%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |
Opinion and views on what is and what is not being reported on... |
|
The entries in this Blog are all based in reality, and most topics will come from my current readings in newspapers and books, or what I have heard on daily news shows. I have resisted the urge to do this as long as I possibly can. My only hope is to shed light and insight. I am alarmed at the number of people I talk to that do not have the time to read anymore. News is fast becomming nothing but an echo of sound bites that bounce off the walls as we get dressed for work. Maybe if you stumble across this blog, you will find the time to read again if for no other reason to try to prove that I am crazy. Let me assure, I am not crazy, but I am mad as hell. |
| Somehow I feel like I wasted a whole entire day... I should have been sewing... instead I was reading... Holly Jahangiri  kinda challenged me and others who will remained unnamed, so as not to add any more pressure, to write 100 things about myself. Whoa... who would want to know anything about me???So, I have been reading... Mavis Moog has a blog titled The Reluctant Blogger... I found it very interesting and entertaining, and intellectually challenging. Seems Mavis Moog just got promoted to a blue case and got her first book published... I noticed it under the Sponsored Items... clicked... and was delighted I did... Other than that I got to go try to have some kind of supper on the table for my hard working husband. Gotta run... maybe tomorrow... I'll do better. Later. The Critic |
| The Entry Title I wanted to enter wouldn't fit: "Whimps Who Whine About Paying Court Ordered Child Support - Like Somebody Should Feel Sorry For Them - Gimme A Break" I really don't understand why "Court Order Child Suppport" is even called "Child Support"... or what the "support" scales are based upon... certainly NOT reality? First, my children are all grown now, so I no longer get child support payments, and when my ex-husband was court ordered to pay them he didn't... and when I read blogs on here whinning about child support... it just makes me sick... because of my own daughter's situation with the measley child support she collects from her ex-husband... The measley payments DO NOT truely support a child... sure the payments help... but truely support... NO!!! And in the life of a child in today's economy, my heart goes out to any parent trying to raise a child alone... with their income and child support payments from a whinny x-spouse! When my EX did not want to make Child Support payments, while it broke my heart... I said fine, and then you raise our four children, and keep all your money... and I'll pay you what the Court Ordered you to pay me... the next day he dropped our four children back off on my front door steps... You see, it is not really about the money... most of the time with these guys... They can't be bothered with the laundry... Meals... Homework... Dishes... Doctor appointments... Entertainment... The everyday, all day total dedication of being a full time parent... and still they consider themselves a "CATCH"... go figure... No, all ex-spouses have to be court-ordered to pay child support... some do it, and arrange to have pay child support, because as a responsible parent, they know it is their obligation that they hold near and dear... it is about their "CHILD" .... not about their MONEY... These type of men are rare... and are the real "CATCH". Women today, are bread winners, too, and some pay child support. Rare, but it happens. Either way, it takes more than just money to raise a happy and healthy child, but it still takes money... God pity the child that has a parent that whines about paying child support - better that parent be dead, IMHO... Social Security Survivor Benefits pays more... since "that parent" thinks it's all about just money. We don't hear the term "latch key kids" much anymore, but with summer upon us, school is out, day care expensive, child support payments don't increase during summer months to cover the added cost of Summer Fun ... I worry about the children of a Child Support Paying Whinny Parent... any chance he or she will contribute any extra... not just money... maybe some extra time with their child... Fat chance... it's not Court Ordered!!! |
| My son is in the Army. His first commander moved onward and upward... as is it is with the military... There is a Murphy's Law, I believe, the one that says, a person will rise till they reach their level of incompetence. Now… that is a reassuring thought…. Anyway… the NEW commander is nothing like the old commander… I don’t know him or his wife, but it has been like a slap in the face… And I have witnessed an about face in attitude and values among the other wives… I have watched as the Website, set up by the original Commander, has been transformed… from a supportive, understanding group of family members… to a bunch of ass kissing, nit picking… something that I am suppose to be OH so eternally grateful for, and never mention any frustrations, like I missed a call from my son the other day… What absolute BULLSHIT… THE NEW COMMANDER… has a two year old son… I hope that by the time his son is my son’s age… there aren’t any more wars… no more American Soldiers being deployed half a world away… so the new commander and his wife will never know my fears and frustrations. In the meantime… I do not think he is fit for command, and his wife is certainly not ready to shinning example of a military leaders wife. Pride and selfishness has fallen many a military leader… I just hope this new commander does not take my son down with him. My son's first commander had a son enlistment age... evidently him and his wife were facing some of the same fears that all of us non-military family members are, and it came through loud and clear in their interaction with us. I guess that is were experience is a major factor in the military. God help us, not only are the Army and Marines recruitment numbers off... re-enlistment of experience Officers is falling off too... and that is not something that is being broadcast. No, I do not like my son's new commander, or his wife... their attitude and values are way different than what I experienced with my son's first experienced Commander. I hope my son does not feel the same way I do, or know what I know about this new Commander. As for being so fortunate to have the Website... WE ONCE WERE... Sincerely, A Soldier's Mother |
| Could it be true??? Is it possible??? Seems that me and my other three roomies have the only designated smoking room of all the Writing.Com attendees. Guess it's true... smokers are literally a dying breed!!! HA! Now there is a consumer trend that shouldn't be too terribly popular... killing off the customer with the product. Well, the States better start looking for another source of tax revenue, because it is obvious "us" smokers aren't going to be around forever to fund all of the ventures that all of you non-smokers are counting on the cigarette taxes to take care of for everyone. Seems that this is a non-renewable source of revenue, you idiots! HA! Talk about beating a dead horse... I can't wait til all non-smokers have to foot all the bills, without the tax revenue from smokers. Granted I probably won't live to see it, and it is not the cigarettes that are going to kill me... what is killing me is the stress from dealing with the fools and idiots that are pushing their phoney morality... Only four smokers attending the 2005 Writing.Com Convention? Thank God, for small favors - I guess I could have been the one, and only, lone smoker in the bunch. |
