What's the difference between a thief who steals your identity and your credit card company?

The Answer: Nothing. They both steal your money.

I am so angry at Chase Card member services this morning, I could scream. Instead, I will take a breath and just cancel my credit cards. This anger built up is not only against the credit card company but also our government's bureaucracy. Can we get anything in our country working again? Or is it all about the almighty dollar? Arrgh! I try to remember at what point in our history did making money become more important than operating ethically-I cannot recall.

A couple of months ago, my assistant called my credit card company to inquire about their protection plans and whether the insurance would cover lost items purchased on that card. When in South Africa in August, I had purchased a number of gifts with my credit card and because United Airlines lost my luggage, those gifts never made it home. I thought it would be smart to get insurance that could cover purchases lost or stolen so when Lauren spoke to the rep, she asked about this insurance and to have information sent to our house.

When we got the information, I barely glanced at it, and realized it was not what I was looking for. We threw the papers into the garbage can. Never in that initial discussion did we tell Chase Card Member Services that we wanted the protection plans. Please pay attention HERE because this is where the scam begins. If you want information on most plans sent to you in a paper form, the credit card company automatically enrolls you in the protection plan. Period. Your request is their approval. In my case, they never mentioned that they were enrolling us and of the costs of the program. I am sure that I am not alone.

This morning, as I came into the office after some morning meetings, my bookkeeper was there going over the bills for the month. Ethical, honest, and great at his job, he has worked for our family for many years. (No, he does not have any time for new clients!) As I sat down, he pointed out to me some charges on my Chase United Mileage Credit Card.

The items looked were credit card protection plans charges, something that I did not authorize. I called Chase at 11am to find out why these charges were on my monthly statement. One of the charges is called I.D. Protection and cost 11.99 a month. The other is called Chase Fraud Detection. This is $7.99 a month.

I called the Chase Fraud Detector number first and talked to a nice guy who explained to me that when I called to ask a question about an issue in January, "they must have asked me" to try this 30-day free trial for Fraud Protection. It is funny that my Assistant and I have no recollection of that conversation. We were certain that no one had asked specifically if I wanted to pay for a thirty day trial of protection. This made me curious. If they did not ask us, how was I to know to cancel that charge after the initial 30 days? Hmmm.

The card services employee politely went through all the benefits of Fraud Insurance. I interrupted him and said, "I am sure that there are reasons for this insurance, I just question the ethics of how I got subscribed." I also told him that the next call I would be making was to the Attorney Generals office of California.

We had a nice chat about the legality of their "marketing efforts" and he assured me that their lawyers were operating within "legal bounds". He credited my account for two of the months. I needed to call a supervisor to get the rest credited. Sigh.

So, I called I.D. Protection Services, which is also a division of Chase, but not listed as such on the credit card statement. I went through the same process with him and he told me that we asked for the service when we called to inquire back in December. I told him that we did not sign up but had asked for information to be sent to us. He said that he could credit my account for both March and February but could not do more than that. Then the verbal assault began: "Ma'am you don't want to be protected from Identity Theft?"? His menacing tone added just a touch of "are you a complete idiot?" Then I got angry. (Surprise, surprise). I said, "Actually, I am a bit more sophisticated and savvy when it comes to marketing. Could you please cut out of the games...and just reverse the charges?"

"No ma'am, I am only authorized to do it for the last two months...you need to talk to my supervisor." I went on hold for at least 10 minutes and then hung up to start again. On the next call, it was Larry again, so I hung up. Then on the 3rd call I was connected with a nice new person, Mr. Ed, (no, not the horse). He eventually got me up to Richard, an Escalation Supervisor who explained to me that when I asked for information about the programs, I was automatically enrolled. I asked him if he recorded these conversations and if he could locate mine. He said yes but they cost $80 per request, so they would just credit my account for the remainder of the money they charged. He also said that they actually have two other companies that listen in on the phone call to make sure that customer does request the coverage. Now why would they have something like this?

Think about this: Technically, they start charging your credit card without your authorization, supposedly when you ask for information.

