Lives lived. Stories told. The seniors we serve are the same people who helped shape our nation. Using their minds, ingenuity and hard work, they were there when we needed them. They fought for our freedom, invented machines, developed medicines, dared to dream and ensured a brighter future for us all. Their stories are our stories. We share their stories with you in honor of all of the seniors whom we serve and who inspire us to do what we do. We are Meals On Wheels, and this is our story.

Mr. Alsworth

Mr. Alsworth credits Meals On Wheels with helping him get back on his feet after undergoing cancer treatment.

Back in 2010, Mr. Alsworth was losing weight and feeling weak while receiving chemo and radiation therapy. A health professional suggested Meals On Wheels might be an option.

Alsworth says, “It was exactly what I needed. It gave me energy. It really got me back into my life.”

“It’s like a foundation of a house,” he explains. “If you don’t have a good foundation on a house, you don’t have a house. Food does the same thing for your body.”

Mr. Alsworth also appreciates the kindness of the volunteers. “They talk to you and make sure you’re alright; they’re beautiful people. You can’t ask for more.”

We are Meals On Wheels, and this is our story.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

We Need Another Democrat

05/07/2013 Nativegrl77

Tomorrow’s Political Cartoon?

I’m trying my best. But there is a limit to what I can accomplish when there are 232 Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives (a/k/a “the Comatose Caucus”) and only 201 Democrats.

If we’re going to win more votes, and pass more good bills, then we need more Democrats. Democracy is like that.

Tomorrow, there is a special election in South Carolina to replace Tim Scott, who was the last remaining African-American Republican in the House. (There are 42 African-American Democrats in the House.) The Republican nominee is former Governor Sanford. The Democratic nominee is Elizabeth Colbert Busch. Despite the fact that President Obama lost this district last year by 18 points, in the latest poll, the two candidates are only one point apart.

I’m not going to make fun of Governor Sanford. That’s just too easy.

Nor am I going to ask you to support Colbert Busch because her brother is Stephen Colbert of the Comedy Central Channel. By the same token, I will not ask you to support Warren Beatty for Congress just because his sister is Shirley MacLaine. Same thing with Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez. Also Peter Graves and James Arness. And Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine.

I could ask you to support Colbert Busch because, according to one report, she is pro-choice, she backs marriage equality, and she supports immigration reform. So I could ask you to support her without feeling my gorge rise. But I won’t do it for that reason alone.

No, I’m going to ask you to support her campaign because the last thing that we need in the U.S. House of Representatives right now is another Republican. And the thing that we do need is more Democrats. Seventeen more Democrats, to be exact.

We’ve established a contribution page to help her campaign. Click here, etc., etc. Let’s take back the House.

Courage,

Rep. Alan Grayson

P.S. Please help elect another Democrat by sharing this with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture, ~ Youtube ...gotta listen to this

Un Mensaje De La Casa Blanca – YouTube

05/07/2013 Nativegrl77

Black History

CONGRESS

05/07/2013 Nativegrl77

State Capitol 047-DSC_4955And5more_fused (Photo credit: Digidave)

The Senate stands in adjournment until 10:00am on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.
Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 11:00am with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each with the Republicans controlling the first half and the Majority controlling the final half.
Following morning business, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #42, the nomination of David Medine, of Maryland, to be Chairman and Member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board with up to one hour of debate equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees.
Upon the use or yielding back of time (at approximately 12:00pm), there will be a roll call vote on confirmation of the Medine nomination.
The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.
At 2:15pm, the Senate will begin consideration of S.601, the Water Resources Development Act.
12:01pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #42, the nomination of David Medine, of Maryland, to be Chairman and Member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board;Confirmed: 53-45
Senator Murray asked consent to go to conference on the Budget resolution. Senator McConnell asked that the request be modified so that it not be in order for the Senate to consider a conference report that includes tax increases or reconciliation instructions to increase taxes or raise the debt ceiling.Senator Murray declined to modify her request. Senator McConnell then objected to the request.The Senate stands in recess until 2:15pm.
The Senate has begun consideration of S.601, Water Resources Development Act.
Senator Boxer withdrew the committee reported substitute amendment and called up
Boxer-Vitter substitute #799. The managers are now giving
their opening statements. We are working on lining up the first amendments in
order to the bill.
The Senate is in a period for debate only until 6:30pm on S.601, WRDA, while we figure out the first
amendments to be considered to the bill.
The Senate has reached an agreement that provides for the consideration of the first 3 amendments to the WRDA legislation. At 11:30am tomorrow, Wednesday, May 8^th, the Senate will resume consideration of S.601 and the following amendments will be the first amendments in order to the pending Boxer-Vitter substitute amendment #799:- Coburn #804 (ammunition);- Coburn #805 (Army Corps lands/guns); and
– Whitehouse #803 (oceans).

