Leslie's Little Soapbox

New Home For The Soapbox

2009-08-16T15:03:00.001-05:00

I've finally decided to go with the domain name www.soapboxleslie.com - now to get the search engines to follow me around.

The Soapbox New Location

2008-11-07T07:12:00.001-06:00

The soapbox is live in it's new location Leslie's Little Soapbox - please bear with me while I work on the look and feel.

Moving the Soapbox

2008-11-05T15:21:00.002-06:00

Please bear with me as I work to move my soapbox into a WordPress blog. I feel I have more options available to me by using this type of blog. No sneak peaks because I'm still trying to decide which domain name of mine that it needs to be part of.

Thanks for letting me scream into the wind.

Leslie

The Agents of Change Have Spoken

2008-11-05T06:42:00.002-06:00

The agents of "change" have spoken. I still believe that it was more of a "pretty face, feel good" election. I am sure over the next days and months I will be called a racist. Those who feel they are entitled will inflate that attitude. I wonder how long it will be before I lose the right to blog how I feel? I wonder how long it will be before I can no long watch FoxNews, listen to Rick & Bubba every morning, or read Neal Boortz? How do I console someone who feels everything his grandfather fought for has been lost with this election?

I have two years to find other like voices, two years to educate, two years to watch, in fear, what direction the country I love heads towards. I pray that I am wrong about how I feel.

Welcome to the U.S.S.A.

Question Everything

2008-11-03T07:04:00.003-06:00

My friend Chuck at least has me questioning things I read. In a recent blog post "McCain and Obama, You Do Have a Choice", Chuck was voicing his concerns over the negativity in the campaign. Over the weekend I got an email "Obama Ties to Farrakhan Revealed" by Ken Timmerman - my first reaction was "too little, too late". Then I found myself asking why has it taken so long for something like this to even be written.

I still have unanswered media related questions about the LA Times article "Allies of Palestinians see a friend in Barack Obama", if the LA Times does have "said video", why not release it? Perhaps what is being reported about this video is being twisted, distorted and taken out of context? Is the LA Times telling the American people they are too stupid to judge for themselves?

Something else to watch, Congress' Approval Rating Ties Lowest in Gallup Records remember the Congress is controlled by the democrats and they are the ones who are really sticking it to all of us Americans!

A Voice To Monitor

2008-10-30T10:34:00.001-06:00

I have been having some at times lively discussions with both Democrats and Republicans and have been trying to monitor those voices who I think might have viable ideas for change. Most of the people I have heard just spout off that they want change, but cannot come up with any type of solution. I will be monitoring the thoughts of Chuck Lasker as I too try to find ways to give America back to the people.

I suppose you could say that I too am just "spouting off" that I want change, but I want to also learn how to become an active, educated participant in the process.

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Understanding The Undecided

2008-10-29T14:48:00.001-06:00

It's always like walking through a mine field when discussing politics in social settings. I have really been wanting to understand what an undecided voter is thinking, so I tread carefully in recent conversations to try and gain a little insight. The group I spoke with were older than I am, so they also had my due respect. It seemed to be a consensus that it wasn't that one candidate was worse than the other, they just didn't like either choice. They told me that they would just rather not vote because they didn't want to be part of choosing.

In theory, I agree with them. I do not like either candidate but I don't want to waste my vote or not vote. But I also know the problems are not just with the presidential candidates, but are also with the congressional candidates - the career politicians who have lost sight as to what government service is supposed to mean.

I can empathize with the undecideds, it tough. I think I'm just going to vote a straight party ticket, pray and try to work like hell to wake people up so we can start getting REAL change in place during the next four years.

One place we need to reclaim is the education of our children and the education of all Americans - you think Jay Leno's "Jay Walking" is just entertainment? Read John Stossel's - A Duty Not To Vote.

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Biden Angered By Tough Questions

2008-10-27T14:48:00.004-06:00

Enter the "damage control" - worst one I heard was this reporter was spoon fed her questions. Good grief! What have I been saying and before she asked these questions? These are answers that ALL Americans need to hear before it's too late.

