I like that a lot, WillowTree! "My body, My rules."

And it's an absolute. For me, this is non-negotiable.

MY body, MY rules.

Yes. ABSOLUTELY.

When I was single, that was my big test for any man who wanted to get close to me. Would he be willing to choose consideration of my feelings over his wish for his own momentary pleasure - because he simply HAD to "feel it" without a condom? That told me a TON about any possible suitors, boyfriends, and certainly marriage material. If the boy put aside his own love of feeling it, in order to make sure I felt protected and comfortable, that told me he was worth hanging around with. Maybe for the long term. Like the guy I eventually married. If, on the other hand, he put his own pleasures over my concerns, or insisted it'd be okay and nothing would happen or "oh, just this once won't risk anything," I would not, and did not, go further with him.

'Cause that told me how he'd behave later on if we were together or married or otherwise committed - how he'd take my feelings and concerns into account on a LOT of things - way beyond just sex. If it was just all about him and his pleasure, then I knew that meant there'd certainly be no room for me.

Great one, Mr. President!

May we all have four more years of your excellent service to this country with no clouding, cheapening, or perverting of that duty by any sense of entitlement on your part!

Did anyone know what a talented pianist she was?

I interviewed her in her home back when I was still working. She played a couple of tunes on this gorgeous antique harpsichord she owned. She was really good. SO talented. SO versatile. And thoroughly charming, welcoming, hospitable. Didn't take herself a bit seriously. She bore the scars of being a not-so-pretty girl - but MAN did she make 'em laugh.

And she was the first of her kind in showbiz. Every female comedian for the last 50 - 60 years owes her, bigtime. She was godmother to them all.

Totally with you on Alan Alda. Actually, Arnold Vinnick in "The West Wing" was a moderate GOPer.

Believed fervently in the separation of church and state, and took quite a stand on it.

I'd watch his scenes and think - "man, what would I give to have Republicans on Capitol Hill, instead of republi-CONS. People you could actually do business with and reach a meeting of the minds - on SOMETHING. None of this on-going animus and unbending my-way-or-the-highway scorched-earth ideology.

Love that! I never heard that one before. But MAN does it ever fit!

Dang! LOVE what our musicians are doing and the stands they're taking!

Tom Morello in particular. But I also love how Bruce Springsteen refuses to meet with that lout who claims to love him to pieces - chris christie. And then there's Gerry Casale of DEVO! Did you guys see this one?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021141545

This one - uh - shall we say - "dogs" romney!



On edit - And don't you love how Tom Morello lumped CHARLES MANSON in with chris christie and paul ryan?!! Birds of a feather. They think they love the music but don't understand it.

Hey viguy007, Welcome to DU, and thank you for a MOST excellent post!

Your arguments have tremendous merit.

And the saddest thing for you - and for ALL of us Americans on EITHER side of the political aisle - is that the Republican Party you knew all your life is NOT the one we have today. I don't know WHAT this horrorshow of a "political party" is that's festering like skin sores all over our country. My father would not have recognized this republi-CON party, and he was proud to vote GOP (even though he called himself an independent). We ALL are owed a functioning political system at the highest levels of government because we ALL are owed a functioning government rather than a government being eaten from within itself as though it were overrun by either cancer or termites - by a rabble that believes knee-jerkedly that government = bad. I wish we could ship them all to Somalia and keep the moderates here so we could STILL get something done in Washington like the adults our reps are supposed to be. Adults. Instead of ideological-nutcase adult-sized spoiled-brat infants.

I know you've believed in your party for all the right reasons (and I usually don't use the word "right" anymore, since the jackal-esque "latter-day saints" of the GOP have completely perverted the very meaning of the word), and for many years. I'm sorry it's finally left you. I know how bad I feel when I sometimes ponder whether MY party has left me, which I find myself doing far more frequently than I like. I sympathize. I imagine you think of the kind of Republicans from the days where "R" also stood for "respectable."

But Welcome! You are welcome here. It can get pretty wild at times, but it's because we all feel so strongly about what's going on in this country, and how badly the zealots are trying to lead us down into Hell. Glad you're here.

Now get to work.

Hey, this female doesn't give a crap what he looks like.

His physique is supposed to be so beautiful? I can't even see it when his ideas are so blindingly ugly.

GREAT one!!! DUzy!

hifiguy - you ROCK!

A cross between Lovey Howell and a hyena!!!