tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-108667662024-03-23T13:24:40.689-05:00What's cooking in Progressive Grannie's KitchenA progressive liberal Grandma cooks and tries to find a job, after losing her job of 18 years. Can an older RN find full time work or enough part time work to satisfy her budget needs and help raise her grandkids? What can grannie cook for a family of 6 on a miserly budget? Can a knitter afford her yarn on unemployment?. This blog is morphing from its original content to reflect the realities of 2011.progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.comBlogger909125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-18121941592916753882014-07-14T16:11:00.003-05:002014-07-14T16:11:39.924-05:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXu8xgDvg6kjI_ayOchAXJZWZjpiOxZDpq7rXfp2ID9XLL_CCRYn1jOjB7x0tMEE5AmdGXvi1v87JsStJ8LZscE_JMxoOCvSz0dfWZvTlubursdgXFQz-4xCbVwga83u8vAlCD/s1600/enchiladas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXu8xgDvg6kjI_ayOchAXJZWZjpiOxZDpq7rXfp2ID9XLL_CCRYn1jOjB7x0tMEE5AmdGXvi1v87JsStJ8LZscE_JMxoOCvSz0dfWZvTlubursdgXFQz-4xCbVwga83u8vAlCD/s1600/enchiladas.jpg" /></a><br />
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Jennifer’s Enchiladas</div>
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2 cans Wolf Brand Chili no beans<o:p></o:p></div>
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2 cans medium red enchilada sauce<o:p></o:p></div>
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Tortillas<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sharp Cheddar cheese, grated<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pepper Jack cheese, grated<o:p></o:p></div>
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Heat tortillas in package 20-30 seconds, turn and another
20-30 seconds (microwave).<o:p></o:p></div>
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Assemble enchiladas, top with cheese, and bake at 350 for 30
minutes.<o:p></o:p></div>
progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-43341229319251541602011-09-21T00:11:00.000-05:002011-09-21T00:11:21.356-05:00Career change fears, unfoundedworked at XXXXX so long that I did not think I could be a "real" nurse
anymore. But, I was wrong, and I now have great self confidence in
myself as a nurse. I thank Debbie and my husband and family for
supporting me and giving me the confidence to broaden my horizons.
Initially I was lucky enough to find a part time job at a nursing home
in Boerne. The DON was so kind to me, and told me, "you CAN do this!"
She is former Navy, and basically gave another Veteran a chance, and for
that I will be eternally grateful. <br />
<br />
So, my first day I was terrified! Of what? The new insulin delivery
systems! As far as I can tell, nothing else has changed. My preceptor, a
young nurse in her 20's, was just the ticket to build my confidence. I
can now manage the various insulin delivery systems, and treatments for
20 patients, MD orders, etc. I have also managed 2 emergencies. I serve
as a resource person to 2 LVN's and a medication nurse as well as 2
CNA's, and my confidence has returned. You know why? The human body has
not changed. Not much else has changed either. We CAN do this! We did
not lose our minds sitting behind a computer. If anything, we have a
broader base of knowledge than when we started at XXXX.<br />
<br />
I have just started in a full time hospice RN Case Manager job , and
it's going well, and I am making more than I made at XXXX, and in 90 days
I get a raise. I was given a bag of all the necessary nursing tools,
including a pulse oximeter, cell phone and a laptop. I am ready to go,
working in central SATX. Our newest territory is the Boerne area, and I
will move from SATX to Boerne, as their case load grows. I did not give
up my part time job, because I love it, and will work there per Diem. I
just can't let those residents go, as they have wormed into a place in
my heart. <br />
<br />
What makes my day now are hugs from my elder patients, an "I love you"
from some of them, and hearing stories from one woman who is 100 years
old, which are extremely interesting. I would not trade these moments
for anything in the world. I have been given the opportunity to
remember, why I became a nurse in the first place, and it feels good. <br />
<br />
Pat, I know you and I were not the best of friends, but I just wanted to