Since YouTube pulled the video I linked to, here's the FoxNews version (and yes YouTube was in it right to pull it) Here a link to WFTV's copyrighted version:
http://www.wftv.com/video/17790025/index.html

I Don't Want To Waste A Vote

2008-10-27T07:25:00.002-06:00

I find that I'm not happy with either choice of Presidential candidate this election. Everyone wants change, so do I, but I don't want to live in a socialist country. If I wanted to live in a socialist country, I'd move to France. I believe that people who are voting for Obama are enamored with his pretty face and pretty talk. Obama scares me because no one is listening to what he is saying or has said. I'm not real thrilled with McCain either, I do like Sarah Palin and I think she really could shake up the good ole boy network.

Everyday I watch our personal freedoms get torn away from us. Our education system is in the toilet because the government has it's hands all over it. Our interstates are awful, where is all that tax money I am paying going? I enjoy listening to talk radio, the station I listen to is open about their Christian values. I fear they will be taken off the air. I used to enjoy CNN, I started watching it when it first came on the air, but their political bias got as bad as the big three networks. BUT, I defend their right to their free speech and dont want that taken away from them.

I have been accused of not caring about the less fortunate or those who are down on their luck. How dare you? You have not walked in my shoes, you don't know where I have come from to get here. I have been one of those "less fortunate" and through hard work and tenacity I have carved out a very tiny portion of the "American Dream". I don't have the whole pie, just a small piece of it, but I worked hard for it. Now I stand here and wonder why the bailouts? I suppose I could ask, where is my bailout?

So where does this leave me when it comes time to cast my ballot? If I vote for a third party candidate, it's almost like a vote for Obama or a wasted vote. I hate the term, lesser of two evils but that's where I'm at. I don't think the Libertarian Party has enough steam yet. Perhaps during the next four years Americans who still believe in the American Dream, the Constitution, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness will wake up, rise up and take this country.

The beauty of the electronic media, I'll have archives of my thoughts. So in the years to come, let's look back and see how far off the mark I am.

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'Comrade Sam'

2008-10-25T05:23:00.001-05:00

I'm glad FoxNews made this video available. Listen up America!

Think You Can Do It Better?

2008-10-24T10:43:00.003-05:00

I feel like I'm talking to a know-it-all teenager who thinks they are smarter. Okay, you are so smart, you do it. I'm tired of banging my head up against a wall trying to explain this to you. You've never lived outside of the US like I have. You have never experienced socialized medicine like I have. (Sidebar note here, my own daughter also has been a victim of socialized medicine like I have been.)

You want change, well you sure are going to get it. The only problem is, I can't escape the mistakes you are about to make. You are too inexperienced to understand how to implement true change. You are just a sheep following the herd. Your friends are jumping off the bridge, so you will too. You want someone else to do it for you because you have spent too many years having someone else do it for you. You want a welfare state, you want wealth without having to work for it.

I'm screaming into the wind, but I will NOT vote for Obama.

November 4th Scares Me

2008-10-23T07:55:00.004-05:00

The closer we get to election day the more scared I get. The hand basket is now on a fast track to hell. Americans have totally forgotten where they have come from. Social Security was never meant to be permanent, it was a temporary fix. Career politicians were not part of their vision.

History is just not being taught, teachers are too busy teaching tests to make sure their schools continue to receive FEDERAL funding. It's time to take a very close look at the Manifesto of the Communist Party to see how close we are to becoming a communist country.

When I was reviewing Karl Marx's work the first thing that crossed my mind is that the people who want all this government support probably wouldn't even get past the word "Bourgeois(ie)". I can hear a collective "what does that mean?" Bourgeoisie are capitalist, the people who hire people. Oh wait, Americans don't want to be hired, they want the government to take care of them from the womb to the tomb.

I digress, look at item (plank) 10 - "Free education for all children in public schools" - we have that already. In my less than humble opinion, the No Child Left Behind act did nothing but force teachers to dumb down an education to the lowest common denominator. We have rapidly become stupid and lazy. Blaming others for our own shortcomings.

