Friday, September 26, 2008

They Gave Away Your Mortgage

Ann cuts to the 'meat' of everything. Although she is a die hard conservative, I have read her articles where she will take out a Republican if stupidity rears it's ugly head.

I personally know of 2 couples with families where both parents work fulltime, both white, middle class who were given loans they could not afford. Now, when they were 'granted' these loans they could 'pretty much' afford the payments. It was when the reality of the balloon payment, or when the time came that the interest rate went way up that they could no longer afford their home. One couple I know had increased their income, but not to the extent to cover the cost of their mortgage. I also know for a fact both of them they had a very difficult time getting the loans. When the lender has to rework and retry many, different loan companies to get the loan, something is amiss. I figure as soon as the numbers need to be 'reworked' to make it work, it will get ugly down the road. It did. Fortunately, both couples have been able to refinance and will keep their homes.

Some of these people were led by the nose down the 'rosey path'. Some knew better, but what the hell. While these people should be responsible, the lenders need to be investigated for unethical, and possibly illigal practices...and beat appropriately. Yes, beat. Do not pass go, do not collect your golden parachute, prepare for the beating. This includes those in Congress who let this happen. They knew. If they did not, or are THAT stupid, then they should not be in a position of power. It does not matter to which political party they belong.

http://townhall.com/content/31fd2229-3c99-47aa-a8ba-996fa8e0db37

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

PRESENT?

I have had an issue with both presidential candidates. Neither of them decided to leave their senatorial seat in Congress. In that, I would tend to believe they are still being paid their senatorial wage. In other words, they are getting paid for not working. I know they have people within their campaigns who keep them in step with the workings of Congress. While that is nice, they are still not 'working'. They are campaigning. We are not paying them for that.

Now, our country is in a devastating financial crisis. Everyone in Congress should be in DC working their butts off trying to 'fix' the mess they themselves made. All week I have been saying to myself that both candidates should hike their backsides back to DC, stop with their campaigning, and get to work. The 'veeps' could campaign, but then I guess that would leave only Palin as Biden needs to be at work, also. (Damn, we're paying 3 not to work!)

McCain has made the decision to 'go back to work'. Harry Reid has told him he is 'not needed'. So Harry, now you can decide which of those who have been voted into office by 'We the People' will or will not be needed, or allowed, to go to work? I am thinking that if I lived in Arizona or Illinois ( actually I was an Illinois native until a couple of years ago and no, I did not vote for Obama there) I would want my Senator at work on this issue! It is not for you to pick and choose who will or will not be involved in this process. Sit down, shut the hell up!

Obama said he will go back only 'if needed'. You are a senator, your job is to be in Congress. You need to be there, especially for this event. I want to see what you actually 'do' and not just what you have to 'say'. Or, is your answer, 'present'?

MOOO MAMA

Last night just prior to going to bed, I caught a news clip about P.E.T.A. They made the statement, and have requested of Ben and Jerry's...the ice cream moguls, that their ice cream be made of human breast milk. They have a concern about the mama cows and the baby cows. Evidently their screwed up thinking is the milking of cows is traumatic to these cows and the little baby cows. WHAT THE HELL???

They have stated that human breast milk is healthier. Well, yes it is...for human babies. It has everything a baby requires for those first few months of developement. But in ice cream? These people are totally off balanced. And how, or where do they expect to get the mucho gallons of human breast milk it would take to make Ben and Jerry's ice cream. I breast fed my 4 babies, and my answer is, "NOT THINKING SO!".

Cows are accustomed to being milked. It IS a relief for them to be milked. GOD made cows to give us milk. HE gave us the ablility to figure out what all we could do with that milk. If ice cream turns into one of them, so be it. I really do not think HE gave us cows to just make more cows with no real need.

I realize many men are are obsessed with breasts. Somehow I think that is NOT going to sell more human, breast milk ice cream.

P.E.T.A., here's the deal. You are totally whacked out. My kids always said I had a 'look' that you did not want to cause or be on the receiving end. I think that 'look' is now for you, along with your stupid sign. I'm still deciding whether to laugh, cry, or just shake my head. And to think, these people are allowed to breed and vote!

