Middle America's Worldview

Crazy month in general. As most probably noticed, I haven't had time to post worth a flip. I had a few things I wanted to write out, but simply haven't had the chance to do it.

Today is my Friday. We plan to leave by 4 a.m. local time tomorrow and heads to Cantun, Texas! I will let you know how unnaturally hard this trips seem to be. It's primarily a means to get away from everything. We have been planning on this since the beginning of the year. The place is basically a huge open yard sale with shops and sellers. We have been planning to go with Kel's parents, her aunt and our friends (said friends with the 2 kids that hang over here all the time). As I write this, both of our vehicles are in a shop. One is having a transmission dropped to be repaired and the other is being checked out for a knocking sound under the dash. Fortunately, it was already pre-planned to drive Kel's van. We were to pick up the friends at 4 a.m. and meet her parents, aunt at another location around 4:30 a.m.. Then the caravan was heading west.

Let's just say the issues didn't hit our cars, but the friends bills hit wrong and their fridge just went out today. Kel's parents also seem to have similiar issues. Kel wonders if God is saying to stay home. It's only been barely 6 weeks since Kel's postop as well. Kel and I already plan on leaving irregardless if everyone else bails on us. We simply need to get away for awhile.

It's Sunday already. We had our final yardsale on Friday again. Kel had to be at work early that morning. I took the kids to school and then came back, setup the thing. Kel's dad helped pull the remaining stuff out. We were actually able to keep everything on tables, as opposed to the last one. The wind was blowing like crazy and it simply cut right through you. Irregardless, people still came. I worked and then would step outside to check on things. Our friends came over to run it this time, since Kel and I had to work that day. Now, if I can just get the remaining stuff out of our garage, it will be good.

I have to say, Friday night was great. It was nice to simply get away with my wife on a date out. It's very rare we get to actually go out to a nice place alone. I love the kids and truly enjoy spending quality time with them. However, I personally needed some time out with my wife. We went to a Japanese place called Shoguns. It reminds me of Kabukees in Amarillo. You get to watch the cooks literally cook everything in front of you as they perform with the fast filleting knives and create fire volcanoes from the mounds of onions.

Saturday morning, we went over to Kel's parents to pick up the kids. I took over our Foot Bath and Miracle Foot Massager to use on them. It was the first time Kel's mom and aunt had one. It was pretty nasty, but not as much as I expected. Her Aunts was the worst of the two. We enjoyed the company and had lunch with them.

That evening we watched the movie Dreamer. It was a really good family movie. I would recommend it. We did our own footbaths while we watched the movie. We also had found two new gamecube games for the kids while we were out Friday. So they also enjoyed playing their new surprises. Yes, I had to try out one of them as well.

This morning, we are enjoying some quite time, before getting ready for Church.

Next week, we are already looking at a busy week. Monday night, more moms are coming over to work on the PTA yearbook. Tuesday night, I have a 3 hour school board conference. Wednesday night, so far nothing. Thursday night, we will have to be prepared for our 4 a.m. Friday morning leave to Cantun!

So where did this month go? As I lay in my bed at 3 a.m. contemplating on getting up, I could not help but wonder, 'wow, already end of the week, already end of the month'. It continues to amaze me the time continues to fly.

I don't know about any other families, but it seems ours continue to be on a fast-trac. I guess this is why time freaking flies. This week, a group of moms came over one night to start the PTA yearbook. We have another yard sale scheduled tomorrow and Kel plans to take the kids to see the airforce show. Our son's speech lessons has lessened to 3 times a week, but that still takes our time to run to those after school. Compounding this, I am trying to really get my new Get Rid of Toxins website out as well as the Gary Buckles website. Next week, we are already looking at a three hour special School Board one night, kel has a dentist appointment, another group meeting to work on PTA yearbook again, the 3 speech days. In addition, we are all taking off next Friday to go to Cantun, Texas. I am really looking forward to next weekends run. We will get a chance to escape awhile.

