My phone rang at 11:45 yesterday morning. It was my friend, Giselle. "What are you doing for lunch?" she asked.
"Right now?" I answered, peering at my computer screen bleerily.
"Yeah, right now!" she answered. "Can you meet me for lunch? I have some wonderful news to tell you!"
"OK," I said, standing up and stretching. "Where are we going? Cafe Francois?" Cafe Francois is her usual favorite.
"Yes! Or anywhere else you want," she said blithely.
"Cafe Francois, in 20 minutes," I said.
I hung up, changed quickly out of my workout pants and mini-tee into jeans and a designer shirt, slipped on some fancy sandals, and was in Cafe Francois within 20 minutes. Coming in from the bright Florida outdoors, it took a moment to adjust to the darkened atmosphere of the restaurant but I saw Giselle waving to me like a mad woman. I walked over and slid into the booth opposite her.
She was on the phone, rapid-fire chatting. Typical Giselle. She held her hand over the phone briefly and whispered "I'm having a drink to celebrate!"
I took that as a suggestion to have one myself and when the waiter came over, I asked him what she was having. "A margherita," he answered. "Good. Get me one too," I said decisively.
By the time the waiter returned with the margheritas, Giselle had just hung up the phone. "Sorry," she said. I waived it away. I knew it was business. "You are such a great friend," she said. "I call you last minute, and here you are." I smiled.
"What are we celebrating?" I asked as we raised our glasses to each other.
"The divorce is final, and I got everything I wanted," she said, triumphantly.
I almost dropped the margherita. "You're kidding!" I said, incredulously.
"Nope," she answered. "And it's all due to something he lied to, under oath, in discovery. Once he realized he'd been caught, he didn't have a lotta choice."
This was wonderful news. Her (now) ex-husband had been verbally abusive to both her and her son, as well as physically abusive to her son. When he had hit her child, that had been the final straw which began her very stressful divorce.
Giselle finally looked relaxed, although many months of tension had given her an edgy look. We discussed the settlement in detail, discussed our families, and two hours flew by quickly. As we were leaving, she suddenly grew very serious. "There's only one thing I'm afraid of," she said. "Not terribly afraid, but I think about it quite a bit."
"What is it?" I asked.
"What if he comes after me, now?" said Giselle, quietly. "You know he's capable of it. What will happen to my kids?" I'm not someone who pooh-poohs such things. I know they happen, and I know he's capable of it. I just looked at her.
"Promise me that if I come up missing or dead, you'll pursue that son-of-a-bitch to the grave," she said. "Please, promise me."
"I will," I said. "You know I will."
She nodded, and we went back to chatting about other things, and made plans to get together over the weekend with the kids.
"See you!" she hugged me, then walked away waving.
"Bye, hon! See you this weekend," I said, waving too as I walked away in the opposite direction.
It's not every day you get to celebrate a divorce.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Idiot Labels
Follow me here… picture this:
You are in the bathroom, a little woozy from taking a dose of NyQuil, and your eyes are very dry (they get that way sometimes). You reach for the handy aerosol saline solution, sleepily apply it to your left eye, and scream because it is not your handy aerosol saline solution but a product labeled AIRDO which sounds really cutesy when it’s in the can but sounds like something else when it’s in your eye.
So you hop around squealing like a mad woman, disrupting all the people and animals in your household, while simultaneously screaming for poison control and washing your eye repeatedly with tap water. Meanwhile the people and animals stay out of harm’s reach, staring at you with open mouths.
Doesn’t that happen to us all, you ask? Of course it does... hah hah! …ahem… Which is why I think we all need Idiot Labels.
Idiot Labels will be a great seller. They can be sold in all the major outlets, like CVS, Target, and Joe’s Crab Shack. At first the individual consumer will be responsible for labeling his own things, but eventually we’ll have Congress pass a bill. Oh why not? They pass bills for lots of frivolous things, like:
· Therapeutic Horseback Riding in Apple Valley, California ($150,000)
· The recovery of Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse ($500,000)
· $100,000 for the Alabama Quail Trail
· A tattoo removal program in San Luis Obispo County, California ($50,000)
And we ALL know how much we need Therapeutic Horseback Riding!
At first, the labels would be for the basics. They’d come in different sizes, of course, and they’d be in a violent red so they really stood out. They’d say things like “LOOK OUT, YOU IDIOT!” (this would’ve been perfect if I’d had it on my AIRDO can), and more simple things like “DO NOT EAT” (handy for toxins and leftovers), “STOP, LOOK TWICE” (something all singles would be required to wear in nightclubs), etc.
But eventually, after Congress passes its law, the labels could be applied to living things (no, singles in nightclubs do not qualify as living things). In some cases perhaps it should be tattooed onto the subject, in other cases a simple label would do. Here are a couple of the things that I think need to be labeled:
· Puppies (I’ll let congress figure out whether to tattoo or merely slap a label on them once they’re born). I know if I’d seen a label that warned me about how much poop and vomit BugEyes generated, I would’ve run like I was pursued by Satan himself.
· Wild Animals. Remember that idiot who got eaten (along with his girlfriend)? Timothy Treadwell had put out a book about how easy-going bears really were (“harmless party animals” he called them), and spent lots of time rambling about with them. Well, here’s the solution. Dangerous animals (like bears) should be tagged with large red plastic labels that can be read from 100 feet away. Those labels should read “WARNING: THIS ANIMAL REGARDS YOU AS SNACKFOOD.” If nothing else, all pictures that Timothy had taken of himself with various bears would have taken on a rather comic aspect in future cautionary tales.
· Career Politicians. Enough said.
And finally, I think we should put warning labels on all fast food drive-thrus. The labels would read “CAUTION: THE PERSON TAKING YOUR ORDER CANNOT POSSIBLY HEAR YOU PROPERLY. ALL ORDERS WILL BE INCORRECT AT VARYING TIMES”. Of course that wouldn’t solve the problem. But I have a solution that would. Instead of having a little speaker next to the light-up menu, why not have a keyboard where you could input your own order and thus make sure you got it right?
And, of course, if you pulled up to the window and found that your order still wasn’t right, you could spray them with AIRDO.
c. 2006
You are in the bathroom, a little woozy from taking a dose of NyQuil, and your eyes are very dry (they get that way sometimes). You reach for the handy aerosol saline solution, sleepily apply it to your left eye, and scream because it is not your handy aerosol saline solution but a product labeled AIRDO which sounds really cutesy when it’s in the can but sounds like something else when it’s in your eye.
