Ya know, I REALLY wish we lived closer to

LawDog and/or Matt G ........................... the "neighbor" I mentioned, who went off about Big Red on his girlfriend's car - the following evening, he came over here, claiming to want to apologize ........................ yeah, right ...................... when I said, "If you had hurt him .............. " he went OFF again - another neighbor {woman} was here, and just LOOKED at me and said what an ass he is ...................... but this creep just doesn't have the BALLS to go off like that in front of MY husband, or either of 2 other neighbors' husbands ............................ and Big Red, God bless'im, pretty much stays on my porch, or under our vehicles - the creep just has a wild hair against Red or me - he's the same idjit who asked me to intercede when another neighbor {man} got pi$$ed at him - and I told him I didn't have a dog in that fight - but if he lays a hand on Red, that's IT - I generally take the attitude that folks who smoke dope, 'long as they don't bother ME, it's not my concern - but this character will get high {he smokes the stuff of another neighbor, who uses it for clinical/health reasons} and then get behind the wheel of his big ol' Chevy truck, or his girlfriend's car ........................... now, back in the day, when I DID indulge {whether smoke or alcohol}, I would stay put wherever I was - since I don't indulge in either {pot not at all; alcohol MAYBE twice a year} too often, I'm generally the designated driver - which is OK ............................ per the lady he went off in front of the other night, his girlfriend has him pretty well whipped ......................... izzit just me, am I spoiled, in that I don't have respect for {presumptive} men who are bullies? He'd best not try to talk to me again - I'll TELL him he has no balls ......................... and if, as I believe, he thinks he can get away with harming Red or me, well ............................ I already am known to the Chief of Police here {in a POSITIVE light - I sent an "atta-boy" letter on one of his officers! ;-) }, and I'll just have a sit-down with the Chief ............................

LawDog is one of my heroes ......................... ;-)

his willingness to help, in the face of {apparently} abject ingratitude warms the cockles of my heart ....................... I know there are people who "like" cats, and those who abhor them - but they are still living, breathing, "feeling", sentient creatures - and as such, not deserving of the treatment such as LawDog is rescuing them from ........................ I used to say, in all seriousness, that I wished there would be an outbreak of bubonic plague in Mexico, to force the people there to see that cats were NOT a 'nuisance' - they're 'adopted' as kittens, then tossed outside when they're no longer "cute" & expected to fend for themselves - yes, the same is done here, but to a much lesser extent - I was a "gringa loca" for stopping grown men from throwing rocks at a mother & her kittens .......................

Have a neighbor threatening to kill a stray Tom I've been feeding, 'cause "Big Red" is getting on his girlfriend's car at night ...................... we'll see, as this guy isn't exactly known for his willingness to 'go confrontational' with other men ........................ my spousal unit will stand up for "Red", if it comes to that ........................... ;-)

Time for a rant ....................................

Gay Cynic is having his issues with the medical profession ................ mine is with a much more superficial aspect, but I believe valid, nonetheless ..................

Twenty-plus years ago, I talked with cosmetic surgeons in a teaching hospital where I worked, asking why they couldn't remove fat from thighs/buttocks/wherever and re-locate it to the breast area for augmentation/reconstruction - was told it 'wasn't practical'. I also asked why hair from one's scalp couldn't be transplanted as eyelashes - I was basically laughed at by the docs.

NOW come reports from California & Europe - the latest fad in CA? Transplanting hair from the scalp to the eyelashes - developed for burn victims. Only problem is, one must trim them, as they continue to grow. And from Europe? Women are going on their lunch breaks, having liposuction done on the requisite areas, and the fat is then put in their breast areas .......................... Wonder if I can get any GYNs or urologists to listen to me NOW about my thoughts on reversible tubal ligations & vasectomies?

Happy Birthday, Mary Catherine Weber Chapura Mellon Vickery!!

I'm hoping the ponies are running well for you, and that there's plenty of polka competitions and Ortlieb's in heaven ........................ I miss you, Grandma ......................... ;-)

Hate to say "I tolja so", but ..................................

If y'all recall, my 29 June post, I noted that Teddy the Drunk {forgot to add Harry the Spineless @ the time} would do this very thing:

From FAIR {Federation for American Immigration Reform} today .....................