| Sad: My son in Iraq being shot at almost daily... My other son not wanting to marry the women that is having my grandson... My other son being over-weight... and in denial. My daughter having so many physical problems with her third pregnancy... Dental appointments... The cost of good medical care... Diabeties. Happy: When my son calls from Iraq... I am so grateful to hear his voice. Two more grandchildren due this year. Sewing. Cooking. Knitting. Coffee. Still being able to afford cigarettes... Being able to pay my bills... All four of my children employed. My husband. Being good at being a "house mouse"... Outraged The Bush Regime Democrats Republicans And the 58 million voters who are reported to have voted for Bush... the possibility of vote fraud. A new reality??? Most likely. http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=8643252 Not yet having won a mega millions lottery... As I see it, I don't have serious problems money won't solve... I just don't have enough money to solve my problems... Therefore... I don't really have any problems... I just don't have enough money! So, basically I am feeling rather lucky...financially poor, but still lucky. |
| Have you spent money on those Support Our Troop magnets for your vehicle? Well, here is your opportunity to really support the troops stationed in Iraq: http://www.coolourtroops.com It will cost you approximately $10.00 plus a stamp, or at least the time it takes for you to visit your PayPal account... Read More about it:
Thanking you in advance for your kind assistance... Don't have ten dollars then get five friends together and each of you contribute $2.50... We need 150 Misty Mate Misters... if you have $1,500.00 that would be a big help. Sincerely, The Critic |
http://www.theneworleanschannel.com/news/4508117/detail.html?subid=10100245 The above link is to an article about the new law that would make it illegal to consume Hallucinogenic Plants, like Angle Trumpets, and 39 other plants: House Bill 20, introduced by State Rep. Mike Strain of Covington, has authored a bill would make it illegal in Louisiana to produce, manufacture or distribute any compound mixed with hallucinogenic plants. House Bill 20 is expected to become law by this summer. There are 39 other plants on the list, including the beautiful Morning glory flower. Who knew? Fines and Jail Time - Now, that's a Solution - NOT Lawmakers, and evidently some parents, just don't get it. Teenagers are not going to sit back and think, "Oh, I can't make a hallocinoginic cocktail out of Morning Glories, because it is against the LAW. I will be faced with fines and jail time." The LAW has never, and is not NOW going to stop or prevent children from doing dangerous, stupid stuff - the LAW generally does not stop adults from doing dangerous, stupid stuff - like speeding, running red lights, drinking and driving, or taking an overdose of over the counter medication. We the People are crimminalizing our YOUTH, and it really needs to stop. In my humble opinion, it appears that some parents must expect the LAW to replace good parenting. And even the best of parents, with the best of Parenting Skills, can be faced with difficult teenagers who make stupid choices. Most insurance won't cover any criminal activity - so parents if your child ingests a hallucinoginic cocktail... you're screwed. Who is going to pay your teenager's fine? You, the parents, who already work to many hours to supervise, and support your teenager - so now you will be supporting the LAW... and letting the LAW supervise your child - Good Job! Your teenager will now have a criminal record, which parents will probably eventually have to pay to have expunged from the teenagers record. If that teenager grows up and wants to run for Public Office... some reporter will dig it up, and a mistake made while young can affect the teenagers future... unless you're George W. Bush, whose daddy had his cocaine episode expunged. Oh, and Thanks to this NEW LAW the kids now have a complete lists of hallucinogic plants that required little research to obtain - Good Job. When Kids do drugs - they are experimenting or looking for an escape from reality... should the solution be to make them all criminals? We all know that wealthy, well-connected parents will be able to afford to protect their children from this law, but what about the rest of us? In my opinion, it would be better to spend time and money creating opportunities for Louisiana teenagers, instead of constantly and systematically making them criminals. Wouldn't it be nice if Louisiana Youth could look to parents, lawmakers, and educators to lead by example. Don't let a "few bad apples" set the standard by which all teenagers are judged! Why not publish an interview with the four teenagers involved in the Angel Trumpet incident? Where are they now? What made them want to drink this hallucinogic cocktail? Can these teenagers be asked to volunteer to give first person accounts to students about their near death experience with the Angel Trumpet cocktail? Although, "First, do no harm." is not really found in the Hippocratic Oath, it is still not a bad idea, you think? Just my opinion Folks! |
| Well, yesterday was a ginormous waste of time and effort. I spent over two hours reading, researching, and typing an entry for yesterday's blog. Then I had a computer malfunction, which caused me to lose it all. Maybe ya'll just ought to take a moment "Thank God", because I was on a roll, and now none of you will ever know what you were spared. With Deepest Regrets, The Critic |
| The War in Iraq is a ginormous mistake. Any chance that the Warmongers among us will stand up and take responsibility? Yes, {i)ginormous is a word. Oh, it's not in your dictionary! Confuzzled? Well, the word ginormous is not in my dictionary either. Just read the following article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/17/AR2005051700327.... Personally, I think there should be several Editions of the Dictionary, and only after a person proves that they have a basic understanding of the usage of language in the First Edition should a person be allowed to possess and move to the next Edition of the Dictionary. I am really tired of listening to idiots redefine the meaning of basic words, and I am not including pronunciation or spelling. Our current President, and a past Vice-President have demonstrated that pronunciation and spelling are unnecessary qualifications to hold the highest, and second highest esteemed government position in America. It’s Really Just A Circus Act I totally enjoyed watching the sparing match at the Congressional Hearing arena with George Galloway. I don’t know his politics and really don’t care either way, but if I am suppose to care somebody explain why? The point is George Galloway made everyone of those Congressional Clowns look and sound like the idiots they are. The money has all been spent… the Oil for Food Program should have been recognized for the scam it was in the first place. My daddy always told me, “You cannot lay down with dogs, and not expect to get fleas.” I never understood why my daddy told me most of the things he told me, but are our Nation’s leaders really so stupid about the ways of the world? And for some strange reason, what daddy said about dogs and fleas came to mind. It is always about the money, and these Congressional idiots have wasted and lost more taxpayer money than… than… I’ll ever be able to understand. These Congressional Clowns are not funny or entertaining, but what is the point of Congressional Hearings on the Oil for Food Program? It just seems like none of these idiots really want to know the truth about anything. I’ve watched Congressional Hearing before, and found that most people that are called to testify are intimidated… even Oliver North seemed uneasy. Regardless I don’t believe anything productive is going to come out of any investigation into the Oil for Food Program… the money is all gone! |
