The Terrible Explosion In West, Texas - Did One Of Their Own Detonate A Bomb?

I have to say that I have evidently been in a news blackout for the past few days, because last night as I was reading about what appeared to be a conspiracy-like relationship between the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tax, and Firearms and the Texas State Fire Marshal's Office, I certainly received a shock.  But it should not have been quite as shocking, as I remember the night this terrible tragedy happened.
The "conspiracy" I alluded to is the fact that the State Fire Marshal's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tax, and Firearms have cooperated in keeping another federal agency out of the investigation. That is material for another blog.  The bigger news is that one of West's own first responders was arrested for possessing bomb-making materials.

Even while fires burned and rescue efforts were underway, the various news services played some of the 9-1-1 calls and radio traffic recordings on the news broadcasts.  As I listened in shock and disbelief, a part of me was listening to this information as a trained (but long-since de-commissioned) police officer. And what I heard that very night put me on edge.  It did not seem to register with most of the people, or at least there was no ado made about it in the media.  But, one of the first responders said very clearly over his radio, "A bomb has just gone off at the plant!"  This person, whose name I cannot remember, or even if the person was ever identified publicly, did not say, "It was JUST LIKE A BOMB went off at the plant," or "the explosion was LIKE A BOMB!"  He very clearly stated that "a bomb just went off..."

Psychologists, as well as police officers and investigators, know that people tend to say EXACTLY what they mean during a time of high stress, crisis, danger, or when death is imminent.  The last scenario gives rise to the legal term "dying declaration," or a person's last words which are assumed by courts at law to be true because of the fear, stress, or desire to clear one's conscience, that gives great weight to these "last words."  More importantly to peace officers, however, is the well-proven tendency for people, particularly criminal suspects, to tell the truth when they are experiencing moments of high stress.  In this situation, a suspect or interviewee will INADVERTENTLY tell the truth about something, then later deny the statement or try to explain what he "meant to say."  Thus, the first responder who made the statement that "a bomb has gone off" inadvertently provided information HE COULD NOT HAVE KNOWN as a first responder, unless he knew about the device or if HE PLANTED THE DEVICE HIMSELF.  Since emergency communications are now routinely recorded, these words are forever preserved in the McLennan County emergency communications system.  Identifying the speaker would be a simple matter and has most likely long since been done.

Now, it turns out (and I still cannot believe I did not hear this news earlier!), that first responder Bryce Reed of West, Texas has been arrested for possession of bomb-making materials and explosives.  Granted, this is the United States and a person is innocent until proven guilty in court, so therefore I am making no assumptions, and trusting (gadzooks!) the government to investigate this offense fully, and to either eliminate Reed as a suspect in what is already a criminal investigation of the explosion of the fertilizer factory in West, or gather enough evidence to arrest and prosecute him.  This latest turn of events is numbing to me, and I have no doubt that the shock and loss that the people of West experienced and are still living through has been increased a hundred-fold by this latest revelation.  Is it really possible that their own friend and neighbor could have perpetrated this terrible thing?  Unfortunately this is a very real possibility.

The authorities are at this point going out of their way to assure us that Reed's arrest for possession of bomb-making materials is totally unrelated to the ongoing criminal investigation.  That is a prudent thing for them to do at the moment.  But given all the information available, as well as Reed's self-appointment as a "spokesman" during the early hours after the blast, and his statement that he and Cyrus Reed (one of the dead firefighters) were brothers, which they are not, a dark cloud of suspicion certainly surrounds Bryce Reed, and demands that he be fully investigated as a prime suspect in this terrible tragedy, now probably a multiple-homicide by arson.

I hope that Bryce Reed had some other reason for possession of explosive devices, although there is no good reason for an untrained person to possess explosives.  Here I am assuming that he WAS untrained, given that I do not know his background, such as whether he has indeed had explosives training or EOD experience.  Assumptions are worthless things, I know, and should be used sparingly.  It may be that the fire and explosion at that fertilizer factory were accidental, and that Bryce Reed's alleged possession of bomb-making devices truly had no bearing on the West explosion.  I sincerely hope that is the case.  An accident of this magnitude is so tragic and so overwhelming in itself.  The idea that the explosion was the result of criminal activity by a member of the West community becomes sickening and outrageous beyond words.  The alleged bombers of the Boston Marathon were no worse that the perpetrator of the explosion at West.  All were terrorists, whether religious extremists, anti-government extremists, or just murderers, pure and simple.

