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The Cowardly Terrorist of Fort Hood

I wasn't going to write anything about this because I figured the media would be all over it and it would be a 24/7 update on all the news stations. Instead they are molly coddling this cowardly terrorist who opened fire on a roomful of UNARMED people. Some are even trying to make him the victim and not even mentioning the 31 he injured and 13 he killed. Does anyone know their names? It's poor Nidal Malik Hasan. He was so upset over the thought of being deployed to Afghanistan and posted on the web he could not kill fellow Muslims. That he believed in their cause and felt the suicide bombers were doing the right thing.

He purchased the guns days in advance. He gave away all his belongings to a neighbor saying he would no longer need them. He passed out the Koran and preached Muslims as in the right. He entered the base with his military identification and carried unauthorized weapons with him. He stood up from his desk and proclaimed Allah is good and opened fire. This is not a random act of a man who suddenly cracked as some are trying to say, but the planned act of a terrorist who knew what he was doing and planned on dying a hero in the eyes of fellow Muslims.

Thank goodness for the bravery and forethought of a young female police officer, who even after having been wounded herself by this coward, had the guts to fire back and wound him to put him out of commission.

U.S. News "Cone also said that a female officer who was thought to be the first responder shot Hasan and was herself wounded and had undergone surgery at a hospital. It was not clear if the officer was a military policewoman or a civilian officer."

Oh, and what was resident Obama's response to this horrible tragedy? To this massacre of brave American military personnel, on American soil, on an American base?
Don't jump to conclusions. Oh wow! gee... like he didn't when Sgt. James Crowley (a white cop) was forced to arrest Professor Gates (a black man) because Gates himself made such a scene when the officers responded to a call by a neighbor of a possible break in at his home. The snippet is he was new to the neighborhood, had been away, returned home late, the lock didn't work so he broke in. When asked for identification he threatened the officer asking do you know who I am? Screaming actually and calling the cop a racist. Okay... so Obama immediately sides with the black professor and when he find he was in the wrong does he apologize? No, he calls a beer conference. HUH???

So, what are you going to do now mr. don't jump to conclusions obama. call a beer conference between this cowardly murderer, if he survives, and the brave people he killed...oh wait...their dead...I guess it would have to be the grieving familes of the brave people he killed. And what? Ask them to understand this poor misunderstood muslim coward and forgive him for the cold blooded murders of their children?

Addendum: I wanted to respond to Victoria stating that the majority of news stations were reporting this as a terrorist act and stating this coward was a muslim here so I could post the link showing this is not true. Of the networks reporting 85% never mentioned the word terror or called it a terrorist act and only 28% mentioned the muslim connection. We heard this on the news last night and I also found a link here on the internet. We watch many different news reports and were shocked to find out how little coverage this actually got.

Yeah, yeah, yeah....

I know, I know! I haven't posted here in a long long while. Not because things haven't been going on, but just nothing worth writing about.

I did record one of my poems on dvd and am now trying to see how to get it up on youtube.

Tomorrow I take two more cats to the vet for their annual shots and then later take my husband to another doctor appt.

Let's see...what other exciting things are going on... somehow October got past me and I never saw it coming or going!

Well, I'll try to live a more exciting life. Actually my previous years have been exciting enough and it's about time I had some time that isn't all thrills and chills.

until something exciting happens... zbird

OUCH!!!!! That hurt!

My husband has hundreds and hundreds of vhs movies and even though we've given boxes full to goodwill we still have way too many. As they are replaced with dvd's we pass the vhs tapes on. But, we also don't have enough wood bookcases to hold them all, so some were stacked on metal utility shelves. So, picture this....

In the room where I pay bills, etc, I have a table in the middle of the room. On the wall to the right was (not the word was) a metal shelving unit with vhs tapes 3 deep on each of the four shelves. Behind my chair was another metal utility shelf also with vhs tapes 3 deep on each shelf. So, I sit down at the table to pay bills yesterday and our 25 pound cat follows me. Not paying attention to what he is doing I am not able to stop him when he decides he needs to get up on the shelf to the left of me.

Creak!!!! Rumble!!!! Crash!!!! It falls over partially on me and I am buried in video tapes, but it also manages to crash into the one behind me and it is now skewed to the left. The only thing holding it up right now are the boxes of videos I have stacked next to it.

To say I was a bit sore is an understatement, but I did survive. Today I went out looking for sturdy wooden bookcases. Yikes! the prices! None at the thrift stores, so after a break I will be boxing up more tapes and finding homes for them until I can replace the old shelving units. Needless to say the metal utility shelves will not be on the list.

One of those days!

Last night my plans for today were to go do laundry and then since it was to be a nice day outside take a nice walk! Yep! those were my plans. When I got up this morning I found water on the back bathroom floor. Thought nothing of it and wiped it up. Went back later and dang! more water! Well, the kitchen sink was clogging up which meant I would have to call our favorite plumber and I do mean favorite. This guy is the sweetest old guy who loves his work!

My day went like this. Did laundry but got a call from Keith that he had left his cell phone at home. Would I look for it and would I mind bringing it to the school for him. Nope! no problem. Did that and then came back home and called the plumber. Left a message with his wife and two hours later he was at the door! Fixed the leak in the bathroom, unplugged the kitchen sink and checked out why the garbage disposal never worked to see if he could fix it today, too. Had to leave to pick up Keith, but plumber was gone when we got back. He called to check to make sure we got in because he had locked the door when he left. And yes, we do trust this guy alone in the house. He also informed us the garbage disposal unit didn't work because it was rusted out. He can either replace it or exchange it out for a regular pipe and drain. Probably should ask the landlady about that one!

In the meantime we've been here four years without a garbage disposal so probably don't need it.

Somehow I did manage to get a lot of housework done as well so the day wasn't entirely wasted.

Tomorrow - I get that walk!!

You never know what you're going to get!

Last weekend I told my mom I was making meatloaf this weekend. The first thing she said was don't forget the egg. My mom is 88! You'd think she would forget my meatloaf fiasco of 40 some years ago when I made my first one and it fell apart as I took it out of the pan. I had followed the recipe exactly! I knew I had. Until we found the egg still sitting on the kitchen counter. It was the egg, my mother informed me, that kept the meatloaf together. So, today, I did not forget the egg.

But, it did bring to mind another meatloaf fiasco for me. I was in the middle of making one when I realized I didn't have any tomato paste of ketchup. Well, I did have a can of tomato soup and figured that would be the same. Wrong! But I did invent meatloaf soup!

While talking with my current husband about these mishaps he commented on my experimenting with cooking and said, 'yes, sometimes you invent some real gems and other times you come up with entirely new life forms.' He's such a sweetheart.

Husband number 2 used to say he knew dinner was ready when the smoke alarm went off. So, I have never been a great cook, but I do get industrious every once in awhile amd come up with some really good concoctions. Some husband number 3 names Zephry goop. He likes my goop experiments! But as he says sometimes ... well, you just never know what you're going to get.

Poor Joe Wilson!

When (p)Resident Obama was giving his fairy tale story of how the health care plan would work, our representative, Joe Wilson (R), did the dumbest thing he could have done. He stood up and spoke the truth and said Obama lied when he said the health care plan would not cover illegal aliens. Should he have done it? NO! But to call him a racist for saying Obama lied is just as stupid as him breaking protocol and calling Obama a liar in a public forum.

I ask, where are the racist remarks here? Did he use the 'N" word? Did he make any reference to race, color or religion? Let's listen and hear.


One of the teachers at the college where my husband works went as far as to say Joe Wilson proved he was a Ku Klux Klan member with his racist remarks. Again, I ask where are the racist remarks. It is one man calling another man a liar. So, every time a white person questions the integrity of another who is black, regardless of the legitimacy of the charge, then that person is a racist? Then why doesn't it work the other way around? If you ask a black person why Joe Wilson's remark is considered racist the only answer I get is because he's white and he called a black man a liar. So, if he had called Bush a liar, which happened many times during his (P)residency then what would we call the white people who called him a liar? And better yet, wouldn't that make all the black people who called Bush a liar racists? Interesting concept and if you think about it at all to call a man a racist for calling another man a liar is ridiculous. The word racist is used so liberally these days it is losing it's power and it's meaning.

So, let's see how the dictionary defines racist.

One online dictionary gives this definition: racist: a person with a prejudiced belief that one race is superior to others.

Answers.com gives this definition:
1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

The urban dictionary has a great definition and really goes into depth of how ridiculous it is to call someone a racist just because they are white. Here is the first paragraph but it is really worth going to the link and reading it all.

