I am sad for all of us who knew Paul Thompson-- I laugh when I think of his great sense of humor... Have fallen off my chair and had tears in my eyes at some of his comments and blogs... Have never cried so hard reading a blog as I did when I read about his son Kenny who died tragically as a teen.

The one thing I do know is that Paul is where he needs to be-- WITH KENNY!! I have been humming/singing this song lately in memory of Paul. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRsJlAJvOSM

I MISS YOU PAUL-- Blessings to all of his friends and family,
Gretchen

Does anyone wonder why McCain just happened to be in Columbia when the hostages who have been held for 5-6 years were rescued???? This rescue had been planned for months... The Columbian government did and EXCELLENT job with their covert planning of this rescue-- (Can't WAIT to see the movie!!! smile)...

But does McCain think that we are fooled that it was just a coincidence that he just happened to make a trip down on the day of the planned rescue??? Reminds me of the hostages in Iran and Reagan... Fishy fishy fishy... The things the Repulsicans will do to win an election-- Do they really think we are that stupid that McCain wasn't informed about this rescue and decided to go down there for publicity???

If it smells like a fish... Interested to know if you all feel the same way I do???

Wouldn't that be great if "THEY" could just "get over it"

My son is biracial and gets stopped for NO reason all the time--DWB (driving while BLACK!!!) No ticket-- They just want to check up on him because he drives a nice car. Once the officer ran his license and registration and said "There is a warrant out for your arrest..." pause, pause, pause... "Just kidding"... Have a nice night. Now if my son had panicked like a lot of 23 year old young men would do he may not be alive right now and I may not have been spending the night cuddling my 3 month old granddaughter...

My husband rides the bus to Seattle every day-- He is wearing levis, and a polo shirt... He use to get mistaken for Ken Griffey all the time when Ken was in Seattle-- Yea, I know, Ken is pretty scary looking... The seat next to him on the bus is the last seat taken... He gets on an elevator and the white women either don't join him or get off and stand and wait for the next elevator... No subtleties-- they just do it-- He could be in a $1000 suit carrying a briefcase or in levis and a polo jacket... doesn't matter... I can't even begin to tell you the racism he has had to experience in the Navy becoming a fighter pilot--20 years ago...He also gets the DUB...

My ex-husband is white-- When we went out to dinner-- I NEVER got the check-- I get it over 80% of the time. We walk into a store and go our separate ways and I get asked if I need help at every turn and he gets followed to make sure he isn't stealing anything... Finally when he goes to leave the store someone will say "can I help you"... Now he says-- you know that plasma TV over there-- Wanted to buy it but no one would help me-- TOO LATE!! Now we just laugh... not because its funny but because laughing is better than crying...

I honestly could write until the end of the day and give you examples of the shit that goes on-- If you are White, you don't "get" to experience it-- The only reason I get to is because the other half of my family is Black...

I am a woman in my 40's and have had to experience A LOT of discrimination with work, wages, family-leave sexual harassment-- NOTHING though compares to the racism I have learned due to my family.

Get over it Matty... I BET everyone of Color would LOVE to!! It is not them you need to be telling this to!!!

Thanks, and Peace,
Gretchen

The sad thing is this is the President of the United States of America??? How embarrassing!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBm5ZSWbD14

and the quote is: fool me once, shame on you-- fool me twice shame on me...

"we" not me-- elected you twice-- Shame on us... Let's not repeat our mistake and elect McBush to a third term!!

Just passed away. He had a major heart attack and died... OMG!! My prayers are with him and his family...

In honor of Memorial Day it was proposed that we have a truce...

If you don't have anything nice to say... then say nothing at all...

It is the least we can do to honor those who have defended OUR COUNTRY!!!

He was just airlifted to Massachusetts General, from Cape Cod. News says that he wasn't feeling well and had some stroke like symptoms.

If anyone hears anything please keep us posted. Prayers for the Kennedy family...

http://uploads.ungrounded.net/239000/239712_the_Maxwell_Edison_Story.s.swf

She was born on Friday night-- She is 3/4 White and 1/4 Black. After reading all of the racist posts on PB I am scared to death!! AND this is suppose to be a site full of Democrats!!! I know this isn't a perfect world but I would hope that she will have it easier than my son... not so sure!

My eldest son is biracial. He like Senator Obama was raised by a white woman and in a white family. My son met his father when he was 5. On the outside my son looks Black but on the inside he only knows White. He would be more accepted by the Black community but he can’t identify with them in same way he can his White ancestry. His wife is White and recently took my son to Texas to meet her father who was appalled that his daughter was partnered with someone of another race. They loved Michael because they could identify with him and he could identify with them. He was able to change their way of thinking in a way that no other person of Color has been able to do.

