Yeah! What she says!

Yeah! What she says!

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Will Rogers


Today's Quote:
"Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: W. C. Fields


Today's Quote:
"We could certainly slow the aging process down if it had to work its way through Congress."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Bob Hope


Today's Quote:
"I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Joe Namath


Today's Quote:
"I don't feel old. I don't feel anything until noon. Then it's time for my nap."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Friday Funny




I will probably offend everyone of you at least once, although I never intend to. Please take these for what they are. They are jokes. The world needs a bit more laughter.

I would love to hear your jokes as well. Feel free to email them to me, or leave them in the comments below. If I feature yours, I will ask for your website, so I can link back to you. :)

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Zsa Zsa Gabor


Today's Quote:
"Until I was thirteen, I thought my name was SHUT UP."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Jimmy Durante


Today's Quote:
"I have never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Wednesday's Hero

Maj. Merlyn Hans Dethlefsen
Maj. Merlyn Hans Dethlefsen
53 years old from Royal, Iowa
354th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 355th Tactical Fighter Wing
June 29, 1934 - December 14, 1987
U.S. Air Force

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Major Merlyn Hans Dethlefsen, United States Air Force, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, near Thai Nguyen, North Vietnam, on 10 March 1967. Major Dethlefsen was one of a flight of F-105 aircraft engaged in a fire suppression mission designed to destroy a key anti-aircraft defensive complex containing surface-to-air missiles (SAM), an exceptionally heavy concentration of anti-aircraft artillery, and other automatic weapons. The defensive network was situated to dominate the approach and provide protection to an important North Vietnam industrial center that was scheduled to be attacked by fighter bombers immediately after the strike by Major Dethlefsen's flight. In the initial attack on the defensive complex the lead aircraft was crippled, and Major Dethlefsen's aircraft was extensively damaged by the intense enemy fire. Realizing that the success of the impending fighter bomber attack on the center now depended on his ability to effectively suppress the defensive fire, Major Dethlefsen ignored the enemy's overwhelming firepower and the damage to his aircraft and pressed his attack. Despite a continuing hail of anti-aircraft fire, deadly surface-to-air missiles, and counterattacks by MIG interceptors, Major Dethlefsen flew repeated close range strikes to silence the enemy defensive positions with bombs and cannon fire. His action in rendering ineffective the defensive SAM and anti-aircraft artillery sites enabled the ensuing fighter bombers to strike successfully the important industrial target without loss or damage to their aircraft, thereby appreciably reducing the enemy's ability to provide essential war material. Major Dethlefsen's consummate skill and selfless dedication to this significant mission were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.

Maj. Dethlefson retired from the Air Force in 1977 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He died in 1987 of natural causes and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.


These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero.
Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of Wednesday Hero. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
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Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Groucho Marx


Today's Quote:
"My wife has a slight impediment in her speech. Every now and then she stops to breathe."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Socrates


Today's Quote:
"I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Mark Twain


Today's Quote:
"By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Victor Borge


Today's Quote:
"Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: George Burns


Today's Quote:
"Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people only once a year."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Mark Twain


Today's Quote:
"The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending; and to have the two as close together as possible."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Friday Funny

AFTER BEING MARRIED FOR 44 YEARS, I TOOK A CAREFUL LOOK AT MY WIFE ONE DAY AND SAID, '44 YEARS AGO WE HAD A CHEAP APARTMENT, A CHEAP CAR, SLEPT ON A SOFA BED AND WATCHED A 10-INCH BLACK AND WHITE TV, BUT I GOT TO SLEEP EVERY NIGHT WITH A HOT 25-YEAR-OLD GIRL".

NOW I HAVE A$1,500,000.00 HOME, A $45,000.00 CAR, NICE BIG BED AND PLASMA SCREEN TV, BUT I'M SLEEPING WITH A 65-YEAR-OLD WOMAN. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU'RE NOT HOLDING UP YOUR SIDE OF THINGS??'

MY WIFE IS A VERY REASONABLE WOMAN. SHE TOLD ME TO GO OUT AND FIND A HOT 25-YEAR-OLD GIRL AND SHE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT I WOULD ONCE AGAIN BE LIVING IN A CHEAP APARTMENT, DRIVING A CHEAP CAR, SLEEPING ON A SOFA BED AND WATCHING A 10-INCH BLACK AND WHITE TV.


I will probably offend everyone of you at least once, although I never intend to. Please take these for what they are. They are jokes. The world needs a bit more laughter.

