Go ahead, hold your breath, Zacie

Blustering, but admittedly guilty, Zacarias Moussaoui , awaits his sentencing and is sure he will be executed -- shipped off to martyrdom and Muslim soil for his bones. In your dreams, Zac!

If I had the say, Moussaoui would be imprisoned for the rest of his natural life. He could have TV -- tuned to MTV and sit coms, he would be visited for one hour every day by 100 grandmothers who could relate to the victims of 911, victims in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Spain, England and who would have a vow of a minute of silence for some child who has suffered at the torturous hands of Al Quaeda for 58 minutes. The two remaining minutes would be spent in loud laughter while Moussaoui received his daily exercise walking down the line of grandmothers laughing at him. But, they would not speak to him; he is being given the silent treatment in preference for the moments of silence to honor the victims.

And after the exercise time with the grandmothers, Zac would occupy his time making ponybead alligator keychains to sell to Osama, thereby using up Osama's resources and help foot the bill for Zac's day to day care. Osama should be proud to step up and buy to support his prize pupil. In case Osama would be crass enough to abandon his prize pupil, we will have sympathic thoughts for Zac, but still, Zac, justice is justice. Didn't Al Quaeda mention that?

Zac would never be hit or insulted and would be fed well. If he's rude to the grandmothers, don't think we won't tattle to Mohammad, plus Zac gets 25 more grandmothers tomorrow. Wasn't he promised lots of women as a reward for his terrorist plans? Well, there you go.

Mansfield Area Chamber of Commerce Newsletter

When I'm not being bossy and mouthy about other issues in Missouri, I'm a member of the Board for the Mansfield Area Chamber of Commerce. The latest newsletter link is included.

We've been trying to get a slate of nominees together for the board and officers. I know people are busy -- for crying out loud, what do you think I am? Not busy at all? But, there is appalling apathy among the membership for making this organization do what it needs to do and can do for the community. I suspect a nice, fuzzy comfort zone for several; timidity for a few and ignorance for others. The Chamber has undergone some changes in the past year and the membership behaves in a rather shell-shocked manner.

There are TOO many personal issues involved that have to be grown past for anything to be accomplished. Maybe someday.

Click on the LINK to read the December 2005 newsletter

Link

Brown Lemons and Lemonade

How 'bout that Michael Brown of recent FEMA and KATRINA history. I call this the epitome of making lemonade from a sour situation.

Brown took a few on the chops over the handling of the emergency after Hurricane Katrina. Some of the hits were deserved, others were the result of frustration and lack of discipline and patience rampant in Americans who haven't ever experienced catastrophe.

Now, Brown is recovering, has moved on and is beginning a consulting firm that will help the next wave of folks having to face emergencies learn from his experience.

A needed service and timely. I believe there is more to come. I would be glad to know that the next crew has more information than the last one.

Mansfield and the Community Center Conundrum

Mansfield has a nice community center and there is plenty of controversy about how to use it.

The membership has access to the facilities. Last spring when the school had structural problems with the gym, the entire school was closed and classes moved to other facilities. Some were appropriately moved to the Community Center.

When a ballot initiative was raised about funding a new gym for the school, there was a lot of opinion that the school should be able to use the Community Center more. This idea makes a certain amount of sense and I'm pleased to see there are some school sports activities being held at the Center.

However, when I think about it, there are other considerations to having the school use the Center more. The Center is supposed to be available for members. If I've paid my membership and wish to let my kids go over to the Center, which barely can afford enough supervision, do I want this place where I've reserved some time be filled with lots of people, even slimmer supervision and no space for the activities that my kids were looking for? I don't think so.

I agree, it looks like the Center isn't being used to fullest, but that's more of a membership shortage than a community dedication. Sorry, folks, but this wasn't built to be another donation to the community.

There are some other issues such as a place for the Senior Citizens to meet. Personally, I think they would be better off getting a group membership if that is possible and using the facilities for meetings, activities (including much needed exercise) and a carry-in meal when they so choose. I cannot any longer support the idea of investment in yet another building to maintain.

There you have it, my ever changing opinion about the Community Center.

Do we hear what they hear?

We must hear what our bravest soldiers hear -- the call of the blood of the tortured and murdered people of Iraq.

Will someone, especially a dove, tell me about body counting records before the troops went to Iraq?

We offer our troops the utmost support in their endeavors in Iraq. We miss you and wish you were home, but we know that in your blood, you hear the shed blood of your brother troops, now more than 2000 AND that you hear the blood of the uncounted people who were slaughtered before you went to Iraq. The people who would have been slaughtered if you were not slowing the killers up by your efforts. The slaughtered who missed the body count....we cannot forget them.

Our troops are not forgetting them. The men and women in our armed forces are putting their bodies and blood on the line to stop the stupid, ugly, senseless dictatorship that wiped out uncounted people who were not part of armed forces -- who were unarmed -- babies, old people, women, children, families.

Never feel that you are forgotten or that we don't know what you are doing or that we don't consider what you are doing and the sacrifice you are making as EXTREMELY wonderful and valuable. Do not believe that! At home, your families, your neighbors, your fellow Americans appreciate you and value you!

Thank you!

Robin Carnahan didn't lay this egg, but she will gather it

I repeat, Robin Carnahan didn't lay this egg about voter registration, but she will gather the egg and she should have been more assertive than her predecessors to do it.

• What was Matt Blunt's office as Secretary of State doing to address the issue which is for sure now a new one? Was there a plan ready to be enacted before last election? A plan that Ms. Carnahan could have continued to implement?
• And what about the Secretary of State BEFORE Matt Blunt? The mess started LONG before that administration too. It seems that if the US Attorney can build a fire under Robin Carnahan's office and from her desk to reach the county clerks across Missouri, maybe some progress can be made to correct this ridiculous registration mess!

Matt Blunt as Governor has supported necessary and legitimate cuts to Medicaid -- cuts that took dead recipients from the rolls and check list, leaving funds for the truly needy. We run some real risks if the dead and moved away continue to rule in Missouri because they hold more voter registrations than the accurately eligible to vote! These phantom voters MAY NOT vote, but history says they CAN and DO. They aren't a part of Missouri and do not deserve a voice.

This sloppy management at the very lowest levels where the workload cannot be that heavy is appalling! Missouri should be able to stand proud in the center of the nation and be an efficient, respectable entity. Missouri has the capacity to produce for the country, has the geographic appeal to represent a realistic cross-section of the country. Missouri has enough to be proud about to deserve to show the sand necessary to be the leadership the Country needs instead of a joke for the rest of the population. And a negative measure -- we may be dumb, but not as dumb as Missouri! Missouri should be getting tired of being the tail and the butt of every situation.

Robin, I respect your position of not pointing fingers backwards about who shoulda-woulda-coulda. Now, I want to see your direction for who will be doing the fix and WHEN. Go for it!