Ranting about the American value system

Our trip to Jamaica

2009-10-29T16:17:00.000-07:00

We went to Jamaica to go scuba diving a couple of weeks ago. Had a really great time, and met some really friendly Jamaican people. They are really proud of their heritage and are very willing to talk about their culture to foreigners. I came away with a deeper appreciation for life, and for living. My husband and I had a lot of fun together, something that's hard for us to do unless we really get away from it all for a week. The diving, while not extremely challenging, was enjoyable and exhilarating. I am not a person who can stay put on a resort for very long, I must get out and see what the country has to offer. So we opted for a Nine Mile Bob Marley birthplace tour, and the drive there took about two hours, was in curvy countryside, and we really saw a lot of poverty. Browns Town Jamaica is one such place, where many of the residents still do not have running water or electricity. Our guide also pointed out the "Caveman," a local homeless man that lives in a cave nearby and walks every day into town to buy what he needs. How he gets the money to live we really didn't want to know. We did get offered the ubiquitous herb of Jamaica several times but politely declined. It is sad, a fact that many Americans report, that Jamaica is in such poverty and yet we dine on fancy food, sleep in what they consider a 5 star hotel even if it is only a 2 to us, and do not have a care in the world when we are on the beach, except to complain about some sand flies or that there is not enough variety in the buffet line. How selfish we are as tourists sometimes. The travel experience is not about being catered to 100% of the time (although I admit it is nice for a special occasion) but travel should always be looked at as, "what can I take away from this that I didn't have previously" or "what can I learn about these people that aren't in my own culture."

For example, saying "ma'am" is foreign to Jamaicans. They prefer to use "pretty lady" or "milady" which made me feel so special. A smile goes a long way. We made it a habit to talk to everyone at the resort, the landscapers, the busboys, everyone.
The Jamaican government makes it very difficult for the average citizen to get a visa to travel out of their own country, because if they did, they probably wouldn't want to come back because of the poverty and no jobs, so whatever job a Jamaican can get is a good job. This is pretty indicative of how corrupt their politicians must be, to have so much control over their population like that. I said to my husband, "all we need is a passport, even after 9/11. How lucky we really are."

Federal appeals court upholds Texas law requiring a minute of silence in schools

2009-07-23T23:34:00.000-07:00

I still keep up with the case on David Croft in Texas and his attempts to remove the moment of silence from the local public schools. Apparently the latest news from March 2009 is that the courts are upholding the moment of silence. I imagine it has cost the Crofts a lot in terms of personal freedoms and monetary expenses. That is very sad. I do not wish such a thing on people.

However, and I will say this until there's a point where Christians will have to leave the USA, that if opening up legislative sessions in our own government begin with a prayer and reciting the pledge of allegiance, then the atheists need to just give it a rest. Seriously. There aren't any doctors or courts in this country (at this time anyway) that will officially be able to declare Christianity a mental disorder for the purposes of dismantling our Constitution and rights to practice Christianity, and that's really what their ultimate goal is. They aren't there to remove anything else or any other religious practices, because for them, nothing conflicts with their agenda more.

Without knowledge of ths Croft case, I might not have reexamined my own faith more closely. I'm sure this is not what a diehard atheist would ever want to hear though.

Why Americans will stop traveling around the US

2009-07-22T19:09:00.001-07:00

Gee, summer's here. Time to take the kids to Disney, or somewhere nice and warm for a vacation. But wait. Before you take that plunge to fly to a U.S. city for your next getaway, better read and understand, for example, what a car rental will really cost you. In these days of shrinking wallets, here's what I found on thrifty.com's website for a one week rental of an economy car in Oct 2009:

Rental Time Charge $363.75
Customer Facility Charge ($4.00 per day) $28.00
Energy Recovery Fee ($0.45 per day) $3.15
Privilege Fee (9.89%) $36.61
STATE TRANSACT TAX ($2.03 per day) $14.21
STATE TAX (7%) $31.43
Vehicle Licensee Fee ($0.47 per day) $3.29
Total Estimated Mandatory Charges (USD) $480.44
Estimated Grand Total (USD) $480.44

I've never been a big fan of renting cars anyway unless I HAVE to. But you used to be able to get some wheels for a few days without it costing you a whole month's car payment! So I guess the days of the $29.99 per day rate are gone. And what exactly is a PRIVILEGE FEE? Does this mean that I now have the PRIVILEGE of driving a rental car that I have paid for? I'm supposed to feel GOOD about this?????

It's all about reducing our "carbon footprint." Well I have an opinion about where I'd like to stick my foot now after reading all this...

The car rental companies will go the way of the dodo just like the carmakers. Makes those all inclusive getaways to Mexico seem a lot more attractive now doesn't it?

Guess Al Gore is sitting back in his easy vinyl chair, laughing while thumbing through his millions in endorsement checks for "saving Mother Earth."

It's all pretty suspicious to me. But if you are so soaked in the ideology as to continue to buy into this facade, then by all means, go plop down $500 to rent some roller skates in Miami. I'll wave from the plane as I'm flying to the Mayan Riviera, forced to spend my travel dollars there instead of my own country.

New "rant"

2009-07-16T13:19:00.000-07:00

I haven't ranted since March! Maybe it's just trying to settle into Ohio and missing my Oklahoma roots. Looking forward to fall and Sooner football! Of course there aren't many Sooner fans around the Tri State area, but we try to hold our own. Next year when OU plays Cincinnati here, we're going to open our home up for any Sooner fans that want a place to hang their head and have a backyeard tailgate party.

