Last Words on the Subject

Now that a week has passed, Janet's boob (and I'm not referring to brother Michael) has been put back where it belongs and the furor has died down. Apparently, Justin had no idea of what Janet had planned. I'm still not convinced she did it for any reason but to get some cheap publicity. She got publicity, but I think it backfired on her.

Carlie's Law

I live in Bradenton which is just over the county line from Sarasota where young Carlie Brucia lived and died.

There is a lot of talk about the why's and wherefores about how Joseph Smith, the SOB charged in her death, was out on the street and able to get to her. From what I've read in local papers, the dirtbag was on probation and his Probation Officer (PO) was trying to get him revoked and in jail - he was apparently behind in paying court costs or other money ordered by the court to be paid. The judge wanted more evidence showing that he was behind in payment. I'm not faulting the judge (for this), but judges have been known to accept the word of PO's or at least order the probationer to court to prove they are not in violation of their probation. Once in court, if the probationer can't prove they are current, the judge can order their immediate incarceration.

I have a feeling that someone will introduce a bill into the Florida legislature that will be called Carlie's Law. I'm not sure what it will cover, but I hear it coming.

Death Penalty Choice

Florida's death penalty allows the convicted inmate to choose the method of execution - either lethal injection or electrocution. If they don't make an actual choice, the law calls for lethal injection (the convicted inmate has to specifically request electrocution).

This is one time when I would like to offer this choice: death the way the victim died. The convicted inmate would not know when it was coming and just as he's about to die, stop and let him recover. Then, at a later date, do it again. Keep it up until he thinks he'll be allowed to recover and at the last minute, tell him this is it and let him die.

I know: cruel and unusual punishment. But I guarantee two things: he'll really understand how it was for that child to die and he'll never do it again.

Oh, and before anyone starts in on that "innocent until proven guilty" crap, I've already written on that. Once again, it only applies to the court proceedings and specifically to the jury. The jury has to ponder the evidence with an open mind and without personal opinion. The general public, however, can make a decision on guilt or innocence at any time.

Amber Alert

Somehow, for some reason the Amber Alert was not activated until 24 hours after Carlie was abducted. I've heard that Sarasota Sheriff's Office (SSO) didn't enact the Alert because children of her age often run away. She was 11 years old! I don't care if everyone of them run away, SSO should have issued the Alert. That would have meant thousands more eyes looking for her. If she were still alive, maybe Smith would have been spooked enough to let her go. I haven't heard any details about the time of her death, so I don't know if the Alert would have done any good if it had gone out on Sunday.

She was abducted on Sunday afternoon or early evening. I know I didn't hear about it until Tuesday morning as I was going to work - something like 36 hours after the abduction. I assumed that it was a very recent event (either sometime Monday or Tuesday morning). Since Smith was arrested sometime on Tuesday, it's pretty evident to me that Carlie was already dead by the time I heard the alert. She might have still been alive when the Alert finally went out on Monday, but personally I doubt it.

I heard a news report that the Governor (JEB Bush) was livid that the Alert didn't go out earlier and ordered an investigation. I don't know if Gov. Bush ordered it or not, but Attorney General Charlie Christ has said an investigation would be done.

Closed Circuit Televised Arraignments

News reports stated that Smith didn't "show up" for his arraignment. He couldn't. He was charged in Sarasota County but is being housed in the Manatee County jail (probably for his own safety, and he waived his right to be at the arraignment). While arraignments are held by closed circuit television from the Manatee County jail to the courthouse in downtown Bradenton, it doesn't allow for transmission to Sarasota County. A Not Guilty plea was obvious, since the death penalty is on the table. I haven't heard specifically that it is, but I would be willing to bet not only my next paycheck, but my pension on it. He would have been represented in court by an attorney, paid or court appointed, so his rights were well taken care of. Fear not, from this point on, there will be no violation of his rights.

Too bad he didn't have the same consideration for Carlie's rights.

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has set up a fund to benefit Carlie's family. To make a donation, checks should be made out to: The Family of Carlie Brucia Foundation and sent to, Sarasota County Sheriff's Victim Service Center, 5957 Cattlemen Lane, Sarasota, Fla. 34232

Jacket Jackson Exposed!

I didn't watch the Super Bowl last night, so I didn't see the most talked about event of the evening. No, you know I'm not talking about the game, although I hear that was pretty good too. Yep, I'm talking about Janet and her "wardrobe malfunction." I have seen clips so I have an idea of what the ruckus is all about.

Justin Timberlake called it a "wardrobe malfunction." Okay, everybody who believes that clap your hands for Tinkerbell! I've heard the lyrics of the songs, I've seen the "dirty dancing" that was going on, I've seen the clip, and I've seen some of the ads that were on - and the ones I didn't see, I've heard about. An article on the Drudge report called it unrehersed. So what? All that means is that CBS and MTV can say they didn't know about it (wink wink).

I don't know who knew what when, but this will be a real boost to Janet's career, don't you think? I wonder if she has any CD's coming out soon. And as far as who knew what when, CBS and MTV can deny all they want, but I'd bet someone knows the term "plausible denibility." MTV posted on their website that there would be "shocking moments." What did they mean? That Justin and Janet would tickle each other's tonsils? Sorry, that's not shocking after Britney and Madonna.

What goes on between two consenting adults behind closed doors is one thing. This was in public (before something like 90 million people), I believe it was a deliberate act, and I believe that someone needs to be held responsible. This was an act that was perpetrated in front of grandparents, parents, and children. The human body is a wonderful work of art, but I would prefer to view art of my choosing. I don't want it shoved in my face. I'm not advocating censorship in any form, I use the radio and TV dial (or remote) to censor what I want to see and hear. I don't mind pushing the envelope, but this busted the envelope into the next county!

The FCC has launched an investigation and I can't wait to see what happens. They didn't do anything about Bono's use of the "F" word. I don't care if it was an adjective or not. Coarse language is, in my opinion, the sign of an uneducated, illiterate person and shouldn't be acceptable in what was one far away day called "polite society." And don't tell me that "everybody does it." I don't. I might not be everybody, but I'm somebody.

The coarse language used in the lyrics of many of today's song are dragging us to lower and lower depths. And even when the language itself is not coarse, the words and dance movements used in the song are so many times meant to send a message that is meant to antagonize, hurt, or inflame.

What makes me sad is that when we begin accepting tasteless behavior and language as the ordinary, then we're sinking to a level that's going to be really hard to rise out of, much less above.

Some Random Thoughts on the Janet Episode

Several people on various radio programs today mentioned that Janet's career is not what it once was. Another said she was a bit "long in the tooth" for the type of music she sings. A stunt like this might be just the ticket to boost a flagging career.

I heard that a Houston viewer called the HPD to file a complaint. HPD apparently yawned and promised to investigate. She could be charged with indecent exposure. Hmmm....a drawn out court case, more publicity......just wondering. HPD apparently plans to file no charges. What a surprise. Well, actually, I can understand. It's probably a misdemeanor at best and not really worth the effort of filing charges, etc.

Could this be a rouse to detract attention from her wacko brother Michael? I don't know, and I'm not saying it is. I'm just tossing out a thought.

I'm not positive, but I've been told that Justin could be charged (in some states anyway) with sexual assault for exposing her boob.

Just read that the FCC could fine CBS up to $27,500 for each station that showed the exposure incident. Can you imagine how much money that could be??? It boggles my mind!

This Just In!!!

CNN reports that Janet admits that this stunt was planned. She apologizes for any embarassment etc. No one at CBS, MTV, NFL etc knew yada yada yada.

Now...will Justin admit that he knew?

