Merry Christmas One and All!

I’m not sure what this week will bring with last minute shopping and then the wrapping, plus I will soon be spending time with my family and once that happens, everything else will be on the back burner! So, I want to send holiday wishes to everyone in the Blogosphere.

I hope that each and every one of you have a very merry, happy and healthy Christmas. But most of all I am hoping that you are spending it with the people you love and care for the most.

The holidays, to me, are about love—the giving, and yes, the receiving, of love, and I want each of you to experience that fulfilling emotion, because there is nothing like it. So, take your fill of ham, turkey and the trimmings, indulge in the cookies and pies, but most of all, OVER indulge in the hugs and kisses and the overwhelming emotions that only family and friends can GIVE!

Merry Christmas, my friends, and may ALL of you be blessed with all that you are hoping to receive this holiday season.

Busy Little Elf

I’ve been such a busy little elf that I haven’t blogged in almost three weeks!

Thanksgiving came and went and then it was time to get ready for Christmas. In that time I had to help my youngest son with two projects. He left the “creative stuff” up to me because, “you’re good at that, Mom”, he sweetly informed me. Needless to say, he’s doing well and is getting straight A’s—no surprise there, the kid is a brianiac, but doesn’t have a lick of common sense! (I can say that because I’m his mom!)

My oldest son was nominated for “Snow King”. It’s where he and four other guys in the senior class have to choose a “charity” and whoever collects the most money is crowned “Snow King”. My son chose the “cause,” In Memory of Taylor, a fellow student who died over the summer. Her death has been declared “unknown” even after an autopsy. As a parent, I can’t even imagine how that family is coping! Bless my son for his thoughtfulness in remembering Taylor and I hope he succeeds in this contest. Saturday night we wrapped up five boxes for the contest/charity (5 because each boy can pick 4 people to help him collect money). I decorated the boxes with big bows and used fabric paint to write his name and also “In Memory of Taylor”, etc., on the boxes. They turned out very pretty and they are unique. My son told me that all the others had coffee cans, so he’s the ONLY one with Christmas Present Boxes! (I told him so!) This coming Saturday is the “Snow Dance”, so he needs new duds—one of his FAVORITE pastimes is shopping--he should’ve been a girl, but I think I would’ve strangled him had he been!

I was also busy decorating our home for Christmas. When I worked full-time, I had to do all my decorating on the weekends because that was my only free time. Now, however, I only work 15 hours per week, so I can take my time and decorate when I want to. I actually enjoy it now because there is NO stress. Although Saturday afternoon turned into a fiasco. A few years ago I purchased an artificial, pre-lit, pencil tree so that it would be “easy” for me. Well, this year the only lights that worked were on the very top and the very bottom. My husband and I sat—like dorks, I might add, and tested EVERY bulb in the two strands of lights, then replaced all the burned out bulbs. Dumb us –they still didn’t work. We wasted all that time, plus my finger tips were sore and my wrists were all scratched and red—almost like I was touching a real tree! I sent my husband to the store for new lights. I told him to buy Icicle lights, which he did, but I forgot the darn things have WHITE wires! He had to go back to the store and get regular Christmas tree lights. He didn’t complain once either—what a gem! Anyway, we re-strung the “pre-lit” tree. That darn pencil tree now has 550 lights on it but doesn’t look all that bright! Sigh-- oh well, I’ll re-string it better next year.

I want to share two of my favorite decorating areas with you. 


Number one is my main bathroom, because it just LOOKS so cozy! 

<< This is what it looks like when the light is ON

And this, when the light is OFF 

I just love glancing in there when I walk by! (I’m not just a dork when replacing bulbs!)

This is my China Closet. It’s filled with my Gone With the Wind collectibles, like ornaments, a few of my GWTW collector’s plates, and my GWTW figurines. It’s difficult to see them in this photo because of the flash. Again, the lights look so pretty at night, but this picture doesn’t do it justice, because the lights look like they are floating and the picture just doesn’t show that. At night I’ll sit in the living room and stare into the kitchen at the China closet while I listen to Christmas music, it’s so relaxing.

Every year I do a “home-made” gift. One year it was my brother and a shirt, another, my niece and earrings, yet another, my girlfriend and a cape, this year, it’s my dad and I can't tell you yet! I did take a picture of it, but if he reads my blog he would see it and I don’t want to spoil the surprise! I already screwed up a gift for my parents two years ago, I’m not about to do it again! I’ll post a picture of it when Christmas is over. My dad will really like this gift—and he’ll especially like that I didn’t buy it! He does NOT like when people spend money on him. I did have to purchase one part of it however, but, he’ll forgive THAT when he sees it.

I’m almost done with my shopping. My boys are cute. Neither have any idea what they’re getting because they didn’t give me a “list” and they know I won’t just give them money! I told them, I know YOU so I KNOW what to buy! And that’s what I like about Christmas presents—finding the PERFECT gift.

This is a happy time for me and mine, well everyday is happy, but I try to make the holiday especially happy and I’ve spent time with my husband when we went out for our Christmas gift. We also went to see a play Friday night for the Bobcat Player’s Community Theater which my parents are actively involved with. It was a good play written by my mom’s friend and afterward we had a late dinner with my parents. We’ve also been playing Catch Phrase with the boys in the evening. It’s a fun game, although my boys have been beating my hubby and I and winning $10 each to boot! We bet them backrubs vs. $10 but we can’t seem to collect on those backrubs! Are we old or do we just suck at giving word hints? I don’t think I like either of those choices so I’ll just say our “minds” are on other things at the moment! Like getting out our yearly family photo card!

I waited until a few days before Christmas last year. Talk about being laid back, that was a bit much. Everything in moderation, even Christmas cards! I do believe I will print them this Thursday and address them Friday then mail them Saturday. That will mean they will be out one week, to the day, before Christmas!

As you’ve noticed this post is not about politics (and if you didn’t notice then maybe you’ve been drinking too much of that spiked eggnog) because I’m holding off on the political posts until after the New Year. Well, I’m going to TRY and hold off! I think I need a break. Maybe everyone does, except those holding public office—they need to actually WORK for a change!

Well, that’s it for now. Hope you enjoyed this pre-holiday post as it gives you a bit of insight into me and a bit of my Christmas traditions. Hope all of your holiday arrangements are going well!

Thankfulness

In today’s times it’s difficult to be optimistic when daily news is full of doom and gloom. Our economic situation seems to get worse on a daily basis. Those of us with children in the military have even greater fears from countries like Iran and North Korea, and the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan loom larger in our minds, keeping us up late at night. Those with jobs don’t really feel secure, because they fear they could join the millions who are already unemployed. The political rhetoric is full of angry and sometimes even hateful vitriol and we wonder what kind of country we are living in and at times think we’re actually living in the twilight zone!

It’s holidays, like today though, when we NEED to slow down, get a grip, and concentrate not on the negative, but the positive, because there truly ARE many encouraging things in our lives, IF we take the time to see them.

I am thankful for my family, who has shown me so much unconditional love. There is nothing, not even gold, that can buy what a family can give via love, security and belonging. Without my family, I feel my spirit would wither and eventually perish. I’m blessed beyond words and I must’ve done something right to have such a wonderful family!

Friends are also important; therefore I’m grateful for them, as well. TRUE friends are hard to find and even harder to keep. They come into our lives when we least expect it and we must honor and cherish them. I am thankful for my friends and hope they know how much they mean to me.

Health is worth more than all the gold in Fort Knox. Those of us who struggle with health issues are more aware of this than most. Nothing can replace good health and without it a person can’t really enjoy life. Never—NEVER, take good health for granted and be thankful EVERY day if you ARE healthy. I’m thankful that even though I have struggles, they aren’t life threatening.

