NASCAR going green?

There was a story published today in my local rag about NASCAR going green... because they'll be using an ethanol-blended gasoline!

I can only assume that this change has been in the works for years because it has to be one of the most asinine things I've heard in that amount of time.

Ethanol is not green. It takes 70% more energy to MAKE ethanol than it actually provides! Much of ethanol is made with coal, so yes, it saves gasoline, but it still uses natural resources and pollutes the environment in the process. That's the funny thing about "green" cars running on ethanol or on electricity - both are made with coal! Natural gas is also a big energy source for electricity.

And how much new technology will be needed to convert race cars to properly burn ethanol-blended gas?

On top of it, ethanol producers (corn producers) are highly subsidized by our Federal Government. Because ethanol has no real market value, it's being mixed into our gasoline, requiring Americans to purchase less efficient gas. This raises the actual cost of energy to run a car on top of the subsidies our tax dollars are funding.

Starting soon, ethanol-free gas will be illegal! Because of poor choices made by the government and the EPA, Americans will no longer have the choice to purchase pure gasoline. Not only is the ethanol gas less efficient, it can cause damage to motors and leave a residue. Now our vehicles will have a shorter life-cycle... how green is that?

Even Al Gore came out a couple weeks ago and said that the ethanol subsidies he put into place were a mistake. If an industry can't stand on it's own, should it be propped up by the government (or, in reality, by the tax payers who pay double for it?).

So, NASCAR, please back off this green joke. Just let the sport be what it is... and if you want to go green, think about tires or tracks that last longer.

Ethanol is not green.

You and Me? or You and I?

My grandmother, Mimi, was an English teacher; grammar was taught by her in our home. It was so engrained in my everyday being that I can't help but secretly correct people. I do, however, attempt to keep the corrections to myself (unless, of course, it's my child or husband committing the infraction).

With the prevalance of social networking, grammatical mistakes are in plain view. Whether it be ignorance or deliberate attempts at sounding "social", people all over the internet commit my biggest pet peeve: whether to use "you and me" or "you and I" or, heaven forbid, "me and you".

English teachers will be quick to tell you the rules of sentence structure, but Mimi explained it much easier.

"Mason and I went on a walk in the woods."

"Mason and me went on a walk in the woods."

Which one is correct? Well, just drop Mason and read the sentence, "I went on a walk in the woods." It's that easy!

"A picture of Cassie and I at the football game."

"A picture of Cassie and me at the football game."

Again, drop Cassie and who is in the picture? That would be me! "A picture of me at the football game."

And so I offer this as a little public service. As with many things, ignorance is bliss, so unless you know these simple rules, you were probably never bothered by it! Hope I didn't shatter your glass...

Ethics in politics?

Not many politicians are known for being ethical. It wasn't a huge surprise to most of us when Charlie Rangel was accused and convicted of some major ethics violations (taking vacations from donors, cheating on his taxes, using a rent-controlled apartnment for his campaign...) since we assume most politicians just haven't been caught yet.

What I found most interesting about this situation is that he then stole money from his campaign to pay for his defense lawyers! Then, when the money ran out and the lawyers quit, he complained that he was denied due-process and the right to an attorney. The man paid $2m for those attorneys and they didn't even stay for the trial! Sounds like someone got boondoggled.

Finally, Charlie Rangel decided to just walk out of the hearing and later stated that the results shouldn't be trusted because he wasn't even there.

We now have a new line of legal defense - I wasn't there to hear the verdict and therefore it can't be trusted! It is really that easy? I mean, I never heard in traffic court before that someone could just not show up and consider the judgement flawed. Or what if our violent offenders were somehow able to leave the court room during the trial, is the trial then invalid?

Poor Charlie - 40 years in government, making $174,000 in 2010, and he can't afford a lawyer. Man, times are tough.

Post-election: remember to keep them in line.

Well before the moment that President Bush enacted the TARP bill, many of us knew that our country needed change. We tried to educate our friends and family during the 2008 primaries, but they were drinking the anti-Bush kool-ade. Unfortunately, our research and insight were met with Hope & Change, and the Republicans did nothing to promote a Constitutionally oriented candidate.

Back in 2008, the TEA Party emerged. It didn't matter who signed that TARP bill, TEA Party supporters knew that it would stimulate our country as much as The New Deal. After TARP came the Stimulus and then Cash for Clunkers, all of which only deepened our national debt and increased job-loss.

So we set our sights on the 2010 election knowing full-well that between 2008 and 2010, many of the Hopey/Changey crowd would open their eyes to see what was really happening in America... our government was digging a hole so deep that even our grandchildren have a price on their heads. We've now sent that message that was so easily ignored - it's time to get back to our roots! Our roots would be in the Constitution with FREEDOM as its foundation.

Let's all remember that this election is not the end. This historic election is just the beginning and we must focus on keeping our elected officials in-line. It isn't the Democrat's fault that we're in this situation today - and it isn't the Republican's either.

Check out this video: the Story of Spending.

It's OUR fault, as citizens of this great country, for not keeping tabs on our government. We are the ones who take voting for granted, who glaze over when politics are mentioned, who beg for social services and gladly take our "refundable" tax credits. It is WE THE PEOPLE who must be in charge.

Keep in touch with your new Congressman or Senator. It's vital that we put this country back on track.

Killer tries to kill himself

Last month, Christopher Jodon car-chased his girlfriend on I-4 in Volusia County, rammed her off the road and then stabbed her to death. Then he stabbed himself at the scene but didn't die. He was AIRLIFTED to Orlando to save his rotten life.

Over the weekend, he tried to kill himself again and failed. He was rushed to the ER in critical condition and saved by a medical team.

Okay, call me cold-hearted, but let the man kill himself! What is the point in saving this jerk's life? How many thousands of dollars have we spent saving him when he ought to be put to death anyway?

He's going to live and then he'll get psychological treatment so that he's prepared for trial. Then he can have up to 7 appeals of his heinous crime before he's truly convicted for life. If he's not sentenced to death, the tax-payers will take care of him for the rest of his worthless time on earth.

Let the killer kill himself!

Religious Holidays

There's a brewing debate over whether or not public school systems should honor Muslim holidays. The very clear and easy answer is NO.

In our Florida government school system, there is not a single religious holiday that is observed specifically by suspending school for the day, week or month. Excused absences have always been given for those honoring religious holidays, but the entire populace is not excused to observe.

