Fighting City Hall

It's garage sale day, and the darned code inspectors keep stealing my signs (I guess I must PAY the city of Largo for the privilege of having a sign out). I finally put one out and smeared it with honey. It went too, but it went stickily...

The Dumbing Down of America, Exhibit A

EXHIBIT A for the state of the American Education System:

My friend posts a spoof about the danger of
velociraptors, I agree (and add an anecdotal tale). Now another woman is anxiously asking where we got this "information", how come she hasn't heard about it, and she is VERY concerned.

I am NOT going to show her any mercy by explaining it's a spoof. It's HER fault if she fell asleep in Science from grades 1-12.

The Quaker Steak n' Lube Car Show

My weekend started last night at the Quaker Steak n' Lube Car Show. There's nothing better than sitting around with a table full of Vietnam Vets and younger men, all into nothing but cars, guns, and women. The testosterone levels were outta sight!

My Alcoholic Neighbor

So my freaky alcoholic neighbor comes wandering by while my boyfriend is tinkering with my truck. He walks up to us and starts whining about how he just saw his wife with another man and somehow segues into talking about how married sex is better because you don't have to use condoms. "You know what I mean, my friend," he tells my boyfriend with a leer and a wink.

 

Welcome to the neighborhood.

Check Out My Butt

I am wearing a really nice pair of slacks today - they flow and swirl about elegantly. I was quite pleased with them... until someone pointed out that the circular patters all over them converge into a bullseye on my butt.

 

Note to self: Always look at your backside in the mirror before you leave the house. Or the department store.

Smells Like...

So my daughter and I are shopping in Yankee Candles, and we sniff this new fragrance called "Mountain Lodge." We turn to each other at the same time and say "Mmmm, smells like a man!"

Nothing like the smell of a clean guy.

Missing You

"I missed you," he said. "I grew desperate, and found myself re-reading
all those texts you sent me."

"Texts?" she said, utterly mystified. She couldn't remember sending him
any texts. "What did they say?"

"Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy Easter..." he replied.

Census Phone Call Follow-Up

I got a call yesterday from the Census bureau. They wanted to follow up and ask additional questions. When they told me I HAD to take their call and it was part of the census, I grew infuriated.

As I pointed out, I'd read nothing about that and it certainly hadn't been mentioned on the census. I'm betting it's not illegal to refuse to answer any additional questions when you've already completely and accurately filled out the questionnaire and sent it in.

Besides, what a great con job it would be if someone called supposedly from the Census Bureau, and asked additional questions (such as your social security number, bank account number, etc.) I wonder how many people would fall for that?

I get a little antsy - I like my privacy. What can I say?

In the end, I chose not to stand on principle and I answered their questions.

What a sell-out!

Islamorada: The Florida Keys

The Lucrative Rewards for Curing No One

A friend of mine almost died of a drug overdose this weekend.

As I have a "no drug" policy, I have a very hard time feeling any sympathy for someone who makes the self-indulgent choices that I choose not to make. However, because I was the only one this addict could turn to at the time, I was the one who went to the hospital. Twice. Once to take him there for the O.D., and once to take him back during his detox as he was puking up blood.

Yeah, drugs are fun.

I called his best guy friend "Dan", who is a recovered alcoholic. During the weekend drama, Dan texted me saying "Oxys are what's killing everybody, just had an old friend die. He needs to go to rehab."

To which I replied "He's been thru rehab 3-4 times in the last year and a half. He could TEACH it. He needs to simply make up his mind."

Dan wrote "Well then, we will just watch him die, if he doesn't get help somewhere because what u c now is him making up his mind."

And what I said is completely true, given the quality of our rehab clinics. You see, rehab clinics get a ton of government money to conduct classes and therapy sessions for people who have been convicted of illegal drug use, or who qualify for a government program through other avenues.

These clinics can also anesthetize an addict who is going through withdrawal symptoms, so the addict is basically sedated as they come down. This only makes it easier for the addict to get on the stuff again, as there is no real punishment for it: The addict doesn't associate any real pain with the process, and in his opinion, the pain he causes others isn't important.

It also means the clinics get repeat customers, which is very important. After all, short of becoming dealers themselves, they need a constant influx of customers to justify the public funds they're dipping into.

There is one lone voice, crying in the wilderness, and his name is Dr. Stanton Peele. But Dr. Peele's clinic is too successful, in that it teaches self-control and stops the psychobabble which enables the addict. So, Dr. Peele's clients have a vastly lower recidivism rate than standard drug rehab facilities. That makes Dr. Peele a great threat to these clinics, and obviously they all keep hoping he'll just shut up and go away.

So our clinics in the Tampa Bay Area are worthless (and I assume most of them are). As long as they keep coddling our addicts and telling them that their choices are not their fault, they will never get better.

Which is exactly why there are no effective drug treatment centers here.

Dancing With the Harlots

I've written about sleezy kids' dance recitals before. It incensed me then, and still does. Interestingly, the parents at the studio that I wrote about must have thrown a complete fit, because I was dragged unwillingly to this year's dance recital and it was actually in good taste!

But this tendency toward making kids into adorable hooker look-a-likes continues.



The mothers are often the first to defend this poor choice because (obviously) it makes them look very, very bad. Also, they may be re-living their childhoods through their children - we've all seen the desperate mom who obsessively thrusts her kids into anything that she wanted to do when she was young.

But... what's the school's excuse?

One thing's for sure - a child molester can get a floor show cheap these days.

The Thrift Shop Find

Every other weekend is filled with teenagers now. Which is wonderful. I don't understand people who don't want children around... or, in this case, young adults. Whatever. A full home is a happy home.

So this weekend we loaded up and hit garage sales, thrift stores, and the beach. New clothes (and other assorted sundries) were acquired and, best of all, we discovered this carved wooden statue:


Perhaps I should've bought it. It could come in "hand"y.

The Russian (and other countries') Adoption Problem

The woman who sent her adoptive son back to Russia with a note stating that he was a sociopath is hardly a woman who snapped after singing "I'm a little teapot" one too many times.

She has done what so many parents who have adopted from Russia have been tempted to do. (To read more about this, go here and here).

The sad truth, and one that has been known for years, is that most children from Russia (or many other third world countries) come with problems. It's easy to see why. Here's the recipe:

1. Go to a third world country (and parts of Russia are just that)
2. Take one child being generally unwanted
3. Institutionalize that child for a long time
4. Couple that with him moving to another country and being forced to assimilate the culture

And voila! One freshly made (you choose):

A. Sociopath
B. Child with severe attachment disorder
C. Hell on wheels
D. All of the above

I've read of these cases for years, and I'm shocked that it's taken this long for anyone to take real notice of them.

