Today we are 11 days from the big Holiday of each year, Christmas, or for those Jewish Hanukkah has begun. It’s to be a special time of year for family and friends, and a time of giving love and gifts to one another. Which in my book is great each year, for it allows us to see those we love.  Although the commercialization of the holiday is beyond belief.

       The Sales ads start on Thanksgiving Day, the decorations change to Christmas and  the ads fly left and right. Something tells me, this is not the way, the Holiday was intended to be. I thought it was a time for giving and showing love to those you have the best feelings of. Try as you may in today’s economy it is not a time for money to be flying about, is it? Yet we still rush to and fro, looking for deals and things people want that we know. Ever stop to think what was the first Christmas about, and what is it really supposed to mean.

        Religions, detail stories of Christmas as a time of Peace  on Earth and Good Will to Men. Does anything in that definition say buy me presents and make me smile, no! The Catholics and Christians say Jesus was born on Christmas and died and was resurrected a short time later. But how much of this religious story is true, we may never know. The truth is  no one knows really where civilization came from or if religion is the answer or evolution, or as some may say the Big Bang Theory.

        Years ago as a  young teen, I had an argument with a very old friend who has  passed now many years ago. She got so mad at me she threw me out of her home for a few years. Her argument was the Bible, and God created it all, and I of course for arguing sake took the Evolution/ Big Bang Theory. We argued and argued back and forth till she finally threw me out. Two years later she forgave my because her daughter convinced her to, and our friendship continued on from there.

        Whether the meaning of Christmas is to say Thanks for Jesus‘s Birth, or some other meaning, it is important to note, not all can afford to give and receive gifts in todays day and age. Many are suffering without income, homes, and are hungry this year. Back before the commercialization of the Holiday Season, people made toys for children out of wood, and wires and cloth you see, there was no Nintendo, or X-Box 306 or PlayStation 3. There was no electronic wonders and toys cost less.  I use to get toy building blocks and my sister got dolls. We got microscopes and bikes later and bats and balls and gloves. Dollhouses were big for girls of course, as were clothing of all kinds and make-up. The biggest toy I ever got and loved was an Erector Set and built a ferris wheel with it, I used to watch it spin from its little electric motor and stare for hours at it. Books were big too back then, reading was encouraged and enjoyed and us kids loved a good story then.

        But today, is video games, HD TVs, Stereos, cells phones, computers, and few children go out and play anymore. They are glued to a big screen TV, pressing buttons on controllers for one video game console or another. Then we complain they are getting lazy, they don’t want to do anything or work. It’s not their faults parents it is ours. We need to stop giving them everything they want and start making them earn it all once again, through chores, homework and basic principles and morals and ethics our own parents used on us. We have slid too far down the scale of being too good to our kids and spoiled them all out. They now believe they have a right to live at home for as long as they want, and get what ever they want from us. Wrong, wrong, wrong. There does come a time when the apron strings get cut!. We need to show them too, or they will be worthless and lazy once we are gone.

       So as The Holiday Season draws closer each day and the calendar slips closer to it all, stop and think of what you need to give and receive most on  this Holiday. It’s not material items, it’s not how much money you spend, it’s not what you receive either. It’s really the love and caring and sharing you can do that makes the Christmas and Hanukkah  Holiday true!

 

      Americans are sometimes very foolish and that includes those of us who vote for office holders in each state and federal position out there. We don’t think properly and we screw things up then try to blame one political party or the other for our mistakes.

       The biggest mistake made by the American people at the Polls was the election of a President of one party and a congress of another. We put ourselves in the mess we are in, really. Why would you votes a President of one party in and then vote the supporting cast needed to fix things the opposite party? Americans you just didn’t think it out, in 2008, I know yes, we need to balance the government and the seats held properly, but all we did in 2008 was create a logjam that hasn’t budged since. President Obama says let’s go this way and correct the countries woes, and the opposition says no this way, and in the meantime Americans are jobless, hungry and homeless, we lose our Triple A credit rating and continue to hurt worse each day.

       So as I watch the 2012 Presidential Election cycle get well underway and the Republicans head toward the first state in their bid for their party’s nomination, Americans you need to wake up. If your staying with President Obama for four more years, then throw the Republicans out of the House and Senate and give him some support. If  your going to elect a Republican President in 2012 , the same thing must happen for a President without support in Congress is a President deadlocked and accomplishing nothing except in times of war. Compromise is a word the two political parties don’t understand it seems. And they don’t care if the American People are hurting they are not going to let the opposite party win anything and get ahead.

