Maybe they aren't grouging us...

Wouldn't that be a kick in the rubber parts, if the gas companies really aren't raising prices unrealistically and they aren't grouging us at the gas pumps?

Here's some more research -- Please note, the Barrel Prices comes from the Energy Information Administration and the prices for the gallons come from my own record (yes, I'm anal and I keep track of gas prices all the way back to 2002. I'm sure if I looked hard enough, I could find my notebook for before 2002).

Here's what I found:


I tried to use data from around the sametime -- I picked June because that's when gas prices start their rise. Also, this is for gas purchased at stations located between Milwaukee and Racine, WI. Also, I did not adjust any of these numbers for inflation. I don't figure that factors too much in since we're only talking about a four year span.

The PricePerGallon is what I paid on the dates listed. The Barrel amounts are what the price of a barrel was during the same week. Now, the bad part of this is that the gas I'm pumping on 6/3/2002 wasn't created from the barrel purchased at the same time, so the oil companies do make a little more off of the gas then they probably should, but I think it actually works out, as the prices at the pump drop when the price of a barrel drops -- admittedly not as much.

Now, the % raise gas and the % raise Barrel is how much the gallon or barrel went up in price between the dates. You'll notice that the Barrel raised at a higher % than the price of gas in each situation, if the oil companies "kept us even", we would be paying a lot more for gas than we are. That's the PriceRaised column. I took the price of gas and raised it using the % amount that the barrel was raised. According to my figures, on 6/1/2006, when I paid $2.99 a gallon -- I was paying the correct amount. I don't like it, but I think it was correct. (Of course, we could always argue that the price is off to begin with, but I still don't know how much refining costs on a barrel of oil.)

I mean, I would hate to think that their profits really do come from the fact that more gas is sold, but I think what the oil companies are telling us just might be true.

And, isn't that a kick in the rubber parts?

God Bless

Oil and Gas Prices

We've all heard tons of information on the rising cost of a barrel of oil and the rising cost of gas at the pumps. We've seen the oil companies post record profits and we've heard everyone say that the oil companies are screwing us.

I figured I'd get to the bottom of all of this. I want to know exactly why I paid $3.12 a gallon today when I filled up my tank. Afterall, the barrel price of $67.64 (as of 7/7/2006 -- check the www.eia.doe.gov for more information) won't be refined and in my tank for at least 3 months and maybe even 6 months. So, why am I paying such a high rate now?

The answer is -- I don't know. I think I almost have this all figured out, but I cannot find one place that will tell me exactly how much it costs to refine the barrel of oil (42 gallons) into the 20 gallons of gasoline. (I've seen different numbers for how many gallons of gas come out of a barrel of oil. One website stated that 55% of a barrel of oil becomes gasoline.)

I'm going to keep digging, but if anyone knows how much it costs to refine one barrel of oil -- and remember, other products come out of that oil, so it isn't all about gas -- please pass it on to me. Otherwise, I might be researching this forever!

God Bless

Housecleaning...

First, pardon my dust...Something happened when I posted this am and I lost half of my template for my blog and out went all my links.

Second, remember the Ann Coulter t-shirt, well, it violates some copyright laws, so Zazzle won't let me sell it and I'm not going to try CafePress, because I'm pretty sure I'd get in trouble there, too. But, all is not lost, I offer alternatives:

Ann Coulter is a Godless Bitch -- sold here.
I'm too Smart to read Ann Coulter -- sold here.
and -- this one's good --
My dog is smarter than Ann Coulter -- sold here.

So, I'll fix the site and come up with more shirts, mugs, etc. Gotta earn enough to pay for this site somehow! And, yes, I know it isn't very Christian of me, but I never said I was perfect.

God Bless

Mark Green -- WI Governor? No Way!

Here's a quick thought --

President Bush supports Mark Green for Governor of our great state of Wisconsin. There's one reason not to vote for him.

President Bush thinks Mark Green would be good for Wisconsin. Like Bush was good for Texas?

Mark Green supported an Eight Billion dollar subsdizing of the oil industry -- the same industry that's charging me $3.17 a gallon and raking in the dough to the tune that ExxonMobil could pay their outgoing CEO 400 million dollars.

And, now, Mark Green thinks he'd be good for the state? And, President Bush agrees.

Let me just say this...

Bush announced that the deficit is going to be less than they originally thought and we're suppose to celebrate this. Well, I would if the deficit was going down, not up.

Also, Bush's tax cuts for the rich -- they didn't help the economy -- the rich save extra money, they don't spend it and put it back into the economy.

And, the Fed is wrong about raising rates to combat inflation, but I don't have time to go into it right now -- just trust me. I'll explain later.

God Bless

Star Jones Reynolds

I should start this post by saying, yeah, I know that there is a lot going on in the world -- the Space Shuttle launched and lost some foam, Ken Lay died of a massive coronary, North Korea is falling throwing the bomb in our face, etc., etc. -- so, discussing Star Jones and the View is just fluff -- it's fluff.

But, today, I don't feel like discussing serious issues and everyone deserves at least one day of fluff discussion, so here goes...

Has Star Jones lost her mind? The woman has a brain, for pete's sake, but she has truly lost her mind. I'm sorry that last April ABC decided to not renew her contract. I think since she's been on the show since the start that she deserved a little better send off than what she got, but maybe, she was going to get one.

According to Barbara Walters, the agreement was that Mrs. Reynolds could take the time to find another job and announce anything she wanted. ABC has decided to take the show in another direction, so Mrs. Reynolds lost her job, but MS Walters and Mr. Gedde didn't want Star to lose face. They were allowing her an out. Makes me wonder if Meredith Vieira took the job at the Today Show for the same reason. We're not going to renew your contract, but we don't want you to lose your credibility, go find another job and MS Vieira found a home at the Today Show. -- I should note that I have absolutely no knowledge of this as being true, it just makes me wonder. It, also, makes me wonder if Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck's contracts have been renewed. How much of a different direction does ABC want the show to go?

Anyway, I like Star Jones Reynolds. I enjoyed listening to her views, some I agreed with, some I didn't, but she has always been the best at articulating her views and when she announced -- two days before the show had planned -- that her contract wasn't renewed, I totally disagree with her. It was like committing job suicide. Not only has she been removed way before her contract is completely up from the View's cast, but who is going to hire her now? I think will hurt her chances of moving on.

I pray that she lands on her feet and all goes well with her. I just think taking the bow and walking off head held high would've been the smarter thing to do.

God Bless

Happy Independence Day!

Today's the day the entire nation stops and takes a minute or more to remember just what it is about this country that makes it so great!

Umm, or not.

Apparently, places like Wal-Mart, Jewel, Family Video and Blockbuster all seem to think it is okay to have their people working on a holiday.

Remember when no one was working on a holiday?

Too bad those days are gone.

If we really, truly believe in family values, let's make every company give their employees -- with the exception of emergency needed personnel -- Sundays and holidays off. Every one should be able to spend time with family members at least once a week and on every major national holiday. Otherwise, we are just blowing smoke about caring about families in this country.

God Bless -- Happy 4th of July!

Is this for Real?

So, I'm reading Ctrl-Alt-Delete, which is a webcomic -- for you who don't know. And, I think, hey, I'll take a minute and read Tim's latest post (actually, it is the second one down on the page). He posts the transcript of Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) reasoning for voting against Net Netraulity.

Here's a part of it:

"There's one company now you can sign up and you can get a movie delivered to your house daily by delivery service. Okay. And currently it comes to your house, it gets put in the mail box when you get home and you change your order but you pay for that, right.

But this service isn't going to go through the interent and what you do is you just go to a place on the internet and you order your movie and guess what you can order ten of them delivered to you and the delivery charge is free.

Ten of them streaming across that internet and what happens to your own personal internet?"

So, I'm left wondering, is this for real? Is there really a Senator who is so dumb that he doesn't understand ANYTHING about the Internet? I'm not expecting an elected official to understand things like bandwidth, but he should know that the Internet is both free and commercial (read the whole post to understand).

Tim, the author of the post on Ctrl-Alt-Delete, lists the site from where he received the Senator's words, so I should too. It is http://blog.wired.com/27BStroke6/?entry_id=1512499. This would be a good time for the good folks of Alaska to start thinking about voting for a different Senator. We can only hope that they decide to do so. If I lived in Alaska, I certainly wouldn't want this man representing me in Washington.

I did a little research on the dear Senator and it turns out that he has held this seat since 1968 and he is 83 years old. The man will be in office forty years come his next election cycle in 2008! I could hope for retirement, but I'm sure that won't be happening! My late grandmother understood more about the Internet than this guy and she was older than him!