So, here is what Chase gets from this situation: Your money.

Chase gets your money interest free until you learn what happens. If you miss the charges and let them charge you month after month they get a lot of your money. OR, you might inquire about the charges and get some of it back OR you might fight and get all of it back and you lose a lot of time in your day dealing with this. Any one of these scenarios gives the credit card company all the advantages.

Somewhere in the middle of debacle, around 12:30 pm, I call information for the number of the Attorney General's office in California. I called Edmund (Jerry) Browns' office in Sacramento and reached his voice mail. I call again and get a switchboard voice mail. I wait a few minutes and finally talk to a real person. She sends me to the 800 number for complaints. There, I finally speak to a person and I tell her the whole story. She says "If you want us to do something about this, you need to file a complaint". She could send me one in the mail, but it is easier for me to get it online. So I go to the web-site.

Ten minutes later, I am still trying to navigate and find a complaint form against a business. Frustration is starting to get the best of me.

I am now already two hours into this experience. I Google Chase Card Member Services and end up at the parent company: JP Morgan.

This is what is on the web-site:

"JP Morgan Chase is a leading global financial services firm with assets of $1.6 trillion. They operate in 50 countries with 170,000 employees. They are a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers, small business and commercial banking, financial transaction processing, asset management and private equity."

Now think about how many people they have access to...

According to their philosophy their goal is to:

"Build a great team and a winning culture

• Operate with the highest standards of integrity
• Train and retain great managers
• Be open and honest with ourselves, our colleagues, our shareholders and our communities
• Get incentives right
• Foster an environment of respect and inclusiveness
• Give back to our communities"

At this point, I am not sure I should laugh or cry, and feel like doing both. I surmise that if one credit card company is practicing this, the chances of this being an industry wide practice are strong. I don't have the heart to call another credit card company to find out if this is true.

I read a lot about identity theft, and how it is one of the fastest growing crimes in America. It is easy to see the villainous face of someone who steals your identity for their own gain, and wreaks havoc on your life... but what about these "trillion" dollar companies that take your money without your consent?

After three hours dealing with this issue, I am about to give up. I go back to the Attorney Generals' Web-site and try to find the complaint form again. This could be a full time job. I finally breathe a heavy sigh and surrender. This is exactly the response these companies are counting on when they create these "marketing" programs.

Please take the time to check your credit card statement this month. See if you find unnecessary charges there by your credit card company, or charges that you did not request. Pass this blog onto to your close friends. It will take a moment. Let's show the banks that we can be a little savvier about how they take our money and we can create our own protection services...for free.

Three months of I.D. Protection Services $35.97
Three months of Chase Fraud Detection $23.97

The cost of un-ethical business practices Priceless

Rumor has it that President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe has agreed to a run-off election. The date that I have heard bantered about is April 19th. There are text messages flying across the continent and various groups ramping up to ensure Zimbabweans get out and vote the tyrant out of the office. My message to Zimbabweans: go back to the polls and vote! This man needs a clear and swift kick out the door!

The other rumor, though unsubstantiated, is that "Bob" is busy filling bags of currency as he raids the treasury. The suggestion is that he will leave the country. This would be great for Zimbabweans in many ways. Yet if he does this, there are major concerns that he will not leave a single Zimbabwe dollar for the country's recovery. This is when the global community, that includes The International Red Cross and the United Nations, must develop a plan to help this country become stabilized.

None of this will happen without some global pressure to get Mugabe out of office. This is the time when other African leaders must take a stand to support the will of the people and not stand mute in support of their comrade. Enough. How do we teach these countries to step up to assist the people of Zimbabwe?

There is widespread fear that the election will be rigged in a run off. I don't think it is going to happen. Too many people voted the man out of office. Too many people know and talk that they must have change in this county if the people of Zimbabwe are going to survive. When I talk about survival, its not "survival" you think of here in the United States; instead, Zimabwean's survival entails avoiding starvation and/or death. How will they stop the hemorrhaging of people over the borders?

