Keltic Witch Dreams

Easter - A Season of Renewal

2011-04-21T16:07:00.000-05:00

Easter is late this year. So, in many ways is my own "season of renewal". Though I think mine has been growing for more than just 40 days...and new, things are starting to flower and take root!

For Catholics, in February - deep in the cold and dark of Winter's long time of snow and ice, we celebrate Ash Wednesday - the beginning of Lent - it always brings me the promise of Spring - that knowledge that even in the deepest part of winter's hold, God wants us to feel the spark of warmth that comes with rebirth of all things.

The long 40 days of Lent - when we focused on "giving up" something for Lent. That sacrifice is not meant to deprive us of something we like, but rather as a focal point for the bigger work of becoming a better person in faith. By focusing on that one small sacrifice, we can use thoughts of that to strive to be a better mother, wife, friend, person. For me, it has always been a struggle of my passionate nature - the quixotic, red-headed temperament that has always been my area of weakness, the one, big place to focus improvements. Over years (YEARS), I have gotten a tight rein on my harsher tendencies and become....more - patient. (perhaps) I try. Every year. Something new.

Then, with the bright little shoots of green, everywhere it seems all at once, it bursts to the surface - my desire to have new, green, growing things all around. I love the change of seasons and all the different and new flowers, plants, fruits, vegetables, promises of things to come....Easter and growing - personal growth and growth of what seeds you planted. The rebirth and promise of our Lord, Jesus and His gift to us - and the gifts that come from the earth. They all seem tied together now.

In the Spring, I am always pulled by the earth to plant new, beautiful things to watch and nurture and grow. I love this time of year and seeing what new things will bloom - just around the corner. This year, I have planted my herbs and some flowers, my trees have budded and small pears and apples are on the branches. Grapes have returned - and look to produce this year! We will see what the harvest provides later in the summer, but for now - everything is coming up....roses. :-)

So, Happy Easter...Happy Spring, Happy Renewed You!

A Few "Facts" About Taxes....

2011-04-14T12:32:00.001-05:00

Some folks out there doubt what The House Leadership - lead by Mr. Ryan's Budget Plan have to say about Federal Spending and Taxes. Let's take a look at some government tax and budget facts then so you can see why conservatives say America doesn't have a tax shortage, it has a spending problem:

Fact: In 2009, the Federal government collected 2.1 trillion dollars in taxes.
Fact: In 2009, the Federal government spent 3.52 trillion dollars.
Fact: In 2009, the Federal government spent 678 billion dollars on Social Security.
Fact: In 2009, the Federal government spent 676 billion dollars on Medicare.
Fact: In 2009, 38.47% of the entire budget went to Social Security and Medicare and the two programmes consumed 64.48% of all Federal tax revenues.
Fact: The 2009 Social Security and Medicare Trustees Reports show the combined unfunded liability of these two programmes has reached nearly 107 trillion dollars in today's dollars and Laurence Kotlikoff, a well-known professor of economics at Boston University, puts the real figure over 200 trillion dollars!

Fact: In 2010, the Federal government collected 2.16 trillion dollars in taxes.
Fact: In 2010, the Federal government spent 3.618 trillion dollars.
Fact: In 2010, the Federal government spent 701 billion dollars on Social Security.
Fact: In 2010, the Federal government spent 793 billion dollars on Medicare.
Fact: In 2010, 41.29% of the entire budget went to Social Security and Medicare and the two programmes consumed 69.17% of all Federal tax revenues.

Fact: Discretionary spending under Bush was 6% when he left office. Obama increased discretionary spending by 11% in 2009 and 14% in 2010.

Fact: Under the baseline scenario, for example, the CBO has determined that the federal government can restore fiscal balance by raising all taxes and cutting all transfer payments immediately and for the indefinite future by 35%.

Fact: The CBO also found that if federal income tax rates are adjusted to allow the government to continue its current level of activity and balance its budget, the lowest marginal income tax rate of 10% would have to rise to 26%.

Fact: The CBO has found that if federal income tax rates are adjusted to allow the government to continue its current level of activity and balance its budget, the 25% marginal tax rate would increase to 66%.

Fact: The CBO also found that if federal income tax rates are adjusted to allow the government to continue its current level of activity and balance its budget, the current highest marginal tax rate on 250,000 dollars (35%) would rise to 92%.

Fact: If the CBO doesn’t do it for you, then try the IMF, which has said that the US has a “critical” fiscal problem and is “not serious” about addressing it. According to the IMF, were the US government to repeal the tax cuts enacted in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA), the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 (JGTRRA), and were the IPAB to succeed in curbing healthcare spending growth as provided in the IPAB mandate, reining in the fiscal gap would still require an immediate and permanent increase in all taxes and cut in all transfers of 26%.

Fact: According to the IMF, there is an alternative to the Paul Ryan Plan -- an 88% flat tax on everyone. Further, that would be in addition to FICA taxes, which would be 37% on gross income in 2054. [Yes, you read that correctly. 37% payroll taxes on gross income + 88% flat tax on everyone. And, yes, I realize that 37 + 88 = 125. Even if employers were to pay 50% of the 37% (18.5%), you are still left with 88% + 18.5% = 106.5%. Not only would you be working for free, you would also have to pay the government for the privilege of getting to work for nothing. And, you think the Madison labour fight was bad?]

Fact: If you raised taxes to 90% on the wealthiest Americans, forget about debt reduction. You wouldn’t be able to eliminate the budget deficit.

Fact: If you confiscated every penny owned (not just earned) by the 400 wealthiest Americans – 1.36825 TRILLION DOLLARS – you would still have a 300 BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET DEFICIT IN FY 2011.

Fact: If you confiscated every penny owned (not just earned) by the 400 wealthiest Americans – 1.36825 TRILLION DOLLARS – you would still not have enough money to fund Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for one year.

Fact: Under the Obama tax plan, the Bush rates would be repealed for the top brackets. Yet the "cost" of extending all the Bush rates in 2011 over 10 years was about 3.7 trillion dollars. Some 3 trillion dollars of that was for everything but the top brackets—and Obama says he wants to extend those rates forever. According to IRS data, the entire taxable income of everyone earning over 100,000 dollars in 2008 was about 1.582 trillion dollars. Even if all these Americans—most of whom are far from wealthy—were taxed at 100%, it wouldn't cover Obama's 1.65 trillion dollar deficit for this year.

Once again, America has a spending problem. Not a revenue problem.

Are you Tired Too?

2011-04-09T10:03:00.000-05:00

Robert A. Hall is the actor who plays the coroner on CSI if you watch that show. He also is a Marine Vietnam War veteran.

This should be required reading for every man, woman and child in the United States of America.

"I'm 63 and I'm Tired"
by Robert A. Hall

I'm 63. Except for one semester in college,when jobs were scarce and a six-month period when I was between jobs, but job-hunting every day, I've worked hard since I was 18. Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven't called in sick in seven or eight years. I make a good salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, there's no retirement in sight, and I'm tired. Very tired.

I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.

I'm tired of being told that I have to pay more taxes to "keep people in their homes." Sure, if they lost their jobs or got sick, I'm willing to help. But if they bought Mc Mansions at three times the price of our paid-off, $250,000 condo, on one-third of my salary, then let the left-wing Congress-critters who passed Fannie and Freddie and the Community Reinvestment Act that created the bubble help them with their own money.

I'm tired of being told how bad America is by left-wing millionaires like Michael Moore, George Soros and Hollywood Entertainers who live in luxury because of the opportunities America offers. In thirty years, if they get their way, the United States will have the economy of     Zimbabwe, the freedom of the press of China, the crime and violence of Mexico, the tolerance for Christian people of Iran, and the freedom of speech of Venezuela.

I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace," when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family "honor;" of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren't "believers," of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for "adultery," of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur'an and Shari'a law tells them to.

I'm tired of being told that "race doesn't matter" in the post-racial world of Obama, when it's all that matters in affirmative action jobs, lower college admission and graduation standards for minorities (harming them the most), government contract set-asides, tolerance for the ghetto culture of violence and fatherless children that hurts minorities more than anyone, and in the appointment of U.S. Senators from Illinois.

I think it's very cool that we have a black president and that a black child is doing her homework at the desk where Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation. I just wish the black president was Condi Rice, or someone who believes more in freedom and the individual and less arrogantly of an all-knowing government.

I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let Saudi Arabia use our oil money to fund mosques and mandrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in America, while no American group is allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia to teach love and tolerance.

I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate. My wife and I live in a two-bedroom apartment and carpool together five miles to our jobs. We also own a three-bedroom condo where our daughter and granddaughter live. Our carbon footprint is about 5% of Al Gore's, and if you're greener than Gore, you're green enough.

I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses while they tried to fight it off? I don't think Gay people choose to be Gay, but I #@*# sure think druggies chose to take drugs. And I'm tired of harassment from cool people treating me like a freak when I tell them I never tried marijuana.

I'm tired of illegal aliens being called "undocumented workers," especially the ones who aren't working, but are living on welfare or crime. What's next? Calling drug dealers, "Undocumented Pharmacists?"  And, no, I'm not against Hispanics. Most of them are Catholic, and it's been a few hundred years since Catholics wanted to kill me for my religion. I'm willing to fast track for citizenship any Hispanic person, who can speak English, doesn't have a criminal record and who is self-supporting without family on welfare, or who serves honorably for three years in our military.... Those are the citizens we need.

I'm tired of latte liberals and journalists, who would never wear the uniform of the Republic themselves, or let their entitlement-handicapped kids near a recruiting station, trashing our military. They and their kids can sit at home, never having to make split-second decisions under life and death circumstances, and bad mouth better people than themselves. Do bad things happen in war? You bet. Do our troops sometimes misbehave? Sure. Does this compare with the atrocities that were the policy of our enemies for the last fifty years and still are? Not even close. So here's the deal. I'll let myself be subjected to all the humiliation and abuse that was heaped on terrorists at Abu Ghraib or Gitmo, and the critics can let themselves be subject to captivity by the Muslims, who tortured and beheaded Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, or the Muslims who tortured and murdered Marine Lt. Col. William Higgins in Lebanon, or the Muslims who ran the blood-spattered Al Qaeda torture rooms our troops found in Iraq, or the Muslims who cut off the heads of schoolgirls in Indonesia, because the girls were Christian. Then we'll compare notes. British and American soldiers are the only troops in history that civilians came to for help and handouts, instead of hiding from in fear.

I'm tired of people telling me that their party has a corner on virtue and the other party has a corner on corruption. Read the papers; bums are bipartisan. And I'm tired of people telling me we need bipartisanship. I live in Illinois, where the "Illinois Combine" of Democrats has worked to loot the public for years. Not to mention the tax cheats in Obama's cabinet.

I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of both parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.

Speaking of poor, I'm tired of hearing people with air-conditioned homes, color TVs and two cars called poor. The majority of Americans didn't have that in 1970, but we didn't know we were "poor." The poverty pimps have to keep changing the definition of poor to keep the dollars flowing.

I'm real tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their problems.

Yes, I'm tired. But I'm also glad to be 63. Because, mostly, I'm not going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for my granddaughter.

Robert A. Hall is a Marine Vietnam veteran who served five terms in the Massachusetts State Senate.

Marcos and the Tantrum - or Truth in Consequences....

2011-04-05T15:21:00.001-05:00

Recently, I was complimented on the behavior of my son, Marcos and how responsible and mature he is for fifteen. It was nice to know that, regardless of where Marcos goes and whomever is there, he knows how to act in a way that makes a good impression on himself.

The acquaintance then asked me how I managed to control the behavior of a teenager. I don't. I molded the behavior of the toddler he was to influence the comportment of the young adult of today. You have to be a parent all their lives to mold the person they are becoming so that they have the self-confidence to know how to behave with class in all situations. That's not always easy, nor is it always fun - but it is always rewarding.

The one big test Marcos threw at me when he was little comes to mind as I think back on parenting him. He was two - not newly two, but not super close to three either. I was taking him out to dinner at the end of the work week. He liked to go out to eat and was pretty happy with things at the start of the evening.

We got to the restaurant and I settled him in and asked what he wanted for dinner; he made his choice, we ordered and all was well. He suddenly turned to me after the waitress had taken our orders to the kitchen and said, "I want dessert first." I explained that after we ate our dinner and all our veggies, he could have the little treat that came with the kids meal. "No. First."

My usually well-behaved little boy suddenly threw the first all out tantrum he'd ever had. You know the kind? The one where other Mom's look at you with sympathy and relief that it isn't them? I leaned in, told him he had 3 seconds to stop that unacceptable behavior or we were going home and he would not have his dinner or dessert, but bread and water. One,...two,...three.

Non-plussed, Marcos redoubled his effort to break all tantrum records. I gathered our things, picked him up and stopped at the hostess booth on the way out the door to give them my cell phone number and pay for our dinner, plus a nice tip for the waitress. I told them I'd wait for our food in the parking lot and we would take it to go, if they would call me to come in and get it.

A few minutes later, they actually brought the food to the car for me (probably so I didn't bring my screaming child back inside). We went home and by the time we pulled in at the house, Marcos had calmed back down and was quietly looking at me with curiosity. I didn't say anything about the incident.

We went in; I got him in his PJ's and we went downstairs to the kitchen. I put him in his booster chair and put his bib on, set a plate in front of him and saw his downcast face as he looked at the bread on the plate and the cup of water. He looked up at me and I said; "Marcos, I know you are disappointed. I am too. I'm disappointed because you behaved poorly and we didn't have a nice dinner out tonight. I told you what would happen and you didn't listen to me. Let's eat and get to bed, tomorrow will be better." After he ate, I put him in bed, read him a story, said his prayers, kissed him goodnight and we both shut the book on a learning experience.

I went downstairs and wept for my lack of wisdom in diverting the tantrum. I felt I had boxed myself in because once I told him the consequence, I had to follow through or I'd have no credibility with my son. I felt life the worst Mom in the world that night.

Marcos has never acted up in public again and he has never forgotten that lesson. Consequences matter.

No, not a "new job" - a new "Project". No - it's NOT the same....

2011-03-30T13:36:00.005-05:00

When friends and family ask me what I do - or what I am and I tell them, it is clear that some do not really understand the nature of the work. Oh, they understand projects - and most have worked on a project or two in their careers, but as a professional (and it is a profession that one learns, becomes skilled at and constantly seeks to improve) not many people really understand the nature of the work. Hopefully, after you read this, it will be somewhat more clear. I say somewhat because it can take years to completely understand and be comfortable with the concepts.

I am a Technology Project Manager. I manage large scale software implementation projects. That is to say, if your IT Department at work is putting in a new accounting package or sales automation tool or some expensive custom development system, I might be the Project Manager for that project. I have been doing this for a pretty long time - about 16 years overall and in that time, I have managed, hundreds of projects. Budgets for those projects - which the Project Manager is responsible for managing and making sure to stay carefully within those bounds can range from thousands of dollars to multi-millions of dollars.

Projects have a life all their own. It's called a 'lifecycle' actually or 'Software Development LifeCycle" (SDLC). In the business or practice of Project Management the lifecycle has defined phases along the journey from beginning to end.

First, to start a project, someone has to have an idea or a problem that needs a solution; that is 'Initiation'. Then, all the details about the project are discussed and captured; that is 'Discovery'. After the details are captured, all the features and functions the users want or need from the system are documented; that is 'Requirements'. Once the needs are written, the system is sketched out or blue printed; that is 'Design'. Just like a house, once the design or blueprint exists, the building can start; that is 'Development'. After building (and hopefully during building) the system needs to be checked against what the users said they wanted; that is 'Testing'. The users will need to be taught how to use the new tool; that is 'Training'. Following all of the other steps that have been completed, the system is ready to be put into use; that is 'Deployment' and then, when all the loose ends are tied up, the project is finished and measuring how well it was done can happen.

Now, you will hear all kinds of different terms, acronyms, methods or approaches to manage projects. But basically, they are all variations on the theme above because at the most basic level, all those things have to happen so that you can plan, measure and execute projects. Even though we have metrics to measure them, no two projects are ever exactly the same. Sometimes it is a different team of people or different types or versions of software or hardware, but in all the years I've done this, no two projects have ever been exactly alike and I have never done a project where I haven't learned something new.

Sometimes, there are new systems and from soup to nuts (we say 'cradle to grave') the project can last over a year. Sometimes, they are simple upgrades to new versions of software and may only take 2 - 3 months. The typical project I manage lasts about 6 - 12 months. Depending on the needs of the organization and how in depth they want me to work with the project, I may manage more than one project at a time - that group of projects is called a portfolio. It is hard when the portfolio gets to be more than about 6 - 8 projects because it is hard to know every issue and every deadline or due date on more than 8 projects. I have had up to 11 projects at one time, but I wasn't a very nice person to be around then.

Project Managers deal with the timelines, budgets, task assignments and due dates of all people and resources pertaining to the projects in their care. Once a project is completed, it is 'put to bed' and the system goes into what is referred to as 'maintenance mode'. That is to say, developers and technicians may still need to do some work on the system, but the bulk of the work is done and the Project Manager is repurposed (put on a new project) or cut loose - moves on to another group or company to manage a new adventure.

There are some pros and cons to being an Implementation Project Manager. It is exciting and fast paced, you are always on the leading edge - some say 'bleeding edge' of new technologies and you get to work with a lot of different people in lots of different places - all around the world. Those are pro's. On the flip side, it can be stressful - especially when things aren't done on time because something broke or someone had an unexpected issue or, well - any number of obstacles crop up. It can be frustrating because as someone bringing in a new tool, some of the people using the old tool don't want to change. People can become obstacles for lots of reasons. Maybe they are scared their job will go away. Maybe they are scared they won't be able to learn the new technology or that the company will hire someone younger who can do the job cheaper. Project Management can also be uncertain at times - projects get canceled or defunded; projects finish and then the job can be ended. You may be out looking for your next "new gig" at any time.

There are ways to manage the risk associated with projects ending abruptly or projects having the funding pulled. That is typically the manner of company the Project Manager (PM) works with or for. As a PM, you can be hired by the company doing the project. You work for company "A" they pay you and you have benefits and perks just like any other traditional employee. This is typically called 'Direct'.

You can work for a company - "A" whose business is selling technical services to other companies "B" and when the services are sold, you do the project for "B" with a team from both "A" and "B". When the project is done, "B's" salespeople have sold other projects to other businesses and you start another project or there may be a small lag before the project starts, but you still work for "B" and are temporarily on the 'bench', but still a full employee being paid and getting benefits. This is typically called 'Consulting'.

Another employment option has a few more variations. You work through an agency "A" and they hunt up opportunities to place you on a project - company "B". You can either be paid via W-2 (taxes taken out) or 1099 (you pay your own taxes and you are company "C") but, you don't get typical benefits like holidays or vacation or sick time. You might get healthcare or insurance if you need it, but the rates may not be great. You can get more money working in this manner, but some people are not comfortable because it can seem 'temporary'. (Although, in today's economic and work environment, it is no more 'temporary' than any other position - as we see now- anyone is expendable.) This is typically called 'Contracting'.

I have been employed in all of the ways described; some are nicer than others. Some can be much more lucrative and sometimes, that is what you may need. But, as a professional PM, you have to be flexible and open to accepting whatever type of employment method is available in the economic cycle and that, really is the driver.

For instance, during the 90's, everyone wanted to hire PM's direct so that you worked for them and they could use you on a number of projects because IT was new and projects were quite literally coming out of the walls. Running up to Y2K, consulting was huge because the big consulting firms - grown out of the big accounting houses - could charge huge hourly rates for PM's. In 1998 and 1999, it was not uncommon for good, experienced PM's to have rates (charged by the consulting house, not earned by the PM) anywhere from $300 - $500/hour. After the Dotcom bubble burst, no one really wanted to pay PM's. Companies tried to have developers be both programmers and PM's, but that was an epic fail - and then PM"s were desperately needed to fix all the disasters caused by letting developers (geeks) do whatever they wanted with no one steering the ship. This brought about a growth in Contract positions because there were so many projects that needed PM's that changing jobs that often was simply not great on a resume until people really grew to understand Project Management and the professional Project Manager.

Salary is driven by the manner of work, the years of experience and the technology of the project. It is really a wide and varied field. New PM's might come onto their first project under a veteran PM and be earning an entry level salary that can range from $35K - $55K. Certified PM's can range all over the place because a certificate means more with years of experience. Those ranges can go from $50K - $90K depending. Senior level PM's with years of success under their belts can command top salaries, or top hourly rates, depending on what they negotiate and the field is very open to negotiations. PM's at the top of their game can expect salaries starting around $100K on up or hourly rates from $50/hour to $100/hour or sometimes more depending on the details of the project. However, to whom much is given, much is required. Being a PM is not a 40 hour/week job. There is travel, overnight "go live's", late night emergencies, head aches and juggling of family to deal with too. Those "top" salaries required experience and dedication that is only achieved through paying a lot of dues over the years.

Because of this changeable nature of projects, project employment and by extension, Project Management, some may say "well, that doesn't seem like very reliable work". If you were the type of person who was looking to be in one place for your entire 40 year career, that would probably be somewhat true. But, there are always going to be new technologies and new businesses that need new systems or businesses that need to change or tweak systems.

So, if you are a good Project Manager, there will always be a need for what you do thereby ensuring that you will always find a project that needs you. Similarly, if you are a good PM, you wouldn't want to stay in one place for 40 years because you are, in fact, an agent of change and the one constant about change is that it is always happening. I for one am glad - because I like being a PM with all the change and challenges - it's just who I am.

Nicki and the Geese @ Possum Kingdom Lake

2011-03-28T14:16:00.000-05:00

David's family has a reunion each October at Possum Kingdom Lake in Graham Texas. It is a beautiful location and the cabins we rent are dog friendly – which is good because in the Stevens Clan, the canines outnumber the humans by a pretty healthy ratio. The predominant dog being the Australian Shepherd as many participate in Obedience and Agility trials.

The October of 2009, we had decided to get a small efficiency cabin for our family of 6 (2 adults, 2 children, 2 dogs – that was the “plan”) next to the big cabin for the rest of the family – so we could have a bit of extra room. Due to oversight, instead of bringing Nicki (our Scottie) and Indie (our Aussie) with us, I had messed up the dates on the bordetella vaccines for the schnauzers, and so, they had to come with us too (now a family of 8). Because the schnauzers are quick and (like a Scottie) not good off leash, we brought a “baby gate” as extra protection for the cabin door.

I am not a morning person. I am, in fact, not good until caffeine of some sort – preferably the nectar of the Gods *coffee* has hit my bloodstream. So, in the morning, when the dogs started skootching around to let us know they needed out, it fell to my husband to take them on the first outing. As we knew Indie was the only one we could trust off leash, he made a trip with the schnauzers and then, came back for Nicki. All the while, Indie was at his heels obedient herder that she is.

The cabins are directly on the lake. The lake – in fall – has geese and other water fowl swimming and pecking along near the waterline at the cabins. Nicki had, of course, noticed the birds while on her walk, but as she was ‘on-leash’, she did not fuss with them, or make a big noise or pull to get to them, so David (who is used to the behavior of an Aussie) thought nothing about the geese or about Nicki and the fact that she might be interested in them. Nicki did think about them - a LOT. When David came to let Nicki back into the cabin, she pushed on the baby gate –hard – and it popped out of the doorway. Off she ran like a shot!

She ran at those geese full speed right to the waterline, where they swam with nary a care, looking back at her with disdain. Nicki, however, was not to be put off so easily and in she went right after them, fast and hard – swimming out about 100 feet as David raced to the dock trying to head her off. At about the 100 foot from shore mark, she seemed to realize where she was and that she could no longer touch bottom. This apparently gave her pause and she stopped paddling. And sank like a stone. David, frantically trying to figure out how he would tell his wife that her darling had drowned, was trying to reach Nicki quickly. Between her stumbling toward shore underwater (David could see her ‘walking’ on the bottom) and his splashing about like a madman, the two of them managed to get her out of the lake and back to the cabin where I could dry her off.

We all dried her off vigourously rubbing her with towels and checked her out well giving a listen to her lungs to make sure they were clear (thankfully they were) and we kept a VERY close eye on Nicki for the remainder of the weekend to guarantee there were no more ‘swimming’ incidents. She *seriously* likes water and we must be ever vigilant as she has not a whit of fear.

I may get her a doggie life vest before this fall's outing....

Budget Woes and Belt Tightening - Coming Soon to a Town Near You!

2011-03-24T14:21:00.004-05:00

Many people all across the country have been discussing all the budgetary cuts happening currently at the local and state level; and I expect soon to happen at the federal level.

Why are we seeing all these deep budget cuts? Well, frankly, the United States is in serious fiscal trouble. States, Counties, Cities and Towns must have balanced budgets. These municipalities can not run deficits like the Federal Government. In the past few years, the Federal Government was handing out stimulus money like, well...like drunken sailors. This helped prop up municipal budgets which otherwise would have been carefully and cautiously trimming along the way. Now that the cuts have to be made all in one year, these adjustments seem very draconian. The piper has come to demand payment.

As an example of the irresponsible spending I refer to, I will share an episode from the Lewisville Independent School District (LISD) that simply stymied me in its example of short-sightedness.

In 2009, the LISD was 'awarded' stimulus funds. Those funds had some strings attached - specifically, they could not be spent on capital expenditures, but had to go to teacher salaries. (personally, I think teachers deserve more money, but there were better ways to do this) These were funds for 2 years only - 2009 and 2010. In 2011, at a School Board meeting, members and parents were up in arms over spending cuts and teacher layoffs.

When asked why the deep cuts were needed, it came out that instead of giving teachers 'bonuses' with the stimulus funds - that is to say 1 or 2 year bonus checks, the ISD had given raises in annual salary. Not only did they give permanent salary increases to the teachers, they also gave across the board raises to all the Administrative Staff (non-teachers - like the school secretaries, teacher aides, custodians, etc) and now, the budget was short that amount of money. This (in their minds) necessitated teacher and staff layoffs. Why didn't the ISD simply return salaries to pre-stimulus levels?

