Get off the phone!

"Move it! Green light!"
"What is your problem?"
"Turn your !#$*&#% lights on!"

Do you ever find yourself using phrases like these when you're behind the wheel? No? Well I do.

Here's what I have concluded after being a licensed driver for nearly 10 years: people cannot drive. Everywhere I look, I see bad drivers. Passing on the right, traveling 55 MPH in the high-speed lane of your local interstate, not signaling before turning, you know the drill.

Aside from putting every motor vehicle operator back into driver education training for a refresher course, there isn't a whole lot we can do to stop this nonsense. But I have an idea. And if we recruit enough people in as many places as possible, I think we might have a chance to win this war.

Let's say you're driving home from work at 7 p.m. Darkness has fallen and all you see are white headlights and red taillights. Except for that guy. What is his deal? Driving without his lights on? He could kill someone! I didn't even see him until he was right next to me.

Or how about you are meeting your new lady friend for lunch on a Saturday at a nearby cafe. As you accelerate through a green light, another vehicle cuts right in front of you from the left lane, almost sideswiping your certified pre-owned somethingorother.

Instead of laying on your horn for five minutes, calling the other driver every four-letter word you can think of, and extending a certain finger out your window, how about holding a sign up? Suppose we manufacture signs that we can hold up to our window so the offending driver can read them?

To the first example of driving without headlights on, simply pull up next to the car, honk your horn to get the operator's attention, and hold up a sign saying, "TURN YOUR LIGHTS ON!" Feel free to use your dome light for added visibility at night. And to the person who cut you off, use this creative banner: "LOOK BEFORE YOU TURN!"

With everyone's help, I think we might be able to solve this bad-driving problem that plagues our nations roads. My take on this is simple. If someone commits a traffic offense in front of you, don't you feel it is important for the person to know he or she screwed up? Don't you think it would benefit other drivers if the guy or gal in question is informed of his less-than-perfect road skills? Instead of brushing it off, I think it is important that we alert people that they cannot drive.

This is why the sign idea is a good one. That elderly woman traveling 55 MPH in the high speed lane? "GET OUT OF THAT LANE!" The teenage moron who's been licensed for two hours, weaving through traffic like he's responding to a fire? "SLOW DOWN!" How about that guy yapping on his cell phone and not paying attention? "GET OFF YOUR PHONE!"

To play down the risk of a confrontation, do not use obscenities on your signs. Because we have all flipped off the dude who decides to fight back. You know, he starts to tailgate you, pulls up alongside your car at the next light and stares you down ... yup, I've crossed that bridge. Let's try to stay away from that.

So the next time someone passes you on the right, idles at a green traffic signal, or fails to use his or her directional before turning, don't use the old one-finger salute. Reach over to your passenger seat, find the appropriate signage, and display it for all to see.

Jason's traffic signs are copyrighted material and cannot be used without the expressed written consent of Jason or any of his representatives. Any attempts to illegally use Jason's signs are illegal and persons doing so will be prosecuted.

-Jason

Manny being Manny?

It's been a while since I wrote a sports column, so I figured I was due. Warn the children because some of this might get ugly.

-I am sick of Manny Ramirez. There. I said it. I AM TIRED OF HIS ACT. Those of you in Red Sox Nation know what I am talking about. He started an offseason training program in November and will not be finished with it until next week. What does this mean? It means that he will report to camp a week after the rest of the team does.

Manny spoke with team officials and they gave him the OK on this. So let me get this straight: If a player wants to show up a week late for spring training, all he has to do is ask the manager for permission? And if your name is Manny Ramirez, Pedro Martinez, or another superstar, this is acceptable? Wow.

I had a long chat with a fellow Red Sox fan about this today and we disagreed. My point is this ... Whatever Manny is doing from now until March 1 is not the issue. The fact that he is training and honing his baseball skills does not mean squat to me. He knew months ago when camp was to start. And he knew that everyone else on the team would be there on time. So why does he have to be "that guy" and show up a week late?

This brings up a bigger issue, one that rekindles memories of Pedro Martinez in a Red Sox uniform. Petey, a.k.a. "the man with the golden arm," always arrived a few days late to camp. Every year. And every summer, our man skipped the Red Sox team photo. Imagine that? He skipped three- or four-straight photos, so the technologically-savy guys had to digitally insert him in the picture. And again, that was OK? The only time I ever heard this was when I was covering a Red Sox game for the Boston Globe and heard columnist Dan Shaughnessy (Gordon Edes' curly-haired boyfriend) talking about Pedro, so clearly the team saw it as a non-issue.

