Hello and Happy New Year!
Mom, Dad and I were talking about the upcoming family get-together in Fargo.
We thought it might be nice if we could all gather in ND Mothers Day Weekend.
What does everyone think?
This is the weekend of May 9, 10, 11.
Let me know as soon as you can and we can start planning.
Love to all!
Tam
Monday, December 31, 2007
Saturday, December 29, 2007
HISTORY LESSON
ANOTHER POST FROM AND FOR MY LIBERAL FRIENDS
BILL
now we know whom GWB emulates.
“Naturally the common people don't want war . . . But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. ...Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” – Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials.
Hermann Wilhelm Göring (January 12, 1893 – October 15, 1946) was a German politician and military leader, a leading member of the Nazi Party, second in command of the Third Reich, and commander of the Luftwaffe. He was tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity at the Nuremberg Trials in 1945-1946 and sentenced to death by hanging; however, he committed suicide by ingesting potassium cyanide before he was scheduled to be hanged.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Friday, December 7, 2007
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Getting Into Everything
Well Noah is getting into everything. Standing up and crawling everywhere. He is a handful, now the hard part beings. well I hope everyone has a joyful holiday. love ya' all and miss ya.
Breanne Blaine and Noah
Breanne Blaine and Noah
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Economic Inequality
Ok, here is another one from and for my liberal friends:
Bill Moyers
The Nation
Thank you for this recognition and the spirit of the evening. Thanks especially for giving me the chance to sit here awhile thinking about my father. Henry Moyers was an ordinary man who dropped out of the fourth grade because his family needed him to pick cotton to help make ends meet. The Depression knocked him off the farm and flat on his back. When I was born he was making two dollars a day working on the highway to Oklahoma City. He never made over $100 a week in the whole of his working life, and he made that only when he joined the union on the last job he held. He voted for Franklin Roosevelt in four straight elections, and he would have gone on voting for him until kingdom come if both had lived that long. I once asked him why, and he said, "Because the President's my friend." Now, my father never met FDR. No politician ever paid him much note, but he was sure he had a friend in the White House during the worst years of his life. When by pure chance I wound up working there many years later, and my parents came for a visit, my father wanted to see the Roosevelt Room. I don't know quite how to explain it, except that my father knew who was on his side and who wasn't, and for twelve years he had no doubt where FDR stood. The first time I remember him with tears in his eyes was when Roosevelt died. He had lost his friend.
We can't revive the man and certainly we wouldn't want to revisit the times, but we can rekindle the spirit. There are 37 million people in this country who are poor; there are 57 million who are near poor, making $20,000 to $40,000 a year--one divorce, one pink slip, one illness away from a free fall. That's almost one-third of America still living on the edge. They need a friend in the White House. My father, with his fourth-grade education and two fingers with the missing tips from the mix-up at the cotton gin, got it when Roosevelt spoke. "I can't talk like him," he said, "but I sure do think like him." My father might not have had the words for it, but he said amen when FDR talked about economic royalism. Sitting in front of our console radio, he got it when Roosevelt said that private power no less than public power can bring America to ruin in the absence of democratic controls.
Don't think for a moment he didn't get it when Roosevelt said that a government by money was as much to be feared as a government by mob, or when he said that the political equality we once had won was meaningless in the face of economic inequality. My father got it when he heard his friend in the White House talk about how "a small group had concentrated into their own hands an almost complete control over other people's property, other people's money, other people's labor--other people's lives." My father knew FDR was talking for him when he said life was no longer free, liberty no longer real, men could no longer follow the pursuit of happiness--against economic tyranny such as this. And my father listened raptly when his friend the President said, "The American citizen"--my father knew the President was speaking of him--"could appeal only to the organized power of government."
So thank you for reminding us that liberalism is less about ideology and doctrine than about friendship and faith--the bond between a patrician in the White House and a working man on the Texas-Oklahoma border and their mutual belief in America as a shared project. Thank you for this reminder of how we might yet turn the listing ship of state. My father thanks you, too.