The people of West are in my thoughts all the time.  Just because the "news" has moved on does not mean that recovery is complete, or ever will be.  Now the news that the fire and explosion potentially were caused by criminal activity is a severe blow to the progress toward recovery.  And the possibility that one of their own is the criminal has to be a mind-numbing blow to those already overwhelmed by the tragedy and loss.  I hope that the explosion was a tragic accident, but if it was not, then I hope that the police carefully make their case and then arrest the person responsible for the murder of fifteen people, the injury of two hundred others, and the devastation of at least one third of the town.  Unfortunately, that person may well be in custody at this very moment.

God bless the people of West, Texas.

Do I Miss President Bush II Yet? NOT AT ALL

In my previous blog I wrote about President Obama and his minions, and the lack of a loud and consistent demand for their impeachment and removal from office where applicable, and their firing or resignation when impeachment does not apply.  I ended my little diatribe with the observation that I had read cartoons and T-shirts bearing the slogan, "Do You Miss President Bush Yet?" or "NOW Do You Miss Bush?".  And my answer is...NO, I DO NOT miss President G. W. Bush or "Bush II."

One reason I do not miss President Bush is that he led this nation into a second war with Iraq.  The first Iraq War, initiated by George H.W. Bush, was maybe semi-justified by the stated goal of forcing Saddam Hussein out of the dictatorship, although I do not believe it is this nation's responsibility to make or break the leadership of other nations. Regardless, Bush II forced the United States into a second war with Iraq, which was still under Hussein's control at the time.  The pretext for this war was that Saddam Hussein was in league with Osama, Son of Laden, and that Hussein had partially funded the 9/11 Attacks.  There was never any real evidence offered concerning Hussein's involvement, and even if he was involved up to his eyeballs, the people of Iraq were NOT involved.  Saddam Hussein, after all, kept rein over his subjects by terror and oppression, not by being a leader elected "by the people."  For that matter, there was precious little evidence that Osama bin Laden himself had anything to do with the 9/11 Attacks.  In fact, as the years have passed and more evidence has come to light, there is precious little evidence to support the belief that ANY Arab terrorists were involved in the 9/11 attacks, but that is another blog.

The second reason I do not miss "Dubbya" Bush is much more fundamental to very core of this nation, the United States of America.  You see, immediately after that terrible day in New York, after the deaths of over a hundred people in the Pentagon, and after a jet had been shot down over Pennsylvania, a bill called "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism" was thrust onto the floors of Congress.  An immediate vote was demanded and this bill, outrageously nicknamed the "Patriot Act" and given the sickening acronym "USA PATRIOT" (outrageous and sickening due to the contents of the Act), was passed into law.  This most tyrannical law ever passed was approved by a Congress that was neither allowed time to read the bill (which consisted of over three thousand pages) nor given the freedom to vote against it.  The fact that it was the "Patriot Act" should have been sufficient grounds for Congressional approval.  But, in case anyone WANTED to vote against it, there were plenty of Bush minions around to sound the cry of "un-American" or "lack of patriotism" loudly to the media.  No senator or representative could stand this kind of pressure.  In fact, of four hundred odd Congressmen, only 66 voted against this bill.  Only ONE senator voted against the bill, this being Senator Feingold of Wisconsin. Senator Feingold correctly pointed out that this terrible bill did not so much fight terrorism as it was an attack on AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTY.  Said Feingold, “It was a difficult thing. And I could kind of see, like the late Bob Novak said, it included an old wishlist of the FBI. Things that didn’t have to do with terrorism. Like going after people’s library records, who had done absolutely nothing wrong."   In other words, Senator Feingold (a Democrat, by the way) already knew that the FBI and other agencies had been after these new powers for some time.  Again, USA PATRIOT had nothing to do with terrorism, and everything to do with stronger government control. 

The third reason I do not miss Bush II is that he instigated the War On Terror (WOT) though there were no clear objectives and no way to clearly determine when (AND IF) the WOT would ever end.  Since the WOT started, we have seen terrorists spirited away to prisons, mostly not located on American shores, never to see the light of day again.  And these are the ones we KNOW about.  Under USA PATRIOT, we can never know for certain how many people, including American citizens, have been arrested and sent away to Gitmo or wherever they are sent.  Since the United States has "declared war" on terror, it is conceivable that anyone arrested for anything remotely related to terrorism could vanish.  And no, you are not entitled to a phone call under USA PATRIOT, nor does Miranda apply. So the WOT has raged on since 2002, and no end in sight, as far as President Bush II was concerned.  A ray of hope glimmered briefly with the election of Barack Obama, whose election platform included the "plank" that he would end the WOT as soon as he took office.  That did not happen, and the WOT goes on.  Besides the obvious and tragic loss of life and loss of economic resources, the endless WOT also justifies the government in declaring martial law whenever it deems fit to do so.  We saw a glimmer of what this was like in the search for the Boston terrorists; I can only imagine what it would be like on a nationwide scale, but the potential is there, my friends, as well as the legal authority, as spelled out in USA PATRIOT.

