Presidents Quiz # 4 of 4

As before there are a series of statements you need to match up with the President they belong with. The answers are in the comment section. Good Luck.

# 34. The Compromise of 1850 was passed while he was president, which allowed California to become a state. He also sent the U.S. Navy to open trade with Japan.

# 35. He was President of the United States during the Spanish-American War, which resulted in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines becoming territories of the United States. Hawaii also became a U.S. territory while he was president. He was the third president to be assassinated while in office.

# 36. He was president when the first of the Confederate States left the Union and the first shots of the Civil War were fired at Ft. Sumter. He was also the only president who was never married.

# 37. He was Commander of all Allied Forces in Europe during World War II. He established the Interstate Highway System and started funding for the U.S. Space Program. He was president when Korean War ended.

# 38. A former actor, who appeared in many movies, he is oldest person to have ever been president. The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster happened while he was President. He survived an assassination attempt shortly after becoming president. His tough stance on terrorism led to the U.S. invasion of Grenada and the bombing of Libya.

# 39. The heaviest person to ever become President. He is the only former President to later become Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. He is the last president, to date, to wear facial hair.

# 40. This president is most famous for the passing of the "Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act" while as president.

# 41. Hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe, he was the first president who was a member of the Whig Party. He was the first President to die in office. He caught pneumonia after making the longest inaugural speech in presidential history, while in the rain. He died one month after taking office.

# 42. Commander of the U.S. Army during much of the Civil War, his presidency was marred by many scandals and Reconstruction after the Civil War. The Transcontinental Railroad was completed while he was president and he established Yellowstone National Park as the first national park in the U.S.

# 43. Known as the "quietest" president, he was president during the "Roaring Twenties." He helped pass the "Indian Citizenship Act of 1924," which made all Native Americans living in the U.S., citizens of the United States.

Baseball Season is Coming!

The 2009 Major League Baseball Season is almost upon us and I am excited. I have been keeping up with the Spring Training games and my Texas Rangers are looking good. They may not be division winners (or Wild Card contenders) yet, but I think they have enough to hold onto their 2nd Place finish from last year.

They have an exciting crop of young pitchers waiting to make their marks on the team. If the "recovering wounded" pitchers heal completely, then we will have a pretty good pitching staff this year. Of course our offense will sizzle, and I can' t wait to see how Josh Hamilton does this year. I read his book, Beyond Belief, in three days last week. I highly recommend it to others.

For as long as I remember, I have always loved baseball. I wish I had the talent to play professionally, but alas I do good to try and play softball on occasion or throw the ball around with my kids. I am seriously considering using the money from a travel reimbursement check to to have a Rangers Weekend with my best friend, and buying tickets to a 3 day weekend series at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. We would stay at a hotel nearby and just soak up the Rangers for a few days. (I still need to bounce this idea off my bride, Jamie, first.)

I am so ready for Baseball!

Presidents Quiz # 3 of 4

As before there are 11 statements for you to match up with the President they belong to!
The answers are in the comment section.

#23. He was elected in the first Presidential Election that allowed women to vote for President. His administration was mired by in controversy and scandal, including the "Teapot Dome Scandal," because of which several of his cabinet members and advisers were arrested. He died in office after returning from the first Presidential trip to Alaska.

# 24. While president he wanted to create a "Great Society" and encouraged Congress and the U.S. to "Declare War on Poverty." He helped pass laws that strengthened Civil Rights and that created Medicaid and Medicare. Despite these accomplishments the pressures and demands of the Vietnam War caused him not to seek another term as President.

# 25. Sadly, this president is best known for his "extra-marital" activities more than what he accomplished as president. He helped pass many social and economic reform bills into law and was had one of the highest approval ratings as a president, despite the fact his term of office was marred by many scandals. He was the second president to be impeached.

# 26. Although he only served four years, more states were admitted to the United States while he was president, other that George Washington. The Sherman Anti-Trust Act was also passed while he was president. He was also the grandson of a former president.

# 27. Considered by many to be the "greatest" President in U.S. History. He was president during the U.S. Civil War and the first Republican President to be elected to office. He issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which abolished slavery in the Confederate States. He was the first president to be assassinated.

# 28. A General and hero of the Mexican-American War, this president died in office from complications due to probable food-poisoning.

# 29. He was the first son of a President to be elected President. A failure as President, he returned to the House of Representatives, where he fought to end slavery. Years later, he died at his desk in the House chambers.

# 30. He was the only person to serve as President of the United States without being elected to either the Vice-Presidency or as President. He pulled the last of the American troops out of Vietnam and pardoned the previous president for any crimes he may have committed during the Watergate Scandal.

#31. He was the only person to be elected to four terms of office as President. He was president during the majority of World War II. His sweeping economic and social changes, called "The New Deal" helped bring an end to the Great Depression. He was limited to life in a wheel chair while suffering from the effects of polio. He died while sitting at his desk in the White House, shortly after starting his fourth term of office.

# 32. He is the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and was partly responsible for the addition of the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution. He purchased the Louisiana Territory from France and sent the famous "Lewis and Clark Expedition" to explore the newly acquired territory.

# 33. The "hero" of the Battle of New Orleans at the end of the War of 1812, he was the first Democrat to be elected President. He effectively destroyed the Bank of the United States and forced march many Native Americans from their homes in the Southeastern United States to reservations in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma in what was called "the Trail of Tears." He also prevented a civil war in the U.S. by his strong actions during what was called the "Nullification Crisis."

Dynamic Marriages and ME!

This weekend, Jamie and I are going to take a class to become certified instructors for Dynamic Marriages. We get to spend 3 days together getting to know the curriculum from the inside out to better serve marriages in our community. Because Dynamic Marriages is primarily religious in nature, I cannot teach this curriculum as part of my job with Twogether in Texas, but I can teach it at my church or offer the classes to the community as a whole, on my own time.

