Who is that guy?

Aromas of Spring and Summer

There are aromas that mean Spring and Summer. Aromas, I don't like to call them smells because that has such a negative connotation to it. It's similar to the difference between the chocolate chip cookies and a skunk. They both have an aroma about them, one good, the other not so good.
Now, it's quickly becoming summer and there are aromas that are seared in my mind, most from childhood.
One is the smell of cut grass. I have some cool grasses in my front yard, and the aroma of that grass freshly cut reminds me of being a child in California. The neighbors would all cut their grass and the aroma of the cut grass would fill the neighborhood.
Then in the evening when the delta area of San Francisco cooled, the aroma of the grass mixed with the aroma of shish kabobs cooking on the charcoal grill are things that always will remain with me.
Now, the heat of summer is becoming more searing and humid. When I awaken in the cool of the day, the early day is cool and the awakening earth brings forth its own aroma, which makes you realize the world is alive and it fills your soul with hope that the change of the seasons can make all things happen...if not this year, the next.

Memorial Day-2008

Memorial Day commemorates all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in military service to preserve our freedoms.
Many of my relatives all served in the military, I figured it up once and these relatives served in every war since the First World War. Some declared, some undeclared.
How many years? I figured more than 150 years of service, including a close friend who was killed in Viet Nam.
So what does it mean?
The United States of America is the most wonderful country in the world, and while there are other countries that may boast just as special, I believe I'm right. There is ONLY ONE country in the world where immigrants can come and begin the legal process to become a citizen and become an American.
I can't go to France and become a Frenchman, or to England and become and Englishmen, but anyone who follows the rules can come to American and become an American. What a country.
The United States instills such pride that we send our religious volunteers, our Peace Corps, our troops and our foreign aid to promote, preserve and protect freedom loving citizens of the world. We do that using the most amazing technology in the world. Some are killed or die for their American ideals.
There are critics and liberals who don't understand America or the idea of America. The idea of America is what lives and inspires people around the world to want to strap themselves to anything that floats to try and get to U. S. shores so they can catch the dream of becoming an American.
If you are an American, God has blessed you with the most important gift: citizenship in the greatest country in the world.
If you were in trouble in a foreign country you will proudly exclaim you are an American citizen. And if you were stranded in a remote area, could you feel any better if over the ridge appeared a "Band of Brothers", American troops with the Stars and Stripes patches on their shoulders?
The greatest country in the world has created the greatest population of citizens who fight to preserve their freedom and encourages and promotes the freedoms of others around the world who crave this God-given gift.
We celebrate those who served and fought to preserve, protect and promote our freedoms today. God bless them all and let them rest in peace knowing we shall never forget them and their sacrifice.

Talents For The Home

When you were a kid, was there something you did that turned out better than your friends?
Maybe it was dodge ball, tether ball, football, baseball or something else, it was just easier for you. Maybe it is cooking, or decorating or driving efficiently.
Sometimes you are pretty good at some things but because it appears effortless to others, they think you are so much better.
Sometimes it was frustrating when you're a child because sometimes kids aren't very understanding when someone else can't match their performance.
If it's happened to you---great! If it hasn't happened to you, keep reaching for something because it's a great feeling.
What's the secret--mostly it's the confidence to try something new.
I have a very close friend who has gotten into the investment of real estate. I've worked building houses and other projects and I've been able to help her make some repairs and they turned out great. The truth is I worked my buttocks off and I'm really tired.
It was great to have others compliment you on the work you do. So often in our lives we work at jobs or projects that take so long that sometimes they don't get resolved or completed for us to reflect and relish. Too bad, because it feels good.
You remember Jesus, his story was in all the papers. Jesus explained how under-appreciated he was in his own hometown. "Nothing good ever came out of Nazareth," it's reported.
Often times as adults, it's even more pronounced that we are under-appreciated, particularly in our own hometown.
When you can use your skills and get the praise for those skills, it makes you feel great. It makes you feel like a kid again. And feeling like a kid is a wonderful feeling. I hope you can feel like a kid again.

