Eleanore Roosevelt Once Said.......

I think it would be wonderful to be quoted like that and I guess it's a life goal of mine. But I doubt that I've said or written anything yet that hasn't already been said. And of course most people don't get quoted until they are dead so I can wait a while.

I just wish I could believe him

I watched President Bush’s speech tonight touting the great achievements in Iraq due to his troop surge plan. I want to believe him – I really do. But this man and this administration have outright lied to us so many times already that I’m afraid I no longer believe a single word that comes from that office unless there is outside proof. I’ll wait for that.

How sad we can’t trust the leader of this country.

Choose Your Program

The new TV season starts soon (finally!). I just wish I could watch all my favorite shows. I just don’t understand why the Networks put the same type shows to air on the same night at the same time. Most times my DVR can’t even record the shows I want because it’s already recording something else. Then, sadly, the next night there isn’t anything on that I want to see. The Network Execs sit back and count the viewers that choose their show and sell advertisements based on those numbers. Here is a hint they somehow haven’t thought of: I’ll watch BOTH programs if I can. Why do they make us choose?

Intelligent Design

God created humans with intelligence and an insatiable desire for knowledge. Therefore it should be no surprise that God left clues to our creation to be discovered if we choose to investigate. Using science, we can follow these clues and form theories on the grand nature of the Universe - where we came from and more importantly, where we are going.

Understanding Creation may take some of the mystery out of our existence, but it does not reduce the Majesty of God's design.

Astro Gets His Wings

I believe that life continues after our physical existence on this earth is completed and I hope our pets continue to the same place. My dear friend Astro entered the spirit world yesterday and I will miss him dearly. There is no way to explain in written word how incredible this dog was – so human in his actions and expressions. In his youth he empowered so much energy and jest for life. Often stubborn but with a smartness you don’t expect from an animal. He often sat on my lap at the table on the deck while friends chatted over a beer – listening intently as if he had something to add. Like another person, he slept in the bed with his head on the pillow, by morning stretched out sideways as my partner and I clung to the edge. But life is sadly short for dogs and soon he wasn’t able to get in the bed anymore. As he aged and his health became more dependant on me, I learned valuable lessons on respect for life which is often not easy or convenient. At the tender age of around 110 (16 people years), his life has ended but his incredible spirit lives on in the hearts of those who knew him. And I believe his spirit also lives in a place where I will one day see him again. Rest in peace Astro.

Financing Bigotry

I don't see why I have to pay taxes to these government organizations that are outright sponsoring bigotry and hatred. My hard earned income tax is going to the Federal Government who is denying my basic equal rights as a legal citizen of this country because I am a gay man. And now the Mayor of Fort Lauderdale is creating an environment of hatred where I do not feel safe. I am a home owner in this city where I am paying out of control real estate taxes. That money is being used by our elected officials to wage a campaign against good upstanding citizens who happen to be gay. Why must I pay for this?

But of course if I don't I go to jail. I voluntarily stopped donating to organized religions who choose bigotry over Christianity, but I don't get that choice with taxes. I'm paying for my own oppression on every level. It is sick injustice.

Mother Theresa - A True Saint

Happy are those who question the existence of God - and yet still believe.

Blind faith is exactly that - Blind.

An Open Letter to the Mayor of Fort Lauderdale

Dear Mayor Naugle,

Every day as I ride my bike through my neighborhood of Progresso on my way to the gym I am approached by drug dealers – sometimes 2 or 3 in one day in the short ½ mile between my house and the gym. Despite this very obvious and serious issue in our City, you have chosen to focus not on crime but rather on homosexual activity. Is this really where your priorities should be focused? Is this where our tax dollars are best spent? From what I have read so far, your claims against rampant public sex is unfounded and not supported by arrest records.

Mr. Mayor, I think you should re-evaluate what your job is and what your constituents expect from our elected officials. You are not running a congregation, you are running a City. You need to be concerned with crime – not sin. The drug dealer issue is only one example of many big issues this city faces. Stop this nonsense and get back to work on the real problems.

Sincerely,

Dennis

Back Door Embargo

China – have they suddenly set out to poison Americans and our animals? I am, once again, very suspicious about this glut of news of tainted products and recalled toys. My instincts tell me it might be something totally different than what we are being led to believe. It feels like some sort of back-door embargo against China. Like the media is being used to portray all things China as bad. Could it have something to do with the undervalued currency in China that is messing with our economy? Something is up – let’s keep our eyes open and our minds clear and not believe everything we are being force fed through the media.

After the Tone You Can.....

Bite me.

I know - harsh. But I can't tell you how sick and tired I am at listening to Audix voicemail. Sometimes that whole long message comes on even after the person has left their own greeting. Come on - it's 2007 and voicemail has been out for how long? I think all we really need is the beep. Oh I know - you can hit the # key and it will go directly to the beep - right? Well sometimes that works, but most times I get a new message saying I need to put in my pass code to get into my voice mail - and it isn't even my mailbox! So I just listen to the whole thing every stinkin time. And now that AT&T owns the whole world (again), I get to listen to it more and more. Grrrrr.

