Tag Archives: Contraception

November 2, 2015 · 0:00

Let Me Be the 4,894,307th Person to Remind You: VOTE!

Yes, I’m sick of the reminders, too.

Sick of the candidates’ signs.

Sick of the damn phone ringing with robo-calls and folks who can’t pronounce my name calling during dinner.

Still, it is important.

Tomorrow, is election day.

Vote!  Keep the crazies in office down to a minimum.

Elections Matter!

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Governor:

  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Mississippi

State Legislatures:

  • Louisiana
  • Mississippi
  • New Jersey
  • Virginia

Mayor:

Anchorage, AK; Arlington, TX; Charlotte, NC; Colorado Springs, CO;* Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Duluth, MN; Fort Wayne, IN; Fort Worth, TX; Greensboro, NC; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Jacksonville, FL; Kansas City, MO; Knoxville, TN; Lincoln, NE; Memphis, TN; Montgomery, AL; Nashville, TN; Philadelphia, PA; Phoenix, AZ; Raleigh, NC; San Antonio, TX; San Francisco, CA; South Bend, IN; Tucson, AZ; West Palm Beach, FL; and Wichita, KS

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Filed under All The News You Need, All We Are Saying Is Give Peace A Chance, Bat-shit crazy, Beating that Dead Horse, Campaigning, Climate Change, Crazy Folks Running, Criminal Activity, Do GOP Voters Actually THINK?, Elections, Just Do It and I'll Shut Up!

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Video

Reality Doesn’t Make It Onto the Nightly News — or into State Legislatures

Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez schooled the House Republicans on the Oversight Committee a few weeks ago when they held a hearing on Planned Parenthood.

Naturally, this dose of reality didn’t make it into the news reels.  Pity, because Congressman Gutierrez is correct.

At the Federal level, at least for the near term, any anti-abortion (aka “Pro-Birth”) legislation will be vetoed by President Obama.  It is protected by the U.S. Constitution, as decided in 1973 by the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade.

Sadly, though, the same is not true of efforts by the States.  Because those legislatures, run in many cases by the GOP, keep enacting laws that step by step make it more difficult for women to get access.

  • Mandatory Ultrasounds
  • Requiring physicians to have admitting privileges at local hospitals
  • Prohibiting abortions after 20 weeks (about the time some of the most severe abnormalities become apparent)
  • Restricting access to “morning after” pills
  • Compulsatory parental consent (including in cases of rape and/or incest)

The list goes on.

Just as bad, are the healthcare rights they want to take away from women, many of which are provided to us by Planned Parenthood.  Mamograms.  Cancer screenings.  Contraception.

So while we can be thankful for Congressman Gutierrez, and know he’s right at the FEDERAL level, there is a whole lot of work to be done to protect women’s rights at the State level.

Elections matter. 

There are some coming up on NOVEMBER 3:

Governor:

  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Mississippi

State Legislatures:

  • Louisiana
  • Mississippi
  • New Jersey
  • Virginia

Mayor:

Anchorage, AK; Arlington, TX; Charlotte, NC; Colorado Springs, CO;* Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Duluth, MN; Fort Wayne, IN; Fort Worth, TX; Greensboro, NC; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Jacksonville, FL; Kansas City, MO; Knoxville, TN; Lincoln, NE; Memphis, TN; Montgomery, AL; Nashville, TN; Philadelphia, PA; Phoenix, AZ; Raleigh, NC; San Antonio, TX; San Francisco, CA; South Bend, IN; Tucson, AZ; West Palm Beach, FL; and Wichita, KS

* Mayors races have some interesting consequences, too.  I wrote about the last mayoral election in Colorado Springs in this post.

Special thanks to Melinda, my very extended family member, who shared this video link.  And thanks to Wikipedia for the list of states/cities with elections this November.

27 Comments

October 11, 2015 · 0:00
September 3, 2015 · 0:00

It’s Not MY Dream. Is it YOURS?

Many years ago, John decided that he and I should buy a Bed & Breakfast somewhere in picturesque New England and leave the Washington DC area behind us.

“No,” I said immediately, the first time he procured an ad for one.

My husband didn’t understand why I wasn’t jumping at the chance.

“Why not?  It’s perfect for us!”

“What would your role be at “our” B&B?”

“Well, I’d …”

I stared him down, believe me.  Because you see, John doesn’t cook.  He doesn’t clean.  And he’s an introvert. If you are an old friend or family, John will welcome you graciously.  Otherwise, he will say hello, and quickly make his way to another room and go back to his book.

And his lack of handy-man skills is legendary.

