Feeling Very Blessed

I am going to take a moment to brag on my family. We have had a great Christmas and Holiday Season. I feel so blessed to have great family members on both sides and have every confidence that we will always be there for each other! God has certainly blessed us all and I am very thankful for every blessing. All I can say is, "My Cup Runneth Over!"

Fear: Man's Creature

Fear is a creature brought forth by man. It is a major factor in all our lives whether we want to believe it or not. It molds us, holds us, motivates us, drives us, and can even destroy us if we fail to keep it under control. It is not merely an emotion as most people think....it is a living being. Many of the ancient writings and texts suggest this. My Father recently ask me if I was afraid of him....what a question. I told him that I love and respect him; but I am not afraid of him. Sometimes love and respect can grow from fear....let me explain. My Father had 2 brothers in prison when my brothers and I were growing up and if we did anything that even remotely resembled a future criminal problem.....my Dad would beat it out of us with a belt!!! Now he did not realize at the time....the example set by his life was good enough to get our respect and love and reached far beyond what a belt would do....but, this was the way Fathers did back then. When I was young I feared many things....peers, opinions, sometimes bullies....but as I got older I played football, lifted weights, got into music and martial arts; and most of those fears faded away. This is not the type of fear I am writing about. I'm talking about the gripping fear of failure, of Death, of getting old and sick, of not being in control of yourself, of lost memories, lost loves, of losing yourself, losing loved ones, of losing everything you have in life, and the possibility of being killed before your time is up. The fear of images, dreams, and memories to horrible to bare. People fearing other people....what an awful thing to have to face. In the big cities, the high crime areas, and even in combat during a time of war. I never understood people living in a state of fear or panic....afraid to walk down a dark street, to be in a big crowd, or to venture out at night. I always believed that this type of Fear belonged to other people....weaker people; until I realized that it belongs to us all! You have to own something that you have created. I didn't think it could ever touch me; I was too brave and strong....and then it did! When it grabs onto you....You know that it's been there all along....waiting beneath the surfaces of everything you love and hold dear....and when you see it....it can make your skin crawl and your heart feel like it is going to stop. It can make you look at the person you once were and wonder....can I ever be that person again? All you can do is face it in battle and try to recover everything it has taken from you!!!

Our Enemy in Life is Time

We all have a common enemy in Life and that is Time. It begins when we are born and none of us ever know how much of it we have. When we are young; we all think that we will live forever and that time has no hold on us at all....but it does. As we get older....we tend to think that modern medical technology will come up with some miracle that will slow the process that ages us....but it will not. Eventually we will all run out of time and be over taken by Death and then will ride with him into the great unknown. How will this happen? We all think about this from time to time.....this is also kept as a great mystery.....why can't we know? I have no answer for this except that maybe we were not meant to know. I was in northern Kentucky teaching a class a few years back and was introduced to a woman who was 103 years old. She was very alert and could still get around well and also very chatty. She told us that the only regret she had from living so long was that she had out lived everyone she knew in life. She had even lived longer than all her children and two of her grand children. I could tell that this had caused her a lot of pain. You just have to make the most of the time you have; spending it with the ones you love and doing the things that make you happy. We all know that Life will end one day and all you can do is try to be ready for it.....when it comes. As sure as the sun rises and sets.....time is running out on us all.....and Death will not wait for you to finish up what you are doing. This reminds me of a poem by Emily Dickinson: Because I Could Not Stop For Death....He kindly stopped for me. The carriage held but just ourselves; and Immortality. We slowly drove, he knew no haste, and I had put away.....My labors, and my leisures too, for his civility. We passed the school where children played, and wrestled in a ring. We passed the fields of gazing grain; we passed the setting sun. Since then it has been centuries, but each feels shorter than a day. I first surmised the horses heads.....were toward eternity. My Friends....live life as if it will not Last....because, of course; It Will Not!!!

It Is Veterans Day

Today is Veterans Day in America. If you get a chance to thank a Veteran today you definitely should. You could even give them a big hug and let them know how much you appreciate them! The Freedoms you enjoy each and every day in America....comes to you through our military and Veterans blood, sweat, and sacrifices made both presently and in the past. In 1978, I was 16 years old working at the A&P grocery located in my home town. I knew a gentleman called Jack; he had been our mail man since I was a little boy and also a loyal customer at the grocery store. I had got to know him quite well over the years. What I am about to tell you has never left me in all these years....It was on June 6th, 1978 that I was bagging up Jack's groceries for him. He said, "Well, today is June 6th and this is a very significant day for me and for the whole country Tony ole boy; do you have any idea why???" Now keep in mind that I was young and not much of a thinker back then....and of course I had no idea what he was getting at; so I smiled and looked up at him and replied "No." He immediately became saddened by this and I could tell that he had expected me to know....so I apologized to him for not knowing....and ask him if he would tell me. He said, "Well, on this day when I was 17 years old....I landed on the beaches of Normandy with many of my friends to help drive Hitler's Army out of Europe and put an end to all the evils they were doing. Many of my friends died there that day and the ocean ran red with their blood. This weekend I am going to see some of the ones who made it back home with me for the first time since that day!" We just stood there and looked at each other for a moment and I noticed a tear running down Jack's cheek....I extended my hand and shook hands with him and said, "Thank You..." I worked at that store for the next 4 years while I attended college and every June 6th...I would see Jack....let him know that I remembered his bravery...and thank him. I believe that Jack is the reason that I am a Combat Veteran today...and I will never forget this as long as I live. I had known Jack all my life...and did not know this about him. Veterans are not going to stick out at you like an Uncle Sam Poster....they are your mail man, police man, friends, and family. They are all around you. Be sure you give a veteran a moment of your time today....if anyone deserves it....they do!