I would love to hear your jokes as well. Feel free to email them to me, or leave them in the comments below. If I feature yours, I will ask for your website, so I can link back to you. :)

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Eleanor Roosevelt


Today's Quote:
"Last week, I stated this woman was the ugliest woman I had ever seen. I have since been visited by her sister, and now wish to withdraw that statement."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Wednesday's Hero

Capt. Eddie S. Ray
Capt. Eddie S. Ray
57 years old from Seattle, Washington
Company B, 1st Light Armored Infantry Battalion, Task Force Shepherd, 1st Marine Division
U.S. Marines

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain Eddie S. Ray, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving as Commanding Officer, Company B, First Light Armored Infantry Battalion, Task Force Shepherd, FIRST Marine Division, in the Emirate of Kuwait on 25 February 1991. During the early morning hours of G+1 of Operation Desert Storm, an Iraqi mechanized division counter-attacked elements of the FIRST Marine Division in the vicinity west of the flame and smoke engulfed Burgan Oil Fields in Southeastern Kuwait. As dense black smoke shrouded the battlefield, an Iraqi mechanized brigade engaged the FIRST Marine Division Forward Command Post security forces. During the ensuing intense ten hour battle, Captain Ray repeatedly maneuvered his Light Armored Vehicle Company in harm's way, skillfully integrating his Light Armored Infantry weapons, reinforcing TOW's, and AH-1W Attack Helicopters to decisively defeat main Iraqi counter-attacks. Leading from the front and constantly exposed to large volumes of enemy fire, Captain Ray led swift, violent attacks directly into the face of the vastly larger enemy force. These attacks shocked the enemy, destroyed 50 enemy Armored Personnel Carriers, and resulted in the capture of over 250 Iraqi soldiers. Operating perilously close to the attacking enemy, Captain Ray's courage, composure under fire, and aggressive war fighting spirit were instrumental in the defeat of a major enemy effort and the successful defense of the Division Forward Command Post. By his outstanding display of decisive leadership, unlimited courage in the face of heavy enemy fire, and utmost devotion to duty, Captain Ray reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.


These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero.
Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of Wednesday Hero. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
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Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Lillian Gordy Carter


Today's Quote:
"I had a rose named after me and I was very flattered, but I was not pleased to read the description in the catalog: - 'No good in a bed, but fine against a wall.'"


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Thomas Jefferson


Today's Quote:
"Sometimes, when I look at my children, I say to myself, 'Lillian, you should have remained a virgin.'"


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: George Washington


Today's Quote:
"A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government, and this is necessary to close the circle of our felicity."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Patrick Henry


Today's Quote:
"Government is not reason; it is not eloquence. It is force. And force, like fire, is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Stop Pretending You Know What You Are Talking About

As an American, I don't comment, write, or orate on the political systems of other nations. I may ask questions in an attempt to try and understand them, and I may have a few quick remarks every now and again about their individual politicians, monarchs or dictators, but I don't even pretend to understand their political systems, or how they work. My main reason for this is, I believe that unless you have lived under that rule, and participated in that system for a number of years, you will be missing something important and end up making yourself look like the biggest idiot, or jerk there is.

It upsets me to see others do this because it seems it is always the Americans, and our system that are getting picked on. Most days I can blow it off and convince myself that it is just jealousy, or perhaps as it is with children, that picking on someone else makes you feel better about yourself. In actuality there is probably a little of column A and a little of column B mixed in to the truthful answer. Despite this, on occasion, I find myself upset by what is said. Primarily, because I live here, and what is being said really isn't true. I don't like the way American's, and our ideals are misinterpreted by people who presume to know what they are talking about when in actuality they can't even begin to grasp the concept.

Today I was set off by an article that I received via Twitter from The Guardian. For those of you who don't already know, this is a British paper. The funniest part, is this article was tweeted by a friend who is Scottish, and very opinionated about American politics. (In fact, he tweets about American politics more than those of the UK. The right and wrong of that fact alone is a totally different blog post though.) You can read the article in isn't entirety here, but I will post it below in bits and pieces with my thoughts and comments.

