"Tsunami watch, next time let me sleep..."

The news media is so competitive these days, every network with it's own local news, plus all the different cable news stations form MSNBC on the left, to Fox on the right and CNN in between.

There was an earthquake in Chile, on friday 02-26-10, Hawaii was told there is a chance a Tsunami tidal wave may arrive within 14 hours..

Nobody slept, the media was in a frenzy for all the young whipper snapper news-anchors to become famous, nobody wanted to admit that since the sea's were calm, the chances of a tidal wave were very minute, instead they made it sound like Revelations and the end of times.

Friends calling at 2:00 am, neighbors knocking on doors at 4:00, AM , "get out there's a tsunami coming," and cops evacuating sea level homes to higher grounds.

All the evacuee's, decided to come to where I live as a safe place to hide out, since I have an ocean view upon a hill overlooking the ocean, over 300 cars were literally parked in my back yard, it looked like a tailgate party, people setting up tents and partying with pizza, beer, poke and many other local grindz in hopes of viewing a mass destructive tidal wave as cheap entertainment  during this recession.

Finally at 11;00 AM the ETA for the tidal wave, the news anchors start saying that maybe the tidal wave is behind schedule and this could take another couple days, stay tuned to this station and it's sponsors for more details....chi ching chi ching...

Finally our Mayor Bernard Carvalho around 2:15 PM decided to lift the tidal wave watch to the dismay of every news anchor person in the state of Hawaii.

I can't knock it, it was a good dress rehearsal, a fire-drill so to speak,for the future which is bound to carry some more disasters.

The Tsunami watch is over, It was media overkill but still got the adrenaline going in this old fart and at least most everyone got to talk story with their neighbors.

Please let me sleep next time a tsunami comes our way.

a place where everyday is the sabbath...

Noise is everywhere. One notices it more after one has lived away from the sounds of cities and neighborhoods.

Recently I have returned to civilazion after 5 years of living alernatively and have found many "noisy inconvenient truths" It is hard to concentrate, I now have a nice  apartment close to town and the beach.

Don't get me wrong,I am blessed to have a roof over my head, however.... The noise of neighbors playing music, the noise of Lawnmowers, weedwackers, leafblowers, cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, constructiin machines doors opening and closing, plus the  apartmment  uniits are so close I can hear the sound of my neighbors urinating in their toilet. When they sneeze I say, God Bless you.

I used to take a quiet refuge on the Bus, now everyone has a cell phone with a different ringer. One guy actually had a ringer with the sound of a siren and the bus driver pulled off the road. The ringers are one thing, then on any given bus on any given day you have three people screaming into their cell phones so everyone cannot help but hear about their pathetic lifes.

 The ideal community would be no cars, or cell phones. The grocery store and entertainment is never more than a 60 minute walk or 30 minute bike ride. Clohing would be optional, and everyone would mow their lawns with an old fashioned push mower with a bag to collect the grass, no electric or gas operated garden tools of any kind.

Everyone would volunteer to wear headphones when watching tv or listening to music. No bottled watered which only fills the landfills with plastic bottles. Tap water has been proven more healthy, there are more anti-bodies in tap water which helps build our immune system. No paper plates, and conservation of paper and plastic whenever possible.

 Fruit trees, vegatable gardens, fish from the sea and quiet, a place where everyday is the sabbath... Anyone interested?

Home’s where you’re happy...

Home’s where you’re happy

Recently many articles have been written about the homeless coming to Hawaii with one way tickets issued by the California department of human services.

I lived outdoors many years  squatting in a tent at many different sacred places on Kaua‘i. I did not consider myself homeless because I did not have four walls and a roof over and around me. I was happier living outdoors in the peace and quiet than around roommates, noisy neighbors and society as a whole.

Living on Kaua‘i one must be rich or live alternatively to survive. Those in between are the ones we should worry about, not the people without houses.

Many people who have multi-million-dollar homes are homeless. Home is where you are happy and feel at peace with the divine one. Many people live in mansions and have anxieties and stresses that are horrid to live with.

People living outdoors experience a freeness that you can only experience by living the lifestyle.

To sum things up, one does not need to be without a house to be homeless. Many people without houses have homes in the spirit of the ‘aina and the Lord.

Many of the great sages and prophets that we worship were without houses, but definitely not homeless.

The old expression, “Home is where the heart is,” is as true today as ever.

Next time you speak of the homeless, look within

Scammers make big bucks on safety checks

Scammers make big bucks on safety checks...