Yesterday I was told that Mugabe only truly got 46 parliament seats instead of the 97 that are listed. As we all struggle for information and if this vote will again be rigged on the 19th, I know for sure one thing: There will be violence. The people of Zimbabwe have such pent up rage on how Mugabe has treated them that many want to force him to stay in the country, to make sure that he pays for his atrocities.

If Morgan Tsengarai becomes the new President of Zimbabwe, it is his plan to keep Mugabe in the country as well. His agenda will include having Mugabe pay for his atrocities, not only for the ruthless beating of himself but also for his close allies that were tortured and killed.

We are getting a lot of messages about Simba Makoni joining forces with Morgan...and this is truly good news. With Simba Makoni getting at least 8 percent of the vote (approximately) there are people who love him and trust him. We cannot forget how his candidacy split some of the key allies in the current administration and helped create the unstoppable rift. The idea of Morgan Tsengarai and Simba Makoni joining forces as a team brings excitement. Those two men can create a new beginning for this tyrant ravaged country.

Most importantly, some of those in exile are already talking about going "home". They are excited about the inevitable change in their country and the National Unity they feel is happening. They are excited about the loss of seats to ministers that harassed NGO's and women's group. The Minister of Women's affairs, Gender and Community Development, Oppah Muchinguri, was apparently trounced in the vote. This is good news to organizations who have sought assistance from the government on human rights abuses.

We are all watching the situation in Zimbabwe closely. If the dictator is truly going to fall, there needs to be quick and prolonged action. Now the international community must come together to help eradicate the AIDS epidemic, to provide food and medicine...and get the country planting crops. Things could change again, in the time it takes me to post this blog, but I still can't help but think there will be more than seeds being planted in this country soon.

The calm before the storm is a frighteningly familiar feeling for me. As a Midwest gal born and raised, I know that feeling down to my bones. It is the eerily quiet time period before a tornado touches down, before the chaos hits, before destruction visits. Right before that touchdown, the air is clear and crisp, there is an unnatural stillness. The squirrels have stopped playing hide and seek amongst the branches and the birds have been silenced. For those of us hiding in basements, our eyes glued to the television, we are enveloped in anxiety waiting for information on where the tornado will touch down.

Zimbabwe is in this place right now, thirteen million people holding their collective breathe, waiting for the results of the presidential election. The longer the wait, the more that anxiety spreads like a pre-cursor to blood-shed across the country. The only response to the collective waiting has been silence and more silence. I spoke to a friend in Borrowdale earlier today, she said "Everyone has been off the streets today. All of us are quiet and calm, but we know that must stay indoors and wait for the results."

There are people around the world holding their breath with you, Zimbabweans. You are not alone. There are many people everywhere committed to democracy that are fearful that you will not sit quietly through another rigged election. All of us are fearful of increased violence in a country that has been decimated by poor leadership.

On Sunday, I heard reports that people were celebrating in the streets. In fact, one journalist, Jan Raath wrote this for The Times, (UK) "We are on the knife edge now. There is little doubt in the minds of a very large slice of the population that Robert Mugabe was dealt a severe blow on Saturday. They laughed in the voting queues about how they were going to skewer the rooster (Mr. Mugabe) and roast him. They cast their votes and went home to await the result. The slack Sunday morning was interrupted repeatedly by cars hooting long and loud, with young men whistling and waving wide open palms. One crowd was singing: "Saddam is gone, and now it is Bob's turn."

But is it really Bob's turn? As Drew Barrymore voice rings in my ears from the movie ET I can hear her say, "What's happening?" And I wish I knew. One interesting aspect of this election is that Mugabe had agreed in advance to allow local districts to count and post results on site. To me this seems to make it harder to rig the elections district by district. On www.Zimbabwemetro.com, one third of the vote counted puts Mugabe in second place, far behind Morgan Tsvangirai. So what is taking so long to get to the final results?