On politics...maybe I shouldn't go there. But I'm just not surprised that the Obama administration is doing what they are doing to our money system. I tried to warn friends and family but they didn't listen. Chicago thug politics is here to stay at least for 4-8 more years. I'm not seeing any "change" that Obama promised, except more trillions in spending. He will have spent more than Bush ever spent in Iraq. When will we pay our "fair share?" liberals ask. As if we aren't paying enough. Ask any liberal to willingly hand over their hard earned dollars to an out of control government for the "betterment of society" and see what their answer is. Ask them to pay a higher tax on anything.

And this thing in Honduras? I'm not surprised either that Obama sides with Zelaya, a left wing extrement that is the Honduran equivalent to Hugo Chavez. Screw the Honduran constitution, let's elect a dictator that will use their state run media to stay in power. Gee, any similarities there?

Enough of Michael Jackson already! Make his family pay for the extravagant services in L.A. California is bankrupt! They need to get rid of Ahnold.

The biggest joke though, has to be Al Franken as the newest Senator to take an oath of office. How much money did he pay for that? We'll never know. But gosh darnit...

"PEOPLE LIKE ME."

My visit to St. George's

2009-03-23T14:09:00.001-07:00

I visited the small Russian parish in Cincinnati yesterday for Liturgy. I had been wanting to go for awhile but just hadn't made it yet. It's set in an older neighborhood near Blue Ash.

It took a little while to find it but then I saw the little cupola at the end of the road and parked my car. It definitely reminds me of the small parishes dotted all over Russia. Before I left my house I wondered if I should bring a headscarf, since that is the traditional wear in Europe. Well, my instincts were right as I saw a couple of women hurriedly draping their heads before making the sign of the cross and entering the building.

I tried to slip in unnoticed but it was impossible. Two women turned around and saw me. Trying to avoid a faux pas, I circled my head with a finger and shook my head. No problem...they had a box of scarves right there. A lady handed it to me and said, "Ah, you are American peoples?"
Gee, no give away there right?

When I entered the tiny room I crossed myself and tried to find a place to stand. In most Orthodox churches, people stand for the majority of the Liturgy which can last over 2 hours. It's a bonus if you can find chairs or benches. So I stood there amidst mostly Russian women on the left side while the men stayed on the right. I kept fiddling with my scarf; it wouldn't stay on my head and I was getting very hot standing next to all these women wearing wool clothing.

The choir mostly sang in Russian then some English. It was beautiful. But I couldn't really tell when communion began and ended. I stayed back while most of the others jockeyed for a position. There was no organization to the chaos whatsoever.

After the service I went forth and took the blessed bread. As I went back into the front room for coffee hour, a woman stopped me, pointing to my sweater. I had something on it. I almost flicked it off then realized it was a crumb of the bread. She grabbed it fast and put it in my mouth. Anything that is blessed or sacred is never to fall to the ground or tossed away...like our flag I suppose.

I met some nice people during coffee hour, many who didn't speak good English. But I don't know any Russian save for a few words so I commended them.

Most people assumed I wasn't Orthodox but when I told them they wanted to know all about why I had chosen to do so. Most cradle Orthodox cannot really grasp why Americans want to join their church. I tried to explain about the televangelists, the making a commodity out of God, and reducing the church to an entertainment venue as reasons. I think they understood but I also think many of them have not been exposed to it so could not make a comparison for themselves.

These people truly have faith and don't question it. They don't let the trappings of our society dictate their lives. Maybe that's the bliss of coming to America as an outsider.

Kathleen Sebelius

2009-03-04T00:04:00.000-08:00

This woman is the worst choice for an HHS secretary I have ever seen. My main beef with her is the fact that she supports late term abortions and abortions without parental consent. Late term abortions are an abomination of human life.

George Tiller, the famous doctor in Wichita KS, known as "Tiller the baby killer" has performed many of these in his office. I've seen the interviews with the young women he has performed these horrible abortions on, and they are heartwrenching.

His website makes my stomach turn. http://www.drtiller.com/

Abortionist Tiller Admits to Performing Abortions the Day Before DeliveryHis Speech at National Education Association

By John-Henry Westen

ARLINGTON, VA, March 19, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Notorious partial-birth abortion specialist Dr. George Tiller of Wichita, KS, was caught on hidden video admitting to aborting babies a day before the mother's due date. Students for Life of America (SFLA) today released the video which was made at the Feminist Majority Foundation's annual Women's Leadership Conference held at the National Education Association (NEA) on March 9.

The video reveals Dr. Tiller showcasing massive and graphic pictures of children with fetal abnormalities that he had aborted, so as to make the case for late-term abortions as necessary medical procedure. SFLA's Executive Director Kristan Hawkins, who videotaped the conference and interviewed Tiller clandestinely, commented on the gruesome pictures of aborted children Tiller showed, saying, "One had an extra arm: could not that child had survived and received corrective surgery? Was violently killing the child the only way to go?"

"Pro-lifers are regularly condemned for displaying pictures of aborted babies, but here the pro-abortion crowd and the NEA are more than happy to showcase these graphic images, and even gave Dr. Tiller's presentation a standing ovation," added Hawkins.

Tiller, who currently faces 19 criminal charges for illegal late-term abortions in the state of Kansas, at first feigned ignorance of the Born Alive Infants Protection Act, a federal bill signed into law in 2002 that protects born children from murder and illegalizes infanticide. However when questioned further about the measure he spoke of his ideological objection to the legislation, saying, "Let's say you have 15 or 16, you had 1 slip out with a heartbeat; that is not a viable fetus, but that is born alive or has a heartbeat. Then you have to take that non-viable fetus and rush it directly to the hospital against the woman's wishes."

