Tiger Woods

A lot has been said about Tiger Woods car accident of last Friday. Initially, I was like most people; an unfortunate accident. But, the one thing that made me curious was that the police stated there could be charges made. The police had already stated that alcohol was not a mitigating factor in the accident. And, Tiger Woods had promised to meet with police Saturday. Then that was changed to Sunday. Now, he is lawyered up.

There are rumors that his wife [article link] is the one that caused his injuries by beating him with one of his drivers he uses so well in golf. I find that hard to believe. But, the question begs, what was he doing out at 2:30AM? And how do you run into a fire hydrant, then slam into your neighbor's tree? Unless he has some medical condition he has never disclosed, it fails to make sense how all this took place. Tiger Woods did make a statement yesterday [article link]. But, his statement was very general and was something he could have made two days ago. It's strange. I don't see this going away anytime soon. There is more to this story. But, unless laws were broken (and there are no indications thus far), then we may never know what exactly happened. It could just as he has stated; an unfortunate car accident. Somehow, I really doubt that.

Requiem for the Thousandth Man

This is another repost from months past. This is concerning a dear old friend of mine that died back in April of 2008.

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One man in a thousand, Solomon says,
Will stick more close than a brother.
And it's worth while seeking him half your days
If you find him before the other.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine depend
On what the world sees in you,
But the Thousandth man will stand your friend
With the whole round world agin you.


Rudyard Kipling must have been speaking about people like my dear friend Barry. Kipling would have wanted Barry for a friend, no doubt about it. Barry was with me during some of the darkest days of my life. In the 40 years I knew him, I cannot once remember him complaining about the quick thrusts with a knife that life sunk into him. I don’t remember him assigning blame to anyone when his car was vandalized and set on fire. The same car he had saved for with his meager earnings for five years. Nor did he complain when the insurance company gave him only half what the car was worth in settlement. You see, Barry was one of those types of people you could easily run over and he wouldn’t complain. He just wasn’t the type of person who was confrontational. Was he a coward? No, I don’t see him that way. Nor should you. Barry was just a humble, gentle soul who never wanted any trouble. But, trouble always found him, no mater how much he tried to avoid it. He went through hell on this earth due to people seeing him as being “weak.” It wasn’t that Barry was “weak”. It wasn’t that Barry was of low character. It was just he basically had little or no confidence in himself for a variety of reasons.

Now, I need to pause here for a moment…I promised myself I wasn’t going to mention how his mother’s overbearing, over protectiveness shattered whatever belief he ever had in himself. I won’t go into what I thought about her. She’s deceased also. But, I just want you, dear reader, to know Barry was transformed into what he was by a variety of reasons and factors beyond his control. Could he have changed by himself as he grew older? I don’t know, I simply and honestly don’t know…

Every time I ever saw Barry, he was always either broke or living day to day on whatever money he happened to earn at whatever odd job he worked at that day. He refused to take any money from me. That would infuriate me more than I could say. I could never get Barry to further his education when we were younger. It wasn’t that he was a poor student. Barry made better grades than I did in school. I remember how envious I was of him because he would make straight A’s with little or no study. I had to hit the books three or four hours a night just to get a B, if I was lucky. No, it had nothing to do with intelligence. It had to do, once again, with confidence. He totally lacked it. I told him this to his face many times and he agreed. I tried to get him to get counseling. But, I knew he would never acquiesce to this idea. He would have to face up to his failings in life. That is something my old friend could never do. I loved him like a brother. But, he made me so damn angry sometimes by his refusal to get help. And he needed help. God he needed help on so many levels. You see, confidence wasn’t Barry’s only problem. Alcohol and drugs were also a menace to him throughout his life.

