Check out Ron Paul for President

If you consider yourself a good American and patriot I urge you to take some time to get educated on the candidates for President, particularly Ron Paul, Texas Representative. He is essentially being blackballed by the media but has a website and YouTube channel.

His next debate is June 5 airing on CNN from 7-9 pm EST. Please listen carefully to what the participants are saying and ask yourself "who would I want to lead the country?" If your answer is Ron Paul then please support him by helping spread the word and donating to his campaign.

I support Ron Paul because he opposes and would substantively change the following:

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• The WTO (World Trade Organization), NAFTA and CAFTA. These organizations threaten our National Sovereignty by placing domestic policy decisions in the hands of foreign agents.

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• The "Federal" Reserve. Despite it's name, the Federal Reserve is not a Federal agency (think FedEx). It is a privately owned corporation that manipulates the value of the U.S. dollar (through interest rates) to the advantage of the wealthy and the detriment of the middle class and poor.

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• The PATRIOT Act. The PATRIOT Act is an unconstitutional law, passed by a panicked, spineless Congress at a time of fear and uncertainty. Congressional members were so scared, in fact, that they literally neglected to read the law they passed. This law allows for domestic spying on ordinary Americans. It allows for warrant less searches. This law is not limited to terrorism cases. This law gives the government the authority to detain anyone, for whatever length of time, without ever bringing charges. This law is illegal.

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• The REAL ID Act. The REAL ID Act is a law passed by Congress that mandates the creation of a national ID card. These cards are plastic human barcodes that every American citizen will be forced to carry, starting in May of 2008, so that the government can keep an absolute tab on every one. Right now it is the law.

Depending on your State of Residence, some of the features these cards will include are: fingerprint, iris scan, genetic information (DNA), social security number, physical description of the card holder, a magnetic strip which would allow access to databases containing your credit history and private medical information, and an RFID chip, which would allow the government to track your movements.

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• The Military-Industrial Complex. The Military-Industrial Complex is a term that was made famous by WWII war hero and former President, Dwight D. Eisenhower. He used it in his farewell address to warn Americans of the dangers of the MIC. The term Military-Industrial Complex refers to the relationship between the Military, Government and Private Industry (a.k.a. weapons manufacturers). It works like this...

The more wars there are the more toys the Military needs. The more toys the military needs, the more money Private Industry makes. The more toys Private Industry makes for the Military, the more influence the Government gains on the world stage. The more influence the Government gains on the world stage, the more toys the Military will need to sustain it. The more toys the Military needs to sustain the Government's gained influence on the world stage, the more money Private Industry makes... and so on.

Only constant war can sustain this vicious circle of war profiteering, dominance of others and death and destruction. In essence, constant war benefits these three parties at the expense of world peace and stability.

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• The War on Drugs. "War on Drugs" is a propagandistic term for a policy that sustains the very drug market it is supposedly meant to fight. By criminalizing drugs (think Alcohol), the government enables the existence of black markets (think bootlegging), which in turn allows for the emergence of individuals and criminal syndicates (think Al Capone) who are more than willing to kill, rape and bribe themselves into riches, as they satisfy that market's demands.

By keeping drugs illegal, the government enables a market whereby those who trade in it (gangs and individuals) make enormous profits that allow them to further their criminal enterprises. It puts money into the pockets of individuals who use it to bribe Police, Court Officials and Politicians. It turns desperate poor people into deviant entrepreneurs. It makes criminals out of individuals who have the illness of addiction.

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• The War on Terror. The "War on Terror" is another propagandistic term and contributes greatly to the Military-Industrial Complex. It is meant to promote fear and submission to authority. By neglecting the fact that terrorism is a tactic of war and not an enemy, the government is able to conceal the progress, or lack thereof, of it's war against said enemy; simply because one cannot measure a tactic.

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• The Department of Homeland Security. The DHS is a massive, wasteful, bureaucratic, Orwellian institution that threatens our values, our liberties and our Rights under the Constitution. This is the same institution that spent the summer of 2004 scaring all Americans by issuing "orange alerts" whenever the political situation for the White House got dangerous.

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• President George W. Bush. The President has waged an undeclared, unconstitutional war in Iraq. The President has waived the Writ of Habeas Corpus; the right of an individual to have a Court review whether or not their detention is legal. The President has exceeded his Constitutional authority and violated several federal laws by; engaging in domestic spying, allowing the NSA to intercept and listen to millions of innocent phone calls, allowing the NSA to read your private e-mails and Instant Messages, allowing the NSA to monitor your internet activity and by allowing the Post Office to open your mail. And these are only the confirmed programs.

