Does this sound like a high school graduate?

There is a thread in the local Topix forum about where the graduation ceremony for Paris High School will be held. This was posted by one of the graduating seniors in response to a suggestion that, except in unusual circumstances, it's really only the immediate family who cares to be at a graduation anyway:

"Yeah Idk if your family didn't love you enough to watch you get that piece of paper but mines do..I'm also graduatin from 2009 and I have two sides of the family who would LOVE to see me walk thank you.. And I don't think its right that i have to choose the top 5 because me and my families are close and i have NO idea who to choose..Its not right..its OUR graduation anyways..let us have it the way we want it "

I commented on the forum that I wondered, given the way she wrote, if her diploma would have a signature. She responded that it most certainly would. She ranks 13th in her class. Heaven help us!

I don't.

Just saw on the news yesterday where thieves took a front-end loader from a construction site in Dallas and rammed it through the front of a Walgreen's Drug Store and stole the ATM there. The reporter says, "Police blame the bad economy." I don't. I blame a couple of good-for-nothing thieves.

If these guys are identified, I predict they will be in their late teens to early twenties, unemployed not because of the economy but because they don't want to work, and already drawing some kind of government assistance. They haven't been affected at all by the bad economy. They're just doing what they would be doing even if the economy were booming.

Another plus for Governor Perry

Our state legislature wants to make it easier and healthier for drug addicts to indulge their habit. They are considering a bill to allow local health agencies to set up needle exchange programs to give druggies all the syringes they want. The proponents say these programs benefit the health of drug users, their children, and those they come in contact with. Now, Essie May doesn't have the smarts to be a legislator, but doesn't that sound an awful lot like giving an alcoholic a bottle? Isn't that what the substance abuse counselors call enabling? Anyway, Governor Perry opposes this stupidity. Score another one for him. I like him better all the time!

"Needle exchange plan gets final OK." The Dallas Morning News; March 20, 2009; p. 3A.

He's not a she, he's a he!

I love Court TV (now Tru TV). I find trials fascinating. But Lisa Bloom and Jami Floyd are about to turn me off that channel for good. This past week, they covered the trial of Allen Andrade. Andrade visciously beat Justin Zapata to death. Justin went by the name of Angie and lived as a woman. (His whole family is messed up -- his sister Stephanie thinks she's a man).

Anyway, Andrade was justly found guilty of first degree murder. What really has made me nauseated is the way the Tru TV hosts fawn over these transgender weirdos. We heard over and over and over again about how beautiful Angie Zapata was. Give me a break! In the only two photos I've seen of him, he's trying to strike a sexy woman pose but he has a stubbly beard clearly visible. How sexy is that? I've copied the photos off a couple of internet sites so you can judge for yourself how "beautiful" "she" is.

Not only Justin was judged beautiful and no different than you or I, but they had to bring in others of the "transgender community" and gush over their bravery and their beauty and their courage in trying to educate all us ignorant masses who recognize there's obviously something wrong with them. They insist that Justin was a woman. I'm here to tell you, those folks can change their names, can wear all the women's underwear they want to, and can keep Cover Girl Cosmetics in business, but a male is still a male! I may be an ignorant bigot by their politically correct standards, but I do have enough brains to know that male genitalia and beard equal he, not she.

Can you tell?

Is this man:

A) The proprietor of a tattoo parlor

B) A deputy U.S. marshal

C) A Catholic priest

D) A notorious gang member

If you guessed A, you are wrong. If you guessed D, you are wrong. If you guessed C, you are wrong. This man is a deputy U.S. marshal. Now, don't you feel safer?

Even if he works undercover, which I doubt since they printed his photo and identity in the newspaper, I can't see the need for such an appearance in a profession that should project an exemplary image. Just another example of our declining standards.

Why was he free?

Abel Quinonez won't hurt anybody else. He was shot and killed earlier this month by Garland, Texas, police who had responded to a domestic disturbance at his estranged wife's home. He had attacked her with a crowbar and a lamp post.

Abel Quinonez was on parole after serving 17 years for aggravated robbery. What really makes my blood boil is that he was arrested a few days before his death for aggravated sexual assault of a child. In case you don't know, the aggravated charge means he raped the child. As I asked in an earlier post, what do I have to do to get my parole revoked?

Had Quinonez not been killed, I have no doubt he would be roaming our streets today. We need to give a medal to the officer who fired the fatal shot.

"Parolee shot, killed by police." The Dallas Morning News; April 7, 2009; p. 3B.

Where did they get all that food?