This Republican abuse of the system is not the American way
The centuries-old US political system is one to be admired. Yet ironically it's under threat from those who claim to be patriots

OK, unless you are new here, or unless you are from another nation that really hasn't lived under our system, you would take one look at this title and say "yep, and you think the other side is better?" You would immediately think that the article you are about to read is politically biased, and if you are like me, that means it is a useless, one-sided, piece of propaganda. For me, this type of article is usually quickly skipped. I don't need your editorial on anything. I can write my own editorial, after I make up my own mind. Thank you. I almost stopped reading this article at this point, because as far as I was concerned the author just lost any credibility I may have given them for simply being a published author, by simply being so blatantly biased in their writing, and by doing this so early in their article.

They say one in four of the world's people will have a vote in an election in 2012, but no contest will get more attention than the presidential one in the US – if only for its entertainment value. So far the Republican primary has spoiled us, from Rick Perry's "oops" to corporate asset-stripper Mitt Romney's admission that he liked firing people, delivered just before he was snapped receiving a sit-down shoe-shine from an underling – not a good look for a would-be man of the people. En route we've had Rick Santorum insisting that he does not equate homosexuality with bestiality – or, as he memorably phrased it, "man on dog" – and that when he had appeared to make a disobliging reference to black people, he had in fact been speaking of "blah" people.

First, my mother always taught me that if people were to worry as much about themselves and what they are doing wrong, as they do about others and what they are doing wrong, this world would be a much better place. Secondly, my mother also taught me that finding amusement in other people's plights didn't say much about you as a person. It usually means you are shallow, and without compassion. Thirdly, I learned that my mother is always right. With that said, the author lost more credibility for the reasons I listed above, in the first two paragraphs alone, and we haven't even read far enough to see his point yet. At this stage, I am hoping he has one.

All amusing enough in its own way, but no match for this time four years ago, when the race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton captured a rapt and global audience. The 2008 contest and its result achieved a remarkable turnaround in the US's standing overseas. The Pew survey found that while just over 50% of Britons, for example, had a favourable view of the US in the final Bush years, the figure had leapt close to 70% by the time Obama was in the White House.

Yet now the numbers are slipping again. I have my own unscientific indicator to go on too. A few years back I published a book calling for Britain to learn from America's founding ideal, to reshape our own creaking political machinery on the lines of the US constitution, with its separation of powers and guaranteed rights. Soon after publication, events conspired to make the US a hard sell. Whether it was the Monica Lewinsky-related impeachment of Bill Clinton, the Florida fiasco in which Al Gore seemed to lose an election he'd won or the entire Bush presidency, I was regularly confronted with the original subtitle of my book – How Britain Can Live the American Dream – and mockingly asked, "It's all looking like a bit of a nightmare now, isn't it?".

*Sigh* This frustrates me beyond belief. This is an article in a news paper after all. Our political election process between Obama and Clinton made us look better overseas? Seriously? I really think we need to find y'all better hobbies, and a few books on the American political system that are NOT written by this author. The race wasn't between Obama and Clinton! They are both democrats! It couldn't have been between them unless you were only watching the primaries and then you tuned out. Oh, and Clinton wasn't impeached you moron. He served two full terms. Nor did Al Gore lose an election he won. If you win you win. If you lose, you lose. You can't win, then lose. And honestly, Al Gore losing Florida, was NOT a fiasco. The guy can't even spell potato.

This is more credibility lost. You had already lost all your credibility as a writer with me, so the only points left were for factual accounts, and now those are gone. You are in pretty sad shape now, as the first two paragraphs lost you your human points.

I'm hearing that again, as non-Americans watch not just the bizarre Republican presidential field but the paralysis of a US political system that has rendered an elected president apparently incapable of doing almost anything. The final straw came last August, when the US saw its credit rating downgraded after coming close to a default – all because Congress refused to raise the country's debt ceiling. Surely now, people wondered, I had given up my youthful enthusiasm for a set-up that could result in such madness?

I have news for all of you, Republican and Democrat and foreign populaces alike. Listen up. The American political system did not render Obama impotent in office. His arrogance, and inability to be compromise has. Nobody will work well with someone who presents himself as Obama has. Think about this in terms of where you work. If you have a co-worker who walks around acting like they are perfect, they do no wrong, and really are just that important, what would you do? Me, and I assume a great number of you, would be lining up to knock that person down a few rungs on that ladder of self-importance that they have climbed. Especially if the same people who put you on that pedestal are now the ones you look down on, and talk down to. I imagine there are members of the Senate and House that feel the same way.

Obama isn't dealing with anything more difficult than his predecessors were in terms of bipartisan bickering in Congress. Take a look at the bottom of this chart showing the majorities in the white house, and the presidents party. (You may also find the GDP interesting. I did.)




