Is It Just Me?

Merry Christmas To All

2008-12-24T06:16:00.000-08:00

Wishing you a joyous Christmas
and a Happy New Year!

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Golf Thunder

2008-08-30T05:26:00.000-07:00

Patriot Golf Days
(go to the link to see video and learn about the cause)

Join Major Dan Rooney (125th Fighter Squadron) of Broken Arrow, OK in his dream to support Veterans and their families by playing golf this weekend. Major Rooney is asking everyone to play golf this weekend at golf courses that support his foundation, Folds of Honor, which is set up to create scholarships to send the kids to college or a vo-tech school. Find a golf course near you - play and give to a great cause.

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Where Potholes & Road Barriers Reign

2008-06-03T03:51:00.000-07:00

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After 50 Years

2008-04-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

A week ago I passed the 50 year mile marker. Reflecting on life is a natural thing to do at this age.

The 1st Person Wish List...

Personally I wish I had:

more education
traveled farther
a deeper commitment to being centered (as in not allowing myself to be tugged in too may directions at the same time)

The Personal Wish List...

As a mother I wish I had:

spent more time playing with my kids
been better at providing for them
listened more and better
more patience and wisdom

As a woman I wish I had:

not been so easy to trust those who didn't deserve it
been more assertive
less afraid to venture out on my own

The lists contain the words "more" and "better" frequently. In retrospect, it's easy to spot moments lost and the regret that comes with them. Time does get away from a person. As much as a person wishes that the world would just come to a screeching halt, just long enough to get it together, the world continues on and willing, ready or not keeping up and evolving with it isn't a choice, it's a necessity.

The Next 50 Years Wish List...

I hope:

to remove more and better from my vocabulary by accepting myself first for the person I am
to take that acceptance and allow it to fill my life with new opportunities instead of regret.

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Better Late Than Never

2008-03-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

I'm out of practice. Lot's of excuses - too busy, writer's blog, my new dog, work, spending my income tax return, etc., etc.

Speaking of spending money. I bought a Sharp HD 19 inch TV/monitor combo. It's my new toy and I love it. I never was one to watch movies, now I watch them instantly from Netflix. Although, I did have to work out a kink or two. Like the video card is out-dated a tad. No problem, kick the driver on as long as it takes to watch the movie and back it back to stone age settings. The first time threw me as I didn't do this before shutting off the computer and when I brought it back up I couldn't get a signal to the display. Fortunately I hadn't thrown away the old monitor. Now I know better - ALWAYS reset before powering down.

My new dog was spayed this week. Poor thing really was loopy for a couple of days. She must have had some good drugs. She's better now and is playing and got her prance back. Although she was amusing while loopy. I thought only people stared at walls when they were messed up.

I don't know if I've had writers block or just a writer's blah thing going on. Politically speaking, McCain wasn't my first (second or third) choice so I've got nothing really to get fired up about. Between Obama and Hillary, while entertaining to see them skirt around issues and keep from spilling blood, there is nothing there to look forward to except the thought that maybe the Mayan's were on to something. 4 years of either one and Doomsday could very well happen...

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Little Miss

2008-02-11T06:34:00.000-08:00

Weighing in at 8.6 lbs, with a snore that can lull even the most caffeinated person to sleep, this pint size pooch has won the hearts of all the humans in the family. She's fearless of Sally our 70 lb. mutt and will stand down our cats who are all bigger than her. She's a dancer, who can cross a floor on her hind feet for a treat with her front paws crossed daintily in front. She's a wonder to everyone who's met her.

Little Miss showed up starved, dirty and cold nearly 3 weeks ago at our front gate on a frigid night with a single digit windchill reading. A trip to the veterinarian proved to be enlightening and added more to the mystery to her story.

The vet swears she is a full blood Pekingese. That was a shock. How or why would anyone abandon a valuable dog like her? She had no microchip, no collar, was not spayed and although the vet put her age at around two years old had never had a litter. Health wise, she's a little bit worse for the wear. Underweight, coat was thin, and an ear infection. But, that all is in the process of being fixed. She's had her shots, gotten ear drops, has a microchip, is eating quality food and next month will be spayed and have laser surgery to reduce the skin folds under her eyes to prevent her eyes from becoming scratched. (My "better"(?) half loved that - he wondered if the vet could do a two-for for the pair of us).

She's learned to play. The poor little thing had never had toys. It took over a week for Little Miss to settle in and begin to take interest in a couple of squeak toys. She wasn't housebroken. That is taking more time, but she loves her treats and is getting better at doing her "business" in the proper places and at the proper times. She's becoming well traveled. She didn't do well until I got her a traveling bag, but now she's ready to go.

I hate to admit this, but I think I needed Miss more than she needed me. I guess I had been slowly falling into the empty nest syndrome. My kids are grown and my better half doesn't like to be hovered over. It was hard to get up in the morning and harder to come home after work at night, especially when everyone was gone but me. It's funny how much more energy I've got since Miss has come along.

The vet says I rescued her..., (don't tell anyone - but, I really think it was the other way around).

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New Family Addition

2008-01-22T04:07:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend our family grew by one small addition. Saturday night my oldest son decided to go out at the last minute around 10:30. We live in the country with frontage on a 4 lane 65 mph highway. As he got out of his vehicle to open the drive through gate he found a small curled up ball of fur. The temperature was 18 degrees and the wind was blowing. The ball of fur was dirty, starved and cold.

He picked it up and realized it was unhurt, just in pitiful shape. Coming back to the house, he opened the front door and said, "Mom you've got to come here." I found him holding a small Pekingese cross dog. And so our family grew by one shaking bundle of fur.

Little Miss, is her name. Bathed, groomed and decked out with the latest doggie fashions this full grown dog had been dumped along the highway. Most likely because whoever got her from a puppy mill didn't have the slightest idea how to house break her and couldn't or wouldn't deal with it. So, whoever you are - thanks for dropping her by. Our home is full of throw away animals. She'll be cared for and loved.

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Out With The Old...

2007-12-30T09:41:00.000-08:00

Wishing you
the very best
in the New Year!!

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Season's Greetings

2007-12-24T06:57:00.000-08:00

Wishing You
Peace and Happiness
for the Holidays!!

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When The Bell Tolls - Ya Better Listen

2007-11-23T07:13:00.000-08:00

I have spent the last six months slowly and daily living with graduating pain levels. That was until the last month.

One morning I rolled over to shut off the alarm clock and got the wakeup call of my life. Feeling a huge and very painful pop in my lower back and an instantaneous back muscle spasm, I began a new chapter of my life. One that deals daily with getting my health back.

Fortunately for me, my better half was there to haul me out of the bed that morning and take me to the urgent care center. I was unable to stand up straight, was dragging my right leg, and unable to tolerate lying down (my spine was locked up in perpetual spasm causing my pelvis to tilt at a painful angle in which I could pass my hand easily underneath my back while lying down). The initial round of pain killers and muscle relaxants did nothing to help my back spasms and two days later after sleeping fitfully in a chair we were able to get in to my regular doctor. After x-rays, the doctor prescribed a stepped up medication therapy and a visit to the chiropractor in four days once the medication had a chance to kick in. For those four days I remained sleeping in the chair and hoping the medication would work.

Going to the chiropractor helped tremendously. He had me lie down on his exam table and said, "Please remove whatever you have in your back pockets." When I told him I didn't have anything in my pockets he said, "Boy, you are messed up." Fortunately for me he was able to make a single adjustment (he tried for two but couldn't because my back was still spasmed too much) and I spent my first night in bed that night after 6 nights in a recliner. What a blessed relief that was!

So after missing 10 days of work, I returned with a lumbar support cushion for my chair feeling a hundred times better than I had for months. It seems that since I took a desk job after having been so physically active that slowly my back had decided to go into mutiny on me. What I did find out was that I actually had had a herniated disc at the L5-S1 region, which I re-tore when rolling over. The doctor said that the first time I injured it I probably just thought I had strained my back and was able to go on with my work, but the second injury created enough of the "cushion" to be gone between the discs that it created the pain I felt which was aggravated by the muscle spasms. I also found out I have a bulging disc at the L3 region and levoscoliosis which causes a curve to the left of the spine at the bottom of the thoracic region where it meets the lumbar region of the spine. The levoscoliosis affects the nerves that feed the abdomen and groin area causing pain to that region.

This is where my health story becomes more interesting. Now as a nearly 50 year old, I was experiencing painful menstruation for the same six month time frame and had undergone a complete physical with ultrasound that found nothing conclusive to explain the monthly agony I was having. Having ruled out (prior to my back going out) any organic reason for the pain it was with some relief to believe that the source of the pain was my back caused by the levoscoliosis. This revelation I could live with it. At least I wouldn't be having to endure a hysterectomy.

So I worked for a week with minor back and abdomen discomfort helped by medication that I only took at night. I invested in a Sealy mattress set (for a fraction of the cost) that was comparable to a Cadillac of the Tempur-Pedic mattresses and was sleeping like a baby. I actually felt pretty darn good compared to what I had a couple of weeks prior to the morning my back seized up on me. I was able to catch up on my backlog at work and was feeling pretty good about things when I returned to work the following Monday morning. That is when, hell began again for me - but with a very surprising twist.

By Monday afternoon my abdomen and right side was hurting some. No problem, pop some pills, sit in my new zero gravity recliner with the heat massager on full blast and I thought I was good to go the next morning. But by Tuesday afternoon the pain was so bad that I medicated myself at work which I had not had to do since I had returned. My office mate noticed my discomfort and I told her I had probably thrown my back out once more.

Tuesday night the pain was radiating from my belly button to my right groin with pain on my right flank (side). I couldn't stand upright, couldn't sleep, and the medication was not helping. I began to suspect that I had the cursed luck to be having an appendicitis attack on top of everything with my back. I finally took my temperature and with a sinking feeling confirmed to myself I couldn't ignore the symptoms I was having. So I called in to work once more and took myself off to the urgent care center again, having sent my better half off to work earlier that morning with the stubborn notion that "this too would pass".

I dismally failed the exam. The urgent care doctor wanted to call for me a ride, but the hospital was only a couple of miles off so I drove myself. After I hit the ER, things began to move pretty quickly. Lab work was done and I had an elevated white blood count (showing an infection). A CT was done and although they couldn't visualize my appendix, the doctor said that I definitely had "something going on" as there was a thickening in the abdominal wall in the region that I had pain in. A surgeon was called in, the anesthesiologist made his appearance and before I knew it off I went to surgery.

It wasn't my appendix. The surgeon began a laparoscopic surgery and found as he put it a "perfect" appendix. What gave me my trouble turned out to be a diverticula - not to be confused with diverticulitis - but rather a congenital birth defect, which usually is seen on the left side and discovered at a young age (before adulthood) where a single spot of the intestine causes a weakening in the intestinal wall which causes a pocket to form that finally becomes necrotic over time. In my case, the diverticula had burst causing the thickening of the abdominal wall as peritonitis set in. Fortunately for me, the hole closed off quickly (encapsulated) or I would have been in much more serious condition. As it was, the surgeon ended up removing the diverticula (which the anesthesiologist described as "massive") and about 6 inches of my large intestine. He also found a cyst on one of my ovaries and removed it, leaving the ovary intact. All were sent off to the lab for testing before they closed me up and thank God came back negative for cancer. I figure the diverticula was probably the size of a small tangerine, based on the size of the incision they made to remove it.

That was Wednesday. By Saturday I was released from the hospital. Let's just say it wasn't a pleasant experience. I found only one nurse to be working at a "gold standard" level during that time, while the other nurses (and aides) not only were substandard with their care, but indifferent to boot. On Friday I demanded to see the doctor as the pain wasn't being covered by the medication he had me on. The problem I had with all the staff was trying to make them understand that I was having back spasms that was right up there with the pain I had had a month prior, while my incisional pain was inconsequential (one of those if you don't touch it, it doesn't hurt things). He finally prescribed a muscle relaxant after my insistence and low and behold, my pain began to go away.

I also told the doctor that I was disappointed with the lack of proper and adequate basic personal protection the nurses had taken (no gloves, etc. while giving injections, changing IV sites and IV bags) and that I could take care of myself better at home. I had finally told one of the nurses, that I had worked in a long-term acute care facility taking care of MRSA, VRE, and flesh eating disease patients and asked her to use gloves for her own protection (forget mine at that point). I had felt a sudden wetness (which I discovered was blood) coming from down below earlier in the morning and I had called this same nurse to check it out. She asked, instead of LOOKING to see exactly where I was bleeding from (having had surgery on two different regions, either which I could have been bleeding from), if I had brought "personal hygiene protection" with me! It wasn't time for my period, it was 10 days early I told her and no, I didn't have any "personal hygiene products" with me. So off she goes and comes back a few minutes later with a package of napkins, tosses them on the furthest side of the bedside table away from me and waltz's back out the door. I thought my better half was gonna kill her. He got "that look". That was when I called her back to the room and we both demanded to see the doctor. (Why I began bleeding was probably due to trauma to the ovary and tube as it was nothing akin to menstruation, which the doctor allowed after examining me and resolved itself late Saturday).

I was still running a temp and insisted on another round of antibiotics from the doctor. I had been forced to take my own temp under my armpit and adding a degree as is customary in this case, as the aides had a problem understanding that drinking cold water (as I had been constantly due to the temp) would affect the outcome of the reading. (Case-in-point, I took it with my personal digital and had a 102. 4 temp, the aide came in within a half hour and shoved it in my mouth, even though I told her that I had just taken a drink of ice water and announced my temp was 97 degrees. I told her to try again and this time took it from her, put it under my arm and to her surprise it came back 101.3 (add the degree and there you go...). Can you say pissed off? (Always, ALWAYS - I am sorry to say as a nurse - look out for your loved ones in the hospital, take notes, question the staff and try to learn as much as possible about their health situation and appropriate care they should be receiving and then DEMAND it). Temperatures under 101 are not normally treated with Tylenol, but a consistently higher than normal temperature is indicative that something other than a normal healing process may be going on. Meaning, another set of lab work and more antibiotics if necessary, is not an uncommon way to deal with it.

Well no one was happier to walk out of a hospital than I was Saturday morning. I am now doing very well. I saw my personal doctor on Tuesday and he was amazed (the look on his face was worth a million bucks) that I had come in - not because of my surgery - but because I wanted to make sure that I didn't run out my medications for my back and to get my annual flu shot while I was off work. I don't think the poor man really believed I had had surgery until he got me up on the exam table and saw the incisions for himself. He was taken aback when I told him that I wanted the low dose of pain medications renewed for my back, as I didn't need the stronger and addictive pain medication the surgeon had put me on. He allowed that I would always have back problems and promptly re-wrote the medication prescriptions for my back, all the while muttering that he had never seen anyone come in that soon after surgery and not make a "big deal" about it.

To me it wasn't a "big deal" having had surgery. My back is a "big deal" and was the real culprit as I laid in that hospital bed in pain. Now that I know how to deal with it, I find myself celebrating my new found health, even if I do have to live with back problems. I am still having the up's and down's of surgery with a good day followed by a bone aching tiredness the next, but hey - everyday it gets better and it's nothing compared to what I had lived with for such a long time before that morning the alarm clock rang and woke me up once and for all about my health.

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Common Ground - Rev. Fred Phelps & Rev. Manuel Rivera

2007-11-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

From the pulpit the word of God becomes a tool to promote political causes. No one knows this better than the Reverends Fred W. Phelps Sr. of the Westboro Church and Manuel Rivera of the National Coalition of Latin Clergy. Using their title of "Reverend" both are preaching words in the name of God that are filled with a message that promotes hatred, incites division, and defies man made laws.

Who is listening to the preaching of these two men? Phelps' followers are comprised mostly of members of his own family (his recognized congregation numbers 75 members). Although his numbers appear low, Phelps has an uncounted number of supporters whose sympathies lie with him in those groups that are anti-government, are homophobic, and have white supremest leanings. Rivera has a much larger group listening to him as he is one of the recognized "activists" leading the Hispanic movement against reform (and into hysteria) of our immigration laws both on a federal and state level. Rivera has been of late spending his time in Oklahoma fighting House Bill 1804 which went into effect today, despite his efforts to impede it.

Although their causes at first glance appear very different, both are steeped in a belief that "their God" condemns anyone who doesn't think/believe as they do, that the laws of the country they are citizens of do not pertain to them, and that the color of their skin empowers them to cry out falsely that they are being persecuted. Phelps and Rivera are not above using inflammatory speech (while hiding behind the rights of the 1st Amendment) to castigate the very government that gives them those freedoms and rights. Both have stepped out from behind their pulpits to preach on the streets to promote their cause. Both are preaching "end-of-times" propaganda to audiences held captive by their circumstances (those who are living in their own versions of hell on earth) whether attending funerals of loved ones lost or by those who knowingly and purposely have broken laws (and now are suffering the consequences) to attain monetary gains unavailable to them in their birth countries.

Of a $10.9 million lawsuit loss to the father who's soldier sons funeral was a recipient of the Westboro curbside crusade of Christianity at it's crudest, Phelps had this to say,

Fred W. Phelps Sr., Westboro's founder, vowed to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, in Richmond, Va.

"It's going to be reversed in five minutes," he said. This case, he added, "will elevate me to something important," as it draws more publicity to his cause.

Phelps attacks those who have lost loved ones to death from war or AIDS with his funeral sign campaigns bearing slogans of "God Hates Fags", "God Hates You", "Cursed Not Blessed", etc., ad nauseam.

Rivera instills upon Hispanics (many of whom do not speak or read English) that they are being "ethnically cleansed" and

"We cannot trust the Tulsa Police Department or the sheriff department. They will definitely do their job which is to try to confirm if your legal status in this country is correct, which is when everything will be loosed against you," said Rev. Manuel Rivera.

Rivera's fellow activists have warned their opposition that their activist group is needed to "prevent violence" because their youth "are angry".

Phelps definitely is the crudest of the two. In his own words, a loss will help him promote his cause. Rivera is much slicker at playing his own people (using their fear of deportation to create a stampede out of Oklahoma) and non-Hispanics (by veiled threats of retaliation in the form of a Hispanic backlash) to promote his being a savior to Hispanics and non-Hispanics alike.

In the end, Phelps and Rivera's messages come across loud and clear even to those of us who don't want to listen. Forget compassion, forget acceptance, forget right from wrong - instill hate, incite division, trample upon those who oppose you. It is pulpit propaganda like this that breeds violence and hate-crimes.

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The Saga of Socks

2007-10-21T08:01:00.000-07:00

Cats DO have nine lives. The saga of Socks has been resurrected and if this cat could talk you can bet it might be hard to understand him through the hissing.

Socks the cat was a presidential celebrity during the 8 years the Clinton's tried to write their own version of Camelot. Socks initially shared his spotlight with Buddy the chocolate Labrador pup of the Reagan days, who unfortunately didn't have nine lives and ended up roadkill within months of his leaving the White House. Buddy's early demise, though tragic, was not in vain as he became the inspiration behind young parents everywhere when telling their children to "look both ways before crossing the street". It was easy for them to point out that Buddy was no more, all they had to do was point at his picture on the book filled with letters they wrote to Buddy and Socks. That Hillary capitalized on these impressionable young parents across the party lines, can still be seen today. Their children, now grown, still stand on street corners everywhere paralyzed by the fear of having to step off the curb and take responsibility for themselves. Their parents, under Hillary's guidance as a first mom, effectively enabled these disenchanted young adults of today to be perpetually looking for the outstretched hand to take care of them for all their lives (cause you know... without someone looking out for them they could end up like Buddy). But no fear, Hillary is back and ready to take their hands and lead them into HER promised land.

But enough about Buddy. This is about Socks. Now Socks had a long and sometimes controversial life as the first feline. He became the poster kitty for momma Hillary's soft side. He was photo-op'd to the max and even had his own special issue Christmas kitty lapel pin, which the Secret Service team once wore. He was the subject of right-wing cartoons, often showing that the silent and much put upon cat had more sense than anyone he shared the White House with. In the end, the cat Socks knew ALL the secrets and for all of Hillary's promoting of the feline and his part in the presidential family, he didn't have a home with the Clinton's when they had to move. (He wasn't alone as Bill didn't have much of a home with Hillary after Monica, but that's a different story). Poor old Socks was dumped on Bill Clinton's personal secretary Betty Currie. Betty was good at taking care of unwanted and troublesome "issues", like the cleanup after Monica, so why not clean up after a retired Socks, too?

Unlike Hillary, some people DO believe an adopted animal IS family until the day they die. And this where the ninth life of Socks the cat comes in. He is back this time as the symbol of what Hillary really is all about. Hillary's first lady days as first mom, first wife, first friend to cats and kids alike are over. In revealing the saga of Socks we see Hillary as Hillary sees herself, FIRST. She conveniently oust the cat when having a pet was inconvenient and burdensome. That's relatively a minor personality flaw. But she also compromised herself as a real leader by keeping her compromised husband. Politically speaking, she capitalized on those who believe marriage is an institution, even when (in this case) those involved in it should be institutionalized. It's hard to be a liberal and find some common ground with the right, but Hillary did this the day Bill became first lady when she publicly forgave him. That's the day, the claws really came out and an emasculated Bill took the backseat for a decade long campaign to untarnish the Clinton name and leave a legacy that Hillary could live with.

Happily for Hillary, it appears all her hard work over the years, compromising herself for cross over appeal, is paying off. Soon our children, WILL be village children, brought up to believe in the big hand(out) of government if Hillary gets the votes. Of course, talking about paying for that is about as unspeakable as talking about used kitty litter.

So Socks wherever you are, you are needed and loved. May your picture become, once more, iconic and an inspiration for the right. (As well as a much needed reminder to Hillary that only cats have nine lives).

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Weigh This

2007-10-14T07:39:00.000-07:00

In New York, a little girls chalk drawing of a blue flower on the front stoop of her parents home results in a threatened $300 fine for "graffiti".

Let this be a warning to anyone wishing to express themselves, on their own property, in a temporary medium, which can be viewed by neighbors who do not know the meaning of being "in touch with their inner child" that the scales of justice are tipped in favor of the neighborhood Scrooge, who doesn't realize how many tax dollars he/she just wasted for a frivolous citation to be issued. Doesn't a child have a 1st Amendment right to freedom of expression?

Speaking of 1st Amendment rights...

disclaimer: photo used for illustrative purposes only

It's OK to burn the American flag on US soil as it's protected under the 1st Amendment, but try burning a Mexican flag on US soil and you fall off the scales of justice.

Faced with a charge of "burning rubbish" (evidently calling the Mexican flag rubbish is protected under the 1st Amendment as no new litigation has come forth in this case) a San Antonio man has yet to see the fat lady remove her ponderous butt from her perch on the scales of justice. In this instance, the fat lady doesn't have time to sing, she's too busy stuffing herself with candy covered injustice. Remember the right to have a speedy trial? This case has only had three trial postponements so far.

All things considered, both of these instances of injustice are "weigh" out there.

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Where I Disappear To

2007-10-03T16:12:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share some pictures of how I relax with you all.

You'll see wilderness, friendly four-leggers, fishing, camping, golfing in the wild, and maybe something a little risk-A, as they say...

What do you do with your weekends?

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Legal Illegals Are Still Lethal

2007-09-22T07:29:00.000-07:00

New York State's Gov. Spitzer is aiming to improve the driving conditions for the residents there by enabling illegal immigrants (or aliens, whichever you prefer) to present passports and insurance verification in exchange for a free pass from jail (or exportation). Gov. Spitzer, you might want to reconsider if you would just look at this picture and read the story that accompanies it.

Suspects Sought After Vehicle Strikes Building
KOTV - 9/19/2007 6:11 AM - Updated 9/19/2007 6:42 AM

Sapulpa Police are looking for the occupants of a pickup truck that sped off an Interstate highway exit ramp overnight and hit a building. The accident happened at I-44 at West 55th Place.

Witnesses told Sapulpa Police, two Hispanic males got out of the pickup truck and jumped into an SUV and fled the scene. The pickup truck has a Tri-State Gunite Company logo on a door panel and New York license plates.

Sapulpa Police say this is the second time this year a vehicle has overshot the exit ramp and struck the same building.(emphasis mine)

Of course, the legal status of the two Hispanics is unknown, but based on the fact that they fled from the scene it surely raises the question regarding how legal they were.

Let's just imagine that they were holding a valid New York license, Gov. Spitzer. Then, at least, the property owner might be able to recoup some of the damage done to his property. But (and this is a BIG BUT), Gov. Spitzer what would become of these two IF they were illegal immigrants driving under a valid New York license? Local law enforcement officials (Oklahoma has passed tough laws against illegal aliens) would be faced with a deportation problem - that being, do they deport them back to you and the relatively safe haven of New York State or just boot them out of the country (which is what you should be doing in the first place)?It's just a thought Governor, but you might want to consider your political popularity if you allow drivers like this a legal right to endanger the lives of your citizens.

Just think of the repercussions, Governor. Here in Oklahoma, we may have to pass further legislation to deal locally with your lack of foresight. Like sending you and your state a bill each time we have to deal with a mess your lack of wisdom creates for us.

In the meantime, New York State has an estimated 500,000 illegal aliens, while in Oklahoma because of our ability to see illegals for what they really are - here illegally - they are leaving in droves. Maybe they are headed to Canada under the false impression that it's safe there for them or it could be that they are headed your way.

