If I may recommend ..........................

this links to the first 3 of a 4 part article in the San Antonio Express-NewsBreaching America: War refugees or threats? - the reporter's bona fides are To document the hidden world of special-interest aliens, San Antonio Express-News reporter Todd Bensman and photographer Jerry Lara traveled to Damascus, Syria; Amman, Jordan; throughout Guatemala; the southern border state of Chiapas, Mexico; Brownsville and elsewhere along the Texas border; and Michigan. Bensman documented routes used by smugglers to move immigrants from Islamic countries, including a popular one from Syria to Texas traveled by Iraqi refugee Aamr Bahnan Boles.
The Express-News hired Arabic language interpreters in Syria, Jordan and Texas, where Boles was first interviewed extensively. Bensman obtained materials from overseas smuggling investigations and hundreds of daily intelligence summaries reflecting Texas border crossings. He interviewed U.S. and Mexican law enforcement officials in both countries, and examined U.S. court records from a dozen federal smuggling prosecutions. Some dialogue and scenes described in this series were reconstructed based on interviews with Boles and, when possible, others who were present.

If you weren't angry/anxious before, you WILL be after reading it ......................

OK, anyone ELSE ready to stroke out over this??

Bush removes provision requiring back taxes from illegal immigrants

Not only are we by-God going to have amnesty crammed down our collective citizens' throats, but WE get to cover the freakin' illegals' tax bill ..................... somebody needs to use a clue-by-four on Chertoff - if they can't get'em for taxes, how in the HELL will they ensure that terrorists aren't dumped on us yet AGAIN???

Crusader Rabbit is spun up .........................................

about a piece o'garbage who has an American connexion, who decided that a video game based on the Virginia Tech massacre is necessary, complete with a {"joke"} ransom demand ..................... the mother of this p o'g is here in the States, supporting him {which has GOT to be a pain in the dupa, getting the monies from here to there} - he's 21, and apparently "feels" that HE had a rough childhood here in the U.S. ............................ ye-eah, not a lot of sympathy here .........................\

Got a {some?} questions ..................................

is it possible that a lot of the problems 'we' as a society are experiencing are the result of the determination that "self-esteem" is the Holy Grail of emotional development, causing the loss of "self-respect" as a determinant?

Every time I turn around, I'm hearing how peoples' 'self-esteem suffers' - but it seems to me that if they were proponents of 'self-respect' their self-esteem would be OK - self-respect would allow one to make mistakes, but to LEARN from them - if self-esteem is the only measure, everything devolves to subjective "feelings" ............................ maybe I'm too parsing of semantics - I don't say people are 'creative', I call them artistic - "creative" implies that they make something from NOTHING - far as I know, there is only one truly Creative Force .............................. and none of US are IT ........................... ;-)

Reverend Jerry Falwell has died ..........................

While I make no apologies for my ideological differences with the man, I had to respect him because as far as I know, he truly lived his convictions ........................ he came across as too strident and judgemental, IMO, but I never heard the slightest whisper that he didn't hold himself to the same standards he demanded of others ........................... {unlike Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, and all the Catholic priests who we've come to know are pedophiles} - may he rest in peace ..............................

I make no pretense of understanding economic indices ....................................

but this link was provided with the comment that, since 1973, men's wages {adjusted for inflation} have pretty much flat-lined chart on page 18 ............................ women's wages, in 1973 considerably less than men's, evidence an even greater disparity today ........................... but our economy is doing well, right?

Bleah .......................... I say we 'un-elect' ALL politicians in 2008 and start with a clean slate ...............................

Sent this as eMail to "my" Guys ........................

Hmmmmmmm, think maybe I have a 'hook' to run for office on? Come to think of it, I'd make a lousy politician ....................... ;-) Similarly to AD, my "filter" would just get stuck in the 'Off' position ;-)

I've been involved in animal welfare issues for the better part of 35 years {NOT the
PETA-type - I've stood for animals which were abused/neglected}
.......................................... back in '72 or '73, at age 16, I testified before Congress, regarding the laws concerning animals in transport. At that time, I tried to make the case that what was needed was NOT "new laws"; rather, that enforcement of existing laws would suffice.

The more I hear of how more & yet MORE laws are crucially necessary to "fix" the immigration mess, the more I want to stand up and scream "STOP! The only law that needs to be changed is the 'anchor baby' interpretation of the 14th Amendment - it needs to be delineated as having served it's purpose, and is NO LONGER NECESSARY" ................

God knows, we have MORE than enough laws on the books - they need to be enforced - we DON'T need 'new laws' that either won't be enforced, or will be selectively
enforced .....................................

From my LtColonel ............................ ;-)

MOTHER

This is a truly BEAUTIFUL piece. Please read this at a slow pace, digesting every word and in leisure...do not hurry....this is a treasure...

For those lucky to still be blessed with your Mom, this is beautiful. For those of us who aren't, this is even more beautiful. For those who are moms, you'll love this.


The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is this the long way?" she asked.

And the guide said: "Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it.. But the end will be better than the beginning."

But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, and gathered flowers for them along the way, and bathed them in the clear streams; and the sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried, "Nothing will ever be lovelier than this."

Then the night came, and the storm, and the path was dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and th e mother drew them close and covered them with her mantle, and the children said,"Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come."

And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children," A little patience and we are there." So the children climbed, and when they reached the top they said, "Mother, we would not have done it without you."

And the mother, when she lay down at night looked upat the stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned fortitude in the face of hardness. Yesterday I gave them courage. Today, I've given them strength."

And the next day came strange clouds which darkened th e earth, clouds of war and hate and evil, and the children groped and stumbled, and the mother said: "Look up. Lift your eyes to the light. " And the children looked and saw above the clouds an everlasting glory, and it guided them beyond the darkness." And that night the Mother said, "This is the best day of all, for I have shown my children God."

And the days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she was little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And when the way was rough, they lifted her, for she was as light as a feather; and at last they came to a hill, and beyond they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And mother said, "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone, and their children after them."

And the children said, "You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates." And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: "We cannot see her but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence......."

Your Mother is always with you.... She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street; she's the smell of bleach in your freshly laundered socks; she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not well.

Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop.

She's the place you came from, your first home; and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love and your first heartbreak, and nothing on earth can separate you.

Not time, not space... not even death!


MAY WE NEVER TAKE OUR MOTHERS FOR GRANTED..

May I be permitted a 'happy dance'?

My blog has gone international, with a link at Crusader Rabbit .......................... what a GREAT way to start the day!!

Man, the bragging rights are gonna be awesome today ...................... ;-)

My aching ...............................

sense of outrage - NBC is calling the loons who want to attack Fort Dix "homegrown" ........................ EXCUSE ME?!?!?! Not ONE of them was born in the U.S. - they got their incentive from InterNet jihad sites, all in languages other than English .........................

I dunno .......................... maybe I'm being too demanding on what constitutes "homegrown" - blame it on my being born at the Naval Hospital, Quantico ...................... Timothy McVeigh was 'homegrown' ...................... what's next, the 9/11 Nineteen's "disaffection" was a result of the old Noxema "Take it off - take it ALL off" commercials?

Is the MSM THAT stupid, or worse, do they think we're that stupid?

Gotta wonder about the voters of Maryland .................................

electing the likes of Steny Hoyer - he wants the U.S. to pay reparations to the people of Guam ........................ for what awful act, you ask? For the actions of the Imperial Japanese military in World War II ............................. WTF, over? OUR Soldiers, Sailors, and especially, Marines, shed blood and DIED to liberate Guam - and this gasbag has somehow convinced himself that WE owe the Chamorro?
Here's the link that will take you to the bill .............................. head shaking in bemusement .........................

A friend posts this on "my" Marine message board .................................

Carolyn McCarthy grabs for guns again .......................... as another friend {and, no doubt, Holly! ;-) } say, MOLON LABE ........................ as far as replying to the post, we've had issues with trolls, so you have to create & register a profile before you can post there, but it isn't for Marines only - we've a retired Army 1stSgt who stops by occasionally .......................

From Little Green Footballs .............................

Holy Warriors Booby Trap Girls' School
The mujahideen keep giving us new definitions for the word “evil:” Military: New Iraqi school had bombs built in.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — American soldiers discovered a girls school being built north of Baghdad had become an explosives-rigged “death trap,” the U.S. military said Thursday.

The plot at the Huda Girls’ school in Tarmiya was a “sophisticated and premeditated attempt to inflict massive casualties on our most innocent victims,” military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said.

The military suspects the plot was the work of al Qaeda, because of its nature and sophistication, Caldwell said in an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.

The plot was uncovered Saturday, when troopers in the Salaheddin province found detonating wire across the street from the school. They picked up the wire and followed its trail, which led to the school. Once inside, they found an explosive-filled propane tank buried beneath the floor. There were artillery shells built into the ceiling and floor, and another propane tank was found, the military said.

The wire was concealed with mortar and concrete, and the propane tanks had been covered with brick and hidden underneath the floor, according to a military statement. Soldiers were able to clear the building.

“It was truly just an incredibly ugly, dirty kind of vicious killing that would have gone on here,” Caldwell said.

But the U.S. is the 'great Satan', right?

THIS is what an extreme example of what I mean when I refer to 'differences' in cultures ........................... granted, we have our 'lone psychos' committing abominable acts - occasionally, we have the 'folie à deux' {the sharing of delusional ideas by two people who are closely associated}, where 2 psychos find each other {Columbine} - please understand right now, I realize that most 'psychos' are, in fact, sociopaths/asocial personalities - creatures without a conscience, without the capacity for empathy - and we seem to have developed more than our fair share of the 'loner' variant - but you cannot convince me that the people who perpetrate such monstrosities as noted above are not sociopaths, one and all ..................... there is no more compassion than most exhibit for pesky insects - there is NO recognition of their victims as human, with the right to life.

