In My Opinion (IMO by KNH)...Cleanliness & What It Means to Men

Originally I was going to make this a Facebook status update, but honestly this topic deserves a permanent blog post. This weekend, I visited a female acquaintance' home for dinner. I went to wash my hands in the bathroom, and was frankly impressed by it's cleanness, especially the fixtures--toilet, sink, tub, etc. I congratulated her, and she expressed that this was normal due to her military training. I shared a couple things with her. a) Men look at different things when looking at a woman as possible "Wife Material". Cleanliness of a dwelling is pretty important.

If you invite us over and you have urine or other stains on the toilet, the sink is full of grease and soap scum, bathtub has a ring etc. you just X-ed yourself out of some of our lives. A man who has been around a minute knows that if you can't take the time to take care of little details, then you're not his future. It literally takes about 5 minutes each to clean your toilet,sink and bathtub, less if you keep them up at least a couple times weekly.

So you go to work, return home, don't have any children in the house (or you do, but they're of age to take care of themselves), and you can't find 5-15 mins to clean your fixtures for the sake of hygiene and keeping the germs down? But you can quote scenes from Basketball Wives, Hip Hop Wives of Atlanta, The Game, etc which you watch for hours on end once you get home, and hit all-night happy hour on Thursday and Friday. And don't tell me it takes too much time when you spend 1-4 hours in front of a mirror dolling up for events. I'm not saying your house has to be absolutely spic and span with absolutely no dust on the back of your TV, but if you can't keep a man who's willing to marry you, then it may be because we've noticed the small things, and we didn't tell you because we know you should know better by a certain age. If you can't take care of your house, how are you going to take care of our house and children? b) I told her that while military discipline is invaluable, I do know a good number of military vets among friends or family who are not necessarily the cleanest in their civilian life.

As I'm known to say, "If the shoe fits, wear it. If not, put it back in the box." In plainer English, if this post describes YOU, then do something about it. If it doesn't, then you're doing well, and no need to be mad. I was successful in getting a passionate discussion on this topic started on Facebook, and I would love to hear of any horror or success stories out there...

George Zimmerman Not Guilty: Jury Lets Trayvon Martin Killer Go

I can't say I'm angry (at the City of Sanford's law enforcement for having to be pressured to do the right thing)...or outraged (at how 6 mothers could let a child killer go) right now. But I can say I'm sad (for Trayvon, his family & unnecessary loss of his life) and disappointed (that "we make up 80% of those incarcerated for minor crimes, but when major crimes are committed against "us", justice is nowhere to be found). In society, adults are supposed to protect, look out for it's youth, to nurture, role model, and stand up for it's youth. After all we were once in their shoes. Yet, here is an adult who acted contrary to those norms, and he doesn't even get a slap on the wrist?! Now we're again told--as actions speak louder than words that racial profiling is STILL ok in 2013 and that if one of our own suffers...well tough luck. THAT should way heavy on anyone's soul. And if it doesn't, I feel sorry for you. #JusticeForTrayvon ww.thegreatblogofketo.blogspot.com
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

In My Opinion...Heads In the Sand OR The Supreme Court Believes Racism No Longer Exists!

As an American voter, I am outraged this week by the US Supreme Court's majority decision in Shelby v. Holder to strike down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act. Elections have consequences. Voting or not voting also have consequences! I cannot, however, say that I am surprised at the decision. There are good reasons why both Presidents Bush (George HW & George W) stacked the Supreme Court during their Presidencies with Supreme Court Justices (Souter and Thomas, then Roberts & Alito respectively) who when then time came would vote exactly the way they are expected to vote along ideological lines (see 2000 Presidential Election). It is no surprise that Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito & Justice John Roberts voted exactly as they were expected by those who put them in power.

I am most outraged that the majority deliberately chose to ignore the unjust and unfair voting laws passed just in the last 4 years in states like Florida, Texas, N.C. etc that were designed specifically to make voting more difficult and effectively disenfranchise African American, Hispanic, and minority voters in elections which have direct impact on Congress and the Presidency. 40 years of progress since 1966 does not equate to tearing down the voter protections which helped ensure fair elections for the past few decades regardless of race. The Republican party knows that there are far more registered strong Democrat voters nationwide and in states like Florida, so the only thing they can do to "level" the playing field is to prevent as many people from voting as possible. And THAT should make everyone angry regardless of your political bent. If there's one thing you can credit the DNC with, it's that volunteers on the ground in Organizing for America and Democrat leaning organizations in both Obama elections were trained to empower voters regardless of whether those voters indicated they would vote Republican or Democrat!

