America ,Spinning out of Control?

Americans, in general, have enjoyed an era, the last 30-40 years, of unprecedented prosperity and conspicuous consumption.

A lot of folks have given no thought to buying the largest, most behemoth vehicles, McMansions,etc., whether or not they could afford them. There has been almost an overall prevailing air of entitlement among a large part of the populace.

Another sizeable segment of the population has had the mindset that the government ought to take care of them and solve all of their problems,with that same "entitlement" mindset. It has been the "New Orleans" attitude,if you will, rather than the "Iowa" model that we have all just witnessed!

Now with that world "spinning out of control", it seems we, as a nation, must be more focused on "down-sizing", "conservation", and "living within our means", terms long since buried in our national concienceness.

I truly believe if, once again, the American ideals of ingenuity and self reliance emerge, we can meet any and all of these problems with a confident attitude that will make us a much stronger country as we now must enter a new era.

Telecommuting and the Rising Cost of Gasoline

As the price of gasoline continues to rise (and all indications are that it will), and common usage of alternative fuels seems a long way off, we must find creative ways in which to cope.

Fortunately, my husband has a job which allows him to work from home (telecommute) 50% of the time. The other half is spent flying off to another city (or country) to teach software classes. He has been doing this for about 20 years now. In a pinch, he has even done web-based training for engineers in places like India, while sitting comfortably in his home office.

I don't understand why any person who has a job in which they sit at a computer all day in an office (not dealing face to face with the public) could not work from home.

The technology we have now is amazingly able to allow all sorts of jobs to be done from a remote location. More and more companies, especially in cities like Phoenix with poor mass transit systems, ought to be trying these new ways of doing business in order to deal with the transportation challenges their employees are now facing.

Revitalizing Downtown Memphis

As a former Memphian (born and raised and grew up there in the 1950's and 60's,in the hey day of "Memphis Music,"), I often marvel at the fact that the city doesn't capitalize more on it's uniquely rich musical heritage and gorgeous geographically located downtown.

Any other city would have already milked those things for all they were worth! For example, I could not believe the city was only charging a quarter to ride the trolley when it first started. I believe most people would have gladly paid far more, especially the tourists, for a tour of the area with the lovely Mississippi River and it's riverboats, barges, etc.

Concentrate on those two things being the cornerstone of development downtown, and the rest (restaurants, retail stores, hotels, etc.) will follow!!

I know the city has tried some semblance of a plan, but none has worked very well, obviously. With the right progressive minds behind a venture(or ventures) like that, with not only their great ideas, but the investment dollars to back it up, I can just imagine how the downtown could prosper! Of course, the crime problem will be a major hurdle, but I know there has to be a much better way to deal with that issue also.

I have always loved downtown Memphis, and there is absolutely no reason it cannot be just as vibrant as the downtowns of Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago and other great cities.

Gay Marriage Legal in California

I do believe that a gay couple who want to make a life long committment to one another ought to be afforded the same legal rights and responsibilities as a male-female couple. I think the term "marriage", however, ought to be reserved for a traditional union, as it has been since the beginning of human history.

The California decision allowing gay marriage will awaken Americans to the fact that a small, but extremely vocal minority was able to push it's agenda on the majority. I predict that it has become very apparent to most people now, why an ammendent to the constitution defining marriage as exclusively a union of one man and one woman is necessary.

I believe there are two reasons why this ammendment failed in Arizona the last time. The first being the homosexual propaganda machine did a very good job of convincing a lot of Arizonans that the ammendent was not necessary since gay marriage was already illegal in Arizona, and, secondly, the ammendment seemed to be purposely written in such a way as to be ambiguous and confusing to a lot of voters.

This time, there will be a clearer wording of the ammendment so there is no doubt of it's meaning. Also, It ought to be perfectly obvious to most voters why this ammendment is necessary, so that Arizona does not follow in the footsteps of California and allow an activist judge to circumvent the will of the great majority of the people .