The Dallas Morning News recently ran an article lauding a program whereby probationers may donate food to area food banks rather than performing community service such as picking up litter. Since last fall, the criminals have donated more than 250,000 pounds of food to the North Texas Food Bank.

I have only one question. How many area supermarkets have experienced a marked increase in shoplifting since this program went into effect?

"Probationers donate to area food banks." The Dallas Morning News; April 19, 2009; p. 1B.

Doesn't look very diverse to me!

Diversity, diversity, diversity! Seems that's all we hear from the liberals. Yet when a liberal occupies the highest office in the land, diversity flies out the window. Some of Obama's top picks? Lisa Jackson, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, black woman. Mona Sutphen, deputy chief of staff, black woman. Desiree Rogers, White House Social Secretary, black woman. Valerie Jarrett, Presidential advisor, black woman. Susan Rice, U.N. Ambassador, black woman. Cassandra Butts, White House counsel, black woman. They have been dubbed "The Obama Women." "This is a really diverse and compelling group of women," Sutphen said. If they had been all white men, do you think Ms. Sutphen would have called them diverse?

But, I have to admit, Obama did add some diversity to the group when he appointed Margaret Hamburg to lead the Food and Drug Administration. She's bi-racial. No one can accuse him of being un-diverse!

"Top Obama aides are a 'sisterhood' of firsts." The Dallas Morning News; March 22, 2009; p. 8A.

What happened to firing incompetents and/or crooks?

There has been much publicity lately about how the very people who have had a hand in bringing our economy to the brink have been rewarded with multi-million dollar bonuses. I just ran across an article from last summer about Ann Lott. Ann Lott was the chief of the Dallas Housing Authority, the entity whose federal audits revealed shady accounting practices and other "problems," among them, paying more than $167,000 in rent for dead people. They'd also spent $20 million on ineligible clients, duplicate payments, and clients not reported properly. Ms. Lott resigned rather than face disciplinary action.

So what does the DHA Board decide to do? Reward Ms. Lott with $90,000 in severance pay. Board Chairman Betty Culbreath said, "We thought it was fair, given the time she had been on the job and the contributions she made to the agency." Contributions? What a crock! I should think Ms. Lott would be thrilled with nothing more than being allowed to resign and serve no jail time. The idiots are taking over, and they're using our money to do it!

"Chief to get $90,000 in severance." The Dallas Morning News; July 31, 2008; p. 1A.

Is he serious?

The headline yesterday was "Obama orders cabinet to cut $100 million from the budget." While $100 million is a huge sum of money, it's not much in the overall scheme of Obama budgeting. On a $3.6 trillion budget, it still leaves $3.599 trillion being spent. Doesn't sound like such a big cut now, does it? Now if we change the million to billion, we'd at least start getting somewhere, but with the number Obama threw out, it's kind of like Mr. Essie May telling me I really need to cut back -- "You're going to have to cut fifty cents a month from your budget, Essie May," and expecting that's really going to change things. If Obama seriously thinks this is a big savings move, he's not very bright. If he doesn't think so, he's being deceitful. Either way, he's not much of a leader.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090420/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama

More Octonuts

The Octo-nut has a rival for most ridiculous person in America. Her name is Marissa Evans. Mrs. Evans has suffered a terrible tragedy. Her 21-year-old son, Nikolas, was murdered. She has my deepest sympathy -- no parent should suffer such a loss.

But here's where Mrs. Evans loses my pity. She went to court to have her dead son's sperm harvested so that she could, at some future time, use it to sire a grandchild. She says it will "help to heal my heart somewhat." Wrong and selfish reason to bring a child into the world!

Just because science has found a way for a dead man to father children doesn't mean doing so is ethical. Certainly someone who has demonstrated the unstable emotional state that Mrs. Evans has should not be monkeying with nature. A child, in the best of circumstances, needs a parent who makes wise choices. A child born in the way Mrs. Evans proposes needs those wise choices even more.

Just how disabled are they?

Our wacky government never ceases to amaze me. Did you know that you can draw social security disability and still be qualified to drive a big rig? A study last year showed that there were not just a few drivers who qualified for disability, but 563,000.

I thought truck-driving involved hard physical labor. How can someone be disabled and still do that? If a person can do that work, why is he drawing disability? I would think that as a condition of drawing disability, a commercial license would be revoked or suspended until such time as the person is deemed able to work. Why would someone who can't work need a commercial license?

