T Town Tommy

Brain Eating Bugs in US Lakes

Oh yeah let's build lakes in the middle of the overly polluted shit smelling Arkansas River, brilliant idea! Anyone care for a swim?

PHOENIX - It sounds like science fiction but it's true: A killer amoeba living in lakes enters the body through the nose and attacks the brain where it feeds until you die.

Even though encounters with the microscopic bug are extraordinarily rare, it's killed six boys and young men this year. The spike in cases has health officials concerned, and they are predicting more cases in the future.

"This is definitely something we need to track," said Michael Beach, a specialist in recreational waterborne illnesses for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"This is a heat-loving amoeba. As water temperatures go up, it does better," Beach said. "In future decades, as temperatures rise, we'd expect to see more cases."

More on the story with AP

Britney Spears Apology to the World

Matthew Shepard Act Moves Closer to Becoming Law

From the HRC web site:

WASHINGTON– In a historic step toward equality for GLBT Americans, the U.S. Senate voted to pass the Matthew Shepard Act, which updates and expands the federal hate crimes laws to include bias motivated violence based on a victim's sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, and disability, and provides new resources and tools to assist local law enforcement in prosecuting vicious crimes.

The Senate in a bipartisan vote of 60 to 39 accepted cloture which ended debate on the bill and then moved to approve the Matthew Shepard Act by a voice vote -- attaching it as an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2008 Department of Defense Authorization bill.

Not surprisingly both Oklahoma Senators James Inhofe and Tom Colburn, who are staying joined at the hip with President George Bush, voting against cloture of the Matthew Shepard Act giving federal protection for hate crimes committed against LGBT and disabled US citizens. Currently there is no hate crimes legislation in the State of Oklahoma protecting its LGBT citizens. President Bush vowed to veto the hate crimes legislation calling it "unnecessary". According to the FBI, 25 Americans each day are victims of hate crimes–that means approximately one hate crime is committed every hour. One in six hate crimes are motivated by the victim's sexual orientation. Making such arguments that hate crimes laws are unnecessary only goes to show the true bigotry of our state senators and President Bush.

During debate Wednesday on the bill Oregon Republican Sen. Gordon H. Smith, another sponsor (of the bill) invoked the name of Matthew Shepard for whom the bill is named in a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday.

"For those of you who do not know Matthew Shepard's story, it is truly heartbreaking," said Smith.

"Matthew was a 21-year-old college student at the University of Wyoming when he was attacked. Shortly after midnight, on October 7, 1998, Matthew was kidnapped, beaten, pistol whipped, lashed to a lonely stretch of fence and left to die alone. Almost 18 hours later, Matthew was found alive but unconscious. His injuries were deemed too severe for surgery and Matthew died October 12.

"He was murdered by two men simply for who he was, because he was gay. To think that such virulent hatred of another person's sexual orientation drove another to commit such a heinous act is truly unthinkable. Sadly, this case is not isolated," said Smith.

Matthew Shepard's parents said the legislation sends a bold and unmistakable message about violent hate crimes.

"The Matthew Shepard Act is an essential step to erasing hate in America and we are humbled that it bears our sons name," said Judy and Dennis Shepard in a statement.

"It has been almost nine years since Matthew was taken from us. This bill is a fitting tribute to his memory and to all of those who have lost their lives to hate."

The Vote for the Matthew Shepard Act is Tomorrow!

From The Human Rights Campaign:

The Senate will vote on the Matthew Shepard Act TOMORROW.

We've worked for years to get this bill through both houses of Congress, and we're finally incredibly close.

Now that Senate action is imminent, anti-GLBT groups are activating their misinformed grassroots base once again.

Remember, they've convinced thousands that this bill will muzzle preachers and send pastors to jail for reading certain parts of the Bible. If we don't call right now, critical votes COULD BE LOST to these scare tactics.

CALL BOTH YOUR SENATORS RIGHT NOW:

Call the Congressional Switchboard at 202.224.3121 - tell them where you're from, and that you would like to speak with your Senators.

