~ R.I.P~ THE AMERICAN WAY~

Today is one of the saddest days of my life. I say this unequivocally,without reservation. I say this bearing in mind all the tradgedys that this life has seen fit to deal me as my hand.Today one more little piece,one small piece of what I hold dear has been taken away. Not for its becoming broken or outdated or even out of fashion,but for it losing it's potential for making a profit. To increase it's profitability in the "World Market".Like some kind of diseased whore......"I'm only in it for the money."
I'm sure by now some of my readers are wandering just what I am going on about....well in the new Superman movie they have eliminated a part of his creed. From day one Superman stood for "Truth, Justice, and the American Way.This was something solid. Something we could hang on to. Something children could hold near and dear. A sort of guide to live your life by. Goals to try and emulate. Knowing these things to be good and right and proper. The "American Way" we would defend to the end if necessary the "American Way" regardless what its cost is.We would and did sacrifice those lives in huge numbers to promote the American Way. Don't believe me? Think I'm over reacting? Look at the endless rows of white crosses ,standing as a mute tribute, to the "American Way" at Arlington National cemetery perhaps gaze at that strangely quiet field known as Flanders Field in France. These people, knew the value of the "American Way"
they paid the price to spread that word.
Look at our borders. People are trying desperately to find a way to get here. To enjoy "The American Way" they risk their lives as a matter of routine, just to be here,to breathe the free air to be allowed to do as they please,when the want to.The "American Way" has immeasurable value and yet Hollyweird says because they want to make more money,to increase their profitability they eliminate the phrase "The American Way" from Supermans creed.
I feel this is a act of treason . It is so insidious. It whittles aways one more little piece of American uniqueness.For money,.......money. They sold out the hopes and dreams and sacrifices of untold numbers of people for money. Is there a word that is dispicable enough to describe them ?If there is I would love to know it. I would love to shout it from the mountaintops. From shore to shore of this great country. God bless America and may God bless and keep "The American Way"

~ When Are They Going To Learn ? ~

I want to rant a little about the main stream media. It is the primary information source for most of our country. As much as myself and my fellow bloggers want to think that we are reaching out and touching a lot of people it is a fly spec in proportion to those who turn on Wolf Blitzer or Charlie Gibson .
In light of that, our media has a obligation to report as accurately and as truthfully as humanly possible to inform the general public of the facts in each and every news story.
Dan Rather did not, and it cost him his career and his network their credibility to some degree. It cost the public the ability to believe what they see or hear on the news. More importantly it has made a nation of cynics out of us. How many times are we charged with the admonition to believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see.
We are in a situation now where we are engaged in a brutal war to help a nation rid itself of tyrant whose likes have not been seen since Adolf Hitler. The media reports as its agenda dictates as opposed to the truth of what is really going on. We hear stories posted in the msm of how our troops murdered citizens in cold blood. Well as far as I know our troops have not given up their right to be considered innocent until proven to be guilty. Storyies like this turn our peoples minds from the reality of what is going on. The Insurgents will lie to serve their own agenda and have more insurgents swear that it is true.We have been accused of mis- treating our prisoners of war. Perhaps we shoud have Sen. McClain exactly what mistreatment in a POW camp is really like. We have been acused of being ruthless in our dealings with the Iraqi's. I have not heard how ruthless and against the Geneva Convention is the way the two soldiers who were just kidnapped, brutalized, and beheaded the way the insurgents are behaving.
And yes Virginia there were Weapons Of Mass Destruction found in Iraq they were trucked to Lybia and are hidden there or somewhere else for use by the terrorists.
And how long will it take before the good people of the world understand that it won't be long before the terrorists strike in their homeland. Killing their familys. Our media needs to get their heads all the way out of their collective asses and start telling the truth...... the whole truth .....not just some version that suits their agenda or their bosses agenda or perhaps their owners wallet.
We have had two attacks on American soil with nearly 3,000 fatalitys. We better wake the hell up before 3,000 looks like a mere drop in the bucket. Surely the terrorists will go where it is easyest to do the most damage and if our media is willing to convince the public that there is in reality, no problem and the terrorists are really freedom fighters, fighting against all forms of oppression, we better invest in a coffin company cause the body count right here in America will go through the roof.

