Headlines from 2007

The Year 2007 was a busy year for news. Here are some of the news stories that caught my eye.

NASA Astronaut Lisa Nowak’s Rampage Of Love Lisa Nowak, trying to quell her love’s interest in another woman, drove all night from Texas to Florida to presumably to kidnap her rival. Now truthfully, how many of us secretly admired this chick’s balls. I don’t think I would have gone THAT far and damm girl, at least check your look in the mirror before your mugshot!

Texas Governor Issues Mandate that all girls entering 6th grade are to be immunized with Gardisil protecting them from HPV The furor that swept the more conservative, stuck in a cave parental units was astounding! These I am “great parent in my own mind” whack jobs complained that immunizing their 6th grade daughters was promoting rampant sexual experiences. Ummm… News Flash, your daughter will eventually have sex, how about preventing a nasty disease that can lead to her early death! For more on HPV and its prevention go to Gardasil’s website http://www.gardasil.com/

Washington Post Uncovers Scandals At Walter Reed Hospital The Washington Post reports of substandard care at Walter Reed Hospital leak. Walter Reed’s commander is fired. Soldiers returning from war with severe injuries, are housed off hospital grounds in a converted hotel called Building 18. Building 18 is a crumbling moldy, rat and cockroach infested building. And we believed Bush when he said “Our country owes the best to its soldiers” This is our best ? WTF???? Read more at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/walter-reed/

Anna Nicole Smith Dies I felt sorry for her. She burst onto the radar in 1992 as a model for Guess Jeans and became her own tabloid nightmare. I see that she was manipulated most of her career by unscrupulous svengalis. I used to shake my head at her antics but at least she was entertaining at the very least.

Virginia Tech Shootings Student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people and wounded many more before committing suicide, making this the deadliest school shooting in the US history. Did you ever notice that the craziest whack jobs always have three names?

Contaminated Dog Food Kills Pets The Food and Drug Administration reported that at least 76 dogs nationwide are believed to have died as a result of eating contaminated pet food. This scared me. The most helpless feeling is to watch your pet die and know that is was the food you fed it that killed it. 48 brands of dog and cat food were affected.

TB Patient Escapes Borders And Enters The US Andrew Speaker, a 31-year-old lawyer from Atlanta, learned he had TB in January. In May, doctors realized his strain, known as XDR-TB, was extensively drug-resistant. He then boarded a commercial flight to Paris May 12, and returned from Europe 12 days later on a flight from Prague, Czech Republic, to Canada then snuck back in undetected to the US. How selfish can one guy be? Oh wait he’s a bottom feeder.

Jerry Falwell Dies Televangelist and Religious Right founder spoke out of turn any chance he could get. Along with Pat Robertson, Rev. Jerry Falwell blamed pagans, abortionists, feminists & gays and lesbians for bringing on the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. But he forgot the Tooth Fairy, Spinsters, Dr. Spock, Ice Cream, Catholics and Long Shoremen. If I have forgotten any of you out of this list, I apologize. Although, you can still complain to Pat Robertson.

Toy Recalls Mattel Recalls Millions of Toys Mattel announced recalls for 9 million more Chinese-made toys, including popular Barbie, Polly Pocket and “Cars” movie items, and warned that more could be ordered off store shelves because of lead paint and tiny magnets that could be swallowed. Oh for God’s Sake get your kid a book!

Minneapolis Minnesota Bridge Collapse The entire span of an interstate bridge broke into sections and collapsed into the Mississippi River during evening bumper-to-bumper traffic Wednesday, sending vehicles, concrete and twisted metal crashing into the water. This was an incredible tragedy. I hope that other states adjust their budgets to accurately prevent this from happening again by hosting yearly inspections and to make repairs the priority.

Larry Craig Arrest Becomes Public Craig denied "any inappropriate conduct" in a men's room at the Minneapolis airport (even after he pleaded guilty). And today, he declared "I am not gay and never have been." So explain to me again why he pleaded guilty? David Lettermen muses that "Senator Craig from Idaho is blaming the media for his guilty plea, especially that cute guy from the Associated Press."

Michael Vick Pleads Guilty NFL star Michael Vick was indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday on charges of sponsoring a dog fighting operation so grisly the losers either died in the pit or sometimes were electrocuted, drowned, hanged or shot. One word describes him - asshole!

Leona Helmsley Dies Leona Helmsley left her dog Trouble $12 million. The real estate mogul's will, which became public on Tuesday, stipulates that Helmsley's brother Alvin Rosenthal is to care for the white Maltese--until it dies and is buried alongside Helmsley in a Bronx mausoleum.This woman scared me when she was dubbed Queen of Mean. She has truly lived up to her name. How would you like to be her brother and have to take care of the little darling? I can see his grocery list now! dog food-$5,000, new pet tag-$10,000 etc etc etc….

Adoption: Its a Bumpy Ride

In yesterday's news it was all abuzzin' about Englishwoman Julie Jarman giving back her adopted daughter Zahina. Ms. Jarman, a single mom, evidently wanted to adopt another child so that her daughter would have a sister and she felt that it was the right thing to do. She chose an older child feeling that the transistion would be good for all. The whole story is here at this link
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1922840/posts so I won't delve in to the whole interview. But read it because it is quite revealing of the psychological wounds that a child who is abandoned goes through. I saw myself in little Zahina throughout the interview.

The issue with the sad story of giving this little Zahina back was that she didn't quite fit the fairy tale that Ms. Jarman had spun in her head. I beleive that Jarmen wanted not only a playmate for her other natural born child but to also be able to say "Look at me! Aren't I just selfless to adopt a poor neglected child?" But was she prepared for the psychological issues that this child brought to the table? Absolutely not. We adopted children are a jumble of psychological issues and if they are not addressed and compassionately understood at a young age, the myriad of self-worth and sense of not belonging stay rooted in our lives for many years. And if not addressed properly, can linger with us forever.

Too many times we hear stories of young girls getting pregnant,single Moms adopting children, unfertile couples longing for a child and picking one out and the common thread in many of these tales is that they want someone to love them, fit into societal expectations of a family, maybe cement their longing for self worth and what is more perfect than a child's unfettered love. And in many cases, when a natural child is born to them, the adoptive child unconciously gets pushed out.

I still to this day do not quite understand the motives behind my own adoption. I came to the stark realization at a very early age (5 years) that a) I was different and singled out due to my adoptive status, b) I never felt a sense of belonging in my family c) for years I thought I myself could be given back if I just did not work out. My sense of living on borrowed family time was securely validated when I just recently read my adoptive Mother's Who's Who in America where she was described as being the mother of her "adopted" son James, her "adopted" daughter Judy and her son Joseph. There in black and white, in a very respected "Aren't I the greatest" publication was the final blow in my already fragile psyche.

Believe me I understand little Zahina longing to find her birth mother. Her writings of living with the "evil" adopted family was a cry for help. But did Ms Jarman react correctly - absolutely not! Instead of sitting down with this little girl and saying I understand your feelings of abandonment, your confusion at being different, your lashing out with your childlike behaviour , your dreams of your real mommy coming to find you, this Adoptive Mother couldn't understand why this child was not grateful to her. I myself had the "sainted" nuns at St. Michael's tell me I should be grateful for my adoption. That was great fodder for gossip with my peers for years to come. Believe me the nun-zoids did me no favor.

