Happy Holidays To You All

Happy Holidays to all who take the time to visit and read my rambling blog.

May next year bring us jobs, a better economy, health and happiness.

From my family to yours,

Michelle

What is Family?

According to the dictionary - Family; " A fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children." I believe that it also includes the spouses, if the children are married as well as their children... but my dictionary does not include that part.

I have been reading the blog of a "family" member, I have posted comments so she should be aware that I am reading it, yet we are excluded from this blog when discussion of family arises frankly we (my parents and my little family unit) are totally excluded period. Their is discussion about the blogger's sisters and that side of the family but this side is MIA. I guess that it is difficult to write about someone when you don't talk to them and know nothing about what is going on in their lives, all the good, bad and ugly.

I find it ironic that there are numerous posts made about telling people how you feel about them when they are alive yet they seem unable to find time to communicate with us, my brother and I talk frequently but that is where it begins and ends.

There was a recent post about attending someones funeral service and comments about a video slide show and choice of music (country music versus hymns) the comment was made "why didn't these people tell ___ these things while she was still alive" who is to say that they didn't tell this person how much she was loved when she was living and that they opted to make a public proclamation of their love for her. As for a choice in music, it is my feeling that a funeral should reflect the type of life that a person led, the things they enjoyed in life. Most people don't do this, they follow the status quo and have the traditional church songs, sermon, prayer, eulogy with no personal touches of the deceased at all. You walk away from that service feeling as if there has been no closure or thought put into the service. Wait until they attend my funeral service, actually there will not be a service only a memorial with catered B-B-Que from my favorite place, my ashes will be in an antique cookie tin, the only hymn type song will be Amazing Grace played on bagpipes with the rest of the music being Cd's I have made up of my favorite musicians from Austin, Texas all singing the blues. I want a celebration of my life not sadness and sorrow.

I love these family members with all my heart and soul, some day we will be all that we have as far as family when my parents pass on. Yet I read this blog and get a sense of hypocrisy, passing judgement and insincerity. Could this be because the page is loaded with Christian logos, Christian rhetoric, the type of Christian lifestyle they live, etc.

To me family is family warts and all. You love them, you express that love, you spend time together when possible, talk often to stay up on how everyone; especially the kids are doing. You embrace what you have because it could be taken from you in a heartbeat.

I guess that I felt the need to comment on this today because I just found out that a dear friends former daughter-in-law had passed away a few days ago leaving behind a 6 year-old son, a sister (who she was at odds with), 2 nephews and her mother (who lost her husband 2 years ago.) They aren't sure why she died at the age of 39 but believe that based on her history she died of a drug overdose. My friend maintained contact with her ex daughter-in-law primarily due to their grandson but she also was concerned about her substance abuse problem and we had made several attempts at getting her into treatment. They failed of course and we feel that it was because we did not have the support of her sister and mother. Her sister was not talking to her and her mom was in denial.

Her son will now grow up without his mom, yes he still has his Dad and will probably move in with him now but he will never get his mom back. Both sides of the family and all members of this family will play a role in raising this little boy, as it should be under such tragic circumstances.

It is usually a tragedy that makes people reflect on what they could have done differently. I guess I have seen enough tragedy and death in my years on this earth that I take nothing and no one for granted anymore and it saddens me when I see someone who has yet to learn that life lesson and probably won't until it is too late.

A Haunted Antique Shop... Tell me it ain't so

As a matter of fact the antique shop that I opened 10 weeks ago appears to be inhabited by beings that are not of the living world. It is currently being investigated by a local paranormal group because things were just getting too out of hand, being pushed when going up the stairs was the last straw for me.

I had the feeling that I was not alone in the shop when I first began moving in and setting the shop up but was never absolutely sure if I was seeing things, hearing things and the items that would go missing only to turn up hours later were real or I was simply tired. I spent many hours at the shop alone trying to get it ready to open and was getting very little sleep.

Yet once I opened the store and the activity increased, I was touched a couple of times by someone or something that I could not see, have a physical reaction whenever I go into the basement along with several other unexplainable things I began to pay more attention to what was going on around me.

Customer's have asked me if the "house" aka the shop was haunted to which I have responded "gosh, I don't know." I could tell by the look on their faces that they were sensing something our of the ordinary.

As I stated, when I was pushed or something ran right through be a couple of weeks ago I decided it was time to call in the experts. I will keep y'all updated on what the findings are or aren't.

I feel that I am at this particular location for a reason. What that reason is I have yet to find out. I am not afraid when I am there, it is a comfortable and loving place to be and to shop only now we have a little extra to offer those who are open to the experience.

