Let’s look at all of the Liberal radicals and then assume that 98% of our population fell into one of the categories or maybe pieces of all to add up to one massive Liberal nation. First come the Environmentalists with their strong lobby wanting to protect the environment at all costs. Of course “all costs” means above and beyond the needs of anything or anyone else. For example to save a species of minnows they have blocked the water flow to one of the richest growing areas in the United States (California). The farmers in this area are losing their crops and their farms because they cannot get water. This will deprive 100,000 people from work, dry up a large percentage of the Country food supply, force citizens to buy foreign food and ultimately drive food prices up. This is only one example but you can many more right in your own backyard if you look. Second come the “Animal Rights activists” that want every animal afforded rights similar to people. Protection from human carnivores, lab testing for medicinal purposes, and hunters regardless of the reason are some of their platforms which if enacted would make us all vegetarians for one thing among many others. Then we see the advocates for the poor who believe that everyone deserves a house, a full fridge, and all other amenities enjoyed by the middle class however they must retain their dignity and therefore must not be forced to work for these things. The people that have money must designate some of it for these folks without the nasty habit of questioning why? Then march in the peace activists that don’t believe in war, the military or any behavior that is deemed aggressive. In their mind there is no legitimate reason to use arms or violence regardless if it is in defense of your Country or your family. These people are called pacifists and they do things like chain themselves to buildings or military posts to publicize their plight. Let’s not forget the Gay rights activists who want to change the “norm” because it doesn’t fit their lifestyle. They began fighting for the right not to be persecuted and then turned it into the right to be considered on a par with heterosexuals including marriage and adoption etc. Their front people are the folks that march down city streets in the Pride parades half naked and sexually explicit in front of kids and adults alike. Then there are the Civil Liberties groups that fight for anything that seems to be in need of legal aid such as the “National Organization for Man Boy Love”. Isn’t that just a needy cause that makes your eyes water. Of course I haven’t covered them all but just think if our Country was made up of these types of people and no others. We would have plenty of trees and weeds and an abundance of all kinds of animals and fish. We would have no classes, everybody would be the same. There would be no moral values and you could pretty much do as you wanted. You wouldn’t have to worry about going to war because there would be no military. We could go around and hug each other all day and be happy. But you ask, what about the downsides? Well yes there would be a few. While we would have a lot of trees we may not have many crops and without meat to eat we would all have to become top-notch fishermen. We would all be the same as we would all be poor because of a massive tax burden either businesses would move away or people would have no motivation to work. With no moral compass the family would become a thing of the past and you can imagine the deviant lifestyles that would emerge but don’t worry they would then become the norm so there would be no stigma attached. The upside to all of this of course is that it wouldn’t last too long as without a military Al Qaeda or the North Koreans would invade and take over our land thereby turning us into Communists or radical Muslims. Thank goodness I was getting worried.

AD 512…………When drunk or even when applied, its seed sets the menses going, it is suitable for those that pass water painfully and with difficulty, for those with edemata, for pleurisy in potions, and for bites and strokes of wild animals. They say that reptiles do not harm people who have taken it in advance; it also aids conception. As for the root, it, too is diuretic, aphrodisiac, and expels embryos/fetuses when used as a pessary. The leaves ground and applied with honey, clear cancerous sores completely

The best known and most famous example is the "Ferguson Tree" which was actually a fallen Mountain Ash downed by a recent bush fire. This was measured by a government surveyor, William Ferguson by tape measure on the 21st February 1872. The length was a staggering (if true) 133 metres (436 feet) with its crown (the tree's top) broken off!! The stump's diameter five feet off the ground was 5.5m (18 feet) and at its broken top its diameter was still 1 metre. It is estimated that had this tree actually still been intact it would have approached 152m (500 feet) in height. The surveyor also noted numerous fallen trees in the same area over 106m (350feet) in height.