The pit that adoptive families fall into at an alarming rate is that they assume that this child that they graciously saved from imaginative and real evils should be forever grateful that they chose to adopt them. Throw a couple of direct bloodline siblings into the mix and things can get quite painful for the adopted child. Never expect gratitude from a child. We can't give it. Our minds are full of the why was I not wanted nightmares.

Now before you get all huffy and say that you know a family that adopted a child and things are great, stop kidding yourself. For every one "success" story, there are ten more families that just don't get the fact that even though they may love this adopted child, the child has very painful and almost always hidden feelings of abandonment, isolation and daily worries that they too can be given back.

And there is the "You Are Different" syndrome. In biographies of the stars or people in the public eye who have expanded their families by adoption, the word "adopted" is always before the word daughter or son. Most people know someone who adopted a child and nine times out of ten, the heading "adopted" is addresssed to that child. I begrudgingly joke that I have a big letter"A" on my forehead and when I hear some say my adopted so and so, I want to smack them. In my family, we lived with labels of hierarchy, my adopted brother, my foster sisters and of course the "real" child. I grew up feeling radically different and never being able to claim a bloodline or familial history. My sister Grace and I joke that we have real, bought and borrowed kids in our family. Sad statement but these are our true feelings. The label adopted or in her case foster will always be with us.

A friend of mine was proudly telling me that her daughter adopted a little girl. Congratulating the new grandma with the expected oohs and aahs, I got serious with her. Being the party crasher, I asked her to never label her granddaughter as adopted. To caution her daughter, that when the inevitable questions of where did I come from arise to always tell the truth and to let the child know that if she wanted to find her birth mother some day that she would help her. To never spin a fairy tale that God chose their family to be her family and all the other fairy tale nonsense that people spin into their adopted children's heads. And for God's Sake do not treat this child differently than natural born siblings.

Believe me by the time the child is asking questions, she wants real answers. One strong warning is to NEVER in public decribe the child as adopted. And to be prepared that one day out of the blue that child may feel grief that at one time someone gave them away. When this happens, the adoptive parent needs to know that even though they shower this child with love adoptees have issues with abandonment. To be able to correctly deal with this is to cement that Yes they are loved and here is the story kiddoo.

I wish I could find little Zahina and tell her I know what she is feeling. But that will never happen. This poor kid, not only is grieving that her real mommy is not up to snuff but now her adoptive mommy doesn't want her. Yikes, what psychological torture that kid is going through.

I think that my point in this rambling diatribe is that if parents want to adopt, they need to be prepared that things might not work out they way they fantasied in their heads, that there may need to be extra effort put in so the child can truly feel secure and if it looks like it is not working out, instead of giving them back, work harder.

There is an incredible article that deals with the issues that adoptees face. Dr. Marshall Schechter describes in this article many issues that surround adoptees. You can entire article at Not Alone - Adoption : Feelings of Abandonment, Interest in Genetic Information. This should be required reading for all prospective adopting parents. If Ms. Jarman had read it, maybe Zahina would not be going through the pain she is now.

Religious Bigotry

When I was a child, growing up Catholic in the pre and slightly post Vatican II world, I was strongly encouraged by the priests, nuns and lay teachers not to associate with non-Catholics. It is well known fact during this time that many Catholics viewed other faiths as wrong and would lead to the corruption of their young. The common term we used to identify non-Catholics was “publics” or the all encompassing term “Protestants”.

Unknown to me at this time, other faiths were busy protecting their flock from the evil influence of Catholicism. I remember being 8 years old and getting my first taste of religious bigotry I was innocently practicing. I was walking to my Grandfather’s house in my green plaid uniform, when I passed a group of Wheaton College kids. “Here comes a little Papist” the smirking students loudly said. Having no clue what why they called me that, I asked my Grandfather what the word meant. On that day, I learned about the word bigot. And the most important lesson my Grandfather taught me was that religious bigotry was practiced in every faith and every doctrine. That it was wrong and hateful. He taught me that no church is better then the other. But it was how you conducted your life in a manner that was good, honest and caring and that was the true doctrine.

Religious bigotry is prejudice or discrimination against one or all members of a particular religious group based on negative perceptions of their religious beliefs and practices or on negative group stereotypes. I want to focus on Christianity as a whole not split off into sects, churches or organizations. Not because I am picking on Christians but because this faith is what I know.

We as Christians are busy group. Catholics are still pissed at the Protestants because of that nasty Martin Luther issue, Protestants are still pissed at the Catholics because they did not follow their idea of the “true” faith, Muslims are all terrorists and everybody hates the Jews. Lordy Miss Gordy! Can’t we just get along?

Discussing religious bigotry is slippery slope indeed. I have in my life experienced and practiced religious bigotry myself. First as a Catholic schoolgirl, confused by the papist stereotype and then again as a born-again Christian. Religious bigotry is completely invisible to the person practicing it. In fact, I thought it was my mission to save the world and make everyone think like me. This type of bigotry always disguises itself as piety and righteousness. This holier than thou belief that only Christians can go to Heaven or that they are more superior because of their self-perceived connection straight to the big guy, is not only insidious but evil as well.

I remember telling my Grandfather, the same one that warned me about religious bigotry, that he was going to hell because he did not renounce his Catholic faith and become born-again. I was an avid reader of Chick Publications Tracts. You know the one where Catholics are portrayed as worshipping the God Baal? Boy did I feel superior! I was convinced that it was my job to bring him over from the dark side of Catholicism. Thank God he was patient with me. He smiled, patted my hand and told me that he had a relationship with Jesus a bit longer than I did. At that moment I knew what a bigot was – it was me.

How many times do we hear the rumors that Atheists are going take over the world or that all people who believe in the Islamic faiths are terrorists? That Wiccans are busy casting spells that would make the old woman from Hansel and Gretel look pious? Or that the Jews are to be blamed forever for Christ’s death? Our soldiers are dying because God punnishing us for having gays on TV? We are so busy trading statistical percentages of who killed more people - Christians or Atheists that we forget that we are spewing prejudism. With the Internet, religious yellow journalism and propaganda are rampant. A few well placed posts can ignite the ignorance and hate in Christians everywhere and within a few moments cause such an email fury that spreads religious bigotry with every key stroke.

Now with the presidential race upon us, what religion the candidate is practicing is more important than if a candidate is even competent to be our President. Remember Jimmy Carter’s campaign? It was highly spoken of that he was a “good” Christian. His largest voting base came from the religious right that through pulpit campaigning elected him on his choice of the Christian God, not the fact that he was good leader. So we got a President that tearfully apologized for having lust in his heart and at the same time couldn’t put a policy together to save his life.

Ministers/Priests/Theologians condemn all other kinds of bigotry. But they close their eyes to their own congregations bigotry. Most use religion to justify themselves. Christians say Jews killed Christ so they are dammed and deserve the discrimination they experience, Men are superior to Women because Eve gave Adam the apple of sin, Homophobics justify their hatred of gays by finding condemnation for homosexuals in the Bible. So bigotry and religious justification walk side by side. We are blind to our own bigoted ways. Who cares if someone is a caring, good, kind, loving person, if he ain’t with G.O.D he can’t be with me. Hogwash!