There is a major problem in Hawaii concerning safety checks on motor vehicles.

I cannot mention names, but have witnessed on many occasions motor vehicles getting through safety inspections that shouldn't.

Everyone seems to know a mechanic who will pass their vehicle if a speedometer cable doesn't work, if the muffler is loud or even if the high beams don't work. I know someone whose mechanic delivers to their home the safety inspection sticker without ever checking the car.

Mechanics are endangering our lives by trying to give friends a break. Who knows how many accidents could be prevented if there were stricter laws on issuing safety inspection stickers?

The whole safety inspection deal is just another scam for the almighty buck

Oh, to be a pet...

Oh, to be a pet


People’s animals are their best friends, their confidantes, their loves.

Housesitting is where you go into someone’s home, use their bedroom, restroom, eat their food, use their entertainment center, watch their DVDs, relax in their hot tubs, swim in their pools, use their computers and phones, drive their cars. Most importantly, a housesitter becomes a friend to their pets, feeds them, waters their plants, checks their mail, etc. Basically you transform into the person you are housesitting for.

It is fun watching some homes, and not so fun watching others.

I enjoy housesitting since it is always a welcome break from my reality — survivor style lifestyle.

A reality has hit me smack in the middle of my brain. These animals are living a better life than me.

I serve one cat mahi mahi and sweet potato twice a day, comb the cat and talk baby talk to it constantly. Another dog eats rotisserie huli huli chicken from Foodland and brown rice (I am always sneaking pieces of that dog’s food). And then there are the hippie vegetarian dogs and cats that have their organic mix of rice, potatoes, celery and carrots.

Then there is the pet pig that I am always cleaning its drool from the floor,  I clean up after they go number two and  always keep them clean and well groomed.

Many of these pets have their own rooms, or sleep in the owners’ beds in these mansions.

I am beginning to realize these pets live a better life than most of us.

The question is where do I sign up to be someone’s pet?

Don't wait for eulogy; say something nice now...

When someone dies you never hear about what a dimwit or moron that person was. All you hear from friends and foes is what a wonderful person they were.

It's ironic when a politician passes away, their opponents who said terrible things about them during the primaries and general elections now have nothing but praise for a person they publicly despised. Nobody wants to talk dirt on the deceased, even if the diseased was a villainous creature.

I guess when it comes to death we are all politicians (hypocrites), flip-flopping left to right speaking angelic things about anyone who departs this earth.

We do not have to be dead to be praised. Instead of waiting for someone to kick the bucket to say nice things, why not make a practice to say good things for those still cruising around on this glorious planet Earth.

Sometime a banana is just a banana...

Everyone is offended by something,and there is something to offend everyone. There are so many sensitive people that make it a crime to call a spade a spade.

Sara Palin complained when a popular cartoon did a sketch on a mentally retarded down syndrome person, when Rush Limbaugh did the same, she said it was satire.

We now call a janitor a custodial engineer, a gardener is now a landscape artist, a waitress or waiter is now a server,a stewardess is now a flight attendant,sales people are called account executives, a cleaning lady is now a helper and a retarded person is now mentally challenged

It's gotten to the point where we can't even say the word 'retard' anymore, now that's retarded...

Everyone wants to be politically correct, however sometimes a banana is just a banana.

Is this the new bible?..

In the beginning there was man,  G-d created Adam and he decided out of one of one of Adams ribs to make another man, so they could fondle each other's private parts.

The other man's name was Mada, which is Adam backwards. Since the world was starting backwards G-d said you shall enjoy each other by backwards sex. For procreation there will be tree's called embryo trees, all you need to do is to fertilize an embryo from the tree with you know what...

Is this the new revised edition of the bible?

Marriage is a union between a man and women, the bible has many editions and translations, however enough already, if you want a gay relationship, go for it, but do we really need to rewrite the  bible? May God help  us, we really need it.

If you thought you were sick before ...

If you thought you were sick before ...


Waiting rooms in doctors' offices are the most depressing places to be. There are magazines that are grossly outdated, furniture that looks like it belongs in the dumpster, other patients that might be sicker than you, and crying babies. It is a highly contagious area; if you were only a little sick upon entering, you will be really sick by the time you leave.

It's a relief when the nurse comes out and calls your name after a 45-minute wait, now you can proceed to the doctor's room and be prepared to wait another 20 minutes.

The doctor finally comes in and asks, "What's wrong?"

