In my enthusiasm at showing my 300+ photographs of my trip, I found myself also giving mini Scottish history lessons. It was when I was asked more than once if Wallace was a real person rather than a figment of Hollywood that I got the idea to do this blog.

William Wallace brought the Scots together for the first time in a cause for freedom – nationalism that did not exist before, due to the diverse clans and tribes.  The English wanted the fertile lands and profitable ports across their northern border and invaded in 1296.  It was Wallace who united the Scots with the call to be free from English rule, and as the number of his successful battles grew, so did his popularity and unity of the people.

The Battle at Stirling Bridge in 1297 was a decisive battle and the one portrayed in the movie.  Together with his co-commander, Andrew de Moray (aka Murray), Wallace and his Scots defeated the English in a massive slaughter, trapping them in within the loop of the River Forth.  It is considered one of the greatest military victories in history.  Peasant farmers defeated gentleman cavalry (the English were considered the greatest fighting force in Europe).  It started the course of the fight for a free Scotland.

One of the problems with the movie was pointed out by Scottish singer/songwriter Ted Christopher in his song, “Where’s the River Mel?”.  The movie was filmed in Ireland not Scotland, and the battle scene had no river.  So much for being historically accurate!  But at least the outcome was right.

William Wallace was given a letter in 1300, written by King Philip IV of France.  This letter was an introduction of Wallace and request that an audience with the Pope be granted to him at the Vatican.  Wallace was seeking the Pope’s influence in demanding that English King Edward I recognize an independent Scotland and pretty much leave them in peace.  The letter is referred to as “the safe conduct letter”.

In 1305 in Robroyston, Scotland, Wallace was betrayed by fellow Scot, John Menteith (for land, title and reward), captured and dragged to England, put through a mock trial for treason and butchered in the streets of London.  (How can you fight for your country’s freedom and be called a traitor?)  The safe conduct letter was on his person at the time of capture, and remains in the National Archives in Surrey, England.

The William Wallace Society, members of the Scottish National Parliament and friends of Scotland all around the world want the letter returned to Scotland to be put on permanent display as a tangible artifact that links to their national hero.

You can see the History Channel’s 5 part video online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r33MdUBAVG8.

Sign the online petition to return the safe conduct letter (until May 31, 2010) at http://epetitions.scottish.parliament.uk/view_petition.asp?PetitionID=382.

So, back to the original reason for this blog.  Yes, William Wallace was a real person and remains a true hero of Scotland.

This bailout bill has me fighting mad.  After listening to some credible (IMHO) financial analysts, I understand the government had to do something fast.  Now, it’s bad enough that we, “mainstreet” folks, have to lose our retirement funds, homes and jobs because the morons who run our country haven’t got a clue to life – but instead of doing what’s best for us, they put nonsense extra trash into the bill and passed it.

Tell me how an exemption from exercise tax on wooden toy arrows (Oregon senators) was approved – cost=$192 million.  Tell me how the write-off on taxes over seven years of the cost of motor racing track facilities is going to recoup my lost 401k earnings – cost=$100 million.  Explain to me how a rebate against excise taxes charged on rum imported from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands will help with job loss – cost=$192 million.

A tax break for the Exxon Valdez plaintiffs?  This will cost $49 million, thanks to Rep. Don Young of AK.  Why isn’t Exxon paying instead of us?  Rep. Diane Watson of CA supported a tax incentive to keep film and television production in the U.S. – cost=$478 million over 10 years.  What, they don’t make enough money?  What does Angelina Jolie make per movie?  Tell me again how I’m going to benefit.

I can go on, but I’m getting worked up!  Let’s move on to the choices of candidates we have this year.  Okay, so I’m hot about this too.  Especially when I hear others say that Gov. Sarah Palin did really well in the debate last night.  What?  Give me a f—ing break.  Did anyone watch her and hear her <wink>?  She has no business running for the office of Vice President.  From the stuff I’m reading, I don’t think she can make any decisions without Todd.  Will he sit in with her on votes in the Senate?  Maybe she’ll email him before she makes a tie-breaking vote.