Facts About Your Social Security

"A Government which grows big enough to give you everything you want; will most certainly be strong enough to take everything you have!"----Thomas Jefferson. Our Social Security Program was started by Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, and he promised at that time that participation in the Program would be completely voluntary. It is now mandatory. In that day participants would only pay 1% of the first $1500.00 of their annual incomes each year into the Program. FICA participants could claim the money in deductions on their income tax returns. The participants Money was placed into a "TRUST" fund and was kept separated from the General Operating Fund. It was only used for Social Security Retirement and no other Government Program could access it. He further promised that the annuity payments to retirees would never be taxed. I have paid into FICA some 31years now...and I am finding out that 85% of the money I have paid in.....has been taxed for years! During the Lyndon Johnson administration, (he was also a Democrat), Social Security was taken out of the safe trust fund it was in....and put back into the General Fund....no reason was given and it was done with a Democratically controlled House and Senate! You can't claim it on your taxes anymore either....you haven't been able to do that since the Jimmy Carter administration (Democrat). As I mentioned before....FICA has been taxed since the Bill Clinton administration (Democrat). So the Democratic Party giveth....and the Democratic Party taketh away! If an immigrant comes to this country and remains here and reaches the age of 65...they can draw Social Security even if they do not have all their quarters paid into the system. An American Citizen has to have all their quarters paid in....or they have to apply for SSI. Who is responsible for this? The Jimmy Carter administration (Democrat). Social Security Benefits, Veterans Benefits, Medicare, Medicaid, SSI, State Allotments for Social Programs, Dept. for Human Services, Government Charity and Aid Programs, WIC, Food CARDs, and all you other Government Funded Programs out there, Oh, and I almost forgot the taxpayers....BETTER LOOK OUT....the Government is going to be needing money and we are all going to be easy targets!!! You don't pay out over 800 Billion Dollars plus more and not expect to get it back some how!!! God Help Us All!!!

Someone Needs To Explain This One To Me

Our President was on T.V. last night trying to explain why he and Our Senate and Congress are pushing through the biggest bail out package since the great depression. He explained and explained....and I sat there and listened....and what it amounted to basically is: they are going to use the tax payer's money to bail out their wealthy Investment Banker buddies on Wall Street! It's going to work something like this (In A Perfect World): They are going to take $700 Billion Dollars (No One Knows From Where), and buy up a bunch of investment securities from the investment banks and hold them until the stock market recovers enough where they can re-sale them at a profit. In the meantime this is going to free up the investment banks to make more loans and investments to wealthy business persons....so that they will have more options to make investments, open new businesses, and provide jobs to stimulate the economy! (And Then We All Will Live Happily Ever After!) EXCEPT....These are the same wealthy investment banker CEO's and wealthy business persons that have been making all of these bad investment decisions for the last decade!!! What a bunch of suckers the American Tax Payers are to let this happen! I have a little money in the local community bank....in a checking and savings account and it is insured. If I don't run my family budget correctly or if something happens in the economy....you know, like everything going up for the last 5 years from food to utilities to gasoline....I have to start using up my savings to pay my bills. Then if things don't get better and no additional income comes in....I have to drain my accounts and start selling things! Then if things continue to go bad....I go broke....and eat peanut butter sandwiches at my Parents home...if they are surviving....this is the way of a free market economy. IF YOU MAKE BAD INVESTMENTS AND THE ECOMONY GOES BAD....YOU LIE, STEAL, CHEAT, SHORT SALE STOCKS, AND DO ANYTHING UNDER THE SUN TO MAKE A BUCK....YOU SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO STAND ON THE BACK OF THE TAX PAYERS IN ORDER TO GET BAILED OUT AND GET BIG SEVERANCE PACKAGES WORTH MORE MONEY THAN MOST OF US WILL EVER SEE IN FIVE LIFETIMES!!! YOU SHOULD GO BROKE....AND BE BANNED FROM WALL STREET OR ANY OTHER BANKING BUSINESS.....HELL, I DON'T KNOW MAYBE YOU COULD SALE USED CARS OR SOMETHING....BUT YOU SHOULD NEVER BE TRUSTED WITH LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY AGAIN!!! So....Someone needs to help me understand what our Government is about to do....because, I just don't get it! We live in a free market economy....if you make bad investments....they come back to haunt you....hell, you may even get prosecuted....but you don't get given $700 Billion Dollars and told to try it again!!! What the Fuck!!! Sorry about my language, but I cannot help but be upset....and all of you out there should be too!!!

The Birthday

Another Year has passed me by....and still I have to question why? What kind of Man have I become? All of my life I've spend in search of myself and I'm still in the dark because I cannot seem to find the light alone! Ten Thousand people pass by my way....but they can't see they way that I feel.....Nobody even cares to try. I sell my soul and spend my life on the ropes....and I'm still in the dark because I cannot seem to find the light alone! Sometimes I feel like a man in the wilderness.....like a lonely soldier off to war! I'm sent away to die....never quite knowing why. I know....it makes no sense at all! Sometimes I feel like a man in the wilderness.....like a lonely sailor out to sea! I'm drifting with the tides....never quite knowing why. I know....it makes no sense at all! ----Dennis DeYoung

To Be Content With Life

Almost 32 years ago I left home to make my way in life...seek my fortune...broaden my horizons...make my name in the world. You have so many dreams and ambitions when you are young...so many directions you may go...so many new experiences and ideas; and you think you have so much time to accomplish the things you want to accomplish! I have learned a few things in all these years that have passed since I went out into the world...picked up on a few of the more important facets of life. We spend so much time looking away...towards the future...what we will do tomorrow, next month, next year, or five years from now...that today seems to get lost in the shuffle of it all! I believe that you have to learn to be content with what you have today...because when today is gone...it is gone forever! You have to be content with the small things. Seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion. You need to respect yourself and feel like your are worthy of others respect. I want to be wealthy in family, loved ones, and friends...this is more important to me than the riches the world has to offer. I believe in thinking quietly, talking gently, and acting frankly and with purpose. I believe it is more important to listen than to talk! Listen with your heart and mind open....and your mouth closed! Don't Gossip! A lie can travel around the world...while the truth is still putting on it's shoes! Try to do all bravely, wait for proper occasions, and never be in a hurry. Let your spiritual side come through almost unconsciously...and smile...Life is good and everyday above the ground is a good day!!! Slow down and enjoy all the small things that most people ignore! Your Life should be a Symphony.....Not a Fricken Rock Concert!!!

