Cigarette, anyone?

How far can government go?

First - I don't smoke. I never have. Ever. But, that does not mean that I believe in this so called "new" packaging to supposedly deter people from smoking. It just wasn't/isn't right.

But if I did smoke - I'd just remove the cigarettes from the disgusting package and place them in some pretty monogrammed case.

Last year (or whenever it was) when the law first passed that this would eventually happen - I had looked into this for a story. I didn't like it then and I still don't like it now.

So, when I heard -- a few hours ago -- that a judge had blocked the federal requirement that would have begun forcing U.S. tobacco companies to put large graphic images on the packages - I was relieved.

I just didn't think it was right. Where do you draw the line?

Should we place pictures of sick individuals on cookies - to prevent diabetes? Or of grotesquely obese people on fried foods - to prevent obesity?

Maybe we could add pictures of jaundiced individuals or of black livers on what once were beautiful Napa wine bottles?

Yeah, I thought so - frustrating. And wrong.

Father's behavior ghastly appalling

Chicago - News

Dad uses Facebook to teach daughter a lesson

Thursday, February 9, 2012

I ran across this while on facebook and was appalled by the father's behavior.

This man has some serious, horrible issues. His daughter has/had a right to write what she did. Ok, maybe it was not what a parent wants to hear - but she's a kid - and was doing what teens do (I'm guessing since my own kids are pretty much "perfect" kids - and I mean that seriously) I have never ran across anything like this with my own children -- but if I had, I know I would be mature enough to handle it.

This is America - that kid had her own dumb right to say whatever she wanted - ok, so she cursed a bit much - but she was rambling - she's a kid. That did not give this father the right to belittle her and do this to her -- or end by taking out his gun and doing what he did.

I feel for that kid. I'd hate to live with this man. Grow up - Mr Dad! You should be very ashamed of yourself. Yes, you could have grounded her. Yes, you could have taken her laptop away. But what you did is abuse - mental abuse - and using that gun of yours - sick! I don't know you but I can't stand you.

Sick - sick - sick bastard of a father - that's what you are! That kid deserves an apology from you. That kid deserves a real father.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl1ujzRidmU&feature=player_embedded#!

Where have all the Ronald Reagans gone?

Where have all the Ronald Reagans gone?

Wish things were simpler. Why, why, why - can't there just be a Ronald Reagan on the ballot - then everything would be so simple...... if only. For the second or third time in my voting history - I honestly am not sure which way I will vote. I am pretty conservative and have been looking at my options - trying to decide which is the lesser of two or three evils - figuratively speaking. But I'm not ready to commit to one candidate yet.

In the meantime, I've spent quite some time here - http://2012.presidential-candidates.org/

looking at how they differ on: abortion, Afghanistan, budget, business and labor, capital punishment, China, civil liberties, Cuba, deficit, economy, education, energy, Guantanamo, gun control, immigration, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Marijuana, North Korea, and Stem Cell research, etc.

Honestly - the more I read - the more worried I became. I wish I could pick and choose how they felt on certain issues and combine them into one "fantasy" presidential candidate.

http://2012.presidential-candidates.org/Paul/

http://2012.republican-candidates.org/Santorum/

http://2012.presidential-candidates.org/Gingrich/

http://2012.presidential-candidates.org/Romney/