My soapbox again...

We cannot - not because we're being politically correct, but because we don't want an escalation in the war - cannot call this current "War on Terrorism" "War against radical Islam" instead. Why you ask? Because we'd suddenly be targeting Muslims. Not only would this inflame many Muslims that are quite impressionable, it would be a lie. Terrorism isn't just limited to Muslims. Timothy McVeigh wasn't Muslim. The Olympic Shoebomber wasn't Muslim (not that I'm aware of, correct me if I'm wrong), and neither was BTK. And all terrorized the country. Argue with me that BTK wasn't a "terrorist" - fine - but that won't fly in Wichita. Terrorism is terrorism, whether its effects are regional, national, or international. It is still terrorism. We must reevaluate our strategy. We must get out of Iraq. Let them figure it out. It'll probably come down to Saudi Arabia vs Iran. Fine. I'll cheer for the Saudis but I'm not going to go over there to help out. We need to get over our borders issues. We need to require that foreign governments either prosecute and lock up terrorists in their country, hand them over to us, or face us in their country to do it for them. Al-Qaida must not just be silenced, they must be destroyed. It is the only way we can win this war and secure our future for generations to come. Let's quit fighting this PC, "clean" war. World War I and II weren't won that way. People die in war, even civilians. Sad but true. But we MUST defeat them, every last d*** terrorist. There is no negotiating. There is no retreat. We must conquer. But these prisoners of war must never be released. Unlike other wars, these soldiers can never reassimilate into society. Enough of my soapbox.

Why I must hit the lottery before I die

I so have to hit the lottery someday, there's so much I must do!!
1. Save the cats.
a. Set up a no-kill cat shelter for unwanted cats, especially sick ones. FIV and FeLV ok.
b. Completely fund wild animal - especially cats - conservation organizations.
2. College fund for my cousins' kids
3. Find and relocate my uncle so he's closer to me.
4. Buy a house out in the middle of nowhere with over 100 acres for reason 1a.
5. Buy the man every cd he ever wanted.
6. Fly in friends for a big ol' blog-fest in Historic Philadelphia.
7. Yearly trips to exotic places:
a. African savannah - to see the cheetahs
b. Vegas - so my better half can see the laser light show
c. Snake River Canyon, Twin Falls, Idaho - perfect summer getaway
8. Pay off debts for all close family
9. Winter house somewhere warm
10. Take care of some very special people.
11. On-call vet for all 1a cats and my cats.
12. End health care crisis for US kids
13. End starvation for US kids, then spred overseas
14. Buy Venezuela off of Chavez and help the poor. Make the rich work.
15. Totally fund Hydrogen-fuel technology to shove the oil back down Iran's throat.
16. Give the military a 150% pay raise. Privates should start out at 50k once they deploy.
17. Minimum salary for teachers 75k
18. Build the D*** US/Mexico fence!!
19. Computers for every child with encyclopedias, ebooks, educational games...
20. Free basic pet insurance for the first 2 pets for deserving but poor families.

Needless to say this list is not complete nor in any specific order, except 1a. I MUST save the cats!!!!! *sigh* I'll do what I can. I saved two. Perhaps the start is in the various Trap-Neuter-Release programs. But I'm going to need to hit the lottery so big I'm almost as rich as Bill Gates if not more to do all I want to do!!

My Soapbox

The illegal immigration bill is FINALLY dead. I have, thanks to this bill, lost a little more confidence in presidential candidate Obama, who tried to further weaken the provision requiring that employers verify the citizenship of their employees and applicants. The border needs to be secured, not tomorrow, not next year, NOW. Finally, those in politics, at least enough of them, listened to us citizens and voted down this bill. We need to build our wall. Heck, let the illegals build it from the Mexican side of the border. Just don't provide them with a way back in. Then lets hire a bunch more border patrol officers. Let's bring our national guard home from the war, let them rest, then set them to help protect us - ON THE HOME FRONT. That's their job. The interior states help the border states out. The national guard is supposed to help us when the problem comes to us, whether it be border security, a major crime manhunt, or a natural disaster. Would Greensburg, Kansas still be in the condition it's in if the national guard was available to clean up fast and help people get back on their feet? Doubtful! Let's get our guardsmen and women home and set them to do their REAL job, not a perceived job.
What's this big stink with an iPhone? I don't want one device doing everything, because if it dies, you're F****D!! I feel a little apprehensive about using my pda as an mp3 player!! I sure don't want it being my phone too! Now I know I might be in the minority here, but I'm not willing to risk it!! My pda is my ebook reader, my gaming device, and main internet connection most of the day. I don't want it having to do even more.
Paris is out of jail... Big whoopy s***!! She needed to do her time. Most of us, contrary to conservative media, would've done that much time if not more had we been convicted of DUI, and then got caught driving TWICE on a suspended license. Her blatant disregard for the law, whether intentional or intentional, makes her case for jail that much better. Intent doesn't exempt.
Is it just me or are there more and more online dating sites advertising on tv nowadays? I'm pessimistic, as always. They don't - and can't - guarantee succes, yet some of them seem to try to make it sound like they do. Let's grow up people. You can't meet new people if you don't get OUT and meet some. Even I had to... And I'm the most anti-social person I know LOL. The 'net just gave me some contacts to meet, and it nearly cost me my life as I fell for a player that played well until he had me under his hand and control. My point is, you have to be careful, and dating online gives you a sometimes false sense of security.
Well that's enough of my soapbox for today. Laters folks!!