It isn't too surprising, therefore, that those from OUR culture who would demand that the rest of us just roll over and surrender to the cant that "all cultures are equal" are many of the same people who insist that abortion-as-birth-control is a 'human right' {not much in the way of rights for the fetus, though} - the sooner that Western culture is eradicated, so goes much of the thinking, the better ...........................

Michelle Malkin has had the phrase "I will not submit" translated into some Arabic characters - that's going to be my next tattoo - when I get my EGA & rose re-done, it will be nearby ................................

Folks, the line has been drawn in the sand - hell, if you didn't notice, it was dug as a TRENCH on 9/11 - WE need to make decisions, as to what we will do, as individuals and communities ....................... this includes many more aspects than just the GWOT - illegal immigrants demanding 'rights' in this country is right up there in priority - I don't get in someone's face re: abortion {my spousal unit is pro-choice}, but if asked, I will give my opinion {it needs to be available for rape/incest; but I've met women who have decided it was a method of birth control, ie, repeated abortions; it should NOT be taxpayer financed} ............................ just my thoughts on the 'culture wars' ............................

If I may ask your collective indulgence, please keep my spousal unit in your thoughts tomorrow - it's the one year anniversary that his 'Miss Sylvie' died - she'd been with him 18 years - her ashes are on his bookcase in his home office ......................... she was a sweet old girl, who would play like a kitten almost to the very end ......................... St. Francis, please give her some Pounce, catnip and some lizards to chase ....................... we miss you, Miss Sylvie ...........................

From my retired LtCol ................................. IMPORTANT FOR WOMEN!!

Female Heart Attacks

I was aware that female heart attacks are different, but this is the best description I've ever read.

Women and heart attacks (Myocardial infarction - MI)

Did you know that women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms that men have when experiencing heart attack... you know, the sudden stabbing pain in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest and dropping to the floor that we see in the movies. Here is the story of one woman's experience with a heart attack.

"I had a completely unexpected heart attack at about 10:30 pm with NO prior exertion, NO prior emotional trauma that one would suspect might've brought it on. I was sitting all snugly & warm on a cold evening, with my purring cat in my lap, reading an interesting story my friend had sent me, and actually thinking, "A-A-h, this is the life, all cozy and warm in my soft, cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up."

A moment later, I felt that awful sensation of indigestion, when you've been in a hurry and grabbed a bite of sandwich and washed it down with a dash of water, and that hurried bite seems to feel like you've swallowed a golf ball going down the esophagus in slow motion and it is most uncomfortable. You realize you shouldn't have gulped it down so fast and needed to chew it more thoroughly and this time drink a glass of water to hasten its progress down to the stomach.

This was my initial sensation---the only trouble was that I hadn't taken a bite of anything since about 5:00 p.m. (this was now 10:30pm)

"After that had seemed to subside, the next sensation was like little squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up my SPINE (hind-sight, it was probably my aorta spasming), gaining speed as they continued racing up and under my sternum (breast bone, where one presses rhythmically when adminstering CPR). This fascinating process continued on into my throat and branched out into both jaws.

"AHA!! NOW I stopped puzzling about what was happening--we all have read and/or heard about pain in the jaws being one of the signals of an MI happening, haven't we?

I said aloud to myself and the cat, "Dear God, I think I'm having a heart attack !" I lowered the foot rest, dumping the cat from my lap, started to take a step and fell on the floor instead. I thought to myself "If this is a heart attack, I shouldn't be walking into the next room where the phone is or anywhere else.......but, on the other hand, if I don't, nobody will know that I need help, and if I wait any longer I may not be able to get up in moment."

"I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly into the next room and dialed the Paramedics... I told her I thought I was having a heart attack due to the pressure building under the sternum and radiating into my jaws. I didn't feel hysterical or afraid, just stating the facts.

She said she was sending the Paramedics over immediately, asked if the front door was near to me, and if so, to unbolt the door and then lie down on the floor where they could see me when they came in.

"I then laid down on the floor as instructed and lost consciousness, as I don't remember the medics coming in, their examination, lifting me onto a gurney or getting me into their ambulance, or hearing the call they made to St. Jude ER on the way, but I did briefly awaken when we arrived and saw that the Cardiologist was already there in his surgical blues and cap, helping the medics pull my stretcher out of the ambulance.

He was bending over me asking questions (probably something like "Have you taken any medications?") but I couldn't make my mind interpret what he was saying, or form an answer, and nodded off again, not waking up until the Cardiologist and partner had already threaded the teeny angiogram balloon up my femoral artery into the aorta and into my heart where they installed two side by side stents to hold open my right coronary artery.

"I know it sounds like all my thinking and actions at home must have taken at least 20-30 minutes before calling the Paramedics, but actually it took perhaps 4-5 minutes before the call, and both the fire station and St. Jude are only minutes away from my home, and my Cardiologist was already to go to the OR in his scrubs and get going on restarting my heart (which had stopped somewhere between my arrival and the procedure) and installing the stents.

"Why have I written all of this to you with so much detail? Because I want all of you who are so important in my life to know what I learned first hand."

1. Be aware that something very different is happening in your body not the usual men's symptoms, but inexplicable things happening (until my sternum and jaws got into the act ). It is said that many more women than men die of their first (and last) MI because they didn't know they were having one, and commonly mistake it as indigestion, take some Maalox or other anti-heartburn preparation, and go to bed, hoping they'll feel better in the morning when they wake up....which doesn't happen.

My female friends, your symptoms might not be exactly like mine, so I advise you to call the Paramedics if ANYTHING is unpleasantly happening that you've not felt before. It is better to have a "false alarm" visitation than to risk your life guessing what it might be!

2. Note that I said "Call the Paramedics". Ladies, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER-- you're a hazard to others on the road, and so is your panicked husband who will be speeding and looking anxiously at what's happening with you instead of the road.

Do NOT call your doctor--he doesn't know where you live and if it's at night you won't reach him anyway, and if it's daytime, his assistants (or answering service) will tell you to call the Paramedics. He doesn't carry the equipment in his car that you need to be saved, the Paramedics do, principally OXYGEN that you need ASAP. Your Dr. will be notified later.

3. Don't assume it couldn't be a heart attack because you have a normal cholesterol count. Research has discovered that a cholesterol elevated reading is rarely the cause of an MI (unless it's unbelievably high, and/or accompanied by high blood pressure.) MI's are usually caused by long-term stress and inflammation in the body, which dumps all sorts of deadly hormones into your system to sludge things up in there.

Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware.
The more we know, the better chance we could survive...

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10 people,
you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.

* * Please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends you care about * *

Phlegm Fatale & Lainy, my apologies ..............................

for not welcoming y'all sooner - I'm not normally so ill-mannered - but with an attention span that was never that good, getting worse, I'm hoping y'all will understand .......................... plus, today, I've been fighting a "hegg-ache" {as the progeny used to call them} all day - not a migraine, it's concentrated on the left, around my eye & ear - Flo, AD, DW - I'm PERRL {although the left seems a little slower than the right - that may be normal for me} - I'm not including the "A", as I never thought to ask for a definition of accommodation - so I'm not worrying about stroke - it just HURTS so da## much - and the reason I know it's not an aberrant migraine is, soaking my feet in hot water didn't help - no, I'm not crazy - if you suffer from migraines, next one, try this before any meds - run water as hot as you can accept in the tub {or sink, if yours is easily accessible} - soak your feet for about 10-15 minutes - then lay down {if you can} for another 15 minutes ......................... I don't know HOW it works, but it does - I have Raynaud's {icicle hands & feet}, and when my feet are warmed .................... the hegg-ache goes away .........................

GOTTA tell y'all - Saturday, I went to a small, local community's first-ever Founders Day {New Caney, Holly} - I met some friends there, saw one friend's new baby {she's beautiful} - the lady I've the longest friendship with has a 3 year old - the Army had a recruiting tent, AND a rock-climbing wall - C., the 3 year old, decided she wanted to climb it - fine, her mother encourages her to try new stuff - the harness was put on {over C.'s sundress} and a young soldier hauled away so that C. went swooping up {about 6 feet} - he slowly lowered her, and she is MAD - yelling at her Mom to take her shoes off and let her go again, she wants to CLIMB ..................... of course, I kibbitzed the soldiers, told them she was gonna go Marines ........................... ;-) Her Mom, afterward, told me she loves that C. is so adventurous, but would like her to become a bit more .................... discerning about her challenges - Mom used the word "fear" & that's NOT what Mom wants - just some degree of judgement ................... ;-)

Received from a retired LtCol. of Marines ...............................

for all the Moms out there ....................... ;-)

Subject: Prettiest Moms
Prettiest Moms on my Friends list! Once you have been hit, you have to hit
15 pretty Moms. If you get hit again, You will know you are REALLY pretty!
So hit 15 pretty moms on your friends list to let them know they are pretty


Before I was a Mom I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom - I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do
tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want
to put them down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the
hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom - I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my
body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and
happy.


Before I was a Mom - I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every
10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the
wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.


Send this to
someone who you think is a special Mom. I just did!

'The time has come,' the Walrus said,

'To talk of many things: Of shoes -- and ships -- and sealing wax -- Of cabbages -- and kings -- And why the sea is boiling hot -- And whether pigs have wings.'
H/T Lewis Carroll

No, this isn’t the post on culture – still cogitatin’ ……………………………..