This double standard kills me. Would it have been acceptable for a younger or less-talented player to do any of these things? Of course not. But since Manny is a star, this is OK. We have to make him feel good. Gotta keep him happy, right? Because if we make him show up on time with the rest of the team, that would make him angry. We have to baby this guy because if we don't, he'll quit the team. But above all else, this is just Manny being Manny.

Manny being Manny? I think it's time for a new excuse.

-This next one is for you golfers out there. What's up with this Stephen Ames character? On Monday night, he told the Golf Channel his thoughts on playing Tiger Woods in the opening round of the Accenture Match Play Championship.

"How he goes about scoring from where he hits it -- that's the amazing thing," said Ames. "That's the mark of a true champion. As bad as he hits it, he still manages to win golf tournaments."

He also told the Associated Press, "Anything can happen, especially where he's hitting the ball." The interviewer noted that Ames was smiling when he made that last comment.

And how did Tiger respond to these negative comments from this Canadian loser with ONE career PGA Tour victory? He simply beat him 9 & 8. To you non-golfers, this means that Tiger was nine holes up with eight to play. Game set match. Let me also point out that Ames ranks 90th in the world in driving accuracy at 59 percent, 149th in scoring average (72.29), and 172nd in money leaders with $14,178 in 2006. I don't think I have to give you Tiger's stats to make my point.

-When the Winter Olympics started, I was not overly excited. I've never been a big Olympic guy. But I find myself drawn to some of the events this year.

The luge is awesome because it is, well, luge. Anything with a name like that must be cool. Skeleton? See the previous sentence if you're wondering why I like this suicidal sport. And I've always been a hockey fan, so I enjoy watching this sport. Although the US Men's team was a flop. But hey, atleast Canada is out too.

I don't ski, but all of the skiing events are a trip. Well, except for cross-country skiing. Why would I spend my time watching a pack of guys in spandex travel in a big circle for 30 minutes? Not my idea of must-see TV. My favorite event has to be downhill (or alpine) skiing. Traveling at 70-80 MPH down a steep and slick course is insane. You would never find me doing that, but I could watch it all day long.

Curling? Don't get me started on this one. Walking down your driveway to retrieve your mail is more of a sport than this.

-Don't forget to leave a comment with some of your favorite columns on this site. I am trying to make a list of them and post it on the main page.

-Jason

A tall decaf with cinnamon

Time for another notes column. So many things to talk about, not enough space.

-I have a new enemy: the IRS. I worked on my taxes this evening and realized I owe both the federal government and the state of Maryland a ridiculous amount of money. I checked and re-checked my calculations but could not find anything wrong. No idea how this could happen. I think I'll wait a few more weeks, take my stuff to a tax professional, and have them figure it out.

-Since doing away with both cream and sugar in my coffee a few years back, I've been drinking it black. But I now have a new condiment for my java; cinnamon. I love it. And it is supposedly good for you. Supposed to prevent diabetes or something. All I know is that after dumping a few pounds of it in my tall decaf at Starbucks, I feel like a million bucks. Did I say pounds? I meant tons.

-Do you know who I can't stand? Besides the above-mentioned tax Nazis? The guy at the gym who carries around a gallon of water. We've all seen him. The muscle-bound dude who constantly looks in the mirror at himself, wears straps on his hands while lifting, and whose biceps are as big around as my thigh. Yeah, that guy. I was at the gym tonight and saw said guy walking around, toting his gallon jug. Why not be a normal person and bring a 12-ounce bottle of H2O? Why do you have to stand out like that?

-Is there a song better than Journey's "Don't Stop Believin?" When I'm at a bar or in a crowd of people having a good time, there is no better tune that gets me cranked up. "Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world ..."

-I am thinking about making a list of my best columns on this site, so I need some help. Leave me a comment with some of your favorite posts (if you have any!) and I'll link them up on the main page. To you newcomers, feel free to check out the archives.

-Jason

DC or New England?

I am confused. Have been since December.

What is going on with the weather here in the DC area? Thursday was 65 degrees, Friday was 50, and today, according to weather.com, is down to 33. Two weeks ago we had two-straight days of 60+ degrees. Then we had the Nor'easter last weekend that dropped a foot in the region.

