Remember and Thank Our Veterans on this Veterans Day

Today is Veterans Day. As I write this, I'm on my way to work, to do a job
I really enjoy. I own a home, and have the freedom to speak against my
Government if I don't agree with what they are doing.

These freedoms and others didn't just happen. Our veterans fought for
freedom, many giving the ultimate sacrifice. I feel so lucky to be living
in a free country. In other parts of the world, a person like me who is
blind wouldn't be able to go out, get a job, and do many of the other things
we take for granted. They'd be hidden away, and cared for all of their
lives.

In many places around the world, speaking out against the Government can
lead to arrest, imprisonment and even death. Thank you to our Veterans,
that's not so in our country.

As I reflect on this Veterans day, I think about and thank all veterans for
their service to our country. I think about my Father's late cousin, Babe,
who served in what some call the forgotten war, the Korean war in the
1950's. I was listening to the radio just this morning and heard this war
referred to as the war that never really ended. That is so true, for
whenever North Korea wants to attract world attention or get a little more
international aid, they do something to try and provoke South Korea. There
are still thousands of troops serving along the 38th parallel, also known as
the demilitarized zone.

I think about and thank all of those veterans of the Vietnam war, including
my second cousin once removed, Roger and Darrel, a gentleman I used to work
with. These two men, and the others never got the welcome home they so
richly deserved. To paraphrase a Kenny Rogers' song, it wasn't them that
started that old crazy Asian war, but they were proud to go and do their
patriotic chore. Whatever anyone may have thought of that or any other war,
our veterans answered the call of service to our nation. How many others
would have?

I think about the men and women of the greatest generation, the World War II
veterans. Thanks to programs like the Stars and Stripes Honor Flights, and
Honor Flight Chicago, many of them are being given an opportunity to go to
Washington, DC, and visit the World War II Memorial, erected in their honor.
If it hadn't been for these brave men and women, we'd all probably be
speaking German right now.

Finally, I thank and think of the veterans of the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan. I have always supported our going into Afghanistan, but not
going into Iraq. Nevertheless, the men and women who are serving in these
theaters and who have served decided they wanted to serve our nation. They
simply followed orders and went to where they were asked to serve.

I encourage each of us to thank at least one Veteran today for his or her
service. Whether it's someone you work with, a family member, a friend or a
neighbor, take a moment and thank that person for serving, and protecting
the freedoms we all enjoy. May god bless our veterans, and may he continue
to bless the greatest country in the world, the United States of America.

Post Election Thoughts

I've had a chance to let last night's election results sink in a little,
although we still don't know who Illinois' next Governor will be. I'd like
to reflect for a few minutes on what I think the results mean for our
country, and what I think they could mean for people who are blind.

The Republican party, decisively, took over control of the U.S. House of
Representatives. While I, as a Republican, view that as good, I also
realize this is what the Republicans want, so now, they have to govern. The
U.S. Senate still has a Democratic majority, and President Obama is, stil,
the President.

While I hope I am wrong, I foresee quite a bit of gridlock in the next two
years. I hope this won't lead to a Government shutdown, but it could. I
think, by their votes on election day, the American people said a lot of
things. But one thing they said is they want Congress to do the people's
business.

Republicans aren't going to be able to do everything they might want to do,
no Congress ever does. Repeal the Healthcare bill? Yeah as much as some
would like too, President Obama still wields a veto pen and the Republicans
don't have enough votes to override his vetos. I think a lot of emphasis is
going to be on doing things to help spur the economy. That wil likely mean
extension of tax cuts, things that are good for small business, and maybe
some changes in the health care legislation.

For those of us who are blind, there are a couple of things we need to go
after. One is to re-introduce our Pedestrians Safety Enhancement Act, which
deals with quiet or hybrid cars. This bill enjoyed strong, bipartisan
support in the current Congress and I think it will again. I believe the
transportation bil is up for re-athorization in the next year or so, so
we're going to have to advocate for things like Amtrak, operating funds for
public transit and other important things as strongly as ever. We'll need
to talk about the cost benefit of having good public transit and a robust
Amtrak system as part of that advocacy.

It will be interesting to watch the group dynamics in Washington over the
next few years. But before I close, for those of us who are blind, I think
our biggest challenge is in the states where a number of Governorships
changed hands. States are in difficult financial times. Rehabilitation and
other programs that many people who are blind or visually impaired need will
be targeted for budget cuts. We will need to work harder than ever to make
sure our state leaders recognize that strong programs such as rehabilitation
help put people who are blind to work, which allows us to be taxpayers, not
dependent on other taxpayers.

What the Signing Into Law of the 21st Century Telecommunications and Video Accessibility Act Means to Me

Today, October 8, 2010 is a hugely important day for me and other people
living with disabilities. President Barack Obama signed into law the 21st
Century Telecommunications and Video Accessibility Act. This culminates a
long, difficult legislative battle. While more work is to be done as the
regulations to implement this legislation are crafted, I want to reflect as
a person who is blind on what today's events mean to me.

With the signing today, in a short time, I will be able to access all of the
features of my cable television system, many of which I pay for but cannot
use. I will be able to access movies on demand, know what programs are on
through the program guide and use a DVR if I want to record something.
Right now, I cannot do these things because they require the use of
on-screen menus that are not accessible to me as they are not available
using speech output.

Today's signing means that soon, when there is an emergency I need to know
about, I won't just hear the 'beep beep beep'[ on television and have to
scramble to find out what is going on. The emergency information, whether
it be about a tornado, hazardous materials spill, flood or whatever, will be
made accessible to me so I can learn of and react to it as quickly as my
sighted neighbors and friends.

Today's signing means that soon, I will have more choices in cell phones
which will be accessible to me right out of the box, where I can use all
features and functions, download cool apps and other things. Gone will be
the days of having to pay an extra $300 just to have full access to a cell
phone's features and functions.

Today's signing means that it won't be long before my wife and I can sit
down in our living room, watch a good movie or television show and know what
is going on thanks to the provision of video description. Furthermore, in a
few years, when we travel to visit friends in such places as Southern
Wisconsin, Central Illinois and others, we can sit down together and watch a
movie or favorite show and know what is going on, as video description will
be required in the top 60 media markets.

Today's signing means that the next time I have to buy something such as a
VoIP phone, or even a home theater system, I won't have to find a sighted
friend or neighbor to set it up for us as this process will be accessible.

Today's signing means that if, god forbid, my Father's hearing worsens, he
will be able to go out and have many choices in cell phones which will all
be hearing aid compatible. He won't have to rely on the knowledge of a
store employee or someone else to tell him, don't get phone A, but phone B
works good.

Finally, today's sining means that many people with whom I work and whom I
care about who are deaf-blind will be able to purchase the
telecommunications equipment they need in order to become less isolated,
gain employment, and truly participate in American society.

I am proud to have been one of the many advocates who worked hard to bring
us to this special day. Just about eight months ago, I was not sure we'd
ever see this day happen. Thanks to the tireless work of many people, we
did.

