Global Warming has been "pooh-poohed" for as long as I can remember. But hear this: It is January 29. And it is 74 degrees right now, at 2:15 p.m. Midwinter! You can't tell me that Global Warming is a myth!
I remember when I was a kid, when the parish fair rolled around every year in October, we had to wear jackets because we were feeling that first "nip" in the air. And January and February invariably brought plenty of cold wind and rain, but also some ice and the occasional snow flurry. And every few years, we would even have enough snow for an inch or so to accumulate.
Those days--for better or worse--appear to be gone.
The 2005 hurricane season set lots of records. The most named storms in a year and the most actual hurricanes. The highest death toll from Katrina, one of the two major storms to hit our state. (The other being Rita, which of course has been forgotten because it did not flood a major metropolis and result in serious loss of life.)
I predict that the 2006 hurricane season will make 2005 look like a walk in the park. "Why?", you ask. It's because Global Warming has so disturbed the natural cycle of cooling and heating, that the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico have never cooled sufficiently this winter to prevent monster storms from forming. Mark my words--it's gonna be a doozie!
Another kind of fallout is that it's going to be the worst season ever for mosquitoes and the dreaded West Nile Virus. We depend upon cold weather to keep the mosquito population in check. It just hasn't happened this year (or for the last several, in fact).
And on a personal note, I feel like I've been gypped. I LOVE cold weather. I don't get to enjoy any bracing cold air anymore, ever. Oh, it's "comfortable" enough right now. Maybe I shouldn't complain. But I really like feeling the icy air flowing deep into my lungs. Frosty mornings really gave me great joy. I've seen 2 so far this winter. ***Sighs***
Later, people...
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Life is Short
Have you ever snorted so much cocaine that your nose bled? And been in debt to the supplier for several thousand dollars, promising him the moon so he would "front" you a little more to try to sell it for his money? Have you ever been on your hands and knees looking at every white speck on the floor, hoping that it would turn out to be a rock that could be put into a crack pipe and smoked?
I have. It was horrible. I feel extremely privileged to have lived to tell about it. God isn't finished with us, yet.
Now in our forties, drugs dominated our entire adult lives. Alcohol, pot, cocaine, crystal meth, diet pills, crack cocaine, and narcotic painkillers. Law enforcement finally stepped in last year and put a stop to it. My husband and daughter are both full-time college students, now! (Praise God!) We are living with my husband's parents while he finishes his Associate of Science degree, so he can become a certified medical laboratory technician. For the very first time in my life, I feel cautiously optimistic.
God is good. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.
I have. It was horrible. I feel extremely privileged to have lived to tell about it. God isn't finished with us, yet.
Now in our forties, drugs dominated our entire adult lives. Alcohol, pot, cocaine, crystal meth, diet pills, crack cocaine, and narcotic painkillers. Law enforcement finally stepped in last year and put a stop to it. My husband and daughter are both full-time college students, now! (Praise God!) We are living with my husband's parents while he finishes his Associate of Science degree, so he can become a certified medical laboratory technician. For the very first time in my life, I feel cautiously optimistic.
God is good. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Legislating Morality
Nowhere in the Bible is drinking (alcohol) condemned. Jesus Christ, himself, turned water into wine in one of his first miracles. Public drunkenness and drinking to excess, however, are considered sins...
I begin this post in this way to justify my utter disgust that the proposition which would have allowed alcohol sales in the extreme eastern district of our parish was defeated. In typical "head-in-the-sand" fashion, the church groups got together and convinced enough people that allowing alcohol sales would produce a spike in the number of alcohol-related traffic accidents and fatalities. Not to mention that allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages would likely make it more easily obtainable by underage teenagers.
HOGWASH!!
Banning the sale of alcohol NEVER kept anyone from drinking...they just have to drive to the next parish and spend their tax dollars THERE, instead! And the underage teens who want to drink are still going to sneak into their parents' liquor cabinet and do it!!
What banning alcohol sales WILL do is keep this area economically depressed. No chance of new entertainment businesses rolling in needing to hire new employees, is there? And "entertainment" doesn't have to mean strip clubs. Family restaurants that also sell alcohol enjoy greater revenue flow than those that don't. A few local nightclubs featuring rock or country music might actually keep impaired drivers from having to travel long distances home.
But maybe that's the goal of these radical religious groups...control of the population by controlling their options for recreation?? (We don't even get to have a movie theater!)