Given that the conference featuring Tiller was held at the National Education Association, it is probable that a good number of the more than three million members of the NEA would be voicing opposition if they were made aware of the situation.

"As a pro-life teacher, I can say this illustrates why I am no longer a member of the NEA," said Marla Mercer, a West Virginia teacher and former member of the National Education Association. "The NEA should not be involved in this issue; here they are hosting this controversial abortionist and his slideshow of babies he has aborted. There is no way any of my money will ever be used to advance the radical pro-abortion agenda of Planned Parenthood and the NEA."

Kathleen Sebelius, as governor of Kansas, received campaign donations from this man, and had no interest in prosecuting him.

Rush and bigotry

2009-03-03T16:40:00.000-08:00

I watched the Rush Limbaugh speech during the CPAC conference. Wow, he really brought the house down! His speech was far more inspiring than any I have heard from Nobama. People tell me all the time that he is a bigot, a fat liar, etc etc. when they have not bothered to LISTEN to the man (because they make assumptions based on what they see on CNN or what their other liberal friends tell them) yet they hang onto Nobama's every word as if it was gold and don't bother to critically examine him.

If you're going to criticize something at least take the TIME to examine both sides before you rush to judgment.

I remember Joe Biden making a comment something along the lines of "when you go into a 7 eleven at 11pm all you see are Indian people."

Who's the bigot here???

There is hope

2009-02-27T11:31:00.000-08:00

In watching the CPAC conference on CSPAN today, I was immediately impressed by a 13 year old kid named Jonathan Krohn give a speech about conservatism. Wow, was I impressed!

Here's an article from the Guinnett Daily Post about this outstanding young man:

10/16/2008 12:01:00 AM

Jonathan Krohn, a 13-year-old Duluth resident, has written book on conservatism titled “Define Conservatism.”

Politics passion
13-year-old pens book on conservatism

By Deanna Allen
Staff Writer

LAWRENCEVILLE - Jonathan Krohn has been told he is a 35-year-old living in a 13-year-old's body.

Ask him about conservatism, a topic about which he is particularly passionate, and he may seem even older than 35.

The Duluth resident's belief in the conservative political viewpoint has led him to pen a primer on conservatism. Based on research and interviews with politicians he conducted himself, Krohn has outlined four principles on which he believes conservatism is based: respect for the U.S. Constitution, respect for life, less government and personal responsibility.

"Shucking it down to the cob, I noticed that almost every conservative without an exception pretty much said that those four basic principles were important and key to being a conservative," Krohn said.

The home-schooled student interviewed state legislators Tom Rice, Barry Laudermilk, Tom Graves and Clint Day. He also interviewed conservative talk show host Michael Medved during his research.

Krohn said he wrote his book for current and potential conservatives.

"If you believe in something, it's best to understand it better and to learn more about it," Krohn said, "and I believe that conservatives need to continue to do that and new conservatives need to understand the viewpoints they're getting into."

Krohn developed an interest in political processes about age 8 after hearing about a Democratic filibuster on talk radio while riding in the car with his father, and Krohn became a fan of Bill Bennett's "Morning in America" radio show.

"Because of (Bennett) I really started getting involved in politics and started looking at things and analyzing it on my own," Krohn said.

The teen speaks eloquently about his passion for politics and the values that have directed him toward conservatism.

"The reason I'm passionate about politics is because I know by promoting conservative values I can promote conservative alternatives to the liberal ideas that are out there," Krohn said.

"Define Conservatism for Past, Present and Future Generations" was published this year. Krohn spent five months writing his book, giving up his summer, said his mother, Marla Krohn, who is helping her son to promote his book. The two have embarked on a mini book tour around northeast Georgia, which they hope to turn into a broader tour.

"It is humbling and exciting at the same time to see Jonathan have such confidence in himself, more than most adults do, and to watch him interact with adults on adult issues and hold his own," said Krohn's father, Doug Krohn. "(Jonathan) has a passion for something he goes for it without fear, which is a God-given gift."

"I really want the American people to better understand conservatism," Jonathan Krohn said. "That's the main point of this book."

And this is coming in the cynical, apathetic mood our country has seem to have fallen into. To see a young kid take this one on, way to go!!!

I'm going to buy this book.

HE IS HOMESCHOOLED BY THE WAY!

More cynicism from me

2009-02-19T12:01:00.000-08:00

I feel like griping. (What day do I not feel like doing this?)

I'm numb from watching my country go down the tubes, what can I say. Maybe I'm crazy, or criminally insane, or both. Or maybe I'm just one of the few people left with any sense of intelligence to see through what this new administration is doing to our country.

To all those Obama fans out there: You wanted change, and you're definitely getting it! To that all I can say is, "Not my fault. I voted for the other guy."

Found this on a blog. I didn't write the following:

Man puts "Abort Obama, not the unborn" sign in his car window and gets pulled over by OKC policeman named Steve McCool.
It gets more interesting.

After talking to his attorney, Harrison went home where he met the Secret Service. ''When I was on my way there, the Secret Service called me and said they weren't going to ransack my house or anything ... they just wanted to (walk through the house) and make sure I wasn't a part of any hate groups."

I don't countenance any threats to the CinC. But this comment sums up my feelings exactly:

So let me get this straight, the police/government are now telling us that abort/abortion only means "killing or murder" when used in context with Obama in a casual statement or conversation and that is not okay but when actually performed on an unborn child it simply means a "woman's choice" and this is okay! Got it!!

