Still Alive and Kickin'

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Monday May 13, 2013 · 7:55 AM PDT

2013/05/13 · 07:55

When I last wrote on Dec 31, 2012 I'd just gotten out of a month-long hospital stay due to necrotizing fasciitis, aka flesh-eating bacteria, which also required a temporary colostomy. I was headed back to a medical shelter since I had to accept the fact that I wasn't able to adequately care for my wound on my own. The wound healed in record time, to the amazement of my nurses, and my colostomy has been reversed. OMG you have no idea how nice it is to poop like regular folks again. Well, some of you do as several of you have also had a colostomy.

There's much to write about my experience at the med shelter, called Christ House, the staff, the other patients, and a book I read while there on poverty medicine titled "Not All of Us Are Saints" by Dr David Hilfiker. I'll get to it all in due time.

JTinDC

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Monday December 31, 2012 · 6:13 PM PST

2012/12/31 · 18:13

Yeah, so I diaried last night about my recent health challenges and that I was pleased to finally get back home and get in touch with Alice. But it was a bad idea to come home this soon, especially in light of not having a plan/resources to deal with the bed bug problem.

Alice tried sleeping on the floor and even in the bathtub and she was bitten up no matter where she tried to sleep. My open wound, even when dressed, is pretty much like laying out a buffet for the nasty little fuckers. I knew the only semi-safe place for me to sleep was sitting in the chair at the computer desk, but that only really works if I'm pass out level tired. I really need to be able to lay down somewhere to give my abdomenal region a break. Too much pain, not enough oxycodone. Like it or not, I'm not physically ready to be at home just yet.

So I'm eating a lot of crow and going back to the med shelter Christ House, which the staff there is very pleased about. They'll no longer require me to attend AA meetings, the one and only overtly religious aspect of the place. It was ridiculous to require me to attend that crap to begin with. Believe it or not, everyone who ever got drunk is not "a drunk".

At least this time when I leave Alice I'll know for certain she'll be able to get in touch with me and I with her. More and more folks are joining the "you've got to stop letting your concern for Alice keep you from looking after yourself" chorus. And those folks are right. So I'm just adding that to the list of shit I need help with.

Anyhow, won't be around for several weeks or a month or two or even longer. No idea how this will all play out. Just when it seems "normal" is due to return, the wheel of life spins again and "normal" as I used to know it is even further away. Can't say the move 12 yrs ago from IL to DC was neccesarily a bad decision, but it's most definitely been challenging.

If anyone is up for writing the old fashioned way, willing to update me on the latest meta wars, I'll be at:
J Taylor c/o
Christ House
1717 Columbia Rd NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-328-1100

Peace

Flesh-eating Bacteria for my B-Day and a Colostomy for Christmas. My December to Remember

JTinDC

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Sunday December 30, 2012 · 4:44 PM PST

2012/12/30 · 16:44

I'll get the grossest part out of the way up front. Between the staples, the stitches, the open wound that was intentionally left open, and the hole in my stomach that I'll be shitting thru for roughly the next 6 months, my body from belly button to now non-functioning anus looks like a cross between a Dr Frankestein experiment and a circus side-show attraction. In case anyone wondered where I've been/what I've been up to for the last month, that's the deal. Twenty-eight days in George Washington Univ Hospital and 3 days in a faith-based nursing care/homeless/alcohol/drug treatment facility, my time at each location notable in their own right. I'll get more into that shortly.

To fill out the complete holiday package, for Thanksgiving I got a case of viral conjunctivitis and for New Year's I got some kind of yet to be officially diagnosed urinary-related infection from the catheter at the hopital. It's difficult to not feel like I'd be better off put down than given medical treatment. Yet I fight on. At least for now.

JTinDC

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Friday November 09, 2012 · 4:08 AM PST

2012/11/09 · 04:08

Yeah, I wrote a diary yesterday and called it that, but I now know better and understand how using that term works against us attaining optimal results.

Calling it a "cliff" implies everything will go immediately to shit on Jan 1 and that is just not the case. Calling it a "cliff" only sets the stage for our side to make a bad deal. Calling it a cliff only benefits the GOP position. The best and most responsible thing Dems can do is let the tax cuts for the wealthy expire. Once that is done, there is time to work the rest out before any real damage comes into play.

Not much of a diary, I know, but it's become clear and urgent to me how important it is to fight the bullshit framing that pushes for rash and foolish decision making.

Over the Cliff? Yes or No?

JTinDC

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Thursday November 08, 2012 · 10:28 AM PST

2012/11/08 · 10:28

Short diary for the sole purpose of gleening insight from some of the best informed folks I know. Should we or should we not go over the fiscal cliff?

The cliff is comprised of decisions on the following:
Bush tax cuts
Payroll tax cut
Sequestration

Raising the debt ceiling I believe factors in there somewhere as well.