The neighbors, D. & W., are dealing with W.’s granddaughter – 16 years old, thinks SHE knows everything, is using drugs {mostly presumptive pharmaceuticals from “friends”} ………………………………. Is going to the beach overnight with her 19 year old BF, then accompanying him to Tennessee? Kentucky? {couldn’t this develop into a Mann Act violation?}, to his parents’ house for his personal belongings – {he’s going to be starting college in the area soon} ……………………………. C., the GD, is driving her parents & grandparents to distraction – she wants to “get a job”, etc., etc. ………………………… all while her GM is working herself to exhaustion, and her step-GF is battling a recurrence of CLL – from my admittedly more objective viewpoint, C. needs a swift kick in the keister {or six} – she has NO concept of respect for herself or anyone else ……………………………. I recommended having her declared incorrigible ………………………………….. D. says no, she’ll just run away ……………………………….. I must have been damn near a saint as a teen ………………………………… b’cause I NEVER put my folks through this kind of garbage ………………………………….. hey, mebbe this is my version of Holly’s experiences @ “Going Postal” & SpeakerTweaker’s “What’d He Just Say?” ……………………………………

It seems as though the time has truly come for me to get my Doc & Dentist to refer me to an ‘oral & maxillofacial surgeon’ – I’ve been dealing with TMJ for years, have recently attempted using night bite guards again, and they ain’t workin’ – I’m hoping it the surgery would also alleviate some on-again-off-again pain in my inner ear {straighten everything out, doncha know? ;-)} – for my way of thinking, a MAJOR benefit is that my jaw would be wired shut for a few weeks ……………………………….. weight loss, anyone?

On the local law enforcement front – HPD {for whom I harbor very few ‘warm-fuzzies’, primarily due to the sanctuary policy, and their chief is an idiot who couldn’t pass the necessary law enforcement tests for quite a long time} is being pilloried because a critter was fleeing from police in a stolen vehicle with illegal drugs in the vehicle, and said critter crashed into a young mother of two, killing her, then the critter took off on foot – the young mother’s family is blaming HPD ………………………………….. sorry, Folks, but HPD was doing their job - it is the critter’s fault the young mother is dead …………………………………….

Well, Ambulance Driver has certainly ....................................

left me feeling the need to be "pharmaceutically-enhanced" - ya fly into Houston, probably to Bush Intercontinental {less than 30 miles from me} and what do I get? Do I get an eMail, or a phone call, 'hey, whatcha doin', wanna stop down for a cuppa coffee?' Not only no, but HE77 NO! I get bupkis!!

Just a fast post tonight - I'm cogitatin' some commentary on our culture, but it's still roiling in my ......................... mind? ....................... ;-)

For the spousal unit's recent birthday, I stopped @ Spec's {the "if-they-ain't-got-it-NOBODY'S-got-it" liquor store here} for a bottle of Jack Daniels Single Barrel - he likes it, and it isn't an all-the-time choice for him - {but dammit, the bottles aren't a WHOLE lot bigger than airplane liquor bottles} - and decided to get 4 splits of champagne for me - I like champagne {prefer Moet Demi} - but I got splits 'cause I'm the only champagne person in the family - sorry, military background notwithstanding, I can't polish off an entire bottle alone anymore ..................... anyhoo, there were no Moet splits of course, so I got Champagne POP, from the Pommery vineyards .......................... I'm not well-versed enough re: liquor, but there's an extra "taste"? "flavor"? SOMETHING with the POP that I don't recall from Moet {granted, it's been about 20 years since I had Moet .......................... ;-) } If anyone has tried POP, and has experience of Moet, and can 'SPLAIN it to me, I'd appreciate it ...........................

Thanks to Holly the Goddess' reminding us

today is the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto, I'm watching the new version of The Alamo - while not a big fan of Billy Bob Thornton, his portrayal of Davy Crockett is excellent {"I gotta warn ya - I'm a screamer"} - any Texas historian who could point me to a good biography of Juan Seguin, I'd appreciate it - I know his life after Texas independance was less than pleasant ....................

For those familiar with Houston, or the Johnson

Space Center - Bldg. 44 {Communications} has been evacuated & swarmed by SWAT & others - "white male, 50-60 years old, armed with a pistol, possible shots fired" - as of right now, they're saying he's a contract employee, with a firm based in TN .................................. we're kicking off this stupid season in a record manner {see: Waco; Alfred P. Murrah federal bldg., OKC; Columbine, etc., etc., ......................... }

UPDATE - Ambulance personnel went in with a gurney & equipment - gurney's still in there, but some equipment was returned to ambo - HPD Homicide AND IAD are enroute - there were snipers with SWAT - WHY is IAD a part of this equation? If you deploy snipers, why then hobble them with the paperwork a 'regular cop' has to undergo when s/he discharges their weapon????

UPDATE II - the suspect is dead, apparently of a self-inflicted gunshot, 1 male hostage dead {killed by the suspect}, 1 female hostage was taped up but apparently OK, other than dehydration & anxiety ........................

Please welcome Michael Earley ...........................

a Kiwi blogger ............................ ;-)

D'jever have one of those days where you KNOW you did 'stuff', and are tuckered out, yet have da^# little to SHOW for it? I'm hoping, in the next few weeks, to have an announcement of GOOD news ...................... if "it" works, I'll be tellin' ALL Y'ALL!! ;-)

I'm left feeling rather betwixt & between, re: NBC News' release of the multi-media manifesto of Cho - I can be clinical enough in my thought processes that it's an interesting intellectual exercise, to try & figure out the whys & wherefores - but if someone I loved was one of his victims, I believe clinical thought processes would have gone out the window, and I would be focused on the anger & rage ........................ I believe there should have been some kind of disclaimer before it was broadcast, so that those whose pain is still so raw could have avoided it entirely ...........................

Reading a couple of blogs .................................

Crusader Rabbit is from Australia; they kindly provided the link to
Mike E., who's in New Zealand - seems the habitues of both blogs would fit in nicely in Texas & other areas of the U.S.

Mike E. has a poster that won't upload :( ........................ I have the sense, via his writings, that it is not intended as a denigration of the victims at VT - rather, it's a wake-up call for the denizens of the Nanny States ........................

Ok, as promised, the story of Precious …………………………

{BTW, Flo, yes, I do feel better – Midrin is a very effective medication – I was just hesitant, since it’s a mild narcotic – Imitrex is a “never-again-in-THIS-lifetime” ;-) }

It was New Year’s Eve, ’86 or ’87 – I was the evening bartender/assistant manager of a veterans’ social club, in Hellertown, PA {near Bethlehem}. “We” put on a great evening, with 80 Proof as the band in the ballroom, with a DJ downstairs, in the room next to the main bar. There was a full course dinner with chicken cordon bleu as the entrée. Of course, being 31 December in SE Pennsylvania, it was cold {upper 20’s-low 30’s during the day}. It had been drizzling all day; by the time the sun had gone down, it had become sleet/freezing rain.

I was circulating, making sure “things” were OK, and that folks weren’t getting too stupid with the drinking {we had the best prices in town – Bud on tap for about $0.50, Johnny Walker Black Label $1.25/shot}. Midnight came, “Happy NEW YEAR” was shouted, and it started winding down. I needed some fresh air, so I stepped out on the loading dock – and this collie walked up to me. She’d been trying to shelter behind some of the ‘stuff’ on the dock. She was shivering, so I brought her inside {before any Health Inspectors get bent out of shape, the food serving was DONE, the clean-up crew would be doing their thing on 2 January, before we opened for business, etc., etc.}. I scrounged some leftover chicken, made sure there were no bones & gave it to her, along with some water. She followed me willingly down to the main bar, where we “worker bees” were decompressing. A friend was to give me a ride home, but she didn’t want the dog in her car – I said OK, I’ll walk {it was less than a half mile home, I had a GREAT down-filled coat}, in stiletto heels, with the dog – my friend decided it wasn’t that far to carry a dog – another friend of ours carried the old girl out to the car, held her on his lap and then carried her to my back door {the walkway was icy}. I put her in the basement, with food & water, left a note for my folks {Happy New Year – by the way, there’s a strange dog in the basement} – and went to bed.

My folks, of course, were up LONG before I was – when I got up, my Dad just kind of grunted, but my Mom’s & daughter’s eyes were SHINING – I’d been calling the old girl “Princess”, but my Mom changed it to “Precious” – and she was ……………………… sweet-natured, let us know when she had to go out, just generally the kind of dog you hope you’re getting when you get one ……………………………. She’d stand in the middle of the kitchen and do a weird sort of howl when she was in a playful mood, with such effort that her forepaws left the floor. She was older & arthritic, but it never affected her disposition. We did the checking with shelters/pounds/vet’s offices, to see if she’d been reported missing …………………………. No responses. SIX MONTHS LATER, we get a call from a student @ Lehigh University – he’d gone home for the holidays, and left Precious on her own …………………………………. Now, bear in mind that the campus was over 4 miles from the club where she wound up – traveling through all kinds of weather, dodging traffic, etc., since at least a few days before Christmas …………………………. He didn’t want her back ……………………….. a couple months later, we had to have her euthanized, as she’d developed a multitude of problems, including respiratory issues. My folks took her in the Cavalier wagon, the vet came out to the car, and administered the drugs right there, to alleviate as much of the anxiety for her as possible – she went peacefully, being petted by people she knew had loved and appreciated her …………………….. and she took a piece of each of our hearts ………………………. And I just hope that she’ll be there with St. Francis of Assissi when my time is done – ‘cause it won’t be Heaven ‘less my critters are there, too ………………………….