Look I don't care where people go to church, what Gods they pray to, or what scriptures they draw inspiration from. But I do care when people use their religious beliefs to balls out condemn those that believe differently than they do.

Here is a few pointers on how not to be a religious bigot. Get religion out of politics, stop forwarding the emails that spew hatred towards another religious belief, and realize that this Country has many different religious or spiritual beliefs so get over yourselves. Stop tying to get me to join your club, got my own thank you and open your mind to something that may well educate you and stop justifying hateful bigotry by hiding behind your God.

Christmas Videos

Off the political rant... Just a bit of silliness

Ozzy and Jessica




LOVE HER!!! Bette Midler Cool Yul



My all time favorite - David Bowie and Bing Crosby

Religion and Politics

I do not understand why the Republican candidates have to prove which of them loves Jesus more. I thought there was a separation of church and state but as usual I must live in a dream world.

Hey don't get me wrong I think it is great if you have faith in your religion - more power to you but WOW it shouldn't dominate the issues!

Now I know that the picture above is a tad bit on the irreverent side but then I am a little scamp in that department.

Christmas Tears - A Story of Hope/Love/Life

I was sitting in my room late at night, endlessly surfing the channels of my stunning big screen TV, cuddling with my affectionate pups when I got to thinking. As I looked around my sweet home that is nestled in a lovely quiet neighborhood, I had to reflect on how far I have come in this oft chaotic, crazy, fabulous life. You know I can go to the store and if I see something I can buy it. I can serve my husband gourmet meals crafted by my own two hands. I can soak in a hot tub that was lovingly installed by the Plumber who also is my love. I can open my closets and choose at a whim many lovely things to wear. How far I have come. I truly want for nothing....

December 1985, I was living in Cedar Rapids Iowa with my three sons in a 2 story walkup that was a converted attic apartment. I was struggling as a single Mom focused on trying my hardest to make a better life for me and my sons. I was attending Kirkwood Community College pursuing a paralegal certification. I had goals, I had hopes, I had dreams but I had no money.

Raising three sons sans support was grueling. At this time I was a full-time student and I was a recipient of public aid that totaled $375 a month in monetary aid and $150 in food stamps. As long as I remained in school, I knew that one day I could march my way out of poverty and become a confident and successful single Mom.

It was cold that December. The ice storms and frequent heavy snow storms were sweeping through Iowa. My flat had a faulty heating system. Very little heat rose to my space. But as my landlord told me many times, I only paid $275-utilities included so I could live with it. Many nights I would bundle the boys in their snowsuits and put them to bed so at least I knew that they would be warm. It was cold, so very cold that year. It was also the December that the State of Iowa had a glitch in the public aid checks. Normally they arrived like clockwork on the first of every month. With that check I would pay my rent, save money for gas, and buy that months food. Sounds terrible but I was okay. I took advantage of food pantries, I walked everywhere to save on gas. I had a plan for my future and I wanted to get there.

Waiting for the check to come through, I started out being patient but soon that patience started to turn into panic. Every week I would call the Public Aid office and was told the checks would be in soon. By December 21st I had stretched my food as best as I could and I had a brownie mix, a gallon of milk, dozen eggs, a pound of rice and oatmeal in my cupboards. I was scared. I had to do something. The local food pantry in that area was only open twice a month so if you needed help, it could be difficult some times.

December 21st, on that cold snowy morning, I went to the State of Iowa’s public aid office to find out what had happened and to plead for emergency help. I was given the standard, sorry check back in the next few days. I did not qualify for emergency aid because I was already a recipient. I think on that day the struggle to live closed in on me. After hearing "just wait"I sat back down in the rickety plastic chair in this office and cried. Not the sobbing type of tears but the slow steady fall of hot salty tears of frustration, fear and yes; pity. I realized I could not take care of my children, that I could not even feed them, that I was failing.

A secretary clicking busily on her typewriter saw me, stopped and came aroud the counter. She got down on her knees in front of me and told me that some day I would look back on this struggle not with tears but with pride that even through the worst of times I succeeded. She then patted my hand and walked away. The next two days were a blur. We fought to stay warm, we fought off hunger but we held each other close and waited for the food pantries to open which would the day after Christmas. Because then at least I could get some food. For me that was hope.

Christmas Eve of 1985 was one of the most depressing days of my life. I sat the boys down and told them that Santa may have to come to our house a little late that year but I promised them that things would get better – we would be alright. Christmas Eve I made oatmeal pancakes with pieces of brownies swirled in the mix. I melted some of the brownie mix with milk and made an actually pretty tasty melt to pour over the oatmeal pancakes and they were good. The boys played, I told them outrageous stories, built a snowman, we laughed and we loved.

That Eve, after pappoosing the boys into their snowsuits and settling them down for the night I reflected that one day I would never want for anything again. That one day I would look back and think it was all a bad dream. Then the doorbell rang.

In this part of Cedar Rapids, a doorbell in the middle of the night meant many things and none of them were good. I walked down the long set of stairs, hugging myself with anticipation, trying to see through the tiny front door window if someone was out there . I saw no one. When I opened the door – no one was there. I looked down and there in the snow on my steps was a very large box with a bow on it.

Gingerly I untied the bow and caught my breath. Suddenly, I did not feel the cold. I did not feel any fear, I felt awed because there in front of me were brightly covered packages, a ham, hotdogs, hamburger, milk, pampers, candy, boxes upon boxes of mac and cheese, rice, cans of soup, and the presents! Oh the presents! Big ones! Little Ones! PRESENTS! Toys for the boys, perfume for me, new coats and mittens, boots, games, a small tree already decorated. I could write on for paragraphs telling of the bounty that laid before me in the snow. It was if someone went through their own house and collected anything and everything they thought I would need!

My irrepressible son Timothy spoke and broke my stunned silence. “Mom! What is this?” “Who did this?” "Did Santa Come!" And then I saw the note along with $200 in cash. The note said “Never look back with tears” I think that my own special Santa knew how to type.

I knelt in the snow that Christmas Eve and thanked God for bringing a stranger into my life that cared and at that moment I swore that if ever I could repay the favor I would. I would not turn my back on someone but I would try to help them any way I could.

Now as I approach a new Christmas Eve, I am warm, I am loved and I am blessed. I have a special life with a man who loves me, children, who although are going through their own struggles, are succeeding, a great job with an amazing caring boss, my friends, my lovely home and I am convinced that although I went through a struggle in the past, I am proud of where I am today. I never saw that secretary again. I looked for her at the Public Aid office but never could thank her.

Christmas Eve this year we will have ham, tasty veggies, a lovely cake and maybe, just maybe a small bowl of oatmeal and I will think of my past not with tears but with pride.

Maher/Carlin's New Rules

I was told that Bill Maher said these rules..... Who Knew! They are still classic!

Bill Maher or George Carlin - They Always Makes Me Laugh

New Rule: No more gift registries. You know, it used to be just for weddings. Now it's for babies and new homes and graduations from rehab. Picking out the stuff you want and having other people buy it for you isn't gift giving, it's the white people version of looting.


New Rule: Stop giving me that pop-up ad for classmates.com ! There's a reason you don't talk to people for 25 years. Because you don't particularly like them! Besides, I already know what the captain of the football team is doing these days --- mowing my lawn.