So you hop around squealing like a mad woman, disrupting all the people and animals in your household, while simultaneously screaming for poison control and washing your eye repeatedly with tap water. Meanwhile the people and animals stay out of harm’s reach, staring at you with open mouths.
Doesn’t that happen to us all, you ask? Of course it does... hah hah! …ahem… Which is why I think we all need Idiot Labels.
Idiot Labels will be a great seller. They can be sold in all the major outlets, like CVS, Target, and Joe’s Crab Shack. At first the individual consumer will be responsible for labeling his own things, but eventually we’ll have Congress pass a bill. Oh why not? They pass bills for lots of frivolous things, like:
· Therapeutic Horseback Riding in Apple Valley, California ($150,000)
· The recovery of Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse ($500,000)
· $100,000 for the Alabama Quail Trail
· A tattoo removal program in San Luis Obispo County, California ($50,000)
And we ALL know how much we need Therapeutic Horseback Riding!
At first, the labels would be for the basics. They’d come in different sizes, of course, and they’d be in a violent red so they really stood out. They’d say things like “LOOK OUT, YOU IDIOT!” (this would’ve been perfect if I’d had it on my AIRDO can), and more simple things like “DO NOT EAT” (handy for toxins and leftovers), “STOP, LOOK TWICE” (something all singles would be required to wear in nightclubs), etc.
But eventually, after Congress passes its law, the labels could be applied to living things (no, singles in nightclubs do not qualify as living things). In some cases perhaps it should be tattooed onto the subject, in other cases a simple label would do. Here are a couple of the things that I think need to be labeled:
· Puppies (I’ll let congress figure out whether to tattoo or merely slap a label on them once they’re born). I know if I’d seen a label that warned me about how much poop and vomit BugEyes generated, I would’ve run like I was pursued by Satan himself.
· Wild Animals. Remember that idiot who got eaten (along with his girlfriend)? Timothy Treadwell had put out a book about how easy-going bears really were (“harmless party animals” he called them), and spent lots of time rambling about with them. Well, here’s the solution. Dangerous animals (like bears) should be tagged with large red plastic labels that can be read from 100 feet away. Those labels should read “WARNING: THIS ANIMAL REGARDS YOU AS SNACKFOOD.” If nothing else, all pictures that Timothy had taken of himself with various bears would have taken on a rather comic aspect in future cautionary tales.
· Career Politicians. Enough said.
And finally, I think we should put warning labels on all fast food drive-thrus. The labels would read “CAUTION: THE PERSON TAKING YOUR ORDER CANNOT POSSIBLY HEAR YOU PROPERLY. ALL ORDERS WILL BE INCORRECT AT VARYING TIMES”. Of course that wouldn’t solve the problem. But I have a solution that would. Instead of having a little speaker next to the light-up menu, why not have a keyboard where you could input your own order and thus make sure you got it right?
And, of course, if you pulled up to the window and found that your order still wasn’t right, you could spray them with AIRDO.
c. 2006
Monday, March 13, 2006
Mutt Strut at Honeymoon Island
Saturday I laced up my tennies, threw BoBo and BugEyes in the car, and drove to Honeymoon Island for the 14th Annual Mutt Strut. For $25, you got access to all the vendors and the other dogs, as well as a fun goodie bag which contained t-r-e-a-t-s (shh, you've gotta spell that word around dogs) as well as other nice things.Saturday was a perfect day. The wind was nice and cool, the weather warm, and everything looked lovely (even the palmettos!)
My dogs, normally confident and easy-going, were transformed into cowering little white mice when confronted with most of the dogs there (which were at least twice their size).
Just as they were adjusting to an area full of dogs, and all the exciting and interesting dog smells, I had them at the check-in to get them chipped. This is a little implant that, when an animal is scanned, has all the info needed to get them back home. They inject it with a syringe and it only takes seconds.
BoBo took it in pace, with no worries (although for some reason he bled quite a bit at the injection site). But BugEyes, true to her prima donna persona, yelped as if her foot was being sawn off. The people handling her looked panicked at me, and started apologizing profusely. I waived it away. "Don't worry about it," I said. "She's just showing off." BugEyes looked a little crestfallen then, but perked up once we started exploring.
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Haiku Saturday
I used to do literary stuff on weekends: poetry, limericks, haiku, stories. They were very popular for a while, but I got out of the habit of doing it. Let's try it again!
Haiku is very easy to do. Your haiku MUST consist of three lines of five, seven, and five syllables. For example:
Morning light appears (five syllables)
The new day has awoken (seven syllables)
Nature stirs and sighs (five syllables)
Today your haiku must be about the first thing you see when you look up.
Here's mine:
Small, annoying dog
With large, goggly guppy eyes:
Why did I buy you?
Haiku is very easy to do. Your haiku MUST consist of three lines of five, seven, and five syllables. For example:
Morning light appears (five syllables)
The new day has awoken (seven syllables)
Nature stirs and sighs (five syllables)
Today your haiku must be about the first thing you see when you look up.
Here's mine:
Small, annoying dog
With large, goggly guppy eyes:
Why did I buy you?
Friday, March 10, 2006
Car Show
I'm looking forward to the weekend, and hope to take pics for you wherever I end up. The weather is beautiful, craft and home shows are everywhere, and Spring Breakers are beginning to trickle down here for their regular debauchery so there'll be plenty to see and
laugh at do.
I went to the beach last night with SaurKid and we roamed about. It was very cold. The wind had whipped the sea remorselessly and foam was all over the shore like frothy, salty whipped cream. SaurKid couldn't resist scooping it up with seashells, and sprinkling sand all over it and watching it deflate. But I can't see how anyone on Spring Break would enjoy the cold air last night, unless they were from Canada (which some of them are).
These pics are from a recent car show held at Vinoy Park:
I went to the beach last night with SaurKid and we roamed about. It was very cold. The wind had whipped the sea remorselessly and foam was all over the shore like frothy, salty whipped cream. SaurKid couldn't resist scooping it up with seashells, and sprinkling sand all over it and watching it deflate. But I can't see how anyone on Spring Break would enjoy the cold air last night, unless they were from Canada (which some of them are).
These pics are from a recent car show held at Vinoy Park:
Thursday, March 09, 2006
The FDA
LOOK: I know this post isn't as sexy as Charlize Theron, but bear with me. It has a lot more meat than she does. ;o) In more ways than one...
The Food and Drug Administration is typical of a governmental organization: politically driven, slow, and staffed poorly. You get what you pay for? In this case, perhaps we're getting even less than that.
