"Addiction"

Comment....A few years ago after I retired from the State of Connecticut and Federal Government  I worked in a Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation unit and as a result, today some of my best friends are clean and sober alcoholics and drug addicts. My good friend Jason explained it like this, when I asked him if there really was a cure for this disease?

Jason explained ...."You know you are addicted when you say to someone you can control your drinking and drug use. Some actually feel that they can cure themselves by not drinking or using drugs for short periods of time. Let me make this clear. If you are alcoholic, there is no cure. Alcoholism is a disease of progression. In other words, it is not a cure to stop drinking for short periods of time. When you drink again and you will, it will usually get worse not better. The desperately sick and addicted as a last resort will spend any amount of money to relieve themselves of the desire and compulsion to drink. Alcohol will control your life. Alcoholism is disease like no other. It is a disease that tells you are not sick and that its OK to drink or use drugs again after you quit for a short period of time. Believe me, its not. Total abstinence for the rest of your life one day at a time is the only way to stop the craving and desire to drink or use drugs.  Did you ever quit smoking only later to smoke one cigarette and find yourself smoking like before you quit only more. Smoking is another addiction that is very hard to stop....Well, it’s the same with drinking or using drugs. Usually young people start drinking because of peer pressure. After a while it becomes the thing to do to fit in and feel good about doing questionable things. The alcohol commercials are proving that. Take my word for it, their goal is to get you hooked. To start you drinking. The younger the better. For woman, your inhibitions will disappear because of drinking. In the past you thought about what your parents would think or what the consequences would be of your behavior. When woman drink they lose their dignity or that "Healthy caution" and will do things they wouldn’t normally do. They become prey for the perverts. Did you ever wake up in the morning and not remember what you did the night before? Wonder where the black and blue marks came from or where the car was? No, well wait! You will! This will go on until someone suggests to you to try Marijuana. I don't care what they say! Marijuana is a stepping stone drug and if you use it, it will, more than likely lead to the use of other addictive drugs like prescription drugs, crack cocaine or heroin. Its only be a matter of time. It will be easier than drinking and it will make you feel high faster.. With woman its all about emotions, feelings and feeling good, so off you go. With most guys its about being shy and lacking self-confidence. Alcohol and drugs will allow that "false courage" and you will do things that you see on TV or in the movies. You will take those chances that you normally wouldn't. That usually leads to pain or death.. For some, addiction is a slow process. If you just drink it could take years but when you add drugs to the mix it won’t take as long. Alcohol will bankrupt you physically, mentally and spiritually. Some are lucky enough to hit bottom before they do too much damage. For others it will take longer and the longer it takes the odds are that before they can get help that person will find jail or death"….

"Today's Reality"

Originally posted Friday March 9, 2012.  This is the updated version....

"When morals decline and good men do nothing, evil flourishes. A society unwilling to learn from past is doomed. We must never forget our history." J. Edgar Hoover


