Who are the most dangerous people in this country?

 Joe the Plumber: ‘Your dead kids don’t trump my constitutional rights’

We should fear not the Taliban or other Muslim extremists but  Joe the Plumber (remember him from Obama's first campaign run?) and others of his ilk. 

Ignorant, low-life morons who haven't a decent thought in their empty heads and the logic of a chicken.  They're this country's most serious threat.

 

 

Memorial Day 2014

With every passing year, I become more and more appreciative of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. 

While people are enjoying the arrival of long-awaited warm weather, family gatherings, children's sporting events, picnics and parades people tend to lose sight of the fact that someone served to make it all possible.  So on this Memorial Day take a moment to quietly acknowledge their sacrifice.

Above picture is grand daughter Brooke preparing to take the ball down field at one of her many soccer games.

Should people be guaranteed a certain income?

The above question was prompted by the recent strike by fast-food workers who are demanding a $15 an hour minimum wage.

What do you think of this?  Is a certain income level a right everyone should expect or is a person's income a function of free market forces such as your initiative, level of education, work ethic and individual responsibility? 

If a person is unhappy with their income, shouldn't they take the steps necessary to acquire the skills they need to earn more or is it OK to simply demand more money?

Is the nature of a fast-food workers responsibilities such that they deserve much more money than they're getting?  Is there a concerted effort to discriminate against them or are they simply earning what their jobs are worth?

There are many issues where I come down on the liberal side but this isn't one of them.  I fully believe that each person should take responsibility for themselves and for their particular lot in life.  Sure, bad luck strikes us all once in a while and it certainly is difficult to accomplish some goals but that's life.  No one owes you anything.

Don't like how much you're making?  Take the initiative to do something about it.  There are many, many government provided training programs available.  Take responsibility for yourself.  Oh, and hold the fries!

Game postponed to 4 o'clock. So what to do until then? A random video of the day

Raising a family

Last night Cole & Nicholas came over to began a 5-day stay with us while their parents are away.
While we've had all the grand children for days at a time before we've never had them on school days-until this morning.

It certainly is enough to make one admire the working parents of young, school-age children.  The boys are pretty good about getting up on time but then there are deadlines to meet, i.e. get dressed, have breakfast, brush teeth, take medicines where appropriate, pack lunches, pack school bags, etc.  Then it's off to the bus.

There's a little break throughout the day but then it's off to get them off the bus and pick the other up from daycare.  Then it's dinner, homework where applicable, baths, stories, family time and finally bedtime.   That's the routine to be followed every day, 5 days a week all school year.

Then there's the other piece to it:  feeding them.  For example after I brought Nicholas to school, I went to Stop & Shop to get the few things their parents either didn't pack or were already consumed in the short time we had them.  One hundred thirteen dollars later I left the store-and I know I'll be going at least one more time.  After all,  we like to eat too.

Parenting today is difficult and expensive and pretty much lifelong.  But is it any harder or more expensive than it was for us?  More expensive? No.  Harder?  I think so. I can only imagine how single parent families manage.  It must be extremely difficult for that one parent, doing all those things and working and trying to find a minute here or there to relax. 

Goodbye, Naples. Hello, routine

Back home-where spring cleanup chores await.  But it's not all work, work, work.  This is also the season when the grand children resume their sports. 

I've posted many things here about Brooke's soccer and Cole and Nicholas's baseball.  So it's time Courtney got her due.  And guess what she excel's in-the longjump.  That's right, Courtney is setting records for her age class in the long jump. 

In recognition of her accomplishment, I (with a little help from Adobe Photoshop) herewith post this certificate.

Update from Naples

Between incorrect parts being ordered by an insurance company and its A/C contractor who have no interest in working with a so-called valued customer, we still have no A/C.  Maybe Monday or Tuesday.

That's the bad news.  The good news is that the weather has been reasonably cooperative.  The days have been hot but the nights are comfortable enough for sleeping so it could be worse.

Now on to other things, i.e a little bit of Florida fauna. Seen here are two such examples spotted beside the lake behind our condo.