I have many blessings, too many to list, actually, and I berate myself for not being thankful every minute of every day. But I realize that life gets in the way sometimes and it makes it difficult to think of my blessing constantly. So I lighten up a little and give myself credit for appreciating what I DO have, not just on Thanksgiving, but other days of the year, as well. I hope others do this, too, because it’s just too easy to get wrapped up in the rat race and the ugliness of the world around us. We need to see the beauty of our world-- the love and the peace, because they DO exist. Please SEE them!

I hope on this Thanksgiving holiday more people see the good, the peace and the blessings. And may ALL of you—MY friends, have a Happy Thanksgiving, filled with lots of love and ALL that makes YOU truly happy.

Sick Leave

My cold started out Halloween weekend and it was enough to be annoying, THEN, this past Friday it knocked me on my rear end. I’ve spent the past few days in bed, but not being able to sleep because as soon as I even attempt to lie flat I begin to cough SO hard I feel like my appendix are ready to burst through my abdomen--and THAT’S bad because they were removed in 1981!

I saw my doctor Monday afternoon and she gave me prescription nasal spray, an inhaler and told me to take an Antihistamine and to just let the nasty virus run its course. Oh, goodie. I’m as tired and weak as a newborn baby and all I want to do is sleep, however, the cough won’t permit me to, yet I have to let this dog-gone thing run another five days!


The medications HAVE helped with the cough, so I’m hopeful I’ll be back to a somewhat normal state by the weekend, and I’m hoping I won’t pass any germs to my hubby or sons. I don’t see how that’s even remotely possible considering I’ve coughed all over EVERYTHING, even the dog, who hasn’t left my side, bless her heart.


I’ll be back to the keyboard as soon as I have enough oomph to keep my eyes open and my hands from shaking. Until then I hope none of you get this bug, so wash your hands often and use hand sanitizer! Trust me, you do NOT want THIS virus. Do not make the mistake of thinking you’re immune, either. I wasn’t sick for 3 years and I caught it!

Take care everyone! I miss you!

2 Unethical Blogs Go Bust

Today couldn’t have been better had it been my birthday! I just finished checking the bogus blogs to see if any more had shut down and found that the one and only Liberal bogus blog, A Proud Left Winger, was changed to Invite Only. I find that rather coincidental considering I just mentioned that one over in Sleuth’s comment section. Nevertheless, it’s Invite Only, and I’ll be even happier when it’s CLOSED.

Now, here’s the GREAT news! Right is Right is CLOSED! She was known as Heil Helga and tried to cause Left Coast Rebel, Blue Pitbull and me a lot of trouble. She threatened us, called us names and even tried to ban and boycott us. Good thing we never gave in to her demands, because it turned out she was as bogus as all the other bogus blogs!

Sleuth was going to post about Right is Right but I wanted to hold off a bit. Rest assured I have ALL my notes and reports and I WILL hold on to them, along with the emails RIR sent me. I NEVER delete anything. So, if Right is Right rears her ugly head again, I’ll be ready and Sleuth WILL come out full force.

As I mentioned to another Blogger, my intention is NOT revenge, it’s to STOP these bogus blogs. I want the old ones closed and I don’t want any new ones to open. I don't care what the REAL blog owner writes, just as long as it's original material.

Our community shouldn’t be infected with this type of unethical behavior and I would expect anyone of good moral standards to expose this type of conduct. Since I have been supplied with this information, I feel it’s my responsibility to inform everyone and I want to thank all of you for your support and the support of Sleuth.

31 Bogus Blogs Busted

Since I first announced there was unethical blogging activity within our community, thirty-one bogus blogs have shut down. I was recently asked if there was a list of blog names, and since there wasn’t, I prepared one.

This first section is the list of blog names and URL'S that can be viewed because Google was able to capture them at some point and time during what's called a "crawl", but I'm not about to get them to work in a link, so copy and paste the URL into the Google Search box and you'll be able to view the blog. However, you won't be able to "click" anything within the blogs because they've been shut down. And yes, you can "cut and paste" the URL's! That is NOT plagiarism! lol!

A Guy From Brooklyn
cache:http://timethief101.blogspot.com/
An American Who Cares
cache:http://anamericanwhocares.blogspot.com/
Enquiring Minds Want to Know
cache:http://enquiringmindswtk.blogspot.com/
Inquiring Minds Want to Know
cache:http://deyogesden.blogspot.com/
Joe's America
cache:http://joesamerica101.blogspot.com/
Just Keep on Walking
cache:http://amessagefromjohnny.blogspot.com/
My Right View
cache:http://alefteysview.blogspot.com
Nap Queen
cache:http://napqueenspress.blogspot.com/
Sandy's Thoughts
cache:http://sandyssandbox.blogspot.com/
Some Guys Thoughts
cache:http://myguysthoughts.blogspot.com/


This next section is just a list of blog names, because you can’t view them the same way as the list above. There is a way you can view some of them, but only a page or two, like A Right American, for example. This might be that the blogs closed before Google did its “crawl”, for example. There are also two other blogs, The Saint and The World According To SarahG, which closed before I had a chance to log their URL. Sleuth may have them listed on a report and I’m sure Sleuth will let us know if that’s the case.

A New York Guy's View
A Republican Girl
A Right American
An American Girl
Chronicles of a Conservative
Conservative News, Opinions & Politics
Cutiepie's World
David Speaks Right
Eric's Eyes
Frank the Thinking Man
I Care About America
Mary Mary Quite Contrary
Matt Rose
The Phantom Man
Things That Piss Me Off
Thru My Eyes
TREXPRESS
Walt's World
Willie's World of Reason



These thrity-one blogs are BOGUS. They used the same patterns as Grandma ZaZa and Conservative16, except they are older than those two.

I’m also checking another 90+ bogus blogs which have NOT been shut down! Again, the same patterns as the thirty-one already closed and the new ones being set up! It’s just ridiculous. I have no idea why someone is hell bent on plagiarizing other’s work. It’s just SO wrong, to say the least.

I will do my best to keep all of you updated. Just because you don't hear something doesn't mean I'm not doing something! Yikes. It's grueling! But as I said, this isn't a Right/Left issue; it's a RIGHT/WRONG one.

Note: As of 10/26/10 @ 9:53 am EST, I corrected the URL of Enquiring Minds Want To Know; because I originally typed the wrong one by mistake.

Unethical Blogging Update – Part 2

The investigation into unethical blogging activities is still going strong, although the culprit(s) decided to set up a few NEW bogus blogs.


You can read about them here.

Good Luck to Jennifer from Thinking Out Loud

This post is in dedication to Jennifer, who authored the blog, Thinking Out Loud. Jennifer hasn’t blogged in quite a few months, but came back to cybernation to write about the New York Mosque situation. I was excited as I thought it meant she had returned! I was so glad to hear from her again, because I really miss her “voice” and her insight here in our community.

You see, Jennifer and I bonded as soon as we met here in blogland. It was as if we were twins separated at birth. Both of us are Conservatives, but we also have very independent streaks, which didn’t set well with the Republican Pack. In addition, she and I agreed whole-heartedly on internet civility and both of us were welcome on Liberal blogs and Liberals visited ours. Another no-no with the lock-step-cook-cutter-talking-point-blogs.

There have been many issues where I had wished Jennifer’s voice was available. Her witty and insightful writing was always so refreshing. She wasn’t pretentious-- just down-to-earth, genuine, compassionate... and yes, full of fire. But that fire never ignited into ugliness or hatred toward another in our community. She was a rare treasure in the blogging realm.

I decided to check in on her blog today—something I do occasionally, and found she deleted it. I felt very sad at that discovery. I was hoping one day she would come back and “type” amongst us again, so I guess that won’t be happening anytime soon--maybe never. It’s safe to assume that blogging and politics can bring about “burn-out” as I read there are a few other Bloggers who have shut down shop, too. I heard they will be missed by their regulars also.