I'm of a mind that we should go over the cliff, that we have the most negotiating power after the first of the year than in lame duck. If that's a bad idea I'd like to hear why. Thanks in advance.

Also, I've wondered if there is any way at all that we could scrounge up just enough Republicans in the House, those in the right districts or who may not be running in 2014 who would form a coalition with House Dems on at least some key issues. Unless I'm mistaken the baggers are a minority in the House so that's leave enough non-crazies to pick through. Very unlikely, but wondered if there might be a chance however slim.

Poll

70 votes Show Results

Should we go over the cliff?

70 votes Vote Now!

Should we go over the cliff?

Yes

59 votes

4 votes

Maybe

3 votes

It's complicated

4 votes

Now what?

JTinDC

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Wednesday November 07, 2012 · 7:17 AM PST

2012/11/07 · 07:17

Having won re-election and having held a majority in the Senate, what is Democratic president Barack Obama supposed to do now? Why, move to the right of course. At least that’s the impression I’m getting from the punditry. Nice to see that the talking heads are so willing to leave the Overton window so firmly skewed to right of center.

And what now for the GOP? Again, according to pundits, Republicans have to stop hating on women, Hispanics and gays while apparently remaining free to believe whole-heartedly in magical economic theory and other failed policies. Nice to know the talking heads think women, Hispanics, and gays will gladly give up their economic interests in return for nothing more than not being discriminated against. Let them have their abortions, the freedom to walk about and not have to show their papers, and marry whom they please, so long as they’re willing to embrace union busting, polluting the environment, and war for fun and profit.

Poll

138 votes Show Results

Can/wil the Overton Window be appropriately realigned?

138 votes Vote Now!

Can/wil the Overton Window be appropriately realigned?

Yes, by 2014

18 votes

Yes, by 2016

10 votes

Yes, by 2018 or 2020

15 votes

Maybe

41 votes

Doubtful

39 votes

Nope

15 votes

Morning Joke: Mika B. belittled by the guys for caring about truth

JTinDC

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Thursday October 18, 2012 · 3:44 AM PDT

2012/10/18 · 03:44

Just now on Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski felt it was worth pointing out what was revealed on Rachel's show last night; that Mitt's "binders of women" story is a complete misrepresentation. Mitt didn't send anyone out compiling lists of women. Rather both Mitt and his Dem opponent were given lists compiled by an independent group prior to the election.

Mika feels it's insulting that Mitt made up his own version of events thinking he'd have a good story to assuage the little ladies of America. Unsurprisingly, everyone else at the table, all males, ridiculed her for it. "Let's stop talking about binders" and "Women don't care about 'bindergate'" was the theme. Mark 'the hack' Halperin, that POS, says, "that's not what this election should be about."

Someone in the tech room eventually broke in and told the MJ guys to "back off, Mika's got a point."

It's live as of 6 am ET. Should be replayed at 7 am.

In Response to Mitt's "Direct to Camera" Ad

JTinDC

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Thursday September 27, 2012 · 9:25 AM PDT

2012/09/27 · 09:25

Two questions everyone should be asking Mitt in response to his first "direct to camera" ad. No, I'm not embedding it, nor am I providing a link.You know which ad I'm talking about. The damage control ad playing in all swing states in response to the 47% video. The ad where Romney clames he cares as much about you people as much as Obama, it's just that Mitt claims only his policies will create 12 million jobs.

Question 1: How exactly will your policies create these job?

Question 2: How many of these jobs will actually pay a living wage?

I suspect the first things out of his lying mouth in response to question 1 would be tax cuts for the rich and reducing the deficit, both of which are proven non-starters so he's got to do better than that. Will the MSM ever challenge this demostrably false premise? Doubtful. Will Dems pols and punditry ever be more consistant at challenge this demostrably false premise?

OK, MSM, Dem pols and pundits repeat after me: Tax cuts do not create jobs. Jobs are only created when demand for goods and services increases.

Question two would likely catch him off guard. Maybe his knee jerk response might be, "Just be thankful I'm doing anything to help you people get a job at all." Or perhaps he'd give us the ol' "I'll tell ya after the election" line.

This guy is such a shitbag. I should be content with simply defeating him. Well, I'm not. I want to see him pummeled, punished, and pounded into dust. I want him to look back on running for president as having been one of if not the single worst decision of his life.

Poll

29 votes Show Results

Which best decribes the level of defeat you'd like to see for Mittens?

29 votes Vote Now!

Which best decribes the level of defeat you'd like to see for Mittens?

a. Don't care as long as he's defeated.

4 votes

b. Would like a decisive margin, at least equal to 2008.

0 votes

c. I want him defeated in a big way.

3 votes

d. I just want to make the dude cry.

2 votes

e. I hope he's defeated so badly he never quite gets over it.