This is the same guy who threatened to resign if the famous "Bridge to Nowhere" wasn't funded, along with another bridge in Alaska. BTW, the town to where this 250 million dollar bridge was to be built has 50 residents. (Hey, maybe, if I lived in Alaska I would vote for this guy, at least he makes sure that the pork comes home to rest!) He actually said, "I don't kid people. If the Senate decides ... to take money from our state, I will resign from this body."

Interesting. Last I knew, the government approved the bridge, but I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong!

Here are some facts about Federal Spending in Alaska you should think about:

"Federal government spending has figured prominently in Alaska’s history and is still a major force today. The federal fiscal
year (FFY) runs from October 1 through September 30, and in FFY 2003 (the most recent data available) the federal
government spent $7.9 billion in Alaska.
(1)
Part of that spending came from the activities of the various federal agencies,
part was in the form of grants to state and municipal governments, and still another part came in payments to individuals.
In FFY 2003, Alaska taxpayers received $1.89 in federal outlays for every $1 paid in federal taxes." -- taken from: http://www.tax.state.ak.us/sourcesbook/2005/spr2005/federal.pdf

Hey, Alaska! I want my money back!

God Bless

Senator Tom Coburn -- Oklahoma

Finally, a good idea has come out of Washington D.C. that everyone can stand behind. Senator Coburn, according to a New York Times article from yesterday, wants a public database that will "list most government contracts and grants". This way, any citizen can see just where their tax dollars are going.

And, like what happens in Washington D.C., the good idea is suddenly being ruined into a bad idea. This past June the House actually passed the bill to create the database, but (you knew there would be a but, didn't you?) the database "would omit contracts, which typically go to businesses, but would include about $300 billion in grants, which usually go to nonprofit groups." The argument made by Thomas M. Davis III from Virginia said, "Contracts are awarded in a much more competitive environment That makes them more self-policing."

Uh-huh.

The truth is that this will take non-profit grants and place them center stage while leaving out the contracts awarded to big businesses. Doesn't the American public have the right to know just what companies are awarded what contracts? Shouldn't we be able to see just how much a toliet in NASA costs?

Apparently, not.

Leave it to Washington to come up with an idea that unites the conservatives and the liberals, screw the whole thing up and piss off everybody!

God Bless

War Bonds...

Here's a question and it's probably a stupid one, but why isn't Washington selling war bonds to fund the Iraq War that is costing us 250 million dollars a day? That way, those Americans who support the war can put their money where their mouths are.

Seems like a sound idea to me -- perhaps, Ms. Coulter could team up with Rush Limbaugh and travel the country selling war bonds, like the movie stars in the 40's did for WWII?

The posters could look like this:And, so I've put the above picture on a t-shirt, if you're interested...

KeepYourHandsOffAnn
by
jtotsch

Get this custom t-shirt at Zazzle

God Bless

Flag-Burning Amendment Fails

First, I really wish our government would do something worthwhile instead of these headline grabbing amendments. This is to make them look good for their conservative constituents. I've got news for them, this isn't a conservative issue. At least, it wouldn't be a conservative issue for those conservatives that believe the government should stay out of our lives. Remember those days? The days before that idiot Rush "Drug Addict" Limbaugh and Ann "Big Mouth, Little Brain" Coulter took over the word conservative and made it into something I could no longer feel apart of.

Oops, I'm off on a tangent.

Second, we don't need this amendment. Now, I haven't read the amendment -- but I've been meaning to -- but is anyone besides me and my dad aware of the fact that the only proper way to dispose of a flag is to burn it in a dignified manner? Hey, all you flag waving Americans out there who fly your flag at night -- without a light shining on it -- and leave it out in the rain, guess what, in my mind, that is just about as disrespectful to the symbol of freedom as the moron who is burning it in protest.

Oh, and those of you who wear a flag patch on your jeans -- knock it off. Our flag is not suppose to be displayed that way, nor should it be on a magnet stuck to your car. You aren't being a patriot, you're showing your ignorance at how the American flag should be displayed.

So, for those of you who support this amendment, but have never read just how to properly display and dispose of the flag, leave the government alone. Learn how to properly display your own flag, before you tell some idiot that they can't burn theirs.

God Bless

PS. Thanks to a website I found after my original post, here is the code for the flag: (I found this on the Cornell Law Website. This is a free service, but they do ask for donations):

§ 8. Respect for flag

Release date: 2006-03-20

No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America; the flag should not be dipped to any person or thing. Regimental colors, State flags, and organization or institutional flags are to be dipped as a mark of honor. (a) The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property. (b) The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise. (c) The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free. (d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker’s desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general. (e) The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way. (f) The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling. (g) The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature. (h) The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything. (i) The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown. (j) No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations. The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart. (k) The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.

Jim Andrews -- son-of-a-bitch

Man, this paper gets worse every single day. First, we had to read about Fisk Johnson's divorce -- right there on page one. His divorce, in my eyes, is not my business, nor is it newsworthy enough to make the front page of the paper. Now, today, right there on the front page for all the world to see is the biggest, son-of-a-bitch I have ever known -- Jim Andrews.

I worked for Jim for a little over a year at his -- I can't believe he's still in business -- Sierra, Inc. He walked in the day after Labor Day, said he was tried of writing checks and proceeded to layoff five of his employees -- me included. When I left my job at MJ Care to go to Sierra, I would've never have gone if I had known I'd be there just a year.

And now, that son of a bitch is on the front page. I didn't read the article -- Cheryl's worried that I'll have some sort of stroke and she took it away from me -- but whatever this electric car angle is -- he doesn't promote anything unless there is something in it for him.

Keep that in mind. And, yes, I know I'm not being a good Christian because I've never really forgiven him for laying me off, but I'm working on it. And, yes, I know that some people can turn over a new leaf, but I believe he's turned over a new leaf about the same as I believe President Bush will have us out of Iraq by the time he leaves office.

God Bless

PS. There's another guy who actually fired me and I wasn't too keen on him for a while, but I did learn somethings at his company that helped me move on in life, so I really didn't hold a grudge. Anyway, a couple of years ago, I saw him and he said he had made a mistake when he had let me go. I just didn't want you to think that I hold grudges.

I am so sick of Ann Coulter...

This woman gets my goat more than anyone else on the planet. I saw her on Jay Leno -- I recorded last week's show and I've watched it tonight. Anyway, she comes out in a dress that really doesn't flatter her figure, too straight, no curves, she needs a hair cut, but now I sound like my mom, so I digress.

She, in reference to a joke Mr. Leno told about her the night before, stated that she's Dorothy and she has "dropped my house on the mainstream media." This got a terrific amount of applause from an audience that was just cheering for George Carlin.

Doesn't that bug you as much as it bugs me? Mainstream media has been turned into some demigod by the right wing. Blame the media for what's wrong with the world. Blame the liberals, blame, blame, blame, but I don't hear solutions coming from Ms Coulter's lips -- unless it's get rid of all the liberals.

I'm beginning to believe what my late grandmother said to me, "The world's gone mad." And, I think she was right.

We have children shooting each other with the guns they've brought to school, but I don't see the powerful -- and might I remind you -- in charge right wing doing anything about it. They can't because they're elected by the NRA's membership.

But, heck, we've got Ann out there spouting out words that only look for the common denominator in people -- the lowest common denominator.

Again, I digress, I want to discuss this idea MS Coulter's spouting about. She stated on Leno, "Liberals send out victims to make their points, so that we can't respond. " She then, after making another statement that I'll get to in a minute, say, "Apparently, you can attack them."

Let me repeat that, "You can ATTACK THEM." She didn't say, you can debate the victims (she's referring to the four 9/11 widows who have been critical of the President and his administration's policies). She said, "YOU CAN ATTACK THEM."

So, that's really the right wing's goal, right there in a nutshell folks. They don't want to debate points or discuss issues, they want to attack those who disagree with them.

Now, this whole blog might read like an attack on MS Coulter, but I'm not attacking her, just her methods. If she came right out and said, "I think we need another three years in Iraq, I could debate that. But, she doesn't. She lumps anyone who wants out of Iraq into a big pile, calls them a liberal and proceeds to attack THEM, not their ideas, not debate the issues, but ATTACK THEM.

Am I the only one in this crazy world wondering why her book is #3 on the Amazon bestseller list? (The list is updated hourly.) Those are actual books sold. The New York Times Bestseller listing actually lists her at #1, but that's "Rankings reflect sales, for the week ending June 10, at almost 4,000 bookstores plus wholesalers serving 60,000 other retailers, statistically weighted to represent all such outlets. An asterisk (*) indicates that a book's sales are barely distinguishable from those of the book above. A dagger (+) indicates that some stores received bulk orders. "

So, those aren't even sales to actual people because wholesalers sell to other bookstores. So, Thank God, she isn't as popular as she thinks she is.