Trip to CA

It was good timing to get away, and we had a fun week with Dad in the land where every day is a good weather day. I put some pics in an album below so I'll just fill in some narrative as I have time.

We got there Saturday afternoon and just relaxed and caught 'Breach' at the movie theatre for $1.50 (yes thats correct one dollar and 50 cents). Although the popcorn and drinks ended up costing just north of $10, funny story about that- I ordered the large bag and after the clerk filled it I changed my mind and said I'll take the tub which appears larger and costs $1.00 more since there were 3 of us and it would be easier to share. So she pours the large bag in and ITS THE SAME FREAKIN SIZE, well she is all apologetic and trying to put more popcorn in until it spills all over the counter. okay...

Next morning we went to church service at the Crystal Cathedral, yep the same Hour of Power that I have made fun of in the past on TV. The place is really cool and the music is great, but too little message and too much Hollywood for us. After that we were hungry and had lunch at marie callenders.

Monday we toured the Queen Mary in Long Beach, which is now a floating hotel as well as open to tours. Andy's grandfather travelled on her from England to New York in 1936 and his dad put some cool photos on his blog. We walked alot as the ship is 1,000 ft long and has many decks. We also toured the Russian submarine next to it. Had dinner at La Cave the first restaurant we've ever been to where the menu was a cart with fresh steaks and seafood on it.

Tuesday- hiking in San Bernardino Mtns

Wednesday- cruising on rented BMW motorcycle with John Cash from Redondo to Laguna Beaches.

Thursday- walked around Laguna Beach, had dinner at the Rusty Pelican

Friday- checked out Long Beach, had dinner with friends John & Maria at the Belmont Brewing Company

Saturday- travelled home

CA May 2007

Our Best Friend

May 2, 2007

When I moved back to my moms house in early summer 1993 I was happily surprised to see another Seeing Eye puppy, a yellow lab named Dimples that my sister Melissa had accepted to raise. From the start she was a very good natured pup, easy to housebreak and very low-maintenance. I wound up spending a lot of time with her, especially since Melissa headed off to school in New Hampshire that year. I would take her on weekends up north to the whitewater rafting outfit that I guided trips for and she would hang out tied up to the bumper of my jeep in the employee lot and get lots of attention from the other staff who worked there. If it was rainy she would curl up on the front seat while I was on the river for 4-5 hours and be perfectly content. She went most everywhere with me.


When it was time for her to return to the Seeing Eye it was hard just like it had been for the other puppies that our family had raised over the past 10 years or so, but at the same time its so rewarding knowing that the dogs have a purposeful life. A few months later we were notified that she did not pass the training due to a condition from having parvovirus as a puppy that caused her to walk with a head-tilt. What this neurologic damage meant was that she walked with her head down and to the side, and also walked crooked kind of like a snake moves diagonally. Over the years she really adapted well to this and it became less noticeable. She always seemed a little goofy and unsure on her feet- one time I was in Mikes basement just hanging out and I whistled for her to come and she came flying down the side of the basement stairs! She slid down to the bottom and got up like nothing had happened. Some of my friends used to make fun of her but it never seemed to bother me much.

Over the next few years I lived in 2 apartments and could not keep her, but she was only 15 minutes away at my moms, a few times sharing the house with other Seeing Eye puppies. At the 2nd place I was able to have her after leaving an extra security and my landlord meeting her and seeing what a mellow dog she was.

She was so well housebroken that she would virtually never have an accident in the house, only when she was sick or left alone for a longer period of time. Sometimes I would get home late and she would run right outside and do her business having been holding it in so as to not have an accident inside. She hardly ever barked unless someone was knocking at the door (or I pretended someone was by knocking on the table or wall). When she went places with me I could usually leave her off the leash as she would only go about 30 feet from me- even in the park with ducks and geese around, she never paid them much attention.

When Dorinda and I had our first date, Dimples was there. Walking in Tyler State park along with Dorinda’s dog Samantha, the two of them got along just fine although Dimples always did tend to get annoyed with other dogs wanting to keep playing when she was done. In many ways she became closer with Dorinda than me, she was part of us.