Regarding PTA, our time is nearing its end. I wasn't able to attend the last meeting due to our daughter having a bad earache. However, from what I hear, it was pretty comical. 25 teachers showed up along with maybe 5 parents. The majority motioned and ruled for the next meeting to be at 3:30, right after school. Coincidently (not really), next meeting will choose the next set of officers. A nominee committe was chosen as well. Again, it appears they quickly chose 2 teachers, until another teacher stated a parent really needs to be on this nominee. It has been quite obvious we have 3-4 teachers doing a takeover on the PTA. The sad thing is, at this point no or very few parents want's anything to do with PTA. Oklahoma PTA left a bad taste in most parents mouth, and the 3-4 teachers have found a new compassion to be involved. Oh well. I will again contact Oklahoma PTA to do a follow-up today. At this point, the current officers are creating a nice package to give the new officers. Everything done the past 2 years are out in the open for all to see. I will be interested in seeing how next years PTA will do. I am very concerned with the impact this will be on the kids, as they should be the focus point.

I have been able to listen to a bit of the news this week. Seems like the radical left wingers are getting more radical. Hillary Clinton has made another 'I don't know' comment on the fact that her husband is working to push the Dubai port deal, while she screams it's wrong on the Senate floor. Just this morning, I hear she attempted to speak scripture referrencing what Jesus would do, regarding some bill against immigrants. Is there really anyone, able to make breath show up on a window pane, that believes or supports Hillary Clinton at this point anymore?

Also, what's the deal with these child molesters getting off in courts and calling their choices a disease?

Oklahoma, along with other states, was in a bad need for some rain. It has been basically raining since Friday night. Don't get me wrong, I like it. For the first day of spring, the degrees down to 50's, with possible sleet and snow tomorrow.

Candles contain toxic ingredients including lead wicks that create dangerous air quality

My family and I have started to use candle warmers about a month ago. These allow you to heat the actual wax rather than burn the wicks within the candle themselves.

Ours look something like this.....



Kel pointed out the smoke, ect and before I ran across this article. I happen to be looking up some information regarding toxins and found it.

So for those still burning candles, it's something to think about. One thing we noticed is the glad candles seem to do better than most. But even after awhile, the wax remains but the scent drops dramatically after awhile. Which makes sense if you think about it. The scented oil evaporates over time.

I just wanted to share this.

Man, what a week! Can I get a H3LL yeah. We had a yardsale that went totally crazy. I personally didn't think it would be much considering it's Friday. We originally was going to have it next week. But since we had 8 families that was kind enough to fill our garage with their stuff, we decided to have it early.

I was very surprised as people kept coming in droves. I had not realized so many people were off Fridays. I would go out and check on Kel and there would be at least 3-5 people out there rummaging around. Fortunately over 1/2 of the crap was sold. It went very well. Our kids were selling soda and water part of the day and actually made 13 bucks. They were selling them 25 cents for the soda and 50 cents for water, if that gives you an idea of how many they sold.

It was a very nice day today. Tonight it's suppose to be 60 percent chance of rain and 80 percent for all day tommorrow and Sunday. So a soggy weekend.

I haven't had the opportunity to blog in some time. I am surprised I haven't had the ddt's. The familys been busy in trying to get a yardsale going as well as keeping the house up and clean. We leave for Cantun on the last weekend this month, and our Disney trip is rushing closer and closer.

Of course work has been busy and that makes the day go by fast as well. I have enjoyed the ability to take benadryl at night to actually sleep.

The new stuff going on top of all this is me joining Juice Plus(c).


Kel has been checking into it as of last year for our son. But we really couldn't get into it till now. Essentially it's a fruit and vegetable supplement. I know they say it's not a vitamen, ect. We already take vitamens from Nutriwest ect. This would just be extra dose for our fruit and vegetables. I read in Kevin Newdows book our grandparents garden held more nutrients then we ever could. I think it was stated it would take 5 portions of our current day vegetables to their one portion of the same vegetables. This is supposedly due to the additional pesticide, herbicides, growth hormones, genetically altered seeds, ect. Makes sense if one takes the time to look into it.

