Just Get Over It!

And so with the flip of a calendar page, football is back, and so are they. Many people absolutely hate them. Despise their ways. Jealousy abounds their success. Superior confidence on their part is mistaken for arrogance. Their secrecy is longed for by other teams. They've been called cheaters, the favored team, the commissioner's pet team, cocky, unsportsmanlike, just to name a few. But all of this and much more not even worthy of mention cannot take away from the cold, hard, unmistakable fact that the New England Patriots are back. Whether they have a successful season or not will be determined on the field. Experts say they are the favored team, but getting past all that, they have to play the games. All the talk in the world won't change this, and like any of you reading this who may have your deserved allegiances to YOUR team, I still maintain MINE for Tom Brady and company.

"You Lie"

And with those two words, President Obama's speech the other evening was interrupted rudely by South Carolina Representative Joe Wilson. The President, while taken by surprise, continued on as he should have. Of course, this is not anything new, as previous Presidents were also subjected to this kind of rudeness. Now, while I may not be an Obama supporter, and disagree with his methods of rule, he is still my President and the office itself should command respect. I hope these incidents serve as lessons to Obama supporters, many of whom probably were on the giving end towards previous administrations. Joe Wilson issued an apology for his rudeness, and while being caught up in the emotion of the moment, Mr. Wilson should never forget that it's about the office, not the individual.

An Unforgetable Day

Today begins as it customarily does for me with a 9 am wake up in order that I may take the first of five pills in the morning. A half hour later, I make my way down to the kitchen for breakfast, after which the remainder of my medication is popped. Today I manage to find myself off from work, so I can adjust my gears into the relaxation mode. With rain infesting our part of the country, the mode will remain lazy throughout the day. But all of this seems minuscule when compared to how many people in the rest of the country will be spending their day.

Today marks the eighth anniversary of the horrific attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, The Pentagon in Washington, and that peaceful field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. It will be a day of remembering for many; of how some of them suffered on that beautiful September day with the loss of a loved one, or the loss of innocence when it comes to our children. Maybe it's the reminder to all of us of what the true meaning of life really is, and how precious our short time on this earth can be.

For whatever reason we chose to remember 911, we should do so by taking a few moments to refocus our views on how more than a thousand people were condemned to death on that day for simply going to work and living their lives. Along with time, memories can fade, and the 911 attacks should never become part of that equation.

Remembering 911

On September 11, 2006, the fifth anniversary of the 911 attacks, the Tear Drop Memorial pictured here was dedicated in Bayonne, New Jersey just across the Hudson River from the New York skyline. Donated by Russian artist Zurab Tesesetei and the Russian people, the memorial serves as a reminder of the struggle against world terrorism. Today we observe the eighth anniversary of the attacks, and I have chosen to feature this memorial as the focal point of my posting. I personally have found that its' design helps promote both healing and peace. In addition to the teardrop being aligned with the Statue of Liberty, the base wall is adorned with the names of the victims who lost their lives on that tragic day.

What Teleprompter?

My customary stint at the keyboard this morning yielded me an exceptional e-mail. My thanks to my dear cousin Joan for passing this one on to me. This You Tube video features an eleven year old young lady delivering an American Freedom speech in Florida this past July 4th. There is clearly no teleprompter being used, and it even looks like she has no script. If liberals are afraid of Sarah Palin, they had better add this young lady to the mix. If she is this passionate and well versed at this age, imagine the future that could be awaiting her as a public servant. I have attached the link to this incredible video below for your listening pleasure. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHieqM1hKsg

Too Little Too Late

I read in this morning's news that the exact location of Michael Jackson's tomb will be kept secret 'forever'. Well, don't you know that really is a bit of news that I couldn't live without knowing. The reason given by an unidentified source is that it will keep away paparazzi and the like. Isn't this whole CIA tactic being implemented in a 'cart before the horse' manner? Why would so much effort go into protecting him from harm's way now when the time he really needed this was when he was still alive? No one seemed to pay much (if any) attention to his critical needs then. Now that the autopsy results have painted a rather clear picture of Michael Jackson's life behind the scenes, getting him the help he really needed is a rather mute point. I'm not stating that this would have been an easy thing to do, after all he was a 50 year old adult who should have known right from wrong. But with his celebrity status always getting in the way of conscientious decisions, he should have been protected from his number one enemy....himself! All the security and attention to protecting him at this stage in time is now and forever will be proving to be too little too late.