Blogs Gone Wild - New Digs Here at Blah Blah Blog - The Soap Box

How about the new digs here at Blah Blah Blog – The Soap Box, huh? My readers complained, and I listened :) It was high time to hire a professional to make it look like a “real place”. My hat’s off to Seven at Blogs Gone Wild, for doing such a great job! The slow loading problems are much better, and the blog finally reflects “me”. I hope folks enjoy there time here much more now. And, a big thank you to those occasional donations that made the cost much less :)

Petraeus Report - Give It Some Time

General Petraeus is providing his "report" on the status of Iraq. I have no doubt that we hear very little TRUTH about what goes on in Iraq, much less any REAL TRUTH about what goes on in every day government in Washington. Michael Yon is an amazing hands on journalist that has so far maintained the most truthful coverage of anyone I've seen coming out of that region. I am so pleased with his forthrightness, and his "no need" to be first, or politically correct. He just tells it like it is, and I think this is a great summary of how we should handle Petraeus' newest findings...let's wait and see a bit. More than that, could we just ask the right people? Let's just find the truth. Let's let all the "be first" speculators report what they will, and do the conservative patient thing, and find the real folks to let us know. Let's find some people actually doing the hard stuff tell us the next move to make. Let's try to get our people out, while still trying to accomplish something with the folks in Iraq that will be a positive resolution to a war on forever. Terrorism will be forever, so we must be careful how it's handled. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE "But here is a hint to journalists who are seeking truth — good or bad. There is one group of officers whose input has invariably proved both relevant and revelatory for me in compiling my work: battalion commanders who are commanding infantry or special operations units. Special operations people are unlikely to go on record, but the special operations people that I’ve talked with tend to be very knowledgeable and frank, and their input on background is critical. As for the infantry battalion commanders, they are the proverbial sweet spot. Battalion command sergeant majors can be excellent, too, but they often will not go on record. Battalion commanders will tend to be willing to go on record, and will tend to talk to journalists... ...Discerning which officers to talk to is rather like the story of the three bears: Some beds are too big, some beds are too small, but one bed is just right. For this report, the fairy tale translates into something like this: company commander (captain; too small for purposes of the upcoming report); battalion command (lieutenant colonel; just right); brigade commander (colonel; getting too large, but usually is also a good interview); division commander (major general; too large)." As for what happens to this nation in this war or the next election...WATCH THIS MOVIE... I'm not usually much for silly stupid movies, but I watched this one, and I encourage anyone who's really concerned about the state of our Union to force themselves to watch it. It does have some funny moments, but more than anything else...it made me realize that we are not far from this end. I swear, after watching this silly movie, I see more and more of its truth in every day life. It's scary. IDIOCRACY THE MOVIE.

Support The Blue Star Deli - Farmers Branch, Texas

Well, a big Texas hello to my fellow blogger Texas Fred. He's trying to help a fellow Texan in need, and I couldn't support his efforts more. The following I excerpted from THIS STORY. I encourage all who live in the Dallas / Fort Worth area to try and meet other bloggers for lunch on Monday, July 16th to support the Blue Star Deli. "Dave Mooney, owner of the Blue Star Deli in Farmers Branch, Texas, is feeling the backlash of his support of Farmers Branch. Dave has been in the forefront of support, opening up his cafe for all types of activities to support Farmers Branch and what that city has tried to do to stop the harm illegal immigration is doing. News has surfaced from Halliburton employees that a boycott has been called by the Hispanic and pro-illegal employees. Although, Dave didn’t have a contract for business lunches, he did receive orders to provide business lunches from time to time. These orders have now stopped. Also, it is being reported that Hispanic radio stations are broadcasting a boycott of the Blue Star. Dave is experiencing a 50% decrease in sales receipts due to this boycott and has now taken a second job. The call is out for all of us do what we can to help Dave. If you are in the area, stop by and have one of Dave’s good hamburgers, tell others about the Blue Star Deli. Call KSKY radio’s Mike Gallagher, KLIF’s Jeff Bolton and John David Wells, all who have had broadcasts at the Blue Star Deli, to ask their listening audience to support Dave. Let’s all do what we can to keep Dave in business. U.S Border Watch will be sending a check to Mr Mooney, and we encourage everyone else to send him a few bucks. Five or ten dollars in a restaurant business is a lot of money. We must help those who have put their business on the line to help our cause. Below is the address and web site for the Blue Star Deli, and if you are in the area drop in and thank this fine Patriot for his support and have a burger." Blue Star Deli 14724 Webb Chapel Rd. Farmers Branch, TX 75234 http://www.bluestardeli.com/ Phone 972-247-8681 U.S. Border Watch1-800-759-0948 http://www.usborderwatch.com/

Big White Hat - Influential Music

Big White Hat’s at it again :) Who were/are the most INFLUENTIAL musicians? Well BWH…damn ya, darn ya…there you go making me think again :) (No wonder you won the "Thinking Blogger's Award"). So hard to pick five. AND, when you back off of favorite, and strictly think influential…there were so many! Your scenario of your work is funny…you see…back in the day…crap dealers too had a fair amount of time on their hands some days, and of course “we’re too above” trivial chatter, we would come up with games like these to pass the time intellectually in order to make ourselves seem quite educated and im-po-tent :) Here’s my list…and some of them I don’t even like that much :o) My list doesn’t fall in any particular order, as I believe that depending on which generation you are in…your guy is the most influential… 1. The Beatles 2. BB King 3. Elton John 4. Elvis Presley 5. Hank Williams, Sr.

