Of course, GLBT groups are praising the move by DWTS, while others are condemning the casting choices. That’s find, everyone is entitled to an opinion.

Chaz Bono apparently tweeted, “I don’t listen to the haters, but embrace the love.” Haters? Just because someone doesn’t agree with you or your lifestyle does not make them a hater. I have a big problem with the way disagreement with some groups is called hate, but disagreement with other groups is called progressive thinking.

If someone disagrees with Christians, they are considered forward thinking individuals. However, those who disagree with GLBT people are haters. Sorry, but if all I do is disagree with you, it’s not hate. If I physically attack you because of your beliefs, well then that may be hate.

As far as Chaz and DWTS, I really have no opinion as I don’t usually watch the show anyway. But, last time I checked, every TV has an on/off switch and a way to change the channels. If you don’t want to watch DWTS for whatever reason – don’t.

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Now, six Native American students at the University of North Dakota are suing because they are offended at the nickname of “Fighting Sioux”. That sounds like it is honoring a proud, strong people, not cutting them down. But, in fact, they say it hurts their self-esteem:

They also say it has had a ‘profoundly negative impact’ on their self image and psychological health, and has deprived them ‘of an equal educational experience and environment.’

What? I would have figured any people who have overcome as much adversity as the American Indian wouldn’t let a little thing like a name affect them so greatly. I guess I was wrong.

However, they do seem to have picked up on the “white man’s” proficiency to litigate well enough.

By the way, this “white man” was born in this country, so that make me, yep, native American.

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Gay puppets

Two men who are roommates and best friends must be gay, right? I mean, there’s no way two straight men can be friends or roommates. Well, apparently, that’s what Lair Scott of Chicago wants to teach children.

He launched a petition to have the two Sesame Street characters get married to help gay and lesbian children feel better about themselves and teach tolerance. And, since gay marriage recently became legal in New York – and Sesame Street is set in New York – it’s the perfect venue.

I have never condoned hating anyone for any reason and I think we need to teach children that it is not okay to hate someone especially based upon the color of their skin, gender, religion, sexual preference, etc. Actually, I think we should teach children that it’s not okay to hate for any reason. But, let’s also teach them that two men or two women can be best friends and even be roommates without being gay. Let’s also teach them that two men can love each other without being “in love”.

So, marriage for Bert and Ernie? Sesame Workshop says that Bert and Ernie are just good friends and will not be getting married. Thank you, Sesame Workshop, for keeping a level head about this and not caving to such a stupid idea.

Pee-er skier

Allegedly, Robert “Sandy” Vietze, a member of the US Ski Team, had several alcoholic beverages before boarding the flight. He then, allegedly, left his seat to use the restroom, but instead, peed on a little girl about 5 rows back. According to published reports, the girl was briefly left alone by her father when Vietze began urinating on her leg. Also, according to published reports, Vietze said he was drunk and didn’t know what he was doing and has refused to apologize.

I know 18-year-olds can do some stupid things, but this takes the cake. According to this website, the legal age in Oregon is 21. So, he shouldn’t have had anything to drink anyway because of his age.

Now, the question is, should he be booted from the ski team and barred from competing in the 2014 Olympics. I say, yes. Even if he does apologize to the girl and her family, the consequences should be severe. Athletes, actors, and other famous people think they can get away with anything simply because they are famous.

It’s time to show them that it doesn’t matter, they still need to face the consequences of their actions.

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So, yeah, it was a conspiracy. If a conspiracy involves a group of people engaged in a secret plan to do harm to someone, then, yes, it was a conspiracy between Obama, Seal Team 6, and various others in our government.

So, I guess Mikey’s not happy, so he’s going to make another boring film that I won’t bother watching.

See Michael Moore not happy about bin Laden “Execution”

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The royal wedding is now yesterday’s news and of no import any longer as bin Laden’s death continues to dominate. The news anchors and reporters are all clamoring to convince us how intelligent they are by telling us exactly how we tracked him down by using the cell phone signal of a courier. Personally, I think we should have kept that little tidbit to ourselves and used it again if possible. Now there are people wanting the photos of his bloody dead body published for all the world to see exactly how he died.

We should be careful, however, and not cross the line into gloating. As my dad used to say, “Don’t get cocky!” We need to remember to not get cocky. Even though the good guys won a great victory, the war against terror is far from over. We need to remember there will be reprisals and we need to be ready instead of sitting back and saying, “Look what we did.” I don’t agree with Obama very much, in fact, hardly at all, but I find myself agreeing with his decision not to release the death photos of bin Laden.

I know some photos will eventually be leaked. Someone on the assault team had a cell phone with a camera, I’m sure, but the government doesn’t need to be part of that release. We do not need the photos as a trophy of our success. We do not need to rub it in the faces of his followers as they do. We need to be better than they are, after all. We are Americans.