For each office, tell the staffer who answers:

As a constituent, and a supporter of the Human Rights Campaign, I hope the Senator will vote YES on the Matthew Shepard Act (S. 1105). This legislation has been endorsed by over 280 civic, religious, and law enforcement organizations. I hope the Senator will do the right thing and vote YES on S. 1105 when it comes to a vote.

We cannot allow our Senators to be intimidated, misled, or swayed by an extremist minority. Thank you for making your calls, and thank you for being a voice of reason today.

T Town Tommy writes: Although our Oklahoma Senators are total bigots towards the gay citizens they represent, now is the time to turn up the heat on our leaders! Call our leaders, light up the switch boards, let them know that all minorities need protection from hate crimes! Think these evil crimes don't exist in Oklahoma; see my article about the two lesbian Oklahoma citizens who where attacked by residents and the FBI not being able to step in and find the criminals behind the attacks and the horrible attitude of local law enforcement towards gay minorities. The hate has to stop and protection is desperately needed. Call today or go to the HRC web site for more information.

The Truth About Hate Crimes Laws

The Iranian Monster in New York

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave an address at Columbia University yesterday hosted by a rightfully hostile moderator and crowd of students. Questioned about the holocaust Ahmadinejad steadfastly denied the existence of the German holocaust ever happening and supported the idea that the 9/11 attacks were not terrorist sponsored. The leader of Iran was asked repeatedly questions about gay executions in his country, which he attempted to avoid by referring to the death penalty in the United States and drug dealers, ignoring the homosexual topic of the question completely. Moderator Dean Coatsworth kept peppering him about the topic and received this answer:

"In Iran, we don't have homosexuals like in your country. We don't have that in our country. In Iran, we do not have this phenomenon. I do not know who has told you that we have it."

Ahmadinejad was heckled and booed by the audience. Probably in the twisted mind of the terrorist sponsor what he really meant was we are doing our best to exterminate as many homosexuals in our country as quickly as we can taking a page out of Hitler's evil history of exterminating Jews which according to Ahmadinejad never happened.

  Photo of homosexual minors being executed in Iran moments before death

Story of the execution of homosexual minors in Iran 

Earlier this year the Canadian Broadcast Company ran a lengthy article about the abuse and atrocities committed against homosexuals in Iran. The article documents their form of secret police following suspected LGBT Iranian citizens, public beatings and executions. The news article and videos show the true side of the gross human right violations under the Ahmadinejad regime.

Is Iranian President Ahmadinejad a monster; there can be no doubt; he is evil and twisted down to the core. He has been documented as playing a part of the American hostages crisis in Iran in 1979, he has been linked to supplying weapons and training of terrorist in Iraq whose sole purpose is murdering our American troops and he has been linked to trying to develop nuclear weapons of mass destruction.

Should the monster be allowed to come to our country and speak? Yes, we are the home of the free and the brave; we do not fear his twisted and evil words and delusions of world historical facts. Remember this madman's words people he is the next target of our war on terror with the citizens of Iran and our troops paying the ultimate price for his wickedness.

Want to Get Active in The Tulsa Gay Community and Do Some Good?

Oklahomans for Equality is looking for an organized and dedicated office coordinator with experience in administrative management and facilities maintenance.

The Office Coordinator will be responsible for managing the day-to-day administrative operations of the agency as well as maintaining the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center facility, a largely volunteer organization serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender (LGBT) community.

Please click here for a complete job description.  Interested parties may submit a resume and cover letter to: Oklahomans for Equality, PO Box 2687, Tulsa, OK, 74101, or send to employment@okeq.org no later than Monday, October 15, 2007.

Monday Morning Humor - Don't Take Men to Wal Mart

After Mr. and Mrs. Fenton retired, Mrs. Fenton insisted that her husband accompany her on her trips to Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, Mr. Fenton was like most men: He found shopping boring and preferred to get in and out of the store as soon as possible. Also unfortunately, Mrs. Fenton was like most women: She loved to browse. One day Mrs. Fenton received the following letter from her local Wal-Mart.

Dear Mrs. Fenton:

Over the past six months, your husband has been causing quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and may be forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against Mr. Fenton are listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras.

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people's carts when they weren't looking.

2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.

3.   July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official voice, "Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right away."

4. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&Ms on layaway.