| Why do people go to drag races? http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050508/REPOSITORY/505... Why do people go to watch the boxing matches? http://www.hotboxingnews.com/ Why does one man enter five horses in one horse race? http://www.washingtontimes.com/sports/20050504-120934-2021r.htm The news about the News is not good, and I don't need a degree to know the higher the risk the larger the crowds... hence the larger the purse at drag races, boxing matches, and horse races. Personally, I think some people just have too much money. Yep, that must be "the problem". The Homeland Security Administration has announced it is about to scrap over four billion dollars it has spent on technology to protect the United States since 9/11... http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/05/08/news/secure.php that "they" finally admit is useless, does not work, and America is no safer than before 9/11. I'd be willing to bet that dollar figure does not include the wages paid to everyone employed by the Homeland Security Administration, either. Ish! What about Return on Investment, as it pertains to the investment America is making in Iraq? What will Americans benefit from introducing Democracy and Freedom in the Middle East? The War in Iraq has over shadowed the War in Afghanistan, but American soldiers are still facing major hostilities in Iraq and Afghanistan. What do Americans win if America wins the War on Terror? What does Iraq, Afghanistan, and the War on Terror have to do with Nascar, Boxing, and Horseracing? Forgive me for saying this, but it all seems like that there really is no difference... it's just the different traditional games played by men... I think "they" are grooming Laura Bush for George's 3rd term, since Jed said he would not run. Now, I am really beginning to question my own sanity. God knows I hope I am wrong. |
Timely, Ageless Wisdom Again Proves, “It’s not the victim’s fault.” Protecting Financial Information: More Can Be Done My father said that a person could steal more with a pencil than with a gun. He made this statement many years before the invention of the Internet, fax machines, and cell phones. Not that long ago, thieves were basically misfits, and outcasts in society, and the scopes of their crimes were limited to their immediate geographical location. Technology, and globalization are breeding, redefining, and expanding the capabilities and opportunities of thieves more than any other time throughout history. My father also said, "locks only keep honest people honest." Of course, he said that when about the only way for someone to steal your money was to physically steal your purse of wallet; even then all a thief managed to steal was the amount of money a person was actually carrying. It is now commonplace for a thief to be able to rob hundreds of thousands of people with little more than a computer, and a social security number. Stealing a person’s money no longer requires face-to-face confrontation, and is seems less personal, and far less violent. The new reality faced by victims of identity theft today is that the victimization can continue for years, and even after a person thinks that the resulting credit problems have been resolved the cycle of identity theft can begin anew. It appears the most successful thieves are well educated, employed, well dressed, interact well with employers and coworkers, and remain undetectable in society. Thieves are gaining access to others financial information by way of their own employment. My father also said locks keep honest people honest. He said that back when about the only way for someone to steal your money was to physically steal your purse or wallet. Has the electronic age of global banking, shopping, and bill payment outpaced its own industries ability to police itself? The Spielberg movie, Catch Me If You Can, with Tom Hanks and Leo DiCaprio, depicts the true-life crimes of Frank Abagnale, Jr., and so far the movie has earned over 200 million dollars. Frank Abagnale’s crimes took advantage of the relative low technology of the 1960’s; as opposed to the way today’s criminals exploit the most sophisticated technology in existence. The interesting, unmentioned similarities between Abagnale’s crimes in the 60’s, and the crimes committed today, in the 21st century, are the criminals commit these crimes with another person’s banking and credit card information. Even in Abagnale’s time, as now, the crime of defrauding people and businesses does not occur in a vacuum. Today’s crimes of identity theft involve unimaginable large numbers of victims. The crimes certainly require the assistance, and cooperation of many other individuals that use their employment to access the information that allows all to profit. Do the people committing such crimes possess some sense of special entitlement? To date, it appears that the responsibility and cost of identity theft is clearly being placed on the shoulders of the consumers, while the thefts are, in reality, being committed against the Corporations that are maintaining data bases filled with their consumers and customers personal financial information. The Corporations have distanced their services and products from the criminal act of Identity theft. Corporation losses are much easier to write off as the cost of doing business, and are tax deductible, more so than it is for individual consumers. Instead of spending corporate profits to tighten security, Corporations are spending relatively little money, compared to their profits, to publish, and distribute information on how individuals can protect themselves from identity theft. It shouldn’t take more than a simple phone call to notify banking institutions and credit card companies in the event a person loses, or has their purse or wallet stolen. Sadly, reporting a loss or theft of financial information does little to protect a person from identity theft. The best possible scenario is that your lost wallet is returned, never found, or the thief is an unsophisticated thug. Until consumers hold the companies, and corporations that have databases filled with individual financial information responsible for the theft of their personal data, little, if any, headway will be made in preventing identity theft. Opportunistic criminals are pilfering corporation’s databases, but it is the consumers’ money that is actually being stolen. Crime and Punishment In 1998, the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled to create what became, The Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998 (18 U.S.C. 1028). The full text is available on the Internet at: http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/itada/itadact.htm#004 The full text of sentencing guidelines referred to in The Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998 is available at the following link: http://straylight.