Good morning everybody!

Good morning, eg. It seems to be a slow morning here.

Good morning! I am switching out summer and winter clothes, and I have a nice little pile started that will go to Goodwill or St. Vincent dePaul in a week or two. I lost a few pounds since spring, so I have a few things that are too big, and others I never wear just because.

EDIT: also wrote a check this week to our local food bank.

Morning all, I feel real slow eCAHN. My son popped in for a visit Thurs. night and we visited till the wee hours. Still catching up.

Good morning ecahn, hope you are well. Hey msmolly – good for you for starting your clothes giveaway pile! And the food bank will be glad to hear from you. Going to be a tough winter for them, sometimes the people who used to be volunteers are now asking for food themselves.

Hi foothillsmike, are you on the west coast?

Rockies just west of Denver.

A nice event to cause the need to catch up!

My used but still serviceable clothes go to my cleaning lady who has a large family (now the grandkids) who always need a little help. Also, as I upgraded the furniture in the house, the old stuff also went to her. But that has pretty much come to an end. (Advantage of being a senior is that there are some things that I never have to buy again.)

Will donate to food bank.

morning dogs!

a comment from yours truly follows the quote;

– [unemployment]…a lagging factor in any economic recovery – seems destined to rise a little more before we get real relief.

this is something the administration is failing to understand and we are starting to use his flawed understanding

employment IS the releif not a product of it

for a recovery to have meaningful long term success,the administration MUST create jobs

NOT by funding the criminials with free middle class assets, he MUST create jobs, infrastructure programs, research programs, education programs, alternative fuel programs

and these programs MUST come from the government structure OR be living wage jobs, NOT “private industry competitive jobs”, FRIG “competitive jobs”, we DO NOT “competitive with the global economy jobs”, we want REAL jobs that give VALUE for labor, REAL jobs that put healthy food on the table, allow for excellant health care, educating our kids and retirement while we can enjoy retirement

REAL LIVING WAGE JOBS WILL FUEL THE ECONOMY, becuase it’s teh LOSS of THOSE jobs that destroyed the ecomomy

Cool – just curious since we have a Foothill College near me in CA.

We have a Denver church that feeds a few thousand for Thanksgiving. I donated this week to them,

GOOD MORNING ECAHN!!!

you know, the other day I was talking with jane on one of these threads and she said that she really should try to get a “yealry fire by the lake” thing going never got around to it

you have been excellant organizing little get togethers and I think you might contact her if you have it in you getting a yearly thingy going

it would be historical and you my good friend can be insturmental in that history

Thanks ecahn – good to be thinking about people we know who could use things that we’re not using. I hope everyone will follow ecahn’s excellent example of helping their local food bank! We can volunteer time also, they will be needing more folks to help sort this year.

G’morning perris – you are quite right to have us keep an eye on the big picture. It’s rough to consider that unemployment is expected to grow worse in the next few months.

Cool it has been. It has already snowed three times here. *g*

Where was she thinking about doing that?

we were talking on one of these threads, I’ll try to google it up and give you the link the next time I see you, have to go to work right now

I off to do some outdoor chores before the rain starts. Be well.

See you later ecahn – hope you have a productive and happy day

Morning everyone. I’m cuddled up with a plate of French Toast this morning. It rained last night so the snow is gone this morning but it is still 37 so chilly and damp. Here is what WE try to do every week – I keep in close contact with my elder daughter who lives nearby and we keep one another appraised of anything we have extra of (like from the garden, a good buy at the farmers market and so on)and we cook a big ‘thing’ – whatever that is: soup, enchiladas, chili, whatever and split it. That way, both families have stuff in the freezer, which helps everyone who works, nothing goes to waste, and it saves a bit of money too. I wonder if people could work with their churches to do this in the church kitchen, like on a Saturday? Might be a good way to get good food out to elderly or less fortunate members of the church or community.