So, let's take a little time to celebrate this historic accomplishment. And
then, let's prepare to work hard to make sure this landmark legislation is
implemented correctly through regulations and that it's promises are truly
realized.

Opening Sunday of the NFL Season, Some Thoughts

While I realize we have already had our first National Football League (NFL)
game this past Thursday, it's today, the first Sunday of the NFL season that
feels more like opening day to me. With that in mind, here are some of my
thoughts about the upcoming season.

I think the American Football Conference (AFC) title is there for the taking
by the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts still feature a potent, balanced
offense with Peyton Manning at the controls. They've brought in players in
the off-season to bolster the running game, to go along with a steller
passing attack. On defense, they are healthy and while they are still a bit
small up front, they have enough quality players to hold down most teams.
Even with that strong offense, they aren't going to have to out score most
teams to win, although they have the weapons to do it.

Two teams that could pose a challenge to the Colts are the New York Jets and
Baltimore Ravens. The Jets surprised a lot of people last January by
getting into the playoffs on the final day of the season, then making it all
the way to the AFC Title Game before losing to the Colts. Baltimore, a team
with a reputation for strong defense, now has the weapons, particularly in
the passing game to make things interesting on offense. It used to be that
if the Ravens' defense wasn't playing wel, they had no chance to win. Well,
I think if they have too, they can put points on the board in bunches, and I
expect a few come from behind victories for them this year.

Switching to the National Football Conference (NfC) there are a lot of the
so-called experts out there saying the team I root for, the Green Bay
Packers, will make it to the Super Bowl. I love rooting for the Pack, but
I'm not so sure I would go as far as to pick them for the Super Bowl,
although I'll be happy as heck if it happens. The Dallas Cowboys are loaded
and ready to make a Super Bowl run in my opinion. They are strong on both
sides of the ball, offensively and defensively. Heck, they traded away a
quality receiver in Patrick Craton who would probably be playing in a number
2 receiver spot on most teams. Shows you the depth they have. How far
Dallas goes will I think depend a lot on how well Tony Romo performs late in
the season and in the playoffs. Historically, in his relatively short
career, he has not done wel late in the year.

There are other strong contenders in the NFC. I think New Orleans is poised
to have another good season, and in fact, I think they'll win the NFC South.
Close behind them will be the Atlanta Falcons, with their QB Matt Ryan
poised to have a breakout season. The Packers are very strong offensively
and, barring injury, they will score a lot of points. I have some questions
as I look at the Pack on defense, particularly in the secondary. However,
they will have Charles Woodson back there as a leader, and if they can
generate a strong pass rush, it will negate some of the secondary concerns.

Two other teams that I feel will be strong in the NFC are the New York
Giants and San Francisco 49ers. I can't pick the Giants to go all the way
to the Super Bowl because they are too inconsistent, especially at
quarterback. Eli Manning can look very good or vary bad. AS for San
Francisco, they will win a very weak NFC West, and don't count out a team
coached by such a strong leader as Mike Singletary.

You'll notice I haven't mentioned the Minesota Vikings, with Brett Favre at
QB . This is not because of any ill feelings I have about Favre. Minesota
to me simply has too many question marks. At 41, I see no way Favre can
have the kind of year he had last year. There are huge questions at wide
receiver for Minnesota, and that vaunted defense they have had for several
years is one year older. No one has a bigger heart or stronger will to win
than Brett Favre. However, those things will not be enough for Minnesota to
overcome their other issues. I don't think they will even make the
playoffs.

Finally, being in Chicago, I have to mention the Bears. I believe 2010 will
be the final year of the Lovie Smith experiment. Yes, the Bears are trying
out the Mike Marks offense and it will fail miserably. For one thing, they
don't have the talent to run it. For another, they are going to have enough
trouble keeping Jay Kutler healthy and upright. And thirdly, the only time
that offense was successful was when a team that plays indoors was running
it. When you hit late November and December in Chicago, you have to be able
to run the ball and that's not what this offense is predicated on. I'm
picking the Bears to go 5-11 this year, then hopefully, Bears' ownership
will back up the moving vans and clean house.

So to summarize, my Super Bowl picks are the Dallas Cowboys from the NFC,
and the Indianapolis Colts from the AFC. I'll pick Indianapolis to win in a
close game. But before that, we've got several months of NFL football to
watch. So, let's kick it off today on opening Sunday. As the song asks,
are you ready for some football? I say, yes I am!

Mosque/Islamic Cultural Center Near Ground Zero, No!!!

I've been listening, as many of us have, to the controversy surrounding the
decision to build a Mosque/Islamic Cultural Center near the former World
Trade Center site, A.K.A., Ground Zero. I'd like to weigh in.

I recognize that everyone who owns property has a right to do whatever they
want to do with property they own. However, the question in this situation
is, Just because you have the right to do something, should you?

I'll answer that in this situation, with a resounding NO!!! How could
anyone think that proposing this development so close to Ground Zero
wouldn't cause a huge amount of controversy? There are plenty of places in
New York City to build a Mosque/Islamic Cultural Center. Why, oh why does
it need to be close to Ground Zero? It doesn't.

Like most Americans, I believe in religious freedom and believe that those
who practice Islam have the right to worship where they wish. However, out
of respect to America, and the pain we all went through on September 11,
2001, nine years ago today, it would be in everyone's best interest if those
who want to build the Mosque move somewhere else.

BTW: I do not believe acts like burning the Koran are remotely appropriate
to protest this development. Things like this won't promote peace.

Nine Years Later, I Have Not Forgotten and I Will Never Forget

It seems like only yesterday, but it was nine years ago today when America
was tragically and brutally attacked on September 11 of 2001. Some 3,000
people, many of whom had done nothing more than gotten up, kissed their
spouses goodbye, hugged their children and gone off to work never came home
again, all because 19 so-called human beings decided they needed to fly
planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Thankfully, the
passengers on the fourth plane, United Flight 93, were determined not to see
another landmark devastated and were some of the first fighters in the war
on terror, going down with that plane in an open field in Pennsylvania.

Earlier this year, I read "Let's Roll" by Lisa Beamer, wife of Todd Beamer
who was a passenger on Flight 93. I've not seen the Flight 93 movie, but
reading the book and Lisa's account of the events on and after 9-11 sends
chills down my spine.

Today, all of us are working, attending classes, spending time with family
or friends, attending sporting events or whatever. Whatever you are doing,
pause for a few moments to remember those who died on 9-11. Today, I went
out canoeing with some friends. It's my freedom to do those kinds of things
that the terrorists who attacked our country despise.

May we all remember 9-11 and the people who died that day, especially the
first responders who gave their lives to try saving others. May there
never, ever be another tragic attack like 9-11 on our nation or anywhere
else in the world again. And may God continue to bless the greatest country
in the world, the United States of America.

Labor Day and Politics

Today is Labor Day, a day we honor the American worker, and thank them for
what they do.

