...ruh roh SOAPBOX TIME AGAIN!!!

OK, since we are in a highly political climate at the moment - with midterm elections only 10 days away - I have been espousing the ruin that "cutting taxes" has and will cause in the future. Now, I don't like paying taxes as much as the next person, but being reasonable and fairly intellligent - one only has to think - while spending billions you also need to have the funds "coming in" in order to make such expenditures. This article caught my attention and I have been saying pretty much the same things to anyone who will listen, yet the DEFICIT never seems to be an election issue. This is a rather lengthy article, but it could not make the situation any clearer.

Politicians at the moment are making a staggeringly large salary for very little work. The last figure was 100 actual days of work in Washington, D.C. I would definitely love to get paid $165,000 a year for a little more than 3 months work. Granted, the politicians say they are back home working for their constituency but pragmatist that I am - nope don't think so!!! I truly believe that our elected officials need to be held accountable for their time and our representation. There are many sound practices available to slow this deficit and bring it under control, if only the people INSIST and SPEAK OUT to your representatives.

You will notice that health benefits are mentioned in this article, and due to the rapid increases in the health care prices, the economy can not keep up with the program. DUH!!!! Does this not infer that we need to prioritize expenditures and controls in that area? I may not have the answer, but I do know that the answers are out there if delegated to the proper experts.

Oh well, just wanted everyone to see this article and stop and think for a moment about what may become a very personal issue for us, the baby boomers!!!

Take care and stay well, gonna watch the Steelers in a little while (oh God, let us win). TTFN>

...am I livid??? You bet your ass!!

OK - now I have to get on my soapbox again. In the news today, Rush Limbaugh was reported to have made derogatory remarks about Michael J. Fox "FAKING" his parkinson's disease in a television ad for a political candidate. Now let us consider that the fat bastard (Limbaugh) managed to squeak out from under "drug" charges because he has friends in high places and money talks. He is not a poster child for virtue by any means. Apparently he is not well versed on the subject of Parkinson's disease either. I have a very good friend, who is in her mid 40's and has been progressively getting worse, suffering from this nasty disease. One needs to understand that this disease is of a neurological nature and manifests itself primarily with "tremors" and uncontrollable spasms. In very late stages, we are talking total incapacitation and loss of verbal skills. This disease progresses differently for each individual.

For this IDIOT and I mean that, to think he has the right to condemn someone so handicapped, bespeaks total stupidity and lack of human compassion. And for what, the voice of the Conservative Right??? When you have noted religious figures (like Pat Robertson) but we won't mention names, making absurd remarks which make the news regularly - one only has to use the brain you have to decide who is right and who is VERY WRONG.

Since the Republican party is in such bad straits at the present, they only have to rely on personal, injurious attacks and scare tactics. By the scare tactics, I am referring to the TV ad to run next week, showing Osama Bin Laden (or OBL as we call him) and his cohort in crime, making statements about the ruin and decimation of the Americans, with all the past war footage in the background. Please remember that some of these statements are from several years ago and are directly aimed at scaring people. Are we so stupid not to realize that there have probably been terrorist cells in the US for decades? This ad is so reminiscent of LBJ's ad - now referred to as the "Daisy" ad, which ran in the mid 60's. Again, as a scare tactic.

Bottom line, this Bush administration has not made us any safer, the moral conduct is reprehensible (I'm sure Democrats are just as guilty), and the waste of taxpayers dollars and lives is inexcusable. DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE NEED REPUBLICANS TO KEEP US SAFE AND TAXES LOW. Keeping the taxes low, just increases the deficit by billions a day. I would never have overdraft charges at the bank if I just let the government run my checkbook.

OK - jumping off the soapbox, figure the government will be knocking at my door momentarily. Since they can eavesdrop on phones and emails and blogs, mindless of our freedoms. HEHEHEHE.

***theson is still here - Algerian embassy had to close for Ramadan and apparently are not the speediest or efficient of people.

theson will be leaving again - soon!!

Well, theson has been "home" since August 13th, yet it seems like only a short while. he will be leaving (providing all the visa info is received) for Algeria (N. Africa) on Thursday. Supposedly, this job will be for approximately 60 days. One must remember that the job in India was only supposed to last ONE month and the total duration was over 19 months. The amazing thing is that theson would much prefer cool climates and invariably gets sent to "tropical" climates. POOR BABY.

Theson has been a truly helpful soul during his stay at home, managed to get a lot of "Stuff" taken to the dump, cleaned the backyard, taught thegrandson how to ride a bike and just before we had a torrential downpour last week, I suggested we try to clean out the gutters. Every time it rained, the water just poured out of the gutters on the back deck like a waterfall. Thedaughter and I had tried to clean it last fall, to no avail. Well, with a little help from "his buddy" the challenge was a success. Now if I can get the damn pics to upload - brb.

And remembering that theson was out of the country for Thanksgiving and Christmas last year, we promised him a Turkey Dinner. If anyone can recall, the son had pics of the Thanksgiving dinner prepared for him and Emma in India, which really didn't look all that bad, except for the "stuffing soup." You would have to look back on his Nomadic Tendencies site (Nov. or Dec. '05) to relive those wonderful pics. But he captured this pic of his feast at home last week.

But I will definitely be adding more blogs in the future, as theson's stay at home is now at an end. He is leaving Thursday (19th)for Hassi Messaoud, Algeria, North Africa. Again, I will miss him terribly, but we always have our internet connection and video cams and of course THE BLOGS.

Gotta run - have to get him to VOTE (absentee) before leaving the country. Everyone better get out and vote in November or this country is done for. Me and my political stance - change is needed quickly.

For now, everyone stay healthy and TTFN.

...and all those around me are QUITE HAPPY!!!

Just a quickie - to let those who haven't heard from me since Thursday, know the reason why. I HAVE SEVERE LARYNGITIS. Anyone who does know me, that when I go thru a severe cold it always transpires in the same stages. First - the stuffy head and more junk coming out than any human should have to endure. Second - the sore throat and cough. This all started a week ago yesterday (Saturday) and now from all the coughing - LARYNGITIS. I mean the voice is completely gone and all I am left with is a squeak. Now this is NOT FUNNY. Thegrandson, asked me "Nina, how come your cough is louder than your voice?" Quite a question coming from this 6 year old. This is the 3rd day of silence and thedaughter is loving it - although she has to be my translator. I haven't even been able to talk on the phone - DRAT!!!

If someone says something funny, I laugh, go into a coughing spell and I am done. It is a good thing that I have a wonderful sense of humor about the whole thing. Another thing, and this may be way too much information but...DO NOT GET OLD. I have had so many internal organs removed, I have come to the conclusion that everything left is just free floating around inside me and definitely NOT where it is supposed to be. The reason for this announcement is because...sneezing and coughing allow me to PEE myself quite easily. Oho - the DEPENDS generation, I have finally reached it. My kids find this totally hilarious, but I feel that if there is a more powerful being guiding our lives, that they too, will someday suffer from the same malady. So there, my curse on the kids!!

Until I have my voice back (hopefully soon), I will just sign off here and hope the rest of you remain well. TTFN