I borrowed from LawDog .............................

{with attribution} in a post on my Marine message board, re: the abysmal state of people when it comes to protecting themselves as individuals, and protecting others {ie, Virginia Tech} ......................... maybe, because of my reading of true crime, crime novels & watching crime shows, I've been aware of my surroundings, for YEARS - and had a pretty good idea of "what" was available if needed for protection ....................... maybe it's paranoia, I don't know - as a survivor of childhood physical abuse, I tend to be 'hypervigilant' - this doesn't mean I was never a "victim" of a random crime, but the examples of PPP {Pi$$ Poor Protoplasm - it's a medical term, just ask Ambulance Driver! ;-)} by-God knew they had tangled with this partic'lar blonde ......................

I want to do a tribute to a dog that touched my heart, as the MPD Saint has recently done, but I'm afraid it will have to wait 'til later, as I've a migraine tonight, and won't take the meds 'til the spousal unit is home - the truck WAS running sans leaks today, but 'til it's in the driveway, I'll just wait ....................... ;-)

Welcome to Loren, aka BaldEagle!

Today was FUN - spousal unit took yesterday off, for his birthday {which actually is today} - he went out to go to work today, and his battery was dead {he's got electrical issues}, so I chickie-trotted out to bring my Jeep around so it could jump his truck - got the Dodge going, and he's in the driver's seat, getting ready to leave & our CLL neighbor wandered over - LUCKILY, D. noticed that the radiator was leaking, rather profusely. So, D. loaned the spousal unit HIS Dodge, and I headed to the little auto parts place we have here - got a can of K&W Permanent Metallic Block Seal - our other neighbor came over & helped me drain the radiator, flush it, put the K&W stuff in {it LOOKS like liquefied rust - I figure they're copper particles}, ran it for 30 minutes, drained the K&W - you're supposed to be let it set for 24 hours - not gonna happen - SU will be flushing it ~ 1000, then putting antifreeze in & heading to work by 1200 tomorrow ..............................
Loren, I will be giving your site info to our neighbor & his wife - thank you! ;-)

OK, I've GOT to put my $.02 worth in .............................

Tamara, at View From the Porch, takes on the state of Illinois, and their "advice" for women's defense ......................... first question - Are the Illinois State Police smoking the stuff they're getting off the streets?

Illinois' Ideas for Women's Safety

When we returned from living in Mexico, my spousal unit almost immediately left for the assignment in the Czech Republic - I hied my {then} skinny butt to Academy, and found a moderately-priced pump-action Mossberg. I filled out the paperwork, and within 30 minutes, the background check was done, and I was on my way home with 'Ms.' Mossberg ....................... located a nearby range, and took the progeny out for a familiarization with it - she didn't care for the rather loud "boom", and asserted that, should the need arise, she preferred to use it as a club ..................... local news reports {home invasions are a common crime here} altered her resolve ........................

At one time, I was admittedly one of "those" people who didn't think I had need of a firearm ........................ then the progeny was born - and I began thinking in terms of protecting not only myself, but HER ......................... several law enforcement officers, in Pennsylvania and Virginia both, advised me against getting a weapon .................... I took their advice at the time .................... but now, I have Ms. Mossberg for home defense, and am looking to purchase a handgun and get my concealed-carry permit ..................... a friend up in Dallas has a NICE 9m semi-auto that fit my hand nicely - ideally, I would be able to try out several different pistols, and make my final choice on that basis .......................

A gentleman I am honored to call friend is a retired Lt. Colonel of Marines - one of his favorite sayings is : An unarmed populace are subjects; an armed populace are citizens ........................

'Specially for America ......................... ;-)

It's About Time!

L.A. Police Sued Over Immigrant Policy
By PETER PRENGAMAN, Associated Press Writer
12:28 AM PDT, April 12, 2007
LOS ANGELES -- Illegal immigration opponents have sued the Los Angeles Police Department, taking aim at its long-standing policy of ignoring most suspects' immigration status.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday in Superior Court seeks to force officers to inform federal immigration officials when illegal immigrants are arrested on drug charges.

The department prohibits officers from inquiring about the immigration status of suspects, a policy strongly supported by Police Chief William Bratton and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

The lawsuit was brought on behalf of unidentified police officers who are afraid to speak out but argue the policy creates a situation where the same illegal immigrants are repeatedly arrested when they could have been deported, lawyer David Klehm said.

"Everyone I spoke to told me their hands were tied with this policy," Klehm said.

The lawsuit relies on a section of the state's Health and Safety Code that states that in drug cases involving a non-citizen, "the arresting agency shall notify the appropriate agency of the United States having charge of deportation."

Los Angeles police officers do not ask about immigration status while interviewing victims, witnesses and suspects, and do not arrest people based on immigration status.

Officers do involve immigration officials if a suspect is a gang member who has been previously deported or if a suspect is arrested for a felony or multiple misdemeanors.

Bratton has argued that the police department does not have the resources to work as immigration agents.

Klehm, an anti-illegal immigration activist based in Orange County, filed a similar lawsuit against the San Jose Police Department a few weeks ago.

Watching "Desperation" ..............................

I have to say, I much prefer Ron Perlman's law enforcement character in Happy, Texas to his character in Desperation ...................... don't hate me, LawDog & Matt G.!! ;-)

Gonna be baking the spousal unit's birthday cake today - he's a carrot cake aficionado, so that's what I'm doing - would you believe, he had the temerity to ask if I was making it from scratch! Like there's any other way to do it ...................... his birthday is actually Sunday, but he'll be able to take it in & share it with his co-workers ....................... way back when, right before & after we were married {Fall-Winter 1999}, I'd make 'stuff' for him to take in to work - he'd have to hide it if he wanted HIS folks to get any goodies, as he would go in early, and the metallurgical engineers would 'follow their noses' and raid the cinnamon rolls or homemade kolaches, or whatever else I'd made ..................... ;-)

Chumley-Bumley is back!!!

He'd disappeared for 10-14 days. My sweet cross-eyed Tom has lost about 25% of his weight ................... gave him fresh dry food, water, & about 1/4 can of wet food - he wanted more wet food, but I didn't want to overload his stomach ....................... his toe looks OK, and the scratch/bite behind his ear is starting to grow fur again - but more than any food, I think he was looking for some petting & some kind words, to know that someone values him {yes, I've a habit of anthropomorphizing my 'critters'} ........................ ;-)

I truly hope ................................

that this year's protests exceed last year's ........................ the President and the congressional members of the Treason Lobby could then kiss any amnesty goodbye ......................

Immigration Activists Call for Boycott

Precisely WHAT part of the term "illegal alien" do these people not comprehend? I don't care if you were born in a boil on the buttocks of the world, you do NOT have an "inalienable right" to come to the USA ......................

I think my plan for getting American citizens involved in a class-action RICO lawsuit against the federal government might have been a little too ambitious - maybe what's needed are true grass-roots efforts, beginning at the level of village/township/borough levels, progressing to city levels, to county, to state, and THEN to the federal government - hear me out, here - RICO covers conspiracies - the feds have used RICO to go after Mafia, gangs, etc - "regular citizens" CAN utilize RICO statutes ...................... we could also use them against the businesses that HIRE illegals ........................

Wonders never cease ................................

I'm able to access TWO days in a row ......................... !!!!

Welcome to Shooter - I take it from your comments that you're 'kind of' a neighbor ........................ of course, for those of you unfamiliar with Houston, you may live 20-30 miles' distance & still consider yourselves neighbors ...................... ;-) Houston is nothing if not urban sprawl ......................

Oh, yeah, and I'm feeling .........................

kinda good about myself - our neighbor with the health issues is going through his second bout with leukemia {CLL} ........................ he has an oncologist affiliated with M. D. Anderson - but there's an internist he was seeing while he was in remission - D. had been feeling rather 'bleah', so he called the internist to get an appointment - s/he told D. to come in for a testosterone shot - D.'s telling me this the evening before he's to get the shot - I told him that wasn't a good idea - from what I recall, NO additional, "therapeutic" hormones are 'safe'/good for you when battling cancer of any kind - did some research on the Web, took it over to him - the next day, as the spousal unit is preparing to leave, D. comes over & thanks me for being such a 'noodge' - he'd called his oncologist, who absolutely backed me up as to the dangers of hormone therapy ....................... I used to do medical literature searches for an anesthesiology department, so it's just a matter of knowing where to look ......................... but at least I kept D. from making a mistake that could've hindered his recovery/remission ........................

HUMPH!!

It MUST be a matter of holding one's mouth just right - or the intercession via eMail from Ambulance Driver - b'cause I DO NOT understand how my access to/through Blogger is so hit-&-miss .......................

Here in the wilds NNE of Houston, folks are up in arms about Mayor Witless {my UNaffectionate term for Bill White}:

Home for mentally retarded stands to lose prime location
By MELANIE MARKLEY
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

For more than 40 years, it has occupied a prime chunk of public real estate near River Oaks caring for, employing and housing the mentally retarded.

But now the city of Houston is planning to sell the land to the highest bidder, meaning the nonprofit Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation has to find a new home.

The center's directors do not intend to go quietly. They have a 99-year lease signed with the city in the 1960s that required them to construct buildings and provide services for one of the city's neediest populations.

"I'm trying not to be real combative about it, but, doggone it, at the end of the day, if it comes to it, we'll fight," said Jack Manning, a member of the center's board. "We are not going to knuckle down and just move out."