Let's take look at item (plank) 2 - "A heavy progressive or graduated income tax" - do I even need to explain that? What did Obama say? We need to spread the wealth? The death tax is bringing us closer and closer to item (plank) 3 - "Abolition of all rights of inheritance". Look at the family farms that are being destroyed by this.

Here's one to watch for if Obama gets elected item (plank) 6 - "Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the State." Say goodbye to FoxNews and talk radio. the government already has it's hands in our transportation system.

Now if you have been living under a rock and haven't heard about the government bailout of the banks, go get caught up on that news flash and then go look at item (plank) 5 - "Centralization of credit in the banks of the state, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly" Hello, can anybody hear me?

I could go on and on, but do you see the path this country is taking? I feel like I'm screaming into a hurricane and no one hears my cries.

"Spread The Wealth"

2008-10-15T06:55:00.002-05:00

Here it is folks, straight form te socialist's mouth:

Please tell me you don't want to vote for this!

Let The Slide Begin!

2008-10-05T07:31:00.002-05:00

First California, now Boston want to be bailed out. Get the hell out of my pockets.

Calif. Leaders Hope Bailout Loosens Credit Market

Mass. Asks About Federal Loan Amid Market Worries

The Slippery Slope of Socialism

2008-10-03T10:17:00.001-05:00

Hang on folks here it comes. Everybody wants the government to wipe their butt, well you're going to get your wish.

Listen To The Donald

2008-09-30T05:37:00.003-05:00

Does the bailout failure have a silver lining like Donald Trump believes it does? "The beautiful silver lining to this is that oil is going to drop down to nothing ... and there's nothing OPEC can do about it," Trump told Fox News. Think about it, the price of oil drives everything - it's the reason our cost of living has gone through the roof. Higher gas prices, mean higher prices on everything we need to buy.

Aren't you just a little tired of the letting the government do everything for you? We are becoming a bunch of mindless morons that can't do anything that doesn't have some sort of government tentacles in it.

Wake up America!

The "Bailout"

2008-09-28T10:55:00.002-05:00

I sure wish someone would bail me out. How about paying my mortgage for me? You know, the one I pay every month - on time? The one my husband I and both work to pay? The one we both have had to take part-time jobs to help out with?

How about instead of bailing out these irresponsible idiots, you help out the hard working American public? How about going after the people that caused this problem?

Better yet, how about getting out of my pocket?!?

Way To Go Jesse Jackson

2008-07-18T07:11:00.001-05:00

If you want that "word" to go away, then stop using it, PERIOD!

You Tell Um Ted!

2008-06-27T07:59:00.001-05:00

A must view video. At least one Congressman realizes how stupid they are:

Way to tell them Representative Poe! I need to find a transcript of this one.

Blame The School?

2008-06-25T05:33:00.004-05:00

I heard something that almost made me fall over, a woman is blaming the school because her kindergarten age daughter does not know her ABC's and cannot count to 20. Are you kidding me?!? How hard is it to sign the ABC song? Or to play with the little magnetic numbers and letters on the fridge? I have spent almost enough hours helping my children with home work that I probably could be a teacher. Isn't that what a parent is supposed to do? Since when did it become the school's responsibility to make sure your child knows the basics?

This is what is wrong with America, no one wants to accept the blame for failure. It's the school's fault, it's the government's fault, it's the president's fault. Look in the mirror, you have no one to blame but yourself!!!

Time For A Change?

2008-06-19T15:54:00.002-05:00

Yak, yak, yak...people whining that it's time for a change. So you think the president is your vehicle for change? Oh come on, it's been in your hands all the time. It's time you got off your butts and did something for yourself. It's time you quit depending on the government to bail you out for this, that or the other thing. It's time you stopped blaming rich people for all your problems.

Maybe if you would have paid attention in school...oh, I'm sorry you let the government dumb down your education to the point you can't think for yourself anymore. Quit blaming everyone else for your problems, look in the mirror, that's who you need to blame.