5. September 14: Moved a "Caution: Wet Floor" sign to a carpeted area.

6. September 15: Set up a tent in the Camping Department and told other shoppers he'd invite them in if they would bring pillows and blankets from the Bedding Department.

7. September 23: When a clerk asked if she could help him, he began crying and screamed, "Why can't you people just leave me alone?"

8. October 4: Looked right into the security camera and used it as a mirror while he picked his nose.

9. November 10: While handling guns in the Hunting Department, he asked the clerk where the anti-depressants were.

10. December 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly humming the "Mission Impossible" theme.

11. December 6: In the Auto Department, he practiced his "Madonna look" by using different sizes of   funnels.

12. December 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, he yelled, "Pick me! Pick me!"

13. December 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed a fetal position and   screamed, "Oh no! It's those voices again!"

And last, but not least,

14. December 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited a while, and then yelled very loudly, "Hey! There's no toilet paper in here!"

The Nines, Total Hotness

I tend to keep my secret fantasy crushes to myself but Ryan Reynolds has always topped my list of guys I wouldn't kick out of bed for any reason. With the glut of shitty movies that hit theatres this summer my movie house visits has been pretty spotty. One movie that has perked my interest is The Nines written and directed by out movie maker John August. August sprung on Cannes a three part movie with Ryan Reynolds playing the lead character in each story and playing gay for the first time. Described as a Twilight Zone type surreal intertwining of three stories into one The Nines finally allows Reynolds to show his acting chops playing three entirely different characters. Being distributed in limited release in the US I am hoping the movie somehow makes it to Tulsa. Besides, seeing a totally hot and ripped Ryan Reynolds on the big screen is reason enough for the price of a movie ticket!

Okie Blogger Update

It looks like a place to meet has been finalized. The 2007 Okie Blogger Roundup and Awards are being held this year at the Tulsa Midtown Cherry Street Hideaway Pizza on East 15^th Street and South Peoria Avenue, the only place I order my pizza in Tulsa. The restaurant is very cool with great food and drinks. My partner and I look forward to meeting many of you on October 6^th. The round up is from 4 to 6 pm. Head over to Okiedoke for more 411.

Dave Matthews Band - Eh Hee

Eh Hee - Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds

Thought I could use a little musical break, how bout some Dave Matthews.

Monday Morning Humor - Will Rogers

    I don't make jokes; I just watch the Government and report the facts.
    --Will Rogers

Tulsa County River Tax All the Wrong Reasons

It is not too often that I find myself on the same side of issues as Tulsa City Councilors Roscoe Turner and Jack Henderson but the sales tax increase to fund dams being built in the middle of the Arkansas River through Tulsa is insane. In the midst of the Vision 2025 project this need to play catch-up with Jenks on river development seemed to appear out of nowhere with a $110 million dollar carrot being dangled in-front of local politicians for a quick vote granting access to newly created public funds. Joe Citizen's share of tax burden for the project will be $600 million dollars in order to do it correctly. The city does not want to address the issue of the waste plant in South Tulsa that smells so bad most are inclined to throw up from the stench. Estimated cost to move the waste treatment plant alone is $500 million dollars.

Unlike the Jenks river development which is privately funded the county wants to saddle residents many of which are struggling to get by financially now with a .4 cent sales tax increase bringing our sales tax close to 9%. This rate is high when compared to other jurisdictions of the same size as Tulsa. Coupled with a high rate of poor in Tulsa County and unfair taxation on food and medicine the extra tax would be unproductive and unfair for a great number of residents. The county claims to offer a $25.00 rebate for low income and seniors however many will not bother to go to the effort and hassle of getting the forms to fill out and the processing of said forms will be nothing more than a need for extra work hours being created for government bean counters. The tax will also put a choke hold on cities within Tulsa County from raising taxes for critical needs such as infrastructure improvements and crime prevention.

Former Tulsa Street Commissioner Jim Hewgley who helped get our streets in the shape their in today has weighed in stating:

As pointed out by the mayor and city council of Broken Arrow, this river tax forces cities to surrendering taxing authority to the county and reduces their funding options for critical needs like streets and crime.  Cities rely on sales tax for revenue and I believe county government should get out of the sales tax business entirely.  This river tax is bad public policy which allows county government to expand its share of sales tax to the detriment of all cities within Tulsa County, including the City of Tulsa.