Way To Go John

I haven't done an article in a little bit...because just to be honest there has not been much to write about! Today, however, I have to say: "WAY TO GO JOHN McCAIN!!!" Man, can this guy pick them or what...Sara dear you are just so...well, I'm going to go ahead and say it, "HOT!" Not a bit of experience to lead a Nation, make command decisions, or run a war...but man, look at those legs!!! My home town has a population of 28,500 people and it is considered to be very small...Sara was the Mayor of a City of 9000! She has been the Governor of Alaska for less than two years and before that a soccer Mom....now that is cold, hard, leadership experience! I believe that if you take off those designer glasses...designed to make her look smart...and let down that hair...designed to make her look older....You would have a Wildcat on your hands! So if John gets elected and was to kick off in office...this is what we will be left with! On the plus side; she is a woman and a beautiful woman at that...this will damage the Obama campaign considerably! McCain should get the womens vote and some of the minority vote with this pick...also since she is not at all bad to look at...us dirty old men will be voting for him...all in all a pretty smart move by the McCain staff!!! My hat is off to whoever made this decision...it should do the trick and put the Republicans in the Whitehouse for another 4 years....I only hope we can stand another 4 years!!!

History, At The Olympic Pool.

I don't care much for many of the events at the Olympics. I mean badmitton, ribbon dancing, volleyball, baseball, and basketball...come on get real. I like the boxing, weightlifting, wrestling, tae kwon do, track & field, gymnastics, and the swimming events...they have been exciting to watch. Nothing and I mean nothing has topped the amazing things that Micheal Phelps and the rest of that Olympic Swim Team from the USA has done!!! I am personally sending out a BIG CONGRADULATIONS to Mr. Phelps...and may your records stand strong for many decades. You are the living proof of what a lifetime of determination and dedication can do! The women's gymnastics team was also very good...and you could tell that a lot of hard work paid off there as well. I have not watched many of the events...but the ones I thought would be great have been great. I will say that I am proud of all of the U.S. Teams and the way they have represented America in the games. We should all be proud of them.

The Olympics Are On And Nothing Else Is.

Well, the Olympics are on and there is nothing to watch on any of the other channels. Is this such a powerful part of T.V. that they cannot line up anything on the other channels against it! I watched a very short part of the opening ceremony and it was impressive...I will give them that...but $300,000,000.00 dollars...man that is a lot of zeros. This use to be pure sport and althelete against athelete...but it is nothing but commercialism now. The only bright spot I have seen so far is the incredible accomplishments by Michael Phelps in the water...man, can he move through the water or what? He is going to be the most decorated Olympic Athelete ever!!! I really wanted to watch the Tae Kwon Do matches but they have not been on yet or if they have there is no way to find out when...??? I was watching some of the womens pro beach volleyball last night...I just couldn't bring myself to turn it off...not like anything else was on anyway...I wonder if their bikinis will get any skimmpier next year...lol...they are just falling all out of them most of the time! They don't seem to mind it though...it's probably good for the ratings!!! How about those million dollar baby basketball players of ours...already 3-0...Hell, no one should be able to beat them...the kind of money they make back home in the good ole USA. I really shouldn't say that...they probably will need a raise with the price of food...gas...groceries...and everything. They only make about $10,000,000.00 a year on average!!! Hats off to the Chinese...on making a good try at it anyway....these games are just not near as exciting as they use to be.

We Do Not Know The Meaning Of A Tough Life

Every where I go lately people want to talk to me about how hard their life is....I mean practically everytime I go outside the house. Our economy is weak right now and yes, it is true that some people are out of work....but how tough can life be today. My Grand Parents on both sides had no money for food and hardly any money for anything else....and they worked hard 40-60 hours a week most of their lives. There was just no money to be had....unless you were wealthy or from a wealthy family. Health care in that time....forget it....it consisted of an asprin if you hurt or an alka seltzer if you was sick at your stomach and that was about it. One of my Grand Fathers worked in the coal mines all of his life and raised hogs and a garden to feed his family. Now mind you....this was in the days when miners made very little and dug coal out with a pick ax and shovel....then it was carted out of the mines by mules and put on train cars. They almost never went to the grocery store....and when they did it was to buy flour, sugar, coffee, lard, and corn meal. They had one milking cow. They raised 6 children on one side of the family and 3 children on the other side. My parents were pretty much the same way...better educated and better jobs....but just barely scratching out a living most of their lives. They did manage to encourage 3 of their children to go get college degrees....we were on grade scholarships, sports scholarships, and Government grants and loans....but we managed to get educated. All 4 of us are doing well and I very rarely complain about my life....now I do complain about some of the bullshit that is going on with our Politicians and the decisions they make....but that is a different story. So, the next time you get up to your automatic coffee maker, get your milk out of your $1000 dollar refrigerator, cut on your $2800 dollar flat screen to watch the news and weather, cut on your $1800 dollar computer to look at what is happening in the world, take your $700 dollar I-phone off the charger, unlock and start your $28,000 dollar vehicle, cut on your On-Star GPS, and get ready to drive to the $25 dollar an hour or more job you have; and do all this by pushing buttons....just try to remember, as bad as it is right now, it could be a bunch worse!!! Now stop complaining!!!