let you know, there is life outside of BRC, should you decide to go
that route. <br />
<br />
I am thankful to my wide circle of friends, who took me in their arms,
loved me, and helped me find my way when I was so upset that I did not
know where to turn.progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-88592892488953323602011-09-04T22:47:00.001-05:002011-09-04T22:47:24.332-05:00Partially employed for 6 weeks. I did find a weekend job, thankfully, and soon after I lost my job. I don't know why nobody looks at my resume, but the comments I have received were that I did not have enough "current" nursing experience. I am now working in a long term care facility, where I have fallen in love with my elderly patients, and think I am a good nurse, who cares for them and looks out for their welfare.<br />
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My project this week is to find a place to volunteer, so it does not look like I am staying home not looking for jobs and watching TV. I have spent 8 hrs a day looking for work for the past 5-6 weeks, so I have not been sitting on my laurels. A report on NPR suggested doing volunteer work to show that you are still a hard worker, etc. to prospective employers and it seems like a great idea. In fact, I had that idea on week 2 of unemployment, but then I go to busy applying for jobs online to do anything else. So...now I am going to takea breather and try to get some volunteer work.<br />
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To all my fellow underemployed people...let's keep on trying!!!!progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-68221213580205618502011-01-02T12:16:00.000-06:002011-01-02T12:16:02.143-06:00New journey - weight loss and physical fitness<a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"><img border="0" src="http://tickers.myfitnesspal.com/ticker/show/343/2576/3432576.png" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center; width: 420px;"><small>Created by MyFitnessPal - <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/">Free Calorie Counter</a></small></div><br />
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With the help of my new app, my fitness pal, and my new droid phone....can I do it?progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-52338302209585003362010-05-30T14:50:00.000-05:002010-05-30T14:50:54.674-05:00Arizona's AB1070, a slippery slope<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pictures from the May Day rally against Arizona bill 1070, a racist bill. We drove down to San Antonio to participate in this rally because we feel very strongly about this bill. It's ridiculous to hear grown white men talk about recognizing "illegals" by their shoes, the color of their skin, and their clothes....and that's the criteria to get pulled over and asked for your papers? Wow. And English teachers can't teach if they have an accent? What kind of accent are we talking about here? I can't understand somebody from Georgia (sorry Kathy, but you do talk funny), and people from Massachusetts can't say their "R's" correctly, and the accent from Wisconsin always makes me laugh out loud. So...which accent are we talking about here? Well, it's pretty subjective, if you ask me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_5yZWOGLq7JjkJFCUfDyDZVpuJQwb1EW0R3U2uXoO62LLda9YTM6swjLHgkmJ_xGq8kVU0he2UZ-JiICAJ4L-goNZ-bBmy-YBVhlK2-4_89VyTqTjEEXtSBpxRcBPRIzHML2/s1600/P1030172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_5yZWOGLq7JjkJFCUfDyDZVpuJQwb1EW0R3U2uXoO62LLda9YTM6swjLHgkmJ_xGq8kVU0he2UZ-JiICAJ4L-goNZ-bBmy-YBVhlK2-4_89VyTqTjEEXtSBpxRcBPRIzHML2/s320/P1030172.JPG" /></a></div>progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-52969161560415584452010-02-20T02:28:00.000-06:002010-02-20T02:29:12.106-06:00<a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4sBZTNx3SQpWBdpcJnGEipVK35jGIArkuQRc07ngJVdBY2T3KQ6rU4pp8zlbL2Xd6Bo9EqavljurVQ1zpZ7UaHbtGeW3Eb_D3_kSz-4lKMvFIiHbAGyjdt1-GgrDMZWqlNjcJ/s1600-h/SAM_0247.jpg'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4sBZTNx3SQpWBdpcJnGEipVK35jGIArkuQRc07ngJVdBY2T3KQ6rU4pp8zlbL2Xd6Bo9EqavljurVQ1zpZ7UaHbtGeW3Eb_D3_kSz-4lKMvFIiHbAGyjdt1-GgrDMZWqlNjcJ/s160/SAM_0247.jpg' border='0' alt='' /></a> <br /><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FoaT64RcgrsOChKA_I0Fn0dxpGfE-gWCRqVQ9E6hvB9CgWeTIhS79TZuUs-e2NKkruRydoA8kZhL5zbFOEJOphfHUHanwwQatuC4OVwJUJsv2JNuE9oy0dG_DNOoW2gF3kud/s1600-h/SAM_0248.jpg'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FoaT64RcgrsOChKA_I0Fn0dxpGfE-gWCRqVQ9E6hvB9CgWeTIhS79TZuUs-e2NKkruRydoA8kZhL5zbFOEJOphfHUHanwwQatuC4OVwJUJsv2JNuE9oy0dG_DNOoW2gF3kud/s160/SAM_0248.jpg' border='0' alt='' /></a> <div style='clear:both; text-align:NONE'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-3244639621866362722009-11-25T22:28:00.002-06:002009-11-25T22:37:20.014-06:00Turkey day, what's cooking?Health care, .... not so much. More troops in Afghanistan....likely. Turkey for Thanksgiving....very likely. One question before I start cooking....why are we in Afghanistan and for what purpose and what is the end game?