But I really love this one!

This is from

http://jammiewearingfool.blogspot.com/2009/02/classy-obama-blows-off-brothers-of-911.html

Classy: Obama Blows Off Brothers of 9/11 Victim, Invites Anti-Gitmo Aunt Instead

Talk about giving them the finger.
President Obama is caught smack in the middle of a family feud among 9/11 relatives of a financier killed at Ground Zero, The Post has learned.

The brothers of Adam Arias went ballistic when they learned that their aunt, Valerie Lucznikowska, was among the 9/11 relatives invited to last week's White House meeting with Obama. The brothers were not invited.

Arias, 37, a vice president of operations at Euro Brokers who worked on the 84th floor of the World Trade Center South Tower, was the eighth victim identified following the terrorist attacks.

His brothers, Andy and Donald Arias, attended the hearings of five suspected plotters of the 9/11 attacks at Guantanamo Bay last month and support keeping the facility open and prosecuting the detainees immediately.

By comparison, Lucznikowska has complained about alleged torture of Gitmo detainees and favors closing Gitmo.

The Arias brothers both sent letters to Obama protesting her presence in the Oval Office because she does not speak for or represent the Arias family.

They complained that Lucznikowska is exploiting their brother's name to promote her own agenda.
Naturally, Obama sides with the one who has an agenda.

So your brother was murdered by these monsters? Obama tells them to screw themselves.

Classy.

If George Bush had done this to a family to promote his side, you KNOW it would have been front page news and he would have been demonized.

Change YOU can believe in, but not me.

Orthodox Christmas

2008-12-14T06:08:00.001-08:00

As we approach Christmas, we're all reminded that heavy consumerism can lead to despair, not to mention large amounts of unnecessary debt. And in this particular time, it must be stressed all the more.
My inner struggle today however doesn't deal with those issues.

This is first Christmas I have spent with my family since being baptized Orthodox.
Therefore, the traditions I have grown up with are in conflict with those I am embracing now, and it is hard to explain to others who are not Orthodox. (I.e. Christmas Eve feasts vs fasting, blessing of the waters, long liturgical services on Christmas Eve, etc. etc.)

Here's some information I pulled off a BBC website in regards to the Orthodox calendar:

Christmas is celebrated by Orthodox Christians in Central and Eastern Europe and throughout the world on the 7th of January in the Gregorian Calendar - 13 days after other Christians.

In the East, Christmas is preceded by a 40 day fast beginning on November 15th. This is a time of reflection, self-restraint and inner healing in the sacrament of confession.

Usually, on Christmas Eve, observant Orthodox Christians fast till late evening, until the first star appears. When the star is seen, people lay the table ready for the Christmas supper.

On Christmas Day people takes part in divine liturgy after which many walk in procession to seas, rivers and lakes. Everyone gathers around in the snow for outdoor ceremonies to bless the water. Sometimes rivers are frozen, so people make holes in the ice to bless the water. Some take water home to bless their houses. Then a great feast is held indoors where everyone joins in to eat, drink and enjoy themselves.

A Orthodox Russian custom is to serve Christmas cakes and to sing songs. The tradition is mixed with other pagan traditions of ancient Russia such that people may visit their neighbours in disguises, dance, sing and ask for presents, similar to trick-or-treating.

There are similarities, as well as differences, between the Eastern and Western celebration of Christmas. The Eastern Christmas has a very strong family and social appeal just as it does in the West. It brings people of all generations together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Unlike the West, where Christmas ranks supreme, in the East it is Easter, centred on the cross and the resurrection of Christ, which is the supreme festival of the year. Also, Eastern Orthodox Christmas lacks the commercial side that is so typical to the West.

A legend in your own mind

2008-12-08T15:40:00.000-08:00

This post is dedicated to Wayne Coon Sr., my highschool band director. I got most of my values from my mother, but I got a lot from Mr. Coon. During my formative years he provided a stern leadership I really needed, to help me set goals for the future. After my mother passed away when I was 15, I did get a lot of strength from being in band and having him as a mentor. Many other kids my age that weren't interested in band hated him because of his discipline. He was hard on us. But when he gave praise it was because you knew you had done something extraordinary.

Reminds me of the uncle of William Wallace in Braveheart when he explains to the young warrior, "I will teach you to use this..." (tapping his finger against his skull) "before this..."(tapping the sword hanging on his waist)

Mr. Coon was a phenomenal teacher and also fought in the Korean War. He had the ability to take a kid that was lost and straying, to being a disciplined and fantastic musician.

I remember my senior year, he moved me from 2nd chair trombone to bass in the jazz band. I looked at that thing and I said, "You expect me to play that?"

(The whole idea of being a bass bone player was very intimidating. It was huge and I weighed 100 lbs wet back then)

With a stern look, and without batting an eye he said, "Yes I do. And you will. You have the ability, you just don't know it."

I took it home and started toying with it, thinking, "This man is totally crazy," because I knew what challenges it would bring and what he would expect from me.

After a few weeks, I started kind of getting the hang of it, but balancing the rest of the section was really tough. When the word got out what I was doing, more than just a few eyebrows went up.

I spent countless hours learning more scales, etudes, ballads, and more practice combinations than I care to remember. It was like picking up the horn and learning to play it all over again.

But somehow, after a few months, I began to see a development in myself and a newfound confidence I hadn't had with my playing up to that point. The work paid off because when we started going to contest I just did my thing, and many educators came up to Mr. Coon and asked him where he got his bass bone player.

I made the All State jazz band 5A the following summer just before I packed up to go to college.

