Ron Downing

Vacation at Bull Shoals State Park

2014-02-21T15:08:00.000-08:00

The Ozark Mountains are a wonderful place to visit, camp, and take a family vacation. The Ozark Mountains run through North Arkansas and Southern Missouri. If I was ever asked what I missed about the State of Arkansas this would be at top of my list. It is absolutely beautiful with the rolling hills; the lakes, hiking trails, and fishing streams, the small family farms, and the rich history that make up this region of the state are unforgettable. The people are friendly and some still observe the lifestyles of days long gone: practicing such crafts as furniture making, wood carving, crafting musical instruments, quilt making, black-smiting and candle making. Most of the towns in this area are small and quaint the people are laid-back. If you ever have a chance to visit this part of the country then you should for its scenic beauty, its dynamic pioneering traditions, and wholesome delight. Bull Shoals State Park was one of our family's favorite place to camp and fish.

I guess the reason that I like this area so much is, because some of my fondest recollections as a child were created here. From the time that I was five years old until I was about ten, my family would vacation at Bull Shoals State Park along the White River. The River is so cold that it will quickly turn your toes blue and make them feel deadened it is so clear that you can always see the rocky-river bed below. In the morning she is serene shallow and the fog is so thick you can not see five feet in front of you. Often by mid afternoon she is awake, she becomes a powerful and swift river Her picturesque banks are so captivating that newcomers make the error of judgment watching where they have been instead of where they are headed and end up in serious trouble. The flow of the White River is controlled by a hydroelectric dam which formed Bull Shoals Lake: one of several man made lakes in the area.
My father loved to fish for trout and taught each of his three kids how to enjoy it as well. Since the best fishing took place in the early morning and late afternoon it left the middle of the day and the evening for sightseeing, Amphitheater shows, roasting hot dogs over a camp fire or frying up some of the fresh trout that were caught during the day. The smell of fish would permeate the air as other campers around you were doing the same. As the sun would set and the sky would grow dark you could see the orange glow of campfires throughout the whole park and on a clear night you could see the stars and the moon in this area called the Ozarks. There was also artistic culture that was distinctly different from the city.

It was relatively familiar for one of your neighbors to have a Guitar, Banjo, or a Mountain Dulcimer in their possession which they would begin playing. The night air was filled with the sounds of instruments playing, people singing, laughing through out the park; along with the frogs and a few owls. Not any irritating televisions, or radios to be heard. As some folks would stroll through the park they would often stop to listen to the musicians as they would play. It always seemed like they enjoyed giving the complimentary performance. And it was predictable that other musicians from other campsites would join in forming there own little band; people they had never seen before and would likely never see again. The river set low in the valley and even in the summer night you would often need a light jacket, because it was so cool there was the absence of the troublesome bloodsucking insect known as the notorious mosquito. I can tell you that they were not missed.

Being that the river runs as cold as she does, we would envelop a watermelon in a fishing net, tie up the end with a fish stringer, toss it in the river and tie the other end to a tree two hours later. It would be colder than if it had been in the refrigerator. My little sister tried this with an ice cream bar, but the results were not quite as promising. At one end of the park there was an area that was known as the spring where we would go swimming in the late after noon. The spring’s only source of water was from the river itself, yet it was noticeably warmer than the river. From the rivers edge to the end of the spring was an area less than a hundred feet and with its precipitous banks the easiest way to get in was to swing out on a rope that hung from a tree five feet above the water and drop. This is a part of my childhood that I enjoyed maybe even more than Christmas.

As my father’s business took off and prospered and his military career came to an end: our camping trips to the Ozarks became less and less frequent. Then they became utterly nonexistent. At first I missed the camping trips but with the passing of each year I began to miss them a little less until I hardly gave it a single thought. This all seemed peculiar to me since we were indeed in the camping business. We should be camping and promoting the idea of camping and family unity. At times I thought this to be hypocritical but none of us seemed to have the time. My Dad was running the business, while my Mom was doing the books. Linda, my older sister ran the accessories store, and took care of the rental fleet while I worked in the shop. Who had time for camping? We sold them, we rented them, and we serviced them, now we had no time to enjoy them. This went on until I was in my senior year of high school. One week during spring break I decided to take one of the rentals and go camping all by myself with no friends or parent just me. It just wasn’t the same. I was there for almost a week and never caught a single fish. The only pleasure that I found was that I could go where I wanted, when I wanted. The park had not changed much with the exception that they had closed the spring where I once used to swim as a child. They had also created some additional campsites which I did not find to be much of an enhancement; since they had cut down several old oak trees to do so. Nevertheless I was still alone and confused; I should be enjoying this. It was not as I had remembered it. I did not really have any fun. I did not care to eat alone either, so I ate out, never built a camp fire. I was so bored that I finally left two days early to go home.