First and foremost, I want to thank those who cannot take today off to be
with their families, or go out and have fun like I can. From the military
men and women fighting for our freedom in various parts of the world, to the
police, fire and other emergency personnel working today, to the employees
of stores and restaurants, again, thank you.

Today, as part of our enjoyment of the holiday, my wife and I will be going
to a baseball game. We thank the paratransit and taxi drivers, train
conductors, ball park personnel and the players and coaches themselves who
will be working on this day so we can enjoy this activity.

Labor Day is also the day when I think of those who are out of work. My
best to them, and I encourage you to continue to look for work, as
frustrating as that can be. We need to find ways to bring more jobs back to
this country. We also need to do more to help workers improve their skills
so they can take advantage of the jobs of the future.

This leads to my last point, what our current administration is not doing to
help put America back to work. With the out of control spending, potential
for higher taxes, and increased regulations, private sector businesses which
create jobs in this country feel a huge sense of uncertainty. When you have
uncertainty, businesses aren't going to hire people. Government doesn't
create jobs, private sector businesses do. The best things that Government
can do, and which the socialists in Washington won't do is to cut taxes,
reduce regulation, then get out of the way and let the jobs get created.

So on this Labor Day, I salute all American workers, especially those who
are away from their families working today. I also hope that our Government
will realize that the private sector creates jobs, businesses hate
uncertainty and they need to reduce taxes and regulation, which will lead to
job creation.

Happy 20th Anniversary, ADA

Tomorrow, July 26, is a very special day for me and the other 54 million
Americans with disabilities. It is the 20th anniversary of the day the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), our civil rights law, was signed into
law by President George H. W. Bush. As I think about this day, I'd like to
reflect on what I feel the promise of the ADA has been and if that promise
has been fulfilled.

The ADA promised that I or anyone else with a disability could apply for a
job, and be treated equally to our non-disabled peers in all employment
decisions such as employment application, interviewing, hiring, firing and
promotion. It told employers, judge people with disabilities solely on
their qualifications to do a job, not on their disabilities. While I feel
that ADA has opened up a lot more work opportunities to people with
disabilities, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is stil
unacceptably high. For example, it's around 70% for people who are blind or
visually impaired. Clearly, much more needs to be done to educate and
assist employers, particularly small businesses, to hire more people with
disabilities.

Much of my advocacy work over the past 18 years has been in the area of
transportation. The ADA promised greater access to transit, and for those
people with disabilities who could not take public transit, improved
paratransit services. I believe that for the most part these promises have
been realized. I travel every day on the Chicago area commuter rail and L
systems, and feel much more confident since there are detectable warning
strips at the platform edges. I can rest assured knowing that stops wil be
announced so that I know when it's time to get off. Busses that stop
audibly announce which route they are, making independent travel much
easier. I rarely have problems accessing paratransit service.

While I rarely have difficulty with paratransit, I believe work still needs
to be done regarding that service. The ADA needs to recognize that people
with disabilities who live in areas where there isn't much in the way of
public transit need to be able to get around too, and they may not be able
to drive like their non-disabled friends and neighbors. Incentives need to
be put in place to expand paratransit type service to such areas. Also, I
believe that further clarification of how people are to be certified for
paratransit needs to be provided. I shouldn't have to go through filling
out a long application and being interviewed every four years to make sure
I'm stil eligible for paratransit. After all, I am blind and that's not
going to change. This holds true for many with permanent disabilities.
More focus needs to be put toward this issue.

The ADA promised that state and local Governments would be required to make
their programs and services more accessible. I believe they have, but I
also believe that many, myself included, haven't always asked for the things
we need. For example, I attend our local village board meetings fairly
frequently. I have never asked for an egenda in Braile, even though it's my
right to do so. I have participated in our village's biennial town meeting
and been provided with assistance in voting

Accessible voting in local, state and Federal elections has been the biggest
impact of ADA I've seen in state and local Government services. Gone
forever are the days when I would have to tell someone how I wantd to vote,
and trust that my ballot was marked as I requested. Now, I can do it all by
myself, how empowering.

The ADA promised that places of public accommodation would have to make
their services accessible to people with disabilities. My experience in
brick and mortar establishments is that they have. I very rarely have
problems receiving assistance in stores, restaurants, sports venues, and
other places of public accommodation. However, this promise as not been
completely fulfilled because of the advent of the World Wide Web. ADA's
protections need to be extended to cover entities that sel products or
provide services over the web. Southwest Airlines is a great example of a
company that was sued under ADA for lack of website access, found they
didn't have to do anything, but then made changes that make their website
very easy to use with screen reading software.

The ADA promised that telecommunications services would be more accessible
to people who are deaf, hard of hearing or deaf-blind. While in many
respects this has happened, it's protections need to be extended to help
combat access challenges faced by people with other disabilities.

So everyone, take a little time tomorrow, and think about all that has been
accomplished in the last 20 years since ADA was signed into law. Then,
let's roll our sleeves back up and get to work because more still needs to
be done.

Copy of Letter Sent to Mr. Gary Shapiro, President, Consumer Electronics Association

Hello:

This is a copy of a letter I sent to Mr. Gary Shapiro, President, of the
Consumer Electronics Association. This is in response to the Opp. Ed. Piece
he wrote against H.R.3101 that was published in the Washington Times on June
9, 2010. Read and enjoy, and write your own letter to Mr. Shapiro via
e-mail at gshapiro@ce.org.

=====start letter text=====
Hello Mr. Shapiro:

This message is my response to the Opp Ed by you which was published June 9,
2010 by the Washington Times, against H.R.3101, "The 21st Century
Telecommunications and Video Accessibility Act." I will respond from three
viewpoints, as a person who is totally blind, as a leader in the organized
blind movement and as a professional working daily in the field of adaptive
technology with people who are blind or visually impaired.

You assert that H.R.3101 is not needed, since industry is moving to address
accessibility. If industry is doing such a good job, then why does there
continue to be only one truly accessible cell phone out of the box for
people who are blind or visually impaired, that being the IPhone? If
industry was doing such a great job, we consumers with disabilities would
have many more choices of accessible cell phones. While there are cell
phones such as those made by LG that offer off the shelf accessibility to
some features, as I stated, the IPhone is the only fully accessible phone
off the shelf providing access to all of its features. While there are
people who are blind who use and love the IPhone, many others to whom I
speak on an almost daily basis do not want to use a touch screen interface
such as that on the IPhone. Many, myself included, do not want to be
limited to AT&T Wireless as the only cell phone provider we can use. By
your assertions, you are saying it is OK that we who have disabilities and
want to buy cell phones should have limited choices.

I use Verizon Wireless as my cell phone provider. In order to get a fully
accessible phone, I had to spend $300 over and above the cost of the phone
to purchase a software package that makes all of the phone's features
accessible to me via speech output. I, fortunately, am employed and had the
money to do this. However, nearly 70% of people who are blind or visually
impaired are not employed, and therefore, cannot afford this extra cost.
H.R.3101 when passed will insure there will be more choices for off the
shelf accessible cell phones.