Basically, the point of my post is that I was forced to draw upon something within myself that I hadn't before, either because I was too scared or just didn't think I could do it. And that is what's wrong with society today. We don't have enough Mr. Coon's anymore to help us overcome our closet skeletons.

He had a lot of profound sayings too full of life lessons. Some of my favorites were:

1) Never say "I heard." (Meaning don't listen to idle gossip and give in to it.)
2) "You are a legend in your own mind." (Referring to people that had such big heads and egos that they couldn't fit through the door. Gee, how many of those have we all run across in our lives?)
3) If someone walks up to you and insults your clothing, appearance or values, simply walk away.

We as a society, because we're so obsessed with American Idol, Hollywood, pop culture, our possessions, and the haves and the have nots, we've forgotten the fundamentals that define our characters and identity as Americans. We've forgotten what freedom is and how hard it is to keep it. We've forgotten what personal responsibility and integrity are.

We are throwing in the towel, giving in to the criticisms, and not walking away to stand up for this world. We say "I heard" more than "no."

We're becoming legends in our own minds, with no respect for those that would guide us to be something better than ourselves. And we're teaching our youth to do the same.

What will our country be like in 20 years? I don't know if I want to hear the answer to that.

Migraines

2008-12-02T13:38:00.000-08:00

I have to write something today about migraines. I suffer from them on a pretty frequent basis, almost twice as much since I moved to Ohio. Today I felt like a mannequin spread out on a bad B movie scientist's table. He began by wiring blood vessels onto my body like rusty Christmas ornament hangers.

One by one, bending them painfully around my plastic lifeless body.

Then came the super glue to hold everything in along with my eyes and extremeties. The smell sent me into a tilt-a-whirl state of nauseadom.

Other times, I'm like the guy in the movie "Poltergeist" standing in front of the mirror tearing his whole face apart. Then out of the corner of his eye he spots the steak crawling across the kitchen cabinet and it explodes into maggots.

Instead of steak though, for me, I see my brains. And they're full of foetid squid-like creatures just like the maggots.

You ever see close up microscopic images of jellyfish????

These are just a few of the delightful experiences I have when I experience these mind altering headaches. At least they seem mind altering. When the dizziness comes and I can't feel my fingers and mouth, life gets pretty interesting.

Well at least I'm actually up and typing this today instead of lying in a pool of drool in a mental house.

Ahhh, the joys of PTSD.

George Mitchell

2008-11-28T13:17:00.001-08:00

I heard George Mitchell, a Democrat, speak today (yes on CSPAN) and I was really impressed with his insights on America's economic, political, and moral issues. He's more centrist than left, and when he talks he makes complete sense, answers questions thoroughly and thoughtfully, and is a very eloquent speaker. If Barack Obama had half the abilities of this man and not been so caught up in his own euphoria, I would have been more receptive to his message.

I picked up some stuff off wikipedia to post here about Mitchell:

In 1974 he won the Democratic nomination for governor of Maine, defeating Joseph Brennan. Mitchell lost in the general election to independent candidate James B. Longley, but was appointed United States Attorney for Maine by President Jimmy Carter in 1977. Mitchell served in that capacity from 1977 to 1979 when he was appointed to the United States District Court for the District of Maine. Mitchell served as a federal judge until he was appointed to the United States Senate in May 1980 by the governor of Maine, Joseph Brennan, when Edmund Muskie resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State.

Since 1995, he has been active in the Northern Ireland peace process as U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland. Mitchell first led a commission that established the principles on non-violence to which all parties in Northern Ireland had to adhere and subsequently chaired the all-party peace negotiations, which led to the Belfast Peace Agreement signed on Good Friday 1998 (known since as the Good Friday Agreement). Mitchell's personal intervention with the parties was crucial to the success of the talks. He was succeeded as special envoy by Richard Haass. For his involvement in the Northern Ireland peace negotiations, Mitchell was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom[4] (on March 17, 1999) and the Liberty Medal (on July 4, 1998).

This is a man that should be in Obama's cabinet, but because he has prostate cancer might be the reason he wasn't offered a position.

On March 29, 2006, ESPN learned that Mitchell would head an investigation into past steroid use by Major League Baseball players. Mitchell was asked by MLB Commissioner Bud Selig to investigate steroids charges, mainly against Barry Bonds, brought by recent revelations in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) trials of Victor Conte and Greg Anderson. Selig has said that revelations brought forth in the 2005 book "Game of Shadows" were, by way of calling attention to the issue, in part responsible for the league's decision to commission an independent investigation. To this day he is known to have held meetings with only two active players, Jason Giambi, who was ordered to meet Mitchell by Commissioner Selig in light of his public admissions on the issue, and one additional player whose name was initially not made public but was later revealed to be Frank Thomas. Mitchell did however hold extensive meetings with several known steroid dealers, club attendants, personal trainers, and others who had ties to all players named in the report. Even though the union that protects the players had pressured all but Giambi and Thomas into maintaining the culture of silence that had helped the drug problem remain a secret, there was plenty of other evidence aginst those named in his report.

Mitchell released a 409-page report of his findings on December 13, 2007. The report includes the names of 89 former and current players for whom it claims evidence of use of steroids or other prohibited substances exists. This list includes names of Most Valuable Players and All-Stars, such as Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Miguel Tejada, Denny Neagle, Paul Lo Duca, David Justice, Barry Bonds, Eric Gagné, Todd Hundley, Randy Velarde, and Benito Santiago.

Mitchell has, in a way, taken on a role similar to that of John M. Dowd, who investigated Pete Rose's gambling in 1989.