The FDA is too diverse, in an area where specialization is the only way to handle the increasing influx of work that they have. Their jurisdictions include food, drugs, medical devices, biologics, animal feed and drugs, cosmetics, radiation-emitting products, and anything that is a combination of the above.
They are responsible for inspecting fresh meat. However, they are only able to inspect 2% of all imported fresh seafood.* They are not even able to enforce restrictions on the cattle feed supply, which can cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or mad cow disease) in cattle which is easily passed on to humans (that's right; our beef is still not safe). Their attempt at preventative inspections for cattle with BSE is criminally negligent.* And Consumer Reports Agency researchers ruffled feathers in January 2004 when they reported in Environmental Health Perspectives that young chickens contain three to four times more arsenic than other poultry and meat.
But the FDA is also supposed to regulate the drugs on the market. They are expected to keep questionable drugs out of the country, and make sure that what is available is relatively safe for the consumer. But because they move at the pace of a severely constipated, crippled horse, the United States is way behind other countries in modern medicine.
For instance, when my son was born in 1993, the Chicken Pox Vaccine was already widely used and accepted in Europe, where it had a marvellous success rate for over 10 years. However, the FDA had continued to drag it's feet in approving it. The only thing that kept me from flying my baby out to another country to receive the vaccine was my doctor's reassurance that it would finally be available in the U.S. within a year (and it was).
Consider those 10 years that children suffered because the FDA couldn't move faster to approve that vaccine. And don't forget the rare deaths that were a result of Chicken Pox. Too bad the FDA can't be held responsible for withholding treatment.
Three days ago it was reported here that "Nearly two-thirds of more than 1,200 post-approval drug studies promised by the manufacturers have yet to start"; which should have caused a much greater outcry than it did. But this sort of story lacks the glamor of celebrity break-ups or serial killers and it's hard to communicate to a viewing public with the attention span of an average 2 year old.
What does this mean? It means that drugs which you are using may not have been proven to be safe or effective. However, complaining about it may be the wrong tactic to take (IMHO), when the FDA is so atrociously hesitant to even approve drugs which have been proven to be effective in other countries.
Additionally, the FDA is rather busy lately in it's attempt to shut down the import of safe, legal drugs from Canada. The reason is political, of course: Bush wants to force senior citizens to get on-board the new Medicare Part D bandwagon.
I don't have the time or ability to discuss Part D today, but it baffles many senior citizens (and we're not talking the senior citizens of yesteryear - these people are intelligent, active members of society).
The main reason that Bush is so gung-ho for it is that it's a way to privatize Medicare. Private companies are making great money this way, and I've been to conferences where it's touted as a sure-fire way for insurance agents to make big bucks, fast. Being as Bush is in the pocket of Big Business and special interest groups, this has his attention. And when cheaper drugs are available from Canada, and that impacts the pocketbook of Big Business, Bush's interest is increased. Sales of Canadian drugs to US citizens alone have skyrocketed over the billion dollar mark in the past few years. Who doesn't want a piece of that action?
So, the FDA is doing what it can to seize the shipments and muscle out the competition. While the vast majority of our food supply remains uninspected. While no one follows up on the drug studies. While we remain behind the rest of the world in advanced medicines. And Nero fiddles while Rome burns.
*Consumer Reports, Jan. 2005
The Food and Drug Administration is typical of a governmental organization: politically driven, slow, and staffed poorly. You get what you pay for? In this case, perhaps we're getting even less than that.
The FDA is too diverse, in an area where specialization is the only way to handle the increasing influx of work that they have. Their jurisdictions include food, drugs, medical devices, biologics, animal feed and drugs, cosmetics, radiation-emitting products, and anything that is a combination of the above.
They are responsible for inspecting fresh meat. However, they are only able to inspect 2% of all imported fresh seafood.* They are not even able to enforce restrictions on the cattle feed supply, which can cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or mad cow disease) in cattle which is easily passed on to humans (that's right; our beef is still not safe). Their attempt at preventative inspections for cattle with BSE is criminally negligent.* And Consumer Reports Agency researchers ruffled feathers in January 2004 when they reported in Environmental Health Perspectives that young chickens contain three to four times more arsenic than other poultry and meat.
But the FDA is also supposed to regulate the drugs on the market. They are expected to keep questionable drugs out of the country, and make sure that what is available is relatively safe for the consumer. But because they move at the pace of a severely constipated, crippled horse, the United States is way behind other countries in modern medicine.
For instance, when my son was born in 1993, the Chicken Pox Vaccine was already widely used and accepted in Europe, where it had a marvellous success rate for over 10 years. However, the FDA had continued to drag it's feet in approving it. The only thing that kept me from flying my baby out to another country to receive the vaccine was my doctor's reassurance that it would finally be available in the U.S. within a year (and it was).Consider those 10 years that children suffered because the FDA couldn't move faster to approve that vaccine. And don't forget the rare deaths that were a result of Chicken Pox. Too bad the FDA can't be held responsible for withholding treatment.
Three days ago it was reported here that "Nearly two-thirds of more than 1,200 post-approval drug studies promised by the manufacturers have yet to start"; which should have caused a much greater outcry than it did. But this sort of story lacks the glamor of celebrity break-ups or serial killers and it's hard to communicate to a viewing public with the attention span of an average 2 year old.
What does this mean? It means that drugs which you are using may not have been proven to be safe or effective. However, complaining about it may be the wrong tactic to take (IMHO), when the FDA is so atrociously hesitant to even approve drugs which have been proven to be effective in other countries.
Additionally, the FDA is rather busy lately in it's attempt to shut down the import of safe, legal drugs from Canada. The reason is political, of course: Bush wants to force senior citizens to get on-board the new Medicare Part D bandwagon.
I don't have the time or ability to discuss Part D today, but it baffles many senior citizens (and we're not talking the senior citizens of yesteryear - these people are intelligent, active members of society).
The main reason that Bush is so gung-ho for it is that it's a way to privatize Medicare. Private companies are making great money this way, and I've been to conferences where it's touted as a sure-fire way for insurance agents to make big bucks, fast. Being as Bush is in the pocket of Big Business and special interest groups, this has his attention. And when cheaper drugs are available from Canada, and that impacts the pocketbook of Big Business, Bush's interest is increased. Sales of Canadian drugs to US citizens alone have skyrocketed over the billion dollar mark in the past few years. Who doesn't want a piece of that action?
So, the FDA is doing what it can to seize the shipments and muscle out the competition. While the vast majority of our food supply remains uninspected. While no one follows up on the drug studies. While we remain behind the rest of the world in advanced medicines. And Nero fiddles while Rome burns.
