A friend sent me to this URL recently: http://64.177.83.63/liberty/email.htm
The presentation reminds us that freedom comes at a price, and that we must NEVER forget those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.
I know I won’t.
Go visit.

The “Q” section of the Chicago Tribune, for Sunday, July 20, offered this information about AIDS:
*25 MILLION people have been killed worldwide by AIDS over the past 20 years.
*80 MILLION people will have died of AIDS by 2010.
*In 2002, 1.9 BILLION dollars was spend on AIDS prevention worldwide.
*5.7 BILLION dollars will be needed annually for prevention of AIDS by 2006.
In the coming seven years, more than two times as many people will loose their lives to AIDS than in the previous 20 years. These statistics are shocking! Who are we kidding about prevention?
Given that we are talking about a FATAL illness, why have the numbers spiraled in Europe and the USA? The doctors have gotten the word out about abstinance or safe sex, so why do people still risk their lives?
I understand about wanting to get laid. I understand about making love. I understand about drug addiction. I don’t understand about risking my life for either. How many people will die before it’s finally brought under control?

Well, it seems to be my week to be ticked! I’ve been listening to absurd ads on the radio warning us to call our representatives in Washington and tell them to vote NO on the drug importation bill.
What a load of horse hockey!
The parmaceutical companies have made billions off American citizens and they are afraid their cash cow is going to be taken away. Well, it’s about time!
Do you realize that drug makers in the U.S. allow the exact same drugs they sell here to be sold for a fraction of the cost in other countries? Senior citizens who are on fixed budgets have had to take the step of purchasing their prescriptions in Canada or in Mexico for years. The drugs are sold for even less in other countries around the world.
The ads tried to scare listeners by telling them the imported drugs wouldn’t be governed by the guidelines from the FDA, and that’s not so. If you’d like to read just what the House of Representatives intended, visit this post by Congressman Larson of Connecticut.
I have a long way to go to reach retirement, but I’m really concerned that we won’t be able to meet the costs of insurance and prescriptions once we retire. My husband is presently on a prescription that costs more than $120 each month. Do the math. A couple of prescriptions could sink a budget really fast. Insurance isn’t any better. My mother has insurance in addition to Medicare that costs her more than $6000 now. Think what it will cost in 15 years!
The race for the presidential election that’s two years off has already started. You can bet that the cost of drugs and insurance is going to be a hot issue in that race. A candidate that doesn’t have solutions isn’t going to get any support from the baby boomers. And you can be DAMN sure that they won’t get MY vote!

I heard about this on the radio today, and actually surfed to see if it was really true. It seems that a prisoner in New York wants the State of New York to pay for his sex change to the tune of $500,000, and then move him to a women’s prison.
The article suggests that to deny this man his sex change would be cruel and unusual punishment, and that it’s a medical issue, and therefore can’t be ignored. They liken it to a person knowing they have diabetes before they enter prison requiring treatment once they are incarcerated.
If he has begun the change, I might understand petitioning to continue it. But, if this is his fondest wish, and he didn’t act on it BEFORE he went to jail…..then I don’t see why the state should be obligated to foot the bill.
Personally, I feel that we spend all together too much money making our prisoners happy and comfortable. There are a LOT of people in the US who can’t afford TV, Cable hookups, an exercise gym, and unlimited education. IF prison was a less pleasant place, maybe fewer people would be willing to risk going there.
A friend told me today that an ex-con was interviewed about the situation, and he said that if HALF the money spent on locking people up was diverted to creating jobs for released prisoners, fewer would repeat their offenses. They can study all they want in jail, and it doesn’t do them any good because no one will hire them once they are released.
I propose we make it a really unpleasant place to go….and do everything we can to prevent those who have been incarcerated from going back. And, this turkey can have his sex change when he has raised the funds! Maybe the inmates will contribute to his fund drive.