It's time you demand public servants be just that, servants to the people. It's time you demand term limits, career politicians are not what our founding father's envisioned. It's time you re-read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights...silly me, I'm still assuming you can even comprehend the documents.

Now you want the government to run the oil industry? I have 4 letters for you USPS. Does it hurt to be that stupid?

Let Them Rot In Jail

2008-06-06T06:47:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I jumped up on the soapbox, but when you've got 3 terrorist that want to die - "Accused Sept. 11 Mastermind: 'I Wish to Be a Martyr' " just to become heroes, I say let them rot. Don't give them what they want, ever. Heck, if I were in charge I would have through a pig in their cell with them.

Eye on the Candidates

2007-12-18T06:30:00.000-06:00

Just went and looked at the Presidential Scorecard kept by the Fair Tax people - Fred Thompson has somewhat dropped off my list after he said supported a flat tax system. I've been keeping an eye on Ron Paul - he's not in the line of the mainstream polls because he's embracing the new media - the internet and the youth that know how to use it.

Think I'll keep an eye on Mike Huckabee too. I love the quote from him "I want to be the president of the United States that nails the going-out-of-business sign on the Internal Revenue Service and ends a $10-billion-a-year nightmare called the IRS."

If people would just wake up ...

Seceding

2007-06-05T08:23:00.000-05:00

While I might not agree with some of their rhetoric, they have the right idea - Seceding from the Union. I too am tired of the federal government trying to tell me what to eat, drink, wear and think. Let's not even get into taxes or social insecurity.

From this article The Once and Future Republic of Vermont:

The United States has destroyed the 10th Amendment, which says that "powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Doing a little gleaning, seems like Vermont isn't the only state thinking like this. Other state including Alaska, California, Hawaii, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Texas are thinking along the same lines.

I'll try and hunt down the "official" website devoted to each states movement, but I'm sure there is enough chatter for you to be able to Google the topic.

It's something to think about - government has gotten too big, politicians are making careers out of what should have been a short service to city, state or country. Forcing laws on us treating us like we are too stupid to think for ourselves. The list goes on and on.

Good Riddance, Cindy Sheehan

2007-05-30T19:07:00.000-05:00

First, let me preface this with I am sorry for the loss of Cindy Sheehan's son. But what his mother still does not get to this day is that he died defending her freedom to protest. That's the oath we all take when we enlist, "...I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic..." He died defending her right to say what she felt.

The Fair Tax Plan - The Best Way To Tax Illegals

2007-04-27T13:38:00.000-05:00

It took me a little while to wrap my brain around this plan. All I could think of was going to the store and seeing 23% sales tax added on top of my purchase. I could not have been more wrong. Reading through The FairTax Book by Neal Boortz & Congressman John Linder
cleared that misunderstanding right up and gave me quite an economics lesson. I understand "embedded" taxes much better now.

My gut feeling is that there are quite a few other people who may be under the same misconception that I held - 23% sales tax at the register. So let's start with just the basics - here is a thumbnail sketch (from www.fairtax.org):

Thumbnail Sketch of the FairTax

(PDF VERSION)

The FairTax proposal is a comprehensive plan to replace federal income and payroll taxes, including personal, gift, estate, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security/Medicare, self-employment, and corporate taxes. The FairTax proposal integrates such features as a progressive national retail sales tax, dollar-for-dollar revenue replacement, and a rebate to ensure that no American pays such federal taxes up to the poverty level. Included in the FairTax Plan is the repeal of the 16th Amendment to the Constitution. The FairTax allows Americans to keep 100 percent of their paychecks (minus any state income taxes), ends corporate taxes and compliance costs hidden in the retail cost of goods and services, and fully funds the federal government while fulfilling the promise of Social Security and Medicare.

Americans take home their whole paychecks.
Not only do more Americans have jobs, but they also take home 100 percent of their paychecks (except where state income taxes apply). No federal income taxes or payroll taxes are withheld from paychecks, pensions, or Social Security checks.