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00003553----00... Reading the laws, and sentencing guidelines will demonstrate that the lawmakers are attempting to find a solution to the crime of Identity Theft. After the recognition of Identity Theft as a crime by the full Congress, the Senators and Congressmen returned to their home States to enact State legislation. As did Senator William A. Clay, Jr. did in 1999. He sponsored State legislation that creates the crime of identity theft in Missouri. The legislation made the crime of Identity Theft punishable by up to six months in jail for the first offense; up to one year for the second offense; and one to five years for the third, or subsequent offense. In Missouri, the courts may also impose a fine to cover restitution to the victim. Another act also makes it a crime to fraudulent use a debit device. A debit device is defined as a card, code, number or device that initiates an electronic transfer. The term includes fraudulent use of an electronic transfer of benefits to recipients of public assistance. The crime is punishable as a Class A misdemeanor, unless the value of property or services misappropriated within a 30 day period equals $150, which increases to a Class D felony. As recently as July 2002, Vermont and the District of Columbia still had not updated or passed laws related to identity theft. Finally in June of 2004, Attorney General William H. Sorrell, Senators Dick Sears (Bennington), and John Bloomer (Rutland) announced at a press conference in Vermont a law concerning Identity Theft would go into effect. The District of Colombia also waited until 2003 to updated the law written in 1982, to include the crime of Identity Theft. A review of the sentencing guidelines makes it apparent that elected officials did not foresee the magnitude and seriousness that the crime of Identity Theft could possibly reach. In 2003 the Federal Trade Commission report found that 27.3 million Americans were victims of identity theft in the last five years (including 9.9 million the previous year). The report also found that identity theft activity cost businesses almost $48 billion the previous year. Not all identity theft originates over the Internet, of course. The FTC report also found that 4 percent of thieves still used old-fashioned ways of stealing personal information – stolen paper mail. Fourteen percent of victims report their personal financial information was used for crimes of identity theft when their wallet, checkbook or credit card was lost or stolen. Building A Better Mouse Trap There are companies that exist that provide extra levels of security. One such company, Authentify, provides a telephone-based identity management solution, which enables organizations to defeat Internet fraud with just a phone call. Authentify, without creating any major delays, enables a simple automated, outbound telephone call during, or immediately after, an Internet session that does not interfere with the immediacy of service over the Internet, while greatly reducing fraud in online transactions. Yes, it can be that simple. Voice print identification is the least-intrusive biometric technology available. The telephone network already exists, and this technology is inexpensive to implement. Authenitify’s program provides an audit trail if fraud is committed. Another company, Teros, created a computer application that detects what an application is doing and literally blocks suspicious behavior. For instance, if someone is attempting to inject SQL commands that would allow a computer hacker to obtain hundreds of customer account numbers, the Teros appliance has the ability to end the transaction. Firewalls typically protect a network from attacks, but firewalls don’t monitor network traffic on Web servers. The Teros appliance un-encrypts and reads on going traffic at the application level, and then determines if what the user is doing is acceptable. Then there is CSI, Computer Security Institute, and through a company’s membership and participation a company can supplement their security technology with security audits and training. Computer Security Institute (CSI), in conjunction with the San Francisco FBI’s Computer Intrusion Squad, conducts an annual audit. Security audits are widely used, and assists a company in measuring their performance of security, and then allows a company to determine what it needs to improve security performance. Results of the 2004 CSI audit showed respondents from all sectors do not believe that their organizations invest enough in security awareness. There are other professional training programs in information protection, one of which is the International Information Systems Certification Consortium’s Certified Information System Security Professional and SANS Institute’s family of Global Information Assurance Certifications. “A lot of companies are getting involved in privacy risk management, but the majority are not doing enough”, says Larry Ponermon of the Ponemon Institute, a think tank in Tucson, Arizona. The Bottom Line Although privacy professionals face daunting, up hill challenges, especially when dealing with security and privacy issues, there is more that can be done to prevent all security breeches. Laws enacted only help if the punishment for the crime of Identity Theft is sever enough to be a deterrent. On July 15th, 2004 President Bush signed into law, legislation passed by Congress that increased sentences for persons convicted of Identity Theft. The law titled, Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act, adds two years to prison sentences for criminals convicted of using stolen credit card numbers and other personal data to commit crimes. Violators who use that data to commit "terrorist offenses" would get an extra five years. Michael Wolfe, the co-founder of Vontu Inc, a Calif.- based security software company that focuses on preventing internal fraud is reported to have said, “Congress may have to pass legislation requiring companies to take basic steps to protect consumers’ personal data.” In addition to everything else that people have been advised to do to prevent Identity Theft, the single most proactive position for consumers to take is to demand that companies do the right thing without Congress having to go through the time and expense to pass laws that make it a rule of law to just do the right thing – protect Americans from Identity Theft. Then again, companies such as ChoicePoint and LexisNexis, having lost control of sensitive data in the past, and deliberately covered up their security breeches only because no law required the companies to report the security breeches, will probably make it absolutely necessary for Congress to pass laws that require companies to maintain the highest level of security technology available. As I see it... the largest majority of Identity Theft victims are actually the victims of the companies, who for profit, are building unsecured data bases chocked full of individuals personal financial information. Some of the companies have had Class Action law suits filed against them. Obviously not enough of the companies have been sued and held legally, and financially responsible for their failure to protect the people, whose data they use to make their profits. Seems that the people and companies responsible - just don't get it. If you have been a victim of Identity Theft through no fault of your own - SUE! |