Oh, and that brings me to the comment I left out above, she said, "You can't respond to these four women because everyone will get mad at you, but I went on the Today Show and criticized them and there hasn't been a peep about it as far as I can tell. Nobody complained. So, apparently, you can attack them."

(Don't write and say she was kidding, this woman doesn't have a sense of humor.)

Is she living in some sort of dream world? Or, does she just ignore those that do not belong to her right wing, narrow minded group?

Well, enough for now, time for me to get to bed, because this liberal, unlike conservative Coulter, has to work for a living.

Racine Sells Cab Company!

According to a Racine Journal Times article in this morning's paper, Racine will be selling the city's cab service -- to a Milwaukee businessman for a grand total of $1500. According to the article that's about 23500 less than what it cost the city to start. This sale includes 3 -- count them -- 3 vehicles AND the exclusive right to cab services in the city for the next FOUR years.

Hmmm, I would've been willing to buy the cab service from the city for that price!

Abdul Hafiz, who also owns a gas station in Racine, offered the city $15000 originally. So, why didn't we sell to him? Further another investor, Sally Pieske, wanted to buy the cab company for $16000! An even better bet!

So, why in this time of need, where budgets are constantly being cut and we're told that everyone is broke, is Racine taking such a huge hit?

According to the article, Sam Aiello, the city's purchasing agent; is quoted as saying, "In our mind, Abdul Hafiz was the best shot.[For selling the cab service] I want to give him every chance to succeed."

How could he not when his investment is only $1500?

God Bless

Education...

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I serve on St. Richard's School Board. I've just finished my three year term and I've agreed to serve a one year term. St. Richard is a K-8 school. When I have a child of my own, I plan on sending him or her there.

This is an interesting time to be on a Catholic School board. Catholic education is far superior to public school education and yet enrollment in Catholic Schools is way down. There is talk that some Racine Catholic schools might be closing and some might merge with other schools. The schools are losing money and, yet, they still manage to educate their students for roughly $3000 per year, which is less than the figures I've heard for Racine Unified Students, which have ranged from $6000 to $13000.

It has been proven that smaller class sizes benefit children from every walk of life. Being able to have that one on one time with a teacher is conducive to learning. Yet, our public school systems throughout our state are becoming more and more overcrowded. And, more and more expensive to maintain.

Now, I'm not an expert on education, but when I hear that 85% of St. Richard students who go on to Racine Unified High Schools make the honor roll each year. I believe that we must be doing something right.

Even if you are not Catholic, your child can benefit from a Catholic education. No matter what your religious background is the values are the same.

So, if you've got a little guy or gal who is starting school (and you live in Racine), give St. Richard a chance. They have terrific teachers, a great principal and nice school board members (if I do say so myself). And, this year, the school is looking into starting a 4-year old kindergarden.

God Bless

What are they doing?

Do you ever wonder just what our politicians are doing? What is it that we get for the money we pay them? It seems to me that what we've been getting a lot of lately is tax cuts for the rich and hot air issues.

For example, did you know that 72% of Americans support stem cell research and the House of Representatives passed H.R. 810 -- which "amends the Public Health Service Act to provide for human embryonic stem cell research." Now, it sits in the Senate awaiting their vote. 72% of us support this Legislation and it just sits there?

What are they doing in the Senate? What am I paying my taxes for?

God only knows.

God Bless.

Boys...

Can anything be better than having twin grandsons? Nope, can't think of anything, so here's some pictures from our weekend visit.




I hope you enjoy the pictures. I miss the little guys just as soon as I leave them.

Oh and check out the video page -- I've uploaded two new videos of the boys!

God Bless.

Ann Coulter Follow-up

This is Drew Sheneman's political comic from today. Another take on Dear Old Ann...

Paul Ryan

Paul Ryan would be an excellent Congressional Representative if just once, just once he would vote against the Republican Party. Now, I haven’t studied every single one of his votes, but I know on the big issue, Mr. Ryan NEVER goes against the party.

Case in point, H.R. 5252 – Communications, Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006 – this is the one we’ve all been worried about. This is the one the Christian Coalition joined hands with MoveOn.org to fight. And, Paul Ryan voted for it.

The vote was 321 Yeas, 101 Nays and 11 No Votes. And, my Congressional Representative, Paul Ryan, voted Yea.

Why, Paul, why?

Let me tell you how I feel about Paul Ryan. He is truly a great Representative. Every time and I mean EVERY SINGLE TIME; I have ever sent his office a letter I get a response, usually within two weeks of my original letter. 90% of the time when I call his office, I receive a response. And, I receive emails all the time letting me know what he’s up to. As far as his making sure that I (and I’m sure the rest of his constituents) know what he is doing, this man is doing an outstanding job.

Really.

I would love to vote for Paul Ryan the next time he comes up for re-election, but I can’t, I just can’t. If he disagreed with me once or twice, I would probably vote for him, but he has disagreed with me EVERY SINGLE TIME I have contacted him about an issue. EVERY SINGLE TIME. And, on those instances, he has sided with the Republican Party. He always sides with them.

Now, if you’re a Republican and you think you’re right ALL THE TIME, and you live in Wisconsin’s First District, you need to vote for Paul Ryan. He will serve you well and you will not be disappointed in him.

But, if you’re like me and you want a representative that stands up for what is right, just and fair – even if it means he’s standing alone in Congress, you’ll have to find someone else.

It just breaks my heart, good Irish Catholic boy and I can’t vote for him.

Why, Paul, why can’t you find your own voice and go against party lines and vote what is just, fair and right and not what the Republican Party wants?

Just once.

God Bless.

PS. Yes, I am aware that 106 Democrats jumped ship and voted with the Republicans, but they’re not my representative and I can’t beg them to get with it.

Ann Coulter -- The Real Face of the New Conservatives

Now, let me preface this article by saying that I don't mean Conservative in the manner of those of us who believe in family values, reach out to lend a helping hand to those who are down, attend church on Sundays and just want to lower taxes -- for everybody -- and lower government spending on pork issues.

I'm talking Conservative in the manner of the loud mouths who seem to say things because they can. Who jumped on this right-wing band wagon and left those of us who started out as Conservative jumping over to the left side of the fence. These people say anything -- Rush Limbaugh -- Bill O'Reilly -- and claim that there's no spin. They're just speaking the truth, when really they are pandering to the uneducated masses who haven't bothered to pick themselves up by their bootstraps and work their way into a better living and want to blame someone else for the mess their in. I'm referring to the group of Conservatives who believe that if you disagree with them you must be a party to some sort of liberal conspiracy to bring down the country. These are the folks who find the one general who agrees with them and knocks the ones who don't.

But, Ann Coulter, who has written books with ridiculous titles such as, "How to Speak to a Liberal, if you must", has really gone too far, but that's a good thing. She states in her new book, "I'm a genius, you're a moron for buying this book" (kidding, the real title is: "Godless: The Church of Liberalism"), "I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much." in reference to four 9/11 widows who have joined together to find answers to their questions.

She has even dubbed these women "The Witches of East Brunswick".

Just who the hell does Ann Coulter think she is?

I'll tell you who I think she is.

I think she's a self-servicing female who doesn't contain an ounce of compassion for her fellow human beings. She disagrees with the widows' views on 9/11 and the state of our great country and she feels the need to slander them in a most outrageous way -- and make money on the whole damn thing. Instead of coming out and debating the women in a rational and honest way, she chooses to bash them and reduce the real tragedy and horror of 9/11 to some sort of side show.

The widows (Kristen Breitweiser, Lorie Van Auken, Mindy Kleinberg and Patty Casazza of New Jersey) "have spent the years since the 2001 terror attacks supporting an independent commission to examine government failures before the attack, and in the 2004 presidential campaign they endorsed Democrat John Kerry." Apparently, speaking out for your beliefs offenders Coulter if your beliefs do not agree with hers.

The women, who have suffered a lost on a scale I can't not even begin to imagine, released this statement: "We have been slandered. Contrary to Ms. Coulter's statements, there was no joy in watching men that we loved burn alive. There was no happiness in telling our children that their fathers were never coming home again. We adored these men and miss them every day."

God Bless Them and God Bless My Country

And, May God have Mercy on Coulter's soul when she's asking not to burn in the fires of Hell for her outrageous and compassion-lacking statements. I hope she enjoys the bucks she makes on this book. I can only hope it is the last we'll hear from her.

Oh, and just because sometimes I'm a heartless bitch, I'm selling
t-shirts, mugs, etc. with the following:

A little Scam Follow Up

Remember when I posted the letter from Mrs. Kes Manfred -- the scammer who is using God's good name to convince me to turn over my personal information? Well, I had said that I would post a follow up, as I was sending a reply.Well, I sent her the the reply that you can read at the end of the post and I'm posting her reply. Of course, I'm not going to answer her or give out my cell phone number or any of the other information she wants. I know this is a scam and I just wanted to post it here, so that if you receive an email similar to this, you'll recognize it for the scam it is.

