Messengers from Heaven:Do you believe in angels?

   
I was watching the Today Show this morning and they had a story about a Guardian Angel saving a teenage girl’s life.
   Doctors’ took her off a life-support system thinking she was a goner. But, hospital security cameras distinctly showed a glowing light in the shape of an angel (with wings) near the girl’s bed hours later.
   She miraculously survived the loss of her support system and rapidly got better, to the surprise and amazement of the hospital staff, doctors, and her mother.
Family members had given up on her just hours before, kissing the unconscious girl who they thought was slipping away forever. The mother, and staff members, saw the angel and the mother pulled out her cell phone and took a photo.
It showed the same thing that the security cameras showed, a glowing light in the shape of an angel.
  Are there really angels? I believe that there are. Mine is a beloved grandmother who has warned me of danger many times. I’ve never seen a glowing light or anything like that. But, her voice clearly speaks to my head and heart. I’ve never ignored the warnings.
The last time I got a warning from her was back in 1990. I lived in 29 Palms and had to commute to the Palm Springs area every day to my job as the managing editor of a group of weekly newspapers.
  The drive involved going up a mountain pass (one-lane on either side). One evening, on my way home, and going up that pass I suddenly had a funny feeling like something was going to happen. My grandmother’s voice calmly warned me to pull off the road immediately. I hesitated for a moment then slowed down and looked for a spot to pull over.
 Just as I hit the break my front driver’s side tire blew! I was going slow enough and was able to maintain control to guide the car to a safe spot. When I got out, shaking like a leaf in a storm, I looked at how close my car had come to the edge of the mountain. I had, maybe, two feet before the ground gave way.
  If I had been traveling at the speed I was going (before slowing down) and that tire blew, there was a good chance I’d have taken a plunge off that mountain. I stood there for minutes taking deep breaths and thanking my grandmother, before I went about repairing the tire.
There were other times, like when I was in Vietnam, when I felt her presence in perilous situations. I’ve often asked myself, why me? Why does grandma warn me of danger and not my brother or sisters? That’s a question that will never be answered.
AS IT STANDS I just know that I loved her deeply when she was alive, and somehow she still watches over me!

It sure is fun making fun of 'Mr. Sell Senate Seat' Blagojevich

    MR. FISH

Thanks to Truthdig.com

Unions sue Herr Schwarzenegger over mandatory days off

        With the state on track to run out of money in February, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last week ordered furloughs for state workers. Unions representing those workers say only the Legislature can make such an order.

Two public employee unions on Monday sued Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to block his effort to furlough state workers in a cost-cutting measure as California's treasury runs out of money.
Last week, Schwarzenegger issued an executive order to require that all state employees take two unpaid days off each month starting in February. The governor said the measure is needed to conserve cash, with the state budget gap estimated to reach $42 billion a year and a half from now.

• 

  Protest over furloughs

The lawsuit, filed in Sacramento County Superior Court, asserts that only the Legislature can alter the pay of workers who have labor contracts with the state. It asks the courts to issue a temporary stay to stop Schwarzenegger's efforts, which could affect 230,000 workers.

Political Christmas Song II: Letting Dubya and Cheney go

LETTING DUBYA GO & Cheney Go
(To the tune of “Let it Snow”)

Oh!the economy has been really slow,
and doesn’t seem to have a place to go.

Why we don’t really know,
we just... Let Cheney go! Let him go! Let him go!

It doesn’t show signs of getter well
as any economist will tell
Why we don’t really know,
but we Let Dubya go! Let him go! Let him go!

When we finally get rid of Dubya and his regime where nothing was as it seemed,
Americans are all going to know,
the times is over for Letting them go! Letting them go! Letting them go!

Political Christmas Song:I saw Blago selling the senate seat

 

I SAW BLAGO SELLING THE SENATE SEAT
(to the tune of “I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus”)

Oh! I saw Blago selling the senate seat last night,
he was calling out the price had to be right,
it sure was a yuletide season sight!

