2018 Is Almost Here

The new year is upon us and I am on a mission to commemorate it more than just random Instagram or Facebook posts. Those are both private sites I use to interact with friends and people who I know on a personal or daily basis. So here we are ready to come back to this blog after nearly 5 years and talk about stuff from the world around us. Living in a pretty big city - Houston TX - there is always something to see and do and be surprised at daily. Welcome to my adventure.

Let's Really Adhere to the 2nd Amendment Then

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

There it is. That Second Amendment to the US Constitution. The one that so many of my friends believe will soon be just a memory. The same amendment those same friends believe should be held up to the letter.

I have only two things to say about the 2nd amendment:

1. It's not going away. To amend the Constitution you must get a bill through Congress and then have it ratified by 38 of the 50 states. That just will not happen in our lifetime.

2. It's already NOT being followed by law. No really. Our "militia" - the people who buy and own guns because of this Constitutionally guaranteed right - are NOT well regulated as required by the Constitution.

Let me prove my point. These are true stories, I am not making them up.

Exhibit 1: A year or so ago a friend won a hunting rifle in a charity raffle. She bought a raffle ticket at a bar where the charity event was being held. They drew her ticket number. She walked out of a bar with a rifle. That was it. She was a gun owner. There was no background check, no waiting period, no concern as to whether she was mentally unstable or a felon or anything. I have no idea how much she had to drink. Not much, knowing her, but what if the winner had been fall down drunk?

Exhibit 2: Back in 2008 a car dealership a few miles from my hometown offered a semi automatic weapon with purchase. And yes, I did know someone who went up and bought a truck and drove away with a gun in the seat beside him in that new vehicle. General manager Walter Moore said that so far, most buyers have chosen the gun, adding that he suggests they opt for a semiautomatic model "because it holds more rounds."

Exhibit 3: I have a photo of me holding a friend's son's AK 47. She might be upset if I posted it here, so I won't. She bought it for her under aged son at a gun show. He was too young to purchase it but since he wanted it and his dad didn't object...it's in her name but they used the kid's money. They do not keep ammo for it and they keep it locked in a gun safe in their home. But they bought it and walked out of a gun show with it that same day. An AK 47!

Exhibit 4: There is a 9mm handgun in my home that was bought in a private sale from a friend of a friend at work. I know nothing about that gun except it works and I got a good deal. While I'm pretty sure it's never been used in a crime I couldn't swear to it as I really don't know the friend of the friend. No paper work was filed, I brought it home with me the same afternoon I met with the friend of the friend, no background check was done, no history of the gun was investigated. I have no idea who may have owned the gun before the friend of the friend. Good thing I wasn't buying it to shoot an abusive husband or irritating boss. But then how would the seller have known what I wanted it for or what kind of person I was.

So do not preach to me the Second Amendment. Do not tell me a few regulations to make sure the true meaning of the Second Amendment is followed is infringing on your right to own a gun. No one is stopping you from owning a gun. There are those of us that would like to have a little more of the "well regulated" directive of the amendment considered. The "not be infringed" part isn't going anywhere. If you are "infringed" by making sure the second amendment is followed as written in the Constitution then you are disqualified from pushing the second amendment in my face every time you feel the gov'mint is coming for your guns. You already don't follow the written intent of the law and are more likely the reason we need to have some regulation.

The best comparison argument I have heard so far involves the state laws and certifications for driving. We regulate if you drive you have a license, we regulate you had to pass a proficiency test to get that license, some states regulate you have to take a drivers' ed class to get take the test or get a permit, we regulate you have to be a certain age to get that license, we regulate you have to be able to read and understand the traffic signs on the road, that your car is safe to be on the road with annual inspections, we regulate you have insurance on it in case you hurt someone or damage their property, we take away your right to drive if you cannot be safe, break too many traffic laws, can't see and you have to guarantee you can properly take care of your car and keep insurance on it.

If you trade or sell that vehicle you have to transfer the title to the new owner so that there is a record of ownership filed somewhere. Heck you even have to tell whether that car has been in n accident. You can't file off the VIN number or roll back the mileage. You can get a ticket for not having back up lights or driving too fast. There are regulations we live by because we want to be safe on the roads.

Would you disagree these are good ideas for automobiles and drivers? And wouldn't you agree we can do, at the very least, something similar with the 3 million plus guns we have in this country? Or should we just accept it's okay to partially follow the Constitution and not "well regulate" something a bit more deadly than your new Ford Explorer.

Unless your new car has your free gun with purchase sitting there on the seat next to you.

Bang! You're Dead

Since the horrific shootings in Connecticut there has been much discussion about how it could have been prevented. One of the most floated ideas from many of my friends who own guns (full disclosure, I won 4 handguns) is to arm the teachers. The NRA tells us the "only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun." Okay...let's test that theory.