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I got an alert from CNN today that said Michelle Obama’s plane had to abort its landing because it got too close to a C-17 cargo plane landing in front of it. Apparently, they were three miles apart when they were supposed to be 5 miles apart. This was not at all attributed to terrorist activity, controllers asleep at the wheel, or any other nefarious reason.

When controllers realized they were too close, they ordered Obama’s plane to go around – like they were supposed to. Neither the plane nor Obama was ever in any danger. Her plane landed with no incident. Nobody was injured, no gigantic fireball filled the sky, and there was no repeat of Biblical plagues – only a slight delay for the first lady as her plane went around to make a safe landing.

I can see the headlines tomorrow: Terrorist did not blow up a plane, The tornado did not flatten the town, The river did not overflow its banks, etc.

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So, why aren’t people on public assistance required to submit to drug tests? If a Louisiana state representative, John LaBruzzo, has his way, 20 percent of the people on welfare would be required to pass a drug screen to continue receiving benefits.  Why not? I think it’s a great idea.

Under his plan, anyone who failed a drug test would have to submit to treatment to continue benefits. If not, no money.

The need for the legislation is “that the best interests of a significant portion of the state’s population are served by ensuring that they are free of the physical and mental impairments associated with drug dependence,” reads the proposed bill.

And the aim of the bill is ensure Louisianans “are ready to work, and in order for Louisiana’s citizens to be work-ready, they must be free of drug dependence.”

More states should adopt policies that will require initial drug testing and random testing of benefit recipients and base their assistance on the results. People can lose their jobs when testing positive for drugs, which means loss of money and benefits, so why should we treat the jobless any different?

See Urine or You’re Out

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The point is, Davies knew about the honor code when he chose to attend that school. He agreed to the honor code in order to attend class and play ball for them. He violated it, he’s suspended as he should be. He broke the code, he needs to suffer the consequences of such an act.

But, there are many, I suppose (from what the media is saying), who think that in this day and time, that honor code is obsolete. I say, no. While premarital sex occurs more in this day and age than any other, it is not a reason to change the beliefs and codes of a university attached to the Mormon church. If Mr. Davies didn’t want to abide by those codes, or he considered them obsolete, there are countless other universities in the United States and abroad he could attend.

Athletes need to know they are not special enough to merit exemptions from laws and rules that apply to the rest of us.

No, I think BYU is absolutely correct in sanctions against Davies and any other student who violates their rules of conduct. I say, good for you, BYU.

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Charlie Sheen’s interview makes it clear he thinks he is the reason CBS exists today. I like Charlie Sheen as an actor, but I can’t stomach him as a person. His arrogance about, well, everything tells me is is clearly in denial. Talking about how he kicked a drug addiction in mere days when everyone else battles for years tells me that he isn’t taking things seriously. His dad even tried to help, but Charlie lashed out at him for it and talked about his “angels” – a nanny and a porn star. Okay, so that is a fantasy of most men, but that’s beside the point. He still thinks CBS will collapse without him. Not likely. Now, of course, they’ve moved a tv show I like to make room for the interview with this idiot.

From listening to ABC’s interview with Libyan leader (dictator, despot, idiot) Gadhafi,  Qaddafi, Kadafi (or however they spell it this week), it is obvious this guy is disconnected from reality in a big way. While more than half of Libyans are trying to overthrow his regime, he keeps saying his people love him and will die for him. Well, the second part of that is certainly true – they will die for him, or rather because of him. He says the trouble is because they have been drugged with hallucinogens by terrorists. Really? He said that? If his people love him so much, he should walk down the streets of Zawiya alone and let his people ‘love’ him.

And Lindsay Lohan. That girl just doesn’t learn. It is apparent that she thinks she is more important than anyone else. She certainly has no regard for anyone else. She pretty much got a slap on the wrist for the DUI conviction and that certainly didn’t teach her anything. She is on probation for that and is now accused of lifting a $2500 necklace. Of course, she says she ‘borrowed’ it, but the store owner says differently. Apparently there is paperwork involved that was not done. No paperwork, no jewelry loan. That little girl needs to spend some time in the grown-up world of prison. Let’s see what happens when she ‘borrows’ something from someone there.

As for me, I’m going to the bank to ‘borrow’ a large sum of money, and, uh, hold the paperwork.

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So, here we are with gasoline prices on the rise and the news media predicting $4 and $5 per gallon by summer (again). “Double-Dip” recession is the buzz phrase being thrown around by proud-looking talking-heads on the news, ecstatic that some of their doomsday predictions appear to be coming true.

Then, they show recycled stories about how keeping your car running properly, your tires properly inflated, and changing your driving habits can save you some money on gas all the while predicting more doomsday. They print and air even more recycled stories about grocery prices rising in its wake.