Gary Hull, a trucker, is opposed to any more regulation on truckers. He says, "Do you enjoy your clothing and house? Without the truck driver you would have none of it." Perhaps he should ask the 5,300 people killed and the additional 126,000 people injured in 2006 by big rig drivers. Of course, not all of these, I'm sure, were the trucker's fault. However, a federal safety study showed that a leading cause of big rig accidents was drivers who either fell asleep at the wheel or suffered heart attacks, seizures or other impairments while driving.

It should be a simple thing -- get disability, give up your commercial license.

"Truckers health faulted in wrecks." The Dallas Morning News; July 22, 2008; p. 1A.

The atheists are right!

Atheists are "reaching out" to other atheists via billboards. Terry McDonald, the unbeliever behind the billboards, says that he would like for Christians to know that "we're pretty much the same as they are." Mr. McDonald unwittingly affirms what God has said all along -- "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is none righteous, no, not one." The only thing that differentiates one sinner from another is his relationship to Jesus.

The message on their billboards is quite enigmatic. It says, "Don't believe in God? You are not alone."

If the atheists are right, and there is no God, then, they are indeed alone. So the answer does not logically follow the question. However, the answer is right on target -- God has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Who knew the atheists could be right!

By the way, I thought the timing of this article in The Dallas Morning News was really appropriate. What better day to publicize atheism than April Fools Day?

"Local atheists turn their eyes to the sky." The Dallas Morning News; April 1, 2009; p. 1B.

Taking bets!

I'm now taking bets on the new date for the digital TV switch. After years of hoopla, the date has now been delayed at least twice. It's all part of the "you need government to take care of you" mentality. Those who advocated the delay from February to June of this year said that people hadn't had time to get the boxes, or that people might not know about it. One consumer group complained that Congress had allocated only $5 million to publicize the transition.

One consumer, Bertha Graham, relies on her rabbit-ear set. She says she can't afford a converter box. Her son has offered to buy one for her and set it up, but she's said no because she doesn't believe she should have to buy one. According to The New York Times, "Washington officials are worried that millions of people like Ms. Graham will lose access to a lifeline." As my mother used to say, Horse Hockey! If it's really a lifeline, then Ms. Graham will do what she needs to get her TV working. I don't feel sorry for her -- the government has said they'll give her a box, and if she can't get that one, her son has said he'll give her a box. If she doesn't have TV, it's her own fault.

So now we're only a couple of months from the June deadline. Anybody want to bet it'll be delayed at least until September?

"More notice on digital TV change urged." The Dallas Morning News; July 7, 2008; p. 2D.

One would, wouldn't one?

Obama's $3.6 trillion budget, according to the Congressional Budget Office, will expand our national debt so that it will exceed 82% of the overall economy by 2019. "This clearly creates a scenario where the country's going to go bankrupt. It's almost that simple," said Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, the senior Republican on the Senate Budget Committee. "One would hope these numbers would wake somebody up." One would, wouldn't one?

"Obama's budget plans require massive borrowing, report finds." The Dallas Morning News; March 21, 2009; p. 12A.

Freudian slip?

Essie May's scout for news stories called her yesterday morning. "Did you see Obama on the news?" she asked. I had, but as I usually do, I tuned him out. She told me that in his statement on the rescue of Captain Phillips from the Somali pirates, he had said, "We are resolved to halt the rise of privacy. . ."

I looked up the video, and darned if I don't think she's right! What do you think? Freudian slip?

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=12952842&ch=4226716&src=news

Friends of Cameron

I wrote about Cameron Sands on March 31. Cameron is the robber who shot himself in the stomach when he tried to take his gun from his waistband. I just came across an article about a couple of Cameron's yankee compadres.

Two men robbed a Milwaukee jewelry store. As they left the store, two other men robbed them. Talk about poetic justice! After a fight, both sets of robbers jumped in their cars and fled the scene. Police caught them all. Good guys 4: Bad guys 0.

"Jewelry store thieves robbed of their loot." The Dallas Morning News; March 20, 2009; p. 6A.

If we're not at war with Islam, we should be!

Obama made his big speech in Turkey last week -- "We are not at war with Islam," he said. "We are not a Christian nation," he said.

Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Islamic republic's supreme leader, says that Iran will not alter its foreign policy until the U.S., among other things, retracts "hostile propaganda." This from the Islamic nation that, even according to the liberal media, continues to have "Death to America" as its rallying cry. Maybe Barack Hussein Obama is not at war with Islam, and maybe Barack Hussein Obama is ashamed of America's Christian heritage, but we better wake up and tell Barack Hussein Obama that as commander-in-chief, he is required to protect us from our sworn enemies, and he is required to acknowledge the Christian foundations this country was built upon!

