Bristol has some tips for celebrating Valentine's Day alone. No, really! (Well not REALLY really.)

The reason of course that this is not REALLY real, is because both this Facebook post, and the blog post it links to, are written not by Bristol Palin, but by Nancy French.

And of course French's post is liberally borrowed from other sources as well, however this seemed to be an original thought of her own:  

Take a break from social media. 

The more you compare your life to others, the worse it is. Here’s the truth that you already know: people only post the most heavily filtered version of their lives online. (You know it, because you do that too!) So, don’t compare your real life to the edited version of your friends… especially on Valentine’s Day when people are hell-bent on posting their MOST ROMANTIC DAY EVER. 

Please. 

Take a step away from your phone, know you are loved, that you aren’t alone, and that February 15th is coming.

Which kind of begs the question, is this written as a message to others from Bristol Palin, or as a message from her deeply concerned ghostwriter TO Bristol Palin?

One can only imagine the kind of hell Barstool must be going thought right now, with two custody fights weighing her down, and a newborn cockblocking her next romantic groin grinding in the bed of some guy's pickup truck.

I'm not saying that it is not a hell that she richly deserves, I'm just pointing out its existence. 

What we have learned about the Charleston, South Carolina shooting, and what we adamantly refuse to learn.

So I, like I am sure all of you, have been watching the news coverage concerning that shooting in Charleston all day today.

To be totally honest I have turned it off a number of times, but then I just go back to it later on like some kind of sadness groupie. And yes, it is heartbreaking.

For instance we have now had it confirmed that Dylann Storm Roof went into that church to start a race war. I think on some level we might have expected as much, but that does not make hearing it any less chilling.

Of course before that was revealed the folks at Fox News were trying desperately to suggest that this was not a racially motivated attack but rather an attack on Christianity. (They also suggested that pastors start carrying guns, because as we all know more guns mean less gun deaths.)

We also learned that Roof almost didn't go through with his plan because "everyone was so nice to him." Which is something that I have read about five times today and it still makes me choke up a little.

I also watched as the victim's families spoke during Roof's bond hearing, and tried to hold it together as every single one of them forgave him.

Yeah it was a hard day.

Made even harder by watching conservatives and Republican politicians attempting to redirect any public outcry over gun control, and claim that racism was not something that they helped to support through their rhetoric or political actions. 

However at least one politician found herself called to task on Facebook in a response that has now gone viral.

Like I said it's been a hard day, and hopefully for some people, who have been working spin for the last 24 hours, it has been especially hard.

And as Jon Stewart so eloquently put it last night, nothing is really going to change. The only question remaining is how long will it be before we are all here again, talking about yet ANOTHER senseless shooting?

Something sweet to soothe your troubled brow.

The other day as I was searching for information to update my post about the Boston Marathon bombing, I found myself becoming very upset.

I felt I needed a break from all of the pain, fear, and despair. After awhile I started to become numb.

So I pulled my eyes away from the images played over and over again in a loop on cable news and looked for something to make me feel....well....something.

That is when I stumbled upon this YouTube site.

I of course cannot guarantee that it will make you feel better as well, but right now it is the best I have to offer. Just take a moment, clear you mind, and listen.
Namaste my friends. Tomorrow we will take up our shields and wade into the battle yet again, but for tonight let our final thoughts be thoughts of peace.

Martin Richard 8 year old victim of Boston Marathon bombing

Debbie Wasserman Schultz reads Gabby Giffords resignation letter.

There is more from the LA Times:

Lawmakers quickly enveloped Giffords as she arrived in the House chamber Wednesday morning, one at a time shaking her hand or kissing her cheek. She was escorted by her closest friend in the chamber, Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. 

Giffords' mother, Gloria, watched from the House gallery along with retired astronaut Mark Kelly, Giffords' husband. 

The chamber was mostly full, and staff members ringed the back rows. 

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi began a series of bipartisan tributes to Giffords, calling her "the brightest star that Congress has ever seen." 

"She has brought the word dignity to new heights by her courage," Pelosi said. "Congresswoman Giffords' message of bipartisanship and civility is one that all in Washington and in the nation should honor and emulate." 

"While Gabby may be leaving Washington today, I know this won't be the last we see of her tomorrow," said Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), the majority leader. 

At one point, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told Giffords, "We have missed you." Giffords, turned backward to see her colleague, replied: "And I miss you."  

The legislation on which Giffords cast her final vote would give the Homeland Security Department greater ability to go after ultralight planes believed to be smuggling narcotics from Mexico into the United States. 

It passed unanimously.

I watched this earlier this morning with watery eyes and a godawful lump in my throat.  It was absolutely amazing to witness the incredible outpouring of love and support that Gabby inspires in her fellow members of Congress, and for one brief moment politics were put aside as these Congressmen and women dropped their defenses and allowed their humanity to shine.  Truly an inspiring sight.

And to demonstrate respect for that ideal I will not engage in any partisan sniping or mention the person behind the one moment of rage that I always feel when I see this brave woman struggling to stand, or walk, or move her now useless arm.

But that does not mean I have forgotten, nor does it mean I have forgiven.

9-11 flag to fly over Christina Taylor Green's funeral.

From the Arizona Republic:

In a fitting tribute to the birth date and life of 9-year-old Christina Green, the National 9/11 flag, which was nearly destroyed in the attacks on the World Trade Center, will be displayed at her funeral on Thursday in Tucson.

The 20- by 30-foot Stars and Stripes was the largest to survive the collapse of the Twin Towers. Images that day showed it shredded and hanging by a corner.

Christina was born on Sept. 11, 2001, and had always been proud of her birth date and interested in the events of that day. She was one of six people killed in a shooting spree Saturday that also wounded U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

The flag was being brought to the funeral by New York Firefighter Jimmy Sands, who on Tuesday evening was at John F. Kennedy International Airport awaiting a flight to Arizona, said Jeff Parnell, spokesman for the New York Says Thank You Foundation, which displays the flag at events across the country.

Parnell heard Christina's mother talking on a news program about how "Christina looked at 9/11 as a holiday . . . and looked for all the hopeful things that came out of it."

I did not see too many hopeful things come out of after the events of 9-11.  But perhaps we will finally see something positive after the horrible events in Tucson.

I believe that is the least we can do to honor the memory of this precious child.