Now the problem I originally had is nothing compared to what I was exposed to in the waiting room. I say, "Doc, the crying babies have me stressed and now my blood pressure has rocketed, I think I got the flu from the guy next to me who was wheezing and coughing and now I am totally depressed."

The doc tells me a flu shot will do me no good since I now have the flu.

Then I remember why I came in the first place. I needed a flu shot. The doc says, "Don't worry, we can treat that high blood pressure and depression with a prescription."

Do it the old fashioned way, the best way...

Maybe it's me but I find shopping malls and most department stores to have almost nothing of what I deem usable. Besides food and a few clothing items what does one really need?

We can all survive without a pizza slicer, lemon presses and digital blenders. There's so much stuff out there that nobody really needs, yet we all continue to shop for stuff. It is easy to continue our lifestyles without loosing any comforts, yet we continue to buy the new tv, the new upgraded computers and cell phones that can do everything from taking videos, surfing the net and actually talking to another person. We have navigational devices called " Global Positioning systems" (GPS), people feel lost without them, what ever happened to human contact and asking the gas station attendant or a stranger on the street how to get somewhere?

Getting back down to basics makes one feel alive, try hand washing a few clothes, or actually making popcorn in a pot with a little oil, or buying a hand pushed lawnmower and actually getting exercise instead of sitting down while cutting your grass. Try baking bread from scratch, kneading the dough, letting it rise and baking it in an oven instead of buying it at the grocery store, or even making love the old fashioned way without the use of Viagra, actually try enjoying the person your with. There are new gadgets for baking, trimming your noise hairs , mowing your lawn and washing your clothes, but there is no greater satisfaction than knowing how to do things without only the push of a button.

Back to basics gives one satisfaction, modern push button gadgets make us lazy and fat which only leads to health problems. Grow a garden and harvest your own vegetables, Next time you play nine holes of golf try walking instead of using that electric cart, next time you go to the grocery store take a walk a few times a week and buy a few items at a time, you'll save gas money and get some much needed exercise . Without all the advertisement on TV, newspaper, magazines, radio and the Internet we would find we really don't need much to make us happy.

I guess, I really don't need to blog, but hell I need to vent somewhere..

Kids don't need to be driven everywhere...

Kids don't need to be driven everywhere


Walking is one of the many things I do for therapy and to try to stay in shape.

On a recent walk past the Kapaa High School and elementary schools I was blown away at the traffic on Kawaihau Road. More than 30 cars were waiting to pick up kids from school. I saw no kids walking or biking home; they were all waiting for their chauffeurs (parents) to pick them up.

We have created a society of obese children who no longer get out and enjoy the freedoms of walking and biking to school. When I was a kid we walked three miles to and from school daily. It was refreshing, since our minds and bodies circulated before a day of learning.

Society wonders why there is so much teenage and childhood type 2 diabetes, which in previous generations was almost nonexistent. The reason is that parents think they are doing the right thing by driving their kids everywhere, when in essence they are creating laziness and obesity in many cases.

Parents, quit pampering your kids. Let them walk and bike and enjoy kid stuff. It will save you gas, money and time by not having to drive them to and from school every day and will make your kid feel energized along with a little independence

This blog was published in the  (09-15-12) edition of the Kauai garden Island news"Let them walk and give them wings..."



http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-saturday-september/article_39707cb6-ff8b-11e1-bacb-0019bb2963f4.html

Put babies, sick people in back of the plane...

Put babies, sick people in back of the plane


When flying I always get seated next to the person coughing, sniffing or holding a screaming baby.

On a recent trip to Honolulu I was so happy that the seat next to me was open. I was in the aisle seat. It was 30 seconds before the door closed and a standby passenger came on -- the biggest, fattest guy and coughing up a storm. I freaked; not one empty seat, and me, the germaphobe, having to sit next to this guy.

On my return, there was one crying baby on the whole flight -- in the seat right behind me.

The airlines need to have a baby and child section, so everyone with screaming kids is all together, preferably in the last five rows of the airplane. Why should people with babies and kids get premium seats? It's not fair to the people next to them.

There should be another two rows reserved for coughers and people with fevers. They should be required to wear surgical masks, as sick people do in Japan.

I plead with the airlines to start a baby/child/sick person section in the last rows of the airplanes. Your baby might be cute to you, but it ain't cute to others.

All things being equal, all outcomes different...