Photo of U.S. Supreme Court, Wash., D.C. courtesy www.huffingtonpost.com

I 100% disagree with the majority opinion that, "things have changed dramatically” in the South in the nearly 50 years since the Voting Rights Act was signed in 1965." The reality is much closer to the minority opinion stating "40 years has not been a sufficient amount of time to eliminate the vestiges of discrimination following nearly 100 years of disregard for the 15th Amendment."

FOR FURTHER RESEARCH:

• Read the ruling here, http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/12pdf/12-96_6k47.pdf. 
• A good primer on the VRA was updated this week by The Washington Post athttp://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/02/27/the-supreme-court-voting-rights-act-case-explained/. 
• Voting Rights Act Section 4 Struck Down By Supreme Courthttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/25/voting-rights-act-supreme-court_n_3429810.html
• Gutting the Voting Rights Act: Freedom to Discriminate www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-w-hughey/gutting-the-voting-rights_b_3518756.html
• No, the Voting Rights Act Is Not Deadhttp://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/06/no-the-voting-rights-act-is-not-dead/277281/
• An Assault on the Voting Rights Act http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/26/opinion/an-assault-on-the-voting-rights-act.html?_r=0
• What Would A 2013 Voting Rights Act (Section 4) Look Like?http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2013/06/26/195907874/what-would-a-2013-voting-rights-act-section-4-look-like

In My Opinion (IMO by KNH)...Father's Day aka "No Ties & Socks"

So Father's Day is Sunday and unfortunately I've observed that many ladies really are not very good at picking gifts that the men in their lives will actually enjoy and appreciate (fathers, sons, husbands, boyfriends, etc). Now we men are expected to be creative, thoughtful & plan ahead when getting YOU gifts for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Anniversary, Birthday & Christmas. So..step up this year please on behalf of all good men everywhere. (And yes, I'm talking about the good Father's who deserve it, not the deadbeats who are nowhere around or the Dads who come home from work, head straight to the recliner/TV & don't interact to their children or have any idea what son/daughter did that day.)

DON'TS:

First things first. The DON'TS comprise a very short list. Don't buy us the cliche gifts of a random tie or a pair of socks, unless we are a man that has so much that we have specifically asked for this, OR we really do need diabetic socks, or we are going camping & we need military grade socks that will protect our feet from hypothermia. You get where I'm going. As for ties, they can be a very lazy "I can't think of anything else to buy you, but you're a man, so hope you like this pink & blue tie" gesture. Ladies think of how overjoyed you would be if we bought you a pair of nylons for your birthday. Now if you do buy a tie, make sure it is a silk tie with matching puff (handkerchief) that will match our favorite shirt/suit set. Silk ties are classy and last forever. Otherwise don't bother. Oh and you you can keep your $5 "#1 Dad" mug. Unless our child made it for us, it doesn't matter. We already have steins & mugs.

DO'S:

Now here are some sites you can peruse that will give you great ideas on what to buy for your man. Go to membership sites like NoMoreRack.com, Amazon.com, Living Social etc.

Jawbone Jambox Wireless Bluetooth Speaker, This is one of the coolest gadgets out right now & your man will love it! It's a wireless speaker that allows you to play music from your phone/computer/device in the kitchen, bathroom, on vacation, outside while barbequing etc & is like walking around with a virtual party!

Jawbone Jambox Wireless Bluetooth Speaker

Shaving Supplies: We can never find enough razors for a decent price. Razor cartridges may easily run us $16-32 for 4-16, so if you ever find us a large supply of razors or one really great travel razor that is say, waterproof/won't rust, etc. that's a big deal since we shave every day. (Well...I don't, but your man probably does).

A Good Watch: A classic, but understated watch can be functional & eye-catching at the same time. The man can wear this to special events, interviews, and a good watch (as opposed to the $10 variety) is a sign of good taste & maturity. Professional male colleagues judge a man not by his phone but by his watch, so help your man out! Check out this cool watch by Invicta from NoMoreRack.com. Amazon.com also has a line of beautiful Invicta watches for about the same price.

Bluetooth headset: Who doesn't want one of these right?

Jim Beam Tailgating Stool: For the man who loves to grill while watching football with the family and the fellas.

Kindle Fire HD Tablet (or comparable Droid or iPad): Why yes, Dad would love to watch his favorite movies & read the Wall Street Journal on a wireless device, duh.