Circulation and The Lack Thereof

Haven't had time to write lately. My dear husband (DH) has been having vascular problems in his legs, specifically the left, this time. He had an angiogram on Thursday and we found that he needs a bypass in the leg. The doctor told me that he's going to have to have some part of the leg amputated sometime, but it's not necessary now. His legs are "hanging on by a thread." That's a quote from the doctor. So, you see, I haven't been up to blogging lately. He's scheduled for surgery on the 18th. The doctor actually had him scheduled for the 11th, but my DH didn't want to spend his birthday (the 13th) in the hospital. Gee, can't imagine why not! It's very sad that he's facing amputation, he's only 45 (on the 13th), but is diabetic. We don't know how long he was diabetic before he was diagnosed. Obviously long enough to do quite a bit of vascular damage since he's already lost 3 toes and had a bypass on the right leg.

But, I am ever the optimist and truly believe that losing a leg, while traumatic and sad, is better than losing his life. I believe in planning ahead and finding out what we might be able to do to make his life more enjoyable when amputation becomes reality. Anyone been through this before? I'd love to get some ideas for resources.

I haven't been feeling up to par myself, but that's the story of my life. I believe that my thyroid is (most of) the problem. I'll be making a doctor's appointment for myself to get it checked out. I know I have a wonkly thyroid, it's already been diagnosed. I just haven't been back to the endo since I figured out she's a blithering idiot. This dingbat told me that my weight gain probably didn't have anything to do with my thyroid, but if I would quit drinking just one soda a day, it would help. I agree, it would. I was drinking a lot of soda at the time, but since then, I've begun drinking (mostly) water and it didn't help! Hello?! That was bad enough, but when the dingbat told me my levels hadn't changed, I knew there was a problem. She was working off lab results from my LAST visit because she hadn't ordered new tests before I came in. Of course the labs hadn't changed!

For Your Entertainment

Okay, visited a site that had a bunch of fun tests on it. If you're interested, the link is

http://www.thespark.com/

The link should work, I think I figured out what I was doing wrong. I've tested the most recent links and they all work as of the last few minutes. I will not guarantee they will be working when you, my favorite reader tries them.

My Heart Belongs to....

Don't forget Valentine's Day! You have, or are, a Valentine to remember. You might have a spouse, significant other, special friend who is not your SO but want to remember, or how about a parent or child? And don't forget the most special person in your life...yourself! If for some reason you have no one else to remember on Valentine's Day, remember that you can be your own Valentine. And there is nothing sad or wrong about it! If you don't treat yourself nicely, who will? Don't you deserve something for all the nice things you do for yourself all year? Remember the things you would do for someone else (or someone would do for you) and I'll bet that you do them for yourself anyway. Why shouldn't you treat yourself to a nice dinner, gift, card, flowers, or whatever. If you have a spouse or SO who won't remember you, then, remember yourself. You deserve it!

Super Bowl Sunday

I'll probably watch a few minutes here and there of the Super Bowl. I don't care that much for football, being a baseball kind of gal. Not to say that I watch a lot of baseball either, but it's my preference.

Anyway...I'll make my prediction for the game....Carolina.

I could hedge my bet by saying that if Carolina doesn't win, it will be the Pats, but even I think that's going a bit too far :D Luckily the fate of the world, not to mention my bank account, doesn't hinge on whether I'm right or not, so only my pride will be wounded if I'm wrong. And since I've only known for the last couple of days who was even playing, I'm not too worried about my pride.

Have a great time at the game or where ever you spend the rest of the weekend!

hmmm....after looking around my own blog, I've decided a bit of clean up is needed, so I'll be working on that over the next few days, weeks, hopefully, not months. Just a general redesign of the sidebar area. I'm also looking at moving to another site where the possibilities for improvement are much better. So, I'm looking at other sites to get ideas. Look for changes in the future!

Tax Season

http://www.fairtax.org/

It’s that time of year, we’re all looking for our W-2’s, receipts for medical payments, charitable contributions, watching the mail for what we paid in interest on our mortgages, and so on. I think it’s time to talk again about the Fair Tax Act.

The Fair Tax Act will eliminate payroll taxes. No, not your health insurance, IRA, and the like. It will eliminate FICA (regular and Medicare) and Federal Withholding taxes. In my case, that’s almost $350 per paycheck; that’s almost $9000 a year. I don’t know about you, but I don’t get that much back when I pay taxes. And I know that by adjusting my status and deductions, I could get more back in every paycheck. I don’t like giving the government an interest free loan every year, but I want to be sure that I pay in enough to pay my taxes. I always get money back, so until the Fair Tax Act goes in, this works for me. Not, the government isn't giving me anything. It's money I earned and I should be able to keep it and use it as I want. But, I digress.

The Fair Tax Act is basically a consumption tax, and taxes only the final (new) product. For example: GM buys the materials and products to build a car and pays a sales tax on the materials and products (the steel to build the body, the sound system, the seats, the carpet and so on). When I go to buy the car I (the consumer) repays GM for the car and the materials and products and the taxes paid on the materials and products plus a markup for their overhead, manufacturing and employee costs, and so on. I then pay a sales tax on top of the other taxes. A sales tax is charged whether the car is new or used. Under the FTA, GM would not pay taxes on the materials used to build the car. The only tax paid would be by the purchaser and then, only if the car is new. The consumer would not pay sales tax on a used vehicle. Sales tax would not be charged on any used item because the tax was already paid.

Okay. You decide to buy a car and you buy whatever car you want. You buy what you can afford. If you can afford a new car, you also pay the sales tax. If you are smart, you will buy a pre-owned car and not pay the tax. Why? Read the last line of the previous paragraph and repeat after me: Sales tax would not be charged on any used item because the tax was already paid.

Don’t worry about Medicare or the government going under because no income tax is being collected. There will be more than enough taxes collected on end-user purchases (remember, that’s the person who is first to buy a new item) to fund everything that is already being funded though the income tax. If people are smart and only buy used items, how could this be? Well, some items aren’t usually bought second-hand: clothing, shoes, furniture, household appliances, computers, pens, pencils, paper, food, and so on. The list is endless.

And guess what? The FTA even considers the basic necessities of life such as food. Each couple, each single person, each family will get a rebate check each and every month to cover the basic necessities of life. The link in the right-hand sidebar will take you to the FTA site where you will see a chart of how much you, your and your spouse, your family would receive. Look around the site and you will find it and a lot of other interesting information.

I haven’t covered it nearly well enough, I’m sure. I urge you to keep an open mind and look at the site and make up your own mind. If you agree that this is a win-win situation, please, contact your congressional representatives (Congress and the House) to let them know you want them to support HR25. It’s been introduced into the Senate too, but I don’t have the Senate bill number at hand.

Please, don’t take my word for it. This bill is important and will give you more money. Take a look at your paycheck and see how much money Uncle Sam takes out every payday. Couldn’t you use that money?

Speaking of Taxes

I’m hoping that Congress will make Bush’s tax cuts permanent. I don’t know about you, but the money that wasn’t taken out of my paycheck went right back into the economy when I bought groceries, paid bills, deposited my paycheck into the bank, and just otherwise spent. I don’t keep my money under the mattress or buried in the backyard. It goes in the bank. Even if I put it in my savings account, it’s still in the economy.

The bank gave me a promise that it I gave them my money, they would honor the checks I write (providing that I made deposits equal to or more than the amount of the checks). If I put $100 in the bank, it doesn’t sit there with a sticky note on it with my name on it and then honors my check with my own money. The bank takes that money and gives it to someone else. It might even be paid out as wages to its employees! What a concept! And guess what? Just like me, those bank employees spend their money. That $100 I put in the bank circulates through the economy like water through a pipe. The economy isn’t stagnant; it constantly flows, although sometimes it does slow down. But, when the citizenry and companies spend money, it starts flowing again, faster and faster creating more jobs, higher wages, and lower prices.