Hey there Toby – we definitely need to rethink the bulk food thing. Are we getting a glimpse of your Food Sunday column?

#9 perris

Right on, perris ! your statement should be on every paper, webpage and publication until it gets through to people.

Mornin’ egregious, pups

Chilly this mornin’. Feels good. Will have to wait until all the tigers are fed before I get my breakfast.

Up late with the protest at BayWalk and I haven’t decided whether to go see my friend Cathy at Kopper Kitchen or cook for meself.

We were pleased with the turnout last night. All the cops were new and we half expected a heavy hand but that didn’t happen so that’s cool. Left my Swiss Army knife in the truck just in case I got busted. In the local Fox vid the guy sez there were more people coming to see us than are usually at BayWalk.

Gina, the young lady in red pants, black top wielding the megaphone is head of the local Radical Cheerleaders. She is so hawt. And radical.

The saga continues.

egregious, thanks for the excellent suggestions, all of you too, and food banks are desperate right now, they pick up too – something we do here around fall, too, is buy backpacks for the schoolkids.

Jane was at the eschacon08 in Philly, that made a central gathering place as well.

good morning egregious and firedogs,

eg – any word from Jane ?

Good morning eg, eCAHN, pups.

We’ve had our first couple of frost this week. We are moving swiftly into winter.

I often feel out of place when I read about helping others, building a community… Then i slap myself back to reality, I go upstairs, and help my 89 years old mom who’s slowly slipping into alzheimer’s. Tonight, I have the possibility to shoot a big production show at Le Capitole, in Québec City, and I probably won’t go because I worry so much about her.

It’s nice to be here this morning.

Has anyone “seen” Katymine (or Elmore)??

Good morning karen!

SD – thanks for the update – you guys are very faithful in your standing up for what you believe in.

Good morning egegious, pups.
This post warms up a cold and rrainy morning here.
Hope Kobe’s doing OK.

Hi Ruth – the backpacks program has been really helpful. Can you imagine starting the school year without all the supplies? Kids have it hard enough without being behind from the start. Glad to hear you are participating.

Hi from the Adirondacks of NY!

It is a cool 20. I am close to Lake Champlain but areas around have had snow.
This is our 3rd hard frost, but the temps at night are in the 30′s now.
The garden is half put to bed and may have to stay that way till next year.

I have 4 good friends and we try to meet regularly to think up ways to help promote women in a church that is not supportive of women.
One of our members read an article about t group of women that get together and support a cause, for a specific length of time.
So that is what we plan to do this week, get together and support, a cause.
Mine will be our local food shelf. The numbers are rising and even though money is tight, I can support them with my time, by volunteering and food.
It is not hard to pick up several extra cans of food to donate.
I went to an Interfaith Meeting in our town this week and there were several bowls on the tables.
Our host explained that the bowels were for our own tables at home. If er each put in 3 cents every time we eat a meal, then the money grows quickly.
Thee cents per meal is not hard for most, and if a lot of people were doing it……
Volunteer anywhere. people appreciate help anytime

Wish we had a kitchen in our church. It seems that the food prep standards are so tough in PA that many smaller churches just don’t even bother to build them. Hard to really “do” church well without one, though.

Morning everyone. Good to see you Eg!

Our congregation has upped our giving to the local food pantry. Yes the needs have grown. We’ve also got some of the folks volunteering on a regular basis. For our small size we’re growing a big reputation for which I am grateful. Good people being generous.

Haven’t yet done the changeover in the closets to winter stuff. Good time to focus on what I can give away. Thanks for the suggestion.

We’ve had a couple of inches of rain already in the past 2 days and more coming. So of course, I’m doing a sermon about beautiful fall tomorrow! So much of what I wind up saying intersects with social issues, I needed to do something that was just mellow. And yet, with climate change . . . . will I resist temptation to insert issue? Don’t know yet. Have to return to writing and get it done!!!!