What a Rip-Off

A new experience--I was robbed!
It happened at the Downtown YMCA.
What happened was someone went to my locker while I was exercising, and forced the combination lock open and took my cash. Thankfully no credit cards, just cash was missing.
I noticed a pouch I carry was on the floor of the locker, left there AFTER they rifled my pockets, took the cash and returned my wallet to my pants pocket.
I happened around 5:40 p.m. I figure.
Cash missing, credit cards intact, oh well.
How did I find out? I was going to purchase some fruit, and I had no cash. My mind raced and I figured it out.
Ah Spring!

Spring...finally

I wondered what it would be like to have someone come to my yard and ask me what did I do to get such a great looking lawn.....and it finally happened.
Two of my neighbors made it a point to ask me about what I did to get such a great looking lawn this year.
It does look good. I have to mow the grass and bag it, and that can be a bit of a headache because it grows so fast, but it looks great. I am pretty proud of the way my lawn looks, and plan to add some pictures.
Just wait, it really does look awesome.

Oscar, Oscar--What were you Thinking?

"And the Oscar is awarded to......"
Sorry I didn't watch. But I know a few things that bother me about the event and the awards.
Did you see any of the movies that were nominated? I didn't. And I'm glad that I didn't.
The big winners included "No Country for Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood" among a bunch of other films that few normal people saw.
Does it matter?
What do you think the rest of the world thinks about our society when these are "The Best Picture" and "Best Actor" for slutty, murderous, violent films with movies stars that are insecure, egotistical and exceedingly liberal!
More importantly, what do you think the Muslim world thinks about these movies and how does it present our society to them?
The answer is that it only emboldens them to believe that our society is degenerated and immoral.
And, I would bet that it makes it easier to recruit Muslim Extremist Fascists to do the dastardly deeds they do to the rest of humanity.
Too bad. And I'll bet the liberal Hollywood Elites don't care one bit.

Here's How, Hillary

Hillary Clinton is in trouble. She's having trouble gaining votes, despite the feeling that she was the odds on candidate to become the next President of the United States.
Now she's trying to figure out how she can recapture her momentum. Here's an idea, explain that in Michigan and Florida deserve the chance to vote. Stand up for the little guys who didn't get to cast their ballots in primaries because they were shut out by the big powerful Democrat Party Machine. Stand up to the machine and demand that those people and more importantly the delegates, get a chance to vote in this important election.
This is a state's rights issue, and it's unfair for the big powerful machine run by that liberal Howard Dean preventing these good Americans from casting their vote.
Just a thought.
Good luck Hillary!

Big Easy-Big Sleazy

Everyone in Oklahoma City is being asked to vote for a 1 cent sales tax on March 4th, 2008 to support spending $125 million to refurbish a recently built arena and build a practice center for a professional basketball team to the city, probably the Seattle Super Sonics that just happen to owned by some Oklahoma City businessmen.
For the last two years we had the New Orleans Hornets here when the New Orleans area recovered from Katrina.
New Orleans is one of the oldest cities in America. The French Quarter is a very interesting place filled with loud music, strip clubs, live sex acts, drunks, hookers, liquor flowing in the streets (before the vomit flows) and people who live on the streets.
People come from all over the world to experience New Orleans and then leave.
Do I want a professional sports team, besides the Oklahoma Sooners? Folks say we need a pro sports team to keep growing. That's the big problem. I like growth, but at the same time I want a town without traffic problems seven days a week and every night in the areas I want to go.
Because, after all, it's all about me, isn't it?

John McCain-How It Happened

It was a mistake. A mistake compounded by other mistakes and the ripples were felt around the nation.
So what happened?
While the Republicans had some good candidates, there was a little wrinkle that really had an impact. Maybe it was a conscious decision by some to influence the race, you have to wonder.
But now, we have John McCain leading in the Republican primary after he won with interlopers from the independent ranks influencing the race.
In those states where it wasn't a closed primary: Republicans can only vote for Republicans and Democrats can only vote for Democrats; McCain pulled in independents who aren't necessarily conservative, voted for McCain, a not so conservative candidate.
In Iowa and New Hampshire independents are given free range to vote. Heck, in Iowa, if you show up at a caucus they aren't going to ask where you live, you get to show your support and that's that.
So in the key beginning states to declare a front-runner, McCain benefitted from non-conservatives in New Hampshire, then was able to eack out a win in South Carolina.
Who wanted independents to make my choice for a presidential candidate? Not me.