New Cat Toy Part 2 - Jadzia's turn

I had given Jadzia a single yellow one all to herself, which she played with longer than the boys did their long one. But eventually Curzon got curious and was going to snatch Jazzy's away from her if I'd let him, so I took it instead and showed Jaz the long one which she promptly followed across the apartment....

It's MINE!!! All mine!!! No Curzon to steal it, no Nimbus to smack off of it. MINE!!!!!

Brotherly supervision

He moved, but it's STILL mine. But I'm watching him. He can't hide on the other side of the fridge!

I've beaten it up, bit it, thrown it, dragged it, now I need to rest. But it's still MINE.

Mommy made us share. As long as he stays over THERE I guess I can share. FOR NOW.

A rare picture of the whole clan, Jadzia, Curzon, and Nimbus. Go figure, they youngest cat is the biggest. But hopefully soon I'll have him a couple pounds lighter. I'm sure they're discussing WHO owns the toy! LOL

Cats' New Favorite Toy

I stopped by the thrift store and found some of them wire pipe cleaners we all played with when we were kids in the free bin, so I snatched em knowing they'd be a hit with the cats, who just love twisties. So I brought them home, and put the 4 pink ones together (since its a bright color likely to be seen by cats). Boy it got good, I couldn't even finish putting them together before both the boys wanted it... They shared for a while - until Curzon thought it was a snake trying to bite him!

Inspection duty

Attacking the "snake" "head" LOL

The two-pawed attack!

Nimbus making a second attempt at getting some of the fun

5 minutes of fun... 2 hours of sleep needed to rest off the excitement!! (But I'm not letting them get away that easy!!

Oops I gotta do it again!

So much for me not having blonde moments...

I forgot to rename my periodic saves on Booklib yesterday so I got a lot done but it decided to lock up and I have nothing to do about it but start over AGAIN from my last save. D'oh! So here I go AGAIN redoing a day's work!

Some Scary Stuff

Please read this article to understand what is up with my beloved boocat, Nimbus. As is obvious by his outliving the stats, he does not have the more severe case. His cardiologist said he can live a long, normal life as long as we keep up on his condition and he receives proper medical attention. I am so glad we caught it before he started showing symptoms, it could've been so much worse!! The cardiologist said also that he's just seeing weakening, nothing TOO scary. But my little soldier's been living medicated now for over a year and except for a little sluggishness (just due to the sheer fact of the medicine he's on) for a few hours after he takes his pill, he's his normal self. I think he even knows he's not a normal healthy cat, because although he runs half the time, he always stops and gives in! I hope to have him for another 10 years at least, hopefully 15! I only hope that his mother and uncle don't have it and are just still asymptomatic, as at $400 a piece + gas money, I can't afford to have both of them see the cardiologist. However, in hindsight, he did pant sometimes when he got too hot or excited, and as I've not seen the twins do this, I am hopeful.

A Must-Read/See

http://shellauncut.blogspot.com/2007/06/elizabeth-edwards-class-personified.html

Thanks Shella for posting it. I'll tell ya'll this. Personal attacks have NO place in politics. Nor does attacking a candidate's wife. Enough is enough. Let's grow up and talk ISSUES.

Some new blogs I'm watching and cats....

First of all, I've stumbled upon some blogs in my surfing I really like, some from being linked on another blog, others just randomly, so before I put them on my list, I'd like to give them a little special attention!!

http://amadisonstreetsummer.blogspot.com/
http://www.htplus12-2007.blogspot.com/
http://frumpyprofessor.blogspot.com/
http://ioftenwonderwoman.blogspot.com/
http://katry.blogspot.com/
http://myladeda.blogspot.com/
http://riverknitsyarns.blogspot.com/
http://4thavenueblues.blogspot.com/
http://talyre.blogspot.com/

I invite all of my readers to check them out!

And now to the cats...
I just came in from taking my girl outside, which is rare as she's the one in the middle who doesn't HATE outside, but doesn't really have any frets about it once I get her outside. She lets me know when she wants back in, but she doesn't cry and fuss about it like her son does... well usually. But what was unusual today is that she actually took a (much smaller version of her brother's) walk today! She only went a few sidewalk tiles down the sidewalk (and of course away from the street even though we live a few dozen feet away), but it was the first time she went semi-voluntarily down the steps and into the world. That patio is usually as far as she'll go! But as I forgot to grab her collar and so I just had her leash hooked to itself around her neck, when she went to run she semi-choked herself, nothing serious, just enough to cough once or twice. I got her to slow down so I could get a hold of her and loosen her up and let her run, and we stopped before that run and I loved up on her and made sure she was ok even though I knew she was. Then we sat up on the porch for a couple minutes and she just loved up on me like you wouldn't believe... including snorkle-like noises only her brother usually gives me. It was theraputic. Thanks, Jadzia, for a little reminder on why cat people are cat people and not rodent people! You ever see a pet mouse on a walk? NOPE! LOL

