....he's slicker all the time

Well, our current president has proven himself the all-time Grand Wizard of the Shell Game.

Recently, he opened our borders for millions of "Americans" that were a victim of being "born here" as a product of illegal aliens (ooops, sorry...not PC, the "undocumented.")

While his persistent promises of "no new taxes" ring in our ears, while his insistence that the dreaded, unwanted mandate would not impose new taxes on those who chose not to comply — his own attorneys argued successfully that it could be ruled on by the Supreme Court as a Congress-imposed tax.....and today it was.

And no matter how he tries to convince us otherwise — he's slicker all the time in his convincing speech — this Obamacare is a massive new tax on every American!

Although a clear majority of citizens, especially seniors, adamantly opposed the healthcare takeover, Former Speaker Pelosi urged "let's pass the bill, and then we'll find out what's in it."

And we sure are.

We now find that this takeover of one sixth of the nation's economy will cost initially at least twice what the president said it would, almost $1.7 trillion . . . and that's just the start. And who's going to pay for all that? Guess who — every taxpaying American, that's who.

Greek socialism, here we come, ready or not!

A technically bankrupt nation taking on ever more drastic, unpayable debt, succumbing to the Pied Piper siren song of "hope and change."

The inexperienced captain of the Titanic ship of state sailing the vessel straight toward the looming icebergs, proclaiming "victory for the masses."

These are all new taxes starting in less than 5 months. Some take full effect by 2014. This list does not include anticipated increases in insurance premiums or actual health care.

• New tax on individuals who do not purchase government-approved health insurance-$17 Billion

• New tax on employers who fail to fully comply with government health insurance mandates-$52 Billion

• New 40% excise tax on certain high-cost health plans.-$32 Billion
• Increase the Medicare tax on wages and self-employment income by 0.9% and impose a new 3.8% surtax on certain investment income (for individuals over $200,000 and couples over $250,000)-$210.2 Billion

• Increase, from 7.5% to 10% of income, the threshold after which individuals can deduct out of pocket medical expenses-$15.2 Billion

• Impose a new $2,500 annual cap on FSA contributions-$13 Billion

• New annual tax on brand name pharmaceuticals-$27 Billion

• New 2.3% excise tax on certain medical devices-$20 Billion

• New 10% tax on indoor UV tanning services-$2.7 Billion

• New tax on insured and self-insured health plans-$2.6 Billion

• Double the penalty for non-qualified HSA distributions-$1.4 Billion

• Eliminate the deduction for expenses allocable to Medicare Part D Subsidy-$4.5 Billion

• Limit the deduction for compensation to officers, employees and directors of certain health insurance providers-$0.6 Billion

America…land of the free! (Well, not anymore). Next blog: Obama’s quest to print Euro dollars? (or is it the Peso?)

....have a drink on me

Want to super-size that soda? Sorry, but in New York City you could be out of luck.

In his latest effort to fight obesity in this era of Big Gulps and triple bacon cheeseburgers, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is proposing an unprecedented ban on large servings of soda and other sugary drinks at restaurants, delis, sports arenas, and movie theaters.

Drinks would be limited to 16 ounces, which is considered a small serving at many fast-food joints. "The percentage of the population that is obese is skyrocketing," Bloomberg said Thursday on MSNBC. He added: "We've got to do something."

Wait! Stop. Let me decide what I want to drink…and how much. This is horseshit. Last time it was salt intake and burgers. Don't we have more important issues in NYC? What's next...a limit on toilet paper?

It is the first time an American city has directly attempted to limit soda portion sizes, and the soft-drink industry and others bitterly accused the three-term mayor of creating a "nanny state" and robbing New Yorkers of the right to decide for themselves. The people of New York City are much smarter than the New York City Health Department believes. New Yorkers expect and deserve better than this. They can make their own choices about the beverages they purchase.

The ban is expected to win approval from the Bloomberg-appointed Board of Health and take effect as soon as March. City officials said they believe it will ultimately prove popular and push governments around the U.S. to adopt similar rules. The ban would apply only to sweetened drinks over 16 ounces that contain more than 25 calories per 8 ounces. (A 12-ounce can of Coke is about 140 calories. Plastic bottles of Coke and other soft drinks often contain 20 ounces).

It wouldn't affect diet soda, any drink that's at least 70 percent juice or one that is at least half milk or milk substitute. Nor would it apply to drinks sold in many supermarkets or convenience stores. Businesses would face fines of $200 per failed inspection.

City officials said some calorie-heavy drinks such as Starbucks Frappuccino would probably be exempted because of their dairy content, while Slurpees and Big Gulp drinks at 7-Eleven wouldn't be affected because the convenience stores are regulated as groceries.

Does any of this crap make sense? (Sorry....not a square to spare).....

...please...just shut up

Somewhere along the line I fell asleep and when I opened my eyes, the topics in the world seemed to change. Now I know that it has been 'cool' to talk about all of this like we are "experts" on the subject....but hear me out for a moment. When in the hell is this topic going to end?

If everyone has the "right" to talk about this until they are blue-in-the face, it is equally my "right" to not have to listen to it...and I do not have to agree with it. Sure, it is ok for someone to "love" another person. Of course! (just shut the hell up please).

Would you like to hear something? I do not give a shit. And honestly, most people do not but they are afraid to rock the boat by being honest.

To use an analogy: You could pass a law that says oranges now are apples. But oranges will never look like apples or taste like apples or be apples no matter how many laws we pass, nor will they ever produce the same seeds as apples.

Just because we recognize this reality does not mean we have animosity toward oranges. In fact, we can like both oranges and apples and still hold an opinion that they are different. While this example may seem silly, it illustrates that the proposed radical experiment with same-sex marriage attempts to achieve the impossible.

Working to protect marriage is not mean-spirited. It is the legitimate response of the majority of people who want what is best for individuals, children and our society, and therefore want to preserve the proven and essential institution of marriage.

....oh, and ammonia

Fat, sinew, and bits of bloody meat. Oh, and ammonia.
A tendon (or sinew) is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that usually connects muscle to bone and is capable of withstanding tension.

This is what you're eating when you buy and prepare ground beef from most grocery stores in the U.S. today. It's also what you're eating when you eat a fast food burger or grab a quick bite at your local diner, most likely.