Don’t fall into the socialist mindset of allowing the government to become the be-all, end-all of our existence. America was built on people wanting to make their own way not live off society. Sure, it sounds great, let the government provide health care, old-age pensions, welfare, subsidies and so on. Let the government take care of you; Uncle Sam knows best. Sounds like Big Brother is getting his toe in the door up to the knee. And once he gets in, you'll never get him out again.

And then where'e he gonna stick his nose? You want to smoke? Oh, no. Smoking's bad for you! Want a Big Mac? Nope, sorry, too much fat and cholesterol.

Listen to Big Brother, he knows best!

Puppies!

It's been about 10 days since I last posted. Since I got back from vacation, it's been just one thing after another. The fact that my work computer worked only about 3 days out of the last 3 weeks I worked did not help!

I was on the phone so much to Computer Services that I began to think I was in a relationship with Pete at the Help Desk. Now, I've never laid eyes on Pete, and he's probably a really nice guy, but he's not my Dale!

Anyway, finally got the computer fixed (crossing fingers, toes, eyes, T's and anything else that can be crossed) so I was able to get some work done - not nearly enough, but some.

Oh, the good thing that happened was that we got 3 more puppies for the Puppy Raiser program. Parker and Jerry are here to stay, and Mike is visiting until his new home is ready for him. All males, all Labs. Mike is brown, Jerry is yellow, and Parker is brown and tan. His coloring is that of a Rottweiler rather than a Lab. Apparently his daddy carries the Rotty gene and throws it out in a couple of pups in each litter. No matter, they are all adorable! We're getting 3 more in February, which will bring our total to 8.

Wesley, one of the original two Labs we got in September just wasn't sure what was going on with these little critters. Willie is in for a big surprise when he gets back from his weekend home!

When I got back from two weeks vacation after Christmas, I swear Willie and Wesley (sounds like a couple of C&W singers, don't they?) had grown six inches in all directions. When Wesley was checking Jerry out, I couldn't believe Wesley had been that small only four months ago! Wow! What a difference!

Curves

I missed several sessions at Curves over the holiday and the first week I was back at work, Tina and I were just too swamped to even think about it. Tina had to be off Monday and Tuesday, and wasn't able to make it. I would have met her there, but, like I said, it just wasn't in the cards. Anyway, we just decided to forego the first week in '04. Not a great way to start the year, but, that was how it had to be.

Anyway, we were weighed and measured on Friday. Still haven't lost weight, but I didn't gain any either! And, I lost 1.25" on the waist, .5" on the abdomen, and an inch on the arms. So, even though I haven't lost weight, I can believe that I'm still making progress. I'll be doing cartwheels (in my mind, anyway) when I do start losing weight, but until then, I won't be discouraged! Yay, me!

New Links

You might notice that I've changed the shopping links in the sidebar. I'll be changing some of the links for Valentine's Day. So, if you feel like visiting any of these merchants, feel free to do so.

Undocumented Workers

I read on the Internet this evening, and heard on news broadcasts that President Bush is considering offering amnesty to undocumented workers. These people are good, hardworking people who only want to take care of their families and feel that America is the best place to do so. I admire their drive to do whatever it takes to take care of their families. I admire that they feel that America is the place to do this. I not only admire them, I commend them for their choice of America and their loyalty and desire for the betterment of their families. I can't express how proud I am that of all the countries in the world, they chose America, my country, as their land of opportunity.

I, myself, am a tenth-generation American. My ancestors came to this country circa 1720 to make a better life for themselves and their families. Other ancestors came later from Ireland to escape the poverty and despair that was the norm for people of their class. The difference is that my ancestors came here legally. I understand that the immigration laws were probably different when my Irish ancestors came, and there were few, if any, laws when my German/Swiss ancestors came to the new world to escape religious prosecution. America was built on immigration and those wanting a better life in America, the land of opportunity. We immigrated into America, and then migrated across the continent to the West Coast, north to Alaska, and even to Hawaii. That doesn't change the fact that people are entering our country illegally today.

"Undocumented workers" are undocumented because they are breaking the law. The politically incorrect name for "undocumented worker" is "illegal alien." For whatever reason, they are breaking the law of the very country that would welcome them if they came here legally.

While I applaud the sentiment behind the concept of amnesty to illegal, undocumented workers, I have to question the reason. All of the people I have discussed this with feel this is simply a way of garnering votes. This is not a new idea or just that of a few people. I've also listened to talk radio, read columnists and blogs on the Internet. Many people truly believe that this is simply a ploy to get votes.

Many people are also concerned about terrorists who are waiting for an opportunity to act. While there are differences between the day laborer from Mexico who wants a better life for his family and the terrorist, the main difference is the reason for entering America. The terrorist may originally come in legally, and then wait for an opportunity to hurt us by disappearing into the populace and forget that their visa has time limits. Or he may have crossed into America from either Mexico or Canada just like any other illegal, undocumented worker wanting a better life, except the terrorist wants to destroy our country.

Many people are upset that the borders are so wide open. With the thousands of miles of borders between the US and both Mexico and Canada, it would be impossible to stop anyone from crossing into America at any time. If people come into America illegally, and then are told, "Don't worry, we'll make it all better. We'll grant you amnesty" where is the disadvantage? Can't we make it more advantageous to allow people to come legally into America to live and to work? Rewarding good behavior, (in this case, legal acts) usually works better than punishing bad behavior (illegal acts).

I believe that this topic is more important that "just" votes. Would it not be better to change the immigration laws to make it more advantageous to come into America legally than illegally? It would satisfy those like me who would welcome legal, properly documented workers, satisfy those who want to change the status of the now illegal, undocumented worker, and make us look so much better in the eyes of the world.

To Party or Not to Party

A few months ago, I was visiting the Neal Boortz site (http://boortz.com/) and no, you don’t have to type the www in front) and found a link to the world’s smallest political quiz (see link below). It is a series of 10 questions on personal and economic issues. Your answers tell you where you stand in your political views (just in case you don’t know or, like me, are having an identity crisis).

I’ve always felt that you have to vote in elections to have the right to complain about what those rascals in Washington (or Tallahassee or City Hall) were doing with your tax money. And to vote, you have to be informed and understand what you were voting for.

When I first registered to vote, I registered as a Democrat. Then, when I moved to Kansas, I decided that I didn’t want to be affiliated with a specific party, so I registered as an Independent. When I moved back to Florida, I registered again as a Democrat. And, finally, a few years ago, I had had it with the Democrats and re-registered as an Independent. I wasn’t happy about it because it took away my privilege to vote in primary elections, but I couldn’t allow myself to be associated with the antics going on in Washington at the time. I got very tired of explaining to people that just because some Democrats were doing this or that, not all Democrats were guilty of the same thing. And I couldn’t bring myself to embrace all that the Republicans were doing, either.

I just couldn’t find a place where I felt comfortable. It was about this time that I first took that little political quiz and found that I was more Libertarian than anything else. I want government and politicians to stay out of my bank account and out of my private affairs. I honestly believe that I know what is best for me, not some politician in Washington or Tallahassee who doesn’t know me.

I’ve spent more time learning about the Libertarian party and found that I agree with a lot of their foundation. I’m not ready to change affiliations yet again, but I will be doing some more study on the matter. Since the US is basically a two-party system I will have to give up my primary election privileges. No, I haven’t forgotten that there are other political parties out there, but let’s face it, they just aren’t powerful enough to play in the same sandbox with the Republicans and Democrats.

