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.....

Lenexa, Kansas Passes Anti-Smoking Law !!!!!

I prefer more stringent enforcement of the DUI laws especially since I live within 1/2 mile of 4 bars.

The choices that these folks make affects me when I am in my home, in my yard or driving up to the store. I don't have a choice as to when I am around someone who makes the choice to be intoxicated.

Someone smoking on the other hand.... I do have that choice. I can avoid that particular restaurant or bar (I don't drink so this is a non-issue), I can sit away from someone who is smoking. I can opt to not work in a smoking environment.

We all have the freedom of choice and if someone goes to a smoking establishment, this is their decision, they will suffer whatever consequences occur because of it but if I am sitting in my home and a drunk smashes into my home I have lost that freedom of choice.... I have passed it off into the hands of a stranger and law enforcement.

Below is a summary of the Lenexa, Kansas anti-smoking law:

"City Council passes law to protect public health
Lenexa’s smoking ordinance goes into effect Jan. 2, 2008

After nearly two years of discussion and study, the City Council passed a smoking ordinance to protect the public by minimizing health risks associated with second-hand smoking.

The new law bans smoking in all enclosed public places and places of employment in the city, including restaurants, bars, and clubs. The law also prohibits smoking within 10 feet of a public building’s entrance. Exceptions are outdoor dining areas and tobacco shops. The law does not regulate private homes except those that operate daycares and health care facilities. The law goes into effect on Jan. 2, 2008, to provide business owners and employers time to prepare.

The City Council gathered input from members of the community and took into consideration a study that measured the possible impact of smoking restrictions at restaurants and bars in Johnson County. According to the study, which was commissioned by Johnson County last year, 80 percent of those surveyed said they typically request “non smoking” seating at restaurants; and 35 percent said they would eat at full-service restaurants more often in Johnson County if smoking restrictions were implemented.

During the period of study and discussion, the council also heard overwhelming evidence regarding the dangers of second hand smoke."

Rush Limbaugh IS AN IDIOT

So tell me why Don Imus (who I did not listen to) was booted of the radio waves and a known drug addict, liar and idiot like Limbaugh is till blowing hot air into a radio microphone?!?!?

I just heard the man insult Hillary Clinton using terms much more offensive to women than what Imus said.

The man likes to hear himself talk and he doesn't care who he insults in the process. I would love to see him and Donald Trump locked up in a New York Taxi together having a chat. Can you imagine the gossip and bullshit that would take place. Neither one contributes anything positive to this earth. They are negative, pompous asses.

Limbaugh has a letter on ebay reprimanding him for blasting a human for stating that he was a veteran when he was not. I guess that Limbaugh read him the riot act and insulted all veterans in the process..... one of which is my daughter.

Rush, you state you are "just a boy from small town Missouri" go the hell back into your sunflower field and shut your trap.

Hillary for president!!!

Families, Death and Stupidity

Death can bring out the best in a family or the worst. It can bring the survivor's closer and make the previously sweet and kind... nasty and evil.

The later in all cases is what has happened to my husbands family with the death of their sister. It was a suicide, a horrible tragic suicide, after many years of attempting to kill herself. We were told by her numerous MD's that if she were not hospitalized, she would eventually succeed. It was a matter of time.

I am now the villain after 3 months of cleaning out her house, shutting down utilities and taking care of everything except the funeral arrangements. The youngest sister has decided I am evil incarnate and I have had all that I can take.

I let it go because I knew she was grieving but enough is enough. She is know acting like a 5 year old child and I have had it.

I have written her and her sister a letter telling both of them to get over whatever is bothering them, get some counseling for their guilt (they didn't like the fact that their sister was gay) and they were very outspoken about it.... of course, that is the Christian thing to do. Make your already suicidal sibling feel like shit because of who and what she is.

So please, stay close to your family especially in times of sorrow. Be kind to the in-laws that are doing all the dirty work you don't want to do. If you do happen to have something to say, please say it to their face, don't play little school games and go home and call all the family members and tell them what a shitty bitch so and so is because the story will get back to that person and of course it will be all screwed up. Remember high school???

Be adult, this is hard for everyone, in-laws included. Pull together and love one another.

A Sweet Memory Floods Back

I lived in Singapore for a few years when I was a teen, and on tonight's Anthony Bourdain No Reservations Travel channel show... he was in Malaysia. For those of you not up on geography, Singapore is at the southern tip of Malaysia so we made many trips up to Kuala Lampur, Penang and a little resort that I can't remember the name of.