My favorite, however, has to be the news stories that basically call us Americans spoiled because we are griping about over $3/gallon gas when they are paying over $9/gallon in London and Europe. But, nobody calls Iraqis spoiled when they are paying much less than we are for the same gallon of gasoline. In any case, this American thinks he has the right to gripe about $3/gallon gasoline and rightly so. I really don’t care what they pay in Europe – I don’t live there. If I did, though, I would be griping about $9/gallon gas but I wouldn’t be down on anyone paying less – good for them.

For years we have been talking about reducing our dependence on foreign oil. I think a real good start would maybe be to stop exporting what we drill here so we don’t have to import as much. Just saying. If we really wanted to reduce that dependence, I think we could.

But, I’m just a spoiled America, what do I know?

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I use dental floss to, well, get the stuff out from between my teeth so they don’t gripe at me when I visit my dentist.  I never really gave much thought to what else you might use dental floss for.  Until today.  Since that worked so well, I got to looking at what other uses for dental floss there are in the world.

This is just some of what I found.  Please feel free to add comments with your uses.

1. Hang things.  It’s very strong and you can use it in place of wire.
2. Sew buttons and hooks.  It’s stronger than thread.
3. Cut food into thin slices.  Food such as hard-boiled eggs, cakes, cheese, jelly, etc. can be cut with floss.
4. Separate stuck pictures.  Just run the floss between the photos and gently work it down.
5. Fishing line.  Just in case you forgot your fishing pole, just reach for the floss.
6. Repair a tent, backpack, etc.  Use floss to sew together torn seams.
7. String beads or garland.
8. Clean in tight cracks.  Just floss like you do your teeth.
9. Use as an emergency shoe lace.
10. Emergency medical procedures.  Use floss to tie severed arteries or umbilical cords.  Hey, why not?

I know there are hundreds more uses so, please add your uses to the comments.

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Watching Good Morning, America this morning, there were several of these DUH moments.

The first is this.  Now, hold on, you will never see this coming.  Eating more fruits and vegetables lowers your risk of heart disease.  You mean that actually eating more fruits and vegetables is actually healthy?  Who’da thunk it?

Next, according to GMA, video from the store indicates the shooting may have been premeditated.  Ya’ THINK? Police already had evidence that Jared Lee Loughner planned this by getting everything together and going to the store to SHOOT PEOPLE. Apparently, we weren’t sure if this was pre-planned, or just spur of the moment until now.  Thank God for the video so we’ll know that the idiot who took guns and ammo to a political rally wasn’t just strolling by and suddenly got emotional enough to spray bullets.

Then, there’s the stupid 10th-grader in Los Angeles who took a gun to school in his backpack. The gun apparently fired accidentally after the backpack was dropped and injured two students. According to the news, police are wondering how he got the gun into school in the first place.  Umm, I’m thinking, in the backpack? I’m not an expert, just guessing.

Okay, now I feel better and I can go to work.  Have a nice day.

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King spoke of equality among all people with no race or group of people with more or less rights than another.  He urged people to fight for this equality, but without violence, without hatred.  He urged “his people” to meet “physical force with soul force.”

It amazes me how, even today, when we are supposedly so much more enlightened, people still hate others based upon the color of their skin, the accent of their voice, or their different way of worshiping the same God or even a different god or none at all.

Though we have come a long way, there is still a long way to go.  We all live on this same earth where there is no room for hatred for anyone.  As King pointed out, our freedoms are all inextricably bound to each other’s freedoms.  “We cannot walk alone.”

King’s dream that this nation will live out the true meaning of “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal” is much closer today to being a reality, but not quite there, yet.  But the resistance is not only from one race, but all races and all races must come to the same realization that we are all in this together and work together for true equality.  Only then can that dream be realized.

Happy Birthday, Dr. King.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of “interposition” and “nullification” — one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

Here is the entire “I Have a Dream” speech.

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Suffice it to say that most of us should resolve to lose weight, eat healthier and exercise more.  If you smoke, you should resolve to quit.  But, maybe we should add some other resolutions to our tab.  Resolutions we should strive to keep all year long.

Resolve to help stop hate and racism.  While we have come a long way, we still have far to go.  Hatred has no place in this world and it’s time we let go of it.  And, let’s face it, the world is full of people of all races, skin colors, and heritage.  How boring it would be if we all were alike.  Just as plants and animals come in all different varieties, so do people.  Don’t hate someone for being different, celebrate it.

Resolve to help those less fortunate than you.  It really doesn’t matter how unfortunate your circumstances are, you can always find someone less fortunate.  Everyone has had or will have a time when they need a little help.  And, certainly, everyone knows someone who can use a little help.  As you bless those less fortunate, you, in turn, will be blessed.  Even if you don’t have much to spare, you can always be a friend.