<br /><br />If we can't answer those questions, it's time to come home. And why aren't the troops back from Iraq yet? Oh, wait, I have neighbors who are working for military contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan, and they are making shitloads of money to send their kids to college, I guess. So, it's better to pay civilian contractors (the greedy SOB's who steal my tax dollars) to make money in US war zones....again, for what ultimate purpose? Greed? Power? Sigh. President Eisenhower was right.<br /><br />Will they brine the turkeys they serve our troops? Will they be served with love or with greed? I vote greed.<br /><br />Bring our sons, daughters, nephews, nieces, fathers, mothers, etc.home NOW. <br /><br />I hope our military service members have a lovely Thanksgiving day and I hope to be able to give thanks again, when they are home.<br /><br />My nephew will be there soon enough, and selfishly we pray for his safety.progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-50781707014683690602009-10-31T22:17:00.001-05:002009-10-31T22:17:46.043-05:00Happy Halloween<div style='background-color:#e9e9e9; width: 425px;'><object id='A64060' quality='high' data='http://aka.zero.jibjab.com/client/zero/ClientZero_EmbedViewer.swf?external_make_id=VtqEqXbireQ9fAkP&service=sendables.jibjab.com&partnerID=JibJab' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' wmode='transparent' height='319' width='425'><param name='wmode' value='transparent'></param><param name='movie' value='http://aka.zero.jibjab.com/client/zero/ClientZero_EmbedViewer.swf?external_make_id=VtqEqXbireQ9fAkP&service=sendables.jibjab.com&partnerID=JibJab'></param><param name='scaleMode' value='showAll'></param><param name='quality' value='high'></param><param name='allowNetworking' value='all'></param><param name='allowFullScreen' value='true' /><param name='FlashVars' value='external_make_id=VtqEqXbireQ9fAkP&service=sendables.jibjab.com&partnerID=JibJab'></param><param name='allowScriptAccess' value='always'></param></object><div style='text-align:center; width:435px; margin-top:6px;'>Try JibJab Sendables® <a href='http://sendables.jibjab.com/ecards'>eCards</a> today!</div></div>progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-18142297161855688152009-10-18T13:44:00.001-05:002009-10-18T13:44:44.910-05:00Leo's turkey meatballs<ul><br /><li>1.5 lb ground turkey</li><br /><li>2 eggs</li><br /><li>1/4 cup bread crumbs</li><br /><li>2 tbsp. hoisin sauce</li><br /><li>2 small cans water chestnuts</li><br /><li>1 tbsp soy sauce or to taste</li><br /><li>1 tsp. sea salt or to taste</li><br /><li>1/4 tsp. pepper</li><br /><li>1 cup panko crumbs</li><br /><li>1 bag drained, chopped spinach</li><br /></ul><br /><ol><br /><li>Mix all ingredients except panko crumbs.</li><br /><li>Form into balls. Refrigerate about 20 mins.</li><br /><li>Remove from refrigerator and roll meatballs in panko crumbs.</li><br /><li>Bake 400 degrees for 20 mins.</li><br /></ol><br /><img src="http://www.grouprecipes.com/images/12x21_bite_this.gif" style="position:relative; top:3px;"> <a href="http://www.grouprecipes.com/103677/leos-favorite-turkey-meatballs.html">Leos Favorite Turkey Meatballs @ Group Recipes</a>progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-12771060057885646412009-09-08T23:51:00.001-05:002009-09-08T23:51:51.168-05:00A wonderfully funny parody<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ofxVMlU97yA&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ofxVMlU97yA&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-2217847586907863322009-09-03T23:32:00.000-05:002009-09-03T23:33:07.840-05:00Thoughts on health careDearest family and friends,<br /><br />I attended a rally for health care in Austin, last Saturday, at the First United Methodist Church. Speakers included Rev. Rigby (whose speech is in full below), Congressman Lloyd Doggett, Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell, Dr. Andrew Weary, and more.