Top Of My Head


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Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Congress and Baseball

Congress is asking the Justice Department to investigate Roger Clemens to see if he lied to a House committee.

Are they kidding? How much more of our tax dollars are going to be spent to determine that some of the men who play baseball use steriods or something like it to play the game? Did I care? No. Are they wasting my money? Yes.

It is a game, which isn't regulated by the goverment. These probes just keep our minds on the unimportant and away from the important matters -- like whether or not Britney will get to keep her kids.

Oh, I long for the days when baseball was played by guys named Babe, Congress didn't probe sports and we reported real news.

There were days like that, right? I mean, I didn't just make that up, did I?

God Bless

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Happenings...

I've got the flu and let me tell you, the flu sucks. I'm constantly freezing and I ache all over. It's the pits!

Plus, I feel like ranting about something that makes no difference at all and that would be Las Vegas! Not the place, the tv show. On Feb. 15th, NBC aired the last episode of Las Vegas. They've decided to cancel the show, which would be no big deal except the episode they choose to use as the last episode was a to be continued. Which means that they decided to cancel the series without letting DeLinda have her baby or finishing up the weddings.

Yeah, I know, who cares? But, I care. Apparently, NBC meant for the episode to just be the season finale, but then they decided not to bring the show back for one more season.

How about bringing it back for one more tidy little episode and let everyone have a happy ending? Would that be too much to ask?

God Bless

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

As Promised...

Here is the first picture of my new niece and her mommy. We went to see them both this weekend and she is just the cutest little thing!
God Bless!

Monday, February 18, 2008

Expired Food...

A couple of weeks ago, I went to my local Sentry and made some purchases. Among the many items in my cart was a couple of lunch meals and three chicken breasts. When I got home, the chicken went into the fridge and the lunch meals went to work with me the next day.

Monday comes and I decide to eat lunch and I discovered that the two meals I purchased expired way back in January. That Thursday comes and the chicken is now rancid.

Now, according to my mom, you can't keep chicken in the fridge from Sunday to Thursday. According to my co-workers, you can. In either case, I didn't take it back to the store because it smelled so bad, it went into the trash and out the door.

The two lunches went back to Sentry and they gave me my money back -- with no apology. She even looked at me funny, like I was lying or something.

Yesterday, I went to Walgreens to pick up some soda and I purchased a package of red licorce and another package of black licorce. I wanted something to eat to help wean me off cigarettes, as I'm quitting -- AGAIN!

Well, Cheryl loves red licorce and she opens the package, takes a bite and gets a funny look on her face. You guessed it. The licorce had a sell date of last August! The black licorce was a little better with a sell date of last month. In either case, both are expired.

Don't food sellers have some sort of obligation to remove past dated food off their shelves? I realize that I should look at the date, but I feel the store has some obligation to ensure that I don't find an expired food item on their shelf.

If either of these incidents were just a one time thing, I wouldn't be writing this blog about them. But two incidents just a few weeks apart from two different stores just strikes me as a little odd.

Now, I have to make another trip to the store to get my money back.

So, just as a friendly warning to you all, CHECK THE EXPIRATION DATES!

God Bless

PS. For my readers in Wisconsin, don't forget to vote tomorrow in the primary. Every vote counts.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Welcome to the World, baby girl...

Little Ashlyn Velann came into this world at 9:22am this morning. A beautiful Valentine for my brother, Scott, and his wife, Robyn.

When I get a picture, I'll post it.

God Bless

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

And, the bad out of Iraq

Follow up on Berkeley...

Apparently, pro-war protesters are now protesting the anti-war protesters. You can get the whole story on CNN, but there was one quote that I wanted to address:

"Their treasonous action, especially at this time of war right now, is not acceptable," said Mary Pearson, a spokeswoman for the group Move America Forward.

According to dictionary.com," Treason is any attempt to overthrow the government or impair the well-being of a state to which one owes allegiance; the crime of giving aid or comfort to the enemies of one's government."

The people of Berkeley are not committing Treason and their actions are not treasonous (which means: "having the character of, or characteristic of, a traitor; "the faithless Benedict Arnold"").

