Friday, April 12, 2013
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Tennessee Lawmaker Drops Bill To Cut Welfare For Kids With Poor Grades After Calling Child A ‘Prop’
Tennessee Lawmaker Drops Bill To Cut Welfare For Kids With Poor Grades After Calling Child A ‘Prop’: pOn Thursday, State Rep. Stacey Campfield (R-TN) withdrew his widely criticized bill to reduce welfare assistance for needy families if their children did not perform well in school. The state Senate would have voted on the measure this afternoon, but Campfield pulled the bill after his Republican colleagues refused to support it. Many children’s advocacy [...]/p
From ThinkProgress.org
From ThinkProgress.org
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Sequestration Nation | Center for American Progress
Sequestration Nation | Center for American Progress
The link above is from the Center for American Progress.
Toney Atkins comments: You've heard the word "sequestration" many times recently, but do you really know how it affects you personally as well as the entire U.S.? The above article may give you some insight.
Why Even ‘Reputable’ Porn Sites May Put You At Risk For Malware
This summary is not available. Please
click here to view the post.
Senator Defends Assault Weapons, Claims Criminals Don’t Use Them To Kill People
Senator Defends Assault Weapons, Claims Criminals Don’t Use Them To Kill People: pA day before the senate begins debate on a comprehensive package of gun safety measures, Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) told a local radio station on Wednesday that the provisions being proposed would have done nothing to prevent the tragedy at Newtown, Connecticut since criminals don’t use assault-style weapons “to commit crimes.” Appearing on “The Alice [...]/p
From ThinkProgress.org
From ThinkProgress.org
CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News
CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News
BREAKING NEWS ABOUT PRESIDENT OBAMA'S BUDGET; THE CRISIS IN NORTH KOREA; THE STATUS OF GUN SAFETY LEGISLATION; KIDNAPED KIDS FOUND IN CUBA, RETURNED TO U.S. ... and more from CNN.
MORE NEWS AND VIEWS YOU MAY NOT WANT TO MISS
More news and views at http://toneyatkins.blogspot.com/ , www.toneyatkins.com/ and www.toneyatkins.blogger.com/ .
Toney Atkins writes: New posts as of early April 10, 2013, include a story from NASCAR for racing fans; President Obama's new budget which potentially impacts Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid; North Korea's conflict and threats of war with the U.S.; the gun safety hoopla in Congress; flea circus' "stars" all drown; returning to a serious note, the passing of my first love, Annette Funicello of "Mickey Mouse Club" and "Beach Party" fame (plus a separate post with a personal remembrance); and other items (some with comments by Blogger Toney Atkins which recently have sparked some heated controversy and the cold shoulder from "friends" and even relatives) -- links to stories to keep you informed, amused, shocked and entertained. Thanks for visiting. What will you learn today?
Annette Funicello, Beloved Mouseketeer, Dies at 70 - NYTimes.com
Annette Funicello, Beloved Mouseketeer, Dies at 70 - NYTimes.com
Good New York Times obit, as would be expected. Toney Atkins
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
North Korea warns foreigners to leave South
North Korea warns foreigners to leave South
From NBC News.com
Get breaking news, sports and weather from www.nbcnews.com/
Check out www.toneyatkins.com/
SPREAD LOVE AND PEACE!
Legal pot sales will quadruple by 2018, experts say
Legal pot sales will quadruple by 2018, experts say (Posted from MSN Now)
Toney Atkins comments: Legalization of pot cannot happen soon enough for me. Of course, I'll probably be dead by then. To borrow from an old Larry Gatlin song, "Will There Be (Marijuana) in Heaven?"
