Thoughts About 9/11

Thirteen years ago we, the American people were ambushed. Our world screeched to a halt on a beautiful September morning. But have we truly learned anything from this tragedy? I would have to agree with this picture, and say, "NO WE HAVE NOT"!

The NSA (National Security Administration) will track anyone and every ones emails, Facebook posts, Tweets if they contain certain phrases: Second Amendment, Impeach, Minuteman, #2A, Constitution, Tea Party, etc. But they haven't got a clue how to track millions of illegal aliens whom enter this country illegally, or the entry and/or exit of foreign nationals visiting, on work visas, or on student visas, which by the way many have expired, yet they cannot seem to find them to DEPORT them. 

Think about this: If I were to write a bad check, not pay for it, I would see a sheriff at my door as soon as you can say, "No way". However, we have thousands of illegal aliens whom commit crimes in this country, some are never caught because the make a beeline for the border, and some are tried, convicted, and imprisoned (which by the way, they have it better than MOST senior citizens...they get three meals a day, shower every other day, free medical attention & medication, cable television, and are babysat 24/7/365. Albeit the comforts of home they do not have, however they have it better!), which when released are deported only to cross back into this country to commit the very same crimes or other more horrific crimes against American citizens. 

Do I think we should secure our borders? Damn Skippy I do. I think we should do as every other country on this earth does, have our military join with our Border Patrol to secure our borders. I also think that we need to use whatever means necessary to keep illegals from crossing into our country. Mine field would work just fine. If you think this is extreme, there is a one mile section between the border of North & South Korea, it is told that a farmers cow wandered onto this section of land, there was NOTHING left of the cow after both border patrols opened fire on the cow, who was doing nothing but grazing. The U.S. is the ONLY country where if you are an illegal alien you get food stamps, housing, jobs, medical treatment; yet we have homeless veterans living on the streets, without jobs, without proper housing or medical treatment. I am very sure many of these veterans would look at this as a hand up not a hand out!

I pray daily for those whom lost their lives that day, the survivors whom live with the guilt, our country which needs to REMEMBER this day, which was one of the worst days in our history, but yet it was one of our best. We came together, we held hands, we prayed, and we flew our flags proudly. GOD BLESS AMERICA, and those that defend her. 

Finally I leave you with this, for you to ponder:

NONE OF THE ABOVE

In 1985 Richard Pryor made a movie called “Brewster’s Millions”. While many may not remember this movie or all of its cast of colorful characters, there is one part of the movie I always remember. Brewster, played by Pryor, suddenly within 10 days of the election jumps into the fray, not to be elected himself but to urge voters to vote for, “None of the Above” (here is the movie clip via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXEglx-or6k). Pryor reminds each and every one of us that our most important role as American’s is to VOTE. On every ballot there is a small area to “WRITE IN” a candidate. Maybe it is time we began a campaign of “None of the Above”. Maybe it is time to show our government which is out of control, whom actually holds all of the power. It is also time to dismantle the “Electoral College” which does NOT have the public’s best interest in mind.

All I am saying is it is time everyone to start telling our politicians the “None of the Above” can and will be a candidate if things do not change in Washington (or your local town, city, or state). I want what is the very best for this country and obviously it isn't in place at the moment. Ask yourself and your representative the following questions: 

• “Are you representing what I want?”
• “Are you spending my tax dollars wisely?”
• “Are you giving Active Duty Service Members the help they need?”
• “Are you giving our & Veteran’s the help they need(i.e.: VA Benefits, Timely Appointments)?”
• “Do our Armed Service Members have everything they need in the field?”
• “Do you really need catered lunch everyday?
• “Do you really need two homes?”
• “Do you really need an office staff of 50 to 100 people?”

If your representative, hems, haws, or just passes on these questions than you need to find someone else to represent you, your family, & your friends.