The Simple Things

I find myself liking the simple things in life more and more. When I look back on life...it is always the simple family get togethers, the golf outings, playing card games, cooking out, sitting around the table talking, fishing, swimming, and the life sharing that goes on in my family that really stands out in my mind. I really do not know how any family today could stand to be without these things. During the summer we have engaged in all of the activities at one time or another; and each time I come away with a refreshed.....renewed feeling that keeps me going for weeks. I am fortunate to have people on both sides of the family that enjoy these things. You can do the same types of things with close friends also. We are all social beings that need this type of inter-action with each other.....whether we want to admit it or not! My family has inter-acted like this as far back as I can remember. We are always looking for ways to make families better and stronger, able to communicate with each other, and able to have successful relationships with each other.....well, I believe this is certainly a great place to start. The more you do these types of things the stronger you become as a family unit. It truly is the simple little things in life that tend to make all the difference. If you're not doing these things.....you know you should be!!!

Never Ever Quit

"Winners Never Quit, and Quitters Never Win!" This is a quote by Vince Lombardi and was used by my High School Football Coach on many occasions. Almost 3 years ago now, I tried to quit on life. Many things was going on in my life at that time.....and I just decided to check out for awhile; if not permanently. This was a bad decision on my part. Until I had experienced this; I did not know how many people loved me and actually depended on me. I do not talk about it and only mention it here because I know there are many people out there that feel the same way everyday. I am glad I came back strong.....and I can only tell the people that are going through it now.....stay in the game of life and never quit!!! I assure you.....I will never quit again!!!

The Man Has No Clue!

A couple of weeks ago our Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 that the prisoner terrorists at Gitmo should fall under the protection of our constitution. These prisoners are not American citizens and never will be! They are all guilty of terrible crimes against most of the World's Governments! They can now be tried in our Federal Courts and sentenced to life in one of our nice Federal Prisons and have a better life than they ever could have in the real world....costing tax payers hundreds of thousands of dollars!!! They constantly attack our Marines at Gitmo with anything they can come up with....including their own urine and fecal matter....so, where are the Marines rights? They just have to grin and bear it....I guess. This week Senator Obama was questioned about his thoughts on the Courts recent decision....He said that in the future he could see us having to use Miranda Rights on the terrorists captured in the field....(OK it is now clear to me that this man has no clue what he is talking about!) Let me get this straight....I am leading a 12 man team, in a hostile country, on the trail of a terrorist group that has been planting roadside bombs, shooting at us; capturing, torturing, and killing innocent civilians; and doing just about anything under the sun.....and when I catch them; the first thing I will have to do is read them their Miranda Rights. These people do not even fall under the protection of the Geneva Convention!!! Then my team will have to rope off the area like a crime scene and start doing the CSI song and dance; because eventually we will have give these bastards a trial in an American Federal Court!!! Has the American Government lost it's mind.....are we at war or not!!! This is the definition of insanity!!! I don't know about the guys on the ground now fighting for this country's freedom....but I do know just exactly what my team would have done under the same circumstances....we cannot allow this to happen....write or call who ever you may know and put an end to this! Counting the soldiers killed and the loss of life during the 911 attacks....we have lost over 8000 people to these idiots....their deaths have to mean more to us than this! Our Soldiers are putting everything they have on the line for us every day....they deserve better than this!!!

The End Of Days...

The Holy Bible (KJV) Genesis chapters 18 and 19 speaks of the cities of Sodom (Yes that would be correct...this is where the word Sodomy comes from) and Gomorrah (which in today's language would be a suburb of Sodom) as the most sinful, non religious, dangerous, vile, and corrupt places on the earth at that time. The things going on in these cities sickened God....and in my opinion....you have to be doing some pretty nasty stuff to make God sick! Even though these cities had many chances to change, they just continued to get worse. All manner of crimes against nature, man, woman, child, and animal were being committed. God decided to check inside these cities and promised Abraham that if he could find just 10 people living a decent lifestyle; he would spare the cities and give them more time to change. God sent two Angels to the city gates where they were met by Lot and he quickly took them to his home and got them off the streets because he feared for them. Before they could eat and rest all the men from every part of the cities, both old and young, had surrounded Lot's house! These men demanded that lot turn over the Angels to them....so they could take them away and have sex with them. Lot begged them to take his daughters instead, because the Angels were under the protection of God and Lot's home....but the men made fun of Lot and attempted to break his doors down. The Angels had to come to Lot's rescue and strike the men blind. Then the Angels saw that these cities were so wicked that they had to be destroyed.....so they told Lot to take his family and leave as soon as possible. Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah from the heavens. He completely destroyed the cities and all the people, animals, and vegetation. Lot's family was warned not to look back at the burning cities......but his wife did look back and was immediately turned into a pillar of salt. Many of the things that were going on in these two cities are not only going on in the world today; but are indeed legal in many parts of the world. They are definitely going on in America....and are legal here also. We now have two states where gay marriage is legal.....and others are going to follow...I'm sure! To this I can only refer you to Revelation chapter 18: Babylon the Great, the mother of prostitutes and of all the abominations of the Earth, has fallen.....She has become a home for the demons and a haunt for every evil spirit. A home for every unclean and detestable person of the Earth! Come out of her my people...so that you will not share in her sins or receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to the heavens and God has remembered her crimes!!!