But I do remember the food. We ate in nice restaurants with our parent's but us kids ate at the 'stalls' these are little street restaurants more or less. A bunch of folks cooking just about anything you can imagine and I loved and ate it all. We drank rice wine... homemade and toxic. I don't know if there was a drinking age or not over there? We got served and it went well with our mish-mash of luscious food.

I still have an Indonesian curved blade jungle knife from living over there as well as many fond memories of the people the places and the food.

Kathy Griffin... If you read this please leave a comment

I love Kathy Griffin, she says things outloud about the snobby stars and folks listen. I say the same thing and I am just a cranky middleaged woman ragging on people that no one really cares about anyway.

But while watching Tyra tonight, someone else I like and admire, Kathy Griffin says that she googles herself often.

So, Kathy Griffin, if you read this, drop me a line. Visit my online antique shop - My Granny's Attic Antiques and Collectibles, fly me out to visit... I need a vacation and I am a fun and fairly sane person.

My Child Has Gone to Iraq

I do not believe in whatever it is "we" are fighting for or against. Does anyone even know what it is?

Is it solving anything? No!! We are creating enemies worldwide. More evil leaders are cropping up ready to kick American butt.

We are sending our young people to die so George Bush can make more money on oil.... this is my take on George's War.

This has nothing to do with supporting the troops, they are doing their job. Something they signed up to do. Actually most probably signed up to get money for school, line up a career, earn some extra money in the reserves (this is what my daughter did) and they get sucked into the war that a sicko man has to wage.

Now my child is on her way over there. I have said my "see you laters, write often, I will send a care package a week, I love you, be careful, I will miss you, be safe, be safe, be safe, be safe."

I have cried so much in the past month with the senseless suicide of my sister-in-law, a child off to war and the recent abduction and murder of an acquaintances 19 year-old daughter that my eyes hurt. I have a constant knot in my stomach and throat.

I can barely work or function, but it will get better. I am just so sad and worried it is hard to focus.

Greed and Stupidity

And the fun begins.

The greed and stupidity have hit with full force.

Why when someone passes away does everyone go crazy? They start pillaging, plundering and stealing. It makes me absolutely insane.

I detest greed and in this situation where the "estate" must go into probate their acts are illegal. These folks don't have the authority to take anything from the home or give anything away, yet, day by day more items are missing from the home.

I think that my husband and I are going to file a paper with the court stating that we do not have any interest in the house, we don't have a key to the house and all visits have been accompanied by other family members. We are afraid that if we don't and items like the car... are given away.... we will be held responsible if a creditor comes back on the family.

I was personally attacked tonight by some weird neighbor when I went over to give one of the cats away. She was zoned out on Zanax because she is "so distressed" over the death of my sister-in-law, and did not feel it appropriate for us to be giving the cats away.... not that she wanted one.

I'm done and my husband is done. We are pulling away from the entire situation and they can do what they want to do without us.

Another family torn apart by greed. What a shame.

My Soul Aches

My husband just slammed out of the house, we never fight. In 21 years of marriage we may have had a dozen arguments and what might be considered fights.

He is angry and very upset over the incident with his sister but the 5 surviving siblings (he is the oldest) are causing him great heartache now.

All new information we have received about my sister-in-laws suicide has come from the TV news, not from the sister's that were at the hospital. This was upsetting to us both and to my youngest daughter. I finally called one of the sister's and spoke to her husband, who didn't have any information to offer up about arrangements, etc. But he did say that they have all spent their day at the deceased sister's house taking her possessions. And taking the animals to the pound.

I had made it clear last night that I would take the dog, he is an older dog and probably not adoptable from the pound so now I will have to track him down and buy him back. This hurts, I guess that they would rather have the dog put down than let us have him.... for whatever sense that makes.

My husband is upset that he has been excluded from any decision making and I think being a part of the group family grieving process. They did this when both of their parent's passed away too, they all got together and made the plans then told us when and where and OH.... we need $500 to help pay for all of this.

I made it clear that this time we are not ponying up any money to pay for anything when we were not a part of the decision making process. And out the door he went. She did have life insurance but the suicide made it null and void.

They are also having a memorial service at a church, the same church that brought her problems to the forefront 3 years ago. She went to church with me, I don't know why they don't have the service at the church where she felt welcome and comfortable. I guess that they may not know that she and I went to church together and by excluding my husband from their planning.... they will never know.

I guess that these things are to make the living feel better, comfort them but you would think that all living parties would be included in the decision making. Why exclude the eldest living member of the family? He is a nice, sensible, responsible person. When he hurts, I hurt and these folks have hurt us both for many years.

