clevebtch's Blog

Leave it to our lovely media, once again, to really mess things up.  I couldn't believe when I saw that one source reports Stephanie Tubbs-Jones died, so the rest follow without confirmation.  Shame on the media for being so hasty because each source wants to be the first to give the report.  I'm sure that had to be an upsetting thing for Ms. Tubbs'-Jones' family/friends to hear when it was not true at all.

Next time, get your facts straight people, before you start reporting it.  Better to be last than to be an a   s   s!

I just read a story where a woman is trying to be accepted as a priest in the Catholic church after being ordained in a Womenpriests ordination ceremony in Boston.  Yet, the Vatican says it goes against the Catholoci Doctrine, which will not allow a woman to become a priest and any woman who has been ordained would be excommunicated.

My question is, why not?  Why are women NOT allowed to become priests?  I believe the Catholic religion is the only one who does not allow this.  Any other religion now days permits female spiritual leaders (i.e., pastors, preachers, etc.), so what's up with the Catholics?

Obviously, as you can tell, I am not Catholic, but a Christian just the same.  I am just wondering if what I've heard over the years about the Catholic religion is, indeed, true.  That women were meant to be slaves in their eyes and do not account for anything more than to serve the man, bear children and keep house.  Maybe years ago that was the case, but this is the 21st Century and things certainly have changed quite a bit.

So, besides this doctrine by the Catholic faith, what, exactly, IS the reason women cannot become priests?  Can anyone answer that?  Just curious.

This story makes me sick!  I mean, this country is constantly wanting to take away from Americans to make immigrants happy (both illegal AND legal)?  I think this is getting carried away!  Pretty soon, Americans and Christians won't have ANYTHING that was valued by us here in this country!

Friday, August 1, 2008
By Brian Mosely

A recent press release from the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) stated that a new contract at the Shelbyville facility "implements a new holiday to accommodate the ... Muslim workers at the plant."

The RWDSU stated that "the five-year contract creates an additional paid holiday, Iidal Fitil, a Muslim holiday that occurs toward the end of Ramadan."

Eid al-Fitr falls on Oct. 1 this year.

Tyson's Director of Media Relations, Gary Mickelson, stated that while the new contract does not provide an additional holiday, as the union claimed, "the new contract includes eight paid holidays, which is the same number provided in the old contract."

"However, the union leadership did request and receive Eid al-Fitr (which is apparently spelled various ways including Id al-Fitr and Eid ul-Fitr) as a paid holiday in place of Labor Day," Mickelson confirmed in an e-mail to the T-G.

"Since all Team Members will still have eight paid holidays, the change will not affect production," Mickelson said.

Eid al-Fitr means "Festival of the Breaking of the Fast" in Arabic, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, and marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting.

The festival "is distinguished by the performance of communal prayer (salat) at daybreak on its first day. It is a time of official receptions and private visits, when friends greet one another, presents are given, new clothes are worn, and the graves of relatives are visited," the encyclopedia said.

Mickelson said that "Eid al-Fitr is one of eight paid holidays for all Team Members covered by the contract, while Labor Day is not a paid holiday."

"Based on the contract, the other paid holidays include: The Team Member's birthday, New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day," Mickelson said.

"Implementing this holiday was a challenge, since it falls on a different day every year and is declared on fairly short notice," RWDSU Representative Randy Hadley said in the press release. "But the negotiating committee felt this was extremely crucial, since this holiday is as important to Muslims as Christmas is to Christians."

"The date for this holiday (Eid al-Fitr) is not the same each year," Mickelson said. "however, it is in the early fall."

The press release stated there are approximatly 700 Muslims working at Tyson, but Mickelson said that Somalis only represent approximately 250 of the 1,200 employed at the plant, a little over 20 percent of the workforce.

"All Team Members who have completed their probationary period are eligible for all eight paid holidays including Eid al-Fitr," the Tyson spokeman said.

The union also claimed that in addition to the observance of the Muslim holiday, "two prayer rooms have been created to allow Muslim workers to pray twice a day and return to work without leaving the plant."

Mickelson said that Shelbyville's Tyson plant "does have a prayer room to accommodate the needs of Muslim Team Members."

"In addition to regular, non-paid breaks, all Team Members are allotted a seven-minute paid break," the Tyson spokesman said. "Some Team Members choose to pray during this time."

However, Mickelson took issue with another claim made by RWDSU, which stated that another "improvement" in the contract is time-and-a-half pay for Team Members who work more than an eight hour shift.

"This statement is not accurate," Mickelson said. "This overtime pay provision is not new nor is it unique. In fact, it was included in the previous contract."

Prayer rooms for the Muslim team members?  What about Christians?  Why can't THEY have a prayer room?  What about giving the Muslims off on THEIR holiday, making the Americans work that day, but allowing Americans to have Labor Day off as it always has been and have the Muslims work that day?  Shame on our politicians for always wanting to cater to everyone BUT Americans!