If you're a white man, this is what you are. It doesn't even matter if your wife is black and you have an adopted child from India, or how many black friends you have, somehow you're going to end up being a racist according to how the media portrays the white man as "racist whities".

Gone 500 Miles

Yesterday another important person from my coming of age period passed away. Mary Travers, of Peter Paul and Mary left this world, but left it a better place for having been here. She may not have left on a Jet Plane and is more than 500 miles away from home, but her leaving left a big hole in my heart.

Peter Paul and Mary were very politically active. They performed If I Had a Hammer in 1963 during the march on Washington. They were big promoters of Bob Dylan and one of their biggest hits was his Blowin' in the Wind. They also performed other songs of his including The Times They Are a Changin' and Don't Think Twice.

Don't think twice it's alright, Mary. You did a lot of good with your time on this earth, touched a lot of lives, and you made a difference.

So, now we must say goodbye to another great person who made more than a small impact on the world around her. Good bye Mary Travers. Sing Autumn to May sing tarrry-o-day.

The facts ma'm, just the facts

New York Times, June 18, 2009

Each day, the New York Police Department announces major crimes, including most homicides, in the five boroughs. This data is compiled from those reports, in addition to news accounts, court records and additional reporting. The map will be updated as new information becomes available.



And per the U.S. Census bureau the races break down to:

Whites make up 73.4% of NYC population
Blacks 17.3%
Asians 7%
Hispanic 16.7%

Serena Williams acts out at the U.S. Open

It’s time for me to put my two cents in on the Serena Williams outburst during the U.S. Open semi-finals. There are those who compare her to John McEnroe and claim he was never fined or penalized so why should Serena pay a fine. First, of all, that’s like comparing apples to oranges. As angry as John McEnroe got he never threatened a line judge with bodily harm. And yes, indeed! He was penalized, fined, and lost games, sets, and even matches due to penalties.

But, Serena went too far. When a 5’10”. 185 pound woman charges at a line judge, waving her racquet at her and shoving a ball out at her with her other hand screaming, “swear to God I’m f*cking going to shove this f*cking ball down your f*cking throat, that my friends is a threat to do bodily harm. To give the line judge credit she sat there and said nothing to instigate the situation further. (BTW this was all because the line judge called her on a foot fault, which if Serena truly believed she didn’t do she could have issued a player challenge). Serena then walked back to serve her second serve and then suddenly turned and charged at the line judge again screaming obscenities at her. This caught the attention of the chair umpire who called the line judge over and asked what Serena was saying to her. When she heard what had transpired she called out the tournament referee. Serena lost one point for the foot fault and then lost the match point on a penalty for her abusive language. She found nothing wrong with what she did and later stated she didn’t understand why the woman felt threatened. As one news person stated, did Serena watch the tape and still have to ask that question? It was a scary moment for those of us watching as it did look as if she was going to go after the line judge physically.

There have been many arguments on both sides, but my all time favorite in defense of Serena was on a discussion site. The person stated we were all racists for expecting Serena to act white. That the f-word is a part of the black culture and is used liberally and accepted and anyone who thought she was wrong is a racist. Hmmmmm…..

Okay, personally, I have no issues with the use of the word, but when you play a sport you abide by the rules of that sport, tournament, etc. and Serena knew the rules before she started the match. Yes, she should have been fined and yes, she should be suspended. So far all she got was a $10,000 fine and when compared to the $250,000 she got for making it to the semi-finals that’s chicken feed. She and Venus were allowed to play in the doubles and by the tournament rules they could have suspended her from playing.

My take on this is that this woman who when she loses always has an excuse – I sprained my ankle, hurt my back, broke a fingernail…. Knew she was losing and losing badly and rather than allow Kim Clisters the victory she took that away and put the attention on herself. As Kim said later she never got to experience the thrill you get when you serve that final ball for the win. So, Serena, got what she wanted. Even though she lost in the semi-finals she denied Kim her victory. But, Kim Clisters did go on to win the finals and take home the U.S. Open trophy.

Where have I been?

I was reminded today that I haven't posted here for awhile. There is really no excuse except I've been busy on gotpoetry.com, bookcrossing.com and various other sites that take the little time I have to be online. Scrabble calls me and entices me away from my duties to my blog. So, I am hereby making an announcement and pronouncement and whatever else you may call it that I will loyally come here and post once a week even if I have nothing say. Oh heck, especially if I have nothing to say.

The problem is lately I have had too much to say but am trying to be good and not post my opinions on what is happening in Washington, DC these days. It's too scary for one thing and more than ever I fear for the future of our once great country.

But, I won't go there... in fact I have to leave in a few minutes to pick up my husband at work and bring him home. We will watch more of the U.S. Open. For me all other news is moot right now anyway.

Good luck and good night.

Before you go to cash for clunkers....

...you want to watch this. Basically you are giving the govt. the right to access everything on your computer and your computer becomes govt. property by agreeing to their terms. Watch before you act!

Healthcare in plain English?

As I listen to all the debates and questions and answers regarding this so-called healt care reform bill what is most blatant is it seems none of the govt. officials involved have any idea what this bill is all about.

Take the question on illegal aliens, for example. When asked if the new bill would cover illegal aliens the speaker of the house gave this response.

KING: What about illegal immigrants, what should happen to them if we have national health care reform? Should they be able...
PELOSI: I'm sorry?
KING: Illegal immigrants.
PELOSI: Illegal immigrants?
KING: If you're in this country illegally, should you be able to get health care?
PELOSI: No, illegal immigrants are not covered by this plan.

Pelosi knew just what the interviewer meant—her questions made a subliminal statement. Like other politicos from both parties, Pelosi refuses to uphold laws governing immigration.

and then went on to say the following:

KING: And so what happens to a public hospital then if they walk into the emergency room? Again, the hospital I was at this week, they said, you know, they do 6,000 births a year there and 70 percent of them are for undocumented.
PELOSI: I don't know about that. But I do know that the law requires that if somebody comes in off the street and needs care, that it is extended. What we see in this legislation is that people will have access to affordable health care, and it will diminish the number of people going into those private -- public hospitals in the manner in which you described.

So basically the illegals will still get to drain our system by receiving free health care that we the American citizens will pay for. And how is that different from the current healthcare?

There are many other confusing issues. Abortion will be covered but not paid for by the taxpayers. But it's the taxpayers who are paying for the plan!

First, we checked a claim by Rep. John Boehner that the plan would require Americans to "subsidize abortion with their hard-earned tax dollars." While there are several versions of the health care plan floating around Congress, and it seems that full abortion coverage would be permitted in the government-sponsored program, we didn't see anything in them that would put taxpayers on the hook for subsidizing abortions. In fact, we found an amendment in a key version of the House plan that specifically seeks to ensure that federal funds are not used to subsidize abortion coverage.

So are abortions covered? if so who is paying for them? and who decides who can have an abortion? If we want to keep the government out of our wombs, as we used to say when pro-choice was born, aren't we letting them in even deeper with this health care reform? bill?

I watched the town hall meeting with Arlen Specter and he hemmed and hawed and sputtered and stammered and finally admitted there wasn't even a bill before congress right now so no one was clear on what was going to be in it in the end. No one understands it as written and no one knows what or who it will cover and yet we debate it day in and day out.

Give me the facts, not the rhetoric. Wtite the bill in plain English so even those of us who don't have college degrees can understand it. Oh, and then, let US vote on it since it will affect us...the general public...you know of the people, for the people, etc. It certainly won't affect those who are attempting to shove some garbage down our throats because they already have a great healthcare plan.

Which leads me to one final question. We are told we can choose between our current plan and the govt plan, but if we lose our current plan we must opt into the govt plan. And if you don't you will be fined. So there really is no choice. You can't choose to self insure, you can't choose a private insurer if you lose your current insurance...oh my! this is confusing! no one has given a straight answer on that one either.

According to CNN we stand to lose many freedoms under the Obama plan.

So I ask again...please write this in plain english, keep it under 25 pages, and put it out where the public can find it, read it, and then let us be the ones to decide if we want it. This is still America and we should still have freedom of choice. I want the right to choose. Why does the govt. think it knows better than I do what would be best for me?

.

