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Post by Merge on Sept 2, 2024 15:52:28 GMT
Andrea Martin, a democrat; ”Andrea Martin's rallying cry is "Protecting Our Children!" She and her court staff are dedicated to doing what it takes to help ensure Dallas County's next generation has the best opportunity for success! She will always do what it takes to Protect all of OUR Children!” I guess she only thinks certain children are worth protecting and this poor child wasn’t one of them. The state, via DFPS, in cooperation with foreign consulates, makes decisions about whether an immigrant child can be sent back to his country of origin. The state apparently didn't care enough about Nelson to seek to fulfill their burden of proof that this caregivers in Guatemala are unfit. The judge doesn't make that decision - she can only act on what DFPS has determined. www.dfps.texas.gov/handbooks/CPS/Files/CPS_pg_6700.aspNice try, though. Did you have any thoughts about the 386 children Abbott and Paxton allowed to be trafficked while in state care last year? Hilarious that a right-winger pretends to think any child is worthy of protection after it has exited the womb. Or that an immigrant child might be worthy of asylum here. Literally your party was holding "mass deportation" signs at its convention, and your party leader has promised to remove all undocumented immigrants, including women and children in danger of trafficking, from the US. Oh, you're very concerned about making sure that children are protected from knowing that gay or trans people exist, or from knowing the true and accurate history of their country. But not much else. |
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Post by Merge on Sept 2, 2024 15:17:57 GMT
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Post by Merge on Sept 2, 2024 15:10:33 GMT
What scares me the most about a Trump presidency is the thought of JD Vance having to take over the presidency. He seems to be so easily swayed by right wing fanatics. I truly do not think he is terribly intelligent. If Trump wins, I think JD goes by the wayside and all Trump kids + are installed as princes and princesses to reign the USA forever and ever. Not kidding. @merge - thanks for sharing these links. I'll read later and will likely share with some friends who are breathing easy following the DNC. No time for complacency! Right? I don't suppose it's occurred to JD that once you start doing away with the Constitution and any checks and balances on executive power, the office of the Vice Presidency (and the assumption of the VP's elevation to president up on the death of POTUS) all goes up in the air. |
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Post by Merge on Sept 2, 2024 15:07:38 GMT
What scares me the most about a Trump presidency is the thought of JD Vance having to take over the presidency. He seems to be so easily swayed by right wing fanatics. I truly do not think he is terribly intelligent. Mmmm, I don't think he lacks intelligence. I think, like Trump, he is some type of sociopath and fails to have any empathy for others. He thinks intelligence gives him the right or even the responsibility to control others because his ideas are the very best. One of Yarvin's most disturbing ideas was to poison homeless and poor people with cyanide and turn them into biodiesel. He describes this as "more efficient" than all the various programs to help the homeless and mitigate poverty. x.com/gilduran76/status/1816109970192298393(Yarvin's Twitter account was apparently suspended, though I'm sure Elon agrees with at least some of his ideas.) At some point, I hope someone in power will notice that the modern right seems to be influenced and led by a parade of literal Batman villains - horribly warped people who see other human beings as so much clutter standing between them and world domination. |
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Post by Merge on Sept 2, 2024 1:01:27 GMT
Thanks for the real-world updates. After hearing various people claim that both Minneapolis and Portland were burned to the ground in 2020 and never rebuilt, one can't be too careful in validating news sources.