What's amazing is that it took this one incident to put the spotlight on an issue that's been going on for a very long time. And truthfully, there's no solution. If you want a child desperately enough, you may want there to be a solution, but wishful thinking can't change facts.

Studies repeatedly show a child's personality is developed between 3 and 5 years of age. And these formative years are usually filled with trauma in the case of an unwanted child.

Now other sympathetic families are weighing in, telling of their miserable Russian adoptions. Some have rationalized, some have muddled through it all, but most speak of the toll it takes and the burdens they must carry due to the children they took on.

We are exporting other countries' problems when we take on their children, with rare exceptions.

Years ago I had acquaintances who chose to adopt from India because they felt specially attuned to that country (due to the whimsical fact that the husband played the Sitar). They went through a long and painful process, sending money to India, getting pictures, etc.

The baby was a girl. She had been raised since birth in an orphanage run by nuns, but the problem was that the orphanage had very little funding. Therefore, the children often didn't receive proper nutrition.

When this couple received the baby, she was about 8 months old, had been held rarely (so her head was somewhat deformed from being left in the crib so much), and she was severely thin and undernourished (she was the size of a newborn). As a result, their pediatrician warned them that there was likely to be brain damage or at least mental development issues.

The parents joyfully announced all this to us because, frankly, it was new. And any experience, when new, is something you think you can happily overcome, slogging through mountains and singing the theme from The Sound of Music. It was A Challenge, A Rite of Passage, A Chance To Show Off Parenting Skills.

But that child is now about 18 and I wonder how she fared. And if she lived. And whether or not the marriage survived. And when the bloom fell off the rose, did the Sitar playing husband leave or did he merely sink into despair? For usually it's the wife who takes on the true burden of raising a special needs child.

It is often very hard to bond with a child that is not your biological child, for the simple reason that hormones play a factor when a baby is born. Without your hormones singing that child's praises, it's much tougher to get past the bumps in the road, let alone the crevasses.

Thus, an adoptive child does not have the advantages that a biological child has. Over the years, I have had close friends who were adopted, and not one of them ever felt that bond. And, may I venture to add that it's because their parents apparently never felt that bond, either.

I am sure that there are exceptions: For instance, if a parent adopts a child right after the loss of a child, they may be able to transfer the bond. And there are parents who may truly believe that they are as close to that bond as they can be. One adoption site says that research shows that adoptive families bond as closely as biological ones. I'm not disputing that bonding occurs, but I question to what degree it occurs.

Adoption and assimilation of children is tough enough as it is, without adding other problems to the mix. Although we certainly don't have enough children to adopt within the USA (due to abortion and restrictive laws), going outside of the country isn't a better solution.

"Immediate Family Only" Policy is About to End

It's about time. Sometimes Obama gets it right, even if he has the wrong motives.

Barack Obama is ordering that nearly all hospitals allow patients to say who has visitation rights and who can help make medical decisions. But his reason is that he wants to pander to gays and give them equal rights when it comes to their partners.

This is a payoff for an earlier campaign promise Obama made in exchange for the gay vote. Not such an amazing reason, when there are so MANY varieties of reasons for this move. And not only gays will profit.

Couples who were living together have wanted this right for years. And in my case, the majority of my family no longer lives near me. In fact, my siblings all live overseas. So close friends and significant others have taken the place of family many years ago. And this is common in an America where people are constantly on the move. *I* am the mutant, having stayed in Florida for as long as I have.

Sadly, this change of policy is something that only a Democrat would have instituted, which shows how stagnant the Republican party has become.

Crist Makes Another Bad Decision

Despite my earlier belief that Crist couldn't possibly make another boneheaded move, he just vetoed a bill that would make teachers ... *gasp* ... work for their pay and demand job performance based raises.

Wow, that was close! Let's not get carried away! Good thing the unions got in the way, or we might have something in Florida resembling real education.

Fox News vs. Republicans

An interesting article in Newsweek today argues that the Republican establishment is rejecting Fox News.

This only makes sense, as the Republicans are part of the same good ole boy network that the Democrats are part of. I can't imagine rank-and-file politicians favoring any network that can stir up the masses.

I'm not a fan of Fox News (I never watch it). I've always found CNN to be relatively impartial until Lou Dobson left. Now I just glean my news from internet news sources. But I find this new twist on network news to be fascinating!

Oprah

It's about time someone tries to take Oprah Winfrey down a notch. For an accurate discussion of what Oprah believes, go to this article by a non-denominational Christian think tank. It's a pretty good assessment of what I've observed over the years.

Now Kitty Kelley, famous gossip hound and biographer, has taken on The Great O, and has found that many media outlets won't discuss the book with her, for fear of alienating Oprah.

Why?

Because Oprah has a large number of mindless, brain-dead fans who drool over every word she emits and follow her blindly. To anger Oprah is to anger her fans.

Kitty Kelley has done many biographies and angered many people. I've often heard the controversies, the arguments, and the denials. So, is she telling the truth?

The people who praised her biography of Ronald Reagan and were aghast when we questioned her facts cannot decry her now.

On the other hand, those of us who felt that she was full of crap to begin with may finally find some allies.

I won't buy the book, but you can bet that I'll rent it from our local library.

Dear Roger

Some of you may remember Roger, from When a Guy Can't Take a Hint. Well, he still hasn't taken the hint. Although he laid low for a while, he started annoying Cindy again. So, I helpfully composed a "Dear John" letter for her:

Dear Roger,

You are a putz.

For a guy who looks like he belongs in the geriatric version of The Village People, you really aren't all that virile, either. I wish I could say that you are a man that could fulfill my dreams, but you fulfill my nightmares.

If your personality were of any note, I would enjoy keeping you as a friend. But when a personality is as sour as old jockey shorts, there is little to recommend it.

Your sparkling wit and repartee... oh wait, you don't have that.

If I were to put together a list of all your virtues, you might make it into a fortune cookie slip.

Much love,
Cindy

If she has the guts to send this, I think it will solve the problem.

The Civil War from a Religious Perspective

The Christian "Roll Over" Argument

Obviously since people have devoted entire books to the topic of the American Civil War, I cannot possibly do it justice in a short amount of time. (For those of you who are interested in delving into it, I highly recommend William Safire's book "Freedom").

However, there is a renewed interest in the Civil War at this time, due to the current Federal government's continual references to The Commerce Clause in the Constitution. There are rumors that states may, once again, try to secede.

I have heard some Christians cite scripture from the Bible, who say that it is our obligation to bow to the government, with little exception. (The exception would be if the government demanded we do something which is against what the Bible teaches).

But How Do You Define Government?

There were 13-16 states that defined the confederacy in 1861, out of a total of 33 states at that time. So it was a significant number of states (almost half) that decided to exert what they considered to be their state rights.

As Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Kentucky Resolution:

"Resolved, that the several States composing the United States of America, are not united on the principle of unlimited submission to their general government; but that by compact under the style and title of a Constitution for the United States and of amendments thereto, they constituted a general government for special purposes, delegated to that government certain definite powers, reserving each State to itself, the residuary mass of right to their own self-government; and that whensoever the general government assumes undelegated powers, its acts are unauthoritative, void, and of no force: That to this compact each State acceded as a State, and is an integral party, its co-States forming, as to itself, the other party....each party has an equal right to judge for itself, as well of infractions as of the mode and measure of redress."

Yeah, he was the master of the run-on sentence.

What It Boils Down To

But what it boils down to is that Jefferson (the third President of the USA) felt that the States called the shots and created the Federal government, thus the Federal government wasn't supposed to reign over the states, but was supposed to be ancillary to them.

Jefferson also wrote the famous "Separation Letter" which set the precedence for the separation of church and state, and contributed to a great deal of thought as to how government should work in the early stages of our republic, so let's not quickly dismiss him as a crackpot.

So, What Does it Mean?

So, is it truly rebellion if the states try to secede again? And if so, is it contrary to what a Christian should do? And, perhaps more importantly (as Christians are a minority), is it something that should be considered by a citizen of the USA?

Rebellion, like history, is in the eye of the beholder. It can certainly be slanted to justify whatever we might want. However, this is a topic which we need to begin to consider, as the Federal government continues to extend its powers via the excuse of the Commerce Clause.

Neal McDonough

Neal McDonough is a name I hadn't heard before, as I watch so little TV. I recognize him from his pictures, but I have no idea what I've seen him do.

But Neal McDonough is apparently the man with the big cahonas in Hollywood, and he chooses not to share them with everyone. Because of that, he was recently fired from a new TV series, as he wouldn't do a sex scene with sleazy co-star Virginia Madsen (who apparently has no qualms about it and couldn't be bothered to stick up for the guy).

Wow, an actor with morals! I don't think we've seen such a thing since Pat Boone.

One writer snarkily commented that morals didn't stop McDonough from playing a serial killer once, but let's face it: Playing a serial killer hardly compares to getting naked in front of a crew of people and being very intimate with a naked skank when you're a married man with children.

At a time when we keep hearing how skeevy Hollywood men can be (thanks to Tiger and Jesse), McDonough brings a breath of fresh air.

Bravo, Neal McDonough, Bravo!

April Fools' Day

In the grand tradition of April Fools' Day, Google has announced that they're changing their name to "Topeka". As Google is my homepage, I was met with this announcement immediately and, half awake, I read their explanation with growing bewilderment until it dawned on me that today is April Fools' Day.

You would think I would remember April Fools' Day. My grandmother was the patron saint of April Fools' Day. Forget about St. Patrick - no one can lay claim to a holiday like my grandmother could.

I don't know how the woman was able to find so much fake food in an era when there were no computers and we lived in Florida, for heavens' sake (there wasn't much shopping variety here in the 70s). But every April Fools' Day she delightedly fooled one of us into almost taking a bite from a sponge-and-rubber sandwich or a piece of angel food cake made from sponge. And that was just the opening round.

There was always a spectacular prank on April Fools' Day. We learned from an early age to be fully aware that April first was coming, but although we felt we were prepared, Grandma always was able to get at least one of us.

One year, fully knowing that it was April Fools' Day, I went running to answer the phone. "Saur!" my grandmother said excitedly, "Oh my goodness! Run outside and look real quick! There's a hot air balloon over your house and I can see it from here!"

What do you think I did? Yup, you guessed it. When I got back to the phone, Grandma was laughing hysterically.

Of course the apple didn't fall far from the tree, and I've been known to indulge in a prank or two myself.

One of my best friends, Pov, has a gorgeous collectible car that he's madly in love with. During the restoration process, he had become extremely annoying to all of us. We heard more about carburetors and paint jobs than any of us ever wanted to hear in our lives.

One day, when he was over at my house, I had run to the store to grab a couple things. When I came back I walked by him casually and simply said "Where's your car, Pov?"

He ran outside quicker than I ran when I thought there was a hot air balloon waiting for me.

Etc.

Insurance is No Longer a Career: It's a Nightmare

I pity everyone who sells insurance for a living. As if it's not bleak enough, our local news channel 8 is blaring a breaking news story about scammers who bilk the elderly by pretending to be insurance agents.

I happen to know that the ONLY market for insurance right now is the supplemental Medicare market. When the elderly get spooked, that will close the final door in the insurance industry and agents will join the ranks of the unemployed everywhere.

The New Insurance Vista

Now that this botched Obama bill has passed, insurance will drastically change. For what I believe to be a very realistic look, go to this article in Investors Business Daily. It's an eye opener.

Jesse James

What a skank.

His third mistress has just "revealed" herself (pun intended) and at least one has said she's had unprotected sex with him. All of them are hardly the-girl-next-door types, unless you live next to a strip club.

Yuck.

The Sad-but-True Cost of the New Health Care Bill

I really had hoped for something more. But, as the saying goes, a camel is a horse made by committee.

The New York Times believes it "...would raise, not lower, federal deficits, by $562 billion."

What a nightmare.

Hoodlums & Scalawags

Our local newspaper, the St. Pete Times, tells of how a School Board member labeled disruptive jerks as "hoodlums".

The disruptive jerks were black, and the next thing you know, they took offense to the term.

If only they'd spend more time in the classroom and less time being hoodlums, they would've learned what it meant.

The reporter attempts to explain away their overreaction by this convoluted reasoning: The first half of the word "hoodlum" is "hood", as in "neighborhood", and since black thugs often refer to their home territory as "the hood", they own this term and it shouldn't be used in any other words about them.

I would suggest the term "scalawag", which was a favorite label my grandfather always used for hoodlums. But wait! It's fraught with meaning also! Apparently it was "...a moniker for southern whites who supported Reconstruction following the Civil War." Well, we wouldn't want to call black hoodlums "scalawags", then, would we?

How about "reprobate"? Nah - our hoodlums would probably think it has a sexual meaning (reproduction and masturbate) and we wouldn't want to confuse them any further. They can hardly be rocket scientists, after all, if they don't value schooling.

How about "delinquent"? Certainly not! Anyone who eats in a deli would be infuriated! Hold the mustard!

How about "hooligan" or "scofflaw"? Well honestly, could you take anyone seriously who used those terms? I know *I* couldn't.

"Avast ye hooligan! I demand redress for your knavish behavior! Yea verily, I shall smite thee!"

So...

How about just plain "jackasses"? As donkeys can't talk, it's safe to say they can't object.

Wolf Attack

Wow. The wolf experts are shocked. There's been a fatal wolf attack in Alaska.