If I knew to which government agency I could report this, I would most likely take the time to report it. If you know, please leave a comment of email me @ reportscam@topofmyhead.info.

God Bless

---

From: "Julie Totsch"
Sent: Monday, May 22, 2006 11:17 AM
To: jacktheagent@gmail.com
Subject: re: I CRAVE YOUR INDULGENCE TO READ THIS MAIL

What information do you need from me, so that I may help you?

Yours in Christ,

Julie

And, I received the following reply

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: FROM MRS KES MANFRED
Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 08:02:51 +0000
From: kes manfred
To: jtotsch@topofmyhead.info


GOODDAY to you Julie Totsch ,
Thanks for your confident response in receiving this fund and using
it for the said purpose.The reason why i choose you is because God led me to
you ,Now this is what you will do to receive this fund in your bank account.
I will like you to contact the security company where this fund was
deposited, contact them on my behalf requesting for the transfer and release
of the fund into your bank account.

You know that because of the nature of how I contacted you, vis-à-vis, the
deceits and frustrations of fraudulent activities in the present day world
it will be very hard to believe this so that is why I am taking time to tell
you more on this

This are the informations you need to forward to them because when the fund
was deposited they gave me this secret informations should in case I want to
withdraw it for security purpose for them to identify my consignment which
is the fund.

The informations are below I am giving and releasing this vital and secret
informations of mine to you with trust and confidence cos I have gotten you
as my next of kin to do this faithful work for God and subsequently to
Human.

Depositors Name Mrs. Kes Manfred
Batch no GTSF/GH-118/WB-NL-014-202
Year Deposited 2002
Secret Question Who is Depositor
Answer Mrs.Kes Manfred
Security Code 90600040020
Value Of Deposit:USD$8m

The above are the informations you need to forward to the security company
and send it to them.Your banking informations, your full name address and
contact phone numbers so that when they approve you to receive the fund they
will get it transferred into your bank account .So contact with their
informations below.

Name of Security Company.Global Trust Securities
Email gltrustsecuritiesss@consultant.com
Name of Director Mr. Kim Brenton

My Good friend, please contact them with the above informations and please
make sure you send your phone number or mobile number to them for easy
communications,keep me posted as soon as they transfer the fund into your
bank account. Always put me in your daily prayers do not forget my wish .

God bless you.

I am anxiously hoping to hearing from you soon.

Kes Manfred

_________________________________________________________________
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Limbaugh admitted to airing call from phony liberal-bashing Lt. Col. in Iraq but continued to hold out hope officer was real

This one is for my brother, Scott. So, Robyn, be a dear and make sure you point this one out to him. You know how much he LOVES Rush Limbaugh!

On May 31, Rush Limbaugh aired a phone call that allegedly was from an Air Force officer stationed in Iraq -- "Lieutenant Colonel Luke Fitzpatrick of the 336th Tactical Air Wing". This "Lieutenant Colonel" stated, "I wanted to let you know that you and your cohort, Mr. Hannity, are the only two that are allowed to get broadcasts across our (inaudible) room. The rest of the liberals -- they can go listen on their Walkmans if they so choose."

Well, well, well, what a tangled web we weave when at first we choose to deceive. Turns out that whomever this caller was -- his name wasn't Fritzpatrick, he isn't in the Air Force and the 336th Tactical Air Wing doesn't exist.

Hmmm, I seem to recall a lot of right-wing people not letting up on Dan Rather when it turned out he made a report that turned out to be based on untrue information.

So, I could say a lot about Mr. Limbaugh, but I won't. I'll let his record as a right-wing "journalist" stand for itself.

Plus, you know, I like for my readers to read the facts for themselves, so check out the MediaMattersForAmerica webpage where the article appears.

Have a nice day.

God Bless

P.S. Still want to defend this man, Scott, or are you going to FINALLY give up on him?

FDA -- Please Shut Up and Go Home...

This just in:
"The US Food and Drug Administration has not approved Organon's New Drug Application for tibolone as a treatment for women with menopausal symptoms, Akzo Nobel NV said."

But, the FDA has decided that they want our nation's restaurants to cut their portion sizes.

Let me get this straight, I'm a fat gal. Part of it is genetic, I come from a chunky mom and a chunky maternal grandmother. Until recently, I didn't much bother watching my weight and I rarely used a doggie bag in a restaurant. Barring any contributing factor genetics pay in my fatness, pretty much it's because I don't eat right and I certainly don't exercise.

It isn't McDonald's fault that I'm a size 22 (down from a high size of 26 just a couple of years ago). It's MY fault. Let me say that again -- MY FAULT. Remember that? Personal responsibility? Republicans love to throw that expression out, but it seems as if the government doesn't really think anyone of us can follow it.

I don't want my favorite restaurants controlling my portion sizes. Frankly, there are some restaurants where I don't think the portions are big enough to demand the high price I've paid.

Plus, if I want a salad, I'll stay home and make one. The ones in 90% of restaurants are horrible -- in my opinion.

So, here's what I have to say to the FDA -- go home and shut up. Your overthinking staff in the agency have not approved the menopause treatment drug -- tibolone, which has been on the market in other countries for 20 years, but you want to tell restaurants how much food to be on my plate?

Does that even make sense?

God Bless

Batwoman is Gay!!!!!

Okay, I said earlier today that I wasn't going to post anything about the state of the world, but Holy Cow, Batman! Batwoman is a Lesbian!!!!

Now, I don't even read comic books and if it wasn't for the late Christopher Reeve playing Superman during my early years, I wouldn't have even paid attention to Superman. Wasn't he cute?

But, I'm getting off track.

Is this acceptance? Are we finally going mainstream? Will Lesbians be pushings comic book geeks (no offense) out of the way at that comic book counters to grab a copy?

Stay tuned, same bat channel, same bat station!

Oh and to those of you who are anti-gay, don't support equal rights for me and my buddies (my mother still insists that I must be friends with Melissa Etheridge!), don't push us -- or we'll sic Batwoman on you!

God Bless!

Stepping Out...

Well, some little boys are taking steps -- holding on, but steps none the less. So, that's all I have to say for right now.

I know there's a lot going on in the world -- morons in Congress want to vote on the anti-gay amendment, the war in Iraq is getting worst everyday, more and more our politicians give in to special interest and not what is best for the country. Some moron, who's name I've forgotten, but he's a constitutional law professor, says that we should support a ban on gay marriage so that churches who do not believe in gay marriage will not be discriminated against -- more on that later -- but for today, I've reporting just on my perfect grandchildren, who are taking their first steps in the world. And, all Danny and Alex care about at this point is that Nana (that's me) gets on the floor and plays with them.

God Bless

New video on the baby video page. Make sure you check it out!

Another thought on Net Neutrality...

If the Internet becomes a tiered system, why should any of us use it? What would be the point? If I could only gather my news from, say Fox or CNN, then why would I bother checking out their websites? If we allow the big companies to charge on a tiered system, we are -- in effect -- paying for commercials.

Also, all the Net Neutrality is making strange bedfellows -- the Christian Coalition has aligned itself with MoveOn.org. I never -- NEVER -- in my wildest dreams ever thought those two groups would agree on ANYTHING.

Take the time to work to save the Internet from the likes of Verizon and AT&T -- these people can't keep your data safe from the government and now I'm going to trust them to allow me to view content on the web?

Savetheinternet.com

The Worst Side of Being a Nana...

I love my grandsons, who are now 1 year, two weeks and a day. They still aren't talking, nor are they walking, but they sure do get around.

The bad thing about being a Nana is that they are so far away. I only get to see them an average of once per month and I can tell you that isn't often enough. That's the bad.

The good is that Grandpa Dan, who sees them nearly everyday, likes to take pictures and movies and he makes sure that he passes them on. You couldn't ask for a better in-law in that respect. Cheryl and I often comment just how blessed we are to have Dustin's parents, Dan and Michelle, as co-grandparents.

But, anyway, I realized today that I have been remissed in posting pictures! I've hardly posted any in the past couple of months, which means I've been hogging the boys all to myself. So, I thought I would pass on a few shots that Dan has sent down --- BTW, Danny and Alex are both standing, so walking might not be too far off. I hope Dan catches it on video!












Oh, and one last thing -- even though I don't have a picture to post of him on hand -- Happy Birthday to my favorite nephew, Tyler, who turns 14 today and will probably mention that he's my only nephew!

God Bless!

You can protest...

But you don't have to be rude about it.

Douglas J. Feith has taken a "teaching position at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown". Mr. Feith is a former Pentagon official who has been accused of promoting the war in Iraq using faulty evidence.