Trackposted to Stop the ACLU, Outside the Beltway, The Virtuous Republic, Perri Nelson's Website, Rosemary's Thoughts, Big Dog's Weblog, Right Truth, Shadowscope, Stuck On Stupid, The Amboy Times, Leaning Straight Up, Adeline and Hazel, third world county, Wake Up America, Woman Honor Thyself, Pirate's Cove, The Pink Flamingo, CommonSenseAmerica, Right Voices, Church and State, Blog @ MoreWhat.com, 123beta, DeMediacratic Nation, Adam's Blog, Nuke's News & Views, Webloggin, Cao's Blog, Phastidio.net, The Bullwinkle Blog, Conservative Cat, Diary of the Mad Pigeon, Faultline USA, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, The World According to Carl, Blue Star Chronicles, Republican National Convention Blog, High Desert Wanderer, Gone Hollywood, The Yankee Sailor, and Public Eye, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

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Cammo VS Stripes

2007-09-15T08:58:00.000-07:00

Friendly fire(?) - on the lighter side... It's not all about size or the clothes you wear.

Hooaa!

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Have You Seen These Pictures?

2007-09-13T17:53:00.001-07:00

OK, I am the first one to admit that I never forward emails or share most of the info/pics that come through my spam box - but this is definitely worth sharing. So, hey - pass it on!

I'm told that there is a huge rock near a gravel pit on Hwy 25 in rural Iowa. For generations, kids have painted slogans, names, and obscenities on this rock, changing its character many times. A few months back, the rock received its latest paint job, and since then it has been left completely undisturbed. It's quite an impressive sight. Be sure to scroll down and check out the multiple photos (all angles) of the rock. I thought the flag was draped over the rock, but it's not. It's actually painted on the rock too.

Bless this young man and his beliefs. From stone we build - this stone art emphasizes the history from which our country has grown strong.

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Still Angry

2007-09-08T07:44:00.000-07:00

Six years have past and yet the memories of Sept. 11, 2001 remain vivid. Should it be any other way?

Most can recall the moment that they learned of the first plane crash. Someone happened to be listening to the radio or was watching TV and couldn't believe what they were hearing or seeing, so they called. I learned of the news that way. Turn on the TV, I was told, the radio is saying there is something going on in New York City. Then I became the eyes for the caller who was car bound and stuck in traffic. From the moment of that call to just minutes later when the second plane struck, I reported in a fashion of the first "accident", seeing the second plane hit, and the horror as realization hit that this was no accident at all.

That day was one of the longest I can ever remember living. As the minutes rolled past, the world seemed to spin off axis. The third hit was to the Pentagon, then the frantic announcements that at least two more planes were unaccounted for. The announcement that all flights were being grounded and those in the air were being ordered down immediately. The confused news of a fourth plane crash, followed by the relief that all other flights were accounted for and of no possible harm.

The following days brought uneasiness. Now the skies were empty except for military jets screaming across the sky. The unknown and what if's were terrifying. Most people talked over just in case emergency plans as the revelations of what happened and by whom and why was made known. The realization of how vulnerable, not only you are as one human being, but the enormity of the realization that the entire country is vulnerable, makes a person do one of two things, either become paralyzed by fear or very pissed.

Six years later I am still one of those who are angry. I am angry with no remorse for those who, under the guidance of a disillusioned rich kid grown a muck, have chosen the path of destruction to change the world all in the name of jihad. That this same lunatic still frequents our lives with his condescending words of wisdom only inflames my anger more. His appearance once more only serves to harden my heart and strengthen my support of anyone and any means taken to bring about the end of this son of Satan and his followers.

What also angers me is the wasted time I have spent trying to understand the enemy, for that is clearly what he is, because he made it so. After all this time I admit defeat. How anyone can sacrifice his own people (has he not created the cause for which his own people have died by the thousands in a chess game of global domination?), sully the name of his own religion (what blacker eye could one give to a religion, than by his own manipulations have it become synonymous with the most horrific kinds of death like be-headings and mass mutilation through bombings?), and use his endowed money (born of oil capitalism, which he himself claims is the downfall of all mankind) to seed destruction - all this is in exact contradiction to everything he spews as his beliefs - is beyond my capability to fathom. That is the only defeat I will give up in this life to him.

Out of anger will come good. Of that I have no doubt. What will come in time is change from complacency, diligence to a cause, and bridging world differences to bring global unity from, which was just a few short years ago, an unthinkable common source of inspiration.

As these things come about (and they are, without a doubt), it will be his turn to be angry.

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It's Only A Carrot

2007-09-01T06:52:00.000-07:00

In an effort to appease the Mexican government for the financial devastation wrought by sending their illegals home, the US trucking industry will be the first to suffer as nationwide Mexican trucks will roll down US highways.

We just thought we were rolling up the welcome mat...

From Colorado a lament from the trucking industry describes how deploying a carrot can undermine faith in our system:

“I don’t get what the politicians are trying to do here.”

Does anybody? At a time when US citizens are trying desperately to get our southern borders closed, we instead find ourselves faced with sharing the roads with second-hand cast-offs by the American trucking industry that have been sold in Mexico. Not only has the price of fuel affected the cost of doing business for the US trucking industry, now they are faced with competing for business with someone driving their old trucks!

Pleas before court made by the Teamsters Union and other concerned parties fell on deaf ears...

Current rules require freight from Mexico to be transferred to U.S. trucks and drivers in the U.S. Under a one-year U.S. pilot program, Mexican trucking companies could move shipments around the U.S. themselves, saving time and money. The program was supposed to start as soon as Thursday.

The Teamsters union, representing 100,000 long-haul truckers, and the Sierra Club and other public advocacy groups asked the court Wednesday to put the plan on hold until they receive more assurances that the vehicles comply with U.S. environmental, security and safety regulations and that U.S. truckers would get reciprocal rights to travel in Mexico.

The U.S. Transportation Department said in a Thursday court filing that Mexican trucks will be pre-screened and inspected for safety before being allowed to travel in the U.S. Mexico promised to reciprocate for U.S. trucks, the agency said.

As if the promise by Mexico that US truckers could wander about Mexico on substandard road systems with nearly non-existent protection from a vastly corrupt Mexican law-enforcement to deliver goods to a poverty stricken nation should more than compensate for the US truckers economic disparity in this deal.

Not much of a carrot to give the US trucking industry or the US economy that will be impacted by this move. But hey, who said life was fair?

Thanks to: Stop The ACLU
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American Dream Coalition Nightmare

2007-08-26T08:31:00.000-07:00

Tulsa, OK Union High School was the host site yesterday (I sincerely hope that the school system was paid for the use as a meeting house promoting continued illegal activity) for a forum sponsored by the American Dream Coalition. The topic that filled the house? How to fight Oklahoma's HB-1804 (effective date November 1, 2007) which empowers local law officials to check citizenship status of individuals that they arrest who are charged with misdemeanors warranting the cause to be held in jail and felonies. Attending were concerned Hispanics worried that they will become victims of ethnic profiling in traffic stops and the like. Now if all they did was speed or run a stop sign and have proof of insurance - no problem, right? If they are good upstanding green card carrying or legal citizens of the US they have nothing to fear except paying a traffic violation and seeing their insurance rates go up. In traffic stops that's all that is going to happen.

But that is exactly what they fear. Which is exactly what the Dream Coalition is capitalizing upon and are seeding a nightmare of fear amongst a group of individuals who may be legal citizens now, but in most likelihood had themselves or a family member a less than auspicious entry into the country years ago. Group fear of alienation brought upon by a collective guilty conscious.

"Over 20,000, at least, have already left, and that's devastating to families. economies, businesses and churches," says Rev. Victor Orta with the American Dream Coalition.

If they were legal, why leave? If, as the Dream Coalition is promoting, they as legal citizens were harassed by law officials and subjected to illegal profiling they would more than likely bankrupt the state in successfully won lawsuits. Instead, the nightmarish reality of the whole purpose of the forum is to fight the law and sue the state for what the Coalition contends is an unconstitutional piece of legislation. Which in turn, if the Coalition had their way, would leave us with an open door policy and provide safe harbor to all of those 20,000 who left, again I might add, for questionable reasons.

It's a shame. It should be a shame to all of them. Using rhetoric, inflammatory rhetoric, and cruel language," says Rev. Miguel Rivera with the Coalition of Latin Clergy.

Imagine that - the wording of the legislation being so awful. Why would they want to be Oklahoman's if they thought our elected members of government were so blatantly biased?

While the Coalition met, in Wagoner County, OK an illegal alien awaits trial on first degree murder charges for kicking his 2 year old son to death after an argument with the child's mother.

In this case, illegal citizen status wasn't ascertained until after a murder. A felony charge. Would the child still be alive if this illegal alien had been stopped for a simple traffic violation? No. It wouldn't have been an offense warranting a check the way HB 1804 is written.

Why won't the American Dream Coalition talk about this case and the other acts of violence being perpetrated against American citizens by illegal aliens across the country? Why aren't they telling those attending their rallies to live legal and they have nothing to worry about? Instead they are instilling a nightmarish fear amongst a group of individuals who they are using to promote continued illegal activity. The dirty unspoken secret here is that 20,000 did not leave because they were law-abiding citizens - they were illegal aliens and had broken laws to be in this country in the first place.

This is no honorable way to promote a cause. This murderer should be the poster boy for how well the system is working to protect people who are law abiding citizens. As long as he was quietly and legally pursuing his livelihood, he had no fear of being deported. Once he committed murder, he opened himself up to the full strength of law that Oklahoma holds.

Instead of supporting good legislation that would protect the lawful activity of legal citizens, the Dream Coalition would rather open the borders and give all rights of an American citizen to anyone, under any circumstances. And that is where the nightmare really begins.

Trackback thanks to: Stop The ACLU

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Dark Night Of The Soul

2007-08-25T08:09:00.001-07:00

President Bush is (once more) drawing heat over his comparison of an Iraq withdrawal to Vietnam. We all should cringe to think about the consequences the President suggests would happen, should we pull out before stability in the country is attained.

Even so, the reminder bites. Those who remember Vietnam, also remember that cause as the beginning of an era that has divided the country to this day. Using lessons not learned won't mend any fences and pull the country together, when it comes to those who believe in the cause and would fight and those who don't and won't the division will remain intact. In this instance, using history as a club to instill unity through fear of the unknown won't work. History is subject to being reviewed with present day views and opinions.

"Remember the Alamo" worked for awhile to unite, but with the Tex-Mex border as it is today that battle cry is a new slogan for everything it didn't stand for with the present day invasion that floods the border. Regardless of how horrifically detailed the history of the Holocaust was, modern day interpretation based on present day perspectives hasn't united the world against genocide, if anything it has become a source of inspiration by those supremacist's (religious or political) seeking to justify their cause. What it proved to them was it could be done and the lesson to be learned they take away from history is that supremacy can be obtained if it is done more ruthlessly and on an even larger scale.

When using history as a means to justify one's cause, the inevitable will occur. No cause will ever be won by reviewing past lessons learned. Regardless of the case in point, regardless of historical documentation without bias, individual perception will twist history to accommodate that individual's belief system. The only history lesson learned here is that history can and most probably will be repeated because of that uniquely human quality of intelligence combined with a soul, which allows us all to take away from life's lessons a rationalized view of things that personally we can live with.

In Mother Teresa's self description of her personal belief system, she described over 40 years of persevering amongst the worst conditions that mankind has wrought upon itself, as the "dark night of the soul". Even though she led a life in service to God, she lamented that internally His light never entered her soul during that time. She was the wick and the flame to multitudes, yet her body, her soul, her vessel remained as dark as the inside of a metal oil lamp. Hers may not be a historical lesson, but instead is a prime example of individual perception being the base of purpose. She strove to do God's work, rationalizing that darkness as a motivator to do more.

I suspect the dark night of the soul that Mother Teresa described may be the one common denominator that mankind shares. When looking to the past for any kind of inspiration, the times past mark history with many such as herself who were a light in the darkness for many, but who also privately questioned themselves and their own abilities (they doubted) which inspired them to levels of motivation most of us can only dream of. The childhood song goes "this little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine...", not I'm gonna see it shine. So even though we doubt (and we all do) others see, what we can't.

Historically speaking, someday President Bush will be remembered as a flame or an inflammation. This, like everything else mentioned here, is going to be a judgment made of individual perception. One thing that could unite us, even if history lessons won't, is to let our own lights shine.

Let them shine, let them shine, let them shine...

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Rolling Up The Welcome Mat

2007-08-11T08:27:00.000-07:00

Oklahoma House Bill 1804 is designed to enable local law enforcement officers the ability to check the citizenship of a person that has been arrested (either under felony charges or misdemeanor charges that qualify the individual to be placed in custody). HB 1804 does not give local authorities the power to deport, but it does give them the power to detain and turn over to ICE any individual that is questionable for a hearing before a federal deportation judge once they have satisfied the charges against them locally. Before HB 1804 local law turned over a couple of people to ICE a week. Since they have been given access to check citizenship that number, in one week alone, jumped 5 times. HB 1804 is also known as the Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act, which requires all local and state agencies to verify a person's citizenship before they can receive benefits. It was designed to not only remove individuals from the state that are breaking the law, but to ease the burden of welfare costs in the state.

HB 1804 is being blasted by critics as a means to single out the Hispanic population in Oklahoma by such groups as the American Dream Coalition and the Coalition of Hispanic Organizations. News reports from local individuals in the areas of town that the Hispanic population has settled are indicating that this bill is bad for business and will hurt the economy locally as many will seek to move away from the state to other locations in the nation that have less restrictive laws or just go back to their country of origin to avoid (as they allege) the profiling and discrimination that will accompany the empowerment of the local law enforcement agencies. It's been estimated that the illegal alien population in the last year or so had risen to around 20,000 in the Tulsa metro area. Some say that is a conservative figure and that the actual numbers might be double that. Regardless of the actual count, that number will be reduced over time with the combination of HB 1804 and the new federal laws that will soon go into effect mandating employers to verify citizenship or face large fines and possible imprisonment.

Nationwide news reports are indicating that the new federal laws are already hurting the dollars that have been flowing out of the US to the families of the illegal aliens that they were sending money home to. Oklahoma HB 1804 is this state's way of rolling up the welcome mat. It's our own way of saying, no mas. We won't be a sanctuary state any more to those who choose to come here illegally, regardless of their intentions good or bad. That is the bottom line really. Those well-meaning and "law-abiding" illegal aliens are still breaking the law, even though they can bend the truth in their own minds by justifying it with ideology that they are only providing for their families back home as best they can.

I can't respect that line of thought and will not allow myself to be sucked into the "poor them" spin that the open border lovers sing. I don't have any sympathy either for the businesses who made their money by hiring the illegal aliens to avoid paying the legal price of doing business. I doubt seriously that the nation will collapse because "there won't be anyone left to do the jobs we won't". It might mean a slight increase over the short term in the cost of doing business, but in the long-term the dollars saved in federal and state funding to subsidize the cost of doing business with the illegal element will more than pay off.

Although, there are those government agencies that will loose funding because the reduction in illegal aliens will reduce the dollars that they will have to work with. Take for example, the school system which is federally subsidized by the number of students they have. Not having the children of illegal aliens in some schools will drastically cut their funding. One of the local news agencies did a piece on an elementary school principle who was begging the illegals to bring their kids to school and promising that they wouldn't be subjected to citizenry checks. Excuse me, but this person's outpouring of humanity, saying she was worried about the kids, is suspect because her school funding is about to be drastically cut. It's also deplorable because as a state employee she should be the first to protect the law, not flagrantly encourage the abuse of it. I can only hope that the legal citizens of that school district have questioned the actions of this person. What kind of example really is she setting for her kids?

Our kids deserve a future that doesn't involve supporting an underlying illegal population which is draining our economy to subsidize a foreign economy that is dependent upon us to fix their problems. Our kids deserve to be free from a future in which the ability to speak Spanish is mandatory for them being able to be employed here in our own country. Our kids deserve a country that being a legal citizen has more rights, privileges and benefits through legally gained work than those who aren't legal citizens. They also deserve a life in which our borders are protected from those who aren't coming here to make a buck, but are intent on creating as much death and destruction as possible.

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Road Rage Run Amuck

2007-07-29T08:31:00.000-07:00

Recently, a 60'ish year old man shot and killed a 40 something male after being chased down a road and physically accosted in a public parkway. Onlookers gave their impressions of what happened and the shooter was cleared as a matter of self defense. By happenstance, I had a chance meeting with a former acquaintance of the man who lost his life shortly after this happened. The man relating the story had known the dead man for quite a few years and had other friends in common with him. All were aware of the man's inability to contain his emotions while driving. The former friend sadly related how the dead man's instability had got to the point that none of them would ride with him anymore. They were all afraid someday something like this would happen.

Sadly, this isn't an isolated incident. It doesn't just affect the male population either. Another recent story hit the news when a woman got cut off by a driver, flipped him off and honked her horn and got shot at for her efforts to show her displeasure. The bullet lodged in her child's carseat. Fortunately, it was empty at the time.

My youngest son recently completed a driver's ed class as part of the requirement to get his license. Do you know that part of the curriculum is dedicated to road rage? It's a sad state of affairs when children are taught that the law recognizes the fact that there is no way to protect them from others who use the roads and highways as a form of picking a fight with anyone that has the misfortune to be near them when they decide to go ballistic. It says a lot about how we as a society are miserably failing to curb impulsive behavior in general.

Road rage is becoming the new story of mice and men. The weekend following the 4th of July I had an eye-opening experience of what happens to fools who are distracted while driving. My experience was maybe an example of road rage in reverse...

At an intersection I was attempting to make a right turn and pull out into traffic utilizing a turn lane. Traffic to my immediate left was stopped by a light. As all poor drivers do, both cars stopped for it had used the white line as a means to hitch their front tires so when they got the green light they had less intersection to traverse. Which meant that I literally was creeping into the oncoming cross traffic to see around their cars. And I got rear-ended for my effort to be safe because of the two idiots sitting next to me. But they weren't alone that day on the road.

There was the idiot behind me who hit me hard enough to push my SUV a good foot further into traffic and giving my teeth a good rattling. So like a good driver I stop. That is what you are supposed to do when you are involved in a fender bender. I get out of my car, expecting that the driver behind me would be doing the same. I walk back to the rear of my car and see that the vehicle that hit me was a minivan and inside it were a 40 to 50 year old man (driving) and woman. I reach my bumper and realize that they had hit my tow hitch. Outside of a good jolt I was good to go. The minivan had a noticeable indentation in it's bumper. To my surprise I realize that the man was still in his vehicle. Now I knew he couldn't have been hurt because the damage was insignificant. As I turn to walk towards his car door, I realize that both had weird looks on their faces. He was rolling up his window and locking his door while his lady was on her cell phone with huge eyes and talking a mile a minute.

I am nearly 50 years old, I am 5'4" tall and weigh 130 lbs. I had on running shorts and a t-top. I was, evidently in their eyes, an aggressive person suffering from road rage who was gonna kick their butts right then and there. They looked like two deer caught in headlights. If traffic hadn't been backing up, I probably would have stopped to roll on the ground with laughter. As it was, I managed to stuff that down to a giggle and crooked my finger at the driver indicating he should remove his paralyzed ass from his seat and come talk to me. Reluctantly and very slowly, he eased out the car and when he was finally standing next to me was easily over 6' tall and better than 200 lbs of quivering flesh. The giggle had got past me somehow and now I had a huge smile on my face. Imagine that, in this poor schmucks eyes, I was the "intimidator".

I waited for the man to say something. Like maybe, "I'm sorry" or "Gosh, are you alright?". There was silence. I felt the smile slipping away from me as the silence grew. Finally, I said to him, "There wasn't any damage to my car, although your bumper has a pretty good dent in it. Look legally I had to stop and get out and make sure that whatever happened you don't want to call somebody." He stood there dumbstruck (or so it seemed to me) and blurted out, "I thought you were gonna go." Which mildly pissed me off as I was expecting an apology. I said, "You know I couldn't see around the two other cars waiting on the light." I felt like adding to that, "until you pushed me out into the lane and nearly got me hit by the on-coming car." Having given up on an apology at that point I repeated, "You are the one with damage, do you want to call somebody?" He quickly said, "no" and then followed that with a rather quiet, "I'm sorry." With that, I turned my back on him and got back in my car. Then I got pissed.

It hit me then, that the man knew he was wrong and was expecting me to ream him out. He assumed that he would catch hell for it and maybe even be the recipient of a nice little lawsuit. I got pissed because of a couple of reasons. First, he wasn't paying attention and could have got me hurt. Second, like so many asses in the world, he assumed that he would catch hell from me for it. I had the feeling that this wasn't the first time his inability to focus on the road had got him into a bad situation. It just so happened, this time for him would not evenly mildly create a hazardous outcome for him. More than likely his wife would give him hell for following too close, if anything came of it at all. But what I can only hope for is that this was a wakeup call for him to not put himself in situations where he potentially could end up on the wrong end of a gun. Realistically, I am more inclined to think he probably is playing Russian roulette with his poor driving habits. Someday, it won't be a petite middle-aged lady approaching him - more than likely it will be a rage-filled road warrior seeking scalps.

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Writing On The Run

2007-07-22T08:31:00.000-07:00

Back in April my life changed dramatically. I didn't realize at the time that taking a new job would shuffle my priorities to the point that it has. Obviously, this blog hasn't been one of the top ones in the last couple of months.

The job suits me well. It combines skills I learned as a young adult in the world of business with the second career I began when I became a nurse a decade ago. It will suit me well in the future as I age and spin closer to retirement. The only drawback is it is time-consuming at a time when it seems there isn't enough hours in the day to accomplish everything I need to do. I am living out of a suitcase more now than I was a year ago at this time. Commuting back and forth to work can be a draining experience in and of itself. Keeping up with two homes is a challenge. I've got a great family though and they accept the hours I keep and the quirks of today because they understand, not only my long-term goals, but how their future plans and dreams are incorporated into my own.

My home will become my oldest sons. I am slowly transitioning out of the picture there which will begin with my younger sons high school graduation in two years and be complete (hopefully) as the youngest finishes college and moves out on his own. At the time my youngest graduates from high school I will permanently relocate to live with (as our plans go) my future husband and complete an engagement that has lasted nearly 5 years now. In the time that he remains living with his brother and going to college, Mom will pay his rent to his older brother.

Right now as I write this my significant other is remodeling a room in his house to be a memory room for me. It will hold all my cherished memorabilia from years of being, not only a Mommy, but being me. Although we've shared our lives together for years now, it was never time for me to "move in". The time is drawing closer and for all of us the transition is beginning.

My younger son remarked to me the other day that it seemed his older brother seemed more emotionally involved with us, or as he put it, seemed to be realizing it wouldn't be much longer when we would no longer both be kicking around the house with him. I had privately come to the same conclusion and was impressed that my teenager had hit upon the same thought. This future reality has been driven home in the last month or so as I made "the list" of what would be moving with me. I spent a couple of hours inventorying and measuring. I described the "memory" room and gave my sons an idea of what the finished room would look like. For my sons having the "girlie" stuff taken from various places in the house has left them with the decision as to what would cover the walls and fill the corners instead. Laughingly, they've informed me that the manly way to go would be to replace my antiques and Renoir prints with posters of interest to them (i.e. Metallica, Nascar, etc.). Lord only knows what will fill the empty corners...

My better half has a nearly 100 year old house, which he has maintained a rustic look to in the interior. He leans towards different stained paneling hung horizontally which gives each room an individual look. He gutted the room with it's very dark and chinked paneling to accommodate the changes I wanted. I chose a bead board paneling (both ceiling and vertically on the walls) which will be painted white. He has already completed the ceiling and it looks great. He will rebuild the window sills and door jambs and even the interior room door panels to fit the old look to the room that I wanted. As it isn't an overly large room (12' X 10') along the top of the walls will run a shelf to put pictures, smaller antiques, and bric-a-brac that I don't want to give up. I have chosen a steel blue (my better half thinks it is gray) carpeting, which will go very well with my fondness for blue that comes out in the furniture I'll bring and the curtains that will hang on the windows. This will be the brightest room in the house when done and with it's eastern exposure will be an ideal place to house a few plants and make a peaceful setting to drink my coffee in the morning while reading the paper in my chair by the window. I am thrilled that my better half is making this happen for me, although I think he has an ulterior motive in which by creating a room for me his manly house won't acquire some serious feminine overtones. But that is all good, as I like his house that he basically remodeled himself and I don't feel the need to change it or him in the process of moving in. Having my own space is enough.

As to the rest of my furnishings that won't go with me, based upon what my oldest son wants and needs they'll either go the way of a yard sale or stay for him to use. I won't need any of it when I move permanently. But it is so nice to know that what I cherish will have a place to go. The plans are that when the room is finished I'll begin to relocate my things. As to the changes, I am looking forward to being able to feel more at home wherever I am. When you are the only female in a male dominated environment, having a feminine retreat is priceless.

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Could Have, Should Have, Would Have

2007-05-19T06:06:00.000-07:00

Hindsight is great, if you learn and build from the past. But, when that turns into "could have, should have, would have's" the doubts and regrets of what didn't happen often leave the experience more traumatic than it initially was.

It seems to me that most of what we hear today in the news is filled with "CSW's". An event occurs and immediately the armchair generals, politicians, quarterbacks, lawyers, theologians, financiers, and talking heads in general are lined up to rehash the event into something other than what it really was. When you're in the 12th hour after an event, the news is already old but it seems that there is always someone left that has something to say about it. At that point we are subjected to opinions that often are well past the point of being enlightening or thought provoking (that is unless you count that thought that passes through your mind of "would that jerk just shut the !@#% up!").