My wife and I purchased a home theater system about 10 months ago. Because
this system requires the use of on-screen menus to configure its settings,
we had to ask my brother-in-law to give up over half of his Saturday with
his family to come over and set the system up for us. What if something
goes wrong and the system needs to be re-configured? We will need to find a
sighted person to come help us. Contrary to what some believe, we don't
have sighted people at our beckon call for everything we need. Synthesized
speech chips and software are widely available, and it would have been very
simple to include a setting where I could have requested voice guidance
through the setup of this system. If speech synthesis technology wasn't so
widely available, why then are all of the weather forecasts you hear on NOAA
Weather Radio done using synthesized speech? Why in airports do you hear
announcements being made using synthesized speech and not humans? I ride a
commuter rail system each day to and from work, the second largest system of
its kind in the nation. When announcements are made concerning such things
as train delays, they are not made by humans. They are punched into a
computer somewhere and broadcast using synthesized speech.

My wife and I have digital cable service. We pay the same rates per month
as others with comparable plans. Yet, about all we can do is adjust the
volume, turn on and off the TV and switch channels. All of the other
features are inaccessible to us because they require use of an on-screen
menu which is not available to us via speech output. I hear announcements
about movies on demand and cannot access these to enjoy them if I wanted
too. I can't use Digital Video Recorder (DVR) service to record programs I
want to watch later. If industry was doing such a great job, there would be
a speech output feature that I could access on demand which would allow me
to access these and other features. What if tonight after composing this
letter, I cannot sleep and want to know what is on TV? I cannot access the
program guide and I don't have a sighted person at my disposal for that sort
of thing. I'd like to keep my friends as my friends, maintain peace in my
family and have good relationships with my neighbors. Since you assert
industry is doing such a good job, tell me how I can access the program
guide. I'm waiting.

If industry was doing such a great job, why then didn't the designers of the
Kindle II Book Reader sold by Amazon design menus and controls that could be
accessed using speech output? After all, they designed in speech output to
read the content of books, it would have been a simple few extra steps to
make the menus and controls accessible via speech output. If Industry was
doing such a great job, why do people who are blind or visually impaired
have to pay eight or nine times the cost that sighted people do to enjoy the
benefits of Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology? After all, GPS
devices like those made by Garman, Magellan and Tom Tom provide spoken
directions. It would be a simple few steps to include a keypad and voice
output of menus and controls so these systems could be independently
programmed by people who are blind.

These examples and countless others totally render your assertions about how
good industry is doing pointless. The fact is, Mr. Shapiro, that there has
been nothing achieved in the area of disability access without assistance
from the Government. We'[re seeing an example of this on America's streets
right now. Hybrid cars, which are very good for our environment are
designed to operate using an electric motor when stopped or moving at speeds
below about 25 miles per hour. When they were initially designed, no one
considered the fact that pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired and
others would not be able to hear these vehicles and know that it is safe to
cross the street. Thanks to advocacy work which has led to the introduction
of legislation in Congress to address this problem, the car companies are
taking notice.

I, personally, am one of the strongest believers in the free market you will
meet. I know that America has countless talented people, ready to innovate
and design great new electronics. But I also know that at times, Government
needs to step in and help make sure people are doing what is right so that
those of us with disabilities are not left behind. Apple is to be commended
for making their products accessible to people who are blind or visually
impaired right out of the box. Not all of us want to purchase Apple
products. You and the Consumer Electronics Association should be
encouraging other companies to follow Apple's lead as Apple has proven that
off the shelf access is feasible. Since it appears you have not, then
H.R.3101 must be passed and signed into law. After all, the more devices we
who have disabilities can choose to purchase, the more profits the consumer
electronics industry will make as a whole. The population of people who are
blind or visually impaired is expected to grow exponentially over the next
several years. Most of those who will develop vision problems will be
seniors as they live longer. They are used to being active, being able to
do all sorts of things. They're not going to stand for being told, sorry,
you can't access this computer or that television set top box, and they
shouldn't. By passing H.R.3101, we can unleash the talents of designers and
engineers in electronics companies across the world to come up with products
everyone, including those with disabilities can use. You should want
nothing less, for remember, the minority group of people with disabilities
is the only one that you, a member of your family or a close friend can join
at any time.

Thank you for your time and attention. I hope you will re-think your
demeaning, ridiculous assertions about H.R.3101 and come out in support of
true access to the latest and greatest devices for all of us.

Remember True Reason We Celebrate Memorial Day

This weekend, we celebrate the Memorial Day holiday. For many, Memorial Day
signifies the start of summer. People will be visiting family, barbecuing,
enjoying sports and other things. For most workers, this is a three day
weekend.

As you celebrate this weekend, please take a little time and remember the
true reason we celebrate Memorial Day. It is to honor those men and women
who have fought and died to protect the freedoms we all cherish here in the
United States of America. To those who have fought for our country and
given the ultimate sacrifice, I say thank you to them and to their families.
There are times when our fighting men and women go to war. No matter how
you feel about the current conflicts we are involved in, or, how you have
felt about past wars, those who fought and died for our country deserve
nothing but our utmost respect and honor.

I will be going to a local Memorial Day parade tomorrow morning. My
favorite part of this parade is when the rifle squad from the American
Legion marches by. On this Memorial Day, may god continue to bless the
greatest country in the world, the United States of America.

Bizarre News Day

Talk about a bizarre news day in my area yesterday. First, we find out the
Executive
Director of our commuter rail service took his own life by, of all things,
walking in front of a commuter train. He was probably about to be fired due
to financial improprieties. It is reported that he got an unauthorized,
$56,000 bonus. Now that is bad, but is it worth taking your life over?
There had to be other things going on.

Then not more than a half hour later, we hear of a shooting at the Old Navy
store in Downtown Chicago. Seems that a woman who works there had broken up
with someone, but that someone didn't think the relationship should have
been over.

The Commuter Rail Executive Director one hit me a little hard. I had the
opportunity to work with this person. While I didn't know what was going on
in his financial dealings at the agency, he was always good to work with in
my role on the commuter rail system's Accessibility Committee. I especially
liked that he, the Executive Director was at every committee meeting, that
he said it like it is and when some of the people with disabilities got out
of hand, he put them in their place. It's too bad that he, apparently, did
things improperly from a financial sense, and it's too bad he took his life.

As far as the Old Navy deal, all I have to say is there are far better ways
to deal with a broken heart. At least, that guy is out of the gene pool;
too bad he took someone with him.

Congratulations, Arizona, Federal Government, Takle Notce and Do Something

Congratulations to the people of Arizona and their representatives for
passing tough immigration laws. As expected, the liberals in Washington who
think they know more than we do don't like it.

Arizona needed to do something because they are having a problem with
illegal immigrants. From crime, to high costs for education and health
care, the state has had enough and felt they needed to do something.

The message being sent by Arizona is simple. If you, the Federal Government
aren't going to do something about immigration reform, a serious issue, then
we are going to take action because we're sick and tired of being overrun
with illegal immigrants.

