Flap Your Lips Friday
Posted by Michelle Moquin on March 15th, 2013
Good morning!
Carolyn: No worries about being off topic, and no need to apologize. The comments are not always on topic. And that’s ok – The blog flows according to whatever readers want to say and whatever thread they want to jump on. It’s all good.
Speaking of topics, I’ll jump in on the latest topic that you brought up.
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
An incensed Rachel Maddow tore into Republican senator Ted Cruz and called for further gun control on her Thursday show.
Maddow started the show by telling anyone with a connection to the massacre in Newtown that they might not want to watch the segment. She then shared new details of the shooting that were uncovered by the Hartford Courant. The one that seemed most chilling to her was that Adam Lanza took just five minutes to shoot 152 bullets and kill 26 people.
“Had he only had access to ten-round magazines instead of 30-round magazines he would have had to reload 14 times,” she said. “He would have needed 14 spare magazines beyond the one in the gun with the extra round in the chamber. Reloading 14 times. You think he would have still pulled off the whole thing in less than five minutes?”
She then turned to Cruz, who had an extremely bitter exchange with Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein about guns. Feinstein –who came to political prominence after the assassination of San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk and George Moscone — grew so angry at Cruz that she accused him of treating her like a sixth-grader.
“Let the record show that you can be a United States Senator for 21 years, you can be 79-years-old, you can be the chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and one of the most recognizable and widely respected veteran public servants in your nation, but if you are female while all of other those things, men who you defeat in arguments will still respond to you by calling you hysterical and telling you to calm down,” Maddow said.
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Readers: This video is worth a watch. 152 Bullets in less than 5 minutes. Where is the logic in not wanting to limit a gun magazine to hold 10 bullets? As we know, Sen. Dianne Feinstein proposed a bill to do just that. But no…Not one repub has supported this bill. How can you be against something that is obvious it will save lives in situations such as the Sandy Hook massacre? If you aren’t going to do whatever it takes to protect children, just want does that say?
And Feinstein, like many women, is treated with no respect, again. Things are the same same now. As your write pointed out Carolyn, this sort of exchange with Cruz happened 20 years ago with repub Larry Craig.
Maddow said it best in the video, and I thought it was worth repeating in print, as the Huff Po didn’t exactly include it all.
“Let the record show that you can be a United States Senator for 21 years, you can be 79-years-old, you can be the chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and one of the most recognizable and widely respected veteran public servants in your nation, but itf you are femle while all of other those things, men who you defeat in argument will still respond to you by calling you hysterical and telling you to calm down. They will patronize you and say they admire your passion, sweetie. But of course they only deal in facts not your silly, girly strong feelings. It is inescapable – you can set your watch by it.”
Nicely said Rachel and unfortunately so true.
Speaking of the lack of respect, I’ll join another thread…As we can see from Rep. Kris Crawford’s comment, “It is good politics to oppose the black man in the White House,” it is obvious there is absolutely no respect for president Obama. The words have been spoken. Yes, it is in the news, but because it is a white man saying this, it is just no big deal, right? Wrong. This is so wrong. The racists don’t care how great of a president Obama is, they will try to keep him down and in his place at whatever cost.
So, I hear you Freddie: It has finally been said, but I wouldn’t count on the disgusting statement going viral, as it should. If you can recall our history, Lincoln was called a nigger when he was running for President. Things are the same same now. And Lincoln wasn’t even on the ballot in 13 Southern states, but we never hear about that do we? Gerrymandering was going on since time immemorial. Yes, I will repeat again…Things are the same same now.
Ed Shultz: I will miss you in the eve, but I am looking forward to seeing you on the weekends now.
Happy Friday everyone! Blog me.
Peace & Love…
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 :)
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March 15th, 2013 at 6:28 pm
Sex Can Cause a Heart Attack—and Four More Triggers It’s Important to Know About
We’ve all seen dramatic scenes in movies in which a person suffers a heart attack following an angry outburst…after hearing of the death of a loved one…or while having sex.
But that’s just Hollywood melodrama, right? Well, actually, no.
An ever-increasing body of scientific evidence shows that some emotional and physical “stressors” can temporarily increase the risk for a heart attack, stroke or sudden cardiac death.
While these dangers are highest in people with heart disease, elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure or cardiovascular risk factors, such as smoking, obesity and/or a lack of exercise, even seemingly healthy people can be affected.
How to protect yourself:
If you do aerobic or endurance exercise, such as brisk walking, jogging or walking up a treadmill incline, for 45 to 60 minutes, five days a week, you’ll be much less susceptible to cardiovascular triggers than people who get less exercise or are mainly sedentary, according to research.