Monday, September 22, 2008

Hang On!

Stocks are down again. Gas is heading back up to the ceiling, and maybe beyond. Hang on, it's gonna be an ugly, rough ride and I wonder how many are going to be able to survive the 'tighten your belt' thing?

I keep remembering the ROAD WARRIOR movies. Several years back I mentioned them to several people at work. They had no clue what I was talking about. Too young, maybe. My suggestion was to watch them, remember them and hang on. I wonder if they ever did?

$$$$

Right now the big talk is money....$$$$. Nobody seems to have enough of it, the money printing people keep printing more, the value is going down the tubes. The federal government continues to bail out every big guy who screws up in handling the $$$$. The big guy gets more $$$$ and a bailout. Something just ain't right. Now, I am not an economist, but I do know that one should never spend more than one makes, save for a rainy day, etc. I also figure just because I handle my $$$$ correctly does not mean I should have to take care of every greedy dumbass who gets caught or screws up. As I say, poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine!



King Obama was in my state of Wisconsin, today...Green Bay. I think his crowd was somewhat smaller than a Packer game attendence. He spoke about President Bush, that in the past he has said if you are out of a job, without health care, cannot afford to go to college..you are on your own. First, most people seem to find the unemployment office if they lose their job. Now, if they quit their job, for whatever reason, they might have a problem collecting...but then again I have seen them collect anyway. Get another job. Don't be so picky until you can afford to be picky. You are without health care insurance, there is Medicaid. If you make too much to be on Medicaid, some states have healthcare for kids at a minimal charge per month. You can't afford that, what can you give up to afford it....cigarettes, alcohol, gambling, soda, Starbucks, big screen TV? Do your kids have the latest electronic gadget, Xbox, a cell phone but have not been to a dentist in how many years? Can't afford college for your kids? So, they would die if they had to work their way through and help pay for their education? They might even appreciate it a little more.

So, while the whine continues, we bail out big business. I am to understand this is for the good of the economy. Maybe the day is going to have to come to just let it fail. Let everyone go down the crapper at the same time. Then, when we all get to the bottom those who are strong enough and willing to do the work will crawl back out. Maybe then we can just leave the rest at the bottom and let them figure it out for themselves. I'm for not even throwing one square of Charmin.

Before you point a finger at me and tell me I have no clue, let me say this, "Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt." You are preaching to the choir.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

October Surprise

The latest news out there is the big October Surprise in the upcoming election. Will it be the Democrats finally land a big one and come up with something truly awful about Palin? It does not sound like it.

The 'big surprise' will come from the Obama camp, for sure, and it is rumored to be in the form of a new Veep. What? How about Obama decides to throw Biden under the bus, pulls Hillary out, brushes off a few tread marks and heads her to the podium. Obama and the Democrtic party pretty much tossed Hillary there a long time ago. Now that things are not shining so great for King Obama, it looks as if he might just need to make a change. What better a change than to put the person there he should have in the first place.

Now, how can this be done? Rumor says Biden will suddenly pronounce himself 'ill', or make a great 'gaffe' then deciding for 'the good of the party' he should step down. Possibly it will have to do with his family, Who knows, but whatever the reason, it will really be that Obama's campaign is currently sitting too close to the crapper and he needs to do something fast. What better decision than to put Hillary on the ticket. It would be a winner, for sure.

Well, it would be a winner if he and the Democratic party have not 'pissed off' too many people, that it is not too late to 'unpiss them off', that they are dumb enough to fall for the ploy, and that the Clinton machine go with it. I do not care for Hillary and Bill, or their politics...but on the other hand I have to give her credit for continuing forward with her campaign when it was pretty obvious that ole Grey Hound was headed right for her. I think I will have very little respect for her if she lowers herself to accepting this position, 2nd place...the 2nd time around. How many times does one let themselves be tossed aside as not needed or not good enough, only to then have those same people want you to rescue them from sure defeat? Her base should be furious and start driving their own bus.

