Each morning, while enjoying my first cup of coffee, I check out my favorite sources for news on the Internet. Today I came across a very disturbing video of a young punk knocking out an old man on the Red Line train in Chicago. After this punk knocked out the old man, the rest of the gang stood around and laughed. Here is a link to the video where you can watch it for yourself.

From toying with the idea of a presidential run himself, Chris Christie is now playing kingmaker. Yesterday, October 10th, Christie showed up in New Hampshire and announced his support for Mitt Romney. Today, I received a robo-call with Chris Christie’s voice on the other end endorsing Mitt Romney for president. The timing is quite interesting as the GOP debates are tonight and Cain appears to be in a statistical tie with Romney while taking the lead in a few other polls. Cain seems to be taking support away from Rick Perry who did very poorly in the last couple of debates. Some say it was because he wasn't prepared. I believe it had more to do with his answers on taxpayers footing the bill for the education of children who are not citizens of illegal immigrants. I also believe his attacks on Romney were akin to boys in a high school locker room.

Charlie Rose, the lovable lefty, will be conducting the questioning. If the lefties had to choose a candidate out of the three front runners, they would choose Romney. So, I look to see Romney have an easy go of it from Rose. I think Cain is the one who will be hammered tonight with the hard questions since he has recently surged in the polls. Neither Cain or Perry are favorites of the Washington insiders. I could be wrong now, but I don’t think so….J

It’s time to pop the corn and get ready for the show!

Update- I watched the debate last night. I am sorry that it wasn't available via television for the nation to watch. It was one of the best discussions between the candidates so far. The format was a round table not the standard line of podiums on a stage. I learned I am no fan of Herman Cain's 9-9-9 plan. Even with abolishing the tax code as we know it, the idea of giving government the opportunity to control a national sales tax is scary. When you think about adding a 9% sales tax on all goods purchased on top of what the state wants, things would become very expensive. He stated all used items would be void of the national tax. That too I found  dangerous because it would stifle the sales on new products which in turn would stifle job growth. The Salvation Army would benefit but every retail store in this country sure wouldn't.

I think Santorum had the best line of the night when he pointed out the three front runners, Romney, Perry and Cain  were all supporters of TARP at the time and now claim to be such anti-government advocates. He also pointed out the reason for so many living in what is deemed poverty is due to the breakdown of the family. Single parents and fathers not taking responsibility for their children make up over 30% of our poor. Only 5% of married couples fall into the poverty level. I give Santorum first prize last night.

Weather conditions in the Ohio Valley have been extreme this year. We’ve broke 100 year old records for rainfall. Temperatures were well below normal through March and April which delayed early perennials and bulbs from blooming on time. Usually by the first of June my backyard garden is in full bloom with spring perennials and early summer bloomers. That has not been the case this year. Just as the tulips, poppies, foxglove and lupines finally made their debut, a freaky two weeks of harsh temperatures flirting in the 90’s. caused their time to be short-lived.

Right now daylilies are providing a splash of color here and there.

In a corner of the yard. larkspur, three to four feet tall, makes for a pretty display in hues of purple.

The lilies are just now starting to open. Their presence is greatly appreciated this year.

It’s the annuals that are truly carrying the day for this gardener. 

A pot here....

and a pot there, add that needed splash of color.

My sweet potato vine is starting to take off. I love the chartreuse, heart-shaped leaves.

The roses are just now starting to bloom. This one is called Joseph’s Coat. When the bud first opens, it’s yellow. As the rose matures, it changes colors. At any given time, you can see yellow, orange and red roses on the same bush.

I usually have cosmos four to five feet tall in the backyard during the summer months. The birds and butterflies love them. This little gem only gets 18 inches tall and bushy producing the same size blooms as the taller version. It’s a winner. I used them in a border around the front porch.

Thank goodness for annuals to add that splash of color in just the right places.

Negative people have a way of sucking the life right out of you... if you let them. I guess a good term to describe them would be Energy Vampires. They seem to have this incessant ability to endlessly express all that is wrong and all they don’t like. I believe it comes from fear within. A positive person on the other hand is an energy giver. Negative people tend to play the victim card when they can’t logically justify their behavior or will have pity party invitations ready to send out when they get bested or lose face. The best thing a positive person can do is not attend their party. By going, these Energy Vampires will surely bring you down and then the positive person will find him or herself becoming negative as well.