I felt responsible for some of Barry’s problems. I talked Barry into joining the U.S. Navy with me back in May of 1970. We went on the “buddy plan” together. This meant we would both go to boot camp together and would be in the same company for training. Barry’s mother told him this was a mistake and that he should just go to college. In retrospect, Barry’s mother was right about that one. She knew what Barry was all about. I thought the only chance Barry had to grow and prosper as a fully functioning adult would be to get completely away from her. I was wrong and I have regretted it for many years. Barry didn’t last four weeks in the twelve week boot camp back in those days. He just couldn’t do all the basics expected of him. To be brutally honest, Barry couldn’t do anything right in boot camp. I tried to help him. But, I couldn’t do everything for him. He was chewed out over and over by his squad leader. Damn it, it wasn’t his fault and I tried to explain that to my company commander. I practically begged him to give Barry more time. But, he would not. Barry was given a medical discharge and sent home. He was devastated. And so was I.

Barry could have blamed me for pushing him into something he knew he wasn’t able to do. But, he never uttered a word about it to me. Even after I came home from ‘Nam, Barry was among the first to greet me and shake my hand. He told me how proud he was of me. But, I wasn’t proud of myself. I still am not. Barry always seemed to want to push me to the forefront of attention and make self-depreciating jokes about himself. That always made me uncomfortable. Barry was just always so down on himself. I could not reach him to drag him back up. He just preferred to always be in the background.

There wasn’t anything Barry would not do for you. I don’t mean just friends. I mean from the homeless man in the street to a bank president. Barry didn’t have a mean bone in his body. He never thought about himself. Barry always was thinking about others. In fact, the only time I saw him actually get angry, I mean sure fire bonifide angry was when I told him I slept a couple of nights in my truck after my divorce. He got mad at me for not letting him know I needed a place (although I had family begging me to stay with them). I just looked at him in shock…and smiled. Poor guy, he didn’t have much of anything. It was like that his entire life. But, he had a kind heart and gentle soul about him that few could ever match. And that proved to be his undoing in the world so many times. People would take advantage of his trusting nature. Barry always wanted to believe there was good in everybody. I am completely different. I remarked to him sometimes how did we ever become friends being so different? Barry would always say, “Because you need Kiplings Thousandth Man.” I didn’t know what he meant the first time he said that to me. Hell, the first time he said it to me; I didn’t even know who Rudyard Kipling was. But, as the years rolled by and Barry was always there for me, I understood. I understood what it meant when it didn’t look like I was going to make it from a collapsed lung and internal bleeding from several broken ribs I suffered in an auto accident. In fact, the doctor told my family it didn’t look good for me. Barry immediately left that scene and came to my bedside ignoring the nurse that said he couldn’t be in there. Barry told her, “I’m his Thousandth Man. I have to be here.” She didn’t know what he meant. But, Kipling would have. Kipling would have understood. I already miss my old friend. I’m reminded of a line from “Shawshank Redemption” when Red said, “Still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty that they're gone. I guess I just miss my friend.” I do too, Red, I do too.

We buried that kind, gentle soul today. It’s hard to believe that someone can be alive and then be buried just two days later. But, it has happened. I’m still in shock over it. I knew he had heart trouble. But, he told me himself just last week he was doing well and was starting back on his treadmill. I found out today he just told me that so I wouldn’t worry about him. That was so “Barry-like.” This loss…it seems to go through the heart and just penetrate your soul. It feels like when your leg goes to sleep and you stand up to get the blood circulating. Those little needle pricks you feel, in that situation, is what I feel in my heart of hearts today. I have seen too many friends and family die over the years. But, the loss of Barry hurts just as much or more. He was more than a friend. He was more than a brother. He was more than that big friendly guy who was always willing to help you and want nothing in return. He was more than that gentle soul that people would continually hurt. He was much more than all these things. I know now what he was and always has been. He is exactly what he claimed to be. Barry was the Thousandth Man.

His wrong's your wrong, and his right's your right,
In season or out of season.
Stand up and back it in all men's sight --
With that for your only reason!
Nine hundred and ninety-nine can't bide
The shame or mocking or laughter,
But the Thousandth Man will stand by your side
To the gallows-foot -- and after.