Books
Great American Lighthouses (August 1989)
World on Fire: Saving an Endangered Earth (January 1991)
Not For America Alone: The Triumph of Democracy and The Fall of Communism (May 1997)
Making Peace (April 1999 — 1st Edition, July 2000 — Updated)

"Good morning, Vietnam!"

2008-11-26T15:14:00.000-08:00

I watched a show this morning on CSPAN about Adrian Cronauer, the famous DJ portrayed by Robin Williams in "Good morning, Vietnam."

He described his experience, which was very different than the Hollywood version. No surprise there.

While in Crete, he volunteered for Vietnam service just before the attacks on Saigon. Just before he was to leave the reports came in and there was nothing he could do at that point to avoid it.

He explained that there was no censorship regarding what music they could play, all that polka stuff was apparently made up. And they did post news and weather reports for the troops, but once the Vietcong caught onto when they were moving their locations due to rain, they had to stop.

In all the interviews he did out in the field, he said that he didn't encounter baby killers, rapists or any such thing as our media and the left would have us believe, just scared young men who'd been plucked from their homes and thrown into a jungle in a foreign country. They were dedicated to what they did.

He did say there was a restaurant that was bombed out on a boat, much like the "Jimmy Wong's" in the movie. And when he tried to report it they hadn't confirmed the casualty count so that's why he couldn't do it.

The "Gooooood morning, Vietnam!" was actually something he threw in as he was readying his tapes and material at the last minute before he started the show.

I remember at All Star band camp I helped out with in the 80's we rigged up a PA system in the dorms and blasted that down the hallways to get the kids out of bed at 5am.

Goooood times!

The death of everything

2008-11-21T11:39:00.000-08:00

I should play a dirge celebrating the dawn of a new era, of change and hope. I'm going to go down a bottle of champagne in the name of progress. I have so many reasons to do so!!!

1. Death of capitalism and the free market (Michael Moore's idiotic statement)
2. Death of IRA's and the profitable stock market
3. Death of health care as we know it (socialized medicine)
4. Death of decent public education
5. Death of Guantanamo Bay (We have to let those terrorists go because it's just too mean to keep them there. You think I'm against torture if it will save American lives?? HELL NO! Have we forgotten 9/11? Have we forgotten the beheading of our own citizens on TV??? Do we honestly think that Al-Qaeda is going to show Americans any mercy??? Should we keep Gitmo open? YES, WE CAN!!!)
6. Death of journalism (actually that died a long time ago so I'm a little late celebrating that one)
7. Death of American jobs
8. Death of Christianity as we know it in the United States of America
9. Death of our Constitution
10. Death of the U.S. dollar

I asked my husband if he wanted to host his team at our home for Christmas.
His reply:
"No, because we've laid off too many people. Nobody is in the mood to celebrate this year and it wouldn't be fair to ask them to come when they can't."

I can't WAIT for the change to come to this country!!!

Soviet regime returning to Eastern Europe

2008-11-09T14:42:00.000-08:00

They say we are not headed toward another Cold War and that the KGB is dead. Think again.

September 18, 2008

By Geraldine Fagan
Forum 18 News Service (Excerpts)

Fr Ioann Grudnitsky – who has already been fined for conducting services without state registration – faced further intimidation when he conducted the funeral of a parishioner in the village of Ruzhany, he told Forum 18 News Service. Village Council leader Leonid Moskalevich showed him an order from the KGB secret police banning him from leading the funeral as his parish – he is under the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad Provisional Supreme Church Authority – is not registered. However, he went ahead while Moskalevich and a police officer observed. "After working our whole lives in factories and on collective farms, sacrificing our health and receiving a tiny pension, we've reached a point where we have to ask permission from the local KGB secret police to organise a funeral!" the parishioners complained in an open letter to the President. "The local KGB has no right whatsoever to interfere in the life of the church." Moskalevich denied to Forum 18 that the document had come from the KGB or that it was a ban. Meanwhile, Grodno-based Baptist pastor Yuri Kravchuk is the latest pastor to be fined for leading unregistered worship.

The KGB secret police in Pruzhany District, close to the border with Poland, has tried to stop an Orthodox priest from leading a funeral in the local village of Ruzhany, the priest, Fr Ioann Grudnitsky, told Forum 18 News Service on 16 September. "They're starting to meddle in believers' affairs again." Yet Leonid Moskalevich, who heads Ruzhany Village Council (Brest Region), denied to Forum 18 that this was the case on 17 September: "It wasn't like that at all."

In Belarus, religious activity not sanctioned by the state is subject to prosecution under Soviet-era provisions of the Administrative Violations Code. Yuri Kravchuk, a Baptist pastor in the north-western regional centre of Grodno, is the latest to be fined.

After displaying a document from Pruzhany District KGB prohibiting Fr Ioann from conducting the funeral of Ruzhany parishioner Nina Levizarovich on 23 July, Moskalevich and a local police officer remained for the service's duration at the village cemetery, Fr Ioann told Forum 18. While the state representatives did not stop the funeral from going ahead, said the priest, they refused to give him a copy of the KGB instruction.

Ruzhany parishioners are "indignant" that Moskalevich, the village council chairman, threatened Fr Ioann with the KGB secret police instruction forbidding him to conduct the funeral. Before her death, Levizarovich had specifically requested that Fr Ioann lead her funeral, they point out in an open letter to President Aleksandr Lukashenko published on the Russian religious affairs website Portal-Credo on 10 September.