Bill Moyers
The Nation
Thank you for this recognition and the spirit of the evening. Thanks especially for giving me the chance to sit here awhile thinking about my father. Henry Moyers was an ordinary man who dropped out of the fourth grade because his family needed him to pick cotton to help make ends meet. The Depression knocked him off the farm and flat on his back. When I was born he was making two dollars a day working on the highway to Oklahoma City. He never made over $100 a week in the whole of his working life, and he made that only when he joined the union on the last job he held. He voted for Franklin Roosevelt in four straight elections, and he would have gone on voting for him until kingdom come if both had lived that long. I once asked him why, and he said, "Because the President's my friend." Now, my father never met FDR. No politician ever paid him much note, but he was sure he had a friend in the White House during the worst years of his life. When by pure chance I wound up working there many years later, and my parents came for a visit, my father wanted to see the Roosevelt Room. I don't know quite how to explain it, except that my father knew who was on his side and who wasn't, and for twelve years he had no doubt where FDR stood. The first time I remember him with tears in his eyes was when Roosevelt died. He had lost his friend.
We can't revive the man and certainly we wouldn't want to revisit the times, but we can rekindle the spirit. There are 37 million people in this country who are poor; there are 57 million who are near poor, making $20,000 to $40,000 a year--one divorce, one pink slip, one illness away from a free fall. That's almost one-third of America still living on the edge. They need a friend in the White House. My father, with his fourth-grade education and two fingers with the missing tips from the mix-up at the cotton gin, got it when Roosevelt spoke. "I can't talk like him," he said, "but I sure do think like him." My father might not have had the words for it, but he said amen when FDR talked about economic royalism. Sitting in front of our console radio, he got it when Roosevelt said that private power no less than public power can bring America to ruin in the absence of democratic controls.
Don't think for a moment he didn't get it when Roosevelt said that a government by money was as much to be feared as a government by mob, or when he said that the political equality we once had won was meaningless in the face of economic inequality. My father got it when he heard his friend in the White House talk about how "a small group had concentrated into their own hands an almost complete control over other people's property, other people's money, other people's labor--other people's lives." My father knew FDR was talking for him when he said life was no longer free, liberty no longer real, men could no longer follow the pursuit of happiness--against economic tyranny such as this. And my father listened raptly when his friend the President said, "The American citizen"--my father knew the President was speaking of him--"could appeal only to the organized power of government."
So thank you for reminding us that liberalism is less about ideology and doctrine than about friendship and faith--the bond between a patrician in the White House and a working man on the Texas-Oklahoma border and their mutual belief in America as a shared project. Thank you for this reminder of how we might yet turn the listing ship of state. My father thanks you, too.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Tammy's update about Grandpa's procedure
Hi all - I just emailed the whole group, but wanted to post to our nifty blog too! Grandpa has anuerisms (sp?) in his upper leg and this can cause trouble. So, his docs did a little lookin' around and inserted two stints in his upper leg to remedy the situation. The procedure went very well and Grandpa is resting at home. Grandma is in good spirits and cooking a bunch of yummy stuff for Turkey Day.
Much love to all!
Elizabeth
Much love to all!
Elizabeth
Sunday, November 18, 2007
TO BE A REPUBLICAN....
I found this on a blog I read for liberals and progressives...some interesting contradictions.
Subject: To be a republican you need to believe:
1. Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of
homosexuals and Hillary Clinton
2. Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad
guy when Bush's Daddy made war on him, a good guy when
Cheney did business with him, and a bad guy when Bush
needed a "we can't find Bin Laden" diversion.
3. Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is
Communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital
to a spirit of international harmony.
4. The United States should get out of the United
Nations, and our highest national priority is
enforcing U.N. resolutions against Iraq .
5. A woman can't be trusted with decisions about her
own body, but multinational drug corporations can make
decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.
6. The best way to improve military morale is to
praise the troops in speeches, while slashing
veterans' benefits and combat pay.
7. If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents
won't have sex.
8. A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our
longtime allies, then demand their cooperation and
money.
9. Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound
policy, but providing health care to all Americans is
socialism. HMO's and insurance companies have the best
interests of the public at heart.
10. Global warming and tobacco's link to cancer are
junk science, but creationism should be taught in
schools.
11. A president lying about an extramarital affair is
an impeachable offense, but a president lying to
enlist support for a war in which thousands die is
solid defense policy.
12. Government should limit itself to the powers named
in the Constitution, which include banning gay
marriages and censoring the Internet.