Repost of Thanksgiving Post

I posted this last year. It was a prayer my mother said to us all. I hope you enjoy it on this Thanksgiving Day.

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Thanksgiving Day Prayer

As I have stated on several occasions, my mother was a devout Christian woman. She was not “religious” as some people would characterize her. She was devoted to Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. Religion was something she didn’t care for or understood. Mama always had a Thanksgiving Day Prayer that she said each day. I found a copy in her bible yesterday morning. On this Thanksgiving Day, I thought I would share it. I hope it brings someone comfort.

Blessed Heavenly Father, praise be thy name. Lord, I thank you for hearing this humble prayer from someone not worthy of your attention. I give thanks unto you Dear Lord for bringing my loving children here today to enjoy this feast provided by your grace unto us. I give thanks unto you Lord for bringing both my sons through the fire of the shadow of death at least once in their lives. I give thanks unto you Lord for giving me two fine daughters whom I dearly love and find such pride. We know not what the year in front us holds. We only know that you cared for us and nurtured us during this past year. We thank you for this day we all live in a country that affords us the standard of living that we enjoy today. We pray those less fortunate will be loved and comforted by You. Thank you Lord for the love and understanding thoughout this year as we attempt to walk the path set forth by your beloved Son so many years ago. Though we may fail, Lord, we never stop trying to live up to His example. We give thanks to You for Him, our Lord Jesus Christ. For without Him, there would not be love, hope and happiness in our lives. Thank you Lord, we love you Lord. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

It was that same prayer every year with slight variations. When my youngest sister, Nancy, died, it was one of the hardest Thanksgiving dinners we ever had. But, Mama still managed this humble prayer. She still gave thanks to God for allowing us to love and share his child for 25 years. And, I give thanks to God for allowing me to have a mother like her. I was very fortunate. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Nature Wednesday

Since Thanksgiving is upon us, how else to celebrate this great holiday? By showing pics of turkeys for Nature Wednesday!

Repeat Post of Nigerian 419 Scam

Since this is a holiday week, and I am quite busy, I thought I would post another one of my personal favorite posts of this blog. This one is especially needed because of people being scammed during this holiday season.

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Nigerian 419 Scam

I'm sure most, if not all, of you reading this blog have at one time or another gotten an email stating that someone with a distinguished title was going to deposit millions of dollars into your account for safe keeping. And, oh by the way, we'll give you 20% for your trouble. All you have to do is forward them a little money to help with expenses. Roughly, that is what it is about. People have sent as little $50 and up to $5000 with the idea they will get their hands onto about five millions dollars or maybe as much as $20 million. Who knows? It depends on the mood of the scammer.

A lady at church was all excited yesterday as I was coming in to get the collection plates ready for Sunday services. I heard her say "...and I didn't even know I had relatives that were royalty in the UK." That piqued my interest because I remember a lot of scammers use the UK as a place of residence. Actually, they have PO boxes there to collect their ill-gotten gains. They receive their money from the victims by Western Union. Overseas scammers cannot be tracked once the money has arrived via Western Union. Once the victim wires that money, it's all over. I explained that to this lady. She said I had to be wrong. I told her quite forcefully, I was not wrong. If she sends that $500.00 to the scammer, she might as well kiss it goodbye. In fact, why not use it as tithe instead of giving it to a 419 scammer? She didn't listen to me. Two other people tried to convince her she was making a big, big mistake. I don't think any of us made any impression upon her. She was convinced this guy was on the up and up because she talked to him on the phone. That is another mistake; never, never give any personal information to these scammers. They will not let up even after you discover it's a scam.

I don't know if the lady at church sent the money to the 419 scam artist or not this morning. She had planned on it. Hopefully, her son talked some sense into her last night. That was our last hope as we contacted him in Atlanta to convince his mother she didn't have a "Duke Edward Wolford in the UK" who was releasing funds to his distant relatives because he had an incurable disease (another thing...scammers are always dying also). I just know I did everything I could do to convince the lady she was making a terrible mistake. I will report an update on my "Tuesday's Rambling Thoughts."

