Life With Grandpa

Infidelity in Marriages: When Do They Deserve a Second Chance?

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Mon, 02 May 2011 18:18:00 +0000

Does your marriage deserve a second chance? Discovering that your partner is having an affair might put an end to it but it doesn't fix your married life. What does infidelity in marriages mean for a couple? When two people make a commitment to live together, their commitment is sealed by the marriage vows. These vows are now disregarded and the trust broken. Do you file for divorce right away or do you give your marriage a second chance?

Think twice before taking any hasty decisions that you might regret later. Consider your past together and ask yourself if this is the only time your spouse has deceived you, or if they are a habitual cheater. Broken relationships can be mended by offenders, who take the blame for their shortcomings, who step up and accept responsibility but not by those who shy away from facing the music. Your partner must understand that your relationship can only work out if they change their habits and control their impulses. Nobody can completely change; even if they try it will require time. If your spouse has cheated before, who is to say that it won't happen again? Knowing that the past would keep coming back to haunt you, would you still give your marriage a second chance? When your partner outright refuses to change and instead comes up with justifications for his behavior laying the blame at your door, you should realize that your relationship is going downhill. Straining your mental and physical abilities to produce something which was never there is a waste of time. You can't change your spouse if they don't believe in changing.

Some feel guilty because they took the wrong road, others because they got caught. When your spouse begs you for forgiveness, make sure they are sorry for the right reason. Marriage and children mean responsibility. You share a silent bond with your family that think twice whenever you start to drift away. Obligations and duties bind you and are given preference over personal needs and desires. Your spouse gave up the right to live for their own fulfillment when they entered into marriage with you. Now, since every little selfish act would jeopardize their family, they should try to be more responsible. Help your spouse recognize their mistake. If they feel ashamed, take it as a good omen. However, if your partner is more concerned about getting nailed, then, you'll have to handle the situation differently.

An important thing to figure out is where you stand. After you have been hit hard with your partner's secret affair, do you have strength enough to take your relationship to the next level? What if you suffered another such disaster, will you still possess enough will power to get up, brush yourself off and walk away? Don't let another tragedy cripple you for life. If this revelation has befuddled you, ripped away your peace of mind and made mince out of your self esteem, if you simply can't forgive and forget despite efforts, do not make the wrong decision because it just seems right. Trying to forge your broken relationship would get you to the point where you won't be able to put your trust in another because you are terrified that it could break your heart again. Putting your life on hold for a cheater is unnecessary, not to mention a pointless exercise. If you believe in second chances, how about giving yourself one! Break away and go for a new improved life with someone you can put your faith in. All relationships are unique, some infidelity cases in marriages deserve a second chance and some cases don't!

JAMIE SMALL is a relationship writer. For great information and on infidelity in marriages, visit infidelity in marriages

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6225269

Restaurant Dating Etiquette: Who Pays?

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 20:44:00 +0000

Restaurants often provide an important backdrop where many relationships either begin or end. So why is the dining experience so important? Because it stimulates conversation and people often feel most comfortable sharing their lives over a bowl of pasta and a glass of wine. In addition to romance, a meal is something that most couples will share. So what about etiquette? Who pays? Who chooses the restaurant? Are coupons acceptable? In many instances, the date is structured around whoever is asking.

Unless both parties agree to go Dutch, whoever initiates the date should pay the tab. And selecting the appropriate restaurant should always be a compromise. For instance, if one person is allergic to shellfish, then a date at the local seafood joint is out.

Regarding coupons, this depends on whom you ask. During my bachelor days, I never used coupons because I didn’t want my date to think I was cheap. But then you could also be on a date with someone that admires you as someone trying to save money in a bad economy. So proceed with caution when using a coupon. This author doesn’t recommend using a coupon on the first date, but if you must, then you casually mention that you can use the savings to buy a larger box of popcorn at the movies. Since every date is different, it’s best to use your best judgment, originality and common sense.

Domestic Violence Has No Place In our Society

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 18:53:00 +0000

Fortunately, abused women within the Cincinnati vicinity can acquire support from Women Helping Women, a local organization that provides support services for women involved in abusive relationships. Their website is located at http://womenhelpingwomen.org.

Domestic violence continues to remain a high risk cultural and legal issue that frequently contributes to death and bodily injury. Abusive relationships endanger numerous women throughout America. Not only can a relationship become mentally and physically distressing, it also involves at least one controlling partner. Abusive relationships may also become challenging to leave because of children and economical factors. Abused partners may suffer different forms of abuse: physical, sexual, verbal, psychological, financial, and spiritual.

Abusers frequently produce a hodgepodge of lame excuses for their behavior. They may justify their actions with alcoholism, substance abuse, violent childhoods, or stress. Furthermore, abusive relationships are common among individuals of various cultures, socioeconomic classes and religions; no one is exempt. Both mental and physical abuse from an intimate partner can impact the victim and their children by not furnishing a secure home and creating an environment of fear.

Abusers often deny their behavior or attempt to justify their behavior to anyone who will listen. Despite gender, domestic violence can equally impact both men and women. Regrettably, men may be less likely to report incidents because they feel embarrassed or that their masculinity has been undermined. Domestic violence seldom disappears once it has begun without professional intervention. Victims of domestic violence can receive assistance from local agencies; it is just a matter of taking the first step and contacting these organizations. Remember, no one deserves to be physically or mentally abused and it is never an acceptable practice. If you are a domestic violence victim, please find help for the safety of yourself and your children. Make this your mission for 2011 because you no longer need to suffer in silence.

A 2010 Christmas Rant: Taxes, Homosexuality & Racism

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 18:09:00 +0000

My wife and I had an interesting conversation this morning. We both reminisced about how we could remember when people simply said merry Christmas and no one thought anything about it. Unfortunately, those days have passed. Regarding Christmas, the nativity scene and a few unpleasant words like Christmas, Jesus, in God we trust, and bless you have become evil-speak. I am intrigued by those offended by any words I just mentioned. Apparently they need a little history reminder.

Before our time, millions of Americans died to preserve our rights to: speak freely, bare arms, pay our fair share of taxes, worship as we please, and to choose our own sexuality. Sadly, a disturbing trend of so-called Americans wants to revert back to the days of King George III and remove liberties given to us by the pain and suffering of our ancestors. Since everyone is so offended about the holidays, I want to offer some common sense about a few heated unsettled topics for 2010:

Gays in the military/Gays: As a U.S. Army veteran, I am not opposed to gays in the military or anywhere. When I enlisted, a doctor asked me if I was gay. I had to say no if I wanted to make it to boot camp. Let me share a secret with you—gays have always been in the military—present and past. Like any other profession, you will find gay waiters, pilots, politicians, and musicians. Although I am heterosexual, I don’t have an issue with homosexuals. What others do in their bedrooms doesn’t concern me and shouldn’t concern you. Several years ago, I had a male co-worker who admitted his homosexuality to his parents. Naturally, they overreacted, disowned him and evicted him. So let me get this straight (pun intended): mom and dad always loved him, gave him hugs and kisses, carried him in their arms as a baby, but after discovering what he did in his bedroom, they realized that they didn’t love him after all. Call me foolish, but that’s absurd. People, stop judging and accept others for who they are. If they don’t conform to your religious beliefs, that doesn’t make them imperfect. It only means they disagree with you—and that’s fine.

