Archive for November, 2007

CHRISTMAS, ANYONE????

Friday, November 30th, 2007

‘Twas the month before Christmas when all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying nor taking a stand.
Why the PC Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.

The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people’s feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a ‘ Holiday ‘.

Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!

Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.
As Targets are hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe’s the word Christmas - was no where to be found.

At K-Mart and Staples and Penny’s and Sears
You won’t hear the word Christmas; it won’t touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.

Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.

And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.

So as you celebrate ‘Winter Break’ under your ‘DreamTree’
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday

Welcome to Lenoir

Thursday, November 15th, 2007

Image my surprise when I looked at this headline in the local & state section of the Free Press

Welcome to Lenoir

I quickly googled Lenoir to find:

Lenoir is a city in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 16,793 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Caldwell County and is located in the Blue Ridge foothills.

I returned to the article to find out why the Free Press was featuring a story about a town in Caldwell county, as I gazed at the picture more closely I noticed Our Mayor standing at a podium in an auditorium filled with people - low and behold the story was about the new Lenoir County Visitors and Information Center. I somehow missed the news that
Lenoir had annexed Kinston and Lenoir County.

But I digress, I was excited and “Tingley” that we had a Visitors and Information Center, after all some 70 plus thousand people travel Hwy 70. My mistake, I forgot that travelers only pass that way from 9-5 during the week - as luck would have it I got there about 5:15, but that was ok I would still see a brightly lit area, beautiful landscaping and could at least get something from the outdoor snack bar and breath in the beauty of this new crown in to our area.

Mistake #2 - Only light I could find was from a billboard on the property adjacent the center. I expected to see a sign or some marking designating the entrance to drive into, nothing.  I spotted a small driveway and whipped off hwy 70 into the Visitors entrance, wrong again there was an arrow painted on the drive pointing out, not in. The place was closed so no matter. I did see a sign that proclaimed “Kinston we are on the way” but I guess since it was after five the driver was probably across the hwy in that pink motel or something.

To make a long story short - there was no outdoor snack area, no place to let my dog tinkle, no lights but in the back of the building I did spot one of our beautiful roll out garbage containers and on one side of the building there was a bronze statue of a civil war soldier, couldn’t see what the inscription was because it was now really dark.

All is not lost because they have an auditorium and we really need another one in Kinston. Can’t wait to see the first production staring the Mayor and his wife entitled “Four Grecian Urns”.

After looking at the 8th wonder of the world I just can’t imagine why Sir Earl and his merry band of commissioners are confused because the citizens voted against a tax increase to give them more money to spend.

Jay Leno’s perspective — THIS HITS HOME WITH ME!!!

Friday, November 9th, 2007

Someone emailed this very interesting perspective by Jay Leno…

I hope you will all read to the end. Jay Leno puts it into perspective and makes us think about the pathetic negativity. That’s right, Jay Leno!!

Jay Leno wrote this; it’s the Jay Leno we don’t often see….

“The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true, given the source, right?

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed, and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President. In essence, 2/3’s of the citizenry just isn’t happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, ‘’What are we so unhappy about?'’

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?

Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?

Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?

Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time, and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state?

Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?

I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough.

Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all, and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings.

Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler or intrudes , an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?

Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S., yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don’t have , and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the President who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The President who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same President who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The President that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks?

The Commander-In Chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn’t take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad?

Think about it…are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the “Media” told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn’t have to go.

They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ‘’general'’ discharge, an ‘’other than honorable'’ discharge or, worst case scenario, a ‘’dishonorable'’ discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want, but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds, it leads; and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells , and when criticized, try to defend their actions by “justifying” them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about “how he didn’t kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way”…Insane!

Stop buying the negativism you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

We are among the most blessed people on Earth, and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.

“With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, “Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?”

Jay Leno
2007

Please forward this to a friend. There are so many people that need to read this and grasp the truth of it all.