I'm not going to make a judgement on Mr. Feith's past or whether or not he should be a teacher. It isn't for me to say, I'm not on the faculty at Georgetown, nor am I a student. (Apparently, Mr. Feith "was hired without a faculty vote." The NY times article mentions that when Madeleine Albright, Anthony Lake and George Tenet joined the faculty, no one protested. But, the article did not say whether or not they were hired without a faculty vote.)

Anyway, my point is this statement:

"I'm not going to shake hands with the guy if he's introduced to me," said Mark N. Lance, a philosophy professor who teaches nonviolence in the program on Justice and Peace and who organized the protest. "And if he asks why, I'll say because in my view you're a war criminal and you have no place on this campus."

Now, that's just rude. You've made your point by protesting his appointment to the faculty and that's enough. Since when did we decide that it is okay to be rude to someone in this country. It happens on the right side of the fence and the left side of the fence with an astounding frequency. There is no reason to be rude to someone because you disagree with their politics.

Case in point, I disagree with President Bush on a lot of matters -- ooh, big surprise there! Anyway, if I was offered an opportunity to go to the White House and have dinner with him -- I WOULD NOT TURN IT DOWN. (So, if you're reading this, Mr. President, I'm free next Friday night.) It would be the polite thing to do.

I knew a guy who's friend was in the military. When Clinton visited the military base on which his friend was stationed, his friend flipped Clinton the bird and received punishment for it. The guy I knew said how unfair that was.

I don't think so.

I would think any serviceperson who flipped Bush the bird would receive the same punishment. It shouldn't be done. If you don't like the President, hold a protest banner, but at least be polite.

So, Mr. Lance, please shake hands and then sit down and rationally, politely discuss the reasons why you don't want Mr. Feith to be on the faculty. Then, try to find some common ground.

And, don't forget to say please and thank you.

God Bless

The End is near...

And it is being led by Verizon, Bell South, AT&T and Time Warner...

First, I barely have the extra money I spend each year to keep my two paid for websites -- topofmyhead.info and eskielover.com -- up and running. I don't make a lot of money from my CafePress site, nor from the few Amazon and Google Ads I have up and running. So, if Congress doesn't choose to protect the little guy -- mainly, me -- I will be dropping off the web and I'm not alone. Many of the blogs that we all like to read are not in a position to stay off if they have to pay an extra fee. Include in that the webcomics and personal webpages and a lot of real Americans will be disenfranchised by the Internet.

Second, I take Online Classes -- will my college be able to pay the extra fees to the carriers so I can bring up a webpage? And, if they don't pay and the page loads slow anyway, why should I bother paying the high fee I pay for Cable Internet Access? If it's going to run slow, then I'll just drop back down to a local dial up service. Won't make any difference to me. I'm sure that a lot of people will continue to pay the high rates, but I wish they wouldn't.

Third, why should I -- who pay for my RoadRunner access and the hosting fee for my websites be expected to have to pay more so my free site can be viewed? Just how many people do these companies think will actually pay for this kind of service?

Here's my suggestion, write a letter to your Internet provider and one of the other ones. Let them know that this is a dumb idea. Trust me, AT&T, Verizon, etc. are all ready making plenty of money off of all of us. If they push for this, I can guarantee you that I will never use any of their products again. Don't really care if I drop Cable TV -- it'll leave a lot more money each month to buy books and rent movies.

God Bless

Hello, Ireland!

So, I was checking out the stats for my page. I like to see just from where my ten readers come. And I noticed that one reader -- who has returned once -- came from County Cork, Ireland. Now, this is a HUGE interest to me, because my great-grandfather, Percy (Patrick) Madigan came from County Cork, Ireland. (Which, if you're interested, makes me a fourth generation Irish American.)

Anyway, I thought just in case my Irish reader wanders back to my blog, I'd say HI!

And, since I was looking, I thought I'd say hi to a few other places, so a big "HI!" to...

Milton, FL
Carlinville, IL -- but I'm sure I'm related to you and say hi all the time.
Beirut, Lebanon
Rogers, AR
Ogden, UT
Madison, WI
Marble Falls, TX
Yukon Territory, Whitehorse, Canada -- you should know, I love to visit Canada!
Whitesburg, KY
Reston, VA
Memphis, TN
Plano, TX

There were more places, but these were the ones with repeat visitors!

Have a great day!

God Bless

Veteran's Data Stolen...

A Department of Veterans Affairs computer analyst had their laptop and external harddrive stolen from their home. The Department of Veterans Affairs have not identified the individual, but they did say that the person is "administrative leave."

So, let me get this straight, you're not allowed to take home this kind of data -- you do take it home and you get an Administrative Leave?!? Excuse me, does that mean you're still on MY payroll, as it is MY tax dollars that pays YOUR salary?

According to the CNN article, "The computer disk contained the names, Social Security numbers and birth dates of every living veteran from 1975 to the present, Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson said Monday."

Okay, my father did not retire from the NAVY until 1976. My younger brother served 18 months in the NAVY between 1988 and 1990. I have a cousin who just left the NAVY last year and a couple more cousins and an Uncle who served in the AIR FORCE. It seems to me that what all this means is that a large portion of my family have their private information compromised.

So, what's the government going to do about this? This information included their Social Security numbers and some information about the service members' spouses.

AND, THEY DIDN'T TELL ANYONE FOR 19 DAYS. Perhaps this was just a random event and the burglar doesn't know what information he/she has, but it's possible that it WASN'T a random event -- where's the information now?

God Bless

"What happens at Georgetown stays at Georgetown"

Chief Justice John Roberts is certainly showing two things as he leads the Supreme Court.

1) He believes in letting the lawyers state their case BEFORE interrupting, which has to be a good thing.

and

2) He has a sense of humor -- which I'm sure he needs.

In an address he made to Georgetown University's law students, he remarked on the "public scrutiny of the court".

He said, "Look at the graduates around you. Twenty-some years from now, these are the people the press is going to track down to find something embarrassing about you. Today is the day to decide among yourselves, what happens at Georgetown stays at Georgetown."

Funny guy, our Supreme Court Justice.

God Bless

Now the scammers are using God...

I opened my email this am and found the below email in it. At first, I thought it might actually be from someone I know, but then I realized that I don't know this person and I began to recognize it for the scam it truly is.

I'm reprinting it here in the hopes that anyone who reads my blog will point it out to others. I know that somewhere in this country is someone who will actually believe that they will become the beneficiary of $8million dollars out of the kindness of this woman's heart. And, in the process, be ripped off for their entire life savings or something.

In the interest of, well, just because I'm curious. I did send a response letter, asking what she needed me to do. If I receive a reply, you can be sure I'll post it here.

God Bless.

---

The untouched letter I received:

From: "jack smith"
Sent: Monday, May 22, 2006 5:29 AM
To:
Subject: I CRAVE YOUR INDULGENCE TO READ THIS MAIL



Greetings in the name of God , Pls let this not sound strange to you for my only surviving lawyer who would have done this died early this year.i prayed and got you email id from your countrys chambers of commerce which i have been with my late huband and liked to visit once more if God will in his infinite mercies.



I am Mrs. Kes Manfred ,I am 55 years old, I am deaf and suffering from a long time cancer of the breast which also affected my brain,from all indication my conditions is really deteriorating and it is quite obvious that, according to my doctors they have advised me that i may not live for the next Three months,this is because the cancer stage has gotten to a very badstage.



I was brought up from a motherless babies home, was married to my late husband for twenty years without a child.My husband died in a fatal motor accident.Before his death we were true Christians. Since his death I decided not to re-marry,I sold all my inherited belongings and deposited all the sum of $8million dollars with a Security Company.

Presently, this money is still with them and the management just wrote me as the true owner to come forward to receive the money for keeping it so long or rather issue a letter of authorization to somebody to receive it on my behalf since I can not come over because of my illness or they get it confisticated.

Presently, I'm with my laptop in a hospital where I have been
undergoing treatment for cancer of the lungs. I have since lost my
ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I have only a few
months to live. It is my last wish to see that this money is invested
to any organisation of your choice and distributed each year among the charity organization,the poor and the motherless babies home where i come from.I want you God fearing, to also use this money to fund churches, orphanages and widows.

I took this decision, before i rest in peace because my time will soon be up. As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the Security Company.I will also issue you a letter of authority that will prove you as the new beneficiary of my fund. Please assure me that you Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein.

Hoping to hearing from you soon.

Waiting for your reply.

Yours in Christ ,

Mrs Kes Manfred

Rambling thoughts about family...

My father is one of nine children -- two died in childhood -- the seven surviving children grew up, married and brought forth 21 grandchildren into the world. Those 21 grandchildren have grown up, married and produced, well, I've forgotten how many "little" cousins I have, but let's just say -- it's a lot! And, I shouldn't call them little, because most of them are taller than me. Out of the 38 marriages in my family, only 7 of them have ended in divorce. That's less than an 18% divorce rate, which is well below the national average of 50%.