Accounting Practices, and Profit: A Nation’s Health Held Hostage All For the Love of Money By L. G. Tabor Freelance Reporter April 17th, 2005 In 2004, Americans found themselves facing possible serious health risk and death, because of a shortage of flu vaccine. The problems are much larger, darker, and far reaching than it appears to be on the surface. Manufacturing vaccines is big business, and is regulated by numerous organizations, including the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), as well as the DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services), the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), and various other Federal and State Health Departments. In an April 16th, 2005 article in the Washing Post, David Brown, reports that three of the four companies that manufactures vaccines for childhood diseases will no longer sale their vaccines to the American government. In 1993, Congress created the Pediatric Vaccine Stockpile. Stockpiling vaccine is in the best interest of our country, but new accounting guidelines that will require vaccine manufacturers to delay booking production payments as revenue until the drugs are removed from the stock pile for use is creating a real threat to our Nation’s health infrastructure, and since the Pediatric Vaccine Stockpile was created our government has tapped the stockpile nine times. Vaccine inventories are carefully managed, and replenished to avoid loss due to approaching expiration dates by the manufacturers. The major vaccine manufactures, Aventis of Strasbourg, France, GlaxoSmithKline of London, Merck & Co. Inc. of Whitehouse Station, N.J, and Wyeth of Madison, N.J. are all publicly traded, and are being told by their Auditors that accounting rules imposed by the SEC will no longer allow the payments for vaccines to be counted as revenues until the vaccines are actually taken out of the Pediatric Vaccine Stockpile for use. Although, the manufactures still have the cash in hand, delays imposed by the SEC in counting the cash as revenue will have a direct and immediate impact on their profits. Profits, which are measured, and calculated to attract investors, and the SEC’s position will have a detrimental impact on what investors consider most important – earnings per share. The drug manufactures are not accused of any wrongdoing. No one at the SEC is saying anything beyond the officially published, concisely worded materials about revenue reporting requirements. The most alarming issue is that neither the American government, nor company officials appear to have a clue how to resolve the serious problems that have been created by the SEC position on reporting revenue. |
| REFERENCE: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7503260/ Why aren't Michael Jackson's henchmen, Frank Tyson and Vince Amen, on trial? The mother of the accused is testifying about her being held captive. Frank Tyson and Vince Amen were paid employees of Michael Jackson. How do you pay honest people to commit crimes? I don't know if Michael Jackson is guilty of everything he is being accused of, but I do know the whole bunch of these people are guilty as sin of being involved in, allowing, and supporting all of this stupidity. Please... how much more bizarre can the testimony get? It is beginning to look like in the Prosecutor's haste to bring criminal charges against Michael Jackson; he was willing to over-look far to many other crimes committed by those employed by Michael Jackson. The Mother of the accused is just as guilty as the rest of these people she is claiming to have held the family captive. She did nothing to prevent any of this. She sold her son and her soul. It looks to me like the Prosecutor may have hitched his prosecutorial wagon to several sick and twisted individuals. It is all beginning to sound like the Pot calling the kettle black. The people testifying against Michael Jackson have vendettas or something to gain, and I fear that this single fact is going to over shadow Michael Jackson's guilt or innocence. Do I care what about the outcome of the trial or what happens to Michael Jackson? Absolutely NOT. Do I think the Prosecutor is doing a good job of presenting a clear and concise case against Michael Jackson? NOPE. Is Michael Jackson the only one guilty of criminal activity in this case? NO. Why am I blogging this? Because it is insane and absurd, and I want to give my account of how I see it... I am curious, has the District Attorney given all the people he has called as witnesses against Michael Jackson immunity? If not, when will charges be brought against them for their part in this wicked mess? If the District Attorney has given any of these witnesses against Michael Jackson immunity for their roles in the facilitation, and cover up of criminal activity, then in my humble opinion, the District Attorney should be dismissed immediately. I'm no lawyer, but I can tell the difference between right and wrong, and I don't need a fancy law degree to tell who's at least guilty of criminal activity in this case. |
| On Monday, April 11th, 2005 a tourist stood outside the West Wing of the Capital, between two large, black suitcases, demanding to speak to President Bush. Sadly, that is all I needed to hear of that story to know, and to visualize all the unfortunate trouble this tourist is about to create for himself. I watched the replay of the officer tackling the man, and realized that had to hurt. Evidently, this poor, uninformed tourist was not aware that his hotel provided a luggage hold service, even after a person checks out. Then again, his Viet Cong style attire certainly provided him no advantage in perceptions about his intentions. But, doesn’t all this sound a little like blaming the victim. But, let me tell you another true story: My son has a job working on an offshore service vessel. Okay, so he had a job on a boat. The point is he was making over a $190.00 a day. He works hard, and gets very dirty. On crew change day, the company van would drop him off at the Visitor Center under the bridge between Raceland and Lockport. My son would call me from the Tourist Center, and I would hastily go to pick him up. Well, he was laid out on one of the benches in the front of the Visitor Center waiting for me, when he decided to take a nap. He had spent 12 hours on duty just prior to crew change, so his nap was more like being passed out. A very nice