Monday, April 8, 2013
ANNETTE, MY FIRST LOVE, PASSES AWAY...Toney Atkins remembrance
Disney child star Annette Funicello dies at age 70
From NBCNews.com
Toney Atkins writes: I am in shock and mourning with the news of Annette Funicello's passing. Annette was my first dream girl, my first fantasy girlfriend, the girl who made me realize in my early adolescence that I was becoming a man. She changed the whole meaning of the "Mickey Mouse Club" for me, and my eyes were to become glued whenever she graced the television screen. That time of day was ours, and I loved it. Annette was the perfect representative of peaches and cream innocence accompanying an unmatched physical beauty. When her name was on the marquee for a Walt Disney movie, I would scramble to be first in line to buy a ticket, and the dates who accompanied me had no knowledge that my heart belonged not to them, but to Annette. Later, I would follow her into those ridiculously silly "Beach Party" movies, in which the idiotic plots didn't matter. Annette was there. She might not have had the greatest singing voice, but could have been the star of my karaoke shows in later years, with no doubt in my mind. Annette Funicello, you made my young life richer and bring warm, beautiful memories as I go into my golden years. M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E, I sing, dedicating it with love to you, Annette.
From NBCNews.com
Toney Atkins writes: I am in shock and mourning with the news of Annette Funicello's passing. Annette was my first dream girl, my first fantasy girlfriend, the girl who made me realize in my early adolescence that I was becoming a man. She changed the whole meaning of the "Mickey Mouse Club" for me, and my eyes were to become glued whenever she graced the television screen. That time of day was ours, and I loved it. Annette was the perfect representative of peaches and cream innocence accompanying an unmatched physical beauty. When her name was on the marquee for a Walt Disney movie, I would scramble to be first in line to buy a ticket, and the dates who accompanied me had no knowledge that my heart belonged not to them, but to Annette. Later, I would follow her into those ridiculously silly "Beach Party" movies, in which the idiotic plots didn't matter. Annette was there. She might not have had the greatest singing voice, but could have been the star of my karaoke shows in later years, with no doubt in my mind. Annette Funicello, you made my young life richer and bring warm, beautiful memories as I go into my golden years. M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E, I sing, dedicating it with love to you, Annette.
2013 ACM Awards: Winners | MSN Music
2013 ACM Awards: Winners | MSN Music
Toney Atkins opines: What? You missed the American Country Music Awards show, and you call yourself a patriotic American? Seriously, the above link from MSN News takes you to a story about the show and this year's sinners. Country music rocks!
LISTEN TO TONEY'S CUSTOM COUNTRY RADIO STATION ON SLACKER AT:
http://slacker.com/r/Kbbnq
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Hactivist Group Anonymous Attacks North Korea
Hactivist Group Anonymous Attacks North Korea: pAs tensions continue to rise on the Korean peninsula, internet hactivist collective Anonymous has joined the fray — and appears to have been very successful at penetrating North Korea’s superficial cybersecurity defenses. ReadWrite reports: “On Tuesday, the group claimed to have stolen 15,000 passwords from the communist nation as part of what it calls Operation [...]/p
From ThinkProgress.org
Tennessee Clergy Speak Out Against Bill To Cut Welfare For Children Who Get Poor Grades
Tennessee Clergy Speak Out Against Bill To Cut Welfare For Children Who Get Poor Grades: pAs Tennessee prepares to consider two bills to reduce welfare assistance for needy families whose children are not doing well in school, a Change.org petition has popped up to fight the measure. The petition was started by Clergy for Justice, a Tennesse-based organization of clergy that has previously advocated for causes including immigration reform, health [...]/p
From ThinkProgress.org
The Food Industry’s Overuse Of Salt Contributes To Almost 100,000 American Deaths Every Year
The Food Industry’s Overuse Of Salt Contributes To Almost 100,000 American Deaths Every Year: pIn a new study published in the online edition of the British Medical Journal, researchers write that a 50 percent reduction in daily salt intake “could prevent approximately 100,000 deaths from heart attack and stroke in the United States every year.” Curbing salt intake by that high a margin is certainly a mean feat — [...]/p
From ThinkProgress.org
Top Senate Republican ‘Optimistic’ About Obama’s Budget: ‘He’s Showing Leadership’
Top Senate Republican ‘Optimistic’ About Obama’s Budget: ‘He’s Showing Leadership’: pSen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) expressed optimism about President Obama’s budget, scheduled to be released on Wednesday, saying it could lead to a grand compromise between both parties and force the GOP to meet Democrats in the middle. “There are nuggets of this budget that I think are optimistic,” Graham explained during an appearance Sunday on [...]/p
From ThinkProgress.org
Bank Of America To Pay $36.8 Million To Military Members For Improper Foreclosures
Bank Of America To Pay $36.8 Million To Military Members For Improper Foreclosures: pBank of America will pay $36.8 million to members of the military it improperly foreclosed on between 2006 and 2010, according to a settlement it reached with the federal government in 2011, the Justice Department announced this week. Bank of America was already paying 142 military members under the original 2011 agreement, but a further [...]/p
From ThinkProgress.org
Saturday, April 6, 2013
MOTHERS BEST REMEMBERED IN LIFE ... By Toney Atkins
REMEMBERING MOTHER
By TONEY ATKINS
In past years, I have received a number of wonderful and inspiring phone calls and letters about what would become my annual tribute in the Daytona Times to my beautiful mother, who passed from this world on April 17, 1994.