Obama should know that Hillary is more than likely looking forward to 2012. If she does not go for it then, she is possibly thinking that at her age it is a 'do or die' affair. If Obama is elected this year, he will probably go for a 2nd term. (GOD help us as we will never survive the first 4 years!) Does Hillary really want to be his Veep, then break off and run against him in 4 years, or worse yet in 8? I'm not so sure she wants him to win this election. Her 'campaigning' for him has been minimal and has not exactly been the most energetic. Are the Clinton's people you want to piss off?

Since McCain has made it known he wants to 'reach across the isle' and add Democrats to his cabinet, maybe Hillary would like a spot there. I do not see McCain running for a 2nd term should he be elected this year. After all, he is the 'old fart' and can't even send an e-mail. Which, by the way, I am certain is a major 'issue' in this campaign with which to be reckoned. Sounds mighty important to me. But then if you cannot send e-mails you leave nothing for the hackers to invade and distort. It just rates right up there with terrorism, the faultering economy, ILLEGAL immigration, etc.

So while the Obama/Clinton ticket was not important to the Democratic party a few weeks ago, it is maybe now an issue. If Obama and the Democrats start making changes now it signals desperation. It reminds me of grade school gym class and picking sides. You pick someone and then realize you should have picked the other one. You hope the person picking for the other team does not notice, they do...they pick that person and you know you are pretty much screwed. It's too late, but you then try to trade off...or pitch a fit stating you 'made a mistake and want to change your mind'. It didn't work then, it shouldn't work now.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Makes No Sense

On Monday, 9/22/08 an event is planned at the UN by a Jewish group to protest Iran. Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin have both been invited to attend. This would be a wonderful 'bipartisan' showing, a uniting of the American people against terror.

Jewish people tend to vote democratic. Hillary will NOT be there. She has now declined. Sarah will attend. The Obama camp has evidently turned their backs on the Jewish people and the reason is unclear to me. Do they 'assume' the Jewish vote will always belong to them? Is Obama concerned he just might 'piss off' Iran if Hillary attends? Let's see, Jewish vote on one hand and Iran's approval on another. Not a difficult decision to make for me would I be the candidate. But then, I'm just sayin'.

Again, not for the good of the country..but for 'self'. Wusses.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Ride On!

Today I received another e-mail that is meant to be passed ont o everyone inyour address book. This one was for cancer, not one type, but for many. I usually do not forward these because they come around so often and we all are inundated with so many. Today, though, I did as my oldest daughter's mother-in-law died early this AM from cancer that started in her liver and spread to her colon, brain. In the end growing as many tumors under her skin.

We have the grand kids again this weekend as I have, for the past 2, made flying trips to meet them in Dubuque, IA and bring them back with me. It has been pretty hectic, to say the least. I saw Sandy on Fri., a wasted body in a semi-curled, fetal position in the hospital bed in her living room. The only response was a moan if one touched her. My daughter said she did smile when the youngest, 6 yr. old Alexia, arrived and told her that she was there, that she loved her. Xavier, being a typical bumbling 12 yr. old boy, said he would miss her. John, a not-so-typical 13 yr. old prayed with her. He is sometimes old and wiser than some adults I know, the next minute he is 13. I sometimes wonder if that has to do with his being a very sick premature baby who was not supposed to survive past 6 months of conception. He was resuscitated at birth, had major surgery at 3 days when he was finally stabilized enough to tolerate the procedure, became even more ill 3 times after that and it was a touchy situation on many occasions. I wonder what his soul has seen and experienced that even he does not realize, as only by the grace of GOD is he with us.

While my last visit was not pleasant, I will remember Sandy 3 weeks ago when we were able to help her fulfill one of her last wishes, a ride on a Harley Davidson. She said it had been 20 years since she had been on one and she wanted that feeling just one last time. So a trip to Dubuqe on a sunny Sunday and over a hundred miles on the back of Dick's Ultra satisfied that wish. While it took 3 of us to get her on the back of that bike and 3 to get her off, it was worth it. I will remember the smile that never left her face for the entire ride, her face tilted upward into the sun, the wind in her hair and sometimes her arms reaching to heaven. As the saying goes, "If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand."