DEWALT DCD760KL 18-Volt 1/2-Inch Cordless Compact Lithium-Ion Drill/Driver Kit: So you nag your man to death to put up artwork, curtain rods, drill this, drill that? How's he gonna do that without a cordless drill which is pretty much the holy grail of do-it-yourselfers everywhere?

GIFT CARDS: Gift cards are one of the most underrated, but fantastic gifts you can give anyone! Let's say after all these awesome suggestions, you still don't have a clue...or have to work a nurses' shift this weekend! Pick a value of the gift you would have given HIM ($25/50/100 etc), and let the man take that VISA gift card to wherever he wants, and he will be able to pick EXACTLY WHAT HE WANTS for Father's Day...which is the point right? We only get one day a year. Let's make it memorable!!!

THAT ONE THING!: Every guy has one item that they like to collect, wear, keep, etc, and treasure anything of similar value. Find out what that one thing is by talking to his Mom or brother/best friend. For me, one of my items is a Fedora/Dressy Hat. I have a collection of very nice Fedoras & Kangols that I have bought or been gifted over the years, and it's nice to know that someone knows enough about my likes to get me one of these.

FINAL WORD: Now one obvious point is that Dad's Day is only 2 days away & you're not going to be able to order any of these items in time for them to arrive on Sunday, especially if next day delivery is unavailable or cost prohibitive. That's ok, you can still order the item, cook the Mr. his favorite meal or take him out to a fun dinner/lunch spot (Lee Roy Selmons, Red Lobster, Thai Palace, etc) and show him a picture of his gift that will arrive in a couple days. He'll be happy b/c he's eating, and he knows you didn't forget, the gift is just delayed. I'd be cool with knowing my flat screen TV is arriving tomorrow instead of today :) You could also use this list of items (which is not comprehensive by any means) and walk Mr. So-and-So into International Plaza-Tampa, University Mall, the Perry Ellis Outlet in Tampa, and let him select the gadgets/clothing/shoes that he wants.

List in progress... Also, ladies & gentlemen, feel free to add to the list by posting comments and/or links below.

Pope Benedict XVI To Resign On Feb. 28 Due To Health Concerns

If it is as the Pope says a matter of deteriorating health, then I 100% agree with his decision to resign. Unfortunately Catholic leadership (and often Protestant Bishops also) have a bad habit of hanging on to power literally until the deathbed even as their health precludes them from effectively serving while being forced to delegate even the smallest tasks to their assistants. I have seen this in my own church organization where Bishops over our millions of parishioners worldwide are elected/appointed for life and often won't give up power because of pride, money, prestige, influence, etc. www.thegreatblogofketo.blogspot.com
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Polls On Women In Combat Find Support For Policy Shift

I believe that women should be allowed in combat. Women have the right to vote, already serve admirably in the armed forces, have capably served as Secretary of State, and can do anything that men can do. In our lifetimes, we will have a woman President. That said, I would not sign for my daughter to enter the military. Then again, I wouldn't sign for my son to enter either. While I have family members who have fought in Africa & Italy in WWII and others who fought in the Korean War, and other family members who current serve in the US Navy, I'm aware that Wars tend to be started and supported by members of the military-industrial complex who disproportionately send children of the poor and middle class to fight wars which benefit them financially. www.TheGreatBlogofKeto.blogspot.com
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

In My Opinion (IMO by KNH)...Lance Armstrong is a Dope Head, You Say (He Say)?

So, Lance Armstrong has admitted on Oprah that he participated in a culture of doping during his hey day as king of the sport of competitive biking. Honestly, who freakin' cares? I barely batted an eye when Charlie Sheen was doping. It's bike riding, not rocket science. Now if NASA astronauts or "that guy" with his finger on the proverbial nuclear button for the US was doping, or my son's daycare providers were hittin' the powder, now THAT would be of paramount concern.

© Getty Images, http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-400_162-57564617/lance-armstrong-admits-to-doping/

Frankly, I'm more concerned over things like the NRA willfully targeting the Obama children in retaliation for him proposing anti-gun violence measures, a political and social no-no & a cowardly move.

I'm concerned about the CEO of Papa John's earning 1,000 times more than his employees who make $7/hour but being outraged by Obamacare & threatening to deny them health benefits that would literally cost 17 cents per pizza!

I'm concerned that millionaire Congressmen who themselves enjoy lifetime health benefits at the expense of the government would choose to deny equal, affordable healthcare to 30M Americans.

