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First Friends Matter

The first friend you make in life sets the tone for all other relationships. At least I believe that. I am fortunate that my first friend was wonderful. Her name was KayKay. KayKay was a year or two older than me. She lived next door to us in Montgomery, Alabama. Our neighborhood includes a row of what was called VA homes because they were bought by GIs who got government benefits for their service. The homes were highly affordable to these men, most who fought in World War 2, and who were now starting families as part of the baby boom. From what I remember, KayKay was a general's daughter. I don't remember her parents although I remember liking them very much. I suppose KayKay was likely the first child I met because there are pictures of me as a baby with her next to me. She and I were different personalities. KayKay did stuff for no reason at all other than she could. She had no substantial fear and created whatever she thought of. I was always more cautious. My dad said I was born nervous. I liked to color within the lines, made sure my work was perfect and wasn't as apt to try things that posed a significant risk of failure. Unless I was with KayKay. There was a metal, chain-linked fence that separated our yards. The entries were at the front of the fence facing the street so there was no good way to move back and forth between yards without getting permission from parents to leave the backyard and go down the other driveway. KayKay figured out that we weren't technically leaving our assigned spaces if we climbed over the fence. She did it readily and encouraged me to do it two. I was probably three and wasn't so sure about this idea. "Come on," she said from her yard. Her blonde hair blew in the summer breeze, getting into her face. She brushed it out of the way. "I did it. It's not hard. Just put your feet in the holes and climb." I finally relented and climbed the fence, even managing to get over the scary top that was a full four feet off the ground. I was in her yard. My fear of getting into trouble quickly waned as she showed me her hideaway that she created in a group of bushes. It was kind of like a cave but with greenery. We sat in there and talked and then she decided we needed a snack. I'm sure that her mother already had seen us and called my mother because Mama wasn't out looking for me. She never let me out of her sight. Snacks and drinks came and we talked about castles, princes, dogs, and cats. It was quite the conversation. Eventually, Mama came out a called and it was time to go. Surprisingly, she wasn't upset to see me climb over the fence to return to our yard. She was rather proud. "You're becoming a big girl, aren't you," she said as I trotted to her. She hollered at KayKay to tell her thanks for looking after me. "You're welcome," KayKay shouted back as she headed inside her home. The friendship with KayKay lasted a year or so before I was told she and her family were moving. I wasn't sad but I didn't really understand what moving meant. I was told she would come back to visit or there would be phone calls. Phone calls came and went. Then, they stopped. She never came back. I don't know where she is now or how her life turned out but I will always remember her kindness to the little cautious kid next door. In my mind, she will always be my first best friend, the first one to accept me, and the first one to get me to try something new. For that, I am grateful.

[newswritermel]

Why UFOs Matter Today

You may ask why the sudden interest in UFOs, alleged space aliens, etc., is popping up when there is honestly more important matters like election fraud, who is running the country, national security, the border crisis and human trafficking at stake. It all boils down to the control of information. Let me explain.

When the Roswell crash of 1947 happened, newspapers initially quoted government officials as saying it was a flying saucer that crashed and that two aliens were on board. My dad heard this over military radio chatter when it happened. Newspapers ran with the story. 

The next day, the government changed the narrative saying it was a weather balloon. The problem with that was the number of witnesses. People in and around Roswell saw and heard the crash. The rancher who owned the property got a close up look. People saw all the military trucks and troops come in for cleanup. The man initially in charge took some of the material home and showed his family. He knew it wasn't a weather balloon.

This incident marks the moment when the public quit trusting the government. It was the first moment people started asking questions. It was the first modern conspiracy theory.

President Harry Truman handled the situation by creating the Majestic 12, headed by the country's first defense secretary and former Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal. The purpose of the group, made up of scientists and military, was to figure out how to handle this crash and other sighting occurring at a rapid pace then.

This became the first "shadow government" as its purpose was to have unelected bureaucrats handle government business outside the eye of the public and the press. The decline and suspicious suicide death of Forrestal just months later has long been a source of controversy.

Truman went further after a number of UFOs were seen by hundreds of people over Washington D.C. in 1952. Five flew over the White House two days over a week. Daddy talked a lot about this as he was in the military at the time and, I think, was there. He said a panicked general was running up the halls of the Pentagon screaming "They're here! They're here and there's nothing we can do to stop them!"

Truman set up a second panel of a shadow government. This time, the group came out of the newly formed CIA. It's purpose wasn't to investigate or determine a course of action for these national security issues. This group's purpose had one goal - to tell the American public nothing happened and to convince witnesses they were mistaken in what they say. This was the first government-sponsored public disinformation campaign.