Certainly, the immigration issue is pretty complicated. In many ways, you
really can't blame illegal immigrants for coming to the United States.
There are jobs here and they come from terrible economic conditions in
places like Mexico.

So what should the Federal Government do? First, go hard after employers
for hiring illegal immigrants. Stif fines, documentation of legal status of
all workers, and forced closure of businesses would send a strong message
that you better hire only people who belong here or else.. Not only would
this help stem the tide of illegal immigration, it would help Americans who
are out of work find work. In particular, it would help underemployed
groups such as folks with disabilities. Yes,m this may mean we Americans
have to pay more for certain things, but so what. If that puts more
Americans to work, it's a good thing.

For those illegals who are here, the Federal Government should create a path
to citizenship which doesn't put them in line ahead of anyone else, and
which reduces the cost and time to become a citizen. I believe that all
illegals must learn English, and in fact, that many want too, realizing it's
to their advantage to do so.

Immigration reform should be done in such a way that if you are here
illegally, and you commit any crime, you are kicked out, period.

There are many more things strong immigration reform should do. Arizona
shouldn't have had to take the stand that they did, but since the Federal
Government has been unresponsive to the problem of illegal immigration, they
felt they had no choice. If the Federal Government does not want more
states to take action like Arizona did, then they need to work to enact
immigration form that punishes employers for hiring illegal workers, creates
an easier path to citizenship for those here illegally, and kicks out any
illegals that commit crimes.

I Want My Country Back

I want America back. I want the America back that many including my Dad's
cousin fought for. I want the America back where Government concentrated on
the areas it was supposed to, and, didn't take over corporations and medal
into almost every aspect of our lives. I want the America back where
political debate was more civil, and while you may have disagreed with your
friend or neighbor, you could disagree without being disagreeable.

The America I want back is slowly being taken away by the likes of President
Obama, Nancy Pelosey and Harry Reed and I'm not about to let them finish
the job. I don't know yet what I'm going to do, who I'm going to work with
or how I'm going to achieve it, but I'm going to fight to get my country
back! The members of my family and others who fought for our once great
nation can't fight anymore, so it's our turn to fight.

For starters, I'm going to search out candidates running for office in
November, look over their records and resumes carefully to make sure they
represent and believe in the America I want to see and vote for those who
do. I've never volunteered for or donated to a political campaign in my
life, but that's about to change because saving our nation and returning her
to greatness is too important.

I'm going to look into the tea party movement because the more of us who do,
the less the Democrats and Media can ignore it, much as they will try.
Check out www.theteapartynation.com to find out more. I don't know if that
is a movement that has legs, but the more of us who learn about it, the more
it can work to make a difference.

What else will I do? I don't know. I don't know if I can have a say in
firing some of the 219 disgraceful members of Congress that put our
Government in charge of 1/6 of our nations economy, but I'm going to check
out www.firethe219.com and see what it's about.

As I find more ways to fight for my country, I will share them. Until then,
may God bless America and may he help us find leaders who love our great
nation and want to return her to the land of the free, home of the brave.

These People Are A Disgrace to the Democratic Party

I've figured out something I wish the Democratic party would figure out and
fix. People like Nancy Pelosey, Barack Obama, Harry Reed, the rest of the
219 who voted for the Government taking over 1/6 of our nation's economy and
others are a disgrace to the Democratic party and should be booted out.
When you think of great Democrats in history, none of these people can turn
the door knob for them, much less open the door.

I'm thinking of great Democrats like the late Senator Paul Simon, the late
Senator Ted Kenedy, and even former President Bill Clinton to some degree in
his later years. These were Democrats who held very liberal values. They
truly fought for such things as fair wages, the rights of workers to form
unions, and to help the poor and disadvantaged.

For the democratic leaders of today, it's not about fighting for America,
it's about power. Everything they are doing, from the takeover of
corporations like General Motors to passing a bill that will destroy health
care as we know it is all about achieving power over the American people,
making us more dependent onb Government for everything. After all, these
people believe that Government is the answer to all of our problems. While
they say they are fighting for the poor and disadvantaged, in truth, they
are taking them for granted.

\Democrats like Simon and Kenedy were partisans to the core, but they knew
when to reach across the aisle and work together, and they were affective at
it. Today's Democrats show nothing but contempt for anyone who disagrees
with them. Darn it, we're Americans too and we deserve to have our voices
heard.

I hope the Democrats lose big time in November, because then, perhaps, they
will bring in party leaders who respect our nation's history, remember the
leaders of the past and who will, while fighting for those things they deem
important, reach out and work with others when needed.

A Sad Day in American History

To paraphrase the words of one of our nation's greatest Presidents, Franklin
Delano Roosevelt, yesterday, March 21, 2010, is the day that America took
one giant step toward becoming a dictatorship, or a socialist country. Some
219 members of Congress, all Democrats, forgot about their oath of office,
which reads in part to uphold the United States Constitution. They forgot
who their true bosses are, the constituents who elected them. Instead, they
thumbed their noses at a majority of the American people and voted to pass
legislation which will lead to Government control of our nation's health
care system. Any member of Congress who voted for this boondoggle ought to
be ashamed of themselves, and if they are not, those who elected them need
to vote them out of office come November and elect people who remember who
they work for.

I'm proud to say that my representative in Congress remembers that he works
for me, not party leaders. He remembered that it is his duty to uphold the
United States constitution.

First and foremost, this legislation requires that each American must have
health insurance or face a fine. This bill is about creating jobs, jobs for
about 17,000 new Internal Revenue Service agents who will be spying on each
of us every month to be sure that we have health insurance acceptable to the
dictators in Washington. I believe this is a huge stretch of the Federal
Government's power to tax which is codified in the constitution and I
believe court challenges will rule this legislation unconstitutional.

This bill says to insurance companies, you will cover everyone, regardless
of pre-existing conditions. First of all, if that is such a good thing,
which it is, then why does it have to wait until the year 2014 to kick in
for adults? But beyond that, insurance companies can't deny coverage for
anyone, even if people have made poor lifestyle choices such as smoking,
drinking too much, eating in unhealthy ways and becoming overweight, having
unprotected sex, or whatever. These 219 idiots in Congress don't know beans
about the insurance business. Insurance is a risk-based business. The
higher the risk, the more insurance should cost you or the more likely it
should be that you are denied coverage. This is like saying, hey insurance
company, you have to provide flood insurance for the homes on the riverbank,
even though you know there is a high risk that some of these homes will
flood every year.

There is a cruel joke in this bill which, conveniently, was not talked
about. That is that the bill depends on the Medicaid system to provide
coverage to everyone. Guess what? Medicaid is a state and Federal cost
sharing partnership, and, many states are wallowing in red ink and can't
afford this unfunded mandate. So what is going to happen is people will be
told they now have coverage, but when they go to access that coverage, they
will be told they really don't have it.

Something AARP doesn't get is that this bill makes huge cuts of about 500
billion dollars in Medicare benefits. When Seniors figure this out,
Congress, look out because Seniors vote.