They express surprise! "Wow," they say. "This is only the second documented fatality ever recorded!"

Yeah, ya think? Know why? Because it's hard to document something when you're dead and your intestines have taken up residence in a wolf's belly!

Only survivors have the chance to talk.

There are two reasons we're now hearing of these attacks. First, we have better modes of communication.

For instance, let's say a wolf attack happened in the 1800s. If there were any survivors, they might eventually get to "civilization" where they could tell the tale of the attack but there would be no real evidence, little interest in finding any, and the story would become "rumor". And how many average people wrote then, and if they could write, how many took the time to do so when there was a living to be made? And how much of their writing would survive to become "documentation"? Very little.

Secondly, our modern lives give us better reaction time and we have more ability to do research than ever before. Not only were the wolves that killed this woman tracked and killed, but they're also going to make sure that the right wolves were killed by matching their teeth to the bite marks. This concept would have been unheard of in the 1800s.

To sum it up: Wolf attacks are quite plausible. I have always been amused by how many "experts" maintain that wolves are lovable, harmless fuzzballs. Look at their teeth, for crying out loud! It's not like they chew cud.

War? What War? Oh Yeah... THAT War!

Meanwhile, the war continues.

As Richard Brautigan once wrote:

Someplace in the World a Man is Screaming in Pain

Someplace in the world
a woman is sitting
under a beautiful green tree,
and she is shelling peas,
and she is thinking only
of beautiful things,
like waterfalls or rainbows
or peas.

We need to stop shelling peas, and refocus. Although Obama promised a quick end to the war, we continue to do battle in Afghanistan. We cannot afford to be The World's Policemen right now. In fact, we never could afford it.

Bring our troops back to the USA, but keep them on payroll. Have them patrol the borders, instead. At least if they're in the USA, they can spend their money here and perhaps contribute some to our own economy.

And, there will be less soldiers screaming in pain.

Sloth Pin

The Chinese Ebay sellers generally have no taste. And lately, I don't see many people snapping up their fakes. This one really takes the prize, though. It's billed as "Big Sloth Brooch Pin w/ Black Swarovski Crystals."

This is the kind of thing that visits me in my nightmares.

The "Honest" Company Rep

My best girl friend, Cindy, owns a small company specializing in government bids. Sometimes government bids demand a mandatory get-together before companies can formally bid on a project. There is truly no need for a mandatory meeting, except that it can often discourage companies that are outside of the area. In other words, it gives preference to the local boys.

And since Cindy has a small company, she can't attend every bid, so she sometimes has a representative go for her.

Yesterday, Cindy was trapped at the office all day, so she asked her father-in-law to go for her. She also asked him to sign in as her, not because she was trying to pull some scam (and it is allowed) but because she wanted all information to be addressed to her. And since she'd had some run-ins with this particular governmental entity, she asked him to sign in under her alternate company, which they hadn't heard of.

However, "Sid" got an attack of conscience. Shortly after the meeting ended, he called her. Apparently he started out doing what she'd asked, which was to sign in and take notes.

But suddenly after he signed in, Sid felt remorseful. So, he went up to the man holding the conference, pulled him aside, and whispered "I signed in as Cindy Smythe. But, I'm not Cindy."

This was probably apparent to John, the head honcho.

"But you know Cindy," he added. "I think you may have had some disagreements before."

Well, if John hadn't remembered her before, Sid had been kind enough to help him out.

"And..." said Sid, "She owns two companies. I signed in as ABC Co., but we really are usually known to you as XYZ Co. I think you should know that."

So at this point, I think we can safely assume that John was pretty certain he was dealing with a shady company who was sending a man afflicted with some form of mental illness, in an attempt to somehow subvert the system.

Needless to say, Cindy will no longer be sending Sid to any functions.

Condoms vs. Catholics in the Philippines

Let me start by admitting I have an uneasy relationship with the Catholic church. As a Christian who belongs in the "protestant" category, I have well-researched reasons for being there. I am too wise to fall into the "we-all-believe-the-same-thing-anyway" crowd. Frankly, we don't.

But, there is much good in what the Catholic church teaches.

For instance, I agree that in an ideal world, people abstain from sex before marriage, there is no promiscuity, and wise choices are always made.

But... we're talking the Philippines, here, people.

My brother is married to a Filipina and he currently supports some of the children in her family. I have an ex-fiance who's a conflicted "Flip" (Filipino). He's American, and his relatives accuse him of being the "whitest" Flip they know. But, he has visited his homeland, and he is only one generation removed from the islands.

Obviously our family has often crossed paths with the Filipino culture, so we have a great deal of knowledge about them.

One of the things that is striking about the Phillipines is the rampant promiscuity that exists. For example: As a result of this being an ego-centric culture, children are often thrown to the wayside. After all, kids can get in the way of a budding romance, so they are usually discarded. Yup - discarded like yesterday's fish.

It is not uncommon for a divorced or single mother to kick her young children out into the street or fend them off on relatives who abuse them or neglect them. Why? Because the new man in her life is going to want to start his own family and he doesn't want the burden of some other man's children. And, it's likely that her mother did the same thing to her.

Obviously if this is the way that many mothers feel about their children, most men are more than happy to take advantage of it. And this is just one example of the wanton lifestyle that exists not as an aberration, but as the norm.

So it is certainly no surprise to find that AIDS is soaring in their population.

The Philippine government has decided that they need to do what they can to reduce the STDs that are rampant over there, and they are especially concerned about AIDS. The cold, hard truth is that the government may not have to pay for all the street urchins, but they certainly don't need a plague on their hands. Homeless children aren't a direct concern, but AIDS could become so.

So, the government decided to put their workers on the streets to hand out condoms and roses to those who were passing by.

But, as the Associated Press reports, "It didn't get far. Within days, leaders of the powerful Roman Catholic Church began urging the faithful to reject condoms, reigniting a long-running battle over contraception in the overwhelmingly Catholic nation."

OK, yay for the Catholic leaders: They get to stand on principle. But do we really need to subject these people to such restrictions even when they're not truly practicing (or believing) Catholics?

Because, let's face it, a practicing/believing Catholic wouldn't be indulging in promiscuity anyway, nor would they disregard the care of their children. Therefore it's logical to conclude that most Flips really are Catholic in name only (at best).

Taking away a person's options to do what they want to do is not truly promoting belief. Instead, it is promoting restrictions. If the Catholic church wants to take control of the population, they should take over the government first. But if the Catholic church wants to control their hearts, it's going about it the wrong way.

Let's face it, the Bible teaches that God gave man free will. Even God doesn't want man to be forced to come blindly to him: God wants man to approach him with an open heart.

Why should the Catholic church behave any differently?