~ UPDATE ~

As promised......I said I would keep everyone informed and I will. The Endoscopy went very well and posed no problem at all. The medical staff was considerate and informative each step of the way. I realized absolutely no pain and the scope never bothered me at all. I suppose it was from the novacain I was given to gargle with prior to insertion of the tube. They also ( as a matter of routine ) did a biopsy of my stomach tissues and the Doc said he expected no problem but still was required to send the sample for analyses. All in all it was painless and easy. I am scheduled the 17 of July for the proctoscope and I hope that goes as well. I understand the worst part of that test is the preparation. Before they let me go home, they gave me two photos with 4 images on each of my innards......talk about introspection....

~STEP 987 ~

Well tomorrow is what seems like step 987 in what must be the worlds longest journey.I am scheduled up for a endoscopy tomorrow. I am waiting on the hospital to call and let me know what time they want me, but, regardless of the time I will be there so that I can step one process closer to my goal. Some time in early July I will also be scheduled for the EWWWWWW, the much dreaded.....Proctoscope. I suppose regardless of needing clearence for my surgery, the proctoscope should be performed on everyone at age fifty to help protect from the possiblitity of colo-rectal cancers.So having dodged this rather blunt bullet and all my aprehension this long I suppose it is time I take it like a a stout heart. I will post on my results as soon as I know them. I`ve heard that you can actualy order a DVD I suppose to show with the rest of the family albums....................... 

One Small Step For Mankind....A Hell Of A Leap For Me

As I have posted previously one more step has been taken towards my by-pass surgery. I passed my stress test (I'm not sure if that means I have plenty of stress or my stress levels are low)regardless though, I have scheduled for the Endoscopy and Proctoscope .By mid July ,as far as I can tell all i will have to do is get through the physcological evaluation and I will be ready for the surgery. I truly had no idea that it would of taken as long as it has.
I will never look like the guy in the photo that I have posted,nor do I want to . Geeze the guy is as bald as a Q ball!! I have come to terms with the fact that I will never have a athletic body. As a matter of fact I would look silly if I did. But the dream of being fit enough to be able to do things for myself is certainly starting to come into my mind. Perhaps walk the 300 feet or so to the river and fish a little or be able to tie my own shoes. I don't know how I got this fat but I do know that it will be nice being a little smaller. A man can dream can't he?

~ MEMORIAL DAY ~

As we approach this day to remember our brave sons and daughters,brothers and sisters,uncles or aunts that have fallen in battle to protect our nation,or perhaps to bring freedom from tyrany or even to bring a better life to most of the peoples of the world, I must ask myself why.
Oh not why we do it but why those who we do it for don't appreciate it. Most aren't even aware of the basic knowledge that a citizen of our nation should.
I was listening to talk radio yesterday and the radio personality was talking to five college grads or seniors. Out of that lot of obviously intellegent folks only one knew knew who the vice president was, he also knew who the sec. of state was. he was not able to either sing or recite the words to the National anthem or the pledge of allegience. One person got as far as "and to the publik that it stands for and was stymied.
So I ask my self why do we keep on ? Why do men and women try and keep the American way of life? Why do we give up our sons and daughters for a bunch of people who never bothered to take the time to learn the most rudimentry aspects of our history. Maybe we would be better off being ASSIMILATED by the mexican horde at least they have some ethnic pride, they at least are aware of their history.I truly don't understand how I can be so proud to be a American ..........and so ashamed at the same time. 

~ WORLDS WORST MOM ~

Once more, the worlds worst mother has come to my attention. Her disrespect for her fallen hero son is way past anything that could be imagined. Cindy Sheehan is too busy out and about to bother to mark the grave of her son. Casey Sheehan was killed in the line of duty. He gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect and defend the United States Of America. He swore an oath and held to his pledge till he drew his last breath. His mother was properly notified and was given a quarter of a million dollars in insurance money that she refused to part with to mark his final resting spot can understand that it may of been a financial hardship to part with any of that cash BUT the Veterans Administration would pay for a marker that would be appropriate to the other markers in the cemetery. All she need do is authorize it and pick it out. She seems too busy to do even that for one of Americas finest. God Bless you Casey Sheehan. You didn't have a mom but at least you had a country that loved you and will remember you.