Sadly, the belt tightening is going to accelerate in the near future. One of the primary bond funds in the US - the Pimco Select Fund last month sold all its US Bonds. That is not a good sign. China is not buying US debt at the rate they have in the past. Many countries are calling for another 'reserve currency' than the dollar. All these signs point to fiscally tough times ahead for the US. What does that mean for individuals and families?

First, municipal and federal budgets are going to see deep, painful cuts. Increases in fees and charges for all manner of public services will also happen. Taxes will likely increase starting with local sales taxes. These actions will take more money out of the pockets of families and working people. Next, inflation will be rearing its ugly head. We can see that by looking at grocery prices and fuel/energy costs. The numbers reported monthly by Washington are manipulated by not including items like food and gas - they say those items are too volatile but, no one can go without food or gas, no matter the cost. So, less money in your pockets.

As Washington sees the world stepping further back from US debt, we will see Income Tax increases. There is no other way that the Federal Government brings in revenue - they don't create anything, make any goods or sell services. They are totally funded by taxes, fees and penalties. They will also have to cut their employee rolls. More lay offs, more cuts and more unemployment.

Those of us who still remember hyper-inflation from the 1970's will be very sad to see a return to those days - and SPAM burgers may make a come back in kitchen tables around the US. The next 2 - 3 decades will be very tight and many people and programs that are important and worthwhile, will sadly and necessarily see cuts or eliminations. Hopefully, our children will learn from the mistakes of the past years and not repeat this cycle of living beyond our means.

Why should we vote? ( Or, does it really matter?)

2010-10-31T11:16:00.003-05:00

Why should we vote? I have heard this a lot recently. Here are some thoughts I have on the matter.

Americans, by and large have gotten complacent about politics in recent years. Overwhelmingly - we were busy with our lives, our jobs, our children....we have trusted those that wanted to go to Washington and rub elbows with lobbyists because we thought it was in our best interests to do so - after-all that was what the career politicians told us.

But, we have been misled. We have been hoodwinked. In short, we were lied to and now the consequences are quite rudely, clear to all. The American Dream has been usurped right out from under our children.

Now that we have awakened ordinary Americans (thank you Obama - at least there is ONE positive from your Administration) we cannot - indeed we MUST not fall back into complacency. We CAN begin to change DC on Tuesday - but make no mistake. It will take a minimum of 3 election cycles - 6 years - to clear the corruption from D.C. and let the career politicians know that their days are numbered.

Our Founding Fathers had a vision of government. That vision included citizens putting down the plow and the tools of their trades and taking up the yoke of public office to serve their fellow citizens. Then, after serving their country in Washington D.C., they would return to their lives and contribute to society as private citizens again. That vision has become corrupted; twisted by the very people we trusted to represent our needs and ideas. Now, a supported candidate can go to D.C. with very little net worth - and in a few short terms of office, become millionaires. How that happens on a public servant's salary is beyond comprehension. Doubt me? Look into Mr. Reid's own history.

Regardless of your party affiliation or your political ideology, Americans overwhelmingly believe you can work hard and achieve your dreams. Yet, more and more today we hear that "greedy, rich people" are ruining it for everyone. I say No. I believe greedy, lazy people are ruining the country with their entitlement mentality.

If I have an idea and work hard to bring it to market and succeed wildly - beyond even my dreams; that doesn't mean that any and all poor people are entitled to the fruits of my sweat and labor. If I become a millionaire it doesn't make me "greedy" or "evil"; it means I reached the dream. Don't like that you haven't? Here's a tip; work harder. Don't expect a handout.

Don't get me wrong; charity is critical to our communities. But, it begins at home - not in a government bureaucracy. I believe that setting a goal to give 10% of my gross income in charity each year has made me work harder so that I can give more and help more people. I don't need the government to tell me what to give and who to benefit. I think the government has backed losing propositions. Welfare is an initiative killer. Picking programs that teach people to work or educate them in a trade is an empowering option. So, that is where I concentrate my charity, be it time or money.

We MUST reestablish the merit based success in our culture. You don't punish the rich or those who have worked hard for what they have. You don't punish anyone. Likewise, you don't reward sloth or waste by giving handouts. Failure can be the best teacher of all. If you fail hard, you can learn what you did wrong and succeed far more. Not letting people fail is stunting their growth. Stop propping up mediocrity and we improve America for all.

Voting is our responsibility so that we can make the choices we want for our children. By not voting, you say that you don't care what becomes of the future your kids will inherit. If that is true, why would you spend the time and effort to raise them? Their future depends on the laws and policies that are formed NOW not 20 years from now.

Stay vigilant. Do you civic duty - get informed and vote.

Katrina - New Orleans, put on your big girl panties - time to stand up...

2010-08-30T15:37:00.002-05:00

5 years ago Katrina made history in the Gulf Coast. As the days lead up to the hurricane, people were told to get out of the area. People were told to evacuate, that this was a killer storm, a Category 4 as it crossed the Gulf, it was strengthening and was forecast to hit Category 5 before it came ashore. Unimagined power in the form of wind and water.

People didn't leave. They didn't want to leave their homes. They had stayed before during storms. They had no place to go. They had no way to leave. Whatever the excuses, reasons, or thinking about the storm, the bottom line is that people didn't leave.

God spared the city a direct hit. Mississippi got that honor and it was bad there. But New Orleans seemed spared. Then, the water breached the levees and all bets were off. As people died and more were stranded on rooftops and in precarious places, a strong sense of victimization arose.

We began to hear cries or complaints that President Bush was not helping enough that the government wasn't there fast enough. Funny thing was, we only heard that from New Orleans. We didn't hear that from Mississippi. Throughout the rest of President Bush's term, the left and his detractors couldn't say enough that Katrina was his failure.

I have to ask, really? was it REALLY President Bush's failure?

Is it President Bush's fault that the people stayed instead of heeding warnings?
Is it President Bush's fault for not using the buses as was the plan.
Is it President Bush's fault that these people were hungry and were stealing TV's.
Is it President Bush's fault that the cops turned into looters of clothes cameras, TV's etc, etc as the citizens they swore to protect and serve were hungry?
Is it President Bush's fault that the Mayor and Governor were phenomenal incompetents?

The direct and blunt answer is NO. It was not President Bush's fault. President Bush urged Governor Blanco to declare an emergency and order a mandatory evacuation. He offered help and at first, she refused. She refused the Red Cross access to the cities. Mayor Nagin got himself and his family out of New Orleans, but neglected to get the school buses moving to pick up people without cars, as was planned in the evacuation strategy. They were criminally negligent and yet, Nagin was actually re-elected after the disaster.

Why then do people from NOLA continue to demand help and live in FEMA trailers? After-all, Mississippi had it bad too and no one is crying about Biloxi on the evening news. In my opinion, it is because those who are still considering themselves victims 5 years later ARE victims. They are victims of the bloated Federal Welfare state. They are victims of multi-generational governmental dependence. They are victims of their own lassitude and lack of gumption.

I was listening to the news last week and there was a City Councilman from NOLA being interviewed. He was complaining about how the government needed to send help to the city because there are people who want to come back to the community and the community is so tight-knit.....blah blah. But, they need help because some lots are still empty and they need someone to send help to cut the grass..."just to cut the grass". I got so disgusted, I turned off the news.

Here is a flash of thought for this City Councilman in his district that is such a close-knit community - YOU cut the grass, or organize a group from the neighborhood to take care of the vacant lots. Help yourselves. Stand up and make an effort to do more than cash that government assistance check. The community did it in Mississippi. Communities all over Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and all of the mid-west do it every year after tornadoes and floods. They help themselves and their neighbors because THAT is the American way.

If New Orleans wants to return to be a great American city, she will have to find her guts and self-determination rather than continuing to whine and moan about being a victim. To those citizens who are going nowhere, get up, turn off the T.V. or the radio and DO SOMETHING to improve your situation. That might mean living elsewhere to earn a living. Whatever it takes. That is American courage.

Best Friends Come in All Shapes and Sizes.....

2010-05-23T12:48:00.001-05:00

For the past 13 years, I have enjoyed an important friendship of epic wonder. One that has borne all manner of changes; location, ended relationships, marriage, birth, death, job loss...and grown deeper. We have trust, love, compassion and caring that some married couples never develop.

That friendship is with my horse, Whiskey.

Whiskey is 25 years old and we met by chance - if you believe in coincidence. My friend April and her husband David knew I was looking for a horse. They called me one June Saturday from a livestock auction; "Kim, there's a horse here that David and I think you should come look at". I said I would be there.

When I got there, April took me into the barns to where David was standing with a horse-trader we knew. Behind them was a deep red coated Quarter Horse. You could tell he was in the "Foundation" style - short and stout of leg, powerful rear-end and then he turned around. His face was a disaster of scars and his chest was criss-crossed with slashes that were clearly from a cruelly applied whip. I was astounded because despite the obvious abuse, he didn't pin his ears or slant his eye. His beautiful deep liquid brown eye held mine and it was filled with a consciousness - one that was interested in me and he stuck his head over the bars to be stroked on the velvet nose; ears swiveled to catch my words.

"I'm in a skirt, can David ride him for me?" So, David trotted him out and put him through his paces. Not that it mattered, my heart had already claimed him. April asked what I thought. "Let's go bid on him, I like him". No one else was bidding on the horse with the wrecked face - except the meat buyer because he was a stout horse~ about 1200 pounds and that would bring top dollar at the slaughter house. When he finally backed down, I was at my last $50 bucks.....down came the gavel "$800....sold to the red-head in the front"....

"His name is Charlie Brown" said the trader. "No, his name is Irish Whiskey", I said, "and he is mine"...."let's go boy, you have a family now".

It was a bad back story. His previous owner was a roper who beat the snot out of him with a 2x4 whenever they had bad times in calf roping. He was not fond of men. I spent time with him whenever I could. Even if it was just to run a brush over him or give him a bath. I think that first 6 months, he was the cleanest horse in Houston....and it worked magic.

He knew me and my red car, coming across fields of green grass to greet me and my son. He watched over 2 year old Marcos like a nurse-maid. He would keep Marcos right beside him if I had to go to the tack barn or the rest room...never letting the toddler out of his sight or reach of his head. Marcos would steady his toddler steps by holding the red tail hairs and Whiskey never minded one getting pulled...he was part of the family and we loved him.

People said "he's just a horse, Kim". But, I know better. He has saved my life three times in payback for me saving his. The first time, I wasn't careful - I missed that there was a new gelding in the pasture and I was in my own world walking across 10 acres to where Whiskey was grazing...tremors underfoot made me spin around to see a mammoth black draft horse bearing down on me in full gallop neck snaked, ears pinned.

I was in big trouble and people were running from the house yelling to get out of there....from the corner of my eye I saw a red streak cut me off from the attacking horse. It was Whiskey. He planted himself in front of me and reared up striking out with his powerful front legs hitting the black square in the chest. The fight was incredible. Two forces of nature, red and black battled 10 feet from my shaky knees. Whiskey drove the horse off and walked me to the gates where April was standing apologizing for not quarantining the horse.

The second time was scarier as it involved an ex-boyfriend with stalking tendencies. I was riding out one night in the arena, just me and Whiskey. We were working on side-passes and just spending some time together as Marcos was visiting Grammy in Boston and I had a rare night to myself. I was loping away from the house toward the back of the arena and got hit hard in the head by a rock. Then, Whiskey got hit on the rump. He turned and we saw the ex standing there with a handful of rocks and a drunk's belligerence. "I'm gonna knock you off that f'ing horse and kick your ass". Fear bloomed in my stomach. I knew April and David were out at a rodeo and I was alone on 50 acres with only my horse between me and a serious problem. My cell phone was locked in my car....

He launched another rock. Whiskey side-passed away. Another....Whiskey stepped the other way. Then, bravado borne of Miller Lite made a miscalculated error. The gate opened and the drunk stepped into the arena closing the gate behind him. As he wound up to throw another rock, Whiskey pawed the ground like a stallion about to charge. I felt the powerful hind-quarters bunch under me and Whiskey lifted his front feet off the ground, crashed down and broke into a lope, snorting and trumpeting a challenge to the night, he ran at the man he knew was a threat to us both. 1200 pounds of muscle bearing down and gathering momentum. He wouldn't stop no matter my pulling on the reins, but he also never went faster than he knew I could ride. No full gallop ~ of which he is so capable ~ as he knew (and still knows to this day) that I am not comfortable at his full speed.

Inexorably, Whiskey closed the space and I started to see the bully crumble as all such bullies will when challenged. Closer, closer...suddenly the man broke and ran for the gate, climbed the fence and kept running for his truck, cursing at us the whole while. Then, headlights turned onto the lane as the diesel rumble of a dually broke the night. April and David were home, the fight was over. After relating the story to April, she said lightly, "that's a good horse".

The last time he saved my life was much more peaceful. I had, for many reasons, decided to move to Dallas and take a new job in a new area and make new friends. One such friend was a nice guy, my age who worked with me. I wasn't sure if I was interested in trying again at relationships. Marcos seemed to be fine, but he is one who has always made friends easily as he has an open and loving heart.

David had generously offered to drive his pickup to Houston with a horse-trailer borrowed from a neighbor to bring Whiskey home. It had been a LONG month without my horse and I wanted to have him in the backyard finally. I knew Whiskey would load for me, even though the trailer was a little small for his size. He will go anywhere I lead him. When we got there, I told David that Whiskey really doesn't take too easily to men because of his history. But, Whiskey, the rascal, made a liar of me. My horse, that I had missed for weeks, walked right up to this man and let him rub all over his head and chest. He looked at me as if to say "THIS is a good choice". I laughed. My son and my horse had both seen what I was afraid to see....we had a new family member.

Thirteen years have come and gone. A lot of tears have been shed into the red mane. A new little boy has learned to stand and steady himself on those red tail hairs. I still have my friend and confidant and he has his forever family....April was right, he is a good horse, and a better friend...

Thank God we found each other...

Fear and (Self) Loathing

2010-05-16T19:59:00.001-05:00

Many of my friends have days that may classify as "bad hair days" or days when they just don't feel they look their best - though we on the outside think they look just beautiful. It is one of those things that can be hard for others to see - that lack of confidence or when your inner voice is your toughest critic. Sometimes your "self-talk" is very negative.

I know, you see, because for most of my life I have felt what can hardly be described as anything other than self-loathing.

How does that happen? How does a girl grow up to hate the very image of herself in a piece of glass? To hate the thought that someone ~ anyone, somewhere has an (unflattering) picture of her. In my mind, they are all unflattering - all capturing some large or minute imperfection.

It comes slowly, built on day by day as one listens to those who purport to love her. They tell her things that they say are "trying to help"...."we only want the best for you"....

"You shouldn't eat that.....don't wear those pants, they make you look fat....no one will love you if you are bigger than a size 10.....you won't keep a man.....your hair looks awful that way...those thighs have got to go.....I think you should just have salad tonight......your stomach is sticking out.....turn around - do you see that bulge....I wouldn't wear shorts if I was you....thank God you are at least smart....don't go sleeveless....you have panty lines.......don't wear knit - it clings to your fat.....you'll never look like ____ (enter best friend's name)......why would you think to order that......maybe you shouldn't eat tonight...."

I could go on for pages....chapters even and all with the same message - you don't measure up (no pun intended) and so, you are not lovable, not cute, not good enough. Not even your family loves you....

I'm not sure when it started really. It seems like Dad was always telling me I needed to diet or Mom was always cooking something "low-fat" for me. I guess it probably started at puberty when I started to develop curves. Now, I will be the first to tell you that kids can be mean ~ but they aren't your family and you can go home and get away from them. I couldn't get away. Ever.

I developed full-fledged bulimia in senior year of High School. I never did throw up though - I abused laxatives - seemed easier to hide. Throughout that year, I did anything I could to be a "single-digit" size. It didn't work. So, I started eating every other day. Still no luck. I would go down to the basement for HOURS each evening to exercise. I would do 100 leg lifts, 200, 500.....I measured my waist, hips, legs, arms EVERY day....I was so afraid that I would never get a date if I couldn't get thinner.....

What no one ever told me was that I have a body type that tends toward athleticism and an hour-glass figure. The classic beauty of Marilyn Monroe or Doris Day with feminine curves was in my future, not the androgynous, flat-chested look of a cover model.

Through my twenties and into my thirties, I would obsessively measure body parts and feel sick fear with what the tape measure said. Pregnancy was pure Hell on earth as I had no control over what was happening to my body. Though I did stop using laxatives so the baby would be healthy. I did 30 - 40 minutes of sit ups during my pregnancy with Marcos until the doctor ordered me to stop in the 7th month.

After he was born, both motherhood and the onset of my auto-immune disease, Progressive Hashimoto's Thyroiditis caused me to step back and take a look at my life. I started to see things differently and understood that I had some serious baggage in my life. Part of my journey back was realizing that if I stayed where I was and listened to my "family" tell me how unlovable I was, I would never be the Mom that Marcos deserved.

That inner resolve to do better for him is part of what drove me to move to Texas. I was afraid my family would give him his own baggage to carry through life and I wouldn't allow that to happen. I took the "bull by the horns" and moved to Houston and then to Dallas and made a life for Marcos.

Through the grace of God, I met David and we fell in love and built a family. I still have fear ~ that I may pass on poor self-esteem to my kids, that others will see through the veneer of self-confidence to what is hiding inside - a scared, shy woman who is afraid no one will like her because she is bigger than a size 10.....

It's been 10 years since I married David. I still have those feelings of low self-worth - though some days I think my face looks pretty okay for a 43 year old woman.....some days I like my hair...I'm working out again ~ for me. Not to be a certain size, but to be stronger and more flexible.

My goal for this anniversary is to go out to dinner with my husband and for me to feel good when we have our picture taken.

I'm gonna reach that goal.

The Valley of Haters. NOT! ~~ Reprint from Darrell Ankarlo 5/5/10

2010-05-05T19:04:00.002-05:00

“We’ll bring you to your knees!”

“Bigots…haters!”

“We’ll put a million people in the streets.”

“When we’re through with you, Arizona will be bankrupt!”

Just a few of the threats and vicious words I’ve heard from the innocent and loving protesters upset that our state dared to act on an issue that has made one of our cities (Phoenix) the number one kidnap capitol in the country and number two in the world!

We have militia from a foreign country engaged in shootouts with police a few miles from my home and close to a million “undocumented people” shutting down hospitals and nearly collapsing our welfare system. In fact as I write this, five illegal aliens just ambushed a police officer an hour from my home. They used AK47s. Imagine this on your cul du sak…it may be coming.

Arizona is all over the news because finally our state says “enough is enough” and has stopped waiting for the federal government to do something we all know it won’t do. I mean, come on, those supposed “representatives of the people” knew about and allowed Wall Street to come within inches of bankrupting America.

Can we really expect them to address their open door policy to modern day slavery?

In Arizona, for example, a brick layer used to make close to $20 an hour. Now he’s lucky to make $9 or $10 an hour because illegal aliens—usually working in groups—offer to beat any price. Many contractors have been paying illegal laborers $4 or $5 an hour under-the-table which pushes U.S. employees out of their jobs at an alarming rate. And, more often than not, if you’re illegal and complain or get hurt on the job, the boss threatens to call the police so the employer has full control. All of this has been happening in cities across the country as corporate America and Washington say nothing! Keep stock holders and voters happy at any cost.; This is modern day slavery.

Our Legislature decided they would take matters into its own hands. It’s called “state’s rights” kids. We fought a civil war over this very issue. But, instead of being celebrated our state is a pariah as people are calling for boycotts of everything that is Arizona (including Arizona Tea— which is and always has been made in NY!).

Our new state law is similar to a federal law, one that is rarely enforced. It says you CANNOT break into and steal from our resources—or export your criminals to a state already struggling. So why all the marches, cancellations and outcry now? Because our state is the first finally willing to stand and fight.

“But no person is illegal!”

Those are the words I hear whenever immigration comes up. Though I agree that we are all created equal in God’s eyes, I also know many of our military’s servicemen and women, including one of my sons, serve in part to preserve a thing called sovereignty. That’s a big concept – which I don’t have space to go into here. However, you can read more about it in last year’s book Another Man’s Sombrero which describes my trip into Mexico and how I sneaked back into America—without papers. It took me six whole seconds to get back!

So, Ankarlo, what would you do? Obviously, we have an immigration system that needs some major work so let’s demand that Congress put it on the burner along with their health care and Wall Street games. Next, we put 10,000 border patrol and national guardsmen at the key entrances—fully trained and armed. Then, to avoid the “show me your papers” argument we use a passport system.

Everywhere that I have traveled internationally I have not only carried a passport but have been asked to show it multiple times. I guess I should have pulled out a protest sign and yelled “Hater and Bigot!” Carry your passport. If you don’t have it on you, you have 24 hours to produce it. If law enforcement believes that you are here illegally you can be detained until someone can provide it for you. People caught making illegal passports, drivers licenses etc would be treated as terrorists or traitors, depending on citizenship.

“What does an illegal alien look like?” Here in the U.S. there are illegal aliens from at least 51 nations so it can be difficult to tell. However, when a group of people stand at the local Home Depot and none can speak English, you have a bit of a clue that it’s Colonel Mustard with the candlestick in the study. Thus, our new law says the police can investigate. Oh, and they can also cite/arrest the guy in the pickup who slows down to ferry his new slaves off for a day’s labor.

Almost one seventh of our state’s population is here illegally and since our state is nearing $2 billion in debt one has to assume the cheap labor and unpaid hospital visits just might be having an impact but Arizona is backwards for daring to do something about it! Bullcrap!

Until a federal government finally realizes what an impact its flaccid response is having on our independent state (and California, New Mexico, the great Republic of Texas and at least 23 other states) we’re going to abide by a system our forefathers built into a national Constitution—we are going to use our State’s Rights to save ourselves!

By the way, just this week three houses were raided in two days here in Phoenix; one had 69 people in it. Two crack downs were done at the same time with almost 100 people arrested, detained or cited—over 90 percent of them were here illegally. You’re smart so do the math and then you’ll understand our anger and confusion. Anger because we’re feeling this open door policy first hand and confusion because so many still don’t get it.

---------

Darrell Ankarlo is a 32 year broadcast veteran and author of two books: What Went Wrong with America and How to Fix it and Another Man’s Sombrero. Find out more at www.ankarlo.net.

Outrage! My son Marcos has been racially profiled!

2010-05-05T13:52:00.001-05:00

You know, it is somewhat funny, the story behind this issue. When Bert and I found out we were having Marcos, we wanted to raise him as both a New England-er and a Southwestern-er so that he would know the heritage of the parts of the country that his parents came from. Bert was of Mexican & American Indian descent and was born in Arizona and I am Scotch-Irish, Italian and American Indian and was born in the Boston area.

After Bert was killed and Marcos was born, the hospital, the Navy, Social Security office and a variety of other bureaucracies were insistent that I racially identify my son. Was he "white"; "Hispanic"; "Indian".... Well, that got my red-head in an uproar. I checked "Other" and filled in "Human". No amount of phone calls would change my mind. That was it. He was of the "human" race. (I can be a little stubborn)

When I moved to Texas, his last name, Escobar, was more common than in New England. His beautiful skin tone became even more 'coffee-and-cream' colored and his hair, unlike mine, didn't bleach out lighter in the hot Texas sun. As he has grown up, his features have come to resemble Bert's so much that it takes the breath away from those who knew his father.

When he went to Middle-School, he came home one day with paper-work for me - and he was quite angry. I asked what was wrong and he slapped the papers down onto the table. The principal (who has since been replaced) had sent home papers that needed to be filled out in order to exempt my son from ESL classes. They had (erroneously) assumed due to his name, that he would need to be in ESL classes in order to help him along. Not only that, I had to explain myself if I wanted him out of those classes! They also sent home information on getting immigration assistance!! Upon calling the school and identifying myself as "Marcos Escobar's Mom", I was asked if I needed a bi-lingual speaker on the phone. ~ You can bet I adjusted their thinking. :-)

My oldest son, child of an MIA US Sailor, had been pigeon-holed and racially profiled as "Hispanic" and potentially illegal or having illegal parents who needed consular aid. He constantly rails against this assumption and he gets quite irritated that people assume he supports illegals and "Mexican causes". Marcos is very conservative - more so than I am when it comes to the illegal issue. There is no 'gray' for him. It is black and white - if you are illegal, you need to leave. He has no issue showing his school ID, license or military ID. He would rather do that than have illegals run rampant in the streets.

Like Bert, he is vehemently against illegal immigration as he feels it lowers people's perception of Hispanics, especially those of Mexican descent. It also causes suffering in the form of human trafficking that is abusive and exploitative of people who, in many cases, can't protect themselves. Many Hispanics he has crossed paths with have dissed him for his stand, but he does not waver. He feels being American is a privilege ~ and he is proud of the sacrifice his father made.

Immigration is great. Immigrants built this great country. We need immigrants who come here legally to help us grow into the next century and beyond. We don't need illegal aliens making a mockery of our system and the ethnicity of our people. We don't need liberals who support open borders and 'sanctuary cities' profiling our children.

Marcos deserves better than being profiled by the left as 'sympathetic' to their cause. Bert damned well deserves better than a legacy that requires his son to be harassed by liberals as 'not Hispanic enough'.

Whose Country is This Anyway?

2010-04-27T08:23:00.000-05:00

With the support of 70 percent of its citizens, Arizona has ordered sheriffs and police to secure the border and remove illegal aliens, half a million of whom now reside there.

Arizona acted because the U.S. government has abdicated its constitutional duty to protect the states from invasion and refuses to enforce America's immigration laws.

"We in Arizona have been more than patient waiting for Washington to act," said Gov. Jan Brewer. "But decades of inaction and misguided policy have created an unacceptable situation."

We have a crisis in Arizona because we have a failed state in Washington.