That group continued its mission with future sightings, but also expanded into other areas over the decades. This is what we have now. There is no wonder why Americans are receiving fake news about elections, the border and all the rest. The government has gotten good at it, and have fully involved the media.

The government came out last year to say the Roswell crash was a highly developed, secret military craft created to spy on the Soviet Union. However, other government officials and the military is also now coming out verifying the existence of unknown objects in sky and space called UFOs.

President Donald Trump said everything would be declassified and that includes all government UFO files not already declassified. He set that for declassification before he left office.

Naturally, those that question things today like election fraud, the virus, and the Biden presidency are called "conspiracy theorists" just as those who saw something in Roswell in July 1947.

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Arrests, charges unsealed Friday

A list of politicians and activists arrested on pedophilia charges over the past few years was unsealed by law enforcement and released Friday.

Democratic Illinois State Representative, Keith Farnham, has resigned and was charged with possession of child pornography and has been accused of bragging at an online site about sexually molesting a 6-year-old girl.

Democratic spokesperson for the Arkansas Democratic Party, Harold Moody, Jr, was charged with distribution and possession of child pornography.

Democratic Radnor Township Board of Commissioners member, Philip Ahr, resigned from his position after being charged with possession of child pornography and abusing children between 2 and 6 years-old.

Democratic activist and BLM organizer, Charles Wade, was arrested and charged with human trafficking and underage prostitution.

Democratic Texas attorney and activist, Mark Benavides, was charged with having sex with a minor, inducing a child under 18 to have sex and compelling prostitution of at least nine legal clients and possession of child pornography. He was found guilty on six counts of sex trafficking.

Democratic Virginia Delegate, Joe Morrissey, was indicted on charges connected to his relationship with a 17-year-old girl and was charged with supervisory indecent liberties with a minor, electronic solicitation of a minor, possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography.

Democratic Massachusetts Congressman, Gerry Studds, was censured by the House of Representatives after he admitted to an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old.

Democratic Former Mayor of Stillwater, New York, Rick Nelson was plead guilty to five counts of possession of child pornography of children less than 16 years of age.

Democratic Former Mayor of Clayton, New York, Dale Kenyon, was indicted for sexual acts against a teenager.

Democratic Former Mayor of Hubbard, Ohio, Richard Keenan, was given a life sentence in jail for raping a 4-year-old girl.

Democratic Former Mayor of Winston, Oregeon, Kenneth Barrett, was arrested for setting up a meeting to have sex with a 14-year-old girl who turned out to be a police officer.

Democratic Former Mayor of Randolph, Nebraska, Dwayne L. Schutt, was arrested and charged with four counts of felony third-degree sexual assault of a child and one count of intentional child abuse.

Democratic Former Mayor of Dawson, Georgia, Christopher Wright, was indicted on the charges of aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy, rape, child molestation and statutory rape of an 11-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl.

Democratic Former Mayor of Stockton, California, Anthony Silva, was charged with providing alcohol to young adults during a game of strip poker that included a 16-year-old boy at a camp for underprivileged children run by the mayor.

Democratic Former Mayor of Millbrook, New York, Donald Briggs, was arrested and charged with inappropriate sexual contact with a person younger than 17.

Democratic party leader for Victoria County, Texas, Stephen Jabbour, plead guilty to possession and receiving over half a million child pornographic images.

Democratic activist and fundraiser, Terrence Bean, was arrested on charges of sodomy and sex abuse in a case involving a 15-year-old boy and when the alleged victim declined to testify, and the judge dismissed the case.

Democratic Party Chairman for Davidson County, Tennessee, Rodney Mullin, resigned amid child pornography allegations.

Democratic activist, Andrew Douglas Reed, pleaded guilty to a multiple counts of 2nd-degree sexual exploitation of a minor for producing child pornography.

Democratic official from Terre Haute, Indiana, David Roberts was sentenced to federal prison for producing and possessing child pornography including placing hidden cameras in the bedrooms and bathrooms at a home he shared with two minor female victims.

[newswritermel]

Mastering the Perfect Tree

I love Christmas trees. I love the creativity that goes into decorating them, especially the themed trees. I’ve done my share of those.

Our tree isn’t that creative but is incredibility sentimental. It is filled with memories of years gone by. Handcrafted ornaments from my mother, me, ornaments given to me by neighbors, Secret Santas, and friends.