Some news never dies. It comes back on an unbidden and irregular basis to remind you that you experienced the moment once, but you haven't experienced THIS part of the moment yet. Take for instance OJ. So now the clothes he wore when he was handed down his verdict are up for sale. $25,000 will get you "the suit" with shirt and tie included. The skidmarks (left during the final moments before the foreman of the jury began to speak) have (un)fortunately not been preserved for humanity to bid on. Surely that was something that was overlooked at the moment. Think about it - they could have saved those, probably should have saved them, then we would have had a better understanding of just how close to the pucker factor OJ really was at the moment. Oh those "CSW's". The "what if's" in life abound...

The moral of this story? Those who make their livelihoods in regaling us with their opinions of what could have happened, why it should have happened, and more importantly would have happened are oftentimes leaving us with a version of an event that really reeks.

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The Truth Is...

2007-05-06T09:09:00.000-07:00

The truth is...

humankind will never know for sure how decisions made in today's world will shape the future we face. Arguments for the pullout in Iraq, both pro and con, lead the headlines of the day. Should we invest more lives and money in a cause that appears to have no sure end? Both sides present strong cases in the dilemma as to whether a continued presence in Iraq is justified with an end goal that is achievable.

The truth is...

a pullout won't stop the chaos - it will only strengthen the ability of those who have created the continued storm of death and destruction to sweep up more innocents in their wake on the path to meet their goals of world domination. Stop a minute and reflect on the millions affected daily by being trapped in that storm. They live a daily nightmare of not knowing if today or tomorrow or the next day will be the day that either themselves or someone they love will be mowed down in a hail storm of debris from an explosive device or have their lungs destroyed by the purposeful release of a gas that was designed to help their lives, not kill them. Unlike the tornadoes that rip through the Midwest leaving a wake of destruction in their paths, the human made storm of death and destruction never leaves the area to give the people a chance to recover and rebuild. With that kind of crushing knowledge that tomorrow can bring yet another suicide bomber to the neighborhood or a retaliatory death squad to punish you for being born to the wrong sect how can those millions who wait for the hammer of death to drop on their heads ever intellectually and emotionally recover enough to physically begin the work of recovery and rebuilding? What motivation do they have to live at all? The only glimmer of hope for them is that "someone" will rescue them from their daily persecution. If that isn't us (US) than who will give them a chance to live a peaceful and productive life?

The truth is...

as much as isolationism for the US sounds ideal, after years of struggling with this war we need those millions of souls in the Mid-East to stabilize the entire world - not just their own region of it. Washing our hands of the turmoil there by pulling out and building up our own borders won't better the situation - it will only make things worse because we need not only the resources of this region, but resources from all over the world to continue on our lives as we have been living them for years. Should we withdraw, we only create a situation in which wherever in the world we attempt to do business we will greaten the likelihood that that storm of death and destruction will relocate to ambush our attempts to continue doing business as we have had the luxury to do for so many years now on a global basis. Our world would grow small indeed if we chose to retreat, instead of standing firm. Liken it to the Midwest tornado alley, the coastal hurricane zones, the mountainous areas devastated by landslides and avalanches - if we retreat from problem areas (based on the fact that they will always be problem areas) we would create a situation where the relatively small area we have left to live in would not support us at all. In the long run, with the mentality of withdrawal, we would dig our own grave and be left to flounder and then rot in it.

The truth is...

there is no such thing as utopia on earth. That has never been the case and will be as long as we remain individually unique, but uniquely frail when it comes to being self sufficient. The truth is life has always been a struggle for survival since the day mankind first dealt with hunger pangs, the elements, and the fight to protect themselves from eating or being eaten. Long ago mankind figured out that trying to do for themselves individually worsened the situation rather than improved it and the only way to make life better was to band together to take on everything thrown at them along the way. There has always been that one person who thought they could do things better than everyone else, who thought their way was the only way, who tried to bully or coerce the group to follow their lead. Over the centuries many have died just because they lacked the resolve to say no to the intimidators of the day. Should we resign ourselves to the same fate?

The truth is...

as long as we are here, we will struggle. The truth is we can't retreat, can't pullout, can't withdraw and can't turn our backs on the world. We may never in our lives talk to another person from another country, we may never visit a foreign land, but we will always individually need those we will never know to make our world better - especially the small space of it we inhabit.

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Curbing The Westboro Baptist

2007-04-13T06:39:00.000-07:00

When it comes to exercising the right to free speech, Rev. Fred Phelps and his followers with the Westboro Baptist Church are going to have to find another street to spew their anti-war hate messages on.

Legislation signed by Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius on Thursday has put a damper on the crazed messages of hate spewed by the Westboro cult at military funerals. During a three hour window of time (beginning 1 hour before to 2 hours following a funeral) and within 150 feet of the service anyone wishing to protest at a military funeral in the future in Kansas will be faced with a $1000 fine and 6 months in jail if the law is violated.
“That anyone would try to disrupt the funeral of a fallen soldier, or any Kansan, is reprehensible and this law will put a stop to that sort of disgraceful act ,” Sebelius said.
It's about time. Sebelius sign the law while watched by school children, families of fallen soldiers, members of the Gay Coalition, and members of the Patriot Guard (a national volunteer organization of former servicemen and women and concerned motorcycle riders), who have given freely of their time and money to provide escort services to buffer the rants and signs of Phelps' flock all over the country over the last couple of years. The Patriot Guard was formed solely to combat peacefully the disgraceful acts of disrespect shown to the families of fallen soldiers by the Westboro followers.

Among the targets of the Westboro rants were not only the military, but also gay and lesbians. Somehow in the twisted minds of the Westboro group they have come up with the idea that the war is solely the fault of homosexuals and a government that encourages the freedom to be one. The signs and chants of hate spewed by Phelps and crew at military funerals were laced with biblical quotes skewed to reflect their warped ideas. Thirty-two states have enacted legislation to combat funeral protests, but none have deterred the Westboro's to the extent that the new Kansas legislation will.

Patriot Guard members have faithfully provided escort services to those families requesting their presence since their inception. The members themselves remain silent and do not engage the protesters, parking their bikes between the families and the protesters to block the families view of the hate signs while they rev their bikes to a thunderous roar to drown out the shouts of hate.

More...

It makes it unlawful to obstruct any public street or sidewalk and allows family members to sue if they feel protesters defamed the deceased — an exception to the general rule of law that one cannot libel or slander the dead.

But Shirley Phelps-Roper, a daughter of the Rev. Phelps and spokeswoman for his Westboro Baptist Church, predicted the law would have no practical effect on its activities.

“They have made a buffer zone, but the buffer zone is smaller than where we stand,” Phelps-Roper said. “As long as we’re not standing in the buffer zone, they can’t lower the boom on us.”

She said the group has protested about 250 funerals in the past 21 months in 41 states, and they focus their protest in high-visibility areas, often more than 150 feet away from the funeral site.

Rev. Phelps has raised a family of lawyers whose earnings help to promote his families hate. His daughter's statement to the press shows the resolve to fight anyone that attempts to curb them.

Too bad this act alone won't put the Patriot Guard out of business... Because of the Guard's support of our military and their families they will probably continue to ride even without protesters being present. When our soldiers are finally home maybe then the Patriot Guard will rest.

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Happy Easter

2007-04-07T08:35:00.000-07:00

Have a blessed weekend.

It's been a while since I posted last. I've been somewhat distracted. To make a long story short - I've found a new job working in appeals with a large medical insurance company, which I am thrilled about. I also turned another year older (which I'm less than thrilled about), but that makes getting this job at my new age even more meaningful.

It is a daunting affair to an almost 50 year old (we are talking less than 365 days now) to launch a new career. One thing I found out about myself in the process of getting the new job was that I no longer have the confidence levels in myself or my abilities that I had thirty years ago. I am only too aware that there are much younger people out there than me trying to get the same job and able to give a company many years of service longer than I will be able to give. This has been one of the longest months of my life to tell the truth. A month of hoping that my prayers would be answered.

To end this story - He does listen.

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Just Me Venting

2007-03-02T11:59:00.000-08:00

I think I am suffering from a major case of burnout. It happens a lot to people working in the medical field. I guess it was only a matter of time it happened to me.

I have started looking for a different job. One that still utilizes my license, but allows me to distance myself from working in a primary caregiver position. I feel like I have been sucked nearly dry of empathy, which makes caring for people a hypocrisy if you haven't got the love there to give. I got into nursing years ago because of what I took to be Divine guidance. That voice, that urged me to switch careers (I was a computer systems analyst) from fixing computers to fixing people, has grown silent and no longer provides me with the motivation to put aside the daily aches and pains of both the physical and mental requirements of the job. These personal burdens have been building up over time.

The only thing I hear now is "you've done enough". As jaded as I feel, I can't be sure that what I am hearing isn't just me projecting my thoughts. I no longer feel like my personal coach is there rooting me on. Instead I feel like the athlete who is being retired before he personally was ready for it. Like the athlete I've got a bad wrist now from lifting that aches all the time; I've got a bad knee that makes getting up off the floor embarrassing at times; my back aches after 12 hours sometimes so bad that sleep is nearly impossible. Like the athlete it really gripes me to admit my body is falling apart on me for the love of the job.

It doesn't make it any easier to try to hold on and ride out what could be just a storm when my work environment has gone to hell in a handbag either. Management in all their wisdom made the decision to expand our unit by placing an additional 20 beds on the floor below us. With that comes the worry that "something will happen" and the staffing by numbers will create a disastrous situation in an emergency. With the expansion also comes a staffing shortage which means that those left on the main floor have seen an increase in workload. Not to mention that finding aides willing to actually work is nearly impossible and we find ourselves more often than not being required to do total care on 4 to 6 very ill bed bound patients basically by ourselves for 12 hours at a time.

Our unit handles the sickest of the sick. We have all the super bugs including the flesh eating ones. We have cardiac and renal failure patients, patients paralyzed and suffering from bedsores that require surgery to fix, and diabetic patients with limbs rotting away to illustrate just a bit of what my fellow nurses and I deal with daily. I don't think I am alone when it comes to feeling burned out. We have had in the past a fairly high number of nurses call in sick at any given time. That is another major gripe of management. Although we accrue days off and sick leave new policies have been made to force us to work whether we physically or mentally are up to the job. So much for quality nursing care. As one nurse said, "We can either laugh or cry". She wasn't smiling when she said it either. You get the picture.

I just hope I can hang on long enough to actually line up another job before I walk away from this one. The only thing holding me back at this point is my personal responsibilities to my family to provide for them. The supervisor that directly manages the staff has of late found that his efforts to supervise are being micro-managed. He is well liked by the staff and was seen by a everyone as a godsend when he came to us, but he is becoming more of a puppet jerked on a string daily and we know that. If he leaves that will probably be the last for me. Without him as a buffer (and trust me he has been a buffer) from direct management I know in my heart that for me it'll be the final straw. Because of the leadership we have now, which is in your face and at times unbelievably unrealistic, tempers are flaring all around. So much for a great working environment.

Words of advise anyone? If not, prayers would be greatly appreciated for us all. With that said, thank you for allowing me to vent.

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Winged Things...

2007-02-18T06:05:00.000-08:00

Peanut butter anyone?

The recent recall by ConAgra of it's Great Value and Peter Pan peanut butter has literally given wings to the tons of jars sitting on store shelves and in pantries. Nearly 300 cases of Salmonella Tennessee poisoning has occured in over 29 states - fortunately, no is such a glutton for the stuff that it has caused death. While shopping yesterday I noticed very few jars of peanut butter were left on the shelf at our local Super Walmart, of these only the organic brands remained.

We had our own container of the Great Value brand sitting in our refrigerator, half gone and without anyone in the family being even mildly affected from having partaken in what is a staple in many American households. Due to an infestation of ants that had zeroed in on this particular jars predecessor, we relocated storage of it to the refrigerator to not tempt the pests further. Is it possible, we missed the bullet because of the recalled jar being refrigerated?

Theater goers need flashlights.

My youngest son and I got more entertainment yesterday from a couple of our fellow movie goers, than we did from the movie itself. Well, almost anyhow. We happened to be seated on the end of a row that had two wheelchair spaces in the row in front of us. I was looking forward to watching the movie with legs outstretched and not having to crane to look around a head in front of me. Just as the movie began a woman hurried in front of us looking for a seat and almost found the floor instead. (This is a prime example as to why people should come early to any event). She had ducked down and had her hand extended out (obviously blinded by the darkened theater light) feeling for an arm rest of a seat to ease herself into. Disorientation must have set in because she almost turned a complete 360 degrees trying to "find" the seat that wasn't there. As she groped her way down the aisle (to a third seat position) muttering "where is the seat" and "I wish I could see" I reached forward and grabbed her outstretched arm to guide her to the seat. With a "thank you" she grasped onto the end armrest and turned to seat herself in the empty wheelchair spot! Pushing on her back I said, "No! There's no seat there, move down." Having propelled her into the seat, my son and I sat back to watch the movie.

Within three minutes a man (evidently this womans companion) hurriedly turned into the row. To my dismay, he was even more disoriented than his date. How he ever found her in the darkened theater, is beyond me. He began kicking a knee out trying to find the seat (which wasn't there), while wildly waving his arms around. My son and I had both sat up straight and were guarding our toes as he attempted to negotiate the two seatless spaces in the row. He must have felt the pressure to sit (so as to not upset those behind him) as much as the woman had because the moment he found the armrest that the woman had settled in (which was the outmost seat) he turned to sit on the floor. I guess I was taken up in watching the show-within-the-show, as I didn't move as fast to direct him as I had her and while I was thinking surely she would guide him in, he started to sit on air! This time my aim was off, it wasn't an arm or his back I grabbed as he had lowered himself. My only chance of helping him was a scooping of my hand to lift his butt off the floor. Hissing at him, "No! There's no seat there!" with my hand on his ass, he rocketed (Peter Pan style) straight up in the air landing nearly on the guy sitting in front of him.

My son (who is nearly 16) was snorting and nearly rolling on the floor. "Mom! You grabbed that guys butt!" he snickered. The people behind us began laughing. The woman (was she po'd at him for some reason or just thoughtless?) moved down a space and the guy (no thanks came from him) found the seat she had vacated and quickly sat down. He sat bolt upright, never once moving during the show. He never looked left or right or behind him during the movie to sneak a peak at who had grabbed his backside. But if you were a guy and had someone grab your ass in a darkened movie would you? My son had his thoughts on that idea and gleefully recounted the incident (Mom grabbing a guys butt) with his own theories on the way home. Theory number one: the guy was afraid his date/wife/whatever would be po'd he got groped. Theory number two: the guy was afraid it was another guy. There were more...

(Sigh)..., it was a long drive home.

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Media - Politicians In Disguise

2007-02-13T14:15:00.000-08:00

ABC's Diane Sawyer interview with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was a dismal reminder to us all that Mahmoud is a pathological liar focused on one thing:

... the media is a tool to be used to manipulate:

Ahmadinejad: But you've come here in the disguise of politician, I guess.

Sawyer: No, I am a journalist, solely a journalist.

Ahmadinejad is a master of manipulation, who slips and reveals in this telling statement exactly how it is done:

Ahmadinejad: Well, one of the methods used for concealing the truth is diverting a topic.

which he does very well, by turning the initial question from Sawyer regarding his views of the Holocaust to point a finger at Israel persecuting Palestinians.

Question is if Holocaust is true. 1/2 To the Palestinian issue, why for the excuse of the Holocaust we have an illegitimate government in Palestine? Why in the name of Holocaust we allow people to occupy the land and make refugees and kill children? There are the questions that must be answered by American politicians, not to divert the attention.

In other words, Diane - you are the politician here in MY mind, quit changing the story to suit you.

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Presidential Hopefuls

2007-02-11T13:31:00.000-08:00

What will it take to win the Presidency in 2008?

It won't be skin tones or the sex of the candidate that will be the deciding factor. It won't be how big your mansion is. The choice won't be made based on military service or the ability to survive for years in Washington with vanilla voting records.

The candidate that wins will have to be unique (in a unique crowd of hopefuls) with qualities that set him apart from the rest of the herd. And if it hadn't been for a certain astronaut capitalizing on the ability to go the extra mile without making a pit stop, one particular candidate from the past might have had a chance at taking home the coveted seat of power.

I'm afraid Ross Peirot, you've missed your chance again...

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The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

2007-02-02T05:56:00.000-08:00

News of the day...

Phil predicts a winter reprieve.

Chavez prays for more power.

FINALLY, DUE TO A SURGE IN...

Moderation of comments is on until further notice.

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A Dim View Of Brilliance

2007-01-27T15:11:00.000-08:00

Would someone please turn on the lights for the powers-that-be in Illinois? The combined wattage being used to grade state employees test results wouldn't turn on a refrigerator light bulb.

Federal Lawsuit Filed Against Illinois Inspector General Over Civil Rights Violations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contact:
John Bambenek
jcb.blog@gmail.com
http://www.parttimepundit.com

Champaign, IL, Jan. 26, 2007 – on Friday, John Bambenek, an academic professional at the University of Illinois, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Office of the Executive Inspector General alleging 15 different civil rights infringements.

Late last month and early this month about 16,000 state employees received notification that they were in violation of state law because they took the annual ethics training too fast. These notifications summarily declared them guilty of violating the law, asked them to read an ethics packet, and included a form that indicates that they read the material and admit they were non-compliant.

According to Bambenek, “the state cannot summarily declare you guilty of a legal offense without the benefit of a hearing, providing the evidence, allowing challenges, or the ability to appeal. The Inspector General’s office, in a rush to railroad the smartest employees of the state, completely tried to do away with due process and tried to coerce those employees into signing confessions.”

The Inspector General has apparently come up with some guideline which has not been released to determine who took the test too fast. This ended up snaring ten percent of state employees including professors, graduate students, and other highly intelligent staff. One such person who got a letter has 32 years of legal experience and teaches ethics law at SIU.

The letters that were sent out to the accused also stated that if they did not sign the letter they were subject to other disciplinary action “up to including termination.” The Illinois Ethics Act provides only for fines up to $5,000 for violations relating to ethics training, termination is applied to cases that are usually also Class A misdemeanors.

An emergency hearing for a preliminary injunction preventing the Inspector General from carrying out his threat to fire those employees is pending.

The suit was filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois. The case number is 07-2012. Documents relating to the case can be seen at https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/bambenek/www/ig online.

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Know Thine Enemy

2007-01-26T08:34:00.000-08:00

Recognizing the fact that embedded Iranian and Syrian agents, working to create further upheaval in Iraq, has ultimately been hampered by a policy of slapping fingers only in the past, the President has finally authorized the hands of the enemy be cut off instead. It's about time.

Iran is not giving up or giving in when it comes to dealing with the rest of the world. They laugh at those that would hamper their efforts to become a super power. Sanctions will not stop them, merely slow down the pace of developing nuclear weapons and the technology to be able to strike without impunity. They are taking a hard line and the only means to deal with that kind of policy is to meet them with the same.

Democratic leaders who think that pulling out of Iraq will enable us to play patty-cake with Iran and Syria diplomatically thereby resolving our differences should think again. These two countries are not playing at winning, they are quite comfortable taking any avenue that is available to them to further their interests toward the demise of the westernized world in favor of Islamic world domination. Any sign of weakness on our part is an open invitation for them to be emboldened in their approach.

By the President's decision to allow our troops to kill and/or capture these Iranian and Syrian agents a first step towards dealing with them on their own terms has begun. Hopefully, that decision hasn't come too late in the game for us.

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APO'd Is Right

2007-01-24T12:43:00.000-08:00

One Wisconsin business owner has learned a very expensive lesson - the first rule of doing business is to use tact.

With tact having been thrown aside, here is the gist of the story. A soldier based in Iraq inquired by email from the tactless company a simple question - did their store ship to APO addresses (a military based zip code)?

To Whom it may concern:

Do you ship to APO addresses? I’m in the 1st Cavalry Division stationed in Iraq and we are trying to order some mats but we are looking for who ships to APO first.

SGT Hess

This is not an unusual request for information on the soldiers part, as many internet based businesses do not ship out of country, let alone to a war zone. The first order of doing business in battle is to identify companies you can purchase creature comforts from that is not military issue or available at the nearest PX. All new boots on the ground are soon filled in on this essential bit of information from those who are already there. What was unusual (and that has pissed me and a whole lot of other people off), was the reply...

SGT Hess,

We do not ship to APO addresses, and even if we did, we would NEVER ship to Iraq. If you were sensible, you and your troops would pull out of Iraq.

Bargain Suppliers
Discount-Mats.com

This military based story has been verified by Snopes for authenticity. Not too often does Snopes weigh in on media stories concerning war - probably because most are leaked by "annonymous" sources who do not have the clearance or authority to be discussing what they do or do not know for a fact in the first place. Kind of hard to pin down the truth in a story if no one is willing to 'fess up, but in this particular incident Snopes had the goods on the guilty party and aptly named their webpage dedicated to the story "APO'd".

A PO'd is right. Publius Forum, has been watching the story since the news broke locally in Wisconsin. Inquiries to Discount Mat owner Faisal Khetani, who is an American Muslim of Pakistani descent (according to Fox News) by Resa LaRu “Warchick” Kirkland who is a correspondent for Publius resulted in the following mixed dialog from Khetani:

“As I told my local reporters, the individual who made those statements has been held responsible and liable and what they spoke of apo addresses is absolutely true, but the second half was their own personal opinion and not the opinions of the company.”

Where Khetani mixed his story up is,

"I will say this, my company most certainly doesn’t support the war, and we do hope that the policies will change. However the personal opinions stated by the former member of Discount-Mats.com were very strong and personal and other members within our company certainly feel that his actions were not justified."

But just to set the story straight Kirkland had obviously made inquiries into Khetani's beliefs and allegiences and received this threat in reply:

"you can be sure that there are million of muslim activists as well that will do something about your foul statements…. your statements against Muslims and your direct insults will not go unheard, I assure you."

It would appear that Mr. Khetani is in the process of learning a huge lesson in tact. First, whatever you say can and will probably be held against you in the media. Second, the world is getting rather small, for the large part in thanks to the internet, when a commentor on the USA Today site stated that he was from Khetani's hometown in Wisconsin and as the story goes there locally, by people who know him, it was Khetani who responded to the email, not an employee. Third, in the world of news media and bashing, no stone is left unturned (especially, when you throw the first one yourself), leaving no stone to hide under.

As far as stone's go, Khetani has been obviously living under one for quite some time. He doesn't know much, if anything at all, about the country he lives in and how things work here. He also isn't much of a very appreciative gus either. Or so it would seem, in responding to the soldier he was corresponding to. His family comes from a poverty striken third world country, yet he can't appreciate the freedoms and blessings upheld for him by the likes of the very soldier he dissed. He also apparently has not grasped the concept that when you are wrong, you don't threaten someone by throwing the Koran at them along with the entire Muslim community. Possibly, Khetani thought he could intimidate Kirkland because she was a female. Now isn't that thought stone age? But hey when you are waving a Koran as a threat, I guess that kind of dates a person anyhow. If there is any truth to the story from the USA Today commentor about who really wrote the email, than swearing on that Koran is probably the thing to do too. Afterall, the Koran says it's OK to lie to an enemy. Khetani most assuredly thinks he is a good Muslim, who's got a problem with enemies. He is finding out now just how easily they can be made and how many he has.

Can you say boycott? That is the equivalent of a financial jihad ya'll.

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Weekend Warriors

2007-01-19T14:43:00.000-08:00

Preparing to do battle with a new onslaught of weather, Oklahomans are digging in while anticipating the need to dig out soon. The Highway Patrol is warning of gasoline shortages in the southeastern part of the state and stores are having a hard time keeping shelves stocked as everyone is resupplying their supplies for the storm moving in later tonight. Being a weekend warrior takes on a whole new meaning when staying warm, well fed, and safe are at issue.

We've been getting lots of warnings about driving on ice slick roads, but it can be just as dangerous to sit in your car as one Tulsan found out today when ice slides off the roof of a building. This picture comes from Channel 8 News.

I am working the tonight and tomorrow and then (roads permitting) will be going home to relieve my older son from the job of keeping the house warm so he can go to work. Hopefully, before the end of next week we'll have power restored to our home. In the meantime, between the generators (I bought a second one while I had the opportunity, for a backup) and the small propane heater we'll be hunkered in until the weather and our situation improves.

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Weather Woes

2007-01-17T12:14:00.000-08:00

As if the ice storms we had weren't bad enough Mother Nature is gearing up to slam us again. Meteorologists are now predicting a new bout of winter storms headed toward us this weekend, bringing with them "significant" accumulations of snow to our region.

The good news is phone service has been restored to the area my home is in. The bad news is there is still no electricity. The guess-timated time by our rural electric company is it will be restored by Friday. Just in time for the next big blow which will more than likely result in additional outages.

My boys have moved into my bedroom and bathroom to conserve the area they are having to heat with a small propane heater. There is some good news though. The electrical supply company my son works for shipped in three small generators today - we requisitioned one immediately. It's not enough to heat the house, but will run the hot-water tank and provide a place to plug in a couple of lamps and maybe a small oil-based heater. They are both looking forward to a hot shower tonight - the first since Friday for them.

Both boys are planning to resume work and school tomorrow. They are tired of spending their days in town hanging out at Walmart, the bowling alley, and assorted other warm places and are looking forward to getting back to as close to a normal life as possible.

FEMA aid is coming into the state now on a community basis. 100 generators are being distributed to towns for emergency shelter facilities and utilities in need. As of this morning there were still 7800 homes in my rural electric company's area alone without power. Gov. Henry attempted a flyby today to view disaster areas, but it was cut short due to inclement weather. State agencies are speculating that the President will approve individual FEMA relief in a week or so to those in need. Maybe I'll be reimbursed for the cost of the generator under a individual relief program, which would be great since I've lost time from work last week from being sick.