OK - I had to get that out. I feel better now.

Aim for the Al Qaeda T-Shirt

From what we are being told, Iraq is now crawling with Al Qaeda troops sneaking in from across the borders. Yes, that’s what we are being told. But how do we know it’s true? Are those troops wearing Al Qaeda t-shirts or some other form of easily identified markings? True, there are several sects that are fighting amongst themselves in Iraq – but is it really Al Qaeda? I don’t know about you but I’d like some evidence to back up this claim.

We have been duped before with regards to WMDs and the link between Iraq and 911 terrorists before the war. Who’s to say they are telling us the truth now? In my opinion, Al Qaeda is just a big scary word being used to instill fear in Americans so we will support this senseless war.

There is power in big scary words – but only if we believe without proof.

A Lie is a Lie

Republican Bush defenders are very quick to remind us that President Clinton lied under oath. That will never happen in the Bush Admin because they simply refuse to ever testify under oath.

But it is still a lie.

Darth Cheney

Vice President Dick Cheney is getting a new battery for his heart pace maker this week. I wish him a successful operation because I don’t wish physical harm on anyone. The funny part is that Dick (perfect name for him) has always been compared to Darth Vader from Star Wars. I suspect he has actually been dead for many years and the dark side of the force (can you say Satin?) has been keeping him going.

What is thy bidding Master? Excessive wealth at the expense of the common people? Senseless killing? World domination? I think he is doing a great job with all of those.

Ring

Well it seems cell phone ring tones have gone full circle. Over the last few years we have had to endure obnoxious ring tones from the Macarena to hard rap music. And I am totally guilty of this myself. But the entertaining part is what I’m hearing now. The most popular ring tones around my office sound like – you guessed it – phones! And not even modern phones – they sound like the old phones we used to hang on the wall with attached cords. I think it’s hilarious.

Pure BS

I would just like it noted for the record that I was never fooled by bottled water. Today a top news story reveals that most bottled water is actually just plain old tap water – possibly filtered. It specifically mentions Aqua Fina brand water bottled by none other than the Coca Cola Bottling Company. Surprise! Not.

I’ve always been suspicious this was true but it became most evident to me years ago when the night club I used to go to called The Copa only sold Copa brand water. Where did this water come from – the Copa springs? Please.

I’m glad this farce has finally been exposed to the public. We should all get refunds.

Three Possibly Irrational Fears of Mine

Dropping my keys down a storm drain while walking through the parking lot

Using the wrong date to check the lottery numbers and ripping up a winning ticket.

Saying “I love you” instead of “goodbye” when on the phone with my work clients

War is good for the economy

I read yesterday that the profits of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now 6 billion a month! They call it "costs" in the article but money spent is money earned. It is little wonder that those who are profiting from this mess are in no hurry to end it. In the future I think it would be a great idea to ensure that those who wage war do not profit from it. There should be a very clear distinction and laws that prevent such a vested interest.

But, of course, laws don't seem to apply to the current administration.

Ports? Anyone?

The subject of who is operating our shipping ports here in the USA has quietly been dropped. I haven't heard a single word about it in more than a year. But who is running them? I guess this is my pet topic. I am still greatly concerned.

Drowning in the Waves

It started simply enough with the invention of radio waves (and maybe even before that). We can broadcast signals through the air invisibly and have them received on devices far away. Or bounce invisible waves off an object and detect movement or distance by the return waves. Recently we have discovered many more ways to use invisible waves in all sorts of devices. Just off the top of my head I can think of quite a few:
Television
Radio,
Satellite TV and Radio,
Cell Phones,
Wireless phones,
Microwaves,
Remote Controls,
Wireless Network Routers,
Communication Satellites
Weather Radar
Airport Radar
Every day, all day, we are bombarded by all of this and I bet if I really thought about it there are many more. But just because they are invisible, does that mean they are not harmful? Is it possible all this interference is causing issues like depression, uncontrolled rage or fatigue? It seems like people were generally calmer back before all this technology was developed. I think an in-depth study should be done. We have already seen a possible impact on honey bees. If it can affect them – who knows how it impacts the rest of us.

Coincidence or Conspiracy

The news media is reporting it an amazing coincidence that the father of the man with a rare and hard to treat form of tuberculosis works at the CDC. I find that hard to swallow. It seems more likely that the father’s work is the cause of his son’s infection. And I dare say that the adult son of a man who works with the CDC would be conscious of the fact that he could spread this to others. Further, his travel itinerary is suspicious as well. They all seem apologetic and innocent on the news right now but I can’t help but think there is a larger story here – not short of a conspiracy. Someone needs to do some good investigation on this. It is just the type of behavior I would expect from a bio-terrorist.

And might I just add – as a test of our terrorist preparedness – our immigration system failed miserably. Imagine if someone was trying to spread something more deadly and contagious. The warnings were clear - don't let this person travel - and yet he did. We are not safe.