What is the response of Barack Obama, who took an oath to see to it that federal laws are faithfully executed?

He is siding with the law-breakers. He is pandering to the ethnic lobbies. He is not berating a Mexican regime that aids and abets this invasion of the country of which he is commander in chief. Instead, he attacks the government of Arizona for trying to fill a gaping hole in law enforcement left by his own dereliction of duty.

He has denounced Arizona as "misguided." He has called on the Justice Department to ensure that Arizona's sheriffs and police do not violate anyone's civil rights. But he has said nothing about the rights of the people of Arizona who must deal with the costs of having hundreds of thousands of lawbreakers in their midst.

How's that for Andrew Jackson-style leadership?

Obama has done everything but his duty to enforce the law.

Undeniably, making it a state as well as a federal crime to be in this country illegally, and requiring police to check the immigration status of anyone they have a "reasonable suspicion" is here illegally, is tough and burdensome. But what choice did Arizona have?

The state has a fiscal crisis caused in part by the burden of providing schooling and social welfare for illegals and their families, who consume far more in services than they pay in taxes and who continue to pour in. Even John McCain is now calling for 3,000 troops on the border.

Police officers and a prominent rancher have been murdered. There have been kidnappings believed to be tied to the Mexican drug cartels. There are nightly high-speed chases through the barrios where innocent people are constantly at risk.

If Arizona does not get control of the border and stop the invasion, U.S. citizens will stop coming to Arizona and will begin to depart, as they are already fleeing California.

What we are talking about here is the Balkanization and breakup of a nation into ethnic enclaves. A country that cannot control its borders isn't really a country anymore, Ronald Reagan reminded us.

The tasks that Arizonans are themselves undertaking are ones that belong by right, the Constitution and federal law to the Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Homeland Security.

Arizona has been compelled to assume the feds' role because the feds won't do their job. And for that dereliction of duty the buck stops on the desk of the president of the United States.

Why is Obama paralyzed? Why does he not enforce the law, even if he dislikes it, by punishing the businessmen who hire illegals and by sending the 12 million to 20 million illegals back home? President Eisenhower did it. Why won't he?

Because he is politically correct. Because he owes a big debt to the Hispanic lobby that helped deliver two-thirds of that vote in 2008. Though most citizens of Hispanic descent in Arizona want the border protected and the laws enforced, the Hispanic lobby demands that the law be changed.

Fair enough. But the nation rose up as one to reject the "path-to-citizenship" – i.e., amnesty – that the 2007 plan of George W. Bush, McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama envisioned.

Al Sharpton threatens to go to Phoenix and march in the streets against the new Arizona law. Let him go.

Let us see how many African-Americans, who are today frozen out of the 8 million jobs held by illegal aliens that might otherwise go to them or their children, will march to defend an invasion for which they are themselves paying the heaviest price.

Last year, while Americans were losing a net of 5 million jobs, the U.S. government – Bush and Obama both – issued 1,131,000 green cards to legal immigrants to come and take the jobs that did open up, a flood of immigrants equaled in only four other years in our history.

What are we doing to our own people?

Whose country is this, anyway?

America today has an establishment that, because it does not like the immigration laws, countenances and condones wholesale violation of those laws.

Nevertheless, under those laws, the U.S. government is obligated to deport illegal aliens and punish businesses that knowingly hire them.

This is not an option. It is an obligation.

Can anyone say Barack Obama is meeting that obligation?

Reprinted from WND - Patrick J. Buchanan - 4/27/10

Happy Earth Day

2010-04-22T15:44:00.001-05:00

I know - raised eyebrows. After-all, I make no bones about the fact that I am conservative and so that must make me a dirty capitalist who wants to burn Mother Earth, right? Wrong.

I believe that we should drill early and often to develop new oil fields for domestic production. At the same time, I believe that we should do whatever we can, in the private sector, to develop new energy sources that are renewable and have less impact on the environment. Why then, should we drill? Because destroying our economy in order to punish energy use will not build the new technologies we need. Because it will take 30 - 50 years to develop the right combination of new energy and delivery systems to make those new sources (Not corn ethanol) viable and available.

I believe that we should all try to be more mindful of our own impacts on the planet. For me, that means recycling and compost gardening. I am learning more all the time about compost and organic gardening. I think growing a garden and sharing the surplus with others as you can is a great way to feel closer to the Earth. I think getting your hands dirty is great stress relief.

I believe we, as consumers, can impact companies and whether or not they use renewable methods for packaging, manufacturing and materials with our purchasing power. We don't need the government to tell us what kind of products we can buy - like light-bulbs or toilet paper. Less government means more variety of responses to helping the planet.

I believe that the enviro-nuts who keep extolling us to live in caves and "save the planet" are way too impressed with their minute impact on Mother Earth. The earth is magnificent. It has been here for billions of years without us and will continue to be here for billions of years until the sun burns out. Earth needs our respect and care; it doesn't need our meager efforts to "save" her. We try all this "regulation" at the federal level and UN level to cut carbon dioxide (want to cut CO2? Stop exhaling) and the volcano in Iceland spewed more CO2 out in one week than mankind has in decades. Earth doesn't care about our efforts - she is more powerful than we ever thought to be.

So, Happy Earth Day; be kind to the Earth; learn more about our wonderful planet; plant a tree. Be smart.

Mr. Obama - We Noticed

2010-04-21T10:11:00.000-05:00

"WE NOTICED"

President Obama:

Today I read of your administrations' plan to re-define September 11 as a National Service Day. Sir, it's time we had a talk.........

During your campaign, Americans watched as you made mockery of our tradition of standing and crossing your heart when the Pledge of Allegiance was spoken. You, out of four people on the stage, were the only one not honoring our tradition.

YES, "We noticed."

During one of your many speeches, Americans heard you say that you intended to visit all 57 states. We all know that Islam, not America has 57 states.

YES, "We noticed."

When President Bush leaned over at Ground Zero and gently placed a flower on the memorial, while you nonchalantly tossed your flower onto the pile without leaning over.

YES, "We noticed."

Every time you apologized to other countries for America's position on an issue we have wondered why you don't share our pride in this great country. When you have heard foreign leaders berate our country and our beliefs, you have not defended us. In fact, you insulted the British Crown beyond belief.

YES, "We noticed."

When your pastor of 20 years, "God-damned America" and said that 9/11 was "America's chickens coming home to roost" and you denied having heard recriminations of that nature, we wondered how that could be. You later disassociated yourself from that church and

Pastor Wright because it was politically expedient to do so.

YES, "We noticed."

When you announced that you would transform America, we wondered why. With all her faults, America is the greatest country on earth. Sir, KEEP THIS IN MIND, "if not for America and the people who built her, you wouldn't be sitting in the White House now." Prior to your election to the highest office in this Country, you were a senator from Illinois and from what we can glean from the records available, not a very remarkable one.

YES, "We noticed."

All through your campaign and even now, you have surrounded yourself with individuals who are basically unqualified for the positions for which you appointed them. Worse than that, the majority of them are people who, like you, bear no special allegiance, respect, or affection for this country and her traditions.

YES, "We noticed."

You are 9 months into your term and every morning millions of Americans wake up to a new horror heaped on us by you. You seek to saddle working Americans with a health care/insurance reform package that, along with cap and trade, will bankrupt this nation.

YES, "We noticed."

We seek, by protesting, to let our representatives know that we are not in favor of these crippling expenditures and we are labeled "un-American", "racist", "mob". We wonder how we are supposed to let you know how frustrated we are. You have attempted to make our protests seem isolated and insignificant. Until your appointment, Americans had the right to speak out.

YES, "We noticed."

On September 11, 2001 there were no Republicans or Democrats, only Americans. And we all grieved together and helped each other in whatever way we could. The attack on 9/11 was carried out because we are Americans.

And YES, "We noticed."

There were many of us who prayed that as a black president you could help unite this nation. In six months you have done more to destroy this nation than the attack on 9/11. You have failed us.

YES, "We noticed."

September 11 is a day of remembrance for all Americans. You propose to make 9/11 a "National Service Day". While we know that you don't share our reverence for 9/11, we pray that history will report your proposal as what it is...a disgrace.

YES, "We noticed."

You have made a mockery of our Constitution and the office that you hold. You have embarrassed and slighted us in foreign visits and policy.

YES, "We noticed.."

We have noticed all these things. We will deal with you. When Americans come together again, it will be to remove you from office.

Take notice.

Are you a HENRY?

2010-04-15T17:36:00.004-05:00

What, you may ask is a HENRY. HENRY stands for "high earner, not rich yet". I will not lie, I am a HENRY. I aspire to be rich. It is a goal of mine. You may ask why. Why would I want to be one of the "evil rich".

Well, first of all, I don't see that rich people can all be categorized as "evil". If you work hard and choose to save and scrape and have money, who has the right to tell you that you are evil? When does the fruit of a man's labor become "evil profits"?

Second, I like to help others and the more disposable income I have, the more people and animals I can help. I can sponsor more children around the world like we do through Catholic Charities. I can donate more of my time like I do to my church. I will be able to own land so I can help more horses and animals that need rescue. I can choose where more of my dollars go to help more of those in need.

Third, I want to be able to leave a good life to my children and grandchildren. If I am willing to bust my butt working hard to build a business and a chunk of savings, I can give more opportunities to my family. Most Americans aspire to give their children a better life - whether that is through an education, a family business or the freedom to chase a dream, that is the choice of the person who is building that empire.

We have heard for some time that "profit is evil" and that "rich people are greedy". Well, baloney. There are plenty of people, poor, middle class and rich that are not nice, that are greedy and that don't care a hoot about others. On the opposite side, there are plenty of rich people who do care a lot. Bill Gates is one. John Hunstman is another. Being rich doesn't make one evil. Neither does being poor make one virtuous.

When does a company become "evil"? There is a point that profit becomes questionable by reasonable standards. When a company pays its CEO so much money and then turns around and cuts benefits for the workers to the bone or lays off innumerable workers just so they can pay that CEO more; that raises a red flag. But, you know what? Those public companies that do act in that manner answer to their shareholders, investors and consumers. Just as the companies in the 1980's that divested of their investments in South Africa to protest apartheid, so too can YOU the consumer protest this type of behavior. It may not solve the problem overnight, but eventually, the company will get the message.

So, what is wrong with being rich and having to pay more in taxes because "you can afford it"? That goes against the grain of everything America offers through our meritocracy. Punishing the rich for being successful is a double edged sword. As a business owner, I love rich customers. They buy more products. When they buy more, I make more money that I can then use downstream in the economy. When you cripple the rich with vengeful taxation policies, you actually hurt the workers in the economy. When the rich cut back on expenditures, the companies that make the products that are no longer purchased suffer. They lay off workers, and the whole spiral continues downward.

Ultimately, rich people and profits are not evil. They are what drive our economy and what grow jobs. I hope there are more rich people in America and someday, I hope to be one. For now, I remain a hard working HENRY who still pays way too much in taxes.

Conservative vs Liberal

2010-04-09T15:53:00.002-05:00

This has been circulating for a while but it deserves reprinting:

Conservative vs Liberal

If a conservative doesn’t like guns, he doesn`t buy one.

If a liberal doesn’t like guns, he feels that no one should have one.

If a conservative is a vegetarian, he doesn`t eat meat.

If a liberal is a vegetarian, he wants to ban all meat products for everyone.

If a conservative sees a foreign threat, he thinks about how to defeat his enemy.

A liberal wonders how to surrender gracefully and still look good.

If a conservative is homosexual, he quietly leads his life.

If a liberal is homosexual, he loudly demands legislated respect.

If a black man or Hispanic is conservative, they see themselves as independently successful.

Their liberal counterparts see themselves as victims in need of government protection.

If a conservative is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation.

A liberal wonders who is going to take care of him.

If a conservative doesn’t like a talk show host, he switches channels.

Liberals demand that those they don’t like be shut down.

If a conservative is a non-believer, he doesn’t go to church.

A liberal non-believer wants any mention of God or religion silenced.

If a conservative decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping for it, or may choose a job that provides it.

A liberal demands that the rest of us pay for his.

Some generalizations but pretty close to the truth from what I see these days…

Drill Baby Drill? Not so much.

2010-03-31T13:32:00.000-05:00

Amazing subterfuge today once again from the "most transparent administration ever". [Cough] Met this morning with somewhat surprising news, perhaps you felt hopeful?

The Obama administration is proposing to open vast expanses of water along the Atlantic coastline, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the north coast of Alaska to oil and natural gas drilling, much of it for the first time, officials said Tuesday.
The proposal — a compromise that will please oil companies and domestic drilling advocates but anger some residents of affected states and many environmental organizations — would end a longstanding moratorium on oil exploration along the East Coast from the northern tip of Delaware to the central coast of Florida, covering 167 million acres of ocean.

If this was the actual truth from Obama's mouth, the right and all Americans would have much to celebrate. Sadly, as usual, with the Obama administration, nothing is as it seems. Here's the catch, via the American Energy Alliance:

“One major flashpoint in the negotiations has been whether to share drilling revenue with states and to allow states to opt in or out of drilling along their coastlines. It was unclear late Tuesday whether Obama endorses revenue-sharing for states. “It appears the Northern Atlantic and entire Pacific Coast will now be under a de facto ban” for drilling, said Patrick Creighton, a spokesman for the Institute for Energy Research. Even if drilling is ultimately allowed in part of the Atlantic, Creighton said, revenue sharing is an essential incentive for states. The administration’s plans could meet resistance from at least 10 Senate Democrats representing coastal and Great Lakes states who last week raised concerns about “unfettered access to oil and gas drilling” that could jeopardize fishing, tourism and military exercises. The Interior Department retooled the current schedule of offshore leases governing 2007 through 2012 after a federal appeals court last April ruled that the second Bush administration had not done a sufficient environmental review of expanded drilling off the Alaskan coast.

GOP Rep. Mike Pence adds:

“As usual the devil is in the details. Only in Washington, D.C., can you ban more areas to oil and gas exploration than you open up, delay the date of your new leases and claim you’re going to increase production.
“The President’s announcement today is a smokescreen. It will almost certainly delay any new offshore exploration until at least 2012 and include only a fraction of the offshore resources that the previous Administration included in its plan.
“Unfortunately, this is yet another feeble attempt to gain votes for the President’s national energy tax bill that is languishing in the Senate. At the end of the day this Administration’s energy plan is simple: increase the cost of energy on every family in America and trade American jobs oversees at a time when millions of Americans are looking for work.”

So, as it stands we remain tied to the Middle East and the oil whims of OPEC. How completely disappointing - and yet how typical of Obama.

Here's your ice cream

2010-03-25T10:58:00.000-05:00

From a teacher in the Nashville area

"We are worried about 'the cow' when it is all about the 'Ice Cream.'

The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching third grade this year...

The presidential election was heating up and some of the children showed an interest. I decided we would have an election for a class president.

We would choose our nominees. They would make a campaign speech and the class would vote. To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other class members.

We discussed what kinds of characteristics these students should have.

We got many nominations and from those, Jamie and Olivia were picked to run for the top spot. The class had done a great job in their selections. Both candidates were good kids.

I thought Jamie might have an advantage because he got lots of parental support.

I had never seen Olivia's mother.

The day arrived when they were to make their speeches. Jamie went first. He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better place. He ended by promising to do his very best. Everyone applauded and he sat down.

Now it was Olivia's turn to speak. Her speech was concise. She said, "If you will vote for me, I will give you ice cream." She sat down.

The class went wild. "Yes! Yes! We want ice cream." She surely would say more... She did not have to.

A discussion followed. How did she plan to pay for the ice cream?
She wasn't sure.

Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it.
She didn't know.

The class really didn't care. All they were thinking about was ice cream..

Jamie was forgotten. Olivia won by a landslide…

Moral of the Story: Every time Barack Obama opened his mouth he offered ice cream and 52 percent of the people reacted like nine year olds. They want ice cream.

The other 48 percent know they're going to have to feed the cow and clean up the mess."

This is the ice cream Obama promised us!

Remember, the government cannot give anything to anyone that they have not first taken from someone else.

Health Care Bill Becomes Law

2010-03-23T18:33:00.001-05:00

Wow. Not sure I would have called this a year ago. I really thought we would be able to make the will of the American people known and this boondoggle would go the way of the dodo. It seems obvious to me that while there are some reforms that were clearly needed with regard to health insurance, this takeover was not a good approach. Let me be clear, I am very much against the new law, and I want to explain why because I am NOT all about letting children die on the streets.

First, of course people in America should have access to good health care. There are laws in place to assure citizens that those in need of care will be taken care of regardless of their insurance status or their ability to pay. What does that mean? No one in need can be turned away from an Emergency Room. Hospitals that are public (County or State financed) cannot turn away patients on the basis of insurance status or ability to pay up front in cash.

Does this happen? I have friends and family members in multiple states who have had cancer or other life threatening illnesses who had no insurance and no savings who were cared for very well or whose lives were saved despite their finances. So, yes, America takes care of her citizens.

Second, people in this argument have constantly confused health care with health insurance. ALL Americans have access to health care. Period. Most Americans get health insurance through their workplace as a benefit. Most have co-pays and premiums so this health insurance is not free. Nor should it be.

Medical care is given by highly educated and trained individuals who spend many years learning their craft and spend a lot of money on education. To make this service free would be ludicrous to the time and money it takes to become a doctor or other medical provider. Plus - what kind of care would you get from someone who worked for free? I mean, McDonald's pays people and they can't even get your lunch order correct. Would you want someone who wasn't paid at all removing your spleen?

Third, the Bill which became law today is an absolute disaster. Are there some good things in this Bill? Yes, there are. Is the Bill a good piece of legislation? No, not at all. Why?

Pg 22 of the HC Bill MANDATES the Govt will audit books of ALL EMPLOYERS that self insure.

Pg 30 Sec 123 of HC bill - THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benefits you get.

Pg 42 of HC Bill - The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your HC Benefits for you.

PG 50 Section 152 in HC bill - HC will be provided 2 ALL non US citizens, illegal or otherwise.

Pg 58HC Bill - Govt will have real-time access to individuals finances & a National ID Healthcard will be issued.

Pg 59 HC Bill lines 21-24 Govt will have direct access to your banks accts for electronic funds transfer to pay premiums.

Pg 95 HC Bill Lines 8-18 The Govt will use groups i.e., ACORN & Americorps to sign up individuals for HC plan.

PG 102 Lines 12-18 HC Bill - Medicaid Eligible Individuals will be automatically enrolled in Medicaid.

pg 124 lines 24-25 HC No company can sue GOVT on price fixing. No "judicial review" against Govt.

Pg 145 Line 15-17 An Employer MUST auto enroll employees plan.

Pg 126 Lines 22-25 Employers MUST pay for HC for part time employees AND their families.

Pg 149 Lines 16-24 ANY Employer with a payroll 400k & above that does not provide health insurance pays 8% tax on all payroll

pg 150 Lines 9-13 Small business with a payroll between 251k & 400k that doesn't provide health care insurance pays 2- 6% tax on payroll.

Pg 167 Lines 18-23 ANY individual who doesn't have acceptable HC according to the Govt will be taxed 2.5% of income.

Pg 170 Lines 1-3 HC Bill Any NONRESIDENT Alien is exempt from indiv. taxes. (Americans will pay)

Pg 195 HC Bill -officers & employees of HC Admin (GOVT) will have access to ALL Americans financial /personal records and bank information.

PG 203 Line 14-15 HC - "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax" Yes, it says that.

Pg 239 Line 14-24 HC Bill- Govt will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors, low income, poor affected.

Pg 241 Line 6-8 HC Bill - Doctors, doesn't matter what specialty you have, you'll all be paid the same.

PG 253 Line 10-18 Govt sets value of doctor's time, professional judgment, etc. Literally value of human life.

PG 265 Sec 1131Govt mandates & controls productivity for private HC industries.

PG 268 Sec 1141 Fed Govt regulates rental & purchase of power driven wheelchairs.

PG 272 SEC. 1145. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN CANCER HOSPITALS - Cancer patients - rationing of care.

Page 280 Sec 1151 The Govt will penalize hospitals for what Govt deems preventable readmission.

Pg 298 Lines 9-11 If doctors treat a patient during initial admission that results in a readmission -Govt will penalize the doctor.

Pg 317 L 13-20 PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. Govt tells Drs. what/how much they can own and if they can invest in a practice or hospital.

Pg 317-318 lines 21-25,1-3 PROHIBITION on expansion- Govt is mandating hospitals cannot expand as the hospital board deems fit.

pg 321 2-13 Hospitals have opportunity to apply for exception BUT community input required from groups like ACORN.

Pg335 L 16-25 Pg 336-339 - Govt mandates estab. of outcome based measures. HC the way the government wants.

Pg 341 Lines 3-9 Govt has authority to disqualify Medicare Adv Plans, HMOs, etc. Forcing people into Govt plan

Pg 354 Sec 1177 - Govt will RESTRICT enrollment of Special needs citizens.

Pg 379 Sec 1191 Govt creates more bureaucracy - Telehealth Advisory Cmtte. HC by phone.

PG 425 Lines 4-12 Govt mandates Advance Care Planning Consult. Senior Citizens end of life counseling

Pg 425 Lines 17-19 Govt will instruct & consult regarding living wills, durable powers of atty. Mandatory

PG 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3 Govt provides apprvd list of end of life resources, guiding you in death

PG 427 Lines 15-24 Govt mandates program 4 orders 4 end of life. The Govt has a say in how your life ends

I could go on, but 2700 pages is a lot.

Not enough for you? Here is an article from "Investors Business Daily" that lists 20 drawbacks of the new law: http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/capitalhill.htm

The point is, this Bill which is now Law is a disaster of a train wreck moving slowly towards us. Hopefully, Texas will successfully sue on the grounds that the Law is unconstitutional. I hope your state is successful too.

2010: An Odyssey

2010-02-02T13:35:00.004-06:00

Well, I am astounded at where we are. 2010 - we used to say that year when we were kids like it was a fantasy - and now we are here. I want to share my New Year's Resolutions for 2010 - because I believe that if they are spoken - or posted - in public, they are more real.

2010 New Year’s Resolutions

I resolve to let me hair grow without cutting it myself in frustration - not even the bangs.
I resolve to buy, prepare, serve and eat more healthy foods this year - allowing even less processed food in the house than in 2009.
I resolve to fit in at least 30 minutes of exercise 4 x's weekly for myself this year.
I resolve to focus on being the best Mom I can be for my boys.
I resolve to be a better wife (and friend) in 2010 - and attempt NOT to get cranky at DT's corny humor - or what passes for humor in his mind.
I resolve to NOT get my "political" hackles up when the current administration does something stupid (daily). I will simply breathe deeply and count down to 11/2/2010 and 11/6/2012 with happy anticipation.
I resolve to work actively and daily towards my personal business goals while continuing to be the best Project Manager I know how to be.
I resolve to be spiritually and mentally open to personal growth this year; appreciating those in my family and my life for what they bring to our relationship - not what I want them to bring.
I resolve to look for the joy in life's little miracles daily.
I resolve to keep my resolutions and when I falter to start over again with a glad heart for the opportunity to learn more about myself.

Happy 2010!

Tiger Woods issues are NOT Headline News

2009-12-03T08:31:00.000-06:00

Why do we imbue sports figures and other "celebrities" with such unrealistic values? We, as a culture make these men and women into larger than life figures and then, when they show that they are human and not immune to the temptations of our materialistic world, we crucify them in public.

Do we do this because we are looking for modern day "heroes"? Do we do this so that we can make them into the people we wish we were? Do we just want a departure from the actual important stuff going on in the world? I don't know. What I do know is this: the smut that this engenders in the press doesn't qualify as "headline news".

Leave their personal, bedroom issues where they belong - in THEIR bedroom. Watching someone's marriage fall apart in the media simply cheapens us all.

No Freaking Way!

2009-11-08T14:14:00.003-06:00

I cannot believe that Pelosi and crew passed this stinking sludge of a Healthcare Reform Bill.

Do people not get it? Healthcare is 1/6th of our GDP - a full 17% of the economy. The government is now looking at nationalizing that part of our lives. What does that mean?

The health bill that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is bringing to a vote (H.R. 3962) is 1,990 pages. Here are some of the details you need to know.

What the government will require you to do:

• Sec. 202 (p. 91-92) of the bill requires you to enroll in a "qualified plan." If you get your insurance at work, your employer will have a "grace period" to switch you to a "qualified plan," meaning a plan designed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. If you buy your own insurance, there's no grace period. You'll have to enroll in a qualified plan as soon as any term in your contract changes, such as the co-pay, deductible or benefit.

• Sec. 224 (p. 118) provides that 18 months after the bill becomes law, the Secretary of Health and Human Services will decide what a "qualified plan" covers and how much you'll be legally required to pay for it. That's like a banker telling you to sign the loan agreement now, then filling in the interest rate and repayment terms 18 months later.

On Nov. 2, the Congressional Budget Office estimated what the plans will likely cost. An individual earning $44,000 before taxes who purchases his own insurance will have to pay a $5,300 premium and an estimated $2,000 in out-of-pocket expenses, for a total of $7,300 a year, which is 17% of his pre-tax income. A family earning $102,100 a year before taxes will have to pay a $15,000 premium plus an estimated $5,300 out-of-pocket, for a $20,300 total, or 20% of its pre-tax income. Individuals and families earning less than these amounts will be eligible for subsidies paid directly to their insurer.

• Sec. 303 (pp. 167-168) makes it clear that, although the "qualified plan" is not yet designed, it will be of the "one size fits all" variety. The bill claims to offer choice—basic, enhanced and premium levels—but the benefits are the same. Only the co-pays and deductibles differ. You will have to enroll in the same plan, whether the government is paying for it or you and your employer are footing the bill.

• Sec. 59b (pp. 297-299) says that when you file your taxes, you must include proof that you are in a qualified plan. If not, you will be fined thousands of dollars. Illegal immigrants are exempt from this requirement.