In Victorian times men's undergarments were in two pieces and all undergarments were made by hand. Materials used were cotton through linen and even silk. In America, before the Civil War, from the waist down "drawers" were worn which were usually made of wool flannel, but could be of any fabric. The most common were knee length with a simple button overlap in front and a drawstring at the waist in the back. The preferred upper garment was a wool flannel shirt worn next to the skin.
The Industrial Revolution with the invention of water-powered spinning machines and the cotton gin made cotton fabrics widely available and saw the beginning of mass-produced underwear. For the first time, people began buying undergarments in stores rather than making them at home. The standard undergarment of this period for men, women, and children was the Ounion suit, which provided coverage from the wrists to the ankles. The union suits of the era were usually made of knitted material and included a drop flap in the back to ease visits to the toilet. Because the top and bottom were united as a one-piece garment it received the name Ounion suit. Hanes opened several mills producing 'union suits'. Originally made with ankle length legs and long sleeves, later versions were available in knee length versions with or without sleeves.
The name 'Long Johns', long skin-tight underpants, was actually first used for the long underwear issued to American soldiers during World War.

Trivia answer............Jonathon Higgins on Magnum PI
What character did Dwight Shultz play on TV?

The other day while I was on the golf course a man came up to us on the 4th hole and returned a club cover that was dropped by mistake. When I looked at him I realized that I recognized his face and I said “I know you from somewhere”. He then told me his name and I remembered that I had coached his son in hockey over 20 years ago. I told him my name and he said “Yes I do remember you” and then returned to his game. Later after we had finished and were sitting on the patio having a pop both he and his wife walked over to our table and he put out his hand to shake mine. He said” Of course we remember you that was the best year of hockey my son had and he says to this day that you were the best coach he ever had.” I thanked him of course and then asked about his son and how he was doing. We chatted for a bit and then they left. I had coached minor sports for over 20 years as a volunteer and when anybody asks me how I could have done it for so long I always refer to this type of encounter with a parent or a former player when you meet them in later years and they remember you, hopefully in favorable terms. I have been blessed to have been able to meet so many wonderful people and young players over the years and to know that you made some small impact on their lives is payback that is unequaled. My sons were the reason I got into coaching and thankfully I had a background in the sports that they played so I could participate and teach with some success. One of the players I coached when he was a boy grew up to be a fine young man and he was also one of my best students. Later he stepped in to help me one year when I did not have a very strong coaching staff. He knew I was having a difficult time and without a request he showed up one night and provided much needed support for the rest of the season. Eventually I had the honour of being the emcee at his wedding reception. He will always be s special friend to me. Another young man this past year searched me out to see how I was doing and also indicated he had enjoyed the years he had played on my teams. This type of recognition is worth more than awards, trophies and championships and I am humbled by the appreciation every time it occurs. This is the ultimate payback for the time I invested in volunteer coaching but it is not the only positive I garnered over the years. The challenge of keeping up with these young boys and then men when it came to wit and banter was immense. I would suggest that I never aged over those years and my family will tell you today that there is still some question as to whether I ever did grow up. And you know what? I hope I never do.

Quite a few months ago I wrote a piece about eliminating Public Service Unions or at the very least excluding their right to strike. These unions have no idea of how the private sector operates, nor in fact do the management types, if it comes right down to it. In the private sector the underlying issue both sides must consider is the survival of the business that is paying both of their wages but in the public sector this is not a concern at all because they both get paid out of the bottomless pit that is the taxpayers nightmare, no one else’s. These unions in both Windsor and Toronto have the gall to want all of these expensive benefits (work bank) and wage increases while their cities are closing down around them. In good times there may have been some merit in just maintaining what they have but as the world around them is in the midst of a massive recession they continue to march around with their pickets talking about fairness. What’s fair about parents who have lost jobs and can’t get their kids to day care to search for another? How about seniors living on a fixed income who can’t get rid of their garbage? How about the kids that go to summer camp is it fair that they lose out because these inconsiderate union members want to be paid if they are off sick legitimately or not. The solution is to let them stay out on strike until they cave or the government steps in and disbands them (this will never happen). I don’t think the government should legislate them back to work because this works right into their plans as they think an arbitrator will give them most of what they want. Unfortunately this is what will happen so let’s see how serious we the taxpayers are this time by letting them lose weeks and weeks of wages and then maybe they will get hit with a lightning bolt that wakes them up to the realities that the rest of the Country has already experienced. Unions have a place and a purpose in the private sector but they have neither in the Public sector. They could not strike years ago and then the Liberal minded government of the day passed the legislation that makes us all hostages within our own municipalities. There is absolutely no logic to this strike and until people get angry enough to throw out these free spending socialist politicians that support these unions this type of arrogance will continue. Hopefully the folks that disagreed with me in the past on this subject have begun to see the light. Whew what’s that smell?