<br /><br />I want to share this article because what Rev. Rigby said speaks to me in the voice of my father, the church of my childhood, and the values my parents instilled in me. After all, Jesus taught us to love and care for one another, didn't he? [Matthew 25:31-46]<br /><br />I don't often get on my soap box and send things out to my family and friends. I accept whatever emails are sent to me as being sent in the spirit of thoughtfulness, even if I don't agree with them, and as I said, I usually don't comment. However, this issue is so important to me, that I had to send this. I believe that we, as a nation, need single payer healthcare.<br /><br />Please take a few minutes of your time to read Rev. Jim Rigby's speech.<br /><br />Sally<br /><br />Published on Wednesday, September 2, 2009 by CommonDreams.org<br />Why Is Universal Health Care ‘Un-American’?<br /><br />by Rev. Jim Rigby<br /><br />Last week supporters of health-care reform gathered around the country, including in Austin, TX, where 2,000 people crowded into a downtown church to hear speakers talk about different aspects of the issue. Asked to speak about the ethical dimensions of health care, I tried to go beyond short-term political strategizing and ask more basic questions. This is an edited version of what I said.<br /><br />Is anyone else here having trouble with the fact that we are even having this conversation? Is anyone else having trouble believing this topic is really controversial? I have been asked to talk about the ethical dimension of health care. Here's one way to frame such a discussion:<br /><br />If an infant is born to poor parents, would we be more ethical to give medicine to that child so he or she does not die prematurely of preventable diseases, or would we be more ethical if we let the child die screaming in his or her parent's arms so we can keep more of our money?<br /><br />Or, let's say someone who worked for Enron, and now is penniless, contracted bone cancer. I've been asked to discuss whether we are more ethical if we provide such people medicine that lessens their pain. Or would we be more ethical to let them scream through the night in unbearable agony so we can pay lower taxes?<br /><br />I can't believe I am standing today in a Christian church defending the proposition that we should lessen the suffering of those who cannot afford health care in an economic system that often treats the poor as prey for the rich. I cannot believe there are Christians around this nation who are shouting that message down and waving guns in the air because they don't want to hear it. But I learned along time ago that churches are strange places; charity is fine, but speaking of justice is heresy in many churches. The late Brazilian bishop Dom Hélder Câmara said it well: "When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a Communist." Too often today in the United States, if you talk about helping the poor, they call you Christian, but if you actually try to do something to help the poor, they call you a socialist.<br /><br />Some of the other speakers today have been asked to address what is possible in the current political climate. I have been asked to speak of our dreams. Let me ask a question. How many of you get really excited about tweaking the insurance system so we just get robbed a little less? (silence) How many of you want universal health care? (sustained applause) I realize that insurance reform is all that's on the table right now, and it can be important to choose the lesser of evils when that alone is within our power in the moment. But we also need to remember our dream. I believe the American dream is not about material success, not about being having the strongest military. The American dream is that every person might have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.<br /><br />It's amazing to hear Christians who talk about the right to life as though it ends at birth. They believe every egg has a right to hatch, but as soon as you're born, it's dog eat dog. We may disagree on when life begins, but if the right to life means anything it means that every person (anyone who has finished the gestation period) has a right to life. And if there is a right to life there must be a right to the necessities of life. Like health care.