Supporters of the River Tax claim it will help lure young people to Tulsa and create jobs; wishful thinking I say. The flood of youth out of Oklahoma once graduating is due to both social justice issues and an opportunity for high wage employment and better quality of life elsewhere in the United States. Too many youth in the US in general has only seen our state from 35,000 feet with zero idea of what the three big cities in the state (Tulsa, Broken Arrow and OKC) is offering now. According to economic data the three biggest employers in Tulsa are American Airlines, The City of Tulsa and Tulsa Public Schools. Is there something wrong with this picture? Two out of the three are already tax payer funded on below national average tax payer salaries and paying below national average salaries to its workers. We need more high paying jobs in the area badly. Is government the solution to create these jobs; no but our tax payer money can be better spent creating the type of county that will attract high wage paying employers.

Creating more government funded improvements on land owned by Native American tribes has serious challenges from civil engineering, management and business promotion standpoints. It also has serious ethical issues of the land being owned by Native American tribes and the recently released finding of negative environmental impact by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. I will assume that the majority of businesses will be paying retail sales clerk or waiter wages once the project is completed if Jenks type river attractions develop. I cannot image a flood of youth from the east and west coast for those job vacancies. I cannot picture someone graduating from the University of Tulsa or ORU with a four year degree washing plates in one of the restaurants. Many of the most talented and brightest will continue to head to Dallas, Chicago or even Kansas City. At one time Tulsa had more millionaires per populace than any other city in the nation. That reality is far lost in the past its time to start seeing our city for what it is now not what it was during its golden years. A lot of the old money in Tulsa is gone due to deaths and divisions of estates or relocation.

If the county wants to invest money in creating jobs do so by doing the jobs you have better that you do now. Our crime rate is very high for a county our size, our county roads and bridges need major overhauls or total replacement with something other than cheap asphalt patch jobs and debris catchers under crumbling bridges. Further county investment in education and funding of proven community programs is essential for a healthy educated work force. A healthy and educated work force and world class roads and bridges will attract further investments in our community by outside small, medium and even large companies.

No civilization has ever taxed itself into prosperity in the history of mankind but showing the tax payers' results from such high taxes already paid is paramount in order to gain faith. Tulsa county tax payers being asked for funding over half a billion dollars in the river when so many cancers exist in our community from decades past due for replacement schools, poor roads, high crime, and low wages is irresponsible. The time is wrong and the idea is fundamentally flawed, it also displays a lack of foresight for our socio/economic wellbeing as a patchwork of communities that make up Tulsa County. If you bother to vote in the special election on the river tax don't be afraid to question your government and get the facts before you do more damage than good.

Catching Up & On the Mend

Just a quick note to bring everyone up to speed on my health situation. I was released from Saint Francis Hospital yesterday afternoon after a weeklong stay. The doctors are carefully optimistic about my recovery and I am pain free (thank God for the morphine they gave me during my stay). Although I am still very weak, words cannot express enough how happy I am to be back home and be able to sleep a solid eight hours without blood being drawn or vitals being taken. The road to a full recovery and getting back to full strength will take several weeks and I am not trying to rush back into work. I want to express my heartfelt thanks for all the emails of encouragement, phone calls, blog comments, and visitors who made the stay in the hospital bearable. Without your support and prayers I am sure I would still be bed ridden.

A lot has happened in the past week that I have missed commenting on including the rehire of Ron Palmer as Tulsa Police Chief, the wrongheaded Arkansas River Tax, the anniversary of 9/11, and the armed forces testimony on Iraq. All of these hot topic issues I will be commenting on in the coming days. For right now I am spending time with my partner and family and not pushing myself too much.

I do want to say wow and thank you to my fellow bloggers for two years in a row being nominated for best commentary in the state. To be thought of in such high regard by my peers is both exciting and very humbling at the same time. I look forward to meeting many of you at the Okie Blog Awards ceremony at the end of the month in Tulsa. Stay tuned for my take on several hot topic issues many of which may surprise my readership.

Monday Morning Humor – Hospital Humor

Still in the hospital, thought this would be appropriate considering my conundrum.