The only holiday that seems to be surrounded around the Christian faith is the Winter Break. Yes, Christmas falls squarely in the middle of it, but it also covers New Years Eve/Day, usually Hanukah and Winter Solstice. Even Spring Break has nothing more to do with Easter.

Why would a government school system forget the norm and pander to a Muslim minority? I'm at a loss for words on the rationality of the argument. Seems to me that we have a minority distorting reality.

Observed Government School Holidays in Volusia County FL:

Labor Day

Thanksgiving

Winter Break

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

President's Day

Spring Break

Memorial Day

How do Dems decrease the deficit?

Forget about lowering spending - raise taxes! This point was reiterated again this morning on the radio show. I'm in the process of interviewing all 7 District 24 Congressional Candidates and the Democrat on air today sounded like a mouth-piece for Obama when it came to taxation. Literally, he said we must raise taxes on the "rich" because, quite frankly, "they can afford it". He also added that the Bush tax cuts never created a single job and are part of the deficit problem.

He wasn't invited on air for a debate with me - it was an interview and I treated it as such. But in my head, I was having my own debate...

• Mr. Candidate, have you read the studies showing that the rich aren't spending money because of the uncertainty in our tax laws?
• Have you considered the implications of taking the job-creator's wealth so that they can't reinvest it in their business or community?
• What role does government have in stimulating the economy? (Okay, I did ask this question, and regulations and requirements was the answer.)
• What about all the historical proof that LOWERING taxes actually increases government income and stimulates the economy?

Even the Democratic Idol, John F. Kennedy, had wiser sense when it came to taxation:

Tax reduction thus sets off a process that can bring gains for everyone, gains won by marshalling resources that would otherwise stand idle—workers without jobs and farm and factory capacity without markets. Yet many taxpayers seemed prepared to deny the nation the fruits of tax reduction because they question the financial soundness of reducing taxes when the federal budget is already in deficit. Let me make clear why, in today's economy, fiscal prudence and responsibility call for tax reduction even if it temporarily enlarged the federal deficit—why reducing taxes is the best way open to us to increase revenues.

—President John F. Kennedy,
Economic Report of the President, January 1963

So why aren't our candidates and politicians learning from history? Why do WE allow them to create the wealth war? Are we really that pitiful that we'll believe anything a politician tells us because we don't think it affects us?

NEWS FLASH: Taxing the rich affects every single one of us. Currently, the rich aren't spending because they're preparing for tax increases. No investment means no production means no jobs. History shows us that the higher the tax rates, the lower the revenue to the government.

In addition, whose role is it to stimulate our economy? TARP, the Economic Stimulus, Cash for Clunkers and the First Time Home Buyer Credit all instituted in the past two years were big fat failures. Money was borrowed from foreign countries and stolen from my child's future to buy votes and create government dependence. The more of us who can't make it month to month with out assistance, the more benefits we'll receive from the federal government. The more benefits we receive, the more ammunition the looters have to continue these worthless and bankrupt government programs.

Stop the bleeding and borrowing. Extend tax cuts to ALL Americans. Minimize welfare expenditures and release regulations so that the private sector can do it's job of CREATING jobs.

And just to clarify, tax cuts do not cause deficit. Spending causes a deficit. To say tax cuts are the problem is assuming the the government owns my income.

Litter, litter everywhere!

"Don't be a litterbug!" was the slogan of my childhood. All over my public school and posted on trash cans everywhere were reminders to put trash in the can. This was the beginning of the green movement, in my opinion, because the core purpose of picking up our trash is to keep our environment clean.

What I've noticed in Ponce Inlet (greater Daytona beach), in contrast to other areas where I've lived, is that most of the trash here seems unintentional. This small beach side community is animal friendly, kid friendly and visitor friendly. Our sidewalks and beaches are lined with trash cans encouraging people to put their litter in the proper spot. But still, we run across empty water bottles, plastic bags, napkins or an occasional cigarette pack. My first reaction was "how could someone litter in such a beautiful place?!"

After years of walking this amazing town, I've come to a new conclusion: the wind is the culprit! Rather than people purposely throwing trash on the ground or out their car window, the wind picks up loose trash and spews it in our beautiful environment. You can witness it any day on the beach. People bring snacks in zip-top bags and when the food is finished, the bag is forgotten. Quickly, the wind picks up trash and it's long gone.

With much thought, I offer suggestions to locals & visitors to help keep our paradise litter-free:

• take snacks to the beach in reusable containers that can't blow away
• use reusable containers for drinks rather than disposable ones; keep track of straws and empty juice boxes
• keep a trash bag secured to your belongings for easy disposal; remember to tie the top
• always secure litter before putting in trash - the wind can easily blow wrappers out of an open can
  
• crush bottles & cans before putting them in recycling (lots of trash blows out of recycle bins)
• secure all belongings in the car when the windows are open
• help keep the neighborhood clean by bringing a bag on your stroll! Take a moment to pick up a piece of trash.

Personally, I've keep a grocery bag on my stroller for collecting litter. My toddler has made a game out of discovering and picking up trash. Not a bad habit if I do say so myself!

The Race Card

I accept that we look at the world a bit differently. Our entire lives, we've been reminded of our race, gender and household income. Any time we fill out a form, whether it be for a doctor visit or loan application, there's that question:

Race: White or Caucasian, Black or African American, Asian or Phillipino, Latino or Hispanic, Other???

Our government reminds us that we have different colors of skin or varying ethnicities. I've always checked that box "white or caucasian". I've never been a part of what the government labels a "minority", although there really isn't a box for me because I'm a pure American mutt, just like most of my friends!

So, no, I don't know where you're coming from when it feels like you're being discriminated against because you're black, asian or latino.

In the age of Affirmative Action, it actually seems that people who aren't white have an advantage! Isn't that why we disclose our race? It's not to make sure that enough white people are getting loans or the jobs, it's to require that a certain number of "minorities" get those things. These Affirmative Action rules discard being judged by the "content of our character" in favor of the color of our skin.

From the website of the National Association for the Advancement of Conservative People of all Colors:

We believe that race is an institution designed to keep like minded citizens apart and separate. The institution of race has given us racism, social and political segregation and numerous barriers both physically and psychologically. The NAACPC stands strong behind the belief that there are no differences in people relative to skin color.