To the people whom will be cleaning out their offices after the elections please do the following on the way out the door:

• Remove all “Golden Parachutes” for you will be “free falling” to your home without the help of the taxpayers you stole from;
• Write a check payable to the “American People” for all of the money you have stolen [this number should be a three digit number followed by six zeroes, a period, and two zeroes (it should resemble this: $XXX,000,000.00)]. YES I said “stolen” through legislated graft.
• Remove all of your cronies from the Capitol Building and take them back to wherever they belong;
• DO NOT blame anyone but yourself for what is happening to you.

Remember get out and vote. 

ACTIONS WILL ALWAYS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS!!!

Before I begin my rant I need to wish all the very best to Michael Sam in his career.

To the younger generation that may be reading this: I AM OLD FASHIONED. PERIOD. I am NOT or NEVER been homophobic or anything even close to it. I feel that what you do behind closed doors is your business, NOT mine. 

WHY is it that we ignore our Christian ball players, Tim Tebow for instance but laud & praise gay ball players? To be honest I would rather read ten articles about Christian players to one of them containing a players lifestyle. WHY is it I NEVER hear about either of the Manning brothers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, in the news unless it is about what they are doing on the field? I could be very wrong but maybe it is because they know how to keep their private life PRIVATE!!!! 

I am writing this as I watch ESPN Sport Center, listening for the sports news of the day. I hear that Oprah & Michael Sam agreed to do a "documentary" about him, however he left out on big thing in the equation, the St. Louis Rams football management & team. Making the transition from college to professional will NOT be a cakewalk for any player drafted, however it will make it one hundred or even a thousand times harder with cameras following you around inside and outside of the locker room. Mr. Sam, never once did you contact Ram's management or take into account your fellow players feelings about being in this "documentary". A locker room is NO place for a camera, period; unless it is after a game and there is someone asking questions.  

Let's face some very black and white facts: the openly "GAY" ceiling was broke by two women over 35 years ago, one was Billie Jean King, the other Martina Navratilova. These two women had it much rougher than ANY player, "coming out" today. Get with the program men, do the job your paid to do with honor and integrity. Keep your bedroom out of the picture. That goes for straight players as well, why am I reading about your sex life all over the internet? Are you that small of a man inside you must make your bedroom prowess known? Or make your partner feel less than human when she is humiliated by you online or in the press?

Another thing WHY didn't ESPN or the mainstream media go manic over Philadelphia Eagles pic 6'9". U.S. Military Academy Graduate, Army Ranger & Bronze Star recipient Alejandro Villanueva*? My guess was because anyone wearing a military uniform, or being a patriot is OFF LIMITS. This is HUGE news for the Eagles whom are really lacking in the defense department. My hope is that every Sunday from week one to the Super Bowl this man's name is on their tongues. The media needs to cover every pick or no picks at all. We cannot chose what to report.

BTW, None of you are my heroes, my heroes wear DOG TAGS & CAMO!!!!!

*  Read more about Philadelphia Eagles pick Alejandro Villanueva here: http://allenbwest.com/2014/05/sams-kiss-brave-villanuevas-bronze-star-now-thats-brave/

My Thoughts On the NFL Draft

First let me say this before I get feedback from my everyone, I am a rabid football fan. I am a die hard Washington Redskins fan. While I follow the Raiders and the Packers, I will ALWAYS wear the team colors of the Redskins. And while we are at it, DON'T even think about changing the name of my beloved team. While the term may be derogative to those whom think they can buy anything they choose by paying off politicians (are you listening Mr. Halbritter, of the Oneida Indian Nation), it is a team name, just like the Chiefs. They have been in use for over 50 years.