Merry Christmas: If this offends you, get a life or go find one in Iraq, North Korea, Cuba, or China. But don’t try to take Christmas away from Americans who love the spirit of Christmas. If you don’t like Christmas, then donate your holiday pay to charity and your holiday time off to a soup kitchen. If the worst thing anyone does is wish you a merry Christmas, you must not be worrying about unemployment, taxes, war, death, or your relationship. What a perfect life you must be living.

Racism: Wake up, it will soon be 2011. Why do we still even have racism? Didn’t someone name Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Lincoln already proclaim everyone as equals? Although both men have passed, their message is still clear—love your neighbor. Are we even listening?

Welfare/Unemployment: Not everyone who collects unemployment or welfare is a good-for-nothing. For millions of Americans, 2010 will go down as forgettable because banks collapsed, unemployment rose, opportunities withered, and businesses closed their doors forever. With such a bad economy, Americans are experiencing financial problems and homelessness. Don’t judge someone who collects unemployment or government assistance. It’s easy to do for someone with a job and health insurance. Remember this startling fact—you and nearly everyone you know is only a paycheck or two away from losing their home and everything else.

Taxes: The entire tax code is an overcomplicated mess of jargon that needs to be simplified. It’s bad enough that those who create the tax code don’t understand it. And don’t be so hard on the IRS because they only enforce policies created by politicians that you voted into office. The tax system is unfair because some people pay more taxes than others. The only way to create a fair tax system is to create a national sales tax. The law should establish a percentage of sales tax based on cost. For instance, anything under $100 would include a 10% tax and anything from $100 to $500 might carry a 15% tax. This guarantees that everyone will pay the same amount. Additionally, no one would have to file taxes or get arrested for tax evasion except for the businesses that collect taxes. The IRS would then be able to focus on businesses and not individuals. This would be more cost efficient for everyone. So why hasn’t anyone thought of this? Simple, because it will never happen and here’s why: tax breaks are political incentives given to businesses to collect campaign donations and votes. Change the tax system and politicians could no longer incentivize businesses to fund their campaigns.

Health insurance: Yes, it’s unconstitutional to force Americans to pay for health insurance. Sorry, health insurance carries the same God-given right as a driver’s license—none. I can understand legalization of auto insurance because it establishes liability whenever an accident occurs. Here’s what Americans really need—affordable care. Most Americans would purchase health insurance if they could afford it. But most families can’t afford to pay $500-$1,000 monthly insurance premiums. We prefer spending our money on other foolish things like rent, food, clothing, and transportation. If the government would discover what drives insurance rates, they could solve the real problem. But it’s easier to pass a law and force everyone into something they can’t afford.

Well, that’s about it for 2010. I am sure we will have more to address in the upcoming year. Happy 2011!

The Importance of Thanksgiving and Giving Thanks

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 14:24:00 +0000

Sometimes it is important to stop and take time to appreciate the important things in life, how fortunate we are, how blessed to have made it this far. Family is often the one constant in many peoples lives, and even if the relationship has been testing at times, family is often the one part of our lives that cannot be denied. Even when times have been tough there are still things that we can be thankful for and often the tough times are the very reasons for people pulling closer together than before.

An important part of many people's lives is their family. These are the people who know everything about us and accept us anyway. Many families will have had their stressful times. Money worries, divorces, health concerns can test a family to the limits, but often the result is that when they come together again, through the difficulties, the bonds become stronger as a result. They know more about each other, and still continue to love, accept and support each other. Family loyalty is a powerful connection.

And often family are the very people who motivate us to carry on through difficult times, sometimes without the need to say a word. The thought of their support, the desire not to disappoint them or let them down, the thought of how much they have done for us over the years, the sacrifices they have made, can be enough to give us that extra surge of energy, desire and enthusiasm to carry on.

The festival of Thanksgiving is a special time of sharing and appreciation of the family. More Americans travel home for Thanksgiving than for any other festival, including Christmas. It is a quiet indicator of how important family ties are regarded, more important than receiving presents or throwing opulent parties. Many people travel miles simply to share this special meal with their family.

The relevance of stopping for a time to celebrate the bond and connection that you have together is important. However long there may be it is important to acknowledge the different generations as they gather together. Reminiscencing about past experiences, telling anecdotes, sharing news. Remembering not to take family for granted. It is important to demonstrate that these important people matter. Taking the time out of ones regular day-to-day life, knowing that ones whole family is traveling to the family home to share a meal together. Committing to be with parents, siblings, children, communicates with actions that these people are important and are worth the effort involved in making the journey.

Roots, heritage and traditions are often at the heart of many families. Whatever else is going on in people's lives the rest of the year, there is a constant theme and connection of family values, attitudes, outlook which are reinforced with the time spent sharing meals, celebrations, being reunited. Taking time to stop everything else and say 'thank you' with actions says it all.

Susan Leigh is a Counselor and Hypnotherapist who works with
- stressed individuals to promote confidence and self belief,
- couples in crisis to help improve communications and understanding
- with business clients to help support the health and motivation levels of individuals and teams

For more information see http://www.lifestyletherapy.net

Remembering September 11, 2001

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:39:00 +0000

Like the Challenger and the assassination of John F. Kennedy, many of us remember where and what we were doing on September 11, 2001. It was like the day Pearl Harbor was attacked—a day of infamy, a day we will never forget. It was a day of chaos, tragedy and triumph. The American spirit was attacked and has since persevered. All eyes were on America. What would we do? Would we fold up and wither away or unite as a country? It’s been nine years since that tragic day. Much has happened in the past nine years. We have our first African-American president and it is the first time in a twenty year span that we didn’t have a president with the last name of Bush or Clinton.

We have also expended millions of tax dollars and American soldiers in pursuit of Osama Bin Laden, the world’s most feared killer. Not only has this elusive man learned how to avoid capture, he was also intelligent enough to plot the worst terrorist act on American soil, without even being in the country. Bin Laden maliciously planned and executed a plan designed to not only kill innocent Americans, but to throw the American economy into a financial decline that hasn’t been seen since the days of the depression.

The aftermath caused major airlines to take a major hit as people stopped traveling by air. And it wouldn’t be much longer until over inflated property values would take a turn for the worst. Americans began losing their jobs to foreign countries and their homes to foreclosure. The ripple of September 11, 2001 has taken hold of America like an earthquake. Although it has been nine years past, we are still feeling the effects.

What Americans need to do is stay united as a country. We need to support our leaders, keep our faith in God and strive to make America a strong country. I wanted to take a moment of my life to remember those who lost their lives as a result of the events of September 11, 2001.

God Bless and Peace to all, W.Greene

http://www.lettersbeyondheaven.com

http://www.SocialHearts.com

What Our Parents Have Always Known to be True

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:04:00 +0000

At 40, I have realized that my parents knew more than what I gave them credit for. Many of us don't listen to our parents because we think they are ancient. Looking back, I realize that my parents gained their wisdom by surviving on common sense and street smarts. I would like to share some things I have learned from them. Maybe you have learned the same lessons from your own parents. You may even be able to share this knowledge with your own children.