PDA program update

Well it has happened again. Booklib has quit again. It isn't locking up on me like it did last time, just erasing itself!! Luckily this time I only lost 15 ebooks but I'm not going to be stuck re-importing my csv file every time I get new ebooks. Oh well, I'm just going to have to figure out how to get a database that can load Mobipocket or MS Reader without having to load the programs themselves.
Otherwise, nothing much new here. I had to leave on my midday errand at 9am this morning as it was already too warm and humid, and it was only 76!! By the time I got home, it was 11 degrees warmer! 11 degrees in the span of about an hour and a half is a big jump. I think it ended up getting to 93 today. I'm just glad I left when I did and not at my normal time as it was just TOO hot! I can't wait for it to get back down to a high of say... 80 would be tolerable to me.
And once again, thank you to all my readers for their input and attention. :)

Thanks folks!

Wow ya'll been readin' up on me!! Thanks folks, I appreciate it, even though you're such a silent crowd! Without the counter I'd never know!
I don't have much to say right now but I think I said it already from the pocketpc post. So I'll write more later.
Take care folks!

Thoughts

I had a bad feeling from the beginning about the missing Ohio woman case. When I learned that the "boyfriend" was married to someone else and had a history that no police officer should have, my heart sunk. And now that they've found her body and he apparently led the police to her body tells me he knows its over and it's just a matter of time before he fully confesses (if he hasn't already) and hopefully tells WHY he did it. The family deserves that, and more importantly, his son deserves to have that answer when he's old enough to understand what has gone on in his early years.
Isn't the news supposed to be unbiased? Have you watched CNN lately? It is obvious that at least some reporters and commentators are unable to remain neutral and report the news. Fox is no better, as Bill'O as MSN's Keith Olbermann calls him refuses to even cover the war in Iraq. So where are we supposed to go for our news? Here's my answer... Watch them all. That way you get both sides, and then go read the stories online on Reuters' and the AP's websites. Read your newspapers too, sometimes they cut through the partisan crap, and if they don't, readers catch it in their editorial section.
My biggest question is how do we both cut off from big oil and cut down on "greenhouse gasses" that supposedly is killing this planet. Now I have no doubt we're not helping, but are we really killing this planet? Maybe we're only expediting a normal cycle between heat waves and mini ice ages. Anyways, back to my point. I detest ethanol, and here's why. It doesn't help the environment as it is just as toxic to produce as gasoline. And with the high demand, it drives up corn and wheat and other crop prices, which makes the food we EAT more expensive. Let's do better. Let's go natural... Hydrogen!! The only bi-product is water, which we all could use!! Think, the water we make from driving could help water crops, fight forest fighters, or quench our thirst!! BIG BONUS!! Of course the ultimate isn't ever going to happen - because we aren't going to go back to a society that walks or uses horses to go where they need to go. And then again, all that wood... Uggghhhh
I guess its safe to say I think I've yapped everyone's ears off for now. I await comments and other ideas!!

She's Dead

The 9mo pregnant missing woman from Ohio's been found dead, her bf charged... More later

I've been assimilated...

... into the Google world!
First came Blogger going Google and me getting back in with that when I got my Google mail when Yahoo crapped out on me. Then came my discovery of Picasa photo albums. Then came the Google Desktop bar... now I can watch everything from the side of the screen. I don't have to open a separate window for a calculator or a quick notepad, got a timer for when I'm doing laundry, weatherbug's there instead of hiding down next to the clock, and I can see who's emailed me if I missed my Gmail notifier telling me. Oh and I got a little pot of red roses blooming... and it all blends in with my desktop :)
For those of you who are wondering (as it was brought to my attention I've been unusually silent about), my cats are doing fine. I've gone back to mixing some Purina Indoor Formula in with their Purina One Urinary Tract Formula food. This seems to have solved Curzon's vomiting up right after eating issue. Now he only pukes when he's getting up a hairball. Much better. With three cats, they get usually 3 cups a day so I mix a cup in with their urinary tract and it seems to be doing the trick. I may eaven it up to a cup and a half of each here soon if Nimbus doesn't start showing some signs of weight loss, as he does need to get the fat off from around his ribs. A cat with heart problems doesn't need one gram of extra fat that he wouldn't normally have on him. I've started to figure out also how to get Curzon to let me brush him - it's quite a balancing act! But thanks to some friends from the Maine Coon yahoo group, I now have some other tips that just might help. I just have to figure out how to tell the two that LOVE being groomed to wait their turn! Poor Jadzia had such a hard time jumping up on the bed night before last, I felt bad for her, but it's my fault. She can't pass from one side to the other on my side of the bed anymore unless she actually crawls under the bed, which isn't fair. I figured she'd naturally do this, but I was wrong. Shows how much I know about my own cats sometimes! Unpredictable furballs!
My projects are going fine, I taught myself how to crochet, sorta! I ended up crocheting a mini basket (umph there's a Jadzia to help me blog!) and a bassinette! LOL And covers to turn 3 round cardboard coasters into frisbees! Haha! But they go pretty far!! And straighter than the coaster itself would go. I just have to get to a happy medium between keeping the yarn on and making it possible to exchange coasters in case the cardboard gets wet. Maybe it's something I could eventually sell... but I need more coasters first! LOL... and to figure out how I did the first one perfectly! I still haven't gotten it down! I finished the lid for my boyfriend's canvas box... but the crocheting distracted me from working on mine and my knit multi-colored... something! And now I'm going to take this top part of one of the non-fitting lids and sew it onto my backpack purse... you know one of them little jean purses that look like mini-backpacks that were so cool last decade... Yes I know I'm behind the times, but I had one back in 98 that was football-oriented and I haven't seen it since I left home, so I got one at the thrift store and I'm going to sew this one on! HA! So these kids might look at me funny. But I won't be the one with a heavy purse on just one shoulder!
I have quit arguing with my pocketpc over my BookLib program for a little while, I do need to get back working on updating it. That's if the program hasn't erased me again, or locked up the pda. I still got over a hundred ebooks I need to get input and linked to the ebook file. Then I get to manually sync the genres up as I have listed on my reader program and as listed in BookLib. I wish there was an easier way to do it, but the easiest I've found so far is to use the Remote Display Control Host program on my PC and PDA to let me work on the PDA via the PC, so I can use the PC's keyboard and have a better angle to view it. We'll see if it works, weekend project. Maybe... if I can get a day to myself!
I've been very happy lately with some of what I've been able to get done, but finding work out here that isn't retail hasn't been easy. I really want out of the people-business, I'm not one for working around dozens of people for 8 hours. But perhaps someday I'll find something close that'll let me sit in front of a computer for 8 hours :).... someday... *sigh* I just work so much better on a computer. Call me anti-social, but I have always worked best when I don't have to work with other people constantly. I'm much more comfortable editing or typing a document up and passing it off for final approval then telling someone that their purchase comes to whatever $ amount. I'm thinking of maybe seeing if I can find a real reputable company to write for, but then I'd have to deal with my writer's block and sometimes that doesn't work! We shall see, just something else for me to keep you all updated on.
No news today, I don't think, unless they find that missing pregnant woman from Ohio... did her adultering boyfriend do it? Did he hire someone to do it? Why? And is that abandoned newborn hers? I'll explore all that when they find her.