And I will miss Jennifer. I think a lot of other Bloggers in our community will miss her too.

So if Jennifer meanders onto my blog, this is for her:

I miss you terribly. I think you’re a fine lady and I feel honored to have met and blogged with you. I hope we get a chance to do it again because I think we had a lot of fun, and I consider you to be extremely intelligent with a lot to contribute to any venue. You are a beautiful woman, inside and out. Best wishes, my friend.

Unethical Blog Update

As I posted two weeks ago, I’ve been investigating unethical blogs. To date there are approximately 70 blogs which have been set-up that have similarities and all of these blogs have, at one time or another, visited my blog to either attack, ban or cause disruption. Since the investigation has begun, and these blogs have been exposed, 27 have shut down voluntarily.

This inquiry has uncovered three blogs that have stolen the identities of REAL people, but I’m not at the liberty to divulge more information at this time, because it might impede the investigation. The owner(s) of these blogs are, at the very least, disingenuous. They did not set up these blogs for intellectual discourse or even to lend credit to a cause, because they plagiarize and lie... and WORSE...

I have had assistance with this investigation and it has been brought to my attention that click-jacking, mal-ware, viruses, and email hacking has also been involved. The perpetrator(s) are malicious and intent on destruction. This is not a harmless hoaxster or someone trying to get a few laughs, therefore I advise everyone to open emails with extreme caution and beware of new blog followers and commenters.

Most of us are Veteran Bloggers, but keep in mind that there are MILLIONS of blogs in the blogosphere so question HOW new Bloggers just happen to find YOUR blog! Not that you don’t have a “good” one, but generally new followers don’t come in droves, or even a couple in a few days. We know by now that it takes time and effort to get a loyal following and it’s normally the large blogs that get the cyber traffic first...not the cookie-cutter blogs, unless, as my investigation has proven... they are a scam.

As soon as I’m finished with my research, I will submit a final post. Until then, PLEASE be careful of anything suspicious. And keep in mind that one can’t be too careful on the internet.

Calling Out Unethical Bloggers!

I feel it’s important to conduct oneself in an honorable manner on the internet and I’ve behaved properly since my first social networking gig, which was MySpace back in the day. When I decided to begin blogging I knew I would continue my good behavior not only because I wanted to maintain my respectable on-line reputation but also because I didn’t want anyone I knew to read something unsavory written by me. I can say with confidence that after 3 years of blogging I have maintained my respectable behavior and will continue to do so.

I’m not proud of some bloggers who actively and knowingly tried to censor other blogs. You can read the story here. I’m a firm believer in our 1st Amendment and I’m ashamed that Conservatives have been named in this Digg scandal. It makes those of us who are respectable and noble look bad. I would like to go on record right now by saying that I denounce anyone, Right or Left, who engages in sleazy behavior. I also oppose bloggers here in our community who pose as Conservatives to disrupt dialogue and cause trouble and those who blog with an explicit agenda, like those on Digg, and will turn on you for being an independent thinker.

I and a few other Bloggers have had run-ins with Conservative-blogger-posers. They would come on our blogs and give us trouble because we conversed with Liberal Bloggers and visited Liberal Blogs and when we didn’t concede they called us names, blogged unfavorably about us and when those tactics didn’t work, they banned us. In one week’s time I lost 60 followers. I thought that was really odd, but now that I know that these blogs are actually owned by a handful of people it explains why most of them haven’t been posted on in almost a year and why at least 30 of them have celebrity photos or pictures from over-seas advertising sites as their profile photos. I understand some people don’t wish to use their real picture on the internet therefore they use a photo of a pet or a cartoonish-type picture or even an avatar, but when a person uses a picture from an advertising site and allows commenters to assume it’s him/her—that’s deceitful and these Blogger-posers have done just that.

These bloggers have set up fake blogs and have gone as far as stealing the photos of REAL people for their profile page. Yes, they steal photos of real people from Facebook and other social network sites. This is a problem because these fake blogs have ideas and opinions posted all over them that DON’T match the opinions of the identities that the bloggers stole. This is IDENTITY THEFT and not only is it illegal but it’s also reprehensible. These bloggers also plagiarize by copying/pasting comments written by others onto their fake blogs but give no attribution to the original writer. They do this with comments also. Anyone participating in any of these behaviors should be ashamed of him/herself! And any blog that has been set up or used in a deceitful manner should SHUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY.


There is nothing worse than a person who has no integrity or honor and would stoop so low as to steal something—especially an identity. Even if some of these followers are real, I find it difficult to believe they would want to follow a fraud, a liar and a thief, therefore they must be one in the same person, OR these people have no character either. And if that’s the case then I wouldn’t want them to read my blog let alone follow it—I would much rather have a handful of loyal, honorable followers than a hundred dishonest ones!

A blog, to me, should be informative, or at the very least, entertaining. The cookie cutter blogs with authors who rant and rave are a dime a dozen. I can turn on my radio to hear the “talking points”; I certainly don’t want to read them on blogs, too. Give me some substance. But substance is what these posers are sorely lacking because they lack moral character! (Not to mention English and Grammar skills!)

It’s too bad we can’t send them all into cyber-space… for real! The only thing we can do, fellow Bloggers, is what we’ve been doing—keep blogging and acting honorably. WE will prevail because these deceitful trolls have no stamina, no courage and no perseverance. So, hold true to your values and strong to your convictions and we will beat them.

I want to say thank you to Shaw at Progressive Eruptions for the work she has done at exposing these posers and thank you to Blue Pitbull, Infidel and The Swash Zone for supporting her. We may not all agree on politics, but we DO agree on principles and that’s because we know UNETHICAL behavior when we see it and DECENT people stick together.

Restoring Honor Rally: Faith, Hope & Charity

I attended Glenn Beck’s Restoring Honor rally Saturday. My decision to attend wasn’t planned. As a matter of fact it was completely spur of the moment. My dad called me Friday afternoon, when I was at work, and asked if I would be interested in going with him and my mom, thus with my answer being affirmative, he told me to be ready at 3:30 a.m.

We arrived at the Lincoln Memorial at 11 a.m. with the rally already in full swing. The crowd was immense. People were sitting between the columns, on the steps and walking around it. They were packed full on both sides of the Reflection Pond and beyond. The aerial view photos are a bit distorting because you can’t see all the people who were beneath the Cherry Blossom trees. I know because I walked the cement pathway from the Lincoln Memorial to the WWII Memorial, which was tree-covered and it too was packed full with people sitting on chairs, blankets, the grass, or just standing.

We found a nice shady spot on the Atlantic side of the WWII Memorial and were amazed at how the crowd extended onward up toward the Washington Monument. I told my parents and 13 year old son that this wasn’t a politician who brought, in my estimation, at least 500,000 people together, it was a mere television-radio personality. But united we were and for a message that could ring true for everyone, of every walk of life, old and young, black, white, red and yellow, a message that transcended political lines—Restoring honor and integrity…

Glenn said, “We have lost too many heroes in this nation.” “Heroes are just people who stand and do the right thing usually at their own peril. They’ll stand and do the right thing.”

Who are our next heroes? Do you have Faith, Hope and Charity in your life?

I have a hero in my life. It’s my dad. He raised us by example, living with nobility and good character. I learned from him to be honest regardless of how difficult it may be for me. I have sacrificed regardless of how uncomfortable it may feel. I am compassionate and benevolent because I learned that it feels good to have a purpose greater than myself. I have seen over the years that too many people today don’t have a purpose. They don’t honor themselves let alone others. They lie, steal and cheat because it’s easy. Let’s face it, doing the right thing takes fortitude. We need to practice that so the next generation will learn by example.

