To the City of Victoria, if you want to keep Victoria beautiful, how about starting by picking up the trash on the days it is scheduled to be picked up?  My area's scheduled pickups are on Tuesday and Friday.  Last Tuesday you did not pick up the trash.  It wasn't picked up until Wednesday afternoon.  We all put our trash out again on Friday and it's all still sitting there.  Been out there all weekend.  We've been adding to it and now you've got twice as much to pick up.  I suppose you'll wait for the scheduled pickup day of Tuesday.

How can you think that going to once-a-week pickup will make Victoria beautiful?  Two days a week aren't even enough, especially when you don't pick it up.

By the way, if you have changed our scheduled days for pickup, it might be a good idea to let us know!

This just in!  President Bush went to Saudi Arabia to beg for more oil.  They said "no."   How much fuel did Bush burn to get an answer he could have gotten over the phone? 

I'm so tired of listening to the media persecute Barack Obama because of his pastor's preaching methods and/or what his pastor has to say.  In fact, I believe that Rev. Wright is no longer his pastor.  But that's not the point.  Religion is personal.  There was a time people didn't ask each other what religion they were. 

I was raised Catholic, but by the time I had reached my mid-30s, that religion was changing and I did not care for the changes at all.  What made me make that decision was when I received envelopes in the mail from my church with the amount of my Sunday contribution written on them.  The sermons were becoming financial reports instead of insightful spiritual lessons.  I didn't appreciate the church actually telling me how much money to give them.  That should be my choice.  I turned away from the Catholic church, and twenty years later I do not call myself a Catholic or a Christian.   I consider myself a person with spiritual values based on what I've read in the Bible, including the old and new testaments.  The Bible offers great advice, and I don't need someone standing in the pulpit to tell me so.

But to condemn someone, politician or not, because of what's being said in the church they attend is just wrong.  I just wish the media would drop the whole thing and let Obama campaign as a politician and not as a man who has to defend his former pastor. 

Besides, until the media calls out McCain on the endorsement he got from that neo-nazi preacher, John Hegee, who openly condemns other churches, I don't think any of this should matter to voters. 

That being said, I'm personally sick of this whole presidential campaign and how the media has twisted it into a puzzle almost impossible to piece together.  Not one of them deserve my vote and I'm not so sure I'll just give it away this time.  They can thank the media for that.

Over the last three days I've received three phone calls on behalf of the Hillary Clinton Campaign.  The first call was a recording that repeated itself over and over, reminding me that early voting has begun and they would like my support.  The second phone call was a recorded message by Hillary herself, again asking for my support. 

The third phone call was from a live person who insisted on my support for Hillary.  She began by reminding me, again, that early voting has begun.  I told her I like both democratic candidates.  The tone of her voice was raised and she said that Hillary was the best candidate and they need me to vote for her.  I remained calm and told her there's still time for me to make my decision.  She continued insisting that I make a commitment over the phone to support Hillary.  Once again, I told her I liked them both and thought Obama was just as good a choice as Hillary (just to shut her up).  Her tone of voice turned ugly as she told me, "But Obama is an illusionist."   And I told her that a magician is just what we need right now.  She did her job, I made my decision.

These phone calls smell of desperation and that's sad.

I'm a little tired and frustrated over the presidential campaign, and while listening to most of the candidates, both democrats and republicans, talk and talk and talk, and say practically nothing, I found myself daydreaming and came up with a job description.

Wanted:  President of the United States.  Temporary position, minimum four year assignment.  Candidate should have good hair and well-pressed clothing.  Ability to smile and frown on cue.  No previous experience necessary.  Bi-lingual a plus.  Contact the American people for their approval.

If you would like to add to this description, or take something away, be my guest.  We should be doing that during the campaign anyway.  Your ideas and suggestions on what we should really be looking for in the person who will lead this country for four years are welcome.  Keep in mind the job is temporary and when the assignment is over, the president will leave office with a hefty pension plan and free health care, not to mention a huge advance on their inevitable book.  Just like the people who give him/her the job.  Yes, that was sarcasm.

Triangle

Every year I hear the same thing.  "Don’t eat too much on Thanksgiving."  What exactly does that mean anymore?  From what I see, most people are already eating too much everyday.  When I was a child, Thanksgiving really was the only day of the year that we ate turkey!  That’s right, kids, turkey didn’t come  wrapped in packages cut for sandwiches way back in the dark ages.  On Thanksgiving I got to eat sweet potatoes too, another item that is now in abundance.  It’s just not like that anymore.  The so-called Thanksgiving dinner is eaten all year round now. I don’t see much difference in the way people eat during the holidays from the way they stuff themselves everyday. I’m not sure what is happening in this country at the moment, but people act like they have to eat as much as they can TODAY because TOMORROW the food will run out! 

I just wish people would stop saying, “don’t eat too much on Thanksgiving,” and remember what the day means.  Give thanks by realizing how fortunate most of us are to have enough food to put on the table in the first place, but don’t kill yourself by eating it all at once.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Has anyone else noticed how few people actualy stop at a STOP sign?  I mean really stop, not come to a rolling stop, or stroll out into the intersection.  I am amazed at how many cars roar through the intersection of Highway 59 and Loop 463, and the STOP sign there is huge.  Isn't it worth stopping for a few seconds to avoid killing someone?  Or maybe it's too confusing to take notice of a STOP sign while talking on your cell phone and slurping down your extra large drink!  I would appreciate any comments on this, I can't be the only person who notices this.