New Rule: Don't eat anything that's served to you out a window unless you're a seagull. People are acting all shocked that a human finger was found in a bowl of Wendy's chili. Hey, it cost less than a dolla r. What did you expect it to contain? Lobster?

New Rule: If you need to shave and you still collect baseball cards, you're a dope. If you're a kid, the cards are keep sakes of your idols. If you're a grown man, they're pictures of men.

New Rule: Ladies, leave your eyebrows alone. Here's how much men care about your eyebrows: Do you have two of them? Good, we're done.

New Rule: There's no such thing as flavored water. There's a whole aisle of this crap at the supermarket, water, but, without that watery taste. Sorry, but flavored water is called a soft drink. You want flavored water? Pour some scotch over ice and let it melt. That's your flavored water.

New Rule: Stop screwing with old people. Target is introducing a redesigned pill bottle that's square, with a bigger label. And the top is now the bottom. And by the time grandpa figures out how to open it, his ass will be in the morgue. Congratulations, Target, you just solved the Social Security crisis.

New Rule: The more complicated the Starbucks order, the bigger the asshole. If you walk into a Starbucks and order a 'decaf grandee, half-soy, half-low fat, iced vanilla, double-shot, gingerbread cappuccino, extra dry, light ice, with one Sweet-n'-Low, and One NutraSweet,' ooooh, you're a huge asshole.

New Rule: I'm not the cashier! By the time I look up from sliding my card, entering My PIN number, pressing 'Enter,' verifying the amount, deciding, no, I don't want Cash back, and pressing 'Enter' again, the kid who is supposed to be ringin g me up is standing there eating my Almond Joy.

New Rule: Just because your tattoo has Chinese characters in it doesn't make you Spiritual. It's right above the crack of your ass . And it translates to 'beef with broccoli.' The last time you did anything spiritual, you were praying to God you weren't pregnant. You're not spiritual. You're just high.

New Rule: Competitive eating isn't a sport. It's one of the seven deadly sins. ESPN Recently televised the U.S. Open of Competitive Eating, because watching those athletes at the poker table was just too damned exciting. What's next, competitive farting? Oh wait, they're already doing that. It's called 'The Howard Stern Show.'

New Rule: If you're going to insist on making movies based on crappy old television shows, then you have to give everyone in the Cineplex a remote &g t; so we can see what's playing on the other screens. Let's remember the reason something was a television show in the first place is that the idea wasn't good enough to be a movie.

New Rule: And this one is long overdue: No more bathroom attendants. After I zip up, some guy is offering me a towel and a mint like I just had sex with George Michael. I can't even tell If he's supposed to be there, or just some freak with a fetish. I don't want to be on your webcam, Dude. I just want to wash my hands

New Rule: When I ask how old your toddler is, I don't need to hear '27 months.' 'He's two' will do just fine. He's not a cheese. And I didn't really care in the first place.

New Rule: If you ever hope to be a credible adult and want a job that pays better than Minimum wage, then for God's sake don't pierce or tattoo every a viable piece of flesh. If so, then plan your future around saying, 'Do you want fries with that?'

"I Do" Drew At It Again!

Now I have seen and heard everything! Drew Peterson, the attention craving, obnoxious husband of missing Stacy Peterson has a website to help with legal costs for his "defense". For his defense??? Now why do you think he needs to have a fund established to defend him. From what? Could this be his twisted way of saying yep! I'm Guilty! From what I understand, he is not charged with a murder - yet..... So why the plea for defense fund money???

"I DO" Drew in his undercover super agent outfit!

For those that have the curiousity of a killed cat, which I admit I do, try visiting his pathetic excuse for a website. If it isn't disabled periodically, it is the most ridiculous site I have seen in years http://www.defenddrew.com/ Then again don't waste your time.


For someone who is getting 6k per month from his pension, don't you think he can afford legal representation? And what is this about hiring a private investigator to search for Stacy? Last I saw was that the FBI were tracking the leads along with several hundred volunteers.

Unpaid Volunteers Looking for Clues. Don't see Drew helping out here.

Oh and by the way Drewster, aren't you a little big for that toy bike you are riding? And your helmet??? Go for a less traditional lid dude. You look like the spaceman from the Flinstones and not too cool. What a jerk!

Yea, You Bad! You Big Bad Biker! NOT!

If anyone is interested in REALLY helping to find Stacy, visit a legitimate website that is dedicated to helping her family find her and bring her home.

Visit this website to volunteer or

leave an encouraging message.

http://www.findstacypeterson.com/

Mexico's Sin

MEXICO CITY -- President Felipe Calderon blasted U.S. immigration policies on Sunday and promised to fight harder to protect the rights of Mexicans in the U.S., saying Mexico does not end at its borders."

The criticism earned Calderon a standing ovation during his first state-of-the nation address.
"We strongly protest the unilateral measures taken by the U.S. Congress and government that have only persecuted and exacerbated the mistreatment of Mexican undocumented workers," he said. "The insensitivity toward those who support the U.S. economy and society has only served as an impetus to reinforce the battle ... for their rights."

He also reached out to the millions of Mexicans living in the United States, many illegally, saying: "Where there is a Mexican, there is Mexico." He also said Sunday that Mexico has created 618,000 new jobs since January.
_______________

Well goody for you Felipe! But here is a little newsflash for you El Presidente. In the past two years Calderon, your country has just not had an exodus of its citizens, but your manufacturing businesses are flying the "Pollo" Coop to China. Seems your own country's manufacturers won't pay the $2.50 an hour you criminally allow to be paid to your own people as their only living wage!

And he brags about new jobs? What new jobs? KFC, Burger King and McDonald's? These types of businesses know a good thing when they see it - cheap labor and a government that prefers that their people stay in the US illegally so that they don't have to worry about spending their ill-gained profits on ensuring a better life for their countrymen and Calderon can share his spoils with his little cronies like Fox.

Calderon and his politico cronies are criminal in how they allow their people wallow in poverty while they pat each other on the back. They are the ones that are committing the greatest sins - ignoring their poor, casting blame on other countries, and greedily gobbling up any profits that are bled out of their people.

I don't think Calderon should be so hasty in his bravado! He may just fall on his grasiento culo!

One More Day

The holiday season is in full swing and so are the heart-tugging Hallmark movies and Folgers coffee commercials that have me with my legs pulled up to my chest with arms wrapped around my knees and the tears streaming down my face.

Mitch Albom http://www.albom.com/ has a new novel out called One More Day and is the author of Tuesdays with Morrie and my favorite 5 People You Meet in Heaven. His novels can make you cry with every page you turn. So when you open one his books, make sure you have a supply of Kleenex at your side.

Which brings me to the thought of One More Day. What if we had one more day with someone who is now gone. Just one 24 hour period where we could say the things that we always wanted to say but never had the chance because this person we loved was taken suddenly or we felt that we had more time.

I have a few that I would like to share. And I hope that this post will inspire you to write about your own “One More Day”.

Bonnie my lovely best friend. If I had one more day with you I would apologize for being angry at you for continuing to want to ruin your life with cocaine. Even though I understand that you were dying of a blood disorder and felt a sense of "what the hell", I just wish I had answered your call. I would want to tell you that I loved you from the day I met you. You brought fun and joy into my life and I learned the true meaning of the word loyalty. I miss you every day and sometimes when something happens in my life that seems a bit on the stupid side, I swear I hear your laugh. I know you are watching me from wherever you are and the memory of you will always be with me.