USPS: On the Brink of Bankruptcy

Last week the U. S. Postal Service announced [article link] it had lost $3.8 billion over the last fiscal year. Combine a terrible economy, higher gas prices and 26 billion fewer pieces of mail, it is no wonder the quasi-federal agency is on the brink of going completely broke. Making matters worse, for USPS, they are only allowed to borrow 3 billion a year from the federal government to make ends meet. The USPS stopped accepting taxpayer money in 1981. Since that time, it has relied on sales of stamps, money orders, overnight mail and other products. The article indicates the USPS expects to lose even more mail and deeper losses as a result. It appears this will spell the doom of USPS.

There are a lot of causes for the problems USPS currently must suffer. They are required by federal law to deliver to every mailing address in the United States. A lot of these small towns are not profitable for USPS to do so. It is a burden they must carry. But, for a lot of these small towns, this is the only lifeline they have to the outside world. Still, something will have to be done in order to try and save USPS. There is talk of ending Saturday delivery. That means mail will backup for two days every week. That also means they will have to pay overtime to get the mail out. It is a vicious cycle. Basically, the USPS is a 19th century relic trying to keep pace in a 21st century economy. It simply isn't going to work. I'm not sure what they can do to save USPS. There may be a solution where the USPS is watered down to where it concentrates on high density, mail volume areas of the country. But, I think privatization is just around the corner. The question, however, what company is willing to bid on a service that is virtually going extinct? I seriously doubt FedEx or UPS will have any interest.

New Blog With Short Stories Coming Soon

I promised myself I wasn't going to start a new blog until I got my blog-novel (Diary: Alone on Earth) published. I originally intended to go the self-publishing route. However, after investigating this some more, I decided I would go for broke. Either I get a traditional publisher to publish my story or, unfortunately, it just won't ever get published. But, I am far from giving up on that quest. I do have a couple of "feelers" at the moment concerning my story. Hopefully, something will turn up.

One thing I am always being asked by either literary agents or publishers is more examples of my work. Since Diary is my only real work, I decided to start writing again while continuing the fight to get my story published. The new blogs' name will be "David's Short Stories." If you have followed me here on this blog and on Diary, you will know that a "short story" will be a challenge for me. This time it will not focus on the supernatural. It will be mostly fictional stories again. But, there will be some stories that are true. I know they are true because they happened to me. But, for the most part, "David's Short Stories" will be fictional stories that are heart warming (at least to me), funny, ironic and, perhaps, stories of revenge. I'll make note here and on Diary: Alone on Earth that the blog is ready. Right now, I am considering doing it on WordPress since there already is a "David's Short Stories" on Blogger. Again, I'll let everyone know when it is ready.

Merchant Ships Using Armed Guards

To me, this is a no-brainer. In fact, I'm puzzled why it hasn't been used before to combat the Somali pirates operating off the coast of Somalia. There is some BS rule the UN has incorporated that inhibits the crew of these merchant ships from arming themselves from attack. I've always felt one of the basic "human rights" is the right to defend yourself. Apparently, that doesn't meet UN guidelines for human rights for some odd reason. Regardless, just yesterday [article link], the Somali pirates proved two things; one, they are going to continue these attacks until it cost them dearly. Two, they aren't very smart. Once again, the pirates attacked the Maersk Alabama which they attacked once before in April. It took a courageous effort by the U.S. Navy to rescue the captain of this ship from the pirates. Yesterday, armed guards on the Maersk Alabama used small arms and sound detractors. It worked and the ship was saved.

Now, some marine security experts are saying this is a major escalation of the war with the Somali pirates. They fear that the pirates will board the ship and continue firing if fired upon. I must disagree. The Somali pirates started the escalation by hijacking ships and demanding ransom. Furthermore, it is impossible to tell what the pirates will do if they are fired upon by well trained security guards. If enough are killed or captured, there will come a time when they decide this isn't worth dying over. Sure, it is a risk you take by having armed guards to protect the ship and crew. But, odds are that you will save that ship and crew by giving them the means to protect themselves.