"After working our whole lives in factories and on collective farms, sacrificing our health and receiving a tiny pension, we've reached a point where we have to ask permission from the local KGB secret police to organise a funeral!" the parishioners exclaim in disbelief. "The local KGB has no right whatsoever to interfere in the life of the church – first and foremost they should shed tears of repentance on behalf of their Chekist predecessors who swam in human blood."

The Belarusian KGB – which has not changed its name since Soviet times - has made no attempt to distance itself from its Soviet past. It proudly traces its history back to the first Soviet secret police, the Cheka, which was founded by Felix Dzerzhinsky.

Thanks Ohio

2008-11-06T00:20:00.001-08:00

Ohio is a blue state thanks to ACORN. Well, I can't personally prove that LOL. But I can say that I was hounded by their workers at a summer festival I attended in July. At least 3 different people from their organization approached me with forms to fill out wanting me to register and said it would be more convenient than voting on election day. All they needed was my signature and last four of my SSN.
When I told them no they repeatedly hounded me until I walked away. When I finally did register at the county election office, they didn't ask for my ID, didn't confirm my address with a utility bill, nothing. I suspect this happened all over the state. Apparently a park bench can be given as an address if a voter wants.

So that means if a person said "this bench is my house" or "that bench is my house" and he can go to any county election office and give his name, "address" and some 4 digits of an SSN, he could theoretically vote multiple times. Nobody checked my information when I went to register. All those people that filled out multiple forms with ACORN probably did get registered multiple times. So probably thanks to ACORN we bought Obama's election for him.

And it didn't just happen in Ohio. It happened in numerous states, so to compare this with the FL recount in 2000 aint gonna cut it as a legitimate argument. Dead people can be resurrected through this kind of vote. Illegal aliens can be allowed to vote...yet our military has to go through so much bs and red tape to vote.

I don't think the Obama supporters out there have really given this a lot of thought. They bought into the cult...I keep wondering if he asked people to jump off a cliff, would they?

And also, look for your electricity bills to skyrocket. If the coal industry gets bankrupted like he says he will do...don't come crying to us.

"Let me sort of describe my overall policy. What I've said is that we would put a cap and trade system in place that is as aggressive, if not more aggressive, than anybody else's out there.

I was the first to call for a 100% auction on the cap and trade system, which means that every unit of carbon or greenhouse gases emitted would be charged to the polluter. That will create a market in which whatever technologies are out there that are being presented, whatever power plants that are being built, that they would have to meet the rigors of that market and the ratcheted down caps that are being placed, imposed every year. So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it's just that it will bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted."

Hmm sounds like the press was in the back mixing more koolaid when this story broke.

Sure sounds good doesn't it? Punish the evil coal industry. Just remember this when you get your bills. And when you need a can of soda pop, look for that to go up too. Soda plants emit CO2.

DON'T BLAME BUSH. ALL YOU WILL HAVE TO DO IS LOOK IN THE MIRROR.

What I've wanted to say all along

2008-11-05T23:46:00.001-08:00

I think this bumper sticker expresses my feelings on the matter pretty well.

Today's news

2008-11-05T15:18:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm not giving up my fight against the Marxist left. This is my blog and until my free speech rights are taken away, I'm going to fire away at Obama every chance I get. We had to endure all the Bush bashing for eight years. So now it's MY TIME!

So as often as I can, I will add snippets on here to illustrate just what we are in for.

A Romanian architect I met not long ago informed me that he and his family left his country and came to America because of Communism, and that if we don't pull our heads out of the sand, America is headed down that same path.
A Bulgarian woman in her late 80's came to America for the same reasons. She doesn't even want to hear the words "Barack Obama" muttered in her presence.
A Russian hairdresser I knew in Kansas City echoes those sentiments.
An Italian-Greek couple I know saw generations of their families come to America because of freedom. Now they are wondering where that freedom is.

"You have to pinch yourself - a Marxist radical who all his life has been mentored by, sat at the feet of, worshiped with, befriended, endorsed the philosophy of, funded and been in turn funded, politically promoted and supported by a nexus comprising black power anti-white racists, Jew-haters, revolutionary Marxists, unrepentant former terrorists and Chicago mobsters, is on the verge of becoming President of the United States. And apparently it's considered impolite to say so."

- Melanie Philips, The Spectator ( UK ) 10/14/08

Obituary London Times

2008-11-04T18:15:00.000-08:00

It's a little long, but I think we should pay our respects....

An Obituary printed in the London Times........ Interesting and sadly,
rather true.

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who
Has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was,
since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
why the early bird gets the worm;
Life isn't always fair;
and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend
more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children,
are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but
overbearing regulations were set in place.
Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing
a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after
lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only
worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the
job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly
children.
It declined even further when schools were required to get parental
Consent to administer sun lotion or an Aspirin to a student; but could
not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an
abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses;
And criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a
burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to
realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in
her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents Truth and Trust,
by his wife, Discretion
his daughter, Responsibility,
and his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights.
I Want It Now.
Someone Else Is To Blame.
I'm A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If
You still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do
nothing.

My friend Bill Ayers

2008-10-23T00:22:00.000-07:00

I have this friend Bill Ayers, you see, and he, well, he did some things that were kind of bad.

From wikipedia:

In 1969, Ayers participated in planting a bomb at a statue dedicated to riot police casualties in the 1886 Haymarket Riot confrontation between labor supporters and the police.[10] The blast broke almost 100 windows and blew pieces of the statue onto the nearby Kennedy Expressway.[11] (The statue was rebuilt and unveiled on May 4, 1970, and blown up again by other Weathermen on October 6, 1970.