Ride on Sandy, Ride on!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

A Simple Remembrence

As today dawns, I hope every American remembers the events that occurred in 2001. I hope that every American remembers the images we all had imbedded into our brains as bodies fell from the Twin Towers like the so many pieces of paper, floating downward as the hand of GOD lifted their souls to Heaven. I remember walking my young grand daughter to preschool that day wondering if and when the next attack would come. I feared for her, for all of us and our future.

I hope we remember those who died in those buildings, the planes, and the rescue workers who gave so bravely of themselves to save those that they could.

I hope we remember there were approximately 3000 people that day who did not return home to their loved ones.

I hope we remember there were many other events over the past several years where we were threatened, attacked and nobody in our government saw fit, or had the balls to do what needed to be done.

I hope we remember those who have sacrificed since then, as our military has kept us safe.

I hope we remember that if we return to the same complacency we had prior to 9/11/01, we could and WILL be sucker punched again.

I think of the families who today, and forever, will not forget and I pray for them.

I pray that GOD continues to guide our President and our troops so they may continue the success they have had in keeping us safe. I thank them for all they have done and will do in the future.

Remember our past, pray for our future.

GOD Bless America.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Need I Say More?

This past weekend people sat in an ice cream shop in Aurora, CO. A 3 year old boy enjoying his favorite ice cream. A 3 year old little boy and two adults who did not leave that ice cream shop with smiles on their faces as the sweet sensation of the just consumed delight remained on their tongues. They left the shop as a memory to their families.

The memory is all the families have left after an ILLEGAL alien, Francis Hernandez, crashed his truck into the ice cream shop cutting short the lives of these three people. An ILLEGAL alien who had already been arrested many times over in CO since his ILLEGAL status began. Had he been deported with the first arrest, these three people would still be alive. A little boy would be tucked in bed and kissed good night tonight by his parents. Now he is a memory, a favorite toy, a picture, the warmth of his arms hugging his parents tightly.

An ILLEGAL alien who was allowed to not only breach our border, but who was allowed to stay. These actions have had a consequence. How many more 'consequences' are we going to allow to happen before enough is enough? Only when it hits the family of a politician, will it become an issue to most of those in Congress. Exactly WHO are those in Congress supposed to be keeping safe? Who are they representing? Need I say more?

Monday, September 8, 2008

Is Your Bag Packed?

It appears some people are just never happy. It appears no matter what 'they' can get for free, no matter what other people will sacrifice of themselves to see that 'they' have at least the basic necessities of life, 'they' want more.

In reading the comments of some, and I am sure not all, who were evacuated from the path of Gustav I just have to shake my head.:

1. The showers were too cold. (Did you take a short one, or use as much hot water as you could?)
2. We had to wait in line to take a shower and they were just 'thrown together'. (Be thankful you had a shower to use. You will not die without a hot shower daily.)
3. We had to wait in line for the bathroom. (You could have been using a bush. Did you leave a clean bathroom behind you?)
4. We got sandwiches a lot of the time to eat. (You had food of some kind.)
5. We had to sleep on a cot in a room full of people. (You had someplace to sleep that provided you a roof over your head out of the bad weather. When I volunteered for Katrina we called it the 'snore pit'. I used a walkman with headphones.))
6. I was alone and have an 18 month old baby. I was afraid to let her out of my sight. (And you would leave her out of your sight any other time?)
7. We had to wait in line for a bus/train, etc. ride. (You were evacuated on my dime. No people were seen every day on FOX/CNN/MSNBC sitting on rooftops, etc waiting for a rescue. No school buses sitting on a flooded parking lot. YOU GOT OUT SAFELY!)
8. The lines in the gas stations were long.(Did you fill your tank as soon as you knew this was a possibility?)