And how can anyone believe Sen. John McCain understands anything other than war?  The economy is basically sound?  Tax breaks for health care given directly to insurance companies and taxes for employer-provided healthcare that’s not taxed now.  Yeah, that’ll work.  Can any of us afford the deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses now?  Will we be protected from being dropped from coverage at the whim of the insurance companies -  not!

Can we trust Sen. Barack Obama?  What can we believe about all the controversy related to his background?

Man, I’m tired.  The only one I’m impressed with is Sen. Joe Biden.  I’ve tried to stay open minded during this whole political process.  But I cannot vote for a war monger who chose a hockey mom to run my country.  So I guess I’ve made a decision of some kind.

My decision is to help vote out of office every senator and congressman who currently hold seats!  And that includes you, California Governator!

It’s interesting to be adopted by a stray.  Despite being captured and neutered, they still stick around and learn how to get along with us, our dogs and the other felines in our family.  Despite letting them back outside when they wanted to escape, they’ve learned to use the “doggy door” and come right back in.

It was my choice not to have human children.  Call me odd, but I so love the four-legged furry companions who bring nothing but joy over the testy, misbehaved, me-oriented human children that others produce.

For those of you who also love your pets, how much thought do you put into the food you feed them?  Maybe it’s time for a little shock therapy on this subject.

It was eight years ago that we adopted our first TT, Benny, who had just made Champion at the age of 9 months.  Shortly after, Piper Maru was born and our show ring activities started six months later.  Being new to the breed, we took the advice from all the TT breeders we met with regard to feeding.  They all recommended a “good quality” commercial brand of dry food.

We acquired Bear at the request of his breeder that we make him a champion too.  Just prior to his second birthday, Bear became a “horn dog” and he and Piper became intimate (they did it once while we were sleeping!).

As diligent “grandparents”, we put puppy packets together and carefully interviewed potential new homes for the puppies.  We provided information on care and feeding and recommended the same brand of food our three were eating.

It was a couple of years later, and another unplanned litter, that I came across some information about what we are feeding our pets.  One of our puppy families said their girl was not eating well, and they mentioned another brand that was recommended to them.  My investigation began.

Well, I was horrified at what I read.  Then I was sickened and that became anger and even fury.  I substantiated the information I had found with a lot of other articles and discussions with others who had also done the research.  We are killing our pets with the food we give them. 

Read at your own risk the following excerpts from the book, “Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts About Pet Food” by Ann N. Martin.

“Pet Food Industry magazine states that a pet food manufacturer might reject rendered material for various reasons, including the presence of foreign material (metals, hair, plastic, rubber, glass), off odor, excessive feathers, hair or hog bristles, bone chunks, mold, chemical analysis out of specification, added blood, leather, or calcium carbonate, heavy metals, pesticide contamination, improper grind or bulk density, and insect infestation.

Please note that this article states that the manufacturer might reject this material, not that it does reject this material.

If the label on the pet food you purchase states that the product contains meat meal, or meat and bone meal, it is possible that it is comprised of all the materials listed above.”

It gets worse.

“If a pet food lists “meat by-products” on the label, remember that this is the material that usually comes from the slaughterhouse industry or dead stock removal operations, classified as condemned or contaminated, unfit for human consumption. Meat meal, meat and bone meal, digests, and tankage (specifically animal tissue including bones and exclusive of hair, hoofs, horns, and contents of digestive tract) are composed of rendered material. The label need not state what the composition of this material is, as each batch rendered would consist of a different material. These are the sources of protein that we are feeding our companion animals.”

“After processing, the food is practically devoid of any nutritional value. To make up for what is lacking, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and supplements are dumped into the mix. If the minerals added are unchelated (chelated means minerals will more readily combine with proteins for better absorption), they will pass through the body virtually unused. Most are added as a premix, and if there is a mistake made in the premix, it can throw off the entire balance. Veterinarians Marty Goldstein and Robert Goldstein have stated that the wrong calcium/magnesium ratio can cause neuromuscular problems.  As an example, when I had the commercial pet food tested by Mann Laboratories for my court case, most of the minerals showed excess levels.”