I ventured out today to the doctor to get cleared to go back to work. The roads are passable here in Tulsa, if you take it easy. I only had one close call driving when a guy trying to stop slid through the intersection and just missed my SUV's rear end. I couldn't jog over to get out of his way as there was another car beside me, but avoided getting hit by goosing the gas a bit. I recently paid off my vehicle and have a feeling that because of it I've probably jinxed the poor thing, lol.

My youngest son has wanted to be a meteorologist since he was in kindergarten. He came to the conclusion this past week, that his career choice may be one in which he won't sleep much or get home for days on end. Thanks to Channel 6 KOTV in Tulsa for the great coverage - Travis Meyers has been my son's hero since a tornado hit our neighborhood when he was 4. He learned to read the weather maps with Travis before learning to read in school.

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It Just Goes To Show...

2007-01-16T07:34:00.000-08:00

I feel sorry for emergency support people who are faced with rescuing people that place themselves in stupid situations. It's not like they haven't got enough to deal with saving people who are by accident placed in life-threatening situations...

Take for instance, the 18 year old man the Tulsa Fire Department rescued at 2:45 this morning - he was out sliding down an ice covered hill with a bunch of his friends in 4 degree weather when he fell over 20 feet and like Jack cracked his crown. (He couldn't get up the hill again either, but odds are that the only water involved was what was frozen underfoot).

Then you've got the woman who literally drowned herself to win a Wii for her kids. A sad situation for those kids, who could have had their mom around to raise them had she just been a little more conservative with her time and money. Saving aluminum cans might have been a safer way to get the coveted Wii for them. The young guy who fell down the hill probably could have helped her out.

Stupid acts don't always happen by chance - sometimes plotting to take out a perceived enemy can backfire. Barbara Boxer learned that this week in her attempt to dis Condi. What's even stupider is that she isn't a big enough person to apologize. It just goes to show that Dem's should not use the military (remember Kerry's open mouth insert foot fiasco?) to dis with. There should be some kind of mandatory training with permits issued to be able to fire-at-will verbally.

Remember when it was cool to play cowboys and Indians or bad guys and good guys? A sign of the times as to how stupid we humans can be is all the reports of young kids hanging themselves after playing Saddam goes to hell. This is a prime example of how poorly children are supervised these days when it comes to what they are watching on TV (or maybe just supervised period). Could mankind be getting dumber? Years ago the kids playing cops and robbers or some similar acted out fantasy had just as much opportunity to pick up their parents guns instead of using toy replicas or their fingers, but that just didn't happen. We've got to ask ourselves "why?".

Think of all the money and energy that goes into search and rescue attempts to recover people lost mountain climbing and doing all kinds of other forms of pushing the envelope. Finally, some of our legislators are figuring out that dumb is expensive and that tax-payers shouldn't be the ones paying for it. Which is a start on being smarter when dumb happens.

Trackposted to Rightwing Guy, Perri Nelson's Website, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, Big Dog's Weblog, Adam's Blog, stikNstein... has no mercy, basil's blog, Pirate's Cove, The Pink Flamingo, Planck's Constant, Common Folk Using Common Sense, Dumb Ox News, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

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Adjusting Things

2007-01-16T00:59:00.000-08:00

Blogging is easy - cleaning up a blog is another story...

It was time to change things up a bit. Over time blogrolls increase and layouts begin to look unruly, so streamlining was in order. Although I have switched to the new Blogger, adopting a totally new look wasn't exactly what I had in mind. I looked at the customizing option in the new Blogger, but scrapped that idea when incorporating old with new meant practically learning to write code all over again. Using widgets had appeal, but not enough for me to work my brain cells overtime. So a bit of housekeeping later, with enough encoding done to shrink fit an overflowing sidebar and what used to be cumbersome blogroll lists, you now see a very abbreviated main page.

Whew, glad that's done... guess it's time to start on the closets.

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Now We Freeze

2007-01-15T10:41:00.000-08:00

Testing the strength of mankind and animals ability to cope with weather, Mother Nature has given us a respite from sleet and freezing rain leaving a deep freeze now to contend with.

Predicted high today 25 degrees, with a low of 4 degrees Fahrenheit. The sun shines leaving a ice covered land that blinds the eyes. There is no wind (thankfully) to further impact the bone chilling cold upon the body or wreak havoc upon ice laden tree limbs.

Oklahomans are beginning the enormous task of repair. The devastation of the storm is reflected by the numbers - over 122,000 people are without power; Oklahoma Highway Patrol has reported over 200 traffic accidents since Friday night resulting in the death of 15 people; at least 10 areas have Red Cross or locally organized emergency shelters established (at least two of which are full); several communities are operating on generators to run water plants to provide water; some areas are without phone service; one man was found dead from suspected exposure to the severe cold. President Bush has now approved federal aid to 77 Oklahoma counties.

My sons just called from the small town near our home. Our phone service is still out and through the night my son was able to get only one text message out via his cell phone. They had a long night without power. On our acre of property we have over 25 oak and pecan trees that stand 40 feet in height. Several larges limbs fell yesterday evening - two times our dog had the misfortune of being underneath the tree the limb fell from, but other than experiencing close calls she is fine - one tree limb measuring about 8 inches across toppled and bounced trunk first into the sliding glass door on the house, but through the grace of God was placed in it's fall where the limb slid down the glass and did no damage outside giving the boys a huge scare. Fortunately over the years we have removed trees from within a distance of 30 feet from the house, so even with a complete break at ground level a tree falling should not cause severe structural damage to the house.

Remarkably my sons are in good spirits. Their complaints are few and given the circumstances laughable. One of my constant "Momma gripes" was how they waited until the last minute to get jobs done around the house. As my guys go, putting off doing laundry is at the top of that list. They are now finding themselves facing the possibility of doing sniff tests to determine what is the most presentable clothing they can find in the dirty pile. The towns laundry-mats are closed from power loss. They had attempted to find a place in town to stay last night, but as they say the inns were all full - so now they are washing up with spit baths from water heated over a Coleman stove and dreaming of a hot shower. The refrigerator has defrosted so they are using up what they can or living out of an ice chest placed out on the porch. Cooking has never been a high priority for my oldest son and he was questioning the shelf life of eggs at room temperature. When they get home, hard boiling them will be a priority.

Being cut off and isolated from phone and TV has been a worrisome problem for the boys. My younger boy (nearly 16 and an A student) was worried about missing school. While on the phone with them I was able to find the information on the internet about his school being closed tomorrow, so he has time to clean up his act (hopefully) before attending again. For my sons, the information highway is being routed through a 10 mile journey to town to get a cell phone signal (the tower within sight from our property is down) and a phone call placed 70 miles away to keep up with the news. When they called last night after finding that there was no place to stay in the small town we live near my older son said they thought they would travel nearly 30 miles to a larger town to stay. He was dismayed to hear that that town was in worse shape, with city-wide devastation from ice and power loss resulting in shelters being full and rumors of price-gouging going on at motels and gas stations. He doesn't know the half of the story either as to how bad the storm really is - there just isn't enough time to convey it to him with the limited time we have to talk over his cell phone.

Our family's story is only one of thousands in the area. We are extremely fortunate compared to many this storm has affected.

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Weather Isn't OK In Oklahoma

2007-01-14T07:32:00.000-08:00

What a week this has been. The last seven days has given us near record highs and now a deadly wet cold.

Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry has declared the entire state is in a state of emergency. It is being reported that at least 91,000 Oklahomans living in Green Country (central and northeast areas of the state) alone are without power due to ice storms that hit the state on Friday night and continued on Saturday. A brief respite was had late Saturday and into early Sunday morning, but even as I write this a strong storm cell that includes freezing rain and thunder is moving into the area. With it comes winds that will more than likely add to the numbers of those without power.

At least two rural areas are additionally without water or are conserving water usage because of lost power to water pumping stations. One city is warning it's residents to not drink the water they are getting for fear of contamination, because power was lost to the city's treatment plant. Many small towns have established emergency centers to house refugees of the storm driven out of their homes from the frigid temperatures (high today is expected to be only 25 degrees).

One woman caller to a local TV station reported her power had been out in her rural home since Friday night and that she had yet to see any workers out to fix it. She wasn't given much hope for a quick fix as the TV announcer said that isolated rural areas would be the last areas responded to by electric companies.

My personal home lost power Saturday around 6 p.m. My sons are there making the best of it and camping out in the living room. I had been sick all week and came to Tulsa before the storm hit thinking I would be well enough to work this weekend, but that was just wishful thinking on my part. I have spent the last six days running a continuous low-grade temp, taking ibuprofen and antihistamines to slow down the severe head cold I've got, and spending my time bundled up and sleeping off and on in a recliner. On top of the physical misery I've got, I now find myself worried and feeling extremely guilty that I am here with electricity and heat while my boys are making due without. My oldest is used to roughing it from his years in the military, so I can at least take comfort that he knows how to make the best of a bad situation. For the younger son, he's living this as an adventure and something to be "remembered when".

The last time we had ice this bad at our home (winter of 1993) we were without power for 6 days. We were forced to move in with a girlfriend and her family who didn't have power either, but did have a fireplace and a gas range to cook from. My home has propane heat, but without power the unit doesn't work and we have an electric range and oven. My older son has moved a propane heater in from the garage and is using it to cook and warm the house. The heater fortunately is a good one and can heat the house in a matter of minutes, so he is only turning it on about every two hours or so for about 10 minutes at a time.

To make matters worse I was just on the phone with my oldest and the line went dead. Both cell and land lines are down, more or less. He was able to text message me from his cellphone, but I don't know if he got my message in reply. He wrote they are going to go to town to resupply and will call (if he can) from there. If not, I will continue to fumble with my cellphones tiny keypad and cuss a lot over the next few days I've got a feeling.

And so our family is dealing with this (not so OK) Oklahoma weather. There are those with worse situations than what we face - the elderly, those without phone service, power or water, those whose houses have been damaged by falling trees, and those who are stranded traveling through the state are in a much larger world of hurt than what we are.

I'm getting ready to hit the publish button and can hear sleet once more hitting the roof of the house. Our next round has officially begun. Please, say a little prayer for everyone here and think really warm thoughts for us all.

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Dirty Fingers Everywhere

2007-01-09T09:11:00.000-08:00

When will we learn?

A constant source of irritation is the dismal ability of the Iraqi government to properly screen members of their army and police force for loyalty to the government above and beyond personal religious affiliations. Betrayal from within is loosing this war that has gone from the attempt to liberate and bring democracy to a people that had suffered long years under dictatorship to a sectarian fight pitting Kurd against Sunni against Shiite, with the Allied Forces forced to play referee between the groups rather than deal with the insurgents that continue to infiltrate the Iraqi borders. No one can be trusted (it would seem), whether it is the highest branch of Iraqi government to the police officer on the street.

Numerous incidents have occurred in which "trusted" positions of authority have been abused by individuals to kill civilians in religious based genocide. What kind of government places individuals at the execution of a disposed leader, found guilty of genocide of the people of their country, in a position to use the moment for blatant sectarian promotion whether they were cheering for Saddam's death or using it for a photo-op to make him a martyr? A very sloppy handling of such a sensitive situation has left not one, but two incidents now in which to incite further turmoil within the country due to misplaced loyalty. Heads should be rolling (literally when treason is involved) in the streets of Iraqi to clean house on people determined to place their religious identity over that of a unified government. Where we failed was to encourage their democracy, but with not enough intervention to keep religion out of the political machine needed to create a unified govern state - their government definitely does not understand the concept of separation of church and state. This is proving disastrous not only for the people of Iraq, but anyone that has anything to do with their country.

Everyone wants to blame the US for creating this situation, but is it our fault really? Our government has problems, but abuse of power is not an issue because of the checks and balances we have in place. This is not a learned behavior of the Iraqi people from US intervention. If that were the case, the Republican and Democratic parties would have killed off millions by now, with the Independents running back and forth secretly creating incidents to incite full scale manslaughter between the two major parties. If that was really the case and we were really a power hungry invader (as we are constantly being accused of), there would be no Iraqi government now. No it's not our fault that the Iraqi's have so many dirty fingers placed in control, the blame lies at the feet of those Iraqi's who only want to see their particular interests in control at whatever the cost. It's their battle and they are loosing to treacherous individuals practicing treason from their positions of power. In the days of Saddam power hungry individuals had either practiced openly under Saddam's support, or quietly harbored dreams of revenge the day they were delivered from his reign. With hindsight we now know we have supplied them with the weapons (freedom and the arms to kill without fear) to continue their religious genocide - our best intentions have supplied many dirty fingers dealing in death and destruction.

What is even more appalling is the gloating of Hamas over the US aide to the Fatah party. Fatah party leaders are now bragging that the money given by the US to Abbas and the Fatah controlled government will go to Hamas, as will the weapons supplied to Fatah to fight Hamas. I really wish that this was just a case of the have not's crying foul, but President Abbas himself appointed as the leader of his own personal security unit a man recognized by Israel as being involved in wholesale slaughter of Israeli's and active in terrorist organizations loyal to Hamas and the extermination of Israel. Even Olmert of Israel sanctioned the armament of Fatah by the US.

Is this crazy or what? How can two governments (the US and Israel) provide relief of any form when the fingers are so dirty in Palestian government that it's a given that it will definitely be used to continue acts of terrorism? Oh yes that's right, don't tell me, it's all our fault... We promoted the free Palestian government, democracy and all it's trappings. The word "trap" aptly describes the situation the US finds itself in after helping the Palestian people become free. Trapped by good intentions, without proper and severe restrictions upon how those good intentions would someday be abused by dirty fingers within the Palestian government and military. When Hamas became a recognized political party, because the people of Palestine were free to elect them, they laughed at us. We deserved it. And if there is any truth behind the bragging going on now that our relief money and arms to fight the terrorist organization Hamas will be going to them, because of the freely elected dirty fingers in the Palestine government, then we are doing something seriously wrong.

There doesn't seem to be any clear cut solution in the case of Iraq. Our best intentions have definitely trapped us there. Their government is clearly infiltrated at all levels by treacherous and treasonous individuals. It doesn't appear that the people have any say at all in the government and how they are governed. For an Iraqi citizen to complain about his elected representative in government is the equivalent of buying a ticket to the cemetery. Equally disturbing is the dilemma of what to do in Palestine. Should we withhold money and arms until Abbas can clean up his dirty finger problem, we take the chance of Hamas breaking the back of the Palestian government with the support flowing to them from Syria and Iran. If we give aide, we may very well be arming Hamas for another war with Israel.

Our best intentions have been besmirched and besmudged by very dirty fingers indeed. But it doesn't have to continue on that way. Both countries want our aide. That doesn't mean we have to give it to be used against us.

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A Shared Nightmare

2007-01-08T04:30:00.000-08:00

Last night I watched the movie American Soldier. I probably shouldn't have done that...

Anyone who has a loved one that is actively serving or has served in Iraq dreams about that soldier. It doesn't take a stretch of imagination to understand the nature of those dreams. Those dreaming would not be waking up with a lifted heart after a dream of homecoming, but rather to overwhelming sadness upon the realization that the dream was what it was, merely a dream. Others dreaming would be coming out of sleep locked in terror, as the news of day has wove it's story around their soldier and the grim reality that, although it is a nightmare, it could happen to the one they love.

American Soldier tells a story of a day in 1st Cavalry's history. It was April 12, 2004. The small band of soldiers encounter what was, at that time, some of the deadliest moments since the war ended, or so the ending credits said. We all know that that claim has since then been surpassed in numbers of our soldiers dead.

I shouldn't have watched the movie. My son, who was in Fallujuah at the time this movie was dated, was in the next room and he came in to see what I was watching. He left the room as quickly as he entered it, without saying a word. Like a glutton for punishment I watched on, reliving a past of nightmares and anxious moments of the year he was there. As I watched I developed an excrutiating headache, which should have been the second reason to quit the movie, but instead of turning it off I hit the motrin bottle and continued on.

The movie was a reinactment of my nightmares that came back repeatedly during that year he was gone. The soldiers portrayed the questions I asked myself at the time, why didn't the Iraqi people appreciate their liberation from the sadistic rule of Saddam? Why were the people on the streets killing their own people in the attempts to kill our soldiers? In nearly four years alot of people have tried to answer that question, but I haven't heard a good reason yet. One of the soldiers theorized that it was because of being occupied, that it was "like living with your parents". If that is the case, then the children of Iraq have definately proven that they are a long ways off from being mature.

In the movie, the soldiers were repeatedly attacked by insurgents. The battles they fought were recreated in extremely graphic detail. They encountered the gamit of insurgent war-making during the course of their day. Suicide bombers, IED's, car bombs, pickup trucks filled with insurgents carrying black market M-60's, and hand held rocket launchers. One battle after another was depicted with the soldiers unable to call in support of any kind. They were elated to finally be told of they would be airlifted out, only to called upon to rescue the helicopter crew sent to save them. They found instead a broken up and burned out aircraft with the dead crewmen's bodies being savagely abused by Iraqi teenagers for sport and then by the insurgents themselves. They found themselves in yet another battle, to be rescued by MP's from the Illinois National Guard. Of course, creative licensing was at play during the making of the movie - the ending credits did not claim that this was an actual portrayal of the sequence of the events the soldiers encountered that day - it listed the dead (both of the 1st Calvary and of the Illinois National Guard MP unit, unfortunately now I can't recall whether any airmens deaths were listed) reported that day in Baghdad, alluding that those deaths were all tied together. Those deaths were tied together, if not in actual contact with each other, but that they died due to the insurgents that killed them.

In the final battle, the soldiers found themselves out of ammunition and forced to fight a hand-to-hand battle. This was my nightmare, the big one that came back over and over again during my son's tour. In my dream his basecamp was overrun by attackers dressed in hoods and robes wielding swords. The dream was filled with the color red, the moon was red as was the blood that covered everyone and everything in it. The movie portrayed the soldiers forced to fight with knives against machine gun carrying insurgents. Not exactly the same as my dream, but close enough.

During the time my son was in Iraq, the contractors were drug through the streets and hung from the bridge, Saddam was found hiding in the hole in the ground, beheadings became the story of the day, his munitions tent located in Camp Fallujuah (with my son and two others in it) came close to being hit by two rounds of rocket launched mortars Easter weekend, we lost a soldier in his battalion two days after Mother's Day to an IED, one of the units in his battalion was involved in a firefight, and both attempts to clear Fallujuah of insurgents occured. Over the year of 2004, I and so many others like me, shared nightmares. Unfortunately, those nightmares will not go away and are being revisited in various forms since that time daily by so many more as this war goes on.

In the news it is being suggested that our esteemed government will pull our soldiers out of Iraq, but when this will occur is anybodies guess at this time. I will never back down on my support of our soldiers, I will never write off anything they do as a lost cause because they didn't pick the fight they are in now that has evolved past 9-11 and WMD's. Our soldiers are (as the movie credits stated), "a national treasure" who find themselves duty bound to protect each other, while trying to save the children of Iraq from themselves. They are to be honored for their bravery and dedication to their convictions for a shared dream of peace and freedom on earth. It may involve a nightmare to get the job done, but that dream is well worth the price of the sleepless nights shared by many families that love and support them.

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The First Day, Only 364 Left To Go

2007-01-01T14:46:00.000-08:00

A new year begins...

Did you make a New Year's resolution? I made one to not make one. I'm doing good just living my life right now without complicating it by placing restrictions on myself to change things. It seems like my life is a constant adjustment to daily situations I am placed in. That daily need to adjust to the ongoing demands of my family and job create more than enough change for me.

What I'm dealing with is a job that (for the most part) could be used for a military recruiting slogan. Something on the line of "Be It All To Everyone". Of course, just like military non-com's, that is with more than enough direction from the power's-that-be. Don't get me wrong, I like my job, if I was allowed to do it without being told how to do everything from the clothes that I wear, to how to properly dot the i's and cross the t's. In nursing, there are a lot of i's and t's to endure.

To keep home and loved ones together I travel for my job. For the most part I live out of a suitcase. I spend my time divided between my kids and my home and my job and my significant other's home. It works out to about a 50/50 split each month. Fortunately, my kids are for the most part raised (27 year old and a 15 year old) so other than a daily call home to keep up with their activities the elder son maintains the status quo in my absence. I'm blessed with good kids who take care of business whether it be job or school or choosing friends who have standards for living that are equal to their own. It helps that my boys like each other too and share similar hobbies. My better half works shifts that are often a struggle to juggle quality time with, given I am working on his, mine, and the boys schedules too. I can flex my time, he can't. So flex I do to the point that packing and unpacking and driving to and from gets extremely wearisome.

And then there is my daughter... She's a great gal, with a tremendous competitive drive that has taken her through her career to Albuquerque. I'm very proud of her, but gee it's hard to parent from afar. My New Year's Eve was spent worrying first about her traveling home after spending the holiday's with family in Kansas, then on the phone with her stuck in snow in a small town on the eastern edge of New Mexico, upset that she was stranded in a over-priced fleabag motel. This morning after work I called to check on her and found her determined to push on home regardless of road conditions. Her determination was motivated by the fact that she is scheduled to start a new job in management, which was a great move for her career. The good news is she made it in one piece. Normal drive time should have been 2.5 hours - she spent 6 hours standing much of the time still or traveling at horse and buggy speed. Patience is not one of her virtues though - my ears are still recovering from her appraisal of New Mexico's drivers and road crews.

All in all, life is good. It's a little hectic, made even more daunting with schedules and travel and the like. About three years from now, I will permanently settle with the significant other. In the meantime, it's one day at a time and maintaining a flexible equilibrium. For this year, I've made it through the first with just another 364 days of adjusting left. Catch me New Year's Eve 2009 for 2010, I've already figured out what my resolution will be - NO MORE SCHEDULES!

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Toasting You

2006-12-30T13:33:00.000-08:00

Wishing you a safe and happy year!

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Ford's Gift To Us All

2006-12-27T08:50:00.000-08:00

Unlike the former Presidents who live on forgetting that that is exactly what they are - former Presidents - Gerald Ford quietly lived his years post-White House without the need to direct government from the back seat.

Ford came to power under the most dubious of reasons after President Richard Nixon was impeached following the Watergate scandal and he was elevated from his position of Vice President to lead a country torn apart by years of war and civil unrest. But the act of power that Ford was most known for was one of his last before leaving office - not for any reason so universally stellar as bringing world peace or even decidedly bipartisan by winning social and economic reforms through Congress - he will forever be remembered for the act of forgiveness by pardoning Nixon. At the time Ford's decision created nearly as much controversy and news as the revelations of Nixon's misuse of power brought to light during the impeachment hearings.

Having left office and retiring as gracefully as humanly possibly given the circumstances of living the rest of ones life with a Secret Service detail assigned to you and museums established in your name, Ford did something that his fellow former Presidents have never been able to accomplish. He kept his mouth shut and his opinions to himself on how the seated President and Congress were conducting themselves.

Ford did not try to quarterback from the couch and resolve issues he would have liked to have bettered after office as his fellow ex-Presidents appear so prone to do. Ford did not trash Reagan when he lost the intraparty nod for re-election, he didn't belittle Carter for his inept handling of the Iranian hostage situation, he didn't second guess Bush Sr. for embattling us in Iraq, he didn't lecture Clinton on his morals for eluding that oral sex wasn't sex at all (an act that nearly got him impeached), he spoke no words of criticism against Bush Jr. for yet again launching the US into war. Ford said relatively nothing during the long years after he left the Presidency. His opinions after office weren't newsworthy because of his ability to gracefully not give one.

Ford gave us a gift beyond the words or acts of those he shared office with. He did not create more controversy or division by offering his post-office solution to the dealings of those who followed him. He was, in the very highest sense of the term, a true gentleman. Ford gave us the simple tongue-biting gift of silence.

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Christmas Thoughts

2006-12-25T10:44:00.000-08:00

I sit here in my warm house while the wind blows hard and cold outside. For my family, Christmas was a quiet one this year. We took in the local holiday lights tour last night and later exchanged presents. We were very fortunate to have the Christmas we did, especially when you consider the many who had a Christmas that they will remember as being anything but peaceful.

As I read the news online, I am left to wonder about what the true meaning of Christmas is for many of us. The US Postal Service had 1500 mail carriers out on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day delivering the backlog of mail accumulated during the blizzard that crippled the Denver area this past week.

This from spokesman Al DeSarro of the USPS

"The bottom line is that it is our busiest time of year and one of the most important times of the year for people. They're expecting Christmas packages," DeSarro said.

The business of the postal service is to deliver the mail regardless of weather conditions according to their own mantra of delivering in rain, sleet, ice and snow. But the telling part of DeSarro's quote was how the people were "expecting Christmas packages". At what cost might I ask? Is it so important to receive that Christmas card or package that it might imperile another person's life by forcing them to work long hours in hazardous conditions?

The news article continues with a plea to customers to show "Mercy for mail carriers"

• Shovel your walk so carriers can reach your mailbox. If drifts are impassable, carriers won't be able to deliver mail by Christmas.

• Help plow, if possible, your street so your carrier can get through.

• Take outgoing mail and packages to the post office, if possible.

• Be patient. Closures of interstate highways and airports significantly delayed packages from around the country. Postal employees are doing their best to deliver all packages by Christmas. But, some delays are likely.