- "Ten years ago, the rejected fat, sinew, bloody effluvia, and occasional bits of meat cut from carcasses in the slaughterhouse were a low-value waste product called 'trimmings' that were sold primarily as pet food. No more. Now, Beef Products Inc. of South Dakota transforms trimmings into something they call 'boneless lean beef.' In huge factories, the company liquefies the trimmings and uses a spinning centrifuge to separate the sinews and fats from the meat, leaving a mash that has been described as 'pink slime,' which is then frozen into small squares and sold as a low-cost additive to hamburger."

- "BPI produces more than 7 million pounds of the mash per week, making it the world's largest manufacturer of this frozen product. BPI explains that its product is mixed into most of the ground beef sold in the U.S. - at major fast-food restaurants, supermarkets, and school lunch programs." –(Source: Mary Jane's Farm Magazine).

But that's not all! See, the problem when you turn garbage bits of animal carcasses into "pink slime" to sell as a food product is that there's an issue with pathogens, such as E. coli. And when samples of the pink slime were tested, the tests came back showing that the slime was rampant with harmful bacteria. Now, one might think that the best idea would be to decide not to sell pink slime to feed to humans, but there's no money in that, is there?

So BPI cleverly started disinfecting the slime with ammonia. And convinced the FDA to allow them to list it as a "processing ingredient" so that we wouldn't know we were eating ammonia.

We're eating garbage, people. Literally -- garbage that's been "cleaned up" with ammonia and sold to us mixed with ground beef, shrink wrapped for convenience at our local grocery store and we’re starting young in our school system.

But no worries, I heard on the news that the school districts will have an option to buy the product with “pink slime” or without. I guarantee you they will go with what they know best….”lowest bidder.” Yummy! Eat up little Johnny....eat up.

...does quality mean lowest price?

I wish to bring to the surface in this ongoing dilemma, the matter of the marketplace and price shopping.

Every day in every way, we are all exposed to and subjected to the idea that any business that can beat a competitor's price is where we should make our purchases.

It’s pervasive on TV, radio, magazines, newspapers, online, word-of-mouth, etc... So, our customer's always have this in the back of their minds. Somehow a discount should be offered, and we, as proprietors, should be so thankful to work for nothing, if it comes to that.

This is the machine we have to rage against, so to speak.

I definitely agree that having side-by-side comparisons in a portfolio is an excellent way to educate and appeal to the customer's true need for quality and perceived value, whether it is in tangible goods or in an online showcase. Seeing is believing. It is very true that some customers have no idea that something can be produced with much higher standards in quality and design. Part of the fun is coming up with sure fire ways to educate and convince them regarding true quality and durability.

I have customers who got burned from having work done too cheaply and they regret wasting the money. When they see the vast improvement in what is truly possible from a business that cares about quality and value, they feel a sense of relief and realize that their money was well-spent on having it redone. That makes an enjoyable transaction for both of us.

It is an ongoing battle. I love business and I love the challenge.

We also have the opposing forces of the "bean counters", which pressure companies to go cheap and quick. It's a shame to see an owner or employee thinking "only about the lowest price." If only all companies took the time to educate the customer...instead of 'take the order no matter what the profit'...things might be somewhat different.

People confuse price....with "quality." They assume that all products are the same quality.....so price becomes the only factor......how did we get here?

...CandleSUCK Park...

Football is just a game. Spectators are there to 'watch' the game...not to participate. San Francisco, with its troubled past in an attempt to get back to 'the good old days' showed a side that no one needed to see....no one.

Why? Two men are fighting for their lives after one was savagely beaten in a Candlestick Park bathroom during the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders exhibition game and another was shot several times after the game in a double shooting in the parking lot.  A 24-year-old man, who was wearing an "(Expletive) the Niners" T-shirt, was shot two to four times in the stomach before driving his truck to Gate A and stumbling to security. He was taken to San Francisco General Hospital in critical condition.

Another man in his 20s was shot near Lot V about 20 minutes earlier and had superficial face injuries and was taken to the same hospital. The first shooting happened shortly after 8 p.m., about 15 minutes after the game ended.

Police pulled a man off a party bus before it left the parking lot and are calling him a suspect. He was wearing an Oakland Raiders jersey.  In the fourth quarter, around 7:15 p.m., a 26-year-old San Rafael man was assaulted and knocked unconscious in an upper level men's restroom. He was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, he said.

News on this crime? "The San Francisco Police Department is investigating a shooting incident following Saturday's NFL game between the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders outside Candlestick Park. No other information regarding the incident is available from the 49ers at this time."

The 49ers beat the Raiders 17-3 Saturday night...but Niner fans....you suck!

...."hey Portland meter maid!"..."kiss my ass!"

The City of Portland meter maids have no brains...they just walk up and down the street all day looking to make quota.

How low have we actually gone with the "invention" of airlines charging for pillows....and now Portland "splitting-hairs" on the ordinance regarding license plates?

I received a very large fine for not having my front plate "adhered" to the bumper while in a public parking space.....she actually "lifted" my wiper blade to place the ticket...over my plate on in the dashboard...in plain sight. For those of you who are not familiar with Portland meter maids, please allow me to introduce you to the "ill-speaking" Russian that provided my ticket. This is the second time I have had the honor to scrape her dog shit from the bottom of my boot.....thank you ma'am. You are an idiot.

See, in the state of Oregon, there are a few basic laws regarding the display of license plates that new or current residents should know. All license plate renewal fees are covered when registering a vehicle. Additional fees are added to the registration fee of any vehicle that opts to display "special group" or "personalized" plates. Oregon laws stipulate that any personalized plate can be made up of any combination of six letters or numbers with one space (or hyphen) than can be used anywhere within the display characters. The only exception is that a personalized plate cannot have three letters followed by three numbers or three numbers followed by three letters, since those are reserved for standard issue plates.

One-plate Display--If only one plate is issued, it must be attached to the rear of the vehicle. This applies to mopeds, motorcycles, trailers, campers and special-interest vehicles.

Two-plate Display--If two plates are issued, one of the plates must be attached to the front of the vehicle in a clear area (obviously seeing it on the dashboard through clear glass does not count). The front plate may not be displayed on the dashboard within the vehicle. It must be affixed to the framework on the outside of the vehicle. The second plate must be affixed to the framework at the rear of the vehicle. Both plates must be clearly visible.

Tag Display--The month tag (numbered one through 12) is your permanent "anniversary" registration tag and must be displayed in the lower left portion of the license plate. The year tag must be displayed in the lower right hand portion of the license plate. These tags must be affixed to the license plate itself: Tagging on any type of plate cover or license frame is prohibited.