R.I.P. Rich

Richard S. “Ebster” Napierkowski Richard S. Napierkowski, age 62, lost his courageous battle with cancer Sunday evening August 2, 2009. He was born in Erie September 1, 1946 son of Anna Skolnik Napierkowski and the late Stanley Napierkowski. Richard worked at Zurn Industries for over 30 years and then for ACL Laboratory. He was a U. S. Army veteran serving during the Vietnam War. Richard was a NASCAR fan and a Pittsburgh Steeler fan. He was a loving and devoted son and father. Besides his mother he is survived by his four children Mark Napierkowski and his wife Julie of Erie, Brian Napierkowski and his wife Kelly of West Springfield, Lori Lanagan and her husband John of Waterford, Arlene Falletta and her husband Craig of Lake City, his adored thirteen grandchildren, three brothers and five sisters: Bob Napierkowski, Mary Simanowski, Kathy Dylewski, Stan Napierkowski, Carol Gradler, Sue Powell, Ron Napierkowski and Lena Trojanovich. Many nieces and nephews also survive. Richard will be missed by all those who knew and loved him. He was preceded in death by two infant brothers. Friends may call at the Mark G. Razanauskas Funeral Home 701 East Avenue, Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. where a prayer service will be conducted Thursday morning at 10:30 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at Holy Family Church at 11 a.m. Interment Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Sign the guestbook at www.GoErie.com/obits

Dying for a response

This weeks Ob-la-di meme asks.....

To dye or not to dye, that is the question. Do you dye your hair? To cover the gray or just for fun? Are you planning to stop dying it at some point, or if you don't dye it, have you ever? Tell me about how you want to dye.

The funny thing is I dyed my hair in my 30's and 40's. I stripped it wanting to go blond and ended up with the weirdest shade of red for awhile. So, I dyed it auburn over that and still it wasn't quite right. I have had my hair dark brown, ash brown, auburn, and highlighted and streaked in various shades. I stopped dying it in my 50's when I realized I liked the various shades of gray and white that were forming natural streaks in my brown hair. It looked cool! I am now 61 and while my hair gradually turns more and more gray and white I don't mind. I doubt I will ever dye it again. No, I know I will never dye it again. My hair has gotten quite long as I also tired of getting it cut. In the front it is past my shoulders and in the back it is almost to my waist. It is very fine so not thick. The long gray hairs and white hairs blending through the brown are more artistic to me than a sign of age. I like it!

Happy Birthday, Victoria!

Happy Birthday to my sister, Victoria!

Musical influence - Obladi meme

This weeks Obladi meme is about how music affected our generation. Do you think music influenced our feelings about the times or did the events influence the music? And what were some of the songs and singers that had the biggest impact on you or that you still enjoy today?

I think it might have been both of the answers. The songs reflected the mood and the passion of the times while at the same time the events gave birth to a lot of the songs. But the music and the words gave passion to the movements and I think that’s what draws me most to the 60’s and 70’s. We were passionate! Regardless of what side we were on we drew lines and marched and protested and made our voices heard. We were the young generation then and we were determined to make a difference. I don’t see that in today’s youth. I see a lot of selfish, spoiled, self centered children who care only about how the next minute effects them and not how anything affects the world as a whole. We cared and our songs gave voice to our feelings… like…

And it’s 1 2 3 what are we fighting for?
Don’t ask me I don’t give a damn!
Next stop is Viet Nam
And it’s 5 6 7 so open up them pearly gate
There aint no time to wonder why
Whoopee!
We’re all gonna die

And then more gentle songs but still with a powerful message

Blowing In the Wind – the answer my friend is blowing

Or Boy Dylan’s Rainy Day Women that reflected the drug movements of the times, yep, according to Bob Everybody must get stoned!

We carried our songs to the streets, to the coffee shops, to the city parks where we sat and sang and played guitars and tried to live for today because tomorrow you will die. We really believed our time was limited because our government was determined to kill all the young people in the Viet Nam war. Now it’s Iraq and Afghanistan but where are the songs protesting the wars? Where is the youth of today speaking out? They’re in Ipods, and cell phones, and texting LOL and BFF instead of taking a look at the world around them.

Yes, the music definitely helped form opinions and feelings and also informed us of events that may have gone unnoticed. The songs were our messengers.

We were the generation of sex, drugs and rock and roll and yet we were so innocent and so naïve. We really believed we could change the world and damn it! We tried. But when I look at the corruption in the government today and that regardless of promises made on the campaign trails all politicians are liars, cheats, and could care less about America and its people, but only what benefits them. Nothing has changed. We tried. And maybe for a moment…maybe for that moment in time we did make a difference. We certainly got people to notice us and hear our voices. Maybe if today’s youth were as involved as we were…well, maybe they could make a difference, too. But they will never have the passion and the depth of understanding we had then.

To list all the musicians and songs that influenced me during those years would take another two pages, at least! Some were Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Tom Waits, Pete Seger, Simon and Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell, Arlo Guthrie, Janis Joplin, Janis Ian, and the list goes on. Each brought their own special personality and message and we listened.

We had Greenwich Village, Hait Ashbury, and Woodstock! We were one of the most eclectic, passionate, and politically active generation and I doubt there will ever be another generation to compare.

Fly Ribbon

We have flies in the house. Mainly in the downstairs room and they seem to come in from the door that leads to the outside. So, my husband says get some fly strips to hang up and get rid of the flies. I went to Walgreen's to see what they had and all I could find was something called Fly Ribbon. So, I buy it and take it home.

The instructions are easy enough. Pull out cord slowly with twirling motion until thumbtack is exposed. Remove and place the thumbtack to a secured position for later use. Hang the ribbon using the thumbtack away from the sunshine. (okay, that last line needs some rework but who am I to tell them how to write instructions. Sounds to me as if we are to use the thumbtack away from the sunshine. I think they meant to hang the ribbon away from the sunshine.

Anyway, I do as the instructions said. I pulled the cord with a twirling motion until the thumbtack was exposed. I then removed it, but in the process the ribbon part stuck to my fingers and I ended up with sticky gunk on my fingers. I pull them away and the ribbon flies! And not on the flies! I ends up stuck under my arm. I had on short sleeves so the ribbon was literally stuck to my arm pit! I managed to pull it off, but in the meantime it had moved to my shirt! So, now I had gunk on my fingers, under my arm and down the side of my shirt! Okay..deep breath! I get the tack and stick the strip on the side of the door frame and some how manage to get my hair stuck to the ribbon! It is now hung so I head to the bathroom to wash the gunk off fingers, arm pit and hair and change my shirt. Well, regular hand soap had no effect on the sticky stuff except to make it stickier! I ended up getting detergent to wash it off after I had removed the shirt. I am now stick-um free but still have three more ribbons to hang! And you wonder why my mother calls me Lucy!

Oh, and it's been hanging for half a day now and not a single fly is stuck to it! Maybe I'll try to hang another one tomorrow.

Tuesday Newsday July 7th

This weeks tuesday newsday, and yes I am doing it on the right day for a change, asks about the prolonged media attention on 2008 candidates.

The last Senatorial election is finally decided. The Governor of Alaska, former Vice Presidential candidate, resigns. Franken and Palin. Do you find it strange that two people from the LAST election are still making news?

I find it more strange that Michael Jackson, a self proclaimed king of pop (coke maybe?) is getting all this attention. Okay, he died. It's sad when anyone dies, but what makes him so special? Jesse Jackson says it's because he had more international influence than any president and he said it with a straight face! Everyone is acting as if this man was a great war hero or something instead of a pedophile and drug addict! If this is what black people honor and feel is worthy of a media circus then I have to wonder about how they form their ethics and morals.

But as for Franken, well there's another laughing stock. He sure played up his comedic talent and stole that election. I am glad Norm Coleman finally had enough class to realize it was a lost cause and move on to bigger and better things. Sarah Palin will always be in the news regardless of what she does or doesn't do. She was fresh, unique, and very off the wall and no one knew what to make of her. She could have chosen a better time to resign, but from what I understand she did it at that time AFTER talking with republican leaders and her Lt. Governor Sean Parnell. So, it wasn't as if she just woke up and said this is it.

But, no I'm not surprised the media is still focusing on the 2008 election and it's candidates long after it should have been over. It was one of the most disgusting as well as interesting elections I've ever witnessed. Hopefully we will never see the likes of it again and hopefully by the end of this year the fascination with all the crap will be over.

Tuesday newsday June 30th

Yea, this was my post and yes I did forget to go back later and put in a response. So here is my response to my last tuesday newsday post that dealt with the cap and trade tax... I mean bill :-).

The question is not whether we need a cap and trade bill. How do you feel about this new bill?