• Sec. 412 (p. 272) says that employers must provide a "qualified plan" for their employees and pay 72.5% of the cost, and a smaller share of family coverage, or incur an 8% payroll tax. Small businesses, with payrolls from $500,000 to $750,000, are fined less.

What part of these provisions are you okay with?

For those who foolishly thought this was "free" healthcare - how's it working for you now?

Out of the mouth of babes...

2009-07-22T18:07:00.000-05:00

I recently asked a friend's little girl what she wanted to be when she grows up. She said she wanted to be President some day. Both of her parents, liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked her, “If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?”

She replied, “I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people.” Her parents beamed. “Wow...what a worthy goal.” I told her, “But you don't have to wait until you're President to do that. You can come over to my house and mow the lawn, pull weeds, and sweep my yard, and I'll pay you $50. Then I'll take you over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, and you can give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house.”

She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in the eye and asked, “Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?” I said, “Welcome to the Republican Party.”

Throw Crap and Tax out of the Senate!!!!

2009-06-27T12:36:00.003-05:00

I cannot believe Cap and Trade actually passed the House of Representatives. Job losses; increase in the price of everything that is manufactured here; higher gas; higher heat; higher electricity - all for NOTHING.

Anthropomorphic Global Warming is a farce. Climate change has happened since the planet formed and will occur until the sun swallows the earth some 10 billion years from now. The earth is in a cooling cycle right now and other countries are moving away from this legislation as it is an economy killer. Why do we have to try everything that has failed elsewhere?

Obama, “Reader of the Free World”, has said that we need to use more efficient energy sources to move away from foreign oil. Well, there is nothing “more efficient” than petroleum. Additionally, there is nothing more safe and smart to get America off of foreign oil than domestic production. While it would be great to find some source of energy that is renewable and efficient; the research and development for that source or sources of energy will take time and money. While researching that source, destroying the economy and lives of America’s citizens simply does not make sense nor is it responsible of our leaders.

Passing this bill in the Senate and actually enacting this legislation will cost Americans money that in this recession, they simply do not have. You cannot expect people to go cold or to die of heat. You cannot expect people to feed their families less or less nutritious foods. Yet, those are the decisions that will face many citizens if this bill raises costs of food and manufactured goods, gas, electricity and heat. The estimate of extended cost to the average family of four is $3,200 per year. Add to that the increase in taxes that is facing Americans with Obama’s other policies and families are facing real trouble.

If this nation was serious about cutting pollution, nuclear power would be on the table. It is not. That tells me this is simply a method of increasing government revenues and increasing the control over the lives of Americans that this President and Administration wants to exert.
Americans are waking up and standing up against this tyranny. We will not be silenced and we will not allow these bad policies to ruin lives we have worked hard to build. Those in Washington who vote for these policies are signing their own “pink slips” in the next election cycle. We the People are saying "No!"

Call on your Senators to vote “No” on Crap and Tax.

No longer the Silent Majority!

We the People are coming......

2009-06-16T20:44:00.003-05:00

Got this letter today and I have to say, I could have written it myself (except that I am not a 53 year old grandparent...) Please read this and consider if you feel the same....

______________________________

I'm a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you're willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now. You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would horribly feel so disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut job am I? Will you please tell me?

Well, these are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:

One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I'm not a racist. This isn't to be confused with legal immigration.

Two, the TARP bill, I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.

Three: Czars, I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.

Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.

Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don't you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!

Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don't you start there.

Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don't trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.

Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why ‑‑ what do you have against shareholders making a profit?

Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.

Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we'll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band‑Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.

Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let's have it. Let's say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try ‑‑ please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.

Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now.

Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let's just slow down and get some input from some nonpoliticians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I'm busy. I'm busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.

I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.

From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns to Washington. Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don't want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we're morons.

We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we're so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work , pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you.

For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have cancelled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn't ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us who will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.

Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don't care. Political parties are meaningless to us. Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear?

We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you. If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one.

We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent? Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming.

Obama - You scare me

2009-06-16T04:00:00.002-05:00

Below is an open letter to Obama written by author and comentator Lou Pritchett. Some thoughts to chew on.

AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA

Dear President Obama, You are the thirteenth President under whom I have lived and unlike any of the others, you truly scare me.

You scare me because after months of exposure, I know nothing about you. You scare me because I do not know how you paid for your expensive Ivy League education and your upscale lifestyle and housing with no visible signs of support. You scare me because you did not spend the formative years of youth growing up in America and culturally you are not an American. You scare me because you have never run a company or met a payroll. You scare me because you have never had military experience, thus don't understand it at its core.

You scare me because you lack humility and 'class', always blaming others. You scare me because for over half your life you have aligned yourself with radical extremists who hate America and you refuse to publicly denounce these radicals who wish to see America fail. You scare me because you are a cheerleader for the 'blame America' crowd and deliver this message abroad. You scare me because you want to change America to a European style country where the government sector dominates instead of the private sector. You scare me because you want to replace our health care system with a government controlled one.

You scare me because you prefer 'wind mills' to responsibly capitalizing on our own vast oil, coal and shale reserves. You scare me because you want to kill the American capitalist goose that lays the golden egg which provides the highest standard of living in the world. You scare me because you have begun to use 'extortion' tactics against certain banks and corporations. You scare me because your own political party shrinks from challenging you on your wild and irresponsible spending proposals. You scare me because you will not openly listen to or even consider opposing points of view from intelligent people. You scare me because you falsely believe that you are both omnipotent and omniscient. You scare me because the media gives you a free pass on everything you do.

You scare me because you demonize and want to silence the Limbaughs, Hannitys, O'Relllys and Becks who offer opposing, conservative points of view. You scare me because you prefer controlling over governing. Finally, you scare me because if you serve a second term I will probably not feel safe in writing a similar letter in 8 years.

Lou Pritchett;
(www.loupritchett.com)

Had it!

2009-06-12T16:25:00.003-05:00

I am reprinting a letter to Mr. Obama from a concerned citizen below. I wanted to reprint this because I think everyone who is honestly disgusted with the behavior of our "reader-in-chief" should have every opportunity to share his/her views with the public.

Mr. Obama:

I have had it with you and your administration, sir. Your conduct on your recent trip overseas has convinced me that you are not an adequate representative of the United States of America collectively or of me personally.

You are so obsessed with appeasing the Europeans and the Muslim world that you have abdicated the responsibilities of the President of the United States of America. You are responsible to the citizens of the United States. You are not responsible to the people of any other country on earth.

I personally resent that you go around the world apologizing for the United States telling Europeans that we are arrogant and do not care about their status in the world. Sir, what do you think the First World War and the Second World War were all about, if not the consideration of the people of Europe? Are you brain dead? What do you think the Marshall Plan was all about? Do you not understand or know the history of the 20th century?

Where do you get off telling a Muslim country that the United States does not consider itself a Christian country? Have you not read the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution of the United States? This country was founded on Judeo-Christian ethics, at least until you came along, and the principles governing this country come directly from this heritage. Do you not understand this?

Your bowing to the king of Saudi Arabia is an affront to all Americans. Our President does not bow down to anyone, let alone the king of Saudi Arabia. You didn't show Great Britain, our best and one of our oldest allies, the respect they deserve, yet you bow down to the king of Saudi Arabia. How dare you, sir! How dare you!

You can't find the time to visit the graves of our greatest generation because you don't want to offend the Germans, but make time to visit a mosque in Turkey. You offended our dead and every veteran when you gave the Germans more respect than the people who saved the German people from themselves. What's the matter with you?

I am convinced that you and the members of your administration have the historical and intellectual depth of a mud puddle and should be ashamed of yourselves, all of you.
You are so self-righteously offended by the big bankers and the American automobile manufacturers, yet do nothing about the real thieves in this situation; Mr. Dodd, Mr. Frank, Franklin Raines, Jamie Gorelic, the Fannie Mae bonuses, and the Freddie Mac bonuses. What do you intend to do about them? Anything? I seriously doubt it.

Executives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be receiving $210 million in bonuses over an eighteen-month period, that's $45 million more than the AIG bonuses. In fact, Fannie and Freddie executives have already been awarded $51 million - not a bad take. Who authorized that and why haven't you expressed your outrage at this group who are largely responsible for the economic mess we have right now.

What about the U.S. House members passing out $9.1 million in bonuses to their staff members - on top of the $2.5 million in automatic pay raises those lawmakers gave themselves? I understand the average House aide got a 17% bonus. I took a 5% cut in my pay to save jobs with my employer. You haven't said anything about that. Who authorized that? I surely didn't!
I resent that you take me and my fellow citizens as brain-dead and not caring about what you idiots do. We are watching what you are doing and we are getting increasingly fed up with all of you.

I also want you to know that I personally find just about everything you do and say to be offensive to every one of my sensibilities. I promise you that I will work tirelessly to see that you do not get a chance to spend two terms destroying my beautiful country.

God Bless America

STOP Cap and TAX!

2009-05-25T13:00:00.001-05:00

The Cap and Trade bill that passed out of committee this week is a travesty. It is a travesty for a number of reasons and must be stopped. I also believe that Rep. Waxman is a buffoon and has made a mockery of the demands by the American people that our legislators READ the bills they pass.

First, there is no overwhelming proof positive that man is causing global warming. Indeed, the climate of the earth is changing – and has done so since the formation of the earth some 6 billion years ago. I suspect that the planet’s climate will continue to change until the day – some 10+ billion years in the future when it is swallowed up by our dying sun as it goes supernova. Man is not directly causing the earth to warm any more than driving an SUV is causing Mars to also warm. It seems there may be some other factor we have in common with other planets in the solar system (namely the sun) and reportedly, we are currently cooling due to a lessening of solar activity. I don’t think anyone is so arrogant as to suggest that man is affecting the sun by such activities as driving and exhaling.

Second, CO2 is not an evil gas. We exhale it and plants “inhale” it as part of the cycle of life. If CO2 is so evil; perhaps some number of us should just stop exhaling. Silly isn’t it? So too is Al Gore’s posture that CO2 is going to drown us all while he continues to live his lavish lifestyle – and, in point of fact, to profit from the potential Cap and Trade legislation that will kill business and household budgets. Taking care of our planet and cutting pollution where we can is GREAT for us all; Cap and Trade is NOT the way.

Third, Cap and Trade will result in devastating economic repercussions to the average American. Consequences we can ill afford at this time and in this economic upheaval. If we want to make inroads into changing America’s energy future, we need to use the natural resources we have domestically and drill for our own oil and build clean, powerful nuclear plants to produce inexpensive energy and grow jobs here in the United States.

Last, Representative Waxman and his cohorts mocking of the American people will not be tolerated past the 2010 elections. When we demanded that our government read the bills they are stuffing down our throats, we didn’t have a “speed reader” in mind. Waxman and his ilk are a corrupt affront to every honest American and their hard work. Stop mocking the common man and start representing our best interests.

The American people see this sham for what it is and we do NOT want to send our futures overseas and into the coffers of corrupt businesses like G.E. and Al Gore. STOP Cap and Trade.

I want my “O” TV – not!

2009-05-23T12:25:00.000-05:00

In watching news yesterday I was struck by the lack of attention that was given to the “story” about the White House releasing its own press and story on the visit by the champion University of Connecticut women’s basketball team. I wonder if our Congressional leaders took note of the danger therein. Now, many will say this was a “fluff” piece; a feel good story that isn’t “real news”. In actuality, it was a dangerous move by a President who grows more dangerous and emboldened daily. This was a test to see if the process would fly and if there would be any complaints about the process. The media fell right into the trap. Let me explain.

When an Administration blocks the White House press corps from covering a story and instead releases its own tape and copy to the news in the expectation that they will simply run it as given to them (which, sadly, they did) the precedent is being set. The tape was remarkable in that the president looked wonderful, no one said anything negative about the administration, and Mr. Obama never missed a shot. Amazing? Hardly.

If anyone believes that this was a “one time deal” that will never pop up again, I want to ask you some questions. Does anyone remember how Hitler covered his own “news” in Germany? What about the press controls in Communist China? How about Pravda in the old Soviet Union? When the government controls what the people are told, only the government knows the truth. Where are the Republican leaders? Where are the true journalists? Where is our liberty going?

Please wake up and speak out. Call you representatives and tell them this is ridiculous!!

Global Warming or Global Farce?

2009-05-05T16:25:00.009-05:00

I find it interesting that President Obama is meeting to “tackle” global warming on the same day that leading scientists are also meeting to discuss the impact of reduced sunspot activity and the correlation between reduced sunspots and ice ages.

This winter, Dutch canals froze for the first time in nearly two decades. The last time consistent freezing of those canals was witnessed was during the Little Ice Age of the 1600s. Humans, the only species so arrogant they believe they can change planetary heating and cooling. Global Warming is Absolute nonsense. CO2 is no more a pollutant than O2, which rots food & causes things to burn at an accelerated rate. CO2 is needed for plant life, that's why we can feed the world & according to forestry groups, we have more trees now than a century ago.

Coal produces around ½ of the nations electrical energy requirements. If cap and trade passes, electric energy costs will significantly increase. What effect would that have on people on fixed incomes or the poor? The implementation of the mindless energy strategy of this Administration is likely to be quite cruel to those folk.

By the way, the vast majority of CO2 in the atmosphere is naturally occurring. Humans produce an average of 1 kg/day in the process known as respiration. With around 6 billion of us that is 6 billion kg/day; do you think Obama and the democrats should perhaps tax breathing?

The Earth's been cooling since 1999. There is actually more ice on the West side of the continent than at any time in our history. Global Climate Change is happening. The climate on this planet changes constantly and has for four billion + years. I do not believe some fool who is profiting from it.

Let's go green like Spain! They have spent $500K per green job and now have 17% unemployment. Is that the goal of this Administration and the foolish Congress? I certainly hope not – Americans are not stupid and we are watching Washington's actions.

Congress has Trashed the Constitution

2009-03-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

While I do not here defend AIG’s actions, or the plan to pay out large bonuses, I am most concerned about the suspension of the rule of law that HR. 1578 proposes. By taxing a group of people without benefit of trial and after the fact; Congress is in conflict with the Constitution it has sworn to uphold and protect. The sections of the Constitution that are in question lie in Article 1 and deals with ‘Ex post Facto’ law and ‘Bills of Attainder’.

A bill of attainder is an act of legislature declaring a person or group of persons guilty of some crime and punishing them without benefit of a trial. Bills of attainder are forbidden by Article I, section 9, clause 3 of the United States Constitution. H.R. 1578 does punish a group of people without benefit of trial and it is in conflict with the laws of our nation.

An ex post facto law or retroactive law is a law that retroactively changes the legal consequences of acts committed or the legal status of facts and relationships that existed prior to the enactment of the law. H.R. 1578 seeks to punish a group of people after the fact and it is in conflict with the laws of our nation.

Passage of this bill or any other aimed at punishing people for making income is very bad for our country and not in keeping with the legacy of the United States of America. Please stop and think on the repercussions of these actions.

Who will the next group to be targeted for punishment through taxes? Who will decide what amount of income is egregious and worthy of punishment? How low will the next income bracket be that is offensive? It is a slippery slope we stand on. We as a people must watch our step.

Congress - Act with Responsibility

2009-03-20T12:08:00.003-05:00

I am appalled at the lack of responsibility I see in Washington D.C. over the AIG bonus payments. Our own political leaders are acting in a most unscrupulous manner and it has to STOP. All this drama and theatrics over the AIG bonuses should have been spent months ago when the initial bailout of the insurance giant was written. Our Congressional leaders knew about these bailouts as did the Fed, the Treasury dept. and the Obama Administration. Perhaps all members of Congress did not know; but they should have – if they read the laws they signed.

You cannot enact a Bill of Attainder under our Constitution simply to improve poll numbers. Not paying these retention bonuses is a breach of contract. The United States of America does not want to set the precedent that it is acceptable to break contracts. If AIG took a loan and is paying that loan per the terms, this is a non-issue.

Additionally, someone needs to tell Barney Frank to stuff a sock in it. He sounds like an absolute fool on National TV blubbering on about getting names of executives and letting the public know who they are. Is he trying to whip up mob rule? What would it look like if one of these executives who received threats on their lives was injured? Would Mr. Frank be happy that he was complicit in the death or serious injury of a citizen of the US? He and the other rabid attention seekers represent the United States of America as political leaders and they sound like they belong on the schoolyard tossing insults.

STOP this silliness and take action on the real issues – there are PLENTY of them:

· Threat of Cap and Trade
· Threat of Universal Healthcare
· $3.6 trillion budget
· $1+ trillion deficit
· Broken campaign promises and lies
· Corrupt Administration & Cabinet officials
· Domestic Energy Issues
· Radical Tax increases on job producers
· Faulty monetary policy
· Impending crushing inflation
· Lack of trust in Government
· Rampant growth of entitlement programs
· Loss of integrity in our leaders
· Border security
· Closing Guantanamo – with no plan
· AG Holder announcing potential release of terrorists on our streets
· Speaker Pelosi telling illegals they are patriotic and those who enforce our laws are not

We have a President who is trying to pass the most massive tax increase in history (cap and trade) for a scientific theory that is being decried as false by more scientific professionals by the day; a 3.6 trillion dollar budget that his team has said they would be willing to fast track and push down the throats of an unwilling public and THIS is what our leaders are worried about; $165 million in contracted bonuses? What about the 2+ trillion that Obama has spent in 60 days?!?

This is our country not ‘American Idol’. No one is running for Prom Queen. We need our leaders to lead with integrity and impunity. We need voices of reason to stand up and tell the real story and lead the way. The mid-terms cannot come soon enough for the people if this is what amorphous “change” and bumper sticker leadership amounts to. America deserves better and so do “We the People”.

Celebrate Freedom

2009-03-03T20:50:00.004-06:00

The Texas Independence Day Celebration

Texas is the only state in the Union that was ever an independent country. We Texans have hung on to that Independence. We've always been loud and we've always been proud of who we are: Texans! Therefore we celebrate!

March 2, 1836 dawned, frigid and gray; cutting winds blew through glassless windows. Texians - as they styled themselves - huddled close, pulled blankets tight, and gave birth to a dream. At the Town of Washington, fifty-nine representatives voted into existence a sovereign nation: the Republic of Texas. Tennessean George C. Childress had drafted the independence document. In word and spirit it borrowed heavily from Thomas Jefferson'' original 1776 declaration. No matter.

Anglo-Celtic Texians proudly embraced the values and traditions of their founding fathers. "The same blood that animated the hearts of our ancestors in '76 still flows in our veins," one frontier preacher affirmed. Still, not all the delegates were of that blood. Four Mexican residents signed the declaration on behalf of their Tejano constituents.

The delegates could not have picked a worse time to declare independence. To many contemporary observers, such confidence appeared reckless.

As delegates brazenly declared Texas independent, the artillery of Mexican dictator Antonio López de Santa Anna hammered the walls of the Alamo. Just four days later his troops would assault the crumbling fort and wipe out every rebel defender. At the same time, General José Urrea's division swept northward through the coastal prairies. He would subsequently capture the entire rebel command of Colonel James W. Fannin, Jr. following the Battle of Coleto on March 19. Acting upon Santa Anna's orders, Mexican troops executed Fannin and the majority of his Goliad garrison, some 342 men. The twin defeats at San Antonio and Goliad generated panic among Texian settlers who fled toward the Louisiana border. The "Runaway Scrape" they called it. To declare independence amid all this chaos seemed more than unduly hopeful. Indeed, to most it resembled a fool's errand.

On April 21, General Sam Houston's vengeful army swept the Mexican camp at San Jacinto and the skeptics recanted. On that momentous afternoon, enraged Texians slaughtered 650 Mexican soldados and took another 700 prisoner. Most important, the following day Texians captured President-General Santa Anna. At San Jacinto Texians won a great victory, but only with the capture of the Mexican dictator did the battle become decisive.

The date is not a state holiday; public schools do not let out; newscasters rarely recall the event. Those who love Texas remember. Always.

Now, would you now join me in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Pledge to the Texas Flag.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America; and to the Republic for which it stands one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Honor the Texas Flag. I pledge allegiance to thee: Texas, one and indivisible.

Budget Process

2009-02-26T20:42:00.002-06:00

Barak Obama has submitted his first ever US budget today. It is a REAL shocker. $3.6 Trillion dollars of spending. Many of those programs are worthwhile endeavors or sound very nice in theory. Let's break that down in reality. Barak Obama said that this budget will be paid for by raising taxes on ONLY those households that make over $250,000 a year or corporate entities. Well, I am here to burst that bubble with some cold hard numbers.

If the government raised taxes on those households that make over $250,000 a year to tax 100% of their income (and IF Paul Revere did not ride down the road shouting "The tax collector is coming") ; the government would collect $1.3 trillion dollars. That leaves $2.3 trillion in unfunded expenditures. Let's put that in terms we can all understand.

Let's say your family has $100,000 of income per year. Let's then say that you spend $163,000 in the course of the year. Would your bank cover $63,000 in overdrafts? Would they loan you the extra $63,000? What about next year? Could you spend that $63,000 (or more) of "unfunded expenditures" over and over again without any repercussions? THAT is what this budget does. 63% of the spending (and that is ONLY in my 100% taxation example) is NOT funded by tax dollars collected. That is not fiscally responsible.

I have some suggestions for our erstwhile elected leaders in their budget process for FY 2010. Perhaps this is new to some of those elected leaders or perhaps they have simply forgotten how to budget in the real world. Hopefully, this will spark some common sense.

When starting with a new year's budget, you need to identify the amount of money that will be available for expenditures. Take the sum of taxes collected in the last year that you have data for - say 2007. Now, since we all know we are in a "recession", subtract oh, say 10% from that number for contraction of incomes (and thus taxes collected). This should be a good number to start with for estimating purposes. This is the sum total of money that you have to spend. Whatever budget you come up with, you cannot exceed this number because then you will be spending money you don't have.

Now, identify all the items that you have in your expense listing that are necessities. This is not "like to have's" or "wish list" items. This is items that if you don't pay, bad things happen. For instance, the light bill for the Capitol, salaries of the military force, rent or mortgages on federal buildings. So, detail that list of items that were paid in that last year you have data from and determine if there have been any inflationary increases (like energy bills). Subtract those amounts from your available funds.

Now, make a list of all the things you spent money on last year that weren't absolute have to's and determine if there are cuts you want to make to this list or increases that must be made for any reason. This would be items like International Support for instance; are there any cuts you can make in these items. Is there any items that you want to grow? Subtract the amount you decide will be spent on these items from the available funds. What you have left is your "discretionary funds". This is money that you can spend on new programs or raises for salaries or other items that you want to introduce or to pay off debts that have been incurred.

Make a list of all the outstanding debts that are left over from other year's budgets. This is your unfunded liabilities list. Some of the "discretionary funds" need to be applied to these items so that you can start to "balance" your debt load. You cannot simply add new programs without making some inroads into paying these debts. Determine what debts will be paid and subtract those amounts from your available discretionary funds.

Now, identify all those new items you would like to put in place. Things that are the "nice to have's"; "want to have's"; "wish list" etc go on this list. Prioritize these items in order of importance or desire. Add up the totals for these new programs and see if they will fit into the budget. If they do, great. If they do not have the funds to cover the spending, you have to do one of two things - cut some of these new programs from the list or make cuts in other budget items.

Once you decide what will be in your expenses list and what will not, add them to your list of expenditures and subtract the amounts from your available funds. Note - remember you cannot go below zero and you should plan to have a small amount left over (say 5%) for reasonable and unexpected expenses. (This is called SAVINGS)

Folks, this is not hard. All US households do this process in some form or another all the time. (Granted some do this better than others) You cannot just shoot pie-in-the-sky budgets into the air and think that you can spend money you don't have and have no hope of ever paying for.

This is called FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. Let's entreat our elected officials to apply some.

Racism Cuts Both Ways

2009-02-05T11:21:00.002-06:00

Yesterday some cowardly anonymous poster commented on a blog post that I wrote almost two years ago about Illegal Aliens and my thoughts and feelings on that topic. The poster asserted that I am racist because of my belief that illegal aliens harm America and need to leave the U.S. to go back where they came from.

Well, I wanted to clear up a couple of points for Mr. Anonymous.

First - my son is Hispanic. His father, who died in service to this great country, was Mexican and Native American. I could not love my son more if I lived twice as long. I am proud of him, his heritage and his father.

Second - I - through my family have a mix of heritages in my background - Gaelic, Italian, Native American and I welcome the history and traditions of all of those ethnic parts. But, at the foundation of it all, I am American and I deeply love my country.

I have heard many arguements about Illegal Aliens. These arguements try to pull the heartstrings and make you empathize with individuals who "just want a better life" or who "work hard at jobs no one else wants". That is baloney.

This is America. The land of opportunity. If you want the opportunity to live here; be proud of the country and come here legally. Learn the language and become American. Love your roots and history but, if you want me to stand with you - love the country you want to build that future in - or leave because we don't need detractors.

TO HAVE A HORSE IN YOUR LIFE

2009-01-11T19:44:00.002-06:00

Horses teach us responsibility. Unlike a bicycle or a computer, a horse needs regular care and most of it requires that you get dirty and smelly and up off the couch. Choosing to leave your cozy kitchen to break the crust of ice off the water buckets is to choose responsibility. When our horses dip their noses and drink heartily; we know we've made the right choice.

Learning to care for a horse is both an art and a science. Some are easy keepers, requiring little more than regular turn-out, a flake of hay, and a trough of clean water. Others will test you - you'll struggle to keep them from being too fat or too thin. You'll have their feet shod regularly only to find shoes gone missing. Some are so accident-prone you'll swear they're intentionally finding new ways to injure themselves.

If you weren't raised with horses, you can't know that they have unique personalities. You'd expect this from dogs, but horses? Indeed, there are clever horses, grumpy horses, and even horses with a sense of humor. Those prone to humor will test you by finding new ways to escape from the barn when you least expect it.