The Legacy of George W. Bush

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Posted Jun-15
10:00 AM

I know several people from Iran (or as they call it, Persia) and they are wonderful people. I believe a lot of the younger generation there is progressive and does not support their governments' stance on anti-American, pro-nuclear policies.

However, it is the fanatical Radical Islamists, like Mahmoud Ahmaddinejad who seem to be in charge and driving the nuclear program.

President Ahmaddinejad has stated over and over that he intends to analiate Israel, thus setting the stage for a possible armageddon.

George W. Bush will leave a legacy of at least three monumental accomplishments.

1. Under his watch, no other attacks have happened in the 7 years following one (if not the most) horrific attacks ever on our soil.

2.He was instrumental in ending the murderous regime of one of the most evil dictators in modern history, and thereby accomplishing a great humanitarian mission. One needs only to talk to my Kurdish friends who fled Iraq because Saddam Hussein was committing genocide against their people, about whether or not we should have eliminated him.

3.The Iraqi war will go down in history as the pivotal point in which Democracy in that tumultuous region will have gained a strong hold. Over 20,000 al qaida and other Islamist terrorists who were fighting us in Iraq and Afghanistan have been eliminated in the last few years. It may sound trite, but we are fighting them over there instead of our major cities in the U.S.

Some of our greatest Presidents were not popular during their administrations. (Abraham Lincoln, for example)

I'll close with a quote from Ann Coulter's latest essay,

BUSH'S AMERICA: 100 PERCENT
AL-QAIDA FREE SINCE 2001

"The Iraqis have a democracy -- a miracle on the order of flush toilets in that godforsaken region of the world. Despite its newness, Iraq's democracy appears to be no more dysfunctional than one that would condemn a man who has kept the nation safe for seven years while deifying a man who has accomplished absolutely nothing in his entire life except to give speeches about "change."

But liberals have only blind hatred for Bush -- and for those brute American interrogators who do not supply extra helpings of béarnaise sauce to the little darlings at Guantanamo with sufficient alacrity.

The sheer repetition of lies about Bush is wearing people down. There is not a liberal in this country worthy of kissing Bush's rear end, but the weakest members of the herd run from Bush. Compared to the lickspittles denying and attacking him, Bush is a moral giant -- if that's not damning with faint praise. John McCain should be so lucky as to be running for Bush's third term. Then he might have a chance."

Reflections on Father's Day

I never knew my dad, he was killed at age 25 in an accident. I was 20 month old. Growing up, I always envied my friends who had a Dad. Fortunately, I married a wonderful man 38 years ago who turned out to be exactly the sort of Dad for our kids that I always wanted. I'm sure my children would attest to that. I now see those same ideals exhibited in both our son and son-in-law as they parent our two granddaughters. The best thing is that now my husband gets to be "grandpa" and once again use his kindness, gentleness, sense of wonder and adventure to enrich the lives of his grandchildren!

Downtown Living and Crime

My husband and I have seriously considered a downtown condo now that our children are grown. We really don't need a big house and yard anymore. However, the crime issue, and the fact that downtown Phoenix really hasn't much going for it unless you work there or go to the cultural and sports venues a lot has been a deciding factor for us. The crime seems to be a problem in most large cities.

Case in point: my hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. The downtown there is geographically awesome. It's right on the bluffs overlooking the widest part of the Mississippi with riverboats, barges, and wonderful green parks running through on Riverside Drive. Cybill Shepherd and other Memphis celebrities and leaders have "Old South" style mansions down there.

Several of the large old cotton warehouses overlooking the river were converted into condos with restaurants on the ground floor back in the eighties. Of course, Memphis being dubbed the "Birthplace of Rock&Roll and Home of the Blues", by the chamber of commerce, there is also, Beale St., the Smithsonian Rock&Soul Museum, and the Gibson Guitar Factory. The Civil Rights Museum near the Lorraine motel where Martin Luther King Jr. was killed is downtown also. Having the World's best BBQ restaurant, the Rendevous, and the famous Peabody Hotel (with the celebrity ducks) adds to the overall charm.