   Remember a long time ago when we seen something bad happen to someone we would say, Hey, be careful it could happen to you. Well, the way things are going these days we say, its going to happen to you sooner or later even if you are careful. I say, try not to become collateral damage. I realize that human behavior has been questionable for thousand years and people have been wondering why people do what they do since the beginning of time. Things have escalated in the past few years here in America and its my opinion that most of what is going on in this country these days is because of suppressed anger, fear and rage. None of us is bullet proof to the craziness and insanity going on in the world today...We have come to the point here in the United States depending where you live that its too dangerous to venture outside. I realize it has always been somewhat like this, more or less but it seems like its much worse now. Ask yourself a few questions. Do you really know who your neighbors are? Do you trust them? Are you sure? Would you let them baby sit your 13 year old daughter or give them the key to your house to watch while you go on vacation? I'll bet you are thinking about that? Has your home ever been invaded or broken into. Watch out there country dwellers you are on the list now. You can spend a small fortune for that security system but you are not untouchable anymore. I have never heard of that happening till a few years ago. Even you out there in the country in your 5 Million dollar home. You are not safe. Try and buy a hand gun to protect yourself. They are even taking that away from you too.  Remember when you could leave in the morning and not lock your door? I do....
       Has there ever been a suicide in your family? No, but I'll bet you know someone who has? Has divorce hit your family? Your kids or nieces and nephews? Do you smoke cigarettes? Could you stop if you wanted to?... Right, try it.. How about Alcoholism or Drug Addiction? Do you really know what your son or daughter would do to get the drink or drug he or she needs when craving it? Do you have an Alcoholic or Drug addict in your family? Did you know that alcoholism is an inherited disease?... Maybe it would it would be a good idea to read about addiction and learn. Have you been touched by those diseases yet...Notice I said yet...Have you felt the misery of a death by car accident on the highways these days or by the horrendous weather we are having? Has a family member or even a friend ever been raped or murdered? How about losing your job or your home? Have you ever had your car repossessed? Have you ever been watched so much you are starting to get paranoid? Your cell phone is really a hand held computer that will tell everyone everything. Are you or your kids addicted to your phone. Do you go back and get it if you forget it at home? Could you go a day without it? I did...Try that. Those cards the Supermarket uses. The ones you scan to buy something. Right, even they know what you are doing all the time. Ever wonder why you need a plastic card to buy almost anything? Even the banks know if and when you pay your bills.
       How about your kids. Have they left the family nest to go out in the world only to come back to live with you again? Are they saving for their future and retirement? Hell, are you saving for your future and retirement? The way things are going now you won't be able to retire until you are 70. That's only if Social Security has any money left. Will you be healthy enough to work until you are 70?..... 27% of Americans have no savings for that rainy day....All those wonderful politicians you voted for that are spending millions to get elected or reelected are robbing you blind. Ask them about their retirement and health care. Don't believe me? Just wait, you will see!
       Remember when you knew the cop on the beat by his first name? The police today are more Military than anything else. They all look alike with their shaved heads, bullet proof vests and combat fatigues. They carry automatic weapons like in a the army. Police departments of today now have hazmat teams and bomb squads. You haven't lived until you have been evacuated from a building because of a bomb threat or a mysterious white powder scare. Kids are being shot in schools everyday somewhere in this country. And no its not just the ghettos. It can happen to you...(((Oh, can I still say ghettos?))) Think about that? Have your children been in a locked down school because of a white powder, gun or bomb scare?  Its happening more and more. You are being scrutinized, searched, listened too and watched everywhere you go. From the highways and stores to Facebook and Google. Yes, you are...and there isn't a Blessed thing you or I can do about it.
      You and your kids are being programed by "Nintendo" games or while you are watching those horrible reality shows on TV, which are not real by the way. What about the the TV and movie violence? It is the worst I have ever seen. Because of the movies and TV, promiscuity is normal and modesty is nonexistent? There is nothing left to the imagination. Remember, young minds without supervision are the future copycats and you know what means. They actually need someone to tell them difference between right and wrong...As the years, months and days go by in this computer world the odds of something I just described happening to you is rapidly increasing. So if you think you were careful before, brother you haven't seen anything yet....All because of money...The Bastards out there will do anything to steal or sell you something. Nothing else matters....They don't care about anything else....

"Firing Paula Deen is Unconstitutional!"

Official: Food Network will not renew Paula Deen's contract - CNN.com
 
New York (CNN) -- Celebrity chef Paula Deen's contract with the Food Network will not be renewed, the network said Friday, the latest fallout over revelations this week that she admitted to using a racial epithet in the past.

  Comment....... (((Warning)))....When you read this comment be careful because it contains a few epithet's, whatever that is.... Forgive me here but being of the age (Paula is 66 and from the South) and of that time when it was normal to say things like that." ...  Have any of you been to Georgia or places down South? If you think what she said was bad you haven't heard anything!
     Contrary to popular belief...Some of us still believe in, ~"Freedom of Speech."~ In my day and being of Italian extraction, I was called a Wop or a Guinea many times. Polish people were called Pollacks. The Irish were called Micks. The Jews were called Kikes. Germans were called Krauts and the Japanese were called Chinks. The Spanish were called Spicks and Blacks were called Niggers. If we were really nice we called them Colored...When I was in the military I was passing through Augusta Ga. I stopped in to Sears for one reason or another and seen two drinking fountains next to each other. The sign above them said one was for Whites and one was for Colored. It was the same for bathrooms. One for White people and the other bathroom next to it for the Colored... We were brought up to say those things and everybody said it. Even the American Indians were called Redskins. Its what they said in the movies! Now they are trying to change the name of a NFL team. They cannot stop us from thinking those words.... It will always be us and them...
      If I ever said to the guys "Hey, its not nice to say those things, I would have been punched in the arm till it was black and blue and called more names that I'm sure any of you can think of. One of the most popular sayings, in my day was, "You call a spade a spade"!
      Whatever happened to "Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me".
 A lot of people said this and now its my turn...."I may not agree with what you say, but I will fight to the death to defend your right to say it."