Resolve to make your community just a bit better.  If you see that paper cup blowing in the wind, pick it up and put it in the trash.  Recycle as often as you can.  Take the opportunity to volunteer your time to a civic or other group.  Volunteer in the schools and share your unique knowledge with children.  Get involved in the local, state or federal government.

There are many more resolutions you can make, but the key is to stick with them.  We have the power and obligation to change things and make this world a better place for all of us.

Happy New Year!

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For one thing, there is no such thing as a simple installation or upgrade.  Oh, yes, they tell you that it’s easy, but they lie.  And if you’ve ever been enticed into clicking on a help link for Microsoft, you know this is a lesson in futility.  For example, they lure you with promises of help and world peace by giving a link that says something like, “click here for help”.  However, if it’s like the one I clicked on for an error in Exchange 2010, you get help like this: “There is no article associated with this item.”  Yeah, big help!

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate technology all the time, just some days.  But, still on these days, I use my cell phone to score some dinner for us, go home and watch my flat screen television connected to a satellite DVR.  Unless it’s been a particularly tech challenging day, I will log on to the internet and check a few pages I like to read.  I also take care of my web customers’ needs.

So, at the end of a very challenging day, with a major problem resolved, I’m finally relaxing.

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Honor Guard at Tomb of the Unknowns

Sixty-nine years ago, Air and sea forces from Japan deliberately attacked America in a cowardly act.  They attacked without provocation and without warning.  Too many good men and women died that day.  This marked America’s entry into a war that, until then, we had no desire to enter.  However, we did enter it and, at a huge cost, drove back the enemy and became victor – on two fronts.

America has always been a mighty nation of brave souls who, rather than be enslaved by villains, will fight for freedom.  Not only our freedom, but the freedom of other oppressed people.  Other nations have scorned us, cursed us, burned our flags, attacked our people, spat upon our ideals, mocked our democracy, and vowed to end our very lives.  Yet, when disaster strikes, when all hope is lost – who can they count on?  That’s right, the good ole US of A.  And we go, and we give, and we die for them.  They are grateful for a time, then it is back to bashing America.  Yet, like a patient father, we take it and the next time these ingrates get into trouble, we are there.

Thank you to everyone who has served, is serving and will serve America in our armed forces.  Thank you for putting your lives on the line for us and others.

THANK YOU VETERANS!

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Those times when we were all together were few and far between, but I remember them fondly.  It all began to change, though, when those who were never going to die died.  My great grandmother, Uncle Gerald and Mammaw died all very closely to each other.  It seemed like every time we turned around, we were attending another funeral.  More funerals than my young children should have ever had to attend.  Then, my dad in 2001.

So, my formerly pretty large family is now fragmented.  My grandmother, it seemed was the glue that held us together and when she passed, we just don’t get together like we used to.  My wife and I would try.  Each year after, we hosted Thanksgiving and, of course, invited everyone.  One year, we actually succeeded in getting most of the family back together again, in my house.  The cousins, aunts, uncles, my mother and my sons all crowded my house.  I couldn’t hardly walk without stepping on someone – and I loved it!  We haven’t been able to pull that off again.

Yesterday, however, we had Thanksgiving at my mother’s.  While it wasn’t quite the houseful, we had a blast!  My brother was able to join us after many years of not being able to.  So, we had my mother, her friend, my sons, my wife and her parents, and my brother for dinner.  After dinner, we played games and generally had a wonderful time.  It brought back memories of those we can’t bring back, and fun times with those we still have.

Yes, I had a great Thanksgiving day, yesterday.  I hope you did, too.  Please share your thanksgiving memories.

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So, from Iowahawk, here it is: The Airport Security Love Song – Comply with Me.  Hilarious!

UPDATE: I found this video on YouTube where someone put it to music! Ha!

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For those of you stuck in a hole for the past 20 or so years, these kid leashes are attached to a harness on the kid on one end and the parent on the other.  This is so you can spend less time actually watching your kid and more time talking, shopping, or whatever.  Your kid is free to be a kid and handle merchandise, put things in his or her pocket, etc. while the parent is free of actually having to monitor their children.

In their defense, children do have a way of getting away from even the most watchful of parents and this little device can solve a lot of heartache and tragedy, so I’m not completely against them.  We had wrist straps with our children (our wrist tethered to their wrist), but we also held their hands and watched them and scolded them when they did something they weren’t supposed to do.  We didn’t depend on the strap to do our kid-watching for us, but as a type of backup system to keep Junior from wandering.

But, now ABC News is portraying a parent and a caregiver actually treating children like dogs, commanding them to heel, sit and stay.  I must say, I never witnessed anyone with a kid leash doing that.  But on their show ‘What would you do?’, they are having an actress actually tie up kid actors outside a store like you would a dog to see what people would do.  I might have to watch that one.