I'm concerned that when we invaded Afghanistan it was one of the top 5 producers of poppy in the world & is now firmly #1 in heroin production.

I'm concerned that the Pharmaceutical industry has enslaved YOUR children and guaranteed itself unlimited future profitability by creating a psych drug strong enough for adults, Ritalin and THEN created the diagnosis for a made-up disease ADHD, which they then force upon YOU not a cure (because you can't "cure" not being able to pay attention) but a medicine that "manages" the symptoms...again, Ritalin with the help of public school districts and school psychologists licensed by the American Psychological Association!

I'm concerned that these United States of America incarcerates more of it's citizens in numbers and as a percentage than ANY other country in the 1st or 3rd world. I'm further concerned that with 80% of such population Black males, the prison system starting immediately after Civil Reconstruction has become The New Slavery.

I'm concerned that the State of Florida has elected a criminal into it's highest office who created and presided over a healthcare company that received the biggest fine ($1B) in American history by the federal government for defrauding the government in it's Medicaid billing practices for services provided to senior citizens.

Mostly I'm concerned that I can't find a brown hat that is the perfect shade to match any of my khaki pants.

Anything less than these issues is simply irrelevant to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending Lance-Strong. I just don't care.

Fi-Yah (Or the Story of How My Car Blew Up) 11-20-12

Alright so by now, some who follow this blogger are aware that Tuesday evening, October 20, 2012 between 6:45-6:50pm, my PT Cruiser was totally destroyed by fire as it was engulfed in flames on the Interstate in Florida. I was taking my son for Thanksgiving festivities with the family. I had last texted via voice at 6:40pm. A few minutes later while driving in the center lane, I noticed my car began to smoke slightly and found it strange that the Sheriff in the fast lane next to me was speeding by me so quickly. My car soon started to stall & the engine light came on so I shifted and lightly applied the breaks as best I could and made it through the fast lane into the grassy left shoulder of the Interstate. I knew it was bad, got out with my keys, unbuckled the baby and took him out of the car while calling his Mother to come get him. Thick gray smoke began to billow from under the hood, and I knew it was best to get as far away from the car as possible as I knew what was going to happen. Fire was coming soon. No time to panic or try to gather valuables, I ran with him as far away from the car as possible.

My 2004 PT Cruiser caught fire after the engine stalled, 11-20-12.

Eventually while on the phone with roadside assistance from my insurance company, I was at enough of an angle that I could see the undercarriage of the car start to spark, and within a few minutes the entire car was engulfed in flames. My thoughts now that my son & I were safe was that I'd better a) post on Facebook immediately so my family & friends would know that there was a problem but that we were alright as well as alerting my business partners that obviously I would not be making it to photograph our event and b) take pictures of the car for insurance purposes.

At some point, a volunteer firefighter heading in the opposite direction came over with his wife & baby in their truck, gave me a blanket for my son & checked to see what he could do to help. I called 9-1-1, but emergency vehicles were already on very close by, and soon arrived. It took a few minutes for firefighters to extinguish the blaze and I hoped that my son's favorite bike and new clothes could be extracted from the rear hatch. No such luck.  I confirmed that a tow truck would be there in 40 minutes or so to tow my car the 15 miles or less limit to the dealership where I bought the car last June 2011. The Sheriff then gave me a ride to a restaurant nearby where I ordered 2 biscuits and gravy with 1 scrambled egg. I ate the $2.00 dinner while waiting for  my friend & business partner to come pick me up from South Tampa. There are some other minor details to the story, but I'm no longer interested in writing.

POSITIVES:

• We are in perfect health.
• I was scheduled to make my car payment that week. I procrastinated while waiting for a check to be deposited into my bank account. I would have felt sick had I spent all that money on a car I no longer had.
• All is well that ends well.

Jim Greer, Ex-Florida GOP Chair, Claims Republican Voting Laws Focused On Suppression, Racism

So in other news of the obvious...the pope is really really White. It's as the Florida GOP expected that normal people couldn't see through the blatant "I'm shortening voting days from 14 to 8 in the 5th largest state knowing that 300,000 MORE people would vote in 2012 than in 2008 because I'd like to cut down on the [non-existent] voting fraud in a state that Republicans have completely controlled for years" ruse. My home state of Florida gets what it paid for in voting for a criminal whose company received the largest fine in history for defrauding the fed while providing healthcare. But ironically "this guy" is against Obamacare. Priceless. www.thegreatblogofketo.blogspot.com
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Republican Reckoning Begins After Revealing Defeat