13. The public has a right to know about Hillary's
cattle trades, but George Bush's driving record is
none of our business.
14. Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a
crime, unless you're a conservative radio host. Then
it's an illness and you need our prayers for your
recovery.
15. Supporting "Executive Privilege" for every
Republican ever born, who will be born or who might be
born (in perpetuity.)
16. What Bill Clinton did in the 1960's is of vital
national interest, but what Bush did in the '80's is
irrelevant.
17. Support for hunters who shoot their friends and
blame them for wearing orange vests similar to those
worn by the quail.
Subject: To be a republican you need to believe:
1. Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of
homosexuals and Hillary Clinton
2. Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad
guy when Bush's Daddy made war on him, a good guy when
Cheney did business with him, and a bad guy when Bush
needed a "we can't find Bin Laden" diversion.
3. Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is
Communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital
to a spirit of international harmony.
4. The United States should get out of the United
Nations, and our highest national priority is
enforcing U.N. resolutions against Iraq .
5. A woman can't be trusted with decisions about her
own body, but multinational drug corporations can make
decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.
6. The best way to improve military morale is to
praise the troops in speeches, while slashing
veterans' benefits and combat pay.
7. If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents
won't have sex.
8. A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our
longtime allies, then demand their cooperation and
money.
9. Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound
policy, but providing health care to all Americans is
socialism. HMO's and insurance companies have the best
interests of the public at heart.
10. Global warming and tobacco's link to cancer are
junk science, but creationism should be taught in
schools.
11. A president lying about an extramarital affair is
an impeachable offense, but a president lying to
enlist support for a war in which thousands die is
solid defense policy.
12. Government should limit itself to the powers named
in the Constitution, which include banning gay
marriages and censoring the Internet.
13. The public has a right to know about Hillary's
cattle trades, but George Bush's driving record is
none of our business.
14. Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a
crime, unless you're a conservative radio host. Then
it's an illness and you need our prayers for your
recovery.
15. Supporting "Executive Privilege" for every
Republican ever born, who will be born or who might be
born (in perpetuity.)
16. What Bill Clinton did in the 1960's is of vital
national interest, but what Bush did in the '80's is
irrelevant.
17. Support for hunters who shoot their friends and
blame them for wearing orange vests similar to those
worn by the quail.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Jibjab, and so on
Hey y'all - So I finally (with Shawn's help) watched Bill's Jibjab things. HILARIOUS!! We laughed so-hard-we-hurt funny. YOu must see them if you haven't.... In other news, I just landed a new client so I'm pretty excited about that. I have 3 now and growing...... And that pic of Jacob and Joe with the pie (which Jacob wanted *nothing* to do with at the time) turned out to be soooo cute. Oh, one more thing. We finally got our wedding video transfered to DVD so we could actually watch it and it is very sweet. Love to all, Elizabeth
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Blog Instructions
Hello All!
I am posting instructions on how to use the blog for all of those who are having trouble.
This way we are all on the same page!
Love this thing!
Please post photos too!
Love to all!
Tam
I am posting instructions on how to use the blog for all of those who are having trouble.
This way we are all on the same page!
Love this thing!
Please post photos too!
Love to all!
Tam
Sunday, October 21, 2007
More family reunion pictures
Here are some pictures that Grampa took at the family reunion. There are many more, I'll include all those on a disc that I'm putting together of some of the best from the "pro" as well.
Enjoy!
Bill
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Friday, October 19, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Mary Jo's Surgery
Mom just went into surgery.
We have confidence in the surgeon.
Please send all of your positive thoughts and prayers this way.
Love to all!
Tam
We have confidence in the surgeon.
Please send all of your positive thoughts and prayers this way.
Love to all!
Tam
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
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Monday, October 15, 2007
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Welcome to the Sparke Family Blog!
Hello Family!
Welcome to the Sparke Family blog!
Please feel free to post family updates, photos, book reviews, political thoughts or anything else you want to share.
I can't wait to hear from all of you again.
It was so great to see everyone this weekend!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Welcome to the Sparke Family blog!
Please feel free to post family updates, photos, book reviews, political thoughts or anything else you want to share.
I can't wait to hear from all of you again.
It was so great to see everyone this weekend!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
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