Don't make the same mistake I made. Please stay away from the extremely skinny, ill-mannered, missing-tooth Russian in downtown Portland.....and make sure you have both plates on your car....the mayor cannot find another way to gain additional revenue for his bike paths.....

...government-imposed loss of sleep

Ben Franklin—of "early to bed and early to rise" fame—was apparently the first person to suggest the concept of daylight savings....gee thanks.

While serving as U.S. ambassador to France in Paris, Franklin wrote of being awakened at 6 a.m. and realizing, to his surprise, that the sun would rise far earlier than he usually did. Imagine the resources that might be saved if he and others rose before noon and burned less midnight oil, Franklin, tongue half in cheek, wrote to a newspaper.

It wasn't until World War I that daylight savings were realized on a grand scale. Germany was the first state to adopt the time changes, to reduce artificial lighting and thereby save coal for the war effort. Friends and foes soon followed suit.

In the U.S. a federal law standardized the yearly start and end of daylight saving time in 1918—for the states that chose to observe it.

During World War II the U.S. made daylight saving time mandatory for the whole country, as a way to save wartime resources. Between February 9, 1942, and September 30, 1945, the government took it a step further. During this period daylight saving time was observed year-round, essentially making it the new standard time, if only for a few years.

Since the end of World War II, though, daylight saving time has always been optional for U.S. states. But its beginning and end have shifted—and occasionally disappeared.

But does daylight saving time really save any energy? Daylight Savings Time…It should really be called Daylight Shifting Time.

Like everything except Jiffy Pop, Daylight Savings Time was invented by Benjamin Franklin. It's become particularly popular in modern industrialized societies because in nicer summer months it shifts one hour of “sleepy-oh-geez-I-have-to-go-to-work-now time” from the morning to the “hey-let's-BBQ-tonight evenings.”

Daylight time is not so popular among farmers who must get up in the dark or among their dairy cows, which for a rough month or so of biological adjustment must hold that full udder what seems like a very long extra time. However, cows can't vote yet and there aren't many farmers left. So, they lose.

So, enjoy the government-imposed loss of an hour of sleep tonight because somehow sometime you'll get it back probably. (Gee, if government can regulate our clocks, wristwatches and cell phone time displays, what's next? Light bulbs?)

...Minnesota's 'cash for clunkers' program

I have always loved Brett Favre. Today the Vikings quarterback will make his 296th consecutive start against the Washington Redskins, but he’ll do so under the weather...and does anyone care?

Favre told ESPN that he’s been sick most of the week and he might have pneumonia. Favre received a steroid pack, had an injection and missed a portion of team meetings on Saturday because he was resting, according to the report.

Favre has told the media he wants to start the final six games and then retire for good. Thank God!  He is 41 years old, has thrown an NFL-high 17 interceptions, and his 69.8 passer rating is the second-worst in the league.

What a difference a year makes. It was last year at this time when Brad Childress had plenty to be thankful for. Mainly, Brett Favre! Favre completed an amazing 88 percent of his passes in a sold-out Metrodome where the Minnesota Vikings routed Seattle 35-9 and improved their record to 9-1.

The Viking fanatics gave Favre a standing ovation. Seattle head coach Jim Mora gave Favre a chance to quit while he was ahead.

“Would you please retire?” Mora pleaded to Favre.

Of course, Mora’s father is best known more for his infamous 2001 post-game tirade as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts: “Playoffs? Are you kidding me? Playoffs? I just hope we can win a game.”

Had Brad Childress not been fired as the Vikings coach Monday morning, he could have used the same line at his weekly press conference. Vikings assistant Leslie Frazier should’ve used the line when he was introduced as the Vikings’ eighth head coach Monday afternoon.

Playoffs? Are you kidding me? Frazier just hopes this disheveled group of Vikings can win at least one more game this season.

Last Sunday’s embarrassing 31-3 loss to the Packers put a fork in the 3-7 Vikings. They are as done as that 25-pound turkey Clark Griswold overcooked in National Lampoon’s “Christmas Vacation.”

“Save the neck for me, Clark.”

Obviously, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre has had better seasons. The future Hall of Famer leads the league with 17 interceptions. His 69.8 passer rating is the lowest of his career since his rookie season. I know I said that already...but "come on man!!"

The Vikings, who lost in overtime in the NFC championship game last season, are 3-7. Favre reportedly was at odds with former coach Brad Childress, who was fired and replaced, on an interim basis, by defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier.

Favre is still capable of big performances. In Week 9, Favre passed for a season-high 446 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions as he led the Vikings to a 27-24 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

He still can sling it…but too much has happened this year Brett…give it up. Do something that no one would expect out of you. Quit. Not at the end of the year…quit now. Go home and mend your relationship with your wife that has been your supporter through thick and thin.

And since you have trouble deciphering the two…this is a “thin” time sir. Mora was right…retire.

...people can be so damn rude!

People can be so damn rude. A prima donna plops herself in front of everyone standing in line at Fry’s. A guy sitting next to his date is ignoring her as he furiously texts someone else. 

A motorist...who either forgot or did not bother to prepare for an upcoming turn.... cuts off three lanes of traffic just to make it work. These are not hypothetical situations, but a few fine Portland examples.

And obviously discourtesy is not limited to the Pacific NW, but instead rears its ugly, rotting head throughout the entire U.S. of A.

SURVEYS:
• A full 69 percent of folks who answered an August Rasmuseen Reports survey of 1,000 adults across the nation said people are generally becoming ruder and less civilized

• Nearly 70% questioned in an Associated Press-Ipsos poll said people are ruder than they were 20 or 30 years ago. The trend is noticed in large and small places alike, although more urban people report bad manners
• A mere 14 percent, perhaps those who don’t get out much, said people were becoming kinder and gentler while 17 percent were “not sure.” (Maybe they were too busy texting during a date to give the question much thought)

• Other poll results had 62 percent saying Americans were ruder to sales personnel than they were 10 years ago and, in turn, 57 percent saying the sales personnel were also ruder to customers than a decade hence.

So why are people becoming cruder, ruder and more barbaric?

We could easily blame TV and call it a day, since TV is already behind most of the world’s woes. Or we could play with a few other theories. Technology could be to blame. Rudeness often comes from loud cell phone conversations, blaring ringing in the middle of meetings and yes, folks furiously texting or yapping on their phones while out on a date or in other social situations.

Cell phones can also indirectly lead to rude driving. Drivers blabbing on cell phones are perhaps not necessarily attempting to be rude but have instead become so oblivious to the road that they have no clue what they’re doing.

