

Peace hugs!

Now I have to go back some more boxes. Moving from an apartment where one has been for thirteen years is not easy.

More peace hugs,
Kate Anne

MoveOn Out of Iraq NOW

Last night I was one of about fifty people standing in a light drizzle on 52nd Street and Roosevelt in Queens, NY, as part of the 1100 MoveOn.org Out of Iraq vigils held to mark the beginning of the (illegal) Iraq invasion four years ago. Our slight discomfort was nothing compared to what is endured by Iraqis and our troops serving in Iraq. Yet Hillary Clinton has now said she is for our continued presence and, hey, should we waste those fourteen permanent US bases we've built there?

Do I sound outraged? Well, I should. To the politicians elected to represent us, I and those standing with me last night would agree: let's MoveOn Out of Iraq NOW. As many of us said last December, "Not one more death, not one more dollar." At yesterday's demo organized by Sandra and John, names were read, stories were told, anger and mourning were expressed, and most important: action was urged. We vigilled. I even led the group in a song and urged nonviolence as my contribution (along with some peace luminaries). And today we speak up louder. Tomorrow, we should shout: Out. Now. We have no credibility left. Others will have to be in charge of cleaning up our mess though how we can possibly make restitution to the Iraq people for the sins we have committed, I cannot fathom.

Read Anthony Arnove's article, Four Years Later... And Counting: Billboarding the Iraqi Disaster. And please join me in speaking out for peace and justice.

(For more pictures from the vigil, check out the MoveOn set at my Flickr.com site.)

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

FOR Peace NOW!

IMPORTANT - Check that cat and dog food!!

If you use chunky cuts and gravy dog and/or cat food in cans or foil pouches, please be vigilant and check your pet food. My friend Jackie of Ohio NOW forwarded an email story (copied below my letter) with a Yahoo story link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070316/ap_on_bi_ge/pet_food_recall

After reading the story, I acted and then wrote THIS back to Jackie:

Jackie -- I had seen a quick story with no details on TV and with my move (down the street, if all goes well) I had been too busy to follow up, but your note spurred me on. I read the Yahoo story, found that it was about moist chunky cuts and gravy dog and cat food sold in cans and foil pouches, and these facts all fit. Most peculiarly several days ago, all three of my cats had IMMEDIATELY vomitted after sharing a packet of food. Now, sometimes the food will disagree with one cat, but when all three were affected that was strange indeed and I wondered if I had a bad batch. Now I know. I found SIX of my packets of Nutro Natural Choice Complete Care gravy cat food products were among those recalled. I hope they haven't suffered any long term consequences!! Well, there are six packets that they WON'T be touching, thanks to you. [I will be returning them to the store, fyi.]

FYI, I went to the individual www.nutroproducts.com website and learned that their affected dog and cat products, US & Canada, all bear the stamp: Best By DEC0308 through MAR0709 -- Date Format: MMMDDYY, where MMM=Month, DD = Day, YY=year. Nutro referred to the site cited in the Yahoo story, http://www.menufoods.com/recall/ which gives a breakdown of all the different affected dog and cat food brands as well as a different toll free phone number that people can call: 1-866-895-2708.

Again, thank you so very much for passing along that vital bit of information.

Kate, Boots, Wilbur and Mac

I thanked Jackie -- NOW PLEASE LET YOUR DOG AND CAT LOVING FRIENDS KNOW. There have been at least 10 deaths. I am so glad my furry friends were smart enough to barf. (Never knew I'd be happy about cleaning up cat-barf!)

Thanks for spreading the word!

=========== ORIGINAL EMAIL THAT JACKIE FORWARDED:

From: Scott Enk
To: GLNOW@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
Subject: URGENT--"Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food"--INCLUDES DOG AND CAT FOOD

If you have a dog or cat, don'tlet your pet eat anything until after you've read this. Check your pet's food immediately after you see this and as needed.

The Associated Press today reports that a major manufacturer of dog and cat food for many different brand names is recalling certain of its products after "[a]n unknown number of cats and dogs suffered kidney failure and about 10 died after eating the affected pet food."

Even if you don't yourself have at least one dog or cat, you doubtless know someone else who does. Check the link below:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070316/ap_on_bi_ge/pet_food_recall

Be sure also to check the Menu Foods Web address on the recall given in the article starting early Saturday, March 17, 2007. The brand names listed in the Associated Press story linked above are apparently not the only ones involved.

Please feel free to send this on to anyone you wish. Let's keep our four-legged loved ones healthy and safe.

Scott Enk

senk8105 at sbcglobal.net

=======

A thank you to Scott, too!