The one sister that has taken it upon herself to handle the arrangements and all details is on medication for clinical depression. Is it in her best interest to be doing this alone? Is she capable of making the best possible decisions?Is she going to be next?

We still haven't called our daughter that is getting ready to be shipped to Iraq. She is currently in training in California or she might be in Mississippi by now. I told my husband that she needs to know about this as she will be angry if she isn't informed. She needs to have the option of coming home for the service if she wants to. Withholding this information will not do her any good.

I have a concern about a situation my mother found herself in as the only surviving close relative when my uncle passed away a few years ago. He had no money other than his Soc. Sec. check. My brother made the cremation arrangements and had his cremains shipped up to us. The bill was paid in full. Then about a month later I start getting calls from creditors wanting money, one of which was the funeral home. I explained that I was just his niece and should not be responsible for anything. They then started calling my mother, debt collector's started harassing her and we found out that in some instances in the case of death without a will, any unpaid bills fall to the oldest surviving blood relative. In the case of my sister-in-law, that would be my husband. Mom told them to take a hike that she wasn't paying his bills and after several years they did quite calling and writing but it was horrible.

My husband is well aware of this situation and has some concerns about it too especially since he has no involvement in decision making or bill paying. Hopefully, the brainiacs in charge have heard of probate and will get this into probate so the court can appoint someone to deal with everything.

I guess the best thing to do is keep my mouth shut and my opinions to myself, something I am not good at but for the sake of family peace and harmony I will do it.

My Sister-In-Law Killed Herself Tonight

Life is so fragile. You never know what demons a person carries around inside their head and heart.

My sister-in-law is my age and she has had suicidal tendencies for about 3 years now. We know what jump started all of this, an unskilled person trying to 'counsel' her on her 'evil homosexual' ways at a church retreat she went on with one of her sisters.

She has been in and out of hospitals but she would not take her medication or follow-up with out patient treatment. About once a month she would make an attempt on her life but this time she meant business.

She lit herself on fire in her car sitting in the parking lot at her job.

I cannot imagine the emotional pain that a person has to be feeling in order to do something this drastic. She had also undergone several pretty severe stress factors recently that had me concerned for her mental health.

With her first hospitalization her brother's and sister's were told that someone needed to get a medical power of attorney... out of 6 people not one took the initiative because they did not want to make her mad. I offered, but since I am 'only' an in-law the family decided that I did not need to have that responsibility.

Would that have changed anything? I would like to think that she would have been hospitalized for longer than a week at a time and quite possibly would have received the treatment that would have made a difference in her quality of life.

I want to cry and feel sorry but I know now that she is at peace with herself. Plus I have to save my energy for dealing with the 'emotional sister' the one that can't handle day to day upset in her life, now I fear for her mental health. She at least has a husband and older children to help keep her on her feet.

PLEASE, if you have a loved one that is screaming for help the way my sister-in-law did for several years, get a medical power of attorney so that you or someone else is in charge of their medical care and if you notice them slipping into an abyss you can have them put into a facility or hospital. Let them get angry with you.... this just might save their life.

My Daughter is Going to Iraq

I have been in a bad funk for a couple of months. We found out that my step-daughter is going to Iraq this summer.

She was supposed to go last year but "she wasn't ready" according to her CO. but now she is going ready or not.

She will be in some sort of special advanced recon unit, she will be going out looking for those "we" are trying to knock off. I am scared to death for her and ever since she told us about this I have had a hole in my stomach and my heart.

It is somewhat of a soap opera like story but we did not know that she even existed until 7 years ago. Her mother never told my husband that she had a baby and 'mom' would never tell the daughter who her father was, or who she suspected the father was.

Then one day out of the blue my husband gets a phone call from a young lady "looking for her father." FYI.... she was conceived and born about 8 years before we met and married.

We did the DNA testing and yes, she is my husband's daughter. They look just alike. We accepted her with open arms and have done everything to make her feel like one of us. When she was 12 and being abused by her step-father, she was sent to live with her grandparent's. By this time my hubby and I were married and my daughter is only a few months younger than she is so it would have been a perfect situation for her to come live with us, but..... we didn't know she existed and well, it is what it is. We have her in our lives now and I want to keep it that way.

The "Privileged" Can Kiss My Poor Ass

I have had it with the privileged folks getting off with not even a slap on the wrist. If ole Paris goes to jail I will be shocked and amazed, the powers that be will find someway to keep her skinny ass out of jail just because of who she is even though I do admire the judge for making the initial gesture of tossing her in the poky.

I have been a child support advocate for 20+ years and recently came across the following article on the ACES leaders board.