Nature Wednesday

For this Nature Wednesday, a potpourri of scenes. Cactus view, another waterfall, and a palm tree facing a stiff wind.

Obama Bows Again

In an never ending series of events embarrassing the USA, President Obama has bowed to yet another monarch. This time it was to Japan's Emperor Akihito. When does this nonsense end? Never in history has an American president bowed to a foreign leader. I don't know who is in charge of the U.S. Protocol Office. But, whoever she or he is, they need to be fired. It's evident the Anointed One doesn't have a clue he is representing the most powerful nation on earth and its citizens. Please don't give me this bleeding heart liberal BS about Obama showing respect to an elderly royalty. He did the same thing to a Saudi Prince. Only that time, it was denied by the White House. No denying it this time. He is an embarrassment to our entire country. Of course, the Obama cult members will now say he is just trying to "undo the mistakes of the Bush Administration." Always an excuse for this man. Is there any doubt it is amateur hour at the White House these days? What a bunch of idiots.

Stem Cell Institute

Stem Cell research is one of the most promising scientific endeavors in recent time to find cures for a variety of illnesses. Stem Cells are also a point of great controversy in that many feel the use of stem cells from fetuses is immoral and in great conflict with many religious beliefs. There is research being carried out to find just how much or how little stem cells can provide in the way of curing paralysis, Parkinson's Disease, new drugs to fight cancer, diabetes and a host of other health problems.

Stem cells are different from other cells in that they are capable of renewing themselves. They can also be induced to become organ or tissue cells. Imagine the possibilities for heart patients if stem cell research were to ever reach its maximum potential. Imagine someone with bone cancer having stem cells injected to reproduce new cells for bone marrow. It appears the horizon for stem cell research is limitless. But, at the same time, we must proceed with caution for a variety of reasons. The worst thing a scientist could do is forge ahead in this research, spending millions of dollars, only to discover this research may not be as helpful as first thought.

There are now many scientific communities involved in the research and development of stem cells. One such community is the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, which along with other scientists, who are highly involved in the study of stem cell research. Unfortunately, due to controversial nature of stem research itself, funding is an issue in much of this work.

I have mixed feelings about stem cell research. On one hand, I understand the revulsion of those who feel it is immoral to use embryonic stem cells from fetuses. But, on the other hand, there are those who are desperate for this type of research. It is difficult for me to be objective with I am not suffering from bone marrow cancer, diabetes or paralyzed with no hope in my life. It is easy to be presumtious if you don't suffer any disease that stem cell research could aid. Personally, I think both sides of this debate could find common ground that will allow stem cell research to continue unimpeded. Stem cell research gives hope to those who have lost hope of ever living a normal life. I'm not sure I could live with myself if I was one of those people standing in the way of stem cell research.

Ft. Hood Terrorist Charged with 13 Murder Counts

Nidal Malik Hasan, the Muslim terrorist [article link] who killed 13 innocent people, was charged yesterday with 13 counts of premeditated murder. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama, the same man who told Americans to "not jump to any conclusions" after the mass murders, is ordering an investigation into all intelligence concerning Hasan. Hasan was known to be belligerent about U.S. involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq. In fact, he was intensely fighting deployment to Afghanistan. So, one of the ways he decided to fight that was to kill 13 Americans.

I've held back about this to let my temper die down since this incident took place. Al-Qaeda has been thought for years to have sleeper cells inside the U.S. military awaiting orders. And I don't give a damn what anyone things about my comments here on this subject. If you don't like it, leave. But, any Muslim that joins the U.S. Armed Forces should be very, very carefully scrutinized. And, yes, I know the Muslim apologists will say Japanese, Germans and Italians fought for the U.S. in WWII. I don't recall reading anything about Japanese, Germans or Italians flying jet airliners (yes, I know there weren't jet airliners back in WWII!!!) into skyscrapers killing thousands of people. None professed a "jihad" to destroy this nation as they do in some Mosques in this country.