But the city says the center may have no option.

The 99-year lease, signed in 1963 by then-Mayor Lewis Cutrer, is not valid, city lawyers argue, because the city charter limits such agreements to no more than 30 years.

And though the center has been paying the city $1 a year to lease the land, real estate investors say that particular tract, which sits on six acres between West Dallas and Allen Parkway near Shepherd, has become extremely valuable.

By real estate broker Stan Creech's estimate, it's worth about $26 million.

"That's Class A. It doesn't get any better," said Creech, who thinks the land would be choice for high-rise condominiums, in large part because of the unobstructed view of downtown to the east and River Oaks to the west.

Duty to taxpayers?

Citing their fiduciary responsibility to taxpayers, city officials say that selling the property would benefit more people in the long run.

And City Attorney Arturo Michel said it's not fair to give such a sweetheart deal to one nonprofit. In fact, the city has begun reviewing similar deals with other nonprofits housed on public property. The Lighthouse for the Blind nearby leases part of its property from the city, but officials say that lease, for 30 years, is valid. It's set to expire in 2030.

Mayor Bill White said he offered the center for those with mental retardation an opportunity to lease the property at a rate closer to market value, but he got no response.

"We are trying to make sure that we use the resources that we have to help the most number of people that are most in need," White said, adding that the city has offered to help the center find another location.

Manning said the market value of the property is too steep for his nonprofit, a United Way agency that has a budget of about $11 million a year. And, if center officials have to buy new land and spend tens of millions of dollars to replace the buildings left behind, the cost could get prohibitive.

Center officials also worry that the move seriously will jeopardize the centrally located services they provide for roughly 600 Houstonians.

Most at risk, they say, are the nearly 200 adults living in a dormitory on the property. The center faces the task of building new living quarters or finding other facilities and homes that can take them.

The center built the six-story Cullen Residence Hall after signing a 30-year lease with the city in 1972 to acquire an additional acre to go with the original five included in the 99-year lease.

Former Mayor Lee Brown's administration started to renew the lease when it expired in 2002, but, after White took office, it was never finalized. The center has been on a year-to-year lease ever since.

Executive Director Eva Aguirre said the center has more than held up its end of the lease, which required at least $17,200 in annual social services in trade for using the property. Aguirre said the center has provided more than $1 million in yearly services to people who can't afford to pay.

Array of services

Aside from a residence hall, the center runs a sheltered work site, vocational training, an adult day care for adults with severe mental and physical disabilities, and support services for clients living in apartments in the neighborhood.

The center also offers a life plan for mentally disabled people who are expected to outlive their parents and have no one else to take care of them.

Officials say they still hope to work something out with the city. But in a March 22 letter to the center's board, Real Estate Director Bob Christy made the city's plans clear.

The bid process, he said, likely would take place in the next six to nine months, and the center would have about three years to relocate. Any sale must be approved by the City Council.

Aguirre said the past few months have been very unsettling.

"It's difficult to plan for the future without knowing what the future is," Aguirre said.

Center officials have not yet told the people living in the Cullen Residence Hall that they may have to move. For many who live there, Aguirre said, "we are their support network, we are their family."

Residents are charged a flat rate to live there, and for those with no means, the center relies on donations and federal dollars to cover their care.

Many of the residents are middle-age or older. In fact, when the facility opened in the mid-1970s, Aguirre said, the average age of the residents was 23. Now it's closer to 53.

'I'm really, really worried'

Gwen Seammen said her 64-year-old son, Max, has lived in the residence hall since the day it opened.

"I'm really, really worried," said Seammen, 84. "They have a lot of freedom there, and yet they have a lot of supervision. ... It's his home, and I don't know what's going to happen if they close it."

Board President Wayne Johnson said there are no easy answers.

"The mayor has not put us in a good position," said Johnson, who has a 47-year-old daughter living in the residence hall. "And I'm not a happy camper."

Councilwoman Ada Edwards, whose district includes the center, said the city is in a difficult spot.

On the one hand, it's taxpayer money, and the city has a financial responsibility.

On the other hand, the city also has a moral and social responsibility, and there is no question the center provides valuable services to a vulnerable community.

"I think there is a larger issue that needs to be raised, and I hope the community will help us look at this issue," she said. "Because, if we do remove them, where will they go? And who will be responsible for their care?"

melanie.markley@chron.com

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/4678194.html

This is SO wrong, on SO many levels - I've yet to see anyone mention "eminent domain", but that's what this amounts to.

Mark my words, if the developers win, within 6 months at least 30% of the residents of the Home will be on the streets ........................

Witless is a liar & hypocrite - his own daughter was stopped for drunk driving, but was adjudicated 'not guilty' - wouldn't you have loved to be a fly on the wall when THAT deal went down?

He claims that Houston isn't a 'sanctuary city', but the policies of the police & others give lie to THAT assertion - and people wonder why I don't want to live within Houston city limits ......................

OK, long-time Bloggers .............................

HOW/WHO do you go to when you have "issues"? PLEASE don't recommend the 'help groups' - for whatever reason, my "nickname" isn't acceptable .....................
Frustration, thy name is BLOGGER!!

TWO BLOODY WEEKS LATER .........................

I am able to access 'the Dashboard' - via the "sign in" link at DW's blog - LawDog's, Holly's, Flying Flo's, AD's - NONE of them permitted the full loading of the sign in page .............................
While I have it open this time, I'm by-God getting a contact eMail for Blogger, to be able to raise hell tomorrow, when I'm once again unable to access MY blog!
Went to see the Lipizzaner stallions perform @ the Toyota Center here in Houston Sunday - what magnificent creatures they are!! On the way home, we saw the aftermath {severely crunched vehicles} of a horrendous accident, on US 59 Southbound, for those of you familiar with the Houston area - a mother and her pregnant 18 year old daughter were killed - the jerk responsible for their deaths jumped out of his pickup, started running, was hit buy another car, got up & kept running .......................... here's the kicker: the SOB is an illegal - he'd been arrested & jailed THREE TIMES PREVIOUSLY for drunk driving here ....................... luckily, the cops were able to catch him, and he'll be facing charges of intoxication manslaughter {if the world were FAIR, he'd be facing premeditated capital murder charges} - no bail, so he will presumably be held until his trial, at which time he will be going to prison ...................

The saying, 'No good deed goes unpunished'?

Ye-eah, that would be me .............................. {Holly & Flo already know this, via eMail ;-) }


The floor in our laundry area has been buckling since July - the top layer actually split open about 3 weeks ago - the Spousal Unit decided to take Monday & Tuesday off, to fix it - turns out, last time it was repaired, some idjit decided to go really cheap & used particle board, stapled to the 2" x 6"s - then used "sheetrock mud" to fill the gap/level it to the plywood it was adjacent to - the particle board was black with mold - he got a SawZall & cut between the 2 x 6s - then I got to pry it off where it was stapled - my right elbow has been giving me fits for a couple of weeks - swinging the hammer didn't help - and the Spousal Unit put 1" plywood down, with 2 x 4s between the 2 x 6s for bracing - using wood screws & nails - but, there are several HOLES under the 2 x 6s - ShortSh#t {aka Pedro, aka ThunderPaws} decided to go adventuring - and the Spousal Unit "boarded" him under the trailer - I'd gone outside for something, and the neighbor's cat {the one I just took for his shots} was raising he## at the skirting - I came in and made a feline 'head-count' - SS was the only one unaccounted for - the Spousal Unit pulled the skirting out - sure enough, there he was, cobwebs on his whiskers - the neighbor's cat, BJ, was still letting his displeasure be known - I got some wet food and tried to entice SS to me - he FINALLY came over & I was able to scruff him - of course, HE tried to get his teeth around to my hand - I held onto him, while waiting for the Spousal Unit to come over & help - all of a sudden, there was some rather severe pain in my upper right arm - BJ decided that, since Stubby was no longer here, if I'm outside, I'm to give him {BJ} my undivided attention - BJ finally removed his claws - the Spousal Unit got hold of SS, and we got him out from under - got SS in the house - all while I'm bleeding rather profusely - later, I was returning borrowed tools, and BJ FOLLOWED me - when I left one neighbor's house, and was out of his line of sight, I could hear him calling to me - and again, this morning, I'm feeling like the Pied Piper of cats ......................... and I'm STILL bleeding, and it hurts from elbow to shoulder - I figure it's due to the aspirin I've been taking per doc's suggestion ................................... but all OUR cats are present & accounted for, and BJ has decided our porch is HIS sole turf ............................ while soaking last night, I heard another stray outside {I call him Chumley-Bumley, Flo - ;-) }, but BJ wouldn't permit him to come up for groceries .................................. ;-)

DON'T put me in the middle, if I don't have a

dog in your fight!

A neighbor is going through some health issues, that preclude his doing a lot work-wise ....................... the owner of a property adjacent to his asked if he would build a deck/porch - neighbor said sure - then the owner gets someone else to build the deck/porch - neighbor went OFF - the owner of the other property comes over to ME, asking MY intercession - he's "afraid" of the neighbor - now, as I said, neighbor has health issues - plus, he's about 5'7", MAYBE 160# soaking wet, and 55+ years old - the owner of the other property is 6'2"-6'4", 200# easily, and about 35 years old, works in oil fields outside the U.S. - but he's "scared" the neighbor will come after him with a gun ...................... nevermind that the neighbors don't HAVE any guns ....................... and this young, obviously NEUTERED male wants ME to intercede for him - why not go to the neighbor's wife?