But in the meantime, I will be studying the Libertarian party and those rascals who want the White House so that I can make an informed, educated decision next November.

http://www.self-gov.org/quiz.html

Once again, if you have trouble with either link, please do yourself a favor and either copy and paste it into your browser or type it in. The quiz is fun if nothing else. And you might learn somthing about yourself.

Good-bye 2003, Hello 2004

Good grief! I can’t believe that in just a few hours 2003 will be history. I don’t bother to make predictions or resolutions. I’m not psychic, so I can’t see the future, and resolutions are usually broken in the first week.

Predictions for the future? I predict the sun will continue to rise in the east and set in the west; days will be light and nights dark; that summer will be warmer than winter and winter will be cooler than summer; that there will be 29 days in February this year, and that there will be a presidential election in the fall.

I’d like to believe that the economy will continue to improve, that Osama will be caught or proven to be dead, that peace will reign in the Mideast, and that tomorrow I won’t be writing about another terrorist attack in the US.

When I do make resolutions, I try to make it more of an “I’ll try to…” thing than “I resolve to” because resolving to do something usually involves major lifestyle changes (dieting, exercising, and so on) and they almost always fail. When I “try to” do something, it’s not set in stone and not set up for failure from the beginning.

So, I’ll try to be a better person by taking better care of myself. That way, I’ll feel better, my attitude will be better, I’ll have more patience and understanding, and I’ll have more tolerance toward stupid (I have a serious problem with stupid). I’ll try to plan for the future so that I’ll be able to retire when I want to, instead of continuing to work past my burnout time.

I (will try to) plan to continue working out at Curves three days a week. I was weighed and measured a couple of weeks ago and although I didn’t show a weight loss, I did lose 6.5 inches around the waist, and a half-inch to an inch around the hips, thigh, and arm. I saw improvement and that helps to motivate me to continue. Now that the holidays are all but over, I’ll be able to work on my dietary changes (not a diet, but eating better) and the few, relatively minor health challenges I have.

I (will try to) continue to do what I can to get the Fair Tax Act passed. And, no, I don’t have such a high opinion of myself that I can get this done all by myself or that without me it won’t get passed! But I think it’s important enough to do whatever I can to spread the word about the FTA so that those who have the influence can. I’ve written about it before and there is a link in the sidebar for the website. Right now, I’m planning to write at least once a month about it. Yes, it’s that important and will make that big a difference in your wallet and bank account.

And finally, I will try to let those who are important to me know how important they are to me. I won’t regret telling people how important they are to me, but I could regret not telling them.

I just found this link at Bella Online. These are addresses for military personnel serving their country who would like to receive Holiday greetings. Some have received NO mail at all.

If it touches your heart to do so, please send a card. If you are really generous, a package. It's better late than never! Prayers are always good; they're always the right size and color.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art15521.asp

If for any reason this link doesn't work (and for some reason I'm having trouble with links so don't be surprised) please copy and paste or type into your browser.

Merry Christmas

I don’t know whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, or another holiday. I celebrate Christmas because that is the day we celebrate as the birth of Christ. I respect other religions and their traditions and beliefs. I expect the same respect for my traditions and beliefs.

Obviously, I have no problem with public displays of the Nativity scene. Since the United States is mostly a Christian nation, public displays of religious symbols such as the Nativity should be expected at Christmas time. If someone requests to have another display, such as a menorah, or something to represent Kwanzaa (I apologize, I don’t know enough to know what an appropriate symbol would be), next to or near the Nativity, I have no problem with it. I do have a problem when someone says that a symbol of another faith is appropriate, but a Christian symbol, such as the Nativity, is not. That’s discriminatory. And I would feel the same way if a community refused a Menorah when a Nativity is displayed. Wrong is wrong no matter which symbol is being refused.

I recently read that Santa Claus himself was outlawed (sorry, I can’t remember where) as a Christian symbol. Huh? Santa is not a religious symbol. Santa is a symbol of goodwill, generosity, and love to all children in all nations. There is nothing political or religious about Santa. Jews who celebrate Hanukah also give their children Christmas gifts from Santa Claus (or at least some of the Jews I know do).

A neighborhood association near where I live has advised that homeowners are not to put displays out at all. The association has approved luminaries, and any other display will result in a visit from the Association (gasp! horrors! The Association!) I usually don’t pay attention to homeowner association rules, but this one brought out the white trash redneck in me. Remember the Roseanne episode where the Conner’s decorated with the tackiest Christmas decorations they could find? That’s how I felt on reading the article.

I understand the why. This is an upscale neighborhood and they want the decorations to be “appropriate” to the neighborhood. I really do understand. I wouldn’t want my $250K house next to a house decorated by Roseanne in her white trash mode. But, I also don’t want to live in a neighborhood where every house looks exactly alike. If I want to put out a Nativity scene or Santa and the Reindeer, I should be able to do so on my own property.

So, whether you decorate with a nativity, simple lights, a nativity, Menorah's in the window. or no decorations at all, I hope you have a wonderful, peaceful, joy-filled Christmas.

Merry Christmas to All!

Christmas Vacation

So, Friday was a looong day for me. Got to work early because I had so much to get done before I could leave on my two weeks vacation. Didn't get everything done, but the one thing I wanted to do is so late anyway that another couple of weeks is not a problem. But guess what my priority will be January 5th?

We had a Community Advisory Board meeting for our high-risk program. The CAB is where we invite selected members of the public, our components, and staff within our agency to a meeting where we can discuss what we have done, what we plan to do, and how to go about improving the program. Sometimes they are very productive, other times, they are pretty much just a dog-and-pony show for the citizen members. I can't yet decide just where this meeting fell: not as productive as some, but still more than just dog-and-pony. Not much different from most meetings, I guess.

Then, we had to get ready for our Christmas luncheon. Everyone started showing up about 11:15 for the 11:30 lunch. It was about then we realized that we didn't have plastic forks. Spoons and knives we had, but no forks. We called the main facility and found they had some to give us. A director was told to go get them. At noon, he hadn't yet gone, said he thought it (the lunch) started at noon. Now, why would he think he didn't need to the get the forks until noon (or later) when he thought the lunch started at noon? Actually, if you knew him you would understand that he's not always the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Lunch was really nice, as usual. There was plenty of good food, Christmas music on the boom box, and good companionship. The fact that gifts were involved didn't hurt either! I think a good time was had by all. Last year, we catered the lunch and it was a disaster! The caterer was one of the people we worked with (she's no longer with us - her leaving had nothing to do with the lunch). Several of us knew that she did catering on the side, and the things that she had brought in from time to time were very good. So, when we were making decisions on the Christmas lunch, we decided to make it easy on everyone and have her cater. Well, we were still talking about it this year. I think she allowed a half sandwich per person. The veggie trays you get from the local grocery stores had more veggies, and I think there was one bag of chips. I had sort of blocked the whole fiasco from my memory because I seem to remember being instrumental in pushing to have her cater.

I got a couple of hours of work done and then Tina and I had a class in Small Animal Handling to teach. I graded some papers while Tina taught, and inserted a few pithy (!) comments as appropriate. I finally left the office about 545p (I should have left at 430p) after getting, I think, everything else done. I typed some memos, prepared some letters to be mailed out, and typed minutes to three meetings I attended last week.