Watch More News Videos at ABC | 2012 Presidential Election | Entertainment & Celebrity News

I can shoot the hell out of skeet with a shotgun and nearly hit the same hole each time with my .36 at a shooting range. But put me in a situation like those portrayed here in the video and I'm not sure I could do much better. It's not that I don't think there would be times when a gun in the hands of a good guy might be a good idea. But as we can see here it's not the answer to our problem. No one is advocating banning handguns, no one is coming to take your hunting rifle. But to just arm "good guys" will nilly? Watch the video again ad tell me THAT'S the answer.

The Amazing Hillary

I am one of those folks who voted for Hillary Clinton when she ran against our President in the Democratic primaries. One of those folks who was upset when she lost and he didn't choose her for VP. Thrilled when she was named Secretary of State and far from shocked when she did the most amazing job of any Secretary of State in my lifetime. So it's not beyond belief that I would repost the Barbara Walter interview here. If she runs again in 2016 I will not only vote for her, I will volunteer for her campaign. If not, I will follow her next move and support any cause she champions.

Watch More News Videos at ABC | 2012 Presidential Election | Entertainment & Celebrity News

I Am Guilty

CollegeHumor's Favorite Funny Videos

And now it's the holiday season and I have already made a holiday season album for my Facebook. I take a photo every morning of the sunrise and I have an album just for food things - whether it's something I'm eating or cooking or found in the market. ugh

Grandma's Red Hot Salad

Friends are always asking me for the recipe for Grandma Lucille’s Red Hot Salad. She made it for every family holiday gathering since I can remember until she passed away. I have kept the tradition alive through the years. It’s easy to make – which is even better since I am not that good with recipes!

You’ll need:

2 boxes of cherry jello

1 med sized jar of good applesauce (don’t get store brand because it’s usually too runny)

1 bag of Brach’s red hots or cinnamon imperials – they melt best

Boil 1 1/2 cups of water and add about 2/3 of the bag of red hots to it (more if you like it real cinnamonny) Take it off the heat or they’ll stick while they melt and stir til the red hots have dissolved.

Add the red hot mixture to the jello in a good sized bowl. When you add the applesauce be sure to spoon it in carefully – if you dump it in you’ll have quite a mess and it won’t set up even. Stir it a bit to make sure the applesauce blends with the Jello and then let it set up as usual. I serve it as a side dish but it makes a great snack or desert with some Cool Whip on top.

Twelve True Days of Christmas

Every year when I was full time at KILT I read this on the air. Every year the office staff worked liked Santa's Elves to fax and email copies to listeners who wanted it. So since I am no longer able to read it to you, I will post it here. Please share with your friends and family.


The Christian’s Twelve Days of Christmas!!

The Twelve Days of Christmas are the 12 days between Christmas (December 25) and the Epiphany (January 6), which is when the three Magi arrived with Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.

Origin of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”
An Underground Catechism

Most folks, I believe, are familiar with the Christmas song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. If you listen to the words carefully, it seems like nonsense set to rhyme and music. However, it was written with a serious purpose.

It is more than just a list of twelve silly gifts. Catholics in England during the period 1558-1829 were prohibited by law to practice their faith either in public or private. It was illegal to be Catholic. [Note: Parliament finally emancipated Catholics in England in 1829.]

The Twelve Days of Christmas” was written in England as one of the "catechism songs”to help young Catholics learn the basics of their faith. In short, it was a memory aid. Since the song sounded like rhyming nonsense, young Catholics could sing the song without fear of imprisonment. The authorities would not know that it was a religious song. Actually, the catechism to which it referred was rather ecumenical so they could claim to be Protestant if cornered.

The songs gifts had hidden meanings to the teachings of the Catholic faith. The “true love” mentioned in the song doesn’t refer to an earthly suitor, but refers to God Himself. The “me” who received the presents refers to every baptized person, i.e. the Church. The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge in memory of the expression of Christ’s sadness over the fate of Jerusalem! “Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but thou would not have it so…”

The Christian’s Twelve Days of Christmas!!

A partridge in a pear tree ------- The one true God revealed in the person of Jesus Christ

2 Turtle Doves ------------------ The Old and New Testaments

3 French Hens ----------------- Faith, Hope and Charity

4 Calling Birds------------------- The Four Gospels or the Four Evangelists

5 Golden Rings------------------ The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch which contains the law condemning us of our sins

6 Geese A-Laying ----------------The six days of Creation

7 Swans A-Swimming------------The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven Sacraments of the Catholic faith

8 Maids A-Milking --------------The Eight beatitudes

9 Ladies Dancing ----------------The Nine Fruits of the Spirit

10 Lords A –Leaping------------The Ten Commandments

11 Pipers Piping-----------------The eleven faithful apostles

12 Drummers Drumming------The twelve point of Doctrine in the Apostles creed