End This Depression NOW
Posted by Michelle Moquin on May 3rd, 2012
Good morning!
I remember quite a few years ago when I first started my blog, I did most of the writing and only posted articles of interest every once in awhile. I try to remember how different my life was at that time, from how it is now. I had more time, or better said, I had the same amount of time, but I was just doing less…or doing things differently.
Perhaps I was more dedicated to spending hours writing. It was certainly a lot more personal back then, my writing that it. Not that I don’t get personal; I still do. But it is just different. It has evolved and I have to say that how the blog has evolved has been a collaboration of blogger (me) and readers/commenters (you). I enjoy the change, and the growth.
So what is my point this morning? No point really. Yet, I have to smile because back in the day, I would just start writing my blog with a single thought, just to see where it would end up taking me. So I was thinking this morning and thought why not just start writing like I used to?
The single thought that happened this morning arrived from the fact that I was thinking about my blog and how I was encouraged to just start one up and write…let’s just see what would happen my mentor told me. I am usually up for a challenge. OK, so I can already see the looks of those closest to me, the ones who inspire me, mentor me…yes, you do know that I like to bitch. :) I will confess it here. But although I may bitch a bit in the beginning, I usually dive into things that I am passionate about. And I know you will agree with me on that point as well.
The person that I mentioned above, I have great respect and admiration for, and unfortunately he is no longer in my life. But he did enjoy hanging around for the few years that he could, loving the drama that brewed here. We had many conversations that I still think about. Anyway, I think of him often and it makes me smile. I guess he came up in my thoughts today because it was around this time 3 years ago that our time together ended.
K____: If you’re still reading, know that there is someone here who thanks you for not only inspiring me but for always being there for me as much as you could be. Perhaps in time, we will have the pleasure of each others company again.
So…enough reminiscing and writing from a single thought…what’s up with all of my readers?
Well, after listening to the news yesterday morning on my way out, it seems that the protesting from May Day was not as peaceful as I thought. I HOPE everyone was safe. The saying, “The squeaky wheel…” applies here.
With that said, I admire the passion and drive that people have for change and equality – we certainly do need to shake it up and end this depression NOW.
And with that said, here’s a write that I found worthy to print for today:
Paul Krugman To Rachel Maddow: ‘We’ve Moved To A Level Of Shamelessness’ (VIDEO)
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Paul Krugman visited Rachel Maddow on her MSNBC show Tuesday and discussed the relationship between financial and political power.
Maddow showed what she called her “epiphany graph of the day,” which showed that the country has been more politicized when the economy dips. Maddow wondered why this might be the case.
She asked, “Do you think it is that people who have more literal capital accrue more political capital automatically – that you end up getting listened to more because you have more money to spend on politicians?”
Krugman agreed and said, “Yes, it’s the power of money. It works in both crude ways and subtle ways.” Krugman said that the ability to contribute hefty amounts to campaigns as well as help politicians think about what they’re going to do when they leave office carry a lot of weight. He also noted the more subtle ways in which money can influence politics.
“I’ve been in meetings with the guys from Wall Street,” Krugman said. “The guys from Wall Street are impressive. They’re smart, they’re funny, they’re rich, they have great tailors and they tend to get treated seriously even if they’ve just destroyed the world. They tend to have a weight that bearded college professors don’t in these discussions.”
Krugman added that there’s a strong influence of power and wealth, “which you need to actively lean against. And you try to convince politicans with good hearts that you know that guy may sound impressive and look impressive but fundamentally, he is not on your side.”
Maddow asked if Krugman has seen conservative arguments about the economy change in character. “You’re watching the hereditary principle starting to make a comeback,” he said. “We see that a little bit from Mitt Romney. We used to think it’s all about equal chances and starting line. Now it’s…people should have the right to pass advantages onto their children.”
Krugman later added, “We’re really trying to get back to the old values of hereditary wealth and power. We’ve moved to a level of shamelessness in many of these things.”
*******
ILIJA: Greece is like a second home to me, at least in my heart. From a girl who loved to be kissed by the sun, there is no other place where I felt so loved by it. Happy to see you here.
Radmilo: I too would love to hear more as well, but not if it would endanger people’s lives as anonymous stated.
Readers:…More to say, but my time is done. Your turn. Blog me.
xo
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)
May 3rd, 2012 at 9:30 am
ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐλευθερώ ὑμᾶς
So, Bin Laden was an old, white guy, who secretly smoked dope and watched porn, while at the same time acting all holy. On top, he did great damage to the USA. Do I see parallels?