I don't care if this infuriates the bleeding heart liberals. In fact, I hope it pisses them off. If you want to apologize for these bastards, have at it. Just don't do it here. The time of appeasement for Muslim extremists is over. President Obama should take whatever measures necessary to root out Muslims in our government who mean harm to the American people. But, I won't hold my breath on that one. He's the one going to the Middle East "apologizing" to every raghead he could find. And, this was a terrorist attack. The Obama Administration does not want to hear that. They are fearful they will "offend" some poor Muslim in Syria or Egypt if it came out this was, indeed, a terrorist attack. How very quickly the FBI said this wasn't a terrorist attack, almost before those 13 bodies turned cold. I still find that very odd.

Spam Attack

This blog will be 2 years old next April. In the 17 months since this blog started, I've had little in the way of spam comments. Oh, I'd get the rare one. But, I'd quickly delete it. It's for this reason I rarely ever used "comment moderation." Comment moderation allows a visitor to leave a comment. However, it is not posted until reviewed by the owner of the blog. It really is a good feature that Blogger has and I never thought I would have to use it until this week.

It seems over the course of the past five days this blog has come under a "spam attack" of epic proportions. Most of the spam have been on blog posts about a year old. They obviously think I wouldn't find it. Whenever someone leaves a comment on this blog, I am emailed by blogger. So, the spammers are not really smart. The spam for the past few days has been the usual crap, viagra, penis enlargement, make $10,000 in 3 days, etc. I'm not positive why this blog has come under a spam attack. I have an idea why. But, I'm going to keep that to myself for right now. For the foreseeable future, I must keep comment moderation on to stop the spam.

Nature Wednesday

For Nature Wednesday, this week, I thought I would focus on lions. These fearsome beasts are a sight to behold at the zoo (which really bothers me). I can only imagine how fearsome they would be in the wilds of Africa.

Hurricane Ida Update

As I type this it is 5:30CST in Mobile, AL as we await Hurricane Ida [article link] to make landfall sometime early Tuesday morning. There has not been the frantic lines at gas stations as in most hurricanes. There was slightly more activity at Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Lowes this morning. But, nothing compared what it could be if this hurricane had formed two months ago. Water temperature has cooled in the Gulf of Mexico. For that reason alone, most gulf coast residents are not fearful of this storm. Rain is quite heavy as I type this. We expect 6-8 inches of rain and wind gusts of 50-55MPH.

During summer hurricanes, restaurants, supermarkets and even gas stations close early when a hurricane is this imminent. We expect local flooding of streets and surf erosion at the beaches. In short, this storm is nothing for us to be concerned about. But, I am thankful, as I'm sure most on the gulf are, that this storm did not strike two months ago. We would be talking about a possible Cat 4 or even Cat 5 hurricane. That warm gulf water is like adding gas to a fire. It just blows up storms. However, as I said yesterday, you must respect any tropical storm or hurricane regardless of strength. There were about 3 dozen people killed by this storm in El Salvador. All tropical storms, regardless of magnitude, should be regarded as dangerous and people should prepare accordingly.

November Hurricane

Those of us living on the gulf coast are to be given a rare "treat" Tuesday. After wreaking havoc in El Salvador (and causing 42 deaths), Hurricane Ida [article link] is expected to enter the central Gulf of Mexico. Right now, landfall is expected to be between Mobile, AL and Panama City, FL. With the possibility it could reach Cat II strength, now is the time for everyone on the gulf to gas up, load up groceries as well. This is the sort of thing we are expected to in July-September. It has been an extremely quiet tropical storm season in the gulf. It was too quiet. Something like Hurricane Ida had to happen. But, November hurricanes are extremely rare. Only four hurricanes have hit the USA in November since 1900 and these were all were category 1 storms that hit Florida.

