Question Of The Week, 4/29/07

Good morning. I've seen several articles about the Second Amendment, mental illness and antidepressants every day since the shooting took place at Virginia Tech University. I was expecting them. They have got me to start wondering about something. I hope you don't mind answering this weeks Question Of The Week. How many close friends or family members do you have that are taking antidepressants?

I'll post my answer in the Comment Section Monday night.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Gardener's Cafe

A friend of my sent me an invitation to meet him at Gardener's Cafe. It was the first time I'd heard of it but I took him up on the offer. I think you will be very impressed with the menu, I was. So now I'd like to invite you to stop by and check it out. It's really easy to get there from where ever you are. I'll be stopping in daily if time allows.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Question Of The Week, 4/22/07

Good morning. It's about that time again, another presidential campaign. This weeks Question Of The Week will be a two part question. What will be the top three issues talked about during this campaign season? If you could ask one question during the debates (no matter who the candidates are) what would your question be?

I'll post my answer in the Comment Section Monday night.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Who Do We Blame?

All of the victims of the April 16, 2007 shooting that took place at Virginia Tech are still in my thoughts and prayers. They will be for quite some time, but. I don't feel that any number of new gun laws will solve this problem. Senseless killings have been taking place since the beginning of time, "Gen.4
[8] And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him." In 1912 eight people (6 were a part of my Mothers Foster Family) were murdered as they slept. If your interested that case is still unsolved. The first homicide to take place in Saint Joseph, Missouri in 2007 was committed with a knife. There's three cases that show firearm's are not needed to commit murder. They might make it quicker/easier, but if the would be murderer is determined/obsessed they are not necessary.

I feel that one of the worst gun laws ever written was the one that created the "GUN FREE ZONE" Talk about creating a safe working environment for murderers, rapist and thieves. How many would be killers are going to walk into a school, work place or shopping center to commit a crime knowing that even a third of their would be victims might be armed? I wonder how many of the legislators that voted for that have a "GUN FREE ZONE" sign out in front of their house? Chances are they are more likely to have an around the clock security team close by (I can't afford that myself) or firearms of their own in the closet. I've heard we might be losing some of these "GUN FREE ZONES". As far as I'm concerned that would be a step in the right direction.

I do agree that there are some people that shouldn't be allowed to own firearms. Felons that show no interest in or an inability to rehabilitate. Yes I do feel a felon can change their ways and if they do their rights should be restored. People that have been treated for a mental illness/disorder in the past or are currently being treated. I know they can go for years with no problems. They can snap at any time, they should never be allowed to own firearms. I just read what Obama had to say about this. I agreed with some of what he had to say. Some I had a problem with, "I'm respectful of people who want to hunt or sportsmen, somebody who might want to have a gun in the house to protect their home. But it's hard to imagine why you would need 19 rounds in a semiautomatic,". Some "sportsmen" might want 19 rounds in that semi-auto just to see if they can hold it on target for all 19 rounds. That might not make sense to some people, climbing a mountain just because it's there never made sense to me. "Federal law prohibits the mentally ill from purchasing guns, but most states have privacy laws barring such information from being shared with law enforcement. Some advocates for the mentally ill and gun-rights groups have opposed legislation in recent years that would include the information in computerized record-keeping". If I'd heard about these privacy laws I'd forgotten about them. This information should be shared with law enforcement and gun stores. Especially if the person might be a threat to their self or others. The article also said, "Cho had been ordered to a psychiatric hospital but was released with orders to undergo outpatient treatment. Virginia is one of the states that provides mental health records, and it's unclear why that didn't stop Cho's purchase." Let me take a guess, someone is not doing their job, getting this information to people that need it.

I heard something else that I agreed with the other day but I can't remember who said it. He said he didn't think an armed student or professor could have saved 32 lives. Then he ask, but wouldn't it be worth it to save just one? I think it would be.

Who would I blame for 32 lost lives? The person or people that didn't get the information to the gun store owner, if I was right about that. Maybe the gun store owner, I'm sure he is being investigated. Most of all, the law makers that have made it impossible for us to defend ourselves and others by creating "GUN FREE ZONES". Maybe all of us should except some of the blame. We're the ones that keep putting them into office.

Thanks Go To:
The Bible
The Washington Times
The Villisca Movie
Yahoo News

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Westboro Baptist In The News Again

I was getting ready to go to work and decided to check a couple of things. I got an e-mail from Chuck and Mary of the P.O.W. Network. "This has got to be very little consolation for the family but revenge is sweet. You have to hit them where it hurts. " Maybe this will keep them away from military funerals.

Thanks go to:
KAKE.COM
P.O.W. Network

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

I Don't Feel This Is The Time

We have all read, watched and listened to news reports about the tragedy that took place in Blacksburg, Virginia Monday. Thirty three lives lost and fifteen wounded was the last count I saw. I'm sure we all have our own opinion on how and why it happened. Who was at fault and how can we stop it from happening again? I don't feel this is the time for any of that. The nation is still in shock, friends and family members of the victims have not had time to mourn. Chances are the wounded are still in the hospital. Lets not use what happened to them to promote an agenda right now.