"Iranian leader: 'Changes in words' aren't enough." The Dallas Morning News; March 22, 2009; p. 17A.

When the Shoe is on the Other Foot

Liberals don't like it when they have to wear a shoe they've forced on others. There is a case before the Supreme Court involving an unflattering film about Hillary Clinton. The liberals are quite perturbed at the descriptions of Hillary in Hillary: The Movie -- cunning, ruthless, deceitful, Machiavellian. Hey, I may go see this one!

The liberal argument is that this is a campaign ad, and as such, is subject to regulation. Conservatives see it as a free speech issue. What I want to know is, where were all these liberals when Michael Moore put out Fahrenheit 9/11 and Oliver Stone put out W? Are they just now becoming concerned about the Bill of Rights? Or are they just selective in who they want protected by the Bill of Rights?

"'Hillary' film divides justices." The Dallas Morning News; March 25, 2009; p. 8A.

Your children are your responsibility.

There was an article in last Sunday's Dallas Morning News about a mother who devised her own plan of action and worked ceaselessly with her autistic son to improve his communication and behavior. She has written a book about her experience and what it's meant to her son's quality of life. She is to be highly commended, as she epitomizes the unselfish love of a mother.

However, other "experts" and parents of autistics were quoted in the article, and the general timbre of their comments disturbs me. Their attitudes are all too representative of the mindset of today, namely, the government is here to take care of you. To quote from the article: "Scott's account . . . reveals how the state's limited services have forced parents into the unwitting role of therapist, caretaker and healer." Parents are forced into these roles? I thought these WERE the roles of a parent! If a person is not prepared to be these things for their children, then he better not have any. Another quote from the article: "I could help one son now and that takes away college for the other and I couldn't do that." She sees an either/or situation here. I say that's not the case. The college-bound son can do what I did -- work and pay his own way through school. Once again, the "someone has to do it for me" attitude rears its ugly head.

In a recent discussion about welfare, a woman said, "I wouldn't hesitate to take welfare. That's what the government is there for, and that's why we pay taxes." I informed her that she was wrong, wrong, wrong. The government's primary role is defense, and we do not pay taxes to provide a living for our citizens. Search though you may, you will never find in the founding documents of this country any mention of providing handouts and/or health care for able-bodied individuals. As talk show host Mark Davis said recently, "Give me back my country!"

"Hope in autistic boy's story." The Dallas Morning News; April 5, 2009; p. 1A.

Abstinence doesn't work?

I am so tired of hearing the liberals say, "Abstinence doesn't work." A commentator this morning was talking about Sarah Palin and her daughter. He said that, despite the evidence of her own teenage daughter's pregnancy, Sarah Palin still continues to say that abstinence works.

Is this man an idiot? Sarah Palin's daughter did not get pregnant because she was abstinent. She got pregnant because she wasn't! Duh! If she hadn't had sex, I can guarantee you that Sarah Palin would not now be a grandmother. There is only one instance in history where abstinence didn't work, and that was the result of a miracle of God!

He's not a monster - he's a real sweetie!

Louvell Mixon killed four police officers in Oakland, California, March 21. Thankfully, Louvelle, a parolee, won't shoot anyone else. The SWAT team killed him.

Prior to killing the four officers, Louvelle had amassed an extensive arrest record, including serving six years in prison for armed robbery. He had been linked by DNA to two rapes. Yet his family says Louvelle was "not a monster." Yeah, he sounds like a real sweetie to me, too!

Kind of makes you wonder about the implementation of the California three strikes law which mandates 25 years to life for a three-time felony offender. It sounds to me like Louvell, who was only 26, should have still been in prison.

"Officer in shootout declared brain dead." The Dallas Morning News; March 23, 2009; p. 4A.

When they pry it from my cold dead . . . well, you know.

They've come after our SUV's, our toilets that flush right, our incandescent bulbs, and our grocery bags. But now those eco-nuts have gone too far! They've started on the campaign to outlaw my Angel Soft! Greenpeace has issued a national guide that rates toilet tissue brands on their "environmental soundness." They advocate people switching to recycled brands. The problem with that is the recycled brands are about as gentle on the posterior as the old Sears catalog. Dr. Allen Hershkowitz says, "No forest of any kind should be used to make toilet paper." You wipe with what you want, Allen, but you'll only get my Angel Soft when you pry it from my cold dead . . .

"Will economy in the toilet flush fluffy TP?" The Dallas Morning News; February 26, 2008; p. 11A.

Advertising Overload

I wrote a lament sometime ago about the guy who had invented a machine to put company logo clouds in the sky. We are so overloaded with advertising -- product placement in the movies, annoying pop-ups on our computers, people sporting advertising tattoos, and sports arenas with names that have nothing to do with location or sports. Now comes the ultimate.