While I don'[t think it's a good choice, this bill takes away the freedom of
people not to have health insurance. How is the person who has lost a job
supposed to buy insurance? What about the younger worker who wants to make
a choice not to have insurance because he or she wants to save that money
for the purchase of a new car or toward a down payment on a house? That
freedom of choice has been taken away.

And what's with Mr. sell out himself, Bart Stupak? Isn't he smart enough to
realize that what the President does by Executive Order, he can undo by
Executive Order as well? This bill will lead to the repeal of the Hyde
amendment, a disgraceful slap at the legacy of one of our nation's great
statesman, former Congressperson Henry Hyde.

To the 219 who think they work for the leadership and the hell with the
American people, I hope many of you take a good look around and enjoy these
last few months in Congress, because I think that many of you will be
looking for work come January of next year. The arrogant house leadership
has grossly underestimated the American people on this, and I predict there
will be a Republican take-over of Congress this November which will make
1994 look like child's play. When that happens, maybe we can repeal this
monster, send it back where it came from and enact sensible reforms in
health care that don't balloon the Federal deficit out of control and
destroy the freedoms which many have fought and died to protect. May God
bless America, and may he bring our leaders to their senses and remind them
that they work for us, they better listen to us, and if they don't, we'll
fire them.

I Feel So Powerless, What Can I Do?

Well, as I sit here this Saturday evening, we are on the eve of the United
States House of Representatives taking a vote on one of the most radical
things I've seen in my life time, reform or should I say Government
take-over of our nation's health care system. As I listen to bits and
pieces of news about this, I feel powerless because I don't know what I as
an American who values freedom and who believes strongly in the principles
this nation was founded on can do to stop this.

While I believe there are reforms that must be made in our nation's health
care system, I don't like the approach being taken by Congress and President
Obama. Nor do I like the strong arm tactics and dirty tricks being used to
try and ram this piece of shit down our collective throats. But, what can I
do? I am represented by a Republican Congressperson who, thankfully, is
going to oppose this legislation. I don't want this legislation to pass. I
want smaller, more common sense steps to be taken to reform health care that
won't lead to higher taxes, job loss and a huge expansion of Government.
But as I sit here tonight, all I feel I can do is wait and pray that members
of Congress will act in a sensible manner, kill this massive bill that none
of them have read and move toward common sense reforms.

Please, god, give our Congress and its leaders the wisdom to truly act on
behalf of the American people, who favor reform but who do not favor the
current bill. Give them strength to stand up to high pressure tactics and
bribery and say no to this bill. Give them the time and help they need to
craft common sense health care reforms that are constitutional and that most
Americans will support. I fear for our great nation if this massive
expansion of Government passes.

I'm Sick Of Hearing About The God Damn Census

I've been spending the last couple days doing something I really enjoy each
year, watching the firswt two rounds of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. And
as a result of that, I'm sick and tired of hearing about the Census.

The commercials for it are so hypocritical, it makes me sick. Here they
have all sorts of people saying how important filling out the census form is
because we need to count everyone so each community gets its share of
Federal funds. Well if it were really important to count everyone, the
Census Bureau wouldn't continue to violate the law and would make the Census
truly accessible to people with disabilities. I have heard that Census
workers are telling people like me who are blind who call in on the
telephone number that is supposed to be for getting help filling out the
form that you need the Serial Number off the printed form that you receive
before they can help you. Hey idiots, I'm calling for help because I can't
read the printed form. What's that all about?

Why can't the Census be done on-line which would make it accessible to more
people. I thought our Government was supposed to be more progressive.
Wouldn't it be good not only for people with disabilities, but also for
younger people to reach them in a form they work with, the Internet?

What a waste of money the Census is. Why did the Federal Government have to
send me a letter on March 8, teling me they'd send the Census form out a
week later? Only the Federal Government would send you a letter teling you
they are going to send you a letter.

The Census form doesn't even ask about disability, which makes me wonder
just how serious they are about counting everyone. Boy, they sure want to
make sure the illegal immigrants, who don't even belong here are counted,
but they don't seem as concerned about counting people with disabilities who
are American citizens.

I'll fill out the damn form because I don't want some underpaid Census
worker puke coming to my house to take the information. But by 2020, the
process better be more accessible. And, yes, I'll do it, so there's no need
to continue to bombard me with hypocritical ads about how important the
Census is.

Day Two from Washington, DC

Hello all:

We've had another good day here at the ACB Mid Year meetings in Washington,
DC. This morning, we finished up the President's meeting. Carla Ruschival,
who is ACB Convention Coordinator, talked with us about what is involved in
good convention planning. She told us not only how important it is to find
a good hotel, have hotels competing with each other for our business and ask
for the things we need, but she also talked about food and beverage costs
and several other things involved in planning a good convention.

Berl Colley talked briefly about the ACB Oral History project, as they are
trying to get interviews with long time members and leaders in ACB so we can
preserve our oral history. Then, Chris Gray talked with us and demonstrated
changes coming in ACB's Membership Database. The Illinois Council of the
Blind is one of the affiliates of ACB which will be beta testing the new web
based database interface which will make it much, much easier to certify
members, get information out to members, map out members to congressional
districts and other things.

After a break, Joel Snyder, ACB's Director for the Audio Description
Project, talked with us about the work he is doing. That man needs to
switch to decaf, I swear; he makes me tired listening to him. Finally, we
had an opportunity to provide feedback on the President's meeting and ask
questions of those ACB officers in attendance -- Mitch Pomerantz, President;
Brenda Dillon, Second Vice President; and Mike Godino, Treasurer.

This afternoon at 1:30, we began ACB's legislative seminar. After
introductions and a few remarks by President Mitch Pomerantz, we heard from
Daniel Goldstein , Managing Partner of Brown, Goldstein and Levy. Mr.
Goldestein has been our lead attorney within the Reading Rights Coalition.
He told about how Amazon.com had introduced the Kindle E-book reader in
February of 2009, which had text to speech on it, but whose controls were
not accessible to people who are blind. Through our settlement activities,
we have gotten Amazon to agree that the next version of the Kindle will have
accessible controls on it, as well as text to speech.We then heard from
Knowledge Ecology International, which is spearheading efforts to get an
international treaty passed that will allow accessible, copyrighted works to
be shared across borders. Right now, for example, copyrighted works put
into accessible formats by National Library Services here in the U.S. cannot
be shared in other countries.

We then, after a break, heard from Donald Kahl and Jennifer Wolfsheimer of
the Equal Rights Center of Washington, DC with whom ACB has collaborated on
several issues. We ended with discussion of some of ACB's legal advocacy
work including our structured settlements for Point of Sale equipment in
Staples, Trader Joes and others. Also, we discussed the settlement with
major league baseball to make areas of its website accessible, and the
social security administration which allows people who are blind to get
notices and other documents from Social Security in accessible formats. Of
significance here is that while the court settlement only requires materials
to be provided in Braille and on data CD, if you need another format like
large print or audio, call SSA and request this as they are required to give
consideration on an individual basis to providing other formats.