I don't get it.

Being from New England, I am used to up-and-down weather patterns. Aside from a tornado, I've seen everything that Mother Nature has to throw at us. But I thought this kind of strange weather only happened in the Land of the Red Sox.

Apparently I was wrong. I've been battling a nasty cold/fever since early December and I know it is due to the atmospheric issues we've faced here in the mid-Atlantic Region. That, and the fact I am in a smoke-filled bar four nights a week. Or maybe because my sleeping schedule is in complete disarray. But I digress.

I went for a 3-mile run two days ago when the mercury was near 70, but today I am leary about the 30-second walk from my front door to my car. Yeah, it's that cold. Whatever happened to the four seasons? Remember? Spring, summer, fall, winter. I can deal with the cold weather if it stays cold for a few months. But when we have highs and lows comparable to a certain ex-girlfriend of mine, I don't know what to think. I just wish I could get rid of the weather like I got rid of her! OOOHH-RAAHH!!!

That's my rant on the weather. I am going to the gym in a few minutes, so wish me luck in getting to my car without losing a few toes to frostbite.

-Jason

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day. What is it? Who chose February 14th over, say, April 5? Or October 19? What does it really mean?

Let me start by saying this: I am writing this column at 9:50 p.m. on V-Day, so clearly I do not have a date ce soir. In fact, I haven't had a V-Day date in like four years! I've had girlfriends and "dating friends" over the years, but for some reason I always end up alone on February 14th.

I've heard a lot of chatter the past few days about this so-called special day, some of it positive and some of it negative. My sister Alison wrote me an IM earlier today that said, "Happy Valentine's Day, aka the worst day of the year." She was obviously kidding, but she was hinting that she was also single on this much overrated day. It was funny nonetheless.

My man Sean Hannity (click on his link to the right) did a few segments on his show today called "Dr. Hannity," during which listeners called in and asked for his opinion on matters of love, dating, sex, and anything else that Valentine's day brings out. And I've seen newspaper advertisements over the past few weeks for all sorts of V-Day related products.

I've talked to some people the past few days, both singles and ones with significant others, and many of them think Valentine's Day is overrated. It's just a day on the calendar that falls after February 13th, but before February 15th. Did someone simply close their eyes, extend a finger, and point to a random date on the calendar when this day was invented?

The History Channel's website has some information on the history of Valentine's day. Apparently St. Valentine was either a priest or some other religious figure a loooong time ago. Some believe that February 14th is the day that he either died or was buried, around 270 A.D. Others think that this date was chosen by the Christian Church because February was the beginning of spring in ancient Rome. Whatever the case, this day surely has its roots.

One of the worst Valentine's Day's was back in 1929 in Chicago during what was called the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Al Capone ordered a hit of Bugs Moran's men in the city, and seven lay dead after the violence was over. Tough day at the office for those gangsters, eh?

Here's my take on Valentine's day. If you love someone, or even if you are dating someone, act like every day is Valentine's Day. If you're a man, randomly send flowers to your girl every so often. Send them to her work on a Wednesday afternoon, when she will be completely surprised. When you talk to your wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend/dating friend on the phone, over email, or in person, tell them what you think of them. A quick "I love you," goes a long way. Or if you just started dating a girl, tell her, "I really like spending time with you and I see some potential between us." Or if you've been dating for a few months but haven't dropped the "L" word yet, tell her, "I think you're terrific." If you're going out to dinner on a Friday night, say, "You look amazing in that dress."

I am not trying to give examples of what and what not to say; my point is that Valentine's Day can be any day you want it to be. If you need February 14th to express your love or feelings for someone, something is wrong. It's just another day and there are 364 0thers just like it.

-Jason

24 and a few other snippets

Wow. I mean, good Lord. What an hour of "24" tonight.

This was easily the best show of the season. Those 10 minutes when Jack was handcuffed in the mall security office? And then when he saved the day by killing one terrorist, stopping the flow of nerve gas, shutting down the air circulation system, and then saving that little girl's life? Unreal. If it wasn't for our great president George W. Bush, Jack Bauer would be the number one hero in my life.

The people behind the scenes of "24" never cease to amaze me. The writers, producers, editors, and on-screen talents do such a great job. I can't even put into words how good these writers are. Here's to one heckofa job.

Do you want to hear a funny story? The bar was absolutely dead Sunday night so we were all pretty bored. Without the Olympics and a few basketball games on the TV's, I don't know what we would have done.