Entitlement is another possibility. Some folks today act as if they are entitled to everything, from being at the front of the line to owning last 50-cent sale item in the clearance bin. They will thus push, shove or steamroll others just to fulfill that entitlement.

Lack of manners can also stem from upbringing, with parents and schools feeding kids the idea that they can do no wrong. Children are applauded simply for breathing. They are gifted with new toys and cars just because they exist.  Such children grow up expecting the world and everyone in it, to bow at their feet – or at least not blink an eye when they abruptly cut the Starbucks line.

So what should we do when accosted with such crude actions?

• Only a slight majority of those surveyed – 51 percent – said they have actually confronted someone for the person’s rude behavior in public.

• A full 44 percent let it go without comment while 5 percent said they were “not sure” if they’ve ever said something about another’s uncivilized actions

Yeah right...I am not sure how people are “not sure” but wonder if they took a beating after the confrontation that could have clouded their memories.

Letting rude behavior slide might be the easiest thing to do, but it also threatens to turn us all into a stack of doormats, letting rude people claw their way to the top of the pile and continue to stomp.

Americans' fast-paced, high-tech existence has taken a toll on the civil in society. From road rage in the morning commute to high decibel cell-phone conversations that ruin dinner when eating out, men and women behaving badly has become the hallmark of a hurry-up world.

An increasing informality — flip-flops at the White House, even — combined with self-absorbed communication gadgets and a demand for instant gratification have strained common courtesies to the breaking point.

A slippage in manners is obvious to many Americans. Peggy Newfield, founder and president of Personal Best, said the generation that came of age in the times-a-changin' 1960s and 1970s are now parents who don't stress the importance of manners, such as opening a door for a female.

So it was no surprise to Newfield that those children wouldn't understand how impolite it was to wear flip-flops to a White House meeting with the president — as some members of the Northwestern women's lacrosse team did in the summer.

• A whopping 93% in the AP-Ipsos poll faulted parents for failing to teach their children well

"Parents are very much to blame," said Newfield, whose Atlanta-based company started teaching etiquette to young people and now focuses on corporate employees. "And the media!!"

Sulking athletes and boorish celebrities grab the headlines while television and Hollywood often glorify crude behavior….not to mention the parents that film their kids fighting on youTUBE.

It is NOT getting any better people. Perhaps it is time to take little Johnny out to the ‘wood-shed’ like we did when I was a kid.

....not a square to spare....

How in the world did we get to this point? What happened? When did we decide as a country that we need to be 'politically correct' about everything? On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department called on Americans to "stand up" and denounce the planned Quran burning as "un-American" and as an inappropriate commemoration of the 9/11 attacks.

I can certainly sympathize with the great responsibility political leaders have in our country during this time of tragedy. I understand that they must be careful to do their part in restraining and discouraging any persecution of citizens of Middle Eastern descent.

However, we have reached a point of "politically correct" insanity. When our country was founded, "toleration" never meant approval or agreement. Suddenly, many of our political leaders and media spokesmen have become theologians, teaching the country that there is no difference in the major religions and that it somehow "hatred of people" to teach that another religion is false.

What's in this book that is sacred that it cannot be looked upon as producing evil? Let's state some facts that are in the book...shall we?

---"Believers, do not make friends with any but your own people...They desire nothing but your ruin....You believe in the entire Book...When they meet you they say: 'We, too, are believers.' But when alone, they bite their finger-tips with rage." (Surah 3:118, 119)

---"Forbidden to you are...married women, except those you own as slaves." (Surah 4:20-, 24-)

---"Seek out your enemies relentlessly." (Surah 4:103-)

---"Believers, take neither Jews nor Christians for your friends." (Surah 5:51)

---"Believers, make war on the infidels who dwell around you. Deal firmly with them." (Surah 9:121-)

---"Try as you may, you cannot treat all your wives impartially." (Surah 4:126-)

---"...make war on the leaders of unbelief...Make war on them: God will chastise them at your hands and humble them. He will grant you victory over them..." (Surah 9:12-)

---"Prophet make war on the unbelievers and the hypocrites and deal rigorously with them. Hell shall be their home." (Surah 9:73)

What? This is Holy Scripture? How did we get to this point?

Well...for them, Jews and Christians are regarded as being part of the great mass of infidels: first, because they have deliberately rejected the truth, and second, because of their connections to Western colonialism and Zionism. Both Jews and Christians are viewed as being part of a wide-ranging conspiracy to corrupt, divide and destroy Islam. This effort was instigated by the Jews and Christians of the 7th century, and it continues down through today.

The Obama administration is working on changing the language of the National Security Strategy to more politically-correct terminology. Counterterrorism officials say the goal of the new version is to emphasize that the United States does not view Muslim nations through the lens of terrorism.

The National Security Strategy document, which outlined the Bush Doctrine of preventive war, currently states: "The struggle against militant Islamic radicalism is the great ideological conflict of the early years of the 21st century."

During a visit to Cairo last year, President Obama promised a ‘new beginning’ in the relationship between the United States and the Muslim world. "Do you want to think about the U.S. as the nation that fights terrorism or the nation you want to do business with," said National Security Council staffer Pradeep Ramamurthy, who runs the Obama administration’s Global Engagement Directorate.

Karen Hughes, who served as President Bush’s top diplomat to the Muslim world in his second term, urged the White House to avoid using religious language. “Whenever they hear 'Islamic extremism, Islamic jihad, Islamic fundamentalism,' they perceive it as a sort of an attack on their faith. That's the world view Osama bin Laden wants them to have,” Hughes said.

This nation and much of the Western world are in a war, not against a generic "terrorism" but against a particular and brutal strain of Islamic extremism that wants to do as much damage as possible to our freedoms and way of life.

George W. Bush was wrong to call this the "War on Terror." But he was right to focus on it as he did in the aftermath of the murderous and cowardly Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on America by Islamic extremists.

Politically correct I have never been....so allow my point of view. No one would say a word if someone in Yemen wanted to burn a Bible.

So lay low terrorists and all will be well....stir it up...lay your rugs and blankets in the middle of the street to pray during rush hour traffic...build a shiny mosque near 'ground-zero'....and someday you will get your ass kicked. You may have our president and leaders fooled...but the average person can see right thru your bullshit.

....hey man, what about Napoleon Pete?

Once upon a time...I worked for a ‘family-owned’ company (problem was...I wasn't part of the family).

