Fla Dem
Fla Dem's JournalIn later years as families grow apart, especially extended families
both emotionally and by distance, sometimes weddings and funerals are the only thing that reconnects us to our past. For some that may not mean too much, but for others it means a lot. Seeing cousins, aunts and uncles, sometimes even sisters and brothers. A time to get caught up, reminisce, remember those who have already gone, have some laughs over the "old days" and to remind us we are part of a larger whole.
I know not every family has shared good memories of times gone by. But for those of us that do, funerals particularly for someone who has lived a good life, a long life, can be very comforting while sad.
Just my thoughts.
I love my cat. She was a 2 month old bobbed tail tabby feral when I found her dehydrated
on my neighbors driveway. I thought she was dead. That was 10 years ago. As a kitten she loved snuggling in my arms and on my lap. But about at a year old she began not liking me holding her or touching her. She still curls up next to me on the sofa and always wants to sleep on the bed, but holding and touching is not her favorite thing, although I still do it and she's not happy about it. But she is loving in her own way. Always has to be in the same room with me. If she comes in from the screened patio and I'm not in sight, she cries for me. If I don't answer her, she'll search every room until she finds me. Then gives me a disgusted look that says, "you could have told me where you were". The one thing she "allows" me to do is brush her. She will jump up on the hassock where I'm sitting and let me brush her until she's had enough. She'll give my hand head rubs and the occasional kiss on the hand, but when she's had enough, she's had enough.
She is definitely not the playful cat I see on videos. She doesn't climb on things or jump in boxes. I can't tell you how much money I've wasted on cat toys and houses and crinkly tubes just to have her ignore them completely.
But she's my Buddy, my Pal and my Friend. Together until the end.
10 Years ago.
My musings on the Supreme Court
It doesn't look Turtle McConnell is going to allow a vote on President Obama's candidate Judge Garland. If he continues to obstruct, that's at least one spot the new pres (HRC) will get to appoint. Then based on age, I would guess there could be 2 more in the 1st term; RBG will be 87 at the end of the 1st term, Anthony Kennedy will be 83. But who know. RBG may stay until she's 90, and given the sudden death of Scalia, someone may go unexpectedly. The good thing is if HRC is the president, there is no way the senate can block her nominee to fill Scalia's spot. We still end up with a 5-4 center-left Supreme Court. (Merrick Garland is 63)
As much as I admire RBG I hope she retires before the end of the first term. Kennedy and/or Breyer retires. Then we have the possibility of at least 4-5 Justices that will be in their late 50's early 60's.
Sonia Sotomayor........61
Elena Kagan..............56
Pres Obama's or HRC's nominee to replace Scalia
Replacement for RBG sometime during the first term
Replacement for the retirement of Anthony Kennedy or Stephen Breyer
Hopefully all of the replacement candidates will be in their late 50's to early 60's.
We could have at least 5 relatively young center/left Supreme Court Justices.
If they stay in good health, they could dominate the SC for the next 20 years. Of course I am supposing all this with the expectation that HRC will be the next President.
The last 9 justices retired or died between the ages of 70-90.
Antonin Scalia............died at 80
Sandra Day O'Connor retired at 75
David Souter............retired at 70
John Paul Stevens.....retired at 90
William Rehnquist.........died at 81
Lewis Powell............. retired at 80
Harry Blackmun.........retired at 86
Warren Burger..........retired at 79
Thurgood Marshall.....retired at 83
Only 2 justices stayed beyond 85,
Age of current SC Justices
Anthony Kennedy........79......Ronald Reagan
Clarence Thomas........67......George H. W. Bush
Ruth Bader Ginsburg... 83.......Bill Clinton
Stephen Breyer...........77.......Bill Clinton
John G. Roberts..........61.......George W. Bush
Samuel A. Alito, Jr......66.......George W. Bush
Sonia Sotomayor........61.......Barack Obama
Elena Kagan..............56........Barack Obama
Profile Information
Gender: FemaleHometown: Boston Area
Home country: USA
Current location: NE Floriduh
Member since: Sun Nov 2, 2003, 11:45 AM
Number of posts: 23,666