Friends...

Sometimes life throws us all curveballs, and we have to sit down and think it through. When you let emotion dictate action, you're bound to throw a very bad ball. But when you let logic help you through those tough situations, you at least come up with something workable and not so potentially harmful. I'll never forget some of those bad balls I've thrown... and we shouldn't. It's them bad balls that helps us logically see through the next big problem. As much as I once wished I could erase relationships, decisions, and sometimes whole situations, I realized - sometimes years later - that they all happened for a reason.
But that's also why we have friends. Friends help us think through situations. True friends aren't afraid to tell you "shut up, listen, and think about it" when we really need to be sat down so we listen fully. I once had a friend in school who had to do that to me after one of my cousin's girlfriends got caught lying to the entire family (she was supposedly in danger from a former boyfriend which turned out to be a big fat lie). Well of course in my youth, I was ready to kick some @**! Well, I didn't bother to realize that little skinny me would've been nothing more than a comedy act to this woman. But, my best friend sat me down (literally, he nudged me into my seat!) and reminded me that 1 - I'm a skinny KID compared to this person, 2 - it wasn't directly affecting me and therefore not really any of my business, and 3 - the best vengeance sometimes is a lack of reaction. It was really hard for me to not go off, but thanks to my friend, I realized that I had to stay calm, not just for me, but for my Mom who was just as hot-tempered - if not more - than me.
The whole point is, are we going to be that friend that isn't afraid to tell someone to STFU or are we just going to suggest something and walk away? Walter's right, friends deserve more than just a comment than back to normal. Sometimes we have to prepare them for the cold hard truth. Sometimes we have to give the advice then stay and help them apply it, or advise on how to proceed. True friends don't come and go, they come and stay through good and bad times. They understand life is rough sometimes. True friends are truly forever.

Ok this will make ya feel better

Aaaahhhh, it's such a relief to see some people still care about our animals. These guys tried and tried to get the little kitten out but that kitten was having none of it - until the lil paws got wet! See, there is still a few good folks left... and the kitten already has a home :).

Zero Tolerance?

Can "zero tolerance" really go too far? Let's examine that thought... Should a kid be expelled for bringing a plastic knife to school to cut cookies with? It happened. Should a kid be kicked out for bringing a trophy to school that had its bat break off during the day? It happened.
Here's the thing. We can go too far. What if a girl has real bad cramps during her time. Under zero tolerance policy, she either has to suffer all day or one of her parents has to bring the medicine to her. Most school nurses won't dispense medication unless it's prescribed by a doctor. What if a kid gets a headache during the day? We all know how rough kids play and an occasional minor head injury isn't that uncommon. But under the policy of most schools, these kids would all have to suffer or risk sneaking it in and being caught.
I admit I was a sneaker. If I wasn't feeling good, I'd have a couple pills with me. Never anything that'd make a noise, but I'd have a couple with me. And if I needed them, I'd sneak into a bathroom or somewhere where I couldn't be seen. I did what I had to do. Heck, my worst drug was no pill, it was the six-pack of pepsi I drank every day through high school. It was so boring for me that it was the only way I could stay awake. I know my case is a little extreme, but I know I wasn't the only one struggling to stay awake. I saw several kids doze off in class, once or twice snoring so loud the teacher heard. Granted, a lot of the time, its because kids don't sleep enough. But there are many who are just bored out of their minds or don't care.
My point is, there needs to be flexibility in the rules to leave room for intent and reason. What if I used one of my sodas as a weapon? You ever shake a soda then slam it on the ground in front of someone? That's a pretty big kaboom usually!! (Lower carbonation products like caffeine-free sodas don't tend to work as well, trust me, they go flat almost the moment you open them.) And that kid with the plastic knife was trying to go by the rules, he could've brought a metal one that his mom surely has in her sink, but instead he brought a plastic one that he and his parent(s) surely felt would pass safety concerns.
So my question is, where do we draw the line between safety and common sense? Where do we say it's time to go and where do we say just don't do it next time or come to the office first and drop it off until you need it? School is a learning experience for these kids who, in a matter of years, will be our next generation of taxpayers, service providers, and politicians, among others. Let's give them the best education that books - and LIFE - can give.