When Yer Wrong Yer Wrong

Dear Mr. President, I hate to give you this thumbs down because I have been one of your biggest supporters. You missed a perfect opportunity to show the Chinese a life lesson yesterday. When Pres. Hu Jintao was with you at the brief press conference and a documented press representative from the Epoch Times, a New York based newspaper, spoke out,her name is Wang Wenyi and is obviously a chinese national. She was quickly whisked away and you apoligized for the incedent you would of been better served by stating that this is America Mr. President, and we believe in free speech. Sometimes its difficult but in all the world there isn't a finer system. You must not ever let a chance to shine go by.

Brad and Angelina Is Pleased to Announce~~~~~

Thank God that Brad and Angie finally decided where, their as yet unborn son, is to be born.............Nambibia. Finally a movie star of his caliber and I might point out huge resourses, has decided to take all precautions in the birth of his son and cause him to be close to all possible medical resourses in a forward thinking,technically advanced country like Nambibia. I must say that I am a little jealous of Brad and Angies finances. If I lived in Nambibia I wouldn`t need to jump through all these hoops the doctors here in America are making me go through in order to get my gastric - bypass.I would venture to say that it probably wouldn't even be necessary in the first place. Oh and further kudos to the happy couple for making sure that the newborn is taken care of in the future.....He will be given a African name to go along with his Nambibian citizenship. Sometimes the sun surely seems to shine on certain folks.....

OH YEA ? WHAT WOULD you DO?

Well come on.......... Tell me........... Just tell me...................What would YOU do? What would you do if you were President Of The United States Of America? Understand there are tens of thousands of things that more than likely require the attention of POTUS on a daily basis. Bear in mind that each decision could have the potential to cost lives, win or lose large sums of money,and or effect peoples lives in extraordinary ways. What are the top five things you would do, and in what order?Oh BTW don`t allow your personal feelings, or family members,Or friends situations figure into your decisions,determine what five things you would do based totally benefiting the greater number of people,oh did I forget to say that,you being the President ofUnited States, must also consider the world wide ramifications of each seemingly small thing.
On the surface the above seems a daunting task,well it is. But I'm a generous kind of fellow. I will gleefully throw in the patience of Job, the wisdom of Solomon, the determination of Attilla, the strength of Hercules, the foresite of H.G. Wells.Still quite the task isn't it? What would you do? What would you mandate? Please help me tell me ? I wanna know? or maybe I wanna see if you know,or if anyone knows OR are we are as a nation,turned into a bunch of whiners will complain regardless of who is doing the job or even how well he/she is doing that thankless task.

Another follow - up on my road to a thinner, trimmer, movie star type body. Hah like any of that could ever be. I was set back last week due to the med staff neglecting to tell me to quit my meds 48 hours prior to testing time,so it was re-scheduled for this Wed. & Thur. I reported as requested at 7:00 A.M. and was promptly told that I was too debilitated and my breathing was so labored from not being on my meds for two days prior to my test,that they were afraid to do the test because there was a real danger of going into respiratory arrest. I was carted to the Emergency room for further evaluation and the ER doc concurred that I needed admitted and some intesive treatment on my breathing. I spent the next two days getting breathing treatments and huge doses of steroids which, although ultimately bad for you, really work wonders for aches and pains and to restore capabiltys for breathing . I can actually walk without groans and moans now till the seroids wear off, about a week they say.
So much for the news report, but for my impression of the medical arena I am sorely tried to keep from screaming at these people. I was admitted to a nice room on the sixth floor of our local hospital and that is as far as my satisfaction went. I had no hot water to clean my self with or to shower. Their solution is to give me a zip lock bag with about 6 or 8 washcloths soaked in some sort of soapy solution and some water and put in a microwave till steamy. I asked what this was and the told me with some pride..............a bath in a bag. Grrrrrrrrr I want a hot steamy shower and hot water and soap to wash my hands after using the toilet.My bed was a good quality hospital grade bed, BUT it had some sort of sheet material that was horribly uncomfortable. It stuck to your body but wouldn`t stay tucked in, it slipped off the pillows exposing the plastic pillows so a good nights sleep was impossible. I think it is probably a moot point due to the fact that they come in and check on you at least hourly. If all you need is rest I reccomend a four star hotel, you will feel a hell of a lot better and not spend near as much money. So all this means that I must wait another two weeks as per my doc before I can get the stress test and once through that on to the next aspect of the qualifying process for the Gastric By- Pass surgery that I need so badly.Wish me well!!! 