We lived with Dorinda’s folks for 2 years before we bought our house and she loved every minute of it- getting plenty of attention, having a nice big property to roam on and making a good friend in Jasper the cat. She would make the trek across the field to Dorinda’s grandparents to get a biscuit from Poppop, sometimes completely on her own and we would get a phone call saying she was there. She loved her mommom and poppop as much as they loved her. She also loved being around people and could be found cruising underfoot at parties looking for the cracker that someone inevitably would drop.

About 3 years ago she stopped eating for a few days (very unusual for a dog with such a voracious appetite) and Dr Jim diagnosed her with not only Lyme disease but an immune deficiency blood disorder. He told us that 90% of animals do not survive it. We nursed her back to health with a diet of eggs and venison to get her to eat and miraculously she bounced back after taking steroids for a few months. At that point she was not to be given any more immunizations including rabies vaccinations and be kept away from other animals to protect her. Which was fine by her because she was a one-dog type of dog anyways.

Over the past year her hips got increasingly worse, to the point where she had difficulty getting around and going to the bathroom. We would have to help her up most times and also frequently help her stay up when going to the bathroom. She also started to drink a lot of water in the past 2 months, making me think there may be something worse ahead. Many nights either Dorinda or I would wake up to her crying because she couldn’t get up to get a drink, and we would help her around without even blinking an eye. By this time she was on several supplements for her joints and also tramadol for the pain. We even took her to an animal chiropractor for about 4 weeks which definitely gave her some relief- the stinky proof of which was evidenced about 5 minutes after her treatments!

We both started to wonder when was the right time to make the decision to help her move on, and it wasn’t until the last 2 weeks that I started to feel selfish when she would have difficulty moving around or start crying. Hearing her cry is what really bothered me because she had never been a vocal dog, not even crying out when she inadvertently got stepped on. So I made the appointment. She had many visitors over the past week from friends who wanted to say goodbye.
So 14 years after she came into my life, this morning I woke up and cooked her up some eggs and leftover steak from dinner last weekend. She wolfed it down. The sun came out and promised to be one of the beautiful days that we look forward to after a long winter. When the time came I put her collar on and said “want to go for a ride?” which she loved to do because she knew she was going somewhere with us. She flew down the steps and we got her on her bed in the back of the pathfinder. When we got to the vet Dr Jim came out and was so good with her like he’s always been treating her over the years. As I held her head in my hands and cried she passed peacefully and I immediately knew that she was at rest. Out loud I thanked God for putting her in our life and expressing His love for us through her, and also thanked Him for Dr Jim, and said it is OK you can take her now.

She is buried down at the farm where she loved it so much, with one of her buddies tucked under her front leg just like she fell asleep so many nights. Thank you Dimples for showing us both the unconditional love you did- you are our best friend and we know we'll see you again.

Here are a few emails I received from friends that I wanted to share

My Dear Friends Andy and Dorinda,

Your love for your friend Dimples is so evident. It will always be recognized by us as people who love and respect our own pets as individuals and members of our family with the right to live and pass with dignity. Our heart feels heavy for you. To lose those close to us never gets easier... the pain only seems to build with age and wisdom. Your decision is noble and without selflessness.

Love,

Marjorie and Blair

"We who surround ourselves with life even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached. Yet we would live no other way and cherish memory as the only certain immortality."
--Irving Townsend


Dear Andy and Dorinda,
I am so sorry... I can't imagine not having a dog in my life. The Boys especially Brennan will be very upset. If there is anything we can do, please let Tricia or myself know. I read this and though it fit. Dimples knows who was there for her.


A Dogs Plea

Treat me kindly, my beloved friend, for no heart in all the world is more grateful for kindness than the loving heart of me.

Do not break my spirit with a stick, for although I should lick your hand between blows, your patience and understanding will quickly teach me the things you would have me learn.

Speak to me often, for your voice is the worlds sweetest music, as you must know by the fierce wagging of my tail when your footsteps falls upon my waiting ear.

Please take me inside when it is cold and wet, for I am a domesticated animal, no longer accustomed to bitter elements. I ask no greater glory than the privilege of sitting at your feet beside the hearth. Keep my pan filled with fresh water, for I cannot tell you when I suffer thirst.

Feed me clean food that I may stay well, to romp and play and do your bidding, to walk by your side and stand ready, willing and able to protect you with my life, should your life be in danger.

And, my friend, when I am very old, and I no longer enjoy good health, hearing and sight, do not make heroic efforts to keep me going. I am not having any fun.

Please see that my trusting life is taken gently. I shall leave this earth knowing with the last breath I draw that my fate was always safest in your hands.

Author Unknown

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