I have also been trying to update the Get Rid of Toxins website as well as creating and updating Gary Buckles website for one of the lawyers Kel works with. All in all, a continual busy week even after my horrid on-call week.



So if anyone is interested in help removing some toxins or Juice Plus check the site or Email me with your inquiries.

Let me get this straight, FDA wants to null the state laws, under the pretention of them possible reapplying those laws? Sounds like a takeover to me.
This was taken from http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/preempt011606.cfm
=========================
Food Industry Advances In Labeling Fight
Bill in Congress Would Ban Many State, Local Rules And Set National Regulations
By JANE ZHANG
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
January 9, 2006; Page A4
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113677004643741230-search.html?

WASHINGTON -- Some state and local governments require food makers,
restaurants and grocery stores to post warnings about products containing
ingredients regulators deem harmful.

Those laws are often tougher than federal Food and Drug Administration rules
or cover substances not regulated by federal law. California, for example,
requires businesses to disclose the presence of chemicals that the state
believes cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. Michigan
and Connecticut mandate allergen warnings about preservatives such as sulfur
dioxide at salad bars and other settings.

The food industry has been pressing Congress and the federal government to
ban such state laws ever since California voters approved what is known as
Proposition 65 in 1986. Recently, it has made some progress. A bill that
would override many such laws sailed through the House Energy and Commerce
Committee in December, and its sponsors include more than half the members
of the House. A Senate version hasn't been introduced and it's unclear if
the bill will move soon, but it already has set off a firestorm, pitting the
food industry against consumer activists and state food-safety officials.


Under the proposed legislation, many state and local laws, such as
California's Proposition 65, would be annulled unless states obtain FDA
approval to keep them. Through the FDA and the Agriculture Department, the
federal government sets national policy on nutrition and health-claim
labeling, as well as on food safety and labeling of meat, poultry and egg
products. The proposed federal law would set similar national standards by
stripping states of the right to require safety warnings on food packages or
where food is sold.


Food regulation has been largely a federal responsibility. Two landmark 1906
federal laws -- the Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act -- granted
the federal government the power to conduct sanitary inspections in
meat-packing plants and regulate adulterated foods and the use of poisonous
preservatives and dyes in foods. States can, however, make their own laws,
especially in areas where the federal government hasn't acted. Over the past
few decades, as Americans became increasingly aware of food-related health
problems, state and local governments have passed laws to address regional
needs or cover gaps in federal law. "Sometimes states can act faster," says
Joy Johnson Wilson, health-policy director at the National Conference of
State Legislatures. "We don't believe that should be precluded."


The federal bill would invalidate any food-safety and labeling laws
considered "not identical" to FDA regulations. But how to determine
"identical" -- or "substantially the same," as defined in the bill --
remains a question. The bill says states would be allowed to keep their
safety standard if the FDA fails to take a position, but some state
officials worry that any state regulation could be judged as "not identical"
to the FDA's "zero" regulation -- and then annulled. States could appeal to
the FDA to keep their laws, but such exemptions would be granted only under
three conditions. States must demonstrate that their law would cover an
otherwise unprotected "important" interest, and wouldn't "unduly burden
interstate commerce," or "cause any food to be in violation of any
applicable requirement or prohibition under federal law."


There is little doubt that the proposed federal legislation would undo
Proposition 65 in California, the state's Democratic Attorney General Bill
Lockyer wrote in a recent letter to the bill's main sponsor, Rep. Mike
Rogers (R., Mich.). In the past 17 years, Mr. Lockyer wrote, the law has
forced "quiet compliance" among businesses, with many voluntarily removing
chemicals that are on California's list -- now totaling 750 -- that would
require labeling.