In any case, if my child were acting up in a store, I would not drag them by the leash.  If he was throwing a fit and didn’t want to walk, I would adjust his attitude (read bust his butt) and go on with my day.  My children knew I was the one in charge, not them.

Now, for the video:

So, what do you think?

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We Americans love our freedoms.  We are free to travel between state borders with no papers, proof of citizenship, or permission.  And we like it that way!  It should be no different if we are walking, driving, riding a bus, or … flying.  Problem is, though, if a person is walking or driving and decides to blow him or herself up, they are likely to be the only casualty.  If a person blows him or herself up on a bus or a plane, many more people will die.  So, where does security trump freedom and to what extent should it do so?

I’m not a fan of the TSA’s practices, but I do realize they are in a bad position.  They are tasked with keeping the flying public safe.  If someone gets onto a plane with weapons, then everyone is asking why the TSA allowed those weapons on board.  It happened, tragically, on 9-11-2001, and that is exactly one of the questions we asked.  And exactly why airport security has changed so drastically.

Click for larger image

We are all growing weary over the ever-increasingly invasive screening procedures we are asked to endure in order to go see Aunt Millie for Christmas.  There is even a grassroots effort – wewontfly.com – asking people to either not fly on November 24 (the day before Thanksgiving and one of the most heavily traveled days of the year) or opt out of the full-body scanner.  This will subject the passenger to a pat-down (grope-down) screening and slow the security process.  They are hoping to convince the TSA to remove the scanners.

But, in the wake of the shoe bomber, the underwear bomber, and potentially the buttock-implant bomber, the TSA is trying to find ways to detect these threats.  One way is to use full-body scanners.  Since the flying public have the option to opt-out of this screening, there must be a different way to detect these threats, so now they are subjected to aggressive pat-downs.  However, the rules have changed and they are now using their palms instead of the back side of their hands to pat down – hence the term grope-down.

When you are being ‘patted down’ with the front of the hand, this allows unscrupulous screeners to cop a feel if they want and get away with it.  It would be easy to convince a supervisor or even a jury that you did not grope, but only that it was the passenger’s perception.  So, when they are checking a woman’s chest area for boobie-bombs and decide to do a squeeze test (to make sure there are no explosives, of course), there is little recourse.  However, if a police officer did the same thing, he or she would be subjected to all kinds of civil and legal liabilities.

However, if a passenger refuses the full-body scan and an agent does not do a good job of patting down and misses a weapon and a plane blows up or is hijacked, then people will scream about how ineffective the TSA is in detecting threats.  Their security procedures are constantly being tested and constantly found faulty.  Several tests have revealed contraband that was successfully taken through a security checkpoint.  Every time this happens, the TSA tightens their search, robbing us even more of our freedom to fly.

On the other hand, abuses of authority should not be tolerated.  Ever.  By anyone.  If any TSA agent performs his or her duty in a way that is not completely professional, they should be taken to task for it and face civil and/or criminal penalties.  The 4th Amendment should not be taken lightly and we are seeing it chipped away piece by piece, especially when we fly.  So, the balance has to be there with real consequences for those who take advantage of their position to abuse travelers.

So, where do we draw the line?  We can’t tell the TSA to protect us from every threat then scream when they want to nude-o-scope us.  We can’t tell them to back off a bit, then scream that they missed something that would not be caught on a normal, non-invasive screening.  I guess, we could fly naked, as I suggested in a previous article.

While I do not agree with open-handed pat-downs, or full-body scanners that show such detail, I do agree we need to stop every threat possible.  As we get more sophisticated in our screening, those who want to sneak contraband around security are also becoming more sophisticated, like a deadly cat-and-mouse.

So, America, what do we do?  Where is the line drawn?  What can we do?  As a people, we do have the right, nay the responsibility, to help shape the policies of every government agency, including the TSA.  But, when we do, and we get what we want, don’t scream about the results.  The TSA is in a damned-if-you-do-and-damned-if-you-don’t situation.

Ben Franklin said it best, “Those who would sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither.”

Will the current TSA practices stop you from flying?  Will you opt-out of the full body scan if selected?  Are you comfortable with the grope-down?  Please respond in comments.

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If you listened to the media, it was the ‘cruise from hell’ or ‘nightmare cruise’ or whatever the hell else they come up with.  However, when they finally got to actually talk to the passengers, they were told a different story.  No matter how hard the reporters tried to bait the passengers to say how horrible Carnival is, they wouldn’t say it.

No, the stories that came out told of a crew that went way above and beyond to make a potentially horrible situation much less horrible.  Yes, I’m sure it was very disagreeable, especially when the toilets weren’t working.  But, what the crew did to take care of their guests was phenomenal.