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Post by Merge on Sept 1, 2024 23:47:16 GMT
This has also been going on for years. Calling a Constitution Convention with Article V. There are already 19 Republican governed states signed on. I posted about this years ago. To have a Constitutional Convention is not all it's cracked up to be. They are getting to where they can make decisions without it going to a full public vote, which can take years.. just look at the few names listen to help to decide what you think . A mysterious group of Republicans is secretly rewriting the ConstitutionThom Hartmann.. commentary September 1, 2024 7:13AM ET Republicans have pulled off a coup against an entire branch of government, and nobody seems to have noticed. But if you pay attention, it’s shocking.Sometimes you can learn as much from attending to what Republicans suddenly stop saying as from what they are talking about. In this case, it’s their half-century-long obsession with convening a constitutional convention to rewrite the US Constitution. Under Article V of our Constitution, when two-thirds of the states formally call for a “con-con” to rewrite our nation’s founding document, it officially comes into being. They can then make small changes like enshrining the right of billionaires and corporations to bribe judges and politicians, or insert the doctrine of corporate personhood into the document, or simply throw the whole thing out and start over. Many on the right are hoping to insert a national ban on abortion into a new constitution; others want to end the right of women to vote, do away with all antidiscrimination laws, outlaw labor unions, or return the selection of senators to the states. So far, 19 Republican-controlled states have signed on to a call for for a convention under Article V. The project, heavily funded by rightwing billionaires, even has its own website: conventionofstates.com. Consider just a sampling of recent GOP supporters of the project:— Senator Marco Rubio: “One of the things I’m going to do on my first day in office is I will put the prestige and power of the presidency behind a constitutional convention of the states.” — Governor Greg Abbott: “We need a Convention of States to restore the rule of law in America.” — Governor Ron DeSantis: “An Article V Convention of States is the best way to bring power back to the states and the people.” — Congressman Jodey Arrington: “We need to go back to our founding document, back to our Constitution, and put the restraints on Congress that our founders intended.” — Senator Ted Cruz: “An Article V Convention of States is a powerful tool given to us by the Founders to rein in the federal government.” — Senator Rand Paul: “I’m a big fan of the Convention of States project. I think it’s the solution to Washington’s overreach.” But over the past year, Republicans have suddenly fallen silent on the issue. Project 2025, for example, the all-encompassing wish-list for the GOP and its billionaire owners, lacks even one single mention of a constitutional convention. Why would this be? The simple and obvious answer is that Republicans are rewriting the Constitution right now, this year and last, through their proxies among the six corrupt Republicans on the US Supreme Court. Having succeeded in seizing the Court, the GOP has been able to relax about their plan to call a convention. So far, just in the past two years, Republicans on the Court have taken an ax to the Constitution. They have: ...... And a whole LOT more in the piece.. www.rawstory.com/raw-investigates/rewriting-constituion/Yes, and the other side of this coin is Christian nationalism, which was called Dominionism when I first started posting about it here, years ago. Claiming they have a mandate not just from people, but from God, is what will convince many people to go along with their plans. |
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Post by Merge on Sept 1, 2024 23:00:52 GMT
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Post by Merge on Sept 1, 2024 22:44:33 GMT
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Post by Merge on Sept 1, 2024 19:00:24 GMT
Some news sources are reporting that Venezuelan gangs have taken over the city of Aurora, Colorado.
Others say the whole thing is exaggerated and is confined to a problematic apartment complex soon to be condemned.
Can any locals verify the continued existence of Aurora and the safety of its people? Thx.
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Post by Merge on Sept 1, 2024 15:14:16 GMT
Mmm, kind of in between. Like I'll put on the TV while I'm doing other things, but only if it's something I also want to half-watch. I don't just have it on for the noise. Competing noise in the house makes me twitchy.
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Post by Merge on Aug 31, 2024 19:54:47 GMT
And this, boys and girls, is why we don't devote all our time and energy to any job. Focus your energy on the people who will notice if you die.
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Post by Merge on Aug 31, 2024 19:02:06 GMT
Sending you lots of healing thoughts.
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Post by Merge on Aug 31, 2024 17:04:54 GMT
We just saw a Trump ad on TV. In Texas. I can't recall seeing a presidential campaign ad on TV since we moved here in 1997.
Apparently somebody thinks the state is enough in play that they're willing to spend their dwindling campaign funds here ...
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Post by Merge on Aug 31, 2024 14:15:12 GMT
Oh goodness! That is a story you'll tell forever. I had a preK student come in for a hug and puke all down my back and arm one time. Good times, good times.