What an amazing roller coaster ride I have been on since I got the keys to the place in August and I don't see it letting up anytime soon.

My Opinion of Barack Obama

I posted a previous comment on this man... totally my opinion based on articles I have read in a variety of newspapers such as the NY Times, The Singapore Straits Times, Washington Post, USA Today, political blogs and what I have heard political "experts" and pundits say about him (you cannot get into the man's website without signing up for his newsletter). I personally know people who personally know Obama who are not voting for him. They are friends with him but do not trust him to run this country, this speaks volumes.

I am entitled to my opinion as is everyone else in this free country.

I had one anonymous person post a comment on that post deriding me for my comment and opinion, this person is from Illinois... of course. I responded to this comment in what I felt was a fair and reasonable manner. Today I come on to post a different topic on MY blog and there is yet another comment from this same anonymous person stating that all the information I have is wrong. I guess when the blinders are on you cannot see the forest for the trees. This time, I did not publish this person's comment, I am not going to get into a political debate ie: a losing battle on my personal blog space.

So, Mr. or Mrs. Anonymous please don't bother to post any further comments on this subject on my blog. Your mind is made up as is mine.... end of story. If you would like to "talk" about this man please start your own blog or website.

Newt Gingrich: 3 Ways to Lower Gas Prices

Newt Gingrich: 3 Ways to Lower Gas Prices

Happy 4th of July.... Phil Kline In Lenexa, KS Parade

Happy 4th everyone.

The fireworks were flying around here for a few moments this morning at our local Independence Day parade.

I live on the parade route and have for 23 years, I actually live on the corner and our corner has become known as the corner house" by the 4th of July parade regulars. Over the years, due to my volunteer work, we have handed flyer's out to the elected officials that are in the parade. We have hung signs up in the trees, we have literally turned our backs to those officials we don't like and numerous other antics to get our point across.

This was Phil Kline's first Lenexa parade as a candidate for a political position, if you have read my other posts it is clear... I do not like the man. He is scum, a liar and strictly a one position DA. He is not in this job to do what a DA does he wants to go after the pro-choice believers and Planned Parenthood.

It recently came to light that Phil Kline gave his address as a storage locker, allegedly he now has a physical address but I doubt it is really his. I would imagine he live elsewhere.

Anyway back to today and the parade. Phil comes be bopping down the street glad handing everyone, and use radicals start yelling "Boo Hiss", "De-Kline Phil Kline", "go back to your storage locker with the rest of the rats", etc. he makes a beeline to the opposite side of the road and then takes off in a trot around the corner. A few moments later a young lady in her 20 approaches me and asks "could she bring Phil back so that I could say these things to his face?" "Absolutely", I respond "I would LOVE to tell him to his face what I think of him and how hard I plan on working on his opponents campaign to see that he does not get elected" (he was appointed by the Johnson County Republican Party the first time.

Needless to say the worm never came back to hear me out, not that I was surprised. What did surprise me is that I was later told that the young woman was his daughter. I could tell that this girl was pretty hot under the collar, but to tell you the truth I cannot imagine anyone sleeping with this scumbag in order to produce a child.

I am going to do some research and if I find out that he is using his children in such a way in a hostile environment (we were not the only ones heckling him) this is really going to piss me off. Here he claims to care for the "sanctity of life" but he will knowingly put his own child in a situation to hear such nasty things said about her father and then have her confront these crazy people.

If you read this Phil.... I am the corner house in Lenexa and welcome you anytime to sit down and have a civil conversation with me. I have tried ever since you have been in office to have a meeting with you or even a phone conversation concerning the DA's office enforcement of child support and how bullying among youth is being handled by your office.

If you care about the DA's office vote for Mr. Howe.... Kline's opponent.

All in all it was a very fun 4th, filled with family, good friends, great food and a little bit of hell raising.

First School Reunion in Over 30 Years Singapore American School

I lived in Singapore for a few years when I was younger, 1972-1974. I was there for my freshman year of high school.

We were a population of fairly transient ex-pats. Most did not stay in Singapore more than a year or two then there were others whose families made Singapore their home. Our dads worked in one of the following fields; oil, military, embassy, missionaries and the early days of computers with IBM. Some of the kids such as myself and my brother had lived in other countries, we lived in Mexico City for almost 3 years.

Due to the transient nature and people losing contact with each other we don't have class reunions like most schools do we have school reunions. They are held all over the world with the popular ones being Houston, Texas, Las Vegas and Florida.

Many of us for whatever reason have never been able to make it to these reunions and a few months ago I noticed that there were actually quite a few of us SASer's in the Midwest... the wheels got to turning and this past weekend we held our first Midwest Singapore American School Reunion.