Almost twelve years had passed before I returned to the Ozarks. My wife and kids had packed the fifth wheel while I was at work over the course of three days preceding our departure. I had made it quite clear that we were not taking the television, movies or the video games. The night before we were to leave I had to work late and when I returned home the family was asleep, each in their own beds for once. This gave me the perfect opportunity to make an inspection on what had been packed. I found the television, the movies and the video games and hid them in the storage building in the back yard.

I returned to Bull Shoals State Park, with my wife, my daughter April, and my son William. I had the opportunity to show my family, who had never been there before, they didn't know what to expect of the Ozarks. We did all the things that I had done with my parents. We rented a boat; took it out on the river. I had never been in control of the boat prior to that day. I knew how treacherous the White river could be when the water was high. This made me extremely uneasy since the river could be tremendously unforgiving of mistakes. As boy my dad had always handled the boat with confidence; at least so it seemed. April who was only about six caught her first fish. Quite by accident I might add but the joy in her face was priceless. I say by accident, I had cast her line out quite a ways from the boat, then handed her the fishing pole. While I was bating my hook, so that I could fish she had been slowly reeling her line in. It was no more than 30 feet from the boat. Just seconds prior to me casting my line, April felt the bump on the line so she jerked back and caught the fish. Once the fish was in the boat, we noticed that she had hooked it right in its side. William was only two at the time and was on a mission to explore anything and everything including Poison Ivey, bugs and even a dead snake that he had found in a bush.

Once again it was a fun experience to be back. People still did the same things as before; they still had the campfires, roasted hot-dogs and Marsh-mellows. They still gave free concerts; once again it was as I had remembered it some twenty plus years before. It was not that they had changed or that the landscape had changed it was my perspective that had changed. As a parent I saw the place as my parents must have seen it those twenty plus years before. It was now my turn and even my responsibility to create new memories not just for myself, but for my kids. They would have their own fond memories of the Ozarks like I had as a child. When the vacation was over, it appeared as though everyone had enjoyed themselves and had a good time. This feeling went un-confirmed for almost a year. One day my daughter came to me and asked if we could go to the Ozarks for our family vacation again. So I asked “You really want to go back there?” William who happened to be in front of the television added an “I want to go too!” This made me happy inside I was glad to see that my kids enjoyed their vacation in the Ozarks as much as I had. It also made me think about the transformation that I had gone through. I was there as a child in the mid to late sixties, back again as a teen and once again as a parent and it was all part of the circle of life.

Is Your Sales Career Taking a Dip?

2014-02-19T00:30:00.000-08:00

I hear it all the time. "My sales are down and have been for the last three or four years.Of course with the economy the way it is, I can certainly understand it." Too many sales professionals buy this hook line and sinker. These are the same sales professionals who were mediocre at best when the economy was good. One of the many things that I learned from my father is that business is only bad between your ears. If you allow yourself to become discouraged by all of the negative news, and the economy reports; you sabotage yourself.

Now I am not suggesting that you isolate yourself from the world and become ignorant to what is happening around you. Sales professionals should limit the amount of negative news that they take in. Furthermore, look at the glass as half full, rather than half empty. Use your talents to spin the negative into positives. We have all heard it, but few of us think about it in the midst of a pity party. "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."

When you get a NO, from a customer; Get excited! Yes you read that correctly, get excited. As a rule of thumb you will get ten NO's to one YES. Every NO puts you one step closer to the customer who says YES. However one of your goals should be to change that ratio, resulting in more customers saying yes.

When your sales are not as they should be, use the time between customers effectively. You can do this by networking, prospecting, following up with potential customers, and cold calling. As a professional you are probably already practicing these techniques. At the same time these are things that we should be doing even when business is better. If not then get busy. It is during these times when customers are a little tighter with their finances. Therefore you have to make the most out of every opportunity you have.

When a customer says no, don't take it personally. Don't beat yourself up over it. Learn from it. There are just a small handful of reasons why customers say no. They either do not need your product or services; they cannot afford it, have no desire, or feel that the cost exceeds the value. This is the number one reason your customer will say no. Few people wonder around the store aimlessly looking at things they, cannot find a need for, or have no desire to own. More often than not, customers will say no because of the lack of information they have about the product or services you are providing. They do not see where the benefits of ownership meets, the amount of money, you are asking them to give you in return.

There is a bright side to all of this. Most of us already know this. So if what I am going to say shocks anyone. Let us just say that they have other issues. Your customer's car, boat, refrigerator, microwave, computer, or any other important machines or devices; your customer owns; are totally unaware of the economy and its current status. They have no idea that now is not a good time to breakdown, leaving their owner in an even bigger jam. Depending on the severity of the breakdown and the cost of the repair; a large majority of people will look for a way to afford replacing it rather than investing another nickel to fix it. In their mind they will justify making a payment and not having to worry about breakdowns for a while.

If you want to pull your sales career out of the rut it is in. Then you need to surround yourself with the successful sales people in your company. Quit hanging out with the doom and gloom club. Keep positive, keep focused, set weekly and monthly goals. You are a winner, now act like one!