• Thank your mail carrier. Offer carriers a push if their vehicles get stuck. Offer a cup of hot chocolate, a smile, or a word of gratitude.Source: Al Desarro, U.S. Postal Service Communications

Is it just me or is this pitiful? This is a classic example of how self-involved and so not in the spirit of the season many of us are. Time and again during the bad weather (tornado season) we have here local TV station weathermen/women are forced to ask people to not call in complaining that the soap opera or other meaningless broadcast they were watching has been interrupted. Then they have to go on to explain something to the effect for those same selfish individuals that although the storm may not be close to them, there are those in their listening/viewing area that could be killed if they did not break in. God help us all.

God help those poor postal workers who are giving up their Christmas for morons who have to be reminded to be charitable enough not to complain and maybe even thank them for doing it. (OK, I admit some of those postal workers are probably doing it for the overtime/holiday pay, but still this just so wrong that businesses such as the TV stations and postal service have to even address their idiotic customers that way.) But the postal service is not the only ones dealing with idiots it seems. There were those who were delayed while flying due to the storm in Denver who showed just as much self-absorption and disregard for the safety of others (and it would appear themselves as well) as they complained and complained about how Denver International Airport handled the blizzard.

It really is too bad those same fools who booked a flight during blizzard season and expected (no, make that demanded) an uneventful journey couldn't be issued magic carpets instead. It really is too bad that the morons who are upset and complaining that their Christmas package delivery should be slow getting to them couldn't get it from Santa delivery. But then again those same idiots would probably complain that the magic carpet was the wrong color or that the reindeer smelled up their presents.

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Looking For Santa

2006-12-23T16:59:00.000-08:00

We are rapidly approaching Santa Claus launch time - NORAD is reporting all radar tracking systems operational.

While you look for Santa remember this - giving is better than receiving, regardless of how large or small the gift is. Pick a personal cause and make a donation today.

While you keep one eye out for Santa, turn the other eye inward and do some personal inventory with thanks for all your blessings this year. It's amazing how much you have to be thankful for if you only give it a little thought.

With that in mind, I thank you for stopping by and I wish you...

A Very Merry Christmas!

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An Early Christmas Present

2006-12-22T08:52:00.000-08:00

As Christmas nears, it is once more time to remember those who serve so far away from home.

Should it suprise anyone that the new Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has already been called a "yes man"? From the Washington Post, William M. Arkin has this title, "Gates Disses the Troops, and the American People", in which he points out that Robert Gates abbreviated visit to Iraq was merely a photo-op with the troops, while lamenting the fact that Gates has had a change of heart regarding his view of the need for continuing American troop strength in Iraq. Arkin points out in his piece that while former Sec. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was never a favorite of his, calling him "aloof and impatient", he insinuates that Rummy at least did not "diss" the troops with fly-bys for photo-ops. At least Arkin and I can agree on that.

For all of Rumsfeld's being "aloof and impatient", he did take time with the troops when he could. Case in point, Rumsfeld's spending time while flying out of Iraq with my son's battalion when they were flying in to begin their year of service there. It happened in Germany in the early part of 2004. When Rumsfeld heard that my son's battalion was being held over at the terminal while their plane were being serviced for the last leg in, Rumsfeld could have chosen to remain in his own area of the terminal enjoying the relative peace and comfort of the priveledged, but instead he waded right into the tumult of a crowded room filled with boots to be soon on the ground.

Many pictures were taken that day by the soldiers of Rumsfeld wearing a jogging suit, first standing on a chair to say a few words, and then shaking hands and bantering with most of the group during the short time he had before his plane was ready to leave. What impressed the soldiers the most was his softly stated words of support, given with thumps on the back, and his smile. Something a phony photo-op could not produce, if as Mr. Arkin relates in his piece on Gates he believed Gates achieved. This particular group of soldiers did not feel dissed or used as a photo-op, although the story did make the news for the day. What those soldiers took away from that chance meeting with Rummy would stay with them in their memories of a soft-spoken man who really cared for those whose duty he was charged with. He became "Rummy" to them - a man who growled at the media and his dissenters, but who also was capable of genuine and humbly offered words of support and comfort when amongst his troops.

Mr. Arkin never had the opportunity to put himself in the boots of those on the ground. It is easy for him to criticise Rumsfeld's being "aloof and impatient", because of this. It appears that the new Secretary of Defense may be even more of a dissapointment to Mr. Arkin. Gates is already labeled by Arkin as a "yes man", for entertaining the thought that he possibly was wrong about the situation in Iraq, based upon his reaction to meetings he had with the powers-that-be while on his "photo-op" tour.

I can't help but laugh at Arkin's Scrooge-like reaction to Gates newly gained wisdom. It seems to me that Gates new enlightenment really mirrors the actual sentiments of those living in hell in Iraq. Those that serve can understand the importance of why they are there. Those that live there can understand the importance of American support. Did Gates really diss the troops and the American people, as Arkin claims? I don't think so, unless you are just counting those liberal bleeding heart peace lovers who have hated every moment of a GOP majority.

It would appear that there may be a Santa afterall. Gates has given the troops an early Christmas present. He gave them an admission that he was wrong and that what they were doing was really worth it. For the American people who serve and their families, that was a huge admission by Gates and one I believe couldn't have come at a better time.

Mr. Arkin, all I can say to you is - put that in your Christmas stocking and stuff it.

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Curbing Hamas

2006-12-14T13:50:00.000-08:00

(From REUTERS) Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh (center) sits in the street at the Rafah crossing as he waits to cross into Gaza December 14, 2006.

While attempting to bring $35 million dollars cash loaded in suitcases into Palestine from Egypt, the Palestinian PM Haniyeh was stopped and forced to cool his heels on a road side curb when Israeli set up a crossing block to greet him. Haniyeh had been on a fund raising campaign to Iran, Qatar and Sudan in an attempt to fund his government which is controlled by Hamas. Funding of this nature is viewed by Israel as a means to fund the terrorist operation Hamas and not any legitimate government run programs.

Israel kept the PM curbside long enough that eventually Haniyeh had to admit defeat and leave the money in Egypt with aides. It is speculated that the money will now be turned over to the Arab League. The League will probably funnel the money instead to Haniyeh's rival President Mahmoud Abbas leader of the moderate Fatah movement within the country.

As to the picture... it's not every day you see a thug curbed like this, making this pic - priceless.

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A Sign Of Times To Come

2006-12-11T15:08:00.000-08:00

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran did not receive the inhibited reception he usually received from those subjected to his ranting speeches today. Students, who were bussed in from nearby universities to show their support of Mahmoud, had the audacity to interrupt him by booing, blowing off firecrackers, chanting "Death to the Dictator", and by (as is reported) burning pictures of him.

Our prayers should be with these students. Although Mahmoud was reported to have told the dissidents that "that he loved each one of them" he followed that by saying, "You insult me but I will respond to you calmly."

You can be sure that names and numbers were taken. Mahmoud's love for those who do not agree with him is well known.

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Seeing A New World

2006-12-08T10:49:00.000-08:00

Appearances can be deceiving. Especially when you are looking through new bifocals...

Yesterday I picked up my new bifocals. As I had mentioned in a previous post, I was in dire need of them. What I didn't know at the time I put them on was how much they would really affect me.

My optometrist's office is in a mall. Sitting down with my back to the open storefront the technician handed me my new look at life. Once the glasses were seated on my nose, the world around me came into focus. A rush of sensory input invaded my befuddled brain. It is amazing how much one doesn't have to think about when your vision is on the fuzzy side. I could read fine print! I could see clearly small details of displays on the wall of the office. But, that was just the beginning of my being able to really see what was all around me.

The technician asked me to look out into the mall. Oh, what a moment that was. Bright colors, lights, sales signs, clothing, bric-a-brac and kiosks full of every pocket stuffer imaginable to man leaped out to me, attacking the very brain cells that had been so sheltered by my past myopia. Immediately, I became overwhelmed, dizzy, and nauseated.

I was so overwhelmed in fact, that all I could manage to reply when asked by the technician how did I like them, was "Wow". Thinking I should have ate breakfast, I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and slowly exhaled as I opened my eyes again. Once more, there was an instant impact of color and clarity invading my brain. Totally awestruck, I sat there trying to comprehend what I had overlooked on my way in to the office. Did I really not see that wonderful discounted sale of clothing going on over there? How could I miss those stupefying displays of gems and diamonds at the jewelry store? Where did that kiosk of leather handbags and accessories come from? I could have swore it wasn't there when I walked in.

Instantly, my checkbook was calling to me from my purse. "It's all for sale", it screamed at me. How could I have missed all this? The technician must have become concerned about my short answer, followed by my much longer silence. Did I like the glasses - were they alright, she wanted to know. Muttering to her that everything was fine and that I just needed a moment to adjust to them, I once more closed my eyes and slowly opened them. BANG! The colors, the sales, the kiosk, the people all returned to inundate my once narrow perspective of life. And my checkbook was now shouting at me - LEAVE THIS PLACE IMMEDIATELY, YOU MUST SHOP!!

Nearly in tears, I thanked the technician for my new glasses and turned to face the mall and all it had to offer. How was I going to get through it all with my checkbook intact? When in doubt, don't look came to me. So I walked out of the office looking at my feet. Which isn't such a hot idea when you are wearing bifocals. My feet did not seem to be making contact with the floor where my eyes told me they were. Faced with a new onslaught of nausea and dizziness I once more raised my eyes to visualize the horizon. Which was a block long - full of color and more things than a body should have to deal with and remain sane and unaffected.

Not looking at my feet, I picked up the pace as I made my way through the mall. A tiny senior citizen power-walked past me in tennis shoes. Oh this is bad, I thought. I felt like I was walking on ice, shuffling through the mall because I didn't dare walk fast for fear I would trip over my own two feet or faint from being over-stimulated. "STOP! PLEEEASE STOP," came from my checkbook. I now was nearly in a panic to get to the door. Close to hyperventilating, I pushed through the mall doors and immediately was blasted by a near arctic gust of wind. Whew! I could breathe. I could see a peaceful blue sky with white puffy clouds in the horizon. I had survived the first leg of my journey into what was going to be a much brighter world.

Returning to my car, I became once more overwhelmed with the thought of the drive home. Actually, just leaving the parking slot was going to be a challenge. When I turned my head to look behind me to back out of my parking space, I did it too fast and once more nausea and dizziness came over me. Not a good thing at all. Stopping half way out, I closed my eyes once more and slowly opened them. When I did, I saw a security guard watching me from across the parking lot. Before bifocals, I wouldn't have noticed him - now I actually made eye contact with him. He's gonna come over here, I thought, if I don't suck it up and move now. How embarrassing would that be, to have to explain to the guard that I was trapped in my parking slot because of my new glasses? Easing out of the space, I prayed that those cars behind me were really where my brain was telling me they were and that my front bumper was really the distance away from the car next to me that I thought it was. I managed to not hit anyones car, and began the drive home. The first stop sign I turned to look both directions too fast and once more became dizzy. Realizing it was better to barely turn my head and let my nose lead my eyes, I began a stiff-necked drive home.

Twenty miles later, I was feeling pretty good about things all-in-all. Outside of having the dickens scared out of me the first few times a car or truck came up alongside of me (had they really been driving that close to me before?), I had made it home safe and sound. Now I know why seniors drive so slowly. It's those bifocals they wear. No longer did driving ten miles over the speed limit appeal to me. In fact, driving the speed limit is a challenge in and of itself when faced with everything flying at you that fast.

Preparing supper later, I realized I had a lot to learn about wearing bifocals. As I was cutting up meat to put in the crockpot (no frying pans, for me right now), I could have sworn the plate the meat was on was tilted. It felt stable, but the right side of the plate appeared to my befuddled eyes to be a good deal higher (nearer to me) than the left side. I picked the plate up thinking something was stuck to the bottom of it. Nothing was there. Feeling more than a little foolish, I was relieved to know I was home alone and my kids weren't witnessing my new idiosyncrasies as I learned to cook without injuring myself.

Sigh... Life is going to be definitely going to be different for me from now on. And if you think putting this to post wasn't a challenge, well think again. (Now, if I can only get that mouse to click on publish).

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Buried Under

2006-12-04T05:44:00.000-08:00

The snow is still hanging on here, despite it being four days old. Ten plus inches of the white stuff has definitely slowed Tulsa to a crawl. Rumor has it the city is over budget for sand and chemicals to put down on slick spots. Those slick spots are growing as the temperatures hover near freezing daily and are down in the low teens at night. The slick spots will continue to grow as it appears that the crews running the snow plows have called it quits and gone home to hibernate for the rest of the winter, leaving the side roads a sheet of snow packed ice.

While I sleep, think warm thoughts would ya? I have to drive back to work tonight.

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Mahmoud The Madman

2006-11-29T16:55:00.000-08:00

With a prayer to Allah invoked in nearly every paragraph, Mahmoud has spoken.

If for any reason you believe that Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is sane, I know a good psychiatrist you should see. Once more, Mahmoud feels the need to manipulate the media and make an even bigger fool of himself with the letter he released at the United Nations which is directed to (lucky us!) the people of the US. It is sooo fortunate to have him pray so hard for our country. Every time the leader of Iran speaks, the world SHOULD take notice, if for no other reason to drive home the point of just how twisted his thinking really is.

Mahmoud says,

Both our nations are God-fearing, truth-loving and justice-seeking, and both seek dignity, respect and perfection.

Both greatly value and readily embrace the promotion of human ideals such as compassion, empathy, respect for the rights of human beings, securing justice and equity, and defending the innocent and the weak against oppressors and bullies. We are all inclined towards the good, and towards extending a helping hand to one another, particularly to those in need.

We all deplore injustice, the trampling of peoples' rights and the intimidation and humiliation of human beings.

Equal rights? What parallel dimension is he living in? Iran can hardly be described as a haven of "respect for the rights of human beings" or a country that is busy defending "the innocent and the weak against oppressors and bullies." The opening paragraph on the state of human rights in Wikipedia states the exact opposite is the truth.

Today, the violation of human rights by the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to be of significant importance. Despite many efforts by Iranian human right activists, writers, NGOs and international critiques as well as several resolutions by the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Commission, the government of Iran continues to restrict freedom of speech, gender equality and other forms of freedom.

Furthermore, the Islamic regime of Iran still continues to disregard the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in several aspects.

Oh wait, there is more!

Human rights violations in Islamic Republic of Iran can be said to derive from two elements;

* Firstly, traditional Islam and the Sharia law: The historical petrification of Sharia law by some cultures/regimes has allowed for significant gender inequality, homosexual persecution, as well as other internationally criticised practices such as stoning as a method of execution. Furthermore, in Iran, a mentality of fatalism established through the practice of Shia Islam also helps less educated elements of the public disregard violations by attributing them to fate.[1][2]

* Secondly, the Iranian government itself, in its continual drive to secure its own political power base, as well as to maintain centralised control over a fragmented multi-ethnic society, disregards human rights where it sees it as politically useful. This usually takes place when dealing with minorities, or with protests that are critical of the government.

Evidently, Mahmoud is in love with using the media for his displays of piety. His writing is actually seeped in lies and deceit, but he really puts on a good show of religious outrage when he wants to.

He just can't leave Israel alone...

You know well that the US administration has persistently provided blind and blanket support to the Zionist regime, has emboldened it to continue its crimes, and has prevented the UN Security Council from condemning it.

...What has blind support for the Zionists by the US administration brought for the American people? It is regrettable that for the US administration, the interests of these occupiers supersedes the interests of the American people and of the other nations of the world.

What have the Zionists done for the American people that the US administration considers itself obliged to blindly support these infamous aggressors? Is it not because they have imposed themselves on a substantial portion of the banking, financial, cultural and media sectors?

Now that is a supreme work of thought. How more two-faced can a pious Allah expounder be than to point out that HE and HIS country are the epitome of caring souls who believe in equal rights for "all human beings", while forgetting that he emphatically stated he wanted Israel (those Zionists, ya know) blown off the face of the world in past media shows and his country is currently the leading contributor to Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist party.

Democrats, these words from Mahmoud are especially for you...

I'd also like to say a word to the winners of the recent elections in the US:

The United States has had many administrations; some who have left a positive legacy, and others that are neither remembered fondly by the American people nor by other nations.

Now that you control an important branch of the US Government, you will also be held to account by the people and by history.

If the US Government meets the current domestic and external challenges with an approach based on truth and Justice, it can remedy some of the past afflictions and alleviate some of the global resentment and hatred of America. But if the approach remains the same, it would not be unexpected that the American people would similarly reject the new electoral winners, although the recent elections, rather than reflecting a victory, in reality point to the failure of the current administration's policies.

You Democrats should feel so privileged for these words from Mahmoud. Isn't it nice to be so well warned by a lying, terrorist supporting madman that YOU TOO, could cross him if you do not heed his supreme directive he has outlined for you?

In closing, Mahmoud lays it out clearly for all of us wayward non-Allah worshiping souls in the US and how we can rectify the situation we find ourselves in...

It is possible to lead the world towards the aspired perfection by adhering to unity, monotheism, morality and spirituality and drawing upon the teachings of the Divine Prophets.

Then, the American people, who are God-fearing and followers of Divine religions, will overcome every difficulty.

We should all feel touched (by the devil himself), as we review the words of this lying, deceitful madman in his campaign to have a one world ruled Allah-be-praised order.

Gee, Mahmoud thanks so much for the blarney based blasphemy. You make your case of mental instability so obvious.

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ACLU Protects Desert Animals

2006-11-28T14:33:00.000-08:00

It stood silent in the Mojave Desert. A lone sign with a Cross on it. On behalf of the desert animals who might be subjected to religious influence by coming near the sign, the ACLU sued for and won the right to cover the offending religious icon.

Have no fear the ACLU is always near, to protect those who do not think on a higher level.

READ THE WHOLE STORY and GIVE JAY A VOTE HERE to show your contempt.
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Tis The Season Of Peace And Goodwill

2006-11-27T14:35:00.000-08:00

It never fails that something innocently intended can stir controversy and ill will.

The Christmas tree controversy may be usurped this year by a Christmas wreath designed to resemble the peace sign. The Durango Herald Online has a picture of the well-intentioned owners of the wreath which has brought about the wrath of several of their neighbors in the area. Deemed as violating homeowner association rules for the housing division the couple live in, the couple has been placed on a $25/day fine until it comes down. Citing the fact that they never intended it to make a political statement, but rather to emphasis the season of peace and goodwill connected with the Christmas holiday spirit, the couple is standing steadfast as they hold up against the pressure to bring the wreath down.

Personally, I see nothing wrong with the wreath itself. Who doesn't want peace and goodwill? That doesn't necessarily mean that because I would like to see peace I won't continue to support our troops and the work they do. I don't look at this as a anti-war political statement while mis-using an icon of Christmas, but rather creating a wreath to represent the couples desire for peace. I have no doubt that our own servicemen and women would rather serve in peace-time than in battle conditions. It only stands to reason that a peace filled world would be the ultimate situation to find ourselves in.

It's pitiful that the homeowners association in which this couple lives feels this way. But it appears from what the Herald is reporting they have rules against displaying the American flag too. I find rules that do not allow a citizen of the US to fly the flag of the country they are bound allegiance to as a citizen, highly offensive. In the spirit of the season I say to this homeowners association - BAH HUMBUG!

But then again, maybe it's just me that thinks that way...

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A Gentle Reminder

2006-11-25T07:13:00.000-08:00

Using proper etiquette affects us as we go about our day in lots of different ways.

Take for instance, the old guy and old woman (I could have chosen to write "gentleman and lady" while describing these individuals, but that would be a stretch of courtesy on my part) behind my fifteen year old son and I yesterday as we were standing in line to get tickets at the movie theater. As the story goes...

My son and I had arrived early and were standing outside the theater for the doors to open. As we waited, a family of six came up and cut between us and the door. (We had chosen to stand back a bit to allow the theater workers the ability to open the door). My son gave me a look that said (without saying), "would ya look at that?". (A small case of rudeness we thought). When the workers were able to push the family out of the way to get the door open we all went in.

Behind us in line was the old man and his wife.

We all lined up in front of the young woman selling tickets. As she started to make the first transaction for the line-cutters in front of us, she realized that the computer had not loaded properly and called the manager over. The manager quickly ran to a back room as the line grew in the lobby to 50 people or so.

The old guy didn't give the theater workers the time it took to pour a cup of coffee before he started in.

"What's the holdup?", he asked, as he stepped around me and my son to eyeball the young woman. Calmly she smiled and said, "It's just a problem with the computer loading and will be fixed in just a minute". Glaring now at the young woman, the old guy demands, "Can't you sell us a ticket without the computer? Don't you KNOW how to make change without it?". My son was rolling his eyes now, and I found whatever holiday spirit I had evaporating rapidly.

Maintaining her smile, the young woman replied, "No sir, I'm sorry, but I can't. The computer opens the cash drawer.". Rapidly the old guy shot back, "So how long is it going to take to fix that thing? Are we going to miss half the movie because of it?".

Taking a deep breath now, the young woman refreshes her smile and said, "Sir, I can guarantee you won't miss a thing". I wondered at this time if she was thinking, "except for the times you will go to the bathroom during it". Hopefully, he had his "depends" on.

So, the old man steps back into line behind my son and I. But was he satisfied with her answer? Heck no. He starts complaining to his wife, who evidently had taken the role of mediator during their marriage, and now she steps out around my son and me. Without repeating the conversation between her and the young woman, needless-to-say she managed to repeat the conversation (nearly verbatim) the young woman had just had with her husband.

By now all my good humor was gone (a huge black cloud had darkened my leisure time spent on BLACK FRIDAY). The time that had elapsed from the moment the manager had sprinted to the back room to fix the glitch and now had been under 3 minutes. Thinking to myself, that gramps and grannie needed to take a nap, I muttered loudly to myself, "How RUDE". Immediately, my son looked shocked and whispered, "Mom, they can hear you". Frowning now, I turned to my son and said in the same tone, "I INTENDED THEM TO. There is no excuse for such whining by grown adults for a five minute wait in line." Now, my son whispers back, "But Mom, they are OLD PEOPLE." My reply, "Exactly the point. They are not setting a good example for everyone around them." I heard two audible gasps behind us, and then silence.

By this time, the computer was fixed and the line-cutters in front of us were completing their ticket purchases. After we bought ours and began the walk to the theater room, my son groaned and said, "God Mom, do you think they will follow us? I've never seen you do anything like that before." Laughing, I told him not to worry about it and that under the circumstances I would do it again. Regardless of age, etiquette should be used at all times and when someone is rude or out of line it is perfectly OK to remind them of it. Especially when you are as old as me.

Now speaking of etiquette, this is just a gentle reminder to those of you who visit here and leave a trackback post - please give credit where credit is due and leave a reciprocating link from within the post you are linking up to me. It could be misconstrued on my part, if you neglect to do so, YOU are RUDE.

With thanks I say - HAVE A GREAT DAY!

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Happy Thanksgiving

2006-11-23T15:20:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving Day To You!

Remember (as you give thanks) our Service Men and Women and their families.

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Another Popularity Contest Lost

2006-11-21T12:09:00.000-08:00

Well, it's not like the US is winning any popularity contest these days...

Discover America Partnership has made news copy as they have released the findings of their polls taken of business travelers who frequently cross many international borders. Hands down, the US lost. Is it any wonder we would?

Discover America is comprised of business oriented individuals who are in essence the equivalent of a Chamber of Commerce on a national basis in the US. Their business is to create business. Any bumps in the road for them could be construed as poor business. Interestingly enough, the Discover groups findings found that the security the US has in place for anyone passing into the country as "scary" and those implementing security policies as "rude". The possibility of being detained was a mitigating factor for the poor polling results as the foreign business travelers that took part indicated that they were more afraid of detention by border security than being a victim of terrorism once they cleared customs.

Is it just me or is this a lame way to think? Shouldn't our border security be tough and all business? Obviously, if the border security is busy smiling and being friendly the business that is their business is not being taken care of - which is to shake out those undesirables which shouldn't be passed through customs in the first place. It is one of those situations where although they may seem rude, they aren't exactly being paid to be friendly. One doesn't see our police officers smiling as they approach a stopped car for a traffic violation. After the business of clearing the occupants of the car for safety, the police officer can lighten up a bit, but not before. The police officers need to keep their guard up for their own personal safety. The seemingly unfriendly border agents are merely doing the same thing, but on a much larger scale as they are charged with the safety of everyone in the US from a terrorist attack. That train of thought isn't so hard to follow.

Discover America has announced that they are planning on going to Congress to change our border agents reception skills. Of course this is all based on creating a more inviting environment for whom they call the "ambassadors of business" from other countries. Rather than changing our border security, it might behoove Discover America to choose another path - one in which they realistically teach international businessmen the business of traveling through customs in the US. Wouldn't it be better to present the case to potential new business partners that there is no gain without pain and once the security issues are behind them they can have the satisfaction of knowing their investment is protected by the highest security standards in the world - than to open the doors to disaster by dropping standards down to a perceived comfort level?

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Drafting Allegiance

2006-11-20T08:31:00.000-08:00

The draft or conscription has never been a popular word in the US. During WWII the general consensus or shared conscience of the vast majority of the citizens of the US enabled the draft to be effective based on a couple of reasons. First, there was the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor which gave most candidates for the draft a valid reason to be drafted or enlist. The second reason the draft did well was the Military had the wisdom at the time to send those drafted with leadership ability to officer training school, thereby utilizing experienced servicemen as leaders which created cohesion amongst the troops.

Both of these two elements for creating a successful environment in which the military machine could be supplied with able bodied fighters were dismally lacking in the Viet Nam War. First the war was not universally supported, with strong opposition coming from all socio-economic levels. Secondly, havoc was wreaked amongst the ranks when unexperienced officers were given command over field experienced troops as the Military opted to ignore the option to use non-commissioned officers with experience for the same job.

