Morning, Elliott. Back from D.C. now, and it’s almost the time of year I actually do make a few donations; WWF and USHS (world wildlife and humane society) are the main ones. For floods in Pakistan and earthquake in Haiti, Habitat and UNICEF. Fantasy for public funding would be the schools, for the kids instead of the administrators.

Morning Ruth, care for some coffee?

I’d get involved with funding, subsidizing home solar installations also, the goal to return energy to the network

Excellent question, Ellie. I think I’d look for an organization which is working on wireless broadband development. A number of Native American nations are possible candidates. If they can solve the problem of broadband for a rural constituency with extra funding, we could then work on greater access through the rest of the country.

I’d also work on development of a nonprofit all-digital curriculum for low-income school systems combined with computers for all classrooms in those districts and computers for home use by students. Paris, France, for example, hands out their curriculum on memory keys; the curriculum includes software for reading curriculum and for doing the homework. It’d be far cheaper than textbooks and increase digital literacy where kids need the help the most.

Good morning, Elliott. That is a very tough question. –calls for a 2nd cup of coffee….

first thing I do today is petition elliott into having him lay out room on the table for some panera soufflé I will supply

now to the question

I have had three “keys” in my life, keys I give to all I think will use them, keys that unlock the doors to life and happiness

I added a fourth on the death of my brother, when I gave my eulogy, to give in sum the thing he believed most in life and that is now my fourth and most important

1) if you want to do something and you risk nobody but yourself, you have an obligation to do it

2) the world is round, whatever you do comes back to you

3) If you have a job you don’t like, you deserve that job

4) it’s not what you’ve done that matters, it’s what you are going to do

now saying all that, even though I enjoy my job, love the people I work with

I would leave my job after finding a suitable replacement, I would open my own cafe whence I would have weekly speakers, possibly a reading night, always a cruise nite for rag tops and every day would be a friends night

Thanks, don’t mind if I do, a little cream,too. Yep, solar is worthwhile, too. TX has a lot, but all the big operations are out in West TX, and there’s a lot of opposition to putting up the lines to carry it to the cities, from the landholders/ranchers out there. And from the artist community in Marfa.

oo good ideas, the digital curriculum leaves the Texas textbook commission out in the wilderness where it belongs.

Oh, wow. Tough question. I think I’d build factories and get employment back up. That should lessen the need for the food banks etc. My new factories would offer all the employee benefits you could imagine, good wages, insurance, pensions, vacations etc. My aim would be to wipe out the unemployment rate.
With America back to work, I would hope our schools would have enough funding, kids could afford college and charitable donations would be up.

After that, I’d work to get rid of all the chain stores and get people back into owning their own retail stores. I’d subsidize them if I had to if that’s what it would take to bankrupt Walmart.
As you can see, my focus would be on jobs, jobs, jobs. This solves some of the other problems automatically.

Just so; my son’s law school used computer accessible texts, greatly improved prospects for less affluent students.

oh

wait

I forgot to do one thing;

GOOD MORNING DAWGS!!!!!

Ahh the soon to be notorious Cafe Perris

you know, I just realized in writing my response to your question, I had an epiphame

we don’t need a key to life, life is not a key lock it’s a combination lock!

there is no “key” to life but there is a combination

The cafe sounds soooo good, Perris, that I think I’d actually add the cafe to my routine –we really need casual gathering places.

karen

If it were mine to give there is no question how I would spread the wealth. First and foremost I would give to local school districts in order to support science programs, under the condition that my donation be audited and if found to have been diverted or used to offset increases in athletic programs, it will all be rescinded. I don’t have anything against athletics but too often the sciences have been cut to fund them. I would invest additional money into creating science jobs, green energy, sustainable farming, lots of research. I would also love to create a special news network that was not for profit and it would devote considerable time and resources to debunking false claims and junk science. Politicians and pundits who lie about climate change for example would be corrected strongly then and there and not invited back. There is room for debate but there is no room for bullsh*t.

I’d be really tempted to build my own observatory too. :)

now this would make a difference.

Good morning friends! Perris, so good to see you here!

Now that I’m newly retired, I hope to be able to volunteer time at one of the free medical clinics such as those Keith Olbermann and his viewers supported so generously. I have no medical skills, but I’ve been in information technology my entire (mid-life) career starting in the mid 80s, so surely I could be useful doing clerical, data entry, or other computer tasks, or just sitting at a table taking names and steering people to the help they need.

And of course, I would offer the money from the Turner Rockerbuffetsoros Trust toward more of those clinics or toward other ways to provide medical care for those who have none. Improving the health of our citizens would improve lots of other things about our country.

good thinking, sports are heavily subsidized now.