Friday night we met at my house for satay, fried mee hoon, spring rolls and Tiger beer. Retired music teacher Mr. David Boyd brought some amazing slides from back in the days when Ulu Pandan school was newly built, sites that we all remembered including Holland Village. We poured over yearbooks and photographs as our spouses sat back and listened to what must have seemed like some pretty strange tales of our Interim Semester trips, chi chats crawling on the walls, drinking soda pop from plastic bags and our crazy antics at the American Club.

The following evening we once again met for dinner and the memories continued to flow. Including the introduction of American football to the area by a group of oilmen/dads, the junk boat rides to deserted islands for an afternoon with family and friends.... if the boat made it all the way to the island that is. All of the rules we thought were so crazy at the time such as no gum chewing. Riding the rickety old buses all over the island and the food.... oh that wonderful food from the stalls and the bicycle street vendors.

The funny thing about it was that even though none of us hung out together in school and years separated us as to when we attended SAS, we came together those two evenings as if we had known each other for years. I think it is because we have this common bond of sharing such an amazing experience in a foreign land, something that most people can only dream of.

We were small in numbers these two nights but big in memories and kinship.

For any SAS alumni who read this, we are already planning on another Midwest SAS reunion in 2010 around the same time, the middle of June. So please mark your calendar now and plan on attending. I will try to get some Anchor beer for the next one.... Tiger beer tastes pretty good though.

As a teenager I did not really see how exotic and amazing this beautiful part of Southeast Asia is but I am so glad that I now have another opportunity to forge friendships that will last a lifetime all because of this wonderful place.


As soon as I get the photos I will post a link to them.

Looks Like I Will Be Voting Republican

I am so disappointed and also disgusted with the outcome of the Democrat primary race. First, I think they need to change the name of their party from the Democrats to the Ourways or We Don't Care What the Popular Vote Is Party. With their Superdelegates making decisions based on .... does anyone really know?

I do not want Barak Obama as a President. The man has ZERO experience this is a given. He has no platform. "Change" is all I have heard from his mouth. Change what? The few things I have heard scare the shit out of me. He has talked about invading Pakistan, a nation armed with nuclear weapons; meeting without preconditions with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who vows to destroy Israel and create another Holocaust; and Kim Jong II, who is murdering and starving his people, but emphasized that the nuclear option was off the table against terrorists - this is something no president has ever taken off the table since the inception of nuclear weapons in the 1940s. Even Democrats who have worked in national security condemned all of those remarks. Mr. Obama is a foreign-policy novice who would put our national security at risk and for what reason.... he is ignorant to foreign policy.

He believes that his same slick non-talk that has worked on the American people will also work on these savvy and ruthless ruler's. He is a kid with a new toy that he is not really sure what to do with it.

He says that he is going to offer free college educations, fix medicare and social security plus a score more systems. The only way that he can do this is through raising our taxes. Use, the working class that can hardly put gas in our cars and pay our bills are going to be taxed more by Obama to provide all of these "free" and better services. That is if we are still even alive after he pisses off all the foreign leaders who don't fall for his smooth talk.

An interesting fact was brought up to me by a friend, it was actually an editorial in the Pueblo. Co. newspaper on June 1,2008.

Adolf Hitler's methods for gaining popularity were; 1) The state and mindset of the German people after WWI, feeling helpless and divided (reminds me of the U.S. over Sept. 11 and the Iraq War) 2)Hitler's promise of change and prominent nationalism (all that Obama talks about is change and the government taking control of all programs so that we the people don't have to worry about them anymore) 3) Hitler's rhetoric and charisma (he has been call the Kennedy of today.... oh please. and he is good a spewing rhetoric).

Just a thought:
According to The Book of Revelations - The anti-Christ will be a man, in his 40s, of MUSLIM descent, who will deceive the nations with persuasive language, and have a MASSIVE Christ-like appeal....the prophecy says that people will flock to him and he will promise false hope and world peace, and when he is in power, will destroy everything. Is this anti-Christ.......... OBAMA??

I tend to think that he will destroy everything through his ignorance.... and those of the people who vote for him. Remember, he has only been in politics 1 YEAR... his second year as IL. senator has been spent campaigning for President. The man needs a few more year of experience real life and political before he rules my country.

WOW... I just compared one person to Adolf Hitler and the Anti-Christ, yet he is knocking people over with his speeches and he is gaining votes left and right... literally. Except for mine.

Kudos to My Daughter - KC's Newest High School Biology Teacher

On May 10th, my oldest daughter Jennifer graduated from UMKC with her Bachelor's Degree in Biology and Education. She will be a high school biology teacher.