One of our co-workers was spending a few hours there since it was his night off, and after a while he began to demonstrate some karate moves for us. Apparently he is a black belt and since he had a few brews in him, he felt the need to show off some of his skills. It was really cool and he was pretty amazing. Definitely someone who I would never mess with!

At one point, I had to use the facilities so I walked over to the men's room. When I exited a minute later, the karate dude was standing near some tables, facing the dance area. "Jason, stay right there," he said to me. I thought Ok, he's gonna show us another move.

He proceeded to run, do a cartwheel, and another, and then attempted to complete a backflip. The bar was dark and the floor made of tile, so the conditions were clearly not in his favor. Not to mention he had a few beers in him. As he flipped backwards, he did not get enough height and his body was not able to clear. Karate man landed at an awkward angle, smacking the top of his forehead on the floor as he went down.

The first thought that entered my mind was a spinal injury. We've all seen sports highlights of hockey players crashing into the boards headfirst or football players landing on their head, and the results are never good. Thankfully, our black-belt friend moved after he landed so I knew that his neck was still intact. But if he had landed at slightly less of an angle, I would be talking about my friend the paraplegic (no joke).

Anyway, the dude was dazed but OK. Blood was gushing down his face like a pot of boiling water overflowing, so the bartender cleaned up the area to inspect the wound. What we saw was an "H" shaped cut, measuring about 1.5-2 inches across and maybe an inch high. Definitely grounds for a few stitches.

We had to talk to him for a few minutes to convince him of the severity of his injury, but he finally agreed to go to the hospital. Someone took him to the ER and that was the end.

The whole thing was entertaining nonetheless and if anything, it made the slow night go by a bit faster. And I have a feeling that if it was Jack Bauer attempting to backflip for us, he would have stopped in mid-air, walked upside-down on the ceiling, flipped 180 degrees, and landed on his feet. That would be while handcuffed and blindfolded.

Yeah, he's that cool.

-Jason

The police

I thought about writing a column on the Super Bowl, the latest Democratic conspiracy to express its hatred for President Dubyah, or even about the impending snowstorm the DC Metro area is getting tomorrow. But this has all been done. I felt it was time for something original, something that only I would know about.

My experience with the police.

After work Wednesday night, I approached my car and noticed something stuck to the windshield. As I peeled it off, I realized it was a ticket! Not a parking ticket, but a $50 fine for not having a front tag. I'll explain the reason for this later. Furthermore, the officer wrote "yes" in the box that read, "Tow request."

Tow request??? I almost got towed!!!

Being the paranoid person that I usually am, I decided to fork over $7 and park in a nearby lot the next night. The ticket was bad enough, but I CANNOT afford to have my car towed. That would be awful.

After work on Thursday, I gave one of my co-workers a ride home. He told me that he would have to leave early because he was taking the bus home this night, but I figured we could use an extra hand so I offered to play chauffeur.

This kid lives way up in Northwest DC and as we arrived in front of his building, a police car passed me. I didn't think much of it so I took the next right in order to swing around to the front of his building. But after I made the turn, I saw the police car speeding up behind me. What? I didn't do anything! Five seconds later, the officer lit me up. I pulled into a parking lot, rolled my window down all the way, and kept my hands where he could seen them. Having almost been an officer myself a few months back, I knew the drill. And since it was 3:15 a.m., any car on the road would arouse suspicion.

Officer: What's up? Driver's license please.
Me: Sure. {takes off gloves, takes out wallet, and hands license to officer}.
Officer: What happened to your front tag?
Me: You know, funny story. The screws that hold the license plate are stuck and I cannot get them out. I have been meaning to get it fixed. I'll show you if you want.
Officer: Ok. Where you headed?
Me: Home. Well, I am dropping him off [points to kid in passenger seat] and then I am heading home to Virginia. We work at a bar. I have a Maryland ID but I moved to Virginia two weeks ago.
Officer: Where in Virginia?
Me: Sterling.
Officer. Ok. Are you straight? Nothing to drink tonight?
Me: No sir, nothing at all.
Officer: [hands back license to me] Have a good night.

Phew! No ticket. Although I was prepared to show him the citation I received the night before if he wrote me up. But do you know what's weird? I was nervous. I was five weeks away from becoming a police officer in December and now I am nervous?!? We've all been there. As soon as the officer gets on your bumper and lights you up, your mouth dries up, your heart rate increases, and your palms become sweaty.