The final reason I do not miss President Bush is, as I said earlier, the subject of another blog.  Actually it is the subject of much research, many reports, many books and articles, and even a few movies.  There is ample evidence now to dispel any reasonable belief that the "terrorists" responsible for these attacks were Muslim extremists.  If you want to call me a "Truther" go ahead.  I like that label much better than "Liar" anyway.  By now, the many reviews of film clips, of the damage to the Pentagon, of the sudden and most unusual disposal of the "crime scene" at Ground Zero, the way the twin towers fell, the unexplainable destruction of Building 7, which was not hit by either plane, nor severely or even moderately damaged by the fall of the towers, as well as much other evidence, tends to disprove the "terrorists armed with box-cutters" version of what happened that day, and points a damning finger at terrorists who were not Muslim at all, but who were extremists of another ilk.  These were power-hungry extremists who accomplished their goal of effectively curtailing our constitutional rights.  You are entitled to believe anything you want about 9/11, starting with "our government WOULD NEVER do this to the American people!"  I felt that very same way on September 12, 2001.  But my own research has brought much reasonable doubt to this assumption, this belief, this desire to be a good American and support our leaders.  Again, these matters are too numerous to list in detail here, but you certainly can find all you need to know on the Internet and in books dealing with 9/11.  I hope you will do some research for yourself before labelling me a "Truther" or just a plain "lunatic," but that is your call. 

So, while I do not support Obama and I call for his immediate impeachment and removal from office, as well as his trial for murder, I also call for a genuine investigation into President Bush's role in the 9/11 attacks and his role in curtailing our freedom.  Certainly, by the way, President Bush, if he did have a role in the 9/11 attacks, should be held accountable for the murder of all those good Americans, and the citizens of the other nations as well, who died on that terrible day.

Do YOU miss President Bush?  Not me.






 

Too Much Is Not Enough...Apparently, or, Belay That Impeachment

I think back to the Watergate Scandal during the Nixon Administration in 1974.  President Nixon's misconduct was not tolerated, and Mr. Nixon became the first president in the history of the nation to resign from office.  Of course he did so just before the impeachment proceedings started.  It was good that he resigned, as there was little doubt of his complicity in the Watergate affair.  So Nixon resigned.  Several of his minions went to prison.  And the kindly, well-meaning Gerald Ford filled the presidential office until the next election.

After the ineffective Carter Administration, Ronald Reagan was elected.  Whether one supported him or not, there is no denying that he brought respect and prestige back to this nation, which had suffered its deepest humiliation under President Carter. But.....then there was that pesky thing called the Iran-Contra Affair.  Once again, the media was outraged. Politicians called for the heads of those responsible, and got them.  Only Reagan himself came out relatively unscathed.

Now we have been through over four years of the Obama Fiasco, I mean...Presidency, with no end in sight except the saving grace that a president can only serve two terms.  But I have heard very little "head calling" of late.  Attorney General Holder seems to have avoided the political guillotine for the Fast and Furious deaths.  Secretary of State Clinton seems to have suffered very little for her role in the Benghazi Attack cover-up.  Ms. Lerner...same.  And one participant, Victoria Nuland, a press secretary, is now up for promotion to Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs.  This appointment is directly from Mr. Obama, apparently in recognition for Ms. Nuland's key suggestion to doctor emails and documents concerning the Benghazi Attacks before these items were released. 

As to President Obama himself, I cannot believe he still holds the highest and most powerful office in this land.  Remember that Nixon faced inevitable impeachment and removal (two separate things, by the way) for his role in "approving" the Watergate burglaries.  There was little evidence that he actually planned the operation, though that is certainly not a big step from approving it.  Anyway, Nixon saw what was coming and resigned.  Now, President Obama has done just a tad worse than either order or approve a burglary of his political opponent's hotel room.  In fact, President Obama has made it plain through his own speeches, his own executive orders, and the speeches of his underlings, that he has the power to determine when an American citizen can be summarily executed without due process, President Obama has in fact murdered two Americans by dronicide.  He and Mr. Holder have made it plain that Sir President has this power and can use it ON AMERICAN SOIL if he so desires.  This is called murder, but the calls for presidential impeachment are remarkably quiet.  Break into a hotel for political gain - face impeachment.  Murder two people, and threaten the same for the entire nation - silence.