Oh, the reason I was typing the minutes days after the meetings? My computer developed a corrupted hard drive and wouldn't even let me log in. When I called Computer Services, I was told they would pick up the CPU and return it "sometime". This was Wednesday. I explained that this just would not do, that I had time-sensitive documents that had to be done before going on two weeks vacation, not to mention the work that would have piled up when I got back on top of whatever I couldn't do before leaving if I didn't have a working computer. Well, they took pity on me (thank you!) and got the CPU back on Thursday. I then found out that my Outlook was missing. This is where all my calendars, task lists, and contact information are stored. Ok, the calendar isn't that important. I constantly revise the task list, so re-doing it would not be more than an annoyance, but I couldn't reproduce the contact list. I called Computer Services again, and when Rob called me back (he's the one who was so great about getting my CPU back so fast), he said he thought it was gone, but he'd do what he could. Then, when I tried to print, I found my printer wouldn't print. Arghhh! Rob had forgotten to install the printer drives. That was fixed, then eventually Rob found my Outlook files and life is good again! Thanks again, Rob!

Christmas Vacation Part II

Now that I am on vacation, I'm looking forward to getting some stuff done around the house. There are so many things I want to do, and so little time and money. The big stuff will wait until we get our income tax refund. I just want to get some of the clutter out now. And, by the time I go back to work, things will be different!

We're planning on going to Melbourne where Dale's dad lives and hopefully, we'll get together with my brother and his family before leaving. But, if that's not possible, we'll see John and Judi whenever it's possible after the holidays. We're leaving on Christmas Eve and will be back sometime Sunday.

I have 16 days of vacation planned, three of that are holidays; six are weekend days, and seven are vacation days. Ten paid days off and I'll only be charged for seven. It's good to be a government employee!

We have so much junk in this house that it's getting unwieldy. How can two people collect so much stuff?? Luckily, we've got our Christmas gifts planned so that we won't have even more stuff. My van needs some work, so I've been driving Dale's van. He wants his back and I want mine, we're going to fix mine so we'll each get what we want. It might be a couple more weeks, but it will get done!

It will be a sad time in Melbourne. Dale's mom passed away in September and this will be the first Christmas without her. She was a lovely lady and is missed by all who knew her. She would want everyone to enjoy Christmas and that is what we will do. I'm also hoping we'll be able to spend time with Dale's best friend Stewart and his wife, Dina, while we're there. They've been friends for years and I always feel bad when we're in Melbourne and Dale doesn't get to see Stewart. It's that time of year to see people you miss and I'd like to get to know them better.

So, while we are gone, I won't be posting. Some of you might enjoy missing my posts (he he) and others will just have to patiently wait until next week.

So, enjoy the holiday. Light the Hanukkah whether they be Christmas lights or Hanukah candles. Hang the mistletoe and holly; enjoy the holiday spirits (eggnog, punch, or your favorite libation). Have a wonderful time at your Holiday meal, whatever may be served. Eat, drink and be merry and worry about the calories next year!

The U.S. Soldier Is Time Person of Year

Time Magazine got it right and chose the US Soldier as the Person of the Year. It’s about time, and long past, that the soldier was recognized for the achievements, and sacrifices, they have made for over two hundred years.

For too many years, citizens of this country have belittled the armed forces. Not all citizens, mind you, but far too many of those in the public eye, and those everyday citizens who mindlessly follow the words of those in the public forum. Too many people today rely on the words spoken by their favorite actor, singer, writer, or sports figure to determine what they themselves think. Thought and consideration as well as some study have to be put into forming opinions. Then you have to determine how those opinions go with your own values, morals, and ethics. Many people change their values, morals, and ethics to fit what they have heard someone else say. It’s much easier to repeat someone else’s thoughts than it is to form your own opinions.

It took four jets and the deaths of nearly three thousand people to wake America up to the fact that not everybody in the world likes us. And because of this event, we had to go to war. Not a declared war, and not against an enemy that could be easily identified. We are at war against hatred and bigotry; hatred and bigotry that is directed at America. And it is the soldier who faces this everyday.

Thousands of young men and women enlist in the Armed Forces every year. They don’t do it for the money; the soldier is not paid that well. Some enlist for the educational benefits, some for the technical training. No one enlists to die in a foreign country, but they know that it can happen. And every citizen of the US knows that when the bullets start flying, someone can die. No one wants our soldiers to die: not the “average” citizen on the street, the politicians, not the military establishment. Sometimes it’s right to make compromises and appeasements. But there comes a time when you have to draw a line and say, “enough is enough.” Our soldiers are the ones who have to enforce that line. And sometimes they die.

No matter what our political ideology is, we have to honor and respect the American soldier. They are doing what most of us can’t or won’t do. Putting their lives in danger to protect American values and, ultimately, American lives.

To the American Solider: You are the Person of the Year. God Bless!

Read the full story at: http://www.time.com/time/

Libya Got a Clue

It was announced that Libyan Prime Minister Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-Qadhafi has admitted that Libya had Weapons of Mass Destruction program. Libya has agreed to allow UN inspectors to oversee the dismantlement of the program.

Earlier this year, Libya took responsibility for involvement in the Lockerbie Scotland crash of Pam Am Flight 103. As a result of this, Libya is paying out millions of dollars to survivors of the Lockerbie victims.

It appears to me that Qadhafi has taken to heart what happened in Iraq. Qadhafi a) wants to keep his position as Prime Minister, b) wants Libya to continue to exist as he know it and c), enjoy the wealth that is possible for Libya by taking these steps.

While it was a long time coming, I admire that Qadhafi has taken this step. It takes a certain amount of courage to admit that your country was involved in something as heinous as Lockerbie. It’s easy to deny and continue to deny in the face of evidence and world opinion. Look at Saddam. He would still be in power had he a) admitted to the WMD program, b) allowed inspectors free access to the country, or c) provided proof that it did not exist or that the weapons had been destroyed. Saddam chose to do none of these things. And look where he is now.

I don’t know what made Qadhafi take this step; whether it was his own future he is concerned about, the future of Libya, or whether the UN finally did something right. I’ve heard several of the talking heads say that it was the UN who made him do it. I personally don’t believe it and the reason is not important to me. Qadhafi has taken the high road. I don’t for a minute mean to suggest that we should think that Libya is now our best buddy. It’s taken far too long to come to this place. For whatever reason, Qadhafi is here and we must take the chance while we have it. Let the UN oversee the dismantlement. We’ve got enough to do.

Qadhafi hopes that other countries will look at Libya as a good example. I, too, hope that other world leaders who have WMD programs take a second look at what happened in Iraq. Qadhafi did and he and Libya will come out ahead.

Kim Chong-il: are you listening?

Is America Safer?

Is America safer now that Saddam is in custody? Not directly. I don’t believe that Saddam himself was directly involved in any terrorism against the United States. Now, that does not mean that I believe that he is innocent of aiding and abetting terrorism against the US.

Apparently documents were found providing a link from Saddam to Mohammed Atta (if there is anyone in the world I harbor hatred against, it is this man. And the fact that he is dead makes no difference in my mind). Atta was in Iraq with the knowledge and approval of Saddam. Not only that, but Saddam contributed monetarily to terrorist activities. I don’t believe for a minute that Saddam had the courage to directly attack the US. He would have allowed others to do the dirty work for him. He would have subsidized them knowing what they planned to do, but turning a blind eye to their activities.

Would Saddam have been happy to see the US crumble? Of course. He and most of the rest of the mid-eastern world hates the US because we do not embrace the Muslim faith. And to make matters worse, we are prosperous and the most powerful nation in the world. We are infidels and do not deserve to live, much less have the power and prosperity we have.

Saddam is a deluded individual who still lives in the world he created over the last three decades. Only now, it’s not Iraq, it’s all in his mind.

Showing the Video – Good Idea or Bad?

The video is, of course, of Saddam undergoing the medical exam after his capture. There are some, such as the Vatican, some Congressmen, Hollywood celebrities and various world leaders who think it was a travesty to show the video.