I will admit I’m not a religious person. I was baptized Lutheran and practiced that until the age of 10, then began practicing the Catholic religion. From age 25 until about 30 I practiced a non-denominational religion, but with much self-reflection and thought, changed to Atheism. I believe in doing the right thing because, well, it’s the right thing to do. I don’t need the fear of hell looming before me to know not to lie, steal, or cheat. I don’t commit adultery because I love my husband and it would hurt him deeply. I am kind to people because I want them to be kind to me. I never found a connection with God or a Higher Being therefore praying never gave me solace. I found over the years that I had more strength within myself. I have the utmost respect for those who practice a religion and believe that everyone has the right to practice what they believe is right for them.

So, what did I get out of this rally, considering it had such a religious undertone? What does Faith, Hope and Charity mean to me?

Faith, I think, means to believe in something unseen. I believe in a strength within myself. A strength I found years ago that permeated from within which sustained me through some of the roughest times of my life. I was able to walk through the darkness into the light and emerge without bitterness or hatred, therefore I have faith that I will remain a loving, compassionate, strong person and it will see me through my journey of life wherever it may lead, and I will continue to learn from the good and bad lessons along the way.


Hope, to me, is the belief that no matter what hardship you face; obstacle you must overcome; lesson you must learn--you trust that tomorrow will bring a better, brighter day. I believe that if we don’t have hope we will not be able to find our way out of the darkness into the light.

Our hearts will expand with Charity. When we put aside our own needs and give to others, whether it’s helping an elderly lady up a flight of stairs; serving food in a soup kitchen; or donating money to the poor--we are reaching out to mankind. There is no greater purpose in life than to give to others. When we meet a need in others, we are, in essence, fulfilling a need within ourselves. Charity is an extension of ourselves and there is nothing more benevolent...more powerful...than to help someone in need.

In closing, this rally was not political, it was inspirational, even for someone who is not religious. It was a day for people to unite in a common message...

Let us restore in ourselves what may be lying dormant. Honor, truth and dignity. Have Faith, if not in a God, ALWAYS in yourself. Never give up Hope, because on the horizon is a new day with the rising of a beautiful sun, and bestow someone with an act of Charity, give them the magnificence of YOU!

GM Plant in Mexico to Receive $500 Million

General Motors (GM), or as many refer to it, Government Motors, because we, the taxpayer, own 60% of the onetime auto giant, is investing $500 million dollars in a Mexican auto plant to build a new mystery vehicle and eight cylinder engines.

I don’t know about you, but I find this rather disturbing considering our country is facing “the worst economic crisis since the great depression” (I think I could recite THAT sentence in my friggin sleep!); we’re at 9.5% unemployment; and all we hear from the Left is how the Republicans have ruined the economy with trickledown economics, tax cuts and how they’ve sent all the jobs over-seas. Hmm, I guess it’s okay that we send hundreds of millions of tax payer dollars AND jobs straight over the border though, huh?

I mean GM only closed 14 plants and 13 warehouses in 2009 leaving 20,000 people unemployed. This Mexican plant employs 11,000 workers and with this new influx of cash it will hire 390 new workers. I’m sure there are 11,390 people unemployed in the United States who would LOVE to have a job right about now!

Where is the outrage? Where is the outcry? Queue the crickets because the silence is deafening. The Left is notorious for their rage over anything and everything that Bush, or anyone on the Right, has done, real or imagined, but let Obama do something, even take over an American car company then send half a billion dollars to another country when we NEED it right HERE and you hear NOTHING. The hypocrisy is astounding.

That Mexican plant, and any other foreign GM plant, should be shut down—YESTERDAY and reopened here in America where it can employee LEGAL AMERICANS, because it is OWNED by United States taxpayers. A privately owned company can do whatever it wants as it has its own money, but when taxpayer money is involved it should then do what is RIGHT for the taxpayer.

I know I’m wasting my time writing about this, but when I see such a horrific injustice, I just can’t help myself. I believe in doing what’s RIGHT and it angers me when I see such inappropriate actions and by our OWN government no less! It’s actions like THIS that make me wonder how anyone could ever think government is more capable than the average person. Those in government are NOT Gods. They are flesh and blood humans, with failings and frailties like so many others and THAT is why I don’t trust them to run my life, our car companies, our banks, student loans, and our health care. I don’t have blind faith that human beings are without fault and with total power they won’t abuse it. It’s just too tempting to people with less moral character and Washington has proven time and again that they have LESS moral character than the average person.

To emerge with one’s dignity unscathed after encountering temptation’s call is a feat many will flaunt but few will actually achieve …

Web Hosting Services Shut Down—Is there a Kill Switch?

Around July 9th, Blogetery, a WordPress platform used by more than 70,000 bloggers, was shut down and its members were told by the web host, BurstNet, that service was terminated at the “request” of a law enforcement agency. The mystery is, WHICH agency made this request and WHY? Then approximately 5 days later iPBFree terminated its service with no explanation.

There is speculation running amuck that Blogetery violated copyright laws, was posting child pornography, and also that some of its members were engaging in terrorist activities, like an al-Qaeda hit list and how-to tips on bomb construction. Another enigma, WHICH speculation is accurate?

A spokesperson for the Recording Industry Association of America said it had no involvement with the termination of BurstNet’s shut down and a spokeswoman for ICE said, “While ICE's Internet piracy enforcement efforts are still very much ongoing, we were not involved with the action." A spokesperson for the Motion Picture Association of America said he had never heard of Blogetery!


If the MPAA and the RIAA weren’t involved, WHO issued the order to shut down this site? Especially since those organizations typically make a big deal out of copyright law breakers. Benjamin Arcus, Vice-President of BurstNet, confirmed that he complied with copyright laws and removed unauthorized material “within 24 hours” whenever he was informed of the infraction. Besides, a BurstNet executive stated, "I can not disclose which agency or why they [ordered the action]. I can say that this is not a copyright issue."

A law enforcement officer, with experience in cyber crimes, who wished to remain anonymous, said that when child pornography was involved, hosting services weren’t just “shut down” and he didn’t know of any agency that had the authority to terminate service for thousands of people without jumping through legal hoops. In his experience, search warrants were normally obtained and Internet protocol addresses were turned over, but the service stayed in operation. He noted that prosecutors and law enforcement agencies are required to provide due process and that in the United States we are innocent until proven guilty.

This leaves us with the allegation of terrorism. Was there a blog or blogs that were posting information on how to construct bombs or other incendiary information which could be construed as terrorism against the United States and its citizens? And if so, why not investigate THEM? Why did the entire domain have to be terminated, shutting down over 70,000 blogs, most of which were perfectly innocent, and you know, exercising that silly thing called the 1st Amendment.

Remember the anonymous law enforcement officer said he didn’t know of any agency that had the authorization to terminate internet access for thousands of people. Well, I know of an agency that has that type of authority—our Federal Government, and it now has a piece of legislation which does give them authority-- It’s called the Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act. Is it possible that our government deemed Blogetery and iPBFree as risks? Threats of some kind and shut them down? Farfetched you say? Yeah, well I never thought I’d be called a racist for disagreeing with the President or for wanting LEGAL immigration, either. Anything is possible these days, as far as I’m concerned, especially considering we pass two-thousand page bills without even reading them! Heck, the Speaker of the House said, "we have to pass the bill to find out what's in it"! Unbelievable I know, but TRUE!

For now we don’t know the answers as to why two internet hosting sites have been shut down. We might never know. Suffice to say it appears suspicious so I’m going to back up all of my information just in case I log in to Blogger one day and find out I can’t access it. One never knows if a computer will crash, a hosting site will go under, close down or if our government will…well…use a “kill switch”…

Happy Birthday!

Today is my birthday.

The day of one’s birth is a day to celebrate so be sure to announce the day of your birth when it arrives!