I saw him tickle little babies bums
while soliciting for amazing sums,
and tossing the taxpayers crusty crumbs.

Oh! I saw Blago selling the senate seat last night,
he was calling out the price had to be right,
it sure was a yuletide sight!

Oh! Blago, Oh Blago...
Just how far will you go?

 I saw Blago on the TV yesterday
he was doing everything he could to get away,
from what the FBI had to say.

Santa is going to need a snow plow in northeastern states

Winter has come, and with it, snow-covered roads are causing problems in places like Michigan and Chicago. Reports of 30 car, 20 car, and more, piles-ups are coming in hourly. All I can say is I'm glad that I live on the West Coast, near the ocean, where snow seldom seeks to go!

Guess who gets the meat between this eagle and fox?

  

  

  

Welcome to this blog's latest subscriber: RACHEL C. KELLY!

Rachel has two blogs of her own;

"Muck!"

and "Reconciled Tree Pieces."

The other two subscribers to this blog are: TOM HOLLOWAY whose blog is called, "Tom Holloway's The Grand Life."

No pic available for Tom.

ANEMONE - whose real name I don't know - doesn't have a blog. No pic available here either.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU for following my blog!

$350 Billion Later: Where did the bailout money go?

The nation's largest banks won't say how their spending the money they got from the government. The Associated Press contacted 21 banks that got at least $1 billion, and not one of them would give a straight answer! Some vaguely hinted that they lent some of the money, but no actual numbers. Some of the banks even said they simply don't know where the money went!

The banker's responses highlight the secrecy surrounding the "Troubled Asset Relief Program" which earmarked $700 billion - about the size of the Netherlands economy - to help the struggling institutions. So once again, the nation's bankers get to thumb their noses at the taxpayers and get away with it! When will we ever learn?

 

 

                                                                                         

                                                      Artwork from "The Hooded Utilitarian (2007)"

TODAY in AS IT STANDS Times-Standard edition/Christmas

Times are hard, but people will still enjoy this Christmas. Some old fashion values, like making gifts, are in this year.

I think people are looking back to celebrating Christmas in more traditional ways, partly due to the economy.

Sure, things are tough. But so are Americans. We've shown that in the past. Click here to read today's column; "Fewer gifts this season but Christmas will still be special."

COMING TUESDAY: the long version of "Christmas at NANA & PAPA's." (Note: I had a short blog on this post a week ago) It will be featured in "The McKinleyville Press on Tuesday," and I'm posting the entire column online that day for those of you who aren't able to pick up a copy.

I hope you enjoy both of these columns on Christmas as much as I did writing them. 

 

Schwarzenegger Goes Conan: slashes state workers pay and forces layoffs

Looks like the Govenator is playing the Grinch...

Los Angeles Times

By Patrick McGreevy and Jordan Rau
December 20, 2008

Reporting from Sacramento -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday ordered mass layoffs and unpaid furloughs for state workers starting in February to address California's growing fiscal crisis.
Under his executive order, 238,000 employees will be forced to take off two unpaid days per month through June 30, 2010. Managers will receive either the furlough or an equivalent salary reduction during the same period.

• Schwarzenegger says he won't back Democratic budget plan

• California Democrats devise plan to hike taxes

• Majority-rule plan could break GOP budget blockade

H.D. Palmer, spokesman for Schwarzenegger's finance department, said the mandatory time off is the equivalent of about a 9% pay cut for affected workers. He said the furloughs would save the state more than $1.2 billion.
It is unclear how many people will lose their jobs. Palmer said each department will have to cut its payroll by 10% and will make its own decisions on how many workers must go.

See entire story by clicking here

Photo source: Registered at aol.com

Poinsettias are not toxic and the debunking of other myths

Researchers debunk conventional wisdom about poinsettias, sugar and holiday suicides -- and note that Coca-Cola can only do so much.

Contrary to popular belief, poinsettias are not toxic to people or animals, suicides do not increase over the Christmas holidays, and sugar does not make kids hyperactive.