<br /><br />I believe the American dream was not about property rights, but human rights. Consider the words of this national hymn:<br /><br />"O beautiful for patriot's dream that sees beyond the years. Thine alabaster cities gleam, undimmed by human tears."<br /><br />Doesn't that sound like someone cared about the poor? There are those who consider paying taxes an affront, but listen to these words:<br /><br />"O Beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife, who more than self their country loved and mercy more than life."<br /><br />"Mercy more than life" -- have you ever noticed those words before? Supporting universal health care does not make you socialist or even a liberal, it makes you a human being. And it makes you an ambassador for the American dream which, in the mind of Thomas Paine, was a dream for every human being, not just Americans. As we struggle to get health care to all people, we may have to settle for the lesser of two evils, but remember your dream -- the true American dream, a human dream. Whatever we win through reform is just first step toward a day when every human being has a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.<br />The Rev. Jim Rigby is pastor of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Austin.progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-75156509791092507282009-06-07T11:41:00.003-05:002009-06-07T11:45:44.824-05:00119 Million Americans Must be Wrong (about health care)119 Million Americans Must Be Wrong<br /><br />By Robert Parry <br />June 5, 2009<br /><blockquote><br />The peculiar argument that 119 million Americans must be denied the public option that they prefer has been made most notably by Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, which is one of two panels that has jurisdiction over the health insurance bill.<br /><br /> "As many as 119 million Americans would shift from private coverage to the government plan," Grassley wrote in a column for Politico.com. That migration, Grassley said, would "put America on the path toward a completely government-run health care system. … Eventually, the government plan would overtake the entire market."<br /><br /> Grassley's logic is that so many Americans would prefer a government-run plan that the private health insurance industry would collapse or become a shadow of its current self. That, in turn, would lead even more Americans entering the government plan, making private insurance even less viable.<br /><br /> Rarely has an argument more dramatically highlighted the philosophical question of whether in a democracy, the government should represent the people's interests or an industry's.<a href="http://consortiumnews.com/2009/060509.html">link</a></blockquote><br /><br />We know we won't get single payer unless we work for it.progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-75404022395732304292009-04-05T01:29:00.002-05:002009-04-05T01:31:56.534-05:00My first knitted sock,<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPrZTAcyr2grYW-RUhgXEmvAS_76MQkiNG2FJ9yZXL41j-q2qbAOqUDB29zW8FP8B-wwMCVPKNQMnEDnac9eqfEiq1h2FUDl7_5WxX4PecpuVdDMNeS7jxGV0MCShbeIg1MaH/s1600-h/P1020523.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPrZTAcyr2grYW-RUhgXEmvAS_76MQkiNG2FJ9yZXL41j-q2qbAOqUDB29zW8FP8B-wwMCVPKNQMnEDnac9eqfEiq1h2FUDl7_5WxX4PecpuVdDMNeS7jxGV0MCShbeIg1MaH/s400/P1020523.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321090983033521298" /></a><br />Complete with many screw ups, but I'll go a bit farther and finish the heel gusset shaping, then I'll frog it down to the end of the cuff and start over. By then I should have learned by all my mistakes and a good sock should result. <br />Crossing my fingers!progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-67193514982403335592009-03-29T12:55:00.001-05:002009-03-29T12:55:58.464-05:00The Big Take Over<a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/26793903/the_big_takeover">Link, The Big Take Over</a><br />The entire article is worth reading. Comments in this article in the Rolling Stone include: <br /><br /><blockquote>People are pissed off about this financial crisis, and about this bailout, but they're not pissed off enough. The reality is that the worldwide economic meltdown and the bailout that followed were together a kind of revolution, a coup d'état. They cemented and formalized a political trend that has been snowballing for decades: the gradual takeover of the government by a small class of connected insiders, who used money to control elections, buy influence and systematically weaken financial regulations.