Part of the Liberal platform in both the United States and Canada has been the push to elevate judges to the courts who interpret the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Laws of the Land as they feel it applies to their view of the world in which they currently live. Nowhere in any of these documents does it provide any latitude for judges to do this. In fact there are many areas that prohibit unilateral changes by courts and judges and make reference that these particular things go before the populous in a vote or are put before their elected representatives in Congress or Parliament. The problem is that far left Liberals know that many of these controversial issues would not be accepted by the voters so they find a way through the courts to get them enshrined into law without citizen representation. This is wrong and is not what our forefathers had envisioned when they drafted the documents providing the guidelines for our society. The elite leftists feel that they are far more intelligent than the regular “Joe” or “Jane” on the street and thus they can’t allow these important decisions to be left to these folks. This is why major factors that affect our way of life are always, it seems, being decided by the courts. For instance the ruling throwing out the man/woman marriage tradition that has been a part of our history for centuries was done by the courts. As well, was the abortion ruling under the guise of “privacy” because it may have never passed a vote referendum taken across the Country. Why won’t the Government in Canada ever allow a vote on the “Death penalty”? Because the Liberal minds feel that it is too important an issue to leave to the private citizen. Why did the Provincial Liberals throw out the rule set in place by the Conservatives limiting tax increases and living within the budget? Right! Because they felt they knew better and totally disregarded the people’s wishes. I think these brilliant minds who sit atop their Ivory Towers better start realizing that they can’t continue to disregard the individual citizen because sooner or later these citizens will rise up and say “We’ve had enough! It has already happened once in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Cuba, Russia and now the people of Iran are flexing their muscles in an attempt to get out from under a repressive regime. I’m not suggesting that we are in the same state as Iran but the circumstances regarding the Government dictating to their citizens without due process is the point. Here come da judge here…. come da judge.

ScienceDaily (July 1, 2008) — A cold slice of watermelon has long been a Fourth of July holiday staple. But according to recent studies, the juicy fruit may be better suited for Valentine’s Day. That’s because scientists say watermelon has ingredients that deliver Viagra-like effects to the body’s blood vessels and may even increase libido. Beneficial ingredients in watermelon and other fruits and vegetables are known as phyto-nutrients, naturally occurring compounds that are bioactive, or able to react with the human body to trigger healthy reactions, Patil said.
In watermelons, these include lycopene, beta carotene and the rising star among its phyto-nutrients – citrulline – whose beneficial functions are now being unraveled. Among them is the ability to relax blood vessels, much like Viagra does.

Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC (Can), (January 11,[1] 1815 – June 6, 1891) was the first Prime Minister of Canada and the dominant figure of Canadian Confederation. Macdonald's tenure in office spanned 18 years, making him the second longest serving Prime Minister of Canada. He is the only Canadian Prime Minister to win six majority governments. He was the major proponent of a national railway, completed in 1885, linking Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans. He won praise for having helped forge a nation of sprawling geographic size, with two diverse European colonial origins, numerous Aboriginal nations, and a multiplicity of cultural backgrounds and political views.

Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.
The airplane Buddy Holly died in was called "American Pie." (Thus the name of the Don McLean song.)

