It is 2006. I can’t believe that 2005 is over. And although I will be writing 2005 on my checks until March, I still can’t believe that 2005 is in the books. Well, I better get started on my January stuff, but before I do, I would like to bid a proper farewell to things I don’t want to see in 2006.

Paris Hilton, and while we are at it how about Jennifer Aniston,

Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Jessica Simpson and her husband or ex-husband.

These people have more money than all of us combined and then to top it all off, they get exposure every day because they are famous. How about we shine the light on poverty, homelessness, or anything that might lead to good in our society.

Tom-Kat or Ben-iffer, or J-lo: These combined nicknames of people makes me sick.

Can you see my wife and me showing up at the local school play and saying we would like to be called Bon-Scott; my friends would laugh me out of the country. If any of you have had the idea of combining your names, don’t

Mother Nature &045; the bad part of her, anyway: Enough already. I am asking for a universal break on your bad mood.

Pro athletes that make too much money. Teachers, doctors, soldiers, social workers, nurses, fire and police personnel who don’t and should get more money, rather than those who are playing a child’s game.

Protect or teach my family something important and then I will come and see you play.

Every movie star or famous person writing a children’s book: Cut it out. I like Dr. Seuss and

Charles Schultz. Having people like Madonna (Miss Like-a-Virgin) or Jay Leno write children’s books is getting crazy. Don’t you people have enough money?

New inventions: We need to slow down and let us old folks catch up. This past year we had iPods, iPod-nano, Nintendo 360s, pens that cost $150

and remember your name, telephones that can do everything from take photos to change your oil, and all the other high-tech stuff.

Local stores only ended up carrying the cases and the games that fit with these devices because they sold out so quickly.

I

believe in inventions, but can we slow down long enough for me to stay ahead of the fourth-graders in the area.

My mom still stands behind the wall at home when she heats up coffee in the microwave, so I am a little ahead of her but please let us catch up.

Mean people: Those people who do things on purpose to harm or cause injury to others. Anyone who harms kids or anyone defenseless, please stop, because I don’t like that.

Politicians who are so left or so right that they forget we all live in the middle. How about

agreeing to disagree once in awhile? How about instead of blue and red, we have plaid.

There has got to be some middle ground out there that we can all pitch a tent on. I have never have seen Americans so divided.

Another thing politicians can quit doing is bringing God into politics. I have never seen God back a candidate or attend a rally, so please let the issue of religion be between our maker and us.

Well, I think that just about wraps up what I do not want to see in 2006.

What I do want is to wish everyone a happy and healthy 2006, and for your day to be good.