Like I said, the saving grace for America is that Obama can only serve two terms. But wait...CAN he serve ONLY two terms?  He has enjoyed remarkable power courtesy of President Bush II and the War On Terror (WOT).  Mr. Obama has defied the Constitution as to our right to due process and the fact that we are innocent until tried in court and proven guilty.  Is it that much of a stretch for His Highness Obama to decide that, due to the WOT, it would serve national security interest for him to occupy that highest office until the WOT is concluded?  Not really...  And when WILL the WOT reach a conclusion?  After all, a new terrorist is created every day.

I would not be very surprised if President Obama should one day assert his right to remain in the White House beyond 2016, what with the WOT going on and all.  So, my friends, belay that impeachment.

God Bless America


NOTE:
In light of the most tyrannical presidency in United States history, I have seen political cartoons and observed people wearing T-shirts that ask "Do You Miss Bush Yet?"

No, I do not miss Bush II yet....and I will tell you why in an upcoming blog.

EF 5 Tornado Strikes Moore, Oklahoma

The first pictures to hit news reports after the terrible tornado in Moore, Oklahoma were very frightening, as they portrayed the aftermath of what was a very strong and terrible storm, originally rated at 4 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.  Not only were homes and buildings destroyed, the destruction was such that structures were not recognizable.  Debris from structures merged with other debris so that whole city blocks were not discernible, and streets were obscured from view.  The damage was so severe that, indeed, it appeared to first responders that the death toll would be unimaginable.  First counts in fact indicated 51 people were found dead in the initial search.  Seven of these were children killed at an elementary school that was struck dead on by the storm.

By the next day, the initial death toll had been lowered to 24, as some of the fatalities had been counted twice.  Unfortunately, officials believe the count will again rise as the search for victims and survivors continues.  But even in the midst of this tragedy, survivors were found among the ruins.  Officials were optimistic that more victims would be found alive as more searchers and equipment poured in from the surrounding area.

All across the nation people took time off from their busy lives to pray for their neighbors in Oklahoma.  I am sure similar observances were held around the world.  With wave after wave of tragedy over the past few weeks, the American people have come to realize that their neighbors live across the country as well as across the street.  It is deeply moving to me to see this national sympathy and empathy, and the support from around the world, during these tragic times. 

And now I read that meteorologists have reviewed the damage and upgraded the Moore Tornado to an EF 5, meaning it ranks as one of the strongest tornadoes ever recorded since the introduction of the Fujita storm rating scale.  The winds of the Moore storm were calculated to have raged at over 200 miles per hour.  Officials in Moore expect the death toll to rise, but are optimistic that fatalities will still remain below the original count of 51.

I join the millions of other people across the nation and around the world in pausing from all the hustle and bustle of of our lives to remember these people, our neighbors, in their tragedy and in the beginning of their recovery.  No doubt there will be many channels of relief, and many ways for us to demonstrate our care in action as well as in our thoughts.  And I know I share with many of you in holding the people of Moore in my thoughts and my deepest sympathy.

May God bless the people of Moore, Oklahoma and comfort them in their loss, as well as hold them in his arms as they put their lives back together, one day, one hour,  one minute, at a time.

A Lesson In Freedom or Offense Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

Our American education system prides itself on instructing our children regarding the importance of freedom and the benefits of living in a free nation.  Our history books detail America’s journey from a fledgling nation “talking” freedom yet enslaving an entire segment of American society, through the Civil War that legally ended slavery, and spanning the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s that eventually brought the freedom so many had fought and died for one hundred years earlier.  Civics classes teach our youth about the United States Constitution, about limitations on government, and especially our personal liberties as enumerated by the Constitution and as legislated by federal and state law.  Yes, our educational system spends billions of dollars to educate students regarding their civil liberties, as well as their civic duties, in a democratic republic like ours.  And indeed, this is a worthy and worthwhile educational goal.  Even more, it is necessary to the continued existence of America as we know it today.  I can almost hear teachers all across America urging their students to know their rights, and to stand up for their freedom!

