A Piece Of My Mind

The GOP Final Four

2012-01-24T15:31:00.001-06:00

Here's my take on the four GOP candidates who are still standing - at least until the Florida primary.

Let's start with Newt, shall we? What a winner! While married to his first wife, New was a Lutheran. By the time he married wife #2, he was a Baptist. Now, with Calista, he is a Catholic. Doesn't this suggest that he doesn't have any true religious convictions? His political career was a disaster. He's the only Speaker of the House who has ever had to resign in disgrace because of his total lack of ethics. Calling him "Speaker Gingrich" is just plain disgusting and the media and his rivals should stop giving him that kind of respect.

Gingrich, more than anyone else, was the architect of the politics of personal destruction. He crafted and distributed a memo listing all the despicable adjectives that were to be used against the Democrats, and are still used today. He's pretty ineffective during the televised debates if, as happened last night, the moderator asks the audience not to respond. It just took the wind right out of his overinflated sails.

Mitt Romney: He doesn't get it. It's not that he's wealthy. It's that he can't relate to people who aren't as fortunate. He doesn't understand or care that comments like, 'I'm unemployed, too," and "It's just jealousy" (on the part of the middle class), that just don't sit well. It's not how much money you made in the last two years, Mitt, it's the unfairness of the tax code that protected you from having to pay your fair share. And, it doesn't look too good that you have hidden so much money in the Cayman's. He used to stash it in Swiss banks until Switzerland rightly agreed to divulge the names of the folks who were dodging all those taxes. The U.S. finally got wise, and realized how much the treasury was losing by not investigating those tax shelters. That's when Mitt moved his money to the Caymans. Greedy, Mitt. Just plain Greedy.

Rick Santorum: Or, as I like to refer to him, Senator Sanctimonious. He's just full of piety, but not very compassionate toward the poor and downtrodden. He has more "Thou Shalt Nots" than the commandments. Especially when it comes to women's uteruses and to gays. Then, he's all hellfire and brimstone. He's so eaten up with it, someday he'll just dry up and blow away. The sooner the better.

Ron Paul: Comic relief. They say even a blind hog finds a truffle every now and then. Ron Paul actually says somethings I can agree with, at times. It's too bad he's crazy as a Betsy Bug the rest of the time.

Sometimes, the remaining four candidates make me long for Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry. I mean it.
The next debate is Thursday on CNN.

It's too bad we don't have a full slate of Democrats running for President, too. Then, you'd see that I can criticize, carp and make fun of them, too. I'd make fun of President Obama's channeling of Al Green, but he actually sounded pretty good. Rats! Who knew he could sing?

Stay tuned.

That Was Exciting

2012-01-19T15:01:00.000-06:00

So there I was last night , putting potatoes into the oven, looking forward to nice, brown roasted potatoes to go with my hamburger patty when KAPOW! FLASH! And the electricity went off. I thought I'd been shot. But, why would my stove be shooting at me?

It was dark enough in my apartment to warrant fumbling around to find my flashlight. Then, I had to find the number for the office. It was after hours, but I knew someone would be on call. I explained my problem to the manager and he sent maintenance down right away. He was there long enough to flip all the switches necessary to turn the lights back on, and determined hat the oven was the cause of the outage, but couldn't figure out what was wrong with said oven. He promised to come back first thing in the morning and try to fix it.

He was as good as his word. He returned at about 9:30 a.m. and after clanking and clunking around, he said, "Well, I'm going to have to make it go bang again, so I can see where the flash comes from." As I put my fingers in my ears, he turned the oven on again, and KAPOW! FLASH! No lights, again. He got the lights back on and pulled the oven out of its slot, found the wire that caused all the trouble. Then he said, "I have good news and bad news and good news again. The good news is I found the wire and fixed it. The bad news is the oven's thermostat is now toast. The other good news is you're going to get a new stove. It will probably take about a week to get it. You won't be able to use this oven unless you want to cook everything at 500 degrees, but the stove top will work just fine."

See, this is the beauty of apartment complex living. On-site maintenance shows up right away, night or day, in situations that demand immediate action. Whatever appliance that gives up the ghost is examined and if it can't be fixed, you get a new one. Free.

Sure beats cleaning it.

Stay tuned.

Random Thoughts

2012-01-12T15:50:00.001-06:00

The Miss America folks have finally abandoned the myth that the pageant is a "scholarship program" and the contestants are all intelligent, worthy women. They're advertising it now as "the sexiest competition on television."

Things just haven't been the same since the world discovered that the competitors are all made of botox, butt lifts, boob jobs, face lifts and skimpy bathing suits held up by scotch tape and someone's imagination.

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Missouri, our neighbor to the north, is afflicted with the same Republican stupidity as the rest of the country. Republican Dave Spence, running for Governor, has a web page emblazoned with his biography, which extols his "Economics degree from Missouri University." But, wait, he left out a word, a rather important word, at that. His degree is actually in "HOME economics."

In his own defense, he chuckled, "I'll make fun of myself. I was a 60-watt bulb in a 100-watt society."

And, not a very original one, at that. How many votes will he get? Well, these days, one never knows.

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Seth Waxman, who represents ABC television, appeared before the Supreme Court in a hearing concerning the FCC's indecency policy. As he addressed the court, he raised both arms to the friezes that surround the interior of the courtroom and intoned, "There's a bare buttock there and there's a bare buttock there, and there may be more that I haven't seen. But, frankly, I've never focused on it before." To which Antonin Scalia replied, "Me, neither."

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Silly moves by silly governors. At one time, endeavoring to balance the state budget, Texas Governor Rick Perry proposed a new tax on strip clubs. A Utah state representative suggested saving $60 Million a year by abolishing the 12th grade. But, the one that boggles the mind is a proposal, in 2009. Arizona's looney Governor, Jan Brewer, signed off on a deal to sell off the state capitol, its legislative wings and several other state properties, including maximum security prisons. Now, she wants to buy the capitol and legislative wings back because it hasn't worked out as well to lease back the properties as she thought it would. Really????

Stay tuned.

Debates? What Debates?

2012-01-07T23:31:00.000-06:00

Trying to watch the GOP debates makes me think that I am losing the already tenuous hold on my sanity. Tonight's debate was no different. The first half, the candidates were asked their opinions on such burning issues as gay marriage (they're all agin it and for a constitutional amendment outlawing it) and overturning Roe v Wade (they're fer it). They were asked if they thought there should be a state laws against contraception. (yes, no, maybe, what was the question, again?).

We learned:
1. John Huntsman is against gay marriage, but for civil unions.

2. Newt thinks the country is rife with "Christian bigotry"; by this he means Christians are being persecuted. This, thanks to President Obama's war on religion.

3. Ron Paul thinks the Fourth Amendment protects an individual's right to privacy. The rest of the candidates aren't sure, except they disagree with Ron Paul, whatever he thinks.

4. Huntsman thinks we should get out of Afghanistan right now. The other candidates think we should expand the war to Iran, Pakistan, Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and we should go back into Iraq.

5. Newt thinks the Middle East should not be a military problem.

6. Santorum wants to keep troops in the Middle East "until the U.S. is secure." He means, of course, until the U.S. has drained every drop of oil out of the sands.

7. Perry wants to send troops back into Iraq.

8. Ron Paul thinks there should never be a war unless it is declared by Congress.

9.At one point Huntsman answered in Chinese, which startled the other candidates as well as the questioners and the audience. What he said was, "You guys just don't understand the situation." It sure brought the discussion to a halt for a few minutes, though.

The audience never seemed to be particularly enthused about anything any of the candidates had to say. There was a smattering of applause here and there, but no cheers or standing ovations. There was a little laughter now and then, but no one seemed to impress them very much. Of course, I don't know if the people of New Hampshire are just naturally reticent, or what.

They barely touched on the job situation or the economy or infrastructure. And, I think I know why. These clowns don't have the first clue about solving real problems.

I think I'm going to swear off the debates, now, until they're down to, oh, three candidates, and then, if they don't talk about anything more substantive than they did tonight, I'm switching the channel to TVland, or something that is at least entertaining. The people asking the questions could get a little more serious, too.

Stay tuned.

The Last Word by Ellery Adams

2012-01-03T15:06:00.002-06:00

In my constant quest for new authors - new to me, anyway, I stumbled upon the Ellery Adams Books By The Bay series. So far, I have read three books in this series: "A Killer Plot," "A Deadly Cliche," and the one I am reviewing today, "The Last Word."The main character is Olivia Limoges, who moved home to Oyster Bay after a long absence. She owns two restaurant and belongs to a writer's group, made up of people who are writing books, and they have all become fast friends. In "The Last Word," Oyster Bay's newest resident is bestselling novelist Nick Plumley, came to work on is next book, a sequel to his first, which was set in the area. When Olivia happens to discover Nick's corpse in his rented house not far from hers, she and the rest of the writer's group are plunged into a mystery that ultimately reveals some of the area's past and that of some of the people who Olivia considers her long-time friends. These books are mysteries that border on romances. They are well-written enough for me to put up with the "romance" part, but there is one off-putting element on which the jury is still out. Adams will be rocking along with the plot and then brings everything to a screeching halt by injecting page after page of excerpts out of the book Olivia or another member of the group is writing. She goes into detail about their plots, etc., which I find very distracting. Who really cares to hear all about a fictional book that is being written by a fictional character? These excerpts would be understandable if they served to advance the plot of the mystery, but there is no explanation for their existence at all. They are just stuck in there, as if Ms. Adams needs to meet some word-count quota, and can't find enough to say about the mystery at hand. At this point, it is very difficult to go back to the original story, although when I sense her switching into an excerpt, I just skip over a few pages and get back to the original plot fairly quickly. It is still annoying, though, and I'm still deciding if it is distracting enough to stop reading this series altogether. That, and the fact that nobody in the book eats a burger and fries. It's all haute cuisine from Olivia's upscale restaurant or seafood from her newly renovated Crab Shack, and no recipes. The last book review I wrote about a book I didn't like was somehow found and read by the author, whereupon she e-mailed me and explained at length that I obviously didn't "get" her many metaphors. Actually, I did get them. I know what metaphors are, thank you very much. I just didn't think hers were apt. Besides, not every single character and every single one of their actions need be a metaphor. She reminded me of a Lit. professor who insisted that "The Great Gatsby" contained many metaphors. Ho, hum. I "got" what she was talking about, too, but I was still of the opinion that F. Scot Fitzgerald was no deeper than his characters and only wrote for the money. I still think so, so it will do no good to argue with me about it. So, there. What I'm wondering, now, is whether I enjoy the books enough toe-mail the author and ask, respectfully, why she includes all those extraneous excerpts. Should I or shouldn't I? Or, should I just shut up and read something else? I wouldn't want to invite another lengthy explanation pointing out my inability to understand her book. On the other hand, she might be perfectly nice and have a good reason for inserting the excerpts that I haven't yet thought about. What would you do? Stay tuned.

Look Who's Back and Ranting Already

2011-12-30T14:38:00.001-06:00

It's a sad state of affairs when national media types are reduced to starting their broadcasts with "Here's (insert candidate)'s LATEST position on (insert issue)...." Candidates are forced to tailor their opinions to whichever small group of voters they are wooing at the moment. The voters don't care if the candidates are qualified for the office, as long as they say what the voters want to hear.

With the exercise in futility that is the Iowa Caucus, only two days away, I have been pondering why the media types attach so much more importance to it than is warranted. They cause candidates to have to waste so much money on their meaningless contest that I'm surprised that the candidates continue to participate in the caucuses. It strikes me as patently unfair to expect candidates, who have a hard time raising funds for their races, no matter how goofy their ideas may seem, to waste those funds on a contest that will, in all probability, cause them to drop out of the race before it has actually begun.

Iowa has a population of about three million people. In 2008, the caucuses drew about 300,000 voters, which was an all time record. The caucus-goers are 90% white Protestants who tend to be wealthier and older than the average Iowan. In the end, the caucus accomplishes nothing. It doesn't even secure a delegate to the national convention or even one electoral vote. Surely, it's time for the caucus system to go the way of the Dodo and move on to more meaningful contests.

And, now, the caucus-goers are afraid the Occupy Caucuses people, all half dozen of them, are going to occupy the caucus locations, so they have moved the sites to secret locations. Get real!

Since 1976, Iowans have gotten it right only once. The sideshow is almost over. On to New Hampshire.

Stay tuned.

Hiatus

2011-11-29T14:53:00.000-06:00

It's time now for me to concentrate on my annual holiday depression, made worse by not being able to go to my daughter's for Thanksgiving. By the end of each year, I realize I have run out of ideas, anyway, and wonder if my blog has, at last, jumped the shark. And, this year, my depression (or laziness, as some would call it) is much worse, due to the coming election season, in which there will apparently not be anyone worth supporting in either party. So, it's going to be a long, long year, and I'll need a month's rest to gear up for it. Or, not.

In any case, I will be taking the month of December off, although I will be reading your blogs and, probably commenting now and then, so you won't forget me.

Before I sink slowly into the Slough of Despond, though, I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year. And, like Douglas McArthur, I shall return, or, more recently, Arnold Schwarzenegger, I'll be back.

Stay tuned.

It Was 48 Years Ago, Today

2011-11-22T13:34:00.000-06:00

Where were you when President Kennedy was assassinated? I was working in Fayetteville, Arkansas, while my hubby attended law school. He and another student and one of their Law Professors had gone to Little Rock to do some research. It was my habit to walk to work at the Court House, as we only lived about 3 blocks away. On this day, I decided to home for lunch.

With the changing leaves, the Fayetteville square was beautiful, and I was enjoying the walk back, when I noiced something very unusual. A few of the businesses had placed television sets in their windows, facing outward. Pausing for a few moments to watch, I could tell something momentous was happening, but, not wanting to be late, I hurried on.

My desk in the Court House was at the end of the hall, just outside the Clerk's Office. As I passed by, a women in on of the offices called out to me, "Did you hear what happened to Kennedy?" For some reason, the question sounded like the beginning of a joke. I stopped to hear the punch line, and couldn't believe my ears when she said, "He's been shot."

A few minutes later, we heard that the President was dead. The Clerk came out and to my desk and said my boss wanted me to go to the office, the Abstract Company, which was just next door. When I got there, he said the office would be closed until after the funeral.

I practically ran back to the apartment, wishing my husband hadn't gone to Little Rock. He told me later that when they heard the news, his professor said, "Pack up. We're going home. Now." When he arrived, he found me glued to the television, and that's where we stayed, hardly sleeping or eating, until Tuesday, the day after the funeral.

What a horrible weekend that was! It had started out bad and just kept getting worse. We saw Lyndon Johnson sworn in on Air Force One, flanked by Mrs. Johnson and a blood-splattered Jackie Kennedy. We watched as heads of state from all over the world arrived in Washington, and heard messages of condolence from our eleced officials, all of them appearing a bit shell-shocked. We watched and listened as details of the funeral arrangements trickled out, all directed by Jackie Kennedy, herself. We watched, horrified, as Lee Harvey Oswald was gunned down by Jack Ruby at the Dallas police headquarters.

We watched the funeral procession, culminating with little John-John saluting his father's casked as it passed, a gesture that brought America to its knees.

And, through it all ran the underlying fear that the country might be under attack. Still, we remained glued to our television sets, trying to understand what had happened. In the ensuing months, we waited to hear if Oswald had acted alone, or if he was one of a more complex plot. Hardly anyone was satisfied with the outcome of the Warren Commission appointed by President Johnson, to determine exactly what had happened. By the time the commission issued its final report, everyone had already formed an opinion or a theory. To this day, we don't really know, for sure.

What do you think?

Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign

2011-11-18T22:44:00.000-06:00

Are you superstitious? Believe in signs? ''

Jay and I have been going to Kelley and Allen's house for Thanksgiving every year for enough years that it has become a tradition. Until this year. Our friend, Judy, usually goes with us and we take her van. This year, she said she couldn't go, but offered us the van, anyway. We decided to take my car, though, because we weren't sure her insurance would cover us in case of an accident. The last thing I need is to have to replace or repaid her vehicle.

