Cranky Swamp Yankee

I know a beautiful and talented young woman who is in an abusive relationship with a "bad boy." He treats her like dirt, and threatens to do physical harm to her and her family on a regular basis. He's possessive, angry and brooding.
The woman is intelligent, physically beautiful, sweet and caring. AND she would never consider leaving this jerk because she says that he's bi-polar and "he needs me."
Why do I want to take and shake her?

I love your answer to #3!

HEY! I just clicked on it here at home, and works fine! Must by my Revolutionary War vintage computer at work that was screwing up. (NEVER EVER buy a computer that is made out cast iron. That should be a DEAD GIVE-AWAY that the thing is ancient!

Glad to see that you're still around, Jenn! I've missed you, and I look forward to hearing more from you! (And...SHHHHH! To be honest with you...I'm at work right now myself! Good thing I own the company, huh?)

Wow! Women sure do live in a different world than men do! The crap that you have to put up with from some guys! Although it made me laugh when I read this, I think I would be more than a little uncomfortable with some of the things you describe here...maybe even a little scared. But for women, the oogling and "groping with their eyes" are pretty regular occurences, huh? I apologize on behalf of all men for the lewd actions and words of some of my less sensitive brethren.
Hey, here's an interesting observation on word usage. Did you ever notice that women often refer to their female friends as "girlfriends"? Isn't it funny that I WOULD NEVER call my male buddies "boyfriends"!

Do we HAVE to change them? REALLY????

I had my own "fake heart attack" about a year ago. I had severe chest pains, and drove myself to the emergency room. The immediately gave me an EKG. The emergency room read the results and told me that I either just had a heart attack or I was having one presently.
Scared the #### out of me. Come to find out, the idiot hooked the electrodes up wrong.
All I had was a bad case of gas!

Something must be wrong with my computer. I clicked on the site and got a message that it was an incorrect address. I'll try it on my home computer this evening

Now you've got me longing to go back to Paris and London. I never can get enough of those two cities.
And isn't it a shame how the persona of The Ugly American still thrives. Of course, when we keep electing cowboys to run the Oval Office, (and I do wear cowboy boots and ride my horse daily)what can you expect? Perhaps these impressions will change when we elect our first black President.
By the way, I'm posting an article about your blog on my blog.
Nice to have you back, A!

By the way, can you tell me exactly what part of The Constitution my beliefs political leanings violate?

Could have SWORN that the preable to the constitution starts off with the words, "We the PEOPLE."

I guess you've got a problem with letting the majority decide what's right for the country, huh, Bill? Republic or democracy, there was this one insignificant man by the name of Abraham Lincoln who said that The U.S. was a government "of the people, by the people and for the people." I don't know about you, but to me, that means that the majority rules. I guess you're only happy with that when the majority happens to agree with you.
As far as Mr. Bush is concerned, we "liberal democrats" are not alone in our dislike of his myopic policies. Pretty much every other country with whom we share this little planet feels the same way.
And, as far as "communism" is concerned, or any other label that you wish to attach to things, if the MAJORITY of the voters opt for that, are you that arrogant as to think that YOU know better? Isn't THAT what the whole Poltical Correctness thing, that you despise so much is based on? That a minority thinks that it knows what is best for everybody, and is bent on imposing its will on the masses?
Why is it "patriotic" for you to do that, and short-sighted arrogance when the opposition does it?
Guess I'm just confused, huh?

Mel,
I REALLY LIKE you and J! The world needs more honest people with consciences like you guys. I not so sure that I would have been so honest. Most people would have just kept their mouths shut after they realized where the nail came from.
You and your newly-minted hubby should be proud of yourselves.

My doctor always tells me that the only thing that really heals a body is rest and time. However, I completely understand when you say that it's hard to sit still for so long!

You know, the hardest thing about having "time off" is trying to get back into the grind of a routine again when vacation comes to an end. I THOROUGHLY enjoy leisure and non-structured time!