Daniel, my vibrant, talented musicman. If I had one more day with you, I would have told you that if I had known that you were slipping out of our lives, I would have broken your door down that Tuesday and forced you to come with me to Dr. Ganger. Instead of thinking you were avoiding me, I would have banished that thought and I would have brought you to my home and taken care of you. I would have told you that even through all the pain and anger that I did love you and always wanted the best. And I would have fought harder for you. I would have ignored your anger at me and broken through your defenses and stood by you. I would apologize for not being tougher. But I would also say that your music always brought me joy. That I remember you anytime I hear the blues and I can close my eyes and see you today. That I believe you are in heaven playing your music and enjoying peace. If I had one more day with you, I would record one last song with you and harmonized our lives one last time. You were the most complicated man I ever knew and I will always have love in my heart for you.

Tell those in your life that you love them. Apologize for any wrong you have done. If you can't talk to them reflect that they once had a impact in your life, forgive and accept them for who they are because tomorrow you may find yourself asking for one more day.

Losing Your Luggage

Did you know that O'Hare airport has 7 miles of conveyor belts that handle luggage! And American Airlines and their sister airline American Eagle reported that a total of 639,146 bags mishandled or misdirected. WOW!

One of the main causes, according the article link above, is the printer ink on the baggage tickets that get dirty so the barcode is misread and bingo! your bag just went to Toledo.

I have never had a mishap with a missing bag. Missing articles inside my bag is another story but out and out losing one? Not Me.

Have any of my readers ever have a lost luggage? For lighter blogging fare, tell your story here.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE Travelers' Odds Decline on Airline Baggage

Clinton Hostage Crisis

Eisenberg, who is mentally unstable, initially walked into the building and ordered all of the hostages onto the floor, said one official. Here, a SWAT team member escorts a hostage from the office.

Oh my God! How much would that suck to know that your volunteers were taken hostage! I am not Monster Huge fan of Hilary but I can feel for her and her concern for her campaign volunteers. It is hard enough to get people fired up for your cause then to have to warn them of possible crackpots taking them hostage. Yikes! This world is going nutso!

Hastert - Cut and Run King

Hastert stepping down early is just another example of the GOP cuttin' and runnin' His BS of an excuse saying it will not inconvenience the voters and keep down expenses. WHAT!?!?! Put down the bong pipe Denny! You inconsiderate idiot. It is going inconvenience a hulluva lot of voters who now have to vote in TWO elections. And expenses being kept down? You Crack Addict!!! Who did consult for that load of cowpies?

According to Jack Cunnigham, Kane County Clerk, Hastert’s decision to step down from the 14th Congressional District seat will cost Clerk's office an extra $400,000 to $800,000 next year, Cunningham said. To the eight counties that fall partially or entirely in the district, the extra cost will be between $1.1 million and $2.2 million, not counting costs to municipalities that handle their own voting, Cunningham said.

Those costs – $400,000 per extra election in Kane County, $1.1 million per extra election in all eight counties – are only working numbers, and they are likely to change over the next few months, weeks or even days.

And according to Kane County Chronicle's Editor "Essentially, there will be two election processes occurring: One to fill the remainder of Hastert’s current term and one to elect a new representative in November. Truly conscientious individuals might end up casting votes four times because there will be two different primaries and two different elections."

This is saving money and not causing an inconvenience to the voters?? Hastert! You are the inconvenience to the voters! Just because you can't take the heat you are taking your toys and going home. Wuss!

So now Denny, you're going go to Wheaton College and become an economics fellow are ya? I think you need to go back to school first to learn how economics work then after that why don't you sneak in a few ethics classes while you are at it.

Obviously while spending most of your time covering up for buddies like Mark Foley you forgot how the district that elected you works!

Lake and Halsted - Update

"...I THOUGHT ABOUT STRONG ARMING A HO...A NOSEY WOMAN HAVING NO DAMN SENSE TRYING TO PUSH ME...THE STATES ATTORNEY TRYING TO GIVE A BROTHER THE SHAFT AGAIN - WITH A HALF-A-MIL FOR BAIL CAUSE I'M AFRICAN - ALL BECAUSE THIS WOMAN WAS HARASSIN' HIM..."
...LET ME TELL YOU DUDES WHAT I WOULD DO TO PROTECT THIS...
SHOOT AT YOU HATERS AND DARE YOU TO STEP TO US!""

Nice words right? Well they are the latest in scare tactics that the Chromium bar at Lake and Halsted in Chicago, is employing in the form of a pamphlet handed out Thanksgiving night to its patrons. Basically it is instructing its idiot bar goers to shoot the haters meaning Kathy Kozan and her neighbors that have trying for three years to shut this despicable place down. http://www.lakeandhalsted.com/

In my previous blog Grassroots: The People at the Common Level,I spoke of how courageous these folks were. By taking the matter into their hands when the aldermen, mayor and other powers to be in Chicago ignored them. But now they are getting blatent death threats - nice!

The promotor that prepared this inflammatory program is named Charlie Chase and if you care to let him know what you think of his stupid idiotic idea to promote a violent and ignorant nightclub you can contact him here - maxamillionproject@hotmail.com

Oh and of course there are the aldermen that can't seem to be able to protect their ward's community but then again, Alderman Walter Burnett at wburnett@aldermanburnett.com seems to not want to do anything disruptive at his "favorite" nightclub! Seems he has a few political fundraisers there and maybe a few dollars went into his political stockpile. Time will tell on that front. Money Talks people, the Bullshit keeps walkin' here in the Chi-Town!

And they said that Chicago was cleaning up its corruption. NOT!! I bet the Olympics Committee would be very interested in seeing how the CITY of Chicago handles these latest threats to their own citizens.

13 Grandmothers

Powerful Video!


Check out this video: Meet the 13 Grandmothers



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TOY RECALLS: Whats a Grandma to do?

I sucked at school but now I have an excuse. Because I played "Barbie kisses GI Joe", I was probably a victim of lead poisoning! Therefore the low grades! Yep, that the excuse for me now!

Christmas is looming up behind my back like a tornado whirling off in the distance and I have NO IDEA how to shop for my grandkids without risking their little lives!

Toy Companies are being accused of trying to kill our children with lead, magnets, GHB and all the new mystery poisons out there! I can't check CNN without hearing about the latest toy that is dipped in lead and stuck in our kids mouths! Yikes! Where does a grandmother turn to!!! Although,nothing too new here with Toy Recalls, remember Jarts?

Anyway, the latest toy recall that I noticed was Easy Bake Ovens.



Seems that there have been burns etc. Well of course a kid can burn her or his little fingers! Thats why it is "supervised" play. You wouldn't have your three yr old stir the soup on the stove so why would you leave a three yr old unsupervised with a 45 watt lightbulb?

And another shocker! Barbie! Good Ole Reliable Barbie!!



Seems to be that there are magnets that can be swallowed in the pooper scooper. A pooper scooper? Hey, the Barbie I KNEW would have had Midge clean up after her dog and what the hell is a little girl playing with a pooper scooper? But,what do I know!

So as I wake up bright and early to hit the stores, I check that I have my purse & wallet, I have popped back a few Aqua Dots instead my usual Xanax, I got the geiger counter to check for radiation, a paint scraper and CSI kit to check for lead and a pocket piece of steel so that I can check for magnets.