I see the plight of Senator Obama as being similar to my son. He has had to learn his “Blackness” because he wasn’t raised with it. This is where I see that Rev Wright played a significant roll in Barack’s life. I am sure that the Rev helped him get in touch with his Black/African side�"Not to make him turn against his White side�"but to help him fill the hole that his mother’s side of the family was not able to fill. This something that Barack needed to make himself complete--to make him be the strong person he is.

Biracial children have to be very strong to survive. They have to work harder to be accepted in a world that says that you have to be white or brown�"not tan to fit in. This is why Barack Obama will make a great leader is that he has lived and experienced both worlds. He has learned from his experience that it is better to bring people together to work through their differences. This is something he has had to do his entire life!!

We all have had people that have been influential in making us the person that we are. My father was raised in Nazi Germany in WWII�"He is anti-Semitic, racist and hates Muslims. What did I get from him�"not his beliefs about how to treat people!! I got his strong work ethic; his never quit attitude, and probably his stubbornness!!

When I was growing up I had a priest that was very influential in my life�"He taught me a lot about faith, lessons that I have carried with me my entire life. He later moved to Chicago and was arrested with child pornography. I reject and denounce what he did but I don’t give up the good lessons he taught me about faith. Everyone needs to look at their lives�"We all have had great teachers and lessons by people who have done or said bad things. These influences have helped shape us into the person that we are...

P.S. My granddaughter, Navaeh Makalah Rosemary Weiss was born on 3/14/08 at 2247. She weighed 6 lbs, 7.8 oz!!! Very healthy baby with tons of black wavy hair!!

AnnieK has not been allowed to login to PB. There is some type of password problem that either no one has tried or no one has been able to fix!!! Please Mr. Link, AnnieK is a true voice of reason-- please let her come back to us!!!

Spring forward and hour-- Best wishes!! g. (I almost forgot and I have to work tomorrow!!! smile!

Can't say the guy isn't persistant...

http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/election_results/2008_0205/00102.htm

http://www.state.sc.us/cgi-bin/scsec/scsec-demprisw-012608.pl

Best wishes to everyone...

Thank's everyone for a WONDERFUL Birthday!!! I got a bottle of champagne, flowers, Mel's beer cake--he drank the beer, a birthday cake from Marsha and singing from Kathleen, AnnieK and Jacob-- Couldn't have better friends!!!! You made a birthday that I was going to spend in bed watching law and order reruns to a wonderful day full of laughter!!!! We may not all agree about about issues or candidates-- BUT one thing is for SURE-- WE ALL CARE!!!!!

Happy January 11th to all of you!!!! LOVE to ALL of you!!! g.

http://www.democrats.org/page/community/post/marsha/CrFs

http://www.democrats.org/page/community/post/illinoismel/CrFk

http://www.democrats.org/page/community/post/annieb2008/CrF2

http://www.democrats.org/page/community/post/jacobclark/CrFd

http://www.politico.com/nhprimaries/nhmap-popup.html

We here on the West Coast have to wait until 6 pm PST to watch the debate... We are being discriminated against for living in this time zone!!!! These debates are VERY important-- Why can't we see them live???? All the other debates have been live... If ANYONE knows how we can watch the democratic side here live please please please let me know... Thanks, Gretchen

Thank you everyone for spending the evening with me... I STILL have NOT turned on the television set... Would rather listen to y'all then hearing the newscasters... I just think it would have been a blast having you all over watching this...

We all need to be proud of the Iowans for turning out is such great numbers... YES I am an Obama supporter, but best wishes go out to everyone tonight...

The mother in me says... PLEASE, I don't want to hear anyone being a sore or ungracious winner OR loser!!!! OR I will send you butt to the corner!!! OR put tabasco on your tongue/mouse!!!

Kleenex to you Kathleen... Luv' you all my PB family!!! Gretchen

ENATOR JOHN EDWARDS : 37.01%
SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON : 30.46%
SENATOR BARACK OBAMA : 28.07%
SENATOR JOE BIDEN : 2.10%
GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON : 1.57%
SENATOR CHRIS DODD : 0.45%
UNCOMMITTED : 0.34%
PRECINCTS REPORTING: 76 OF 1781
(PERCENTAGES ARE STATE DELEGATE EQUIVALENTS.)

K