Have I mentioned that I don't care for males who have no sense of their own testosterone? Hell's belles, our neutered male cats have more ba##s than this .......................... person ...........................

I guess I just got spoiled, in the Marine Corps - I don't recall a single instance of doubting a Marine's testosterone levels ...........................

Oy vey iz mir!!!

So, it turns out, much of my problems with my computer/accessing the blog, is/are the youngest of "da Boyz" {Tigger & FizzleDizzle} - they decided that the PS/2-USB adapter for my mouse needed to be jumped on/batted at/generally there for their amusement - they bent the outer cylinder of the PS/2 portion .................... it's now in a USB port ........................ ;-)
Took the neighbors' male dog and their cat for 'cheap shots' today, to the "Mobile Vet" - now that they're taken care of re: rabies, they can be neutered - also got Stubby 'K' & FizzleDizzle their shots - after bringing them home, another neighbor was asking if I knew of an outside cat that needed a home - Stubby MAY be going to his daughter's - they have a couple of ponds on their property, with snakes - he reassured me that Stubby would be fed, loved, have shelter, AND that his daughter will keep Benadryl on hand in case he's bitten by a snake ...................... but as an un-neutered Tom, Stubby will probably just have to spray, marking his turf, & the snakes will decamp for other areas ............................ the gentleman who's our neighbor also reassured me that, if Stubby isn't being cared for as necessary, he'll bring him back to me ..........................
I wrote this a couple days ago, to post here, before I realized my problems accessing .........................
Don’t know how the REST of the country is dealing ……………………..
With the news media doing their collective best impression of Chicken Little re: the “early” application of daylight savings time …………………………. Here in the wilds of Houston, one would think we’re re-experiencing ‘the Millennium’ – and the denizens of this part of Texas are too collectively stupid to figure out how to change all the clock-dependent gadgets’ times …………………… {have I mentioned how I loathe being addressed as though I’m an idiot/3 year old child? ;-) }
AND, another thing – SUVs have been getting bad press for years now, because they protect the people riding in them, to the detriment of people in other types of vehicles. Now, I’ve always heard that Volvos are extremely good vehicles, as far as protection of the passengers – again, it would seem that would occur to the cost of people in other vehicles, but you never hear of put downs of Volvos …………………………

Blogger has been EXTREMELY difficult for me to

access the past couple of days ....................
As a public service announcement:

I got this from my neighbor today, & I just verified this with my progeny - she just had a case last week of raisin toxicity - grapes are not near as bad, as the chemicals aren't as concentrated as in raisins - you CAN give your dog(s) vegetables - sweet potatoes are especially good for dogs - but NO raisins!

ALERT FOR ALL DOG OWNERS


Please Pass This On To Anyone Who Has A Dog
This week I had the first case in history of raisin toxicity ever seen at MedVet.

My patient was a 56-pound, 5 yr old male neutered lab mix who ate half a canister of raisins sometime between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday. He started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking about 1AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7AM. I had heard somewhere about raisins AND grapes causing acute Renal failure but hadn't seen any formal paper on the subject. We had her bring the dog in immediately. In the meantime, I called the ER service at MedVet,and the doctor there was like me - had heard something about it, but....



Anyway, we contacted the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center and they said to give I V fluids at 1 = times maintenance and watch the kidney values for the next 48-72 hours.

The dog's BUN (blood urea nitrogen level) was already at 32 (normal less than 27) and creatinine over 5 (1.9 is the high end of normal). Both are monitors of kidney function in the bloodstream. We placed an IV catheter and started the fluids. Rechecked the renal values at 5 PM and the BUN was over 40 and creatinine over 7 with no urine production after a liter of fluids.

At the point I felt the dog was in acute renal failure and sent him on to MedVet for a urinary catheter to monitor urine output overnight as well as overnight care.

He started vomiting again overnight at MedVet and his renal values have continued to increase daily. He produced urine when given lasix as a diuretic. He was on 3 different anti-vomiting medications and they still couldn't control his vomiting. Today his urine output decreased again, his BUN was over 120, his creatinine was at 10, his phosphorus was very elevated
and his blood pressure, which had been staying around 150, skyrocketed to 220. He continued to vomit and the owners elected to euthanize.

This is a very sad case - great dog, great owners who had no idea raisins could be a toxin.

Please alert everyone you know who has a dog of this very serious risk. Poison control said as few as 7 raisins or grapes could be toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes or raisins as treats including our ex-handler's. Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern.

DragonWatch has a WONDERFUL post on illegal immigration ........................

be sure to check him out!

Tolewyn, LawDog's relation, has a brownies recipe on his recent post .................. sooooooo, in the spirit of friendly competition, I submit allrecipes.com 's Baked Fudge:

Baked Fudge
Submitted by: Suzanne LeVieux-Hall
Rated: 4 out of 5 by 13 members Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour Ready In: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Yields: 12 servings

"A sweet gooey mixture of sugar, flour, cocoa, eggs, butter, vanilla and pecans becomes an irresistible panful of baked rich sweetness."
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
powder 4 eggs, beaten
1 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. In large bowl, sift together sugar, flour and cocoa. Add eggs. Add melted butter, vanilla and pecans. Pour mixture into 8x12-inch baking pan.
3. Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place baking dish on towel, inside roasting pan, and place roasting pan on oven rack. Fill roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until firm.

NOW, I don't make "male fudge" {think about that term before you ask what I mean ..................... ;-) } and, being from Hershey, I add 25-50% more cocoa - leave the other ingredients the same ...................... ;-)
I'd make this for my students down in Mexico - I'd have to hide it from our fellow teachers, as they would devour it before my students got any! Also, as you can see from the ingredients, it is in NO way 'low calorie' - but, it's SO rich, a little goes a long way ............................

Hat tip, Jerry H. - my question below ...........................

WONDER LAND
The Real American Idol
Why the New York Times buried Maj. Bruce Crandall's Medal of Honor on page 15.
BY DANIEL HENNINGER
Thursday, March 1, 2007 12:01 a.m.

Amid the mad jumble that makes the news in our time, the White House on Monday held a ceremony for a Medal of Honor recipient. His name is Bruce Crandall. Mr. Crandall is 74 now, and earned his medal as a major, flying a Huey helicopter in 1965 in the Vietnam War.

The Medal of Honor is conferred only for bravery in combat. It is a military medal, and it is still generally regarded as the highest public tribute this nation can bestow. It is also very rare.

Still, the Medal of Honor does not occupy the place in the nation's cultural life that it once did. This has much to do with the ambivalent place of the military in our angry politics.

In the House debate just ended on a "non-binding" resolution to thwart the sending of more troops to Iraq, its most noted element was the Democratic formulation to "support the troops" but oppose the war. We will hear more of this when the members of the Senate debate their own symbolic resolution.

In last November's congressional election, the Democrats picked several military veterans as candidates to mitigate the notion, a burden since Vietnam, that an endemic hostility toward things military runs through the party's veins.

Those Democratic veterans won. Notwithstanding the bitter divide over Iraq, the presence of these veterans in Congress should be a good thing, if one thinks that the oft-publicized "divide" between the professional military and American civilians is not in this country's interest. It surely cannot be in the country's interest if over time more Americans come to regard the life of U.S. soldiers at war and in combat as an abstraction--as say, mainly Oscar nominees or as newspaper photographs of scenes of utter loss at arms.

Two men have received the Medal of Honor for service in Iraq: Army Sgt. First Class Paul R. Smith, who died defending some 100 fellow soldiers, allowing their withdrawal; and Marine Cpl. Jason L. Dunham, who died after he dove atop a live grenade to protect his squad. (Cpl. Dunham's act was the subject of a 2004 Wall Street Journal story by reporter Michael M. Phillips and later a book, "The Gift of Valor.")

Bruce Crandall's Medal of Honor, at an emotional remove of 42 years, offers a chance to ponder just where the military stands now in the nation's life. The particulars of Lt. Col. Crandall's act of heroism, and what others said of it at the awarding of the medal on Monday, offers we civilians a chance to understand not merely the risks of combat but what animates those who embrace those risks.

Mr. Crandall, then a major, commanded a company with the 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, carrying soldiers to a landing zone, called X-ray, in the la Drang Valley. An assault from the North Vietnamese army erupted, as described at the White House ceremony Monday. Three soldiers on Maj. Crandall's helicopter were killed. He kept it on the ground while four wounded were taken aboard. Back at base, he asked for a volunteer to return with him to X-ray. Capt. Ed Freeman came forward. Through smoke and bullets, they flew in and out 14 times, spent 14 hours in the air and used three helicopters. They evacuated 70 wounded. The battalion survived.

A Medal of Honor requires eyewitness accounts, and an officer there attested, "Maj. Crandall's actions were without question the most valorous I've observed of any helicopter pilot in Vietnam."

Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the Army chief of staff, spoke at the ceremony of what he called "the warrior ethos." Look at his words and consider whether they still stand today, or whether as a matter of the nation's broader ethos of commonly accepted beliefs, they are under challenge. Gen. Schoomaker said: "The words of the warrior ethos that we have today--I will always place the mission first; I will never accept defeat; I will never quit; and I will never leave a fallen comrade--were made real that day in the la Drang Valley."

At issue today is the question: Is that ethos worth it, worth the inevitable sacrifice? And not only in Iraq but in whatever may lie beyond Iraq?

The secretary of the Army, Francis Harvey, went on in this vein: "The courage and fortitude of America's soldiers in combat exemplified by these individuals is, without question, the highest level of human behavior. It demonstrates the basic goodness of mankind as well as the inherent kindness and patriotism of American soldiers."