Despite the fact that the Texas Legislature, is seriously considering cutting the funding for Twogether in Texas, I think it is a great thing for me to become a certified facilitator for Dynamic Marriages. Even if the State takes funding away for marriage education, my wife and I will continue to support healthy marriages anyway.

About 4 years ago, Jamie and I went through a Dynamic Marriage Class, while we lived in
Gilmer. It was a great class and we have wanted to teach it to others since then. Now we are getting our chance.

Reply to Comments Made About My Recent Wal-Mart Blog

So what you guys are saying is that we just accept rude and unacceptable service just because they are helping our economy, or that poor service is everywhere?

I was taught by the majority of my former managers to be courteous to the customer, to know where to find products in the store (didn't matter if it was my department or not), how to count change back to the customer (not just quote the register or receipt), and the managers are directly responsible for the behavior of their employees.

None of this is happening at Wal-Mart. If an eating establishment gave you bad service you would not wish to go back, because there are plenty of other eating places out there; however, with Wal-Mart quickly becoming a monopoly, there are few other places to go to for your general merchandise.

Big business will never learn, if the consumers do not stand up for themselves. Just like the government will slowly take away our rights if we keep allowing them to do so. We have to start standing up for what is right somewhere, and I am starting Wal-Mart.

I Am Not Setting Foot in Wal-Mart Again!

I have finally been pushed over the edge. I am boycotting Wal-Mart, even if it cost me more to buy my products elsewhere!

Wal-Mart has been known in recent years for not only offering products and good prices but also for their lack of customer services. It is this lack of customer service that is causing me to shop elsewhere. 

This morning, before church, I went grocery shopping. At least 5 times I walked down aisles with employees working and I was never acknowledged. Three times I had trouble finding specific products and when I finally found someone who recognized I was there and asking them a question, they just looked at me and said, "I don't know." and went right back to work. One nice lady did finally help me, but I cannot give her any credit, because she was not wearing a name tag. When I finally reached the check out lanes, I started to walk up to an open register. The employee was starting to walk off and when she saw me coming, she let out a big sigh and said, "Crap, my relief shift should have been here by now, and I need to go." She reluctantly started to ring up purchases, the whole time letting out signs and complaining that she, "really needed to go." (Go where? to the bathroom, home, on break?) When I paid for my purchases, she just slapped the change back into my hand, after looking on the receipt to make sure she had the correct amount, and said in a frustrated tone, "Come back." 

No! I will not go back! I am tired of being treated like an "Untouchable" to be looked down on. I am tired of waiting almost an hour, at times, to check out, when there are lanes that could be opened. I am tired of being ignored by employees, that is if I can find one to even help me when I need help. I am tired of managers making excuses about why, "they have a hard time finding good employees." I am tired of Wal-Mart and their crappy attitude. 

I am taking my business elsewhere. I don't care if it cost me more money, I will not step foot in another Wal-Mart until I hear a public announcement that Wal-Mart, Inc., is making steps to improve customer service nation wide. 

Join me in my boycott! Wal-Mart will never improve unless we take a chunk out of their profits. 

Presidents Quiz # 2 of 4

This part 2 of my 4 part quiz about the Presidents of the United States. As before their are 11 statements that you need to match to the President. The answers are in the comment section.

12. His nickname was "Old Dough face." The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed by Congress during his term, which led to much bloodshed and helped cause the Civil War.

13. He was President of the United States during World War I. He pushed, unsuccessfully for the United States to join the League of Nations after the war. His "Fourteen Points" served as a guide to create the treaty that ended the war as well. He suffered a stroke late in his presidency, during which time people felt his wife "assumed" many of his presidential duties.

14. Famous for his quote, "The Buck Stops Here," he was president at the end of World War II and authorized the use of the atomic bomb on Japan to end the war. He was president during the start of the Cold War, the creation of NATO and the recognition of Israel as an independent nation.

15. He is the only President to date to have resigned from being president. He won his first election by one of the largest land-slides in Electoral College history. He is known for his famous trip to Communist China, during which he opened up U.S. trade relations with China. He was president when man first stepped on the moon and he negotiated the treaty that would end the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. His involvement in the "Watergate Scandal" almost resulted in his impeachment, but he chose to resign instead.

16. The first African-American to become President of the United States. He is also the current President of the United States. While president he has increased the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan to help fight terrorist and signed orders to close the U.S. Military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He has also signed legislation authorizing Congress to give money to industries, businesses and taxpayers to help "boost" a struggling economy.

17. During World War II, he was the youngest Navy fighter pilot to serve in the war. He was head of the CIA before becoming president. He organized a coalition of military forces from the U.S. and other countries to liberate Kuwait from invading forces from Iraq, during what is called, "Operation Desert Storm." He also authorized a military operation in Panama. He was president when the Berlin Wall was torn down in Germany, signaling the end of the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. He also helped create the North American Free-Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

18. He was the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms of office as President of the United States. He was the 2nd president to marry in the White House.

19. As president he issued a foreign policy that bears his name which said that, further efforts by European governments to colonize land or interfere with states/countries in the Americas, would be considered as acts of aggression that require U.S. intervention. The Missouri Compromise was also passed by Congress while he was president.

20. He helped write the Declaration of Independence and was the only Federalist to serve as president. He signed the Alien and Sedition Acts, which severely limited the rights of foreign citizens who lived in the United States.

21. He was the first president to assume the office after the death of the sitting president. Known as the "Accidental President," he failed to accomplish much while he was president. Texas became a state three days before he left office.

22. He was chosen as President by the House of Representatives after the contested election of 1876. He ended Reconstruction in the United States, bringing the last of the former Confederate States back into the Union.