Pilot,

I can't believe you actually realized God's hand in the hurricane.Bless you my friend. Yes, people can bless other people.  Keep watching for those signs. When pagans make the papers about reviving the worship of Athena, I am pretty sure God will show the world just who He is. Of course, His patience is awesome because He wants none to die a permanent death. My head started studying prophecy at age 14, and I was never going to get married or have children. What was the point? As I progressed from Christian milk to meat of the word of God, I realized that the world would go on whether or not I obeyed. I chose to obey and what joy I am being given in these trying times. My grandgirls will be 3 months apart, and it is like shopping for twins. I really don't love shopping, but the grands have just rekindled a spark that was gone. I refuse to believe that I went through empty nest syndrome, but it is possible. Hub loved the time-less credit card bills. I am glad I listened to my heart and not my head. Wisdom does come with age, while everything else sags. Grands don't notice the sags-just the smiles, hugs, and kisses.

Rusty B- You are so right. Guess who started this mess? It was the first time I voted for a Dem governer. Does White ring a bell as governer? I only voted for him because he promised the teachers a pay raise, and I was a single mom at the time. I got the raise, but have sure lived to regret it.

I did actually vote for the Granny in the last election. She is the comptroller and actually understands where and why the money is being spent. Hutchison is no slouch, and I hope she gives Perry a run for his money. I've already contacted her about the health care issues in our great state. I like the lady, and she too was on the short list, but is sick of DC. My hub works a lot in the district and he loves when he wins. XOM misses him greatly, but NE loves the guy. I hope he keeps on loving the wins.

As for my tax dollars being spent, I do have a recent bright spot comment or two. My youngest informed me that he didn't need his college fund for college anymore. He had just finished up his GI bill and will get 90 grand to complete school. I also read that the Army is helping some of  the TAKS dropouts to get their GEDs and enlist. These same guys and gals will get the same college benefits less 10,000. They will get to keep the take home pay. The GI bill is only 100 a month, but when take home is 900, it is a hit to the young service men and women. For eight  years of  service, many fine young people will get a ticket to ride on  my tax dollars. Since I believe that societies implode due to lack of education, I smile everytime I read this stuff. 

My hub and I still subsidize with a monthly allowance that gets less each year. In 4 years his salary should catch up to the same take home. He's on his third stripe and blessing me with grandchildren. He is bound and determined that the USAF is going to pay for his babies. I think this is one of the best ways to spend government money. The dropouts didn't stand a chance when the state took over the standards of the TAKS. Trust me-there aren't too many political, successful anybodies who could pass the exit level tests.  It's another way to keep people poor. I would rather educate enlisted men and women instead of building more jails.

I also don't mind the WIC program either. Babies shouldn't suffer because adults didn't use a condom. I do think men, who father babies they have no intention to support, should be forced to have a vasectomy. I happen to like Palin because she is what she is-like me. I have also come to think that productive people in America need to increase baby production. I really regret not having more than the 2 or 1.5 as I was seduced to believe during the baby years. I also believe in a straight 10-15 percent tax rate. I am, however, starting to have trouble believing in honest politicians. Talk is still cheap-not really when you consider the cost of ads-but you know what I mean. I also agree that anyone can lead as long as they delegate well. Everyone thinks the president has so much power. Yes, he or she can veto or sign bills and laws and pork rinds, but it has to get through Congress first. Real change will come when we really pay attention to our state and local elections. We elect those representatives and senators. I am still convinced that change only comes when the prez and congress majority are on the same ticket. Yes the next 4 years and fifty something days should be very interesting.

I would truly love a VP possible president with a son in IRAQ. We should have destroyed several political entities about 20 years ago. Normal moms tend to be very aggressive when preserving their  families.

COOLGRANNY: Botherin' that boy is just another example of the emasculation of America. He was the only on in the "whole danged town" (thanks Jim Croce) with cajones (huevos, gonads, balls) enough to do that and he catches hell for it. He was a whole lot more savy than that dumb@$$ed mayor.  Then the goofy illegitimate voters re-elected that idiot. It doesn't matter how many people you kill and/or inconvenience as long as your head shines just right. You know, that's the only BRIGHT thing about'im. What does it say for the way your "for education" tax $$$ were spent? "It makes no difference what kind of jackass he is, he's still OUR jackass." Right?

GO BIG MIKE: During the times we lived "on the west bank" my solution to the local N.O. carnage (it would've lessened the number of looters and other good-for-nothings after Katrina).  Find out the preferred calibers of their stolen guns and dump a few pickup loads of ammo (along with several cases of vino) on selected street corners. Then, rapidly retreat back across the river.

Our Louisiana experience made it easy enough to predict the "upgrading" of neighborhoods across the nation.