Piecemeal Immigration Measures Poised to Resurface in Congress
Although the Iraq War has taken center stage since Congress returned from the July 4th recess, special interests continue to work behind the scenes to advance their agenda in the realm of immigration. Sources tell FAIR that there is discussion in both the House and Senate on reviving parts of the Bush-Kennedy amnesty bill (S.1639), such as the DREAM Act, the SKIL bill, and AgJOBS. With Congressional leaders in both parties signaling that a comprehensive bill is unlikely to move before the 2008 elections, supporters hope that these particular provisions will be popular enough to pass without being attached to border security or worksite enforcement legislation.

All three immigration measures seek to appease various minority and business special interest groups. The DREAM Act would give amnesty to illegal aliens who arrived in the U.S. as children and have established a certain level of education. It would also allow illegal aliens to receive in-state tuition at colleges and universities by reversing portions of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRAIRA), passed in 1996. The SKIL bill, as it is commonly called, would dramatically increase the annual cap of high-tech H-1B visas and, among other things, would create a special path to citizenship for foreign students who study math, science and engineering.

Finally, AgJOBS would grant amnesty to 1.5 million illegal alien agricultural workers and relax certain portions of the existing agricultural guest worker program (H-2A).

Some Senate sources even suggest that there may even be movement in the Senate this week during the debate on the Defense Authorization Bill. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced Friday he intends to offer the DREAM Act as an amendment to the defense bill; Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) has filed an amendment that would increase H-1B visas; and some have suggested that Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) may attempt to offer an amendment that would expand the H-2B program.

Meanwhile, true immigration reformers are also looking for opportunities to advance provisions critical to enforcing our immigration laws. For example, Congressman Jack Kingston (R-GA), a member of the powerful Appropriations Committee, has successfully offered an amendment to three different appropriations bills that would require government contractors to use the Basic Pilot Program to verify that their employees are lawfully present in the United States. The amendment has been adopted on the Transportation/HUD appropriations bill; the Labor, Health and Human Services appropriations bill; and the Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill. These funding measures will soon move to the House floor where supporters of the Basic Pilot requirement will be working hard to ensure that the language is not stripped.

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BTW, I lied - I LOVE saying "I tolja so" ........................ ;-)

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Anybody else not getting comments noted ON their blog? I receive the eMails about'em, but they don't show on the blog itself .........................

I've added a link to

Desert Exile ...................... the proprietors are TacoBell {here in Alta Mexico} & XRoadCop {former CHP, currently as a neighbor of John McCain ;-) } .......................... they're pretty much spot-on re: the immigration wars ........................ check'em out! ;-)

Yesterday, while over on t'other side of town .............................

{spousal unit's putting in some O/T - so on paydays, he can't get away to deposit his check, so I went over, met him @ the gate & headed on to credit union} - after I'd taken care of my business on that side of town, I was heading back out here - now, the road our financial institution is at right angles to the highway that starts me on my journey home - you turn left onto the highway - THERE I am, minding my own business, in the left-turn lane - when off to my right I see a most BEAUTIFUL German Shepherd with the owner, who has a crate with a not-easily-seen sign on it - thinking there are !PUPPIES! there {yes, I'm a sucker for puppies - BIG surprise, I know!}, I swoop to the right turn lane, turn the block around {that's a PA Dutch term ;-) } and park next to the pickup with the Shepherd - turns out he's an intact male, 4 years old and his owners just don't have the time to devote to him that he deserves - they're GIVING him away - they just want him to go to a loving home. Tucker {the dog} is a most pleasant dog - VERY friendly, gentle and affectionate {you can tell he's been LOVED} - Joe {his owner} got him as a puppy - he has papers, etc., etc. Unfortunately, 'we' aren't in a position to have a dog right now - but I got Joe's number, and told him I'd see if I couldn't help find a good home for Tucker. Joe's a minister, and he & his wife travel a lot in their work.