What happened aboard Carnival Splendor could not be predicted.  It could have happened on any of the cruises I have taken, or will take.  That does not dissuade me from going on another cruise.  If, on my next cruise, something similar does happen, it will be inconvenient to be sure.  I will certainly be upset about it and perhaps a bit grumpy.  But, as long as we were safe, I would get through it and do so with the best possible attitude I could muster.

The cruise line also, in my opinion, went above and beyond.  All charges guests had made to their shipboard accounts were forgiven, no matter what they purchased.  the bar service offered all drinks, soft and hard, at no charge to the guests.  Guests were given the portraits taken at no charge.  Transportation costs were refunded whether or not they were booked through Carnival.  Hotel costs were covered for guests staying overnight.  Guests were given a full refund for this cruise and a voucher for the full amount they paid on this cruise toward a future cruise.

I’ve heard that Carnival has made several more concessions, but I haven’t been able to verify those.  But, I have no doubt they did.

Now, I realize that Carnival was trying to make unhappy customers happy so they would cruise again and continue to cruise.  Most cruise ship customers are repeat business and they will do well to keep these customers.  But, that’s what good customer service is all about – keeping current customers while winning more.  That’s how you stay in business.  That’s great customer service.

No, I wasn’t there and I’m very happy I wasn’t.  It was an uncomfortable and inconvenient situation I can’t really imagine.  However, from what I’ve read from passengers and the cruise line, they did their best to take a bad situation and make it less bad.

I’ve cruised on Carnival before and my next cruise will be on a Carnival ship.  I know I will be very well taken care of.

Read Smoke on the Water – John Heald’s blog account.  John Heald is the Cruise Director aboard Carnival Splendor on this cruise.  His account is not only vastly entertaining, but very informative as well.

Find out what and how to pack for your destinations. Find out where the hidden costs of cruising are and how to avoid them to stay within your budget and actually return home with money in your pocket. Find out how to save money on shore excursions and still see all the sights you want. Find out which cabins offer the smoothest ride and how to upgrade for little or no additional cost.

On-board credits: what they are, and how to get them. It’s all here.

Cruise Tips & Insider Secrets is a must-have for everyone who loves cruising, even if you consider yourself a seasoned veteran.

The current low price of only $17.00 and a money-back guarantee makes this offer a real no-brainer.

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I got to thinking what it would be like to take a cruise at Christmas time and I came up with this poem in the style of “Jingle Bells”.

Christmas Cruise

The day has fin'ly come
We are leaving for our cruise
A week of fun and sun
No time left to snooze.
Driving to the coast
To board a great big boat
Now, we don't mean to laugh and boast,
But, we won't need a coat.

Oh, Christmas cruise, Christmas cruise
A week-long get away.
Here it will be wet and cold,
But we'll be warm as May.

Crashing through the sea
The ship has left the pier.
It's only you and me
And lots of Christmas cheer.
The first stop is Key West
It's sunny and it's warm.
We want to start on a new quest
So we jump in the swarm.

Oh, Christmas cruise, Christmas cruise
A week-long get away.
Here it will be wet and cold,
But we'll be warm as May.

It's on to Bahamas
Where we will stay two days.
Here there's no life dramas
Just lots and lots of rays.
The sun is pounding down,
To the ocean we will go,
Or maybe we will go to town
To spend our hard-earned dough.

Oh, Christmas cruise, Christmas cruise
A week-long get away.
Here it will be wet and cold,
But we'll be warm as May.

Then back aboard the yacht,
It's westward we will go.
We're hatching a new plot
To see a Vaudeville show.
We have just two more days
Before this cruise will end.
We are already seeking ways
To start a brand-new trend.

Oh, Christmas cruise, Christmas cruise
We're sorry it is done.
Here it is all wet and cold,
But we had lots of fun!

-Chris Cummings

Find out what and how to pack for your destinations.  Find out where the hidden costs of cruising are and how to avoid them to stay within your budget and actually return home with money in your pocket.  Find out how to save money on shore excursions and still see all the sights you want.  Find out which cabins offer the smoothest ride and how to upgrade for little or no additional cost.

On-board credits: what they are, and how to get them.  It’s all here.

Cruise Tips & Insider Secrets is a must-have for everyone who loves cruising, even if you consider yourself a seasoned veteran.

The current low price of only $17.00 and a money-back guarantee makes this offer a real no-brainer.

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The superintendent says he is trying to avoid racial tension on campus.  He’s afraid the Hispanic students will fly Mexican flags which will prompt other kids to fly American flags.

“(The) First Amendment is important,” Superintendent Edward Parraz said. “We want the kids to respect it, understand it, and with that comes a responsibility.”

Yes, it does come with a responsibility to not hide from it.  He wants the kids to respect the First Amendment while he stomps all over it.  This is the USA, not Mexico or any other nation.  The American flag should take precedence over all others.