The past few days I have been watching the NFL draft. While I am overjoyed that Jadeveon Clowney was the first draft pick, that the Cowboys did NOT pick Johnny Manziel and that it took 21 other picks before he was drafted by the Clowns, ooops the Browns. Hey Browns fans, you have to admit you did NOT need another QB, especially an attention grabbing cry baby like Manziel. A much better choice would have been A. J. McCarron whom is a hard working, very quiet, and Peyton Manning like player (whom was picked up by the Bengals). I keep wondering what in the hell some of these teams were thinking when picking their choices. Do they go into to the draft room thinking, "Hmmmm, do we want someone whom will get us the Lombardi Trophy, or someone whom will keep our team name in the spotlight," (my guess it is 20% the first part and 80% the second) because let's face it folks, some of the young men whom were chosen will become just that. Police blotter news for all to see. 

Yes, I know that owners want the seats filled. Hey owners, I have an idea for you, LOWER ticket prices. On average a family of four cannot afford to see a game live because it would cost them on average about the same a a monthly mortgage payment. Maybe we need to go back to the time of Hallas, when he would take one day a month and make his players clean the stadium, while the stadium workers had a cookout with Hallas; when asked by one of his players why, Hallas replied, "...because many of these people depend on you to send their children to school and on to college...". Or maybe we need to have teams like the Packers which are owned by the people of Green Bay, and tickets are a legacy, handed down from one generation to another. 

All in all, I was surprised by some of the picks, and downright floored by others. Have a GREAT football season fans, spring practice begins in about a month. 

P.S.:

GO

REDSKINS!!!! 

Dear Dad...

Dear Dad,

Happy Birthday Dad!!! 

I know you were never one for big celebrations, but I do hope you are celebrating your 90th with mom, your brothers, your best friends, and the rest of our family. I hope that you are well, and tending to an organic garden in heaven. 

You have missed a few things since you have been gone: One of the best is your grandchildren, Thomas, Stephen, Matthew, and Sarah. While I know you had tea with Sarah when she was younger, I don't know if you have ever touched the boys in the same way. I do know that Thomas, Matthew, and Sarah all enjoy the outdoors that includes fishing & hunting. Matthew wears your fishing hat whenever he can. Ralph has been married for 27 years to Mary Ellen, they have a good marriage, you & mom taught him well. As for me I married a Marine, it was a tough life, but I did my very best to make it work. I found a great Navy man, or rather he found me, I am sure you and he would have gotten along very well. Uncle Bill, Aunt Norma's husband likes him. 

The world has changed dad, we don't live in the America you fought so hard for. We live in a country that makes it hard for a "patriot" to live. You taught me to love our flag, our country, our way of life. I always remember the time I was trying to remove an American flag decal on our station wagon, I said "I wish this flag would go away," you scolded me saying, "Don't ever let me hear you say that again, that flag is the flag of this country, men died to protect that freedom". I NEVER forgot that dad, when I traveled abroad I was always comforted knowing I lived in a great country where I was free to travel wherever I wanted.

I miss you dad, you were taken so fast, and so young; 63 is young these days when folks are living well into their 90's. If God could grant me one wish it would be to have supper with you & mom. I would want to hold your hands, tell you "I love you" one more time. 

Well dad, I am going to end this for now. Again, Happy 90th Birthday!!! Celebrate it in style, if you have the chance, send your grandchildren a sign from heaven. I LOVE YOU DAD!!!

XO, flavia 

Welcome to H#LL

I live at the "Residences of Bexley Woods" here in Columbus, Ohio. When I moved into my apartment, in November of 2011, the property was owned by a company called "New Life Properties". The property was NOT in good condition, however it wasn't in as bad of shape as it is today. New Life may not have been the best of landlords, however they were not the worst. On July 1, 2012 a bankruptcy judge placed the property into receivership with McKinley out of Michigan. When I spoke to the manager at the beginning of December, she stated the following, "...the property is now owned by C-III, out of Texas...". When I came home and investigated this "new" owner, I found out that C-III has NO properties within Ohio. When looking further at the tax records, it lists C-III as a division of US Bank, whom is the actual owner of the property. 