Besides, my car might be old, and I might feel like Ma Joad driving it anywhere out of town, but it has always been very reliable. It just looks disreputable, as a car its age would. I don't look so good, myself.

Today was the day we were to go, and here we sit. My car, my oh, so reliable car, swarmed Monday. It is going to cost $1100 to bring all the maintenance up to date, and that might not even fix the problem, because the mechanic has no idea what caused it to act up in the first place. He just hopes that if he does an extensive tune-up, replaces all the decrepit hoses and filters, spark plugs, flushes the radiator and does something I don't understand to the transmission that the elusive problem will be taken care of, too.

It seems to me that there is a great deal of similarity between today's auto mechanics and today's doctors. If they can't plug you, or your car, into a machine for a diagnosis, they're lost as geese.

We didn't give up easily. We looked into renting a car for a week and GAWDAMIGHTY! is it expensive! Then, before I could call Judy to see about borrowing her van after all, I got an e-mail from her saying the van broke down and she was on the hook for over $700 in repairs.

So, what do you think? Did I just receive 3 very clear signs, telling me that my trip is not in the stars this year?

Stay tuned.

The GOP Comedy Hour

2011-11-10T22:22:00.000-06:00

I admit I can't stand to watch the Republican debates, other than to change channels from whatever I have been watching, during commercials.On the other hand, it may be the best way to watch them. One thing I DO know is I can't possibly be tuning in at the only time in the whole hour that the candidates are saying something dumb.

Last night, I dropped in just in time to see Rick Perry's memory fail, when he couldn't remember the three government departments he wants to do away with if he becomes President. And, today, he's joking around like what happened isn't serious."Brain-freeze" is the wrong phrase for what happened. If he had a brain, he'd be dangerous.

Another not so serious candidate is Herman Cain. Dropping in again, I was just in time to see Cain refer to Nancy Pelosi as "Princess Nancy." Apparently, it's not the first time he's called her that, but it is the first time he has said it on camera. This should tell us all we need to know about his opinion of women.

Looking at the rest of the field, I couldn't help but ask myself, "What hath the Tea Party wrought?" This is pretty much all their fault. The problem is they aren't the only ones suffering. Why don't they just go back under their rocks and let some intelligent people get in the race?

Stay tuned.

Headlines

2011-11-08T22:29:00.001-06:00

Before I get on with the headlines of the past couple of days, I want to mention that Cox Cable did it again. For people who "bundle," the whole system went down at noon today - a cloud went over. We were without cable, internet and phones for nine hours. About once a week for the past three weeks, the system has failed, either in part or completely, for varying lengths of time. This is unacceptable, particularly since it made me miss Jeopardy! and NCIS and NCIS Los Angeles.

Windstream, I think I'm coming back to you.

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Now, for the headlines:

"Ohioans repealed the law limiting union rights." Power to the people!

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"Polls show voters believe GOP is intentionally stalling the economy." What was their first clue?

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"Not all Republicans rally around Herman Cain." Republicans can't agree to rally around anyone.

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"Schumer predicts Super Committee will fail." Is he a slow study or what?

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Michele Bachmann suggests Mitt Romney is 'Frugal Socialist'." Define "Socialist." Define "Frugal." Define "Batshit crazy."

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"Dr. Conrad Murray found guilty in the Michael Jackson's trial." And yet, Michael is still dead.

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"Sharon Bialek accuses Cain of sexually inappropriate behavior." Four accusations, four denials, and counting.

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The Duggars are expecting their 20th child. They make rabbits jealous.

Stay tuned.

Newsy Notes

2011-11-03T15:19:00.000-05:00

Drive-by Beard-Cutting

In Ohio, four Amish men have been arrested for grabbing other Amish men and cutting their beards. Apparently, they're doing it because they feel their victims aren't Amish enough. They arrive by car, drag their victims out of their homes and cut their beards. Of course, they have to hire a driver because they aren't allowed to be behind the wheel. You'd think they wouldn't be allowed to cut someone else's beard, too, but maybe that's just splitting hairs. (Forgive me. I couldn't resist.)

Lindsey in Lockup

Poor Lindsey Lohan is back in the pokey. I hope when she finishes her sentence, she will move to New York or someplace far away from that judge who seems to really have it in for her. Granted, Lindsey has been a naughty girl. But, that judge seems to be meting out cruel and unusual punishment, especially when you compare it to the little hand-slaps Charlie Sheen has gotten for what has been much worse behavior. Some people are just beyond help, and as long as they aren't hurting anyone but themselves, it might be better to just leave them alone and let them self-destruct.

Justin Bieber Becomes a Man

Little Justin Bieber has been accused of fathering an illegitimate child who is now 4 months old. He was 16 and the girl (groupie) was 19 at the time of the tryst. She has filed a paternity suit against him, and is demanding a DNA test to prove he's the baby baby-daddy. who knows how this will turn out, but one thing is certain: If she's telling the truth, he's on the hook for child-support for the next 18 years. There's another questions to be answered. If she is telling the truth, can she be charged with statutory rape? He's a minor, after all. What a mess!

The End is Near

Remember Harold Camping? He is that goofy radio preacher who predicted that the world would end on May 21. Then, he predicted that it would end October 21. Now, he says he thinks he needs to go back and consult his notes. The sad thing about this guy is that when he finally wakes up dead, he'll just think he was "raptured." If he ends up in the right place, that is.

Hey, Herman, Here Comes Another One

The women are coming out of the woodwork to accuse Herman Cain of sexual harassment, or, at least, inappropriate behavior. Herman is blaming Perry's campaign for it. I tend to think it has Karl Rove's fingerprints all over it. It would be a good way to get rid of two of Romney's opponents, and Romney need not know anything about it. Fun times!

Stay tuned.

Herman Cain Slips Up

2011-10-31T22:27:00.000-05:00

Herman Cain may not be a slick politician, but he sure knows how to follow the usual playbook when it comes to being accused of bad behavior. Deny, deny, deny.

1. I have never been accused of sexual harassment. There were not any accusations.

2. O.K. there were a couple of accusations, but they were absolutely unfounded.

3. Settlement? What Settlement? I don't know about any settlement.

4. O.K. I met with some lawyers. But, if there was some kind of settlement, they handled it. I don't know about any settlement.

5. I'm going to have to try to think back to that time. I don't remember anything about it.

6. Hey, would you like to hear me sing? "Aaaamaaaaazing Graaaaace..........."

Of course, first crack out of the box, Ann Coulter runs to the first available camera and calls it a "high tech lynching by the Liberals." Now, where have we heard that phrase before, hmmmmmmm?

Then, someone from the Cain campaign announced, "Honesty and transparency have carried the day," obviously thinking that would close the issue. It didn't.

I don't know how much this is going to hurt his campaign. Probably no more than the same kinds of accusations hurt Clarence Thomas. I also don't know why any Democrats would have had anything to do with it, considering they would love for him to run against President Obama.

Personally, I think it would be highly amusing if he became the GOP candidate. It would be a real hoot watching all those Southern Rednecks' heads explode when they realize that they would have to vote for the Republican black man in order to defeat the Democratic black man. Snrt.

Stay tuned.

Lost and Found

2011-10-28T14:02:00.001-05:00

This is the third blog post I've written this week. I scrapped the other two because I couldn't seem to say what I wanted to say. Do you ever do that? I've abandoned that subject altogether. Here's my current effort. This time, I bet I get it posted.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (lovingly referred to as "the DOG") has dropped Gene Lyons' column from their Op-Ed pages. Too liberal for them, I guess. He lives in the Little Rock area and his syndicated columns are printed in other publications, so all I had to do was make a little search. He appears occasionally in Salon.com, but isn't listed as a regular contributor, so I kept looking. Just when I thought I wouldn't be able to find him again, I went to the Arkansas Times website and there he was. I hope he'll appear there regularly. He fits right in.

It was from his column that I learned a few things that I didn't know before about one of his former colleagues at the DOG, Harrison's own Mike Masterson. Mike is the real subject of this blog.

Mike seemed fairly moderate early in his career but has just gotten more and more conservative with age. He comes by his Republican leanings honestly. Most individuals growing up in Harrison usually have to leave home to find people of the more liberal persuasion. Mike only went as far as Fayetteville, and his connections here are strong and none of the liberal ideas of Fayetteville have rubbed off on him. According to Gene Lyons, Mike's wife is Director of Grass Roots for Arkansas, which is funded by Americans for Prosperity, who is funded by the Koch brothers. Obviously, she has led him over the brink to the dark side.

Now, there is nothing wrong with a columnist having a wife who works for a purely political organization. Lots of media types are inbred in that way. But, I do think that, in the interest of full disclosure, they should have to reveal their partisan connections so we can all see exactly where their opinions come from. Just knowing about his wife goes a long way toward explaining why he wrote a particularly nasty op-ed piece about the Occupy Wall Street group. To give you some idea, here's part of what Gene Lyons wrote about Masterson's column: "He described Occupy Wall Street protestors as an "unwashed, whining, smelly mob occupying and infesting Wall Street." Infesting, no less. "The Flea Party," the man called them, blood sucking insects "being paid by big-bucks special interests...to create violent confrontations." Elsewhere, he likened the protestors to Nazis."

Now, he has a right to his opinion, but not to his outright lies. And, elsewhere, in less partisan publications, likening people to Nazis has gotten people fired. All we can hope for is that Masterson has finally shown his true colors, not to mention the limits of his intellect.

Stay tuned.

The Middle East Purge Continues

2011-10-20T15:31:00.000-05:00

Farewell and adieu to you Moammar Kadhaffi,
Khadafy, Qaddaffi and Gaddafi, too
We've never learned just how to spell your last name,
And now that you're gone, we'll never have to.

Goodbye and Ta-Ta to your son and heir, also,
We're making a clean sweep of despots today.
Ahmadinejad is shaking and Assad is quaking,
They know that before long, they'll both have to go.

My, my how times change. The following photos show a few world leaders cozying up to Gaddafi over the years. He and John McCain seemed to be particularly close, if McCain's tweet in 2009 is any indication.

With Berlusconi

Tony Blair

HugoChavez

Nelson Mandela

Sarcozy

And Obama

Oil makes strange bedfellows, doesn't it?

Stay tuned.

Occupy Wall Street

2011-10-17T22:17:00.000-05:00

The media and the Republicans keep asking why everybody is so mad? "What do they want?" they ask. The various news outlets search until they find people in the crowd who can't seem to explain what all the fuss is about. They hardly ever find anyone who can explain clearly what the crowds want. I suspect this is on purpose. One reason it is so hard to explain is that there is not just one reason for the unrest.

Haven't you ever been so angry about so many things that you could hardly speak? I have. I am, in fact. This revolution has been a long time coming. I understand why the people are rising up. I probably couldn't explain it out loud or blog about it in less than 1,000 words. But, I know of someone who can..

Jim Hightower. In his blog, he explains, succinctly, that Americans are protesting because they want a return to "such old fashioned American fundamentals as economic fairness, social justice and equal opportunities for all." I couldn't have said it better.

I fully expect someone to peer into the cameras some day soon and intone the equivalent of "Let them eat cake."

Stay tuned.

Occupy Wall Street and Scare Conservatives

2011-10-11T15:56:00.000-05:00

How can you tell Occupy Wall Street is making the Republicans uneasy?

Mayor Bloomberg accused the protesters of trying to "take the jobs away from people working in this city."

Rand Paul is afraid the protesters will start seizing i pads, because they believe rich people don't deserve to have them. Huh??

Herman Cain seems to think the protesters are jealous of rich people. He also thinks it's their own fault if they're poor and out of work.

Romney calls it "class warfare."

Eric Cantor calls the protesters a "mob."

I call it Democracy.

Stay tuned.

The Plot Thickens

2011-10-07T14:49:00.000-05:00

This is an update of yesterday's post. If you thought I had said all there was to say about Turkey Trot, you'd be wrong, and so would I.

There was a report yesterday that PETA had offered to buy he turkeys that were going to be tossed Of course, that didn't fly any more than the turkeys would. Everybody always thinks it's all about money.

Today, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (the DOG, as it's called in some quarters) ran a story about Turkey Trot. They interviewed the President of the Chamber of Commerce, who happens to be my nephew. Sigh. My ex-husband's nephew, actually, but I still claim him. I tell you this in the spirit of full disclosure. The family has been knee-deep in Turkey Trot since the beginning.

In the interview, Nephew said that the birds "just spread those big old wings they've got and glide a long way. We know they can get up in the air because they get on trees and roofs." He claimed no knowledge of the owner or owners of the aircraft that would be used.

Now, the FAA has gotten into the act. Their own aircraft will be flying over the town for the next two days, hoping to spot the turkey droppers. The law under which they are operating says it is illegal to throw anything from an airplane. Personally, I think they should find a better use for taxpayer month, but that is just me.

So, what's next? Will he military send in fighter jets to shoot down a Piper Cub full of wild turkeys? Will the DOG cover that story, too? Will Turkey Trot gain world wide notoriety?

Will there be another Turkey Trot Update? I can answer that. No, there won't. At least until next year.

Stay tuned.

Peta's In Its Annual Flap Over Turkey Trot

2011-10-06T16:08:00.000-05:00

This Friday marks the beginning of Yellville's annual "Wild Turkey Calling Contest and Turkey Trot." And, as in every year in recent memory, PETA is whipping itself into a frenzy over the "Turkey Drop," where live wild turkeys are flung from low flying airplanes and allowed to either splatter on the sides of building or on the street or sidewalk around the square, or ripped from stem to stern by young boys fighting over them.

This practice is not sanctioned by the committee heading up the Turkey Trot festivities, although it used to be, before PETA started carping about it and it was taken over by private parties. Of course, it's wrong. But, dangit, it's just so popular! And, the argument is, "Wild turkeys can fly." Well, yes, they can, but not when dropped from an airplane flying at 700 feet, too low for the birds to catch an updraft. Another, weaker argument is "they'll end up dead and on someone's dinner table, anyway." This is probably true enough. But, I wouldn't particularly want to cook a turkey that had been used as a living wishbone or peeled off the side of a building or off the street, like roadkill. Maybe I'm just too picky.

In any event,the Turkey Trot will go on as planned, and so will the Turkey Drop, and everyone will have a fine time attending the Turkey Calling Contest and Miss Turkey Trot and Miss Drumsticks pageants, while members of PETA grumble and mumble in the background.

It's gonna take someone with more clout than PETA to dampen their spirits. Why, Turkey Trot is famous! After all, the Turkey Drop was featured on "WKRP in Cincinnatti."

If I were PETA, I wouldn't mess with the folks deep in the Ozarks. They don't take too kindly to outside interference where their time-honored festivals are concerned.

Stay tuned.

More Randomness

2011-10-05T12:55:00.000-05:00

Chris Christie says, "No, thanks" and it only took him 45 minutes to do it. Well, what do you know? A Republican who doesn't want to run for president. I guess Rudy Giuliani will have to leap into the breach, because, obviously, the GOP is "desperate" for a good candidate.

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After the Italian Appeals Court overthrew the conviction of Amanda Knox, it was interesting to watch the spectators, both in Italy and America. Each camp was fully invested in it's own opinions of her guilt or innocent. Just as in the Cayce Anthony case, most of them knew nothing about the evidence that was available to the courts and juries, but they all had their opinions and by gawd, nothing was going to change them. Wonder why they didn't just mind their own businesses and get on with their own lives. It's a puzzlement.

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It seems that Congress has passed yet another short-term spending bill to last until sometime in November. Why don't they just start going week to week? Imagine how much fun watching CSpan would be, seeing all those blowhards arguing against it and then giving in an passing it.

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Will "Occupy Wall St. become a full-blown rebellion? Probably not, although it seems to be growing by the day. People are angry, no doubt about that. And, please stop calling it the liberals' answer to the Tea Party. The people in that crowd aren't all liberals. But, the media won't let it get too popular. After all, it's the millionaires who pay their salaries. Can't upset that applecart, now can we?