An American soldier in combat demonstrates "the basic goodness of mankind"? And the highest level of human behavior? This was not thought to be true at the moment Maj. Crandall was flying those choppers in Vietnam. Nor is it now.

To embrace the thoughts of Gen. Schoomaker and of Secretary Harvey is to risk being accused of defending notions of American triumphalism and an overly strong martial spirit thought inappropriate to the realities of a multilateral world. This is a debate worth having. But we are not having it. We are hiding from it.

In a less doubtful culture, Maj. Crandall's magnificent medal would have been on every front page, if only a photograph. It was on no one's front page Tuesday. The New York Times, the culture's lodestar, had a photograph on its front page of President Bush addressing governors about an insurance plan. Maj. Crandall's Medal of Honor was on page 15, in a round-up, three lines from the bottom. Other big-city dailies also ran it in their news summaries; some--the Washington Post, USA Today--ran full accounts inside.

Most schoolchildren once knew the names of the nation's heroes in war--Ethan Allen, John Paul Jones, Stephen Decatur, the Swamp Fox Francis Marion, Ulysses S. Grant, Clara Barton, Billy Mitchell, Alvin York, Lee Ann Hester. Lee Ann who? She's the first woman to win a Silver Star for direct combat with the enemy. Did it in a trench in Iraq. Her story should be in schools, but it won't be.

All nations celebrate personal icons, and ours now tend to be doers of good. That's fine. But if we suppress the martial feats of a Bruce Crandall, we distance ourselves further from our military. And in time, we will change. At some risk.

Is it just possible, that we've seemingly lost our collective respect for people such as LtCol Crandall, due to the 'feminization' of our culture? LGBT has NOTHING to do with my premise - it's the arc of the pendulum that has elevated "feminine qualities" over, and to the detriment of, any presumptive masculine qualities ....................... at 40+ years from my youth, I can cheerfully acknowledge that I was a 'tomboy' - climbing trees, building forts, playing shoot'em up - today, such behavior is not only verboten for girls, it's forbidden to boys - sometimes, hearing men whine, I truly want to smack them, grab them by their stacking swivels and yell "Grow a pair!!" No, I don't want a return to Ozzie & Harriet - but dammit, Guys, stand up for yourselves ..........................

Seems my last struck a chord ................................ ;-)

years ago, I dated a fellow who had been in advertising - per him, the criteria for ads was "white man as a$$hole" .................... just so y'all know ......................... ;-)

Another burr that takes up residence under my saddle is the use {misuse} of the word "real" ......................

from Dictionary.com:
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source
re·al1 /ˈriəl, ril/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[ree-uhl, reel] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–adjective 1. true; not merely ostensible, nominal, or apparent: the real reason for an act.
2. existing or occurring as fact; actual rather than imaginary, ideal, or fictitious: a story taken from real life.
3. being an actual thing; having objective existence; not imaginary: The events you will see in the film are real and not just made up.
4. being actually such; not merely so-called: a real victory.
5. genuine; not counterfeit, artificial, or imitation; authentic: a real antique; a real diamond; real silk.
6. unfeigned or sincere: real sympathy; a real friend.
7. Informal. absolute; complete; utter: She's a real brain.
8. Philosophy. a. existent or pertaining to the existent as opposed to the nonexistent.
b. actual as opposed to possible or potential.
c. independent of experience as opposed to phenomenal or apparent.

9. (of money, income, or the like) measured in purchasing power rather than in nominal value: Inflation has driven income down in real terms, though nominal income appears to be higher.
10. Optics. (of an image) formed by the actual convergence of rays, as the image produced in a camera (opposed to virtual).
11. Mathematics. a. of, pertaining to, or having the value of a real number.
b. using real numbers: real analysis; real vector space.

–adverb 12. Informal. very or extremely: You did a real nice job painting the house.
–noun 13. real number.
14. the real, a. something that actually exists, as a particular quantity.
b. reality in general.

—Idiom15. for real, Informal. a. in reality; actually: You mean she dyed her hair green for real?
b. real; actual: The company's plans to relocate are for real.
c. genuine; sincere: I don't believe his friendly attitude is for real.

Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

I'm truly tired of ads that speak of "real people" - as opposed to "fake people"?

Also, what's the deal with "meteorologists" telling us that rain/sleet/snow are coming down? Do they believe that the laws of gravity don't affect various forms of water as they affect everything else on this planet? The same man I mentioned in the beginning of this post referred to me as "interactive Mary", because of my ..................... arguing with garbage I heard on TV/radio - I've lost count of the times I've yelled at TV weathermen, telling them I wanted to see rain/sleet/snow going UP ........................ ;-)

OK, time for a rant ………………………..

Exactly WHEN did “gaining self-respect” devolve into putting down others?
In case you hadn’t noticed, in the gospel according to advertising/entertainment, men are: stupid, or insensitive, or arrogant with no reason ……………………… and if, in the equation of their skits, there are racial minorities represented, the white man is the one having the aforementioned “qualities” …………………… the CitiBank woodland cycling ad comes immediately to mind – a group of friends are cycling along, but one of them doesn’t have a bike – HE jumps off a rise, bellyflops in the leaves and claims “I’m good!” The Dr. Scholl’s ads for “gellin’” have a similar put down ……………………. on ANY sitcom, the male leads are idiots, with their wives/children/friends showcasing their ……………………. “limits” ………………………….
Mebbe I’m too much a product of the nuns – I was taught that achieving self-respect consisted of raising one’s self to the goal, whatever it may be – but today, with everything being of the lowest common denominator, it seems the only requirement is to denigrate others, preferably white men …………………. I’m NOT of the school that produced John Edwards’ recent blogmistresses – “the patriarchy” doesn’t send me into frenzies of fear or loathing {which is kind of ironic, given the one blogmistress’ assertion that she would continue to have sex, using contraception, without fear of bearing children – there’s a disconnect there, in that she will use men for sexual pleasure} – the ONLY “special treatment” I’ve demanded was the opportunity to TRY something – if I failed, so be it – but THAT is how I became the first woman in my field in the Marine Corps …………………………

Still feeling like 10 lbs of fecal matter in a 5 lbs

bag ........................ Holly, since you only had a cold, you're off the hook for infecting me - but Rocky Mountain Medic is another story ....................... ;-)

Spousal unit decided last night that he'd take today off ..................... but he didn't tell me 'til today when it was time for him to be leaving for work ..................... I don't mind his taking a day off {God knows he deserves it!} HOWEVER comma pause - he COULD have called last night & informed me, so I could plan MY day ........................ if he can call to ask me to run out & pick up beer, because he's working overtime and beer sales won't "be" when he gets off work, he can call & let me know that he WON'T be going into work the next day ..................... ;-)

OH!!

And I certainly HOPE Holly the Goddess and Rocky Mountain Medic are pleased with yourselves - however it comes to pass, the two of you got me with your old flu's .............................. ;-)

From the "can't win for losing" files .......................................

I generally fix my spousal unit a dinner to take with him to work - repeatedly he has raised he## with me for giving him "too much" ..................... yesterday, I'd fixed him some of the stew beef with cabbage, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, sliced potatoes ....................... he adds about half again what I'd put in his dish ......................... 'cause "it smells so good, I want more!" ............................ ;-)

Picked up the pan set ........................

and tried making a "checkerboard cake" .......................... only problem, Wilton's recipe was only sufficient for *2* of the *3* 9" X 1.5" cake pans ............................. any bakers out there, HOW much batter should one make to fill 3 9" pans? I'm thinking of trying a gateau batter next time ......................... ;-)

I AM feeling somewhat "better" .......................

{thank you, DW! ;-) } ..........................
Made some pork roast in the crockpot couple days ago; now have stew beef in it .......................... and there's still homemade/made from scratch Salisbury steak in the freezer ............................
Public Health called today - they're busier than one-armed paper-hangers, due to an employee of a local restaurant popping with hepatitis A ....................... luckily, the spousal unit & I haven't been to this restaurant in about 4 years {so, I guess there is an "upside" to not going out .................. ;-) }
I'm kinda bummed - got an "issue" with a family member, that I'm struggling with, that won't be "resolvable" 'til May or so, so ....................... be patient, please ....................... ;-)

Back from 2nd doctor visit in a week .......................

a followup to the food poisoning from TacoBell/KFC - I signed a HIPAA form for release of my records to Harris County Public Health - thinking I was being helpful/accomodating - come to find out, my permission isn't needed in potential public health issues .........................
One little "oops" today - my blood pressure was 140/90 all three times the doc checked it - normal for me is 110 or below over 70 or below - so the doc wants me to check it ~ 3 times/week 'til my next visit in a month ...................... she was quite concerned, since every other visit I've been much closer to my "norms" ......................... now I have a "hegg-ache" as our progeny used to call'em - whether due to raised BP or just because, I dunno ........................
New author/series to recommend - Keri Arthur, and the books are Full Moon Rising, Kissing Sin, Tempting Evil, & Dangerous Games {the last two will come out in April & May} - think J.D. Robb meets Anne Rice - the protagonist is Riley Jenson, a heterosexual female dhampire {combination vampire/werewolf}, fraternal twin to Rhoan {a homosexual male, same combo} - the author lives in Australia, which is where the first two books take place. VERY well-written .................... I received James Patterson's latest, Step on a Crack for Valentine's - read it last night - Patterson is a good, quick read for those unfamiliar, and his new character, Mike Bennett, is very likable ......................

I admittedly have "issues" with double standards ..............................