older couple, evidently traveling on vacation through our lovely bayou community pulled into the Tourist Center in their RV, they spied my son, who I assure you was a filthy dirty, oily, greasy mess, and he looked unloved, unwanted, and homeless. As the man and women walked out of the Visitor Center, and passed my son's near lifeless body to return to their RV to continue on their journey, the man gently reached down, barely disturbing my son's near comatose condition, and put three dollars in his tee shirt pocket. This couple's decision to put three dollars in my son's tee shirt pocket is just one wonderful example of the kindness and generosity of strangers. I hope they are somehow rewarded for their unnecessary, but greatly appreciated kindness and thoughtfulness. It doesn't matter that my son did not need the money, this wonderful couple helped to demonstrate, in a way my son will never soon forget, what I have been telling him for years - people make assumptions, and appearances really do matter. By the time my son began to wake up, the couple was pulling out of the driveway. I arrived just as the couple's RV was pulling onto the main highway. As my son climbed into my vehicle, my smelly, hard working, well-paid son told me what had just happened. Unfortunately, it was too late to catch the couple to give them back their money. We laughed till we cried, and vowed to always remember their gift, and the amazing, warm fuzzy that this couple's generosity provided us. The point of my story is: Sadly, the 33 year-old, Wen-Hao Zhao, of Sydney, Australia, will never know how kind and generous American people are. Instead he came to the Land of the Free, Washington, D.C., our Nations Capital during cherry blossom blooming season, and ended up being charged with a trumped up Tourist Visa violation that will probably prevent him from ever visiting America again. Maybe Hotels should start providing free seminars for tourists on various relevant topics to new tourist in today's NEW America: HOW NOT TO ATTRACT UNWANTED OR UNWARRENTED ATTENTION - At a Busy Popular Visitor Center in Washington, D.C. HOW NOT TO DRESS LIKE A TERRORIST WHAT COLOR IS YOUR SUITCASE - Large Black Suitcases are to Security Personnel what Red Flags are to Bulls HOW TO GET DEPORTED - in one easy lesson, "Ask to speak to the President of the United States of America". Then there is the story of the Jeremy C. Wright: Just Google the following phase: "Don't say, "Blogger" to U.S. Immigration" Yes, the War on Terror is taking its toll on the tourism industry too. I don't know what y'all think, but I think that a few lessons in good old Southern Hospitality, common sense, and diplomacy couldn't hurt some of these overly tense security type people in Washington, D.C. And before anybody starts jumping on me for suggesting Southern Hospitality Lessons aren't a good idea, because of the REAL threat of terrorism, ask yourselves: Where were these officers the whole while this guy was lugging around these suitcases in the busiest, most popular tourist center in Washington, D.C.? America is fast becoming a breeding ground for the newest, latest, greatest, updated, and NOT FUNNY version of the Keystone Cops. I am tired of all the excuses. Where were the deputies that were supposed to be monitoring the video cameras when those people were killed in the courthouse in Atlanta, GA? Having coffee and donuts, maybe? I just wish that security people could use some common sense, and stop offering feeble excuses for their horrible mistakes. The common everyday American, as well as the ordinary tourist is not the problem. I have had my own encounter with Canadian Immigration Services, and when I was asked whom I was coming into their country to visit, I promptly pointed to my pre-occupied husband, and said, "His family". I was more worried about their searching my carry on bag, and finding and confiscating my cartons of cigarettes. Canadian cigarettes truly suck... if American cigarettes tasted as bad, I would have never continued to smoke pass the first one that I lit over 30 some odd years ago. Y'all have no idea how much I wish that someone would pay me to write, blog, if you will. The problem is I am a certified country mouse, and I am not going to move to where everything shakes, and stuff happens... so on that note, I will just continue to tell you what I think AS I SEE IT. Enjoy! |
| Quote U.S. airports begin ban on cigarette lighters - Terrorism & Security - MSNBC.com http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7496758/ No cigarette lighters? Is this ban on cigarette lighters suppose to make me feel safer, instill confidence in the power and authority of the TSA to protect me, and make all the other people who fly, feel safe? I think NOT! Remember this story: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/10/1062902085950.html?oneclick=true Or what about this story: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1371085/posts Maybe I am wrong, but this all seems like some sort of anal micro-management to me. The average American citizen is not a threat to the security of the United States, but if you've ever been screened by airport security then you know that we are all treated like "WE" are the terrorists. I stopped flying in 2003 after I read the story about the man that shipped himself home in a crate in the cargo hole of a plane. That story made me realize how ill equipped airport security really is to do the job that I personally expect them to do. I imagine that this ban on cigarette lighters will create a sales boom for cigarette lighter manufactures. Good for them! This ban on cigarette lighters is also a win for those people who want to ban smoking. Did Prohibition work to end alcohol sales? No! Given the nature of American Ingenuity, it should not be long before somebody invents, and patents a self-lighting cigarette. I hope whoever does sells millions of them and makes a fortune. I am personally disgusted with people that have this "Big Brother" mentality trying to dictate every aspect of my life. I am not a criminal. I am not a terrorist. America has far bigger problems than spending a king's ransom to print signs, pass legislation, pay airport screeners to search baggage for cigarette lights just to implement a ban on cigarette lighters. I for one suggest that maybe the Airlines, who are having their own serious financial problems, implement smoking and non-smoking flights. I don't think anyone is keeping statistics on this, but I'd almost be willing to bet it is non-smokers who are the real threat to everybodies security and well-being. How do they deal with their stress? I'd much rather read news reports about what the "Powers That Be" are doing about the many different lists that contain the names of persons that are not suppose to be allowed to fly into any airport anywhere in the United States? Who makes these "NO FLY" lists, and how have so many American Government Congressmen and Senators ended up on the wide array of list? Osma Bin Laden is clear to fly, but he can't light a cigarette. Huh? Well, read the story located at the following link: http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=37167 The aforementioned link is the proof I offer in my defense as to why I believe how ridiculous this whole cigarette lighter ban is, and to my way of thinking proves that Americans have more to worry about than they realize. Ish! |