If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle; if the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle; if the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes. (note: if the rider's head is up the horse's rear, the rider died a politician.)
What do bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers all have in common?-- All were invented by women

Last Meal Ribs recipe
Serves. 2 adults.
Preparation time. Overnight marinating is optional.
Cooking time. We will be cooking low and slow, so allow 5 hours for St. Louis Cut ribs and 3 hours for baby backs.
Hardware
1 pair of long handled tongs
1 sauce brush, preferably one of those newfangled silicon jobs
12 feet of heavy duty aluminum foil, not the lightweight stuff
1 good instant read thermometer, preferably digital
1 six pack of beer (for the cook, not the meat)
1 lawn chair
1 good book and plenty of tunes to taste
Software
1 slab of fresh St. Louis Cut (SLC) ribs. That's 1/2 slab per adult. If you use baby back ribs, get a whole slab per person. You may have leftovers, but what's wrong with that? SLCs are the meatiest and most flavorful ribs. They are spare ribs with the tips removed so they form a nice rectangular rack. You can use baby back ribs if you prefer. They are smaller and cook faster. Country ribs come from the shoulder and are not really ribs, so don't use them for this recipe. Get fresh, not frozen meat if possible. Fresh meat has the best pork flavor and the most moisture. Ever notice the pink liquid when you defrost meat? You can't get that back into the meat, so buy fresh meat whenever possible. Ask the butcher to remove the membrane on the back side.
3 tablespoons cooking oil
4 tablespoons of a spice rub
1 cup apple juice
1 cup of your signature homemade barbecue sauce or a good commercial barbecue sauce
Do this
1) Rinse. Rinse the ribs in cool water to remove any bone bits from the butchering and any bacterial film that grew in the package (don't worry, cooking will sterilize the meat). Pat dry with paper towels.
2) Skin 'n' trim. If the butcher has not removed the membrane from the back side, do it yourself. Insert a butter knife under the membrane, then your fingers work a section loose, grip it with a paper towel, and peel it off. Finally, trim the excess fat from both sides.
3) Rub. Coat the meat with a thin layer of cooking oil. Sprinkle enough spicy rub to coat all surfaces but not so much that the meat doesn't show through. That is about 2 tablespoons per side depending on the size of the slab. Many of the herbs and spices in the rub are oil soluble, so the cooking oil will help them penetrate a little better. Spread the spice on the meat and rub it in. Wash your hands. Wrap the meat in half the foil and let it sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours on a platter or pan to catch leaks. In addition to flavoring the meat, the salt in the rub pulls the juices to the surface and that will help form a crust during the cooking. If you don't have time to let the meat marinate in the dry rub, it's not the end of the world. Put on the oil and rub anyway and start cooking.
4) Setup for indirect 2-zone cooking. Setup your cooker for indirect cooking with two zones. That means that one side is hot and the other is not If you have a gas grill, use only one burner. Put a disposable aluminum pan with water on top of the hot burner. Moisture and combustion gasses in a propane grill combine to create a seductive, baconlike flavor in the meat. If it has only one burner, put the water pan between the meat and the burner. If you have a charcoal grill, push the coals to one side. You can use a water pan, but it is not necessary.
5) Adjust the temp. Preheat your cooker to about 225F and try to keep it there throughout the cook. Adjust the air intake dampers at the bottom to control heat on charcoal grills. Intake dampers are more effective than exhaust dampers for controlling the temp because they reduce the supply of oxygen to the coals. Take your time getting the temp right. Cooking at 225F will allow the meat to roast low and slow, liquefying the collagen in connective tissues and melting fats without getting the proteins knotted in a bunch. It's a magic temp that creates silky texture, adds moisture, and keeps the meat tender. If you can't hit 225F, get as close as you can. Don't go under 200F and try not to go over 250F.
6) Relax. Put the slabs in the cooker on the cooler side of the grill, meaty side up. Close the lid and go drink a beer and read a book.
7) The Texas Crutch. Now we employ another secret of the champions, The Texas Crutch. After 3 hours of cooking SLC ribs at 225F (2 hours for baby backs), take 6' of heavy duty foil and fold it into a 3' length. Lay the slab on the foil meaty side up. Fold up the sides making a boat and pour 1 cup of apple juice into the boat. Don't pour it on the meat or you'll wash off the rub. Now carefully fold the foil around the meat, sealing it tight and trying hard not to puncture the foil. Be careful, those bones can poke through. Put the packet back on the grill for 30-60 minutes. No more than an hour. By creating a little steam, The Texas Crutch adds flavor, moisture, tenderness, and finishes cooking the meat. If you want to skip this step, you'll still make killer ribs.
8) Sauce. Now take the meat out of the foil, being careful not to curl your eyebrows with the steam when you open the packet, and place the ribs back on at 225F for 30 minutes to firm up the surface. Then paint both sides with your favorite barbecue sauce and move them directly over the hottest part of the grill in order to caramelize and crisp the sauce. On a charcoal grill, just move the slab over the coals. On a gas grill, crank up all the burners. One coat of a thick sauce should be enough, but if you need two, go ahead, but no more! Don't hide all the fabulous flavors under too much sauce. If you think you'll want more sauce, put some in a bowl on the table.
If you've done all this right, you will notice that there is a thin pink layer beneath the surface of the meat. This does not mean it is undercooked! It is the highly prized smoke ring caused by the combustion gases and the smoke. It is a sign of Amazing Ribs. Now be ready to take a bow when the applause swells from the audience.
9)Optional. Instead of using barbecue sauce, make Vermont Pig Candy. This is always a huge hit. Here's a summary of the process. Pour the apple juice from the foil into a sauce pan and mix it with 1/4 cup of real maple syrup (not artificially flavored pancake syrup) and cook it about 15 minutes on medium high heat or until it starts to foam. Watch it carefully and take it off the moment it foams. Then add 2 pinches of salt and 2 teaspoons of hot sauce more or less. Paint this wonderful glaze on the meat and put it back on the grill over high heat with the lid open and watch it carefully because it can burn easily. The moment it begins to sizzle and bubble, turn it and sizzle it on the other side. Serve it and wait for the compliments.
10)Serve with
Creamy Deli Slaw or Sweet-Sour Slaw
Baked Beans
Home Made Lemonade ,Ice Tea or Beer
Lusty Chocolate Truffles for dessert