As for our downgraded credit rating, well, we deserved that. We have been spending outside of our means and our debt it too great. Congress did the right thing, as the debt needs to be controlled. At a business or personal level the practice of spending outside of your means is disastrous. It can't be OK for a nation to do it either. In this rare case, Congress heard the American people. That is their job.

Well, no, I haven't. I still admire a system in which election is the usual method for allocating public positions, including the head of state; whose second chamber is elected rather than appointed; which ensures serious power exists at local, town hall level; which locates sovereignty in the people rather than in an abstraction, such as our "crown in parliament"; and which sets down the rules and rights of national life in a written constitution that serves as a kind of owner's manual available to every citizen. All that I still admire.

But I confess the constipation embodied by the US Congress, the constant gridlock, has made me despair. A check on the executive is one thing; a triple-locked pair of handcuffs on the president's wrists, restraining him and his party from even, say, extending unemployment benefits to the needy, is quite different.

The President's wrists are not restrained. His ability to present a proper solution is. That isn't Congress's fault. Extending unemployment benefits to those who need them is wanted by both sides. What is not wanted is a system that does not urge them to return to work, because why would they do that if they are going to earn money sitting on their duffs at home? Also, keep in mind, we are not a socialist country. We do not believe in socialism. We subscribe to capitalism, even with it's flaws. It is at this point that the writer would lose more points with me, provided he had any left, for trying to graft his ideals from his nation onto ours, and depicting our set-up as flawed because it doesn't match his.

And yet this is not some inherent flaw in the US system, an outcome logically entailed by the founders' design and therefore unavoidable. On the contrary, it is the result of an abuse of the system, a consequence specifically of the march rightward of the Republican party.

You forget, dear writer, that the current Congress is split about 50-50, and until recently was controlled by the President's own party, the Democrats. I don't think you can blame this on Republicans.

Take the debt ceiling row. Congress never used to have a problem with that: the vote to raise the limit was always routine, nodded through 87 times since 1945, no matter which party was in charge. But today's Republicans seized on the chance to put a gun to the head of the US economy. Either the president caved to their demands or they were ready to see the country default. No wonder the credit agency Standard & Poor's declared as it took away America's triple-A rating that "the effectiveness, stability, and predictability of American policymaking and political institutions have weakened".

You can't kill an economy that has already died. Even if you put a gun to it's head. Our economy had already tanked. The jury is still out as to if raising the debt ceiling would have helped one way or the other. That depends on which economist you talk to.

To be sure, that ability to hold the country to ransom was always there, buried within the rulebook. But convention and a shared assumption that no party would act blatantly against the national interest ensured those potential weapons lay dormant. Starting in the 1990s, under then-speaker Newt Gingrich, the Republicans cast aside those conventions, dismissing them as the cosy practices of Washington insiders, an offence against ideological purity. More important now is their Tea Party pledge to vote against any tax rise or new borrowing, no matter how damaging the impact.

So they threaten filibuster against any important Democratic measure and every presidential appointment, a trick that can only be foiled with 60 out of 100 Senate votes. That way the Republican minority exercises a veto over the Democratic majority, even if the result is paralysis in the face of economic crisis and hundreds of crucial government posts left empty. Again, the possibility of minority rule may have been there before. But it has taken the shift in today's Republican mindset to realise it.

You are forgetting something very important. Both parties you are speaking of are doing exactly what they feel is in the best interest of the country. What they feel is right for the country just happens to be on opposing sides of the spectrum. As to crucial government posts being left empty, well, I am not so sure they were all that crucial. Life here for the citizens has been pretty normal really. If these posts were crucial, I would have expected more of us would have noticed a bigger change in day to day life. Besides, government is a huge and bloated thing, and needed to lose some dead weight most probably.

And what is that shift? It is towards an anti-government fervour that recalls the militia movement of the 1990s, convinced that every Washington move – even a plan to expand healthcare – is motivated by wickedness and constitutes a step towards tyranny. In that context, any action to thwart the government beast is justified. Such ideas were always around on the lunatic fringe, but they have entered and now dominate the Republican mainstream. Today's presidential candidates must bow to them. In the words of Mike Lofgren, a Republican congressional staffer who recently quit after nearly 30 years' service, today's Republicans are less like a traditional political party and "more like an apocalyptic cult".