Oh, and there’s a rally for single payer at the state house in Harrisburg on Tues. I’m going along with a couple of people from church.

But before that, Ned is coming to endorse Sestak on Monday. I’ll probably show up for that too. Haven’t seen Ned since YKos in Chi.

So much to do, so little time!!!

Hope you all have a warm and dry day and dig deep for others in need.

Peace— Deb

haven’t heard anything this past week. been keeping tabs of her fb page as well.

The United Way will route automatic payroll deductions to your local food bank. Who will notice $5/month missing from their paychecks (for those of us still lucky enough to get paychecks)?

found it on that thread

So when we decide what kinds of projects we get involved in, we think long and hard about “will this work,” and “can we pull it off.”

perris September 26th, 2009 at 7:05 am 158In response to Jane Hamsher @ 149 (show text)
I would love to have a yearly “fire by the lake”

ever think of something like that?

Jane Hamsher September 26th, 2009 at 7:11 am 171In response to perris @ 158 (show text)
We probably should. That’s a good idea.

When DeVeria first came to live with us we lived by a lake in Virginia, but now we live in DC so we’d have to find a “lake

Hey there cbl – hope you’ve have seen Jane’s diary last night with a lovely picture of the original firepups. It’s been very hard to see Kobe go through such illness. We heard from Jane this morning, he’s still having a rough time of it.

Bon jour Quebecois – you are doing the work of the angels. To care deeply for someone in need – all other charity derives from this act of love. It is enough.

Totally unpredicted rain here in Athens. It’s weird, it’s not even showing on the radar and it’s been raining since 7am. People at the farmers market are freezing!

Good morning egregious,

I enjoyed your photo of the raindrops on the leaf. It has finally stopped raining for the time being, here being near Dayton, Ohio. I’m off to Columbus, Ohio, to attend our Common Cause Ohio meeting.

I couldn’t quite understand how a municipality can sell a sidewalk, but I watched the U-Tube link. It seems like a happy group, and a reason to come together.

I’ve read FDL for years, but this is my first post. I figure I have time since I turned in my retirement papers Thursday. I go back to just sub teaching after the first of the year. I enjoy kindergarten.

It seems most of your group is California local, but since I’ve never been past Nebraska, it’s like a travel clip…interesting to visit vicariously.

Good morning mgardener – I love your idea of getting together with a couple of friends specifically for thinking about how to help others in your community. We don’t need to work in isolation.

Good morning eg and all,

It’s downright cold for Florida this morning, 55 and will be even lower the next two nights.

The local churches here band together for the Interfaith Hospitality Network. Each church “hosts” for a week or two at a time and several homeless families are assisted at a time. The families are housed and fed, but more importantly, they are given assistance in finding jobs and getting back into housing. The program has been wildly successful, but I’m sure that it must be very difficult for them right now choosing which of many families to help next.

thank you sweetie. the last thing Jane would want is a threadjacking, but I know lots of folks would be upset to find out they missed an opportunity to send their love and support. I am heartsick that someone who has given so much to so many is having to deal with this at all.

firedogs, go on over , share a story if you have one, hold her up, and come on back –

damn it!

Hey there RevDeb – you’ve got a lot going on! It’s good that churches are out there doing charity work, but really, taking care of our neighbors and people in need in our communities is something we all need to think about.

Hope you’ll keep us posted on your many activities including the Sestak meeting.

You can’t really hijack a “Pull Up a Chair” can you?

Katymine is in hospice on some pretty strong meds. I’m sure she would appreciate a kind word from us.

Not while I’m watching…and supporting Jane would always be on topic.

(((((Jane and Kobe)))))

Thanks. I don’t know any other way to be.

What I meant was PUAC seems to be relatively open thread. We have a huge
Charitable Contributions” effort at work that gives to the United Way. It’s pretty cool because you can choose a specific organization to send your $$$.

Good morning Elliott – still pouring up there?

Smgumby – payroll deductions for your local food bank – efficient and effective. Great idea, thanks!