Between the lack of support for the war at home and the word coming home of the lack of harmony in the field units undesirable options (draft-dodging through self-mutilation or by running to a country providing sanctuary) were considered by some young men who found themselves faced with a short-straw draw in the national draft lottery. Those making the choice to serve instead of dodge had options, but they were limited. Volunteer, to have some choice in the path their service would take them, or be drafted and accept whatever was dished out to them. The inevitable outcome would be service, most probably performed under hostile fire.

The bottom line was the draft did not create allegiance to the government for the cause in which these draftees found themselves involved.

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) has repeatedly attempted to call for a draft to be reinstated. He is a decorated Viet Nam veteran and a Democrat, which makes it a doubly confounding concept to comprehend that he (of all his colleagues) would strive so hard for this legislation. I am not sure that I agree with his reasons for the draft entirely as he cites for one that he believes there is a disproportionate number of poor and uneducated that comprise the volunteer military force today.

Personally, I do not believe that since Congress backed the President to fight the war on terrorism new recruits are signing up solely for the benefit packages that the Military offers. The volunteers who serve today have an allegiance to the government, the country, and the cause which is not shared by a majority of their peers. Because of this, I do not see that a draft would eliminate Rangel's problem at all, as the affluent would simply seek other avenues to not serve. In fact, based on the lack of support that the majority of our youth have to such a noble cause of country first, the degree of draft-dodging (should it be reinstated) could very well become a major problem regardless of socio-economic standing.

Realistically, we will never be able to draft allegiance. Allegiance to a cause (which would create an environment for a successful draft as was the case in WWII) will only become a factor when individually our young men and women believe in a cause that is worth something more to them than the comforts of their own personal lives and livelihoods. And when that standard of thought becomes the driving factor to serve, the draft would not (in most likelihood) be necessary.

In the meantime, God Bless those who unselfishly give of themselves by volunteering for service to their country - they have my eternal gratitude and allegiance.

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Being Long In The Tooth

2006-11-18T08:31:00.000-08:00

As I near the big 50 I am beginning to understand the toll living takes upon a body. AARP has yet to aggressively launch a recruitment program on me, but my days are numbered as I slide closer to being a senior citizen. I'm not laughing either.

The last month has been an expensive one for me.

Ever hear of the expression "long in the tooth"? I now know what it means, having had the undesirable position of experiencing it first hand. You know you are old when you are "long in the tooth". What happens is that at some point in your younger years you loose a bottom tooth. Then as you mature the tooth above the hole begins to drop from the forces of gravity. Over time that tooth appears longer than those next to it. For me, two back teeth on the bottom were pulled years ago due to infection. Because of this, I became long (enough) in the (upper) tooth by the extractions performed years ago that I was developing a space in the gum line that was a bacteria breeding ground. Dentist recommendation? Pull them now, or pay for it later. So now I have less teeth to brush (which maybe isn't such a bad deal after all). The extractions cost me next to nothing - what's gonna hurt are the two crowns that are planned for after the first of the year. Add to the crowns will be the cost to repair the front tooth that chipped after years of breaking thread while mending. (Lesson learned here - a stitch in time is fine as long as you use scissors).

And I thought that was bad.

Lately, I have had the darnedest time reading fine print. I wear contacts most of the time and had only been using my glasses at home (trust me it was safer that way for everyone involved). OK, I've got a confession to make. I haven't had my eyes checked for a few years. Plus, I had taken to wearing the contact lens for my right eye in both eyes because the special "toric" lens that I needed to wear in my left eye for astigmatism irritated the heck out of it. I finally decided to bite the bullet and get my eyes examined. No small wonder, that the optometrist began laughing at me before he could finish the examine. He actually asked, "you can't see much that isn't fuzzy can you?" Well, what can I say? I had it coming.

The good news is I can still wear contacts. The bad news is I will have to use reading glasses with them for fine print. Does this sound familiar? It took a while for the news the doctor was telling me to sink in. O MG - I am getting old - the prescription for my new glasses is going to be bifocals! Oh, and to make things worse - the gal that fitted me for them pointed out that these bifocals were going to be "stronger than average" so having a set of glasses with two types of lens in them would be "very obvious". So I had to swallow the financially induced groan that was trying to escape me and shell out extra for a lineless lens or be faced with the possibility of looking like a real geek while wearing them.

(Look, vanity is still a factor - I AM NOT 50 YET. All I can say is thank God for those fleecy coverups and cute heavy sweaters that are in style. It's great to at least look good while your bones are achy from the cold).

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Opportunity Knocks

2006-11-11T06:01:00.000-08:00

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Bipartisan Stew

2006-11-10T05:02:00.000-08:00

What a dismal week. Right now I am stewing over it.

Democrats gain control through the voting efforts of the weak-kneed, who don't get it (shame on you all regardless of your party affiliation) - why is it so hard to understand that regardless of who is in power the war with terrorists is not going to go away? Bailing out on Iraq will not "help" us, but will instead leave us wide open to the inevitable overturn of any semblance of democracy in Iraq stirred by the passions of a society that is based on a dictatorship driven by imams. It will lead to a society in power that believes jihad is the way to paradise and one in which women and children are property to be used by their male dominants in the way they see fit - which will be to breed more warriors for the future battles against the infidels.

Once we are out of Iraq, the internal struggle for control will escalate and I have no doubts that the only phoenix that will rise from the ashes we leave behind will be wearing black robes howling revenge against the western world who "defiled" their holy land with their presence. Once we are out, there will be no way to stop the jihad war machine that will be produced by religious zealots. And they will be more than happy to bring the war to us. It wouldn't be anything new for them - given the time and means to implement their military efforts the bombings of embassies, naval ships, and massive buildings of commerce will be just a matter of picking up where they left off prior to US and ally intervention in the Middle East.

I can't understand Bush's concession to sack Rumsfeld for the sake of bipartisanship. I can't imagine Bush walked away from his lunch with Nancy Pelosi with anything but a bad case of indigestion. Sacrificing Rumsfeld all for the sake of the greater good? Considering everything the poor man needs a vacation. He has been the whipping dog of everyone who wanted to blame someone other than those who should be blamed (Islamic extremists). It is so much safer to strike out at someone that can't nuke you or send jihadists to blow you up when you bitch. We got a whole lot of yellow-bellied cowards out there, who are near-sighted idiots that want to hug the world instead of standing up to murderous fanatics. Funny thing is that most of those Democrats were already in place when the vote came down to go to war in the first place - it only shows how they can be manipulated by the whims of even shorter memoried voters who first wanted revenge, then wanted out.

Maybe some good will come of this week. My pick for the next Presidential run has been given plenty of time to campaign for 2008 due to the stupidity of his constituents. If Pennsylvania doesn't want him, that doesn't mean voters in the rest of the 50 states feel the same way. Rick Santorum was defeated in his bid to be re-elected to his position as a Pennsylvania Senator. His defeat is a prime example of the weak-kneed at work. Simple-minded, narrow visioned voters who "wanted a change", "wanted a new direction", was tired of the daily death count of US soldiers (but who isn't?), or was sure that "Bush has created this war" voted Santorum out. Santorum was the one person in the Senate who had a clue and was an outspoken advocate of the need to protect ourselves by continuing the war overseas, instead of having it come home to us. I guess the people in Pennsylvania either don't get it, or have a very bad case of short term memory. They haven't finished the memorial for Flight 93 in Shanksville yet and have already forgotten who was responsible for creating the reason to have a memorial built in the first place. Do Pennsylvanian voters believe that lightning can't strike in the same place twice?

But I can't just blame the people of Pennsylvania. There are a lot of other idiots in the nation who do not understand that war means war and that a cease fire can't be negotiated with a group of people who are determined to rule the world in the name of religion. These idiots are joined by those who want to open our borders, who want more social welfare programs, and by those who want our soldiers out of Iraq to have them saving the world (take Darfur to name just one humanitarian death trap they want our soldiers to go). When we are overrun by illegal aliens, overrun our means to pay for welfare deadbeats, and run out of every nation of the world by the people we are trying to save, maybe these dim wits will see the light.

In the meantime, we can only pray that lightning doesn't strike twice.

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Weekend Workout

2006-11-04T14:26:00.000-08:00

As I work this weekend, American's are trying to work out who to vote for this week. Get your candidate noticed or voice a complaint in this weekend's work (it) out post.

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Happy Boo To You

2006-10-30T13:51:00.000-08:00

Wishing you a happy and safe Halloween!

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Surviving CPR

2006-10-19T15:00:00.000-07:00

I am alive today because of CPR performed on me over 20 years ago. I was a victim of drowning, having been caught in an undertow. Fortunately for me, a doctor was on the scene and was able to revive me.

Last night I worked with a medical team performing CPR on a critically ill person in their early 50's. We weren't successful. There wasn't anyone in that room that wasn't exhausted by the time we resigned ourselves to defeat. Everyone in that room walked away slump shouldered and silent. Sorrow radiated from everyone's eyes.

Surviving CPR. When referring to "surviving CPR" the term is immediately connected to the victim upon whom CPR was performed. There are really two points of view to consider. One side is the victims - the other side is of the responders. I have had the unique opportunity to experience both sides.

In a real code blue there is nothing remotely resembling the fantasied rendition of CPR that is performed by actors on a TV or movie screen. Oh, some performances may be close to reality - but - in most cases the sanitized versions you see are the equivalent of watching a Mickey Mouse cartoon. Reality removes niceties in a brutal way. It can leave not only the victim traumatized, but also those attempting to save him/her.

Even in a controlled environment such as a hospital, the act of performing CPR will leave a room (and everyone who enters it) in a state of ruin. In most instances the room will look like a battle has been fought in it by the time the "code blue" is over. Furniture is thrown out of the way hurriedly to make room for the crash cart and responding medical team; the CPR recipient is manhandled onto a backboard and stripped from the waist up; protective coverings for resuscitative essentials are strewn upon the floor. The victim may have vomited in the act of dying or released bladder or bowel. Responders can do nothing more than protect themselves as best they can and continue. A controlled chaos reigns.

You might wonder why in the world would anybody in their right minds willingly put themselves in a situation such as this? Soldiers return to battlefields - it's not like they enjoy blood and gore - it is something they believe is their duty. Medical personnel must (on some level) function under similar belief systems. Could it be they share the thought - if not me, then who?

By now, I am sure you are wondering why I am writing this. Truthfully, I am too. In part, I want to convey the fact that CPR does save lives. I am a success story. In part, I want to convey that there are others who survive CPR as responders. For anyone involved it is a traumatic experience.

What was my personal after-affect of being a CPR recipient? I wasn't a pretty sight I am sure. I "came to" to find myself a bedraggled mess. I was wet, covered in vomit and my chest felt like it had caved in on me. When I had sense enough to realize it, I was mortified to find that I was laying exposed from the waist up with a large number of strangers around me. I didn't know what had happened. I couldn't understand why those strangers where collectively jumping up and down and happily cheering the way I looked! Unbeknownst to me, they were all celebrating that I was alive - what a shock it was to me to find out I had died.

Over time my memory of the last few minutes before blacking out did come back to me. There wasn't any "bright light" that I have ever been able to recall. There was only the memory of a promise I had made when I realized I wasn't going to make it. A promise to repay a debt if I was spared and given another chance. God was listening that day. And I am now in His service repaying that debt.

So my reasons for pursuing life in death may not be the same for the others who "survive CPR" on a regular basis like me. What is awe inspiring is the fact that medical professionals keep returning to such traumatic experiences to provide CPR without the motivation that I have. In more cases than not, their efforts are in vain. Yet, they do not hesitate to try. I am inspired by those I work with.

I also feel deeply for them and pray that even in loss, my co-workers will not give up the battle to save lives. That the faith that drives them on, will not waiver. That they can accept today's loss and be ready for tomorrows success.

Finally, I'd like to say... Your prayers for us all would be appreciated.

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Smokeless Sensations

2006-10-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

It's been a week now since I had my last cigarette. I think I am doing pretty well. I am using the Commit lozenges to help.

I've noticed though that I am not sleeping well, but I can't say if that is due to not smoking or if it is because I have switched to working the night shift. I have been having strange dreams that make it hard to go back to sleep. Maybe I am just having a spell of insomnia. I have the weird sensation of a pulling feeling in the center of my chest at times. Like I've got a lungful of smoke and can't get it out. I don't feel short of breath when this happens. Usually a few deep breaths and I am over "it", whatever "it" is. I also find myself "nervous" at times - not really irritable, but anxious to do something other than what I find myself doing at the time. Talking on the phone has almost become painful for me, I guess because of my reduced attention span.

As I struggle, keep me in your thoughts.

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Becoming Deaf, Dumb, and Blind

2006-10-14T11:43:00.000-07:00

To cover, or not to cover - that is the question.

In jolly old Great Britain, no one is laughing these days after Jack Straw's request that Muslim women "uncover" while meeting with him. His request was based on the logic that he could better understand the female addressing him if he could see her facial expressions. His "take it off" attitude has caused a number of other incidents as the "common" class weigh in on the streets with their own version of "take it off" that has Muslim women accusing those blokes who dare open their mouths in that manner of racially motivated attacks on them.

For the Muslim women, their act to separate themselves from society by covering themselves has had results - although not the kind that they desired. Instead of being treated with respect, they feel they are being ridiculed. But do most people really know how to react to someone presenting themselves with only their eyeballs showing? The idea behind the hijab is to "hide" the woman wearing it from all men and non-believers. Possibly the way to handle this, is to ignore the veiled woman as if she did not exist - play the ultimate game of peek-a-boo with her. What would happen if the rest of the world just covered their eyes when they saw a hijab? Of course with that we could all develop a severe case of deaf and dumb to accompany the "blind". The ultimate acknowledgment of the veil. We could all "hide" that way.

"Cover it up" is what a British Airways employee was told of the Christian cross she wore. She refused and was sent home without pay. Interestingly enough, Sikh turbans and Muslim hijabs are not required to be covered in the British Airways dress code. Why? Crosses can be worn under clothing, but due to the bulkiness of turbans and hijabs these religious articles are allowed to be worn openly. Possibly this woman, should just hide her cross and cover her eyes when applicable instead of fighting the system.

The issue still remains. To cover or not to cover. As a child, I was told if you don't have anything nice to say - say nothing at all. Behaviorists teach that desirable behaviors can be formed by ignoring behaviors that are undesirable. Sometimes the best way to handle a bad situation is to do ABSOLUTELY nothing at all.

Turn the other cheek, everyone. When in doubt just develop a severe case of being struck deaf, dumb and blind. Remember - silence is golden.

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Terry Lloyd: A Political Inquest Ruling

2006-10-13T11:04:00.000-07:00

War is hell - literally. Anyone entering a battle zone should be prepared for hell and possible death or maiming. Should troops be held responsible for a reporters accidental death when caught in crossfire? Should troops be held accountable for a death that was willing chanced by a reporter who wanted a story? I think not.

Reporter Terry Lloyd, in the early days of the war in Iraq was traveling by private vehicle in a war zone (as in not traveling as an embedded reporter with troops), is attacked and shot by Iraqi soldiers (remember at this time THEY WERE THE ENEMY), is loaded up in another private vehicle with injured Iraqi soldiers (who had just been shooting at him), and is mortally wounded in the crossfire by US forces who were returning fire to the area. Unfortunate, but realistically his death was the result of a taking chances in a war-time hot zone.

Not so, says a British Coroner. Not so, says his wife. Both believe it is the US forces fault that he died. He had already been shot in the back by Iraqi soldiers (the enemy), he was out of his vehicle and unidentifiable at a distance as anything but a body being scooped up and placed in a vehicle with Iraqi soldiers (they were still the enemy) that were also wounded (this is the "hello, hello" moment), and that although wounded were probably still shooting at the approaching US troops. (But let's just not talk about that...).

Interestingly enough, some US servicemen who were there submitted testimony that the coroner ruled inadmissible at the inquest. Interestingly enough, a tape which the coroner did use as evidence was provided by a US soldier which clearly shows their surprise when they realize that journalists had been caught in the crossfire - but a forensic examiner conveniently says that at least 15 minutes of tape could have been erased at the beginning of the footage eluding that a coverup was in play. Very interesting indeed to call an "informed" opinion who bases his opinion on speculation, not fact. Not exactly a fair and unbiased review of the facts of the situation, is it?

In the meantime, the headlines scream that the US forces once again are in the wrong. The media is the first to condemn us so that's nothing new. But the sheer lunacy based behind the findings in the inquest smacks of an agenda that is politically motivated, not based in fact or reasoning. Resembling a British version of US war protester Cindy Sheehan,

Lloyd's widow, Lynn, in a statement read by her lawyer, said U.S. forces "allowed their soldiers to behave like trigger-happy cowboys in an area in which there were civilians traveling."

She called the killing a war crime "a despicable, deliberate, vengeful act."

The real crime here is that soldiers in a war zone and under fire, are being accused of deliberately killing someone, who was foolish enough to be there of his own volition and was caught in crossfire BEFORE the US troops arrived. The real crime is that these soldiers are being made to look guilty, while that very foolish reporter is made to look like a martyr. The truth is martyr's are not paid to die. Lloyd was accepting money for his chances to write a hot story. Unfortunate for him - he got the headline he was after, but didn't get the byline.

Lynn Lloyd has an attorney and is obviously on her way to suing for compensation - or is preparing to write a book. I sincerely doubt that her squalling is based on the fact that she truly believes her husband died as a result of a war crime, but rather is not dealing well that her bread and butter died as a result of his own foolish greed which helped support her. Harsh words maybe, but sometimes the truth hurts and the people the truth comes out about are just plain ugly.

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A Battle Lost

2006-10-11T14:27:00.000-07:00

In my job I deal with critically ill patients. As a nurse I have learned to accept the inevitable when battles are lost to save lives. Accepting loss doesn't mean it makes loosing any easier.

I received word that my Uncle Leonard lost his battle with liver cancer. He fought a good fight and was (through the grace of God) able to live over a year and a half past his diagnosis date. He lived the last days of his life well. He faced his terminal condition and the time he had left with dignity and with a spirit of living each day to the fullest. He leaves behind his beautiful wife Ann, four adult children, his grandchildren and a host of family members and friends who will miss him dearly.

(picture of James Dean) One of my fondest recollections of Uncle Leonard was that of a young man which was captured in a picture taken of him shortly before he married my Aunt. He was wearing a lettermans jacket, had a cigarette dangling from his lip, and had a James Dean hairstyle modified by a single unruly lock that hung over one eye. Grandma wasn't too sure about the "bad boy" image he projected at the time. He was wrapped around my Aunt's finger though (I did say she was beautiful), and try as he might to retain his independent image, love won out and the bad boy look began to fade like the picture's image did over time. Love also won over Grandma (whom Uncle Leonard doted on until the day she died) and shortly after that picture was taken I was dressed in a little frilly dress and carrying flowers at their wedding. He quickly grew into his new role as a family man, becoming a family mover and shaker. He was a hard worker and provided well for his family and was quick to help the extended family during hard times.

Uncle Leonard you are loved very much and will be missed by all who had the honor of knowing you.

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Wish Me Well

2006-10-10T14:49:00.000-07:00

Thirty years of smoking and today as I write this I am officially 14 hours and counting since my last cigarette. The choice to quit came about in part because the hospital corporation I work for is becoming a non-smoking campus in a month. That was a great motivator for me. The resolve behind the choice came from my realization that I wanted to be around (and without dragging an oxygen tank behind me) to spend my "golden" years with the man I love.

Each day I stay the course is a day better spent. Wish me well.

One more thing... I have wanted a job in our ICU unit for quite a while now and officially got it yesterday. I feel like my little world has suddenly taken a wonderful turn for the best.

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I'd Rather Be...

2006-10-08T15:21:00.000-07:00

Golfing in the rough than working.

What about you?

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Schedule Change

2006-10-07T12:27:00.000-07:00

I have switched to the night shift at work due to staffing issues. This was a voluntary move on my part. Whether I regret it still remains to be seen...

In the meantime, while I sort out my new sleep patterns feel free to promote your posts here. (Yawn).

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ACLU Defends Vanilla Crowd & Sore-thumbs

2006-09-29T12:45:00.000-07:00

The ACLU has once more filed a lawsuit on the behalf of a faceless, nameless party. In Tennessee, a family has sued a school district because they felt that the district was promoting prayer at the expense of their son.

The lawsuit claims that a series of Christian meetings and prayer events at Lakeview Elementary School in Mt. Juliet violated the constitution al separation of church and state and illegally subjected young children to "religious proselytizing."

Named in the lawsuit is the Wilson County School System, the system's director, Jim Duncan; Lakeview Elementary School Principal Wendell Marlowe; Assistant Principal Yvonne Smith and school teacher Janet Adamson. The lawsuit goes on to give cause stating those offenses which included

a "Praying Parents" group that regularly met in the school cafeteria during school hours and dropped off fliers in classrooms to let children know they'd been prayed for

and also cited

the school observed "National Day of Prayer" by holding a competition for students to draw posters promoting the day, handing out stickers that said "I prayed" to students who'd participated and encouraging students to link up for the day with "prayer buddies."

Those students without a prayer buddy or a sticker stood out, "disfavored and isolated."

The unnamed litigants have since withdrawn their "then kindergartener" from the school in favor of homeschooling the child. The parents evidently would rather have the child isolated than faced with the possibility that he might be ostracized by his peers. Poor kid. Anyway you cut it, he has a lonely life to look forward to under the dictates of his well intentioned(?) parents. It appears since they have chosen to remain nameless and faceless in this lawsuit that they themselves have been subjected to schoolyard bullies and never have outgrown it. What a way to teach your child to stand up for himself in a world filled with people who do not think, believe, or feel the way you do. When in doubt retreat, hide, and then sic someone bigger than yourself on those you are scared to stand up to.

It says a lot about the "underdogs" here that the ACLU chooses to defend. They are clueless as to how to live in a world that differs from them. The vanilla crowd we should call them. "Accommodate me!", they cry because I am different. Rather than quietly going about their own business, the vanilla crowd would prefer that the freedoms the majority of people have enjoyed be washed out, homogenized beyond recognition in the communities they live in. They want their idiosyncrasies to take precedence over the idiosyncrasies of the majority. Yes, communities have idiosyncrasies, that are comprised of the will of the majority of the people living in them. You see it daily in their voting patterns, their choices of how their community properties are used, their support of issues on morality, etc.

Rivaling the vanilla crowd, but equally as clueless are those who cry "accommodate me" due to their distinct way of living that puts them in direct odds with the majority. Nothing vanilla about this crowd, they don't want everyone to be treated the same and have the personal issues they disagree with in their communities disappear - this group (let's call them the sore-thumb's) are hell-bent on making sure that the majority take notice of them and allow them their own idiosyncrasies even though it doesn't make a lot of sense. Take for instance the Virginia-based Muslim group who has launched a campaign to promote awareness of their individual religious needs in schools. In what they deem as a success story on accommodating their children

a high school in Burke, Virginia, agreed to compromise its policy on what students must wear during gym class. It says it will now allow a female Muslim student to wear Islamic attire in those classes instead of the required gym shorts.

According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the girl was threatened with failing the class if she did not wear shorts. CAIR's Maryland and Virginia chapter says it is making plans to conduct "diversity training" for newer staff members at the Burke school.

There is no word yet whether the ACLU will launch a lawsuit against the school accommodation of the Islamic student.

Like I said, the "sore-thumb" crowd is determined to make everyone else revolve around their specialized needs. Can you imagine the gymnasium during girls calisthenics? Burkas tangled up in legs while doing jumping jacks. Burkas caught in volleyball nets or tripped over while going in for a lay-up. For that matter, imagine the referee's dilemma trying to keep track of feet for a traveling call, while attempting to see past the folds of a burka. Yes, this group which is determined to set themselves apart in society has definitely earned the name the "sore-thumbs".

For all the differences there will be the ACLU. They are more than gladly willing to defend those that rock the boat. Even if in most cases the people they are defending are a couple oars short in the larger scheme of life of getting along peaceably with their majority numbers of fellow man.

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The Apologetic Litany

2006-09-27T15:32:00.000-07:00

We're sorry. So very sorry...

It's becoming a litany for Christian's. We infidels are constantly being reminded of our place in life. For all we do to make amends (regardless of the merit), it never seems to be enough. With this in mind and getting in the spirit of things, it's time to bring about a true apology to those that we offend.

Perhaps the "Apologetic Litany" will soon be on every Christian's lips.

The Apologetic Litany

We're sorry. So very sorry...

For making you share the world with us.
For giving you the idea that our beliefs are as important to us, as yours is to you.
For not keeping our opinions to ourselves and let you dominate us with yours.
For not working harder to enrich your lives, by enslaving ourselves to your wishes.
For looking different from you in our dress and mannerisms.
For suspecting you harbor grudges.
For not realizing to what extent you will react when crossed.
For not prostrating ourselves in fear.

For all of this, we are very sorry ...
that we ever attempted to apologize in the first place.

(Apologizing is a waste of time. Especially, when it will never be accepted by those who are screaming for one. Better to be silent and considered insolent, than surrender to such foolishness).

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Fueled By A Plan

2006-09-22T08:52:00.000-07:00

Recently Cuba hosted a "summit" meeting for those leaders of the world who wished to attend an anti-US bashing party. Topics included during their discussion of how to take control of the world included: sharing resources to increase military power, how to place sympathetic leaders in control of superpowers, and how to effectively manipulate the media to control the mindset of large numbers of the world population.

They had a good meeting it seems. Immediately after the summit, those attending went into action.