Juno

I went and saw the movie "Juno" over the weekend. How did it happen? This was a movie getting wide spread coverage and play, but it is "PRO LIFE"!
How did something like this get out of Hollywood? The truth is, it didn't. It was produced by "indi's" or independent producers.
Let's face it, a pro-life movie had to be produced outside Hollywood. If it was a pro-choice flick, it would have only lasted a few minutes anyway.
So a touching story about a pregnant 15 year old girl and her decision to keep the baby.
And remember, it's a baby---NOT a fetus.
Oh well, will this popular movie make a difference on the pro-choice, fetus hating crowd in la la land?
Probably not.
It was a fun movie to watch, check it out.

Who Cares?

Just exactly why are Iowa residents important? Or New Hampshire folks, what do they know that one common sense Oklahoman doesn't know?
What's happening is that Iowa has a caucus (popularity contest) where anyone can show up and cast a vote (registered to vote or not) to express their opinions. And in New Hampshire anyone can vote for anyone in an open caucus.
So these states make a decision and the rest of the nation makes note and perhaps---perhaps decides for those other political activists who wins the primary sweepstakes.
Does it make sense? Every state wants to think they are important, and these early states do make a significant change in perception for the rest of us.
These states get to influence thousands and perhaps hundreds of millions of voters before the real test of a primary where registered democrats vote ONLY for democrats and registered republicans vote ONLY for republicans.
Does it help? Perhaps it does. And while these are expensive, they do show a tenacity to the political process and after all, we want someone to be president who wants to be president, don't we?

HuckObama

Iowa voters get first shot at helping select a candidate, and the democrats chose Obama and the Republicans chose Huckabee.
The democrat field was a mish-mash over the past few weeks, Hillary had believed being a former first lady and having Bill around would make her the choice for the next nominee, but a funny thing happened in Iowa. No one likes to be told to vote a certain way, and voters felt that's what was happening. Hillary is shrill and comes off as cold and irritating, and her positions on issues were causing concerns with voters so much that she stopped taking questions! How could she?
John Edwards, the trial lawyer and former senator started to catch fire and placed second.
On the Republican side, Mike Huckabee is a good politician. His top rival, Mitt Romney is losing steam because people don't think he has been conservative enough for enough time. When he was Governor, Romney wasn't much of a gun rights guy or much of a pro-lifer, but he changed. It's a good thing, but it comes off as opportunistic to take positions and then change them.
So, what does it mean? It means the crop gets thinned, and folks on other states don't get to have the impact of the Iowa caucuses have. Too bad, I was beginning to think the presidential campaign would ever end.
While this isn't the end, and it isn't the beginning of the end, it is the end of the beginning.
Winston would be proud.

Iowa Primer

It's a caucus.
It's a simple, popularity-based gathering of democrats and republicans in Iowa to choose a presidential candidate. It used to happen in March but everyone wants this quadrennial celebration to be over and more expensive earlier and earlier each time.
People will gather at homes, schools and other places, like polling places, they will gather under the name of a particular candidate to show their support, then the tabulation will be completed and everyone will go home and watch the results.
It's not magic, it's merely being able to gain support.
So what will happen? On the GOP side, it could be a horse race between Huckabee and Romney, with Romney taking a few point lead.
On the liberal side, it may be the populism of a millionaire trial lawyer may be taking hold of democrat dreamers. John Edwards is leading in the latest polls, then Hillary and then Obama.
What's even better and more revealing is that Edwards and Obama are very popular as the second choice of Iowa voters. The Zogby poll revealed Hillary only scored 12 percent as a second choice.
What does it mean?
It means that Hillary is the Howard Cosell candidate. You love her or hate her.
Hillary hasn't done herself much of a favor. Last week she went to all sorts of events and spoke then left with NO QUESTIONS!
Interesting how the decisions made on the campaign trail influence voters.
Will Edwards win? I don't know. I'm worried because Edwards says "wont" for the word "want" and sounds like a hick. Is America ready to elect a president who says "wont"?
Don't think so-let the media games begin.

