Gloria Neal's Blog

Is it racial profiling to closely examine the background and religious beliefs of the soldier suspected of committing this nation's latest mass shooting (Fort Hood, Texas) or is it acceptable behavior in this post 9-11 world?

This might not be "p-c," but I really don't care at this point!  When you shoot dozens of people killing many in the process at an Army Post; when those people shot happen to be fine men and women serving this country; when the suspect turns out be an officer who could have ties to terrorism, in my opinion everything about him is in play!  How's that for letting the chips fall where they may?

Maybe Maj Hasan doesn't have ties to any radical groups. Maybe he was just having "the mother" of all bad days coupled with an undiagnosed mental problem.  If so, let the investigation of his life bare that out.  I don't see anything wrong with taking a closer look because of his name and/or religion.  For the record, I would be saying the same thing if his name was "Joe Schmoe."  "Joe" may or may not have ties to terrorism, but I no longer live in a world where we can give the "Hasan's" or the "Joe's" of the world the benefit of the doubt.

It's a damn shame when our soldiers who were preparing to go to war get "taken-out" by an officer (psychiatrist) who's suppose to be helping them prepare to deal with the rigors of war!  Even though I recognize there's probably a mental health issue here, I still can't help but feel this person needs to go to jail.

As for my military brothers and sisters, my heart and prayers go out to you and your families.  Yesterday, many of you were looking forward to spending the weekend with your significant others.  Today, some of you are making funeral arrangements.  There are no words.

How soon is too soon for Santa to show up and for Christmas decorations to go up?

I know that this isn't possible...but in a perfect world there would be a law that states Santa can't show up until the day after Christmas, and Christmas lights can't go up til December 1st.  In addition to all that, Christmas lights have to be taken down by Jan 15th of the new year.  Plus, Thanksgiving would be celebrated in some form or fashion every week in November until turkey day.  Now, I know all that isn't possible, but ...if this was the United States of Glo, it would be law!

Honey, Santa is reminding me of a relative that has outworn his welcome during the holidays.  I'm seeing "the white bearded man" too much, for too long.

Now, for those who say "...well Glo, you know this really isn't a holiday for you."  I say "bah-hum-bug!"  I love Christmas just like the next person, but I don't love Christmas at the expense of Thanksgiving.  I do not want to fah-lah-lah-lah-lah during a cookoout.  At this point, I fully expect to see Santa at Safeway in the turkey section holding a Butterball? LOL

If we could just slow down, so we can all catch up, that would be great!

Is Denver really the most stressed out city in the nation?  According to a survey just released by the American Psychological Association, we are!  But do you believe it?

Are you kidding me? 

Denver more stressed than New York or LA?!  Well, maybe.

Maybe folks living in those places have leared to deal with stress more effectively than we do here.  Maybe the kind of stress we are experiencing in Denver is new to us here.  That's one argument.  Another one is maybe we address our stress concerns when we go to the doctor making it easier to track the stress/health ratio.  Maybe we were more honest about our stress levels...and maybe there is a tooth fairy!  C'mon--you can't tell me that traffic on I-25 compares to that "parking lot" known as the 405 in L-A!

I'm not "poo-pooing" the APA's survey, but it does make you wonder if some psychologists are trying to drum up business in Denver!  Did I say that?

It's called Swine Flu Etiquette...BUT some say it's rude behavior under any name.  Do you think it's rude to not shake someone's hand because of concerns about swine flu?

Okay, who came up with these new etiquette rules pertaining to the swine flu pandemic?  I can understand not shaking hands, but why can't I just say that I'm not shaking your hands because of my swine flu concerns?  Why do I have to touch your elbow if I'm a man or rub my butt to yours if I'm a woman? (watch my story on swine flu etiquette) Hello!   I think it's perfectly okay to say I'm not shaking your hand because of my flu concerns. If they don't understand, you probably didn't want to do business with them anyway.  Plus, look at all the other ways we can get swine flu--touching money, passing our credit cards, pressing our cell phones to our faces and the list goes on and on.

Still, Anna Post, great-great grandaughter of Emily Post (Ms Manners herself) says with everyone "pinging" around the globe, exchanging germs--this could be the beginning of a huge social shift.  What was once considered rude is now considered somewhat acceptable.  Maybe...or maybe we've all gone anti-bacterial crazy. But until they can get the swine flu vaccine to the right people in a fashion that doesn't require folks to stand in line for 3 to 4 hours, we'll probably continue to lose our minds about swine '09! 

Claims by the nation's biggest cereal manufacturer have many people upset and has the FDA asking questions. Do you believe the nutritional information on cereal or other prepackaged foods?

Kellogs is in hot water for making a claim of immunity and placing it across the front of two of its cereals -- Cocoa Krispies and Rice Krispies.

Clever, yes!

True, questionable!

When I go to the grocery store and see cereal boxes, my common sense kicks in.

It tells me that if there are little cartoon characters on the front of the cereal box, it's probably not for me.

I mean "snap, crackle and pop" are cute but they don't remind me of whole grains when I look at them.

Plus, I know that type of cereal has more sugar in it than most adult cereals. So, I move on to my section -- the bran section.

I think we live in a world where we don't really expect the big claims on the front of the box (or any other pre-packaged foods) to be true.

However, that still doesn't excuse the behavior. With claims of boosting immunity for kids on the front of Cocoa and Rice Krispies, I think Kellogs was fully aware that most parents would think "swine flu" and buy the cereal for their kids.  The problem --and it's a BIG ONE-- the claim on Cocoa and Rice Krispies has not been proven to be true.  What will they think of next?