It had to be shown. It was the only way to show the Iraqi people that Saddam was in custody. And to show the world that he was receiving the same care that any other “person of interest” in military custody would receive. I've heard that the mouth exam was to determine if he had cyanide capsules in his teeth. It makes no difference to me. The reason behind the exam was for his own health and the health of the people who would have care and custody of him. After all, he could have had a contagious illness. Or infested with fleas, or lice. And never forget that we treat our prisoners better than a lot of other countries have treated our people who were prisoners. Americans do believe in doing the right thing.

Some say it was degrading to show the video. This was, after all, video of a former world leader. (Excuse me? Third world, maybe.) It’s not as if we were showing tape of Saddam stripped and being deloused. That would have been degrading and I would be incensed about it. Everyone, no matter what their crime, deserves a certain amount of human dignity. Dignity that Saddam himself did not allow citizens of his own country.

Don't forget this is the man who ordered the gassing of the Kurds. This is the man who under whose reign thousands of Iraqis vanished after daring to disagree with Saddam. This is the man who allowed his sons to kidnap, rape, mutilate, and murder women. This is the man who allowed those same sons to murder people by putting them into shredding machines - alive.

Living in Luxury

Reading back over my last post, I mentioned that Saddam and his family lived in luxury. I don't remember how many palaces they had which were all richly appointed. They had all the toys of the rich and lived a jet-set lifestyle.

Now, let me set something straight. When a person has worked and earned the right to that lifestyle, I don't begrudge it to them. They earned it by the sweat of the brow. Or at least, because they had a service or a product that they made their money with.

Sam Walton is a good example. He started with an idea that eventually became the biggest corporation in the world. It made Sam a multi-billionaire. Most of the people in the US who are millionaires started out with an idea and worked until they were successful. More millionaires in the US made their own fortunes than inherited their wealth. Bet you didn't know that.

Saddam "earned" his lifestyle by overthrowing one government and instilling himself as the "president" of the new government. He then robbed and murdered innocent Iraqi people to keep his acquired position in life.

He didn't earn anything. He stole it. He stole it from the people of Iraq. He tried to steal it from the Kuwaiti people. He never thought the bubble would burst. The trouble with bubbles is they are very fragile. When they burst, there is nothing left.

All that was left of Saddam's bubble was Saddam himself. A whole lot of nothing.

Who Should Try Saddam?

Considering the crimes Saddam committed against his own countrymen, it is obvious to me that the Iraqi citizens should sit in judgment of this dictator. Make sure the judges or jury are Kurds or had a father, brother, sister, mother, or friend, kidnapped or arrested by Saddam's goons. Some of his victims vanished into underground jails where they were tortured and starved to death. He gassed the Kurds, thousands of them. After the first Gulf War, those who had openly supported the Allies were arrested, and if lucky, died a quick death. Many just disappeared. Possibly buried in one of the mass graves uncovered during the early days of the war.

And let us not forget that he allowed his sons, Uday and Qusay, to kidnap women to rape, mutilate, and kill. Anyone who had the nerve to object might end up in shredding machines.

Saddam is directly responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths and indirectly responsible for thousands more.

He stole from the Iraqi people so that he, his family, and those he favored, could live in luxury. While he lived a luxurious lifestyle, the Iraqi people lived in poverty. Electricity was sporadic. Running water meant jogging from the local well with a jug of water.

When questioned, he told interrogators that he was a benevolent ruler who ruled fairly and wisely. That his people loved him. I believe that he believes it. He still hears the cheers of the people. People who were afraid not to cheer; that they would be the next to be arrested or just disappear.

Saddam Must Receive a Fair Trial

It is the responsibility of the US and the Coalition, whether we want it or not, to make sure that Saddam gets a fair trial. If there is any question of fairness, and there will be, then any verdict will be questionable.

In the US, lawyers would be asking for a change of venue because he couldn't get a fair trial where the crimes were committed. I can't imagine anywhere in the world that a jury of his peers could be paneled who could set aside their opinions and hear the facts with an unbiased mind.

"Fair" in this case has to be subjective. It's subject to the court he will be tried in. Iraqi courts are different than American courts. There are things required in our courts that are not in Iraq. The trial will be televised and, I predict, will be bigger than the OJ trial. We will see things that we, as Americans, will scream "Objection!" to, that are completely acceptable in Iraqi courts. Perry Mason and Matlock would be hard pressed to defend Saddam in Iraq unless they studied Iraqi courtroom procedures. In the courtroom, sometimes the procedures are as important, if not more so, than the law itself.

I spoke in another post about being "innocent until proven guilty." If you, my favorite reader, will remember, I explained that concept only applies to the judge and jury. They are required to judge the facts of the case and only the facts of the case with a open and unbiased mind. Everyone else in the world is allowed to prejudge the defendant.

I can't imagine a panel of jurors judging the case of The Iraqi People vs. Saddam Hussein. In the first place, I don't know if Iraqi courts even use the jury system. It's my understanding that in some countries, only judges hear cases; juries are non-existent. In the second place, I don't know if he will be tried in the Iraqi courts. He may be tried by a military tribunal - American, coalition, or Iraqi. War Crimes Tribunals are generally heard by a panel of judges. Military tribunals are heard by officers. A tribunal trial may be his best chance to get a fair trial.

In any case, whatever court hears the case has to be as fair as possible. I want the world to know that he received the fairest treatment possible. I don't want any country or person to say that he got less than a fair trial.

It's more than the men, women, and children of Iraq received under his dictatorship.

Ladies and Gentlemen: We got him.

With those six words, an era of brutality has ended. The Bully of Baghdad was taken without a shot being fired. This man, who encouraged his followers to fight against those who freed his people from his 36-year reign of terror, surrendered without a fight.

This is the man who encouraged his troops to fight a jihad against American and coalition forces. This is the man who encouraged his people to fight to the death. This is the man who meekly surrendered to the troops who would take him into custody. The pistol he carried on his hip stayed in the holster.

The Bully of Baghdad showed his true colors. For 36 years, he gave orders to torture and kill innocent citizens of Iraq. He allowed his sons to kidnap, rape, torture, and kill. He ordered the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens. And when he had the chance to kill himself, he apparently couldn't do it. Why? I don't know, maybe he was caught off-guard and didn't have the chance. Maybe he didn't have any bullets. Maybe he was disoriented. Maybe he just didn't have the courage.

This bully is like all other bullies. They cave in and become meek and mild when stood up to and they see that they have to show what they are made of. He ran and he hid. When it came to capture, he meekly surrendered. He gave up without a fight. Maybe he didn't have the strength to fight. He's been on the run for eight months, moving two, three, four times a night. Not enough sleep, poor if any medical care, and probably poor nutrition. The stress of being on the run, grief over his sonsÂseparationseperation from his remaining family would cause his physical and mental health to decline.

The film I saw was that of a beaten man. I don't know if once he gets some sleep, medical care, and nutritious food he will return to the swaggering dictator he once was. I don't think so. Now that he is in custody, I think we will find that most of what we thought we knew of Saddam was a fake. All he had was show. There was nothing of real substance behind him. Yes, he had his minions who carried out his orders. I think that's all there was: the fear of Saddam. Fear was enough to keep the people of Iraq under his thumb. How many of us stay in jobs we don't like because of fear? We're afraid to rock the boat. We're afraid of retaliation. We're afraid of the unknown.

The Iraqi people have little to fear today. But I fear it will take a long time to get over the psychological fear that was instilled in them. Once the celebrations are over, the psychological healing can begin.