Benazir Bhutto

Every four years or eight years we change presidents.
This is a miraculous event where people of all ages, incomes and backgrounds all have the same right to go and choose a new leader--the President of the greatest and most powerful nation in the world--and after the voting is completed then an inauguration occurs. Power is transferred and it's all over.
There are no gangs of guerillas shooting at each other, there are no tanks in the streets and no miltary uniforms on our new president.
It is the most amazing event that only a few other real democracies in the world can accomplish. And then, there is Pakistan.
A former prime minister is running for president and she is assassinated in the streets of one of the cities where she was campaigning.
The culprit is said to be Muslim extremists who feared a woman being in power and democratic reforms.
This isn't the first attempt on her life, it happened in October and she even wrote about it in the Wall Street Journal before her death.
It's a small world after all. If some don't realize we are in a world war against Muslim extremists, then we should be looking for a president in the next election who does realize the situation is grave.
Now, a democratic friend is dead and will be placed in a grave because she was working and campaigning for election.
What a sad day for democracy and freedom.

We all have a bad day

Did you see the picture of Hillary?
I've tried to link it here and will continue, but she really looks pretty bad. She looks her age, and in the harshness of a Associated Press photograph, they forgot to use the "Doris Day Filter".
If you're old enough to remember, there was the time in any Doris Day movie when there would be a face shot of Rock Hudson, and his handsome visage would fill the screen. Then, a shot of Doris Day, and instead of a sharp image, they would have a filter of gauze that would fuzz the face and turn her into a beautiful, smiling angel.
It was incredible because the audience didn't realize what was happening. We do now.
Hillary had her picture taken in Iowa and she looked pretty hangdog. That's what happens when you get along in years. The campaign isn't happy, and neither is the candidate. She should have known better than the have a picture taken outside at an unplanned event the campaign didn't control, but that's life in the big league politics for president.
Let's face it, men and women age differently. We'll have to wait and see if this will impact things, probably not. Right now Hillary and Obama are neck and neck in Iowa. It's going to get worse before January 3rd and the caucuses occur. Can all the campaigns get out their voters on a cold, maybe snowy night, to participate in a popularity contest? Or will folks stay home to watch reruns of TV shows or rent a movie?
We'll find out soon enough. My prediction is Hillary and Obama get darn close to winning the Iowa caucus, Edwards and Kucinich drop out, and it's on the New Hampshire where Obama struggles. The momentum is always with Hillary but choosing so early is fraught with disaster for the democrats this year.
On the GOP side, it looks like Huckabee is on a roll and Romney comes in second after spending gobs of his money.

Merry Christmas, God Bless Us Everyone!

Hope you had a great Christmas.
There are those who think a great Christmas is when sales tax receipts for cities, towns and municipalities increase at 10% or more.
Nope. It's about the belief in a woman who was told she would bear the Son of God. A young Jewish girl who believed. Later, probably in March or April, but we celebrate it in December around the beginning of Winter, the birth of Noel and God became flesh.
There are those that remind us that Jesus was merely the son of a carpenter, an upstart who explained his Father in Heaven wanted people to live differently.
Before Jesus, and in some religions since, religion was based on fear. You should be scared to death and suffer. Everything you have had happen to you is because of a vengeful God.
But Jesus, a Jew, said love one another be happy. The commandments said that, but there was so many "Thou Shall Not's" that people forgot about the good things.
Others criticize Jesus and Christians because they don't believe the Jews should have the land that God gave them. To be fair, someone sleeping on a rock and dreaming that God said this was your land would be pretty sweet.
I had a dream that some guy's Ferrari was really mine, but I don't think he's going to let me take it home.
That's really the heart of the battles that have plagued the middle east for 5 centuries or more.
Then there are those who believe that God is God, and God can't become man.
They say that those who believe that God's Son was born not only is blasphemous, they say that those who believe that way are multi-theistic, like the Greeks or Romans.
Does it matter what others say? No, what matters is allowing everyone their rights to believe what they believe just as long as they don't hurt others who believe differently. Religious tolerance is the key to democracy and religious freedom.
United we stand, divided we fall. If we take our faith personally, and reject those who attempt to force their religion on us----those who boast it's their way or the highway----then we win. If we let those who believe we are wrong because we believe a certain way---everyone loses, especially religious freedom.