A teacher in Pocatello, Idaho, is selling advertising space on his students' test papers. A local pizza shop "sponsors" his tests. Every test, worksheet, and handout in this teacher's courses carries a 1" red-letter ad at the bottom: "MOLTO'S PIZZA 14" 1 TOPPING JUST $5." The principal justifies this by saying that it helps the students learn about economics. What's next? Sex Education brought to you by Madame Dee Light's Gentleman's Club?

"Chew on this: Teacher's tests have pizza ads." The Dallas Morning News; March 29, 2008; p. 2D.

You may have something there, Rush!

The headline in Friday's newspaper was that the stock market was up, probably in response to the G-20 Conference pledge for economic stimulus. Rush Limbaugh has another theory. He thinks it was up because Obama was out of the country. I think Rush's theory holds more water!

God is weeping!

The North Texas area of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) recently voted to remove the stipulation in their constitution that requires "fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness" for its pastors, deacons, and elders. Kathy Collier, pastor of First Presbyterian in Forney, said that it was past time for the denomination to accept qualified pastoral candidates regardless of their sexual orientation. She may think it's time for their church to accept perverts, but God still doesn't! I agree with Ron Scates, pastor of Highland Park Presbyterian Church, who said, "The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is just one symptom of the greater demise of the American church, which has lost its biblical moorings." The question of homosexuality shouldn't even come up in the church. This is not a gray area. God has plainly said that it's an abomination.

Then I saw a Cathedral of Hope commercial on television this morning. Their spokespersons? Gay couples lovingly caressing each other and talking about how accepting their church is no matter who you are. Maybe they accept people no matter how perverted they are, but God doesn't except in the context of repentance. God must surely be weeping to have his name associated with such depravity!

"Leaders support gays' ordination." The Dallas Morning News; March 31, 2009; p. 2B.

Send this man to Congress! He'll fit right in!

Robert Sanders of Reno, Texas, wrote a letter to the editor last week. Robert has a solution for our economic crisis. He says there are 40 million people over the age of 50 still working in the U.S. He thinks the government should give each of them $1 million to retire. His theory is that they will spend that money on homes, cars, recreation, etc., and give the economy a great big boost. "This would only cost the government 40 million dollars not billions and billions and would certainly stimulate me," says Robert. Oops, Robert! I think you made a slight miscalculation there. You are right that it wouldn't be billions and billions -- it would be trillions and trillions. One million dollars times 40 million is $40 trillion dollars. Maybe we should be investing some of that stimulus money in math classes.

What's really funny is that The Paris News printed this inanity! Of course, this is the same edition with this sentence in an editorial -- "In between shoots, archers can wonder around and enjoy places that make Paris unique." Wander where all the proofreaders are?

"Thought I would share." The Paris News; April 3, 2009; p. 4A.

How moderate do they have to be?

On March 10, I reported on Obama's desire to "reach out" to "Taliban moderates." I questioned whether such a thing as a Taliban moderate existed. This week, the commander of the Pakistani Taliban, Baitullah Mehsud, said, "Soon we will launch an attack in Washington that will amaze everyone in the world." He identified the White House as one of the targets. You think he's moderate enough for Obama to "reach out" to him?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090331/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan

Really going green!

In Spokane, Washington, it is against the law to sell dishwashing detergent containing phosphates. The only problem with this green measure is that it is literally green. Without the phosphates, the dishes don't get clean -- gunky food particles are left encrusted on the "washed" dishes.

How are Spokaners handling this? They're burning fossil fuels to drive to Idaho to buy dishwashing detergent that works. Brings to mind the green toilets we are all now mandated to use. The little bitty tanks require two flushes to get the job done, so you end up using more water than you would for just one good flush. If these eco-nuts really want to help the environment, they can just butt out with all their inane regulations!

"Slipping across border for soap." The Dallas Morning News; March 28, 2009; p. 7A.

You can have ours.

The media is going gaga over Michelle Obama accompanying her husband on his trip to Europe. Inevitable comparisons to Jackie Kennedy are being made. Essie May's opinion is that there is no comparison.

At any rate, it is said that Europe is fascinated with Michelle. "The British press in particular has followed Michelle Obama’s every move breathlessly, from her dresses to the 'kitchen garden' behind the White House. One London paper tracked down her high-school prom date. Another asked plaintively, 'Why Doesn’t the UK Have a Michelle Obama?'” We'll gladly give you ours!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20626