It has been over 48 hours since the polling sites have closed. Most people that I spoke with in Zimbabwe could care less which candidate gets in, as long as it is not President Robert Mugabe. One of three things will happen. The first is that Mugabe will state that there is a TIE and an election run off needs to happen. The second scenario is that he will give up his post, just after collects all of "his" money and exits Zimbabwe with his core alliance.

The third scenario, and the one that terrifies me the most, is Mugabe rigging the election and declaring his 6th term in office. No one can afford this scenario. Another sources in Zimbabwe said that tomorrow Mugabe has a planned meeting with the Army General and the head of the Police force. It scares me that this may happen, and would be devastating to Zimbabwe. Then again, I can't even begin to get inside the mind of Robert Mugabe. So I like the rest of the world, must wait.

I have been eaten with anxiety as Zimbabwe's national election looms closer this March 29th. My mind is torn between the agonizing wait and the fear of the day's arrival. Some of us are terrified at the endless possibilities of violence and death that civil disobedience will bring. I fear the inevitable; I hope to be wrong. Yet, I am also roused by a still beating heart from the people who are caught in this drama; a people so dogged in their determination to survive such prolonged oppression. A people so determined to have a voice. Zimbabwe is a place one cannot help but love. It is a rich land of olive-colored rolling hills and exotic animals; a spirited populace that continues to be courageous and resilient. Zimbabweans inspire me. A group of individuals that collectively have survived more wreckage than our consumption addicted country could ever know.

It is a tiny spot on the planet infested with poverty, disease and corruption at the hands of an 84 year-old syphilitic man that has hoarded power beyond the expiration date. Even when the people of this country say NO to another term of Robert Mugabe, he refuses to allow a fair and free election.

President "Bob" is running for his 6th consecutive term in office. He controls the media, the army, the Central Intelligence and the police force. He oversees the bank system, the food supply and the distribution channels. There is nothing that this man has not tobacco stained with his endless greed and corruption. I have seen it with my own eyes. His reign of terror is so wide and so powerful, that it followed me into South Africa after my deportation from Zimbabwe.

Mugabe continues to stay in power through his maniacal use of fear- thought erasing, palm sweating, heart thumping fear. As the election draws ever closer, bribery, battery and bruises are every Zimbabweans one meal-a-day. The prevalence of fear has caused many families to leave the country until after the election. Some have had their lives threatened, others have decided on self-imposed exile, and the rest have given up and permanently moved to neighboring countries.

Like the Grinch on Christmas Eve, Mugabe flings presents at the very people he has hurled into poverty; people with so many stories, so few heard. Money drops from the sky to erase the tears from land gone barren and shriveled up crops. The Grinch's laugh echoes through the night as his cronies hoard the cash.

I am confused by Mugabe's last ditch efforts. Did he have a flicker of fear as he thought, "Could I lose this election"? Did he not print out enough phony ballets? Why is he wasting money when the results of the election are pre-determined? Will his tweaking of the constitution to station police at the polling stations hurt him?

The starvation I witnessed last august was on the brink of catastrophic with empty stores and an ever decreasing food supply. Seven months later, dog food has become a staple food. Last week a butcher got caught selling human meat at his store, under the guise of pig meat. Apparently the butcher had been killing Albino men and women and selling their meat. After hearing this story over the phone, I truly found it hard to believe. I cannot begin to understand that level of desperation or the barbaric action, so I am mute. I feel a colossal empathy and sadness for this beautiful country and the people who are driven to their knees. And I wonder, in this election, if someone hands you a bag of maize, would you choose another meal of rage?

There are real heroes among the people still living in Zimbabwe. The current opposition candidates are at the top of that heroic list: Simba Makoni, Langton Towungana and Morgan Tsvangirai. These men have put their personal lives at risk to create a different country. They know very well the danger that they welcome by listing their names on the ballot, by shaking someone's hand and saying "Vote for me".

There are other everyday heroes that the world will never know; human beings that will never make it to the front pages of a major newspaper even though they will have lost their lives standing up for what matters: The mother with six children who fights to be heard over screams of outrage at a systematic eradication of femininity though rape, abuse and genital mutilation. She remembers somewhere in the recesses of her mind, that women can still create change. Another hero is the father, who once witnessed the president as a savior and watched his steady decline into corruption. He refuses to continue to give such a man his vote. Or the idealist youth, excited about their future and volunteers to put a candidate's poster up on the streets. Their belief continues to be that change is possible even when they are beaten and thrown in prison. Their only sustenance is the tattered remains of the posters. These everyday champions risk arrest and physical abuse, and are often forced into submission, but hope still sputters.

I'm scared for our country too. We have many critical issue to deal with in the United States right now; Issues that need a good plan and solid execution to American's to feel we are back on track. We have limited resources, and we need to choose carefully where we focus our time and energy and money. We cannot afford to be the Global Problem Solver. Yet, if we are to continue to be a nation that shows global leadership, we must help less fortunate countries. Zimbabwe is one of those countries. Yet, the United States is clearly absent as this drama continues to unfold. I have to question our criteria in assisting other countries. Is our decision of assistance dependent on intersecting needs or are monetary gains are involved? Where are human rights issues in that evaluation process? Are human rights on American's list at all?

I can't stand the fact that the only countries in Zimbabwe to help create a fair and free election this weekend are Russia and China. Where are all the other African leaders? How can they hide as they bear the brunt of a mass exodus from Zimbabwe? Do they not understand how it taxes their own countries and creates more crime and poverty? Are their pockets lined so deeply that they cannot get up from their plush leather chairs to see the line of beggars on the sidewalk below?

I am done. The truth is, even writing doesn't comfort me now, or reduce my anxiety. I am mostly resigned to the outcome of Saturday's election and can't bear to read a newspaper this weekend.

I wish someone would accuse me of spreading enormous exaggerations about this rogue inhabited country. It might give me someone else o focus on; to yell and scream at during this agonizing wait. The problem with that scenario is that anyone calling me on gross exaggerations would be wrong. They would learn that my words only scratch the surface of the atrocities unfolding in Zimbabwe. The helplessness I feel is shallow compared to Zimbabweans who are trapped in a world not of their own making. American's absence in this unfolding tragedy is criminal.

This is a critical week for the democratic presidential nomination. I am very nervous about the end results. Last Friday, I sent out an email to some of my friends that went something like this "Okay girls, how about a road trip to Texas?" (Think Thelma and Louise with a little bit of Brad Pitt sprinkled in.) "I bring a camera, we drive, we laugh and we help Hillary SURGE to victory. " C'mon," I said. "This is a once in a lifetime Opportunity."

One of my friends emailed back and said "Sorry, I would love to go, but I am supporting, Obama." I said that's okay. If you can drive all the way to TEXAS with a car full of Senator Clinton supporters and not change your mind, then we promise to drop you off at Senator Obama headquarters. She quickly responded, "Are you going to drop me off dead or alive? " (giggle)

Another friend replied, "Thanks for thinking of me. I hope you'll still be my friend when you find out I'm a Republican."

Of course, I will. And to me, their responses are at the very heart and soul of a Democratic society. CHOICE. As we get closer to the election each of us will have our own definition of what makes a good president and who we think is most qualified for that post. As we move towards the finish line for the Democratic nomination, I have a couple of questions for us to ponder together?

Question #1: What is it about a woman in power that strikes with a pointed stake at the very heart of terror for some people?

Oh I know that I am going to get bombarded with comments. Perhaps right now you are aching to send me a little love note, but don't. Valentines Day is over. Just take a moment and read the next few paragraphs before you respond. Please.

There are so many people, men and women uncomfortable with a female in power. No matter what you think of Senator Hillary Clinton personally she has dedicated her life to public service. Period. Why are so many discussions about her focused on her "Personality?" The ice queen, the Feminist, the thick-ankled "Wo-man. What? She has taken on issues that no one else has dared to touch-because she passionately cares about this country. Who cares how warm she comes across, and how nurturing she is and frankly all of us have bad hair days. Do we use the same analysis for male candidates? Can you imagine, a conversation around the water cool discussing, how "bitchy" President Bush seemed at the last national address? Or when he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, "he didn't seem nurturing enough". You'd be laughed right back to your cubicle.

Many people talk about her failed health care plans when she was the first lady. No one talks about how she had the courage to take health care on, when no one else dared to.

She has taken many issues and brought them into the forefront of national debate with courage and tenacity. This would be a critical part of any definition of Commander-in-Chief. How can we solve a problem if we cannot create awareness? Do we continue to fan ourselves with the feathers of an ostrich nation? It is obvious; the next president is going to have to quickly deal with the economy, the wars, the pollution. There are serious issues to leap into and resolve. We have our global reputation in tatters. There is the potential of a looming recession at home. Why do people want this job?

The worse part of the argument against Hillary is the woman is not electable because her husband had an affair. The Republicans are going to go after Bill in the press. (They already have.) The anti-Clinton groups will say that Bill is such a liability that we can't hire this w-o-m-a-n. Her ambition is so enormous that she stayed with her husband so that she could run for further office? Is the American Public truly that stupid?

Frankly the woman has had the blasted courage to stay with him. It takes far more courage to stay when your partner has an affair then leave. And every detail of his dalliance was broadcast around the globe. The state of marriage in this country is abysmal, so why is her resilience and courage denigrated? She forgave him and moved on. What a tough, strong woman.

The article written by Stanley Fish for the New York Times "all you need is Hate"...is right on target.

He compares the Hillary hating as "The closely analogy is to anti-Semitism." He makes a very strong argument that so much of the anti-Hillary negativity comes from nowhere. She couldn't possibly be all those things.

Hillary is an amazing candidate for president of the United States or any job to represent our country. Her candidacy brings a great deal of knowledge, experience and intellect to the job. Being a woman has not much to do with it, although so many see it as an impediment. I prefer to look at being a woman as an asset-particularly at a time in our history that a lot of healing needs to happen. Hillary is risk-taker. She knows and understands the repercussion of her actions. So why do we focus on the size of her ankles?

What makes me so angry are groups like Roger Stones Hillary-Hating 527 "Citizens United Not timid." There is nothing timid about the acronym for Senator Clinton. The acronym for this group is a discriminatory word. A word that all people should be angry about. It's like the word nigger. I don't see anyone calling Senator Obama a nigger. (Nor should they) Why should it be anyone different for Senator Clinton? Don't these people have children that look up to them? If so, they should be embarrassed. If not, they should still be embarrassed for showing their maturity level, and to me it's pretty close to pre-kindergarten.

Question #2-What experience does Senator Obama have?

I am all for Senator Obama as president too, as long as there is the word VICE in front of it. I do see his charisma, his honest and direct approach but I am not willing to PROJECT ALL OF MY HOPES onto someone (man woman or animal frankly) without a track record. Our country is at a pivotal point in history and I am not about to get all dreamy eyed about the promise of Hope. Reality, people, I have seen many people project their hope on a candidate who was going to "save them" from another attack on our country. We screamed, "save us" to President Bush and look where all that hope was squandered.

Is the whole country acting out a first crush? I hope not. I have read the Emperor's New Clothes and I am scared that we are writing the sequel.

When Senator Obama's campaign began to get some initial momentum, it was through a scantily clad young girl dancing around in a bikini. Where was his staff or him to talk about how inappropriate that was for his campaign? Or any campaign. Look around in the media, we use the female body to sell everything from yogurt to automobile parts and no one seems to even acknowledge this. Or acknowledge what it does to our society as a whole.

Senator Obama will make a great president someday. I just don't want to go into premature labor. After the last debate, The View, showed some outtakes from debate-watchers that were brought together after the event. All these Obama supporters could not rattle off a single issue that he legislated. Scary. Remember the saying that came from Jim Jones and Jonestown, "Don't drink the Kool-aid?" Is it too late? I can see this great big red wagon stuffed with supporters. What if the wagon is heading over the cliff and no one has bothered to ask?