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The Democrats in the Senate want to raise taxes on millionaires by 5%. See above.

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The banks don't seem to be afraid of government regulations. Some of them are going to start charging a fee to use debit cards. The fee will not apply to their more affluent customers - only people like me. Figures.

Stay tuned.

Nothin' to See Here

2011-09-29T13:24:00.001-05:00

I don't seem to have anything to say, but I'm going to say it anyway. Just a few random thoughts. Hope you don't mind.

So, now, the basic Kindle costs $79.00. That's well and good. However, not even a year ago, I bought mine for $139.00. A few months later, they dropped the price to $114.00. I'm feeling a bit ticked off, frankly. I used to really get mad when I bought something in a department store and the next morning, they put that very item on sale. It seemed a bit sneaky, somehow. Just as the salesperson it the department store knew that the item I purchased was going to be on sale the next day, Amazon knew the price of the basic Kindle was going to drop dramatically over the next few months. I know! I know! I'm sounding irrational. But, I think Amazon could at least have waited a year before dropping the price - twice, at that. It makes those of us who just bought our Kindles last January feel like chumps. I'm not going to forget this very soon.

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I haven't been following the trial of the doctor who allegedly killed Michael Jackson too closely. But, from what I have seen, I have deduced that poor Michael must have been surrounded by nothing but greedy people who were willing to do anything to make sure that he kept working and making Million$. And, that includes his family, and maybe especially, his family. Whatever he might have done in his life, he didn't deserve the treatment he received at the end.

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In international news, there's the appeal in Italy of Amanda Knox and her boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, who were convicted of murdering Amada's British roommate, Meredith Kercher. Amanda was sentenced to 26 years and the boyfriend was sentenced to 25. I didn't watch the coverage of the first trial, but I have seen photos of her, and to me, her eyes looked dead, like a shark's eyes. Italian news coverage refers to her family as a "clan," which they seem to resent. But, then, they don't speak Italian, and I don't either, so who knows what the literal translation is of what they are being called. I'm pretty sure the translation wouldn't be "Mafia." Anyway, even one year in an Italian prison can't be good.

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Have you noticed that the internet seems to be experiencing an explosion of ads? They're everywhere! You can't watch a video or play a game or go to many websits without having to endure anywhere from 30 to 90 seconds of advertisements. I suppose it's the price we pay for a "free" internet. But, I'd hate to have to watch a 90-second ad for Target while waiting for news of a nuclear attack on New York.

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If there's anything scarier than Nancy Gracer dancing, it's Nancy Grace having a wardrobe malfunction while dancing. If you were watching Dancing With the Stars Monday Night, you were treated to an image of an audience that had obviously been struck dumb by the sight of Nancy falling out of her dress. Apparently, there are drawbacks to wearing a push-up bra if you are, er, well-endowed. Nancy is denying everything, just like the people in the trials she condemns so avidly on her show. I don't believe her, any more than she believes them.

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And, now we have to be afraid of cantaloupe. Where will it all end?

Stay tuned.

Why Can't They See........

2011-09-24T22:46:00.000-05:00

A man I used to work with has kept in touch through e-mail for years, since our company closed down and moved everything to Mexico. Sounds very nice, doesn't he? His e-mails consist of right wing wacko propaganda because he knows I'm a liberal and he's a jerk. When he isn't trying, and succeeding, to annoy me with the latest Tea Party misinformation, the ones that end with the instruction, "forward this to everyone you know," he's sending me all kinds of quotes from scripture and other religious writings because, well, since I'm a Democrat, I must be an atheist, right?

I never try to set him straight about either religion or politics. "I'm tolerant that way," I say while doing my little superior dance.

HOWEVER, last Friday, I got an e-mail I simply couldn't let go unchallenged. You may have received the same one, if you've somehow found your way onto the contact lists of any Republicans. Apparently, these e-mails are everywhere.

It claimed that Medicare would raise premiums an enormous amount in the next few years, and it blamed it all on President Obama's Healthcare plan. It also contained a link to Snopes.com, so I would think Snopes found it to be the truth, and I wouldn't bother to check it for myself. Fat chance, Bucko! Snopes says it is FALSE.

So, I replied to him that if he would open the link to Snopes, he would see that it had, once again debunked another outrageous claim by the Right Wing. His reply? "I don't believe Snopes."

Look, I'm older than dirt and this misguided cretin is even older. When he had to retire from the company, he got a few perks, as a middle manager, and his length of service allowed him a decent pension. But, I know what his salary was and while he may have a fairly comfortable income when the pension is added to his Social Security, and I also know that company didn't make him rich.

So, why, why, why is he so determined to further the cause of a party that is working so diligently against his interests? Why is he so blind? So hidebound? What's the matter with him, anyway? And, with all of those like him?

It's a little scary to think just how wrongheaded these people are. They are like Lemmings, racing each other over the cliff, into the sea. And, they're trying to take the rest of us with them.

It's just so frustrating!

Stay tuned.

Pass The Popcorn

2011-09-20T13:31:00.000-05:00

Watch out, Dianne! Here comes Orly! Apparently, birther wacko Orly Taitz has decided to run for the U.S. Senate against Dianne Feinstein in California. Maybe Rick Perry will reciprocate and endorse her, since she bestowed her endorsement upon him a couple of weeks ago.

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Ralph Nader says he is going to try to convince some Democrats to enter the Democratic Primaries against President Obama. I don't see that happening in this lifetime, but he can try. Give the old boy something to do. He says he won't run, himself, which is probably wise, considering how he and the Green Party helped defeat Al Gore. We know how that turned out.

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In Arkansas news, the much beleaguered Lottery Director, Ernie Passailaigue, has at last stepped down. Our lottery has been a mess from the git-go. The first thing that irked Arkansans was the $340,000+ salary he was being paid. Good grief, people! Our Governor only pulls down $84,000 a year! When he came to Arkansas to fill his exalted position, he brought with him several people who had worked with him wherever he came from. They each make over $100,000 a year. All that, and we still don't have a REAL state lottery. To me, in a lottery, you can buy a lottery ticket worth however many Millions of dollars are available. In our "lottery," we have nothing but scratch-offs tickets, ranging from $1.00 each, on up to, I don't know how high they go, because I never buy more than a $2.00 ticket. However, I'm pretty sure that those little $1.00 and $2.00 tickets won't result in me winning $1 Million or more.

Note to whoever will hire the next Commissioner: Maybe we could find someone who actually lives in Arkansas to take the job. And he/she might hire other Arkansas citizens to work for him/her. I bet they'll work for a lot less. I'm just sayin'.

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Did you watch the Emmys Sunday night? For some reason, all those awards shows just draw me in like a magnet. Anyway, whoever decides on the nominees should be ashamed of themselves. They are snobbish enough or jealous enough to look down their noses at extremely popular shows and their casts, such as NCIS,CSI, Law and Order (and, their spin-offs), and Criminal Minds, yet they embrace all the sleazy (and cheap to produce) so-called "reality" shows. And, they continue to nominate Jay Leno and David Letterman, when these days and for a few years now, they just "call it in" when they're not on one of their many, many vacations. And, newcomers such as Craig Ferguson and Jimmy Fallon, who are actually still funny and entertaining, are ignored. .

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I try not to ever say "never" about anything. So, I didn't feel very guilty about tuning in to "Dancing With The Stars last night. I have never even been tempted to watch that show, but I did it for you, my faithful readers, so I could report my observations. You're welcome. I will also admit t0 a certain amount of curiosity. I wanted to see if any of the "stars" could dance, and to see if I recognized any of them. I just couldn't imagine Nancy Grace dancing. Oh, come on, you know you couldn't either. But, she was actually kinda cute, bouncing and smiling and all. And, Chaz Bono, well, all I can say about Chaz is that he sounds just like Sonny and I wonder if he can sing. They were the only two who made any kind of impression on me, but one thing became obvious as the show wore on, and on, and on. It's a shoo-in for an Emmy nomination next year.

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Lastly, I found a short article about a Texas man who was suspected of being a serial rapist who targets older women. He told a jury that he was sexually abused as a child, has been visited by aliens and has three other personalities inside of him, including one named Bobby, who is a "bad, bad person" and David, a black Great Dane. Now, being a tolerant person, I can accept the alien visitation and even multiple personalities. But, unless David is a tall black person from Denmark, I would have to draw the line at that.

Stay tuned.

Stoopid Is As Stoopid Does

2011-09-15T16:32:00.000-05:00

The Republicans are making hay in New York because their candidate beat Democrat David Weprin in the interim election to fill Anthony Wiener's unfinished term. "This is a referendum on Obama," they bleat. The comment immediately becomes the media question of the day. "Does this mean Obama is in trouble?" In a word, NO. Redistricting is going to do away with that seat in 2012 anyway. This is no big defeat for the Democrats.

Some of the pundits are suggesting that Weprin lost because he lost the Jewish vote. Again, NO. Weprin changed his tactics in mid campaign, and went on the attack against Obama, for some odd reason. The Democrats really don't want to elect someone who does that. As for the Jewish vote, well, judging from recent photos of Weprin, if I were Jewish, I wouldn't vote for a man whose photo reminds me of Hitler. I'm just sayin'.

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Michele Bachmann brought the crazy once again and is consequently taking some heat for claiming that some woman told her that her daughter became mentally retarded after she was given the HPV vaccine. It seems much more likely to me that the girl simply grew into the family gene pool.

The medical profession is appalled.

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Sarah Palin's in the news, again. This time, the story going around is that Glen Rice, a basketball player for the University of Michigan had a one night stand with her years ago, when the team was in Anchorage for the Great Alaska Shootout. Glen admits it. So far, Palin hasn't decided whether it will help or hurt her image.

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Pat Robertson says it's OK to divorce a wife with Alzheimer's, as long as she has custodial care and somebody to look after her. He said, "If he's (the husband) going to do something, (cheat on her), he should divorce her and start over." I get it. It's morally wrong to cheat a wife who no longer recognizes you, but not morally wrong to dump her. The man's a fool. Always was, always will be.

Rick Perry: Darling of the Tea Party

2011-09-13T15:26:00.000-05:00

Well, it's settled. Rick Perry will be the GOP candidate for President. Orly Taitz, Queen of the Birthers, has endorsed him. We'll go ahead and have the Primaries though, ok?

I can't really comment on the two Republican debates, so far, since I didn't watch either of them. However, I have seen clips of some of the more outrageous comments made by the flavor of the month, Gov. Rick Perry. Calling Social Security a "Ponzi scheme" hasn't increased his popularity with seniors, even those in the Tea Party, I'll wager. But, that was just one of those silly comments politicians love to make to get the media stirred up and talking about, endlessly, so they won't be paying attention to the other really mean things the candidates say.

In my opinion, nothing says more about the blood-thirsty, mean-spirited characters of the Tea Partiers and Republicans in general than the loud applause when Perry stated he hadn't given a second thought to sign the death warrants of a couple of hundred prisoners in Texas. Now, I see what they mean when they say, between G.W. Bush and Perry, Bush is the smart one. The surprise is that his attitude didn't cause much of a stir with the media. But, if you watched the faces of the other candidates, even they seemed surprised by the outburst.

The media gave it a mention or two in passing, but quickly got back to subject of Social Security. Brain dead Gloria Borcherd peered myopically into the camera and asked, "Is Social Security unconstitutional?" as if it were a new concept. Note to Gloria: That question was asked and answered in the years following its enactment. Guess what the answer was.

The same question is being asked and answered in the affirmative about the Health Care bill in all the Federal Courts but one, so far. It has been a tremendous wast of time and money by the Attorneys General of various red states.

But, I digress. The question is, "who will be the next Republican candidate to drop out of the race? My guess would be Rick Santorum. We can expect Newt Gingrich to stay in as long as it is monetarily worth his while and the increasingly un-lovely Michele Bachmann will probably hang on a while longer. Mitt Romney will be there 'til the last dog dies, and Huntsman has some staying power. As for the rest, it'll be a race to the bottom of the pile. I predict that, unless it is discovered that he has a harem, the candidate will be Mitt Romney.

Remember, you heard it here.

Stay tuned.

Good-bye and Good Riddance to Summer

2011-09-10T22:36:00.000-05:00

Summer is the only season I don't like. It has always been thus. Even as a child, I viewed summer as three long months of heat and boredom. So, when Labor Day arrives, I feel like celebrating. It feels cooler, no matter wha the temperature actually is. Even the sudden realization that there are only three months until Christmas doesn't dampen my mood.

Fall is usually beautiful in the Ozarks. The leaves change color from deep green to varying shades of red, orange and yellow. The countryside is populated with Maple trees and many others. But, the Maples are the most colorful. You can have your Oak trees, Tulip trees, Dogwoods and Magnolias, etc. Give me a brilliant Sugar Maple in the Fall any day.

Fall also brings with it the schools opening their doors once again. It warms this old heart to think about classrooms full of the little beggars, which means they are not playing outside my apartment windows, running, squealing and inevitably, screeching and bawling.

Fall also begins the new season of television shows on the networks. Ever the optimist, I look forward to the new programs and the continuation of favorites. It will probably be late in October before we realize just how bad the new shows are. By then, I will have my viewing schedule established just in time for the late Fall, early Winter reruns.

After the holidays, many of the new programs will disappear and be replaced with either a new crop of hopefuls or the ever popular MASH and NCIS reruns.

Sometime soon, our local pubic library will finally catch up with every other library in the country and offer e-books. I look forward to that because there are lots of books out there that I want to read, but don't want to purchase. I can't check them out because they are full of cat hair. E-books may be the solution.

Let's raise a glass to Fall, season of anticipation morphing into the welcome chill of Winter, then Spring, harbinger of yet another long hot summer. And, so it goes.

Stay tuned.

Tidbits

2011-09-06T16:06:00.000-05:00

Next week, Wolf Blitzer is going to be the moderator of a Republican debate to be sponsored by CNN, in conjunction with the Tea Party. Is there any reason why we shouldn't conclude that CNN is endorsing the Tea Party, and therefore, the Republican Party?

If this doesn't make CNN lose all credibility with the American public, I don't know what should. As far as I'm concerned, I won't be watching that network for anything resembling "fair and balanced" news reporting any more.

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NBC sportscasters were ecstatic to be able to broadcast a Tigerpalooza tournament over Labor Day weekend. I don't know who else was playing and don't know who won. When Tiger plays, everyone else fades into the background.

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On a lighter note, Lauren Bush, niece of George W. Bush, married designer Ralph Lauren's son. This makes her Lauren Lauren.

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The Super Committee only has about two months to solve the debt problem. Show of hands: How many think anything at all will be accomplished?

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Rudy Giuliani says he'll only run for President if the GOP field "looks really desperate." How desperate would the situation have to get before Republicans beg Giuliani to run? I'd guess it would be shortly after the Rapture.

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When, oh when will the "Silly Season" be over?

Stay tuned.

When is Scrabble Not Scrabble?

2011-09-02T22:50:00.001-05:00

I swore I would never participate in Facebook, even as I signed on. "I'm just curious," I said, "but, I'll never use it.

After looking it over, I concluded that it was a colossal waste of time. However, I did "friend" those who sent requests because it seemed rude not to, somehow. I learned that the goal of most of those people was simply to amass a long list of "friends," and I never heard from them again.

One day, my sister-in-law reported, on my Facebook page, that she had bought a cow. She's such an animal lover! A few days later, she had added a couple of sheep and a bull to keep the cow company. "How is it possible?" I mused. She lives within the city limits of her small town.

Thank goodness I figured out that she was playing a game before I e-mailed her and made an idiot of myself. Still, "I wouldn't waste my time playing that silly game," I scoffed. "Life's too short." Then, I found out that I could "hide" her daily farm reports, before she expanded her operation to horses and pigs. I have come to love that feature. I'm appalled at the number of people who will post the most intimate parts of their lives, as if they think no one else will read it. That goes for Twitter, etc, and even some blogs, by the way. I accidentally read one blog wherein a woman reported every time she had sex (often) with her husband, and in what room and what table, chair, and in front of which picture window it occurred. But, that's another blog altogether. Back to Facebook.