I think it's time to boycott Tyson Chicken, people!  Let the MUSLIMS buy their products!

Not sure if this was what he truly said or did, but it still all makes sense!

This should be posted in all schools and work places:

Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this! Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2 : The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Amazing that every other local news source in Cleveland has the breaking story of the raid of the County on their websites, but I have not seen a thing on Fox yet!  I guess when I'm at work and I want to get the latest news, I can't rely on Fox8's website as it obviously does not get updated.

This whole raid of the county, by the way, ought to be pretty interesting, here!  You just don't go sending in FBI for nothing!  Stay tuned to find out - and you'll probably have to go to another news source online to get the latest since it appears this one isn't up to par!

Mean Moms & Grandmas

 Someday when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will tell them, as my Mean ole Mom told me:

I loved you enough . .. .

 to ask where you were going, with whom,

and what time you would be home.

I loved you enough to be silent and let you

discover that your new best friend was a creep.

I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that should have taken 15 minutes.

I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointment, and tears in my eyes. Children must learn that their parents aren't perfect.

 I loved you enough to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.

But most of all, I loved you enough . . to say NO when I knew you would hate me for it.

Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too.

And someday when your children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates parents, you will tell them.

 Was your Mom mean? I know mine was.. We had the meanest mother in the whole world!

While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast.

 When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches.

And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was different from what other kids had, too.

Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison. She had to know who our friends were, and what we were doing with them. She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or less.

We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the Child Labor Laws by making us work. We had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lie awake at night thinking of more things for us to do. 

She always insisted on us telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. By the time we were teenagers, she could read our minds and had eyes in the back of her head. Then, life was really tough!

Mother wouldn't let our friends just honk the horn when they drove up. They had to come up to the door so she could meet them. While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until we were 16 .

 Because of our mother we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. None of us have ever been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's property or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault.

Now that we have left home, we are all educated, honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean parents just like Mom was.

I think that is what's wrong with the world today.

It just doesn't have enough mean moms!

Read the terms below written by Fox8 for the blogging sites and other posts.  Please pay particular attention to Item #3.  Any person should KNOW that your postings of your garage, yard and other sales DO NOT belong on these blogs! 

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1. You agree that you are fully responsible for the content that you post. You agree to limit the content you post to the subject matter for which the Forums are intended. You will not post content that violates the copyright, trademark or other intellectual property rights of any other person. You will not post content that is libelous, an invasion or privacy or publicity rights, defamatory, obscene, profane or indecent, abusive or threatening. You will not post content that constitutes a criminal offense, that gives rise to any civil liability or that otherwise violates any local, state, national or international law. You will indemnify Fox Interactive Media, Inc. (FIM), its parents and affiliates together with their respective employees, agents, directors, officers and shareholders, from and against any claims, liabilities, damages and expenses (including but not limited to reasonable attorneys' fees) related to or arising out of any content you have posted.

2. You understand and agree that FIM is not responsible for any content posted by you or any other third party. You further understand that FIM does not endorse and has no control over the content posted in the Forums by third parties, and cannot vouch for its accuracy or reliability. You also understand that FIM has no responsibility to monitor the Forums for inappropriate content posted by users. Even if FIM chooses, in its sole discretion, to monitor the Forums, we nonetheless assume no responsibility for the content of the postings. However, FIM reserves the right to prevent you from posting content to the Forums and to edit, restrict or remove your content for any reason at any time.

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What the hell is this world coming to?  Another mom faking her child's cancer to get money?  Let me tell you low-life mothers out there something.... that is a horrible thing to do, not only to the people you swindle, but to those poor children!  How DARE you use the disease as a way to make fast cash!  This subject really hits home with me right now as my husband is battling stage 4 cancer and aggressive chemotherapy and let me say, it's not a pretty sight and a horrible thing to watch a loved one go through.  Yet, I certainly am not out there begging for money because of it.  We are doing what we can to get through this.  I would never in a million years go begging for money for the disease my husband TRULY has, nor would I use my child to swindle others like that, either.

You people are scum who do this kind of thing and ought to have your children removed from your custody and you tossed in a tin can and never let out.  That is just a horrible, disgusting thing to do!  Get a job like we ALL should do to survive and quit trying to swindle people to get free hand-outs.  What's the matter?  Our government not giving you enough freebies already?  How disgusting!

These garage sale posts are ridiculous on here!  It has GOT to stop!  Come on, Fox Mediators, where the heck are you guys?  Let's get this under control and put a stop to it!  There is a place for these posts and they aren't here!

HEY PEOPLE!  QUIT CLOGGING THE BLOGS WITH YOUR ADVERTISEMENTS AND SPAM!

HEY FOX!  GET OFF YOUR DUFF AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!