The Loud Music Murder Mistrial

2014-02-18T23:28:00.000-08:00

By Friday evening the jurors involved in the Michael Dunn, loud music murder trial had been in deliberation two days. During the deliberation, Jurors asked Judge Russell Healey, questions in regards to the verdict. Judge Healey informed them that if the jury could not come to a unanimous agreement on some of the charges that it would result in a hung jury, on the charges that they could not agree on unanimously. This left little doubt that Michael Dunn might be found guilty on some of the other charges. This means that Michael Dunn would still face imprisonment. The prosecution in this case pushed for first degree murder. This decision left many of the well-known legal critics to criticize the prosecutors. Because, first-degree murder would mean that Michael Dunn knew Jordan Davis, had an argument with Jordan Davis and then planned out how he could kill him. This, by any stretch of imagination was not the Case. This incident happened within a 10 minute time span. It was rather spontaneous there was no premeditation to kill Jordan Davis.

Character witnesses testified, to what a great guy, Michael Dunn his calm demeanor, level headed he is. Does not really matter Michael Dunn's own testimony was fairly weak from the beginning. He stuck to his story that he thought that Jordan Davis had a gun, not just any gun, but what looked us like a shotgun. When he was asked, why he continued shooting at the SUV as it was leaving. His response was, "I was afraid they were going to turnaround; come back to kill me." (Maybe not his exact words but reasonably close). I'm not sure about you, but I'm thinking really Michael, with the gun they didn't even have. By that point they were probably terrified and just wanted to get out of there. He also testified that he called the police the following morning after he heard that Jordan Davis had been killed. Then his fiancée took the stand and weakened his testimony even more. She testified that Michael Dunn never made a call to the police. She also mentioned that it was her idea to get out of there, before the police arrived. Because she was afraid that she would be arrested. She also testified that when she got back in the car, Mr. Dunn made no mention of any type of weapon or any stick that they were going to kill him with. She also made mention of a derogatory statement that Michael Dunn had made when they parked next to the red Dodge Durango, that Jordan Davis was occupying.

Now today at 4:40 PM In Florida the jury had a verdict of guilty on four of the five charges. The jury was hung on the first-degree murder charge. At that time Judge Healey declared a mistrial on that charge. This tells all of us that not even the jury believed it was premeditated. I dare to say that had the prosecutors ask for a lesser charge that it would have been slam-dunk, over and done with. Michael Dunn would have been found guilty, and the family of Jordan Davis would have felt that justice was served. Now that the first-degree murder trial, has been declared a mistrial. The family and friends of Jordan Davis will get to relive this tragedy once again. Not that I am too worried about Michael Dunn, I would imagine he is furious with this. All the legal fees he is paying, has surely caused a lot of financial stress. In addition to that, the emotional stress that he must be feeling now.

Mr. Dunn killed a teenage boy over loud music, and would like for all of us to believe it was self-defense. And I don't doubt that there might have been a few hostile words exchanged between Mr. Dunn and Jordan Davis. After all we were all teenagers at one time, and even a little cocky when it came to adults; that did not approve of the things we did back then. The jury may have or have not, believed his story of self defense. One thing is certain though, they were not persuaded by the prosecutions attempt to prosecute Michael Dunn on the first-degree murder charge. Tomorrow, February 16, 2014 Jordan Davis would have been 19 years old. His parents were hoping that they would have a verdict before his birthday. So they could celebrate his life; that justice was served for taking his life. That is not going to happen though since it was declared a mistrial. Michael Dunn probably is a nice guy, like his friends have testified. However, on that night in November 2012 Mr. Dunn let his anger get the best of him and took the life of the teenage boy. And who knows what would have become of Jordan Davis had he lived.

I think we can all agree that no matter how much time Michael Dunn serves in prison it will not bring Jordan Davis back to life. And being found guilty on a lesser charge will be of little comfort to the Davis family. It is plain and simple that this was murder and Jordan Davis didn't stand a chance once the shooting began. And even though I don't agree with Michael Dunn's actions, I have to say that Jordan Davis also made a very bad decision that night. He had the opportunity to just say okay no problem will turn it down. However he decided to make issue of it, which led to his own death. As we all know it was not the gun that killed Jordan Davis, it was the man behind the gun. It is sad but true that there are some hot headed people in this world who let little things get to them. Then they snap, which results in a tragedy such as this. I am also the parent of a teenager, and I would be devastated if anything happened to my daughter or son. So I say to all the teenagers in the world, who may be reading this. I urge you to be cautious and to be considerate. You never know who you might be dealing with. Loud music and those other things that adults don't care for, is never worth getting yourself killed.

Is Loud Music A Motive for Taking A Life?