I do know what it feels like to make bad decisions and wish I had something besides myself to blame. From where I'm looking, we have a President who has instated some of the most radical regulations that will bleed Americans of our liberties and our work ethic. Here are a few examples:

• Government borrowing and then spending to stimulate our economy does nothing but kill private business. TARP was the stupidest thing Bush could have done before leaving office. On Obama's request and with the help of a Democrat controlled Congress, Bush passed TARP in November months before Obama would be sworn-in. If he didn't agree with TARP, he should have let Obama sign it himself. Obviously, he agreed. Bailouts of corporations is unacceptable and un-American. Unless we let the market work, we will control it to death. Let them fail and watch innovation at work.
• Cash for Clunkers wasted tax-payer money to supplement the purchase of brand new cars. Before leaving the lot, the dealership was required to destroy the old cars, which negatively impacts the used-car market. Rather than selling them for use or for parts to pay for the program, they were destroyed. In the name of the environment, the Obama administration encouraged the unnecessary purchase of thousands of new vehicles and wasted the "reusable" cars for people who truly need a break. If participants weren't already planning to purchase a new car, Cash for Clunkers put each buyer in debtors prison.
• ObamaCare is a gigantic entitlement program that doesn't solve any of the real problems in our healthcare system. Medicare and Medicaid are programs that should be designed and implemented on the state level. It creates more taxes and takes over an entire portion of our economy.
• The Obama Administration is pushing hard for some sort of Cap & Trade legislation which disincentivises investments in America and leaches more profits from businesses & households.
• Extreme extensions of unemployment has encouraged some workers to enjoy the time off rather than taking a job under their pay grade or perhaps two jobs. Unemployment funds are dry in every state, so the unemployed are living off future taxable earnings of Americans.
• More than 50% of people granted government mortgage loan modifications are defaulting! Rather than allowing these people to default on their home mortgage, we supplemented their mortgages with tax dollars and they defaulted again anyway! Wasted, borrowed money when half of the recipients should have gone directly to renting!

It's the policies that infuriate me! And the catch is that Obama is doing exactly what he said he would! It's just that the results aren't what people hoped for. Instead of a government run utopia, we have a crumpling, over-regulated society.

It is the intention of our federal government to reduce our liberties and increase our dependence upon it. It's been a long and well-planned scheme beginning back in the early 1900s. We just happen to be in the perfect storm - an "economic crisis", a war (or 2), and a black president who fuels race issues to distract us from the destruction of our Constitutional Republic.

Let's get off the race card and focus on our Constitution. The changes back to our roots may seem radical, but once we get a taste of liberty and freedom, the rewards will be great!

What's the problem with the New Black Panthers?

Back in the 2008 elections, there was voter intimidation committed in Philly by King Samir Shabazz, a New Black Panther member, at a polling location. He guarded the door wielding a nightstick and apparently harassed white voters. It was video-taped by someone and reported on the day of the election.

The federal voter intimidation charges were dropped against Shabazz and it's recently hit the news again because one of the attorneys in the justice department quit over what he believed what was a racially-motivated dismissal of conviction. King Samir Shabazz has been banned from any polling station until 2012 (is he banned from the 2012 election or is it fitting that the ban allows him to be back there for Obama's re-election?), but it seems that the New Black Panthers stand behind their man and his actions.

In any case, this coverage peaked my curiosity and I checked out NewBlackPanther.com to see what they're all about. The 10-point platform listed on the website is frightening. I've responded to each point to the best of my ability and the strength of my opinion. While I don't believe that this group represents the majority of black Americans, it's distressing to think that the New Black Panthers could be gaining traction in Washington and its members being pardoned for federal crimes.

The entire 10-point platform demands things from white Americans based on slavery that ended a hundred and fifty years ago. Not all black people in America were slaves, not all white people in America were slave owners. Did you know that white slavery was prevalent in America? It's a large piece of history that has been re-written. The only benefit I can see of this blatant misrepresentation of America's history is a political one guaranteeing race wars and divisiveness.

There's not a single slave owner in my blood line; there are, however, indentured servants, castaways and criminals.

Our government has never been so "giving" (welfare, Medicaid, free ERs, Section-8, food stamps...) than we are today and the New Black Panthers demand more only for black people. They even want exemption from taxes and military service because this is a white country and nothing is fair for black people.

In 1935, Franklin D. Roosevelt, the father of Social Security and welfare, warned our nation during his state of the union address:

The lessons of history, confirmed by evidence immediately before me, show conclusively that continued dependence on relief induces a spiritual and moral disintegration fundamentally destructive to the national fiber. To dole out relief in this way is to administer a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit. It is inimical to the dictates of sound policy. It is a violation of the traditions of America.

Little did FDR know that his policies would destroy entire families, generation after generation, and cause a severe reliance on the government keeping poor people poor. It's alarming that any group of people (New Black Panthers, politicians, average citizens) would promote increased welfare spending while ignoring the statistics. And that's the message I read loud and clear in this 10-point platform.

Our generation ought to recognize this great country for reversing a law of slavery. There are dark days in every society, but the light has broken through here in America. It's time to recognize the achievements.

What the New Black Panthers Want What the New Black Panthers Believe

1. We want freedom. We want the power to practice self-determination, and to determine the destiny of our community and THE BLACK NATION. You live in America, you have freedom. Only you can hold you back. We believe in the spiritual high moral code of our Ancestors. We believe in the truths of the Bible, Quran, and other sacred texts and writings. We believe in MAAT and the principles of NGUZO SABA. We believe that Black People will not be free until we are able to determine our Divine Destiny. It's all yours! The great thing about America is freedom of religion - practice what you please.

2. We want full employment for our people and we demand the dignity to do for ourselves what we have begged the white man to do for us. Again, it's all yours! Work for it and you may have it. You cannot demand dignity, it must be in your soul. Stop begging and just do it. We believe that since the white man has kept us deaf, dumb and blind, and used every dirty trick in the book to stand in the way of our freedom and independence, that we should be gainfully employed until such time we can employ and provide for ourselves. You will and can be gainfully employed when you want to be. Do the job and it's yours. Lack in your dedication or commitment and you will be replaced by someone who shows dedication and commitment. With the opportunities given to ALL Americans, it is only you who keep yourself blind, deaf or dumb. We believe further in: POWER IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE! WEALTH IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE! ARMS IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE! Sounds like the American dream & the 2nd Amendment. *Note that it was Democrats who tried to keep black people down including denying blacks the 2nd Amendment rights. It was not ALL white people, just the racist bigots.