A Tribute To My Nephew

As many of you know, my nephew graduated from college last month. He was an honor grad and received his degree in Biology. He has been excepted to Medical School in the fall of this year and we are all very proud of him! I consider him to be a remarkable young man with a bright future ahead of him....and that is a great thing to be able to say about any young person today. What has happened to most young people today??? They are not "Go Getters" like we were when we were that age! Most of them do not work and do not even want to work....call themselves going to school....but they really do not want to do that either....all they do for the most part is sit around the house on the cell phone or computer complaining about how no one is helping them or giving them anything! Hell, get out there and get it yourself....that is what me and my siblings had to do....my parents did not have money to give....it was all they could do to get us grown and educated! That is why I am writing this as a tribute to my nephew and his accomplishment. I give all the credit to him and his parents....he has a great father....he is a kind and patient man who has helped many young people get their College Education....and yes, I may be a little bias....after all he is my brother...and a professor at the University where my nephew graduated. What I like most about my nephew is that he is thankful; he knows that he is blessed to have a great family that has created good opportunities for him in life and he is not afraid to step out and make the most of them! This week I received a thank you note from him and it read, "Thank You Uncle for all the kindness and advice you have given me over the years. I hope I can continue to make you and the rest of the family proud of me." To him I simply say this: Once a mind is stretched; it can never return to it's former deminsions....Your mind has been stretched and is about to be stretched much more....I know you are excited; as I am excited for you! Keep up the good work....and know this...I have never been prouder of you than I am right now! Don't forget your Father on Father's Day!!!

What Would Be The Point?

As many of you know, my family Doctor of the last 10 years recently quit his practice and went back to medical school to teach and do research. I have recently picked a new M.D. that was actually recommended by my former M.D. After a couple of visits and exhaustive lab work ups she has concluded that I am doing "Fairly Well" for my age. She has told me to take off a few pounds, but for the most part I was doing well. I started last September taking off some pounds or I would have probably got a good ear chewing. Then She said, "It is not at all unreasonable for a man to live into his 80's today if he is willing to give up a few things....Drinking, Smoking, Red Meat BBQ's, long exposure to the sun doing activities like Boating, Swimming, Tanning, Golf, or Hiking." I thought she was finished, but then she continued, "You also must reduce your stress, no gambling, no fast lifestyles, no marathon love making, laying out all hours of the night, or any of that type of thing." By this time I was just looking at the floor and laughing.....then I said, "O.K. then I have one question for you....If I gave up all of that; why would I give a shit!" To this she had no response.....I am not at all sure I would want to live that long anyway unless I was in the best of health and the world had become a much nicer place....but I am damn sure that I would not want to live that long without doing the things I like to do!!!

What The Future May Hold

Our Nation is in real need of a new energy/fuel infrastructure. We need to have our very best minds and monies focused towards this project....our very lives and way of existance depends on this!!! Fossil Fuels are running out rapidly....what will we do when that happens??? I can tell you this...we will not be the posh, civilized bunch that we are today. Imagine a world without fossil fuels for a moment if you will....no movement of any kind....not a plane, train, or automobile! It will not matter how much money you have....there will be nothing to buy, nothing made or produced, no food grown, no water purified, no electricity or any other utility service. It will be mass confusion on a global scale! Survival of the strongest and the persons who know how to survive in that type of an enviroment....it will not be civilized at all. Are you ready for that type of a world??? You better get that way....it is coming if we don't find a solution in a hurry!!!

I LOVE THE SPRING!

The Spring is by far my favorite time of the year...everything new, life bursting out all around you, the smells of flowers and fresh cut grass, and the weather is perfect!!! I am one of those people who wish it could be spring all year round. Even the rain smells fresher in the spring of the year. The nights are nice and cool....you can sleep so good. I love to Turkey hunt in the Spring.....I have already taken two this year. The last one was prepared and shared with my parents.....with some mashed potatoes and gravy sides and some biscuits......Ummm....it was really good. I am planning on taken another one in a week or two....if my luck holds out. There are plenty of them out there and it is a skilled hunt....so not too many of the so called hunters can actually get one. When you prepare them for dinner....you know that all the hard work pays off. I don't like most wild game for food....rabbits, squirrels, ground hogs(yes, some people eat ground hogs), duck, and quail....You can keep them....I don't care for any of them. I do however enjoy a good deer roast with some potatoes, celery, onion, and carrots....served with hot cornbread....or....a good prepared turkey breast as mentioned above!!! As my old Grandpappy use to say......boy, that is some good eatin' The way grocery prices are climbing....if you have any hunting skills....you might want to start polishing them up.....before too long we may have to eat beans, potatoes, and whatever meat you can catch or hunt. Oh, and by the way, You may want to start getting off your fat behinds and do some walking!!! The way gasoline prices are soaring....we may all be on foot pretty soon!!! It may sound silly to some of you....but stranger things have happened! I have been saying this for some time now......I don't know where we are headed....but I don't like it!

Mysteries of Life

You know, I have started to realize that life holds many mysteries. I don't even begin to have any understanding of them at all. I don't understand why children go to bed hungry in this Nation or any other Nation for that matter. I don't understand why a child gets a terminal disease like cancer, heart diseases, or diabetes. In the late 80's, I was inside of a countries borders where 7 & 8 year old boys were armed with AK-47 assault rifles and were members of this countries Army......I did not understand this!!! Was this Nation so in need of military personnel that it could not wait until they turned 18! I have seen many things in my life that I just simply did not understand. I don't understand animosity and tensions among family members.....when your family is all you have in this world. They are the only ones who will ever care about how you are.....or.....what you are doing....or....how you are getting by in this life. You really cannot afford that silly shit with them. I often wonder why it is that some family members will give to a complete stranger quicker than they would one of their own in a time of crisis or need. I know that I am not like that at all! You are the luckiest of people if you even have a family that is close; and the members are all still living. I don't understand how people get so caught up in their lives that they cannot extend a helping hand to someone in need or they cannot see the inner pain of a person who is reaching out to them. These things are all mysteries to me.