The UN faceoff between the US and Iran was eminent at the time of the summit. The summit leaders pow-wow to come up with a comeback to the inevitable request by the US to sanction Iran was one of the summit leaders main areas to address. How would they effectively be able to neutralize US policies on Iran nuclear technology and dismantle the solidarity of those countries supporting sanctions? Very aware of the world-at-large view of Bush's unrelenting war on terrorism and the successful media campaign these summit leaders have waged to undermine the support for Western intervention in the Middle East, the obvious choice was to turn the subject of attention away from Iran's nuclear technology efforts and to instead promote the mindset that the US is a thug, with a devil for a leader.

As much media attention that Iran's President Ahmadinejad and Venezuela's Chavez has received it appears that their plan has worked well for them.

Bush's UN address was to the people of the world who live under the thumb of oppression with a plea to cast off their leaders in favor of democracy. His address received much less attention by the media, possibly because he didn't wave a copy of the Koran or the Communist Manifesto. He made the mistake of following political protocol, instead of being flamboyant like Chavez who did wave an anti-US book written by US citizen Noam Chomsky and by calling Bush "a devil". Bush lost an opportunity to captivate the media by not bashing Ahmadinejad directly and reminding the world that this guy really believes that the annihilation of Jews during WWII never happened and by calling HIM a crazy power hungry wanna-be warlord who is providing the means for such terrorist groups as Hamas and Hezbollah which creates the ongoing reason why we are in the Middle East. Another lost chance by Bush was not reminding the world that Chavez (who thinks of himself as the next savior of the world poor) is merely a tool of Iran, who can be goaded on through his own vanity to create all kinds of publicity. (Remember all publicity is good - even bad press these days).

Some have likened the address by Ahmadinejad as subdued, more of a "speak softly and carry a big stick" approach. I guess that leaves Chavez's address more of the rabid foaming at the mouth diatribe that a good little pet of Iran should make.

However you cut it the summit leaders had a good plan. They have added fuel to a fire that will burn for a long time to come.

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Bikini Rock

2006-09-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

(An attempt to release the artist in me).

This five foot sandstone rock sits on a wooded area of property that serves as an outdoor get away for my baby and me. The natural outline of the bikini clad torso was there already, I spent a few hours hacking away at the outline to bring the image to the forefront. The bikini lines were enhanced with a little paint.

I guess you could just say I am a fan of hieroglyphics.

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I'm On A Roll...

2006-09-16T06:29:00.000-07:00

Work, home, work, home, travel to other home, errands, back to work, home, work, ...

STOP!!!

Mini-vacation at last! YEAH! (Four year anniversary for my baby and me).

Tuesday will bring the same old, same old. I hope YOU have time to take a break from the daily grind and do something fun yourself.

In the meantime...

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The Solution To World Peace

2006-09-01T06:42:00.000-07:00

Islamic extremists are attempting to hold the world hostage. Fox News reporter Steve Centanni was forced at gunpoint to convert to Islam, then released. With his head still on. Maybe we are going about this whole war of religions the wrong way...

What if the world converted? What if everyone stood up and made the three pledges of belief to Allah, chose a new name, and took a shower to finalize the whole thing? If those kidnappers of Centanni were convinced that forcing him to convert made him a brother in faith, why don't we all just take the plunge ourselves? Centanni says he didn't know if he was officially a Muslim—"I don't know enough about Islam to know if it was official, or recognized." (Thank God, he's got a head to scratch while he ponders that). Yet, if it is good enough for those holding guns to THINK Centanni is a believer, why not have the world try it and see if the rest of those holding guns will put them down?

We've got to find the right person to stage this event. (Not that we would believe them, just as long as the idiots holding guns and wishing for virgins do). Madonna is leading her followers to believe that religion is in. Maybe she could put on a burka and change faith on stage? (It's not like her efforts to enlighten us in faith are that believable).

Or even better, President Bush (another world rocker whose efforts are questioned by everyone) could lead the nation in a moment of solidarity to show our sincere desire to stop the war of religion. We could all stand up solemnly with one hand in the air, make the pledge and cross a couple of fingers on the hand behind our back for good luck while we did it. (It's not like there is officially any words like "no take backs" in the conversion process). To make it official we can issue the paperwork that look like marriage licenses the Islams give out after conversion that will bear our new names on it. (Everyone knows marriage licenses are only pieces of paper and not to be taken seriously anyways). If these guys are crazy enough to blow themselves up for virgins and even crazier to believe that holding a gun to someones head and forcing them to repeat the words makes them a brother, then we should be able to pull this off.

Finally, a solution to world peace.

(But hey, this is our little secret. Don't tell the you-know-who's, holding the you-know-what's, cause we want it to be believable to them).

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Dazzle Me Don't Frazzle Me

2006-08-31T07:52:00.000-07:00

It's hard to wake up everyday and try to figure out what in the world is going on. Most people are just trying to get by (or get ahead) and have little time to worry or sort out world events. But the people we are paying to worry about us are not helping one bit...

Rumsfeld is under fire by Democrats for his alluding to those that don't support the war on terrorism haven't learned from history and those that favored appeasement of Germany prior to WWII helped empower them to move the world into global war, rather than avoiding being drawn into it. I take it that he never directly accused the Democrats of being those slow learners and didn't say it was the Democrats who favored coddling Hitler, yet some Democratic leaders have taken his analogy personally.

Rumsfeld strikes me as a person that says exactly what is on his mind. If he had intended to denounce Democratic leadership, he would have said it. In his address to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (people who've had personal experience with world events and are voting Democrats, Republicans and Independents) he made a blanket statement about apathy. It was a broad enough statement that encompassed all citizens of the world (if one gives it any thought at all) regardless of their nationality, race, creed, or voting persuasion (that is - if they have the right to vote). His aim and direction, although a blanket statement, appeared to have made direct hits on Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Jack Murtha to name a few Democrats who have decided to take it personally.

Mid-term elections are looming and depending on how voters feel heads could role. As a voter, I am a feeling person. Here is what I feel - Democrats have done nothing to unite this country since 9-11. Democrats do not have a plan to pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan - if they had one (regardless of political persuasion) they would have brought it to the table to save the lives of US soldiers. Democrats do not have a plan to deal with Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Venezuela, North Korea, or the situation in Southern Africa. They do not have a plan to ease our oil dependency. They do not have a plan to unite intelligence agencies to protect us from terrorism here on our own soil. They don't have a plan of action in the case of a national disaster, although in all of these cases they've got a lot of criticism when it comes to what policies we do have in place.

The Democrats have given us nothing except allude to the fact that they "have a plan". I may not agree with (or like) all the policies coming from our Republican government, but given the vague partisan bleating by the Democrats that their "plan" will be better, I'll stick with what we've got. Give me something tangible, workable, and solid - not a lot of hot air.

Give me something other than theatrics too. Democratic Senator Obama's stunt in Kenya with his AIDS/HIV test is a prime example of playing to a crowd. But it was a limited audience he was playing to. Outside of Kenyans, AIDS/HIV activists, the Black vote, and Hollywood who really could get excited about his pilgrimage home? It was something more than the traditional shaking hands and kissing babies that most politicians do, but other than spending tax-payer dollars to make the trip and becoming the story of the day in the news world what tangible effect did this have for Americans and the larger picture? I really am disappointed with Obama that he played this way, (I had a hope that he might be the Democratic answer) but he's painting in the box and boxing himself in doing so.

Democratic leaders give us, the voters, "the plan". Now. Before election time roles around. Don't give us partisan talk bent on dividing the country. Do what you are being paid to do - work towards making our country better. Shut up already with the promises and give us something solid. Let us, the voters, pressure your Republican counterparts to capitulate. I would be the first one on the phone demanding it. Dazzle me with your plan, instead of frazzling me with your promises.

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When Life Stinks - Blame The Government

2006-08-25T09:15:00.000-07:00

Whatever happened to flying "the friendly skies"? Between real terrorist threats, crazy acting people (who for all intents and purposes could be terrorists), and planes that suddenly develop "smells", the skies no longer seem friendly at all. Even though the acts that make the skies less friendly always originate from acts of individuals (or groups) or defective materials by which the planes are made (or carry), somehow there is always someone willing to blame the US government for the gray clouds that hover over the world and through which we now fly. To me, that really stinks.

"We will overcome" has taken on a new meaning for African-Americans. No longer is equal opportunity the reason to overcome when HIV/AIDS is hitting an all time high amongst the population. Between in-fighting, the rising prison numbers, the drug scene (which contributes to the rising prison numbers), and a lowering of healthy male babies that reach adulthood the number of males has declined to 85 for every 100 females. Recent CDC studies have shown that 54% of the new cases of HIV/AIDS are African-American. Activists are citing that intravenous drug users sharing needles, as well as the lack of using protection during sex has been the two leading contributors to new cases. They also are blaming the government for this by not providing needle exchange programs, cracking done on drugs which leads to arrest and imprisonment (prison studies indicate 1 in 4 male prisoners have sex with another male prisoner and prison statistics from 2004 indicate black men and women accounted for 20,965 AIDS cases, compared with 12,013 for whites and 8,672 for Hispanics.), and not providing condoms to the poor.

This also stinks. Since achieving "equal opportunity" status, the inability of individual African-Americans to become accountable for their own actions has left them blaming the government for the fix they find themselves in. They hint (Spike Lee may make a movie yet on it) that the government is purposely turning a blind eye to their dilemma, which as the activists put it is reaching epidemic proportions and they insinuate could decimate their race. Excuse me, but for a group of people who fought so hard to achieve independence to seem so dependent upon the government for their welfare is a little hard to swallow. The change (if it is going to happen) must come from within their own ranks to find a solution to these problems. Drum out rappers, take back their own communities from warring drug lords, take the initiative to become active in youth education and mentoring programs, and stop wasting time on the blame game.

Personally, I never had much and came from a poor rural area yet I was able to raise my kids up right by myself. Without a handout. Without government intervention. Without any help from my family even. It's not the color that makes a difference, it's what is inside of that skin that does. Self-motivation and self-determination makes the person, not the color of their skin. Over 40 years later (two generations worth of procreating time) the African-Americans are still using the race card as the reason their youth aren't living the American dream. Dreaming is fine, but it takes action to achieve it. Somewhere along the line, the ability to differentiate between a pipe dream and reality has never been taught to the younger generations. That stinks majorly.

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Missing Out But Memories Are Great

2006-08-21T06:17:00.000-07:00

This week marks the annual biker rally at "Eagles Nest" located just west of Mannford, OK. The picture here was taken last year at the August Full Moon Rally at Eagles Nest.

If you look real close you'll see me - no not on the bike - but sitting in the background. I'm the blonde in the white tank top. The guy next to me is my better half for the last four years and next to him is his brother. We had a great time the last two years at Eagles Nest, but unfortunately due to work schedules will not be able to make it this year. Durn...

Anyhow, for those of you who keep trying to figure out what a conservative right-winger looks like - think again. We may be one of the biker chicks wearing beads that pulls up beside you at the traffic light.

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Confusing Want And Need

2006-08-16T06:28:00.000-07:00

Confusion is a state of mind. Unfortunately, it appears to be spreading.

I work with extremely ill people. Most are just a knock away from admittance to heavens door. Take for instance the woman who threatened to sue us for "stealing" her shoe. The left one only, that is. The woman had a mild case of paranoia and was suspicious of the staff and anything we did to help her to be more comfortable. The depth of her confusion became apparent when she accused us suddenly one day of stealing her shoe. The foot matching the shoe had long departed the owner, but regardless of the how hard the staff tried to remind her that she had no use for the shoe for a long period of time prior to coming to us, she was sure she had it with her upon admittance. Oddly enough, during the entire time of trying to re-orient the woman to her medical history the fact that her left foot had been amputated did not register to her that she hadn't had any use for the shoe for a long time. She swore she would never have parted with the shoe regardless of her need for it. It was a sad sight to see someone so convinced of something so obviously opposite of the reality of the situation. She knew her foot was gone, yet clung to belief that the shoe was an important part of her possessions and was fighting mad that anyone would dare to take it away from her.

One woman, lost in confusion, suffered from the inability to separate need from want. Yet she represents the state of mind that exists on a much grander scale in the world. Somehow, the Arab nation has forgotten that they no longer possess the land that was established by the Allies as a safe haven for the Jews after WWII which eventually became the state of Israel. In the years since the Arab people have established governments and territories in which they could have lived productively, had they had the ability to go forward with their lives. But like the woman with the foot missing and believed she still needed her shoe, there are those Arabs who still believe 60 years later that the need to possess that tiny strip of land is crucial to their very existence. They do not recognize the fact that if they did possess the land it could not sustain them, they do not see that the lands in which they live could be viable and productive if they focused their energy towards making that happen - instead they live in the past, dwelling upon what was lost, maintaining a rage against what they perceive was stolen from them by a cancer they call the Jews and the surgeons who removed them bodily from governing the area, the Allies.

If the shoe were still to fit, the situation would be different. Instead a massive state of mind that dwells in confusion over the reality of the situation and maintained by paranoia and distrust has taken hold of these peoples senses. They are fighting mad (on a much more destructive scale than the poor woman with the missing shoe) and will bring about (through their confusion over want and need) great turmoil and pain by acting upon a whim instead of dealing with reality. To them (like the woman missing the shoe) reverting to the past and dwelling on possessions once had has consumed them to the point that they no longer recognize that even if they had the foot back that was lost, the shoe would still not fit and would basically be a useless possession.

What is even scarier is that when a person is so confused and convinced in their confusion they are right, their story becomes believable to someone who doesn't know the whole story. (One staffer who was unfamiliar with the woman's medical history and did not notice that under the covers only one foot was present searched diligently through the woman's room for the lost shoe). When dealing with someone irrational because of their confusion oftentimes it is easier to go along with them, instead of fighting the battle to refocus them to reality. The Arab nation does not need the land that the people of Israel reside in, but unfortunately for the world their conviction in their want of it has many (who would prefer the easy way out) giving in to their demands. By giving any credence to the irrational demands made by the Arab nation regarding the right of Israel to possess their lands, the world is escalating rather than stopping a bad situation from getting worse.

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Blog Soldiers Has A New Owner!

2006-08-15T07:34:00.000-07:00

I am proud to announce that a long time acquaintence of mine (and blogging buddy) has become the new owner of Blog Soldiers. Meet John C. A. Bambenek, the blogger behind Part-Time Pundit, whose company Pentex Net Inc. will be providing the saavy and security to the competitive edge he will bring to Blog Soldiers.

Need traffic for your blog? Blog Soldiers can get more readers to you than Blog Explosion. My personal experience with both is that Blog Soldiers surfers READ in addition to surfing for credits, while Blog Explosion surfers - surf. A whopping 83% of the time spent on my site by readers has been done by Blog Soldiers surfers. My advertising dollars spent has been done equally between both traffic servers. No favorites played. (Hmm, well until now...)

It just got better at Blog Soldiers. Look what new (and old) members receive now with the new launch:

1) 50 referral credits for all new members you refer.
2) 50 bonus credits on surfing 50 sites for new members who join.
3) Surfing Contest for the month of August, the Top 10 surfers will receive up to 500 credits for having the most pages surfed between Aug 15 and Aug 31. Top surfer gets 500, 2nd gets 250, 3rd 150, 4th and 5th get 100, 6th-10th get 50.
4) Membership contest. In ADDITION to the referral bonus, the member with the most sites referred will get 500 credits with the same bonus structure as above.
5) REDUCED PURCHASE PRICE FOR CREDITS! I have reduced the price on purchasing credits for THIS MONTH ONLY! It is now $8 - 1200, $14 - 2500, and $24 - 5000.
6) If you post on your blog about the purchase and relaunch of blogsoldiers, you get 50 credits IN ADDITION to any referral credits that post generates. (Please open a support ticket, send me the permalink and your username).

Congratulations to John and his team. I am looking forward to seeing a lot more of his clients in the future.

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Profiling Cases of Greed

2006-08-15T07:20:00.000-07:00

Most of us struggle daily with a fault called greed. Some fight with themselves over that extra slice of pizza or cheese cake, some fight with returning that $10 bill to the owner who dropped it unnoticed in front of us, some fight to not look at the smart guy's work next to us in class to get a better grade, some fight with making unbecoming remarks about a co-worker to get ahead on the job, and some of us haven't figured out that in this day and age of carnage (due to bombs made creatively using common products) that buying in mass quantity to save a buck or make a buck can land you in hot water.

As you all might recall the price of fuel skyrocketed in our not-so-distant past. The price of fuel is lower here in Oklahoma than in most coastal states and greed caught up with a man in Oklahoma City. He saw the prices and decided to "fill up" to save a few bucks. Filling up multiple DRUMS of fuel that is. Local authorities in Oklahoma City were tipped off by Love gas station employees which led to an all points bulletin, which led to the man being stopped and detained by police until he could account for himself. No he wasn't a bomber, yes he was horrified he was suspected of being one, and when he admitted his purchases were based on greed (ah, that act of coveting can get us all) he was rightfully ashamed and mortified that his greed caused so much notoriety for himself. Since the Oklahoma City bombing in which Timothy McVey mixed two drums of diesel fuel with fertilizer, stocking up on either item to save a buck can lead you down the road to misery.

Now we got a similar case in the news. Of course there is a twist to it. The purchase of 80 disposable cell phones by three young men of Palestinian descent flagged Walmart employees in Michigan to notify authorities. When the three were located by authorities, they were found to have 1000 cell phones in their possession. They claim that they were purchasing them to take back to Texas where they lived to resell for a profit of $5 a piece. Interestingly enough, no where in the news reports has it been reported that they intended to claim on income tax returns what would have amounted to a positive cash flow of nearly $5,000. Greed does not pay. While the three now sit in a jail cell, they have been given an opportunity to think about it hard. Authorities, who initially suspected the trio of possible terrorism (cell phones make handy little detonation devices), are now leaning towards accepting the story of greed the young men are claiming.

In the latter case, the young men are howling that they were picked up because of their ethnic origins in a brazen case of profiling by authorities. Of course the media has played that point to the hilt with coverage blasting across both national and international media networks. In the former case, the guy stopped was described as a middle aged white guy who looked "unclean". Oddly enough, no one including the guy himself, claimed at the time that he was a victim of profiling associated to the poor white trash guy look Timothy McVey conveyed in 1993. This story barely got covered locally by the media and hiccuped across a few state line media sources.

When a person gives it any thought at all, a body might reach the conclusion that using the defense that being "profiled" to cover an act (such as in this case of greed) is itself a greedy form of self-centeredness and self-preservation. Pointing fingers at others (the way these guys are attempting to do) takes the focus off the real issue of their being just plain greedy and trying to make a fast buck on tax-free cash deals.

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Missing Egyptians Captured

2006-08-14T08:13:00.000-07:00

The last two missing Egyptian "students" have been captured. It only took our law enforcement agencies a little over two weeks to find them. The last two were captured in Richmond, Va. The other nine were arrested last week in Minnesota, New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois and Iowa. During the same period that they were missing a plot to bomb 10 airliners has been stopped in England and the US has leveled charges on three individuals of purchasing throw-away cell phones with the intent to turn them into devices in which to blow up bridges here. The Egyptian students were "never a threat" according to authorities, yet the initial reports released in the national bulletin to law enforcement was that they were to be "approached with caution".

Although it is a relief to know that the Egyptians have been "captured", it still remains a source of irritation (that's putting it mildly) to me that we have student visa programs in place that would allow access to our country that can be so easily abused. Of the original group one student was denied a visa, six showed up in Montana for the month-long program at Montana State University in Bozeman on time, and the remainder of the group has cavorted around our country unaccounted for over two weeks.

Obviously, the group that was captured "site-seeing", had no intention of attending classes in Bozeman. As far as I am concerned, the claims that our government made that the missing were never a terrorism threat is b.s. That the group was able to manipulate our system to gain access to our country for anything other than the intended purpose proves how large of gaps we have in our security programs. It may be that they were never terrorist threats, but the programs that allowed them access to the US surely are.

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Update: Approach With Caution

2006-08-09T16:08:00.000-07:00

Make that eight Egyptians missing in the US since Saturday now. Three of the original eleven have been taken into custody (one individual supposedly turned himself in). Two of the three were located in New Jersey.

The odd duck (who authorities say wasn't visiting relatives) Eslam Ibrahim Mohamed El Dessouki, age 21 was located in Minnesota. Original destination was Montana - he instead was arrested in Minnesota. Sure anyone could confuse the two,...they both start with the letter "M". Michigan and Missouri may be hosting the others, if spelling is an issue here. But, I think not...

Ya got to love America - land of the freely running illegal aliens.

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Approach With Caution

2006-08-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

Lost in the US - eleven Egyptian young men ranging in the ages from 17 to 22. The bulletin released from the FBI to all law enforcement agencies nationwide includes their pictures, their names, and visa information.

"At the present time there are no known associations to any terrorist groups. Approach with caution," the lookout bulletin states."

They have only been missing since July 29, 2006 after arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. They were part of a group of twenty students traveling on visas to attend classes at Montana State University. Three of the twenty students were not permitted entry and six actually did arrive and checked in at Montana. Where the other eleven are is anybody's guess.

The names released by the FBI of the eleven missing are:

• El Sayed Ahmed Elsayed Ibrahim, 20

• Eslam Ibrahim Mohamed El Dessouki, 21

• Alaa Abd El Fattah Ali El Bahnasawi, 20

• Mohamed Ragab Mohamed Abd Alla, 22

• Ahmed Refaat Saad El Moghazi El Laket, 19

• Ahmed Mohamed Mohamed Abou El Ela, 21

• Mohamed Ibrahim Elsayed El Moghazy, 20

• Ebrahim Mabrouk Moustafa Abdou, 22

• Moustafa Wagdy Moustafa El Gafary, 18

• Mohamed Saleh Ahmed Maray, 20

• Mohamed Ibrahim Fouaad El Shenawy, 17

Pictures would be nice, but I would imagine that because they are only "unaccounted for" the ACLU would have a field day with invasion of privacy issues if the pictures were issued. Where are our rights? It's bad enough that we are fighting an influx of illegal aliens crossing our borders to the south, but to encourage possible trouble by maintaining student exchange programs with countries producing terrorists (al-Qaeda's dead al-Zarqawi was Egyptian) is almost mind boggling.

Here's a thought. Instead of teaching them, it's time we learned a lesson ourselves. Shut down these programs now. Save our tax-payers millions of dollars in trying to sort out the good guys, from the bad. Save our citizens from harm - shooting Jews and running over fellow students with a rented Jeep may seem like isolated incidents, but it only takes one to kill many. How many more of these small scale attacks need to happen before it escalates into the numbers of lives lost in the 9-11 attack?

Twenty started out, three had their visas revoked. Why were those three stopped? The plan of 9-11 was to have twenty in the air. It was accomplished with ninteen. Am I the only one who doesn't like the numbers game here? Six appear to be legitimate students, but how can anyone in Montana sleep peacefully knowing that they were part of a group accepted by the state university that has had three turned away at the border and eleven now missing? I am not discriminating here - I am suspicious, as anyone in their right minds should be under the circumstances.

"We do want to talk to them. But at this point there's no reason to believe they pose any criminal or terrorist threat," said Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Julie Myers, who heads Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Yeh, right. I am sure that eleven guys smart enough to be accepted by a state university, are not smart enough to know that once here they could take off to parts unknown and not be missed. Obviously, they were willing to take that chance. We aren't talking spring flings here with young men suddenly finding themselves in a situation of no supervision that have decided to sow their wild oats. We are talking about a group of intelligent individuals who have come from most likely educated and affluent families who no doubtedly were very aware of the requirements expected of them once they hit our soil. This is not a move of thoughtlessness, it is an act of calculation.

Why burden ourselves with having to "find" them? Obviously, they should never have been here in the first place. "At the present time there are no known associations to any terrorist groups. Approach with caution," the lookout bulletin states." Enough already. A simple resolution to this and similar potential problems is to approach anyone for any reason wishing to enter our country with extreme caution at this time. We have quotas for new citizenship - lets limit our liability to that number until the world proves to us that their citizens are safe and desirable. Instead of us teaching these young men, it would appear that they are in the process of teaching us all something. We can only hope and pray that it doesn't involve a lesson steeped in death and destruction.

Election time is looming upon us - who you vote for should be approached with the utmost caution. It's time to close our borders and put an end to our universities being exploited as a pass key for potential problems.

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Polls, Media, and Propaganda

2006-08-07T09:01:00.000-07:00

Propaganda is an ancient form of combat. Rumors in ancient days often defeated the enemy by virtue of the ability to spin a yarn based on fear-factor, not battle. In modern times the media has become the most viable means of swaying the opinions of the masses. Depending upon who you read (and how the writer says it) the facts of a particular story can be skewed to place doubt, create discordance, and to promote fear, bringing about the paralytic inability to close ranks and unite upon the part of the "enemy" when done correctly. Battles are still being won through propaganda, without a drop of blood being spilled. But, what will the toll on the world be when the media whores are through?

"Half of Americans Still Believe in the Saddam WMD Story, God Help the World". The title, chosen by an editor of Al-Jazeerah, is followed by his comments -

The following news report should alarm US peace activists and those who want to see America peaceful and prosperous and to save it from a sure self-destruction. It demonstrates the power of the government multifaceted propaganda on the minds of people. Half of Americans still support anything the government did and does, said or says.

American peace activists and true patriots have a huge work to do. A third political party has to emerge to replace the two Zionist-controlled parties. It should include all third current parties together with members of the two dominant parties who believe in peace and who are not Israel-firsters.

Only this third party will be able to have an alternative media (TV stations, radio stations, and written media), which can educate the public and combat the pro-war propaganda of the Zionist owned and controlled corporate media.