3. We want tax exemption and an end to robbery of THE BLACK NATION by the CAPITALIST. We want an end to the capitalistic domination of Africa in all of its forms: imperialism, criminal settler colonialism, neo-colonialism, racism, sexism, zionism, Apartheid and artificial borders. If you want to remain in this country and to enjoy the freedoms of it, then you must pay taxes as all other citizens do. If you don't want to contribute to the funding of our government, move to where you will be happier. We believe that this wicked racist government has robbed us, and now we are demanding the overdue debt of reparations. A form of reparations was promised 100 years ago (forty acres and a mule) as restitution for the continued genocide of our people and to in meaningful measure and repair the damage for the AFRICAN HOLOCAUST (Maangamizo/Maafa). Are you saying that all black people are descendants of slaves? If 40 acres and a mule were promised and not given, then any descendent of slave should maybe get their portion of that reparation?? (ie. one guy a 100 years ago could have one hundred descendants) We believe our people should be exempt from ALL TAXATION as long as we are deprived of equal justice under the laws of the land and the overdue reparations debt remains unpaid. We will accept payment in fertile and mine rally rich land, precious metals, industry, commerce and currency. As genocide crimes continue, people's tribunals must be set up to prosecute and to execute. That's just silly. The Jews were given reparations. The Japanese were given reparations. The Black, the Red and the Brown Nations must be given reparations. The American white man owes us reparations. England owes us reparations. France owes us reparations, Spain and all of Europe. Africa owes us reparations and repatriation. The Arabs owe us reparations. The Jews owe us reparations. All have taken part in the AFRICAN HOLOCAUST and the slaughter of 600 million of our people over the past 6,000 years in general and 400 year in particular. We know that this is a reasonable and just demand that we make at this time in history. You owe yourself to live up to your potential. Every single one of us has ancestors who were wronged by some party of people. Stop living in the past and take responsibility for your future.

4. We want decent housing, fit for shelter of human beings, free health-care (preventive and maintenance). We want an end to the trafficking of drugs and to the biological and chemical warfare targeted at our people. You must be responsible for yourselves. Time and again, when free housing is given to people with no skin in the game, they have no pride in their homes and THEY destroy their housing. Only you can self-regulate the trafficking of drugs; only you can support your community and demand higher standards of each other. We believe since the white landlords will not give decent housing and quality health care to our Black Community, the he housing, the land, the social, political and economic institutions should be made into independent UUAMAA New African Communal/Cooperatives so that our community, with government reparations and aid (until we can do for ourselves) can build and make drug free, decent housing with health facilities for our people. The "white landlords" have not responsibility to "give" you anything. Are the black landlords "giving" you what you want? It's not the housing that is "drug free", it's the people. Only the people can take pride in their homes and keep it decent. Health care exists through Medicaid, Medicare, the ER and community clinics for those who can't afford private coverage.

5. We want education for our people that exposes the true nature of this devilish and decadent American society. We want education that teaches us our true history/herstory and our role in the present day society. We believe in an educational system that will give our people a knowledge of self. If we do not have knowledge of self and of our position in society and the world, then we have little chance to properly relate to anything else. It's all yours! Take your knowledge and start an education program for your local youth. Does it have to be provided by the government? NO! Just do it!

6. We want all Black Men and Black Women to be exempt from military service. We believe that Black People should not be forced to fight in the military service to defend a racist government that holds us captive and does not protect us. We will not fight and kill other people of color in the world who, like Black People, are being victimized by the white racist government of America. We will protect ourselves from the force and violence of the racist police and the racist military, by any means necessary. If you have no pride in this country, than shoot your toe off and exempt yourself. Or, move to another country where you'll be happier.

7. We want an immediate end to POLICE HARRASSMENT, BRUTALITY and MURDER of Black People. We want an end to Black-on-Black violence, snitching, cooperation and collaboration with the oppressor. Only blacks can end Black-on-Black violence. Are you advocating acceptance of violence and thievery? Should anyone be held accountable? Are black cops okay, or is it all cops? We believe we can end police brutality in our community by organizing Black self-defense groups (Black People's Militias/Black Liberation Armies) that are dedicated to defending our Black Community from racist, fascist, police/military oppression and brutality. The Second Amendment of white America's Constitution gives a right to bear arms. We therefore believe that all Black People should unite and form an African United Front and arm ourselves for self-defense. It's implied that the cops are always wrong and the black citizens are always in the right. Rather than creating armies or militias, how about teaching non-violent communication? Support and lifting up of your fellow-man to create ...

8. We want freedom for all Black Men and Black Women held in international, military, federal, state, county, city jails and prisons. Even those guilty of a crime? We believe that all Black People and people of color should be released from the many jails and prisons because they have not received a fair and impartial trial. Released means released to the lawful authorities of the Black Nation. I demand that ALL people who have not received a fair and impartial trial or who have been wrongly convicted be released from captivity.

9. We want all Black People when brought to trial to be tried in a court by a jury of their peer group or people from their Black Communities, as defined by white law of the Constitution of the United States. I demand that ALL people be tried in a court by their peers - including doctors, teachers, hobos, salesmen, mothers, small business owners, land owners, tenants, judges, or fathers... We believe that the courts should follow their own law, if their nature will allow (as stated in their Constitution of the United States) so that Black People will receive fair trials. The 6th Amendment of the United States Constitution gives a man/woman a right to an impartial trial, which has been interpreted to be a fair trial by one's peer group. A peer is a person from a similar economic, social, religious, geographical, environmental, historical and racial background. To do this, the court will be forced to select a jury from the Black Community from which the Black defendant came. We have been and are being tried by all white juries that have no understanding of the average reasoning person of the Black Community.

10. WE DEMAND AN END TO THE RACIST DEATH PENALTY AS IT IS APPLIED TO BLACK AND OPPRESSED PEOPLE IN AMERICA. WE DEMAND FREEDOM FOR ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS OF THE BLACK RED AND BROWN NATION! If one is guilty of a crime and the penalty is death, what does race have to do with it? We want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice and peace. Don't we all?! And, as our political objective, we want NATIONAL LIBERATION in a separate state or territory of our own, here or elsewhere, a liberated zone (New Africa or Africa), and a plebiscite to be held throughout the BLACK NATION in which only we will be allowed to participate for the purposes of determining our will and DIVINE destiny as a people. Head on over to Africa! I'm sure there's some land for you there. I have a feeling you'll miss America. Crazy how you want a society of only black people when we've been working for years to share a country of ALL people. FREE THE LAND! UP YOU MIGHTY NATION! YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU WILL! BLACK POWER! History has proven that the white man is absolutely disagreeable to get along with in peace. No one has been able to get along with the white man. All the people of color have been subjected to the white man's wrath. We believe that his very nature will not allow for true sharing, fairness, equity and justice. Huh? This is opposite of what I know to be true. There are people of every race or ethnicity who are difficult to get along with. The beauty of America is that if you don't encroach on another's independence, then the law is on your side. This is a country of laws; if you don't want to follow them, no matter your skin color, you will be met with hostile force. Therefore, to the Red Man and Woman, to the Yellow and to the Brown, we say to you

THE SAME RABID DOG THAT BIT YOU, BIT US TOO! ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE! April 9,2010

My healthcare nightmare...