It’s believed that moderate-to-vigorous exercise increases the body’s ability to adapt or safely respond to periodic bursts of sympathetic stimulation (the body’s reaction to stress, such as a faster heartbeat or a spike in blood pressure), which can trigger cardiac events.
Cardiac dangers you should know about…
DANGER #1:
Getting angry. When you get really angry, your risk for a heart attack in the next two hours is two to nine times higher than it was before.
Extreme anger can trigger arrhythmias (heartbeat irregularities), constriction of the arteries and an increase in blood clots.
Important:
Mere annoyance does not have the same effect—the risks are associated with physiological changes that can occur when a person is enraged.
Self-defense:
Consider therapy if you’re prone to extreme anger—for example, during arguments or when someone cuts you off in traffic. In therapy, you’ll learn to respond appropriately to stressful situations and not to overreact.
Also helpful:
If you’re unable (or unwilling) to get your emotions under control, ask your doctor if he/she recommends taking a daily aspirin to help prevent blood clots and/or a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin) to slow heart rate.
The risk for an emotionally triggered heart attack may be lower in patients who use these medications.
DANGER #2:
Receiving very bad news. Suppose you’ve just learned that a loved one has died or that you have cancer. Your immediate risk for a heart attack is six to 21 times higher than it was before you heard the bad news.
Two new studies reported in Circulation and The New England Journal of Medicine discovered that the risk of having a heart attack is highest on the day that you receive bad news, but the risk remains higher than normal for at least the next four weeks.
Self-defense:
Regular exercise and some medications (such as a beta-blocker or aspirin) may reduce this cardiovascular risk.
I also advise patients who have experienced emotional trauma to spend more time with family and friends. Staying socially active and maintaining close emotional ties have been shown to lower cardiovascular risks.
DANGER #3:
Having sex. Some people may find it hard to believe that having sex could trigger a heart attack in a man.
What’s risky: Sex with an extra-marital lover. According to one widely cited report, about 80% of heart attack deaths during or after sex take place in hotel rooms when people are not with their spouses.
Extramarital sex can cause higher-than-normal levels of arousal, which can produce an abrupt and sustained rise in heart rate and tax the heart.
Also, these encounters are more often accompanied by increases in smoking or excessive alcohol use—both of which increase heart attack risk—than sexual relations with a spouse or steady partner.
Self-defense:
Sex is safer if you exercise regularly. In general, sexual activity increases the heart rate by about 20 to 30 beats per minute.
Extramarital sex may produce a considerably higher increase in heart rate. If you are not in good physical shape, start walking.
Regular walking appears to prevent the triggering of a heart attack during or immediately after sex. Sex with a regular partner or spouse isn’t risky for people who are physically active.
DANGER #4:
Watching sporting events. If you’re passionate about sports—and really care who wins—your heart could pay the price.
For example, during the World Cup soccer matches in Germany in 2006, there were 2.7 times more cardiac emergencies on the days when the German team played.
When sports fans get excited, the heart rate can increase from about 70 beats a minute to 170 beats in some cases. In people with existing (sometimes undiagnosed) heart disease, this can trigger life-threatening clots or arrhythmias.
Self-defense:
Don’t get carried away at sporting events…and don’t let the excitement of big games lead you into unhealthy practices —for example, forgetting to take your heart medications…drinking excessively…and/or smoking.
DANGER #5:
Shoveling snow and other strenuous activities. Every winter, we read about people who die from a heart attack while shoveling snow. Even though cold temperatures usually are blamed, the main reason is overexertion of a diseased or susceptible heart.
When habitually sedentary people engage in unaccustomed, vigorous physical activity, they may be 50 to 100 times more likely to have a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack, than those who don’t exert themselves.
Shoveling snow can cause increases in heart rate and blood pressure that are comparable to maximal exertion on a treadmill.
The upper-body movements involved in shoveling are more taxing on the heart than movements involving only the legs. And breathing cold air can constrict the arteries that supply the heart.
Holding one’s breath, muscle straining and mainly standing still while shoveling, all of which impair blood flow to the heart, also can create excessive cardiac demands.
Skiing, especially cross-country (and downhill, to a lesser extent), can tax the heart, too. At higher altitudes, the relatively low pressure of oxygen in the air makes the heart work harder.
Self-defense:
Don’t shovel snow if you’re generally sedentary or have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease or have risk factors (such as high blood pressure or a family history of heart disease). Hire someone to do it for you.