The Emperor's New Clothes

I had a vision of Saddam as the lead in the children's story The Emperor's New Clothes. He is the Emperor now without his clothes. Everyone can see what he really is: a sad, pathetic little man. Not little in physical stature, but little in the eyes of the Iraqi people and the eyes of the world. He's a little man without his swagger, his bodyguards, and the fear that clothed him.

I now wonder whether there are any weapons of mass destruction. Maybe what we knew of was all there was. He had twelve years to tell the world that he didn't have any WMD, but he didn't want to. He wanted the world to think he had them so that the world would respect him or fear him. If he had WMD, he would become a power, a power that would have to be respected. He would use this power for his own ends. And if he couldn't have respect, fear would do. The rest of the world would be afraid of Saddam and what he might do with his WMD. After all, if he would gas the Kurds, if he would torture and kill hundreds of thousands of his own people, if he had the guts to annex Kuwait, what would he do next?

I now doubt that there were any. I could still be proven wrong. Maybe someday, maybe soon, maybe later, someone will let out that they know the WMD are in Syria, or buried under tons of sand at such and such a location. I think that the WMD we knew of was all there was.

The only difference between the Emperor in the story and Saddam is that the emperor went into public naked. Saddam was figuratively stripped of his clothes.

And it's not a pretty sight.

Walmart....Friend or Foe?

Walmart offers everyday low prices and a huge variety of goods. Something we all want. I used to shop every week at Walmart, but believe it or not, it became more convenient to shop at another food chain. Convenience is worth something after all. My grocery bill came down because I wasn't buying all the extras that Walmart offers.

I don't really like shopping at Walmart. It's usually crowded and parking is a major headache. But the prices and variety can't be beat.

I try shopping at KMart when possible. It's only a couple of blocks out of my way and it's much easier to find a parking space and sometimes, they carry things I can't find at Walmart (probably because Walmart just hasn't restocked the shelves). KMart is more convenient and generally the prices aren't that much higher.

Neither store offers much in the help department. I can't find anyone to ask questions of, and finding a price on an item can be a real bee-atch!

I've included a link to an article about Walmart and just what the cost of shopping at Walmart can be.

I won't tell you not to shop at Walmart because I more than likely will go back at some time or another myself. But between this article and the eminent domain issue (see previous post), Walmart doesn't have the same appeal for me.

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html

Christmas in Florida

Well, here it is, twelve days before Christmas. One day, I’m going to write The Twelve Days of a Florida Christmas, but not today.

Our high was somewhere around 72 degrees today with a low last night in the mid 40’s. I know, some of you are snowbound or digging out from a snowstorm, or hunkering down before one and want to know what I’m complaining about. I promise, I’m not complaining. I love these temps! We had a high yesterday around 67 degrees and the promise of more of the same in the next few days. I love it! I’ll be looking back on these days with fond memories during the summer doldrums when the daily temperature averages 95 degrees with a feels like of 105 and a humidity factor of somewhere around 85 percent. I have no idea whether a humidity of 85 percent and a temperature of 95 degrees comes anywhere near a feels like temperature of 105. Trust me, any inaccuracies in my figures don’t make that much difference. Although, I admit this last summer was fairly comfortable. We had lots of rain that kept the temperature down in the 80’s for most of the summer. And the humidity (90-100%) didn’t really bother me that much. Now, in other years, by the time the end of August rolled around, I was usually ready for winter. Not just ready, but damn ready! And in August we are usually looking at another two months of summer heat.

I lived in Kansas so I know what summer heat and winter cold are like. Summer in Kansas is about six weeks of hot, dry temps getting up into the 100’s. It’s a dry heat, but still hot. Add that heat to a humidity factor or 70% and more, and you have Florida. Winters are cold and snowy and, if you’re really lucky, icy. I remember scraping snow and ice off my windshield after work one day and saying, “And I left Florida for this!”

I don’t like being cold, but I figure, all things being equal, I can usually put something on to keep warm: a sweater, another sweater, a jacket, a blanket, or a pile of blankets if need be. I can drink something hot to warm me on the inside. When I’m hot, I can’t take enough off to cool off, I can get down to bare skin and that’s it. It’s still hot. Sure, a cool drink helps, but not for long enough. I can get into a pool of water, but if it’s in the sun, the coolest the water is gonna be is tepid. It might be a little cooler in the shade, but not much. I know. I’ve lived in Florida most of my life and I’ve tried it all. The only way to keep cool is to stay in the air-conditioned cool air of a house, workplace, or car. That’s one reason why so many Floridians don’t have tans. We spend a lot of time indoors because of the heat, but you want to know the real reason? We work for a living! Not all of us work on the golf course or as lifeguards.

What’s the downside of a Florida winter, you ask? The Yankees like it too. No, I don’t mean the New York Yankee ball team (they won’t be here until spring training starts in February), although they probably like the spring weather in February and March. I mean the tourists and those who live here three to six months of the year. They have the best of both worlds: the northern seasons of spring, summer, and fall and Florida winters. I don’t begrudge them coming to Florida; after all, they do keep our tax base down by spending money, but yes, indeed, they do have their faults.

I can’t wait until I retire and can vacation up north in the summer. I’ll drive slow in the fast lanes and make right turns from the left lane and left turns from the right lane. I’ll go to the Post Office at lunchtime, and do my shopping between 11 am and 2 p.m. and from 5 to 7 p.m. I’ll make doctor appointments for first thing in the morning, late afternoon, and just before and just after lunch. I’ll go to dinner between 6-8 p.m. And, I’ll be sure to tell everyone just how much better and cheaper we do it (whatever it is) in Florida.

Pearl Harbor Day

December 7, 1941 – a day that shall live in infamy.

I would like to take a moment to remember the men who lost their lives 62 years ago today at Pearl Harbor. Not many people even knew where Pearl Harbor was that day. Over the next few days, Pearl Harbor became known to thousands of parents, wives, brothers and sisters, sweethearts and friends when they received word that their loved one died or was wounded in the attack.

The world changed that fateful day. We now knew where Pearl Harbor was. We were now at war. It was a just war, and a war that we would win. Many more men and women would die or be wounded in battle. Civilians would also die. That’s a fact of war, and it’s a tragedy.

Sixty-two years later we are fighting another battle. Not a declared war, but a war nonetheless. More men and women have lost their lives or were injured. Still more will lose their lives in the days, weeks, months, and years to come. That’s what happens in war. It’s not something that anyone wants to have happen. No one wants to see young men and women die. No one wants to see civilians die. It’s the cost of freedom.

We are free to make decisions. We are free to become successful in our lives and we are free to decide what is successful. We are free to disagree with our leaders. We are free to state out loud and publicly that we disagree. Not all citizens of the world have those freedoms.

Had we not responded sixty-two years ago, who knows where we would be today? We would not be the people, the country, we are today. We would not have responded as we did in Afghanistan or Iraq.

No matter what your feelings are about our reasons for being in Iraq, one thing is clear: we are there. Now, we must finish the battle. If we don’t, then all the men and women who sacrificed their lives since the Revolution will have died in vain.

And that would be a tragedy.

I've been so busy at work the last few days that I haven't taken the time to even think about what to write here. But, it's all been simmering in the back of my mind, so I'll have some thoughts over the next few days.

UN in Charge of the Internet?

That's right. Apparently there are plans underfoot for the UN to take control of the Internet. I read this on Nealz Nuze over on the Boortz.com website. If you haven't had the opportunity to hear Neal Boortz on the radio, do yourself a favor and visit the Church of the Painful Truth. Neal's a Libertarian with a radio show out of Atlanta that I get here in Tampa Bay. I don't always agree with Neal, but he has made me start to think about things.
Okay, back on point. The UN wants to have care and custody of the Internet. Right now, URLs are assigned and controlled by US companies. Most of the computers serving the Internet are located in the US.