You will look back at the first person to break your heart and laugh at your stupidity.
If you have sex without using protection, you increase your chances of either becoming a parent or contracting an STD.
Suicide is selfish: although it ends your problems, it creates sorrow for your friends and family.
If you don't work, you will never have anything.
A lottery ticket is a poor person's retirement plan.
If you don't learn a trade or pursue an education, where you are is where you will be.
If you are a lazy teenager, you will become a lazy adult.
If you can't love yourself, you won't love anyone else either.
If someone in your life is negative, avoid them. Befriend people who will pick you up and carry you when you fall down.
You have more acquaintances than true friends.
Family members can cut you deeper than any friend.
A true friend will pick you up at 2am if your car breaks down.
No one has time to exercise unless they make the time.
Your purpose in life is to befriend others.
Everyone enters the world with nothing and leaves with nothing. Therefore, everyone breaks even.
When you look at a tombstone, the dates are irrelevant. It's the tiny dash between the numbers that's important.
There are no atheists in a combat zone. My father learned this in Vietnam.
Forgive stupid people.
Karma exists: treat people bad and you will get paid back. Treat others well and you will be blessed.
Read more, watch less TV.
Love your pets.
Love your children.
Never hit your partner. Keep your hands to yourself.
Your word means everything.
Don't watch the news before you go to bed.
If your children turn out gay, love them anyway because they are still the same person you gently held and protected as an infant.
Don't meddle in the lives of others.
You aren't too good to do menial work. Do whatever is legally necessary to financially support your family.
Show up on time for appointments. It's never acceptable to be "fashionably late."
Bathe regularly and always use deodorant.
Never judge anyone by their looks or skin color. Good people come in all different sizes, shapes and colors.
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
Respect authority.

W.Greene
http://www.SocialHearts.com
http://www.lettersbeyondheaven.com

What your Shopping Cart Says About You

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 02:09:00 +0000

If your shopping cart could talk, what would it say about you? Actually, it doesn't need to speak to give away your secrets. By peeking into a shopping cart, you can gain a better understanding of someone’s lifestyle. For instance, I once observed another shopper unload a cart jam-packed with Hot Pockets and red pop. I think it’s fair to assume he wasn't planning an extravagant dinner party. Here are additional assumptions that can be made from an average shopping cart:

• Bacon: A heart attack in a pack. Nothing like a little bacon to clog your arteries.

• Band aids: Parents of children and teenagers

• Books: Someone who prefers reading over television

• Cereal boxes with cartoon characters: Dentally challenged children

• Crayons, scissors and markers: School age children

• Excedrin or aspirin: Married with children

• Fifty cans of cat food: Crazy cat lady

• Fifty cans of dog food: Either a breeder or someone hording dogs

• Financial calculators and Energy drinks: Teenagers

• Frozen meals and/or pizzas: Someone too busy to cook

• No vegetables or salad: Signs of obesity

• Preparation H: Major pain in the butt (literally)

• Prunes or Fiber supplements: Bowel problems

• Ramen Noodles and/or Macaroni and cheese: College student or someone without much cash

• Rogaine: Someone not ready to say goodbye to their hair

• Roses: If it’s not a birthday or anniversary, some poor guy has probably been sleeping on the couch

• Trojans (Not Trojan warriors): Responsible men avoiding premature fatherhood and STD’s

• Twenty packs of toilet paper: Too many kids

• Vegetables and fruit only: Possible PETA member

• Vinegar: Someone who either uses it to clean or still thinks it can be used to beat a drug test

The next time you find yourself bored in a grocery store, why not take a few minutes to glance into someone else’s shopping cart? It’s amazing what you can learn about someone by their shopping habits.

Three Reasons to Enjoy Life

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:24:00 +0000

Do you ever wonder what you need to do to enjoy your life? The thought has occurred to many people, myself included. While some people make an effort to enjoy their lives, others consider it a passing ship and never give it a second thought. Often, it's because they don't know where to begin. Other times it's because they don’t think they can enjoy life.

Let's be positive and consider three reasons why you should make an effort to enjoy your life.

First, let me point out that if you fear life, you'll never take chances. Face it, safe is good in baseball but not in life. I agree that fear is a valid reason for not enjoying life because everyone fears ridicule and failure. However, no matter how many times we fail at the game of life, we must keep on playing.

Second, life is short and offers no guarantees. If you died today, would you have any regrets? As long as you're alive, you still have a chance to improve yourself, pursue your goals and find happiness.

Finally, life holds value if you spend it trying to make a difference in the lives of friends and family. This implies that you aren't someone who quits on life—just someone who accepts life as a challenge and meets it head on. Additionally, you want to be known as someone who strives to succeed.

I have now given you three excellent reasons to enjoy your life. What do you think? Don’t you think your life is meaningful and has potential for success?

Think about what I said.

A great case has been made in support of you pursuing your goals and enjoying your life. Maybe, just maybe, you can enjoy your life if you give it a try!

William Greene

http://www.SocialHearts.com

Worn Out Sports Cliches

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:24:00 +0000

Is it just me or does anyone else loathe tired sports clichés? I am referring to the clichés often used by sports talk radio hosts or sports commentators. For instance, with each new NFL season, you will hear about cornerbacks who live alone on an island or about someone getting thrown under a bus. Can we please create some new material? It’s like driving a car on bald tires. It’s time to locate some new tires and shake up the lingo. Here are the most annoying suspects:

•“He can stretch the field” How does anyone stretch a 100 yard football field? It’s not as if the field is made of Silly Putty. Is there a bulldozer in the house?

•Is it possible for anyone to say the word goal without saying “goooooooooaal?” Damn, that’s annoying.

•“Legendary sports heroes” Really? Soldiers who died in WWII were heroes. So were the police officers and fireman who died on 9/11/01. This begs the question: how do deceased soldiers, policemen and firemen compare to an overpaid jock? Athletes receive millions from their clubs and endorsement deals to play a kid’s game. Call them athletes, not heroes.

•“He’s on an island by himself” This cornerback often plays man coverage on an opposing football team’s best receiver. Although he’s a great cornerback, he’s not alone because football is a team sport. If the defensive line gets to the quarterback, the receiver doesn’t get an opportunity to get open—forcing the cornerback to stand in the field twiddling his thumbs.

•“Cheating” Why do people act surprised when athletes cork bats or inject steroids into their buttocks? I am more surprised when they don’t cheat. Professional athletes compare to prostitutes because both survive on their physical attributes. And once their attributes fade, so do their professions. Regardless, whenever money is involved, cheaters will always remain ahead of the law. Like everyone else, athletes always try to gain an advantage. If an athlete isn't cheating, he isn't trying.

•“RBIs” This acronym is already plural. It means runs batted in. The key word is “runs.” Folks, this means more than one. So why can’t announcers just say Tom Snow has 21 RBI? It sounds funny, but it’s the correct way to say it.

•“The team is 5 games over 500” I really hate this one. For instance, if a team wins 30 games and loses 10, the announcer will say the team is 20 games over 500. In reality, if they played 40 games, 20 games won would be 500. Since they won 30, they are really 10 wins over 500.

•“He just willed them to a win” How? Does he have mental powers? No one can will their team to a win. Many factors must occur before a team wins. For instance, without a great front line, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning would become Abbott and Costello.

