Remember kindergarten? School added to the rules that you had learned at home. Don't touch another student, no bad name calling, raise your hand if you have a question, don't run in the hallway, stay in line. It took some time but you learned the rules.

As you got older you learned more rules. Sports and driving rules. 50 miles an hour speed limit. Buses, this lane only, don't drive drunk, make a siginal to change lanes.

You learned more rules when you went to work.

Rules are usually for your safety and for those around you. When rules are broken, we usually get into trouble. Drunk driving has caused the death of thousands of people, especially in the USA.  MADD has made a huge dent in the prosecution of drunk drivers, those who didn't follow the rules.

Now America has a huge problem with illegals in our country. The main blame falls on those who hire illegals. Big corporations and small businesses. It is against the law to hire them but continues because companies don't have to pay illegals the same as they do American citizens. Most illegals don't pay taxes but send millions of dollars back to thier home country. Companies who refuse to hire illegals are at a disadvantage.

Because so many are willing to break the rules, the USA is having mounting problems and it needs to stop.

I do understand why most illegals come to America for a better life but we can't take everyone in. My neighbors are from the former Soviet Union and could have come here legally years ago but they wanted to do the right thing. After the Soviet Union broke up, they feared for their lives everyday. They waited 9 years to come here legally. How is it fair that when they followed the rules and waited that so many can come here illegally by just crossing our border or staying for a limited visit? We don't even know how many people are here illegally, who they are or where they are.

Has America turned it's back on following the rules and obeying the law? You decide.

Art Linkletter was very popular in the early days of televison. He had a show called House Party and use to interview children on "Kids Say The Darndest Things". The show was so funny. He had a way of interracting with the children that brought out the cutest sayings. Lots of Bible questions and hilarious answers from the little tykes.

I say Art inteviewed once and he was asked what his favorite answer from the children was. Here it is.

Art. "Steve, you look so very sad. What's wrong?"

Steve. "My dog died yesterday."

Art. "I'm so sorry about your dog but I'm sure he is up in heaven with God."

Steve got this strange look on his face and said "Why would God want a dead dog?"

Art Linkletter died today at the age of 97. He was a fine Christian man who was always positive and made America laugh.

May he rest in peace.

Yesterday, the news was made that Richard Bluenthal, Attorney General from Connecticut, had said, on more than one occasion, that he had served in Vietnam. "When I came back from Vietnam and I was spat upon when I returned from Vietnam." As it turns out, he never did serve in the Vietnam War but received several deferrmants to attend school. Bluenthal is running for Democrat Senator in Connecticut.

In a press conference today, in a crowd of veterans, he said he had misspoke and takes full responsible for his actions. Many in the audiance applauded. I repeat. Many in the audiance applauded!  Applauded him for what? For lying?

What ever happened to the truth? If he had said "I lied about serving in the Vietnam War and I'm sorry. I take full responsibility for my lies" perhaps I could better understand the applause. But no. I misspoke. How does one misspeak about serving in a war? That would be like me saying "I gave birth to a 75 pound elephant last week!" A lie is a lie is a lie.

I believe in forgivness and redemtion when someone is truly contrite but to say that he misspoke is so disturbing. What about the men who actually did serve in Vietnam, many giving their lives? Many of them would like to actually spit in his face now, and few would blame them.

Am I the only one who believes that words are important?

There are no freedoms without those willing to fight for them.

Richard Bluenthat is the worst kind of coward!

Fine Arts

Art that is produced more for beauty or spiritual significance than for physical utility. Painting, sculpture and music are fine arts.

Expressionism

An artistic style of painting that departs from the conventions of Realism and Naturalism, and hopes to convey inner experience by distorting rather than directly representing natural images.

The highly personal visions communicated in the paintings of Vincent van Gogh are early examples of expressionism. Edvard Munch and Georges Rouault are considered expressionist painters.