If you must shovel, work slowly and for only a few minutes at a time. If possible, push the snow or sweep it rather than lifting it or throwing it. Consider buying an automated snowblower, which decreases demands on the heart.
If you are an amateur skier and mostly sedentary, gradually increase your activity levels for at least four weeks before a ski trip.
When outdoors in cold weather, wear layers of clothing, a hat, gloves and a scarf to cover your mouth and nose. This helps prevent constriction of the arteries.
Source: Barry A. Franklin, PhD, director of preventive cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan.
He has served as president of the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation and the American College of Sports Medicine.
He is coauthor, with Joseph C. Piscatella, of Prevent, Halt & Reverse Heart Disease (Workman) and coauthor, with Robert Sweetgall, of One Heart, Two Feet (Creative Walking).
March 15th, 2013 at 6:58 pm
Dont be scared by that post. What a way to die! have more sex!!!!
March 16th, 2013 at 7:00 am
I agree, Lily. Me, I’m getting my grove on regardless.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:02 am
If you read it carefully, it says the sex threat comes more from having sex when you’re cheating on a significant other.
Hell, that’s when it is especially good. I mean the thrill of getting caught or being able to get away with something.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:16 am
I’m seriously into extramarital sex. My wife only likes the missionary style. So if that means I’m taking a chance on a heart attack, so be it.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:23 am
Has anyone noticed that the cable news shows are fixated on the sequester cuts to the White House Tours, but ignores the sequester cuts to the poor?
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By Aviva Shen and Adam Peck on Mar 14, 2013
Thanks to Congressional gridlock, automatic budget cuts took effect 14 days ago, threatening 700,000 jobs and gutting funds for vital programs in housing assistance, early childhood education, disaster relief, and national security.
Secret Service staffing was also impacted, prompting the cancellation of White House tours last week. Republicans immediately attacked the decision as a political move designed to turn the public against the sequester and 14 Republican senators signed a letter demanding information.
The media has also latched on to preserve the White House tours, while largely ignoring other much more devastating sequester cuts. As Ari Melber of The Nation pointed out on Wednesday, there are 12,000 news stories concerning White House tours and less than 1,000 about the sequester’s impact on housing assistance programs, which disproportionately affect low-income Americans.
ThinkProgress examined this trend on three major cable news networks — Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC — since March 6. White House tours were mentioned 33 times as often (Fox News had 163 segments, CNN had 59, and MSNBC had 42) as mentions of other sequester impacts hitting the poor.
Any discussion of sequestration’s steep cuts to housing assistance, food stamps, and Head Start early education was virtually nonexistent on all 3 networks in the same time frame.
Fox News mentioned Head Start three times, ignoring housing and food stamps entirely; MSNBC mentioned Head Start 4 times, food stamps once, and did not cover housing assistance cuts at all. CNN stayed completely silent on all three issues:
While covering budget cuts, cable news channels have also largely avoided discussing military tuition assistance programs, which were suspended by the Marine Corps and the Army shortly after sequestration. CNN and MSNBC each mentioned the cuts to tuition assistance once since March 6, while Fox News took the lead with 11 segments.
The media’s silence on the most brutal sequester cuts is well in line with the fourth estate’s normal approach to poverty. During the 2012 presidential campaign, just .2 percent of campaign coverage by major TV, radio, and print outlets addressed poverty in any substantive way.
More recently, the media mostly ignored the effects of spending cuts in the so-called “fiscal cliff” at the end of 2012, preferring to discuss tax hikes instead.
In response to the highly publicized backlash over White House tours, Obama is now signalling some tours may resume.
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The white media is united in trying to make the black guy in the White House look bad.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:35 am
Personally, I think a good roll in the hay is worth the risk.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:37 am
Media coverage of the news is the worst I have ever seen in my lifetime.
Wall-to-wall coverage of the Vatican smokestack.
Daily criticism of the president’s golfing. And the incessant tsk-tsking of the White House tours.
Explanations of the truth in Ryan’s budget, the harmful cuts to the poor and the elderly, as well as never explaining the budget that HAS been put forward by Obama, and let’s not forget their obstruction to any and all nominations — thee things and others are simply not covered.
There is no liberal media — there is a concerted effort to undermine this president. And the white controlled media is going along with it.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:38 am
the oblamas last budget failed to get any votes in congress from either side. it was a joke. like him and his supporters…….