So what should we be feeding our pets?  Some owners have switched to organic pet food, others make their own pet food.  I won’t endorse any brand here, but I do urge you to keep this in mind:  if the package does not say “human grade”, if you wouldn’t eat it, please do not feed it to your pets.

May the best man win?  Not if the media continues to sway who the front-runners are.  Whatever happened to equal time?  It’s sad when a candidate has to demand that he be given the same opportunities to answer questions.  It is disgusting to hear question after question to two candidates that are meaningless and for the sole purpose of getting the two to argue.

Another candidate, like him or not, got loud support from the audience but was clearly ignored most of the time and – oh, what’s the right word – patronized with a question now and then.  Shame on “the best political team on television”.

With the media focused on the two history-making Democratic candidates, another viable voice did not get the same coverage for his message.  As with shopping, for example, people tend to pick the brands they’re familiar with because they keep hearing and seeing those names in constant ads.  How can a candidate have a chance if his message is overshadowed by the latest he said-she said headlines that the news people decide to put in our faces?  This is for President of the United States folks!  We need to select the best candidate, not the person with the most money or hottest temper.

It was early on that the media called the front-runners.  And what a blooper when they called the polls incorrectly!  So I started thinking about how much choice we, the simple public, really have.  I’ve been following the candidates from the beginning.  Why?  Because I was horrified that the current administration won a second term.  So I’m really scrutinizing these candidates and I want answers.

Come on pundits.  Who cares if they think a former (deceased) President would endorse them?  Who cares if one thinks his competitor would be a good leader?  Let’s have some meaningful “what is your plan” questions and give all candidates the opportunity to respond.  Don’t you remember that the underdog sometimes wins?

Yes, this is a hot topic for me (can you tell?) based on my own experience.  Many years ago, I lost a relative to breast cancer.  Should not have happened.  The married couple was in denial and had the all too familiar attitude of “let’s wait and see if it goes away”.  It didn’t go away and when a doctor was finally consulted, it was too late.

I’m a cancer survivor myself.  The key word here is “survivor”.  The definition is “somebody who shows a great will to live or a great determination to overcome difficulties and carry on.”  Being very in tuned with my body, at the first sign of something not right, I found a thorough doctor and didn’t hesitate to have her cut that sucker out.  Chemo was not difficult for me until the last few treatments, and my oncologist commented quizzically, “but you’re a nice person”.  Historically, it’s the “nice” people who have the roughest time and often succumb.  Good thing there’s a bit of bitch in me to counter my nice!  And yes, attitude plays a huge part.  No poor me here.  Didn’t have time for that nonsense.

Time after time I keep encountering friends or hearing of their relatives who have become ill in some way.  The stories are so similar I feel I could scream if I hear it again.  If you’re feeling weak and tired and achy, you’re body needs rest.  The excuse of having too much to do, I can’t go home to bed is pathetic.  Okay, then stay sick.  If you have digestive problems every time you eat green peppers, stop eating green peppers!  If you have a family history of certain health problems, get checked by a physician on a regular basis.  Sheesh!  It’s not rocket science.

A friend of mine has decided to go through holistic treatment for her recurring breast cancer.  While I am a true believer of natural healing, there are times when common sense is called for when making a life and death decision.  (Oh yeah, there’s that common sense thing again!).  If your body could not fight off the tumor before, and it’s [body] now in a very weakened, compromised condition… by the time you break down your system’s cells to build it back up again with all the homeopathic foods and processes you have to go through, do you think the tumor is sitting around waiting for the battle?  No, it’s still growing.

Many times I’ve heard stories about relatives of friends who know they’re very ill but won’t see a doctor.  Despite pleas from everyone, they don’t want to know if something is wrong.  They’re afraid it might be the “C” word.  Okay, die.  Life can’t be that important to you.

It’s true, I am angry.  I’m pissed off, in fact.  At the beginning of 2007 I lost my youngest brother to pancreatic cancer.  He was in denial to the end.  So was his girlfriend, and evidently his doctor.  When he first informed me of his diagnosis, I was skeptical of his claim that he could live with it for another 10 years (per his doctor).  But despite our pressing him to have a sense of urgency and go to a specialized clinic, he continued to express his confidence in his doctor because “she’s nice”.  Very deliberately we told him “nice will kill you”.  It did.  He was misdiagnosed, it took 2 months before he started any kind of treatment, and his doctor continued to tell him he would live.  Two tips to New York from California to visit him showed me his continual denial and defense of his doctor.  It was too damn late when she admitted his condition changed and he didn’t have 6 months.  Shit, he didn’t have 1 month.

If you don’t get it by now, you won’t.  Doctors can’t read your mind.  They cannot feel the pain you feel.  They don’t know your body as you do.  Yes, the flu will go away with time, a cold will run its course, and bruises will heal eventually.  But you can’t see inside you.  There’s no mirror.  If something unusual is occurring, only you know about it; get it checked.  Maybe it’s nothing.  But just maybe, it’s the first sign of something serious.  Something that can be cured if caught immediately.  But it will kill you if you dismiss it.  Yeah, it’s your body.  Don’t you want to keep it around for a while?  I cherish mine.

Are parents just not teaching their kids manners any more?  I kinda think that’s a rhetorical question, because so many young parents I encounter don’t practice manners themselves.  No, it is not a teacher’s job to teach your child how to behave in public.

Let’s just cover the basic “rules of society” for a starter.

1. When entering a building, elevator, train, etc., you wait for people to come out before you enter.  Holding the door open for them would be nice.
2. If you drop something on the floor, pick it up.  That includes clothing in a department store.  (More on this later.)
3. Just as we drive on the right side of the street in this country, when you go up or down a stairway, you stay on the right.  On sidewalks, you walk on the right.
4. If you damage someone else’s property, offer to replace it (or repair it or clean it).  This goes hand-in-hand with treating someone else’s property better than you treat your own property.

Okay, you’re getting the picture.  So what about people allowing their kids to yell in a movie theater or restaurant?  Do these people really believe the rest of us think it’s amusing?  Do they care?  It seems the parents don’t make an effort to quiet the kid until someone finally embarrasses them by shouting out to control the kid or take it outside.  Years ago, the manager would ask people to leave for disturbing the other patrons.  Someone reported recently that when he asked the woman behind him in the theater to hold it down (she was on the phone), her incredulous response was that it was a business call.  In the movie theater?!  And that made it okay to disturb everyone around her?

Speaking of shopping!  A woman with two kids was looking around in the toy department of a store.  The little boy took a bicycle off the shelf, rode it around briefly, brought it back, dropped it on the floor, then walked away.  Since the woman seemed oblivious, I politely informed her that her son dropped the bike on the floor.  She glared at me as if I had assaulted her and put the bike back on the shelf.  How dare me!

Standing in a long line for checkout is not bad enough.  Don’t you love it when the cashier is too busy talking on the phone to notice that she may need to speed things up a bit, or that I may have a question but can’t get a word in?  Evidently she missed the Customer Service training.

One experience amazed me, although I guess it shouldn’t have.  A woman was standing to the side of a checkout line in the supermarket.  She held no items and wasn’t in the line, so I wheeled my cart in front of her.  She jumped in front of me and said her husband was coming with their cart.  I didn’t see him, so I spoke up.  “He’s not here now and I am.  You can’t reserve a spot in a checkout line.”  She moved, obviously not happy about it.  I was already being processed when her husband showed up.  Clearly she thought it was my fault that she now had to wait in line.

So what’s wrong with people?  Noticing a big difference when I travel to the east coast from the west coast, I started wondering if our influx of immigrants are not learning about this “contract with society” that so many of us grew up with.  But our grandparents were immigrants too, and they taught us.  Is it the culture of the “flower children” that have burned the “contract” along with their bras? 

Why have people stopped caring about the other guy?  Would you turn into a pumpkin if the guy with the turn signal got in front of you in your lane?

Maybe it’s a result of business organizations that no longer consider their employees very valuable.  When you don’t feel secure with your livelihood, focus turns to self – the “me” generation.  To heck with you, what’s in it for me?

I don’t have any answers.  But I am frustrated, ticked off and concerned.  Are you?