Downtown is still my favorite part of Memphis, but the rampant crime there keeps most Memphians away. The Graceland area is also in a crime ridden part of the city, but there is also a lot of security, especially during "Elvis Week" in August. For the most part, only the unsuspecting tourists go downtown. It is sad to see the lost potential.

My husband and I always liked the idea of living in a vibrant downtown someday, either in Memphis or Phoenix, but given the crime and the absence of any geographical distinction of downtown Phoenix, we are no longer considering it.

Teen Parties

The year was 1989, and our son was a high school senior. One spring weekend, he threw an "unsanctioned" party at our house. My husband and I had taken our 14 year old daughter to Las Vegas for a gymnastics competition. When we returned, the house was very neat and orderly (almost too much so) except for one beer bottle cap on the kitchen floor (and we don't drink beer) and some small things that were out of place.

We found out from our neighbor the next day, that our son had thrown a huge party, evident, they said, from all the cars on the street and beer bottles in the yard. They were very impressed that our son had cleaned them up by the following mid morning. Later our son came clean with the details that he had hired a couple of guys from school who made extra money by putting on events at various houses. They had brought in a couple of bands, bouncers, and had 2 kegs of beer, soft drinks, and snacks. All of the rooms in the house had been cordoned off, leaving a pathway only through the kitchen to the bathrooms. They had even cleared out the medicine cabinets in case some of the party goers decided to help themselves to their contents! Advertising had been done by putting flyers on cars at the school., which was obviously effective as about 200 kids showed up!! Students were charged a $5.00 admission fee, (some of which was paid to our son).

I don't recall the details of our son's punishment, but he was probably grounded for a month! We were very lucky (or I should say, our son was very lucky) that everything went very smoothly. I have heard a lot of nightmare stories about these types of parties. Of course, we never would have agreed to allow either of our children to have a party like that which was open to the public, and most assuredly, never would have approved of the underage drinking that apparently went on that night.

Had an interesting experience one weekend last fall with some "action shooters". My husband and I were driving back from San Diego and he, a competitive "Bullseye Shooter" wanted to check out the South Bay shooting range in Dulzura,CA, which happens to be right in the middle of one of the recent burned areas.

While all around the area there was devastation, the range survived. That Saturday morning, the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) was having an event. We watched for a while (they even gave us ear protectors) and we really got a kick out of the outfits (not to be confused with costumes, as we were sternly warned!) A lot of the men, along with a few women participating, looked to be retirement age . They were all really getting into the spirit amd having a lot of fun, but it was evident that they took this sport very seriously. My husband now wants to try this genre of shooting also!

Failure to Bond

We seem to be becoming as a society increasingly more narcissistic. Case in point: In another sad story in this morning's paper there is an account of a young mother leaving her baby in the "care" of a boyfriend and even after several incidents of unexplained injuries to this boy, she continued to let this man abuse him resulting in the baby's death. What I found so sad and unconsciounable was that she said that choosing between the boyfriend (who didn't want the boy around) and her child was the hardest thing she ever had to do!!!!!! It seems the lack of a normal biological "bonding" with a child is just becoming more common now.

A Prayer for All of You

A prayer taped to my computer I'd like to share with all of you:

May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.

(author unknown)

It's a "Man Thing"!

This may be sexist but, I suspect, true on average. The rare times that my husband accompanies me to the grocery store, he will look for something else to do while I shop: magazine rack, nearby store to walk to, bathroom, even waiting for me in front of the store with his arms crossed, etc., anything from having to walk around and actually help get the groceries. Been that way for almost 38 years, so guess it's too late to change him!

Cultural Shifts

With the advent of the internet, satellite tv, etc. we are, in my opinion, on information overload. On any given day, I can sit at this computer and read newspapers from all over the world! As far as our values as a nation changing, I offer this quote by the Irish cleric and author of Gulliver's travels, Jonathan Swift, who wrote, "Whoe'er excels in what we prize, appears a hero in our eyes."