*Consumer Reports, Jan. 2005
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Get a Will
I tried very hard to post something else, but I just keep returning to this. My heart goes out to Will, the little 13 year old boy who is the orphan of Chris and Dana Reeves today. It's been reported that Dana made arrangements for his care. How fortunate that she knew she was battling lung cancer and had time to make preparations. Not every one is so lucky. You hope for the best, but none of us knows when we'll be taking our last breath.
One of my grandmothers was so phobic about discussing death that she wouldn't even put a simple will together. In some ways, I understand. Staring death regularly in the face is an unpleasant experience, and I've never woken up and said "Wow, what a beautiful morning! I think I'll update my will today!"
However, if we don't take that small responsibility now, our families will pay for it later. So, do as Dana did, and make some preparations. In most states, you can purchase a simple fill-in-the-blanks form if you're too queasy about seeing a lawyer. But, if you make those decisions now and you're in a car accident later today, you will be able to rest easier knowing that if the worst happens, your loved ones will be taken care of.
One of my grandmothers was so phobic about discussing death that she wouldn't even put a simple will together. In some ways, I understand. Staring death regularly in the face is an unpleasant experience, and I've never woken up and said "Wow, what a beautiful morning! I think I'll update my will today!"
However, if we don't take that small responsibility now, our families will pay for it later. So, do as Dana did, and make some preparations. In most states, you can purchase a simple fill-in-the-blanks form if you're too queasy about seeing a lawyer. But, if you make those decisions now and you're in a car accident later today, you will be able to rest easier knowing that if the worst happens, your loved ones will be taken care of.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Mononucleosis
My family has had its share of ups and downs, in oh so many ways. Just when we thought we were emerging out of the darkness into the pure, clear light of the sun, the Other Half's daughter came down with mono.She's only 11, so spare me the remarks about it being a kissing disease, please. The real question is: How did she get it and do we have it?
It's not as if her symptoms were severe, and apparently they aren't always. She had a slightly sore throat and was somewhat lethargic. But since I had just been sick with The Mung, I felt it was best to take her to the doctors. Imagine our suprise, especially on the tail-end of a weekend where my son had accidentally grabbed the wrong soda (hers) and had proceeded to take a big swig out of it before anyone could stop him.
I'm beginning to feel like a leper. Disaster and contagion seem to be following my family about as a cat follows a wounded mouse. I feel like I'm in the middle of a bad Monty Python movie.
I keep saying it could get worse (and it certainly could) but I find myself saying that now while furtively glancing over my shoulder and knocking on wood.
The good news is that fully 90% of the population over the age of 35 has been infected with it, and many people never know they even had it. Let that apply to the rest of us, is all I ask.
In the meantime, if you're planning on coming by and sharing a soda with me, I'd recommend you rethink it. That is, unless you bring your own straw.
Monday, March 06, 2006
Groups
Owning my own businesses can be a blessing but there are times I feel too isolated. That's why I'm delighted to be part of a blogging community, and able to interract there.
Overall, I consider myself blessed. I don't have to hang out at cubicles, listening to Felicia's latest medical problems, or Sandra's latest boy problems, or how Cindi hates Pam. But there are times when a little kindly inane chatter would be welcome.
It's not that I'm not busy! But sitting at a computer all day can be very lonely after a while.
I'm considering several different options: join a gym, get involved in community outreach or political groups, join the choir at church. Most of the sports I do aren't sports that involved groups of people (such as volleyball or basketball).
Let me ask you: what groups do you belong to? What do you do to get away from it all, even if it's only for an hour or two?
Overall, I consider myself blessed. I don't have to hang out at cubicles, listening to Felicia's latest medical problems, or Sandra's latest boy problems, or how Cindi hates Pam. But there are times when a little kindly inane chatter would be welcome.
It's not that I'm not busy! But sitting at a computer all day can be very lonely after a while.
I'm considering several different options: join a gym, get involved in community outreach or political groups, join the choir at church. Most of the sports I do aren't sports that involved groups of people (such as volleyball or basketball).
Let me ask you: what groups do you belong to? What do you do to get away from it all, even if it's only for an hour or two?
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Should Churches & Charities Be Taxed?
This post will be up through the entire weekend, to give everyone a chance to dig in. I normally don't like to "steal" a topic from another blog, but United We Lay's most recent post stirred quite a lot of controversy and intrigued me greatly. (Feel free to read all the comments there to get a complete view, if you wish). Because we have a very different readership, I've decided to post the same question to you. Let me give you my substandard point of view (excerpted from UWL's recent comments). Please weigh in!
*I* am in favor of taxing church buildings and properties. The church itself is the congregation. It is up to the congregation to finally get involved and decide if their money is being wisely spent.
However, we see churches that, instead of giving money to the poor and helping the needy, pour the money into prettier and bigger buildings, with high-tech equipment, programs that would make the YMCA blush, and its all located on prime property.
The "church" has grown away from it's focus.
There should be taxation on property, with liberal reprievals when the church is actually spending generously to help others, instead of itself. It would also be scaled, dependant on the size of the building and property, of course.
This should apply to all charities, may I add.
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21
But there are so many churches that completely disregard this command!
For years I have seethed over the massive treasures the Catholic Church has piled up. The Vatican sits on more acquired wealth than most rulers and museums! Yet, one of my friends has repeatedly contacted Catholic Charities to find out about his birth parents (he was adopted) and has been told for years that their funds are too limited and their personnel are too few to do an intensive search for him.
What a pity the Pope can't simply sell one of his diamond-encrusted, gilded mirrors (yes, I know of one that really exists). It would relieve the pressure on his charities. But, he wouldn't get to stare at that mirror every morning!
However, let me be clear that this doesn't apply to the Catholic Church only. It applies to any church that accumulates wealth and posessions.
Please remember, the earliest "churches" were simple gatherings of Christians. Jesus didn't come to raise the temple, and he never started a building fund. Jesus didn't hire artists, and he didn't hang out with poets. In fact, he preached complete simplicity.
I see very little that the chuches do in modern times. Some churches are better at it than others. Some have homeless outreach and soup kitchens, some help unwed mothers or widows. But most pour so much money into non-necessities that could be much better used to help the needy.
I recommend that every church scales back and becomes a truly Biblical church once more: a simplistic gathering of believers in humble circumstances, without all the fancy and expensive acoutrements, so that they can funnel their funds to where it can truly help others.
If the church really wants converts, the best way to get them is to show that they care. The church needs to put food in bellies instead of art on walls. Taxing churches would help them re-prioritize.