| I consider myself very fortunate to own an older home that is equipped with gas, in addition to electricity. All of the new homes in our area are total electric. I personally believe that home buyers are being duped into buying total electric homes. The builders are saving a considerable amount of money by not making gas available in the homes they are building, and the developers are saving a ton of money by not having gas lines installed so home owners who want gas can have it. Yet, the houses built today sell for more money per square foot than ever before. Why? Anyway, my new gas stove does not have a knob to operate the oven. Some genius decided that I would be better off with an electronically controlled oven. I live in South Louisiana, and during hurricane season the electricity goes out frequently. Since I have a gas stove I am able to cook, but because some genius convinced some idiot that an electronic ignition would be better I will no longer be able to use my oven when the electricity goes out. I had to make several critical decisions when buying my stove. I wanted the broiler in the oven, which is only available in the models with the expensive self-cleaning oven feature. Due to a back injury I am not able to get on the floor to put food in the broiler that is located so close to the floor. Seems that the Americans Disability Act needs to address appliance features, but I am not going to say anything, because I have already had to buy a new stove. I am not about to replace it with a more expensive model. Luckily, I will save money on my monthly gas bill, because of the electronic ignitions on the stove top burners, and I will still be able to light them when the electricity goes out. The stove I bought has a continious grate that covers the entire top of the stove top. I am delighted that I will not have to worry about spilling hot liquids if I decide to slide a pot from a front burner to a back burner. The only stoves that came with a knob that operated the oven were the cheapest, bottom of the line models. I think it is just insane. In a world where I can order just about anything custom built to my specifications, why can't I order a stove like I want it. Appliance manufactures are missing the boat on this deal. If you are in the market for a new home, please consider purchasing a home with gas. In my humble opinion, you will not regret cooking and/or heating with gas. It seems to me that all the best cooks cook with gas. Most electric central heating units are three phase, which means even when you turn it off it has to cycle off. With gas, it is either on or off... there is no in between. Don't let the developers and builders sell you short... demand gas be available, or buy an older home. That is what I think... |
| There is just no point to blogging today, or for the past few days for that matter. Bush, and his Regime are going to do what they are going to do and nobody can stop them. The Congress and Senate, I am beginning to believe, are just a bunch of self serving old men. I am even going to go out on a limb here an suggest that I am beginning to believe that "The Terrorist" are a fabrication of Bush Inc. to facilate his agenda. I am not going to go into specifics, why should I? I am a nobody, and God knows I don't want to become a "Person of Interest" on anybody's list. In my heart, I believe the Bush Whitehouse snubbed Carter. Why doesn't matter, the fact that Bush attended the Pope's funeral with his wife, and his other woman in tow makes me sick. Three more years and some odd more months of Bush... God help us! |
| I sit here watching the pomp and circumstance surrounding the celebration of the life and death of Pope John Paul II, all the while remembering Terri Schaivo. Michael Schaivo, all the while guilty of commiting Adultry, was appointed and allowed to be his wife's guardian, as well as being permitted to cremate Terri Schaivo's remains, planning to bury her in PA, after having denied her family to be by her side on her death bed. Michael Schaivo has proven, and as determined by the support of the highest courts in the land that women are nothing more than a husbands property - to be disposed of at will. Do I believe the circumstances of the Schaivo case would have been different if it was Michael, instead of Terri, in a vegatative state? Yes. Do I believe that Terri Schaivo was brain dead? Yes. Do I believe that her parents were in great denial of her medical circumstances? Yes. Do I believe that Terri Schaivo's parents had the right to maintain their daughters life? Yes. Do I believe that the Terri Schaivo case has set a dangerous precedent that will allow, in the all to near future, for Federal and State governments to legally take, or allow someone else to end a life? Yes. Without pomp and circumstance, without celebration of an individuals life, without regard to the value of a human life - food and water has now been legally determined to be life support. Just the other day, I was reading, in the midst of all the Terri Schaivo News, that it is costing over a million dollars a year to maintain and keep comatose prison inmates on life support - Food and Water. Get ready for the Federal and State government to cut their loses. Anybody else wondering how the Federal and State governments are going to spend the financial windfall reaped after the death of comatose prisoners, since it is now legal to starve and dehydrate comatose prisoners to death? Not necessarily brain dead comatose prisoners, just comatose prisoners who are being maintained on life support - Food and Water. I also wonder what class of people, after comatose prison inmates, will be next? Wasn't it during Hitler's reign that one class of people were exterminated at a time, while others stood by and watched, while never realizing that they would be next? Don't think that this will happen? There are still people who don't believe the Holocost happened either. |
On March 30th, 2005, the following is what I posted in
Yep, that's what I said, "I QUIT". I decided yesterday to QUIT writing about, worrying, and being generally appauled about all the problems and injustices in this world that are being caused by the self-serving, greedy, rich, powerful, and irresponsible people in this world. I decided yesterday to QUIT writing about, worrying over, and being generally disgusted with the actions of Corporations and Governments that are endangering all life on this planet. The Age of Information is, in my humble opinion, a big waste of time. What is the point in having and knowing information, if there is not a blasted thing I can say, or do to make things right, or better. It is not that I don't care, but I have to realize my own limitations, and accept them before I blow some kind of mental or pychological fuse, have a heart attack, or have to kill someone. I am going to busy myself with my crafting, sewing, and cooking, and hopefully live out my final days in some peace. Afterall, who am I to tell the fifty-eight some odd million stupid people that their vote for reelecting Bush, in my opinion, is like a vote for the Devil himself. I will