Gleaning Facebook: It Ain't All Bad

Is thankful for Facebook. I know, I know, it's a huge time wasting obsession, but this old teacher loves getting a chance to peek into the lives of my little ten-year-olds as parents and even grandparents 20, 30, and almost 40 years later. I am always surprised at how they've changed and how they haven't!

Rose McDonald Darby

I agree! It's fascinating for look for the child's face in each.

Bob Doster

Need to be careful. Bordering on the dirty old man fringes here.

Gleaning Facebook: Driving Home

At 8:18 we recrossed the Mason-Dixon Line. 12minutes later we crossed into WV where I stood on WV soil for the fitst time in 40 years. Now comfortably lodged deep in the Confederacy after a week abroad, we'll rest a few hours then finish our homeward journey. It's been a fun week.

Comments

Jann Heaton Skeen

have a safe journey home.

Joan Shaw Turrentine

Be careful!

Thomas Guy Beall

Oh Shenendoah, I long to hear you. Away, on rolling river.

Lyn Davis

I'm glad you've had a good time! Be careful coming home!

Charles Yates

We always said we would go back to WVA. It was wonderful for us Teacher Corps family to reconnect this year. I still wonder about Cynthia Weaver. You mentioned Tom Paxton -didn't Susie M. hang with his group at one time? Where in Long Island did yall go? i still have fond memories of Kevin and Rhoda 's parents and families when I visited in the summers. And still saddened by Rhoda's passing. A beautiful person! Be safe and rest up!

Terrell

Suzie was a frind of Billy Ed Wheeler, don't remember her mentioning Tom, but could be. We just drove out 25A from Astoria to Sunken Meadow State Park. We stopped at Cokd Spring Harbor for 4 mile trail walk on the way abd at Norwich for supper on the return trip.

Passing thru WV, tho far from " our WV" in miles and years, brot good memories but a bit of melancholy too.

Barbara Jean Smith

WV lasts forever when you are driving .....

Jerry Taylor

Just a note, WV wasn't a part of the Confederacy. It is below the Mason Dixion line. So is Maryland that didn't join the Confederacy when Lincoln flooded it with Union troops. While I didn't learn it in grade school, I did keep paying attention to the teachers there! Have a good trip!

Terrell

Didn' mean to imply thst Jerry. We were only in WV for thirty minutes. I was deep into the Shenandoah Vally by the time I wrote about WV.

Jerry

Hey how often do I get to show teacher how much I studied? LMAO

Betty Smith Franklin

Wave at Grandma and Grandaddy Smith's farm off 81 before Lexington, right off the Fairfield exit. The "new road" came between the main pasture and the barn.

------------------

Later

------------------

 Creeped last several miles, so are now ensconced at Mickey Ds exploring options via iPad. Go around Knoxville. Wait it out here till traffic clears. ?? Ugh.

Comments:

Jerry Taylor

I've been in several large traffic jams over the years in Knoxville. Place seems to attract them.

Lillian Shaw

Hope you make it home soon.

Terrell Shaw

Roads go ever ever on,

Over rock and under tree,

By caves where never sun has shone,

By streams that never find the sea;

Over snow by winter sown,

And through the merry flowers of June,

Over grass and over stone,

And under mountains in the moon.

Roads go ever ever on

Under cloud and under star,

Yet feet that wandering have gone

Turn at last to home afar.

Eyes that fire and sword have seen

And horror in the halls of stone

Look at last on meadows green

And trees and hills they long have known.

by J.R.R. Tolkien, of course.

Sarah L. Flannigan

I thought you all flew up.

Terrell

Nope we drove. It's a looonnngg way.

Dan Bolton

I did that trip two times along time ago. It is a long way

Terrell

Here's the story on the terrible wreck that tied up I-40 this afternoon:http://www.knoxnews.com/.../nov/26/wreck-closes-i-40-west/

Which Presidents Increased our National Debt?

The National Debt
by Percentage of Decrease or Increase

Here's an interesting table taken from Wikipedia. It uses CBO figures. The pink cells are Republican presidential terms. You will see that ALL percentage increases in the national debt came in Republican administrations.

I am no economist. Far from it. But I cannot help but believe that there is significance to the fact that the combined increase in the national debt compared to the gross national product of last five Republican administrations has been more than 60% compared to a decrease under the last five Democratic administrations of a combined total of 30%

Like President Roosevelt in the 1940s, President Obama is having to again increase the debt to get us out of a mess. But for Republicans to holler about it would be humorous if it weren't such a serious topic.

Trickle-down does not work.

Reagan tried it and doubled the debt.

Bush Jr tried it and nearly destroyed our economy.

Now we have the Republican leaders declaring they will fight to lower the national debt WHILE cutting more taxes, raising defense spending, rescinding the debt-reducing health care reforms, etc., etc., etc.

Didn't work for Reagan 1, Reagan 2, Bush 1, Bush 2 or Bush 3. Won't work now.

Reagan and Bush I administrations raised the debt from 33% of GDP to 66% of GDP. Bush Jr took the debt from 56% of GDP to 83% of GDP.