I am fearful we have a bit of the same type of enthusiastic hysteria about Senator Obama. He is handsome, charismatic and a great orator. Can we just allow him to gather some more experience before he swivels the chair in the oval office?

Question #3: Why do Women and Children's issues get relegated to the back of the bus?

Frankly, it is time for a woman. We have way too many issues that have long been labeled woman's concerns. Last Monday, I spoke and moderated a panel at the United Nations.

On the role and responsibility of men in stopping violence against women. Most people are oblivious to the crisis we have on this issue. It certainly doesn't make it to the top ten lists. Imagine how much the rape an abuse of women in this country affects our Gross National Product, our economic outlook, our health care costs and job placement efforts. We haven't even begun to understand how much this issue is costing our country and the world. We are too busy fighting over oil.

Around the world, 1 out of 3 women will be victimized in her lifetime. This includes, rape, assault, molestation, acid burnings, dowry deaths and spousal abuse. Isn't that a horrific statistic? Yet, it seems as travel along in our daily lives with our proverbial head in the sand. If the United States had an epidemic of measles or Avian Flu, every family in America would be donating time and resources to stop the spread of the disease. Why is this issue any different?

I am voting for Senator Clinton not only because she will tackle the economy, put us back on track and deal with Iraq; but because she will focus on issues that affect women and children, she will focus on global issues whether they affect our country or not and she will lead with one foot after the other. With this particular candidate swinging around in the main chair in the oval office, I feel a sense of hope. If Senator Clinton loses, I wonder "Will I ever see a woman as president" in my lifetime?" The sense of hope vanishes from my heart when I answer that question.

On a final note, whether you vote for Senator Clinton or not, use your mind and let your voice be heard. If you hear people disparage a candidate because of their body parts, speak up too. Let's not forget... if it wasn't for our mothers, none of us would be here. That includes you.

Ben Cartwright is a true American Hero; at least in terms of how I define what a hero is. Actually, I think he may be the last one of his kind, never mind that he is a fictional character who was played by the actor Lorne Greene.

For those of you who are too young to remember, Ben Cartwright was the main character on the television show Bonanza. The show was set in the Nevada territory in the 1860's and was filmed in color, an unusual viewing mode at that time. The decision to film in color was not a creative one by the network, NBC but a business decision by the show's sponsor, RCA, to help sell more color televisions.

Nevertheless, the show aired from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973, making it one of the longest running television shows in history. Bonanza also held the #1 Nielsen spot for three years in a row.

During its original broadcast, the production team filmed 430 episodes. Although the show airs re-runs around the world today, its popularity faded long ago.

I started watching the re-runs last summer while recovering from spinal surgery. There was something about the characters and the stories that calmed my fears about never being able to walk again.....

To read the rest of this blog, read it on The Huffington Post!

It was raining in Seattle last Friday. I spent most of the gloomy afternoon in one of Seattle's maximum security Federal Prisons. A good friend of mine has been relocated there for fraud. Truthfully, you might say she is actually in prison for not learning how to discriminate when she chose her husband. She married the wrong man. Her spouse ended up to be an addict with a wicked mean streak. When she finally realized it, he refused to get help for his addiction. So, she divorced him. He decided to go after her.

I am pissed that my government wasted my tax dollars and put her into prison on a first offense; on a loan that she had already paid back, forged signature or not. A federal sentence costs taxpayers $24,000 - $30,000 per year. Wow! Not only is she a great candidate for an ankle bracelet because she would never harm anyone, but she is needed at home to raise her kids. It would also be much cheaper for the state (and you and I) to keep her working and under house arrest. Instead, she was incarcerated and sent to a prison outside of California due to overcrowding in the local prison. What was so puzzling about her assignment was that when she arrived in Seattle, she spent the first few weeks on the floor because they lacked a bed for her in this "less-crowded" prison.

The best gift that this whole fiasco created for my friend was...

To read the rest of this blog, please visit The Huffington Post