I’d at least like a telescope fitted with a camera.

he has to promise François a job — what kind of eggs for the buffet table? I understand there’s some fine sirloin to go with them.

They are not only heavily subsidized but every school district of any size has a sports boosters club and these people waste huge amounts of money on things like fancy uniforms and full color booklets designed to adore their sports teams. It wasn’t that long ago that science was at least respected in this country and now it’s a liberal plot or something.

promise everyone at the lake a job who needs one, everyone at the lake promises to stop in once a day

the blueprint for success right there

off to work, see all again soon

another idea making a difference straight away.

great to see you too msmolly

before I go, an unrelated thought;

we have all heard of the three musketeers (a true story but there were 4 by the way)

anyway, I have never seen a redition that showed any with a musket

that’s my thought for the day, see all soon

Yeah an end to the Wal-Marts would be one of the very best things that could happen for our economy. Our country really suffered when greed became a virtue.

laterz

Morning everyone,

I would direct first efforts to cleaning up every toxic waste site left by the industries that first started creating all that wealth.

Morning all ! YAWN ! ugh Where are my glasses? gulp gulp ah!!! coffee!!

I don’t have a whole lot of money to donate, but what I do have is time. I work several days a week for a youth and family services agency, working with teenaged boys. The pay is horrible but the rewards from working there come from seeing the successes and gains our kids have. There is no greater satisfaction than watching these kids mature and grow as they approach adulthood.
So if you don’t have a ton of money to give away , think of working for your community.

Cool. A staff sergeant named Salvatore A. Giunta is going to receive the medal of honor. I wonder if they’ll check his immigration status first? No doubt they’ve already determined his sexuality.

I’d start by tripling every teacher’s pay.

At the very least bringing public teachers’ pay into parity with private teachers.

On the topic of schools (and sports), my daughter has just begun work as a teacher aide, teaching the entire elementary school (in 40-minute time blocks) technology — it is one of the “specials” along with art, music and gym. Unfortunately, because of severely reduced funding, these programs have been severely cut and some eliminated. Music and art are enriching components of a good education, and it breaks my heart to see them eliminated.

Parents also are being asked to contribute supplies — not only pens and pencils and paper and crayons, but such things as paper towels and tissues (I forget the list, but it is long and includes a lot of school maintenance items).

I would like to see the Turner Rockerbuffetsoros Trust infuse all schools with money for the basics of a first rate education. I agree that fancy uniforms are probably not necessary, but sports are good for students too. Not at the expense of science and math, but sports teach life skills that students need. Fair play. Teamwork. Working toward a goal. Picking oneself up and trying again. Losing or winning with class.

On edit: teachers also buy classroom supplies from their own funds. This isn’t fair to them or to the students.

Hi, Elliott. I think I’d start by getting the stuff that our local Ronald McDonald House needs — simple things like laundry and dishwasher soap, paper products, plastic food storage bags and the like. Then I’d probably fund the hell out of the free clinic in town, and try to figure out a way to get the folks who can’t afford it some dental care. (Why dentistry isn’t covered by insurance has always been a mystery to me. You can develop life-threatening infections that start with a tooth abscess…)

Thanks for the tea — y’all KNOW I’m into that big time!

money well spent

Here in NYS, the lottery was put in place with the promise that all money would go to education. That was phrased perfectly, not schools, education. Just this week my local station aired this stupid weather question(about clouds of something) with a multiple choice answer. At the bottom of the screen it said paid for by NYS Lottery. I was so angry at my being misled. I wonder what other ‘education’ the lottery money is paying for.

good point on dentistry being basic good health

Shabbat shalom. This french toast is delicious. Got me thinking about the value of cultural awareness in education.

In the village where I work, on the coast of Oregon, local folks are grieving the anticipated loss of a local grade school. The district is planning to move the school to a consolidated facility that is safe from tsunami/earthquake hazards.

Many community schools have been abandoned as a result of consolidation. I’d love to see a big chuck of money available for renovating those facilities as cultural arts centers for communities. The kitchens could be used for lots of good things.

but sports are good for students too. Not at the expense of science and math,

Unfortunately far too often a first rate science program or even and adequate music/arts program are not as important to schools as “winning state”, (or whatever), next year. I agree that sports are important and even more so in these days of growing obesity. A lot of that is due to distracted or careless parents in my opinion. When I was a child, I wasn’t allowed to slop around the house, I was practically shoved out the door at times. Playgrounds and safe neighborhoods would also be conducive to helping with that.