To the serious bloggers - Post your opinions on this subject here and let's see if Fox does, in fact, scan the blogs for content.  Maybe the e-mails don't get attention, but hopefully a blogged "petition" will.  It gets old having to skim through these spammed blogs to read the good stuff and replying to these spammers do not help as they probably post their spam and never come back on again.

What is with people today?  Is there THAT much laziness in this world when you're supposed to live in a decent community and expect things to be kept up, only to see the same people over and over neglect their properties?  It's the same ones, year after year, who don't cut their grass, their houses have peeling paint, garages falling down, and just trash everywhere!  It's plain disgusting and unfair to those of us who work hard with our own property upkeep.

You can be nice and discuss this with these slobs, but they just give you a look like YOU'RE crazy and offer a very nice "F - U" look.  Sure, you can also call the City and complain, but nothing ever gets done.  Instead, you have these trouble makers (many of whom are younger) who feel THEY'VE been violated and begin creating all sorts of crap in the neighborhood.  These people who CLAIM they have no time to clean up their yards are the same people who, night after night, hang out and drink and party until all hours.

Each year, our taxes go up, but the service of the City goes down.  They claim they have walk-by inspections to issue citations to violators of their alleged code, but yet, the same people who supposedly get these citations, continue to allow their properties to become very run down and unkept.  Driving down my street, you'll see 3 or 4 really decent yards - nothing fancy or showy, but just basic upkeep and neat looking properties.  Then, after those 3 or 4, there's one or two bad ones where you know the people can't even take the time to cut their grass.  There's one yard where the weeds have grown almost to 4 feet tall!  But, from what I've been told by a city official, the inspectors go around, write their citations on these properties and charge a fine of $100.  Apparently, it's much easier for these slobs to pay the $100 because it seems once they do, they're untouchable for the rest of the year.

Come on, people!  There really is no excuse for not cutting your grass and keeping your lawn looking neat.  One doesn't need all sorts of fancy flowers and landscaping to have a nice looking yard.  And, what's up with the City?  Why are they allowing these people to keep getting away with this?  As a homeowner, I think people would want to be proud of their properties and keep it looking nice.  Owning a home is a big investment and I, for one, definitely want to keep my investment decent.

If they rent, my next question is, what the hell is wrong with these landords?  I mean, really - there is no excuse whatsoever.  It's called responsibility.  My next door neighbor is a young guy (mid-20's) who sponges off of grandma and doesn't even hold down a job.  He doesn't do a thing to help out that woman!  He parties very hard every single night and sleeps the entire day away.  Their yard looks like the city dump and the garage is ready to cave it because it's so neglected.  If it were just the old woman living there, I would not have a problem with helping her out by cutting her grass for her at least.  But, why should I?  I work long hours all week long, have a family to take care of, as well as my OWN property to tend and she has this young guy living there who won't do a thing?  No way!  I've tried to talk to her about it, but she just blows it out her @$$ and makes 50 million excuses for her grandson - excuses which are getting rather old and tiresome.

Then, we have a young family a bit further down the street - the couple is at best in their late 20's or early 30's.  Three kids, which the parents allow to run the streets like unruly and disrespectful kids - so much so, that these kids were busted throwing rocks at a house.  The parents, however, were offended when it was brought to their attention about their innocent little angels doing that.  The kids were caught red-handed and seen by many.  Give me a break.

Their yard is trashed - they never cut their grass and it's so weed infested.  They have weeds as high as their fence in their back yard and crap just thrown everywhere.  Again, this couple claims they just don't have time, but from what we all see, they certainly have time to sit with their buddies, drinking all night long or hibernating in the house doing God knows what all day long while the majority of the people on the street are out working to keep their properties tidy.

Sadly, one of the houses for sale on our street has yet to be sold due to the surrounding "eyesores" which has been noted by a few potential buyers.  And, I certainly do not want to sell my home and move, not just because the market is so rough right now, but because I don't have much longer before my home is paid off and I shouldn't HAVE to move because of these pigs.  Many of us here have attended council meetings, made formal complaints, and written letters and the like regarding this situation, but nothing has yet to be done or enforced.  Soon, what was once a nice neighborhood will end up looking like the inner city ones, run down and a complete sloppy mess.

Frankly, I think more cities should crack down on these situations and maybe we wouldn't see so many run down properties everywhere.  If their grass isn't cut after a period of time, the city should cut it and charge them heavily for the service.  If their sidewalks aren't shoveled or plowed, the city should do so and charge the residents a hefty fee.  If the fees rack up and are not getting paid, then the city should be permitted to file a lien on the property.

Just wondering how many of you were crazy enough to be a part of the Papa John's Pizza event today?  To me, it's just not worth it, but I'm sure plenty did get into it.

