pointed to this post by LJ user ayoub which has done a lot of digging and clearing up of facts. Recommended reading.

I have, however, still backed up using LJArchive, and am in the process of copying over to my IJ. Having a copy or two hanging around doesn't suck.

For the record, no, I don't think, nor did I think, that LJ would go *poof* overnight (or faster). With the more official story available from them, it sounds like they're tightening their belts - like the rest of us have to. Does this bode well for LJ? Who knows. I don't. After the BS of the SixApart administration, everyone's a little jumpy. We'll see what happens.

LJ just cut most of its technical staff. That's 20 12 people in San Francisco out of work. with only 8 remaining. 16 remain now - that's much better that the initial report that writer put up. He still says, though, "The company's product managers and engineers were laid off, leaving only a handful of finance and operations workers..."

Time to archive your posts...

And for those of you asking "How do I do that?", liz_marcs has this wonderful post which gives all the pointers you need (hopefully).

That would be danicia's birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DANICIA!!!

This is something I saw on transnews. I think it needs more distribution.

How often have you heard "don't do anything to get thrown in jail"? You do know that there are times that you don't do anything and wind up in jail anyway, right? For most of you, it wouldn't be that big a deal. But imagine for someone like me - transgendered, pre-op or even post-op. Watch the video - at least the first eight minutes, I'm not quite sure how the last 2-1/2 minutes fit in. While that video is California, the questions raised apply to every jurisdiction in this country.

Dick Cheney did an interview with ABC. Why isn't he in jail yet?

The transcript is here. Here is an excerpt:

---

CHENEY: On the question of so-called torture, we don't do torture. We never have. It's not something that this administration subscribes to.

...

JONATHAN KARL (of ABC News): Did you authorize the tactics that were used against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed?

CHENEY: I was aware of the program, certainly, and involved in helping get the process cleared, as the agency in effect came in and wanted to know what they could and couldn't do. And they talked to me, as well as others, to explain what they wanted to do. And I supported it.

KARL: In hindsight, do you think any of those tactics that were used against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and others went too far?

CHENEY: I don't.

...

KARL: And on KSM, one of those tactics, of course, widely reported was waterboarding. And that seems to be a tactic we no longer use. Even that you think was appropriate?

CHENEY: I do.

---

But we don't torture. Yeah, right! Torture is a war crime and against the Geneva Convention, which the US subscribes to, whether Iraq does or not (and I have no idea whether Iraq does or not) and whether Al-Queda does or not (and I seriously doubt they do). Whether *they* do or not doesn't matter - *we* do, and it should apply to any enemy combatant of ours.

Hoist by your own statements, Cheney. You're a liar and a war criminal.

Here's something I don't recall ever seeing argued in gun ownership rights cases, and certainly not in the general populace. The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states:

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

There are those who claim that the Second Amendment to the Constitution refers only to the Militia having guns. I disagree. A full reading of the Constitution, shows in Section 8, "Powers of Congress", the following sentences:

"To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

"To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;"

The Second Amendment does not call for "the right of the Militia to keep and bear arms" or "the right of the people of the Militia to keep and bear arms". It does state that a well regulated Militia is necessary to the security of a free State, certainly, but it then goes on to state "the right of the *people* to keep and bear arms". That would separate that out from the Militia.

Further, what is the Militia? It's not the professional military - it is citizens, physically fit for duty. Back then, if you could carry a gun and use it, *you were considered part of the Militia*.

I think that lends strength to my opinion that ownership should be legal, pending training and licensing. It's a deadly weapon - like a car. But we don't have this argument over cars, do we?

( With an offer. )

( OMG!!! Hilarious!!! )

( Here - I won't eat up your flist page with it... )

Flying up to Chicago today, then CTA and Metra to Aurora where I'll be picking up the truck so I can finally move the rest of our stuff down here to Georgia. tarsa will be staying home.

See you on the flip side, probably some time on Sunday.

Yeah, I finally gave in and took the durn thing. Not too far off, although me, extroverted? I think not...

ESTJ - The Guardians

The organizing and efficient type. They are especially attuned to setting goals and managing available resources to get the job done. Once they´ve made up their mind on something, it can be quite difficult to convince otherwise. They listen to hard facts and can have a hard time accepting new or innovative ways of doing things.

The Guardians are often happy working in highly structured work environments where everyone knows the rules of the job. They respect authority and are loyal team players.

I got a voice mail from my insurance adjuster while I was at lunch. The other driver's adjuster called her last night to advise that they had accepted the insurance responsibility for the accident. Yay!!! About time, too! Now to see what the body shop says about repairing it.

November 20, 2008 - the 10th Transgender Day of Remembrance. As you can see from that homepage that I've linked to, there are quite a number of gatherings around the world this year.