I hope my Republican friends consider the facts about how the majority of America feels about the values and corresponding actions of the Democratic party and consequently why we voted for Barack Obama (again). If the GOP continues to operate in it's own echo chamber and ignores the trends of this election, it will be a long time before they control anything again other than Congress for a few more years and some state governments. Unfortunately if Post-Clinton GOP ideology continues to prevail, Republicans STILL won't get it! They will continue to assume blindly and unintelligently that not only ignoring the Black & Hispanic vote which is now solidly Democratic, but also actively ALIENATING these groups with anti-immigrant mentality is still the key to winning elections particularly in the South. They will also continue to stereotype "OTHERS" and say that Obama won because poor Americans on welfare want to continue to get government handouts. THEY couldn't be more wrong on both fronts, and the numbers prove it. Even the Cuban population is no longer Republican in Fla! Unfortunately, I guarantee that the BLIND will continue to lead the BLIND, and Tea Partying, war-mongering GOP Party leadership will stupidly assume that they lost this election BECAUSE their candidates were not MORE extreme. For their sakes they should get it right because the number of old White men in America is shrinking and you CANNOT win with just their vote. Duh. www.thegreatblogofketo.blogspot.com
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

James Holmes Identified As Alleged Aurora, Colorado Theater Shooter That Left 12 Dead (PHOTOS, LIVEBLOG)

All I can say is "God help us all!". My heart goes out to the victims & their families, even to the rest of the people in the theater. I hope everyone puts themselves in those people's shoes for a moment and imagine how it would feel to wake up knowing that 12-14 people around you were murdered last night and 30-50 wounded.



And no, I don't think that banning violent video games or TV shows & movies with gratuitous violence is the answer at all. Hundreds of millions of people view this type of material and those of us who are "normal" wouldn't think of replicating these actions because we understand that certain things have their place and should stay in books, video games, movies, etc. We know that those types of behavior should not be emulated in everyday life. Even banning guns is not the answer. If someone is crazy enough or skilled enough there are a number of weapons that can be constructed or used in killing large numbers of people.



It does seem interesting to note though that in the world's richest country, the more educated and intellectual we become and with the world's collective knowledge doubling every so many years, the more savagely we behave towards each other. What mental & emotional issues could a well-educated Ph.D. student have that would "make" him premeditate the ending of multiple innocent lives?!
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

A Son is Born--The Birth of Mason Salim (11-4-2009)

It took him 2 years to arrive, but after several false labors, our 4th child and 1st son together by marriage was about to arrive any moment! Shirre started experiencing labor pains early Tuesday morning, drove herself to the local hospital in our hometown in Florida and called my job for me to come quickly from work, our son was about to be born! My heart was pounding as I had already informed H/R and my managers at my company that when the call came I would be leaving immediately. They knew to come get me off my current phone call with clients as soon as Shirre called! Well, Shirre dilated throughout the day, but it was slow going, and she didn't dilate enough for the nurses to induce labor, so they continued to give her medicine through the I.V. to help her along. I remember them saying throughout the evening, "She's X centimeters (dilated) and X% effaced..." I had no idea what any of that meant but I soon understood that a mother trying to give birth must meet a specific minimum number in order to successfully give birth. I had read as much of the sections geared towards fathers in "What to Expect When You're Expecting" as I could, but I didn't remember reading about these terms! After a while, the nurses just let Shirre rest, and I took a very comfortable sofa bed in the room to spend the night. The next morning, the nurses got Shirre up early so they could get her going again. I had a little notepad with me, taking a few notes, and I had brought my digital camera so I could capture the big moment when it arrived! I wrote on my hospital pad the following timeline which I've kept for 2 years in my A. Fuente cigar box:

November 4, 2009

• 8:18am: Broke Water, 4.5 cm

• 10:20am: Pain meds twice > Blood work > 6-7cm
• 10:30-11am: Dr. G/Anesthesiologist [gave Shirre] the epidural
• Shirre was now feeling fantastic and at ease in less than a few minutes. I remember her saying something really funny to the effect that these drugs were amazingly good!
• Somewhere around this time, I believe I went to get a haircut because this was a big day & shedding of hair symbolizes something old going away so that new life can come.
  