Horses can be timid or brave, lazy or athletic, obstinate or willing. You will hit it off with some horses and others will elude you altogether. There are as many "types" of horses as there are people- which makes the whole partnership thing all the more interesting.

If you've never ridden a horse, you probably assume it's a simple thing you can learn in a weekend. You can, in fact, learn the basics on a Sunday, but to truly ride well takes a lifetime. Working with a living being is far more complex than turning a key in the ignition and putting the car or tractor in "drive."

In addition to listening to your instructor, your horse will have a few things to say to you as well. On a good day, he'll be happy to go along with the program and tolerate your mistakes; on a bad day, you'll swear he's trying to kill you. Perhaps he's naughty or perhaps he' fed up with how slowly you're learning his language. Regardless, the horse will have an opinion. He may choose to challenge you (which can ultimately make you a better rider) or he may carefully carry you over fences - if it suits him. It all depends on the partnership - and partnership is what it's all about.

If you face your fears, swallow your pride, and are willing to work at it, you'll learn lessons in courage, commitment, and compassion in addition to basic survival skills. You'll discover just how hard you're willing to work toward a goal, how little you know, and how much you have to learn.

And, while some people think the horse "does all the work", you'll be challenged physically as well as mentally. Your horse may humble you completely. Or, you may find that sitting on his back is the closest you'll get to heaven.

You can choose to intimidate your horse, but do you really want to? The results may come more quickly, but will your work ever be as graceful as that gained through trust? The best partners choose to listen, as well as to tell. When it works, we experience a sweet sense of accomplishment brought about by smarts, hard work, and mutual understanding between horse and rider. These are the days when you know with absolute certainty that your horse is enjoying his work.

If we make it to adulthood with horses still in our lives, most of us have to squeeze riding into our over saturated schedules; balancing our need for things equine with those of our households and employers. There is never enough time to ride, or to ride as well as we'd like. Hours in the barn are stolen pleasures.

If it is in your blood to love horses, you share your life with them. Our horses know our secrets; we braid our tears into their manes and whisper our hopes into their ears. A barn is a sanctuary in an unsettled world, a sheltered place where life's true priorities are clear: a warm place to sleep, someone who loves us, and the luxury of regular meals. Some of us need these reminders.

When you step back, it's not just about horses - it's about love, life, and learning. On any given day, a friend is celebrating the birth of a foal, a blue ribbon, or recovery from an illness. That same day, there is also loss: a broken limb, a case of colic, a decision to sustain a life or end it gently. As horse people, we share the accelerated life cycle of horses: the hurried rush of life, love, loss, and death that caring for these animals brings us. When our partners pass, it is more than a moment of sorrow.

We mark our loss with words of gratitude for the ways our lives have been blessed. Our memories are of joy, awe, and wonder. Absolute union. We honor our horses for their brave hearts, courage, and willingness to give.

To those outside our circle, it must seem strange. To see us in our muddy boots, who would guess such poetry lives in our hearts? We celebrate our companions with praise worthy of heroes. Indeed, horses have the hearts of warriors and often carry us into and out of fields of battle.

Listen to stories of that once-in-a-lifetime horse; of journeys made and challenges met. The best of horses rise to the challenges we set before them, asking little in return.

Those who know them understand how fully a horse can hold a human heart. Together, we share the pain of sudden loss and the lingering taste of long-term illness. We shoulder the burden of deciding when or whether to end the life of a true companion.

In the end, we're not certain if God entrusts us to our horses--or our horses to us. Does it matter? We're grateful God loaned us the horse in the first place.

Author Unknown

For the Love of a Horse in One's Life

2008-12-31T10:00:00.000-06:00

To have a horse in your life is a gift. In the matter of a few short years, a horse can teach a young girl courage, if she chooses to grab mane and hang on for dear life. Even the smallest of ponies is mightier than the tallest of girls. To conquer the fear of falling off, having one's toes crushed, or being publicly humiliated at a horse show is an admirable feat for any child. For that, we can be grateful.

Horses teach us responsibility. Unlike a bicycle or a computer, a horse needs regular care and most of it requires that you get dirty and smelly and up off the couch. Choosing to leave your cozy kitchen to break the crust of ice off the water buckets is to choose responsibility. When our horses dip their noses and drink heartily; we know we've made the right choice.

Learning to care for a horse is both an art and a science. Some are easy keepers, requiring little more than regular turn-out, a flake of hay, and a trough of clean water. Others will test you - you'll struggle to keep them from being too fat or too thin. You'll have their feet shod regularly only to find shoes gone missing. Some are so accident-prone you'll swear they're intentionally finding new ways to injure themselves.

If you weren't raised with horses, you can't know that they have unique personalities. You'd expect this from dogs, but horses? Indeed, there are clever horses, grumpy horses, and even horses with a sense of humor. Those prone to humor will test you by finding new ways to escape from the barn when you least expect it.

Horses can be timid or brave, lazy or athletic, obstinate or willing. You will hit it off with some horses and others will elude you altogether. There are as many "types" of horses as there are people- which makes the whole partnership thing all the more interesting.

If you've never ridden a horse, you probably assume it's a simple thing you can learn in a weekend. You can, in fact, learn the basics on a Sunday, but to truly ride well takes a lifetime. Working with a living being is far more complex than turning a key in the ignition and putting the car or tractor in "drive."

In addition to listening to your instructor, your horse will have a few things to say to you as well. On a good day, he'll be happy to go along with the program and tolerate your mistakes; on a bad day, you'll swear he's trying to kill you. Perhaps he's naughty or perhaps he' fed up with how slowly you're learning his language. Regardless, the horse will have an opinion. He may choose to challenge you (which can ultimately make you a better rider) or he may carefully carry you over fences - if it suits him. It all depends on the partnership - and partnership is what it's all about.

If you face your fears, swallow your pride, and are willing to work at it, you'll learn lessons in courage, commitment, and compassion in addition to basic survival skills. You'll discover just how hard you're willing to work toward a goal, how little you know, and how much you have to learn.

And, while some people think the horse "does all the work", you'll be challenged physically as well as mentally. Your horse may humble you completely. Or, you may find that sitting on his back is the closest you'll get to heaven.

You can choose to intimidate your horse, but do you really want to? The results may come more quickly, but will your work ever be as graceful as that gained through trust? The best partners choose to listen, as well as to tell. When it works, we experience a sweet sense of accomplishment brought about by smarts, hard work, and mutual understanding between horse and rider. These are the days when you know with absolute certainty that your horse is enjoying his work.

If we make it to adulthood with horses still in our lives, most of us have to squeeze riding into our over saturated schedules; balancing our need for things equine with those of our households and employers. There is never enough time to ride, or to ride as well as we'd like. Hours in the barn are stolen pleasures.

If it is in your blood to love horses, you share your life with them. Our horses know our secrets; we braid our tears into their manes and whisper our hopes into their ears. A barn is a sanctuary in an unsettled world, a sheltered place where life's true priorities are clear: a warm place to sleep, someone who loves us, and the luxury of regular meals. Some of us need these reminders.

When you step back, it's not just about horses - it's about love, life, and learning. On any given day, a friend is celebrating the birth of a foal, a blue ribbon, or recovery from an illness. That same day, there is also loss: a broken limb, a case of colic, a decision to sustain a life or end it gently. As horse people, we share the accelerated life cycle of horses: the hurried rush of life, love, loss, and death that caring for these animals brings us. When our partners pass, it is more than a moment of sorrow.

We mark our loss with words of gratitude for the ways our lives have been blessed. Our memories are of joy, awe, and wonder. Absolute union. We honor our horses for their brave hearts, courage, and willingness to give.

To those outside our circle, it must seem strange. To see us in our muddy boots, who would guess such poetry lives in our hearts? We celebrate our companions with praise worthy of heroes. Indeed, horses have the hearts of warriors and often carry us into and out of fields of battle.

Listen to stories of that once-in-a-lifetime horse; of journeys made and challenges met. The best of horses rise to the challenges we set before them, asking little in return.

Those who know them understand how fully a horse can hold a human heart. Together, we share the pain of sudden loss and the lingering taste of long-term illness. We shoulder the burden of deciding when or whether to end the life of a true companion.

In the end, we're not certain if God entrusts us to our horses--or our horses to us. Does it matter? We're grateful God loaned us the horse in the first place.

Author Unknown

The Meaning of the Season: A Rifle for Christmas

2008-12-29T10:58:00.003-06:00

This story is poignant this year. Some may know and some may not; 2008 was a hard year for my family. David was laid off from his programming job at CompUSA when they went out of business at the start of the year. He recently started a new job on December 1 for which we are very thankful. Despite the tighter belt through the year and this Christmas, I was compelled to help another family with Christmas as we aim to do each year. Even with one salary, we are blessed in so many ways and I wanted to share those blessings with others. This story touches on so many themes, I hope you enjoy it.

Better bundle up - the goose bumps will freeze you!! I think I need to read this every year at Christmas. This is what Christmas is all about...

Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving.

It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy me the rifle that I'd wanted for Christmas. We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible.

After supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to read Scriptures. But Pa didn't get the Bible, instead he bundled up again and went outside. I couldn't figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn't worry about it long though, I was too busy wallowing in self-pity. Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard. "Come on, Matt," he said. "Bundle up good, it's cold out tonight."

I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see. We'd already done all the chores, and I couldn't think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one's feet when he'd told them to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house. Something was up, but I didn't know what..

Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were going to do wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We never hitched up this sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him. The cold was already biting at me. I wasn't happy. When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed. He got off and I followed. "I think we'll put on the high sideboards," he said. "Here, help me."

The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high side boards on.

After we had exchanged the sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood - the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all Fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing? Finally I said something. "Pa," I asked, "what are you doing?" You been by the Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked. The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight. Sure, I'd been by, but so what? Yeah," I said, "Why?"

"I rode by just today," Pa said. "Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They're out of wood, Matt."

That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him. We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it. Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait.

When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand. "What's in the little sack?" I asked. “Shoes, they're out of shoes. Little Jakey just had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little candy too. It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little candy."

We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen's pretty much in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing. We didn't have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn't have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us; it shouldn't have been our concern.

We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door. We knocked. The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, "Who is it?" "Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt, could we come in for a bit?"

Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all. Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp.

"We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and set down the sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children - sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last. I watched her carefully. She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn't come out.

"We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa said. He turned to me and said, "Matt, go bring in enough to last awhile. Let's get that fire up to size and heat this place up." I wasn't the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat and as much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too. In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks with so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak.

My heart swelled within me and a joy that I'd never known before, filled my soul. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people.

I soon had the fire blazing and every one's spirits soared. The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for a long time. She finally turned to us. "God bless you," she said. "I know the Lord has sent you. The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us."

In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again. I'd never thought of Pain those exact terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was probably true. I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it.

Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes.

Tears were running down Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him and didn't want us to go. I could see that they missed their Pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.

At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, "The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We'll be by to get you about eleven. It'll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn't been little for quite a spell." I was the youngest. My two brothers and two sisters had all married and had moved away.

Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Miles. I don't have to say, May the Lord bless you, I know for certain that He will."

Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn't even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, "Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn't have quite enough. Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that, but on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I had to do. Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand."

I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Now the rifle seemed very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given me the look on Widow Jensen's face and the radiant smiles of her three children.

For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensen’s, or split a block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life – one where the true meaning of the season came shining through.

Merry Christmas Everyone and a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Wisdom of Ages

2008-11-03T19:55:00.003-06:00

In the history of the world, there has never been a socialist country that has succeeded for any significant period of time. Every one of those countries has gone down in economic flames. Anyone who does not believe that "spreading the wealth around" is socialism should take a governmental studies course.

As we face a serious event in the US tomorrow, I have found a thought to consider. Here are some words of wisdom for our country to think about…

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and independence.
You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.

~ attributed to Abraham Lincoln

God bless America - vote November 4th.

There is NO such thing as "Separation of Church and State" it is simply a liberal fairy tale

2008-09-19T13:51:00.004-05:00

I am truly sick of the whole "separation of church and state" discussion that seems to be a knee-jerk reaction by liberals whenever a conservative mentions their personal faith.

The Foundation Documents of the U.S. include the Declaration of Independence; Constitution and Bill of Rights (the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution). The Declaration of Independence includes multiple references to God (or "The Creator" - who the heck do you think created us at the top of earth's food chain if not "God"?) and is the primary document on which the foundation of the USA rests.

The Constitution and the Bill of Rights does not include any language that establishes a "separation of church and state". In point of fact, the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment protects the right of the people to have and practice their own chosen religion. This was written into the Constitution because of the situation in England that many of the Colonials suffered under.

In England; there existed the Church of England - a national church that was also a political entity and which could exact taxes from the citizens of England - in addition to the taxes exacted by the government. Many an English Landowner - most notably the second (or third, etc) sons of a nobleman lost their property - and their titles due to unjust taxation by the Church of England.

In America, the Founders were committed to preventing a state established religion that could exert similar authority to the Church of England. Thus, the First (ratified) Amendment to the Constitution is written to protect the people from being forced into an autocratic situation - that of having a state run religion.

As this is the history - and yes, it is documented - look in the Foundation Documents and the Articles of Confederation - to see the background explained here in this Blog post.

The actual term and interpretation of "separation of church and state" is contained in the text of a personal Thank You letter written by Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist Church in 1802. This letter actually exemplified the explanation given above - that no man was subject to explaining his faith to any other man. Nor, was a man's faith subject to governance by the Federal Government.

So, as is exemplified in both the First Amendment and the Danbury Letter, in all fact; the term "separation of church and state" has been usurped by those who would deny the basic Christian Principles in the foundation of the US.

As if this was not enough; there is an Article of the Constitution which lays down clearly that if there is an incorrect "interpretation" of the Constitution and the Amendments, that interpretation - and any following actions based on that incorrect interpretation - do not constitute the creation of a right - or precedent of law that will stand under examination.

The meaning of the Founders was clear - practicing the religion of one's choice was protected in the US and infringement of that right is indeed Unconstitutional.

Life or Death? The choice seems abundantly clear...

2008-09-04T15:42:00.006-05:00

I actively watched the major speeches of both the GOP and DNC conventions. The issue with the greatest clarity for me is the dichotomy of the two 'tickets'.

On the one hand, we have the silver tongued speaker who voted repeatedly against legislation to protect live babies (little human beings) when born following an attempted late term abortion. A man who would not want to "punish his daughters with a baby"(1) if she were in Bristol's shoes. A man who is all for protecting the polar bear and the three-toed purple spotted tree frog - but not a child.

On the other hand, we have a man who is pro-life who chose as his running mate a woman who, pregnant with a child the parents knew had special challenges - accepted that gift from God with open arms. A woman who believes in abstinence teachings for children - so that they may be taught by the ones with the true responsibility in the matter - their parents; not so that they be ignorant. A woman who feels a politician's job is to serve "with a servant's heart" (2). A woman who, upon finding her own daughter pregnant; once again accepts God's challenge ahead and supports Bristol and looks forward to welcoming her grandchild.

That is about the most clear you can get on the differences between McCain/Palin and Obama/Biden. A ticket that stands for life and respect - or - a ticket that stands for fluid morality.

The choice, for me, is clear.

Notes:
(1) - Senator Obama on March 30, 2008 in a Town Hall Meeting
(2) - Governor Palin on September 3, 2008 at the RNC

Liberals - the only ones who can "SAVE THE EARTH" - in their minds

2008-08-20T12:47:00.003-05:00

One thing that astounds me is the level of hubris in the minds of the environmentally elite. (or those who like to think they are "elite")

Creationists, Darwinists, etc - agree that the earth is old. Over the life of the earth; species have come and species have gone. Extinction of one group has led to an opportunity for another to arise or thrive.

Those who are so intent on preventing the extinction of any species need to be aware that we are interfering with the process of the earth. By stepping in and re-creating or infusing new populations; we need to ask "are we stopping a normal event that will prevent another life form from growing; or even being?"

Yes, I know the hue and cry of "man is destroying habitat" will bombard me. I would say that the earth cycles and sun/solar system cycles destroy habitat and have done so for millennia on end.

The natural resources of the earth exist - irrefutable fact. They are being used under a technological evolution and invention by man. Cows, horses, lions, tigers, bears and beavers are not using (to my knowledge) air conditioning. Man is. Is it a "luxury?" Perhaps. I would say both A/C and heat have prevented human death and extended human life.

Is it "bad" or "evil" to use heat? No. Cavemen used wood fires. Due to smaller populations, this was not an issue. Today's population would not be able to subsist on wood energy without exhausting "wood reserves". Thus, oil and petroleum products are more sustainable than the technology of the Neolithic period. That is an improvement and advancement that protects the resources of the earth. Though some people still use some wood energy, it is by far replaced by oil. Follow me here before jumping my ass.

In tomorrow's technology, oil will become obsolete. Though some applications may continue to exist. However, we are not at the point of 'getting off oil'. Does this mean we will 'kill the planet'? No. (Though the case is certainly out there that technology advances in energy have been ignored due to the abundance and cheap availability of oil. ) If the perfect "renewable, clean, powerful energy solution was unveiled today, it would still be DECADES before delivery systems were in place in every nook and cranny of the US; vehicles able to use that energy are built; vehicles are replaced and are on the road that use the new fuel and not one "oil" car is left running; homes are powered by the magic new fuel; ALL 170 by-products of oil are recreated in some other form.

This process of replacing all oil touch points is not some unimportant piece of a new fuel program - it is integral to converting the country - and the world to new systems. You cannot by-pass his process by shutting off the spigot today and letting people suffer until new technology is in place. The world has to continue to run for those decades without much interruption or (nature of man) there will be massive wars, deaths, pestilence. I would think the environmentalist elites would be against these disasters. (maybe not)

Those who belittle the pragmatic and call them "planet haters"; "knuckle draggers"; deniers or whatever; I find interesting. They are bullies. These bullies assume if they ridicule those of disparate view points - or who bring up points that the enviro-bullies have no answer to - the pragmatists will curl up and blow away. You are all in for a sorry day coming quickly upon you. Those who are realistic enough to understand that oil will play a part in our near (and medium term) futures are gaining clout and voices. Those who call themselves "earth aware" will know that no longer will we run away and hide from sarcasm.

Those who are enviro-bullies are infantile political sycophants with little or no natural intelligence. Let's hope the one with the big ears doesn't get to move this January….

Tina Davila - Victim of U.S. Governmental Ineptitude

2008-07-02T11:30:00.008-05:00

The following news story is heartbreaking, frustrating and just plain maddeningly unnecessary. I am posting it here today for a very clear purpose.

The scum killer in the story is - you guessed it - an Illegal Alien. Yep, that is correct. If the do nothing bozo's in Washington D.C. had simply DONE THEIR JOBS, the probability is that this loser wouldn't have been in the US in the first place.

This murder of a Mom, a wife, an American is the responsibility of our leaders. This is the result of - and therefore the fault of President Bush, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Ted Kennedy, Barbara Boxer, the Mayor of San Francisco, and every other politician or law maker who has not stepped up and put an end to the open borders of the United States. If I had my way, this family would take this to the people named above (and all the others I did not have room to name). I think this family should sue every political 'leader' who has failed the citizens of the US - and this Mom in particular.

Let me ask you this; how many more Americans have to die and families have to be left bereft before we demand action? I am SO past the point of 'enough'. Write, call, meet with, demand that your elected officials CLOSE the borders NOW.

Too bad Houston citizen - and fighter of crime - Joe Horne - was not at this location - maybe he would have had his shotgun with him. I know that I for one will be supporting the 'open carry' bill in Texas.

Slain mom's kids plead for help finding her killer.

Tina Davila died defending baby from carjacker: 'She was the coolest mom'

By Mike Celizic

TODAYShow.com contributor

They wanted her car. She wanted her baby. And because of that, Tina Davila, mother of five and beloved by all, is dead. Her family wants her killer brought to justice.

"She was a good person and she was good to be around," Davila's 17-year-old daughter, Patricia Matt, told TODAY's Meredith Vieira Wednesday in New York. "Everybody wanted to be around her. All the kids liked her. They thought she was the coolest mom."

It was April 17 when Davila was killed in Texas because she refused to give an assailant the keys to her car, in which she had left her infant daughter. But the pain of the loss, painted in tears that flowed down Patricia's cheeks, is still fresh for those she left behind.

The 39-year-old Davila had pulled into a parking lot of a Harris County, Texas, cell phone store to pay her bill. She left her daughter, 4-month-old Kaylynn, in the back seat and started to go inside when she was accosted by a man who grabbed for the keys to her SUV.

The confrontation was captured on grainy surveillance video from inside the store. It shows a man, identified by police as 23-year-old Timoteo Rios, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, grabbing for the keys. Davila pulls back, and the man stabs her in the chest several times before turning and fleeing. Davila, mortally wounded, runs after him before turning and staggering into the store for help. EMTs rushed her to a hospital, but she died there of her wounds.

Still at large!

Rios remains at large, and police suspect he's fled to Mexico. A man identified as his accomplice and the driver of the car in which they arrived at the store and fled the scene, is in custody. Police said he is Kennedy Escoto, 17. He has been charged with aggravated robbery for his involvement with the theft of beer from a convenience store immediately before the attempted carjacking that left Davila dead.

Eric Matt, Davila's first husband and the father of three of her children, got a call saying his ex-wife and high school sweetheart had been injured. Though the two had divorced in 1996 after eight years of marriage and three children, they remained friends. Matt said his ex-wife continued to help him out in tough times many times over the years.

"They told us that Tina was involved in an accident," Matt told Vieira. "My oldest son, we both went to the hospital, thinking she was in a car accident or something. When we arrived, we asked about Tina Davila that was in an accident, and the people said, 'You mean the woman who got stabbed?' Right then and there is when it kind of shocked and hit us."

Matt never got to see Davila. But he did learn that she had died protecting Kaylynn. "The officers said she wasn't willing to give the keys," he told Vieira. "Her last words were, 'My baby. My baby's in the back of the truck.' "

That Davila gave her life to protect her child didn't surprise Matt. "She would do that for every one of her kids," he said.

'Sticker mom'

Indeed, in her community, Davila was known as the "sticker mom," a title that reflected her penchant for covering the back of her car with decals representing the sports teams her children belonged to. She never missed any of their games and always led the cheers.

Her 15-year-old son with Matt, Payton, tried to describe his mother to Vieira. He got out the word "just," hesitated, swallowed hard, chewed his lip, took a deep breath, fought back tears and finally gave up, overcome by grief.

And that, said Payton's father, is why the three came to New York to appear on TODAY. "The reason we're here is the fact that there's one more person out there that maybe somebody will know. Tina was very important in our lives. She was a mother that was a good mother. She cared for every one of her children. Just to see the sadness in my kids — it's a lot of adjusting going on through this period of time. I feel there would be some closure in our family if this other man would be caught."

A $10,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the capture of Rios, whose police record includes brief jail terms last year for marijuana possession and for criminal mischief and failure to identify himself to police. Authorities say he may still be driving the gold Ford Taurus with Texas plates P42 CYY and a broken left-side mirror held on by duct tape that he was in at the time of the murder.

Fairness Doctrine - NOT Fair to America

2008-06-20T08:50:00.002-05:00

"Our massive strategy was to use the Fairness Doctrine to challenge and harass right-wing broadcasters and hope the challenges would be so costly to them that they would be inhibited and decide it was too expensive to continue."

--Bill Ruder, Democratic campaign consultant and Assistant Secretary of Commerce, Kennedy Administration [1]

Today, there have been a number of reports that the liberal Democrat lead Congress is making yet another attempt to reinstitute the Fairness Doctrine.

For those who do not know what the Fairness Doctrine was;
The rule was first articulated in 1949, when television was in its infancy and radio meant a handful of AM stations in each market. In its final form, the rule required broadcasters to "afford reasonable opportunity for discussion of contrasting points of view on controversial matters of public importance." Until it was abolished in 1987, this Federal Communications Commission rule required broadcasters to air all sides of controversial issues.

At first glance, something called the 'Fairness Doctrine' may sound innocuous. Fairness is, after all, a basic American value. But as a matter of principle, any such government controls on media content is anathema to constitutional guarantees of free speech. And in practice, the so-called fairness doctrine was deeply unfair.

Liberals are so intimidated by conservative talk radio that they are attempting to bring back the Fairness Doctrine. The Democrats state that the Fairness Doctrine will guarantee that more opinions will be heard. Of all arguments for the reinstitution of the fairness doctrine, the most inaccurate and insidious is that it will permit a greater diversity of opinion to be heard.

By requiring, under threat of monetary penalties, that broadcasters "fairly" represent both sides of a given issue, advocates of the doctrine say they believe that more views will be aired while the editorial content of the station can remain unaltered. But with the threat of potential FCC retaliation for perceived lack of compliance, most broadcasters would be more reluctant to air their own opinions because it might require them to air alternative perspectives that their audience does not want to hear.

Thus, the result of the fairness doctrine in many cases would be to stifle the growth of disseminating views and, in effect, make free speech less free. This is exactly what led the FCC to repeal the rule in 1987. FCC officials found that the doctrine "had the net effect of reducing, rather than enhancing, the discussion of controversial issues of public importance," and therefore was in violation of constitutional principles. [2]

Additionally, I believe that Nancy Pelosi and her crew know EXACTLY what the re-enactment of the Fairness Doctrine would do - that it would decimate conservative talk radio and TV. These are broadcasts where not only are opinions given; news stories are reported that are not heard at all on mainstream media channels and information is given to Americans who are too busy with work and families to chase the truth of news themselves.

If the fairness standard is reinstituted, the result will not be easier access for controversial views. It will instead be self-censorship, as stations seek to avoid requirements that they broadcast specific opposing views. With the wide diversity of views available today in the expanding broadcast system, there is a simple solution for any family seeking an alternative viewpoint or for any lawmaker irritated by a pugnacious talk-show host. Turn the dial.