      In times of trouble in the past, when America needed it most, the Congress and President would compromise and help the people. Today it’s like a bunch of children in a playground in Washington and they are playing one upsman ship. Why?  All because, they believe we Americans voted it this way in 2008, and it’s what we wanted right? Wrong, we wanted checks and balances but we also wanted improvements and movement forward, not deadlocks and  useless fighting!

       So, as our Holiday Season gets fully underway, and you have less money for gifts, food and to live on, don’t blame the Democrats!. Don’t blame the Republicans, blame yourselves, the people of America who ran to the polls in 2008, and decided to pit your own Congress against your own President in an endless struggle of one-upmanship. We think we are smart by making the choice we did and voting Congress to one party and the Presidency to another, but in fact we burned ourselves in 2008 and we may be about to do so in 2012 once more.

        I have seen and heard stories of President Obama having a secret weapon in Hillary Clinton, don’t believe it. Mrs. Clinton is the only woman in American History to come as close as she did to the office of the President. I admire Mrs. Clinton, but Vice President Joe Biden did nothing wrong.  Mrs. Clinton doesn’t want to be the Vice President and she is, as she said looking forward to retiring. So, that secret weapon of Mrs. Clinton is not real, but imaginary and wishful thinking on some politicians parts.

       Now as the Holiday Season commences and we spend time with family and friends and those we love, stop and think who put us in this position we are in now as a country. It isn’t one politician, it isn’t one party or the other, it isn’t one person or another, it’s ourselves the American People. We choose to balance the government the way we did in 2008, lets fix it now and get the country going again. Lets do what is right, and choose a party and a President and Congress that will work together once more and throw the bums out that won’t compromise and work together. Thanks

      Last Night at 9 pm on ABC Television I watched 6 Republicans Debate who is best to beat President Obama in the 2012 Presidential Election and  become our next President. What I saw was a debate filled with put downs and silly little lies, that made no sense. The petty feuding and bickering between Republican Candidates is fun to watch at times. Gingrich attacks Romney, Romney fights back, Bachman kicks in, Paul referees and Santorum did the clean-up. lol. It really is a Republican Three Ring Circus at this point.

       I hate to tell the Republicans this but, unless they start slimming down the choices and teach these candidates to act Presidential as well as speak Presidential and increase their knowledge levels Obama is gonna kick their asses!.  It’s a total joke watching grown adult candidates kick each other around the stage verbally, just to make a point and get votes, at least they think they are. My opinion is simple this Republican Race for the Nomination is like a broken down horse  race, the one that gets injured less will come in first. And the first one of the six remaining, who should leave the race and save his money and the bills he will accumulate is Rick Perry. This man looks strange, acts strange and sounds strange trying to convince America he should be President. He rants at times, speaks foolish and attacks the other candidates without any value or proof in what he says.

       After last nights debate I found myself actually surprised by something I saw. 1) The surprisingly strong performance and knowledge level of Michele Bachman was refreshing and nice. She conducted herself well in her stance, look, and style of debating as well as having some very good statements and facts in hand.

       I was disappointed in Mitt Romney not because he said something wrong, but because instead of sticking to the questions and keeping the answers short and sweet so to say, he attacked Gingrich and made himself look bad doing so.

      Gingrich parried with Romney, Paul, Santorum and Bachman well enough, but again I was disappointed in the fact that he needed to, if he is the front-runner for the nomination.

        Ron Paul stood pretty tall and answered most questions intelligently, but again I ran into bits and pieces where this man ranted some and then attacked the other candidates instead of staying above the fray so to say.

         In the end did we really get the answers we wanted out of these six remaining Republican Candidates?  I don’t think so, and I think each is hedging their bets and statements to try to fit the current environment of the race. I believe in the end, more than a few of these candidates will implode and destroy their own campaign, it will only be a matter of a short time.

       Who is to get the Republican Nomination and take on  President Obama in the 2012 election. Well, as I see it at this time, Gingrich does indeed have the lead and the polls show that as a fact, followed by Romney and then I believe we see Michele Bachman coming up fast, Ron Paul is chasing her.  It is going to come down to a two person race, but who will stumble out first towards their demise? I believe Mitt Romney needs to do something now to slow down Gingrich, but, if Romney stumbles or makes some mistake Bachman will surpass him in the race. Last nights debate caused me to watch certain candidates closely, and they were Gingrich, Romney and surprisingly enough Michele Bachman. While the Romney, Gingrich spat continued and they fought with one another on many points, Michele Bachman acted correctly in standing back from the fray and refereeing and then giving great solutions. She impressed me as being a smart intelligent woman who could handle high office. But we all know the Republican Party will never allow a female to get the Nomination, the old style conservative bullshit will stop her.