•“Thrown under the bus” Every other day, someone in the media has reported an incident where someone has been thrown under a bus. With all this throwing business, it’s surprising that more athletes aren’t incarcerated. I also want to know who drives this bus. There must be thousands of bodies stuck underneath. How does it ever move?

•“A Player Strike” More Billionaire on Millionaire bickering. In 1987, After NFL players called a player strike; the scabs suited up and took the fields. I can still remember watching them play because I just wanted to watch football. Besides, you don’t really know who’s who until you see a jersey with a name attached to the back. Pro athletes on strike should be so lucky they don’t have to find real jobs.

•“Drinking the Kool Aid”: This is probably the most insensitive sports analogy ever said. This saying is based on the Jonestown Massacre: an incident from the 70s when Reverend Jim Jones and his followers committed suicide by drinking Kool Aid mixed with Cyanide.

•Athlete interviews and tweets: Who actually listens to athlete interviews or reads their tweets? Although I love sports, I don’t follow interviews or read tweets because they never say anything useful (or legible). And if they did, who could understand them? Many talk like they have a mouth full of fruit loops.

Finally, how sickening it is to watch grown men fawn and beg and plead for an autograph from a 20 something year old athlete. Guys, they put their pants on one leg at a time like you do. They are as human as you.Stop with the worship already!

Okay, back to you sports announcer guy, that’s my take. Let’s see if the industry can come up with some new material.

W. Greene
http://www.SocialHearts.com

Falling Into the Gap (Insurance)...A Consumer Lesson

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 15:05:00 +0000

Anyone familiar with purchasing a new automobile knows about Gap insurance—a product that dealerships try to force on you while purchasing a newer vehicle. When I purchased my last car, the dealership employee said, “I would never allow a relative or a friend to walk out of here without purchasing Gap insurance.” After listening to her convincing sales performance, I dropped $500 for the policy. So what is Gap insurance? Let me explain:

If your new car is totaled, you are still liable for the remaining balance after the insurance settlement. For instance, let’s say your $5,000 vehicle is destroyed in an accident. Thankfully, the other driver has insurance and sends your lending institution a check for what they claim to be the value—$3,000. Although you no longer have the car, you are still on the hook for the remaining $2,000. However, if you have Gap insurance, they will cover the remaining balance.

Unfortunately, this isn’t what happened after a careless driver ran a red light and totaled my car. Coincidentally, we both had the same insurance company. The insurance company agreed to pay me the $9,000 Blue Book value. After several weeks, I received my $9,000 settlement, leaving me with a $1,000 tab due to the bank.

I immediately filed my claim through the gap insurance company to pay off the remaining $1,000. To my dismay, they denied my claim and refused to pay. I contacted the agency about the denial and reminded them that I paid $500 for my gap policy. The gap insurer informed me that the insurance company should have paid the entire $10,000. They advised me to contact the insurance company and request an additional $1,000 to pay off my balance. I called the insurance company and asked for an additional $1,000 to pay off my loan—they denied my request and told me the Gap insurer was liable. I then went back to the Gap insurer and was told to pay the $1,000 back myself because they weren’t going to pay the claim. After three rejections, I was furious.

Finally, I approached the dealership where I bought my car. I left numerous messages for the dealership manager about my situation. After he didn’t return my calls, I went to the dealership to speak to him. On the day I went to discuss my problem he was out for the day. Frustrated, I explained my situation to the dealership’s cashier and told her that no one would help me. She suggested I contact our local news channel’s consumer assistance number.

Within days of contacting a local news consumer advocate, I received a call from them offering assistance. The news station called and asked me to conduct a camera interview. I told him the consumer advocate that I had been going through this issue for nearly six months.

After my interview, I received a message from the news reporter I contacted. He said I could expect my loan to be paid in full within a week. The reporter had threatened to go on the air with my story and bring the dealership bad press if they didn’t help me. Within a week, my loan was paid in full and I eventually got a new car. Sometimes the squeaky wheel does get the grease.

William Greene
http://www.SocialHearts.com

Profiling by the Numbers

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Fri, 21 May 2010 11:20:00 +0000

I recently attended an employment related meeting with a service provider. As I drove to their office, I noticed that two initials were missing from their agency’s MRDD sign. They had converted their MRDD sign into one that just simply stated DD. After inquiring about the missing initials, their director informed me that it’s not politically correct to use the initials “M” and “R” because referring to someone as mentally retarded is offensive. Therefore, to appease the masses, he simply removed the two letters.

So who decided that using the words mentally retarded is offensive? Was there a national vote? If so, someone forgot to ask for my input. To me, mentally retarded just meant that someone had a learning disability—nothing more, nothing less. Apparently, the ACLU, NAACP, religious leaders, and other self appointed groups have proclaimed themselves the watchdogs of political correctness. For instance, here are a few more examples:

• Secretaries are now considered administrative assts;
• Trash men are sanitation engineers;
• Janitors became custodians;
• Lunatics and nut-jobs are now considered mentally challenged;
• Negroes and blacks are African-Americans;
• The word fat has been replaced with more sensitive words like obese or large boned;
• A Faggot (a bundle of sticks) has become an anti-gay derogatory slur; and
• Gay (happy) has become associated with homosexuality

Again, I must ask about political incorrectness. Has someone released an official manual or memo to inform the public? Daily newspapers and the internet are jam-packed with people who become easily offended and file a lawsuit because someone hurt their brittle feelings. Whatever happened to sticks and stones breaking our bones because names can’t hurt us?

We now live in a debilitating culture where people fear speaking their minds because they don’t want to be considered politically incorrect. So how does anyone separate the offender from the offended? Whatever happened to people expressing themselves? Isn’t that why we revolted against England? Didn’t we fight for the right to worship God and speak out against our trangressors?

The latest drama is that everyone wants to either boycott or disassociate themselves from Arizona because their governor wants to take a stand against illegal aliens. This has me scratching my head and wondering when it became politically incorrect to overlook criminal activity. And yes, illegal aliens are criminals because they slipped in through the back door without paying the cover charge.

Since the events of 9/11, I have no problem with showing identification to law enforcement agencies. I comprehend that we live in a dangerous world and terrorists have become even more cunning and evil. Although people complain about profiling, we are profiled each time a bank, finance company, insurance agency, or employer judges us by a three digit FICO score; yet no one complains or is offended by this. Now that’s politically incorrect!

W. Greene
http://www.SocialHearts.com

What Mom Really Wants

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Fri, 07 May 2010 14:26:00 +0000

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, millions of men will invade and plunder local stores to buy their wives, mothers and girlfriends millions of chocolates and flowers for the Mother’s Day mad gift dash.

But men, do you know what a woman would appreciate more than a box of candy or a vase full of trampled flowers? Try offering some compassion, understanding and kindness; I know, I know, the flowers and chocolate are more convenient and feasible. Here’s a suggestion: why wait until Mother’s Day to be more loving to the mother of your children? You can start today with a few suggestions. I will take a page from the best selling “Eat This, Not That” books.

Do this: When she pulls out the vacuum, offer to take the vacuum cleaner and do the vacuuming for her.

Don’t do this: Lift your feet up so she can vacuum the floor or tell her she missed a spot.

Do this: Tell her dinner was delicious, even if the dog passed on it.

Don’t do this: Tell her that her dinner was lousy or you need to go to the E.R.