The prebate makes the FairTax progressive.
To ensure no American pays tax on necessities, the FairTax Plan provides a prepaid, monthly rebate (prebate) for every registered household to cover the consumption tax spent on necessities up to the federal poverty level. This, along with several other features, is how the FairTax completely untaxes the poor, lowers the tax burden on most, while making the overall rate progressive. However, the FairTax is progressive based on lifestyle/spending choices, rather than simply punishing those taxpayers who are successful. Do you see how much freer life is with the FairTax instead of the income tax?

No tax on used goods. The amount you pay to fund the government is totally visible.
With the FairTax you are only taxed once on any good or service. If you choose to buy used goods − used car, used home, used appliances − you do not pay the FairTax. If, as a business owner or farmer, you buy something for strictly business purposes (not for personal consumption), you pay no consumption tax. The FairTax is charged just as state sales taxes are today. When you decide what to buy and how much to spend, you see exactly how much you are contributing to the government with each purchase.

Retail prices no longer hide corporate taxes or their compliance costs, which drive up costs for those who can least afford to pay.
Did you know that income taxes and the cost of complying with them currently make up 20 percent or more of all retail prices? It’s true. According to Dr. Dale Jorgenson of Harvard University, hidden income taxes are passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices for everything you buy. If competition does not allow prices to rise, corporations lower labor costs, again hurting those who can least afford to lose their jobs. Finally, if prices are as high as competition allows and labor costs are as low as practical, profits/dividends to shareholders are driven down, thereby hurting retirement savings for moms-and-pops and pension funds invested in Corporate America. With the FairTax, the sham of corporate taxation ends, competition drives prices down, more people in America have jobs, and retirement/pension funds see improved performance.

The income tax exports our jobs, rather than our products. The FairTax brings jobs home.
Most importantly, the FairTax does not burden U.S. exports the way the current income tax system does. The FairTax removes the cost of corporate taxes and compliance costs from the cost of U.S. exports, putting U.S. exports on a level playing field with foreign competitors. Lower prices sharply increase demand for U.S. exports, thereby increasing job creation in U.S. manufacturing sectors. At home, imports are subject to the same FairTax rate as domestically produced goods. Not only does the FairTax put U.S. products sold here on the same tax footing as foreign imports, but the dramatic lowering of compliance costs in comparison to other countries’ value-added taxes also gives U.S. products a definitive pricing advantage which foreign tax systems cannot match.

The FairTax strategy is revenue neutrality: Neither raise nor lower taxes so consumer costs remain stable.
The FairTax pays for all current government operations, including Social Security and Medicare. Government revenues are more stable and predictable than with the federal income tax because consumption is a more constant revenue base than is income.

If you were in a 23-percent income tax bracket, the federal government would take $23 out of your paycheck for every $100 you made. With the FairTax, if the federal government gets $23 out of every $100 spent in America, the same total revenue is delivered to the federal government. This is revenue neutrality. So, instead of paycheck-earning Americans paying 7.65 percent of their paychecks in Social Security/Medicare payroll taxes, plus an average of 18 percent of their paychecks in federal income tax, for a total of about 25.65 percent, consumers in America pay only $23 out of every $100. Or about 30 percent at the cash register when they elect to spend on new goods or services for their own personal consumption. And this tax is collected only on spending above the federal poverty level, providing important progressivity.

Tax criminals don’t make criminals out of honest taxpayers.
Today, the IRS will admit to 25 percent noncompliance with the code. FairTax.org will be generous and simply take the position that this is likely a conservative estimate of the underground economy. However, this does not take into account the criminal/drug/porn economy, which equally conservative estimates put at one trillion dollars of untaxed activity. The FairTax does tax this criminals love to flash that cash at retail while continuing to provide the federal penalties so effective in bringing such miscreants to justice. The substantial decrease in points of compliance from every wage earner, investor, and retiree, down to only retailers also allows enforcement to concentrate on following the money to criminal activity, rather than making potential criminals out of every taxpayer struggling to decipher the current code.