      However, its now 2013 and believe me when I say this, I promise you I will never change! ... This Political correctness and our government now is just another form of control. They are trying to control everything we say and do. No matter how hard they try to change the Constitution they cannot change or control my generation like they do to today's "Clone Generation"... Call me what you want! I know what I am and who I am... I will never change! Firing someone because of something they said is still, "Unconstitutional."
    Although I don't condone what they said, it was in poor taste... I said the same thing when "Michael Richards, Jimmy the Greek" and Donald Imus lost their jobs...Paula, join the club....
                                   "ITS STILL "UNCONSTITUTIONAL!"  


If you don't know who Michael Richards, Jimmy the Greek or Don Imus was and I'll bet most of you don't, click the links below....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Snyder

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Imus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Richards

"U.S. To Launch Peace Talks With Taliban?"

U.S. to launch peace talks with Taliban - The Washington Post

 

"The Obama administration will start formal peace talks with the Taliban on Thursday in the Persian Gulf state of Qatar, the first direct political contact between them since early last year and the initial step in what the administration hopes will lead to a negotiated end to the protracted war in Afghanistan."

Comment and you knew there would be........

     Is Obama going to Qatar to personally negotiate or will he send Hillery and Huma Abedin? You remember them don't you? How do they know if the Taliban negotiators aren't wearing bombs? Will they strip search them or make them walk through bomb detectors before letting them in the negotiation room? Will they do this in different rooms? Who will be ordered to do this? Will they send woman negotiators? If they do will they be wearing burkas? Check picture....Is it a volunteer job? I can hear it now. "OK guys and gals I need a few volunteers to sit in a room with a bunch of brutal murderers that might have bombs strapped to them.  And lastly. Will we give them money? I mean why not, we pay for everything now and I'll bet the bottom line here is about cash...

  

A Little Good News-Ann Murray (Original 1983 Video)

This morning after my morning meeting I stopped as I usually do in the Goodwill in Clinton Conn. to check out some CDs and I came across Ann Murray's recording of "A little good news today." Its a 1989 recording... One of my problems is I try to stay away from all the bad news on that TV and radio. I don't watch or listen to ether. By the way. Don't buy CDs or movies in any of the stores. At any Goodwill they are a $1.99. Track 6 on her album "Greatest Hits - Volume II, has this song... I cried on the way home listening to it.... The words are below...


I rolled out this mornin' the kids had the mornin' news show on Bryant Gumbel was talkin' 'bout the fighting in Lebanon. Some senator was squawkin' 'bout the bad economy It's gonna get worse you see, we need a change in policy.

There's a local paper rolled up in a rubber band. One more sad story's one more than I can stand. Just once how I'd like to see the headline say, "Not much to print today, can't find nothin' bad to say", because Nobody robbed a liquor store on the lower part of town Nobody OD'ed, nobody burned a single buildin' down Nobody fired a shot in anger, nobody had to die in vain. We sure could use a little good news today.

I'll come home this evenin', I'll bet that the news will be the same. Somebody takes a hostage, somebody steals a plane. How I wanna hear the anchor man talk about a county fair. And how we cleaned up the air, how everybody learned to care. Whoa, tell me nobody was assassinated in the whole Third World today And in the streets of Ireland, all the children had to do was play And everybody loves everybody in the good old USA. We sure could use a little good news today

Nobody robbed a liquor store on the lower part of town. Nobody OD'ed, nobody burned a single buildin' down. Nobody fired a shot in anger, nobody had to die in vain We sure could use a little good news today

"Fathers Day 2013"