Democrats? Every Democratic administration since 1945 has reduced the percentage of debt compared to gross domestic product (GDP). When Bill Clinton took office the debt was 66% of GDP. When he left office the debt had been trimmed to 56% of GDP.

Economically, Republican administrations have been great for rich folks and the current GOP leaders are standing tall - stout hearts - to protect the interests of those mistreated folks who "earn" a quarter of a million a year or more.

Gleaning Facebook: Fourth Grade Football

At the ballgame with my student Ezra Barnett

 

Gleaning Facebook: Thanks Mike Burton!

Thank you Mike Burton. At a goodly personal sacrifice you stood for us in an extremely long-shot race. You gave those of us that believe in "sweet reason" a voice in Northwest Georgia. Although you won't be traveling to Atlanta to represent us in the new year, your campaign was a good thing. You promoted a positive, civil debate that would never have happened otherwise. Perhaps you even helped our opponents, patriotic Americans all, realize that there are, right here in River City, other patriotic citizens who, though we do not share their views, have no horns, wear no hammer and sickle tattoos, or tin-foil beanies. We love our country too, and just maybe, some of our ideas are worth considering.

Gleaning Facebook: Congratulations to Republican Friends

Congratulations from this Democrat to my Republican friends tonight who are celebrating a big victory as expected. Not as large as my worst fears, thank goodness, nor as small as my best hopes, but definitely a big victory.

God bless our wonderful democracy where we can disagree peaceably.

Comments:

Neal Brackett: We will see... with the so called "Rinos" and "Dinos" gone most of the middle ground is gone.....

Terrell Shaw:Yes, I wrote a sizable comment last night about the loss of the moderates, but I must have lost it somehow. Gerrymandering (by BOTH parties, sometimes in concert) and polarized primaries along with election results like last night's leave independents and moderates of both parties with not enough wiggle room for compromise and negotiation.

Ray Langley: I still ask my Republicans friends, "What programs will you cut. You are going to have too, if you do what you say you're going to do. All I'm asking is just name one program.

Gleaning Facebook: Fired Up Folks Vote

Recovery is in its fifteenth month. The President led us in avoiding depression & stopped the bleeding of unemployment & we've begun to produce - slowly - actual job growth. October was the best month for manufacturing since the recession started under the last administration. Those are facts. 

Hotheads always vote. Please go out and temper the tempers with a little sweet reason in the voting booth.

Comments

Virginia T. Fulton
I have voted Terrell and so have my 3 children, I sent out info on the best candidates to vote for to friends and family. I only hope most people thinks like we do. Good-luck tomorrow .

Terrell Shaw
Thanks, Virginia!

Neal Brackett
Was planning to vote... did not realize that made me a hothead... was actually thinking about a libertarian vote to protest all the crap the goober-torial canidates are throwing at each other... but if enough people did that we might have to have a run off and hear how sleazy attorneys are and how dirty business men are for another full month.

Terrell Shaw
My point is that in midterms, particularly, those who are "anti" usually have a disproportionate influence because they are fired up. In 2006 it was my side. This time it is yours.

Those who show up at the polls get to make the choices.

I doubt you qualify as one of my "hotheads". The hotheads are those who are angrily tossing around "socialist", "Kenyan", or, as one fella did "Muslum"(sic). I have no interest in wasting time and effort in debating those who label as "socialist" those who support a national health care program that does not even include a public option. Those are folks who would remove "promote the general welfare" from the preamble, end public education completely, and take Ben Franklin off the $100 bill because supported a government postal service.

Gina G-Lo Lowery
Intelligently and eloquently spoken... as always! Thumbs up!

Richard Dick Sapp
I will vote against this administration daily if I had too Thanks a Hot head with a brain
Thumbs DOWN DOWN

Betty Smith Franklin
Yes. I am coming to Rome tonight. Voted already. Whwre shall I find you all? Tell leigh Callan, please.

J. Chris Lawler
I guess I qualify as a hothead as I am voting this afternoon for those who "say" (and I hope they aren't lying like most true politicians) that they will reverse the path we are on, and Terry it is socialism by any definition you use. It is "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs". Marxism and redistribution of wealth if ever there has been. "Promote the general welfare" was never intended to mean to take care of the needs of every citizen. Whatever happened to the American spirit of individualism and individual responsibilty. Americans have always porvided to those in need through our faith based charities but we seem to have removed faith from our country the same way we have removed God.
P.S. I will vote for Amendment #2!

Walter Jack Gipson
Weather he led us in avoiding depression remains open Dick.
The pundits will answer that. To me he blew it.

Terrell Shaw
Nora: I don't understand your comment, but if I have said anything to offend you I am heartily sorry for these my misdoings and humbly beseech you to forgive me. I stand by my contention, which I was trying to get across to my fellow Democrats, that those who are het up, like I was in 2006 and like my political opponents are this year, tend to turn out in elections when many other folk, relatively satisfied with the status quo, are much less likely to. If Democrats don't get off their hinies today, we're gonna be in even more serious trouble than polling says we will be.

I'll try to respond to some of these comments later, but can't right now.