When I moved in the ad in the "Apartment Guide" boasted a 24/7 fitness center, 24/7 security, two pools, two tennis courts, basketball court, a sand volleyball court, playground, plus tanning facilities.It also boast that the property is on a public transportation line, when in fact it isn't. The pool has not been opened since 2010, yet the management company did not pro rate any of the tenant's rent for the pools not being operational. In July of 2012 the property was place in receivership. It was placed with McKinley, a "management" company. Well they do not know the definition of the word management. Mediocre management at least handles the safety issues on a property without having said property sited numerous times by Franklin County Code Enforcement.

The posted office hours are posted at M-F 9:00a.m. - 6:00p.m., Saturday 10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m., and Sunday 12:00N - 4:00p.m. If the office staff has ever adhered to this schedule I would be very surprised. I have been at the office at 9:00a.m. with no one there.Throughout the day when calling the office you get the after hours voice recording, many times the office staff never stays until the posted closing time. The "rental specialists" have no idea what "good customer service" is, let alone how to handle maintenance requests or complaints from the tenants. If a property manager cannot handle the office, how are they supposed to handle a property with 600+ units.

The first manager (we are currently on #3, the last one left after "the office staff torpedoed him at every corner", a GOOD property manager would have fired the office staff and hired new), spent tens of thousands on "beautification" around the office so anyone looking to rent within the complex saw the "beauty" but not the true "beast"; i.e. furnaces that are original to the property (a/k/a "blue bombers"), holes along the fence line where others have crossed over the Norfolk-Southern railroad tracks to cut through to James 

Road and points beyond; stairs leading to and from apartments are crumbling, when replaced they have been replaced with woods that becomes slick when rained or snowed upon, exposed electrical wiring where the carriage lights meet the ground, and other numerous things that have to be seen. When approaching the management this past spring about the pools being opened, their excuse was "we don't have the money", well when I called the attorney that was handling the bankruptcy and receivership it seems that money flowed into the place to get the pool closest to the office open, equipped with $10K worth of patio furniture, the pool opened the second Monday in September, after a summer of extremely high temperatures, however NO notice was made to the tenants that the pool was up and running. 

Let's not even talk about "lawn maintenance/snow removal", both just aren't worth what they were paid. Per the management we have a new lawn maintenance/snow removal company. 

In early November, the security which was on the property from 8pm to 4am, then 10am to 4pm daily, NOT the 24/7 that they boasted in the apartment brochure, or promised the tenants that there is; quit without notice. That left the property open to vandalism, handicap parking spots not being monitored, and juveniles roaming the property causing havoc and destruction. So for the last month and a half there has been no security and promises of next week, for weeks. This is NOT how you run a property.  There have been numerous tenants that have broken their leases and moved out; and the next month the management company takes them to court for failing to pay their rent, thus leading to a court eviction being placed on the tenants record and credit report.  Wonder how those ex tenants will feel when the next time they go to rent or to buy a home are giving the word on that eviction for nonpayment of rent. The property management put up a handicapped parking sign and marked out a handicap parking space. Needless to say the parking space does not meet ADA standards in that it is only 84inches wide when it is suppose to be a minimum of 96 inches wide.

Well that destruction hit home yesterday. For the past six or seven months I have had a bird feeder outside my window. Last Thursday I put a suet cake out for the birds. Both were on stakes, to be honest no one ever touched them, not even the lawn maintenance company which came once a week to mow and trim ever touched the shepherds hooks. Yesterday, someone smashed the feeder, breaking it and spilling the seed upon the ground; the person then took the suet cage & cake and left it close by. I tried repeatedly to call the office about this, but no one was in the office to answer the phones. I called Columbus Police whom told me that there was nothing that they could do because this is "private property".   Needless to say when I spoke with the "manager" this morning (17 Dec 2013) I was told that there would be security on site either Wednesday or Thursday. When I stated what had happened to my property I was told, "well they cannot watch your apartment 24/7" no they cannot, but when security is on-site and known, there is less vandalism and vehicles properly parked (NO handicap violations).