New Research on REM (Rapid Eye Movement)

Some of my readers may recall that I suffer from Nightmare Disorder. It is an exceedingly rare, unpleasant sleep disorder which results in vivid, cruel nightmares that drag on all night. I've had it for as long as I can remember.

Athough Nightmare Disorder is not depression or anxiety, a mild anti-anxiety drug (Celexa), when taken at night, has been able to reduce it somewhat. Never the less, it remains there, lurking in the back of my subconscious, desperate to rear its ugly head whenever possible.

However, new research on REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep gives me some hope. Studies show that those of us who experience extended periods of REM are more prone to depression, vivid nightmares, and a negative outlook in the morning. Well, let's face it - if you faced Freddy Krueger every night, wouldn't you be a bit crabby in the mornings also?

So researchers agree that the way to combat such a problem is to reduce REM sleep, which goes contrary to what many of us learned in the psychology classes of the 1980s and early 90s when we were told all we needed was more REM. And, recent studies prove that these researchers are correct.

So, how do you reduce REM?

In sleep study labs, people who are woken up each time they go into REM sleep report less depression when they rise in the morning. But, this is hardly practical in everyday living. However some of the things that we can do to reduce REM are:

1. Have a little wine before bed
2. Up our intake of L-Tryptophan (small amounts are found in turkey and milk, but in order to reap the benefits, supplements are recommended)
3. Antidepressants of certain types
4. Any combination of the above

Of course it's not a license to become a wino or a pill popper. Instead, as with everything, moderation is the key.

But finally, there is hope.

Idiotnapping

There's a weird new service for rich Frenchmen who are jaded with the everyday thrills. It is no longer enough to take the chance of becoming another Sonny Bono (death by skiing) or a John Denver (death by plane).

No!

They now have the option to pay to be kidnapped.

Perhaps the Mexicans who are kidnapping Americans* just over the border and holding them for ransom have got it all wrong. They merely need to run an ad in the wealthiest parts of America:

Are you bored with your daily routine? Is paragliding or swimming with sharks no longer enough for you? Well, have we got the solution for you!

We guarantee a kidnapping by one (1) Mexican gang, run by at least one (1) certified drug lord. This kidnapping will involve a minimum of two (2) semi-automatic rifles, assorted handguns, and some showy "grenades" which will add to the thrill of it all as we grab you off Wall Street and transport you to a sunny bordertown in Mexico.

But that's just the beginning! Thrill to see what your loved ones will do for your release. Will your wife put up that $5 million? Will your parents appear on CNN, tearfully pleading for your safe return?

Call 1-800-IDIOT-NAP today!

Seriously: How exciting can it be to sign up for your own kidnapping? How can you get worked up about it when you already have your exit strategy planned? These morons can sign up for a helicopter "rescue", for crying out loud.

As if we didn't already think the French were beyond freakish...

* (and their own wealthy citizens)

More Aid Overseas

It seems the disaster season is upon us again. And whenever other countries are hit with a disaster, we gleefully saddle up and ride to their rescue. When we get there, we spend money like drunken sailors on shore leave and finally retire, happy with our emotional excesses and indulgences.

A little while ago, we enjoyed the tragedy in Haiti. Now we get to revel in the earthquake in Chile. I wonder how much money we'll spend this time?

The truth is that people love a good tragedy. The history of mankind proves this; Shakespeare's dramas, soap operas, the nightly news, court TV.

But we still feel a twinge of guilt: If we're going to watch the disaster unfold, blow-by-blow, perhaps we should do something to ameliorate the guilt. So we send money, which gives us the excuse to self-righteously proclaim that we "care", which in turn allows us to enjoy the disaster from the comfort of home.

The problem is that we are currently in great distress, a vast number of us are unemployed, homes continue to go into foreclosure, and there's no end in sight.

This is certainly no time to send money overseas.

The Lazy HR Manager

...then there's the lazy Human Resources manager that we know. He hates recruiting, so he and his boss just hired another HR person to recruit for him!

Guess we know who's out the door.

Talk about downsizing yourself.

CNN: What a Tool

There are so many things wrong with this situation that I don't even know where to begin. So let's do a rough draft and then we'll flesh it out, shall we?

1. An evil terrorist/serial killer named Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was killed in Dubai, where his actions were sanctioned and he was protected.

2. When M&M was killed, Dubai made the extreme claim that not one, not five, not ten, but twenty six people were involved in taking him out. Is this believable? I find it incredible that major news organizations like CNN are falling for this. My guess is that Dubai is throwing mud at the wall, seeing what will stick. They figure that their wild allegations will result in their being able to pin the killing on someone.

3. Everyone seems shocked that M&M was allegedly tortured. Yeah, that really goes beyond the pale, doesn't it? Goodness knows that terrorists never do anything so barbaric. We should all be surprised.

4. It looks like Mossad, the secretive Israeli foreign intelligence unit, was behind the killing. And several of the Mossad apparently used fake passports to enter Dubai. Now Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith is shaking his finger at Israel and giving them a proper scolding and the European Union is saying about the same thing. I'm assuming that's as far as it will go: Governments often issue dire warnings and then everyone forgets about it.

5. CNN is now endangering the same alleged Mossad agents by publishing all twenty six pictures. That means that if some or all of these people are actually innocent, they don't stand a prayer if a terrorist sympathizer gets his hands on them. And who's to say that any of the twenty six are guilty? Only Dubai, home of the Terrorist Glee Club.

6. Mossad must hire some supermodels. Every one of the women are gorgeous, or close to it. Perhaps they simply need to start their own fashion line. I hear fashion opens doors.

Anyway, to organize all this into a summary: CNN is obviously a tool for Dubai. Their ignorant publishing of all twenty six pictures, as well as their assumption that Dubai is being completely truthful, really shows a lack of journalistic integrity.

I've never had any real problems with CNN before this, but I find them contemptible now.

Pediatricians Call for a Choke Proof Hotdog

Pediatricians are calling for a choke-proof hotdog. I'll make it simple: It's baloney.

No really: Baloney. It's the same thing as what hotdogs are made of, and it's simply in a different shape.

Problem solved.

So what's the next "big" issue?

Musings on Truly Fresh Seafood in Pinellas County

Krok wrote yesterday: "Who do you think makes the best grouper sandwich in Pinellas County? I say it's Harvey's."

Do you know I've only been to Harvey's once? I'm going to have to make it a point to go there soon!

Isn't it strange that most seafood restaurants here aren't locally owned and don't use local fish? It's so hard to get fresh fish unless you know where to go.

I've never been a big fan of grouper sandwiches, so I'm hardly a connoisseur. But if I were, I would've bet on Frenchy's, Clearwater Beach.

You know what's so odd about Frenchy's? They have a couple restaurants and the only one worth eating at is the one directly on the beach, near where the water tower used to be, and where the fire department still resides.

I highly recommend almost anything they make. However, avoid the seafood salad. The scallops are always as chewy as a pencil eraser due to the excess of lime juice (which turns most seafood into rubber unless it's applied just before serving).

Their sangria is divine (almost as good as the Columbia's), and their appetizers are excellent. But their most amazing fare is the she-crab soup, which is to die for! Most people can order a bowl of it and go home, content in knowing that they've just had the nicest experience of their day.

Perhaps best feature at Frenchy's is the view. When the weather is good, you can sit out under an umbrella on the patio and watch people on the beach, listen to the gulls, and simply relax.

Oddly, the Palm Pavillion (also the same location) doesn't have any of the magic that Frenchy's has. Their food, service, and atmosphere are all quite ordinary. I don't say that lightly, as I know and like the family that owns it.

If you want to buy your own and prepare it yourself, Ward's Seafood is the only place to go. Their fish is so fresh, it's just come off the boat, and they'll prepare it for you if you'd prefer (i.e. gutting, scaling, etc.). They also have a mini restaurant there, for take-out, and some pre-prepared dishes if you want something fresh but you're too tired to get out the mixing bowl.

If you decide to charter a boat to go deep-sea fishing (I love to do that!), then go to John's Pass for an enjoyable day out. When the day's over, you can pay the staff to clean your fish for you. In my opinion, this is the only way to do it!

Then you can take your catch home, or take some of it to the Friendly Fisherman restaurant there and have them cook it for you, with all the "fixins" to go with it. There is nothing more incredible than fresh off-the-boat-into-the-pan fish.

Then, of course, there is Ted Peters.

I can't rave enough about Ted Peters. The atmosphere is absolutely horrible and the service isn't much better, but the food is moan-while-you're-eating divine. It's a great local favorite, and that should tell you something. Tourists can have Red Lobster, but we natives head for Ted Peters if we're in the mood for seafood that is exceptional. They smoke the fish themselves, and I highly recommend the salmon.

NOTE: This is definitely not a paid advertisement for anyone mentioned in here, but I can be bought with fresh seafood. ;o) Just kidding.

Sort of.

When a Guy Can't Take a Hint

My friend Cindy was good and tired of Roger, who was at least 20 years her senior and an arrogant ass who couldn't understand the jokes she told or how to date a modern woman.

Roger was the typical old-fashioned male chauvinist misogynistic cretin. One day at dinner, Cindy ordered fried chicken only to have Roger snap out to the waitress "No, she doesn't want that. Get her grilled chicken instead."

He then turned to Cindy patronizingly and said in front of all of us "It's just not good for you, sweetheart."

"Nonsense," said Cindy stoutly, and she proceeded to order the fried chicken.

But Cindy wasn't always resolute. She and Roger had a stormy relationship. Back and forth like a nauseating trip at sea, they fought like feral cats. There were times she gave in, there were times she didn't.

Roger had been a financial adviser in his less golden years. And, true to any used car salesman of the 1970s, he had the same transparent sales pitch. "Do you want to make some money? Do you?" he would start out.

I could always picture the person at the other end of the phone call thinking "Wow, what did *I* do to deserve this? I had a choice at the beginning: Pick up the phone or let it ring through to voice mail..."

Of course I never saw Roger make a sale, despite how loudly he praised himself.

When Cindy was finally over Roger, she decided to make it easier on herself. Instead of breaking up with him, she was determined to make him so sick of her that he would break up with her and thus save her the trouble, the recriminations, and the late night phone calls.

"Hey Roger," she said one day as he was droning on the phone with her. She had him on speaker phone and we were laughing silently, hoping that he couldn't hear us. "Roger!"

Roger kept droning on, because he believed that everyone was as equally captivated with Roger as he was. It was beyond belief that anyone might find him dull or annoying.

"Roger!!!" Cindy said loudly. "Listen to THIS!" And she let out an immense, long burp.

Roger kept talking.

She tried it again.

Roger kept talking.

Another time she met Roger at his condominium, just as he was walking out the door, talking on the phone loudly.

"No, no, no," he was chiding his helpless victim. "You can't make a sale that way! Listen to me, OK? You'll never lose a sale if you just say 'Do you wanna make some money? Do you?'"

Cindy actually collapsed laughing in the hallway, leaving Roger very bewildered. You would think at this point that he might realize how ludicrous he appeared to us all, but he never seemed to get it. He looked like Robert Culp, which was somehow even funnier.

One day he called Cindy and ordered her to have dinner with him at his condo. "I've got the wine chilling, and the steaks are on the grill," he announced.

For some reason, that became the hill that Cindy was willing to die on.

"I'm sorry, Roger," she said, "but I already have other plans."

How dare she? Roger could barely believe it. He was God's gift to women, and Cindy was not worshiping at the altar. So, he broke it off, fully expecting her to call the next day, begging and crying.

The next day came and went, and then the next. And the next. Finally he called her to ask her out to lunch, as if nothing ever happened.

"We're broken UP, Roger," Cindy explained. "That means I move on, and you move on. Remember, you broke up with me."

The only problem with Cindy's plan is that if a guy has chosen to break up with you and realizes the error of his ways, you have to work pretty hard to keep convincing him that he was right. So as time went on, Cindy reiterated to him again and again that he was absolutely right in breaking up with her: She was thoughtless and rude and way too immature for him.

One day I came across her talking to him on the phone. "No really, Roger," she was saying. "I wish you all the best in the world. If she's an alcoholic and you think that you can help her... What? You've only dated her twice and you've already told her to move in with you? Well, what stopped her? Oh, I see..."

When Cindy got off the phone, she was laughing. Roger had finally gotten more than he could handle.

Although he'd declared his undying love and dedication to fixing an alcoholic he'd just met, Roger was absolutely shocked to encounter her boyfriend when he went over to her house with the belief that he should force her to move out. The boyfriend made it clear in no uncertain terms that Roger was to leave, instead.

Immediately.

And so Roger left.

He had finally gotten the hint, and it came with a knuckle sandwich.

The Florida State Fair Sideshow

The Florida State Fair always has plenty of what I never do: Rides of all types and descriptions.

Each one makes me queasy if I watch it long enough. There's the fun house, the tilt-a-whirl, the loopty-loop, the ferris wheel, and of course there are always those rides that make you wonder how many people die on them every year.

But I took my daughter to the fair this weekend and although we usually only eat as much junk as we possibly can, then check out the exhibits and the livestock, she wanted to go to the sideshow this time.


It looks most impressive, doesn't it? My daughter, Bugs, was impressed despite the bored looking Jamaican who wordlessly held out his hand for the $2 per person entry fee.

Needless to say, she was quite disappointed when she got inside. The pictures on the outside are hardly what you can find inside, and most of what can be found inside are poorly constructed models of what the "artist" thought something might look like if it was a third grade science project.

The "tortoise" was not a tortoise, but a giant snapping turtle who looked as bored as his keeper. I rather suspect the "live scorpion" had been dead for some time, and the siamese pigs (joined at the head) were sprouting wigs made of white mold, where the formaldehyde had recessed enough to allow the growth of something that probably posed a health hazard which could make a wonderful bio-weapon if placed in the right hands.

The "giant snake eating frog" was real, but had been dead for at least 20 years: At least as long as his "victim", a snake that had obviously been rigged into the frog's mouth post mortem.

The "elephant nose pig" was merely a pig fetus, the "little people of Borneo" were ill-constructed dolls, and there were more mutant creatures swimming in formaldehyde than I'd care to recount.

I wonder if the health department ever bothers to check out the sideshow exhibits? I rather hope not, or their standards may be low enough that I'll need to rethink the greasy pizza, egg rolls, cotton candy, funnel cakes, and sausage that we all sampled.

Come to think of it, I probably should rethink that anyway.

"Abraham" and Esther Hicks

I got introduced to something new today: A new age guru who channels a legion of demons named "Abraham". Her name is Esther Hicks. To be charitable, perhaps she isn't possessed. Perhaps she is merely insane.

But what is definitely insane are the myriad people who attend her meetings and hang on to every word.

Somewhat creepy is Esther's lapse into her possession by Abraham and it/her encouragement of others to do the same. And the fact that Esther and her husband met these "beings" via a Ouija board (and due to an interest in another woman who "channels") would indicate a specific interest in the demonic. If you are only seeking the truth, why dabble in such obvious and stereotypical mediums?

Most of Esther/Abraham's advice is terrifically boring and mundane, full of standard platitudes which have been around for a very long time. In fact, this could be the very argument against demon possession, for surely demons must be smarter than this.

Particularly nasty are Esther/Abraham's assertions that evil comes to people who wish it upon themselves. This includes victims of crime, such as children who are molested. It's not only hard, but impossible to buy that a four year old has willingly brought molestation upon him/herself.

Some people claim this creature is merely a huckster, and perhaps she/it is (akin to the Amityville Horror hoax). But I find it almost impossible to believe anyone is so easily taken in by her/it.

Most amusing are the followers' claims that Abraham/Hicks must have their best interests at heart, as it/she has so many nice and "loving" things to tell everyone.

So did snake oil salesmen at one time.

Has anyone else heard of this idiocy?

Cell Phone Deals

Lately there's been a slate of ads touting reduced cell phone rates. I rarely watch TV, and I still have been subjected to countless ads that imply a victorious rate reduction from $99 a month to $69 a month.

I can't tell you how amazingly hokey they are. Ads are the reason I can't stand to watch TV to begin with, and so I suffer greatly in order to see the occasional episode of Criminal Minds.

The biggest problem I have with TV ads is that they're geared toward the average idiot, and they are a blatant attempt to manipulate. If *I* want a product, I'll research it through Consumer Reports first. I don't care if someone with a "witty" personality or capped teeth is trying to sell it to me.

Of course I'm in the minority.

However, being subjected to those ads is why this article is of such an interest to me. The author claims that (gasp!) these reduced fees are a precursor to future hidden fees.

Ah, the old "bait-and-switch." It's nice to know that the ethics of the snake oil salesman remain with us to this day. "The more things change, the more they remain the same," as Alphonse Karr said.

In the meantime, may I recommend Metro PCS?

Their customer service is absolutely horrendous, and you can almost never speak to a real person if you try calling them. So, when you DO need customer service, you usually have to go to a local company owned store and wait for an hour or so (I am NOT exaggerating). But... how often do you need customer service, anyway?

I probably lose 2 hours a year waiting to talk to someone at the store, and probably my blood pressure peaks close to a stroke when I try to call them a couple times a year, but you get what you pay for.

Metro PCS offers unlimited talk and texting for something around $60 a month. Yeah, you have to buy the phone, but I used to have Verizon and they positively rooked me for everything they could get out of me. My savings with Metro PCS are at least $100 a month, overall.

So in this economy:

Metro PCS = Cheap Rates + Poor Service

Other Companies = Higher Rates + Locked-in Contracts + Good Service

You do the math.

Roxxxy

Originally the designer of Roxxxy intended for her to become a "home companion" for shut-ins. But because the porn industry is such a lucrative one, he decided to hone her into a highly sophisticated sex toy, instead.

Meet Roxxxy: Although she looks a little neanderthal, she is a large, talking doll with ... er... ports of access.

Yeah, she's not really a looker, but then again, I doubt that matters much. Anyway, this is being hailed as "progress" among a few who are supposedly tech savvy. The sad truth is, though, that although she's billed as a robot, she has no movement and is merely a large, pornographic version of the Chatty Cathy doll:



Technologically speaking, we are still a long way from Cherry 2000, that wonderfully campy SciFi flick from the 1980s. But in Cherry 2000, the protagonist finally learns the value of a true woman, flaws and all. I guess some men are still learning that lesson.

Scott Brown Takes the Kennedy Seat

I am truly surprised. I never thought that a conservative could take such a liberal stronghold as Massachusetts, long dominated by the corrupt Kennedy clan.

Amazingly, this is what it will take to kill the President's health care agenda. I hear the mournful bells tolling now. And in some ways, it's a pity. I think we need national health care, but we don't need the Frankenstein's monster that Congress cooked up.

Apparently Brown's daughter is a former contestant from American Idol. I'm not familiar with his campaign race, nor am I familiar with his daughter. But I am led to wonder: Is this just another faddish election, like the election for Obama was? Or did people truly vote for Brown due to his principles?

Only time will tell.

Happy MLK Day

To all friends and loved ones: Happy Martin Luther King Day!

Only roughly 50% of businesses were closed today. I see that as progress: I didn't even realize there were that many!

I have mixed feelings about Martin Luther King. For more on that, read my article last year. I would prefer this to be a holiday celebrating the ending of segregation, instead of naming it after one man only, when there were so many who were part of the movement.

However, we celebrate what MLK stands for, with the hopes that some day complete equality will be enjoyed by all of us.

Aid to Haiti

There's nothing like hearing slobbering idiots like Pat Robertson make a bad situation worse.

According to Pat, Haitians made a pact with the Devil and this is payback time. Wow, Pat, all the Haitians? Really? Then they weren't getting much in return, were they? It's more likely a bet that the Pope got that deal: Look at his swanky bachelor pad.

And of course Rush Limbaugh waded into the fray, claiming that the Haitians already get enough aid from us.

Crazy, huh?

Well... Despite my distaste for Rush at times, he is correct.