I would start in one place: education, because knowing what the fuck you’re doing goes a long way.

Joining a small group tomorrow to attack invasive species on a small inland lake where I like to row my boat. Bagging seed heads and removing the plants, then a paint brush specific application of DNR approved and permitted herbicide to the cut plant stalks. Native reed grasses re-populated these areas to almost 50% natural coverage just in one year.

more community building :)

The lake and it’s inhabitants will no doubt be grateful

indeed it does!

Back from the vet, with Jocabel, hopefully now to be an indoor cat. At the age of fifteen, she really doesn’t need to be out with the coyotes and other critters, so having boarded her while I was gone, I’m hoping being able to roam around inside will be free life enough for her. Cross fingers.

Newshour last night was unusual, Mark Shields took a real swipe at winger economics, & stood up to Bobo; http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/70492

Knowing now, that I am a good citizen like all you….I’ll answer the question?, with the wealth?….
I would try to create a new car company. Grounds up. I want a new car, built like a nascar but comfortable like a stamped steel sled. Powered by a 2 cylinder diesel electric. I would need 3-4 major factories. 8-10 dealers. It is a real shame the fuel I would want to power this car from, build the body panels, and Upholster the interior would be HEMP. I can picture every step. Strict guide lines on dealer ships, no one person can own it, all players would have to own a percentage of that building. Id say 50/50, split sales and repairs….bills too. Most of the entire structure would eventually end up being owned by the employees….Successfully paying every 1 at least double the current median house hold income. All the business spurs would be ridiculous, I figure Michigan/ Cleveland areas…..Prolly jump right off with employees in no time , HUH….

Free Marc Emery…….:/

Mornin’, Elliott, pups

Ha, like I haven’t thought about who I’d give most of the money to if I hit both the Lotto and Powerball (this week – $102M combined).

After setting up an annuity that would give me a “pension” of a little more than I’d have gotten from VA the rest would go into a private charitable foundation.

The local SPCA, Friends of Strays, Save Our Strays, and Alley Cat Allies would get a chunk every year. The Refuge, our local advocate for the homeless would get whatever they need to set up a permanent shelter and a yearly chunk. Second Harvest, a food bank, would get a yearly chunk. WMNF, our local community radio station, would get a yearly chunk. Our little library would also get a yearly chunk.

For me? I’d buy the 2 duplexes where I live and a couple-year-old VW bug. The other tenants are older folks still working, except Eileen, and they’d have a place to live for the duration, rent free. I’d then take the duplexes solar and off the evil grid, insulate the attics, put in double pane windows. Buy the empty lot on the corner and put in a neighborhood garden.

As for today, since the Gainesville nutjob’s congregation has voted not to make fools of themselves today I’m not gonna ride to Gainesville to see the scenery.

You’ll be surprised how well she adapts to it. Might take a little time, but she will.

I’d build a high speed rail system from coast to coast, so freight doesn’t have to go by truck and people don’t have to fly.

That’s great !
Just one of many ways we can give back to our community.

Part of this vast hypothetical wealth might also be spent in removing “reality” TV from our lives. Even seeing a promo for that stuff makes me feel dumber.

She’s exploring right now, has hissed a couple of times at Fluffy, who is used to this from her. Doesn’t come to anything. She’s been in when it got really cold but always cries to go out. But I have to keep her in, this time, her age is against her being a feral cat anymore.

You’re in luck! Fred Phelps has said he’s going to burn Qu’rans and there’s another nutburger in Tennessee who will also. They are like a bunch of kids trying to one up each other. “”I hate more!” “No I hate more…”

I’d also like to form a lobbying company to push for the indictment of all those who have taken a dump on our civil liberties and The Constitution, both from the last admin and the present.

My short version for that phenomenon is: Bad religion drives out good religion.

No way I’m goin’ to TN to face off with another nutjob, especially this nutcase. I’ll make a voodoo doll instead.

Liked the looks of that young’un Michael Whitney, didja? *g*

Kuroneko is mostly an indoor cat, only venturing outside for the occasional bird who lands on the porch. She’s a happy cat and though I’d like to give her more freedom, that’s just not possible where I live right now. Being so close to Lackland, these apartments are full of kids who still rush about like they are at the Indie 500 or take their anger and frustrations out behind the wheel. Outdoor cats don’t last long around here I’m afraid.

You caught that did ya? Yep, he’s a cutie.

My prior cat, a completely outdoor one who was not allowed indoors because she peed on the furniture, was ‘retired’ indoors at the age of 15 after fight (her first injury ever) which required a vet visit to make sure her lacerated paws weren’t infected. She just loved it; thought it was the cat’s whiskers. Died of natural causes at age 21.