I’m sending a special wish out to Shaw--we share this magnificent day—may it be glorious!

My Son the Warrior

Monday, July 19th, my 17 year old son took an oath to uphold our Constitution, protect and serve our Nation and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He is now a member of the Army National Guard.

I am proud but also frightened for this young man, whom I carried within my body, then on November 2, 1992, at 6:33 pm after 14 hours of labor, delivered him into this world then held him as he took his first breath and looked at his environment for the first time.

Dalan is my first born son and has spoken about the military since he was about 12 years old and has been intrigued with WWI and WWII since he was a very little boy. He watched war documentaries with his Poppy, my dad, for hours. Poppy bought him trading cards, movies, and miniature aircrafts from those eras. I believe Dalan’s aspiration to join the military is in his blood-- he’s a warrior, like his Poppy, his uncles (my brothers), and his aunt (my baby sister). I don’t believe you can change a warrior’s heart, but you sure can make a warrior mom’s heart lodge in her throat!

My son’s adventure will begin during his senior year of high school, which is this fall. Dalan will be in the ROTC program and he’ll do drills once a month during that time. After graduating high school, he’ll be off to Georgia for 14 weeks of Boot Camp. Once he completes his training there, he’ll come home for a brief “vacation” then he plans to attend Valley Forge Military College and commission out as an Officer and then re-sign for another 6 years. After that, his plans are undecided. His options are open as his ASVAB scores were very high, he’s physically fit and has set his mind on a Ranger-type program, and once his mind is set, he pretty much achieves his goal.

I come from a family of warriors, as I mentioned, but I also come from a very patriotic one as well. Dalan’s decision didn’t come as a surprise, and like I said, I’m proud as a mom and as an American, but as a mom who has spent the last 17 years loving, nurturing, teaching and doting on her son, it’s still hard knowing I’ll be relinquishing my son to the Army. No longer will my “baby” look to ME when he has a problem or needs help. He’ll be on his own-- independent, strong and self-sufficient, and it gives me solace to know that I have given him those tools and he’ll take them with him into his future and they will guide him like an invisible hand—my hand… lovingly and silently resting on his shoulders so that he knows he’s never alone, for no matter where he is, my thoughts, my heart and my love will always be with him.

I’m honored to be Dalan’s mom--proud that he’s a member of our noble Armed Forces. If his service to our military is anything like his approach to life and his character as a son, brother, grandson, and friend, then America is receiving a very valuable asset.

*Although my post is written in the first person, I did not raise my son alone. I had support, guidance and dedication from Dalan’s father and my husband of 23 years. I am forever grateful to him, because his love, not just for Dalan, but for Austin and me as well, is a daily reminder that I must have done something good…

Mel Gibson and Samir Shabazz—Two Racists

Mel Gibson did it again—opened his big mouth and let ugly words fly. He did that in 2006 when he was arrested for drunk driving. In 2006 his anger was directed at the cops and his words were directed toward Jews. This time his anger was directed at his girlfriend, whom he’s been having some domestic problems, Blacks, and Hispanics. His ugly rant was tapped by his girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, who felt she might need proof for the court battle they are sure to encounter over their daughter, since there is currently a restraining order on Gibson. After hearing the tapes, I can honestly say that Mel Gibson is anti-Semitic, a racist against Blacks and Hispanics and he has serious mental issues.

If Gibson comes out and apologizes, I hope someone tells him to go to hell in a hand basket because he wouldn’t be sincere. Words like that don’t roll off your tongue unless you use them on a regular basis. There is no way, no matter how angry I might be, that I would use the “N” word, a disparaging word for Latinos or say something against Jews, or any other religion for that matter, because I have nothing against any of them—I don’t believe I am better than anyone. Needless to say, I don’t use those disgusting terms in my everyday language therefore rage won't induce a hemorrhage of them either.

Then we have the case of Samir Shabazz of the New Black Panther Party who tried to intimidate voters in 2008 at a Philadelphia polling center and who is also on video saying some vile things while calming standing on a sidewalk. He calls for the death of white people and their babies and not ONE person, Black or White even stops to question his hate speech. It’s almost like these passerbys hear this type of repulsive oratory every day!

What the heck is wrong with people? And where is this so-called post racial America that we were told we had since Obama was elected? It seems to me that I’m hearing more racism now than ever before.


I do think there are bigots and racists around us, as is apparent with Gibson and Shabazz. They are ignorant jerks, for a lack of better words. But I think the majority of Americans are NOT and when people are accused of being racist when he or she isn’t, it shuts down constructive conversation. I also think that lately the term “racist” has been way over used and has actually lost its shock value. Kind of like car alarms-- no one pays attention anymore. That’s sad, because when it’s important no one’s going to notice. It's imperative that we recognize real racism and bigotry and attack it at its source and STOP it and it’s also our responsibility to CEASE the false accusations and DEFEND those who are innocent.

In the cases of Gibson and Shabazz, I have nothing to offer either of them because I think they are beyond help. Both have black hearts and neither see the darkness of their own souls because they are too damn busy being angry at the world and everyone in it when it’s they who are wrong and have wronged. I don’t feel sorry for either of them and won’t waste anymore precious time on these sorry excuses for human beings.

I hope they don’t poison anyone else and I wish that more people would speak out against the true racists, even if it’s someone in their own race or someone in their own party--because it’s the right thing to do.

Governor Jan Brewer Tough on Food Stamp Fraud

For years-- literally, I’ve asked why we haven’t clamped down on fraud, waste, abuse and just plain THEFT of our welfare and food stamp programs, until it became quite apparent that the Federal Government didn’t WANT to do anything about it, so I stopped beating my head against a wall. Not asking, however, never stopped my anger or frustration, though.

I have to say that Governor Jan Brewer has impressed me yet again and given me some hope. First with her immigration bill, which proves she is at least trying to help her state of Arizona and its residents, something the Feds should be doing but have neglected for decades, and now with her new program to stop fraud within the food stamp program.

By stepping up to the plate and tackling fraud and abuse in the food stamp program, Governor Brewer is once again in the news and the topic of something controversial. The new fraud prevention unit, which was launched July 1st, was assembled to ensure that people who receive food stamps aren’t using them illegally. The Trafficking Detection Unit (TDU) will investigate people to make sure they aren’t purchasing items other than food or trying to convert their benefits into cash, a common fraudulent practice. Arizona saved 9.5 million dollars between 2008-2009 by denying people who weren’t “eligible” for the benefits. Imagine what our federal budget could “save” if it would implement such a program! Maybe Governor Brewer could give them a few lessons on how to use one’s “back-bone”!

I’m sure once this goes viral, Jan Brewer will be called a racist—again, and it will be said she hates poor people. But this has nothing to do with skin color, ethnicity, sex, religion, or creed and everything to do with CHARACTER. If you are cheating the system you are a dirt bag and should be thrown off, and have to pay back what you STOLE! But I’m sure that won’t happen, unless our politicians grow back bones or at the very least find the ones they left at the door when they checked in.

But for starters I’d be happy if all 50 states hopped on this bandwagon and tackled this problem which is a dis-ease that has infected our system for decades. Maybe once the feds see that the states aren’t afraid to implement something and that the people are willing to back their governors, they will finally step up and do the right thing!

I can dream, can’t I?

Get out of Tax Free Card

Remember during the 2008 campaign in Dover when Obama said: “And I can make a firm pledge, under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 will see their taxes increase - not your payroll taxes, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes.”


Listed below are some taxes that are sure to hit families that earn LESS than $250K. So, the question is this: Did Obama break his “firm pledge” or did he out and out lie?

Effective yesterday there is a 10% tax on in-door tanning [which personally I find rather racist considering those who "tan" are 90%+ CAUCASIAN].