Instead lets each say a prayer for the victims, their friends and families. I've never been to Blacksburg, Virginia. My Wife has, she tells me it's a nice quiet community, (Or it was when she was there.) not the kind of place you'd expect something like this to happen. The residents of Blacksburg must be in a state of shock, lets remember them in our prayers. As far as we know the family of Cho Seung-Hui did nothing wrong, lets pray they get through this too.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic

Question Of The Week, 4/15/07

Good morning, I hope you have your taxes filed, but that has nothing to do with this weeks question. I'm sure you remember the Terri Schiavo case. I recently heard about a young child in Texas that will lose his life if he doesn't get some much needed vitamin therapy. This weeks Question Of The Week is. Who should decide if Emilio gets this medical treatment, the hospital "ethics committee", or his family?

I'll post my answer in the Comment Section Monday night.

Thanks go to:
One News Now

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Welcome Home Staff Sergeant Norman L. Nell

We have all lost a close friend or family member at some time in our lives. It is a very painful time to live through. It is impossible to imagine the pain John and Veda Nell must have felt. Their only Son went off to serve his country and failed to return. Both of them went to their graves without knowing what happened to him. Sixty Three years later their question has been answered. Welcome Home Sergeant Nell.

"Military IDs Tarkio missing vet from WWII

Ken Newton
Senior Reporter/Columnist

Thelma Woolsey remembers the determination of John and Veda Nell in trying to learn the fate of their only child.After the plane carrying Staff Sgt. Norman L. Nell failed to return to its New Guinea base in 1944, his parents in Tarkio, Mo., began years of inquiry into what happened. Both would eventually die without the answers they sought."They never could come up with what happened to him," recalled Ms. Woolsey, a high school classmate of Norman's. "It was very sad because it just devastated both of them."Sixty-three years later, the Defense Department has closed the book on this mystery in the Pacific.Its POW/Missing Personnel Office announced Monday in Washington that Mr. Nell and nine of his fellow crew members have been identified by military forensics experts.Acting on a 2001 report to the U.S. embassy in New Guinea, a field officer from the Army's Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii located the B-24 Liberator crash site at about 4,700 feet in the country's Finesterre Ranges.The plane had been missing since April 16, 1944, nicknamed "Black Sunday" by some because American forces lost about three dozen aircraft to a severe and unexpected weather front.The bomber carrying Mr. Nell, an assistant engineer, was returning from a mission near Hollandia. The pilot acknowledged an order to head for an airfield in Saidor, veering away from the weather, but that became the plane's last radio transmission.Searchers found the plane about 800 yards from another B-24 also lost on that mission.The military team, which began its excavation of the crash site in 2002, located several identification tags, aircraft engine serial numbers and human remains. Dental records and DNA analysis helped in the identification of individuals."They found (Norman's) class ring," said Ms. Woolsey, who graduated from Tarkio High School with Mr. Nell in 1941. They attended Tarkio College together the next year, then Mr. Nell joined the military.No funeral arrangements have been confirmed. A headstone rests in a Tarkio cemetery honoring Mr. Nell, though Ms. Woolsey knows of no relatives that remain in the area.Navy veteran John Howell of Tarkio served in the Pacific during World War II and remembers Mr. Nell as an upperclassman at the high school. Mr. Howell went into the service in 1944."There were a lot of us who went (from Tarkio)," Mr. Howell said Tuesday. "I can name several that didn't come back."The National Archives indicates that Atchison County, Mo., suffered 41 casualties during World War II, including 27 service members who were killed in action.An American Legion member 61 years, Mr. Howell said he does not know if the Tarkio post includes a photograph of Mr. Nell on its wall of honor. "Back then, there weren't too many pictures taken," he said. "We didn't think about not coming back."


I have the feeling that Mr. & Mrs. Nell and their Son Norman are all together now. May they all Rest In Peace.


Thanks go to:
The St. Joseph News-Press

God Bless America, God Save The Republic

Check Point Information

According to my local paper the Missouri Highway Patrol has a sobriety check point planned for this month.

"Patrol plans DWI checkpointSt. Joseph News-PressThe Missouri State Highway Patrol is continuing its push to remove intoxicated drivers from Northwest Missouri roads.The patrol will conduct a sobriety checkpoint in April with the assistance of the Buchanan County Sheriff's Department. The patrol previously announced a checkpoint in Nodaway County."This is a successful method for removing intoxicated drivers from the highways," said Capt. Johnnie B. Hoggatt, commanding officer of Troop H. "Drivers will experience little if any inconvenience while stopping for the checkpoint."

I don't know if they do that in other areas or not. (I know they have check points, but do they announce them ahead of time?) I wonder if that little article will stop anyone from driving drunk this month? Something else I was wondering about. Did they plan on having a sobriety check point already, or was this something they decided to do after a court decision said they can ask questions about subjects unrelated to the reason for the stop.