Why I Blog

I got tagged by Sunni Kay to list five reasons why I blog… I am to tag five others at the end :) 1. As with a lot of really cool things I find out about, my little brother turned me on to blogging. I’d never heard about it, didn’t know what it was, but grew to love it after he originally showed me how. 2. I do seem to have an opinion on just about everything. However, I don’t mind other opinions as long as they are tasteful and well explained. The ability to view several opinions and make a decision ourselves is what made this country great in the first place. Blogging allows me to speak my opinion, and reading others’ blogs allows me to see how the “rest of the neighborhood” thinks. 3. I like to write. I’m not sure I’m particularly good at it, and don’t think I’d ever be able to pen an entire novel and make several hundred pages meld together, but a few paragraphs at a time I enjoy. And hey…at least a few people read my musings. 4. Intellectual stimulation. I’m a bored and restless type, and need mental exercise to enjoy the day. My husband won’t sit and listen to me babble on and on about whatever, but my blog never argues. I love computers. Typing thoughts into written script, and blogging allows me to ramble incessantly about whatever pops into my head. The HTML code and changing design of the site itself allows me, the novice, to play web designer and pretend I have a major cool website :) 5. The hope that somehow it all makes a difference. A blog allows for a global audience, and also a small community audience. If one thing I share that’s funny makes someone else laugh, it’s good. If I share a story, whether tragedy or triumph, and one person was touched, I’ve done a good thing. If what I write makes others think, even for a moment, about making changes that would better our nation…I’ve succeeded. Very few pop into my little corner of the blog world. I blog because I like to (if it were based on the number of comments I receive…I’d have given up long ago), but I hope with each post that someone out there will laugh, think, cry, or be happier that day just because they stopped by. The following five are blogs I read regularly…of many dozen favorites I have bookmarked. If they happen to stop by and see this, and agree to be tagged... I’d love to read the answers… 364 Days Big White Hat Mayden’s Voyage EDog’s Everything Page Aunty Belle’s Front Porch (Her Back Porch is FUN too)

Saturday's Super Site - Blah Blah Blog - The Soap Box

Imagine my surprise to awake on a lazy Saturday morning to check my e-mail and find that someone chose me as special. Sunni Kay, a regular reader here (and I love to read her blog too) chose me as this week’s Saturday’s Super Site! Her kind words about me and this blog truly made my day :) Sunni’s regular blog “Rantings, Ramblings, and Other Miscellaneous Stuff” is full of well written stories concerning support for our troops, motherhood, and newsworthy items of the week. It’s amazing how our thoughts and ideas mirror each other. I also recently found out that we live fairly close to each other; perhaps one day we will meet…drinks are on me Sunni :) Sunni also teams with a group to review books at “The Bookshelf Reviews”. If you are an avid reader, this is a great site. Thanks Sunni for the honor, and keep coming back!

First Vinyl Meme - From Big White Hat

Must be the meme time of spring. One of my favorite bloggers, BIG WHITE HAT, asked me to play along with his First Vinyl Meme. Of course I’m happy to oblige. First Vinyl Meme: Post a picture of the album cover of the first vinyl you ever owned – and tell a bit about it… JONI MITCHELL - BLUE Oh the memories. I didn’t actually purchase my first vinyl…my first album was a gift. I couldn’t have been but about 10-12 years old. My crazy hippie aunt from California (I LOVED her…God rest her soul)…came to Texas for one of her RARE visits. She and I favored each other in looks, and as strange as she could be…I thought she was one of the coolest people I’d ever met. She presented me with my first album like it was a right of passage to own one (I thought it was…I’d never had one before). I was so proud of that album. We were so dirt poor…I didn’t even have a record player, but my folks had one of those console black and white TV’s with the record player in one side that covered just about one whole wall. On the top always sat some family made crocheted doilies with some knick knack on them, and of course the huge leather bound family King James Bible. I had to find quiet time away from the folks to ever use the record player, because Joni Mitchell was “Rock N Roll”…and Lord forbid I allow it to warp my mind. (If any of you are familiar with the album, it’s easy listening folk music style). I would sit on the floor and listen to the album for hours. Thanks BWH for the invite, this was a pleasurable memory to share…and THANK YOU AUNT JOANNE…May you be singing with the angels tonight! PLEASE JOIN IN - Post your first vinyl and link back here!