As of January 1, 2011, the Medicine Cabinet Tax goes into effect, which means that over the counter and non-prescription medication can no longer be purchased using Health Savings Accounts (HSA), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRA).


There will be a cap imposed January 1, 2011, on FSA’s of $2,500, which will greatly impact families with special needs children. Many of those families use FSA’s for tuition, which can exceed fourteen thousand dollars a year.


As of January 1, 2014, anyone who doesn’t purchase “qualifying” health care coverage must pay an income surtax. In the years that follow it wouldn’t surprise me to see changes in the definition of “qualifying” and the amount of the surtax--as our illustrious government has been known to change on a whim, even in the dead of night while we’re all asleep in our beds.

Currently we can itemize and deduct our high, out of pocket medical costs if they exceed 7.5% of our adjusted gross income. As of January 1, 2013, that will be increased to 10%.


Effective January 1, 2011, there is an additional 10% tax being added to non-medical early withdrawals from HSA’s. This will leave them lacking relative to IRA’s and other tax-advantaged accounts which will remain at 10%.

Let’s not forget that the Bush tax cuts are going to expire and inheritance tax rates are going up at the end of this year, plus, there are rumors about a Value Added Tax (VAT). Additional cigarette taxes were added almost immediately after Obama was elected and it’s well known that more lower income people smoke than do higher income.

If this Administration were a gift, it certainly wouldn’t be one that kept giving, it would be one you’d want to re-gift!

Well, Americans for Tax Reform has found a way to try to get out of paying those “extra” taxes that we were promised we wouldn’t have to pay AND poke some fun at Obama in the process.

It’s the Obama Tax Hike Exemption Card!

When you have to pay any extra taxes just show the clerk your card and tell them you’re exempt because Obama broke his promise--or lied, whichever you prefer! It may not get you a tax break, but it should leave any Liberal clerks speechless considering there is NO way they can spin it--unless they have a top!

Blogging Is In My Blood!

Over and over I’m proven that time DOES fly, whether I’m having fun or not. The crises I’ve had in the past month, which veered me off course and away from the blogosphere and interrupted my normal routine and consequently my blogging schedule, are just proof that if I don’t stay focused I’ll adapt to something mundane and unacceptable. I say that because I found myself longing for my mornings at the keyboard, reading the blogs in the community, researching, expressing my opinion and writing my pieces--as few as they were. I knew that I enjoyed blogging when I lay in bed each night, exhausted, yet my racing mind would think that even the most idiotic, cookie-cutter blog would’ve been a welcome respite!

During these last few weeks I recognized that not only writing, which I already knew was in my blood, but the blogosphere AND politics are now infectiously running rampant through my veins as well. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad because I don’t know if my little niche in the sphere makes a difference. Heck, I’m not even sure if anyone’s voice makes much of a difference. And quite frankly, I’m not sure at this point if I even care. My only concern is that I write what’s in my head, heart, and soul, because it screams to be expressed and when you have a voice THAT loud, you HAVE to convey it. It’s just that simple.

I know there will always be a crisis to manage in my life; after all, that is what has molded me into the person I am today and that is what will shape who I become tomorrow. I don’t have any fantasies that my life will be easy, as it hasn’t been up to this point, so I have no illusions that it will change. My only wish is that I can pass on what I’ve learned to others, like my sons, so that they will be more prepared when they enter this ever-changing and uncertain world and make better choices and maybe even help create a brighter tomorrow.

In closing, I’ve missed this wondrous place we refer to as the Blogosphere—this amazing space that technology has created so that we Bloggers are able to come together and share ideas, opinions, feelings, and yes, even argue a little. And NO, my views on internet civility have NOT changed. I STILL believe whole-heartedly that–We can disagree with dignity.

So, hello Everyone, I’m back and I’ve missed you.

Support the Students at Live Oak High School

Chris W at My Thoughts On Freedom started a campaign on behalf of the students at Live Oak High School in California who were harassed by fellow students of Mexican decent for wearing American flag t-shirts on May 5th. The Mexican decent students said it was disrespectful to THEIR holiday, which is Cinco de Mayo, the day that the Mestizo and Zapotec Indians defeated Napoleon’s Army. Cinco de Mayo is actually more celebrated in American than in Mexico because Mexico’s Independence Day is actually September 16th.

The principal at the High School didn’t have enough backbone, or American pride, to stick up for the students, so Chris W wants to show these students that we support them!

Chris says:

America is under attack. Our history, our culture and our way of life has been assailed by forces from within to the point to where if you celebrate America and what it stands for, you are called a racist, a Nazi or a tea-bagger.

The latest assault on America came last week when five high school students in California were sent home for the day because they chose to be patriotic and wore t-shirts depicting the American flag on Cinco de Mayo. This act of patriotism was deemed incendiary by one school official and offensive and disrespectful by students of Mexican descent who claimed that this was their day to celebrate Mexico.

This cannot be tolerated. Even though the school's principal has since apologized, that does not begin to address the issue which is this is America and every day we are a free nation is a cause to celebrate that.

To this end, we need to band together to show the anti-America crowd that we will not accept these assaults on free speech and patriotism. We also need to show, not only these five student but, students across the country that they should not be ashamed or fearful of showing their pride in America at any time.

To let these kids know that America has their backs please show your solidarity and send a flag adorned t-shirt or any other representation of the flag to

Flags for Free Speech
c/o Live Oak High School
1505 East Main Ave
Morgan Hill CA 95037

There are approximately 1300 students at Live Oak HS and we would like to see that they each get one.

Thank You.

Let’s stand behind our youth, who have displayed MORE pride and fortitude than some of the adults in this situation! Re-post Chris W’s message on your blog so it will go viral, and if you can, send these kids a t-shirt to show your support.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mommy's out there in blogland!

A mom's job is never done. We love our children unconditionally. We worry about them long after they are grown and have left the nest. They will always be our babies even when they have babies of their own. It's just part of being a mom. And for all we have done and for everything we have yet to do--I say BRAVO MOM'S!

Harrison Ford Is My Hero

Harrison Ford has been one of my favorite actors since Star Wars. He’s also a pilot who owns seven airplanes. Tuesday on Capitol Hill, where he was speaking about general aviation, sponsored by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, he told environmentalists, who were giving him a hard time about flying the friendly skies, that he would walk everywhere when they walked everywhere!




Way to go, Harrison!

As far as I’m concerned, he’s RIGHT! One thing I cannot tolerate is a hypocrite, i.e. Al Gore, who preaches about the environment and how air travel is bad for Mother Earth, yet he owns a private jet. Um, if it’s SO bad, Al, why, number one, do YOU fly in a plane? And number two, why is it a PRIVATE jet?

One thing I have always tried to do is walk the walk and practice what I preach, and I MOST certainly don’t tell someone to do something I wouldn’t do myself.

So, if you want ME to stop flying, YOU stop flying. If YOU want ME to stop using gasoline, YOU stop driving. If YOU want me to read in the dark, YOU use candles!

Practice what YOU preach or shut the heck up already. For those who DO, well, we’ll have to disagree with dignity, because I don't believe in man-made global warming. [There I said it] There are scientists on BOTH sides to counter one another, so for those of you who DO believe in man-made global warming, we’ll have to agree to disagree.

h/t CNS News

Congress Wrote Themselves Out of Health Care Coverage

Over the last year the Dems have pushed for health care reform. Ramming thru two thousand page bills which haven’t been read nor understood but telling the American people that they are GREAT! Not only that, they want the American people to accept these bogus bills, but they, as in Congress, aren’t willing to give up their Mercedes health care plan and sign up for the plan they want to implement for the country. Hmm, kinda hypocritical if you ask me.

We also had to listen as Nancy Pelosi told us we had to pass the bill before we could find out what was in the bill! WHAT!? I mean WHO in their right mind would sign a contract THEN read it? Not any sane person on the planet! Well, it seems HER rationale has come back to haunt her.