Fast forward about 20 minutes ...

I was on the G.W. Parkway heading home, traveling about 55 MPH in the 50 MPH zone. I was in the right lane and there was a car a few lengths behind me, but I noticed another car traveling in the left lane at a high rate of speed. He was probably going about 70. It was pitch black out, but I looked at the headlights and knew it was a Ford Crown Victoria (again, learned from my police training). Figuring it was another police officer, I slowed down to 50 and just cruised.

The officer followed the first car for about a half mile, obviously looking for any signs of a DUI or DWI (excessive or too little speed, swerving, rapid acceleration/deceleration, etc.). Apparently that car was 10-41, so he made his way up to my car. I could see him in my side mirror and knew he was watching me like a hawk. I just told myself to keep both hands on the wheel, maintain my speed, and keep both eyes on the road.

After almost a mile, I too was determined to be 10-41. The Park Police officer sped up to about 75 and took off before pulling into the department's headquarters a few miles ahead.

For the remainder of my ride home, I don't think I went 0.5 miles over the speed limit. And when I made it home unscathed, I took a deep breath and was thankful to be home without another ticket!!!

-Jason

The dog park

I had my first experience at a dog park this week. And I liked it so much, I went twice.

My friends Andy and Alison live in nearby Reston and they have a yellow lab. His name is Jake and although he has made a sport out of destroying their new condo, he is a great dog! Now that I live only 10 minutes from them, I figured I'd spend some time with Jake when I am free to get him out of the house.

On Monday, Jake and I went to the dog park in Reston. He's a veteran of the place, so he gave me directions as I drove. "Take a left Uncle Jason. Ok, follow this road and take a right at that stop sign. Now another left ... hey we're here!"

I really did not know what to expect. Is it a fenced-in area? I assumed it was. Grass? Dirt? How big is it? How many dogs will be there? I pulled up and got my first glimpse.

There was a large fenced-in area filled with gravel. A few dogs were racing around with each other, but it was quiet this day. I glanced at my watch and figured it was still early for the late afternoon influx of canines and their handlers. I opened up the back door of my car, clipped the leash on Jake's collar, and led him take the lead. He raced up the small grassy knoll (???) and waited at the first gate. "C'mon Uncle Jason! Open the gate!"

I unlatched the gate, took off his leash, and let Jake show me where to go from here. He ran up to the second gate, the one that led into the play area. I could sense his excitement by the grin on his face and the tongue hanging out of his mouth. As I opened the second door, Jake stuck his nose through the small opening. "Hurry up! My friends are in there!" Roughly 0.08 seconds later, Jake was at a full sprint.

As I said, there were only a few dogs at the park this day. But that didn't stop Jake from having fun. He wrestled, rolled in the gravel, and raced his friends. I found an old frisbee on the other end of the pen, which measured about 75 yards X 40, and called to Jake. He raced over in excitement as I prepared to toss the yellow disk. And for the next 30 minutes, him and another dog played and played and played with this thing. It was like I put LSD on it or something.

Let's skip ahead to Tuesday, when Jake and I returned to the dog park. I knew the routine so I let Jake in and counted atleast 15 other dogs there. "Alright Uncle Jason! Now we can have some fun!"

There were labs, boxers, dalmations, shepherds, and all combinations thereof running around like mad men and women. Jake instantly found a white-colored lab and started wrestling and playfully biting. They had a blast together!

To anyone who has never been to a dog park, picture this: You're standing in the middle of this huge area covered with gravel. There are dogs all around you, most of them running at or near full speed. If you don't keep your head on a swivel, you might get run into a few times by an out of control dog. But it's so much fun! Aside from having to pull your dog off another one every now and again, you just watch these wonderful animals socialize with each other.

Today was about 35 degrees and windy at the park, but Jake and I stayed for over an hour. When I called him over and told him it was time to go, I swear I saw him frown. "We have to leave now? But I just made some new friends! Can I atleast get their number? I like that chocolate lab chick over there!"

Sorry Jake, it's time to leave. I leashed him up and walked out of the pen smiling. I told Jake I would take him back soon so he can hit on the chocolate lab.

-Jason

Proud to be an American

I was out doing some things this afternoon and had Sean Hannity on the radio while I drove back. Joshua Sparling called in, a wounded US soldier who has been on the Hannity show many times. To bring you up to speed, he suffered a very severe leg injury in Iraq and has been at the Walter Reed Medical Center since late last year. He received thousands of get-well cards, but one of them stood out above all the rest; at the end of the letter, it said, "P.S. Die."