Do this: Remember to buy her a gift. After all, she did carry your mini-me for nine months.

Don’t do this: Don’t forget Mother’s Day, even if she tells you not to make a fuss over it—she’s lying, she wants you to make a fuss over it.

Do this: When she asks if she looks fat, do what politicians do—lie, lie and deny.

Don’t do this: Don’t refer to Lane Bryant or Weight Watchers in your answer.

Do this: If she asks if you still love her, always use these words: definitely, absolutely or till the day I die!

Don’t do this: Don’t pause or tell her you have to think about it.

Do this: If she asks if you would ever trade her in for a younger model, tell her no because you prefer cougars.

Don’t do this: Say, “Hell yeah, when you turn 40, I am getting two 20 year old girlfriends.

Give these suggestions a try and I can almost guarantee you will have a nice Mother’s Day with your special lady. And if you implement these ideas into your daily routine, you will probably have a lot more peace and quite in your house. I would like to take a moment to wish all of the mothers and wives that love and tolerate their sons and husbands a happy Mother’s Day.

William Greene
http://www.SocialHearts.com

This Isn’t the America Our Ancestor’s Knew

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:23:00 +0000

I am glad that my beloved late grandfather is no longer around to see America—the country he once loved. He was a naval officer that served his country during WWII as a pilot. As children, my grandparents didn’t rely on government subsidies to survive. They worked in fields, grew their own food, made their own clothing, and solved their own problems. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Americans rose up against a common enemy: the axis powers of Nazi Germany, Italy and Japan.

If you look at old pictures from the WWII era, you will see dirty faced American men and women standing side-by-side with their sleeves rolled up in some grease covered factory. At the time, those people were considered your average hard-working Americans. They beat the sun out of bed and went to work. If you take a close look at the photographs, you will see many of them were lean, strong and walked with their heads held high. It was definitely American ingenuity at its finest. Unfortunately, we no longer live in the same America my grandfather once knew.

America has become the unwanted houseguest that sleeps on the sofa and raids your refrigerator. We are the despised meddling neighbor that has 911 on speed dial. We are the preacher that neglects his own family for his congregation. Long gone is the reputation of Americans known as producers. The world now looks at Americans as a nation of whining consumers. We ship our jobs overseas and depend on foreign oil like a crack addict depends on his dealer.

There is barely any resemblance between our America and the one my grandfather knew. America has become a society of fat, rude, obnoxious, and lazy people who file lawsuits whenever someone hurts their feelings. We kill, maim, destroy, lie, cheat, and steal for personal gain. And when caught, we blame it on our parents because no one hugged us as children. We are a nation of blameless people who never accept responsibility for anything. We blame our problems on everyone else except for the person in the mirror.

The recent passing of “Obamacare” proves my point about America. Since when did we decide that we need the government to subsidize our health care? Although some people think this is a great moment in history, they are only looking through rose colored glasses. I don’t think it has settled in that working taxpayers will be forced to pay for it. And when this happens, the doctors and health insurance will then be forced to raise their prices to keep up with the growing population.

Some people don’t have insurance because they can’t afford it. With the new law, Americans will be forced to buy a product they don’t want. Health insurance is as much of a right as a driver’s license. So what’s next? Will the government start mandating that everyone drives an odorless green car? And if you don’t buy one, will you be forced to buy one?

Health insurance has just become another freedom we have relinquished back to the government. We are on the heels of becoming a Socialist nation like England and Canada—Nations that reward success and hard work with more taxes. What people forget is that once you start relinquishing your freedoms, you eventually become China or Cuba.

Don’t be surprised when the government starts regulating how many children you can have or what type of home you can buy. Our politicians have put us in debt with the godless Red Chinese, a communist nation that laughs at the American economy. It’s because the Chinese know that our foolishness is their gain. Sadly, the America our ancestors and founding fathers once knew has gone M.I.A

William Greene
http://www.SocialHearts.com

Some People Never Change

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 22:01:00 +0000

While attending high school, my government teacher showed us Scared Straight, a video documentary about high school teenagers that visited a prison and listened to inmates discuss prison life. Inmates shared graphic details about rape, violence, and other unspeakable horrors. The premise was to encourage teenagers to avoid crime by scaring them. Apparently, the program didn’t scare too many people because prisons remain full. So why wasn’t anyone scared straight?

No one remained scared because people don’t learn from other people’s mistakes. For instance, people will smoke until their doctor diagnosis them with lung cancer. However, death isn’t always enough to save people from their own ignorance. Otherwise, what else do you call someone with Emphysema carrying an oxygen tank in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other? Let me share a few undisputed facts known by nearly everyone:

• War never solves anything; did we learn anything from the Civil War, Iraq, or Vietnam? No, we still use military force to kill anyone who opposes us.
• Physical abuse is criminal behavior;
• Maxing out your credit cards is ignorant;
• Taking a life is murder;
• Beating your children is considered child abuse; and
• Methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin are destructive.

Although I haven’t listed anything you don’t already know, people continue to commit murder, fight wars, abuse their children, and experiment with drugs. If the truth be known, people rarely adjust their lives—even when faced with obesity, death, or illness.

For instance, consider your co-workers. Don’t they become angry when your employer implements change? Although it's necessary for survival, we still resist. Imagine how workers felt switching from typewriters to computers. It was probably intimidating and frustrating at first but people eventually adapted. People hate change—even when it works. For change to become successful, it must be accepted, embraced, and gradual. Bad behavior that took years to develop, can take even longer to mend.

To emphasize a person's refusal to change, I refer to a woman I assisted from my days as a child support caseworker. In a lengthy conversation, we discussed her ex-husband and his refusal to pay child support.

“Mr. Greene, my ex-husband isn’t paying his child support. After twenty years of marriage, I divorced him because he wouldn’t hold a job or help me with bills.”

“Do you know where he works? If so, I can send a wage assignment to his employer.”

“That’s the problem, he doesn’t work. But the judge ordered him to support his children. So how come he’s allowed to disobey a judge’s order?”

“Ma’am, in our county, most people don’t pay support. Roughly 33% pay without incident, 33% pay whenever they like and the other 33% never pay.”

“So what can you do?”

“If your ex-husband isn’t employed, I can’t do much. How does he support himself?”

“I don’t know for sure but I am just surprised that he doesn’t pay.”

“Ma’am, I am not sure why you are surprised. If he didn’t support his family during your marriage, why would he do so now?”

She couldn’t answer my question because she didn’t even know why she supported her lazy ex-husband for twenty years. Not only was she a mother to her children, she was also one to him. He wasn’t motivated to work because she didn’t require him to. Following their divorce, he still refused to work or support his family. So why was she so shocked that he would pay after they divorced? He wasn't doing anything differently from when they were married.

The problem is that men think that they can't change while women think they can change their man.

William Greene
http://www.SocialHearts.com

Marriage is the Main Reason for Divorce

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:45:00 +0000

Someone once said marriage is the main reason for divorce. This is probably true since nearly half of all first marriages end in divorce, according to national statistics. And the odds are even worse for people on their second and third marriages. With such dreadful odds, your minister can almost decide your relationship’s fate with a coin toss—heads there’s a wedding—tales, Uncle Roy get his silverware back.