Thoughts on a few issues

So where do we go from here? President Bush has just vetoed another embryonic stem cell research bill. What the right doesn't want you to know is that these embyos that scientists want access to are going to be "destroyed" anyways. These are cells couples that were struggling to conceive naturally had made in fertility clinics that are no longer needed and therefore be incinerated. So, at the very least, why don't we allow the people to whom had those embryos created decide whether or not to donate them to science? Shouldn't it be up to the citizens what is done to what is rightfully theirs? To me it's almost the same as telling people they have to bury their dead loved ones even if their dying wish was to be cremated. My point is, we should be allowed to make our own personal opinions and the government needs to get out of our business. Let them fund the research, but don't tell the doctors that if someone wants to donate to their research, that they can't get the research funds because of where the donation came from.
So is NYC Mayor Bloomberg going to run for president? I don't know, but based on what I've seen on CNN about where he stands on the issues, I like him. But I'm not saying anything yet. I worry about him taking so many votes away from the democrats (as most of his positions appeal more to them) that we'd get stuck with ANOTHER republican - and if it turned out to be a good one, fine. I just fear another 4 years as bad if not worse than the last two terms. We need a change, and I don't think we can find that in the current republican party. I don't know though right now, it's SO early in this campaign that it seems rediculous that we're even having this discussion yet! But at least we have plenty of candidates to choose from. The more the better.
There have been TWO major fires in the last day, the first being the major fire that killed 9 firefighters in Charleston, the second in Philadelphia that went to SEVEN alarm. I've never heard of a fire going to SIX much less SEVEN alarms! My heart goes out to the families of the firefighters who died fighting that blaze. It's never easy to retrain your instincts to go into the line of danger, and its even harder for the families to live each day praying their loved one returns home from work. I guess a part of me says the spouse of firefighters, police officers, and soldiers should be paid at least a little just for their endurance, support, and sacrifice. I know, it sounds communistic, but someone needs to support the ones who support our bravest citizens. And until society does it, perhaps we should have another means.

Horror in Iraq

http://wap.cbsnews.com/srt/d/cbsnews/916.0?Id=2946007

First of all, my apologies for the mobile link, but you should still be able to read it.

This really makes me wonder about the Iraqi "government" and how much control they really have. How can you let something like this go on? Where's the long prison sentences? I haven't heard anything about it and if anyone else has, I'd like to know. Thank goodness these kids are out of that situation and are in better conditions. My heart is still broken, though.

Words that should be hurtful that are just funny

Have you ever been insulted by someone who, when they insulted you, was so rediculous it was hilarious and you couldn't even be mad? Well that's what happened to me today. I received a membership application on an old page I am tearing down and I was called an inbred! Normally I'd be p*d, but considering the IQ of this person and our recent history, all I could do is laugh. It brings me back to a trick a friend of mine used in our school days. No matter what the bullies called him, he just said 'thank you'... it sure took away their ammunition, as they couldn't insult him! It's like Glenn Beck says, words only hurt if you let them. It's just hard sometimes to not let them.

Trash?

A Danish friend of mine asked me which one of my cats was in my avatar pic on messenger and it's this shot of my female cat Jadzia. I almost "threw out" the pic (it's digital lol) because I'd chopped off a good section of her head in the shot. But when I published it on a page for PDA themes, it quickly became my most popular theme. So here's today's reminder/thought: one person's trash is another's treasure, so unless it's in shambles, don't throw it away, donate it!

Congrats Cuz!