Protesting is not an act of treason. It is my belief that it is as American as Apple Pie. Standing up for what you believe is part of being an American. Now, I support both sides' right to protest and speak out, but let's save the treason word for those who really mean our country harm.

God Bless

Love comes out of Iraq...

Amid all the horror stories we're all hearing and reading about Iraq, a sweet love story shines.

Carol is the divorced mother of five. Jim is a divorced father of two and serving in Iraq. Carol's daughter needs to write to a solider serving in Iraq and...

Well, I won't spoil it for you. You have to read the story on CNN -- http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/02/12/letters.bring.love.ap/index.html

If this doesn't make tears well up in your eyes, you probably don't have a heart.

God Bless

Saturday, February 09, 2008

My Knee, My Poor, Poor Knee

So, last Tuesday I'm walking across the parking lot at work and I fall on the ice. (There was no salt and the lot was a sheet of ice) I smashed pretty darn hard on my right side, hurting my right knee. Thanks to some co-workers, I limped my way to my desk and didn't move for most of the day. (I did report it to HR)

Anyway, I went to the clinic my employer wanted me to go to and the doctor says it is just a bad sprain. No big deal, right? It's just a sprain. I take it easy for a few days and everything will be okay.

So, I spent the rest of the week limping around and being careful. Well, today my leg feels fine. I stop limping and I get one with my normal routine. Cheryl tells me that we're out of litter and asks if I mind going to the store to buy some. Sure, I tell her. And, off to the pet store I go.

Well, Mr. Mann will poop outside the litter box if we buy scented litter, so I look on the shelf for unscented and it's way in the back. No problem -- I'll just kneel down and grab a box. Well, that was a mistake. The very second I put weight on my knee, I felt a very sharp pain.

I know it's not that big of a deal if I can't kneel while my knee heals, but damn, I've got to remember that I can't. I came home tonight, went to plug in my laptop and did it again!

Man, that hurt!

And, I just wanted to complain about that.

God Bless

Friday, February 08, 2008

Berkley doesn’t want Marines recruiting there

So, I click on CNN.com and right there on the front page is: Berkeley to Marines: Get out of our city. Apparently, the majority of the citizens and their city council do not want the Marines to have a recruiting station in Berkeley. Also, according to the article, the GOP isn't too keen on the idea that Berkeley doesn't want the Marines recruiting there. They want to take back $2 million dollars in funds they provide to the city and they want to cut funding to the University of California – Berkeley campus.

Now, I'm not even sure where I stand on this issue. I don't support the war in Iraq, but I do support our troops. If I were to be asked by a member of my extended family if they should join the service, I'd probably tell them that they shouldn't. Too many of our servicemen and women are coming back with injuries (if they come back at all) and we're not giving them enough help and support whether it be physical therapy, medical attention or counseling (Have we learned nothing from Nam?). It is almost of if they are considered throwaways.

But, that's not really why I started this post. This is why I started this post (all of this next paragraph is completed quoted from the CNN online article).

Forrest Smith, who described himself as a veteran of U.S. Special Forces, said his son recently returned from a tour in Iraq and his daughter served in Afghanistan.

"My position on this is the Marines are the best thing we have," said Smith, decked out in Army fatigues.

He blasted the City Council for its action. "It's clearly an abuse of power."

Here's what bothers me. When I wrote my then State Senator (Republican Cathy Stepp) regarding the anti-gay amendment to the Wisconsin State Constitution, she basically wrote back and stated that it should be left up to the voters and majority rules. Well, how is that not the same thing in Berkeley? If the majority of Berkeley citizens do not want a Marine recruiting station there, how come "In Washington, a group of Republican lawmakers have introduced the Semper Fi Act of 2008"?

I mean, since Republicans believe in low government involvement, why do a bunch of lawmakers in Washington even care? According to the article, the Marines are not moving the recruitment office. According to the First Amendment, people have the right to protest. City Councils have the right to pass measures. So, why should any citizen in Berkeley be denied support because the government doesn't like what was said. It seems to be that the Federal Government is butting in where they don't belong.

I actually like what "Gunnery Sgt. Pauline Franklin, a spokeswoman for the Marine Corps Recruiting Command" said: "The Marine Corps is here to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, which does guarantee the freedom of speech. In terms of the situation in Berkeley, the City Council and the protesters are exercising their right to do so."