There is a bitter irony here, that the party that insists it is conservative and patriotic now threatens the centuries-old political system that lies at the core of the US's national identity. The ideal remains true, but it is being warped almost to breaking point by the very people who claim to be its loudest defenders.

To this last section of the article, I have only one thing to say, "A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away." (Barry Goldwater) The anti-government shift didn't just arrive. Even our founding fathers believed that government needed to be kept under strict control. Here are some examples that are straight from their mouths:

"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government." - Patrick Henry

"Government is not reason; it is not eloquence. It is force. And force, like fire, is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." - George Washington

A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government, and this is necessary to close the circle of our felicity. - Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural Address. (By the way, this one also mentions that he didn't like socialism, such as welfare, social medicine, and other such things.)

Now, lets re-visit where I started. It angers me that someone who does not live here, feels they have the right, and the ability to comment on something that they so obviously don't grasp. What is even more far-fetched is that they think they have a firm grasp on the topic, and back that supposed firm grasp up by comparing it to a system that Americans have been trying to avoid since this country's inception. To top it all off, this writer vilifies a political party that, according to recent numbers, represents about half of this nation's registered voting population.

The writer did all of this to say and prove what? That Republicans are evil? Maybe that was his point. If so, it is a sad representation of who he is as a person. Seriously, all career politicians are evil! This is not something that the rest of the world is just figuring out I hope...

One wonderful idea I came up with while reading this article though was that we should send Obama to the United Kingdom to rule them. They still like him even though he insulted the Queen with gifts of an iPod full of his speeches (arrogant!), and and set of DVD's full of American classic films that were not even in the right region (arrogant and stupid!). Not only that, but they already have socialism, so Obama will fit right it. We will keep the American Dream here with us, and alive, but continuing to reward those who work hard, and hopefully inspiring those who don't by showing them what can be gained with a little hard work.

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Eleanor Roosevelt


Today's Quote:
"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Friday Funny

Here are six reasons why you should think before you speak.

Have you ever spoken and wished that you could immediately take the words back, or that you could crawl into a hole?

Here are the Testimonials of a few people who did.


FIRST TESTIMONY:
I walked into a hair salon with my husband and three kids in tow and asked loudly, "How much do you charge for a shampoo and a blow job?"
I turned around and walked back out and never went back. My husband didn't say a word. He knew better.


SECOND TESTIMONY:
I was at the golf store comparing different kinds of golf balls. I was unhappy with the women's type I had been using. After browsing for several minutes, I was approached by one of the good-looking gentlemen who works at the store. He asked if he could help me. Without thinking, I looked at him and said, "I think I like playing with men's balls"


THIRD TESTIMONY:
My sister and I were at the mall and passed by a store that sold a variety of candy and nuts. As we were looking at the display case, the boy behind the counter asked if we needed any help. I replied, "No, I'm just looking at your nuts." My sister started to laugh hysterically. The boy grinned, and I turned beet-red and walked away. To this day, my sister has never let me forget.


FOURTH TESTIMONY:
While in line at the bank one afternoon, my toddler decided to release some pent-up energy and ran amok. I was finally able to grab hold of her after receiving looks of disgust and annoyance from other patrons. I told her that if she did not start behaving "right now" she would be punished. To my horror, she looked me in the eye and said in a voice just as threatening, "If you don't let me go right now, I will tell Grandma that I saw you kissing Daddy's pee-pee last night!" The silence was deafening after this enlightening exchange. Even the tellers stopped what they were doing. I mustered up the last of my dignity and walked out of the bank with my daughter in tow. The last thing I heard when the door closed behind me, were screams of laughter.


FIFTH TESTIMONY:
Have you ever asked your child a question too many times? My three-year-old son had a lot of problems with potty training and I was on him constantly. One day we stopped at Taco Bell for a quick lunch, in between errands. It was very busy, with a full dining room. While enjoying my taco, I smelled something funny, so of course I checked my seven-month-old daughter, she was clean. Then realized that Danny
had not asked to go potty in a while. I asked him if he needed to go, and he said "No". I kept thinking "Oh Lord, that child has had an accident, and I don't have any clothes with me". Then I said, "Danny, are you SURE you didn't have an accident?" "No," he replied. I just KNEW that he must have had an accident, because the smell was getting worse. So, I asked one more time, "Danny did you have an accident?" This time he jumped up, yanked down his pants, bent over, spread his cheeks and yelled, "SEE MOM, IT'S JUST FARTS!!" While 30 people nearly choked to death on their tacos laughing, he calmly pulled up his pants and sat down. An old couple made me feel better, thanking me for the best laugh they'd ever had!