May 3rd, 2012 at 9:31 am
Bush never missed a chance to brag about fake victories…the documents were declassified by security experts….more sour grapes from the right….
Good job Mr. President…you have at least done three things Bush could not do….
keep our country safe….
kill Bin Laden…..
and get good information by legal methods instead of false information from torture.
May 3rd, 2012 at 9:37 am
I like you Michelle would like to hear more about September 77 UFO, but again not if it means the disappearance of someone.
This would have been the moment we would have turned to the man who knew all things alien.
No, I am not asking Howie to come back, he’s gone I think we should accept that. But I am hoping someone else will step up.
Lewis
May 3rd, 2012 at 9:42 am
The Dangerous Game Your Kid May Be Playing
Several years ago, when I first heard about “the choking game” that both young children and teens were playing, it was terrifying.
It didn’t involve drugs, alcohol or any other hard-to-get illegal substances—all a kid needed was a pair of hands. Yet this “game” could lead to serious consequences, such as seizure and death.
That’s why I was disheartened to see a recent headline announcing that more kids have been playing it in recent years than I even imagined.
ANOTHER WAY TO GET HIGH
The choking game can be called lots of things, including “Pass Out,” “California High” and “Fainting Game.”
The point is to block blood flow from the carotid arteries in the neck to the brain just long enough to induce unconsciousness or nearly so.
Kids can do this in a number of ways—either to themselves or to each other. Some use fingers to press on the throat while others use a strangulation device, such as a belt, rope or towel.
The blocked blood flow induces a sense of euphoria just before players experience a brief blackout and again as the blood is released and rushes back into the brain.
(This should not be confused with a similar strangulation technique that heightens erotic sensations.)
STARTLING SURVEY
Researchers at the Crime Victims’ Institute at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, wanted to get a sense of how many kids are still playing this hazardous game and how and why they do so,
so they surveyed 837 male and female university students for information about the game-playing that took place when they were growing up, what they played themselves and what they witnessed among their friends.
They discovered…
Approximately 16% of the students reported that they had played the choking game at least once when growing up, and it was more popular with boys than girls.
Most kids who played did so more than once—72% of players admitted to doing it multiple times to re-experience the high.
Curiosity was the main reason that kids played the game. Nearly all of them had learned about the game through word of mouth, although 8% reported that they discovered it via the Internet or TV.
The age at which students first played the game ranged from seven to 22, but, on average, first-time players were age 14.
As frightening as all of this is, there was one bright spot amidst these saddening stats—it appears that awareness and prevention efforts work.
Among kids who played the game, about 47% had not been informed about the dangers.
Among kids who did not play the game, only around 25% had not received warning about the dangers of the game—the other 75% were well-aware of the dangers and considered it “too risky” to play.
The report was published online at the Crime Victims’ Institute Web Site this past January. For help interpreting the data, I called Glen Kercher, PhD, director of the institute.
EDUCATION IS KEY
Despite the fact that kids who are taught about the dangers of the game do actually change their ways, the report found that only 17% to 23% of the kids said that their parents had discussed the risks with them.
Dr. Kercher’s advice to all parents couldn’t be more direct. “Talk about it,” he said. “Ask if your child has ever heard of this game and if he or she is curious about it, and then explain what the potential consequences of the game are, such as having seizures and even death.”
WARNING SIGNS
Dr. Kercher stressed that parents must be aware of the following red flags…
Bruising or red marks around the neck
Consistently wearing clothes to cover the neck
Bloodshot eyes
Ligatures such as ropes, sheets, belts or ties tied in knots and/or found in unusual places, such as hanging from the top of a bunk bed or a closet rod
Heightened demands for privacy and locked or blocked bedroom or bathroom doors
Frequent, sometimes severe headaches
Wear marks on furniture such as bunk beds or closet rods
If you’re suspicious that your kid may be playing it, Dr. Kercher recommends monitoring your child extra closely—
don’t allow closed doors in the home, watch the interactions between your child and his/her friends for signs or comments, double-check that a parent will be home if your child goes to someone else’s home and don’t leave your child home alone.
While they call this a “game,” many kids actually play alone, making it the most deadly form of the game, since there is no one to get the child medical help if he or she has a seizure.
Authorities actually believe that some teenage hanging suicides are in fact casualties of the game.
Source: Glen Kercher, PhD, interim director, Crime Victims’ Institute at Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas.