     As far back as I can remember my dad always wore a hat. He never wore it in a Church a restaurant or in the house like they do today but only to work and when he was outside. I remember him taking off his hat when he went into a building. I remember him tipping his hat to the ladies...He was a very respectful and courteous...  In the winter he wore a Navy pea-cap. It was around the time of World War two and I remember he said he was exempt from the Military. He told me, instead of the Military and because of our family, he called us "dependents" and at that time they only drafting single guys...So he worked in a place called the Springfield Armory in Massachusetts where they made guns for “World War Two“. He was a Machinist. ... My uncle, my moms brother, his name was Frank. During the war he was in the Navy building and repairing airbases on those islands in the Pacific. He was in what they called the “Navy Seabees“. He told me he "drove a bulldozer" and made landing strips for the war planes on those islands...I remember he gave my dad a Navy pea hat and a pea-coat for the winter. He gave me a clock that he said, "came out of a Navy plane that crashed". They called it a, pea coat and pea hat because of the material it was made of. I often wondered what the “P” meant…In the summer my dad wore a baseball hat. He was a great baseball player. He played third base on the town baseball team. The name of the team was the "Kettle Brook Team". It was named after a once popular fishing brook in our town. I think its a swamp now by the Congregational Church on Main St....The uniforms they wore were like the Yankee pin stripes but my dad was always a Red Sox fan. He got to see them win a World Series before he died. He was happy about that. My son Adam even put a Red Sox hat in his coffin. He really would have liked that.

    I especially remember one summer afternoon many years ago when they were playing baseball at the local ballpark near St. Mary's school in Windsor Locks Connecticut. Dad told me that the famous "Babe Ruth" and the Yankee baseball team visited the park while they were on some kind of tour. I remember one time at a game when I was standing near the fence with my fingers holding the fence and he came over and told me to never hold the fence like that because a foul ball might hit my fingers. I will never forget that. To this day I will never lace my fingers in a Chain link fence.....He always took care of me...He use to say to Mom to "Keep an eye on me" or "Watch over me" all the time. I was watching a game one afternoon when the batter hit a line drive, a hot grounder, a one bouncer to him at third base and he caught the ball and threw it from deep in the hole to first base and got the runner out...Everybody in the grandstand cheered. I didn’t know how important that was at the time but he was very excited when he explained it to me. His nick name was “Pap the Rooster”. All the players had nick names. From that moment on my Dad had the nick name "Pap". No one ever called him Joe which was his real name. I have no idea what that means but I think, “Rooster” is a term for a baseball infielder. I was only a little kid and very young but I remember that. When he was older and done playing baseball he wore a golf hat. For years he played golf all summer long at the "Copper Hill Country Club" in East Granby with my uncles and his friends. In the winter he went bowling. First at Blanch's lanes on Grove St. then at the "Villa Rose" on Spring St. in Windsor Locks on Tuesday and Thursday nights. I went with him because my Mom worked and I remember helping the owner of the bowling alley set up the pins. They said were “short handed”. I was called "the pin boy" and they paid me 6 cents a string...The bowling pins were called “Duck-Pins“. I remember the hat he had at the time with a bowling pin logo on it…On Sundays he wore a fedora to church like the one Humphrey Bogart wore in the movies. I have a picture of me and my Dad all dressed up for Church and we both had a fedora on. It looked like I was 6 or 7 years old. .

               Dad, I will always remember the things you taught me, the wonderful example you set and the priceless things you said to me. A day doesn't go by when I don't think of you and think, what would my Dad do in a situation this? It never fails, I always make good choices when I do that.. It was an honor and a pleasure to take care of you and "Watch over you" in your last days like you took care of me.. I really miss you Dad... Happy Fathers Day.... I love you.....


 Link below is a Fathers day story written by John Steward who writes for the Stonington Times in Connecticut. 

         http://www.theday.com/article/20130613/NWS01/306139984/0/SEARCH

"Fire Kills Scores of People at China Poultry plant"

Fire kills scores at China poultry plant - latimes.com

  Rescuers work inside the Baoyuan poultry plant that caught fire at Dehui, in northeast China's Jilin province. The blaze killed at least 119 people, local officials said. (STR, AFP/Getty Images /

"Fire raged through a poultry plant in northeastern China on Monday, trapping workers inside a cluttered slaughterhouse and killing at least 119 people, reports and officials said."   


Comment....This is where your chicken nuggets come from.. They lock the employees in the slaughter house. Its where they brutally kill helpless chemical fed chickens. This is an example of what goes around comes around...  Enjoy those nuggets folks..