My husband, Mason, and I were living in Atlanta and both working full-time with full-benefits when we decided to go on a baby-making-vacation to Key West. It was an amazing Christmas week filled with conch fritters, draft beer, bicycles and lots of baby-making. And the plan worked! Not only did I get knocked-up with our first child, we made a nearly equally pivotal decision to purchase the Wing Zone restaurant in Daytona Beach, FL.

A few months later, all the details of the business purchase had been negotiated. It was time to tell our respective employers the exciting news of becoming small business owners and parents! We were both working for amazing, self-made individuals who supported our decisions whole-heartedly. It seemed, in their eyes, that it was only a matter of time before Mason and I ventured out on our own. Entrepreneurship is undeniably in our blood.

My boss had some bad news for me, though. Because we were a small company with only 9 employees, they were not required to offer me COBRA benefits! Not only were they not required, they weren't going to do it. Having a pregnant woman on the rolls was going to do them no good for their young, healthy staff benefits, even when I was paying for it. Honestly, I can't remember if I had thought about my pregnancy coverage before that moment. But from then on, it was a foremost concern with our impending move to Florida.

I had full benefits through Aetna, a provider that also serviced Florida. Logic would presume that I could call Aetna and have them transfer my coverage to the State of Florida. After all, I was already a customer! I didn't get knocked-up and then decide I needed coverage, I was already covered. They were the first company I called and NOPE, I could absolutely not transfer coverage or start a new policy because I had... du du du daaaaa... a pre-existing condition.

No insurance company in the State of Florida would cover me due to my pre-existing condition of pregnancy. Comes to find out that this was not a self-imposed regulation by the insurance conglomerate. No, it was actually imposed through our Federal interstate guidelines. I would completely understand if I had no coverage before getting pregnant. I was, however, completely covered before inception and absolutely willing to pay for continued coverage. Our Federal Government decided that I wasn't allowed to carry coverage over from state to state!

So it came down to two choices:

1. Pay out of pocket for pregnancy expenses, birth and any possibility of complications or
2. Apply for Florida Medicaid

I applied for Florida Medicaid and was approved. Amazingly enough, pregnancy coverage comes in a one-size-fits-all package. Even though I was willing and able to pay for my benefits, I was given a 100%, full-coverage policy. And, on top of it, our son Jake was automatically put in the system upon birth for his first year of life. Again, everything covered without co-pays or premiums.

And we wonder what's wrong with our current medical system? We are limited by our Federal Government and nearly forced into government assistance, whether we want or need it.

Why didn't the proponents of Obamacare request to open state lines? Answer: government dependency.

I'm now on my second pregnancy. We've had private health insurance through Blue Cross at the price of $700/month (covering Jake & me). A maternity rider had to be added to my policy at least 3 months prior to inception at the additional cost of $120/month in order to cover the pregnancy - with a $3,000 deductible and 50/50 coverage after that. With a payment plan in effect at the OB/GYN, my family is paying over $1,000 per month for health insurance coverage. That Florida Medicaid sure sounds sweet right now!

Fair & Balanced? Not unless you contribute!

On Tuesdays, I co-host a local talk radio show - The Roland Via Morning Show on WNDB am1150. The regular host, Roland Via, is on hiatus while he's running for re-election as mayor of Holly Hill, FL.

There is an FCC regulation requiring equal time on the radio for all candidates in a race - even when being a radio host is one's job! Even advertisements aired using Via's voice count for equal time. So far, none of the other mayoral candidates have taken the radio station up on its requirement of air-time; the time expires after 7 days, so it's ever-revolving.

Via had regular co-hosts on his show, so it's only natural that we co-hosts continue our gigs while contributing to the new Morning Drive program, hosted by Dave Laing, the program director and sound engineer.

This morning, Laing received an email from a listener suggesting that WNDB scrap the morning show while Via is on hiatus and replace it with a liberal talk show host to "balance" the station. (WNDB airs Neal Boortz, Rush Limbaugh, local host Marc Bernier, Sean Hannity and Jim Bohannon) While it's an interesting idea, wouldn't WNDB have pursued it if it thought that the liberal show would make the station any money?!

We discussed the email on-air and invited the altering views to please CALL-IN! The phone lines are always open and we want lively debate! That's what makes good radio. Of course, we didn't hear from the guy except for the email.

Not long after that, Laing received an email from a female listener asking who I was... obviously, we hadn't said my name enough. We'll have to correct that! She accused me of being a one-sided conservative. She reiterated the suggestion of buying a syndicated liberal talk show for the morning - after all, we're supposed to be "fair & balanced".

Somehow, this woman thought that I worked for Fox News, which has the tag line "fair & balanced", and that I was reporting the news.

This is where things are really messed up in America. People take talking-heads' and comedians opinions as their final news source! Since when are opinions fact? Yes, I'm opinionated and yes, when it comes to fiscal and individual responsibility, I'm conservative. (Ask me about gay rights, legalization of marijuana or abortion and you may think differently of me.) Combined with the radio outlet to spew my opinionated thoughts, my goal is to get people riled up enough to call and debate! We again asked the woman behind the email to call and help "balance" out the show. You guessed it, she didn't call.

Some of the best radio I've been a part of has been wild debate. It's boring to have everyone agree and different viewpoints foster creative thinking. We're not supposed to agree with anyone 100% of the time. One beauty of living in a free society is the ability to think freely and express our opinions without recourse from our government. I love America.

Incidentally, the topic of the morning was a recent Gallup poll of Americans showing that 42% consider themselves conservative, 35% moderate and 20% liberal. My question to the audience and the County Council Candidates who called-in was: Does Vousia County follow the national trend? From the listener response, it sounds like we do. The candidates also said that's what they're seeing in the trenches.

If the liberals think the county doesn't follow the national trend, stop hiding behind your computer and pick up the phone!! Your input is invaluable and yet diluted when not voiced.

Live stream every Tuesday morning from 6-8:30am on www.WNDB.am or listen in greater Daytona Beach at am1150. Call in to 386-239-0033 or *1150 on your AT&T wireless phone.