Ayers participated in the bombings of New York City Police Headquarters in 1970, the United States Capitol building in 1971, and The Pentagon in 1972, as he noted in his 2001 book, Fugitive Days. Because of a water leak caused by the Pentagon bombing, aerial bombardments during the Vietnam War had to be halted for several days. Ayers writes:

Although the bomb that rocked the Pentagon was itsy-bitsy - weighing close to two pounds - it caused 'tens of thousands of dollars' of damage. The operation cost under $500, and no one was killed or even hurt.[14]

Ayers was asked in a January 2004 interview, "How do you feel about what you did? Would you do it again under similar circumstances?" He replied:[27] "I've thought about this a lot. Being almost 60, it's impossible to not have lots and lots of regrets about lots and lots of things, but the question of did we do something that was horrendous, awful? ... I don't think so. I think what we did was to respond to a situation that was unconscionable."

Did my friend Bill Ayers serve a day in jail for those atrocities? Absolutely not.

Ayers is currently a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Education. His interests include teaching for social justice, urban educational reform, narrative and interpretive research, children in trouble with the law, and related issues.[2]

He began his career in primary education while an undergraduate, teaching at the Children’s Community School (CCS), a project founded by a group of students and based on the Summerhill method of education. After leaving the underground, he earned an M.Ed from Bank Street College in Early Childhood Education (1984), an M.Ed from Teachers College, Columbia University in Early Childhood Education (1987) and an Ed.D from Teachers College, Columbia University in Curriculum and Instruction (1987). He has edited and written many books and articles on education theory, policy and practice, and has appeared on many panels and symposia.

People make excuses for Obama all the time, saying, "Well we've all had associations we're not proud of." Would they use this same logic if McCain had been an association of Timothy McVeigh's? I think the answer would be very different then.

Here's something to think about: Let's say you have a 16 year old daughter that gets pregnant by the punk that threatened his teachers, had a gun in his backpack and used a pipe bomb at the school? Would you say, "Oh he's just a young kid going through a phase...he'll grow out of it." How would you feel about your daughter having a child by this young man, hence an "association?" Would you be okay with that association? Well, wait a minute. I know what some of you might do. You'd make that girl have an abortion and then you'd run that kid out of your life, never to speak to him again.

Funny how people turn off their radars and red flags for one but not the other. We're electing a President, not a Hollywood celebrity. But America is so caught up with Obamamania, it won't matter. There will be a movie about him at some point. Heck, at all the Halloween stores I've been to, kids go crazy over the Obama masks and the others sit in a pile. It's very sad when we elevate a King to run our country. The "Obama Temple" is but a small part of things to come.

Now you know

2008-10-20T14:04:00.001-07:00

Question: What is America's first line of missile interceptor defense that protects the entire United States?

Answer: 49th Missile Defense Battalion of Alaska National Guard.

Question: What is the ONLY National Guard unit on permanent active duty?

Answer: 49th Missile Defense Battalion of Alaska National Guard

Question: Who is the Commander in Chief of the 49th Missile Defense Battalion of Alaska National Guard?

Answer: Governor Sarah Palin, Alaska

Question: What U.S. governor is routinely briefed on highly classified military issues, homeland security, and counter terrorism?

Answer: Governor Sarah Palin, Alaska

Question: What U.S. governor has a higher classified security rating than either candidate of the
Democrat Party?

Answer: Governor Sarah Palin, Alaska

According to the Washington Post, she first met with McCain in February, but nobody ever found out. This is a woman used to keeping secrets. She can be entrusted with our national security, because she already is.

Now you know!

Where's Michelle?

2008-10-20T13:46:00.000-07:00

In almost every video I've watched of Obama lately, I see a lot of closeups of him with the American flags right behind. Fair enough. McCain does the same thing, as well as every candidate we've seen in the past. But what I can't understand is, why is Michelle not standing right behind her husband urging support for him? You see Cindy McCain with John McCain everywhere he goes, right behind him. You see Todd Palin and all their kids at times with Sarah Palin.
Only after the big speech do you see Barack's wife nowadays. I don't know if it's tension at home, but Michelle is tight lipped and looks nervous all the time. She definitely isn't introducing Barak as "my honey, my baby's daddy" anymore. I guess that big plane of Barack's is only big enough for his ego.

Channel One Suite

2008-10-12T20:55:00.000-07:00

I've had some requests for the full version of "Channel One Suite" I posted on youtube. Since it's limited to 10 minutes I couldn't get the whole thing there. I'm happy to announce that I have it available on yousendit.com. Copy and paste the URL into your browser and you should be able to download it.

https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&send_id=614549849&email=1815c3859b06f563bedd47da5be97cc4

Delusional Christians

2008-10-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

It's fascinating to watch atheists denounce Christians as delusional, say the Bible is mythology and that all God believers should be locked away, and imply that if we just "dispel" our faith we will be intelligent like them.

Well got a news flash for ya, liberals. Obama has said he is a Christian, goes to church and reads his Bible. Yet many of you are going to vote for him because you can't fathom voting for the McCain/Palin ticket. So I don't see how you can argue this and be okay with it. I see a very big hole in this logic.

Either way, looks like we will have another Christian president on our hands. Unless you guys really think deep down Obama isn't "really" a Christian and you can make an exception?? That it's okay to bash the Republican ticket over religion, but not Obama's?

Also, the American Psychiatric Association literature, as well as the DSM-IV reference book, do not promote religious beliefs as delusional.
And the Bible has not been officially endorsed by ANY secular organization worth any salt as mythology.