~ One More Step ~

As promised another update on my gastric by-pass path. I ask myself sometimes why people get frustrated about things and it is a process like this that brings clarity to me. I was scheduled for the stress test part of the process on Wednesday and was to call in on Tuesday for instructions. As per my directions I did so and was told that I could not take the test because they neglected to inform me at my Doctors office that I was to not take my breathing medications for the two days prior to the test and my diabetic med the day of the test. This translates into another week lost till I can reschedule. OK get over it no big deal. I am rescheduled for this week coming up for that. I had that aspect resolved and could move on to getting a colonoscopy and a endoscopy performed. I show up at this doctors office, and the doctors wife is his secretary and receptionist.....1st warning sign was they called four hours before my scheduled apt. Time and rescheduled me six hours later because the doctor had a emergency. As far as I am concerned those things happen but usually not six hours in advance. 2nd warning sign...... I am the only patient there,hmmmmmmmmm. The receptionist / secretary / wife / concubine,shows me to a exam room where I spend the next hour waiting for the good doctor to show up. Being a observant type I check out the room and it's furnishings and supplies. I notice only one exam glove left in the box. A trash receptacle that is over flowing with the somewhat disgusting traces of prior exams and worst sin of worst sins ,the trash can liner is a simple trash bag like you would use at home as opposed to a red bio - hazard bag as required by law, considering what is contained in this vessel. The exam room in general ,has a palor of a over used,run down ,cheap motel. 3 rd warning sign..........Doc finally shows and wants to know before even even exchanging niceties how do I intend to pay, and was I aware that he only accepts cash for my co-pay.I am beginning to doubt that this physcian and his obvious dedication to upholding the Hippocratic Oath is going to be appropriate for me. He will do I believe, for these testing processes, but I am so glad that the caregiver I have selected to do my surgery, is clearly superior to this poor excuse for a doctor. He may even be the poster boy for malfeasence.

The Beginning Of The Process

As I promised, I would keep everyone updated as to my progress in the ordeal to get the gastric by-pass surgery that hopefully will allow me to get my life back. Next week the testing begins in earnest. I have been on a supervised weight loss program for the last six months, and now that that aspect has been completed next week seems to be filled with the testing process. I have to go to the hospital for two consecutive days to get a stress test. This will be a chemically induced stress situation as my damaged leg will not allow me to actually walk the dreaded treadmill.They will inject me with some sort of stimulant to mimic physical effort on my part and then take x - rays of my heart. I will have to return the next day for another injection and more heart x - rays. They day after that, I must report to a Gastro-Enterologist to get examined for a colonoscopy and a endoscopy. I hope they can do them both in the same day,but needless to say, I trust different scopes.Once these are completed they will decide if moving along is warranted and if so, the next step is a physcological evaluation to see if i'm doing this for all the right reasons. I am sure that they will not mistake me for a annorexic wannabe. I must also get extensive blood work prior to the surgery and then I can finally get on with the process. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers.......I will post more as soon as I know more.