Oh Hell, for God Sakes get your kids these:

Top Ten Personal Rants, Raves and General Bitchy Peeves

10. When I am bitchy or pissed off don’t say I am menopausal or PMSing. Only I can give you that description of myself on any given rant.

9. Taxis or Cars that honk their horn 5 cars back as if the person first in line gives a flying crap what you think. Do you know that in Hawaii you can get a ticket for honking your horn. They think it is rude!

8. Taxis or Cars that come within inches of you while you are in a legal crosswalk with the WALK sign. As if you can make me move faster with your insipid threat? Go on hit me, I will just walk slower and get richer if you are stupid enough to merely tap me with your bumper.

7. Women in grocery stores that turn shopping into a competitive sport. Who says you have to only go down the aisles in a certain pattern? If I forget something I am damm well turning around – get over it!

6. Websites, Search Engines and other Internettie sites that give downloading or supposedly simple cut and paste directions as if I am a mega techie. Sorry kids but my major was in Literature not gifs, tifs and the occasional spliff you are smoking when you write your lofty directions!

5. People on the train that feel it is important that you listen to every word they say in their oh so inspiring cell phone conversations. I do not need to know that you love your pookie oookims or that your client has not paid your bill. Believe it or not, Lawyers are the worst offenders! On the same note, Blue Tooth Ear Piece Wearers; pre-cell phones days talking to yourself was just weird. Now we think you look plain stupid.

4. Train Again… Families that think it is a REAL GOOD IDEA to take the rush hour train home on a Friday night with their squalling un-adorable children, take up rows, then wonder why the weary workers don’t share in their delight of their progeny.

3. Paying $4.54 for a cup of EightBucks coffee that tastes like hot bitter cardboard with flavored 2% - Enough said.

2. Friends or Family that insist on playing little control games to gain the non-existent upper hand. Done with it, back off, I'm moving on!

And the Numero Uno 2-Parter. Women that think it is funny to tell jokes that bash the beejeesus out of men so they can feel superior and Men that think the word "Ho" is a term of endearment.

Ooops! No Raves! I must be only Ranting!

What Are We Doing to Our Boys!

What are we doing to our boys!!! We are creating a nation of scared, confused non-men!! Our society is so scared of the dangers lurking in every corner that we helicopter over our sons so much that this new generation is becoming non-confident, scared to touch and generally very, very wimpy! I have shaken more hands with young men that were raised by helicopter parents that personally, I have a stronger handshake then they do and feel I could hurt them – ewww! And when did men start calling a colorfully decorated room or an inanimate object “fun”? We live in a world of hyper-carefulness! What are we creating?

I raised three sons, for most of the time alone as a single mom. They were adventurous and predominately terrorized me, but they are strong men now! I have come in contact with many boys in past few years and after spending time with them, I just shake my head. The new breed of boys are afraid of everything. They don’t venture out away from the nest for fear of meeting Mr. Stranger-Danger! They don’t climb trees for fear of falling. They don’t ride their bikes for fear of falling off. They don’t concoct their little battles blowing up toy battleships in the garden pool for fear that someone would think they are dangerous! And they sure don’t hug each other or put the arm of comrade around their friends for fear they are turning into a pervert. God!! What did we do????

Now, I don’t suggest that we toughen up our little guys to the point of bullyness and I don’t suggest you teach them how shoot an arrow into their brother’s epiglottis (true story, ask my son Steve) or capture their brother and hog tie him to the bed (ummm. Josh??) but I suggest that we wise up. When was the last time any of us saw a gaggle of 8 years olds playing a non-supervised game of pickup baseball! Probably rarely because most of the are playing video games and don’t know how to invent play.

And the most disturbing trend is that in today’s society, grown-ups, especially men are being suspected, villianized and discriminated against because we all think every man with a child is a predator. In a blog that I felt hit the nail on the head is http://baconsrebellion.blogspot.com/2007/09/fear-of-men.html In this blog, the writer accurately portrays how we see men in today’s society. We are losing our “good” and “decent” male role models to the knee-jerk reaction of fear. And in turn we are creating men that are afraid because as parents we are afraid. And that in turn creates scared, non-confident boys!

When I was a child and young girl, I KNEW the difference between a good man and a icky one. I knew how to trust at least to the point I was safe. The unfortunate part of my era was that belief in what a child said was not always taken very seriously. But in today’s society we can blend the knowledge of the difference between the Stranger Danger and a Good Man because we can learn to communicate with our child.

We need to counteract the effects of male bashing by reaffirming our sons masculinity, teaching them good morals and being honest about who is a good role model and who is a bad person. I was lucky enough to have as single Mom strong male role models for my sons. Sure, I thought about predators out in the big, bad world, but I taught my sons to know the difference between good touch and bad, between good men and bad and I feel they grew up just fine.

And I let a little danger in their lives. I have recently been giving as a present to new moms a book called ‘The Dangerous Book for Boys’ by Hal Iggulden. In this book it teaches us not only simple tasks like how to make the greatest airplane in the world but how to treat women with consideration and to know the difference between good and evil.

Realize that there are good men out in today’s society and we need these good strong male role models or we will continue to create fear.

A Nation Of Fear - The Fear of Touch

Because of the cases of true perversed and scummy pedophiles running rampart, we are succeeding in creating a nation of fearful children. Don't touch them! Don't touch Me! There is a difference between appropriate and inappropriate touching.

In some cases, a hug from a friend is all some children can have because of a lack of love at home but because our schools are becoming overly sensitive to the child molestations by teachers and support staff, they now are OVERLY reacting to a simple hug between two kids. What do you think? Should the rules stay as they are or should they be amended to allow simple hugging.

See article below and let me know your thoughts

Girl gets detention for hugging The Associated Press, Tues., Nov. 6, 2007

Illinois middle school bans public displays of affection; parents urge change

MASCOUTAH, Ill. - Two hugs equals two days of detention for 13-year-old Megan Coulter.
The eighth-grader was punished for violating a school policy banning public displays of affection when she hugged two friends Friday.

“I feel it is crazy,” said Megan, who was to serve her second detention Tuesday after classes at Mascoutah Middle School. “I was just giving them a hug goodbye for the weekend,” she said.
Megan’s mother, Melissa Coulter, said the embraces weren’t even real hugs — just an arm around the shoulder and slight squeeze.

“It’s hilarious to the point of ridicule,” Coulter said. “I’m still dumbfounded that she’s having to do this.”

District Superintendent Sam McGowen said that he thinks the penalty is fair and that administrators in the school east of St. Louis were following policy in the student handbook.
It states: “Displays of affection should not occur on the school campus at any time. It is in poor taste, reflects poor judgment, and brings discredit to the school and to the persons involved.”
Parents urge change in policy Coulter said she and her husband told their daughter to go ahead and serve her detentions because the only other option was a day of suspension for each skipped detention.

“We don’t agree with it, but I certainly don’t want her to get in more trouble,” Coulter said.
The couple plan to attend the next school board meeting to ask board members to consider rewording the policy or be more specific in what is considered a display of affection.
“I’m just hoping the school board will open their eyes and just realize that maybe they shouldn’t be punishing us for hugs,” Megan said.

Grassroots: The common people at a local level.