I just wanna say congrats to my cuz... they know why... I'll let THEM indulge the world if they want... the only other thing I'm going to say is WHEW! Thanks for the call cuz... so now it's time for the third one of "those" calls!!! LMAO j/k cuz hehe

A time for CHANGE

It's time for change. We really need to clamp down on all the people in this country illegally. It's obvious when they are starting to get more rights than US citizens. In NY, a judge just ruled that the cops can no longer ask day laborers in a small town about their legal status. Now they have a church to call their own during the day where they wait for less-than-reputable construction crews to pick them up. Everyone seems to forget the fact that a lot of these people are not only illegal, they are convicts of much more serious crimes. I want to know if there's a sex offender hanging out somewhere where you expect to be safe. It's already been proven that at least sometimes will attack anywhere. There is a recent case of a woman being sexually assaulted in a Catholic church, the attack being caught on security cameras.
You know it should be that if you're here illegally, you're not entitled to our legal protections except for the most basic of human rights. It should be a case of "we'll deliver your baby but you must pay for it and you must go back home" and "you may apply for seasonal work, but after you're done you must go back home" not come work and stay as long as you want!! If I was pregnant and went into labor ANYWHERE else, I'd be expected to pay the bill! And many countries do not give citizenshiship status to a baby just because he or she was born in their country. But amnesty isn't the way to do it. We have laws on the book now. The reason our system is so broken is because no one will enforce the laws we have and will prosecute the people who actually DO enforce them!

A troubling thought

I hate to admit it but the terrorists may have won a battle they didn't intend to even fight. Now before you all jump my ****, I know I'm not the only one that feels like this. Every time I see someone that looks like they're from the Middle East, I worry that they're a terrorist. No I don't go out and openly accuse them of anything, I just won't talk to them unless I absolutely have to. I got caught in my own shoes though when I thought a neighbor was and he's not even from that area, he's actually from Africa, going through the legal channels here working on becoming a citizen. He is a very kind guy, always came off that way. But after a talk outside, I realized he's just a guy trying to give his family a better life here in the US. Sadly I think he loves this country more than a lot of us Americans do. Maybe it's because he knows how bad it can be elsewhere.
How many others of us have jumped to conclusions before "reading the entire book" so to speak? Even worse, how many of us do not truly appreciate all we have because we've not experienced how bad it can be? I think a lot of marriages die that way because one or both parties don't realize how lucky they are because they've never experienced how bad it can be, so any little problem that comes by is a potential marriage killer.
So the question for today is what are we as individuals going to do about it? Do we stubbornly stick to our guns on the small stuff? Or do we negotiate with our partner to resolve our little disagreements, sometimes compromising, and allowing our relationship grow.

A notable anniversary

Today marks the 6th anniversary of OKC Murrah Building bomber Timothy McVeigh's execution. While I am only pro-death penalty in certain situations (serial killers, baby killers, terrorists, and my fringe - repeat sexual predators), McVeigh's execution was a reluctant relief. Many of us in the midwest US at that time didn't rest until he was gone, partially out of fear he would escape and do it again, partially just to see justice done. It doesn't seem like it's been 6 years, but it has. I hope his special place in Hell was waiting for him when he died. I know, cold, but it is a reality of life.
A friend and I were recently talking about B.T.K. (Dennis Rader) back home in Wichita, KS. He mentioned that he wished that Mr. Rader was executed. I wish it could happen as I see it a waste of taxpayer dollars to continue feeding him. But he isn't even eligible for parole until 2180, and seeing as how no one lives past 120 and he's already about halfway there, we're fine.
Anyways, I'll write more later.

A thought...

There should be a revamping of our calendar. No, not a major one. All I'm saying is that Mother's Day, Memorial Day, and Father's Day shouldn't be so close. I know I'm by far not the only person out here that has lost the one parent they ever had. But having the holidays so close is a double-dose of pain I'd rather split into more managable sections. Put Mom's in March, Dad's at the end of September. And, PLEASE... Get corporations out of them. Its family time. But just like Christmas, it's become so much of a corporate spectacle that it's really deteriorated from the family day it was meant to be. I also think though there should be a day we celebrate all those single mothers out there who endured the battles of raising kids on their own. Special treatment to those whose kids stayed out of trouble would be called for of course. I'm not talking about making it cool to be a single parent. I'm talking about saying thanks for keeping going when they could've easily given up, put us up for adoption, and gone back to a normal single lifestyle.
So there's my thought for the day and I hope that somehow, this next week I manage to not anger anyone as I got the feeling I'm going to end up blogging about something controversial.

Compliments and Bank Update (and a rant)