Hannity has taken this kid under his wing and has helped him and his family out immensely. Because of the airtime the story has gotten on the show, Joshua has received thousands upon thousands of gifts, cards, and emails from people across the country. You can read more about it here: http://www.hannity.com/.

So anyway, Joshua called up Sean's show to give an update on his progress. He is doing better, but physical therapy has been tough. The doctors said his leg can be saved, so that is great news.

After Joshua hung up, another soldier called in. He had just returned from Iraq and wanted to point out a few things that the liberals were claiming about the war and how we are fighting it. Hannity listened to what he had to say and then thanked him for serving this country and doing his part for making this world a better place.

At this point, after hearing two Iraq war veterans on the radio talk about how proud they are and how thankful they are to the American people for reaching out to them, I was feeling a bit emotional. I felt so damn proud to be an American and I was so happy that people like these brave men and women are putting their lives on the line for you, me, and the Iraqi citizens.

And then a father of a soldier killed in Iraq called.

His name was David, and he barely got five words out before he started crying. I suddenly felt even more proud and started to get emotional. What is this watery substance I feel in the corner of my eyes? After gathering himself, David said that his son was killed on Easter Sunday 2004. It has been an incredibly tough road, he said, but the family has pulled together and is healing.

You know what? I am so thankful. No, WE are so thankful. The streets of Iraq might be the most dangerous ones in the world, but yet these people are over there doing their job to spread the word that Democracy is here to stay. I hear liberals every day saying that the soldiers fighting over there are bitter, hostile, and engaging in a war they know is wrong. That's funny though because I've heard A LOT of stories from Iraq veterans and their families and they ALL have said that the men and women on the streets of Baghdad, Fallujah, and Tikrit are doing their job without any remorse. They know we are doing the right thing and are confident that our great president is making the right decisions.

People like Cindy Sheehan have to go away. I respect their right to disagree and protest, but I have heard stories of soldiers arriving back in the US after a tour in Iraq being greeted by these idiots. I remember one person called up a show last year and he said that when the plane touched down at the Atlanta airport, protesters were outside with signs saying things like "murderers!" and "terrorists!" Can you believe that? And people with the same types of signs are always picketing outside of the Walter Reed Medical Center, a place where America's wounded come to heal. Imagine this: You are wounded by an IED in Iraq, shipped over to Walter Reed to recover, and things are going well. Then one day you go outside for the first time in months and you see a bunch of long-haired liberals calling you a terrorist and a killer. How would you feel?

We are fighting in Iraq so the people there will be able to disagree with the government and stage a protest. This is part of our First Amendment right and I fully support that. But please do one thing for me: SUPPORT OUR TROOPS.

-Jason

Cindy [bleepin] Sheehan

You know, I feel bad for Cindy Sheehan because she lost her son. I really do. But she is dragging his good name in the mud and I am sick of it. This woman stalked President Bush when he was in Texas last summer and she has been relentless ever since. When she was arrested for demonstrating without a permit in front of the White House a few months back, she was laughing and smiling the whole time. Is this all a big joke to her? I can't stand her. I wish she would just go away and never rear her ugly (and I mean ugly) face again.

I respect everyone's First Amendment right to free speech, but you can't expect to attend the State of the Union and be a complete idiot. The US Capitol Police have said that no protesting of any kind is allowed inside, and political slogans like the one on her t-shirt are not allowed. This woman admitted that she was going to take her coat off and let the TV cameras see her shirt, so she has confessed to committing a crime.

I am glad she was hauled out of there because she has no business whatsoever being at the State of the Union. I had to listen to the speech on the radio in my car, but I was clapping and cheering out loud when the President introduced the family of the slain US soldier. The applause lasted quite a while and it made me incredibly proud to be an American. This person died for my freedom and the freedom of others.

That's exactly what Cindy Sheehan's son did, but his mother has ruined his name. He enlisted in the military and was happily serving this country and its great president. It was HIS CHOICE, not Cindy's. I feel awful that he was not able to come back alive, but that happens when you are at war. To constantly say that the president killed her son and to call Dubyah "the biggest terrorist in the world" is absurd and it angers me to no end.

This woman needs to give it up and move on.

-Jason