As we approach the end of 2006, a recent loss in our home devastated my 16 year-old grandson.  The loss of his grandfather was traumatic.  But, because he had lost his father just 19 months earlier, the grief over that major loss didn't get a chance to run its normal course.  He had recently been allowed to date.  A restriction my daughter had imposed on his older sister and then to him:  no dating until the age of 16.  So he embarked on that elusive quest to find the "right" girl to care for and love all without a conscious thought.  The breakup three months later was almost as great a loss as the death of his father.  In December of this year he lost his grandfather. 

16 year-old boys are full of raging hormones, full of insecurities, full of joy and the uncertainness of everyday living.  They agonize over things that, to us adults, seem trivial but which for them are immense.  They are overly exuberant and eager to do everything at once.  They dislike the requirements placed on them by school attendance, homework and the rules of their parents.  They truly believe that they know everything they need to know to be successful and the future is hard to see but does not seem, to them, insurmountable.  

16 year-old boys do dumb things, sometimes very stupid things,  But, with discipline and stability surrounded by unconditional love of their parents, and family members, they usually blunder through into young adulthood.  The furies of life are as yet unknown to them.  They cannot, in fact, yet credit their elders with wisdom not to mention knowledge.  Their music, movies, television programs are, to us, an assault to our ears, eyes and senses.  They look at us and feel we are "too old" to understand anything that comes within their world.  Ah, to be young again...NOT!

12 days from my 16 year-old' s grandfather passing, came news that added to his already burdened soul:  his 16 year-old best friend had been killed in a car accident.  John, his friend, was in the back seat with his girl and the driver of the car appears to be under the influence of alcohol.  Of the four occupants in the automobile, one is dead: John.  One, a young girl is injured so severely that there is a 10% chance she'll make it.  We don't know about the third girl.  But the driver, well, the driver, gets off with just a broken arm.  In a brief moment of time, lessons we've tried to imprint on my grandson since he was a toddler have come home to roost in a reality uglier than can be imagined from the viewpoint of a teenager. 

The grief in our household if now threefold or fourfold if you count the loss of his first girl.  That too, is traumatic at any age, but as the first love (which none of us can every forget) it compares to the grief of death.  It will be an interesting year, 2007.  We hope his lessons are learned in a much softer way and we look forward to the day when our young man will become not only a grown man, but a human being.

There is, nothing more important for this world than to send forth as many human beings as possible.  The rest of the world seems intent on providing males and females but few human beings.

A Happy and prosperous New Year to all.  12/31/06

December 17, 2006

In the quiet of the very early hours this morning, my love and mate passed into that universal
world only the departed know.  Here in Laguna Hills it poured until his passing, as if
the world cried that this sane, honest and straight forward man was leaving it.  Yet,
when he died, the rain stopped and the stars,of which he is now a part, shone bright
as if in welcome: another white light had joined!

In life as in death, Bob will, in many small ways help other humans needing help.  It
was not a choice but a responsibility for he was, not only a man, but a human being.

We will not be having a memorial service.  Bob didn't want that, nor do I.  We will,
instead, have a "Celebration of Life"  get together one warm day in the very early
spring.  We hope that the worst will have passed for us and we will have learned
how to do without him, so that we can express the joy in having him be a part
of our lives.  His grandchildren have yet to "understand" and they need our time
and commitment as do my children.

There has been so much to do and no time to do it.  Now, we will be able to take
a few days/weeks to get everything, everywhere in order and proceed as Bob would
have known we would.  He will be missed!

Bob and I were nonconformists.  We didn't always see things others' way.  We, both,
accepted that people come in different sizes, colors and beliefs, not to mention bias.
We had, after all, our own.  But he loved people and being a salesman he had more
exposure than most.  Old people, children and animals loved him without question.
This is rare indeed.

I will miss you,

Your wife

I watched the last few minutes of "Pride & Prejudice" by Jane Austen.  It was the newest production of this tale one that has been "done" so often that I would suspect most people would know the story.  I had seen it previously, but at the time I thought that, deviating so far from the written word, made it somehow unfit.But it has preyed on my mind for several months and today when I saw the tail end of the movie I realized that it had a great deal more to offer than I had previously thought.