It's really quite sad.
I begin this post in this way to justify my utter disgust that the proposition which would have allowed alcohol sales in the extreme eastern district of our parish was defeated. In typical "head-in-the-sand" fashion, the church groups got together and convinced enough people that allowing alcohol sales would produce a spike in the number of alcohol-related traffic accidents and fatalities. Not to mention that allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages would likely make it more easily obtainable by underage teenagers.
HOGWASH!!
Banning the sale of alcohol NEVER kept anyone from drinking...they just have to drive to the next parish and spend their tax dollars THERE, instead! And the underage teens who want to drink are still going to sneak into their parents' liquor cabinet and do it!!
What banning alcohol sales WILL do is keep this area economically depressed. No chance of new entertainment businesses rolling in needing to hire new employees, is there? And "entertainment" doesn't have to mean strip clubs. Family restaurants that also sell alcohol enjoy greater revenue flow than those that don't. A few local nightclubs featuring rock or country music might actually keep impaired drivers from having to travel long distances home.
But maybe that's the goal of these radical religious groups...control of the population by controlling their options for recreation?? (We don't even get to have a movie theater!)
It's really quite sad.
Monday, January 16, 2006
The American Judicial System
I just watched the most disturbing video on the news of teenage boys beating a homeless man. Some of the boys involved are now in police custody.
My question is: Why does there have to be a trial??
At taxpayer expense, we are going to see some slick attorney try to convince a jury that these boys are not guilty of something that was captured quite clearly on videotape! Or that there were "mitigating circumstances" which led up to the incident.
BALONEY! The founding fathers, when they designed our system of trial by jury, did so to protect innocent people accused and charged with crimes based on purely circumstantial evidence.
They never dreamed that a device might be created that captured images of crimes in progress--namely, the video camera. I believe if they had envisioned such a thing, they would have made changes in our judicial system. Someone who is caught in the act or who has been
captured on videotape committing a crime can be presumed guilty without the need for a lengthy trial at taxpayer expense. *In other words--innocent until proven guilty would NOT APPLY!! A trial, then, would serve the sole purpose of determining what a fair punishment would be!
I like it. What do you think??
My question is: Why does there have to be a trial??
At taxpayer expense, we are going to see some slick attorney try to convince a jury that these boys are not guilty of something that was captured quite clearly on videotape! Or that there were "mitigating circumstances" which led up to the incident.
BALONEY! The founding fathers, when they designed our system of trial by jury, did so to protect innocent people accused and charged with crimes based on purely circumstantial evidence.
They never dreamed that a device might be created that captured images of crimes in progress--namely, the video camera. I believe if they had envisioned such a thing, they would have made changes in our judicial system. Someone who is caught in the act or who has been
captured on videotape committing a crime can be presumed guilty without the need for a lengthy trial at taxpayer expense. *In other words--innocent until proven guilty would NOT APPLY!! A trial, then, would serve the sole purpose of determining what a fair punishment would be!
I like it. What do you think??
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Suicide by Cop
By now, you've all heard the news about the 8th grader who was shot by SWAT team members. The news media has picked up on the fact that the boy's parents tried to tell police that the gun was very likely a fake. And like the rabid dogs they are, they just won't let go. They are determined to try to make it look like the SWAT officers, through an error in judgement, caused the death of an innocent young man.
But let's focus for a moment on the actions of the law enforcement officers. They saw a young man brandishing what looked like a 9mm pistol. He pointed it at classmates, he pointed it at himself, he pointed it at officers...and he was shot. Which is what had to happen. Because he painted over the markings designed to identify it as a non-lethal weapon; and it was assumed that the pistol was real and that he intended to use it to kill someone. It is irrelevant whether the parents "suspected" it was a pellet pistol. The cops would have been negligent had they NOT taken the action that they did, especially had the gun been real and others died because of it. They did their jobs and whether we like it or not, they did their jobs WELL.
Why on earth would this young man paint over the markings on the barrel of the gun that were designed to identify it as a non-lethal weapon???
Because he was suicidal. He wanted to die. And therein lies the true tragedy. No one--not the parents, his teachers, or his friends-- saw any warning signs that would have enabled them to get this boy the help he needed. My prayers for peace and comfort are with them in their tremendous loss.