The word Grassroots is normally used in relation to political campaigns. But it also can be applied to the people at a local level that without the big money or political savvy can take up a cause, push it through and bring justice to their purpose.

http://www.lakeandhalsted.com/ did just that. According to their website, the story began in the summer of 2005, every weekend night at the closing hour 3:00am fighting among club goers escalated in the vicinity of the Lake & Halsted nightclubs especially Chromium NiteClub. The fighting, screaming, drug use, public peeing, property destruction escalated to such a fervor that neighbors and local business owners started to protest the lack of civility and safety in their neighborhood.

Saturday Nite's Alright For Fightin....... ummm so's Sunday!

The City of Chicago trying to appease the neighbors and to stem the violence started to station Police and Tactical Officers outside the Chromium Niteclub on Saturday night to Sunday when the most violent of street fighting occurred. Unfortunately, this was not enough. On the LakeandHalsted website you will see that even with the presence of Police, horrible fighting still occurred. That is when the neighborhood took action. That is when they became a Grassroots Organization determined to stem the violence, make the Chromium Niteclub owners responsible for their patrons and bring some semblance of peace back to their neighborhood where they worked and lived.

The neighbors took the usual course of action. They met with Aldermen, they filed petitions, they worked with law enforcement but it wasn’t until a lone woman started to film the violence from her Art Studio across from the club that officials started to wake up to the problems that this particular nightclub caused. This woman weathered threats to her property and even threats on her life but still she kept filming. And then the unthinkable happened. On August 19th a young man visiting the club, with family members for the first time, lost his life that night. He was shot 5 times in the back by some idiot clubgoer that took offense to this young man’s presence. This murder was done in plain sight of the Police stationed at the club.

On the website you can hear and see what the neighbors see, hear and witness: http://www.lakeandhalsted.com/

Now people started to notice; especially a local news station. Interviewing the brave artist that took up her camera, the terrors that this nightclub allowed were finally being taken seriously. On October 29th the Liquor Commission pulled the liquor license from the owner. It was pulled on a technicality and not because of the violence but I know the attention this story was given helped and was due to the bravery and courage of this Grassroots Organization.

The definition of Grassroots is “the common people”. There is nothing common about these heroes.

Rubbed at the Edges, but otherwise Good Condition!

I spent last weekend visiting my Uncle Marty Murphy in La La Land California and had a fabulous time! We wined and dined, saw the sights by getting irrevocably lost from time to time and generally acted like the tourists we were.

My Uncle as many of you readers know is a cartoonist. His numerous and famous works range from Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol, Hong Kong Phooey, Wait Till Your Father Gets Home, Maja the Bee to the choice primo spot after the centerfold in Playboy. Yep Mom, I know the secret! Marty draws for Playboy and he is funny as hell! So, lets get over that little peccadillo!

He also has collaborated on many books containing his work and several other work of very talented cartoonists. Here is where I get to my title of this blog. My cherished Tom, having had many long wonderful conversations with Marty, wanted to take part in that famous past time of Google-ing Marty. He found many articles including blogs by other luminary cartoonist such as Roy Delgado, http://roydelgadoblog.blogspot.com/ and Mike Lynch, http://mikelynchcartoons.blogspot.com/ . Stop by these two sites - Very Funny Works!

He also stumbled upon sellers of some of Marty’s books. Most notably, ‘Teachers Are Very Funny People’ and ‘That Was the Church That Was’ both of these gems are hysterical and I remember as a child always thinking that Marty was such a star!

Here is the kicker. These books range from 98cents plus shipping to a whopping $2,475!! Now the higher price is because there is an inscription by Marty saying "To Russ from Marty Murphy Thanks for bringing your energy and talent to the sat morning class!” It also says that the book has some wear but the pgs/binding are tight…… Other descriptions of his books are “mild wear”, “rubbed edges” etc. And this got me thinking.

Does “Russ” know that “Rebecca (Rebrosa)” is selling a tight mildly worn book to the public for an enormous amount of cash? Did Russ enjoy the book? Did he know what a stellar man my Uncle is? Does Rebecca know what a gem Marty is? Does she care?

When in our golden years do we get reduced to a selling point? When did a funny, loving, cuddly, intelligent and massively talented man become “rubbed at the edges”?

I know that a book that Marty worked on that is selling at such a huge amount should be a testament to his talent but for some reason I felt a bit sad. In my long conversations over the years and especially this past weekend, I realized that this wonderful Uncle that always supported my dreams are having his sold and no pennies are coming his way. So I want to shout out to the world that Mr. Marty Murphy is still kicking in L.A. Still drawing his fabulously and irreverent cartoons and is as sharp as ever!

Marty Murphy may be a little rubbed at the edges but Damm he is still in good condition and to me that is priceless!

Candidates Of The Unknown

So I can't sleep. So in my awake but near coma-like state, I thought I would cruise the web to get information on the potential candidates for President and I stumbled upon a website called http://www.vote-smart/

An interesting site that gives you, according to them, unbiased information about the candidates. Clicking on Republicans, I found not just the 'known' candidates but scores of other announced candidates. I did not know these people existed and I had fun reading their biographies and their position on issues. By the way, what is the Humanitarian Party????

I only included 4 from each category but showed the number of entries into the race after each section. Click on the name and it will bring you to the site and you can meet some of the serious but no money, not-serious but think its fun, or the plain ole nut jobs.

There is a guy that is running on the Democrat/Farmer/Labor party that is called Ole.

Republican Candidates #56
Virginia Algar
Michael Andrew Arterburn
George Brent Bailey
Daniel James Barnett

Democrat Candidates #54
Willie Felix Carter
Randolph Wilson Crow
Jack L Dietz
Philip Epstein

Other Party(s) #109
Blake Ashby
Michael W. Bay
John Douglas Blyth

Patrick Cazneau

Running Out on Red Lobster

Letter to the Editor of Kane County Chronicle

My husband Tom and I, with our daughter, went out this past Friday night to a well deserved seafood feast at the Geneva Red Lobster. Waiting for our table in this bustling restaurant, a young server hurried down the sidewalk with great concern written upon her face. Low and behold, when we were seated, the same girl that scurried past us was now our server. Because Tom and I are curious as a bunch of cats, we asked what was up.

Well it appears that the customers seated before us had run off without paying their check. Now before a snap judgment is made that this was only a sad teenage prank, the thieves were a well dressed woman in her early forties enjoying an expensive shrimp dinner with her daughter in her late teens to early twenties. Shocked? Yep, Susie we have well-heeled criminals here in our own little hamlet of wealth.

You know what disgusts me the most? Not that they ran off without paying, which is a crime in itself, but that they left a tip. A tip for the server that they ultimately punished. According to the policies of Red Lobster, the server is responsible for the table whether the customers pays or not. She or He is given the choice of compensating for the table or taking a write-up on their record. Too many write-ups for this type of infraction, then they are let go.

So Miss Fancy Pants in your mind, you thought you “stuck” it to the corporation. But instead, now a server has black mark on her record. She also will be taxed on the total amount of your bill and believe me, the IRS does not care that that bill was not paid. They will tax her nonetheless. That young girl will now ultimately be financing your criminal activities. Good Going!!