A tale by a woman, almost cloistered, raised in a small shire in England who wrote about 5-6 small books and died after a lingering illness.  She never married, let alone traveled beyond a few miles from her home.  Yet, this woman was able to put in a small book every emotion you can think of, except.  Love is the main theme of her writings but all kinds of love, not just the sexual tension of love like so many of the stories have over the past fifty years.  She understood the depth and breadth of that emotion in a way you wouldn't expect her to, her experiences, one supposes, precluded it.  But, perhaps not. 

Jane Austen wrote of the love a man feels for a woman; love of a parent, sibling, friend and  and others that come in and out of the characters she writes about. But, a clear, unconditional love is the point.  The hubris she delineates so well in her books, is an inability to "see" and understand what is immediately in front of you.  The ability to understand what her characters went through yet give them space, room and time for others, was awesome achievement for Ms. Austen.  She understood self indulgence minutely, as if she had been exposed to lots of it, as I am sure she was.  But most of all, she understood the mores and morals of her time and place and the effect it had, not only the men and women she writes about, but to everyone around her.  I have never felt despair in her writings.  A sadness of something lost, certainly.  But this woman not only knew herself, completely, but knew everyone else too. 

The modern movie makers have repeatedly tried to "do" Jane Austen and most have failed because, if you don't follow her story exactly, those that know the story, and most people do, won't experience the range and depth of emotions one does when one reads her.   This latest attempt didn't quite make it either, but at the very least this version manages to cut out a great deal of the story, but condense it so that the key parts are still there and let's the emotions come through the fine acting of the actors.  Whenever I need to let my mind rest, I pick up a Jane Austen.  I know the story, these are my characters, and they, after countless reads, still have the power to let me fall into the story within the first sentence so that I can feel love, pain, sadness and finally, happiness.

Just watched Supreme Court Justice, Stephen Breyer, on the Fox Sunday with Chris Wallace.  They were
discussing Justice Breyer's new book "Active Liberty Interpreting  our Democratic Constitution".  He would not answer questions with regards to Roe vs. Wade, any questions.  However, he obviously wants to sell his
book and get his agenda and ideology across, so he went on Fox Sunday.  It was the first time in the history of Fox that a Supreme Justice had appeared.  I think that's pretty telling.

What caught my attention was his "answer" in response to Chris' question about the Hamden  vs. Rumsfeld Decision.  For a very intelligent man, one we would assume was extensively well read and with the power to affect and change the will, law and direction of this country, I felt he was completely disingenuous! 

He used the internment of Japanese Americans, from American soil to American camps, against their will as one of the basis he used to come to his decision taking power away from an American President to determine the outcome of terrorists in Guantanamo, Cuba. 

Now I ask you, what do Japanese Americans interned in camps on American soil by President Roosevelt have to do with terrorists.  What he did not talk about was the German soldiers who were held prisoners of war on American soil, by the American Military.

Does he not understand the difference?

          1.  Terrorists are not "soldiers", do not belong or answer to any "government",  do not wear any
kind of uniform and further are killing both soldiers of our country and innocent civilians. 

          2.  Terrorists are fighting for a "religion", more, to use that religion to overcome all governments,
everywhere.

I wonder, what part of disingenuous does he does or doesn't understand.  Being a Supreme I would guess
he knew exactly what he was doing and why he was doing it.  If it helps him sell more books, so much the better.

    

Is precisely how I feel about my grandson.  I want to scream "sixteen????" and you still don't (here pick phrase, any phrase).  He is very handsome plus good looking, there is a difference.  He can look at you and make you wish to hand him the keys to your car (almost)!  When he needs to do anything he wishes to do, it gets done in the most efficient way possible.  But when he needs to something for Mom or myself, it just doesn't seem to be able to get done for hundreds of reasons/excuses.   He cannot, yet, see the forest for the trees.  Everything is sooooo emotionally packed.  His first "love" turned out not so good.  Oh the angst!  His depth of sadness or anger.  Pick your topic or your situation and there it is, deep, deep into a well of, well, something.  It is one of the most difficult of years in the life of a young boy turning man.  So much to do and so little time.  Never enough money (what? work for it?).  Rides here and there and everywhere.  And in the midst of this sixteenth year, right after the election in November,  he resembled a "LIBERAL" most of all!