"Court decision allows questioning during traffic stopsOfficers can’t prolong length of stop through unrelated interrogation

Ahmad Safi
Public Safety Reporter

A police officer can ask questions unrelated to the purpose of the traffic stop as long as questioning doesn't prolong the stop, according to a court decision earlier this year.The news comes as nothing new to the St. Joseph Police Department, but provides clarification, Cmdr. Jim Connors of the patrol division said. For the average motorist, it defines limitations in order to prevent a lawful traffic stop from turning into a so-called "fishing expedition" by officers."They (police) are allowed to inquire if they want but, of course, the person does not have to answer their questions," attorney Mark Wissehr said, citing the Fifth Amendment, which protects individuals against self-incrimination.Mr. Connors says discretionary questioning during routine traffic stops is just part of good investigative police work and sometimes leads to the detection of more serious crimes. Sometimes motorists answer untruthfully, even when the officer has no basis for suspecting crime is afoot, and Mr. Connors says probing questions help the officer determine the validity of what the motorist is saying. Yet the judicial philosophy has persisted that officers violate a driver's constitutional rights if the officer asks unrelated questions, such as asking a speeder his immigration status while issuing the ticket. What an unrelated traffic stop question is has been a point of contention."You can ask the question, 'Have you had a nice day today?' and that is unrelated," Mr. Connors said. Attorney Terri Lowdon says a police officer may ask questions on any topic as long as he does not prolong the length of time needed to issue a citation. "If the officer has run a criminal check and is waiting for traffic to come back and just visiting - that's part of the lawful traffic stop," Ms. Lowdon said. But once the ticket or summons is issued, any additional information, evidence or statement obtained - even if it leads to the arrest of the individual - is considered unlawful detention, and evidence or statements obtained would be excluded from a case, according to Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon's office. A five-minute traffic stop cannot become a six-minute stop from questioning that is unrelated to the stop, press secretary John Fougere said. The Jan. 19 decision by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals not only clears the way for unrelated questions during stops, but it also reiterates a past Supreme Court decision that it was not unconstitutional for a drug dog to be used to sniff for possible drugs outside of a vehicle during a routine traffic stop if it didn't also extend the length of the stop."


I don't drink or use illegal drugs but I do have some problems with the unconstitutional check points. The idea of stopping every vehicle that comes down the road is a fishing expedition. Another problem I have has nothing to do with the constitution. It could be work related. I work very strange hours, an unscheduled stop could cause me to be late for work. Being held up by a sobriety check point is not an acceptable reason for being late.

Thanks go to:
The St. Joseph News-Press

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Question Of The Week, 4/8/07

Good morning, and Happy Easter. I'm sure some of you will spend this day with family and friends. There will be some great meals served. The kids might hunt for eggs or candy. Some of them will get gifts. A great time for all. This weeks Question Of The Week is. How many of you will do something special to help your guests remember or to teach the children why this is a special day?

I'll post my answer in the Comment Section Monday night.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Question Of The Week, 4/1/07

Good morning. An article in my local paper says a fence along our border is not the answer to our immigration problem.

'Building a fence is not the answer,' speaker saysPrayer service fosters dialogue on immigration

Lacey Storer
Lifestyles Reporter


Growing up along the Texas-Mexican border, Dr. Socorro De Anda remembers immigrants from Mexico walking through her father's farm, asking him for work, food and shelter. Back then, there was no fence along the border.Now, a fence stretches along it for miles and miles, trying to keep out those who want in."Building a fence is not the answer," she said.Dr. De Anda, executive director of the Lydia Patterson Institute in El Paso, Texas, a school that serves non English-speaking students, spoke to an audience of about 30 on Friday during an interfaith community prayer service at Francis Street First United Methodist Church. The service was sponsored by Mission St. Joseph, in the hopes of starting a respectful community dialogue about immigration and immigration reform.Dr. De Anda told the audience that what people need to remember is that immigrants, illegal or not, are humans, too, just trying to survive. "Yes, they are breaking the law, but there's another side to it," she said. "They're also working, they're paying taxes... There's a moral side to it that we must not forget."Immigration reform, she said, needs to include laws that are applied without bias, and that don't tear families apart or deport immigrants who have lived and worked here for years.State Rep. Ed Wildberger shared a similar sentiment with the audience before reading a resolution from the Missouri House of Representatives calling for equality and justice for immigrants."The federal government has got to come up with a solution that is fit and just for all concerned," he said. While there is no quick fix for the problem of illegal immigration, services and meetings like this get people talking, which many view as a step in the right direction."We need a dialogue to push that process, locally, statewide and nationally." said David Lewis, president of the InterServ board."The issue's here, it's not a matter of 'Is it coming?'"


I think more people are waking up to the fact that there is a problem and most of them will agree, "there is no quick fix for the problem of illegal immigration". This weeks Question Of The Week is. What are some of your ideas for solving our illegal immigration problem?

I'll post my answer in the Comment Section Monday night.

Thanks go to:
The St. Joseph News-Press

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.