I held firm and didn't try to correspond with anyone. Stubborn That's my middle name.

Then, one day Jay said, "Do you want to play Words With Friends?" "And, what might that be?" I asked. "Scrabble, on Facebook," he replied. "I'll show you how." It is a slippery slope, my friends.

Now, I find myself compulsively accessing the blasted game every hour or so, to see if it's my turn to play. Every time I go there, I see, in the left-hand column, the results of the last four games I have played with him. "Jay beat you," they all crow, giving the date and score of each game. "Don't they ever go away?" I ask, pitifully. "Or will they be forever memorialized there?" "Jay says he thinks they will eventually go away, as other scores replace them. Eventually?

In the meantime, "I got 72 points for that word!"he chortles. Or, "There's another 56 points!", he brags, his face wreathed in smiles. "How does he do that?" I ask myself, as I peer anxiously at the tiles on my board. My letters are M,W,Z,R,X Q. Vowels! I need vowels!

Then, I figured it out. What I really need are math skills. "Foul!" I cry. I know each letter tile has a tiny little number on it, just like regular Scrabble. I'm good at regular Scrabble. I can do the math in regular Scrabble. I used to trounce Jay's father at Scrabble on a regular basis. How come I can't seem to add up the tiles and find the double and triple word, double and triple letter squares when I need them on Words With Friends?

It's all Facebook's fault. Now, where's my calculator?

Stay tuned.

Now, That Hurts!

2011-08-31T22:58:00.000-05:00

I have been writing as long as I can remember. As child and in my early teens, I wrote short stories and poems, for my own amusement. I even used to wake up in the middle of the night to make notes on an idea for a story.

When I was in High School, I was on the school newspaper staff, where I wrote everything from news to features to editorials. A couple of my stories and editorials were either reprinted or quoted in the New York Times during the integration crisis at Central High.

In college, I was on the newspaper staff. In those days, the paper was operated independent of the University. It was run like a business and we were paid employees. Finally, the University decided to take over the paper and I resigned in protest, along with the rest of the staff. After that, I got a job writing, among other duties, for the Alumni magazine. That, too was a paid job.

In my Journalism classes, I wrote a couple of feature stories which were printed by the Arkansas Gazette. I was paid for these stories at their going rate.

My point is, I think I can safely call myself a writer, even though I haven't written much since I came to Harrison, apart from news stories in the local paper, for various clubs. I always seemed to be elected "Reporter".

When I went to work, I designed, wrote and edited the company newsletter. There was a printshop there, which helped make the newsletter look professional. Another employee acted as photographer, and eventually, we welcomed other employees as volunteer "reporters". I spearheaded this for almost 15 years and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

On my retirement, my son introduced me to blogging, and I re-discovered my love for writing and acquired decided fondness for expressing my opinions. I also discovered the satisfaction that comes from knowing that others are reading and, (dare I say it?), even even enjoying what I have to say.

So, when my friend tells me that blogging is not REALLY writing, it hurts my feelings. She says this often, and adds that I don't have the "credentials" to consider myself a writer, because I don't get paid for it or have a Journalism degree.

I never argue with her strange notion, because she doesn't own a computer and would never be convinced otherwise. She said it again yesterday, along with the usual scoffing about people I communicate with through comments they make on my blog, and comments I make on theirs. She'd like you to know that you aren't "real" people.

I could tell her that the people I have met through blogging are more "real" than most of the people with whom I am acquainted here in my town. I can tell her that she just doesn't know what she's missing.

There! I feel better, now. Thanks for letting me vent.

Stay tuned.

Searching for Entertainment

2011-08-28T13:34:00.000-05:00

Please forgive the dreadful artwork. But, have you ever seen so many reporters being battered by the weather as we have this past weekend? Why in the world do they put themselves through all that? I am always interested in watching the news of natural disasters, as long as they aren't happening here, because the reporters never fail to give me a good laugh, even in the midst of all that suffering.. I do wish the reporters had suppressed their disappointment when New Your City didn't get blown away. What will they talk about when "The View" returns?

At any rate, the Hurricane gave us all something to watch during a weekend full of nothing else on television. As much as I love NCIS, even I can no longer sit through a weekend full of reruns. You know you've watched the episodes too many times when you find yourself mouthing the dialogue with the actors and correcting their grammar and pronunciation. I do wish, though, that they would stop pronouncing Norfolk "Norfuck". I suspect it's an inside joke, but I can do without hearing it.

I do that with some movies, too. I watched Jaws and Jaws II so many times I started getting the dialogue mixed up. Who can forget "You're gonna need a bigger boat." And, the Godfather movies? They had some memorable, quotable phrases. Starting with "I believe in America" straight through to "Leave the gun. Take the canoli." And so on.

I was reduced to watching "Angels and Demons" last night. Tom Hanks, as Dr. Langdon, along with the obligatory female hottie scientest, have to hunt down a gizmo that is set to blow the Vatican to smithereens at midnight. Surprise! They succeed. And the characters kept their clothes on.

I have watched so much television lately because I have been suffering from a lack of reading material. I have scoured the free Kindle books, and have made a startling discovery. Books that are offered for free or only a few dollars (under $5.00) are either mediocre at best or classics. I have rediscovered Mary Roberts Rinehart and enjoy most of her books, but I'm running out of them, and to be honest, getting a little tired of them. So, I'll have to bite the bullet and go back to my wish list and download some books I know I'll enjoy.

Maybe I'll find a book I'll want to review/recommend.

Stay tuned.

Messages to Strangers

2011-08-24T23:29:00.000-05:00

1. To the new Aldi Stor in my town. Welcome. Walmart must be worried about you They refuse to match your prices. Well played.

2. To Burger King. Thanks for sending your creepy king into exile. Now, I can open my blinds without fear of encountering him lurking on the other side of my window.

3. To all the people on the West Coast who tweeted snarky comments about people on the East Coast. Shame on you! I'll bet your first earthquake scared you, too.

4. To everyone who read "The Help" long before I did. You were right. It was a really good read. It also brought back a lot of memories to me and other southerners my age.

5. To the Libyan rebels. Pay no attention to the American media who wonder why you aren't moving faster. Remember, Americans are the "instant gratification society." We don't know how to be patient.

6. To Cox Cable. If your television ad copy makes the actor in your ad look like an idiot, how does that reflect on you? I refer to the guy in the Snuggie bragging about being able to watch "anytime, anywhen." AnyWHEN?!?!

Stay tuned.

Letters, We Get Letters

2011-08-22T15:40:00.000-05:00

I gave up writing letters to the editor years ago, but I still read them and think what I might say if I were to write responses to the ones I consider silly and/or moronic. If I were still writing them, here's one I would answer for sure:

The letter said, and I quote, "My wife and I live on Social Security, somewhat below the poverty line. However, to help our strapped nation, I would gladly pay $1,000 or so in income tax to help out (we pay none now). As to cuts, I can do without public radio, the National Part Service (trees grow without it), Housing and Urban Development (which hasn't worked), handouts to millions of people and a half-dozen other federal programs."

And, he ends, "I just want to do my part." Signed Frank (last name withheld by me)

And, this would be my response,

Dear Frank:

1. If you and your wife "live on Social Security, somewhat below the poverty line," you can't possibly find the money to pay $1,000 or so in income taxes or otherwise, fool. But if you do, miraculously, have an extra $1000 or so at the end of each year, feel free to write a check to the government with a note that says "Please apply this to the national debt. More to come next year." I'm sure the IRS will happily accept your donation. (And, then, they'll probably audit you back to the Nixon Administration.)

2. "Do without Public Radio?" Oh, ha-ha. Cutting funds would not help one iota in paying down the national debt. It's a tiny, tiny percentage - less than 1/10th of 1%. So, don't turn it on if it offends you. Nobody's forcing you to listen.

3. "The National Park Service doesn't aid in the growth of trees." I think you must have the Park Service confused with Johnny Appleseed. It does help in keeping trees from being cut down willy-nilly by the lumber industry, though, and it makes it possible for you to safely enjoy vacations in places like Yellowstone Park without getting lost or eaten by bears. Next time you're in one of our beautiful parks, say "Thank You" to a Park Ranger.

4. "HUD hasn't worked??!!?" Tell that to the thousands of communities who have benefited from Urban Renewal and the millions of people who have been able to afford low cost housing. In fact, if you're truly living below the poverty line, you might want to look into some of the benefits. You might be able to pay less rent or get help with your mortgage.

5. "Handouts to millions of people." I assume you are talking about welfare and Medicaid, while ignoring the vast numbers of companies that have benefited to "handouts" in the form of corporate welfare. I'll wager that you are also receiving some form of "handout" from other Federal or State agencies if you actually DO live below the poverty line. You don't seem to mind drawing your Social Security.

Frank, go get a cup of tea, along with the rest of your pals and stop embarrassing yourself with silly letters to the editor, and I will stop embarrassing myself by responding to them.

Stay tuned.

Scattered Thoughts

2011-08-18T22:52:00.000-05:00

Because it's the silly season, the Republicans are all over President Obama for going to Martha's Vineyard for a ten day vacation. But, you don't hear them complaining about Congress being out of Washington for the entire month of August. Exactly what should Obama be doing? Rattling around the White House, drumming his fingers on his desk, twiddling his thumbs?

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Also, because it's the silly season, there are all sorts of expressions of outrage over the President's campaign bus. In the first place, it isn't just for him. The Republican candidate will have the use of the bus, too, if he/she wants it.

According to the Secret Service, building a bus for campaigning is cheaper than leasing, in the long run. When they lease, the bus has to be retrofitted for security purposes and then, at the end of the lease, it has to be de-modified for return to the rental company.

As for the complaints that the bus was manufactured in Canada, George W. Bush purchased a bus from the same Canadian company in 2005, for his campaign.

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Bachmann quote, in a headline: "I'll get gas under $2.00. No more bean burritos for you, Michele.

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Astronaut Ron Garan posted some pics from the International Space Station on his Twitpic account. I notice that one of them depicts the world as round. I guess the Flat Earth Society can disband, now. Case closed.

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Now that we have a twelve-member Super Dommittee to solve all our deficit problems, I guess the rest of Congress can stay home until after November, when they'll have to vote on the committee's proposals.

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In his Democrat-Gazette column, Gene Lyons predicts that Rick Perry will be the Republican nominee because "the Republicans just can't help themselves."

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Big plans are underway in New York for the 10th anniversary of the bombing of the Twin Towers. They have invited everybody but the first responders. Bad form. According to Denis Leary, "the first responders weren't invited 10 years ago, either. They just showed up". Good on ya', Denis.

Stay tuned.

The Fall Hunt by Joanne Clarey

2011-08-16T13:11:00.000-05:00

I read "The Fall Hunt" by Joanne Clarey so you wouldn't have to. You're welcome.

It isn't very often that I come across a book that has absolutely nothing going for it. And, I usually only review books that I would recommend. It's a service I enjoy performing. By the same token, when I find a travesty such as this book, I feel I owe it to you to tell you about it. You're welcome, again.

The book opens with the main character, Ellie Somebody, going through the door of her bank, after describing her drive through the scenic countryside and wondering what to give her soon-to-be 25-year-old daughter for her birthday. She is distracted by her image in the rear-view mirror and begins to wonder, out loud, to her dog, Buddy, if she should dye her hair. Then, she describes the town where the bank is located, Greenberg, in great detail, listing all of the shops, groceries, movie theaters, etc., etc.

She is mulling all this over, and more, as she enters the bank and finds there is a robbery taking place. She is forced down on the floor and told to put her hands over her head and close her eyes. Then, she is blindfolded. Of course, the robbers are dressed all in black with masks and gloves. The bank robbers piddle around the bank for an excruciatingly long time, In the meantime, Ellie's thoughts roam to her childhood. She was at her best friend's birthday party, playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey. One of the little boys nudged the blindfold up so he could see where he was going. Of course, he won the game. Then, she laboriously informs us that she was appalled that the little boy wasn't punished for cheating, and explained her strict sense of right and wrong.

Anyhoo, her trip down memory lane reminded her that her blindfold could probably be pushed up enough to see something. She managed to see the shoes of one of the robbers. It looked familiar, but she couldn't remember what it was that was wrong with it. After an interminable length of time, the getaway car arrived and the five robbers left the bank. She mulls over the fact that the robbers milled around for a long time, and deduced that they must have been professionals. She doesn't, however wonder about the fact that she had been able to just waltz in the unlocked front door, and that strangely enough, no one else came in after her.

And on, and on, and on. She spends the rest of the story trying to remember what it was about those shoes. In fact, it caused her to have nightmares. She is obsessed with those shoes.She just knows if she could remember, she could crack the case wide open. Then, she wanders off through her life, getting back to her ordinary tasks, describing them in great, boring detail. At this point in the story, she becomes slightly irrelevant. She is so busy describing everything around her, day by day, she ventures pretty far afield of the facts of the robbery, except to exclaim, every few pages, that she still can't figure out what she noticed about those damned. shoes.

I can't go on. She throws in a red herring or two, on her way to the conclusion of the story, but they stick out like a sore thumb, and make her appear dumb, dumber and dumbest. The thing is, she never acts on her suspicions. She just goes her merry way, until she is finally thunderstruck by the answer, although she has done nothing except ignore the problem for months.

And, to add insult to injury, she ends the book with the most godawful poem I have ever read.

Maybe the author's other books are better, but I won't be finding out. I don't think I can bear to read another pathetic word. And, if you just don't believe me, try reading this one for yourself. I dare you. You'll want to boil your eyeballs before you are halfway through. So, suit yourself. But, don't say I didn't warn you.

Stay tuned.

Love the Country, Hate the Government

2011-08-15T13:27:00.000-05:00

Somewhere, I read that it is possible to love your country, yet hate the government. I believe this is true, because it's kinda/sorta what I have been thinking lately. I think a lot of people are having the same feelings. That's one of the reasons all the Republican politicians (Michele Bachmann, most recently) vow to "take the country back." Many of them latch onto that silly, inane line during campaigns. Of course, what they really want to do is take the country backwards. Nevertheless, it is a sign of frustration, and if that party gets back in the majority, you'll hear the same line coming from the Democrats, no doubt. However, what they will want is to take the country forward.

It is questionable that either party will be able to do anything with the country once they "take it back," much like the old dog who chases cars until he catches one and then doesn't know what to do with it. There are no thinker/doers in our government any more. There are posers, orators, whiners, egotists, morons, outright crooks and of course, in many cases, (see tea party) ignoramuses . Mainly, though , both parties, lack "that vision thing," as George H.W. Bush so in-eloquently put it.

Reagan didn't have it, but like to pretend that he did, like the actor he was. Bush the elder didn't have it, Clinton had it and squandered it. George W. wouldn't have recognized an independent idea if it walked up to him and introduced itself. Barack Obama seems to have the "vision" part, but he appears to be too timid to act on it.

I shudder to think who the Democrats would come up with if they took a notion to run someone against Obama. What a bunch of wusses they have turned out to be.

So, unless the American people start getting some smarts, which is doubtful given the state of our education system, what are we to do? We just tootle along, fat and happy, watching "reality" TV and oblivious to the world around us.

After seeing the results of the laughable straw poll in Iowa last Saturday, I was more alarmed than ever. Not one of the candidates and future candidates has anything to recommend him/her. Has anyone ever seen a sorrier collection of people who want to be our future leaders?

And, who decided the timing was appropriate to start the "campaign season" this early? A bunch of uptight. small state, small-minded people smack in the middle of the country who are determined to steal a march on New Hampshire. So, they schedule this meaningless exercise earlier and earlier. It should be against the law to have presidential caucuses or straw polls or primaries before the year in which the election is to take place, and the national media should just shut up about it until then, too.