TO: Medical Personnel

FROM: Human Resource

 

It has come to our attention from several emergency rooms that many EMS narratives have taken a decidedly creative direction lately. Effective immediately, all members are to refrain from using slang and abbreviations to describe patients, such as the following.

Cardiac patients should not be referred to with MUH (messed up heart), PBS (pretty bad shape), PCL (pre-code looking) or HIBGIA (had it before, got it again).

Stroke patients are NOT "Charlie Carrots." Nor are rescuers to use CCFCCP (Coo Coo for Cocoa Puffs) to describe their mental state.

Trauma patients are not FDGB (fall down, go boom), TBC (total body crunch) or "hamburger helper". Similarly, descriptions of a car crash do not have to include phrases like "negative vehicle to vehicle interface" or "terminal deceleration syndrome."

HAZMAT teams are highly trained professionals, not "glow worms."

Persons with altered mental states as a result of drug use are not considered "pharmaceutically gifted."

Gunshot wounds to the head are not "trans-occipital implants."

The homeless are not "urban outdoorsmen", nor is endotracheal intubation referred to as a "PVC Challenge".

And finally, do not refer to recently deceased persons as being "paws up," ART (assuming room temperature), CC (Cancel Christmas), CTD (circling the drain), or NLPR (no long playing records).

I know you will all join me in respecting the cultural diversity of our patients to include their medical orientations in creating proper, narratives and log entries.

 

Sincerely,

Directory of Human Resource

In the Hospital Will Be Away For Awhile

Wednesday I had a sharp pain hit me in the lower abdomen, pain so great it brought me to my knees and crying. For anyone who knows me personally this is a super rare thing for me to do. I was rushed up to Saint Francis Hospital thinking that I had appendicitis, turns out its far far worse. After an afternoon and entire night in the ER I have been assigned a bed and the doctor's plan on keeping me at least till Sunday. Turns out my appetite for crap that's horrible to eat has caused me to develop diverticulitis. A very severe infection of the lower intestine and colon, the disease usually strikes people in their 70's or 80's, not people at age 37! For the next 4 days I am on a clear liquid diet, with several different IV's of very strong antibiotics and pain killers. I.e. Liquid Morphine being my fave so far. A CAT scan tomorrow will set the stage for my next step in treatment. Best case scenario the antibiotics do their jobs and the infections go away or the surgeon will numb me up and using ultra sound imaging will take a long huge needle and go through the front of my lower abs and straight into the spots with the severe deposits of poison to basically suck the infection out. Worst case scenario the surgeon will be removing part of my colon. In which case I will be in here a lot longer than expected in order to get over a surgery that delicate. The only karma like twist is in a hospital so huge I was assigned the same room and same bed that my Grandmother who raised me died in three years ago. The entire experience being a patient with a serious possibly life threaten illness and winding up in the exact spot of where my maternal grandmother passed away is freaky. So to my dear readers bear with me till I am off the meds and healed up before I am back again telling it like it is in the Bible belt.

Thanks Everyone for Your Patience and Understanding!

Thomas "T Town Tommy"

Senator Larry Craig's Children Speak to The Public

AOL.com is sharing the Diane Sawyer interview with US Senator Craig's children following the public speech he gave August 28th denouncing that he is gay. During the interview the children follow the senator's story of explaining away the toe tapping and hand gestures in the Minnesota airport. However the children fail to explain why he was in the bathroom furtherest from his flight. It should be noted that Larry Craig adopted his son Michael and two siblings after marrying their mother, the former Suzanne Scott, in 1983.

Don’t Want to Waste a Good Post

A few weeks ago I was asked by a start up of what was to be a pretty high profile LGBT news and commentary site to be a regular contributor. I have learned from watching other bloggers to hold off until everything falls into place before making big announcements. I spent the time since I was invited to be a writer doing double blogging duty with research, writing and re writing, checking my facts and asking one of my friends who is a published author to proof my work. I was set today for the big announcement come to find out the site is now offline for various reasons. So I have some posts for national consumption and I can still publish it here! So hang with me as I share what I would tell someone who is gay about Oklahoma who has never been to our state much less given it much thought.

