Truly Man's Best Friend...

Today I have been inspired by man's best friend. The two doggies that I'm referring to are Diamond and Sugar. These two may be the two best doggies in the world...but I'm sure that I am prejudice. Anyone who says that dogs do not have distinct personalities do not know what they are talking about or have never had very many dogs! You have Diamond the 8 yr old lab and brindle pit mix, clearly the veteran of the two; has the been there; done that attitude. Loves people, kids, to play, and to cuddle. He is obedience and protection trained. He definitely is a family friend in the true since of the word. Then you have Sugar the 3 yr old yorkiepoo, she is a wild child that plays with you even when you want some quiet time. She has made a career out of aggravating Diamond, but he loves her. She loves to chew and play with her toys and especially likes the rawhide type chews...loves her crate at night...it gives her a feeling of being safe and protected. She is obedience trained also...at least as much as you could with her hyperness! She is the boss of the house there is no doubt about this. She is extremely shy around new people and will often run and hide when guests arrive. She is very slow in getting to know anyone new. I would declare to anyone that both have a complete understanding of the English language. They are always loving and never judgemental...they are a great joy and comfort in your life...I believe that everyone should have a pet. In many areas of the country today the shelters and havens that take care of pets are in financial need and in need of volunteers. I know that many of you out there have pets and it is a shame that so many in our nation are on the streets and not taken care of. If you have a little spare time volunteer at your local shelter or rescue operation. If you don't have the time maybe you could give a little to ease the burdens of these places...they have to buy food, medicines, and pay for structures to house these pets. Many of the counties have shelters and they also need your help. It is little to do for pets that could bring joy to that home or that family lucky enough to adopt. I have went on and on, but I am proud of my doggies and want other pets to have the same chance as mine. After all they are "Truly Man's Best Friend!!!"

Be Safe Till It Hurts

The information has come to me through my sources that the war in Iraq is costing the U.S. Taxpayer, that's You and Me in case you are wondering, about 22 Billion (that's Billion with a "B") dollars a month!!! My sources are good. You can add an additional 9-12 Billion Dollars a month for the ongoing operations in Afghanistan and else where around the world. I believe in fighting terrorism...I believe in our freedoms and anyone that reads my articles can tell you that! I am a combat veteran of many campaigns myself! I just have one question: How in the hell are we as Americans going to be able to pay for this? It could take many lifetimes and generations. Controlling a good part of the world costs lots of money. We never spend this much money on the domestic common good. This is money that could be spent on the support of our great domestic programs like social security, medicare, health care for the children and the elderly, taking care of the environment, our homeland security, soldiers and their families benefits, and I could go on and on and on!!! Think of the good will projects that could be accomplished with this money. Does it really cost this much to feel safe in our homes? I have not even mentioned the cost in human lives....and this is a true tragedy. We could continue the fight on a limited basis and an as needed basis using our military strategically and striking quickly with far better results....keeping the enemy guessing on when and where they will meet their end. This would take far less money, and we could leave these two countries to govern their selves with their own money. Possible leaving a small contingent force to help with the security and training of their troops. Now we are in the open for all the radicals to take pot shots at...and then they go to the press with their violations of their koran and mosque stories...this makes me sick to my stomach. All I can say is: I know that the Government can do a better job and spend our money more wisely than they do. I know this for a fact. Maybe we should take a long look at where we have been, where have come from, and where we are headed!!! By the way, my spell check says that I should capitalize the word koran......right......sure I will!!!

Healthcare: What a Great Racket

Today I'm going to spend a minute or two in order to talk about the health care crisis. What health care crisis!!! It looks to me as if the health care industry is booming like never before. It's a great racket. Think about it...everyone makes money off of the sick person. The insurance company, the doctor, the pharmacy, the hospital, the drug producing companies, and they are all in on the racket. It is a business that Tony Soprano would be proud of, or maybe even the real Mob Bosses if there are any left out there. The AMA and CDC set the standards as to when a person should be medicated for a certain problem...who are they? Well, they are Doctors of course. These standards for testing are getting lower and lower each and every year and harder for the patient to keep in check, especially as they get on in age. For example it use to be OK to have a fat level in your blood of 200-225, a sugar level of 100-110, blood pressure 140 over 85, be appox. 50 pounds overweight, but not anymore...they want all of those levels lower...and how are they going to get them lower...prescribe a pill! There is a pill made by a pill company for everything under the sun...and they want to make sure that Doctors are prescribing them for every patient that they see. Then you have to go to the pharmacy to get these filled. You can bet that your local pill prescribing Doctors are well taken care of by the companies making these medications as well. Every direction that a patient turns someone is billing them for something. Each Doctor that treats you sends a bill even if they just step in your room and look at a chart. The hospital sends a bill, the pharmacy, and anyone that reads a specific test, it is no wonder that a person cannot keep up with the bills after a short hospital stay or procedure. This is just Crazy!!! I don't know how an elderly person on a fixed income can afford any type of health care in America. I have heard talk of the Government becoming involved in the process....that is all that we need....You want even be able to get a hang nail fixed then!!! I don't pretend to have all the answers....but there has to be a better way than this! It is no surprise to me that people go to other countries if they are going to have a major medical procedure done...usually a country with a social medicine program!!! Some of the side effects of the medications are a little suspicious also. Your anxiety medication will make your sugar go up, your fatty blood medicine will make your blood pressure go up, your sugar medicine will make your fat in your blood go up, your blood pressure medicine and several other medications will cause sexual disfunctions and E.D. and we all know the dangers of E.D. medicines on the heart. All I have to say is it is a hell of a racket and I wish I could get in on some of the profits...lol...lol!