I have been posting on the message forum at Copper.net for years. I became a member when Bush was president during his first term. At that time, the forum was crawling with the MoveOn.org groupies hell-bent on destroying George Bush. Let me tell you, that was the worst  bunch of Energy Vampires I have ever encountered. And making the mistake in engaging in their rhetoric at times made me just as negative. Since the election of President Obama, the forum makeup has changed. The negativity once provided by the left is now being provided by the right. There is a huge anti-government sentiment and that is understandable considering what has occurred the past few years. But this anti-government sentiment is very unbalanced in thought. The Energy Vampires on the forum, because of their fears can not allow themselves to recognize something done by their political opponents that resulted in good things. And if you dare to show the opponent any recognition, these Energy Vampires swarm and badger you over your comments.

Hoping to counter some of the negativity, I recently started a thread called Kudos. It was a place where others could post things happening in the news of people making a difference including politicians that were listening to the people trying to stop the destruction of our country. There were a couple of good folks who participated in a positive manner but the majority of the posts were initiated by the Energy Vampires. I forgot to mention that Energy Vampires tend to have a know-it-all complex. Ask one, they will tell you they speak the TRUTH. After a couple of days of the so called TRUTH, I found myself becoming negative in my responses. That is what Energy Vampires will do to you. After almost ten years of participating on the forum, I threw in the towel. Not because of my political opposition but because of my own side who has turned into the MoveOn.org of the right.

So my advice to any logical thinking mind who wants to remain optimistic and of sound mind, avoid political and religious forums. Their partisan views that at times blinds them, their constant complaining with little mention in what they can personally do to bring about the needed changes will suck the energy right out of you. And the older we get, the more valuable that energy becomes.

Now that the health care bill has been signed into Law by President Obama, the left is no longer muddying the waters hiding from the true intent of the bill. Some are making it very clear that it wasn't so much about health care but redistribution of wealth. Now where have we heard that term "redistribution of wealth" expressed? Why... yes, it was none other than Karl Marx the father of Communism.

"From each according to his means, To each according to his needs."

What that phrase means is, that all should work very hard, and then the State will decide whose needs are greater, and will take from the more productive to give to those with less.

That is the basics of Socialism or Communism - - What we refer to as  Communist countries are countries that practice Marxism. And we know that no one has reached the "Utopia" that Marx promised but instead experienced some of the worst blood baths in history.

Redistribution of wealth does not mean charitable giving. Redistribution of Wealth means the forcible taking from one person or persons, to be handed out to others. Within some of the Christian churches, the concept of redistribution is being taught as righteous, Somehow they have justified stealing from others to provide for the have nots. If ever there was a case for Separation of Church and State...........

This ideology has failed in every society that it has been tried It takes away the incentive to work, and production falls, unemployment rates rise, people are over-taxed and their national debts become massive and unsustainable ironically mainly the result of health care costs.

The night the House voted on the health care bill, Al Sharpton was on Fox News. Since it was apparent the bill was going to pass, Mr. Sharpton obviously felt free to be very honest in his remarks.

"The American people overwhelmingly voted for socialism when they elected President Obama."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7JNbauwGPY&feature=player_embedded

Then later after the health care bill cleared the Senate through reconciliation, the author of the bill, Democrat Max Baucus made the following statement.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2010/03/25/dem_senator_health_legislation_will_address_the_mal-distribution_of_income_in_america.html

March 28,2010 on the Squawk Box, Howard Dean former leader of the Democrat National Committee admitted the health care bill is all about redistribution of wealth.

"Of course it is all about the redistribution of wealth. It's like a machine you always got to tune it right".

http://www.breitbart.tv/howard-dean-of-course-health-care-law-is-redistribution-of-wealth/

So apparently Al Sharpton, Max Baucus, and Howard Dean are now admitting that all those Tea Party goers were correct in their assessment that the health care bill is socialism, a redistribution of wealth.  Let this be a lesson for the learning. When the left begins a campaign to personally attack someone for their comments, it is probably someone everyone should be listening to.