At this time, the divorce rate continues to remain stable without any signs of significant decline. In some situations, divorce is the sad ending of a marriage that was once filled with promise. Have you ever heard anyone discuss divorce as if they were shopping for a new shirt? Although it fit in the store, it felt different after you purchased it. And if it doesn’t fit, you can exchange it for another one. Marriage isn’t treated any differently. You could almost switch out the word shirt for spouse. Imagine the following conversation:

“It’s just not working out with Steve and me.”

“I hear you girl, I just went through the same issues with Tony.”

“What did you do?”

“I exchanged him for Rex, my auto mechanic.”

“I think I will do the same and return Steve for a slimmer model with a larger wallet.”

Although this conversation seems outlandish, it’s what couples do. They get married and divorced without a second thought. This is because of a shift in how America feels about divorce. Before 1969, divorce wasn’t an option unless a spouse could prove infidelity or abandonment. With the women’s rights movement of the late 60s, gender roles began to change. Women began entering the work force and depending less on financial support from men.

In 1969, marriage and divorce would change forever as Governor Ronald Reagan signed California’s “no fault” divorce law. This meant Americans could divorce without proving infidelity or abandonment. Divorces can now be filed for irreconcilable differences, giving both spouses a way out for simply despising each other. I know several people who have taken advantage of this law because they are on their third and fourth marriages.

So why do so many people marry the wrong person? Why is our society so flawed when it comes to marriage? Do we love and honor our partners or do we only care about our own needs? There are many relationship books written for people who marry the wrong person. Once this occurs, your options are limited to either legal separation or divorce. Next to buying a home and having children, marriage is your most important decision. It will affect you and any future children.

William Greene

Http://www.SocialHearts.com

The 7 Stages of Marriage

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:10:00 +0000

Author Maxine Rock, wrote The Marriage Map. In her book, she explains marriage in seven easy-to-digest stages. All marriages experience these stages, according to Rock.

Stage One: Fantasy Time (the first three years) is when relationships are perfect. This stage is filled with excitement because it’s new and wonderful. You may even overlook your partner’s shortcomings. If they don’t pay the electric bill, it’s easily forgotten with an apology. If your wife snorts when she laughs, you may find it cute, and not aggravating. This is the moment when emotions run high and sex is great. This is also known as the honeymoon stage.

Stage Two: The Compromise period (years two to seven) is when couples realize their partners aren’t perfect. Some couples find themselves disappointed with their partner or experience marriage regret. You may even think, “Is this all I get? The snorting laugh you once found so cute becomes irritating. This is when people try to change their partners or themselves. You might ask your partner to become more responsible for paying bills or stop smoking cigarettes. This is a dangerous stage because some people won’t make any changes or decide they don’t want to accept their partner’s faults and leave the relationship.

Stage Three: Reality Struggles (years five to ten) is when relationships become predictable and boring. Sexual activity may become less frequent and exciting. Eventually, both partners realize the other won’t make any major changes and accept their partner’s traits—good and bad. By this time, many couples are ready to divorce. To survive this stage, you must accept your partner and their limitations, and focus on their good points without being judgmental or critical. You will need more patience than you can imagine.

Stage Four: Decisions (years ten to fifteen) is when you decide your partner isn’t the same person you knew from the Fantasy stage. Your partner gets angry, is forgetful, and can sometimes be inconsiderate. But they may still surprise you with a romantic dinner or a romp in the park. At this stage, you will evaluate your marriage, separate the good from the bad, and then decide if you want to continue with the marriage.

Stage Five: Separation (years twelve to seventeen) is the worst moment in a relationship. This is when couples choose to either separate or get divorced. Some may emotionally separate from each other while their sex life and all communications cease. Some couples continue in loveless relationships for financial reasons or for their children. This stage only ends when a couple alters their lives so their marriage can survive.

Stage Six: Together again (years seventeen to twenty) is when a couple realizes they are in this partnership together and will stick it out till the end. Both parties decided to commit to their marriage and never consider divorce. If you are here, your relationship has succeeded.

Stage Seven: New Freedom (years twenty to twenty-five) is the final stage. This is when a couple no longer needs to apply so much energy into a marriage for it to work. The married couple just “goes with the flow.” There may even be a peaceful understanding between partners. It’s what many consider to be the best years of their marriage. Most couples refer to this final stage as their golden years.

Immediately following the seven stages is what Rock refers to as ongoing growth. This is when a couple spends their days enjoying each other’s company. It’s considered to be the final prize for persevering through hardships. You both grow individually while simultaneously maintaining your marriage.

William Greene
http://www.SocialHearts.com

Toxic Behavior

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Dr. Stanton E. Samenow authored Before it is Too Late, Inside the Criminal Mind, and spent several years researching criminal behavior. He assessed that poverty, divorce, and lifestyle doesn’t encourage crime. He claims criminals commit crimes because they don’t value anyone unless they can use them to serve their own selfish needs. Samenow developed a list of thinking errors he applied to criminals.

I have applied his thinking error model to those we meet on a social and professional level. Attempting to develop a relationship with someone with thinking errors can lead to future relationship problems. Here is a sample of thinking errors described in Samenow’s research. Perhaps some of these errors may apply to your partner:

• inflicts needs on others
• doesn’t worry about hurting others and only considers themselves
• blames others to avoid consequences
• seeks immediate self-gratification
• believes rules are for others
• controls others with anger
• doesn’t get along with others
• ineffective communicator
• uses sex for power
• considers people as things to possess and control

Although not everyone with a thinking error is a criminal, these errors can still be linked to abusive relationships. Partners may have violent tempers or blame others for their shortcomings. If you seek additional information about abusive relationships, look no further than the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in their assessment of reported crimes. The report is termed the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR). Additional information about the UCR Program can be found on the FBI’s official website. I have included a few disturbing statistics from their 2006 UCR.

2006 Homicide Statistics

• In murder cases where the victim knew their killer, 21.6 percent were killed by a family member, and 55.3 percent were murdered by an acquaintance (neighbor, friends, girlfriend, boyfriend, etc...)

• Husbands and boyfriends killed their female victims 32.2 percent of the time.

• 26.1 percent of victims were murdered during an argument (including love triangles).

So the message is clear. Make sure you are careful about who you date or marry. The relationship could affect you and any future children.

William Greene
http://www.SocialHearts.com

The Cat and The Ghost Sailor

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:35:00 +0000

In his book, Incredible Cats, author David Green mentions a story told to him by an old sailor in Malta. It’s an incredible story about a cat and his devotion to his deceased human friend.

The story involved a drunken tyrant of a captain that despised his German second mate, Hansen. Although Hansen was quiet and didn’t say much, he was a hard working sailor. While working on the ship, Hansen befriended a scruffy cat named Rhaj. Afterward, Hansen and Rhaj soon became best friends. Hansen fed Rhaj and allowed the mangy critter to sleep with him in his bunk. Hansen also spent hours talking to Rhaj as if he were human.

Rhaj showed his affection for Hansen by following him around like a little puppy when he made the ships rounds. One night while making his rounds, Hansen encountered his drunken captain being abusive to another crew member. Angered by the captain, Hansen intervened on behalf of his shipmate. The drunken captain viciously struck Hansen causing him to fall and crack his skull. Hansen died immediately.