First of all, got the crap figured out with the bank, Wawa decided to wait a week to process a holiday weekend transaction... geezzzzzz. Gave up on getting the cradle for my Toshiba e800 pda. I'm not paying 100 bucks for one... I'm not going to continue having orders cancelled either. 4 times is 4 TOO many. So if perchance anyone knows someone who has one, I don't need any of the cables other than the one attached to it, please let me know. I'm willing to pay 50 for it but not for long, the $$ will be gone soon.
Now to the compliment. To my dear friend Walter... (and for those of you who don't read his blog, follow my links to at least see what I'm talking about, and I think you'll read his from now on, he's GOOD :)...)
First about sports... Yes we all have our gutter teams as I call them. I have a way of finding my way to them. But the question is: why do we like them? Is it the desire to cheer on the underdog? Do we see potential no one else sees? Or are we just 'toopid'? I'd hope that it's that we see potential. So my dear friend, hold out, and take a line from the Bengals fans, "There's always NEXT year!"
And about our writing styles, I still say yours is better, as much as it is about experience as much as anything else. You stick to your guns and write what YOU want to write. For many years I tried to please the crowd. You've reminded me that the best writing is when it's something that you want to write about or care deeply about. But you're also right on the "use it or lose it." Whether it be writing, speaking a foreign language, or even sleeping it seems, the more you practice, the more you excel, and the more you procrastinate, the worse it gets. That's why when you don't sleep for a while it's suddenly hard to fall asleep even though you're exhausted. Same thing when you learn a language then never at least listen to it. I once was learning Spanish, but I rebelled, as I'm tired of being told to speak the Mexicans' language since they're here in droves. But I'm thinking of becoming a closet Spanish-speaker. That way I know what they're saying when they're whispering but they have no idea. Until they say something offensive. Or maybe I should learn German and when they start ranting, rant back in German! Ok I'm just mean. But thus begins my rantings...
First of all, while I'm talking about language, to all you immigrants, especially Latin-Americans, LEARN ENGLISH. For hundreds of years now, everyone that migrated here learned English because it's the international language of business (especially now) and it's critical for long-term success in this country. It is absolutely disgraceful that you think that you can come into this country and we will speak your language for you. If I go more than 20miles into your country, you wouldn't speak English for us. Show some respect. We don't mind if you keep your language at home, and having bilingual children has been shown to be a bonus for them. But at work, at the bar, or at the store, please don't expect us to switch languages just for you. And go through the legal channels too. Our country is a land of LEGAL immigrants. Yes it takes time. But it shows you're devoted to your cause and are willing to go through hoops to become a part of our society.
Secondly, THANK GOD PARIS HILTON IS BACK IN PRISON. I'm tired of hearing the BS that no one else would've gotten jail time for her crimes. Most people get thrown in jail for DUI even if it's just for a couple weeks on first offense. She didn't do it just once, she got caught again and again driving when she wasn't supposed to be. She got off lightly. I think it's fair to assume if me or you did such a thing, we'd spent months behind bars. Maybe California laws are lax, but it doesn't matter. It's obvious she's getting special treatment. And what's up with this "mental condition" crap? A lot of people have breakdowns when they first go to jail, but do they end up in the medical wing for the duration of their sentence? Not often! Come on Paris, toughen up you pampered little *****. Grow up. Pay your dues. And don't make your stupid idiotic mistakes twice.
Ok now I best shut up before I really blow some steam because next target is my ranting on Iraq and I think everyone's tired of that one.

Ebook list available

Note all ebooks are free and are accessible on the web elsewhere for the most part (some came off of a now-defunct site). Just tell me which one you want (Title needed, # and title preferred) and I'll send it to you in email. Note that all are in Mobipocket format (which is now free in case you were thinking it wasn't - it is now). Just go here and drop me an email if you want one (or more)!
Meanwhile I'm off to try to make booklib work on my pda again.

News Briefs

Forgiveness gone too far? - I'm sorry but if my significant other poisoned me, I wouldn't be in such a hurry to forgive him. Let's be real, it wasn't an accident. Otherwise she would've taken him to the hospital herself.

Ex-cop gone WAY BAD to be excuted in Texas soon - This guy should've long ago been executed, especially considering he WAS the law and now he's been convicted of breaking it. I'm honestly surprised one of his ex significant others didn't do it with the history of abusing women that he seems to have.

Eleven year old facing felony weapons charge - Ok I'm all for the full use of the law... but on an ELEVEN year old over a rubber band gun? Come on. Maybe send dad to jail for a couple days for not teaching the kid right from wrong, but the kid was only doing what dad let him do.

Creepy discovery in Honolulu - Bodies in a parking lot... sounds like a horror movie in the making to me!!!

Woman with record-high blood alcohol content released for treatment - Okay I've heard of drunk, but 0.46 is EXTREME... How the heck was she even CONSCIOUS!!!

Fired for HELPING the cops! - Home Depot's going to take crap for this one, even the cops are thankful for the employees' help. It's not like they took the law into their own hands, they just told the cops where they were going etc. Come on Home Depot, get a life!

Is it Wawa or the Bank?

Well folks, I have never gone through so much hassle over $2.04 but since Wawa double-charged me I guess I have no choice. I'm off to the bank to dispute the second charge though both the bank and I are unsure as to why the date keeps changing in the pending charges section. They hope to have it figured out before I get there hopefully in half an hour. Wish me luck LOL.

Ok here's the update... I went to Wawa, they said I had to call corporate, so I called corporate. Corporate said my bank had to call their credit department! Ayeee!!

Some scary **** going on

WARNING: this post will make you think... RUN FAST if you're not ready :)

First of all, thanks Walter for inspiring this post... I hope ya don't mind me snatching your theme once or twice.