We-ell, today I went to get my Jeep inspected {only 4 months overdue ;-) } and got to talking with a gentleman who's vehicle was the next to be checked out - mentioned in passing about Tucker - wouldn't you know it, turns out that Richard is looking for a full grown male Shepherd - got home, called Joe {I don't give folks' numbers out to all & sundry - I'll be the go-between 'til someone tells me different - it's a matter of respect for the folks who entrust their info to me} & left a message on his voicemail - Richard calls, and emphasizes that HE WANTS THIS DOG - Joe calls - I tell HIM about Richard, he gives me the go-ahead to give Richard his number - I call Richard, give him the number - 'bout an hour later, Richard calls - he'd been on the phone with Joe that entire time - they're meeting tomorrow, and Richard will be bringing Tucker into his home - the PLUS for me? Richard's home is really, REALLY close to us here, so I can go see Tucker pretty much whenever I want to ............................ oh, and it turns out that Richard is a minister, too! ;-)

Just call me a Yenta for our four legged friends! ;-)

Crusader Rabbit has a GREAT post ..........................................

but for those with prim family members who might see it, a language alert is in order ..................... ;-) Thank you, the Guys of Crusader Rabbit!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!!

May we collectively appreciate what we have here ..........................

ATTENTION!! ATTENTION ON DECK!!

Tomorrow night, @ 2000 ET, 2100 CT, etc - Turner Classic Movie channel - 1776 will be on - if you've never seen it, or haven't seen it for a few years - from a teacher of history - it is amazingly correct in it's depiction of the founding of our nation - for those who are anti-musicals - GET OVER IT!! ;-)

LawDog, as always, hit several nails on the head ....................................

with his commentary on the un-lamented demise of S1369 ..................... ;-)

My $0.02 worth? WATCH OUT!! Teddy the Drunkard is so vindictive, I wouldn't be surprised to find out he's 'sneaking in' amendments to various other bills, and that by mid-November, S1369 is in effect, having been partitioned among various other legislation ........................ of course, with Teddy & Harry doing the parsing, none of the 'strengthening of the border', or illegals having to pay fines, or any of the other punitive provisions will be enacted ....................... don't say I didn't warn you ....................... ;-)

The always erudite Martin Kelly has a commentary ..........................

that with a few alterations could be a perfect description of our own Senate - check out the title A Couple Of New Descriptions here - hell's belles, we could call the U.S. the New Aztlan ...........................

Coupla thoughts on the Shamnesty deal …………………..

There’s all this talk about a “virtual fence” – does that mean it will only preclude “virtual illegals”?
Also, all these demands by illegals, and the claims of “Reconquista” – I can’t help but envision the U.S. turning into a BAD version of Mexico – kinda like South Africa & Zimbabwe, when whites were forced out – I realize this isn’t politically correct, but – one only needs to look at SA & Zimbabwe’s current fiscal/productivity dilemmas vs. SA during and immediately after apartheid, and Zimbabwe since Madman Mugabe told the white farmers to leave …………………….. I’m NOT saying native South Africans & Zimbabweans are all corrupt and incompetent – but unfortunately, the individuals in power are, as a rule, corrupt & incapable of governing properly and fairly – they choose to govern tribally, which lends itself to all sorts of problems.

We lived in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, for 2.5 years – we saw the barrios on the outskirts of town, thrown together with cinderblocks, roofed with corrugated metal, stealing electricity from municipal light stanchions. We lived in a neighborhood that was NOT an ‘expat enclave’ {didn’t find THAT ‘til we’d been there about 9 months} – our neighbors were teachers, lawyers, business proprietors. I had ‘poor’ women with children in tow ring my door buzzer, demanding I give them ‘ropa usado’ {used clothing}, then having their kids defecate on the sidewalk. Whenever we would travel up to the border, on our return, the spousal unit’s truck {a LARGE Dodge} would be subjected to kids panhandling – even going so far as the kids jumping up on the hood {a good 4.5-5 feet off the ground}. There are also the ‘rent-a-kids’ – you’d see a woman with 5 or 6 kids begging on a corner – that afternoon or the next day, you’d see the same kids with a different “mother” on another corner. We went to doctors there – I was in a hospital for 4 days – granted, we had insurance {though we had to prepay my hospital stay} – but the ‘poor’ of Mexico have FREE medical care available – EVERY Mexican graduate of a Mexican medical school MUST give 2 years’ medical care to the poor, whether in a hospital setting, or in a rural clinic. Many physicians who are established in their practices there still donate time to the free hospitals, instructing medical students & caring for patients. One note of caution – God forbid, but should any of my readers be visiting Mexico & have an accident, if they send a green ambulance for you, tell’em you want ANOTHER one – at least in the Monterrey area, a green ambulance is one step {make that a half step} removed from a morgue wagon ………………………..