Interview Me Meme

I got tagged by EDog’s Everything Page, and yes…because I offered…I thought it would be fun. Ian (EDog) is a soon to be famous author, and a designer of a crazy superhero web comic called Adventures of the S-Team created with Lego’s! He is, of course, a fellow blogger…along with being a husband, father, and a guy still with a day job too. Welcome to the INTERVIEW MEME. It works like this… I’ll answer Ian’s questions here. If you like, I’ll interview you :) Directions follow my answers… 1. Tell us about your three companies. Which one is the money pit and which one is the tax shelter? We are just “Mom & Pop” companies, so there is no DEEP money pit, but we’re proud of our little Mom & Pop empire. Our first was a big rig truck garage (Nov. 2002). Started with 4 guys and now we have 4 mobile service trucks, a dozen mechanics and several support personnel. (This would be the money pit I guess). We got sick and tired of poor service and high prices from some parts vendors, so we opened a parts store. The original idea to open a store front and have other people run it failed. Not quitters though, we leased our store to another business and moved the tiny operation under the same roof as the truck garage. Being so busy with the successful truck garage, and not ever being able to find a heavy duty truck and trailer parts genius to pay a big salary too…we just keep that one open for the ability to buy parts from ourselves and save our customers money. We sell parts to a few, but we just don’t have the time or the personnel to grow it. (I guess that one would be the tax shelter, although it makes a little money on its own). And almost a year ago, if we weren’t busy enough…a man had mismanaged a little shop around the corner and had to go out of business. We have turned away tons of pickups at our big rig garage…so when the other guy went out…we formed a new corporation and opened a diesel pickup garage. I run that one now, and I started with two guys, I now have five. We’re looking for a larger building, and this one will be fun too in it’s time. 2. What’s your favorite Blonde joke? OMG…since I AM Blonde, I’ve probably just about heard them all. How can you tell a Blonde has been making chocolate chip cookies? There’s M&M shells all over the floor. 3. What’s your best party trick? That’s funny… OBVIOUSLY, dancing on a pole IS NOT IT! We have an annual customer/vendor appreciation – employee Christmas party in which about 250-300 people attend. In this BAD photo someone caught far too late in the night…my crazy friend Capri is attempting to give me pointers. Actually, I’m really quite tame at parties (other than I run my mouth too much sometimes), but I’d say my best party trick is actually quality conversation with folks I haven’t seen in a while, and an ear to listen for those wanting to talk… 4. Describe a brush with greatness in your life. Well, this answer is easy, and without a doubt. I had a wonderful youth; I had a great career for 20 years as a casino dealer. I’ve met many many famous people, and have done some crazy things, and have been accomplished at several. However…without a doubt…my touch with greatness has come twice, and each time has been miraculous. That would be the birth of my two children. My boys are 23 and 17, and I will never again touch greatness more than I have by spending the years having had the privilege to be their Mother. 5. Finish this sentence: “The sickest I’ve ever been…” Oh my… My girlfriends and I went to Rosarito Beach, Mexico for a girl’s weekend. I don’t know what I got a hold of, but the drive home was painful and torturous. FINALLY after hours of wishing I would die in the back seat of a small rental car, driving from Mexico to Las Vegas, I finally got sick. Pretty much my entire body exploded, and for the first and hopefully ONLY time in my life, I found out what projectile vomiting really is. Oddly enough…it was over quickly, and on life went on. Never before, and never since. Montezuma’s Revenge is real people. DIRECTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEW MEME: 1. Leave a comment saying, "Interview me." 2. I will respond by emailing you five questions (if I don't have your email address, you can email me instead – Click the “Contact Author” link underneath my profile). I get to pick the questions. 3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions. 4. You will include this explanation and offer to interview someone else in the same post. 5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Pimp Your Blog - Beta-Blogger 4 Dummies

I have spent the better part of the last week figuring out (or trying to figure out) how to “pimp my blog” (as my teenager would say). I have run into every brick wall in the world, and have had this thing looking every which way but good over and over. AND THEN…I FOUND THIS WEBSITE… Beta-Blogger 4 Dummies! This guy is freaking amazing. I have since spent hours and hours at this site, and have learned more here than I could find on many dozen sites. Not only are his articles incredibly informative and well organized, he explains things in layman’s terms so that a true “Blogger Dummy” like myself can easily manipulate template code and change the blog attributes to look just about any way you can imagine. His Links to other blog resources are also wonderful. I found direct links to places that would do things for me automatically in a click or two that I’ve been doing manually and in way too many steps before. Best of all, this information and instruction is ALL FREE. If you are intending to, or would like to change your blog…by all means go to this site. You will gain enough knowledge to change your blog as often as you change your clothes if you like in a few easy steps. THANK YOU BETA BLOGGER 4 DUMMIES! WHAT A FIND YOU WERE :)

The Cowboy Code Marshals

I’m proud to add another blogroll to Blah Blah Blog – The Soap Box. Although I LOVE my state of residence, Nevada (It’s likeTexas, Jr.)…my Southern heritage is in my blood and the great state of Texas where I was raised is in my heart. Texas to this day is still one of the great states that is home to real cowboys. Real men and women who were raised with solid values, natural manners, and a solid view on life. There is an unspoken cowboy code in the Southwest. Boys and girls just grow up in an environment that exudes honesty and a solid grasp of true heart. I’m thankful to have been raised around that influence, and am honored to have been invited to include The Cowboy Code Marshals blogroll to this site. The Cowboy Code 1. A cowboy always tells the truth and keeps his word. 2. A cowboy is a Patriot and stands for Truth, Justice and the American way. 3. A cowboy never betrays a trust or takes advantage. 4. A cowboy is brave, but never careless. 5. A cowboy defends the weak and helps them. 6. A cowboy is kind to children, old folks, and to animals. 7. A cowboy is free from racial and religious prejudice. 8. A cowboy is clean about his person and in thought, word, and deed. 9. A cowboy is loyal, hard working and maintains a high ethic. 10. A cowboy is thankful for what God has given him.

Monday Mailgasms

Monday Mailgasms… What are these you might ask? Well, a favorite blogger of mine, Jim at Life On Planet Jim, started publishing Monday Mailgasms a while back. I laugh at all of his, and told him we should all start doing these for extra humor… I warned him I was going to copy his idea, and I have. Jim…I still think you should start a Monday Mailgasm Blogroll :) Mailgasms are the trash e-mails we toss from our boxes daily and never even bother to read the content, because the subject lines (and senders) are so ludicrous. We are all bombarded with the standard Viagra, Cialis, Ambian, semen increasing magic, and penis enlargement possibilities. Mailgasms are the other ridiculous things that might surprise you in your junk box. Jim always provides a humorous caption or comment, I’ve decided to try…I’m sure I cannot do him justice:). From / Subject: BNoe BRead: inconsistent agricola - Does this mean there’s a problem with the growing of Coca Cola products now??? Warren: hospice indistinctly – Oh no, is this like a blind date when you’re terminally ill with a random date of no distinction? Patty Dudley – dignified getup – Patty, your name alone is a getup…not so sure how dignified… No Name: overbearing noxious – If I smelt like you, I wouldn’t leave my name either… Wilfred Avila: With an obscene blonde mullet – Joe Dirt – you’re back! We’ve missed you! Julius Wells: so go voluntarism – So go you…right into the trash bin! Kaufmann: unless you protest naked – What? If I don’t protest naked, no one will see my sign…geezzz… Well, have a nice day all…we’ll laugh again next week at the new junk mail…

Stupid Criminal Files Drew My Name!