P.S. I already know one argument coming: "We have to look modern and enticing if we're going to have an effective outreach program". I ask you this contentious question: Is your message so poor that you must look like the rest of the world to transmit it?
*I* am in favor of taxing church buildings and properties. The church itself is the congregation. It is up to the congregation to finally get involved and decide if their money is being wisely spent.
However, we see churches that, instead of giving money to the poor and helping the needy, pour the money into prettier and bigger buildings, with high-tech equipment, programs that would make the YMCA blush, and its all located on prime property.
The "church" has grown away from it's focus.
There should be taxation on property, with liberal reprievals when the church is actually spending generously to help others, instead of itself. It would also be scaled, dependant on the size of the building and property, of course.
This should apply to all charities, may I add.
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21
But there are so many churches that completely disregard this command!
For years I have seethed over the massive treasures the Catholic Church has piled up. The Vatican sits on more acquired wealth than most rulers and museums! Yet, one of my friends has repeatedly contacted Catholic Charities to find out about his birth parents (he was adopted) and has been told for years that their funds are too limited and their personnel are too few to do an intensive search for him.
What a pity the Pope can't simply sell one of his diamond-encrusted, gilded mirrors (yes, I know of one that really exists). It would relieve the pressure on his charities. But, he wouldn't get to stare at that mirror every morning!
However, let me be clear that this doesn't apply to the Catholic Church only. It applies to any church that accumulates wealth and posessions.
Please remember, the earliest "churches" were simple gatherings of Christians. Jesus didn't come to raise the temple, and he never started a building fund. Jesus didn't hire artists, and he didn't hang out with poets. In fact, he preached complete simplicity.
I see very little that the chuches do in modern times. Some churches are better at it than others. Some have homeless outreach and soup kitchens, some help unwed mothers or widows. But most pour so much money into non-necessities that could be much better used to help the needy.
I recommend that every church scales back and becomes a truly Biblical church once more: a simplistic gathering of believers in humble circumstances, without all the fancy and expensive acoutrements, so that they can funnel their funds to where it can truly help others.
If the church really wants converts, the best way to get them is to show that they care. The church needs to put food in bellies instead of art on walls. Taxing churches would help them re-prioritize.
P.S. I already know one argument coming: "We have to look modern and enticing if we're going to have an effective outreach program". I ask you this contentious question: Is your message so poor that you must look like the rest of the world to transmit it?
Friday, March 03, 2006
The Strawberry Festival
First, a couple updates for those of you who've been asking: My dad is OK, and went home from the hospital on Monday. He seems to be recovering fully. My son is OK, but the relative who was in the car crash is still in serious condition with multiple crushed ribs, and he's elderly. However, he's in rehab and out of the hospital which is something to be thankful for. To me, hospitals will always be death traps.While I was visiting one of the three in the hospital, I contracted a very nasty bug that gave me fevers of 100 - 102 (even with Tylenol) but a good antibiotic started clearing that up right away. Of course, the moral of the story is: stay away from hospitals or wear a mask! If the bird flu ever hits, we'll all be wearing face masks everywhere. I wish I'd been wearing one!
The Strawberry FestivalThis weekend, the Strawberry Festival begins. For those of you who live anywhere close to Plant City, FL, this is the festival you really need to come to. It's just like the State Fair; but better, cleaner, nicer, and with strawberry shortcake booths as far as the eye can see.
If you want to see a great slide show, go here. You'll get to see the whole gamut; including the rides, the livestock, a plastic cow you can "milk", and the ever-famous Robinson Racing Pigs.
If you like country music (I'd rather die, first) then you'll enjoy the big-name acts that appear every night. Most of the women have poofy blond hair, big boobs, and two names (I include a picture here to prove it). Most of the men have a "y" or "ie" on the end of their names: Jimmy, Billy, Willie... you get the picture.The performers this year include Willie Nelson; Jo Dee Messina and Trace "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" Adkins (???); Steven Curtis Chapman; Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers; Mel Tillis (Yeah, I know! I thought he was dead, too!); Debbie Reynolds; and .... etc., etc., etc.
But the best part...the absolute best part...is...the strawberries! You've never seen such beautiful, ripe, sweet, succulent, bursting-with-juice berries in all your life. You have no idea what real strawberries can taste like unless you buy them straight off the farm. You can buy them prepared in shortcake, or buy them and take them home to make your own shortcake, jams, syrups, desserts, breads, and any other delectable treat you can think of.
But you need to experience the Strawberry Festival first-hand. So, go ahead! Call in sick, pack up the kids in the van, and start heading for Florida.
P.S. (added at 1:45 PM) Here's the newly-elected Queen of the Strawberry Festival (click on her pic to enlarge it). The rest of her court is very pretty and seemingly approachable. But just look at her! Her mouth is twisted into a forced smile, but the eyes are oh-so-calculating and cold. This girl is f-a-k-e!How many of you see this? I'll bet fewer men than women will see it, and I base this statement on an interesting new test mentioned in Lee Ann's blog today. Apparently women read facial expressions better than men do.
Just for reference, the rest of her court is shown below:
Thursday, March 02, 2006
What Are You Afraid Of?
Remember, click on the picture to enlarge it.Top Scares for Adults
38% Snakes
36% Fear of heights
22% Scary movies
8% Fear of the dark
Top Scares for Youngsters
42% Scary noises
40% Bugs
39% Scary movies
29% Afraid of the dark
22% Fear of being home alone
Disneyland also asked several celebrities “What Scares You?:
Jennifer Love Hewitt and Serena Williams are still afraid of monsters under their bed
Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame fears clowns and scary noises
Rock star Sheryl Crow fears heights and scary noises
"Lost" actor Malcolm David Kelley is really scared of animals, especially large dogs and sharks
I think we all have our bogeymen.
When I was growing up, I was convinced that wolves lived under my bed and in my toychest, and a bear lived in my closet. If I ever had to get up in the middle of the night, I would wait a minute (to make sure I had the monsters fooled into thinking I might not touch the ground) and then I would take off running.
Sometimes I would sit in bed and mutter to "myself" about the weapons I had within reach, just in case any monsters were listening. It seemed to keep them at bay.
Even now, when I get up in the middle of the night, I sometimes tred about the house with my nerves on edge. But now the bogeyman is a serial killer like Charles Manson. I won't give in to that fear, because I won't let it conquer me. But, it's still there sometimes in the wee, small hours of the morning.
What are your fears?
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Catholic Hideaway
OK, just when you thought Florida couldn't get any weirder.
Today it was announced in our local mullet wrapper that the owner of Dominoes has decided to build not only the first Catholic University built in 40 years, but also a strict Catholic town to surround it near Naples, FL.