The effects extend beyond California. While the FDA advises on its Web site
that pregnant women should avoid certain fish with high levels of mercury,
such as swordfish, California requires restaurants and supermarkets to post
that information. In October, supermarket chain Safeway Inc., of Pleasanton,
Calif., said it will place mercury warning posters in stores nationwide.
California also wants mercury-warning labels on canned tuna, but food
companies have gone to court to stop that.

The federal bill has drawn fire from state attorneys general, food-safety
officials and consumer activists. "States want to preserve the right to
protect ... citizens; sometimes our needs are regional and local, and we
want to do it effectively and expeditiously, and this legislation will
prevent that," says Steve Steinhoff, food-safety administrator at the
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. "The legislation is aimed at
Proposition 65. Unfortunately, rather than fight the battle in California,
we are going to adjust the whole national system."


"What [the industry] really wants is a regulatory vacuum where state and
local governments will be unable to fill the gap left by the FDA," says
Benjamin Cohen, senior staff attorney at the Center for Science in the
Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group in Washington.


Food-industry lobbyists say varying state laws add uncertainty, confusion
and extra costs to interstate commerce. "You could have two different
labels, three different labels, 50 labels depending on inconsistent state
requirements," says Hunt Shipman, executive vice president at the Food
Products Association, a trade group. While almost all companies have chosen
to remove certain chemicals to avoid a warning label in California, he says,
things could get complicated if another state adopts a law as broad as
Proposition 65.


Industry lobbyists and congressional aides who have discussed the subject
during the decade-long push for legislation say the bill would still give
states authority to respond to an imminent hazard, inspect foods and
restaurants and require labeling for freshness dating, religious dietary
issues, organic designation and geographic origin. The proposed federal law
would cover warnings on labels, posters, public notices, advertising, "or
any other means of communication." It would allow states to require
public-service announcements on television or radio and billboards, says
Susan Stout, a vice president at the Grocery Manufacturers Association,
which represents the $680 billion-a-year food and beverage industry.


An FDA spokeswoman says the agency won't comment on pending legislation.


Write to Jane Zhang at Jane.Zhang@wsj.com

I know the former President Bill Clinton didn't think oral sex was actual sex, but come on. This is just crazy. Taken from Stop the ACLU.com.
====================================

http://stoptheaclu.com/archives/2006/03/11/california-supremes-oral-sex-with-kids-is-ok/


On Wednesday, the California Supreme Court voted 6 to 1 to not force those convicted of having oral sex with underage kids to register as sex offenders with the state. The majority judges said that the law was "too harsh and unfair." Yes, I'm sure that the problem with such enforcement is the resolute "unfairness" of punishing those who know it is a crime and yet do it anyway. How terrible.

The judges justified their conclusion by citing the fact that under the state laws of California people convicted of having actual sexual intercourse with those who are 16 and 17 years of age are not forced to register as a sex offender. Their argument claims a lack of equal protection under the law.

So help me understand something. Because the laws are all screwed up about the sentencing of a crime that is even worse than the one that is committed, therefore we have to let those who commit serious crimes off easy? For some reason, there is an aversion to tough punishment in the liberal courts today.

During this whole week, I/we have had little sleep. I been on-call this week, but intestering enough, it wasn't due to that.

Monday was 2 stressfull evening meetings. That night, it took awhile to chill and I was awake at 2 a.m. I finished watching my last Farscape dvd and tried to go back to sleep to no avail.

Tuesday, can't even remember.

Wednesday night we had a really bad thunderstorm coming through with a tornado warning. So around 3 a.m. we unplugged all the computers and watched the news for a bit. Kel ended up staying awake. I popped a melatonin and manged to sleep deep for 2.5 hours. Best I had all that night.

Now it's Thursday and I have had 5 freaking calls already for work. Sigh. Tired. Tired of the stress. Tired of the little sleep.

I told my peers it felt like today should be Friday and some had agreed. Seems it's been a long week for them as well.

I remain on-call till Monday morning. Perhaps tomorrow I will have something interesting to blog about. At this point of the week, it's work-eat-little sleep

Friday night we decided to have a rare going out family night. The four of us went out to eat and the kids wanted to watch Doogle.
So starts the 76 minutes of my life lost forever in a horacious film.