I called Red Lobster the following morning and talked to the manager in charge to plead the case of our lovely and very competent server. I wanted to get the facts straight; that they were not going to put her in server jail. Melanie, the manager in charge, explained to me that every situation is taken into consideration and Red Lobster would not make our server fork over some cash but would need to record this incident. Yes, like it or not, there are many servers out there that let their friends get away with not paying. It is fact of life that this happens, which is why this policy is in place.

In the case of our server, she did not let this horrible event affect our dining experience. She was gracious, skilled and we had a great time. But she did take this event personally. She went on the rest of the night knowing that someone had not only stolen from the corporation she worked for, but from her personally.

So to the woman and her daughter that sped away from Red Lobster, I hope that that ill gotten meal makes you sick. I hope that it sits in the pit of your stomach and wakes you up to the fact that at tax time this sweet server now is paying for your crime.

Do the right thing, send a anonymous money order covering your bill. Don’t teach your daughter that this is just a fun Friday night game. Have some morals lady! But if you don’t pay up and you like the life of a skanky criminal, realize that there is a elegant, moral and honest server out there that is more cultivated and worthy of praise than you ever could be.

TaTu or Not Tattoo – That is the Question

I have a tattoo. Sweet Mother, I do! Since according to Leviticus, I could get smited, cursed or stoned to death for all kinds of infractions including this one, I am pretty brazen in my attitude towards an uncomfortable situation that could affect my well-being. On a side note, I prefer to be smited for this is a much cooler word than plain old stoned to death with pea rock.

I stand by my tattoo. There I said it. I am neither ashamed nor am I worried that some people would think lower of me. Although, a really super duper scary threat made by someone "unnamed", who is close to me in a "familial" way vowed to kick my butt if I got a tattoo – which by the way Joey, (oops! Named Ya) concerned me for about 20 seconds, I see nothing wrong with getting a tattoo. As long as you think it out thoroughly and choose one that means something deep to you, go for it.

Again with a pesky side note, be careful where you place the tattoo. Trust me, it is hard to be convincing to a Fortune 500 group with Lady Godiva streaming down your forearm while you wear short sleeves. Those bored CEO’s would spend all their time trying to peek through Go-dives hair and not pay attention to your speech. But I digress.

My tattoo, located at my lower back, is a broken heart with wings that in my convoluted artistic mind symbolized my children annoying the beejeebers out of me for 22 years. The heart is well, you know, the boys terrorizing me and my desire to just fly the hell away at times. By the way, don’t you dare call this a tramp stamp. That pleasant description does not apply to me because I gave up low riders and thong underwear years ago in favor of more suitable, comfortable and age appropriate Hanes.

There are pundits in the pulpit that cite everything from rebellion to tattoos being against God’s law. Funny how any time these purveyors of my personal moral clause wants to make a point, they whip out a convenient chapter of Leviticus. In Leviticus, 19:28 nestled comfortably between the sinful beard trimming and prostituting your daughter, states that “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD” That being said, in my case I am so hell bound.

Anthropologists and Sociologists alike try to dispel the myths of the lure of tattooing as adolescent rebellion. I agree and disagree at the same time with this. Sure if you are under 18 and REALLY want to put a choke hold on Mom and Dad’s psyche, you get a tattoo of Tweetie Bird on your bicep that states Chicks Rule. But in most cases, it really is not about rebellion. It is about self expression. And that is something that today’s society needs and thrives upon. The ability to show the world your uniqueness is priceless and although not understanding at times the message the wearer is trying convey, at least respect the courage and audacity to say “Here I am World – take me or leave me.”

Oxford anthropologist Wilfrid Dyson Hambly said: "These (tattoos) might range from specific ancient symbols to images with complex personal meanings unique to the wearer. A lot of people are eager to link up with 'something beyond,' reaffirm their connections with greater forces beyond this mundane daily life.... if they make us feel better about ourselves, and by extension others around us, the magic works. We are wearing our dreams."

So, I had my tattoo placed in a private area where no one can see it unless I decide to. And I am not about to moon someone to show my self expression. So if you still want to kick my butt, have at it. Besides my butt being a conveniently LARGE target, I will stand up for my right to express myself whichever way I choose.

Assign Responsibility

In 1986, we legalized millions of illegals through an Amnesty Program. The government "promised" that it would take action to stem the invasion from Mexico of 1 million illegals each year. It did not. Illegals still pour in.

We sit by and cry foul! When will it stop! Build a fence, build a wall!!! That'll stop them. If we could not stem the flood of illegals in the past 20 years what makes a wall that much more powerful??

I have tried to stay impartial to this illegal debate but I see that our lawmakers are too busy pointing the finger at each other's brand of liberalism or conservatism to not realize that we have allowed this to happen because we have not laid down the law and make the countries responsible for this influx.

We shake hands and kiss patootie with heads of state in foreign landsbut is there any chastisement for their neglect of their own country. The money that pours into Mexico though tourism or into Arabia from Oil - where has that gone? I assume only to line the pockets of the influential and those in charge. I have yet to hear any Liberal or Conservative come down hard on other countries about how terrible they treat their own citizens or provide an accounting as to where their own funding goes.

Here is a thought - If I only made $10 a month, but for a few dollars more I could escape my poverty and come to a country where I could make $10 an hour – wouldn't I? It is easier to escape poverty by leaving, but what has happened to those that would stand up against their government and say no more??

There is no "easy" fix. No amnesty program that will stem the flow in years to come. Only families that will be torn apart because we didn't politically spank the ass of those in charge of our brothers and sisters of foreign lands.

But is it our job to be the nanny of all? In some respects yes. We need leaders that lead not placate. We need citizens that help not complain. We need to start to listen to each other for solutions and not just blindly leave that decision up to those that just want to kiss the proverbial politico ass.

There are those we placed in power who want to hide their heads in the political sand pile. We are not ostriches, we are proud Americans that in our hearts, a burning desire to do the right thing. Unfortunately, those in charge forgot to listen

So the burning question is...... What is your opinion on how this problem can be fixed?

Lost Opportunity

I am not a fan of President Ahmadinejad of Iran. I fondly call him Ahma-Idgit. I find his policies and viewpoints radically offensive but I was curious to see what he would say at Columbia. Gracious opposition should have been the tenor of the day – not bullying.

After the furor surrounding President Ahmadinejad's speech at Columbia University dies down, do you think that we have missed the opportunity to clarify issues and open communications with Iran?

Columbia President Lee Bollinger effectively overtook the microphone to voice his low opinion of the Iranian leader and at the same time, blew the chance to open the lines of a healthy conversation.

With Bollinger's arrogant attack on this man, he basically became a braggart in his own right. Spouting self absorbed rhetoric and chastising this leader not only defeated the purpose of this man speaking at Columbia but also he appeared the buffoon to the Country of Iran. To me it smacked of personal agenda. Why did Columbia invite Ahmadinejad to speak at one of the most erudite and discussion-driven US universities but then drag him down to the level of a chastisement of a kindergartner?

I can see the point in not allowing the Iranian dictator of the month to visit Ground Zero. Especially, in light of the alleged sale of IEDs to Iraqi terrorist factions but to invite him to speak at a campus, proceed to berate him just threw away the opportunity for the student body to open up an intelligent debate on his views versus US views.

Where do go from here? A placard that a protester was carrying on the campus stated "Free Speech For All- Even Douchebags". Unfortunately, Bollinger proved himself to be the "Douchebag".