<br /><br />The crisis was the coup de grâce: Given virtually free rein over the economy, these same insiders first wrecked the financial world, then cunningly granted themselves nearly unlimited emergency powers to clean up their own mess. And so the gambling-addict leaders of companies like AIG end up not penniless and in jail, but with an Alien-style death grip on the Treasury and the Federal Reserve — "our partners in the government," as Liddy put it with a shockingly casual matter-of-factness after the most recent bailout.<br /><br />The mistake most people make in looking at the financial crisis is thinking of it in terms of money, a habit that might lead you to look at the unfolding mess as a huge bonus-killing downer for the Wall Street class. But if you look at it in purely Machiavellian terms, what you see is a colossal power grab that threatens to turn the federal government into a kind of giant Enron — a huge, impenetrable black box filled with self-dealing insiders whose scheme is the securing of individual profits at the expense of an ocean of unwitting involuntary shareholders, previously known as taxpayers.</blockquote>progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-65481760730747754202009-03-28T02:51:00.001-05:002009-03-28T02:52:53.743-05:00Boxer photos<a href='http://localhost:4550/73895dc2f4b814ab9123c9fed7d558d8/image/ef5fdb620153b087.jpg'><img src='http://localhost:4550/73895dc2f4b814ab9123c9fed7d558d8/image/ef5fdb620153b087.jpg?size=320' border='0' alt='' /></a> <br /><a href='http://localhost:4550/73895dc2f4b814ab9123c9fed7d558d8/image/8bb84bd5302e5c5.jpg'><img src='http://localhost:4550/73895dc2f4b814ab9123c9fed7d558d8/image/8bb84bd5302e5c5.jpg?size=320' border='0' alt='' /></a> <br /><a href='http://localhost:4550/73895dc2f4b814ab9123c9fed7d558d8/image/80f8218b700bf7f6.jpg'><img src='http://localhost:4550/73895dc2f4b814ab9123c9fed7d558d8/image/80f8218b700bf7f6.jpg?size=320' border='0' alt='' /></a> <br /><a href='http://localhost:4550/73895dc2f4b814ab9123c9fed7d558d8/image/779f739d39fc213e.jpg'><img src='http://localhost:4550/73895dc2f4b814ab9123c9fed7d558d8/image/779f739d39fc213e.jpg?size=320' border='0' alt='' /></a> progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-60863856249048168882009-03-09T00:25:00.000-05:002009-03-09T00:25:42.646-05:00I got a tattoo!<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjprGhnjJ-cvEK1mAmWMvgUwu5BM-Qmorj8IYKMAZg_yr9rwcwgFi60R43ts7FR9BZ61I0uVdGP1k0M-ddAJ6zSkdpMDBsPFT0tNILdBRI9TQ-aMDmS_r8IQQ_M751Dk_2oqG_b/s1600-h/sally's+tattoo.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjprGhnjJ-cvEK1mAmWMvgUwu5BM-Qmorj8IYKMAZg_yr9rwcwgFi60R43ts7FR9BZ61I0uVdGP1k0M-ddAJ6zSkdpMDBsPFT0tNILdBRI9TQ-aMDmS_r8IQQ_M751Dk_2oqG_b/s400/sally's+tattoo.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /> It needs hibiscus and plumeria around it. A memory of my favorite vacation, Kauai.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-639778957952009062009-02-20T00:58:00.001-06:002009-02-20T01:00:25.882-06:00Feb. 19th alreadyWow, not prepared for the year to go by so quickly. I am knitting a sock. If am luck it will be 2 socks. I really am slow at it, so maybe by mid spring one sock will be done??progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-10051143201259998612009-02-06T00:16:00.000-06:002009-02-06T00:16:23.151-06:00Why the Obama girls need a boxer dog<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGI_6EU2uKloZsSR6XMh1sbVTOR5zACpBg6vgarI5V35Gi3runTbLloZtQZSqaGjry9B2hdJR-ozut82t4pd4-gKkGhdY79PmiDtvcAu7r94_eGgnWgfsk8K-vDSr65Bs7hZq/s1600-h/P1020406.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGI_6EU2uKloZsSR6XMh1sbVTOR5zACpBg6vgarI5V35Gi3runTbLloZtQZSqaGjry9B2hdJR-ozut82t4pd4-gKkGhdY79PmiDtvcAu7r94_eGgnWgfsk8K-vDSr65Bs7hZq/s400/P1020406.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-70166642064838707502009-02-03T13:43:00.001-06:002009-02-03T13:43:27.546-06:00Got some extra time and a few extra pennies?I know that I have some free time since the election is over and I wondered what I could do, well here are some ideas I have come up with, anybody else have additions?<br /><br />Some things you can do:<br /><br />Donate and/or volunteer at a foodbank. Not sure where Boerne's is located, but here is the San Antonio foodbank which serves our area, it appears.