All things being equal, all outcomes different

Have you ever wondered what the person in the checkout stand in front or behind you is going to do with the ingredients in their grocery cart? Ten people could have ground beef, eggs, flour, tomatoes, lettuce and vanilla ice cream, but the outcome at the dinner table will be totally different. One might make meat loaf, another curried burgers, another tacos, another sloppy joes, another spaghetti and meatballs. The ice cream could turn into hot fudge, strawberry or butterscotch sundaes, banana splits, cones or pie ala mode.

In the same essence one person can buy a piece of land, buy the same materials for a house as 10 other people and each will have a totally different structure from the other.

one more example, everyone all has access to every letter of the alphabet form A to Z but everyone is not a novelist.

Ten people all eat the same thing; one is fat , one is thin, one gets cancer, one is hyper, one is lazy ...

Ten people read a letter to the editor; one thinks it's great, another thinks it's terrible and another thinks it's Pulitzer Prize material

what is a superferry?...

I have written many articles in support of the Hawaii superferry. What many people do not realize, when I first heard of the superferry around 6 years ago during it's inception with media coverage all about a superferry, I thought the superferry was a man who liked another man.

I was educated that the superferry was a state of the art catamaran ferry boat that would travel and commute between the tropical Hawaiian islands.

I have come to realize why so many people were against the superferry, these are the same people against same sex marriage and civil unions.

I am reaching out to tell everyone that this is not so, not that's there's anything wrong with it, we all need to mind our own business and if someone wants to be a superferry or travel on a superferry so be it.

Making everyone happy, or should I say gay...

Let's try and make everyone happy, those opposed to gay marriage and those in favor of it.

We need a new word for the union of two people of the same sex, since marriage is defined in most dictionaries as a union between a man and woman. Therefore, there can be no gay marriage since the definition of marriage nullifies gay, unless a gay man were to marry a lesbian woman, that would be marriage and gay.

I have had many restless nights trying to invent a new word for the union of people of the same sex.

If a Mormon were gay and wanted to get married would they practice polygamy?
I cannot answer that, but have come up with a few words that can mean gay marriage.

How about "Garriage," take the "M" out of marriage, and take the "G" from Gay to replace the "M" and you have "Garriage."

Here's another, take the word marriage and by deleting the 'e' at the end of the word and adding two letters, 'ay' you now have the word "Marriagay," pronounced (MARIA GAY, with a french accent of course)

Please feel free to use either word and let's all get over this and move on to the big issues of the day like finding Barack Obama's birth certificate.

the sun, the rain and many seeds...

It happened without knowledge, without wanting to do it, it happened instinctively,Wal-Mart, K-mart, Home depot and farmers markets have trapped me.

Every time I go into one of these types of stores with garden departments, or anywhere that sells plants or seeds I cannot escape without a purchase, even if that purchase is just a pack of radish seeds or a plant marked 50% off.

They call it gardening, like the runners high, or swimmers high, gardening produces a serotonin like chemical in ones brain that is better than any anti-depressant on the market. You will know when you are welcomed and wanted on this rock called the "Garden Island." A simple aura overtakes you and all you wish to do is plant something everyday.

I plant at my own place, I plant in many public places hoping in a few years to see my (plants) children mature. Kauai has become known as the "Garden Island." I always thought it was a cute marketing jingle, but never took it serious until the "garden island fever" overtook me.

Pets are great therapy for companionship and finally I have discovered the other perfect companions, plants and Gardens.

Thank you Garden Island (Kauai) for showing me the sun the rain and many seeds.

what does one really need?

Besides food and a few clothing items what does one really need?

We have navigational devices called " Global Positioning systems" (GPS), people feel lost without them, what ever happened to human contact and asking the gas station attendant or a stranger on the street how to get somewhere?

Getting back down to basics makes one feel alive, try hand washing a few clothes, or actually making popcorn in a pot with a little oil, or buying a hand pushed lawnmower or even making love the old fashioned way without the use of Viagra, actually try enjoying the person your with.

Back to basics gives one satisfaction, modern push button gadgets make us lazy and fat which only leads to health problems. Next time you play nine holes of golf try walking instead of using that electric cart, try walking or biking to the grocery store with an empty backpack a few times a week for groceries in lieu of driving. Try butchering your own chicken!

Without all the advertisements on TV, newspaper, magazines, radio and the Internet we would find we really don't need much to make us happy.

I couldn't walk for a year...

I was once asked if it hurt, when I was circumcised, I replied , you bet I couldn't walk for a year."

Friends and relatives come to watch a Mohel ,a Jewish Rabbi who specializes in cutting the foreskin of penis's, perform circumcism(bris) in the biblical way on the eighth day of the boys life.