She prefers working with high-risk, emotionally disturbed youth so she is looking for a job in the inner city. As luck would have it, a job is open at the local Juv. Detention Center for a biology teacher.

She has had numerous offers and now has to pick which school she wants to work in.

Shortly she will start working on her Masters Degree in Special Education probably with an art therapy specialty.

She is going to be one of those teachers who really makes a difference in the lives of our youth. She proved that when doing her student teaching. She has the ability to get through the tough heads of teens and relate to them in a way they find appealing. She does not believe in the "I am teacher, ruler of all things and you are a lowly dumb kid" approach used by so many teachers... and even taught in the school of ed. She engages and involves the kids in what is going on in the classroom, she allows them to have a say. She is truly interested in them and their lives in and out of school.

I am so proud of my girls. They have each found their way in this world. We have hit some bumps along the way but they have learned from them and not repeated those mistakes... or at least not got caught repeating them if they did. They amaze me everyday and I feel honored to be their mom.

Is It Just Me?

Today has just been one of those days where everything has pissed me off.

Here is the list:

• For 3 months I have had my parent's permission to have an event at their house on the 21st of next month. All planning, purchasing, invitations, etc. have evolved around this event at their home where they have a swimming pool, pool table, dart board and several hundred more square footage than I have in our home. WELL, today mother informs me that I cannot have the even there because my father will be out of town. WTF!! I have cleaned and opened the pool, cleaned the backyard and patio and made as many preparations over there as I can do this far in advance. Okay, this is my mother on alcohol a nightly activity so before I get my panties too much in a bunch I am going to call my father and talk to him. Hell, I am 48 yrs. old, I am not asking her to do anything, she can stay in her room all night. It is a group of adults having a reunion most of us haven't seen each other in over 30 yrs.
• Since the reunion is now probably going to be at my house, I have a dining room filled to the gills in boxes of stuff I have purchased for the antique shop that I have not inventoried but now they have to go someplace. Ordinarily they would move to the garage BUT my garage is filled with my deadbeat brother-in-laws "life" since he (at the age of 42) has no home, no job and no car. I kicked him out of my house 3 or 4 months ago and he promised he would get his crap within a week. Well that week has come and gone and then my husband kept saying "I will take it to the attic." Yet, there it sits. I just told my husband that tomorrow I am going to find out where his brother is and give him 48 hrs to get his stuff or to the curb it goes, husband has a hissy fit and tosses out "I'll take it to the attic." He doesn't realize how much crap is out there and how many times he has said he would take it to the attic.
• 7:00 a.m. I awake to the most horrid noise I have ever heard. The people across the street are having a rock retaining wall put in and the worker's were scraping rock across a concrete driveway. It was worse than fingernails on a chalkboard. So that started my day.
• My allergies are driving me up the walls, my head hurts so bad I can't think and my medicine is not working. It is probably compounded by all of the dirt and granite dust coming from across the street. And YES I have my windows open, the weather is wonderful and it is too early to turn on the air conditioner.

So... what will I do. 1) Tomorrow I will call my father 2) Find out where my brother-in-law is and give him a chance to get his stuff or it goes to the curb 3) Ignore my husband and his constant procrastination 4)Pray that my mother one day quits drinking 5) Attack the rock wall builders if they start their work before 9:00a.m. 6) Double up on my allergy medicine 7) Try to quit stressing over all of this because I am sure that one way or another it will all work out okay.

Gay Marriage Passed in California, Good For You!!

I am so glad that California is following the constitutional rights given to us all, the right to privacy and equality... this includes sexual orientation and who we choose to spend the rest of our lives with.



Of course Kansas is one of those states which has declared it unconstitutional to essentially have these rights because several years ago they wrote a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage. As a heterosexual woman I felt very offended by this action and saw it as a step backwards in the treatment of human beings.



Women and blacks fought hard to get the right to vote, slavery was abolished, blacks were allowed to share space with whites, (we won't get into the holocaust) and here we are banning a group of people from sharing in the same rights enjoyed by the rest of us in this "free country."

The church folks always fall back onto "well the Bible says...."

The Bible also says that you will be put to death for cursing your parents or committing adultery. Yikes... granted these are not honorable acts to commit but I do believe that death is a little harsh. Also working on the Sabbath is an act that demands death... where does that put all of the preacher's and others that spout the word of God on a Sunday?

I would love to see every state in the U.S. allow anyone who wants to get married to be allowed to do so, as long as they are of legal age. The Bible needs to be left out of this. Churches of all faiths need to find a way to acknowledge and celebrate these unions, not hate the people involved and label them as sinners, heathens, etc.