I only put up large live trees. That stems from the fact that I grew up with a tabletop artificial one. The problem with a live tree is getting it to stand tall and straight. Our old stand, which I’ve had way before we got married so it’s at least 20 years old, contributes to the problem.

Every year, we say we need to buy a new stand. Every year, we don’t. Before you know it, another year goes by and we’re buying a tree and trying to get it to set straight in the old stand. This year, we struggled for no less than three hours to get the tree straight. I worked with cardboard in the stand base, then styrofoam, duct tape. Finally, my husband said it looked perfect. I took a step back. It did look perfect. Nice, tall and straight.

As we reviewed our efforts, I was reminded of my first Christmas on my own. I couldn’t afford a real tree that year and Mama decided not to put the old tree up. She gave it to me. Our little tabletop tree. I assembled it in the corner of my apartment living room, but it wouldn’t stand straight. The stand was worn. Frustrated, I wanted to complete my project. So, I nailed a small nail into the wall directly behind the tree, got twine, looped it around the tree trunk, pulled it tight until the tree was straight, and tied it to the nail.

My husband laughed at the story.

The next morning, I got up and took a look at the tree. It was leaning again. I gave it some thought.

I pulled out the floral wire, a nail, and some scissors. The tree is now perfect.

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My dogs talk to me

Anyone who has ever had a pet knows the truth. Dogs can talk to you. Sometimes, it takes years for you to understand them, but they do communicate.

We have two dogs. They are polar opposites. I have often said that Shelby, our Aussie Shepherd, would be a New York lawyer if she were human. Our other dog, Daisy, a Golden Retriever, would be a California beach blonde on weed. She makes us laugh.

Our Shelby is incredibly smart and has learned how to charm us into giving her treats and, yes, sometimes people food with her expressions. It helps she has eyebrows that contribute to creating true expressions and cuteness. 

Shelby does actually talk in a way. She barks of course but also mumbles when she gets frustrated. She makes vocal sounds that indicate perfectly how frustrated she is and the sounds are almost words.

Shelby can whisper. She will be barking and I indicate with a hand motion and say “quiet” and she immediately repeats the bark in a much lower, quieter voice. 

Shelby is the house manager. She makes sure the cat, Charger, Daisy and my husband and I are all where she should be doing what we should be doing. One night, she got upset in the middle of the night and started barking. Come to find out, the event that upset her is she heard the cat getting into the pet food. Shelby continued fussing at the cat for ignoring proper dinner hours. 

Daisy also talks, but tend to sound more like Chewbacca than a dog. She is constantly making sounds and leaves it to us to figure out what she is saying. She does have body language down though. She will quickly toss her head in the direction of the door or the food and water bowls when she feels a need.

It is amazing that pet owners can simply look at their dog or cat and immediately understand what they want. It’s in their eyes. You just know. A relative once said, “she looks like she knows something about your mother.” That is true. 

I suppose more credit should go to the pet than to us. Ours had us figured out within a few months of living with us. It has taken us years to figure them out.

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Socialism and Sundaes

My family raised me in the staunch belief of capitalism. You want something, you work for it. Competition? Part of life. Deal with it. Set out to win. Don’t depend on the government for anything. 

We grew our own vegetables. My mother canned. My dad worked on his own cars. Yep, what was ours was ours and we deserved it because we worked for it. 

Imagine my utter dismay at today’s “gimme” generation wanting free college, free housing, jobs that start out with a “livable working wage.” The socialist mentality is generated by a bunch of over-protected babies that have never had to work hard for anything.

So, when we had the opportunity to spend time with our young nieces, I wanted to instill something of traditional values into their character. While we paid admission to the various festivals and events, I made them bring their own money for spending. When it ran out, as it always did, we refused to buy more things for them saying they should have budgeted better.

One niece was good with money and usually did budget well. The younger one liked to spend and was the one who always ran short. She would cry and wail about how THIRSTY she was, how HUNGRY she was, but - nope - I wouldn’t budge. She had to learn. 

We took the girls to Whitewater Amusement Park a few years ago. The youngest was around 9 and the oldest was 11. We made it through the park and my husband and I underestimated the cost of a locker, which we decided we needed in order not to carry all our gear everywhere. 

Toward the end of the day, we and the oldest niece were out of money. The youngest had budgeted well and had her sights set on the food she wanted to buy to round out the day. 

However, the rest of us were hungry too. I had a debit card, but for some reason, the park wasn’t taking debit cards for payment. So, I start bargaining with my youngest niece. 