The only sedative used is a little Mogen David wine, I have been to a few bris's and cringe every time the rabbi takes the scalpo to the little boys penis.

I asked the Rabbi what he does with all the foreskins, and he said he saves them and makes them into wallets, however he said there was a problem because when people rub the wallets they all turn into suitcases.

This joke parallels the real life debate and problems concerning circumcism. They say it was originally performed to help teenage boys refrain from masturbation, since removal of the foreskin makes that area less sensitive.

The below is from the enclosed website; http://www.jewsagainstcircumcision.org/

"Even the great Rabbi Maimonides recognized the problems with circumcision:

The bodily injury caused to that organ is exactly that which is desired...there is no doubt that circumcision weakens the power of sexual excitement, and sometimes lessens the natural enjoyment; the organ necessarily becomes weak when it loses blood and is deprived of its covering from the beginning.”
Rabbi Moses Maimonides, The Guide of the Perplexed, The University of Chicago Press, 1963
Literalism

Some people believe that God commanded that Abraham circumcise himself, his family and their heirs forever, yet there are many doubts to this belief.
What kind of covenant is it that is marked on the body of a baby, who has no choice in the matter and no understanding?

Would the Almighty focus on the mutilation of a baby’s penis? Modern Jewish scholars have found that circumcision is not even mentioned in the earliest, “J”, version of Genesis nor the next three rewrites by other authors. Most importantly, the story of Abraham is there in its entirety, except the part about the Covenant being “sealed” with circumcision. So do not be afraid of divine punishment. God did not mandate circumcision.

IdentityBeing circumcised is not a condition of being Jewish. Girls do not need to be circumcised to receive the gifts of covenant, i.e., being bat-mitzvahed. A boy is Jewish if his mother is Jewish from the moment he is born. In fact: A boy may be excused from circumcision permanently if his health would be endangered by it (for example, hemophilia).
Jewish boys in countries where routine circumcision is not common, such as Holland, may be left intact and yet remain Jews in good standing.

In Sweden, 60% of Jewish boys are intact.
Many Soviet Jews, left intact for fear of communist persecution, have chosen to remain so, even though communism no longer exists.

Contrary to popular opinions, an intact boy may have a Bar Mitzvah. As one rabbi simply put it, “We don’t check.”

Since many American Christians practice circumcision, it does not distinguish the Jewish boys from the non-Jewish. Thus, the claim that circumcision is essential for the survival of the Jewish people is, therefore, invalid.

Healing the World A central purpose of Judaism is tikkun olam, repairing the world. Much of the pain in the world is a result of repeating old harmful patterns of behaviors. Forgoing circumcision contributes to our healing. As we heal from this pain, we will be better able to heal others, and reach our ethical and spiritual potential.

Tradition, Many people invoke the power of tradition. The following acts are traditionally punishable by death according to the Torah:
Cheating on your husband (Lev 20:10)
Fornicating — if you’re female (Deut 22:21)
Homosexuality (Lev 20:13)
Blasphemy (Lev 24:16)
Insulting one’s parents (Exod 21:17)
Disobeying one’s parents (Deut 21:18-21) Obviously, we no longer apply capital punishment for committing the above mentioned acts because we are no longer a primitive society and we have come to believe in human rights.Other practices sanctioned by the Torah that we no longer permit because we are educated and enlightened are:
Slavery (Exod 21:1-11, Deut 15:12-18)
Animal and human sacrifices (Lev 4:3, 4:23)
Divorce for men only (Deut 24:1)
Female subservience to men including obedience to every order and no right to refuse sex, (Gen 3:16) Many of our traditions have been abandoned, changed or modified over the centuries. Even the tradition of circumcision has been changed over the years.

There is some evidence that radical circumcision — periah — was not instituted until the second century CE, to prevent Hellenized Jews from concealing their status. Evidence shows prior to that, Milah was much milder — only the removal of a sliver of foreskin from the tip of the penis.
Metzitzah — sucking the baby’s penis to remove blood from the wound by mouth — was a long-standing and essential part of the ceremony until the end of the 19th century, when it became clear that mohels with TB or STDs were transmitting the diseases to the babies and many babies died as a result. (the orthodox Jews still practice oral suction (Metzitzah) to this day.)There have been recent deaths attributed to this procedure) Read the enclosed N.Y Times artice; http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/26/nyregion/26circumcise.html

Take Responsibility

Do not be afraid to be the first to change and lead your parents, family and community into modern times! Your primary responsibility is to take care of your son, not to satisfy other people’s need for tradition. Your community will eventually see the light.