LAST BUT NOT LEAST TESTIMONY:
This had most of the state of Michigan laughing for 2 days, and a very embarrassed female news anchor who will, in the future, likely think before she speaks. What happens when you predict snow but don't get any! We had a female news anchor that,
the day after it was supposed to have snowed and didn't, turn to the weatherman and ask, "So Bob, where's that 8 inches you promised me last night?" Not only did HE have to leave the set, but half the crew did too they were laughing so hard!





I will probably offend everyone of you at least once, although I never intend to. Please take these for what they are. They are jokes. The world needs a bit more laughter.

I would love to hear your jokes as well. Feel free to email them to me, or leave them in the comments below. If I feature yours, I will ask for your website, so I can link back to you. :)

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: John Marshall


Today's Quote:
"It is not fair to ask of others what you are unwilling to do yourself."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Friedrich Nietzsche


Today's Quote:
"The power to tax is the power to destroy."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Rosa Parks


Today's Quote:
"Insanity in individuals is something rare - but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Wednesday's Hero

Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey M. Day
Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey M. Day
U.S. Army

Col. Jessie O. Farrington (Left), U.S. Army Aviation Center for Excellence deputy commander, presents Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey M. Day (Right), of the Directorate of Evaluation and Standardization, with the Air Medal with Valor for exceptionally meritorious achievement in valor.


Photo Courtesy U.S. Army Taken By Nathan Pfau

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero.
Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
Wednesday Hero Logo

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Jackie Joyner-Kersee


Today's Quote:
"I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Elvis Presley


Today's Quote:
"It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Stevie Wonder


Today's Quote:
"Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Mark Twain


Today's Quote:
"You cannot base your life on other people's expectations."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Henry Ward Beecher


Today's Quote:
"Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Friday Funny

A 54 year old woman had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital. While on the operating table she had a near death experience. Seeing God she asked "Is my time up?"

God said, "No, you have another 43 years, 2 months and 8 days to live."

Upon recovery, the woman decided to stay in the hospital and have a face-lift, liposuction, breast implants and a tummy tuck. She even had someone come in and change her hair colour and brighten her teeth! Since she had so much more time to live, she figured she might as well make the most of it. After her last operation, she was released from the hospital. While crossing the street on her way home, she was run over and killed by an ambulance.

Arriving in front of God, she demanded, "I thought you said I had another 43 years? Why didn't you pull me from out of the path of the ambulance?"


(You'll love this)


God replied: "I didn't recognize you."



I will probably offend everyone of you at least once, although I never intend to. Please take these for what they are. They are jokes. The world needs a bit more laughter.

I would love to hear your jokes as well. Feel free to email them to me, or leave them in the comments below. If I feature yours, I will ask for your website, so I can link back to you. :)

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Robert G. Allen


Today's Quote:
"Greatness lies not in being strong, but in the right use of strength."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Wednesday's Hero

1st Lt. Loren Douglas Hagen
1st Lt. Loren Douglas Hagen
25 years old from Fargo, North Dakota
U.S. Army Training Advisory Group
February 25, 1946 - August 7, 1971
U.S. Army

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant Loren Douglas Hagen, United States Army (Reserve), for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as the team leader of a small reconnaissance team with the U.S. Army Training Advisory Group, in action against enemy aggressor forces while operating deep within enemy-held territory in the Republic of Vietnam, on 7 August 1971. At approximately 0630 hours on the morning of 7 August 1971 the small team came under a fierce assault by a superior-sized enemy force using heavy small arms, automatic weapons, mortar, and rocket fire. First Lieutenant Hagen immediately began returning small-arms fire upon the attackers and successfully led this team in repelling the first enemy onslaught. He then quickly deployed his men into more strategic defense locations before the enemy struck again in an attempt to overrun and annihilate the beleaguered team's members. First Lieutenant Hagen repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire directed at him as he constantly moved about the team's perimeter, directing fire, rallying the members, and resupplying the team with ammunition, while courageously returning small arms and hand grenade fire in a valorous attempt to repel the advancing enemy force. The courageous actions and expert leadership abilities of First Lieutenant Hagen were a great source of inspiration and instilled confidence in the team members. After observing an enemy rocket make a direct hit on and destroy one of the team's bunkers, First Lieutenant Hagen moved toward the wrecked bunker in search for team members despite the fact that the enemy force now controlled the bunker area. With total disregard for his own personal safety, he crawled through the enemy fire while returning small-arms fire upon the enemy force. Undaunted by the enemy rockets and grenades impacting all around him, First Lieutenant Hagen desperately advanced upon the destroyed bunker until he was fatally wounded by enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire. With complete disregard for his personal safety, First Lieutenant Hagen's courageous gallantry, extraordinary heroism, and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty, at the cost of his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon him and the United States Army.