I also think that it is time for everyone to acknowledge that the Bible is not a book to be taken literally (Billy Graham has even stated this fact). In an interview with Newsweek he spoke of the way that with age and perspective has led him to reject the absolutism of the left and the right and to make his peace with the notion of God as a loving mystery. That he is not a "literalist" in in sense that every word in the Bible is from the Lord.

This has been my belief for many years and what has driven a wedge between me and structured religion. I have yet to find a church, in my area, that teaches the theory of the Bible and not hell fire and damnation.

I would like to see us all just get along and accept each one for who they are and quit hiding behind the Bible as an excuse for homophobia or intolerance.

District Attorney Phil Kline is An IDIOT and Not Doing His Job

Today we hear that that the anti-choice zealots from "around the nation" (I think it is Mary Kay Culp and her cult) have sounded the call to arms to beg asshole Phil Kline to run for "re-election" as Johnson County Kansas DA.

He was not elected the first time he was appointed by the sages of the Republican party who don't have a complete brain between them. And I am a registered Republican..... LOL.

Anyway, good ole Phil decided that he was not going to toss his hat into the ring for the next election. Since he just can't abide by the laws of the country, state, county or any city nor is he capable of doing his job he pretty much figured that his chances of getting elected were pretty slim but those die hard anti-choice folks want him in office.

Why... you may ask? Because all he does is pick on Planned Parenthood. He has become obsessed with the fact that all that Planned Parenthood does is "illegal abortions" and they hide the fact that they do this. Oh please!!!!

Back in my poor days, not that I am wealthy like Mary Kay Culp, Planned Parenthood took care of my annual well woman exams, they provided me with birth control pills, they did the same for my oldest daughter when she went off of our insurance and will do so for our youngest. I never knew that they did abortions. I had actually called them a few years ago concerning this very matter and was told that they did not do them.

We have enough dead, worthless weight on the county payroll. We don't need a single issue DA, especially when his issue does not pertain to his job.

As to all you no choice people, I have spent almost half my life working with the kids who were unwanted and now neglected and abused. They go hungry, they are assaulted and insulted by their parent's. They are filthy because no one can be bothered to bathe them. They are failing in school and are court involved. Many will die or end up in the adult penal system before the age of 25.

So, what are you people doing for these children? Are you fostering? Adopting? Are you also guilty of neglect because you are away from home picketing abortion clinics when you should be home with your children? How much time have you spent with these neglected children in Johnson County?

You sit on your high judgemental horse while I go each month to the cemetery up the street and put flowers on the grave of a 3 year old baby girl who was swung like a baseball bat into a wall, head first. She did not die instantly, she lingered for a few hours suffering. No one wanted this baby when she was just a mass of tissue but they had her anyway because of people like you.

For years I helped a mother feed and care for her 5 children, not one of which she wanted but because each had a different father and the father's could not be found to give consent, she could not put them up for adoption. She did not have the money for abortions and her MD would not do a tubal because she was too young. I offered to pay for the first abortion but you people scared her away from the clinic. I hope the man that threw the fetus thing at me still has a lump on his nose from my fist.

What kind of "life" do you offer these children when you make such a stink about abortion? It is our right as American citizens to make a choice as to what we do with our bodies. Whether that be a tattoo, piercing, suntan or abortion. Ms. Culp has made comments about our Governor supporting the "abortion industry" as if our right to choose is something like the teamsters, sell our stocks on the open market... she is a few DNA strands short of a human being.

If Phil makes a run for DA, I will be on the front lines knocking him back. He was worthless as the Kansas Attorney General and he has been an even worse DA. He is incapable of telling the truth or following the law himself, so he appears to be a louse of a human being too.

He and Mary Kay can just huddle up together someplace and plan their next attack but it better not be in a County office.

I Love Rock and Roll but not the Sprint Center in KC,MO

Tonight I went to the first concert I have been to in ages, my daughter and I went to see Chris Daughtry and Bon Jovi at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

I LOVE Daughtry.... I have never watched American Idol but when I first heard this guys music I was hooked. Of course Bon Jovi isn't too bad but I went to see Daughtry. As with any opening act his session was way to short, 30 minutes and I saw him sing 1 song with Bon Jovi.

We ended up leaving with an hour still left to the concert mainly because it was hotter than hell in the Sprint Center. I was absolutely melting. Also, I have not stayed up to date on Bon Jovi songs and, since he is promoting his latest album, all of the songs were from that album... or at least the ones I stayed to hear. To tell you the truth, I was less than impressed. In the first hour they played only one of the old standards and they had Daughtry singing with them which really made it amazing.

Of course he is great to look at and Richie Sambora is no slouch either but after the energy of seeing Daughtry, Bon Jovi and the guys just didn't measure up. They seem to have gone a little soft and a tad country.