My funny friends over at Stupid Criminal Files just celebrated their 2nd Blog birthday recently. Their site is dedicated to sharing with all of us the antics and bad attempts at crime by some of the world’s most accomplished morons. I enjoy reading there, and never come away without a laugh. As part of their birthday celebration, they had a give-away for their loyal readers, fans, and subscribers. THEY DREW MY NAME and I won a $15 gift certificate to Amazon.com. I am proud to say I will use this certificate to pre-order the new Harry Potter book (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Book 7) that will release July 21, 2007. Thanks guys! It’s a pleasure to be a fan. Congratulations on your 2nd birthday, and kudos to you for having over 2 MILLION HITS to date. You have a great site and do a good job keeping us all entertained. Keep up the good work.

Waiter Rant - A Laugh For ANY Day

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos I don't post often about others' blogs, but tonight I was visiting some bookmarked ones I haven't visited in a while, and I spent a while here to read Waiter Rant. This guy is hilarious and always has great posts. He must be good, he gets TONS of comments. Visit and enjoy. Be sure to bookmark so that when you need a good laugh you can visit again.

Rev. Smokin Steve & Me - 3rd & Final Round

Video Hosting - Upload Video - Photo Sharing For those following this banter, I believe we may be almost done. Amazingly I got lucky enough to find the one of the really normal and decent liberals, and we agree to disagree. After all, neither one of our blogs is exclusive to politics and we both have so much more about a lot of nothing to say :) After all, I’ve kept him busy at this, and now I don’t know who the asshole of the week is ! It’s sure been fun, and I intend to continue to read his blog and comment often, both positive and negative. Here’s his latest response to me, and following my response to the very well spoken, although liberal Rev. Smokin Steve. Enjoy, we have. First of all, I never looked good in a bowtie. Not my style. I can now see where some of the differences between us lie. We're not really disputing the facts. But what we are disputing is how we view the facts. First of all, I'll concede on the Jimmy Carter era and Halliburton. I was 5 when he was inaugurated, and 9 years old when Reagan got into office. But what I do know about Jimmy Carter is that he was a good and decent man. What I also know about him is that his presidency was severely mismanaged. I usually have no qualms with anyone who criticizes his presidency. He had plenty of problems that are well documented. That being said, here is where you and I really disagree. When you see how President Bush has made this a personal issue, you applaud it. I don't. When you are talking about sending hundreds of thousands of troops into a war, you can't let personal issues cloud your decisions. He's risking so many other people's lives, and at least part of what is fueling him (I won't say it is 100% of what is fueling him, but it is a significant part) is a family dispute. That's not good sound judgment. He's not protecting you; he's protecting himself and his own family more. I don't know what Al Gore would have done in 9-11. No one will ever know. But my best guess is that he would have done what Bill Clinton had done more than once and at least started a bombing raid in Afghanistan. And that is what George W Bush did. But I think I can safely guarantee one thing... if it were Gore calling the shots, we wouldn't have gotten so tied up in Iraq. I can't put much stock in your Syria to Iraq to Afghanistan connection because it is based on your personal opinion more than actual fact. And you know what? I'll never totally discount a connection between them. Truth is, I don't have the facts in front of me. Neither do you. I don't think any normal citizen in America has all the facts on Middle East relations. So I don't think we are capable of having solid theories on them. If I were forced to hazard a guess, I would say that I don't believe any of the countries can agree on anything between them. That makes the possibility that Syria and Iraq are playing "monkey in the middle" with the weapons of mass destruction keeping them away from the troops a little hard to swallow. Quite honestly, I don't think you can get those countries to coordinate such a good plan. We've already established how well they seem to be able to coordinate their own governments, which is to say not too well at all. So now, what would Al Gore have done in the wake of 9-11? Well, I don't know that answer. No one will ever know that answer, and to assume he would have cowered in a corner is very unreasonable to assume. What would Hillary Clinton have done? Oh I don't know that either. Maybe we can safely assume that she would have done what Bill Clinton did, and Clinton did use military force in his term several times. Perhaps Al Gore would have deployed the force to Afghanistan because that was the obvious thing to do. But I think I can safely say this... we would not be entrenched in Iraq as deeply as we are. I don't think Gore would have allowed that to happen. Would Gore's administration have captured Bin Laden by now and wiped out Al Qaida? I can't make that assumption. But I guarantee you this... if Al Gore's administration had allowed what Bush's administration has allowed to happen, I would be equally critical of it. But really, what Gore would have done is a big non issue. Your side loves to bring up what Gore might have done. Really, it distracts us from the real issue. It's not what Gore or even a Clinton would have done, it is what this current administration has done, and has not done. But why don't we bring up one thing about Clinton that he did do? No, I'm not going to say he was perfect. I'll even admit that he may have made a mistake in not dealing with Bin Laden when we had a chance. But one thing that is not discussed is the report that came out a few months ago on the real reason we are not finding WMD in Iraq. The report from the UN which I read in Newsweek a number of months ago (and I know you right wingers love the UN), states that the reason we currently are not finding WMD in Iraq is that Bill Clinton's bombing raids in Iraq during his presidency actually may have crippled Iraq's capability already. So, you guys don't want to admit that maybe it was Bill Clinton who took care of the WMD before Bush got to them, do you? No, can't give credit to Clinton at all. That would be so un-American, wouldn't it? Here's my response to him... “Counter pointing” takes time, so sorry for delay on this next issue. I’ve been SO busy designing ads for my son’s upcoming high school football program. It’s his senior year, and I have three companies, so I’ve taken a while responding. My graphic design skills aren’t bad; I’m just SLOW AS CHRISTMAS at the process :) I agree Carter was a decent man, just a bad president. And I agree that you and I that “supposedly” sit on opposite sides of the political fence but don’t really dispute the facts… you hit the nail on the head that we just view them differently. Boy, if the Middle Eastern world could just come to that knowledge, you and I could bring all the troops home and agree to disagree. You and I would make great neighbors, one house would just be red, and one would be blue… (UGH, we’d have to change the political colors to gray and tan I’m afraid :) I won’t concede on the fact that I believe all the radical factions communicate. I believe strongly that they do. Of course I don’t have any facts to support that, I just know human nature. In times like these, bad guys stick together. I say this because of local US history of gangs for instance. Most of the time groups like the Bloods & Crypts are adamantly against each other, but when the law is on a mass raid, trust me the leaders talk. I’ve seen it in action here in Reno during riots during Hot August Nights. These morons turn into best friends when the Po-Po come down the street on horses in riot gear behind the fire department that has opened fire hoses on the bunch to wash their dumb asses off the streets. However, you and I both are right on the fact that these guys will never agree on anything