MARCH MADNESS!!!

Oh boy do I love this time of year. The NCAA tourney and all that basketball. How every team is fighting to win and stay in the mix.....it is enough to give a true basketball fan the chills. I am pulling for Tennessee. The Vols have a great coach in Bruce Pearl and have been impressive all season. The men's team can finally put on as good of a game as the Vols women's and that Pat Summit......she has always been basketball to the core!!! The Vol's had better be looking out for North Carolina and UCLA in the finals if they make it that far. I would like to see them win it all and bring a NCAA championship home to Tennessee for the men's team.......this would be great if it happens. It is an exciting time to be a Tennessee Basketball Fan and I am loving every minute of it. I just want it to last.

Now, Here I Go Again

GAS PRICES AT A NEW ALL TIME HIGH!!! I think they could write that headline everyday lately. Just the other day the news was reporting that our refined gasoline reserves are at their highest levels in 15 years and consumption is down from what it was this time last year, so according to the law of supply and demand; shouldn't our gas prices be a little cheaper. I realize that oil is selling at an all time high....but does the price of a gallon of gasoline have to raise 20 cents in a two week period! Hey you greedy bastards, don't you realize that you are ruining our economy??? I am having a hard time understanding this, why has the government not stepped in? Are they waiting until the truckers are lined up and down the interstates, parked, until gas prices come down; like they did back in the 80's??? Food will soon be a rich man's game....along with some of the other necessities. What the !$%#??? How can someone making 6 to 7 bucks an hour afford the gas it takes to get to work? This is crazy! I can tell you that it boils down to one thing....GREED, GREED, GREED!!! Anyone who has any doubt about how I feel....can just look to the right of this article. This is my message to the greedy oil producing Nations that are trying to bankrupt us and the greedy oil corporations that are getting fat off of us!!! Come on with the hydrogen cell vehicles Nissan, Toyota, Honda, BMW, and Mercedes....we are ripe for the pickens and are all ready to buy one! What will they do with their precious oil then, in the face of a totally new technology??? I hope they sell like hotcakes at breakfast time...lol...lol!!!

Gone But Not Forgotten

Brett Farve, the great quarterback of the Green Bay Packers is hanging up his helmet and shoes; for good this time, I think! The Packers will not be the same after this, at least not for me. When I think of Brett, I am reminded of all those 4th quarter come backs with less than 2 minutes left on the clock and the Packers behind by a field goal or touchdown....they would just put the football in his hands and somehow everyone knew what was going to happen. He also reminds me of all the back yard football games I played as a young teenager with my friends and family....we would have so much fun out there at West End, Fords Woods, or just actually in someone's back yard engaging in a quick pick up game. These memories do not come back to me when I think of some other NFL quarterbacks.....just Brett. Somehow he just seems to stand for all the amateur athletes out there struggling to make to the big time....that good ole boy from Mississippi with all that talent. I will truly miss him as a player on the field. So....here's to you Brett, may you ease into your retirement with all the glory and honor that you deserve, may you see many sunsets and have even more great effects on people's lives, for you will miss the game that has given you so much and we will all miss you! Best wishes on your retirement...

If He Had Only Known

If Ole Albert were alive today....I'm afraid he would wish he had never been born. Why would any Nation on this Earth want to have the power to destroy it? Many Nations today do indeed have that power; as you all well know. Ummm....excuse me....but we all live on Earth, don't we? Duh, if it is destroyed we all die, don't we? Couldn't all the money spent by all the Nations have been put to better use providing food and medicine to all the People of the Earth who need it to live? My God....we could have wiped out poverty and diseases....cured cancer....diabetes....and who knows what else....with all that money! What were we thinking???

Absolutely Absurd

Keeping the U.S. Military in all the worlds hotspots.....Over 290 Billion Dollars anually.

Being able to build and deploy a new Spy...Sat Toy and put it into space in mid December and have it malfunction and never work correctly.....Over 1 Billion Dollars.

Being able to shoot it down with a new high tech missle system that actually worked.....Over 60 Million Dollars. (They did have to use some Kentucky windage on the shot...you rifle shooters know what I mean.)

Being able to do all this out of the U.S. Taxpayers Wallets.....PRICELESS!

THE PENTAGON: Unlimited Expenses and Budgets since World War II.


I would laugh.....but my billfold hurts too much!!!

The True Meaning of Dedication

HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY AN AMERICAN SOLDIER KNOWN BUT TO GOD! The Tomb Of The Unknowns is located at the center of the Arlington National Cemetery and is the United States most visited tourist attraction. The Tomb contains remains of unknown American Soldiers from World Wars I and II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War. Each was presented the Medal of Honor at the time interment and the Medals as well as the burial flags are on display inside the Memorial Ampitheater, directly to the rear of the Tomb. The Tomb is guarded 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, no matter what the weather conditions, by specially trained men of the 3rd Infantry Division (known as The Old Guard or TOG). These soldiers are also responsible for serving at all official ceremonies at the White House, the Pentagon, and National Memorials else where in the Nations Capital. The TOG participates in more than 6000 ceremonies at an average of 16 per day. The soldiers of this unit are constantly trained in Military Customs, Ceremony Procedures, and as Military Policemen. They are also the President's Honor Guard. TOG is a fully functional infantry unit and consists of 3 active battalions; 2 at Ft. Myer, VA; and 1 at Ft. Lewis, WA. While members of the TOG are performing duties at the Tomb, they remain at the quarters provided near the site and are on duty in sickness and in health, in all kinds of adverse weather conditions, 24-7 around the clock, working in shifts, with a high degree of motivation and dedication! During the daytime with the crowds and during the nightime in the quiet, lonely, darkness. Their creed is simply this: My dedication to this sacred duty is total and wholehearted. In the responsibility bestowed on me never will I falter. With dignity and perseverance my standard will remain perfection. Through the years of diligence and praise and the discomfort of the elements, I will walk my tour in humble reverence to the best of my ability. It is he who commands the respect I protect. His bravery that made us so proud. Surrounded by well meaning crowds by day, alone in the thoughtful peace of night, this soldier will in honored glory rest under my eternal vigilance. I think this pretty much says it all....by the way....these men all volunteer for this duty, it has never been an assignment!