I used to think that religion could be used for good purposes. I’m not so sure anymore. Everything has been so corroded with hate and spite. I just look at all of the suffering and death that has been caused in the name of one god or another. Of course without religion, no doubt other excuses would be found to “justify” slaughter and enslavement. That doesn’t make it any better though.

I’m not gonna let you provoke me into my usual rant against religion. *g*

Yeah. My supervisor, Linda, had to have her 17yo Shadow euthanized yesterday morning. I’ve known her tigers for years. Took me way off center and spent a lot of the day at work on da web, just mindlessly wastin’ time.

Hi Margaret,

Totally agree, and that sports metaphor, “winning at state,” is being (has been) applied to music, debate, theater, math and science and is way out of proportion with minimal emphasis on an idea like we are doing this to participate, enjoy and experience, in something like, say, a major choral group or a joint school district scientific study.

Aside from running, life sports like walking, rowing, nordic skiing(we can do that in WI), casual cycling, things that most students could do regularly over time without the expense of an extensive facility and equipment are not included. These sports would be a better focus, endeavoring to include and motivate everyone, but are rarely mentioned and school board here can’t find the money, yet have found it for the big, old, tired, team sports and conference competitions and a late model luxury bus for the, “team,” to travel, new state of the art track, extensive bleachers and lights, yada, yada.

Because I’m pretty far from the road, I get dropoffs, and she pro’ly was one. Now she’s sitting in the window, looking out but isn’t crying.

eCAHNomics, this one used to do worse than pee when she was inside, but the last couple of really cold spells she’s found the litterbox.

I’m hopeful.

I give every year all I can to the local health clinic, the local mission for those in dire need, the local food bank and to a boys school for those who have lost their families. There are a few others but those are the main. If I had the means, I would fund scholarships for the disadvantaged and only for them. Those scholarships would be for full living expenses and not just tuition or books. It is, after all, people who matter. They are what makes us great and will continue to do so. Noteworthy, too, the joblessness in this country is a cancer and I wish we could cure it – -before it destroys all we have.

Yeah, 15 is different from being a young cat-about-town. Wishing you the luck I had.

A tom showed up at my beekeeper’s house this week and seems to want to stay. He sez that snowbirds (summer residents) often just turn their cats out to fend for themselves when they go back south for the winter. Disgusting.

Kuroneko was a feral. She was born to a cat who lived on the property when some friends bought it. Of the three of that litter, the only male was unable to adapt and wandered off and was killed, (they found his tiny body) but Kuroneko’s sister is still there and she is an indoor/outdoor cat and has adjusted well. Kuroneko herself doesn’t seem to mind spending most of her time indoors but there are times she yowls to be let out.

Heh, here snowbirds are winter residents.

Old Florida cracker joke:

If’n it’s tourist season, why cain’t we shoot ‘em?

I guess the folks who take in cats think that they did them a favor, and are quits now since it’s time to wander off. But the ones that adopt them from a home, and a shelter, then abandon them are truly vile.

Margaret I’m hoping Jocabel won’t be yowling to go out, we’ll see how hardhearted I can be.

Tama, Bapu, Ptah, Skoshi, Shiimsa and Gabby were all feral. Never have tried to get out since I brought them in, one pair of siblings at a time.

Be my guest. Among other things, they park in the disabled spot at the supermarket without a disabled permit. (FL license plates; you can always tell). How to be thoroughly disliked in two states.

Yeah, they do that shit here too but the locals are wise to it and call the cops alla time.

He sez that snowbirds (summer residents) often just turn their cats out to fend for themselves when they go back south for the winter. Disgusting.

Jeebus but people suck!

She only does it a few times in a year. It’s usually not a problem. Sometimes I let her out but she comes right back in.

Jeebus but people suck!

Well, except for you & me. And I’m not so sure about you. *g*

Sometimes kitties know when they’ve got it soft.

Lemme go wake ‘em up and take a poll. *g*

Sure. If you’re prepared for all of those dirty looks.

Sorry for being slow on the topic changes here,

My cat, Millie, insists on sleeping in the garage (screened windows, doors shut at night)absolutely will not come inside the house at bedtime, until last night, walked over to her winter bed in a back room of the house and parked herself on her blanket. Checked my calendar and 9/10 was the same date she did this last year and within a day or so of the same date for over five years that I’ve made note of it. Overnight temps the last week were in the mid-50′s.