The evening after Hansen’s death, Rhaj came to the bridge and stood in the same spot where his deceased friend used to stand watch. The mangy cat began to follow the same path that Hansen did when he made his evening rounds. The superstitious crew started rumors that Rhaj continued to follow the ghost of his deceased friend. The rumors rattled the captain who then demanded Rhaj be captured and thrown into the sea.

Rhaj vanished for two days before he was found lying on the captain’s face. After passing out from a night of drinking, Rhaj had suffocated the murderous taskmaster. What the crew found strange was that the captain’s door was locked from the inside, so how did the cat get inside the cabin? Surely he wouldn’t have allowed the cat to enter since he was fearful of the mangy critter. And the only other person on the ship who knew about an extra key to the captain’s room was Hansen, and he was dead. So how did Rhaj get in?

The old sailor said it was a mystery that none of the crew members could explain. But no one thinks an animal can hold a grudge and seek revenge. That’s not possible—is it? But then there are some mysteries in life that will forever go unsolved.

William Greene
…http://www.Socialhearts.com

A Tiny Angel Without Wings

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:01:00 +0000

It was a warm summer day in 1999 when my wife and I celebrated our youngest son’s third birthday. We bought him a birthday cake, ice cream, gifts and decorated our home to celebrate the special moment. My day seemed perfect until a tiny angel ran past my office. She had big blue eyes, curly blonde hair and appeared to be my son’s age. She reminded me of former child star, Shirley Temple. “Must be a co-worker’s daughter,” I thought to myself. Moments later, I rose from my desk and noticed the tiny girl standing next to Bill, a children’s services co-worker.

I asked him if the tiny girl was his daughter or a relative—she wasn’t. Bill was her caseworker. Just days ago, he had removed her from an abusive home. I told Bill I couldn’t understand how anyone could harm such a beautiful child. He didn’t have an answer.

After dinner, I watched my son eat his birthday cake and open his gifts as my thoughts drifted back to the tiny angel in the blue dress. Bill had told me that many of the children in our custody have never had a birthday party or ever received any gifts. He said they are just blessed to live to see another day.

Unfortunately, if these children aren’t adopted or taken in by family members, they will never experience any stability. They will carry their belongings in garbage bags from one address to the next. These nomadic children will spend their entire childhood wandering from one foster home to the next. And once they emancipate from the system, they are released into the world and expected to fend for themselves. Try to imagine being released into the world without ever being loved or receiving any parental guidance. It's a scary thought for most of us.

Unfortunately, many young adults never recover from their traumatic childhoods and turn to drugs, crime, and alcohol for comfort. When people have children, they often forget that their child only has one childhood. It's up to their parents to make sure their children have a safe and happy childhood. But if they grow up in an abusive environment, it can alter their adult lives.

So why are there so many screwed up people in our society? They are screwed up because they never develop an ability to love or trust anyone. A child's inability to develop a healthy relationship with a parent or adult can alter a young person’s life forever. And if these children never receive any counseling for their past troubles, they may carry years of anger and pain into adulthood.

William Greene
http://www.SocialHearts.com

A Warning for Male Senior Citizens!

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 17:29:00 +0000

I received an important email warning from a friend. Please share this information with any older men you may know.

Women often receive warnings about protecting themselves at the mall and dark parking lots. This is the first one I have seen for men. I wanted to share this with you in case you haven’t heard about it. This will probably become more commonplace in Florida. This is a heads up for any older man who shops at Lowes, Home Depot or Costco. This caught me by surprise as I recently became the victim of a clever scam while shopping. A simple shopping trip for supplies soon became a traumatic nightmare. Men, don’t be foolish and think this can’t happen to you because it can.

Here’s how the scam works:

Two really gorgeous 20-something girls came over to my car while I loaded my trunk. They both started cleaning my windshield with a rag and Windex. They were both dressed in skimpy outfits with their breasts nearly falling out of their shirts. These women are so attractive that they can easily pass for models. I offered them a tip for cleaning my windows, but they declined. Instead, they asked for a ride to McDonalds.

I agreed and let them sit in my back seat. While in the back seat of my car, they began to undress. Afterward, they both climbed into my front seat and began kissing and rubbing on me. It wasn’t until after I dropped them off at McDonalds that I realized those women had scammed me and stolen my wallet!

And to add insult to injury, they also stole my wallet on June 1st, June 10th, and then on June 18, June 19, and twice on June 29th. And if this wasn’t bad enough, they stole my wallet again on July 10th and twice on July 19th. So tell your friends to avoid these thieves. What a terrible way to take advantage of a helpless senior citizen. Warn your friends and be vigilant of these two women while shopping at Lowes, Home Depot or Costco.

FYI** Wal-Mart has wallets on sale for $2.99 each. I found even cheaper ones at K-Mart for $1.99 each. I bought twenty new wallets and have also lost ten pounds running back and forth between Costco, Home Depot and Lowes!

Signed, a concerned senior citizen

Wiliam Greene
http://www.SocialHearts.com

Why Toxic Relationships Can Kill You

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:44:00 +0000

I was at a local department store a few days ago and scanned the headlines of a few popular gossip magazines. Out of curiosity, I decided to check out Hollywood's latest breakups. With so many breakups, I thought about a relationship article I read last year; it made a comparison between heart disease and bad relationships.

According to an article published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, terrible personal relationships and marital woes can increase the risk for heart disease and reduce life expectancy. Scientists concluded that stress causes health problems associated with terrible relationships.

Researchers studied responses from 9,011 British civil servants (most were married). The study concluded that thirty-four percent of those in terrible relationships may suffer a heart attack or experience other heart problems than their counterparts involved in good relationships. Successful relationships included partners (more than 64 percent), family, and friends. This survey was conducted over a twelve year follow-up period.

Lead author, Robert De Vogli, a researcher with University College in London, concluded that marriage is good when people are cautious about the quality of their spouse. De Vogli also reasoned that health problems are an excellent reason ( if not the only one) to find the right partner.

So if you haven't made any resolutions for 2010, let me make a suggestion: find a partner to love and appreciate you. Not only will it be good for you mentally, it could also save your life!

William Greene
http://www.SocialHearts.com

A Message From God

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 23:30:00 +0000

Does anyone ever wonder why God created Ten Commandments and not twenty or thirty? He probably created ten because he knew that's all we could handle. When he created these laws, he meant for them to be interpreted as written. He didn’t want anyone to twist or interpret them in an unusual manner.

So imagine if God sent someone today to deliver a more modernized version of the Ten Commandments. Would God add or subtract any? Let’s revisit a few of God’s commandments and “modernize” them. If I could ask God for a better interpretation, here is what he might say about a few of his commandments.

You shall have no other gods before me.

God: This is a no-brainer. This means that I should be the only god to get any love. So quit this Scientology craziness. L. Ron Hubbard was a man, not God. Geez, he was just a guy that I created to write science fiction. Just how dumb are you people? There is no flying saucer taking you to paradise. Stop watching the X-Files and get a life. And for you Star Wars nerds, the force isn’t a real religion. It was something George Lucas made up in his sleep.

You shall not make any carved images of me.