never be a professional seamstress, or a world renowned Chef, but I can enjoy myself and my talents, and why shouldn't I? I don't know what has happened to the morals and ethics of the movers and shakers in this world, but I have seen the results of their immoral and unjust actions, and I hope that God has NO MERCY on their souls. I am relived that I don't have to literally list all the events that have brought me to the position where I have to announce that "I QUIT". There are plenty of archives that are around to document the sins and crimes of those who are utimately responsible. Yep, I QUIT. I am going to spend what little precious time that is left to attempt to write what I consider FLUFF, maybe a novel that Harliquin will pay me for writing. Seems all the fools, idiots, ignorant, and crazy people are happy. I want a share of that kind of happiness - to be blissfully unaware. I'll chat with friends about the unimportant things in life - maybe the latest and most popular flavor of tea. I will no longer be concerned about genetically altered food, I won't read product lables, I won't watch or listen to the carefully created, made for television propaganda that is being produced by the American government that has now replaced honest journalism called - NEWS. I will tend to hearth, home, and family, and in doing so I will hope that I won't spend twelve or more days being starved to death at the hands of a husband, or Federal and State judges like Terri Schiavo in the event that I become too ill, too incapacitated, or too physically unable to care and feed myself. I would much prefer a lethal dose of morphine to end my life quickly rather than being put to death slowly by starvation and dehydration. And since money seems to be at the very root of all the "good intentions", then I will just have to spend what I have whenever I have it - to avoid becomming a target of the greedy, self-serving, amoral, and unethical control freaks, who set themselves up to be judge and jury, and who only worship the Almighty Dollar. Yep, I QUIT! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Today is April 3rd, 2005, and I still find that I pretty much feel the same way about what is happening on OUR planet - hopeless. But I have discovered something else, while reading some other people's Blogs - generally it seems people are blogging on and on about themselves, and their routine, mundane activities. I feel that people in general are extremely wraped up in their own self importance over and above what is going on globally. In my mind, this is more than bloggers seeking their 15 minutes of fame; it seems to me that most bloggers, or diary keepers, suffer from what I call a "ME FIRST" syndrome. I witness, and experience many of these "ME FIRST" episodes while driving, standing in line, and even grocery shopping. "ME FIRST" syndrome is ugly, and for all of you Bible thumping Christians that want to impose your religious beliefs on everyone, then let me remind you that somewhere in the Bible it says, "The first shall be last, and the last shall be first." In good conscience, I have trouble believing that a blog all about ME ... would be really worth reading. I do not feel the urge to document my every experience, thought, or feeling. It is not that I don't think that I am important... I believe with all my heart that every life is important - ABSOLUTELY. But I also believe all those sayings that I remember from my youth... "If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem." "Lead, follow, or get out of the way." Please don't call your blog "A Blog" if it is merely nothing more than a Writing Exercise. In my mind, a blog is a response to something much BIGGER than our individual self, or it should be. Oh yes, I have studied Emotive Therapy that basically states that the words "Woulda", "Coulda", and "Shoulda" requires a person to eliminated these words from one's vocabulary. Maybe the elimination of the woulda's, coulda's, and shoulda's is what makes me feel that blogging is more than what it is generally accepted to be, in that blogging needs to serve a greater good - than being merely reduced to a daily diary. Then again, maybe I am wrong. I've been wrong before... I just can't bring myself to blog about "ME"... there is just too much going on in this world that is "WRONG", and believe me when I tell you that I believe that there needs to be some kind of revolution, revolt, or uprising by the people of the United States of America that will restore "FREEDOM & DEMOCRACY" to what it was originally intended to be, as it was written by our wise forefathers who drafted the orginal American Constitution. George W. Bush's Patriot Act is an Amendment to the American Constitution. When individual freedoms of Americans are limited, it is an afront to what the orginal Declaration of Independance was drafted to mean to each and every American citizen. I am appauled at how so many people go around, being lead like sheep to the slaughter, while permitting one President to delibrately, with forethought, and malice to destroy exactly what has made America great - and barely a whimper, or whine from the majority. We are all caught short, being so busy trying to maintain the status quo of our lives, as well as overestimating our own individual self importance - the fox is being allowed to repeated raid the hen house. So, instead of singing "God Bless America", who of you are singing praises to King Bush? NOT ME, not in this lifetime! |
| On March 19th, I disconnected cable television. On March 30th the cable man was back here by noon reconnecting my cable. It was much easier not watching television in the day time than I expected, but evenings were absolutely miserable. Evidently, my husband and I are extremely dependant on the televison to entertain us - possibly more like addicted. And don't you know it just happened that there was nothing new on that we hadn't already seen. I guess if I was younger and healthier I would have been able to find more to do to keep me from missing televison, but alas... I am not young or healthy, so by the end of the day immediately after supper my body collaspes on the sofa, and my brain shuts down, and both my husband and I sit in front of the television in a partial comatose state - comfortably numb. Usually sometime between 11 o'clock and midnight we stumble off to bed. Our day usually begins sometime between 5:30 am and six o'clock, and we march like sombies to the coffee pot, sit at the kitchen table indulging in caffine and nicotine. When I think about how long my husband and I have been following this particular routine - it scares me. I am beginning to believe that old adage that says, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." I have a thousand excuses, but I am not going to bore myself by listing any of them. When did I became such a creature of habit? I am a couch potato. Aaaarrrrggggh! |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
I am making a peach pie and a mincemeat pie, myself. No point even starting, yet, though - turkey's just over 10 lbs, and company doesn't arrive until around 1:00 PM. Santa was good to us - how about you? Just imagine the damage I can do in the kitchen now, between a Cuisinart food processor and my slow cooker?! 