Hey myhaven – your first comment? Welcome, hope we hear from you often now. Especially glad to see a fellow Ohio person here. I grew up in Middletown and was just there last week.

at least it isn’t snowing. But it is dreary.

Raven I miss talking with you every morning since I moved to California. How you doing?

Welcome to the Lake, myhaven. Don’t be a stranger.

I see the Lake as an extension of the direct actions that take place all over the country but receive no notice from the corporate media.

St Pete for Peace was formed in late 2002. We also show politically relevant films on Wednesday evenings on the patio of Cafe Bohemia, a local coffee house. Greenwald’s “Rethink Afghanistan” is the coming attraction this coming Wed. We have a good time and the ruling elite of St Pete don’t like us very much. I see that as a good thing.

Never. Give. Up.

Hi eg! We’re fine here in the seat of Paul Broun’s district! I need to go back to Kobe’s thread and mention how much support I got from pups in general and you specifically when Raven was in his fight!

In a previous lifetime, I played a few volleyball games there with a company team in a rec league.

Right – I remember now the original ‘Raven’ was a beautiful creature just like his owner :)

*g*

Overcast and cool here in East Tennessee.

Good morning.

Left me manners in the other room. Mornin’, dude.

About to go do a few things now that it’s really morning, but tonight we’ll get the first dip into 30F temps, time for the shorts to go into storage as well as the closet clearout. bbl

Co-signed!

Real jobs, real employment is the remedy — with living wages, not slave-wage/minimum wage ones!

Why is it that many seem to have bought into the Ayn Rand philosophy that paying people better wages is BAD? (unless you’re in the top 1%, of course) and driving wages as low as they can go is GOOD???

And, how far into the gutter does the economy and our society have to go before we decide to end the disastrous War on Drugs that drains the treasury of hundreds of billions of dollars every f-ing year!! — when we could be taxing marijuana and reversing the wasted revenues that clunker idea of Tricky Dick’s costs?

Maybe, there wouldn’t be the need for so many to seek help from volunteer agencies/groups if we were a more proactive country, instead of being a reactionary one.

The American taxpayer is the dumbest sucker in the world to stay in the same old rut we’ve been in for . . . ever.

decidedly cold, grey and damp here. sup pups!

Nope – I’m working on ‘soup out of the cupboard’ for tomorrow…I’ve got all these home canned tomatoes – I’ve got to do something with them..and then there are the cabbages still out in the garden…

Hey bro! I’ve never been too hot on the manners deal myself!

Yes – we must always keep Katymine in mind — smooooch, Katy.

Good morning Jim – am reallly liking this idea of getting together with other organizations/churches/folks to do together what is too overwhelming to do alone. There are surely like-minded people waiting out there for someone to organize a group effort.

It is painful to realize that there will be more homelessness as unemployment grows this year. Thanks for the update on how your community is coming together on this difficult issue.

Every Sunday before Labor Day at the lake where our son’s in-laws live they have a “ring of fire” where the different camps build large bond fires around the 30 mile lake. There’s cook outs and fire works. Great fun. I have no idea how they got it started but its been an annual event for years.

As for what we can do, charity is fine and unfortunately necessary but we must think much further outside the envelop. People say use the internet-create a third party (which would actually be around the sixth third party). We must use the internet but not to do things we did before the internet. The internet is a network, but it’s too small. We need a network that includes every blade of grass in the grass roots, something non-hierarchical-that’s going to be really hard because there is a yearning for leadership.

We need a web site for every political subdivision and we need a topic to attract citizens. As I have said I think putting town check books on line interests most citizens. Once people get accustomed to interacting on the site, we can think about larger efforts. The present system is broken. That’s a hard conclusion to reach, but the health care battle-if that’s what you call it-illustrates how far the governors have drifted from the governed. We must take our government back. I don’t think primaries here and there will do it.