It's been cooler here for the past few days, and we've had rain. But apparently, my mood hasn't improved. I'm not sure it will.

Stay tuned.

Coming Clean About Cats

2011-08-12T11:41:00.000-05:00

I'm allergic to cats, some dogs, too, but ALL cats. For me, cats represent death by dander. It's a good thing I also don't like or trust cats. There. I said it. So, go call PETA if you want to. I am unrepentant.

I don't even WISH I liked cats. I've known I didn't like them from the day I was born, I think. Can't remember a time when I liked them. I discovered my allergy when I was about six, visiting my cousin, who had a great big, furry, toxic cat. I had only been in the house about fifteen minutes when my eyes started itching and watering, my throat closed up and my lungs collapsed, or at least it felt like they did. It took my parents quite a while to notice what was going on and by then, my whole face had puffed up and my eyes were red-rimmed slits and I was gasping pitifully for air. For two medical people, they weren't very observant when it came to their beloved daughter's suffering, as I recall.

Fortunately, there weren't many cat people among my family and friends. So, it was easy to avoid contact, with only a pet-related question or two before going to their houses.

It was after I married that I found that I might not be allergic to Siamese cats. My then husband's aunt and uncle had two of them, which I didn't know until I had been in their house for over an hour without an itch, a sniffle or a gasp. Turned out, one of them was even stretched out on the back of the sofa where we were sitting, and D.J. 's head head was resting on it. The cat didn't even seem disturbed by being used as a throw pillow.

My sister-in-law loves all animals. She always seems to surround herself with dogs and/or cats. All of her cats are toxic and, they live in the house,even though she tells herself and everyone else they don't. People always seem to claim that their cats are "outside cats", even as they open the doors and bring them in for a few hours' play. Since she always has a cat or two, I can't go to her house. I have comforted myself with the thought that she isn't keeping her cats in, in order to keep me out. She's too nice for that. But, no matter, the effect is the same.

My daughter loves cats. She can either have a visit from a cat or her mother. She has sacrificed the cats, always keeping in mind her place in the will. She has a friend with a cat. This cat doesn't even try to hide its antipathy toward people. He hides under chairs and lashes out with his sharp little claws extended at anyone who walks by him. At least he's honest.

Yes, yes, cats are cute, especially when they are kittens. But, face it, they don't like us, they are always plotting against us, and they can tell who's allergic to them at a distance of 1/2 mile. They'll find us and weave in and out of our legs if we're standing and jump up into our laps if we're sitting. And, they suck all the air out of a sleeping baby's lungs. I believe that.

I don't know what possessed me to write this, but they say confession is good for the soul. And, also, I'm seeing more and more videos of people's cats doing catlike things. Not that I watch them, although I'll watch all the cute antics of dogs. If you love your cat, fine. Just don't invite me over, unless you want to have to call in the paramedics within the first thirty minutes of our visit.

Stay tuned.

Notes and Updates

2011-08-09T12:01:00.000-05:00

Update on Gov. Rick Perry's day of prayer and semi-fasting for the U.S: The media is reporting an attendance of 30,000, but according to people who were actually there, it was more like 15,00 or so. The gullible media always takes the word of the organizers of these affairs. In any case, that means that anywhere from 10,001 to 19,999 people had to sit in unblessed and uncomfortable stadium seats.

And, upon further prayerful consideration and an opportunity to speak to a captive audience, Gov. Sam Brownback of Kansas decided to attend.

Look for Gov. Perry to announce his candidacy sometime this weekend.

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Why should we be surprised that Standard & Poor's downgraded our credit rating? Considering the way the House and Senate have conducted (or not) business since the last election, what else did we expect? And, they will downgrade us further if they keep on acting like jackasses and refuse to cooperate with each other.

The only problem is that their arithmetic was way, way off to the tune of 2 trillion dollars. It is being speculated that Standard & Poor's was making a political statement. And, now they've downgraded Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's rating. Good grief! They didn't downgrade Lehman's, AIG, etc. Political? I think so.

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Look at that face, just look at it. Have you ever seen anything scarier? Look at those eyes. Do you think they glow red in the dark?

The next photo on the front of Newsweek will probably be Gov. Rick Perry. Would you say Newsweek is biased against Democrats? Or, do they, like the rest of the lame-stream media just want to keep things stirred up ahead of the campaign?

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The Iowa Straw Poll is this Saturday. Will someone explain to me why this is so all-fired important? It's just a poll, people! Not an election. It actually means nothing in the grand scheme of things. I don't think these little straw polls and caucuses should even be reported on in the national news. They don't mean anything. Nothing. Wonder what they cost the states who have them?

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OK, my Social Security check will be electronically deposited Wednesday. So, why do I not feel relieved? I'll tell you, why. Because I know that there are still too many nasty, mean-spirited people lurking out there in the weeds, plotting ways to take it away from me. I used to work with a man (a well-heeled Republican) who was of the opinion that Social Security was Welfare. That didn't stop him from lining up for his check every month, but never mind. If he were still alive, I have no doubt he would be a vocal member of the Tea Party.

Stay tuned.

Will You Respond to The Response?

2011-08-05T22:59:00.000-05:00

Who's going to Gov. Rick Perry's day of prayer in Houston tomorrow? Hmmmmmm? Show of hands! It has been advertised as a day of prayer and fasting, although there will be food and water available, and it's free, folks. The stadium holds 71,000 people, but only about 10,000 are expected. Perry invited all 50 governors, and only one agreed to go, and then prayed over it and changed his mind.

Organizers got busy today, blessing 10,00 seats. So better get there early, if you don't want to be in danger of getting seat number 10,001. You can pray and fast and even speak in tongues all day long, but if you're not sitting in a seat that hasn't been blessed, you're screwed.

The event is also going to be simulcast for those who want to stay at home under air conditioning, eating a sandwich and drinking a beverage of your own choosing, not necessarily water. There's no guarantee that your prayers for the deliverance of America will be heard and even less chance they will be answered, but, frankly, the odds are probably the same for the people sweating it out in those uncomfortable stadium seats.

Governor (Goodhair) Perry started all this, and then spent some time saying his own prayer to God to get him out of this debacle. He finally decided to simply use the same excuse all politicians use at one time or another. His participation has been greatly misinterpreted by the media. Why, for all he knows, he will end up being an usher!

So, if you decide to go, pick up a hot dog and bottle of water on the way in. Then, find yourself a blessed seat, and pray, pray, pray. You might as well pray for rain, too. What could it hurt?

Stay tuned.

Free at Last, Free at Last!

2011-08-02T16:01:00.000-05:00

At long last, the votes have been counted, and it's all over but the shouting. The debt limit has been raised, burdened by an attachment that purports to address the debt itself. I must admit that I was wrong. I was betting the voting wouldn't happen until the very last minute Monday night. They managed to milk the situation until noon on Tuesday, the sadistic bastards! This has come to be par for the course in Washington. And, as soon as the votes are counted, both sides claim victory and smile and make nice and call each other "friends" and assure the American people that all the angst was necessary and just proves the system works, blah, blah, blah. Actually there was only one losing side - the side of the American people. And, the politicians just don't care.

They don't apologize for their ham-handed political theater. Oh, no. Instead they promise to put us through the same thing in 2013, when the debt ceiling will need to be raised again. They are counting on the fact that the American voters have short attention spans and even shorter memories. They may be very surprised, come the next election. At least, I hope they are.

And, now, we are to have a "Super Committee" to advise us on reducing spending. Don't we already have one of those? You know, the one President Obama appointed. The one that came back containing Alan Simpson's dream of destroying Social Security? Oh, that's right. That committee had only six members. The new one will have twelve, six from the Senate and six from the House. An equal number of Republicans and Democrats who are doomed to create a Mexican standoff from the first day. And, there won't be anyone to break the stalemate. Does anybody think this will end well?

Does anybody else wish Hillary would run again? I'd like to see a re-match. How about you?

Stay tuned.

Irritating Irritants

2011-07-29T15:13:00.000-05:00

Phew! I sure will be glad when Fall gets here and things begin to cool off, including little old me. It seems everything irritates me lately. I'm blaming the hot weather and not my advanced age.

When I retired, I stopped setting the alarm, except for the days I needed to get up early to go to the lab for blood work or when I wanted to get up early to go to my daughter's house, an eight hour drive. "I'll do whatever I want, whenever I want. No more daily schedules!" I gloated.

After a while, though, I fell into a daily routine of sorts. Up around 8:30 a.m., coffee and roll, watch Matlock reruns, then the view. Then, I'd read or get on the computer, or even nap a little, keeping the TV on just for the noise. I can do more than one thing at a time. It's called multitasking. I have skillz.

I usually have H&G or the Food Network on during the day because they don't require half a brain to watch. However, this summer has been a little different. This summer certain people on TV have started driving me crazy (Jay would tell you that it's not a drive, but a short putt.) Their little idiosyncrasies are getting to me, starting with the women on The View. Whoopi is OK, but Joy gets a bit obsessed with news stories like the Casey Anthony trial. At least, she's funny, though. I'm tired of Barbara and her self-promotion and her talking through a pucker. Elisabeth is just clueless and shrill and needs to learn how to spell her first name. If Sherri (sp?) doesn't hurry up and get married, I may just scream. Her wedding is shaping up to rival the World's Fair, only tasteless, and we are kept abreast of every tiny detail of this three-ring circus. Note to Sherri: You can CLAIM to be a born-again virgin all you want, but you can't un-ring that bell if you talk from now until doomsday, which you seem to think will occur sometime in 2012.

If I have to watch another greedy couple looking for more house than they can afford on House Hunters, it will be too soon. And, I don't want to hear wifey say, while gazing into a walk-in closet bigger than my whole apartment, "Well, I think it will fit all my stuff, sweetums, but where will you put your clothes? Yuk, yuk, yuk. And, by the way, your clothes will fit in the closet, the closet will not fit your clothes.

Most of the folks who are getting on my last nerve, though, are on the Food Network, notably Rachael Ray, with her constant references to "E.V.O.O.," "Sammis" and "Stoups." A little bit of Rachael goes a long way with me, as does Guy Fieri. Question: If you took away Guy's red bell peppers, could he cook at all?

Last, and possibly least, there's Paula Deen, Y'awl. Just give her a "spatchler" and some "pap-a-rika and she's ready to cook. Hey, Paul, it's pronounced "peCANS" not "PEE-cans" and, try to tone down that laugh. If I wanted to watch Hee-Haw, I would.

OK. See what I mean? It's the heat, I tell you. right after the first cold snap next Fall, Paula will once again be a fun-loving, bawdy Southern gal and Guy will, mercifully, hit the road. Rachael will be kinda cute, again, maybe.

And, on The View, Sherri will be safely married and looking forward to her next baby and we'll be regaled daily with discussions of her morning sickness and treated to updated ultra-sound photos. Barbara will still be touting her big interview, probably with the Oslo shooter and Elisabeth? Well, she'll still be an idiot.

Until Fall, I'll be here every few days, all hot and bothered about something.

Stay tuned.

America Under Seige

2011-07-27T13:23:00.000-05:00

It's been a long, hot summer in more ways than one, and it's not over, yet. Mother Nature has delivered quite a beat-down this year and our elected officials are delivering another. We might have insurance against the ravages of Mother Nature, but where do we go for relief from our own government?

What probably started out as the usual posturing and threats of a meltdown over the debt limit has apparently backfired on Congress as the Republicans realize their very own tea party is deadly serious about allowing the collapse. It would be funny if it weren't so serious. If John Boehner had been an effective Speaker of the House, he would not have allowed a minority in his own party to take over and dictate his every move.

Things are bad enough in this country, what with the failing economy and the unemployment situation without all this drama over something as simple as raising the debt ceiling. Why do we even have a debt ceiling, anyway? Is it some ridiculous effort to balance the budget? No other country has one. It's silly to compare today's debt with past debt and deficit. Everything costs more and more every year, and we need to raise some "revenues" in order to pay our bills.

While everyone in Washington is focusing on the debt ceiling stand-off, they are completely ignoring the one thing that would go a long way toward solving the revenue problem. JOBS. In the case of Social Security and Medicare, putting more people to work, and thereby collecting more revenues in the form or Social Security taxes on paychecks would certainly help.

Speaking of Social Security, if our Congress is so terribly concerned about the debt, maybe they should consider the debt the government owes to Social Security. They might start paying back all the funds they have "borrowed" from that program over the past decades.

If neither party can do anything at all, perhaps they should all resign and let us elect someone who will.

Stay tuned. I'll probably get madder.

Happy Days are Here Again

2011-07-26T16:06:00.000-05:00

Arkansas Dino (Democrat in Name Only)Rep. Mike Ross has decided not to run for re-election. This makes me very happy. Everyone says, "Oh, but he's our only Democratic representative in Congress! Well, excuse me, but Mike Ross is a Blue Dog Democrat - which means his vote depends upon whichever way the wind blows in Washington. Now, Akansans have a chance to elect a real Democrat, since that is what they thought they were getting when they elected him.

He says he will probably enter the race for Arkansas' governor. I suspect what he will actually do is stay in Washington and become a lobbyist for the Pharmaceutical industry. That is where his allegiance lies, anyway.

The only thing he could do that would please me more would be to resign as of today.

Stay tuned.

Note To Today's Youth

2011-07-22T11:51:00.000-05:00

Extreme heat makes me very cranky, so when I see something on television that irritates me, I have to blog about it. Also, I holler at the tv, which doesn't do a bit of good, but makes me feel better. So, here goes:

Note to young people on television ads, etc: I realize that you think the way you all talk alike is cute. You girls (and women in their Thirties and some Forties even) affect those high-pitched little valley-girl voices (are you listening, Elizabeth?) and the guys who want to sound like urban thugs or rappers all copy each other.

However, I feel the least you could do is pronounce words properly. Today's lesson, boys and girls, concerns words ending in "n't" - words like "wouldn't." "couldn't," "shouldn't," "hadn't," "didn't" and so on. Look carefully at these words DO YOU SEE AN "E" ANYWHERE IN THEM?

No? Then, perhaps you can explain to me why you pronounce them "wouldent," "couldent," "shouldent," "hasent" and "dident." That apostrophe does NOT take the place of an "E." It takes the place of an "O," as in "would not," "could not," "should not," "has not" and "did not." You should have learned this sometime in elementary school. There are a lot of other words like them, but I just chose them as examples because they are the "pettest" of my pet peeves. Get it? Got it? Good. Now go forth with your knew knowledge and practice, practice, practice.

As long as it stays hot, hot, hot, I will stay cranky, and there will probably be more grammar and pronunciation lessons forthcoming at intervals.

There. I've vented and I feel better, if not cooler.

Stay tuned.

Too Hot To Think

2011-07-19T16:03:00.001-05:00

Just a few observations on this hot, hot, hot afternoon.

Michele Bachmann has migraine headaches controlled by medication, according to the Daily Caller. It is reported that the headaches render her incapacitated, and, caused her to be hospitalized in July of 2101. She assures us, however, that the headaches will not get in the way of her presidency.

If I were married to that man, I'd have migraines, too. Severe ones. Often.

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Rupert Murdoch appeared by a British Parliamentary Committee today. He claims he is shocked, SHOCKED and ashamed at the hacking by staff at the News of the World. He adds that he knew nothing about such goings on. Really.

My prediction: Hacking is just the tip of the iceberg, and his holdings in his country may well be involved.

I'm on the side of the guy who gave him a face full of shaving creme.

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Gov. Rick Perry of Texas thinks being president is his "calling". Well, he has been "calling" regular prayer meetings since his election, and lately has tamped down the messianic rhetoric, but it still follows him around.

I hope he'll go ahead and get in the race. There's always room for more crazy.

Stay tuned.

Those Wacky Ultra-Conservatives.