I snagged the tickets (26 bucks please) and we made it in with no issue. I wondered if it will be alot of kids in there since it's Friday night and the only movie place in town showing it. We had our choice of seats. I think maybe 12 were in the whole theater. Hmm. OK.

The wife and kids settled and I went back out and grabbed 2 large drinks (for each of us to share), large popcorn, bag of skittles and bag of m&m's (19 bucks please).

I balanced it all deftly back in the theater, still 12 people.

The movie started and by the end of it, I am looking for some lemon juice to burn it out of my retina's. Yes, it's that bad.

Take the last 2 trilogies (matrix, lotr) quotations, slap some adult attempted humour and you have Doogle.

Throughout every camera scene there is a quip from another movie. Not a movie my less than 10 year olds would recognize, but every scene. The only thing holding the storyline together is a narrater.

Let me give you a couple of exciting scenes.

The train is alone in the underground railroad tunnel looking for Doogle and his friends. He states "Why do I always get the shaft" followed by "Good thing I have tunnel vision" as his eyes light through the tunnel.

The leftover 60's hippy rabbit pretty much sleeps all through the movie and is slooooowwwww ggoooooing. "Peace man". The rabbit is on some kindof barbituates or taking heroin off camera. The gang finds themselves in a 'Temple of Doom' place. They actually refer to 'Temple of Doom'. Like I said, every scene comes from another movie. Anyway, skeletons come out and the drug out rabbit becomes.....Neo. "There is no spoon." He proceeds to kick all the skeletons butts, which falls apart on his matrix moves. During this time bone and skelton jokes fly. Once all are apart they magically come back together. What does the rabbit say? "Now that's what I call pulling yourself back together".

Sigh, yeah, it's like that throughout the whole show.

I will say, the kids laughed at some of the scenes. So it should be worth watching them laugh, but that was the only enjoyable thing of the movie.

The only thing I can see the movie was about was 'leaning on your friends, finding inner strength, and never give up.' At least, that is the only thing, I could see.

There is a love between the snail and cow. Now, I mentioned it could be a underlying message of men are slime and women are fat cows, but not sure on that one.

As we left the movie theater, my wife said it reminded her of PBS. I looked at her and said, it reminded me of POS.

By now most have heard of the Colorado moonbat teacher spouting off Anti-America propaganda. Most shouldn't really care, unless your kid goes to his classroom to be indoctrinated by it.

Stop the ACLU has a good piece on it showing the teacher has hired ACLU David Lane. So now ACLU is representing him.

Michelle Malkin has the full transcript.

Woman honor thyself has a good post on this as well. In fact, it was the first I heard of this.

Now move over to Virginia and we have a similiar issue. The teachers material was removed due to it promoting conservative messages.Stop the ACLU has the piece that I found.

This is something I was touching on back in 2004! It appears it's becoming appropiate to remove the factual remnants of our Countries history, due to them being christian oriented. gasp. But if your anti-american, it becomes a free speech issue.

Can you see the bias? One teacher is spouting out his ideology, another one is promoting history.

Muslim rioters are responsible for up to 58 deaths (mostly Christians) on the streets of Maiduguri, in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno, which were triggered by protests over the Danish cartoons satirizing Islam. It is reported that at least 51 Christians were brutally killed on the February 18 rampage, while over 150 homes and 32 churches were burned, and 85 shops were destroyed. Authorities were finally able to control the volatile scene after arresting 114 and having militia enforce a curfew.
The mayhem began when Muslims staged their demonstration against degrading caricatures of Mohammad that were originally published in September 2005 by the Danish newspaper Jyllands Posten. Even though the cartoons were by no means a Christian attack on Islam, Muslims in Nigeria and throughout the world have turned their rage toward Christians; many of whom have never even heard of the controversial sketches.
Muslims are using the cartoons as an excuse to wage their violent jihad (holy war) against Christians, and have been reported running through the streets of Maiduguri threatening people with death and violence if they did not speak their local dialect. Many of the dozens of victims were publicly tortured to death in the city streets.