We have all had a boss who drove all his employees’ nuts. "Pete" would start wandering the hallways at 4:30 or calling-in to make sure no one left work before 5, he would give assignments but then micromanage them to death, he seemed to enjoy being in everyone's business...reading all the emails of every employee, and he rarely gave good performance reviews (that could be the reason only ‘family’ is left in the company) -- unless somehow it reflected back on him. Everyone referred to him as Napoleon Pete.

All-in-all, Pete drove everyone in the company crazy, and little-by-little every member of the company left (except Pete's family of course). Pete is a perfect example of the workplace axiom that job-seekers join great companies but leave because of bad bosses.

Maybe you have a boss who is sexist or racist…or perhaps a boss who takes all the credit for himself. Maybe your boss thinks you have no life outside work and makes you stay late…..or perhaps a boss who gives out too many tasks with impossible to meet deadlines (or constantly changing deadlines). Maybe your boss is a pathological liar…..or perhaps the boss plays favorites.

Bad bosses -- whether ogres, control freaks, jerks, micromanagers, or bumbling fools -- can be found in all organizations. Pop culture loves to make fun of bad bosses, from the pointy-haired boss in the Dilbert comic strip, to the completely insipid boss from "The Office," to the anal-compulsive and mean boss of the movie Office Space... but bad bosses are no laughing matter when you have to face him every working day. And, unfortunately, with the rightsizing of the last few years, there are probably more overworked and undertrained bosses than ever. It's also possible, though, that bad bossing is just part of the organization's corporate culture….trust me…I know first-hand.

One study found that almost 80 percent of the employees surveyed identified their boss as a lousy manager. And almost 70 percent in that study conducted by Delta Road stated that their immediate superior had "no clue" what to do to become a good manager. Author Harvey Hornstein, Ph.D., estimates that 90 percent of the U.S. work force has been subjected to abusive behavior at some time. He bases his conclusions on a survey of nearly 1,000 workers over eight years (unfortunately it took me nine years).

So, what can you do if you are working for a bad boss? Find the tools you need to manage the situation as best you can, but remember that sometimes the only solution is transferring to a different part of the company -- or switching employers…..

The worst thing you can do is simply to do nothing, hoping the problems will get resolved. No job, boss, or company is worth losing your health, sanity, or self-esteem. If you can't find a way to resolve these issues and/or your boss simply will never change his behavior, you should immediately start working your network and begin looking for a new job -- outside the organization.

Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives or friends, with no regard to merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos (meaning "nephew" or "grandchild").

Hey man...you are either blood....or not....

...when I was a kid!!

When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were. When they were growing up; what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning....Uphill. Barefoot...BOTH ways, yadda, yadda, yadda.

And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap on today's kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it!

But now that I'm over the ripe old age of...well let's say "over 30"... I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today. You've got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a damn Utopia! And I hate to say it, but you kids today, you don't know how good you've got it!

I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have the Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the damn library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalog!!

There was no email!! We had to actually write somebody a letter - with a pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox, and it would take like a week to get there! Stamps were 10 cents!

Child Protective Services didn't care if our parents beat us. As a matter of fact, the parents of all my friends also had permission to kick our ass! Nowhere was safe!

There were no MP3's or Napsters or iTunes! If you wanted to steal music, you had to hitchhike to the record store and shoplift it yourself!

Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio, and the DJ would usually talk over the beginning and @#*% it all up! There were no CD players! We had tape decks in our car. We'd play our favorite tape and "eject" it when finished, and then the tape would come undone rendering it useless. Cause, hey, that's how we rolled, Baby! Dig?

We didn't have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called, they got a busy signal, that's it!

There weren't any freakin' cell phones either. If you left the house, you just didn't make a damn call or receive one. You actually had to be out of touch with your "friends." OH MY GOD !!! Think of the horror... not being in touch with someone 24/7!!! And then there's TEXTING. Yeah, right. Please! You kids have no idea how annoying you are.

And we didn't have fancy Caller ID either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your parents, your boss, your bookie, the collection agent....you just didn't know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!

We didn't have any fancy PlayStation or Xbox video games with high-resolution
3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like 'Space Invaders' and 'Asteroids'. Your screen guy was a little square! You actually had to use your imagination!!! And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen....Forever! And you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and faster until you died! Just like LIFE!

You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on! You were screwed when it came to channel surfing! You had to get off your ass and walk over to the TV to change the channel!!! NO REMOTES!!! Oh, no, what's the world coming to?!?!

There was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning. Do you hear what I'm saying? We had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons, you spoiled little rat-finks!

And we didn't have microwaves. If we wanted to heat something up, we had to use the stove! Imagine that!

And our parents told us to stay outside and play....all day long. Oh, no, no electronics to soothe and comfort. And if you came back inside... you were doing chores!

And car seats - oh, please! Mom threw you in the back seat and you hung on. If you were lucky, you got the "safety arm" across the chest at the last moment if she had to stop suddenly, and if your head hit the dashboard, well that was your fault for calling "shot gun" in the first place!

See! That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy. You're spoiled rotten! You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1970s or any time before!

...remember the 'Pelican Brief?'

1993: In suburban Georgetown a killer’s Reeboks whisper on the front floor of a posh home… In a seedy D.C. porno house a patron is swiftly strangled to death… The next day America learns that two of its Supreme Court justices have been assassinated. And in New Orleans, a young law student prepares a legal brief… To Darby Shaw it was no more than a legal shot in the dark, a brilliant guess. To the Washington establishment it was political dynamite.

Darby Shaw, a Tulane University Law School student, decides to research the two justices' records and cases pending before the Court, suspecting the real motive might be simple greed, not politics. She writes a legal brief speculating that the assassinations were committed on behalf of Victor Mattiece, an oil tycoon wanting to drill for oil on Louisiana marshland which is a major habitat of an endangered breed of pelicans. A court case on appeal, filed on his behalf to gain access to the land, is expected to make its way to the Supreme Court.

Suddenly Darby is witness to a murder — a murder intended for her. Going underground, she finds there is only one person she can trust — an ambitious reporter after a newsbreak hotter than Watergate — to help her piece together the deadly puzzle. Somewhere between the bayous of Louisiana and the White House’s inner sanctums, a violent cover-up is being engineered. For someone has read Darby’s brief. Someone who will stop at nothing to destroy the evidence of an unthinkable crime….but wait, was the crime the murders or the off-shore drilling?