These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero.
Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
Wednesday Hero Logo

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Robert H. Schuller


Today's Quote:
"Many an optimist has become rich by buying out a pessimist."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Dale Carnegie


Today's Quote:
"Impossible situations can become possible miracles."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Monday, January 2, 2012

10 Year Old Gives Birth To Baby Boy

I ran across the follow article in my internet travels today.

"A 10-year-old Mexican girl has given birth to a baby boy after a 31-week pregnancy, according to reports.

The premature infant, which weighed 3.3 pounds, was born by Caesarian section at the Women’s Hospital in the city of Puebla and is in the intensive care unit recovering from pneumonia.

The young mother, who is from the nearby San Francisco Totimehuacan community, has returned home after the procedure but visits the baby every day to breastfeed, officials said.

The Puebla state Attorney General's Office is now investigating whether the girl could have been raped and who the father is, the hospital’s director Rogelio Gonzalez said, according to UpFrontNewswire."


My first reactions was one of shock. A ten year old? Seriously? What ten year old understands sex, and thinks about having sex? That is totally still the "boys have coodies" stage.

Then, I moved on to disgust and anger. This move didn't take but seconds as the minute I had the reaction above, I realized that my gut reaction was right. Ten year old girls don't think about sex, and more importantly, would not willing participate.

OK, a few of you just started mentally referring to Jerry Springer specials on childhood parenthood. Maybe I am wrong, and some ten year old children actively seek out and participate in sexual acts, but this can't be the norm, and not even close to common in my estimation.

Where does that leave the little girl in this story? Is she a victim? I wonder if I will ever know. Regardless, this is a sad and disturbing story, even if the means of conception were consensual. Despite my outrage and disgust, I wish the baby and child/mother all the luck in the world. They are probably going to need it.

Also, in case you were all suddenly as curious as I was, I found a listing on Wikipedia of the youngest birth mothers. You can see it here. The youngest according to that chart posted there is 5 years, 7 months, and 21 days, and the father of her baby is listed as unknown. From Wikipedia:

"Entering precocious puberty at the age of 8 months(some reports say 2.5 years), Medina gave birth to a 2.7 kg (6.0 lb) son, named Gerardo, by caesarean section on May 14, 1939 in Lima, Peru at age 5. Her parents, who assumed their daughter had a tumor, took her to a hospital, where she was determined to be seven months pregnant. Although Medina's father was arrested on suspicion of child sexual abuse, he was later released due to lack of evidence, and the identity of the biological father who impregnated Medina was never uncovered."

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Seneca


Today's Quote:
"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Best Of In 2011

I thought I would take a look at my most popular posts in 2011, according to Google Analytics. I was surprised by some of them, as they were posted years ago, and not in 2011, yet were still popular. Here they are in count down format in honor of the new year along with links to the blog post in case you think you missed something.

10. Saturday's Super Site - posted 03/24/2007
9. Quote Of The Day - posted 10/04/2009
8. Quote Of The Day - posted 05/11/2011
7. Quote Of The Day - posted 05/03/2011
6. Quote Of The Day - posted 04/22/2011
5. Is Jeff Talking About The View? - posted 03/27/2007
4. Quote Of The Day - posted 05/2/2011
3. One Bad Apple Spoils The Bunch - posted 08/06/2010
2. The Importance Of Initiative - posted 06/22/2007

And the most popular in 2011 is:
1. A 17 Pound Baby! - posted 09/27/2007

To Captain Dramatics dismay - none of his made the list. Here is a link to his in case you want to change the tides in his favor for 2012.

Quote Of The Day

Yesterday's Answer: Dalai Lama


Today's Quote:
"No man ever became wise by chance."


Submissions are welcome, but it means you can't guess on the quote you submitted. If you have a submission, please email it to mrsxoke@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name as you wish it to appear with your submission, a link to your web page or blog, and the name of the person who said or wrote your quote.