I was so disappointed in the Sprint Center. The sucker cost mucho millions to build and the the layout and system of getting people in and out is horrible. It is actually dangerous. This building was not built to handle as many people as they had in it with only 4 small stairways to get all those folks in and out.... I can't wait for the lawsuit when someone rolls down the stairs and gets trampled.

Oh well, Daughtry will put out many more amazing albums and by next summer he will be at Sandstone, a much better concert venue as far as I am concerned.

If you have not heard this man's music you must give it a listen. He runs the gamut from ballads to hard hitting rock and roll. I wish him and his band all the best in the future and I can't wait to see him as the headliner next time.

Barack Obama is an Elitist Pig

What is it with the Obamas? What is the "Change" that he is going to bring about? I have yet to hear anything specific. He is a dud on foreign policy, sure he has traveled but so have I. I have actually traveled to countries that he has not been to, I have dined with royalty and even dated a prince. Yes, an honest to goodness prince.

I went to school in Mexico City and South East Asia so I learned their politics, traditions, folklore and much more. Therefore, if traveling qualifies one as knowledgeable in foreign policy.... maybe you should vote for me. Oh.... I also have a daughter who just returned from Iraq. That one ups me on Obama.

His wife states that she has had no pride in her country until now?!?! Besides being an absolutely stupid and ignorant remark, what does it mean. She is just a plain ole snob and I do not want her living in MY white house.

Barack is supposedly such an educated man yet his grammar and the context in which he forms sentences is as bad or worse than the current presidents'. (I am not always grammatically correct but I am not running for the leader of the United States.... yet.)

The Obamas attended a church that was led by a religious, racist, zealot of the worst kind and they must have agreed with his teachings and preachings as they continued to attend his services. I have left several churches because I did not agree with the swill coming from the pulpit. So either he was in agreement with the pastor's teachings or he is a hypocrite.

Now Obama has stated that basically he is so much better than us middle class, working poor folks. He made a comment regarding small town, working class people as follows, "It's not surprising that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment."

Listen up Barack my man, I am bitter, I am pissed off that elitist pigs such as yourself are so out of touch with everyday people that you would make such an asshole remark.

I am angry that the cost of higher education is unobtainable for us working class folks, I am angry over gas prices, I am angry over the state of the economy, I am angry over the cost of health care, I am angry that children in this country go to bed hungry at night, I am angry that a person can kill a child through abuse and only get put away for 7 years yet get caught with a couple of joints and get 30 to life, I am angry that we are in a senseless war that has so far killed over 4000 Americans, I am angry that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer... we are losing the middle class. I am angry that snobs such as yourself get up and tell US what we are all about when you have not a clue.

I don't know who I will vote for in the upcoming election but I do know who I WILL NOT VOTE FOR and that is another elitist, rich kid who thinks he knows it all but in actuality knows nothing. The difference is this one does not have his daddy's money behind him he has Oprah's money backing him up.

Go back to your hole and your racist church Obama and family. Our country is in enough trouble we don't need your kind running the place and making an even bigger mess of things.

Oh, and FYI - I don't own a gun, I don't practice formal religion (due to hypocrisy being spewed from the pulpit) I am all for fair trade but incentives to keep industry and jobs in the U.S. so that we can work and pay our bills. Immigration is wonderful if done correctly and everyone pays their fair share and does it legally.

The State of Affairs of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami... Today

Today I was thinking about the tsunami that hit areas surrounding the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004.

It was on this day that the tsunami struck 12 countries. Around 230,000 people were killed and over 1.5 million were left homeless. In an instant everything changed and even now, three years on, many millions of people are still struggling to rebuild their shattered lives.

How are these areas fairing? How is the rebuilding, not only of the buildings and homes but of the lives affected by this horror? Have all of the children found either their family or someone else to love and raise them?

Of course, it has been a little over 3 years since this life changing disaster, it has been overshadowed in the American news by such wonders as Brittney Spears, Anna Nicole Smith, war, oil, Paris Hilton et al and now politics.

I want to know how things are. I lived in Southeast Asia for sometime and spent time in several of the effected areas; Banda Aceh, Penang, etc. I was also very haunted by this event and wanted so badly to be there to help the victims but due to my health I was unable to go. Let me correct that... I am still haunted by this event.

I was able to find some promising information. Many areas are doing better now than they were before the tsunami (can't say the same for New Orleans... but motivation and survival could play a factor).