Ha. Just watched SPFP’s YouTube again and at 00:19 you’ll see a lady in a turquoise jacket and lid. In the background there are two guys with their backs to the camera. The guy in the gray shirt is Tom, an inspector of some sort contracted with FEMA. Has been to NO a number of times since Katrina and has some really interesting tales to tell. In the vid he’s talking to some dude with long silver hair. Oh, shit, that’s me.

This has been one of my greatest frustrations since Shrub invaded Afghanistan. The hesitancy of church groups in particular to join in anti-war activites has been really really frustrating.

linky?

Good morning Knoxville – I was wondering if you lived in TN. Hope you are doing well today?

A Maine WWII veteran speaks out in support of marriage for everyone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7OOzQvcakY&feature=player_embedded

Good morning formidable – nice to see another nom de blog that is an adjective. Actually my full name is Egregious – Ms. Behavior

They Privatize – We Protest

LOL

tw3k! A little birdie tells me you are back at work on your wonderful art….

I’ve been in TN since summer 2005. Five years in central coast CA, three in northern Italy, 2 in sw Michigan, 5 in upstate NY, and many years on Long Island. I’ve gotten around!

Yes, Ms. Behavior.

Not far from the cheerleaders you dawg!

nice! not mention, ‘warm looking’

Right you are ekunin – we definitely need to be thinking outside the envelope here.

I’ve stood in that spot on Sat nights for the last 6 years or so. There used to be a steady stream of cars in both directions.

Cheerleaders? Aw, man, I’m old, not dead. *g*

A possibility for community centers, church, food pantry: post a “little things wish list ” for everyone — donors and receipients.

i.e. “I wish I could have my doorknob fixed, my walk shoveled, a pair of size 7 boots, a ride to the drug store , etc. “

G’morning, everyone. Brother G, adult with mental retardation, lost his job last week. Reckon his $75/week (gross) will help his employer improve its bottom line? Fascinating article in Minneapolis Strib today about a NY couple (with roots in Minneapolis) who lived for a year (by choice) sans most amenities of modern life, shopped farmers markets, etc., etc. and then returned to the real world, profoundly changed. My David (oh, and Wednesday was the one-year anniversary of his death) was the poster-person for simplicity. Steward of the earth by every definition. I learned some, but not enough. But had he lived, I know we’d have been able to survive any catastrophe, economic or otherwise. Whatever.

It was really humid after it drizzled all damn day. More like a sauna out there last night.

Aw, man, that sounds more like plain meanness than anything else. JHFC!

welp, my mom decided to fish flop around the floor grand maul style on monday. needly to say it’s been quite a week with her!

basitd!

Hope you and your mom are okay.

A possibility for community centers, church, food pantry: post a “little things wish list ” for everyone — donors and receipients.

I *love* this idea. So specific. Lot of folks are willing in general but don’t know exactly what to do, or how to offer help.

thanks and the same to you n yours.

She was worried about being on seizure meds for the rest of her life and wanted to try to work it out with naturalist first *rolls eyes* She ‘should’ave’ been taking the meds for the last month.

Good morning Barbara – was just thinking about you and David. I hope you will write more about his philosophy of being able to live simply if need be. We’re a generation or two from even remembering how.

Actually, I was feeling no pain when I chose that one.

Buzzzzzzz.

I’ve had friends with epilepsy who tried the “naturalist” methods. Each and every one ended up on Dilantin, drug of choice years ago.

Yeah, can’t blame her for trying. Just wish she had told me b4 she went all exorcists on me tho, heh :)

Barbara, you will survive any catastrophe… you have already survived the worst one.

Finally found a wee window to get back into lake territory and already a new thread.

Our lunch group brings recycled gift bags for the local women’s and children’s center to each month’s get-together. We check the website for current needs, or fill in with things that get used up quickly–diapers, personal care supplies, school supplies, etc. Adopting a charity is easy, no rules except your own.

And TobyWollin@65, one word: borscht.