Talk to you next week!

Why isn't America taking the help it so desperately needs to clean up this oil spill? It's a major tragedy that evokes emotion in nearly everyone, even when finger-pointing is all over the place.

Almost immediately, organizations called for hair and stocking donations to make booms to soak up the oil. Thousands of people participated and thousands more oil sucking booms were created with almost zero cost. Before they could be deployed to help contain the spilling crude, BP engineers claimed that commercial booms were more effective and they wouldn't be using the organic hair booms. WHAT?!?

People all over America pulled their resources and volunteer hours to help contain the oil spill and engineers are denying the use of the donated booms? sniff sniff sniff... smells like conspiracy to me! Who makes these commerical booms? BP of course! (and I'm sure many other deep-seeded corporations) So what if they "don't work as well" - use two of them! They're FREE!!

Here's a comparison of commercial booms vs. hair booms:

Looks like the hair booms work pretty well! Especially AT NO COST.

Thankfully, states are taking advantage of the donated hair booms.

A more important issue is: why haven't all U.S. vessels been deployed for spill containment and clean up? We have ships sitting idle on the Gulf coast that could be skimming all day, every day, working tirelessly to get the oil before the oil gets our coast. Give them some hair booms and get to cleanin'!

President Obama has denied help from 13 foreign governments by not waiving the Jones Act, which requires that all goods transported by water between U.S. ports be carried in U.S.-flag ships. The restriction was created to support the U.S. Mercantile industry (effectiveness to be disputed). Sometimes good intentions are the source of destruction! By accepting help from other countries, we can control, stop & clean up this monstrosity of destruction. Once American vessels can handle ALL the work alone, we can send the help away.

Let's get our ships out there and let's take help from willing countries! We're not the first to go through a terrible oil spill; there is experience and knowledge all over the world - we can learn from history!

Thought provoking on cigarettes...

Cigarettes are gross. They stink and they make people stink and they are just gross. Beyond that, it's been widely advertised (through the government) for generations that they're bad for your health! **this is after years of propaganda stating that cigs were GOOD for your health**

When I was just 7 years old, my little bro and I plastered "No Smoking" signs all over our house to show our mom how much we cared about her and wanted her to quit. Where did we get that idea? From school, of course! I'd like to think it worked, too, since she quit smoking that year.

At 11 years old, I vividly remember walking through the Oaks Mall in Gainesville Florida and complaining to my non-smoking mom how nasty it was that people were smoking inside. Soon after that, the Oaks Mall voluntarily banned smoking in doors. It was wonderful!

Right after college, I found myself back in Tallahassee lobbying with members of the Florida Restaurant Association and the Florida Hotel & Motel Association (now the Florida Restaurant and Hotel Association) against a law proposed to ban smoking in public places. Restaurants, hotels and other businesses said it was their right to choose whether they wanted to be smoking in their establishments. After all, the best vote is one with the dollars! There were already places like the Oaks Mall that had voluntarily banned smoking! We lost.

Now we have a complicated, draconian law regulating Florida businesses, which includes the entertainment industry (we're losing massive amounts of revenue because smoking is banned on movie sets, meaning that companies that can & want to, will shoot elsewhere). Rather than allowing me, the non-smoking Floridian, to choose where I spend my hard-earned money, my choices are limited. As a business owner, I can't capitalize on offering a non-smoking establishment.

So anyway, I came across this thought provoking piece from Dr. William C. Douglass. With my Constitution Colored glasses on, it's extremely interesting how our minds are molded through government propaganda...

Tobacco attack in Massachusetts

They're baking more than beans in Boston -- Massachusetts officials are roasting common sense and decency, too.

The state is getting ready to force stores that sell cigarettes to put up disgusting photos that show the alleged damages of smoking. Whether you smoke or not, you're going to have to stare at these awful state propaganda posters -- the new law says they'll have to go right next to the cash registers at some 9,000 convenience stores, pharmacies, gas stations and anyplace else with the nerve to sell tobacco products.

Shopkeepers who refuse to deface their businesses with oversized images of rotting teeth and black lungs will face hundreds of dollars in fines.

The only hangup right now, ironically, is more political correctness: Officials are trying to figure out how many languages the signs should be in. By the time they're done, these things will be a mile long, and stores will have to use them as wallpaper.

Even if you don't live in Massachusetts, you should care -- because you're paying for this bird-brained scheme. The program is being funded by $316,000 in federal stimulus money. That means some well-connected poster-maker is getting ready to print his ticket into the good life.

The rest of us won't be nearly as stimulated, especially if this catches on. Regardless of how you feel about smoking, there are plenty of industries out there that COULD get this kind of treatment someday.

Today, it's cigarettes. Tomorrow, some public health dummy may decide he doesn't like drinking, sex, bingo night or stinky cheese -- and you'll be forced to deal with whatever rules and obstacles he puts in your way.

If this was purely about showing people the true health ravages of their lifestyle choices, then your local fast food dive would be adorned with pictures of bloated, obese corpses.

But they wouldn't dare try that.

In America, it's OK to go after smokers. But don't your dare touch somebody's Big Mac!

A poster child for common sense,

William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

P.S. Doesn't change my mind on the grossness of cigarettes, just opens my mind up more to deception and the underlying motives of our government...

FairTax Clarity

After volunteering an entire weekend with FairTax at the Seaside Balloon Festival in New Smyrna Beach, I have a renewed clarity on my support for FairTax, HR25.

FairTax is a national movement to abolish the Federal Income Tax. Rather than paying taxes on what we earn and invest, we will pay taxes on what we spend. Right now, only those who legally report their income pay income taxes. The more you make, the more money you have to find loopholes in our 70,000 page tax code. Our income tax incentivizes people to do business under the table, to invest overseas, and if they can afford it, to completely move their businesses to countries with more favorable tax codes.

Currently, we're taxed on income (through payroll and income taxes), investments, gifts and most insultingly, we're taxed if we have anything left when we die. Businesses must operate at a profit to say afloat, so when we raise taxes on businesses, they must pass it on to the consumer. That means we only get to keep some of our earnings and then we pay taxes for businesses when we spend that money!

