Price Tag Pet Peeves

Pesky price tags. How much time have you wasted trying to get price tags off gifts? They were designed by evil elves.

There's the tag that is stuck on with crazy glue. No matter what you do, you can't get it off the item. Vinegar or alcohol may take some of the gummy residue, but who wants to go through that stinky process? Soapy water, sometimes. It takes forever to get the main part off just to get to the gummy gook they used to hot glue it on with.

And the price tags that come off fairly easy... in a million little slivers. They're designed to thwart those who like to switch price tags in the store. With great success I would imagine. However, they thwart all but the most adept at home, too. It seems that with bar code technology that we wouldn't need price tags. However, it takes time for a store clerk to run back to verify a price on the shelf... because if I understand correctly, if it IS marked with the wrong price on the shelf (or all of the products), they must give it to you for that price. That could be just a store policy rather than a "law" but either way, I can see the store's side.

I can understand, too, why they can't just go to a straight bar code system. I want to know how much an item is when I'm shopping and I don't come equipped with a bar code reader...

The last of my price tag pet peeves? The ones that are part of the package. There's no removing them and who wants to give a gift that shows how much you spent? Well, there are times you might not mind. For instance, if you got the item on sale you might want someone to think you spent the price on the package. My Mom used to always "forget" to take the price tags off gifts she gave. She wanted to make sure we all knew the value of the gift so we'd appreciate it. Didn't work, but it did give us something to laugh about as we were growing up. Kind of an added bonus to look for the price tag and snicker with the siblings! She stopped as we got older. Another Christmas tradition down the drain.

I think only the value stores do the permanent price printing on the packages. What's fun is when they put them on sale so then you have the added bonus of a price tag that either splits into a million pieces or one that leaves gummy residue on the package. Bargain shoppers nightmare.

There has to be a better way.

A better way to give?

Working on the Fayette Front Page and the Georgia Front page I see a large, large number of releases and stories about all the good things people are doing in the world. Turn on the television, especially at this time of year, and you're bound to see a commercial or a story for or about a charity.

I hear huge dollar amounts tossed out. Millions are donated to feed the homeless, cure a disease, right a wrong.

So how come we're not making a dent in things? We're tossing zillions of dollars toward research. Zillions of dollars to rebuild homes. Zillions of dollars to feed people across the world.

Off and on I think about the industry of helping others. It's a huge business. HUGE.

It's not always a business that is a good steward of our donated dollars and time. I remember visiting the Atlanta office a very well known organization fighting a deadly disease. I should be so lucky to sit in an office of similar opulence.

Think about all of the people who make their living fighting diseases. We have managers, vice presidents, presidents, staff workers, accountants, doctors, scientists and untold numbers who would be jobless if they found a cure for the disease they're trying to eradicate. Do away with those who are now in poverty and we'd create a whole new group of out-of-work poverty fighters on the dole because they no longer had a job (no matter how minuscule the pay they're currently getting).

Now, I'm not saying that the people aren't working diligently to cure whatever disease they're fighting. There are many very dedicated individuals out there who would love to lose their job if it meant success.

However, the fighting poverty, fighting disease industry is huge. I remember when there was a big scandal of sorts some years back where charities were attacked for having such huge operating costs. Now everyone is proud to show that ten percent or some small percent is going to operating costs.

Call me skeptical, call me scrooge, but I find it difficult to see all the high dollar amounts going to various organizations and not see any major strides in fighting poverty or illnesses. I'm also smart enough to know that books can be cooked and operating costs can be downplayed by moving things into a different column. Not saying there are any shenanigans going on, just noting that it's possible.

I see our local charities and I can feel the dedication, I can see them helping individuals. I see their crowded offices and know that in many, many cases the space is donated by a local business person. I know they work for meager salaries. I see the impact they make in people's lives. I volunteer, donate, help raise money and know it's going to a good cause and being used wisely.

Take it a step higher and I start to lose a bit of faith. I still help when I can. I donate when possible, help raise money, give of my time. Wondering about something I can't know doesn't stop me from wanting to do whatever I can to stop cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, etc.

But I wonder if there's not a better way sometimes.

Funny. As I was typing this the Georgia Front Page phone rang. I picked it up. It was a charity (calling from Florida) wanting us to make a donation. Great timing...