May 3rd, 2012 at 9:48 am
I think Maddow is maybe the only real journalist on MSM.
She thinks, asks interesting questions, and then does the actual research to bring them to us.
If everyone in the nation watched her show, citizens wouldn’t be so ignorant or willing to so easily be side-tracked by messy gossip and puff pieces.
May 3rd, 2012 at 9:49 am
What’s been manifesting VISIBLY these last few years has been a very long-range plan of corporate elites, probably starting under Reagan (at least).
Our increasingly corporate media has raised a tympanum above our national door, that medieval warning to the masses to meekly accept all from their masters and look instead toward the next life for any rewards.
And I thought as a species we’d evolved since then???
May 3rd, 2012 at 3:31 pm
Misch, nice trip of personal writing nostalgia, thank you : ) I remember those days well.
GC, what would lead you to believe that we’ve evolved at all? I see no signs of that.
RobertRt, the Gold in GOP yesterday was priceless…you never disappoint…
Luv, Zen Lill
May 4th, 2012 at 7:02 am
You gotta hand it to Obama. He is educating a nation of voters on exactly what happens when liberals take over and crash the economy.
For this valuable educational experience he might actually be considered a patriot one day after all…albeit a one term patriot. Our president is fueling an electoral backlash that mind numbed liberals cannot even begin to comprehend.
Thanks Mr. Prez!
signed: The Better Part of the Nation
May 4th, 2012 at 7:03 am
Obama’s latest plan to recover the economy–reduce student loan interest rates. How embarrassing
May 4th, 2012 at 7:04 am
Wow – Obama might pull this off. Conservatives will get so discouraged looking for jobs that don’t exist that they will fall out of the workforce (liberals don’t count because so few of them work).
If that doesn’t artificially get the unemployment rate below 8%, I’m sure the liberal press is willing to further fabricate the number.
May 4th, 2012 at 7:05 am
Republicans so called jobs bills……..
1) H.R. 872—Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act: ANTI EPA BILL!
2) H.R. 910—Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011: Another ANTI EPA BILL!
3) H.J.Res. 37—disapproving the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission with respect to regulating the Internet and broadband industry practices: A bill to stop implementation of net-neutrality.
4) H.R. 1230—Restarting American Offshore Leasing Now Act: Bypass regulations for offshore drilling!
5) H.R. 1229—putting the Gulf of Mexico Back to Work Act: Another bill to bypass regulations for offshore drilling!
6) H.R. 1231—Reversing President Obama’s Offshore Moratorium Act: A third bill to bypass regulations for offshore drilling!
7) H.R. 2021—The Jobs and Energy Permitting Act of 2011: A fourth bill to bypass regulations for offshore drilling!
8) H.R. 2018—Clean Water Cooperative Federalism: Another ANTI EPA BILL!
9) H.R. 1315—Consumer Financial Protection & Soundness Improvement Act: DEREGULATION to set aside any harmful federal regulation.
10) H.R. 1938— North American-Made Energy Security Act: Another DEREGULATI¬¬ON BILL to build the Keystone XL pipeline.
11) H.R. 2587—Protecting Jobs From Government Interference Act: DEREGULATION of the National Labor Relations Board (NRLB).
12) H.R. 2401—Transparency In Regulatory Analysis Of Impacts On The Nation: Another ANTI EPA BILL!
13) H.R. 2681—Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act: Another ANTI EPA BILL!
14) H.R. 2250—EPA Regulatory Relief Act: Another ANTI EPA BILL!
15) H.R. 2273—Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act: Another ANTI EPA BILL!
May 4th, 2012 at 7:06 am
The WORSE it gets, the BETTER we do–the BETTER we do, the WORSE it gets. The WORSE it gets, the BETTER we do–the BETTER we do, the WORSE it gets. The WORSE it gets, the BETTER we do–the BETTER we do, the WORSE it gets. The WORSE it gets….
-GOP
May 4th, 2012 at 7:07 am
You know who’s responsible for this….the DO NOTHING House republicans.
We have the evidence that their #1 goal was not to improve the economy, work with the President but to do EVERYTHING in their power to make him a one term president, including, destructing any economic momentum.
May 4th, 2012 at 7:11 am
The republicans are so full of shit. We’ll see Romney’s sons serving in the military before we’ll see Republicans engage in honest debate.
May 4th, 2012 at 7:26 am
I agree jackie, if anyone has problems with Obama or the way the Dems are tackling things, So what do you do? hold your nose and vote for the Democrats or cutoff your nose and vote for the Republican?