Sounds like she's the only one that gets it.

God Bless

PS. All quotes were taken from CNN's article at this link:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/02/07/berkeley.protests/index.html The only modification made to them was for formatting purposes.

Thursday, February 07, 2008

I'll be brief...

Romney's out!

Thank God! Now, mayber, we can get down to working together instead of blaming each other for America's problems.

God Bless!

Monday, February 04, 2008

You won't believe this...

My email editor is giving me fits, so it is possible the link won't work, but here is a news article that you have to read to believe.

Miss. Law Would Ban Serving Obese Diners
Posted from: http://www.rr.com/flash/index.cfm?news=NEWS|4329661

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS - Associated Press Writer

JACKSON, Miss.(AP) A state lawmaker wants to ban restaurants from serving food to obese customers _ but please, don't be offended.

He says he never even expected his plan to become law.

"I was trying to shed a little light on the number one problem in Mississippi," said Republican Rep. John Read of Gautier, who acknowledges that at 5-foot-11 and 230 pounds, he'd probably have a tough time under his own bill.

More than 30 percent of adults in Mississippi are considered it obese, according to a 2007 study by the Trust for America's Health, a research group that focuses on disease prevention.

The state House Public Health Committee chairman, Democrat Steve Holland of Plantersville, said he is going to "shred" the bill.

"It is too oppressive for government to require a restaurant owner to police another human being from their own indiscretions," Holland said Monday.

The bill had no specifics about how obesity would be defined, or how restaurants were supposed to determine if a customer was obese.

Al Stamps, who owns a restaurant in Jackson, said it is "absurd" for the state to consider telling him which customers he can't serve. He and his wife, Kim, do a bustling lunch business at Cool Al's, which serves big burgers _ beef or veggie _ and specialty foods like "Sassy Momma Sweet Potato Fries."

"There is a better way to deal with health issues than to impose those kind of regulations," Al Stamps said. "I'm sorry _ you can't do it by treating adults like children and telling them what they can and cannot eat."

Now, I'm a big gal, but this just shows the stupidity of the Republicans. They've gone from the Party of Small Government to deciding who can and can't eat in restaurants. Where will it end?

I'll bet Lincoln is turning over in his grave!

God Bless

Bush and the 2009 Budget

Okay, I expected Bush not to really do anything that had a domestic ring to it. Meaning, I figured that education wouldn't be getting a raise (because educating our young people isn't a high priority) and cutting Medicare and Medicaid falls in line with his presidency so far. But, I'm really confused, why is the Energy Department getting $21 Billion dollars for a nuclear weapons program?

Yes, you read that right -- the Energy Department. Since when has the Energy Department been in charge of nuclear weapons? Shouldn't that be a military expenditure? Who would know better what we need for defense than our military? That's what they're trained to do.

Where are we going and why am I in this hand basket?

God Bless

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Conseratives for Romney

According to Mitt Romney, he is going to win the Republican Nomination because "We really can't afford John McCain as the nominee of our party."

John McCain is the only candidate out there that might bring our country back together. Mitt Romney is only interested in keeping our nation apart. He said in a recent debate that he supports a protection of marriage amendment. That's just a fancy way of saying anti-gay amendment. He's been pandering to the religious right and that isn't the way to bring this nation back together.

We have serious issues that need to be solved. We are fighting two wars -- Afghanistan and Iraq. The dollar is slowly sinking. Foreclosures are at an all time high. We have 47 million Americans without any healthcare. Gas prices hover around $3.00 a gallon (here in Racine) and we're headed for a recession when we really haven't recovered from the last recession.

Those are the issues we need to be discussing. We need to strengthen our borders and join together to bring America back to the glory I know in my heart she so rightfully deserves.

John McCain can bring our country back together. Under McCain's leadership, we can solve our issues working together. A union divided cannot stand -- we learned that over 100 years ago when a man named Lincoln was our president. We can learn it again under a man named McCain.

A vote for Romney is a vote for four more years of the division we have had under Bush. A vote for McCain is a vote for unity.

God Bless

PS. Anyone Limbaugh and Coulter don't want in the president's seat must be okay.