in a diplomatic public agreement. Sad but true. I will concede that we will never know what Gore or H. Clinton would do in a crisis. I’m just glad I don’t know at this point. Hopefully, in 2008 I won’t have to find out either. I hope for your party you guys find a new superstar. I really don’t think Hillary is it. I appreciate your comment that if Gore had done the same things, you would have been equally as critical. I have thought many times that my staunch opinions that are pro-Bush come from my opinion of him as a Texan. OK, I’ll also concede that I am blinded by the redneck views, but I would have voted for Bush even if he would have been a Democrat. I do believe that Clinton was on the right track when he did his bombings. That was a rare period when I was cheering him on. I believe he did cripple the WMD’s and all the theories behind their non-existence. I was pissed at him though when he didn’t go far enough. I’m pissed at Bush that he didn’t either. If Clinton would have blown them off the map, or if Bush had, we’d be done and on to other business. I still cringe when I remember watching Ollie North’s testimony before the questioning Senator Al Gore in which they were drilling him for the $60,000 he spent on personal security, and his answer was regarding Bin Laden and he was explaining to him that this man was the most dangerous man on earth. Why is it human nature that when someone tells us, “Trust me, I’ve been there, I KNOW”… that none of us ever seem to really listen. We all have to learn the hard way. And, by the way…that’s not a dis on Gore; it could have been any senator questioning him. We just should have taken more of what Ollie North told us way back when. You’re right about my views on the UN… I’d have crumbled their club house a long time ago. That’s a useless bunch of nobodies. Remember when there was talk of dismantling them? Why didn’t we? I bet you’d even vote for that. I agree we need some kind of organization like them, but we need to scrap that whole project and start over from scratch. You can’t fix STUPID, or LAZY. No balls MF’s! You know what scares me Steve? It’s this. Given the imaginary fact that you and I were to live next door to one another, I’d fight like hell to save my house and yours. I’m watching the Israeli conflict, and all the crazy Muslim leaders run their mouths, and I’m afraid that we are emerging on an official WWIII. It’s all been messed up; it’s all gone so far…I’m not sure what’s next. I just said in my last rebuttal to you that I feared that soon we’d begin to see terrorist attacks on small scale in our own country. I COULD NOT FUCKING BELIEVE when I turned on my TV this morning that it had happened. When I saw that a Muslim nut job had gone into a Jewish building and killed one and injured four more that my words would have come true so quickly. I know “they” are saying he was just one man, not really a “good” practicing Muslim, and that he was bi-polar and not affiliated with any “named” organization. BUT…HE’S A TERRORIST. He’s the FIRST one to commit a single TERRORIST ACT on US soil. He went into a building professing to hate Israel, and killed a lady he didn’t even know. He seriously injured others. It’s beginning. Nut jobs love publicity even though in general life they live as loners and are considered introverted. There will be more, the other crazy radicals living amongst us will not want to be outdone on their crazy imaginings, and there will be more copycat type assaults. What are we going to do Steve? I’m one woman, just living and trying to run my companies and protect the 27 families that work for me. You’re just one man doing whatever you do for a living every day taking care of your family. It sucks. I think that you and I, and people like Hannity & Colmes should concentrate on our differing opinions on what the people in charge can do, or should do to make this better. Right now, I find myself staring at TV and reading articles and wondering where it will all go. I know this, whether you and I agree or not, I want your family safe. I want my troops to be able to come home. I’m tired of the fight, but I know that just pulling out of all other countries now will be bad. I don’t care anymore about all those people except to wish for them better. I hurt for them. I’m a humanitarian, but DAMN, I am responsible for a lot of people, and I want to worry about their lives here in the USA. Let me pose a question to you for an honest answer. Even though pretty die hard Republican, and given the fact that NOBODY else really wants to DO SOMETHING… (that’s really not true)… I don’t believe any other country that is decent like us really CAN or is big enough or ABLE to do what USA can do. But, maybe all of us Democrats and Republicans should come to a common ground. Maybe our great populace is fighting the WRONG fight. What if… DAMN IF ONLY THE WHAT IF’S COULD BE REALITIES… What IF, we all unite as a bi-partisan union to DEMAND that ALL TROOPS COME HOME? What if we DEMAND that WE WILL NOT AS THE USA EVER GET INVOLVED in another foreign conflict except to sell arms, or offer food, clothing, other humanitarian aid. We’re spending what?...Something like a million dollars a day on this war? What if we were to offer $500,000 per day in aid for a year to any number of countries, but you guys fight your own battles. We will concentrate on closing our borders and beefing up our own military and “surveillance” systems, by which I mean knowing when a missile is coming, satellite views on anything within days of our borders, and we will put our money into protecting US, (Hey… US spells USA…HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) If I were in charge, (Thank GOD I’m not)… I really believe that’s what I would do. I would much rather banter with you over what I disagree with on what we are doing here in the USA instead of what we are doing all over the world. I would keep Brittan, Australia, Canada, Sweden, Netherlands, Jamaica, New Zealand, Ireland, Switzerland, Mexico (barely), Italy, Iceland, and all of the Caribbean, and tell the rest of the world to go to hell. We could SAVE SO MUCH MONEY by just helping these other countries with just the basics…NOTHING TO DO WITH CONFLICT. What do you honestly think Steve? I bet it would be enough years to be financially back in order, and enough years to be prepared before anyone else had the balls to seriously fuck with us. I think that may be my new position. I’M SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED. I’m tired of ranting to no end and I’m tired of wasting my tax dollars for total fuckwads. Hope I haven’t lost your friendship, or lost my position as your banter partner :) Also, I don’t know if you’ve noticed this or not, but as we have bantered (this is ONLY round 3) our positions seem to be meeting in the middle. Do you think these leaders in charge that are meeting have this same luck? Doesn’t seem so by listening to the media! I was pissed a bit that first e-mail I sent you. I still strongly disagree with you on some points, but I have a respect for your side, and can see that you try to see some of my “out there” views. I’m OK, just a true educated redneck (yes, some of us rednecks are intelligent). This has been fun and relieving in a way, because you have manners and probably even like gravy if you admit it :) I’m also glad you’re not the bowtie type :) Oh my gosh, I almost forgot to show you this… My dear little brother has been reading all our banter, and created this photo. Video Hosting - Upload Video - Photo Sharing Only a woman could understand how much the “protection” and support from your brother really means. (NOTE: This is for fun; I’m really weird about changing or demeaning our flag, or other icons of our patriotism. This photo is for fun only, and I would never presume to be anywhere close to having the honor to resemble this icon of the country) Here’s an excerpt of his private comments…. ”Maddam Liberty - Reno Style I just read my sister's post/response/response-response on her blog... I don't know why I got the mental image that I did, but I had to go ahead and recreate it below... Like Lady Liberty, when you visit my sister, you can't help but sit back, smile and know that with someone like her watching over our country... All's good.”