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqx4u6r-VkzOuCSI6xgBqQyPjIx3vpb17KHSSjUvn6ATZCRhB9vctCEEH_u5XQ_t2qpP80-KT-afRlnF3PEBYmnDYXRWAu1cz6cTY1uylIkve5B33_QFXtYb9o7kbE9ghrFsTlnQ/s1600-h/HolidayFoodBox.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298656691180705506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 390px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 336px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqx4u6r-VkzOuCSI6xgBqQyPjIx3vpb17KHSSjUvn6ATZCRhB9vctCEEH_u5XQ_t2qpP80-KT-afRlnF3PEBYmnDYXRWAu1cz6cTY1uylIkve5B33_QFXtYb9o7kbE9ghrFsTlnQ/s400/HolidayFoodBox.jpg" border="0" />link</a><br /><br />Perhaps we could hold a food drive?<br />Most Needed Food Items<br /><br />Peanut Butter<br />Chili<br />Canned Stews<br />Canned Soups<br />Canned Luncheon Meats<br />Full Meals in a Can/Box<br />Tuna<br />Beans & Rice<br />Macaroni and Cheese<br />"Pop Top" Food Items<br />Full Meals in a Can/Box<br /><br />Questions?<br /><br />Contact<br />Monica Borrego<br />Food and Fund Drive Coordinator<br />210-431-8310<br />mborrego@safoodbank.org<br /><br />I also found this, but perhaps our librarian can find a local group that does this? This group is in Colorado, website is:<br />Knitting for Our Troops (K*4*O*T) Caps Project 2009<br />Pattern Sponsors<br />We're still counting but so far 5,333 helmet liner hats have been knitted and donated to the Rocky Mountain USO!<br /><br />Keep checking back this week for official marathon results.<br />Join the Knitting for Our Troops Project and help reach our goal. We want to send 5280 hand knitted hats from the Mile High City to our soldiers overseas.<br /><br />Thanks to everyone who participated in our Knitting for Our Troops Marathon on January 23 & 24! Learn more about the marathon (PDF).<br /><br /><br />Knitting for Our Troops Project - We want you as a new recruit! <blockquote></blockquote><a href="http://denverlibrary.org/programs/fresh/knitting.html">Denver library</a>progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-47463054941988575502009-01-26T12:39:00.002-06:002009-01-26T12:41:19.252-06:00Food for thoughtRandi Rhodes' homework, a valuable resource for all of us. Some items include: <br />Weasels: Former Lehman CEO sells $13 Million Dollar mansion to wife....for $10<br />They raped our economy to get rich. They should be facing prison. Instead, former shark CEOs are still playing little games to keep their ill gotten goods<br />http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/26/business/26fuld.html?_r=1&hp<br /> <br />Euro-trouble<br />The EC's powerful supereconomy is in deep trouble, with the vaunted euro at risk<br />http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/23/AR2009012304172.html<br /><br />The Foreclosure Tourniquette<br />Obama works fast to stem the bleeding<br />http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-housing26-2009jan26,0,5664777.story<br /><br />Venice, Calif: The RV Refugees<br />No, these aren't just hippies and college kids living in their RVs in this beach town....they're families with kids who go to local schools. Welcome back to The Grapes Of Wrath.<br />http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/laland/2009/01/venice-resident.html<br /><br />For more info, check Randi Rhodes daily on the radio and her website as well: therandhirhodesshow.comprogressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-53730560674322341152008-12-26T23:44:00.000-06:002008-12-26T23:44:50.278-06:00Christmas 2008 with armadillo<a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsa-qo7d71WlXoDMPEDzV6lkRd6Ri7No-PN3-lb7zVFy7UI7Hbc9f_wYI4tBveFSKRjes0fd5BXcq1cKj4_9DXPQrQK0enOo-XY6Y0BsXMfVY5Uo-tFi5sED5loaTheqVDkTKA/s1600-h/2008+Christmas.jpg'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsa-qo7d71WlXoDMPEDzV6lkRd6Ri7No-PN3-lb7zVFy7UI7Hbc9f_wYI4tBveFSKRjes0fd5BXcq1cKj4_9DXPQrQK0enOo-XY6Y0BsXMfVY5Uo-tFi5sED5loaTheqVDkTKA/s400/2008+Christmas.jpg' border='0' alt='' /></a> <div style='clear:both; text-align:NONE'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-60617746114974312592008-12-24T08:54:00.001-06:002008-12-24T08:54:43.286-06:00Rove's IT Guru Warned of Sabotage before plane crashI found this story very interesting. But, then we all know we have had criminals running this country for the past 8 years at least. Now, the question is, will anybody be investigated and/or go to trial? Here is just one more example: <br /><br /><strong>Rove's IT Guru Warned of Sabotage Before Fatal Plane Crash; Was Set to Testify</strong><br />Monday 22 December 2008<br /><br />»<br />by: Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!