What is the FairTax Plan?
The FairTax Plan is a comprehensive proposal that replaces all federal income and payroll based taxes with an integrated approach including a progressive national retail sales tax, a prebate to ensure no American pays federal taxes on spending up to the poverty level, dollar-for-dollar federal revenue replacement, and, through companion legislation, the repeal of the 16th Amendment. This nonpartisan legislation (HR 25/S 1025) abolishes all federal personal and corporate income taxes, gift, estate, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare, and self-employment taxes and replaces them with one simple, visible, federal retail sales tax administered primarily by existing state sales tax authorities. The IRS is disbanded and defunded. The FairTax taxes us only on what we choose to spend on new goods or services, not on what we earn. The FairTax is a fair, efficient, transparent, and intelligent solution to the frustration and inequity of our current tax system.

What is Americans For Fair Taxation (FairTax.org)?
FairTax.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots organization solely dedicated to replacing the current tax system. The organization has hundreds of thousands of members and volunteers nationwide. Its plan supports sound economic research, education of citizens and community leaders, and grassroots mobilization efforts. For more information visit the Web page: www.FairTax.org or call 1-800-FAIRTAX.

It's a lot to read through - take your time - it took me a few reads to put it all together.

Paul Harvey's Thoughts On Gun Control

2007-04-23T16:32:00.000-05:00

Commentary by Paul Harvey:

"Are you considering backing gun control laws???"

Do you think that because you may not own a gun, the
rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment don't
matter?

CONSIDER THIS...
In 1929 the Soviet Union established gun control.
- From 1929 to 1953, approximately 20 million
dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded
up and exterminated.

In 1911, Turkey established gun control.
- From 1915-1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to
defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Germany established gun control in 1938.
- From 1939 to 1945, 13 million Jews, gypsies,
homosexuals, the mentally ill, and others, who were
unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and
exterminated.

China established gun control in 1935.
- From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents,
unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and
exterminated.

Guatemala established gun control in 1964.
- From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to
defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Uganda established gun control in 1970.
- From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to
defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Cambodia established gun control in 1956.
- From 1975 to 1977, one million "educated" people,
unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and
exterminated.

That places total victims who lost their lives because
of gun control at approximately 56 million in the last
century.

Since we should learn from the mistakes of history,
the next time someone talks in favor of gun control,
find out which group of citizens they wish to have
exterminated.

It has now been 12 months since gun owners in
Australia were forced to surrender 640,381 personal
firearms to be destroyed, a program costing the
government more than $500 million dollars.
- The results Australia-wide; Homicides are up 3.2%,
Assaults are up 8 %, and Armed robberies are up 44%.
In that country's state of Victoria, homicides with
firearms are up 300%.

Over the previous 25 years, figures show a steady
decrease in armed robberies and Australian politicians
are on the spot and at a loss to explain how no
improvement in "safety" has been observed after such
monumental effort and expense was successfully
expended in "ridding society of guns."

It's time to state it plainly; Guns in the hands of
honest citizens save lives and property and, yes,
gun-control laws only affect the law-abiding citizens.
Take action before it's too late, write or call your
delegation.

Paul Harvey

Let's Go Hokies

2007-04-18T08:45:00.000-05:00

To the families and friends who lost loved ones my heart cries for you. May your Guardian Angels wrap their wings around you, hold you, comfort you and wipe your tears.

To those of you who criticized the Hokie cheer at the Convocation on Tuesday - you don't understand the need to come together, be strong and united as a group do you? I was in tears after I watched students, faculty and visitor unite in one come voice to rise above this tragedy.

To those of you who are criticizing the killer's writing abilities after reading his writings* - you have missed the point. Something extremely bad happened to this young man - I'd guess around when he was 13. He was probably sexually abused. Does that excuse his behavior - hell no! But it would explain his writing style to those of you so bent on ripping it up. What ever happened to him caused him to be emotionally "stuck" at the age of the event that happened to him. It caused him to withdraw from society felling damaged and unworthy.