Me & Rev. Smokin Steve - Round Two

Video Hosting - Upload Video - Photo Sharing Boy, did I ever open a can of worms :) You are cordially invited to “Me & Rev. Smokin Steve – Round Two”. If you aren’t caught up in our debate, see my original story HERE, and see Steve’s rebuttal HERE. The first part of this story is for Steve, as after all it’s OUR party. However, so many made really quality comments that I will try to respond to some of those too. I loved the red and blue dialog at your house. And thank you for not really calling me an ignorant slut, Jane could pull that off, but it’s really not me. I just love being full of shit when I think I’m right. Again, that is a Texan trait. It’s been said that if you took all the bull shit out of a Texan, you could bury one in a matchbox…some truth to that :) Too bad neither Hannity nor Colmes will ever read any of this, they might offer us a job, thank goodness I get to be Hannity so I don’t have to wear the little goofy bow ties. Steve, visit Austin, that city rocks. Eat at the Magic Time Machine and send me the bill, and then stroll Guadalupe Ave., you would find many friends there. My sister is a nurse in Austin. I’ve been gone since ’86, but at one time…the wording and law was still in our books to have the right to succeed still if we wanted. The slogan, “Texas – A Whole Other Country” is true and we do live in our own little world in God’s country. Hell, if one state could actually self-sustain itself, I bet a vote would go over, but that’s not even possible, no matter how much bigger everything is in Texas. We need every state in our union to make our country whole. However, I’ve been a Nevadan for some time, and also lived in Mississippi for four years, in fact in Bay St. Louis, ground zero for Katrina. My husband traveled through there in February and took a picture of my old house; it was a roof on the ground with a huge tree lying across it. Nothing else, and it was a beautiful home. I’ve enjoyed all this country has offered me no matter which state I’ve been in. I love the good ‘ole USA. Damn straight taking out Saddam was and is personal for the Bush’s. However, I honestly believe that the attempted killing of George senior only made the realization of global terrorism against the USA even more pressing for the Bush family. I believe that George has my back as a citizen. I’m glad it’s personal for him. That makes trying to root out this evil that threatens his homeland that he is in charge of even more pressing and that makes me safer. I cannot even fathom what Al Gore or Hilary Clinton would have done in the face of 9-11. I do agree with you that we should have done more in Afghanistan. But I think what our current administration realizes that the liberal left does not is that this is a big global club these extremists have formed, and like the Knights of the Round Table (only an evil table), we must take them all out. And, no other country is going to do it, we know that. It’s always the USA that has to start and finish the shit. In a perfect world, we would bring all our troops home, CLOSE our borders, and sit back and take care of only us. Let the chips fall where they may for the rest of the world, it’s called life. Not our problem these people live in shitty countries with fucked up heads and radical beliefs. It’s jealousy over our success and wealth (and yes our gluttony and waste that comes with that) that makes these nutjobs hate us in the first place. I say we stay home and spread that wealth among the people that live here and are born here, no matter what color their skin or religious belief. Our melting pot is full; it’s time to close the lid. I think we were too nice in our war with Afghanistan and Iraq. We needed more shock and awe. Civilian casualties are sad, but damn…it IS WAR. To eliminate them we must blow them off the map. We cannot “damage” them; we cannot blow up their headquarters and chase them off to the hills to regroup. They will always regroup, and each time they will come back with more money, better weapons, and a stronger resolve to carry out their “annihilation of the infidels”. History has proven this for 100’s of years. These whacky packs have suffered centuries of strife, poverty, and general chaos because they can’t even get along with each other. They sit on a rug and face east to pray six times a day and then go pick up a gun and start shooting. Rather than using the last few hundred years to evolve and better their own causes, they have concentrated on using the mass populous to do all the dirty work. A few get into power, and use the masses. They hoard all the money, treat their own people like shit, cover their women in bee-keeper suits, and shoot their daughters for mere disobedience. The powerful use the billions to breed hate, amass weapons, and roam the deserts with plans to destroy the Western civilization. They aren’t afraid ONE BIT about death, in fact they are so retarded they believe that death in the process of hatred based violence is a good thing. They stand in line and sign up for it for Pete’s sake. You CAN’T REASON with that kind of folk. There will NEVER be a diplomatic resolution with people that are certifiably insane fanatics. They must be eliminated. I am one that truly believes there ARE weapons of mass destruction there still. I think the Afghanistan dudes call up Saddam, who calls up the Syrian dude, and then the Saudi’s are wolves in sheep’s clothing with all the money who answer the phone and help silently underground. Hell, they pass that shit around wherever nobody’s looking. It’s there; we just never found the needle in the sand dune. Not to mention that every news channel in America tells them exactly what we are doing and when. Throughout this war, the mass media has been a “how-to” manual for Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah, Hamas, and PLO, and the rest of the little nut job clubs. Al Jezerra TV