       No Front Runner really exists here in the Republican Nomination Race in my opinion. They all stumble, rant and rave at each other and sometimes act outright stupid on national television. Until, one of these individuals realizes they must stand above the fray and act like a President not a school child in the playground well, you get my drift!.

 

      About 21 years ago, my Step-Father passed away from cancer, he was only 59 years old.  Of course mom took charge of his wake and funeral and all went very well you ask me. But strange things happen when people die, others you haven’t seen in decades come swooping in from out of no where. When you first see them you go, Oh, they are his family or her family, which case it may be, and your glad to say hello and think of the dead in happier times.

        Well, in this case, it was like strangers in the dark coming out of the blue. People we had no idea who they were popped in. As we fed them in our home, and grieved in peace strange things happened.  These people we hadn’t seen in ages, started examining everything in the home, who’s this belong to they asked. Well I heard it a few times as they pointed at Dad’s piano and his truck outside and then other items in the house.

       I think, they believed they could get something out of attending his wake. I tried hard not to say anything at all, figuring mom had it all under control, I was wrong. Mom was feeble herself and unable to fend off these vultures looking for a piece of Dad’s life for themselves. They circled around the house and in it looking at everything and asking who it all belonged to.

      I hadn’t seen these people for decades and they lived no more than 30 minutes away, never once showing up for Holidays or anything else. Now they were circling around my parents home and looking for something to take with them. Finally as the vultures started to close  in and pressure mom for items belonging to dad I stepped in. Mom had cancer too, and I wasn’t gonna let these vultures take her down. I stood up and looked at them all, and stopped them in their tracks. I told all of them, whats here is my mothers period, that’s who dad left it all to, and don’t any of you people even dream of taking a thing. 

         Later as they filed out the back door to leave past the black wreath of death on the door, they looked back each one with hungry eyes. I watched each go and stared back in disbelief, but made sure no one touched one thing. Isn’t it funny how people you haven’t seen all your life, pop up out of no where at a death and then want things they have no right to? Like a family of vultures circling a  corpse on a desert floor they circled, but all they got was the buckshot in their asses of my saying don’t touch not yours!. Death is sad enough for people in families when one dies, we don’t need vultures like this around in life.

    

     I am sure, many Republican Candidates shall fall by the wayside soon. The first to fall due to personal stupidity of course was Herman Cain. The next ones are now lining up to get shot at too.  It needs to be done anyway and seven candidates left in this Republican pool, are too many up a river without a paddle in my  mind.

        The attacks will now commence on Newt Gingrich because he took over the lead in this race it seems. While having a political savvy about him and some decent knowledge of the way politics and Washington works, Mr. Gingrich has his own baggage and problems. He’s changed views on many items, he’s changed wifes three times, and at times can be gruff, rough and mean. So now the reporters and more will aim to knock him from his perch next.

        The rest of these Republicans should get out too, at least most while they can and before they run up bills they will never pay back. Michele Bachman was at one time the front-runner in this contest, but was overrun by others and is still being overlooked, I still believe we haven’t broken the Glass Ceiling for women as President yet. Hillary Clinton came the closest to us ever having a female President and I think she should be one now, instead of who we have, but I don’t lead the Democrats either.

        Ron Paul– Does he really believe the American people will elect him to  be President. He is knowledgeable of course on many issues and I am sure he is a decent man with less baggage than Gingrich, Cain, or Bachman, in the end though Americans won’t vote for him, I am sure, he is a maverick and at times a ticking time bomb ready to explode in the media.

      Rick Santorum, has no experience beyond his home state of Penn. Rick Perry is a fumbling, wreck of a man who can’t speak straight and ends up ranting to the cameras and audiences who come out to see him. The Texas Governor should go back to Texas, as soon as possible in my opinion. No way does he look anywhere near Presidential.

       Next the Republicans have Jon Huntsman. Mr. Huntsman served his country well in the past, has experience and knowledge, speaks intelligently, and looks Presidential at times. His problem is simple he has less name recognition then all the rest. Sadly I don’t believe Mr. Huntsman can win, due to the fact he is still unknown.

        I know, I know the Republicans have to have a candidate to run against President Obama. So who would I choose to run then, Mitt Romney. The only reason Mr. Romney is the Republican Parties best choice is simple the man looks Presidential, he is knowledgeable and understands the economy. He doesn’t want wars, and he wants to create jobs for all. Yes I know he doesn’t like Obama Care, but, in the end he will have to live with it it is law now and hard to repeal. Plus it is based on Mr. Romney’s plan for his home state.