There's an old line that a rose by any other name will smell as sweet and that holds true here as well. A tax by any other name still stinks. Yes, they are making it look good on paper that it's the big businesses that will be taxed... I mean will be capped on the emissions they are allowed to emit, but the costs to them will be astronomical even with the trade for greenhouse gas credits. And who will end up paying? Not the businesses? They will simply do what they have always done and pass the additional charges onto the us...the public. And who will be hurt most by these increases for products and services? The poor and the lower middle class! The ones Obama said he would not put any additional burden on during his reign of terror... I mean power. Yet, every time we turn around the changes he is making are hurting mainly the poor and lower middle class. Can we afford to do this now with the economy sinking into a swamp of deficits, out of control spending, bailing out of banks and auto makers who end up squandering the money? The answer to anyone with common sense is of course not! No, not now Mr (p)Resident. As I said anyone with common sense would see the disastrous outcome this would have right now.

Friday - Ob-la-di meme

This weeks Ob-la-di meme asks if we are more or less active as we get older?

"If you were retired (or are retired) are you planning to take it easy, lay back and do nothing, or are you looking forward to doing all those things you've been waiting your whole life to do? Will you slow down? Will you speed up? (I feel like going into a "Green Eggs and Ham" parody here, but I will refrain.)"

I don't like going slow
I don't like it, no! no! no!
I don't like the arthritic pains
I don't like it more when it rains

okay...my little bit of fun. But there is a serious side to that goofy poem. At 35 I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. In a nutshell this is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the joints.I was told at that time I would be in a wheelchair by age 50. I am now 61 and am still walking. But, yes, it has slowed me down. The pain can be so excruciating at times I have to stop what I'm doing and sit down. I find myself cleaning house in spurts rather than one long cleaning session. There are nights when sleeping becomes almost impossible due to the pain in my knees, left hip, and back. Yes, it affects many parts of the body. My hands show it the most with my fingers twisting and the joints swelling. There are medications, which I take with care, and only when the pain gets beyond what I can endure. The side effects of the medications are often worse than the disease and my asthma can react badly to the meds.

This is not the type of pain I used to get when over extending myself skiing or bike riding or playing tennis. Those pains could be relieved by stretching exercises and making myself get moving. Unfortunately with RA you just have to deal with it. There are good days when I am pretty much pain free and I take real advantage by getting outside to prune and trim. I will mop floors and scrub the tub on those days. So, it's not all bad. But when it strikes I am at the mercy of the pain.

But the point is I don't give into it. I learned years ago I could let the pain control me or I could control the pain. So, even on my worst days I am up and moving and getting things done. It takes me four times as long on those days and I can work in 15 to 20 minute spurts before I need to sit for awhile and let the pain in my spine let up. But I am not going to stop living because of it. As long as I refuse to give into the pain it cannot control me.

And I still dream and still have ambitions and yes, I do look forward to doing things I had planned on doing when I retired. And someday I'll actually do them!

Do what I say?

Well, by now the entire nation knows what's been going on here in SC. You know, the Baptist bible belt where everyone is holier than thou and never sins themselves. You know, the place where the governor condemned Bill Clinton to hell for having an affair in the white house and wanted him impeached. Well, well, well, so now we have a case of do what I say not what I do. Our dear old governor decided it would be okay, to use our tax money, to finance trips to Argentina so he could screw his bimbo and we would just forgive him. After all he did say he was sorry and that should cover it. He has no intention of stopping the affair, cares not that he hurt his wife and children, cares not that he abandoned his state and left us without a governor, as no one knew where he was for a week, or that he stepped over the bounds of good sense into the totally ludicrous. Oh yeah, we are so proud of him we could just...s*it!!

Product Endorsement

I don't normally do this. In fact, I don't remember every posting about a product on my blog. A few weeks ago I went to Kmart and got one of those steam mops. A bit skeptical but it did have a warranty. I tried it on my horrible kitchen floors first. The cats track litter and it gets ground in and even the swiffer couldn't remove it all and the floors always looked a bit dingy. Not after the steam mop! Wow! That thing really does pull up all that ground in grime. Then I tried it on the hardwood floors where the cats had left some hairball type presents that never came completely up, unless I held hot wet cloths to them. Those days are over! This steams them right up and you can't even tell they were there. The biggest trial, so far, has been the bathroom. No matter what I did the main one never felt quite clean. After I used the steam mop on the floor in there I asked my husband how it smelled when he went in. He said he didn't smell anything, which was what I wanted to hear. No cleaner cover ups, but just plain clean. In fact, even with all the cats, since I've been using the steam mop he says he doesn't get any odor when he walks in the door. Next, I plan to try it on the carpet now that I have the carpet attachment. I'll let you know how that goes. But, for anyone thinking about getting one believe me...it does work! it does do what the ads clam.

Obladi Friday Meme

This weeks Ob-la-di blog deals with the passing of three icons of our generation. Ed McMann, Farah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. It asks the question "What celebrity deaths have affected you the most and why? What affect did their lives and careers have on you?"

This was a tough one for me, because three immediately came to mind. Richard Farina, Janis Joplin and Harry Chapin. All three deaths shook me, but in the end I realized it was the death of Janis that affected me the most. She was the one with whom I identified the most. Her music and songs were as tragic as her life, yet, there was something so innocent and vulnerable about her you wanted to hug her and try to make things better. Joan Baez summed it up best in her song tribute to Janis, after her untimely death at the age of 27.

In the quiet morning
There was much despair
And in the hours that followed
No one could repair

That poor girl
Tossed by the tides of misfortune
Barely here to tell her tale
Rolled in on a sea of disaster
Rolled out on a mainline rail

She once walked right at my side
I'm sure she walked by you
Her striding steps could not deny
Torment from a child who knew

That in the quiet morning
There would be despair
And in the hours that followed
No one could repair

That poor girl
She cried out her song so loud
It was heard the whole world round
A symphony of violence
The great southwest unbound

la laa laa laa la la la laa laa
la laa laa laa la la laa laa
la laa laa laa la la la laa laa
la la la laa laa
la la la laa

In the quiet morning
There was much despair
And in the hours that followed
No one could repair

That poor girl
Tossed by the tides of misfortune
Barely here to tell her tale
Rolled in on a sea of disaster
Rolled out on a mainline rail

Tuesday Newday Iran Elections

This weeks tuesday newsday asks about our feelings regarding the Iran elections and the chaos that has followed. I've been slow in responding to this one because I am conflicted over the whole affair. AFter all, our last three elections (George Bush twice and Obama) were won by hook and by crook. While the powers that be couldn't prove all the underhanded tactics Obama was using to steal this election, they knew he was doing it. But as they said his years as a community organizer taught him how to hide a lot of sins and illegal funds. As for George Bush it was so blatant even he never denied it. He just laughed at us. So, now we have Iran where the regime has taken over from an elected president and our president says little to nothing. In my humble opinion, it's because it would be hypocritical of him to come out against the illegal taking over of the presidency when he did the same thing - just in a more subtle way. As for what happens in Iran? Well, that's Iran's business. We need to allow them to settle their own affairs and worry about our home and country and the mess we're in right now. The rioting will stop, the people will calm down, and maybe they can work it out maturely and intelligently. So, in one sense I agree with Obama's hands off policy. But I also feel he's only hands off and soft on the Iran regime because he's afraid of what would come back to haunt him.

Obladi Friday Meme

This weeks Obladi meme asks our opinions on facebook and myspace.

Do you think Facebook, MySpace, etc., are for kids? Do you use them? Do you find them useful?

If you do use them, which do you use? How often? What for?

I use myspace, but not facebook. I started using myspace because I have a lot of nieces and nephews who wanted me to set up a page. Mainly it was for family and a few close friends to keep in touch. That's pretty much how I use it. I post a few pictures, but am not into all the things you can do with it. I don't feel the need to have hundreds of friends and am amazed at how many requests I get from people who don't know me and have nothing in common with me. I use the message section to keep in touch with friends, but have not been on a lot lately. I may go on once a week, unless I get a message in my email that someone has left me a message on myspace. I know the younger generation thinks this is only for them, but I think they would be shocked to find out how many of us "old people" have myspace and facebook pages!

Tuesday newsday - bad news

This weeks Tuesday newsday asks if we think there is too much bad news reported and do the news programs exaggerate the bad news for the purpose of higher ratings.

While the news media may get higher ratings with the bad news than with reporting good news, I don't think all the blame can be put on them.

I have long felt the news media was controlled by the government and whatever propaganda the government wanted told would be told. We not longer have brave news journalists who will go out and get the real story. They are handcuffed, blindfolded, and gagged by a media controlling government. And what does this government want? They want us to be afraid so they can scare us even more and control us with that fear. Using the fear one by one our rights are being infringed upon and taken away for our own safety, per the government spin.