5 votes

f. Options c. and d. work for me.

0 votes

g. Options d. and e. work for me.

15 votes

About that "microphone instead of a mop" line...

JTinDC

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Wednesday September 05, 2012 · 7:18 AM PDT

2012/09/05 · 07:18

San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro delivered a wonderful keynote at last night's DNC. Referred to by some as Democrats' answer to Marco Rubio, Castro shared his own family's history as immigrants and the struggles, hardhships, and sacrifices that entailed.

One of the more memorable lines from his speech was this:

My mother fought for civil rights so that instead of a mop, I could hold this microphone.

Follow me below and I'll share a small quibble. Read More

Mr President, Please Unmuddy Medicare Waters. And Quickly

JTinDC

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Friday August 17, 2012 · 9:36 AM PDT

2012/08/17 · 09:36

Yes, the President has been punching back, both on the stump and with ads. But the waters had already been considerably muddied by the time he stepped in and I believe a much more firm and direct approach to setting the record straight is in order. The President, all his surrogates, and all of us can unmuddy the Medicare waters by directing voters to this touchstone. Yeah, it's a no brainer, but I think the electorate could use a refresher course.

JTinDC

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Saturday August 04, 2012 · 7:42 AM PDT

2012/08/04 · 07:42

I posted this diary last night regarding a conspiracy theorist, gay-hating teabagger's victory in Tennessee's Dem primary this past Thurday. I thought that was bad. But it gets worse.

In the comments section a truly disgusting fact about one of the losing candidates was brought to light.

While he came in last, Thomas Ken (T.K) Owens, who had been arrested for soliciting oral sex fron a 7 year old in May 2011, apparantly decided that was not reason enough to keep him from running for one of the nation's highest offices. And apparently the party has no background checks in place to catch this kind of shit.

East Tennessee candidate for U.S. Senate faces child sex charge

Authorities say the alleged incident occurred in Carter County in May 2011, when a seven-year-old girl riding her bike in front of the apartment of Thomas Ken "T.K." Owens was invited inside.
The 36-year-old then allegedly hugged the girl, unzipped his pants, and asked her to perform a sex act. The girl ran home and told her mother, who notified police.

Owens told investigators the girl had been in his apartment. As for the allegation, he said, "I have a problem with that," but did not elaborate.

How the hell was this guy allowed on the ballot? What the hell is going on with the Tennessee Democratic Party and/or the DNC? It doesn't matter that the guy lost or that he never had a chance. We cannot be having sex offenders on our ballots. We just cannot. Surely there must be steps that can be taken to make sure this doesn't happen in the future. Perhaps Tree Climbers might have some suggestions.

It seems the Democratic Party should implement a policy in every state that all candidates, at minimum for all federal office, preferably for all offices period, must submit themselves to a criminal background check.Time to take a basic step toward getting our house in order. The least we can do is not run fucking child molesters for god's sake.

We're Running a Gay Hater for TN Sen-Updated w/Video

JTinDC

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Friday August 03, 2012 · 7:06 PM PDT

2012/08/03 · 19:06

Just saw it on Rachel. There is no excuse for this shit. He got 30% of the vote. Conspiracy theorist, gay hating, freak running for Tennessee Senate. This makes us look like idiots. Will add video when available.

From Huffington Post

The Tennessee Democratic Party disavowed Mark Clayton over his association with a hate group after Clayton won Thursday's Democratic primary for U.S. Senate to face Republican Sen. Bob Corker.
"The only time that Clayton has voted in a Democratic primary was when he was voting for himself. Many Democrats in Tennessee knew nothing about any of the candidates in the race, so they voted for the person at the top of the ticket," the party said in a statement Friday.

Clayton, a 35-year-old flooring installer, won slightly more than 48,000 votes in the primary, or about twice as many as the nearest of his six other unknown challengers.

It seems that among the duties of the folks at the DNC that someone might be keeping a list of who is being fielded in each of the 50 states for US Senate. It's really not that long a list and it is that important a task. Somebody, oh, I don't know, maybe even the Chair might keep tabs on the progress of such important things?

Unfuckingbelievable

UPDATE - Video Added

Will add transcript when available

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Still Alive and Kickin'

Well That Didn't Last Long

Flesh-eating Bacteria for my B-Day and a Colostomy for Christmas. My December to Remember

It's NOT a cliff and we have to stop calling it that.

Over the Cliff? Yes or No?

Now what?

Morning Joke: Mika B. belittled by the guys for caring about truth

In Response to Mitt's "Direct to Camera" Ad

About that "microphone instead of a mop" line...

Mr President, Please Unmuddy Medicare Waters. And Quickly

WTF? Child Sex Offender Runs in Dem Sen Primary in TN

We're Running a Gay Hater for TN Sen-Updated w/Video