Don’t know her age, vet thinks about 14, but she stays in a fifty foot radius around the house and I get the occasional field mouse displayed for my approval. These would be the mice that may have tried to get to her food dish. She was a rescued big city stray, that had been brought up in a home somewhere and sure likes the country life.

That’s nature’s own timing, maybe the angle of the sun tells them. It’s turned cooler here since Hermine soaked us, too.

I pre-ordered Stephen Hawking’s new book The Grand Design and the mailman was kind enough to deliver it yesterday. Gonna start that today. Slim volume, but all his books have been. I remember reading A Brief History of Time in the late 80s and it didn’t take long for me to be totally overwhelmed.

Looking forward to that one myself

Arianna Huffington profiled this volunteer in her latest book, showing that more time than money can be a good thing.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/07/unemployed-volunteers-mak_n_708089.html

Woo Hoo! I’m in! Late, but I’m here. I got back from my camping trip to find out my ‘puters all broke. Then, after I borrowed my son’s, I found that my password to FDL was broke too. Took me a bit getting a new one that works.
With a bundle of money, I’d start with a new computer and a car that works. Mine needs a new radiator. :( Maybe I should return to the woodlands.

I’d finance an employee take-over of the Baja Del Sol restaurant chain owned by Republican Party of Minnesota chairman Tony Sutton.

Tony’s going to tire of running the stores once his dreams of turning them into a franchise empire dies, and it’s a shame that years of solid effort on the part of his largely immigrant store managers and employees should go to waste.

Yikes! I’m late, too… great questions, Elliott!

I’d start a business. I have a hankering to own a yarn store. A local yarn store would not create a lot of jobs, but it would require three or four people to keep it going.

Welcome back…sorry for the broken things….Im letting my TV sit it out for awhile, also. Hope you had a good trip. We missed you here, of course!!

thinking a little larger…

A community of knitters can do some pretty big things. Knitters often have disposable income, since knitting is not an inexpensive hobby. Service projects… and one very prominent knitter (who is also a knitting humorist) has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for doctors without borders.

And electronics scoreboards for the football and baseball fields. (But not much for the girls teams, usually.)
And then they tell everyone that they’re donating whatever because athletics is character-building.

i tnink about this all the time. whenever i hear what Loot or Powerball jackpot is I start thinking about this. Just found out though, you have to actually buy a ticket for those things. No wonder I never won.

LOLOL!

((Jocabel)) fingers crossed Ruth

Ha! Makes me think of Dylan’s Everything’s broken. But, we believe in a God who offers second chances, over and over.
I missed you too. Thinking about doing a series on the Seminal called “In The Rhythm Of Our Lives.

ahh another good idea, this coupled with eCAHN’s Train Corp.

you would be hailed as a hero!

may your indictments bring justice

This is OT, but being it’s “Pull up a Chair” in which this is my first ever contribution (AFAIR), I’ll take it.

Last night, I found, in a collection of DVD’s I was bequeathed some time a go, a film called “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin”.

I wanted to test Windows 7 capabilities with showing movies, especially on a color corrected system, so I dropped it in.

I was totally spellbound! This is a story about an island in Greece, Cephallonia, during WWII and afterward, which was forcibly taken over by the Nazis towards the end of the war, but preceding that, was occupied by both German and Italian troops in a rather peaceable relationship with the Greeks, who had defeated the Italian army early on in that conflict.

I bring it up here because I had this uncanny feeling this film is about now as well as then, and about America as well as Greece, except that the negative forces here are of our own making. It is a story about survival with dignity under trying circumstances and as such, becomes iconic.

It speaks on many levels; even the title has meaning way beyond the mere words identifying a work.

Find it, a 2003 film with Nicholas Cage, Penelope Cruz, and John Hurt.

Now, back to the regularly scheduled discussion!

If this is your first FDL comment, congratulations and welcome! Your name…it seems somehow familiar….

I’m trying to care about all the new stuff, and daily blog M. Moore has started this week, I’m with him about building a mosque on ground zero. After all the commotion that CIA plant in Florida has started dies down, maybe I’ll win the Powerball and donate if that thing really’s going to look like it’s going to happen. But, C.H. Smith got me to loose up some change for Native Dakota Women being abused out there on the great North Central Plains etc strange how she can make you pull up a chair. My 14lb Pomeranian and I just knoshed on some whole green beans in butter, and I chewed down the Holy Portugese Long Roll with a kirkland juice & water spritzer. Tyke and I will walk around the lake later on this afternoon…

No, my first comment in “Pull up a Chair” (!)

Hey, how is Christy? Wouldn’t it be nice to hear a little update from her?