But…

What happens when a student decides to actually exercise his freedom of speech and, in the process, offends a teacher, a school principal, and eventually a police officer?  Do the government and history teachers of this nation, and the school principals, really intend for students to exercise their freedoms WHILE they are students?  Is it more likely that these “authorities” would rather their students “practice democracy on their own time,” or better yet, AFTER high school graduation? And why would a police officer allow this argument between a student and school administrators to escalate into a criminal matter?  Let us allow a recent incident at a middle school in West Virginia answer the above questions for us…

On April 17 of this year, a student chose to wear a certain T-shirt to his school, Logan Middle School.  The student, Jared Marcum, apparently wore this particular shirt to school that day to make a point, that being that he had a right to wear a shirt that some people might find offensive even though it did not violate school policy, namely the dress code.  This fourteen-year-old student has the appearance of being a “redneck,” but that is also his right.  Not everyone chooses to be “athletic,” “preppie,” “urban,” etc.  Each person can dress how he or she pleases as long as the person does not violate the school’s dress code.

Apparently Mr. Marcum’s shirt did not become provocative until around lunchtime.  You see, he was standing in the lunch line with some of his friends when a teacher approached him and said the shirt violated the dress code because it had the NRA logo, a rifle, and the slogan “Protect Your Right” printed on the front of the shirt.  Now, I would not have been surprised at the young man being asked unroll the rolled-up sleeves of his T-shirt, but otherwise the shirt did not violate the dress code.  How do I know the shirt DID NOT violate that particular school’s dress code? Because the teacher did not send Mr. Marcum home to change shirts.  Instead, the teacher told Mr. Marcum to go turn the shirt inside out SO THAT THE SLOGAN WOULD NOT SHOW!  Mr. Marcum refused to do so, and was promptly sent to “the office.”

Inside the principal’s office, the teacher explained that he had ordered Mr. Marcum to turn his T-shirt inside out because the printing on the front was “offensive.”  Of course the principal sided with the teacher, himself ordering Mr. Marcum to turn his shirt inside out.  Again, as long as the slogan was not visible, this shirt seemingly did not violate Logan Middle School dress code.  If rolled shirt sleeves were the issue, that issue was not pressed.  Mr. Marcum once again refused to reverse his T-shirt.  And here is where the matter should have ended.  If Mr. Marcum refused to cooperate with the school principal, he should have been sent home, but he was not.

Now, let’s review this situation as it stood at the principal’s office.  First, Mr. Marcum wore a shirt to school that did not violate the dress code, although it had an NRA logo and a statement printed on it.  Several hours into the school day, a teacher was “offended” by the MESSAGE printed on the front of the shirt.  The teacher asked the student to reverse the T-shirt so that the message would be covered, but he did not order the student to go home and get another shirt.  When Mr. Marcum refused to comply with the teacher, he and the teacher went to the principal’s office.  The principal made the same demand of Mr. Marcum, that his shirt be reversed so that the message did not show.  Otherwise, the shirt seemingly did not violate the school’s dress code.  So we have three people inside the school principal’s office.  In most states, three people acting together to disrupt the peace can be charged with “rioting;” however, remember that two persons in the principal’s office were acting AGAINST the third person.  So, no riot.  But, since the young man would not cooperate with the principal, the principal called the local police department.

A few minutes later a municipal police officer arrived.  The principal explained the situation to the officer, the officer asked the student to comply, and the student refused, once again asserting that he was not violating the school’s dress code.  Now, I would like to interject here that, after reading several accounts of this incident from different sources, I believe it is possible that Mr. Marcum was disrespectful to the police officer.  I do not condone this, nor support Mr. Marcum, if this was the case.  Having served for years as a peace officer myself, I can vouch firsthand the frustration and anger that “a smart-mouthed teenager” can bring out in even the mildest-mannered police officer.  I can also vouch for the fact that an officer in an angry state-of-mind may act in a way that temporarily “puts the teen in his place” rather than settling the matter within the context of the law.  But “long story short,” the officer got tired of the teen “running his mouth” and arrested him for “inciting a riot” and “obstructing an officer in performance of his duties.” 

What????

The officer should have simply taken the student home, or called the parents to come and get the child.  This would have allowed the parents and the school staff to talk later when cooler heads could prevail.  Instead, the officer “cuffed and stuffed” Mr. Marcum.  The officer “solved” the school’s dress code problem, but, in all likelihood, involved himself, his department, and the school in a case that will probably end up in the United States Supreme Court.  In the process, the teacher, the principal, and the police officer all demonstrated to this young man that civil rights and democracy operate OUTSIDE the school walls, or do not attach to the student until he reaches “the age of majority.”