Yesterday, Cheryl and I had the honor of attending my Aunt Ellen's 75th birthday party. When I was growing up, going over to Aunt Ellen and Uncle Marvin's house was a great treat. We were allowed to play games and be a part of the adult conversation. Uncle Marvin and Aunt Ellen could even get Santa Claus to show up on Christmas Eve!

Anyway, Cheryl made a comment last night about how little my family drank. A few beers or a couple glasses of wine, but no one got drunk or acted like a fool, etc. For Cheryl, who had been married into a big drinking family prior to being with me, this is highly unusual. Even after our ten years together, she can't get over how my family joins together in celebrations that don't end in arguments or someone being a sloppy drunk.

This morning when I went to church, one of the ladies mentioned that if she had to do it all over again, she probably wouldn't bring a child into this world. She mentioned issues she had with her kids and a few of the other families who had troubled children and she, knowing that Cheryl and I are trying for children, asked me if I was sure that I wanted to bring a child into this world. I smiled and told her that I was sure.

And, it got me thinking about my family. Growing up as a Totsch meant that you could have a good time, but there were standards you needed to keep. You didn't have to be the star basketball player or the CEO, but you needed to play and work as if you were. To be a Totsch means that when you see someone in need -- whether family or friend -- you give them a helping hand. Look up the word family values in the dictionary and you'll find a picture of my family.

I don't know what makes a child grow up to be a productive member of society, but somehow, my family seems to know how to pass it on. Maybe it's just good genes or maybe, it is the sense of history and family pride that our parents have passed down to my generation and now we're passing down to our kids.

I just hope that when it is my turn, I figure out of way to pass it down to my offspring.

God Bless

Racism

So, a few days ago I went over to a friend's house and we were discussing the President's speech on immagration. First, my friend complained that the illegals didn't pay any taxes and therefore, don't belong here. Plus, she said, our tax dollars go to educate their children and pay for their hospital bills, etc. Well, I countered with the fact that personally I think anyone who wants to be an American should be allowed to live here. Immagration laws are just a lot of BS. Plus, the illegals are usually taking the jobs that legal Americans don't want anyway. And, since my tax dollars go to support a school system I neither benefitted from personally nor sent my child to, frankly, adding a couple extra kids didn't matter much to me. I pay a lot in taxes -- more than my friend, since she's married and can write off her children, etc. -- so I really don't want to hear anyone whine about where their tax dollars go. (Just a sidenote, I benefit the least from government programs and laws to protect my rights and yet, I pay more in taxes than a married couple who earn a lot more and can write more off. Doesn't seem fair to me.)

Anyway, we then -- carrying over the fact that illegal immagrants usually take jobs legal Americans don't want to do -- I stated that a white American isn't going to take a job picking fruit or vegatables and black Americans don't want to do it either. And, my friend answered, "Blacks don't want to work anyway."

Now, how can anyone in my generation make a comment like that? Where do you learn crap like that? Her parents are younger than mine, so could she have learned it from them? And, why would you want to teach your child an untrue stereotype of another race? Don't all our kids have to work together? Won't all the races in this country have to stand together to keep this great nation of ours going?

Then, I realized, my friend spent part of her childhood in the south, as did her husband, who feels the same way. Does that have something to do with the differences in our feelings toward the different races? I spent all of my schooling years safe and sound in the intergrated North. My classmates -- who worked just as hard as I did -- were a mix of blacks, latinos and asian. I didn't once think that somehow I'm better than a classmate because I was white and they weren't.

I guess this comment my friend made was just a big slap in the face. I pretty much thought that racism -- at least for my generation -- was a thing of the past. In our childhoods, we studied together, played together and sat in classes together. We spent time, if not learning about our differences, at least we complained about our homework together.

Anyway, I guess I'm still in shock. How can my generation contain such open racists?

God Bless

Only Two?

I read in blogs and see it on the news the rampant corruption that has allegedly infested our Congress and only two Congressmen -- one from the Dems and one from the Repubs -- are actually going to be investigated?

Is this suppose to be some sort of sacrificed offering -- Let's give them something and make all this ethics stuff go away?

Or, are most of our lawmakers law abiding citizens? (Wait, that CAN'T be it).

God Bless

Unmarried - Living Together -- Don't move to Black Jack, MO

Have you seen this story? The Black Jack, MO City Council voted against changing an obviously outdated city ordinance that "prohibits more than three people from living together unless they are related by 'blood, marriage or adoption.'"

Olivia Shelltrack and Fondrey Loving moved into a home and were denied an occupancy permit -- you need a permit in order to live somewhere? What is this, Russia? -- to live together with their three children (one of whom is not biologically related to Loving).

The Mayor of Black Jack issued this statement: "The purpose of these occupancy permit laws generally is to avoid overcrowding by non-related parties, assure the lifelong maintenance of the city's housing stock, prevent new buyers from being obligated to repair residences that were not kept up to code, preserve the character of the neighborhoods and the city, and to protect the general safety and welfare of the city's residents."

So, they're assuming that the character of the neighborhood will be lowered if Loving and Shelltrack are allowed to remain there.

The couple moved into a five-bedroom home -- doesn't that mean something? These are people who can afford a bigger home than most, so I'm sure they'll keep it in good condition.

This is just further proof that we're all going to Hell in a handbasket.

God Bless

Are you listening, President Bush?

I call my mom from my cellphone quite a bit. It's easier for me to put my earplug in and yak with her on my drive home from work. Plus, I miss calling my now deceased grandmother on my long drives home and it is nice to talk to Mom -- most days.

Anyway, Mom is upset about all of this "spying" the government is doing on the average citizen. I tried to explain to her that there is no way for the government to listen in on all of our phone calls. There are 260 million people in this country -- if only half of them place a phone call in a day, that's still 130 million phone calls for the government to track. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not supporting the government's ability to listen in on any call they want without a warrant under any circumstances, but I'm not worried that President Bush is listening in.

My mother, and I think she's kidding, often tells me to watch my language if I say Ass or damn or, on the rare occasion I say something worst. She's worried the government will over hear my call to her and bust me for speaking obscenely. (I really hope she's kidding.)

This past weekend, I tried to explain to her that if the government was listening, they're probably listening for certain words, like bomb, blow up, terrorist, etc. and recording those calls. They can't possiblily be recording ALL of our calls ALL of the time.

So, for my mom's sake, Mr. President, if you are listening to my phone calls, please let my mom know that I'm really not wanted for swearing on the phone.

God Bless

Good Tax Cuts VS Bad Tax Cuts

If Congress wanted to cut taxes that would help the average American, they would raise the limit on Social Security, not give tax breaks to those who have earned investment capital gains.

The taxable limit on Social Security is $30,000. If you earn -- including your Social Security benefit -- $30,000 per year, the government taxes your Social Security. So, if you've worked hard all your life and saved for your retirement and now you're starting to take money out of your tax free investment accounts, you're paying taxes on Social Security. How can that be right? Has anyone in Washington, D.C. ever tried to live off of $30,000 a year? With rising gas prices and medicine, etc. $30,000 doesn't go far.

Further, what about tax breaks for single Americans? A single American earning $40,000 per year, really brings home -- after taxes and insurance -- around $22,000 per year. Does that seem fair?

I'm running late for work, so I don't have time to put in more figures, but trust me -- Washington is definitely not looking out for the right people.

God Bless

This is Justice?

I should note that this was a story from the other day, but I wasn't going to rant on my grandchildren's birthday and I was busy all weekend to post it.

So, we can't have the Justice Department investigate the NSA's domestic surveillance program because they AREN'T being given the proper security clearances?

Say what?

This is NOT the answer the American Public wants to hear -- that we can't have answers to ensure that the NSA has not broken any laws. If everything is on the level, why not allow the Justice Department to investigate?

So, let me get this straight -- the President claims that his allowing eavesdropping on wireless communication without being granted a warrant is legal and yet, the Justice Department cannot do a complete investigation to prove he's right?

If you were George W. Bush, wouldn't you want the investigation to proceed without any hinderances, without any issues, so that you could be vindicated and proven that "See, I was right?"

I can't believe the President isn't stepping in and saying, "Hey, give the clearances that are needed. I want to put this mess behind me and get on with the rest of my presidency."

I guess if you thought the investigation wouldn't prove you right, you wouldn't interfer with the denial of the security clearances.

But, that can't be what's happening here, since President Bush has denied any wrong doing. The one thing I believe about him is that the man does not lie. When President Bush makes a statement, he believes every word that he is saying, so when he said the eavesdropping was perfectly legal, then he believes it to be true.