       So if I were the Republican Party Decision Makers, who pick the candidate to run against President Obama, I would pick Mr. Romney, less controversy, less problems to pick on, a clear speaker and I believe he will also listen to the people and his cabinet if elected. Simple decision in my book anyway. This may help the Republican Party decide their current Rumble in the Jungle for a Candidate.  

      December 8th, 2011 has arrived, the  world outside is cold now and the lite snow has fallen. But is you stand outside in the chill  winds of December the peace of the moment shall get your attention, but it will also let you breathe well. The year 2011 is getting ready to come to a close with the Holiday Season upon us and slowly building to its conclusion. We have been through the Thanksgiving Holiday of sharing turkey with family and friends and have been shopping for the next one, Christmas.

       Sadly, I am realizing the time of big Christmas Shopping is coming to an end this year. The money is not here anymore due to the inability of my working due to my disabilities from the military, lack of funds through Social Security and VA checks and my wife no longer working. Times are changing and so shall the future.

        As much as I may enjoy buying for the seven grandkids my wife and I have, I also know we must be able to eat and live no matter what. So in the end how do you tell the children you love and the grandkids too, Grandpa and Grandma still love you, without spending a fortune anymore. You can’t spend what you no longer have can you?.

       Next year the gifts will be cheaper and smaller for all we give to, we really have no choice. The American Economy is bad, the money is tight the price of everything goes up but not the money we get.  Like millions more Americans, we have to make critical choices and changes to survive and if that means not giving as much as we like to, well than that is what will happen. You have to face the ultimate, if you have no choice don’t you?.

       This Christmas Season I noticed as I turned on my Television and watched the lighting of the National Tree, in Washington, DC. by our President, the color choice was blue. It fits the countries spirits and it’s economy too. I think America is about to have a Blue Christmas for many this year. I care not what the sales numbers show, too many little ones are getting less, I know.

       So, as the Christmas Shopping continues for many this year of 2011, and the Holiday slowly approaches, please stop and think of those poorer than you. Please remember the troubles some are going through. I live in Connecticut, a state they say homes rich people, if so it is not in my area. I live in the Greater Waterbury, Connecticut area, an area filled with blue-collar workers who can find no work, at this time. The factories we had that made us so glad and healthy are all gone now, no more Scovils, no more Chase Brass and Copper, Timex, and Uniroyal. No more  big manufacturers of products for the world, we are now left with retail jobs is all. It doesn’t work for the people of the area at all. You can’t take blue-collar people and make them retail experts and make it work, too gruff and straight forward we be, plus customer service is not for people like me.

        The buildings once filled with manufacturers and companies, are now empty brick shells, being turned into retail chains and it just doesn’t work.  So stop building malls and stores and find a product that sells and be inventive and innovative too. We need manufacturing to come home to the area and revamp the world we live in!.

How Many Agree?.

As a Disabled American Veteran, today December 7th, I stop and think back on how many Americans gave up their lives for other countries in the world. Millions of Americans fought in World War 1 and World War 2 so nations such as France,Italy, Germany, Spain and more can still be free to choose who and what they are today.  And we all know the seventh of December is the day Pearl Harbor came under attack by the Japanese.

       Americans have fought wars since our own   for our Independence from Great Britton and we continue to fight wars today for other nations sakes. We need to pull back and just protect ourselves and tell other countries who now ask us to police and defend them no!. We are not the International police force we once were anymore folks. The time is here now, to stop helping and look for some help ourselves.

       I served in a Volunteer Service mode, or because I choose to, there were many of us in times of peace who did this. I never refer to myself as a   Veteran, only a Disabled Veteran. My injuries occurred on a Naval Ship in The Persian Gulf, protecting and defending others. I did so proudly each day I served my country, even if I wasn’t always happy at it. 

       Around the world, it seems these days America is looked at and  scorned at for interfering in other countries business. The truth be known America doesn’t want to fight wars, we are just good at it and expected to help others. But it is time to say no more to this. We can not afford it!.

      The costs of war for others is weighing America down and hurting us economically, politically, and stature wise too, not counting the overall cost in manpower,equipment, travel and damages. Why do we send American men and women round the world to fight battles that are not ours, when we can bring them home and save the cash and credit?.

       I hear many politicians acknowledge the economic mess America is in, the failure of our job markets to grow, the homeless problems rising and the people on the streets with signs, WIll Work for Food!.

        Stop assisting other countries, policing other countries and fighting for and with other countries. Bring our troops home, our equipment home, and our money home. Use it as a resource to fight hunger, homelessness and joblessness here in the USA . Lets turn around the country in a good way and for a change mind our own business.  Thats what I say folks, the only question is how many agree with me?

        

Sinjin The Christmas Cat.