 

Dorothy is there gay people in Oklahoma? You bet there is and we tend to stir up our share of gay news from time to time. For the last twenty years I have lived as a gay man in Oklahoma, quite possibly the reddest of red states in America. The events of the past two years has landed Oklahoma right in the heart of the great struggle of equality for all gay Americans, or as the right wing refers to it, "The Culture War."

Landmark cases and events with both national and regional impact on gay civil rights have spilled out of Oklahoma. Issues regarding the repeal of sodomy laws, same sex couple adoption and foster care, recognition of gay marriages performed in other jurisdictions, free speech and the rights to peacefully assemble have all been before the Oklahoma courts in recent years. Most all court rulings have been in favor of Oklahoma and American LGBT citizens finally having some of the rights that most take for granted. No one should fear their government will take away their child or their own human rights simply for being born into a minority. To have this fear goes against the very nature of what our founding fathers where trying to prevent: tyranny and oppression of the minority by the church or state.

However my home state, like most in our country, is still rebelling against full civil rights for LGBT citizens. With no hate crime legislation, employment protection or housing rights, coupled with the fight for gay marriage; the dream of true equality is still on the distant horizon. The difference today compared to just ten years ago is that the promise of civil rights is on the horizon and is moving closer instead of simply an exercise in futility. From the sacrifices, bravery, court battles, imagination and hope of previous generations today's Oklahoma LGBT youth are experiencing acceptance and support unimaginable from when I first became an HIV awareness advocate in college at Oklahoma State University in 1990.

Our state hosts Gay Pride events annually in our two major cities, Tulsa and the state capitol Oklahoma City. Tulsa is home to the nation's fifth largest LGBT community center, The Dennis R. Neill Equality Center and one of our Nation's largest and most successful all-gay men's choral groups. Oklahoma City host one of the largest gay rodeos in the U.S. each year and is home to the largest gay resort in the Midwest. With a wide variety of night clubs, cultural activities, the outdoors, and a low cost of living, Oklahoma and the Midwest in general are becoming far from bleak places to live within gay communities.

We still have plenty of right wing politicians, televangelist and mega church leaders in Oklahoma. You can toss a rock in any direction and hit a church. Bigotry and hate crimes are all too common an occurrence in our communities but so is courage and determination. Change is coming at a break neck speed in the destiny of the struggle for gay rights. Many of the fundamental battles for our rights will start in the heartland and not on the coast. Stay tuned for posts from the trenches of the culture war, the Buckle of the Bible Belt.

The Unofficial End of Summer

For the first 22 years of my life I was programmed that the end of summer was signaled by going back to school from elementary straight through college. Fifteen years later I still can't shake the feeling that summer has ended regardless of what the date of the solstice is for fall. Being a florist you only have certain windows in the year when you can travel and spend any time away from the shop. Basically from September through June most times travel is out of the question. So when I can I escape and go somewhere that is new or has a beach. This summer was crazy with travel.

In three months I have been to Chicago, Cincinnati, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Denver, Dallas, Oklahoma City and drove over 1500 miles in Texas. I skipped on Las Vegas this summer but am pondering a New Year's trip. Check out my flickr site for some amazing photos of Northern Washington State and the wide golden fields of East Texas.

The downside of being a small business owner is the long hours and being strapped to your creation. Many studies have proven taking vacation breaks and travel is essential for mental health. Three day trips don't seem to count but add stress instead; extended vacations of five days or more seem to be most beneficial. I have associates who just slave away all year without taking some time off and damn their bitter.

So, even though it's still in the upper 90's for millions of relieved parents, bummed out kids, and myself; summer is over. I couldn't get though the summer season though without at least one injury. I have been gimping around for the past two weeks on an injured foot. I spent a week playing basketball with cousins most half my age and twice my speed. I realized my days of playing a fast game like I did in my twenties are past me so I had to adopt more of a Charles Barkley type of game using my 200 lbs. I held my own but after pulling tendons in the top of my foot after playing every day for a week straight my doctor has advised me against any pickup games for a couple of months. Regardless of injury it's time to get back into gear and hang tough till after Christmas.

Happy Labor Day everyone, enjoy the last break of summer!