I told her that if we were going to stay in the park as long as she wanted, we would need to share her money to buy food for all of us. She protested, saying she had done well saving it and budgeting and it wasn’t fair. I explained that I know it wasn’t fair, but they wouldn’t take my card. 

I then said that this is a good lesson in socialism. I explained that in socialism, you take from people who have earned and saved money and give to those who have not. Her response was classic.

“I hate socialism!” she exclaimed. 

I had to hold back my laughter, as did my husband. Now, that the point was made, I knew I had to strike a deal. I told her to loan me the money now and I would buy her anything she wanted at McDonald’s later. She agreed and made sure to get her money’s worth when we got to McDonald’s ordering a happy meal, a sundae and I think a cookie with a large soft drink. 

I think she has the concept of capitalism dow.

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October surprises

I have always loved October. It didn’t matter if the temperature was 90 degrees in Alabama, where I grew up. October is still a time for fun, festivals, campfires and s’mores.

When I was a kid, there were a couple of things that were big deals in the town of Gardendale. One was the homecoming parade. Homecoming for the Gardendale Rockets was a major event. 

There was a two-month lead up to homecoming. Mum corsages with maroon and white ribbons streaming from them were for sale. Teenage girls were reviewing their possible attire for homecoming night. If it were cool, it was a wool skirt, sweater, knee socks, and loafers. A warm night meant a maroon suntop, cotton skirt, and sandals. 

The homecoming parade weaved its way down Main Street, past the First Baptist Church, the civic center and city hall. I tended to park myself at the corner, just up from Elmore's 10 cent store and Pasquale's Pizza, where all of us would surely end up later.

The other big event was the Halloween Festival at the Gardendale Civic Center. Back then, Halloween wasn’t considered a bad thing and wasn’t at all controversial, so the local government had no problem hosting events to celebrate it.

At the civic center, you would find standard games like dunking for apples or ring toss. However, they also had a haunted house that became the epicenter of nightmares for me for weeks to come. 

I was about 9, maybe 10, and my friend Melanie invited me to go to the Halloween festival at the civic center. She talked me into going into the Haunted House with her. She was a year older, so she had done such things before. I had not. 

It was all fine until this one room. It was dark. It was quiet. There was one obvious monster on the far wall who made noise but remained in his place. While we were focused on him, suddenly, a witch in black that had remained unseen in the dark corner behind us lunched out! That was the scariest moment of my life, up until that point, so much so that I remember it vividly even today.

Here’s to leaves, costumes and fun times! Happy fall y’all!

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My Front Porch

Sitting here thinking about all the protests, shouting and outright disrespect stemming from tribal politics, I ponder how we got to this moment.

I know there has always been a certain amount of violent protests, depending on the topic. Montgomery in the 1960s certainly was no picnic. Birmingham wasn’t a kind place either. However, it didn’t feel to me - growing up in both - that those feelings were nationwide. Those acts were isolated. It seemed, from my young eyes, that those in leadership were trying to maintain order. Maybe it’s because I’m an adult and see things differently, but this just feels more vile, more hateful. It just feels different.

Politics were debated somewhat in my family. There were differences of opinion for sure. Yet, there were no arguments. There was one standard rule. Be respectful enough to listen. Everyone was taught to let other people speak. No one over talked anyone. That was a major rule that everyone in my family, indeed everyone I knew, followed. Families where I grew up typically had the same values on politeness, so everyone was taught this.

Children were taught to respect adults. In the South, we say “m’am” and “sir” to everyone - even if they are younger - until the day we die. Most of us, I think, were taught to tame the fires of debate rather than spark them. Phrases like “Well, that’s your opinion” or “We’ll just agree to disagree” followed by offering something like banana pudding or sweet tea.

I have noticed that even in non-political talk today, people seem to over talk each other. Everyone feels the need to have the last word, to be right, and leave angry or immediately unfriend or block. That doesn’t get anything done.

What if people treated each other like they were friends first? What if people realized that everyone has something in common in spite of all differences?

Some may think they have nothing in common with the other “tribe.” I disagree. Here is a list of things most everyone likes:

Dogs

A good dessert

Kids

Trees

Mountains and beaches

Vacations

Sports Teams

Good weather

Grandparents

See? All of us can have things in common. Let’s start there...maybe if we practice with things we have in common, we can develop enough courtesy skills to move on to topics that need compromise.

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Join Me on My Front Porch

One of my favorite childhood memories were front porch talks. Weekend evenings at Grandmother’s went something like this. The family, consisting of our family, two aunts and their families, a single uncle, and occasionally our out-of-state uncle with his wife and family, would convene at Grandmother’s craftsman home in Tarrant, Ala., for an afternoon of food and fun. 

We would eat in the early evening around 5 p.m. or so, and the meal would last at least an hour and a half because, of course, everyone had to talk and share stories and life’s events. We didn’t have dessert then. Everyone helped cook and, likewise, helped clean so it was usually dusk about the time dessert rolled around.

We younger kids and my elderly and ailing step-grandfather would spend our time in the living room watching either HeeHaw or Lawrence Welk while we waited.

Dessert could be anything. It could be trifle or my grandmother’s homemade banana pudding. Or it could be cantaloupe or fresh cut watermelon from the garden. Whatever it was, we would get a bowl or plate of it and head to the front porch.

Grandmother’s front porch was wide, typically of that era of home. There was a porch swing, a couple of slider rockers and a few standard rocking chairs. My grandmother would take the opportunity to bring a birdcage containing her parakeet (first Blue Boy and later Petey) and hang it over the porch so the pet bird could get some fresh air and outdoor activity. They dog Sammy often sat on the porch floor patiently waiting for droppings. The cat, Hobo, remained inside to relish the quiet of the house.

We would sit on that porch and the adults would talk. Occasionally, one of us kids would interject a pertinent comment or ask a question, but we were largely quiet because we were told children were to be seen and not heard. While some may find that terrible to say today, as an adult, I think it’s a marvelous concept. It forced me to listen and respect what others had to say. 

Front porch talk included a myriad of subjects. It could be about when rain was coming in, what the neighbor was doing through the large picture window across the street, to an upcoming election or other political matters, to why squirrels running along electric lines in front of the home never got electrocuted. Sometimes, it would be how to perfect a recipe, stories of our ancestors, or even strange topics like ghosts, dreams, psychics and UFOs. And the Bible. The Bible often popped up unexpectedly in any one of these topical conversations.

I didn’t realize it then, but I treasure these front porch talks now. These didn’t just occur at Grandmother’s house. Oh no, front porch visits are as part of the Alabama culture as sweet tea. There were many times we would visit a neighbor, sit on their front porch and talk about - well - everything. I think this is one reason why Southerners are, generally, pretty intelligent and accepting. We spent years listening to a lot of people talk about a lot of things and no one ever argued about who was right. I believe these front porch talks taught me valuable skills I would later use as a reporter.

So, while you can’t literally come to my front porch, pull up a chair, grab a glass of sweet tea and join me here. I look forward to it.

[newswritermel]

A Great Idea Needs Support

Everyone in the metropolitan Atlanta area is acknowledging this has been the worst spring and summer in a while for uncontrolled dog and cat births. Cats breed routinely, producing three to four litters a year. That’s an average 20 kittens, who then go on to produce more litters. 

So, within two years, one cat can ultimately be responsible for 800 kittens!

Charlotte Harrison of the Cedartown Polk County Humane Society is adamant the only way to control the animal population is to offer low-cost spay and neuter programs to the community. 

“We can’t adopt or rescue our way out of the overpopulation problem. Spay and neuter is our answer,” she said. 

Worse yet, many of these baby animals end up in shelters. The overpopulation forces many city and county owned facilities to accelerate euthanasia on animals weekly. Many of these sweet animals facing death could be held until adopted if there weren’t so many animals coming into the shelter.

While many area rescue groups pull animals out of shelters as much as they can, it just isn’t enough. There are just too many.

The Cedartown Polk County Humane Society has an opportunity to help this situation. The Kimoto Corporation donated three acres for the non-profit group to build the Kimoto Animal Clinic and Shelter. The building will house a state-of-the-art clinic that will offer low-cost veterinary services with a focus on spaying and neutering. The building will also house a shelter for animals awaiting fostering or adoption. 

Channel 2 People 2 People show did a feature on this project. You can find the show online here...http://www.wsbtv.com/video?videoId=555697016&videoVersion=1.0

The group must provide the matching funds for the shelter for the project, totaling $530,000. They are in the midst of a fundraising effort now and, even though they have been successful in collecting donations so far, the CPCHS needs a lot more money to make the dream of the Kimoto Animal Clinic and Shelter come true.

Building the Kimoto Clinic and Shelter will help the entire northwest Atlanta region control its unwanted animal population, as it will be open to anyone to obtain low-cost services. Currently, the only other place offering similar services in Ballground, which is in North Georgia. 

Those wishing to find out more about the project and donate can go to www.cedartownpolkcountyhumanesociety.org or to the donation page at https://www.classy.org/campaign/Capital-campaign/c128025

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