March 16th, 2013 at 7:39 am
Very true, Marie. There is no liberal media. look at all the media ownership and see who they endorse, etc. They’re all neocons.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:40 am
The right wing hate oozes from every word Steven#9 types. Thank you Steven, for displaying right wing hatred and ignorance for all the world to see.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:40 am
Well apparently, those White House tours are much more important than taking care of the less fortunate – after all, we are a Christian nation. :-\
March 16th, 2013 at 7:42 am
REPUBLICANS LOVE WAR?
IRAQ was a Republican war all the way.
935 lies were recorded as lies that led us to invade.
Republican pals Halliburton and KBR got no bid contracts.
CBO states we have spent $767Billion in Iraq.
Republicans promoted invasion of Afghanistan a 12 year invasion.
Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11 terrorists acts.
Afghanistan let OBL train in isolation in mountains to remove dictators.
One person responsibility— thousands of innocents died.
Republicans gave their rich pals a huge tax cut during war an unheard of act.
Republicans doubled our debt in just eight years of reckless spending and borrowing.
Republicans increased our Spending by 90% and Debt by 112% in just eight years.
Republicans repeal of Glass-Steagall let 10 banks take over 80% of all deposits in about 7000 banks.
Republicans allowed destruction of Housing Industry and Financial Industry.
Now, they want to cut things that hep the middle class and poor in a Sequester.
Their rich pals have done just fine.
Republican party is still the “Country Club” party.
Democrats care for the Middle Class and poor.
Blame Obama.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:44 am
Yes lets talk about that non-existent bias FOR Obama by the Media. Real cuts to Veterans, the Poor, Children, Job Creation…but all the Media is focused on is that White House Tours are curtained.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:44 am
Republicans are taking another beating on this. They’re just idiot masochists; no wonder they can’t win a free and fair election.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:45 am
Jeffrey, you are just another low information lefty which this blog spawns.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:47 am
Actually, Ron#15, the Republicans are winning this round handily. Cutting the White House tours was a mistake. http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/288055-tour-move-backfires-on-obama
March 16th, 2013 at 7:47 am
Ginny, I would say you are the lowest information troll I’ve seen in a while. Go do some research the doesn’t come from FOX and then maybe you’re opinion will be listened to.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:48 am
Tom #17 If you have to cut staff, who’s supposed to be the tour guides- Sasha and Malia?
March 16th, 2013 at 7:49 am
The middle-class and poor are getting hit by the sequester now and ryan wants to make deeper cuts to these programs, that help the American people, just so a very few people can pay no taxes is just pure evil!
March 16th, 2013 at 7:49 am
Tom, what a stupid take. You’re really much less intelligent than you think.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:50 am
You can’t say it loudly enough.
Republicans are “pure evil”.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:50 am
Obama OWNS the sequester and the choices he made to cut “fuzzy” stuff that would piss people off and make them hurt! Duh.Simple,really.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:51 am
Since all gov’t agencies got an increase in base funding how can that be? The cuts were directed by Obama and don’t need to occur.
The fed gov’t started releasing criminal illegal aliens before the sequester without notifying local law enforcement. What does that tell you?
It tells me that obama could care less about the security of the american people and that terrifies me. Domestic terrorism by our own president, how sad for this country.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:52 am
Cable News ignores the poor period.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:55 am
Ginny, your bias is so heavy it is sicking. Your kind will do anything to disparage the black guy in the White House. So now he is a “domestic terrorist,” and it scares you.
Translation – be afraid of the black guy in the White House. Your bigotry is so transparent it is silly.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:57 am
Barbara, you are another low information lefty. I’d like to know exactly how cable news ignores the poor. They are fighting for the poor by trying to prevent taxes from being raised.
A tax on the wealthy/successful is a tax on ALL americans since most wealthy citizens provide the good and services YOU need.
Tax a businessperson and he’ll have no choice but to pass it along to you.
March 16th, 2013 at 7:57 am
Because the people can deny that it is actually happening. That is why the country thinks there are no problems in this area and that all are just moochers.
It makes me sick to think of the priorities or lack thereof people have. But then again, who OWNS the mainstreet media. The RICH, and they can distort the news to their agenda.
March 16th, 2013 at 8:01 am
Ginny, you are not a low information righty. You are an IDIOT!. That Trickle Down theory that you are espousing has been disproved every time it arises.
Giving the rich more money does nothing for the poor. Wall Street earnings is at an all time high. So where are the jobs?
I don’t think you are anything but a paid shrill for the Right. Your kind are paid to troll blogs like Michelle and spread your republican right-wing lies.