2011-07-15T12:49:00.000-05:00

I was going to make fun of the Family Leader Pledge, but after I read it, I was too busy trying to catch my breath to laugh. The very idea of any group proposing such an outrageous so-called "pledge" for candidates to sign is appalling. These people are seriously deranged, and so are any candidates who agree to sign this abomination. Talk about trying to legislate morality! ''

This document is an all-out attack on gays, with a few snipes at Mormons, big government, Sharia law, abortion, marital fidelity and jaywalking. O.K. I made that up about jaywalking.

Naturally, Michelle Bachmann was first lin line to sign it. It wouldn't surprise me to discover that her gay-hating husband authored it. He's rabid on the subject of gays. He seems to believe homosexuals can just pray the gay away. Fool.

It was gratifying to see that there are a few Republican candidates who have just enough sense to avoid this pledge like the plague, in spite of their natural affection for politically-based pledges. They propose at least one per election, starting with the Contract for America, devised by Newt Gingrich. Even Newt won't sign this one.

Not that I will be voting for any of them. Heh-heh. But, you knew that.

Stay tuned.

What's It To Ya?

2011-07-10T15:10:00.000-05:00

I'll admit that I haven't paid a lot of attention to the Casey Anthony trial. However, I HAVE been watching with fascination the reactin of the crowds of spectators and wondering, "What's it to them?"

I don't know if Casey killed her daughter in cold blood, accidentally, or if the child somehow got into the pool unattended and drowned and Casey panicked and hid her - or some other scenario - and neither do those rabid spectators. I tend to believe the jurors when they say the prosecution didn't prove their case. In a trial where there is the possibility of a death sentence, I would expect the jury to deliberate for an extended period of time id they were divided.

The fact that this jury came back with a verdict of not guilty so quickly tells me the extent of their reasonable doubt. It suggests that the trial left more questions in their minds than answers. And, that the decision was unanimous from the get-go.Now, the prosecutor has decided to retire, and he's not exactly leaving on a high note.

The question in my mind is what has caused so many people to overreact about the verdict? They can't possibly know what actually happened. But, you'd think they all had some intimate knowledge about the case or some personal interest in it.

Now, y'all know that I have a theory about practically everything that happens and this case is no exception. Here's what I think. Since those spectators don't know the first thing about what really happened, I suspect they are simply always looking for things to be enraged about. Something like the Anthony trial, with all its media atention, gives them an excuse to vent the anger they feel about their lives in general.

Once again, we can condemn the media for their unquestioning acceptance of Anthony's guilt. Nancy Grace (or, I like to think of her as Nancy DISgrace) is notorious for jumping to the conclusion that anyone who is accused and arrested for a crime must be guilty. But, she and the media don't get to decide, and hat's a good thing..

Another thing the media has put forth is the idea that being found not guilty doesn't mean the accused is innocent. At least one of the jurors in this trial has bought into that.

The fact is there is no such thing as a verdict declaring a person is innocent. As far as the law is concerned, a person is either guilty or not guilty. Case closed.

All I can say is Thank God we don't depend on public opinion for our verdicts. This prosecutor didn't prove his case, pure and simple Juries like to have solid evidence, not just circumstantial, before they decide to put someone to death. And, personally, I wouldn't have it any other way.

After the O.J. Simpson trial, attorney Jerry Spence said, "If he did it, just remember, you can't beat the big one". By that he meant O.J. will ultimately be judged by a higher power, and he won't be able to beat that one.

That might be something to remember when we think about Casey Anthony.

Stay tuned.

Blame Where Blame Belongs

2011-07-08T12:04:00.000-05:00

I know I have written about this before, but I don't like to suffer in silence, so here I go again.

There is plenty of blame to go around where the economy is concerned, so we need to stop putting all of it on President Obama. There is only so much one man can do, given the opposition he has encountered , not only from the Republicans, but through betrayal of some of the Democrats. Don't get me started about the Tea Party. Now, I have been disappointed in President Obama in many ways, particularly in the way he keeps giving in to the Republicans on EVERYTHING, even when he had majorities in both houses. At first, it was understandable that he was trying to reach out to the opposition and get them to cooperate, but after a few months, it should have been painfully obvious that they were hidebound and would never give in on anything, even the things they believe in. That's when he should have dug in his heels.

And, let's not forget the governors, in particular, Republican governors, who readily or even reluctantly accepted stimulus money and then simply sat on it, instead of using it for its intended purpose. They have let their states down by not allowing work to start on infrastructure, which would have opened up the job market. But, no. Their inaction has meant no repair of roads and bridges, and many other projects which ought to be obvious to the voters of those states. We will see if those governors reap what they have sewn in their coming elections.

I think we are going to be forced to take a very close look at all of our elected officials, especially those who supposedly represent us in the House and Senate. In Arkansas, we took the blinders off about Blanche Lincoln. We voted her out of office but, in my opinion we elected someone even worse in John Boozman. But, that part of the state is solidly Republican, which is why Blanche voted the way she did so often. It finally caught up with her, and Boozman will eventually get his comeuppance.

Our other senator, Mark Pryor, has been a disappointment to many of us, me included, mainly because everyone loved his father, Senator David Pryor. Speaking for myself, I think we should be ashamed of ourselves for voting for Mark out of our esteem for his father. I didn't stop to think that Mark is not David. My bad. It's just hard to believe that any son raised by David and Barbara Pryor could go to Washington and vote the way he has on so many issues.

Now, we have all this posturing and bombast over the debt ceiling which, in the end, will have to be passed. We have no choice. So, as they have for everything else, they have been dragging their feet and insisting on cuts to Social Security, which has no effect on the economy, since it is self-sustaining. They also want to do away with Medicare, but I haven't noticed them complaining about Medicare Part D (the prescription drug plan which enriches the insurance companies). We need to call the Republicans' bluff on this issue and see if they actually have the balls to vote no. If they do, we will surely know who to blame when we default on our loans.

I just hope we get our priorities straight before end up looking a lot like a third world country.

Stay tuned.

Why Huckabee Won't Run

2011-07-06T11:59:00.000-05:00

His new house will require a lot of upkeep. Can you say "conspicuous consumption" boys and girls?

Stay tuned.

Have a Frantic Fourth!

2011-06-29T22:18:00.000-05:00

My daughter, son-in-law and grandpuppies will be here Friday through the 4th, so, I'll be out of pocket. Hope you all have a great holiday.

See you next week some time.

Stay tuned.

Palin Quits Again

2011-06-24T15:24:00.000-05:00

Sarah Palin apparently just suddenly decided to park that big old bus and go back to Alaska. Before we could either heave a sigh of relief or groan with disappointment, she announced that she'll be back and resume the tour "when it's time." Whatever that means.

There's speculation my the media (who never gets it right) that this means she's not running for president. They need to stop trying to figure out why she does what she does. The one thing she is, is unpredictable. And, she likes it that way.

Personally, I'd love to see her get in the race. Can you imagine what a fine political cat fight that would be, between Palin and Bachmann? I think Bachmann would come out on top, simply because she's a lot smarter than Palin. But, Palin is scrappy enough to make it a fun fight.

Run, Sarah, Run.

Stay tuned.

Thanks, Cox

2011-06-19T15:47:00.000-05:00

For nothing. And, I mean that sincerely. Around 10:30 a.m. last Wednesday, with a soft "click", my Cox Cable went out, along with the phone and the internet. And, I thought bundling was such a goooooooood idea! I had been watching "The View", as usual, yelling a Elizabeth for saying something dumb, as usual, when the screen went blank.

No worries, I thought. I still had my Kindle. At noon, I realized the problem was worse than I thought. So, I did what I always do when I panic. I hollered for my son, Jay. And he did what all men do when women say something isn't working. He tried to turn on the TV and the computer and picked up the telephone receiver. Then, he fiddled with some wires to no avail and decided to call Cox on his cell phone and report the outage.

Calling Cox is no mean feat, even though their ads proclaim "We're local." There is an office right here in town, whose sole function seems to be collecting payments and renting out boxes so you can pay even more to get HD and all the movie channels. The thing you cannot do, locally, is call them. They have a local number, but it isn't in the phone book. If you somehow manage to find out what it is, and call it, you will find yourself speaking to an automated entity, answering all sorts of questions and being bounced from one department to another. In the end, if you are patient enough, you may find yourself speaking to someone in, say, Bangladesh, whose English is limited, whose comprehension skills sub-normal and whose attention span is nothing to shout about, although, shout you will.

This day, Jay lucked out. He spoke to an individual (Chuck) who appeared to be located somewhere in he United States or perhaps Canada. After a brief pause, Chuck confirmed that there had been no outages reported from this area, so, naturally, it was our fault.

So, after having Jay loosen and tighten the same wires he had already checked, Chuck said he would schedule a visit from a repairman, but he couldn't get one out here until the next Monday. Now, Jay is a very nice, polite man, ordinarily. He said "Monday! And, today is Wednesday." Chuck said, "I can try to get someone out there sooner, and by the way, it'll cost you $30.00. Jay was appalled. "Let me get this straight. The problem is in your system somewhere and you have this rigged to charge ME to fix whatever is wrong in YOUR equipment. It isn't even inside the apartment. And, we have to be without the phone, internet and cable for almost a week, to boot ."

At this, Chuck started to backpedal. "OK", he said, "I can authorize a credit for you and I'll call you back and let you know when the repairman will be there." Jay agreed, and said, "but you'll have to call me on my cell phone, because YOUR phone doesn't work!" After a couple of hours, Chuck called back and, surprise! The repairman would be here the next morning between 8 and 10 a.m.

And, he was, and it took all of about 3 minutes to fix the problem. In fact, he fixed it before he even let us know he was here, which I found suspicious, but that's just me. He barely had time to get back to his truck before I got a call (automated, of course), asking if the repairman had been cheerful, helpful and efficient. Nobody inquired about Chuck.

I realize this saga isn't as bad as some we have heard about problems with Cox, but I am convinced that if Jay hadn't taken it upon himself to call them and handle the situation, I would probably still be sitting here without cable, phone or internet, and be facing the prospect of a $30 fee because companies don't think they are responsible for their own equipment, want customers to foot the bill for repairs.

I guess I can find comfort in the knowledge that as long as there is Time Warner, Cox will never be the worst cable company on the planet.

Stay tuned.

Remembering Daily

2011-06-16T15:13:00.000-05:00

I was watching TV this morning and saw the commercial where that cute little dog is obsessing over his bone, worry, worry. That reminded me of the time my daughter and son-in-law asked me and Jay to come to San Antonio and dog sit while they vacationed in Scotland. Since it was the end of October, we were to hand out goodies to the hundreds of neighborhood kids on Hallowe'en as well.

Kelley told us if we really wanted to endear ourselves to Daily, we could give her a pig's ear. Ew. We had to get her some dog food, anyway, so we picked up a pig's ear, too. Ew. Have you ever seen a dried pig's ear? Ew. Never mind. Apparently, dogs love them.

We gave the ear to an ecstatic Daily, who immediately started chewing on it. It was too big for one snack, so she started looking for a place to put it for safekeeping. Thus began two days of frantic activity on her part. No place was secure enough for her. She might have found the right place outside, in a pile of leaves by the fence, but I found her putting it there, so she retrieved it and took it inside. It was a relief to all of us when she polished it off a day later.

On Hallowe'en, I was preparing dinner and Jay took Daily out to the front porch so she could see all the kids in their costumes while he handed out treats. She soon got agitated, so he sent her back inside.

When everything was cooking, I went into the office to check my e-mail, and Daily went right along with me. I had just gotten started, when the phone rang. As I jumped up and turned around, I tripped over something and fell flat, spraining my ankle and almost pulling the book case down on top of me. I hollered for Jay, but he couldn't hear me. So, I crawled painfully over to the swivel rocker in the corner and struggled into it. At the same time, I could hear Kelley's voice on the answering machine: "Mom? Jay? Where are you? You'd better be handing out all that candy. I don't want to be tempted by it when we get home."

I realized that Daily was sitting in front of me, and imagined that she was empathizing with my plight. On closer observation, however, I realized I could read her mind. She was very clearly thinking, "You do know that's MY chair, don't you?" Such compassion.

Daily is gone now, and two more puppies just like her have taken her place. I love the new puppies, but, really, Daily is still my favorite, and I still love her. That's why her picture is on this blog, complete with halo. If there is any such thing as a canine angel, Daily is one.

Stay tuned.

And, Furthermore.............

2011-06-12T22:37:00.000-05:00

The Washington media and the whole of the U.S. House of Representatives gave 'way to their inner adolescents last week as their outrage reached a crescendo over Rep. Anthony Weiner and his texts. They simply relished Weiner's embarrassment, which was nothing but political theater on their parts. As they elbowed their ways to the nearest microphones, they could scarcely find enough pompous words to condemn him for sending the salacious texts to several women. Absolutely everyone who is anyone in Washington or the media jumped on the old Weiner bashing bandwagon. Oh, they had a fine time!

But, there was one area they ignored. I didn't hear a single pundit or congressman chastising the women who were willing participants in this farce. On his show, "Real Time", Bill Mahr and "Glee's" Jane Lynch (I think that's her name) did a dramatic reading of one of the texts sent by Weiner to the woman in Las Vegas. I gotta tell ya, folks, the things SHE said struck me as being a lot dirtier than Weiner's replies to her. Maybe I'm just old fashioned (or sexist) enough to be appalled by women like her, and at the same time expecting nothing better from Weiner. Believe me when I say these women are not victims or innocent parties. Obviously, they had been around the block a few times. Oh, yes they had. They don't get a pass - not from me, at least.

Now, Weiner says he is taking a "leave of absence" (read, "vacation") to "get some help for his problem." Do we believe him? We do not. I wouldn't be a be surprised if we heard, in due time, that he and his beleaguered wife, Huma, were on an extended cruise, taking a leaf from Newt Gingrich's playbook when he needed to step back and retool his failing campaing. When the going gets tough, the tough take vacations.

In the meantime, I read an article today saying that many members of Congress have cut back severely on their own texting. Hah! That's probably a good idea, although if they have anything to hide, I'd say they are a little late for that.

So, bon voyage, Anthony and Huma. In a couple of weeks some other politician will do something worse and you'll be forgotten like yesterday's newspaper.

Stay tuned.

Scandalous, Simply Scandalous

2011-06-08T12:51:00.000-05:00

When is a sex scandal not a sex scandal? When there's no actual sex involved. Duh.
Of course, that doesn't stop the sex obsessed national media from braying on and on about Anthony Weiner's unfortunate (dumb) sexts to several willingly participating women over the years.

The idiot, Weiner, sent photos of his shorts-clad shortcomings and his skinny chest "as a joke", he says. He doesn't know what a joke they really were. He's not exacly a "hunk", you know.

In his long delayed mea culpa (complete with tears), he apologized to his wife, his family, his constituents and me for his dumb behavior. He didn't need to apologize to me. I don't care one way or another. But, he was right in also including the woman he sent the photo to, because he named her. I'm not suggesting that she is a victim in any way. She may be enjoying the notoriety, for all I know.

So, now, there's yet another woman out there, seeking her fifteen minutes of fame, who has turned over lewd e-mails and tweets from Weiner. It's amusing to note, however, that this woman is a porn star. A PORN star who is offended by Weiner's, uh, indiscretion. Please.

OK, so he lied and denied the whole thing. Surprise! They all do, when they get caught. All of them. It's no big deal. Boys will be boys.

Personally, I think the whole argument about resigning or not resigning as a result of sexual misbehavior was put to rest whe President Clinton managed to escape his own sex scandal, in which he actually did have sex. I know, I know, he tried to convince us that a b.j. is not sex, and after a good laugh, the Senate impeached him. His behavior was about as bad as it gets, and he was re-elected.

So, we probably shouldn't pretend outrage over a few lewd texts. We should probably express outrage over something that is really outrageous, like the fact that a New Jersey High School has been applauded, in today's news, for having an 87% graduation rate. And, this is the highest rate in the nation. There's an outrage for you.

Stay tuned.