There have been requests to repeat that tribute, at least in part, to share with those who know what it means to have lost a mother and with those who are fortunate enough to still be able to look their mothers in the eyes on Mother's Day and say, "I love you."
This year marks the 19th anniversary of my mother's death and the 18th year that I still get choked up a little bit when I pass a counter in a store stocked with Mother's Day cards - especially the giant ones, which would truly have impressed my mom.
I recently traveled back to the town in which I was born to be with my dad, who currently is going through several different health crises which threaten to take him from me, too.
During the last few months of her life, my mother pleaded with me to get closer to my earthly father and to take care of him. He and I, indeed, have bridged a terrible gap that always seemed to be between us for far too many years, so the prayers of a loving mother were answered - and I am grateful. My dad, who took tender care of Mother during her final months, and I both still miss the woman who had a tremendous impact on both our lives.
My mother is eternal now, but in a spiritual sphere where I can't pick up the telephone and call her and tell her how concerned I am about my father and to hear her words of comfort and advice. Oh, how I miss her! Oh, how I realize how much I took her for granted! Time has increased my appreciation and love for her, but she's not here for me to tell her so.
Somewhere in my belongings is the Mother's Day card I had bought ahead of time in 1994 - the first time I had gotten one in years to send early so she would get it on or before Mother's Day, not several days or a week afterwards. "Better late than never," I always said with a laugh as I excused myself and apologized when she inevitably received it late, and she always said she forgave and thanked me profusely.
I still vividly remember the night that I walked into a dimly lit room in a Georgia hospital and looked down at the shell of my mother on the bed. She appeared to be so at peace and looked so much younger than her 74 years.
An hour earlier, she had been struggling for breath as she lay in a coma on a bed in another room in the hospital, with tubes running into her nose and into her arms that seemed brutally bruised by too many intravenous needles. There were fewer of them than there had been before, because they were relatively useless now. The doctors and nurses had told my dad and me that her body was shutting down, its parts failing rapidly, and that soon the few breaths we heard rattling through the room would be silent.
They were right. Her battle with cancer, congestive heart failure and other ailments - especially the stroke that sent her to the hospital for the last time - would be over that Sunday night - three weeks to the day before Mother's Day that year.
The card she never got to see was still in Daytona Beach.
The blessing was that, at least by appearances, she died without apparent agony from the horrible pain she could have been feeling. She had suffered very much. After her last breath, even with the hospital paraphernalia still attached to her, her years of struggle melted away. As her spirit entered a realm free of suffering, her face expressed its relief.
My mother loved me - sometimes, I thought, too much. She never liked my living 550 miles away. I lived under the "curse" of being an only child and being "smothered with love."
She was an outspoken woman, even more so with age. You could always depend on her speaking her mind to anyone and everyone. If you didn't like it - tough! But most people, young and old, including the minister who preached at her funeral, loved her for her simplistic, down-to-earth qualities. They saw her goodness as well as her human frailties, and the minister made special note that she indeed was one of a kind.