Here are some updates I could find online;

Indonesia

• Islamic Relief was one of the first aid agencies to respond to the disaster in Aceh, and from the first day was on the ground providing emergency aid to those who were affected. We helped those who had lost their homes by providing them with temporary shelters, as well as emergency food, clean water and sanitation facilities and medical care. Soon, attention was turned to long term projects; new houses, as well as health care, water and sanitation systems, livelihood opportunities and education for children to ensure the new settlements were sustainable.
• The global community, led by the Indonesian government, mobilized a reconstruction effort on an unprecedented scale for a developing country. Concurrent with these developments, and in part galvanized by the trauma of the tsunami, a historic peace agreement was reached between the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).
• Poverty in Aceh increased slightly in the aftermath of the tsunami, from 28.4 percent in 2004 to 32.6 percent in 2005. This occurred against falling poverty levels in the rest of the country. This increase is relatively small, given the extent of damage and destruction caused by the tsunami and may reflect the beneficial effects of the initial reconstruction efforts.
• Poverty fell in 2006 to 26.5 percent, below the pre-tsunami level, suggesting that the rise in tsunami-related poverty was short lived and reconstruction activities most probably facilitated this decline. The poverty level in Aceh declined in 2006 as it went up in the rest of the country. Nevertheless, poverty in Aceh remains significantly higher than in the rest of Indonesia.
• 2008 - ADB and Muslim Aid, a United Kingdom-based civil society organization, started the process of handing over 222 new houses to community members in Meunasah Bueng village, in Pidie district, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam. ADB is providing the financing for this housing project with Muslim Aid as the implementing partner. ADB's collaboration with Muslim Aid totals $4.9 million for the construction of 686 houses. It is Muslim Aid's dream that every family should have a decent home. Today's hand over marks that Muslim Aid has completed 5,000 shelters throughout Indonesia," said Farooq Salman Murad, Chairman of Muslim Aid Board of Trustees. ADB is providing $70 million to rehabilitate and reconstruct houses and community infrastructure. ADB's multi-sector tsunami for Indonesia assistance package covers agriculture, fisheries, irrigation, micro and small enterprise development, housing, water and sanitation, health, education, transport, power, spatial planning and environmental management, and fiduciary oversight.
• A livelihood project in 8 villages in Sampoi Niet, Aceh Jaya, implemented by Premiere Urgence in cooperation with the International Labor Organization (ILO) has been completed with very positive results: Premiere Urgence has generated the creation of 210 new businesses in this region. The project was a combination of two programs: the Professional Kit program and the Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) program. The Professional Kit program aims at reviving the economic condition of tsunami-affected populations by helping them create micro enterprises, run income-generating activities and recover their self-sufficiency. Whereas the SIYB program is a business management-training program for micro and small entrepreneurs who want to start or improve their business. 28% of the 210 new business holders have now recruited at least one employee and 65% have invested either to develop their activity or to improve their family living conditions. Most of Premiere Urgence’s beneficiaries have increased their revenues from less than 250.000Rp (19 Euros) to 1.400.000 Rp. (107 Euros). The first phase of the Professional Kits program was jointly supported by “Fondation de France” and the French Ministry of Foreign affairs in the Framework of their Tsunami answer. The second phase of this program is also sponsored by “Fondation de France”.
• Rebuilding of a school that serves 450 students in Sekolah Dasar Negeri 3—a project completed in June, 2007. UMCOR donated chairs, desks, office, educational and playground equipment to help fully equip and improve the educational environment for the children. With vividly painted schools and new visible houses springing up, hope lives on for those whose lives are still adversely affected by the tsunami.

Sri Lanka

• Two tsunami-affected schools in Batticaloa and Ampara were re-opened for educational activities yesterday (February 7, 2008). This was made possible with a grant of Rs. 343 million by the Japanese Government for the reconstruction of five tsunami affected schools. These all schools were reconstructed by local constructors, and the labor force power was drawn from the local people.

India

• Lutheran World Federation (LWF), built a new residential area which comprises 350 individual homes and shared facilities. Something remarkable has come about with this project, reports Debesh Bhuyan, LWSI tsunami projects' coordinator since November 2006. Despite strong opposition at the outset, the families of ocean and inland fishermen and Dalits - formerly know as "untouchables" - as well as other members of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, now live side-by-side. According to the 37-year old coordinator, LWSI placed great importance on avoiding any kind of discrimination, including the project's spatial design. They also built over 100 homes on property already owned by people.

Surviving on less income

• G. Raju and several other families share a fiberglass boat that together with motor, nets and equipment had been made available by a French relief organization. The 32,000 rupees (around USD 815) compensation he received from the Indian government for the loss of his boat and house only covered part of the cost. Every afternoon he goes fishing on rivers and backwaters and he returns home the following morning with his catch. Despite long hours spent on his boat, he can scarcely survive on what he brings in. The tsunami changed the ecological balance of the ocean and rivers. There are now fewer and different fish compared to before the flood.

