MuttonChops

A mom in Georgia is now under public scrutiny for dragging her toddler by a leash through a store. At first glance, the tactic seems brutal, but after watching the video I am convinced people need to cut this mom some slack - at least until all the evidence is presented. My biggest pet peeve is how the masses make snap decisions based on initial data, popular opinion, or what is politically correct. In handling children, there are some that believe a higher road should be taken. They seem to have a zen approach, talk calmly to little ones, and never use corporal punishment. My experience with such saintly parents has been that they are 1) oblivious to the unruly and disruptive behavior of their children; 2) don't have children and are working from theory; 3) are blessed with sedate tots; or 4) they are lying about how they raise their kids. Instead of assuming the woman with a toddler on a leash is the reincarnate of Irma Grese , let's provide the benefit of the doubt with a mo...

Joan Rivers has always been hysterically offensive and will poke fun at herself as much as she does others. Donald Trump is just offensive and everyone makes fun of him. I even risked insulting a dog when poking fun at Trump. moar funny pictures Together, Rivers and Trump have managed to upset a small - make that "little" - segment of the population by using the word "midget" on " Celebrity Apprentice ." As a result, there has been an uprising a subversive move towards having the word banned from television . As a writer, I know how important word choices can be. I also recognize that verbiage is only 10 percent of spoken communication. Intonation, intent, content, and body language all contribute to nuances of messages. Being politically correct is getting tiresome and this isn't the first time I've addressed the issue . Banning a word from television doesn't make it any less or more offensive. In fact, such a ban is the technological equival...

Nicole Bobek has been arrested and charged with being part of a drug ring. The former figure skating champion has homes in New Jersey and Florida and is believed to be involved in the distribution of methamphetamine . Hmmm ... Imagine that - a figure skater in a ring, manufacturing and distributing "ice" ... Let's call her " Zamboni "!! If she gets caught in the " snow " or starts "speed" skating, does that mean she's an all-around winter sports champ? Does living in Florida and maintaining a NJ home make her a "snow bird"? Unfortunately, the evidence is piling up, and this gal may end up a caged bird.

The murder of Dr. George Tiller and subsequent discussions have me recalling incidents where my own ob/gyn has feared for his life. Dr. Tiller was in the foyer of his church when a 51-year-old man shot and killed Tiller for performing abortions. A radical pro-lifer felt justified in killing a physician - a grown, well-educated man that was meeting a medical need in a legal and safe manner. Such vigilantism is pious and sacrilegious, going against the very nature of pro-life mantras. Members of pro-life organizations speak of perpetuating life, yet they have no concern for quality of life. Jim Buie addresses the issue using a very personal example, with his recent article in Newsweek. When I first met my gynecologist, I was impressed with the questions he asked. He wanted to know about me, what I wanted for the future and whether I had concerns. It wasn't the usual rubber stamp process and he looked me directly in the eyes. When I became pregnant with my second child, he became well...

Bob Sweeney : There was a moment... when I used to blame everything and everyone... for all the pain and suffering and vile things that happened to me, that I saw happen to my people. Used to blame everybody. Blamed white people, blamed society, blamed God. I didn't get no answers 'cause I was asking the wrong questions. You have to ask the right questions. Derek Vinyard : Like what? Bob Sweeney : Has anything you've done made your life better? - from American History X Today concludes a week filled with irony in actions that merged history with present day. An 88-year-old white supremacist (allegedly shot and) killed an African-American guard at the entrance of the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC two days before what would have been Anne Frank's 80th birthday . The play " Anne and Emmitt " - an imagined dialogue between Anne Frank and Emmitt Till - was to open at the museum the same evening of the shooting, but of course was postponed. Whether coincidence ...

An article in today's News & Record reports that the City of Greensboro's hiring practices may be discriminating against minorities seeking jobs with the fire and police departments. Judging by readers' commentary, I'd say a diverse population has come to a consensus: the article itself is lacking fair representation. Casting a shadow over the ceremony for 19 graduates of the fire department's training program, the reporter spouts statistics proving the diversity of the department is not reflective of the city's population. While the writer focuses on race, she fails to note the lacking diversity of women and that more than 16 percent of the population is over the age of 60. Do we want older firefighters, too? The "right" people can not be forced to apply for specific jobs. One possible reason given for the imbalance is the fact that minorities are not passing the entrance exams. Applicants are required to answer half the questions correctly. Only ...

Music. Sometimes the sounds are so powerful there are no words to describe them; the player's energy makes contact with the listener, ripping through to his very soul. Even the most hard-hearted can be moved to tears with no explanation. Playing for Change has managed to create a grassroots movement with musicians that have created this auditory strength, and I dare anyone to stand in its way. Starting in Santa Monica, California, a street musician was recorded while playing "Stand by Me." The recording has literally gone around the world, and, at various stops, other musicians have added tracks. The music alone is great, but when punctuated by the realization that these people have never met, are not famous, and simply displayed their talents on the street in an effort to create a single, harmonic tune to prove the world can work together in a way that is pleasing to everyone, the glass ceiling is shattered. A number of songs have been created, and celebrities like Bono ...