I remember once a bland faced reporter made a statement that good news is boring. He made some references to we didn't get a storm today, or Mrs. Jones wasn't mugged today. In other words, he trivialized the news in general. By good news we mean report good things people do for others or happy events. Mix the good with the bad to buffer it a bit. But this is not what our government wants, so the media is bound and gagged if they want to keep their jobs. Keep the public in fear and they are better controlled. Just my ever so humble opinion.

Duh! why I say not to rush with changes

My big complaint with Obama is he is pushing so hard to make everyone do what he wants that he isn't looking at the big picture. He said he wouldn't do anything that would hurt the poor or middle class, but dang...check this out!

STIMULUS WATCH: $25 check may cost you food stamps A must read!

Obladi - Female expiration date

This weeks Obladi post talks about how women are no longer considered sexy after they reach that "certain age", yet men consider themselves sexy long after they've gone to pot. Sadly, so does the media. Here's the post.

Female: Best if used prior to age 50!
Have you noticed how when a female actor turns 50 she is suddenly no longer considered a leading lady! She is no longer considered sexy or sexual, yet a male actor remains the leading man far into his 70’s and his female leads get younger and younger and younger. Sometimes the female lead is young enough to be his daughter and the older female, probably even younger than him plays the part of HIS mother!

Look at the news reporters. All the women must be under 50 and probably even under 40 and once past that age they are gone! But the men stick around long after their in their graves because it’s okay for a man to age, but not a woman.

You see ads for beauty products to keep you looking younger and who are they aimed at? The female audience! After all we certainly want to keep ourselves looking young and beautiful for our male counterparts who are getting fat and bald and still thinking they deserve that sexy twenty year old who can fit into a size 3 bikini.

Okay, end of rant! Anyone have any views on this topic?

I first noticed this long before I reached that "certain age" when Jane Pauley had to leave the today show, because she had become too old! Yet, there was Willard Scott, old, fat, and balding, but still considered able to do his job. Why is that when women reach 40 or 50 suddenly they aren't qualified to do the same job they'd been doing for the past 20 years? Do we lose brain cells with every new wrinkle, every gray hair, every extra pound? And do men's brain cells increase with every wrinkle, gray hair, etc? I think not! Yet, women are cast aside like yesterdays garbage when they reach that magic age.

It always makes me chuckle to overhear fat old men talk about how their wives have gone to pot, after having born their children, nurtured and nourished them, and stood by them faithfully through years of trials and tribulations. They either didn't have a mirror or saw something totally different when they looked in it! Do men seriously think they are still sexy with that extra roll around their middle, sagging jowls, and gray hair or bald heads? They can have huge pouches hanging over their belts, that get lost in the fat, and still make fun of a woman with a few extra pounds on her. They sit there ogling the young girls, who are laughing at them, and thinking those girls want them.

Someone once said something I totally agree with... the difference between a 50 year old man with a 19 year old girl and a 50 year old woman with a 19 year old boy is the 50 year old woman KNOWS she looks like a fool. Think about it.

Tuesday Newday - Health care question.

This weeks tuesday newsday is "Taking care of healthcare" and asks....

During the second Presidential debate the candidates were asked if they thought health care was a privilege, a right or an obligation. What do you think? Any of those, or something else?

I'm in between the right and obligation line. I think everyone should have access to health care insurance, but are we obligated to get it? If someone can afford to pay their health care bills and want to avoid the middle then why should they have to get health care insurance? Right now every medical procedure, through any health care plan, has to be approved by someone who isn't even in the health care business! And it's their job to try to save the insurance company money by denying as many procedures as possible. I heard that Obama wants to pass a law that actually penalizes people who don't have health care plans, but why, if they can afford to pay their own bills should they be forced to go into a controlled plan?

And if that isn't enough for you, how important is it to pass something quickly? And how do you think it should be implemented and financed?

Should something be passed quickly? No, I think if we go too fast we get something that isn't thoroughly thought out and will end up a mess. I don't like the idea of the VAT to pay for it either. If the govt. doesn't have available funds, then like the rest of us, they need to rethink their budget and put this on the back burner until they come up with a valid plan to pay for it, or decide to scrap the idea of socialized health care and leave things as they are for now.

Working cats

Our cats may live well with food readily available, warm beds to sleep on, water bowls filled, and litter boxes cleaned regularly. But they also work for their living.

Delia is a self appointed guide. Wherever I go, especially to the bathroom in the middle of the night, she is there to lead the way and make sure I don't get lost.

Ginger's job is to sit on top of Keith, in the morning, to make sure he doesn't float up out of his bed.

Marmalade's job is to keep our feet warm. Whether we want him to or not!

They all share in one job, that I really wish they would quit. Keeping the laundry warm! When I bring in the laundry, warm and fresh from the laundromat, they take it upon themselves to lay on it to make sure it stays nice and warm.

So, as you can see it may appear they are pampered pets, but they do make sure they work for the services provided them.

Obladi - Identification Please

This weeks Obladi post asks about how our ideas, opinions, etc have changed as we grow older.

I heard an interview on NPR where the person talked about watching plays he had loved since he was a young man. He said that the first time he watched "Death of a Salesman" he identified with the son, Buddy, but now he was Willy Loman.

As well as which character I identify with in a novel, my perspective has changed on other things too. Movies and books that I thought were incredibly wonderful when I was younger, now seem to be... well... somewhere between wretched and stupid.

As you've gotten older, has your perspective changed on media you watch, hear or read?

This is something my husband and I discuss from time to time. How a movie we thought was so earth shattering when younger, seems a bit stupid now. I kept telling how wonderful the movie Soldier Blue was - I saw it in my early 20's - and in truth the movie itself was still pretty good, or would have been. See, when I first saw the movie I identified strongly with the heroine, Cresta Maribel Lee, played by Candice Bergen. Thank goodness she did become a good actor later in life, but when I got my husband to watch this movie, her portrayal was so overdone, overacted, and just plain silly that it detracted from the important issue of the movie. In 1970, when this movie came out, I was 22 and much more impressionable.

Other things I see differently are politics and religion. But I won't get too deep into that here. From a yellow dog democrat, when I was young, I have grown more into an independent voter and tend to look more at the issues and realize everyone who says they are persecuted, aren't. That there are groups who take advantage of the liberal democratic way for self gain. I am more open to both sides of the argument. The same for religion. I have gone from a total Jesus freak to an atheist who believes everyone has the right to believe or not believe as they choose.

I think we all grow and change and see things differently as we age. I know I never thought I'd say things my mother said, but find myself saying things like...you call that music? Things irritate me more as I get older. While I am tolerant of differing opinions, I am not tolerant of rude behavior and obnoxious children. Things when I was younger I didn't even notice.

Well, I guess all that to say yes, I have changed my opinions and ideas as I age. I think it's called maturing.

Tuesday Newsday value added tax

The Tuesday Newsday question for this week is about the value added tax. Our current policy makers are seriously discussing VAT, so I thought it would be timely post and hopefully will generate some discussion.

In my humble opinion this is a form of double taxation and a tax that will hit the poor harder than any other group. When studying American History I learned that double taxation was illegal. Now policy makers are debating on whether to add a value added tax to our daily purchases, on which we already pay taxes. This is how they plan on paying for the health care that wasn’t supposed to cost us anymore in taxes. The taxes on the poor were not supposed to be increased, but this is sneaking it in the back door.

So, do the benefits outweigh the impact it will have on the poor? I doubt it. The idea of providing health care for the poor was so they would not be hurt financially to pay for medical services. But, since this tax will affect all purchases in effect the poor will be paying one way or another.

We are already paying so much tax out of our paychecks sometimes it doesn't seem worth the effort. Adding one more tax will just tax us to death and put more people in a position where they are unable to purchase the necessities of life let alone do things like go to a movie or just out for dinner once in awhile. The government needs to come with a better plan than tax, tax, tax. In fact, didn't this president promise he wouldn't raise taxes on the poor?

Obladi

This weeks Obladi post is on forgetting things as we get older.

One of my friends keeps saying she has senile dementia because she forgets things. She feels she is forgetting more than usual. For one thing she couldn’t remember Tom Cruise’s name. That really is understandable to me and something I would happily forget, but this upset her when it took us awhile to get the name.

A doctor once explained it to me this way. Everyone tends to forget things regardless of age, and yes, we do start forgetting more as we age, but that’s expected. Forgetting where you put your keys, your shoes, the remote control is just that – being forgetful. Dementia or Alzheimer’s is when you forget what the keys, shoes, or remote are and how they are used.