2014-02-18T23:23:00.000-08:00

I do not know about you, I really am bothered when some car or SUV pulls up around me, music so loud. So loud, that I can feel my car vibrating. If I wanted to listen to that garbage I would have it in my own car. For those of you that enjoy the music this loud, please has some consideration for those around you. Not everyone wants to hear this, or feel it for that matter. The one thing that we can all be certain of is that audiologist are going to have a lot of job security in the future. Because as you get older you are going to suffer, a significant amount hearing loss. You will eventually need hearing aids. I often get mad over this; I wish that I had a gun in my glove compartment or under the seat. Not to kill anyone but too disable the vehicle so that as I continued my journey I would not have to listen to it any longer. However, I never carry a loaded gun in my car, so there is no need to worry.

Under no circumstances is it ever Okay to hurt or kill someone for something as trivial as loud music, cussing, or drinking. Unless you are being attacked or fearful, of losing your life; should you ever resort to this type of conduct. This is what Michael Dunn resorted to after he had asked some young men who he had pulled up next to him at a gas station in Jacksonville Florida, on November 23 2012. After he had asked them to turn it down, the teens did as he asked, for a moment. Knowing that it was going to upset Michael Dunn they turned it back up. According to Michael Dunn he could see, and thought he heard one of the teens, Jorden Davis threaten him. Then after seeing what he thought could be the barrel of gun, or a large stick. Dunn pulled the gun from his glove compartment. He put four bullets in the Suv. Now if I was being shot at and I had a gun I would definitely be shooting back. I think that most people would. There was no return gunfire. That is because there was no gun. As the Teens were leaving the scene Dunn shot at least 4-6 more times at the SUV. A total of 10 shots were fired into the vehicle. Jordan Davis had taken 3 of those bullets. If they were leaving the scene then there is no longer a threat. Therefore, why did he need to continue shooting? He didn't need to, Michael Dunn chose to.

When the teens left they drove to the plaza not far from the shooting. The police never searched the plaza, or the dumpsters around the plaza for a gun. This has led to a lot of criticism of the law enforcement agencies that were involved in the investigation. This causes a problem for the defense, because now they cannot prove beyond a shadow a doubt that Jordan Davis threatened Michael Dunn. To the best my knowledge, and from what I've heard while watching the trial. None of these teenagers had any prior police records. After emptying his 9 mm handgun, Michael Dunn sped off. He and his girlfriend registered at the bed-and-breakfast they had reserved. And then they ordered pizza. If he felt that he was justified in shooting at the SUV then why did he drive off? Why not stay at the scene and make a police report. Prior to this incident Michael Dunn had been at a wedding where he had been drinking. Yet supposedly it wasn't enough to impair his judgment.

So far Michael Dunn has denied that race had anything to do with this. It was all about Jordan Davis threatening him. And of course this makes sense, because to kill somebody over loud music would surely end in a verdict of guilty. While no one can confirm what Michael Dunn was thinking at that time we can surely speculate. Unfortunately we live in a society where we profile people by the way they look, the way they act, the way they dress, and their ethnic background. Now you have four African-American male teenagers riding around in an S UV listening to loud rap music, that a lot of people find offensive, and being somewhat disrespectful. For a lot of people that spells trouble. You be the judge.

Yet all three of the remaining teens have testified that Jordan Davis did not make any threats toward Michael Dunn. They also testified that the music was loud and that they couldn't hear anything Michael Dunn was saying. So if they could not hear Michael Dunn, then it is obvious, that if Jordan Davis had threatened Michael Dunn they would not have heard that either. According to Michael Dunn, the victim Jordan Davis was getting out of the vehicle. However, evidence shows that the trajectory of the bullets that hit the vehicle, it was not possible. There are so many things about this case that just don't add up.

It is this writer's opinion, that what we have here is a middle-aged man that made a very bad decision. I also believe that Jordan Davis and his friends, deliberately instigated Dunn's enraged state of mind. But in no way does that justify Michael Dunn's actions. I have serious doubts that the teens had a gun or any other weapon in the vehicle. If they had you can rest assure that they would returned fire, and would have been justified in doing so. It is also my belief that Michael Dunn might have consumed more alcohol than what he stated. This would have impaired his ability to make rational decisions. This whole thing is certainly a tragedy; several people's lives have been affected by this crime. I also have to wonder why this is just now coming to trial; this crime took place more than a year ago. It would appear to me that the memories of the witnesses wouldn't be as fresh. And that this would cause problems for both the defense and the prosecution. One would, also think that the more heinous crimes would go to trial much quicker. All People need to be more respectful of others. People should not let trivial things, such as bad driving, loud music, and vulgar hand gestures, cause them to be enraged. Something that a friend told me, "Don't allow others to have free rent in your head." As you are running their dastardly deed through your mind; thinking about what you should have told them. Or what you should have done to them. They are driving merrily along, totally unaware that they have control over your thoughts.