is a message board for them all. I agree the war’s a mess right now. We didn’t go in and kick their entire ass when we had a chance. As soon as the politically correct liberal crowd got wind that Bush had the pickup fired up, gun off the gun rack, and his “Don’t Mess With Texas” flag flying we had to stop short and be nice. I’m sorry, I don’t agree with rebuilding anything. They’re lucky we are even willing to help them out by blowing up the bad guys. That’s enough help. We destroy them, you fix what’s left…but I’m not very nice toward the whole picture. I’m damn mad, I’m even more mad that a great number of our citizens were all for kicking ass at first, but think it’s taking too long and now they are tired of it so the bitching begins. I really believe that if we don’t face them over there, they will come here and hit us again. Sorry to say, I think small terror attacks will begin to happen in this country. It scares me. We have the power to take them out, but if we are too nice and take too long, their numbers will grow to a proportion we cannot handle. Then my friends, I’ll be forced to go to the bee-keeper suit sale at Dillard’s to pick out my new government issued attire and throw out all of the perfectly good pork chops in my freezer along with the bacon. About the oil crisis comments and Halliburton not being stand up. Let’s go back in time to the early eighties…when by the way your buddy Bubba Carter had the hot seat… Oil has been, oh say $33 per barrel for a long time. Every morning on the news, the last rhetoric you hear is, “This morning West Texas Intermediate Crude oil is trading at $33 per barrel, or whatever. One Monday, as I was getting ready for work, I hear the guy say…”This morning, West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil is trading at $9 per barrel. I laughed. I remember telling my husband at the time, “Did you hear that dude? He screwed up, he must be new.” As the day progresses and weeks go by, it was TRUE. Texas was forever changed in the rural western areas where oil is big business. Acres of pump jacks stopped bobbing their heads, by the thousands. In Midland and Odessa (Bush territory), Bubba Carter had allowed the interest rates to soar to an average of 16% on mortgage payments. People literally left their homes, bankrupt, empty, off to try again somewhere else in a new career. Streets and streets of houses were just empty. Nobody looted either. It was sad to see such a bustling area crawl to a ghost town in just a few months. Entire companies went under. So many were fired. Halliburton hung on. They got their people to volunteer to work 3 and 4 day weeks so everyone could at least have a job. The crisis did not get better, and eventually divisions had to close and many did get fired. But the company did all they could for as long as they could. I remember hearing men talk to each other. “You’re so lucky you work for Halliburton…today I got laid off, I have to move my family to survive”. Really sad for a long time. That was my point on that company. About religion and separation of church and state. There is a need for the separation. However there is NO need for elimination. I am so sick and tired of people trying to change everything our country was founded on so we don’t offend those that don’t want to believe. If you don’t believe…fine! The rest of us do, and in all religions there is a God. Of course I believe in the Christian God, but some believe in others. Use that word God to mean whoever you believe in. Don’t take His name off all the money, or out of the schools. If we don’t stand for something, we’ll fall for anything. The loss of spirituality in our lives is a big reason for some of our demise as a nation. I believe, but I cannot tell you the last time I attended church. My lifestyle took me away from the organized part of it. I miss it, but my beliefs are instilled in me. I don’t need a building or congregation to pray and try to live right. I lean on my spirituality in the hard times, and I celebrate privately in my heart my spirituality whenever I’m able to make a small difference in someone else’s life. I don’t want my country to eliminate that, it’s not healthy. If I hear something I don’t believe in, I just don’t listen. If I’m at a place where a person of different faith is practicing worship, I respect that. I’m quiet and let them do their thing. Their differences certainly don’t offend me, and I don’t have any need to pass laws to make them stop. Why are people trying to make me stop what I believe? I thought the whole point of this great nation we founded is so we can all do what we want, within reason. I love that old saying, your freedom ends where my nose begins. If we keep it that way, our far left friends should back the fuck down. I’m sure this is so long now; I’m losing the interest of any reader. I think I’ve covered topics from most everyone’s comments, and I sure appreciate all the comments. It was nice to have some new eyes on my blog. Last point. It’s fun bantering with Steve and others. I don’t agree with a lot of what Steve believes wholeheartedly. However, I wish him no harm. I don’t have the slightest whim that he should eat shit and die. Differences are what make us strong as a people. Take this message seriously people, get involved. Believe something. VOTE…VOTE…VOTE. So many people sit around and bitch to no end about the state of affairs, but they do not bother to get involved in their communities and vote. If you don’t like the asshole that’s got the job in your community, don’t vote for him next time. And don’t think your one vote doesn’t count. Together, they all count. And if your candidate doesn’t win, guess what, it’s a democracy and sorry, you lost. Regroup and try again in two to four years. And nominate qualified people. In too many elections we find ourselves just trying to salvage the state of affairs by picking the lesser of two evils in the end.

