I was never a person who got a lot of those in school, funny how it means more now...

I was in a local business today having my car worked on. I overheard a conversation about one of the young men at the counter who was Hispanic. He was a very nice young man, seemed to enjoy his job and care about the customers. These two men were making some horrible racist comments. I shot them a look but ignored them. I'm always afraid they are "carrying" and would harm me.

The next time I promise to speak up, remaining silent gives them permission to be bigots!

Please please call your local shelter and see what they need right now. Here in Oklahoma it is horrible, the wind chills are well below zero and are supposed to stay this way for a while.

Our shelter needs coffee, soups with pop top lids, blankets warm scarves, gloves and hats. People are going to die in this weather, some already have. I look around and see churches here that look like 5 star hotels and wonder what if anything they are doing to help. I know they have not opened their doors to help keep people warm. I am sure shelters are having to turn people away. Not to mention the ones who have a mental illness are will not come in from the cold even when they have a chance.

We do a horrible job in this country taking care of those who are least able to take care of themselves. We need to step up. I can't do as much as I would like to but I am doing what I can, if we all did that it would help so much! Volunteer if you cannot finacially help.

Everyone is important in this life. Please help.

We have neighbors who moved in last year. They are a very quiet young couple, don't talk to anyone, no waving like all of us do. They refused to take part in last year's block party. I don't mind that they don't want to socialize, but they have two young sons who are a problem.

The boys are maybe age 8 and 10, they have caused some damage to garage doors in the neighborhood, they leave their toys, trucks balls bats all over the neighborhood, in yards, driveways etc. Lately they have begun to throw large objects and some sharp tools over our fence at our dogs. Yesterday, I returned one of the sharp barbecue tools to the father and asked that they be a bit more careful. He laughed, shut the door and walked away from me.

Should I call the police? The only other time I have reported a neighbor was when he was drunk in the backyard shooting a rifle into the sky . This seems tame, but these things they are throwing could injure one of my pups.

The devil you know is better than the devil you don't. He will get tons of tea party money.

Has anyone here had a dog with a bladder stone problem? They have determined they are struvite. I have changed her food and now use filtered water for her but I am wondering if they might return at some point?

I was ready to leave DU but thought I would come back here where everyone is so kind...

I have had it. The posts are getting more an more juvenile and the attacks more personal. I don't need this in my life!

Our interest rate on our mortgage is 7 percent we have had it 12 years now. Because of foreclosures in our neighborhood our house value has gone down the toilet. Is it worth it to do a HARP? What are the closing costs associated with one of these loans.

Our bank didn't seem to want to talk about HARP they wanted to talk about a refinance that would only drop our rate a point, making it not worth it to us. The HARP is showing a 4.5 rate which would make it worth it to us to do it.

Thanks for any help.

I am sure it is due to living 4 miles from the Moore Oklahoma tornado in May, but our home owners insurance doubled on our little 1300 square foot home. We have 1000 deductible, added earthquake insurance because of all of the fracking quakes lately. Our homeowners is now $2100 a year!

Cannot do without it down here, but anytime people talk about how cheap it is to live here they should take into consideration how much the insurance costs!

Thanks to all of you for providing me a place to vent, to feel support and to land when things have challenged me this past year. We are like famiy, we do not always agree but when push comes to shove we all want what is best for the country we love. We are blessed to live in a place where we can disagree with our leaders and each other without fear.

It can get ugly here sometimes but in the end we care more than we curse fellow DUers.

May 2014 give us a Democratic Congress who will move this country forward, never lookimg back!

Happy Holidays!