BY GONE ERA

It came in one of my decreasing moments of lucidity.......Things that are no more........Soft drinks in bottles made from glass, penny candy, and if you were a frugal child you could sometimes find two for a penny. Drive in movies and barber shops. The one that I visited in my youth was a three chair shop. There was Tony and Joe and that extra chair towards the back of the tonsorial emporium belonged to Tony senior who passed long before I was even born,but they kept his area in a respectful tribute to Tonys father. You would come in and the smells told you you were in the right place. The smell of cigar and cigarette smoke.The sweet smell of tonic water that Tony would sprinkle on you liberally when he was done. You sat in the row of leather upholstered chairs that ran along one wall and took a magazine even if there was no one in the chair. Sooner or later ,when he was ready Tony would give you the nod and you would go and settle into the most comfortable chair imaginable. It had a leg rest and a foot rest and even a head rest.It was made from stainless steel,wood and soft leather. Tony would get out a fresh paper neckband and wrap it around your neck and then he would get the cape from its place on the back of the chair and place it tightly around your neck to protect your clothing from the hair that he cut . He would ask you "what can I do for you today young man?" You told him "a shave and a haircut please Tony" he would gently recline you and take a hot steaming towel from its cabinet and wrap it round and round on your face and let it soften your beard while he stropped his straight razor. He would remove the towel and apply warm shaving cream from the dispenser, and shave you as clean as a new born baby's bottom. He would then set you upright and cut your hair the way he thought it should be cut. Then another hot towel to clean the remnants of the shaving cream off your face. He would then take a little tonic and shake it on your scalp and comb your hair with a fine toothed comb, dry your neck and your ears with another dry clean towel, and spin you around so you could see your haircut in the panoramic mirror as he removed the cape with a theatrical flair like to say........."Here he is folks" That would be $1.75 please. I would always give him two bucks because my Dad said that is what you should do. You would walk out of there looking and smelling like a new man.Those days are I'm afraid, long gone. You are not forgotten Tony....thanks for making me feel like the King of the world so many times.

~ BLACK HISTORY MONTH ~

Our local newspaper is celebrating "Black History Month" by having a open forum on famous black people in history. The newspapers invitation was "Area students are being asked to take a journey through the history of the world we live in and choose a famous Black American leader that has made a impact on all of our lives".
Our youth came up with influential people of color who made significant impacts on our lives. These people ranged from Brianna Scurry, who is currently a goal keeper for the Olympic soccer teams. To the old standard of George Washington Carver, who was a accomplished horticulturist.
There were 13 outstanding students who entered this competition, and in actuality it taught me things I didn't know. What puzzeled me was that of all the people who entered this contest NONE were black. ZERO ~ZED ~ZILCH ~NOT NARY A ONE. Is black history month only to be celebrated by white people or do none of the blacks in this area care about their fore fathers 

~ LOSS ~

Loss. It comes in hundreds, no, thousands of varieties. Some are insignificant like your team losing the big game or perhaps losing a few bucks on the lottery. Some are very important ones like you just lost your job, or perhaps you lost your temper with someone who means a lot to you.The worst kinds of losses are ones that can never be made right again. This is the kind of loss that unfortunately paid me a visit yesterday. One of my friends passed to the other side. He had been sick but everyone expected him to recover. There will be times that I will think of him and perhaps a tear will come or even a smile but there will never be a time when I won't feel the loss of this good man. Friends like him don't come often but when they do they leave a impression. He has left a impression even bigger than he was. May God rest his weary soul.

~ Hate Crimes ~

It has come to this feeble little brain after reading a story about nearly 600 prisoners in the Los Angeles County jail system wanting to transfer all of these prisoners into the state system to prevent further fighting and rioting amongst the reported 600 inmates. I was appalled,but not surprised to hear that the ACLU was called in and is attempting to turn all these situations into "HATE CRIMES".
First off I never saw a crime that was committed against someone you "LIKED" . They were particularly concerned when rioting broke out between two Hispanics and four Blacks who by the way were all locked in the same cell. Who were they gonna fight...The Chinese down on the next cell block>? Damn people gimmie a break.......When people are locked up in cages they do not have a tendency to settle disputes with diplomatic efforts. Whoever is stronger has their way in all things.......A good incentive to stay out of jail,or prison, or any other sort of incarceration. At least that is the way I see it here on Arrathorns Alley.