These little friends are Spanish-speaking, I assume? I hope your aide speaks Spanish. I'm sure you've picked up some classroom Spanish along the way, but I know the feeling of using your few words with them and having them assume you're fluent, and they unleash a whole long story you can't understand!
I hope you have a great year after this inauspicious start!
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Post by Merge on Aug 31, 2024 0:23:25 GMT
Do you have a David's Bridal? They carry a lot of semi-formal/formal dresses that aren't necessarily bridesmaids dresses.
Torrid is another option.
We also like CityChic here - they will return to the method of payment but you do have to pay 7.95 shipping for the return.
I believe Nordstrom has free returns as well.
(This was a problem for me back in the late 80s and I feel like girls have so many more options now. My mom made all of my prom and homecoming dresses so I could have something cute that fit. But we've generally been able to find formal/party dresses for my curvy youngest at the places listed above.)
ETA: JCPenney and Kohl's may also have junior plus styles that she will like.
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Post by Merge on Aug 30, 2024 23:44:46 GMT
Now, yes, because I'm home all day and start having students at 4:00. I need the house to be neat and tidy before they arrive. When I was working full time outside the home it was generally pretty messy. It's messy right now because I've been sick this week and can't teach anyway, and don't have the energy to clean. (ETA: I just saw the "within an hour" part. For sure, always, unless you're super picky and require the baseboards to be spotless. But I don't need that kind of negativity in my life so we're probably not friends anyway.  ) |
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Post by Merge on Aug 30, 2024 22:18:35 GMT
I also wanted to add that I'm kind of sad this wasn't a thing in our area. I only know about these from here and from a friend who lives in TX and shared pics of her daughter's mum a few years ago. I would have went so OVER THE TOP to make one for my DD! She would barely have been able to walk under the weight, the sheer majesty, of the mum I would have created. 💃 That seems to be the sentiment among many moms in Texas, which is why I was glad I never had to compete in that market. |
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Post by Merge on Aug 30, 2024 22:17:49 GMT
I have no idea what this is about, as I can't see the link (Access Denied), and I don't know any kids called Stanley. Mini-mums? As in young mothers? This Brit is truly confused. I’m so sorry. High school girls in Texas have a tradition of making giant fake chrysanthemum flowers with the school colors and a lot of glittery personalization to wear for a school football game designated as “homecoming.” They wear them at school and at the pep rally (big all-school cheering session for the football team) and to the game itself, but not to the semi-formal dance that follows. Stanley cups are insulated mugs that come in different colors and are the status symbol du jour for some groups. |
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Post by Merge on Aug 30, 2024 15:58:07 GMT
I agree with looking at Marketplace or, if you have any kind of furniture outlet or clearance center in town, look at that. Our current sofa and chair were factory samples from a high-end store that they were selling at a deep discount. In the past, we've purchased name brands from the local furniture outlet and have been happy with them. My oldest is still using one of those couches in her apt 25 years later (she wasn't even born yet when we bought it) and it's held up like nothing else. (It's out of style, obviously, but she puts a cute throw over it and makes it work.)
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Post by Merge on Aug 30, 2024 13:59:11 GMT
I was very fortunate that my kids went to a performing and visual arts high school with no football team. No football means no homecoming and I never had to construct a mum. I've always told them I'm an Amazon Prime mom, not a Pinterest mom. Ok TX moms, some mum questions: Would it be a correct assumption that there are places for the moms to special order them, if they’re not crafty? Actually, why is it the mom who’s responsible for the thing? Can you just take your kid to the mum-making store, give em the cash, and let them do the thing? I’m sure it’s been explained ad naseum over the years, but someone please fill me in  I recall seeing racks of mum accessories with the names/colors of local schools in Michael's one time. I imagine that yes, you can probably special order (for a high cost) handmade mums from crafty people. (You inspired me to look at Etsy, and yes, there are people selling custom mums at a variety of costs.) They're less popular here in the city anyway, but I've been under the impression that having a large and very nicely crafted mum is a bit of a status symbol. So one might not wish to be seen in a mum that doesn't meet certain standards. IDK, though. As I said - never had to make one. |
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Post by Merge on Aug 30, 2024 1:30:38 GMT
MLMs make some people crazy. Just block her and walk away. You're doing nothing wrong.