Human Trafficking, The Modern Day Slavery

2012-12-29T14:43:00.001-08:00

Human Trafficking, The Modern Day Slavery

Memories of Petit Jean Mountain

2012-11-15T22:42:00.001-08:00

Memories of Petit Jean Mountain

I spent my childhood growing up in the state of Arkansas. Now I live in the great North West, here in Oregon. It rains a lot during the fall, winter and the spring. it is really wet and yet we do not let it keep us from enjoying life. While I enjoy living here in Oregon where I can walk its sandy beaches. I have very fond memories of Arkansas. You might say that Arkansas still runs deep in me, and probably always will. Growing up I developed a very big interest in Photography and Hiking a really great combination. And like a lot of nature nuts, my favorite singers were John Denver & Michael Martin Murphy. Drove my Father crazy, with my semi-long, just below my collar. Now I have none to speak of, What's up with that. I even read a few of the books by Euell Gibbons. When I became old enough to drive, I did a lot of camping on my own, not always by choice mind you. I can tell you I was not what you would consider very popular in high school, that’s, another story. My favorite place to camp, hike and photograph was Petit Jean Mountain State Park.

Petit Jean Mountain is located near Morrilton Arkansas. It has a very rich history. There is also a wonderful story for how she got her name. Once you reach the top of the mountain, you will want to stop at Stouts Point. Located at the east end of the mountain, this is a great place to experience the beauty of an Arkansas sunrise. It is here that you can find the reason for her name. From this point you can also see the Arkansas river valley below. On a clear day you can watch the eagles soar through blue skies. See the river barges as they make their way up the Arkansas river. The view from Stouts Point, is only one of her many treasures. You will find more of these treasures on Red Bluff Drive and all around her ridges

The Cedar Creek Trail is another one of my favorite places. This is not a real hard trail, fairly easy and offers a lot to see. Other trails include the Cedar Falls Trail. This trail is a little harder, and well worth taking. There is also the Canyon Trail . This was part of the Boy Scout trail. Petit Jean Mountain State park has many trails, for those who have the ambition and endurance to take the adventure. However if Hiking is not your idea of fun. Or maybe you are unable to, because of health issues. Do not despair, You can still enjoy her beauty, by visiting the many overlooks throughout the park. Red bluff drive is a must, last time I was there it was a very well maintained gravel road. I remember, right there at the intersection, there is a little dairy bar. They were only open about nine months out of the year. I can tell you, they served some really good burgers. Milk shakes, and orange floats. Although I have been told by park officials that it is out of business.

After a long day of hiking and sightseeing, there is nothing like sitting back and enjoying a nice camp fire. Roasting hotdogs, making S'mores or just gazing at the stars. On more than one occasion I was invited, by my neighbor to join them around their campfire. I have met some of the nicest and most musically talented people while camping at Petit Jean State Park. I wish that I could share some of the photographs that I had taken, with you. Unfortunately after a couple of burglaries and a few moves they were lost.

If I tell you everything about her, you would have no reason to make the journey, to see her. I talk about this place as though it was a person, a lady. Indeed I do, once you make the trip you will too. I made several trips to see her and photograph her. It did not seem to matter what time of the year it was she always gave me some great photographs, and a lot of good memories. Every time, that I was there I would hike down to Cedar Falls. Something about that place. Tranquil it was a place to forget about the world an all of its problems. Just when I thought, I had seen everything she had to offer. I would discover something new about her. She was always there for me, when I just need to get away from things. Petit Jean has seen her fair share of marriage proposals, weddings, and Honey-mooning couples.

Petit Jean State Park has so many things to offer, to so many people. I have not been there in a few years. I cannot imagine that too many things have changed. The park service is very diligent, in preserving the park, thus keeping it as natural as possible. Although I understand that there has been some major renovations made to Mather Lodge at Petit Jean Mountain State park. This park has camping available for RVs as well as tent camping, Boating, fishing. If you live in Arkansas and have not visited Petit Jean, you are cheating yourself of a wonderful experience. If you are on the road just passing through the state, of Arkansas, you need to visit Petit Jean You will be so glad that you did, and so will the park staff.

God Bless The USA, Offending Other Cultures?

2012-11-08T21:42:00.001-08:00

God Bless The USA, Offending Other Cultures?

Abstinence, Best Form of Birth Control for Teens

2012-11-08T20:39:00.001-08:00

One of the many good things about living in the Portland Metropolitan area is our transit system. One can travel almost anywhere they want to go in the Portland area. Our transit system is one of the best in the world. I very rarely if ever drive into the downtown area. The traffic is scary and the parking very limited not to mention costly. For just a few dollars I can leave the driving to someone else. Riding on public transportation has other benefits beyond being environmentally friendly. For a writer like myself ,it can be the means for all sorts of good writing material. Not to mention cheap entertainment. It was on one of my trips in to the city that I overheard the one side of a conversation. I don’t usually make it a habit of eavesdropping in on the conversation of others. I think everyone on the train heard this one. A lady on her cell phone did not seem to concerned that she was the only one speaking on the train. She was telling the person on the other end that it was time to put her fourteen year old daughter on birth control. At first I thought that maybe they were just taking this path for hormonal reasons to put her cycle on track. Having two daughters that I have raised, I could understand.