FairTax, HR25, proposes to replace all those individual taxes with one transparent retail sales tax charged only on new goods and services at the final retail level. I'd like to clear up some common, yet valid, misconceptions I heard over the weekend about FairTax:

• FairTax is regressive, the poor will pay more than the rich. FALSE! What makes FairTax unique is the monthly pre-bate. Written into the bill is a rebate to every American household on taxes spent up to the poverty level. Rather than basing it on income, it's based on the Federal Poverty Level and household size. No American will pay Federal Taxes until they spend above the poverty level. If one spends $50,000 in a year, their tax rate is 13.6%. The more you spend, the more you pay in taxes.
• FairTax will promote a black market. Right now, it takes only one person to cheat on their tax return form. Under the FairTax, it takes two people - the person selling the goods and the person buying them. Most retailers will not jeopardize their businesses to save someone the cost of federal taxes. In addition, our trillion dollar black market is finally taxed - do you know a drug dealer or prostitute who legally reports their income? Certainly not! They do, however, legally purchase goods and services in this country.
• How will we fund our roads or social security if you want to end federal taxes? FairTax REPLACES the Federal Income Tax. FairTax has nothing to do with budgeting or spending. FairTax defunds the IRS and eliminates our 70,000 page tax code. Rather than collecting taxes from those who legally report their income, FairTax collects revenue from everyone in America. Americans keep their entire paychecks while everyone in America pays taxes.
• How, in economic times like these, can we count on spending to fund our government? Historically, spending is more consistent than income. Take your unemployed neighbor, for instance. They no longer have a job with income, but they must spend about the same amount of money to merely exist. (Remember, they'll also receive the pre-bate, untaxing all spending up to the poverty level.) And, that unemployed friend may take money out of their 401k or other retirement plan to pay their bills without penalization from our government.
• What about the home mortgage deduction? Well, if you get to keep all your income, there's nothing to deduct! We only have deductions because the government keeps a portion of our income before it hits the bank accounts. Receiving your entire paycheck means no more pandering to get your money back.
• Why not a flat tax? The more you make, the more you pay to the government! Flat tax still depends on people honestly reporting their income to the Federal Government. The flat tax does not repeal the payroll tax, America's most regressive tax of all, which deducts 7.65% from employees paychecks and charges the employer 7.65% for the "privilege" of offering employment. It also keeps the IRS in tact and similarly encourages businesses and wealthy individuals to conduct business overseas.

The FairTax Act, HR25, encourages economic growth and estimates a 10% in our GDP in the first year of implementation. Because America will be a tax haven, corporations throughout the world will flock to our shores, creating jobs and wealth. Currently, American products do not compete on a world-stage because our income and payroll taxes are embedded in every item produced in America. FairTax removes embedded taxes, allowing for fair competition of American products. It also adds the same federal tax to any imported goods sold in America.

No longer will we punish productivity; instead, we will encourage job creation and economic growth. No longer will law-abiding citizens be punished for reporting their income to the IRS. Every American keeps their entire paycheck; everyone in America pays federal taxes.

reprint - letter to the editor re: immigration

Dear Editor:

So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should tear down the Statue of Liberty because the people now in question aren't being treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Island and other ports of entry.

Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing to accept this new kind of immigrant any longer. Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to the

United States, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in New York and be documented. Some would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times. They made learning English a primary rule in their new American households and some even changed their names to blend in with their new home.

They had waved good bye to their birth place to give their children a new life and did everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture. Nothing was handed to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had brought with them to trade for a future of prosperity.

Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out. My father fought along side men whose parents had come straight over from Germany , Italy , France and Japan . None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from. They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan . They were defending the United States of America as one people.

When we liberated France , no one in those villages were looking for the French-American or the German American or the Irish American. The people of France saw only Americans. And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here. These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirred the melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl. And here we are with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by playing with a different set of rules, one that includes the entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to their mother country. I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is all about. I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in the early 1900's deserve better than that for all the toil, hard work and sacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better life. I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those waving foreign country flags.

And for that suggestion about taking down the Statue of Liberty , it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on the immigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the United States just yet.

(signed)

Rosemary LaBonte

Choosing NOT to Work

Man and woman riveting team working on the cockpit shell of a C-47 aircraft at the plant of North American Aviation. Office of War Information photo by Alfred T. Palmer, 1942.

I love when my opinions are all of a sudden backed up by reality!!

I've been talking with hubby, Mason, and over the radio waves about unemployment benefits keeping great people from working for well more than a year. Never in my life have I known so many otherwise go-getting adults to choose NOT to work. But never before has there been such incentive to stay unemployed!

If you were laid off in the prime of a career, the benefits of unemployment will easily outweigh the cost of working lower paying jobs. We have guys working second jobs at Wing Zone to make ends meet, but rarely do we see professionals seek employment in order to kick the government benefits.

America has had its fair share of recessions. One great American trait has always been our work ethic - when times got tough, Americans got working. Remember Rosie the Riveter and rationing during WW2? Everyone pitched in to keep our economy going and to support our troops.

Now, millions of Americans collect unemployment rather than taking those two jobs needed to make ends meet. Americans weigh the benefits of working versus the benefits of free-time and free money. Even if a job pays more than unemployment, it's the loss of free time that costs so much more.

A company in Michigan has found out what I've known all along: ...some seasonal landscaping workers choose to stay home and collect a check from the state, rather than work outside for a full week and spend money for gas, taxes and other expenses...

There were times during past recessions when adults worked anywhere available to earn a paycheck. There were times that government handouts were not an option because of the stigma attached. As Bob Dylan sang, "Times, they are a changin'," and it never rung truer than in 2010.

The fact that unemployment benefits have been extended to 18 months has a direct effect on the availability of qualified, experienced workers. Why would anyone take a delivery driving job when they can stay home and have wings delivered?

Rest assured that when benefits run out and we receive a load of applications from newly available workers, I will be asking, "So, what have you been doing for the past 18 months?"

And this leads to another question that's been burning inside: Where are the volunteers?? (To be continued...)

The customer is always right?

We all know the old adage, "The customer is always right," but what happens when the customer turns it around on you?

It's probably been a whole year ago when I was working in our restaurant taking orders and making deliveries. A man came in wearing a Florida State shirt and I said "Go Noles!" and he said "ya right, you probably say that no matter what team."

I said, "No, I'm Alumni!"

"And you work in a place like this? So much for that degree," he replied.

I leaned over the counter and whispered, "I own this place."

I'll never forget that day. Not only was this customer rude to me, but he belittled the establishment that employs 12 people and supports my family.

Unfortunately, this isn't abnormal in our line of business. "The customer is always right" has actually come back to haunt us. What happened to common courtesy? What happened to mutual respect? I provide a product that people enjoy, so why do people look down upon us, or our team members, as if we're less-than-worthy?

