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LMG's comments:
on The Slow Path to Adulthood
How families live together in the US is a cultural construct. Our western version of how families should live together partially arose along with the developing middle class at the end of the nineteenth century. Just as babies and children were moved out of parents' rooms into their own bedrooms because families were living in bigger houses with more rooms, so too, did children move out of their family home and on their own at an earlier age. Prior to that time, it was not uncommon for unmarried children to remain with their parents, sometimes even until the death of the parents. In many other cultures today, this is still the norm. And it makes a lot of sense, economically and socially.
That said, if I had to live with my parents any longer than I had, I probably would have jumped off a bridge to escape!
posted 2 years, 4 months ago
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on Obama's Popularity
Mr. Obama has completely lost my support. He has abandonned the base who elected him. Democrats did not lose House seats to Republicans because they weren't compromising enough; they lost because they compromised too much. There is compromise, and then there is bending over backwards to try and cater to what are essentially abusers. Mr. Obama is like a battered wife--he keeps coming back hoping he will satisfy those who have been beating on him for years. I have been frustrated by health care, consumer protection, and Wall Street reform, but this latest choice to keep the tax cuts for the rich is the last straw. Mr. Obama's top economic advisers are the same ones who got us in this mess.
Change? I think not. More like business as usual, and I'm done with him. I will never give another penny to the national Democratic party.
posted 2 years, 5 months ago
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on Bomb Plot in Portland
I have to agree with those who think this is a wag the dog scenario. I just don't believe it. It is too conveniently wrapped and packaged right around Christmas and just as everyone is starting to finally--finally!--object to all of our rights being taken in the name of "security." We all die. Giving up our right to freedom from intrusions by the government is not worth the tradeoff to avoid this one possible method of death. There is safety, and then there is oppression, and the US is beginning to cross that line.
posted 2 years, 5 months ago
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on Foot Traffic
When thinking of "flow" it helps if those doing so use common sense. I had a pretty rough bicycle accident on Johnson Creek Blvd. in Clackamas County north of Fred Meyer. There is a bike lane there, marked as such, heading down the hill. It runs straight into the side of a curb at the bridge. It was nearly dark and I could not see that there was a curb there. The white line just runs right into the side of it. Whoever planned that seemed either completely stupid or completely masochistic. Luckily my toddler in the seat behind me was protected by that seat or the accident could have been much worse.
As a general rule, it seems like the city and county planners in rural and suburban areas care very little for non-car transportation.
posted 2 years, 6 months ago
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