While Hurricane Ida is not expected to be Cat II in strength when it hits the gulf coast, it still is a storm that deserves respect. People around this area seem lackadaisical about this imminent threat. But, I suppose with holidays on the horizon, it is tough to get concerned about hurricanes. I just hope this storm isn't a hurricane when it makes landfall. Even a Cat I hurricane is deadly. The one thing you can expect from hurricanes is the unexpected. Hurricane Ida could suddenly gain strength for reasons scientists would not be able to explain. Living on the gulf coast most of my life, I've seen it happen before.

Cell Phone=Life

Last night, I went to my niece's home to socialize and welcome her back to her hometown. When I got up to leave, I checked for my keys. I found my car keys. But, I did not feel my cell phone in the pocket of my jacket. Panic stricken, I traced my steps back to my car. Could not find it. Had my niece call my cell and total silence. I could just feel the blood draining from my face.

I got home with the off chance that the cell phone fell out of my jacket in my bedroom. Could not find it at home or in my car. Distraught, I got online at the Sprint site and had total restrictions placed on my phone. In other words, no one could use it if they found it. Thinking I would be putting out another $89-100 for a new phone, I decided to go to bed and try to sleep. As I lay in bed, running over and over in my head the steps I made to my niece's house, I got a knock on the door. Upset already, I couldn't figure out who would be knocking on my door this time of night. It was my lovely little niece...and, yes, she had my cell. It had fallen out of my jacket and between the seat cushions. Don't ask me why I didn't check that first. I'm just thankful, very thankful to have my cell phone today.

Love Notes from an Angel

Five year old Elena Desserich [article link] was diagnosed with brain cancer. She lived each remaining day she had on this earth rejoicing in life by learning to drive at age 5, swim with dolphins and a multitude of other things. As her cancer progressed, it inhibited her to the point she could no longer speak. So, she started drawing and painting. In fact, one of her paintings were hung in the Cincinnati Art Museum entitled, "I Love You."

Elena died from her disease in August of 2007 at 6 years of age. What her parents found in the following weeks and months was heartbreaking. Elena left love notes to her parents throughout the house. A CD is pulled out of a case and a love note from Elena falls out. A book is opened and yet another love note from this beautiful child falls out. The parents have now compiled the notes into a book called "Notes Left Behind." The profits from the book will be donated to pediatric brain cancer research to find a cure.

Online Casinos

Online casinos are a phenomenon that usually shows up in your email box as spam. I rarely read it since I've never been much of a gambler. But, I do go to the brick and mortar casinos in nearby Biloxi, MS (about an hours drive from my area). I've gone to the black jack tables, poker games, and slot machines. I mostly go for the food that is served 24/7. I have never really been interested in the online casinos because I missed that atmosphere you can only get in the casinos in Vegas, Atlantic City and Biloxi. But, one thing I do like about the online casinos are the slot machines.

I enjoy the slots at online casinos whenever I have the time. I especially like the arcade games. There are some online casinos that have been around a long time. By a long time, I mean five years or more. In the online world, that is relative to the brick and mortar casinos existence in 20 years or more. Vegas Red, for example, is celebrating its 6th year in existence. That makes them credible in my estimation. I have checked out this particular web site. They have all the major games you can find in real world of casinos.

Looking at the main page of Vegas Red, they show they have all the games the gambler in you would want. But, honestly, the one game they have that appeals to me most, is the roulette wheel. Now, if I'm going to really lay down some money, that is what I most likely would do. It's just something magical about the roulette wheel. As I said, I'm not much for gambling. But, I do enjoy watching others play the roulette wheel. I've seen people win a lot of money playing the roulette. I've watched a few lose quite a bit of money playing the roulette wheel.