This year, we remember 30 transgender killed for no other reason than because they were transgender. They lived in places around the world; UK, Chile, Malaysia, Portugal, Mexico (where the WI resident was on vacation), Germany, Spain, Italy (two), and most notably three who were executed in Iraq. They lived in the US as well; in Cincinatti, Albuquerque, Baltimore, Charleston, Detroit, Bronx, Oxnard (CA), Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Memphis (two), Greely (CO), Honolulu, Louisville, Sacramento, Aurora (CO), and Syracuse (NY). Most were shot, or beaten and stabbed. One was also gang raped, another run over after the beating, and another drowned. Information has very recently come to light that one of the most recent, Duanna Johnson in Memphis, who was killed earlier this month, was killed by a former police officer.

These people were killed because they were transgendered. For no other reason than that. And yet it's not classified as a hate crime in most places.

Thirty is just shy of three times as many as last year - 11. The number has definitely gone the wrong way.

Ardbeg for the win! Again!

On the phone with my dad now. GD died an hour ago. He wanted to be with my grandmother, and I don't blame him.

Yes, I voted for Obama and yes, he won. I'm not going to gloat about it on here. I think he's the right man for the job, plain and simple, and I believe he's going to show the leadership that this country needs to get back on the right track. Some of y'all disagree with me. That's fine and dandy. But here's where it is. I'm not going to pound you over the head with it, and you're not going to pound me over the head with it. If history proves me wrong, I will admit it. If history proves you wrong, you'd better plan on admitting it. This is not the time or the place, and I have turned off commenting. This paragraph contains my ground rules for my LJ on this issue. Let's see what happens. That's what I ask. It's done - let's see what happens.

tarsa and I voted this morning, bright and early.

Your turn. If you have, good for you. If you haven't and you are eligible and registered, go.

It's very important this year, not only on a national level but also on a local in many places. California has Prop 8, which seeks to write discrimination in the CA Constitution. Michigan has a medical marijuana initiative on the ballot.

Georgia will probably have a Senate race go into a runoff. Except for President, any race where no candidate scores 50% or better turns into a runoff for the top two vote-getters. It'll be between Saxby Chambliss (R incumbent) and Jim Martin (D). The final makeup of the U.S. Senate won't be known until after December 2.

Go. Vote. Today. Tomorrow is too late.

Doesn't seem like it.

Happy anniversary, tarsa my love!!!!

I regret that this is an anonymous comment in the Chattanooga Times Free Press, but it is still worth reading, and if the Canadian(s) on my flist (or since this is an open post, you don't have to be on my flist, do you?) would care to confirm, deny, or correct it, I would be delighted. The article it accompanies is called "Six Ways to Repair Our Health System" and is written by Dr. Clif Cleaveland as a Commentary in the paper. Go to the link if you want to read the article, but I'm reprinting the comment ( behind this cut. )

I'm going to retype one of the lines here so those of you who don't want to read this long thing can still read it. "It's [health care] considered a basic human right, as it should be, no one should profit from it."

Word.

( Further thoughts continued here. )

I'll tell you why we need socialized medicine.

tarsa and I just came back from the emergency room. Her back pain has gotten worse - much worse. She's pegging at a 10 on the pain scale. It hurts to move, it hurts to walk, it hurts to ride in the car.

A physician's assistant saw her at the ER. He did a few cursory tests, said she needed physical therapy and pain management. Go see your regular doctor. Wrote a script for pain meds.

Then a nurse came in, said the doctor had determined that Tarsa was non-emergent and therefore owed a co-payment of $122. No income, no insurance, no money. Tarsa said she didn't have it. So the nurse said "you're free to go". With no script for pain meds.

Tarsa's "regular doctor" quit the clinic earlier this week. It's one of those sliding scale clinics, where even if you have no income, you still make a $15 co-payment. She's been seen for the back over the years. She can't get anyone to actually give her a diagnosis other than low back pain. She can't get someone to say "you're disabled", even though there is no way in hell she can work with her back like this.

So tell me, all you with your "we don't need socialized medicine" - just what in the fuck is she supposed to do, SUFFER?

An argument was made on my friends list a few days back that our taxes pay for things like roads, firemen, police. We're not buying insurance for police protection, we're not buying insurance for firemen to come and put out a fire. These are things that are not Constitutionally guaranteed, but that I would argue are covered under "promote the general Welfare, ... to ourselves and our Posterity ..." from the preamble to the Constitution. [ETA:] And the argument can be found here. It's wyldraven's. [/ETA:]

So tell me how paying for medical insurance and not receiving appropriate medical treatment if you have no money "promote[s] the general Welfare, ... to ourselves and our Posterity ...". First definition of "welfare" at dictionary.com: "the good fortune, health, happiness, prosperity, etc., of a person, group, or organization; well-being: to look after a child's welfare; the physical or moral welfare of society."

Tell me where paying for insurance and paying for medical care promotes the welfare of people!