My mother was proud of me. It wasn't that I could do no wrong, because she would always be the first to let me know that I often did. But whether she approved or disapproved, she tried to act as though she respected my feelings and decisions.
I was required to send her copies of the Daytona Times (and the Daytona Beach News-Journal, when I was a writer and editor there) so she could proudly show off my writings to her friends and neighbors.
Oh, the many things I miss about Mother! She was always there when I needed someone to talk to. In our long distance telephone conversations, she worried about me, concerned about whether I was eating right, whether I was staying out of trouble and always wanting to know when I was going to get married and give her a grandchild to dote over. Even though I had crossed the threshold of 50 at the time of her passing, I was always her "little boy."
Eleven years later, I still sometimes find it hard to accept that my mother and my best friend is gone and I can't tell her how I feel about her and let her know that she did a wonderful job in trying to raise a good son. (None of my character defects can be blamed on her.)
How I wish I could hug her tightly and talk to her now!
The purpose of this writing is simple. It's not just therapeutic. I hope it prompts each and every reader whose mother is still alive to stop and think about that special woman, to remember her and treasure her while she's here, especially on the upcoming Mother's Day.
Pay her a visit. Send a card. Send flowers. Give her a telephone call. Buy a gift. Make her feel special, because after all, she brought someone special into the world - you.
Most important, tell her you love her while she can still hear your voice. She'll feel good, and you will, too.
-- This tribute by former Daytona Times Assistant Editor Toney Atkins was written and published before Mother's Day, shortly after his mother's death in 1994. Slightly edited to reflect the passage of time, it remains dedicated to all mothers everywhere and to the children who love and respect them in life as well as in death.
(c) 2005, Toney Atkins / Daytona Times
Obama apologizes to Kamala Harris for 'best-looking attorney general' comment - TODAY News
Obama apologizes to Kamala Harris for 'best-looking attorney general' comment - TODAY News
Above link from NBCNews.com.
Toney Atkins comments: Oh, come on, America! How tiny have our brains become that many get all out of shape because the president observed that a woman is "good looking"? Based on all of the idiotic, unnecessary news coverage of the comment, you would think that North Korea does not have missiles aimed at Americans in the Pacific, that we don't have politicians in office who have fought nearly every job creation suggestion offered by the president, that guns don't continue to kill more and more citizens of this country every day or that many white people don't still hate blacks and really resent the fact that the president is black. I believe most women are lovely and I used that word many times to introduce ladies participating in my karaoke shows when I was DJing part-time. Most of them seemed to appreciate the genuine compliment and none of them complained. The president has described other women and men as "good looking" and there was no uproar or complaint from those who were complimented. Have we gotten so small in our thinking that such an innocent and truthful comment can cause us to make this a major news story, or is it just that our blatant racism and sexism has finally come out of the closet for all to see?
Friday, April 5, 2013
NEW ASSERTION: DADS COULD MARRY SONS (A re-edited re-post)
DADS MARRYING SONS IF GAY MARRIAGE OK'D?? (RE-POSTED)
Toney Atkins comments: HUH? Just had to post this one. Now incest is being brought into the issue, and incest is a crime, as are acts of pedophilia. Writing as a victim of childhood sexual abuse on the part of an adult male relative, who was married with children, I can say it certainly did not make me sick enough to think that pedophilia (a disturbing mental and sexual condition in some adults that terribly and traumatically impacts too many young girls as well as young boys) is normal or that pedophilia is even related to true homosexuality or bisexuality. Speaking only for myself (and for most boys and men, I'm sure), I cannot believe that the pedophiliacrape by an adult male could make me even slightly interested in marrying my father, no matter how much I loved him. (My dad, God bless him, was totally heterosexual and definitely not a pedophile.)
