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Riley is doing pretty well on his kitty chemo regimen.
Work is good, my desk will be next to a window starting Monday.
My doctor is now satisfied that my weird blood tests are “normal for me.” But, ow.
We’re looking forward to vacation in a few weeks, but trying to stay flexible.
Family is mostly good, though there is lots that must remain unsaid.
Church is good, but need to catch up on some updates for the website.
This news item disturbs me for several reasons. I’ve been thinking about it for days. Then on last night’s Real Time with Bill Maher Adelson’s name came up, so I thought I’d get this draft up.
Sheldon Adelson is also, far and away, the biggest patron of Newt Gingrich’s surging Republican presidential bid. Adelson and his wife, Miriam, have pumped $10 million into a political action committee backing Gingrich that is run by the former House speaker’s onetime aides. Campaign finance experts say the two $5 million contributions are among the largest known political donations in U.S. history.
No other candidate in the race for president appears to be relying so heavily on the fortune of a single donor. It’s been made possible by last year’s Supreme Court rulings – known as Citizens United – that recast the political landscape by stripping away restrictions on contributions and how outside groups can spend their money.
Sheldon Adelson is Citizens United come to life.
“The bottom line is that it creates that potential for one person to have far more influence than any one person should have,” said Fred Wertheimer, president of the campaign finance watchdog group Democracy 21.
Farther down in that article, you’ll see that Adelson is also well known for being a major donor to Birthright Israel, which a family member has participated in (and who had good experiences, but came home with colorful opinions and a slight Israeli accent).
So why does Adelson love him some Gingrich? It’s some weird political symbiosis thing.
If you watch the Real Time episode, you’ll be left with two questions: Who is Saul Alinsky (Siri couldn’t figure it out) and who the hell is Kennedy and why is she so annoying?
Link: Newt Gingrichs Presidential Fortunes Aided By Billionaire Casino Mogul Sheldon Adelson – The Huffington Post
Hmm. As it happens I will be doing some virtual RFL activities, but here’s a good local event.
This years Relay for Life event for Consolidated High School District 230, scheduled for May 11-12 at Sandburg High School in Orland Park, has a tough act to follow.The 2011 Relay for Life last year netted $401,109 for the American Cancer Society, making it one of the biggest Relay for Life events in the nation.
via District 230 makes history with Relay for Life event – chicagotribune.com
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I like to listen to Internet radio stations and sometimes stumble across some gems; this youth choir was outstanding. Their version of “Alleluia” was crisp and pure, and the young people the hosts interviewed had such inspiring stories.
I’ve sung that piece recently, this performance totally rocks.
This week, from the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, From the Top celebrates the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through the eyes of today’s teenagers. You’ll hear the superb Boston Children’s Chorus sing several inspiring pieces and meet a 17-year-old bassoonist whose path parallels Coretta Scott King’s early years in music.
Performers and repertoire:
Boston Children’s Chorus, ages 13–18, from Boston, MA performs “Allelulia” by Randall Thompson. Anthony Trecek-King, Artistic Director.
Was home Friday, had a thing I couldn’t schedule on the weekend, an errand at village hall, and other chores. Originally had a vet appointment for Riley, but pushed it to tomorrow, as I didn’t want to mess with fresh snow and traffic snarls while trying to transport him (he gets spectacularly carsick). He had a scary problem earlier this week, vet thinks he has GERD so now I get to give him the kitty dose of Pepcid AC in addition to the other stuff. He’s maintaining weight, though. And last night he entertained us with his Bowl o’ Cat trick. I was laughing too hard to take a picture, so my husband David took it.
Riley is to bowls as Maru is to boxes, apparently. Anyway: SNOW, we finally has it!
It’s finally looking like winter in the Midwest as the season’s first big snowstorm crawls across the region, leaving skiers and snow-reliant businesses giddy but greeting morning commuters Friday with a sloppy, slippery drive. After starting as one of the warmest and brownest winters in recent history, parts of Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri were blanketed in white before the storm moved into Illinois and Michigan. Snowplow drivers were out in force overnight in Chicago, as six to eight inches of snow and plummeting temperatures moved in.
It’s about time! We went to a cross-country ski club meeting last week, guess the requests for everyone to do the Snow Dance worked. Sorry, everybody else. Link: Midwest Finally Gets First Big Snowstorm Of Winter : NPR
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No, no, no. Karl Rove is Voldemort. Bush is the twitchy guy that carries him around hidden in his turban. He inherits the “must not be named” status that his evil overlord parasite confers.
To Democrats, George W. Bush is the Voldemort of American politics, an evil force. But even to Republicans, he is He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, someone you dare not talk about as you try to win the votes of conservative Iowans.
Link: George W. Bush, Voldemort Of American Politics, Rules From The Shadows – The Huffington Post