Presidential Race Changing

The Democrats and Republicans are revolting!
Maybe that's what Independent voters say, but the truth is the presidential race is turning into a state of flux.
In Iowa, where the caucus system will determine the popularity of candidates and thousands of votes will be counted in schools and other meeting rooms, voters are finally beginning to pay attention to the presidential election.
Hillary Clinton was up, Barack Hussein Obama is catching up or beating her on the Democrat side, while Rudy was ahead, and now Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee are battling for votes.
What does it all mean?
Not much. Politics becomes more and more a crap shoot driven by mistakes than by successes, and the mistakes are elaborated on by the media. And in a 24 hour news cycle--what else are they going to talk about?
In 1980 Ronald Reagan ran for president on a simple message. It took just a few seconds to recite and earned him the office twice. What was it?
"I believe in less government, lower taxes and a strong national defense," Reagan would say.
Now, what do any of these candidates stand for, tell me in five seconds or less.
Can you do it?
Perhaps that will change, until it does, it's going to be a long year.

Will Smith: All Grown Up

He's got the top money making movie this week, but the truth is that Will Smith grew up on TV.
I remember when he first appeared on the small screen. Wasn't he the one who asked, "What you talkin' 'bout Willis?" No, that was Gary Coleman and that must have been a long time ago.
Smith became the "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" and started to sing, no that's not what rappers do, don't they just talk to the music?
Well, he had a hit TV show and a record deal and then---he started snorting all the profits.
After that he got clean and started to get into movies. Let's see, there was "Bad Boys", "Independence Day", "Men in Black", "Wild, Wild West", "Hitch" where he was a life coach then some different films "Ali" and "Pursuit of Happiness" which put Smith into the realm of "dramatic" star.
Now, another dramatic performance, and sadly this means that Smith will probably try to pull a John Belushi. You may remember Belushi, he was a Saturday Night Clown, but because he wanted to change his image---bad choice---then his habitual drug use eventually killed him.
It was kind of like Robin Williams attempting to become a dramatic movie star but every once in dramatic roles you expect him to say "Nanoo Nanoo!"

I Am Legend? Liberals Lose!

I watched "I Am Legend", that new Will Smith movie. The liberals aren't going to be happy with this Hollywood Block Buster.
First of all, I have never purchased a movie ticket to go and see a Will Smith movie before, always waited until it came out on video.
If I had rented this one, it would have been back to the video store the same evening and exchanged for something better---which would be anything else on the shelves.
IAL is a boring, tragic and depressing story, and being the type of person I am that story doesn't appeal to me. I should have known better but there was a group, and when groups get together they will ALWAYS do things that they wouldn't do individually. Gosh, sounds like I did something wrong?
I guess I did, going to a movie that is now Number 1 at the box office and now kids will all want to go see this.
Well, take that liberals. The movie is based on the theory that a cancer cure causes people to turn into flesh-eating-sunshine-shunning-super-strength-mutants (sounds like a great video game).
And why will liberals hate the movie? Because it was biology that caused the world to end, not global warming. They are right that man had something to do with it, and more than likely they will say, "If we only had socialized medicine then we could solve our medical problems and prevent these mutants from roaming the Earth."
Sorry, we already have mutants roaming the Earth, look around, some of them are running for President.