God: The Golden Globes, Grammys, and the Oscars are man-made awards created by men. Stop worshipping celebrities that get these awards because they are just people. Why would you worship or stalk another person no better than you? They only have more money and that doesn't make them better people, just richer. Read the Bible and I will tell you how difficult it will be for rich people to get into heaven.

Don’t take my name in vain.

God: Stop using my name to curse people. I don’t like when you all damn anyone to Hell. And stop blaming me for your ignorance. If you do stupid things, don’t blame me. Take responsibility for your own actions. And don’t blame Satan either. He didn’t make you do anything you didn’t already want to do.

Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.

God: Ok, so maybe this one is a little harsh. This means for you to save a day to thank me for all your blessings. When I made this commandment, there was no Walmart or Denny’s open 24/7. I would like you to attend church on Sunday but if you have to work, that’s a forgivable offense. After all, man can’t live on bread alone. And you won’t catch me in Walmart anytime soon. Have you seen the lunatics that shop there?

Honor your parents

God: This means to respect and obey your parents. Sometimes this one makes me cringe. With so much child abuse and parents committing horrible crimes against their children, some parents don’t deserve to be honored or respected. So honor mom and dad if they are respectable. Otherwise, you have my permission to call the police or children’s services if they are breaking the law.

Thou shalt not kill

God: You have really taken this one out of context. When I said don’t kill anyone, I didn’t use the word “except” anywhere. I meant for you not to kill anyone. So why are you fools fighting wars and killing each other? Don’t you know that war doesn’t solve anything? It just means that none of you can get along. And you all claim to be civilized. Hah! That’s a joke. And who gave people the authority to kill others anyway? I am the creator of life. So why do you think you can terminate something I created? When I sent the flood to destroy you idiots, I should have kept the dinosaurs. At least they killed each other for food and not personal gain. I mean, only humans keep the heads of dead animals on their mantles as trophies.

Thou shalt not commit adultery

God: This is simple; don’t fool around on your husband or wife. And no, celebrities, athletes, and politicians don’t get an exemption on this commandment. If you want to play around, then don’t get married. When you get married, you are supposed to stick with the same partner forever. Yeah, I know, forever can be a long time. And all you old horny guys, stop buying hair pieces and running off with younger bimbos. Trust me guys, they only love your car and your wallet. Remember, the marriage vow says, “till death do you part.” So make sure you get it right. And if you are a player, don’t get married. Tiger Woods must have not gotten my memo

So everyone have a Happy New Year, spend time with your loved ones, and feel free to pray anytime with your troubles because I am always listening...Love, God.

William Greene
http://www.SocialHearts.com

The Tiger Who Would Be King

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:00:00 +0000

It’s been a busy week for one Eldrick Tiger Woods. In a matter of a few days, he has lost his family and credibility as a loyal and loving husband. I am not even sure if a trip to Oprah’s couch will benefit him. It's gotten so bad for Woods that he's now being mentioned in the same breath as Magic Johnson and Wilt Chamberlain; two other athletes known for their sexual escapades. The man known as God’s gift to golf has stepped down from Mt. Olympus and become human.

Woods reminds me of a character from the movie, The Man Who Would Be King. Sean Connery played Daniel Dravot, a former soldier that tricks a tribe of natives into believing he was a God. After a woman bites Dravot, the natives discover he is human after seeing him bleed. And once they realize he is human, they behead him. Dravot reminds me of Woods because both were brought down by women and people are now discovering that Tiger Woods is just a man.

Last night, I saw a clip of an adult movie star who discussed her sexual encounter with Woods. She called him a gentleman. Really? What does that mean? Did he leave her a tip after they were done rolling in the sheets? She also discussed the entire encounter as if she had just finished eating a sandwich.

Now here’s my take on all this Tiger Woods business. Who are we to judge him? Why does anyone care what he does with his penis? If you care, you need a hobby or a life. Other than Woods himself, the only person that should be concerned about his penis is his wife. As golf fans, Woods doesn’t owe anyone an apology or a statement. The only thing he owes his fans is a good golf game. I don’t care if he’s having sex with his Avon lady or the cashier at Burger King. He cheated on his wife; he didn’t kill anyone, build a Meth lab, or beat his children.

What I find most disturbing about this incident is how people worship celebrities. People act as if they have a personal interest vested in Wood’s sex life. I have heard people say they are disappointed in him or they don’t know if they should allow their children to play his video game. As NBA great Charles Barkley once said, “athletes aren’t role models.” And if Tiger Woods is your child’s role model, then you may need to step your game up as a parent. If your children ask about Woods, it’s simple, just tell them he made a mistake.

Finally, another woman has claimed to have sold nude pictures of Woods to Playgirl. Here’s a message for any celebrity, politician, or anyone who is famous. If you are famous, someone wants to exploit you. If a prostitute, junkie, or porn star promises not to reveal details of your infidelity to the media, they are lying. So remember: the next time you get drunk, sleep with a stranger, or wrap your car around a telephone pole, there are people waiting to snap your picture and exploit it for money. And you can take that to the bank.

William Greene
http://www.SocialHearts.com

Black Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Socialhearts) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:57:00 +0000

Another Black Friday has passed and I don’t feel like I missed anything for not participating in the shopping frenzy. I slept late on Friday morning and enjoyed some time with my family. Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving Day and is the official kickoff to the holiday shopping season. It’s called Black Friday because stores unload their merchandise to rid themselves of debt (red) and earn a profit (the black).

It’s also the largest shopping day in America. For some individuals, it’s a tradition for them to rise early, grab some coffee, load their wallets and purses with credit cards and prepare for hand-to-hand combat with other shoppers. And stores do their part by keeping their sales items top secret until the ads arrive in the Thanksgiving newspaper. Most stores offer huge discounts on electronics and the season’s most popular toys.

Although it’s considered a cultural tradition in some homes to engage in this event, it’s just another day for me. I have never stood in line on a cold Friday morning waiting for a store to open its doors. I spoke to a few of my co-workers that endured the cold and stood in line for hours while fighting for bargains. One co-worker said she stood in line for hours to purchase a large flat screen television for $250. She stood in a line that snaked around the aisles like an anaconda. She said by the time she had purchased her television, she was angry, tired, and agitated.

While standing in line, she was shoved and endured rude comments from other customers. She also mentioned that she overheard another customer describe her visit to a local toy store where she witnessed two people engage in a near fight to the death over a toy. I can remember many years ago when people nearly killed each other to acquire a Tickle-me-Elmo doll. Fortunately, my mother worked part-time at a local department store and bought one for my son. He was one of the few three-year-olds in the neighborhood to wake up with a Tickle-me-Elmo under the Christmas tree.

It’s amazing how people treat each other on Black Friday. The same neighbor that will either wave to you or shake your hand in church will turn into a primitive savage and attack you for the last computer or television set. I have seen video footage of people getting trampled while trying to enter a store on Black Friday.

Although no one forces anyone to participate in the shopping frenzy, stores should be held liable for any injuries or death since they provide the stage for the ensuing madness. Once stores open their doors, management knows that people will rush through the store like Wildebeests. So far, I haven’t heard anything about anyone getting trampled to death this year, so I guess Black Friday was a success. If I ever decide to risk getting trampled to death, I will buy a plane ticket for Spain and participate in the Running of the Bulls. At least the bulls won’t trample me to death for a computer.

William Greene
http://www.SocialHearts.com