Previous Answer Betty “princess” Anderson on Father Knows Best
Trivia: What role did John Hillerman play 1980-1988?

• Elephants typically reach puberty at thirteen or fourteen years of age
• They have offspring up until they are around fifty years old
• They may live seventy years or possibly more
• A cow produces a single calf and in very rare cases twins
• The interval between births is between two and a half to four years
• An elephant´s trunk, a union of the nose and upper lip, is a highly sensitive organ with over 100,000 muscle units.
• The film “Psycho” was the first movie to show a toilet flushing – the scene caused an inpouring of complaints about indecency
• Pomegranates studded with cloves were used as the first attempt at making toilet air-freshner
• Hermann Goering refused to use regulation toilet paper – instead he bought soft white handkerchiefs in bulk and used them
• Over $100,000 US dollars was spent on a study to determine whether most people put their toilet paper on the holder with the flap in front or behind; the answer: three out of four people have the flap in the front
• King George II of Great Britain died falling off a toilet on the 25th

Beer Battered Fish ‘n’ Chips
This is one of the few genuinely English recipes that is recognized world wide. Everyone knows that Fish ‘n’ Chips come from England, and I can’t imagine an English town without a Fish and Chip shop. It is not as hard as you might think to create your own perfect Beer Battered Fish at home. It just takes a little preparation time, that’s all. The actual cooking is done in just a few minutes and the preparation time can also be measured in minutes. I have made a separate Hub for the chips, so this one is just for the fish. You can use the oil that you just cooked the chips in as well. I like to reuse oil that I have used for deep frying chips in, but after cooking fish in it, it is best thrown away because there is a lingering after taste in the oil.
You can batter any kind of fish with this recipe, but for genuine English Fish ‘n’ Chips, it is best to use a white fish such as Cod or Haddock. This recipe will be enough for 4 large fillets of fish. The fish, although it is deep fried, actually cooks inside the batter, and is really steamed because it never touches the oil, just the batter does. I love this recipe and it’s one of my wife’s favorites. I can’t really call it a low fat recipe, but if the oil is hot, the fish is very crispy, holds very little fat and tastes steamed.
• 4 pieces of Cod or Haddock roughly 1/3 rd lb each
• 1 sprig fresh parsley
For the batter:
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup heavy beer (Guinness is best but any heavy beer will work)