March 16th, 2013 at 8:03 am
Janice I know for a fact that there are more people milking the system, than are honestly in need. Being poor should be a temporary thing, not a life long way of living.
My parents were very poor when they first started out but we never relied on anyone else for food, clothing and shelter. We learned to put in a hard days work, garden and can vegetables, sew our own clothes and never rely on others to feed, shelter and put clothes on our backs.
Living near poorer neighborhoods I’ve had to waive off “the poor” when they try to sell me their food stamp cards so that they could get their manicures and pedicure. Sad but true story. I turned them in but they were back in front of the supermarket the next week.
The whole premise of Obama’s agenda is to have more and more people rely on the government for all their needs for which he is having much success. You dems all fell for it and still are.
There have never been so many people on food stamps as there are this very day. This is not the america I was born into, nor is it how I was raised. It is called socialism and obama is a huge proponent.
Republicans are the party I identify with because they do care for prosperity for all and don’t vilify anyone, unlike the dems. Dems mantra about screwing the rich/successful actually royally screws the poor and middle class.
March 16th, 2013 at 8:04 am
Trying to find relevent news is becoming almost impossible. White house tours? Who really cares? They typically latch onto marginally important issues and repeat themselves ad nauseum.
There’s real news out there. Stuff that actually impacts our lives. If it gets any coverage at all it’s presented as an aside. And another thing; if I cared what was going on with “America’s got talent”, I’d watch the stupid show.
I don’t need the news wasting my time with such nonsense. And another thing; if there isn’t some huge tsunami wiping out hundreds of Americans abroad, you’d think nothing was going on in the rest of the world. Better shut up before I go on ad nauseum.
March 16th, 2013 at 8:04 am
Follow the money and watch the ads. Most poor folk I know, and many middle class, can’t afford to buy most of that crap anyway. We’re struggling just to have the bare essentials. People who can afford trips to Washington DC? They’re the target audience with the buying power.
March 16th, 2013 at 8:12 am
Thanks so much Michelle for providing an open medium without censorship. Reading this uncensored blog provide a broad spectrum of information.
It’s such a relief to get some facts about my world! Opinions I can do on my own, but I need a few facts to base them on. Please keep it up!
When commentors like Ginny post well constructed lies with half truths and manufactured “facts”, (Ginny #30 -”I know for a fact that there are more people milking the system, than are honestly in need.”), I can see their goal is to divide and conquer anyway they can.
Really, Ginny, you know that for a fact. So how did your family go from being poor to your state today? Did you get any governmental assistance? Details, please and less pontificating about how bad Obama is.
March 16th, 2013 at 8:14 am
Major media outlets seem more interested in rewriting Republican press releases than actually covering the actual cuts and their impacts.
March 16th, 2013 at 8:15 am
Until the media cares about stories that affect real people’s lives more than they do the opportunity to broadcast lame attempts at ironic indignation, this is what we can expect.
March 16th, 2013 at 8:15 am
I thought local media started ignoring the poor when Bush took office. The ban is still in effect. No sympathy from the rich.
March 16th, 2013 at 8:17 am
Sequestration is Obama’s baby. Any backlash belongs to your boy obama. He signed it, he owns it. The government actually got an increase in spending but you wouldn’t have known about that because the leftie loser news media doesn’t want you to know that.
Didn’t hear a hue and cry when your pockets were picked in January under the guise of let’s screw and steal more from the successful. You get what you deserve and obama is what you lefties deserve. Just send your paychecks to the treasury, if you are a true patriot/obamabot.
March 16th, 2013 at 8:19 am
here is no need to get out of debt. It is an entirely manufactured “crisis” which was very conveniently ignored and laughed by the same hypocrites screaming about it today when Bush was busy running it up, while cutting taxes on the rich during wartime, something so unheard of and stupid as to be treasonous.
The fraud in medicaid and medicare is perpetrated by Republicans like rick scott, who are then invited to run for office. We have no spending problem, we have no debt problem; we have a Republican problem.
March 16th, 2013 at 8:46 am
Give it up Ginny. No one hear is buying your propaganda. You are preaching to your own choir. If you want a bigger audience, why not go to one of those Nazi blogs and get your groove on.
I suspect there are more than one of you. Each taking the time to spread your republican talking points under the alias “Ginny.”
A tongue in cheek pseudonym hoping that those reading your lies will be easily conned. This is a blog frequented by thinkers.
Ply your racism, and right-wing lies here because if that prevents you from doing it on some blog where you could actually accomplish what you are trying to, I’m okay with it.
Helen