Do you find you’re forgetting more the older you get? Any funny stories? Crazy stories? Sad stories? Stories about things you have forgotten.

I guess the funniest thing I've done is something I've done not once, but twice! When sending cards to my mom I put her name, her street address and then instead of Erie, PA I put Sumter, SC. I tell her I keep trying to move her. It's not that I forget where my mother lives, but that I am used to putting Sumter, SC as the city and state with most of my mailings, so it is an automatic thing to do. My mom thinks this is the funniest thing and calls it my senior moment.

Oh, I forget other things, but nothing much more drastic than when I was younger. With a lot on my plate these days I have to make a grocery list for anything over five items or I will forget something.

I think one of the reasons we forget little things as we get older is we are doing a lot more with our time. As young people we didn't have a lot of the responsibilities we have now and the more you have to do the more you have to remember, and as a wise doctor once pointed out, thus the more you have to forget.

The Business of Murder

One thing about doing memes is it gets me on my blog and posting again. For anyone living in Sumter I hope you got to see the Sumter Little Theater's production of The Business of Murder. My friend, Cyndi, and I went last Saturday and believe me it was worth the price of the ticket.

Sumter Little Theatre, 14 Mood Ave.
Description: SLT will be Performing the Last Show in its ‘08-‘09 Season The Business of Murder.

If you like suspense then Sumter Little Theatre has a thrill for you. The upcoming production The Business of Murder written by Richard Harris and directed by Jean Dancy Jones is a captivating psychological thriller that will make anyone a mystery fan. This play has many bewitching twists and turns that will have you on the edge of your seat and hanging on every line. This is a must see production that will close SLT’s ’08-’09 season with a bang.

Tuesday Newsday response

This weeks Tuesday Newsday is about the division in the republican party. It asks the following:
The Republicans seem to be searching for an identity after their recent electoral defeat. The "Colin Powell Republicans" and the "Rush Limbaugh/Dick Cheney Republicans" seem to be having a very public war. Do you think the Republicans should split into their ideological factions, creating a viable third party, or should they work out their problems internal to the party?

And if that isn't enough meat for you to write about, what about those other “third-parties”, the Libertarians, the Green Party, and so on? Although “third-party” candidates have existed for as long as we have had elections, they are called “third-party” no matter how many parties there are. Do they have a place in American society and will any of them ever become equal with the major parties?

For that matter, even the Democrats have majorities in both houses and yet can’t guarantee the White House success in all of his votes since the views of Democrats differ from the conservative Blue Dog Democrats to the liberal Yellow Dog Democrats. Maybe they should split too. What do you think?

First I think the division in the party is a good thing. But, it isn't just the republican party that is in trouble. With the election of Obama I see a lot of inner struggle with the democratic party, also. He wants to dictate, they want to vote on issues and at times neither the twain does meet. But, in my humble opinion, both parties were getting too corrupted to work anymore. They needed a good shake up and hopefully the last election gave it to them. They need to stop believing they are infallible and that the only opinions that matters are theirs.

As for the third party category that has always irked me. It's insulting. Like a third world country has no power, they keep the other parties down by not giving them full recognition or status. All candidates should be invited to ALL debates! It isn't just the democrats and republicans running, so each group should get equal recognition and equal time. These are viable parties with viable candidates and I think the republicans and democrats do themselves and the country a disservice by not allowing the other voices to be heard.

My last word is the republicans need to stop licking their wounds and find a common ground to rework their party. The same advice for the democrats. I see them still running scared thinking ahead to the 2012 election because they aren't as thrilled with their chosen one as they thought they would be and know he may not stand a chance in the next election. And they need to stop denigrating other parties by designating them as third world... I mean third parties and give them fair and equal treatment. I wonder why they are afraid to give merit to other parties?

Obama vs I Spy

I have read Obama’s book Dreams of My Father and had I read it before the election I would have worked even harder to have keep him from becoming president. Reading the book made me glad I was not a relative or friend of his, because he slammed everyone of them! They, not he, were racists! His white family, who raised him, loved him, clothed him, fed and nurtured him, educated him, and gave him the courage to run for president were slammed worst of all. His white grandfather is a racist because OMG! He plays poker with black men! How dare he be so racist! And his white grandmother is a racist because one day at her bus stop a black man acting suspicious made her nervous. Well, dang! I guess if it had been a white man acting suspicious who made her nervous that would have been okay. As long as you don’t get nervous when someone of a different race is acting strangely.

Whoever wrote this book for him really needs to learn to write dialog! The dialog was stilted and sounded so phony at times you knew it didn’t actually take place. It was supposed to have been conversations between Obama and his friends, family, etc., where he set them straight on racism. But it was terrible! The conversations were either embellished or just made up, but either way the dialog was very badly written.

But the part that cracked me up the most was where the writer started slamming I Spy! Yep, Obama is supposed to have said it was a racist show because the white guy always got the girl. OMG! That is so stupid! He obviously never watched the show, and I think I will remind him that black people didn’t like Bill Cosby (Scotty in I Spy) because he acted too white! Oh, and BTW, Scotty got the girl in many episodes.

So here’s the thing…Sheldon Leonard broke the color barrier in television when he cast a black actor and white actor in equal parts in a TV drama. In many of the episodes the cast was over 50% black and all were serious dramatic roles. Alexander Scott, (Bill Cosby) was a Rhodes Scholar and the brains of the operation. When he had a relationship with a woman it was serious. Kelly Robinson (Robert Culp aka the white guy to Obama) was a tennis bum who had many frivolous affairs and a couple serious ones. They were cast as good friends and if the color barrier was mentioned it was in joking between them as friends will do. It was equality for both actors and just for future reference in 1967 Bill Cosby won the Emmy for best actor in a dramatic series.

So Mr. Obama and whoever ghost wrote your book for you. Before you start making empty statements about racism, get your facts straight. This show broke the racism barriers in television dramas! It did not set them!

Aunt Bea

This week’s topic for Obladi, a new blog about getting older and all it entails, is changing expectations.

As you've gotten older, have you found that you are doing things you never thought you would? Maybe something you never thought you could and finally learned? Or maybe something you swore you never would, but find yourself doing? Or even maybe something your mother said you would do one day!

I had been planning a blog post called I wanted to be Aunt Bea and this seems to fit perfectly here. When I was growing up, and I’m sure it’s still the same today the emphasis for girls was you had to be thin. Even a hint of extra fat was unacceptable. I wasn’t a fat child, but I was a healthy one. I bordered on just over the acceptable and was called chubby. I look at older pictures and realize that all my angst about this was not necessary as I was just a normal sized child. While all my friends wanted to be Sophia Loren or any of the other super beautiful thin women I wanted to be Aunt Bea. For those who don’t know who Aunt Bea is catch some old episodes of Andy Griffith. Aunt Bea was the maiden aunt who took care of Andy and Opie (his son) after his wife died. She was a big happy loving woman whose baked goods and canned fruit and veggies won prizes at the state fair. Everyone loved her and no one care whether she was fat or thin. All through my childhood I couldn’t wait to get old so I could get as fat as I wanted and no one would care.

Well, one day I found I had gotten fat. I mean really fat! And suddenly realized it wasn’t what I wanted. Oh, I still didn’t want to be thin and could care less about my size, but I did reach a point where I had to trim it down some. After all, even Aunt Bea wasn’t that fat. Of course, I fell short of my plans and expectations in other ways too. I can’t bake worth a darn! I couldn’t make a pie crust if my life depended on it. Canning is too much work and not worth the time or energy! I am not a very nurturing person, as Aunt Bea, was and certainly wouldn’t put up with the things she did with such a good nature. No, I am not and will never be Aunt Bea. But, I find while that was an interesting ideal to aspire to, it is not my reality.

So, Aunt Bea you were an inspiration to me as a young child, but dang, I am not and never will be Aunt Bea!

Tuesday Newsday

My sister, Victoria, and I have restarted an old meme, tuesday newsday. Each tuesday one of us will post a news topic and invite others to comment on the post. I had the honor of doing the first one, and had just heard some news that really upset me. While listening to early morning talk radio some one called in about gender based abortions now being legal in Sweden. So, the host invited callers to call in and give their opinions. What bothered me was this was the only place I heard this and it may have passed quietly by had I not had a sleepless night.

Why did this disturb me since I am pro-choice? Because that was a difficult decision for me to make. I don't believe in abortion and when faced with the choice I chose adoption. But, I am also aware there are others who can't afford that option. Rape victims, young college women who's entire lives could be changed and futures ruined,women living in poverty who can't afford to care for the children she now has. And the list goes on. So, I decided I had no right to choose for these women and stepped over to the side of pro-choice.

