A MAN MAY SMILE AND SMILE...

Click the header, please. The header is part of a rather well known quote from Will Shakespeare. (I can call him Will. It's how I knew him when we were buddies.) I am worrying nowadays. Not about myself. Not about my life. Not about my cats. Not about my gas mileage. Nope. I'm worrying about my Country. And your freedom. And mine. And all of ours. The "great experiment" is in danger from within. The enemy is, indeed, us. . I came across a quote, the other day, from the Desert Anachist, Edward Abbey: "A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government." Stopped me in my tracks. Times change, people change, technology changes. Many things change. Others things do not change without dire consequences and I recognize that,for some reason (perhaps to control the population better?), the government has decided that patriotism is no longer of importance, should not be taught to the youth. To an old geezer like me, it is lamentable to hear the young speak with no idea of who had a hand in creating this country, what they wanted to create and how many people gave their lives and fortunes to bring the United States into being. I, for one, want to hear the voice of civics classes taught again. I want to know that a teacher of English as a second language knows how to address a letter to a Senator, Congressman and the President and not use the phrase "To whom it may concern" as an address. (Yes, it happened less than a month ago.) I want to hear that the Holocaust is being shown to our kids in all its horror. I want to hear that basic math skills are being taught to all the children. I want to hear that they all know how to speak, read and write English. I want to hear they all must pass driver's education classes in order to get a driver's licence. I want to hear that they know the feeling of patriotism when they see our flag. I want to hear that they know what responsibility is and how to show it. I want to hear that they have learned respect for their classmates and their elders. There are many other "want tos" but these are for starters. . But now I want to hear that ole Smiley in the pic is going to be honest with us. I don't need to see him on the television visiting talk jocks, game shows nor editorial reporters. I don't need to see him cozying up to the unthinking public (remember, half of them are below average intelligence) and they are easy marks. I don't want him to try and take my guns. (I do want him to get rid of that clown of an AG. That choice was a bad, bad mistake, Mr. President.) I don't need to see him trying to force an unbelievable debt on us. I want to see him reintroduce the import duties on goods from other countries. I want to see "American Made" back as a standard for the rest of the world to emulate. I want to hear the President crawl for his remark about the Special Olympics. (I'm sure that if Leno had made a remark about the racial structure of most basketball teams, he would crawl.) I don't want the names of various things the US is doing changed. If we're having a War on Terrorism, then have it. I want the President to recognize that half the voters are supposed to be able to think for themselves. He can't get away with blowing smoke up everyone's nostrils. I don't want announcements from the man that we're going to withdraw troops from Iraq. And then announce that we're going to increase troops to Afghanistan. (That's almost like taking troops out of Virginia and moving troops to New York.) I don't want to hear about sending arms and money to Mexico. How about sending three four divisions down there? I want the lies, evasions and double talk stopped Mr. President. It is going to be time for real Americans to step forward and help the President return the good of America and stamp out the evil that has crept into our way of life. Please don't make all our fallen dead objects of derision, Mr. President.

STIMULUS? OR STIMULANT FOR IGNORING US?

Please click the header for another adventure. (BTW, I solved it.)

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I wonder about the Stimulus bill. It seemed too easy (to me) to get it passed and into action. I think I may be a worrywart. On the other hand, any time Congress passes some new legislation I worry. Because I know that those men and women who are voting on the new law very likely haven't read it. And I realize it is going to affect millions of Americans, who will wind up befuddled and ask "when did this happen?"

The IRS is famous (infamous?) for getting this kind of thing done. You know, the read about the "new laws" in this year's tax forms.

And if you think you're having a run of bad luck, remember: It's bad luck to be superstitious.

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And after both Chief Justice John Roberts and President Barack Obama couldn't quote the Constitution correctly, the thought occurred to me that we might not have seen the last of President Bush.

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But we're not alone in poor schooling of our youth. Here's something from Merry Olde England:

LONDON - A third of elementary school students confused Sir Winston Churchill with moon-walking astronaut Neil Armstrong, a British survey found.

The survey, commissioned by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment and the Royal Astronomical Society, found that a third of children ages 4 to 10 mixed up the British leader with the first man to set foot on the moon, London's Daily Telegraph reported Thursday.

"It's a bit of a worry to find that children don't know who the first man on the moon is, let alone that they don't know who led the country to victory in the Second World War," said Gavin Quirk, a Disney brand manager.

A similar survey of British teens in February reportedly showed that 25 percent believe Churchill was a fictional character.