Here is this young man with everything his station and ours can provide, but he is still not happy.  We know it's the hormones, but what is the excuse for the Left?  In just a few short years this young man will grow up and out, so what happened to the Left?  Our young man will go off to college (oh my!) and, as with his older sister, will not turn out to be a raving moonbat.  That is, precisely what happened to the last three generations of young people who attended academia.  They got brainwashed and there was either, no one home, or those at home said, did and thought the same.  In other words, they "hardwired" their children to expect more, only this time for nothing.  At least their parents' had the this last "handout" held up.  They had to at least work for it.  But this generation is going its parent's one better:  they want what they want when they want it and they expect their Mommy and Daddy, or at least the government., to give it them, AT NO COST!  This generation should just move to Europe and make room for the Europeans that are leaving that area daily, many of them coming here. 

Oh, well, at least our spoiled young man will grow out of it.  We will see to it that he does.  He has no choice.  Isn't that wonderful?  Isn't that grand?  We certainly think so and are looking forward to sending our second human being out into this cold, cruel and ugly world full of great opportunities for the greatest joy on earth, but, only if what they achieve, they are responsible for.

A very good read is at the American Thinker, "The Left Puzzle", by Jonathan A. Gallant.   I emailed the article to my "leftist" son, my "going left" brother and to favorite brother-in-law who "get it".  Check this out and tell me if you don't agree with Jonathan.  No, I didn't show it to my grandson, he's "too" busy today, but, he'll read it soon.

My letter to Andrew Greeley, Catholic priest and writer, on his article "Moral health tip to America:  Stay out of the draft" written for Sun Times (suntimes.com/news/greeley/156042,CST-EDT-greel01.article):

Dear Mr. Greeley:                                                    December 1, 2006

Years ago, I enjoyed reading some of your books.  The books were, for me, an easy read.  I don’t know when or why I stopped, but stop I did.  Years later, I have come across articles written by you on current subjects in various media.
 
I have to say that I have not always agreed with you and that may be in part because as a born Catholic who left that path decades ago, I felt that you, in particular wouldn't’t be affected by the ideology that has become prevalent in this country and has, in my opinion, caused endless harm.  Not because of the “idea” but because of the execution and lack of oversight.  That ideology has been so harmful for America and I don’t see a change anytime soon.  Republicans, like Democrats are in it for the money.  But then who isn’t?  Right?

Your latest article, however, was an excellent example of “soft, killing disdain”.  Your “Moral health tip to America:  Stay out of draft” in the Sun Times stops just short of overt, racist hatred of those in this country who may not agree with your point of view.   I also, do not, nor have supported the draft.  Today, a draft would serve up the same kind of “lazy” individual which the liberals who have controlled this country for over 60 years, with the exception of the last 12,  have pushed to have raised in this country.  At least, for those that they have not been able to abort, or died because of parental or foster abuse, or had their lives taken by sexual predators that now freely roam our streets.

Your screed has “hate” spilling out of it, but softly, from “target practice”, “like serving in the Nebraska Navy”.  Why don’t you just come out and say, ala Michael Moore, Alec Baldwin, Barbara Streisand, Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, Charles Rangel, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, to mention a tiny number, that you outright not only  hate this country and its people, but you despise George Bush.  Put it right out there.  Those who have your beliefs will approve much of what you write, and those that don’t will comprise the majority of Americans who can’t read because they haven’t been taught to, to conservatives and traditionalists.  There are and will be vastly more of us than you because for one thing, we don’t support the murder of unborn babies, we give more of money and time to help others than your side, we favor marriage, children, home and charity.  Jesus would have approved and would certainly not regret that he gave his life on the cross just to have the world turn into whiners, murderers, ideologues, liars and cheats.   I would expect him to have known that, however, as did his father, as your bible states.

Since I do not believe in any god and am a good atheist, I have a fortune of choices open to me.  It allows me to “see and hear” in a way that ideologues of every stripe cannot.   The only question I have had, have now and always will have is:

            How can any human being use hate as a means to accomplish

            anything?   The answer is so simple as to be entirely missed!

Sincerely,

An American Citizen

A recent post on one of my favorite blogsites:

(name withheld), at the risk of being bashed and hated, I post the following.
 