Case in point: the cultural shift from true heroes to the present day "celebrity as hero" phenomenon. Honor, integrity, virtue, courage, etc., have been replaced by fame (being famous for being famous), fortune, and fleeting physical beauty in our celebrity obsessed pop culture, as the qualities too many of our youth "prize" now! Self reliance, hard work and individual initiative, once hallmarks of our "american values, have largely been replaced with a sense of entitlement (nanny state) by a large segment of our society.
Instead of the "Golden Rule" being taught to our children at a very young age, they are being fed books like "Heather has Two Mommies".

I'll end with another one of my favorite quotes (author unknown):
"Don't be so open minded that your brains fall out.

Iran and Nuclear Weapons

The United States is a member of group of countries who have agreed on which countries are "stable" enough to have nuclear weapons. It is generally accepted by the free world that Iran is a terrorist state, and has the added danger of having a madman as president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He has stated repeatedly that he will not hesitate to use a nuclear weapon against Israel and considers the USA the "Great Satan".

Islamo-Fascism is the greatest threat in the world today, and Iran is the "head of the snake." As a child of a World War 11 gunner who did 38 missions, his brother, (a pilot) killed in action, and 4 other uncles, (one who was in the first wave at Omaha Beach in Normandy), and who all received purple hearts, and my mother having been a riveter on "The Liberator" airplane, I really take offense at the notion that this country's use of atomic bombs in World War 11, justifies a country like Iran getting a nuclear weapon. That action, from what I know from countless historical accounts, actually saved thousands of lives and brought an end to the war!

Homelessness and the Mentally ILL

Several years ago, two women appeared at my door one evening, garbed in long dresses, no makeup, wearing head scarves, passing out religious brochures. The younger one introduced herself as a former neighbor, who had moved away a couple of years earlier after a divorce. I did not even recognize her,as before, she had been a beautiful blonde,fit, always perfectly made up and on her way to tennis practice in her short skirt, etc. Her son and mine were friends, but I rarely talked to her as she seemed to travel in a different social circle. Needless to say, I was shocked that this was the same person! She introduced the other woman as her mother. A few months later "Jan" (not her real name), showed up at my door again, this time alone, saying her mother had left town and that she, "Jan", was now "living on the streets" and sleeping in a neighborhood park. My husband and I allowed her to stay at our home for several days while I tried to find resources, a job, etc, for her, however she began showing severe schizophrenic behavior, and as I still had 2 children at home, my husband was emphatic that she not stay with us any longer. We paid for a couple of nights in a hotel for her. I contacted her ex-husband, who wanted nothing to do with her. He had remarried, had custody of their 2 sons and had "moved on". She also had a grown daughter from an earlier marriage who seemed to be completely out of the picture. Anyway, this is a long, heart-breaking story, but bottom line, "Jan" refused to go get help at a shelter and I was told by a social worker that unless it was proven that she was a danger to herself or others, she was allowed "to die with her rights on". She could not be forced to get help! I really had my eyes opened with that experience! Don't know what the answer is to all of this, but it is certainly a problem to be grappled with.

Separate Schools for Homeless Children

It was very, very, hard to not live with my Mother for most of my childhood (my father was killed in an accident when I was 2), but she knew, because of her fragile mental state, she could not give me and my siblings a stable home and loved us enough to allow us to be put in a "children's home" where we could flourish, which we did. We all attended regular schools and I don't ever remember being made to feel "different" by the other students. The trend since the 60's has been to keep the family together while providing social services, but it appears that the children do not always receive the benefits they need from that system. Of course there are many more single parents now and much more drug and alcohol dependancy. I think people are a lot more mobile also, especially in Phoenix, so it is difficult for other family members to help out. My main point is no child should ever be "homeless" and they should have the same opportunity of any other child to receive a good education. They ought not to be "stigmtized" in a special school. I believe the money spent on this extra layer of bureaurocracy could be used in better ways to benefit the children. My mother,now 86 with dememtia, is being cared for by her children, all who have reared successful, healthy children themselves and are in stable, long term marriages. She is blessed with 7 beautiful grandchidren and 5 wonderful great children. I really believe the outcome would have been much different if she had not made that choice long ago to "give her children a chance"

In Defense Of John McCain

The left's chosen form of attack against McCain, is to try and promote him as a carbon copy of George Bush. That, comparison couldn't be farther from the truth. He is in actuality, a centrist and has been known as a "maverick" for a long time in Washington.