Mediscare Through the Years

2011-06-04T14:43:00.001-05:00

On June 2, 2011, Sen. Marco Rubio, (R) Illinois said "Medicare is going bankrupt. I don't like that. No one likes that. But, that's the truth, and anyone who tells you that Medicare is not going bankrupt is not being truthful with you or the American public." Phooey!

Here we go, again, folks. This is the Republican equivalent of "the world is coming to an end." They have been trying for decades to get rid of Social Security and Medicare and, for some reason, they seem to think they have a shot at it this year.

The following appeared in a story in the Daily Kos, by Joan McCarter. I thought it was worth repeating here, although I don't often publish stories word for word. It is information we could all have ferreted out for ourselves, over time, but why not just read this?

"Chicago Tribune July 2, 1969: The Medicare hospital trust fund faces bankruptcy by 1976 and taxes must either be raised or benefits reduced the senate finance committee was told today.

New York Times July 7, 1981: Medicare payroll taxes already imposed by Congress, including two increases scheduled for 1985 and 1986, will only be able to keep the hospital insurance system solvent for eight to 10 more years, three Cabinet officers informed Congress. Even under the Reagan Administration's highly optimistic economic projections, the fund will be bankrupt before 2000, the three said.

Washington Post,March 6, 1983: Senate Budget Committee Chairman Pete Domenici warned the nation's governors the other day, "Medicare can be bankrupt in 2 1/2 years," unless some way is found to put the brakes on its burgeoning costs.

Chicago Tribune: June 25, 1983: Medicare is in danger of bankruptcy as early as 1986, the system’s trustees declared Friday.

Chicago Tribune, March 10 1984: To avert Medicare’s expected insolvency, a federal advisory council proposed Friday raising the eligibility age to 67, taxing employer paid health insurance benefits and boosting the tax on alcohol and tobacco… the Congressional Budget Office said Medicare may be insolvent in 1989

New York Times, January 20, 1985: In the last few years, when it appeared that the Medicare trust fund would run out of money in 1987-89... But the need seemed less urgent after the Congressional Budget Office issued new estimates last September indicating that the Medicare trust fund would not go bankrupt until 1994

Chicago Tribune February 6, 1985: Medicare is still expected to go bankrupt in 1991, and a new flood of red tape is not helping America's hospitals.

New York Times, March 27, 1985: Reagan Administration officials said tonight that new projections showed the Medicare trust fund would not go bankrupt until late in 1990's.

Chicago Tribune, Nov. 17 1985: Last spring, the government estimated that the Medicare trust fund would run out of money by 1998. Given less optimistic assumptions about the economy, it could happen as soon as 1992

Washington Post, April 1, 1986: The Medicare hospital insurance program faces bankruptcy by 1996, two years earlier than projected last year.

Chicago Tribune, June 29, 1986: Dr. Jerald Schenken of Omaha, an AMA trustee, said the doctors have worked for more than two years on formulating the plan, because they fear the current Medicare system will go bankrupt by the end of the century.

New York Times, May 22, 1988: Reflecting the view of the Reagan Administration, Dr. William L. Roper, the head of the Federal Medicare and Medicaid agency, said, ''With the Medicare Trust Fund expected to go insolvent shortly after 2000, it is hard for us to sign on for a major expansion of the Medicare program beyond the catastrophic care bill.''

New York Times, January 22, 1989: The fund that pays all Government reimbursement for hospital care of Medicare patients is projected to become insolvent in the next decade or so.

Washington Post May 4, 1990: Control of health costs is considered by many experts to be the number one health problem in the United States. Such costs are expected to bankrupt Medicare by the year 2003."

It's the same old thing. "The sky is falling, the sky is falling. Be afraid, be very afraid!"

Everyone seems to enjoy blaming everything that is wrong in America on President Obama. But, the fact is, the blame can be squarely placed at the doorsteps of the House and the Senate, both Republicans and Democrats alike. They all like to posture and prance before the television cameras, but, frankly, I think we're in this sorry state because while they are very well aware of what need to be done to "fix" things, they simply aren't willing to make the necessary personal sacrifices, such as turning down the outrageous sum from lobbyists and PACs that have enriched them for so many years. So, they blame each other and whoever is president, and go their merry ways, pocketing whatever they can, and making excuses and using scare tactics, not unlike the so-called preacher who keeps predicting the end of the world every few years.

They know and we know that doing away with Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, etc., etc., etc., will not solve our economic problems. In fact, it would probably make things worse, much worse, for the Baby Boomers and beyond, who are just beginning to come of age.

Wouldn't it be nice if our politicians would just open their eyes and do the right things? I think we could all make a pretty long list of things that could be done before they gut the entitlement programs, don't you?

Stay tuned.

.

I Been Thinkin' Again

2011-05-31T11:42:00.000-05:00

Does the Avon Lady still go house to house? Back in the good old days, I was the only one in my neighborhood who ever locked the doors when I was at home. Why, you ask? Because my Avon Lady didn't know how to knock or ring a door bell. Ding-Dong, indeed!! I never knew when she was going to show up. I could be back in my bedroom, changing clothes, or stepping out of the shower and I would hear the carport door open and someone would trill, "You-Hoo! Betty, are you here?" After that jangled my nerves a couple of times, I started locking all my doors and windows when I was at home, which meant that when I got ready to go out, I would pull my arm out of its socket trying to open the door.

I finally figured out how to keep her from walking in unannounced. I moved and didn't tell her where I was going.

I can't complain about her too much, though, because never, in a million years could I do what she did. I simply cannot sell anything to anyone or ask for donations for anything. My standard approach is, "Hello. You don't want to buy (insert product) , do you?" Or, "Hello, I'm collection donations for the (insert charity). You don't want to give to this cause, do you?"

I might not have to worry about encountering an Avon Lady these days, though. I saw an Avon ad, promising me if I agreed to work for them, I wouldn't have to go door to door. I spent a few minutes pondering how the customers would get those catalogs, and then, how they would get the products they bought, but I didn't worry about it very long.

In my younger days, I volunteered for various charities until I realized I wasn't cut out for it. Every time I agreed to help out, someone would say, "OK, you take this neighborhood." and I would say, "You want me to ask people to donate some money? Go to their homes? Oh, no, no, no,no. I'm no good at that." I could stuff envelopes for you. Telephone solicitation? Er, I'm no good at that, either, heh, heh. I could probably write post cards asking for donations, though." Pretty soon, they stopped asking me to help out.

So, I really admire women (or, men) who can go door to door, trying to sell their wares. Just don't come to MY door, because I'll be hiding in the coat closet until you give up and go away.

Stay tuned.

The Doctor Giveth; The Doctor Taketh Away

2011-05-27T15:55:00.000-05:00

I went to the Lab Wednesday, so, today was the day to see the doctor and find out if I've been bad or good. (Turns out, Dr. makes a list, too ) Surprisingly, I have been fairly good, so he didn't change my Diabetes medications.

On the other hand, He told me that my thyroid function had dipped into the Hypothyroid range, so he prescribed a medication for that. I had been telling him that my daddy had suspected that I had a low thyroid function when I was a mere child, and now, I felt he had been vindicated. He had the gall to say "Your daddy was wrong back then, but your thyroid is sluggish now, which is something that happens when people get older." I guess that told me! I wanted to say, "My daddy WASN'T wrong back then. Know how I know? "Cause his name was "Daddy", that's how!" But, I bit my tongue and smiled and nodded.

Anyway, now I have another pill to take, and just when he had taken me off one of my Diabetes meds a mere few months ago. Hence, the title of this blog post.

The good news is he told me I could wait six months to come back and see him, with only a quick trip to the lab to see if he needs to change he thyroid. That was good news for me, but, although he doesn't know it, it is BETTER news for HIM. Talk about my daddy that way! Remind me how old I am! Humph!

Stay tuned.

Judge Judy - Perfect Republican

2011-05-20T22:15:00.000-05:00

I think I have mentioned before that I watch Judge Judy daily, so I could avoid Oprah, and I have come to several conclusions about her. I still don't understand why anyone would agree to go on her show, unless they are under the delusion that they might be "discovered" and go on to bigger and better reality tv.

At any rate, I now consider myself somewhat of an expert on the good judge, and decided to memorialize, on my blog, my advice to anyone contemplating letting her adjudicate, and syndicate, their petty complaints.

1. She likes animals, especially dogs, more than people.

2. She knows nothing about social media, and she doesn't want to know, but that doesn't slow her down.

3. If you're on welfare, medicaid, unemployment, worker's comp or any other government program that helps people less fortunate than she is, you're toast. Might as well stay home.

4. She has no clue how devastating poverty can be. It is beyond her how anyone can have no bank account, or, even in this economy, how someone can be unable to find a job, any job.

5. If she finds out that you are behind on your child support, and she will ferret it out, no matter if the case only concerns the keying of your car, you lose.

6. Ladies, if you show up in her courtroom in a sun dress, she will make somebody get you a sweater to put on over it. And, guys, please don't wear shorts, even if the temperature is 140 in the shade. And, keep your hands out of your pockets, stand up straight, and don't cross your arms in front of you because she sees that as "attitude".

7. She will correct your grammar and pronunciation, over and over if necessary. And scream at you and call you stupid and worse, and you have to just stand there and take it because, as she will remind you, it's her playpen.

8. Don't bring your spouse in as a witness. She won't believe him/her. Same goes for your best friend, mother, father, sister, brother. You'll just have to rely on the kindness of strangers, who really didn't see what happened, but no matter. She'll take their words for it.

9. Your ass is pretty much grass if you're a man, anyway, although she will rule in favor of a policeman without question.

10. For God's sake don't show up for court drunk or high. And, never admit to having a prescription for medical marijuana; she doesn't believe in pain in the lower classes.

It occurs to me that I have watched her for way too long. I think either Judge Judy or I have "jumped the shark". Maybe I'd better just change the channel to something less aggravating.

Stay tuned.

The Duggar Invasion

2011-05-17T22:46:00.000-05:00

The Duggar Family Traveling Circus and Salvation Show came to Harrison today - all 21 of them. Rumor has it, when the manager of Western Sizzlin' heard about it, his blood ran cold. Then, he rushed outside and removed the "Bus Parking" signs.

There was a pretty good crowd. The Mayor, the head of the Chamber of Commerce, the High School marching band and Cheerleaders greeted them at a rally on the square. The Harrison stop was part of a tour to promote a movie called "Courageous", in which some of the family appeared as bit players. The movie was shown in our local "historic" theater tonight as what was advertised as a "Pre-release Movie Event." I can't tell you what it was all about because I didn't attend, but I'm sure I can safely report a big attendance.

The Duggars travel with their very own personal pastor, who prayed over the crowd and led the Duggars in singing hymns. You could also buy a signed copy of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's latest book, predictably entitled "A Love That Multiplies". They can say that again.

What a perfect lead-in to this weekend's Annual Crawdad Days Festival to be held on the banks of Lake Harrison, starting with carnival rides Wednesday Night, and continuing throughout the weekend with all kinds of, er, entertainment, such as clogging, live music and a crawdad eating contest, among other fun times. The Duggars couldn't have picked a better time to appear.

Stay tuned.

Keepin' Government Out

2011-05-13T15:51:00.001-05:00

Last fall, our county Quorum Court decided to opt out of the National Flood Insurance Program, thus making it very difficult if not impossible to people living in flood plains to obtain flood insurance. Their reasoning (?) was "to keep government out of our lives". Morons.

Since then, they have been trying to come up with a new ordinance, which the Tea Partiers and various ignoramuses have been fighting tooth and nail. They keep coming up with ridiculous "what ifs" such as, and I quote, "What if we get back in the program and FEMA decides to redraw the flood plain map and some of us get caught up in the flood plain. What's that going to do to a weak economy when people are forced to buy flood insurance?" Never mind that FEMA hasn't revised their flood plain maps in decades.

No, the real reason they don't want to get back into the program is they just don't want people to be able to obtain flood insurance at lower rates, even though they, themselves, don't have to buy flood insurance. If you live in a flood plain, you are required to carry flood insurance, but if you don't live in a flood plain, you don't have to have it, apparently. Obviously, the people against the program are just plain mean spirited. So, they keep holding "public forums" attended by people who don't know which way is up and two or three member of the quorum court who have their own untra-conservative agendas, and there's no telling when they'll act on the new ordinance which would give citizens in flood plains some relief.

The old argument about keeping Government out of our lives is bogus, and here's why:

Fifty years ago, there was a terrible flood in our town, after which our citizens relied on Federal assistance in the form of FEMA. the Corps of Engineers and Urban Renewal just to name a few. Every since I moved here, I have heard about how Urban Renewal saved the town, and even improved it and consequently, filled the coffers of local businesses more than they could reasonably have expected in normal times.

Many of the people opposing federal assistance are presently enjoying Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, and the Part D Prescription Plan. There is a long list of people cashing in on farm subsidies, many of whom don't actually own farms. I've seen the list. I know who they are.

And, now, we've had some more flooding, due to the extremely heavy rains in the last month. We have been designated a disaster area by the federal government, and will receive government funds, which we will grab with both hands. Our local mayor has decided that the city needs to hire a grant writer, so we can cash in on some of that "free" money that other towns in the area have been receiving for years. Nobody is fighting this idea, so far.

My suggestion to the Tea Party types, should anybody ask me, would be this: If you want to keep government out of your life, then you should personally opt out of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and all other entitlements that you currently enjoy. Then, just sit down and shut up and let the rest of the citizenry enjoy whatever funds help to make their lives more enjoyable.

What we really need to do is keep YOU out of our lives.

Stay tuned.

McCartney To Marry

2011-05-10T12:58:00.000-05:00

Dear Paul,

You don't mind if I call yu Paul, do you? After all, I have bought and sung along with so many of your albums since the 60's, I almost think of myself as the fifth Beatle.lol

I saw in the newspaper that you are going to take the plunge into the sea of matrimony, again. You incurable romantic, you! I hear her name is Nancy Shevells, and that you very wisely dated her for four years before popping the question.

By the way, I think it was very classy of you to hold off the big announcement until after the wedding of William and Catherine. You wouldn't have wanted to upstage them. Well played.

Actually, I do have a few words of advice for you. Take them for whatever they are worth.

I have learned something that might make you want to have second thoughts. Nancy is Barbara Walters' cousin. I'm just sayin'. I've also noticed that she is only seventeen years younger than you. That's in range. And, she seems to have all her limbs which is a a plus.

Listen, Paul, I wouldn't dream of telling you what to do, but if I were you, this time around, I'd have her sign a pre-nup. I know, I know, it takes some of the romance and spontaneity out of it, but, really, how many more $50 million checks can you be expected to write at your age?

In any case, congratulations, Paul. And, I wish you all the best.

Stay tuned.

Emerson CEO Flaunts Greed

2011-05-06T15:41:00.001-05:00

Information partly from a website called stltoday.com

About a week ago,in St. Louis, there was a seminar called "Get Motivated". One of the speakers was David Farr, CEO of Emerson. He received a "Citizen of the Year: award in March. Frankly, in my humble opinion, if the is the Citizen of the Year in ANY year, that particular award should be abandoned.

Farr has long spent his career whining about labor laws, environmental regulations and health care reform. In 2009, he told a group in Chicago, "What do you think I'm going to do? I'm not going to give anybody in the United States." He went on to say he would expand in "best cost" countries instead. " Best Cost" translates to "countries where I don't have to pay a living wage or offer benefits and can make bigger and bigger profits? Yeah!"

According to stltoday.com, last year, Farr made $24.8 million - that breaks down to $47,692 each day before lunch. And, it's not enough for him. The Greedy Gus wants more, more, more.

I worked for Emerson for fifteen years, and I know that this has long been the Emerson Corporate Culture. When time for "annual increases" rolled around, smaller and smaller each year, I was almost embarrassed for the company.