First, make the batter and let stand. In a bowl, sift the flour and salt. Next crack the egg into the bowl and whisk the mixture. Next, slowly add the beer, whisking all the time. Keep adding the beer until the batter is a thick consistency. Set aside.
Place the oil in the pan, no more than a third of the way up the side. If you are using the oil you just cooked chips in, allow it to reheat. When the oil is hot, place the frying basket in the pan.
Now, wash and chop the parsley finely. Next, sprinkle some flour on the cutting board and sprinkle the parsley over the flour.
Next, wash the fish under cold water and roll in the flour/parsley. It should now be coated in flour and parsley. Make sure the oil is hot. Dip the fish pieces, one at a time into the batter and drop into the oil. Do not put the fish in the basket and lower th basket in, because they will stick to the basket. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Remove with the basket, place on a paper towel to drain and serve immediately. These will not stay crispy and must be served straight away. Serve with chips, salt and vinegar or tartar sauce. If you want to be really old fashioned, serve them on paper. Not newspaper, even in England, that’s illegal now.
Bon Apetit!
Trivia What role did Elinor donahue play between 1954-1958?

Well it didn’t seem like a major issue to the USA when they tied the provision of “Buy American Only” to Obama’s stimulus spending a few months ago. They only blinked slightly when Canada balked at this blatant infringement of the Free Trade Agreement. Although the Canadian Federal Government didn’t take the bait several rural communities and municipalities reacted with similar “Buy Canadian only” threats, which of course will hurt Canada much more than the States. However now the Americans have ruffled China’s feathers as the Chi-Coms have announced that they will impose a “buy China only” provision in their stimulus spending packages in retaliation for the US move. This is another blunder by the Liberal Democrats that tried using protectionism as a carrot to woo voters but the reality is that this will cause a further decline in the economy as foreign markets close their doors on US goods. Free Trade is a good thing if the traders play on a reasonably level field because, the access to large markets is extremely important to our businesses and industries. The Canadian socialists want to do the same thing in Canada but haven’t been as vocal as the US Democratic Party but trust the fact that if given the chance the NDP would close the borders in a blink of an eye. It reminds me of the Soviet Union a few decades ago that found it very difficult to sustain their economy while living behind an “Iron Curtain”. The ruble was basically worthless both inside as well as outside the USSR. In fact I remember when we (my Company) first negotiated with the Soviets on developing a joint business venture within their borders we found that the only way to repatriate our profit in dollars was to take payment in product such as Vodka and then sell it on the open market. It never ceases to amaze me how the left can disregard common sense and basic economics in an attempt to appeal to their base which in most cases is fanatical about issues with no regard to reason, history or lessons learned. Think about it in this way: If you lived in a family of 10 people who each had an acre of land and grew a different crop. If the head of the family had $100 and proceeded to buy some crops from each of the family members and then each of the members in turn bought some product from one another the $100 would continue to rotate around the table and everyone hopefully could continue to eat a nice variety of different crops. The problem is that the $100 would never increase, nor would there ever be any other products to purchase outside of what could be found on the 10 acres of family farmland. Hopefully the current US administration will realize the error of their ways before this trade war grows any bigger but don’t hold your breath.