I know American citizens are from all different cultures and nations.  I think that is what gives America her uniqueness and her strength.  A person should honor their ancestry for it is what makes them what they are.  But, one should also love the country which of which they are a citizen.

I do love my country.  It’s far from perfect, but I believe it is still the best in the world.  I will fly my American flag and if someone is offended by it, too bad, they can leave.

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It’s been said that friends will help you move, but true friends will help you move bodies.  That’s a good start, but there’s so much more.

A true friend will tell you the truth, not just what you want to hear.  A true friend will not only come to your party, but come early to help you set up and stay late to help you clean up.  A true friend never acts like a guest in your house, but opens the fridge to help him/herself.  A true friend doesn’t talk about your problems, but helps you with your problems.  A true friend doesn’t expect you to always be there for him/her, but expects to always be there for you.  True friends not only have seen you cry, but cry with you.

You will have an argument with a true friend, but a true friend knows the friendship is not over and calls you afterward.  When you are in trouble, a true friend will not be upset when you call in the middle of the night, but ask you why you waited so long to call.  A true friend is someone who would protect you with his/her own life, if necessary.

A true friend does not care the size of your house, the contents of your bank account, or what kind of car you drive.  Mansion or hut, overdrawn or millions, beater or limo: a true friend will be your friend no matter what.

I found this story not long ago which talks about friendship and I would like to share it here.  It is paraphrased from a Latin book of old stories probably around the 14th century.

There was a king who had an only son whom he loved very much.  This young man wanted to see the world and make friends for himself, so he received his father’s permission and went off.

He was gone for seven years.  Upon returning, his overjoyed father asked about the friends he had made.

“I made three friends,” said the son.  “The first friend, I love more than myself.  The second, I love as myself, and the third, I don’t care for much at all.”

“That’s wonderful, son, but don’t you think you should prove them before you need them?  You should kill a pig tonight and put it into a sack, getting a lot of blood on you and the sack.  Go to the first friend whom you love best and tell him that you accidentally killed a man and, if the body should be found, you will be crucified.  Beg of him that if he ever loved you, he will help you.  Seek help from the other two as well.”

The son did just this.  The first friend answered him and said, “Since you killed someone, you must pay the price for it.  If the body were to be found in my house, I would certainly be the one crucified.  But, since you are my friend, I will follow you to the cross with three or four ells of cloth to wrap your body when you are dead.”

The son left the first friend and continued on to the second.  “What, you think I’m crazy that I should bring this danger upon myself?  But, since you are my friend, I will follow you to the cross and comfort you all along the way.”

The prince then went to the third friend and said, “I am ashamed to be here, because I have not been a friend to you at all, but I have accidentally killed a man and I must hide the body or I will be crucified.”

“My friend,” answered the third, “I am ready to help you do whatever you need to do and, if necessary, take this crime on myself.  And, if I must, I will even be crucified in your place.”

The third friend, therefore, proved he was a true friend.

I also found a Christian application of this story:

The king is God and the only son is any Christian.  The first friend is the world; and if it gives three or four ells of cloth when you need it, that is good.  The second friend is your wife and children.  They will mourn at your grave, but soon the memories fade.  The third friend is Christ, for whom we have done little, but loves us even upon the cross and joyfully gave His life so that we may live.

For those of us blessed enough to have at least one true friend, we know how rare it is.  It is important to be a true friend yourself.

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Thank you.  We have been made free by men and women like you, and we have remained free because of men and women like you.

You left your home, friends and families to join a common cause and stand up for your country, for those oppressed, or for those in need.  Those of you who joined in peacetime had no idea what war or conflict the next day would bring.  Those of you who joined during a war, or were joined by the draft, still had no idea what you were getting into, not really.  No matter when you joined our armed forces, you are a hero.

You deserve so much more than you are receiving.  You deserve the gratitude of everyone who has lived in the US, visited the US, been helped by the US, or otherwise touched by the US.  You deserve the best health care available paid for by a grateful people.  You deserve the best benefits, also paid for by a grateful people.

Some of you have been through hell, some of you are ready to go through hell, and many more paid the ultimate price while fighting in hell, their souls commended to Heaven.

So, please accept my thanks for your service to me, our country, all Americans, and the world.

This poem has been around for quite a while and I will quote it again here since I really like it.

It is the soldier, not the reporter,
Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier,
Who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protestor to burn the flag.

- Father Dennis Edward O'Brian, USMC

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I don’t have a problem with it.  But, I must admit that I really didn’t give it much thought this morning.

Then, I read a Muskogee Phoenix article about 4-year-old Dakota Lane who was stabbed 27 times with a pair of scissors allegedly by an 18-year-old man.  What kind of low-life sub-human would do that?  The alleged sub-human, Aaron Laconsello, is in jail and is charged with first degree murder.