So, now I'm right back where I started, wondering why he doesn't step in or make a public statement that he's upset about this situation.

God Bless

It's Been a Year...

Can you believe it, because I can't, but my grandsons are a year old today. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about how much they've changed over this past year.

So, no ranting today, no complaining about the state of the world, just a great big:

Happy Birthday Danny and Alex!

My only complaint today is that I can't be in Green Bay to celebrate with them.

God Bless

The Diff between Dems and Repubs...

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich (Dem) appeared at the University of Illinois in Urbana yesterday. He's touting a decision to sell off some of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission's student loan portfolio. Governor Blagojevich says that this will free up money for more student aid.

Apparently, some College Republican students disagree with this. Which is not surprising because right now the Dems can't agree with the Repubs and vice versa. If these two groups each came up with the exact same idea -- they would still argue about it!

Anyway, these students wore t-shirts that said, "Blagojevich sucks", which I think might be rude -- I wouldn't wear any of the anti-Bush tees I sell in front of President Bush, but hey, this is their right to wear what they want.

Did Blagojevich have the students removed?

GASP! Shockingly, no!

Did he single the kids out as a group who were just trying to cause trouble for the administration?

DOUBLE GASP! No!

He said, "I promise you if I get a blue one like that, I'll wear it when I go out jogging."

The students gave him one and then -- hold on to your hats -- posed with the governor.

Let me repeat that:

HE POSED WITH THE PROTESTING STUDENTS!.

I challenge any reader to find one Republican since Ronald Reagan who was so gracious to those who oppose him.

Go on, I'm betting you can't find one.

And, that is the difference between Dems and Repubs.

God Bless

If this is true, then the Bush boys are jerks...

According to the NY Times, President Bush and his brother , Jeb, have not been standing behind Katherine Harris in her bid for the Republican Senate nomination.

Now, I don't live in Florida, so it is really none of my concern who becomes the next Senator from there, but what is up with the Bush boys? Didn't Barbara and George Sr. teach them to stand by their friends? Didn't they show them how to be gracious?

The Bush boys have been pushing for Allan Bense to run for the nomination. And, on Monday, Jeb Bush publicly announced that he didn't think MS Harris could win and he mentioned that she has problems in her campaign.

Now, maybe, with President Bush's ratings dropping to toilet level, his lack of endorsement for MS Harris won't matter. Or, maybe she's doing so poorly, because MS Harris is linked so closely with the 2000 election and President Bush and the people of Florida are mad their state went to Bush. Again, I don't know, I don't live there.

So, enough with the speculation.

I'm still upset that the President and Governor cannot stick by their friend. It shouldn't matter whether or not she can win, she's one of their friends and friends always stick up for friends -- at least publicly.

God Bless

Bill Maher and Victor Davis Hanson

Bill Maher had Victor Davis Hanson, the author of "A War Like No Other", on his show recently. I'm not sure what date, because I was watching HBO on Demand.

Normally, I don't review TV shows, but Mr. Maher asked a question I would like someone to give me a straight answer to: "If we had to go around the world and attack all the countries that were evil, we'd never really stop. Why don't we attack Darfur?"

Mr. Hanson interjected with "We're not at all." Then, his answer was "We're not. Secretary Rice gave a very good lecture to the Egyptians about reforming their political process last summer. We put pressure on the Saudis..." He went on to mention the other places we've been putting pressure on, but he never answered the question. "Why don't we attack Darfur?"

Why can't anyone answer that question? If we didn't like the killings Saddam Hussein was committing in Iraq and he was evil enough to take out of office by starting a war, why aren't the people of Dafur just as important?

God Bless

Consumer Reports

Do you have a subscription to Consumer Reports? Do you pick it up on the newsstand? Well, you should. Cheryl and I subscribed just over a year ago. She's really big on reading all the reviews on , well, everything. My wife wants to know everything she can about anything we're going to purchase -- cars, TV's, Stereos, etc. So, Cheryl subscribed us to Consumer Reports.

Did you know that they DON'T accept any advertising in their magazine (and, I'm assuming, their website).

Did you know that they DON'T accept anything they test for free. They purchase all of it -- and the consumer versions, so that what they review is what we, the consumers, will be purchasing. They conduct reader surveys so that when you purchase a product, you know what other people thought of it.

In this month's issue, the have an interesting article about Privacy and the RFID tags that can now be found in all kinds of products. I didn't know a lot about the RFID tags, but I remember reading an article about them a couple of years ago. Wal-Mart was going to start adding them to the products they sell, so they can track all their products in a particular store. Great idea for any retail environment. You can keep track of all your inventory within minutes.

However, what I didn't know about RFID tags is that they can be tracked as far away as 750 feet. I'm not going to rewrite the whole article here, you can get your own subscription, but after reading the CR article, I'm a little leery of these tags. All ready my purchases are tracked by my Jewel, Pick N Save and Barnes & Noble cards. Now, according to CR, these purchases can be linked to my credit card and more of my personal information. I'm a little concerned at the idea that the government could, at a whim, ask Barnes & Noble and my local library what books I read (I like to screw with the system and every so often I research bomb building or anarchy in books or on the Internet, guess the government isn't paying any attention to little old me). But, I'm not comfortable with my shopping habits and my prescription needs are in a database that easily hacked. Yes, I know that ShopKo and Walgreens have my prescriptions in their databases, but I worry that more and more of my personal information is getting spread out over more databases, which makes it more venerable.

Or, maybe, I'm just paranoid for no reason at all.

God Bless

Lesbians' Brains...

I'm not sure that I like the news that the Stockholm Brain Institute has discovered that there is indeed a biological difference between Lesbians and Straight women, proving that sexual orientation is more than just a learned behavior.

I have a friend who has a relative who once was gay but now has been found and proclaims that he is no longer gay. Now, I know that there are some men and women who dabbled in homosexuality for whatever reason and then decided it wasn't for them and now live "straight" lives (whatever that means). But, no, sorry, you didn't find God and suddenly change your sexual orientation. You merely choose NOT to live a "gay" life (whatever that means).

You can't change your sexual orientation, you can only change how you accept it. I went through many years trying to change myself and all I was left with was a broken heart, the realization that I'm gay and the knowledge that I wasted a lot of years trying to be someone I'm not.

So, on one hand, I'm thrilled to be able to point to my disbelieving brethen and say, "Hey, my parents didn't cause this. I didn't choose this. This is simple biology."

On the other hand, I'm not to keen on the idea to discover that my brain works in a similar manner to that of a straight man.

I mean, ignoring all the man hating jokes I could put here (afterall, I don't have to live with them), I have been battling with my parents for over 10 years that they did not raise three boys. They did raise a daughter and two sons. Constantly, I hear otherwise and its annoying! I'm a girl -- got it?

So, finding out that my brain reacts like a guy's brain is really not helping my cause.

But, it might help the further cause that FINALLY gays are treated like human beings and not second class citizens and for that, I'm willing to put up with some teasing.

God Bless

Who is General Michael Hayden?

Let me say right up front that I don't know much about General Hayden. So, I don't know if he is the right man for the CIA job or not, but, what's the deal?

It seems like Congress is all ready waiting to throw darts at this man. Can't we all just learn something about him before we qualify or denounce Bush's choice?

And, what's wrong with the idea that a military man runs the CIA? Since they (and the FBI) managed to screw up the events leading to 9/11, wouldn't it be a good thing to have someone with military discipline running the show?

So, here's what I'm saying, let's try something new in this country and learn something about General Hayden before we judge whether or not he's worthy to run the CIA.

God Bless

Closed Caption

Have you ever used the closed caption option on your TV? I have on numerous occasions. I'm hard of hearing and some TV shows sound to me like the actors are mumbling, so I'll turn on the Closed Caption so I don't miss anything.

Well, I want to know how you get the job to be a Closed Caption typist. Sometimes, I didn't hear the word and I can't read it because it is so far misspelled it is unbelievable. Now, maybe, they use voice recognition and it isn't really up to par. I really have no idea, because I've never tried to research it.

I was watching a tape episode of the View and the closed captioning was horrid -- which is why I'm blogging about it right now -- I know that the gals talk over each other and they are hard to understand, but this was the follow up to the Emmys, where Mario Caltone (I think that's how you spell it) does his little blurb. He called the ladies Losers (because they lost the Emmy, yet again). The word on the screen was loer. What? That isn't even close.

Now, that's just one minor example and I could list others, but I don't have that much time. I feel sorry for someone who is deaf and can't rely on their own hearing to know what's going on.

So, basically, I'm just complaining today.

God Bless

Remember Cole Hein?

Remember way back in December I mentioned Cole Hein -- this is the little boy who chokes and stops breathing and his mom is searching for a cure. Well, I posted a blurb about him on all my blogs and even my myspace blog -- which I hardly ever post on.

