One nation under God

Liberty and Justice for All

2005-12-30

The Football Bowl is Empty

The celebration of the new year was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago, after the first day of spring. Romans observed the new year in late March, until Julius Caesar established the Julian Calendar in 46 BC, establishing January 1 as the new year.

We in the west have observed and celebrated New Year's for about 400 years or so, as established in the Gregorian calendar. The Tournament of Roses Parade began back in 1886.The Rose Bowl football game was first played as a part of the Tournament of Roses in 1902, and though replaced by Roman chariot races in 1903, football has since returned as the main event of our New Year's celebrations. Until this year, that is.

Sunday will be the first New Year's Day in recent history with no college football. Now I'm not a huge football fan but even to me, this seems strange. So much for American tradition.

So what's the plan for the first day of the new year without football? Eat, drink, visit friends, relatives and neighbors. Say a prayer for their safe, healthy, and happy year ahead. Make your New Year's resolutions . The New Year's Day College Football Bowl is empty.

Come Monday, let the games begin.

Gina Weiss


Posted at 11:17:48 AM  |  Post Comment  |  Read Comments (4)

2005-12-23

My Christmas Prayer for Peace

Lord, during this most glorious of Holidays, please hear my Christmas Prayer for Peace.

I pray for peace throughout the world, and good will toward all.

I pray that you gather your children, your creatures and all of your universe in your loving arms and protect them from harm.

I pray that you instill in all your beings the rule of your Ten Commandments, so that they may be blessed with your love.

I pray for our great country, founded upon your principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

I pray this in the name of our saviour, Jesus Christ, your only living son.

Amen.

2005-12-20

No Kings in America, Mr. Bush

President Bush has decided to come clean. He's admitted to domestic spying without court order.

We know the argument he presents - al Qaeda is deadly and dangerous. The inference is that desparate measures are needed to thwart terrorism in America. I'm not buying it.

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was enacted in 1978 and requires a court warrant.

Ignoring this federal law and the court shows an enormous lack of respect for the rule of law, and the individual liberties that our government was designed to protect. Any decision to go around the law can quickly lead to an abuse of power and I have to wonder what is this need to act without a warrant?

The executive branch of government is just that - a branch of government. A president must follow the laws of the land as any American must. Executive authority does not include the right to ignore the established laws, and reeks of a Presidential abuse of power.

There are no kings in America, Mr. Bush.

Gina Weiss

2005-12-15

Good Grief! It Doesn't Feel Like Christmas?

Merrill Lynch analyst Mark Friedman says the biggest holiday sales volume days normally occur in the final two weeks before Christmas, in what he calls the "most critical shopping period of the season" and accounts for more than 40 percent of holiday sales.

The estimated total sales for this year in November/December shopping period were expected to be nearly $440 billion, according to the National Retail Federation.

Marshal Cohen, an analyst with the NPD Group says other than 2001, he hasn't seen such a lackluster tone during the holidays, and "it doesn't feel like Christmas" to him. He's been told that many haven't even started their holiday shopping yet, and others say they've already run out of money.

Big surprise, Mr. Cohen? Many Americans are scraping by with our devalued dollars paying for basic necessities like heat and food, high-interest mortgage payments (going up AGAIN, by the way), and fuel for our vehicles (should we still be fortunate enough to have a job to drive to these days.)

It seems the retail companies may be taking a cut in their billion dollar profits just so most of us can survive. Sorry.

But, good grief, sir! It Doesn't Feel Like Christmas? If I wasn't convinced before, I am now. The Christmas holiday has become much too commercialized.

It will now, more than ever, feel like Christmas to me.


Posted at 01:28:43 PM  |  Post Comment  |  Read Comments (4)

2005-12-12

To Kill or Not to Kill Tookie

Stanley (Tookie) Williams is slated to be executed after midnight tonight and Governor Schwarzenegger has agonized over the decision to kill or not to kill Tookie Williams.

Convicted of murder, and incarcerated 24 years ago in San Quentin, the Crips street gang co-founder turned his life around to the point that he has been nominated for the Nobel peace prize.

He has apologized for his involvement in the youth gang in South Central Los Angeles and some feel that he has redeemed himself by speaking out against violence and writing children's books on the evils of gang life, all the while proclaiming his innocence.

What message will the Governor's decision send to The People?

Can a man convicted of murdering four innocent people be rehabilitated to the extent of being useful and productive to society? Or will rescinding Williams' death penalty be part of a shrewd game to spare a  killer's murderous hide?

The People have spoken; let the punishment fit the crime.

Gina Weiss


Posted at 03:37:20 PM  |  Post Comment  |  Read Comments (2)

2005-12-06

The Reign of Special Interest

Why not get rid of the special interest groups who are buying power in our legislatures?

Although it hasn't been widely publicized but over the last ten years, seven states and two cities have voted for public financing of candidates who run for state office. And experience in Maine, Arizona, and North Carolina, seems to show that financing by the public encourages more women and more first-time candidates to get involved in government office.

Vermont, New Jersey and New Mexico will be following example on a trial basis and are calling it "voter-owned elections." I rather like the sound of that.

Of course, the trick will be to get election reform passed among politicians; and the groups who like to manipulate them for their own gain will not easily rescind the power wielded by their financial favors.

Must we wait for such embarassing scandals as in Connecticut whose governor and others were jailed before we finally take action?

Like it or not, if we don't pay for our own elections, others will be more than happy to continue to do so. And we already know the cost of that.

2005-12-01

Not Another Government Program!?

In President Bush's immigration speech in Tucson on Monday, he tells us that we will not be able to effectively enforce our immigration laws until we create a "temporary worker program."

His speech of improvements in border security and the importance of interior enforcement, left me a bit chagrined, sounding much like the empty political rhetoric we've heard before; promises never fulfilled.

We do not need another government program; we need solutions, we need action.

Why not make the U.S. a less attractive destination for illegal immigrants? Why not have the Treasury Department tell the banks to stop accepting illegal alien I.D. cards for opening accounts?  Why not disallow the Social Security Administration's acceptance of fake or stolen SSN's submitted by employers? Why not require a basic understanding of the English language? This would be real immigration reform, not empty political rhetoric.

No new computers, no new legislation, no new funding, and no new government program would be required.

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