The words that followed however changed the whole perspective of the conversation. She referred to the young lady in question. I wish that I could say that it ended with promiscuous, and left it at that. No, she described her daughter with some very un-flattery words. I will not mention them here. I could certainly understand her concerns, for her daughter. Or so I thought then she began going on again. “I am only thirty-six years old, I will be damned if that slutty little bitch is going to make me a freaking grandmother yet.” There was a brief pause as she looked up to see some forty pairs of eyes looking directly at her. I don’t know about you but I would have crawled under my seat at that point, to hide. Not this lady. “Well that stupid tramp needs to learn to close her legs.”

At this point I had reached my destination and was making my exit. I won’t lie I was very tempted to stay on for a few more stops, to see where this conversation ended. I had an appointment that I could not be late for. I don’t know about you. I have some serious concerns about this lady and more so for the daughter. If her mother talks to her face to face, in that manner it is no wonder that she might be rebellious and somewhat promiscuous. On the other hand her mom could be assuming that her daughter is having sex. I do not know about her and her daughter.

In all my years I have learned that abstinence is the best way to prevent a teenage girl from having an unwanted pregnancy. When I think of a parent putting their young teenage daughter on birth control. Is that not like saying, dear you go get as much sex as you want. Because girl ,now your protected. If you discovered that your son, liked to play with fire. Would you give him a fire proof suit, five gallons of gas and a lighter. "Go on kid light yourself up, your protected." Why not get to the root of the problem. Rather than giving kids permission to have sex. Maybe we should be making it harder for them to have sex. The number one reason kids are having sex in our society today, is purely lack of supervision. They either come from a one parent home, therefore they are left at home alone. They become board getting into things they shouldn't, one of them being sex. Other behaviors include drug, alcohol, legal trouble. When kids are left home alone, to take care of themselves. Considering that girls mature faster than boys do, they feel that they are much more grown up than they are. Other reasons that teens are having sex is because of poor role models. If a single parent man or women, are having several different partners in their teens presence. Don't think your son or daughter isn't going to pick up on it. Or parents who leave their adult magazines laying around is a danger for teens. Girls in skimpy bathing suits who show a lot of skin and flaunt their attributes. While it may look nice and the girls like it. A teenage boys hormones are already running wild, do we really want to add to that. Not to mention that young girls who look like grown women attract other unwanted attention from older men, pedophiles and so forth.

Girls who suffer from low self-esteem are more likely to have sex. They are vulnerable. A teenage boy comes along and because he is her age he is much more believable. When he shows her affection whether he is honest or not. Her emotions take over. She may feel that she is a failure at everything else, however sex is something that is hard to fail at. No matter how awkward the sex might be, they will leave happy. more than likely they will do it again. And believe it or not sometimes the roles a reversed. I could write twenty pages on why are teens engage in sex. Peer pressure, is a huge problem amongst teens today's society That is not what you wanted to hear.

Abstinence is what most parents want to see. How do we allow are teens to have fun and spend time together. without having it end in sex. Now for my wife and I. We have made the decision our daughter will not be allowed to date until she is sixteen. At this time she is thirteen. She has a boyfriend, they do not go anywhere, that either my wife and I are not right there. The same thing happens at his house. Movies we sit no more than two rows behind them. They do not leave together for the restrooms. Spending time with your kids is a key deterrent. Believe me I know how hard that can be for some single parents. Fortunately I have been a stay at home dad for the last few years. However I do have older kids that have grown and are living in another state. Help your teens to be involved in activities after school sports is good. Team up with other parents that your teen runs with., On your day off you have the kids at your home. when the other parent has the day off, they go to their home, Teens do not need a babysitter and that is not what I am advocating for, However they do need to be aware that an adult can walk in at any time. Involve your kids in church activities, There are a lot of churches that have gone a long way in keeping teens busy with a lot of really fun activities. If you don't currently have a church that you go to. Then find one, I would rather know that my daughter is at church with other kids who are, usually a more positive influence on her, than to worry about what she is doing at home alone. Find out what gets your teen excited like, photography, writing, singing, dancing, swimming, or acting just to mention a few. Get them involved. Most cities have art centers, or community centers that have programs.

Talking to your teenagers is huge. Let them know what you expect from them as a young adult. Don't be a afraid to tell them about some of your own mistakes. How you wish that you had saved your virginity until you were married. And if you did save yourself, then let them know how special it was. What it meant you and your spouse on your wedding night. A good many of us parents have made some choices that we have regretted. Many teenagers confuse love with infatuation and lust. No matter how hard we try to protect our kids. They are going to make some mistakes in life. However by being more involved we can certainly help to minimize those mistakes, thus making the teen parent relationship better. Thus minimizing unwanted pregnancies and kids having kids. As a parent I feel that, until they reach at least eighteen or older, they are not really ready for having a baby. At that age unless they are married. It is highly unlikely that the father is going to hang around.