Do not be afraid to think for yourself. Circumcision is barbaric and you are a better parent for not mutilating your son’s penis.

Don’t be afraid to question tradition rather than blindly accepting it. Circumcision continues in our faith because of indoctrination, fear of change, and so-called tradition. Remember that our religious leaders are the products of this same indoctrination.

If you were told to circumcise your daughter’s vulva, would you blindly obey? Or would you question the order and choose to protect your daughter? Shouldn't’ we treat our boys with the same consideration and respect?"

There is the debate of whether or not circumcision helps prevent cancer of the penis? My lady friend puts it this way,"I wouldn't choose to have mastectomy as a precautionary measure for not developing breast cancer, as I would not circumcise my son and cut off part of his manhood just as a precautionary measure that he may develop cancer in the future."

All I can say if I had the choice, I would ask the Rabbi for my wallet back and pack my suitcase for fantasy land. :D)

World championship?

Superbowl sunday, a day that is more popular than Christmas in America, a day when spousal abuse runs high, a day when beer and pizza are the diet, a day when a television commercial costs. 2.5 million for a 30 second spot.

Americans are arrogant, especially the sports enthusiasts, announcers, coaches and athletes, they say the superbowl is for the world championship?

I was not aware of any teams from Russia, China or Africa having teams in the National football league?

The superbowl has become so commercial in the United states, that people who do not follow football or even understand the game will watch it or go to a superbowl party and ruin it for the true fans by asking dumb questions such as, "how many homeruns do they need to win?"


Our national government has decided to waste more of out taxpayer dollars in purchasing a 30 second time slot to run an ad about filling out your 2010 census form.

We are going though major recession and our national inteeligence decides to compete with stimulants like Coca cola and Viagra.

Being a football fan, I will try and make believe I am really watching a world championship and try to chill out on this special American holiday that has become more popular than Jesus himself.

(note, you can edit it to read "that has become more popular than christmas." however i like Jesus better

Touch of grey...

The world has changed since the last time I donned a beard. Jimmy Carter was president, disco was the dance and in California clothing optional beaches were the norm.

Now B.O. is president, the dance is survival and clothing optional only exists since the economy is so bad, people cannot afford clothes or anything else...

Present day, the groceries stores and fast food restaurants are all starting to give me a thing called a senior discount without even asking for it, all this because i decided to not shave and my beard is now white.

For anyone capable of growing a white beard, it is a sure way to budget in these rough economic times. Three cheers for a touch of grey.

deja-vu experience...

The other night I was channel surfing with my oceanic time warner digital cable remote control and came upon an interesting program.

It was a deja-vu experience. The television reality stars looked awfully familiar, even the cutaway shots of the audience members looked vaguely familiar.

I sat, watched and realized that our county council members are not only famous for being politicians, but have their own reality show on the public access network.

If you have never seen the show I recommend it to anyone needing a good laugh, it's somewhat of a cross between the Biggest Looser, Survivor and I'm a celebrity, get me out of here.

A good piece of meat...

During a recent visit to Burger King, I spotted a well-known vegan eating a Burger King triple Whopper with cheese. Caught in the act, he looked at me and said, “I don’t know how you can eat that food” (pointing to my Whopper Jr.) while rubbing his stomach with a gesture of indigestion.

Vegans enjoy meat, they just don’t want to get caught, it’s a political correctness of the rules of being vegan.

A vegan eating meat is the equivalent of a politician having an extramarital affair.It happens frequently, and no matter how you look at it, everyone likes a good piece of meat.

Vegans and politicians are no exceptions.

"Differing opinions needn't end friendships..."

Differing opinions needn't end friendship. This is in response to the numerous people who take my opinions too seriously. You can never please all of the people. Being a frequent contributor to the letters section and a blogger puts me in a vulnerable position.

Sometimes people love your point of view and sometimes they disagree. The ones who really enjoy my blogs or letters will go out of their way and contact me. The people who disagree will many times be associates who after reading my opinion will be mad or stop talking to me.

We can all have different opinions, whether we express them in letters to the editor, blogging, verbally or in casual conversation. The main thing to focus on is that these are just opinions.

I may disagree with your political point of view or how you raise your child, or that weed blowers should be abolished in residential areas, or that President Obama is the messiah.

My opinion may be different from yours. However, we can still be friends with differences in opinions.

Many times we criticize out of love and concern. I know that's what I do.