Bernbart, my husband knows much more about being a pilot than I do and quite a bit more about economics. I can argue about the efficiency of a decent air conditioner, though, and my math skills are pretty decent. I'm also more in tune to the social cues in a group than he will ever be. We all have our strengths.

That being said, my paraphrasing arguments to him about what I've read in a blog will not mean I will argue the best way to land a 747-400 with an engine failure in bad weather with another pilot. There are times you should step back.

Argue the politics, your sense of the politics, but don't argue the technicalities with experts.

I get that you are on Obama's team. Push come to shove, I am (and I think GG and Mona are), too.

p.s. my thanks to Mona in that (bfg, but as my husband always says) if you have to resort to giving your resume you've lost the argument. GG knows that, but some here have to be reminded. Many a blogger are so much more qualified than others....

I'm so relieved that the pilot (that can even carry a gun if they jump through the hoops) can't have a butter knife, but the food service guy can load boxes of stuff and himself all uninspected onto the plane. Don't even start me on the cargo...

I'm decidedly non-threatening (I try to be edgier to no avail)so I can bring all sorts of things through that should get me stopped.

My sharp brass dividers, some antique irons that would be better in any fight than brass knuckles, my leatherman that I always forget I have and they always seem to miss....

It is all for show and it seems to be getting to be more of a hassle.

What I don't understand is why so many insurance companies don't see birth control as a cost savings device.

The insurance company does not pay "retail" for it's drugs and there are inexpensive generic versions of the pill out there.

The average pregnancy of one woman wipes out ANY savings they've incurred by not providing the pill to hundreds. If it's a high risk pregnancy, the $$$ wasted by the insurance company go even higher.

I guess like so many businesses, they are more concerned about a dollar spent today than a long term savings.

but these are the types of things that make me roll my eyes at the women's movement, why it makes American feminists look like elitists. Also, it's the "PC" thing that stereotypes liberals in general.

I am not a laborer but am frequently at job sites, and sometimes I'm there in my hardhat and boots. It never once occured to me to been concerned with the signs warning traffic of our presence implied we might be all men.

Who in this country actually believes that only men work, not women? Currently, very few women have the luxury (and that's what it's become) of getting to choose to stay home and raise the children. And no, I'm not implying that raising children isn't a fulfilling honorable job....

p.s. At Caltrans, a decent amount of workers that are standing around supervising the shovelers are women engineers. (g)

I also have realized (after checking my bag) that I have a small liquid like my mascara....slipping it into my pants pocket solves the problem. I'd rather have my item than argue with TSA and hold myself and everyone else up.

The funniest one was when I was in Panama. We had an expensive piece of electronics that security said had to be checked, we hadn't checked it because we didn't want it stolen like our Ipod and other goodies that have disappeared. A guard took us around the corner (like he was escorting us to the counter) and handed us the device out of sight of the other security guards.

Get it?

He didn't say it was a legitimate issue, though I have no doubt it would for the strict constructionist types if the situation was reversed.

That was his point. The mood is pretty grumpy here....

BTW, any wingnuts out there, go to the RW blogs where many are insisting that Obama is lying about his age and faked his birth certificate to appear to be born after HI was a state. They are all sorts of font experts, etc. to back up their "proof". They then insist that being born in a US territory makes him ineligible.

I understand what you are saying, and am inclined to use inclusive language myself.

What bothers me for some reason is that this was a "campaign" that was waged.

It also bothers me that $$$ will be spent replacing all the existing signs. I get that as new signs are made, replace them with "workers ahead" or "people at work"...but to have to change out all existing signs makes it seem like a priority, a "big" change. Our tax dollars at work.

For me it makes feminists look like their priorities are out of whack, and I'm a sympathetic feminist.

I was hoping when I saw the "help wanted" blurb, that it didn't mean you were leaving.

I've enjoyed your take on many things, you'll be missed.

Good luck.