No second degree amendments are in order to any of these amendments prior to votes in relation to the amendments. The Coburn and Whitehouse amendments are subject to a 60 affirmative vote threshold. The time until 2pm, will be equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees, for debate on the amendments. Senator Coburn controls 40 minutes of the Republican time.

At 2:00pm the Senate will proceed to vote in relation to the amendments in the order listed. There will be 2 minutes equally divided between the votes and all after the first vote will be 10 minute votes.

Upon disposition of the Coburn and Whitehouse amendments, the substitute amendment, as amended, if amended, will be agreed to and be considered original text for the purposes of further amendment.
WRAP UP
ROLL CALL VOTE1) Confirmation of Executive Calendar #42, the nomination of David Medine, of Maryland, to be Chairman and Member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board; Confirmed: 53-45LEGISLATIVE ITEMS
Passed H.R.1071, a bill to specify the size of the precious-metal blanks that will be used in the production of the National Baseball Hall of Fame commemorative coins.

Discharged the Judiciary committee and adopted S.Res.127, Commemorating the 10-year anniversary of the loss of the State symbol of New Hampshire, the Old Man of the Mountain.

Adopted S.Res.130, designating the week of May 1 through May 7, 2013, as “National Physical Education and Sport Week”.

Began the Rule 14 process of S.888, the End User Exemptions from provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act. (Johanns)

No additional EXECUTIVE ITEMS

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May 2013
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

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Last Floor Action:
10:00:15 P.M. – The House adjourned.

The
next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on May 7, 2013

10:00:21 A.M.		The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
10:00:26 A.M.		The Speaker designated the Honorable Reid J. Ribble to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
10:00:49 A.M.		MORNING-HOUR DEBATE – The House proceeded with Morning-Hour Debate. At the conclusion of Morning-Hour, the House will recess until 12:00 p.m. for the start of legislative business.
10:44:00 A.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 P.M. today.
12:00:00 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of May 7.
12:00:05 P.M.		Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.
12:01:05 P.M.		POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS ON APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL – The Chair announced that he had examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and had approved it. Mr. Quigley demanded that the question be put on agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal and by voice vote, the Chair announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Quigley demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal until later in the legislative day.
12:01:40 P.M.		PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Benishek to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
12:01:59 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches which by direction of the Chair, would be limited to 15 per side of the aisle.

12:39:34 P.M.		The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received a message from the Secretary of the Senate on May 7, 2013 at 9:30a.m., stating that that body had passed S. 743.
12:40:00 P.M.	H. Res. 198	Considered as privileged matter. H. Res. 198 — “Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1406) to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide compensatory time for employees in the private sector.”
12:40:04 P.M.	H. Res. 198	DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 198.
1:38:37 P.M.	H. Res. 198	POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on H. Res. 198, the Chair put the question on ordering the previous question on H. Res. 198 and by voice vote announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Polis demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings on ordering the previous question on H. Res. 198 until later in the legislative day.
1:39:06 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.
2:10:27 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of May 7.
2:11:06 P.M.		UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on ordering the previous question on H. Res. 198, which was debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
2:12:32 P.M.	H. Res. 198	Considered as unfinished business. H. Res. 198 — “Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1406) to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide compensatory time for employees in the private sector.”
2:37:29 P.M.	H. Res. 198	On ordering the previous question Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 230 – 198 (Roll no. 132).
2:46:21 P.M.	H. Res. 198	On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by recorded vote: 228 – 199 (Roll no. 133).
2:46:22 P.M.	H. Res. 198	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2:46:27 P.M.		UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal, which had been postponed from earlier in the day.
2:54:11 P.M.		On approving the Journal Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 293 – 131, 1 Present (Roll no. 134).
2:55:10 P.M.		Mr. Petri asked unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9:00 a.m. on May 8. Agreed to without objection.
2:55:51 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.
3:14:23 P.M.		SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.
5:13:54 P.M.		The Speaker laid before the House a message from the President transmitting a notification of the continuance of the national emergency with respect to Syria – referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 113-22).
5:17:06 P.M.		SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House resumed Special Order speeches.
6:17:00 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.

7:04:00 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of May 7.
7:04:10 P.M.		Mr. Sessions filed a report from the Committee on Rules on H. Res. 202.
7:05:00 P.M.		Mr. Sessions moved that the House do now adjourn.
7:05:05 P.M.		On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.
7:05:07 P.M.		The House adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on May 8, 2013.

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~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

launch

05/06/2013 Nativegrl77

I just left the official launch of our Off the Sidelines campaign. I am amazed by how far this movement has come – and excited about how far it can go.

As much as we have accomplished together, I know we can achieve so much more.

Thank you for all you do,

Kirsten