• 12:25pm: Nurse Woke [Shirre] up.
• 12:33pm: 8 cm dilated (according to Jill, the midwife).
• 1:38pm PUSH!!!! NOW!!!! Dad's camera and Mama's best friend & nurse, Danita's Blackberry were ready as I held Shirre's hand.
• 1:52pm: Birth! Sent out a pre-written text message to close friends & family announcing that "A prince is here! Mason Salim was born, 11/4/09, 1:52pm, 9 lbs/21 inches"
• 1530 (3:30pm): Epidural catheter removed (Danita took notes from this point as I went home for a few hours to check on our 3 older children who were eagerly awaiting news of the new baby brother!)
• 1545 (3:45pm): Shirre breastfed Mason
• [Shirre] Still holding baby at 3:50pm
• 1600 (4pm): Enfamil formula (bottle) fed to Mason because he didn't want to breastfeed.
• That evening, the nurses took Mason to the nursery to monitor his vitals overnight and brushed his hair into a mohawk, a style which lasted for quite some weeks without us brushing his hair!
• 10:30pm: Weighed 8lbs, 12oz (The nurse explained that babies weigh a little less their first night).

Read the following blog posts chronicling Shirre's pregnancy with Mason Salim:

Baby Diary: It's A Boy (5-18-09)

Baby Diary: The Name Revealed! (7-06-09)

Burn Advocates Network Offers Hope to Survivors

This week I had the good pleasure of meeting Attorney Samuel Davis, a New Jersey/New York area personal injury attorney. Sam is notable as the original founder of Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C., a personal injury law firm representing those injured due to accidents, negligence, medical malpractice, and defective products (in laymen's terms, products that sicken, injure or kill people). Of even greater human interest is a new non-profit organization that Davis founded, Burn Advocates Network which exists to support burn survivors of any age--youth, military combat veterans, and senior citizens through the post-accident recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration. BAN does this by offering medical, surgical, and psychiatric care to help victims return to normal life as well as legal representation for those who were burned due to another's negligence. BAN also offers variety of programs and initiatives including Burn Camps and Children's Surgical Missions.

More on the role of burn camps for injured youth:

Burn Camps help young burn survivors cope with their painful new world. In the course of a few weeks, the campers build self-confidence, friendship, and learn that there is life after burns. We are currently the only organization that aids burn camps all around the country by sending them recreational equipment and volunteers. We raise money to allow the camps to reach more children in need, and to provide them with more therapeutic activities. The campers enjoy, for example, swimming in the pool, teambuilding activities, playing music and singing around the campfire.

As a youth burn survivor myself, I can appreciate the proactive role that Sam and BAN are taking to help youth live meaningful lives after burn accidents. In my case, I sustained 2nd-and-3rd-degree burns in my home country of Haiti due to a cooking accident at age 4. Due to caring medical missionaries including my future adoptive mother, Dr. Guy Theodore, founder of L'Hospital Bienfaisance de Pignon, and Shriners Hospitals for Children® in Cincinnati, OH I was saved from death, relocated to the US, and underwent 14 reconstructive plastic surgeries from 1985-1995. I understand too well the importance of having someone like BAN in your corner. The youth psyche is a fragile thing, and can suffer repeated blows from being ostracized by kids at school because now you're "different", even from stares or negative comments by adults who should know better. Like Shriner's Burns Institutes, BAN serves a critical role in the rehabilitation and development of youth and adult burn victims. Thank God for people like Sam Davis, Burn Advocates Network staff, mentors, and volunteers, and Shriners.

For more information on Burn Advocates Network, Ltd. click the picture below or contact 375 Cedar Lane Teaneck, NJ 07666 Ph / 877-BURN-411.

Oklahoma State To Pac 10? Cowboys Reportedly Leaving Big 12 For Pac Ten

The dominoes have started falling and where they'll land noone knows. However, it is pretty obvious that schools, athletic directors & football headcoaches are making this move for the money. Not that there's anything wrong with that (especially since public universities nationwide have taken significant funding hits with this recession, especially in places like Florida where my alma mater, University of South Florida has lost millions in government funding.) A major TV network like The Big 10 Network provides cash and tons of it for building/expansion/renovation projects, funding & budgeting for R&D and anything else a major University might need.

Eventually we're probably going to see 4-5 superconferences each representing a geographical monopoly on NCAA athletic competition with less "significant" schools like Marshall, UCF, Baylor?, etc. being relegated to the "other" conferences. It is what it is. Of course, the "amateur" student athletes will never see a dime of those increased TV revenues, but that and the NCAA's hypocrisy are different topics for another post when I have all day and lots of digital ink. http://www.thegreatblogofketo.blogspot.com/
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost