Tuesday, February 28, 2006

The ONE Campaign


SIGN AND HELP END WORLD POVERTY

I wanted to use this blog to raise awareness about certain issues near and dear to my heart (not just to bitch about the current administration). Especially the issue of poverty. On that note - I'd like to tell everyone to check out this site to see how you can make a difference in combating world poverty and AIDS. This is a non-political venture with many types of people of all political affiliations involved. Check it out.....it is a great cause to support no matter what your beliefs are.

All Time Low for the Wastrel and his Best Pal

BUSH AND CHENEY HIT AN ALL TIME LOW

All right - they've done it. They've hit an all time low.....in the approval ratings that is. What a couple of great guys. Guess the rest of the nation is finally figuring out what we on the far left have known for six years. This administration doesn't care about the American people. They don't care about our safety: See all environmental policies as well as recent Homeland Security decisions. They don't care about the poor: See the proposed budget for this year and see all of the Gulf Coast. They don't care about women's issues: See the current Supreme Court. The list goes on and on......
Wish the election was tomorrow. I'm guessing "any unnamed Democrat" could win.

Sunday, February 26, 2006

Oliver the Cat



Oliver the Cat

Oliver is my baby. I've had him all his life...was there when he was born. I love him, but he has a few challenges. He has FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus), a heart condition, a thyroid condition, chronic uveitis, and other various health issues. He is on a lot of medication and sees the vet (3-4 of them) a lot. However, he is a great cat and seems to always be in great spirits and feeling well.

I want to use my blog to raise awareness of FIV and the benefits of keeping your cat indoors. I have some links on my blog to info on FIV and how cats contract the disease. If you keep your cat indoors (or under strict human supervision in a restricted outdoor setting and away from all other animals) you can prevent this terrible disease. Please think about your cat's health and consider leaving them indoors only!


World's Worst Wastrel "W"




"W"
The unmitigated gall of this man. He acts as if he owns the place. No really......as if he and all his rich friends own the place and he is damn well going to do whatever he wants whenever he wants and no one can stop him. He doesn't think he has to answer to anyone at all including his cronies in Congress. He will wiretap without a warrant. He will tell the American People the lie that he has a right to do it and damn anyone that may question that. He will decide to have the UAE guard our ports, even though this is a country that two of the 911 terrorists came from. He will attempt to appoint cronies to the most important court in the land.....a lifetime appointment. Anyone who dares to question he or his administration will face his wrath. In fact, anyone who dares to question him on anything is considered at the least "unpatriotic" or "supporting terrorism". Excuse me Mr. President, but someone really ought to tell you that you are not a Monarch.......you are our employeee....and a Temp. at that !

Thursday, February 16, 2006

Some of My Favorite Links

Here are some links to my favorite websites:
****Just added more links to the front page of my blog (see right column)

DNA Innocence Project
http://www.innocenceproject.org/about/index.php

Watchdogs for Hate Groups
http://www.splcenter.org/

Protecting Our Democracy
http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/

Political Action for the Left
http://www.moveon.org/

Social Justice Issues - The "War" on Drugs




I wanted to start this blog to talk about issues of social justice. For this month's topic - I'd like to see what some of you have to say about drug addiction and how our society is set up to handle or not handle it.

Working as a Public Defender I can tell you I'm on the front lines of the so called "War on Drugs" and we are losing this war in a big way. We as a society have criminalized the addiction of drugs to such a point I believe we are creating more criminals instead of good citizens. We swoop them up and charge them with a felony for any type of drug possession (other than >35 grams of marijuana). So, what that means is that you can have one little grain of an illegal substance in your purse or pocket and be charged with a felony offense. So, you get arrested and then charged with a crime where you are facing up to 7 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. Chances are you may get a felony conviction first time out - but likely with some kind of probation.

In this probation you will be supervised by very cynical people who hate their jobs and hate the people they supervise. The one goal they have will be to get you off their caseload which means getting you sent off to the Department of Corrections. You will have to get a job as a condition of your probation. Because you have a felony conviction, it will be very difficult to find any job. Not even Wal-Mart will hire a person with a felony conviction now - so good luck on that. You cannot enter a bar or drink alcohol while on probation supervision. You must waive basically all your rights. You are poor and with no insurance, so you can't afford any drug treatment program. The state has cut almost all funding for them - so you can't go to a free one anymore. If you do manage to find one who will take you - it is only for 21 - 28 days - not nearly enough time to kick an addiction to a serious drug much less deal with relapse prevention issues. You will have to meet with your probation officer anytime they demand it - and it is usually during working hours - so if you have managed somehow to find someone who will hire you - they probably won't want to put up with these many absences from work. Then you've got the wonderful probation officer breathing down your neck for that. You probably have to move from location to location because you can't afford to get a place of your own. If you don't report any (and I mean any) change of address within 48 hours - that is a violation of your probation. Because of your probation officer's diligence in reporting your every little infraction, you will likely be revoked and serve some time in prison. You will then get out and try to get a job after being in prison.....good luck on that too.

It doesn't work !!! My solution is to set up a diversion program in every city and county where a person undergoes a very intensive 1-2 year long treatment program with school and/or job training. If you successfully complete all this - your criminal charge will be dropped. They have this in a very few jurisdictions in Missouri. It is called Drug Court. Sadly, it is too few and the treatment options in some that do exist are very limited. If we spend as much money on treatment as we do to house drug addicts in prison - we would have the best and longest treatment available for everyone who needs it.

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