Saturday, December 26, 2009

Murray’s mousing career is off to a slow start…

 …and all through the house the only thing stirring was a mouse …

on Murray the kitty!

Peace On earth!

 

The Top 10 Everything of 2009

1. Sweden Burns Bunnies for Fuel

Read more here:

The Top 10 Everything of 2009

Top 10 Oddball News Stories

Passengers help foil attack on Detroit-bound plane

This whole thing sounds like it would have made a great movie: 

“An attempted terrorist attack on a Christmas Day flight began with a pop and a puff of smoke — sending passengers scrambling to subdue a Nigerian man who claimed to be acting on orders from al-Qaida to blow up the airliner, officials and travelers said.”

Go here to read the rest.

AP – This picture provided by J.P. Karas shows Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on the runway after arriving.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas readers and bloggers!

I hope that all of you are enjoying your holiday. It’s hard to believe that another Christmas is here…and soon will pass.

Peace On Earth and Good Will To All!

Beverages: Spirits not so bright this holiday season

Liquor companies' sales fall as consumers go out less and opt for cheaper brands.

Derrick Hale replenishes stock at Emilio's Beverage Warehouse in Bellflower. Sales of distilled spirits fell in the first half of November from a year earlier. (Photo by Robert Lachman, LA Times /December 22, 2009)

The people running the nation's large liquor companies may need a few stiff drinks right about now. Go here to see why.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

A poem: Christmas in America circa 2009

Christmas in America circa 2009

strands of colored lights stretching from coast to coast
people boasting about who has the most
it’s Christmas in America

credit cards deck check-out lines in every store
despite the economy or bills waiting in January, people buy more
because it’s Christmas in America

it’s a white Christmas for many states this year
travelers stuck in airports find it hard to be of good cheer
this Christmas in America

financial types tell us, as we wait in long lines at the dollar store
that we’re coming out of this recession and were really not poor
this Christmas in America

minimum wage Santas in Malls bounce children on their knees
in nearly every house there are brightly decorated trees
for Christmas in America

corrupt pols beneath mistletoes with lobbyists, and who knows?
Our fates lie with greedy Grinches in government and other
foes
this Christmas in America

homeless veterans, cast-offs from three wars, litter the streets
with other victims of society as we enjoy holiday sweets
living here during Christmas in America

in recent times, Jesus climbed down from the Christmas tree
disgusted with the gift-giving capitalistic frenzy
that’s Christmas in America

-Dave Stancliff

Boy finally reunited with dad in Brazil after custody battle

David Goldman has fought for his son for five years. The family that held him made sure to make a big production out of returning him to his father with the press and thousands of spectators watching.

The classy thing to do would have been to take the lawyers advice, and make the switch in private somewhere so there wouldn’t be a dog and pony show like what happened.

It took a financial threat to the trade agreement between the USA and Brazil before Brazilian authorities finally stepped up to the letter of the law. The family that held Sean were abductors, yet they got away with what they did because the Dad was a well-connected lawyer.

The judges have been in his pocket since day one. Hopefully, Sean can now lead a normal life with his biological father.

Excerpt from USA TODAY:

“A New Jersey man and his 9-year-old son were reunited Thursday in Brazil after a 5-year international custody battle, and immediately headed home to spend Christmas in the United States.”

Go here to read the rest.

Bianchi family photo of Sean Goldman via Reuters

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Woman Allegedly Threatened Michelle Obama

This photo provided by the U.S. Secret Service shows Kristy Lee Roshia. Authorities say Roshia, accused of threatening to kill first lady Michelle Obama, is in federal custody in Honolulu as the Obama family plans to travel to Hawaii.

A woman accused of telling the Secret Service she would "blow away" Michelle Obama was in federal custody Tuesday as the Obama family planned to travel to Hawaii.
Kristy Lee Roshia, 35, was charged with threatening a family member of the president and assaulting a federal agent after being arrested Saturday less than two miles from the Kailua home where the Obama family planned to stay during a holiday visit later this week.”  Go here to read the rest at CBS

The photo above was provided by the U.S. Secret Service and it shows Kristy Lee Roshia.(AP Photo/US Secret Service)

Court: Inmates must endure sheriff's Christmas music

“Sheriff Joe Arpaio -

self-proclaimed

"toughest sheriff"

in America - likes Christmas music, especially "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and anything by Alvin and the Chipmunks, and apparently he thinks the 8,000 inmates inside his Phoenix jail should, too.” Go here to read the story.

Photo and related story via Department of the Offense –Taking It Back

BlackBerry e-mail service restored for some after 2nd North American outage in a week

Trouble in tech-land. Earlier this year there was another problem with Blackberries that left customers snarling.

But millions of people love their little Blackberries and temporary outages, or disruptions of service, are taken in stride.

The Chicago Tribune gives details on the latest malfunction.

Excerpt:

Research In Motion Ltd. said Wednesday the root cause is still under review but its preliminary analysis has determined there was a flaw in two recently released versions of its BlackBerry Messenger instant messaging software.” Go here to read the rest.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Does Christmas Need to Be Saved?

The following article ran in the New York Times in 2004. I’m bringing it up again because the debate about taking religion out of Christmas still goes on today.

What do you say? Should Jesus Christ climb down from the Christmas Tree this year?

Or, should Christmas continue to mix the secular with the religious parts of the holiday?

Excerpt: 

“A pastor in Raleigh, N.C., took out a full-page newspaper ad in November exhorting Christians to shop only at stores that included "Merry Christmas" in their promotions.” Go here to read the rest.

Blog Break Until Presidential Election is Over

I finally hit the wall today. I can't think of what to say about all of the madness going on in this country right now. I'm a writer...