But I have also offered up a prayer on behalf of the SWAT officer who pulled the trigger. He will never forget that he shot a young man for pointing a pellet pistol in his direction. He did what he had to do. And I hope that he knows how much we appreciate a job well done. May God grant him peace within his soul, too. He did the right thing--the ONLY thing that could have been done in that terrible and difficult situation.
God bless you, sir.
But let's focus for a moment on the actions of the law enforcement officers. They saw a young man brandishing what looked like a 9mm pistol. He pointed it at classmates, he pointed it at himself, he pointed it at officers...and he was shot. Which is what had to happen. Because he painted over the markings designed to identify it as a non-lethal weapon; and it was assumed that the pistol was real and that he intended to use it to kill someone. It is irrelevant whether the parents "suspected" it was a pellet pistol. The cops would have been negligent had they NOT taken the action that they did, especially had the gun been real and others died because of it. They did their jobs and whether we like it or not, they did their jobs WELL.
Why on earth would this young man paint over the markings on the barrel of the gun that were designed to identify it as a non-lethal weapon???
Because he was suicidal. He wanted to die. And therein lies the true tragedy. No one--not the parents, his teachers, or his friends-- saw any warning signs that would have enabled them to get this boy the help he needed. My prayers for peace and comfort are with them in their tremendous loss.
But I have also offered up a prayer on behalf of the SWAT officer who pulled the trigger. He will never forget that he shot a young man for pointing a pellet pistol in his direction. He did what he had to do. And I hope that he knows how much we appreciate a job well done. May God grant him peace within his soul, too. He did the right thing--the ONLY thing that could have been done in that terrible and difficult situation.
God bless you, sir.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
It's All a Big Mystery...
It's all a big mystery...why do bad things happen to good people? That's been the question for all millenia. I felt so much sorrow for the families of the 12 miners who were killed in the mining accident this week--talk about being jerked around. ("Miscommunication", my ass.) Also, I think the mine owners should be brought up on charges if the investigation reveals that the 200+ safety violations had gone uncorrected...that would make them guilty of negligent homicide.
What a way to start 2006!
My first week of the new year was not bad at all. I got to see my father and brother for several days right before New Year's Day, and they were both doing well. My dad has become quite a good cook since my mom died. He had turkey and dressing waiting for us when we got there! I was really impressed. Now, when I got back to work, I had to play "catch-up" but even that wasn't too awful. Got most of it done, and what I had to leave undone will be there when I get back after the weekend, won't it?
I just haven't had a chance to bring my blog up to date on some things: Right before Christmas, my husband had his final court appearance on his drug charges. In October, he pled guilty and was admitted into an intensive program called "Drug Court". It involves court-ordered meetings 3 evenings each week, including urine testing at least once each week, AND an appearance before a judge 1 morning each week to discuss the urine screen and other issues related to recovery, AND must make 3 NA or AA meetings each week. Pretty intense. But his actual sentencing was 2 days before Christmas. He was given 5 years at hard labor, suspended, 5 years of supervised probation and fines totaling around $2500. And he has to continue and successfully complete all three phases of "Drug Court". If he does ALL of these things, they will remove the felony conviction from his record.
And so, life goes on....(but at least now, we have hit rock bottom and started back up!)
What a way to start 2006!
My first week of the new year was not bad at all. I got to see my father and brother for several days right before New Year's Day, and they were both doing well. My dad has become quite a good cook since my mom died. He had turkey and dressing waiting for us when we got there! I was really impressed. Now, when I got back to work, I had to play "catch-up" but even that wasn't too awful. Got most of it done, and what I had to leave undone will be there when I get back after the weekend, won't it?
I just haven't had a chance to bring my blog up to date on some things: Right before Christmas, my husband had his final court appearance on his drug charges. In October, he pled guilty and was admitted into an intensive program called "Drug Court". It involves court-ordered meetings 3 evenings each week, including urine testing at least once each week, AND an appearance before a judge 1 morning each week to discuss the urine screen and other issues related to recovery, AND must make 3 NA or AA meetings each week. Pretty intense. But his actual sentencing was 2 days before Christmas. He was given 5 years at hard labor, suspended, 5 years of supervised probation and fines totaling around $2500. And he has to continue and successfully complete all three phases of "Drug Court". If he does ALL of these things, they will remove the felony conviction from his record.
And so, life goes on....(but at least now, we have hit rock bottom and started back up!)
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