A SOLUTION TO STIMULUS APPROPRIATIONS

I hope this works (first attempt at cinema). If not , I'll stick it under the header. Which BTW, don't forget to click now. Or soon.

March days:

• March 14 is National Potato Chip Day
• March 15 is Buzzard's Day and Everything You Think Is Wrong Day
• March 16 is Everything You Do Is Right Day
• March 17 is Submarine Day
• March 18 is Supreme Sacrifice Day
• March 19 is Poultry Day
• March 20 is Proposal Day and Festival Of Extraterrestrial Abductions Day

I kind of like the 16th. But I wonder if those two things belong together on the 20th?

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FORT BENNING, Ga. - A North Carolina mom who reported for active duty in the Army with her two young children in tow was told Monday she will be discharged, a TV station reported. Lisa Pagan had been ordered to report to Fort Benning, Ga., four years after being released from active duty.

The stay-at-home mom contends she has no one to care for her children, ages 3 and 4, because her husband is on the road frequently in his job -- and says several appeals she filed over a period of months fell on deaf Army ears before Monday, WWAY-TV in Wilmington, N.C., reported.

It was not yet clear whether Pagan, who had been honorably discharged after serving seven years in the Army, would receive an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions, the TV station said.

"They're probably not going to be happy I brought them (her children)," Pagan told WBTV-TV in Charlotte, N.C., prior to leaving for Fort Benning.

"I asked them (the Army) do you really expect him to lose his job and nobody would give me an answer," she said. "Hopefully they'll discharge me for parenthood when I get there. I don't know how they're going to react, they may tell me to just go home."

That's Pagan, NOT Palin.

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I sometimes find cartoons I'm allowed to reprint by just showing the cartoonists name: Here's one I liked 'cause it shows where some of our stimulus billions are going: http://drybonesblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/money-for-gaza.html

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And an adage:

"When the ax entered the forest, the trees said,'The handle is one of us!'"-- Turkish proverb

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In honor of the mother of the octuplet's, Denny's is offering a new breakfast meal called the Suleman:

You get fourteen eggs, no sausage, and the guy next to you has to pay the bill.

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And finally a quote from a very wise man:

“You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation… You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.” Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931-2005

DAMNIT! GUNS DO KILL PEOPLE

I'll probably get some lectures about this one, but I really don't care. With age comes the ability (sometimes) to think things through.

I wonder if that means I'm through with it?

Oh well.

I've been reading the comments on blogs concerning yes or no about my right to have gun(s).

I have a right under our Constitution to bear arms. Finis.

Now, something that should really be attacked by all these people who are worried about responsible gun owners: I do NOT have a right to keep and bear a driver's license. (Neither do you.)

Not one, single, written right. I have the privilege of having one, but absolutely NO right to it. Now, I've got two potentially one and a half to two ton killing machines sitting in my driveway. The statistics about road deaths are far more scary and reveal more death dealing than our statistics on accidental and deliberate gun deaths in our country.

But no one suggests we eliminate and do away with automobiles. Why, shucks, no. In fact, one of the first things we do is see to it that 16 year old children (complete with the fog this age group carries around in its collective head) gets a driver's license and a car. And that will enable it to kill many of our citizens. And no one will raise a hue and cry about this.

In the words of Puck : "What fools these mortals be."

Don't forget to click the header.

HERE'S SOME MONEY

How the Stimulus Payments works."This year, taxpayers will receive an Economic Stimulus Payment.This is a very exciting new program that I will explain using the Q and A format: Q. What is an Economic Stimulus Payment? A. It is money that the federal government will send to taxpayers. Q. Where will the government get this money? A. From taxpayers. Q. So the government is giving me back my own money? A. Only a smidgen. Q. What is the purpose of this payment? A. The plan is that you will use the money to purchase a high-definition TV set, thus stimulating the economy. Q. But isn't that stimulating the economy of China? A. Shut up. Below is some helpful advice on how to best help the US economy by spending your stimulus check wisely: If you spend that money at Wal-Mart, all the money will go to China . If you spend it on gasoline it will go to the Arabs. If you purchase a computer it will go to India. If you purchase fruit and vegetables it will go to Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala (unless you buy organic). If you buy a car it will go to Japan . If you purchase useless crap it will go to Taiwan. And none of it will help the American economy. We need to keep that money here in America . You can keep the money in America by spending it at yard sales, going to a baseball game, or spend it on prostitutes, beer and wine (domestic ONLY) or tattoos, since those are the only businesses still in the US. Meet those who would like your money:

Don't forget to click the header.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Much happiness and joy and love today. Smooch to all of you. Don't forget to click the link.