[1]Quoted in Jesse Walker, "Tuning Out Free Speech," The American Conservative, April 23, 2007

[2] Excerpts from the Heritage Foundation - 1993

Build YOUR American Dream - on your own merit

2008-06-18T09:48:00.002-05:00

To all those that get the fact that hope and advancement come from within:

This is exactly the point of the father/daughter story: You have to decide to succeed and keep on trying – there will be obstacles at times – that is what faith is for – faith in God, tomorrow, good people, your efforts.

I have heard stories about those who have been discriminated against and they have been hurt and discouraged. What it demonstrates is that you came in contact with an organization full of absolute total jerks. (Good that they are all concentrated in one place) But, for every company like that there are 10-fold companies who are not like that.

I bet everyone in the working world was discriminated against at some time – black, white, woman, too educated (intimidated the hiring manager), too fat, dressed in a different manner, too many earrings…it goes on and on. Do you think as a woman in the technology field – especially in the early and mid-90's that I was not discriminated against? I was.

I have had 40+ year old mainframe developer's walk out of advanced programming classes – before the class started - when they realized I was not the secretary setting up the class but the instructor. I have had these men write notes to leave with our admin – before they ever heard me say one word that I could not teach them a thing because I was a "girl". They said that I should teach graphics and word processing classes because I was a girl and only good for being a secretary. Think that didn't hurt? Wasn't a crushing blow to the ego? I was a huge blow. But, keeping your head high and ignoring the idiots are a better way to succeed. I just went forward and put the turkeys out of my mind – could be worse - at least I wasn't married to them!

You are the master of your soul and the captain of your destiny – I know trite right? It actually is not. You are the only one who can change your situation. Fail at something? Learn the lesson and try again. Not getting anywhere? Change your approach. The answer is not to give up and wait for someone to fix the mess – if you quit, you have no chance. Obama's message is "poor you, you have been hurt, held back, given a short stick" his platform answer is "the government will help you out, bail you out, fix the wrong". In short grow government and taxes to hand out money to those who perceive their deserved success has not been met.

You know, punish the successful as they must have cheated in some way to achieve success. THAT path my friends will lead the people of this nation to a multi-generational society of governmentally dependent people who are not abject to failure and being told what to do.

That my friends leads to the common man thinking that the socialist "re-distribution of wealth is a good thing - giving the corrupt in government an open door.

A Conservative Father's Discussion with his Liberal Daughter

2008-05-30T14:07:00.004-05:00

Father and Daughter Discussion

A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat, and among other liberal ideals, was very much in favor of higher taxes to support more government programs, in other words, redistribution of wealth.

She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil and selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.

One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the need for more government programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father.

He responded by asking how she was doing in school. Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people she knew. She didn't even have time for a boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends because she spent all her time studying.

Her father listened then asked, 'How is your friend Audrey doing?' She replied, 'Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus; college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties, and lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over.'

Her father asked her, 'Then why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct a 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend Audrey, who only has a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPAs.'

The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily fired back, 'That's a crazy idea. How would that be fair? I've worked really hard for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work. Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!'

The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, 'Welcome to the Republican Party.'

Canada's National Healthcare cost VS US Healthcare cost - 2007 data

2008-05-28T17:06:00.003-05:00

Many in Obama's camp are parading Canada's "National" healthcare - and what the extolling virtues of that plan are - after all - they don't pay anything for a heart transplant or any other service. Well, my scholarly Obamites - let's compare Canada's tax rate and health premiums with the US (using my income/taxes etc)

NOTE: Please see end of post for source research links.

In the US (2007 rates):
Total Income tax on household - $21,000
Medical Insurance (Family of 4) - $3,600
RX Drugs - $900 (Thyroid disease - mine)
Office visits - $100 (10 /year - family of 4 for 2007)
Total Medical Expense + Taxes 2007 - $25,600

In Canada 2007 rates:
Total Income tax on household - $$40,894
Medical Insurance to cover additional expense (Family of 4 )- $3,600
(increased care provided to = what I have now)
RX Drugs - $720 (Thyroid disease - mine)
Office visits - $140 (10 /year - family of 4 for 2007)
Total Medical Expense + Taxes 2007 - $45,354

Difference in cost:
Canada: $45,354
US: $25,600
______________
$19,754 MORE in my pocket in the current US System.

DO I REALLY need to say more?????

SOURCE -
Canadian Info: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/individuals/faq/taxrates-e.html
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/170/13/1906
US Info: My 2007 tax return

Do you still think Obama's "National Healthcare" is such a great plan? We all know Washington gets very gluttonous with new programs and fees so the cost will likely be more than this. Personally, I prefer to keep the almost $20K in my pocket.....

Moms - have you let yourself go?

2008-05-21T15:00:00.005-05:00

Recently, I was participating in an online board talking about the new Suave Commercials that depict a "Mom" who - after children - has let herself go to pot. There was a great deal of angst on the boards about how important your children are and that your looks don't matter. While I can definitely agree on the level of tasks, to do's and a myriad of other things on a Mom's "Most Important" List; I do have to agree with a number of bloggers here and there that many Mom's DO let themselves go - and join the "I want to look natural" group. This, ladies, is NOT the best choice you can make - for yourself, your children and - importantly - your marriage.

I am a 41 year old, red-headed Mom of 2; a Professional Software Architect; business owner; horse owner (barn chick cleaning 5 stalls daily). Despite the typical 16+ hour day, everyday I put on fresh, flattering clothes, do my hair with highlights, painted nails and apply some cosmetics - enough so my husband is well aware I am his wife, not his brother. I do this not only for my husband (which is ultimately for me) but for me and the whole family. I don't pretend to be anyone. It took work and effort to become who I am and I love that person - including every wrinkle, stretch mark and scar.

Why do I say that my looking put together - if not always professional is important to the family? Because it reflects on the family - your husband in social circles (ever run into an Exec from your DH's company or their spouse at the grocery/soccer/tutor's? I have - and I feel more confident when I have my "best face" forward.

When you show up at your child's school for a PTA meeting, Room Mom (yes, I do schedule time for this) or teacher conference in your sweats and bunny slippers, it makes you child look bad - sorry - it is true - first impressions are the only impression you get to make.

It is all about confidence. When you know you look good (not "date" night or fashionista) you walk taller. You project an image of confident ability. When you look like a schlumpy, frumpy, dowdy housekeeper, people assume you are a slob.

Sorry ladies - I know I will get roasted for this - but I don't care: the truth hurts. Your Au natural face is not (in most cases) the best you can look. A light quick cosmetically enhanced look is simple and important.

I do not mean full-on war paint. Tinted moisturizer or mineral powder foundation a little bronzer, mascara and lip gloss is the difference between looking old and tired - or young and fresh. You can do this in 5 minutes flat and there is NO ONE that doesn't have 5 minutes to themselves to feel pretty and confident.

It doesn't matter that some of you think you are being "feminist" and "strong" by rejecting cosmetics, heels, hose and dressing up. Pampering myself isn't "bad" or selfish - it shows respect for me - by giving myself time to recharge; it shows respect for my husband - I'm worth it, I deserve it and I love to spend that little extra time. I think that is being "feminist" - because it is MY choice.

I'm no super Mom - and don't pretend to be. I mess up royally sometimes - we all do. The fact remains, some Mom's let themselves go. Some look like washed out men with breasts. "Choose" to look as you like...bottom line, without a little care and attention; even the most beautiful 20-something "earth mother" gets to looking a little....haggard around the edges.

Image matters. You may not like to hear it, but it does. It may not be fair and you can protest all you want - but I would hazard a guess that if your husband came home and you had put a little time into your image (lip gloss, powder, mascara - 2 minutes girls) he would take a second look and notice. You may not care...but, he might.

Some guys commented on the board that they like it when women care how they look. Think they are cavemen? Perhaps your guy thinks the same. Maybe not....but remember - they spend their work day exposed to sharp women who DO care about their image. Then they come home...

Solutions to our Economic Crunch - from an everyday ordinary person.

2008-05-19T14:30:00.002-05:00

The economy is in shambles and all we hear is how Washington is scrambling to solve these “tough” issues. Well, I am no brain surgeon, but listed below are solutions to many of the problems facing us today.

The big problems in the economy?

The Fed -

Lowering interest rates for over a year has devalued the dollar on the world market
Inflation is at 17 year highs – we aren’t aware of this because Washington changed the way they calculate and report inflation since the 1980’s. If calculated in the same manner as it was 17+ years ago, today’s inflation rate is 11% (pretty Carter-esque isn’t it?)

A devalued dollar is causing inflation on gas, oil, and food.
If interest rates were increased .5 - .75% - the corresponding drop in oil prices would be (reported by an oil & gas analyst to Congress in January) 20 - 30 dollars a barrel.

Global Warming Hoax -

We all hear the scare tactics on TV. Here are a few real facts (go ahead and Google or research these little tidbits, they are out there – it is just that no one looks because they get their news from TV…)

The IPCC has accepted as correct and acknowledged the findings in a new climate change research report which finds that the so called Global Warming stopped in 1998. Since 1998, the earth has cooled .7 degrees.

Global Warming has been changed to say "Global Climate Change". The UN, Al Gore's, etc want to keep "Climate Change" as a big issue because of the money it generates for these people/organizations.

The US Presidential Candidates are all looking at a "carbon tax". Each of these Senators have been briefed - in the Senate - by leading authorities that there is no Global Warming, yet their platforms still insist on a carbon tax.

Lack of meaningful Energy Policy -

This country needs to suck up a number of things to solve the "oil" issue once and for all. Political leaders need to have the cajones to put the Environmental Groups in their place. If these people had their way, we would all be sitting in the dark in a cave someplace freezing to death and not eating anything but weeds.

We need to drill ANYPLACE there are oil reserves: ANWR; Off Southern Coast, etc - this doesn't have to be forever, just until we can get other alternatives up and running. The Caribou will be fine for a couple of decades.

We need to build new Nuclear Power plants to produce cheap electricity. France runs 85% of their electric power on nuclear plants for over 35 years and have had no problems or issues. They also use technology to re-use their fuel rods - cutting down on waste by over 80%. (Are we not at least as smart as France?)

We have more than the equivalent of Coal Reserves in the US that Saudi Arabia has in oil. Through new technologies that are environmentally clean, we can produce liquid fuels (Gasoline, home heating oil, diesel, etc) from coal - with 100% of the CO2 captured - which can then be used to improve oil wells production in the form of underground pressure. This results in no increase of CO2 in the air. (though, if you read above, you will be able to infer that Al Gore's model of direct increase in temperature based on increase in CO2 is flawed since CO2 has risen since 1998, yet temperatures have fallen.

Electric; gas electric; diesel electric cars are the answer to transportation questions for the future. Battery technology is improving. There are currently cars being tested that have a 400 mile range on a single charge.

Solar and wind power can be used in new home construction to improve energy efficiency.
If we instituted these changes, in 4 years we could have much of the infrastructure in place and online and in under 10 years (like 8) we could be free of ALL foreign oil. (Not just Mid-east, but ALL - Canada, Mexico, etc) This set of changes would also create MASSIVE amounts of new jobs - at all levels, blue collar, technical, white collar; thus improving our economy.

Politicians -

Many of the politicians in Washington have never worked or succeeded in any other arena than politics. Without skills outside of politics, they know nothing in depth about this country and its people.

Regular people in the US - teachers, doctors, community leaders - all need to take up the banner and replace the career politicians with honest ordinary people. This is the model the Founding Fathers envisioned - people serving their country in this way for a short time - and then going HOME to their REAL lives.

"We The People" need to be encouraging and DEMANDING that our political leaders do the same, we will all be much more successful in our own personal lives - and the shining country would be back where we all want the US to be - a world leader. If not, we can send them home to give a new career a try – I’m sure it’ll do them good.

Why not pass this on to your Representatives in Washington…Maybe they will wake up.

Obama; "Everything is about me"....isn't it?

2008-05-16T11:20:00.004-05:00

The news media is so very biased in this election cycle is has become a travesty that - I feel - is poised to harm us all in choosing - or having chosen for us - the next President of the USA. Following the story in the news that tells of President Bush's comments, while in Israel, that diplomatic discussions directly with those State entities whose policies are in direct conflict with US policies; and the vilifying and vehement response from Obama's campaign is telling of dire portents in the near future.

While I am not a "card carrying" member of either political party in the US, I DO research on all candidates that are vying to lead the US. Applying logic and a critical eye to this race has become a sin - apparently we cannot question any red flags on the part of the Democratic second coming.

First off - Bush is absolutely within his place to make this comment. It is not just Obama in the political world that has suggested sitting down and making "nice" with Pres. "Imanutjob" in Iran and other terrorist, dictatorial, anti-American or radical Islamic governments.

If Obama and his camp were so sensitive and reactionary to this statement, it only points to his intention of doing exactly that which he so vehemently denied. Additionally, Obama and his enraptured followers (can you say "Pied Piper"?) are so self-focused, they can only see that anything in the press is related to Obama. This is a most self-centered viewpoint - and one that is sad and concerning to see in a person who is running for President of the US. Not only does Obama need to grow a pair; he also needs to get a thicker skin.

Personally, I think Obama is highly idealistic and naive when it comes to international politics and that bodes poorly for the US in the event of his becoming President. We seem doomed to repeat the mistake of a Jimmy Carter presidency once again.

As far as his being a "Community Organizer" - all that really qualifies Obama for is setting up a sports league for a city/town; not running the US government. However, it seems that the media and the political "powers-that-be" have chosen him as the "anointed one".

Vetting anything in Obama's past becomes a racial slur or "hate crime". How very sad for us all.

I just have to wonder if God is looking down at us shaking His head in disbelief. I know I am.

What are you doing about Gas Prices?

2008-05-08T12:20:00.002-05:00

Just wondering what you have - or haven't - done in response to ridiculous oil prices.

I have changed my driving habits drastically. I work from home 90% of the time - a real blessing. I also drive slower and keep all systems (tire pressure, oil changes, air filter) in top condition. It makes a big difference.

The only thing that really is frustrating is the reports, posts, blogs and news stories where people want to have the gov't punish the oil companies - and the posts where people say there is a supply shortage.

Oil Companies are NOT evil - Oil companies are making record profits because they are selling record volume of their product. Would anyone complain if Tommy Hilfiger sold ooodles of jeans and made a record profit?
Look at the margin - not the profit $'s. Oil companies are routinely making 7 - 12% profit on products. Is that really offensive profit? I make 50% margin on my products.
The corn farmers increased their margin by over 500% - PLUS they are still receiving subsidies...
Oil profit can be channeled into new production - exploring for oil in Alaska and off the continental shelf. Please no more about the Caribou - they would be fine for the years we need that oil - until we perfect other fuel sources (not corn ethanol) If oil companies were not fighting law suits over proposed drilling, more money could go to producing more oil.
Employment - The oil & gas industry employs a huge number of people. Windfall taxes will cause layoffs and cutbacks - not good for employees or consumers.
Try looking at the speculation markets - Reportedly said by oil analysts that the price of a barrel of oil SHOULD BE ~$60. Why is it not? Speculation on futures. THAT is the rampant greed to focus on.
There is not enough oil to go around - folks, there is no shortage of oil or gasoline. Look at the supply reports for the year and you will see that:

We have record levels of gas on hand.
OPEC refused to up production because they said the US was the cause of the run due to commodity trading issues (speculation markets)
The US has cut consumption by over 4% so far this year.
China doesn't get it's gas from the same sources that we do - they are not competing with us for supply.

The American people are being taken for a ride. The answers are all there - not rocket science:

Drill for more oil - ANWR, off coast, etc. to supply the US.
Stop shipping oil out of the US for the near future.
Build nuclear power plants to produce cheap electricity for gas or diesel electric vehicles.
Implement coal to liquid fuel technology (it IS clean - very clean) The military is already doing this on a large scale - and reaping the benefits.
Research better battery technology - electric and electric hybrids can absolutely replace our primary commuting vehicles - with more power (torque) and less "pollution".

So you see, it is easy - we just need leaders with the cajones to do it.

Higher Taxes - No, REALLY!

2008-04-10T11:35:00.003-05:00

I am distressed with the budgetary hearings that have been reported in the news. The Bush tax cuts are one of the only good things in the economy right now. I say that because our citizens were in a similar position in the 1970's with extreme interest rates, staggering inflation and high taxes. Our economy and employment failures and troubles were legendary. With the Democratic budget proposal we face all of that and more.

$683 billion dollars in tax hikes – including the .50/gallon proposed fuel tax to fight the fictional man-made global warming, plus the ridiculous run up in fuel prices caused by the oil futures speculation market will bury citizens and the country. Aiming tax rate increases on those who are making $30k for individual and $60k for couples is ludicrous. Most people who have a degree and are 2 worker families are making those amounts of money. They are also struggling under record fuel prices – which are driving record food prices.

You have to eat – and feed your kids and you have to drive to get to work. Short of those 2 activities, people will not be doing much this year. The price of milk has risen from $1.99/gallon last summer to over $5.00/gallon now. That is a 280% increase in under a year. Ground beef has risen 167% in that same time frame. Boneless chicken has risen 220%. Gasoline has gone up 132% over the same time last year. ($2.53/gallon to $3.35/gallon - I am so happy I keep track of these prices in a spreadsheet)

If you average those numbers together, you get an average increase of 139% over last year on necessary items – that is an inflation rate on those items that is much higher than the government reported rate of 3.4%. 3.4% - WHERE do they get that number?

I do not know about you, but my salary has not risen at the same rate as consumer goods. In fact, my salary stayed the same this year – due to cost cutting measures. So, I lost purchasing power and we have tightened our budget. That is true of most Americans.

My suggestion to all of our officials is to cut the baloney and act in a way that will help – not drown the people they represent. Otherwise, many political leaders may find themselves looking for a job in November. I suggest Nancy Pelosi and her counterpart in the Senate get a real clue on how Americans feel.

NOW how good do Obama and Hilary look to you?

Reference to the Tax Hike information: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,337588,00.html#

The Ripple Effect from Oil Speculation

2008-03-13T08:54:00.000-05:00

I would like to know WHAT our elected leaders are doing to help Americans with fuel prices. Please do not talk to me about supply and demand. Our supplies are at a high – we have put gasoline into the reserves for the past 18 weeks. Do not talk to me about crude oil inventories. Our crude inventories have gone up – and a drop was reported last week – which sent prices higher – because the crude was off the shore in Houston due to heavy fog.

No, what I want to hear our “leaders” talking about is the oil speculation market. The oil futures/speculation market has driven the price of oil to extremes over the past 3 – 4 years. It became a noticeable evil in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast. Let me give you a few facts that are on the internet – easily able to be verified through some Google searches. About 8 years ago, there was ~9 billion dollars invested in the oil futures market. It drove prices, but it was not bad. Today, there is over $250 billion dollars in that market. I would not be surprised to hear that most of our elected officials are heavily invested in that market.

It needs to end. Caps need to be set on that market. The Government (God help me for saying this) needs to step in and shut those swindling thieves down. Why do I say that? After all, this is a capitalist society, right? Wrong. This is a closed market. There is no entrepreneurship in this club. I cannot go out and start my own oil company or refinery. It is a closed market. That makes it a monopoly and since the Administration was all interested in Bill Gates monopoly in software, why are they doing nothing about the oil market?

I do not want to hear any more about OPEC or any other influences. OPEC is right. The US has botched this market SO BADLY that it has been one of two driving factors in this recession. Yes, we are in a recession.

When the cost of milk goes from $1.99 to $5.00+ a gallon in less than a year, which is a lot more than the Administration's 18% price increase reported in the news – that indicates stagflation – after all, my salary did not go up to meet that increase. Those price hikes are across the board – ground beef - $1.79 a pound last summer is now $2.99 a pound less than a year later. What is the Administration waiting for? People are giving up out here, for God’s sake – the Administration thinks a stupid $600 check is going to solve this? I cannot believe the House and the Senate would be that stupid.

Do you think Americans are idiots? They know that oil prices drive gas. Gas prices drive food, clothes, and etc prices. Using corn ethanol (another staggeringly stupid move to appease Iowa farmers and the farm lobby) is cutting into the food supply. That in turn raises food prices. It is also forcing ranchers to kill their beef sooner and not replace it. Beef is going to go sky high here in a few months. Then what are people going to eat? WHAT is the Administration waiting for?

Let me go further – at $4.00 a gallon for fuel now – and at least $4.50 or more likely $5.00 a gallon this summer, people will not be able to afford to go to work. I do not want to hear about “public transit”. That solution is not viable in North Texas – and many places across the country. Let me give you my example: with public transit, it would take me 4 hours to get to work – part of that involves a ~2 mile distance that is not spanned by any transit bus. Imagine walking that in the summer heat and then sitting down with clients. Yeah, nice. Then another 4 hours home – adding 8 hours to an 8 hour day. Not very realistic is it?

So, not only can people not afford to go to work, they will not go anywhere. No summer vacation. That tanks your tourism industry. Hotels are hit; the movie industry gets hit further (adding to the fact that no one wants to see their America bashing films); manufacturing is hit because people aren’t buying anything. Then, unemployment rises – and things just get worse.

If our elected leaders do not step in and do something smart –you know – shut down the speculator market on oil; tell the fed to stop cutting interest rates because it devalues the dollar when they cut rates and put more money into circulation – something like that; we are looking at a spiral that could very well result in a 1930’s style depression. Does the President really want that on his watch? I cannot stress this enough – DO SOMETHING before it is too late.

An American's Perspective on Immigration (reprinted)

2008-03-03T09:39:00.003-06:00

ORANGE COUNTY, (CALIFORNIA) NEWSPAPER

New Immigrants -

(This is a very good letter to the editor. This woman made some good points.) For some reason, people have difficulty structuring their arguments when arguing against supporting the currently proposed immigration revisions. This lady made the argument pretty simple. 'NOT' printed in the Orange County Paper

Newspapers simply won't publish letters to the editor which they either deem politically incorrect (read below) or which does not agree with the philosophy they're pushing on the public. This Woman wrote a great letter to the editor that should have been published; but, with your help it will get published via cyberspace ! ________________________________________________________

From: 'David LaBonte' My wife, Rosemary, wrote a wonderful letter to the editor of the OC Register which, of course, was not printed. So, I decided to 'print' it myself by sending it out on the Internet. Pass it along if you feel so inclined. Written in response to a series of letters to the editor in the "Orange County Register": ________________________________________________________

Dear Editor:

So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should tear down the "Statue of Liberty" because the people now in question aren't being treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Island and other ports of entry. Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing to accept this new kind of immigrant any longer.

Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to the United States, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in New York and be documented . Some would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times. They made learning 'English' a primary rule in their new American households and some even changed their names to blend in with their new home.

They had waved good bye to their birth place to give their children a new life and did everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture. Nothing was handed to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had brought with them to trade fora future of prosperity. Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out.

My father fought along side men whose parents had come straight over from Germany, Italy,France and Japan None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from. They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan. They were defending the "United States of America" as one people.

When we liberated France, no one in those villages were looking for the French-American or the German-American or the Irish-American. The people of France saw only Americans. And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here. These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirred the melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl.

And here we are in 2008 with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by playing with a different set of rules, one that includes the entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to their mother country.

I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is all about. I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in the early 1900's deserve better than that for all the toil, hard work and sacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better life I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those waving foreign country flags.

As for that suggestion about taking down the Statue of Liberty, it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on the immigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the "United States" just yet.

(signed) Rosemary LaBonte

Helloooo??? Customer Service anyone??

2008-02-20T16:04:00.005-06:00

OK - before I really get into this, I have to be honest and tell you that I HATE grocery store "self-service". I hate it. Why do I hate the self-service lines? I'll tell you why. If I am going to a store every week and every week they are getting $100 or more of my money....I want someone with a smile to stand there and wait on me. I want to see my money in action.

Personally, I have enough jobs to do and hats to wear., I have a job - more than one actually. I do not need to be the cashier and bagging clerk at Wal-Mart or Albertson's. I am also not in the mood to play "cashier". If I wanted to do that, I would not have gone to college and worked all these years at a career....I would have gone to work at "Stop & Shop" or "Star Market".

So, on the night in question, I left my Mary Kay business meeting and stopped at Albertson's to pick up some lunch drinks for my son. I also found a couple of other items we needed. I then headed for the check-out. I walked right past the self-service lanes for reasons I have explained and will expound on later. I went to Aisle 5 where the light was on. No one was there - when I looked around, I saw a number of clerks standing around doing nothing - then the check-out supervisor told me to move to Aisle 7 - which I did. The clerk who was there, took a look at me, and walked away. So, I went picked up my things and moved to the Self-Check lane - understnadably irritated. I will not go to Albertson's again.

As far as I am concerned self-service has gone WAY too far. First, it was pump your own gas...save .10. Well, I still liked the option of paying more and having someone else - some nice gentleman - stand in the rain and snow to fill my gas tank. I paid for it.

Then, it was the ATM machine. Wait on yourself at the bank. "Oooh, try this Mrs. Jones...it is so much faster"...then, "Oh, and don't worry one little bit, you will pay a service charge for using the ATM, but it will save you so much time". Yeah right. You give your money to a machine and the bank gets more profit. Nice.

Now it is the grocery store where we are supposed to help ourselves. What we are doing is working for the store - for free. That way, they can keep hiring low - and executive profits high. I don't like doing any kind of "work" for free. That is why they call it work. Hmmmm...makes you think.

Another thought that occurs to me as we walk down this path of more and more self-service is that we are taking jobs out of our economy. Now, we all hear from "economic analysts" that the U.S. is becoming a "Service Centered Economy" - that means that we are all serving some customer. Well.....where is the "service" for the American citizen? Are we exporting it all? Are we sending all of our politeness and customer service skills overseas?

The scariest thought about the spread of the "do it yourself" service industry is....what's next? Are the Insurance Companies going to get on the bandwagon? "Oh, go ahead Mrs. Smith...you can do that Pap Smear yourself...just follow the directions and stick the swab..." or will it be more like "take the scalpel...now are you sure your husband is under the anesthesia...?"