You may notice ..................................

I've put a new banner on the site - also, the originating site is here.

I've liked Fred Thompson since high school, when I'd get home to watch the Watergate hearings ........................ his wisdom as Counsel to the committee was always on point, and the fact that he can deliver his views with some folksy humor doesn't hurt .......................... ;-)

Many thanks to

Martin Kelly for his gracious recommendation of my blog .............................. ;-)

For those of you who don't read Michelle Malkin on a

regular basis, she provides a phone number to get through to your Senators {toll-free} about the immigration shamnesty - it's 1-800-417-7666 {I know, I'm not crazy about the triple 6 deal, either ;-)} - background to the origins of the number here.

Watched a couple of interesting movies recently - one is Bent, about the treatment of homosexuals in Nazi Germany - extremely depressing, yes, but an eye-opener as to the cruelty of the Nazis - it was a matter of anyone they disagreed with/determined was "less than human" being fair game for torture. Clive Owens & Lothaire Bluteau {a VERY good actor} are the stars.

'Nother movie that I would recommend - Instinct - if you've any affinity for animals, and our collective 'stewardship' of the earth, it'll getcha - it also throws the spotlight on the sad state of a lot of psychiatric institutions in our country; it does leave one with hope, though.

One I would NOT recommend - Rent - the music is great, but I just don't care for 'lingering death' movies.

Can someone PLEASE explain to me ……………………….

exactly why a spoiled brat "heiress’" misbehaviors and jailhouse antics {she’s in, she’s out, she’s in} rates such nonstop “news” coverage, while a man who has devoted his LIFE to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic” is fired and the ONLY mentions of this fact are incorporated in denigrating the man’s service.

Maybe I’m too critical, but it seems as though the “media’s” laziness is becoming more & more apparent. They try to stuff us full of pablum, via ‘reports’ that would better fill the pages of The National Enquirer, rather than seek out what is arguably “news” {ie, information we didn’t have before}.

If they were lucky, NBC devoted maybe 3 minutes to General Pace’s departure – however, they gave at least 5 minutes to the ‘Paris Hilton story’. Of course, NBC doesn’t bother even sending American reporters to Iraq anymore – their “reports” are provided by British or Australian reporters. Why don’t the ‘talking heads’ just phone in their reports?

I don’t happen to believe that the American people are so shallow – our ‘media’ however, to quote a man I used to date, is “shallow as pi$$ in a plate”.

My heart's hurting ......................................

and I'm feeling guilty {hey, I'm Catholic, I can feel guilty about anything!!} - stopped for gas this afternoon, and there at the convenience store was a young pit bull mix with a collar - I spoke softly to him - and he responded - BUT - he was wearing a collar, and was COVERED with mange .......................... if I'd been driving the spousal unit's truck - I'dve picked him up, tied him in the bed & taken him to the shelter - BUT - when the cats are transported, the vast majority of the time, they're transported in my Jeep - I can't risk not killing all the mange mites ........................ St. Francis, please keep him safe, and let him find a loving home ........................ :-(

WOOHOO - Martin Kelly's back!!!

An absolutely brilliant lawyer, he's again blogging from Scotland ..................... he's on the links, but in case you're impatient ........................... ;-) Martin Kelly

Admittedly, I'm not a big fan of "hunting" ................................

and stories like THIS "Feral" Pig was pet cause me greater heartburn ............................
Now, I understand the absolute need to control wildlife populations ......................... but most of my experience has been with people from cities {Washington, DC; Philadelphia; New York; etc} in rural Pennsylvania, who don't even know how to field dress their kills ......................... in the case of 'Fred' - he WAS A PET - he TRUSTED humans - he associated humans with being FED - and yet, 'hunting' & killing him is considered SPORT? Sorry, but that is in NO WAY a "sport", in my estimation ...........................