Like all "dinosaurs", the company moved slowly, but inexorably, over several years, toward moving manufacturing plants to Mexico. In fact, the transition was so slow, it actually took a lot of workers by surprise, even in the face of the obvious. They implemented a new computer network inventory system, and held a contest to name the new system. Workers and management alike celebrated the winning name - AMIGO. I can't recall what the letters stood for, but at the time, I knew, and said, rather loudly, "Well, we're losing our jobs to Mexico before long." I was roundly ridiculed at the time. Within a year, the movement southward at our plant began.

First, there were the new manufacturing plants built just across the border (so the managers could still live in and enjoy all the amenities in the U.S.) Then, we began to hear about U.S. plants being closed and the product lines moved to the new facilities. At our plant, they sent some of our supervisors to Mexico to train the people who became their replacements, and newer factories were built in Chihuahua.

Inevitably, all U.S. plants were closed and the product lines moved south, while the upper management housed itself in its corporate digs in St. Louis. where they still happily enjoy all the comforts of the United States. So, now, there are Emerson plants Mexico, Puerto Rico, Haiti, and God alone knows where else.

Over the years, there were a few costly missteps made by overeager company Vice Presidents, notably the decision to try to sell air cleaners to the denizens of the Middle East. I could just imagine the sand clogging all those air cleaners. It was rather amusing, really. Then, they decided to "partner" with China. Nobody partners with China. They will allow you to build factories there, then, before you know it, they have taken them over and you're left holding the bag, owing million$ on a plant you no longer own. Suckers!

Nevertheless, I hung on to my low and increasingly lower-paying job because there's no real opportunity for advancement in my area, until my boss told me one day that my job was being discontinued. Of course, they lied, again. I held the same position as women in two other plants, and their jobs were not cut out from under them, but our whole plant was being closed, two or three job descriptions at a time, until they were finally all gone.

Ours wasn't the only corporation "downsizing in this way. It was happening all over the country. All in the name of greed. It hasn't stopped, and it will continue until our leaders pass some laws making it unattractive to the corporations.

Stay tuned.

Bin Laden Sleeps With the Fishes

2011-05-03T00:21:00.001-05:00

Sunday, an elite group of Navy Seals stormed the concrete mansion where Osama Bin Laden had been hiding in plain sight, in Pakisan. They were trained to kill, and kill they did. Everyone in sight. When they got to an upstairs bedroom, they found Osama Bi Laden, his wife and his son. First they killed his son, then, when Bin Laden tried to use his wife as a shield, they killed her, too. Then, they killed Bin Laden.

They took custody of his body. Later, they took his picture, harvested a few of his organs for DNA purposes, wrapped his corpse in a tarp and dumped him in the ocean.

Only a few hours after the world was notified, the inevitable whining began. "They shouldn't have buried him at sea. That's not the way Muslims do it." No, Muslims don't usually bury their dead at sea, but it isn't against their religion to do it that way.

To whom were we going to give his body? Surely not Pakistan. The countries in the Middle East would have bounced his old carcass around like a hot potato. Nobody would have wanted to bury him. We wouldn't have wanted him to be turned to a martyr. It kind of takes the fun out of building a shrine when there's no one buried there, doesn't it?

Some of the families of the 9/11 victims stated that they wanted to be allowed to see the body. Then, other folks would demand to see it, too. Before you know it, his remains would have been placed in a glass-topped coffin and hauled around the country like that smelly old dead whale that PT Barnum took from state to state in a refrigerated truck back in the day.

When everyone had satisfied his/her blood lust, then what would have been done with him? Nobody wants him buried here. I guess we could send him up with the space shuttle and push him out the door.

He's gone and good riddance. Just this once, can't we simply shut up and rejoice?

Stay tuned.

Heartless Conservatives

2011-04-25T22:30:00.000-05:00

Just a little background on Sen. Paul Ryan, (R) His father died when Paul was 16. Tyan then started collecting Social Security, which he was able to put away for college, because his mother was on some government program (maybe disability??). His grandmother moved in with them. She was on Social Security and Medicare.

So now, he wants to do away with Social Security and Mecare. All too typical

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State Representative Bruce Caswell of Michigan wants to make sure poor children in his state are forced to spend their annual $80.00 clothing allowance at thrift stores like Good Will. Apparently, he feels that because the kids are poor they just don't deserve any better.

He later modified his bill to allow major retail stores to come up with a plan to create gift cards to be used only for clothing. Caregivers would have to jump through hoops before being allowed to by clothes for the children.

He admits the plan wouldn't save Michigan a dime. He just wants to make sure the money is spent where he thinks it should be spent.

Just another controlling tactic so popular with Republicans.

Stay tuned.

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth

2011-04-21T16:17:00.000-05:00

You don't mind if I call you Elizabeth, do you? After all, I feel I've known you for a lifetime. In fact, we may even be related. Both my grandparents were British, you know, and if Grandma was right about her ancestry, we might very well be, at best, cousins; at worst it is possible that I should be the Queen and you, well, a pretender. But, no matter. No hard feelings here.

As a matter of fact, it has been a lifetime since I watched you, as a young girl of 25, waving shyly to the crowd helping you celebrate your coronation. Watching you on that day, so many years ago, I became an Anglophile, and have never wavered. I have admired the way you have carried out your job and the dignified way you have endured all manner of misbehaviour (notice the British spelling?) of your various children,grandchildren, sister and the rudeness of the paparazzi over the years.

The way you handled the intruder in your bedroom years ago was magnificent. You kept your head (which so many of your forebears have failed to do by the way), and very calmly offered to go and get him a cigarette, thereby making your escape and raising the alarm. What poise! What nerves of steel!

I suffered along with you when Charles married the clueless Diana, and then treated her so badly she finally obtained a divorce and took up with that Arab. I felt your pain when your Subjects seemed to take Diana's side (The People's Princess, indeed), and temporarily turned their backs on you. I see they have come around, now and you are revered once again. Such patience on your part! Such dignity!

And, now, you are Eighty-Five and still going strong. Charles is still waiting in the wings, and then, there is William, second in line. The future reign of the Windsors seems secure.

I know you will enjoy next week's Royal Wedding of Wills and Kate. That should be quite a blow-out, in spite of the fact that they have lived together, off and on, for nine years. How progressive of you to approve of their union! How openminded!

So, Happy Birthday, Elizabeth, and many, many more.

Stay tuned.

Oops! Missed it.!

2011-04-19T15:36:00.000-05:00

Don't let this photo fool you. It was taken several years ago. I just thought I'd post it to celebrate the fact that my five-year blogaversary was April 16, and I completely forgot it. I started blogging just a couple of months after my son, Jay, started his. He kept urging me to start a blog, so I did, thinking I would just stay interested for a little while, a year at the very most. Now, Jay has given up his blog. And, here I am, still, all out of ideas and not wanting to quit. Not that I haven't thought about giving it up. But, every time I think I will, I think about all of you, and how much I enjoy your comments and your blogs, and I decide I just don't want to stop blogging.

But, I do need to think of a way to blog more often. And, I don't want this to turn into just a blog of political rants. It's hard to come up with ideas since I am old and reclusive, and even when I do get out, there's still nothing interesting going on in town.

Anyhoo, I'm going to try to make this blog more interesting, and if not more interesting, at least more varied. So, don't give up on me. I'll just keep plugging along. And, thanks to all of you who continue to read and comment. I look forward to seeing your name in Comments and reading your blogs.

Stay tuned.

Where's the Outrage?

2011-04-13T22:26:00.001-05:00

I'll tell you where. It's everywhere. Following are just a few of the outrages found in various parts of the country recently.

In a Norfolk, Virginia, a teacher thought it would be a great idea to teach the Civil War by separating black students and let the white students auction them off.

In the same school district, a teacher decided to take it upon herself to baptize a student with holy water because she thought the student's parents were atheists.

Another time, in the same school district, a tacher handed out flyers to 8 year olds to take home to their parents, urging them to vote for to vote for making medical marijuana legal.

And, again, same district, a teacher made her students wear necklaces which sported tiny fetuses, as a pro-life gesture.

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The Maine legislature is about to legalize switch-blades, but only for people with one arm.

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Once again, the powers that be at the Masters have enraged untold numbers of women. They did not allow female reporters to go into the locker room and interview the golfers after the tournament, while the male reporters were welcomed. The Rednecks will never learn.

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I saw a commercial in which three worried-looking women were agreeing that "It's time to talk about what's really going on in the bathroom." We've come a long way from "Please don't squeeze the Charmin." A long way, the wrong way.

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And in Britain, scientists have confirmed the theory that the brains of Conservatives and Liberals are different. Conservatives' brains are much smaller and smoother. OK, I made up that last sentence, but not the first one.

Stay tuned.

I Wanna Be Like Her

2011-04-08T15:28:00.000-05:00

If there is such a thing as reincarnation, I want to come back as the Barefoot Contessa. OK, I don't want to BE her, I just want a life like hers.

Oh, boy. That huge house in the Hamptons, those incessant picnics on the beach or in one of her lush gardens. How about a progressive dinner, with appetizers on the side porch, dinner on the front porch, and dessert on the other side porch. Ah, luxury.

The Contessa would have us believe that she's just another housewife, working out of her home. Actually,cooking is her hobby, and catering to her equally rich friends is a way to fill her idle hours.

I don't for one minute think she keeps that house and her gardens looking picture perfect by herself. I'm sure those impeccably clean hands have never held a dust rag. We never see them, but I'll bet she leaves all the real work to "staff". "Oh, Jorge, it's time to take the table and chairs down to the beach for the luncheon. Lupe, you go with him and set the table, and don't forget the centerpiece this time!"

I'd love to be able to run just down the road to the gourmet grocery and wine shop, then back to the kitchen, where I would whip up a fantastic Friday night dinner for a husband, who has been in the city, working, all week, and comes home on most weekends. Imagine being married for forty years to a man you've hardly ever seen. Heaven! Even I might have managed forty years of marriage that way.

If the Contessa doesn't lead a charmed life, I don't want to hear about it. I just want to go on fantasizing about the kind of life she projects on television.

Yep, I wanna be just like her in my next life, only maybe a little taller and a little thinner. Oh, and I wouldn't laugh like that, either.

Bitter, table for one?

Stay tuned.

Shut Down/No Shut Down

2011-04-05T22:37:00.000-05:00

I am just fed up with all the posturing and threatening to shut the government down if the Republicans don't get their way. They might as well take out the provision in the bill that will effectively privatize Medicare and probably do away with Medicaid altogether. It'll never pass the senate, and then the government will shut down for a couple of days until they finally decide to cooperate with each other. Then, the namby-pamby Democrats, and their (ok, OUR) fearless leader, will give away the store in order to pass the budget, and there will be hell to pay.

In the meantime, they might not send out my Social Security check (or, in my case, direct deposit), and that'll make me even madder. I might need to go ahead and double up on my blood pressure medication, just in case.

By the way, IMHO, somebody needs to take that fool Rep. Ryan out behind the woodshed and tan his hide good. He has no idea what would happen if his ideas were actually put into effect.

I think the Republicans know that if they don't succeed in doing away with desperately needed entitlements now, by the time the Baby Boomers become eligible for Social Security, in full force, they won't be able to do it in the foreseeable future. They're not worried about Social Security going broke. They're worrying about the Boomers finally realizing that most of them need the entitlements, and, by that time, there are too many of them to fight.

Stay tuned. :(

What About Libya?

2011-03-31T15:19:00.000-05:00

You've heard about the dog who chased cars until he finally caught one, and didn't know what to do with it? That's what the Libyan rebels remind me of. I can't help but feel that we're participating in a giant farce.

We're talking about arming the rebels, but when they get rifles, they don't know how to load them, apparently. And, who are they, anyway? There is no identifiable leader. We don't know that they aren't all Al Qaeda, do we? In face, many of them may well be.

What is our goal in Libya? By "our" I mean Nato's goal, which we share. There have been many statements made by people in our government, claiming that we aren't trying to oust Kaddafi, but simply trying to save Libyan civilians from being killed. So, why did President Obama sign a "secret" document, allowing CIA agents to infiltrate rebel forces? Do we really believe the CIA would be sent in to "train" the rebels, or were they sent in to show them how to assassinate the leader of their country, a leader we have propped up for decades? It wouldn't be the first time,

I think we'll come to regret our involvement in this fiasco. At best, we'll leave the country in disarray, with a leader who may or may not be friendly to our country. At worst, we'll leave it in rubble with no real government and no infrastructure, like we've done in Iraq, and like we're apt to do in Afghanistan.

We have gotten real cagy about what we call our military interference in others' civil wars. It's all semantics. We called Korea a "Police Action" and Vietnam was referred to as an "Escalation." All so we wouldn't have to formally declare war. Now, we're meddling in North Africa and the Middle East. Good grief!

I just don't know how we manage to get ourselves embroiled in these conflicts, when there is so much that needs to be done in our own back yard.

Stay tuned.

Another Year

2011-03-24T01:46:00.000-05:00

I don't really celebrate birthdays any more. But, I want to keep on having them.

That's all I have to say about that.

Stay tuned.

I Hate Walmart

2011-03-22T16:16:00.000-05:00

Ok, I should never have ordered anything from Walmart. But, I wanted that little Black & Decker one-cup coffee maker. It had a 16 oz. mug that had a lid and could be taken with me when I went somewhere - if I ever went somewhere. Besides, 16 oz. is just about as much coffee as I want in the mornings, so I would be saving money and not wasting any. It was the only one-cup coffee maker I could find that took regular coffee, too. So, I was anxious to buy it.

The first disappointment was I couldn't use a Walmart Gift Certificate from Christmas. No explanation. Just a criptic note that they would not accept gift certificates. That wasn't a deal breaker. So I went ahead and ordered it to be sent to the local store, thus saving shipping charges.

It surprised me by coming in 'way earlier than I thought it would. So, I was a happy camper.

Then, after a week, just when I had almost figured out how much or little coffee to use to make my perfect cup, I tried to turn it on one morning, and nothing happened. The thing was dead as a doornail. How disappointing. But, it was a cheap little thing, so I decided I didn't need it after all. I went back to using my regular, 10-cup coffee maker and making about two cups a day. It was a bit wasteful, but never mind.

So, I decided that I should go to the Walmart website and rate the product. All the reviews I had read were glowing reports, and I soon found out why. Walmart apparently doesn't want negative reviews, and has figured out a way to avoid them. After I submitted the review they required me to fill out a form and to pick out a "Permanent Nickname" before they would accept it. Strangely enough, every single nickname I came up with was already being used by someone else. After I submitted about a dozen, I realized that my permanent nickname should actually be "Sucker". So, I just clicked out of it and decided to complain about it here. So there, Walmart. You can't silence me! And, you can't keep me from contacting Black & Decker and reporting my experience to them, either. Ha!

Stay tuned.

Today, Libya, Tomorrow What?

2011-03-21T15:22:00.000-05:00

I read that our first week's participation in the Libyan mess will cost the U.S. One-Half Billion Dollars. How is it that we can afford unlimited funds for intervention in other countries' business, but we can't save Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Education, Veterans affairs, etc., etc., etc.?

According to David Gergen, we aren't trying to get rid of Kaddaffi (or however you spell it) or assist the rebels. The U.N. says we are simply trying to save innocent civilians there. After, it's all over, they say, Kaddaffi may still be in power. But, it's not the business of the U.N. to do away with him.

Here at home, it's "Obama should do this", "Obama should do that." "Why hasn't Obama acted before now?" First, what would you have Obama do? Send troops in on the ground in Libya, like we did in Iraq and Afghanistan, bomb them, leaving no infrastructure and no real government, then pull out, leaving rubble and chaos in our wake. Are we going to just work our way around the world like that?

Many other countries have despots for leaders. Should we just go into all those countries with guns blazing, dropping bombs indiscriminately, paying no attention to the desperate problems here at home?

And, then, we have the American media, happy to send correspondents to all other countries, at great expense, to report, 24/7 on them. Makes me wonder what the Republicans in Congress are getting away with while nobody is watching. There are 24 hours in a day, with news channels operating all 24. Surely, there is enough time to report on domestic issues between wars and natural disasters.

Phooey!

Stay tuned.