It seems regardless of the news pulling the spotlight off the Extreme Muslim destructionist, the chaos continues.

I snagged the above article from The voice of the Martyrs email newsletter.

I had to check this out myself, hearing it on the radio. Unreal. I agree everyone can do what they want to with their bodies. However, when it interferes in your work enviroment, it goes too far.

School board to address transgender teacher issue

By BERNARD VAUGHANStaff Writer, (609) 978-2012

Published: Monday, February 27, 2006

Updated: Monday, February 27, 2006


Lily McBeth, the former male teacher at Eagleswood Elementary who changed her gender, is one of many teachers around the nation in recent years who have struggled with school boards and parents to keep their jobs.

The Eagleswood school board will discuss McBeth's employment with the district at its meeting 7 p.m. Monday. The school district's issue with McBeth, 70, came to light after Mark Schnepp, of West Creek, took out a full-page advertisement in a local newspaper, urging residents to attend Monday's public meeting. Schnepp, a Methodist with two children in the school, has said McBeth's gender change is against his religious beliefs.

Dana Rivers, an award-winning teacher at Center High School in Antelope, Calif., sparked a national debate when her school board fired her in 1999 after she underwent gender reassignment. Rivers, formerly known as David Warfield, eventually settled with the school district there, and went on to become an activist for transgender people. People magazine named her one of their Most Intriguing People in 1999.

Alyssa Williams, a male-to-female transgender middle school teacher in Minnesota, resigned her position in 1999 after objections from parents. Williams told the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition that she intended to retreat from public life.

Randey Michelle Gordon, formerly Randy Gordon, was believed to be the first teacher to remain in the same school district after changing her sex in 2001. A year later she took a leave of absence from the school, in Westchester County, N.Y., after a doctor diagnosed her with chronic depression.

McBeth's employment should be protected, said Deborah Jacobs, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union in New Jersey.

A state appellate court ruled in 2002, in Enriquez v. West Jersey Health, that transgender people are protected by New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination, or LAD. But despite the court's ruling, LAD still does not name transgender people as protected, Jacobs said.

"Because of situations like this, we are trying to get the state Legislature to amend the law to make it consistent with the court ruling and make transgender people protected," Jacobs said.

Garden State Equality, the grassroots organization that pushed for Ocean County to allow former Lt. Laurel Hester to leave her pension benefits to her domestic partner, issued a press release Thursday calling on area progressives to attend Monday night's meeting to support McBeth.

"The good citizens of Ocean County proved their fairness with their outrage over the treatment of Laurel Hester in the months before she died," said Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality. "We believe Ocean County will now rise to the occasion in support of Lily McBeth, whose reputation is unsurpassed. A great teacher is a great teacher, period."

McBeth's gender could not matter less to Shane Donnelly, 18, and Corey Basile, 19, former students of McBeth's at Pinelands Regional Middle School, where she also substituted before seeking a gender reassignment. She was known as William McBeth then.

"He was the best substitute," Donnelly said.

Donnelly, an employee of West Creek Liquors in Eagleswood Township, said McBeth frequently told entertaining surfing stories.

"He said he was the first surfer to put a camera on his surf board," Donnelly said.

Basile, his co-worker, agreed.

"He would tell the most ridiculous stories," Basile said. "None of them were bad or anything. They were usually about surfing."

Both said McBeth was a good teacher.

"He wasn't strict, but he wouldn't let us do whatever we wanted," Donnelly said.

Reading the story, the issue isn't whether he/she/it is a good teacher, rather what is being presented to the kids. You have to admit our children are very susceptible during school. While a teacher can speak the language in teaching, their tone, dresscode, ect are also communicating to the kids. If you have an individual that drastically crosses that boundry, the message/teaching changes focus on the teacher rather than the class.