Valentine's Day: Where Did It Come From?

February 14th is Valentine's Day, but where did it come from? Although it is celebrated as a lovers holiday today, with the giving of gifts between persons in love, it originated in Rome around the 5th Century as a tribute to St. Valentine, a Catholic bishop, who secretly married young Roman men and their brides. Let me explain: For 800 years prior to the establishment of Valentines Day, the Romans had practiced a pagan celebration in mid February commemorating a young man's right of passage to the God Lupercus. There was a lottery where the young men of that time would draw the name of teenage girls from a box and this girl would be the young man's sexual companion during the next year. (I think I would like this celebration better than the one we do now!) In an effort to do away with the pagan festival, Pope Gelasius ordered a slight change in the lottery. Instead of the names of young ladies; the box would be filled with the names of Saints....both young men and young ladies would draw from the box and emulate the ways and teachings of the Saint they drew during the upcoming year. Needless to say, this change did not set well with the young Roman men. Instead of the pagan God Lupercus, the church wanted a suitable patron saint of love to take his place....and found one in St. Valentine who was beheaded by Emperor Claudius in 270 AD. Claudius had determined that married men did not make good soldiers, so he banned marriage from his empire. Bishop Valentine would secretly marry young couples and was discovered doing this....Claudius then tried to convert Valentine to paganism....but Valentine reversed the strategy and tried to convert the Young Emperor. When this failed Valentine was thrown in prison and eventually beheaded. While in prison, it is said that Valentine fell in love with the blind daughter of his jailer. His love for her and his great faith in God was given credit for her miraculously getting back her vision....and before he was taken to his death....he signed a message left to her "From your Valentine." The phrase has been used on his day ever since! After this, it became a tradition for men to give the ones they admired handwritten messages of affection, containing Valentines name. The first recorded Valentine card of sorts was sent in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife....he was imprisoned in the Tower of London at the time. So, as Paul Harvey use to say, "Now You Know The Rest Of the Story!" good bye.

Did You Know???

If you see a statue of a military person on horseback in a park or other public place and the horse has both front legs raised in the air; that person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air; that person died as a result of wounds received in a battle. If the horse has all four of its' legs on the ground; that person died of natural causes. Each King in a deck of playing cards represents a Great King in history: Spades: King David, Hearts: Charlemagne, Clubs: Alexander the Great, Diamonds: Julius Caesar! This is also true...Many years ago in Scotland, a new game was invented. It was ruled, Gentlemen Only...Ladies Forbidden and thus the word GOLF was born! Every day the United States borrows money from China to keep going. Coca-Cola was originally green in color! Every day more money is printed for the game Monopoly than the U.S. Treasury prints! 65% of all Americans live within 100 miles of their birthplace! If your cat has ear mites, you can put a few drops of Wesson Corn Oil in their ears and clean with a cotton ball or soft cloth....repeat this process for 3 to 5 days....The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing! A few drops of Dawn Dish Liquid in a pet's bath water will kill fleas....make sure and rinse the animal well to avoid irritation...and goodbye fleas! If you have a headache....drinking 2 glasses of Gatorade can get rid of it....most headaches are a result of dehydration and loss of electrolites! Plain, white, Colgate toothpaste will make an excellent salve for a burn....if nothing else is available! A plain, white, asprin dissolved in a few drops of water and rubbed into an insect sting or bite will relieve the pain. Just a few little known facts...

Mercy Me...Where Do I Start?

Mercy me...where do I start? The first thing I have to do today is apologize to Eli Manning and the Giants for doubting them throughout the playoffs! The Super Bowl was very exciting to watch.....at least the last 4 to 5 minutes of it. I will have to admit, I was doubting to the very end. When they played the Dallas Cowboys, I said they were going to lose, and they didn't. Then at Green Bay in those frozen conditions, I said they couldn't handle the Packers, and they did! So here comes Brady and the undefeated Patriots riding out their dream season, and I said No way the Giants are going to spoil this! Well, they made a believer out of me. Let's see now....where to next....Super Tuesday and the vote: Many of you are getting out to vote this year and I am glad of that. I will make an early prediction and will say today that the Democrats will produce the history making dream pair of Clinton/Obama and will receive the black, hispanic, far reaching liberals, and single wealthy women votes......and this team will be elected by every form of news media in the world.....at least 6 months before the election...lol...lol!!! The Republicans will produce the team of McCain/Huckabee and will be very serious in their efforts...receiving considerably less press coverage.....and will get the rest of the votes....probably landing them in the Whitehouse....with things staying pretty much the same over the next 4 years. We should all get out and vote on election day....it is our right....one of the few remaining rights we have left! The above is only my prediction and I could be wrong....as wrong as I was about the Giants....only time will tell.

State Of The Union...Not So Good.