There have been a number of incidents lately that point out what a melting pot we are. The most recent one that comes to mind is the case of the woman who wanted to have her driver’s license picture taken wearing a chador. (I believe that’s what it’s called. Forgive me if I’ve erred.) In case you missed the decision, she did NOT win her case, and must show her face if she wants the license.
I mention that situation because it is an example of a change in the expectations of those who wish to emigrate to the United States. At one time, immigrants rushed to find a way to fit into society here. They pushed their children to do well in school, found entry level jobs and worked their way up. And in the process, they learned English so they could read the newspapers and understand the laws.
Now, I’m finding that people are moving to the United States and trying to make us over into the image of the country they have left, with freedom. It concerns me terribly that there is less effort to learn English these days. Newcomers move into an area where friends and relatives have settled, and they learn the ropes from someone who has been here for a bit, but they resist learning the language.
I’m concerned for several reason. First, it’s easy to take advantage of those who don’t know English. If you can’t read English, you can’t go on-line or to the library to learn about things like Social Security cards. I’m sure I know people who have been sold a card that is free to all. It is much easier to prey on someone who can’t read the news, or learn the laws, or understand the political system in our country.
Second, those who live here without mastering English, are relegated to the most menial of jobs, at the lowest pay levels. I don’t want you to misunderstand; there’s nothing wrong with low paying jobs, but one of the things that draws people to us is the opportunity for an improved standard of living. Why would you go through the hardship of relocating, and not do everything you can to find a job that you enjoy?
Which brings me to the thought that when you choose to live in America, you need to embrace all aspects of American life. We have been called a “melting pot.” I’ve always thought our strength lies in our ability to take the best of each culture and blend it into the mix that is uniquely American. We need our new citizens to participate in government so that they are represented. We need their influence on our arts and customs. If they are bound by lack of language into a ghetto, they fail to grow and nurture the whole.
And, in times like these, where we fear for our safety, we need to know that those who live here will work toward the goal of national safety; that they will support the choices our government makes, or work to change those choices through acceptable channels. We’ve come to a time when we need to be united, and unfamiliarity with English prevents that unity.
The federal government spends incredible amounts to provide tax information in dozens of languages. I’d rather they provided classes in English. Some states, California comes to mind, are requiring their schools to be bi-lingual. I think the students would make faster progress if the schools focused on English. There should be classes for immigrants to learn English, but the students need to be mainstreamed as quickly as possible into classes where English is the only language spoken. Stop encouraging activities that divide us!
This may seem like a tough stand, but it’s been proven to work. If you read about immigration in the 1800’s you’ll find that those people didn’t expect a handout. They knew it would be difficult, and they waded in and eagerly assimilated. I think we need to encourage everyone who lives within our borders to embrace ENGLISH!

It seems that my entry on June 9th has been a magnet for people who are being hounded by the Illinois Tollway Authority for failing to pay tolls. One of the first people to comment said that he had a coming hearing. I’m glad to say that he was successful in his protest, and has been excused from his fines. But, it seems that he is the exception that makes the rule.
If this is a subject of interest to you, I recommend that you go into the archives and read the comments from June 9th. You’ll find advice on how to prepare for your hearing, and also information on two lawyers who may bring a class action suit against the Tollway Authority.
Apparently, law abiding toll payers who pass through the gate rather than waiting for the light to change to green have been rounded up in the hunt for the scofflaws. It seems that the delay in registering the toll is causing a serious problem. Another problem is the number of malfunctioning toll booths. The Authority assumes that IPASS equipment malfunctions and that the toll booths always work right.. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds in the courts.
To those of you who paid the tolls….good luck with your cases. To those of you who didn’t….pony up!

This list is the top 30 searches on Lycos for the week ending May 5, 2003:
1 X2: X-Men United
2 Tattoos
3 KaZaA
4 SARS
5 Dragonball
6 Kentucky Derby
7 American Idol
8 Prom Hairstyles
9 Britney Spears
10 Mother’s Day
11 The Matrix Reloaded
12 NFL
13 50 Cent
14 WWE
15 Atkins Diet
16 Las Vegas
17 NASCAR
18 Pamela Anderson
19 NBA
20 IRS
21 Marijuana
22 Yu-Gi-Oh!
23 Jennifer Lopez
24 Brooke Burke
25 Dixie Chicks
26 Baseball
27 Eminem
28 Harry Potter
29 Christina Aguilera
30 Iraq Rebuilding
Please note the type of subject that makes up the first 29, and then look at the 30th. How naive we are to let the subject of rebuilding Iraq fall to 30.
I suppose this gives us some idea of the median age level of the people surfing at Lycos. *GRINS*