That pretty well summarizes our day. Tomorrow promises to be a full day as
we'll discuss various things like H.R.3101, "The 21st Century
Telecommunications and Video Accessibility Act," H.R.734/S.841, "The
Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act," and other things going on.

Today at ACB Mid Year Meetings

Hello Everyone:

Well, today was the first day of the ACB President's meeting. It started at
11 a.m. this morning. After some opening remarks by President Mitch
Pomerantz, where among other things he remembered fondly Pat Beattie who was
a long time member and legislative advocate in ACB, we had introductions.

We have 40 state ACB Affiliates and I believe seven special interest
affiliates represented. We had an update on some of ACBs fundraising
projects. ACB is, again, selling raffle tickets to benefit our monthly
publication, the Braille Forum. Tickets will cost $50 each. First prize is
$5,000, second is $1,000 and third is $500. ACB is again going to do the
walk-a-thon this year Saturday, July 10 during our convention in Phoenix,
Arizona. We will be walking in an air-conditioned mall in Tempe, Arizona,
about 17 miles from the convention hotel. You can sign up for the walk, at
$25 for your entry fee. You can sign up on-line at a website which is not
yet completely on line but should be in a week or so. That website is
www.acbwalk.com.

We then had lunch, and began what we spent most of our day on, training on
how to proactively advocate for Schools for the Blind. Dr. Michael Bina,
President of the Maryland School for the Blind was our luncheon speaker. He
stressed how important it is to advocate and be proactive with our schools.
He gave us several dos and don'ts that I can't remember right now so will
have to listen to the archives for.

After that, we had a panel of several individuals talking about the
importance of advocating and building relationships with the school for the
blind. Melanie Brunson, AC B's Executive Director, spoke on the Federal
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and how we can use its language
in helping advocate for schools for the blind. We concluded with some
remarks by ACB's First Vice President, Kim Charlson and an open forum
discussion.

The training went super well and I couldn't be prouder of the Schools for
the Blind Task Force Members and others who made it happen.

We next discussed how ACB affiliates can make better use of ACB Radio and
its programming to stream, archive and make available our events to more
people. We also discussed that you really don't need that much equipment or
technical knowledge to stream a program.

We next heard an update on plans for the 2010 ACB convention in Phoenix.
This is going to be a fun convention in a hot city. Our afternoon concluded
by discussing the importance of all ACB affiliates adopting conflict of
interest and confidentiality policies, and a discussion of the various 990
tax forms our organizations may have to file based on total gross receipts
and total assets.

We'll be back at it tomorrow. If you want to listen in, go to
www.acbradio.org/world at around 7:45 a.m. central time.

First Report from ACB Mid Year Meetings

Hello All:

This is my first report from the ACB Mid year meetings in Washington, DC.

I got in safely last night, although it was a pretty rough landing at Reagan
National Airport. I just spenbt the evening at the hotel, getting settled
in and socializing in the bar with several people while eating dinner.

Today was the ACB Board Meeting. We were able to finish this meeting by
5:00 today, which we wanted to do.

Tomorrow starts the ACB President's Meeting. The highlight for me will be
the training on issues related to Schools for the Blind. I'm really looking
forward to this. The members of the Schools for the Blind Task Force and I
have worked very hard on this endeavor.

If you want to hear the ACB Mid Year President's meeting, go to
www.acbradio.org/world. The meetings will be streamed starting at 9:45 a.m.
Cetral time. I hope many of you will be listening.

Take care, and good night.

A Celebration Well Deserved

Well, at long last after 43 years, the New Orleans Saints have reached the
top of the football world by winning the Super Bowl. It's hard to put into
words just how happy I am for the city of New Orleans.

About five years ago, New Orleans was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The
Saints didn't even play any home games in New Orleans in 2005 because they
couldn't. They played home games either in San Antonio, Texas or at LSU in
Baton Rouge. There was talk of moving the Saints someplace else. It wasn't
too long ago that Saints fans were wearing bags on their heads and the
Saints were called the Aints.

In 2006, they returned to the Super Dome in New Orleans, and you could tell
then something special was taking place with the Saints.

It was truly the Saints' year this year. And what a coaching job by Sean
Peyton in the Super Bowl. From going for it on 4th down at the 1, to the
on-side kick starting the second half, to the interception by Tracy Porter
that sealed the game. What a wonderful job. And the two point conversion,
even though controversial, what a gutsy call.

So New Orleans, celebrate like you've never celebrated before. After all
you've been through, you deserve it.

One Year Later, That Hope And Change Has To Go

On the first anniversary of the Inauguration of President Barack Obama, I
will give my grade of his performance. If you are still one of the few
drinking the Obama Cool-aid, don't read on because you won't like this.

My grade, F- (F minus). There are several reasons.

President Obama promised "Hope and change." He promised we'd see more
transparency in Government. We've seen anything but these things. Right
off the bat, President Obama and his cronies in Congress rammed through a
so-called Economic Stimulus bill which was over 1,100 pages in length
without allowing time for reasoned, thoughtful debate. No transparency
there. This bill which will always be known to me as Porkulus Spendulus
hasn't done anything close to what Obama and his supporters claimed it
would. After its passage, unemployment has shot up to over 10%. Taxes have
gone up. There has been no explosion in infrastructure projects as was
promised.

President Obama and his liberal cronies continue to ignore over 60% of the
American people and push for radical health care reform which should be more
properly known as Health Care deform. There should be no greater evidence
of how much Americans dislike this legislation than the stunning victory by
Republican
Scott Brown in the Massachusetts special election to fill the late Senator
Edward Kenedy's seat. When a Republican can win a seat in the U.S. Senate
in one of the most democratic states in the country, heads turn. Health
care reform and the associated fees and taxes and overburdening regulations
is a big reason why. With Brown's victory, I believe we've seen the death
of Health Care Reform. May it never rise again.

No transparency here either. Obama and his cronies have held closed door
meetings, all but bribing politicians to support this legislation. They
talk bipartisanship, but have not entertained a single idea put forward by
Republicans on health care reform. They accuse Republicans and those who
are against health care reform of being for the status quo. In this
Republican's eyes, nothing could be further from the truth. As I have said
before in this forum, I want sensible reforms like torte reform, making
insurance forms easier to understand and allowing Medicare to negotiate for
lower prescription drug prices. None of these are included. I want to see
better access to prescription drug information and Medicare reimbursement
for vision-related services and equipment. None of these are included.

Another reason for my F- is right in my wallet. At the beginning of Obama's
presidency last January, I was taking home $16.40 more a month than I'm
taking home now. Over a year, this means I'll take home about $200 less
than I did last year. This was money I could spend on the things I wanted.
Obama and his cronies feel they can make better decisions on how to spend my
money than I. The more money individuals and businesses are allowed to
keep, the more they can and will put into the economy by investing in
growing business, purchasing goods and services and ultimately, putting
America back to work. But when you have a guy in the White House who has
never held a real job or had to make a payroll, those concepts are lost upon
him.