I'd love to hear from people who may have participated today as far as what the places were like.  Which one did you go to?  How was the wait?  Were there plenty of nuts there?

For those of you who didn't participate, but may have gone by a Papa John's, what did it look like from your view?

I don't think being a minority makes you a victim of anything except

numbers.. The only things I can think of that are truly discriminatory

are things like the United Negro College Fund, Jet Magazine, Black

Entertainment Television, and Miss Black America. Try to have things

like the United Caucasian College Fund, Cloud Magazine, White

Entertainment Television, or Miss White America; and see what

happens...Jesse Jackson will be knocking down your door.

Guns do not make you a killer. I think killing makes you a killer. You

can kill someone with a baseball bat or a car, but no one is trying to

ban you from driving to the ball game.

I believe they are called the Boy Scouts for a reason, which is why

there are no girls allowed. Girls belong in the Girl Scouts! ARE YOU

LISTENING MARTHA BURKE ?

I think that if you feel homosexuality is wrong, it is not a phobia, it

is an opinion.

I have the right 'NOT' to be tolerant of others because they are

different, weird, or tick me off.

When 70% of the people who get arrested are black, in cities where 70% of the population is black, that is not racial profiling; it is the Law

of Probability.

I believe that if you are selling me a milkshake, a pack of cigarettes,

a newspaper or a hotel room, you must do it in English! As a matter of

fact, if you want to be an American citizen, you should have to speak

English!

My father and grandfather didn't die in vain so you can leave the

countries you were born in to come over and disrespect ours.

I think the police should have every right to shoot you if you threaten

them after they tell you to stop. If you can't understand the word

'freeze' or 'stop' in English, see the above lines.

I don't think just because you were not born in this country, you are

qualified for any special loan programs, government sponsored bank

loans or tax breaks, etc., so you can open a hotel, coffee shop,

trinket store, or any other business.

We did not go to the aid of certain foreign countries and risk our

lives in wars to defend their freedoms, so that decades later they

could come over here and tell us our constitution is a living document;

and open to their interpretations.

I don't hate the rich and I don't pity the poor

I know pro wrestling is fake, but so are movies and television. That

doesn't stop you from watching them.

I think Bill Gates has every right to keep every penny he made and

continue to make more. If it ticks you off, go and invent the next

operating system that's better, and put your name on the building.

It doesn't take a whole village to raise a child right, but it does

take a parent to stand up to the kid; and smack their little behinds

when necessary, and say 'NO!'

I think tattoos and pierc ing are fine if you want them, but please

don't pretend they are a political statement. And, please, stay home

until that new lip ring heals. I don't want to look at your ugly

infected mouth as you serve me French fries!

I am sick of 'Political Correctness.' I know a lot of black people, and

not a single one of them was born in Africa ; so how can they be

'African-Americans'? Besides, Africa is a continent. I don't go around

saying I am a European-American because my great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather was from Europe. I am proud to be from America and nowhere else

And if you don't like my point of view, tough...

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA , AND TO THE REPUBLIC, FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!

It is said that 86% of Americans believe in God. Therefore I have a very hard time understanding why there is such a problem in having 'In God We Trust' on our money and having 'God' in the Pledge of Allegiance. Why don't we just tell the 14% to BE QUIET!!!

Nice, compelling video.  Check it out at:

http://www.axpdf.com/wake/index.htm

Yep - looks like they are now trying to pass a bill banning smoking from parks, parking lots & outdoor seating areas.  There's a hearing set for it on 4/15, I guess.

We knew it wouldn't be long before the communities started to take the ban even further!  Wonder which community will be next?

Taking a poll here with thoughts and opinions.  Would you be for or against HB 519 that requires parents to give 13 volunteer hours per school year for their child's school?  The one thing I find unfair is that they will allow all "STATE" employees additional paid time off for it.  Otherwise, unless you have a really cooperative employer who will agree to the tax break stated in the bill, many will have to use vacation or PTO - or just not get paid for the time off - in order to do so.

My other question - will I not have to pay those high school fees or be asked to pass another tax levy, then?  I am most certainly not against being a part of your child's education as I get as involved as much as possible with school events "after business hours," but to be forced to volunteer and lose time from work or to put out a small employer who depends on its employees to function each day - or worse yet, if circumstances make it difficult to do so, have the State instill a $100.00 fine?  To me, that is NOT volunteer work, but simply being forced by the government to do something that most people find truly hard to do because they work full time.

Most parents need to save their PTO for days when a child is sick and a parent needs to stay home with that child, or for doctor appointments or other emergencies and "non-vacation" events.  While I get vacation time, most, if not all, is spent due to things other than vacations each year as noted above.  Do we really see most businesses in the private sector agreeing with the bill and supporting the parents in this decision by offering them two extra days with pay to do so?  I don't.

What's your opinion on this bill?  I'd especially love to hear from other parents.