So, when I get on my soap box here and rant a little about my experience last week at the Albertson's in Lewisville, you need to understand where I am coming from.

Catholic and Proud of it!

2008-02-15T19:42:00.001-06:00

I have to tell you that I do not generally keep up with "The View". I work and do not have time usually to watch a morning TV show. I happened to see it January 9th.

On that day I was affronted, offended, angry and incredulous that Joy Behar had the audacity to malign Catholicism on that show. Why is it that the media, the liberals, the left always have this feeling that they can attack Christianity whenever they want - and to top that off – when the “progressive atheists” feel Christianity needs to be really skewered the attackers focus on Catholics and the Catholic faith.

Let me explain something to you - slowly so all you bigots against the Catholic faith can understand it. The Catholic Church was the FIRST Christian religion. It was founded by the followers of our Lord Jesus Christ. Those first Catholic Christians were chased, hounded, persecuted, and killed in vile ways. Why? So they could keep their word and follow their teacher, Jesus. After all that believers have been subjected to in the past, it is infuriating to listen to attacks from television "want to be's" that have absolutely no understanding of the faith.

Let me give you a quick run down on the top stupid comments non-Catholics make about Catholics; No, we don't pray to the Saints; No we don't ask the Priest for forgiveness in the Confessional; Yes, we do believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is our personal Savior and that our sins are forgiven by His death on the Cross; No we do not believe the Virgin Mary is a "god"; No we do not believe that Purgatory means that you are not "forgiven" and not let into Heaven; Yes, we are the basis for the Baptist faith - and every other Christian denomination; No they didn't leave the Church because Catholics did something wrong, it was a political struggle they ran away from; and finally - Yes, the Catholic Church is the largest religious community on earth.

There are very strict guidelines in the Catholic faith. These have been passed down for 2,000 years directly from those first Apostles of Christ. In order to become a Saint, you must meet all of those requirements, and it takes time for this process to be completed. In addition to Mother Theresa, there is also Pope John Paul II who is in the process of beatification and will eventually (with grace) be counted among the Communion of Saints.

Why, you ask are there not a lot of Saints in today's world? I think that is clear. We have an overwhelming lack of morals, ethics, values; we entertain ourselves with perverse, vapid personalities on TV - not unlike Joy Behar - who have nothing to add to the world but their empty senseless remarks. Who among these people is up to the consideration for Sainthood?

Tell me, would you have the courage to stand on your soap box and attack in a similar manner the Islamic religion by calling Mohammed a terrorist? Would you sit there and call out Martin Luther King and say he stepped above his place in society? Would you tell Hillary Clinton that she is not qualified for the White House on the merits of being married to the 42nd President? No, I didn't think so.

Then don't insult the Roman Catholic Church with your ignorant comments.

2008-02-13T13:40:00.001-06:00

House Democrats are crafting a “scaled-down” immigration reform measure
despite the political minefields that surround the issue, the Roll Call
newspaper reported Monday.

It says that Hispanic members — including Rep. Joe Baca — are seeking
five-year visas for illegal immigrants who pay fines and pass criminal
background checks. Baca, a California Democrat chairs the Congressional Hispanic
Caucus.

Baca said the prospects for a compromise package were discussed in
high-level meetings that included Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Caucus
Chairman Rahm Emanuel, and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who chairs a key immigration
subcommittee, Roll Call said.

Ok – this is a report that we are seeing in the News. I have to tell you that this kind of legislation will be fought tooth and nail. The American people are not – repeat NOT – interested in ANY kind of amnesty action. In fact, we want the borders closed right now. We want the fence built that was voted on and passed into law – and we do NOT care what squabbles you are using as reasons not to finish what we the people have asked for. We want the illegals that are here to return to their country of origin, and then apply for legal entry into the US. If they are here and have children who are legal citizens, they can have a few options:

Leave with your child and apply for a visa for yourself.
Apply for the visa while staying here and being subject to (and actually paying – in full - before visa is granted) a large fine for sneaking into the US.
Ask for a hearing in which you may be granted dispensation and a visa if you can show that you have; a.) Paid taxes; b.) Not unlawfully siphoned off our services (SSI, welfare) and c.) you have had continuous employment while here in the US with no arrests.

These are acceptable approaches to this issue. We the people will NOT stand for amnesty of ANY kind. Wake up government (and Mr. McCain) and get a clue, please.

Ah - The Power of Love!

2008-02-13T13:11:00.000-06:00

Flowers, candy, red hearts and romance. That's what Valentine's day is all about, right? Well, maybe not.

The origin of this holiday for the expression of love really isn't romantic at all -- at least not in the traditional sense. Father Frank O'Gara of Whitefriars Street Church in Dublin, Ireland, tells the real story of the man behind the holiday -- St. Valentine.

"He was a Roman Priest at a time when there was an emperor called Claudias who persecuted the church at that particular time," Father O'Gara explains. " He also had an edict that prohibited the marriage of young people. This was based on the hypothesis that unmarried soldiers fought better than married soldiers because married soldiers might be afraid of what might happen to them or their wives or families if they died."

"I think we must bear in mind that it was a very permissive society in which Valentine lived," says Father O'Gara. "Polygamy would have been much more popular than just one woman and one man living together. And yet some of them seemed to be attracted to Christian faith. But obviously the church thought that marriage was very sacred between one man and one woman for their life and that it was to be encouraged. And so it immediately presented the problem to the Christian church of what to do about this."

"The idea of encouraging them to marry within the Christian church was what Valentine was about. And he secretly married them because of the edict."

Valentine was eventually caught, imprisoned and tortured for performing marriage ceremonies against command of Emperor Claudius the second. There are legends surrounding Valentine's actions while in prison.

"One of the men who was to judge him in line with the Roman law at the time was a man called Asterius, who's daughter was blind. He was supposed to have prayed with and healed the young girl with such astonishing effect that Asterius himself became Christian as a result."

In the year 269 AD, Valentine was sentenced to a three part execution of a beating, stoning, and finally decapitation all because of his stand for Christian marriage. The story goes that the last words he wrote were in a note to Asterius' daughter. He inspired today's romantic missives by signing it, "from your Valentine."

"What Valentine means to me as a priest," explains Father O'Gara, "is that there comes a time where you have to lay your life upon the line for what you believe. And with the power of the Holy Spirit we can do that -- even to the point of death."

Valentine's martyrdom has not gone unnoticed by the general public. In fact, Whitefriars Street Church is one of three churches that claim to house the remains of Valentine. Today, many people make the pilgrimage to the church to honor the courage and memory of this Christian saint.

"Valentine has come to be known as the patron saint of lovers. Before you enter into a Christian marriage you want some sense of God in your life -- some great need of God in your life. And we know, particularly in the modern world, many people are meeting God through his Son, Jesus Christ."

"If Valentine were here today, he would say to married couples that there comes a time where you're going to have to suffer. It's not going to be easy to maintain your commitment and your vows in marriage. Don't be surprised if the 'gushing' love that you have for someone changes to something less "gushing" but maybe much more mature. And the question is, is that young person ready for that?"

"So on the day of the marriage they have to take that into context," Father O'Gara says. "Love -- human love and sexuality is wonderful, and blessed by God -- but also the shadow of the cross. That's what Valentine means to me."

Romney is out!! NO!!!!!!!!!! We are doomed!

2008-02-07T12:17:00.000-06:00

Oh...we are in so much trouble. I am so tired of the train of inevitable disaster we are on.

I do not think the country will elect a 71 year old man who will be 72 when he takes office. Just don't think it will happen.

Hilary is finished. She put $5 million dollars of her own money into her campaign fund. Hmm...$5 million...who knew being a former First Lady and a Senator would get you that much money? Her campaign staff is now working for free. Yeah - free. Try paying your rent and/or mortgage on "free". Since they are working - they are not even eligible for unemployment. Nice.

That means that Barak Obama is the next President of the USA. God help us all. Why you ask? I mean be fair Kim - he is a change, right? Wrong.

If Barak Hussien Obama is the next leader of this country, his first move will be to bring the troops home. IMMEDIATELY. Well, you may say - great! We need to get out of Iraq...right? Wrong.

Here is the scenario I see...Obama brings the troops home. He is wildly popular. He raises taxes to a level we have never seen - not even during the Jimmy "I was a disaster" Carter. He signs treaties (like LOSS; Kyoto...) and prices for gas and food (delivered by fuel powered trucks remember) goes sky high. Gas a $4.00+ a gallon will kill the average commuter at $80.00 to fill the average car.

Then - and this is the really bad part - within 1 - 2 years of him in office, we lose one of our major cities to a huge terrorist attack - probably a nuclear weapon. A city like...New York; DC; L.A.; San Francisco; Chicago; Boston; Houston or Phoenix goes up in a flash. Then what? Our economy is crippled. People are furious. Obama is out.

I see people going so far conservative that the liberals are afraid to leave home.

God help America - we sure aren't doing anything to help ourselves.

McCain?? Are we crazy??? No don't do it!!!!

2008-02-07T12:15:00.000-06:00

Okay people – here is the deal. If John McCain gets the Republican nomination, I will be praying to God that the Democrats win the November election.

What is my thinking you are shouting at this point? Well, let me tell you what I am thinking. Here are the 3 scenarios I see if John McCain gets the nomination.

First – let’s say good old John wins the White House. A revisited McCain Kennedy Bill gives millions of illegal aliens amnesty. How does that happen? Well, the Democrats love it and the Republicans (some of them) are going to follow the leader of their party…. The war goes to Hell because good old John flips on his position and cuts military spending. Carbon Taxes are assessed onto the price of gasoline and the economy goes to Hell because people cannot afford $4.00+ for a gallon of gasoline. (Taking into account a 50 cent per gallon “carbon tax” and the rise in prices for the summer...) Justice Stevens leaves the bench…and McCain finds the most liberal “conservative” Justice he can get through Congress. Treaties are signed that give more of the sovereignty of the US away. The next senatorial and congressional elections bring more Democrats because Conservatives are disgusted. A Democrat is the next President in 2012 and life as we know it comes to an end. The Republican Party as we know it crashes and burns and Ronald Reagan rolls over in his grave because the path he set us upon has been demolished by people who have no clue.

Second – let’s say Hilary gets into office. This is actually the best likely scenario. She is so polarizing that nothing will get done and thus for 2 years not much major damage is done to the country. The next big congressional election goes to the Republicans – true conservative Republicans – and we are moving forward again. No progress for Hilary and no damage that cannot be reversed.

Third – Barak Obama gets elected to the White House. The troops come home immediately. A major terrorist attack is carried out on American soil. Something like the loss due to nuclear attack to one of America’s leading cities…D.C., New York, Boston, San Francisco or L.A... The economy goes in the tank. Conservatism is the new norm for people again. The citizens impeach Obama. An entirely new strain of Conservatives take over politics and the country is back on the Regan road – by the start of 2012.

Get John McCain OUT of the running…Mitt Romney is elected. His CEO brain gets the economy back on track. Spending is cut. The war is successfully concluded. America is back on the way to prosperity in 2009.

Stop McCain now.

Economic Stimulus or Progressive Stupidity? You decide...

2008-01-24T12:58:00.000-06:00

Happy 2008! I want to comment on the "Economic Stimulus Plan" announced today.

First let me say that I think the entire plan is the most stupid move on the part of Washington that I have heard this year.

Let me explain - the country doesn't have the money to fund SS; medicare; the Medicaid Drug plan...and they want to take money that they are supposed to be using to manage the country's defense and infrastructure; and send it to citizens to spend at Wal-Mart? Can you say "stupid"?

Second - the compromised bill will "rebate" tax dollars to people WHO DON'T PAY TAXES. Yep it is right in the news stories - "The Bush plan would not pay rebates to citizens who hadn't paid taxes" Uh, that is not a rebate it is a hand out. Who paid for THOSE checks? You and me that pay taxes. What do you think is going to happen in 2009 if a Democrat like Hilary Clinton is elected? She has already said that she is going to repeal the Bush tax cuts and raise taxes. Well, there goes that "rebate".

Third - if they wanted to "stimulate the economy" long term they should look at ways of keeping jobs in America - and shoring up the borders to stop the flow of people who are using our systems to ruin our schools and hospitals.

And Last, Americans and our "leaders" have poorly managed the economy for well over 15 years - the piper has to be paid. A recession is likely in the cards for 2008 - and this "band-aid" isn't going to stop it.

Top 10 Issues in the world today

2007-11-28T10:56:00.000-06:00

I have my opinions. Stop rolling on the floor and laughing, I mean I do have opinions on things that affect my world today. So, in this blog entry I am going to outline what I feel are the top 10 critical issues facing our society. In subsequent blogs I will focus on what I feel the solutions are - or a potential solution.

Here goes:

Islamic Fascism

Illegal Immigration

Politicians & Governmental Leaders apathy (and worse)

The U.N. ('nuff said)

Corporate Influence on Government

Loss of Morals & Ethics

Denial of the Judeo-Christian foundation of this country

Political Correctness

The Government's lies on our approaching Recession

Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and their followers pushing their reverse racism

Okay, there it is. That is my Top 10 list of what is wrong with America right now. I will expound on each of these topics in coming posts.

Act now or Suffer Later!!!

2007-11-23T11:12:00.001-06:00

I have a 2005 Jeep Liberty which has an 18 gallon tank. You cannot run it totally empty, so, at approx 17 gallons, I have paid over $55.OO to fill the thing. When we bought it, we beleived the sticker which said it would get 28 on highway and 24 in city. That is bullcookies. I get an average of 16miles/gallon.

My husband has an F250 diesel and gets better mileage - 25. To fill his tank it is already over $100. We have the truck for our horses (business) and other necessities in Texas - so, please do not have any environmentalists tell me we should drive a Prius- it will not pull 3 horses that weigh 1200 lbs a piece.

We have no viable public transit to get to and from work. Which is lousy. When I lived in Boston, I filled up one a month. I have estimated (without trips to family for holidays) that for the year we spend $8,000 on fuel. Up from just over $4,000 a year back in 2002. If fuel goes to $4 a gallon, we will be at over $10,000 a year for getting to work and back. We are very efficient in trips out - but work is sort of required if you want to be on the salary continuation plan.

Our weekly food bill went from $75. - $80 a week (eating chicken breasts, and a steak regularly) to over $125 a week to eat chicken thighs and ground chuck. Milk is $4 a gallon here - and cheap bread is $2.19 so, I am not sure how we are going to continue like this.

Jimmy Carter said ONE great thing during his presidency - "we will cut our need for foreign oil". Course he did nothing about it. We need someone who is leading this country to rally us into programs to get off foreign oil and do things like nuclear power for all electricity. In the short term we need to drill in ANWR and off our shores - and ues coal gasification to fuel our lives and economy to get us out of the danger we are in now. At the same time, we need to develop cars that run on renewable fuel and run our houses on nuclear power. (If France can do it, we can do it better) If we could get to the moon in a decade we can solve this.

I said we were in grave danger - think on this - what if Iran and Venezuela shut off their oil sales to us completely? How would we work? How would we get food? How would we heat our homes? In short, how would our economy continue to support us? In the short term it would all grind to a halt. We need to prevent that future - fast.

Draft of new Immigration Bill - (mine)

2007-11-20T23:30:00.000-06:00

I REALLY do not understand the "Illegal Immigration" debate. The first word says it all: illegal - end of debate.

Here is a bill that has some common sense. This is what we need to enact:
1. Close and secure the Southern Border with a hardened uninterrupted fence supplemented by technological surveillance. – NOTHING else is considered until this effort is completed. If we can build the Empire State Building in a year, we can do this in the same timeframe – with multiple crews working on different sections simultaneously.
Following the construction of the fence:
2. All illegal aliens in this country must be sent back to their country of origin. Do not tell me this is impossible. If the border is closed, they can be found one by one – the same way they came here, and deported. Eventually, there will be no illegal aliens.
3. Any person/company found hiring illegal aliens without documentation will be imprisoned and fined harshly.
4. Create a Guest Worker program for small numbers of people to fill jobs requested by employers specifically. Keep track of who is hired for what job and monitor these employers.
5. Additional taxes will be issued to these temporary workers to compensate costs inflicted on our healthcare facilities.
6. No guest workers will collect social security, disability, unemployment or federal health care.
7. Illegal aliens without federal documentation, found in this country within one year of Bills establishment will be held in work camps until they are deported. These camps will be comprised of a “Tent Prison” system where they will work on federal jobs to compensate the cost of the camp – until they are deported back to their country of origin.
8. To become a citizen you must remain documented for a period of 10 years. During this time you must be employed, be clear of any criminal activity, and speak and write English. (This will add people to this country that are educated and have a strong desire to be an American)
9. Any criminal activity will result in imprisonment and/or deportation.
10. Change the 14th Amendment to the Constitution to stop “anchor babies”. This is NOT what our Founding Fathers had in mind – and you all know that.
11. No company or corporation is allowed to displace – or artificially deflate – the wages of American Workers by hiring “guest workers”. This means that Mr. Construction Company owner cannot fire all his cement workers that are American, and hire guest workers for 2/3 of the cost, thus decimating the American cement workers and driving the standard wages for those jobs lower.

Done! Wow... common sense. What a thought.

Global Warming - farce or manipulation to force taxes paid to the UN??

2007-11-19T13:41:00.000-06:00

In the leading London newspaper, today it says that the only solution to Global Warming is taxes. That's it. Taxes. Wow. Is that a frightening thing, global taxes? Let me tell you what global warming is.

The Earth is getting warmer. The Earth has always gotten warmer and then it has gotten warmer and then it has gotten colder. For instance, "Time" magazine wrote in 1924 about global warming -- I'm sorry, global cooling. And then in '39 it was global warming. And then in '74 it was global cooling and then it's warming again. The "New York Times" did the same thing, 1924, stories all about global cooling. 35, global warming. '75, global cooling. Today it's warming again.

It happens over and over and over again, but they have so captured the imagination and the fear of people that we're all going to be wiped off the face of the planet and it is a lie! It is a lie! But don't take my word for it. I'm going to give you just the phrases from the environmentalists that should open your mind and open up your eyes and be able to arm you with being able to save the open-minded people that are left, the ones that have been duped, the ones who don't know. They are all good intentioned but they are being useful idiots. Let me give you some of them.

This comes from Canada's former environmental minister, Christine Stewart. Quote: Climate change provides the greatest chance to bring about justice and equality in the world.
o Excuse me? Climate change is the greatest chance to bring justice and equality in the world? How is that, Christine Stewart?
Quote, same person. This is the former environmentalist of Canada. Quote: No matter if the science is all phony, there is still collateral environmental benefits to global warming policies. That collateral benefit is global taxes. More money out of the pockets of honest hard-working American citizens.
Quote, Stephen Schneider: To capture the public imagination, we have to offer up some scary scenarios, make simplified dramatic statements and little mention of any doubts one might have. Each of us has to decide the right balance between being effective and being honest.
o Who is Stephen Schneider? He was the lead UN IPCC report author and climate alarmist. In 2007 he is still in a major role.
Dave Foreman, founder of Earth First: Phasing out the human race will solve every problem on Earth, social and environmental.
Jacques Chirac: Kyoto is the first component of an authentic global governance.
Prince Philip, World Wildlife Federation, If I were reincarnated, I would come back, return to the Earth as a killer virus to lower human population levels.
George Monbiot, environmental author last year: Every time someone dies as a result of floods in Bangladesh airline executives should be dragged out of office and concerned.
Helen Cox, Union of Concerned Scientists: free enterprise really means rich people get richer. They have freedom to exploit and psychologically rape their fellow human beings in the process. Capitalism is destroying the Earth. Every time you turn on an electric outlet, you are making another brainless baby.
Michael Oppenheimer, Environmental Defense Fund: The only hope for the world is to make sure there is not another United States.
John Edwards this weekend said this is going to cause great pain, higher energy prices, higher gas prices, higher food prices, we're going to pay higher taxes but we've got to do it and there may be more on the horizon that we don't even know but we've got to do it.

This is the goal of the environmental movement, to stop America, to stop development, to stop the Third World from being poor, to redistribute the wealth, to take your money and give it to an organization that can better decide how it should be distributed. It is the global movement for justice and equality. Now, that's not what your neighbor thinks that has the Go Green bumper sticker and the Prius or whatever. That's not what they think, but that's the truth and at some point Americans have got to unite and stand with the truth. There is no dismissing these comments.

I don't care if it's a Republican or Democrat. The Republicans are starting to go down this road because so many Americans have been co-opted into this lie that the Republicans are going to have absolutely no spine and they're going to go right along with it. This is a plot from those who would see the US lose sovereignty to the “World Court”. You have no concept of what is right around the corner, and what is right around the corner is the loss of sovereignty. It is about the destruction of the United States of America. Unless Americans take a stand and tell our political leaders “NO”.

I am saying "NO" to the UN and anything like the Kyoto Protocol. Do you know who your representatives are in Washington? Do you know how to contact them? If not, it is something you may want to look into.

What America Needs - re: Energy

2007-07-15T12:12:00.000-05:00

Do those of you who were alive while Kennedy was in office remember what he did that got America to the moon? He stood up before the American people and got us all on the same team.

What the next President needs to do with our energy issues is the following:

Get in front of the American people and tell them we are in a fight for our sovereignty. We need to get off of foreign oil and we are going to do everything in our power to do that within the next 10 years. That is right 10 years - 100% off foreign oil. I do not want to hear that we cannot do that - this is the country that created the atomic bomb in a short time and put a man on the moon in the 1960's. We can do anything we set our minds to.
Then this President needs to engender in us the feeling that we are on a team with the same goal - no "damn democrats" or "raunchy republicans" just "Americans".

The approach needs to include:

Drilling in the ANWR - and ANY place in the US that we have readily available oil reserves.
No pussy footing around by the environmentalists - this is short term "pain" for long term gain. Shut them up for 10 years.
Use our coal reserves to create clean coal to liquid fuel (yes, it can be done cleanly)
Build more wind plants
Build solar plants
Build new nuclear plants
Research and develop new RENEWABLE energy sources for our cars.
Build better more fuel efficient cars
Stop ethanol - it is a waste of time
Do not export or sell energy outside the US.

If we did this and encouraged (with tax cuts and rebates) Americans to retrofit their homes with solar panels and (if they are in rural locales) wind turbines, we could be more green and free of foreign oil in less than 10 years. Fuel for cars would be cheap and our economy would boom. There is no need to drive a sardine can - our scientists can develop a fuel that can power whatever vehicle we want - cleanly and with a renewable fuel.

Radical Islam could kiss our butts and keep their damn oil. Our oil executives - who are smart - would diversify and build into the new technologies to retrain and keep their employees.

I want to see a President do this - and say to Hell with the naysayers. We CAN do it - and we need to before we are all sitting inthe dark because the Iranian President "I'm-a-nut-job" shut off the spigot.

You pick your option.

Close the borders - then we will talk!

2007-06-13T09:50:00.000-05:00

While I understand the desire of our leaders for comprehensive immigration reform, I do not think that many in Washington clearly understand the issue.

If we allow 12 – 20 million illegal aliens to gain legal status and the right to work in the US legally, they will indeed drive down wages for many Americans who work hard for a living. I know many in the Senate say this will not happen. But, that is unrealistic. Given the opportunity to apply for legal jobs with some benefits, those workers who were previously working illegally for less, will still be able to #1 - secure a better paying job while # -still undercutting the wage earned by the current American worker.

This is not good for the economy. Why? Because that job has now been unrealistically depressed in wage and will now ONLY be filled by those who are willing to work – and live on less. What about the former American worker? They are now unemployed and on assistance and will not be able to get a job in their field – unless they are willing to work for less wages. This will mean a downward shift in the worker’s lifestyle, family situation – and most likely, home ownership. In turn, as this worker struggles to provide for his family, that family may slide towards bankruptcy, financial ruin and ultimately welfare. His hard earned paycheck will no longer be spent in the US economy.

On the other hand, the illegal alien is now making more than they were when they were illegal. They can send more money home to Mexico – money that will not be spent in the US economy. He is very happy now as a legal worker – and has no intention of assimilating into US society or culture. His children go to US schools – and make demands for Spanish speaking courses. The US culture is weakened, society is fractured, and this worker continues to support family back home in his country of origin. He is now able to apply to bring more of his family over to the US. They will need aid when first here – and maybe forever.

Tell me – where is the benefit to the United States? The only benefit is to the big corporation CEO’s and leaders who stand to make millions more in profit off the backs of these illicit workers.

The sttement by a Texas Senator; “For example, we must make certain that convicted criminals are not eligible for any legalization, and if these individuals attempt to stay here, that they are arrested and promptly deported. … We must ensure that only those who have played by the rules – and not those engaged in identity theft – receive Social Security benefits. This proposal would enable illegal immigrants to collect Social Security benefits for the time they were unlawfully in our country,” worries me. Because the point is that NONE of the 12 – 20 million illegal aliens who are here have played by the rules. Why should we consider rewarding them for their undocumented entry into the US? Would I or any other American citizen be rewarded for an “undocumented withdrawal” from our bank? I think not. None of them need to be given anything but a bus ticket back to their country of origin.

I also do not appreciate the President echoing Mr. Kennedy’s words that “deporting them is not the American way”. I have supported our President since his election, and I do still in many other ways. In this area he is flat wrong. His stubborn denial of the crisis this would cause in America may be the very undoing of the RNC in 2008. And let me tell you this – Hilary Clinton scares the heck out of me.

Stop this bill. We do not need one sweeping comprehensive bill to “change everything”. Start by passing a bill to close the borders. We do not want a North American Union like the EU. We want to be a sovereign nation with the ability to control who is in our country – and why. Close the borders – without amnesty. Then, once that is COMPLETED, I will talk to you about the status of the 12 - 20 million illegal aliens that are here.

Gas Prices and Truth

2007-05-21T14:23:00.000-05:00

I would like to know what our Senators, Congressmen and other leaders are doing for the American public with regard to the price of gas at the pump.