When will 'they' become responsible for themselves? The answer to that is never, as long as the government and the rest of us continue to race to their rescue. This does not apply to just the evacuation of hurricane prone areas, but those of areas that are prone to any natural disaster. I guess that would take up most of the country since any one of us could suffer the effects of a fire, tornado, flood, hurricane, earthquake, blizzard, etc.

We have been told to 'be prepared' for a disaster, especially if you live in an area that is prone to 'whatever'. Get yourself and everyone in your family a backpack or bag of some kind that is easily found for a quick 'get outta Dodge' event. In this bag keep what you will need for at least a week of being away from home and the pleasures you feel you should be 'entitled and cannot live without'.

1. Clean underwear and maybe a couple of changes of clothes, wash cloth, towel, 'shower shoes'.
2. A small bottle of Frebreeze just in case your stay is longer!
3. Your own toiletries..shampoo, conditioner, deoderant, toothbrush/paste, floss, razor, shaving cream, soap, lotion, hand sanitizer, etc.(Either use sample bottles or fill your own.)
4. Baby wipes or something of that nature to 'bathe'.
5. Small bottle of laundry detergent.
6. Feminine products.
7. A list of current medications with allergies listed, major medical concerns. Keep in ziplock bag or have laminated.
8. Any over-the-counter medications you use on a daily basis.
9. Copy of a photo ID with emergency contacts. Include all family members in case you should get seperated. How about one for each of your kids on either a string for around the neck or with a pin to attach to their clothes. Keep in ziplock bag or have laminated.
10. Extra cell phone charger.
11. Flashlight with new batteries.
12. A couple bottles of water/snacks.


For children add:

1. Add a small toy or 2 they have been made familiar with, colors/books.
2. Favorite snacks/juice boxes
3. Diapers/powered formula & bottles water/baby food/bottle
4. Baby wipes
5. Small flashlight with new batteries.
6. Be sure older children have plenty of batteries for thier iPods, Game Boys, etc.

I travel back/forth to work 60 miles round trip. During the winter I keep in my vehicle extra blankets, candy bars, a large emergency candle with matches in a ziplock bag and cell phone charger just in case I go off the road into a snow bank. I live in the country and part of my route includes county roads that are hilly and twisty. I also keep a bag with a change of clothes and toiletries just in case I get stuck at work for an extra shift. This not only applies to winter, but after the floods this spring I can see it could be a year round thing!

So, stop the whining and be thankful for what you have. Someone who left their home and family to help you in your time of need is just as displaced as you. The only diference is that they came prepared.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

'Historical' Moment?

Well, Gustav was somewhat of a disappointment to some. It did manage to pull away news coverage of the RNC and the convention. But since they downsized, instead of supersized, because of Gustav the doings were not much to watch anyway. I finally went to day shift starting yesyterday and was looking forward to following the doings. I was disappointed.

The media did not miss, though, the pregnancy of the unwed, 17 year old daughter of the Republican VP choice. Not only have they been on the attack of that, but bloggers have also decided the baby boy of the AK Gov. is actually the son of daughter Bristol. Obviously that is not true since I believe that baby was born in April and Bristol is 5 months pregnant. SOmehow the calculations do not work out, but then having worked in OB/GYN, I did note a few times what we called , 'breed backs'..those who got pregnant while still in the hospital recovering for the most recent birth. Some men just need to get over it, already!

This is where the media needs to back off. Not because the govenor is a Republican and I intend to vote for the McCain/Palin ticket, but because she is a 17 year old girl who has made a 'bad choice' and I can only imagine the thoughts and feelings she is having right now. She is carrying the burden of being a teenage mom and I am sure the guilt of what this could possibly to her mother and the outcome of the election. IF a 17 year old girl's pregnancy is what the MSM feels needs to be one of the deciding factors of a presidential election, then they are more low-life, scumbags than I have been giving them the credit of being. If the voters need this private event to make a decision on voting, then they deserve Obama. Even he has had sense enough to tell the media to leave it alone.

This girl is not the first teen to become pregnant so it is not a historical moment. Somehow the issues of the safety of our country, the war on terror, the economy, ILLEGAL immigration, balancing the budget, etc. seem just a tad more important than than this.