Explaining Death to Children

I was on the phone with my sister the other day and she told me that her daughters cat had passed away suddenly. We were discussing the difficulty involved in explaining death to a child. Children have to deal with this many times when they are growing up. They lose pets, friends, and relatives to the dark angel known as death, and we as adults are at a loss for words to comfort them. This is one of the times that it is hard to know just what to say. She said that my niece had been taking it well and I believe that this is her first real dealing with the subject. When my own children were growing up; I would talk to them about passing from one life to another, like the caterpillar and the butterfly. That discussion worked well for them when they were younger. They grew up however and we had to discuss things like the belief in an after life for all beings great and small. As we all know there are many beliefs on this subject and each family has to teach their children in the way that they believe. As adults we believe the way we want when it comes to death, but I believe that children should be taught in life after death and given this hope. All faiths and beliefs practice that there is an after life and it begins when we die. Of course atheist don't believe this, but hell, they don't believe in anything. How does this person talk to their child about death? I have often wondered about this. Many times in my lack for discussion and explanation, I would turn to the Holy Bible and make an attempt to explain it in Christian terms of Heaven and Hell. This is often difficult for a young child to understand, but it works well when they become teenagers; you can often get a little morals and values talk into them as well. If it is a relative that they are dealing with, it is good idea to go to a clergyman or pastor for counseling in this matter. It is not an easy subject to discuss with anyone young or old and each person seems to handle it differently, but it is especially hard for a child. I believe that every child should be taught that there is hope out there beyond the grave; this would be a sad, long, hard, journey if we did not have that hope. I believe that we do have that hope...

Changing times...

We were recently at an eatery in my local area. We had enjoyed a nice meal with my father and mother. This is a nicer place and had live entertainment on this particular evening. A musician with a guitar and harmonica blowing out tunes from the 50's and 60's working for tips and taking requests. It was a really good atmosphere and all was going well until my father, who is 70 yrs old lit up a cigarette. Our wonderful state that we live in has passed a no smoking law in public and we had not even thought about it since we had been to this place many times before when smoking was permitted. Immediately the waitress ran over and said, "Sir, there is no smoking in here!" and then she pointed to the outside where my parents had to go to smoke. You could tell my father was embarrassed about the whole incident. I myself do not smoke and I understand the no smoking rules, but to look at my father's face was disturbing. At their age they do not understand the changes that are happening in our Nation....and sometimes neither do I. The waitress went on to say that the State Police had been conducting road blocks during the weeks since the law was passed to look for persons traveling with more than two cartons of cigarettes or more than two cases of beer in their possession, because apparently this was a violation of that same law. Apparently these items are cheaper across the state line and people had been buying them in bulk and bringing them into this state. Wow, roadblocks looking for cigarettes and beer....in America!!! Needless to say this just about ruined the entire evening. I have said it before and I will say it again: I don't know where we are headed in America, but I don't like it!!! Only two people have ever lived on this earth and have volunteered to give their lives for you......that is Jesus Christ and the American Soldier and Service Persons....they put it on the line everyday to protect our lives and freedoms. I'm telling you folks we are losing freedoms in this Country at an alarming rate!!! We have to take a stand...

Church doesn't bother me!

Church doesn't bother me. It doesn't bother me when someone wants to talk about their faith. I like it when someone says, "God bless you." or "God be with you." or "Merry Christmas." The Baptist Church down the road from my house puts on a live nativity scene every year at Christmas and I love it. I have been around Christianity and Christian people all my life and have never felt threatened or feared them for any reason. Why are so many in this Country of ours against God, the ten commandments, faith, Christianity, and the freedom to worship in general? I simply cannot figure it out...in the time of terrorism, murders, rapes, robberies, and evils on every corner...it would seem that we need God and Christian people more than ever! Instead of calling on a Deity for help in these times, we just keep telling God to but out....of our lives, our schools, our government, and the daily decisions we make....and who knows one day he just might give us our wish. We are already at an all time low in church attendance in the Nation and there seems to be less and less interest in the belief of a higher being among our young persons. We have indeed lost many freedoms that we may never get back because the good people of America are not standing up for their beliefs, morals, values, and integrity. It is the very glue that has held the Nation together over the years of wars, depressions, and hardships of every kind. Can we really afford to turn our back on God now??? The family units in this Nation are in a state of chaos....as are many of our leaders and their personal lives...where can we turn if we are asking God to but out all the time! We need to take a long look...before we leap into these next few years and ask ourselves, "Do we really want things to continue going the way that they are going?" We are losing many freedoms in this Country every day...Our freedoms are all we have as a governed people and we have to protect them. So the next time someone tells you, "God bless you." say, "Thank you." and mean it. I don't want to lose the things our great Nation was founded on and I don't want to lose any more freedoms!!! We can make a difference if we stand together. I know that we have all heard the expression, If you don't stand for something---then you are going to fall for anything, this has never been more true than it is today!!!