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

Mark Green: Some Open Thoughts

Moving and getting food poisoning [Flu? I had my shot.] and working for corporate America really cuts into one's time, but I wanted to share what I just posted on Air America Radio's David Bender's blog (Great show which you can podcast, fyi!!) He had new AAR president Mark Green on last night and I'm hoping that Mark will see my ideas, which I also share here with you:

Mark and David -- You guys rock!

I didn't mind getting stuck at work late when I can stream the two of you talking. I regretted I couldn't take the time to call and be on hold. (But you took Lisa's call from Queens so you didn't need mine, geographically speaking.) Still, a few brief comments:

1. I am an AIR AMERICAN -- not just a bumper stick, make it a PIN, too, please -- and make them cheap enough for people to buy several (lowering the price the more you buy perhaps). I always like to give extra political and/or peace pins -- this has included my Green apples :) -- to people who promise to wear them. Also put the web address on it too, of course. (Obvious, but....) (Offer prizes to on-the-street wearers? Carefully? Maybe? Because in NYC some folks might get scammed.)

2. Affiliate links on the AAR website would be helpful for a number of reasons.

3. YES -- Stress podcasting -- it is great to go back to and/or share a terrific show with some other folks. It is a new world. (I love to podcast Bob McChesney's Media Matters -- can you pick up HIS segment for AAR?)

4. Thanks for Thom Hartmann but he's lost his Jim Hightower segment. :( Please try picking up some Hightower as budget allows. Like Thom, Jim is a wealth of knowledge and entertaining -- and that is what AAR is all about.

5. Also Thom's open and friendly spirituality defines what America and the world should be. I love diversity on AAR -- the presence of the vast rainbow. (i.e., David isn't religious or spiritual -- that's fine. That's where G-d wants him to be right now -- no one else's business.) Keep it up -- Furthermore the State of Belief and The Time is Now shows are great and should be given wider release to even non-AAR stations, if interested, because they portray the rainbow.

7. Any chance of getting Marc Maron back? I'll take bits and pieces, but I miss all his funnies!! (That said, Kent Jones is great -- and he and Rachel Maddow are wonderful together!!!)

8. Eco-Talk is essential -- and Laura Flanders with Radio Nation is a treasure trove.

9. Happy birthday, Mark, to you and me -- and Cathy Nolan and Jerry Marsicano and Louise Hartmann and all enlightened Pisces!! I consider the Greening of Air America as a birthday gift to us all -- a gift that we're sharing with LOTS -- more and more each day (please God --by whatever name). And that is what being an Air American is all about -- sharing and caring and making the world a better, more peaceful, more equitable place. As Thom Hartmann keeps saying, if the polls show that so many Americans are with us, how can they still call us "left"??


Whoops, not really brief, but I sing a shorter song than the poster above (below?) me. (SingSing0911 should get a blog.) And I know how to sing. And today I sing "Happy Birthday" to us all -- and sing praises for all things Air American!

Hope you find this message.

Peace Hugs,

Kate Anne

~~

"The God of Peace is never glorified
by human violence." -- Thomas Merton

I thank God for the blessings in my life, too many to count. If you are reading this, then know you, too, are one of them.

More peace hugs,
Kate Anne

PS See pictures from the Queens St. Pat's Parade at WQIDC blog and at my Flickr page

* * *
UPDATE: During the day, I was listening to a great March 10th podcast of Ring of Fire and realized I had neglected to praise Bobby and Pap's show -- ARGH!!! (David Bender has even been a guest host several times.) My blog has picked up on Bobby Kennedy Jr LOTS of times and as for Mike Papantonio, he's terrific, though he sometimes slips and says Democrat Party (ouch, Pap, remember: Democratic Party). The show on the 10th featured Greg Palast talking about the criminality of one of Gonzalez replacement lawyers, Timothy Griffin (a former Rove aide). Brad Friedman of Bradblog was on, too, urging us to action for really counted paper ballots. Great show. Catch the podcast.

St Pat's Parade and Irish Music

In my effort to find some lyrics for some Irish music to share with fellow marchers in the WQIDC contingent of the inclusive Queens St Patrick's Parade, I just found this wonderful link (click on the title above or just go tohttp://www.contemplator.com/ireland/) which not only has lyrics but plays Midi Music so you can sing along. Have fun exploring some of the other levels of the site, too. Happy St. Patrick's Parade Day!

Update: Also found this Irish music/lyrics site, good stuff: http://www.contemplator.com/tunebook/ireland.htm. Have fun!


Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

PS Thanks, singer Dick Gaughan, for your site leading me to the midi music :-)