Think about this: UN control of the Internet would allow the UN to tax the use of the Internet to fund UN projects. Content could (and in my opinion probably would) be censored. Anything that has the global reach of the Internet just has to be controlled by the UN. Yeah, sure - sounds like a great idea to me. One argument that is sure to arise is that the US wants to keep third world countries down by not allowing them Internet access. Excuse me? The more people who have access, the more money entrepreneurs can make - whether the small Internet based Mom and Pop store or Walmart.

Isn't that what America is all about? Taking what is available to us, making it available to the world and, possibly making a living doing it. Sounds like someone else wants that money. In the eyes of the people behind this idea the UN should take it from the people who did the work (the US), made it something, and give it to someone else (the UN) to reap the benefits and who will then run it into the ground. And that's not to mention the power behind the Internet. He who controls the Internet controls the world. Who would you rather see control the Internet: the free world allowing international free speech and access or the UN who would tax and censor it? You know that's what would happen. Don't let anyone tell you differently.

Here's the link to Nealz Nuze:

http://boortz.com/nuze/200312/12052003.html

You'll see more links in the future to Neal. If the above link doesn't work, please, take the time to type it in and look around his site or go to boortz.com.

Eminent Domain

Another subject that Neal has brought out in the open is that of Eminent Domain. This is the rule of law that allows government to take your property for the use of government.

Eminent Domain used to be used for roads and utilities. But more recently, local governments have used it to take property from a citizen and sell it to a developer so that a mall or higher price housing development can be built. This is usually done because the first owners aren't paying much in property taxes and the city or county finds that the shopping center or housing development will bring in much more in tax revenue.

Neal Boortz reported a couple of months ago that a group of people in Anniston Alabama were faced with Eminent Domain. They were made an offer by the county, they refused, and were served with ED papers to take their homes. Why? A developer wanted to build a shopping center anchored by Walmart in that location. The shopping center would bring in more tax revenue than the homes on that property would.

More tax revenue sounds good. It keeps the taxes down for the rest of us in the city or county. But...someone is losing their property. It doesn't make any difference whether the property is owned by poor blacks or middle class whites. It used to be that people were safe on their own property. We used to have to worry about robbers and home invasions by criminals.

I'm having a hard time figuring out who the criminals are. The ones who come quietly in the night and take things from my house or the ones who come in daylight with writs and notices telling me they are going to take my house and property and give me market value (maybe) it. I may not want to sell, but they will buy it from me or take it under Eminent Domain. Under ED they pay what they want (maybe market value - definitely not what I might have been able to sell for if I wanted to sell) or take it through legal maneuverings. Either way, I lose my property.

Don't the citizens of the United States of America have a say in whether they want to sell their property or not? Don't think this can't happen to you. Those people in Anniston probably thought the same thing. It doesn't matter whether you are rich, poor, middle class, black, white, Hispanic or other ethnicity or class. It doesn't matter if you live in the city, suburbs or country. It Can Happen To You.

Youth At Risk

As I've written before, I work in a high-risk youth facility. We actually have three programs on our complex: a minimum-risk, a moderate-risk, and a high-risk facility. My office is physically located in the high-risk facility but I work for all three. The topic of this post concerns all three but is more germane to the high-risk program.

The Juvenile Justice program is dedicated to preventing youth at risk from committing more crimes by committing them to programs that will educate them and give them counseling so that they can see why they have committed crimes, the consequences of those crimes, and how to make better choices in the future. While in our programs, they are in school for five hours a day, they get medical and psychological counseling, and they get the discipline some of them have never had. When they complete the program they either go to an aftercare program to integrate them back into society or they go home.

My problem is with the boys who go directly home. They go back into the same environment they came from; the very environment that made them criminals. Yes, they had choices, and made bad ones, but these are kids who don't have the maturity levels to say, "No, that's wrong I can't do that."

There is one boy in our facility who came from a family heavily involved in gangs, drugs, and criminal activity. Mom is in prison for dealing drugs. Dad is a hard-core gang member who expects his son to go into the "family business." What chance does this kid have? If he goes home, he will be back into it and the months (18-36) that were invested in his rehabilitation will be down the drain.

Another boy is a ward of the state (DCF - Department of Children and Family Services). Mom and Dad are nowhere around and have had their parental rights taken away. When he turns 18, DCF will say, "You're on your own. Have a good life." And that's it. He has no where to go, no money, no job, no home to go to. Even if he manages to get a job the same day he's released, where is he going to live? And the job? He has a bright future flipping burgers at McDonald's.

I know that we can't save every kid. There are just some kids who are going to continue to commit crimes until they end up in adult prison for life. But we have some kids who want to change. The two boys I wrote of before don't want to go back to their former lives. They see that there is another choice. We're trying to find some options for these two and others like them, but the options are few and far between.

I know Florida isn't the only state this problem exists in. Your state is probably having the same problems. It's up to each of us as citizens and taxpayers to rattle some cages. I've started. I've sent emails to state officials outlining the problem as I see it. Can I challenge you to do the same in your state?

Vocational Programs and Art Fairs

Work seems to be at the top of my mind today. I thought I would share with you some of the things we are doing at our high-risk program.

The State requires that we offer vocational programs. Well, since these kids are high-risk kids, there has been some concern about what tools we can trust them with. Do you want to give a kid in prison for battery or armed robbery with anger management issues access to hammers? You can see our dilemma.

Here are the programs in place now:

Construction: Our Education Manager has found a software program where they can learn construction concepts and techniques. He's still working on how to make it a hands-on program.

Puppy Raiser: I've already discussed the Southeastern Guide dog program. Oh, we've been told we're getting three more puppies in January! Three boys; a blond, a black, and a black and tan. All Labs. Labs seem to do the best in a prison atmosphere of the breeds they have.

To go along with the Puppy Program we are also offering Vet Tech and Small Animal Handler. Both of these programs offer certification through the University of Missouri and Florida State University (I don't remember which is which right now).

Tina is teaching a Small Animal Care class that will go hand-in-hand with the Vet Tech and Small Animal Handler certifications. We (I am her assistant) spend three hours a week teaching this class, and the other two days will be spent on obedience classes for the puppy raisers.

As you might guess, I'm very happy to be associated with this endeavor. Too many committed programs offer nothing for the kids to take home - job skills. With the skills from these classes, they will be able to get real jobs. And with jobs and right choices, they will not re-offend and will stay out of the system to become productive members of society.

Art Fair

Although it's not really a program within the scope of job skills, we also allow the boys to enter art work in the local county fair every year. The 2004 fair will be at the end of January and the boys who were in the fair last year are already getting excited about it.

I spoke to one boy yesterday who wasn't here last year. I nearly did cartwheels when I saw his artwork. This young man has a real future in art. He has a lot of raw talent and could go very far if he had a chance to go to an art school. Trust me, I'll be working on that.

What really did my heart good was as he left the room after speaking to me, he was beaming! The praise I had given him made a difference in him that was on his face. I meant every word I said to him and I think I gave him a glimpse of hope for the future.

Back to the fair. The boys who want to participate will have until January 17 to produce artwork to be entered into the fair. Most will get a ribbon of some sort. I wish we could take them to see their work displayed but that won't/can't happen. At least they will get the ribbons.

BRRRRRR!!!

It's noon as I write this and it's only 54 degrees! I know, some of you are digging out from the snowstorms. But this is Florida! Actually, I'm enjoying it. We don't get too many opportunities to wear sweatshirts and sweaters. I have some sweaters I've been waiting for a chance to wear.