BluebirdBlogs - Let Susie Design Yours!

I am very pleased with my blog "makeover". Susie at BluebirdBlogs did mine, and I would like to commend her on the job. Check out her site, and get a new look for yourself. The price was MORE THAN REASONABLE, and she had it done in no time at all.

Tag You're It

Video Sharing at DropShots.com I've been tagged! I'm not sure I quite understand the hype of the memes, but I will engage in this fun this time because I absolutely love to read Daydreamer Of Oz. She is well written in her views (which I usually uncannily share). Give her a read. 4 Things I Do Every Morning 1. Hate getting up early for work 2. Check e-mail 3. Stop by Jack-In-The-Box to pick up breakfast for the crew 4. Feed the pets 4 Things That Turn Me Off 1. Cynical negative people that always crack a joke at someone else's expense 2. Bleeding heart liberals 3. People that assume the world owes them everything 4. Bad service or rudeness from strangers 4 Things I Am Afraid Of 1. Spiders, bugs and wierd critters 2. The thought of losing my husband or one of my children 3. Getting too old to function properly 4. The thought of someone like Hilary Clinton being elected to the Presidency 4 Things I Do Everyday 1. Tell my kids and my husband "I Love You" 2. Have a cocktail 3. Spend too much time on my computer 4. Watch TV 4 Things I Want To Have or Do 1. A really bitching dream home 2. Travel to exotic places 3. Enough money to play hard and still leave lots to my kids 4. Be special enough to people to leave a fond memory and place in their hearts 4 People I Want To See 1. My family in Texas 2. My kids as successful adults and someday my grandchildren 3. George W. Bush over a drink and to CANDIDLY pick his brain and share his pain 4. Oprah Winfrey 4 Numbers That Rule My Life 1. Whatever numbers that are at the bottom of my P&L 2. 17 3. 23 4. 69 4 Favorite Colors 1. Purple 2. Blue 3. Yellow 4. Black Rather than TAG any of you, volunteer if you like and share with me your list. Enjoy. (BTW, this is the first "meme" I've ever participated in, it's not as easy as it looks...requires a bit of thought.) Thanks again Oz Dreamer for the tag:)

Boogers4Brains

I want to give a special plug to one of my favorite blogs, Boogers4Brains. I don't know about you, but when I come home from a long hard day at work, I like to spend some of my surfing time with something comical, informative, and something that doesn't require a lot of my time to concentrate or think. This blog is funny, the quips and clips are short, and I always leave with a giggle or two. Give him a look-see, and by all means, tell him Malinda sent you :)

InsultThePresident.com - Insult The President Yourself

Video Sharing at DropShots.com For the small price of $20, you can legally insult the President Of the USA in writing. At InsultThePresident.com, you can pay a $20 fee for this priviledge. Two guys from Tempe, Arizona originated this site. Your $20 buys you a written insult sent directly to the President, a certificate of authenticity, and a post at the website describing your insult. NOTE: These guys are running a legitimate site, no threats to the President will be tolerated, and all will be reported to the Secret Service by law. There is a video clip describing this at CNN Pipeline. I happen to love the President. I’m hoping these guys make a go of this thing, as I’m saving my money for 2008, in case some liberal moron gets ownership of the big chair :)

Ilana Yahov - Amazing Fantasy In Sand

Share Video at DropShots.com Ilana Yahov is an amazing artist. She draws “fantasies in sand”. Her work is created from a sand box with a glass bottom “like a glass table”, and obviously there are cameras and overhead projectors of some kind to show the works in a larger form to an audience. Watch the video above. It is 4:25 minutes long, but it is amazing, and the background music is soothingly peaceful. It’s like having a cocktail in a hot tub and watching amazing art. I have several readers that are really into theater and the arts, this one’s for you guys. Check our her website at http://www.sandfantasy.com. For all you young mothers that wisely purchase “Baby Einstein” and “Baby Genius” videos, Ilana Yahov even has a video available for babies and children. I think these will be on my gift list for my young nieces and nephews! Enjoy.