The news report sparking this comment is at MSN Now link:
Jeremy Irons says gay marriage could lead to fathers marrying sons
The news report sparking this comment is at MSN Now link:
Jeremy Irons says gay marriage could lead to fathers marrying sons
Obama's Social Security Cut Proposal Sparks Backlash, Threats Of Primary Contests
Obama's Social Security Cut Proposal Sparks Backlash, Threats Of Primary Contests
Above link from the Huffington Post
Toney Atkins comments: WHAT????!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I'm pissed at nearly everyone in Washington. I urge readers to vote against ANYONE, Republican or Democrat or Independent who votes to cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. Most of us paid insurance to have these benefits in what were once called our "golden years." I'm feeling sort of rusty today. Shame on you, President Obama, for appearing to cave in to your opponents.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Congressman Links Popular Gun Safety Measure To Bestiality
Congressman Links Popular Gun Safety Measure To Bestiality: pRep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) often offers creative explanations for his positions — for example, he opposes protecting LGBT people from employment discrimination because such protections are part of a “war on religion.” During a conference call interview today with noted homophobe Rick Scarborough about his new organization, Tea Party Unity, Gohmert explained that he opposes [...]/p
From ThinkProgress.org
The Murder of Martin Luther King Jr.
The Murder of Martin Luther King Jr.: Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed by James Earl Ray at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn., 45 years ago, on April 4, 1968. His death shocked a country rocked by riots, civil discord, and a controversial war. It sparked nationwide protests, a...
Posted from ABC.com/MSN Now
NOT A FAN OF ORAL SEX IN VIRGINIA
From MSN Now:
Ken Cuccinelli Virginia attorney general wants anti-sodomy law reinstated
Toney Atkins comments: No comment.
Ken Cuccinelli Virginia attorney general wants anti-sodomy law reinstated
Toney Atkins comments: No comment.
GAY MARRIAGE COULD LEAD TO FATHERS MARRYING SONS?
Toney Atkins comments: HUH? Just had to post this one. Now incest is being brought into the issue, and incest is a crime, as are acts of pedophilia. As a victim of childhood sexual abuse on the part of an adult male relative, who was married with children, I can say it certainly did not make me sick enough to think that pedophilia -- which is a disturbing mental and sexual condition in some adults that terribly and traumatically impacts too many young girls as well as young boys -- is normal or even related to homosexuality. Speaking only for myself (and most boys and men, I'm sure), I cannot believe that the pedophilias rape of an adult male would make me even slightly interested in marrying my father, no matter how much I loved him. It certainly did not, and my dad was totally heterosexual anyway. .
Jeremy Irons says gay marriage could lead to fathers marrying sons
Posted from MSN Now
Jeremy Irons says gay marriage could lead to fathers marrying sons
Posted from MSN Now
Under the Gun
Under the Gun: pWeak Gun Laws & High Levels of Gun Violence Go Together Today, our colleagues at the Center for American Progress put out an important new study examining the relationship between a state’s gun laws and its rate of gun violence. Unsurprisingly, the states with the weakest gun laws tend to also be the states with [...]/p
From ThinkProgress.org
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
My Way News - Louisville's Ware leaves Indianapolis hospital
SPORTS UPDATE:
My Way News - Louisville's Ware leaves Indianapolis hospital
Associated Press/MyWay.com
My Way News - Louisville's Ware leaves Indianapolis hospital
Associated Press/MyWay.com
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Monday, April 1, 2013
Nightly News with Brian Williams
Nightly News with Brian Williams
News you should know from NBCNews.com, originally posted April 1, 2013
US Navy shifts destroyer in wake of North Korea missile threats
US Navy shifts destroyer in wake of North Korea missile threats
Breaking news from NBCNews.com at 8 p.m. Monday, April 1, 2013. This is not an April Fool's Day joke.
