The saddle fitter also recommended these nice pads…also rounded, and squishy and light and washable! So the saddle probably weighs about what my Albion dressage saddle weighs and the pads are fitted and not heavy… What pad is this? I use a 1" felt pad with my western saddle, but would love to ...

WMW, I basically agree with your points. I'm not really sure about the balanced budget amendment though. I agree in principle, but I think reality might be something different all together. I understood the point Ronald Reagan was making way back when, that families have to live within their means, ...

in the last election, my deep suspicion of human motives, i felt that Obama was elected as the democratic candidate, despite his color, because they hated Hillary more, when it came down to the democratic motive. I don't think this is the case. I recall a conversation with a friend during that prim...

Suzon, you may be moving to the "Middle of Nowhere, OR", but you will be quite close to me. I will PM you my email. Let me know the next time you will be up and maybe we can have lunch. With any luck Code3 will be able to join us!

I have struggled with similar Achilles pain/stiffness, although as far as I recall it was not related to an injury. My PCP recommended some stretching exercises. I probably should have seen a PT, but was not referred. However, I did see a PT for an unrelated issue and asked her about it. She had suf...

IMO we should all be mad as hell and be saying enough is enough. There is no excuse for our country, my country, to have a mass shooting every friggin' day. It is complicated, it is about a lot of things, but it is also about guns. Listen, to be clear, I own an AR-15, two shotguns, and multiple han...

Crisscreek wrote:Is this a basic philosophical Canada/US difference "Peace, order and good government" vs "the right to pursue happiness"?

Well said Cc, and I fear that the answer to your question is yes. I wish that were not the case.

That about sums it up IMO.

This piece by Malcolm Gladwell sheds some important light on the subject of the epidemic school shootings. http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/ ... l_facebook That is an excellent analysis. Scary, but excellent. Oddly enough, I lived in Waseca for a time. It is hard to imagine something so heino...

The thing I would disagree with is the sense of entitlement. I think it pervades all age groups and is widespread, not limited to younger people. I'm not sure that is the case. I worked (recently retired) on a college campus, and I frequently heard faculty talk about how stressful it was to deal wi...

clanter wrote:If Jimmy Carter can win, anyone has a chance

Yeah, Nixon et.al. pretty much ruined that election for the Republicans, didn't they?

Yeah, except a huge part of the presidency is foreign policy. (Some would say, the BIGGEST part of the presidency.) How do you think his cocky self would go over in that realm? Really, really badly. Don't get me wrong, I do NOT think he would be a good president. I am shocked that I agree with him ...

I'll play. I agree with much of what you have said (not so sure about the link to vaccine ingredients, which have not changed substantially over 40-50 years). I also think anger is a big one. I think a lot of Americans are angry, and because it is pretty darn easy to get a gun (background checks are...

Spotted at X that is a BEAUTIFUL picture!!!

Boots, from my very sketchy memory of his interview on 60 Minutes: 1) closing the loopholes for business owners who send manufacturing jobs overseas or hide money overseas to avoid taxes. 2) universal health care 3) charging other countries for the cost of military services that we currently provide...

Don't worry. The political forum is a place to engage in discourse. You don't have to be right-leaning to engage here! I seem to recall that you were one of the most vocal members of UDBB saying you wanted no political forum. And now you're an admin of one? That's pretty weird . . . Hey, let's be g...

WheresMyWhite wrote:For many countries who have tried, their version hasn't done them any good.

IDK, you can sign me up for one of the Scandanavian countries any time.

You all won't believe I'm saying this, but I think some of Donald Trumps ideas have merit. I don't think we need his cocky self in the White House, but he may well start some conversations that are really needed. In the beginning he was clearly showboating, but his "campaign" is gaining in...

I wonder about that also. But it is not the first time I have had that thought early in the election season and things did straighten themselves out in the end. I remember Bill Clinton leaving me really scratching my head, but the more I watched him the more impressed I was. And apparently I was not...