I would have to do the cooking, the cleaning, the welcoming, the chatting everybody up.  I’d have to work the toilet plunger.

“No,” I repeated. “I do not want to run a B&B.”

But YOU might want to.  YOU — You know — the person reading this, scratching his/her/its head.

This morning I learned about a wonderful opportunity.  The owner of the Deerfield Valley Inn is retiring, and holding a contest for her replacement B&B-er.  Check out the link on the Huffington Post.  And do listen to the video in that link and hear all the particulars.

The Deerfield Valley Inn

The Deerfield Valley Inn

For $150 and the winning essay, the Deerfield Valley Inn can be yours.  The essay?  Here’s your prompt; in 250 words or less tell the current owner your story:

“This is my dream: To own and operate a Vermont country inn.”

I’m having trouble getting the link about the contest to load, so here is a Hotels.com video of the Deerfield Inn so you can see it.

We are all writers, here, in the ‘sphere.  One of us should be able to nail this contest and change their life.

Go for it!

And save a nice room for me for Columbus Weekend, Fall 2016!

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Filed under Adult Traumas, All The News You Need, Bat-shit crazy, Crazy family members, My husband is lazy and wants me to do all the work, Vermont Country Inn

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February 6, 2013 · 0:00

I’m a Serial Killer

Oh Lord.  I’m not quite sure how to handle the guilt.  Will I need therapy?  Drugs?  Electric shock treatments?

I considered going to confession.  But as a lapsed Catholic I didn’t want to risk it.

You can't be too careful

You can’t be too careful

What will happen to me?  To my family?  How will my husband, my son, my brothers, live with the shame of being family members of one such as me.

And what if I go to jail?  I’ve never been, but I’ve watched enough prison movies to know I wouldn’t do well there.  I won’t  last long at all.  The other cons will hate me and make sure I pay dearly.

But it’s not my fault.  I didn’t know.  If I had, I know I’d have lived my life differently.

You see today I learned that I am a serial killer. You’d think I might have noticed before now, wouldn’t you?  That I’d be scurrying around, digging holes in the basement floor or the back yard. That I would be having all sorts of bonfires.  That at a minimum I would have purchased a wood-chipper to dispose of the evidence.

Nope.  It wasn’t necessary.

You see, I have been carrying the bodies around with me for decades.  No wonder I’m tired all the time.

I know you didn’t listen to the video.  But you should have.  Because then you’d know that because I have used birth control pills – contraceptives – Pastor Kevin Swanson thinks I am a serial murderer with a uterus filled with dead fetuses.

Ewwwww.  Got any Massengil?

Make mine a double!

Make mine a double!

 *   *   *

Tell me, is there a contest going on to see which right-wing fanatic can say the stupidest thing ever heard by mankind?

Do I get a vote?

Because this comment is clearly a contender.

All images from Google.  Thanks Google!

86 Comments

Filed under Childhood Traumas, Health and Medicine, Hypocrisy, Science, Stupidity

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February 11, 2012 · 0:00

Adjust Your Dial!

It’s spooky.  I keep expecting to have to adjust the vertical hold on my TV.  Or to hear the test pattern when I turn it on really early in the morning (you know, before the farm report).  And I’m surprised that the picture is in living color.

But then I look at the TV and realize that no, it is NOT a 1960s-era console TV.  Nope.  Not even close.  It is a high-end 3D LCD/LED HDTV, purchased not all that long ago.

So why is all the news from the 1960s?

Now I know that this is an election year.  Really, I do.  I pay attention.  But what I didn’t realize was that this was the 1960 election. 

Spoiler Alert: Kennedy Won

Contraception?  The Catholic Church?  The Church’s involvement in U.S. politics?  Ummm.  They are talking about issues that were resolved 50 years ago.

Enovid -- THE PILL

It’s true.  You see, on May 11, 1960 the first birth control pill, Enovid, received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.  That, if you’re math challenged, is approximately 52 years ago.  Trust me on that one.  Within 4 years, one-quarter of all couples were using “The Pill.”

In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson, signed federal legislation making birth control available to the poor.  That was 48 years ago.  The Supreme Court Ruled against a Connecticut state prohibition of contraception in 1965, 47 years ago.   A few years later, in 1972, the Supreme Court also ruled that single women could get the pill, too.

It’s done.

So what the hell is wrong with my TV?  Why is it delivering 50-year-old news?

Maybe I just need to push some more buttons.  And definitely even more in November.

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I LOVE YOU, Google.  Thanks, for the pictures!

64 Comments

Filed under Family, Hypocrisy, Science, Stupidity, Technology

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