Unfortunately, this is a symptom of a larger problem in our society. We often judge people by their cover, not their content. The guy I wrote about above basically assumed I was a loser with a degree because I worked "in a place like this".

What about my guys who take pride in their job and who work 70 hours a week to pay their bills? Why does society look down upon the blue-collar workers as if they could get along without them? Personally, I have a lot of respect for people with degrees working part-time delivering chicken wings. Talk about pride in life rather than fear of judgement. We could all take a cue from them.

We all have a story and that's what makes the world go 'round. Yes, I'm a proud college graduate slingin' protein for a living.

Spewing thoughts...

For those who know me, you know that it's very seldom I have nothing to say! But for the past few weeks, my brain has been so full of all the crazy things happening in America that I can barely put my thoughts together.

Let's talk about this terrible oil explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. I can't be the only one thinking about the coincidence of the explosion, the remarks from President Obama a few weeks about about off-shore exploration and the Cap & Trade bill. I mean, it took only a few days before our Florida Senator Bill Nelson let the world know that we will no longer entertain the idea of off-shore drilling. Nelson is part of the global-warming brigade and in full support of Cap & Trade despite lack of support from his constituents. Rather than focusing on solutions, Nelson is positioning his political gain.

There's been a big rush to demonize BP. Did you know that BP didn't own the platform that exploded? It's just so much easier to blame big oil than to find the truth. Either way, it was an awful accident and we can't begin to comprehend the ramifications. I do appreciate that BP is doing what it can to control it.

Then we have the crazy taxes and regulations that are unfolding now that we can really digest the Healthcare Bill. As a small business owner, I purchase my own health insurance. It's quite pricey and a bit limited, but we sacrifice for the sake of our lives. When I was going over costs today at my doctor's office with their billing person, she assured me that things will be better come 2014. Does she assume that I don't want to pay for my own health insurance? Does she think that the taxpayers should pay for me to have cheaper insurance? I wasn't really in the mood to get into a political debate with her, especially since I LOVE my new doctor, so I just put out the idea that maybe if I don't pay my medical bills until 2014, Obama could go ahead and pay them off for me. I was joking, but she said "well, that may be an option"!!

Over the weekend I met a guy who tore his ACL and has no insurance. He's an example of an otherwise young and healthy American who should have had catastrophic coverage for out of the ordinary things like sports injuries and car accidents. Instead, he's been waiting 9 months for "government assistance" to pay for his $20,000 surgery. I said, "wow, I can't wait until Universal Healthcare is enacted. Your free surgery will happen so much faster!" He agreed! He went on to explain how he can't even work because of his knee injury. Again, I wasn't in the mood to have a serious debate (I was at a wedding after all), so I let it go. This guy is now living on our tax dollars through disability and unemployment waiting for our tax dollars to pay for his surgery. He's using his injury as an excuse not to work. If he can't get a job because he's not qualified, that's one thing; but if he's using his injury as an excuse to leach off the system, we have a problem. I mean, seriously, there are hundreds of thousands of disabled Americans going to work every day. (BTW, my solution to his dilemma is creating a payment plan. If docs and hospitals did that from the beginning, they'd have more people paying their bills. It's his injury, his choice to carry no insurance, and his responsibility - NOT MINE!)

Now we have the consideration of a VAT tax and there are people out there actually defending it. Thankfully, it's not many politicians because they know their careers are on the line. Instead, it's Americans who truly believe that government is the solution, not the problem. The VAT is a tax added to each stage of production and rolled into the final cost of each product. The VAT will not replace our current tax system, instead be added on top of it. The only beneficiary of the VAT is the federal government. The VAT will reduce competitiveness of American goods over seas, it will increase compliance costs, it will increase the costs of good to every American and it will literally stall our economy from any growth whatsoever. Kill the VAT.

How about the "radical solution" proposed by Union Labor to seize our PRIVATE 401ks to bailout their unfunded pension plans? Why isn't this getting news?? Will it happen below the radar while we deal with the oil catastrophe?

Okay, my head is spinning and I'm just beginning... do you feel secure in America? Land of the free, home of the brave... we better fight for it.

Is it me? Or the generation before...

Have you seen the forward (below) about how different things were back in the day before the age of over-parenting, child-proofing and video games? Sometimes, when older folks are talking about the difference in generations, they mention how ungrateful the "kids today" are or how lazy they are.

If the generation before me was so great, and my generation is messed up, where's the breakdown? Are parents not responsible for their offspring? Who should be keeping the next generation on track?

ANSWER: the adults! Adults are to show an example and encourage success to the next generation. Adults are the ones who made and changed the rules, who created the distractions over the years. Whether it be public education curriculum, television content, or video games, if you survived between 1930 and 1979, you played a role in molding the next generation!

It's time we take responsibility for our actions and look ahead to a brighter future. Talk to the kids in your life, show them responsibility and consequences. Answer their questions and ask some back! Make them think, encourage activity and promote creativity. We are responsible for the next generation.

I miss the good ole days, the innocence and the fireflies.

*email forward*

Those of You Born 1930 - 1979

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED THE 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!

First, we survived being born to mothers
Who smoked and/or drank while they were Pregnant.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing,
Tuna from a can and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies

in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-base paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles,
Locks on doors or cabinets and when we rode
Our bikes, we had baseball caps not helmets on our heads.

As infants & children,
We would ride in cars with no car seats,
No booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires

and sometimes no brakes.

Riding in the back of a pick-up truck on a warm day
Was always a special treat.

We drank water
From the garden hose

and not from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends,
From one bottle and no one actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread, real butter and bacon.
We drank Kool-Aid made with real white sugar.
And, we weren't overweight.

WHY?

Because we were
Always outside playing...that's why!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day,
As long as we were back when the
Streetlights came on.

No one was able
To reach us all day. And, we were O.K.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps
And then ride them down the hill, only to find out
We forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes
a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's and X-boxes.
There were no video games, no 150 channels on cable,
No video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's,

No cell phones,
No personal computers, no Internet and no chat rooms.

WE HAD FRIENDS

And we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth
And there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt,
And the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays,
Made up games with sticks and tennis balls and,
Although we were told it would happen,
We did not put out very many eyes..

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and
Knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just
Walked in and talked to them.

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team.
Those who didn't had to learn to deal
With disappointment.
Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law
Was unheard of.
They actually sided with the law!

These generations have produced some of the best
Risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever.

The past 50 years
Have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility,
and we learned how to deal with it all.

Kind of makes you want to run through the house
with scissors, doesn't it?