Since I posted, more information has been made available about the hazing incident in Northbrook. I’ve seen footage of it on the TV, and listened to commentary on the radio.
It seems the girls organized this activity on their own, without the sanction of the school. It took place off the school grounds, and <u>legally</u> is not the school’s responsibility. At one time, this type of activity was allowed, but the school ended the practice when it became too rough.
The senior girls ordered yellow sweatshirts for themselves, and white ones for the juniors, and then invited the juniors to participate at a cost of $35-40. The principal wondered why anyone would accept an invitation to be hazed. I wonder why they stayed and put up with it when it got bad.
The juniors were huddled on the ground , surrounded by a circle of seniors, being smeared with all sorts of offensive things, and struck. Several people video taped the entire episode!
The best of the comments that I have heard so far have to do with responsibility. The KIDS should be held responsible for their actions , and so should their parents, since the girls are still minors.
The school had both the students and their parents sign a code of behavior at the start of the school year that would preclude behavior like this. While the senior girls will not be suspended, they have been banned from extracurricular activities. I bet the next howl we will hear will be from the parents of the girls who will not be allowed to go to prom!
A more militant opinion was that the police should have been called, and this should have been pursued legally. It would surely give other students pause for thought.
I don’t know yet how aggressively I’d pursue this. We need to work with younger children to instill respect for their classmates, rather than putting out fires in high school. And I STILL think hazing should be banned!

I was reading the Chicago Tribune, and came across this article http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-030508hazing,1,6268353.story?coll=chi%2Dnewslocal%2Dhed.
In a prosperous town North of Chicago, the junior and senior girls were having a “powder puff” football game, that turned into a hazing of the junior girls. The juniors were pelted with mud and feces, splattered with paint, and beaten up. Two of the girls needed medical attention.
Two assumptions made in the article truly bothered me. It was suggested that parents had provided alcohol, and also had helped to gather the feces used in the hazing. What parent in their right mind would have done that?? The sanitary considerations alone make this a dangerous and stupid activity, but what kind of message did they give their children? “It’s okay to play with feces, honey; they won’t hurt you at all!” “Go ahead and drink in public…..everyone else does!” “BASH that girl! You’ve hated her all year; now’s your chance to give her one!”
Where were the school officials who should have been present for a school activity? Was this planned to take place in the Forest Preserve so that school officials wouldn’t be there? And what about parents who were present? Why didn’t they stop it?
Hazing is inappropriate! ANYWHERE! I was involved in a hazing situation at college, and learned that even at that age, students still need guidance. The book “Lord of the Flies” runs through my mind every time I hear about students having the chance to assert their authority over classmates. We need to do a lot more to be sure that young people understand the need for social interaction, and how it works.
It’s old fashioned, but I’ve always used this as my guide: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Yep….the Golden Rule. Generations have used it successfully, but I’m beginning to worry that it’s going to fall by the wayside. Just how do you pursuade the junior girls that revenge isn’t sweet, and necessary? After all……they’d just be doing what has been done to them!
NO MORE HAZING!

About three weeks ago, I read an article in the Chicago Tribune about Andrea Prosse, a former Air Force Acadamy cadet. It was this article that made me decide I wanted to blog, because I was so incensed at the state of affairs in our military academies.
Ms. Prosse was in the upper third of her class, and had shown exceptional leadership skills when she was sanctioned by her fellow classmates and forced to leave school, 8 days before graduating.
While she was a student, she had dated a classmate at the Academy, and when she chose to break off the relationship, he stalked and harrassed her for more than a year. She finally asked upperclassmen, and her instructors, for assistance, and was told she had to resolve the issue on her own.
In her last semester of school, she was working on an engineering project, and the stalker accused her of lying about where she got the design for the engine she was using in the project. She had borrowed the design <u>with permission</u>, but she was tried by her peers and and forced to leave the Academy. Lying is considered an offense punishable by dismissal.
This woman was planning to become a fighter pilot, and then an astronaut, and now her plans will never see fruition. She doesn’t have her college degree, and since she can’t serve in the Air Force, the government is charging her for four years of education.
She chose to come forward about all this, because even if the case is overturned, and she is reinstated, her male classmates feel she has broken the code by speaking out about a fellow classmate, and has dishonored the Academy in doing so. She will never be able to effectively lead as an officer with this in her background, so this web of lies has destroyed her life long plans.
I have a <b>HUGE</b> problem with an institution that encourages this type of behavior. My tax dollars are going to support a place that feels loyalty to the institution is more important than honesty. Furthermore, the male cadets closed ranks behind the male cadet despite the fact that his actions were clearly self-serving, and this points up the fact that the future leaders of our military place little value on gentlemanly behavior, and NO value on women in the service.
All of this has come on the heels of of 47 women telling their Congressmen that they had been raped or assaulted while they were at the Air Force Acadamy. (Ms. Prass was assaulted by an upperclassman.) At least four of the top officers at the Academy have been asked to step down, but I don’t think changing officers at the top is sufficient. Women who elect to serve our county shouldn’t have to worry about defending themselves from OUR military personnel.
I don’t have the solution to this mess, but I want to see those in charge take the matter more seriously! What do YOU think? Is there a place for women in the services?