Sadly, there are no good choices in this election. For me, it all comes down to who I think will do the least amount of damage to the country and keep it the safest in the next four years, and after weighing all the factors, McCain is my choice.

Those who keep on bringing up McCain's statement about continuing the Iraq war for 100 years, taken in context, he really said we may need to have a "presence" in that country for quite a while, just as we do in several countries that we have been in conflict with. My guess is a lot of Iraquis would welcome that presence, if it fosters a climate of peace from the warring tribal factions there. (Sunni and Shia, Radical Islamists and those who aren't)

As for Obama, "the longer he goes, the more he's exposed". We are all for "hope and change," but , contrary to popular belief, it is possible for our country to be much worse off than it is now. From what I gather, most of us will probably not like the "changes" he has in store for us, unless you think (for example) socialism and appeasement of our mortal enemies is good for the U.S.A.!

Reservations about Obama

About BarrackObama's questionable associates: It is the PATTERN of his friendships with anti-American, racist people, (Rev. Wright(racist, whose anti-American rants were caught on tape and who was Obama's close friend and "spiritual mentor" for 20 years), William Ayers and his wife Bernadette Dorhn (known, unapologetic,anti-American terrorists), and the list goes on....

His wife's anti-American statements, etc. etc..

Obama said he had visted all 57 states of the U.S.

For a long time he refused to wear an American flag lapel pin. Again, it is the pattern that is disturbing.

It seems that more of his unsavory far left associations surface every week.

As for appeasement, he has stated his intentions to meet with Iran's leaders (Mahmoud Ahmadinejahd being just one of them) and have a dialogue. He doesn't seem to have a clear plan as to what exactly he hopes to accomplish from that meeting. Most free nations of the world have already condemned Iran's nuclear program, so that ought to be non-negotiable.

The meeting Neville Chamberlain had with Hitler was very much the same, and had devastating results.

By meeting with these radical Islamist leaders, Obama runs the risk of joining the list of "useful idiots" and emboldening the enemy. It is well known by now, one cannot negotiate with a terrorist, and Iran is high on the list of nations that are or have harbored terrorists. It has also been proven that Iran is supplying the insugency In Iraq with weapons and fighters to kill our soldiers. Iran is also ground zero for Radical Islam's jihadist movement to annialiate Israel and the entire West.

These intentions have been clearly stated by them time and time again.9/11 will pale in comparison if they accomplish this goal!
For those do not believe this, I suggest they read the Quran. The mandate to kill all of us "infidels" is in there in black and white.

The reason Radical Islam is a far greater threat to us than the Soviets were in the cold war, and now, the Chinese, or even North Korea, is the fact that those countries do not want mutual destruction. It appears the leaders of the Jihadist movement actually welcome that, in that it will hasten the coming of the 13th Iman and insure a world wide Islamic kingdom.

Contrary to what the far left in America believe, there is EVIL in the world, and we are in a fight against it for our very survival. Sadly, it will probably take another huge attack on American soil (which I hope to God never happens) to convince them.

Stereotyping People

One's religious or political affiliation has absolutely nothing to do with the sort of vehicle a person drives. My husband and I are moderates, (me leaning more to the conservative side, and he to the liberal). We are Christian, but do not identify ourselves with any label or denomination.

I don't know anyone who fits the stereotypes some people seem to use frequently to marginalize people with whom they don't share beliefs and lifestyles.

My husband and I choose to own only one vehicle, a 96 Volvo sedan, which we keep in "creampuff" condition. Since he telecommutes and travels out of state,(flying) half the time, and I am a homemaker, it works for us. We have also diligently used the city of Phoenix's recycling program for over 20 years (our neighborhood was the first to participate).