To all the people of the United States of America:
You should always hold your head up high and never, ever apologize for your Country, your Government or your Military. I challenge anyone to go back in history and find a nation, a country, a kingdom or whatever that would rival the prosperity of the current day USA even during the current economic conditions. Next I would raise the same challenge to locate a Country etc that spends as much of their taxpayer’s money on aid to the poor Nations of the world. Then add to that the amount of cash raised by charitable organizations from across the States to help the needy all over the world and you will find the USA has no match anywhere in history. This country which possesses the military might to decimate any opponent on earth today, has never used this power to conquer or vanquish any enemy for expansionist purposes. No, these awesome armed forces fight only in defense and for the preservation of freedom. This military that is so concerned for collateral damage or “the killing of civilians” that it continues to wage battles with boots on the ground where it could otherwise use sophisticated weaponry to wipe out square miles of land without having to lose a single soldier. This is the land of the free where the flag is saluted and the national anthem is sung daily with a passion unsurpassed anywhere in the world. The US of A where people from all over the planet are trying to find a way to get into and start a new life which will, by any measure, be better than the one they have currently. A Country of people that can show compassion to the homeless beggar while at the same time standing up to the consummate bully whether it be on the street corner or the international stage. A Country of innovators, entrepreneurs, risk takers and intellectual giants, who, continuously drive their economy and standards of living to higher and higher levels. Of course it is human nature that those who lack the will and effort to achieve the same will demonize the USA out of envy. But don’t fall into this trap and become a victim who needs someone to blame so they lash out at a popular target. Certainly every citizen has the right to disagree with the policies and politicians of the day but they should never be ashamed of their Country because it is made up of people that stand with the best anywhere in the world. I am a proud Canadian citizen who respects and believes in the principles and tenets of the United States of America and would stand alongside her citizens before any others in the world today. The intellectuals and the elite along with their rhetoric come and go over time but the torch that represents the freedom of the individual for which this Country stands for must never be allowed to go out.

Grade 7 Blood
The hallway light flickers on and off giving me quick glances at the pool of blood lying just under my right elbow. As I lean forward to check for any movement in the room I can feel the wet sticky stuff on my arm. I suppose I deserve getting popped because I chose to trust a banger who seemed like a righteous dude that wanted nothing but a few dime bags and a couple of caps. God knows I bin doin this for onto 2 years now and I should be ready for this type of thieving idiot but I wasn’t and now I guess I will pay. Shit this money in my pocket is getting soaked with blood but what the hell do I care anyway, I won’t be spendin it where I’m going. My brother told me I was crazy to push, but the damn cash was good and all I ever heard was, “hey your black ass ain’t good for nothing but selling drugs and pimpin’ bitches”. I know the schools don’t say that, hell no! they say that anybody can do anything they set their mind to, but they don’t understand what’s goin’ on outside of class. Venjal, Delman, Chris and the other bangers change their tune when they move out of the classroom and hit the streets. They right away put pressure on me and the other kids that’s just comin up, to get involved and be somebody. Yeh right somebody, somebody who can scare the shit out of another kid, somebody who can spit in a cop’s face, somebody that can carry a wad of 50’s around and buys any kind of candy you want, legal or illegal. On the other side they say you should be able to stay out of trouble if you got a good family and such but that’s bullshit too cause I got a good Mom who watches out for me like a hawk. I just know how to fool her and her being so busy at work and all it really ain’t too hard. Even the basketball games put on at night by the volunteers don’t do no good. I mean they are nice and all that but that shit ain’t never going to stop this gang stuff. Can’t they see it’s the gang leaders and their posse’s who control the streets and suck the new kids into their world without any trouble. Can’t they see that your Mama or Daddy can’t be with you 24/7 and the cops they can’t do much cause as quick as they throw these hard asses in jail some funky judge buys their tears and lets them out, most times the very next day. We all laugh every time a politician or a cop comes on TV and asks for help in solving a shooting or some other crime. What the hell do they think we’re gonna do? Write our own death sentence! Naw this stupid crap ain’t gonna stop until somebody gets balls enough to do what’s gotta be done. Swoop in and arrest all the hard ass bangers, then lock them up someplace far away so they won’t get out for 10 years or so. Then a group of kids can grow up without this gang shit hittin’ you in the face every morning. Boy I’m getting weaker so I guess this is what they call the “meeting” where you check out for awhile. I hope it’s not for long cause I’m supposed to go into grade 8 next fall and I hear it’s a nice thing being in the oldest bunch of kids in the school.