I have wondered for a very long time how the Jews of America could favor a group of politicians that are trying to remove religion, morals, laws and rules that humans have lived by for at least 2,000+/- years.  The Old Testament and new are, to me, an atheist, a wonderful philosophical tract of the experiences of people's struggle with the meaning of life.  Everything has already happened many times, continues to happen and will happen in the future.  It is the nature of man.  When that long ago ancestor crawled out of the sea onto the slime of earth and chose to remain ending up as us hundreds of millions of years later, we were probably fated to be at this point in the march of mankind.  What our future will be is not knowable, in particular since the human trait to survive appears to have waned in the Western Countries

What do I see?  I believe that when all is finally said and done in the next few months or just a few years, Israel will have to do another Masada.  It my prayer to a God I do not believe in that this is not so.  But, with a world that is blind to the evil around us, I cannot see another way.  When Israel showers the Middle East with nuclear missiles in an umbrella pattern and arms their own doomsday bombs, perhaps then the world might begin to see.  I doubt it, but that is what I see ahead unless the Western world takes out the threat.  We have sent our young to fight with one hand and foot tied behind their backs and one eye blindfolded.

I fear deeply that this is so.  What do you see?

                                      I'll let you know if and what the response is, if and when I get one.

The response was "run it, run it".  So without further adieu, I publish it! 11/20/ 10:55am PST

*snob

noun

One who despises people or things regarded as inferior, especially because of social or intellectual pretension: elitist. Informal snoot.

*Courtesy of Hougton Mifflin Company's THESAURUS.

I just finished watching John F. Kerry doing an interview with Chris Wallace.  Very difficult to watch.  And, truth to tell, I kept my remote jumping back and forth between this "snoot" to Big Trouble in Little China.  One of my favorite inventions, the remote.  But I was able to watch more than I normally would of this person, John Kerry.  Snoot is the informal of snob, which Kerry certainly is.  His arrogance is so deep, that he thought he could pull off a "Clinton" trick.  Keep talking, don't allow any interruptions, stay on message and maybe, just maybe, they'll believe you.  Did not work for Clinton in his interview with Chris Wallace, it didn't work for Kerry.

The nutroots talking points are one:   We won big, the people have spoken and we get to do things our way or the people can take to the highway!!

They are right on one point:  they won, barely.  All you have to do is study the counts across the board.  In fact, they are still counting out there so the "election isn't over" except for who will take control of Congress.  A Congress that has a 28% approval rating according to Real Clear Politics.  We, the people, get it.  They don't!

What I  believe we said was: out with the stupidity, corruption and get on with getting something done.  The problem is that elected a group of people who told us nothing about what they stand for (brilliant) and that they would do "something" about the war.  Do these people on both sides of the aisle understand that if there had been anybody else with halfway decent credentials on the ballot we would have necessarily chosen who won?  That is it in a nutshell.  They truly do not care about you and me.  They care only about their perks, power and money.  Just ask Reid Pelosi, Jefferson.  Or DeLay, Foley, Cunningham or Ney. 

In my state of California, politicians we voted out of one office are back in line for another:  Jerry Brown, Cruz Bustamonte.  There is gold in the coffers of our government, both city, state and federal.  They've had a taste and they don't want to give it up.

So pardon me, Mr. Kerry, if I think you're full of bull.  You meant to say what you said:  I watched the video several times.  You are definitely a snoot, sir.

More information:

We need to get this out to everyone, and post on all of the blogs.  This Project is exactly what we are up against!


Part one here: http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=22415



The translation of the Project document here: http://www.frontpagemag.com/articles/readarticle.asp?ID=22416&p=1

    It is brutal, deceitful in that it changes its look so that it’s hard to recognize and it has plagued our planet for over 1300 years.  It has been festering in the sands, caves and mud homes of people.  It has moved slowly but relentlessly from abode to abode, from city to city and from country to country.  There is nothing that can stop it short of death.  It has created a net of ignorance and horror for those who live within it.  Blood and death are its compatriots.  Fear is its greatest ally.  Self destruction of its young people is its sainted goal to achieve total dominion over this planet.