I believe it is time for us to stop being so devisive and think of people as people, not identifying them according to color, party affiliation, religious beliefs, sexual preference, etc..

In the end we are all Americans, and need to come together to solve these very grave issues we all face right now.

Leisureville

The town described in the book,"Leisureville" by Andrew D. Blechman sounds eerily like the movie, Pleasantville. When my husband and I moved to Phoenix in 1972, we lived about 20 minutes away from Youngtown and Sun City. Our first visit to these senior enclaves was to pick out carpet for our new home at Toliver's in Youngtown.

After surveying the rock landscaped front yards of the immaculately groomed small houses, all alike, sitting in neat row after neat row , like so many grave stones, we vowed never to live in such a sterile enviornment, especially one with no children around. We just couldn't imagine it! Now at ages 59 and 61 we still can't.

We are blessed to have both of our grown children and their families living within 10 minutes of us. Our granddaughters (4 and 13) are such a big part of our lives, that to have them only able to visit us 30 days in a year sounds like sheer torture and would deprive us of life's most precious treasures!!

I plan to read the book, but I'm pretty sure it will be depressing and only fortify my resolve to always live in a homogeneous community, near family.

I can't imagine trading our lifestyle for one where the only people we'd interact with would be other seniors! There are several community centers around us with a full calender of events. The country club is right across the street from us, should we want to join, church activites abound, and together we can enjoy the vibrant jazz community in Phoenix as we are both musicians and have several musician friends who regularly perform around town. We are fortunate to live in a central Phoenix location, with a myriad of things to do and places to go just a few minutes away. I realize not everyone would enjoy our lifestyle, and that is what is beautiful about getting older. We finally know ourselves and what makes us happy (or not) in life.

Illegal Immigration

The more illegals that leave Phoenix (and we still have at least 500,000 in AZ according to the latest estimates) the better off the citizens here are.
We have endured for far too long, over crowded ER rooms, millions of tax payer dollars being used for anchor babies and the resulting welfare payments to the mothers, our schools being mandated to spend millions of dollars on "English learners" (children of illegal aliens).

Some of the most ardent supporters of these policies are Hispanics, especially those whose families have been here for generations.
Over 30% of those incarcerated are illegals due to rapes, thefts, shootings, drugs, etc. etc. Phoenix is #1 in identity theft attributed to illegals stealing social security cards, and other legal documents and credit cards from our citizens.

Most every week, a new "drop house" is discovered. A lot of the violent crime here is directly related to the $200 billion human and drug traffiking industry from Mexico and other South American countries. A lot of illegals are involved in traffic accidents, and most have no insurance. There are whole neighborhoods (enclaves) in Phoenix that look like a third world country. The list goes on and on!

I see no evidence of our economy suffering due to "brown flight."
I do believe, however, that we need an orderly guest worker program, as our hotel, construction, and agricultural industries always need workers. Unfortunately, these businesses have been responsible for most of the illegals coming here the last 10-20 years,and exploiting them with their slave wages, while the citizens have born the brunt of the costs.

The big difference between this huge tide of illegal immigrants, and waves of immigrants in our nation's history, is that a large segment of this group feel an entitlement to be here. They believe the American Southwest belongs to them and we are the "illegal invaders", hence the refusal to learn English and assimilate. They want to have whole states declared part of Mexico,(La Raza). I suggest you read Patrick Buchanan's "Death of the West". There is a whole chapter that lays out their plan.

The Hispanic culture has been an integral part of the Southwest from the beginning, and is a beautiful one. The contributions to the rich quality of life in the Southwest have been immeasureable.

However, the illegals who are coming here, seem to be, in pretty significant numbers, representative of the dregs of Mexican and other Latin American countries'society. A large number of them are extremely poor, uneducated and a disproportionate amount of them are felons. The Mexican government has encouraged their people to come here for just those reasons!

Mexico needs to be forced to stop stealing our sovereignity! Much as we would like to, America simply cannot absorb all of the world's poor. My daughter-in-law and her parents are legal immigrants, having done it the right way, and recently became citizens.