2010: In the month since an offshore drilling platform exploded, killing 11 workers, BP has struggled to stop the leak, trying in vain to activate emergency valves and lowering a 100-ton box that got clogged with icy crystals. Over the weekend, the oil company finally succeeded in using a stopper-and-tube combination to siphon some of the gushing oil into a tanker, but millions of gallons are already in the Gulf.

Oil spills have long been known to wreak havoc on coastlines, blackening otherwise sandy beaches and killing off birds, turtles, fish and other wildlife. This time could be even worse. Louisiana’s coastline, which has become the latest battleground against oil’s slimy march, is made up of miles and miles of delicate marshland — shallow waters comprised of high emerald green grass.

This habitat is a perfect breeding ground for small fish, shrimp and crabs that support a multimillion—dollar fishing industry. Exotic animals like alligators also reside in Louisiana’s swamps, while a huge variety of birds attract watchers to the state’s national parks.

Louisiana’s fragile marshes face long—term destruction if the grass comes into contact with some of the heavy oil that is making its way through the Gulf of Mexico….and now

…. Chemicals being sprayed underwater are helping to disperse the oil and keep it from washing ashore in great quantities, but researchers said that in recent days they have discovered miles-long underwater plumes of oil that could poison or suffocate sea life across the food chain, with damage that could last for a decade or more.

....snap!! Wake-up...this isn't a book..and BP doesn't know what to do...

....from 20%...to more like 60%....and climbing!

I am soooo happy to say that Dillan has shown GREAT signs of improvement. We are so blessed that he is walking under his own power....has a ravenous appetite.....and started to play again.

The swelling in his brain has subsided and we are hopeful that we caught the problem in time. Of course I say "we" when JoJo gets the credit for diligently finding the doctors and hospital that actually "knew" what the symptoms were...and knew how to treat him. Thank you NW Vet Specialists in Clackamas...you are the best! Thank you doctor for fixing my baby boy...he may not be completely out-of-the-woods....but he is headed toward the clearing...and for that I thank you and thank God. Thank you for listening.

I have to ask myself why it was so damn hard (with 4 other visits) for some people to do their job correctly? Now don’t get me wrong…I have my weaknesses as well…but seriously! What has happened to the fabric of the people that “used to do a good job?”

Everyone today agrees that truly great employees are rarer than the proverbial hen’s teeth. It makes no difference if you are an employee yourself, or if you are a manager who is wondering how to actually find a great employee to fill a role, you know that great employees are at a premium.

What exactly is it though that makes an employee great?

Attitudes project your beliefs and values, and what you think of your job, coworkers and boss. It is shown in the quality of your work. The boss is aware of your individual attitudes at work and is watching them every day. They are as important as the work that you produce. A "positive" attitude does not always mean "happy", but it is better to be upbeat at work rather than brooding and angry, "Positive" can also mean proactive, which means you go after things and don't wait for them to come to you (using initiative). Add some flair to what you do all day.

How do you go about doing your job with flair? The first way to make sure you are doing your job with distinction doesn't involve much flair at all - it simply involves doing your job and doing it well. Know exactly what your responsibilities are and attend to them every day. Don't let any of the things that come under your job description fall by the wayside because you think they are unimportant. If you are unsure exactly what all of your responsibilities are, ask your boss for a meeting and discuss your job description with them.

Another way to do your job with flair is to add to the good morale in the office. Everyone has at least one person in the office that is like a black cloud hanging in the air. Gloom, doom and pessimism don't really have a place in the office. Even if you feel like you are heading for a fall with the way a certain project is coming together (like a recent one that comes to mind) or because someone on the team is not pulling their weight, look for solutions instead of standing around and complaining about it.

What I learned with this Dilly experience is that you MUST be a great listener. The first habit of listening is to pay attention to the person who is speaking. Give them your full attention -- and visibly so. Attend not only with your ears but with your whole body. Turn to face them. Gaze intently at them. The trick to full attention is to do it from inside your head, not just by moving your body. If you can be truly interested (which is often just a matter of attitude) then your body will happily follow your mind.

Sometimes the speaker is having difficulty getting their point across. Maybe they are not that good at speaking or are seeking to explain a complex concept. You can help them and yourself by positive encouragement…and listening.

Good listening also includes acting in a way that is considerate of the other person. As a part of listening, you should seek to help the person feel good about themselves. Having someone pay close attention to you and show interest is very flattering and usually feels good.

A fundamental attitude to support this is to value and accept all people, even if you do not agree with what they have to say or how they say it. Thus, if you disagree, disagree with the argument and not with the person. Show your acceptance of their right to differ with you, whilst stating your opposition to what they say.

Finally, be careful with how you react to what the other person says.

It is easy to be put off by listeners who show a marked lack of interest, who do not seem to understand what you are saying or who seem more concerned with criticizing you and showing how they do not need to listen to you.

Before you comment about what the other person has said, pause before you dive into a response. Notice your own internal inferences and biases. Think about what you would say and the effect that it would have. Consider if this is what you want to achieve. A doctor should never say,”Well, there will always be the dead and dying"…when your dog is near death.

And for that statement (the first place we took Mr. B when we were in great pain)….listen closely when I tell you to kiss my ass. I love my dog....and you obviously have come to the end of your road as a doctor.

...learn to "balance your checkbook!"...

PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon voters approved two special tax measures Tuesday designed to close a $733 million state budget gap. With 95% of the vote counted, Measure 66 garnered 54% of ballots and Measure 67 received 53%, the Associated Press reported.

What they didn’t report is that Oregon “over-spent” 4.6 BILLION last year during the heart of the economic shortfalls. That’s right “billions.” And have increased spending on average of 30% over the last 30 years! But it is 'all about the children' (especially all the new Spanish-speaking teachers we need today).

Oregon voters have spoken up in defense of state programs and schools (like they always do because they watch stupid commercials) and they will soon see a larger portion of the state's revenue coming from both individuals who earn higher than average incomes, and Oregon corporations. County and state educators breathed a sigh of relief after voters approved a tax hike Tuesday that will ward off deeper cuts into school budgets this year.

"Passage of these measures means we keep core services of education, health care and public safety that Oregon families, businesses, and communities count on," said Oregon House Speaker Dave Hunt, a Democrat who represents Clackamas County. Defeat, he said, would have forced the state to cut nearly a billion dollars more from such services.

The twin ballot measures also served as a gauge of anti-business populism and highlighted a nationwide debate over whether to fix state budgets by targeting the affluent. But they also fueled resentment of "tax and spend" legislators, as well as public-employee unions whose members enjoy job security at a time when thousands here have lost jobs.

