Time is up, apparently
Remember the April 15 audiotape from Osama bin Laden giving Europe three months to pull troops out of Afghanistan, Iraq and other Muslim countries or face new attacks like the March 11 Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people? The deadline passed two weeks ago.

Today Islamic extremists claiming to be linked with al-Qaeda posted an Internet threat of "a bloody war" on Europe, Sky News reported Thursday. They said, "Today, we have declared a bloody war on you and we will not stop raids against you until you return to the correct path," said the statement, signed by Abu Haf's al-Masri Brigades.

Read the chilling article here: http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20040729-063935-5490r.htm.

Say it with me, Barak Obama
It's just a fun name to say. I'm not Democrat but I liked this guy and his uplifting, all-inclusive speech at the DNC. I couldn't help but wonder if he will one day be the first Black President of the USA. Check out these comments about this new "weapon of mass enlightenment" here: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/FG30Aa03.html.

The DEM Convention confab is starting
It will be interesting to see how the various media present (spin?) what is being said at the convention. And the, of course, there’s this:  BOSTON (Reuters) - The FBI said on Friday it was probing "unconfirmed information" that a domestic group is planning to disrupt next week's Democratic National Convention by attacking media vehicles with explosives or incendiary devices. Jul 23, 10:47 AM (ET).
     Needless to say, the coffee will be pouring Monday night! But for now I’m just excited for my weekend – going to Niagara Falls and am going to LOL all the way up Clifton Hills.

Trains, planes…I think I'll just stay home!
This just in:  Amtrak train searched after threatening note found. Click on link to see the article.
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-nj--trainsearch0722jul22,0,6107823,print.story?coll=ny-ap-regional-wire.  The note that was found contained the words "You're all sitting ducks." Now that’s spooky.

You have to be really brave to travel these days.

Too scared to fly.
I’ve now read two reports of Middle Eastern men who board planes as individuals and then while in flight, make eye contact and congregate in different parts of the plane, alternately taking objects in to the lavatories with them such as cell phones, digital cameras. There have been incidents of them charging toward the cockpit door to flush out air marshals.  Check out this article here:  http://www.stevequayle.com/News.alert/04_Terror/040722.airline.attacks.html.

     I really want to fly to visit my family but I’m just too afraid and I don’t want them to fly here either.  I wonder how many other people feel this way?

I'd write something but but I'm so uncomfortable with these documents in my socks and pants.  I almost forgot they were there!
     Sandy Berger - what you did was a disgrace.  Why did you do it?

OK so I'm not sick but I'm home today and already I've cleaned out the toy box, the junk drawer. I'm about to tackle my filing cabinet. I must have about 100 news articles I've printed out since 9/11. 
     It was on that day I woke up to the world around me and realized I knew nothing about what was going on and what had led up to those horrendous events.  So I'm going to make files for all the conspiracy theories I've discovered; for insightful articles on the Israel/Palestine conflict; for history of the U.N.; for news related to space weather and earth changes; for reports on the the dangers of flouride and root canals; for health issue such as mad cow and the infected meat supply.  And of course, more. 
     For all these printouts I've read I find it difficult to actually retain the facts and just when I begin to talk about one of these topics I realize I can't recall the exact details and must resort to saying "I have an article on that, I'll be right back". Embarassing. 
     I hope I don't spend too much time reading today, afterall I only have today free time to organize every area of my life, write the great American novel, write all my friends, organize photos and of course, create more exciting blogs like this one. :-)
     OK. May not that last one.

Not enough money or time but so much to be thankful for!
I wish I had so much money I didn’t have to work! I really like what I do (Marketing) but there are so many other things I’d rather be doing right now.  As a mom of 2 young children “my own” day doesn’t really start until their precious heads hit their pillows, but at 8:45pm that doesn’t leave a lot of time for me to accomplish much.  I think the perfect solution is to somehow only work 4 days per week.  Hmmm I wonder if that would be possible.  I’d have to convince Martin and what about the lower salary.       Oh well, I’ll worry about it another day. I’ll stat delegating more at home and waking up earlier to see if it helps.      Have a great day!

I had a very unfocused day today. I have a serious case of summer fever and really don't want to go to work these days, not that the weather has been all that summer-like.  I arrive at work and say to myself "time to make the donughts'' and prepare myself to face the 3 3/4 wall of my cubicle.  Human beings were not meant to spend their days in cubicles!  It's a good thing I like my work.
     So I don't believe anyone will ever actually read these postings so I'm feeling quite free to write whatever I want. I'm hoping that within a year I'll have submitted my own short story for publishing so forgive me if I practice witicisms here.
     I'm reading an excellent collection of short stories right now called SWINK magazine. The premier issue came out in April and another will come out in Oct. or Nov.  I read these stories and wonder how these writers came up with these ideas.  There is such a diverse collection of stories here - definitely worth the $8 per issue.  I hope of the writing rubs off on me.

I imagine that to Mexican "undocumented workers" they are like Cinderella and the U.S. companies employing them are like the evil step sisters taking advantage of their labor to get jobs done that they don't want to pay fair wages for.  U.S. immigration policy is the step mother saying "clean the toilets, harvest the broccoli, change the hotel sheets and maybe later on I'll let you go to the ball."
     When did these illegals (let's call them what they are and not confuse the issue with Orwellian doublespeak) start to believe they were entitled to jobs that should rightly be offered only to American citizens and those who enter the U.S. legally? The argument that "no one in the U.S. wants these jobs anyway so let the undocumented workers to them" is fallacious.  Each U.S. citizen or legal resident isn't going to attain identical skill sets.  There is a section of the population for whom these "service sector" jobs match their skills. There will always be a portion of the population in transition and that covers anything from being in the process of learning adequate language skills to establishing roots after moving to a new area.  These "unwanted" jobs fill the temporary yet very real job needs for these populations.
     That it's illegals that are being given these opportunities and not America's own is short-sited policy.

I'm always amazed at my inability to foresee the future and remember the past.
- and original thought by Pamela Hamilton

That is my first official "my own thoughts" blog entry besides the 'Ph travels' blog I've started which tells the stories of my various journeys. Blogging is funny because until the very moment I begin to type it seems the inspiration that drove me to the keyboard dissapears and I'm left with a white screen and bloggers block.
So I suppose that this blog will to some extent be a learning place for me. A place for me to practice saying what's on my mind and writing it down. I do have aspirations of writing a short story and having it published one day - but I know I need practice. Why? I've never done it and I do far too much editing in my mind as I go.
Now to another kind of creation I must go; it's time for me to make french toast for my 2 sweeties, both of whom are standing near me waiting for me to finish. One is in her Cinderella princess dress and the other is in her wrinkled pajamas, her hair in real need of a brushing.