In this town there will be no x-rated cable, no pornography, and no condoms or birth control pills. (Probably without the first two, the need for the last two will be reduced). I'm kidding here, people.
What's next? Allahville?
Already civil libertarians are gearing up for challenges to such restrictions. Some proponents might say: if America is truly a free country, and everyone is free to choose where they live, how is this a restriction in anyone's civil liberties? They're free to live somewhere else!
Ah, but aren't certain liberties guaranteed to all citizens, even if they don't choose to partake of them? And what about the mixed family? Say Papa Joe is Catholic, Momma Jane is Presbyterian, and their kids are Unitarian Universalists. Papa Joe gets a great job offer with Catholics R Us in town, they move, and suddenly Momma Jane and the kids are being denied certain liberties that they'd be guaranteed elsewhere.
I also worry about the mental disease which often foments when there is a community that has entirely separated itself from the rest of the world. Can we say "Salem Witch Trials", "Jim Jones", and "Branch Davidians"? How about an easier word: cult.
"Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you"* is not interpreted by modern churches to mean that you physically distance yourself. If this verse were to be interpreted literally, then Christians would also have returned to a strictly kosher diet.
There seems to be a trend for certain religious zealots to segregate themselves from everyone who does not share the same faith. Special thanks goes out to Joe and Josefina for finding this little gem: Christian Exodus. This particular group consists of protestant Christian Fundamentalists who are attempting to move to South Carolina en masse in hopes of controlling the state and causing it to be governed completely under their own rules. Ultimately, they may try to secede from the United States. Good idea. We know how well that worked during the Civil War.
I understand the worries of today's religious groups. There is a sense of unrest and perhaps a feeling that they are unheard. However, it is very easy to remain unheard if you never speak up. I used to be very involved in politics, and I was always amazed to see how few people were! It wasn't uncommon for major decisions to be made by a minority of people, because there was no one else around to participate!
If people want to truly make a difference, they need to only speak up louder. Seceding from the world, and from sanity, is no way to do that.
*2 Cor. 6:17
Today it was announced in our local mullet wrapper that the owner of Dominoes has decided to build not only the first Catholic University built in 40 years, but also a strict Catholic town to surround it near Naples, FL.
In this town there will be no x-rated cable, no pornography, and no condoms or birth control pills. (Probably without the first two, the need for the last two will be reduced). I'm kidding here, people.
What's next? Allahville?
Already civil libertarians are gearing up for challenges to such restrictions. Some proponents might say: if America is truly a free country, and everyone is free to choose where they live, how is this a restriction in anyone's civil liberties? They're free to live somewhere else!
Ah, but aren't certain liberties guaranteed to all citizens, even if they don't choose to partake of them? And what about the mixed family? Say Papa Joe is Catholic, Momma Jane is Presbyterian, and their kids are Unitarian Universalists. Papa Joe gets a great job offer with Catholics R Us in town, they move, and suddenly Momma Jane and the kids are being denied certain liberties that they'd be guaranteed elsewhere.
I also worry about the mental disease which often foments when there is a community that has entirely separated itself from the rest of the world. Can we say "Salem Witch Trials", "Jim Jones", and "Branch Davidians"? How about an easier word: cult.
"Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you"* is not interpreted by modern churches to mean that you physically distance yourself. If this verse were to be interpreted literally, then Christians would also have returned to a strictly kosher diet.
There seems to be a trend for certain religious zealots to segregate themselves from everyone who does not share the same faith. Special thanks goes out to Joe and Josefina for finding this little gem: Christian Exodus. This particular group consists of protestant Christian Fundamentalists who are attempting to move to South Carolina en masse in hopes of controlling the state and causing it to be governed completely under their own rules. Ultimately, they may try to secede from the United States. Good idea. We know how well that worked during the Civil War.
I understand the worries of today's religious groups. There is a sense of unrest and perhaps a feeling that they are unheard. However, it is very easy to remain unheard if you never speak up. I used to be very involved in politics, and I was always amazed to see how few people were! It wasn't uncommon for major decisions to be made by a minority of people, because there was no one else around to participate!
If people want to truly make a difference, they need to only speak up louder. Seceding from the world, and from sanity, is no way to do that.
*2 Cor. 6:17
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Why I Chose Saurkraut
Aunt Josefina asked in my late post yesterday: How can you top a name like Saur?? How did you come up with that anyway?
I entered the blogging world in March of last year. This wasn't my first blog. My first one is still listed in my links, although I haven't posted to it in at least 9 months or so (I'm too lazy to go back and research exact dates today).
I had started getting involved in a local blog by our school superintendant, Clayton Wilcox (who is a ninny). I kept leaving comments and arguments, and got very tired of them all being lost among the other numerous "anonymous" comments. But there were many people that were polarized by what I was saying. Some hated me, some loved me.
So I figured I'd start up a blog on school and kids issues where I could state my somewhat acidic views, and have a "legit" handle, too. That way, if anyone was interested in more of what I had to say, they knew where to find me.
I had to come up with a name, and being a frustrated gourmet who lives on a perpetual diet, I started with food names: Buttercream, Vanilla, Chocolate (and all it's variations), etc. It was near lunchtime, and I'd just had a fantastic Mel's Hot Dog in a poppyseed bun, smothered with sauerkraut (note the spelling).
I typed in "sauerkraut". It was taken. Arrrgh! Well, who knows how to spell anymore, right? So, I dropped the "e" and voila! It took the name!
The name's evolved over time, due to my friends and readers. I became Saur (I'm assuming my last name is Kraut). As you know (from an earlier post) Saur means "smoked" in French or it can simply mean "sour" here, which is sometimes a very appropriate description of me. The Kraut part isn't accurate in the least, as I'm scandinavian in ancestry, but what does it matter? Saur I remain, and Saur I shall forever be.
Ever Saurly Yours,
Saur
I entered the blogging world in March of last year. This wasn't my first blog. My first one is still listed in my links, although I haven't posted to it in at least 9 months or so (I'm too lazy to go back and research exact dates today).
I had started getting involved in a local blog by our school superintendant, Clayton Wilcox (who is a ninny). I kept leaving comments and arguments, and got very tired of them all being lost among the other numerous "anonymous" comments. But there were many people that were polarized by what I was saying. Some hated me, some loved me.
So I figured I'd start up a blog on school and kids issues where I could state my somewhat acidic views, and have a "legit" handle, too. That way, if anyone was interested in more of what I had to say, they knew where to find me.
I had to come up with a name, and being a frustrated gourmet who lives on a perpetual diet, I started with food names: Buttercream, Vanilla, Chocolate (and all it's variations), etc. It was near lunchtime, and I'd just had a fantastic Mel's Hot Dog in a poppyseed bun, smothered with sauerkraut (note the spelling).
I typed in "sauerkraut". It was taken. Arrrgh! Well, who knows how to spell anymore, right? So, I dropped the "e" and voila! It took the name!
The name's evolved over time, due to my friends and readers. I became Saur (I'm assuming my last name is Kraut). As you know (from an earlier post) Saur means "smoked" in French or it can simply mean "sour" here, which is sometimes a very appropriate description of me. The Kraut part isn't accurate in the least, as I'm scandinavian in ancestry, but what does it matter? Saur I remain, and Saur I shall forever be.
Ever Saurly Yours,
Saur
Monday, February 27, 2006
My Anonymity
Is in place to protect my child and my family. So I truly appreciate everyone doing their best to try to not guess my name. Whether right or wrong, it's not helpful in a time of stress where my family is going through so much suffering and turmoil.
Happily, the turmoil could be worse, and the suffering is easing. But please respect my wishes and help me protect my family, or I will need to stop blogging immediately. My thoughts and opinions are strong at times and I can not risk having a mad man or woman decide to take undue offense at them.
Thank you.
Happily, the turmoil could be worse, and the suffering is easing. But please respect my wishes and help me protect my family, or I will need to stop blogging immediately. My thoughts and opinions are strong at times and I can not risk having a mad man or woman decide to take undue offense at them.
Thank you.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
My Dad's Doing Well
Sorry it took so long to post today! Dad's doing very well. They say if it had been 20 years ago, he never would've made it. However, the damage to the heart was minimal and he's looking very well! We're staying with him, just in case, but it's really amazing what modern science can do.
Almost immediately upon arriving at the hospital, they did an angioplasty and inserted a stint and he went from having an artery that was 99% clogged, to 0% in a short amount of time. He's still under observation and testing, however.
Thanks for your kind comments and concern! I don't have time to read it all now (I'm rushing back to the hospital) but wanted to let you know. ;o)
Almost immediately upon arriving at the hospital, they did an angioplasty and inserted a stint and he went from having an artery that was 99% clogged, to 0% in a short amount of time. He's still under observation and testing, however.
Thanks for your kind comments and concern! I don't have time to read it all now (I'm rushing back to the hospital) but wanted to let you know. ;o)
Friday, February 24, 2006
My Dad Had a Heart Attack Today
My dad had a heart attack today, so please keep us all in your prayers. Luckily it was mild and a stint seems to have solved the problem for now. He is actually looking great and has tons of friends and family converging on the hospital, so don't worry too much right now. Instead, enjoy the post below! I'm spending the night in the hospital tonight. I'll fill you in more tomorrow.
Laser Tag
A couple of weekends ago, a group of us were playing laser tag. Laser tag is a sport for all ages, and sometimes your team members are ex-military veterans ... and sometimes they're 9.It was feeling great to be physical again, only 3 months after my neck surgery. I was dressed in black, wearing my favorite sneakers, and moving fast. Hey! I'm 30-something! Don't all the magazines say that today's 30s are the new 20s? Or something like that?
My team had split up, and I was attacking another base. A teenage girl snuck up on my side, I whirled, and "killed" her instantly. Her little brother, my teammate, started snorting with laughter. "You suck!" he told her. "Look, an old lady killed ya!"
I think God gives us little signals as we age to tell us that our time on earth is getting shorter. Excuse me while I go read the latest issue in the AARP magazine. It's an exciting article on vitamins and prostate cancer.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
News of the Weird
- Illegal Immigrants Protest in Tampa: In an effort to sway legislation which will demand more accountability for illegal immigrants and those who interract with them, a group of roughly 350 illegal immigrants protested loudly in Tampa yesterday on street corners.
I have to ask: since they're illegal, did they apply for a legal permit for the protest? And where was the INS in all of this? - Woman Must Buy Back Stolen Jewelry in Pinellas County: A woman who had her home broken into recently (and all her jewelry stolen) was delighted to discover a local pawn shop had her stolen goods. She went to retrieve the gems, and was handed a bill for $400.
Yup, pawn shops are entitled to charge you to return your stolen merchandise. And, as the pawn shop owner righteously pointed out, he did put a lot of money into advertising this recent windfall. - The United Arab Emirates: Today we find out that in the Sept. 11 Commission meetings (around page 130 where it's being discussed what Clinton's options were to catch Osama Bin Laden) a mention is made of a resort area where Bin Laden had been staying. The Clinton administration made the choice to not try to go after him there, since they would also probably have killed all the royals of the UAE along with him. The report also mentions that the UAE retains it's relationship with the Taliban.
The UAE has no ties to terrorists? Yeah, right. - More Comes out About the Port Deal: We also discovered yesterday that there was an unusually special deal which was struck with Dubai Ports World (DPW). The government agreed to not get too demanding about seeing any book work for DPW. However, the deal did stipulate that if and when another terrorist attack occurred, the DPW would need to agree to produce any necessesary paperwork and the DPW would appoint a 'go to' person for such circumstances.
BUT when such a deal is struck, the company doing business on American soil keeps those documents on American soil, and appoints an American representative (so that everything is governed under U.S. law). Yet in this particular deal, there were no such restrictions. P.S. Ed has some interesting additional thoughts about this topic today. - Bush Afraid to Appear Weak: And of course, Bush (being afraid as usual to appear weak) refuses to back down or apologize and continues to insist that he will veto any attempt to stop the acquisition by DPW.
Doesn't he realize that real men admit mistakes?
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Tampa Port Authority Steps into Debate
The reason I didn't blog about this whole mess before is that I wanted to make sure I had all the facts. I was initially very skeptical about what I was hearing, thinking that we surely didn't have enough information. I voted for Bush twice, and dislike him to some extent due to his policies, but I never imagined that he would come out and tell us all that he would veto any attempt to stop this transaction.
Up until now, I've always said that although I wasn't pleased with Bush, I had not regretted my choice to vote for him twice. But for the first time I truly regret it.
As you have probably heard, a company based in the United Arab Emerates (UAE) is about to buy a company that has been in charge of the ports in the USA. Because it's a $6.8 billion deal, and because Bush's family is very tight with arabic royalty (such as the Royal House of Saud), I guess it's too tempting a deal for Bush to pass up.
