HEY! How y'all doing?
Don't worry, I'm not upset about Ken's new cell phone, and I always love pens! (They're gel pens...and they're metallic. Ooo! I did get a little odometer for my bike, too, for when it gets nice out and I can start riding.) He is canceling the service we use now and going with another provider, and we agreed that it's really sort of silly for me to have a cell now that I'm not working. I always liked having one for security reasons when driving to work in bad weather, but I'm not a phone talker, so I think I'll just not worry about having a cell phone. One less thing to put in my purse. I know that some can't survive without a cell. I'm thinking that I'll manage to muddle through somehow. Jeez, I hate talking on the phone at home enough as it is...I don't want to do it when I'm out and about!
I'm still feeling pretty mellow, but this "news" story pissed me off. It's in reference to President Obama's remark on "The Tonight Show" in which he equated his poor bowling skills to being like "Special Olympics or something." That was definitely cringe-worthy, and when I heard it, I thought, "Did he really say that?" Apparently he knew it was bad and that he misspoke, and he issued an apology before the show even aired. Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who are very involved in the Special Olympics, said that they knew that he misspoke and that he did not mean anything bad by his remarks.
But Sarah Palin had to weigh in on it, and NO, I am not done with her, not by a long shot!
Sarah Palin said she was "shocked" to hear President Obama's offhand comment referring to the Special Olympics in an appearance on the Tonight Show on Thursday night.
"This was a degrading remark about our world's most precious and unique people, coming from the most powerful position in the world," Palin said in a statement released Friday.
"These athletes overcome more challenges, discrimination and adversity than most of us ever will. By the way, these athletes can outperform many of us and we should be proud of them. I hope President Obama's comments do not reflect how he truly feels about the special needs community."
Hey, Sarah! I'm shocked that you would use such an obvious misstatement on the President's part to further your own political career and keep your name out there !
Actually, I'm not shocked at all. Anyone who thinks that the President really feels contempt for developmentally disabled individuals is an asshat. It was a stupid remark to make, and a bad joke. And I'll be the first to admit that I have occasionally made jokes about someone riding the short bus. It doesn't mean that I feel contempt for special needs people or that I don't value them, any more than President Obama feels that way.
So thanks for taking time out from your wolf-killing, Sarah, so you could weigh in on this. I'm sure the wolves, at least, appreciate it.
Sarah Palin. Pfffft. Freakin' media whore.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for the cell phones, I only use mine for road emergencies; it's in the car and has been used maybe twice.
I am also not a phone person.
And we all know that Sarah Palin has NEVER misspoken in her life. You betcha!
ReplyDeleteI don't like talking on the phone either, but I like the assurance of knowing I have a cell should I need it. What about times when you are out & about & Ken is at work? I really think it's a good idea to have one whether you use it or not. I'm just concerned about you.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your new award!!!!
P.S.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's necessary to beat up on the President, because he said something he shouldn't have. I know I have done that many times & didn't mean a thing by whatever it was I said. It happens......
Never fear, we are going to get a prepaid phone of some type for Beth, just do not want to pay the extra $20-30 per month for a second line.
ReplyDeleteohhhh....that was a bad thing the Pres said. I wondered what was going on! I'd seen snippets here and there in headlines. He won't live that down ever.
ReplyDeleteWell, I love my phone but honestly it irritates the fire out of me! It rings in the most inopportune times. lol
The reaction to Obama's remark is a big deal over nothing. It will soon be forgotten just as the many Buhisms are.
ReplyDeleteAt work, we refer to certain people as "huggers", which is the term they use at the Special Olympics for the people who hug each participant as they finish the race. "Huggers" are good people, and they love everybody. That's a good thing. Unfortunately, they don't differentiate between the best performers and the worst performers. "Huggers" usually keep their jobs, but they don't typically get raises. Results matter!
ReplyDeleteI sorta think that you should have a cell phone, maybe a pay as you go. Seems to be something for saftey sake. Chalk the expense up to the 'oz of prevention' thingy ...