According to the Congressional Research Service the new bill may “remove members of Congress and Congressional staff” from their current coverage, in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, before any alternatives are available.

I’m not a nasty person nor do I seek revenge. But I’ll tell you what, I’m hoping for JUSTICE right about now. And that justice would be that this little “error” can’t be corrected and congress is FORCED to accept the bill they hail as the be all end all health care bill. They work for us therefore they should have to accept the same health care plan that they implement for Americans. Period.

h/t NY Times

If I Hear One More Stupid Politician—I’m Going To Lose My Mind!

During a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday, March 29, 2009, Representative Hank Johnson (D-GA4) met with Admiral Robert Willard, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command to discuss shifting 5,000 troops from Okinawa to Guam.


Mr. Johnson had concerns that the small island of Guam, being only 212 square miles, wouldn’t be able to accommodate the additional troops and their families. It’s true that an island that small might have a problem with the additional people considering it’s already strained on resources, like water and drainage systems. But Representative Johnson wasn’t worried about those; he was more concerned with the island tipping and capsizing.

Yes, you read that correctly. He feared that the island would TIP and CAPSIZE.



Congressman Johnson told Admiral Willard, “My fear is that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize.”

Admiral Willard replied, “We don’t anticipate that. The Guam population, I think, currently about 175,000, and again, with 8,000 marines and their families, it’s an addition of about 25,000 more into the population.”

A spokesperson for Mr. Johnson issued this statement:

"I wasn’t suggesting that the island of Guam would literally tip over," said Johnson. "I was using a metaphor to say that with the addition of 8,000 Marines and their dependents – an additional 80,000 people during peak construction to the port on the tiny island with a population of 180,000 – could be a tipping point which would adversely affect the island’s fragile ecosystem and over burden its already overstressed infrastructure.
"Having traveled to Guam last year, I saw firsthand how this beautiful – but vulnerable island – is already overburdened, and I was simply voicing my concerns that the addition of that many people could tip the delicate balance and do harm to Guam."

Sounds reasonable, or does it? A metaphor is an analogy between two objects or ideas. I think Mr. Johnson meant he was using a “hyperbole”, which is rhetorical verbiage used for exaggeration to create a strong impression, but not meant to be taken literally. At $174,000 a year salary, on the tax payers’ dime, shouldn’t we EXPECT him to be able to at least look up the square miles of Guam, instead of asking the Admiral, on his tax payer provided computer with tax payer provided internet service? And what about general knowledge of geography and the English language? Shouldn’t our Officials be competent enough in those areas? My 12 year old knows islands don’t TIP AND CAPSIZE. He also knows the difference between a metaphor and a hyperbole—the latter would be the title of my post.



If Mr. Johnson is apprehensive of an island tipping and capsizing, why isn’t he worried about Manhattan, Staten and Ellis Islands? After all, Manhattan is only 23 sq miles and has a population of 1.6 million people. If all those people aren’t strategically placed, it could TIP, or worse even CAPSIZE! For Pete’s sake someone write an ordinance to keep those people strategically coordinated! Someone tell me how the heck did they prevent Ellis Island, which is only 58.38 acres, from tipping and capsizing between 1892 and 1954 when 12 million immigrants passed through?

It’s very difficult for me to imagine that Mr. Johnson wasn’t serious by watching the video and it’s frustrating as heck to know that we are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to maintain these “brain trusts”. I know, I know, they are ELECTED. I get it. But it doesn’t make me feel any less frustrated because Hank Johnson isn’t the only one who has said something really…um…unintelligent.

This is a PERFECT example of WHY the American people NEED to educate themselves BEFORE they elect someone to public office. This is also another EXCELLENT example of how our public school system has FAILED.

I’ve said it before, but it deserves repeating, we need to educate ourselves and our children. America IS exceptional and we must KEEP her that way. Please educate yourself and ensure that your family is informed too. There is nothing more criminal than generational-educational-theft.

Innocent Until Proven Guilty—The American Way Gone Astray

There is no doubt that the recent violent events against political officials are despicable. I have always stood on the right side of the law, opposing those who maliciously do harm to others; vandalize; terrorize; commit fraud; or any other criminal act.

The problem, however, is that the most current detestable violent acts are being blamed on the Right without any shred of evidence. I believe that is totally unfair and completely prejudiced. There have been instances in the not too distant past where this same prejudice was displayed and proven false.

Let’s begin with James Von Brunn, the Holocaust Museum shooter. He was the 88 year old man who killed a security guard and injured another on June 10, 2009. The air and blog waves were filled with how this man was a White Supremacist and a Right-wing terrorist. However, after an investigation, we found out he hated Bush, Cheney, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Jews, Blacks, Christians—especially Catholics, and Fox News; he didn’t think Hitler went far enough; he was a Holocaust denier and a 9/11 Truther. Hmm…none of those sound like Right-wing beliefs to me. But that didn’t stop people from blaming the Right FIRST and THEN getting the FACTS which proved the Right was NOT responsible.


A few months later on September 12, 2009, Census Bureau employee, Bill Sparkman, was found hanged to death. CBS reported that he was found naked, gagged, and his arms and legs were bound with duct tape—all of which had NOT been confirmed by the authorities. Those types of allegations went through the MSM like a brushfire which led others to claim that Michelle Bachman and Glenn Beck were responsible for Sparkman’s death. Or take the Daily Kos’ author, the Liberal Kentuckian, who wrote, “This one act seems too likely to be the worst of mine, and all Liberal Kentuckians fears: Our state is consumed by Radical Right-Wing fear and propaganda, and we are moving to[sic] far to the right.” The Liberal Kentuckian also wrote, “I know that there is no factual evidence supporting the idea that this murder was something more than just another murder, but it has all the calling marks of being something much more.” He was right, of course, there was MORE. It was called “suicide to defraud an insurance company”, as a thorough FBI investigation later determined.

But the defamation to the Right, Michelle Bachman and Glenn Beck had already been done and NOT retracted—and no apologizes were EVER issued.



Then on February 18, 2010, Joseph Stack flew a private plane into an IRS building in Austin, Texas. Mr. Stack left a suicide note which railed against the IRS, GW Bush and the Catholic Church. However, it was again the Right, namely the Tea Party, who was blamed for this ghastly act of violence which killed him, one innocent IRS employee and injured thirteen others. The Daily Kos’ author mc joan was a little more, shall we say “conservative”, with his/her accusation, writing, “Reading larger political motives into this action would be preliminary, until more information emerges about whether he actually has been involved in any political movement like the teabaggers. But it should inject a bit of caution into the anti-government flame-throwers on the right.” Ya think “reading larger political motives” is preliminary before you have any, let's say FACTS!? How about EXTREMELY PREJUDICED? Stack was against ALL government, even Bush. To say he was on the Right would be an out and out lie. The man was a friggin’ Anarchist.

ALL violence should be shunned. BOTH parties as well as all Americans need to call each perpetrator by his/her name— REPUGNANT. We need to stand by our values and convictions regardless of our political party—THAT is what good character is all about. Values, morals, integrity, grit—those must precede any political affiliation and we MUST pursue and honor them. Just as we must revere and pursue FACTS.

There is STILL such a thing in our country as “innocent until proven guilty” but so many have chosen expediency over truth. Power over justice. The foundation of our country is crumbling and it’s because far too many have chosen to forget the fundamentals.

The violence, hate-filled vitriol and incivility needs to stop if we are ever going to succeed. We need to practice patience and we also need to remember some decorum when faced with these issues. I do believe it’s called the American Way.