I know a mom who was trying to make a point about babies and how much responsibility they require. Her daughter was fifteen and had been caught in bed with a seventeen year old boy just a week before. The girls mom knew a fairly new mother who was not getting a lot of sleep. The two moms came up with a plan that benefitted both of them. The mom of the teenager took the baby home with her. When she got home she handed the baby to her daughter. Telling the daughter that she was going to be the baby's mom for the next 72 hours . By the time it was over the teenager was in tears, and stressed out. She vowed to her parents that she would never have sex again, until she was older and married. I am not saying that this will work in every situation, however it is something to think about. Our kids grow up so fast, love them while you got them. Before you know it they will heading out on their own.

Tips on Buying a New Truck Camper

2012-11-03T11:17:00.001-07:00

Tips on Buying a New Truck Camper

Pornography, It Hurts Us All!

2012-11-03T11:16:00.001-07:00

Pornography, It Hurts Us All!

Executing California Sea Lions

2012-11-03T11:15:00.001-07:00

Executing California Sea Lions

Buying a Recreational Vehicle

2012-11-03T11:14:00.001-07:00

Buying a Recreational Vehicle

Where Have All The Trees Gone

2012-11-03T11:13:00.001-07:00

Where Have All The Trees Gone

Clearcutting is It Really Nescesary

2012-11-03T11:12:00.001-07:00

Clearcutting is It Really Nescesary

Writing Your Memoirs

2012-10-23T13:20:00.001-07:00

Writing Your Memoirs

Peace in The Middle East

2012-10-23T13:16:00.001-07:00

Peace in The Middle East

Playing The Game of Pain

2012-10-19T18:45:00.001-07:00

Playing The Game of Pain

Standing Up For What You Believe In.

2012-07-30T00:50:00.000-07:00

We have all heard about the big hullabaloo, over Dan Cathy, CEO of Chick-fil-a. Dan Cathy strongly supports the biblical definition of marriage. So strongly that Chick-fil-a, has donated several millions of dollars in support of traditional marriage between one man and one woman. As well as for traditional moral family values. Dan Cathy's Stance on this issue could wind up costing Chick-fil-a and its franchisees several millions of dollars worth of future business. This has not kept mister Cathy from standing up for what he believes in. It has come time for all Christians to stand up for what we believe in, in spite of what the cost might be. I see Dan Cathy's actions and views to be an inspiration to all of us, who believe in the teachings of the Holy Bible.

Politicians all over the country have said that they will ban chick-fil-a from opening in their city. While Michael Bloomberg mayor of New York city welcomes the fast food chain to open more restaurants in New York City. At the same time Christine Quinn a New York city council-woman who is currently in a same sex marriage. Supports kicking Chick-fil-a out of town. Mayors in cities such as Boston, San Francisco, and Philadelphia; are in support of keeping the fast food chain out of their cities. They all accuse Chick-fil-a of discrimination. Now look who is calling the kettle black. Is that not what these big cities are doing; discriminating against Chick-fil-a for their religious beliefs. Even Washington DC has said that they will keep Chick-Fil-a out. Our nation's capitol city is going to discriminate against the fast food chain. The Jim Henson company is pulling its toys out of the kids meals, cutting off all ties to Chick-fil-a. This is totally understandable since Ceo Lisa Henson, is in favor of same sex marriages. Ms Henson has also directed that the payment received from Chick-fil-a will be donated to GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Councilman Jim Kenney of Philadelphia, the city of brotherly and sisterly love made a comment that there was no place in their city for that kind of hatred, in Philadelphia. I do not recall Dan Cathy saying that he hated anyone.

I really don't know if these politicians or blind or plain stupid. Chick-fil-a is a franchise company. This means that these restaurants are owned by individuals. So when you are kicking the Chick-fil-a off of the university campus, you are kicking some poor business owner in the gut. When you ban one from moving into your city you are hindering the creation of new jobs. Now maybe it is just me, I would think that in a downturned economy that creating jobs would be a good thing. Furthermore are you not violating first amendment rights. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

There is always this confliction about the separation of church and state. Since this is over the religious values of a man and his company it is not only about discrimination against Chick-Fil-a direct violation of the first amendment. I have not found anywhere or anything that says chick-fil-a is going to ask customers if they are gay; serving them according to what their answer is. So now city governments want to crucify a man and his business for their religious views. I find that funny. The message that I come away with, is that we want separation of church and state when it serves the needs of local government.

Not to worry because Dan Cathy and Chick-fil-a, also have supporters. Former Arkansas governor, Mike Huckabee is planning a Chick-fil-a appreciation day. As of the moment this article was posted 410,000 Americans have pledged to eat at their local chick-fil-a, on Wednesday August 1st. These customers support his views on traditional marriages. It seems that a McDonalds restaurant has also jumped on to the support wagon.