Here is a choice section out of the St. Pete Times article today, which I'd like to share with you, because it boils down the debate:
Hillsborough County Commissioner Ronda Storms said that while the UAE is an ally, news organizations have reported that some of the Sept. 11 hijackers used the nation as an operational and financial base.
"What you're being asked to do is pay no attention to the man behind the curtain," she said. "We are being encouraged to ignore possible risks and questions raised by good and diligent people."
Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio pointedly asked if Storms was raising objections because Dubai Ports World is owned by Arabs. "I think it's very important we deal with facts," she said. "Their ethnicity should not be a factor."
Storms shot back that she was concerned strictly with the political beliefs of people involved. "They weren't Brazilians who blew up the twin towers," she said. "They weren't Chinese, they weren't Japanese. They were of a certain political persuasion. I'm sorry a member of this board turned this into a race bait(ing)."
I wish I had been there to cheer: Go Ronda Storms! But sadly, it's too late. Last night, the Tampa Port Authority was authorized to sign the contract with the British company that is selling out to the UAE company.
No problem, you say. This time there are plenty of Republican congressmen, as well as Democratic ones, that are opposed to it. They all want to know why the deal was speedily OK'd, despite a federal law that requires a 45-day investigation when a foreign acquisition "could affect the national security of the United States."
Ah, but here's the stumbling block in this road of progress: Bush doesn't care what they think, and he doesn't care what you think.
President Bush told reporters Tuesday on Air Force One that the sale had been examined by the administration and was "a legitimate deal that will not jeopardize the security of the country." He pledged to veto any attempt in Congress to block it.
With this most recent development affecting our families in the Tampa Bay Area, I am going to do my very best to make sure that he cares what *I* think. I am going to start a letter writing campaign, to begin with.
Please, please take out some time in your busy day today to help me (and all of us). Email:
(Don't forget to alter it wherever it's needed to be changed)
Dear
I am writing to you to beg you to do something concerning the sale to Dubai Ports World of the contract for seven of the major ports in the United States, including Tampa (since yesterday evening, as reported in the St. Petersburg Times).
This decision is not simply a decision to allow an Arabic company to do business in the USA. Instead, it’s a decision that could very likely compromise what little security we have in our ports.
If the Bush administration is in Iraq because the terrorist threat is real, why are we opening the doors to deals with any company based in a country that both harbored and financially supported some of the hijackers in the 9/11 incident?
Our nation’s security is too important to abandon easily for the almighty dollar. I want to know why the deal was speedily OK'd, despite a federal law that requires a 45-day investigation when a foreign acquisition "could affect the national security of the United States."
Please get us the answers, and stop the sale.
Sincerely,
Your Name Here
P.S. For those of you who are interested in follow-up stories to earlier posts, click here for the newspaper sequel to my post about Hammoudeh's false imprisonment. And go here to read about how the Sheriff has decided to close the kids' bootcamp where the 14 year old boy was murdered this month. It is now being investigated by the State Attorney, as well. My original post about it is here.
Up until now, I've always said that although I wasn't pleased with Bush, I had not regretted my choice to vote for him twice. But for the first time I truly regret it.
As you have probably heard, a company based in the United Arab Emerates (UAE) is about to buy a company that has been in charge of the ports in the USA. Because it's a $6.8 billion deal, and because Bush's family is very tight with arabic royalty (such as the Royal House of Saud), I guess it's too tempting a deal for Bush to pass up.
Here is a choice section out of the St. Pete Times article today, which I'd like to share with you, because it boils down the debate:
Hillsborough County Commissioner Ronda Storms said that while the UAE is an ally, news organizations have reported that some of the Sept. 11 hijackers used the nation as an operational and financial base.
"What you're being asked to do is pay no attention to the man behind the curtain," she said. "We are being encouraged to ignore possible risks and questions raised by good and diligent people."
Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio pointedly asked if Storms was raising objections because Dubai Ports World is owned by Arabs. "I think it's very important we deal with facts," she said. "Their ethnicity should not be a factor."
Storms shot back that she was concerned strictly with the political beliefs of people involved. "They weren't Brazilians who blew up the twin towers," she said. "They weren't Chinese, they weren't Japanese. They were of a certain political persuasion. I'm sorry a member of this board turned this into a race bait(ing)."
I wish I had been there to cheer: Go Ronda Storms! But sadly, it's too late. Last night, the Tampa Port Authority was authorized to sign the contract with the British company that is selling out to the UAE company.
No problem, you say. This time there are plenty of Republican congressmen, as well as Democratic ones, that are opposed to it. They all want to know why the deal was speedily OK'd, despite a federal law that requires a 45-day investigation when a foreign acquisition "could affect the national security of the United States."
Ah, but here's the stumbling block in this road of progress: Bush doesn't care what they think, and he doesn't care what you think.
President Bush told reporters Tuesday on Air Force One that the sale had been examined by the administration and was "a legitimate deal that will not jeopardize the security of the country." He pledged to veto any attempt in Congress to block it.
With this most recent development affecting our families in the Tampa Bay Area, I am going to do my very best to make sure that he cares what *I* think. I am going to start a letter writing campaign, to begin with.
Please, please take out some time in your busy day today to help me (and all of us). Email:
- Your local congressmen/women in both houses. To get their email addresses, go to both The House of Representatives and The United States Senate.
- Vice President Cheney.
- President Bush. Although his email address isn't listed any longer(!), it's still probably this one. But, copy it to the regular comments email addy as well.
- Your State Governors.
- Your State-Level Legislators.
(Don't forget to alter it wherever it's needed to be changed)
Dear
I am writing to you to beg you to do something concerning the sale to Dubai Ports World of the contract for seven of the major ports in the United States, including Tampa (since yesterday evening, as reported in the St. Petersburg Times).
This decision is not simply a decision to allow an Arabic company to do business in the USA. Instead, it’s a decision that could very likely compromise what little security we have in our ports.
If the Bush administration is in Iraq because the terrorist threat is real, why are we opening the doors to deals with any company based in a country that both harbored and financially supported some of the hijackers in the 9/11 incident?
Our nation’s security is too important to abandon easily for the almighty dollar. I want to know why the deal was speedily OK'd, despite a federal law that requires a 45-day investigation when a foreign acquisition "could affect the national security of the United States."
Please get us the answers, and stop the sale.
Sincerely,
Your Name Here
P.S. For those of you who are interested in follow-up stories to earlier posts, click here for the newspaper sequel to my post about Hammoudeh's false imprisonment. And go here to read about how the Sheriff has decided to close the kids' bootcamp where the 14 year old boy was murdered this month. It is now being investigated by the State Attorney, as well. My original post about it is here.
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