Thurvey 2/2/2012

It is Thursday once again and the world still has questions.  Or at least the Thurvey staff has questions. It is your time, dear reader, to be part of the answer.    To respond to the Thurvey enter your wisdom in the comment below, type your name if you wish to be known, click on "anonymous" from the drop down menu, and click on "publish".  If the comment box does not appear below, click on the tiny "comments" below and the box will probably appear.

#1   In this time of extreme political polarization in America, when Republicans won't vote for a Democrat's tax cut and Democrats are criticizing Bush's Medicare Prescription Bill because it cost too much, there is an idea that should be favored by all parts of the political spectrum.  An inestimable amount of good is being done for America by "non-profits", entities that are set up much as businesses are, but with the purpose of doing some good or charitable purpose, not to make a monetary profit, but to accomplish a valuable purpose.  The work of non-profits in Alabama is being celebrated today, Thursday, February 2, during "Alabama Gives." This is the day to give to your favorite Alabama non-profit. If you do it through the link above your contribution will be included in the big total, to see how much Alabama will give to its non-profits in one day.   What is your favorite non-profit organization?  Tell us why we should give to it.

#2   Presidential candidates must do a lot of talking these days, so it is understandable, considering how much they must talk, and the grueling schedule they face, that they say something they wish they could take back.  But when should gaffe's be dismissed due to those factors, and when do they really say something about the candidate that needs a closer look?  In the summer Romney argued with a member of the audience at a State Fair, adamantly stating the "corporations are people."   He later said, though taken out of context, "I like to be able to fire people."  Last week in Florida he passionately bemoaned, commiserating with a member of the audience who was having financial trouble, "Banks are hurting, too."   Then yesterday morning Romney said, "I am not worried about the extremely poor . . ."   There are many more similar statements and incidents.  Is it important to consider these kinds of statements?  Has it affected how you feel about Romney?   In fairness, feel free to talk about other candidates' gaffes.

#3  It made me sad when I heard about the death of Don Cornelius this week.  Don Cornelius created, owned and was the face, heart and particularly the Soul of the long running syndicated TV program "Soul Train."  I watched Soul Train on a fairly regular basis decades ago.  Yes, I was an extremely white Alabama high-school kid in the early seventies and I watched Soul Train.  I loved the Temptations and the Chi-lites and Aretha and mostly I wanted to sing like Al Green.  I wanted to sing cause I really didn't think I had much of a chance at dancing.   The President sang a few lines of Al Green's song "I'm So in Love with You," during a speech at the Apollo this week.  Michelle Obama said on Jay Leno that Obama sang that song to her all the time.  What soulful song do you find yourself singing from time to time?  When did you first hear it?  
Peace, love . . . and sooooooooooul.