If you've been watching the news lately (international if you're not in the US), I think you'd be hard-pressed to not know the tensions are rising once again between the Russians and Americans. President Bush wants to supposedly protect E Europe from "rogue states" like Iran. Yet Russia sees this as a direct instigation against them. President Bush isn't necessarily helping his case. His "The cold war is over" comment came off - at least to me - like a little child crying "Oh c'mon, get over it" without thinking about WHY his friend was offended.
Unlike the US, Russia hasn't long been Russia. For the longest time the now-former Soviet Union was a huge and mighty empire, encompasing much more land than they now have. So it isn't hard to fathom that there are elements within the government, even at high ranks, that still see these now-independent nations as still rightfully theirs. Most of them were independent nations before the end of WW2 and saw the demise of the Soviets as their chance to break out, many before the Berlin Wall collapsed. Others were carved right out of Russian lands. It would be foolish to believe that they would not be wanting to have those lands back, if for nothing else, to act as a barrier between rogue threats and the heart of Russia.
So let's be real. How many times do we say one thing and mean another? How many times do we say something with alterior motives? I would really be amazed if someone out here told me they've never had alterior motives when asking something of or doing something for someone else. Then I'd have to disagree. We've all done it I think it's safe to say. It's more of how intentional and detrimental it was.
So where does the US go from here? President Bush needs to sit down alone with President Putin and they need to explain to each other why they feel the need to do what they're doing. No relationship - personal, professional, or political - can last very long if the lines of communication are cut or clogged. There is only one way to solve this problem, and that's by talking it out and working for a resolution both parties can be happy with.

Success, sweet success

I actually got my PDA to do something I told it to do... once I researched HOW to set it up. I downloaded imov messenger so I can have my yahoo and google talk going and see what I've been chatting about (the only reliable way to do this with yahoo is to use the 'net and you don't see chat history). So once I looked at the program's online user manual I got the info I needed to set up imov to work right, and now I don't need a separate Jabber account to use it, as Google Talk is jabber compliant. Woohoo! So MaryAnn, Jeannine, and all my other yahoo and google peeps.. I'M ALIVE! lol.
Still no idea where that bag is... *grunt*
But I got a LOT done yesterday. Broke down and cleaned HIS side of the bed which was a royal mess, but it needed to be done. However, the roommate came home right in the middle of me moving things to vaccum that area so he had to deal with noisy me for a few minutes. My back still hurts a little as the bf's old win98 crapaq or whatever it is sits over there and that hard drive is HEAVY. Well for 95lb me it is. But I got the area vaccumed out and cleaned out for the most part, still got one corner but I need him with me to do that... and I haven't ventured to do the underside as I'm afraid of getting stuck. I'm getting fatter and last time I got under the bed I was 20lb skinnier LOL. So who's to say if I can even get under there yet. I also got my side cleaned up a bit as I found a nice fairly sturdy plastic table yesterday that fit over there nicely, now my table is a wee more stable for all my craft stuff, boxed clothing, and junk lol. I put in nearly 8 hours yesterday to say the least between the housework and the errand... I started around 11 or so and didn't fully finish until 6ish... a good few hours of that nonstop. Too bad it doesn't pay LOL.
On the job front, got a lead on a job I can handle. I'll keep ya'll posted. We'll see. I'm secure enough where I refuse to settle for whatever I can get. I want something I can live with.
Anyways, off I go for now... I'm exhausted! lol

Whew!! (and news)

Well I finally got my ebooks sorted, got their info edited for mobipocket at least. I still haven't typed in the new titles to the list yet, but I'm getting there! I was able to sift down my collection of new books from 101 down to 39, how, I don't know. But I'll figure that out later!! All I know is that all my #'s add up, so I know I'm right. I now have 419 ebooks. Now I just gotta git crackin and start reading!! LOL
In today's news, Wichita Zoo was finally reunited with their missing Macaws!! I think I blogged about this when they disappeared - er stolen. I guess they don't know who took them yet, but it's not like they flew away. Yeah right.
The rain from what once was T. S. Barry proved to be a nice reprieve from the heat! I'm sure GA and FL are much more happy about it as I am as now their wildfires are under control. But the 90s were getting annoying and the fresh air and 70s today felt nice!! If only I'd taken time to enjoy it!
Another congressman, another set of bribery allegations... when will this end? Wait, we're talking politics, so that probably means it won't. Ayeee. No wonder my Mom was so pessimistic. But when you grow up in the Nixon era, I can see how.
Has another terrorist gotten off with murder? I'm not sure, as it's hard to say what evidence the US Government has on him and how reliable it is, but I worry about people getting off just on account of a seemingly minor technicality. I worry about stuff like that, I know, I shouldn't, but I do. I just can't help it.
But on brighter news, this news shows even drug dealers are patriots! According to the FBI, a drug dealer is the informant behind the busted JFK Airport fuel depot attack plot. I guess sometimes it takes a criminal to bust even bigger criminals! Oh this one makes me very happy... maybe a little TOO happy? *grunt* Take THAT Osama!!!!!!
There has been a lot on the news lately about these "new" sneakers out that have wheels in the heels. Puh-lease, I've seen them around for some time! Ain't nothing new about the stupidity these kids seem to have about their "invincibility." I just want to know though how the heck they don't fall on their rears from not being able to balance!!! Well, I think it's safe to say our next generation is going to feel even older than mine does because they've beaten themselves - and especially their back - up way too much.
Anyways, more later...

Frustrations 2 LOL

Well I still can't find the bag of little beanie babies. I've looked just about everywhere, apparently I hid them good! And I just realized how many ebooks I have to add to my list... owieeee! So off I go, time to get busy!

frustrations

last fall I bought a buncha cute ty beanie babies and lookalikes from some garage sales but now I can't find them!! I took some pics of some other cuties I'll post eventually either as pics or a link to a picasa album. I got my wooden display case up too and its full but its already looking at being changed, Mic said I gotta keep it on monthly rotation... bahhhhhh lol