    We have been so blithely sure of our ways of living and thinking that we have allowed it to grow in the fetid ground of political correctness.  A totally unknown result of the ultra Left’s thinking for nearly 100 years.  The ultra Left, aligned with other groups like the anarchists, communists, socialist and uber Leftists, has been so involved in doing everything it can to get its way, that they took their eyes off the ball, and never saw it coming.  Indeed, they still are so enmeshed in the “It’s all about me and nothing to do with you” mantra, that they have allowed this vicious virus to spread its tentacles throughout our educational, judicial, political system and allowed the infection to run rampant in our land. 

    As our brother and sisters in Europe, they are more interested in imposing their world view on everyone:  entitlements for every cause for every individual.  Today, Paris is burning nightly.  England if searching desperately for 1600 men that are sworn to decimate them.  Holland is trying, a bit too late, to undo some of its laissez faire attitude.  Israel stands alone, once again having to face the horde of maniac murderers that have surrounded them for over 60 years. 

 We are now faced with total catastrophe in Europe and the Middle East.  Southeast Asia has been infected completely by this old virus and the exceptions are Japan, South Korea and China.  It is unfortunate that China, whose foreign policies have been directed towards America for decades, will now have to adjust its policies to deal with the hordes that await to conquer it. They won’t be American or European, but Middle Eastern.  That is a contest it would be worth living to see:  two of the most populous countries with large standing armies coming to blows.

    Will we be safe?  Can we avoid what awaits the rest of the world?  Perhaps for a time, but the virus has already made inroads into our lifestyle and unless we are willing to do some beneficial amputation, our demise is already written in the stars.     November 15, 2006, 5:45pm  (910member)

    

I wish to be one of the first to issue a heartfelt thank you to one of the greatest Americans that has served his country with honor, distinction and a wonderful work ethic:  Donald Rumsfeld.

When the history of this period is written by non partisan, honest historians, it will be noted that he took an old style military and changed it into a lean, mean machine.  He is of the old guard and looking back, the future will miss men like him.  No one and nothing can take away his contributions to the United States of America.  A patriot, veteran and tough man is hard to find today.  Donald Rumsfeld is the last of his kind and we will be a sorrier nation if the country doesn't thank him and wish him God's speed.

May the wind be always at your back Mr. Rumsfeld and the devil take no notice until you are safely in heaven.

Tough love is just that "tough"!  The Republicans got a face full of tough love yesterday from their constituency.  No way to spin it any other way.  Truth to power was a clear lesson from us, the people, to you. 

One of the lessons to be learned from yesterday's experience, is that once over the hump, you pick youself up, dust yourself off and begin again.  Maybe with the "big spenders" gone we can back to basics.  I certainly hope so.

Maybe the President will talk tough, too!  It is a perfect time this to start.  He won't be running for anything.  He doesn't owe anyone anything anymore.  He needs to be more blunt.  I appreciate Tony Snow for the feistiness the President has shown in the past few weeks.  A little late, but never sorry.  

The bloggers of note need to stay on top of everything that goes on, get the facts, proof and publish so that, we the people, can do something about it.  For starters, I would love to know what the assets are of every incoming representative and senator.  Then we should keep up to date on that information to see if the assets grow and the why and how.

We also need to find a way to get the politicians from behind the firewall they've erected so that our emails don't always reach them.  They get paid with our tax dollars and need to learn that the days of the MSM dictating was "we the people" should now is over!

I'm going to start by trying to email Tony Snow.  Who knows, I might get lucky.

As of this moment, the Republicans look to be in for a whupping!  Who to blame?

They only have themselves to blame.

First, they forgot that only Democratic politicians can get away with corruption, sex scandals and the like.  Republicans, unfortunately, never having learned to fight,they resign and run off to rehab centers or disappear into the sunset.

Second, not having power for decades they finally took the majority and went on a spending spree.  They forgot who voted them in.  They forgot our values.  They aligned themselves with lobbyists just like their counterparts.

Third, these guys and gals need to learn how to fight for what is right and for what they believe in.   I mean, look at the Left, they'll sell their own and never wince.  They will tell you what you want to hear, need to hear or been hardwired to hear.  That's how they keep their base.  Republicans try to sound reasonable and like they care.  But, it comes across as self serving.   Yep, it's time for a change.