Finally, Obama has poured our tax money into businesses that should have
been allowed to fail. When I paid my taxes, I did not pay to own General
Motors which should now be called Government Motors. I did not want to bail
out big banks. Yes, this started under the Bush administration, but Obama
had the power to put a stop to it when he came into office but did not.

For all the reasons I've documented here and more, Obama gets an F- after
his first year. He and his cronies better take notice and move more toward
the center, or else they will see a Republican revolution in 2010 which will
make 1994 look like child's play. Unfortunately, Obama is so invested in
pleasing radical liberals he's incapable of moving to the center where most
Americans are in my opinion.

What Dr. King's Dream Means to Me

Today is the actual birthday for one of the greatest men in our nation's
history, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Yes, I know we will celebrate on
Monday, January 18.

The holiday that celebrates this man's birthday is more than part of a three
day weekend to me. As I sit and reflect on what Dr. King's dream means to
me, I come up with a couple of things.

First, Dr. King's work for a society in which African-Americans are afforded
equal opportunity and respect has led to other groups being able to do the
same things. As a person who is blind, I am indebted to Dr. King for
fighting so hard for civil rights. The work Dr. King and those who followed
him did has led to such civil rights laws as the Americans with Disabilities
Act. Thank you, Dr. King, for leading our nation toward one in which all
citizens, regardless of race, gender, national origin, physical or mental
disability, ETC. can be all they want to be. My wife and I have spent the
last few years in King day doing business on the community. Thanks to Dr.
King's work, we have the right to go into stores, purchase goods and
services, and know that we have the right to receive equal service as those
without disabilities.

In thinking about Dr. King's work, I cannot help but look at the so-called
African-American leaders out there and shake my head. Jesse Womanizer
Jackson and Al Big Mouth Sharpton couldn't even hold open the door for Dr.
King, much less carry on his legacy. I truly hope African-Americans figure
that out and figure out that they can excel to whatever position they want
too, and that they thank Dr. King for that. Look at our President,
President Barack Obama. He is living proof that anyone, regardless of race,
can strive to be elected to the highest office in arguably, the most
powerful nation on earth. You have to admire President Obama, regardless of
your political persuasion. A later entry I wil post will grade him after
his first year, and it will be very harsh. But, if any President,
regardless of color did the things he has done I'd grade them the same way.

So as we reflect on the words and work of Dr. King, let us strive to keep
our nation one in which all people can equally enjoy te opportunities they
want to take advantage of.

Unimaginable Tragedy

It is impossible for me to imagine the horror, anguish, and other things
those who are still alive in Haiti are going through as I write this. Many
have family members whose whereabouts they do not know. People hearing
cries for help under the rubble rought by the quake who can do nothing to
help.

Many thoughts are crossing my mind as I think about this tragedy. First and
foremost, my prayers are with those still alive in Haiti, with the rescue
teams working to save people, and with the families of those no longer with
us. This tragedy also demonstrates once again the awesome power Mother
Nature has. Think about it. Just two days ago, the people of Porta Prince
and other parts of Haiti were going about their lives with nothing but their
usual concerns. Then, in a few short seconds, their world was tragically
turned upside down.

Haiti may be the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. But neither rich
nor ppoor people deserve to have family members taken from them or have
their own lives snuffed out in an instant like this.

Finally, this tragedy reminds me how precious life is and how we must
cherish every moment we have. It reminds me to take the time and spend it
with those I care most about. Because, we never know when something will
happen to change our world in a significant way, and not necessarily for the
better.

So as we pray for the people of Haiti and those trying to help them, let's
all take a few minutes, call our families and let them know how much we care
about them. Let's make sure those we love know how much we love them. Life
is a precious gift, which God giveth and God can taketh away.

Double Standard Alive And Well, And It Makes Me Angry

Well, the double standard is alive and kicking. In the book soon to be
published, "Changing game," reference is made to comments made by U.S.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reed of Nevada which were along the lines that
President Obama would have an easier time getting elected because he is a
light skinned African-American and doesn;t speak in Negro Dialect unless he
wants too.

Clearly, these comments were hurtful and offensive. They shouldn't have
been said. Reed has apologized to Obama for making these comments and Obama
has accepted. I have no problem with that.

What I do have a problem with is the way the media and others are responding
to this. They seem to be casting it off, saying it's really no big deal.
Even Al Sharpton says he's standing by Senator Reed.

Imagine if Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell would have made a similar,
dumb, offensive comment and apologized. Would the reactions be the same?
Absolutely not. There would be calls for McConnell to step down from the
Senate. There would be demonstrations outside of his office. Every talking
head would have something to say about it and it would go on and on forever.

Comments like those of Senator Harry Reed are offensive regardless who says
them. Reed apologized as he should. However, as long as you favor liberal
idiology, you can pretty much say anything you want and a simple apology is
all that is required. If you follow conservative ideology, then reactions
are quite different and it makes me sick. Reed said something he shouldn't
have said. Well, conservative folks make mistakes too and should be treated
the same way when we do.

Packers' Season Is Over, But A Lot to Build On

I'm sad that the Green Bay Packers' season has come to an end at the hands
of the Arizona Cardinals. But, the Packers have a lot to build on for the
future and will probably be back in the playoffs next year, going farther.

Offensively, Aaron Rodgers has another year under his belt. He and the team
didn't quit today, that shows guts and determination. Despite the turnovers
Rodgers had today, he's an excellent game manager, and is proving to be a
very good Quarterback. He's going to be a starr in the NFL.

Speaking of stars, Jermichal Finley is emerging into a great tight end.
Finley looks like the real deal, and his ability to stretch a defense will
pay big dividends in the future.

The Packers are still very strong at wide receiver and at running back.
Their offensive weakness in my opinion is Offensive Line.

Although they didn't play the part today, the Packers' defense has greatly
improved throughout the season. Clay Mathews looks like the real deal.
Another year under the 3-4 and a few more players and they've got the
potential to be something special.

Now that the off season is upon us, darn it, here are what I believe the
Packers' needs are. At the top of the list is offensive tackle. Chad
Clifton and Mark Touscher are getting up in years and will need to be
replaced. T. J. Lang looks like he could play one of the tackle spots with
a little more seasoning.

Next on the list, a punter. They need someone who can place the ball inside
the 20 consistently. They need to bring in a kicker to compete with Mason
Crosby as Crosby had a down year. Crosby has a very strong leg, so I don't
want to totally give up on him. Having competition in training camp would
push him to improve his accuracy.

Finally, the Packers need to draft for depth at Cornerback and Safety. It's
time to end the Jarred Bush experiment. With Woodson, Harris and Williams,
they have three solid starting caliber corners, but beyond that they are
week and need to bring in some depth. Also, they need better depth at
Safety, for after Bigby and Collins there isn't much there.

As for the remainder of these playoffs, I'm rooting either for the Cardinals
or Saints to get into the Super Bowl from the NFC. I believe Indianapolis
will ultimately win the big game.