~ NATURAL DISASTERS ~

Michael Brown is expected to give sworn testimony today regarding the federal governments less than timely response to the effects of Hurricane Katrina. First off, I think that what they are looking for is a whipping boy,someone to point at and say hey it wasn't me it was HIS fault.
I have some experience in flood matters, some years ago we were flood victims right here in my little town. The rains came and wouldn't stop it rained for nearly a week steadily.At times heavily. We live along the banks of a lovely and usually benign river, but after these ceaseless rains, the banks were swollen with flood water. There is a large dam and another river at the headwaters of the river I live on. Some one at this dam, decided to open the wickets a little and let off some of the water pressure because they were afraid that the dam would burst. They did and debrie from that river clogged the wickets and they couldn't`t close them. On our river we have a series of locks and dams to control the water level and promote navigation. They held back as much water as they could to protect Pittsburgh which is downstream from us. Now the interesting part is Pittsburgh is at the bottom of the glass and simple physics dictates that the glass will fill from the bottom up unless the dams intentionally hold back the water.So in light of that we filed a class action suit to recover our damages. It went through the court system and they found the power company and the operators of the upstream dam were guilty of malfeasance BUT they could not be held culpable. This, very simply , means yeah they did it but they don't have to pay . Thank you very much so instead of the help we thought we would get, we were permitted to borrow money from the federal government and repair our homes. Lesson learned? If you live in a area that is lower than the water level..Expect a flood. If you get flooded ..Shut up about it cause it will not matter how vociferous you are no one is going to give you anything for nothing and the truth of it is, you deserve nothing . Fema or any other group is not responsible for your mis- fortune. If you qualify and get a loan take it and repair your homes or move out of the flood zone and start over like so many of us have. They took us out of our home by boat and as soon as the water went down we shoveled our way back in and started the re-build it was hard ,brutal work that often times was heart breaking when somewhere in the mud and debri you found a treasure you held dear and it was destroyed. A trinket your children made in school gone. Human nature says you suck it up and move on. That in and of its self is what New Orleans needs to do. They want to be a first class American city then act like first class Americans and get the job done. At least that is the way I see it on here Arrathorns alley.

~ WHAT DO THEY KNOW ~

Don't eat bacon.....It has carcinogens that can potentially cause cancer. Don`t drink coffee it may be harmful to your health. Don't eat butter .....use margarine .............Don't use margarine use butter it is better for you. Don't ever drink milk when you are dieting it has way too many fats in it. .....Oh wait you need four glasses of milk per day when your dieting it helps you shed the pounds faster.
It turns out that the government has just spent about fifty bajillion bucks to find out that a fat free diet is not at all good for you. you must have some fats in your diet.
It seems to me that our government should be in the business of repairing our infrastructure, supplying our military with what they need to wage this war in Iraq. Providing the necessary police and fire departments the training and finance needed to protect our citizenry and staying the Hell out of the pork barrel funding of all these unnecessary and ultimately mis-begotten studies. As far as I know not one of them has ever proven out to be factual and the recommendations they made to be in vogue for more than a few months,before another study, equally inaccurate, divulges what the previous study stated as absolute gospel truth. At least that is the way I see it here at Arrathorns Alley

~ EXCUSE ME? ~

What on earth was this Dimocrat thinking at Mrs. Coretta Kings funeral? Her funeral was attended by no less than four presidents and by any standards it was a impressive tribute to this womans ceaseless efforts to bring racial equality to America. She worked tirelessly untill she had a National holiday named for her husband. This is a honor that has only been afforded two other men in history ,George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, mighty fine company if you ask me.
Former President Carter went on to say that racism still exists in America and to prove that all one has to do is look at the color of the faces of those who were victims of Hurricane Katrina. Is he going to sit there with a straight face and say that this hurricane only affected people of color?This this giant rainstorm somehow only fell on areas where people of color lived?"
It is a good damn thing that the only thing he is allowed to touch now a days is a hammer and nails. When I think of it ,in all of the many pictures of Jimmy in a habitat for humainty setting, I have never seen a saw in his hand, perhaps they knew all along he couldn't be trusted with anything sharp. It is people like him that give Southerners and Democrats a bad name. At least that is the way I see it here on Arrathorns Alley.