Which brings me to my point.  The slime responsible for stabbing a 4-year-old 27 times with a pair of scissors deserves to die – painfully, slowly.  My opinion is, since the child was stabbed about 7 times for each year of his young life, upon conviction, the asswipe should be sentenced to the same: stabbed 7 times for each year of his life.  In this case, if it was the 18-year old man, he should be stabbed with scissors 126 times. (** Update – apparently, they have updated the wound count to 36, this means that Dakota was stabbed 9 times for each year of his life and updates my recommended sentence to 162.)

But, since that’s not going to happen, then I say go ahead with lethal injection.  And, why not with the same drugs they use to put dogs down?  If dogs, whose only crime they committed was to be unwanted by their owners or born stray, are routinely put down so much more should child-killers.

If a drug used on dogs is available to put this killer down, then so be it.  I personally don’t see the problem.

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So, when I finally get brave enough to go past her, I see she is still talking on her phone.  Whew, I’m glad I didn’t interrupt her conversation by letting her run over me!

When I was working in Tulsa, it was amazing some of the things I’d see.  One day on the turnpike, this car was flying toward me from behind, all over the road.  I moved over to the shoulder and still almost got smashed.  After it passed me, I caught up to it so I could call the OHP.  It was a woman putting on makeup using the passenger side visor mirror! Yikes!

It’s not only women, so don’t think I’m picking on you ladies.  There was another time, I came up on a car driving slower and slower, then faster and faster.  I thought there might be a medical problem, but no.  There was this man reading the newspaper.  He couldn’t see the road, much less his speedometer.  No wonder he couldn’t drive a consistent speed.

Then, there was the guy who had his laptop computer sitting on his dash and he was typing with both hands at 75 mph. I guess he didn’t quite understand that’s not what’s meant by fast internet.

I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that people do stupid stuff like this, but it’s irritating when they cause me to drop my burger and drink and have to take my knees off the steering wheel.

I’m sure truck drivers see all sorts of crap like this from their vantage point and I would love to hear some of their stories.

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Nay, I say.  It was not luck, but divine intervention.  I don’t believe in luck, or coincidence for that matter.  I believe that God is sovereign over everything and that nothing is simply chance.  I believe that whatever happens, God is in control.

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.  Matthew 10:29-31 NIV

9 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. 10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.  Isaiah 46:9-10 NIV

Even though from our earthly point of view it seems that luck and coincidence play a big part in our daily lives, it is God who is in control of His creation.  He takes the seemingly random effects of nature, the free will of good and evil men and the evil acts of demons and brings them all together for His perfect will.

We Christians also have the assurance that He works together all things, good and bad, for the good of those who love Him.

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28 NIV

So, was it lucky or coincidence that all the events happened just perfectly so that baby’s life was spared?  Not a chance.

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Then, finally got an email that I could purchase the .com for quite a bit more than it was actually worth, so, wait time some more.

I actually forgot about it until a registrar emailed me to say it was now available.  A few clicks on Go Daddy and the dot com was all mine, along with the dot info.

Okay, maybe not something most people would care about, but, hey, my patience finally paid off.  I finally got the dot com.

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After giving all the normal information, the tech (they are called techs now, not oil changers) asked me what kind of oil.  I told him whatever was recommended for my vehicle would be fine.

So, about 10 minutes later, my car was ready and the total was $35 something.  “Whoa, what about the $26.95?” I asked.

“Oh, did you ask for the special?” she replied as though it was my stupidity that led us to this point.

“Uh, no, I didn’t know I had to.  You were advertising an oil change special for $26.95 (up to 5 quarts).  Nothing said I had to ask for the advertised price.”

“Did the tech ask you if you were getting the special?”

“Again, no, he asked what kind of oil I wanted.  I told him whatever was recommended.”

“Well, I can’t even buy the type of oil he used for $26.95.  We use brand-x oil for the special,” she informed me.

“Well, okay.  You got me.  I’ll know better the next time,” I said, surprisingly calm even for me.  “I usually get my oil changed closer to where I work, but since I was passing by and thought you had a good price for an oil change, I stopped in.  It won’t happen again.”

Actually, I wasn’t rude, snippy, snide or condescending.  I just fell for the ole’ bait and switch, or at least that’s what it seemed.  Instead of going in and asking if it was for real and what did I get with the special, I just assumed (yes, I know what that means) that special was a special for their basic oil change and filter, not something I had to ask special for.

But, it turned out okay.  Without me asking, badgering, yelling, or crying, she offered to give me the price I stopped in for in the first place.  So, customer service wise, it was a pleasant experience and she did what she should – took care of the customer.

But, next time I stop anywhere for an oil change, I will ask what exactly am I getting for the price.

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