Until this happens, the government and its permanent war policy will be supported by the brain-controlled and misinformed public.

God! Help the World.

Here's propaganda at it's most thinly disguised. Only the very stupid would believe such a person, who has the capacity to turn over the killers that exclusively use his media network to show the pleas and then decapitations of their victims, when he invokes "God" not Allah to save the world. Only the very stupid would hearken to his plea, that

A third political party has to emerge to replace the two Zionist-controlled parties. It should include all third current parties together with members of the two dominant parties who believe in peace and who are not Israel-firsters.

Only this third party will be able to have an alternative media (TV stations, radio stations, and written media), which can educate the public and combat the pro-war propaganda of the Zionist owned and controlled corporate media.

Intuitively, this editor is keying in on the weakest mindset of the American people - those who doubt and are afraid. His tactic of calling for a "third party" is already being echoed by many sane people in the US who are sick of the political fighting between the two leading political parties the Republicans and the Democrats. We are, as a nation, gearing up to go that direction unless political infighting stops and we unite as a people.

Imagine a party of "American peace activists and true patriots" led by someone of the ilk of Cindy Sheehan. Wouldn't those that seek the destruction of the United States love to see the likes of her in power? At the same time, it is both laughable and deplorable. Laughable, because no nation has ever come to power and sustained it led by a pacifist. Deplorable because, so many sane people are tired of facing the dilemma we have with Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, and North Korea to name a few, an easy way out becomes very appealing. "Just say no" was a term coined by Nancy Reagan. It is being echoed in this lead-in editorial note by a propaganda spewing anti-Zionist who would rather see our heads cut off or filled with fluff that sounds good, but will ultimately be the death and destruction of us all and everything we know and take for granted today in the US, if acted upon by those unable to grasp the fact that this is exactly what our enemy wants us to believe.

This was a lead-in editorial note as I said. The "real story"? He follows it with the Harris poll recently released that shows 50% of the US still believes Iraq had WMD's in some capacity, even if they were never found. Many news stories released by the media make that 50% of US citizens out to be fools (of course they call us that more subtly). But the point that is being made by the media is, if you believe that WMD's were there then as the Toronto Sun points out in their headline "What about UFOs?", you probably will believe in anything. (Hello, the Toronto Sun - our government denies that UFO's exist - so much for being spoonfed by the government).

Why is it that those who seek to destroy the US focus on this issue? Because, the key element that makes it a viable tool to the enemy is that this issue began here by the anti-war element decrying our involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq, was then taken up by die hard Democrats looking for something to undermine the Republican dominated government, and then is repeatedly pounded upon the multitudes as a wedge against unification of mind and spirit. Americans have notoriously bad memories - we forget things in short order and can be swayed like a pendulum easily by new events. God (or should I say Allah?) forbid that events would sway the American people to unite. That wouldn't be a good thing during a war to happen.

So where does that leave us sane people who are sick of the war(s) we are involved in, sick of our political in-fighting, sick of those crazy people who think "flower-power" and "just saying no" will win us eternal peace? Determined. Determined not to be swayed by propaganda filled media reports. Determined to die with our heads on, and on straight. Determined to work through our problems (and wars) in the only way possible to come out on top of the situation, by not believing lies disguised as the truth by some creative propagandists whose only purpose on Earth at this time is to further the destruction of the United States and the freedom to have the rights to work, to live, to believe, to choose as a free man and woman - not a subservient class worker in a single religion dominated political state.

Do I believe in UFO's? I was born in Missouri, where we were raised to believe the old saying "seeing is believing". Come the day it happens that we are visited by entities from another world I'll believe it. In the meantime, I believe every single picture displayed on Al-Jazeerah of murdering thugs beheading innocent victims while chanting "Allah is great". One thing to learn in propaganda is that one never shows their hand dipped in blood and then attempt to offer it to their enemy while still dripping in a sign of peace. That slight of hand, is about as transparent as the worst bungled magic trick.

But hey, Germany's Goebbel was a master propagandist, whose best known illusion was to make millions of Jews disappear during WWII (disappear - not die), why shouldn't we believe someone like Iran's President who still believes Goebbel's illusion that the Jews weren't there to begin with? While we are into believing illusions, let's also believe the illusions this same anti-Zionist, anti-western, 12th eman believing President of Iran would have us believe - that there never was WMD's (never, ever) that disappeared in Iraq, that his country is not supporting the war against Israel by arms delivery to Hezbollah, that his country is not sending agents into Iraq to create division between the Shiite's and the Sunni's, or believe that his countries nuclear enrichment program is meant to bring electricity to his country and not light up the world instead?

Maybe this is really what is wrong with us. We were indocrinated to be gullible - raised up as small children to believe in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the tooth fairy, and Halloween ghosts and goblins. Maybe that is why some American adults have a hard time sorting out fact from fiction, and can so easily be swayed to believe the sugar coated lies of grim reapers dressed in their disguise as doves of peace and virtue?

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Angels Of Death Or Victims Themselves?

2006-07-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

(from left to right)
Dr. Pou, Nurses Budo and Landry

Four deaths in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina embody the uncertainty and chaos that reigned in New Orleans during the days of the disaster there. Their deaths leaves huge questions as to who has the most to gain or loose in the days since Katrina.

Questions that come from reading between the lines...

How did an ENT (ear-nose-throat specialist) become a decision maker (and accused life taker) at Memorial Medical Center? Surely, there were better qualified attending doctors in the building (i.e., hospitalists who have a generalized practice scope that would include critical care, instead of a limited specialty area such as the accused ENT) to oversee the care and evacuation of the patients trapped there by the flood.

The purported victims all were located in a specialized unit (a long-term acute care facility - LTAC) that was independently run by an outside medical entity separate from the hospital. The hospital is owned by Tenet Healthcare Corp. of Dallas and the LTAC unit, which was located on the seventh floor of Memorial, was owned by owned and staffed by LifeCare Holdings Inc. of Plano, Texas. The doctor and the two nurses were Tenet employees, not LifeCare employees. Did LifeCare employees think the ENT and the two nurses were not qualified to make decisions regarding their patients because they weren't employed by their own facility? (Second-guessing might come easily then). It makes a person wonder what the historical relationship of LifeCare staff with Tenet staff was like. Could on-going friction between the two create an atmosphere of distrust? Or does it go beyond employee relations?

LifeCare's lawyers alerted investigators on Sept. 14 to the suspicious deaths.(source)

What witnesses report happening...

The alleged slayings occurred Sept. 1, the fourth day of the disaster. By that point, according to eyewitness accounts, hospital personnel had begun ferrying some patients with the help of a small fleet of private rescue boats. But it was difficult to move the sickest of them because the elevators didn't work. Bodies filled the chapel as well as the morgue.

That morning, LifeCare employees approached Susan Mulderick, the incident commander at Memorial, and asked her what the hospital planned to do about evacuating the LifeCare unit's patients. Mulderick said they "were not going to leave any living patients behind." She then told them to find Pou.

In the affidavit, a number of LifeCare employees described Pou's subsequent rounds on the seventh floor, and the help she allegedly received from the nurses.

According to one witness, Pou said "a decision had been made to administer lethal doses" to the nine remaining patients in critical condition on the seventh floor.

Another witness said Pou had determined that their patients would not survive. She also thought they were unconscious. But a LifeCare worker told Pou that one patient, a 380-pound paralyzed man, was "aware, conscious and alive."

Pou, however, determined that the man could not be evacuated. She asked if there was a LifeCare worker who would sedate the man, but a supervisor refused on behalf of the staff.(source)

Refusing orders for sedation? Odd, this word choice. If the ultimate goal of the doctor was euthanasia, one would think other words would come to mind instead of "sedate".

Another version of decision-making...

Four hospital administrators at Memorial Medical Center heard of plans to give patients lethal doses, although none of the key witnesses said they knew who made the decision, the affidavit said.

During a meeting about the evacuation plan, one hospital administrator who has not been charged told employees they did not expect to evacuate nine critically ill patients.

She also said the plan was they "were not going to leave any living patients behind". (I assume this administrator was Susan Mulderick).

Pou later told a hospital worker that many of the patients on the seventh floor "were probably not going to survive" and that "a decision had been made to administer lethal doses," the affidavit said.(source)

So which is it, "sedate" or "lethal doses"? Conflicting (and possibly biased) reports... Reason indicates that, although the ENT Dr. Pou and the two nurses may have administered the narcotics to the purported victims, the decision (if there really ever was a decision for euthanasia) was one that was reached by mutual agreement during a meeting of the minds of the upper echelon of the hospital staff and then executed by the three accused. Because LifeCare was a separate entity (a hospital within a hospital) would there have been a meeting without one of their representatives present? Two different sources (Pou and Mulderick) are reported echoing the same plan to not "leave any living patients behind". It is curious that this statement (as vague as it is appears to be) is at the center of this case. The statement could for all intents and purposes be taken two ways; 1) a superhuman effort would be made to get all the patients out, or 2) patients that couldn't be moved would not be left behind alive. So, was an order for euthanasia made by the administrators (again I wonder was LifeCare there?) or did the doctor act on her own to expedite the rescue for the patients and herself from the horrible conditions those trapped at Memorial were dealing with?

I've got some serious doubts about this witness report...

Budo (one of the nurses accompanying Pou) was observed giving an injection to a 92-year-old man who said, "That burns," as she administered a lethal dose of morphine.

I question the credibility of the witness on this testimony. The man obviously had a peripheral intravenous delivery system, by which the injection had been given. If he had any other kind of delivery device he would not have felt a thing. These small IV accesses burn when saline (a solution the human body produces itself) is administered to flush the line. This is not indicative that morphine was present in the injection. This does not sound like a statement given by a nurse (although, I could be wrong), but more like something someone without much, if any, medical knowledge would give (possibly an orderly or a nurses assistant).If this is the type of evidence that the DA will present to prove their case, it is circumstanial bordering on inflammatory at best.

It also is being reported that

Late last month, the troubled hospital company -- which lost more than $3 billion in the last three years -- agreed to a $900-million settlement with the federal government over allegations that it bilked Medicare. (source)

One more reason for LifeCare to distance themselves from Tenet. LifeCare attorneys reported this - why were they interviewing employees in the first place unless they were afraid of being placed at fault in the deaths? It comes to my mind that LifeCare, rather than Tenet, would ultimately be responsible for the welfare of the patients in their care. Could it be reason enough to point blame somewhere else?

There is a whole lot more to this story than three individuals acting as angels of death. Who really are the victims now?

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Uniting The Faithful

2006-07-18T08:44:00.000-07:00

Regardless of borders, the outcome of the crisis in the Middle East will be based on personal religious beliefs and the choices one must make to act in accordance with those beliefs.

At the core of the conflict...

Sunni against Shiite, Arab nations are being divided by religious belief not political doctrine as to the on-going Israeli/Islamist war in the Middle East. Sunni believers (those who believe in the first four caliphs--Mohammed's successors, who rightfully took his place as the leaders of Muslims) comprise nearly 85% of the worlds Muslim based religion. Shiite believers ( believe that only the heirs of the fourth caliph, Ali, are the legitimate successors of Mohammed) make up only 15% of the worlds Islamist faithful. While Sunni Muslims are scattered across the world, the Shiite faithful are primarily based (approximately 75%) in the countries of Saudia Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India.

Conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India rage between the two religious branches. Bin Laden is a Sunni. Bin Laden has used his religious beliefs in an attempt to spur on the war against the western world and those (the Shiite's) he saw as western supporters. At the point where Bin Laden could have united the faithful, he has instead divided them by religious beliefs - choosing to imperically look at all Shiite's as having adopted what he believes is a bastardized western ideology. When the coalition entered Iraq, the Shiite's saw this as an opportunity to align themselves with power and become the driving force within the newly established government. Bin Laden called upon the Sunni's to stop the Shiite's, stop the westernization of the country, and continue to bring control of the region back to the "true faithful", the Sunni's. Hence, we see the slaughter between Sunni and Shiite in these countries. We see terrorists, who are Sunni believers, from foreign countries imported into Iraq to continue the push to stop Shiite control and western bastardization of the country. Here lies the core of the spiraling conflict in the Middle East. Bin Laden did not have the foresight to see how this would turn on him and pit Muslim against Muslim on a worldwide field.

Iran is Shiite based. 93.4% of the population of Iran are Shiite's. It has been rumored forever that Bin Laden is in Iran in hiding. Based on the push by Bin Laden and his followers to attack Shiite's to punish them for aligning with the western world, this rumor is just that - a rumor, with no base in fact. Bin Laden is no friend of Iran, what he has become to them instead is a means to further the strength of the Shiite's in the world as he could never have imagined.

The tools and fools of war...

What Bin Laden miscalculated was the Iranian ability to take his war and make it their own. He became the tool by which they were able to manuever behind the scenes and manipulate his conflict into their own war with the west. They are striving to unite Shiite and Sunni as he never could, by using the Israeli's. Iran is going after the US (and the western world) by going after the token western state in the heart of the Middle East. The pet project of western civilization. Israel.

By using Syria as the frontmen to support Hamas and Hezbollah, Iran is projecting it's plan for dominence and control. Knowing full well the inability of the US to control faction fighting (Shiite against Sunni) in Iraq and Afghanistan, Iran is setting up the region to turn the tables upon the west with a united front. This will be achieved by creating an atmosphere of sympathy towards the cause of a united Muslim world against the US backed Israeli's. Instigating the plan, was achieved by goading Hamas and Hezbollah into attacking Israel. Both are small fish to fry in a larger plan. Token fools to be wasted in a grander scheme for dominence by the Shiite Iranians. Both are small groups of people with the short-sightedness to not see how they have been manipulated as puppets and tools in a larger playing field. They are the bait, by which Iran is patiently waiting to catch a bigger fish, a united Muslim front against the western world. The minute the situation escalates to the point that the western world through the UN sends in forces to support Israel is the minute Iran hopes to achieve it's goal. Their hope is that Muslims will no longer fight each other, but will instead unite to fight the west. If this is achieved by Muslim fighting Muslim (Sunni against Shiite) in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan in their opposition or support of the war with Israel, so be it. The weakening of these governments will in the long run create the environment to strengthen the united Muslim front. They believe that from chaos the Shiites will unite and conquer.

The extremist Shiite's in Iran have long been manipulating the rules. They are an enemy who has learned how to threaten and bully and intimidate to get what they want or to buy loyalty on a wide scale. They are very smart and should not be underestimated in their ability to plot and achieve their goals. For Iran, Bin Laden became a tool when he initiated the regional devastation of the Middle East. He brought the western world fight to the region, but if Iran succeeds they will bury the west in a way that Bin Laden never dreamed of. With the Shiite's in control.

The question remains what the Muslims of the world will do. Bin Laden believes that the Shiite based faithful are not the true believers. Where is Bin Laden now? Where is his call to support the war against the west by supporting Hamas and Hezbollah? How it must gall him to see how the Shiite's may emerge as the leaders of the Islamic movement for dominence, something he strived for as a Sunni but has never been able to achieve. The majority of the Sunni's in the world live in those very westernized countries that Bin Laden believes despoiled the faithful when the Ottoman Empire ceased to exist and the caliphs no longer ruled. Will the majority Sunni follow the minority Shiite lead in a full-scale war of religion? Is Iran capable of clouding the eyes, the hearts and minds of Sunni's with the promise of an Islamic world domination to achieve their goals of a Shiite run world? Is Iran capable of creating an illusion to the Muslims of the world that the war with Israel was a war started by the west against the whole Islamic population, rather than what it really is - the manipulation of the Shiite regime in Iran to gain world dominance?

What lesson may be learned here? Possibly, that religion will never create a united front - even if it is in the name of Allah.

At the very least that is what the infidels of the world must pray for.

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Would You Prefer Camel Dung?

2006-07-17T06:33:00.000-07:00

The media loves to find a crack in the armor of the powerful. One small little slip and here we go...

During a luncheon meeting at the G8 summit President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair was talking. Luncheon conversations at this summit have been anything but light. Enlightening is more the word for it, as the press got an unexpected inner look at the relationship and the thoughts of George W. and Tony when a microphone was accidentally left open.

You know you are in the company of a true friend when you can not only tease and kid around, as Pres. Bush did with Tony about a sweater he had received from the English PM, but also curse in the next breath to him about the crisis in the Middle East. President Bush to Tony, "What they need to do is to get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit."

Wow, the President dropped the s-bomb. A big deal? Not hardly. But the media would report it this way, as did this news source who piped

It's not the first time the unwary President, who claims to be a born-again Christian, has been caught cursing. He called a New York Times reporter a "son of a bitch" to an open mike, told Wall Street Journal reporter Al Hunt "fuck you" in front of his daughters and, in a meeting with members of Congress, called the Constitution "just a goddamned piece of paper."

Gee, let's consider the source. Syria is supplying the attack on Israel. Israel has been an ally to the US in the Middle East for years. It's not like we don't have enough war right now without the Syrians helping to start another one. That might be a reason to curse. Calling a New York Times reporter a "son of a bitch" doesn't seem out of line either, considering the Times has been the open sore in a festering wound in the on-going upper-level governmental security leaks. As far as the incident with the WSJ reporter goes, I am sure that if George W. told him to f-off in front of his daughters, the guy had it coming. Those kind of public slips, don't come easily without provocation when you are the President.

Last but not least, the President called the Constitution, "just a goddamned piece of paper". He's right, even though the adjective used to describe it probably wasn't necessary. It is a piece of paper, that has become "a living" document to a bunch of people who see it's doctrine as capable of taking on a life of it's own that can be interpreted to meet today's needs as well as it did over 200 years ago. These same people have an attitude eerily similar to those of the extremist followers of the Koran and the Bible, who believe that word for word the text is a mandate to be followed explicitly, without application or allowance to meet the needs of an ever-changing world. Extremists, in any form, can be the source of real consternation when trying to create a harmonious atmosphere. So cursing here, does not seem entirely out of line to me either.

For those sanctimonious reporters, who think that being a Christian, Jew, Muslim, or any believer means you aren't human and shouldn't curse, think again. People are people, and regardless of how pious they are supposed to be and try to be, it isn't a happening thing in real life. Life isn't easy, in fact it can be a real bitch at times. Especially, when you are trying to keep camel dung from being flung.

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The Land Of Two Gods

2006-07-13T09:54:00.000-07:00

As the news reports come in from the Middle East it is apparent that the fighting will escalate. Where it will take the world at large is any man's guess.

From Lebanon the Prime Minister Fouad Siniora is denying any government endorsement or prior knowledge to the retaliatory attacks made by the terrorist organization Hezbollah upon Israel in support of the Palestine terrorist organization who have held an Israeli soldier captive since June 25. For Siniora and others within the Lebanese government the denial falls very short of the mark.

For years Hezbollah has been active within Lebanon despite being recognized as a terrorist organization. So active, that Hezbollah has been

holding seats in the Lebanese parliament and providing social services such as schools, hospitals and other charity programs. Hezbollah fighters operate with almost total autonomy in southern Lebanon, and the government has no control over their actions, according to The Associated Press. But Lebanon has long resisted international pressure to disarm the group.

That is where any denial of involvement by the Lebanonese government falls short.

Israel has bombed with efficiency the airport in Beirut and many other infrastructure resources to create a vacuum from which the Hezbollah can not run unless it is by land through the Syrian border. The warning to Syria comes not from Israel at this point but from President Bush, who said,

Israel has the right to defend itself and declared that Syria "needs to be held to account" for supporting and harboring Hezbollah.

"If you really want the situation to settle down, the soldiers need to be returned," the president said. "My attitude is this: there are a group of terrorists who want to stop the advance of peace. Those of us who are peace-loving must work together to help the agents of peace."

I am afraid the peace-loving agents within the Middle East are few and far between. Especially when the source of almost all conflict is based upon extremist religion. Hezbollah is a Shiite based terrorist organization that actively receives support from Iran and Syria, and who has sympathizers and supporters covertly supporting them from all regions of the Middle East.

There are no "peace-lovers" in extremist religion. Call it terrorism if you will, but the bottom line is that in the land of two Gods you are judged by your religion, not your nationality. For the Muslim extremist, the Jew has been the enemy for centuries and any infidel in support of the Jew marked for the same treatment. This is a war of religion, a war over land steeply embedded in religious history and claimed as "holy land" by opposing religious sides. Regardless of the political posturing, in the end choices will be made by religious orientation. This conflict will not end soon, it has had too many centuries of practice.

Regardless of how you pray to God, it is time for the true "peace-lovers" of the world to place humanity and the price of human life over a fight based on whose God is the right God. What fools men of the world are to believe that two religions that purportedly have the same God could have created such different doctrine for his followers. God did not start this war, mankind did. Mankind created religions and religious practices and doctrines. By doing so, mankind created conflict. It is up to mankind to stop it.

Unfortunately, we do not have the wisdom of God to know exactly how to do that.

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Scratch That Itch

2006-07-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

July is beginning to really irritate me. Literally.

Last year, right before the 4th of July my fiance and I went out to clear brush and I ended up with a bout of poison ivy that covered both legs from the knees down. At that time I "doctored" myself with common topical creams, etc. and suffered through about a month of itchy misery.

My fiance's words of wisdom, "Don't wear shorts while working out in the timber". (A source of another form of irritation for me that I had to endure at the time).

You would think I would learn (sigh)...

So this year ON the 4th of July we set out to once more clear brush. The 4th was on Tuesday this year. By Wednesday night I had a scratchy throat and was sneezing and coughing. At the time I thought that either my allergies were kicking in or that I was coming down with a summer cold.

Thursday when I got up I felt bad, but by the time I had gotten out of the shower to go to work my sneezing had become violent and I had begun to cough to the point of choking. It was too late to call in, so off to work I went. By 8 am my Supervisor approached me and said "you need to go home". I had been assigned 7 patients and would have gladly gone, but she couldn't find a replacement for me and I was not about to overload her with my patients and her own responsibilities. So I left work that night with the understanding I would not be back the next day "to get over it".

Thursday night I felt bad, but had no idea how bad bad could get. Friday I woke up with the beginnings of what appeared to be a rash on my stomach. I knew I had a temperature because I had suffered from episodes of chills throughout the night, so rationalized the rash as being "fever-related". I also began to wheeze to the point it was hard to catch my breath at times. But, being the stubborn person that I am and personally seeing enough of doctors at work to not want to subject myself to them during my time off (sick or not) I was determined to "tough it out".

Saturday morning found me up at 3am with my skin crawling, a raging fever, and wheezing to the point (between sneezing and coughing) that I felt at one point maybe I was getting into respiratory trouble. This episode was over about as quickly as it started and once more I passed on the thought of going to the doctor. I remained up until 11pm that night, in the recliner, lethargically pointing and clicking the remote control at the tv. As my temperature flared, I took ibuprophen. As my temperature flared, I developed diarrhea. As my temperature flared, my rash spread to my back. I was one miserable person.

Sunday found me feeling somewhat better. I was no longer wheezing and my sneezing and coughing had subsided. The diarrhea stopped. Things were looking up except for that rash which continued to increase on my abdomen and back. I convinced myself that was all-in-all I was "doing better" and that once I had this bug out of my system the rash would go away.

Monday things took a turn again. Once more, I began to run a higher temperature. By that night my sneezing and coughing began again with a vengeance. And by that night it was obvious that I didn't have just a rash, but poison ivy. The rash was now spreading to my face, neck, arms, hands, and legs. I could finally see the runners of red rash that look like streaks of blisters. I gave up that night and called in to work for Tuesday with the understanding I would go to the doctor.

Did I say I hate going to the doctor? I hate it so much, that although I have insurance through work, I have never gotten around to finding a doctor to go to. So I ended up going to a walk-in emergency clinic run by a couple of ER doc's that work with the same hospital system I do. I got lucky. After 15 minutes of paperwork time I was in the exam room. After examining me, the good doctor said he wasn't sure based on what he was seeing that I ever had had a virus (a cold). He said that if I had gotten the spore from the poison ivy into my respiratory system the end result could create all the respiratory problems I had. I had a low grade temp at the time of the doctors visit (11 am) and he said that a temp under the circumstances could be a symptom related to having that severe of a poison ivy attack. Within 25 minutes I had been given a steroid shot, a prescription for an oral steroid dose pack, told to double up on my allergy medicine to help dry up my excess secretions and was on my way out the door with a "do not return to work" order until the medicine had time to kick in.

I am totally exhausted from not sleeping, from trying not to scratch, and having absolutely no energy left. My fiance had no grand words of wisdom this time. Once more I did have shorts on while I worked (I already said I was stubborn), but this time the rash began and localized where I had been covered up. It was in the latter stages that it spread to my extremities.

I have learned something from this whole ordeal though. I will never, ever attempt to clear brush in July again.

Additional forms of irritation...

While spending so much wasted time in front of the tv I found that irritation can come in many forms. You know you have spent enough time on one channel when you have the commercials memorized. And the sequence that the commercials appear in.

Also, it is absolutely irritating to already be irritated, but to have that irritation pushed to the extreme with political posturing and mudslinging. If I hear one more time how "much Christian values mean to me" as part of a political campaign I may puke. Not that I don't think having Christian values is a good thing (because I do), but when touting abilities to be a good leader, someone should remind the blithering idiots who are running the campaigns for the candidates here in Oklahoma that trying to impress the public that YOUR candidate is a bigger, better Christian than your opposition, is not a very Christian thing to do. Correct me if I am wrong, but being virtuous does not include being a braggert - especially when you are trying to come across as being virtuous.

Check out the Oklahoma Political News Service to learn how virtuous our leaders and wannabe's are. I will leave further political commentary to Oklahoma PNS for now. I have enough irritations as it is.

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