Until the Republicans learn to "get it on" with the Democrats, they won't get back their mojo.  Yep, time for a change.

But, I also blame the President.  He should have fought hard for the issues we care about.  He should have fought harder for the judges he wanted.  He should have been out there, at least weekly, and kept us up to date.  He needed to counter the MSM and the Uber Left politicians.  He came too late to the party.

Now, Nancy Pelosi looks to have the drapes delivered.  Conyers will start his impeachment gig.  Hillary will continue to waffle around the middle depending on who her audience is.  And Murtha will force a cut and run strategy. 

Look what you, Republican politicians, have wrought.

Simplistic.  I know, but that's how I feel about this night.  Of what use is there to have the Michelle Malkins, Instapundit, Hugh Hewitt's of this country try to talk reason and sense when our elected don't?  We get it out here.  Why can't they.

and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, saved by the bell or was considered a ..dead ringer..

And that's the truth...Now, whoever said History was boring ! ! !

Educate someone. Share these facts with a friend

Who is to blame for Foley's mess?  Foley, of course!  If the Republicans lose this coming mid-term election, is will be because they have abandoned the principles and run like drunken sailors spending our tax dollars and making money for themselves.  They don't have the strength of character to stand up for what's right, only what's easy.  They have allowed the Left to run the show and now have only themselves to blame if they lose!

But, it is also the failure of this country's changed mores by people who wish to completely change what America was, has become and will become.  When did it start?  How far has it gone?  What have been the beneficial and detrimental effects of the past 100 years? 

As woman who is just lite 60,  I experienced a great deal of the change starting from the l960's Aquarian Revolution.  The 60's of drugs, sex and anti-establishment.  I am not a Boomer...missed it by a couple of years.  So, my generation was actually part of the pre Boomer.  I lived by rules that are laughable by today's standards.  We broke as many of the rules imposed on us as we, each in their own way, could.  Some of us have lived to regret what went on in the 60's but in my case, I was already married with a couple of children before all hell broke loose.  The Beatles were an anomaly to me with their long hair, foreignness but their music rocked.  Mick Jaeger and Kiss  were, for me, totally out of the realm of reality.  I liked little of their music and none of Mick's hi jinks.

I picked up and read Betty Freidan and wondered how this person could know what I thought and wanted to know about life as a woman and generally agreed with her that women were second class citizens.  The proscriptions on women were terrible, I thought and based on what I was experiencing I totally supported the Woman's Movement.  In fact, I broke, along with my boss, the dress code in our company.  I remember wearing a polyester pantsuit that I hated and later went for suits that had only pants.  Didn't own a dress for nearly 10 years.  I truly felt that I part of the changing world.

Reality intervened with a spouse who was into adultery, drugs and no work.  A single mother, finally, I attended the founding meeting of a group called MOMMA and felt so totally out of place in my two piece suit, nylons, high heels and make up that I left and never went back.  I also gave up Ms. Magazine because they never addressed any of my needs, a criticism I still hear about them today.  Gloria Steinem, I understand, finally got married.  The woman that represented feminism became the political ally of the Left without regard to the women of this country in general.  And nothing to do with NOW has changed.

I was a member of a local chapter of NOW, subscribed to Ms. Magazine, met some of the women who were part of that movement and even joined in a protest(?) at the ABC Entertainment Center in Century City, California.  WOW!!! Was I spectacularly wrong!  I have lived to regret  supporting  a woman's right to abortion, they have used it as a method of birth control.  Shame on them and me.  Equality of opportunity became "equal under the law" and equality became a buzz word for "I have a right to this job, even though I am unqualified for it and I don't intend to waste my time trying to learn anything...just give me the job and the damn paycheck"!

The Aquarians turned to education, bureaucracies of all sorts at every level of government and began to brainwash the next three generations.  Look at what they have wrought.  They empowered the Uber Leftists that want to complete the changes to this country and make it a socialist model.  They have refused to look closely at what is really happening to the socialist models in Europe.   They don't care and maybe they just don't understand.  Whatever the reason, America is under siege, not only by the Uber Leftists, but by people in this world who wish to return the planet back to the ugly centuries of the Middle Ages.  Indeed, what have we wrought?