Don't try to blame guns or video games for this. Look into his childhood. Find out why he is disillusioned with his religion - what happened to cause him to lose faith. Finding these answers won't bring back the 32 people who lost their lives in the senseless act, but if it help to understand the minds of others who could also follow this path, then please learn from it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*APRIL 17--The college student responsible for yesterday's Virginia Tech slaughter was referred last year to counseling after professors became concerned about the violent nature of his writings, as evidenced in a one-act play obtained by The Smoking Gun. The play by Cho Seung-Hui, a 23-year-old English major, was submitted last year as part of a short story writing class. Entitled "Richard McBeef," Cho's bizarre play features a 13-year-old boy who accuses his stepfather of pedophilia and murdering his father. A copy of the killer's play can be found below. The teenager talks of killing the older man and, at one point, the child's mother brandishes a chain saw at the stepfather. The play ends with the man striking the child with "a deadly blow."

From The Smoking Gun http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0417071vtech1.html

Double Standard

2007-04-10T15:21:00.000-05:00

What a double standard! It's okay for rappers to use derogatory terms about black people but heaven forbid a white person use the same words. It's time for the black community to step up and put a stop to this garbage.

Don't get me wrong - rap music has a pretty good beat but it's appalling to hear the filth spewed out which just ruins it. But even worse is to hear the same words that are "offensive" being used by those who are offended by them.

Take the soap to your own mouth before you try to cram it down mine.

Outsourcing and getting the job done.

2007-04-09T16:39:00.000-05:00

I'm a moderator for a software forum. I recently received a complaint about a post with claims of age and ethnic discrimination. So I went back a reviewed the post. The posted pointed out something I have complained about when it comes to web development - low cost usually comes in the form of someone's high school student who claims to be able to build web sites or the work is done offshore by people who, while they speak English, are difficult to understand.

The truth is - both groups are difficult to work with. High school kids don't stay focused - heck they are KIDS! Try and get them to fix a problem on a Friday or Saturday night. Offshore help is just that, cheap. Most of the time support is via email - which is easier to understand than via phone - but again you are dealing with time delays.

Dad Wants Insurance Company to Foot the Bill for Daughter's Wayward Behavior

2007-04-08T07:49:00.000-05:00

I first saw this story at fox.news.com. It was taken from a story "Dad sues over car damaged in chase" from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 04/06/07 by Beth Warren.

And I quote:

"The menacing motorist turned out to be 19-year-old private school graduate Jennifer Natbony, who was on drugs and hunkered down inside her mom's luxury car. The teen, lying near what was a pellet gun or air rifle, was arrested on 16 charges on Dec. 1, 2003. After pleading guilty to DUI and evading police, she received probation and community service."

The girl was on drugs and plead guilty - okay good for her she admitted her wrong doing but her father, well read on:

"Now her father, Michael Natbony of Marietta, wants his insurance company to foot the bill for the $12,612 in damage to the Lexus"

Excuse me?!? I think it's time for daughter dearest to get a J-O-B! Oh, it gets better. "Natbony, who had a history of drug possession, speeding tickets and wrecks" was afraid daddy dearest would sell her call. Can you believe this crap?

'"All that I remember was that I didn't stop," she said in the sworn statement. "I knew if I got another speeding ticket, my dad was going to sell my car."'

Hmmm, so she takes mommy's car instead....can we say spoiled rotten?
I didn't link to the article at ajc.com because you have to sign up to read it. If you'd like to view the ajc.com article click here.

And thanks to Purdue University and the OWL at Purdue for reminding me how to quote a quote.

Purpose of the soapbox

2007-04-08T07:31:00.000-05:00

After reading an article about a father who is suing his insurance company to get the damages his daughter caused to his car while HIGH on DRUGS, I couldn't sit still any more. I am so tired of people not taking responsibly for there actions. Even worse, this parent has taught his daughter that she doesn't have to be held accountable, that it wasn't her fault.

And what do I have to say to that - bullshit! We are teaching are children that nothing they do wrong is their fault.