But allow me to piss on the victory chant for just one moment to inject a small dose of reality: What Oregonians might have said in voting "yes" for Measures 66 and 67 is that taxing wealthy people and business owners is simply too hard to resist, especially when misleading ads suggest that business owners only contribute $10 a year to government services.

You see?  Most Oregon businesses don't pay state corporate taxes because they aren't C corporations. They pay taxes on their business income through the personal income taxes of their owners. (You will see them moving out of Oregon soon).

For now, it seems to me that all we know from the "yes" votes is that most voters believed that more money for government is a good deal when it costs a minority group rather than everybody.

Measures 66 and 67 will hurt businesses' ability to restore jobs Oregon has lost in this recession, and they will hurt Oregon's venture-funded startups. But these permanent tax hikes -- the biggest tax increase in the state's history -- affect more than just startups. They are bad for all businesses.

Oregon's current economic challenge, the worst in 70 years, is the loss of more than 131,000 jobs -- more than 9 percent of Oregon's private-sector employment -- since November 2007. That's why state revenues haven't grown.

In addition to expressing faith in and thanking voters, supporters of Measures 66 and 67 should start writing thank-you notes to the state's wealthy people and business owners who will pay the higher bills. And they should keep some notes of sympathy on standby for any private-sector employees who soon could be out of work as a result of increased business taxes in a time of recession.

Oh, and when the businesses refuse to move to Oregon and many move to others states…hear me clearly when I say that is way too far for you to ride TriMet or your little bicycle. Grow-up you idiots! You have no idea what you just approved.

New boss...same as the old boss....

"To build a lasting foundation for America’s economic prosperity and security, we’ll organize around the core challenges facing Americans and their families — energy, health care, and education. By acting together, we can overcome the obstacles that for too long have prevented real change on the critical issues that Americans face day in and day out. Now is the time to leave behind the status quo and build support for real solutions to ensure that President Obama succeeds in fulfilling the promise of change. .....

....We will not rebuild our economy on the old model of bubbles and busts. We'll only climb out of the current crisis by creating a new, sustainable foundation for our economy's future -- and make the tough choices to put our economy back on the road to long-term prosperity." ~Organizing for America: President Obama’s official website.~

OK Mr. ‘two-face’…you promised over-and-over about “yes we can!” (Politically correct or not…you are having great difficulty telling the truth). Quite honestly Mr. President, you remind me of a boss I used to work for (not work with)…he couldn’t tell the truth on a consistent basis either. Let’s see how you have done sir!

Lie: Despite promising to keep lobbyists out of his administration, Obama has broken his word again and again (making 17 exceptions to this promise in his first two weeks).

Lie: Obama promised to eliminate income taxation for seniors making less than $50,000 a year. He has broken this promise despite numerous opportunities to keep it, including the economic stimulus package and his administration's first budget proposal.

Lie: Obama made it part of his agenda to "allow withdrawals of 15% up to $10,000 from retirement accounts without penalty (although subject to the normal taxes). This would apply to withdrawals in 2008 (including retroactively) and 2009," but didn't include this measure in the stimulus package or his budget proposal.

Lie: Obama did a shameless 180 degree turn on earmarks by sharply criticizing them (and bragging that he would pass legislation without a single one) and then signing a spending bill with literally thousands of them.

Dumb: In his first private meeting with Congressional Republicans, instead of "reaching across the aisle" and seeking earnest dialogue, he smugly told them that he should have his way because "I won."

Dumb: Taking a page out of the Bush Administration's playbook, Obama applied shrill, frantic, fear-mongering rhetoric to assure passage of his stimulus package.

Dumb: Obama's appointment of Hillary Clinton to the office of Secretary of State was unconstitutional.

Dumber: His movement of the United States Census out of the Department of Commerce and under the direct control of the White House was unconstitutional, politically motivated, and a dangerous, undemocratic expansion of executive power.

Dumb: His lavish inauguration also cost $170 million.

Dumb: Obama's Earth Day flights burned more than 9,000 gallons of fuel.

Dumb: Blaming Bush for America's deficits, but then increasing spending. This is after saying on the campaign trail: "There is no doubt that we’ve been living beyond our means and we’re going to have to make some adjustments."

Lie: Choosing purebred dog, "Bo" for the White House family's "first dog" instead of adopting a dog from a shelter like Obama promised.

Lie: The President also boasted during his campaign that "During 2009 and 2010, existing businesses will receive a $3,000 refundable tax credit for each additional full-time employee hired," and has failed to keep his word.

Last one for now: Obama promised a different tone in Washington D.C. and a move past bitter, partisan rhetoric. It took him less than a week as president to berate Republicans and sully the dignity of his office by picking a very public rhetorical fight with a private citizen, Rush Limbaugh.

It is easy to remember the truth..and harder to remember a lie. Just ask my old boss!

...excuse me....Merry Christmas!.....

We can't say Merry Christmas anymore..?

" . . . every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart." Sound familiar? Anyone who had the pleasure of reading Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" or have seen the many versions of it on television or in the theatres will recognize this quote from Scrooge himself. The word "Christmas" has more venom in today's society then a angry rattlesnake on a hot summer day. The question we have to ask ourselves is WHY?

To give an example; an atheist organization put a sign celebrating winter solstice next to a Nativity scene at the Legislative Building in Olympia, Washington. The sign reads "religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds." This organization claims the sign is important for atheists to see their viewpoints validated alongside everyone else's.

That's it...let's make sure EVERYONE is covered. All people are happy. Obama would be so proud of such a 'socialist' view...

When you see Christmas lights on houses in shapes of Santa Claus, snowmen, and other Christmas icons, not "Holiday', not "Winter Festival" but Christmas icons, what do you think of? You think of Christmas even if you do not believe in Christmas. These are the symbols of love. Why is it so wrong for Christians to display symbols of love one month of the year?

Again, the battle begins over Christmas. Those who think they are politically correct call it the "Holiday Season." Christmas was originally meant to celebrate Christ's birth. He came to this world to be crucified and rose in victory to save anyone from the consequences of sin who believes on His name and accepts Him as their personal Savior.

Liberals would not want Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to be changed to Black Liberty Day, they want to celebrate the holiday to honor Mr. King, which I certainly respect, and I don't believe that he himself would want to change the meaning of the Christmas Season, as he was a fine Christian man.

Oh, I apologize...does Martin Luther King fall under "Kwanzaa …a unique African American celebration with focus on the traditional African values of family, community responsibility, commerce, and self-improvement?"