I believe that what adults do in private, to/for each other, is their business ....................... promotion of support groups for adult members are adults' choices {organizations such as NAMBLA do NOT come under this umbrella} ...................... so why is an organization that promotes 'traditional' values such a threat to others? It seems to me that allowing civil discourse just may be more effective than shouting down any 'diversity of opinion' ......................


Use of the Words 'Natural Family' Ruled Hate Speech, Appeal Hearing Underway

Decision against employees could silence debate about homosexuality and related issues in entire Western United States

OAKLAND, California, February 14, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - On Thursday morning, in a special session being held at the Stanford University Law School campus a critical First Amendment case is being argued before the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The case deals squarely with the issue of whether Christians have a right to use neutral language in the workplace to talk about same-sex marriage and other issues at the forefront of national debate.

Attorneys Scott Lively and Richard D. Ackerman will be arguing the case before the Ninth Circuit on behalf of an African- American Christian woman who was threatened with termination at her job with the City of Oakland. The City of Oakland claims that references to the "natural family, marriage and family values" constitute hate speech which is scary to city workers. The Ninth Circuit panel of judges includes two women and one man.

Back in February of 2005, United States District Judge Vaughn Walker ruled the city of Oakland had a right to bar two employees from posting a Good News Employee Association flier promoting traditional family values on an office bulletin board. According to the lawsuit, gay and lesbian city workers had already been using the city's e-mail, bulletin board, and written communications systems for promoting their views to other workers, including the plaintiffs.

Source

OK, who's ready to join a class-action discrimination lawsuit?

As LEGAL AMERICAN CITIZENS, I daresay we would all have to provide SSNs ................... and BoA's actions are not discriminatory - how? They can also be charged with racketeering .........................

Bank of Illegal Aliens in America
By Michelle Malkin · February 13, 2007 09:21 AM

Higher standards...except for illegal aliens

Bank of America has introduced a new credit especially and exclusively for law-breaking immigrants. Really. The story is on the front page of the Wall Street Journal today. It's subscription-only. Here are the details:

In the latest sign of the U.S. banking industry's aggressive pursuit of the Hispanic market, Bank of America Corp. has quietly begun offering credit cards to customers without Social Security numbers -- typically illegal immigrants.

Michelle Malkin's Blog

Seems the mayor of Nashville has the

same degree of intestinal fortitude of most politicians ........................
Nashville mayor vetoes measure making English official language
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Mayor Bill Purcell vetoed a measure making English the official language of Nashville, saying it was unconstitutional and unnecessary.

"This ordinance does not reflect who we are in Nashville," Purcell said at a news conference Monday shortly after issuing his veto.

The measure passed 23-14 last week by the Metro Council required all government communications to be in English, except when multilingual communications are required by federal rules or are needed "to protect or promote public health, safety or welfare."

Yet Another Gutless Wonder

Here's an idea: Send politicos such as Purcell to Aztlan ..................... see how "flexible" his "hosts" will be .......................

OK, kiddle-diddles ...................................

thanks to LawDog on an idea for my spousal unit's birthday present ....................... ;-)
NOW, to the current "news" - Anna Nicole Smith died - I don't pretend to have ................... 'appreciated' her life choices, but they were her choices - I think she may have been very lonely, and couldn't figure out how to 'fix' that - she wanted out of a less-than-affluent existence, and she worked to accomplish that - it may not have been a career that you or I would have chosen {in my case, if I ever tried to support myself working in a "gentlemen's club", I woulda starved} - and I feel nothing but disgust for the 3 males {they aren't "men", much less "gentlemen"} now claiming to have known her in the Biblical sense and all claiming paternity of her baby. Additionally, her mother {from whom she was estranged} is now making the rounds of the 'chat shows' - "I loved her but didn't approve of her lifestyle" - and looking to gain some degree of claim on her granddaughter - her cousin is responding to reporters telling sordid, trashy stories of their youth - the only person to be mentioned so far, who has comported himself with any degree of dignity is her father - he refuses to deal with reporters, who are agog at the simplicity of his life {"His house is on stilts; there isn't even mail delivery here!"} - granted, there are claims {by others} that he was estranged from his daughter, because he didn't approve of her lifestyle, BUT - he, personally is not grabbing for the attention.
JMO, but the 3 males and her mother are all looking to get custody of the baby, in hopes that Anna Nicole left a will - there is a consensus that her lawsuit against her late husband's estate will move forward, and eventually, the baby will be worth about $400,000,000.00 - read my lips that is ALL the 3 plus her mother are concerned with - gaining control of that unimaginable sum of money - my spousal unit & I believe that DaniLynn {sp?} should be given to her grandfather, with about $1,000.00 as the standard monthly stipend for her care - the rest of the money held in trust, until she reaches her majority - if the court offered such a deal to the 3 plus mama .............................. watch them scatter ............................

'Specially for DW ............................ ;-)

re: revenge/justice ...........................
Back immediately after 9/11, I tried to go back in the Marines - as I explained to the recruiters, I had a great plan for bringing ObL to justice ........................ assemble a platoon of women Marines going through menopause - "insert" us into Afghanistan - when we find ObL, he's immediately heavily sedated - he's removed a la the NVA officer in The Green Berets - he's brought to the U.S., to a 'hidden location' - keep him valium'd up for about 6 weeks - in addition to the valium, LOAD him up with estrogen - which would basically atrophy his 'pride & joy', enlarge his breasts, widen his hips, severely affect the growth of his facial hair - do a 'hooker chic' tattoo'd makeup on him - at the end of 6 weeks, put him in a halter, microminiskirt, come-get-me heels, throw a burqa over him - let the valium wear off - parachute him back into Taliban Central - and make sure you have 'observation drones' covering the entire ....................... return ........................ ;-)

Our beloved LawDog is taking on Amazon.com .........................

FWIW, count this non-LEO on HIS side ........................... anybody who advocates what "Tom" does should be hanged, drawn & quartered .................... for those unaware, Braveheart showed it pretty close to historically accurately - one is "half hanged" - then let down - the trunk is split - then each arm & leg are tied to a horse - and the horses are whipped in 4 different directions ...........................

I'm about ready to boycott Taco Bell/KFC combos ............................

yesterday, trust me when I say, I woulda had to die to feel better - in the process of reporting the restaurant to health department ........................
Couldn't even get up to say goodbye to Frankie Blue Eyes, when Animal Control picked him up - I just found out, if I decide to "claim" him as his owner, it'll be about $300.00 - just under $100.00 for the quarantine {due upon picking him up from AC}, then $200.00 in fines/citations {due in about 30 days} ........................ if God smiles, I'll be able to take care of him ..........................
Our daughter believes in karma - if it is a valid belief system, I have to think that sometimes, payback occurs after death ....................

Hadda go pick up a humane trap Friday ..........................

I would truly like to have about 10 minutes alone with people who dump cats - I've managed to catch one in particular - I just put the trap out today, since I didn't want to have a cat in there over the weekend - this old fellow I've got in there right now is skittish - runs away if he can - but he's allowed me to pet him through the cage - I have the top covered wtih plastic, one of the sides is covered by a piece of cardboard - when I put a towel in it, for him to cuddle on, he drew it to him ........................... I KNOW I may be sentencing him to be euthanized, but that's far kinder than abandoning him when we move again - but I would STILL like to have a "private meeting" with the gutless, conscienceless "human" who dumped him - far as I can see, the old cat's only sin was in his original choice of human companion .............................

Flying Flo has a GREAT commentary on

"HillaryCare" - take a gander ......................... ;-)

Couple of evenings ago, our nextdoor neighbors brought me another cat - FizzleDizzle is GORGEOUS - he's sweet-natured - he looks like he could be the son of our poor Fuzzy, who disappeared in Mexico - Fuzzy was 'special' - he would have been a good candidate for tinfoil hats - he always seemed to hear voices no one else could ......................... FizzleDizzle doesn't seem to be psychotic - he IS playful as all get out, and a definite lap-kitty ........................
The same neighbors' cat had disappeared for several days - I saw him when he returned Friday morning - called his "mom" at work - he'd been in a tussle with something considerably bigger than him - he has a gaping wound behind his right ear, and a deep puncture wound on his left shoulder - he let me pour some hydrogen peroxide on him yesterday, and administer banana-flavored oral antibiotic {who thinks banana-flavored anything is appealing to cats??} - the son let me know he was walking around today - I brought him in, washed the fur over the wounds to soften it up & the spousal unit removed the matted fur from his big wounds with a razor blade, so they can be more accessible for treatment {antibiotic ointment} - this wonderful cat tolerated all our ministrations with NO complaints - no biting, scratching, nothing - there was a brown, herbal powder we were able to get in Mexico, that performed WONDERS on that type of wound - yes, I'm KICKING myself for not having stocked up on the stuff before we moved back .................... :-( }

FINALLY able to get back here ......................

and I see an announcement that they'll be out of service @ 1100 PST ....................... sigh .........................
Something I've wanted to put here for 2+ days - William Arkin, military commentator of the Washington Post - THIS troglodyte has me ready to smoke a pickle - how dare he question the troops' right to ask for support! When I was in, I would have been what is referred to as a REMF - rear-echelon - that's the way it was back then - but I'll put MY intestinal fortitude up against "Mr." Arkin's anyday - he MAY have worn the uniform, but he was NEVER a part of OUR military ...........................

First link is to the HotAir copy of Matt of BlackFive's comments:
HotAir Report

Here's a link to BlackFive itself {YAY, MATT!! KICK his butt!}
BlackFive

Johnny Dollar has a radio link of Arkin getting hysterical:
Johnny Dollar's comments

Here's the original article:
Column that started it all