Toilet Paper Weddings and Heart Warming Stories...

Toilet Paper Bride Update

Flipped on Fox News this morning as I was getting ready for work. There was the blushing toilet paper bride, all dressed in white paper, standing in a bathroom with her new husband. He didn't wear toilet paper. Someone flushed a toilet, not sure if it truly flushed or Fox just had the sound affect.

I guess the one advantage of having a toilet paper dress is that it's easy to get out of it. Hope it wasn't raining in New York...

Another story on Fox this morning...

An adopted son in Michigan went searching for his birth mom. He found her name, mentioned it to his boss at Lowes. The boss said there was a woman with the same name working at the store, head cashier. Turns out it was his mom and they'd been working at the same Lowes.

The pair are going to be on Fox News tomorrow morning. What are the chances that you'd search the world over and find your true mom one aisle over? Might be worth trying to catch that one on the tube Friday morning. Although, in today's media, it'll probably be plastered all over before the end of the day. It's Christmas and everyone likes a good sappy story at this time of year (well, everyone but Grinches).

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful, warm, love-filled Christmas holiday.

We in America are just nuts

We have too much time on our hands. We've topped the Maslow's heirarchy chart and we're standing on our tip toes reaching for ridiculous.

What set me off this morning? A couple in Lexington, Kentucky are getting married in a bathroom. The bride is going to be dressed in toilet paper.

Yep, too many people sitting around in a room trying to come up with the outrageous.

They "won" a contest sponsored by Cheap-Chic-Weddings.com. The dress was designed by Hanah Kim (is she a famous designer? I'm not in the know on that one). Charmin is opening their New York bathroom for free use in honor of the wedding. Great advertising for all involved. And I learned something new... I didn't know that Charmin HAD public bathrooms in New York. Been a while since I visited.

I have to admit, I'm just nutty enough to be someone who'd have probably gotten a kick out of getting married in a bathroom in Times Square dressed in toilet paper way back when. Today, I'm a little more sedate, I wouldn't want the bathroom, but certainly wouldn't want to stand outside in the rain or strong wind either.

FCC Allows Broadcasters to Own Newspapers

The FCC voted 3-2 today to overturn a longstanding ban and will now allow broadcasters in the nation's 20 largest media markets to also own a newspaper.

This could get interesting.

Do you remember when it was a huge stink to have mega-companies, monopolies?

It seems the every swinging pendulum is hanging in the opposite direction at the moment.

In reading about the move, it seems that pretty much everyone was against the switch. Both sides of the political spectrum, Dem and Rep, didn't want the change.

They made another move which is going to have an impact on Comcast... they voted to cap the size of any cable company at 30% of the nationwide market. Comcast is bumping up against that 30% already.

That was another 3 - 2 vote, but it wasn't the same three-two as the broadcast / newspaper vote.

Santa's mail...

I was just reading a short article on mail going to Santa. The "Universal Postal Union" is expecting Santa to receive more mail this year than last. In 2006 the number of letters sent to Santa topped six million! That's a lot of mail.

In Canada Santa has his own zip code.

Unfortunately, not all of the letters are children asking Santa for a much wanted toy. Many are children with serious needs. They ask for food, underwear, toothpaste and sometimes a roof over their head. Sometimes it's parents in dire straits hoping for help in providing the basics for their children.

Across the world postal workers stand in as Santa. They adopt families or children with verifiable needs and they get others to adopt these families.

I think it's admirable that the postal workers, and the many, many businesses and individuals who heed their plea for help, reach out to do something special for others at this time of year.

U.S. Troops Help Renovate Iraqi Clinic

Every day I see how great our soldiers are! Tales of sharing, giving, reaching out to people across the world. Our soldiers are the kids next door. They're the Boy Scouts, the straight A students who volunteered to clean up the shut-ins yard, they're the ones who went on church missions to build homes in Mexico, they're the ones who held the door open for the lady carrying heavy bags and offered to help. They are the children we raised to do the right thing. We took care of them for years, raising them right, and now they're off trying to take care of us.

Here's another story about something good our soldiers are doing:

Soldiers and leaders of 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony Dec. 11 to open a health clinic in Wahida, Iraq.

Four months ago, city council members came to the regiment's leaders with concerns about the existing clinic's lack of space and equipment, said Army Capt. Matthew Givens, from Columbus, Ga., the battalion's non-lethal effects officer.

Council members and soldiers decided to renovate the existing building by adding more examination rooms, an emergency room and an upstairs apartment for the doctors with two bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom.

"This clinic gives the doctors a lot more to work with, and they will be able to treat more patients," Givens said. "With the upstairs apartment, doctors can stay overnight. Before, the doctors would have to come from Baghdad early, then leave and go back to Baghdad that same night."

Wahida has no hospital, Givens said. The new clinic will serve as the city's primary medical facility. It has enough room to bed patients overnight instead of treating them and sending them home.

"The clinic is going to be helpful to the Wahida citizens," Dr. Taher Awaed, the clinic's director, said through an interpreter. "The clinic is good. However, with a few more pieces of equipment, it will be perfect. But everyone is very grateful."

Givens said more equipment, including an X-ray machine, is on the way.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, doctors and medics from 203rd Brigade Support Battalion and 489th Civil Affairs Battalion, a reserve unit from Knoxville, Tenn., attached to 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, held a free medical operation.

Soldiers used four of the new health clinic rooms to treat men, women and children from all over the city. Patients came to the medical staff with ailments ranging from the common cold to blood pressure problems.

"This is a way for me to give back to humanity," said Army Capt. Aaron Wilson, from Watertown, N.Y., battalion surgeon with 203rd Base Support Battalion.

When patients were ready to be seen, they explained their medical issues through an interpreter to a physician or medic from 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team.

"Going through the translator is tough," said Sgt. 1st Class Wayne Pack, from Knoxville, Tenn., a medic in the 489th Civil Affairs Battalion. "You have to concentrate. You can't lose focus. After the conversation is translated, I sometimes wonder if I'm getting the full story. I enjoy it, though. We get to see a lot of sick people, and that's what we do. Most of these people don't have a lot of money. If we didn't do this, they wouldn't be getting any medical attention at all."

Awaed and Wilson agreed the villagers appreciated the free medical treatment.

"I can see it in their eyes," Awaed said through an interpreter. "They are very thankful for the coalition forces for their help. Together, we just try to help as many people as we can."

"Everyone I saw was so grateful," Wilson said. "They all smiled and said, 'thank you'. I just wish I could do more."

(Army Sgt. Natalie Rostek is assigned to 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs.)

So lame...

I have been so bad. How many times have I said that? So many things to do, so little time to write. And I love to write.

Wouldn't know it by the infrequency of my blog posts this year!

Did anyone watch the Iowa candidate debates? I still haven't figured out how that woman who moderated, controlled, decided on the questions, controlled, was chosen. One moderator? She gets to make the rules?

How'd they decide to put Keyes on the Republican side but ditch two contenders who've been included in all other debates on the Democratic side? Was it because Keyes was going to go after Republicans? And on the Dem side the gestapo queen wanted smoother sailing?

It was interesting to watch. Unfortunately, it was only interesting because the moderator was such a puzzle. She didn't allow the candidates the freedom they needed to show their personalities or to really share any pertinent info.

Ah well. At least this go around there are more opportunities to see the candidates. In the past they just kind of popped out to the world already annointed.

Officials Open School, Health Clinic in Afghanistan

Officials Open School, Health Clinic in Afghanistan
By Capt. Erick Saks, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service

KAPISA PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Nov. 28, 2007 - Months of work and cooperation between the Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team and the Afghan government culminated in two ribbon-cutting ceremonies Nov. 26, as hundreds of community members and several civic leaders officially opened a girls school and a health clinic in the Kapisa province's Kohistan II district.

Kapisa Gov. Kwaia Kholam Abubaker and Army Capt. Jordan Berry, Bagram PRT's Kapisa civil affairs team leader, presided over the ceremonies opening the Dihat Dasht girls school and the Jamalagha basic health clinic.

The Dihat Dasht girls school is an eight-classroom facility that will accommodate about 160 students. The $150,000 facility includes four faculty offices, restrooms, a well, a guard house and a perimeter wall.

Hamidullah Hatan, Department of Education representative, spoke at the school-opening ceremony, emphasizing the Afghan government's focus on education and stressing the community's duty to their new school.

"We are very grateful to the PRT for building this great school," Hatan said. "Now, it is the responsibility of the community to maintain it and keep those people away who would shoot rockets at it."

The eight-room Jamalagha basic health clinic is the first of its kind in the area and will be staffed by a doctor, a midwife, two nurses and two vaccination technicians, said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Deborah Taylor, PRT medical team noncommissioned officer in charge.

"This clinic offers family-practice care, prenatal care, vaccinations and pharmaceutical services," she said. "Before this clinic was built, there wasn't a place for the people to find this kind of care in the area. This facility will have a huge impact on the lives of the people here."

Aziz Jan was the contractor for the $85,000 health clinic and said he was very satisfied with the project and was glad to create the facility for the people of the region.

"The community here is made up of good people," he said. "They were always helpful and are very excited about the clinic."
The relative peacefulness of the community allows the PRT to complete projects like this in the area, Berry said. "Kohistan II is a beautiful district with friendly people," he said. "We have never had any issues with the people here, and this security allows us to help the community."

The governor agreed, expressing his gratitude to the community for embracing peace and supporting the government. "Thank you to the people of Kohistan for keeping the peace here," the governor said. "Only with peace can we build schools and clinics, giving the people freedom to study and improve themselves."

These ceremonies are the first of a series of about a dozen ribbon-cutting ceremonies planned over the next month, Army Maj. Jim Blashford, Bagram PRT acting commander, said.

"The projects we're finalizing range from schools and clinics to roads and wells," Blashford said. "It's a busy and exciting time for the Bagram PRT. From the time the team arrived in March, our focus had been coordinating new projects and overseeing their construction. Now many of those projects are wrapping up, and we're all finally able to see the fruits of our labor."

(Air Force Capt. Erick Saks serves with the Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan.)

Finally in vogue...

I wash my car once every couple of years whether it needs it or not. It's a work vehicle, not actually a "car", it's a 1997 Jimmy SUV. It has been a great vehicle... despite the fact that it stays rather dirty.

Finally, finally, I can be proud of the fact that it has a dusty sheen. Governor Perdue is ASKING us not to wash our autos to help with the drought. Although, while it's nice not to have to attempt to have the Jimmy cleaned, or make excuses, I'd prefer not to be going through the drought.

Lest you think I'm a complete slob, it's only cars that cause me problems. I hate to get gas and I hate to wash cars or even take the time to go through a car wash. Well, I don't get along with vacuum cleaners either, but I do manage to overcome and conquer that one often enough that I'm not embarrassed when someone visits!

Just before the drought I finally started wondering if the car was being held together by all the dirt on it... I decided I would wash it. I found a gas station that had a car wash, filled it up to the point where I got the lowest price on the car wash and wandered in to pay. Of course, the car wash had broken not too long before I started pumping gas. All that gas pumping for naught.

A few days later, having trouble remembering what color the Jimmy really was... I decided to try again. I was heading to a meeting and had a few minutes to kill so I stopped in to the stand-alone pay and get the full treatment car wash. There were ten or eleven cars in front of me. I didn't have time so pulled a u-turn and headed to the meeting.

Now there's a drought. I don't think my Jimmy wants to be clean.

Iraqi Forces, Local Citizens Help to Reduce Violence in Northern Iraq

We have some fantastic, caring soldiers fighting for us... and for those in Iraq! The commitment these soldiers have to helping others is really something. It amazes me that while they're tough, ready and willing to fight, they also have a heart. We have every reason to be thankful to all of those who signed up to protect our country and our freedoms! Take a moment from your Thanksgiving day and say THANKS to and for our military.

Iraqi Forces, Local Citizens Help to Reduce Violence in Northern Iraq

A robust partnership between coalition troops and Iraqi security forces and support from the Iraqi people is showing success in bringing down violence in Iraq's Multinational Division North sector, the troop commander there said today.

Army Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling, who also commands the Germany-based 1st Armored Division, told Pentagon reporters via videoconference that attacks in his area of operations are higher than anywhere else in Iraq.

However, Hertling noted "a marked reduction" in violence, particularly in improvised explosive device attacks. Enemy forces planted 1,830 IEDs in June, he said. By October, that number had dropped to about 900. As of today, the November number was 520.