Kwanzaa, a fake "African" holiday that was contrived in 1966 by Ron Karenga (born Ron Everett) who was a Black Panther that was kicked out of that violent racist club, and he then created the United Slaves Organization that was the Panther's rival and was worse than the Black Panthers.

What bothers me most about Kwanzaa is that duped people and the Gov't (US Postal Kwanzaa stamps) are starting to give legitimacy to this racist 'holiday' without acknowledging it's background and purpose. It is not a 'holiday' which all people can celebrate; it is a holiday for Blacks to separate themselves from the rest of America.

So next time someone says "Happy Kwanzaa" just remember they are talking about a fake holiday created by a Marxist Racist Black criminal in the '60s to lead Blacks away from the 'white man's' Christmas.

And I am supposed to be PC by not saying Merry Christmas? Not going to happen....Merry Christmas!

"The nature of terrorism is changing"

Let's be honest (even though the media and our President cannot be), the idiot that killed "our" soldiers, on "our" land is a terrorist! What was going through the mind of Army Major Nidal Makek Hasan as he fired hundreds of rounds into innocent soldiers and civilians at Ft. Hood, TX?

If you read most of the reports circulating through various media sources, Hasan was “stressed” and harassed” by his fellow soldiers. He was having “anxiety attacks” out of fear he would be deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan (Allahu Akbar doesn't like it when Muslims harm Muslims). But that didn't stop him from taking tax money..."our" money to go to school.

So how is it that Americans are getting most of the real reporting on this tragedy from the British media rather than our own? It is the British that discovered his ties to Anwar-al-Awake, a radical Yemeni-American cleric with al-Qaeda ties! Please don’t tell me Interpol knew all this and the CIA didn’t!

Many American media services “dismiss” this dialog between the two as studies Major Hasan was conducting on U.S. Muslim soldiers and their emotions serving with the army.

If one is to believe the version being presented by most news sources at this time, Hasan was a lonely soldier who had a personal “meltdown” because of his fear of deployment to a war zone. He was a Palestinian immigrant with just a healthy conscious. The media must think I am an idiot.

Nowhere other than a very few American experts and the British media is it being told about eye witness accounts to his bizarre behavior for many months before the massacre.

And why is that? Could it be that those who favor “political correctness” are reaching for the “victim card” rather than the very possible answer of organized terrorism within our own military? General George Casey, the Army chief of staff, was on the Sunday talk shows warning against “jumping to conclusions.”

Yet, here is a man in a responsible position, a Muslim and a track record for religious radicalism, proclaimed “Allahu Akbar” – “God is great” as he opened fire on scores of innocent and unarmed people.Remember... it was Osama Ben-Laden who referred to Americans after the “Black Hawk Down” incident in Somalia as “the soft part of our struggle.”

Will we as Americans dismiss this act of terrorism as just another criminal act? Will Hasan be judged by the media and have an “O.J. trial”? How long will this country stand by and allow this to happen?

Is there even one “apologizer” for this murderer who doesn’t think that people who want nothing more than to disrupt American lives and kill us are smiling? The reaction thus far can only ignite their efforts to pursue even more outrageous behavior elsewhere.

And if you were them and you’ve already penetrated and destroyed our landmarks and the military in their beds, what’s there to stop them more outrageous targets with more “experts” begging us to forgive their troubled souls. Give me a break! Those people laying dead on the floor were the victims...not this idiot with a gun. It is almost as if it is "trendy" to root for the Muslims...no matter what they do (shhhh! yelling “Allahu Akbar” – “God is great” before you fire-off a few hundred rounds does not mean you are a terrorist).

After another deadly attack on American citizens on U.S. soil, authorities are busy reassuring Muslims that they have nothing to fear – from Americans!

--Some Muslims fear backlash after rampage: In the wake of Fort Hood tragedy, U.S. authorities try to assure that faithful steps are being taken to keep Muslim followers safe.--

I’m just waiting for some PhD to come on a talk show and call critics of Major Nidal Malik Hasan racists....because isn't that what we do when we "don't like the way we are being addressed?"

No wonder Muslims are so confused and torn. Referencing the Koran:

1. If you don't believe, "you are condemned to hell" (Koran 9:49, 9:68, 9:73)

2. If you don't believe, "your head is cut off" (Koran 8:12, 47:4)

3. If you don't believe, "you're set on fire" (Koran 33:64, 48:13, 76:4)

4. If you don't believe, "burning oil is burned down your throat." (Koran 18:29, 44:43-46)

They are not sure if this is scripture or a horror movie...this sounds like something Clive Barker wrote. This is what Hasan read outloud at a medical conference (and was then promoted to Major).

"The nature of terrorism is changing"

Why is Sandy such a bitch?

The Sandy River originates high on the slopes of Mt. Hood, located about 50 miles east of Portland, Oregon. The headwaters are beneath Reid and Sandy Glaciers at 6000 feet in elevation. (Hint: The water NEVER warms-up). 

From there the river flows due west through the Hoodland Corridor. It cascades past the communities of Welches, Brightwood, and Sandy, then turns north to enter the Columbia River near Troutdale, which is 10 miles east of Portland, Oregon.

The Sandy River is a geological product of the same dramatic forces that shaped the rest of the West Coast of North America. The river drops swiftly through rugged canyons. It has deep boulder-studded pools with clean, gray gravel bars often shaded by tall, wet green trees.

The character of the river is unpredictable. A few inches of water can change the holds. Twenty feet of water can change the whole river bed to the point that your favorite drift is now on the other side of the canyon.

The river bottom experiences terrific bed load shifts. Because of this, the aggregate never has a chance to compress and remains soft and very permeable.

Now that we have a history lesson about the river....why doesn't everyone know the history before they try to "walk or swim" across it? 

ANOTHER man is missing in the Sandy! This weekend claimed a 55-year-old man on a fishing trip (trying to walk on logs across the river...to get to a better spot). He slipped and was swept under the current...never to be seen again.  The Sandy River can be deceptively tranquil at first glance. A closer look, however, shows these currents are moving fast.

The missing man was wearing waders in the 48-degree water. Though waders keep an angler dry, the rubberized pants also quickly fill-up and drag someone down - like an anchor.

While its waters seem calm and gentle, there's a violent current that lies below the water's surface of the Sandy. We see it early in the Spring when the temperature first reaches 80-degrees...someone drowns. Later (every Summer) when the water reaches 54-degress...someone drowns.

Please people! Learn from history.