But we aren't talking about any of the above named circumstances. We are talking about healthy women who want a child and can afford to have a child, are deliberately getting pregnant to have a child, and then aborting if they don't like the sex of the child! Now, there are some who would say, oh, so you're pro-choice as long as it fits your agenda, but not pro-choice for everyone. I am pro-choice for those who need that option not those who choose it for selfish reasons. That's like saying I'm for welfare as long as it only benefits the poor, but the rich shouldn't be able to get it. There is a difference between having to choose abortion and choosing it to get the gender you want. In my humble opinion this does empower the anti-choice side.

It doesn't matter which exit you use!

We've been having rain a lot this past week and today was no different. Our little stray, Little Friend, likes to come in out of the rain. The problem is once inside she figures if she can exit through a window, rather than the door she entered, there will be no rain. I keep trying to explain to her no matter how hard she tries she can't get out through the closed window and besides it will still be raining regardless of which exit she uses. She doesn't believe me and will keep trying. I keep opening the door for her to which she runs and then stops when she sees it's still raining. She also seems to feel I have some control over this wet stuff that falls from the sky and complains bitterly to me until it finally stops. Then with great indignation she will leave the captivity of this room and go back outside. Her attitude seems to be that I make it rain so she will have to come inside and then I force her to remain indoors by not stopping the rain. When I did stop and she went back out her cohort Scarface was waiting and he had a few words to say to me also. This is the thanks I get for feeding them every day, providing a warm dry place when it rains, and getting them to the vet when they're sick...and they aren't even our cats!!!!!

Graduation chaos

Saturday was graduation day for Morris College and as usual it was held at the convention center here. There is a huge parking lot and you get their early to get the closer spaces. So, I drive Keith and bring books, writing materials, cell phone, etc. Things to keep me busy while he has to sit in there and listen to all the boring speeches. I won't even get into those and why I stopped going in. Let's just say hearing about all the evil white people who are holding them back, when it's white faculty sitting there who are educating their precious little darlings. Note sarcasm. Anyway, the ceremony started at 10 a.m. and of course, people were still arriving long after 11 a.m. And instead of parking in the parking spaces in the back of the lot they started double parking (0n both sides) and blocking in the cars in the first rows.

Picture being at the supermarket and parked in a space and coming out to find someone had parked their car on the lane in front of your car.

So, they were blocking people trying to get in as well as blocking those who would be coming out to leave. Well, I figured I wasn't going to let them block me in, so moved the car up far enough no one could park in front of me. There was a car blocking the car to my left and soon one blocking in the car to my right. Another late arrival, four young black men (and I use the term men loosely) stopped and one approached me in a threatening way and said...so whatcha gonna do. you be comin or you be goin'? I said, neither I'm sitting here and not moving so you can't block me in. He glared at me and started to move towards the car and said, no, whatcha gonna do (sneering) go or move? I said, neither, I am sitting here. Another got out of the car and I stood my ground. They left cursing and cussing me and I will refrain from posting the words used to describe this white honky bitch....whoops! anyway...

back to the cars on either side of me. When the young man in the car on the right came out, for some balloons, I made a remark about these rude people blocking others in and he got snotty and said, it be a gradyeateshun so dey gonna park dere. I am using the vernacular used when they spoke...these young college students. Well, I got the last smile in when he came out to leave early and found his car blocked in and mine not. He glared at me as if I had blocked his car in, got out his cell phone, and started cussing into it about being stuck there. Some others got the security guard but little he could do, so they had to wait. When Keith came out we pulled out and left. On a side note, when the security guy drove by my car and saw what I had done he gave me a big smile and thumbs up.

I will give the security man credit. He did try to keep up and keep people moving, but he would be at one end making people move and others would be blocking in cars at the other end and leaving before he could get there. Once the proceedings started he could not longer go to the mic and ask people to move their cars.

This rudeness and lack of consideration is something I am seeing way too much of here. If I hear one more person talk about southern hospitality and how rude us northerners are I think I'm going to puke on their shoes!

Seven years!!!

Hard to believe, but yesterday, marked our 7th wedding anniversary. We almost forgot and let it slip by. Keith remembered this morning. Yesterday we were busy with the last day of school - getting all checked out so we could start vacation. I probably wouldn't have remembered at all. Maybe I don't want to remember how long I've been in Swampter, SC aka Bumf*ck Egypt, USA. When you are surrounded by so much ignorance it makes it easier to pretend you are leaving soon and not remember how long you've been here. I tell my husband I must really love him, because if not for him I would have been out of here long ago. So, it's been 8 years total I've been here and 7 years married. I keep saying it's three strikes and your out or third times the charm, as this is the third time for me. So, we had a mexican bake to celebrate and hope for another good year together.

Same track minds

Well, figured I would take a few minutes to write on my blog today, since I have been neglecting it as of late. I was going to write about how I had all these great ideas for postings while thinking when I wake up in the middle of the night, or when sitting at the laundramat watching the clothes spin around, or.... but then I always forget and thought today I would write about nothing and all that at the same time. But, along the way I stopped in at my sister, Victoria's, blog and had to laugh because she had done the exact same blog, except she beat me to it. So, go read her blog!

Tax break my A**

Well, I hope everyone is enjoying the few extra dollars they're seeing in their paychecks, thanks to Obama's tax break. But just in case you think this is really a good thing remember what I tried to tell you all that this would come back to bite you in the end, because it would be taken back when you file your taxes next year.

INSIDE WASHINGTON: Taxpayers to get rude surprise
INSIDE WASHINGTON: Millions of couples, retirees may have to repay some of Obama tax credit
Stephen Ohlemacher, Associated Press Writer
On Thursday April 30, 2009, 6:55 pm EDT

Buzz up! Print WASHINGTON (AP) -- Millions of Americans enjoying their small windfall from President Barack Obama's "Making Work Pay" tax credit are in for an unpleasant surprise next spring.

The government is going to want some of that money back.

The tax credit is supposed to provide up to $400 to individuals and $800 to married couples as part of the massive economic recovery package enacted in February. Most workers started receiving the credit through small increases in their paychecks in the past month.

But new tax withholding tables issued by the IRS could cause millions of taxpayers to get hundreds of dollars more than they are entitled to under the credit, money that will have to be repaid at tax time.

At-risk taxpayers include a broad swath of the public: married couples in which both spouses work; workers with more than one job; retirees who have federal income taxes withheld from their pension payments and Social Security recipients with jobs that provide taxable income.

The Internal Revenue Service acknowledges problems with the withholding tables but has done little to warn average taxpayers.

"They need to get the Goodyear blimp out there on this," said Tom Ochsenschlager, vice president of taxation for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

For many, the new tax tables will simply mean smaller-than-expected tax refunds next year, IRS spokesman Terry Lemons said. The average refund was nearly $2,700 this year.

But taxpayers who calculate their withholding so they get only small refunds could face an unwelcome tax bill next April, said Jackie Perlman, an analyst with the Tax Institute at H&R Block.

"They are going to get a surprise," she said.

Perlman's advice: check your federal withholding to make sure sufficient taxes are being taken out of your pay. If you are married and both spouses work, you might consider having taxes withheld at the higher rate for single filers. If you have multiple jobs, you might consider having extra taxes withheld by one of your employers. You can make that request with a Form W-4.

The IRS has a calculator on its Web site to help taxpayers figure withholding. So do many private tax preparers.

Obama has touted the tax credit as one of the big achievements of his first 100 days in office, boasting that 95 percent of working families will qualify in 2009 and 2010.

The credit pays workers 6.2 percent of their earned income, up to a maximum of $400 for individuals and $800 for married couples who file jointly. Individuals making more $95,000 and couples making more than $190,000 are ineligible.

The tax credit was designed to help boost the economy by getting more money to consumers in their regular paychecks. Employers were required to start using the new withholding tables by April 1.

The tables, however, don't take into account several common categories of taxpayers, experts said.

For example:

--A single worker with two jobs making $20,000 a year at each job will get a $400 boost in take-home pay at each of them, for a total of $800. That worker, however, is eligible for a maximum credit of $400, so the remaining $400 will have to be paid back at tax time -- either through a smaller refund or a payment to the IRS.

The IRS recognized there could be a similar problem for married couples if both spouses work, so it adjusted the withholding tables. The fix, however, was imperfect.

-- A married couple with a combined income of $50,000 is eligible for an $800 credit. However, if both spouses work and make more than $13,000, the new withholding tables give them each a $600 boost -- for a total of $1,200.

