Father's Day is a special day for me. Over the years, I had the honor to have a Foster Father, an Adopted Father, and most recently, a Step-Father. I never did have an opportunity to personally meet my Biological Father, although I had located him but he didn't want anything to do with me. As painful as that was at the time, I now realize he had his own personal feelings, which may have been hard for him to share at the time. He is no longer alive, as well as my adopted and foster fathers, but I do still have a step father that I have great respect for, as he is a very loving, caring person.
We tend to go through life taking parents for granted, especially as we grow older and become parents ourselves. Sometimes fathers may not care to - or know how to - show their love to their child, but as a parent myself, I know that in the father's heart, their love for their child is still very strong. I grew up having great respect for my parents, and know now they loved me dearly, even though they may not have physically shown it all the time, and at times while I was young, I had trouble realizing how much they loved me.
Today, I salute all Fathers and wish them all a great Father's Day!
Because....... that's the way it is.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Shoplifters: A New Felony?
How many times have you witnessed another shopper plucking items off a store shelf and place into a purse or bag, then leave the store without paying for the items? Maybe you have been guilty of even accidentally walking out the store with something you stuck in your pocket because you needed your hands to carry a larger item to the sales counter, meaning to take the item out of your pocket and pay for it - but forgot.
As the economy continues to wreak havoc on everyone's financial well-being, some people - and even organized groups - are waging a huge shoplifting binge at the expense of other shoppers and businesses to make a financial killing to fatten their own wallets. Some of the more advanced organizations have grown rapidly by hiring people with previous criminal records to steal items off shelves, which in turn, sell the items to the brokers. Many of the operations are very sophisticated, netting millions of dollars over a period of time to the ring.
As law enforcement agencies continue to close in on numerous undercover investigations across the country, the issue prompts the public to wonder if the courts should perhaps consider making such crimer operations a felony, rather than a misdemeanor. One might think stealing a cheap $2 item off a shelf will not hurt the business, but as countless numbers of shoplifters pull the same trick, the value of losses add up fast and costly. Perhaps we need to start charging big-time shoplifters with a felony in order to curb the interest. The only problem is where do we draw the line on the value of stolen items before it is classified a felony? Would it deter small-change shoplifters of escalating their interest into a full-fledge shoplifting ring?
It is time to pull all the stops out to decrease shoplifting in America by proposing tougher sentences on all shoplifters, and imposing felony charges on anyone who has a previous record of shoplifting. Time to take back our law-abiding social norms and reduce the number of "illegal shoppers" so we can keep a tighter rein on rising consumer costs. Because, that's the way it is.
As the economy continues to wreak havoc on everyone's financial well-being, some people - and even organized groups - are waging a huge shoplifting binge at the expense of other shoppers and businesses to make a financial killing to fatten their own wallets. Some of the more advanced organizations have grown rapidly by hiring people with previous criminal records to steal items off shelves, which in turn, sell the items to the brokers. Many of the operations are very sophisticated, netting millions of dollars over a period of time to the ring.
As law enforcement agencies continue to close in on numerous undercover investigations across the country, the issue prompts the public to wonder if the courts should perhaps consider making such crimer operations a felony, rather than a misdemeanor. One might think stealing a cheap $2 item off a shelf will not hurt the business, but as countless numbers of shoplifters pull the same trick, the value of losses add up fast and costly. Perhaps we need to start charging big-time shoplifters with a felony in order to curb the interest. The only problem is where do we draw the line on the value of stolen items before it is classified a felony? Would it deter small-change shoplifters of escalating their interest into a full-fledge shoplifting ring?
It is time to pull all the stops out to decrease shoplifting in America by proposing tougher sentences on all shoplifters, and imposing felony charges on anyone who has a previous record of shoplifting. Time to take back our law-abiding social norms and reduce the number of "illegal shoppers" so we can keep a tighter rein on rising consumer costs. Because, that's the way it is.
The Movie "Hachi"
While watching the movie "Hachi", one cannot but help feel the emotions of sadness and love portrayed throughout the entire story of a Japanese-bred Akita Inu puppy that is found abandoned at a train station by a college professor who befriends the dog and takes it home. Hachi, the dog, becomes very loyal to the professor, following and waiting for him at the train station each day.
Much can be learned about loyalty from this movie. I cannot help wonder how loyal people are to each other, in comparison to dogs. We grow up learning life's values, trying to put them to good use. However, as we go through life, we tend to stray from proper values. This is evident in today's marriages, which seem to fall from the wayside, having lost the true meaning of "till death do we part", and more as a paper formality. We seem to have lost the value of Christian faith and loyalty of love.
Hachi proves the love and friendship a dog shared with its master, something that all of us need to bring back into our own relationships and future lives. We cannot let ourselves lose our life's values to trivial wants, but rather stick to the moral rights and obligations we have as Christians......because that is the way it is.
Much can be learned about loyalty from this movie. I cannot help wonder how loyal people are to each other, in comparison to dogs. We grow up learning life's values, trying to put them to good use. However, as we go through life, we tend to stray from proper values. This is evident in today's marriages, which seem to fall from the wayside, having lost the true meaning of "till death do we part", and more as a paper formality. We seem to have lost the value of Christian faith and loyalty of love.
Hachi proves the love and friendship a dog shared with its master, something that all of us need to bring back into our own relationships and future lives. We cannot let ourselves lose our life's values to trivial wants, but rather stick to the moral rights and obligations we have as Christians......because that is the way it is.
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