Helloooo??? Customer Service anyone??

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!

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.

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:

1. Leave with your child and apply for a visa for yourself.
2. 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.
3. 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!

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."

Economic Stimulus or Progressive Stupidity? You decide...

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.