Operation Iron Hammer, an ongoing counterinsurgency operation launched Nov. 5, is building on this success. To date, coalition and Iraqi forces detained 400 terror suspects and uncovered 79 weapons caches containing "an unbelievable amount of weapons and ammunition," Hertling said.

Among the weaponry was the largest cache of explosively formed projectiles yet to be discovered in Iraq. Hertling said there's no question these armor-piercing EFPs originated in Iran, but said he has no indication they arrived since Iran pledged to stop these shipments. "I am hopeful the Iranians are keeping their promise to not interfere with the international security conditions of Iraq by supplying either arms or equipment or trained personnel," he said.

Hertling said he's optimistic about the trends, but recognizes more attacks are likely. "You are still going to read about spectacular attacks," he said, particularly those targeting Iraqi security forces and concerned local citizens who have both become key partners in confronting the terrorist threat in the region.

Hertling noted steady increases in the capability of Iraqi security forces who have become solid partners in the counterinsurgency fight. During Iron Hammer, Hertling said, the Iraqis did more than he asked of them and performed at higher levels than he had expected.

"We've got a partner now," he said. "They are speaking the same language tactically and operationally that we are, and they are going after the same enemy we are."

Insurgents are noticing these improvements, too, and are likely to respond by singling out more Iraqi forces as targets, he said. "The enemy realizes that they're growing in capability, and if there is any kind of chance of stopping the representative movement of the government, that they have to attack the security forces," he said.

Similarly, Hertling said, the enemy recognizes the role local Iraqi citizens are playing in helping the coalition and Iraqi forces confront the terrorist threat in their neighborhoods. Nearly one-fourth of the weapons caches uncovered during Iron Hammer resulted from tips by local citizens.

"Iraqi citizens across the board are tired of seeing people use their country for a traumatic playground, and the Iraqi people have stepped up," Hertling said. "They are tired of the violence. They just want to go back to having their children go to school, farming their fields (and) running their businesses."

ESGR Seeks Freedom Award Nominees

The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve is seeking employers with records of stellar support for military employees.

The group is accepting nominations for the 2008 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Awards through Jan. 21.

"Almost one-half of the U.S. military is comprised of the National Guard and Reserve," said Beth Sherman, an ESGR spokeswoman. "The Department of Defense shares these citizen warriors with their civilian employers, many of whom provide significant support to (these) employees."

Past recipients of the award have provided full salary, a continuation of benefits, care packages and other forms of help such as home and lawn care for families of employees fulfilling military obligations.

"While all employer support is exemplary, small employers that go above and beyond the requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act to assist their employees serving in the National Guard and Reserve, really set the bar high (last year)," Sherman said.

USERRA prohibits discrimination against people because of military service.

Augustine and Sons, a family-owned farm in Iowa, is one example of a small business that goes out of its way for its employees, Sherman said.

When one of its employees, 1st Sgt. Matthew Strasser, an Iowa Army National Guardsman, was deployed, the farm lost half its staff. Yet the Augustine family offered its continuing support to the family Strasser left behind.

"They allowed Strasser's wife and ... two sons to live on the farm rent-free," Sherman said. "The Augustines took the boys fishing, attended their sports games and fixed their dirt bikes."

Large businesses previously recognized for their exemplary support include Sears and Starbucks. The commonwealth of Massachusetts and the state of Tennessee both are past recipients of the public-sector award.

ESGR is encouraging National Guardsmen, reservists and their family members to nominate employers who offer their employees similar support. Nomination forms are available on the committee's Web site, www.esgr.org.

Last year, 1,119 nominations were received. To date, ESGR has received 268 already this year.

"Given that employer support is so strong, we hope reserve-component members will see fit to nominate their deserving employers," Sherman said. "This kind of recognition establishes a benchmark for all employers, and we hope this recognition is a small thank you from the Department of Defense."

Winners selected in three categories will be announced in early spring and will receive their awards during a Sept. 18 award ceremony.

Founded in 1972, the National Committee for Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve is a Defense Department agency established to promote cooperation and understanding between reserve-component members and their civilian employers. The organization also is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

Then-Defense Secretary William Perry instituted the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award in 1996.

Related Sites: Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act America Supports You