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Post by Merge on Aug 29, 2024 23:34:21 GMT
DH and I have it, too. This variant is no joke - we're pretty miserable. Hope you feel better soon!
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Post by Merge on Aug 29, 2024 23:22:55 GMT
She did, and it puts the lie to the right-wing assertion that she can't speak cogently without a teleprompter or other support. |
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Post by Merge on Aug 29, 2024 22:58:11 GMT
Those are cute. I've adore mini "things". But, why Stanley Cup; why not any cup? Because everyone knows all the cool, rich people have Stanleys. (insert eye roll, lol) We're way out of style here and still use our Yetis. Which I think are about ten different trendy cups ago. |
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Post by Merge on Aug 29, 2024 22:40:53 GMT
 I would be a lousy Texas mom for sure. That every time I hear/see "Stanley Cup" I think someone is talking about NHL hockey doesn't help I guess. I was very fortunate that my kids went to a performing and visual arts high school with no football team. No football means no homecoming and I never had to construct a mum. I've always told them I'm an Amazon Prime mom, not a Pinterest mom. |
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Post by Merge on Aug 29, 2024 22:39:55 GMT
Those are cute. I've adore mini "things". But, why Stanley Cup; why not any cup? Could be. That's just the trendy overpriced cup of the moment. |
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Post by Merge on Aug 29, 2024 21:45:52 GMT
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Post by Merge on Aug 29, 2024 21:00:35 GMT
I have to say, the frozen ones in the bag from HEB are better than any meatball I've ever made on my own. We eat them very rarely, but when we want them, I just get those. They are delicious and super tender. I'd check into what might be available for gluten-free frozen meatballs in your area. ETA: I spoke too soon! I was thinking standard Italian meatballs. But I've made these sheetpan zucchini chicken meatballs with coconut curry sauce and they are delicious! Just sub gluten free bread crumbs. That reminds me, I should make those again soon. |
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Post by Merge on Aug 29, 2024 16:22:10 GMT
I just don't feel she has enough experience and because we have pretty much heard or seen zero of her the past 3.5 years. (and I do not care what color she is.....so that has nothing to do with my feelings on her) Thanks for answering! As you might imagine, I have some follow up questions - which VP in history do you feel has held a more prominent role in their administration? To my memory, they're all generally pretty behind the scenes, but perhaps you know something I don't. It's very common for presidential candidates to come from the Senate. Participation in that body, plus in her case years in California politics, seems to be about the usual amount of experience. What else would you have like to have seen? Is it your opinion that only a former member of the military is fit to be CIC? (ETA: here's a list of some of Harris' accomplishments as VP, if you're interested. www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/07/26/kamala-harris-vice-president-accomplishments/74534954007/)And more to the point, what experience did Trump have when he was elected that made him fit to be CIC? What did he do during his four years that make him fit now, and does the opinion of virtually all of the generals and military advisors who served him have any bearing on your opinion? Because almost none of them have anything good to say about him as CIC. Thanks for your responses. |
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Post by Merge on Aug 29, 2024 15:06:24 GMT
Outside of the 12 hours each week that I teach lessons and the time I spend managing the business of my studio, I do what I want when I want to do it. I do keep the house pretty tidy and I do any yard work or plant tending that needs to be done. I manage our day to day finances and pay the bills. I plan and cook our meals. I practice guitar and bass and learn a little Spanish every day. I do stuff for and with my adult kids. I go to the gym and walk the dogs. I spend time with DH. And I spend a fair amount of time doing “nothing” - usually reading or being online. I watch baseball and crochet. Not much other TV these days.
I feel no need to be productive every moment. My parents were like that and it didn’t get them anything. Mom died at 57 and I am now 51. Life is short and I don’t intend to spend it staying busy out of some sense of obligation or guilt.
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