Rights Group Says March Was The Deadliest Month In Syria’s Civil War
Rights Group Says March Was The Deadliest Month In Syria’s Civil War: pThe UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Monday that more than 6,000 Syrians were killed in March, making it the deadliest month in the country’s two-year long civil war. Nearly one-third of those deaths were civilians. The group — which opposes Bashar al-Assad and his regime — has documented more than 62,000 deaths [...]/p
From ThinkProgress.org
The White Supremacist Group That May Be Targeting Law Enforcement For Revenge
HOMEGROWN TERRORISM:
The White Supremacist Group That May Be Targeting Law Enforcement For Revenge: pInvestigations into Saturday’s murder of a Texas district attorney and his wife are bearing down on a white supremacist gang that may have undertaken revenge for a racketeering case that put many key members behind bars. According to law enforcement sources, the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, a particularly violent prison gang modeled after the Aryan [...]/p
Posted from ThinkProgress.org
The White Supremacist Group That May Be Targeting Law Enforcement For Revenge: pInvestigations into Saturday’s murder of a Texas district attorney and his wife are bearing down on a white supremacist gang that may have undertaken revenge for a racketeering case that put many key members behind bars. According to law enforcement sources, the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, a particularly violent prison gang modeled after the Aryan [...]/p
Posted from ThinkProgress.org
Racial Supremacy Gangs -- Gangs and Security Threat Group Awareness
Homegrown terrorists in our midst. I found this important link to information they had rather you not know. Toney Atkins
Racial Supremacy Gangs -- Gangs and Security Threat Group Awareness
GOP Congressman Refuses To Apologize For Calling Latinos ‘Wetbacks’
From ThinkProgress.org:
GOP Congressman Refuses To Apologize For Calling Latinos ‘Wetbacks’: pRep. Don Young (R-AK) on Thursday night stood by his use of a racial slur to describe Latinos, saying that he “meant no disrespect” when he told an Alaska radio interviewer, “We used to hire 50 to 60 wetbacks to pick tomatoes”: “During a sit down interview with Ketchikan Public Radio this week, I used [...]/p
GOP Congressman Refuses To Apologize For Calling Latinos ‘Wetbacks’: pRep. Don Young (R-AK) on Thursday night stood by his use of a racial slur to describe Latinos, saying that he “meant no disrespect” when he told an Alaska radio interviewer, “We used to hire 50 to 60 wetbacks to pick tomatoes”: “During a sit down interview with Ketchikan Public Radio this week, I used [...]/p
Law Enforcement Officials Gunned Down In Possible White Supremacist Plot
From ThinkProgress.org:
Law Enforcement Officials Gunned Down In Possible White Supremacist Plot: pA Texas district attorney and his wife were shot to death in their home in Kaufman County last night, the latest instance in a recent spate of suspicious shootings of law enforcement officials. The deaths of Mike and Cynthia McLelland follow the shooting of a Kaufman County assistant district attorney in January, which stoked suspicions [...]/p
Law Enforcement Officials Gunned Down In Possible White Supremacist Plot: pA Texas district attorney and his wife were shot to death in their home in Kaufman County last night, the latest instance in a recent spate of suspicious shootings of law enforcement officials. The deaths of Mike and Cynthia McLelland follow the shooting of a Kaufman County assistant district attorney in January, which stoked suspicions [...]/p
Immigration Reform Deal Close Senators Say, Could Be ‘Rolled Out Next Week’
From ThinkProgress.org:
Immigration Reform Deal Close Senators Say, Could Be ‘Rolled Out Next Week’: pKey lawmakers involved in ongoing bipartisan discussions on a comprehensive immigration reform bill signaled optimism on the Sunday morning talk show circuit, with Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) — two members of the Senate’s “Gang of Eight” negotiators working on the reform bill — telling NBC’s Meet The Press that a bill [...]/p
Immigration Reform Deal Close Senators Say, Could Be ‘Rolled Out Next Week’: pKey lawmakers involved in ongoing bipartisan discussions on a comprehensive immigration reform bill signaled optimism on the Sunday morning talk show circuit, with Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) — two members of the Senate’s “Gang of Eight” negotiators working on the reform bill — telling NBC’s Meet The Press that a bill [...]/p
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