Did you see good ole George W. the other night giving his State of the Union? He was in rare form. According to what I got out of it...he wants to continue giving our jobs away and sending our business overseas. He was just in Dubai you know....where most of our corporate headquarters are relocating. Raise the standard of living for the foreign countries and put most Americans in the poor house. He wants to open the borders, when we should be closing them. Open the doors of trade to Panama, Columbia, Peru, and of course those toy making experts the Chinese! Panama, Columbia, and Peru have flooded our Country with drugs for decades in an attempt to destroy us.....but all is forgiven when G.W. takes you under his wing. Why didn't he take all those home owners that were taken advantage of in the so called recent "Mortgage Crisis" under his wing??? The Government wants their hands in everything else.....so why not in this? They could have stepped in and made it mandatory for those banks and companies to refinance those people at a fixed rate of 9% or so.....the loses could have been kept at a minimum...and those people could keep their homes, keep making payments, and avoid a crisis! After all, a 9% return on your money is no small amount....I believe those mortgage companies could have survived on this profit margin....don't you? The answer to this is simple.....Wealthy investors will buy those properties at dirt cheap prices when the home market bottoms out and then when the market recovers they will make huge profits on the resales and so will the banks and mortgage companies. Once again leaving the American tax payer and the middle class home owner with the loss. You say, "this is unbelievable!" Just watch what happens....and those who will profit most from this so called crisis....will be the friends of the people in political power! How can 600 million people let a few hundred politicians place America in such a mess??? The American people are going to have to gut up and say, "We have had enough!" Foreigners should have to state a specific purpose while inside our country and be given temporary visas and this should include diplomats. American citizens are going through all kinds of inconveniences lately when we need to do something......have you taken a flight lately? Renewed your drivers license? You get the third degree. It should be 3 times as hard for someone to cross our borders legally...and the illegals should be deported and given a large fine.....if you cannot pay it....work it off in jail at 5 dollars a day! Nothing like a little free labor to discourage someone from crossing into our country illegally. These problems are so easy to fix......WHY ARE THEY NOT BEING FIXED??? I believe we are being regimented for a take over.....freedoms taken away....and the country sold to the highest bidder by our politicians! I have been saying this for 10 years to anyone that will listen. There are no more easy answers....if we don't take a stand soon...it will simply be too late!

Moving Back With The Parents: The New Trend

I had a good friend of mine ask me a question this week. It was an advice question about his teenage daughter. She is out of school and out of the home, living with a boyfriend and his parents...not working.....and doesn't want a job anytime soon. This is of her own free will and is not encouraged by him or his wife. Apparently she called up last evening and wants to move back into their home because she doesn't get along with the boyfriend's parents very well. This is what I told him: Working a job and being responsible at a job is a sign of teenage maturity and is an absolute must if she is to move back in. She will be able to learn time management and responsibility; not to mention she can save some money for when she is actually ready to become that independent adult....she says she wants to be! I told him to open her up an account at the bank and not let her waste all of her earnings. He cannot control whether she works or not; but he can control his expectations of her as a young adult. When she asks, "Can I come back home?"...she is actually saying....I am not being taken care of like you and mom took care of me and I am in economic distress. She is looking to be rescued, even though she has been living in her current situation almost a year and is in no real danger. (Of course if your child is in danger you go get them immediately.) Any parent will help out but there are a few things to keep in mind.....Now, you will want to be parent and landlord if she is going to learn anything from the experience....and watch her attitude....she should be grateful for the opportunity to return home, if she is not, this may raise a flag for you......no one wants to be taken advantage of. You should require what a landlord would require....maybe not rent....but keeping the room clean, helping out with the food expenses, doing chores, and acting like an adult. Once again maintaining steady employment is a must. No hanging out with the boyfriend at your home....they must do like adults would do and provide their own entertainment, dates, ect....now this is not to say that you could not share dinner or a movie with the young love birds.....that is if they will want your company and they are acting like young adults should act. The bottom line is simply this: If it is not a win-win situation; then it is a lose-lose situation! It has to be a two-way street or it's a no-way street. If she can't abide by these rules.....she can continue to live where she is!!!

Apologize: I Had Nothing To Do With It!

Many of the States have started a trend to apologize for slavery in the past year. There has not been a slave of any kind in the United States in over 142 years! No one in my family history dating back to the early 1700's, when they came to this country, has ever owned a slave. My family was too poor and were indeed sharecroppers themselves until the early 1840's or so. I have the proof...so I only have one question...What should my family apologize for??? Slavery was wrong, but my family simply had nothing to do with it!!! As a matter of the facts...your family probably didn't have anything to do with it either, unless you are a descendant of the wealthiest and most powerful people in the United States from 1620-1865! Don't look surprised...this information is correct...you can do the research as I have. By 1860 only 15 states still had legal ownership of slaves. The slave population in America at that time was around 4 million and all of those slaves were owned by 8% of American Families....Yes, that would be the upper wealthy and elite 8% of the Nation. That would mean 92% of the Nation's Families during that period of history did not own a slave. I hate to be the one to break this news....but....the slaves were made up of different kinds of people....they were Africans, English, Native Americans, Spanish, Central Americans, Chinese, and Irish. The majority however were Africans. Only a small percentage of African Americans today are direct descendants of slaves, and none that I know of today are in slavery. According to my research the apology should be coming from the rich and powerful descendants of that elite 8% of long ago...indeed the very families of the blue bloods that made their wealth on the backs of the slaves and poor people of our Country. In that case My Family is due an apology also!!! There have been slaves all down through history dating back to the Ancient Egyptians....where are those apologies??? My God, Hitler and Nazi Germany almost wiped out the entire Jewish Population and that was the Country as a whole not just the wealthiest 8%; and I don't hear any apologies from the German Parliament today for it! I think slavery of any kind is wrong and I would stand up against it...but don't ask me to apologize for something that my descendants had absolutely nothing to do with.