His mom, Mandi, wrote me a short note thanking me for posting about her son. So, I revisited the website and it is way cool! Make sure to visit it and send little Cole an email.

Here's a blurb of Cole's condition from the website:

" Cole Hein has an undiagnosed illness. Cole can "retch or dry heave" morning, noon, or night while playing, eating, sleeping, or even just watching TV. When Cole "retches" he can stop breathing and when he does someone needs to be there to either stimulate him by rubbing his back or even give him CPR to get him breathing again. COLE DOES NOT SELFRECOVER. You NEVER know when Cole will "retch" or even when he does "retch" that that is going to be the time he stops breathing because he doesn't always stop breathing when he "retches" We do know that a bronchial cough or stomach flu brings on more consistent if not constant "retching” Bingo Cole's dog has been trained to "bark" whenever Cole makes the "retching" sound. Bingo is a godsend she is an extra set of ears for Cole. We still continue to watch and listen to Cole but having Bingo has ease the burden! Cure4Cole.com is part of an international effort with the help from Lamar Outdoor advertising to find anyone with information that could help save Cole's life! This site is an effort to help save our son's life and spread the word about this unknown illness and find a diagnosis for him! Thank you for stopping by please sign the guestbook as I read them to Cole everyday and he loves when I read him his "stories” God Bless, Mandi (Mom), Dwayne (Dad), Kaela (sister 11) and Eric (Cole's twin brother 4)"

So, I thought it was time to re-visit the topic of Cole. If you know someone who can help, send them to Cole's Website. I don't know anything about medical conditions, so I'm no help, but at least I can post a blurb here. It's the least I can do.

Feel free to copy this info and post it on your own blog or send it off to your friends. It takes a village to raise a child, it might take the world to cure Cole.

God Bless

What is going on?

What is up with all these people resigning from the Bush White House / administration? And, who is going to be next? Should we be taking bets?

Porter Goss just resigned as the CIA chief. He hasn't even been there for a full two years.

Now, maybe, President Bush is asking for resignations. I don't know, he doesn't call me to let me know, but I can't remember this many resignations such Nixon! (That's a joke, I really didn't pay too much attention to White House staff until President Bush.)

Maybe this isn't uncommon -- maybe the information age just makes it easier for us to all be aware that staff is changing.

Well, I wish him all the best in his future endeavors, but I'm really glad my co-workers don't change this often!

God Bless

Supply, Demand and Gas Prices

Cheryl and I were talking about our budget this week -- as I'm sure most couples do. We were trying to figure out just why we suddenly don't have any money.

Is it the extra we spend on our grandsons? No, we buy only one case of diapers that usually costs around $15.00 -- we certainly shouldn't even notice that in a month.

Are we eating out more? No, that's not it. In fact, since Cheryl decided to put us on a diet, we're actually eating at home more and eating out less.

Then, it dawned on me, we're buying the same amount of gas per month, but spending nearly twice as much for it.

Simple supply and demand, right?

Well, for most things, like say oranges, that would probably be the case. When the orange crop is low, we pay more for our oranges, but we, also, can lower our demand. If I was going to have to pay $10.00 for a bag of oranges, I would most likely not buy oranges -- hence, the high price will cause the demand to drop.

But, gas does not work that way. Case in point, my own gas usage.

I drive 50 miles to work one way, five days a week. I fill my 6 year old mini-SUV's tank once every four days. The only variance is the once per month we visit our grandsons in Green Bay. For that, I purchase one extra tank of gas.

I can't control my gas usage. I keep my car in tip top shape -- change my air filter every other oil change, whether it needs it or not. My vehicle is maintained so that I get the most mileage per mile possible -- I average between 25 and 28 MPG. I try, in the summer, to not run my air conditioner. If I could take a bus or a train that would drop me off near work -- and wouldn't take 6 transfers and 3 hours of travel time -- I would only drive to work on days when I have other appointments.

Now, I could buy another car that gets better gas mileage, but Cheryl and I can't afford two car payments, and her car is 14 years old. It's time for it to be replaced.

Anyway, this is a long way to get to my point which is just because gas prices go up, the demand is not falling off as it does in other goods. In fact, the demand stays the same -- it probably goes up some, as we gain new drivers, etc.

Now, Jake brought up a point in a comment he made (BTW, Jake, that was a guest blog, which means I didn't write it) that when you adjust the cost of gas from the 70's to now, we're actually paying less. I haven't done the math, but I'll take his word for it.

But, in the 70's, we had a real shortage. I remember the long lines at the pump and the stations that were closed due to a lack of gas. Plus, you couldn't even buy gas on Sundays.

I don't buy this "shortage" that is driving these prices up. None of my local gas stations have had to close due to a lack of gas. Plus, I really don't trust any industry that is producing record profits while telling consumers they're raising prices because of a shortage. (When you can afford to grant a retiring CEO a 400 million dollar retirement package -- you aren't hurting for money.)

I don't recall orange growers posting record profits during years the orange crop sucks.

God Bless.

Deadbeat Parents

So, I was watching TMJ4 last night and saw a story about Deadbeat Dads, but to be fair, there are some deadbeat moms out there, too.

Anyway, first, why is the federal money drying up to prevent these guys from getting away with not providing for their children?

Second, why are states like Texas allowing these jerks to not pay their child support?

Third, why aren't more of us doing something about it?

While we sit in our comfortable homes, we really should be out there getting our legistlation to put these guys in jail, garnish their wages or not allow them to flee to states that don't enforce child support payments. (What the Hell did Bush do as Governor of Texas? Why didn't he stop this crap?) We should have a federal law that will allow one state to garnish the wages of a non-paying parent who lives in another state.

Screw state rights -- could care less if Texas is offended -- our nation's children should come first.

God Bless.

Off the Top of My Head...

I was thinking last night, as I got ready for bed, just how much the world has changed in the last sixty years. Not the technology, but the people.

Now, I know that not everyone in this country supported WWII, at least not in the beginning and I know that there were dissenters, but the people rallied around the troops more. We were willing to ration meat, sugar, gas, etc. We bought war bonds and volunteered at USOs. We pulled together to get our nation through a difficult time.

So, it made me wonder, what are we doing now to support our troops in Iraq? Are we sending them books, letters, supplies to let them know that we love them and we're behind them all the way? Why isn't the government offering war bonds? Wouldn't that be a way to finance the war rather than go as far into debt as we've gone? Wouldn't it help.

And, yes, I don't believe we should be in Iraq and yes, I support the right of dissenters, but we're there and I was just thinking we should be doing more for the troops.

Well, I wasn't sure what we could do for the troops, but then I remembered Operation Dear Abby. It's now offered year round. Let's all join together and send a letter to a member of our armed forces. It'll only take a few minutes and it'll brighten our day -- and it might make up for what we are lacking in supporting our troops.

God Bless

Moussaoui Gets Life

Al Qaeda Terrorist Moussaoui received life in prison and, as he was leaving the courtroom, he said, according to CNN, "America, you lost."

No, Mr. Moussaoui, you lost. You now have to spend the rest of your days in one of our prisons. You and the other terrorists who died trying to destroy America lost the battle and the war. We're still here.

And, Mr. Moussaoui, death would be too good for you. You should have to live knowing that you can't harm any of us. You should live knowing that no matter how much we fight amongst ourselves that we will stand united against any foe. You will live with the knowledge that you and your terrorist friends did not succeed. America grows stronger every day. America is the beacon of freedom for the whole world and she stood tall on 9/11, she's standing tall now and she will remain standing long after your bones turn to dust.

I know that some will say the jury should've given you a sentence of death, but as a Catholic and a Christian, I can't abide by the death penalty. Everyone has to be given the chance to ask Jesus Christ for forgiveness so they can stand at His side during the end of time. You, Mr. Moussaoui, you will not ask him for forgiveness, so once you are done living our your days in a jail cell -- where most likely, you'll have to be kept from the rest of the prisoners -- you will spend eternity suffering in the fires of Hell for what you did.

God Bless

Like I'm surprised....

I'm shocked that the GOP -- that Grand Old Party that during my childhood was the one who fought for the little guy and (with the exception of Nixon) gave us all the feeling that they cared -- has killed the ethics bill that would make them be accountable to us -- the people who pay their salaries. Only 5 of them broke from party lines and voted the right way. They are: Sheryl Albers of Reedsburg, Brett Davis of Oregon, J.A. "Doc" Hines of Oxford, Terri McCormick of Appleton and Mark Pettis of Hertel. Now, I don't know anything about them, they don't represent my district, but here's the deal.

This November, vote them all out -- every single one of those unethical, moronic Republicans who have managed to mangled this great state. I'm not sure if he's running, but I'll check, so we can start with that big jerk Robin Vos of Racine.

God Bless