ReplyDelete... as to Gov. Palin spouting off ... doesn't she have a special needs child in her house? So that gives HER a pass to weigh in, esp. as a memember of the 'national consciousness'.
You know my feelings on the phone. I try never to use it unless I'm speaking with my mom or husband. I have a pay as you go phone that I rarely use unless I need to call Shawn for something while I'm out. It's just in case I break down somewhere. He, on the otherhand, talks on the phone like a girl would so he has cell phone service AND a freakin Iphone. I have no use for all that stuff. Although, when I'm bored and we're not at home, I have used his phone to check my mail. ;)
ReplyDeleteLove,
Jamie
Sarah Palin is a Numpty!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Beth,
ReplyDeleteAs much as Sarah Palin disgusts me, doesn't she have a child with special needs? Yes, I'm sure there's a self-serving element to her comments but I'm cutting her some slack on this one. Obama's off-the-cuff remark was in the worst possible taste. He should have known better. I'm sure he wasn't trying to deliberately criticize the special needs community, but he really needs to make amends. And fast.
Best,
Marty
Well, I don't think he truly feels contempt for them. But HE deserves to ride the short bus for making the comment. It's one tick away from calling his own actions 'retarded' on national TV *while the sitting POTUS*. Nevermind if it's just PC and that many people talk that way in 'real life'. What's next, calling a lame speech of his own 'gay'? C'mon.
ReplyDeleteAnyone with a special needs child is much more sensitive to such insensitive & bigoted remarks. Doesn't matter if it was "offhand" remark, it was tasteless & very deeply hurtful to those with special needs children. Obama DID say it, & here's the link to the video clip:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE0yAEvVsUo
Now since many are once again castigating Governor Palin for saying "ouch", in order to be fair, the President & CEO of Special Olympics Massachusetts, Bob Johnson, should be raked over the coals too. He strongly criticized Obama for the remark, & as he said, even with an apology, once said, the damage is done. Here's the link to that video clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs3aRxTTgaI
And there are many others who have come out criticizing Obama's remark including Maria Shriver, a NY Special Olympian Kelly Shultes.
If a Republican had made such a remark, many of the Democrats in Congress & probably many of the Hollywood set who use the Special Olympics for photo ops would have been before the TV cameras at once, & we would be hearing about this 24/7 ad nauseum. Wonder why a sitting President is making the rounds on late night TV anyway? Never seen that before.
About your cell phone - Beth, the world's too dangerous to be without one. Please either get one as the other commenter said on a pay-as-you-go basis, or get one that has a 9-1-1 only plan which are very cheap. That way, when you are out & about, if something happens, you can get help & reach Ken. I hope you'll reconsider.
Congratulations on your award!!!! I agree you do have a most creative blog!
Dirk
THE FIRST AMENDMENT, NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT II
http://tsalagiman2.blogspot.com/
I don't like talking on the phone either, I hate texting even more but my kids seem to feel that that is the best way to communicate! Linda
ReplyDeleteI only have one comment about phones and that is people know my number! However you want to call mw ring and I will tell you the number! As for the Presidents remark find me someone who has not opened mouth and inserted foot.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your coments about cem stell transplant.
Andy
What does it say about Obama that he dealt with his comment long before the interview aired? He could have asked the show to edit that portion out and be done with it, but he took his lumps instead.
ReplyDeleteBoo freakin' hoo for Sarah Palin, who lost any moral ground when she chose to parade her baby at the GOP convention. Get the Downs Syndrome baby out there front and center! She's completely disgusting.
When the history of this time is written in a few centuries, civilization will laugh at how "sensitive" we were about everything. There's some serious sh&% going on, and people are up in arms over a bowling comment?
Is that Nero's fiddle I keep hearing?
Forgot this: Palin just turned down over $300 million in stimulus funds for Alaska, of which $170 million was directed towards education-specifically, low-income and special-needs children.
ReplyDeleteShe's reprehensible.
And so full of it that it's coming out of her ears.
To say the president didn't mean anything by it is like saying a racial slur is just a joke. Come on. I know he's a rock star to many, but this was really in bad taste.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Joyce