Other things I saved from MySpace

I made this slide show after one of our Vegas trips, though it incorporates several trips' photos.

I love this version of "Let It Be" because of a very small change in the lyrics. It's only in this video, not on any album.
And this is from "Swingers." Good advice.

Jan. 23, 2009: Meanderings

So if you'll scroll down a bit, you'll see a photo of a black-and-red 1958 Corvette available for rent in Las Vegas. Well... I SAW it! In person! Just sitting at the rental place as we were driving back to the airport Thursday. It was beautimus.


Also, a while back I wrote a blog about the Bush administration cutting off funding to some international family planning groups. This is a follow-up. Emphasis toward the end is mine because it backs up my argument from the previous blog.

Obama Lifts Global Abortion 'Gag Rule'
By Rob Stein and Michael Shear
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, January 23, 2009; 5:04 PM

President Barack Obama today signed an executive order lifting a ban on U.S. funding for international family planning groups that perform abortions or provide counseling about the procedure.

The order rescinds the Mexico City Policy, also known as the "gag rule," which President Ronald Reagan originally instituted in 1984 and President Bill Clinton rescinded and President George W. Bush revived in 2001.

The decision had been eagerly expected by family planning groups, women's health advocates and others, who hoped it would restore millions of dollars of funding to programs providing health care, contraceptive services, HIV prevention and other care around the world.

"For eight long years the global gag rule has been used by the Bush administration to play politics with the lives of poor women across the world," said Gill Greer of the International Planned Parenthood Federation in London. "In rescinding this disastrous and unjust policy, President Obama has returned the United States to the international consensus on women's health."

The decision, which came one day after thousands of antiabortion activists participated in a March for Life on the Mall to protest the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion in the United States, was condemned by conservative groups.

"Yesterday, President Obama issued executive orders banning the torture of terrorists but today signed an order that exports the torture of unborn children around the world," said Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council.

"At a debate last year at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church, then-candidate Barack Obama vowed to find 'common ground' on the issue of abortion and that he, as president, would work to 'reduce the number of abortions,' " Perkins said. "His action today flies in the face of that vow and probably sets a record as the most quickly broken campaign promise ever, leaving the question, how many more broken promises to families lie ahead?"

But abortion rights advocates hoped the decision would be the first in a series of moves by the new administration to reverse Bush administration policies related to abortion. They are pushing to increase funding for reproductive health programs, cut funding for sex education programs that focus on abstinence, and reverse a recently implemented Health and Human Services regulation that protects health-care workers who object to providing any care they consider objectionable, including abortion.

"We look forward to working with President Obama on common-sense policies such as reversing Bush's midnight HHS rule, funding comprehensive sex education to keep our teens healthy, and increasing access to affordable family planning that help prevent unintended and teen pregnancies and lead to healthy outcomes for women," said Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

The lifting of the Mexico City Policy does not permit U.S. funding to be used to provide abortions but allows funding to resume to groups that provide other services, including counseling and referrals for abortions. Critics argued the policy resulted in more abortions by denying women access to contraceptives.

"We know from available evidence that voluntary access to contraception is the best way to reduce the number of abortions in the developing world," said Dana Hovig of Marie Stopes International, a London-based group that provides reproductive health care in 43 countries and was denied U.S. funding under the policy. "We now have an opportunity to demonstrate this fact once and for all."

The International Planned Parenthood Federation estimates it lost about $100 million in U.S. funding in the past eight years, which it estimates could have prevented 36 million pregnancies and 15 million abortions. That does not include funding that was cut off to its affiliates, such as programs in Kenya and Ghana.

"This is the true legacy of the global gag rule," Greer said.

Dec. 19, 2008: It's crap like THIS that GRINDS MY GEARS!

So, just saw this on the news: An American bulldog is being quarantined because it bit a 4-year-old. Bad, right? I agree.

EXCEPT... THE STUPID FREAKING BRAT had been HITTING THE DOG with a STICK! I'd have bitten the little shit, too! And the DOG is being punished? WTF? I say, maybe the kid learned the lesson that he shouldn't go around hitting dogs with sticks.

The dog owner said the dog knows not to bite, but that dogs also don't really have any other defense than their bite. (The dog was tied up outside at the time of the incident.)

Brat's mom said she doesn't think a bulldog is a family pet, anyway, and made no mention that Junior knows better than to hit a dog with a stick.

So, now, I ask you: Who has better sense, the dog or the kid? My money's on the dog. And always will be.

Dec. 5, 2008: No place else to put this, so it's going here

This is my very favorite car ever. It's a 1958 Corvette. I'd always thought that if I could have it in any color, I'd want it light blue with white detail. But this is pretty sweet.

Sadly, this is not my car, nor will it probably ever be. It's not even my photo. I came across it while I was looking for something else. I love the internet.

AND not only is it my very favorite car ever, it is also an automatic (so I could conceivably drive it) and has a 350 V8 engine, AND... wait for it.... lives in VEGAS and is AVAILABLE FOR RENT!!! (We won't discuss the rate. However, I'd charge that much, too. And it would ALMOST be worth it. *sigh*)

Nov. 27, 2008: Giving thanks

Please don't laugh at me for this. It's going to be cheesy. I did it for myself more than you who are reading this. I'm in a sucky mood. I'm frustrated and angry at the moment. I decided the way to try to help alleviate that was to list what I am thankful for this year. It sometimes it helps me to actually list things. There really is a lot, I guess. I just don't always think of it this way. In no particular order (except that first one...):

I am thankful for Trace.
I am thankful for Blackjack and Jubilee.
I am thankful for my friends.
I am thankful to be working Thanksgiving.
I am thankful my grandpa has people to look out for him.
I am thankful my mom isn't hurting anymore.
I am thankful to be headed to New Madrid for Thanksgiving breakfast.
I am thankful Paul's situation is improving.
I am thankful for answered prayers, and especially for the one who answers them.
I am thankful to finally be getting over this cold.
I am thankful I have no children.
I am thankful for people who listen.
I am thankful for my job.
I am thankful for reaching my weight-loss goal.
I am thankful for my dreams (as in the kind that happen when you sleep, not as in goals).
I am thankful for Sunday evenings.
I am thankful for reconnecting with family I hadn't been in touch with and thankful I don't have to be in contact with those I don't WANT to be in touch with.
I am thankful my vacation was so wonderful this year.
I am thankful I already have a vacation planned for next year.
I am thankful my car accident wasn't worse than it was, and thankful it wasn't my fault.