We’re a generation or two from even remembering how.

Ain’t that the truff!!

I remember the days before there was a teebee in every household, most of the produce in the A & P was locally grown, people read and gathered within their neighborhood and everybody had a small garden. People interacted with each other on a face to face basis and helped those in their little microcosm of the world who were in need. That’s not the hard part. The hard part is separating people from the toys that keep them isolated from other humans.

Prairie! How are you my dear?

It can definitely be frightening.

Some Sat morning humor
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/16/theres-a-rep-for-that-fak_n_324151.html

(((Jane and Kobe)))

(((katymine)))

Good morning from the desert, were it’s unseasonably hot this weekend. I don’t mind, but the animals are suffering in their winter coats.

The food banks here are suffering, and there are more people than ever who need them. It’s getting worse here, not better — I think that’s true for most places in the country, of course.

I’m with you !
But it seems like every time we try to make progress ,someone somewhere turns it into a social issue and politicizes it.
The war on drugs? Love to see that boondoggle ended once and for all. For what we spend on our drug war we could buy every poppy in the world and destroy them all.

That’s goooooooooooood. Thanks.

Good morning Beth!

Yes, I know she is in hospice. I was just wondering if anyone had heard since she posted that.

Hiya, eg — I’m weathering the shitstorms. Been pouring rain in my life for a while now. Lost a brother-in-law unexpectedly a week back, not even 3 months after Mr. Sunshine. A keen loss, they were with us for Mr. S’s last hours. Strib did a nice write-up…he did much for inspiring troubled youth.

A beautiful praise Jesus song-singing service he would’ve loved.

SD when I was a kid we still had party phone lines . You could just pick up the phone and talk to anyone in the neighborhood . During the big blackout in ’65 we kept informed through our neighborhood party line.

(((((Prairie and family)))))

Hey billybugs….Maybe community internet will be new party line.

So did we. You could even dial “0″ and talk to a real person who might actually live down the street instead of New Delhi.

The Women’s Show on WMNF is currently discussing small community groups getting together to accomplish various things.

That’s their MO — turn everything into a visceral argument, banishing common sense from the issue.

What was it Jane Austen once wrote . . . “one half the world cannot understand what the other half chooses as its amusement” — something like that.

What heavy rains?!?

You need to tell us where YOU are. :-)

A late good morning to you eg. I finally got a good night’s sleep.
I seem to remember rain earlier in the week. Had fires in the fp two nights, and then it was close to 100 yesterday. I’m really ready for autumn. And, isn’t demi an adjective too?

Back from doing pics.

My thoughts go out to Katymine, and to Kobe and her mom.

Thanks eg, for those truly nice words, appreciated.

Also, Good Morning Prairie! I just left a comment for Jane that I’ll share with you too. Isn’t interesting how rough stuff seems to follow some people around like a little black rain cloud, and then other people just waltz through life insulated? Some years ago, I experienced 9/11, a divorce and a lay off all in one year. It was the first time in my life that I experienced true depression. I did gain an appreciation for the sufferings of others though.
I think of you often and lift you up. Praise songs? Our God Is An Awesome God….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38V8jnN1Kpw

Welcome back – and may I saw how much I have enjoyed your photographs via facebook. Some beautiful shots there.

Heavy rains in the Bay Area, Washington State, the midwest, and the east coast. We didnt mean to leave you out :)

I’m east at the moment but live in CA.

Good morning demi, glad to see you are in good health. It’s rough to get behind on simple things like sleep. [looks in mirror...yep]

I’m a think, think, think too mucher. I did take a valerian root capsule before I went to bed last night. :)

Great suggestions Egregious, and thank you for the reminder. No matter how much our own life may seem in disarray, someone else is always in worse shape. I do have a closet full of old coats and some boots I should deal with ASP, and I do need a reminder to consistently buy a few extra items for the food bank.

Now I’ll go back and read what everyone else said.