When will the United States learn where our boundaries lie? Our territory extends no further south than Key West.*

Well, good thing we're all so rich and have such a robust economy here, right?

Oh, wait a minute...

Obama has pledged over $100 million in aid to Haiti. How nice of him to choose to send our tax dollars elswhere, when we need it so badly here.

Is Haiti's situation pitiful? Of course it is! But is it our business to fix it? Have everybody's problems become our own, when we can not even take care of ourselves?

The USA had 3.9 million foreclosures in 2009, and they predict even more this year. Unemployment is the highest in thirty years (and some believe it is higher). The US is already a nation in extreme debt. Couldn't that $100 million help us in any of these areas?

Charity begins at home.

Jennifer Love Hewitt: Vagazzle?

OK, this is so tacky it may not be worth discussing, but Hewitt declared yesterday that she has pierced her vagina multiple times and embedded it with decorative Swarovski crystals (i.e. decorative cut glass). She says it looks like a disco ball down there.

First: Hewitt refers to her vagina as her "precious lady". How childish is that! Aren't we all grownups around here, or do men still have weewees?

Second: How can she clean herself effectively now? And how often does she remove the crystals to get out all the er...stuff that might accumulate in those crystals? Sounds pretty foul to me.

And don't they snag on everything? Sitting down must take a lot of adjustment.

Lastly, can the men really appreciate it? I'll bet they use a lot of Neosporin after a wild night.

There is a reason that even porn stars aren't... er... vagazzling. Or, are they? Perhaps this is a trend I've missed among skanks.

* That is, unless you include Puerto Rico: Another parasitic country masquerading as a US state only when it's convenient. And yet, Puerto Ricans don't pay federal income taxes to the USA. And, of course, neither does any other country on the face of the earth.

Blogger Spammers: How They Do It

Lately we've all been getting these idiots who post to our blogs advertising products that they hope the gullible will click on.

Their attempts are very obvious. First they praise you for something you've written ("What an amazing insight into hemorrhoids!"). Then they try to segue their product into their observations ("And speaking of hemorrhoids, have you seen this article on Harry Reid?") The link is, of course, added there so that you can click on it and with every click, they make a little money.

One of you mentioned that spambots may have become more sophisticated.

They have. And they're called "gullible humans".

There's apparently a new "industry" which is taking advantage of the depression/recession (pick your term). People are paid miniscule amounts of cash for every spam bomb they can drop on helpless bloggers that result in click throughs.

Of course this will pay as well as the citizen journalism sites (pennies per article) and ultimately the fad will fade. But until then, be prepared for idiots.

The Breaking of Nations

This is truly one of the most frightening articles I've ever read.

It's about how the European Union (EU) is now forcing all nations under them to drop or alter their laws, British citizens are being legally kidnapped by foreign governments to stand trial for alleged crimes, and the EU has forcibly installed "...a European justice system, replacing centuries of Anglo-Saxon common law with the Code Napoleon -- i.e., guilty until proven innocent."

This may not be an easy read, but if you read anything at all today, you really need to see this article.

And Americans aren't far behind. You will also read about how NAFTA and WTO are superseding our American government.

For those of you who aren't familiar with American Thinker, it is a very trusted and reliable source - and hardly The National Enquirer.

The Great Depression Redux

I grew up with stories of The Great Depression because I was lucky enough to be very close to my grandparents on both sides. Although my mother's parents refused to discuss it, my father's parents had many 'entertaining' tales, such as:

1. The fact that my grandmother owned only one bra and one set of panties, which were religiously washed out the night before and hung up to dry for work the next day.

2. My grandmother had 7 siblings and two parents. Her father was the town drunk, who drank away any wages he got for the little work he did. That left it up to the rest of them to find money somehow. My great grandmother, Nana, raised chickens and sold the eggs for a little extra money, and my grandmother was the only one of the children who was able to find work.

3. Grandma was a telephone operator in New York and that was considered to be a plush job by Great Depression standards. Her bosses insisted on perfect diction, so the women would hold pebbles in their mouths and learn to speak clearly around the pebbles. If those standards were applied today, most telephone operators would be on the streets.

But what really stuck in my head was the great deprivation they all suffered. And it scares me, because I truly do not believe the American people are equipped for The Great Depression Redux. And although experts weren't sure before, they are now: We are in it. The job statistics and home foreclosures prove it.

Did I say it scares me? I should have said I'm terrified, because we have much farther to fall. No matter how much deprivation they faced in The Great Depression, they were never used to all the luxuries that we are. Think of how many things we have made "standard" since The Great Depression that were unheard of or luxuries at that time:

1. Electricity
2. Vaccinations and health care
3. Cable TV
4. Computers and internet
5. Electric Appliances such as microwaves, blenders, electric stoves, electric 'iceboxes'
6. Reliable and cheap food supply
7. Reliable and cheap clothing and shoe supply

I'm sure there are more: This is just off the top of my head.

Can we forgo all these 'necessary' items? Some of us may have to. And although I'm typing this on my computer in the comfort of my warm(ish) home while it's 34 degrees outside, I realize that I cannot fully appreciate the horrific impact should I lose it all. And I know that others are thinking the same thing. For a very bleak view of what the UK is seeing, read this article in The London Telegraph.

Is there any hope? Experts can't agree, so I cannot really say. But as long as we keep glossing this over and vegging out by watching mind-numbing TV, we will not be able to do anything at all about it.

My statistics professor once told us that our chances for winning the lottery are not nearly as good as our chances of being hit by lightening. But what he didn't tell us is that you can't win if you don't play: You have to get involved.

It's time for the American people to get involved. The current administration is busy ignoring this and we must wake them up. Although Nero fiddled while Rome burned, Obama is fiddling around, too.

Etc.

Spammer Magnet

Boy, the spammers are coming out of the woodwork lately. I'm getting all kinds of retards who are leaving messages for insurance, products, and other crap. Hello, losers: Do you think this is effective marketing? Here's a tip for you: It's not.

Unrealistic State of Florida Driver's License Standards

Now the State of Florida is demanding all sorts of additional information in order to even renew licenses. This info includes a notarized birth certificate in addition to other documents.

Is it just me, or is this pretty unrealistic? How many of us can pull out something like that? I have no earthly idea where my birth certificate is. I'll grant you that this could be a lame attempt to curb illegal immigrants, but that's easy enough to solve: Put any employer of illegal immigrants in jail or fine him in such a way to really impact his business, and the problem is taken care of.

My Daughter

For those of you who are confused about my reference to my daughter in the last post, let me explain.

I have a 15 year old girl who's not my biological daughter but she's been in my life for ten years. Her father is my best friend, Pov. Her nickname is Bugs.

I'm proud to say that I got her into gifted programs at an early age, and she is a fine student as well as a great human being.