I have to tell you that I feel as though the oil companies think we are just stupid as dirt when I hear baloney like “there were refinery problems”. That might explain things a little if it were not for the fact that:

The oil companies control the refineries too – so it is to their advantage to have a “refinery problem” when fuel prices are falling to a point when Exxon Mobil will not make ridiculous record profits in a given quarter.

Given the ridiculous record profits, the oil companies should be spending SOME money to maintain the refineries – or – God forbid – build a new one someplace – or – drill for oil in the US!

So, I no longer buy the story from the oil companies. Neither do most Americans. Because we are not as stupid as Oil Company CEO’s and some politicians think we are. We simply must buy fuel to get to work and home again each day.

So, let me tell you a few things that are factors for Americans. We are not ignoring the calls to conserve fuel as the idiots in the media seem to think and report, “Americans are not cutting fuel use”. We are driving to work and home again. There are more of us driving to work and home again because the unemployment rates are down, there are new 16 year olds getting licenses every day and Americans are living (and driving) longer than ever before. So, we are not each using more, there are simply more of us.

The American people cannot continue to survive and fund our great economy with more and more of our income going to pay to get us to work and home again. Cuts will have to happen some place. Let me tell you where our family’s cuts are coming from. We were going to take a trip to the Grand Canyon this summer. We were going to drive there and take our horses with us for a family vacation. This would have been the first family vacation we have taken – ever. That is to say in the past 15 years that I have been working, I have never taken a vacation. We as a family were budgeting $2,500 plus another $500 for fuel to go on this trip. We are not taking that trip this summer. We are using that money to pay for the increase in our fuel and electric bills this summer. What does that do to the economy? We will still spend the money – right? Well, it will go to Exxon-Mobil or Chevron rather than tourism and entertainment. Rather than small businesses where we would have eaten, bought gifts, or spent the night, it will go to line the pockets of some of the most corrupt businessmen in the country; businessmen who are already multi-millionaires. Not small business owners who help to grow and fund our country by creating jobs.

How else is the economy hurting? The price of food and clothes is going up. We are spending the same on food, but we are getting less and less. Our budget does not allow for a vast increase in food expenses. So, we are buying cheaper cuts of meat and fish and cutting back on items. We are buying less clothing and shoes too. We will continue to do this until we either go bankrupt or things get better. Since I do not see the big Oil Companies suddenly getting a sense of decency and morality, I guess we will fail as a family and go the way of the rest of the average American….we will simply cease to hope for a vacation, get a second job and wither away and die.

May God help us all.

Ban "Cops & Robbers"? No, bring God back in!

2007-04-20T08:40:00.000-05:00

I have been reading the news and am struck by how many people just have it wrong. There are calls for banning "violent children's playing like cops and robbers".

Please, give me a break with the "ooh, don't let them play good guys and bad guys". When we were growing up in the 60's, 70's and 80's kids played cops and robbers and Cowboys & Indians. Both boys and girls played.

Guess what?

There were no school shootings at that time. Why you ask?

Because our parents and role models, leaders and mentors have the grace and good sense to keep morality and God in our lives. There is no harm in children's pretend gun play - if there was, this would have exploded decades ago.

There is harm in locking our spiritual lives out of our communities.

It stuns me that the first thing we do in a National tragedy is to band together and pray. Candlelight vigils, convocations, memorial services - we always pray and ask God's blessing. Yet, when it is all over, we push and kick God out of the community.

We need to wake up and smell the coffee. Without a Spiritual life, we are denying 1/3 of ourselves. That leaves us empty inside and allows evil to fill the space.

There is a good reason our Founding Fathers based this great nation on Judeo-Christian principals. Without morals and values, this country will cease to exist - and I for one do not look longingly to Europe for a "new way of life".

America needs to rediscover her roots and embrace them!

God Bless us all

2007-04-17T13:39:00.000-05:00

My heartfelt prayers to all those affected and grieving in Virginia and across this country.

I guess what I find so frustrating in all of this senseless violence is that over 90% of the messages, blogs and speeches made about this crime have said "Our prayers are with you; God Bless your community" or some such blessing. Why would God continue to bless us when we have pushed and kicked Him out of our lives, our schools, our communities?

If we really want to bless our friends and fellow citizens, ask God back into our daily lives and our towns. He will bless and keep us and forgive our lack of faith.

This has NOTHING to do with a criminal intent to get a weapon - the criminals ALWAYS have weapons - and EVERYTHING to do with the decline of morality in our society. Children would not kill if they had more regard for themselves and others.

Gun control is not the answer - and I will NOT give my guns up because of a Godless lunatic. Teach your children values, bring God back into our lives and leave the guns alone.

For God's sake would you like to become like Europe? An aside - to those who tout the UK and their lack of guns - violent crime has RISEN not lessened. Read the statistics. If ONE student or teacher on that campus had been armed, this would not be 33 dead. Some of those blessed people acted heroically - they would have been doubly so with a concealed carry permit.

On the Virginia Tech Tragedy

2007-04-16T15:25:00.000-05:00

This has been around before but I believe we all need to be reminded to stand up and be heard before we lose any more rights. GUs do not kill people. School shooters are children who had no discipline at home. We as a Nation need to bring back the "Spare the rod and spoil the child" morality. Did you know that saying comes straight from the Book of Proverbs? If we as a country would spend more time in our Bibles, we could solve a lot of our problems.

Darrell Scott Testimony

Guess our national leaders didn't expect this, hmm? On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton , Colorado , was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful. They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well.

It needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert! These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness.

The following is a portion of the transcript:

"Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers. "The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used.. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart.

"In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent.

I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves.

I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. This was written way before I knew I would be speaking here today:

Your laws ignore our deepest needs,

Your words are empty air.

You've stripped away our heritage,

You've outlawed simple prayer.

Now gunshots fill our classrooms,

And precious children die.

You seek for answers everywhere,

And ask the question "Why?"

You regulate restrictive laws,

Through legislative creed.

And yet you fail to understand,

That God is what we need!

"Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact.

What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors.

No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts. "As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America to take their Bible to school and pray with all your hearts for our country and our world!

Tax Health Benefits? Are you nuts!

2007-04-13T13:54:00.000-05:00

In looking at President Bush’s proposal regarding taxing health insurance benefits, I must first of all protest. Secondly, I would like to know what crazy person came up with such a stupid idea.

We have a family of four – my husband, me, and our two children. Both my husband and I work full time in the Information Technology fields. We are paid fairly well for our efforts – though I lost 30% of my (industry) income following the dotcom burst and the recession of 2001, and to date, Project Management has not completely recovered – primarily due to two factors – one is the propensity (and advantages) for businesses to use “contract” labor (thus cutting out all benefits, vacations, holiday and sick pay for the employee – and “paying” the company to restrict access to “full-time” benefits) and the second is the outsourcing issue – overseeing is killing our industry as companies try to outsource to “save money” so they can line to pockets of their rich executives.. We have health insurance coverage through my husband’s company since I have no access to benefits – and with project contract turnovers averaging every 6 months, we would be changing health care like some people change draperies.

The White House spokespeople say that this measure will be tax neutral through 2011 – and will encourage people to go seek out lower cost insurance so they can gain a tax cut. I would argue that fact quite hard. We do not have the advantage of “seeking” insurance – we take what is given to us by my husband’s employer. As I do not have health benefits as an option, there is no comparison ability. We can go out on our own and buy our own policies – with dire consequences. Most private plans do not offer maternity care (in the event we want to have another child) without raising the premium exponentially. Also, most private plans have much higher out of pocket costs – for such things as office visits, prescriptions, routine preventative care (mammograms, lab work) hospital visits etc.

I really want all of our leaders to consider what these types of changes will do to working families. We are putting up with $3.00 a gallon gas, $3+ dollar a gallon milk, meat and produce prices that are rising off the charts, and now, on top of all that you want to tax benefits? We haven’t gotten a raise in 5 years. How are you doing? They are breaking the backs of Middle America. We do not own a McMansion on a golf course – our house is a modest $120,000 2000 sq ft 3 bedroom ranch-style house in an older neighborhood with good schools. So, I ask you – where would you like us to cut back so we can afford these tax increases?

Here is a suggestion : get rid of the illegal immigrants who are taking our school tax dollars, hospital services, welfare dollars, and driving insurance rates through the roof. That will save some money. Then, we can hire those jobs out to people in the tech industry that has gone flat. Pretty soon, my husband and I will be working two jobs so we can keep the same life style that was easy back in 2000. You think Americans are getting ahead? Wrong. We slip back every year. Soon, we will be worse off than our grandparents during the Depression.

Please do something to help Americans. Do NOT vote for ANYONE who is currently in office. Get rid of the bums.

Another Discussion about Outsourcing

2007-04-06T13:16:00.000-05:00

"Answers on Outsourcing"
CNN Money
By Rory L. Terry

A finance professor argues against placing blind faith in outsourcing. His views follow.

(New York)-- A great deal of effort is being expended to convince us all that the outsourcing of jobs under the rubric of free trade is a good thing. I would like to discuss some of these arguments.

Our labor force is not better trained, harder working, or more innovative than our foreign competitors. The argument that we will create new jobs in highly paying fields simply is not true. We have no comparative advantage or superiority in innovation. To assume that we are inherently more creative than our foreign competitors is both arrogant and naive. We are currently empowering our competition with the resources to innovate equally as well as we. Consider the number of new non-native Ph.D.'s that leave our universities each year; consider our low rank in the education of mathematics and the sciences; and consider the large number of international students enrolled in our most difficult technical degree programs at our most prestigious universities.

Most of our best, high-paying jobs can be exported:

doctors (even surgeons)
mathematicians
accountants
financial analysts
engineers
computer programmers
architects
physicists
chemists
biologists
researchers of all types

Our trading problem is an externality. An externality exists in economics any time there is a separation of costs and benefits, and the decision maker does not have to incur the full cost but receives the full benefits of the decision. The fact is, there is no economic force, no supply and demand equilibrium, no rational decision process of either business or consumer, that will make an externality go away. Classic examples of externalities are when a business dumps toxic waste into a nearby river and the downstream residents incur the costs of cancer. The business is able to lower its costs and pass those lower costs on to its customers, and never pay for the treatment of the cancer patients. We have laws in this country against dumping and pollution because they are externalities -- they require a legislative solution. Cost reductions and other benefits provide a strong incentive to outsource jobs. A company that decides to move its production overseas cuts its costs in many ways, including the following:

Extremely low wage rates
The circumvention or avoidance of organized labor
No Social Security or Medicare benefit payments
No federal or state unemployment tax
No health benefits for workers
No child labor laws
No OSHA or EPA costs or restrictions
No worker retirement benefits or pension costs

Besides cutting costs, there are other benefits to exporting jobs, including the following:

Tax incentives provided by our government
Incentives from foreign governments
The creation of new international markets for the company's products (which ultimately empowers the company to turn a deaf ear to this country's problems and influence)
The continued benefits of our legal system and the freedoms that we provide

The net effect of all of this is lower costs, higher revenue, higher profits, higher stock prices, bonuses for management, and the creation of wealth for a subclass that benefits from low taxes at the expense of the rest of us. The costs of the decision to outsource are not borne by the decision maker. As a society and as a country, we experience many costs from outsourcing, including the loss of jobs, social costs, higher costs of raw materials and loss of national sovereignty. Loss of jobs reduces the tax base, creates high unemployment benefit costs, and raises the cost of government retraining programs. Displaced, unemployed workers have higher rates of child and spousal abuse, alcoholism, bankruptcy, divorce, etc.

As China and India and other large populations grow, they demand huge quantities of oil, gas, steel and other basic raw materials. These costs are born by all of us -- every time we fill our gas tanks, for example. And as a nation, we lose our ability to make independent decisions that are in our best interest when we are dependent on foreign debt and foreign manufacturing. This is a classic externality.

Rory L. Terry is an associate professor of Finance at Fort Hays State University

Personally, I am vehemently opposed to outsourcing. I feel that as leaders of business, the CEO's of American companies have a lot of benefits as corporations -as has been given in a previous post of mine - and with all those benefits they enjoy, there is a requesite responsibility to American workers. If you are taking jobs away from Americans, to give to people in India, China, Mexico, or anyplace else, then you (as CEO) have not upheld your personal responsibility to your country.

Either act responsibly, or quit.

Watch out - Hilary thinks the boogie man is out to get her!

2007-04-03T11:51:00.001-05:00

You know, Ms. Clinton, if I needed another reason NOT to vote for you in 2008, you just provided it. I just read a news story where you are crying out against the "Big, Conservative Conspiracy". This story makes you sound like the paranoid, socialist, conniving, gold digger you are.

You and your fellow partisan politicians are not interested in what is best for the US, you are interested in the next sound bite that will give you the next leg up on the "competition".

Do you want to know something important? Leading this country is not a popularity contest - you are not running for Prom Queen. The President of this country bears the responsibility and weight of making tough choices that are the best to promote THIS country as a whole - not his or her personal agenda.

I hope the rest of the country sees clearly through your manipulations. You, Ms. Clinton are no John Kennedy.

An Open Letter to General Pace CJCS

2007-03-14T10:35:00.000-05:00

Dear Sir;

Please know that many American hearts and minds are standing behind you as you are besieged by a press rampant with the spread of immorality. We stand behind you as you are attacked by partisan politicians who seek personal gain. We stand behind you as activist groups seek to discredit you.

The United States was founded on a basis of morals and ethics that is under attack in today's society because of the environment of political correctness. Personally, I feel we as citizens of the United States have an obligation to do what is right and just to promote our country and protect the very core of American society.

I applaud you and your strong stand against impropriety in the ranks. I support you in your statements. I encourage you to stand firm and not to knuckle under to pressure to "apologize". The next thing you know - we will see a ridiculous demand for you to attend "rehab". Stand your ground. You spoke the truth and no one should have to apologize for that.

Does God exist?

2007-03-09T13:06:00.000-06:00

I have heard - for all too long - attacks against the existence of God, attacks against Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. I have to say, I am truly tired of this. Since the dawn of time man has been looking for an answer to the question "Where do I come from?" Yet, today, in our society, the ONLY acceptable answer is Darwin.

To my knowledge, there has been NO archaeological find of the "missing link". And, while I acknowledge that I share DNA with chimps and frogs, I have seen no proof that I descend directly from either. My assumption about the DNA similarities is this - I have written MANY documents in my career - meeting notes, memos etc, - and I have started with an existing document (modifying is easier than starting from scratch) So, I think God is pretty smart - and He probably used the materials at hand and modified until He got what He was after - mankind.

For those who do not believe, I do not go about making fun of you and telling you that Eternal Hell is waiting for the price of your disbelief. I respect your opinion. I believe it is not a correct opinion, but, I respect your right to it all the same.

Yet, you cannot do the same for me. So, I would like to engage you in a debate. To all those who profess there is no God, I have a couple of basic questions for you. Please take your time answering.

#1 - Do you believe there are planets out in space that are inhabitable?

#2 - If the answer to the above is yes, then do you believe there is life on
those planets?
#3 - Do you believe that life - as we know it - truly came out of the nothingness soup of the universe? That there was no "intelligent design"?
#4 - Have you ever seen the birth of a child? A puppy? A horse?
#5 - If the answer to the above is "yes", can you truly say there is not ANYTHING miraculous about that?
#6 - Do you believe that child abusers, rapists, murderers, serial killers, Hitler - are/were evil?
#7 - Do you believe that those who mutilate, maim and torture are evil?
#8 Do you believe in the existence of evil?

There is nothing that exists without it's true opposite. If evil exists - and it does - as we can clearly see from the likes of Hitler, Pol Pot, Jeffery Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Mohammed Atta, and Osama Bin Laden - then the power of good - from one true source (as everything comes from a source) exists.
Thus, God exists.

Stop Mexi-Ameri-Canada!! Secure our Borders NOW!

2007-03-07T12:42:00.000-06:00

TO: Our Elected Officials:

There is a huge amount of propaganda and myths circulating about illegal aliens, particularly illegal Mexican, Salvadorian, Guatemalan and Honduran aliens - or illegal aliens from Sweden sneaking in through the rocky coastline of Maine. I don't care where they came from - they need to leave! Deport them. No it will not be overnight. Who cares? They didn't all get here in one night!

1. Illegal aliens generally do NOT want U.S. citizenship. Americans are very vain thinking that everybody in the world wants to be a U.S. citizen. Mexicans, and other nationalities want to remain citizens of their home countries while obtaining the benefits offered by the United States such as employment, medical care, in-state tuition, government subsidized housing and free education for their offspring. Their main attraction is employment and their loyalty usually remains at home. They want benefits earned and subsidized by middle class Americans. What illegal aliens want are benefits of American residence without paying the price.

2. There are no jobs that Americans won't do. Illegal aliens are doing jobs that Americans can't take and still support their families. Illegal aliens take low wage jobs, live dozens in a single residence home, share expenses and send money to their home country. There are no jobs that Americans won't do for a decent wage.

3. Every person who illegally entered this nation left a home. They are NOT homeless and they are NOT Americans. Some left jobs in their home countries. They come to send money to their real home as evidenced by the more than 20 billion dollars sent out of the country each year by illegal aliens. These illegal aliens knowingly and willfully entered this nation in violation of the law and therefore assumed the risk of detection and deportation. Those who brought their alien children assumed the responsibility and risk on behalf of their children.

4. Illegal aliens are NOT critical to the economy. Illegal aliens constitute less than 5% of the workforce. However, they reduce wages and benefits for lawful U.S. residents.

5. This is NOT an immigrant nation. There are 280 million native born Americans. While it is true that this nation was settled and founded by immigrants (legal immigrants), it is also true that there is not a nation on this planet that was not settled by immigrants at one time or another.

6. The United States is welcoming to legal immigrants. Illegal aliens are not immigrants by definition. The U.S. accepts more lawful immigrants every year than the rest of the world combined.

7. There is no such thing as the "Hispanic vote". Hispanics are white, brown, black and every shade in between. Hispanics are Republicans, Democrats, Anarchists, Communists, Marxists and Independents. The so-called "Hispanic vote" is a myth. Pandering to illegal aliens to get the Hispanic vote is a dead end.

8. Mexico is NOT a friend of the United States. Since 1848 Mexicans have resented the United States. During World War I Mexico allowed German Spies to operate freely in Mexico to spy on the U.S. During World War II Mexico allowed the Axis powers to spy on the U.S. from Mexico. During the Cold War Mexico allowed spies hostile to the U.S. to operate freely. The attack on the Twin Towers in 2001 was cheered and applauded all across Mexico. Today Mexican school children are taught that the U.S. stole California, Arizona, new Mexico and Texas. If you don't believe it, check out some Mexican textbooks written for their schoolchildren.

9. Although some illegal aliens enter this country for a better life, there are 6 billion people on this planet. At least 1 billion of those live on less than one dollar a day. If wanting a better life is a valid excuse to break the law and sneak into America, then let's allow those one billion to come to America and we'll turn the USA into a Third World nation overnight. Besides, there are 280 million native born Americans who want a better life. I'll bet Bill Gates and Donald Trump want a better life. When will the USA lifeboat be full? Since when is wanting a better life a good reason to trash another nation?

10. There is a labor shortage in this country. This is a lie. There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of American housewives, senior citizens, students, unemployed and underemployed who would gladly take jobs at a decent wage.

11. It is racist to want secure borders. What is racist about wanting secure borders and a secure America? What is racist about not wanting people to sneak into America and steal benefits we have set aside for legal aliens, senior citizens, children and other legal residents? What is it about race that entitles people to violate our laws, steal identities, and take the American Dream without paying the price?

For about four decades American politicians have refused to secure our borders and look after the welfare of middle class Americans. These politicians have been of both parties. A huge debt to American society has resulted. This debt will be satisfied and the interest will be high. There have already been riots in the streets by illegal aliens and their supporters. There will be more. You, as a politician, have a choice to offend the illegal aliens who have stolen into this country and demanded the rights afforded to U.S. citizens or to offend those of us who are stakeholders in this country. The interest will be steep either way. There will be civil unrest. There will be a reckoning. Do you have the courage to do what is right for America? Or, will you bow to the wants and needs of those who don't even have the right to remain here?

There will be a reckoning. It will come in November of 2008 and yet again in 2010. We, the people, will not tolerate representatives who do not listen and represent those who sent them to Washington.

We will not allow America to be stolen by third world agitators and thieves.

Corporations, Government and Corruption - Do WE need another Boston Tea Party?

2007-03-07T12:05:00.000-06:00

I think it is necessary and appropriate to put the pressure on in our local communities and at our city council level. As we can see, our federal government is out of our control. Our federal representatives are too closely wed to corporate interests; indeed, a single corporate campaign donation obliterates 100,000 citizen opinions. Our federal representatives are too far removed from the average American citizen for us to have any influence over them. They don't have to look us in the eye at the grocery store or at the post office; our city officials do.

And speaking of government being in bed with corporations, many people forget a very important part of our American history. The American Revolution of 1776 was as much a revolt against abusive corporations as it was against a distant monarchy.

The Hudson's Bay Company, The British East India Company, and The Massachusetts Bay Company were all early corporations that existed during colonial times in America. Our founding fathers despised and feared those chartered companies, for they recognized the way British Kings and their cronies used them to control and deplete the resources of their labors in the colonies.

Remember, it was the British East India Company which imposed duties on the tea they were delivering to the colonies, and because they had a monopoly on the tea market, the colonists were forced to pay the duties or go without. The colonists revolted. Colonial merchants agreed to not sell the East India teas. Many East India Company ships were turned back, unable to deliver their cargoes of teas. And surely you must recall that the result was the Boston Tea Party, when colonists dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor.

The Declaration of Independence in 1776 freed Americans not only of the British monarchy, but also the British corporations. For more than 100 years Americans remained suspicious and mistrusting of corporate powers. They were very careful about the way they granted corporate charters and the powers granted in them.

Early American corporate charters were of a completely different type than contemporary corporate charters. They were created literally by the people, as a convenience to the people, mere financial tools. Corporations were invisible, intangible, and artificial. They were chartered by the states, not the federal government, where they could be monitored locally, kept under close watch by the people. They were automatically dissolved if they violated their charter. Limits were placed on how big and how powerful companies could become.

The 200 corporations that were in operation by 1800 were kept on a short rein. They were not tolerated to participate in the political process, they could not buy stock in other corporations, and if they acted improperly, the consequences were severe. In 1832 President Andrew Jackson vetoed a motion to extend the charter of the corrupt and tyrannical Second Bank of the United States, and he was applauded for doing so. That same year Pennsylvania revoked the charters of ten banks for acting contrary to public interest. Even the industry trusts that formed to protect corporations from external competitors eventually faced the anti-trust legislation that was put into place in the mid 1800's.

In the early history of America the corporation played an important role, but their role was in service to the people. The people, not the corporations, were in control.

The shift began in the last portion of the nineteenth century. It was the start of a period of great struggle between corporations and society. The turning point was the Civil War. Corporations made huge profits from procurement contracts and took advantage of the disorder and corruption of the times to buy legislatures, judges, and even presidents. Corporations became the masters and keepers of business. Before his death, President Lincoln warned, "I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country...corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed. I feel at this moment more anxiety for the safety of my country than ever before, even in the midst of war."

President Lincoln's warning went unheeded. Corporations continued to grow in power and influence. They had laws governing their creation amended. States could no longer revoke their charters. Corporate profits could no longer be limited. Corporate activity could only be restrained by the courts, and time after time judges granted them small victories, conceding them rights and privileges they did not have before and were never intended to have.
Then, in 1886, an event occurred that would change the course of American history. In Santa Clara County vs. Southern Pacific Railroad, a dispute over a rail road route, the US Supreme Court ruled that a corporation was a "natural person" under the Constitution and was entitled to all the rights and protections under the Bill of Rights. Suddenly, the corporation was made equal to the people, enjoying all the rights and sovereignty of individuals, including the right to free speech.

That court ruling gave to corporations the same powers and rights as private citizens. But, with their vast financial resources corporations thereafter actually have had more power than the individual citizens our Constitution and Bill of Rights was intended to protect against such tyrannical and empirical entities such as corporations. In a single stroke the whole intent of the American Constitution - that all citizens have one vote and equal voice in public debates - had been undermined. A single blunder by a corrupted judge changed the whole idea of democratic government.

In boardrooms in all the major global capitals, CEOs of the world's biggest corporations imagine a world where they are protected by what is effectively their own global charter of rights and freedoms -- the Multinational Agreement on Investment (MAI). They are supported in this vision by the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and other organizations representing twenty-nine of the world's richest economies. The MAI would effectively create a single global economy allowing corporations the unrestricted right to buy, sell and move their businesses, resources and other assets wherever and whenever they want. It's a corporate bill of rights designed to override all "nonconforming" local, state and national laws and regulations and allow them to sue cities, states and national governments for alleged noncompliance. Sold to the world's citizens as inevitable and necessary in an age of free trade, these MAI negotiations met with considerable grassroots opposition and were temporarily suspended in April 1998. Nevertheless, no one believes this initiative will remain suspended for long.

We, the people, have lost control. Corporations, these legal fictions that we ourselves created two centuries ago, now have more rights, freedoms and powers than we do. And we accept this as the normal state of affairs. We go to corporations on our knees. Please do the right thing, we plead. Please don't cut down any more ancient forests. Please don't pollute any more lakes and rivers (but please don't move your factories and jobs offshore either). Please don't use pornographic images to sell fashion to my kids. Please don't play governments off against each other to get a better deal. Please don't fire me and hire a contractor whom you do not have to offer benefits. Please don't pay your CEO millions and millions every year while cutting away at my income. We've spent so much time bowed down in deference, we've forgotten how to stand up straight.

The unofficial history of America, which continues to be written, is not a story of rugged individualism and heroic personal sacrifice in the pursuit of a dream. It is a story of democracy derailed, of a revolutionary spirit suppressed, and of a once-proud people reduced to servitude. How long will we cowtow to the corrupt and power holding corporations and let America be sold out from underneath us?