Also, Wales winning the rugby grand slam does not influence the death of popes, and douching with Coca-Cola is not an effective contraceptive method.

The supposed toxicity of poinsettias has been a subject of warnings ever since the red and white flowers have been associated with the Christmas holiday, but numerous reports from poison control centers do not support the warnings, according to Drs. Rachel C. Vreeman and Aaron E. Carroll of the Indiana University School of Medicine.

Los Angeles Times/Dec. 21                                                                                                   Gina Ferazzi/LA TIMES Photo

Political Correctness leaves Santa Claus Polarized!

It's Cold Outside and I'm Thinking About Polar Bears!

  

  

Ho! Ho! Ho! Santa Passes Out Condoms to Men & Women!

By John Jalsevac

TORONTO, December 18, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Christmas shoppers were shocked this week to find men and women dressed up as Santa Claus on some of the busiest streets in Toronto, handing out condoms.

The publicity stunt was arranged by Durex, the condom manufacturer.

A press release from the company explained that costumed representatives, dressed as Santa Claus, would be handing out the condoms beginning on Tuesday, December 16.

“This holiday season, Durex(R) wants lovers to really feel the Love,” says the release. “Helping Canadians get in the mood to wrap their packages, Durex and Santa will start celebrating the holidays by handing out Love condoms this Tuesday, December 16, 2008 in downtown Toronto. Giving never felt so good!”

“It’s deeply saddening to me that at one of the most sacred times of the year, Durex would do such a thing,” said Suresh Dominic of Campaign Life Catholic in response to the publicity stunt.

“Santa Claus is simply another name for St. Nicholas, a Catholic bishop and saint from the early Church known for generosity to the poor. He is also a symbol of the beauty and mystery of Christmas, particularly for children. To use the figure of Santa to promote an ideology of casual sex on busy public streets is offensive in the extreme.”

Dominic encouraged readers to contact Durex as well as the Toronto mayor and Toronto city councillors to complain.

The condom manufacturer is not the only organization that is hijacking Christmas to spread a message of casual sex. Planned Parenthood also recently made the news by offering gift certificates that can be redeemed for everything from contraceptives and sexually transmitted disease testing to abortions.

Former major league pitcher Dock Ellis has died at 63

Associated Press

8:05 AM PST, December 20, 2008

Dock Ellis, who infamously claimed he pitched a no-hitter for Pittsburgh under the influence of LSD and later fiercely spoke out against drug and alcohol addiction, died Friday. He was 63.
His wife, Hjordis, said he died at the USC Medical Center in Los Angeles.

• 

  ARCHIVE: Ellis is trying to strike...

Dock was one of my favorite pitchers in baseball. It's sad to see him die at such an early age due to liver disease.

Vintage Travel Posters Take Us Back To Simpler Times

 

 

 

      Click Here to see more fine art posters at Enjoy Art. The site has a real nice collection to look at.

I just discovered this site and thinks it's only fair to warn the reader that fine art prints are sold here, but that's not the reason I recommend it.

It has some really cool posters to check out!

I don't know about you...

but I'm a lookie-loo!

Car Enthusiasts Put Down Thousands to Show Off Their Creations

  

 

 

Blagojevich babbled...'I'm gonna fight, fight, fight...

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich  made a statement to the media at his downtown Chicago office building a short time ago.

The embattled governor has kept his trap shut up till now, since his arrest last week on federal corruption charges.

Prosecutors say FBI wiretaps caught Blagojevich scheming to deal President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat for campaign cash or a plum job.

Blagojevich told reporters that he's innocent and would not step down and "would fight till his last breath." You gotta hand it to this creep, he isn't going quietly into the night!

The stage is set. The characters have taken their positions. Stay tuned...

AP file photo

Hilda Solis named Labor Secretary by Obama

AP Photo

I think she's a great pick. I use to live in La Puente (early sixties) and she's from there. However, there's a lot more reasons to think she's a really smart choice. Click here for her story in the Daily-News Latino.