The United States Current Report:

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/EDIS-7AHP6U?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=TS-2004-000147-LKA

I guess that all in all everyone seems to be doing fairly well, all things considered. I recommend that you follow the links provided and read the full reports and SEND MONEY to your charity of choice... as long as they are providing aid to the affected areas.

May we never forget those lost, may we never forget that this can happen again anywhere in the world.... even here in the U.S.

Sources:

For a full list of updates see the below link-

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/doc106?OpenForm&rc=3&emid=TS-2004-000147-LKA

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/MUMA-7BX9CS?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=ACOS-635NWS

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/SKAI-7C3RWW?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=TS-2004-000147-LKA

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/RMOI-7BGRHU?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=TS-2004-000147-LKA

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/AMMF-7BKHWN?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=TS-2004-000147-LKA

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWFiles2008.nsf/FilesByRWDocUnidFilename/AMMF-7BKHWN-full_report.pdf/$File/full_report.pdf

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/ASIN-7BEPS9?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=TS-2004-000147-LKA

I Am Tired of Dusting My House

I just dusted my house two days ago and you cannot tell any difference looking at it today. What's up with that?!?!?!

I know all the grossness about what dust really is but if we are really shedding this much dead skin, mites and other parasitic crap why don't we lose a couple of pounds after a shower? We also have 2 dogs that add to our dust and dander problem

I made an attempt to get people to take their shoes off before they came in the house. I bought a nice little shoe rack to sit by the door and I was the only one that followed the no shoe rule. Mainly because I work from home and have socks on or just my bare feet all day. When I would go outside or run an errand I would take my shoes off and put them on the cute little shoe rack. The kids did it a couple of days, hubby not at all and a few friends tried to accomodate my weirdness but this was a short lived project and it didn't even last long enough for me to see if it would make a difference.

What if I put up a little enclosed shower like area near the front door and asked people to loofah before they came in? Just strip down to undies, do a quick once over with the loofah, redress and come on in. I could put a portable heater out when it is really cold and snowy. Do you think that this idea would work?

We had all of the vents sucked out and cleaned a couple of years ago. I didn't get to see how much gunk they sucked out but they did find some old soda pop cans, lots of bits of paper and assorted items that should not be in ones air ducts.

Dusting my house has, for the past 10 years or so, seemed liked one of those wasted efforts. It looks good for 30 minutes and then BAM the dust demon runs through and there is a thin layer of dust on everything. I know that this is one of the woes of living in an older home but there has to be a solution.

I am also quickly adopting the same attitude towards my hardwood floors, what is the use of sweeping and mopping when you have slush, snow and 2 dogs running in and out.

I wonder how long it would take to build-up and inch of dust on a surface in my home...... this is something that needs to be taken under consideration. At least it would get me out of dusting for awhile.

Britney Spears' Mom Needs to Be Locked Up

Where in the hell is this woman?!?!? Her oldest child is having some type of mental breakdown and is locked up on a psych ward and she is holed up with her pregnant 16 year-old daughter. When did pregnancy become an illness? Being a slut is somewhat of a downfall but it looks like it runs in the gene pool.

If Brit were my child you could not keep me away from her side, or at least the hospital. Actually I would have been by her side throughout her whole ordeal. Shame on that woman, shame on her. She should be cast out amongst the tigers at the zoo and fed to them for lunch.

This is one screwed up family and frankly I have no sympathy for any of them.

I was married at 16 (I came from a wealthy family and wanted to escape), had my first child at 17, divorced on my 18Th birthday. Finished high school and got 2 college degrees. Not once did I go to my family for $$ or the state for aid.

I now have an amazing 30 year old daughter who is a teacher and mother of a now 7 year-old. My youngest is 19 and a cosmetologist. Both of my children I would lay my life on the line for. We all have an amazing relationship. I found out 8 years ago that my husband of 21 years had a 31 year-old daughter and we have embraced her as one of our own. She had a wretched childhood and is now in Iraq fighting George Bush's war.

For any mother to no do everything in her power to ensure her children are okay as adults, she has failed as a parent when they were growing up. But to then let them down in their time of need in adulthood is pathetic and beyond my comprehension.

This so called woman, I think of her as a breeder, says she "wants prayers." She needed prayers many years ago, they aren't going to do her any good now. Hopefully she will learn from the trials of her oldest daughter so that when the youngest goes through them after her bastard baby is born she will have some sense of what to do. 'Cause we all know how it will end up with the second child.....