One thing that needs to be mentioned about gambling; it is addictive. Like any addiction, it can ruin your life if you allow it to do so. Now, this holds true for both online casinos and the brick and mortar variety. I know quite a few people who are gambling addicts. I don't believe I know any who are addicted to online gambling. But, that doesn't mean there aren't some out there. Their addiction is just as bad as those who frequent dog tracks, casinos or even participate in state lotteries. One thing I like about Vegas Red is that they have a link to "responsible gambling" at the bottom of their main page of the web site. Personally, I think it should be at the top. But, each person who participates in this online activity should be responsible for his or her own actions. Have fun with the online casinos (and other online gambling sites). But, just remember they are there to make money.

Nature Wednesday

It's that time of year again; hunting season. I have never been much of a hunter. In fact, I only went hunting twice in my life. I don't care for it. But, here are some pictures of what will be hunted over the next two or three months.

Another Update on My "Getting Published" Efforts

As many who follow this blog know, I have a blog-novel (Diary: Alone on Earth) that I have been trying to get published. When I first ventured into this endeavor, I was (and still am to an extent) a babe in the woods. Didn't know anything about query letters, literary agents, publishers or anything else vaguely relating to the publishing world. I've experienced some people online (alleged publishers and literary agents) who basically were scam artists. That's as polite as I can put it. I could put it in more succinct wording which would explain how I really feel about these kind of people. But, since I have always tried to maintain this as a family friendly type blog, I won't. I haven't lost any money to these scammers. But, I came close once when bells and whistles started going off in my head. The old adage, if it seems too good to be true, chances are that it is too good to be true. You have to be careful. I'll have more to say about these kind of people in future blog entries.

Having said this, the going is rough just trying to get a literary agent or publisher to read the manuscript. It seems the big publishing houses are not interested in reading anything unless you are a mega type author like Stephen King or a celebrity. Those are guaranteed sales. And, from that viewpoint, I find it hard to fault them. In these days of a tough economy, all businesses have to be careful how they spend their money. At the same time, I feel the publishers and literary agents themselves are stifling new writers. It seems if you don't have name recognition, they don't want to be bothered by you. And, indeed, what does that say about the publishing world in general? I feel both publishers and literary agents are equally at fault in hurting the world of writing. It's sad.

I also have found out that you must have a very thick skin. Most agents and publishers don't care if they bruise your feelings. They have not tried to discourage me. But, no words of encouragement either. It just seems most are not interested. I do know that the many people who followed my story enjoyed the story. That is encouraging to me. This is the reason I continue the fight. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places. I don't know. But, one thing is for sure; I'm not giving up.

Hillary's Moment of Truth

Hillary Clinton is one person you would never accuse of being similar to George Washington's "I can't tell a lie" episode. Hillary has never met a flat out lie she didn't like. For example, her "under sniper fire in Bosnia" comment [article link] drew derision from the news media (who were still fawning over Barack). As it turns out, there was a video of her stepping off the plane with smiles, standing around as if it were another social gathering in her capacity as First Lady. There were other episodes of when Hillary "misspoke" such as garnering a $100,000 profit off of a $1,000 investment in cattle futures. No one believed that and I doubt anyone today believes that outrageous fabrication.

It was with amazement that I found Hillary actually speaking the truth as to the current political climate in Washington D.C. While in Pakistan, on a mission to shore up support in rooting out Al Qaeda, Hillary engaged Pakistanis concerning their tax base and GDP. Hillary commented "...percentage of taxes on GDP (in Pakistan) is among the lowest in the world." I found it surprising she would even bother to comment on a sovereign nation's tax base. What she said next was astounding and a moment that won't soon pass. Hillary then said, "...We (the United States) tax everything that moves and doesn’t move, and that’s not what we see in Pakistan,” That was shocking since the Obama Administration is coming under increasing criticism of taxes and spending. Could this be a shot across the bow, to the Obama Nation, Hillary is becoming increasingly restless in her limited role as Secretary of State? Could be. I've said before, if President Obama's approval numbers continue to drop, possibly below 35%, Hillary might resign as Secretary of State. There is no doubt she is not happy. And, if you think someone like Hillary Clinton has given up on seeking the Presidency, I have some swamp land I want to sell you.