Should Texas Tech Head Coach Mike Leach be fired, suspended or allowed to continue coaching for calling his players companions "fat little girlfriends..." or should we all develop thicker skin?

My apologies for this post being so late.  Technical challenges occured.

As for my thoughts on Coach Leach' comments--ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?  I'm told this man has 3 daughters!  What kind of message is he sending?  I'm sure he went home profusely apologizing for his "fat little girlfriends" (FLG) comment.  But even if his comments were "tongue and cheek," he had a chance to come back the next day or Monday and right the ship.  He did not.  He just picked up the same "FLG" shovel and started digging.

Maybe he will give his tongue and his shovel a rest this week!

 

What were the pilots on Northwest Airlines Flight 188 doing that made them overshoot their destination by 150 miles? 

I wish I could say with certainty that I knew what was going on inside that cockpit.  But I don't.  However, since the cockpit is only so big, I know whatever they were doing they both had to be "in" on it.  You're not keeping any secrets at 37,000 feet sitting that close together.   So, whether they were arguing, sleeping, having sex, drugging or baking cookies, one thing is for sure the only thing they were suppose to be doing was flying the plane.  And it's clear, they weren't doing that.   Even the auto-pilot recording said "Hey stupid and stupider, we're flying over the airport...whatcha gonna do?!"  Apparently, they didn't hear that either.

As my momma would say "...Somebody is lying!"

Sidebar:  One other thing I still can't understand is why the passengers didn't know that the plane was an hour late; didn't they begin to wonder what was going on in the cockpit after being in the air an extra hour?

 

Children of illegals are educated in this country; upon graduation should they be deported or allowed to stay?

Let me be clear because illegal immigration is such a hot button issue these days.  There are no easy answers.  However, I do believe that illegal is illegal!  And, if you want to become legal, there should be some steps that illegal immigrants can take that would help them get on the path to legalization.  I don't believe that adults who have entered this country illegally and have been productive citizens for 20 years should just be kicked-out of the country.   As for criminals who come to this country illegally, they should be sent back to whatever country they have come from.  

In Helen Thorpe's book "Just Like Us," she chronicles the lives of 4 Hispanic girls--2 legal and 2 not legal-- living in Denver. It delves into the obstacles they face being friends and the obstacles they face due to the illegal status of 2 of the girls.  The law says when a child is brought to this country by an illegal, they too are illegal.   So, if we (society) are constantly pushing kids to stay in school, I have to wonder what is the incentive for the kids of illegal immigrants to stay in school and get good grades when they know they'll be deported once they graduate?

Here's another question:  How can we spend so much money on educating children who have been brought to this country illegally and then say "...you must leave after graduation"?  American taxpayers are getting nothing on their investment of time and hundreds of thousands of tax dollars spent educating these children.  If a person--any person--seeks to make restitution and demonstrates good citizenship, shouldn't we help them?  There has to be a better way. 

 

It's another brouhaha involving huge year-end bonuses for Wall Street execs.  Now the White House is stepping in (again) to stop it! Should the White House be involved in determining Wall Street bonuses or do companies who took bail-out money have the right to pay their execs any amount they choose?

No, they should not have the right to take my tax money and pay themselves big bonuses for a job NOT well done!  This is the sickest form of arrogant extortion I've ever seen. They are so slick on Wall Street that you might actually believe they are due this money because their companies are doing so well reporting record profits.  Accept for the fact that their companies are doing so well because our tax dollars bailed their butts out and they have fired so many employees (which makes the books look even better).  If it wasn't for our money, these companies wouldn't have a pot-to-pee-in or a window to throw-it-out-of.  I feel like Wall Street is spraying me with urine and calling it perfume (LePue)! 

On a micro scale, if my neighbor borrowed money from me to pay her mortgage then decided to go on a shopping spree before she repaid me my money, I would have something to say about that.  And if she didn't want my input, then she shouldn't have taken my money honey!  Wall Street should recognize that this is payback of a different kind.  The White House better step in and get our pay back!

Should a man who was naked in his own home and making coffee be arrested for indecent exposure?  Honey Hush!

Of course NOT!  It's his house.  If the woman is willing to help pay his mortgage then she can complain about him walking around naked in his house!  What is wrong with this woman and this world?  Since when can't you walk around naked at home?  I could see if the man was standing in front of a window cradling his "cup of joe" waiting to be discovered like Christopher Columbus.  That would be different.  But as far as I can tell, this is not that.

Why would a woman call police after seeing a naked man in his own kitchen, in his own house using his own pot to make himself some coffee?  Why couldn't she do what most people would have done--exercise some common sense, chuckle and turn her head (along with the head of the 7 year old boy who was accompanying her)?  Why was it necessary to escalate the situation and call police?  Does this man have a history of doing this? Is this man a pedophile? Does this man have history with this woman?  If all the answers to the aforementioned questions are "no," this is a frivolous arrest and a waste of taxpayer money.

When I first heard this story, I thought--we're all guilty of this at some point.  When my robe unexpectedly comes open while in the kitchen at home and "biblical Glo" shows up, I'm not thinking my neighbors could be watching and call the police.  I'm thinking "...oh, my house coat just came open and it's cold...." However, whether I decide to close it or not, is my choice.   For the life of me, I don't understand why the charges are not against the peeper instead of the peepee?!