However on the flip side of that a gay and lesbian organizations are planning to have a same sex kiss day in front of selected chick-fil-a restaurants. Don't know about you but I find that rather repulsive. I am interested in what you have to say about this situation. I encourage all Christians to make a firm stand on your beliefs. It is the only way that we can reverse the moral decline of our country. God Bless America.

Ted Nugent And The Secret Service

2012-04-20T16:47:00.000-07:00

Ted Nugent recently spoke to members of the National Rifle
Association in Saint Louis Missouri during the NRA convention. In his
presentation he made several accusations against the Barack Obama
administration. Nugent referred to four of the Supreme Court Justices who
dislike the constitution and feel that Americans should not be permitted
to bear arms. That Obama and his top
advisors were evil and vile. One of the comments that he made was that America
needs to "chop their heads off in November." At that moment he was
trying to rally the members of the NRA to convince everyone in their lives to
vote for Mitt Romney and remove Obama and all those who supported him. Ted
Nugent also went as far as to say that if Obama was to become President again
in November, that by this time next year he would either be in jail or dead.
I do believe that Ted Nugent was referring to himself.
Either he would do something radical to land his self jail. or that he is going
to be irritated with America its Obama administration that he would take his
own life. Personally I do not believe that either will happen. Ted Nugent is
just as irritated with Obama as a lot of Americans are. Now the secret Service
has gotten wind of Nugent's rant and is planning to interview him in regards to
his comments. Ted Nugent is certainly not the first celebrity to denounce or
say something inappropriate about the current president. It wasn't that long
ago that Hank Williams Junior lost his place on Monday night football, Williams
made a comment about the golf game between Obama and house speaker John
Boehner. And We all know what happened to the Dixie Chicks after Natalie Maines
criticized President Bush's plan for Iraq and how she was ashamed that he was
from Texas. Over time there have been other celebrities who have made remarks
about the presidents administration.
I find it humorous that the secret service is making a issue
out of this, Ted Nugent rant, when they themselves compromised President Obama's safety at a brothel in
Columbia. What, were they thinking. I guess it is obvious they weren't thinking
at all. Several secret service agents were guzzling alcoholic beverages and boasting
about their jobs. Columbia is where a major portion of the drugs come from,
which land here in the United States. It is no secret that they have several
drug cartels in the US who report to their bosses in Columbia. The secret
service agents that were involved in this were sent over ahead of the
president's visit to secure President Obama's safety while in Columbia. By the
irresponsibility of these agents the presidents safety was by far more
jeopardized than anything Ted Nugent said at the NRA Convention in Saint Louis
Missouri. So are they trying desperately to take the attention off of
themselves, so that the public will focus on Ted Nugent and forget about their
blunder in Columbia.
None of us really know, how long this has been going on.
Have they participated in this form of activity in other countries? Is this just
an isolated incident? Regardless they had to have known that it would get out
eventually. Were they so naïve to think that because they were secret service
agent that everyone would keep this dark secret. If this be the case, how did
these guys make it past the first chain of interviews to be assigned to the
Secret Service. I will say this on the behalf of the Secret Service, please
keep in mind that these are just a few individual secret service renegades. The
secret service normally does a great job protecting the president and the first
family. The only reason this became public is due to the fact that one or maybe
two, agents decided that it was a good idea to challenge the bill for the
services which were provided. I presume that they were maybe intimidating the
employee of the Pley Club by their power status. If they had been smart they
would have just paid the bill and walked away from this whole ordeal, and no
one would have known. From what I understand from other articles, that once
things got out of hand that they tried to pay. By that time it was too late,
The news was out there. As far as the Columbia government is concerned these
guys did not break any laws. Prostitution is legal in Columbia. Now the federal
government would like us to believe that the whole thing was set up by corrupt
Columbian police officials to embarrass
the United States and President Obama. And it is possible that officials in
Columbia could have done this. These guys are supposed to be smart. they are
trained to be suspicious, of everything. So how is it that they didn't smell a
rat in the closet when it came to this ordeal. Why would they let their guard
down. When they know more about the illicit activities in Columbia than the
American public does. Or is it just purely irresponsible behavior?
If you remember at the beginning of this we were talking
about the Ted Nugent's rant at the NRA convention. During that presentation Ted
Nugent fully indorsed Mitt Romney. It is no wonder why Mitt Romney gracefully
declined the endorsement and would distance his campaign from Ted Nugent; after
the remarks he made at the NRA convention. It will remain to be seen as whether
Ted Nugent's endorsement welcomed or not will help Mitt Romney or hurt his
chances for election. I am certainly not an Obama fan, I cannot say that I am
particularly Happy with Mitt Romney However I do not feel that this country can
afford another four years of Obama and his administration. Whether I like the
current president or not the position of president should be respected by us
all.