Deadbeat ex-judge gets break in court
BY NANCIE L. KATZ DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Monday, May 7th 2007,NY Daily News

"A Manhattan judge dropped her arrest warrant last week against a deadbeat dad who owes $250,000 in child support because the father - a former judge himself - said he was poor and depressed.

Justice Joan Lobis' decision, just a month after approving the warrant, enraged the ex-wife of disgraced former jurist Reynold Mason. "There is no justice! There are no laws!" fumed Tessa Abrams Mason, who has had to raise three kids without her ex-husband's help and now faces eviction from her Long Island home. "He knows how to work the system, and she's letting him do it. She's failing my kids."Lobis refused to explain her actions to the Daily News.

Mason, now a real estate agent in Georgia, said in court papers that he had declared bankruptcy and become depressed after he was kicked off the bench in 2003 for dipping into a legal client's escrow account. "All of my resources and energy were given to coping with the shock of the life-altering events swirling around me," Mason whined. He claimed he earned $68,000 over two years selling real estate - far less than his $136,700 annual salary as the first Caribbean-born state Supreme Court justice. That prompted Lobis to revoke the warrant Wednesday, ordering him instead to post $150,000 bond.

Lobis was far more harsh the following day - ordering sheriffs to her courtroom in an unrelated case to arrest a mom who owed $5,000 in child support. The woman dodged jail by borrowing the cash."

You know what, I would be depressed too if I screwed my kids over as badly as this man did and I hope that he ends up in jail one way or the other.

As for the Hilton chick, she is in her upper 20s and needs a wake-up call. She doesn't read her own mail when she knows that important papers might just be on their way to her?!?!? Come on, even if she doesn't read her mail I don't believe for a second that her wrangler's did not inform her that she was not supposed to be driving. I feel pretty sure that she was instructed of this in court and / or by her lawyer.

If any of us normal folk were to do what she did we would be under the jail. What an ignorant impossible fool. Both of them.

Tornado Season in Kansas

If you don't live in "Tornado Alley" you have no clue as to how scary it can be and the total devastation wrought upon an area if it is hit by an F3, F4 or God forbid F5 tornado.

Recently, Greensburg, Kansas was destroyed, and I do mean wiped out by a massive tornado. We don't get a weeks notice as to when a tornado is going to hit. If you are lucky you get about 15 minutes notice and then WHACK it is on top of you.

Sure, they sound sirens and the newscaster's are following the route but no one knows for sure where it will hit or how big it will be. Sure, they have a general idea of where it is tracking but where that sucker drops down out of the sky is a surprise to everyone.

I'm a chicken so the second they sound the alarms, I have my purse and dogs and I am down in the basement. We keep water, a first-aid kit and some canned goods down down there just in case the walls fall in and we are stuck for a few days.

But the kicker is.... you don't hear all the wailing, bitching and complaining like you did with Hurricane Katrina. Oprah doesn't rush in with the NFL and all the other $$ people to rebuild and wipe tears. We are on our own except for each other. And we manage to get the job done.

A couple of years ago a youth group I volunteered with sent about 50 boxes of books to a town whose library had been destroyed, along with most of the town.

In Greensburg not just a portion of the town was destroyed... it was the entire town. People are still unaccounted for. And this will happen in several other towns up and down Hurricane Alley each season. Also, to make things worse right now we are also under flood conditions. My backyard is a swamp but that goes back to a city engineering issue as well as the torrents of relentless rain we have had.

So tonight before you go to sleep please say a little prayer for those in Greensburg, Kansas and all the other towns that have been destroyed by these terrors of the sky.

Oh, and please toss in a prayer for those of use having to fill sandbags to keep our homes from washing away due to the deluge of rain.

Someone has pissed off Mother Nature and her wrath is hitting us all hard.

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Spring Has Sprung... Yipee

I love and adore Springtime!! I want to frolic in the grass, play in the dirt, dance around the fairy ring. I am out of hibernation at last.

The rebirth of nature is all around. I get excited the minute my crocus poke their little heads up through the still frozen ground... Spring is on its way. I love taking my morning coffee out onto the patio and watching the birds play in the bird bath, everyone needs at least one bird bath in their yard.

My granddaughter and I have already made one trip to the nursery and purchased 2 of our favorite flowers, the heliotrope and stocks. The little toot scooted home with a few of those I had bought for myself so I need to get back up there and pick up a few more.

If you have never buried your nose in Heliotrope you don't know what you are missing. It is an amazing fragrance. I fill several pots full of it and set them around by front and back porch so that I can smell them every time I am outside.

It is way too early for tomatoes to be planted but I am counting the days.

Happy Spring.