Another problem is that we supposedly have a subcontractor that is suppose to come around once a week and clean the foyers outside of our apartments. This is to include sweeping under the stairs and removing the cobwebs that are found all over the place.  Well we are lucky if the said company shows up every two weeks.  When they do show up they do a half assed job and most of the time they do not remove the cobwebs or sweep under the stairs.  This is suppose to be part of what my rent covers.  I had to clean my own foyer this past weekend as I was having a holiday party at my apartment for some of mine and my fiance's friends from his school.  I couldn't allow them to come here and see the mess in the foyer.  I informed the property manager that seeings how I had to do someone elses job that I was taking twenty dollars out of next months rent.

AT the time that I am writing this, there are a few things in my apartment that still need to be fixed: I have cove base that is not installed properly, a toilet seat that is missing a bolt, other 1/2 bath still has not had cove based installed. Needless to say, I am NOT signing my new lease without these things being completed to my satisfaction. After all I am the one paying the rent.

The property is in complete disarray and for some unknown reason the property management company does not or will not do what needs to be done to bring it up to the level that it should be at.  The property management companies constant excuse is that they don't have the money or that they have only taken on the property recently and these things take time.  Well they have had the property for a year and a half so far, but apparently all they care about is getting the rent in to them on time and the hell with the quality of life here at the property.

Open Letter to William Meggs

December 6, 2013

State Attorney William Meggs
State Attorney's Office
301 South Monroe Street
Suite 475
Tallahassee, Florida, 32399-2550

Dear Mr. Meggs:

Yesterday I watched the circus you called a press conference regarding Jameis Winston. You sir, at the onset should have recused yourself from this case. The reasons: You are an alumni of Florida State University (FSU) -- that in and of itself is enough for an "honest" man to NOT get involved in a high profile case of any kind. You allowed your feeling for your alma mater to cloud your judgement into this matter. As a former Marine, you have disgraced the uniform and creed of the the Corps, how do I know you ask, my father was a Marine, he served proudly as a Marine from the day he entered boot camp until the day we placed him in his grave; also I was married to a Marine, a Gunny whom schooled me in everything "Esprit de Corps". You have failed as a man. You failed the oath you took as an attorney. You are being praised as a "hero" all over the FSU campus, however you are nothing but another politician who has NOT protected the people you work for, the taxpayers (or in this case, a taxpayer).

You stated in your news conference that there were two contributors in the rape kits, one was definitely Jameis Winston, the other was undetermined at this time. Where I come from, that is enough evidence to charge a man with sexual assault, which is a if I am not mistaken a Class A felony in the state of Florida (which would make Mr. WInston inelligble to play football, or remain a cadidate for the Heisman). That alone would have made the perpetrator, Jameis Winston eligible for booking, mug shot, and fingerprinting. You, and the police/sheriff's department did NOT investigate this at all. The ONLY reason it came to light was because the victim was in the ER having an Sexual Assault Examination (SAE) done and having the SAE kit placed in cold storage for testing. 

You brought up the fact that the hospital took blood from the victim, it was tested for alcohol, but no where did you say her blood contained Gamma-Hydroxybutric Acid (GHB) better known as the "date rape drug" of choice, which is widely available through any freshman chemistry student. You violated her again before the press because you wanted to be "Big Man on Campus" so to speak. You brought up the fact that the accused in this admitted he had sexual relations with her, do the words, "SHE SAID NO" ring any bells? It should, it was in the Oscar winning movie, "The Accused". If a woman, any woman says the word "NO" it means just that. Unfortunately you gave every man in the state of Florida permission to rape. 

What about other victims of rape? What happens when they show up at a hospital? Are the police/sheriff's departments going to "sweep" those under the rug also? Are you going to stop investigating them altogether? Are you going to say to parents of female students, "We don't give a damn about your daughters as long as we have a winning football season"? My guess would be a resounding, "YES" to all three of those questions. 

You Mr. Meggs are no better than Jameis Winston.

Sincereely,
Flavia Marzullo