<br />Mike Connell, the chief IT consultant to Karl Rove, reportedly asked for protective custody from the government before he died. <br /><br /><br /> Amy Goodman: A top Republican internet strategist who was set to testify in a case alleging election tampering in 2004 in Ohio has died in a plane crash. Mike Connell was the chief IT consultant to Karl Rove and created websites for the Bush and McCain electoral campaigns. He also set up the official Ohio state election website reporting the 2004 presidential election returns.<br /><br /> Connell was reportedly an experienced pilot. He died instantly Friday night when his private plane crashed in a residential neighborhood near Akron, Ohio.<br /><br /> Michael Connell was deposed one day before the election this year by attorneys Cliff Arnebeck and Bob Fitrakis about his actions during the 2004 vote count and his access to Karl Rove's e-mail files and how they went missing.<br /><br /> Velvet Revolution, a non-profit investigating Connell's activities, revealed this weekend that Connell had recently said he was afraid George Bush and Dick Cheney would "throw [him] under the bus." Cliff Arnebeck had also previously alerted Attorney General Michael Mukasey to alleged threats from Karl Rove to Connell if he refused to "take the fall."<br /><a href="http://www.truthout.org/122408J">full article here</a>progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-54139706097418042412008-12-15T01:37:00.002-06:002008-12-15T01:40:49.213-06:00Dana Perino gets black eye in shoe incident<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/14/bush-visits-iraq-for-fina_n_150832.html">link</a><br />So does perfect spokesmodel Dana get a purple heart??? <br />Sorry, I feel quite snide about now.progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-17123676907553330172008-12-15T01:13:00.006-06:002008-12-15T01:48:38.892-06:00Bush had SHOES thrown at him<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7782774.stm">Watch this first </a><br /><br />and then the version shown on YouTube <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/duLds-TZMGw&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/duLds-TZMGw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />and another version:<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/908gw73mY4g&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/908gw73mY4g&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />Listen carefully for the sounds of the reporter continuing to scream off camera. Not to mention the idiotic comments by the lame duck, who got what he wanted, oilprogressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10866766.post-78083478812200620762008-12-10T00:21:00.001-06:002008-12-10T00:21:53.458-06:00It's snowing !!!!!!<a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JDcghdib1JQXWwvNAiE_TiI2ZVVvOI-EaVDDWhUag0N0uyXhb1Ea2RwuIsbZa6wE7AU1gvZgQdOQ85PtPCswunA2iGMn0cQS_GKzIYeaTB2DOkt15Lr_asTjHOQ-_NhgD1KYTw/s1600-h/P1020063.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JDcghdib1JQXWwvNAiE_TiI2ZVVvOI-EaVDDWhUag0N0uyXhb1Ea2RwuIsbZa6wE7AU1gvZgQdOQ85PtPCswunA2iGMn0cQS_GKzIYeaTB2DOkt15Lr_asTjHOQ-_NhgD1KYTw/s400/P1020063.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> <br /><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9oQ6SQO-eHZ0bS5d0sMee5yBieDjvDX9yg-6fY4XOnLSjrXaoOVCql5lGPhzg6GOz4lOKZCfCo1demhDVo6X-8ViNbVnQ09aYamfOkKsVkVmoMs04j6EQLW_0fGFHZQ9SAa5XQ/s1600-h/P1020064.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9oQ6SQO-eHZ0bS5d0sMee5yBieDjvDX9yg-6fY4XOnLSjrXaoOVCql5lGPhzg6GOz4lOKZCfCo1demhDVo6X-8ViNbVnQ09aYamfOkKsVkVmoMs04j6EQLW_0fGFHZQ9SAa5XQ/s400/P1020064.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> <br /><br />We woke the kids up and went outside to play, and had a ball! However, Lexi would not touch the snow, LOL. And, as of 0019 hrs it is still snowing. Wonder what the morning will bring? <br />Call me crazy but I love snow. I was the biggest kid of all.<div style='clear:both; text-align:NONE'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>progressivegranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14595358619733118886noreply@blogger.com0