There were 33 million married couples in 2008 in which both spouses worked. That's 55 percent of all married couples, according to the Census Bureau.

-- A single college student with a part-time job making $10,000 would get a $400 boost in pay. However, if that student is claimed as a dependent on a parent's tax return, she doesn't qualify for the credit and would have to repay it when she files next year.

Some retirees face even bigger headaches.

The Social Security Administration is sending out $250 payments to more than 50 million retirees in May as part of the economic stimulus package. The payments will go to people who receive Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, railroad retirement benefits or veteran's disability benefits.

The payments are meant to provide a boost for people who don't qualify for the tax credit. However, they will go to retirees even if they have earned income and receive the credit. Those retirees will have the $250 payment deducted from their tax credit -- but not until they file their tax returns next year, long after the money may have been spent.

Retirees who have federal income taxes withheld from pension benefits also are getting an income boost as a result of the new withholding tables. However, pension benefits are not earned income, so they don't qualify for the tax credit. That money will have to paid back next year when tax returns are filed.

More than 20 million retirees and survivors receive payments from defined benefit pension plans, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute. However, it is unclear how many have federal taxes withheld from their payments.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union raised concerns about the effect of the tax credit on pension payments in a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner in March.

Geithner responded that Treasury and IRS understood the concerns and were "exploring ways to mitigate that effect."

Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan, the top Republican on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, said Geithner has yet to respond to concerns raised by committee members.

"So far we've got the, 'If we don't address this maybe it will go away' approach," Camp said.

IRS withholding calculator:

Cats and windows

For the past few weeks we have had such wonderful weather we've been able to open windows. The cats love this as they get to sit in the window and enjoy the air and get closer to the nature outside. Bug likes the one behind my chair, in the living room, and Marmalade is partial to the one in my bedroom. Yesterday, Bug, kept bugging me (pun intended) to open the windows. I told him I would when I got back from dropping Keith off at work. As soon as I got in the door Bug was after me open the windows. I did and he quickly claimed his favorite spot.

This morning, as I was getting ready, Marmalade was actually trying to open the window in my bedroom. I told him I would do it when I got back. Well, I had laundry to do and a few stops to make, but when I got home I went around and opened windows. When I got to the one in my bedroom Marmalade was patiently waiting. Well, as patiently as a cat can wait. As soon as I unlocked it he had his paws on it trying to push it up. I helped him and together we opened it and he took his perch to watch his kingdom from the window.

The great outdoors part II

Well, I was having lunch with my friend, Cyndi, yesterday and we got to talking about all the work I'm doing around my yard. Cyndi loves to work outside as much as I do, so when we finished lunch she said she would go to her home and get her equipment and join me in my yard. We had two hours before I had to go pick up Keith from work, so off we went! OMG! We cut, sawed, pulled, and stacked brush, saplings, and some unidentifiable things, but we got it done! wow! and then Cyndi went home to trade her car for her truck and friend that she is she hauled it all off to the recyling center for me. Of course, today, my ribs and stomach hurt from all the additional excercise but I'm enjoying it. It's a good hurt. Over the weekend I'm going to work more on trimming the holly back and down to a managable level and clean out the back shed a bit more. That is actually looking pretty good these days with me hauling out all the junk, old boxes, and yesterday (another reason my ribs hurt) a huge! roll of old insulation that had gotten wet and was rotting and mildewy. That made a big difference in the shed. Hauled it out to the curb for the city to pick up and they took that away this morning. Ah! Spring cleaning. I know, I know, it's supposed to be spring cleaning inside, but dang! I hate housework! I do what needs to be done but don't get all that carried away until I get into a mood of... hmmmmm...this furniture needs moved, this room needs to be changed with another room...yeah...i feel one of those moods coming on!!!! Happy Spring!

The great outdoors

Over the weekend, the young couple on the right side of our house, trimmed the hedges between the two yards. The wife came over and worked from our side of the hedge and the husband worked on the other side. When they were done it was beautiful and all the flowers looked big and lush and lovely. So, today I decided to work on the ones in front of the house. Unfortunately a lot of small saplings are growing up between the beautiful flowering hedges making it look awful! I got a bit done today and it looks so good I'm going back out to do more tomorrow. There is one drawback to all this exercise and fresh air, though. It tires me out and I fall asleep sitting in my chair. It's a good tired, but dang, I'd rather wait until I was in bed to sleep. Oh well...at least I got some good sleep.

His last April Fool's joke

My ex-husband, Ralph Braueler, had a very offbeat sense of humor. In the fourteen years of our marriage I learned to appreciate his dry humor. He reminded me a lot of Bob Newhart. You had to pay attention to realize how funny he really was. When he was teaching our nephew, Brian, how to drive he told him the deer on it's hind legs meant dancing deer and that the two wavy lines with a car in the middle meant drunk driver ahead. A truck on an incline sign meant falling trucks ahead. Sadly Ralph developed esophogeal cancer and the doctors didn't expect him to live through the Christmas holidays. (Christmas of 2008). Well, Ralph surprised us all and lived a few months longer than the doctors predicted and typical of his offbeat sense of humor Ralph passed away on April 1st (April Fool's Day). Even in dying he got in the last laugh. Even after our divorce we remained friends and stayed in contact over the years until he became too sick to get online. I am deeply greatful to his lovely second wife, Belinda, for understanding I still cared about Ralph and for keeping me updated on his health. The first picture is how I remember him, but I wanted to include the one taken last Christmas because it showed that even facing a catastrophic illness he had not lost his sense of humor. Check out the reindeer horns. Goodbye my friend you will be missed!

Three Years

March 28th marks the third anniversary of the death of my friend Rick. I had written a poem commemorating this day and thought I'd post it here. Hard to believe three years have passed and I still miss him and still forget at times he is no longer here.

Three Years

It’s been three years
yet I haven’t been able
to delete your name and
number from my cell phone.

To do so would admit there
will be no more calls
no more shared jokes
no more songs sung over the lines.

It’s been three years
yet I haven’t been able
to delete your name
from my email account.

To do so would admit there
will be no more “hey you”
missives waiting, no more
letters exchanged over the lines.

It’s been three years
yet I haven’t been able
to delete you from my heart
or from my thoughts.

To do so would admit you
will no longer be there
when I need you as a friend
or to hold me as a lover.

It’s been three years
and I still think of you
when I hear a story I want
to tell you to make you laugh,

See something and think I should
share this with you and then
a fresh pain as I remember…
it’s been three years.

Friends of the Library

As a member of the Friends of the Library I'm kept updated on events. Last tuesday was the annual Friends of the Library meeting and the guest author/speaker was Fran Rizer. Ms. Rizer is the author of the Callie Parrish mysteries. She was a wonderful speaker who had us all in stitches by the time she was done telling us about Callie and her adventures. After the meeting I did purchase some of her books and had her autograph them for me. Now, I am a big mystery buff so was looking forward to meeting a new character and getting involved in some new adventures. I have to admit I was disappointed in the first book. Oh, it was written well enough, but I guessed the murderer at the characters first introduction into the story. Ms. Rizer, at that point, had not learned the art of deception in character development. I am now reading the second book and am hoping she has learned to fool the reader a little better by her second attempt. The books are fun to read, I will give her that, so I am not totally disappointed in her writing. I just like to be fooled for awhile about who the villain is in the story. And if you are ever looking for an entertaining speaker you might call on Fran Rizer. Oh, and she looks nothing like the picture on her books or her web page! Imagine my surprise when the little white haired lady sitting up front turned out to be Ms. Rizer! On her books she has brown hair and is quite young and on her website she has Blonde hair and is still a much younger version than the one who spoke at the FOTL meeting. Hmmmm...maybe she does know more about the art of deception than I thought.

3/15/09 Update: Well, I read the second book (the one pictured above) and it was even easier to find the murderer, if that were even possible! This poor writer has no idea on how to use red herrings, misdirection, or subtle plot turns or hints regarding the bad guy. She does try one red herring but the explanation for it at the end of the story is so out there that it doesn't even make sense. And when at the end of a book it has to be explained then you know something was missing in the story line. Also, I find it humorous that her sleuth never does any sleuthing. Just asks simple ordinary questions and people fall all over themselves confessing to her. Sorry. This is just really bad writing in my opinion. But, remember this is just my opinion. I am sure there are many out there who love this easy to figure out style, but for myself, I prefer to have to use a bit of the gray matter in my head to figure things out as the story progresses. Knowing before the book is even 1/3 of the way through is just no fun.