I am sure that this will not be the last we hear of this incident, nor should it be.  And I have to wonder, if the shirt with rolled-up sleeves had displayed a statement such as “Not All Muslims Are Terrorists,” or “Ban Guns Now!” would the teacher have been “offended,” would the principal have called the police, and would the officer have felt the need to put this student in his place?  Again, I do not support a student in his disrespect of school officials, and especially in disrespect of the police.  But clearly, this student did not violate the school dress code, nor did he “nearly cause a riot” as the local police chief later told reporters.  No, instead, Mr. Marcum got a firsthand lesson in democracy and “standing up for freedom.”  I have to wonder, though, after his arrest, upcoming trial, and the possible lawsuit looming ahead, will Mr. Marcum be so insistent on exercising his freedom?

God Bless (and HELP) America!

A Positive Post

Some people have asked me to write something positive. It seems that I always write about negative things, they say. So today I'm writing about the positive things. First let me say that I am so happy to be a Texan and an American. I am so thankful for the freedoms we enjoy in America. I am so thankful that in Texas more people seem to be aware of their freedoms and that our government is slowly taking our freedoms away.

I am so happy to live in a land where we are still free to express ourselves in speech, writing, public demonstration, and free to choose our own religion. I am glad to see that over the past few decades this nation has adjusted to and accepted the rights of others to practice religions that are strange to us.

I am so glad that we all live in a land where we can travel freely, where we are free to do the things we choose (as long as they do not hurt others), and where we are free to believe the things we want to believe and to express our opinions freely.

Okay I think you get the point that we are free as citizens in this great nation. But on a personal level there are many positives as well. I am thankful for my lovely bride and my two beautiful children. I am thankful for the brief few hours that I got to hold and love my little boy, Bryan. I am thankful that after 30 years my wife still loves me. I am thankful that I lived long enough to see my two children grow to be a fine young man and young lady. I am thankful for all my relatives and my dear friends that have made life such a pleasure over the years.

Another thing I'm thankful for is the fact that I served as a Texas peace officer for over a decade. My career as a police officer was very rewarding and exciting. It is a profession that few are called to serve and even fewer answer the call. I enjoyed the eight years I served as a child welfare investigator for the state. I have to say that working for for Children Protective Services was many times very disheartening yet was so rewarding on many occasions. Even more so than a police officer, being a child protective investigator is a thankless job. Yet I can look back on a few children that I was able to serve and protect, and I can look back on a few families that benefited from my services. I'm also thankful for the exciting three years that I worked as a private investigator. While there were many boring hours of surveillance there were also several moments of great excitement as well.

I can honestly say that life with a loving and supporting wife is a positive thing. It is a reward in and of itself. My lovely bride has had to put up with numerous strange actions and lots of quirkiness on my part over the years. Through it all she has stood by me and encouraged me and loved me. She and I have gone through the child raising years together and are now in the empty nest years together. How lonely life would be without her. I can only imagine how my dear children would've turned out if they had lived with only me while they were growing up.

Another positive is my health.  I am thankful for my health and that even at age 50-something I am still able to get around and do most of the things I could do as a young man. No, I can't run a six minute mile anymore but other than that things still work pretty much as they should. I enjoy my hobbies such as writing, reading, and treasure hunting. Yes it's true, I am now one of those men you see walking around the park digging up pennies. I have done this many a time while my lovely bride sat quietly on a park bench as I scratched around in the sand below the swing sets. She was just happy that I was out doing something instead of sitting on the couch.

I am so proud and blessed and happy to have been born a Texan and a citizen of this great nation. I am even happy to have this nice little computer with which I can blog away to anyone who will listen, I mean read. Actually this list could go on and on. In fact I, like many people, take so many positives for granted. So I am happy that someone mentioned to me that many of my blogs were negative in tone because this constructive criticism allowed me to stop and count all my blessings as they say, to see the positive. I can honestly say that even though there have been some bad times, the happy times, the pleasures of life, the good things, outweigh the bad 1 million fold.

As I continue to blog on the pages of Desert Hot Air and and write about the things that are on my heart, I know there will be some negativity. But I will strive to balance the negativity with the positive things that are going on in my life and in this great nation of ours. One more thing I'm thankful for is all the people who take time from their day to read my blog. There are so many things people can do and only a limited time in which to do these things. Therefore I acknowledged to myself the time and effort people give to me when they read my blog, and I am most thankful for this.

Thank you all and may you have a blessed day.  May you take time to notice and appreciate the positive in your life.