Let Us Rise from the Ashes

With the passage of the Health Care bill, Americans are angered, frightened and disenfranchised. They feel as if Congress is not attuned to the average American; they feel as if Congress has trampled on their rights; and they feel as if Congress renounced their oaths to uphold the Constitution. Americans fear for their future and the future of their children and grandchildren as the debt of our country has reached overwhelming levels and will probably extend to levels that will be impossible to maintain. All of these fears are understandable; the anger and hostility as well.

It’s in the darkest sky that we see the brightest star. It is during our most difficult ordeals that we find courage to face our challenges. Without trials and hardships we would never know our grit, resolve, and convictions. It is when we are tested that we discover our TRUE selves and whether we can withstand the onslaught of perceived impasses.

So, like the Phoenix, let us rise from the ashes. We must remain strong and not lose our resolve or our convictions, but most of all, let us not lose hope. With hope, we will not lose ourselves and we will not lose our country.

This is still the United States of America. We are still Americans. So, like the Phoenix, let US rise from the ashes. Let us become more informed, more educated and more united than ever before. This is OUR country. Let us not retreat silently into the night. Like the Phoenix, let us glow brightly and may the flame blaze forever.

Heath Care Passed—Law of the Land

Last night, Health Care passed in a 219-212 victory for the Democrats, but it did so without one Republican vote. This bill is now the law of the land which will affect every man, woman and child in the United States.

While I do believe that eliminating pre-existing conditions is one positive aspect of this bill, there is very little else that I find complimentary. I haven’t finished reading the bill but so far I’ve read that the IRS will be expanded, mandates and taxes increased, Medicare cut while Medicaid increased and Americans will be forced to purchase insurance or pay fines.

Only time will tell if this monstrous legislation will be good for America, let alone all the American people, but I’m leaning toward not. My suggestion is that the American people read the bill to become as informed as possible. Even with the passing of this bill, we can’t stop educating ourselves.

Let’s remain optimistic. This is still a great Country and we must do everything we can to keep it that way. I am proud that so many Americans have taken up the task to learn about our history and taken part in it. Let’s not stop, just as history doesn’t cease. We are Americans and need to remain vigilant and informed. Bless us and America.

Call your Representative on Health Care--NOW

With the Health Care vote on the horizon the political atmosphere is heated at best. The strong arm tactics, sweetheart deals, Hollywood antics, intimidation, deception and secrecy has only made the debate more intense. None of those strategies have met with much favorability with the American people, regardless of whether it’s all been done before, it’s the status quo, or it’s what has to be done to get the bill passed. I find the behavior of our 111th Congress shameful. The Health Care bill is an extremely important piece of legislation that will affect EVERY American and it should be taken seriously and treated with the utmost respect—along with the American people.

Our Representatives have been elected as the voice of the American people. Whether they like the Health Care bill or not is irrelevant. Their job is to speak for their constituents. They have a duty to find out whether their constituents like or dislike this bill then go back to Congress and vote on the bill from the results they have accumulated from their respective districts. They are not supposed to vote on Legislation based on bribery, intimidation or deception.

It is our duty, as constituents, to let our voices be heard. The only way we can do that is to call, write or email our respective Representatives. Here is a link for the House and one for the Senate. Look up your officials and tell him or her how you feel he or she should vote on the Health Care bill. THAT is YOUR duty as a United States Citizen as it’s your Representative’s duty to listen to YOU.

Cross-posted @ Rational Nation USA

2010 Census—Honesty is the Best Policy

We’ve heard about it on television and the radio, and now by mail I'VE been warned that in about one week from now, you will receive a 2010 Census form in the mail. No getting around it, I’ll have to answer ten questions that will give the government information that will help determine Congressional Representation and federal aid.

While I’m not crazy about the census, I’m even less fond of the American Community Survey [more on that in an upcoming post] I’m certainly not advocating lying. As a matter of fact, I strongly suggest that EVERYONE tell the TRUTH. So, let’s take a look at each of the ten questions on the census, shall we?


First, we have questions one and two, the later is redundant.


#1. How many people were living or staying in this house, apartment, or mobile home on April 1, 2010?


In and of itself, it is appropriate; because THAT is the type of information the government needs to determine Congressional Representation. My answer: 4

BUT question #2:


Were there any additional people staying here April 1, 2010 that you did not include in Question 1?

Seriously? Do they think I'm hiding a bunch of illegals in my basement? I realize the government is accustomed to lying, therefore they assume everyone else is too. But do they really think that if I didn’t tell them in question one the amount of people in my household that I’m going to admit it in question two? Get real! Like I said, a redundant question, but do we expect any less? My answer: REFER TO QUESTION #1

Then we have question number three which asks whether the household is owned, rented, mortgaged—including home equity loans, or occupied without payment of rent. Exactly HOW does THAT determine Congressional Representation? It’s NONE of the government’s business if I own my house outright, if I’m mortgaged to the hilt, or if I’m leaching off my brother. My answer: NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS

There is room for your telephone number under question number four, where they have politely written, may we call you if we don’t understand an answer. My answer: RESPECTFULLY NO

Why they need my first name, middle initial, and last name for question five is beyond my comprehension. Call me Sally, call me Sam—neither matter, just represent me in Congress already! My answer for THAT question will be: RESIDENT OF PENNSYLVANIA

They may have my gender for question number six. I don’t have an issue with this, as I think it correlates with counting the population, male vs. female. My answer: FEMALE

Question seven wants your age and date of birth. One could make the argument that residents COULD be under the voting age and live on their own thus required to fill out a census. I’ll grant them this one. My answer: 44 --7/27/65

Question number eight is a question that has me totally perplexed.


Is Person 1 of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?


What the heck? If I AM, does that mean my state will get extra goodies? What about the other origins? Like Asians? Indians? Blacks? Or just plain old WHITE? Are these the NEW ethnicities they are targeting now? I don’t like this question one bit and I don’t believe it belongs on a census, because ALL ethnicities require representation. My answer: THIS DOES NOT DETERMINE CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATION

We can have fun with question number nine while sending Congress a BIG message!


What is Person 1’s race?

That is definitely NOT a Congressional issue and we all know it. Race has nothing to do with representation in Congress. But it does have something to do with how much money they want to pass out. And it does state that on the questionnaire, Asked since 1790. Race is key in implementing many federal laws and is needed to monitor compliance with the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act. State governments use the data to determine congressional, state and local voting districts. Race data are also used to assess fairness of employment practices, to monitor racial disparities in characteristics such as health and education and to plan and obtain funds for public services.

There you have it. However, I believe we are all Americans since America is the melting pot for ALL races and ethnicities. My answer will be: AMERICAN, just as Donald at Conservative Firestorm suggested. And as I mentioned at the beginning of my post—lying is not only WRONG, it’s also unconstitutional, so answering "American" is not telling a falsehood, because we ARE Americans. I told a friend, who said he would “fib”, that if we don’t take a stand, as Americans, and send a strong message to Congress, these types of questions will NEVER go away—they will only get worse. Don’t fib, lie or distort the truth—whichever way you choose to look at it—write in AMERICAN and spread the word to your friends and family members to do the same. Let’s send a message to Congress!


The final question—another one that is a bit baffling, but I’m sure one of my devoted readers will be more than kind enough to shine the beam of enlightenment. Anyway, the questionnaire asks if Person one sometimes lives or stays somewhere else, then lists “situations” as to where Person one could possibly be staying, like the military, college and even PRISON! Oh, I’m sure I'D readily check THAT box! By the way, the Caribbean was NOT on the list, although it does have a box for a seasonal or second residence, so Charlie Rangel should sharpen HIS memory skills before HE answers THIS question! My answer will be: REFER TO ADDRESS ON FORM

All in all, out of the 10 questions on this census, question number one is really the only question that is relevant! But isn’t 10% about what we have come to expect from our government? And at cost of $14 billion dollars of OUR money, that is totally unacceptable.

Cross-posted @ Rational Nation USA